Srila Prabhupada re: The origin of the Hindu
Submitted by Yasoda nandana Dasa
Reporter: Now can you explain to me, I have some background information about the Kṛṣṇa consciousness society, but I don’t know how to explain it in relation to the broad word Hinduism. Now how do you relate the International Society for Krishna Consciousness to Hinduism? How would you describe it, as a part of Hinduism?Srila Prabhupāda: No. Hinduism practically we do not recognize because this word “Hinduism” is not mentioned in any Vedic literature. It is a foreign term. The Muhammadans, they called the inhabitants of India as “Hindus.” From that word, it is has come to “Hinduism.” Otherwise, we don’t find that word in any Vedic literature. “Hinduism” is a foreign term, it is not a Vedic term.Reporter: Yes. The Kṛṣṇa consciousness, its Vedic literature, they have some of the same books or also holy books for what we call Hindu religions, aren’t they?Srila Prabhupāda: Yes. Just try to understand, the inhabitants of India were called by the Muhammadans from Persia and other places, “Hindus.” “Hindus” means the resident on the other side of the River Indus. You have heard the name of River Indus. So they cannot pronounce it Indus, they say “Hindus.” From “Hindus,” it has become “Hindu.” So actually the residents of India were called “Hindus.” And generally, at least in, say, three thousand years ago, all the inhabitants of India were strictly followers of Vedic principles. After the advent of Lord Buddha, a different religious system developed. Otherwise, before Lord Buddha, there was all the… Not only in India, in other parts of the world. They were followers of Vedic principles. So in that sense, you can say if followers of Vedic principles are called Hindus, then before Lord Buddha, everyone was Hindu all over the world. Not that particular part of India. So far we have got historical reference from Mahābhārata, Indo-European stock, they are also Hindus, the so-called Hindus, followers of Vedic principles. Yes. Gradually, they deviated. Just like recently there is division of Pakistan and India. Twenty years before, this Pakistan was part of India. Now, these Muhammadans, they did not come from outside. They changed their faith from Hindus to Muhammadans. Now they divided their property. Similarly, actually the whole planet was called Bhārata–varṣa. Gradually, people deviated from Vedic principles or imitated something else and they became different.
What happens when you follow and dont follow guru??
Submitted by Damagosha Dasa
Room Conversation — May 2, 1976, Fiji : 760502rc.fij :
Prabhupāda: Therefore he is not to be preached. Caitanya Mahāprabhu says, janma sārthaka kari’ kara para-upakāra: [Cc. Ādi 9.41] “Go to do good to others. First of all you do good to yourself.” First of all you become really preacher. Then go to preach. Caitanya Mahāprabhu never sent neophyte to go to preach. For neophyte the preaching is not their business. For neophyte, one should stick to the worship of Deity in the temple. And those who have understood the philosophy, applied the philosophy in his life, he should go for preaching. Otherwise he’ll preach wrongly, like…. What is that? Charan das Babaji. And it will stop. He wanted to preach, but he did not know how to preach, and therefore, after his life, it is finished. So Caitanya Mahāprabhu does not say like that, that “You remain a rascal and go to preach.” No. Janma sārthaka kari. “Your first business is that you make your life perfect. Then go to preach. Perfect means you learn how to obey My orders.” That is perfection. Āmāra ājñāya. So if you are actually, perfectly carrying out the orders of Caitanya Mahāprabhu, then you are preaching. Otherwise you will do wrongly, mislead. Don’t do that. Andhā yathāndhair upanīyamānāḥ [SB 7.5.31]. If you remain blind, don’t try to lead other blind men. That is misleading. First of all open your eyes. Everything is there. Nobody can do anything whimsically. If you do whimsically, concoctedly, that will be failure. It will not be effective.
Srila Prabhupada explains Authorized and Unauthorized acaryas
Submitted by Yasoda nandana Dasa
Definition of authorized
Books : Srimad-Bhagavatam : Canto 4: “The Creation of the Fourth Order” : SB 4.8: Dhruva Maharaja Leaves Home for the Forest : SB 4.8.54 : PURPORT :
Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu recommends that His name should be heard in every nook and corner of the world. How is this possible unless one preaches everywhere? The cult of Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu is bhāgavata-dharma, and He especially recommends kṛṣṇa-kathā, or the cult of Bhagavad-gītā and Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. He recommends that every Indian, considering this task to be para-upakāra, or welfare activity, take the Lord’s message to other residents of the world. “Other residents of the world” does not refer only to those who are exactly like the Indian brāhmaṇas and kṣatriyas, or like the caste brāhmaṇas, who claim to be brāhmaṇas because they were born in the families of brāhmaṇas. The principle that only Indians and Hindus should be brought into the Vaiṣṇava cult is a mistaken idea. There should be propaganda to bring everyone to the Vaiṣṇava cult. The Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is meant for this purpose. There is no bar to propagating the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement even among people who are born in caṇḍāla, mleccha or yavana families. Even in India, this point has been enunciated by Śrīla Sanātana Gosvāmī in his book Hari-bhakti-vilāsa, which is smṛti and is the authorized Vedic guide for Vaiṣṇavas in their daily behavior. Sanātana Gosvāmī says that as bell metal can turn to gold when mixed with mercury in a chemical process, so, by the bona fide dīkṣā, or initiation method, anyone can become a Vaiṣṇava. One should take initiation from a bona fide spiritual master coming in the disciplic succession, who is authorized by his predecessor spiritual master. I his is called dīkṣā-vidhāna. Lord Kṛṣṇa states in Bhagavad-gītā, vyapāśritya: one should accept a spiritual master. By this process the entire world can be converted to Kṛṣṇa consciousness
Nandakishore’s package WITH DIACRITICS
SP Letters on Initiations
What happens when you follow and dont follow guru??
Room Conversation — May 2, 1976, Fiji : 760502rc.fij :
Prabhupāda: Therefore he is not to be preached. Caitanya Mahāprabhu says, janma sārthaka kari’ kara para-upakāra: [Cc. Ādi 9.41] “Go to do good to others. First of all you do good to yourself.” First of all you become really preacher. Then go to preach. Caitanya Mahāprabhu never sent neophyte to go to preach. For neophyte the preaching is not their business. For neophyte, one should stick to the worship of Deity in the temple. And those who have understood the philosophy, applied the philosophy in his life, he should go for preaching. Otherwise he’ll preach wrongly, like…. What is that? Charan das Babaji. And it will stop. He wanted to preach, but he did not know how to preach, and therefore, after his life, it is finished. So Caitanya Mahāprabhu does not say like that, that “You remain a rascal and go to preach.” No. Janma sārthaka kari. “Your first business is that you make your life perfect. Then go to preach. Perfect means you learn how to obey My orders.” That is perfection. Āmāra ājñāya. So if you are actually, perfectly carrying out the orders of Caitanya Mahāprabhu, then you are preaching. Otherwise you will do wrongly, mislead. Don’t do that. Andhā yathāndhair upanīyamānāḥ [SB 7.5.31]. If you remain blind, don’t try to lead other blind men. That is misleading. First of all open your eyes. Everything is there. Nobody can do anything whimsically. If you do whimsically, concoctedly, that will be failure. It will not be effective.
Hare Krsna–This one conversation is so full of instructions. Let us go through it sentence by sentence.
Time Place and Circumstances
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Missing Pieces in the Puzzle
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The Lilamrta Review
The Lilamrta
A Review & Philosophical Analysis
By Sriman Yasodanandana dasa, 1996
Srila Prabhupada is a pure devotee always, being an eternally liberated associate of the Lord.
He did not have a material past at any time. Being an associate of Lord Sri Krsna, he is properly understood to never have been contaminated by matter. As we knew him, his so called material body was not at all material. Heat, cold, happiness and distress, hunger and thirst, birth, disease, old age, and death never touched him.
It is not correct that he felt or suffered these mundane influences and pains in a mood of tolerance. He never even felt them, according to the scriptures.
SECTION 1
ATTACHED TO MATTER
There are two types of pure devotees: (1) the neophyte pure devotee (sadhaka), and (2) the perfect pure devotee (parishat).
“Such pure devotees are of two types: personal associates (parishats) and neophyte devotees (sadhakas). PURPORT: Perfect servitors are considered His personal associates, whereas devotees endeavoring to attain perfection are called neophytes.”C.C. Adi 1.64
“Generally, ever-liberated personalities live in the spiritual world as associates of Lord Krsna, and they are known as Krsna-parishada, associates of the Lord. Their only business is enjoying Lord Krsna’s company; even though such eternally liberated persons come within this material world to serve the Lord’s purpose, they enjoy Lord Krsna’s company without stoppage.”
C.C. Madhya 12.l5
This chapter will only be discussing a parishat pure devotee – His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada. As the bonafide spiritual master, He is described as such in The Gurvastakam prayers:
“Nikunja-yana rati-keli siddhayi…The spiritual master is expert in assisting the gopies within the groves of Vrndavana.“Shakshad-hari tvena samasta-shastraih…He is directly as good as the Supreme Lord on account of being the most confidential servitor of the Lord.”
Gurvastka, #6, 7
The Lord’s associate is also described as a nitya-siddha.
“Nitya-siddha bhakta indicates the eternally liberated associate of the Lord. Such devotees enjoy the company of the Lord in four relationships.”C.C. Madhya 6.12
Even if Srila Prabhupada was sadhanasiddha, there would be no difference between himself and a nitya-siddha devotee:
“A nitya-siddha is one who is eternally Krsna’s associate (like Nanda and Mother Yasoda), an expansion of Krsna’s personal body, whereas a sadhanasiddha is an ordinary human being who, by executing pious activities and following regulative principles of devotional service, also comes to that stage.”S.B. 10.8.48
But Srila Prabhupada has written purports in His books, Wherein He compares himself with nitya-siddhas. In one letter to Tamal Krsna Gosvami, Srila Prabhupada spoke of the qualification of the nitya-siddha, and then stated that he possessed those qualifications:
“And another [spiritual master] is nitya-siddha, who is never forgetful of Krsna throughout his whole life…So far my present life is concerned, I do not remember any part of my life when I was forgetful of Krsna.”Letter to Tamal Krsna, June 1970, from Los Angeles