Hare Krishna Society

kṛṣṇa-tattva, bhakti-tattva, prema-tattva sāra

bhāva-tattva, rasa-tattva, līlā-tattva āra

Madhya 25.265–TRANSLATION-Kṛṣṇa consciousness means understanding the truth of Kṛṣṇa, the truth of devotional service, the truth of love of Godhead, the truth of emotional ecstasy, the truth of transcendental mellow and the truth of the pastimes of the Lord.

Madhya 25.266–Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu has personally preached the transcendental truths and mellows of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam and the Supreme Personality of Godhead are identical, for Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is the sound incarnation of Śrī Kṛṣṇa.

Madhya 25.268-All sane men within these three worlds certainly accept the conclusion that no one is more merciful and magnanimous than Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu and that no one is as kind to His devotees.

Madhya 25.269-All devotees should hear about Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s pastimes with faith and love. By the grace of the Lord, one can thus attain shelter at His lotus feet.

Madhya 25.270-By understanding the pastimes of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, one can understand the truth about Kṛṣṇa. By understanding Kṛṣṇa, one can understand the limit of all knowledge described in various revealed scriptures.

Madhya 25.271-–The pastimes of Lord Kṛṣṇa are the essence of all nectar. They flow in hundreds of rivulets and in all directions. The pastimes of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu are an eternal reservoir, and one is advised to let his mind swim like a swan on this transcendental lake.

Continue reading →

April 20 1974 Hyderabad conversations.

Prabhupāda: So we must know how to please Kṛṣṇa. Generally, the śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ [SB 7.5.23], that is pleasing. Therefore these rules and regulation for everyone. But when one becomes mature devotee, he knows how to please Kṛṣṇa. He knows.

Nitāi: One question came up the other day when I was talking with this clergyman.

Prabhupāda: Clergyman?

Nitāi: Yes, that man I was talking to was a clergyman.

Prabhupāda: Where he was?

Nitāi: He was on the airplane when we were coming here to Hyderabad. And he was asking what our program was. And I was telling him that first of all, in order to relieve the confusion of society, we wanted to establish the Vedic culture with this varṇāśrama system. And he asked me what would be the program that we would have for a man who works in the factory…

Prabhupāda: He is a śūdra.

Nitāi: Would we retrain him as a farmer?

Prabhupāda: No, if he is prepared. If not, let him remain. But we can utilize that śūdra also.

Nitāi: He can remain in the factory.

Prabhupāda: Yes. But he cannot do the work of a brāhmaṇa. He cannot be trained as a preacher. But he can help. Just like my legs. The legs cannot do the work of brain, but it can help me. I am walking. So leg is as important as the brain. Similarly, śūdra is as important as the brāhmaṇa, provided he helps the movement, Kṛṣṇa conscious. That is wanted, not that artificially a śūdra should be working as a brāhmaṇa, no. But everyone should be engaged in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That is required.

Nitāi: So in that case he is a śūdra, and he is also doing the work of a…

Prabhupāda: Then he is not a śūdra. One who is engaged in Kṛṣṇa’s service, he is neither brāhmaṇa nor śūdra. He is devotee. He is brahma-bhūta [SB 4.30.20]. Brahma-bhūyāya kalpate [Bg. 14.26]. Apparently he looks like śūdra. Just like we have got so many men from different quarters, but we do not belong to that quarter any more. Vaiṣṇave jāti-buddhiḥ.Therefore anyone who takes, “Oh, here is an American Vaiṣṇava, here is an Indian Vaiṣṇava,” that is nārakī. He is Vaiṣṇava. That understanding required.

Mahāṁsa: Just like that devotee who was making garlands for Kṛṣṇa.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Mahāṁsa: He is a devotee. He is not a śūdra making garlands.

Prabhupāda: No. He is not a ordinary gardener.

Pañcadraviḍa: Or that devotee who was making leaf bowls for worshiping the Ganges.

Prabhupāda: Any engagement, any engagement for Kṛṣṇa, he is Vaiṣṇava. If he is under the guidance of his spiritual master and doing the business according to the direction, he is Vaiṣṇava. He is above all these.

Pañcadraviḍa: A śūdra, if he is working, he cannot take brāhmaṇa initiation, but he can take hari-nāma, is that it?

Prabhupāda: Just like sometimes our men, my devotee, they wash the cupboard. Does it mean he is a methar(?)? No. He can go to the Deity room also. He is not a methar(?) or sweeper. But sometimes we do that. So devotee is above all these consideration. But because there is management, they should appear as brāhmaṇa, as śūdra, as kṣatriya, like that.

sa guṇān samatītyaitān brahma-bhūyāya kalpate māṁ ca vyabhicariṇi bhakti-yogena yaḥ sevate

[Bg. 14.26]

A devotee, because he is working as a śūdra, he is not a śūdra; neither he is a brāhmaṇa. He is already in the spiritual platform. But for management we have to do that. One can do the śūdra’s work nicely—let him be engaged in that way. Why he should imitate?

Mahāṁsa: Does he get second initiation?

Prabhupāda: Everything he will get.

Mahāṁsa: He gets.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Second initiation means recognized: “Now he has become fully competent Vaiṣṇava.” Just like master is teaching the servant, “Now you give massage in this way, this way.” But that does not mean he has become servant.

Pañcadraviḍa: What if the person working as śūdra says, “I can do so much. I can…,”

Prabhupāda: First of all, try to understand. A devotee is neither brāhmaṇa nor śūdra. He may act like a śūdra, but he is not śūdra. He may act like a brāhmaṇa; he is not brāhmaṇa. He is Vaiṣṇava. Just like gopīs. The gopīs, they are village cowherds women. They are, according to social construction, they are not very high class. They did not belong to the brāhmaṇa class. But their worship, method of worship, has been taken the highest. Ramyā kācid upāsanā vrajavadhū-vargeṇa. They were village girls, and practically their character was also not good. Because at dead of night they are going to Kṛṣṇa.But why they have been taken as the most topmost devotee of Kṛṣṇa? Because the love was so high class. It is the test, how much one has learned to love Kṛṣṇa. That is wanted. Apparently he may appear as a brāhmaṇa, a śūdra or vaiśya. It doesn’t matter. It doesn’t matter. The only business is to see: sa vai puṁsāṁ paro dharmo yato bhaktir adho… [SB 1.2.6]. Aiye. Hare Kṛṣṇa. Jaya. That is wanted.

Pañcadraviḍa: What if the person cannot chant sixteen rounds a day. He says, “I can’t…“

Prabhupāda: Then he is not even a human being. He is a rascal. That’s all. He is not a human being. What to consider of talking…? Don’t talk about him if he cannot chant sixteen rounds. He is not even a human. He is animal. [break]

Pañcadraviḍa: …even he may be employed as factory worker or something.

Prabhupāda: Well, if you take factory workers are better than animals, that is another thing.

Continue reading →

Madhya 25.118–‘When one is transcendentally situated, he can perceive Me. This perception is the basis of one‘s relationship with the Supreme Lord. Now let Me further explain this subject matter.

PURPORT–Real spiritual knowledge has to be received from revealed scriptures. After this knowledge is attained, one can begin to perceive his actual spiritual life. Any knowledge achieved by speculation is imperfect. One must receive knowledge from the paramparā system and from the guru, otherwise one will be bewildered, and will ultimately become an impersonalist. When one very scrutinizingly deliberates, he can realize the personal feature of the Absolute Truth. The Supreme Personality of Godhead is always transcendental to this material creation. Nārāyaṇaḥ paro ‘vyaktāt: Nārāyaṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is always transcendental. He is not a creation of this material world. Without realizing spiritual knowledge, one cannot understand that the transcendental form of the Lord is always beyond the creative energy. The example of the sun and sunshine is given. The sunshine is not the sun, but still the sunshine is not separate from the sun. The philosophy of acintya-bhedābheda-tattva (simultaneously one and different) cannot be understood by one who is fully under the influence of the external energy. Consequently a person under the influence of the material energy cannot understand the nature and form of the Personality of the Absolute Truth.

Link to this page: https://prabhupadabooks.com/cc/madhya/25/118

Madhya 25.120–” ‘Now please hear from Me about the process of devotional service, which is applicable in any country, for any person, at all times and in all circumstances.

PURPORT–The cult of bhāgavata–dharma can be spread in all circumstances, among all people and in all countries. Many envious people accuse this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement of spoiling the rigidity of so-called Hinduism. That is not actually the fact. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu confirms that devotional service to the Lord-the cult of bhāgavata–dharma, which is now being spread as the Hare Kṛṣṇa movement-can be spread in every country, for every person, in any condition of life, and in all circumstances. Bhāgavata–dharma does not restrict pure devotees to the Hindu community. A pure devotee is above a brāhmaṇa; therefore it is not incompatible to offer the sacred thread to devotees in Europe, America, Australia, Japan, Canada, and so on. Sometimes these pure devotees, who have been accepted by Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, are not allowed to enter certain temples in India. Some high-caste brāhmaṇas and gosvāmīs refuse to take prasāda in the temples of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness. Actually this is against the instruction of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Devotees can come from any country, and they can belong to any creed or race. On the strength of this verse, those who are actually devotees and followers of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu must accept devotees from all parts of the world as pure Vaiṣṇavas. They should be accepted not artificially but factually. One should see how they are advanced in Kṛṣṇa consciousness and how they are conducting Deity worship, saṅkīrtana and Ratha–yātrā. Considering all these points, an envious person should refrain from malicious atrocities.

Link to this page: https://prabhupadabooks.com/cc/madhya/25/120

Madhya 25.121–” ‘As far as religious principles are concerned, there is a consideration of the person, the country, the time and the circumstance. In devotional service, however, there are no such considerations. Devotional service is transcendental to all considerations.

PURPORT–When we are on the material platform, there are different types of religions-Hinduism, Christianity, Mohammedanism, Buddhism, and so on. These are instituted for a particular time, a particular country or a particular person. Consequently there are differences. Christian principles are different from Hindu principles, and Hindu principles are different from Mohammedan and Buddhist principles. These may be considered on the material platform, but when we come to the platform of transcendental devotional service, there are no such considerations. The transcendental service of the Lord (sādhana–bhakti) is above these principles. The world is anxious for religious unity, and that common platform can be achieved in transcendental devotional service. This is the verdict of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. When one becomes a Vaiṣṇava, he becomes transcendental to all these limited considerations. This is also confirmed in Bhagavad-gītā (14.26): māṁ ca yo ‘vyabhicāreṇa bhakti-yogena sevate sa guṇān samatītyaitān brahma-bhūyāya kalpate

“One who engages in full devotional service, who does not fall down in any circumstance, at once transcends the modes of material nature and thus comes to the level of Brahman.”

The devotional activities of the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement are completely transcendental to material considerations. As far as different faiths are concerned, religions may be of different types, but on the spiritual platform, everyone has an equal right to execute devotional service. That is the platform of oneness and the basis for a classless society. In his Amṛta–pravāha–bhāṣya, Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura confirms that one has to learn from a bona fide spiritual master about religious principles, economic development, sense gratification and ultimately liberation. These are the four divisions of regulated life, but they are subjected to the material platform. On the spiritual platform, the four principles are jñāna, vijñāna, tad–aṅga and tad–rahasya. Rules, regulations and restrictions are on the material platform, but on the spiritual platform one has to be equipped with transcendental knowledge, which is above the principles of religious rituals. Mundane religious activity is known as smārta–viddhi, but transcendental devotional service is called Gosvāmī-viddhi. Unfortunately many so-called gosvāmīs are on the platform of smārta–viddhi, yet they try to pass as Gosvāmī-viddhi, and thus the people are cheated. Gosvāmī-viddhi is strictly explained in Sanātana Gosvāmī’s Hari–bhakti–vilāsa, wherein it is stated: yathā kāñcanatāṁ yāti kāṁsyaṁ rasa-vidhānataḥ tathā dīṣkā-vidhānena dvijatvaṁ jāyate nṛṇām

The conclusion is that devotional service is open for everyone, regardless of caste, creed, time and country. This Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is functioning according to this principle.

Link to this page: https://prabhupadabooks.com/cc/madhya/25/121

Some Conclusions–– Srila Prabhupada writes above….A pure devotee is above a brāhmaṇa; therefore it is not incompatible to offer the sacred thread to devotees in Europe, America, Australia, Japan, Canada, and so on. Sometimes these pure devotees, who have been accepted by Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, are not allowed to enter certain temples in India.

I find this point he makes about his disciples being pure devotees interesting. For one who has studied his teachings in his books, we will find many points about classes of devotees, the neophytes being the lowest, then Madhyama being second class and Uttama adhikari being the top most. And this is not the only place he mentions (twice in this purport) that his disciples being pure devotees.

Of course that recognition of purity comes with the total acceptance and obedience to Srila Prabhupada that distinguishes those pure devotees from those devotees who are still so called religionists, (smarta brahmanas) or those who do not follow 100% of his instructions.

He writes…Unfortunately many so-called gosvāmīs are on the platform of smārta–viddhi, yet they try to pass as Gosvāmī-viddhi, and thus the people are cheated.

So what is just one distinguishing characteristic of a smarta brahmana from a goswami brahmana?

He writes….

When we are on the material platform, there are different types of religions-Hinduism, Christianity, Mohammedanism, Buddhism, and so on. These are instituted for a particular time, a particular country or a particular person.

Now we will explain how iskcon has changed things according to their time and circumstances

Continue reading →

Oct 14 Johannesbury 1975 conversations

Prabhupāda: Nothing happens accidentally. According to Vedic literature, there is no such word as “accident.” The word is adṛṣṭa: There is cause; I cannot see it. Adṛṣṭa. It is not in my vision, but there is cause. There is no question of accident.

Harikeśa: What about when somebody is born with three arms or eight toes?

Prabhupāda: There is karma, cause, but I cannot ascertain. To me the cause is invisible. Therefore, we take adṛṣṭa. But there is cause.

Harikeśa: They always reason that because somebody is born like that, that sometimes somebody could be born from an ape like a man.

Prabhupāda: Huh?

Harikeśa: Over a very long period of time… Let’s say in one ape somebody was born without hair, and then after a long period of time in the same line from that person who was born without hair…

Prabhupāda: But why the ape does not give birth now?

Harikeśa: But we have not seen all the apes.

Prabhupāda: But how do you suggest?

Harikeśa: It’s just a theory.

Prabhupāda: Then you’ll… Then what you have not seen, how you can suggest? What is not in your experience, how you can suggest? Then anyone will suggest any nonsense, and we will have to accept?

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: So that is the rascaldom.

Prabhupāda: That is rascaldom. How you can suggest?

Harikeśa: Even he says it was just a theory.

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: But now, Prabhupāda, they say that they have been to the moon, and we’re saying that the moon is so far away. And they have their pictures also to prove it.

Prabhupāda: Picture you can manufacture here.

Harikeśa: And they have earth dust as if it came from the moon.

Prabhupāda: And the other scientist says this kind dust can be had here. So what is the proof they went there? It can be collected here.

Harikeśa: And their dust does not reflect. They say the moon is reflective, but the dust and the pictures, it was all dark gray. No reflection.

Prabhupāda: So therefore if I say that they did not go to the moon, how they can support?

Harikeśa: They cannot prove. They are so clever and sophisticated with their nonsense, they can even make the astronauts believe…

Prabhupāda: Therefore I asked you to ask them, “Why Sunday first and Monday next?”

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: It’s very conceivable that they could have tricked everyone. They simply have a video. They go up in a space ship around. They simply show a film from the space ship back to the earth, how they were practicing in the Arizona desert and they collected some rocks and took it with them. It’s very easy.

Harikeśa: Sanka dāsa, you know, in Bombay? He was in the CIA. And they…, when he was in Vietnam, they knocked him out one day and they brought him to a dentist and they took out three of his teeth, and they put in these little transistors. And these little transistors were connected to his brain. And they would talk to him and make him do things by speaking into these transistors into his brain. And if he ever said anything wrong…, like he was not supposed to reveal secrets. And if he ever revealed a secret, they would try to kill him by making a signal go to his brain, and they can explode his brain. So conceivably they can trick the astronauts completely like that by putting things and making them think like they went to the moon.

Prabhupāda: Śaṅkara dāsa?

Harikeśa: Yes. He was saying… And when he got out of the Army he had so much pain in his teeth he went to a dentist, and he took out all of his teeth. That’s why he has no teeth, because all of his teeth had these little things inside them. And one…

Prabhupāda: He is in Bombay now?

Harikeśa: Yes, he’s the gardener, you know, the one who gives you the flower every morning.

Prabhupāda: So he was troubled.

Harikeśa: Oh, yes. He had very much trouble because of it.

Prabhupāda: So he has got artificial teeth? No.

Harikeśa: No. Now he has no teeth. He’s getting some teeth. They’re making some. The dentist is working free in Bombay.

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: The CIA, they’re going to build a television set in his mouth. (laughing)

Harikeśa: They do that with all their men, he said. They put things in the mouth so that they can control the people. And they listen to what they say because they can also hear anything he says. So somebody is listening all the time to all their special agents under the ground. They never come out of the ground. They stay under the ground all the time, and they listen to all the secret agents and all the conversations. And they control them. They speak things to them, tell them what to eat.

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Demoniac.

Harikeśa: He says they even control the president that way. They can even make the president go crazy or kill him if he ever becomes a traitor or something like that.

Prabhupāda: Dangerous, huh? That is CIA? The CIA is maintained by government?

Harikeśa: Oh, yes. That’s why everybody is very afraid.

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Sometimes they think that the government is maintained by the CIA. (laughing)

Harikeśa: The CIA even has laser beam guns where they can shoot somebody with this laser beam gun and they disintegrate completely, like they never existed. They shoot light out of a gun and it just goes-tssh-completely finished. [break]

…..

Continue reading →

Hare Krsna-Below are a few verses and purports from the famous CC Madhya chapter 24 which is an ocean of nectar and information concerning devotees, behavior, mantras, Deities and the spiritual master. I have not included everything contained in that chapter because it is just too voluminous. If one is a serious devotee they are well advised to consult this specific chapter themselves for the complete picture that Srila Prabhupada gives to us about poure devotional service and attaining love of Godhead-Krsna

Hare Krsna

damaghosa das

——————————–

Madhya 24.330 purport…

“One who engages in full devotional service, who does not fall down in any circumstances at once transcends the modes of material nature and thus comes to the level of Brahman.” When one engages in the Supreme Lord’s devotional service, he is in a transcendental position. Even though one may be situated in the mode of goodness in the material world, he is susceptible to pollution by the modes of passion and ignorance. When the mode of goodness is mixed with the mode of passion, one worships the sun-god, Vivasvān. When the mode of goodness is mixed with the mode of ignorance, he worships Gaṇapati, or Gaṇeśa. When the mode of passion is mixed with the mode of ignorance, one worships Durgā, or Kālī, the external potency. When one is simply in the mode of ignorance, he becomes a devotee of Lord Śiva because Lord Śiva is the predominating deity of the mode of ignorance within this material world. However, when one is completely free from the influence of all the modes of material nature, he becomes a pure Vaiṣṇava on the devotional platform. Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī states in the Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu: anyābhilāṣitā-śūnyaṁ jñāna-karmādy-anāvṛtam ānukūlyena kṛṣṇānu-

śīlanaṁ bhaktir uttamā ..The position of viśuddha-sattva is the position of uncontaminated goodness. On that platform, one can then understand, ārādhyo bhagavān vrajeśa-tanayas tad-dhāma vṛndāvanam: “The Supreme Personality of Godhead, the son of Nanda Mahārāja, is to be worshiped along with His transcendental abode, Vṛndāvana.”

The word sarva-mantra-vicāraṇa means “considering all different types of mantras.” There are different kinds of mantras for different kinds of devotees. There are the mantras known as the dvādaśākṣara, and these are composed of twelve syllables. Similarly, there are mantras composed of eighteen syllables-the Nārasiṁha mantra, the Rāma mantra, Gopāla mantra and so on. Each and every mantra has its own spiritual significance. The spiritual master has to select a mantra for his disciple according to the disciple’s ability to chant different mantras.

Madhya 24.331—

purport…If one actually wants to serve Kṛṣṇa, it doesn’t matter whether one is a śūdra, vaiśya, or even a woman. If one is sincerely eager to chant the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra or dīkṣā-mantra, he is qualified to be initiated according to the pāñcarātrika process. According to Vedic principles, only a brāhmaṇa who is fully engaged in his occupational duties can be initiated. Śūdras and women are not admitted to a vaidika initiation. Unless one is fit according to the estimation of the spiritual master, one cannot accept a mantra from the pāñcarātrika-vidhi or the vaidika-vidhi. When one is fit to accept the mantra, he is initiated by the pāñcarātrika-vidhi or the vaidika-vidhi. In any case, the result is the same.

Regarding mantra-siddhi-ādi-śodhana, the efficiency of the mantra, Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura gives sixteen divisions, which are confirmed in the Hari-bhakti-vilāsa (beginning with 1.204): siddha-sādhya-susiddhāri- kramāj jñeyo vicakṣaṇaiḥ

…Those who are initiated with the eighteen-alphabet mantra do not need to consider the above-mentioned sixteen divisions. As enjoined in the Hari-bhakti-vilāsa (1.215, 219, 220):

There is śodhana, or purification of the mantra, but there is no such consideration for the Kṛṣṇa mantra. Balitvāt kṛṣṇa-mantrāṇāṁ saṁskārāpekṣaṇaṁ na hi. “The Kṛṣṇa mantra is so strong that there is no question of śodhana. (1.235)

As far as dīkṣā is concerned, one should consult Madhya-līlā, Chapter Fifteen (108). On the whole, when a person is initiated according to the pāñcarātrika-vidhi, he has already attained the position of a brāhmaṇa. This is enjoined in the Hari-bhakti-vilāsa (2.12):yathā kāñcanatāṁ yāti kāṁsyaṁ rasa-vidhānataḥ tathā dīkṣā-vidhānena dvijatvaṁ jāyate nṛṇām

“As bell metal can be turned into gold when treated with mercury, a disciple initiated by a bona fide guru immediately attains the position of a brāhmaṇa.”

As far as the time of dīkṣā (initiation) is concerned, everything depends on the position of the guru. As soon as a bona fide guru is received by chance or by a program, one should immediately take the opportunity to receive initiation. In the book called Tattva-sāgara, it is stated:

“If, by chance, one gets a sad-guru, it doesn’t matter whether one is in the temple or the forest. If the sad-guru, the bona fide spiritual master, agrees, one can be initiated immediately, without waiting for a suitable time or place.”

In the early morning hours (known as brāhma-muhūrta) one should get up and immediately chant the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, or, at least, “Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa.” In this way, one should remember Kṛṣṇa. Some ślokas or prayers should also be chanted. By chanting, one immediately becomes auspicious and transcendental to the infection of material qualities. Actually one has to chant and remember Lord Kṛṣṇa twenty-four hours daily, or as much as possible. smartavyaḥ satataṁ viṣṇur vismartavyo na jātucit sarve vidhi-niṣedhāḥ syur etayor eva kiṅkarāḥ

“Kṛṣṇa is the origin of Lord Viṣṇu. He should always be remembered and never forgotten at any time. All the rules and prohibitions mentioned in the śāstras should be the servants of these two principles.” This is a quotation from padma Purāṇa in the portion called Bṛhat-sahasra-nāma-stotra.

Madhya 24.334-“Also describe Deity worship, wherein one should offer food to Kṛṣṇa at least five times daily. One should in due time place Kṛṣṇa on a bed. You should also describe the process for offering ārati and the worship of the Lord according to the list of five, sixteen or fifty ingredients.

PURPORT….

In the Hari-bhakti-vilāsa (Eleventh Vilāsa, verses 127-140) there is a vivid description of what is required in Deity worship. There are sixty-four items mentioned. In the temple, worship should be so gorgeous that all sixty-four items should be available for the satisfaction of the Personality of Godhead. Sometimes it is impossible to get all sixty-four items; therefore we recommend that at least on the first day of installation all sixty-four items should be available. When the Lord is established, worship with all sixty-four items should continue as far as possible. The sixty-four items are as follows:

Madhya 24.336--“You should glorify the holy name and carefully give up offenses when chanting the holy name. One should know the symptoms of a Vaiṣṇava. One must give up or nullify all kinds of sevā-aparādha, offenses in Deity worship.

Continue reading →

Madhya 24.53--“Lord Kṛṣṇa even attracts the mind of the goddess of fortune simply by vibrating His transcendental flute.

Madhya 24.54–” ‘O Lord, we do not know how the serpent Kāliya attained such an opportunity to be touched by the dust of Your lotus feet. For this end, the goddess of fortune performed austerities for centuries, giving up all other desires and taking austere vows. Indeed, we do not know how this serpent Kāliya got such an opportunity.’

Madhya 24.59–“Although the word hari has many different meanings, two of them are foremost. One meaning is that the Lord takes away all inauspicious things from His devotee, and the second meaning is that He attracts the mind by ecstatic love for God.

Madhya 24.60–“When the devotee somehow or other always remembers the Supreme Personality of Godhead anywhere and everywhere, Lord Hari takes away life’s four miserable conditions.

PURPORT-The four miserable conditions are due to the four kinds of sinful activities, known as (1) pātaka, (2) urupātaka, (3) mahā-pātaka and (4) atipātaka-preliminary sin, very great sin, greater sin and topmost sin. However, Kṛṣṇa assures the devotee, ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo mokṣayiṣyāmi mā śucaḥ: “I will protect you from all sinful reactions. Do not fear.” The word sarva-pāpebhyaḥ indicates four kinds of sinful activity. As soon as the devotee surrenders unto Kṛṣṇa’s lotus feet, he is certainly relieved from all sinful activities and their results. The four basic sinful activities are summarized as illicit sex, intoxication, gambling and meat-eating.

Madhya 24.62–“In this way, when all sinful activities are vanquished by the grace of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, one gradually vanquishes all kinds of impediments on the path of devotional service, as well as the ignorance resulting from these impediments. After this, one totally manifests his original love of Godhead through devotional service in nine different ways-hearing, chanting and so forth.

Madhya 24.63–“When the devotee is freed from all sinful material activities, Kṛṣṇa attracts his body, mind and senses to His service. Thus Kṛṣṇa is very merciful, and His transcendental qualities are very attractive.

Madhya 24.64-“When one’s mind, senses and body are attracted to the transcendental qualities of Hari, one gives up the four principles of material success. Thus I have explained the chief meanings of the word hari.

PURPORT-The four principles of material success are (1) religious performance, (2) economic development, (3) sense gratification and (4) liberation, or merging in the impersonal effulgence of Brahman. These things do not interest the devotee.

Some Conclusions–This is a very nice sequence of verses in CC where Lord Caitanya is explaining the famous Atmarama verse of SB in 61 different ways. Formerly He did the same with Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya but only in 18 different ways.

The essence of this conversation is that once one begins the chanting of the Holy names of Krsna, Rama and Hari, all auspicious things begin to take place. Prabhupada gave the example once of pouring milk into a glass filled with ink. The ink being our sinful activities. Once this (chanting) pouring began and was continued, the glass looked like a swirl of dark or ink colored milk, which meant that our sins were being shook up and dislodged from our hearts. In the beginning it does not look very pretty, but then neither does an old dirty closet appear nice when you open the door and find all sorts of nasty things in it. There is a nice verse in BG which states….

BG 7.28-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.

So bottom line, lets not be discouraged, but keep pouring milk into that cup !

Madhya 24.62–“In this way,when all sinful activities are vanquished by the grace of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, one gradually vanquishes all kinds of impediments on the path of devotional service, as well as the ignorance resulting from these impediments. After this, one totally manifests his original love of Godhead through devotional service in nine different ways-hearing, chanting and so forth.

Hare Krsna

damaghosa das

Biogenesis and the Birth of Modern Science

By Narasimha das

The ancient Greeks, specifically the renowned philosopher Aristotle (384 B.C – 322 B.C.), believed that living things were spontaneously generated from non-living matter.

Aristotle was a naturalist who loved to observe animals and nature while taking long walks through the country. He noticed that ponds were full of various species, such as fish, frogs and tiny swimming insects. Later, in the summer months, many of these ponds would dry up and appear to become lifeless mud sinks or totally dry beds. But when the rains came, the same dry beds would fill up again with aquatic life. He wondered how all this life became regenerated. After pondering this puzzle for a long while, he finally concluded that earth itself had the power to generate life spontaneously under certain conditions. Observing the life cycles of insects on land, he came to similar conclusions: that rotting meat, animal fur and other nonliving matter had the potency to generate various forms life under specific conditions.

Aristotle was considered one the greatest thinkers of his era, so naturally his published findings circulated to nearby Arab countries, and gradually such misleading ideas spread west to European nations. Such misinformation gradually evolved into a system of superstitions and beliefs that were taught in school texts on biology and medicine.

Due, perhaps, to the liberating influence of the advent of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu on Earth (1484-1532), Europe started to slowly emerge from the Dark Ages. During the Dark Ages people had no idea how or why deadly diseases like the black plague were spread. City people would pass stool and urine in buckets and then throw it out their townhouse windows, yelling a warning to pedestrians, “Loo!” (This is how the term “loo” came to mean toilet or latrine.) Some streets were, at times, ankle deep in human excrement. Surgeons had no idea of any need for cleanliness. In fact, doctors would often wear their most filthy clothes to perform surgeries with unwashed scalpels, just as field workers and street cleaners would wear filthy clothes for their work, saving their clean clothing for social affairs. Thus, many patients would “mysteriously” die shortly after even routine surgeries.

William Harvey (1578-1657) became famous for his discovery that blood circulates through the body in veins and blood vessels. In one of his writings, he mentioned that it was possible that insects may lay eggs that were too small to be seen with the naked eye. The glimmer of light from this suggestion inspired and motivated another early scientist, Francisco Redi (1626-1697), to investigate further. Soon he became convinced that the prevailing theories of his day were ill-conceived. He demonstrated through experiments that life was not be generated spontaneously from non-living matter and that such conjectures had no basis. His controlled experiments involved sterilization through heating and various means of sealing containers and then comparing these with non-sterilized open containers of the same organic substances. He boldly propounded his views that life was generated not spontaneously from dead matter but from living organisms, some that were too small to be seen with the naked eye or laid eggs too small to be seen.

People of his day were stunned by this fantastic new theory. Aristotle had been highly regarded in the West for many centuries as one of the greatest thinkers and naturalists of all time. People wondered, “How could Aristotle have been so wrong?”

To prove his theory, Redi devised several interesting experiments to demonstrate that life comes from life. These experiments were literally the birth of modern sciences, specifically biology and medicine, which relies on controlled observations and experiments to demonstrate the truth or fallacy of theories like Redi’s and Aristotle’s. Redi’s experiments gave rise to modern-day knowledge regarding food preservation through sterilization, and sanitation through disinfecting. He had demonstrated in many of ways that life is generated only from other living things and that non-living matter had no power to generate life on its own. Scientists then began forming groups for the sake of exchanging their findings derived through various means of experimentation and observation. Redi and his followers strongly propounded their new understanding known as biogenesis, which establishes that life arises only from previously existing life and not from non-living matter.

A breakthrough came when a humble lens grinder, Antonio Van Leeuwenhoek (1632-1723), refined his art with the help of a renowned spectacle maker. He learned how to grind a precision magnifying lens and how to achieve further magnification by stacking lens in a tube. In this way he created the first known microscope. With his microscope he was able to observe microbes for the first time, and this led to many new discoveries. At first other scientists were doubtful about the existence of microbes because they were unable to match the precision and power of Leeuwenhoek’s microscopes.

Soon Leeuwenhoek’s discoveries of microbes were verified by other scientists, yet many scientists clung to their belief that microbes themselves were spontaneously generated from non-living substances. Aristotle had taught that non-living substances can create life under certain conditions, and this widely accepted belief had been around for centuries. Long held beliefs die hard.

Despite clear evidence supporting biogenesis, many scientists challenged the idea for another 150 years. In the latter part of the nineteenth century, a member of the French Academy of Sciences, Dr. Pouchet, published a compelling book that attempted to reaffirm the idea that micro-organisms were spontaneously generated from non-living matter. His book was highly lauded by scientists worldwide.

Dr. Pouchet’s findings did not go unchallenged for long. Louis Pasteur read Pouchet’s book and wrote to him explaining several discrepancies in his methods, findings and conclusions. Pasteur was considered one of the top scientists of his times, especially in France, and he is still considered one the most important scientists of the modern age. Pasteur strongly refuted Pouchet’s ideas through a series of experiments and debates. The scientific community and general public were divided in their opinion on this issue. Many challenges and counter-challenges went back and forth and gave rise to varieties of experiments under careful controls.

Continue reading →

Hare Krsna-below is just one point taken out in a 1974 LA lecture by Srila Prabhupada

summer 1974 LA temple lecture by SP

Truthfulness, cleanliness, and forgiveness are also decreasing. Formerly, if someone did something wrong, the other party would forgive him.For example, Arjuna was tortured by his enemies, yet still, on the Battlefield of Kurukṣetra he said, “Kṛṣṇa, let me leave. I don’t want to kill them.”This is forgiveness.But now, even for a small insult people will kill.This is going on. Also, there is now no mercifulness (dayā). Even if you see someone being killed in front of you, you will not take interest. These things are happening already. So, religion, truthfulness, cleanliness, forgiveness, mercifulness, duration of life, bodily strength, and memory—these eight things will decrease, decrease, decrease, decrease. When you see these symptoms, you should know the age of Kali is making progress.

Some conclusions—When I was reading the lecture Prabhupada gave in LA and he was taking all the elements of one verse in SB about the actual human characteristics predicted to manifest later in kali yuga (we are now 5000 yrs into it), I was thinking in particular about this one element of tolerance or forgiveness.

Over the years of hosting hundreds of Krsna conscious programs at our home ashram/temple, I have seen that many devotees become irritated quite easily over trifles if someone irritates them or says something they don’t like. Even sometimes if you try to sugar coat a certain point of the philosophy, somebody will get angry or mad at you. And then they just leave the devotees association altogether, and where they go most don’t know. I imagine that some of them try to find another “devotee group” where their feelings wont get ruffled. And some of them just leave devotee association for good, thinking who knows what?

Continue reading →

Hare Krsna-Below we have two separate conversation/ lectures. In the first and very short one Srila Prabhupada explains the three qualities of a culture man. It is very simple to understand yet difficult to find in even one such person.

in the second lecture given in LA, he explains in exacting detail what the conditions will become worldwide in this age. It is amazing how accurate this 5000 yr old prediction has become.

So after reading this, one conclusion is each of us has to decide which kind of person we want to become? A cultured gentleman or lady or an unfortunate inmate of kali yuga?

If we do not take this chanting of Hare Krsna maha mantra seriously we will be swept away by the ever present bad conditions of this present age in which we find ourselves.

Hare Krsna

damaghosa das

————————————

Oct 25 1975 Mauritius conversations

mātṛvat para-dāreṣu

para-dravyeṣu loṣṭravat

ātmavat sarva-bhūteṣu

yaḥ paśyati sa paṇḍitaḥ

Here is culture. First thing is, any woman except one’s own wife.

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: :What is that, Śrīla Prabhupāda?

Prabhupāda: :Any woman should be looked upon as mother. This is culture. Except his married wife, all women should be treated as mother. The brahmacārīs were taught like that, “Mother.” This is culture. Simply they are trying to elope other’s wife, other’s woman, exploit them. And they’re cultured. There is no culture at the present moment.

Mātṛvat para-dāreṣu para-dravyeṣu loṣṭravat: “And others’ money should be treated just like pebbles in the street.” Nobody cares for it. So they are simply making plans how to grab others’ money. And Ātmavat sarva bhūteṣu: “And if you feel pains and pleasure, you should consider for others also.” If your throat is cut, then do you feel very happy? Why you are cutting the throats of the poor animals? Where is culture? There is no culture. Simply rogues and thieves and rascals and fools. Where is culture? They do not know what is the meaning of culture. Here is culture, three words:

mātṛvat para-dāreṣu

para-dravyeṣu loṣṭravat

ātmavat sarva-bhūteṣu

yaḥ paśyati sa paṇḍitaḥ

He is cultured.

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Otherwise just animal.

Prabhupāda: Simply animal.

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: It is very logical.

Devotee: Śrīla Prabhupāda, should we call all the women “mother”?

Prabhupāda: Yes. And treat it like mother. Not only call, but treat it like mother.

Harikeśa: Actually we have not even any idea how to treat mother.

Prabhupāda: Learn it. At least mother should not be proposed for sex. This much you can learn. Mātṛvat para-dāreṣu para-dravyeṣu loṣṭravat, ātmavat sarva-bhūteṣu. [break] …0

—————————————————

Now we shall read the predictions given in Srimad Bhagavatam 5000 yrs ago as to the conditions we are now seeing almost everywhere in the world.

——————————————————

Continue reading →

Oct 25 1975 Mauritius conversations

Harikeśa: By chemically changing the genes in the living being we can, before conception, make a superior…

Prabhupāda: You can… First of all you be beaten with shoes. That’s all. Then you can.

Harikeśa: No, we’ve actually done it. We’ve changed some genes and made some people better. By experimentation we can make people…

Prabhupāda: And your big, big cities are full with hippies. You cannot induce them to give up their LSD, and you are making better men. Better men is going to become worse. Just see how cheating.

Note-the Moderna so called vaccine is so named to inform us that their shot is to make man a modern man-hence—moderna-modern RNA

Dont think these demons have given up on altering nature to suit their whims.And now they are trying to shoot everyone up with their latest gene altering concoctions

Harikeśa: Oh, you mean once we make the better men they’ll just degrade again.

Prabhupāda: Simply bogus propaganda. [break]

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: …that their educational system has failed. Therefore they…

Prabhupāda: Yes. They should close the universities and chant Hare Kṛṣṇa.

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: So by birth they want to make better men. They can’t make them by culture.

Prabhupāda: No, culture… They adopt real culture. What do they know about culture? They’re killing their own children in the womb, and they’re cultured? Worse than the animals. The animals do not do that. These rascals, they are cultured? So wretched and fallen, and they are claiming to be cultured.

Harikeśa: So you can’t culture a superior man unless you are one yourself.

Prabhupāda: Hm?

Harikeśa: It’s not possible to culture a superior man unless you are one yourself.

Prabhupāda: Yes. First of all be yourself a cultured man, a gentleman. You are worse than animals. What animals cannot do, you are doing. Hare Kṛṣṇa. [break] …man is defined by Cāṇakya Paṇḍit.

mātṛvat para-dāreṣu

para-dravyeṣu loṣṭravat

ātmavat sarva-bhūteṣu

yaḥ paśyati sa paṇḍitaḥ

Here is culture. First thing is, any woman except one’s own wife.

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: :What is that, Śrīla Prabhupāda?

Here is a short insert that shows Prabhupada knows what he is talking about sex desire and how difficult it is to control it.

Continue reading →

Hare Krishna Society

Krsna Consciousness means….SP

Devotee means above the social positions of brahmana, sudra,etc–SP

There’s a new Smarta Brahmana organization on the block-Iskcon !!

“Accident” is not a word in the Vedic dictionary–SP

Lord Caitanya instructs Sanatana goswami about mantras, devotees and behavior, and much more–SP

The name Hari has many meanings–SP

Biogenesis and the Birth of Modern Science

Congregationally chanting Hare Krsna-otherwise we become complicated with details only-SP

The Cultured man defined and what happens in kali yuga

SP defines the cultured man-and how to spot one