
Harinam at Kampung Pandan, Kuala Lumpur (Album 72 photos)
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Gītā 15.6 establishes that one who gains the abode of Krishna never leaves it.
8.15 establishes… “those who achieve me (mām upetya) are not born again (punar janma nāpnuvanti) in an impermanent and thus miserable ‘house’ / world / body (duḥkhālayam aśāśvatam).”
8.16 says it again just to confirm “those who achieve me (mām upetya) are not born again (punar janma na vidyate).”
What all these quotes establish is that “once we attain the spiritual abode, we never take birth again in the material world.” But they do not establish that we fall from the spiritual realm. In fact they contradict the idea that it is possible to fall from the spiritual realm.
If you enter the Hotel California you won’t come back out. Does that mean the people who are already in the Hotel California can leave? To my knowledge there is no statement anywhere in śāstra that those who are eternally with Krishna can fall away from him, but those who fall away and come back never fall away again. This IS a popular idea among people often giving classes in ISKCON, I admit. But it is not an idea supported by śāstra, to the best of my knowledge.
In fact, śāstra says just the opposite. It says that people in the spiritual world are nitya-siddha - they are always perfect. Those in the material world are nitya-baddha – they were always in the material world. They were bound to this world (baddha) from the ontological very beginning of their being, due to the essence of their individual character.
Thus śāstra calls them anādi-bahirmukha “they have been looking away from Krishna without a beginning, always.”
There are many other quotes from śāstra, equally clear and direct. Śrī Jīva Goswāmī himself explicitly states in his most important book, the ṣaḍ-sandarbha, that no entity can fall from the spiritual world.
Somehow this idea is considered controversial among some ISKCON devotees, but objectively speaking, its not at all controversial, it is very clear. As far as I can see, its only a controversy because devotees misunderstood Prabhupāda and the teachings very early on in the 1970s and have a hard time admitting that they can be wrong, not just individually but collectively and on a philosophical issue.
It is not inappropriate to express the mood of being “fallen” from Krishna. Even Mahaprabhu embraces this mood in the 5th verse of the śikṣāṣṭaka. “patitam mam viṣame bhavāmbudau” — I am fallen into the poisonous ocean of existence. We are in fact fallen in a poisonous ocean of existence. This is an eternally present fact, not something that occurred at a particular point in time. This is what the early devotees and followers of Śrīla Prabhupāda didn’t completely grasp correctly — which is nothing to criticize. It is natural. It is a complex philosophy. The only thing worth criticizing is the inability to admit fallibility and move forward with a more clear understanding that actually represents Śrīla Prabhupāda’s sampradaya.
I think that’s why Śrīla Prabhupāda indicated that it would take a long time before ISKCON would really take its true shape, “the children of your children” he said. 2 generations. Now we are still at the beginning of the 1st generation since Prabhupāda – so things are still almost jut starting to fix themselves up. But there is a bright future.
When, by continually wandering through the land of Vrindavana, by loudly calling out in ecstasy, by dancing and singing impelled by feelings
of transcendental love, by rolling about on the ground, the hairs of my body standing up in bliss, and by cutting the knots of material attachment and becoming expert in the transcendental nectar mellows of devotional service, will I become the crest jewel of all fortunate men?
[Source : Nectarean Glories of Sri Vrindavana-dhama by Srila Prabodhananda Sarasvati Thakura, Sataka-2, Text-24, Translation.]
"Those who think that devotion to God and kindness to the jivas [souls] are mutually different from each other, and perform accordingly in their life, such persons will not be able to follow the devotional culture. Their performances are only a semblance of devotion. Therefore, all the types of beneficence to others, like kindness, friendliness, forgiveness, charity, respect, and so on, are included in bhakti. Among these, according to the triple categories of the recipients. viz., high, medium and low. The actions of respect, friendliness and kindness are the very form of love and the characteristic portion of bhakti: charity of medicines, clothes, food, water, etc., shelter during adversities, teaching of academic and spiritual educations, etc., are the activities included in the devotional culture."
- Tattva Viveka-Tattva Sutra-Amnaya Sutra: A Comprehensive Exposition of the Spiritual Reality by Bhaktivinoda Thakura
(Kadamba Kanana Swami, 03 April 2014, Cape Town, South Africa, Evening Lecture)
Freedom! Where is freedom in this world? Somehow we became disconnected from our real self and therefore we always feel trapped in every situation. But this process (Krsna consciousness) can reconnect us with ourselves, where we belong, in a world with an all-attractive Supreme, in an all-attractive exchange.
I’ll tell you what – at the end of the day, fairytales are true. And you thought all along that it was just myth, didn’t you? There was a time when you believed in fairytales, didn’t you? But then, on the way, you lost that belief. But today I tell you, fairytales are true, after all… “And they lived happily ever after!”
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Why is a highly placed government servant given better facilities than those of an ordinary clerk? The answer is that a highly placed officer has to discharge duties of a higher nature. Similarly, the duties human beings have to perform are higher than those of animals, who are always engaged in simply feeding their hungry stomachs. Yet the modern soul-killing civilization has only increased the problems of the hungry stomach. When we approach a polished animal in the form of a modern civilized man and ask him to take interest in self-realization, he will say that he simply wants to work to satisfy his stomach and that there is no need of self-realization for a hungry man.
- Srila Prabhupada, Sri Isopanishad Mantra 3
(Image editing by Ajit Khadd - thanks!)
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2014 04 08 Rama Navami Festival Summary of Ramayana Bhakti Charu Swami ISKCON Chowpatty
Srila Prabhupada Encourages Devotees to Cooperate & Expand New Vrindaban – July 1974.
From a series of letters written by Srila Prabhupada outlining his vision for New Vrindaban.
Thanks to Vanipedia for the source material.
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My Dear Hladini devi dasi:
Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated July 17, 1974 with enclosed photographs of Lord Jagannatha. I can see that you are very nicely taking care of the Deities, and this is much appreciated by me. Now you stick to this process of worship of the Deity and you will advance more and more in Krishna consciousness. I very much enjoyed my stay in New Vrindaban, and was glad to see everything going on very nicely. So now just cooperate with the leaders there and expand it more and more.
I hope this meets you in good health.
Your ever well wisher,
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami
ACBS/bs
A couple of years ago the Govinda Valley devotees opened up the “Heart and Soul” restaurant in Cronulla, Sydney. This is a beachside suburb that is very busy, especially in summer.
(Kadamba Kanana Swami, 30 June 2013, Vrindavan, India, Srimad Bhagavatam 6.16.34)
Ultimately, the mercy of Mahaprabhu is what we are hoping for but only after we have given it our everything - not before and not while lying on our back saying, “Oh gosh, I really hope for the mercy of Mahaprabhu.”
Not exactly like that but instead, after we have given it our everything and we have reached our limits by trying hard. When we reached our limit that is when we start hoping, that is when our prayers begin.
If you pray before that then what is the meaning of your prayer? If you have not reached your limits (of endeavour) and you pray already, then how would you feel when someone is says, “Aaahh, please help me to get up from bed!”
“Oh, do it yourself,” we may say. How do you think Krsna feels if we do not make any endeavour ourselves. When we have tried everything to conquer the unconquerable Krsna then yes, miracles can happen by mercy.