Author Archives: H.H. Giriraj Swami

Today is Varaha-dvadasi, Lord Varaha’s appearance day. Srila Prabhupada spoke on this occasion in Los Angeles on February 18, 1970: “Today is the incarnation day of Lord Krishna’s appearing as the Boar. He lifted the world when it was submerged within the water of Garbhodaka Ocean. The universe which we are seeing, it is only […]

On Sri Advaita Acarya’s appearance day, I share with you a talk about Him by His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, given on April 6, 1975, in Mayapur, India.  —Giriraj Swami advaitam harinadvaita   acaryam bhakti-samsana bhaktavataram isam tam   advaita acaryam asraye “Because He is nondifferent from Hari, the Supreme Lord, He […]

Happy Vasanta Panchami, Vrindavan’s first day of spring, which is the appearance day of Srimati Visnupriya Devi, Sri Pundarika Vidyanidhi, Sri Raghunandana Thakura, and Srila Raghunatha Dasa Gosvami; the disappearance day of Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura; and the anniversary of the acceptance of sannyasa by His Holiness Tamal Krishna Goswami (my sannyasa-guru). May they shower […]

The account of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and Nityananda Prabhu’s deliverance of the two drunken sinners Jagai and Madhai demonstrates the harmful results of blaspheming Vaishnavas and the beneficial results possible for those who do not blaspheme. Sri Caitanya-bhagavata (Madhya-khanda, 13.39–43) describes: “Every type of sin became manifest in the bodies of those two [Jagai and […]

In the morning I have been listening to Srila Prabhupada’s wonderful talks on Sri Caitanya-caritamrta given in Juhu in November 1975, and today I was struck by his explanation of how we can feel fellowship with each other—free from envy: “So if we accept this philosophy, Chaitanya Mahaprabhu’s, without falsely declaring ourself that ‘I am […]

Speaking on the offenses against the holy name, Srila Prabhupada said, “‘To become inattentive while chanting the holy name.’ Sravanam kirtanam: hearing and chanting. One has to hear nicely, and if he hears nicely, then he can speak nicely. But we must practice hearing . . . So many times this chanting, it is not so […]

Last night night Swarup Damodar, Sukumari, Nikunja Viharini, and I went to visit Rose Forkash (now Rajani-priya dasi) at her home in Carpinteria. For three hours, she enlivened and inspired us with stories of her and her family’s association with and service to Srila Prabhupada. And Swarup Damodar gave me a wonderful exchange with Srila […]

Adapted from a Talk by Giriraj Swami December 17, 2000 Ojai, California Our host, Urvasi dasi, called tonight’s occasion “The Holiday Festival.” In the West this is the holiday season, with Christmas and Hanukkah both coming up. As Srila Prabhupada explained, the Lord comes to this world to enlighten people with transcendental knowledge. Sometimes He […]

Two copies of the Hindi edition of Watering the Seed just arrived from India, and we offered them to our deity of Srila Prabhupada here in Carpinteria. The volume appears very nice, and I am indebted to Radha Charan, Charan Renu, Dhananjaya Krishna, Radha Priya, Hari Priya, and all the other friends and devotees who […]

Pictured here is our small deity of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura on his disappearance day, just before we offered him bhoha, pushpanjali, and arati. My spiritual master, Srila Prabhupada, said, “Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura came in this world to execute the of Caitanya Mahaprabhu. So he executed it. And when it was required, he left this […]

Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura, Srila Prabhupada’s spiritual master, is my grand spiritual master, but I feel that I never really knew him that well until I read his biography Sri Bhaktisiddhanta Vaibhava by my godbrother Bhakti Vikasa Swami. Many of the quotes and references below come from that work, which has helped bring me closer […]

Today is the auspicious occasion of Gita Jayanti, the day Lord Krsna spoke the Bhagavad-gita to Arjuna on the battlefield of Kuruksetra, the day of Moksada Ekadasi. To begin, we shall read from Bhagavad-gita As It Is, Chapter Nine, “The Most Confidential Knowledge,” two verses that can provide us with guidance for our lives: TEXT […]

Srimad-Bhagavatam contains a discussion between Dharma, in the form of a bull, and the Earth, in the form of a cow. Eventually he asks her, “The so-called administrators are now bewildered by the influence of this age of Kali, and thus they have put all state affairs into disorder. Are you now lamenting this disorder? […]

If we are at all aware of how dependent we are on God—for the food we eat, the water we drink, the air we breathe, and our very ability to eat and drink and breathe, to think and feel and do everything else we do—we will feel grateful and want to reciprocate God’s kindness. We […]

Reading Srila Prabhupada’s Light of the Bhagavata, I was struck by text 12 and his commentary on it: “The mountains, although being struck by torrents of rain during the rainy season, are not shaken, just as those whose hearts are dedicated to the transcendental Personality of Godhead are never disturbed, even when harassed by great […]

“We may approach the Lord for something material and he may fulfill our desire, but in such a way that we don’t approach him again for that desire. So, it is better if we approach the Lord and great souls like Giri Govardhan with spiritual desires like the gopi’s—just to serve and please Krishna—without any […]

Giriraj Swami read and spoke from Srimad-Bhagavatam 10.32, verses 16 to 22. ” ‘But the reason I do not immediately reciprocate the affection of living beings even when they worship Me, O gopis, is that I want to intensify their loving devotion. They then become like a poor man who has gained some wealth and […]

Giriraj Swami read and spoke from Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.3.28. “The standard of perfection for a human being is to develop the attributes up to seventy-eight percent in full. The living being can never possess attributes like Siva, Visnu or Lord Krsna. A living being can become godly by developing the seventy-eight-percent transcendental attributes in fullness, but […]

Giriraj Swami’s Vyasa-puja celebration was a festive opportunity for the devotees to chant, dance, feast and glorify Lord Krishna’s devotees. “My experience with His Holiness Giriraj Swami is that he is a clear representative, or as Srila Prabhupada said, a transparent via medium. So, through Giriraj Swami we see our Founder Acharya His Divine Grace A. […]

Giriraj Swami read and spoke from Srimad-Bhagavatam 11.7.51. “These are very important principles. We may have heard them before but as Srila Prabhupada said repetition is important for understanding because we are in the material atmosphere which is full of fog and clouds. Therefore even though something may be clear at a certain time and with […]

Giriraj Swami and Rtadvaja Swami spoke from Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.7.6. “It is a great transcendental science and begins with the process of hearing and chanting the name, fame, glory, etc., of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Revival of the dormant affection or love of Godhead does not depend on the mechanical system of hearing and chanting, […]

Giriraj Swami read and spoke from Sri Caitanya caritamrta Madhya-lila 14.228 in Dallas. “Although superficially Vrindavan is just a cowherd village, the opulence of Vrindavan far exceeds the opulence of Vaikuntha. But, because the mood of sweeteness (madhurya) prevails, it covers the mood of opulence (aisvarya) even though the opulence of Vrindavan is greater than that […]

It is said that wherever Lord Rama’s glories are chanted, Hanuman goes to that place. Yesterday after Deity greeting I was chanting in my quarters in Dallas when I received a text message saying, “Chitralekha is speaking about Srila Prabhupada now.” I immediately left for the temple room, remembering Hanuman: Even though I am like […]

Giriraj Swami and Anutama prabhu spoke from Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, Adi-lila 7.92. “Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura explains in his Anubhasya, “A person who has attracted the attention of the spiritual master by his sincere service likes to dance and chant with similarly developed Krsna conscious devotees. The spiritual master authorizes such a devotee to deliver fallen […]

On this day Sri Visvarupa, the elder brother of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu took sannyasa. It is also the day Srila Prabhupada took sannyasa. “If Srila Prabhupada hadn’t taken sannyasa and come to us, where would we be? We wouldn’t be anywhere. I shudder to think where we would be. that renunciation is necessary. Sat nyas—Giving up […]

Giriraj Swami read and spoke from Caitanya-caritamrta Antya-lila 11. “I have had one desire for a very long time. I think that quite soon, my Lord, You will bring to a close Your pastimes within this material world. “I wish that You not show me this closing chapter of Your pastimes. Before that time comes, […]

—————— Giriraj Swami read and spoke from Bhagavad-gita 9.13 on the morning after Radhasthami. “In this verse the description of the mahatma is clearly given. The first sign of the mahatma is that he is already situated in the divine nature. He is not under the control of material nature. And how is this effected? […]

Sri Radhastami A Talk by Giriraj Swami, August 30, 2009, San Diego For the most auspicious celebration of Sri Radhastami, we read from Srimad-Bhagavatam, Canto Two, Chapter Three: “Pure Devotional Service.” TEXT 23 jivan chavo bhagavatanghri-renum na jatu martyo ’bhilabheta yas tu sri-visnu-padya manujas tulasyah svasan chavo yas tu na veda gandham TRANSLATION The person who has […]

Srila Prabhupada disciples’ offerings ISV Devotees’ offerings Part 1 ISV Devotees’ offerings Part 2

For three days, many wonderful devotees and friends celebrated Sri Krishna Janmastami and Srila Prabhupada’s Vyasa-puja at ISKCON of Silicon Valley, in Mountain View, California, and after the festivities on the last day Kesava Bharati Dasa Goswami, Rtadhvaja Swami, Vaisesika Prabhu, and I met at my hosts’ house in Menlo Park. For several hours we […]

Srila Prabhupada and ISKCON after Fifty Years Srila Prabhupada’s disciple Dhananjaya Dasa told me that at his initiation Srila Prabhupada said, “Dhananjaya means ‘winner of wealth,’” and added, moving his arms all around, “Money is flying in all directions—you simply have to learn the art of catching it.” The next morning, Dhananjaya raised a question […]

———- Giriraj Swami read and spoke from Srimad-Bhagvatam 10.2.31 for the morning class on Srila Prabhupada’s Vyasa-puja day. “In Srila Prabhupada’s initiation letter to me he wrote, ‘I marked it in your person when I was in Boston, and I prayed to Krishna that this good soul may be aware of the importance of Krishna consciousness.’ […]

Giriraj Swami read and spoke on Srimad-Bhagavatam 10.33.36 at Lord Krishna’s Appearance Day festival. “When we hear these stories, we should think, ‘Krishna is so kind to His devotees.’ Even in the midst of the worst calamity, if you just take shelter of Krishna — just surrender to Krishna — He will protect you.  ‘I could have […]

————————- “Mrs. Nair’s husband died and eventually she had a a change of heart. She surrendered to Srila Prabhupada and said. ‘I never agreed with what my husband was doing—I was very upset.’ Mr. Sethi met her and conveyed what she had said to Srila Prabhupada and he said. ‘It’s alright. In the morning if you […]

“Balarama is considered the original spiritual master because he performs two functions that are performed by the spiritual master. One is that He serves Krishna, and the other is that He gives knowledge of Krishna. In His desire to serve Krishna he wants to serve Krishna in every possible way. In terms of Rasa, or […]

Today is Balarama Purnima, the appearance day of Lord Balarama, the first expansion of Lord Krishna, who plays as Krishna’s older brother. Listening to Sri Caitanya-bhagavata this morning, I happened to hear a description of Lord Chaitanya’s special affinity for the mood of Lord Balarama: “Every day, Lord Chaitanya, accompanied by Lord Nityananda, visited various Vaishnava’s homes and enacted transcendental […]

07.26.16, Kishori Youth Ministry performance in Carpinteria from Derek Carter on Vimeo. ____________ Giriraj Swami spoke to the touring devotees about his first meeting with Srila Prabhupada and his early days in the Hare Krishna movement. Download (Right click ‘Save As’) Meeting With the Kishori Youth Ministry

Giriraj Swami met with guests and received gifts from devotees in Mauritius on the auspicious occasion of Guru Purnima.