Prabhupada Letters :: Anthology 2014-12-10 12:55:00 →
Prabhupada Letters :: 1966
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13 07 23 SB 05 24 17 By H G Vaman Dev Prabhu ISKCON Juhu
The post December 10th, 2013 – Darshan appeared first on Mayapur.com.
Transcendental topics of the Lord act like injections when received by the sincere devotee from a person who is perfectly uncontaminated by material tinges. In other words, reception of the messages of Srimad-Bhagavatam from professional men, heard by a karma-kandiya audience, never acts miraculously as stated here.
“When we don’t hear about the heroism of the Hero, the holes of our ears might as well be snake holes. When we do not sing about the One Worth Singing About, we might as well have the tongues of frogs. When our head does not bow to the Liberator, it is nothing but a heavy burden, even if it is decorated with a silken crown. When our hands do not serve Hari, they might as well be the hands of a corpse, uselessly decorated with glittering golden bracelets. When we do not look upon the forms of Viṣṇu, our eyes might as well be the eyes of a peacock feather. When our legs do not move us to Hari’s sacred places, our legs might as well be the roots of trees? If we mortals never touch the dust from the feet of blessed devotees, we might as well be dead! If we do not smell the scent of Tulasī from the beautiful feet of Viṣṇu, what is the use of breathing? We might as well be a breathing corpse.”
Sūta was speechless with delight to hear Śaunaka so boldly declare such strong devotional sentiments. “Worst of all,” Śaunaka continued, “If we pronounce Hari’s name but our heart does not melt into emotions like tears and goosebumps, what is the use of our heart? Is it really a heart or is it a chunk of iron?”

(Kadamba Kanana Swami, 8 September 2013, Lenasia, South Africa, Sunday Feast Lecture)
We have temples where we can associate of devotees and get new inspiration because after all, this is a movement. Srila Bhakisiddhanta said, “It’s not an addendum in life.” It is not that Krsna consciousness is something we add on. “You know, I really feel that Krsna consciousness takes an important part in my life.” No, if we think like that then it’s an add on. That is not good enough.
Krsna consciousness is our life. There’s nothing else. There’s nothing else. That’s all there is. Therefore Srila Bhaktisiddhanta said, “Krsna consciousness is not an addendum in life.” It is a total revolution. Complete, total change. It is meant to touch every aspect of life and become the priority.
Therefore, I sometimes say that when you look your beloved in the eyes, you can say, “Darling, you are the most important person in my life… after Krsna.”
That is kind of how it is. Everything else comes after Krsna. We can try that and if you can’t make it, if you can’t say that from the heart, then you are in maya (laughter)! Just think about it. So that means we have to gradually cultivate our Krsna consciousness more and more until we get there, to that stage where vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti.
bahūnāḿ janmanām ante
jñānavān māḿ prapadyate
vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti
sa mahātmā su-durlabhaḥ (Bhagavad-gita 7.19)
A great soul is very rare, is one who after many, many births comes to that stage where he is says, Vasudeva, Krsna is everything.

The Hare Krishna’s gathered outside Nelson Mandela’s home in Houghton, Johannesburg and in true South African style, indeed Madiba style chanted, danced and distributed free vegetarian food to the throngs who had come to celebrate Mr. Mandela. Read more ›
63rd Birthday Celebration of HH Radhanath Swami in Farmington Hills, Michigan, United States. (7th Dec, 2013)
Picture Courtesy: Arjun Bhattacharyya Read more › The post The ultimate benediction – car ride in Delhi with Govinda and Kesava Bharati Maharajas appeared first on SivaramaSwami.com.
Sanctuary of Truth Pattaya Read more ›
Pattaya is a city in Thailand, a beach resort popular with tourists and expatriates. It is located on the east coast of the Gulf of Thailand, about 100 km southeast of Bangkok within but not part of Amphoe Bang Lamung in the province of Chonburi Read more ›
Cows & Sattva Guna. This brief article explains how cows are helpful in
developing sattva guna and how we benefit from serving them Read more ›
Indradyumna Swami: Please all of you pray that I might quickly recover and return to the preaching field for the pleasure of Srila Prabhupada Read more › A Letter From Srila Prabhupada About New Vrindaban: 7 Temples, Starting a Trust Fund & Earning Income from the Land.
October 27, 1972
My dear Kirtanananda,
Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated October 19, 1972, and I have noted the contents with care.
Now we are in Radha-Damodara Temple staying, and the programme of speaking morning and evening in the courtyard is going on very nicely. It is the same peaceful atmosphere as your New Vrindaban, and just as in New Vrindaban everyone present is devotee. Actually, everywhere wherever Krishna is being glorified, that is Vrindaban.
Regarding your questions, try to finish the temples in New Vrindaban as quickly as possible using whatever materials you have. Later on they can be improved more and more and eventually they will be the first-class opulent temples in the world.
So far starting a trust fund, yes, that is very good idea, so that the deities may never be neglected. The thing is, there must be continuous income, so if there is income from land that is all right. In Los Angeles we are getting income from rents from two apartment houses because there is always certain income.
As for bathing the deities in milk from time to time, that is not required. The smarta or caste brahmanas, they think if someone inattentively touches deity it becomes impure, so they bathe. But that is not needed by us, only when they are installed.
Regarding the cook-book, that is a nice proposal to divide into two parts. There is no harm if devotees have invented recipes, so long they are strictly vegetarian, no garlic, no onions, like that.
Upon your recommendation I am happy to accept Sudhakari dasi for second initiation. Now you hold a fire yagna, give her copy of gayatri mantra and teach her to count on the finger divisions. You may play the tape of me reciting gayatri mantra into her right ear. The ceremony should be held in the company of devotees only.
Hoping this will meet you in good health.
Your ever well-wisher,
A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami
ACBS/sda
KARTIK 2013 – Worshipping Tulasi – Kripamoya Das
The post December 9th, 2013 – Darshan appeared first on Mayapur.com.
Any member of the family who is above twelve years of age should be initiated by a bona fide spiritual master, and all the members of the household should be engaged in the daily service of the Lord, beginning from morning (4 a.m.) till night (10 p.m.).
(Kadamba Kanana Swami, September 2008, South Africa, Ratha Yatra Lecture)
We have to always be strict with our lazy mind because our mind says, “Well, you know, you can’t be fanatic!” which translates to, “Oh well, let’s just be lazy,” actually.
So the tendency to be a little lazy about standards and rules is very strong in all of us and we should never think that that will not happen.
At 30Th November Iskcon Gita Nagari Installed A New Alter For Radha Damodar And Srila Prabhupada By Bhakticaru Swami Read more › From Peter
From Peter
From Peter
From Peter
From Peter
I am a comparative philosophy student trying to understand the Bhagavad-gita. Can you please give specific Gita verses while answering the question?
Please give some details regarding prayers offered by different exalted devotees in srimad bhagavatam, can we choose any particular prayer and recite everyday as part of our sadhana if it is so, how much importance should we give/in what way we should understand the translation of the slokas while we recite as a daily routine.
Often called "Food For Life," Prasadam is food that has been cooked by love and devotion by devotees of Krishna and offered to Krishna. After Krishna has enjoyed the meal the remnants become "Prasadam." Hare Krishna devotees distribute this prasdam to the general public with the understanding that when they eat prasadam they become purified of all material contamination and become qualified to develop love for God, Krishna Read more › The post Final kirtana in Mayapura – sadly appeared first on SivaramaSwami.com.
Conversation.
The post Those who eat from Srila Prabhupada’s plate should at least give credit for doing so appeared first on SivaramaSwami.com.
From 1974 to Rome in the service of the mission of AC Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada to spread the spiritual science of the Bhagavad-Gita and Srimad-Bhagavatam Read more ›
The dilemma my companion was going through was who was right and how can there be differing opinions? To this, I responded that there is no dispute that the guru principal is essential in aiding the spiritual student towards spiritual progress. We all agree with that. For many issues such as this one, you have a right and left wing circumstance. Without two wings a bird can’t fly. Let the two positions be deliberated upon and something fairly satisfactory should be the outcome. Read more ›