Sri Gopala Bhatta Tirobhava tithi [disappearance day] Wednesday, July 28, 2021 [Mayapura, West Bengal, Bharata bhumi]
Srila Gopala Bhatta Goswami 1503-1578
Srila Gopala Bhatta Goswami 1503-1578
Srila Prabhupada – “I say straightly that those who comment on Bhagavad-gītā according to their own whims, they’re all rascals.”
Srila Prabhupada – “I say straightly that those who comment
on Bhagavad-gītā according to their own whims, they’re all rascals.”Lecture BG 07.03 – Montreal – June 3, 1968
What is this Kṛṣṇa consciousness? This Kṛṣṇa consciousness is nothing, is simply a drop in the ocean of these great literatures. Just like there is vast Atlantic Ocean in front of your country, and if you take one drop of Atlantic Ocean water and taste it, then you can understand at least what is the taste of this Atlantic Ocean. That is a fact. If you are intelligent enough, by tasting one drop of water of the Atlantic Ocean you can understand that the taste of the Atlantic Ocean is salty.
Nectar of Instruction 1986 edition changes: BBT has deleted Sanskrit verses, color plates, references, index, Sanskrit pronunciation guide and glossary from Srila Prabhupada’s Nectar of Instruction
Nectar of Instruction 1986 edition changes:
BBT has deleted Sanskrit verses, color plates, references, index,Sanskrit pronunciation guide and glossary from Srila Prabhupada’s Nectar of Instruction
Sri Vakresvara Pandita Tirobhava Tithi (Disappearance day)
Friday, July 16, 2021, Disappearance day of Sri Vakresvara Pandita
Srila Prabhupada explains the Glories to Sri Vakresvara Pandita, compiled by Yasoda nandana dasa
śrīvāsa, haridāsa, rāmadāsa, gadādharamurāri, mukunda, candraśekhara, vakreśvarae-saba paṇḍita-loka parama-mahattvacaitanyera dāsye sabāya karaye unmattaSYNONYMSśrīvāsa—Śrīvāsa Ṭhākura; haridāsa—Haridāsa Ṭhākura; rāmadāsa—Rāmadāsa; gadādhara—Gadādhara; murāri—Murāri; mukunda—Mukunda; candraśekhara—Candraśekhara; vakreśvara—Vakreśvara; e-saba—all of them; paṇḍita-loka—very learned scholars; parama-mahattva—very much glorified; caitanyera—of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu; dāsye—the servitude; sabāya—all of them; karayeunmatta—makes mad.
TRANSLATIONŚrīvāsa, Haridāsa, Rāmadāsa, Gadādhara, Murāri, Mukunda, Candraśekhara and Vakreśvara are all glorious and are all learned scholars, but the sentiment of servitude to Lord Caitanya makes them mad in ecstasy.Sri Caitanya-caritamrta – 1975 Edition : Cc. Adi-lila : Adi 6: The Glories of Sri Advaita Acarya : Adi 6.49-50
vakreśvara paṇḍita--prabhura baḍa priya bhṛtyaeka-bhāve cabbiśa prahara yāṅra nṛtya
SYNONYMS
vakreśvara paṇḍita—of the name Vakreśvara Paṇḍita; prabhura—of the Lord; baḍa—very; priya—dear; bhṛtya—servant; eka-bhāve—continuously in the same ecstasy; cabbiśa—twenty-four; prahara—a duration of time comprising three hours; yāṅra—whose; nṛtya—dancing.
TRANSLATION
Vakreśvara Paṇḍita, the fifth branch of the tree, was a very dear servant of Lord Caitanya’s. He could dance with constant ecstasy for seventy-two hours.
PURPORT
Srila Prabhupada answers – “Is Hatha-Yoga same as Bhakti Yoga?”
Srila Prabhupada answers – “Is Hatha-Yoga same as Bhakti Yoga?”
All glories to His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
Five thousand years ago, a person like Arjuna declined, “Oh, it is not possible for me.” And so many rascals they are trying that yoga system. That is not possible.
Lecture on BG 4.1 — Montreal, August 24, 1968
Prabhupāda: Karma means sense gratification and bhakti-yoga means Kṛṣṇa’s satisfaction.
Devotee: Well, karma-yoga…
Prabhupāda: Karma-yoga means just to dovetail your karma with yoga principles to arrive to the bhakti-yoga.
Devotee: To eventually arrive.
Prabhupāda: Yes. That is karma. That is not bhakti-yoga. But the aim is to arrive at the bhakti-yoga. Is it clear? That’s all. Just try to understand in this way. It is very good.
Devotee (2): Is it the same thing with haṭha-yoga?
Prabhupāda: No, haṭha-yoga is not bhakti-yoga.
Devotee (2): No, but…
Prabhupāda: Haṭha-yoga is a process for making the mind under control if it is properly performed. But generally it is in the name “haṭha-yoga.” I have… Several times… In the Bhagavad-gītā it is stated, haṭha-yoga, how it is to be performed, that you have to perform in a sacred place, alone in a secluded place, sitting like this, seeing like this, eating like this. Who is following those regulations? Nobody is following. So they are, simply it is going on under the name of “yoga,” but actually, nobody is following the principles. That is difficult. That is not possible in this age. Now suppose if you have to perform haṭha-yoga in a secluded place, in a sanctified place and alone. Who is fulfilling these three conditions? Ekākī yata-cittātmā. Ekākī. Ekākī means alone. Śucau deśe. Śucau deśe means very sanctified place. Samaṁ grīvam. This body and the, I mean to say, neck, and the śiraḥ, śiraḥ means this head—they should be in a straight line. And you cannot close your eyes fully. You have to half-close and see the top of your nose. In this way, you sit down always. Never go to sleep. I have seen in my childhood yogi in Calcutta, Kālīghāṭa. He was twenty-four hours sitting. When he was feeling uncomfortable, he had a wooden cot,(?) like that. But he was never sleeping. That is yoga practice. Who is going to do that? It is very difficult. Therefore Arjuna said, “Kṛṣṇa, You are recommending this yoga practice, but it is impossible for me to do.” Five thousand years ago, a person like Arjuna declined, “Oh, it is not possible for me.” And so many rascals they are trying that yoga system. That is not possible. Yes.
Guest (Indian man): …whether my karma or my life is for satisfying senses, how it is going to help for Kṛṣṇa. To connect Kṛṣṇa through devotion. Then you can know…
Prabhupāda: Yes, first of all you have to connect yourself with Kṛṣṇa, then you act according to the direction of Kṛṣṇa.
Guest: And if I surrender to the devotees…?
Prabhupāda: Certainly. Yes.
Srila Prabhupada speaks against Bhagavad Gita changes – “We are therefore presenting Bhagavad-gītā as it is. We do not change. Why should you change? What right you have got to change?”
Srila Prabhupada speaks out against Bhagavad Gita changes –
“We are therefore presenting Bhagavad-gītā as it is. We do not change.
Why should you change? What right you have got to change?”
“So if you read Bhagavad-gītā as it is, that is mad-āśrayaḥ. But if you interpret Bhagavad-gītā according to your rascal imagination, that is not Bhagavad-gītā. Therefore it is called mad-āśrayaḥ, “Under My protection, as I am tea . . .” We are therefore presenting Bhagavad-gītā as it is. We do not change. Why should you change? What right you have got to change? If Bhagavad-gītā is a book of authority, and if I make my own interpretation, then where is the authority? Can you change the law book according to your interpretation? Then what is the meaning of that law book? That is not law book. You cannot change. Similarly, if you accept Bhagavad-gītā as the book of authority, you cannot change the meaning. That is not allowed. What right? If you have got some opinion, if you have got some philosophy, you can write in your own book. Why you are, I mean to say, killing others and yourself by interpreting Bhagavad-gītā? You give your own thesis in a different way. But these people, they take advantage of the popularity of Bhagavad-gītā and interpret in a different way according to their own whims. Therefore people do not understand what is Kṛṣṇa. That is the difficulty. And the purpose of Bhagavad-gītā is to understand Kṛṣṇa. And all the so-called scholars’ and politicians’ commentary is to banish Kṛṣṇa or to kill Kṛṣṇa—the Kaṁsa’s policy. The Kaṁsa was always thinking of Kṛṣṇa, how to kill Him. This is called demonic endeavor. So that will not help you.”[27th April 1974,Lecture BG 07.01 – Hyderabad]
Discussion on the Vani incarnation of our spiritual master A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada by Disciple Visvakarma Dasa.
There are two manifestations of our spiritual master one is vapu and the other Vani.
Vapu means personal association and Vani means through his words and instructions.
Continue readingAnāvṛttiḥ śabdāt means “liberation by sound.”
SB 3.25.44 purport…One whoactually wantsto be liberatedfrom the entanglement of this material world and go back home, back to Godhead,is actually a mystic yogī.….If there is a lack of knowledge and renunciation, it is to be understood that one is not in full devotional service.The conclusion is thatone cannot be sure of entranceinto the spiritual realm—in either the impersonal brahmajyoti effulgence of the Lord or the Vaikuṇṭha planets within that Brahman effulgence—unless he is surrendered unto the lotus feet of the Supreme Lord.The surrendered souls are called akuto-bhaya. They are doubtless and fearless, and their entrance into the spiritual kingdomis guaranteed.
SB 3.26.21 purport...In order to get release from the false ego, one has to worship Saṅkarṣaṇa.Saṅkarṣaṇa is also worshiped through Lord Śiva;the snakes which cover the body of Lord Śiva are representations of Saṅkarṣaṇa,and Lord Śiva is always absorbed in meditation upon Saṅkarṣaṇa.One who is actually a worshiper of Lord Śiva as a devotee of Saṅkarṣaṇa can be released from false, material ego.
SB 3.26.32–Whenegoism in ignorance is agitatedby the sex energy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead,the subtle element sound is manifested, and from sound come the ethereal sky and the sense of hearing.
PURPORT-It appears from this verse that all the objects of our sense gratification are the products of egoism in ignorance. It is understood from this verse that by agitation of the element of egoism in ignorance, the first thing produced was sound,which is the subtle form of ether. It is stated also in the Vedānta-sūtra thatsound is the origin of all objects of material possession and that by sound one can also dissolve this material existence. Anāvṛttiḥ śabdāt means “liberation by sound.” The entire material manifestation began from sound, and sound can also end material entanglement, if it has a particular potency. The particular sound capable of doing this is the transcendental vibration Hare Kṛṣṇa.Our entanglement in material affairs has begun from material sound. Now we must purify that sound in spiritual understanding. There is sound in the spiritual world also. If we approach that sound, then our spiritual life begins,and the other requirements for spiritual advancement can be supplied.We have to understand very clearlythat sound is the beginning of the creation of all material objects for our sense gratification. Similarly, if sound is purified, our spiritual necessities also are produced from sound.
SP explains how the demoniac financial system works and our solution to that
July 25 1973 London
Prabhupāda: …[not]satisfied to remain in the village. That is the defect of the modern civilization.
Mother: In India, you mean. You’re talking of India now.
Prabhupāda: Everywhere.
Mother: Everywhere.
Prabhupāda: Yes. Everywhere.
Mother: What about India? I mean, do they believe, the villagers?
Prabhupāda: India, actually, they do so.
Mother: Yes.
Prabhupāda: The villagers, they have cows and land. That is sufficient for their economic problem. But the industrialists, they are alluring them, “To get more money, come here.” So they are going to the cities. And the food production in the village is neglected. And therefore the food grain price is rising. Actually, everyone should be engaged to produce food, but the modern set-up of civilization is that few people are engaged in producing food, and others are eating. They are offering… They are artificially getting money. So they are offering paper, “Here is ten dollars.” Although it is a paper, cheating. And they are captivated by cheating. They, they are thinking, “I have got now hundred dollars.” What is this hundred dollars? It is paper. So some people are cheating and some people are being cheated. This is the society.
Mother: Yes. But I think one has to be clever enough not to let people cheat you.
Prabhupāda: Clever means that he must stay in his own land. He should not be cheated by the paper and go to the city.
Mother: But we have to teach our young to be able to define between those who cheat and those who…, be able to tell people who…
Prabhupāda: The whole civilization is a plan of cheating others. That’s all. And they’re all sinful. According to our Vedic understanding, there are four things sinful, pillars of sinful life: illicit sex, unnecessary killing of animals, intoxication and gambling.
Mother: But you can lead a very happy life still, eating…
Prabhupāda: No. Our students are trained in that way.
Mother: There are a lot of very good people in the world.
Prabhupāda: Just see. You can see from your son. They can sit down anywhere. They can lie down. There is no artificial living. They are satisfied with nice foodstuff made from vegetable and milk. And chanting Hare Krsna, holy name of God.
Some Conclusions–WOW- this is a very powerful and informative statement by Srila Prabhupada about how even “normal” people, what to speak of devotees, should go about living in this world to make ends meet or in other words feed and shelter his family.
1. (“satisfied to remain in the village. That is the defect of the modern civilization”. The opening statement he explains why people want to remain in the cities-because they are not satisfied with simple living high thinking. They all want more and more and more of what will never satisfy their thirst for sense gratification.
The immediate effects of bad association–SP
Hare Krsna-Below are some quotes about the dangers of seeing the face of an offender or letting a dog see food that is to be offered to the Deity. Or letting karmis touch ones feet . If we do not place great importance on not letting these things happen it means we don’t really understand the subtleties of this Vaisnava philosophy.
Hare Krsna
damaghosa das
SB 7.5.23-24 purport...In the Varāha Purāṇa the following offenses are mentioned: (a) to eat in the house of a rich man, (b) to enter the Deity’s room in the dark, (c) to worship the Deity without following the regulative principles, (d) to enter the temple without vibrating any sound, (e) to collect food that has been seen by a dog,
Adi 17.73–When a student interpreted the glories of the holy name as a prayer of exaggeration, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, greatly unhappy, immediately warned everyone not to see the student’s face henceforward.
PURPORT
When Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu explained the glories of the transcendental potency of the Lord’s holy name, the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra, one unfortunate student said that such glorification of the holy name was an exaggeration in the śāstras to induce people to take to it. In this way the student interpreted the glories of the holy name. This is called artha-vāda, and it is one of the ten offenses at the lotus feet of the holy name of the Lord. There are many kinds of offenses, but the offense known as nāma-aparādha, an offense at the lotus feet of the holy name, is extremely dangerous. The Lord therefore warned everyone not to see the face of the offender. He immediately took a bath in the Ganges with all His clothes to teach everyone to avoid such a nāma-aparādha. The holy name is identical with the Supreme Personality of Godhead. There is no difference between the person God and His holy name. This is the absolute position of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Therefore one who distinguishes between the Lord and His name is called a pāṣaṇḍī, or nonbeliever, an atheistic demon. Glorification of the holy name is glorification of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. One should never attempt to distinguish between the Lord and His name or interpret the glories of the holy name as mere exaggerations.
April 11 1970 Acyutananda
The procedure is quite admitted that you do not accept invitation in the fashionable meetings and you lecture exclusively. That is very nice. You do not allow anyone to touch your feet—this is very good attitude—but if they want to insist on touching your feet and there is no other way to avoid it, you can simply remember your predecessor Acaryas and Spiritual Masters and accept them and return namaskara with folded hands. That is the Vaisnava etiquette.