Websites from the ISKCON Universe
Gauranga 2015 - International Bhakti Vriksha Festival, N.Novgorod (Album with photos)
Srila Prabhupada: The mantra delivers the conditioned soul from his bondage; so simply by chanting the mantra Hare Krishna Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare, one can gain deliverance from any condition. (Srimad-Bhagavatam, 4.24.42 Purport)
See them here: https://goo.gl/Y6Po4b
The qualification of a guru.
Once, someone asked Srila A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, “Are you the guru of the whole world?” Srila Prabhupada humbly replied, “I am not anyone’s guru but I am everyone’s servant.” This is the perfection and qualification of a guru.– Radhanath Swami
Read the entire article here: http://goo.gl/wsXT1E
Food For Life Nepal serving Mid Day Meal to one more school. (Album with photos)
Today 30th July 2015, Food For Life Nepal started Mid Day Meal at Sri Sri Ram Nimna Madhyamik Vidhyalaya, Vishnu Buddhanilkantha-5, Pasikot, Kathmandu for 120 students.
These wonderful children will be served Mid Day Meal on daily basis additional to 300 students from different schools. The nutritious mid day meal ensures good health & keep them in school.
Lets eliminate classroom hunger TOGETHER.
Join Us.
If you have an idea that you would like to share with us, or if you wish to collaborate with us for volunteering, fundraising and other activities:
Write to us— info@fflnepal.org
See them here: https://goo.gl/zw4ZEY
CC daily Podcast:
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The post CC daily 183 – 6.271 – Revelation needs to be understood through the living tradition appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.
The last previous days excessive rains have flooded Mayapur. Now there are fears for an inundation from the Ganga river. (Album with photos)
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Srimad Bhagavatam 4.3.24 ( Ujjain@26.10.2012 )
~ HIGH “ FLOOD ’ ALERT POSTED ( just now from Mayapur ) FOR SRIDHAM MAYAPUR / NAVADVIP , and all of NADIA ~PLEASE - PRAY & CHANT ~
Bhagavatam-daily Podcast:
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The post Bhagavatam-daily 285 – 11.13.18 – Spiritual safety comes not by position but by devotion appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.
Guru Maharaja say we should be carefull of our thinking about Vaishanva, some pseudo devotee will blaspheme Junior Haridasa but what given by Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu actually a mercy.
Sri Caitanya mercy sometimes hard to be seen and what happens to Junior Haridasa is he got the mercy, not otherwise.
Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu chastise Junior Haridasa to give an example how an ideal Vaishnava should be. A Vaishnava should be simple and free from any sinful activity, even if its tiny sinful activity.
If we read the Lila, Junior Haridasa not actually "in" maya, he only have a glimpse of something in his mind. But, to correct him and give him a lesson and mercy Lord Caitanya chastise him.
The result of that chastisement is Junior Haridasa receive constant personal association with His subtle body. So junior haridasa personally singing for Lord Caitanya and Lord Caitainya is the only one who hear it. which is a great mercy.
Guru Maharaja gave some stories in real life, how sometime devotee get sick, have problem, have baby that unhealthy and doesn't live long. Then Maharaja tell a story about a devotee with baby that doesn't live long, but the soul just need it a few moment and get to higher position.
Some devotee have baby that died after birth and Prabhupada said that baby only need to be in a womb of a devotee and doesn't need to live long to go to higher position.
Its hard to see but everything is Krishna mercy.
Please hear this lecture more, Guru Maharaja narrate a lot of interesting real life story.
Kamika
3rd Festival Of Chariots-Brampton
Annual Summer Kids Camp(Toronto)
Sunday School
Gift Shop
Hare Krishna! Tribute to HG Surabhi Prabhu
Subhag Swami: One day we were in Mayapur, many years back, desiring to have his association I requested him to have a glass of fruit juice with me. During our conversation we spoke about several things. I conveyed my feelings of appreciation in how he helped in establishing a wonderful temple: Punjabi Bagh. Out of his humility, he replied, “Yes, yes but a very small temple though.” I told him that it doesn’t matter; he helps maintain it and guides the devotees there through the expert medium of HG Samba das, thus doing a great service.
Read the entire article here: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=18727
Scenes from the preaching in Woodstock in Poland (Album with photos)
Srila Prabhupada: When that name enters the holes of the ears, we desire many millions of ears. And when the holy name dances in the courtyard of the heart, it conquers the activities of the mind, and therefore all the senses become inert. (Caitanya-caritamrta, Antya-lila, 4.71 purport, Vidagdha-Madhava 1.12)
See them here: https://goo.gl/Rkldqc
(This article, co-authored with Aja Govinda Prabhu, was published in Back to Godhead when the claims of artificial life had been in the news in 2010, but was not published on thespiritualscientist.com, though two separate small articles were published: What is the Vedic perspective on the creation of artificial life? and What is wrong with creating life? As similar news about the claims of the creation of artificial life are again surfacing, this article is being published now.)
“Scientists create artificial life,” declared newspaper headlines around the world in May 2010. Genome pioneer J. Craig Venter, the man behind the sensation, claimed, “This is a philosophical advance as much as a technical advance.”
What exactly did Venter do? He:
DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) is a long linear molecule found in the nucleus of a cell. Sometimes dubbed as the king of molecules, DNA comprises of genes or biological units of heredity that are passed down from parent to offspring. The complete DNA (also known as the genome) has a few billion chemical bases (bases are specific bio-molecules) paired together into a double helix. The four bases used in DNA (adenine, guanine, thymine and cytosine) act like the letters of an alphabet, and the specific sequences of these bases convey information used for building proteins (chemical compounds used by living cells). The actual production of proteins is done by “gene expression” machinery within the cell that makes copies of the DNA and uses the information therein to arrange amino acids (the building blocks of proteins) into the sequence and structure required for the protein under production. Each different gene sequence results in a protein with a distinct structure and shape, and consequently distinct function in the cell.
Venter, like many modern scientists, believes in reductionism: the idea that all the features of a complex system can be explained in terms of or “reduced” down to the properties of its simple components. Reductionist biologists hold that a living organism is like a computer: just as the capacities of the computer can be explained in terms of the capacities of its components, the characteristics, traits, behaviors of livings organisms can be explained in terms of their components, going down ultimately to their genes. As Oxford biologist Richard Dawkins noted, “The machine code of the genes is uncannily computer-like.” Applying the computer analogy to the current experiment, Venter has certainly not created the complete computer. What he has done – introducing a new genetic sequence within a preexisting living organism – is like replacing one chip within a pre-existing computer by another chip. So, even from this reductionist viewpoint, he has not created life. That’s why Caltech biologist and Nobel laureate, David Baltimore, pointed out that Venter has “overplayed the importance” of his results; he “has not created life, only mimicked it.”
What if scientists someday use the biochemical components to create the entire cell? Would that amount to creating life? No, because that would just be like making the computer, not the person who would use the computer. Although reductionist scientists would have us believe that there is no such “person” and that life is just a product of bio-chemicals, living systems behave in ways fundamentally and inexplicably different from nonliving objects. Nonliving objects are created, deteriorate over time and eventually meet with destruction. Living systems exhibits three additional features: maintenance, growth and reproduction. A living human hand, if cut, can clot and heal itself; the most state-of-the-art artificial hand, if cut, cannot clot or heal itself. The simplest unicellular organism can grow; the most sophisticated computer cannot. The most primitive living systems can reproduce; even the most advanced robots can’t.
No wonder Boston University bioengineer James Collins candidly admitted the scientific ground reality: “Scientists don’t know enough about biology to create life.”
What is amiss in the reductionist portrayal of life is analyzed by eminent Oxford biologist Denis Noble, renowned for his contributions to physiology, in his book The Music of Life. He points out an important problem with the notion of DNA as the “program or blueprint of life”. This notion that deifies DNA into the super-agent behind life is implicit in the current claims about creation of artificial life. Noble explains that the DNA is more like a database than a program; in computer terminology, a database refers to an organized storage of data, whereas a program refers to a list of executable instructions that achieve a specific objective. The DNA only contains data, but this data is useless unless it is read by “gene expression” cellular machinery that actually executes the “program of life” to build proteins. The database-like role of DNA is evident from the fact that the same gene sequence code of the DNA can be converted to different proteins according to the needs of the particular cell that it is in. Therefore, the genes do not determine all the functions of the cell, but are simply templates that are interpreted into differently functioning and distinct proteins depending on the environment and need of the cell. To complete the computer analogy then, the cell is a computer, the cell nucleus is the controller (control unit that manages the entire operation of the cell), DNA is the database that contains genetic memory data and program data, protein production is the program (the biological tasks to be completed to build proteins), gene expression mechanism is the processing unit, and proteins are the output.
Noble illustrates the limitation of the reductionist view by another intriguing analogy.Let us say, a person relaxes at home by playing a music CD. Upon hearing the music, tears flow from the person’s eyes. Imagine aliens observing this scene. The alien scientists enquiring about the cause of the tears trace it back to the speaker system, to the CD player, to the CD, to the particular track being played. By their empirical scientific method, they reason that the music and the subsequent tears were caused by the digital information encoded in the CD track being played. All of us know that the emotions are caused not by the CD track itself, but by the context and memories attached to the melody, the song, the players and other such factors. The music does not originate from the CD but from the musician who recorded it onto the CD. The music is independent of the CD, which is only one of the various forms of media that allow the music to be stored and played. Echoing Noble’s reasoning, French philosopher Andre Pichot asserts that the DNA-mania of modern geneticists is similar to the aliens’ hasty reasoning. As the CD is useless without the CD player, the DNA is useless without the gene expression cellular machinery that copies and converts the gene code into proteins. Just as the CD is only a media for storing music, DNA is only a media for storing and recreating biological life. DNA is neither life nor the absolute cause of life, just as the CD music track is neither the music nor the primal cause of the music. Life is thus like music: neither can be reduced down to codes – biological or digital. DNA is like the CD track; DNA stores biological data for creating proteins, the CD track stores digital data for creating sounds. Life like music does not originate from and is independent of the media temporarily used for data storage.
Then, where does life originate from? Just as music can only originate from a musician, life can only originate from a living person. That living person, according to the Vedas, is the spirit soul. The Bhagavad-gita (2.17) explains that the soul is an irreducible, eternal unit of consciousness. When the soul enters a biological medium such as our body, the body acquires apparent life. Just as a living person is necessary to play the CD and the CD player, the soul is necessary for the dead inert cellular machinery to read the DNA genetic code and run the biochemical processes that animate the cell. The soul is the cause of maintenance, growth and reproduction, the features of living systems that defy reductionist explanation as discussed earlier. The Gita (2.25) explains that the soul is “invisible and inconceivable”, implying that its presence cannot be detected by our senses and sense-created instruments.
The Gita (13.33-34) also points out that the soul remains distinct from the body it animates, as does sunlight illuminating the universe or air pervading space. So, when a part of the body is changed, the soul remains unchanged, just as when a component in a computer is changed, the computer-user remaining unchanged. Thus, in Venter’s experiment, the soul animating the bacteria remained unchanged when the DNA within that bacteria was changed.
Reductionist philosophers object to the existence of any non-material spirit animating the body because, they hold, spirit that being of a nature fundamentally different from matter cannot influence matter. The Gita agrees that spirit can’t influence matter, but asserts that the Supreme Spirit being the controller of both matter and spirit can. The Gita (13.23) explains that spirit interacts with matter through the agency of the Supersoul, an expansion of God who is immanent and all-pervading in matter.
In this connection, it is pertinent to note that Cambridge-educated researcher Stephen Meyer in his book Signature in the Cell explains how attempts of reductionist scientists to explain life in biological terms has paradoxically ended up showing the need for intelligence as the cause of life. For example, computer algorithms that attempted to simulate genetic information by random symbol generation achieved modest success only when they were intelligently directed toward a pre-chosen target sequence. Thus, far from proving the efficacy of randomness, they ended up proving the necessity of intelligence in generating genetic information. Could the same apply in Venter’s case? Intelligent scientists working for decades with funding running into millions were able to synthesize only one of the simplest DNAs. What does that say about the intelligence required to synthesize DNAs as complex as the human genome? Author George Sim Johnson points out, “Human DNA contains more organized information than the encyclopedia Britannica. If the full text of the encyclopedia were to arrive in computer code from outer space, most people would regard it as proof of the existence of extraterrestrial intelligence.” Obviously then, the organized information in the DNA can be regarded as proof of a magnificent designing intelligence, as Meyer persuasively established in his book. This echoes the Gita (9.10), which states that material nature works under God’s supervision.
Despite his claims to be “playing God”, Venter has unwittingly played into the hands of God by providing evidence for his existence and intelligence. Historically, attempts to play God have repeatedly backfired. In new fields of research, scientists almost invariably promise beneficial, often sensational, future results. However, the past track record of such promises shows counterproductive, often devastating, consequences. In the field of genetic engineering itself, genetically-modified (GM) food was advertised as the solution to world hunger, but it ended up causing hunger-deaths of hundreds of farmers in Maharashtra, India. These farmers were captivated by promises of pest-resistant seeds and high yields, but when the pests developed resistance to the seeds, the yields failed utterly. Moreover, as the GM seeds are designed to not give seeds for the next sowing, the farmers had no chance of a yield in the next season either. Afflicted by poverty, hunger and hopelessness, multitudes of them committed suicide. Concerned with the health hazards associated with GM food, the European Union has banned its use. NGOs are attempting to have similar curbs on GM food in other parts of the world.
What are the possible dangers in “artificial life” research? Genome manipulation of the kind done by Venter can lead to the development of medicine-resistant variants of disease-producing microbes, which could trigger a pandemic. The genome Venter synthesized was copied from a natural bacterium that infects goats. Before copying the DNA, he claims to have excised fourteen genes likely to be pathogenic, so that the new bacterium, even if it escaped, would be unlikely to cause goats harm. However, such measures may not be incorporated in future similar researches – either unintentionally or intentionally. Will we then see headlines of “artificial deaths” – deaths caused by human attempts at creating artificial life – in the papers? While some may consider such a scenario unlikely and even unduly pessimistic, it is certainly a possibility. And perhaps contemplation on the worst-case possibility is necessary to prevent it from becoming a reality. A good cautionary step is that the US President acknowledged the development raised “genuine concern” and asked the White House bioethics commission study the issues raised by synthetic biology and report back to him within six months.
On a positive note, the “artificial life” news, by bringing to the forefront the age-old question of what life actually is, may prompt some soul-searching – at least figuratively and maybe even literally. Developing the computer analogy further, ISKCON scientist the late Dr Richard L Thompson (Sadaputa Dasa), in his book “Maya: The World as a Virtual Reality”, explains how our entire present existence is like a computer simulation, a virtual reality. So as spiritual beings, the material existence that we are currently leading is itself an artificial life. From that perspective, the attempt to create artificial life within an artificial life is little more than an artifice. Alternative to such artifices is the spiritual technology described in the Gita that can enable us to progress from our current artificial life to our real life as eternal beings. If the energy spent on creating artificial life were directed to cultivate spiritual knowledge and practice, humanity would make quantum leaps in its understanding of life. The scientific establishment may or may not do this, but each of us individually can. Then we will no longer be taken in by overhyped reports about artificial life, for we will be constantly experiencing and relishing the meaning of real life – and will want to share that with everyone.
The post Artificial Life? Why Not Real Life? appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.
Ratha Yatra - Festival of India in Copenhagen (Album with photos)
Here are finally some photo when Lord Jagannatha and His faithful devotees from England visited Denmark and graced Copenhagen with Their divine presence :)
See them here: https://goo.gl/rxQUSi
Bangladesh Yatra (Album with photos)
We’re very greatful to the devotees of Narasindhi, Haviganj, Sylhet, Moulavi Bazar, Narayan Ganj, and Dhaka who warmly welcomed us and gave us their wonderful association. It was very purifying for us to be able and chant the Holy Names and discuss the Lord’s patime with all of you. We would like to specifically thank HG Charu Chandra prabhu, the regional secretary of Bangladesh, and HG Navadwip Dvija Gauranga prabhu who accompanied and helped us from the moment we arrived to the moment we left. Hare Krsna! ys, Mayapur Chandra’s team
See them here: https://goo.gl/yYn0rW
Ultimate Realization of Surabhir Prabhu (7 min video)
Surabhir Prabhu (here in an earlier photo with Jayapataka Swami) describes his feelings and realizations upon his return to the association of devotees after being apart for 25 years.
Watch it here: https://goo.gl/OKDrBG
Srila Sanatana Goswami Disappearance ceremony at ISKCON-Delhi: 31-07-2015 (Album with photos)
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Hare Krishna! First Youth Festival at Iskcon Gurgaon’s recently donated temple
In the last week of May this year ISKCON was donated a fully functional building located on a 4800 sq. yard campus, on the outskirts of Gurgaon, a sattelite city of Delhi, and home to several major software companies. The property was earlier owned and operated by an NGO called Atma Kalyan Kendra run by its founder Acarya Sudarshan Ji Maharaj. It is located on a Sohna road, a National Highway, and has two major universities, several deluxe hotels and residential apartments within few minutes drive. The campus has a spacious hall on front side, which can accommodate about 500 people.
Read the entire article here: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=18723
“People go to Vrindavan and their lives change… for the better,” says Shyam Gopal Das (Maksim Varfolomeev), who wrote and directed the 40-minute film Reconnection with his wife Vijaya Radhika Dasi (Olga Avramenko). The film has won an Award of Excellence from the Best Shorts Competition, whose previous winners have gone on to win Oscars and Emmys.
With the 50th anniversary of Srila Prabhupada’s departure from India onboard the Jaladuta ship, August 13, less than two weeks away, devotees in Kolkata are putting on a grand celebration of the event. While many exciting offerings, including a Guinness record-breaking harinama are being prepared for the celebration, an official logo has been created to celebrate Srila Prabhupada’s 36 days of maritime journey.
Indian thought is sometimes deemed fatalistic, as holding that everything is destined by past karma, thereby leaving little room for human initiative. The bhakti literature, however, offers a far more nuanced and empowering outlook to life.
As Pope Francis stated in his recent Encyclical on climate change, the reality of climate change "represents one of the principal challenges facing humanity in our day."
Hare Krishna! Announcing DevoteeEvents.com – ISKCON Events, Courses and Festivals, all in one place!
DevoteeEvents.com is the best place to find out what festivals, courses, retreats and other events are happening in ISKCON. You can easily submit your event for free! Built with the latest technology, the site lets you quickly search and filter for specific categories, types, locations and dates of events. Want to know what events your guru is attending? Just select your guru’s name in the list. Want to know what’s scheduled for broadcast on MayapurTV? Just click on the MayapurTV. Want to know what ISKCON 50th anniversary events are happening in your area? Just click on 50th.
Read the entire article here: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=18720
The restaurant will offer meat-free burgers, burritos, macaroni and cheese, pizza, salad, as well as milkshakes and vegan non-dairy shakes.
Woodstock Ratha Yatra (7 min video)
Indradyumna Swami: For 4 days in a row we take Lord Jagannatha on His Rath Cart through the massive crowds at Woodstock. Not only are people eager to pull the ropes, but they spontaneously jump into the kirtan and chant and dance with us in great ecstasy. Often they outnumber the devotees. Judging from their blissful faces we can understand that, by the mercy of Lord, they are experiencing the highest bliss!
Watch it here: https://goo.gl/iCU3An
Chanting with gratitude, a mellow kirtan by Chakrini Dasi (24 min video)
Watch it here: https://goo.gl/6XD9vm
2 Principles of Marriage
Radhanath Swami: Across all religions there is a universal concept that when a man and woman marry with proper attitude they become one body. After marriage they start living for a common purpose – to serve God together. The first principle they follow is – “I will do anything to protect you and you will do anything to protect me. We are there for each other and whatever the difficulties we may face we will be faithful to each other, till death separates us.”
Read the entire article here: http://goo.gl/H5cA9m
Hare Krishna! Reflections on Guru-purnima
Giriraj Swami: Today is Guru-purnima. Srila Prabhupada has explained that the system of honoring the spiritual master is current in all sections of Vedic followers. In the Mayavadi (impersonalist) sects, the disciples offer respect to the spiritual master every year on Guru-purnima. And in the Gaudiya Vaisnava sampradaya, the disciples offer homage annually on the appearance day of the spiritual master; this occasion is called Vyasa-puja, because the spiritual master represents Vedavyasa
Read the entire article here: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=8707
24 Hour Kirtan in New Vrindavan by Amala Kirtan das
CC daily Podcast:
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Surabhi Prabhu: The final journey. (Album with photos)
Final journey to the Yamuna for Surabhi, a wonderful soul to whom we are all deeply indebted for the magnificent temples whose facilities we are now relishing! He left peacefully in Vrindavan surrounded by devotees responding to Srila Prabhupada’s recorded kirtan. Then we took him on the last journey in the evening!
See them here: https://goo.gl/RvpTEM
Today is Guru-purnima. Srila Prabhupada has explained that the system of honoring the spiritual master is current in all sections of Vedic followers. In the Mayavadi (impersonalist) sects, disciples offer respect to the spiritual master once in a year, on Guru-purnima. And in the Gaudiya Vaisnava sampradaya, disciples also offer homage annually—on the appearance day of the spiritual master, an occasion called Vyasa-puja because the spiritual master, through disciplic succession, presents the same knowledge as Vedavyasa, the empowered incarnation of Krsna who compiled the Vedic literatures. We shall take this opportunity to discuss the principle of guru—and glorify the acarya-sampradaya.
Guru is a deep subject. We sing, vande ’ham sri-gurohsri-yuta-pada-kamalam sri-gurun vaisnavams ca, offering respects to the individual spiritual master, to the predecessor acaryas, and to all Vaisnavas.
As Srila Prabhupada explains, “The offering of respect to the spiritual master means offering respect to all the previous acaryas. Gurun means plural number. All the acaryas, they are not different from one another, because they are coming in the disciplic succession from the original spiritual master and they have no different views.” Thus we offer respects to the predecessors.
Similarly, we offer respects to the followers. Srila Prabhupada explains further, “Spiritual master means they must have many followers, who are all Vaisnavas. They are called prabhus, and the spiritual master is called Prabhupada, because at his lotus feet there are many prabhus. Pada means ‘lotus foot.’ All these Vaisnavas are prabhus. So they are also offered respectful obeisances—not the spiritual master alone, but along with his associates. And these associates, his disciples, are all Vaisnavas. Therefore they should also be offered respectful obeisances.” (SP comment on Mangalacarana, January 8, 1969)
For us in ISKCON, Srila Prabhupada is the main guru; he is the founder-acarya. But he also has his associates—Srila Gour Govinda Swami, Srila Tamal Krishna Goswami, Srila Sridhar Swami, Srila Bhakti Tirtha Swami, Srila Bhaktisvarupa Damodara Swami—to name some prominent ones who have departed. And of course, Prabhupada is being served by so many others today, and we can serve and learn from all of them.
“One who teaches can be treated as spiritual master. . . . So if we take instruction from them, all senior godbrothers may be treated as guru. There is no harm. Actually, you have only one spiritual master, who initiates you, just as you have only one father. But every Vaisnava should be treated as prabhu, master, higher than me, and in this sense, if I learn from him, he may be regarded as guru.” (SP letter dated November 20, 1971)
The original guru is Krsna. He speaks the knowledge of Bhagavad-gita and enunciates the principles of religion. Dharmam tu saksad bhagavat-pranitam: the principles of dharma—bhagavata-dharma, prema-dharma—are enacted by the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Dharma means “the laws of God,” or “the orders of God.” We cannot manufacture it; dharmam tu saksad bhagavat-pranitam: the principles of religion are enacted by the Lord Himself. We cannot make religious principles any more than we can make our own laws. Srila Prabhupada gave the example that you can’t just get together with some friends and pass your own laws. Law means that it must be enacted by the government, by the parliament or legislature. Similarly, dharma is enacted by God.
dharmam tu saksad bhagavat-pranitam
na vai vidur rsayo napi devah
na siddha-mukhya asura manusyah
kuto nu vidyadhara-caranadayah
“Real religious principles are enacted by the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Although fully situated in the mode of goodness, even the great rsis who occupy the topmost planets cannot ascertain the real religious principles, nor can the demigods or the leaders of Siddhaloka, to say nothing of the asuras, ordinary human beings, Vidyadharas, and Caranas.” (SB 6.3.19)
The conclusion of the Bhagavad-gita is sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja—to give up all varieties of dharma and just surrender to Krsna. And to understand the confidential truths about religious principles and the knowledge of the Bhagavad-gita, we need the help of mahajanas, authorities in Krsna consciousness—gurus.
svayambhur naradah sambhuh
kumarah kapilo manuh
prahlado janako bhismo
balir vaiyasakir vayam
dvadasaite vijanimo
dharmam bhagavatam bhatah
guhyam visuddham durbodham
yam jnatvamrtam asnute
“Lord Brahma, Bhagavan Narada, Lord Siva, the four Kumaras, Lord Kapila [the son of Devahuti], Svayambhuva Manu, Prahlada Maharaja, Janaka Maharaja, Grandfather Bhisma, Bali Maharaja, Sukadeva Gosvami, and I myself [Yamaraja] know the real religious principle. My dear servants, this transcendental religious principle, which is known as bhagavata-dharma, or surrender unto the Supreme Lord and love for Him, is uncontaminated by the material modes of nature. It is very confidential and difficult for ordinary human beings to understand, but if by chance one fortunately understands it, he is immediately liberated, and thus he returns home, back to Godhead.” (SB 6.3.20–21)
This confidential knowledge is given by God in scriptures and passed down through disciplic succession (evam parampara-praptam) to great souls who in turn impart the knowledge to their followers. And of all scriptures, Srimad-Bhagavatam is considered the most important, the ripened fruit of the tree of Vedic knowledge.
nigama-kalpa-taror galitam phalam
suka-mukhad amrta-drava-samyutam
pibata bhagavatam rasam alayam
muhur aho rasika bhuvi bhavukah
“O expert and thoughtful men, relish Srimad-Bhagavatam, the mature fruit of the desire tree of Vedic literatures. It emanated from the lips of Sri Sukadeva Gosvami. Therefore this fruit has become even more tasteful, although its nectarean juice was already relishable for all, including liberated souls.” (SB 1.1.3)
This nectarean fruit is passed down to us through disciplic succession. In commenting on this verse, Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura gives the example of a mango tree. To get a ripe mango from the top of a tree, several boys climb onto different branches. The boy at the top plucks the fruit and hands it to the boy on the next branch down, that boy hands it to the one on the next branch, and so on, until finally it reaches the boy on the ground—in the same perfect condition as it was when at the top of the tree. It hasn’t been bruised or broken but has been delivered intact, just as it was.
At the top of the tree is Krsna, and He passes the knowledge down to Brahma. Brahma passes it to Narada, and Narada passes it to Vyasa. (Today is also called Vyasa Purnima because Vyasadeva, who compiled the Vedic literature, appeared on this date.) Vyasa passes it to Madhvacarya, and so on—Caitanya Mahaprabhu, the Six Gosvamis, and further down, Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura, Srila Gaurakisora dasa Babaji Maharaja, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura, and Srila Prabhupada. And now the followers of Srila Prabhupada are presenting the same knowledge. They follow and present the same teachings—that is their qualification.
About Vedavyasa, Srila Prabhupada wrote: “Vyasadeva was a real person accepted by all authorities, and anyone can judge how wonderful he was to have compiled the Vedic literatures. He is therefore known as Mahamuni. Muni means ‘thoughtful’ or ‘great thinker’ or ‘great poet,’ and maha means still greater. There is no comparison of Vyasadeva with any other writer or thinker or philosopher. Nobody can estimate the scholarly importance of Srila Vyasadeva. He composed many millions of Sanskrit verses, and we try to receive just a fragment of the knowledge in them by our tiny efforts. Srila Vyasadeva therefore summarized the whole Vedic knowledge in Srimad-Bhagavatam, which is known as the ripened fruit of the desire tree of Vedic knowledge. The ripened fruit is received hand to hand through disciplic succession, and anyone who does this work in disciplic succession from Srila Vyasadeva is considered a representative of Vyasadeva, and as such the bona fide spiritual master’s appearance day is worshiped as Vyasa-puja.” (Srila Prabhupada letter dated August 25, 1970)
In addition to being Vyasa-purnima, the appearance day of Vedavyasa, today is also the disappearance day of Srila Sanatana Gosvami, the seniormost of the Six Gosvamis of Vrndavana. His book Brhad-Bhagavatamrta was the first major work of the Six Gosvamis. Sanatana Gosvami also comes in the disciplic succession from Lord Krsna to Brahma, but he is especially significant because he is a direct follower of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, who is Krsna Himself. Because Lord Caitanya is Krsna, He is capable of beginning His own disciplic succession, but because He was acting as a devotee, He chose to take initiation in the disciplic succession from Krsna and Brahma. Still, He is God, and the process by which He imparted knowledge to His immediate followers—Rupa Gosvami and Sanatana Gosvami—is comparable to the way Lord Krsna imparted knowledge to Brahma. Srila Krsnadasa Kaviraja Gosvami, in his Caitanya-caritamrta, writes of Sanatana’s younger brother Rupa:
vrndavaniyam rasa-keli-vartam
kalena luptam nija-saktim utkah
sancarya rupe vyatanot punah sa
prabhur vidhau prag iva loka-srstim
“Before the creation of this cosmic manifestation, the Lord enlightened the heart of Lord Brahma with the details of the creation and manifested the Vedic knowledge. In exactly the same way, the Lord, being anxious to revive the Vrndavana pastimes of Lord Krsna, impregnated the heart of Rupa Gosvami with spiritual potency. By this potency, Srila Rupa Gosvami could revive the activities of Krsna in Vrndavana, activities almost lost to memory. In this way, He spread Krsna consciousness throughout the world.” (Cc Madhya 19.1) Lord Caitanya also empowered him to write books on bhakti-yoga, and the same could be said about Sanatana Gosvami.
We are followers of the Six Gosvamis—followers of their followers. Srila Narottama dasa Thakura prays,
ei chaya gosai yara-mui tara dasa
tan’-sabara pada-renu mora panca-grasa
“I am the servant of that person who is a servant of the Six Gosvamis. The dust of their holy feet is my five kinds of foodstuffs.”
And:
tandera carana sevi-bhakta-sane vasa
janame janame hoy ei abhilasa
“This is my desire, that birth after birth I may live with those devotees who serve the lotus feet of the Six Gosvamis.”
A few weeks ago we were fortunate to receive four visitors from Dallas, disciples of Tamal Krishna Goswami—Dharma dasa and his wife Urjesvari, her sister Saibya, and Padma dasi. At the same time, Mayapur dasa, Sridhar Swami’s personal servant for many years, was also with us. So we thought it a good occasion to glorify these two stalwart servants of Srila Prabhupada, these two powerful preachers, Tamal Krishna Goswami and Sridhar Swami. And it was very enlivening and purifying. All of the devotees spoke so beautifully—each and every one—and one could really feel Tamal Krishna Goswami’s and Sridhar Swami’s presence and really feel united with Srila Prabhupada and his associates. His Holiness Niranjana Swami also spoke very beautifully and led kirtana.
Although all of Srila Prabhupada’s direct disciples are godbrothers and godsisters in that we were all initiated by His Divine Grace, still, among Srila Prabhupada’s followers there are some who were—and are—really leading the movement and showing the way for others to follow. Certainly His Holiness Tamal Krishna Goswami was a great pioneer, as were His Holiness Sridhar Swami and the others I mentioned. And even now devotees are following Srila Prabhupada and leading us and showing us the way. We also are trying to make our little contributions, but still, there are some who are ahead of us, showing the way and making it easier for us to follow.
At the same time, it is also very personal and individual—through whom Krsna speaks to whom. It is not that everyone has to follow only one particular person. Krsna can manifest Himself—and Srila Prabhupada can manifest himself—through different servants, different Vaisnavas, and we should be open to that flow of mercy however and through whomever it comes. It is not rigid or fixed. That mercy can come in different ways, and we should be open to it. That is really the principle of guru: Krsna’s instructions come to us through some servant of Krsna, some representative of Krsna—and it is not limited to only one. Krsna can speak to us through many mouths, through many personalities, and we should be open to that guidance. We should take His instructions on our head and follow them. That is how Krsna guides the conditioned souls back home, back to Godhead. He can engage any number of His servants to help us; God knows we need all the help we can get. So we shouldn’t be sectarian. We shouldn’t cut ourselves off from any flow of mercy that may come to us by the arrangement of the Lord, or of Srila Prabhupada, or of any of our spiritual masters.
I think of the example of Raghunatha dasa Gosvami, because he had so many gurus. Of course, he was a direct associate of Lord Caitanya Himself, but even then, he was helped by so many well-wishers and guides. First, he was initiated by Yadunandana Acarya, Raghunatha’s family’s spiritual master. Yadunandana Acarya himself was a great Vaisnava, an initiated disciple of Advaita Acarya and an intimate student of Vasudeva Datta. And Balarama Acarya, a dear associate of Haridasa Thakura, was Raghunatha’s family’s priest. Raghunatha learned from him too. Balarama Acarya and Yadunandana Acarya were friends, and both used to host Haridasa Thakura at their homes. For some time, Balarama Acarya provided Haridasa with a thatched hut and prasada, and at that time, while still a student, Raghunatha visited Haridasa Thakura daily, and it is said that because of the mercy Haridasa showed him then, Raghunatha later attained the mercy of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Once, Balarama Acarya invited Haridasa Thakura to speak in the assembly of Raghunatha’s family, the Majumadaras, and thus Raghunatha heard from him again, about the glories of the holy name.
Eventually, Raghunatha dasa met Nityananda Prabhu at Panihati and got His benediction to become free from all obstacles and attain shelter at the lotus feet of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Soon, Raghunatha escaped from home, traveled by foot to Puri, and attained the merciful shelter of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu—by the mercy of Nityananda Prabhu. Then[,] Caitanya Mahaprabhu entrusted Raghunatha dasa to Svarupa Damodara Gosvami: “I entrust Raghunatha to you. Please accept him as your son or servant.” Raghunatha was still very young, only about twenty-two. The Lord took Raghunatha’s hand and personally placed him in the hands of Svarupa Damodara Gosvami. And so Raghunatha became Svarupa Damodara’s assistant. Svarupa Damodara was Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu’s secretary, and Raghunatha dasa in effect became assistant secretary.
After Caitanya Mahaprabhu left this world, followed by Svarupa Damodara and almost all of His other intimate associates, Raghunatha dasa felt bereft: “I am all alone. There is no reason to live. How can I live without my prabhus, without my masters?”
Raghunatha dasa felt so much separation that he decided to go to Vrndavana to see the lotus feet of Rupa and Sanatana and then give up his life by jumping from Govardhana Hill. But the two brothers would not allow him to die. They prevailed upon him to stay with them and speak about Mahaprabhu’s later pastimes. “You should not give up your life,” they told him. “You were with Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu in Puri and were witness to so many of His intimate pastimes. You should stay with us and tell us about your experiences with Him.” And they accepted him as their third brother.
Especially Sanatana Gosvami gave him shelter and took care of him. At first, when Raghunatha dasa Gosvami was doing bhajana at Radha-kunda, he didn’t have any residence. And while doing his bhajana, he was pretty much oblivious to everything else. When he chanted, he would go into trance. Still, he chanted at least one lakh names every day. But it could happen that he would go into deep trance and Krsna’s pastimes would play in his mind. Like that, he was chanting Krsna’s name and remembering Krsna’s pastimes one day, and the hot sun was beating down on his head. Srimati Radharani Herself came and held a cloth over his head, but he didn’t know it, because he was in deep meditation. But Sanatana Gosvami understood, and he personally built a bhajana-kutira for Raghunatha dasa Gosvami. He took care of Raghunatha dasa in every respect.
In his book Vilapa-kusumanjali, Raghunatha dasa Gosvami begins by offering respects to his gurus, including Sanatana Gosvami:
vairagya-yug-bhakti-rasam prayatnair
apayayan mam anabhipsum andham
krpambudhir yah para-duhkha-duhkhi
sanatanas tam prabhum asrayami
“I was unwilling to drink the nectar of devotional service possessed of renunciation, but Sanatana Gosvami, out of his causeless mercy, made me drink it, even though I was otherwise unable to do so. Therefore he is an ocean of mercy. He is very compassionate to fallen souls like me, and thus it is my duty to offer my respectful obeisances unto his lotus feet.” (Vilapa-kusumanjali 6)
In this verse, Raghunatha dasa Gosvami describes Sanatana Gosvami with a phrase that Srila Prabhupada often quoted (for all compassionate Vaisnavas): para-duhkha-duhkhi—“he felt sorrow in the sorrow of others.” Raghunatha dasa says, vairagya-yug-bhakti-rasam prayatnair—he gave me the nectar of devotional service enriched with renunciation; anabhipsum andham—but I was unwilling (anabhipsum) to drink it, because I was blind (andham) to my spiritual well-being; so apayayan mam—he forced me to drink it. Sanatana Gosvami is an ocean of mercy (krpambudhi), and therefore I offer my respectful obeisances to him. I take shelter of him, my master (prabhum asrayami).
Srila Prabhupada paraphrased this verse in composing a verse to honor his sannyasa-guru, Srila Bhaktiprajnana Kesava Gosvami Maharaja. He used almost the same words. The idea is that it is very hard to become free from the shackles of family life. Of course, one can be a pure devotee in the grhastha-asrama—that is another thing—but to preach, sannyasa may be advised.
As Srila Prabhupada describes it, he was having recurring dreams that his guru maharaja was calling him to follow him and preach. And he would wake up horrified: “How can I take sannyasa and become a mendicant? How can I leave my wife and children? What will happen then?” Eventually Prabhupada accepted vanaprastha. He went to Jhansi and began the League of Devotees there. But there was some politics. The wife of the governor wanted the property that Srila Prabhupada had been using for the League. She made all efforts to get it for some ladies’ program, and because she was so influential, Prabhupada decided not to fight against her. So he left and went to Mathura, where he stayed in the matha of his godbrother Bhaktiprajnana Kesava Gosvami Maharaja. And Kesava Maharaja insisted, “You must take sannyasa.” To fully take up the order of the spiritual master and preach, one must accept the renounced order of life. And so Prabhupada did—he took sannyasa.
Then, in 1968—in the early days of the Krsna consciousness movement in the West—in Seattle, Srila Prabhupada got news that His Holiness Kesava Maharaja had passed away. So he held a meeting with his disciples there and spoke about the history, how his guru maharaja and his godbrother had “forced” him to take sannyasa: “My godbrother insisted. Not he insisted—practically my spiritual master insisted through him, that ‘You accept.’ He wanted me to become a preacher, so he forced me through this godbrother: ‘You accept.’ So, unwillingly I accepted.”
Srila Prabhupada saw that his guru maharaja was working through his godbrother, speaking through his godbrother—another Vaisnava—and he composed this verse, very similar to the one Raghunatha dasa composed for Sanatana Gosvami—but for Kesava Maharaja. Apayayan mam anabhipsum andham. “I was unwilling to take the medicine of bhakti with detachment because I was blind. I could not see my future, that spiritual life is the brightest future. So the Vaisnavas, the spiritual master, they force: ‘You must drink.’” Sri-kesava-bhakti-prajnana-nama krpambudhir yas tam aham prapadye: “Sri Bhaktiprajnana Kesava is an ocean of mercy, and I offer my respectful obeisances unto him.”
So, Sanatana Gosvami was a great shelter to Vaisnavas in Vrndavana. He was not only intelligent—all the Gosvamis were very intelligent—he was also very shrewd, very clever; he understood politics and diplomacy. It is said that Rupa Gosvami was very simple but that Sanatana Gosvami was very astute; he could understand people’s motives and intentions. So he was able to protect devotees in the most practical ways, because he had that type of intelligence. And he protected Raghunatha dasa Gosvami on every level.
Then, on the day of Guru-purnima, because Sanatana Gosvami was the seniormost of the Gosvamis and the siksa-guru of almost everyone in Vrndavana, the Vaisnavas went to Govardhana to offer him respects. Upon their arrival at his bhajana-kutira at Manasi-ganga, they saw that he was in trance. He didn’t move at all. So they waited. They didn’t want to disturb him.
Eventually they understood that he had left his body, and they all were overwhelmed with separation. They took him on parikrama of Govardhana Hill, as he had faithfully done parikrama of Govardhana Hill every day. But they weren’t sure where to place his body. Jiva Gosvami, who was the leader after Sanatana, decided that they should bring him back to Vrndavana, close to the temple of the Deity of Madana-mohana, who was so dear to him. So, that took place on Guru-purnima.
We can see how the devotees helped each other. Everyone helped everyone. In Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, we find that the Vaisnavas were always helping each other. And we should learn from their example. We should develop that mood. Of course, help can come in different ways. Sometimes it comes in terms of instruction, and sometimes it comes in practical ways, like Sanatana Gosvami’s building Raghunatha dasa Gosvami’s bhajana-kutira. These exalted devotees were always serving each other—serving Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu and serving each other. And that should be our mood: to serve each other, actually help each other—and to learn from each other.
In the Eleventh Canto of Srimad-Bhagavatam, we learn how an avadhuta brahmana took lessons from others, from twenty-four siksa-gurus: the material elements, natural phenomena, plants, animals—even from a prostitute. By his intelligence, he learned from all of them, and he accepted them all as his gurus. For example, he learned from the mountain that a saintly person should devote all his efforts to the service of others and make their welfare the sole reason for his existence (as we learn from Govardhana Hill). From the python he learned that one should give up material endeavor and accept what comes of its own accord—one should remain peaceful and steady, indifferent to material gain but always alert to self-realization. Even from Pingala, a prostitute, he learned. Because she had no other source of income, she was very anxious for customers. One night she was waiting and waiting and still no customer came. Finally, at the end of the night, she felt disgusted with her situation and thus became detached. From Pingala he learned detachment—and attachment for the Supreme Personality of Godhead, whom she accepted as her ultimate shelter and object of love.
So we can learn from anyone and anything. If we are sincerely trying to serve Krsna and to understand how best to serve Him, the Lord in the heart will give us the intelligence how to learn from others—even from trees and grass. Caitanya Mahaprabhu glorified the trees and grass, for from them we learn how to be tolerant and humble. So we can learn from anyone and everyone, and everything.
We can learn even from demons—and we are surrounded by them. Big business people, with their advertising and other strategies, are so clever. We should be that shrewd, that clever, for Krsna. Materialistic leaders figure out how to trap people in their nets and pull them in and keep them. We can learn from such powerful materialists how to attract people and keep them, for Krsna—how to be organized and intelligent, for Krsna. If we are in the proper mood, anything can remind us of devotional service and be used for Krsna’s benefit. Anyone can be a siksa-guru for us if we are absorbed in the mood of serving Krsna, fixed in Krsna consciousness.
But in particular, and especially on occasions like today, we are enjoined to offer respectful obeisances unto our diksa- and siksa-gurus in the disciplic succession, from Krsna to Brahma to Narada to Vyasa, from Caitanya Mahaprabhu to Sanatana Gosvami, from Srila Prabhupada to his followers, which include all of you.
Hare Krsna.
[A Talk by Giriraj Swami on Guru-purnima, July 29, 2007, in Dallas]
Question: How does purification work for devotees – purification of anarthas? I always hear devotees say, “this is for your purification,” but how does it work?
śṛṇvatām svakathā krishna,
punya śravana kīrtana,
hṛdyāntaḥ stho hyabhadrānī
vidhunoti suhṛt satām
This verse from Bhāgavatam (1.2.17) is the answer to your question, and there is no better answer.
Abhadra meanns impurity. hṛdi-antaḥ-stha means “in the heart.” So, the topic of the verse is about how to get rid of (“vidhunoti“) impurities in the heart – “anarthas.” The method is to hear (“śṛṇvata“) Krishna-kathā and Krishna-kīrtan.
Krishna-kathā doesn’t mean chatting about this or that das or dasi, prabhu or mātājī, or GBC or ABC rule or motion, or any other stuff somehow suppesedly remotely connected to Krishna in some way. Krishna-kathā means directly hearing Krishna-līlā, and then glorifying that same Krishna in kīrtan. If we do not hear Krishna līlā we cannot do nāma-kīrtan or nāma-japa and thus we cannot become purified.
If we do not hear Krishna līlā we cannot do nāma-kīrtan or nāma-japa and thus we cannot become purified.
Q: Example will help me to understand. I get angry easily. How will Krishna-kathā purify this? How will it purify lust or envy?
If you try to stop your anger, lust, etc you will fail. “daivi-hy eṣa guṇa mayī, mama-māyā-durātyayā.” Our nature is our nature – prakṛti – and that is impossible to overcome. Don’t try to stop your anger, lust, or whatever. Just try to develop attraction to hearing Krishna-līlā in more and more detail. Then, automatically, you will be more able to do śuddha-nāma-japa and śuddha-nāma-kīrtan. And then – by association with śuddha-nāma – all impurity will fall away just like an empty house falls to ruin, or a forgotten book is never read. By developing taste for Krishna, we simply FORGET about anger and lust. “param dṛṣṭvā nivartante.” We don’t “overcome” our impurities – we forget about them, and they disappear gradually as a result of our neglect.
