Hare Krishna Society

October 22, 2016 Saturday [Los Angeles, California, USA time]

October 23, 2016 Sunday [Mayapura, West Bengal, India time]

Sri Radha Kunda avirbhava – Appearance of Sri Radha Kunda

Subject: Sri Radha Kunda avirbhava – Appearance of Sri Radha Kunda and Beauty of Radhakunda in 1945

compiled by Yasoda Nandana dasa

Srila Prabhupada reveals the glory of Radha Kunda.

vaikuṇṭhāj janito varā madhu-purī tatrāpi rāsotsavād

vṛndāraṇyam udāra-pāṇi-ramaṇāt tatrāpi govardhanaḥ

rādhā-kuṇḍam ihāpi gokula-pateḥ premāmṛtāplāvanāt

kuryād asya virājato giri-taṭe sevāṁ vivekī na kaḥ

SYNONYMS

vaikuṇṭhāt—than Vaikuṇṭha, the spiritual world; janitaḥ—because of birth; varā—better; madhu-purī—the transcendental city known as Mathurā; tatra api—superior to that; rāsa-utsavāt—because of the performance of the rāsa-līlā; vṛndā-araṇyam—the forest of Vṛndāvana; udāra-pāṇi—of Lord Kṛṣṇa; ramaṇāt—because of various kinds of loving pastimes; tatra api—superior to that; govardhanaḥ—Govardhana Hill; rādhā-kuṇḍam—a place called Rādhā-kuṇḍa; iha api—superior to this; gokula-pateḥ—of Kṛṣṇa, the master of Gokula; prema-amṛta—with the nectar of divine love; āplāvanāt—because of being overflooded; kuryāt—would do; asya—of this (Rādhā-kuṇḍa); virājataḥ—situated; giri-taṭe—at the foot of Govardhana Hill; sevām—service; vivekī—who is intelligent; na—not; kaḥ—who.

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Thursday, October 2016 [Mayapura, West Bengal, India time and Los Angeles, California time]

Srila Narottama dasa Thakura tirobhava tithi [appearance day]’
compiled by Yasoda nandana dasa

Srila Prabhupada explains the unique position of Narottama dasa Thakura in the Gaudiya sampradaya.

Srila Narottama dasa Thakura and Sri Srinivasa acarya

Lectures : Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures : Canto 7: Lectures : SB 7.12: Lectures : Srimad-Bhagavatam 7.12.6 — Bombay, April 17, 1976 : 760417SB.BOM :

Dakṣa śraddadhānaḥ: faithful. Faithful to whom? To the spiritual master. Whatever he says, the brahmacārī should take it: “Yes, it is my life and soul.” That is the explanation given by Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura. He is explaining with reference to the verse vyavasāyātmikā buddhir ekeha kuru-nandana [Bg. 2.41]. He very nicely explains. You have perhaps read it, Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura’s… Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura has taught very, very nicely about guru. Therefore he has written in Gurvaṣṭaka, yasya prasādād bhagavat-prasādaḥ **. He is example, practical example of guru-bhakti, Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura. He accepted his guru, Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura. So he said that “I am not interested for my salvation or going back to Godhead. I am not interested.” Interested means it may come; it may not come. “That I don’t mind. But I am interested only with the words of my guru.” Viśvanātha Cakravartī said. “That is my life. Whether I will be successful or not successful, it doesn’t matter. I must take the words of my Guru Mahārāja as my life and soul.”\
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Jai Srila Prabhupada!

When a disciple very perfectly makes progress in spiritual life, this gladdens the spiritual master who then also smiles in ecstasy thinking, ” How successful my disciple has become!” He feels so glad that he smiles as he enjoys the progress of the disciple, just as a smiling parent enjoys the activities of a child who is trying to stand up or crawl perfectly.

CC Adi 7.82

Paramatma Das: How can you receive Diksa mantras from s departed Guru. When did the Guru chant on your beads and give you the Diksa Mantras in your ear to hear? Why not take Harinama and Diksa from Mahaprabhu as well. We are not Christians but the main society looks more and more like the Catholic Church with all its problems then the traditional Gaudiya Vaishnava society,

October 16 at 5:58pm

Jai Simman: My dear Prabhu, Srila Prabhupada has already explained what essential diksha is and has deputized his leaders to carry out the formalities of the process while he remains the essential link. Who are we to say that he cannot continue to empower the process? What is our right to limit him? Has he limited himself? There is not a single pramana in any scripture to say that this cannot be done. And the physical living process is also still there. It’s only a matter of what the role of officiator is. He does not usurp the initiator’s role which does not require physical presence. Srila Prabhupada has instructed his leaders to supervise the procedure and do the needful even without his physical presence. This was going on even prior to 1977. And cemented the same for thereafter. In fact, even acharyas in other vaishnava lines have endorsed this process. One follows what the current empowered acharya tells us to do. That’s the culture of parampara. And currency is not mere bodily baton passing. It’s the transmission of divya jnana by adherence to the acharya’s directives. It’s based on empowerment and authorization by one’s own guru to take that position. And that can cut across time and time gaps. Each acharya devises a system as per time, place and circumstances to continue the parampara and the method of one acharya may differ from another. Srila Prabhupada has said this clearly. And in so many places, he has said that whether he is physically present or otherwise, the essential empowerment is there if the disciple agrees to follow the process as he has given to his followers through the delegation he has given to his leaders. And that is the essential initiation or diksha. I can give quotes but these have been given ad nauseum and yet people are so rooted in some regimented idea and formality rather than the essence of the matter. What can be done? Continue reading →

Subject: Guru is not a fashion-First serve him-then you have right to ask questions

compiled by damaghosa dasa

761027SB.VRN Lectures 225040/530501

To accept guru means the disciple should be very very eager to

know. Sad-dharma prcchat. Adau gurvasrayam. Why you accept a guru? “It

is a fashion.” Fashion. Nowadays they accept a guru fashion. “Everyone

has guru. Everyone has a dog. Well, let me keep a dog.” Like that. A

pet dog. So similarly, to keep a pet guru, that is not One should be

very inquisitive: sad-dharma prcchat. And everywhere the same thing.

Pariprasna. Tad viddhi pranipatena pariprasnena sevaya. But don’t make

inquiries cheap: “Here is my guru, and he’s meant for answering all my

questions. Let me go on questioning, questioning, questioning.” No.

Sevaya. You must serve. You must be ready to serve him. Then you have

got right to make question. Otherwise not. Two things. First of all,

you must find out a person where you can fully surrender, pranipatena.

And then you can inquire, and the inquiry should be compensated by

seva. Yasya prasadad bhagavat-prasada. Sevonmukhe hi jihvadau svayam

eva sphuraty adah. The more you are inclined to render seva, the more

the truth becomes revealed.

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Murari Gupta’s deities of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu

Sri Murari Gupta Tirobhava tithi [disappearance day]

Sunday, October 16, 2016 [Mayapura, West Bengal, India time]

Srila Prabhupada explains the glories of Sri Murari Gupta

advaita ācārya, nityānanda, śrīnivāsa

gadādhara, dāmodara, murāri, haridāsa

āra yata caitanya-kṛṣṇera bhakta-gaṇa

bhakti-bhāve śire dhari sabāra caraṇa

SYNONYMS

advaita ācārya—Advaita Ācārya; nityānanda—Lord Nityānanda; śrīnivāsa—Śrīvāsa Paṇḍita; gadādhara—Gadādhara Paṇḍita; dāmodara—Svarūpa Dāmodara; murāri—Murāri Gupta; haridāsa—Haridāsa Ṭhākura; āra—other; yata—all; caitanya-kṛṣṇera—of Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya; bhakta-gaṇa—devotees; bhakti-bhāve—with a devotional attitude; śire—on my head; dhari—I take; sabāra—of all of them; caraṇa—the lotus feet.

TRANSLATION

Bowing down with devotion, I hold on my head the lotus feet of Advaita Ācārya, Nityānanda, Śrīvāsa Paṇḍita, Gadādhara, Svarūpa Dāmodara, Murāri Gupta, Haridāsa and all the other devotees of Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya..

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Srila Prabhupada glorifies Sri Madhva

Compiled by Yasoda nandana dasa

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Below is a very nice conversation by Srila Prabhupada with some students at Boston .

He explains to the intelligent questions first about How is the Name of Krsna selected for God, and then what is the actual process to find God? And how to find that person who can give you God. Very nice explanation and easy to follow his logic.

Hare Krsna

damaghosa das

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Boston Dec 23, 1969

Who is the Real Authority that will give me answers without error or fault?

Young woman: How do you know that a name is approved?

Prabhupāda: How do you know even your name? How do you know?

Young woman: It’s given by a human being.

Prabhupāda: Huh?

Young woman: It was told to me by a person.

Prabhupāda: So who? Who told you?

Young woman: I suppose my mother.

Prabhupāda: Why do you believe her? That is your name?

Young woman: Why do I believe her?

Prabhupāda: Yes. Why do you believe her? I say that it is not your name. Why do you believe that this is your name?

Young woman: I can choose my name if I don’t like the name I have.

Prabhupāda: That is all right. But why do you believe? When I say, “What is your name?” you put your name which is given by your parents? And why not by your friend?

Young woman: It’s arbitrary.

Prabhupāda: Eh?

Young woman: It’s arbitrary.

Prabhupāda: But you accept it.

Young woman: Yes.

Prabhupāda: So you have to accept because your mother is authority.

Young woman: Yes. But who is the authority for telling me…

Prabhupāda: That’s all right. This is the principle. So you have to accept the name of God from God. You cannot manufacture.

Young woman: How do you know that “Kṛṣṇa” is a name of God?

Prabhupāda: That, it will take some time. How do you know he’s your father? Some gentleman comes. Your mother says, “He’s your father.” How do you know it?

Young woman: I have no proof?

Prabhupāda: Can you have any proof, that he’s your father?

Young woman: I suppose there will be biological…

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Vrndavana Dec 7 1975

Devotee: I heard that if you pass stool more than once a day you become a bhogī? You are called a bhogī?

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Devotee: Does that mean a serious devotee should only pass stool once a day?

Prabhupāda: Don’t artificially do that. (laughter) First of all become yogi. Then do it.

Devotee: Yes. Of course, it can only be done by Kṛṣṇa’s mercy, but one should at least try for that.

Prabhupāda: Hare Kṛṣṇa. Jaya. Don’t try for passing stool once. (laughter) That does not make you a yogi.

Devotee: Yoginām api sarveṣāṁ mad-gatenāntarātmanā [Bg. 6.47].

Prabhupāda: Antara… Yes. That makes you yogi, not by passing stool. (laughter) Hare Kṛṣṇa. [break] Huh?

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Here we have yet another potential “Prabhupada says” story where sometimes you will hear something out of context and which will produce yet another “fanatic” in spiritual life. Most everybody always wants the “quick fix” solution to all our problems, and that is OK as long as it really fixes the problem. However, passing stool once a day is hardly a qualification for entering the Spiritual Dhama of Gokula. As Srila Prabhupada mentions above and quotes the Bhagavad Gita verse where if one is always thinking of Krsna, he is the best or topmost yogi, not one who passes stool only once a day.

For more information on how fanaticism ruins actual spiritual life check this article out…

https://harekrishnasociety.org/?p=13355

Hare Krsna

damaghosa das

Hare Krsna-
Below we have a short look at what constitutes viddhi bhakti and raganuga bhakti. It is a common thing to find some devotees who, after some time of chanting and doing some deity worship aspire to be included in the inner circle of Lord Krsna’s intimate friends and confidantes. This is a nice thing, but has to be done with intelligence and sincerely following the spiritual masters instructions. Otherwise if one is immature in understanding and behavior, his or her “seva” will only be a disturbance to the devotees and world in general.

damaghosa das
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Srila Prabhupada’s Letter to: Madhusudana — Los Angeles 24 January, 1969

Srila Prabhupada…”Regarding your question about why we dress the Deities in very opulent fashion and not as simple cowherds boy and girl, this is an intelligent question and the answer is that according to the regulative principles we cannot worship Radha-Krishna now. Radha-Krishna worship is meant for persons who have already developed spontaneous love of God. In the training period we are only worshiping Laksmi-Narayana. We worship Radha-Krishna because Laksmi-Narayana is there also, but actually we do not worship Radha-Krishna with our present Deity ceremonies; we are worshiping Laksmi-Narayana.
Narayana is there when Krishna is there, but actually we do not worship Radha-Krishna in Their Original Form. This is why we should worship Radha-Krishna in Their Laksmi-Narayana feature with all respect and reverence. If we deviate from this standard then we shall be prakrta sahajiya, or a person who takes things very cheap. We worship Laksmi-Narayana, and because Radha-Krishna includes Laksmi-Narayana, there is no necessity of installing a Laksmi-Narayana Deity. It is just like a king who is engaged in administering justice. Actually that business belongs to the justice department. But what is that justice department? It is all part of the kings energy, and the king also has the power to execute this function.”

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Hare Krishna Society

Sri Radha Kunda avirbhava – Appearance of Sri Radha Kunda

Sri Narottama dasa Thakura tirobhava tithi (Divine disappearance)

Jai Srila Prabhupada!

Excellent Response to Someone Rejecting the “Ritvik” Order !

Srila Prabhupada; Guru is not a fashion-First serve him-then you have right to ask questions – compiled by Damaghosa dasa

Sri Murari Gupta tirobhava tithi [disappearance day]

Sri Prabhupada glorifies Sripada Madhvacarya

Who is the Real Authority- you can Always Trust??

Fanaticisim is religion-without philosophy-revisited with a humorus story

Srila Prabhupada explains the correct way to worship “Radha Krsna”–otherwise we are sahajiya