Hare Krishna Society

Sept 5 1973 Stockholm

So you are all fortunate, or you are so kind that you have joined this movement despite all these obstacles in this country. Not in this, all over the world. So don’t be disappointed. Go on preaching this philosophy of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. There are many innocent people; they do not know what to do. There are four… For a preacher, there must be vigilance. A preacher will see four things: God, a devotee of God, innocent person, and envious, jealous persons. So a preacher should deal with these four items differently. So far God is concerned, we shall try to increase our love for God. This is one business. How? That is the arcanā-vidhi, to always be cautious, to offer foodstuff, early to rise, offer maṅgala-ārātrika, keep the temple very cleansed, yourself also. Without being cleansed, without being brāhmaṇa, śaucam-śamo damaḥ śaucam… We should always remember. When you come to the temple, don’t think that “Here is a picture of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu or Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa.” They are not picture. You should know that personally they are present. You’ll realize the personal presence by the quality of your devotional service. If your devotional service quality is not first class, then it will take time to realize that here is personally Kṛṣṇa or Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu or the ācāryas are present here. It is a question of realization. The more you strictly follow the regulative principles, chant sixteen rounds regularly, the more you’ll realize.

Because God, Kṛṣṇa, is omnipotent. He can accept your service. He can bless you even from the picture. That is God’s potency. If you think that this is just like ordinary picture… Ye yathā māṁ prapadyante [Bg. 4.11]. You know the story of Sākṣi-gopāla in the Caitanya-caritāmṛta. The…, a atheist is thinking that “Here is a stone statue.” And the devotee is thinking that “Here is the Supreme Personality of Godhead.”

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Srila Prabhupada defines who is a disciple by who follows the discipic succession of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu

March 9 1974 Mayapur

Guest (2): But there are so many disciples of one guru. Are they come all in bona fide disciplic succession?

Prabhupāda: Hmmm? Well, everyone is in a bona fide disciplic succession provided he keeps that tradition, keeps that tradition. Āpani ācari prabhu jīve śikhāilā. One must behave that “I belong to this disciplic succession. I must keep myself fit for the post.” Then it is all right. If he deviates, then he deviates the disciplic succession. Hare Kṛṣṇa. Caitanya Mahāprabhu says frankly that… This is disciplic succession. Āmāra ājñāya: “Just carry out My order.” Then you are in disciplic succession. If you do not keep yourself in the order of Caitanya Mahāprabhu, then simply by becoming disciple, you are not in the disciplic succession. This is disciplic succession. Caitanya Mahāprabhu said this clearly, āmāra ājñāya guru haña tāra ei: “Wherever you live, you become a spiritual master.” How? Yāre dekha tāre kaha kṛṣṇa-upadeśa: [Cc. Madhya 7.128] “Whomever you meet, you only speak what Kṛṣṇa has instructed.” Then you are disciplic succession. It doesn’t matter what you are and where you are. It doesn’t matter. This is disciplic succession. And if you think, “Now I am initiated. I am now liberated. I have no other business,” then you are not in the disciplic succession. You must preach. That is disciplic succession.

Guest (1): This is the definition of a disciple.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Āmāra ājñāya guru haña tāra ei deśa [Cc. Madhya 7.128], yāre dekha… You have to… Anywhere, any friend, any businessman, “Are you Kṛṣṇa conscious? Chant Hare Kṛṣṇa.” That’s all.What is the loss in that? “My dear friend, I request you to chant Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra.” Where is the difficulty?

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March 6 1974 Mayapur

There is that story that one old woman, she was suffering. And she had to collect woods from the forest and sell in the market. So one day, how do you say, she was praying to Kṛṣṇa, or God, that “Kindly help me. I am in very poverty-stricken.” So one day, she was carrying that load of fuel. It fell down. So nobody was there to help him. So she began to cry, “Who will help me?” So she began to pray to God “Kindly help me.” And God came: “What do you want?” “Who are you, Sir?” “I am God.” “Kindly help me to take this burden on my head.” Yes. “All right.” From God, she’s asking, “Please help me to get this burden on my head.” That’s all. So everyone is going on, “Let family be very happy, my son be married. He may… Let him pass MA examination.” But it is the same thing, “Give me the burden on my head.” This is the prayer. Mūḍhāḥ. Na māṁ prapadyante mūḍhāḥ [Bg. 7.15]. The life was meant for understanding Kṛṣṇa and worship Him, and he’s asking, “Give me the burden on my head.” Therefore mūḍha, rascal, fool. He’s asking something which will never make him happy, even by merging into the effulgence, Brahman effulgence. It will never make him happy. But he does not know. Therefore he’s mūḍha, rascal.

Siddha-svarūpānanda: That’s a very clear example.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Siddha-svarūpānanda: Very clear.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Everyone is asking, “Please help me to get this burden on my head.” Everyone is asking. [break] Kṛṣṇa mantra means asking nothing from Kṛṣṇa, but only praying, “Please engage me in Your service.” This is Hare Kṛṣṇa. Now let him engage, whatever service He likes. I don’t dictate that “Give me this service.” That is also sense gratification. As soon as I’ll say that “Engage me in this type of service,” that is also sense gratification. When one surrenders fully that “Engage me in Your service in whatever way You like,” that is pure devotion. You cannot dictate Kṛṣṇa. Because He wants, sarva-dharmān… “First of all surrender, then I will give you. I will allot what kind of service you can do.” Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇam, ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva… [Bg. 18.66]. But if I dictate, then Kṛṣṇa will be…, “All right, you take this.” Then you again become unhappy. Don’t dictate Kṛṣṇa. Be dictated. That is happiness. But everyone is dictating, “Please give me this. Give me this. Give me that. Give me that. Give me this.” Why should you dictate Kṛṣṇa? As soon as I dictate, that is my sense gratification. That is not pure devotion. Anyābhilāṣitā-śūnyam. Anyābhilāṣitā-śūnyam [Brs. 1.1.11]. Make zero all your desires. It doesn’t matter, this desire or that desire. Any kind of desire. Whatever you desire, that is material. Anyābhilāṣitā-śūnyam [Cc. Madhya 19.167]. That is pure devotee.

Devotee: That takes practice.

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Dipavali [Diwali} Thursday, October 19, 2017 and October 20, 2017 [Mayapura, West Bengal, India time]

compiled by Yasoda nandana dasa

Srila Prabhupada explains the actual meaning of Dipavali celebration of Lord Krsna breaking the pot of yogurt and being bound by Yasodamayi

Srī-śuka uvāca

ekadā gṛha-dāsīṣu

yaśodā nanda-gehinī

karmāntara-niyuktāsu

nirmamantha svayaṁ dadhi

yāni yānīha gītāni

tad-bāla-caritāni ca

dadhi-nirmanthane kāle

smarantī tāny agāyata

SYNONYMS

śrī–śukaḥ uvāca—Śrī Śukadeva Gosvāmī said; ekadā—one day; gṛha–dāsīṣu—when all the maidservants of the household were otherwise engaged; yaśodā—mother Yaśodā; nanda–gehinī—the queen of Nanda Mahārāja; karma–antara—in other household affairs; niyuktāsu—being engaged; nirmamantha—churned; svayam—personally; dadhi—the yogurt; yāni—all such; yāni—such; iha—in this connection; gītāni—songs; tat–bāla–caritāni—in which the activities of her own child were enacted; ca—and; dadhi–nirmanthane—while churning the yogurt; kāle—at that time; smarantī—remembering; tāni—all of them (in the form of songs); agāyata—chanted.

TRANSLATION

Śrī Śukadeva Gosvāmī continued: One day when mother Yaśodā saw that all the maidservants were engaged in other household affairs, she personally began to churn the yogurt. While churning, she remembered the childish activities of Kṛṣṇa, and in her own way she composed songs and enjoyed singing to herself about all those activities.

PURPORT

Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura, quoting from the Vaiṣṇava-toṣaṇī of Śrīla Sanātana Gosvāmī, says that the incident of Kṛṣṇa’s breaking the pot of yogurt and being bound by mother Yaśodā took place on the Dipavali Day, or Dīpa-mālikā. Even today in India, this festival is generally celebrated very gorgeously in the month of Kārtika by fireworks and lights, especially in Bombay. It is to be understood that among all the cows of Nanda Mahārāja, several of mother Yaśodā’s cows ate only grasses so flavorful that the grasses would automatically flavor the milk. Mother Yaśodā wanted to collect the milk from these cows, make it into yogurt and churn it into butter personally, since she thought that this child Kṛṣṇa was going to the houses of neighborhood gopas and gopīs to steal butter because He did not like the milk and yogurt ordinarily prepared.

While churning the butter, mother Yaśodā was singing about the childhood activities of Kṛṣṇa. It was formerly a custom that if one wanted to remember something constantly, he would transform it into poetry or have this done by a professional poet. It appears that mother Yaśodā did not want to forget Kṛṣṇa’s activities at any time. Therefore she poeticized all of Kṛṣṇa’s childhood activities, such as the killing of Pūtanā, Aghāsura, Śakaṭāsura and Tṛṇāvarta, and while churning the butter, she sang about these activities in poetical form. This should be the practice of persons eager to remain Kṛṣṇa conscious twenty-four hours a day. This incident shows how Kṛṣṇa conscious mother Yaśodā was. To stay in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, we should follow such persons.

Srimad-Bhagavatam : Canto 10: “The Summum Bonum” : SB 10.9: Mother Yasoda Binds Lord Lord Krsna : SB 10.9.1-2 :

: Mother Yashoda Tying Krishna to a Wooden Mortar

Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu observed the dipavall festival

ei-mata rāsa-yātrā, āra dīpāvalī

utthāna-dvādaśī-yātrā dekhilā sakali

SYNONYMS

ei–mata—in this way; rāsa–yātrā—rāsa dancing of Lord Kṛṣṇa; āra—and; dīpa–āvalī—a row of lights, the day of Dīpāvalī; utthāna–dvādaśī–yātrā—the festival of Utthāna–dvādaśī; dekhilā sakali—participated in all of them.

TRANSLATION

Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu and His devotees participated in all the festivals known as Rāsa–yātrā, Dīpāvalī and Utthāna–dvādaśī.

PURPORT

The Dīpāvalī festival takes place on the dark-moon night in the month of Kārttika (October-November). The Rāsa–yātrā, or rāsa dancing of Kṛṣṇa, takes place on the full-moon night of the same month. Utthāna–dvādaśī takes place the day after Ekādaśī in the waxing fortnight of the moon in the same month. All the devotees of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu participated in all these festivals.

Sri Caitanya-caritamrta – 1975 Edition : Cc. Madhya-lila : Madhya 15: The Lord Accepts Prasada at the House of Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya : Madhya 15.36

The roads, streets and lanes of Hastināpura were all sprinkled with fragrant water through the trunks of intoxicated elephants. In different places of the city there were colorful festoons and flags decorating the houses and streets. At important road crossings there were gates with golden decorations, and at the two sides of the gates there were golden water jugs. These beautiful decorations glorified the opulence of the city. Participating in this great ceremony, all the citizens of the city gathered here and there, dressed in colorful new clothing, decorated with ornaments, flower garlands, and fragrant scents. Each and every house was illuminated by hundreds and thousands of lamps placed in different corners of the cornices, walls, columns, bases and architraves, and from far away the rays of the lamps resembled the festival of Dīpāvalī (a particular festival observed on the New Year’s Day of the Hindu calendar). Within the walls of the houses, fragrant incense was burning, and smoke rose through the windows, making the entire atmosphere very pleasing. On the top of every house flags were flapping, and the gold waterpots kept on the roofs shone very brilliantly.Books : KRSNA, The Supreme Personality of Godhead – 1970 Edition : Volume 2 : KB 2-16 / Lord Krsna in Indraprastha City

Letters : 1967 Correspondence : October : Letter to: Pradyumna — Calcutta 17 October, 1967 : 67-10-17 :

Ramacandra’s victory celebration is observed in the last day of Durga Puja. Vaisnavas are not concerned with Durga Puja. Dipavali or Devali is observed as new years day by certain mercantile community. The Vaisnavas have nothing to do with this ceremony but just on the last day after Devali the Vaisnavas observe Annakuta ceremony. This celebration is the day when Lord Krishna lifted the hill & Madhavendra Puri established the temple in Gopala.

Srila Prabhupada explains the story of celebration of Dipavali: Lord Rama returned to Ayodhya after killing Ravana

DIWALI FESTIVAL: 10th October. 1968,
(Letter from Srila Prabhupada to Hamsadutta dasa written from Seattle., Letters book Vol 1. p.549.)

Diwali ceremony can be observed in the temple by illuminating 100’s of candles, indifferent parts of the temple, and offering a special Prasad to the Deity. This ceremony was observed by the inhabitants of Ayodhya, the Kingdom of Lord Ramachandra, while Lord Ramachandra was out of His Kingdom due to His 14 years banishment by the order of His father. His younger step-brother Bharat, took charge of the Kingdom and the day on which Lord Ramachandra took back the charge again from His brother, and seated on the throne, this is observed as Diwali, and Deepabali. Deepabali means the same thing – Deepa means candles, and bali means numerous. When numerous candles are lighted it is called Deepabali. In India, this Deepavali function is celebrated in a special auspicious occassion. This Deepabali function can be observed on 21st October, and Prasad can be distributed on 22nd October, during daytime, which is known as Govardhan Puja and Annakuta Ceremony. In India, in all Vaishnava temples, this ceremony is observed and 100’s of people are given prasadam according to the capacity of the temple.

So I understand that last year the Deepabali ceremony was held in the temple, and there was collection of $130.00. So you can do the needful. Hope you are all well.

Your Ever Well Wisher.
A.C.Bhaktivedanta Swami
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https://www.prabhupadaconnect.com/The-Glories-of-Radha-Kunda.html

Hare Krsna-

Below we have a very nice conversation between Srila Prabhupada and a Jesuit priest. The priest cannot seem to understand nor accept sastra (scripture) so Srila Prabhupada explains to him with the use of analogy, which is a tool used to convince people who have no faith in sastra. Prabhupada says analogy is not proof, but scripture is.

For those not interested in preaching, this conversation will not interest them, but for those who want to understand and preach, it is a great conversation in which to learn from.

21st october 1975 letter

Concerning our use of analogy. We do not bring in imperfect analogy, but we follow the instructions of the Sastras strictly. Our authority is on the basis of Sastra, not analogy. So, Vyasadeva while giving the history of creation says “Janmadyasya . . . adhikavaye” . . . so He impregnated the heart of Brahma with all the designs of creation. So what is wrong there? If I instruct someone you do like this, and he does it, then what is the difficulty? This is the system. Our authority is sastra. We give analogy for the general mass of people who have no faith in sastra. Analogy is not proof; sastra is proof. Foolish people cannot understand or accept, so we use analogy. The conclusion is not drawn from the analogy but from the sastra. We don’t use a combination of logic and authority, we use authority. Logic we use to convince someone who doesn’t accept the authority. The basic principle is authority. Vedas say that cowdung is pure and we accept it. There is no logic, but when we practically use it we see that it is correct. The logic of using analogy is called in the sastra “sakha candra nyaya.” It is easier to focus on the moon through the branches of a tree. The moon is great distance away, and you say that it is just through the branches. So you can focus more easily on the moon because 2 points joined make a straight line. So focusing on the nearby object helps us to focus on the far-away object. This is the use of analogy.

Melbourne may 19 1975

Devotee: Translation: “The humble sage, by virtue of true knowledge, sees with equal vision the learned and gentle brāhmaṇa, a cow, an elephant, a dog and a dog-eater (outcaste).”

Prabhupāda: Equal vision.

Jesuit: Equal vision.

Prabhupāda: Equal vision.

Jesuit: What does that mean, equal vision?

Prabhupāda: Equal vision means that I don’t make any distinction between you and a dog.

Jesuit: You make no distinction…

(this may have come to be quite a shock to the priest being labeled equal to a dog -in which Srila Prabhupada did not mean he the priest was a dog, but as spirit soul a man of equal vision sees no difference between a brahmana (priest) and a dog in terms of soul)

Prabhupāda: No, this is spiritual vision because a paṇḍita, paṇḍita means learned man, his

equal vision means he does not make any difference between the souls. The dog has got also soul and the learned scholar has got also soul. But the soul is covered by the dog’s body, and here the soul is covered by the learned scholar’s body. Actually both of them are souls, part and parcel of God.

Jesuit: Would you think that their souls are of different value, the soul of the dog…?

Prabhupāda: No, soul is of the same value.

Jesuit: That I would find hard to accept.

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Departure lecture Caracas Feb 25 1975

Prabhupāda: (translated into Spanish by Hṛdayānanda) So I thank you very much for your kindly receiving me in this temple, and I was very happy. So my request is that you continue your devotional service very faithfully and rigidly, then in this life you will be able to see Kṛṣṇa face to face. That is a fact. So you follow the advice, as given by Rūpa Gosvāmī, utsāhāt. The first thing is enthusiasm, that “I must see Kṛṣṇa.” You are seeing Kṛṣṇa. The Deity of Kṛṣṇa and Kṛṣṇa is not different. But even personallywe can see. Simply we have to continue the enthusiasm. Enthusiasm means to take things very seriously, utsāhād dhairyāt, and patiently. Although we are determined to go back to home, back to Godhead, so we should patiently follow the rules and regulations. So these are the six principles: enthusiasm and firm determination and patience and executing the regulative principles, tat-tat-karma-pravartanāt, and sato vṛtteḥ,means behavior must be very honest, no duplicity, and utsāhād dhairyāt niścayāt tat-tat-karma-pravartanāt, and sato vṛtteḥ, dealing must be very honestly, no hypocrisy, tat-tat-karma-pravartanāt, sādhu-saṅga, and in the association of devotees. If you follow these six principles, namely enthusiasm, determination, patience, and executing the regulative principles and keep yourself honest and in the association of devotee, if you follow these six principle, then your success is sure.

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Sept 7 1973 Stockholm

Now, how to become detached from this habit of hard working, that is suggested here. It is said, mahat-sevāṁ dvāram āhur vimuktes. Mahat-sevā, saintly persons, if you associate with them, if you serve them, try to serve them, that practice is still in India. ….Therefore one should be anxious to give some service to the saintly persons. Mahat-sevā dvāram. If you engage yourself how to serve a saintly person, then your door for going back to Godhead will gradually become open. Mahat-sevāṁ dvāram āhur vimuktes….

The dairy farmer across the road delivering silage and cow manure for Govindas Gardens-for free)

May 15 1975 Perth

Devotee (1): Śrīla Prabhupāda, we received news yesterday that one man in northern New South Wales is willing to sell us a farm, a great big farm out there in the southern tropics. Would this be a good place for engaging boys like the Indian, the Indian boy that came yesterday?

Prabhupāda: Yes. Our next program is to organize farming. Let anyone come. We shall give him free food and employment: “Come on.” Not that “I want to work as a clerk in the city.” You produce your own food. I give you ingredients. I give you land. And work for five, six hours, and take your food and chant Hare Kṛṣṇa.

(This pile of manure and composted grass may seem nasty to some, but to us-it is black Gold !)

SB 2.9.20 Answers by Citing the Lord’ s Version 17365/530501
There are many renegades from the Brahma-sampradaya whose only
business is to make men more forgetful of the Lord and thus entangle
them more and more in material existence. Such persons are never dear
to the Lord, and the Lord sends them deeper into the darkest region of
matter so that such envious demons may not be able to know the Supreme
Lord.
Anyone, however, preaching the mission of the Lord in the line of
the Brahma-sampradaya is always dear to the Lord, and the Lord, being
satisfied with such a preacher of the authorized bhakti cult, shakes
hands with him in great satisfaction.

(we had a great apple harvest this year)

Bhubanesvar jan 23 1977

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Can material science prove spiritual life?

Below is a very nice conversation with Srila Prabhupada explaining, again, what is the spiritual platform as opposed to the sensual, mental,and intellectual ones.

Definitely worth the time to read it

Hare Krsna

damaghosa das

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June 10 1975 Honolulu

Paramahaṁsa: So if a scientist or someone who has some degree in science comes to our movement, should we encourage him to try to prove through science the Kṛṣṇa conscious principle of transmigration and eternal quality of the soul?

Prabhupāda: Not necessary. Not necessary.

Paramahaṁsa: Better if he just…

Prabhupāda: It is not that if we prove scientifically there is soul, if there is scientific proof, not that all the people of the world will become Kṛṣṇa conscious, even if you do that. So it is useless. You simply understand what is stated by Kṛṣṇa.

Harikeśa: Can a material calculation prove a spiritual fact?

Prabhupāda: Huh?

Harikeśa: Can a material calculation prove…

Prabhupāda: No. Materialists cannot understand spiritual subject matter. It is not for them.

Harikeśa: So there is a project in Los Angeles where some psychologists are examining all the devotees.

Prabhupāda: Huh?

Harikeśa: Some psychologists are there. They are doing a laboratory test on all the devotees.

Prabhupāda: Yes, he may study in his own way, but he will not profit.

Harikeśa: He will not profit. So this, the findings, even if they are published will not profit?

Prabhupāda: Huh?

Harikeśa: The findings? They are going to…

Prabhupāda: So what is their findings? The devotees are working on the soul platform but he does not know what is soul.

Siddha-svarūpa: What are these experiments?

Harikeśa: They’re really far out. Actually, they’re crazy…

Prabhupāda: The psychology is on the mental platform.

Harikeśa: Yes.

Prabhupāda: So what he will understand about spiritual platform?

Harikeśa: Actually they can’t. They put these little things around fingers with wires and heads and they find that the readings are…

Prabhupāda: And our devotees also agreed to sit down like that?

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Let us now take a closer look at what constitutes the essence of real, tangible advancement in spiritual life.

Adi lila 12.10-TRANSLATION–The order of the spiritual master is the active principle in spiritual life.Anyone who disobeys the order of the spiritual master immediately becomes useless.

PURPORT–Here is the opinion of Śrīla Krsnadas kaviraja Gosvāmī. Persons who strictly follow the orders of the spiritual master are useful in executing the will of the Supreme, whereas persons who deviate from the strict order of the spiritual master are useless.

Comment– in the above text and purport Srila Prabhupada explains the Order of the Spiritual master to be theactive ingredient in any spiritual life. When you make bread, if you don’t add yeast, the dough wont rise in baking and make a nice soft bread filled with air pockets. It will stay lump solid and feel like a brick in your hands. So without the yeast you dont really have edible bread, but something that resembles bread. And if you are older like I am, you may even break some tooth fillings in the process of trying to bite into that rock like bread. This, like having an unauthorized person posing as “guru” is not very palatable. So if we want to “rise” in spiritual life we must have the active ingredient-the orders of a bona fide spiritual master. And then follow them.

SB 2.9.8 P Answers –by Citing the Lord’ s Version–
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. The disciple, however, must be ready toexecute the order of the bona fide spiritual master as Lord Brahma executed the instruction of his spiritual master, the Lord Himself. Following the order of the bona fide spiritual master is the only duty of the disciple, and this completely faithful execution of the order of the bona fide spiritual master is the secret of success.

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Hare Krishna Society

God can bless you from a picture–SP

Srila Prabhupada defines -who is his disciple

How we entangle ourselves in the webs of Maya devi

Srila Prabhupada explains dipavali (Diwali)

Sri Radha Kunda avirbhava Tithi – Appearance of Radha-Kunda

Jesuit priest and Srila Prabhupada discuss philosophy

See Krsna in this lifetime–SP

There is no devotion unless you accept a bona fide guru-otherwise forget it–SP

Can Material Science Prove Spiritual Life?

Advancement-what is it ??