Hare Krishna Society

Hare Krsna to all

pranams

All glories to Srila Prabhupada

Here in a few short sentences, Srila Prabhupada cuts thru volumes of sastra and so nicely explains

our problems and how to simply solve them.

Our problem, is we love matter much more than Krsna.

He nicely explains how this is simply corrected which will give us the highest pleasures-Krsna Prema !

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740614mw.par Conversations

Paramahamsa: It’s also said that if you follow perfectly the rules and regulations, but don’t develop love for Krsna, then you have wasted your time.

Prabhupada: Yes, but if you follow the rules and regulations, automatically, you’ll love Krsna. Sadhakanam ayam premnah pradurbhave bhavet kramah. These are the stepping-stones. The devotional service develops by association. So if the associates are pure devotees, anyone who will come to that association will become devotee. (break) …just like a young man and young woman. The devotion is there, love is there, but in the beginning, they should mix, or some presentation should be given, some, something eatable should be accepted, should be given. In this way, when the association is thick and thin, the love is there. The love is already there. It has to awakened by a certain process. Dadati pratigrhnati bhunkte bhojayate guhyam akhyati prcchati ca sad-vidham priti-laksanam. These are six types of loving principles, that you give, if you want to love somebody, you give something. And whatever he or she offers, you take from him. Dadati pratigrhnati. You give him something to eat, and whatever he or she gives, you eat. Bhunkte bhojayate ca. And guhyam akhyati prcchati. And you try to understand his heart, and your heart be disclosed to him or her. If you follow these principles, automatically the loving propensity will awaken. It is already there. It is not artificial. It has simply to be awakened by a certain process. So that process we are

prescribing, to rise early in the morning, have mangala-aratrika, worship Deity, offer food stuff, eat prasadam, chant Hare Krsna. Anyone who will follow this principle, he will become purified.

There is no need of education, because the devotion is already there. By following these rules and regulations, it will be awakened. As, as, as in this straw, there is fire. Now, you ignite it, and just fan it, and the fire will come. It is already there, fire. But you know, you must know the process how to ignite fire. Huge fire will come. You can burn the whole garden from this straw. Is it not? So you must know the process, how to ignite fire. Fire is already there, in these trees, in these straws, in this grass. Fire is already there. That, that is the process. First of all, you must know that fire is already there. Now ignite. Then it comes more. Then burning, blazing. So the blazing fire is required. But that will come gradually. If you follow the process. That is described by Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu in the Siksastakam, ceto-darpana-marjanam. The first step will be cleansing of the heart. And in the heart there is God, already. Isvarah sarva-bhutanam hrd-dese ‘rjuna tisthati. The Lord is situated in everyone’s heart. So actually yoga system is to find out the Lord within the heart. That is meditation. Lord is there already: simply we have to find it out.

That, that if, if you are informed that within this park there is one hundred weight of gold is lying there. Now you have to find out. But the indication is there. Isvarah sarva-bhutanam hrd-dese ‘rjuna tisthati. The Lord, the Supreme Lord, is situated in everyone’s heart. Now find him out. That is yoga system.

The Glories of Lord Nityananda Balarama

CC Adi lila chapter 5-selected verses compiled

This is Gauranga Ananta- the combined forms of Lord Gaura (frontside)

and Lord Nitai (coiled snake on backside)

Lord Baladeva in Krsnaloka is Nityananda Prabhu. Therefore Nityananda Prabhu is the original Sankarsana, and Maha-sankarsana and His expansions as the purusas in the universes are plenary expansions of Nityananda Prabhu.

Adi 5.1 Let me offer my obeisances to Lord Sri Nityananda, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, whose opulence is wonderful and unlimited. By His will, even a fool can understand His identity. Adi 5.10 According to expert opinion, Balarama, as the chief of the original quadruple forms, is also the original Sankarsana. Balarama, the first expansion of Krsna, expands Himself in five forms: (1) Maha-sankarsana, (2) Karanabdhisayi, (3) Garbhodakasayi, (4) Ksirodakasayi, and (5) Sesa. These five plenary portions are responsible for both the spiritual and material cosmic manifestations. In these five forms Lord Balarama assists Lord Krsna in His activities. The first four of these forms are responsible for the cosmic manifestations, whereas Sesa is responsible for personal service to the Lord. Sesa is called Ananta, or unlimited, because He assists the Personality of Godhead in His unlimited expansions by performing an unlimited variety of services. Sri Balarama is the servitor Godhead who serves Lord Krsna in all affairs of existence and knowledge. Lord Nityananda Prabhu, who is the same servitor Godhead, Balarama, performs the same service to Lord Gauranga by constant association.

Adi 5.18 The abode known as Vrndavana or Gokula is also known as Goloka. The Brahma-samhita states that Gokula, the highest region of the kingdom of God, resembles a lotus flower with thousands of petals. The outer portion of that lotuslike planet is a square place known as Svetadvipa. In the inner portion of Gokula there is an elaborate arrangement for Sri Krsna’s residence with His eternal associates such as Nanda and Yasoda. That transcendental abode exists by the energy of Sri Baladeva, who is the original whole of Sesa, or Ananta. The tantras also confirm this description by stating that the abode of Sri Anantadeva, the plenary portion of Baladeva, is called the kingdom of God. Vrndavana-dhama is the innermost abode within the quadrangular realm of Svetadvipa, which lies outside of the boundary of Gokula Vrndavana.

Adi 5.20 The land there is touchstone [cintamani], and the forests abound with desire trees. Material eyes see it as an ordinary place.

PURPORT

By the grace of the Lord His dhamas and He Himself can all be present simultaneously, without losing their original importance. Only when one fully develops in affection and love of Godhead can one see those dhamas in their original appearance. Srila Narottama dasa Thakura, a great acarya in the preceptorial line of Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, has said for our benefit that one can perfectly see the dhamas only when one completely gives up the mentality of lording it over material nature. One’s spiritual vision develops proportionately to one’s giving up the debased mentality of unnecessarily enjoying matter.

Adi 5.22 In the material world, everything is a creation. Anything we can think of within our experience, including even our own bodies and minds, was created. This process of creation began with the life of Brahma, and the creative principle is prevalent all over the material universe because of the quality of passion. But since the quality of passion is conspicuous by its absence in the Vaikuntha planets, nothing there is created: everything there is eternally existent. And because there is no mode of ignorance, there is also no question of annihilation or destruction. In the material world one may try to make everything permanent by developing the above-mentioned qualities of goodness, but because the goodness in the material world is mixed with passion and ignorance, nothing here can exist permanently, despite all the good plans of the best scientific brains. Therefore in the material world we have no experience of eternity, bliss and fullness of knowledge. But in the spiritual world, because of the complete absence of the qualitative modes, everything is eternal, blissful and cognizant. Everything can speak, everything can move, everything can hear, and everything can see in fully blessed existence for eternity. The situation being so, naturally space and time, in the forms of past, present and future, have no influence there. In the spiritual

sky there is no change because time has no influence. Consequently, the influence of maya, the total external energy, which induces us to become more and more materialistic and forget our relationship with God, is also absent there.

The residents of Vaikuntha have brilliantly black complexions much more fascinating and attractive than the dull white and black complexions found in the material world. Their bodies, being spiritual, have no equals in the material world. The beauty of a bright cloud when lightning flashes on it merely hints at their beauty. Generally the inhabitants of Vaikuntha dress in yellow clothing. Their bodies are delicate and attractively built, and their eyes are like the petals of lotus flowers. Like Lord Visnu, the residents of Vaikuntha have four hands decorated with a conchshell, wheel, club and lotus flower. Their chests are beautifully broad and fully decorated with necklaces of a brilliant diamondlike metal surrounded by costly jewels never to be found in the material world. The residents of Vaikuntha are always powerful and effulgent. Some of them have complexions like red coral cat’s eyes and lotus flowers, and each of them has earrings of costly jewels. On their heads they wear flowery crowns resembling garlands. In the Vaikunthas there are airplanes, but they make no tumultuous sounds. Material airplanes are not at all safe: they can fall down and crash at any time, for matter is imperfect in every respect. In the spiritual sky, however, the airplanes are also spiritual, and they are

spiritually brilliant and bright. These airplanes do not fly business executives, politicians or planning commissions as passengers, nor do they carry cargo or postal bags, for these are all unknown there. These planes are for pleasure trips only, and the residents of Vaikuntha fly in them with their heavenly, beautiful, fairylike consorts. Therefore these airplanes, full of residents of Vaikuntha, both male and female, increase the beauty of the spiritual sky. We cannot imagine how beautiful they are, but their beauty may be compared to the clouds in the sky accompanied by silver branches of electric lightning. The spiritual sky of Vaikunthaloka is always decorated in this way.

…. But the poor materialist makes plans to live comfortably here and thus wastes his valuable human energy in something that is doomed to frustration. Instead of wasting his time with business speculations, he might have sought the life of plain living and high spiritual thinking and thus saved himself from perpetual materialistic unrest….

Adi 5.41 The original quadruple forms Krsna, Baladeva, Pradyumna and Aniruddha expand into another quadruple, which is present in the Vaikuntha planets of the spiritual sky. Therefore the quadruple forms in the spiritual sky are the second manifestation of the original quadruple in Dvaraka. As explained above, Vasudeva, Sankarsana, Pradyumna and Aniruddha are all changeless, transcendental plenary expansions of the Supreme Lord who have no relation to the material modes. The Sankarsana form in the second quadruple is not only a representation of Balarama but also the original cause of the Causal Ocean, where Karanodakasayi Visnu lies asleep, breathing out the seeds of innumerable universes.

Adi 5.42 There the personal feature of Balarama called Maha-sankarsana is the shelter of the spiritual energy. He is the primary cause, the cause of all causes.

Adi 5.45 There is one marginal potency, known as the jiva. Maha-sankarsana is the shelter of all jivas.

Adi 5.46 Sankarsana is the original shelter of the purusa, from whom this world is created and in whom it is dissolved.

Adi 5.47 He [Sankarsana] is the shelter of everything. He is wonderful in every respect, and His opulences are infinite. Even Ananta cannot describe His glory.

Adi 5.48 That Sankarsana, who is transcendental pure goodness, is a partial expansion of Nityananda Balarama.

Adi 5.50 I offer my full obeisances unto the feet of Sri Nityananda Rama, whose partial representation called Karanodakasayi Visnu, lying on the Karana Ocean, is the original purusa, the master of the illusory energy, and the shelter of all the universes.

Adi 5.51 Outside the Vaikuntha planets is the impersonal Brahman effulgence, and beyond that effulgence is the Karana Ocean, or Causal Ocean. Purport-. Neither Krsna in Goloka nor Narayana in Vaikuntha comes directly in contact with the material creation. They are completely aloof from the material energy. It is the function of Maha-sankarsana in the form of Karanodakasayi Visnu to glance over the material creation, which is situated beyond the limits of the Causal Ocean. Material nature is connected with the Personality of Godhead by His glance over her and nothing more. It is said that she is impregnated by the energy of His glance. The material energy, maya, never even touches the Causal Ocean, for the Lord’s glance focuses upon her from a great distance away. The glancing power of the Lord agitates the entire cosmic energy, and thus its actions begin at once. This indicates that matter, however powerful she may be, has no power by herself. Her activity begins by the grace of the Lord, and then the entire cosmic creation is manifested in a systematic way. The example of a woman’s conception can help us understand this subject to a certain extent. The mother is passive, but the father puts his energy within the mother, and thus she conceives. She supplies the ingredients for the birth of the child in her womb. Similarly, the Lord activates material nature, which then supplies the ingredients for cosmic development.

Material nature has two different phases. The aspect called pradhana supplies the material ingredients for cosmic development, and the aspect called maya causes the manifestation of her ingredients, which are temporary, like foam in the ocean. In reality, the temporary manifestations of material nature are originally caused by the spiritual glance of the Lord. The Personality of Godhead is the direct, or remote, cause of creation, and material nature is the indirect, or immediate, cause. Materialistic scientists, puffed-up by the magical changes their so-called inventions have brought about, cannot see the real potency of Godhead behind matter. Therefore the jugglery of science is gradually leading people to a godless civilization at the cost of the goal of human life. Having missed the goal of life, materialists run after self-sufficiency, not knowing that material nature is already self-sufficient by the grace of God. Thus creating a colossal hoax in the name of civilization, they create an imbalance in the natural self-sufficiency of material nature.

Adi 5.52 Surrounding Vaikuntha is a mass of water that is endless, unfathomed and unlimited.

Adi 5.53 The earth, water, fire, air and ether of Vaikuntha are all spiritual. Material elements are not found there. Adi 5.54 The water of the Karana Ocean, which is the original cause, is therefore spiritual. The sacred Ganges, which is but a drop of it, purifies the fallen souls. Adi 5.55 In that ocean lies one plenary portion of Lord Sankarsana.

Adi 5.56 He is known as the first purusa, the creator of the total material energy. He, the cause of the universes, the first incarnation, casts His glance over maya.

Maya-sakti resides outside the Causal Ocean. Maya cannot touch its waters.

Adi 5.58 Maya has two varieties of existence. One is called pradhana or prakrti. It supplies the ingredients of the material world.
PURPORT
Maya, the external energy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is divided into two parts. Maya is the cause and the ingredient of the cosmic manifestation. As the cause of the cosmic manifestation she is known as maya, and as the agent supplying the ingredients of the cosmic manifestation she is known as pradhana. An explicit description of these divisions of external energy is given in Srimad-Bhagavatam (11.24.1-4).

Elsewhere in Srimad-Bhagavatam (10.63.26) the ingredients and cause of the material cosmic manifestation are described as follows: The body is generated from activity, and activity is generated from the body, just as a tree is generated from a seed that is generated from a tree. This reciprocal cause and effect is called maya. My dear Lord, You can save me from this cycle of cause and effect. I worship Your lotus feet.”

Adi 5.63 Just as the original cause of an earthen pot is the potter, so the creator of the material world is the first purusa incarnation [Karanarnavasayi Visnu].

Adi 5.64 Lord Krsna is the creator, and maya only helps Him as an instrument, just like the potter’s wheel and other instruments, which are the instrumental causes of a pot.

Adi 5.65 The first purusa casts His glance at maya from a distance, and thus He impregnates her with the seed of life in the form of the living entities.

Adi 5.66 The reflected rays of His body mix with maya, and thus maya gives birth to myriads of universes.

PURPORT- . In the conditioned state the living entities of the marginal energy are a mixture of spiritual and material energies. The marginal energy is originally under the control of the spiritual energy, but, under the control of the material energy, the living entities have been wandering in forgetfulness within the material world since time immemorial…

.. The marginal jiva, or living entity, misuses his independence and becomes averse to the eternal service attitude when he independently thinks he is not energy but the energetic. This misconception of his own existence leads him to the attitude of

lording it over material nature…

….but a person who is engaged in devotional service in full Krsna consciousness and who is therefore already situated in the spiritual energy can understand that the material energy has no independent powers: whatever actions are going on are due to the help of the spiritual energy. The material energy, which is a perverted form of the spiritual energy, presents everything pervertedly, thus causing misconceptions and duality.

…When a living entity is liberated, however, from the conditioned life of matter, he can understand the two different activities of material nature, namely covering and bewildering.

Adi 5.67 The purusa enters each and every one of the countless universes. He manifests Himself in as many separate forms as there are universes.

Adi 5.68 When the purusa exhales, the universes become manifest with each outward breath.

Adi 5.69 Thereafter, when He inhales, all the universes again enter His body. Adi 5.70 Just as atomic particles of dust pass through the openings of a window, so the networks of universes pass through the pores of the skin of the purusa. Adi 5.72 “Where am I,[Lord Brahma] a small creature of seven spans the measure of my own hand? I am enclosed in the universe composed of material nature, the total material energy, false ego, ether, air, water and earth. And what is Your glory? Unlimited universes pass through the pores of Your body just like particles of dust passing through the opening of a window.”

PURPORT

When Lord Brahma, after having stolen all Krsna’s cows and cowherd boys, returned and saw that the cows and boys were still roaming with Krsna, he offered this prayer (Bhag. 10.14.11) in his defeat. A conditioned soul, even one so great as Brahma, who manages the affairs of the entire universe, cannot compare to the Personality of Godhead, for He can produce numberless universes simply by the spiritual rays emanating from the pores of His body. Material scientists should take lessons from the utterances of Sri Brahma regarding our insignificance in comparison to God. In these prayers of Brahma there is much to learn for those who are falsely puffed up by the accumulation of power.

Adi 5.91 That Maha-purusa [Karanodakasayi Visnu] is known as a plenary part

of Him who is Lord Nityananda Balarama, the favorite associate of Lord Caitanya.

Adi 5.93 I offer my full obeisances unto the feet of Sri Nityananda Rama, a partial part of whom is Garbhodakasayi Visnu. From the navel of Garbhodakasayi Visnu sprouts the lotus that is the birthplace of Brahma, the engineer of the universe. The stem of that lotus is the resting place of the multitude of planets.

Adi 5.107 That Lord Narayana is a part of a plenary part of Lord Nityananda

Adi 5.109 I offer my respectful obeisances unto the feet of Sri Nityananda Rama, whose secondary part is the Visnu lying in the ocean of milk. That Ksirodakasayi Visnu is the Supersoul of all living entities and the maintainer of all the universes. Sesa Naga is His further subpart.

Adi 5.134 Thus Lord Nityananda has unlimited incarnations. In transcendental emotion He calls Himself a servant of Lord Caitanya.

Adi 5.135 Sometimes He serves Lord Caitanya as His guru, sometimes as His friend and sometimes as His servant, just as Lord Balarama played with Lord Krsna in these three different modes in Vraja.

Adi 5.136 Playing like a bull, Lord Balarama fights with Krsna head to head. And sometimes Lord Krsna massages the feet of Lord Balarama. Adi 5.138 “Acting just like ordinary boys, They played like roaring bulls as They fought each other, and They imitated the calls of various animals.”

Adi 5.139 “Sometimes when Lord Krsna’s elder brother, Lord Balarama, felt tired after playing and lay His head on the lap of a cowherd boy, Lord Krsna Himself served Him by massaging His feet.”

Adi 5.142 Lord Krsna alone is the supreme controller, and all others are His servants. They dance as He makes them do so.

Adi 5.143 Thus Lord Caitanya is also the only controller. All others are His associates or servants.

Adi 5.154 Krsna and Balarama present Themselves as elder or younger brother, but in the scriptures They are described as the original Supreme Personality of Godhead and His expansion.

Adi 5.156 Lord Caitanya is the same Lord Krsna, and Lord Nityananda is Lord Balarama. Lord Nityananda fulfills all of Lord Caitanya’s desires.

Adi 5.157 The ocean of Lord Nityananda’s glories is infinite and unfathomable. Only by His mercy can I touch even a drop of it.

In ancient times there were two brothers named Hiranyakashipu and Hiranyaksha. They were demons born to sage Kashyapa Muni. They flaunted uncommon bodily features and had steel-like frames which grew just like mountains. Their bodies became so tall they seemed to kiss the sky with the crests of their golden crowns. They blocked the view in all directions, and while walking shook the earth with their every step.
The younger demon, Hiranyaksha, was a greedy exploiter of gold. He exploited enough gold from the earth so as to cause it to spin out of orbit. It then fell into the Garbhodaka ocean.

(below, we have two Varaha Salagram Silas-notice the snouts)

Lord Brahma who was the creator of the Universe was thinking of how to lift the earth which was submerged in water. At this time, the small form of a boar came out of his nostril. The measurement of the creature was not more than the upper portion of a thumb. While Brahma was looking at it, that boar became situated in the sky like a gigantic elephant. Then the boar roared like a rolling mountain. Brahma and the other demigods who saw this came to know that He was an incarnation of Lord Krishna and offered their prayers.
Playing like an elephant, Lord Varaha (the boar) flew in the sky, slashing His tail, His hard hairs quivering. He scattered the clouds in the sky with His hooves and glittering white tusks. As Lord Krishna had assumed the form of a boar He searched for the earth by smell. Diving into the water like a giant mountain, He split the ocean into two huge waves. Lord Varaha penetrated the water with His hooves, sharp like arrows. There He saw the earth, the resting place for all living beings, lying as it was in the beginning of creation. Then He easily took the earth on His tusks and lifted it out of the water. With His anger glowing like molten coal, Lord Varaha then accosted the demon Hiranyaksha.
Thereupon Lord Varaha killed the demon, just as a lion kills an elephant. The cheeks and tongue of the Lord became smeared with the blood of the demon, just as an elephant becomes reddish from digging in the purple earth.
In this manner the Personality of Godhead, Lord Krishna, the maintainer of all living entities, raised the earth from within the water, and having placed it afloat in its orbit, He returned to His own abode.
Ref: Srimad-Bhagavatam Third Canto

Hare Krsna to all

pranams

Glories to Prabhupada

This is a very nice lecture by Srila Prabhupada-

Why?

Because he explains that God is not just an opulent God, surrounded

by millions of goddesses of fortune and a huge family, not that He

gives us a fragment of transcendental knowledge in His Bhagavad Gita, not

that He lifts a mountain when He was only 7 years old, but that He also

exhibits His complete opulences-as vairagya, or renunciation of this material world.

Krsna did this as Ramchandra when He gave up His princely right to the throne by

the next day walking out of His fathers palace and into the forest for exile, as Krsna

when He ran away from fighting some demon king, and as Lord Rsabhadev by giving

up His world kingdom and assuming the position of an avadhuta/madman who was

completely oblivious to the material world.

Prabhupada tells us that we must be self realized and completely zero with material desire before we

leave this body, if we expect to go back Home. But this takes time and one starts this

process of going back to Godhead by the morning program, getting up early for mongol arotik,

chanting, worshipping the Deity,tulsi devi, hearing SB daily ,associating with the devotees,etc etc.

He also gave the example of how Lord Caitanya was once benedicted by a brahmana on the banks

of the Ganges with a nice wife and happy family life. When He heard this He blocked His ears not

wanting to hear this “benediction”. Then the brahmana reversed his blessings saying you will

never be happy in your family life-in other words He, Lord Caitanya would take sannyasa-This

Lord Gauranga liked very much !!

Only a devotee could understand this benediction.

Hare Krsna

Damaghosa das

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761128SB.VRN Lectures Pradyumna: “Lord Rsabhadeva was the head of all kings and emperors within this universe, but assuming the dress and language of an avadhuta, He acted as if dull and materially bound. Consequently, no one could observe His divine opulence. He adopted this behavior just to teach yogis how to give up the body. Nonetheless, He maintained His original position as a plenary expansion of Lord Vasudeva, Krsna. Remaining always in that state, He gave up His pastimes as Lord Rsabhadeva within the material world. If, following in the footsteps of Lord Rsabhadeva, one can give up his subtle body, there is no chance that one will accept a material body again.”

Prabhupada: So this is also opulence of Krsna. Jadavad avadhuta-vesa. Although He is the proprietor, sarva-loka-mahesvaram, still, this is another opulence, how to become renounced. This is another opulence. It is as good as the other opulences. …

And He says, Krsna, sarva-loka-mahesvaram. Not only in one planet but all the universes, all the planets within the universes, they are all the properties of Krsna. Sarva-loka-mahesvaram.

… So yasasah sriyah jnana-vairagya. This is vairagya. Not that Krsna is simply enjoying sixteen thousand palaces, sixteen thousand queens, and millions of descendants, yadu-vamsa. This is another side, and this is another side, vairagya. Jnana-vairagya. Jnana. We can understand a little piece of His contribution of jnana, Bhagavad-gita. That is a little piece of His stock of knowledge. Five thousand years He spoke, and still it is being continued, not only in India, but also all over the world. This is jnana. So anyway–strength. When He was seven years old, Krsna, He lifted the Govardhana Hill. Jnana- vairagya, everything complete. That is God. Nothing less. Not that, that “I am rich man, but I cannot lie down on the street.” Not that kind of vairagya. He is complete, completely different from a rich person. Akhila-loka-pala. He is the controller of the whole universe; still, you see His vairagya.

But here Krsna as Caitanya Mahaprabhu, Krsna as Rsabhadeva, Krsna as Krsna Himself, They are teaching us how to become pure devotee, because sva kalevaram jihasur atmanah. Before leaving your, this body, you must be self-realized. That is the aim of life. Bahunam janmanam ante.

niskincanasya bhagavad bhajanonmukhasya. Niskincanasya. If you actually want to become a pure devotee, then you have to make this material way of life completely zero. Anyabhilasita-sunyam. Then it will be possible. If you have still a pinch of attraction for material life, then it will be stopped, your promotion to the other, spiritual world. Simply attachment to Krsna, that will make you advanced.

So anyone who has accepted this material world as very comfortable… It is not comfortable; it is simply suffering. Krsna says, duhkhalayam asasvatam. And still, if we want to be happy in this material world, bahir-artha-maninah. These fools, they are trying to be happy within this material world. Material means external energy. Bahir-artha-maninah. Na te viduh svartha gatim hi visnum durasaya. This is durasaya, the hope which will never be fulfilled. But this we do not… Maya-sukhaya bharam udvahato vimudhan. So unless there is vairagya, there is no question of happiness. But we cannot attain vairagya immediately; therefore the vidhi-marga, vidhi-marga-bhakti, to rise early in the morning, to attend mangala arati, to offer Deity flowers, fruits, and in this way we shall be engaged twenty-four hours. Then vairagya-vidya will gradually develop. Anarthopasamam saksad bhakti-yogam adhoksaje. Then the anartha… This material life is simply anartha, has no meaning, because we are creating another life. Without any spiritual knowledge, if we simply give ourself to the action and reaction of material nature, then we are making progress on the path of mrtyu- samsara vartmani. And if we attain Krsna, then mam upetya kaunteya duhkhalayam asasvatam, napnuvanti.

This sloka can be applicable to Caitanya Mahaprabhu’s life. He also became a sannyasi, arya-vacasa. One brahmana cursed him. Caitanya Mahaprabhu, to receive some blessings from the brahmanas, when He was boy He was voluntarily trying to give some service to the brahmanas who were engaged in bathing in the Ganges. He’ll clear the place because the brahmana, after taking bath in the Ganges, would sit down, would chant mantra. So He’ll cleanse and He’ll wash the cloth, and in… Voluntarily He was doing that, service. So one brahmana blessed Him, “My dear boy, You’ll be very happy in your family life. You’ll have good wife, very opulent position.” And Caitanya Mahaprabhu was blocking the ears. The brahmana said, “What is this?” “No, this is not blessing, sir.” “Oh, it is not blessing? Then You’ll never be happy in Your family life.” “Yes, this is the…” (laughter) “This is all right.” So therefore He took sannyasa. Arya-vacasa yad agad aranyam. Similarly, Lord Ramacandra, arya-vacasa yad agad aranyam. These are the characteristic of the Personality of Godhead. Try to follow Them, not imitate, but follow them. Thank you. (end)

You have no feeling for Krsna

760623gc.nv Conversations

Devotee (4): The difficulty is that we cannot understand, we cannot

feel what pleases Krsna now, yet we can feel what pleases us, and that

is the difficulty?

Prabhupada: You have no feeling, that everyone knows. Therefore you

have to carry out the order of spiritual master, that’s all.

Devotee (1) : If we try to please Krsna with all of our service and

activities, that automatically brings pleasure to the self?

Prabhupada: You cannot please Krsna directly. You please your

spiritual master, Krsna will be pleased. If you want to please

directly Krsna, that is not possible. That is concoction You cannot

please. Yasya prasadad bhagavat-prasadah. You have to please your

spiritual master, then Krsna will be pleased. Don’t jump.

Guru-mukha-padma-vakya, cittete koriya aikya. What is that song you

daily sing? What is that?

Pradyumna: By the words of the spiritual master our mind becomes

conclusive from…

Prabhupada: Ara na koriha mane asa. Don’t concoct. Don’t you sing

daily? Ara na koriha mane asa. Don’t manufacture ideas. That is

dangerous. Caitanya Mahaprabhu teaches by His example. Guru more

murkha dekhi’ karila sasana. Caitanya Mahaprabhu said to Prakasananda

Sarasvati that “My spiritual master saw Me fool number one, so he has

chastised Me, that ‘Don’t try to read Vedanta; chant Hare Krsna.’ Just hear………..

Conclusion—

1) So by HEARING—gradually all BRAHMINICAL QUALITES develop.

2) Brahmanas qualities—Samo damas tapah saucam….

3) Every human being expected to become a brahmana Vaisnava

4) Without becoming brahmana, nobody can be Vaisnava

5) You think being a Devotee is such a cheap thing? A 25 cent brahmana thread??

6) If everyone was a devotee brahmana, then why so many have fallen away??

7) Vaisnava means pure Devotee of God—Sa Gunan samatityaitan brahma bhuyaya kalpate

8) So keep on hearing from Srila Prabhupada, develop all brahminal qualities and then become pure Vaisnava, servant of God.

Sri Guru Is Present In All Things

by Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura Prabhupada

Question 1: Are genuine saints (sadhus) respected in this world?

Answer: In a world full of duplicity, only duplicitous persons are honoured. Genuine saints, who do not lead the masses along the wrong path, are not respected in this world. In modern times, simply getting cheated by those who mislead the masses through a pretentious form of spiritual discourse has somehow emerged as the religion of the age (yuga-dharma). And because the true saints wish to expose wicked and unholy persons (asadhus), those same unholy cheaters bewilder the masses by condemning the true saints as unholy, duplicitous and thieves themselves in a ploy to secure their escape. The illusory potency of the Lord, maya, never allows the jivas to be sincere (niskapata) and to that end she has even devised various expert strategies for depriving the jivas of the association of genuine sadhus.

Question 2: Is it possible to have darsana of the Supreme Lord without first having darsana of sri guru?

Answer: Definitely not. Sri guru is the fully transcendent (aprakrta) temple of Sri Bhagavan, and Bhagavan always resides within that temple. Bhagavan Sri Krsna, who is controlled by love, manifests Himself within sadhu-guru and remains there always. It is written in the scriptures:

srutim apare smrtim itare bharatam anye bhajantu bhava-bhitah aham iha nandam vande yasyalinde param brahma

Padyavali (126)

Others may serve the Srutis, Smrtis, the Mahabharata and other scriptures, fearing material existence, but I shall worship Nanda Maharaja, who is so great that the Supreme Brahman, the Absolute Truth Himself, plays in his courtyard.

Many people present themselves as being highly eager to have darsana of Bhagavan, but they do not understand that darsana of Bhagavan is only possible through darsana of guru. Without having darsana of sri guru, having darsana of Bhagavan is not even imaginable. Even bhakti herself does not begin to manifest if the entity known as sri guru is not present.

Sri guru is the sole medium by which we are connected to Sri Krsna and given direct audience of His lotus feet. And the way Sri Krsna demonstrates His infinite mercy is by sending the greatest Vaisnavas, His dear-most servants, to this world. Indeed, sri guru is the personification of Krnsa’s infinite mercy. Only he who teaches us about serving the Deity and the Holy Name is sri gurudeva.

It is not sufficient to serve sri guru only with awe and reverence from a distance. We must serve sri guru with intimacy, that is, with deep love and faith (visrambha guru-seva), just as Srila Raghunatha dasa Gosvami intimately served Sri Svarupa Damodara Prabhu.

Question 3: What will happen to me if I forget sri guru?

Answer: The moment I deviate from sri guru, the moment I become forgetful of he who keeps me attracted to his lotus feet at every single moment, I will, without a doubt, diverge from the Truth. And when I am thus separated from sri guru, countless misgivings and deficiencies will engulf me. I shall simply spend my time bathing when I’m hot and bundling up when I’m cold. In other words, I will become more anxious to arrange for my own comfort than to serve sri gurudeva.

If at the beginning of every year, every month, every day and every moment, I do not remember my gurudeva, who saves me from absorption in that which has no connection to my constitutional nature or are separate from krsna-bhakti, then I will definitely fall into greater and greater difficulty. I will try to present myself as guru and will be swallowed up by the ill-mentality of believing that others should worship me as such. This alone is dvitiya abhinivesa – infatuation with the worthless purposes of our unnatural state. To come and offer guru-puja just for one day is insufficient. It is our duty to serve gurudeva at every moment.

Question 4: Who sees shortcomings in the Vaisnavas?

Answer: Only those who are averse to hari-bhajana, and who are purely dependent on their material senses – their eyes, ears, nose and so on – which are doomed to perceive only the external aspect of things, look for faults in the Vaisnavas. In Srimad Bhagavad-gita, Sri Krsna has declared that a devotee of the Lord is never touched by inauspiciousness; he never perishes – na me bhaktah pranasyati (Srimad Bhagavad-gita 9.31).

How can those who are engaged in exclusive bhajana of the Lord ever become degraded? Verily they attain only the greatest welfare. Because my vision is imperfect, I see faults in others. Thus I am unable to attain my own welfare.

If I become completely dependent on the observations and perceptions of my senses, then I will be deprived of service to Adhoksaja – the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is beyond the reach of the senses – and I will be deprived of service to sri gurudeva. It is because of my own dismal state that I allow my mind to happily dwell on the misfortune of others. I am only so attracted to finding faults in others because I myself am full of faults. If I am able to achieve my own welfare, then no time will remain for seeing faults in others.

Question 5: Is sri guru present in everything?

Answer: Yes. The acaryas who comprise our asraya-jatiya guru-varga* are present in various forms in order to bestow mercy upon us. All these forms are manifestations of sri gurudeva himself – he who imparts transcendental knowledge (divya-jnana). The image of the jagad-guru is reflected in various idealistic entities. My sri gurudeva is being reflected in every entity. The visaya-jatiya aspect of Krsna (Krsna as the object of love) is one half of the Absolute Reality. The other half is the asraya-jatiya aspect (wherein love of God takes shelter). The completeness of the Absolute Reality exists in the variegatedness of the transcendental pastimes of these two aspects. The complete perception of the visaya-jatiya aspect is Sri Krsna, and the complete perception of the asraya-jatiya aspect is my sri gurudeva. The transcendental reflection of the asraya-jatiya aspect in all the conscious cosmic manifestation is the manifestation of my gurudeva alone, in diverse forms. He who teaches us at every moment that we should engage in serving Bhagavan for our entire life is certainly sri gurudeva. This very same gurudeva is reflected in the heart of every living being. He is present in every single entity in his asraya-jatiya aspect.

_____________________ * The line of pure gurus in whose hearts Sri Bhagavan resides

Question 6: When does someone attain a sphurti (momentary vision) of Bhagavan in his heart?

Answer: By good fortune, someone may perceive sri gurudeva wandering in his heart – that is to say, he may have darsana of sri gurudeva in his heart. Only in such a pure heart does the momentary vision (sphurti) of Bhagavan take place. There is no other means to attain service to the Supreme Lord than serving and pleasing sri guru, he who inspires us to engage in serving Sri Bhagavan by all means and in every activity.

Question 7: If I do not completely surrender to the lotus feet of sri guru, am I simply deceiving myself?

Answer: Definitely. I may consider that I have received mantra from guru, but in real terms, if I am not prepared to accept full shelter at the lotus feet of sri gurudeva, then to whatever extent I act with duplicity, I will be cheated.

Translated by the Rays of The Harmonist team from Srila Prabhupadera Upadesamrta Questions re-numbered for this on-line presentation

CC Madhya 7.130 Bhakti Vikasa Interpolation Vs the Truth

Little Bengali abc and they think they know it all:

731208SB.LA Lectures You cannot imagine what my spiritual master said. Or even if you read some books, you cannot understand unless you understand it from me. This is called parampara system. You cannot jump over to the superior guru, neglecting the next acarya, immediate next acarya.

https://www.harekrsna.com/sun/editorials/01-13/editorials9683.htm

Bhakti Vikas Maharaja interpolation: One should not try to be an artificially advanced devotee, thinking, “I am a first-class devotee, so It is best not to accept any disciples. Such thinking should be avoided.

From Bhaktiviksa Maharaja Interpolation: So, that purport from CC Madhya 7.130 should read.

Madhya 7.130 The Lord’ s Tour of South India The cult of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu is explained here very nicely. One who surrenders to Him and is ready to follow Him with heart and soul does not need to change his location. Nor is it necessary for one to change status. One may remain a householder, a medical practitioner, an engineer or whatever. It doesn’t matter. One only has to follow the instruction of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, chant the Hare Krsna maha-mantra and instruct relatives and friends in the teachings of the Bhagavad-gita and Srimad-Bhagavatam. One has to learn humility and meekness at home, following the instructions of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, and in that way one’s life will be spiritually successful. One should not try to be an artificially advanced devotee, thinking, “I am a first-class devotee, so It is best not to accept any disciples. Such thinking should be avoided. . One has to become purified at home by chanting the Hare Krsna maha-mantra and preaching the principles enunciated by Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Thus one can become a spiritual master and be freed from the contamination of material life.

Therefore, one should act as madhyam and preach. Accept as many disciples as is practical.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Lets look at what Bhaktiviksa Maharaja states and think IS IT THE TRUTH? Does what he say make sense?

One should not try to be an artificially advanced devotee, thinking, “I am a first-class devotee, so It is best not to accept any disciples. Such thinking should be avoided.

1) Advanced devotee does he think it is BEST NOT accept disciples? HOW? If that was a FACT then it contradicts Maha-bhagavata as Diksa guru:

“It is stated in the Upadesamrta of Rupa Gosvami that a guru is a gosvami, a controller of the senses and the mind. Such a guru can accept disciples from all over the world. Prthivim sa sisyat. This is the TEST of the guru.”

So HOW can it be ARTIFICIAL thinking?

Madhya 24.330 The Sixty-One Explanations of the Atmarama Verse In the Padma Purana, the characteristics of the guru, the bona fide spiritual master, have been described:

MAHA-BHAGAVATA-srestho brahmano vai gurur nrnam sarvesam eva lokanam asau pujyo yatha harih

maha-kula-prasuto ‘pi sarva-yajnesu DIKSITAH sahasra-sakhadhyayi ca na guruh syad avaisnavah

The guru MUST be situated on the topmost platform of devotional service. There are three classes of devotees, and the guru MUST be accepted from the topmost class. The first-class devotee is the spiritual master for all kinds of people. It is said: gurur nrnam. The word nrnam means “of all human beings.” The guru is not limited to a particular group. It is stated in the Upadesamrta of Rupa Gosvami that a guru is a gosvami, a controller of the senses and the mind. Such a guru can accept disciples from all over the world. Prthivim sa sisyat. This is the TEST of the guru.

2) NOI 5 does NOT ADVISE one to accept DISCIPLES on Kanistha level or Madhyama level It simply states they CAN accept disciples. BUT it strongly advises devotees to ACCEPT Uttama Adhikari as Guru INSTEAD: “Therefore a disciple should be careful to accept an uttama-adhikari as a spiritual master.”

NoI 5 In this verse Srila Rupa Gosvami advises the devotee to be intelligent enough to distinguish between the kanistha-adhikari, madhyama-adhikari and uttama-adhikari. The devotee should also know his own position and should not try to imitate a devotee situated on a higher platform. Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura has given some practical hints to the effect that an uttama-adhikari Vaisnava can be recognized by his ability to convert many fallen souls to Vaisnavism. One should not become a spiritual master unless he has attained the platform of uttama-adhikari. A neophyte Vaisnava or a Vaisnava situated on the intermediate platform can also accept disciples, but such disciples must be on the same platform, and it should be understood that they cannot advance very well toward the ultimate goal of life under his insufficient guidance. Therefore a disciple should be careful to accept an uttama-adhikari as a spiritual master.

3) ALL the disciples in ISKCON belong to Srila Prabhupada

Srila Prabhupada’s 07-09-77, Letter to All G.B.C., All Temple Presidents In the past Temple Presidents have written to Srila Prabhupada recommending a particular devotee’s initiation. Now that Srila Prabhupada has named these representatives, Temple Presidents may henceforward send recommendation for first and second initiation to whichever of these eleven representatives are nearest their temple. After considering the recommendation, these representatives may accept the devotee as an initiated disciple of Srila Prabhupad by giving a spiritual name, or in the case of second initiation, by chanting on the Gayatri thread, just as Srila Prabhupada has done. The newly initiated devotees are disciples of his divine grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta swami Prabhupad, the above eleven senior devotees acting as His representative.

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740702rc.mel Conversations

“Following such conclusions, the demoniac, who are lost to themselves and who have no intelligence, engage in unbeneficial, horrible works meant to destroy the world.”

Prabhupada: This industry is horrible work. Simply by tilling your ground you get food grains, and keep some cows, you get milk–your economic problem is solved. Why such big, big industries? Ugra-karma. Then? Go on.

Caru:

kamam asritya duspuram dambha-mana-madanvitah mohad grhitvasad-grahan pravartante ‘suci-vratah

“The demoniac, taking shelter of insatiable lust, pride and false prestige, and being thus illusioned, are always sworn to unclean work, attracted by the impermanent.”

Prabhupada: The big two wars of the world happened only on account of this industry. Do you know that? The cause is the big, big industry. Germany industrial, they produce goods. They must have market. But when they go to sell, there is no market. Britishers will not allow to sell them. The Britisher will take, purchase from them, and stamp it “Made in England” and sell it. And this is the cause of two big war. Therefore German declare twice war. Disaster. Therefore it is said, jagata ahitaya.

———————-

Now on the flip side, if we DONT want Wars—

►750403mw.may Conversations

Prabhupada: Yes. Why don’t you solve? There are so many land. Come

here and grow food. Grow fruit. That is… That is the desire of

Krsna. Annad bhavanti bhutani. Produce food and … ask, “You have to

pay this price.” And you have to pay. And if you grow your own food,

there is no such question. The simple economic problem, solution, this

rascal cannot take…..

“I wish to introduce this ideal now. Then if we are successful this cheating civilization will stop. They have made these cities as hell. If people do not cooperate with them, then how will the factories run on? And, if the people are satisfied by this arrangement, then what will the communists do?”

740314mw.vrn Conversations

Prabhupada: Business means if you have got extra grains or extra

foodstuff, you can sell where there is necessity, there is want. That

is business. We are not going to open mills and factories and… No.

We are not going to do that. That is sudra business. The real business

is that you produce enough food grains, as much as possible, and you

eat and distribute. That’s all. This is business. He does not require

any so high technical education. Anyone can till the ground and grow

food. Is it difficult? This is the business. The first thing is that

everyone, man and animal, especially the cows, they must be properly

fed so become very stout and strong. Cows will supply milk, and man

will work hard, without being suffered by dysentery. He must work

hard. Any capacity. Work as a teacher or work as a ksatriya, work as a

ploughman. Or work as general assistant. He must work. Everyone should

be employed. And his employment will be provided from any of these

groups, according to his capacity. Either as a brahmana, or as a

ksatriya, or as a vaisya, or as a sudra.

750514mw.per Conversations Amogha: He was saying that your solution was too simple. He said that people will not accept it because it is too simple. Prabhupada: That is his ignorance. They will say it is primitive.

That is the only solution. According to the Vedic system, you cannot use anything which you cannot produce. Suppose this we are using, but according the Vedic system we should not use it because I cannot produce it. Then the whole solution is there. Nobody will manufacture this because there will be no customer. If I refuse this use of this machine, thinking that “I cannot produce it; I should not use it,” then where is the customer? The so-called industry will automatically stop, and he has to go to the village outlying.

770618rc.vrn Upendra: The reason the original faith was placed in the scientists was because radio, airplanes, tape recorders have been manufactured, and people are impressed by these originally. Prabhupada: So what is the benefit? Without radio, people were dying, or with radio they are not living? Upendra: They say they are living more comfortably. Prabhupada: Nonsense comfortably… They have changed the season? Is it comfortable? We have to take this cooling machine. What is the practical benefit? You can say that it is comfortable. That’s all right. But that does not mean that you have moved the uncomfortable situation. You are struggling against. That much you can take credit. Real benefit is not there. That is stated in the Bhagavad-gita. Janma-mrtyu-jara-vyadhi. Real unhappiness is this, that you are: “Why I am struggling? I don’t want death.” Actually why I am taking massage and so on, so on? So that I may not die. So where is the scientists’ guarantee, “No, you’ll not die”? Has he any…? You’ll struggle only. That’s all. The scientists cannot guarantee, “No, you’ll not die.” That is real guarantee. “You’ll die comfortably.” Hm? Die comfortably? Now there is no appetite. Where is the scientist, assuring, “Take”? What actual benefit they have done? They are giving some… Nothing

they have given. It is simply bluff. Things without which we could do, such things are there. There were no motorcars. There was horse carriage and bullock carriage. Things were going on. Not that without this horseless motorcar society would have been vanquished. No. There are other alternatives. Rather, they were complicated. As soon as you ride on a car, there is anxiety, especially in your country, so many cars. When you ride on a car, full of anxiety… At any moment there may be accident. It is not comfortable. If you are full of anxiety. Aeroplane may be. At any moment you can die. It is your time only. They’re going in good faith: “I shall go there.” But before rising to the sky, finished, crash. So many airplane has been… So where is the comfort? As soon as you get on the aeroplane, you are in full anxiety that at any moment there may be crash. Is it not? Then where is comfort? Real comfort is without anxiety. That is real comfort.

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Reply to Nimai Pandit Prabhu

Nimai Pandit Das : My desire is to come to understand fully, if it is the Truth(I am keeping the possibility open that it may not be), and to explore the possibility that the process of Diksha is explained so comprehensively, THAT THERE CAN BE NO QUESTION TO ACCEPT THAT ONLY SRILA PRABHUPADA IS THAT DIKSHA GURU, OF ALL OURS. AND THAT AS A SIDE ISSUE JULY 9TH LETTER is of course, so natural. I think to try to prove/disaprove the July 9th letter from the angle of past “ritvik” practices is superficial and a play in logic by both sides.

Mahesh : VERY EASY. Lets consider the following facts:
1)WHY did Srila Prabhupada ARRANGE to have his OWN murti in ALL the temples in ISKCON for worshiping during Guru Puja UNLESS he was GIVER OF the DIVYA Jnana hrdaya prakasito HE GIVES DIVYA JNANA (DIKSA) ONLY a MAHABHAGAVATA is accepted as Worshipable Diksa Guru as per Caitanya Caritamrta Madhya 24.330. Srila Prabhuapada is THE ACARYA of ISKCON.

NOTE: It is ONLY ACARYA that can give DIKSA because even in NOD this is stated REGARDING ACCEPTING INITIATION from the spiritual master it refers to SB 11.17.27 which is ACARYA.

Nectar of Devotion 7 — Evidence Regarding Devotional Principles

REGARDING ACCEPTING INITIATION from the spiritual master, in the Eleventh Canto of Srimad-Bhagavatam, Seventeenth Chapter, verse 27, it is stated by Lord Krsna, “My dear Uddhava, the spiritual master must be accepted not only as My representative, but as My very self. He must never be considered on the same level with an ordinary human being. One should never be envious of the spiritual master, as one may be envious of an ordinary man. The spiritual master should always be seen as the representative of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and by serving the spiritual master one is able to serve all the demigods.”

Srimad-Bhagavatam 6.7.15 Purport — Indra Offends His Spiritual Master, Brhaspati:

“By the mercy of the spiritual master one is benedicted by the mercy of Krsna. Without the grace of the spiritual master, one cannot make any advancement.” A disciple should never be a hypocrite or be unfaithful to his spiritual master. In Srimad-Bhagavatam (11.17.27), THE SPIRITUAL MASTER IS ALSO CALLED ACARYA. Acaryam mam vijaniyan: the Supreme Personality of Godhead says that one should respect the spiritual master, accepting him as the Lord Himself. Navamanyeta karhicit: one should not disrespect the acarya at any time. Na martya-buddhyasuyeta: one should never think the acarya an ordinary person. Familiarity sometimes breeds contempt, but one should be very careful in one’s dealings with the acarya. Agadha-dhisanam dvijam: the acarya is a perfect brahmana and has unlimited intelligence in guiding the activities of his disciple.

2)Srila Prabhupada put it DELIBERATELY in all his books FOUNDER-ACARYA. Srila Prabhupada did NOT say he was only ISKCON founder. There is HYPHEN in between the words Founder AND Acarya which indicates HE IS ALSO ITS CURRENT ACARYA.

3)There is ALSO the FACT that ONLY INITIATED DISCIPLE will be Director. This means HE wanted to REMAIN the INITIATOR for the EXISTENCE of the society: Other WILL Srila Prabhupada’s Will The executive directors who have herein been designated are appointed for life. In the event of death or failure to act for any reason of any of the said directors, a successor director or directors may be appointed by the remaining directors, provided the new director is MY INITIATED DISCIPLE following strictly all the rules and regulations of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness as detailed in my books, and provided that there are never less than three (3) or more than five (5) exeutive directors acting at one time.

4) 75-08-04. Letter: Madhudvisa: The GBC should all be the instructor gurus. I AM IN THE INITIATOR GURU, and you should be the instructor guru by teaching what I am teaching and doing what I am doing. This is not a title, but you must actually come to this platform. This I want.

680312iv.sf Conversations Prabhupada: Yes, I AM the spiritual master of this institution, and ALL the members of the society, they’re supposed to be MY disciples. They follow the rules and regulations which I ask them to follow, and they are initiated by me spiritually. So therefore the spiritual master is called guru. That is Sanskrit language.

5) Disciple belongs to whoever gives DISCIPLINE TO him: In ISKCON we are ALL being DISCIPLINED by Srila Prabhupada (we receive instructions (DISCIPLINE) FROM Srila Prabhupada’s books. Even the most basic discipline, 16 rounds of Hare Krishna Mantra and four Regulative Principles are coming FROM Srila Prabhupada. Common sense — if you ARE being disciplined BY Srila Prabhupada then it follows you ARE Srila Prabhupada’s disciple. How can it be otherwise?

The MEANING of the word “disciple” Srila Prabhupada’s Morning Walk, March 8, 1976 in Mayapur: Prabhupada: “Discipline… Disciple means discipline. The word discipline comes from disciple, or disciple comes from discipline. So unless there is discipline, there is no question of disciple. This discipline must… That should be uniform. Otherwise, sisya… sisya, the word sisya, it comes from the root, verb, sas-dhatu. sas. sas means ruling. From this word, sasana. Sasana means government. sastra. sashtra means weapon, and sastra, scripture, and sisya… These things have come from the one root sas-dhatu. So sas-dhatu means ruling under discipline. There is another English word, that “Obedience is the first law of discipline,” or something. They say, “Obedience is the first law of discipline”? So I am right? “Obedience is…”? That is the… Tamala Krsna: Yes, that’s more or less what it is. Prabhupada: No, what is the word, exact. There is an English word. “Obedience is the first law of discipline.” So unless there is obedience, there cannot be any discipline. And unless there is discipline, there is no question of disciple. DISCIPLE MEANS ONE WHO FOLLOWS DISCIPLINE.” Discipline comes from Srila Prabhupada. We are actually being disciplined by Srila Prabhupada. It is Srila Prabhupada who has given us the regulative principles of no meat, fish or eggs; no intoxication (including tea and coffee), no illicit sex, and no gambling. It is Srila Prabhupada who has made it a regulative principle for us to chant sixteen rounds on the beads HARE KRSNA HARE KRSNA KRSNA KRSNA HARE HARE /HARE RAMA HARE RAMA RAMA RAMA HARE HARE. Srila Prabhupada’s books contain all the instructions, the guidance required for us to get ourselves out of the clutches of the modes of material nature. In fact, Srila Prabhupada is personally present as his books.

Caitanya-caritamra, Adi 1, Text 35: “There is NO DIFFERENCE between the spiritual masters instructions and the spiritual master himself.” Since the instructions of the spiritual master and the spiritual master are not different, one can be the disciple of Srila Prabhupada by following his discipline and can be considered Srila Prabhupada’s disciple. Another point is he can be considered both direct disciple and not direct simultaneously, because Srila Prabhupada is still present in his instruction form (his books). The following example will illustrate the point. Srila Krsnadasa kaviraja is the example of both direct and not direct disciple simultaneously. (THE PHILOSOPHY OF SIMULTANEOUS ONENESS AND DIFFERENCE).

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Srila Locana Dasa Thakura appeared in this world in 1520 A.D., thirty-four years after the appearance of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Locana Dasa wrote a biography on Lord Caitanya, entitled Sri Caitanya Mangala, and he wrote many devotional songs

Srila Locana dasa Thakura took birth in a family of Rarhiya physicians who resided in the village of Kogram, within the Mahakumar (Katna) district of Barddhaman. His guru was Sri Narahari Sarkar Thakura.

His father’s name was Sri Kamalakara Dasa and his mother’s name, Sri Sadananda. He was the only son of his parents. He was raised in his maternal grandfather’s home and his education was completed there. He was married at a very young age. From his youth he was very attached to Sri Gaurasundara and consequently very disinterested in material life, though he was surrounded by family, friends and society. In his youth he spent the major part of his time at his guru’s Sripat, Srikhanda, where he learned how to do kirtana.

Lochan Das was married at a very early age, according to the customs of that time. Since he had been married so young, his wife first remained with her parents in the village of Amedpur Kakuta. As he grew older, Lochan showed a highly renounced attitude to life and spent all his time discussing Krishna katha with other devotees of Gauranga. As the time approached when his wife was to join him, her family began to worry because of Lochan Das’s indifference to material life. They approached his guru Narahari Sarkar and told him of their disquiet. As a result, Narahari ordered Lochan Das to go to his in-laws’ home.When Lochan arrived in Amedpur, he was unable to remember where their house was, since it had been so long since he had visited. He asked a young girl in the street for directions, addressing her as “ma”, or “mother”. When he arrived at his in-laws’ house, he found out that the girl whom he had addressed as “mother” was in fact his wife. From that day on, he always looked upon his wife as a mother, worshiping Guru and Gauranga in an attitude of renunciation.

He composed Sri Caitanya Mangala from the diary of Sri Murari Gupta. Murari Gupta, who resided at Nadia, composed many beautiful verses about the life of Sri Gauranga. These include the youthful pastimes of Nimai, which Murari Gupta personally took part in, and His later pastimes in Nilacala, after He accepted sannyasa, which were narrated by Sri Damodara Pandita. Having heard these verses of Murari Gupta, composed in sanskrit, Locana das says..”I have become very attracted and so I have composed them in the village folk poetry meter of Bengali.” In East Bengal there are many village poets, who sing in various meters known as Laksmir Panchali, Sanir Panchali and Manasa Bhasan. Locana Dasa Thakura has composed Sri Caitanya Mangala in the meter of these folk poems. Panchali contains five various kinds of meters.

Sri Vrindavana Dasa Thakura’s composition on the pastimes of Sri Gaurasundara was originally entitled Caitanya Mangala, but later on the name was changed to Caitanya-bhagavata. Those pastimes which were not described in full by Srila Vrindavana Dasa Thakura, Locana Dasa have described in his Caitanya Mangala. In the invocation of this work, he has first offered his obeisances to Srila Vrindavana Dasa Thakura, “Whose Caitanya-bhagavata has enamored the entire world.”

In his Caitanya Mangala, Srila Locana Dasa Thakura has written: “My hope of hopes is to be near the lotus feet of Sri Narahari Thakura, to serve and worship him with my very life. The cherished desire of the fallen Locana Dasa is to be allowed by the grace of Narahari to sing the glories of Sri Gauranga. My Lord is Sri Narahari Thakura and I am his servant. Bowing and praying before him I beg him to allow me his service. This is my only aspiration.” Continue reading →

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