Hare Krishna Society

Sri Isvara puri Tirobhava Tithi (Disappearance day) Monday, February 12, 2018 [Mayapura, West Bengal, Bharata Bhumi time]

Srila Prabhupada glorifies Sri Isvara Puri

Srila Prabhupada describes the authorized Brahma-Madhva-Gaudiya disciplic succession though Sri Isvara Puri

Letters : 1968 Correspondence : February : Letter to: Upendra — Los Angeles 13 February, 1968 : 68-02-13:

There are four Sampradayas from the beginning of the creation. One is called Brahma Sampradaya, and is coming down by disciplic succession from Brahma; another Sampradaya is coming down from Laksmi, called Sri Sampradaya; another is coming down from the Kumaras, they are known as Nimbarka Sampradaya; another Sampradaya is coming from Lord Siva, Rudra Sampradaya or Viṣṇu Svāmī. These are four bona fide Sampradayas that are accepted by the bona fide spiritualists. The Impersonalist Sampradaya is not original neither the Impersonalist Sampradaya or party can help us. At the present moment there are so many Sampradayas, but we have to test them about their method of disciplic understanding. Anyway, all the four Sampradayas above mentioned, they are after worshiping the Supreme Lord Visnu, in His different Expansions, and some of them are in favor of worshiping Radha Krishna. In the later age the Brahma Sampradaya was handed down though Madhva Acarya; in this Madhva Acarya disciplic succession came Isvara Puri. This Isvara Puri was accepted as Spiritual Master of Lord Caitanya. Therefore, we being in disciplic succession of Caitanya Mahaprabhu, we are known as the Madhva Sampradaya. And because Lord Caitanya appeared in Bengal, which country is called Gaudadesa, our Sampradaya party is known as Madhva Gaudiya Sampradaya. But all these Sampradayas are non-different from one another because they believe and worship the Supreme Lord. Any other Sampradaya who are Impersonalist or voidist or nondevotee, they are rejected by us.

My Guru Maharaja was in the 10th generation from Lord Caitanya. We are 11th from Lord Caitanya. The disciplic succession is as follows: 1. Sri Krishna, 2. Brahma, 3. Narada, 4. Vyasa, 5. Madhva, 6. Padmanabha, 7. Nrihari, 8. Madhava, 9. Akshobhya, 10. Jayatirtha, 11. Jnanasindhu, 12. Purusottama, 13. Vidyanidhi, 14. Rajendra, 15. Jayadharma, 16. Purusottama, 17. Vyasatirtha, 18. Laksmipati, 19. Madhavendra Puri, 20. Isvara Puri (Advaita, Nityananda) 21. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, 22. (Svarupa, Sanatana) Rupa, 23.(Jiva) Raghunath, 24. Krishna dasa, 25. Narottama, 26. Visvanatha, 27. (Baladeva.) Jagannatha, 28. (Bhaktivinode) Gaura-kisora, 29. Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati, Sri Barshabhanavidayitadas, 30. Sri Srimad Bhaktivedanta.

Srila Prabhupada describes the exalted position of Isvara Puri

tad vidhehi namas tubhyaṁk

armasv īḍyātma-śaktiṣuy

at kṛtveha yaśo viṣvaga

mutra ca bhaved gatiḥ

SYNONYMS

tat—that; vidhehi—give direction; namaḥ—my obeisances; tubhyam—unto you; karmasu—in duties; īḍya—O worshipful one; ātma-śaktiṣu—within our working capacity; yat—which; kṛtvā—doing; iha—in this world; yaśaḥ—fame; viṣvak—everywhere; amutra—in the next world; ca—and; bhavet—it should be; gatiḥ—progress.

Translation

O worshipful one, please give us your direction for the execution of duty within our working capacity so that we can follow it for fame in this life and progress in the next.

Purport

Brahmā is the direct recipient of Vedic knowledge from the Personality of Godhead, and anyone discharging his entrusted duties in disciplic succession from Brahmā is sure to gain fame in this life and salvation in the next. The disciplic succession from Brahmā is called the Brahma-sampradāya, and it descends as follows: Brahmā, Nārada, Vyāsa, Madhva Muni (Pūrṇaprajña), Padmanābha, Nṛhari, Mādhava, Akṣobhya, Jayatīrtha, Jñānasindhu, Dayānidhi, Vidyānidhi, Rājendra, Jayadharma, Puruṣottama, Brahmaṇyatīrtha, Vyāsatīrtha, Lakṣmīpati, Mādhavendra Purī, Īśvara Purī, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, Svarūpa Dāmodara and Śrī Rūpa Gosvāmī and others, Śrī Raghunātha dāsa Gosvāmī, Kṛṣṇadāsa Gosvāmī, Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura, Viśvanātha Cakravartī, Jagannātha dāsa Bābājī, Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura, Gaurakiśora dāsa Bābājī, Śrīmad Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami.

This line of disciplic succession from Brahmā is spiritual, whereas the genealogical succession from Manu is material, but both are on the progressive march towards the same goal of Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

Books : Srimad-Bhagavatam : Canto 3: “The Status Quo” : SB 3.13: The Appearance of Lord Varaha : SB 3.13.8 :

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Dec 8 1973 LA lecture-

Everyone can attain that bhāva stage. There is process. This process is described by Rūpa Gosvāmī how to come to the bhāva stage. Bhāva stage means just prior to perfection. One must come to the bhāva stage, next stage is perfection. Next stage is full perfection. So how to come to this bhāva stage, that is Rūpa Gosvāmī has described, ādau śraddhā. First of all little faith. Just like many outsider also come here, “What these people are doing, these Kṛṣṇa consciousness men? So let us see.” So śraddhā. That is called śraddhā. Śraddhā, real śraddhā means complete faith….That is beginning of śraddhā. If you have got still doubt, then you have not come to the stage of śraddhā even. Superfluous. You may come, but when you actually believe that “Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and if I engage myself in Kṛṣṇa’s service, I am perfect”—two things—that is śraddhā. And the more you increase this śraddhā you become advanced. The beginning is this śraddhā. Ādau śraddhā.

So how this śraddhā, this faith can be increased? Sādhu-saṅga . If you keep yourself associated with the devotees, then this śraddhā can be increased. If you simply believe, “Yes, Kṛṣṇa is Supreme Personality,” but you do not live with the sādhus or devotee, then it will drop. It will finish.So just to keep the standard, the temperature right, you must keep always yourself warm. If you go away, then your (indistinct) is gone. Again you become cold. You see. This is the process. Ādau śraddhā tataḥ sādhu-saṅgaḥ [Cc. Madhya 23.14-15]. Everything is perfect. The first thing is that you must believe that Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Yes. And to keep this faith strong and going on, you must keep association with devotees. Otherwise whatever little faith you got, it will be lost. It become again under the clutches of māyā. Ādau śraddhā tataḥ sādhu-saṅgaḥ [Cc. Madhya 23.14-15]. And if you actually associate with sādhu, then the next stage is bhajana-kriyā, initiation, how to worship Kṛṣṇa. Then anartha-nivṛttiḥ syāt. If you are actually engaged in devotional service, anartha, which are not required, things will vanish. Just like we ask our students, “No illicit sex, no intoxication, no gambling, no meat-eating.” Simply by hearing it you cannot follow it. It is not possible. If you make bhajana-kriyā, if you’re actually following—chanting sixteen rounds—then you can follow the others. Otherwise, if you are spiritually weak, you cannot. The government is spending so much money to stop this intoxication, LSD, in your country. They’re all failure. But here, with our pure association, a person can give up immediately. Just see how much the association is strong. Ādau śraddhā tataḥ sādhu…, bhajana-kriyā [Cc. Madhya 23.14-15]. Anartha.

Then after one is free from these sinful activities, then he comes to the understanding stage. So long one is sinful, he has no possibility of understanding. Yeṣāṁ tv anta-gataṁ pāpam. One who is completely free from all sinful activities, anta-gatam, finished, yeṣāṁ tv anta-gataṁ pāpaṁ janānāṁ puṇya-karmaṇām.And how you can become free from sinful activities unless you act piously? Because we must have some engagement. If you have no pious engagement, then you cannot become free from sinful activities. You must act. If you do not act piously, then you must act viciously. This is the way. The Māyāvādī philosopher, they simply wants to stop impious activities. But they do not engage themselves in pious activities. Therefore they fail. They fail. You must have side by side. Paraṁ dṛṣṭvā nivartate [Bg. 9.59]. If you get something better, then you can give up inferior. But if you do not get better, you cannot give up the inferior. That is not possible.

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Discussion with Srila Prabhupada about the philosopher John Stuart Mill pg 708 Vol #6-

Śyāmasundara: But how do we determine that God is the cause behind everything?

Prabhupāda: Because then we know that God is the ultimate pusher, the pushing begins from there. So it may come through various agents. Just like one railway wagon is pushed by the engines, and it strikes another wagon and that is also pushed; another wagon, and that is pushed, that is also pushed. Similarly, the original pusher is the engine. Our study is like that, that the original, sa aikṣata, sa aikṣata… These are the Vedic… He glanced over, He desired; immediately there was creation. Therefore the original pusher is God, Kṛṣṇa. Now, how it is happening, that we cannot see. Just like same example, the wagon is already pushed, it is coming automatically. A child sees, “Oh, this wagon is coming automatically, and it caught another wagon, and it is now moved.” He sees the (effect). But he did not see that ultimately there was a big engine that has pushed it.

Śyāmasundara: If we see a phenomenon like the rain falling or anything, and we want to apply the test that will prove that God is the cause of that phenomenon, what test do we apply?

Prabhupāda: The śāstras, the Vedic literature is there, the Upaniṣads are there, books are there, śāstra cakṣuṣa. You have to see it through the śāstras. That is the injunction. You cannot see directly. You have to see śāstra cakṣuṣa. Your eyes, they are defective. Just like if you read astrology, astronomy, then you can understand what is the actual volume or the bulk of the sun, but by your eyes you are seeing just a disc. So all your senses are defective. So directly seeing or perceiving or tasting has no value, because these are all defective. So we have to, it is said, you should see through śāstras, through authoritative instruction.

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1.) SB 4.30.27 purport–Deity worship in the form of temple worship is the most valuable benediction given by the Lord to beginners. All neophytes must therefore engage in the worship of the Lord by keeping the arcā-vigraha (arcāvatāra) at home or in the temple.

2.) Jan 4 1973 letter-The greatest danger to our movement will come when we manufacture and create our own process for worshiping the deities. So don’t ask any more new questions, whatever is going on, follow it just to the exact standard as I have given you, that’s all

3.) NoD 35 Neutral Love of God 175614/530501

Without worshiping the arca-vigraha, the form or Deity of the Lord,

one cannot understand such literature as Bhagavad-gita and

Srimad-Bhagavatam.

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june 18 1972

Prabhupāda: Yes. This bow down… Even the children, they are imitating, bowing down, but it has got the effect. Not that the children, they have no seriousness about… Seriousness or no seriousness, simply if he bows down, he gets the result. He gets the… Dancing, he’s dancing. He’s getting the result. He’s becoming a devotee. This is called ajñāta–sukṛti. These are the statements in Bhakti–rasām… Nectar of Devotion. You’ll find. The temple is meant for giving chances to the nondevotees. Some way or other, if he comes in the temple, bows down, and dances with us, takes the prasādam, takes caraṇāmṛta, that means he is becoming spiritually advanced. Therefore this is a chance. And actually, our Society is giving this chance.

Jan 19 1974 Hawaii

Bali–mardana: I believe I’ve heard you said in other lectures that a person who takes prasādam, even a plant or a…, any kind of living entity who takes prasādam or hears the name, that it will come back at least to human form of life. Is that correct?

Prabhupāda: No, if he’s devotee, then he’ll come. But this taking of prasādam, or hearing Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra is advancement for becoming a devotee. But if he takes prasādam not as ordinary prasādam, foodstuff, he believes that “This is remnants of foodstuffs given to God,” if he understands this philosophy, then guaranteed. If he takes the prasādam as ordinary food, “All right, these people are distributing, prasā… Let me take it. It is very tasteful,” that will give him chance to accept prasādam next, next, next… In this way, one day he’ll come to the point that “This prasādam is not ordinary foodstuff.” Then he’ll… There is guarantee. Because only the devotee can appreciate that “This prasādam is not ordinary foodstuff. It is Kṛṣṇa’s remnant of…” Therefore, he understands Kṛṣṇa. That is said in the Bhagavad-gītā, janma–karma ca me divyaṁ yo jānāti tattvataḥ [Bg. 4.9]. In truth, when he understands, then his life is guaranteed. Why guaranteed? He goes back to home next life. Tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti [Bg. 4.9]. If you simply can understand what is Kṛṣṇa and what is your relationship with Kṛṣṇa, that is sufficient to take you back to home, back to Godhead. That is sufficient. It is so nice.

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Hare Krsna-

Below we have put some discussions with Srila Prabhupada about the nature of the soul, its size, and the propensity to fall down being marginal energy of the Lord.

That independence and propensity Srila Prabhupada says to fall down into this material world is always there. But once experienced, we will not do that again. And that is confirmed three times in Bhagavad Gita by the Lord Himself. (see verses at the end)

Hare Krsna

damaghosa das

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A sample—-(Śyāmasundara: Does Kṛṣṇa know beforehand everything, before…?

Prabhupāda: No. How Kṛṣṇa can know? You can change your mind. So Kṛṣṇa says “Surrender unto Me.” If you don’t surrender, then what Kṛṣṇa can do? That much independence is there. see below for full conversation)

Philosophy discussions with Srila Prabhupada

Śyāmasundara: So someone can understand, someone can know what the life force is going to do in the future, how it will manifest itself in the future?

Prabhupāda: The future, because he is eternally servant of God, so now he has forgotten. He wants to become master, and the material nature is kicking him, life after life. So one day he’ll come to his senses and become again, renovate himself to become servant of God.

Śyāmasundara: So we can predict that everyone will…

Prabhupāda: Oh, yes. Everyone will be. Somebody sooner, somebody later.

Śyāmasundara: So that the purpose of the life force then is to eventually go back…

Prabhupāda: Just like when a man becomes a prisoner, he will be freed, he’ll be a free man at the end of his term, and within this term he is simply kicked by the police, so that he may not come back again to prison house.

Śyāmasundara: But we can’t predict that the process of punishment will have permanent effect, can we? Can we predict that? Many prisoners leave the prison, but some come back.

Prabhupāda: No, there is no permanent effect because we have got little independence. There is nothing as permanent. You can misuse your independence at any time.

Śyāmasundara: And come back.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Otherwise there is no meaning of independence. Independence means you can do this, you can do that. “All right. Whatever you like.”

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SB 7.2.57 purport-

Yamarāja once asked Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira, “What is the most wonderful thing within this world?” Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira replied (Mahābhārata, Vana–parva313.116):

Hundreds and thousands of living entities meet death at every moment,but a foolish living being nonetheless thinks himself deathless and does not prepare for death. This is the most wonderful thing in this world.Everyone has to die because everyone is fully under the control of material nature, yet everyone thinks that he is independent, that whatever he likes he can do, that he will never meet death but live forever, and so on. So-called scientists are making various plans by which living entities in the future can live forever, but while they are thus pursuing such scientific knowledge, Yamarāja, in due course of time, will take them away from their business of so-called research.

SB class-Jan 3, 1974 LA

The modern civilization, rascal civilization, they do not know how to utilize life. So many days, so many hours, they are simply wasting, simply wasting. It is said that the sunrise and sunset, during this period, the sun’s business is to take away the duration of our life, sunrise and sunset. That means twelve hours or thirteen hours which is gone between the sunrise and sunset…This sun’s business is to take away the portion, the fixed up duration of life which I have been given. That is, some of it, is taken away. The same example. Just like you have got a fixed balance in the bank. If you draw even ten pence, ten shillings, that means it is taken away. You have to replace it. But replacing is not possible. Bank balance you can replace. But the balance… Suppose you have passed… I have passed… Suppose if I live for eighty years or ninety years or hundred years. So this seventy-eight years is already taken away. It cannot be replaced. You cannot make the bank balance or the duration of…, again complete. That is not possible. This is plain fact.

Therefore here it is said that those who are Kṛṣṇa conscious, they must weigh, measure every moment, “Whether this moment has been spent without Kṛṣṇa consciousness?” That is the criterion. Avyartha-kālatvam [Cc. Madhya 23.18-19], nāma-gāne sadā ruciḥ. This is the test of advanced Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Rūpa Gosvāmī gives, avyartha-kālatvam. Avyartha-kālatvam means “Whether my time has been spent uselessly?” One should be alert. “Whether my time has been used, has been uselessly spent by talking nonsense?

…What is the value of your independence? Can you avoid death? Suppose you are independent. What is the meaning of this independence? When death will come, will catch you by your neck and throw you away, your independence, nonsense independence… What is the value of this independence? Be independent from the clutches of māyā. No more death—that is independence. That is independence. No more birth—oh, that is independence. No more death. Otherwise what is the meaning of independence? You are not independent. You are under the clutches of māyā. You are struggling. You are struggling to get out of the clutches of māyā or the material nature, external energy of God. You are trying to make nice medicine to get out of the attack of disease. But you can manufacture a better medicine, but you cannot get out of disease. That is not possible. This is struggle. Now we have manufactured such a nice medicine that cancer or any other disease will not attack us. That is very nice. But find out some medicine that death will not attack you. “Oh, that is not possible.” Then where is the meaning of your advancement?

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Hare Krsna-

Below we have put some discussions with Srila Prabhupada about the nature of the soul, its size, and the propensity to fall down being marginal energy of the Lord.

Hare Krsna

damaghosa das

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A sample—-(Śyāmasundara: Does Kṛṣṇa know beforehand everything, before…?

Philosophy discussions with Srila Prabhupada

Śyāmasundara: So someone can understand, someone can know what the life force is going to do in the future, how it will manifest itself in the future?

Śyāmasundara: So we can predict that everyone will…

Prabhupāda: Oh, yes. Everyone will be. Somebody sooner, somebody later.

Śyāmasundara: So that the purpose of the life force then is to eventually go back…

Śyāmasundara: But we can’t predict that the process of punishment will have permanent effect, can we? Can we predict that? Many prisoners leave the prison, but some come back.

Prabhupāda: No, there is no permanent effect because we have got little independence. There is nothing as permanent. You can misuse your independence at any time.

Śyāmasundara: And come back.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Otherwise there is no meaning of independence. Independence means you can do this, you can do that. “All right. Whatever you like.”

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Hare Krsna–Winter seems over here for us, bulbs and flowers are popping out of the ground, rhubarb is coming up, the weather is mild, and I am beginning to clear out from the gardens what is left from over wintering plants.

Below is a tray of purple brussel sprouts (very high in anti oxidants)and the other tray is some of the remaining turnips and rhutabagas. These will get cooked soon, and offered to Sri Krsna for His Transcendental pleasure.

“Don’t bring all rotten. In the market you cannot get fresh. All three hundred years old. Anything fresh, that is full of vitamin. Grow fresh, take fresh. In India there is no system to purchase three hundred year old bread and eat. It must be freshly made. Wife is preparing in the simple oven, husband is eating, children are eating. (Conversation at New Mayapur Farm, Paris, August 3, 1976)

Philosophy discussions-Srila Prabhupada about Bergson-with Symasundar

Śyāmasundara: So someone can understand, someone can know what the life force is going to do in the future, how it will manifest itself in the future?

Śyāmasundara: So we can predict that everyone will…

Prabhupāda: Oh, yes. Everyone will be. Somebody sooner, somebody later.

Śyāmasundara: So that the purpose of the life force then is to eventually go back…

Prabhupāda: Just like when a man becomes a prisoner, he will be freed, he’ll be a free man at the end of his term, and within this term he is simply kicked by the police, so that he may not come back again to prison house.

Śyāmasundara: But we can’t predict that the process of punishment will have permanent effect, can we? Can we predict that? Many prisoners leave the prison, but some come back.

Prabhupāda: No, there is no permanent effect because we have got little independence. There is nothing as permanent. You can misuse your independence at any time.

Śyāmasundara: And come back.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Otherwise there is no meaning of independence. Independence means you can do this, you can do that. “All right. Whatever you like.”

Chanting in the Process- to be effective

Feb 25 1977

Prabhupāda: No, no. They may chant, but they must understand that the chanting process, that will be more effective. That they must know. Chanting is open. Anyone can chant, but they must know it, that “If I chant in the proper process, then it will be effective.”

Rāmeśvara: We want then to chant more.

Prabhupāda: Yes. But we must… They must know the science also.

Rāmeśvara: Just like this Alice Coltrane. She has done her small part. She made this record album with Govinda Jaya Jaya and Hare Kṛṣṇa.

Prabhupāda: That is… That will be a good thing. But when he (she) does it properly it will be more effective, because there is… If one does not chant in the process, then gradually it degrades. The offense will increase. There is chance.

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Hare Krishna Society

Sri Isvara puri Tirobhava Tithi (Disappearance day) Monday, February 12, 2018 [Mayapura, West Bengal, Bharata Bhumi time]

Sri Isvara puri Tirobhava Tithi (Disappearance day) Monday, February 12, 2018 [Mayapura, West Bengal, Bharata Bhumi time]

Srila Prabhupada glorifies Sri Isvara Puri

Everyone can attain that Bhava stage.There is a process–SP

philosophy discussions with Srila Prabhupada

What is the most valuable benediction and greatest danger to devotees

The Power of Krsna Prasadam

discussions with SP on nature of the soul, falldown and independence

I am independent, I can do whatever I want, and death? who cares for it?

philosophy discussions with Srila Prabhupada

In the market you cannot get fresh. All three hundred years old. -SP

This process is not at all difficult but is actually very blissful