Divine Instructions- Shikshashtakam of Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu

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Time passes away like the flowing current of a river. Five hundred years have already passed since Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu came to Puri at the age of twenty-four. During the second half of his life, he spent most of his time in the holy city of Puri. Lord Jagannath was his Beloved. Standing for hours and hours in ecstasy in front of the altar, near the pillar of the celestial bird Garuda, he used to forget time and space completely. No other happenings could distract him from this divine union. To commemorate the five-hundred-year anniversary of his coming to Puri, there were many grand celebrations in Puri and other places in 2010, from January until March.

It is a well-known fact that Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu created a flood of pure love and devotion in the minds and hearts of millions of devotees in India during his lifetime. Within five centuries, his teachings, his message, and his devotional path have also crossed the boundaries of many other countries. Even now, millions of people are attracted to his simple way of teaching about how to purify the heart and mind through prayer and expression of love toward one's own Beloved, the Lord. During the celebrations, we published a smaller version of his principal teachings known as Shikshastakam, or eight instructions to train the mind for becoming a sincere seeker. This small book was well appreciated by many, and there is now a need to reprint it. It was again a privilege to deliver a few talks on the Shikshastakam in our newly established ashram, Kriya Vedanta Gurukulam, The Temple of Harmony, located on the outskirts of Chicago in the USA. We have combined these discourses with the text in the first edition and have created a new enlarged edition of the same book.

Devotion beautifies life and sanctifies the heart. Love for the Lord eliminates ego, pride, stubbornness, and arrogance and makes one humble. As a result, a sincere devotee becomes an image of the Divine. His or her presence brings transformation in the lives of many. Having developed a kind and compassionate heart, such a person is ready to serve creation as the presence of the Lord. When there is too much self-centeredness, ego, and pride in the modern world, there is an urgent need for inner transformation; otherwise, life on this Earth will never be peaceful.

We hope this book will give insight into the teachings of Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and will motivate seekers to live a life of transformation and love.

Human life is a special gift of God. Throughout all of creation, a human birth is considered supreme, as there is every possibility for human beings to train and transform their lives through proper education both secular and spiritual. Secular education develops human skill and talent, so that we may live in the world with comfort and ease. However, this kind of education has its own limitation, because it exploits the natural world to a great extent. The result of such unintelligent exploitation of natural resources is clearly visible at the present time as a great crisis and global disaster. Therefore, there is a need for spiritual education that explores human nature, the mind, intellect, memory, and ego and teaches how to use them in a tactful way. At the same time, spiritual education also engenders a cosmic vision of one's own identity and integration with nature, the universe, and ultimately with God.

Each human being is an integral part of the cosmos, just like every cell of the body is an integral part of a person. If any cell is sick, it contributes to the total sickness of the individual. In the same way, in nature and natural existence, every living being and even every element such as earth, water, fire, air, and ether should be in perfect balance and harmony. That is why Swami Madhusudana Saraswati, a great vedantin and a sincere devotee of Shri Krishna, sang:

harireva jagad jagadeko hari harito jagato nahi bhinna tanu iti yasya mati paramatma rati sa naro bhava sagar nistarati

"God alone is the universe. The universe alone is God; there is no distinction between God and the universe. One who has this understanding and love for God crosses the ocean of the world."

Human life becomes complete and beautiful when there is a harmonious training of the human mind through both secular and spiritual education. Spiritual education transcends religious boundaries, and it expands the heart and mind of the individual. As a result, one feels himself or herself to be an inseparable part of the cosmic being and has love for the entire creation, which is actually love for God. Unfortunately, the modern world is missing this vital aspect of spiritual education for human beings. That is why there is social unrest, jealousy, hatred, religious bigotry, intolerance, and ultimately terrorism, which have been disturbing humanity's ability to coexist peacefully, lovingly, and harmoniously.

This is the time to think and to act in a more positive way. The challenge that faces each conscious human being is to be an instrument of transformation within and to be a medium for the manifestation of divine love through one's own thoughts, words, and deeds. If this challenge is met successfully, there is every possibility of creating peace and harmony both within and without. Otherwise, the wish for peace, love, and harmony in the family, in society, among countries, and even in the universe is a mere dream, a far-fetched fantasy. From time immemorial, saints and sages, divine incarnations, and wise and intelligent people from all lands have been crying and praying for universal peace and harmony. Here, now, is the call for each conscious and awakened human being to become an instrument of love and peace in the hand of God.

India is a special country with a civilization and heritage that go back thousands of years. My Master Paramahamsa Hariharanandaji has expressed India's positive contribution to humanity in this way: "India from time immemorial has ever specialized in the science of the soul." Truly, India's gift to humankind is the science of spirituality, which is the art of opening one's own heart and recognizing the truth of who one is, while at the same time recognizing each and every one as his own. That is, I should not feel that I am a stranger to you; I should feel that I am your brother. You are not a stranger to me, because we belong to one family the universal family.

It is not a problem if there are many religions, as long as we have understanding. India's spiritual tradition recognizes all religious paths and faiths equally. Ekam sat viprah bahudha vadanti: "Truth is one, but learned people describe it in many different ways." Ruchinam vaichitryat rujukutilam nanapathajushat: "The food may be different because of different tastes, but it all gives inner fulfillment." Due to our differences in attitudes or tastes, we follow different paths the goal is one, but the paths are many. That is why in India you can find that people of different religions have lived together peacefully with harmony and love for thousands of years. After the destruction of their temple in Jerusalem, India welcomed the Jews and gave them refuge. India also welcomed Christians; Saint Thomas, the apostle of Jesus, lived peacefully in India with his followers. Christianity in India is actually much older than Christianity in Europe or North and South America. When the Zoroastrians came from Persia, India welcomed them as well. In more recent times, in 1959, India welcomed His Holiness the Dalai Lama to come and live here peacefully, to consider India as his own home.