Prabhupada, are you a servant of the gopis? How do I serve the servants of the gopis?
→ Nityananda Chandra Das' Blog, ISKCON Dallas

Devotee: I read somewhere in your writings that in order to understand the confidential affairs of Radha and Krsna one must serve the gopis who are servants of the gopis, and I assumed that you were a servant of the gopis. Is that correct? Or... How do I serve the servants of the gopis?

Prabhupada: Gopis, they are not conditioned souls. They are liberated spirits. So first of all you have to come out from this conditioned life. Then the question of serving gopi will come. Don't be at the present moment, very eager to serve gopi. Just try to get out of your conditional life. Then time will come when you'll be able to serve gopi. In this conditional stage we cannot serve anything. Krsna is performing it (everything?). But Krsna gives us opportunities to accept service in this arca-marga. Just like we keep the Deity of Krsna, offer prasada under regulation, under principle. So we have to make advance in this way, this chanting, hearing, and worshiping in the temple, arati, offering prasada. In this way, as we make advance, then automatically Krsna will reveal to you and you'll understand your position, how you have to... Gopis means who are always, constantly engaged in the service of the Lord. So that eternal relationship will be revealed. So we have to wait for that. Immediately we cannot imitate serving gopis. That's a good idea that you shall serve gopi, but it will take time. Not immediately. Immediately we have to follow the rules and regulations and routine work. Yes.

"Revive Our Relationship with Krishna"

68/11/27 Los Angeles, Bhagavad-gita 2.8-12

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A Boy With Talent
→ Dandavats.com

BGIS got another reason for celebration. Vishal Sachdeva the present 12th grade student have secured AIR - 08 rank in ICE (Institute of Creative Excellence) auditions, 2013 out of 751 participants. He will study Acting Philosophy after 10+2 in ICE. Read more ›

11.26 – Confront reality before reality confronts us
→ The Spiritual Scientist

Gory scenes of mangled flesh, spattered blood and distorted corpses may be a stable in horror movies, but still they cause most people’s stomachs to roil in shock and revulsion. And we wouldn’t expect to find such narratives in wisdom-literature. Yet we find them in the Bhagavad-gita’s eleventh chapter as a part of the mystical vision of the Universal Form. In the Gita (11.26), Arjuna reports how the assembled warriors are sucked into the mouth of that scary form.

What is the meaning of this ghastly revelation?

It is a call to confront reality before reality confronts us.

The Bhagavad-gita is not squeamish about life’s ugly realities. Death and destruction are the inevitable end of everything in this world. Refusing to confront them doesn’t help because they will sooner or later come to confront us, whether we like it or not.

How does voluntarily confronting these truths help?

It forces us to acknowledge the ultimate futility of life at the material level and thereby pushes us to explore whether life has any higher dimension. This exploration when guided by scripture helps us discover the sweetness of spiritual reality. We are all souls meant to relish eternal spiritual love with Krishna. By redirecting our love from the world to Krishna, we can not only attain that sweet reality at the end of our life, but can also relish glimpses of that reality even in this life. Our life becomes redefined from a fruitless struggle to resist futility to a fruitful endeavor to reclaim glory.

If we refuse to confront life’s harsh reality, then that reality confronts and consumes us, as the Universal Form devoured the warriors. By denying the harsh reality, we deprive ourselves of the sweet reality. Lifetime after lifetime. The Gita’s horrific descriptions help end our denial and deprivation.

**

All the sons of Dhrtarastra, along with their allied kings, and Bhisma, Drona, Karna – and our chief soldiers also – are rushing into Your fearful mouths. And some I see trapped with heads smashed between Your teeth.

 

Even if we can’t practice, we can still have faith
→ The Spiritual Scientist

An ordinary man with firm faith in the eternal injunctions of the Lord, even though unable to execute such orders, becomes liberated from the bondage of the law of karma. In the beginning of Krishna consciousness, one may not fully discharge the injunctions of the Lord, but because one is not resentful of this principle and works sincerely without consideration of defeat and hopelessness, he will surely be promoted to the stage of pure Krishna consciousness.

Bhagavad Gita As It Is 3.31 purport

 

Lord Balarama’s Appearance day, August 20, New Dvaraka, Los Angeles
Giriraj Swami

Balarama+massages+KrishnaTRANSLATION
[Krishna said to Balarama:] O original personality, these bees must all be great sages and most elevated devotees of Yours, for they are worshiping You by following You along the path and chanting Your glories, which are themselves a holy place for the entire world. Though You have disguised Yourself within this forest, O sinless one, they refuse to abandon You, their worshipable Lord.

PURPORT
The word gudham is significant in this verse. It indicates that although the Supreme Personality of Godhead in His form of Krishna or Balarama appears like an ordinary human being within the material world, great sages always recognize the Lord as the Supreme Absolute Truth. All the transcendental forms of Godhead are eternal and full of bliss and knowledge, exactly the opposite of our material bodies, which are temporary and full of misery and ignorance. — Srimad-Bhagavatam 10.15.6

COMMENT by Giriraj Swami

“We hear about Krishna and Balarama, that Krishna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead and Balarama is His first expansion. But if They were to disguise themselves as ordinary human beings, we probably wouldn’t recognize Them. Muhyanti yat surayah — even great sages and demigods are put into illusion by the appearance of Lord Krishna as an ordinary cowherd boy. We know from Lord Brahma’s stealing the cows and cowherd boys — he couldn’t believe that this cowherd was the Supreme Personality of Godhead. And the same with Indra, when Krishna stopped the Indra yajna and Indra sent torrents of rain to punish the inhabitants of Vrindavan. But Krishna is glorifying the bees: ‘They know that You, Balarama, are the Supreme Personality of Godhead and therefore they are following you and singing Your glories.’ Krishna is encouraging His older brother Balarama, and He is also encouraging the trees and the bees — out of love for them. They are serving Him out of love, and He is reciprocating with them out of love. We should not consider any service rendered by any living entity as insignificant. We do that, however, when we are absorbed in ourselves, because of false ego.”

Balarama’s Appearance Day

Safe Travels Kalas
→ travelingmonk.com

Kalasamvara prabhu, a senior Prabhupada disciple from New Zealand and a very good friend of mine, joined our summer festival tour here in Poland for 3 weeks. He didn’t miss a single harinam or festival and won the hearts of all the devotees with his friendly nature. He’s going back to Auckland tonight. We will [...]

Back on Facebook
→ Devamrita Swami's Facebook notes

"Whenever you come, the earth moves," one of our Bhakti Lounge members in Wellington, New Zealand told me. No, he wasn't simply flattering me.

Though I change global locations rapidly, somehow I managed to be in Wellington each time in the past four weeks when a major earthquake struck.

The first time, a chilly (for New Zealand) Sunday, July 21, I was staying on the third floor of an apartment building. While amid the most vulnerable bathroom situation you can imagine, suddenly I felt and saw the building totter and sway, as if it had roller balls underneath the foundation.

What to do? 

What kind of world is this . . . I thought.

You can't even relieve yourself in peace!

Clad in only a thin cloth around the waist, should I run out of the flat, downstairs and outside in the cold? 

Chanting Hare Krishna, as the initial major shockwaves seemed to subside, I decided that if indeed I was to give up my body at that time, the cadaver might as well be clean. So completing my bathroom rituals, I showered while wondering what comes next—one never knows when earthquakes are truly over, when the worst has actually passed. 

The tremors continued for the next 24 hours. The Sunday festival programme at the Bhakti Lounge went ahead as usual, and Krishna's guests showed up as normal.

Now that I am earthquake experienced, I deeply sympathise with anyone who has shaken through one. But another?

After traveling overseas, a month later I arrived back in Wellington just in time to catch a repeat performance, August 16—this one stronger than before.

Though both hit the upper 6 range on the quake scale, Wellington, unlike Christchurch in 2011, incurred no human fatalities, injuries, or collapsed buildings. Tremors continued through the day and night, two exceeding 5 on the scale.

Srimad-bhagavatam (10.14.58) reminds us: "For those who have accepted the boat of the lotus feet of the Lord, who is the shelter of the cosmic manifestation and is famous as Murari, the enemy of the Mura demon, the ocean of the material world is like the water contained in a calf's hoof-print. Their goal is param padam, Vaikuntha, the place where there are no material miseries, not the place where there is danger at every step."

Where is safety in this world—maybe off the ground, in the air?

Consider this news reported a few months ago in the Times of India: 

During an Air India flight over the ocean from Bangkok to Delhi, with 166 passengers on board, the first officer (co-pilot), excusing himself from the cockpit for a bathroom break, decided to let a flight attendant (cabin crew member) occupy his seat at the controls. 

A few minutes later the Captain also left the cockpit, after giving the now two flight attendants in the cockpit instant lessons on how to fly. 

Leaving the flight attendants at the controls by themselves, the pilot and co-pilot retreated to the business class section of the cabin, reclined back, and went to sleep. 

Forty minutes into their snooze, one of the flight attendants at the controls shut off the autopilot by mistake, thereby plunging the aircraft into danger. Forced out of their slumber, the pilots rushed back to the cockpit. 

All four perpetrators—pilot, co-pilot, and the two flight attendants—were de-rostered and later suspended.

Welcome to the enjoyable, secure material world. 

Back on Facebook
→ Devamrita Swami's Facebook notes

"Whenever you come, the earth moves," one of our Bhakti Lounge members in Wellington, New Zealand told me. No, he wasn't simply flattering me.

Though I change global locations rapidly, somehow I managed to be in Wellington each time in the past four weeks when a major earthquake struck.

The first time, a chilly (for New Zealand) Sunday, July 21, I was staying on the third floor of an apartment building. While amid the most vulnerable bathroom situation you can imagine, suddenly I felt and saw the building totter and sway, as if it had roller balls underneath the foundation.

What to do? 

What kind of world is this . . . I thought.

You can't even relieve yourself in peace!

Clad in only a thin cloth around the waist, should I run out of the flat, downstairs and outside in the cold? 

Chanting Hare Krishna, as the initial major shockwaves seemed to subside, I decided that if indeed I was to give up my body at that time, the cadaver might as well be clean. So completing my bathroom rituals, I showered while wondering what comes next—one never knows when earthquakes are truly over, when the worst has actually passed. 

The tremors continued for the next 24 hours. The Sunday festival programme at the Bhakti Lounge went ahead as usual, and Krishna's guests showed up as normal.

Now that I am earthquake experienced, I deeply sympathise with anyone who has shaken through one. But another?

After traveling overseas, a month later I arrived back in Wellington just in time to catch a repeat performance, August 16—this one stronger than before.

Though both hit the upper 6 range on the quake scale, Wellington, unlike Christchurch in 2011, incurred no human fatalities, injuries, or collapsed buildings. Tremors continued through the day and night, two exceeding 5 on the scale.

Srimad-bhagavatam (10.14.58) reminds us: "For those who have accepted the boat of the lotus feet of the Lord, who is the shelter of the cosmic manifestation and is famous as Murari, the enemy of the Mura demon, the ocean of the material world is like the water contained in a calf's hoof-print. Their goal is param padam, Vaikuntha, the place where there are no material miseries, not the place where there is danger at every step."

Where is safety in this world—maybe off the ground, in the air?

Consider this news reported a few months ago in the Times of India: 

During an Air India flight over the ocean from Bangkok to Delhi, with 166 passengers on board, the first officer (co-pilot), excusing himself from the cockpit for a bathroom break, decided to let a flight attendant (cabin crew member) occupy his seat at the controls. 

A few minutes later the Captain also left the cockpit, after giving the now two flight attendants in the cockpit instant lessons on how to fly. 

Leaving the flight attendants at the controls by themselves, the pilot and co-pilot retreated to the business class section of the cabin, reclined back, and went to sleep. 

Forty minutes into their snooze, one of the flight attendants at the controls shut off the autopilot by mistake, thereby plunging the aircraft into danger. Forced out of their slumber, the pilots rushed back to the cockpit. 

All four perpetrators—pilot, co-pilot, and the two flight attendants—were de-rostered and later suspended.

Welcome to the enjoyable, secure material world. 

The eternal Vrindavan
→ KKS Blog

(Kadamba Kanana Swami, 12 July 2013, Fuska Gouranga, Serbia, Seminar 3)

dancing-peacockWe must go to Vrindavan. There is no doubt about it. We must go. We must roll in the dust. We must taste the mahaprasadam. We must jump in the Yamuna.

“Oh, but is the Yamuna still there?”

Of course it is! On the spiritual platform, it is still there. It is only the external covering of the dham that can be affected by a dam in Dehli. The eternal Yamuna is there  eternally. The dham is ther eeternally. The dham cannot disappear no matter what human beings put on top of it. Even if we get the Vrindavan Hilton, it is still Vrndavan.

The Yamuna can never leave Vrindavan. Still, we would like the covering of Vrindavan to be as transparent as possible to the eternal Vrindavan.

But even if in the covering of Vrindavan there are so many irregularities now, underneath the eternal Vrindavan is unchanged and still there. Therefore we must go. We must go.

And don’t say, “Oh, where are the peacocks now?”

They are there. We just need the eyes to see them – the eternal peacocks , the ones that danced with Krsna, the ones that when Krsna played his flute danced so enthusiastically and so happily that Krsna bowed down before them like a musical performer. And then the peacocks gracefully presented him with a gift – one of their feathers, and Krsna accepted it and put it on his head.

That Vrindavan is there for us to see. It just depends on the purity of our heart. So now we can prepare and try to become purified so that when we go to Vrindavan, we can actually perceive the transcendental spiritual world.

 

Prayers to Lord Balarama
→ Nityananda Chandra Das' Blog, ISKCON Dallas

Text 28

Then, in Vraja, after five days, in the month of Bhādra (August-September), on the sixth day of the bright fortnight, when Mercury, five exalted planets, and the constellation Libra were on the horizon, at midday, as the demigods showered a beautiful rain of flowers and the clouds sprinkled drops of water, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, illuminating Nanda’s home with His splendor, was born from Vasudeva’s wife (Rohiṇī).

Text 29

Nanda performed the child’s birth ceremony and gave in charity a million cows to the brāhmaṇas. Then he called the gopas and observed a very auspicious festival with the music of many singers and instrumentalists.

Text 30

Coming there with Devala, Devarāta, Vaśiṣṭha, Bṛhaspati, and myself (Nārada), Vyāsadeva was pleased when Nanda washed his feet and worshiped Him in many ways.

Text 31

Śrī Nanda said: Who is this handsome boy, whose equal cannot be seen anywhere? How is it He was born after only five days (in the womb)? O great sage, please tell me.

Text 32

Śrī Vyāsa said: Nanda, you are very fortunate. This child is eternal Ananta Śeṣa. In Mathurā City He was conceived by Vasudeva in Devakī.

Text 33

By Lord Kṛṣṇa’s wish He was brought to beautiful Devakī. O King Nanda, you may see Him even though the great yogīs cannot.

Text 34

I, Vedavyāsa, have come here to see Him. Therefore, please show Him, the Supreme Person who is greater than the greatest and who now displays the form of an infant, to us.

Text 35

Śrī Nārada said: Then Nanda showed them the child Aannta Śeṣa. Gazing at the child in the cradle, Vyāsa, struck with wonder, bowed down, and spoke.

Text 36

Śrī Vyāsa said: O master of the demigods, O Supreme Personality of Godhead, O Lord who grants desires, obeisances to You! Obeisances to You, who are Lord Aananta Śeṣa! Obeisances to You, who are directly Lord Rāma!

Text 37

Eternal obeisances to You, Lord Saṅkarṣaṇa, the maintainer of the earth, perfect and complete, effulgent and glorious, holding a plow in Your hand, and having a thousand heads!

Text 38

You are Baladeva, Revatī’s husband and the infallible Supreme Personality of Godhead’s elder brother. You are armed with a plow. You are Pralambāsura’s killer. O Supreme Person, please save me!

Text 39

Obeisances! Obeisances to You, who are known as Bala and Balabhadra, and who carry a palm-tree flag! Obeisances to You, Rohiṇī’s fair-complexioned son dressed in blue garments!

Text 40

You are the enemy of Dhenuka, Muṣtika, Kūṭa, Rukmī, Kūpakarṇa, and Kumbhaṇḍa. You put an end to Balvala.

Text 41

You divided the Yamunā and dragged Hastināpura. You are the enemy of Dvivida. You are the king of the Yādavas and the decoration of the circle of Vraja.

Text 42

You are the killer of Kaṁsa’s brothers, a pilgrim who goes to holy places, the Supreme Master, and the teacher of Duryodhana. O Lord, please protect, please protect the world!

Text 43

O infallble Lord, O greater than the greatest, O Lord Ananta, O Lord whose fame is everywhere, glory, glory to You! Obeisances to You, who hold a plow and a club and are the master of the demigods, great sages, and regal serpents!

Text 44

A person who regularly reads or recites these prayers attains Lord Hari’s supreme abode. Even in this world he attains all strength. He crushes his enemies. For him are victory, wealth, and followers.

Text 45

Śrī Nārada said: After circumambulating Lord Balarāma and bowing down before Him a hundred times in the company of (the other sages), intelligent Vyāsa Muni, who was the son of Parāśara and Satyavatī, went to the Sarasvatī river.

- Garga Saṁhitā 1.10.28-45

Atten­tive Chant­ing Is Very Impor­tant
→ Japa Group


"I do appre­ci­ate that I per­sist patiently and that I’m able to con­trol my mind even when there is no nectarean taste in chant­ing. I’m just sug­gest­ing that if I could be alert and bring the mind back to hear­ing, then why not try to go fur­ther. All the author­i­ties say that atten­tive chant­ing is very impor­tant and leads to think­ing about Krishna’s form, activ­i­ties, qual­i­ties and pas­times. They must be right."

From Japa Transformations
by Satsvarupa dasa Goswami

a shift in consciousness
→ everyday gita

Verse 4.16: Even the intelligent are bewildered in determining what is action and what is inaction. Now I shall explain to you what action is, knowing which you shall be liberated from all misfortune.

The complexity and depth that surrounds karma (action and reaction) are once again highlighted today. As a follow up to the previous verse where we learned the importance of associating and learning from successful bhakti yogis, today's verse carries along in a similar vein. Specifically, it highlights exactly what we can learn from such personalities:

The art of performing actions.

That may sound a bit simplistic. After all, we could after all just observe and imitate the great souls, could we not? No! That's why Krsna states "Even the intelligent are bewildered in determining what is action and what is inaction." That's because some of us may forget that:

The outward action is a manifestation of the internal consciousness.

This is probably one of the most challenging paradigm shifts an aspiring yogi has to make - recognizing that externals alone mean little in the eyes of the Divine. It's the emotion and attitude which colour those actions that have true value.

This type of attitude shift is difficult to make on our own since many of us may not even know where to begin! After all, it can be hard to feel anything if we're just beginning. Such emotion and consciousness is something that can only be imbibed from those who truly feel gratitude and love for the Divine.

By being in their presence and hearing from them, our hearts start to open up. Like a lotus flower whose petals slowly unfurl in the moonlight, our hearts start to slowly soak in the consciousness of gratitude.

The value of such company can never be overstated and that's why the great Vedic text called the Srimad Bhagavatam states:

"The value of a moment's association with a lover of the Lord cannot even be compared to the attainment of heavenly planets or liberation from matter, and what to speak of worldly benedictions in the form of material prosperity..." SB 1.18.13

The performance of action is not about the results; it's about what the heart feels when performing those actions.

Beneficial For Many Others
→ travelingmonk.com

“Sometimes the children as soon as they see us they say, “Hare Krsna!” In Montreal the children, when I was walking on the street, all the children, the shopkeepers, the store keepers they said, “Hare Krsna!” If you practice yoga or meditate it may be beneficial for you, but this is beneficial for many others. [...]