Author Archives: H.H. Giriraj Swami

Dear Devotees, Please accept our humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada. It is with overwhelming heartache that we announce to you the departure of our beloved godbrother and a dearmost servant of Srila Prabhupada, His Holiness Bhakti Charu Swami. From his earliest days as a young devotee, Maharaja had the extraordinary privilege of serving […]

Certain situations are extremely painful, and our intelligence fails to understand how this could be a blessing of the Lord. At such times, we can try humbly submitting a prayer: “O God, please give me the strength to see this situation as your mercy, although my intelligence fails to see it so.” This way we […]

I will read a verse from Srimad-Bhagavatam, Canto Three, Chapter Two, Text 23. This verse is very significant. Not only is the verse beautiful, but it also has historical significance, because when Sukadeva Gosvami came out of the womb, after sixteen years, he left home immediately, and his father, Srila Vyasadeva, followed him into the […]

Chanting before Tulasi today, I recalled an incident with Srila Prabhupada in his garden in New Dvaraka, Los Angeles, in 1973. I was looking at him, and suddenly his face lit up, his eyes opened wide, and he smiled broadly, as if he were seeing a long-lost dear friend. When I turned around to see […]

Giriraj Swami read from Srimad-Bhagavatam 2.1.11 during the program.

 
Kirtan & Lecture by HH Giriraj Swami Maharaj
Posted by Prem Kirtan Mela – Delhi on Saturday, June 27, 2020

Ratha Yatra Pastimes by HH Giriraj Swami Maharaj
Ratha Yatra Pastimes by HH Giriraj Swami Maharaj
Posted by ISKCON Sri Jagannath Mandir, Seshadripuram, Bangalore on Monday, June 22, 2020

Class by H.H.Giriraj Swami Maharaj
Posted by Iskcon Orlando on Sunday, June 21, 2020

Giriraj Swami read and spoke from Srimad-Bhagavatam 7.5.12.

Srila Prabhupada expressed his appreciation for his father in his dedication to his book Krsna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, “To My Father, Gour Mohan De (1849-1930)”—“A pure devotee of Krsna, who raised me as a Krsna conscious child from the beginning of my life. In my boyhood ages he instructed me how to play […]

Giriraj Swami discusses Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura and Srila Gadadhara Pandita on their disappearance day.

 
Posted by David Nrsimhananda Shapiro on Friday, June 19, 2020

Today we are observing the disappearance day of Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura and Sri Gadadhara Pandita. I first learned of Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura when I visited the Boston temple. At that time there were only two published books in ISKCON: the abridged edition of Bhagavad-gita As It Is, published by Macmillan, and Teachings of Lord Chaitanya, […]

Giriraj read and spoke from Srimad-Bhagavatam 3.16.37 and SB 10.14.8.

HH Giriraja Swami Maharaja addressing to HH Bhakti Charu Swami Maharaja’s Disciples and Well Wisher’s
Posted by ISKCON Vesu Surat on Wednesday, June 17, 2020

Audio
Earn…

“In order to encourage the King, who had only seven remaining days of life, Srila Sukadeva Gosv?m? asserted that there is no use in living hundreds of years without any knowledge of the problems of life — better to live for a moment with full consciousness of the supreme interest to be fulfilled. The supreme […]

This Krishna consciousness movement is spreading quickly all over the world—within four, five years. Is it my credit? No. It is Krishna’s credit. But because I have tried to do this business, people are automatically giving me the credit. They say, “Swamiji, you have done wonderful.” I have done nothing wonderful. It is Krishna’s business. […]

According to tithi, the date on the Vaishnava calendar, today is the disappearance anniversary of His Holiness Sridhar Swami Maharaja, who left his body in Mayapur on Srivasa Pandita’s disappearance day in 2004. He was such a good friend to me—and to all the devotees in ISKCON, and ultimately to everyone. I spend my days […]

Srivasa Pandita is one of the members of the Pancha-tattva: sri-krsna-caitanya prabhu-nityananda sri-advaita gadadhara srivasa. Vedic authorities state that in the current Age of Kali, Krishna came as Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and Balarama came as Sri Nityananda Prabhu. Similarly, Maha-vishnu appeared as Advaita Acharya, Srimati Radharani as Gadadhara Pandita, and Narada Muni as Srivasa Pandita. […]

HH Giriraj Swami Maharaj from USA
H.H Giriraj Swami

From Snana-yatra to Ratha-yatra
Posted by Giriraj Swami on Saturday, June 13, 2020

“On numerous occasions Srila Prabhupada has given the the formula for enthusiasm – which is to follow all the regulative principles strictly. To chant our minimum sixteen rounds, to follow the four restrictive principles, and to engage in all of the activities that we are instructed. That is the way to become enthusiastic and to […]

The Passing Away of Devotees in Apparently Unfortunate Circumstances
Please join in to hear from H.H. Giriraj Swami Maharaja.
Topic: “The Passing Away of Devotees in Apparently Unfortunate Circumstances”
Posted by Aritra Nath on Saturday, …

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“These regulative principles should act as servants of the basic principle — that is, one should always remember Krishna and never forget Him. This is possible when one chants the Hare Krishna mantra. Therefore one must strictly chant the Hare Krishna maha-mantra twenty-four hours daily. One may have other duties to perform under the direction […]

For Sripada Tamal Krishna Goswami’s Vyasa-puja today, I wrote a small offering: Tamal Krishna Goswami has done so much service for Srila Prabhupada—I could speak for hours about it—and I know that Prabhupada is pleased and proud of him. Tamal Krishna Goswami has helped me personally in so many ways as well. I could speak […]

Giriraj Swami read and spoke from Srimad-Bhagavatam 2.1.16. etevan sankhya-yogabhyam sva-dharma-parinisthaya janma-labhah parah pumsam ante narayana-smrtih Translation The highest perfection of human life, achieved either by complete knowledge of matter and spirit, by practice of mystic powers, or by perfect discharge of occupational duty, is to remember the Personality of Godhead at the end of […]

Giriraj Swami read and spoke from Srimad-Bhagavtam 1.8.25. “Generally the distressed, the needy, the intelligent and the inquisitive, who have performed some pious activities, worship or begin to worship the Lord. Others, who are thriving on misdeeds only, regardless of status, cannot approach the Supreme due to being misled by the illusory energy. Therefore, for […]

In difficult times like these, I feel the urgent need for Srila Prabhupada’s books to be distributed in large numbers, for only such literature can enlighten people how to proceed in the right way. Srila Prabhupada’s preface to Srimad-Bhagavatam is profoundly relevant: “We must know the present need of human society. And what is that […]

We have gathered at the lotus feet of the Pancha-tattva on this most auspicious occasion of Raghunatha dasa Gosvami’s cida-dadhi festival. The background to this incident can be found in the early life of Srila Raghunatha dasa Gosvami. His uncle and father, Hiranya and Govardhana Majumadara, were wealthy landlords in Bengal—almost like kings—and had a […]

Today I heard Srila Prabhupada’s talk on Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.7.34–35, September 28, 1976, Vrindavan, and in the wake of George Floyd’s recent death, caused by the police, and the subsequent riots, the following excerpt seemed especially relevant and poignant: “Kshatriya . . . Kshat means injury. And trayate, to deliver. Kshatriya’s duty is to save the […]

“Krsna says in Bhagavad-gita (13.9) that the real sufferings of the material world are four—janma-mrtyu-jara-vyadhi (birth, death, old age and disease). In the history of the world, no one has been successful in conquering these miseries imposed by material nature. Prakrteh kriyamanani gunaih karmani sarvasah. Nature (prakrti) is so strong that no one can overcome […]

Amrtera Tarangini Canto 2 ch 6
H.H. Giriraj Swami and ISKCON devotees all over world
Posted by Balimardana Das on Saturday, May 30, 2020

“While teaching Rupa Gosvami, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu said, guru-krishna-prasade paya bhakti-lata-bija: one can achieve the seed of devotional service by the mercy of the guru, the spiritual master, and then by the mercy of Krishna. This is the secret of success. First one should try to please the spiritual master, and then one should attempt […]

“This material world is certified by the Lord in the Bhagavad-gita as a dangerous place full of calamities. Less intelligent persons prepare plans to adjust to those calamities without knowing that the nature of this place is itself full of calamities. They have no information of the abode of the Lord, which is full of […]

Giriraj Swami read and spoke from Srimad-Bhagavatam 7.5.12. “Everyone should be friendly for the service of the Lord. Everyone should praise another’s service to the Lord and not be proud of his own service. This is the way of Vaisnava thinking, Vaikuntha thinking. There may be rivalries and apparent competition between servants in performing service, […]

“This material world is certified by the Lord in the Bhagavad-gita as a dangerous place full of calamities. Less intelligent persons prepare plans to adjust to those calamities without knowing that the nature of this place is itself full of calamities. They have no information of the abode of the Lord, which is full of […]

My beloved, exalted disciple Kamala devi dasi left her body in Mauritius two days ago. Everything about her departure was auspicious, and her consciousness was fixed on Goloka Vrindavan. She was ably assisted in her final journey by HH Bhakti Brhat Bhagavata Swami, Karunika dasi, Vrajesvari dasi, Manasi Ganga dasi, Arcana Siddhi dasi, and her […]

Hearing Srila Prabhupada speak about why danger is required, I thought of the coronavirus pandemic. In a talk on Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.8.33, April 25, 1973, Los Angeles, Prabhupada said: “We have got natural devotion. Just like father and son, there is natural affection. The son has got natural devotion to the father, mother. Similarly, we have […]

My dear Indradyumna Swami Maharaja, Please accept my prostrated obeisances at your lotus feet. All glories to Srila Prabhupada. And all glories to your service. I could speak for many days about your service to Srila Prabhupada and Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, and for many hours about how you have helped me personally. But today I […]