Hare Krishna Society

Oct 20 1975 Johannesburg conversations

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Today people are making money and trying to enjoy material life…

Prabhupāda: Who is making money? Who is making money?

Harikeśa: The government. It is printing it up.

Prabhupāda: Do you think everyone is making money?

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: So it’s a big illusion? It’s a big illusion?

Prabhupāda: Yes. Everyone simply working hard like asses. That’s all. This is their happiness. Just like the hog, he’s working very hard to eat stool, and he is thinking happy. He is getting fatty. Do you think to work hard day and night and eat stool is happiness?

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: No.

Prabhupāda: But he is thinking; therefore he is getting fat. You generally find the pigs are fatty because they think, “Oh, I am very happy.” Yes. One man gets fatty when he thinks that “I am very happy.” You know that?

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: No.

Prabhupāda: This is psychology. When he thinks, “I am very happy,” he gets fatty.

Harikeśa: But if I think I’m happy, isn’t that enough?

Prabhupāda: They think. That is another thing. But you do not know what is happiness. These rascals, they do not think that what is happiness. Suppose I have arranged for so-called happiness. Then I am going to die also. Who will enjoy this?

Harikeśa: But I’m not worried about it.

Prabhupāda: That is the proof that you are a rascal. “Fools rush in where angels dare not.” That is the proof. The hog is thinking, “I am very happy.” Therefore he is hog. He is not a human being. Hog proves that he is hog by thinking that “I am very happy. I am getting fatty.” [break]

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: …suffer. Kṛṣṇa says, duḥkhālayam aśāśvatam [Bg. 8.15]. That’s a fact. So why is it that people are thinking they are happy?

Prabhupāda: That I have repeatedly said. Therefore, because they are thinking like that, therefore they are rascals. That is the proof. There is no happiness; still, he is thinking, “I am happy.” That is the proof that he’s a rascal. [break]

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Madhya 21.139–“The beauty of Kṛṣṇa’s smile is the sweetest feature of all. His smile is like a full moon that spreads its rays throughout the three worlds-Goloka Vṛndāvana, the spiritual sky of the Vaikuṇṭhas, and Devī-dhāma, the material world. Thus Kṛṣṇa’s shining beauty spreads in all ten directions.

Madhya 21.140--“His slight smiling and fragrant illumination are compared to camphor, which enters the sweetness of the lips. That sweetness is transformed and enters into space as vibrations from the holes of His flute.

Madhya 21.141-“The sound of Kṛṣṇa’s flute spreads in four directions. Even though Kṛṣṇa vibrates His flute within this universe, its sound pierces the universal covering and goes to the spiritual sky. Thus the vibration enters the ears of all inhabitants. It especially enters Goloka Vṛndāvana-dhāma and attracts the minds of the young damsels of Vrajabhūmi, bringing them forcibly to where Kṛṣṇa is present.

Madhya 21.142–“The vibration of Kṛṣṇa’s flute is very aggressive, and it breaks the vows of all chaste women. Indeed, its vibration takes them forcibly from the laps of their husbands. The vibration of His flute attracts even the goddesses of fortune in the Vaikuṇṭha planets, to say nothing of the poor damsels of Vṛndāvana.

Madhya 21.143–“The vibration of His flute slackens the knots of their underwear even in front of their husbands. Thus the gopīs are forced to abandon their household duties and come before Lord Kṛṣṇa. In this way all social etiquette, shame and fear are vanquished. The vibration of His flute causes all women to dance.

Madhya 21.144–“The vibration of His flute is just like a bird that creates a nest within the ears of the gopīs and always remains prominent there, not allowing any other sound to enter their ears. Indeed, the gopīs cannot hear anything else, nor are they able to concentrate on anything else, not even to give a suitable reply. Such are the effects of the vibration of Lord Kṛṣṇa’s flute.”

PURPORT-The vibration of Kṛṣṇa’s flute is always prominent in the ears of the gopīs. Naturally they cannot hear anything else. Constant remembrance of the holy sound of Kṛṣṇa’s flute keeps them enlightened and enlivened, and they do not allow any other sound to enter their ears. Since their attention is fixed on Kṛṣṇa’s flute, they cannot divert their minds to any other subject. In other words, a devotee who has heard the sound of Kṛṣṇa’s flute forgets to talk or hear of any other subject. This vibration of Kṛṣṇa’s flute is represented by the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra. A serious devotee of the Lord who chants and hears this transcendental vibration becomes so accustomed to it that he cannot divert his attention to any subject matter not related to Kṛṣṇa’s blissful characteristics and paraphernalia.

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Oct 4 1975 Mauritius conversations

Harikeśa: Actually, nobody cares about philosophy. Nobody follows philosophy.

Prabhupāda: No. He cares for death. That is the ultimate philosophy, that they have to die. Say, “I don’t care for this order. I’ll not die.” Then your disobedience is all right. But you have to die. You have to become old man. How you can disobey?

Cyavana: So if death is imminent, then I should simply try to enjoy myself as long as I can.

Prabhupāda: Enjoy. What is that enjoyment if you are going to die?

Harikeśa: It’s so incredible how crazy everything is.

Brahmānanda: Well, at least before I die, I can get as much pleasure as I can.

Prabhupāda: Nobody can, if he is actually afraid of death. Suppose if you are given a beautiful woman—”Enjoy, and as soon as you come out I will shoot you.” (laughter) Will you enjoy?

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: That’s a great example. That example would change the world.

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Is it possible that a prominent Gaudiya matha sannyasi would not believe in the Vaikuntha planets? See below

April 30 1977 conversations.

Prabhupāda: There was a Gosāi. He was reading Caitanya-caritāmṛta. So the description of the planetary system there is. He used to say to his audience, “Actually these things are not there. These are imaginary descriptions.” He was such a fool. So the whole world has taken like that, “symbolic, imagination.”

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: And he was lecturing on Caitanya-caritāmṛta. I think you mentioned that one of your Godbrothers once said to you, “You really believe that there is such a place, Kṛṣṇaloka, Vaikuṇṭhaloka?” He was himself…

Prabhupāda: Bon Mahārāja did not believe. No… Nobody ever thought of it.

Here is the description of the spiritual World by Srila Krsna das Kaviraj

Madhya 21.4--“The breadth of each Vaikuṇṭha planet is described as eight miles multiplied by one hundred, by one thousand, by ten thousand, by one hundred thousand, and by ten million. In other words, each Vaikuṇṭha planet is expanded beyond our ability to measure.

Madhya 21.6--“Since all the Vaikuṇṭha planets are located in a certain corner of the spiritual sky, who can measure the spiritual sky?

Madhya 21.7–“The shape of the spiritual sky is compared to a lotus flower. The topmost region of that flower is called the whorl, and within that whorl is Kṛṣṇa’s abode. The petals of the spiritual lotus flower consist of many Vaikuṇṭha planets.

Madhya 21.8–“Each Vaikuṇṭha planet is full of spiritual bliss, complete opulence and space, and each is inhabited by incarnations. If Lord Brahmā and Lord Śiva cannot estimate the length and breadth of the spiritual sky and the Vaikuṇṭha planets, how can ordinary living entities begin to imagine them?

Madhya 21.9–” ‘O supreme great one! O Supreme Personality of Godhead! O Supersoul, master of all mystic power! Your pastimes are taking place continuously in these worlds, but who can estimate where, how and when You are employing Your spiritual energy and performing Your pastimes? No one can understand the mystery of these activities.’

PURPORT-This verse is quoted from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (10.14.21).

Madhya 21.15–” ‘My Lord, You are unlimited. Even the predominating deities of the higher planetary systems, including Lord Brahmā, could not find Your limitations. Nor could You Yourself ascertain the limit of Your qualities. Like atoms in the sky, there are multi-universes with seven coverings, and these are rotating in due course of time. All the experts in Vedic understanding are searching for You by eliminating the material elements. In this way, searching and searching, they come to the conclusion that everything is complete in You. Thus You are the resort of everything. This is the conclusion of all Vedic experts.’

PURPORT-This verse from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (10.87.41) is confirmed in Bhagavad-gītā: After many births and deaths, he who is actually in knowledge surrenders unto Me, knowing Me to be the cause of all causes and all that is. Such a great soul is very rare.” (Bg. 7.19)

After searching for the Absolute Truth throughout the universe, learned scholars and Vedic experts cannot reach the ultimate goal. In this way they come to Kṛṣṇa.

When there is a discussion about the Absolute Truth, there are always various pros and cons. The purpose of such arguments is to come to the right conclusion. Such an argument is generally known as neti neti (“not this, not that”). Until one comes to the right conclusion, the process of thinking, “This is not the Absolute Truth, that is not the Absolute Truth,” will continue. When we come to the right conclusion, we accept the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa, as the ultimate truth.

Madhya 21.16–“Apart from all argument, logic and negative or positive processes, when Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa was present as the Supreme Personality of Godhead at Vṛndāvana, one could not find a limit to His potencies by studying His characteristics and activities.

Madhya 21.17–“At Vṛndāvana, the Lord immediately created all material and spiritual planets in one moment. Indeed, all of them were created with their predominating deities.

Madhya 21.18--“We do not hear of such wonderful things anywhere. Simply by hearing of those incidents, one’s consciousness is agitated and cleansed.

PURPORT-When Lord Kṛṣṇa was present in the earthly Vṛndāvana, Lord Brahmā, taking Him to be an ordinary cowherd boy, wanted to test His potency. Therefore Lord Brahmā stole all the cows, calves and cowherd boys from Kṛṣṇa and hid them by his illusory energy. When Kṛṣṇa saw that Brahmā had stolen His cows, calves and cowherd boys, He immediately created many material and spiritual planets in Lord Brahmā’s presence. Within a moment, cows, cowherd boys, calves and unlimited Vaikuṇṭhas-all expansions of the Lord’s spiritual energy-were manifested. As stated in the Brahma-saṁhitā: ānanda-cinmaya-rasa-pratibhāvitābhiḥ. Not only did Kṛṣṇa create all the paraphernalia of His spiritual energy, but He also created unlimited material universes with unlimited Brahmās. All these pastimes, which are described in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, will cleanse one’s consciousness. In this way one can actually understand the Absolute Truth.

Some Conclusions-The above descriptions of the spiritual world are very nice and one will never hear or read this detailed explanation anywhere-except in the authorized Vedic literatures.

Below we have shown how Srila Prabhupada says that hearing about these things is much better than thinking about this -especially thru the ascending process of neti neti-its not this, its not that in an attempt to find our what IT or Krsna actually. is.

Prabhupada even tells us that his godbrother Bon maharaj once asked SP if he believed in these Vaikuntha planets? I know that is hard to understand or believe that how could a Gaudiya matha sannyasi-even ask such a question? But then how can iskcon’s so called leaders not understand the very simple process Srila Prabhupada set up for continuing his movement thru ritvik initiations? Lack of faith and envy of the Acarya.

As Srila Prabhupada often said-these things are going on….

Hearing more important than thinking in kali yuga

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Conversations-July 26 1975 Laguna beach California

Guest: Sir, are you familiar with Yogananda’s Self-Realization Fellowship and the practice of recruiting wealthy people as patrons for people who are sincerely interested in following a spiritual pursuit?

Prabhupāda: Hm, what is…?

Rāmeśvara: He asked if you were, Śrīla Prabhupāda, if you were familiar with another yoga society founded by one swami called Yogananda. He called it the Self-Realization Fellowship. And they have a practice to recruit wealthy men as their members. He simply asked if you knew of that.

Guest: Do you think that this hinders with their development?

Prabhupāda: No. Spirit soul is the same thing either in wealthy man or poor man. The spirit soul is not different. Therefore in the Bhagavad-gītā it is said, vidyā-vinaya-sampanne brāhmaṇe gavi hastini śuni caiva śva-pāke ca paṇḍitāḥ sama-darśinaḥ

[Bg. 5.18]

If Yogananda thinks like that—”Only rich man is able to practice yoga”—that is wrong. A poor man can also practice yoga. Because yoga means connecting, linking up with the Supreme. So as spirit soul, everyone is fit to connect himself with the Supreme. That is the statement in the Bhāgavatam. Sa vai puṁsāṁ paro dharmo yato bhaktir adhokṣaje [SB 1.2.6]. That is first-class self-realization when one tries to connect himself with the Supreme. And the Supreme can be connected by anyone. That is also stated in the Bhagavad-gita, māṁ hi pārtha vyapāśritya ye ‘pi syuḥ pāpa-yonayaḥ [Bg. 9.32]. According to Vedic philosophy, one becomes poor on account of his sinful activities. So pāpa-yoni… So although he has taken birth in a degraded family or poor family, spiritually he is pure. Simply one has to revive his spiritual consciousness.And that cannot be checked by any material condition. Ahaituky apratihatā. Spiritual self-realization cannot be checked by any material condition. So why? Rather, opulent condition is not favorable for practicing yoga. That is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā, bhogaiśvarya-prasaktānāṁ tayāpahṛta-cetasām [Bg. 2.44]. Those who are too much attached to material enjoyment, they cannot practice yoga.

Guest: The reason why I asked was because other spiritual masters such as Jesus and the Buddha have required first that people give all of their possession to the poor rather than give them to a community fund such as the Self-Realization Fellowship, the Society for Kṛṣṇa Consciousness, or any other…

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“Your ambition for chanting Hare Krishna exclusively is very good. But sacrificing the results of action is as good. A concrete example is Arjuna. He fought very chivalrously under the instructions of the Lord, and the Lord certified him to be the best devotee and friend of the Lord. So there is no distinction between chanting and offering the results of one’s activity. Sometimes under the garb of chanting people take to the habit of laziness, which is not required at all. Execution of devotional service is prescribed first with enthusiasm and patience. One can execute this transcendental activities staying as he is, but he must follow and try to apply in practical life the instructions as they are given in the Bhagavad Gita or Srimad-Bhagwatam, received through the proper channel.

I thank you once more for your progress, in the matter of Krishna Consciousness, and I shall always pray to Krishna for your steady progress more and more, along with your nice wife. Hope you are all three well.”

(Srila Prabhupada Letter, May 10, 1968)

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Feb 3 1975 Hawaii—Giving 50% of income or remain fallen

Devotee (1): No, I know, but for his actions other than just following the four regulative principles and chanting sixteen rounds. He does so many other things during the day. Where does he derive his authority if he’s not, let’s say, living in the temple?

Prabhupāda: I do not follow. The authority is guru. You have accepted.

Bali Mardana: For everything.

Jayatīrtha: Say I have some outside job, I’m living outside, but I’m not giving 50% of my income. So then that work that I’m doing, is it actually under the authority of the guru?

Prabhupāda: Then you are not following the instruction of guru. That is plain fact.

Jayatīrtha: So that means that whole activity during the day, working, that means I am not following the instruction of the guru. It’s unauthorized activity.

Prabhupāda: Yes. If you don’t follow the instruction of guru, then you are fallen down immediately. That is the way. Otherwise why you sing, yasya prasādād bhagavat-prasādo **. It is my duty to satisfy guru. Otherwise I am nowhere. So if you prefer to be nowhere, then you disobey as you like. But if you want to be steady in your position, then you have to follow strictly the instruction of guru.

Devotee (1): We can understand all of your instructions simply by reading your books.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Anyway, follow the instruction. That is required. Follow the instruction. Wherever you remain, it doesn’t matter. You are secure. Follow the instruction. Then you are secure anywhere. It doesn’t matter. Just like I told you that I saw my Guru Mahārāja not more than ten days in my life, but I followed his instruction. I was a gṛhastha, I never lived with the Maṭha, in the temple. It is practical. So many Godbrothers recommended that “He should be in charge in this Bombay temple, this, that, that…” Guru Mahārāja said, “Yes, better he lives outside. That is good, and he will do what is needed in due course of time.”

Devotees: Jaya! Haribol!

Prabhupāda: He said like that. I could not understand at that time what does he expect. Of course, I knew that he wanted me to preach.

Yaśodānandana: I think you have done this in grand style.

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Srila Prabhupada says….”50% of my work is incomplete”

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72-08-26 letter

My Dear Gaurasundara,

Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated August 20, 1972, and I am quite surprised to read it. This does not sound like you. All along I have been discouraged in every way by my Godbrothers, but still I have stuck to my duty, keeping my Spiritual Master always in front. Because there is some fighting or bickering amongst us, that does not mean that I should go away. If I have understood the order of my Spiritual Master rightly, then I must perform my duty under any circumstances and never one think of going away under disgust. I have appointed you to be my GBC representative in South America because I think that you are very much responsible and capable to do it, and I am very fond of you and your good wife Govinda dasi for helping me all along. So do not be disturbed or worried by some small thing, rumor, or misunderstanding. There is no plot amongst our so-called big men against you or Siddha-swarup Ananda. That is childish.

Where have you got this idea to retire and simply translate books? That is not in our line. My Spiritual Master has given me the instruction to spread this movement all over the world and you are my good disciples, are helping me do this. Without your good help I could not have done anything, so practically you can take all the credit for spreading this Krsna Consciousness movement and fulfilling the prophecy of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu. If there is some incident and I claim that no one is cooperating with me or no one will work with me, that is my defect, not theirs. The Vaisnava devotee must think like this. We should not find fault with others and criticize and go away, that is not the Vaisnava way.Better we should always be willing to offer all respects to others and consider them as our superiors always.

Meanwhile, hoping this meets you in good health,

SB 3.29.16-The devotee should regularly see My statues in the temple, touch My lotus feet and offer worshipable paraphernalia and prayer. He should see in the spirit of renunciation, from the mode of goodness,and see every living entity as spiritual.

SB 3.29.22-One who worships the Deity of Godhead in the temples but does not know that the Supreme Lord, as Paramātmā, is situated in every living entity’s heart, must be in ignorance and is compared to one who offers oblations into ashes.

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May 24 , 1972 : Los Angeles

Srila Prabhupada was sitting in his garden with the parents of a young brahmacari. Kirtanananda Maharaja and I were also present. “A devotee is very proud to be Krishna’s servant,” Srila Prabhupada said. “A devotee has that pride. We are not ashamed that we are Krishna’s servants.” Then speaking directly to the parents, Srila Prabhupada said, “Your son is a very nice boy and a good devotee.”

They were very pleased by the sweet words of His Divine Grace, but stated, “The devotees don’t seem very ambitious.”

“That is right,” Srila Prabhupada said. “A devotee has no ambition. He simply wants to do some humble service for Krishna. He is not trying to do anything big. A devotee is not ambitious. We have no ambition.”
Seeing the parent’s discomfort, Kirtanananda Maharaja quickly added, “What Prabhupada means to say is that the devotees have no material ambition.”
“No!” Srila Prabhupada replied. “We have no ambition. The devotee is not at all ambitious. We just want to serve Krishna.”

Srila Prabhupada always knew the exact point he was making, even if others did not. Sometimes disciples would try to interpret Srila Prabhupada’s statements, thinking that cultural differences prevented his guests from understanding Srila Prabhupada. His Divine Grace knew who he was dealing with, what they meant to say, and exactly what he wanted them to understand. Srila Prabhupada never compromised the philosophy to please anyone. He always spoke the absolute truth!

Reference: What is the Difficulty? – Srutakirti Dasa

I shall be happy in 4 different ways-wanting to become something

Prabhupāda: Not supreme. He says this is of the person, different ways of thinking. But everywhere He is stressing bhakti. Just like generally people are karmī. Karmīs. They are working hard. And he has made his plan. He has made his plan that, “In this way, I shall be happy.” So throughout the whole world, the beginning from animals, lower than the man, and then men, different types of men… So manaḥ ṣaṣṭhānīndriyāṇi, every one of them, he is planning or he is thinking in different ways. So the animals, they cannot understand the master’s answer. But in the human being, they are according to the mind, mental concoction and planning, there are four classes of men. One class is called karmī. They are thinking that by working hard and trying to find out my own way of happiness, they will be happy. This is called karmī. Without any knowledge, they are simply working. They are actually like the animals. The animals, the dog, is jumping, a few miles he is jumping. He is thinking that “By jumping I shall be happy.” Or for the time being he may happy by jumping. And sometimes thinking otherwise. So karmīs, they do not know what is the actual aim of life. Out of many millions of persons, mostly they are karmīs. They do not know what is the actual aim of life. But they are devising different plans, that I shall be happy in this way.” This is called karmī. He does not take the standard way of happiness. Then the next elevated person is jñānī. He thinks, ponders, that “I have worked so hard, but still I could not become happy.” The jñānī. He searches out philosophically. Then next class, yogi. Yogi concentrates the mind to think over, “What is my problem? Why I am not happy? How he can become happy?” He is trying to, very soberly, to understand. Yoga means controlling the senses, and the master of the senses is the mind. So he, trying to make the mind concentrated on the fact, he is yogi. And then the next stage is… If he is yogi, then there are different types of yoga system. But when he comes to the point that “I am not master. There is one master, controller. So master, whatever master orders, I have to execute that. That is my real happiness.” Bhakta. So karmī, jñānī, yogi, and bhakta. So out of these four classes of men, the three classes means karmī, jñānī and yogi, they are restless. Because they actually did not find out what is the solution. One after another, there are different classes, there are classification. One is better than the other. That is another thing. But none of them… They are still misled.A karmī, he is thinking that “I am poor man. If I become rich man, I will be happy.” He is thinking in that way. Jñānī is thinking that “Poor and rich doesn’t matter. I am Brahman. I am spirit soul. If I merge into the Supreme Brahman I will be happy.” Yogi is thinking that “The Absolute is present everywhere in His personal feature. Īśvaraḥ sarva-bhūtānāṁ hṛd-deśe arjuna tiṣṭhati [Bg. 18.61]. So if I become one with Him, I will be happy.” But still there is a demand, “If I become like this.”So so long he is not self-realized, he will try to become something and so long he’ll try to become something, then there will be restlessness. There cannot be happiness. And when he comes to the realization point that “Why I am trying to become something, I am this and this that is my position,” then he becomes happy. That is bhakti. Everyone is trying to become something. And bhakta knows “I am this.” There is no question of becoming. And this is my position. Very nice. Therefore Kṛṣṇa ultimately said that “This is the most confidential knowledge, Arjuna. I am teaching you so many things. There is no need of understanding so many things. The real thing is that I am the master, you are My servant. You surrender unto Me, that’s all. Then you’ll be happy.”

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TOUCHING SRILA PRABHUPADA’S FEETBy Isana dasa One evening, as Srila Prabhupada sat in his chair in the courtyard and I sat on the marble floor next to his glorious lotus feet, I asked him to elaborate on a statement he had made earlier while in his sitting room.“When the Indians touch my feet,” he said, “they are simply looking for material benediction. Therefore, do not let anyone touch my feet because I will have to take their sinful reaction and then I will get sick and it will cause more weakness.”“Srila Prabhupada,” I said, “during class, when your disciples touch your lotus feet, they are trying to show respect. They are not interested in material profit.” “Yes, that may be the case,” he knowingly replied. “But, still, I have to suffer. Even they may not be trying to achieve some goal by touching my feet; still, the spiritual master has to suffer by accepting their sinful reactions.” Srutakirti das What Is The Difficulty? #117 ……………I’ve already described how he asked that his disciples should not touch his feet saying, “By their touching I have to suffer. They may not be trying to achieve some goal by touching my feet, still, the spiritual master has to suffer by accepting their sinful reactions. “…Srutakirti das What Is The Difficulty? #112 Adi Lila Chapter 17One day when Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu had finished His dancing, a woman, the wife of a brāhmaṇa, came there and caught hold of His lotus feet. TEXT 244
caraṇera dhūli sei laya vāra vāradekhiyā prabhura duḥkha ha-ila apāra SYNONYMScaraṇera—of His lotus feet; dhūli—the dust; sei—that woman; laya—takes; vāravāra—again and again; dekhiyā—seeing this; prabhura—of the Lord; duḥkha—unhappiness; ha–ila—there was; apāra—unlimited.TRANSLATIONAs she took the dust of His lotus feet again and again, the Lord became unlimitedly unhappy.PURPORTThis holding of a great personality’s lotus feet is certainly very good for the person who takes the dust, but this example of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s unhappiness indicates that a Vaiṣṇava should not allow anyone to take dust from his feet. One who takes the dust of a great personality’s lotus feet transfers his sinful activities to that great personality. Unless the person whose dust is taken is very strong, he must suffer the sinful activities of the person who takes the dust. Therefore, ordinarily it should not be allowed. Sometimes in big meetings people come to take the same advantage by touching our feet. On account of this, sometimes we have to suffer from some disease. As far as possible, no outsider should be allowed to touch one’s feet to take dust from them. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu personally showed this by His example, as explained in the next verse. TEXT 245sei-kṣaṇe dhāñā prabhu gaṅgāte paḍilanityānanda-haridāsa dhari’ uṭhāila SYNONYMSsei–kṣaṇe—immediately; dhāñā—running; prabhu—the Lord; gaṅgāte—in the water of the Ganges; paḍila—plunged; nityānanda—Lord Nityānanda; haridāsa—Haridāsa Ṭhākura; dhari‘-catching Him; uṭhāila—raised Him.TRANSLATIONImmediately He ran to the river Ganges and jumped in to counteract the sinful activities of that woman. Lord Nityānanda and Haridāsa Ṭhākura caught Him and raised Him from the river.PURPORTŚrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu is God Himself, but He was playing the part of a preacher. Every preacher should know that being allowed to touch a Vaiṣṇava’s feet and take dust may be good for the person who takes it, but it is not good for the person who allows it to be taken. As far as possible, this practice should ordinarily be avoided. Only initiated disciples should be allowed to take this advantage, not others. Those who are full of sinful activities should generally be avoided.

Hare Krishna Society

Religion means love of Godhead-they have love of doghead-SP

The Transcendental effects of hearing Lord Krsna’s flute

until we understand this world is meant only for suffering-advancement is difficult–SP

Is it possible SP’s godbrother did NOT believe in Vaikuntha??

To dispossess them of their money is a good thing-SP

Work now samadhi later–SP

SP giving some special advice to devotees

devotees have no ambition-SP

I shall be happy in 4 ways–SP

TOUCHING SRILA PRABHUPADA’S FEET