Hare Krishna Society

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

————————–

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 →

Hare Krsna Prabhus

Obeisances

All glories to Srila Prabhupada

We just received this today from Sri Krsna Kathamrta Bindu, a fortnightly journal–

It is instructions by both Srila Prabhupada and Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Maharaj

about preaching the truth—however unpalatable it may be….

interesting points they both make-one can see why Prabhupada told us that

Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Maharaj was called the simha (lion) guru !!

damaghosa das

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Pleasing Krishna Practically His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

Regarding your questions, your first question was: Should a devotee always speak the truth to everyone in all circumstances? The answer is yes. One should always speak the truth. But a qualified devotee will be able to speak the truth very palatably to everyone so that it will sound pleasing even to his enemy. That is the art of speaking the truth. We must speak the truth to all people, but how you say it is another thing, satyaà bruyät, priyaà bruyät. When you become a little more experienced in Krishna consciousness by preaching, and if you are sincere and serious to make progress in spiritual understanding, you need not have to worry yourself further, because the truth will always be spoken by you in the proper manner. Krishna will give you that intelligence; you need not be concerned for it. Simply try to please him always by your sincere service and chanting. That’s all. Of course, for doing business with businessmen you have to lie. Just like Krishna himself, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, sometimes he also had to also fabricate something in emergency situations. Although he promised not to interfere in the battle of Kurukshetra, he was forced to break his promise just to save his pure devotee. So there is no prohibition that one shall never tell lie, because for business of carrying our propaganda work sometimes it may be necessary to lie. Krishna consciousness means practical living, not something utopian or idealistic and vague. We simply do the needful, whatever pleases Krishna most. That’s all. Gradually you will understand what it means to please Krishna and what it means to displease Krishna. That you will learn by studying our books and by yourself engaging in practical devotional service. In material dealings there is always something undesirable, but even so, you cannot give up your occupation. Just like fire is very pure, but still there is some smoke. You cannot avoid it. All these things can be rectified when the result is offered to Krishna. Otherwise, even though you may do very honest business, it has no utility whatsoever. — Letter to Yajneshwar, 2 January 1972. ·

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A few years ago, while in Spain, I was handing out The Hare Krishna Society’s booklet, Srila Prabhupada Siddhanta (SPS), to a few senior devotees who are old friends of mine. This 64‐page booklet points to the fact that in 1977, a few weeks before His disappearance, Srila Prabhupada ordained ritvik priests to initiate new devotees on His behalf. He did this specifically in response to the question: “How will initiations be conducted in the future, particularly at a time when you are no longer with us.” In response to all such questions, He reaffirmed the same ritvik system of initiations that had been functioning in ISKCON for several years prior to 1977.

Recorded conversations cited in SPS show that Srila Prabhupada ordered senior devotees to conduct the formalities of initiation on His behalf, and He made an adjustment to allow this system to continue without His physical presence. Several conversations and letters cited in SPS illustrate how Srila Prabhupada reaffirmed the ritvik system for initiations in ISKCON repeatedly after issuing His official July 9th, 1977 directive, which He wanted sent to all ISKCON leaders and temples. He never mentioned or alluded to another system, such as one wherein the GBC would ordain diksa‐gurus by electing immature preachers. The concocted GBC system for initiations, which ignores Srila Prabhupada’s instructions and Gaudiya Vaisnava siddhanta on guru‐tattva, has produced scandal, confusion, chaos, divisions, and heartache for thousands of devotees, while degrading the reputation of ISKCON worldwide. Continue reading →

Hare Krsna to all

Pranams

All glories to Srila Prabhupada

Below we have 8 proofs that Srila Prabhupada is a pure devotee of the Lord. So many pretenders and cheaters today falsely claim the status of a bona fide spiritual master, but if they do not have these qualifications then they cannot be considered pure devotees of the Lord and therefore not qualified to initiate anyone into the transcendental science of bhakti yoga, or devotional service.

“UNLESS ONE IS UNDER THE SHELTER OF A REALIZED SPIRITUAL MASTER, HIS UNDERSTANDING OF THE SUPREME IS SIMPLY FOOLISHNESS.” Teachings of Lord Caitanya (TLC).

“When a devotee is perfectly qualified in chanting the Transcendental vibration of the Holy Names, he is quite fit to become Spiritual Master and deliver all the people of the world.” (TLC)

Hare Krsna

Damaghosa das

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Prabhupada is a pure devotee

1.) Guest (3): So, Srila Prabhupada, have you realized God? Srila Prabhupada: What do you think? What is your opinion? Guest (3): I can’t say. Srila Prabhupada: Then if I say, “yes,” then what you will understand? If you are not yourself expert, then even if I say, “Yes, I am God realized,” how you will take it as truth? If you do not know what is God realization, then how you can ask this question and how you will be satisfied by the answer? You do not know. Guest (3): Well, what is God realization? Srila Prabhupada: Then… Then you were asking, “Are you God realized?” If I say, “Yes,” then how you’ll believe it? You do not know what is God realization. Then why do you put this question? You do not know yourself. If I say, “Yes,” how you’ll understand that I am right? Therefore you should not put all these questions. It has no value. You do not know yourself what is God realization. Now, just like a medical man, if he asks another man, medical man, so if he says, “Yes,” then medical man will understand him by technical terms whether he is medical man. So unless one is medical man, what is the use of asking another man, “Are you medical man?” Unless you are prepared to take the answer whatever I give. Are you prepared? Guest (3): Yes. Srila Prabhupada: Then it is all right. I am. I am seeing God every moment. So unless we are prepared to take the answer, we should not put ourself…

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2.) In the Caitanya Mangala by Locana das Thakur, pg 48,translated by Subhag swami, Lord Gauranga states-“Even if the sinners reject religion or flee to foreign countries, still they will get the mercy. I will send mor senapati bhakta to go there and deliver them. [Mor means My; senapati means a military field commander, and bhakta means a devotee. So Lord Caitanya will empower His own devotee to spread Krsna Consciousness around the world.]

This was a prediction of the appearance of Srila Prabhupada and his worldwide preaching activities where he would travel the world over, open 108 temples, and initiate millions into the chanting of the Holy Names of the Lord. How could this person be anything less than a Maha Bhagavat, empowered pure devotee of Lord Gauranga?

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3.) Wednesday, March 6, 1968 Freeport, Grand Bahama Island Letter to Andrea Temple
“Yes, whoever you tell the chant to, it is effective. You have heard it from me and my disciples, similarly I have heard it from my Guru Maharaja, and so on, and on. Because you have heard it from a pure devotee of the Lord, therefore it is transmitted from you to another. Just as an aerial message, is transmitted from one place to another, similarly, this Guru parampara system is working. My disciples are my agents, my representatives, so by hearing it from them, you are receiving it from me. And because you are a sincere soul, those who are hearing the Mantra from you are receiving it in disciplic succession, from Lord Caitanya and from Lord Krishna.” ——————————————————————————-

4.) Saturday, December 16, 1967

San Francisco, Calif.
When I left your country on the 22nd of July, I had very little hope to come back again. But Krishna informed me that I’m not going to die immediately; therefore, I have come back again to get inspiration of Krishna Consciousness from you all good souls. Although officially I am your Spiritual Master, I consider you all students as my Spiritual Master because your love for Krishna and service for Krishna teach me how to become a sincere Krishna Conscious person.

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5.) Yes the spiritual master is also present in his picture, though more importantly he is present in his teachings. I think this is explained in one letter that has already been distributed.

Thank you very much for assisting me in this way. Hope this finds you in good health.

Your ever well wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

ABCS/bmdg Sukadeva das Adhikary, Seattle ISKCON

Calcutta 29 January 1973

6.) 70-06-21.Tam Letter: Tamala Krsna

So far I am concerned, I cannot say what I was in my previous life, but one great astrologer calculated that I was previously a physician and my life was sinless. Besides that, to corroborate the statement of Bhagavad-gita “sucinam srimatam gehe yogabhrasta samyayate” which means an unfinished yogi takes birth in rich family or born of a suci or pious father. By the grace of Krsna I got these two opportunities in the present life to be born of a pious father and brought up in one of the richest, aristocratic families of Calcutta (Kasinath Mullick). The Radha Krsna Deity in this family called me to meet Him, and therefore last time when I was in Calcutta, I stayed in that temple along with my American disciples. Although I had immense opportunities to indulge in the four principles of sinful life because I was connected with a very aristocratic family, Krsna always saved me, and throughout my whole life I do not know what is illicit sex,intoxication, meat-eating or gambling. So far my present life is concerned, I do not remember any part of my life when I was forgetful of Krsna.

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Hare Krishna Society

Lord Rsabhadevs teachings to all yogis-SP

“You have no feeling for Krsna”–SP

Sri Guru is present in all things-by Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Maharaj

CC Madhya 7.130 Bhakti Vikasa Interpolation Vs the Truth

World wars I & II caused by Urgra Karma and Money–SP

Position of The Acharya and prcess of Diksha

Some nectar on Locana Das Thakur-and how to sing Parama Karuna

Preaching truth-by Srila Prabhupada and Srila Bhaktisiddhanta maharaj

A Rebuttal of the GBC’s False Doctrine

8 proofs that Srila Prabhupada is a pure devotee of the Lord