By Narasimha das

People here on the Big Island of Hawaii are very much afraid of trees called albizia, which is an aggressive invasive species from the Amazon. Some people think they harbor ghosts. These trees grow very fast and choke out native trees and vegetation.  These trees look nice but are dangerous because they are self-pruning.  No one who knows about these trees will build near them or even park their cars in their shade. Our land here backs up to a segment of the Nanawale Forest Reserve, which is overrun with these trees. Every few days we hear a loud crackling sound like rapid gunfire followed by a loud series of crashes, as one of these trees drops another bus-sized branch, crushing everything underneath. Continue reading →

By Narasimha das

Today I was reading in Bhagavad-gita Chapter Eight about accidental liberation. In verses 23 through 27, Lord Krishna is telling Arjuna about the auspicious and inauspicious times for leaving one’s body. A perfect yogi who is aware of the auspicious times can leave his body at will, at an opportune moment. In this way his liberation is assured. Those who are not perfect may also achieve liberation if by accident they die at an auspicious moment.

“Those who know the Supreme Brahman attain the Supreme by passing away from this world during the influence of the fiery god, in the light, at an auspicious moment of the day, during the fortnight of the waxing moon, or during the six months when the sun travels in the North.” (Bg. 8.24)

Srila Prabhupada mentions in his purport to this verse that if by accident, an imperfect devotee or yogi dies at an auspicious moment, he also attains liberation from the cycle of birth and death by attaining the Supreme Brahman. “Mystics who are advanced in yoga practice can arrange the time and place to leave the body. Others have no control—if by accident they leave at an auspicious moment, then they will not have to return to the cycle of birth and death, but otherwise there is every possibility they will have to return.” (Bg. 8.24, Purport) Continue reading →

Are They the Same?

By Narasimha das

The great devotee Srila Pandit Purandar is mentioned in Sri Caitanya-caritamrita. He is an important devotee of Lord Nityananda. In another place in Caitanya-caritamrita, Acarya Purandara is mentioned as the ninth branch of the tree of Lord Caitanya’s disciplic succession of liberated acaryas. These two Purandar’s are likely not the same person. It may well be, however, that Pandit Purandar is the same as Sri Purandar Das of Kishkindhya fame.

Sri Caitanya-caritamrta (Adi Lila, Chapter Eleven, Verse 28) mentions Pandit Purandar as an important devotee of Lord Nityananda.

“The thirteenth important devotee of Sri Nityananda Prabhu was Pandita Purandara, who moved in the ocean of love of Godhead just like the Mandara Hill.”

In his purport to this verse, Srila Prabhupada comments:

“Pandita Purandara met Sri Nityananda Prabhu at Khadadaha. Continue reading →

By Narasimha das

Many great Vaisnavas have taken birth in low families or had checkered pasts, but at some point in their lives they exhibited the qualities of true Vaisnavas. According to Lord Shiva, worship of a Vaisnava is better than worship of the Supreme Lord Himself. On the other hand, deliberate offenses to a Vaisnava can be more disastrous than offenses to Lord Krishna Himself. It can totally ruin the offender in this life and the next.

As described in Srimad-Bhagavatam, high-born brahmins, demigods like Lord Indra and Chitraketu and even great sages like Druvasa Muni and Vishvamitra Rishi have committed offenses to Vaisnavas—usually due to their culturing feelings of superiority. Such exalted persons are easily and quickly rectified by Krishna’s grace. Others, however, such as Prajapati Daksa, have condemned Vaisnavas due to malicious envy only. Such persons, particularly those without much devotional merit, are not easily saved from destruction. Daksa, for instance, had to die and get the head of a goat. Continue reading →