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By Giriraj Swami “My Lord, Your Lordship can easily be approached, but only by those who are materially exhausted. One who is on the path of [material] progress, trying to improve himself with respectable parentage, great opulence, high education and bodily beauty, cannot approach You with sincere feeling.” (SB 1.8.26) Continue reading "Sri Nrsimha-caturdasi
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By Jagannatha-Lila dasi Bursting out of the pillar, eyes full of fire, His claws ready to cut up the liar, He says he's a king, yes the king of dung, That wasp better watch out, he's gonna get stung Continue reading "In Glorification of Lord Narasimhadeva
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Today is Nrsimha-caturdasi, the appearance day of Lord Nrsimhadeva. The appearance and activities of the Lord in the world are a great mystery. Therefore in the Bhagavad-gita (4.9) Lord Krishna says:
janma karma ca me divyam
evam yo vetti tattvatah
tyaktva deham punar janma
naiti mam eti so ’rjuna
“One who knows the transcendental nature of My appearance and activities does not, upon leaving the body, take his birth again in this material world, but attains My eternal abode, O Arjuna.”
To understand the appearance and activities of the Lord is not so easy for ordinary people. Or, as Srila Prabhupada said, “It is simple for the simple but difficult for the crooked.” If one is a simple devotee and hears submissively from Vedic authorities, he or she can understand the transcendental science. Therefore the Vedic literature enjoins, tad vijnanartham sa gurum evabhigaccet: In order to understand the transcendental science, one must approach a spiritual master. No matter the subject, we require a teacher. If we want to learn how to play harmonium, we require a teacher. If we want to learn how to make a puri, we require a teacher. If we want to learn how to program a computer, we need a teacher. For every field of activity, we need a teacher. Why, then, should we not need a teacher for the most important subject: how to understand, to realize, God?
The Sanskrit word jnana can be translated as “knowledge,” and the word vijnana can be translated as “applied knowledge” or “science” or “realization.” Thus jnana may be called “theoretical knowledge” and vijnana “realized knowledge.” In the process of spiritual realization we learn by hearing. Lord Krishna begins His instructions in the Bhagavad-gita by telling Arjuna, “Tac chrnu: Hear from Me.”
Krishna is the supreme authority. In explaining the spiritual science in the Bhagavad-gita, He advised, evam parampara-praptam imam rajarsayo viduh: to understand the transcendental science one must receive the knowledge through disciplic succession. If we try to understand the knowledge by our own independent study of the books, we will fail. So Krishna advises that we receive the knowledge through parampara. Parampara means “one after another.” In the context of Vedic knowledge, it refers to the chain of masters and disciples that follow one after the other, through which the knowledge is passed down.
The original speaker of the Bhagavad-gita is Krishna. He taught the knowledge to Arjuna and others. One of the others was Lord Brahma, and Lord Brahma instructed Narada, Narada instructed Vyasa, and Vyasa instructed Madhvacharya, and so the knowledge was passed down from master to disciple in an unbroken chain. In more recent times, after Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and the Six Gosvamis, the same knowledge has been passed to Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura, Srila Gaurakisora dasa Babaji, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura, and then our spiritual master, Srila Prabhupada.
The disciplic succession helps us to understand the original teachings of the Bhagavad-gita and other Vedic literatures. In the Bhagavad-gita (9.11) Lord Krishna explains that less intelligent persons—He uses the word mudha, which means less intelligent, foolish rascal. Avajananti mam mudha manusim tanum asritam—think that in the beginning Krishna is impersonal and that for some time He assumes what they believe to be a physical body as Krishna. This, of course, is the impersonal theory—that ultimately God is impersonal and that he assumes various shapes and forms for temporary manifestation, but that ultimately God is impersonal and that our goal is to merge and become one with God, one with the impersonal light. Krishna says that such people are mudhas because they do not know His eternal nature, which is changeless and supreme. In other words, Krishna is eternally Krishna. Krishna is eternally the Supreme Personality of Godhead. He is not some impersonal light that comes in the form of Krishna and then goes back and becomes light again; He is always the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
We living entities are also, eternally, individuals. A prisoner is an individual while he is incarcerated, and when he is released he remains an individual. The only difference is that in prison he was bound by so many restrictions and punished in so many ways, and when he is released from the prison he is free. He is no longer subject to the rigors and punishments administered by the prison. But he is still an individual. In the same way, as conditioned souls in bondage we are individuals, and when we are liberated we will continue to be individuals. It is just that then we will be free.
Krishna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is always an individual, and when He comes into the material world He is the same Supreme Person. Srila Prabhupada gives the example that sometimes the governor may visit the prison. He may come to inspect the prison; he may come to show mercy to the prisoners. But although he is in the prison, he is not subjected to the same rules as the prisoners. He is always free. Similarly, when Lord Krishna, or any of His incarnations, comes into the material world, although He may appear to be like a conditioned soul, He is not. He is not bound by the laws of material nature but is always free.
Now, Krishna is the original form of Godhead (krsnas tu bhagavan svayam). He comes to the material world and speaks the Bhagavad-gita and engages in various pastimes with His devotees. And He comes in many other forms as well, for specific purposes, of which one is the Nrsimha avatar. The Sanskrit word avatar means “one who descends.” All of Krishna’s forms are eternal and liberated, not different from Krishna. They are actually Krishna Himself manifest in different features. The example is given of a gem, which has many facets that reflect the light differently and therefore appears to be of different colors—red or green or yellow or whatever—but the gem is one. Similarly, God is one; Krishna is one. Krishna is the complete manifestation of Godhead, but He also appears in other forms that are basically the same as Him, although some of His qualities as Krishna are not manifest in His other incarnations.
According to scripture, Lord Nrsimhadeva is one of the fullest manifestations of Godhead. He has almost the same opulences as Krishna. Krishna is the most complete—He is completely complete—but after Him, Lord Ramachandra and Lord Nrsimhadeva are the fullest manifestations of the opulence of Godhead.
The story of Lord Nrsimhadeva is most interesting and instructive. The history dates back millions of years, to a previous age in which a great demon named Hiranyakasipu performed severe austerities. He stood on his toes with his hands upstretched, tolerating the heat and cold, the scorching sun, torrential rains, and severe wind—all the disturbances of nature—for more than a hundred years. I don’t think many of us could last more than fifteen minutes. To perform such a feat of austerity required tremendous willpower and strength and determination. And as a result of austerity, one gets power. That is always the result of austerity: one gets power—which one may use for good or bad purposes. Hiranyakasipu’s austerities were so severe that he had the power to disturb the universe, and the universe was, in fact, disturbed.
Lord Brahma, the chief of the demigods, the devas, came to the earth to induce Hiranyakasipu to give up his austerities, and to do so he offered him a boon. Hiranyakasipu was pleased and asked to become deathless. But Lord Brahma informed him, “I cannot make you immortal, because I myself am mortal.” Still, Hiranyakasipu was very intelligent, and he was very proud of his intelligence, so he thought that he could become immortal indirectly, by obtaining so many other boons. He asked that he should not be killed by any created being. And Lord Brahma agreed: “Granted.” He asked that he should not die inside a building or outside, during the day or at night, on the ground or in the sky. And again, “Granted.” And he asked, “Let me not be killed by any weapon, or by any demigod, demon, man, or beast.” And again Lord Brahma agreed: “Granted.” So, in various ways, Hiranyakasipu thought that he could eliminate all the logical possibilities for his death. He thought that indirectly he could be assured of immortality.
After receiving the boons from Brahma, Hiranyakasipu was confident of his invincibility, and he declared war on the demigods. He was so powerful that he actually captured the heavenly planet, Indraloka, Svargaloka. He occupied the throne of King Indra and was being served by all of the demigods except for Brahma and Shiva. The demigods were in a very distressed condition, and they prayed to the Supreme Lord—Vishnu, Krishna—for relief.
Earlier, after Hiranyakasipu had left his palace to perform his austerities, in the fighting between the demigods and the demons, the demigods were successful, and King Indra arrested Kayadhu, Hiranyakasipu’s pregnant wife. He intended to take her to his heavenly kingdom, and, thinking that she bore another demon, another Hiranyakasipu, within her womb, he planned to kill the child at birth. But just then, the great sage Narada Muni appeared on the scene, and he stopped Indra and the other demigods. He said, “No, the child within the womb is a great devotee, a maha-bhagavata,” and escorted Kayadhu to his ashram and gave her shelter there. And while she was there, with her unborn child in her womb, Narada instructed her in Krishna consciousness, and her child, within the womb, heard the instructions.
In due course, Kayadhu was returned to Hiranyakasipu, who raised their son Prahlada, arranging for him to study under two so-called brahmans.
One day, Hiranyakasipu called for Prahlada and asked him, “What is the best of all the subjects that you have studied from your teachers?” And Prahlada replied:
tat sadhu manye ’sura-varya dehinam
sada samudvigna-dhiyam asad-grahat
hitvatma-patam grham andha-kupam
vanam gato yad dharim asrayeta
“O best of the asuras, King of the demons, as far as I have learned from my spiritual master, any person who has accepted a temporary body and temporary household life is certainly embarrassed by anxiety because of having fallen in a dark well where there is no water but only suffering. One should give up this position and go to the forest [vana]. More clearly, one should go to Vrndavana, where only Krsna consciousness is prevalent, and should thus take shelter of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.” (SB 7.5.5)
When Hiranyakasipu heard Prahlada’s words, which were faithful to Lord Vishnu, he laughed and sent Prahlada back to be properly educated by his teachers. Hiranyakasipu considered Vishnu to be his enemy, and he thought that Prahlada’s intelligence had been spoiled by Vaishnavas, who might have infiltrated the school in disguise.
When, after some time, Prahlada’s teachers were satisfied that he was sufficiently educated in politics and diplomacy, they presented him again before his father.
“For so long you have been hearing so many subjects from your teachers,” Hiranyakasipu said to his son. “What is the best of the knowledge you have learned from them?”
And Prahlada replied (SB 7.5.23):
sravanam kirtanam visnoh
smaranam pada-sevanam
arcanam vandanam dasyam
sakhyam atma-nivedanam
He said that the best thing he had learned was devotional service—the nine processes of devotional service—and that one who engages in pure devotional service to the Lord is the most learned person.
Hiranyakasipu thought that Vishnu was a demigod who had mystic powers but could be killed—and he was determined to kill Him, to avenge the death of his twin brother, Hiranyaksa, who had previously been killed by Varahadeva, Vishnu’s boar incarnation, after he had created great disturbance in the universe. So when Prahlada answered, “The best thing that I have learned is to serve Lord Vishnu,” Hiranyakasipu became furious. He blamed Prahlada’s teachers: “You have taught him devotional service to Vishnu.”
But the teachers replied, “No, we haven’t. And we haven’t allowed anyone else to teach him either.”
“Then how did the boy become Krishna conscious?” Hiranyakasipu demanded.
“We don’t know,” they replied. “He seems to be naturally Krishna conscious. If you want to know, you better ask him.”
When Hiranyakasipu asked Prahlada, Prahlada replied in three famous verses. In effect, he said, “My dear father, one cannot become Krishna conscious by one’s own efforts, by the efforts of others, or by the combined efforts of oneself and others.”
Now, logically one might think that there is no other way to become Krishna conscious; it would have to be through one’s own efforts or the efforts of others or the combined efforts of oneself with others. But here, all these possibilities were excluded. But then Prahlada added (SB 7.5.32):
naisam matis tavad urukramamgrim
sprsaty anarthapagamo yad-arthah
mahiyasam pada-rajo-’bhisekam
niskicananam na vrnita yavat
The only way one could become Krishna conscious, he said, was by being blessed by the dust of the lotus feet of a pure devotee who was completely free from material contamination.
As Srila Prabhupada has commented, Sri Prahlada was indirectly telling his father, “My dear father, you needn’t worry about becoming Krishna conscious, because only someone who bows down to the lotus feet of a pure devotee can become Krishna conscious, and you are so puffed up, you will never bow down to anyone. So you don’t have to worry about becoming Krishna conscious. That is not a possibility for you.”
Of course, Hiranyakasipu was no happier with Prahlada’s explanation of how he became Krishna conscious than he was with Prahlada’s statement that devotional service to Vishnu was the best thing that he had ever learned. Indignant and angry, he ordered his servants to kill his son. He was prepared to kill his own son, an innocent child of five years. And he tried in so many ways. He had his servants try to pierce and chop Prahlada’s tender body with their tridents, but they couldn’t; he had them hurl Prahlada from a mountain, but Krishna saved him; he had them poison him, but Krishna saved him; he had them throw boulders to crush him, but Krishna protected him. Whatever methods Hiranyakasipu adopted failed, even though he had subdued the most powerful demigods in the universe—except for Brahma and Shiva, all the demigods had come under his control. And yet he could not touch this five-year-old boy. Prahlada was only five years old, and Hiranyakasipu such a powerful tyrant, but still, Hiranyakasipu could not touch him.
Finally, Hiranyakasipu asked Prahlada, “Where do you get your strength? You know that when I am angry, the three worlds tremble. By whose power do you defy me?”
“My strength comes from the same source as yours,” Prahlada replied. “From God.”
Hiranyakasipu resolved to kill Prahlada himself. “Oh, from God?” he challenged. He thought that he was the source of all his strength and austerities. “Well, then, where is this God of yours?”
“He is everywhere,” Prahlada replied.
“Oh, He is everywhere?” Hiranyakasipu challenged. “Then is He in this pillar?”
“Yes,” Prahlada replied.
Enraged, Hiranyakasipu took up his sword and struck his fist against the column. And from the pillar emerged a great roar—and the half-man, half-lion incarnation of the Lord, Nrsimhadeva.
Lord Nrsimha played with the demon. He fought with him, but He was actually just playing with him. And when He had had enough, He captured him, placed him on His lap, and in the doorway of the assembly hall, tore the demon to pieces with the nails of His hand. Hiranyakasipu’s body was so strong that it could not be pierced even by the thunderbolt of Indra, but it was pierced by the nails of the Lord. He was so powerful from his austerities that his body was like stone. But Lord Nrsimhadeva’s nails were like chisels that cracked it open. Then the Lord pulled out his heart, draped his intestines around His neck as a garland, and let out a great roar.
This is also one of the rasas, or mellows—vibhatsa-rasa—in English called the “ghastly” rasa. But because the Lord is absolute, everything about Him is beautiful—every feature. When Krishna would return from the pasturing grounds in the evening, accompanied by Balarama and the cowherd boys, He would be playing on His flute; beads of perspiration would decorate His forehead, and dust raised by the cows’ hooves would adorn His hair. When the gopis would see this image of Krishna in their mind, they would be stunned by His beauty. In the same way, Lord Nrsimhadeva also looked beautiful, with drops of blood sprinkled on His face and mane, His eyes gleaming like fire, and the garland of Hiranyakasipu’s intestines around His neck.
So, what happened to Brahma’s boons? Well, the Lord is so intelligent that He kept all the boons intact and still killed the demon. He killed him at twilight, not during the day or at night. He placed him on His lap, which was neither on the earth nor in the sky. He killed him at the doorway to the palace, not inside or outside. He pierced him with His nails, not with any weapon. And He assumed a unique form that was half-man and half-lion, neither man nor demigod nor beast.
We may think that we are so clever that we can cheat God, but we should know that God is always more intelligent than we are. Hiranyakasipu was extraordinarily intelligent, but still, God was more intelligent. Srila Prabhupada remarked that Hiranyakasipu wanted to protect himself from the bomb. He made all these arrangements to protect himself from the bomb, but he forgot about the nails. He never thought that he could be killed by Krishna’s nails. So, no matter how clever we are, how intelligent we are, God is more intelligent than we are. And mrtyuh sarva-haras caham: Krishna manifests Himself as death for those who deny Him, and no one can defy death. When death comes, you have to surrender—“as sure as death.”
So, Krishna gives us the choice. At the end of the Bhagavad-gita He says, sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja: “Surrender to Me. Give up all varieties of religiousness, all extraneous duties, and just surrender to Me.” And that is our choice. We can surrender to Krishna in His beautiful form of Syamasundara, His threefold bending form, playing on His flute. And if you don’t want to surrender to Krishna, or Lord Nrsimhadeva, voluntarily, then Krishna will come as death (mrtyuh sarva-haras caham) and take everything away. All right, we do not want to give this to Krishna; we do not want to give that to Krishna. We want to hold on: “What will happen if I give this away?” But if you don’t give it voluntarily to Krishna, mrtyuh sarva-haras caham: He will come as death and take away everything. That is what happened to Hiranyakasipu.
After Hiranyakasipu was killed by Lord Nrsimhadeva, the Lord remained sitting on the throne, furious. No one could pacify Him; no one could get Him to give up His anger. Even the great demigods were afraid. Finally Lord Brahma requested Prahlada, “You go forward and appease the Lord.”
Prahlada was not afraid. He was a pure devotee. He thought Lord Nrsimhadeva looked beautiful. He recited many beautiful prayers, and in one he said, “My dear Lord, even saintly persons take pleasure when a snake or a scorpion is killed.”
tad yaccha manyum asuras ca hatas tvayadya
modeta sadhur api vrscika-sarpa-hatya
lokas ca nirvrtim itah pratiyanti sarve
rupam nrsimha vibhayaya janah smaranti
“My Lord Nrsimhadeva, please, therefore, cease Your anger now that my father, the great demon Hiranyakasipu, has been killed. Since even saintly persons take pleasure in the killing of a scorpion or a snake, all the worlds have achieved great satisfaction because of the death of this demon. Now they are confident of their happiness, and they will always remember Your auspicious incarnation in order to be free from fear.” (SB 7.9.14)
What is the purport of this verse? Lord Nrsimhadeva was angry. Although He had killed Hiranyakasipu, still, as Srila Prabhupada explains, He was concerned that people might blame Him, that Prahlada’s relatives might blame Him: “You killed Prahlada’s father. He is just a five-year-old boy, and You killed his father.”
So, to assure the Lord that no one would blame Him for His action, Prahlada said, “Don’t worry, my Lord. You have killed him, it is true. But he was like a snake or a scorpion.” Snakes and scorpions are very envious and dangerous. So Prahlada was saying, “Even saintly persons, who are known to be nonviolent and friendly toward everyone, take pleasure when a snake or a scorpion is killed. Because snakes and scorpions are so envious that they will attack and kill even innocent persons, they should be killed—to save them from committing further sinful activities. So we bear no animosity towards You. We feel no ill will. No one will consider that You have done anything wrong. In fact, everyone is pleased.”
Then the Lord offered everything to Prahlada, who wanted nothing. In fact, when Lord Nrsimhadeva asked Prahlada to accept a benediction, Prahlada refused. “Why are You tempting me?” he asked. “I have not come to do business with You, to render service to You so that You would give me something in return. I just want to serve You for Your pleasure. So don’t tempt me with material things.”
But Lord Nrsimhadeva insisted: “No, I want you to accept something.”
Then Prahlada replied, “All right, I pray that my father be liberated.” Just see the kindness of a Vaishnava. His father was so envious of him that he tried to kill him, his own son, an innocent child of five years; he tried to kill him brutally. But Prahlada did not become Hiranyakasipu’s enemy. He remained his friend. Devotees are always the friends of every living entity. So Prahlada prayed for his demonic father’s deliverance.
Then Lord Nrsimhadeva said, “You are the heir to the demons’ opulence. I order you to occupy the throne and rule the kingdom.”
“I don’t want material opulence,” Prahlada said. “If I accept it, I might become puffed up like my father and forget You. To the contrary, I desire to be liberated from materialistic life.”
“It does not matter that you are in the material world,” Lord Nrsimhadeva assured him. “Just always engage in hearing and chanting and remembering Me, and being fully free from material bondage, you will come to Me”—back home, back to Godhead. And so Prahlada became Prahlada Maharaja.
Devotees take pleasure in hearing how the Lord kills the demons and how He delivers the devotees, and both pastimes are recounted wonderfully in the story of Lord Nrsimhadeva.
There is much to learn from this story, and there is much to relish in hearing the glories of the Lord and the deliverance of devotees and the destruction of the demons. And among other lessons, we learn that not only should we adults be educated in Krishna consciousness, but we should educate our children in Krishna consciousness as well.
Hare Krishna.
Devotee: There are many stories of worshipers of demigods who get boons from Brahma or Shiva and then actually turn against their worshipable deity. So, was it the acquisition of these great powers that turned their recipients demoniac or were they so demonic from the start that even austerities didn’t do anything to benefit them? Instead of turning to spiritual life, they turn into demons.
Giriraj Swami: So, the first question is, Do they become demons after they get their boons? And the next is, How is it that they perform austerities and don’t make spiritual advancement?
In principle, the answer is the same for both questions. Nothing in the material world is good or bad; it all depends on how we use it. Austerities can be used for spiritual advancement, and they can also be used to gain material power.
No one can be successful in any endeavor without making sacrifices and performing austerities—not even a businessman. One of our friends came to visit recently, and he had lost weight. So I asked, “What happened? You seem to have lost weight.
“Well, my business has been doing very well,” he replied.
“You have lost weight because your business is doing well?” I asked.
“Yes,” he said. “I’ve been doing such good business that I haven’t been coming home for lunch. I prefer to keep making money, so I have lost weight.”
Any activity requires austerity for success. If you want to do well in school, you have to study, you have to make sacrifices. You could be out playing, but you have to attend classes, read books, and prepare for your exams.
Still, the fruit of austerities can be used either for spiritual or material purposes. Devotees perform austerities to make spiritual advancement. Materialists also perform austerities, but for material development. It is not that they become demons. They may have been demons from the beginning, and when they got what they wanted, their demonic propensities became manifest.
But it is also true that ordinary persons or even devotees, if they are weak and come in contact with too much opulence, may fall down. In one case, an ordinary family won the lottery, and the family became completely disturbed. Until then, they had been relatively peaceful and happy, but after they got the lottery money, there was so much tension. What to do with the money? How to save the money? How to protect it? How to spend it? And in the end, the wife was saying that they had been happier before they had won the lottery.
It can happen that even a devotee who is not strong enough can become bewildered by material opulence. Therefore, in general, devotees live simply. They do not want to become confused or bewildered or agitated by material facilities. When Lord Nrsimhadeva offered Prahlada material benedictions, Prahlada considered them impediments on the path of devotional service. He prayed:
ma mam pralobhayotpattya
saktamkamesu tair varaih
tat-sanga-bhito nirvinno
mumuksus tvam upasritah
“My dear Lord, because I was born in an atheistic family I am naturally attached to material enjoyment. Therefore, kindly do not tempt me with these illusions. I am very much afraid of material conditions, and I desire to be liberated from materialistic life. It is for this reason that I have taken shelter of Your lotus feet.” (SB 7.10.2)
And if devotees do get some opulence, they give it to Krishna. There is a saying that Prabhupada used to quote: If you give a brahman a lakh of rupees, he will still be a beggar—because he won’t save that lakh of rupees, but he will spend it for others. He will spend it for God, and so the next day he will still be a beggar. Or, as Srila Prabhupada told us, “Make a million dollars for Krishna one day, and spend a million dollars for Krishna the next day.” So we don’t hoard. If we do, there is a chance that we will become preoccupied with our wealth, at least to some degree, and forget Krishna.
Devotee: All the forms of Krishna are eternal. So, is the form of Lord Nrsimhadeva also eternal, and did it exist even before He appeared before Hiranyakasipu?
Giriraj Swami: Yes. All the forms of Krishna are eternal, but They have appearance pastimes. Krishna appeared as the son of Vasudeva and Devaki in Kamsa’s prison, but that was just a play. He exists eternally, but as a pastime He seemed to take birth. All the incarnations of Godhead have appearance pastimes. Just like in tonight’s play: an actor will play the part of Lord Nrsimhadeva and appear from a pillar. But the actor existed before the play began. Someone may appear on the stage, but he existed before the dramatic performance began. Similarly, the Lord enacts appearance pastimes, but He always exists.
Devotee: You mentioned that Hiranyakasipu was told that he could not become a devotee because he would not take the dust of a pure devotee, but before that there was a verse matir na krsne paratah svato va. Prahlada was saying that because you are too attached to material opulence, you cannot become a devotee.
Giriraj Swami: Very good point. Of those three important verses, matir na krsne paratah svato va is one.
matir na krsne paratah svato va
mitho ’bhipadyeta grha-vratanam
adanta-gobhir visatam tamisram
punah punas carvita-carvananam
“Because of their uncontrolled senses, persons too addicted to materialistic life make progress toward hellish conditions and repeatedly chew that which has already been chewed. Their inclinations toward Krsna are never aroused, either by the instructions of others, by their own efforts, or by a combination of both.” (SB 7.5.30)
Prahlada is saying that people who are too entrapped in the bodily concept of life and too attached to material opulence cannot bow down to the pure devotee and become Krishna conscious. And Queen Kunti says the same thing in her prayers to Lord Krishna:
janmaisvarya-sruta-sribhir
edhamana-madah puman
naivarhaty abhidhatum vai
tvam akincana-gocaram
“My Lord, Your Lordship can easily be approached, but only by those who are materially exhausted. One who is on the path of [material] progress, trying to improve himself with respectable parentage, great opulence, high education and bodily beauty, cannot approach You with sincere feeling.” (SB 1.8.26)
To be akincana—materially exhausted, or materially impoverished—means either that we have no possessions and live very simply or that we have no sense of false proprietorship and dedicate everything to Krishna’s service. For example, if we think, “I am the proprietor of this temple,” we cannot get Krishna. But if we think, “This temple is not mine; it is Krishna’s,” then we can get Him. Still, we have to be responsible—not that we think, “Oh, this is Krishna’s temple; let Krishna worry about it.” No, we are Krishna’s servants. We should think, “Yes, it is Krishna’s temple; it is not mine to enjoy. But I am Krishna’s servant, so I have to make sure that everything goes well—for Krishna.”
[A talk by Giriraj Swami on Nrsimha-caturdasi, May 22, 2005, San Diego]
Dear Prabhus,
Please accept my humble obeisances
All glories to Srila Prabhupada
Summer is here, summer means festivals, happy days, get your diary out.
Watford Rathayatra kick starts the yajna. 25th May .
The following day Sunday we are in Manchester, 26th May. The third biggest city in the U.K., with two football clubs.
And the day before 24th May we are distributing 3,000 plates of Prasad to the students and teachers at the eco demo in Parliament square.
The last time we did this the police gave me a hand to get the Prasad on site
Your servants
Parsharama Das
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By Kishori Jani Yesterday, we lost one of the pillars of the Iskcon movement, one of the stalwart female pioneers in Srila Prabhupada's mission- in the most glorious way! Her service to SP in the US, Kenya, Mumbai and Vrindavan is almost unparalleled. The stories and glories go on and on... But the true test comes at the end.. And the whole affair at the end for her was SO beautiful and uplifting! Witnessing it gives me so much courage and confidence that this path is real! Experiencing such a glorious passing is a true and rare gift that I'm indebted to her for sharing with us.. Something I will cherish forever... Continue reading "Srimati Parvati Devi Dasi a stalwart female pioneer in Srila Prabhupada’s mission
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Srila Prabhupada: “Jayananda’s death is glorious. It is very good that he had stated, what is the use of such a useless body, better to give it up. He has left his body very wonderfully, and he has been transferred to Vaikuntha. I have already sent a condolence letter for publication in Back To Godhead. Everyone should follow the example of Jayananda. I am very proud that I had such a nice disciple. If possible Jayananda’s picture should be hung in the Ratha of Lord Jagannatha, and in all of our temples a day may be set aside for holding a festival in his honor, just as we do on the disappearance day of the other great Vaisnavas.”
In the photo: Jayananda at his last birthday party, with his cart
Subuddhi Raya das: This is our new video for Nrisimha Chaturdashi 
We are all so self-centered; we are the center of the universe.
The only way we can possibly change this is by working for the benefit of others – working so much that we have no time for ourselves…
The article " Self-centered " was published on KKSBlog.
1 Day remains (2 days India Time) to the completion of the #Giving TOVP 10 Day Worldwide Matching Fundraiser on Nrsimha Caturdasi. The response to this first-of-a-kind online TOVP fundraiser has been phenomenal and we are almost at our goal of $250,000, which includes Ambarisa prabhu’s matched amount of $125,000. We thank all the devotees who have participated thus far.
This year, as usual, the TOVP is sponsoring a special puja and yajna for the protection and blessings of all our donors and well-wishers. And on Nrsimha Caturdasi His Holiness Jayapataka Maharaja will be hoisting a Victory Flag onto Lord Nrsimha’s dome.
Take advantage of this event to sponsor a Nrsimha Brick on Nrsimha Caturdasi. That brick will have your name on it and will be placed under ISKCON Mayapur Nrsimha’s altar to remain for hundreds and thousands of years. Just go to the TOVP website page below and make your offering: https://tovp.org/donate/seva-opportunities/giving-tovp-fundraiser/
Visit us at: www.tovp.org
Follow us at: www.facebook.com/tovp.mayapur
Watch us at: www.youtube.com/user/tovpinfo
Phone App at: http://tovp.org/news/announcements/new-tovp-phone-app-goes-live/
Mailing List at: https://goo.gl/forms/ojJ2WcUUuqWh8bXt1
RSS News Feed at: https://tovp.org/rss2/
Buy from us at: https://tovp.org/tovp-gift-store/
Support us at: www.tovp.org/donate/seva-opportunities
The post Final Call To Action! Last Day of the #Giving TOVP Fundraiser, May 17th (18th India Time) appeared first on Temple of the Vedic Planetarium.
Magic of Sound Event in Dubai, United Arab Emirates (Album of photos)
THANK YOU! Magic of Sound was another great success and ...
Devotees from Bhaktivedanta Manor and ISKCON UK were invited to attend the Royal Garden Party at Buckingham Palace as representatives of ISKCON. Podcast
The post How can we avoid getting infected with material desires because of the triangularity of desires? appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.
London College of Vedic Studies - Henna Workshop (Album of photos)
Here are some pictures from our recent Henna Tattooing Work...
In a few days we will all be celebrating the divine appearance of the most amazing half-lion/half-man avatar of the Lord, Sri Nrasimahdeva Bhagavan. For devotees in ISKCON our Mayapur Ugra Nrsimha Deity is especially dear and He protects all the Vaishnavas in Their preaching activities to spread Krishna consciousness throughout the world. In this video His Holiness Bhakti Purushottama Maharaja encourages participation in the #Giving TOVP 10 Day Worldwide Matching Fundraiser, especially on Nrsimha Caturdasi.
The #Giving TOVP 10 Day Worldwide Matching Fundraiser ends on the auspicious advent of Lord Nrsimha, May 17 (May 18 India Time) and we are encouraging devotees to sponsor 108 Nrsimha Bricks with their names to be placed under the Deity’s altar. The TOVP is Lord Nrsimha’s new home and we have invited Him to enter in 2022. It must be completed by then without fail. Every year at this time the TOVP sponsors a special puja and yajna for Lord Nrsimhadeva for the protection of all donors, well-wishers and friends, and this year His Holiness Jayapataka Maharaja will be hoisting a Victory Flag onto the TOVP on Nrsimha Caturdasi.
We have raised over $100,000 so far towards our goal of $250,000 with Ambarisa prabhu’s matching amount and we want to thank all the devotees who have participated thus far. If you have not yet given a donation, please do so. Any amount, large or small will help and is appreciated. Please watch the video by Bhakti Purushottama Maharaja and go to the website address below. Be a generous TOVP GIVER today. https://tovp.org/donate/seva-opportunities/giving-tovp-fundraiser/
Sri Nrsimhadeva Bhagavan Janma Mahottsava Ki Jaya!!!
Visit us at: www.tovp.org
Follow us at: www.facebook.com/tovp.mayapur
Watch us at: www.youtube.com/user/tovpinfo
Phone App at: http://tovp.org/news/announcements/new-tovp-phone-app-goes-live/
Mailing List at: https://goo.gl/forms/ojJ2WcUUuqWh8bXt1
RSS News Feed at: https://tovp.org/rss2/
Buy from us at: https://tovp.org/tovp-gift-store/
Support us at: www.tovp.org/donate/seva-opportunities
The post H.H. Bhakti Purushottama Maharaja Speaks About Nrsimha Caturdasi and the #Giving TOVP Fundraiser May 7-17 (18 India Time) appeared first on Temple of the Vedic Planetarium.
We are planning a mega festival and have the full support of the local authorities and many local businesses etc 
Back to The Motherland - St. Petersburg (Album of photos)
Indradyumna Swami: St. Petersburg was the last stop on our Russian tour before moving on to Ukraine. No doubt, St. Petersburg is one of the most beautiful cities in the world. And the local devotees are an integral part of that beauty. We enjoyed 5 days of chanting, dancing and feasting in their association. Myself, Badahari Dās and Chaturatma Dās all lectured on Srimad Bhagavatam to attentive audiences. We look forward to returning!
HG Parvati Devi Dasi ACBSP departed from this world.
Mahadevi Dasi: Let us all offer prayers n our obeisances to Srila Prabhupada’s dear Parvati Devi Dasi, who left her body last night at approx 11:30pm in Sri Vrndavana Dhama. She left peacefully in her sleep with only Prabhupada singing in her room. She is with her Prabhupada and her Lords now.
By the GBC Resolved: Any devotees referred to in any proposal to the GBC will be identified by adding the abbreviation of their spiritual master’s name after their initiated name. The Guru Services Committee is directed to maintain this list and generate abbreviations for new initiating spiritual masters. Continue reading "Law Book — Guru Name Abbreviations — 2019
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By the GBC A primary reason this issue was brought before the SAC was to consider whether a husband initiating his wife is like a guru marrying his disciple. There are major differences in the two scenarios. Traditionally, a guru is sometimes considered to be like a parent, and for a guru to marry a disciple is like a parent marrying his or her own offspring – something strongly disapproved in both general society and śāstra Continue reading "Sastric Advisory Council’s Pati-guru Paper — 2019
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By the GBC Resolved: The following categories must be used to define any proposal being presented to the GBC Body to describe the intent of the proposal. This language which will be included in the final resolution shall henceforward have the following meanings: Continue reading "Law Book — Categories — 2019
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Candana-yatra began on Aksaya Tritiya, May 7, and continues for twenty-one days.
Today we continue our observance of Candana-yatra. We are reading from Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, Madhya-lila, Chapter Four: “Sri Madhavendra Puri’s Devotional Service,” which describes how Madhavendra Puri traveled by foot from Govardhana to Jagannatha Puri to procure sandalwood to grind and mix with camphor and place on the body of the Deity Gopala whom he had installed on the top of Govardhana Hill. After Madhavendra Puri installed Gopala on the top of Govardhana Hill, two brahmans came, and he initiated them and engaged them in the service of the Deity. When he was satisfied that the two brahmans could conduct the worship nicely, he left for Jagannatha Puri. The Deity Gopala appeared in a dream to Madhavendra Puri and told him, “Although you have made so many arrangements for My worship and service, still My body is burning because of the heat. So please go to Jagannatha Puri and bring Malayan sandalwood.”
Madhavendra Puri was pleased to receive that service from Gopala, and he proceeded toward Jagannatha Puri. When he reached Remuna, he took darshan of the Deity Gopinatha. The arrangements at the temple were excellent, and the offerings of sweet rice, known as gopinatha-ksira, were particularly famous. Because the sweet rice tasted as good as amrta, nectar, it was called amrta-keli. So, Madhavendra Puri just had a thought—that if he could taste some of the amrta-keli, he could prepare similar sweet rice for Gopala.
As soon as Madhavendra Puri had that thought, however, he became ashamed. Although actually there had not been any fault, out of his extreme humility he considered that he had been lusty in wanting to taste the Deity’s sweet rice. And so, without saying anything to anyone, he left the temple and went into a vacant marketplace in the town and began to chant the holy name. He was just chanting and chanting and eventually, toward the morning, he dozed off.
Meanwhile, the Deity Gopinatha appeared in a dream to the pujari and said, “I have stolen a pot of sweet rice and kept it hidden behind the curtain in the Deity room. Please come and get it and go into the town to the marketplace and find the sannyasi named Madhavendra Puri and deliver the sweet rice to him.” So, the pujari bathed, went into the Deity room, found that indeed the Deity had hidden the pot of sweet rice behind the curtain, and he took the sweet rice into the town, as he had been instructed. And, holding up the pot of sweet rice, he called out, “Will he whose name is Madhavendra Puri please come and take this pot. Gopinatha has stolen this pot for you.” We resume reading:
TEXT 134
ksira lana sukhe tumi karaha bhaksane
toma-sama bhagyavan nahi tribhuvane
TRANSLATION
The priest continued, “Would the sannyasi whose name is Madhavendra Puri please come and take this pot of sweet rice and enjoy the prasada with great happiness! You are the most fortunate person within these three worlds!”
PURPORT by Srila Prabhupada
Here is an example of a personal benediction by Krsna’s immoral activity. By Gopinatha’s stealing for His devotee, the devotee becomes the most fortunate person within the three words. Thus even the Lord’s criminal activities make His devotee the most fortunate person. How can a mundane rascal understand the pastimes of Krsna and judge whether He is moral or immoral? Since Krsna is the Absolute Truth, there are no mundane distinctions such as moral and immoral. Whatever He does is good. This is the real meaning of “God is good.” He is good in all circumstances because He is transcendental, outside the jurisdiction of this material world. Therefore, Krsna can be understood only by those who are already living in the spiritual world. This is corroborated in the Bhagavad-gita (14.26):
mam ca yo ‘vyabhicarena bhakti-yogena sevate
sa gunan samatityaitan brahma-bhuyaya kalpate
“One who engages in full devotional service, who does not fall down in any circumstances, at once transcends the modes of material nature and thus comes to the level of Brahman.” (Bg 14.26)
One who is engaged in unalloyed devotional service to the Lord is already situated in the spiritual world (brahma-bhuyaya kalpate). In all circumstances, his activities and dealings with Krsna are transcendental and thus not understandable by mundane moralists. It is therefore better not to discuss such activities among mundane people. It is better to give them the Hare Krsna maha-mantra so that they will be gradually purified and then come to understand the transcendental activities of Krsna.
COMMENT by Giriraj Swami
In the Bhagavad-gita Krishna says, bhaktya mam abhijanati, yavan yas casmi tattvatah—He can be understood only by devotional service. Ordinary people cannot understand Krishna; He is always hidden from them by the curtain of Yogamaya. They see Him superficially and misunderstand Him. Therefore, we do not generally discuss Krishna’s pastimes publicly before an audience of ordinary people or a mixed audience but rather give them the Hare Krishna maha-mantra to chant.
Devotees—pure devotees who are surrendered to Krishna—can understand Krishna because they are on the same platform, the Brahman platform. As Srila Prabhupada mentions in the purport, even the activities of the transcendental devotees are incomprehensible to the mundane moralists because the transcendental devotees are also acting on the spiritual platform and are not bound by ordinary rules and regulations but are impelled by Krishna. Krishna is free, and therefore the devotee is also free to act according to Krishna’s desire.
An important word in Sanskrit is yadrcchaya, which is often translated “somehow or other.” The implication of the word is that Krishna is free and Krishna’s devotees are free. Yadrcchaya is sometimes translated as “by His own sweet will.” Srimad-Bhagavatam (1.6.37) describes how Narada Muni, after instructing his disciple Vyasadeva, played upon his stringed instrument, the vina, and left to travel through the universe yadrcchaya—by his own sweet will. In the purport Srila Prabhupada explains that the pivot in devotional service is freedom: “[A] full-fledged free soul like Narada, always engaged in chanting the Lord’s glory, is free to move not only on earth but also in any part of the universe, as well as in any part of the spiritual sky. We can just imagine the extent and unlimitedness of his freedom, which is as good as that of the Supreme Lord. There is no reason or obligation for his traveling, and no one can stop him from his free movement. Similarly, the transcendental system of devotional service is also free. It may or may not develop in a particular person even after he undergoes all the detailed formulas. Similarly, the association of the devotee is also free. One may be fortunate to have it, or one may not have it even after thousands of endeavors. Therefore, in all spheres of devotional service, freedom is the main pivot. Without freedom there is no execution of devotional service. The freedom surrendered to the Lord does not mean that the devotee becomes dependent in every respect. To surrender unto the Lord through the transparent medium of the spiritual master is to attain complete freedom of life.” So, everything about Krishna consciousness is based on freedom—ultimately Krishna’s freedom and the freedom of those who are surrendered to Him.
Dharmam tu saksad bhagavat-pranitam. Dharma is the order of Krishna. Whatever Krishna orders, that is dharma. He gives the orders, but He is not obliged to follow them. So His activities may appear to be immoral according to mundane calculation, but actually Krishna is on the absolute platform. He is the Absolute Truth. He is all good absolutely, and whatever he does is good for everyone, and especially for his devotees. Here the example is Madhavendra Puri. Krishna stole the sweet rice for him and thus transgressed ordinary ethical principles, but by His stealing for His devotee, His devotee became the most fortunate person in the three worlds.
Of course, it is superficial to say, “Krishna stole.” Actually, everything belongs to Krishna. He danced with other men’s wives, with unmarried girls, but everyone belongs to Him. Once, a man criticized Krishna, telling Srila Prabhupada, “Krishna is a debauchee, an adulterer. He enjoyed with the wives of others.” Srila Prabhupada replied, “Does not everything belong to Krishna?” “Yes,” the man replied. “Then does your wife not also belong to Krishna? Then who is the adulterer?”
TEXT 135
eta suni’ puri-gosani paricaya dila
ksira diya pujari tanre dandavat haila
TRANSLATION
Hearing this invitation, Madhavendra Puri came out and identified himself. The priest then delivered the pot of sweet rice and offered his obeisances, falling flat before him.
PURPORT
A brahmana is not supposed to offer his obeisances by falling flat before anyone because a brahmana is considered to be in the highest caste. However, when a brahmana sees a devotee, he offers his dandavats. This brahmana priest did not ask Madhavendra Puri whether he was a brahmana, but when he saw that Madhavendra Puri was such a bona fide devotee that Krsna would even steal for him, he immediately understood the position of the saint. As stated by Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu: kiba vipra, kiba nyasi, sudra kene naya/ yei krsna-tattva-vetta, sei ‘guru’ haya. (Cc Madhya 8.128) Had the brahmana priest been an ordinary brahmana, Gopinatha would not have talked with him in a dream. Since the Deity spoke to both Madhavendra Puri and the brahmana priest in dreams, practically speaking they were on the same platform. However, because Madhavendra Puri was a senior Vaisnava sannyasi, a paramahamsa, the priest immediately fell flat before him and offered obeisances.
COMMENT
Here we see the humility of advanced devotees. Amanina manadena. They do not want honor for themselves; rather, they are ready to offer all respects to others. Once, in Mayapur, Srila Prabhupada had finished his lunch and his servant had taken the plate with Prabhupada’s remnants into the servants’ area which is just near Prabhupada’s room. After some time, Srila Prabhupada heard shouting coming from the next room. Apparently, his secretaries and servants were arguing. So he sent Hari-sauri to see what was happening. Hari-sauri went and returned and informed Srila Prabhupada that one of the secretaries who was more senior had said that he was sick and could not eat the regular temple prasada and should therefore get all of Prabhupada’s remnants. The other secretary thought that Prabhupada’s remnants should be shared equally with everyone and not be taken all by one person.
Srila Prabhupada told Hari-sauri to call them into his room, and when he had heard from both parties, he said, “It is not enough to be the servant of the spiritual master. But one should be the servant of the servants of the spiritual master. Devotees should be humble.” In Bengal, at least previously, he related, if a saintly person would come to a village, all the villagers would rush out to receive him. They would offer obeisances. They would take the dust from his feet. They would invite him to their homes and do their best to serve him and please him, thinking, “Here is a saintly person. I want to serve him and please him and get his mercy.” And the sadhu was thinking, “I’m just an ordinary person. Why are they all coming and offering obeisances to me and taking the dust at my feet and wanting to serve me? I am just an ordinary person.” And because both parties were humble, Srila Prabhupada explained, both made great spiritual advancement.
Here we see that in the dealings between Madhavendra Puri and the priest from the temple of Gopinatha, both were extremely humble. There was no fault in Madhavendra Puri, but he thought that he had lusted after the Deity’s sweet rice. His only purpose was to taste it so he could prepare similar sweet rice for Gopala, but still, he felt ashamed and left the temple. The pujari also was very humble, as seen by the fact that he offered dandavats to Madhavendra Puri. Generally, brahmans don’t offer dandavats to people, because they are in the highest order in terms of varna. But the priest was humble and could understand how exalted Madhavendra Puri must be for the Lord to have stolen sweet rice for him.
This is the nature, the mood, of devotees, and this is how devotees make advancement—by being humble. Srila Prabhupada asked us to address each other as “Prabhu.” Prabhu means “master.” So, naturally, if the other is my prabhu, what am I? I am his servant. Prabhupada introduced that system so that we would see other devotees as our masters and ourselves as their servants. That is how we make advancement and how we have congenial relationships. Once, a devotee asked Srila Prabhupada what to do when there are conflicts between devotees—how to solve the problem. Srila Prabhupada said, “If each devotee thinks that he is the servant of the servant, then there will be no problem.” But it should be heartfelt. Everything we do is meant to be heartfelt. As Prabhupada said, “We shouldn’t say, ‘Oh Prabhu, can you please bring me my slippers.’” That is not the meaning of prabhu.
TEXT 136
When the story about the pot of sweet rice was explained to him in detail, Sri Madhavendra Puri at once became absorbed in ecstatic love of Krsna.
TEXT 137
prema dekhi’ sevaka kahe ha-iya vismita
krsna ye inhara vasa,-haya yathocita
TRANSLATION
Upon seeing the ecstatic loving symptoms manifest in Madhavendra Puri, the priest was struck with wonder. He could understand why Krsna had become so much obliged to him, and he saw that Krsna’s action was befitting.
PURPORT
A devotee can bring Krsna perfectly under his control. This is explained in Srimad-Bhagavatam: ajita jito ’py asi tais tri-lokyam (Bhag 10.14.3). Krsna is never conquered by anyone, but a devotee can conquer Him through devotional service. As stated in the Brahma-samhita (5.33): vedesu durlabham adurlabham atma-bhaktau. One cannot understand Krsna simply by reading Vedic literature. Although all Vedic literature is meant for understanding Krsna, one cannot understand Krsna without being a lover of Krsna. Therefore along with the reading of Vedic literature (svadhyaya), one must engage in devotional worship of the Deity (arcana-vidhi). Together these will enhance the devotee’s transcendental understanding of devotional service. Sravanadi suddha-citte karaye udaya (Cc Madhya 22.107). Love of Godhead is dormant within everyone’s heart, and if one simply follows the standard process of devotional service, it is awakened. But foolish mundane people who simply read about Krsna mistakenly think that He is immoral or criminal.
COMMENT
This verse cited by Srila Prabhupada in the purport from the Tenth Canto of Srimad-Bhagavatam—jnane prayasam udapasya namanta eva—is from the prayers of Lord Brahma to Krishna. Brahma says that one should completely give up the attempt to understand God through speculative endeavors. Namanta eva: but one should become submissive and hear about Krishna from bona fide devotees. San-mukharitam: then if one does so, offering respects with body, mind, and words, Krishna who is Ajita, unconquerable, becomes conquered.
Srila Sanatana Gosvami explains in his commentary that this compound word tanu-van-manobhir—tanu means “body”; vak means “words”; and manobhih means “mind”—can be read in different ways. The devotee conquers Krishna, and Krishna’s body, mind, and words are conquered. Thus Krishna with His body always remains by the side of the devotee. With His words, He is always glorifying His devotee, and with His mind He is always thinking of His devotee. And the devotee conquers with his body, mind, and words. With his body he offers obeisances to the messages of Krishna and to the place where the messages are recited and to the preachers who speak the messages, with his words he repeats and glorifies the messages of Godhead, and with his mind he reflects on the messages of Godhead and takes great pleasure in such messages. The same three words also apply to nondevotees, because there are many words in Sanskrit such that when different words are connected to other words in different ways, which is all legitimate according to the rules of Sanskrit grammar, one derives different meanings. So, the devotee offers respects with his body, mind, and words, and Krishna’s body, mind, and words are conquered by His devotee. And nondevotees? Now we are coming to that word ajita, that Krishna is unconquerable. Nondevotees cannot conquer Krishna—not by their bodies, no matter how strong or powerful they are; not by their words, no matter how eloquent they are as orators; and not by their minds, by their mental gymnastics or speculative processes. They cannot conquer Krishna.
This is very encouraging. And the verse says, sthane sthitah: you can remain in your position, in varnasrama-dharma. You don’t have to change your position; you just hear the messages of Krishna from pure devotees and offer respects with body, mind, and words, and you can conquer Krishna, who is unconquerable. This is the point here: the Deity was conquered by Madhavendra Puri’s pure love and stole the sweet rice for him. Therefore Srila Prabhupada says, “The Mayavadis want to become one with God, but we can become controllers of God out of love, pure love.”
Tanu-van-manobhir. The devotee can conquer Krishna with his body, mind, and words. With his body he can touch Krishna; he can catch Him and touch Him. With his words he can call Krishna, “Come, come. Come Krsna. Come.” And with his mind he can capture Krishna in his heart. So many meanings from one verse; the words can be read in so many different ways.
TEXTS 138–142
The priest offered his obeisances to Madhavendra Puri and returned to the temple. Then, in ecstasy, Madhavendra Puri ate the sweet rice offered to him by Krsna.
After this, Madhavendra Puri washed the pot and broke it into pieces. He then bound all the pieces in his outer cloth and kept them nicely.
Each day, Madhavendra Puri would eat one piece of the earthen pot, and after eating it he would immediately be overwhelmed with ecstasy. These are wonderful stories.
Having broken the pot and bound the pieces in his cloth, Madhavendra Puri began to think, “The Lord has given me a pot of sweet rice, and when the people hear of this tomorrow morning, there will be great crowds.”
Thinking this, Sri Madhavendra Puri offered his obeisances to Gopinatha on the spot and left Remuna before morning.
COMMENT
Earlier we read that Madhavendra Puri followed the path of ajagara-vrtti. He would not make any effort to get food. He followed the process of the python who just lies with his mouth open and if something comes in his mouth he eats and if nothing comes then he fasts. So, Madhavendra Puri followed that process. If Krishna sent food, he would eat, and if Krishna didn’t send food, he would fast. He depended entirely on Krishna’s mercy, but he kept the pieces of the earthen pot which were part of the Deity’s paraphernalia and had been given to him by the Deity’s mercy and love, and he felt great ecstasy taking a little piece of the pot every day. But Madhavendra Puri reasoned that news of the incident would spread and the next morning there would be great crowds, and he didn’t want crowds of people around him. He didn’t want name or fame. He just wanted to peacefully worship the Lord, chant the holy name, and do his service to Gopala and bring the sandalwood.
But as we will see later, Madhavendra Puri’s reputation spread. He left Remuna before the morning because he wanted to escape the crowds. He wanted to go to Jagannatha Puri, but when he arrived in Puri the news had already reached there and people were very eager to see him and offer him their respects and worship.
So, we can see the difference. Vallabha Bhatta was proud. He wanted people to respect him, but the result was that no one respected him, because he was proud. And Madhavendra Puri was humble. He didn’t want respect. He didn’t want honor. He didn’t want to have a good reputation. He didn’t want any sort of reputation; he wasn’t interested in reputation. But his fame as a devotee spread, and honor came to him even without his desiring it.
We should also be careful to avoid duplicity. Hearing what I just said, someone might think, “People don’t like those who are proud; they like those who are humble. So if I pretend to be humble, people will like me and honor me.” But that duplicity is a great obstacle. We have to be genuine in everything we do. I think of a statement by P.T. Barnum, the famous American entertainer and co-founder of Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus. He said, “The main thing in show business is sincerity. If you can fake sincerity, you’ve got it made.”
TEXTS 143–146
Walking and walking, Madhavendra Puri finally reached Jagannatha Puri, which is also known as Nilacala. There he saw Lord Jagannatha and was overwhelmed with loving ecstasy.
When Madhavendra Puri was overwhelmed in the ecstasy of love of Godhead, he sometimes stood up and sometimes fell to the ground. Sometimes he laughed, danced, and sang. In this way he enjoyed transcendental bliss by seeing the Jagannatha Deity.
When Madhavendra Puri came to Jagannatha Puri, people were aware of his transcendental reputation. Therefore crowds of people came and offered him all sorts of respect in devotion.
Even though one may not like it, reputation, as ordained by providence, comes to him. Indeed, one’s transcendental reputation is known throughout the three worlds.
COMMENT
We sing every morning to Srila Prabhupada: ebe jasa ghusuk tribhuvana, that his fame is spread all over the three worlds.
TEXT 147
pratisthara bhaye puri gela palana
krsna-preme pratistha cale sange gadana
TRANSLATION
Being afraid of his reputation [pratistha] . . .
COMMENT
It is very interesting: that same word was also used in relation to Vallabha Bhatta. He wanted pratistha, distinction, and here the same word is used.
TRANSLATION
Being afraid of his reputation [pratistha], Madhavendra Puri fled from Remuna. But the reputation brought by love of Godhead is so sublime that it goes along with the devotee, as if following him.
PURPORT
Almost all the conditioned souls within the material world are envious. Jealous people generally turn against one who automatically attains some reputation. This is natural for jealous people. Consequently, when a devotee is fit to receive worldly reputation, he is envied by many people. This is quite natural. When a person, out of humility, does not desire fame, people generally think him quite humble and consequently give him all kinds of fame. Actually a Vaisnava does not hanker after fame or a great reputation. Madhavendra Puri, the king of Vaisnavas, bore his reputation, but he wanted to keep himself outside of the vision of the general populace. He wanted to cover his real identity as a great devotee of the Lord, but when people saw him overwhelmed in ecstasy in love of Godhead, they naturally gave credit to him. Actually a first-class reputation is due Madhavendra Puri because he was a most confidential devotee of the Lord. Sometimes a sahajiya presents himself as being void of desires for reputation (pratistha) in order to become famous as a humble man. Such people cannot actually attain the platform of celebrated Vaisnavas.
TEXT 148
Madhavendra Puri wanted to leave Jagannatha Puri because the people were honoring him as a great devotee; however, this threatened to hinder his collecting sandalwood for the Gopala Deity.
COMMENT
In other words, he didn’t like the name and fame that he got in Jagannatha Puri. He didn’t like all the honor and respect. So, for himself, he would have left, but he wasn’t there for himself. He was there for the service of Gopala. So he tolerated all the name and fame and respect and honor of the crowds of people for the sake of his service.
TEXTS 149–151
Sri Madhavendra Puri told all the servants of Lord Jagannatha and all the great devotees there the story of the appearance of Sri Gopala.
When all the devotees at Jagannatha Puri heard that the Gopala Deity wanted sandalwood, in great pleasure they all endeavored to collect it.
Those who were acquainted with government officers met with them and begged for camphor and sandalwood, which they collected.
PURPORT
It appears that malayaja-candana (sandalwood) and camphor were used for the Jagannatha Deity. The camphor was used in His aratrika, and the sandalwood was used to smear His body. Both these items were under government control; therefore the devotees had to meet with the government officials. Informing them of all the details, they attained permission to take the sandalwood and camphor outside Jagannatha Puri.
COMMENT
We all have this experience when we sincerely try to serve the Lord. People sometimes help in unexpected ways—or people we would not expect to help, help. Every major festival has such stories. Madhavendra Puri is on the highest platform of devotional service, which we can hope to attain, by the mercy of the Lord and the devotees, only in some far distant future. But still, because we are trying to serve such devotees, trying to serve Srila Prabhupada and the disciplic succession with all sincerity, without duplicity, we also get some of the same results because, as we often say, bhakti is one substance, pure devotion is one entity, and the different stages from sraddha to prema are just different degrees of maturity of the same entity: bhakti, or sraddha. Therefore one gets the same results to some extent all along the way. It is just that the results increase as one progresses.
TEXTS 152–160
One brahmana and one servant were given to Madhavendra Puri just to carry the sandalwood. He was also given the necessary traveling expenses.
To get past the toll collectors along the way, Madhavendra Puri was supplied with the necessary release papers from government officers. The papers were placed in his hand.
In this way Madhavendra Puri started for Vrndavana with the burden of sandalwood, and after some days he again reached the village of Remuna and the Gopinatha temple there.
When Madhavendra Puri reached the temple of Gopinatha, he offered his respectful obeisances many times at the lotus feet of the Lord. In the ecstasy of love, he began to dance and sing without cessation.
When the priest of Gopinatha saw Madhavendra Puri again, he offered all respects to him and, giving him the sweet rice prasada, made him eat.
Madhavendra Puri took rest that night in the temple, but toward the end of the night he had another dream.
Madhavendra Puri dreamed that Gopala came before him and said, “O Madhavendra Puri, I have already received all the sandalwood and camphor.
“Now just grind all the sandalwood together with the camphor and then smear the pulp on the body of Gopinatha daily until it is finished.
“There is no difference between My body and Gopinatha’s body. They are one and the same. Therefore if you smear the sandalwood pulp on the body of Gopinatha, you will naturally also smear it on My body. Thus the temperature of My body will be reduced.
PURPORT
Gopala was situated in Vrndavana, which was far from Remuna. In those days, one had to pass through provinces governed by the Mohammedans, who sometimes hindered travelers. Considering the trouble of His devotee, Lord Gopala, the greatest well-wisher of His devotees, ordered Madhavendra Puri to smear the sandalwood pulp on the body of Gopinatha, which was nondifferent from the body of Gopala. In this way the Lord relieved Madhavendra Puri from trouble and inconvenience.
COMMENT
We can see the beautiful relationship between the Lord and the devotee. Madhavendra Puri was ready to do anything for the service of the Lord; he didn’t mind any trouble or inconvenience. But the Lord, out of affection for His pure devotee, wanted to save him from all the trouble and inconvenience he would have faced along the way. So He appeared to him again in a dream and explained, “If you grind the sandalwood and mix it with camphor and smear the pulp on the body of Gopinatha, the heat in My body will be reduced because Gopinatha and I are the same. My body is the same as Gopinatha’s.” Gopala continued:
TEXTS 161–178
“You should not hesitate to act according to My order. Believing in Me, just do what is needed.”
After giving these instructions, Gopala disappeared, and Madhavendra Puri awoke. He immediately called for all the servants of Gopinatha, and they came before him.
Madhavendra Puri said, “Smear the body of Gopinatha with this camphor and sandalwood I have brought for Gopala in Vrndavana. Do this regularly every day.
“If the sandalwood pulp is smeared over the body of Gopinatha, then Gopala will be cooled. After all, the Supreme Personality of Godhead is completely independent; His order is all-powerful.”
The servants of Gopinatha became very pleased to hear that in the summer all the sandalwood pulp would be used to anoint the body of Gopinatha.
Madhavendra Puri said, “These two assistants will regularly grind the sandalwood, and you should also get two other people to help. I shall pay their salary.”
In this way Gopinathaji was supplied ground sandalwood pulp daily. The servants of Gopinatha were very pleased with this.
In this way the sandalwood pulp was smeared over the body of Gopinatha until the whole stock was finished. Madhavendra Puri stayed there until that time.
At the end of summer Madhavendra Puri returned to Jagannatha Puri, where he remained with great pleasure during the whole period of Caturmasya.
Thus Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu personally praised [this story was actually told by Lord Chaitanya when He was traveling to Jagannatha Puri and came to the temple of Gopinatha in Remuna on the way] the nectarean characteristics of Madhavendra Puri, and while He related all this to the devotees, He personally relished it.
Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu asked Nityananda Prabhu to judge whether there was anyone within the world as fortunate as Madhavendra Puri.
Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu said, “Madhavendra Puri was so fortunate that Krsna personally appeared before him on the plea of delivering milk. Three times the Lord gave orders to Madhavendra Puri in dreams.
“Being obliged because of the loving affairs of Madhavendra Puri, Lord Krsna Himself appeared as the Gopala Deity, and, accepting his service, He liberated the whole world.
“On account of Madhavendra Puri, Lord Gopinatha stole the pot of sweet rice. Thus He became famous as Ksira-cora [the thief who stole the sweet rice].
“Madhavendra Puri smeared the sandalwood pulp over the body of Gopinatha, and in this way he was overpowered with love of Godhead.
“In the provinces of India governed by the Mohammedans, there was much inconvenience in traveling with sandalwood and camphor. Because of this, Madhavendra Puri might have come into trouble. This became known to the Gopala Deity.
“The Lord is very merciful and attached to His devotees, so when Gopinatha was covered with sandalwood pulp, Madhavendra Puri’s labor became successful.”
Caitanya Mahaprabhu placed the standard of Madhavendra Puri’s intense love before Nityananda Prabhu for judgment. “All his loving activities are uncommon,” Caitanya Mahaprabhu said. “Indeed, one is struck with wonder to hear of his activities.”
PURPORT
When the living entity feels spiritual separation from Krsna (krsna-viraha), he has achieved the prime success of life. When one becomes uninterested in material things, he is simply experiencing the other side of attraction for material things. However, feeling separation from Krsna and engaging in the service of the Lord to fulfill His mission constitute the best example of love of Krsna. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu wanted to point out this intense love of Krsna exhibited by Madhavendra Puri. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu’s devotees later followed in the footsteps of Madhavendra Puri, serving the Lord without personal considerations.
TEXTS 179–186
Caitanya Mahaprabhu continued, “Sri Madhavendra Puri used to remain alone. He was completely renounced and always very silent. He was uninterested in everything material, and for fear of talking about mundane things, he always lived without a companion.
“After receiving the transcendental orders of Gopala, this great personality traveled thousands of miles just to collect sandalwood by begging.
“Although Madhavendra Puri was hungry, he would not beg food to eat. This renounced person carried a load of sandalwood for the sake of Sri Gopala.
“Without considering his personal comforts, Madhavendra Puri carried one maund [about eighty-two pounds] of sandalwood and twenty tolas [about eight ounces] of camphor to smear over the body of Gopala. This transcendental pleasure was sufficient for him.
“Since there were restrictions against taking the sandalwood out of the Orissa province, the toll official confiscated the stock, but Madhavendra Puri showed him the release papers given by the government and consequently escaped difficulties.
“Madhavendra Puri was not at all anxious during the long journey to Vrndavana through the provinces governed by the Mohammedans and filled with unlimited numbers of watchmen.
“Although Madhavendra Puri did not have a farthing with him, he was not afraid to pass by the toll officers. His only enjoyment was in carrying the load of sandalwood to Vrndavana for Gopala.
“This is the natural result of intense love of Godhead. The devotee does not consider personal inconveniences or impediments. In all circumstances he wants to serve the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
PURPORT
It is natural for those who have developed intense love for Krsna not to care for personal inconvenience and impediments. Such devotees are simply determined to execute the order of the Supreme Personality of Godhead or His representative, the spiritual master. In all circumstances, even amidst the greatest dangers, they undeviatingly carry on with the greatest determination. This definitely proves the intense love of the servitor. As stated in Srimad-Bhagavatam (10.14.8), tat te ‘nukampam su-samiksamanah: those who seriously desire to get free from the clutches of material existence, who have developed intense love for Krsna, are worthy candidates for going back home, back to Godhead. An intense lover of Krsna does not care for any number of material comforts, scarcity, impediments, or unhappiness. It is said that when one sees apparent unhappiness or distress in a perfect Vaisnava, it is not at all unhappiness for him; rather, it is transcendental bliss. In His Siksastaka (8), Caitanya Mahaprabhu has also instructed, aslisya va pada-ratam pinastu mam [Cc Antya 20.47]. The intense lover of Krsna is never deviated from his service, despite all difficulties and impediments brought before him.
COMMENT
Srila Prabhupada also exhibited this mood of intense love for Krishna and willingness to endure any difficulty for the sake of His mission. Once, in 1971, there were a number of difficulties in the Calcutta temple. The temple president had started a business to raise funds for the temple and had become preoccupied with it, and as a result, the temple was being neglected. In spite of the business, the temple was quite poor. It wasn’t the fault of the business; the temple was just very poor. So, the devotees were disturbed, and they were waiting for Srila Prabhupada to come.
When, eventually, Srila Prabhupada came to Calcutta, he invited all the devotees to come and speak with him. They expressed their concerns to him—their complaints and grievances—and he listened with great sympathy. Then he appointed three officers and said they should meet every week and discuss all the problems and issues, and whatever they decided should be written down in a book of minutes and be followed.
But although Srila Prabhupada listened with great, genuine sympathy and concern, at a certain point his mood changed. He said that his policy—his personal policy—was always “Everything for Krishna; nothing for myself.” He said that when he had traveled to America on the Jaladuta, he had suffered two heart attacks and had thought that if he suffered a third he would die. And then when he got to America there had been so many difficulties and he had suffered physically with headaches and ringing in his ears. He said that he had suffered very intensely—“I do not wish to discuss the details.” But, he told us, “I never complained, because my policy was always, ‘Everything for Krishna; nothing for myself.’ ” He said that there would always be difficulties in the material world and that if we became too absorbed with the difficulties, talking about the difficulties, complaining about the difficulties, we would become diverted from our Krishna consciousness; we would become absorbed in mundane talks. So, it is better to remain absorbed in Krishna consciousness and engage in krsna-katha.
When I think of what Srila Prabhupada said and what he endured, I see that it is not less than what Madhavendra Puri did and endured. Prabhupada’s crossing the Atlantic on the Jaladuta is certainly comparable to Madhavendra Puri’s walking to Jagannatha Puri and starting back to Vrindavan. And the difficulties Prabhupada faced on the way—the seasickness, vomiting, and heart attacks—and then the difficulties he faced in America—moving from place to place, living with hippies who sometimes went crazy on drugs and wanted to attack him—were no less than the difficulties Madhavendra Puri faced with the Mohammedan officers and toll collectors on the way from Puri to Vrindavan. It is the same spirit: intense love for Krishna and manifest externally in a willingness to do anything and everything required for Krishna’s service without personal consideration. Even Prabhupada’s followers, by his mercy and by his immense spiritual presence, were able to act in a similar mood. We might not have had the full realization, but we had the same type of mood of being ready to do whatever was required for Krishna’s service on Prabhupada’s order.
In many ways, we today are still very close to this most extraordinary personality, to Srila Prabhupada, and we should be mindful of who he was and as much as possible try to take up the same mood—not imitating, but following. I have been listening to Tamal Krishna Goswami’s tapes Matchless Memories, and he made a point about taking risks for Krishna, taking risks for spreading Krishna consciousness. When we take risks, he said, we have to depend more on Krishna and that Krishna will manifest Himself to the devotee who takes risks for Him. It doesn’t matter what a devotee’s position is or what a devotee’s service is—it can vary greatly from one devotee to another. Whatever a devotee’s position or service, he or she should be ready to take risks for Krishna. In the course of taking risks for Krishna, the devotee will naturally have to depend on the Lord, and the Lord will reciprocate and the devotee will feel the Lord’s reciprocation and thus their relationship will become firmly established—thick.
TEXTS 187–188
“Sri Gopala wanted to show how intensely Madhavendra Puri loved Krsna; therefore He asked him to go to Nilacala to fetch sandalwood and camphor.
“With great trouble and after much labor, Madhavendra Puri brought the load of sandalwood to Remuna. However, he was still very pleased; he discounted all the difficulties.
COMMENT
That is the nature of the pure servant that he is always happy in his service, however difficult it may be.
hantayam adrir abala hari-dasa-varyo
yad rama-krsna-carana-sparasa-pramodah
manam tanoti saha-go-ganayos tayor yat
paniya-suyavasa-kandara-kandamulaih
“Of all the devotees, this Govardhana Hill is the best! O my friends, this hill supplies Krsna and Balarama, along with Their calves, cows and cowherd friends, with all kinds of necessities—water for drinking, very soft grass, caves, fruits, flowers and vegetables. In this way the hill offers respects to the Lord. Being touched by the lotus feet of Krsna and Balarama, Govardhana Hill appears very jubilant.” (SB 10.21.18)
In this verse, sung by the gopis—our acharyas say it was actually sung by Srimati Radharani—they glorify Govardhana Hill as hari-dasa-varyo, the best among the servants of Hari, Krishna, and they describe him as pramoda, jubilant. He offered his body for the service of the Lord and devotees. Go-ganayos. He served not only Krishna and Balarama but go-ganayos, the cows and cowherd people, the cowherd boys and the gopis, by providing them fresh grass, water, fruits, herbs—so many things. And in doing so, he was pramoda (jubilant). When the servant serves the master in a jubilant mood, the master is pleased. Someone may serve in a complaining mood; that’s not so pleasing to the master. But when the servant serves in a happy mood, the master is pleased. And when the servant sees that the master is pleased, he becomes more happy. And when the master sees that the servant is happy, he becomes more pleased. And then the servant becomes happier and the master becomes even happier and the servant becomes happier still—pramoda.
Madhavendra Puri had that jubilant mood. Although externally he had to go through so many difficulties, internally he was jubilant, and that pleased Gopala very much.
TEXT 188
“With great trouble and after much labor, Madhavendra Puri brought the load of sandalwood to Remuna. However, he was still very pleased . . .
COMMENT
Here the word is ananda.
TRANSLATION (concluded)
. . . he discounted all the difficulties.
TEXT 189
“To test the intense love of Madhavendra Puri, Gopala, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, ordered him to bring sandalwood from Nilacala, and when Madhavendra Puri passed this examination, the Lord became very merciful to him.
COMMENT
This is Lord Chaitanya speaking.
TEXTS 190–193
“Such behavior exhibited in loving service between the devotee and the devotee’s lovable object, Sri Krsna, is transcendental. It is not possible for a common man to understand. Common men do not even have the capacity.”
After saying this, Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu read the famous verse of Madhavendra Puri. That verse is just like the moon. It has spread illumination all over the world.
By continuous rubbing the aroma of Malaya sandalwood increases. Similarly, by considering this verse its importance increases.
As the Kaustubha-mani is considered the most precious of valuable stones, this verse is similarly considered the best of mellow poems.
COMMENT
Rasa-kavya—“mellow poems.”
TEXTS 194–195
Actually this verse was spoken by Srimati Radharani Herself, and by Her mercy only was it manifest in the words of Madhavendra Puri.
Only Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu has tasted the poetry of this verse. No fourth person is capable of understanding it.
PURPORT
This indicates that only Srimati Radharani, Madhavendra Puri, and Caitanya Mahaprabhu are capable of understanding the purport of this verse.
COMMENT
This is Srila Krsnadasa Kaviraja Gosvami speaking now.
TEXT 196
Madhavendra Puri recited this verse again and again at the end of his material existence. Thus uttering this verse, he attained the ultimate goal of life.
COMMENT
This is the verse:
TEXT 197
ayi dina-dayardra natha he
mathura-natha kadavalokyase
hrdayam tvad-aloka-kataram
dayita bhramyati kim karomy aham
TRANSLATION
“O My Lord! O most merciful master! O master of Mathura! When shall I see You again? Because of My not seeing You, My agitated heart has become unsteady. O most beloved one, what shall I do now?”
PURPORT
The uncontaminated devotees who strictly depend on the Vedanta philosophy are divided into four sampradayas, or transcendental parties. Out of the four sampradayas, the Sri Madhvacarya-sampradaya was accepted by Madhavendra Puri. Thus he took sannyasa according to the parampara, disciplic succession. Beginning from Madhvacarya down to the spiritual master of Madhavendra Puri, the acarya named Laksmipati, there was no realization of devotional service in conjugal love. Sri Madhavendra Puri introduced the conception of conjugal love for the first time in the Madhvacarya-sampradaya, and this conclusion of the Madhvacarya-sampradaya was revealed by Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu when He toured southern India and met the Tattvavadis, who supposedly belonged to the Madhvacarya-sampradaya.
When Sri Krsna left Vrndavana and accepted the kingdom of Mathura, Srimati Radharani, out of ecstatic feelings of separation, expressed how Krsna can be loved in separation. Thus devotional service in separation is central to this verse. Worship in separation is considered by the Gaudiya-Madhva-sampradaya to be the topmost level of devotional service. According to this conception, the devotee thinks of himself as very poor and neglected by the Lord. Thus he addresses the Lord as dina-dayardra natha, as did Madhavendra Puri. Such an ecstatic feeling is the highest form of devotional service. Because Krsna had gone to Mathura, Srimati Radharani was very much affected, and She expressed Herself thus: “My dear Lord, because of Your separation My mind has become overly agitated. Now tell Me, what can I do? I am very poor and You are very merciful, so kindly have compassion upon Me and let Me know when I shall see You.” Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu was always expressing the ecstatic emotions of Srimati Radharani that She exhibited when She saw Uddhava at Vrndavana. Similar feelings, experienced by Madhavendra Puri, are expressed in this verse. Therefore, Vaisnavas in the Gaudiya-Madhva-sampradaya say that the ecstatic feelings experienced by Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu during His appearance came from Sri Madhavendra Puri through Isvara Puri. All the devotees in the line of the Gaudiya-Madhva-sampradaya accept these principles of devotional service.
COMMENT
As we read about how Madhavendra Puri would take darshan of the Deities in the temples, Gopinatha in Remuna and Jagannatha in Puri—how he would chant and dance in ecstasy, how he would fall to the ground and rise up again—we are reminded of Lord Chaitanya and how He would chant and dance in ecstasy when He would see various Deities in different temples and especially when He saw Lord Jagannatha in Nilacala. That external manifestation of love of Godhead comes from the internal state of love of Godhead of separation from Krishna and ecstasy in meeting Him. That is the mood of Radharani, and Madhavendra Puri had that mood, and through disciplic succession that mood was conveyed through Isvara Puri to Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. So Madhavendra Puri is really the origin of that mood of separation from Krishna in the mood of Radharani after Krishna left Vrindavan. Madhavendra Puri is so important.
TEXTS 198–203
When Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu recited this verse, He immediately fell to the ground unconscious. He was overwhelmed and had no control over Himself.
When Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu fell to the ground in ecstatic love, Lord Nityananda took Him on His lap. Crying, Caitanya Mahaprabhu then got up again.
Exhibiting ecstatic emotions, the Lord began to run here and there, making resounding noises. Sometimes He laughed, and sometimes cried, and sometimes danced and sang.
Caitanya Mahaprabhu could not recite the whole verse. He simply said, “Ayi dina! Ayi dina!” repeatedly. Thus He could not speak, and profuse tears were in His eyes.
Trembling, perspiration, jubilant tears, shock, fading of the bodily luster, disappointment, moroseness, loss of memory, pride, joy, and humility were all visible in Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu’s body.
This verse uncovered the door of ecstatic love, and when it was exhibited, the servants of Gopinatha saw Caitanya Mahaprabhu dance in ecstasy.
COMMENT
There’s a little bit more, but I think we’ll conclude the reading. Srila Krsnadasa Kaviraja Gosvami says:
TEXT 211
ei ta’ akhyane kahila donhara mahima
prabhura bhakta-vatsalya, ara bhakta-prema-sima
TRANSLATION
Thus I have described both the transcendental glories of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu’s affection for His devotees and the highest limit of ecstatic love of God.
TEXT 212
sraddha-yukta hana iha sune yei jana
sri-krsna-carane sei paya prema-dhana
TRANSLATION
One who hears this narration with faith and devotion attains the treasure of love of Godhead at the lotus feet of Sri Krsna.
TEXT 213
sri-rupa-raghunatha-pade yara asa
caitanya-caritamrta kahe krsnadasa
TRANSLATION
Praying at the lotus feet of Sri Rupa and Sri Raghunatha, always desiring their mercy, I, Krsnadasa, narrate Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, following in their footsteps.
Thus end the Bhaktivedanta purports to Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, Madhya-lila, Fourth Chapter, describing Sri Madhavendra Puri’s devotional service.
COMMENT
I will be leaving Dallas now. That’s definitely in line with the mood of separation: I feel separation from Sri Sri Radha-Kalachandji and Their servants. But I am sure the separation will purify me and inspire me for my return journey in six weeks, which sounds like six millennia right now. Anyway, in the meantime, we will try to take shelter of the holy names and the devotees. Hare Krishna.
[A talk by Giriraj Swami during Candana-yatra, April 28, 2009, Dallas]
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(Kadamba Kanana Swami, Vrindavan India 4 April 2019, SB 8.17.25-27)
So why should everyone just accept all these far out stories from the Srimad Bhagavatam? It is true that some are difficult to understand. Priyavrata did not like the darkness at night, so he got himself a chariot, followed the sun and it was sunny all the time! I mean, it sounds like mythology, right? The wheels of the chariot cut the land mass into seven pieces, and so we got the seven continents! It sounds as mythological as one could imagine. Some, therefore, have offered that the Bhagavatam has a mythological side and a philosophical side. But Srila Prabhupada was not in that mood; he would take the Bhagavatam very literally and directly.
Srila Prabhupada was not so much a bridge preacher. He was not one who was beating around the bush and was very careful. “Can the people actually accept this? Are they ready for it? Or should we package it a little more softly with cushions around it so that they can possibly take it? “ No, Prabhupada would speak very much from a transcendental platform and say things that went against current norms. In Chicago he spoke out against feminism. These were sensitive issues but he had faith that the transcendental knowledge will act. And that is the point. It is not about what we are going to say that is going to convince people.
Prabhupada on board of the Jaladuta in Markine Bhagavata-dharma writes, “What can I say to these people. They are completely steeped in all this sinful activities of Kali-yuga. What can I say to convince them? I cannot think of anything. All I can do is repeat Your words.”
At one point we just have faith that the Bhagavatam will act and that the holy name will act. So a little bridging is all right, but if bridge preaching becomes the norm then we risk losing our integrity. Ultimately our integrity is simply the Bhagavatam. Vyasadeva was trying to do some bridge preaching and wrote various Vedic literatures, but he had not written the Bhagavatam and he was despondent. So I would say that we should not be too afraid that people will not take it. People will take it. The Bhagavatam itself is convincing – it is penetrating.
The article " Our integrity is simply the Bhagavatam " was published on KKSBlog.
A few thoughts
• “Nothing so needs reforming as other people’s habits.” Mark Twain
• “Good habits are worth being fanatical about”
John Irving
• “Everything you are used to, once done long enough, starts to seem natural, even though it might not be,’
Julien Smith
ISKCON Chennai Organised ‘Unnati’, a Three Day Residential Summer Camp for Teenagers . Prema Ras das: In the summer of 2019, two scenic seaside villas came to life, as sixty-eight teenagers got together to participate in Unnati - a spiritual camp for teenagers conducted by ISKCON Chennai.
Unnati (meaning advancement) was conducted between April 19th to 21st and has drawn high praise and encouraging feedback from the attendees and their parents alike.
When a bum named Robert knocked on the door of the New York temple (10 min. video)
Hamsarupa Prabhu narrates the story of his encounter with this stinking and dirty bum who turned out to have seen and served Srila Prabhupada in New York before anybody else!
New Gokula (Album of photos)
Ramai Swami: Even though our New Gokula farm is about two hours drive from Sydney and about an ho...
By Indradyumna Swami Aeroflot flight SU 1492 took off from Sheremetyevo airport in Moscow at 18:02 on May 6th. It reported a malfunction 28 minutes into the flight. The captain requested and was given permission by airport control to return to the airport and make an emergency landing. Unfortunately, the plane burst into flames upon landing and 41 passengers lost their lives. A person on the ground who observed the crash said it was a miracle that 33 of the passengers and 4 of the crew members survived. The news spread quickly via social media and was accompanied by horrifying videos of the ill-fated landing. Continue reading "The Mood of the Day
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By Hari Narayana Das On the day of the festival, the devotees started to prepare a small chariot early in the morning from mentor ( like a rickshaw in India). The Chariot was decorated with flower garlands and a small altar was made for the lord to sit. As the evening set in, the Lordships Sri Sri Jagannath, Baladev and Subhadra devi were brought and nicely seated on the chariot. The festival started. Devotees began to sing the Hare Krishna Maha-mantra with full enthusiasm and distributed prasadam already offered to Lord Jagannath. Srigarbha prabhu and other devotees distributed Srila Prabhupada books. Many locals irrespective of their faiths bought Srila Prabhupada books from the devotees in their native Indonesian 'Bhasa' language. Many more people received the mercy of the Lord in the form of his Prasadam. The program went on very smoothly without any hassles. Continue reading "Lord Jagannath stroll in the ‘Veranda of Mecca’
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By Gadadhar das On the 12th of May 2019, devotees in Bali, Indonesia headed by Jagannath Gauranga Ashram organized the annual Cida-dahi festival. The day before the festival was the bi-annual Balinese festival; Sarasvati Puja. The following day, which coincided with the Cida-dahi festival was where the locals take their purificatory bath and conduct various rituals. The festival took place at the famous Merta Sari beach. Preparation started the day before the festival with devotees setting up and decorating the pandal at the beach throughout the night. Other devotees also prepared the 25kg chipped rice Prasad. Continue reading "ISKCON Cida Dahi Festival – Bali 2019
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Even though our New Gokula farm is about two hours drive from Sydney and about an hour from Newcastle, many people visit, even through the week.
I was there for a Sunday program and around one hundred guests came through the afternoon. The devotees told me that a few weeks before, during Easter holidays, they got four hundred guests on the Sunday.
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Nrsimha Caturdasi is the celebration of Krishna’s half-man half-lion incarnation (Lord Nrsimhadev) who appeared on this day to protect the innocent child Prahlada from the atrocities of his father, Hiranyakashipu.
Unity in diversity (video)
A seminar by Braja Bihari das in Iskcon Naperville Temple.
Brilliant presentation, often hilarious, touches on different points, explanations based on guru-sastra-sadhu.