Websites from the ISKCON Universe
Bhaktivedanta Manor’s charity wing The Lotus Trust raises £140,000 to help Covid victims in India. Please continue to donate, today, here: http://krishnatemple.com/covid
Kandarpa Koti Krishna Das is not a Ph.D. holder in Vaishnava studies, neither is he a famous millionaire businessman, nor will you find a famous youtube or Facebook channel in his name, nor is he the GBC or the temple president of his local ISKCON temple. Yet, if you have the good fortune of attending […]
The post Humble 93-Year-Old Man Inspires Singapore Congregation By His Example appeared first on ISKCON News.
Kandarpa Koti Krishna Das is not a Ph.D. holder in Vaishnava studies, neither is he a famous millionaire businessman, nor will you find a famous youtube or Facebook channel in his name, nor is he the GBC or the temple president of his local ISKCON temple.
Event: Healthy Families, Strong Communities Date: 29 May 2021 Time: 12:00-13:30 PDT/ 15:00-16:30 UK/ 05:00-06:30 AEDT Venue: Facebook Live – ISKCON Vaishnavi Ministry Contact: ISKCON Vaishnavi Ministry Panellist: Radha dasi, ISKCON Vaisnavi Minister, Krishnarupa devi dasi (ACBSP), Vaisnavi Minister – Australia, Madhavi Vaisnavi Ministry – UK, Bhaktin Poonam, Head of the ISKCON Domestic Abuse Coalition. In a […]
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In a lecture on March 8, 1966, Srila Prabhupada instructed that if we want to do something good for our families we should try to make them Krishna Conscious, then our lives will be successful. Communities are the sum of the individuals who make up those communities. If our family units are strong then the communities that we collectively represent will be strong as well.
Karuna Care Education – Right Use of Power – Course Online | Paid | June 12 – July 3, 2021 People seeking help are in a position in which they must trust in the knowledge and guidance of their caregiver or guide. This results in a greater-than-ordinary vulnerability. Consequently, people are unusually susceptible to harm […]
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People seeking help are in a position in which they must trust in the knowledge and guidance of their caregiver or guide. This results in a greater-than-ordinary vulnerability. Consequently, people are unusually susceptible to harm and confusion through misuses (either under- or overuse) of power and influence.
Who we are… The Bhakti Center is a spiritual cultural center on New York City’s Lower East Side with a talented staff devoted to sharing the experience of self-transformation through the timeless culture and practices of Bhakti yoga. We exist to develop an inspired, nourished and engaged community of practitioners of bhakti yoga that people […]
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We exist to develop an inspired, nourished and engaged community of practitioners of bhakti yoga that people love to be around. We strive to create relevant ways for people to experience spiritual transformation and feel at home within our community by making it easy to apply the principles of Krishna consciousness or bhakti yoga in their daily lives
Hare Krishna!
Please accept our humble obeisances!
All glories to Srila Prabhupada!
All glories to Sri Guru and Sri Gauranga!
Date: 23rd May 2021
Day: Sunday
Time:11 am to 12 noon
Topic: Where is God?
Speaker: HH Sundar Chaitanya Goswami Maharaj
Link to join the class from your desktop or laptop:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/9150790510?pwd=Wk5GYXVRMkJmdk84MzZJRXBKYUgwUT09
HH Sundar Chaitanya Goswami Maharaj
His Holiness Sundara Chaitanya Goswami Maharaj is an international motivational speaker, leadership trainer and a renowned youth preacher. He specializes in spiriting and empowering people to realize their true selves. As a keynote speaker, thousands of people have discovered a new light from his energetic workshops worldwide.
He is basically from Mauritius where he came in contact with ISKCON in 1982. In 1986 Maharaj joined the Brahmachari ashram dedicated his life to the mission. From 1988 - 1992 He served as a sankirtan leader in Mauritius.
Maharaj has served as temple president in Mauritius and in Nagpur, India for several years.
He travels to many countries and is very active in preaching in Aravade, Noida, Delhi, Europe ( Italy, England, France, Belgium), South Africa, Reunion Island.
Last year we had the opportunity to have his association in Toronto and Scarborough temple.
He has Managed inter- faith events, bringing together the communities of different religious faiths in order to strengthen their faith and belief in God together. He has opened ISKCON preaching centers all over the world
Maharaj Sundara Chaitanya Goswami is popular for his outstanding lectures and seminars about the philosophy of Krishna consciousness with the expert hand in Bhajan & Kirtans.
He has been instrumental in providing the teachings of Vedic scriptures, the Srimad Bhagavatam and Bhagavad-Gita. For the past few years and at present - Maharaj is a lecturer at the Vaishnav institute of higher education in Sri Vrindavan dhaam, India.
He has also been an inspirational coordinator to various international level festivals in Mauritius. He has managed the famous 3 days rath yatra festival in Mauritius which is attended by thousands of guests.
ISKCON Scarborough
3500 McNicoll Avenue, Unit #3,
Scarborough, Ontario,
Canada, M1V4C7
Website:www.iskconscarborough.org
Email:
iskconscarborough@hotmail.com
scarboroughiskcon@gmail.com
Please accept our humble obeisances!
All glories to Srila Prabhupada!
All glories to Sri Guru and Sri Gauranga!
Date: 23rd May 2021
Day: Sunday
Time:11 am to 12 noon
Speaker: HH Sundar Chaitanya Goswami Maharaj
Link to join the class from your desktop or laptop:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/9150790510?pwd=Wk5GYXVRMkJmdk84MzZJRXBKYUgwUT09
HH Sundar Chaitanya Goswami Maharaj
His Holiness Sundara Chaitanya Goswami Maharaj is an international motivational speaker, leadership trainer and a renowned youth preacher. He specializes in spiriting and empowering people to realize their true selves. As a keynote speaker, thousands of people have discovered a new light from his energetic workshops worldwide.
He is basically from Mauritius where he came in contact with ISKCON in 1982. In 1986 Maharaj joined the Brahmachari ashram dedicated his life to the mission. From 1988 - 1992 He served as a sankirtan leader in Mauritius.
Maharaj has served as temple president in Mauritius and in Nagpur, India for several years.
He travels to many countries and is very active in preaching in Aravade, Noida, Delhi, Europe ( Italy, England, France, Belgium), South Africa, Reunion Island.
Last year we had the opportunity to have his association in Toronto and Scarborough temple.
He has Managed inter- faith events, bringing together the communities of different religious faiths in order to strengthen their faith and belief in God together. He has opened ISKCON preaching centers all over the world
Maharaj Sundara Chaitanya Goswami is popular for his outstanding lectures and seminars about the philosophy of Krishna consciousness with the expert hand in Bhajan & Kirtans.
He has been instrumental in providing the teachings of Vedic scriptures, the Srimad Bhagavatam and Bhagavad-Gita. For the past few years and at present - Maharaj is a lecturer at the Vaishnav institute of higher education in Sri Vrindavan dhaam, India.
He has also been an inspirational coordinator to various international level festivals in Mauritius. He has managed the famous 3 days rath yatra festival in Mauritius which is attended by thousands of guests.
ISKCON Scarborough
3500 McNicoll Avenue, Unit #3,
Scarborough, Ontario,
Canada, M1V4C7
Website:www.iskconscarborough.org
Email:
iskconscarborough@hotmail.com
scarboroughiskcon@gmail.com
Harikesa: Well, it's the mother's choice to kill the child or not. If the child isn't born yet, it hasn't come to life in the world, so the mother has the responsibility; she can kill it or not because it's her thing, her child, her production, so she can kill it or not. Prabhupada: So I can kill you; I am your guru?
Where I Went and What I Did
I had many amazing experiences on harinama the first half of May. The first week I spent with Mahavishnu Swami and Harinama Ruci in Miami. The next five days I spent with Rama Raya Prabhu and his NYC Harinam party in New York City. The final three days were most amazing because I was with both parties together at the same time in New York City. Two notable days were one day in Miami when I sang in Coconut Grove by myself for three hours and I had some positive interactions with local people, and one day in New York City when I went on three harinamas and when I met a lady who was Srila Prabhupada’s nurse during his 1967 illness in New York City. During the NYC Harinam program, my main duty was to distribute invitations to the New York Hare Krishna Festival, a three-day festival June 11–13, with June 12 being the New York City Ratha-yatra, one of the few Ratha-yatras happening in the U.S.A. this year.
During the first half of May, Pankajanghri Prabhu, who was dear to the entire Vaishnava community, left his body in the most sacred of all places, Sridham Mayapur. To honor him, I share some notes on his lectures that I heard and a quote from a letter he wrote to my diksa-guru, Satsvarupa Dasa Goswami.
I share quotes from Srila Prabhupada’s Srimad-Bhagavatam and Sri Caitanya-caritamrita commentaries. I share many writings of Satsvarupa Dasa Goswami. I share notes on classes by Mahavishnu Swami, Chandrasekara Swami, and Bhakti Prabhupada Vrata Damodara Swami. I also share notes on classes by Hansarupa, Nikunjabihari, Rama Raya, Navina Nirada, Vicaru, and Natabara Gauranga Prabhus.
Thanks to Kaliya Krishna Prabhu for the several videos of me chanting Hare Krishna with NYC Harinam. Thanks to Rama Raya Prabhu for his video of Mahavishnu Swami chanting Hare Krishna on the A train and the three girls dancing. Thanks to Parvat Muni Prabhu for taking me to the Miami airport and to Anupama Prabhu for picking me up from JFK in New York City. Thanks to Bhakti Prabhupada Vrata Damodara Swami, Jayadhvaja Prabhu, and the ISKCON Miami Outreach community for facilitating our accommodation, prasadam, and harinamas in Miami.
Itinerary
May 8–August ?: NYC Harinam
August ?–September ?: Florida college outreach
September ?–December 31: NYC Harinam
Note: I do hope to go to Dublin, The North of England, and Paris in the summer, but it depends on the COVID-19 restrictions lessening to the point where I would not have to quarantine.
Chanting Hare Krishna in Miami
Except for a couple small harinamas I organized in Coconut Grove and once we all did at Hollywood Beach, all the harinamas were in Miami Beach, mostly on Ocean Drive, with a couple on Lincoln Road Mall.
Mahavishnu Swami chants Hare Krishna with Harinama Ruci on Ocean Drive in Miami Beach on Saturday, and people respond by chanting, dancing, smiling, and clapping (https://youtu.be/henakuVrg00):
Here Ananta Vallabha Prabhu chants Hare Krishna on Hollywood Beach in Florida, and two shop workers enjoy chanting and dancing (https://youtu.be/RZQYYjZwrV4):
We reached the ISKCON Miami Outreach ashram just in time for the feast which concludes the program. There Mahavishnu Swami chanted a lively prasadam prayer before the devotees and guests took prasadam [spiritual food offered to Krishna] (https://youtu.be/BCQjWLylpmI):
Here Arianna chants Hare Krishna in Coconut Grove, and passersby dance with devotees (https://youtu.be/eA7mtxF8FHg):
She wanted to have her picture taken with me.
Tuesday we began our harinama at Lincoln Road Mall. There we met Nay Rozé, a street violinist who does yoga. Here Mahavishnu Swami chants Hare Krishna and she plays along (https://youtu.be/N2G6DbGyaKw):
Mahavishnu Swami chants Hare Krishna in Miami Beach with Harinama Ruci on a Tuesday, and many people dance (https://youtu.be/W7-Ya_Je-4A):
A friendly middle-aged man named Carlos gave five dollars, and I gave him a book and invitation card for the ISKCON Miami Outreach Sunday program. He mentioned to me that he was vegan. Later he returned and gave me a vegan cookie as a gift. He also inquired in more detail about the location of our programs.
A waitress from a nearby restaurant, who had talked to me briefly and accepted “On Chanting Hare Krishna” when I passed by her a few days before, stopped to visit during her break from work. She was somewhat interested in the Beatles, and I told her about how George Harrison made a recording of Hare Krishna, and I played the beginning of it for her. She asked if I wanted a bottle of water, and later returned with one.
To save time, I decided to play the harmonium and chant Hare Krishna on the twenty-minute walk home. As I passed by one restaurant, a girl of no more than six or seven years came out to the sidewalk and said to me with a smile, “I like the songs you sing very much.”
I can see spending a week chanting in Coconut Grove each year and promoting the local Hare Krishna programs.
On my final harinama in Miami Beach on Friday, one vacationer wanted to play the drum, and he did an impressive job. He was even able to play it as Mahavishnu Swami swung him around. When the kirtan was over, he told us he was a Prabhupada disciple, Markandeya, visiting from California (https://youtu.be/ttoxWhCJ1yQ):
Chanting Hare Krishna in New York City
It is great to be back in New York City chanting with a group of very dedicated devotees.
The day I arrived in New York was a rainy one, so we chanted in the Times Square subway station.
Here Hari of Columbus chants Hare Krishna at Times Square subway station (https://youtu.be/Pc_W4CaFOeQ):
Vraja Mohan Prabhu chants Hare Krishna (https://youtu.be/dA51YMV1EDk):
Emily chants Hare Krishna (https://youtu.be/f7lG_BtaF_s):
Hari of Columbus chants Hare Krishna in Washington Square Park (https://youtu.be/e4-PrV73v0I):
Darpan of Columbus, visiting New York for a week, chants Hare Krishna (https://youtu.be/gCM85T3N2sc):
Kaliya Krishna Prabhu took a video of me chanting Hare Krishna (https://youtu.be/dyhP1utmuvg):
Here Rama Raya Prabhu chants Hare Krishna at Fulton Street subway station until policemen stopped us two minutes before we were scheduled to finish, claiming we were too loud (https://youtu.be/FOQD8jUTWIo):
Kaliya Krishna Prabhu took a video of me chanting Hare Krishna in Columbus Circle on Wednesday (https://youtu.be/Cz6eljb-RHs):
Mahavishnu Swami chants Hare Krishna with Harinama Ruci at lunchtime in Brooklyn, and locals respond (https://youtu.be/GIDOFyu-FrE):
A Metro by T-Mobile worker dances while Mahavishnu Swami chants Hare Krishna with Harinama Ruci in Downtown Brooklyn (https://youtu.be/twjY3S4AIdY):
Rama Raya Prabhu chants Hare Krishna in Washington Square Park, and devotees and passersby dance (https://youtu.be/Ri9iuB3mHyA):
Godruma Prana Prabhu chants Hare Krishna in the Thursday night Bhakti Center harinama in the Lower East Side (https://youtu.be/5bVWvBjUyEo):
Jaya Jagannatha Prabhu chants Hare Krishna in Washington Square Park on Friday, devotees dance and locals play shakers and also dance (https://youtu.be/ZnU6DB5t1SA):
Mahavishnu Swami chants Hare Krishna in Washington Square Park, and devotees and park goers dance with joy (https://youtu.be/H2qa7ZkfmZ4):
Mahavishnu Swami chants Hare Krishna with Harinama Ruci on the A train in New York City between West 4th Street and 42nd Street / Times Square on the way from Washington Square Park to Times Square to do harinama on a Saturday night (https://youtu.be/8pzmaRgPSYI):
I share notes on his classes to honor him on the occasion of his disappearance:
From a class in Mayapur in February 2008:
The Vedas are bewildering, even to their author, Vyasadeva, thus his guru, Narada, had to “straighten him out.”
From a class in Mayapur in December 2009:
One of those films on life in the womb corroborates the Srimad-Bhagavatam’s descriptions. They say it takes one month for the baby to become accustomed to being outside the womb.
If we act for Krishna, tolerating duality, we advance. If we set aside our desire and instead fulfill Krishna’s desire, we will become very dear to Krishna.
To try to control maya is an illusion, for maya is controlling us. Krishna says if we surrender unto Him, he will call off maya.
The body is like a monster than is making demands all day, and we foolishly serve it. We spend our whole life foolishly meeting the demands of the body. If that is not foolish, I do not know what is!
Q: If the mind is above the senses, the intelligence is above the mind, and the soul is above the intelligence, then why is it so hard to act that way?
A: The mind has been king since time immemorial, and he is not going to give it up without a fight.
Q: Do we have to give up adjusting for bodily dualities?
A: No, just engage in it in Krishna’s service.
From a class in Mayapur in April 2012:
If we cannot always remember Krishna, the rules are to keep us from straying off the path of self-realization.
The Supersoul is always there, but Vrindavan Krishna does reciprocate with anything but pure devotional service.
Krishna is not responsible for our happiness and distress. It comes from the choices we make. He sets up the rules, but we choose what to do. “These are the social positions. These are the rules. It is up to you to choose how to act.”
Because in vaidhi-bhakti our love is not spontaneous, it does not reach Radha-Krishna. But Radha-Krishna as Lord Caitanya, however, will accept our regulative worship and bring us to the higher stage.
From Karttika Notes by Satsvarupa Dasa Goswami:
[Pankajanghri Prabhu once wrote me in a letter]: “Opposite to any other place I’ve stayed, Sri Mayapur gets more and more attractive the longer one stays and one’s attachment to it increases proportionately.”
Special Photos
After our Saturday night harinama, Hansarupa Prabhu, our temple president, gave us a tour of the Srila Prabhupada Musuem, now on the ground floor of the temple just across the corridor from the temple room and next to the pujari room.
There is Prabhupada murti and his desk, arranged with his paraphernalia.
His sweaters.
His shoes.
A painting of Lord Caitanya from the 1960s in New York City.
A devotee shows his Jagannatha phone to me,
Insights
Srila Prabhupada:
From Sri Caitanya-caritamrita, Antya 20.52, purport:
“A pure devotee has no way of sensing happiness except by seeing that Krishna is happy in every respect. If Krishna becomes happy by giving him distress, such a devotee accepts that unhappiness as the greatest of all happiness.”
From Sri Caitanya-caritamrita, Antya 20.58:
“Krishna is My life and soul. Krishna is the treasure of My life. Indeed, Krishna is the very life of My life. I therefore keep Him always in My heart and try to please Him by rendering service. That is My constant meditation.”
From Sri Caitanya-caritamrita, Antya 20.65:
“If anyone recites or hears these eight verses of instruction by Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, his ecstatic love and devotion for Krishna increase day by day.”
From Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.5.23, purport:
“One should therefore choose a bona fide servant of the Lord constantly engaged in His service, accept such a servant as the spiritual master and engage himself in his (the spiritual master’s) service. Such a spiritual master is the transparent medium by which to visualize the Lord, who is beyond the conception of the material senses. By service of the bona fide spiritual master, the Lord consents to reveal Himself in proportion to the service rendered. Utilization of the human energy in the service of the Lord is the progressive path of salvation. The whole cosmic creation becomes at once identical with the Lord as soon as service in relation with the Lord is rendered under the guidance of a bona fide spiritual master. The expert spiritual master knows the art of utilizing everything to glorify the Lord, and therefore under his guidance the whole world can be turned into the spiritual abode by the divine grace of the Lord’s servant.”
From Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.5.32, purport:
“The entire material existence is full of miseries. Foolish people have manufactured, out of their tiny brains, many remedial measures for removing the threefold miseries pertaining to the body and mind, pertaining to the natural disturbances and in relation with other living beings. The whole world is struggling very hard to exist out of these miseries, but men do not know that without the sanction of the Lord no plan or no remedial measure can actually bring about the desired peace and tranquillity. The remedial measure to cure a patient by medical treatment is useless if it is not sanctioned by the Lord. To cross the river or the ocean by a suitable boat is no remedial measure if it is not sanctioned by the Lord. We should know for certain that the Lord is the ultimate sanctioning officer, and we must therefore dedicate our attempts to the mercy of the Lord for ultimate success or to get rid of the obstacles on the path of success.
One should try to engage in the service of the Lord everything for which one has specific attraction, and that is the way of peace and prosperity.”
From Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.5.33, purport:
“When everything is thus employed in the service of the Lord, we can experience that there is nothing except the Supreme Brahman. The Vedic mantra that ‘everything is Brahman’ is thus realized by us.”
From Sri Caitanya-caritamrita, Madhya 22.14–15, purport:
“The ever-liberated person who works on Krishna’s behalf enjoys Lord Krishna’s company through his engagement.”
From Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.5.36, purport:
“Lord Caitanya has taught a very simple method in this connection. He has taught the lesson for preaching the transcendental message through singing, dancing and refreshment. As such, fifty percent of our income may be spent for this purpose. In this fallen age of quarrel and dissension, if only the leading and wealthy persons of society agree to spend fifty percent of their income in the service of the Lord, as it is taught by Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, there is absolute certainty of converting this hell of pandemonium to the transcendental abode of the Lord. No one will disagree to partake in a function where good singing, dancing and refreshment are administered. Everyone will attend such a function, and everyone is sure to feel individually the transcendental presence of the Lord. This alone will help the attendants associate with the Lord and thereby purify themselves in spiritual realization.”
From Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.5.40, purport:
“Sri Naradaji advised Vyasadeva to describe the glories of the Lord just to do good to all eight classes of men, both good [Bg. 7.16] and bad [Bg. 7.15]. Srimad-Bhagavatam is therefore not meant for any particular class of men or sect. It is for the sincere soul who actually wants his own welfare and peace of mind.”
From Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.9.21, purport:
“Since He has nothing to do with the material conception of life because He is absolute spiritual identity, there is for Him no superior or inferior action. Being the Absolute Personality of Godhead, He has no false ego, and so He does not identify Himself with anything different from Him. The material conception of ego is equibalanced in Him. He does not feel, therefore, inferior by becoming the chariot driver of His pure devotee. It is the glory of the pure devotee that only he can bring about service from the affectionate Lord.”
From Sri Caitanya-caritamrita, Madhya 8.73:
“By serving You constantly, one is freed from all material desires and is completely pacified. When shall I engage as Your permanent eternal servant and always feel joyful to have such a fitting master?” [from Yamunacarya, Stotra Ratna 43]
From Srimad-Bhagavatam 2.10.6, purport:
“Some of the conditioned souls, who follow the transcendental sound in the form of Vedic literatures and are thus able to go back to Godhead, attain spiritual and original bodies after quitting the conditional gross and subtle material bodies. The material conditional bodies develop out of the living entities’ forgetfulness of their relationship with Godhead, and during the course of the cosmic manifestation, the conditioned souls are given a chance to revive their original status of life with the help of revealed scriptures, so mercifully compiled by the Lord in His different incarnations. Reading or hearing of such transcendental literatures helps one become liberated even in the conditional state of material existence. All the Vedic literatures aim at devotional service to the Personality of Godhead, and as soon as one is fixed upon this point, he at once becomes liberated from conditional life. The material gross and subtle forms are simply due to the conditioned soul’s ignorance and as soon as he is fixed in the devotional service of the Lord, he becomes eligible to be freed from the conditioned state. This devotional service is transcendental attraction for the Supreme on account of His being the source of all pleasing humors. Everyone is after some pleasure of humor for enjoyment, but does not know the supreme source of all attraction (raso vai sah rasam hy evayam labdhvanandi bhavati). The Vedic hymns inform everyone about the supreme source of all pleasure: the unlimited fountainhead of all pleasure is the Personality of Godhead. And one who is fortunate enough to get this information through transcendental literatures like Srimad-Bhagavatam becomes permanently liberated to occupy his proper place in the kingdom of God.”
Vedavyasa:
From Vishnu Purana (6.2.17):
dhyayan krte yajan yajnais
tretayam dvapare ’rcayan
yad apnoti tad apnoti
kalau sankirtya kesavam
“Whatever is achieved by meditation in Satya-yuga, by the performance of sacrifice in Treta-yuga, and by the worship of Lord Krishna’s lotus feet in Dvapara-yuga is obtained in the age of Kali simply by glorifying the name of Lord Keshava.”
Jiva Goswami:
From his Vaishnava-toshani commentary on Srimad-Bhagavatam (10.65.16):
“Sri Baladeva, who is nondifferent from Sankarsana, solaced the damsels of Vrindavan by singing the glories of Krishna’s names. Sometimes Sri Baladeva draws Krishna from Dvaraka by His mind and presents Him before a particular gopi in a secluded place, therefore He is known as Sankarsana.”
Satsvarupa Dasa Goswami:
From The Wild Garden:
“Is this just a pleasant, sentimental memory? No, it is the true story of Prabhupada’s compassion. He did what no one else dared to do or could do. He went alone with the blessings of his spiritual master. I never want to tire from telling these stories and describing my own participation in those early days.”
“Vrinda-devi, I don’t know how best to pray to you. I expect things to turn out as I want them to and then I consider that I am blessed. But please don’t cheat me by awarding my inferior desires. Whatever I have to go through—whatever austerity, poverty, humility, or pain—take me through it to loving service to Radha and Krishna. I can only attain this goal by Srila Prabhupada’s intimate direction. Vrinda-devi, you know my heart. Please grant me only those desires that are best for the growth of my bhakti creeper.
“Dear Vrinda-devi, your Radha-Syamasundara are beautiful. I am not qualified to be here, but I am allowed to come to Vrindavan by your grace and by the grace of my spiritual master. Although I am here, I cannot perceive the spiritual reality. Still, I honor it. I have placed my prayers, requests for self-improvement, and prayers for others at your lotus feet. May you destroy my false ego and the false attachments that prevent me from serving you, even if those attachments are dear to me. Please do the same for other devotees I know and live with. We call it purification. Please take away the anarthas.”
From Every Day, Just Write, Volume 3 (A Sojourn in Tapo-bhumi):
“And I want to write it down, my secret report on the adventures of a sadhaka or whatever it is I am. I will probably never be completely certain of the value of what I’m doing—I tremble with uncertainty—because in a sense, Prabhupada’s mission is in my hands, as it is in the hands of each and every one of his followers.”
“Hogs, cats and dogs, Prabhupada told them at Uppsala University. I listen today, and it’s not always easy to hear. It’s a workout to hear him urge them to take to Krishna consciousness. He recommends the Krishna consciousness movement, his ISKCON, which gets the LSD-addicted hippies free of intoxicants. He advises his audience to observe the boys and girls who dance in brahma-bhuta. ‘If you are not jubilant you cannot dance like this. It is not dog’s dancing. And we have no anxiety over expenditures. We chant Hare Krishna, and Krishna meets all our needs.’”
From Prabhupada Meditations, Volume 2:
“The important thing to remember is that we were still reading Dr. Radhakrishnan’s book with its Mayavada commentaries. Many of Prabhupada’s disciples had their own copy of the book, and we were reading from it as our scripture. Prabhupada said it was all right for the time being, but he was trying to get his own book ready. He said as soon as he got his book published, we would have the Bhagavad-gita As It Is and hear what Krishna says. Prabhupada was not proud of his book—he did not even think of it as his book, but Krishna’s. He was eager to get it into our hands so that we could have a genuine Bhagavad-gita. He wanted to give us Krishna.”
“Prabhupada thought that his books could save the world, not because they were his creations, but because they were spoken by Krishna. Naturally, he was eager to read the Bhagavad-gita As It Is to his disciples.”
From Begging for the Nectar of the Holy Name:
“Srila Prabhupada answered an American devotee who asked, ‘Is this Vrndavana the same as Goloka Vrndavana?’
“‘Yes,’ Prabhupada replied, ‘but your mind is in America.’”
“Stay honest, but don’t give into that bludgeoning cynicism which assassinates. Fight off degradation. Honesty does not mean saying, ‘After all, I’m a pig, so let me eat and live like one.’ I am not a pig. I am the eternal servant of Krishna, as revealed to me by the mercy of my spiritual master. Don’t drown in degradation or hopelessness. Know that the midday slough is temporary. Know that Krishna is my protector. I will pass through all difficulties by His grace. Know that I know nothing and therefore depend on guru, sastra, and sadhu. That is the honesty I want.”
From Prabhupada Appreciation:
“Devotees often look to Prabhupada’s letters on particular services for support in their own endeavors. There are many, many references to book distribution, and therefore we can understand the importance Prabhupada gave to this activity. ‘There is no doubt about it, to distribute books is our most important activity.’
“There may be there may only be one or two important references to other services, but these are sufficient to give the devotees the enthusiasm and support to continue. For example, he wrote to one devotee, congratulating him on running for mayor (February 2, 1972). He praised a householder couple for spreading Krishna consciousness through radio and TV shows (February 21, 1972). He wrote to one devotee and said that our men should be the chairman of the religion department, and he encouraged another in scholarly preaching. These encouragement and instructions from Prabhupada can be claimed by any devotee who wishes to serve him in that particular way.”
“In another letter Prabhupada humorously described his preaching:
“‘As advised by you the other day, I went to see Mr. Mangumal at Kaladevi, but he did not entertain the idea of missionary work. I talked with him and found him perfect gentleman, but he has spiritual realization of the lowest rank.
“‘He has, of course, honored me with Rs. 11 and a glass of milk, for which I have thanked him very much, but my mission is not fulfilled.’”
From Calling Out to Srila Prabhupada:
“O Prabhupada, who carried within himself the treasure of krishna-bhakti and who brought that treasure to the West, knowing it could not be plundered, and knowing the people were in dire need of it, but who was unsure at first whether they would accept it;
“O Prabhupada, who came to America appearing like an old Indian swami, and who felt himself ‘an insignificant beggar,’ who survived difficulties alone and gradually found a few rebellious and sinful—but spiritually innocent—persons, who were willing and eager to accept the treasure of Krishna’s love;
“O Prabhupada, who distributed devotional service to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, in the form of the Hare Krishna mantra, and Bhagavad-gita lectures, and krishna-prasadam, and whose new followers found krishna-bhakti very delicious and nutritious, which gave their spiritual master increased hope in the possibility of wider distribution;
“O Prabhupada, who truly lived in complete dependence on Krishna in a foreign land with no income and at an old age, who followed the trail of favorable preaching as a full Vaisnava sannyasi, who went to San Francisco and there increased his hope and his followers, who wrote his translations of the best Vaishnava texts, Bhagavad-gita As It Is, Srimad-Bhagavatam, and Caitanya-caritamrta, with purports composed while in the midst of Western preaching adventures such as no previous acarya had ever encountered;
“O Prabhupada, who paid careful attention to each person who came to him, who stopped to hear others and to convince them of spiritual reality and material falsity, who became the best friend and guru of his followers—who said, ‘If you love me then I’ll love you’;
“O Prabhupada, whose life is a shelter for thousands, who is the admiration of any intelligent person capable of appreciating extraordinary merit for the cause of God consciousness, and whose life’s activities are very, very dear to Lord Krishna, who declared, ‘There is no servant more dear to Me than he, nor will there ever be one more dear’;
“O Prabhupada, please do not let us stray from your protection in the illusion that we don’t need you, and please let us grow strong and fight opposition on your behalf. But even while appearing competent, materially or spiritually, let us not be deluded to think we can survive happily in this world or go back to Godhead without pleasing you and serving you by following your instructions to be Krishna conscious devotees, your followers.”
From Truthfulness: The Last Leg of Religion:
“What is honesty? In Perfect Questions, Perfect Answers, . . . Prabhupada gave this preliminary definition of honesty: ‘You should not encroach upon others’ rights.’ Recognition of others’ rights will lead us to the knowledge that everything belongs to Krishna. . . . Our talk of honesty is uninformed and useless until we realize that honesty has to be achieved in relationship to the Supreme Proprietor.”
From Upstate: Room to Write [a writing session in 1996]:
“If Krishna is pleased you are saved. If Krishna’s not pleased – but even if He is not pleased and yet He takes the time to kick you, that is a blessing too. But I don’t want to be kicked. I want the guru to be pleased with me and Krishna to reveal a tiny drop of the sweetness of the holy name.”
From Free Write Journal #143:
‘In the newsletter “Srila Prabhupada Today” it is reported that Prabhupada, in May 1975, was staying in Perth, Australia, and at this time he had been translating the Fifth Canto of Srimad-Bhagavatam regarding the structure of the universe and the movements of the planets. On his morning walks, he would have mock-debates with his disciples, who posed as materialistic scientists. One day he said the different planetary orbits were all independent, and that the so-called “law of gravity” was not mentioned in the Vedic literature. This provoked some of his disciples into asking challenging questions. Prabhupada replied, “We are not so interested in these details. The Srimad-Bhagavatam is just a very short summary to give some idea of the creation of the Lord. But it is not scientific. We are not interested in science; we are interested in developing our love of God.” He went on to say that if this were to be scientific, it would take volumes to explore how the creation is done. But this was not Sukadeva Gosvami’s purpose in speaking, to explain the creation. He just wants us to understand, “Krishna has created everything. Develop love of Krishna.” If you can’t understand it, you accept it because it is there in the scriptures. We do not bother our minds trying to understand how it could be like this. We just want to develop love of God.”
“I have received a few letters from prodigal disciples, long-lost children, and it warms my heart. It makes me think, “It’s never too late,” and that the original bonds of obedience and love have survived the broken hearts and broken vows.”
From “CHANGING MIND” Every Day, Just Write: Volume 3 (A Sojourn in Tapo-bhumi):
“Change mind twice a day—
are you
going to Vrindavan or the Caribbean?
Oh, go change your diapers,
your mind, your seat, your
college major.
“Each year you change your musical
tastes, but not your God
or guru.”
“My master did all he could. Now I have to carry my weight across the desert.”
“I hope to keep strong in my commitment not to be manipulated by others. GBC committees, etc., have their work to do, and I’m glad they’re protecting ISKCON, but I have a different mission. My role is not to judge relative issues. I’m not a politician. Going my way.”
“Pride myself on how I was strong not to be manipulated. I call it ‘aggressively neutral.’”
“Bhaktisiddhanta Prabhu got brain malaria, which he said is like having twenty malarias at once. People die from it. Yet while the pain was great, he dragged himself from bed and continued drawing. These drawings are later used as models for sculptures. As soon as he drew one picture, he said the pain went away.”
From “Jagannatha Bliss” in Passing Places, Eternal Truths: Travel Writings 1988–1996:
“Jagannatha is checked in to room 903.
How can the Lord
of the universe
be a Sheraton guest?
Because He consents.
First thing to do
is make up His altar—
today He’s in yellow,
Subhadra red, Balarama blue.
And I’m collapsed beside Them.
Travel is exciting
if you choose as your companion
the best friend, enjoyer,
the ruler of all.
Nothing else really matters—
jets, buses, oceans,
the enormous world of nondevotion
that’s all illusion.
But He is the center,
and I am His servant.
That’s all that matters:
surrender.
O Lord Jagannatha,
please save me,
please keep me,
take me home.
Keep me traveling.
Keep me sick.
Make me well.
Whatever You want.
Keep Your name on my mind.”
Chandrashekhara Swami:
The pastimes of Krishna playing as a cowherd boy are not just an incidental occurence but are actually the goal of life.
Matter and antimatter are basically two forms of matter. Srila Prabhupada uses the term antimatter to mean that which is not matter.
We are like in a gigantic Disneyworld and after awhile we realize we want to get out of it. Krishna allows us to outgrow the Disneyland we are inhabiting.
Mahavishnu Swami:
We have forgotten how to enjoy in relationship to Krishna.
One time Srila Prabhupada said, “All my disciples are mahatmas (great souls).” He was very generous to accept us in that way.
Comment by B. P. V. Damodara Swami: Srila Prabhupada used italics in his First and Second Cantos, not after that.
Not knowing our relationship with Krishna we are incomplete.
The Mayavadis want to become God, but the devotees can become apparently greater than God who becomes subordinate to their love.
The happiness of this world is flickering and cannot satisfy need of the soul.
When people encounter the harinama party they encounter another bhava. Sometimes their first reaction to that is they start laughing. I have to wait till they stop before encouraging them to chant the mantra.
Srila Prabhupada gave us the opportunity encounter transcendental sound, and we begin our relationship with Krishna through this sound.
Srila Prabhupada has given us the holy name, and every one of us has the responsibility of awakening the holy name in our hearts.
Krishna is amazed how Srila Prabhupada has engaged so many people in chanting his very personal name of Krishna.
My faith is through the holy name and service to the holy name Krishna will reveal himself to others.
No one is scared of COVID. People are afraid of death. When they hear the holy name, they can realize they are deathless.
People are ready to hear the holy name, to take prasadam, to take books.
On Pankajanghri Prabhu, who learned passed away, within the last day: “Very friendly to me. He made a dress for my accordion from the dhoti of Lord Nityananda.
Comment by Navina: Pankajanghri Prabhu stayed in Zurich for almost a year because of visa issues. Always friendly and joking although scholarly. After that he would invite the Swiss devotees for maha-prasadam in Mayapur. I knew I could always go to him and ask him a question.
Who else had brought this knowledge all over the world besides Srila Prabhupada. Why not hear from him?
If you want to fight with Indians, it will never end. They think they know better than you. Better invite them to the temple, offer them prasadam, and befriend them.
We are part of Lord Caitanya’s sankirtana lila. Srila Prabhupada extended His lila in time. We are part of the inauguration of this movement. We have a long time to go, and such a long way to go. It will gain movment and grow more and more. It may seem hopeless: After chanting with us, they go back to their drinking and their meat, but there is permanent gain.We are vaccinating people against maya. Krishna will never forget a people who once chant the name of the Lord. We are pioneers. Srila Prabhupada is pleased with us.
How can we be peaceful if we are going to die?
We are teaching people where the real shelter is and how to take shelter there.
If the basic instructions of Bhagavad-gita we were taught to everyone in society, such as the soul is not slain when the body is slain, people would be so much more peaceful.
In this world we are all condemned to death. We are also condemned to old age, disease, war, etc. But unfortunately people do not inquire about why or what to do about it.
The maha-mantra is the vaccine for death.
Bhakti Prabhupada Vrata Damodara Swami:
A reporter once asked Srila Prabhupada, “Why are so many young people coming to you?”
He replied, “Because I have given them something substantial.”
Suhotra Swami argues that Western philosophy is crippled by its dependence on pratyaksa (sense perception) and anumana (hypothesis), and its disregard for sabha (Vedic authority).
Krishna appeals to authority of the Vedanta in Bg. 13.5.
Arjuna speaks of authorities who accept Krishna in Bg. 10.13: Asita, Devala, and Vyasa.
Srila Prabhupada argues with the Russian professor of Indology saying, “Your process and our process is the same, the acceptance of authority. You accept Lenin, and we accept Krishna.”
I was regularly visiting 26 2nd Avenue when Srila Prabhupada was there in 1966, and I was there several times when Srila Prabhupada cut up an apple, popped a piece in his mouth, and had the rest distributed. It was the sweetest apple I ever ate in my life.
Believing that God is a person but that animals have no souls is an impediment in advancing in God consciousness.
The Lord is both immanent and transcendent.
Srila Prabhupada approved of our reading O. B. L. Kapoor’s The Life and Religion of Sri Caitanya.
It is the duty of the disciple to express his doubts but not in a challenging way.
Once when Srila Prabhupada could see I wasn’t complete grasping what he said in answer to a question I asked, he said, “Think about what I told you and come back tomorrow and we can discuss it.”
I heard the Hare Krishna mantra from Alan Gingsberg before I heard it from Srila Prabhupada. But when I heard it from Srila Prabhupada, I began chanting immediately.
I visited Alan Gingsberg’s apartment once with Martin my brother-in-law. He was very open-hearted and let people come. I started a Hare Krishna kirtan in the middle of his kitchen floor, and he used his
Sometimes it is described the liberated souls are independent but that is not absolute independence. Rather it means liberation from maya.
Our actual position is complete dependence on God as was mentioned in the July 1976 lead article of Back to Godhead.
Not only is our body a physical cage, our mind is a mental cage.
In Pascal’s wager, he analyzes what you gain and what you lose, both if you are materialist and theist. He shows logically that it is better to be a theist because you have more to gain and less to lose.
We may not be so fortunate as to have Krishna personally present at our death like Bhismadeva or Haridasa Thakura, but the holy name is not different from Krishna, and if we are fortunate, Krishna will be present at our death in the form of His name.
They do not have an “exclamation” point in Sanskrit. Writers use repetition to indicate emphasis.
Liberation is the not ultimate goal of bhakti, but it comes along with it.
There are a couple of movies that I found useful in my Krishna consciousness. The Matrix, which is very philosophical, and The Day After, which shows the effects of nuclear holocaust, and which made me more serious in my japa and which I would mention in the course of distributing books.
It is amazing great fortune that we had Srila Prabhupada’s association.
Srila Prabhupada instructed not only that we should have a temple in Miami but that we should have a temple in Coconut Grove.
Q: We experience that is very difficult to practice Krishna consciousness so how can we expect many people will accept our preaching.
A: Lord Caitanya wanted the chanting spread everywhere so everyone would benefit.
A (by Mahavishnu Swami): Srila Prabhupada indicated that even if just one or two percent of the people take up Krishna consciousness the whole world would greatly benefit.
Hansarupa Prabhu:
The Germans were fond of the Vedic literature, but unfortunately they misinterpreted it. The Aryans refer to those who are enlightened.
Anyone can buy these books. How is this knowledge a secret? Not everyone can focus on it and come to realize it.
We watched Srila Prabhupada sing “Jaya Radha Madhava” on this very vyasasana [now in the Brooklyn temple] and become so choked up with spiritual emotions that he could not continue.
Disciple: How does the pure devotee see the Lord in the heart?
Srila Prabhupada: Like closed circuit TV.
Disciple: What is the difference between a nitya-siddha [one who is eternally perfect] and a sadhana-siddha [one who attains perfection through practice]?
Srila Prabhupada: When they are perfect, there is no difference.
There are so many people bowing down in so many places of worship, but they do so without complete knowledge.
It took Krishna the eighteen chapters of Bhagavad-gita to get Arjuna to the point of surrender.
You cannot expect a new person to be as expert as one who has 40 years’ experience.
In the material world, there are so many hooks that maya baits for us.
Everything is available. Some take advantage and some don’t.
If one hears one lecture of Srila Prahupada submissively one’s entire life can be changed.
When we read Bhagavad-gita, we realize we are the rascals Krishna refers to.
The beginning of enlightenment is to realize you are in denial.
It was easy to surrender to such a soul as Srila Prabhupada, who is the embodiment of transcendental knowledge.
Srila Prabhupada used everything that Krishna gave them.
The practice of Krishna consciousness becomes easy if we keep the goal in mind.
99% of the people have no conception of God, what He does, what He looks like.
Rama Raya Prabhu:
One of Srila Prabhupada’s main preaching points is that everyone is afraid of death.
Candramauli Swami makes the point in a recent class that the inevitable miseries that come to human society as a result of the many sinful activities going are not meant for the devotees, and they will be protected from them by Lord.
Ask him for the SP quote making the same point.
Srila Prabhupada told Hansaduta, “We read these books to become convinced to chant Hare Krishna.”
When Srila Prabhupada got his green card, he said, “I will never forget the Americans. They gave me men and money. I wish to make them happy and through them the entire world.”
In Brhad-bhagavatamrita not only do we see the joy of Sarupa (Gopa Kumar) in reuniting with Krishna but we see the joy of Krishna in reuniting with Sarupa (Gopa Kumar).
Nikunjabihari Prabhu (Shobhamayi Devi Dasi’s husband):
Humility, considering only the Lord to be one’s protector, accepting those things favorable for devotional service are all part of surrender.
Vidura, after hearing about just two of the ten topics of the Bhagavatam, sarga and visarga, attained spiritual enlightenment and renounced his material life to completely devote himself to spiritual activities.
We become excited to attain a little wealth, but the business of the goddess of fortune, who is the source of all wealth, is to massage the lotus feet of the Lord.
Material detachment is a result of attachment to the devotees. Thus one becomes free from illusion, and self-realization becomes possible.
Navina Nirada Prabhu:
One former sankirtana devotee when he saw me said, “Krishna is the supreme trickster.” He explained that although had taken a break from devotional life, where he goes he runs into Krishna. He ended up giving $108 and taking Bhagavad-gita and several other books.
The materialists are excited about Friday night because they can enjoy going dancing, but the devotees are dancing every day.
On harinama in Miami one Jewish man described Bhagavad-gita as “the best book I ever read.” We shared some of our favorite verses.
From the incarnations of Kurma and Varaha what example do we get for leading the life of a devotee?
To distribute Krishna consciousness you have to experience the happiness of Krishna consciousness. You cannot fake it.
If we want to have impact on others’ lives we have to let Krishna have an impact on our own life.
It is a war out there, and you cannot win a war by yourself.
We are fortunate that Srila Prabhupada has given us the process and the association to follow the process.
Once Bhavananda Prabhu asked Srila Prabhupada if he could get some books of Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura at the Yogapitha. Srila Prabhupada said, “Yes, but you should know that he wrote those books for me, and I wrote my books for you.”
Because Tapan Misra chanted his Krishna mantra quietly for himself but did not engage in sankirtana he was unable to ascertain the goal of life and how to attain it.
Some people who were not team players ended up dropping the ball.
On harinama there are always people who want to know, “How can I continue to feel what I felt at this moment?” They are happy to encounter the books.
Srila Prabhuada said, “I had to write 80 books to get you to chant Hare Krishna.”
In the East the problem is money [too little]; in the West the problem is sense gratification [too much].
A householder is one who holds a house and everything in it.
The chariot driver, the role played by Krishna for Arjuna, is a very humble one. On the noisy battlefield, to indicate whether to turn left or right, the warrior touches the shoulder of the chariot driver with his feet.
Srila Prabhupada said many generals have died on the battlefield simply because they did not get enough water.
We cannot sacrifice someone else’s life. We have only our own life to surrender, and that surrender is not just a one time thing.
When the harinama is focused, distributing books is sense gratification.
Yesterday two men gave good donations because they felt themselves transformed by the harinama. Receiving the book is the perfect conclusion to their pleasant experience because they are curious what this is all about.
“What is the price?” people ask.
I tell, “Them sincerity.”
They laugh. That is not such an easy thing.
By the association of great devotees like Pankajanghri Prabhu, we learn how to live, how to serve, and how to pass on.
Comment by B. V. P. Damodara Swami: It is wonderful that although Krishna plays so many roles in relationship to so many people that he never loses His identity as the Supreme Personality of Godhead. We learn from Srila Prabhupada, God has a right to be person, and to feel like and act like a person.
What suspense is there if there is no difficulty.
People should not think the difficulties of devotees are just their karma. They are orchestrated by Krishna.
It is an opulence of Krishna that He allows His devotee manipulate Himself through his love.
Bhismadeva shows that even though you are a great soul, if you are on the wrong side, you still will not win. We have seen that many qualified people did not succeed.
Comment by Parvat Muni Prabhu: I was in the emergency room. I was chanting Hare Krishna. The doctor chanted Hare Krishna. I told him to tell the nurses to chant. That was in Tucson. Weeks later the devotees told me that the doctor went to the temple. He wanted to know what it was all about.
From a conversation about sectarianism in religion:
The southern Baptists think the northern Baptists are going to hell.
Vicaru Prabhu:
Bhisma was so powerful that the Pandava armies were insignificant in comparison to him. The Pandavas had to inquire from Bhisma how they could kill him and also ask him for his blessings to do so.
Srila Prabhupada describes Krishna as a counselor. What is his counsel? “Please do not stay in this material world which is just a temporary reflection of the spiritual world.”
Krishna arranges that all the living beings gradually are elevated to the human form of life so that they can pursue dharma.
Reading the Mahabharata helps understand the Bhagavad-gita better.
Sometimes Srila Prabhupada would tell people to chant Hare Krishna and take prasadam, and he indicated that if they did that, then they would come understand.
Natabara Gauranga Prabhu:
There is a reference to a river named Sarasvati that flows through a place called Ambikavan in Gujarat. Presently a river cannot be see there, but modern satillite photos show evidence of a dried-up river bed there.
Bhakta:
I burn something every once and a while so Maharaja will not engage me in too much cooking. [Note: This is meant to be humorous and not a recommended course of action.]
-----
What is the benefit that all these people get who chant even one name of Krishna, being encouraged by Mahavishnu Swami? That is described in this verse from Srimad-Bhagavatam:
sanketyam parihasyam va
“One who chants the holy name of the Lord is immediately freed from the reactions of unlimited sins, even if he chants indirectly [to indicate something else], jokingly, for musical entertainment, or even neglectfully. This is accepted by all the learned scholars of the scriptures.” (SB 6.2.14)
People are generally uninterested in spiritual development because of the reactions to their past impious acts, but when they hear the chanting of the name of the Lord and when they chant in response, these impediments are dissolved and people can progress spiritually. Thus all the persons who heard the chanting party and those who chanted along became spiritually fortunate.
“O Supreme Lord! O Visnu! I bow down to You. O Lord Nrsimhadeva, I offer my obeisances to You. I am your devotee. O Lord of Lords, I now express to You my heartfelt inquiry.”
[ Hari-bhakti-vilasa, Vilasa 14, Text 418 ]
namaste Bhagavan visno
nrsimha vapuse namah
tvadbhakto’ham suresaikam
tvam praprcchami tattvatah
https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=10219713858019914&set=a.3707173840886
In Australia and New Zealand, Srila Prabhupada initiated 220 disciples and the work this small group of devotees did in spreading Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu's Sankirtan Movement, was miraculous.
Please accept our humble obeisances!
All glories to Srila Prabhupada!
All glories to Sri Guru and Sri Gauranga!
Narasimha Caturdasi is the celebration of the appearance day of Lord Narasimhadev, a direct incarnation of the Lord in His half-man, half-lion form. Lord Narasimhadev appeared to protect his dear most devotee, Prahlada Maharaja, whose demonic father, Hiranyakasipu was a powerful atheist and enemy of the Lord.
Lord Narasimhadev is Lord Krishna Himself, appearing especially in this form to reciprocate with our desire to remove all the obstacles in our devotional service.
Srimad Bhagavatam 5.18.8:
The Prayers Offered to the Lord by the Residents of Jambudvipa “I offer my respectful obeisances unto Lord Narasimhadev, the source of all power. O my Lord who possesses nails and teeth just like thunderbolts, kindly vanquish our demon like desires for fruitive activity in this material world. Please appear in our hearts and drive away our ignorance so that by Your mercy we may become fearless in the struggle for existence in this material world”.
Special Narasimha Yagna:
On the actual appearance day, we will be performing a grand Narasimha Yagna at ISKCON Scarborough starting at 6 pm.
However, due to the current COVID restrictions, we will not be able to open the doors for devotees to physically participate in this Yagna.
We currently have over 70 devotees registered to participate virtually in this special Yagna.
If you would like to participate in this Yagna virtually, please contact Mother Dwaraka - 416-899-1733 between 6 pm to 9 pm until 24th May 2021.
The devotees who sponsor the Yagna will be sent a special link to watch the Yagna live on Tuesday from 6 pm onwards as well as special remnants from the Yagya (Holy ash, Mauli(red/yellow thread), Ganga water from the Khalash etc) will be delivered to the sponsors.
With best wishes from,
ISKCON Scarborough
3500 McNicoll Avenue, Unit #3,
Scarborough, Ontario,
Canada, M1V4C7
Email Address:
iskconscarborough@hotmail.com
Website:
www.iskconscarborough.org
Sita devi was not born of a woman but of the Earth Goddess, Bhumi devi herself. In Maharishi Valmiki’s own words, Ramayana is known as the noble story of Sita — “Sita-ayah Charitam Mahat”.
Janaka Maharaj, the king of Mithila, was ploughing a piece of land to prepare it for conducting a yajna. While ploughing, he unearthed a golden casket in which he found a beautiful girl, which caused him to be greatly overjoyed. Because land ploughed by the yoke is called ‘sita’, he named the baby Sita.
With her arrival, the king’s good fortune improved greatly, and his queen gave birth to a daughter named Urmila. The royal couple brought up their children with great affection, giving them good education and all facility. The two beautiful girls, displaying all noble qualities and intelligence, endeared themselves to all and grew to become ideal princesses.
Sita devi was to be given in marriage to anyone who could bend the powerful bow given to Janaka by Lord Shiva. Lord Rama succeeded in bending the great bow, and he married Sita. Their later, inconceivable pastimes are presented throughout Sri Ramayana.
Today is Sita-navami, the appearance day of Srimati Sitadevi, the eternal consort of Lord Ramachandra. She appeared as the daughter of King Janaka, one of the twelve mahajanas, great authorities in Krishna consciousness, and thus one of her names is Janaki. To begin, we shall read from Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, Madhya-lila, Chapter Nine: “Lord Caitanya’s Travels to the Holy Places.”
TEXT 2
jaya jaya sri-caitanya jaya nityananda
jayadvaita-candra jaya gaura-bhakta-vrnda
TRANSLATION
All glories to Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu! All glories to Lord Nityananda Prabhu! All glories to Sri Advaita Prabhu! And all glories to all the devotees of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu!
TEXT 178
daksina-mathura aila kamakosthi haite
tahan dekha haila eka brahmana-sahite
TRANSLATION
When Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu arrived at southern Mathura from Kamakosthi, He met a brahmana.
TEXTS 179–193
The brahmana who met Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu invited the Lord to his home. This brahmana was a great devotee and an authority on Lord Sri Ramacandra. He was always detached from material activities.
After bathing in the river Krtamala, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu went to the brahmana’s house to take lunch, but He saw that the food was unprepared because the brahmana had not cooked it.
Seeing this, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu said, “My dear sir, please tell Me why you have not cooked. It is already noon.”
The brahmana replied, “My dear Lord, we are living in the forest. For the time being we cannot get all the ingredients for cooking.
“When Laksmana brings all the vegetables, fruits, and roots from the forest, Sita will do the necessary cooking.”
Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu was very satisfied to hear about the brahmana’s method of worship. Finally the brahmana hastily made arrangements for cooking.
Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu took His lunch at about three o’clock, but the brahmana, being very sorrowful, fasted.
While the brahmana was fasting, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu asked him, “Why are you fasting? Why are you so unhappy? Why are you so worried?”
The brahmana replied, “I have no reason to live. I shall give up my life by entering either fire or water.
“My dear sir, Mother Sita is the mother of the universe and the supreme goddess of fortune. She has been touched by the demon Ravana, and I am troubled upon hearing this news.
“Sir, due to my unhappiness I cannot continue living. Although my body is burning, my life is not leaving.”
Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu replied, “Please do not think this way any longer. You are a learned pandita. Why don’t you consider the case?”
Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu continued, “Sitadevi, the dearmost wife of the Supreme Lord Ramacandra, certainly has a spiritual form full of bliss. No one can see her with material eyes, for no materialist has such power.
“To say nothing of touching Mother Sita, a person with material senses cannot even see her. When Ravana kidnapped her, he kidnapped only her material, illusory form.
“As soon as Ravana arrived before Sita, she disappeared. Then just to cheat Ravana she sent an illusory, material form.”
TEXT 194
aprakrta vastu nahe prakrta-gocara
veda-puranete ei kahe nirantara
TRANSLATION
“Spiritual substance is never within the jurisdiction of the material conception. This is always the verdict of the Vedas and Puranas.”
PURPORT by Srila Prabhupada
As stated in the Katha Upanisad (2.3.9, 12):
na sandrse tisthati rupam asya
na caksusa pasyati kascanainam
hrda manisa manasabhiklpto
ya etad vidur amrtas te bhavanti
naiva vaca na manasa
praptum sakyo na caksusa
“Spirit is not within the jurisdiction of material eyes, words, or mind.”
Similarly, Srimad-Bhagavatam (10.84.13) states:
yasyatma-buddhih kunape tri-dhatuke
sva-dhih kalatradisu bhauma ijya-dhih
yat-tirtha-buddhih salile na karhicij
janesv abhijnesu sa eva go-kharah
“A human being who identifies his body made of three elements with his self, who considers the by-products of his body to be his kinsmen, who considers the land of his birth worshipable, and who goes to a place of pilgrimage simply to take a bath rather than to meet men of transcendental knowledge there is to be considered like an ass or a cow.”
These are some Vedic statements about spiritual substance. Spiritual substance cannot be seen by the unintelligent, because they do not have the eyes or the mentality to see the spirit soul. Consequently they think that there is no such thing as spirit. But the followers of the Vedic injunctions take their information from Vedic statements, such as the verses from the Katha Upanisad and Srimad-Bhagavatam quoted above.
COMMENT by Giriraj Swami
We know from Srila Prabhupada, from the Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu:
nama cintamanih krsnas
caitanya-rasa-vigrahah
purnah suddho nitya-mukto
’bhinnatvan nama-naminoh
Namah cintamanih krsnah: the holy name of Krishna is Krishna Himself. Caitanya-rasa-vigrahah: it is the form of rasa, the reservoir of pleasure. It is purna, complete; suddha, pure; and nitya-mukta, always free from material contamination. Why? Because there is no difference between the holy name of Krishna and the possessor of the name, Krishna Himself (abhinnatvan nama-naminoh).
Now, the question arises, “Since the Lord is spiritual and beyond the jurisdiction of material senses, how can one with materially covered senses touch, or chant and hear, the holy name of Krishna?” In the next verse of the Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu, Srila Rupa Gosvami explains:
atah sri-krsna-namadi
na bhaved grahyam indriyaih
sevonmukhe hi jihvadau
svayam eva sphuraty adah
Atah means “therefore,” as in athatho brahma-jijnasa. Atah: therefore (that is, because the holy name of Krishna is completely spiritual like Krishna) one cannot chant or hear the holy name—touch the holy name—with materially contaminated senses. However, if we engage our senses in the service of the Lord and the Lord becomes pleased with our service, then the Lord will reveal Himself to us.
In other words, although we cannot perceive the Lord with materially contaminated senses, the Lord can reveal Himself to us when He is pleased by our service: He can purify our senses and make Himself visible to us.
When even a sadhaka, a devotee who is practicing devotional service, cannot touch even the holy name of the Lord, how could a demon like Ravana see or touch Mother Sita, who is directly the spiritual energy of the Lord? It is not possible. What Ravana saw and touched was not the original Sita but maya Sita, an illusory representation of the original Sita. Thus Lord Chaitanya was consoling the brahman: “Don’t lament that Mother Sita has been touched by the demon Ravana. The demon Ravana could not even see her, what to speak of touch her. There is no need to lament.”
TEXT 195
visvasa karaha tumi amara vacane
punarapi ku-bhavana na kariha mane
TRANSLATION
Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu then assured the brahmana, “Have faith in My words and do not burden your mind any longer with this misconception.”
PURPORT
This is the process of spiritual understanding. Acintya khalu ye bhava na tams tarkena yojayet: “We should not try to understand things beyond our material conception by argument and counterargument.” Maha-jano yena gatah sa panthah: “We have to follow in the footsteps of great authorities coming down in the parampara system.” If we approach a bona fide acarya and keep faith in his words, spiritual realization will be easy.
COMMENT
In the material world everyone is acting independently. Actually, people are not independent, but they imagine themselves to be independent. They want to think for themselves, see for themselves, make their own decisions, make their own plans. Even when they come to the subject of God, they keep the same attitude: “I don’t need anyone to tell me about God. I can think for myself; I can decide for myself.” Or they may accept some authority according to their liking. Many people go to various authorities and pick and choose what they like from each, and in the end they find confirmation for whatever they thought or wanted to begin with. That is not the way to understand God. Rather, one must approach a bona fide spiritual master and surrender. Surrender means no wavering to this side or that side. One must remain fixed in submission and obedience to the spiritual master and accept the spiritual master’s instructions without argument.
Of course, the whole process is based on faith, and therefore Lord Chaitanya’s first words are visvasa karaha tumi amara vacane: “Have faith in My words.” If you do, He says, you will be relieved. But if you don’t have faith in His words, you’ll go on suffering and nobody will be able to help you.
visvasa karaha tumi amara vacane
punarapi ku-bhavana na kariha mane
“Have faith in My words and do not burden your mind any longer with this misconception.”
TEXT 196
prabhura vacane viprera ha-ila visvasa
bhojana karila, haila jivanera asa
TRANSLATION
Although the brahmana was fasting, he had faith in the words of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu and accepted food. In this way his life was saved.
COMMENT
The brahman was fasting because he thought that Ravana had touched Sita and kidnapped her. He was ready to give up his life, but because he had faith in the words of Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, he gave up his misconception, took prasada, and saved his life.
TEXT 197
tanre asvasiya prabhu karila gamana
krtamalaya snana kari aila durvasana
TRANSLATION
After thus assuring the brahmana, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu proceeded further into southern India and finally arrived at Durvasana, where He bathed in the river Krtamala.
TEXT 199
setubandhe asi’ kaila dhanus-tirthe snana
ramesvara dekhi’ tahan karila visrama
TRANSLATION
Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu then went to Setubandha [Ramesvara], where He took His bath at the place called Dhanus-tirtha. From there He visited the Ramesvara temple and then took rest.
PURPORT
The path from Mandapam through the ocean to the island known as Pambam consists partly of sand and partly of water. The island of Pambam is about seventeen miles long and six miles wide. On this island, four miles north of Pambam Harbor, is Setubandha, where the temple of Ramesvara is located. This is a temple of Lord Siva, and the name Ramesvara indicates that he is a great personality whose worshipable Deity is Lord Rama. Thus the Lord Siva found in the temple of Ramesvara is a great devotee of Lord Ramacandra. It is said, devi-pattanam arabhya gaccheyuh setu-bandhanam: “After visiting the temple of the goddess Durga, one should go to the temple of Ramesvara.”
In this area there are twenty-four different holy places, one of which is Dhanus-tirtha, located about twelve miles southeast of Ramesvara. It is near the last station of the South Indian Railway, a station called Ramnad. It is said that here, on the request of Ravana’s younger brother Vibhisana, Lord Ramacandra destroyed the bridge to Lanka with His bow while returning to His capital. It is also said that one who visits Dhanus-tirtha is liberated from the cycle of birth and death, and that one who bathes there gets all the fruitive results of performing the yajna known as Agnistoma.
COMMENT
It is said that when Lord Rama was on the way to Lanka, He worshipped a deity of Lord Shiva. Some ignorant people say, “Because Lord Rama worshipped Lord Shiva, Lord Shiva is the Supreme and Lord Rama is subordinate to him.” But actually the opposite is true: Lord Shiva himself is a great devotee of Lord Rama. Sometimes, however, the Lord likes to serve His devotees, as in the case of Krishna and Yasoda. Krishna used to obey the dictations of Yasoda, but that doesn’t mean that Yasoda is God. Krishna used to carry the shoes of Nanda Maharaja, but that doesn’t mean that Nanda Maharaja is God. Krishna drove the chariot of Arjuna, but that doesn’t mean that Arjuna is greater than Krishna. Krishna washed the feet of Sudama Vipra, but that doesn’t mean that Sudama is superior to Krishna. The Lord takes pleasure in worshipping His devotees. Lord Ramachandra wanted to glorify His devotee Shiva, and therefore He may have worshipped him.
Other ignorant people say that because Ravana was a devotee of Lord Shiva, Rama approached Lord Shiva to ask his permission before killing Ravana. Once, at Juhu Beach, a disciple mentioned this idea to Srila Prabhupada, and Prabhupada replied that people who say that Lord Rama had Lord Shiva’s permission to kill Ravana want to say that Lord Shiva is a rascal, that he would give permission for someone to kill his devotee: “Oh, yes. He is my devotee, but it’s all right—you can kill him.” Prabhupada said they want to prove that Lord Shiva is a rascal. Rather, he said (and he quoted the shastra), when Rama was in the process of killing Ravana, Mother Parvati asked Lord Shiva, “Ravana is your great devotee, and now he is in trouble. Why don’t you do something to help him?” And Lord Shiva replied, “Lord Rama is the Supreme Personality of Godhead; when He wants to kill Ravana, what can I do?”
TEXT 200
vipra-sabhaya sune tanha kurma-purana
tara madhye aila pativrata-upakhyana
TRANSLATION
There, among the brahmanas, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu listened to the Kurma Purana, wherein is mentioned the chaste woman’s narration.
PURPORT
Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura remarks that only two khandas of the Kurma Purana are now available, namely the Purva-khanda and Uttara-khanda. Sometimes it is said that the Kurma Purana contains six thousand verses, but according to Srimad-Bhagavatam the original Kurma Purana contains seventeen thousand verses. It is considered the fifteenth of the eighteen Maha-puranas.
TEXT 201
pativrata-siromani janaka-nandini
jagatera mata sita—ramera grhini
TRANSLATION
Srimati Sitadevi is the mother of the three worlds and the wife of Lord Ramacandra. Among chaste women she is supreme, and she is the daughter of King Janaka.
TEXT 202
ravana dekhiya sita laila agnira sarana
ravana haite agni kaila sitake avarana
TRANSLATION
When Ravana came to kidnap Mother Sita and she saw him, she took shelter of the fire-god, Agni. The fire-god covered the body of Mother Sita, and in this way she was protected from the hands of Ravana.
TEXT 203
‘maya-sita’ ravana nila, sunila akhyane
suni’ mahaprabhu haila anandita mane
TRANSLATION
Upon hearing from the Kurma Purana how Ravana had kidnapped a false form of Mother Sita, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu became very satisfied.
TEXT 204
sita lana rakhilena parvatira sthane
‘maya-sita’ diya agni vancila ravane
TRANSLATION
The fire-god, Agni, took away the real Sita and brought her to the place of Parvati, goddess Durga. An illusory form of Mother Sita was then delivered to Ravana, and in this way Ravana was cheated.
TEXT 205
raghunatha asi’ yabe ravane marila
agni-pariksa dite yabe sitare anila
After Ravana was killed by Lord Ramacandra, Sitadevi was brought before the fire and tested.
TEXT 206
tabe maya-sita agni kari antardhana
satya-sita ani’ dila rama-vidyamana
TRANSLATION
When the illusory Sita was brought before the fire by Lord Ramacandra, the fire-god made the illusory form disappear and delivered the real Sita to Lord Ramacandra.
TEXT 207
sunina prabhura anandita haila mana
ramadasa-viprera katha ha-ila smarana
TRANSLATION
When Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu heard this story, He was very pleased, and He remembered the words of Ramadasa Vipra.
TEXT 208
e-saba siddhanta suni’ prabhura ananda haila
brahmanera sthane magi’ sei patra nila
TRANSLATION
Indeed, when Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu heard these conclusive statements from the Kurma Purana, He felt great happiness. After asking the brahmanas’ permission, He took possession of the manuscript leaves of the Kurma Purana.
TEXT 209
nutana patra lekhana pustake deoyaila
pratiti lagi’ puratana patra magi’ nila
TRANSLATION
Since the Kurma Purana was very old, the manuscript was also very old. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu took possession of the original leaves in order to have direct evidence. The text was copied onto new leaves in order that the Purana be replaced.
TEXT 210
patra lana punah daksina-mathura aila
ramadasa vipre sei patra ani dila
TRANSLATION
Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu returned to southern Mathura [Madurai] and delivered the original manuscript of the Kurma Purana to Ramadasa Vipra.
TEXTS 211–212
sitayaradhito vahnis
chaya-sitam ajijanat
tam jahara dasa-grivah
sita vahni-puram gata
pariksa-samaye vahnim
chaya-sita vivesa sa
vahnih sitam samaniya
tat-purastad aninayat
TRANSLATION
“When he was petitioned by Mother Sita, the fire-god, Agni, brought forth an illusory form of Sita, and Ravana, who had ten heads, kidnapped the false Sita. The original Sita then went to the abode of the fire-god. When Lord Ramacandra tested the body of Sita, it was the false, illusory Sita that entered the fire. At that time the fire-god brought the original Sita from his abode and delivered her to Lord Ramacandra.”
PURPORT
These two verses are taken from the Kurma Purana.
TEXT 213
patra pana viprera haila anandita mana
prabhura carane dhari’ karaye krandana
TRANSLATION
Ramadasa Vipra was very pleased to receive the original leaf manuscript of the Kurma Purana, and he immediately fell down before the lotus feet of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu and began to cry.
TEXTS 214–218
After receiving the manuscript, the brahmana, being very pleased, said, “Sir, You are Lord Ramacandra Himself and have come in the dress of a sannyasi to give me audience.
“My dear Sir, You have delivered me from a very unhappy condition. I request that You take Your lunch at my place. Please accept this invitation.
“Due to my mental distress I could not give You a very nice lunch the other day. Now, by good fortune, You have come again to my home.”
Saying this, the brahmana very happily cooked food, and a first-class dinner was offered to Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu.
Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu passed that night in the house of the brahmana. Then, after showing him mercy, the Lord started toward the Tamraparni River in Pandya-desa.
COMMENT
The chastity of Mother Sita is glorified in similar terms in the summary of the pastimes of Lord Ramachandra in the Ninth Canto of Srimad-Bhagavatam. Because Ravana had been cursed by the anger of Mother Sita, his armies were vanquished and ultimately he was killed.
te ’nikapa raghupater abhipatya sarve
dvandvam varutham ibha-patti-rathasva-yodhaih
jaghnur drumair giri-gadesubhir angadadyah
sitabhimarsa-hata-mangala-ravanesan
“Angada and the other commanders of the soldiers of Ramacandra faced the elephants, infantry, horses, and chariots of the enemy and hurled against them big trees, mountain peaks, clubs, and arrows. Thus the soldiers of Lord Ramacandra killed Ravana’s soldiers, who had lost all good fortune because Ravana had been condemned by the anger of Mother Sita.” (SB 9.10.20)
After Ravana had been killed, his wife, Mandodari, praised the power of Mother Sita’s chastity, addressing her husband:
na vai veda maha-bhaga
bhavan kama-vasam gatah
tejo ’nubhavam sitaya
yena nito dasam imam
“O greatly fortunate one, you came under the influence of lusty desires, and therefore you could not understand the influence of Mother Sita. Now, because of her curse, you have been reduced to this state, having been killed by Lord Ramacandra.” (SB 9.10.27) In his purport to this verse, Srila Prabhupada explains that any woman who follows the example of Mother Sita’s chastity and service can attain similar power—and that, in fact, women should follow her ideal example: “Not only was Mother Sita powerful, but any woman who follows in the footsteps of Mother Sita can also become similarly powerful. There are many instances of this in the history of Vedic literature. Whenever we find a description of ideal chaste women, Mother Sita is among them. Mandodari, the wife of Ravana, was also very chaste. Similarly, Draupadi was one of five exalted chaste women. As a man must follow great personalities like Brahma and Narada, a woman must follow the path of such ideal women as Sita, Mandodari, and Draupadi. By staying chaste and faithful to her husband, a woman enriches herself with supernatural power.”
Although Mother Sita was completely pure and chaste, some ignorant citizens criticized Lord Rama for accepting her back after she had been abducted by Ravana, and to preserve His authority as king—for the benefit of the citizens—He was obliged to consign her to the care of the great sage Valmiki Muni.
By her transcendental qualities and devotional service, Sitadevi attracted her husband, Lord Ramachandra, the Personality of Godhead. And after she completed her pastimes on earth, He remained absorbed in thought of her—while perfectly executing His royal duties—until He followed her, to continue their eternal lila in the spiritual world.
munau niksipya tanayau
sita bhartra vivasita
dhyayanti rama-caranau
vivaram pravivesa ha
“Being forsaken by her husband, Sitadevi entrusted her two sons to the care of Valmiki Muni. Then, meditating upon the lotus feet of Lord Ramacandra, she entered into the earth.” (SB 9.11.15)
tac chrutva bhagavan ramo
rundhann api dhiya sucah
smarams tasya gunams tams tan
nasaknod roddhum isvarah
“After hearing the news of Mother Sita’s entering the earth, the Supreme Personality of Godhead was certainly aggrieved. Although He is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, upon remembering the exalted qualities of Mother Sita, He could not check His grief in transcendental love.” (SB 9.11.16) Of course, the Lord’s grief upon hearing the news of Sitadevi’s entering the earth was not material. In the spiritual world there are also feelings of separation, but such feelings are a manifestation of the Lord’s internal pleasure potency (hladini-sakti) and give rise to transcendental bliss—although they resemble the miserable feelings experienced by ordinary men and women who are materially attached to each other.
tata urdhvam brahmacaryam
dharyann ajuhot prabhuh
trayodasabda-sahasram
agnihotram akhanditam
“After Mother Sita entered the earth, Lord Ramacandra observed complete celibacy and performed an uninterrupted Agnihotra-yajna for thirteen thousand years.” (SB 9.11.18)
smaratam hrdi vinyasya
viddham dandaka-kantakaih
sva-pada-pallavam rama
atma-jyotir agat tatah
“After completing the sacrifice, Lord Ramacandra, whose lotus feet were sometimes pierced by thorns when He lived in Dandakaranya, placed those lotus feet in the hearts of those who always think of Him. Then He entered His own abode, the Vaikuntha planet beyond the brahmajyoti.” (SB 9.11.19)
Sri Sri Sita-Rama ki jaya!
There is an important lesson for all of us here, whether we are in the bodies of men or women: Sitadevi is the energy of Lord Rama, the property of Lord Rama, and to take the property of the Lord for one’s sense gratification is demonic. Ravana was a scholar, a devotee of Lord Shiva, and he had many, many good qualifications. However, he had one fault that put him in the category of demons: he wanted to take the Lord’s property and enjoy it for himself. As we have been discussing—and maybe realizing—people in Kali-yuga have two sides: the devotee side and the demon side. The demon side wants to take the property of the Lord and enjoy it, like Ravana. So we must be careful that the demonic side does not become predominant. Otherwise, just as Ravana and his whole dynasty were destroyed, our spiritual life will be destroyed.
What is the difference between material and spiritual? When people challenge us, “You are living in a marble palace, you are using telephones, computers, tape recorders, and automobiles, so you are involved in materialism,” how do we reply? We reply, “We are using everything in the service of the Lord. What is used in the service of the Lord is no longer material but becomes spiritual.” And it is true. The temple is spiritual because it is dedicated to the service of the Lord, and all the paraphernalia used in the Lord’s service is spiritual. So there is no contamination. However, if we use the paraphernalia meant for the service of the Lord for our own sense gratification, then it is no longer spiritual. It becomes maya. Ravana wanted to take Rama’s Sita, but he couldn’t touch the original Sita. He could get only the maya Sita. Similarly, the Lord’s paraphernalia is spiritual when engaged in the Lord’s service, but if we try to use the same things for our sense gratification, they become maya.
We should not be complacent and assume, “I am a devotee and everything I do is spiritual. Even if I handle money, it is spiritual because it’s for Krishna.” If it is for Krishna, it is spiritual, laksmi, but if it is used for our sense gratification, it becomes material, maya. So, we must be careful in every situation—in every activity, every transaction—to consider: Am I doing this for Krishna or for sense gratification? If an activity is done for Krishna, it becomes spiritual, but if that same activity is done for sense gratification, it becomes material. All the things we have, all the paraphernalia, which are meant for Krishna’s service, become maya if we use them for sense gratification. So we should be very careful, especially if we take donations from the public, directly or indirectly. Even if we don’t directly take donations, we are using donations for our service, so we should take care that the donations we take from the public are used exclusively in transcendental devotional service and not one cent is used for sense gratification. If we use any of it for sense gratification, we are implicated in a cheating process, because the public think they are giving the money for Krishna’s service but in fact we are using it for sense gratification.
Srila Prabhupada said that if we take money in the name of Krishna’s service and then use it for sense gratification, we become debtors to the people who gave us the money. In other words, we are supposed to be only peons, carrying the money from the donor to the Lord—like Hanuman. He went to liberate Sita from Ravana not to keep her for himself but to deliver her to Lord Rama. We should be like Hanuman: we should liberate Sita from the hands of whomever and deliver her to Rama. We are not meant to touch her. If we do, we’ll have to come back in another life and pay our debt to the people from whom we took the money. These are subtle laws, and Srila Prabhupada was concerned that we should not become victims of our desires for sense gratification. Therefore he explained everything very clearly, so that we can be conscientious and use the Lord’s property only for the Lord’s service. Then we will be like Hanuman, the great devotee who got the mercy of Lord Rama. But if we try to use the Lord’s property for our sense gratification, we become like Ravana and will be destroyed.
On this occasion we pray to Mother Sita to bless us to become pure-hearted servants like Hanuman, Laksmana, and Mother Sita herself—and to save us. Whatever Ravana-like demonic tendencies we have, let them be vanquished by her mercy, by her will, so we may continue in our devotional service without any impediment and ultimately attain pure love (prema), our ultimate goal.
Sri Sri Sita-Rama-Laksmana-Hanuman ki jaya!
Sri Sita-navami ki jaya!
Srila Prabhupada ki jaya!
Nitai-gaura-premanande hari-haribol!
[A talk by Giriraj Swami on Sita-navami, May 9, 1995, Bombay]
(Kadamba Kanana Swami, 7 May 2021, Simhachalam, Germany, Zoom Lecture)
The gift of the Holy Name is the greatest treasure because it is Krsna Himself. Everything is contained within the Holy Name. The Holy Name is more merciful than Krsna Himself. When you offend Krsna yourself, you can purify that by chanting the Holy Name. But if you offend the Holy Name, then what? Even that we can purify by chanting the Holy Name. The only remedy is chanting the Holy Name!
The article " Chanting is the only remedy! " was published on KKSBlog.
PRABHUPADA IS COMING! Let’s Do It! His Grace Sriman Pankajanghri prabhu, our beloved Nrsimhadeva pujari who recently passed away, speaks in this video about his ardent desire to bring Srila Prabhupada to the TOVP and complete the new home of Sri Sri Radha Madhava, Pancha Tattva and Sri Nrsimhadeva.
To inspire a grand welcome for His Divine Grace that all devotees, man woman or child, can participate in, the TOVP has created a once-in-a-lifetime abhisheka sponsorship campaign, and from May 14 (Akshaya Tritiya) until May 25 (Nrsimha Caturdasi) the #GivingToPrabhupada 11 Day Matching Fundraiser will make this seva opportunity available. Ambarisa prabhu will match the first $150,000, and our goal is $1 million.
Mark your calendar now and sponsor one of five kinds of abhishekas starting with the Sacred Water abhisheka (water from 125 sacred rivers) for $25.
Visit the Fundraiser Page for more information.
NOTE: The TOVP CARE COVID RELIEF program is donating $25,000 for ISKCON Mayapur and Bangladesh temples under the direction of Ambarisa prabhu.
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I recorded this to show my gratitude for you kindness and love. Thank you All Glories to Srila Prabhupada!!!
After passing some days in great happiness in Sri Brindaban Dham, Sri Jahnava Mata set out on the path back to Gaurdesh. First she came to Kheturi, and then to Bhudari gram where she arranged the marriage of Bor Ganga das with Sri Hemalata, the daughter of Sri Shyamdas Cakravarti (brother of Bansi das). After the marriage, Sri Iswari entrusted the worship of Shyamsunderji to Borgangadas. Then she came to Ekcakra, the birthplace of her worshippable Lord. From there she passed through Kantak Nagar, Jajigram, Navadwip, Ambika kalna, Saptagram, before finally arriving back at Khardaha.
Sri Madhu Pandit became the servant of Sri Gopinath, whose bodily luster steals away the minds of everyone. Hundreds and thousands of people came running to see Him, famed as He is as sweetness personified. When the soothing sweetness and coolness of his charming form entered their hearts through their eyes, they found that the burning fire of material existence which had previously been burning there, was now extinguished.
The Vedic system appears to have specific roles for men and women, and many times that’s hard to accept or follow in today’s world. At the same time, we also hear of how accommodating the spiritual path of surrender (bhakti) as proposed by HDG Srila Prabhupada actually is. He gave his female disciples many opportunities for varieties of services and made the Vedic culture relevant to today’s world
By Navakishori Devi Dasi,Often times, women practicing Bhakti who are without the protection of a male family member owing to various reasons beyond their control, do find themselves wondering about how they can adapt to this recommendation from the Vedas. Just like there are numerous examples in our scriptures about women being nicely protected by male family members there are also examples of women who had to live without that. Now what did those women do? How did they live their lives? Where did they find their shelter? Reading about their example can be very pacifying for a heart seeking proper direction. Continue reading "Protection for a Single Woman: Following Sita
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Hare Krishna. I have been asked several times what my position is regarding Covid prevention practices and vaccinations. Here is my answer.
In Calcutta in 1972 Śrīla Prabhupāda was on a morning walk with many brahmacārīs. Some of the brahmacārīs complained that the women also lived in the Calcutta temple on Albert Road. One brahmachārī said, "Śrīla Prabhupāda, sometimes women do not cover their heads with sari." and "Why can't women find a place other than brahmacārīs? Their presence does not contribute to our brahmacārya lives."
Gauranga Dasa is a B.Tech graduate from IIT Bombay and is serving in various capacities at national and global level in ISKCON organization.
WELCOME TO BHAKTI VISION! In this vlog we cook a simple pure vegetarian lunch!
On this day Jahnu Muni swallowed and released the Ganga, who was on her way to deliver the ancestors of King Bhagiratha – this is one reason why the Ganges is also called the Bhagirathi. On this day, the Ganga is worshipped, and many people make offerings to the forefathers, and bathe in the Ganga. […]
The post Jahnu Saptami 19th May 2021 appeared first on Mayapur.com.
By Jaya Gaursundar Dasa One time five of the six spies heard the citizens glorifying Lord Rama with great love and affection. However, the sixth spy going to the quarters of the artisans overheard the following conversation of a washer man: A washer man, with his eyes red due to anger and full of anger kicked his wife who had stayed at another’s house. Continue reading "Mysteries of the Ramayana
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The festival of worshipping the Ganga known as Jahnu Saptami
Is it not the most divine form of communication
A way of expression, a marvelous supplication
An urge from the heart due to a hurt or a wound
Ramsden Park, Toronto
Prayer
One of my God sisters is going in for surgery and there is a natural compulsion to pray. All success Paurnamasi.
A poem about prayer.
What Is It With Prayer?
Is it not the most divine form of communication
A way of expression, a marvelous supplication
An urge from the heart due to hurt or a wound
A cry so desperate from feeling so ruined
A call for help as if lost in dense jungle
Seeking signs for a way out of the tangle
Prayer can be a request for strength, hope, courage
It certainly transcends any mundane verbiage
But special requests do not alone constitute prayer
Prayer should not only refer to events of despair
Not just reserved for when life appears abhorrent
For prayer is rare when we’re sunk in comfort
The better prayer is praise in which we thank
For compared to the Divine we’re in a different rank
It’s unwholesome to lodge blame on the Creator
And not owning up puts one in a hole; a crater
Prayer is acknowledgment of His great worth
Though the ego declares, “Mine was the greatest birth”
Prayer is a good medium for reconciliation
Becoming then an exercise in self-realization
Prayer should not be a shopping list on what’s missing
Rather a counting of blessings as the universe is kissing
Prayer is power, a super-healing process
An opportunity to invoke human progress
Our heart can soften like that of a lotus flower
When we pray in gratitude each and every hour
By Bhaktimarga Swami, The Walking Monk©
May the Source be with you!
2 km
Cherry Beach, Toronto
Midges and Masses
Nimai and I walked (with distance) along the edge of the bay at Lake Ontario’s Cherry Beach. We were careful to circumvent the party of younger folks dancing and gyrating to the drums. It was an anti-mask group from all I could see. Some were chanting the “freedom” mantra. They appeared happy. Police were parked nearby but out of their patrol cars, just ready in case anything would happen.
Further east we found more solitude, just the two of us, as well as ducks and a swan playing on the water’s surface. You do have some squatters tenting in the area. Too bad some of them are not particularly hygienic and are habituated to not keeping their grounds nice.
Nimai was getting irritated with the non-biting midges, sometimes referred to as lake flies. He took them as a nuisance and was frantically waving his arms in the air as if it would deter them from their dance in the air. Truly, they’re harmless in their swarms.
“They’re not mosquitoes,” I was telling him. “They don’t bite.” Fortunately, he had his mask on. These admittedly pesky guys can easily drive into one’s mouth and inevitably parish. I guess it’s a non-veg experience. Perhaps these fellows were not social distancing and that’s what was agitating him in following the rules, that type of thing. I wonder if midges can get Covid? The way he was responding to their assault on him he just as well may have considered them Covid. In our Scriptures such onslaught is called adi-bautic, distress from other living entities.
May the Source be with you!
3 km
