Narasimha dasa and Gaura Karuna devi dasi Radha Krsna deities
Evidence That Jesus and The Original Aramaic Christians Were Vegetarians
“As long as Man continues to be the ruthless destroyer of lower living beings, he will never know health or peace. For as long as men massacre animals, they will kill each other. Indeed, he who sows the seed of murder and pain cannot reap joy and love.” (Pythagoras) Continue reading
One Conversation with Srila Prabhupada but many important topics covered
Jan 25 1977 Puri
Prabhupāda: .. That… I gave the example. Now you take one egg. What is there? Some white and some yellow substance. So you make one egg with white and yellow and bring life. So what is the power of your seeing? A small egg. Take a small egg. The covering, some celluloid, within, some white substance, some yellow substance. Or make further analysis and give some chemicals of the same taste, same color, same characteristic—now bring life. But the same thing. You put under the feather of the chicken. Within five days it will bring life. So what is the credit of these rascal doctors, D.H.C.? That a small chicken is better than these D.H.C. Why don’t you see practically?
Gargamuni: The chicken is simply sitting, and he is…
Prabhupāda: He is bringing life. What is the answer of these rascal scientists?
Satsvarūpa: No good answer. Bluff.
Prabhupāda: Challenge them like this, that “First of all do it. You are less than the chicken. Why you are claiming so much honor? We treat you, you are fig. You are less important than the chicken. Prove that you have got some power; then claim that you are scientist.” Hm? Is that argument all right? What will be the counterargument?
Gurukṛpā: A sane man would accept.
Prabhupāda: They’re all rascals. They do not know anything; still, they are claiming very high position.
Gurukṛpā: I heard one scientist on the airplane. There were three scientists sitting behind me, and they were speaking that they hope they are living in the year 2000. One man said, “I become so excited when I think how advanced we will be in the year 2000 that I just hope I do not die before then ’cause I want to see how everything will be then.”
Satsvarūpa: By then they think they will be doing this, creating life.
Prabhupāda: That any insane man can say. Any crazy man can say. “Trust no future, however pleasant.” “You are rascal.You are believing in the future. You have not show us, because in the past you could not do. There is no history. In the present you cannot do. So how shall I believe that in future you’ll do?” So any rascal promises like that, so we take him as a rascal. That’s all.
Satsvarūpa: What about our promise, in the future also, that you go to Kṛṣṇa in the future?
Prabhupāda: We have got proof. Kṛṣṇa says. We believe in Kṛṣṇa. You believe in some rascal; we believe in Kṛṣṇa. That is the difference. Kṛṣṇa says, tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti mām eti [Bg. 4.9]. So we believe that. That’s all. We have got evidence. You have no evidence. You are simply suggesting in future you’ll do. But we have got evidence.
Gargamuni: Sometimes they ask, “Show us somebody who’s come.”
Prabhupāda: Hm?
Gargamuni: “Show us someone who has come from there.”
Prabhupāda: Many.
Gargamuni: “But we don’t find any.”
Prabhupāda: Many. It is in the śāstra. “He was formerly like this, and now he has become this.” There are many.
Gargamuni: Well, that’s in the śāstra. They say now we want…
Prabhupāda: But śāstra is the proof. Our proof is śāstra. Your proof is your śāstra. Did you go to the moon planet or you believe the newspapers? Have you gone?
Gargamuni: No.
Prabhupāda: Then if you can believe newspaper, why shall not believe in the Veda, Vedānta?
Gargamuni: No, but one man has come.
The Beautiful Form and Face of Sri Krsna
“The face of Kṛṣṇa is the king of all moons, and the body of Kṛṣṇa is the throne.
Thus the king governs a society of moons.
“Kṛṣṇa has two cheeks that shine like glowing gems. Both are considered full moons. His forehead is considered a half moon, and the spot of sandalwood there is considered a full moon.
“His fingernails are many full moons, and they dance on the flute in His hands. Their song is the melody of that flute. His toenails are also many full moons, and they dance on the ground. Their song is the jingling of His ankle bells.
“Kṛṣṇa’s face is the enjoyer king. That full-moon face makes His shark-shaped earrings and lotus eyes dance. His eyebrows are like bows, and His eyes are like arrows. His ears are fixed on the string of that bow, and when His eyes spread to His ears, He pierces the hearts of the gopīs.
“The dancing features of His face surpass all other full moons and expand the marketplace of full moons. Although priceless, the nectar of Kṛṣṇa’s face is distributed to everyone. Some purchase the moonrays of His sweet smiles, and others purchase the nectar of His lips. Thus He pleases everyone.
“Kṛṣṇa has two reddish, widely spread eyes. These are ministers of the king, and they subdue the pride of Cupid, who also has beautiful eyes. That face of Govinda, which is full of happiness, is the home of the pastimes of beauty, and it is very pleasing to everyone’s eyes.
“If by devotional service one gets the results of pious activities and sees Lord Kṛṣṇa’s face, what can he relish with only two eyes? His greed and thirst increase twofold by seeing the nectarean face of Kṛṣṇa. Due to his inability to sufficiently drink that nectar, he becomes very unhappy and criticizes the creator for not having given more than two eyes.
“When the onlooker of Kṛṣṇa’s face becomes dissatisfied in this way, he thinks, ‘Why didn’t the creator give me thousands and millions of eyes? Why has he given me only two? Even these two eyes are disturbed by blinking, which keeps me from continuously seeing Kṛṣṇa’s face.’ Thus one accuses the creator of being dry and tasteless due to engaging in severe austerities. “The creator is only a dry manufacturer. He does not know how to create and set things in their proper places.
” ‘The creator says, “Let those who will see Kṛṣṇa’s beautiful face have two eyes.” Just see the lack of consideration exhibited by this person posing as a creator! If the creator took my advice, he would give millions of eyes to the person who intends to see Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s face. If the creator will accept this advice, then I would say that he is competent in his work.’
“The transcendental form of Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa is compared to an ocean. A particularly extraordinary vision is the moon above that ocean—Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s face—and an even more extraordinary vision is His smile, which is sweeter than sweet and is like shining beams of moonlight.” While speaking of these things with Sanātana Gosvāmī, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu began to remember one thing after another. Moving His hands in ecstasy, He recited a verse.
” ‘O my Lord, the transcendental body of Kṛṣṇa is very sweet, and His face is even sweeter than His body. But His soft smile, which has the fragrance of honey, is sweeter still.’ “
(Caitanya-caritāmṛta Madhya, Texts 21.126-36)
Compiled by Padmapani das
Knowledge is highest achievement for human life–SP
SB 4.24.75-In this material world there are different types of achievement, but of all of them the achievement of knowledge is considered to be the highest because one can cross the ocean of nescience only on the boat of knowledge. Otherwise the ocean is impassable.
PURPORT
Actually everyone is suffering within this material world due to ignorance. Every day we see that a person without knowledge commits some criminal act and is later arrested and punished, despite the fact that he actually may not have been conscious of his sinful activity. Such ignorance prevails throughout the world. People do not consider how they are risking their lives in an attempt to have illicit sex life, kill animals to satisfy their tongue, enjoy intoxication and gamble. It is very regrettable that the leaders of the world do not know of the effects of these sinful activities. They are instead taking things very easily and are succeeding in making the ocean of nescience wider and wider.
Opposed to such ignorance, full knowledge is the greatest achievement within this material world. We can practically see that one who has sufficient knowledge is saved from many dangerous pitfalls in life. As stated in Bhagavad-gītā (7.19), bahūnāṁ janmanām ante jñānavān māṁ prapadyate: “When one actually becomes wise, he surrenders unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead.” Vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti sa mahātmā sudurlabhaḥ: “Such a great soul is very rarely to be found.”
This Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is determined to open wide the eyes of the so-called leaders, who are full of ignorance, and thus save them from the many pitfalls and dangerous conditions of life. The greatest danger is the danger of getting a body lower than that of a human being.It was with great difficulty that we attained this human form of life just to take advantage of this body and reestablish our relationship with the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Govinda. Lord Śiva advises, however, that those who take advantage of his prayers will very soon become devotees of Lord Vāsudeva and thus will be able to cross the ocean of nescience and make life perfect.
(see current garden photos at the end)
Chanting the Song Sung by Lord Siva
SB 4.24.67–My dear Lord, any learned person knows that unless he worships You, his entire life is spoiled. Knowing this, how could he give up worshiping Your lotus feet? Even our father and spiritual master, Lord Brahmā, unhesitatingly worshiped You, and the fourteen Manus followed in his footsteps.
PURPORT-The word paṇḍita means “a wise man.” Who is actually a wise man? The wise man is described in Bhagavad-gītā (7.19) in this way: bahūnāṁ janmanām ante jñānavān māṁ prapadyate vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti sa mahātmā sudurlabhaḥ
“After many births and deaths, he who is actually in knowledge surrenders unto Me, knowing Me to be the cause of all causes and all that is. Such a great soul is very rare.”
Thus when the wise man actually becomes wise after many births and whimsical attempts at self-realization, he surrenders unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa. Such a mahātmā, or learned person, knows that Kṛṣṇa, Vāsudeva, is everything (vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti [Bg. 7.19]). Learned persons always think that life is wasted unless they worship Lord Kṛṣṇa or become His devotee. Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī also says that when one becomes an advanced devotee, he understands that he should be reserved and perseverant (kṣāntiḥ) and that he should engage in the service of the Lord and not waste time (avyartha-kālatvam [Cc.Madhya 23.18-19]). He should also be detached from all material attraction (viraktiḥ), and he should not long for any material respect in return for his activities (māna-śūnyatā). He should be certain that Kṛṣṇa will bestow His mercy upon him (āśā-bandhaḥ), and he should always be very eager to serve the Lord faithfully (samutkaṇṭhā). The wise man is always very eager to glorify the Lord by chanting and hearing (nāma-gāne sadā ruciḥ), and he is always eager to describe the transcendental qualities of the Lord (āsaktis tad-guṇākhyāne). He should also be attracted to those places where the Lord had His pastimes (prītis tad-vasati-sthalePrītis tad vasati sthāle). These are symptoms of an advanced devotee.
An advanced devotee, or a perfect human being who is actually wise and learned, cannot give up his service at the lotus feet of the Lord.
When one is engaged in devotional service, he is often surrounded by envious people, and often many enemies come to try to defeat him or stop him. This is not new in this present age, for even in the days of yore Prahlāda Mahārāja, who was engaged in the devotional service of the Lord, was harassed by his demoniac father, Hiraṇyakaśipu. The atheists are always prepared to harass a devotee; therefore Caitanya Mahāprabhu suggested that one be very tolerant of these people. Nonetheless, one has to continue chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra and preaching the chanting of this mantra because such preaching and chanting constitute the perfection of life. One should chant and preach about the urgency of making this life perfect in all respects. One should thus engage in the devotional service of the Lord and follow in the footsteps of previous ācāryas, beginning with Lord Brahmā and others.
SP explains how to the Name, Form, and activities of God-Krsna are revealed to us
SB 4.24.59 purport… The bhakti-yoga process must be carried out by avoiding the ten offenses one can commit while chanting the mahā-mantra and the sixty-four offenses one can commit while worshiping the Deity. When a devotee strictly follows the rules and regulations, Bhaktidevī becomes very much satisfied with him, and at that time he is never disturbed by anything external. A devotee is also called a muni. The word muni means “thoughtful.” A devotee is as thoughtful as a nondevotee is speculative. The nondevotee’s speculation is impure, but a devotee’s thoughts are pure. Lord Kapila and Śukadeva Gosvāmī are also called muni, and Vyāsadeva is addressed as Mahāmuni. A devotee is addressed as muni, or thoughtful, when he purely understands the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The conclusion is that when one’s heart is purified by the association of devotees and by the avoidance of the offenses committed when chanting and worshiping the Lord, the transcendental name, form and activities of the Lord are revealed by the Lord.
Srila Prabhupadas books are creating an historical renaissance-so why are the devotees not seriously reading these books ??
Jan 22 1977 Conversations
Rāmeśvara: It’s clear that for the first time these scholars are understanding the difference between the Bhagavad-gītā and the Māyāvādī conception. It’s clear that now you have saved them. Previous to this, all they knew about is this impersonal concept.
Prabhupāda: That is the business of ācārya, sampradāya-rakṣana, to save the sampradāya from falling down. Sampradāya. Sampradāya rakṣana.
Rāmeśvara: After centuries of rascaldom you are giving them the first clear choice.
Prabhupāda: Yes. That was the desire of my Guru Mahārāja. I am just trying.
Satsvarūpa: Another professor that was met is going to with ten students… I have his name, a Professor Kalewart from the University of Loeben in Belgium. He’s supposed to go to Kṛṣṇa-Balarāma Mandir on February lst with ten people.
Prabhupāda: He has gone?
Satsvarūpa: No, on February 1st.
Gargamuni: He should stay in our guesthouse.
Prabhupāda: So inform them, “You come.”
Satsvarūpa: Yes. He’s going to study at that place, that research place at Loi Bazaar, the Vṛndāvana Research Institute.
Prabhupāda: Oh.
Satsvarūpa: He’s some scholar of Rūpa Gosvāmī. But he has to stay at Kṛṣṇa-Balarāma.
Prabhupāda: So take some breakfast.
Rāmeśvara: Without your activities this man could not have written that… He could not have had that understanding. If you had not started this movement, there would be no difference, no contrast. There would just be Māyāvādī in the Western world.
Prabhupāda: Yes. People heard that Indian philosophy is Māyāvāda. Māyāvādam asac chāstraṁ pracchanaṁ bauddhaṁ ucyate. Caitanya Mahāprabhu repeatedly said, māyāvāda bhāṣya śunile haya sarva nāśa: “He is doomed.” Māyāvādī haya kṛṣṇe aparādhi. These are the direct charges against the Māyāvāda. My Guru Mahārāja also, a staunch enemy of the Māyāvāda philosophy. And you are also singing, nirviśeṣa-śūnyavādī. The śūnyavādī are the Buddhist, and nirviśeṣavādī are the Māyāvādīs. Paścatya-deśa, they are embarassed with this śūnyavādī and nirviśeṣavādī. Now we are trying to give them solid personification of the Absolute Truth. Here also, India, they are spoiled by these Māyāvādī. Now it is in your hand, able hands. You are resourceful, intelligent. Spread this Vaiṣṇava philosophy and challenge this Māyāvāda and śūnyavāda. Thank you. Jaya. (devotees offer obeisances) Here is a would-be Vaiṣṇava. (laughs) Very nice. He is a very nice child.
Rāmeśvara: This is also… This review is a great praise that your writing is so clear that they cannot miss the point. He has understood the dif… You are forcing them to see a difference…
Prabhupāda: Yes.
Rāmeśvara: …between the Māyāvādī and the actual philosophy of Lord Caitanya. And that review is a credit that your writing is so clear that they cannot fail to understand the point.
Prabhupāda: He has written that “Bhaktivedanta Swami has very convincingly presented.” He said that.
Satsvarūpa: Yes. That was the first one.
Hari-śauri: He was writing how you were following strictly in the paramparā.
Rāmeśvara: Some of these scholars write “The message radiates and shines brightly from every page.” They’re writing like that.
Satsvarūpa: And after describing the whole tradition, he said that the Hare Kṛṣṇa movement is the Western branch. So that’s a good testimony for our movement, not just the…
Hari-śauri: Not something concocted.
Rāmeśvara: Yes. That’s very good.
Prabhupāda: Hmm?
Rāmeśvara: That’s very important. He has given us historical…
Prabhupāda: Place.
Rāmeśvara: …perspective.
Prabhupāda: That is wanted.
Rāmeśvara: Prabhupāda said this past week that in the future, historians will study this period of world history, how this movement has changed the world. He said in the future they will just note this period, how the world is being changed.
Prabhupāda: Yes, a new Renaissance. What is called? Renaissance?
Rāmeśvara: Renaissance.
Prabhupāda: Historical Renaissance.
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Srila Prabhupada explains that his disciples should not only sell his books , but more importantly-read these books.
April 22 1973…So to become sannyāsī is not very great credit, according to our Vaiṣṇava philosophy. To become perfect house-holder, that is credit. Perfect householder, like Kṛṣṇa. Read Kṛṣṇa book regularly. Why these books are written? Only for selling? Taking statistics, “How many books you have sold?” You learn, read. Always read, twenty-four hours. As soon as you get time, read. I do that. I do that.Reading, writing, or chanting. But when there is no other way, you sleep little. Not to enjoy sleep, but because it is not possible to continue, all right, sleep one hour, two hours, three hours, four hours, five hours. Not more than that. Not that I am sleeping, enjoying life, up to eight o’clock, twelve o’clock.
How Srila Prabhupada wanted Hari nama Sankirtan to be done
Kirtan leaders should chant in the manner of the acarya… all should be pure devotees
“Regarding Kirtana Party: My idea is that at least one dozen persons should form a Kirtana Party. Two persons play mrdangas, eight persons play karatalas, one person playing tamboura, and one person playing melodious harmonium. The person who will play on tamboura will be leader singer. You have just calculated what I want, when you suggest that the leader should sing as I do, and the others will respond. That will be very nice. But all the members of the party will be pure devotees. None of them should be outsiders. We do not want any outsiders as far as possible. Mrdanga playing as you are doing at present will make you more and more expert as you go on playing. Here also I see Gaurasundara simply by playing is improving. If all the members keep their faith in Krishna and tries to please Him, certainly everyone will be pleased by hearing our Kirtana. It is sure and certain. When such Kirtana will be demonstrated, only the harmonium player may sit, and all the others may stand up and join the Kirtana and dancing properly dressed.” (Prabhupada letter to Hansadutta, February 4, 1968)
Mantras become more powerful when chanted by great devotees-SP
SB 4.24.32 purport-Lord Śiva voluntarily came to bless the sons of the King as well as do something beneficial for them. He personally chanted the mantra so that the mantra would be more powerful, and he advised that the mantra be chanted by the King’s sons (rāja-putras). When a mantra is chanted by a great devotee, the mantra becomes more powerful. Although the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra is powerful in itself, a disciple upon initiation receives the mantra from his spiritual master, for when the mantra is chanted by the spiritual master, it becomes more powerful. Lord Śiva advised the sons of the King to hear him attentively, for inattentive hearing is offensive.
SB 2.9.8 purport… The potency of transcendental sound is never minimized because the vibrator is apparently absent. Therefore Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam or Bhagavad-gītā or any revealed scripture in the world is never to be accepted as an ordinary mundane sound without transcendental potency.
One has to receive the transcendental sound from the right source, accept it as a reality and prosecute the direction without hesitation. The secret of success is to receive the sound from the right source of a bona fide spiritual master. Mundane manufactured sound has no potency, and as such, seemingly transcendental sound received from an unauthorized person also has no potency.One should be qualified enough to discern such transcendental potency, and either by discriminating or by fortunate chance if one is able to receive the transcendental sound from the bona fide spiritual master, his path of liberation is guaranteed.
SB 4.24.33 purport...The Supreme Lord is all-perfect, and the Lord instructs that one who worships Him also becomes perfect. As stated in Bhagavad-gītā (15.15): mattaḥ smṛtir jñānam apohanaṁ ca. The Lord is situated as the Supersoul in everyone’s heart, but He is so kind to His devotees that He gives them instructions by which they may continue to progress. When they receive instructions from the all-perfect, there is no chance of their being misled. This is also confirmed in Bhagavad-gītā (10.10): dadāmi buddhi-yogaṁ taṁ yena mām upayānti te. The Lord is always ready to give instructions to the pure devotee so that the devotee can advance further and further in devotional service.
We have to select a guru by whose order we wont make mistakes
March 2 1966 NY-–Now, to take such guidance means the spiritual master should also be a very perfect man. Otherwise, how can he guide? …Therefore one has to select a spiritual master whose order, carrying, you’ll not commit a mistake. You see? Now, suppose if you accept a wrong person as spiritual master, and if you, if he guides you wrongly, then your whole life is spoiled. So one has to accept a spiritual master whose guidance will make his life perfect. That is the relation between spiritual master and disciple. It is not a formality. It is a great responsibility both for the disciple and for the spiritual master.
SB 4.24.39 purport…
As stated in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (10.22.35): etāvaj janma-sāphalyaṁ
dehinām iha dehiṣu prāṇair arthair dhiyā vācā śreya-ācaraṇaṁ sadā
Even though one may desire to engage in the service of the Lord, without sanction one cannot do so. Lord Śiva is offering his prayers in so many different ways in order to show living entities how to engage in the devotional service of the Lord.
Adi 9.11 purport... Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī states in his Gurv-aṣṭaka prayer, yasya prasādād bhagavat-prasādo yasyāprasādān na gatiḥ kuto ‘pi: “By the mercy of the spiritual master one is blessed by the mercy of Kṛṣṇa. Without the grace of the spiritual master one cannot make any advancement.” It is by the mercy of the spiritual master that one becomes perfect, as vividly exemplified here.