Author Archives: KKSBlog

(Kadamba Kanana Swami, October 2010, Melbourne, Australia, Lecture) Compassion only really begins if we appreciate that we have something better. If we have something better then we can be compassionate. Otherwise, if you are out on book distribution and you can see all your old friends sitting on a terrace somewhere, enjoying the sunshine, then […]

(Kadamba Kanana Swami, 16 April 2014, Durban, South Africa, Srimad Bhagavatam 1.7.34) One should not display anger in front of the deities; one should not cry in front of the deities or bring his mundane sorrow. When one cries tears of ecstasy – that is another matter. Caitanya Mahaprabhu used to cry litres of tears in […]

(Kadamba Kanana Swami, 16 April 2014, Durban, South Africa, Srimad Bhagavatam 1.7.34) Our strength is not brahman-tejas (brahminical power). Our strength is to carry the mercy of Sri Caintanya Mahaprabhu. That is our strength. Our strength is to, somehow or the other, chant Hare Krsna and induce others to chant Hare Krsna. To become great […]

(Kadamba Kanana Swami, 16 April 2014, Durban, South Africa, Srimad Bhagavatam 1.7.34) The first and foremost quality of the brahminical order is kṣamā or forgiveness. This is the beginning of tolerance. See, external tolerance will not do. One can act very tolerant but if internally one cannot forgive then internally one is burning with fire and […]

(Kadamba Kanana Swami, 16 April 2014, Durban, South Africa, Srimad Bhagavatam 1.7.34) It is interesting that in the purports of the Bhagavad-gita when Srila Prabhuapda describes the mode of goodness then Srila Prabhupada does not say that you have to be in the mode of goodness, which is impossible. How can we be in the […]

(Kadamba Kanana Swami, 10 May 2013, Simhachalam, Germany, Srimad Bhagavatam 9.6.50) Transcribed by Jnana-samudra das Smaranam kirtanam kelih preksanam guhyam asanam (Srila Prabhupada Lecture, SB 6.1.11, 25 July 1971, NY). It is said that hearing about illicit sex; speaking about illicit sex; remembering illicit sex; looking, joking, sitting with a member of the opposite sex in a […]

(Kadamba Kanana Swami, 02 February 2005) There is only one adventure, the big adventure of crossing the ocean of nescience and going back to the spiritual world. But you do not get it for nothing! You have to do better. You have to regularly look at your performance and think, “What have I done wrong? […]

(Kadamba Kanana Swami, 10 October 2015, Sydney, Australia, Caitanya Caritamrta Madhya 20.339) Transcribed by Nama-rupa dd Question: Maharaj, I have not done anything for Krsna. Why would he care about me? Long before… what happened is this… One day, you were in a street and you did not remember your name. You stood there, looking and you […]

(Kadamba Kanana Swami, October 2010, Melbourne, Australia, Lecture) Question: How can we check if we are going in the wrong way in our spiritual lives? By not being independent and by being in the association of devotees because devotees will protect us. Therefore we have to stay closely in the association of devotees. Devotees will tell […]

(Kadamba Kanana Swami, Untitled Lecture) The quality of humility and the quality of being able to develop love of God come together. It is not possible to develop love of God if there is no humility in our hearts. A person who is proud, how can he hear!? His ears are blocked because he is […]

(Kadamba Kanana Swami, April 2010)  It takes some practice and willpower to just detach the mind from the senses. It can be done when one has no faith in sense gratification. Like one of my favourite statements is, “A declaration of no faith in sex!” I like that because sexual desire is ringing at our doorbell […]

(Kadamba Kanana Swami, 11 April 2010, Durban, South Africa, Lecture) Saintly people can touch the heart of all. In this day and age, as soon as we speak about a saintly person, we turn to Srila Prabhupada first. He is the emblem of a saintly person for us. His qualities of saintliness are important and becoming […]

(Kadamba Kanana Swami, 04 October 2009, Durban, South Africa, Lecture) We cannot be on automatic pilot; we must capture Krsna by making a special sacrifice! Then, when we have captured Krsna, we see that one cannot keep Krsna also. Mother Yasoda captured Krsna and Krsna was not only bound by Mother Yasoda’s ropes but Krsna […]

(Kadamba Kanana Swami, October 2009, Vrindavan, India, Lecture) Love means to put our ideas aside for someone else. When we love someone, we will put our own agenda aside and just try to please that person and we will only do for that person what he desires. So, our love for Prabhupada has to show in […]

(Kadamba Kanana Swami, 2015, Cape Town, South Africa, Lecture) You cannot just love like that. First, love is in practice. We can say, love-under-construction just as in work-in-progress. So called love-at-first-sight does not go so deep. Love at first sight may be the initial attraction but how deep does it go? Love for Krsna develops […]

(Kadamba Kanana Swami, 04 April 2010, Durban, South Africa, Lecture) As devotees, we are people with mixed feelings. We have feelings of attraction towards Krsna and we have feelings of attraction towards the material energy. So, every devotee has within himself a dilemma. Therefore, sometimes, spiritual life is described to be a war on maya, […]

(Kadamba Kanana Swami, 23 September 2012, Durban, South Africa, Radhastami Lecture) If we want some deeper understanding of the aim of life, it is possible by the mercy of Srimati Radharani, who is most compassionate. She is more compassionate than Krsna. We can easily attract her mercy by doing some service. That is the key […]

(Kadamba Kanana Swami, 23 September 2012, Durban, South Africa, Radhastami Lecture) Krsna is known as the transcendental cupid who is interested in his amorous sports, who is always thinking of the gopis who have given everything. Krsna says in Bhagavad-gita 4.11, ye yatha mam prapadyante tams tathaiva bhajamy aham, as you surrender unto me, I will […]

(Kadamba Kanana Swami, 23 September 2012, Durban, South Africa, Radhastami Lecture) All of Vrndavana is serving Krsna but not only serving Krsna, Vrndavana is serving Radha and Krsna. It is said that love of God is manifest in five different rasas or five different types of relationships with the Supreme Lord. One is a neutral […]

(Kadamba Kanana Swami, 23 September 2012, Durban, South Africa, Radhastami Lecture) Mother Yasoda wants only the best for her son so she grows very special grass which is fed to very special cows who then produce very special milk. Then early in the morning, she calls for Srimati Radharani. Srimati Radharani, at that time, is staying […]

(Kadamba Kanana Swami, 23 September 2012, Durban, South Africa, Radhastami Lecture) Krsna is the all attractive Supreme Personality of Godhead. Sri krsna-akarsani, devotional service can attract Krsna. Srimati Radharani is in the maha mantra, present in the word ‘Hare’. The word ‘Hare’ represents devotional service. Devotional service is of a very wonderful nature because as described in […]

(Kadamba Kanana Swami, Untitled Lecture) Question: What happens to an aspiring devotee who may have read Srila Prabhupada’s books, read his lectures and loves serving and associating with the devotees but cannot find a spiritual master on the level of Srila Prabhupada. Srila Prabhupada has said that the disciple should accept the spiritual master ‘as good […]

(Kadamba Kanana Swami, Untitled Lecture) The other day, I was reading one page of the Lilamrta and it was a description of a person who had come to the temple for the first time and who met Prabhupada. Prabhupada was lecturing and the person said it was almost impossible to understand him as his accent […]

(Kadamba Kanana Swami, 2004, Melbourne, Australia, Lecture) Chastity is very essential. It is very important and not only for a woman but also for a disciple. It is said that disciples should be totally chaste, totally dedicated and focused on the spiritual master. So rather than taking the angle of chastity of women and say […]

(Kadamba Kanana Swami, Untitled Lecture) My spiritual master was in New York dressed like a monk and a policeman said, “So, you are a monk, what is it that you have to give up?” and his answer was, “Suffering!” That’s it! Sometimes people ask us, “What do you have to give up?” All you have […]

(Kadamba Kanana Swami, September 2008, South Africa, Ratha Yatra Lecture) We have to always be strict with our lazy mind because our mind will say, “Well, you know, you can’t be fanatic,” which translates to, “Oh well, let’s just be lazy!” So the tendency to be a little lazy about standards and rules is very […]

From Chandramukha Swami When BHAKTI enters FOOD FOOD becomes PRASAD, When BHAKTI enters HUNGER, HUNGER becomes a FAST, When BHAKTI enters WATER, WATER becomes CHARANAMRIT, When BHAKTI enters TRAVEL, TRAVEL becomes a PILGRIMAGE, When BHAKTI enters MUSIC, MUSIC becomes KIRTAN, When BHAKTI enters a HOUSE, HOUSE becomes a TEMPLE, When BHAKTI enters ACTIONS, ACTIONS become […]

(Kadamba Kanana Swami, 02 May 2015, Simhachalam, Germany, Nrshima Caturdasi Morning Lecture) Transcribed by Tattvavati dd om ajnana-timirandhasya jnananjana-salakaya caksur unmilitam yena tasmai sri-gurave namah When Srila Prabhupada was lecturing on the appearance day of Lord Nrsimhadev in Bombay, he was lecturing immediately after a play and he was glorifying Hiranyakasipu because the part was […]

(Kadamba Kanana Swami, 08 March 2015, Stockholm, Sweden, Srimad Bhagavatam 3.1.4) Transcribed by Nama-rupa dd Question: Guru Maharaj, you mentioned that in the material world, there is no love. I am thinking about the friendship, is there friendship in this material world and what is the nature of friendship? Love, friendship, society, togetherness, one-for-all and […]

(Kadamba Kanana Swami, 29 September 2014, Pretoria, South Africa, House Program) Maha-large Srila Prabhupada came to the Western world. In the Western world, he began his movement and after a short time, he was successful in the Lower East Side. He began to attract some devotees. One of these devotees is Brahmananda Prabhu. I have […]

(Kadamba Kanana Swami, July 2009, Serbian Summer Camp, Lecture) Question: I was thinking if I should ask this question. A confession goes along with it. I started Krsna consciousness twenty-one years ago and in spite of all my deficiencies, devotees have been very nice to me. After many years, finally I think that I am […]

Transcribed by Tattvavati dd Continued from Part 1 On Srila Prabhupada’s vyasasan, just elaborate flowers are not enough. We cannot just offer elaborate flowers to Prabhupada; that is a good start and a good sign to the world but let us give him the prominent seat; bigger and higher than mine also; be strict according […]

(Kadamba Kanana Swami, 26 April 2015, Radhadesh, Belgium, Vyasa Puja: Address to disciples) Transcribed by Tattvavati dd om ajnana-timirandhasya jnananjana-salakaya  caksur unmilitam yena tasmai sri-gurave namah First of all, I am indebted to my spiritual master, who really is a very broad-minded, generous personality and who just had a lot of faith in me and […]

(Kadamba Kanana Swami, April 2005, Durban, South Africa, Ratha Yatra Lecture) The spiritual master is not just an authority; he is our well-wisher and because he is our well-wisher, he has no other interest than to see that we are doing well. When the spiritual master finds some nice quality in the disciple, he is […]

(Kadamba Kanana Swami, September 2009, Durban, South Africa, Lecture) When we chant Hare Krsna, we think, ‘I’m a great bhakti yogi! I mean, what can maya do to me!’ Meanwhile, Lord Caitanya is there, at every moment, blocking maya at every step of the way and protecting us. At every step of the way, we are […]

(Kadamba Kanana Swami, 30 August 2009, Lecture) Transcribed by Madhumati dd The four regulative principles, as Srila Prabhupada explained, is where human life begins. Anyone who does not follow the four regulative principles is an animal… sorry to say it! I mean, there may be some in the room, such animals may be here (crowd […]

(Kadamba Kanana Swami, 2010, Chowpatty, India, Lecture) Transcribed by Madhumati dd One must be careful in dealing with saintly persons. One must be respectful – that is important! We must serve saintly persons respectfully; we pray at the dust of their feet which means that we must be prepared to accept them as our superior and accept […]

(Kadamba Kanana Swami, 05 April 2009, Durban, South Africa, Lecture) Once, at a program in Johannesburg, as I came out of the car, the devotees were very eager to help me get out of the car and someone was very eager to close the door… but my hand was still inside and my hand got […]

(Kadamba Kanana Swami, August 2010, Lecture) We cannot say that the four regulative principles in themselves constitute bhakti or devotional service. These are preliminary activities of renunciation and austerity. When we rise above and become attracted to Krsna and absorbed in devotional service, naturally the regulative principles will be followed! A pure devotee naturally will […]