Hare Krishna Society

Friday, July 16, 2021, Disappearance day of Sri Vakresvara Pandita
Srila Prabhupada explains the Glories to Sri Vakresvara Pandita, compiled by Yasoda nandana dasa

śrīvāsa, haridāsa, rāmadāsa, gadādharamurāri, mukunda, candraśekhara, vakreśvarae-saba paṇḍita-loka parama-mahattvacaitanyera dāsye sabāya karaye unmattaSYNONYMSśrīvāsa—Śrīvāsa Ṭhākura; haridāsa—Haridāsa Ṭhākura; rāmadāsa—Rāmadāsa; gadādhara—Gadādhara; murāri—Murāri; mukunda—Mukunda; candraśekhara—Candraśekhara; vakreśvara—Vakreśvara; e-saba—all of them; paṇḍita-loka—very learned scholars; parama-mahattva—very much glorified; caitanyera—of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu; dāsye—the servitude; sabāya—all of them; karayeunmatta—makes mad.
TRANSLATIONŚrīvāsa, Haridāsa, Rāmadāsa, Gadādhara, Murāri, Mukunda, Candraśekhara and Vakreśvara are all glorious and are all learned scholars, but the sentiment of servitude to Lord Caitanya makes them mad in ecstasy.Sri Caitanya-caritamrta – 1975 Edition : Cc. Adi-lila : Adi 6: The Glories of Sri Advaita Acarya : Adi 6.49-50
vakreśvara paṇḍita--prabhura baḍa priya bhṛtyaeka-bhāve cabbiśa prahara yāṅra nṛtya
SYNONYMS
vakreśvara paṇḍita—of the name Vakreśvara Paṇḍita; prabhura—of the Lord; baḍa—very; priya—dear; bhṛtya—servant; eka-bhāve—continuously in the same ecstasy; cabbiśa—twenty-four; prahara—a duration of time comprising three hours; yāṅra—whose; nṛtya—dancing.
TRANSLATION
Vakreśvara Paṇḍita, the fifth branch of the tree, was a very dear servant of Lord Caitanya’s. He could dance with constant ecstasy for seventy-two hours.
PURPORT

Continue reading →

Srila Prabhupada answers – “Is Hatha-Yoga same as Bhakti Yoga?”

All glories to His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

Five thousand years ago, a person like Arjuna declined, “Oh, it is not possible for me.” And so many rascals they are trying that yoga system. That is not possible.

Lecture on BG 4.1 — Montreal, August 24, 1968
Prabhupāda: Karma means sense gratification and bhakti-yoga means Kṛṣṇa’s satisfaction.

Devotee: Well, karma-yoga…

Prabhupāda: Karma-yoga means just to dovetail your karma with yoga principles to arrive to the bhakti-yoga.

Devotee: To eventually arrive.

Prabhupāda: Yes. That is karma. That is not bhakti-yoga. But the aim is to arrive at the bhakti-yoga. Is it clear? That’s all. Just try to understand in this way. It is very good.

Devotee (2): Is it the same thing with haṭha-yoga?

Prabhupāda: No, haṭha-yoga is not bhakti-yoga.

Devotee (2): No, but…

Prabhupāda: Haṭha-yoga is a process for making the mind under control if it is properly performed. But generally it is in the name “haṭha-yoga.” I have… Several times… In the Bhagavad-gītā it is stated, haṭha-yoga, how it is to be performed, that you have to perform in a sacred place, alone in a secluded place, sitting like this, seeing like this, eating like this. Who is following those regulations? Nobody is following. So they are, simply it is going on under the name of “yoga,” but actually, nobody is following the principles. That is difficult. That is not possible in this age. Now suppose if you have to perform haṭha-yoga in a secluded place, in a sanctified place and alone. Who is fulfilling these three conditions? Ekākī yata-cittātmā. Ekākī. Ekākī means alone. Śucau deśe. Śucau deśe means very sanctified place. Samaṁ grīvam. This body and the, I mean to say, neck, and the śiraḥ, śiraḥ means this head—they should be in a straight line. And you cannot close your eyes fully. You have to half-close and see the top of your nose. In this way, you sit down always. Never go to sleep. I have seen in my childhood yogi in Calcutta, Kālīghāṭa. He was twenty-four hours sitting. When he was feeling uncomfortable, he had a wooden cot,(?) like that. But he was never sleeping. That is yoga practice. Who is going to do that? It is very difficult. Therefore Arjuna said, “Kṛṣṇa, You are recommending this yoga practice, but it is impossible for me to do.” Five thousand years ago, a person like Arjuna declined, “Oh, it is not possible for me.” And so many rascals they are trying that yoga system. That is not possible. Yes.

Guest (Indian man): …whether my karma or my life is for satisfying senses, how it is going to help for Kṛṣṇa. To connect Kṛṣṇa through devotion. Then you can know…

Prabhupāda: Yes, first of all you have to connect yourself with Kṛṣṇa, then you act according to the direction of Kṛṣṇa.

Guest: And if I surrender to the devotees…?

Prabhupāda: Certainly. Yes.

Srila Prabhupada speaks out against Bhagavad Gita changes –
“We are therefore presenting Bhagavad-gītā as it is. We do not change.
Why should you change? What right you have got to change?”

“So if you read Bhagavad-gītā as it is, that is mad-āśrayaḥ. But if you interpret Bhagavad-gītā according to your rascal imagination, that is not Bhagavad-gītā. Therefore it is called mad-āśrayaḥ, “Under My protection, as I am tea . . .” We are therefore presenting Bhagavad-gītā as it is. We do not change. Why should you change? What right you have got to change? If Bhagavad-gītā is a book of authority, and if I make my own interpretation, then where is the authority? Can you change the law book according to your interpretation? Then what is the meaning of that law book? That is not law book. You cannot change. Similarly, if you accept Bhagavad-gītā as the book of authority, you cannot change the meaning. That is not allowed. What right? If you have got some opinion, if you have got some philosophy, you can write in your own book. Why you are, I mean to say, killing others and yourself by interpreting Bhagavad-gītā? You give your own thesis in a different way. But these people, they take advantage of the popularity of Bhagavad-gītā and interpret in a different way according to their own whims. Therefore people do not understand what is Kṛṣṇa. That is the difficulty. And the purpose of Bhagavad-gītā is to understand Kṛṣṇa. And all the so-called scholars’ and politicians’ commentary is to banish Kṛṣṇa or to kill Kṛṣṇa—the Kaṁsa’s policy. The Kaṁsa was always thinking of Kṛṣṇa, how to kill Him. This is called demonic endeavor. So that will not help you.”[27th April 1974,Lecture BG 07.01 – Hyderabad]

There are two manifestations of our spiritual master one is vapu and the other Vani.

Vapu means personal association and Vani means through his words and instructions.

Continue reading →

SB 3.25.44 purport…One whoactually wantsto be liberatedfrom the entanglement of this material world and go back home, back to Godhead,is actually a mystic yogī.….If there is a lack of knowledge and renunciation, it is to be understood that one is not in full devotional service.The conclusion is thatone cannot be sure of entranceinto the spiritual realm—in either the impersonal brahmajyoti effulgence of the Lord or the Vaikuṇṭha planets within that Brahman effulgence—unless he is surrendered unto the lotus feet of the Supreme Lord.The surrendered souls are called akuto-bhaya. They are doubtless and fearless, and their entrance into the spiritual kingdomis guaranteed.

SB 3.26.21 purport...In order to get release from the false ego, one has to worship Saṅkarṣaṇa.Saṅkarṣaṇa is also worshiped through Lord Śiva;the snakes which cover the body of Lord Śiva are representations of Saṅkarṣaṇa,and Lord Śiva is always absorbed in meditation upon Saṅkarṣaṇa.One who is actually a worshiper of Lord Śiva as a devotee of Saṅkarṣaṇa can be released from false, material ego.

SB 3.26.32–Whenegoism in ignorance is agitatedby the sex energy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead,the subtle element sound is manifested, and from sound come the ethereal sky and the sense of hearing.

PURPORT-It appears from this verse that all the objects of our sense gratification are the products of egoism in ignorance. It is understood from this verse that by agitation of the element of egoism in ignorance, the first thing produced was sound,which is the subtle form of ether. It is stated also in the Vedānta-sūtra thatsound is the origin of all objects of material possession and that by sound one can also dissolve this material existence. Anāvṛttiḥ śabdāt means “liberation by sound.” The entire material manifestation began from sound, and sound can also end material entanglement, if it has a particular potency. The particular sound capable of doing this is the transcendental vibration Hare Kṛṣṇa.Our entanglement in material affairs has begun from material sound. Now we must purify that sound in spiritual understanding. There is sound in the spiritual world also. If we approach that sound, then our spiritual life begins,and the other requirements for spiritual advancement can be supplied.We have to understand very clearlythat sound is the beginning of the creation of all material objects for our sense gratification. Similarly, if sound is purified, our spiritual necessities also are produced from sound.

Continue reading →

July 25 1973 London

Prabhupāda: …[not]satisfied to remain in the village. That is the defect of the modern civilization.

Mother: In India, you mean. You’re talking of India now.

Prabhupāda: Everywhere.

Mother: Everywhere.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Everywhere.

Mother: What about India? I mean, do they believe, the villagers?

Prabhupāda: India, actually, they do so.

Mother: Yes.

Prabhupāda: The villagers, they have cows and land. That is sufficient for their economic problem. But the industrialists, they are alluring them, “To get more money, come here.” So they are going to the cities. And the food production in the village is neglected. And therefore the food grain price is rising. Actually, everyone should be engaged to produce food, but the modern set-up of civilization is that few people are engaged in producing food, and others are eating. They are offering… They are artificially getting money. So they are offering paper, “Here is ten dollars.” Although it is a paper, cheating. And they are captivated by cheating. They, they are thinking, “I have got now hundred dollars.” What is this hundred dollars? It is paper. So some people are cheating and some people are being cheated. This is the society.

Mother: Yes. But I think one has to be clever enough not to let people cheat you.

Prabhupāda: Clever means that he must stay in his own land. He should not be cheated by the paper and go to the city.

Mother: But we have to teach our young to be able to define between those who cheat and those who…, be able to tell people who…

Prabhupāda: The whole civilization is a plan of cheating others. That’s all. And they’re all sinful. According to our Vedic understanding, there are four things sinful, pillars of sinful life: illicit sex, unnecessary killing of animals, intoxication and gambling.

Mother: But you can lead a very happy life still, eating…

Prabhupāda: No. Our students are trained in that way.

Mother: There are a lot of very good people in the world.

Prabhupāda: Just see. You can see from your son. They can sit down anywhere. They can lie down. There is no artificial living. They are satisfied with nice foodstuff made from vegetable and milk. And chanting Hare Krsna, holy name of God.

Some Conclusions–WOW- this is a very powerful and informative statement by Srila Prabhupada about how even “normal” people, what to speak of devotees, should go about living in this world to make ends meet or in other words feed and shelter his family.

1. (“satisfied to remain in the village. That is the defect of the modern civilization”. The opening statement he explains why people want to remain in the cities-because they are not satisfied with simple living high thinking. They all want more and more and more of what will never satisfy their thirst for sense gratification.

Continue reading →

Hare Krsna-Below are some quotes about the dangers of seeing the face of an offender or letting a dog see food that is to be offered to the Deity. Or letting karmis touch ones feet . If we do not place great importance on not letting these things happen it means we don’t really understand the subtleties of this Vaisnava philosophy.

Hare Krsna

damaghosa das

SB 7.5.23-24 purport...In the Varāha Purāṇa the following offenses are mentioned: (a) to eat in the house of a rich man, (b) to enter the Deity’s room in the dark, (c) to worship the Deity without following the regulative principles, (d) to enter the temple without vibrating any sound, (e) to collect food that has been seen by a dog,

Adi 17.73–When a student interpreted the glories of the holy name as a prayer of exaggeration, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, greatly unhappy, immediately warned everyone not to see the student’s face henceforward.

PURPORT

When Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu explained the glories of the transcendental potency of the Lord’s holy name, the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra, one unfortunate student said that such glorification of the holy name was an exaggeration in the śāstras to induce people to take to it. In this way the student interpreted the glories of the holy name. This is called artha-vāda, and it is one of the ten offenses at the lotus feet of the holy name of the Lord. There are many kinds of offenses, but the offense known as nāma-aparādha, an offense at the lotus feet of the holy name, is extremely dangerous. The Lord therefore warned everyone not to see the face of the offender. He immediately took a bath in the Ganges with all His clothes to teach everyone to avoid such a nāma-aparādha. The holy name is identical with the Supreme Personality of Godhead. There is no difference between the person God and His holy name. This is the absolute position of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Therefore one who distinguishes between the Lord and His name is called a pāṣaṇḍī, or nonbeliever, an atheistic demon. Glorification of the holy name is glorification of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. One should never attempt to distinguish between the Lord and His name or interpret the glories of the holy name as mere exaggerations.

April 11 1970 Acyutananda

The procedure is quite admitted that you do not accept invitation in the fashionable meetings and you lecture exclusively. That is very nice. You do not allow anyone to touch your feet—this is very good attitude—but if they want to insist on touching your feet and there is no other way to avoid it, you can simply remember your predecessor Acaryas and Spiritual Masters and accept them and return namaskara with folded hands. That is the Vaisnava etiquette.

Continue reading →

Antya 5.9–“I see that you have acquired a taste for hearing talks regarding Kṛṣṇa. Therefore you are extremely fortunate. Not only you but anyone who has awakened such a taste is considered most fortunate.

Antya 5.10--“A person who properly performs his regulative duties according to varṇa and āśrama but does not develop his dormant attachment for Kṛṣṇa or awaken his taste to hear and chant about Kṛṣṇa is certainly laboring fruitlessly.’ “

PURPORT-This is a quotation from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (1.2.8).

Note–And if we awaken this natural taste for hearing-here is what we have in stock for us from the 6 Gosvamis….

Antya 4.226-–Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī compiled 100,000 verses, beginning with the book Dāna-keli-kaumudī. In all these scriptures he elaborately explained the transcendental mellows of the activities of Vṛndāvana.

PURPORT-Referring to the words lakṣa-grantha (“100,000 verses”), Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura says that the total number of verses written by Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī is 100,000 (eka-lakṣa or lakṣa-grantha). The copyists count both the verses and the prose sections of the Sanskrit works. One should not mistakenly think that Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī compiled 100,000 books. He actually wrote sixteen books, as mentioned in the First Wave of the Bhakti-ratnākara (śrī-rūpa-gosvāmī grantha ṣoḍaśa karila).

Antya 4.231–In the Ṣaṭ-sandarbha Śrīla Jīva Gosvāmī set forth the truths about the transcendental love of Kṛṣṇa. In this way he expanded 400,000 verses in all his books.

Note the SB is “only” 18,000 verses!

Some Conclusions—We may perform our material obligations perfectly (raising a family, working at some job, etc) but if we do not awaken the natural taste or desire to HEAR about the Supreme Lord from His pure devotees, then it is all a waste of time.

Hare Krsna

damaghosa das

the below two verses explain why following material pursuits is a total waste of time for it is nothing but maya or illusion !!

Continue reading →

GBC:The spiritual master may be a self-made guru who is nominated by his peers or followers and sanctioned by the GBC, an ecclesiastical board. There is no need for a direct, specific order from Srila Prabhupada to become a diksa-guru in Iskcon.

Srila Prabhupada’s siddhanta: “A guru can become guru when he is ordered by his guru. That’s all. Otherwise nobody can become guru.” (See below references 1, 2 and 10.)

GBC:Srila Prabhupada authorized the GBC to sanction and dismiss diksa-gurus in ISKCON.

SPS: “Mundane votes have no jurisdiction the elect a Vaisnava acharya. A Vaisnava acharya is self-effulgent, and there is no need of any court judgment.”Prabhupada authorized the GBC to select (or dismiss) representatives (ritviks), who initiate on His behalf.No one can be guru without the direct order of Krishna or His perfect devotee. (See below references 1, 2, 10 and 15.)

GBC: Lord Caitanya gave a blanket order for every devotee to initiate his own disciples.

SPS: Lord Caitanya ordered His followers to become “gurus” by asking everyone they meet to chant Hare Krishna. He never ordered all devotees to initiate their own disciples. Even Lord Caitanya’s eternal associates, like Sri Gadadhara Pandita, refused to initiate disciples without a direct order from Lord Caitanya. Many great devotees never initiated their own disciples. (References 2 and 3.)

GBC:Persons who are not self-realized souls or topmost Vaisnavas can be diksa-gurus if the GBC approves.

SPS: “Only a topmost devotee, a maha-bhagavata, is eligible to occupy the post of guru.” (See below reference 4.)

GBC:Spiritual masters must be sanctioned, overseen, regulated and, if necessary, disciplined by the GBC.

SPS: The genuine spiritual master is never to be regulated or disciplined by ecclesiastical boards. (See below reference 5.)

GBC: A spiritual master may sometimes fall down and become demoniac.

SPS:“There is no possibility that a first-class devotee will fall down…”–“The bona fide spiritual master is in the disciplic succession since time immemorial.” (See below references 6 and 18.)

GBC: One may ignore, neglect, or reject his spiritual master who falls from grace with the GBC.

SPS: A genuine disciple never rejects his spiritual master. (See reference 7.)

GBC: A student of Krishna consciousness may select any spiritual master, according his or her personal tastes and the ecclesiastical conventions current in Iskcon.

SPS: “Srila Jiva Goswami advised that one not accept a spiritual master in terms of hereditary or customary social and ecclesiastical conventions. One should simply try to find a genuinely qualified spiritual master for actual advancement in spiritual understanding.” (See below reference 8.)

GBC: There are dozens of gurus in Iskcon and each is entitled to his or her own ideas and opinions.

SPS: “Guru is one. He has no independent ideas or opinions.” (See reference 9.)

GBC: Iskcon gurus who have fallen down, if rectified, may be reinstated by the GBC.

SPS: “A bona fide spiritual master is in the disciplic succession from time eternal, and he does not deviate at all from the instructions of the Supreme Lord.” (See below reference 10.)

GBC: There are various levels of spiritual masters, or diksa-gurus, and not all are uttama-adhikaris.

SPS: “The spiritual master is always considered either one of the confidential associates of Radharani or a manifested representation of Sri Nityananda.”Only such a Vaisnava can impart transcendental knowledge into the heart of a disciple. (See below references 4, 7 and 11.)

Continue reading →

Antya 4.127--“The servants are always coming and going without interval. If I touch them, I shall be ruined.”

PURPORT-Herein it is very clearly indicated that priests performing Deity worship should be careful to keep themselves completely pure and not be touched by outsiders. Sanātana Gosvāmī and Haridāsa Ṭhākura, thinking themselves mlecchas and yavanas because of their past association with Mohammedans, did not enter the temple nor even travel on the path in front of the temple gate. It is customary for the priests of temples in India not even to touch outsiders nor enter the Deity room after having been touched. This is a very important item in temple worship.

Antya 4.129-130--“My dear Sanātana, although you are the deliverer of the entire universe and although even the demigods and great saints are purified by touching you, it is the characteristic of a devotee to observe and protect the Vaiṣṇava etiquette. Maintenance of the Vaiṣṇava etiquette is the ornament of a devotee.

Antya 4.131--“If one transgresses the laws of etiquette, people make fun of him, and thus he is vanquished in both this world and the next.

Antya 4.132-“By observing the etiquette, you have satisfied My mind. Who else but you will show this example?”

Note -at this point Sanatana goswami is in distress because of the open sores all over his body and does not want Sri Caitanya to touch and embrace him.

Antya 4.136-When Jagadānanda Paṇḍita and Sanātana Gosvāmī sat together and began to discuss topics about Kṛṣṇa, Sanātana Gosvāmī submitted to Jagadānanda Paṇḍita the cause of his distress.

Antya 4.140-“I came here for my benefit, but now I see that I am getting just the opposite. I do not know, nor can I ascertain, how there will be benefit for me.”

Antya 4.141–Jagadānanda Paṇḍita said, “The most suitable place for you to reside is Vṛndāvana. After seeing the Ratha-yātrā festival, you can return there.

Antya 4.144-Sanātana Gosvāmī replied, “You have given me very good advice. I shall certainly go there, for that is the place the Lord has given me for my residence.”

Antya 4.145–After talking in this way, Sanātana Gosvāmī and Jagadānanda Paṇḍita returned to their respective duties. The next day, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu went to see Haridāsa and Sanātana Gosvāmī.

Antya 4.147–Sanātana Gosvāmī offered his obeisances and daṇḍavats from a distant place, but Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu called him again and again to embrace him.

Antya 4.148--Out of fear of committing offenses, Sanātana Gosvāmī did not come forward to meet Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. The Lord, however, went forward to meet him.

Antya 4.152--“By nature I am lowborn. I am a contaminated reservoir of sinful activities. If You touch me, sir, that will be a great offense on my part.

Antya 4.153-“Moreover, blood is running from infected itching sores on my body, smearing Your body with moisture, but still You touch me by force.

Antya 4.155-“Therefore I see that I will get nothing auspicious by staying here. Kindly give me orders allowing me to return to Vṛndāvana after the Ratha-yātrā festival.

Antya 4.156-“I have consulted Jagadānanda Paṇḍita for his opinion, and he has also advised me to return to Vṛndāvana.”

Antya 4.157-Hearing this, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, in an angry mood, began to chastise Jagadānanda Paṇḍita.

Continue reading →

Hare Krishna Society

Sri Vakresvara Pandita Tirobhava Tithi (Disappearance day)

Srila Prabhupada answers – “Is Hatha-Yoga same as Bhakti Yoga?”

Srila Prabhupada speaks against Bhagavad Gita changes – “We are therefore presenting Bhagavad-gītā as it is. We do not change. Why should you change? What right you have got to change?”

Discussion on the Vani incarnation of our spiritual master A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada by Disciple Visvakarma Dasa.

Anāvṛttiḥ śabdāt means “liberation by sound.”

SP explains how the demoniac financial system works and our solution to that

The immediate effects of bad association–SP

One who awakens the natural taste for hearing about Krsna-is most fortunate–SP

GBC concoctions refuted here by the actual followers of Srila Prabhupada

Etiquette-the Vaisnava ornament