Madhya 13.139 —

Temple Deity worship is realized by the devotees to be the same as direct service to the Lord. The Deity is known as arca-vigraha or arca-avatara, an
incarnation of the Supreme Lord in the form of a material
manifestation (brass, stone or wood). Ultimately there is no
difference between Krsna manifest in matter or Krsna manifest in
spirit because both are His energies. For Krsna, there is no
distinction between matter and spirit. His manifestation in material
form, therefore, is as good as His original form,
sac-cid-ananda-vigraha. A devotee constantly engaged in Deity worship
according to the rules and regulations laid down in the sastras and
given by the spiritual master realizes gradually that he is in direct
contact with the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Thus he loses all
interest in so-called meditation, yoga practice and mental
speculation. …….(and everything else)

Hare Krsna to all

Pranams

All glories to Srila Prabhupada

Recently a devotee commented to me that he thought why should we have to worry ourselves over fruitive work or anything else for that matter since , and he quoted Krsna where He says,” I maintain what they have and provide what they lack” ?? His conclusion being was that we really didn’t have to concern ourselves with

anything else but following the 4 reg’s, chant 16 rounds a day, worship the Deity, and basically try to think as much as possible of Krsna throughout the day. I think this was his understanding of our “basic spiritual obligations”.

This behavior is very good, but this is not the end of it, and this article will attempt to show why. If I am wrong, then I hope some devotees will correct this misunderstanding for me.

So the main point is this- If we want to go back to Godhead then we must be 100% pure and on the transcendental platform. If we are actually on the transcendental platform, this means every action we perform is for the satisfaction of Srila Prabhupada and Lord Krsna, and then this work is A-karma, or without reaction.

Now consider just this one conversation with Srila Prabhupada where he explains how any devotee who is NOT giving 50% of his income to the Krsna Consciousness Movement , then all that work he does is unauthorized work, or generating karma of some sort. Here it is…

750203mw.haw Conversations 371406/530501
Devotee (1): No, I know, but for his actions other than just following
the four regulative principles and chanting sixteen rounds. He does so
many other things during the day. Where does he derive his authority
if he’s not, let’s say, living in the temple?
Prabhupada: I do not follow. The authority is guru. You have accepted.
Bali Mardana: For everything.
Jayatirtha: Say I have some outside job, I’m living outside, but I’m
not giving 50% of my income. So then that work that I’m doing, is it
actually under the authority of the guru?
Prabhupada: Then you are not following the instruction of guru. That
is plain fact.
Jayatirtha: So that means that whole activity during the day, working,
that means I am not following the instruction of the guru. It’s
unauthorized activity.
Prabhupada: Yes. If you don’t follow the instruction of guru, then you
are fallen down immediately. That is the way. Otherwise why you sing,
yasya prasadad bhagavat-prasado. It is my duty to satisfy guru.
Otherwise I am nowhere. So if you prefer to be nowhere, then you
disobey as you like. But if you want to be steady in your position,
then you have to follow strictly the instruction of guru.

Devotee (1): We can understand all of your instructions simply by
reading your books.
Prabhupada: Yes. Anyway, follow the instruction. That is required.
Jayatirtha: So the purpose of having the Society is to show the
devotees how they can always be twenty-four hours engaged according to
your instruction.
Prabhupada: Yes, that is helping one another. If I am deficient, by
seeing your example I shall correct myself. This is the idea, not that
a fool’s paradise: all fools and join together. Not like that.

So from this above example, we can easily see that according to Srila Prabhupada

that we must donate at least 50% of our income to some Krsna Conscious activity.

Now that may be well and good for some devotees , like the ones living in the Bangalore

temple, who live there, and do some sort of service all day long, give all the money they collect to the temple, and the temple provides for them, but what about the rest of us who live in this rotten material world and have to “work” for our bread??

I am not crying over spilt milk because of what happened to iskcon, but am only asking the question to all, that how do WE live in this world– transcendentally?

It is practically impossible for me and I would suspect most if not all others, to give 50% of their income up.

OK some might say, well I have several Deities of Krsna here in our home/ashram and “everything “

we do here is for Their pleasure.

Being a grhastha, I know this is just not the case. We may say we are doing everything for Krsna, but how many of us engages a “lot of time” in Krsna Seva and maybe a “little time” here and there in some sense gratification which has nothing at all do with the Service of our Deities or Srila Prabhupada?

So if that is true, then what is the result of those activities? Are they not karma producing?

One time Sruti Kirti told a story when Prabhupada was in the LA Temple.

Prabhupada had his japa beads on his hand, then took the bead bag

and tossed it on his table and said: “there my 16 rounds are finished,

now I can do any damn thing I want.”

First of all in BG, Krsna says-

Bg 7.28 T Persons who have acted piously in previous lives and in this life,
whose sinful actions are completely eradicated and who are freed from
the duality of delusion, engage themselves in My service with
determination.

PURPORT

Those eligible for elevation to the transcendental position are
mentioned in this verse. For those who are sinful, atheistic, foolish
and deceitful, it is very difficult to transcend the duality of desire
and hate. Only those who have passed their lives in practicing the
regulative principles of religion, who have acted piously and who have
conquered sinful reactions can accept devotional service and gradually
rise to the pure knowledge of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
Then, gradually, they can meditate in trance on the Supreme
Personality of Godhead. That is the process of being situated on the
spiritual platform.

The very next verse in BG states-

Bg 7.29 T Intelligent persons who are endeavoring for liberation from old age
and death take refuge in Me in devotional service. They are actually
Brahman because they entirely know everything about transcendental and
fruitive activities.

The above purport states that one has to conquer over both sinful actions and sinful re-actions to become

determined in KC.. This is two different things entirely. The example has been given many times about pulling the plug of a fan (which is symbolically the generation of future karma), and once this plug has

been pulled by our present actions, that means that no future karma is being generated. This

doesn’t mean that we will not experience some residue from past karmic actions. This is what

is meant by conquering sinful re-actions in this purport. Everyone’s fate or destiny in this present body is fixed , according to sastra, which means some reactions will be coming to us in the future while still in

this body. And being Krsna Conscious means, if we are actually Krsna Conscious, we will be transcendentally situated from them and not be that much, if at all, affected by them.

Another point is that Prabhupada says we have to “gradually rise to the pure knowledge” of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Bhaktivinode Thakur defines pure knowledge as comprising 5 elements,and one of them is knowledge of karma or fruitive activities. This means that before we can actually come to the pure spiritual platform we need to know Krsna tattva, Jiva tattva, Karma tattva, and more.

Earlier on in BG, Krsna states that even the most intelligent persons are bewildered

in understanding what is action(karma) and in- action (non reactive work).

Bg 4.16 T Even the intelligent are bewildered in determining what is action
and what is inaction. Now I shall explain to you what action is
knowing which you shall be liberated from all sins.

Bg 2.49 T O Dhananjaya, rid yourself of all fruitive activities by devotional
service, and surrender fully to that consciousness. Those who want to
enjoy the fruits of their work are misers.

Bg 4.17 T The intricacies of action are very hard to understand. Therefore
one should know properly what action is, what forbidden action is, and
what inaction is.

PURPORT

If one is serious about liberation from material bondage, one has
to understand the distinctions between action, inaction and
unauthorized actions. One has to apply oneself to such an analysis of
action, reaction and perverted actions because it is a very difficult
subject matter. To understand Krsna consciousness and action according
to the modes, one has to learn one’s relationship with the Supreme;
i.e., one who has learned perfectly knows that every living entity is
the eternal servitor of the Lord and that consequently one has to act
in Krsna consciousness. The entire Bhagavad-gita is directed toward
this conclusion. Any other conclusions, against this consciousness and
its attendant reactions, are vikarmas, or prohibited actions. To
understand all this one has to associate with authorities in Krsna
consciousness and learn the secret from them; this is as good as
learning from the Lord directly. Otherwise, even the most intelligent

person will be bewildered.

Bg 4.14 P Anyone who is fully conversant
with all the intricacies of this law of karma, or fruitive activities,
does not become affected by the results of his activities.

Bg 4.18 P A person acting in Krsna consciousness is naturally free from the
bonds of karma. His activities are all performed for Krsna; therefore
he does not enjoy or suffer any of the effects of work. …. Because
everything is done for Krsna, he enjoys only transcendental happiness
in the discharge of this service. Those who are engaged in this
process are known to be without desire for personal sense
gratification.

Bg 4.20 T Abandoning all attachment to the results of his activities, ever
satisfied and independent, he performs no fruitive action, although
engaged in all kinds of undertakings.

PURPORT

This freedom from the bondage of actions is possible only in Krsna
consciousness when one is doing everything for Krsna.

Bg 4.33 P The purpose of all sacrifices is to arrive at the status of
complete knowledge, then to gain release from material miseries, and,
ultimately, to engage in loving transcendental service to the Supreme
Lord (Krsna consciousness). Nonetheless, there is a mystery about all
these different activities of sacrifice, and one should know this
mystery. Sacrifices sometimes take different forms according to the
particular faith of the performer. When one’s faith reaches the stage
of transcendental knowledge, the performer of sacrifices should be
considered more advanced than those who simply sacrifice material
possessions without such knowledge, for without attainment of
knowledge, sacrifices remain on the material platform and bestow no
spiritual benefit. Real knowledge culminates in Krsna consciousness,
the highest stage of transcendental knowledge. Without the elevation
of knowledge, sacrifices are simply material activities. When,
however, they are elevated to the level of transcendental knowledge,
all such activities enter onto the spiritual platform. Depending on
differences in consciousness, sacrificial activities are sometimes
called karma-kanda, fruitive activities, and sometimes jnana-kanda,
knowledge in the pursuit of truth. It is better when the end is
knowledge.

Bg 5.2 P One is considered to be a failure in life as long as he makes no inquiry about his real
identity. As long as he does not know his real identity, he has to
work for fruitive results for sense gratification, and as long as one
is engrossed in the consciousness of sense gratification one has to
transmigrate from one body to another. Although the mind may be
engrossed in fruitive activities and influenced by ignorance, one must
develop a love for devotional service to Vasudeva. Only then can one
have the opportunity to get out of the bondage of material existence.”
Therefore, jnana (or knowledge that one is not this material body
but spirit soul) is not sufficient for liberation. One has to act in
the status of spirit soul, otherwise there is no escape from material
bondage.

Bg 5.26 P In the conditioned soul the desire to enjoy the fruitive results of
work is so deep-rooted that it is very difficult even for the great
sages to control such desires, despite great endeavors. A devotee of
the Lord, constantly engaged in devotional service in Krsna
consciousness, perfect in self-realization, very quickly attains
liberation in the Supreme. Owing to his complete knowledge in
self-realization, he always remains in trance.

So these verses test our Krsna Consciousness and actual level of understanding.

Prabhupada has several times said that when one joins this movement and gets initiated

he is just like a beginning student who has entered the university. A freshman is hardly the

same as a graduating senior who has passed all his tests. So when one can follow the

basic pre requisites such as 16 rounds a day and the 4 reg’s, that mean he has come to

at least the human platform, and not necessarily the transcendental platform, as some mistakenly are thinking. For example a fully qualified brahmana (kanistha adhikari) is still on the material platform

So my point is this-If we are actually on the transcendental platform, which means every action we perform is for the satisfaction of Srila Prabhupada and Lord Krsna, then this work is A-karma, or without reaction.

Consider this conversation:

740401mw.bom Conversations
Prabhupada: Karma-yogi means one who does everything for Krsna. He’s
karma-yogi.
Guest (1): One who does everything for…?
Prabhupada: For Krsna.
Guest (1): For Krsna.
Prabhupada: Just like you are doing, doing some work. For whom you are
doing?
Guest (1): For my own benefit.
Prabhupada: That’s all. So that is karma. But when you do the same
thing for Krsna, that is karma-yoga.

Prabhupada: That’s all. (break) …done not meant for Krsna, that is
for his own satisfaction. Just like Arjuna wanted to become
nonviolent: “No, no, Krsna. I cannot kill my kinsmen.” That is a good
proposal. But that was his satisfaction.
Guest (1): That is very correct.
Prabhupada: Yes. That was his satisfaction. But Krsna wanted that “You
must fight.” And when he agreed to that, that is his perfection.
Before that, he was trying to satisfy he.
… Whatever you do, that is your satisfaction. That is karma.
Guest (1): But not yogi.
Prabhupada: No, karma. (break) …for your own sense satisfaction,
that is karma. And if you do it for Krsna’s satisfaction, that is
karma-yoga.

Makhanlal: Pure bhakti and karma-yoga considered to be exactly the
same?
Prabhupada: Exactly the same.
Prabhupada: Pure bhakti is above karma-yoga. Pure bhakti is above
karma-yoga.
Bhagavata: That is the difference between the Chapter Karma-yoga and
Karma-yoga in Krsna Consciousness.
Prabhupada: Yes. Pure, pure devotion means Sravanam kirtanam.
Makhanlal: …you’re performing, is the vaidhi-bhakti stage of…
Prabhupada: Yes.
Makhanlal: …of the sadhana-bhakti, the regulative principles.
Prabhupada: Yes, vaidhi-bhakti means regulative principles, and when
you are accustomed, automatically you perform, that is raga-bhakti.
Makhanlal: So vaidhi-bhakti is considered superior to karma-yoga then.
Prabhupada: No. Karma-yoga is better.
Makhanlal: Karma-yoga is better?
Prabhupada: Yes.

Indian man: Pure bhakti is superior.
Prabhupada: Pure bhakti is sravanam kirtanam. Sravanam kirtanam
visnu-smaranam pada-sevanam, that is pure bhakti. (break)
Yasomatinandana: …formed by anybody.
Prabhupada: Eh?
Yasomatinandana: Karma-yoga.
Prabhupada: Unless one is inclined to take to devotion, it is not
possible to take to karma-yoga. Who can sacrifice the profit?
Yasomatinandana: Does karma-yoga mean to follow exactly the sastras?
Prabhupada: Karma-yoga means yat karosi yaj juhosi kurusva tat
mad-arpanam.
Yasomatinandana: Doing only for Krsna.
Prabhupada: Yes. That is karma-yoga.
Devotee: Which means?
Prabhupada: “Whatever you do, the result give Me.”
Devotee: To Krsna.
Prabhupada: Yes.
Yasomatinandana: So we are also, those who are on the vaidhi-bhakti
(indistinct) on karma-yoga path because we are…
Prabhupada: Yes. They are acting under the order of the spiritual

master. That is bhakti-yoga.
Bhagavata: So when one follows the nine activities of devotion purely,
that is pure bhakti.
Prabhupada: Yes.
Bhagavata: Then when he’s following those nine activities, then he’s
superior.
Prabhupada: Eh?
Bhagavata: Then that’s superior to karma-yoga, to follow those nine
principles purely.
Prabhupada: Yes.
Makhanlal: Raganuga-bhakti is also superior to karma-yoga then?
Prabhupada: Bhakti is perfect stage. That is not for ordinary man.
Yasomatinandana: What is the difference between karma-yoga and… or
bhakti because they also (indistinct) Krsna?
Prabhupada: Now go on doing your duty, you’ll understand (indistinct).
Don’t try to understand in one day.
Bhagavata: It will be revealed to us as we act.
Prabhupada: Yes, the more you become in service attitude, things will
be revealed to you. (Sanskrit) prakasante. Becomes, it becomes
manifest. Sevonmukhe hi jihvadau sam eva sphuraty adhah. (break)

————————-

Again…

One time Sruti Kirti told a story when Prabhupada was in the LA Temple.

Prabhupada had his japa beads on his hand, then took the bead bag

and tossed it on his table and said: “there my 16 rounds are finished

and I can do any damn thing I want now.”

To me this is a very instructive story because it goes nicely along with the

theme in the above article. If we think just because we may chant 16 rounds

a day, follow the 4 reg’s and get up for montol arotik, we should not think

our “business” is now finished. These things are included in vaidhi bhakti, or the regulative

principles of sadhana bhakti. And Srila Prabhupada mentioned above that karma yoga

was superior to vaidhi bhakti”

Makhanlal: So vaidhi-bhakti is considered superior to karma-yoga then.
Prabhupada: No. Karma-yoga is better.
Makhanlal: Karma-yoga is better?
Prabhupada: Yes.

In this part of the conversation Srila Prabhupada is telling us that just

following rules and regulations is good, but actual Karma yoga, where

one does everything for Krsna’s satisfaction is superior to Vaidhi.

And superior to Karma yoga is pure bhakti yoga which is sravanam, kirtanam Vishnu…

or the 9 processes of bhakti.

Somehwere else Prabhupada once said that “anything but the 9 processes

of bhakti is unauthorized mental activity.” To me this means that

the 9 processes of bhakti represent the total 100% pure activity of the soul,

and anything but that is unauthorized activity-or Karma !!

Ok here is another one to consider-

Bg 18.66 P Conclusion–The Perfection of Renunciation
Now, in summarizing Bhagavad-gita, the Lord says that Arjuna should give up
all the processes that have been explained to him; he should simply
surrender to Krsna. That surrender will save him from all kinds of
sinful reactions, for the Lord personally promises to protect him.
In the ▼Seventh Chapter it was said that only one who has become
free from all sinful reactions can take to the worship of Lord Krsna.
Thus one may think that unless he is free from all sinful reactions he
cannot take to the surrendering process. To such doubts it is here
said that even if one is not free from all sinful reactions, simply by
the process of surrendering to Sri Krsna he is automatically freed.
There is no need of strenuous effort to free oneself from sinful
reactions. One should unhesitatingly accept Krsna as the supreme
savior of all living entities. With faith and love, one should
surrender unto Him.

So in the above purport Srila Prabhupada summarizes the entire Bg nicely. One doesn’t

have to worry about anything, sins, sinful reactions, nothing, one only

has to surrender to the Lord.

So HOW does one actually, and exactly surrender to Krsna?

Good question and here is the answer.

Bg 15.5 T One who is free from illusion, false prestige, and false
association, who understands the eternal, who is done with material
lust and is freed from the duality of happiness and distress, and who
knows how to surrender unto the Supreme Person, attains to that
eternal kingdom.

PURPORT

The surrendering process is described here very nicely. The first
qualification is that one should not be deluded by pride. Because the
conditioned soul is puffed up, thinking himself the lord of material
nature, it is very difficult for him to surrender unto the Supreme
Personality of Godhead. One should know by the cultivation of real
knowledge that he is not lord of material nature; the Supreme
Personality of Godhead is the Lord. When one is free from delusion
caused by pride, he can begin the process of surrender. For one who is
always expecting some honor in this material world, it is not possible
to surrender to the Supreme Person. Pride is due to illusion, for
although one comes here, stays for a brief time and then goes away, he
has the foolish notion that he is the lord of the world. He thus makes

all things complicated, and he is always in trouble. The whole world
moves under this impression. People are considering that the land,
this earth, belongs to human society, and they have divided the land
under the false impression that they are the proprietors. One has to
get out of this false notion that human society is the proprietor of
this world. When one is freed from such a false notion, he becomes
free from all the false associations caused by familial, social and
national affections. These faulty associations bind one to this
material world. After this stage, one has to develop spiritual
knowledge. One has to cultivate knowledge of what is actually his own
and what is actually not his own. And, when one has an understanding
of things as they are, he becomes free from all dual conceptions such
as happiness and distress, pleasure and pain. He becomes full in
knowledge; then it is possible for him to surrender to the Supreme
Personality of Godhead.

I just read this in SB class this very morning:

760510SB.HON Lectures
The injunction is that tad viddhi, if you want to understand
transcendental subject matter, not material, spiritual… Spiritual is
completely unknown to us because we do not know what is spiritual. We
are identifying with this body. You do not know even that “I am spirit
soul.” So where is the possibility of spiritual understanding? One
cannot see himself, what he is. He is thinking, “I am this body,”
exactly like the dog. The dog is thinking, “I am dog.” So if I think,
“I am American,” “I am Indian,” where is the difference? There is no
difference. Yasyatma-buddhih kunape tri-dhatuke. If one thinks that “I
am this body,” then he’s no better than sa eva go-kharah. The animals,
they also think like that, “I am this body.”

Tad viddhi. First of all you try to
learn. Tad viddhi. How to learn? Where to learn? Pranipatena, fully
surrendered. If you find somebody that he is somebody important where
you can surrender fully, from him… Tad viddhi pranipata… This is.
Our process of Vedic knowledge is how to surrender, not that I hear
and I reject it. That is not the way. That is another rascaldom. First
of all find out the person where you can surrender.
Surrender means you first of all be convinced that “Here is a
person who can give me actual knowledge.” Therefore before selecting
guru one has to convince himself that “The person whom I am going to
accept as guru, whether he actually can give me the knowledge?” That
is wanted. Therefore before making guru, the system is, for one year
the prospective disciple should hear from the person and then decide.
And similarly, the guru also see a person who is actually submissive
or not. That is Vaisnava injunction, Hari-bhakti-vilasa, not that to
make a guru as a fashion. No. Not do. Don’t keep a guru,
order-supplying guru. No. Just like if somebody keeps a dog and the
master orders him, “Do this,” and he does, fashion. No. It is not
fashion. You must approach guru who…, where you can surrender.
Otherwise don’t make guru. And the guru also should not accept such

rascal as disciple. First of all the thing is surrender. Tad viddhi
pranipatena. The first necessity is that you surrender. So here you
have seen, Pariksit Maharaja, although the emperor of the world, he is
taking lesson from Sukadeva Gosvami. Sukadeva Gosvami is seated on the
throne and he is seated on the ground, submissive. So does it mean
that “I shall become submissive, and whatever my guru will say, I will
have to accept?” No. Pariprasnena. Tad viddhi. Here is the pariprasna.
Sri-raja uvaca. Ask him. That is intelligent. Intelligently serve.
First of all we must… It is not that he is checking the guru, “How
my guru is learned?” No. The submission is there. But when the guru
says something, he may not understand. That concession is given,
pariprasna. You inquire.

——————————————

741117SB.BOM Lectures

This is self-realization. Self-realization means to see one’s proper
identity. At the present moment we are not finding out our proper
identity. We are seeing to the body. I see you, your body, and you see
me, my body. We have no vision of the real person, which is, who is
occupying this body. This is the first lesson we get from
Bhagavad-gita: dehino ‘smin yatha dehe. Dehi… This body is called
deha, and the owner of the body is called dehi.

So when we can see that we are not this body, “I am not this body,”
that is beginning of self-realization. That is called brahma-bhuta
stage. Aham brahmasmi: “I am not this material body.” Aham brahmasmi.
This is self-realization.

Conclusions:

We began with what that one devotee thought was surrender-just follow

the 4 reg’s, chant 16 rounds a day, and worship your Deity getting up

for mongol arotik.etc.. This is all very good, but when one studies these books

in a little more detail, one will find that at the end of it all, after the slokas

are read and somewhat understood, then 100% total surrender to the Lord is the final nail in the

coffin of karma . And how to surrender, well Prabhupada gives that explanation in the

above purport to BG 15.5.

Personally I dont know about anybody else, but I consider myself a long long way from

total surrender to Prabhupada and Krsna. The only alternative I see is to continue

chanting dancing and feasting, and hope against hope for the causeless mercy of the Supreme

Lord Sri Krsna Caitanya Mahaprabhu.!!

One last verse that I just read at breakfast time this morning:

Mundaka Upanishad 3.2.3

“The Supreme Lord is not obtained by means of expert explanations, vast intelligence or even much learning. He is obtained only by one whom He Himself chooses. To such a person, He manifests His own form.

Hare Krsna

Damaghosa das

Obeisances

All glories to Prabhupada

I am pretty sure most of us on this link dont care or know much about rasa bhasa-so if you are at all even remotely interested in this complex subject matter, here is what Srila Prabhupada writes in his Nectar of Devotion…

please see the very end of this as well-if you want to skip down thru it…

There is a rock group called guns and roses-this would also aptly be called Rasa bhasa.

Damaghosa das

———————

Here is the overall definition:

NoD 45 Laughing Ecstasy
In the fourth division of Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu, Srila Rupa Gosvami has described seven kinds of indirect ecstasies of devotional service, known as laughing, astonishment, chivalry, compassion, anger, dread and ghastliness. In this portion, Srila Rupa Gosvami further describes these ecstasies of devotional feelings, some being compatible and others incompatible with one another. When one kind of ecstatic devotional service overlaps with another in a conflicting way, this state of affairs is called rasabhasa, or a perverted presentation of mellows.

As already described, there are twelve different kinds of rasas, or ecstatic relationships which are shared with Krsna. Five of these rasas are direct, and they are listed as neutrality, servitude, fraternal love, parental love and conjugal love. Seven of the rasas are indirect, and they are listed as humor, astonishment, chivalry, compassion, anger, dread and ghastliness. The five direct rasas are eternally manifested in the Vaikuntha world, the spiritual kingdom, whereas the seven indirect rasas are eternally manifesting and unmanifesting in Gokula Vrndavana, where Krsna displays His transcendental pastimes in the material world.

Very often, in addition to one’s regular rasa, there is found the presence of some other rasa, and the mixture of these loving humors is sometimes compatible, or palatable, and sometimes incompatible, or unpalatable. The following is a scientific analysis of the compatibility and incompatibility of the mixtures of these various rasas, or loving moods.

When in the rasa of neutral love (santa-rasa) there are found traces of ghastliness or astonishment, the result is compatible. When with this neutral love there are manifestations of conjugal love, chivalry, anger or dread, the result is incompatible.

When in the ecstasy of a serving humor there are manifestations of dread, neutral love or chivalry (such as dharma-vira and dana-vira), the result is compatible. The ecstasy of devotional service in chivalry (yuddha-vira) and anger are directly produced by Krsna Himself.

With the ecstasy of fraternal love a mixture of conjugal love, laughter or chivalry is highly compatible. With the same fraternal love, a mixture of dread or parental love is most incompatible.

Although there are gulfs of differences between them, with the ecstasy of parental affection a mixture of laughter, compassion or dread is compatible.

With the ecstasy of parental love a mixture of conjugal love, chivalry or anger is incompatible.

With the ecstasy of devotion in conjugal love a mixture of laughter or fraternity is compatible.

According to certain expert opinions, in the ecstasy of conjugal love the feelings of chivalry known as yuddha-vira and dharma-vira are the only compatible additions. According to this view, except for these two humors, all other manifestations are taken as incompatible with conjugal love.

With the ecstasy of devotional laughter a mixture of dread, conjugal love or parental love is compatible, whereas a mixture of compassion or ghastliness is incompatible.
With the ecstasy of devotion in astonishment a mixture of chivalry or neutral love is compatible, whereas a mixture of anger or dread is always incompatible.
With the ecstasy of devotional chivalry a mixture of astonishment, laughter or servitude is compatible, whereas a mixture of dread or conjugal love is incompatible. According to some expert opinions, the ecstasy of neutral love is always compatible with devotional service in chivalry.
With the ecstasy of compassion in devotional service a mixture of anger or parental love is compatible, whereas a mixture of laughter, conjugal love or astonishment is always incompatible.
With the ecstasy of anger in devotional service a mixture of compassion or chivalry is compatible, whereas a mixture of laughter, conjugal union or dread is completely incompatible.
With the ecstasy of dread in devotional service a mixture of ghastliness or compassion is compatible.
With the ecstasy of chivalry in devotional service a mixture of conjugal union, laughter or anger is always incompatible.
In the ecstasy of ghastliness in devotional service, feelings of neutral love, laughter or servitude are compatible, whereas feelings of conjugal union and fraternity are incompatible.
The above analysis is a sample of the study of rasabhasa, or incompatible mixing of rasas. This transcendental science of rasabhasa can thoroughly explain the humors in ecstatic love which are compatible and incompatible with one another. When Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu was residing in Jagannatha Puri, many poets and devotees used to come to Him and offer their different kinds of poetry, but the regulation was that Lord Caitanya’s secretary, Svarupa Damodara, first examined all of these writings scrutinizingly, and if he would find that there were no incompatibilities in the rasas, or transcendental mellows, he would then allow the poet to approach Lord Caitanya and recite his poetry.
The topic of incompatibility is a very important one, and those who are pure devotees always expect to find perfect compatibility in descriptions of the different relationships with the Personality of Godhead. The study of compatibility and incompatibility sometimes becomes very involved, and a hint of why this is so is given as follows. When a friend meets another friend, the mellow produced out of that meeting is generally taken as very palatable. But actually with such meetings between two friends, there are so many feelings involved that it is difficult to ascertain when these feelings are actually becoming compatible and when they are becoming incompatible.
Expert literary scholars have analyzed the rasas which are compatible with one another by contrasting the various rasas in a particular mixture under the names whole and part. According to this method, the prominent feeling is called the whole, and the subordinate feeling is called the part.

Do not approach

The Trust Has Been Abandoned.

Below is the BBT site that explains in depth the changes. There is no book available that one can have to study the changes from only an online study. It cannot be ordered. The BBT can spend money printing changed books but somehow cannot find the money to print a book that explains the changes. I suggest that the BBT print up a book or books to explain all the changes as they go forward into the 21st century changing Srila Prabhupadas original books. In this way all scholars may work with real paper books as they study. I would prefer this myself. However, now that the world has a complete analysis of the Gita changes from the BBT will the world get a complete analysis of the changes to all the other books they are changing once those changed books are in print? It took the BBT some 20 years after the changed Gita to come out before they posted an explanation of the changes on line. This was only due to the diligence of Srila Prabhupada’s disciples. It is the direct responsibility of the BBT to provide a complete analytical study of the differences between the original works that they are changing and the original works themselves. Otherwise how will the world understand what they are missing? Or does the BBT have a long term hidden agenda? Those analytical studies of those differences must be in book form, we demand that. Everyone of the books that they are changing should have a complete original counter part in order for the world to understand the changes in true context. Anything less than that is theft of the original works left to the world by Srila Prabhupada and an abandonment of the Trust itself. Hasti Gopala Dasa https://www.bbtedit.com/node/198#MGRE_Intro2 https://bookchanges.com/bhagavad-gita-changes-complete-list/

Please accept my humble obeisances all glories to Srila Prabhupada. This is the title of our new file.

You can chose a different title if you like and file your letters in it. We print up two copies each time, offer them to Srila Prabhupada on our altar. We will send him one report letter each month at least. You can share yours or keep them private but the spiritual therapy is very very potent. Srila Prabhupada will be visiting our garden regularly this summer in his big framed photo. We will carry him around. He will then sit on a new chair and be offered what ever he would like so he can watch us serve the garden for his pleasure. This is our first letter.

690113LE.LA Lectures …vani and vapu, and vapu means the physical body, and vani means the vibration. So we are not concerned about the physical body. Not concerned means… We are concerned, of course, because the spiritual master, those who are acaryas, their body is not considered as materiel. Arcye sila-dhir gurusu nara-matir. Just like the statue of Krsna, to consider that “This is a stone…” Similarly, arcye sila-dhir gurusu na… Gurusu means those who are acaryas, to accept their body as ordinary man’s body, this is denied in the sastras. SO ALTHOUGH A PHYSICAL BODY IS NOT PRESENT, THE VIBRATION SHOULD BE ACCEPTED AS THE PRESENCE OF THE SPIRITUAL MASTER, VIBRATION. WHAT WE HAVE HEARD FROM THE SPIRITUAL MASTER, THAT IS LIVING.

From The 21^stCentury

Letters To Srila Prabhupada

Hasti Gopala Dasa and Lila Katha Devi Dasi

81 Nabob Crescent

Toronto Canada M1B 2Z1

April 14^th 2013

By Bhakta Mark April 12, 2013

There are many fools who blindly regurgitate the following slogans which were concocted by the Zoned out Acaryas and their GBC (Gangster Boy Cheerleaders) of Iskcon, including their BBT (Butlers of Better Truth).
Referring to the Ritvik initiation system, they say there is no such thing as“post samadhi initiation” or “posthumous Diksa”. that it is asiddhanta and not part of the Gaudiya Tradition.
So I am surprised that Jayadwaita and his BBT book mangling crew have yet to edit Jagannatha das Babaji’s name out from the list of disciplic succession in the“new improved” Bhagavad Gita. After all, according to the parampara list as written by Srila Prabhupada in CC Adi Lila chapter 1, “Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura accepted Śrīla Jagannātha dāsa Bābājī”, even though Visvanatha was “post samadhi” by a hundred years.
I hate to give our misguided pre-samadhi editors any more “bright” ideas, but that edited Gita is ruined already, so Jay might as well just continue to show the world what he really thinks about the ideas of the one he claims to be a disciple of.
THE DISCIPLIC SUCCESSION Evaṁ paramparā-prāptam imaṁ rājarṣayo viduḥ. (Bhagavad-gīta, 4.2) This Bhagavad-gītā As It Is is received through this disciplic succession: 1) Kṛṣṇa, 2) Brahmā, 3) Nārada; 4) Vyāsa, 5) Madhva, 6) Padmanābha, 7) Nṛhari, 8) Mādhava, 9) Akṣobhya, 10) Jayatīrtha, 11) Jñānasindhu, 12) Dayānidhi, 13) Vidyānidhi, 14) Rājendra, 15) Jayadharma, 16) Puruṣottama, 17) Brahmaṇyatīrtha, 18) Vyāsatīrtha, 19) Lakṣmīpati, 20) Mādhavendra Purī, 21) Īśvara Purī, (Nityānanda, Advaita), 22) Lord Caitanya, 23) Rūpa (Svarūpa, Sanātana), 24) Raghunātha, Jīva, 25) Kṛṣṇadāsa, 26) Narottama, 27) Viśvanātha, 28) (Baladeva) Jagannātha, 29) Bhaktivinode, 30) Gaurakiśora, 31) Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī, 32) His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda. (Bhagavad Gita INTRO)
Of course J.Swa will need to attack the Bhagavatam next…
Brahmā is the direct recipient of Vedic knowledge from the Personality of Godhead, and anyone discharging his entrusted duties in disciplic succession from Brahmā is sure to gain fame in this life and salvation in the next. The disciplic succession from Brahmā is called the Brahma-sampradāya, and it descends as follows: Brahmā, Nārada, Vyāsa, Madhva Muni (Pūrṇaprajña), Padmanābha, Nṛhari, Mādhava, Akṣobhya, Jayatīrtha, Jñānasindhu, Dayānidhi, Vidyānidhi, Rājendra, Jayadharma, Puruṣottama, Brahmaṇyatīrtha, Vyāsatīrtha, Lakṣmīpati, Mādhavendra Purī, Īśvara Purī, ŚrīCaitanya Mahāprabhu, Svarūpa Dāmodara and Śrī Rūpa Gosvāmī and others, ŚrīRaghunātha dāsa Gosvāmī, Kṛṣṇadāsa Gosvāmī, Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura,Viśvanātha Cakravartī, Jagannātha dāsa Bābājī, Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura, Gaurakiśora dāsa Bābājī, Śrīmad Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami. (SB 3.13.8 : PURPORT )
Might as well edit a few taped lectures while he is at it…
“One who has accepted ācārya, he knows things as they are.” Ācāryavān puruṣo veda. So we are receiving knowledge through the ācāryas. Kṛṣṇa spoke to Arjuna, Arjuna spoke to Vyāsadeva. Arjuna actually did not speak to Vyāsadeva, but Vyāsadeva heard it, Kṛṣṇa speaking, and he noted down in his book Mahābhārata. This Bhagavad-gītā is found in Mahābhārata. So we accept the authorities of Vyāsa. And from Vyāsa, Madhvācārya; from Madhvācārya, so many disciplic succession, up to Mādhavendra Purī. Then Mādhavendra Purī to Īśvara Purī; from Īśvara Purī to Lord Caitanyadeva; from Lord Caitanyadeva to six Gosvāmīs; from six Gosvāmīs to Kṛṣṇadāsa Kavirāja; from him, ŚrīnivāsaĀcārya; from him, Viśvanātha Cakravartī; from him, Jagannātha dāsa Bābājī; then Gaura Kiśora dāsa Bābājī; Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura; my spiritual master. The same thing, we are preaching. That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. It is nothing new. It is coming down from the original speaker, Kṛṣṇa, by disciplic succession. (Lectures : Bhagavad-gita 2.13 — Pittsburgh, September 8, 1972)
That is guru. Means one who has seen the truth. How he has seen the truth? Through the paramparā system. Kṛṣṇa said this, and then Brahmā said the same thing, then Nārada said the same thing, Vyāsadeva said the same thing, and then disciplic succession, Madhvācārya, Mādhavendra Purī, Īśvara Purī, Lord Caitanya, Ṣaḍ-gosvāmī,Kṛṣṇadāsa Kavirāja Gosvāmī, ŚrīnivāsaĀcārya, Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura, Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura. In this way. Jagannātha dāsa Bābājī, Gaura Kiśora dāsa Bābājī, Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī. Then we are speaking. The same thing. (Lectures : Srimad-Bhagavatam 2.4.1 — Los Angeles, June 24, 1972)
J. and cohort Dravida das already edited the Parampara list in CC Adi 1, but failed to properly address the false post samadhi Diksa that Jagannatha received when Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti accepted him as servitor. Instead he our Mangler in Chief focused on editing Srila Prabhupada’s “bogus” idea that Bhaktivinode was initiated by Jagannatha dasa, and that Bhaktivinode initiated Srila Gaurakishor das babaji
“The direct disciple of Śrīla Kṛṣṇadāsa Kavirāja Gosvāmī was Śrīla Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura, who accepted Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī as his servitor. Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura acceptedŚrīla Jagannātha dāsa Bābājī, who initiated Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura, who in turn initiatedŚrīla Gaurakiśora dāsa Bābājī, the spiritual master of Oṁ ViṣṇupādaŚrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Gosvāmī Mahārāja, the divine master of our humble self.” (Original CC Adi Chapter 1)
“The direct disciple of Śrīla Kṛṣṇadāsa Kavirāja Gosvāmī was Śrīla Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura, who accepted Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī as his servitor. Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura acceptedŚrīla Jagannātha dāsa Bābājī, the spiritual master of Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura, who in turn accepted Śrīla Gaurakiśora dāsa Bābājī, the spiritual master of Oṁ Viṣṇupāda Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Gosvāmī Mahārāja, the divine master of our humble self.” (Changed CC Adi Chapter 1)
I know, I know, so many changes to make, so little time. Perhaps some one of J. Swa’s divine stature could make an appeal to Kala, the presiding Deity of time, in the form of a request to slow things down a bit so His Magnificence will be able to properly wield his editorial scalpel and undo all the errors Srila Prabhupada left us with and save the entire Jagat from being so grossly misinformed.

Ramananda Raya’s conversation with Lord Caitanya

TLC 32 Conclusion

Lord Caitanya next asked Ramananda Raya, “What is the most valuable

thing in the world?”

Ramananda Raya replied that he who has love for

Radha-Krsna possesses the most valuable jewel and the greatest riches.

One who is addicted to material sense gratification or material wealth

is not really considered to be wealthy. When one comes to the

spiritual platform of Krsna consciousness, he can understand that

there are no riches more valuable than love of Radha-Krsna. It is

recorded in Srimad-Bhagavatam that Maharaja Dhruva sought out the

Supreme Lord because he wanted to get some land, but when he finally

saw Krsna, he said, “I am so pleased, I don’t want anything.” In

Bhagavad-gita it is also stated that if one takes shelter of the

Supreme Personality of Godhead or is elevated to the supreme state of

love of Godhead, he has nothing more to aspire to. Although such

devotees can attain whatever they desire from the Lord, they do not

ask anything from Him.

When Lord Caitanya asked Ramananda Raya what is considered to be

the most painful existence,

Ramananda Raya replied that separation

from a pure devotee constitutes the most painful existence. In other

words, when there is no devotee of the Lord present, there is great

suffering in society, and association with other people becomes

painful. In ▼Srimad-Bhagavatam (3.30.7) it is stated that if one who

is bereft of the association of a pure devotee tries to become happy

through society, friendship and love devoid of Krsna consciousness, he

is to be considered in the most distressed condition. In the Fifth

Canto of Brhad-bhagavatamrta (5.44) it is stated that the association

of a pure devotee is more desirable than life itself and that in

separation from him one cannot even pass a second happily.

Lord Caitanya then asked Ramananda Raya, “Out of many so-called

liberated souls, who is actually liberated?”

Ramananda replied that he who is actually completely saturated with the devotional love for Radha and Krsna is to be considered to be the best of all liberated

persons. It is stated in ▼Srimad-Bhagavatam (6.14.4) that a devotee of

Narayana is so rare that one can only find him out of millions and

millions of people.

“And out of all songs, what song do you think is the best of all?”

Caitanya Mahaprabhu asked.

And Ramananda replied that any song which

describes the pastimes of Radha and Krsna is the best song. In

conditional life, the soul is captivated by sex. All fictions–dramas

and novels–and material songs describe love between men and women.

Since people are so attracted to this kind of literature, Krsna

appeared in this material world and displayed His transcendental

loving affairs with the gopis. There is an immense literature dealing

with the transactions between the gopis and Krsna, and anyone who

takes shelter of this literature or of the stories about Radha and

Krsna can enjoy actual happiness. In Srimad-Bhagavatam (10.33.36) it

is said that the Lord displayed His pastimes in Vrndavana in order to

reveal His actual life. Any intelligent person who tries to understand

the pastimes of Radha and Krsna is most fortunate. The songs that tell

of those pastimes are the greatest songs in the world.

Lord Caitanya then inquired: “What is the most profitable thing in

the world, the essence of all auspicious events?”

Ramananda Raya replied that there is nothing as profitable as the association of pure

devotees.

“And what do you recommend a person to think of?” Lord Caitanya

asked.

Ramananda replied that one should always think of the pastimes

of Krsna. This is Krsna consciousness. Krsna has multiple activities,

and they are described in many Vedic scriptures. One should always

think of those pastimes; that is the best meditation and the highest

ecstasy. In ▼Srimad-Bhagavatam (2.2.36) Sukadeva Gosvami confirms that

one should always think of the Supreme Personality of Godhead–not

only think of Him, but one should also hear and chant His name, fame

and glories.

“And what is the best type of meditation?” Lord Caitanya inquired.

“He who always meditates on the lotus feet of Radha and Krsna is

the best meditator,” Ramananda Raya answered. This is also confirmed

in ▼Srimad-Bhagavatam (1.2.14): “It is the Supreme Personality of

Godhead alone who is the master of all devotees, whose name one should

always chant and who should always be meditated upon and worshiped

regularly.”

“Where should a person live, giving up all other pleasures?” Lord

Caitanya next inquired.

Ramananda replied that one should give up all

other pleasures and should live in Vrndavana where Lord Krsna had so

many pastimes. In Srimad-Bhagavatam (10.47.61) Uddhava says that it is

best to live in Vrndavana even if one has to live as a plant or

creeper. It was in Vrndavana that the Supreme Lord lived and it was

there that the gopis worshiped the Supreme Lord, the ultimate goal of

all Vedic knowledge.

“And what is the best subject to hear of?” Caitanya Mahaprabhu next

asked.

“The pastimes of Radha and Krsna,” Ramananda replied. Actually when

the pastimes of Radha and Krsna are heard from the right source, one

at once attains liberation. Unfortunately it sometimes happens that

people do not hear of these pastimes from a person who is a realized

soul. Thus people are sometimes misguided. It is stated in

Srimad-Bhagavatam (10.33.40) that one who hears of the pastimes of

Krsna with the gopis will attain the highest platform of devotional

service and will be freed from the material lust which overwhelms

everyone’s heart in the material world. In other words, by hearing the

pastimes of Radha and Krsna, one can get rid of all material lust. If

one does not become freed from material lust in this way, then he

should not indulge in hearing of the pastimes of Radha and Krsna.

Unless one hears from the right source, he will misinterpret the

pastimes of Radha and Krsna, considering them to be ordinary affairs

between a man and woman. In this way one may be misguided.

“And who is the most worshipable Deity?” Caitanya Mahaprabhu next

inquired.

Ramananda Raya immediately replied that the transcendental

couple, Sri Radha and Krsna, is the ultimate object of worship. There

are many worshipable objects–the impersonalists worship the

brahmajyoti, for instance–but by worshiping objects other than Radha

and Krsna, one becomes bereft of life’s symptoms and becomes just like

a tree or other nonmoving entity. Those who worship the so-called void

also attain such results. Those who are after material enjoyment

(bhukti) worship the demigods and achieve their planets and thus enjoy

material happiness.

Lord Caitanya next inquired about those who are

after material happiness and liberation from material bondage. “Where

do they ultimately go?” He asked.

Ramananda Raya replied that ultimately some turn into trees and others attain the heavenly planets where they enjoy material happiness.

Ramananda Raya went on to say that those who have no taste for

Krsna consciousness or spiritual life are just like crows who take

pleasure in eating the bitter nimba fruit. It is the poetic cuckoo

that eats the seeds of the mango. The unfortunate transcendentalists

simply speculate on dry philosophy, whereas the transcendentalists who

are in love with Radha and Krsna enjoy fruit just like the cuckoo.

Thus those who are devotees of Radha and Krsna are most fortunate. The

bitter nimba fruit is not at all eatable; it is simply full of dry

speculation and is only fit for crowlike philosophers. Mango seeds,

however, are very relishable, and those in the devotional service of

Radha and Krsna enjoy them.

Thus Ramananda Raya and Caitanya Mahaprabhu talked for the entire

night. Sometimes they danced, sometimes sang and sometimes cried.

After passing the night in this way, at dawn Ramananda Raya returned

to his place. The next evening he returned to see Caitanya Mahaprabhu.

After discussing Krsna for some time, Ramananda Raya fell at the feet

of the Lord and said, “My dear Lord, You are so kind to me that You

have told me about the science of Krsna and Radharani and Their loving

affairs, the affairs of the rasa dance and Their pastimes. I never

thought that I should be able to speak on this subject matter. You

have taught me as You formerly taught the Vedas to Brahma.”

Being very satisfied, Lord Caitanya smiled and showed Ramananda His

real form as the combination of Sri Radha and Krsna. Thus Lord

Caitanya was Sri Krsna Himself with the external features of Srimati

Radharani. His transcendental ability to become two and then to become

one again was revealed to Ramananda Raya. Those who are fortunate

enough to understand Lord Caitanya as well as the Vrndavana pastimes

of Radha and Krsna can be able, by the mercy of Sri Rupa Gosvami, to

know about the real identity of Sri Krsna Caitanya Mahaprabhu.

Upon seeing this unique feature of Lord Caitanya, Ramananda Raya

fainted and fell on the floor. Lord Caitanya then touched him, and he

came to his senses. Ramananda Raya was then surprised to see Lord

Caitanya again in His mendicant dress. Lord Caitanya embraced and

pacified him and informed him that he was the only one to have seen

this form. “Because you have understood the purpose of My incarnation,

you are privileged to have seen this particular feature of My

personality,” the Lord said. “My dear Ramananda, I am not a different

person with a fair complexion known as Gaurapurusa. I am the selfsame

Krsna the son of Maharaja Nanda, and due to contact with the body of

Srimati Radharani I have now assumed this form. Srimati Radharani does

not touch anyone but Krsna; therefore She has influenced Me with Her

complexion, mind and words. In this way I am just trying to understand

the transcendental flavor of Her relationship with Krsna.”

The fact is that both Krsna and Lord Caitanya are the original

Personality of Godhead. No one should try to eliminate Lord Caitanya

from Sri Krsna. In His form of Sri Krsna, He is the supreme enjoyer,

and in His form of Lord Caitanya, He is the supreme enjoyed. No one

can be more superexcellently attractive than Sri Krsna, and but for

Sri Krsna, no one can enjoy the supreme form of devotion, Srimati

Radharani. But for Sri Krsna, all Visnu forms are lacking this

ability. This is explained in the description of Govinda in

Caitanya-caritamrta. There it is said that Srimati Radharani is the

only personality who can infuse Sri Krsna with transcendental

pleasure. Thus Srimati Radharani is the chief damsel of Vraja in love

with Govinda, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Sri Krsna.

You can understand this yourself and keep it to yourself. From

a materialistic point of view, a devotee becomes mad in his ecstasy of

love for Krsna. Both you and I are just like madmen. So please don’t

disclose these facts to ordinary men. If you do, they will surely

laugh at Me.”

Lord Caitanya then passed ten nights with Ramananda Raya, enjoyed

his company and discussed the pastimes of Krsna and Radha. The

discussions between them were on the highest level of love for Krsna.

Some of these talks are described, but most of them could not be

described.

In Caitanya-caritamrta this has been compared to

metallurgic examination. The metals compared are discussed in the

following sequence: first copper, then bronze, then silver, gold and

at last touchstone. The preliminary discussions between Lord Caitanya

and Ramananda Raya are considered to be like copper, and the higher

discussions are considered to be like gold. The fifth dimension of

their discussions, however, is considered to be like touchstone. If

one is eager to attain the highest understanding, he must begin with

an inquiry into the differences between copper and bronze, then silver

and gold and so on.

footnote–these last statements comparing different metals to sucessively higher understandings

refer to an earlier discussion between Ramananda Raya and Lord Caitanya where

5 basic ideas for Dharma were presented by Ramananda Raya beginning with- how one should

just perform his occupational duty;;next was give up all results to Krsna, then renunciation

without fruitive result; then brahman realization without fruitive work or mental speculation until finally he came to hearing from the lips of a pure devotee-which Lord Caitanya accepted as the

correct process for this age of Kali, since none of the previous methods are feasible due the implications and impurity of the age and its inhabitants..

Hare Krsna

Damaghosa das

Hare Krsna to all

Pranams

All glories to Srila Prabhupada

This book, Sri Chaitanya -Siksamrta is simply wonderful in that it contains so much pertinent information regarding the souls release from Maya in our conditional state. Here below is one short example contained in the sixth rainfall chapter.

But first, from Srila Prabhupadas books we have the 2 verses given by Srila Rupa Goswami in Nectar of Devotion which give in summary the progressive stages one will encounter on the road to Love of God, or Krsna Prema.

adau sraddha tatah sadhu-

ango ‘tha bhajana-kriya

tato ‘nartha-nivrttih syat

tato nistha rucis tatah

athasaktis tato bhavas

tatah premabhyudancati

sadhakanam ayam premnah

pradurbhave bhavet kramah

“In the beginning one must have a preliminary desire for self-realization. This will bring one to the stage of trying to associate with persons who are spiritually elevated. In the next stage one becomes initiated by an elevated spiritual master, and under his instruction the neophyte devotee begins the process of devotional service. By execution of devotional service under the guidance of the spiritual master, one becomes free from all material attachment, attains steadiness in self-realization, and acquires a taste for hearing about the Absolute Personality of Godhead, Sri Krsna. This taste leads one further forward to attachment for Krsna consciousness,

which is matured in bhava, or the preliminary stage of transcendental love of God. Real love for God is called prema, the highest perfectional stage of life.” In the prema stage there is constant engagement in the transcendental loving service of the Lord.

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Now here is what Srila Bhaktivinode Thakur writes on the same topic.

(please forgive any typos)

Upon examining the lives of devotees, it will be found that some have developed faith by studying the scriptures impartially. Many have developed faith by association with devotees and hearing their teachings. Others have developed faith in bhakti after performing duties according to varnashram and developing repulsion for taking material results from such activities. Others have developed faith through disgust for speculative knowledge. Others have developed faith suddenly.

There is no specific rule for the develolpment of faith, for faith , the seed of the creeper of bhakti is above the rules. Therefore, it may be said that faith develops only within the consciousness of a fortunate soul.

The end of executing karma according to ones varnashrama duties and the appearance of faith are simultaneous. When faith arises, the devotees become filled with hopeful anxiety. This sraddha (faith) is the first stage in the development of prema.

By previous material habits, the aspiring devotees are still controlled by sinful tendencies, but thinking of how to dissipate this evil, they take shelter at the feet of pure devotees. The aspirants begin to search out pure devotees free from material desires, and by Krsna’s mercy, they attain such association. This sadhu -sanga (association with devotees) is the second sign in the development of prema.

In that pure association, the devotees begin to carry out devotional activities, such as hearing and singing the glories of the Lord and remembering the form, qualities and pastimes of the Lord. With this practice, of bhakti, according to the five divisions mentioned previously, material sense pleasure and desire, which are the root of the material evils, become submissive to bhakti. Although the tendency to sinful activity remains within the body, the desire, the desire to sin is now given up. This is the third stage in attaining prema known as bhajana kriya (devotional action).

By cultivating devotion, attachment to material pleasure, sinful conduct, violence, greed and other material habits gradually decreases, and the devotee becomes progressively free of material desire. This is

anartha nivrtti (clearing of sin) the fourth stage.

When material desire dissipates , attachments to things other than the Lord also disappears. Faith becomes nistha (steadiness) in devotion to the Lord. As long as the anarthas remain, faith cannot be steadily applied to the Lord, so to the extent that the anarthas are extinguished, faith turns into nistha. This attainment of nistha is the fifth stage in attaining prema.

Attaining steadiness, devotees perform their devotional activities and take association with more care. By this the anarthas are further reduced and steadiness turns to joy in the Lords service. This is called ruci (taste). This is the sixth step. With ruci for Krsna is well established, everything else material becomes tastless.

When ruci becomes intense, along with greater destruction of sin, askati (attachment) appears. Asakti is still within the purview of sadhana bhakti. However, sadhana has now become perfect, devotional attachment has reached fullness, and the devotee feels successful. This askati is the seventh stage.

When asakti becomes completely full and deep it is called bhava,(ecstasy) or rati (the seedling of prema). At the stage of asakti, there is no manifestation of suddha sattva svarupa. This is attained at the stage of bhava, and so the heart melts becoming soft and smooth. This bhava is the eighth stage

When bhava attains exclusive possessiveness of Krsna, it is called prema, which is the state of permanent spiritual emotion suitable for rasa. This the ninth stage in devotional development.

The devotees performing sadhana bhakti should always be attentive to the condition of their devotion, perceiving the condition yesterday and that improvement made today. If they perceive that after some time no progress has been made according to the stages given above, they must understand that some offence must have been committed. Having diagnosed that offence, they should give it up and by association with devotees correct the harm done. Continuously cultivating bhakti and praying to Krsna , they should be careful that the offence does not occur again.

Those who do not care to examine their progress will advance very slowly because of unseen obstacles they have created. Devotees please take special precaution of this matter.