Bhagavad-gita verse-by-verse podcast

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Krishna is not an optional source of entertainment - he is the indispensable source of shelter Gita 04.09 (4 min video)
Many people like to hear Krishna’s pastimes as a pious form of entertainment. Even if they know vaguely that he is God, their interest in him is as a source of entertainment.
Significantly, the Bhagavad-gita states that hearing about Krishna can do much more than entertain – it can elevate and liberate. Those who understand him in truth attain him, never to return to this distressful world (04.09). This implies that proper philosophical understanding of Krishna has the phenomenal purificatory potency to redirect our heart from the world to him.

Srimad Bhagavatam class 5.18.9, Speaker: HG Rukmini Devi Dasi in Mayapur, 09-02-2018 (video)

https://www.facebook.com/indradyumna/media_set?set=a.10211188483810887.1073742798.1321748113&type=3

The village of Srikhanda, a 3-hour scenic drive from Sridham Mayapura, is mentioned many times in Caitanya Caritamrta. Yesterday we spent 5 hours exploring the village where a number of Lord Caitanya’s personal associates resided 500 years ago. We had kirtan and katha at the exact place where Locan das Thakur wrote Caitanya Mangala. We also visited numerous temples where we had darsan of historic deities connected to the lila’s of Lord Caitanya. The highlight of the day was an exuberant kirtan we held through the entire village. The local people were in bliss seeing us. Here in the holy dhama of Mayapura we are trying our best to follow in the footsteps of Srila Bhaktivinode Thakur, who wrote:

“In the company of intimate and beloved devotees, I will go to all the places that Mahaprabhu joyfully visited.”

(Suddha-Bhakata, verse 3)]

Seth Rogen gets an ‘Elevation to Krsna Consciousness’ book. By A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada (Album of photos)
Drumila Dasa: As I often do when I see people approaching me, I give them nicknames right away. To get the attention of the three people that were walking towards me (two of which were women), I said, “You two ladies and Seth Rogen come over here.” I said that because I thought he looked like Seth Rogen. Knowing that I was joking, all three came over. Right away, after hearing his voice, and his signature laughter, I realized it actually WAS Seth Rogen! (The very famous actor, and comedian extraordinaire) I told him that I did my routine for the likes of Emma Stone, Russell Brand, and numerous others, and would he please hear me out. He agreed, and we all had a lot of fun. Afterwards, I presented books to each of the three, and asked them which title they preferred, 'Easy Journey to other Planets’, Perfection of Yoga’, or Elevation to Krsna Consciousness.’ Seth immediately said something to this effect, “Oh…I’ll take 'Elevation to Krsna Consciousness.’ It’s got to be Krishna, right?” I said, “Absolutely! Good choice!”
Find them here: https://goo.gl/UnfhWv

Krishna Chandra dasa who leads the outreach preaching at Kuala Lumpur handing books and prasadam at Kinrara Garden

Hare Krishna. ISKCON is a preaching movement. Srila Prabhupada wanted the respiritualization of the entire human society. In the preface for Canto 1 of the Srimad Bhagavatam Srila Prabhupada wrote “Human society, at the present moment, is not in the darkness of oblivion. It has made rapid progress in the fields of material comforts, education and economic development throughout the entire world. But there is a pinprick somewhere in the social body at large, and therefore there are large-scale quarrels, even over less important issues. There is need of a clue as to how humanity can become one in peace, friendship and prosperity with a common cause. Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam will fill this need, for it is a cultural presentation for the respiritualization of the entire human society.” It is indeed a big order. But it can certainly be done in small and big installments by the combined preaching efforts of all preachers.

Weekly distribution of pure vegetarian prasadam meals at Jalan Bandar Kuala Lumpur

We have many ISKCON preaching centres in Malaysia and they also are temples. But it is not that many will walk into our temples especially that we are mostly operating in the nontraditional temple design structures. And even if we do as in the case of the magnificent one of its kind temple, the Sri Sri Radha Krishna temple in Seberang Jaya, it is not that thousands or even hundreds throng in daily. To get thousands to come and get the mercy of Their Lordships Sri Sri Radha Krishna Kanhaiya, participate in Kirtana, to associate with devotees, to hear the holy scriptures and to take prasadam it requires lots of creative and innovative thinking. Our festivals have to be well organized to attract the crowd. All these are done for the purpose of the spiritual upliftment of all who attend.

 since the 80's Harinam, Book Distribution, Prasadam distribution at every town and village

We do however see that what actually brings in new people to our centers are our outreach preaching activities. Tagged with that is the care and concern for those whom we reach out to. Such outreach preaching programs are knocking on doors, harinam chanting in public, public festivals, sastra dana anna dana at schools and colleges, free meals distribution, counselling and surely organizing innovative gatherings. All these are avenues for us to reach out the masses. The ISKCON Malaysia co-governing body commissioner and minister for Congregational Preaching Srila Jayapataka Swami Maharaja invested lots of time, energy, thoughts and held many national and regional seminars for all preachers so that oureach programs followed with devotee care through the Bhakti Vrksa Cell groups be carried out at all ISKCON centres. His Holiness even prays for the welfare of all preachers and devotees so that they all be well situated in Krishna consciousness and be sheltered by Guru and Krishna. Our sincere thanks to Srila Jayapataka Swami Maharaja for his continuous guidance and instructions for the ISKCON Malaysia Yatra.

 HH Jayapataka Swami Maharaja & HH Bhakti Vrajendranandana Swami Maharaja inaugurating Padayatra 1991 at Penang

I think this year has indeed started so well for ISKCON Malaysia. There are many activities which are being performed on schedule such as weekly free prasadam distribution at the Kuala Lumpur city centre, Taman Sentosa, Klang, Penang, Ipoh, etc we also have weekly book distribution parties, weekly Gita Upadesham knocking on doors in villages and towns, schools and college preaching, etc. In the big outreach programs, we served thousands of pilgrims by talking to them, selling our literatures, offering free prasadam meals and similar other programs.

At the recent opening of the Taman Impian Emas Maha Mariamman Temple at Johore we distributed a total of 5000 prasadam meal plates.

At the Thaipusam festival, around the country we distributed a total of about 40,000 free prasadam meal plates and thousands of Bhagavad-gita and other literatures. We got in contact with many thousands of pilgrims, had nice experiences hearing them, sharing  the teachings of Lord Sri Krishna and our personal realizations. It is at these festivals that we actually get lots of opportunities to rekindle bhakti in the hearts of many. As a result of hearing from the devotees many of them do turn up at our centers for the weekly programs, become closer friends and also take up to Krishna consciousness. As Srila Prabhupada mentioned preaching is the essence and this is what keeps devotees alive and which actually attracts the mercy of Sri Guru and Lord Krishna.

ISKCON Malaysia is very thankful to the leaders in the ISKCON centres around the country and devotees who though have their personal commitments to family, work, society at large, etc but who still allocate their time to carry out the order of their spiritual masters and Lord Krishna to serve the organization as whole. This is indeed a BIG SACRIFICE!!! Appended is very nice excerpt from a Srimad Bhagavatam lecture by Srila Prabhupada given in New Vrindavan on May 24, 1969.

Therefore, Kṛṣṇa says, "These field workers who are engaged in preaching this Bhagavad-gītā as it is, they are very, very dear to Me. Very, very dear to Me." Na ca tasmān manuṣyeṣu kaścin me priya-kṛttamaḥ (BG 18.69). "There is nobody dearer to Me than that person who preaches this confidential truth to the people."

200 Muslim students and a group of 20 Christians visit the Radha Kalachandji Iskcon Temple in Dallas, USA, and participate in the kirtan



The post Daily Darshan: February 10,2018 appeared first on Mayapur.com.

Iskcon New Govardhana: Harinama at Byron Bay - 04 February 2018 (Album of photos)
Srila Prabhupada: The Hare Krishna chant is ...

The aim of this paper is to present how the “No Objection” procedure, the mechanism the GBC has established to encourage devotees to serve as diksa-gurus in ISKCON, is not contrary to Gaudiya Vaisnava siddhanta. We will examine how the system came to be and why it remains in place as the best option available for now for the GBC to ensure as best it can, that ISKCON has qualified diksa-gurus available to its aspiring bhaktas. It will also look at how the procedure best helps the GBC manage a multi-guru system within one organization. That dynamic of a governing board managing an institution, which includes within it multiple gurus, is, of course, a relatively new concept in Gaudiya Vaisnava history. However, regardless of the structure, Srila Prabhupada certainly expected those serving as diksa-gurus to be qualified. The question then arises: should ISKCON’s ultimate managing authority, the GBC body, be responsible along with the prospective disciples to ensure that those serving as diksa-gurus meet set qualifications? However we manage the procedure that allows diksa-gurus to initiate in ISKCON, ISKCON’s performance in this area puts Srila Prabhupada's glorious reputation very much at stake. Continue reading "History and Rationale of the “No Objection” Procedure
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When you give to Krishna, because we are parts and parcels of Krishna, then we also become enriched simultaneously. This is a principle that Prahlad Maharaj mentions in the ninth chapter of the Bhagavatam. He gives the example that when you decorate your face and you look in the mirror, the reflection is also decorated. How about that? In a similar way he said that when we give to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, we, ourselves, become decorated. This is a great revelation to have. The big mistake in the material world is to think that I'm out for myself and that I can somehow or another get ahead independently. If one discovers the principle that I am actually an eternal giver, that is what I am meant to do, I am meant to give. By giving I grow and by giving I become happy. Then of course we might not find the right person to take who can actually satisfy us when we do give. People are all the time complaining about unrequited love, aren't they? Continue reading "From Sri Mayapur Chandrodaya Mandir, Srimad Bhagavatam class, February 3, 2018
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I grew up thinking that I had to be the best—in the classroom, in extramural activities, and in everything else—to be successful in life. Although I excelled in most of what l did and was at the top of my class, the unimaginable day came when a new boy joined my class, and I became second best. This was my first lesson in recognising that no matter how materially accomplished I may become, there will always be someone better, someone ahead, someone wiser and stronger, someone more competent and expert, and someone more spiritually evolved. As my abilities, talents, and even spiritual pursuits began to pale against others, it dawned on me what “best”actually means. It all started when I realised that life didn't go according to my plans, that fate could snatch away my dreams, and that I couldn't control situations and circumstances. Sometimes I lost confidence and strength and wallowed in selfpity. Was this the best way to respond according to Krishna’s advice in the Bhagavad-gita? Continue reading "The Test for Best
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Wonderful Dharan, Nepal Mandir 2018 (Album of photos)
Beautiful Sri Sri Madhava Chandra, Gaura Nitai and Jagannath, Baladev, S...

The Sacred Village of Srikhanda (Album of photos)
Indradyumna Swami: The village of Srikhanda, a 3-hour scenic drive from Sridham Mayapura, is mentioned many times in Caitanya Caritamrta. Yesterday we spent 5 …hours exploring the village where a number of Lord Caitanya’s personal associates resided 500 years ago. We had kirtan and katha at the exact place where Locan das Thakur wrote Caitanya Mangala. We also visited numerous temples where we had darshan of historic deities connected to the lilas of Lord Caitanya. The highlight of the day was an exuberant kirtan we held through the entire village. The local people were in bliss seeing us. Here in the holy dhama of Mayapura, we are trying our best to follow in the footsteps of Srila Bhaktivinode Thakur, who wrote:
“In the company of intimate and beloved devotees, I will go to all the places that Mahaprabhu joyfully visited.”
(Suddha-Bhakata, verse 3)]
Find them here: https://goo.gl/Q7YAiP

Hare Krishna. Joined devotees at ISKCON MAYAPUR BARU, Teluk Intan for the Sunday evening program yesterday. 
This is one of the towns where Srila Prabhupada laid his lotus feet in 1971 when he made a 5 days flash tour of the country. Teluk Intan was his first stop after Kuala Lumpur and then to Ipoh and Penang, in all these places ISKCON MALAYSIA has established preaching centres and a big temple in Penang inaugurated in 2015 dedicated to the instruction Srila Prabhupada left behind while he was in Malaysia.

The Presiding Deities at ISKCON MAYAPUR BARU are Sri Sri Dayal Nitai Gaura Hari. 
Srila Prabhupada was also loved so much in Teluk Intan that the local Swami Siva Jyoti at that time wanted Srila Prabhupada to remain in Teluk Intan for the night and he purposefully delayed the taxi arrangements. Srila Prabhupada somehow came to know about this and he made some arrangements and reached the next town Ipoh though very late but with a packed crowd at the Ipoh St Johns Hall. 
Jai Srila Prabhupada!

*Hare Krishna. Today is Ekadasi and devotees fast till noon in respect of Lord Varaha’s appearance which falls tomorrow.*

I am at with the devotees of ISKCON JOHORE now. Today is a big day for the people of Skudai especially the devotees of Mother Durga Devi. For the ISKCON Johore Bahru devotees the very big days of selfless service started yesterday at 6pm and carried on till 1noon today. *All three ISKCON CENTRES in Johore Bahru joined hands and headed by Navadvipa Mataji from Penang cooked the sumptuous lunch meal for more than 6000 pilgrims visiting the Skudai new light purple painted Sri Maha Mariamman temple on the occasion of the grand opening of the temple and Kumbha Abhisekam. *

Man Made Halva as offering to Lord Krishna

....and of course supervised by a Mataji

In the Brahma Samhita Lord Brahmā looking up to the higher position of Goloka is speaking of the other realms from the point of view of his own realm. These two stanzas of his song mentions the importance of Durga Devinand how she serves Lord Govinda.

Bs 5.43
_goloka-nāmni nija-dhāmni tale ca tasya_
_devi maheśa-hari-dhāmasu teṣu teṣu_
_te te prabhāva-nicayā vihitāś ca yena_
_govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajāmi_

*Translation:*
*Lowest of all is located Devī-dhāma [mundane world], next above it is Maheśa-dhāma [abode of Maheśa]; above Maheśa-dhāma is placed Hari-dhāma [abode of Hari] and above them all is located Kṛṣṇa's own realm named Goloka. I adore the primeval Lord Govinda, who has allotted their respective authorities to the rulers of those graded realms.*

_Bs 5.44_
_sṛṣṭi-sthiti-pralaya-sādhana-śaktir ekā_
_chāyeva yasya bhuvanāni bibharti durgā_
_icchānurūpam api yasya ca ceṣṭate sā_
_govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajāmi_

*Translation: *
*The external potency Māyā who is of the nature of the shadow of the cit potency, is worshiped by all people as Durgā, the creating, preserving and destroying agency of this mundane world. I adore the primeval Lord Govinda in accordance with whose will Durgā conducts herself.*

Some light moments with Sivacharya Muthukumara Swami Gurukal chatting about the importance for Hindus and all to engage in Cow Protection and Care. Swami was very happy that ISKCON Malaysia was having a Cow Care Farm and carrying out Cow Protection activities and promoting actively.

More than 60 devotees and volunteers started at 6pm yesterday preparing, cutting vegetables and cooking till 6am this morning and, served pilgrims from 11am till 1pm today . Nama Sankirtan Prabhu & his wife Sarva Jaya Mataji sponsored the prasadam expenses and also coordinated the whole operations while the ISKCON Skudai and Senai temple devotees distributed books.

It was a very good day serving pilgrims prasadam, offering them Srila Prabhupada’s *”treasure house of knowledge”* books and introducing them to devotional service. Very soon devotees will also conduct Bhagavad Gita lessons at the Maha Mariamman temple especially targeting children.

I also had the pleasure of meeting Muthu Kumara Swami Gurukal and had some light moments while discussing a lot about the importance for Hindus to lead the way for cow protection and Dharma father bull protection. Swami was very happy to hear that we had already started cow protection program and a humble way and are spreading the message in Malaysia.

We finally seek the blessings of Mother Durga to bless devotees in their Bhakti Seva as how she is so committed in serving Lord Govinda.

**Jai Srila Prabhupada! Jai Sri Govinda! and all glories to our wonderful Vaisnavas.*

Hare Krishna.

Your servant,
Simheswara Dasa

Bhagavad-gita verse-by-verse podcast

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Answer Podcast

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Srimad Bhagavatam class in Mayapur, Speaker: HG Gauranga Das, 06-02-2018 (video)

“Becoming a Slave of Krishna” (5 min video)
The aspiration of the pure devotee is to be a slave of Krishna and the aspiration of the materialist is to be master. As conditioned souls trying to be Krishna conscious we fall somewhere in the middle. Surrender is the sweetest position but due to conditioning in thinking, we may fear it see it as unpleasant or even be afraid of it.

The post Daily Darshan: February 09,2018 appeared first on Mayapur.com.

Distributing Srila Prabhupada’s books is fun and easy! (video)
A documentary about book distribution with English subtitles.

Sravana Utsava begins today- 4 days of FESTIVAL OF HEARING. With 8 hours continous pour of Krishna Katha for the next five days, Sravan Utsava shifts the consciousness totally to dwell in one of most important limbs of bhakti-Sravanam. During Sravan Utsava, lunch and dinner prasada are served FREE for all the attendees. Sponsorship for […]

The post Sravan Utsava begins! appeared first on Mayapur.com.

Harinama in Moscow, Russia (Album with photos)
Srila Prabhupada: The Hare Krishna chant is called the maha-mantra, the great, e...

“We are making a very gorgeous plan at Mayapur, and if you all together can give shape to this plan, it will be unique if not in the whole world then at least in all of India…. The aim is to make it an international institute for taking perfect spiritual order of life. We shall give titles like Bachelor of Divinity, Master of Divinity, Doctor of Divinity…. Our mission is solid. Our philosophy is not utopian. Our men are being trained for exemplary character. So we shall have a unique position all over the world, provided we stick to the principles, namely unflinching faith in the spiritual master and Krsna, chanting not less than sixteen rounds regularly, and following the regulative principles. Then our men will conquer all over the world.’

and does smartavyam verse equate to smaranam?

• It is not esssential that the place of writing corresponds to the topic one writes about
• A writer may look for inspiration from a place
• Consciousness, not physical location is the determinent factor in writing
• Prabhupāda wrote his books all over the world
• A place may seem different based on what it reminds us of: Raghunātha Dāsa sees Rādha-kuṇḍa as the jaws of a tiger since Rūpa’s disappearance
• Remembrance of Kṛṣṇa is both a process and a goal

(Kadamba Kanana Swami, 19 September 2017, Petite Riviere, Mauritius, Lecture)

Some people say, “After 36 years that I have been chanting, I can see no result!”

Do not worry, one day we will all realise that making spiritual advancement is not easy. It takes time. It is a slow process. We make spiritual advancement but we do not see it. One may have no taste for chanting but if one day, it is forbidden to chant; we still cannot stop it. It is not possible. That is how it is. It is deeper that we think it is. At the end of life, all that counts is spiritual advancement. All material things become insignificant.

In South Africa, Syamalal Prabhu, a Prabhupada disciple left his body as he was suffering from a brain tumour. He forgot everything except Srila Prabhupada and the sannyasis. He remembered that he was born in Navadwip and followed all the traditions of Navadwip. He used to say that Srila Prabhupada wants sweets and told the same stories again and again. That was an incredible blessing that took from him away from all undesirable things. He was just left with Srila Prabhupada. That is wonderful. That is the essence of our being. And it does not stop there. The Maha Mantra enters the heart and awakes our sleeping consciousness. Chanting is very powerful!

Radha Kunda Seva: January 2018 Photos and Updates (Album of photos)
Cleaning alongside Govardhan is going strong! Day after day, our crew sets out to sweep up trash from the foot of Govardhan Hill up to the parikrama path. It’s a large swath of land and the initial cleanup involved truckloads. Our workers remain enthusiastic to do the cleaning, and the Forestry Officers have been supportive of our efforts. We are very hopeful that we will be able to expand this cleaning service to the entire periphery of Govardhan! Meanwhile, we’ve already expanded the cleaning in Radha Kunda to cover the entire parikrama path around Radha Kunda and Shyama Kunda. And we have received permission to begin cleaning the area behind Lalita Kunda too. We had a special visit this month from K.D. McComb and Balarama Joshi on Makara Sankranti day. They distributed warm winter shawls which had been sponsored by the Kulimela Association to all the widows we care for in Radha Kunda. The shawls were well-received, as were the sweets Balarama distributed to our ladies. As usual, the cleaning, gardening, and prasadam distribution continue. Please browse our latest photos and join our efforts by visiting www.radharani.com. We are dependent on your help. Your servants, Campakalata Devi dasi, Padma Gopi Devi dasi, Sri Arjuna dasa, Urmila Devi Dasi, and Mayapurcandra dasa.
Find them here: https://goo.gl/cbj6BP

“The great delusion of modernity is that the laws of nature explain the universe for us. The laws of nature describe the universe, they describe the regularities. But they explain nothing.” That’s why the truth-claim that evolution is a grand non-theistic alternative for explaining everything goes beyond the range of valid science. It becomes scientism, the ideological imperialism of science extended into all domains of knowledge. Allowing such scientism to be taught in schools is a disservice to science because it gives a misleading picture of reality. People who use science to search for the deepest answers, for answers to question about the meaning and purpose of life, will find science falling short of their expectations. This is no fault of science, for no field of knowledge can be expected to answer questions outside that field. But when education sets up the expectation that science has the answer to all questions, the ensuing frustration only alienates people from science. Continue reading "Teaching evolution in schools: what science explains and what explains science
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On the occasion of ‘Narottama Purnima’, the birth anniversary of Prema Bhakti Mahajan Srila Narottama Das Thakur Mahasaya with fully auspicious festivity in Kheturi Dham, Godagari, Rajshahi, Bangladesh. Sri Krishna Caitanya Mahaprabu left behind Krishna Prema through Padmavati, the river Padma flowing by the side of Prematali, the most auspicious holy place for the vaishnavas. At the age of twelve Narottama dasa Thakura had a vision of Lord Nityananda in a dream. He told Narottama to take bath in the Padma River whereupon he would receive love of Godhead. Following the instructions of Lord Nityananda, Narottama bathed in the Padma regardless, and the Goddess of the river appeared and on the order of Lord Chaitanya, gave him pure love of Godhead. The color of His body changed into Gaura (Yellowish) from blackish. Continue reading "ISKCON Bangladesh arranged ‘Narottama Purnima’ festival for the first time in Kheturi Dham
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A “homework question” from the online Bhakti Rasāmṛta Sindhu course I’m hosting.:

Can Vṛndāvana be attained without Rāgānuga? Why or why not?

Here is the reply of one student, with my responses:

This is a tricky and controversial question. I have heard arguments from both sides and I personally cannot make up my mind on this, so I request you to enlighten me.

I am not sure why you think this is controversial. Śrī Rūpa directly says:

riraMsAM suSThu kurvan yo vidhi-mArgeNa sevate |
kevalenaiva sa tadA mahiSItvam iyAt pure || BRS 1.2.303 ||

“One who desires a romantic relationship but follows Vidhi-mārga attains their ultimate perfection in the city.” (Dvārakā)

This statement of his also unequivocally shows that Vaidhi leads to its own perfection, and which is not the same as the perfection Rāgānugā leads to:

vaidha-bhakty adhikārī tu bhāvāvirbhavanāvadhi |
atra śātraṁ tathā tarkam anukūlam apekṣate || BRS 1.2.293 ||

“But, if one’s affection [for Krishna] remains dependent on logic and injunctions, vaidhi bhakti has the ability to take one all the way to bhāva.”

Śrī Viśvanātha very clearly says the same thing many times, in his explanations of Śrī Rūpa like Mādhurya Kādambiṇī.

Krishna can do anything he desires. I read somewhere in CC that Shri Chaitanya embraced some son of Mahraja Prataprudra who wasn’t a devotee and he instantly became a Radha Krishna prema bhakta. Amogha the son-in-law of Shri Sarvabhauma Bhattacharya, who didn’t do any sadhana but rather offended Shri Gaurasundara obtained prema bhakti.

Krishna can take anyone to Vrindavana if he wants to.

“Krishna can do anything he desires” …sure. Krishna can make water flow uphill, I guess, but should we therefore refrain from saying, “water always flows downhill”?

It’s not really true that “God can do anything.” He can’t do anything. For example, we exist and he can’t change that and make us non-existent. We exist as consciousness and therefore have subjective will. He can’t change that either. You may think this makes him non-omnipotent, but it is his omnipotency to create this situation is the first place. His reality is not populated automatons, but by divine beings with inviolable properties that even he cannot transgress, because he likes it that way. Why does he like it that way? Because (as I said in class today), robots and puppets are less fun than real friends.

So, it is actually not true that Krishna can give prema to someone who doesn’t deserve it, or take someone undeserving into his Vrindavana.

Śrī Viśvanātha very clearly argues this point in the opening section of Mādhurya Kādambiṇī. His argument is like this: If it were true that Krishna could give prema to anyone, then why doesn’t he? Is he a sadist who gets kicks from seeing people suffer? If bhakti truly comes from Krishna’s mercy, he says, then Krishna is horrible for withholding that mercy from so many people! So, he concludes that bhakti does not come from Krishna’s mercy alone, it arises when the individual has the will to accept and nurture Krishna’s mercy.

Śrī Rūpa will explore the concept of Bhāva and Prema obtained by Mercy (like the son of Mahārāja Prataparudra). We will get to it in the next two classes (on Bhāva and Prema). He will explain that it is only apparent mercy, in truth the result of the mercy is made possible by previous practice.

I have heard the argument that simply by preaching, doing book distribution, 16 rounds + 4 regs one could please Shrila Prabhupada who can then request Krishna to bestow Vrindavana prema bhakti.

Well, first of all you can’t GIVE love. Love comes from the lover, not the beloved. A man can’t give a beautiful woman love-for-him. The woman has to give the love to him, from her heart. Not even Krishna can give me something that by definition has to come from me.

So Krishna cannot bestow Vṛndāvana-prema-bhakti to a person who is incapable of holding it. The way you become capable of hosting Vrndavana-prema-bhakti is by practicing it. That practice has a name, Rāgānugā-sādhana. So, assuming that Prabhupāda would request Krishna to bestow Vṛndāvana prema bhakti on someone, the best Krishna could do in reply would be to give the recipient of the blessing ample and excellent opportunity to acquire the qualification to practice Rāgānuga-sādhana.

I respect devotees from whichever institution/path they follow, so I don’t want to say that their practice won’t take them to Vṛndāvana.

I have utmost respect for Satyabhāma and Rukmini. I respect Kubja greatly. I highly respect Rāma and Sīta and Hanumān, Narasiṁha and Praḥlāda, Viṣṇu and Lakṣmī, Śiva and Pārvatī, Varuṇa and Āpas, Indra and Śaci, and Kāma and Rati. Heck, I respect my Dad and Mom too, and my neighbors, and so on.

My point is that someone doesn’t need to be a Vraja-bāsī or a future Vraja-bāsī to have my respect.

These devotees have sacrificed a lot of their time and energy to building/maintaining temples and giving others the opportunity to come in contact with Krishna bhakti. They also helped me at some point and therefore I really hope that Krishna somehow does take them to Vrindavana, if they so desire.

“If they so desire” is the key phrase here. If they don’t “so desire” Krishna won’t be able to reward their service with something they don’t desire and aren’t practiced to fathom.

But there is no need for anyone to go to Vṛndāvana. It’s not like Dvārakā is a boring place, or Vaikuṇṭha is a drag! It’s not like Brahmānanda isn’t better than anything anyone could imagine! Let each person get what they desire and what they strive for – that is a more realistic and beneficial blessing than expecting everyone to get the same result.

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