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and life goes on, despite our insignificant efforts to change or alter it…..

         3 weeks ago, below, in our garden #1

                   

             today—pole beans, peas, brassicas, radishes, spinach, kolhrabi, rutabhaga, 

coriander, summer and winter squash,  pear and apple trees,..etc etc….

                                 

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How to defeat the enemies of the Lord? – Explained by Śrīla PrabhupādaCaitanya Caritāmṛta,1973 Edition, Ādi lila, Volume 2, Chapter 7,Lord Caitanya in Five Features, Text 99:prabhura miṣṭa-vākya śuni’ sannyāsīra gaṇacitta phiri’ gela, kahe madhura vacana
prabhura—of the Lord; miṣṭa-vākya—sweet words; śuni’—after hearing; sannyāsīra gaṇa—all the groups of sannyāsīs; citta—consciousness; phiri’—moved; gela—went; kahe—said; madhura—pleasing; vacana—words. TranslationAfter hearing Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, all the Māyāvādī sannyāsīs were moved. Their minds changed, and thus they spoke with pleasing words. Purport
The Māyāvādī sannyāsīs met Caitanya Mahāprabhu at Vārāṇasī to criticize the Lord regarding His participation in the saṅkīrtana movement, which they did not like. This demonic nature of opposition to the saṅkīrtana movement perpetually exists. As it existed in the time of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, similarly it existed long before that, even in the time of Prahlāda Mahārāja. He used to chant in saṅkīrtana although his father did not like it, and that was the reason for the misunderstanding between the father and son. In the Bhagavad-gītā (Bg. 7.15) the Lord says: na māṁ duṣkṛtino mūḍhāhprapadyante narādhamāḥmāyayāpahṛta-jñānāāsuraṁ bhāvam āśritāḥ“Those miscreants who are grossly foolish, who are lowest among mankind, whose knowledge is stolen by illusion, and who partake of the atheistic nature of demons do not surrender unto Me.” The Māyāvādī sannyāsīs are āsuraṁ bhāvam āśritāḥ, which means that they have taken the path of the asuras (demons), who do not believe in the existence of the form of the Lord. The Māyāvādīs say that the ultimate source of everything is impersonal, and in this way they deny the existence of God. Saying that there is no God is direct denial of God, and saying that God exists but has no head, legs or hands and cannot speak, hear or eat is a negative way of denying His existence. A person who cannot see is called blind, one who cannot walk can be called lame, one who has no hands can be called helpless, one who cannot speak can be called dumb, and one who cannot hear can be called deaf. The Māyāvādīs’ proposition that God has no legs, no eyes, no ears and no hands is an indirect way of insulting Him by defining Him as blind, deaf, dumb, lame, helpless, etc. Therefore although they present themselves as great Vedāntists, they are factually māyayāpahṛta-jñāna; in other words, they seem to be very learned scholars, but the essence of their knowledge has been taken away. Impersonalist Māyāvādīs always try to defy Vaiṣṇavas because Vaiṣṇavas accept the Supreme Personality as the supreme cause and want to serve Him, talk with Him and see Him, just as the Lord is also eager to see His devotees and talk, eat and dance with them. These personal exchanges of love do not appeal to the Māyāvādī sannyāsīs. Therefore the original purpose of the Māyāvādī sannyāsīs of Benares in meeting Caitanya Mahāprabhu was to defeat His personal conception of God. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, however, as a preacher, turned the minds of the Māyāvādī sannyāsīs. They were melted by the sweet words of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu and thus became friendly and spoke to Him also in sweet words. Similarly, all preachers will have to meet opponents, but they should not make them more inimical. They are already enemies, and if we talk with them harshly or impolitely their enmity will merely increase. We should therefore follow in the footsteps of Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu as far as possible and try to convince the opposition by quoting from the śāstras and presenting the conclusion of the ācāryas. It is in this way that we should try to defeat all the enemies of the Lord.

Immortal Charity:

Srila Prabhupada’s Gift to the World

By Narasimha das

O spotless one, your answers to all these questions will grant immunity from all material miseries. Such charity is greater than all Vedic charities, sacrifices, penances and so on.  (Srimad-Bhagavatam, 3.7.41)

“The highest perfectional work of charity is to give people in general immunity from the anxieties of material existence. This can be done only by performing activities in devotional service to the Lord. Such knowledge is incomparable. Cultivation of knowledge in the Vedas, performance of sacrifice, and distribution of munificent charities all together cannot form even a part of the immunity from the pangs of material existence that is gained from devotional service. The charity of Maitreya not only will help Vidura, but, due to its universal nature, will deliver all others in all times. Thus, Maitreya is immortal.” (Srimad-Bhagavatam 3.7.41, Purport)

In this section of Srimad-Bhagavatam, the great saint Vidura raises many questions to Maitreya Rishi. His aim was to point out the principles of transcendental loving service to the Lord. He knew that by this understanding anyone, past, present or future, will be liberated from the miseries of material existence and return to the spiritual world via the methods of pure devotion.

Sripada Baladeva Vidyabhusana Tirobhava Tithi [disappearance day]Sunday, June 20, 2021  [Mayapur, West Bengal, Bharata Bhumi time]

Compiled by Yasoda nandana dasa

Srila Prabhupada explains how Sri Baladeva Vidyabhusana wrote the Gaudiya-Bhasya on the Vedanta-sutras.

But sometimes back, in Jaipur, there was a challenge that “The Gauḍīya Sampradāya has no commentary on the Vedānta-sūtra.” So, at that time Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura was requested… Because he was grand scholar, grand old man scholar, at that time living in Vṛndāvana… So, he was very old at that time; so he authorized Baladeva Vidyābhūṣana, that “You do it.” There was no need, but people are demanding, “Where is your commentary on the Vedānta-sūtra?” So Baladeva Vidyābhūṣana, with the order of Govindaji at Jaipur, he wrote the commentary on Brahma-sūtra. That name is Govinda-bhāṣya. So, the Gauḍīya-Brahmā Sampradāya, they have got also commentary on Brahma-sūtra. That is required. Lectures : Bhagavad-gita Lectures : Bg 13: Lectures : Bhagavad-gita 13.8-12 — Bombay, September 30, 1973 : 730930BG.BOM

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.

Śacīmātā defeats Māyāvādī philosophies

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Srila Prabhupada 1972 letter to devotees to stop business of traveling

road shows, electronic music, and drama presentation

“Anyone who will be attracted will be attracted by that alone, nothing more, not psychic sleep, nor rock and roll music, nor ridiculous plays, nor sentimental, wishy-washy songs. “

ISKCON

INTERNATIONAL SOCIETY FOR KRISHNA CONSCIOUSNESS INC.

FOUNDER — ACARYA, His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

All Glories to Sri Guru and Gouranga!