Hare Krishna Society

Nectar of Instruction 1986 edition changes: BBT has deleted Sanskrit verses,
color plates, references, index, Sanskrit pronunciation guide and
glossary from Srila Prabhupada’s Nectar of Instruction

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A Book Review: Easy Journey to Other Planets

By Narasimha das

Easy Journey to Other Planets was one of the first of A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada’s books published in the West. In the early 1970s many people started hearing from and following Srila Prabhupada after reading this concise and potent small book that summarizes the process of self-realization and liberation.

“A living being, especially civilized man, has a natural desire to live forever in happiness. This is quite natural because, in his original state, the living being is both eternal and joyful. However, in the present conditioned state of life, he is engaged in a struggle against recurring birth and death. Therefore, he has attained neither happiness nor immortality.

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Bhisma Panchaka –

Bhisma Pancaka

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credit for compilation Balarama dasa [Australia]

“bhakti means you utilize your energy for Kṛṣṇa”

EXCERPT:

“…In the Upaniṣads it is said that God is also a person like me, you. Nityo nityānāṁ cetanaś cetanānām [Kaṭha Upaniṣad 2.2.13]. But His personality is different from your personality, from my personality. What is that difference? Eko yo bahūnāṁ vidadhāti kāmān: “He supplies all the necessities of all other personalities.” That is the difference. God is supplying us food. This conception is there in the Bible = “God, give us our daily bread.” This is nice. Accepting that you are getting all supplies from God, this is sukṛti, this is puṇyavat.

If one, anyone says, “Oh, what God? We are creating our own food”—just like the Communist says—they are duṣkṛtina, rascals. But if anyone even goes to the church and temple for asking something to God, he is pious. At least, he has approached God. So one day, when he will be advanced devotee, he will not ask anymore. He knows that “Why shall I bother God? He is supplying everyone food, so why shall I ask Him food? My food is also there. Let me serve me [Him].” That is his higher intelligence….

….. So how the energy should be utilized? For the master, not for his sense gratification.

This is perfection of life. You produce anything by your energy, but you cannot use it for your sense gratification. Then you become perfect. And if you want to do it, then Hṛṣīkeśa, the master of the senses, will give you intelligence how to do it. Just like He is giving Arjuna intelligence; therefore He is mentioned as Hṛṣīkeśa. How to win victory. How to utilize his energy for Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa wanted the battle. Arjuna was a military man. He utilized his military strength for Kṛṣṇa’s purposes. That is the perfection of life.

So whatever you have got, if you utilize it for Kṛṣṇa’s sake, hṛṣīkeṇa hṛṣīkeśa-sevanaṁ bhakti [Cc. Madhya 19.170], that is bhakti. Even by fighting, you can be a great devotee, just like Arjuna. He was not chanting on the beads, but he was fighting. But still, bhakto ‘si priyo ‘si me [Bg. 4.3], Kṛṣṇa says. “Oh, you are My great devotee.”

Now people may say that “He was not chanting. He was fighting. How he became a great devotee?” But Kṛṣṇa says, bhakto ‘si priyo ‘si me: “You are My dear friend. You are My devotee. Because you are utilizing your energy for Me.” So bhakti means you utilize your energy for Kṛṣṇa. Then your life is perfect.

Thank you very much.”

Devotees: All glories to Śrīla Prabhupāda. [end]

Bhagavad-gītā 1.15

London, July 15, 1973

Audio for this lecture: https://prabhupadavani.org/transcriptions/730715bglon/

Prabhupāda: Who, who is he?

Bhavānanda: He‘s a renegade brahmacārī from one of your godbrothers.

Prabhupāda: Prabhupāda dāsa. [break]

Gargamuni: He seems to be helped by Mādhava Mahārāja.

Prabhupāda: Oh.

Gargamuni: He‘s the one that purchased the land on the north side of us.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: (indistinct) will go tomorrow?

Prabhupāda: Yes. You time fix up. I am ready.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes.

Prabhupāda: Hare Kṛṣṇa. Jaya. [break] Hare Kṛṣṇa. [break] …when I don’t remember, “Get out.” This is Māyāvāda philosophy. “So long I require your help, I catch your hand. And as soon as I don’t require, please get out” [break]

Gargamuni: We have Kṛṣṇa.

Prabhupāda: Yes. He, he was worshiping Viṣṇu at home, and he was trying to kill Kṛṣṇa. Similarly, there are many Vaiṣṇavas like Jarāsandha-apparently worshiping Viṣṇu—but trying to kill Kṛṣṇa. Jarāsandha–Vaiṣṇava.

Jayapatākā: So what is the value of such worship of Viṣṇu?

Prabhupāda: Eh?

Jayapatākā: So what is the benefit of such worship of Viṣṇu? Jarāsandha worship?

Prabhupāda: They will get material opulence. Asuras, they want material opulence. They, they do not understand what is spiritual life or spiritual happiness, what is devotional service. Neither they’d like to understand. Which way?

page: https://prabhupadabooks.com/conversations/1974/mar/morning_walk/mayapura/march/02/1974

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Prabhupāda: Who, who is he?

Bhavānanda: He‘s a renegade brahmacārī from one of your godbrothers.

Prabhupāda: Prabhupāda dāsa. [break]

Gargamuni: He seems to be helped by Mādhava Mahārāja.

Prabhupāda: Oh.

Gargamuni: He‘s the one that purchased the land on the north side of us.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: (indistinct) will go tomorrow?

Prabhupāda: Yes. You time fix up. I am ready.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes.

Gargamuni: We have Kṛṣṇa.

Jayapatākā: So what is the value of such worship of Viṣṇu?

Prabhupāda: Eh?

Jayapatākā: So what is the benefit of such worship of Viṣṇu? Jarāsandha worship?

page: https://prabhupadabooks.com/conversations/1974/mar/morning_walk/mayapura/march/02/1974

Adi lila 3.98… Purport-This sort of serious interest in the welfare of the public makes one a bona fide ācārya. An ācārya does not exploit his followers. Since the ācārya is a confidential servitor of the Lord, his heart is always full of compassion for humanity in its suffering. He knows that all suffering is due to the absence of devotional service to the Lord, and therefore he always tries to find ways to change people’s activities, making them favorable for the attainment of devotion. That is the qualification of an ācārya. Although Śrī Advaita Prabhu Himself was powerful enough to do the work, as a submissive servitor He thought that without the personal appearance of the Lord, no one could improve the fallen condition of society…

The so-called ācāryas of the Age of Kali are more concerned with exploiting the resources of their followers than mitigating their miseries; but Śrī Advaita Prabhu, as an ideal ācārya, was concerned with improving the condition of the world situation CC Adi lilA 3.98

Similarly when Śrī Rāmānanda Rāya proposed about the efficacy of sannyāsa either in the order of the Māyāvādīs or in the order of the Vaiṣṇavas, the same was again rejected by the Lord for He thought that in this age sannyāsa is an impossible game. The so-called sannyāsīs dress themselves in the red garments to earn an easy livelihood but in action they are like ordinary men of filthy mind. Such filthy sannyāsīs of the age of Kali may be able to accumulate large sums of money by the plea of establishing temples and deities by exploiting foolish persons but they are unable to bring their followers to Godhead. These sannyāsīs generally construct some temples and install deities in them to exploit the religious feelings of different men but the main purpose of constructing such temples is to open different branches of income for comfortable material life although in the dress of a renouncer. They construct such temple most unauthorizedly and thus implore many foolish men to join to make contribution upon it. And some of them perform unauthorized yajñas and thus accumulate money. The temple builder sannyāsī assures every one of the contributors to become the chief donor in such pious act but ultimately none of them is given any position, but the sannyāsī himself becomes all in all by accumulating a big bank balance for his personal material comfort. : https://prabhupadabooks.com/articles/20

“In this verse there are many important words which could be very elaborately explained, but we shall briefly discuss the important aspects of each. The final statement is ātmavic-caraṇārcanam. Ātma-vit means a self-realized soul or bona fide spiritual master. Unless one is self-realized and knows what his relationship with the Supersoul is, he cannot be a bona fide spiritual master. Here it is recommended that one should seek out a bona fide spiritual master and surrender unto him (arcanam), for by inquiring from and worshiping him one can learn spiritual activities.” (SB.3.28.2, Purport)

Some Conclusions–After reading the above descriptions by Srila Prabhupada of previous cheaters beginning with Jarasandha (who tried to kill Krsna 18 times and failed) down to the present times, it is very clear to some of us, that one must be very very serious about his or her spiritual life in this degraded age OR he or she will be cheated without a doubt. And that is exactly what we have seen happen, right up to this present moment.

The situation in iskcon today is exactly what Prabhupada warned about back in 1976 was happening all over India and the world for that matter. Only things have gotten exponentially worse since then.

Our only hope today, is to stick to that great soul that we know will not cheat us. I remember Jayananda saying when he gave his $5,000 dollars of save money, all his wealth at that time to Srila Prabhupada so he could print the NOD book, he said

“I know this man wont cheat me”. And he was 100% correct.

Cheaters will always be here in this material world and they are meant for those who want to be cheated. The only way to remove ourselves from the “cheated category” is to ourselves become serious and sincere-then Krsna will help us from within as Supersoul and from without as Srila Prabhupada.

Hare Krsna

damaghosa das

May 31 1975 letter Kirtanananda– European and American civilization will be finished on account of this sinful activity of killing the cows.

May 15 1973 LA Cheviot hills conversations

Umāpati: It has been going on from time immemorial

I guess they figure they can just keep going on for time immemorial.

Prabhupāda: No time immemorial. You are being cheated for two hundred, three hundred years, that’s all. Not before that. All these scientists, rascals, have come out within two hundred years. That’s all. So you are being cheated for the last two hundred years, not for thousands of years. So it will be finished. Within another fifty years, everything will be finished.

(Give or take a year, this prediction would mean— 2023)

April 29 1977 letter to Brahmananda–A living entity gets millions of opportunities to get a type of body, but hardly he gets opportunity to serve Krishna. The service of Krishna must be executed at all risks…

Garden video

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ux6nYbexcEM

https://www.amazon.com/MOVE-CITY-TAKE-CONTROL-GROWING/dp/1696418623

ARATI PROCEDURES LETTERS GIVEN BY SRILA PRABHUPADA

Nov 18 1968 letter Hayagriva

Arati is performed at 1 1/2 hour before sunrise to awaken the Deities. Each offering is made by moving it in 7 big circles, starting at the Lotus Feet of the Lord, and going clockwise round. First of all, burning camphor or ghee (5 fires if possible) is offered in this way, slowly circling them before the Lord. With left hand bell is being rung, and with right hand the offerings are made by circling. Next burning dhupa is offered. Then water is offered in a conchshell. Then a nice handkerchief is offered. Then a nice flower, as a rose. Then the Deities are offered a fan, nice peacock feather fan. And the last item is the blowing of the conch shell three times. Throughout arati” arati there is bell ringing, cymbals, mrdanga, gong, harmonium, etc.

Hope you are all well, and please keep me informed on the progress of the temple there.

Jan 25 1969 letter Kirtananda

You have asked some questions, and I will answer them herewith. The first question is, “When making arati offerings, is it proper to meditate on the different parts of the Lord’s Body?” The answer is that there is no need to meditate in that way. The Lord is actually there with you, and you are seeing all of His parts of the Body, so there is no need to meditate in that way. In regard to the other questions, food should be offered before arati . In the morning, after arati” you can offer some food and then perform kirtana.

Regarding your question about the disciplic succession coming down from Arjuna, it is just like I have got my disciples, so in the future these many disciples may have many branches of disciplic succession. So in one line of disciples we may not see another name coming from a different line. But this does not mean that person whose name does not appear was not in the disciplic succession. Narada was the Spiritual Master of Vyasadeva, and Arjuna was Vyasadeva’s disciple, not as initiated disciple but there was some blood relation between them. So there is connection in this way, and it is not possible to list all such relationships in the short description given in Bhagavad-gita As It Is. Another point is that disciplic succession does not mean one has to be directly a disciple of a particular person. The conclusions which we have tried to explain in our Bhagavad-gita As It Is is the same as those conclusions of Arjuna. Arjuna accepted Krishna as the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and we also accept the same truth under the disciplic succession of Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Things equal to the same thing are equal to one another. This is an axiomatic truth. So there is no difference of opinion of understanding Krishna between ourselves and Arjuna. Another example is that a tree has many branches, and you will find one leaf here and another leaf there. But if you take this leaf and the other leaf and you press them both, you will see that the taste is the same. The taste is the conclusion, and from the taste you can understand that both leaves are from the same tree.

Jully 20 1969 letter Gajendra

. So as you will be having several new men there to help you after the Rathayatra Festival, Sankirtana Party will be the better way of distributing BTG. Regarding your question about offering camphor in aratrik, I do not know why you should be having trouble with smoke and soot by this offering. If you use smaller pieces of camphor this may alleviate the problem, or perhaps you are not using the right kind of camphor. Here we are using camphor for aratrik twice daily and there is no such problem. Of course, if it is too inconvenient, there does not have to be a camphor offering, but I do not know why this should be so. I hope this will meet you in good health.

Feb 5 1970 letter Hanuman Prasad Poddar

Regarding the number of asramas, our Temples are already listed above. The Deity worshiped in the Temples are Jagannatha Swami with Balarama and Subhadra, and Radha Krishna. When we first start a Temple, we start with Jagannatha Swami. My Guru Maharaja recommended Temples of Jagannatha in these countries, so I was inspired to establish first of all Jagannatha Swami because He is kind even to the mlecchas. Then, when there is opportunity, I establish Radha Krishna Murti. So generally in all our Temples, Jagannatha Swami and Lord Caitanya Sankirtana pictures are invariably there, and gradually we are installing Radha Krishna Murtis in each and every center. The program of the Temple worship is as follows: Early in the morning, before sunrise, there is Mangala Aratrik. At 8:00 a.m. there is dressing and decorating of the altar daily. Then, between 11:30 and 12:00 N., Bhoga Aratrik. At 5:00 p.m., opening of the door and Dhoop Aratrik as well as Boikalik Bhoga offering. In the morning we offer fruits and milk to the Deities, and at noon we offer rice, dal, capatis, vegetable, milk, sweet rice, and many other varieties. In the Boikalik Bhoga Aratrik we offer fruits again. Then there is Sandhya Aratrik after dusk; and at 9:00 p.m. we offer Bhoga of Puri, vegetable, milk, sweetmeats, etc. Then there is Sandhya Aratrik after which the Deity rests. This is the general program of worship. We decorate the thrones with profuse flowers, changing the dress and ornaments daily, and as far as possible the Deity platform and the Temple room are kept neat and clean always.

April 17 1970 letter Guru das & Yamuna

You were very much anxious to worship Radha Krsna Deity and you took one pair from Mataji. At that time I advised you to wait. Now when the pair of Deities were taken by Mataji again and you were little bit sorry, but Krsna is so kind upon you that He has come to you again in a better position and now you can engage yourself in His service heart and soul.

Both mangal aratrik and sundar aratrik can be changed according with sunrise and sunset. We are not concerned with the time, but with the sun’s movement. Sundar aratrik may be performed one half to one hour after sunset. So the decoration of the temple room and offering Bhoga to the Deities should be done as nicely as possible as it is within our capacity. This is the sign of love. So I am confident of your love for Krsna and do everything nicely for His pleasure. Whenever it is necessary you are quite at liberty to ask me for direction.

These classes of Bhagavad-gita and Srimad-Bhagavatam as you are now holding must be continued very rigidly. About holding Sanskrit classes, the special stress should be given to chanting the mantras in our books. I have given specific instructions in this connection to your husband, and if Sanskrit class is to be held, it should be mainly for this purpose. We should simply expend our time for development of Krishna Consciousness. To become a scholar of Sanskrit is not our business.

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Dressing bathing arcana

Jan 16 1970 letter Yamuna

So far colors that may be offered to the Deities, all colors may be utilized just suitable to your scheme. But black should not be used for the Deities dresses or for Temple decorations.

Krishna as He is appearing in our Temples is in the Kisora age, and the dress which I have introduced is His dress of Kisora age. In our Temples the Deities, Radha and Krishna are worshiped as Laksmi-Narayana with all the opulences of Their Majestic Lordship in Dvaraka. The worship of Radha-Krishna as They appear in Vrndavana is a very advanced stage, so we worship Them in the Temples as Laksmi-Narayana. Actually there is no difference because Laksmi-Narayana is directly the expansion of Radha-Krishna. We are following the prescribed method of Temple worship as it is the effective program for developing the highest perfection of pure love of Krishna.

The arati articles may be returned to the same places, especially the conch shell, but the deeps, lamps, should be set down from their places because they must be washed.

March 16 1970 letter Satsvarupa

When the large Deities are installed, the small Deities should be worshiped as Vijaya Vigraha which means this pair of Deities may go outside the Temple in a small car as they have made in L.A. This car was made by Nara Narayana, so he can give the idea. This Vijaya Vigraha may be taken out with Sankirtana Party, not always, but conveniently. In due course of time, I shall let you know the details.

April 1 1970 letter Himavati

I am very, very glad that you are taking care of the Deities with great attention and enthusiasm. Regarding your questions: the Deities should be polished before Their morning bath. Make a thin paste of fuller’s earth and lime juice and rub this mixture on Their bodies and then bathe them and then dry and buff Them with a small towel for the purpose. You can make one very nice bed and place it to the backside of the throne, and you can make night clothes. So after the last Aratrik at night, you can change to Their night clothes for taking rest. Because They are small Deities, They may be lain on the bed with some pillows (because the base may raise Their feet up); if this can be arranged it will be nice.

Yes, Their crowns and jewelry should be removed both at night and while resting at noon, but wigs may stay on and Krsna should always hold His flute. It is nice if you can provide some heating arrangement for cold weather. Also different weight clothes for warmer or colder weather is good. Your idea for a thin curtain around the throne is very good. Regarding Radharani’s smiling, that is not imagination—so she must smile. Let this be an impetus to your increased service.

Radha Krsna topics are for both liberated and conditioned souls, but conditioned souls should not much discuss about the loving affairs between Radha and Krsna because sometimes they misunderstand Radha and Krsna as ordinary boy and girl. So this should be discussed with advanced students, not with ordinary men.

May 3 1970 letter Ekayani

Regarding the color of Balaramaji, He is colored like milk white with little bluish tint and rosy luster. Our idea of whiteness is of the milk foam. Regarding whether ivory is offerable to Krsna, yes, ivory is pure. Although it is a bone of an animal, still it is as pure as the conchshell which is also the bone of an animal.

The six armed form which Lord Caitanya disclosed to Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya had two hands of Lord Ramacandra, two hands of Krsna and two hands of Lord Caitanya. Perhaps you have seen the picture in our New York temple which was brought from India by Kirtanananda Swami.

May 1 1971 letter Laksmimoni

So far as touching the Deity, this is possible only in a big temple with big Deities, not in a small temple. In big temples like Jagannatha Puri the devotees circumambulate and sometimes touch the Lotus Feet of the Lord, but in a small temple that is not possible. If you need help in caring for Tulsi devi, you can write Govinda Dasi in Hawaii for instruction.

Deity worship can be learned at not less than ten years by children. Before that they can assist. They can learn how to bow down, how to dance and chant, how to make garlands, clean arati utensils, etc. In this way they can be engaged. These are also different parts of Deity worship.

Regarding Satyaloka, one is in the material world and one is in the spiritual world. The spiritual Satyaloka is eternal; the material Satyaloka is not, although it is so-called. Satyaloka is another name for Vaikuntha.

May 28 1971 letter Govinda dasi

The jewelry offered to Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu and Lord Nityananda should be very carefully set and kept in a secure place. There is no question of animal bone. As I have already told you, Ivory Jewels, conchshell and cow dung are all pure. Everything is pure when employed in the service of the Lord. Just like the mrdanga kohl is made of skin and still it is held as pure. If you want more karatalas and mrdangas, you can contact Jayapataka Swami here in Calcutta (3, Albert Road; Calcutta-17, INDIA). So coral and mother of pearl are all right. Many Deities are made of coral.

Nov 6 1971 letter Kirtanananda

And Krishna has made himself available in the form of very nice brass Murtis from Washington D.C. It is not necessary also that Lord Jagannatha come along. Sometimes He is misunderstood also. The Deities can be installed in a temple and then taken for travelling. That will be best. So far Silavati’s other questions: The large brass Deities can be bathed the same as the small ones if they can be handled easily; Cooking can go on after the Deities’ plate is made. Without offering to the Deity nobody can be supplied, but after the offering if there are so many men and more is required then how can it be stopped?; In Vrindaban dhupa is offered without a flower sometimes, but either way is all right. If a flower can be offered, then that is nice; generally sandalwood paste is offered on the forehead, but on other parts of the body is all right; Kumkum powder should be offered on the feet.

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Feb 18 1973 letter Kirtananda

Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated January 20th. and February first along with your enclosed plans of the Radha Govindaji Temple in New Vrindaban. From these plans everything seems to be in order except the domes are making the temple look like a mosque. Therefore you please eliminate these domes and consult the Mayapur plan which can be obtained by writing Calcutta for design of the domes. The Deities should be facing East. If you are laying the foundation stone to this temple there is a ceremony which you can observe. First you may have one fire ceremony with four Brahmins surrounding the fire, reading from Bhagavad-gita, Nectar of Devotion, Srimad-Bhagavatam and Teachings of Lord Caitanya. This reading should go on during the entire ceremony. You may also dig one pit about 15 feet deep and have one golden Ananta form prepared, about two inches, put at the bottom of the pit. All during this, Kirtana should be going on. And then five types of various items should be placed in the pit, 5 types of jewels, 5 types of metals, 5 types of fruit, 5 types of grains, 5 types of amrta, like this different panca. These all should be carried down the ladder by the various Brahmins, and as they put each one at the bottom of the pit, the various fruits, flowers, etc. all of the Brahmins should one by one climb to the bottom of the pit and make their offering and chant the first verse of Gayatri Mantra. After this, you may lay some bricks down on top of everything and then begin to fill up the pit with dirt again. When the pit is filled up with dirt again you may put one foundation stone on top of the pit and this pit should be located at the exact corner of the Temple building. The idea of this is that the entire building will be resting on the hoods of the Ananta snake, and this is very auspicious. After this program you may have several days of Kirtana and feasting.

Hare Krishna Society

Nectar of Instruction 1986 edition changes: BBT has deleted Sanskrit verses, color plates, references, index, Sanskrit pronunciation guide and glossary from Srila Prabhupada’s Nectar of Instruction

A Book Review: Easy Journey to Other Planets

Last day of Bhisma Panchaka – November 19. 2021 [Mayapura,. West Bengal, India time]

“bhakti means you utilize your energy for Kṛṣṇa”

Jarasandha was Vaisnava-but wanted to kill Krsna-SP

Jarasandha was a Vaisnava-but he wanted to kill Krsna–SP

3 very heavy quotes by Srila Prabhupada

Arati procedures letters by

dressing and bathing deities-continued letters by SP

How to install Radha Krsna deities-letter by SP