The Importance of Holy Days

Compiled by Narasimha dasIn Sri Chaitanya Bhagavata, by Vrindaban das Thakura, [1507-1589 CE] the importance of observing holy days is described. Srila Bhaktisiddhanta confirms and elaborates in his purports to the verses below (from Adi-khanda, Chapter Three).

Text 45: Lord Nityananda appeared on the thirteenth day of the waxing moon in the month of Magha, and Gaurachandra appeared on the full moon evening in the month of Palguna.

Test 46: These two days are most auspicious because all favorable planetary conjunctions are present on these days.

Text 47: Therefore, whoever observes these two days attains devotion to Lord Krishna and freedom from the bondage of ignorance.

Text 48: Just as the appearance day of the Lord is sanctified, the appearance days of the Vaishnavas are also. (Chaitanya Bhagavat, Adi-khanda, Chapter Three)

Purport by Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura:

“In the Brahma Purana it is stated: ‘Fortunate are those persons of Kali-yuga who observe the appearance days of Vishnu by staying awake at night and fasting. They are not subject to the great fear of rebirth in the material world. Wherever they reside, Kali cannot affect them. Observing vows on the appearance days of the eternal Supreme Lord gives liberation. These observances of vows for the pleasure of Vishnu are the greatest good in this life and the next, the greatest dharma.’

“By observing these two auspicious days—the thirteenth day of the waxing moon of Magha and the full moon day in the month of Palguna—a conditioned soul’s nescience is destroyed and his propensity for serving Krishna is awakened. One may observe the appearance day of the Lord by fasting and holding a festival.

“Just as the appearance day of the Lord is pure, the appearance days of the Lord’s devotees are also pure. One must certainly hold festivals on these days.”  (Chaitanya Bhagavata, Adi, 3.48, Purport)

Text 49: Whoever hears about the appearance of Lord Gaurachandra will never feel distress, either during this life or at the time of death.

All glories to His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada.
Interesting article by Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakur here.

——————-Psilanthropism (Prakrta Sahajiyavada) by Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakur

SREE SAJJANA-TOSHANI OR THE HARMONIST
DECEMBER 1927, 441 Chailanya-Era. VOL. XXV ,NO. 7.

All glories to His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda. and His Divine Grace Om Viṣṇupāda Paramahaṁsa Parivrājakācārya 108 Śrī Śrīmad Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Gosvāmī Mahārāja Prabhupāda.
Please find the attachment below that contains a very interesting article by Srila Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Thakur on Sahajiyas. 

SRILA PRABHUPADA SPEAKS –
“IF YOU ADULTERATE NONSENSICALLY LIKE A RASCAL,THEN YOU CANNOT BECOME A SPIRITUAL MASTER.
IF YOU SIMPLY FOLLOW WHAT KRSNA HAS SPOKEN,
THEN YOU BECOME SPIRITUAL MASTER. VERY SIMPLE THING.”All glories to His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada.
Srila Prabhupada:
So in whatever position you are, you try to understand the science of Kṛṣṇa. Then you become guru. That is Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s mission.
yāre dekha, tāre kaha ‘kṛṣṇa’-upadeśa
āmāra ājñāya guru hañā tāra’ ei deśa
[Cc. Madhya 7.128]

This is Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s mission. He says, “You become a spiritual master.” “How? I have no qualification.” “No. You just accept my order?” “So what is your order, sir?” Yāre dekha, tāre kaha ‘kṛṣṇa’-upadeśa: [Cc. Madhya 7.128] “You simply speak the instruction of Kṛṣṇa whoever you meet. Then you become a spiritual master.”So actually it is happening. We are not wonderful men. But our only business is that we are speaking only the same thing as Kṛṣṇa has spoken. That’s all. There is no magic. This is the magic. If you adulterate nonsensically like a rascal, then you cannot become a spiritual master. If you simply follow what Kṛṣṇa has spoken, then you become spiritual master. Very simple thing. It doesn’t require education. You can hear from your spiritual master what has Kṛṣṇa said.
It doesn’t require even literacy. There are many great personalities, saintly persons. My Guru Mahārāja’s Guru Mahārāja, he was illiterate, Gaura Kiśora dāsa Bābājī Mahārāja. He could not sign even his name. But my Guru Mahārāja was the best scholar of his time. He accepted him as guru. So this is the process, that yei kṛṣṇa-tattva-vettā sei guru haya [Cc. Madhya 8.128]. That is the business of every Indian. And Caitanya Mahāprabhu therefore asking,
bhārata-bhūmite haila manuṣya-janma yāra
janma sārthaka kari’ kara para-upakāra
[Cc. Ādi 9.41]
Indians are meant for para-upakāra, because outside India they are in darkness. But unfortunately, Indians are now imitating the western kind of life. It is very regrettable.
You have to make your life successful by reading Bhagavad-gītā and preach the truth all over the world. Then world will be happy and you will be happy. This is required. Yāre dekha, tāre kaha ‘kṛṣṇa’-upadeśa [Cc. Madhya 7.128]. That is recommended here, evaṁ jñātvā kṛtaṁ karma pūrvair api mumukṣubhiḥ. This kind of business can be done by whom? Mumukṣubhiḥ, not ordinary men. Those who are aspiring after liberation. Those who are thinking of stopping this nonsense business of repetition of birth and death, for them. They are not ordinary men. Mumukṣubhiḥ.
When Viśvāmitra Muni approached Mahārāja Daśaratha for help, taking Rāmacandra and Lakṣmaṇa for killing that rākṣasī… Viśvāmitra Muni could kill that rākṣasī, but because he was brāhmaṇa, it was not his business to kill. He begged help from Mahārāja Daśaratha to lend Lord Rāmacandra and Lakṣmaṇa, to take Him there. This is the systematic way. The brāhmaṇas should be engaged in knowledge and distributing knowledge. That means their business is not fighting. The kṣatriyas, they should fight. The killing business is meant for the kṣatriya. That is also required.
Evam… Cātur-varṇyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭam [Bg. 4.13]. The first of all… Unless this division is there, that is animal society. That is not human society if these four divisions are not. Varṇāśramācāravatā puruṣeṇa. Systematic human society means
varṇāśramācāravatā
puruṣeṇa paraḥ pumān
viṣṇur ārādhyate panthā
nānyat tat-toṣa-kāraṇam
[Cc. Madhya 8.58]
This is required, varṇāśrama. That is again confirmed here, evaṁ jñātvā kṛtaṁ karma pūrvair api mumukṣubhiḥ. Mumukṣubhiḥ. The real business is mumukṣā, how to get out of this business of repetition of birth. People do not know it. They do not know what is the aim of life. The aim of life is mumukṣā. This human life is meant for that, to get out of the cycle of birth and death. The animal cannot know this. Therefore it is called mumukṣubhiḥ, “one who wants to get rid of this business of repetition of birth and death.” Mumukṣubhiḥ. Kuru karmaiva tasmāt tvam.
That is advice of Kṛṣṇa to Arjuna, that “You follow the previous ācāryas, previous personalities, authorities.” Just like svayambhūr nāradaḥ śambhuḥ [SB 6.3.20]. I have already described. “You follow them, and act like that, and you try to understand that what is My position. If you simply understand My position, immediately you become liberated.”Janma karma me divyaṁ yo jānāti tattvataḥ, tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti [Bg. 4.9]. This is liberation. If you simply understand, try to understand Kṛṣṇa, why Kṛṣṇa comes, what is His instruction, why He says, yadā yadā hi dharma, these things, if you simply understand, then you become liberated person.
And this is required in human life to be liberated. What is this nonsense business, sometimes human being, sometimes cat, sometimes dog? But they do not know. But this is a fact, that dehino ‘smin yathā dehe kaumāraṁ yau…, tathā dehāntara [Bg. 2.13]. You have to change your body, transmigrate, but change for the better, or stop this change, go back to home, back to Godhead. That is required.
[Excerpt from Lecture on Bhagavad-gītā 4.15-Bombay, April 4, 1974]
https://harekrishnasociety.org/

Srila Prabhupada explains the exalted position of Sri Shyamananda Goswamicompiled by Narasimha dasa and Yasoda nandana dasa

Srila Prabhupada explains the unique position of Sri Syamananda Goswami.

Books : Sri Caitanya-caritamrta – 1975 Edition : Cc. Adi-lila : Adi 1: The Spiritual Masters : Adi 1.19 : PURPORT : Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu explained this mode of devotional service in three stages, and therefore these worshipable Deities were installed in Vṛndāvana by different Gosvāmīs. They are very dear to the Gauḍīya Vaiṣṇavas there, who visit the temples at least once a day. Besides the temples of these three Deities, many other temples have been established in Vṛndāvana, such as the temple of Rādhā-Dāmodara of Jīva Gosvāmī, the temple of Śyāmasundara of Śyāmānanda Gosvāmī, the temple of Gokulānanda of Lokanātha Gosvāmī, and the temple of Rādhā-ramaṇa of Gopāla Bhaṭṭa Gosvāmī. There are seven principal temples over four hundred years old that are the most important of the five thousand temples now existing in Vṛndāvana

Books : Sri Caitanya-caritamrta – 1975 Edition : Cc. Adi-lila : Adi 7: Lord Caitanya in Five Features : Adi 7.45 : PURPORT : There are many Vaiṣṇava families in Bengal whose members, although not actually born brāhmaṇas, act as ācāryas by initiating disciples and offering the sacred thread as enjoined in the Vaiṣṇava tantras. For example, in the families of Ṭhākura Raghunandana Ācārya, Ṭhākura Kṛṣṇadāsa, Navanī Hoḍa and Rasikānanda-deva (a disciple of Śyāmānanda Prabhu), the sacred thread ceremony is performed, as it is for the caste Gosvāmīs, and this system has continued for the past three to four hundred years. Accepting disciples born in brāhmaṇa families, they are bona fide spiritual masters who have the facility to worship the śālagrāma-śilā, which is worshiped with the Deity. As of this writing, śālagrāma-śilā worship has not yet been introduced in our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, but soon it will be introduced in all our temples as an essential function of arcana-mārga (Deity worship).

Books : Sri Caitanya-caritamrta – 1975 Edition : Cc. Adi-lila : Adi 7: Lord Caitanya in Five Features : Adi 7.164 : PURPORT : When Rūpa Gosvāmī and Sanātana Gosvāmī went to Vṛndāvana, there was not a single temple, but by their preaching they were gradually able to construct various temples. Sanātana Gosvāmī constructed the Madana-mohana temple, and Rūpa Gosvāmī constructed the Govindajī temple. Similarly, their nephew Jīva Gosvāmī constructed the Rādhā-Dāmodara temple, Śrī Gopāla Bhaṭṭa Gosvāmī constructed the Rādhā-ramaṇa temple, Śrī Lokanātha Gosvāmī constructed the Gokulānanda temple, and Śyāmānanda Gosvāmī constructed the Śyāmasundara temple. In this way, many temples were gradually constructed. For preaching, construction of temples is also necessary. The Gosvāmīs not only engaged in writing books but also constructed temples because both are needed for preaching work. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu wanted the cult of His saṅkīrtana movement to spread all over the world. Now that the International Society for Krishna Consciousness has taken up this task of preaching the cult of Lord Caitanya, its members should not only construct temples in every town and village of the globe but also distribute books that have already been written and further increase the number of books. Both distribution of books and construction of temples must continue side by side in parallel lines.

Books : Sri Caitanya-caritamrta – 1975 Edition : Cc. Madhya-lila : Madhya 1: The Later Pastimes of Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu : Madhya 1.97 : PURPORT : This Kṣīra-curī Gopinātha is situated about five miles away from the Bāleśvara station on the Northeastern Railway, formerly known as the Bengal Māyāpura Railway. This station is situated a few miles away from the famous Kargapura junction station. Sometimes the charge of the temple was given to Śyāmasundara Adhikārī from Gopīvallabhapura, which lies on the border of the district of Medinīpura. Śyāmasundara Adhikārī was a descendant of Rasikānanda Murāri, the chief disciple of Śyāmānanda Gosvāmī.

Books : Sri Caitanya-caritamrta – 1975 Edition : Cc. Madhya-lila : Madhya 4: Sri Madhavendra Puri’s Devotional Service : Madhya 4.12 : PURPORT : There is a railway station named Baleśvara, and five miles to the west is the village of Remuṇā. The temple of Kṣīra-corā-gopīnātha still exists in this village, and within the temple the samādhi tomb of Rasikānanda Prabhu, the chief disciple of Śyāmānanda Gosvāmī, can still be found.

Books : Sri Caitanya-caritamrta – 1975 Edition : Cc. Madhya-lila : Madhya 8: Talks Between Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu and Ramananda Raya : Madhya 8.128 : PURPORT : na sudrah bhagavad-bhaktas te ‘pi bhagavatottamah sarva-varnesu te sudra ye na bhakta janardane : One who is actually advanced in spiritual knowledge of Kṛṣṇa is never a śūdra, even though he may have been born in a śūdra family. However, even if a vipra, or brāhmaṇa, is very expert in the six brahminical activities (paṭhana, pāṭhana, yajana, yājana, dāna, pratigraha) and is also well versed in the Vedic hymns, he cannot become a spiritual master unless he is a Vaiṣṇava. But if one is born in the family of caṇḍālas yet is well versed in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, he can become a guru. These are the śāstric injunctions, and strictly following these injunctions, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, as a gṛhastha named Śrī Viśvambhara, was initiated by a sannyāsī-guru named Īśvara Purī. Similarly, Śrī Nityānanda Prabhu was initiated by Mādhavendra Purī, a sannyāsī. According to others, however, He was initiated by Lakṣmīpati Tīrtha. Advaita Ācārya, although a gṛhastha, was initiated by Mādhavendra Purī, and Śrī Rasikānanda, although born in a brāhmaṇa family, was initiated by Śrī Śyāmānanda Prabhu, who was not born in a caste brāhmaṇa family. There are many instances in which a born brāhmaṇa took initiation from a person who was not born in a brāhmaṇa family. The brahminical symptoms are explained in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (7.11.35), wherein it is stated

yasya yal-lakṣaṇaṁ proktaṁ
puṁso varṇābhivyañjakam
yad anyatrāpi dṛśyeta
tat tenaiva vinirdiśetIf a person is born in a śūdra family but has all the qualities of a spiritual master, he should be accepted not only as a brāhmaṇa but as a qualified spiritual master also. This is also the instruction of Śrī CaitanyaMahāprabhu. Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura therefore introduced the sacred thread ceremony for all Vaiṣṇavas according to the rules and regulations.

Books : Sri Caitanya-caritamrta – 1975 Edition : Cc. Madhya-lila : Madhya 24: The Sixty-One Explanations of the Atmarama Verse : Madhya 24.330 : PURPORT : samo damas tapah saucam ksantir arjavam eva ca jnanam vijnanam astikyam brahma-karma svabhava-jam : Unless one is qualified with all these attributes, he cannot be accepted as a brāhmaṇa. It is not a question of simply taking birth in a brāhmaṇa family. In this regard, Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura remarks that Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura and Śyāmānanda Gosvāmī, although not born in brāhmaṇa families, are accepted as bona fide spiritual masters because they were brāhmaṇas by qualification. Personalities like Śrī Gaṅgā-nārāyaṇa, Rāmakṛṣṇa and many others, who were actually born in brāhmaṇa families, accepted Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura and Śyāmānanda Gosvāmī as their spiritual masters.

Books : Sri Caitanya-caritamrta – 1975 Edition : Cc. Antya-lila : Antya 5: How Pradyumna Misra Received Instructions from Ramananda Raya : Antya 5.88 : PURPORT : To inundate the three worlds with nectar is the purpose of the pastimes of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. How this could be possible was exhibited by Śrīla Raghunātha Gosvāmī and later by Ṭhākura Narottama dāsa and Śyāmānanda Gosvāmī, who all represented the mercy of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Now that same mercy is overflooding the entire world through the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. The present Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is nondifferent from the pastimes performed by Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu when He was personally present, for the same principles are being followed and the same actions performed without fail.

Lectures : General Lectures : Sunday Feast Lecture — London, July 25, 1976 : 760725LE.LON : Prabhupāda: Somebody fanning, and water also. (chants maṅgalacaraṇa prayers) So śrī-caitanya-mano-‘bhiṣṭam. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s ambition or mission. Śrī-caitanya-mahāprabhu mano ‘bhiṣṭaṁ sthāpitaṁ yena bhū-tale. His ambition was propagated or established by Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī, Sanātana Gosvāmī. They were ministers in charge of the then Pathan government in Bengal and very learned scholar in Urdu and Sanskrit, but after meeting Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu at Rāmakeli village in the district of Maldah in Bengal, North Bengal… That was supposed to be the capital of Nawab Hussain Shah. So then they joined to preach this saṅkīrtana movement or Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. So their mission was to establish the Rādhā-Govinda Mandir, as many as possible. They first started in Vṛndāvana, Madana-mohana temple. Most Indians present here, they know. There are… [break] …temples in Vṛndāvana. There are five thousand temples in one small city of fifty thousand population, but the most important because they were established by the Gosvāmīs. Rūpa, Sanātana, Bhaṭṭa Raghunātha, Śrī Jīva, Gopāla Bhaṭṭa, Dāsa Raghunātha, the Six Gosvāmīs, direct disciple of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. The Sanātana Gosvāmī established first the Madana-mohana temple. Then Rūpa Gosvāmī established Govindajī’s temple. Then Jīva Gosvāmī established Rādhā-Dāmodara temple, then… [break] …Gosvāmī established Rādhā-Madana-mohana temple. Śyāmānanda Gosvāmī, he established Śyāmasundara temple. These are important temples.

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Sri Syamananda made his appearance at Orissa in the village of Dharenda Bahadurpur. His father’s name was Sri Krishna Mandal and his mother’s name was Sri Durika. Sri Krishna Mandal had many sons and daughters who unfortunately passed away before the birth of this son. For this reason this son was named Dukhiya.Everyone said that this child would be a very saintly person. The scholars were astounded to see his profound intellect. Within a short period he completed his studies of grammar, poetry and rhetoric. His parents were overjoyed to see his talents and his religious proclivity. After having carefully listened to the glories of Gauranga and Nityananda from devotees, he was able to repeat them to others. When listening to the activities of Gaura-Nitai or those of Radha and Krishna, tears would flow in waves from his eyes. He also devotedly served his parents and they told him to get initiated so that he could fully commit himself to the service of the Lord. Duhkhi agreed and told them that he wished to take diksha from Hriday Chaitanya, the disciple of Gauri Das Pandit. His parents happily gave him permission to go there.When Duhkhi arrived in Ambika Kalna, he threw himslf at the feet of Hriday Chaitanya, who upon learning his identity, happily gave him Krishna-mantra and named him Krishna Das. Hriday Chaitanya ordered him to go to Vrindavana to study the literatures of the under the tutelage of Srila Jiva Gosvami. Krishna das bowed his head in assent, and on an auspicious day he set out for the holy dhama.
In Vrindavan, Krishna Das studied the Vaishnava scriptures under Sri Jiva Goswami, who was the leading scholar of the sampradaya. Krishna das very carefully began to serve Jiva Gosvami as well as study the literatures of the Gosvamis. Srinivasa Acarya and Narottama dasa Thakura also came to Sri Jiva at this time to study under him. Thus Krishna das had the opportunity to meet them.
Krishna das requested Srila Jiva Gosvami for a special service. Sri Jiva instructed him to sweep the forest grove of Sevakunja everyday. From that day he began to carry out this service with great pleasure. He felt that his life had become successful.One day, Krishna das was sweeping the Rasa-mandala in Vrindavan, absorbed in ecstatic trance. Suddenly, by Radharani’s transcendental mercy, he found her ankle bracelet lying on the ground. In his excitement, he touched the ankle bracelet to his forehead, where it left a mark. It is known as nupura tilaka.  While in Vrindavan, Krishna das was given the name Shyamananda because he brought great joy to Shyamasundar.
Jiva Goswami sent Srinivas Acharya, Narottama Das Thakur and Shyamananda back to Bengal with the Vaishnava scriptures. But the books were stolen by the dacoit king. There Srinivasa Acarya prabhu remained behind to recover the books while Narottama continued on towards Kheturi and Shyamananda proceeded to Ambika Kalna. Arriving there, Syamananda paid his obeisances to his guru, and Sri Hrday Caitanya Prabhu embraced him and inquired about the well being of the gosvamis of Vrindavana.Syamananda served the lotus feet of his guru in great happiness and in this way passed his days. At this time most of the devotees of Lord Caitanya in Orissa had all left the planet. Thus the preaching of Mahaprabhu’s teachings had all but come to a halt. Hrdaya Caitanya Prabhu considered this a very serious problem and finally instructed Syamananda Prabhu to go there to carry on the preaching of Mahaprabhu’s mission.
Syamananda set out for Orissa. After entering Orissa he first went to his birth place at Dharenda Bahadurpur. From there he came to Dandeshwar, where his father, Sri Krishna Mandal, had previously resided. By the auspicious arrival of Syamananda Prabhu in Utkala the teachings of Mahaprabhu revived. On the banks of the Suvarna Rekha River lived one pious and devoted landholder by the name Sri Acyuta deva. His only son was called Rasik. From his very childhood Rasik was very devoted to Lord Krishna. As he gradually attained the appropriate, age his father engaged some panditas to see to his education. However he didn’t have much regard for material knowledge. He had already ascertained that the greatest goal in life is devotion to Lord Hari. Rasik became anxious to take shelter at the lotus feet of a bonafide spiritual master. One day as he was sitting alone, contemplating on this subject, when he heard a divine voice: “Rasik! Don’t be in anxiety anymore. Very soon a very great personality of the name Syamananda will arrive here. Just take shelter of his lotus feet.”Hearing this, Rasika was encouraged and took to continuously waiting and watching for the arrival of Prabhu Syamananda. After a few days Shyamananda prabhu, accompanied by his disciples, came to the village of Rohini. Syamananda prabhu initiated Rasika. Many people of Rohini also became disciples of Syamananda prabhu.
From here Sri Syamananda Prabhu went to Sri Nrsimhapur, where many atheists lived. But when Syamananda stayed a few days, these atheists got the chance to hear his necterian talks, which melted their hard hearts in love for Krishna. Thus, in this place also, he gained many disciples.Day by day the glories of Syamananda spread throughout Utkaladesa. From Nrsimhapur he came to Gopiballabhpur. Here again, many well to do people were attracted to his lotus feet and so took shelter there. The people here especially requested him to install the Sri Vigraha of Radha-Krishna. Thus, a temple for the deity was constructed. The greatness of Syamananda became known throughout all of Orissa and the worship of Sri Gaura-Nityananda was inaugurated in many, many places.  Shyamananda’s disciples have established five principle seats in the towns of Dharenda, Bahadurapura, Rayani, Gopiballabhapura, and Nrisinghap.
https://www.radhagopinath.com/latest-radhagopinath-articles/radha-gopinath-news/sri-shyamananda-prabhu-disappearance

Srila Prabhupada on useless philanthropy – “We have seen practical, in India
many sannyāsīs, they elevate themselves by jñāna-kāṇḍa,
but because they cannot stay, they again come to the karma-kāṇḍa,
philanthropy activities and hospitals and schools. That is their falldown. “

Hare Krsna.All glories to His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada.Srila Prabhupada quotes on useless philanthropy:So by karma-kāṇḍa you can elevate yourself to the higher planetary system. Even it is properly done . . . And now it is not possible to do it properly. And even it is properly done, that is condemned. It is not required. Similarly jñāna-kāṇḍa, even it is properly done. You can merge yourself into the Brahman effulgence. But that is also not safe, because in the śāstra we see that arūhya kṛcchreṇa paraṁ padaṁ tataḥ patanty adhaḥ (SB 10.2.32). Even one merges oneself into the impersonal Brahman, he again falls down. Patanty adhaḥ. We have seen practical, in India many sannyāsīs, they elevate themselves by jñāna-kāṇḍa, but because they cannot stay, they again come to the karma-kāṇḍa, philanthropy activities and hospitals and schools. That is their falldown.

So either in karma-kāṇḍa or jñāna-kāṇḍa you cannot achieve the real purpose of life. Therefore Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura has said, karma-kāṇḍa jñāna-kāṇḍa sakali visera bandha. Either you accept karma-kāṇḍa or jñāna-kanda, they’re different pots of poison. Amṛta boliya jeba khai. If by mistake you take poison, death is inevitable. Similarly, by karma-kāṇḍa, jñāna-kāṇḍa nobody can derive any actual benefit. By upasana-kāṇḍa, that is the . . . The Vedas, Vedic ritualistic ceremony means there are three kāṇḍas: karma-kāṇḍa, jñāna-kāṇḍa and upāsana-kāṇḍa. So upāsana-kāṇḍa, there are recommendation of many . . . worship of many demigods. But the best upāsana is viṣṇūpāsana. Viṣṇor arādhanaṁ sarveṣāṁ (Padma Purāṇa). Viṣṇor arādhanaṁ param. Oṁ tad viṣṇuṁ paramaṁ padam (Ṛg-Veda). There are different types of upāsana recommendation, but the viṣṇor arādhanam, worshiping Lord Viṣṇu, that is the supreme. That is supreme. So gradually, there is elevation to karma-kāṇḍa, jñāna-kāṇḍa, upāsana-kāṇḍa, but in the Kali-yuga all these things are not possible to revive. Best directly give him the best upāsana-kāṇḍa, viṣṇūpāsana, bhakti. Everything will be automatically achieved by bhakti-mārga.
[Conversation B – New Vrindaban, USA,July 1,1976]
There are, for the materialistic person, there are two varieties of self-interest. One is concentrated interest and other is expanded interest. Just like a child, if you give him some foodstuff, a cake, he will immediately eat, himself – and if he is little liberal, then his other friends also he will give. First of all, first is, he wants to eat, and then the other friend, “Oh, you are eating, give me something.” “All right, you also take.” So this is called extended interest, and the beginning is self-interest, anna brahman, “I shall . . .” Self-preservation is the first law of nature. So in our ordinary activities we find the same thing. Suppose a big political leader, in the beginning he is interested with his family, with his family members, but sometimes he takes to national interest, for all members of the country or the society, community. And then there is fight between one community to another community, one family to another family, one nation to another nation, because that extended self-interest does not make the thing perfect. That extended self-interest must be up to Viṣṇu. Then it will be perfect. But that they do not know, because they have no idea that there is Viṣṇu, the Supreme Lord, or Kṛṣṇa. Na te viduḥ svārtha-gatiṁ hi viṣṇum (SB 7.5.31). They do not know. They think that “I have extended my self-interest to my country, to my family. I have become a big man.” And people also give him honor. This we have practical experience. But that is extended self-interest. That is not actually philanthropy.

Philanthropy is when one becomes interested in Kṛṣṇa’s interest. That is real philanthropy. Otherwise it is all kāma. There is no question of prema. It is going on as prema, deśa-bhakti, love for humanity. Hmm? The whole world is going on, but these are all imperfect things. The so-called philanthropism, altruism, humanitarianism, they are all . . . means imperfect, na te viduḥ svārtha-gatiṁ hi viṣṇum (SB 7.5.31). That is not self-interest. Self-interest . . . Just like this finger, pick up some nice cake, rasagullā. But if the fingers think that “We have got it, we shall use it,” all the fingers together, it will be spoiled. But if the fingers think that “Give it to the stomach,” then it will be everyone’s interest. As soon as the rasagullā goes to the stomach, the energy is distributed not only to these fingers of the right hand, but the left-hand fingers also. This law they do not know. This law they do not know. Therefore it is yadā na paśyanti, paśyaty ayathā guṇehām. Everyone is trying communally, nationally, individually for his or their interest. So that is not good. Svārthe pramattaḥ. They do not know what is real self-interest.  [Lecture SB 05.05.07 – Vrndavana,October 29,1976]

The same example can be given. Suppose you are taking a jet plane to go to the sun planet or moon planet, but you are in the sunshine. You are more higher above the cloud region. Cloud is after, say, a few miles up, if you go, there is no more cloud. Finished. If you go above seven miles up, oh, there is no more clouds. There is no question of māyā. That’s all right. But if you go continually, if you do not get shelter in any other planet, then the next stage will be you have to come back. You cannot remain in that impersonal sunshine. You have to take shelter. If you don’t get shelter, then you come back.
Similarly, the impersonalist, for the time being they may think that they have Brahman realization, but because by nature he wants association, without getting association of the Supreme Lord he has to come back to make association with this nonsense. And this is practically we have seen. Many sannyāsī: brahma satyaṁ jagan mithyā, “Brahman is truth and the world is false.” They take sannyāsa, and after some time they come to the hospital opening business. They come down again to politics, hospitals, philanthropy, welfare work. Why? If brahma satyaṁ jagan mithyā, if this whole world is false, why you are taking this hospital business? Because there is no place. He has no engagement, and he wants association. He wants to render some service, but there is no service to Kṛṣṇa. He comes to give service to the nonsense māyā. [Lecture,MONTREAL – July 18, 1968 ]

Devotee: Well, I believe you once said that once a conditioned soul becomes perfected and gets out of the material world and he goes to Kṛṣṇaloka, there’s no possibility of falling back.

Prabhupāda: No! There is possibility, but he does not come. Just like after putting your hand in the fire, you never put it again if you are really intelligent. So those who are going back to Godhead, they become intelligent. Why going back to Godhead?

Just like we are in renounced order of life. So we have renounced our family life after thinking something. Now, if somebody comes, “Swāmījī, you take thousand millions of dollar and marry again and become a family man,” I’ll never become, because I have got my bad experience. I’ll never become.

So if one is intelligent enough, if he has got actually the bitter taste of this material world, he’ll never agree. He’ll never agree. But those who have not advanced to such knowledge, oh, they think, “Oh, this material enjoyment is very nice. Let me taste it and let me do business in my sannyāsī life, and stealthily and privately, let me enjoy.” These things are going on. That means they have no taste. They come to hospital-making or this philanthropy. This come again.

Sthānād bhraṣṭād patanty adhaḥ. Ye ‘nye aravindākṣa vimukta-māninaḥ. “Those fools who are thinking that ‘Simply by thinking myself, “I am God, I am Brahman, I have become liberated,” ‘ ” but ye ‘nye ‘ravindākṣa vimukta-māninas tvayy asta-bhāvāt (SB 10.2.32). “But there is no knowledge about You, Kṛṣṇa,” āruhya kṛcchreṇa paraṁ padam, “they, after performing so much austerity and penances, they rise up to the highest position, Brahman realization, but,” patanty adhaḥ, “they fall down.”

We have got so many instances. They take sannyāsa. They say that brahma satyaṁ jagan mithyā: “This world is false. Brahman is truth.” But after some days, they come to politics, they come to sociology, they come to hospital, they come to this and that. That’s all. Finished. Brahman finished. Patanty adhaḥ.

They must fall down, because they have no shelter in Kṛṣṇa. Just like the sputnik goes very high, clap, hear clap. Uh, come down again. Where you’ll go? Yes. Simply for the time being clapping (claps), that’s all. (laughs) But the fools, they are so nonsense, they are satisfied with that temporary clapping. That’s all.
[Lecture CC Adi 07.108 – San Francisco, February 18,1967]

Prabhupāda: But we see everything has got Kṛṣṇa connection. Therefore we utilize it for Kṛṣṇa. Just like you’re talking about Kṛṣṇa, it is being recorded. So it is useful for Kṛṣṇa’s service. Why shall I give it up? Because the aeroplane is there, therefore my preaching has been easier. In every year I am wandering all over the world twice, thrice. Because if you use aeroplane. So why shall I give it up? It is giving me facility to preach my Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, why shall I give it up, “It is mithyā”? Just like the Jains, they do not ride on car, but if by going in a car I can go and preach very swiftly, and come back again, why shall I give up this car?
So our philosophy is not like that. Nirbandhaḥ kṛṣṇa-sambandhe yuktaṁ vairāgyam ucyate. It is yukta-vairāgya. We have no attachment for all these things. We are sitting in this palatial building, that’s all right. But you can talk these things underneath a tree. But if I sit down underneath a tree, nobody will come to me. (laughter) Just see. So why shall I do that? This is our philosophy.

anāsaktasya viṣayānyathārham upayuñjataḥnirbandhaḥ kṛṣṇa-sambandheyuktaṁ vairāgyam ucyate(Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu 1.2.255)
Yukta-vairāgya. After all, you have to practice vairāgya. Not under attachment. But in connection with Kṛṣṇa nonattachment is required. Otherwise this nonattachment will not stay. Just like this, now you are talking of mithyā, how do they consider mithyā. Because this artificial nonattachment will not stay. Therefore, they say it is mithyā, but they are accepting it, under a different name—”Now let us start this school, now let us start this hospital . . .” They’re coming to the mithyā platform under some disguise of philanthropy activities. If it is mithyā, why you are starting a school?

Satish Kumar: Yes. Only way is to sannyāsa.

Prabhupāda: Yes. It is not sannyāsī business. For starting a school the government is there, public is there. Why you . . . that means brahma satya you could not understand; you are coming to the school-starting. He could not perceive that brahma satya. Although he tried to do it, but he could not understand. Therefore now he has to maintain himself, eh? So people will not give him alms, so he must show that, “I’m starting this school, I’m starting this hospital, I’m doing this. Give me some chanda (charity)” That’s all. “Give me some subscription,” and taking subscription and become fat, that’s all. This is going on. If brahma . . . jagat is mithyā, why you are coming again to this mithyā platform? [Conversation – London,July 30,1973]

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