Hare Krishna Society

BHAVA-GRAHI JANARDANA: THE SUPREME LORD, ACCEPTS BHAVA, THE ATTITUDE OF SERVICE

Mahesvara das [Mahesh raja – UK]

68-03-03. Letter: Hamsaduta, Himavati

PLEASE CONTINUE YOUR VERY GOOD SERVICE, AND DO NOT FEEL ANY FEELING OF USELESSNESS. It is true that Krishna has given some the opportunity to serve Him by nice writing, some by good business ability, some by nice cooking, and so on, but these various services are all accepted equally by Krishna. ON THE TRANSCENDENTAL PLANE, ONE SERVICE IS AS GOOD AS ANOTHER. THERE IS NO QUESTION OF HIGHER OR LOWER. We are very tiny, and so we cannot really do very much. Simply we can engage our time and energy, and that is all Krishna sees. He sees this boy or girl is spending his time in My Service, and He is pleased. I hope you are both well.

SB 3.6.33 P Creation of the Universal Form

IT IS ACTUALLY BETTER TO BE A SUDRA THAN TO BE A BRAHMANA AND NOT DEVELOP THE SERVICE ATTITUDE, BECAUSE THAT ATTITUDE ALONE SATISFIES THE LORD. Every living being–even if he be a brahmana by qualification–must take to the transcendental service of the Lord. Both Bhagavad-gita and the Srimad-Bhagavatam support that this service attitude is the perfection of the living entity. A brahmana, ksatriya, vaisya or sudra can perfect his occupational duties only by rendering service unto the Lord. A brahmana is supposed to know this fact due to his perfection in Vedic wisdom. The other sections are supposed to follow the direction of the brahmana Vaisnava (one who is a brahmana by qualification and a Vaisnava by action). That will make the entire society perfect in regard to the order of its social construction. A disordered society cannot satisfy either the members of the society or the Lord. Even if one is not a perfect brahmana, ksatriya, vaisya or sudra but takes to the service of the Lord, not caring for the perfection of his social position, he becomes a perfect human being simply by developing the attitude of service to the Supreme Lord.

SB 4.30.28 P The Activities of the Pracetas

The form of the Lord known as arca-vigraha is an expansion of His unlimited potencies. When the Lord is gradually satisfied with the service of a devotee, in due course of time He accepts the devotee as one of His many unalloyed servants. By nature, the Lord is very compassionate; therefore the service of neophyte devotees is accepted by the Lord. As confirmed in Bhagavad-gita (9.26):

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Madhya 8.138 purport-…Gāyantaṁ trāyate yasmād gāyatrī tvaṁ tataḥ smṛtā: One who chants the Gāyatrī mantra is gradually delivered from the material clutches. In other words, That which delivers one from material entanglement is called Gāyatrī. An explanation of the Gāyatrī mantra can be found in Madhya-līlā, Chapter Twenty-one, text 125:

kāma-gāyatrī-mantra-rūpa, haya kṛṣṇera svarūpa,

sārdha-cabbiśa akṣara tāra haya

se akṣara ‘candra’ haya, kṛṣṇe kari’ udaya,

trijagat kailā kāmamaya

This mantra is just like a Vedic hymn, but it is the Supreme Personality of Godhead Himself. There is no difference between the Kāma-gāyatrī and Kṛṣṇa. Both are composed of twenty-four and a half transcendental syllables (see Cc. Madhya 21.125-29) The mantra depicted in letters is also Kṛṣṇa, and the mantra rises just like the moon. Due to this, there is a perverted reflection of desire in human society and among all kinds of living entities. In the mantra klīṁ kāma-devāya vidmahe puṣpa-bāṇāya dhīmahi tan no ‘naṅgaḥ pracodayāt, Kṛṣṇa is called Kāma-deva, Puṣpa-bāṇa and Anaṅga. Kāma-deva is Madana-mohana, the Deity who establishes our relationship with Kṛṣṇa. Puṣpa-bāṇa (“He who carries an arrow made of flowers”) is Govinda, the Personality of Godhead who accepts our devotional service. And Anaṅga is Gopījana-vallabha, who satisfies all the gopīs and is the ultimate goal of life. This Kāma-gāyatrī (klīṁ kāma-devāya vidmahe puṣpa-bāṇāya dhīmahi tan no ‘naṅgaḥ pracodayāt) simply does not belong to this material world. When one is advanced in spiritual understanding, he can worship the Supreme Personality of Godhead with his spiritually purified senses and fulfill the desires of the Lord.

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SB 9.10.52-–O Mahārāja Parīkṣit, best of the Bharata dynasty, during the reign of Lord Rāmacandra the forests, the rivers, the hills and mountains, the states, the seven islands and the seven seas were all favorable in supplying the necessities of life for all living beings.

SB 9.10.53When Lord Rāmacandra, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, was the King of this world, all bodily and mental suffering, disease, old age, bereavement, lamentation, distress, fear and fatigue were completely absent. There was even no death for those who did not want it.

PURPORT-All these facilities existed because of Lord Rāmacandra’s presence as the King of the entire world. A similar situation could be introduced immediately, even in this age called Kali, the worst of all ages. It is said, kali-kāle nāma-rūpe kṛṣṇa-avatāra: Kṛṣṇa descends in this Kali-yuga in the form of His holy name—Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Rāma. If we chant offenselessly, Rāma and Kṛṣṇa are still present in this age. The kingdom of Rāma was immensely popular and beneficial, and the spreading of this Hare Kṛṣṇa movement can immediately introduce a similar situation, even in this Kali-yuga.

Yesterday on the appearance day of Lord Rama some local devotees met here for this observance. We had a nice long kirtan, bhajan, then all took turns reading from SB 9th canto chapter 10- The Pastimes of Lord Ramachandra. Then a wonderful feast was served out. The Deities look

stunning today having so many spring flowers on the altar, you had to look hard to even see the Them.

Hare Krsna

damaghosa das

Brief History of Unauthorized Book Changes in Iskcon

compiled by Purujit dasa

: Glossary: editing – also known as the first editing, these are the edited versions of Srila Prabhupada’s dictation tapes transcripts reediting–going over an already printed book, second editing.

The first-time reediting of Srila Prabhupada’s books had been undertaken was in the case of the First Canto of the Srimad Bhagavatam. Srila Prabhupada published this book in India in the early 1960′s and upon his arrival to America he instructed his disciple, Hayagriva das to revise it. Thus the 1972 version of the First Canto came about. After this Hayagriva reedited two more books — Easy Journey to Other Planets (from 1957-8? version) printed in 1972 and Teachings of Lord Caitanya (from 1968 version), printed in 1974.

Later on, Jayadvaita, another chief editor of Srila Prabhupada’s books, reedited the 1972 version of the First Canto and it was printed in the late 1976. He has also reedited the 1972 Second Canto shortly after the 1972 version had been printed. We have also found evidence of reediting in certain volumes of the Third and Fourth Canto.

In the case of the first printings of the first four Cantos we have sufficient evidence that these versions have been authorized by Srila Prabhupada, however in this article we would like to point out a lack of substantial evidence of Srila Prabhupada approving the later printings.

DO NOT DO ANYTHING WITHOUT CONSULTING ME

The first fact to consider is that Srila Prabhupada did not want his disciples to change his books without his authorization. Examples of this can be seen in these quotes:

Srila Prabhupada Letter to Bhargava, May 29, 1976, Honolulu:

“I am in due receipt of your letter dated May 25, 1976, along with samples of the Gitar-gan and the cover in for the Bhagavat-darsana. No, the printing of the Gitar-gan cover this fashion is not at all approved by me. You have done most nonsensically. Why change the cover? When people look to see the Bhagavad-gita they expect to see Krishna and Arjuna, not the picture of Krishna with cow. You have done a great mistake by changing the front picture and it will hamper the sale. In future you don’t do any changes without asking me first. Simply because there is no stock of books, we can do anything whimsically??? Is this logic? Gita is not spoken in Vrindaban, it is spoken on the battlefield of Kuruksetra, but this is Vrindaban picture. That chariot drive by 4 horses, that is the real Kuruksetra picture. It is not that because there is no stock we can do whimsically as we like and lose the idea, that is rasa-bhasa. Because there is no bread, you take stone to eat? There is no stock of bread so you will take stone??? The front picture is most important thing and you have changed it. It must remain standard, and not change. Also, the lettering is not nice on the cover. You could have taken a color picture of Krishna and Arjuna and used it black and white (one color) on the front cover. Just as you did with the inside back cover of the Bhagavat darsana, the original picture of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu was in color but you have printed it in black and white. You could have done this on the front cover with Krishna and Arjuna on the Battlefield of Kuruksetra, but the cover must not be changed. Concerning the Bhagavat darsana cover, this Hindi on the back is not good. Who is translating this? Also, the address on the back of our Vrindaban Temple is not correctly spelled. It has been spelled Chattakara Road; But it should be Chattikara Road. Who is proof-reading?
I am glad to see that some Hindi translating is going on but what about that other boy who was translating The Srimad-Bhagavatam in Vrindaban? Do not do anything whimsically in future, and you can write me if you have questions concerning the printing.”

Srila Prabhupada Letter to Radhavallabha, January 5, 1976, Nellore:

“I will have to see personally what the mistakes in the synonyms are, and also how you intend to correct them. I was not satisfied with the corrections that were made before. I saw some changes which I did not approve. Nitai may correct whatever mistakes are there, but the corrected material must be sent to me for final approval. So, reprinting the volumes will have to wait until the mistakes are corrected and approved by me.”

Srila Prabhupada Letter to Hayagriva, November 18, 1968, Los Angeles:

“Regarding Srimad-Bhagavatam, please send me the chapters which you have already revised. I want to see it, how it is being done. I am glad that you are not omitting anything, but just making grammatical correction, and phrasing for force and clarity, and adding Pradyumna’s transliteration, that is very nice.
Yes, henceforward, as I have already told you, that Srimad-Bhagavatam will be ultimately seen by you, before being printed. That will keep consistency, I quite agree with you. My present plan is to stay in Los Angeles, perhaps at least for more than a month, which will cover Christmas holidays. And so, during that time, if you come here, it will be very nice.”

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Sri Rama Navami, Sunday, March 25, 2018 [Mayapura, West Bengal, Bharata Bhumi time]

Divine avirbhava tithi (appearance) of Sri Ramacandra Bhagavan

Srila Prabhupada explains the amazing story of Sri Mula rama

compiled by Yasoda nandana dasa

In the book known as Adhyātma-rāmāyaṇa, there are statements in Chapters Twelve to Fifteen about the worship of the Deities Śrī Rāmacandra and Sītā. There it is stated that during Lord Rāmacandra’s time there was a brāhmaṇa who took a vow to fast until he saw Lord Rāmacandra. Sometimes, due to business, Lord Rāmacandra was absent from His capital for a full week and could not be seen by citizens during that time. Because of his vow, the brāhmaṇa could not take even a drop of water during that week. Later, after eight or nine days, when the brāhmaṇa could see Lord Rāmacandra personally, he would break his fast. Upon observing the brāhmaṇa’s rigid vow, Lord Śrī Rāmacandra ordered His younger brother Lakṣmaṇa to deliver a pair of Sītā-Rāma Deities to the brāhmaṇa. The brāhmaṇa received the Deities from Śrī Lakṣmaṇajī and worshiped Them faithfully as long as he lived. At the time of his death, he delivered the Deities to Śrī Hanumānjī, who, for many years, hung Them around his neck and served Them with all devotion. After many years, when Hanumānjī departed on the hill known as Gandha-mādana, he delivered the Deities to Bhīmasena, one of the Pāṇḍavas, and Bhīmasena brought Them to his palace, where he kept Them very carefully. The last king of the Pāṇḍavas, Kṣemakānta, worshiped the Deities in that palace. Later, the same Deities were kept in the custody of the kings of Orissa known as Gajapatis. One of the ācāryas, known as Narahari Tīrtha, who was in the disciplic succession of Madhvācārya, received these Deities from the King of Orissa.
It may be noted that these particular Deities of Rāma and Sītā have been worshiped from the time of King Ikṣvāku. Indeed, they were worshiped by the royal princes even before the appearance of Lord Rāmacandra. Later, during Lord Rāmacandra’s presence, the Deities were worshiped by Lakṣmaṇa. It is said that just three months before his disappearance, Śrī Madhvācārya received these Deities and installed them in the Uḍupī temple. Since then the Deities have been worshiped by the Madhvācārya-sampradāya at that monastery. As far as the Śrī Vaiṣṇavas are concerned, beginning with Rāmānujācārya, they also worshiped Deities of Sītā-Rāma. Sītā-Rāma Deities are also being worshiped in Tirupati and other places. From the Śrī Rāmānuja-sampradāya there is another branch known as Rāmānandī or Rāmāt, and the followers of that branch also worship Deities of Sītā-Rāma very rigidly. The Rāmānuja-sampradāya Vaiṣṇavas prefer the worship of Lord Rāmacandra to that of Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa
Books : Sri Caitanya-caritamrta – 1975 Edition : Cc. Madhya-lila : Madhya 9: Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu’s Travels to the Holy Places : Madhya 9.11

“It will take three hundred births to understand this sex life is abominable”–SP

Oct 17 1975 Johannesburg

Prabhupāda: Yes. Without sex life one cannot be materially enthusiastic. And if you stop sex life, then you become spiritually advanced. This is the secret. If you stop sex life, then you become spiritually advanced, and if you indulge in sex life, then you will be materially enthusiastic. That is the difference between Western and Eastern culture. The whole Eastern culture is based on how to stop sex life, and here in the Western countries, how to increase sex life. They are eating meat, eggs, drinking wine. These things will enthuse sex life. And as soon as you get very satisfactory sex life, you become enthused to work hard. Therefore karmīs, marriage is necessary, because without sex life they cannot work. And for jñānīs, yogis, bhaktas, sex life prohibited. Actually they do not know the science of life, this Western civilization. Their life means this body. Their life means this body. That means they do not know what is life.

…They do not know what is knowledge. The knowledge means sex life. That is their knowledge. Advancement of knowledge means how to enjoy sex life, how to take shelter of abortion, child-killing, and then contraceptive method—whole thing on the basis of sex life. That’s all. They do not know except these things. They know there is botheration after sex life, but they cannot give it up. Therefore all these arrangements: take contraceptive, kill child, and what… That means the whole thing is based on sex life. That’s all

…Whole thing is based on sex life, and that is tuccham, most abominable. Prakṛtiṁ mohinīṁ śritāḥ. It will take three hundred times births to understand that this sex life is abominable. Therefore it is bahūnāṁ janmanām ante [Bg. 7.19]. Not that immediately, simply by hearing our Bhagavad-gita lecture, they will give it up. It will take many, many births to understand. Bahūnāṁ janmanām ante. In the Vedic system, sex life is allowed only for begetting children.

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https://bhagavad-gita.wixsite.com/asitwas

WHY AM I LOOKING INTO THE BBT EDITING PROCESS?

March 20, 2018

|Garuda Das, PhD

Why I’m Doing This

Beginning in the spring of 2017, I was asked to examine and evaluate the quality and validity of the editing of Prabhupada’s books, beginning with and especially the editing of Prabhupada’s Bhagavad-gītā As It Is. The question can be put simply as follows: Is the BBT’s 1983 “Second Edition” of Prabhupāda’s Bhagavad-gītā As It Is (“BBT83”) a fully acceptable publication of Prabhupāda’s original Macmillan published Bhagavad-gītā As It Is (“MAC72”) from devotional, ethical, scholarly, and theological viewpoints? The larger question is as follows: What exactly are the criteria for doing any editing of Prabhupāda’s books posthumously? And is such editing being executed according to the clear instructions that Prabhupāda gave us?

My recent involvement was not initiated by myself, but arose as a response to the many sincere and concerned devotees who had requested me to apply my academic background, publishing experience and expertise to this matter. Many persons have expressed to me that they felt that I would be best able to understand and evaluate this divisive issue. Despite my heavy load of obligations in my university teaching at two different institutions, scholarly publishing, and lecturing, I have devoted some time to this issue along with the help of very supportive devotional colleagues. My hope is that I could bring forth some genuine conclusion and thoughtful resolution to the minds and hearts of devotees who have agonized over both sides of this issue for more than three decades.

What I’m Finding

After entering into discussions with Dravida Dasaji and Jayadvaita Swamiji (“the editing team”), both persons whom I have known for decades, and both whom I hold in high esteem (I especially feel a close friendship with and affection for the Swami), I am nevertheless compelled to look at this highly contentious issue as professionally and theologically as I can. And, while I consider both of these two BBT editors as well-meaning in their efforts to contribute to the positive presentation of Prabhupāda’s books, and, while I acknowledge the many positive contributions that they surely have made, I have felt that their methodologies be carefully reviewed, questioned, and, quite possibly, reconsidered. The Movement has resources and a level of maturity now, like never before, that can be brought forward for such an examination.

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Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu is none other than the combined form of Śrī Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa. He is the life of those devotees who strictly follow in the footsteps of Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī. Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī and Śrīla Sanātana Gosvāmī are the two principal followers of Śrīla Svarūpa Dāmodara Gosvāmī, who acted as the most confidential servitor of Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya Mahāprabhu, known as Viśvambhara in His early life. A direct disciple of Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī was Śrīla Raghunātha dāsa Gosvāmī. The author of Śrī Caitanya–caritāmṛta, Śrīla Kṛṣṇadāsa Kavirāja Gosvāmī, stands as the direct disciple of Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī and Śrīla Raghunātha dāsa Gosvāmī.

The direct disciple of Śrīla Kṛṣṇadāsa Kavirāja Gosvāmī was Śrīla Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura, who accepted Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī as his servitor. Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura accepted Śrīla Jagannātha dāsa Bābājī, who initiated Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura, who in turn initiated Śrīla Gaurakiśora dāsa Bābājī, the spiritual master of Oṁ Viṣṇupāda Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta SarasvatīGosvāmī Mahārāja, the divine master of our humble self.

Since we belong to this chain of disciplic succession from Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, this edition of Śrī Caitanya–caritāmṛta will contain nothing newly manufactured by our tiny brains, but only remnants of food originally eaten by the Lord Himself. Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu does not belong to the mundane plane of the three qualitative modes. He belongs to the transcendental plane beyond the reach of the imperfect sense perception of a living being. Even the most erudite mundane scholar cannot approach the transcendental plane unless he submits himself to transcendental sound with a receptive mood, for in that mood only can one realize the message of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. What will be described herein, therefore, has nothing to do with the experimental thoughts created by the speculative habits of inert minds. The subject matter of this book is not a mental concoction but a factual spiritual experience that one can realize only by accepting the line of disciplic succession described above.Any deviation from that line will bewilder the reader’s understanding of the mystery of Śrī Caitanya Caritamrta, which is a transcendental literature meant for the postgraduate study of one who has realized all the Vedic scriptures such as the Upaniṣads and Vedānta–sūtra and their natural commentaries such as Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam and the Bhagavad-gītā.

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“Lord Kṛṣṇa’s name is Madana-mohana, for He can subdue the god Cupid, or lust. Only by engaging in the service of Madana-mohana can one curb the dictates of Madana, Cupid. Otherwise, attempts to control the senses will fail.”

sb/3/31/36

“If you increase your attraction for Kṛṣṇa, then naturally you lose attraction for sex. That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Therefore Kṛṣṇa’s name is Madana-mohana. Madana means sex life. He can enchant even madana.”

Bhagavad-gītā 7.1
—

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Understanding our position

1.) SB 1.2.6-purport–The material existence of the living being is a diseased condition of actual life.Actual life is spiritual existence, or brahma-bhūta [SB 4.30.20] existence, where life is eternal, blissful and full of knowledge. Material existence is temporary, illusory and full of miseries. There is no happiness at all. There is just the futile attempt to get rid of the miseries, and temporary cessation of misery is falsely called happiness. Therefore, the path of progressive material enjoyment, which is temporary, miserable and illusory, is inferior. But devotional service to the Supreme Lord, which leads one to eternal, blissful and all-cognizant life, is called the superior quality of occupation.

2.) SB1.3.38 purport-– Everyone within the creation of the Lord is rendering service to the Lord indirectly or directly. No one is an exception to this law of the Lord. Those who are rendering service indirectly, being forced by the illusory agent of the Lord, are rendering service unto Him unfavorably. But those who are rendering service unto Him directly under the direction of His beloved agent are rendering service unto Him favorably. Such favorable servitors are devotees of the Lord, and by the grace of the Lord they can enter into the mysterious region of transcendence by the mercy of the Lord. But the mental speculators remain in darkness all the time. As stated in Bhagavad-gītā, the Lord Himself guides the pure devotees toward the path of realization due to their constant engagement in the loving service of the Lord in spontaneous affection. That is the secret of entering into the kingdom of God.Fruitive activities and speculation are no qualifications for entering.

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Hare Krishna Society

BHAVA-GRAHI JANARDANA: THE SUPREME LORD, ACCEPTS BHAVA, THE ATTITUDE OF SERVICE

Gayatri Mantra explained by Srila Prabhupada

Lord Rama’s app day festival

Brief History of Unauthorized Book Changes in Iskcon

Sri Rama Navami – The wonderful story of Mula Rama

It will take 300 births to understand sex life is abominable–SP

Why I am looking into the BBT editing process-by Garuda das,Phd

How to understand the mystery of God–SP

win the battle with cupid-serve Sri Radha Madana Mohan

Understanding our position