Hare Krishna Society

Dear Srila Prabhupada

Please accept my humble obeisance all glories to your lotus feet.

On this your 122nd Vyasapuja your glories, your books and the message of Lord Chaitanya as well as the distribution of the holy names Hare Krsna Hare Krsna Krsna Krsna Hare Hare Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare remain stymied by the constant onslaught of mayas forces. We continue to be isolated in many places around the planet and our association with other devotees at this time is limited mostly to the internet. This is due to a very serious lack of cooperation amongst our rank and file. Bitterness and division still remain with irregular forces of deception around the world continuing to sew doubt and hopelessness with the use of fear and intimidation. I do not know how long we can all continue in this glorious struggle on your behalf without succumbing to the ravages of poverty, weakness, age and disease before we succeed. We are all bound and determined to continue with your instructions regardless of the cost because we firmly believe in your presence, your messages and your divine instructions. The situation here in Canada for the spreading of the original Krsna consciousness movement is very weak for the most part. Any spiritual strength we get is from reports of increased expansion of this movement in pockets of resistance in Quebec and on the west coast of the USA and Canada. Continue reading →

The following conversation between His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada and some of his disciples took place on an early-morning walk in January 1974 at Venice Beach, California.

Devotee: Srila Prabhupada, here in California the divorce rate is nearly 50%. Why do you think that is so?

Srila Prabhupada: In India there is a saying that he who is married laments and he who is not married also laments. The married man laments, “Why did I marry? I could have remained free.” And he who is not married laments, “Oh, why didn’t I accept a wife? I would have been happy.” [Laughter.] By sex one begets a child, and as soon as there is a child there is suffering. The child suffers, and the parents also suffer to take care of him. But again they have another child. Therefore it is said in Srimad-Bhagavatam [7.9.45], trpyanti neha krpana bahu-duhkha-bhajah. In connection with this child-producing there is so much difficulty and trouble, but although one knows that, one again does the same thing.

Sex is the main happiness in this material world. That is the main happiness, and it is very abominable. What is this happiness? Kanduyanena karayor iva duhkha-duhkham. It is like the rubbing of two hands together to relieve an itch. Sex produces so many bad results, but still one is not satisfied. Now there are contraceptives, abortion – so many things. Maya [illusion] is so strong; she says, “Yes, do this and be implicated.” Therefore the Bhagavatam says, kandutivan manasijam visaheta dhirah. A man who is dhira, sober and sane, tolerates this itching sensation of sex desire. One who can tolerate the itching sensation saves so much trouble, but one who cannot is immediately implicated. Whether illicit or legitimate, sex is trouble.

Devotee: Srila Prabhupada, this is the first time we’ve walked this way. Everything looks different and new.

Srila Prabhupada: [Laughs.] This is material life. We are wandering sometimes this way, sometimes that way, and we are thinking, “Oh, this is new.” Brahmanda bhramite: we are wandering all over the universe trying to find out something new. But nothing is new: everything is old.

When a man becomes old, he generally thinks, “Oh, this life is so troublesome.” So he is allowed to change to a new body, a child’s body. The child is taken care of, and he thinks, “Now I’ve got such a comfortable life.” But again he becomes old and disgusted. So, Krsna is so kind: “All right,” He says, “change your body.” This is punah punas carvita-carvananam, chewing the chewed. Krsna gives the living entity many facilities: “All right, become a tree. All right, become a serpent. All right, become a demigod. All right, become a king. Become a cobbler. Go to the heavenly planets. Go to the hellish planets.” There are so many varieties of life, but in all of them the living entity is packed up in this material world. He’s looking for freedom, but he does not know that freedom is available only under the shelter of Krsna. That he will not accept.

Seeing the suffering in this material world, the Mayavadis [impersonalists] want to make life variety-less (nirvisesa) and the Buddhists want to make it zero (sunyavadi). But neither proposition is possible. You may remain variety-less for some time, but again you will want varieties. Big, big sannyasis [renunciants] preach so much about brahma satyam jagan mithya [“The impersonal Absolute is true; this universe is false”], but again they come down from Brahman to do political and social work. They cannot remain in Brahman for long, so they have to accept this material variety, because variety is the mother of enjoyment. Therefore, our proposition is this: Come to the real variety, Krsna consciousness. Then your life will be successful.

Devotee: Most people are trying to enjoy so much in this life that they don’t even think about the next life.

Srila Prabhupada: They do not know what the next life is, so they make it zero. They say, “There is no next life,” and in that way they are satisfied. When a rabbit sees some danger it closes its eyes and thinks there is no danger. These rascals are like that. It is all ignorance.

Devotee: There is a philosophy called stoicism, which says that since life is meant for suffering, one should just become very sturdy and suffer a great deal.

Srila Prabhupada: So, their idea is that one who can suffer without any protest – he is a first-class man. Believing in such a philosophy means that one does not know how to stop suffering. One class of philosophers says that suffering cannot be dismissed and therefore we must be strong to tolerate it. And another class of philosophers says that since life is full of suffering, we should make life zero. But neither class has any information that there is real life where there is no suffering. That is Krsna consciousness. There is life, but no suffering. Anandamayo ‘bhyasat: simply bliss. Dancing, eating, and chanting, with no suffering. Would anybody refuse that? Is there any such fool?

Devotee: People deny that such a life exists.

Srila Prabhupada: But suppose there is such a life, where you can simply dance, eat, and live happily for eternity. Would you not like to accept it?

Devotee: Anyone would like to accept it. But people think it doesn’t exist.

Srila Prabhupada: So our first proposition should be that there is a life like this – only happiness, with no suffering. Everyone will say, “Yes, I would like it.” They will accept it. Unfortunately, because people have been cheated again and again, they think that this is another cheating. Therefore, preaching Krsna consciousness means to convince people that there is a life full of happiness, with no suffering.

Devotee: What will convince them that we are not cheating, also?

Srila Prabhupada: Invite them to come to our temple and see our devotees. We are chanting, dancing, and eating nicely. This is practical proof.

Devotee: But doesn’t one have to be purified before one can realize these things?

Srila Prabhupada: No. We say, “Come and chant Hare Krsna with us; you’ll become purified. We don’t want anything from you. We shall give you food – we shall give you everything. Simply come and chant with us.” This is our message.

June 19 1974 Germany morning walk conversation

(Note--BelowSrila Prabhupada explains how the Christians (and most everyone else) take religion as an easy going affair with Jesus, He also explains how to understand reincarnation.)

Prabhupāda: ...five items. No illicit sex, no gambling, no intoxication, no meat-eating and chant sixteen rounds. Is it very difficult task?

Haṁsadūta: No.

Prabhupāda: And why people do not take it?

Haṁsadūta: They are just foolish.

Prabhupāda: If by following these five principles one can be saved from all problems of life… Still, people will not take it. Just see, strong māyā. Daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā [Bg. 7.14]. [break] What was the later on talk?

…At present Christian religion is made easy. Christian religion made easy. What is that? Now, first of all Christ has taken out contract that “You go on committing all sinful life. I am guaranteeing you will be saved.” Is it not?

Haṁsadūta: Yes.

Prabhupāda: Or…? What is that?

Satsvarūpa: Yes.

Prabhupāda: So poor Christ has taken all concern. He will be crucified, and they will enjoy life. This is very easy religion. “I have nothing to do, and besides that, if Christ says something to do, that also we can neglect because he has taken guarantee. So although Christ says, ‘Thou shalt not kill,’ I can neglect that.” And then, if still he is captured, he will say, “Bible is very old.”

Haṁsadūta: How can we accept it?

Prabhupāda: (laughing) How they have made easy life, that see. They are… There is a story that a boy went for examination. So when he came back, his father asked, “My dear boy, how you have written your question paper?” “Yes, very nice.” “How?” “No, those questions which were very difficult, I could not answer. And the easier questions, what is to write? I know everything. (laughter) Easier questions, there is no need of writing. I know everything.” Both ways he has not written anything. So these rascals, both ways they will not follow anything. And still, they will credit… Not only Christians, everywhere these people want to banish God. Simply we are canvassing “God, God, God.” Otherwise nobody cares. Say about 1945, so in front of my house there was an old man. So as neighbor, we had very good talks always. So as soon as I say, “Bhagavān,” he will be angry. “God.” So one day he said, “Why you always say Bhagavān, God?” Just see, an old man and still he is such a rascal. He did not like. That is called demonism. Even the father of Prahlāda Mahārāja, that five years old boy, he was doing nothing harm, simply chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa—he became angry: “No, no.” So big enemy that he wanted to kill him. This is demoniac.

…Prabhupāda: There was a movement, Moral Rearmament Movement, started from America.

… So it was going on for some years, then collapsed. The movement was started by some priest or gentleman, and it was supported by President Eisenhower. It was patronized by him. So their principle was that, Christian principle, that “You do whatever you[want]… Simply confess. Simply confess.” So that man came to India also with his party, just like I travel. [break] …

[without ]substance, no movement will stay. It may go on for some time, bhūtvā bhūtvā pralīyate [Bg. 8.19].Now, what about our movement? It will stay or it will also go like that?

Satsvarūpa: It will stay. We already have another generation coming up in Gurukula. The big danger, you say, is faction.

(Note— Srila Prabhupadas prophetic words above, again ringing true….)

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SB 2.10.43 purport…

The foolish conditioned soul who has taken this temporary world as a permanent settlement has to learn intelligently why such creation and destruction take place. The fruitive actors in the material world are very enthusiastic in the creation of big enterprises, big houses, big empires, big industries and so many big, big things out of the energy and ingredients supplied by the material agent of the Supreme Lord. With such resources, and at the cost of valuable energy, the conditioned soul creates, satisfies his whims, but unwillingly has to depart from all his creations and enter into another phase of life to create again and again. To give hope to such foolish conditioned souls who waste their energy in this temporary material world, the Lord gives information that there is another nature, which is eternally existent without being occasionally created or destroyed, and that the conditioned soul can understand what he should do and how his valuable energy may be utilized.

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Hare Krsna -Below is a short summary from Srimad Bhagavatam (3rd printing 1977) of how the creation of this material world takes place. For those who want to know how that it took more than 6 days and then the Lord rested, here is a more exacting description.

Damaghosa das

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SB 3.5.23 -The Personality of Godhead, the master of all living entities, existed prior to the creation as one without a second. It is by His will only that creation is made possible and again everything merges in Him. This Supreme Self is symptomized by different names.

PURPORT -…As explained in Bhagavad-gītā (9.7), the material creation takes place at intervals by the will of the Lord, and in the periods between dissolution and creation, the living entities and the material energy remain dormant in Him.

SB 3.5.24 -The Lord, the undisputed proprietor of everything, was the only seer. The cosmic manifestation was not present at that time, and thus He felt imperfect without His plenary and separated parts and parcels. The material energy was dormant, whereas the internal potency was manifested.

SB 3.5.25 -The Lord is the seer, and the external energy, which is seen, works as both cause and effect in the cosmic manifestation. O greatly fortunate Vidura, this external energy is known as māyā or illusion, and through her agency only is the entire material manifestation made possible.

Continue reading →

Subject: Srila Sac-Cid=Ananda Bhaktivinoda Thakur avirbhava tithi [appearance day] Monday, September 4, 2018 [Mayapura, West Bengal, Bharata Bhumi time]

Srila Sac-Cid-Ananda Bhaktivinoda Thakur avirbhava tithi [appearance day]
Saturday, September 22, 2018 [Mayapura, West Bengal, Bharata Bhumi time]
Srila Prabhupafa glorifies Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura
compiled by Padmapani dasa
(The Prabhupada Connection) THE PRABHUPADA CONNECTION
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Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura’s Appearance

His Divine Grace Śrīla Saccidānanda Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura

The pioneer of the program to benedict the entire world with Kṛṣṇa consciousness
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So today is very auspicious day, Ṭhākura Bhaktivinoda’s birthday. Here is the picture of Ṭhākura Saccidānanda Bhaktivinoda. He was one of the ācāryas of this disciplic succession from Kṛṣṇa. We have got a succession table from Kṛṣṇa, genealogical table. There are two kinds of genealogical tables: one by the semina—father, his son, his son, like that; that is material genealogical table—and there is one spiritual genealogical table, disciplic succession.

Just like Kṛṣṇa… Kṛṣṇa, the original father, Supreme Personality of Godhead, He spoke the Vedic knowledge to Brahmā, Lord Brahmā. He spoke to Nārada. Nārada spoke to Vyāsa. Vyāsa spoke to Madhvācārya. So, in this disciplic succession, Lord Caitanya, from Lord Caitanya, the six Gosvāmīs, and similarly, coming down, down, Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura, then Gaurakiśora dāsa Bābājī Mahārāja, then my spiritual master, then we are, next generation, my disciples.

So, there is a disciplic succession, and the ācāryas, they’re authorities. Our process of knowledge is very simple: we take it from the authority. We don’t speculate. Speculation will not help us to come to the real knowledge. Just like when we are in difficulty, in legal implication, we go to some authority, lawyer.

When we are diseased we go to a physician, the authority. There is no use, speculation. Suppose I am in difficulty in some legal implication. I simply speculate, “I shall be free in this way and that way.” That will not help. We have to go to the lawyer who knows things, and he gives us instruction that “You do like this; then you’ll be free.”

Similarly, when we are diseased, if I speculate at home that “My disease will be cured in this way and that way,” no. That is useless. You go to an authorized physician, and he will give you a nice prescription, and you’ll be cured. That is the process of knowledge.

But in the modern age people think that “I am free, I am independent, and I can make my own solution.” That is rascaldom. That’s not good. So Arjuna, when he was talking with Kṛṣṇa as friend, but when he saw that there was no solution talking like this, he surrendered to Kṛṣṇa. He said, śiṣyas te ‘ham (BG 2.7). Aham: “Myself, I surrender unto You as Your disciple.” Śiṣyas te ‘haṁ śādhi māṁ prapannam. Prapannam means surrender.

So that is the Vedic injunction, that if you want to know transcendental knowledge or science… “Transcendental” means beyond the scope of your direct perception. So spiritual knowledge is beyond the scope of our sense speculation. Beyond the scope. Just like when a soul, a spiritual spark only, leaves this body, you cannot see. Therefore, atheistic class of men, they speculate, “There may be a soul; there may not be soul.” Or “The bodily function was going like this; now it stopped. The blood corpuscles now cease. It is no more red; it is white; therefore life…” These are speculation. This is not actual knowledge.

Actual knowledge you get from the authority, Kṛṣṇa. He says, tathā dehāntara-prāptir dhīras tatra na muhyati (BG 2.13). Just like the soul is passing through different stages. Dehino ‘smin yathā dehe. Deha, deha means this body. Asmin dehe, in this body, there is dehi. Dehi means who is the owner of this body. That is soul. That is passing through childhood, boyhood, babyhood, youthhood, old age. Everyone, you can perceive that you were a child, you were a baby, you were a boy. Now you are young man or old man. So, you are there.

So, as you are passing through different types of bodies, similarly, when you give up this body you accept another body. What is the difficulty? Tathā dehāntara-prāptir dhīras tatra na muhyati (BG 2.13). There is no question of becoming astonished, how transmigration of the self, soul, takes place. The vivid example is there. Simply you require little intelligence. That intelligence is developed through the instruction of ācārya.

Therefore, Vedic injunction is not to acquire knowledge by speculation. That is useless. Athāpi te deva padāmbuja-dvayaṁ jānāti tattvaṁ prasāda-leśānugṛhīta eva hi, na cānya eko ‘pi ciraṁ vicinvan (SB 10.14.29). Ciraṁ vicinvan. Ciram means for thousands of years you can speculate, you cannot understand what is God. That is not possible. But if you receive knowledge from the devotee, he can deliver you.

Therefore, Vedic injunction is that tad-vijñāna… in order to understand tad-vijñāna… Vijñāna means science. If you want to know the transcendental science, then you must approach a guru, tad-vijñānārtham, in order to… If you are at all interested to understand the spiritual science, tad-vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum eva abhigacchet (MU 1.2.12), you must approach guru. Guru means this disciplic succession, as I have explained.

So Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura is an ideal guru. He was not a sannyāsī; he was gṛhastha, householder, living with family, wife, children. Still, he was guru. So anyone can become guru. Not that a sannyāsī can become guru. A householder also can become guru, provided he knows the science. Caitanya Mahāprabhu, when He was talking with Rāmānanda Rāya…

Caitanya Mahāprabhu was a sannyāsī, very highly born in brāhmaṇa family, very learned scholar. So He was talking with Rāmānanda Rāya, a gṛhastha, governor of Madras. And He was questioning, and Rāmānanda Rāya was answering. That means he was taking the part of guru, and Caitanya Mahāprabhu was taking the part of a disciple.

So, he was hesitating, Rāmānanda Rāya. He thought himself that “I am a gṛhastha; I’m not even a brāhmaṇa. Besides that, I am dealing in material affairs. I am governor, politics. And Caitanya Mahāprabhu is a sannyāsī, born of a high-class brāhmaṇa family. So, it does not look well that I shall teach Him.” So, he was hesitating. Caitanya Mahāprabhu said, “Oh, why you are hesitating?” He said,

kibā vipra, kibā śūdra, nyāsi kene naya
yei kṛṣṇa-tattva-vetta, sei ‘guru’ haya
(CC Madhya 8.128)

He said, “Don’t hesitate. Either one may become a brāhmaṇa or one may become a śūdra…” Kibā vipra, kibā śūdra. Vipra means brāhmaṇa, and śūdra, śūdra is the fourth-grade human being. Brāhmaṇa is the first grade. So kibā vipra, kibā śūdra. He may be a first-grade human being or the lowest grade human being, or he may become a sannyāsī or a gṛhastha. It does not matter. Anyone who knows the science of Kṛṣṇa, he can become a guru. This is the verdict.

Because spiritual science does not belong to the bodily platform. It is on the spiritual platform. It is very nice. Just like when you go to a lawyer or to an engineer or to a physician, you do not inquire whether he’s a brāhmaṇa or śūdra. Simply you have to know whether he’s a lawyer. That’s all. Whether he’s a physician actually. If he knows the medical science, he may be a brāhmaṇa, he may be a śūdra, he may be a sannyāsī, he may be a householder—it doesn’t matter.

Your business is with a physician, with a lawyer. Similarly, your business is to understand Kṛṣṇa. So anyone who knows Kṛṣṇa perfectly, you have to go there. Tad-vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum evābhigacchet (MU 1.2.12). It is… Vedic injunction is not that you have to approach a sannyāsī or a gṛhastha or a Indian or American. No. Gurum. And guru means who knows the science of Kṛṣṇa.

So, this Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura was gṛhastha, very responsible officer, magistrate. And he was so exalted that he would come from his office generally at five o’clock, then take his supper and immediately go to bed. Immediately. Say at seven o’clock in the evening he goes to bed, and he wakes up at twelve o’clock. So suppose he goes to bed at seven o’clock in the evening and wakes up at twelve o’clock at night; it is sufficient sleep, five hours. One should not sleep more than five to six hours. Minimize as far as possible.

The Gosvāmīs used to sleep not more than one and a half hour, or two hours. Sleeping is not very important thing. Even big politicians, they used to sleep for two hours. So especially in spiritual line, they should minimize as far as possible eating, sleeping, mating, defending. Minimize. Gradually it come to nil. Raghunātha dāsa Gosvāmī, he was eating only a little piece of butter every alternate days, not daily.

So, this Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura, regularly he was coming from his office, and after taking his supper immediately he goes to bed, and wake up at twelve o’clock, and he used to write books. He wrote…, he left behind him about one hundred books.

And he excavated the birthplace of Lord Caitanya, organized how to develop that birth site, Māyāpur. He had so many business. He used to go to preach about Caitanya’s philosophy. He used to sell books to foreign countries. In 1896, he attempted to sell Life and Precepts of Lord Caitanya in the MacGill University in Montreal. So, he was busy, ācārya. One has to adjust things. Not that “Because I am gṛhastha, householder, I cannot become a preacher.

“It is the business of the sannyāsī or brahmacārī.” No. It is the business of everyone. The whole world is suffering for want of knowledge. The present civilization is animal civilization. They do not know anything beyond eating, sleeping, mating and defending. That’s all. This is animal civilization.

Animal does not know beyond these four principles of life: eating, sleeping, mating and defending. That’s all. No. Human life is meant for something else: “What I am? What is God? What is my relation with God? What is this material world? Why I am here? Where I have to go next?” So many things one has to learn. Athāto brahma jijñāsā. This is human life. Not that eat and sleep and have sex life and die someday like cats and dogs.

Therefore, there is need of ācāryas, teachers, for propagating spiritual knowledge, Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura was… Although he was a gṛhastha, householder, a government officer, magistrate, but he was ācārya. So, from his dealings, from his life, we should learn how one can become a preacher in any stage of life. It doesn’t matter what he is.

There was one incidence, very interesting. When he was magistrate in Jagannātha Purī… The system is… Jagannātha temple is a very big establishment. In the temple, fifty-six times daily bhoga is offered. And you’ll find in the temple always at least five hundred to one thousand people gathered. And they come from outside, and prasāda is ready. If you go and ask in the Jagannātha temple that “We are one hundred men come from outside. We want prasāda,” yes, immediately ready. So it is a huge temple.

This is one temple, but there are many other thousands of temple in India where prasāda is distributed. Now it is minimized by our present government. They think that it is unnecessary expenditure. They are minimizing. But not unnecessary expenditure. They do not understand. Formerly, in India there was no necessity of hotel. Anyone goes anywhere, even in a village, he goes to a temple—prasāda is ready.

There is no need of going to a hotel. You pay or don’t pay. If you say that “I want little prasāda,” “Yes, take it.” That is the system still. There is the Nāthadvārā temple in Rajasthan. You pay two annas only. Two annas means one cent. You get sumptuous prasāda for two annas, all very nice prasāda, still. So prasāda distribution in temple is longstanding usage.

So Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura… The Jagannātha temple is managed by a body, and it is the custom that the local magistrate of the district, he becomes the president, or manager. So Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura was manager in that sense, because he was magistrate. The managing committee was being presided by him. So there was a complaint in Orissa. This Jagannātha temple is situated in Orissa. Utkāla. Utkāla, this state, was originally belonging to Dhruva Mahārāja. His son’s name was Utkāla, Mahārāja Utkāla.

Anyway, so this Utkāla, there was a pseudo yogī. He declared himself that… Just like you’ll find nowadays also, there are so many rascals declaring that “I am incarnation of God.” And they know some mystic power, play some jugglery, and foolish people take them: “Oh, he’s God.”

So there appeared one like such pseudo God, Viṣṇu, in a village of Orissa. And he was dancing rāsa dance, and foolish people were sending their daughters and wife to dance with him. You see? There were so many; not only that. People are so foolish, they do not know… They want to be cheated, and these cheaters come. He declared that “I am God. I am Viṣṇu.”

So, there were sane men also. They took objection, “What is this nonsense? This man is dancing with ladies and gentlemen, er, girls.” So, they filed a complaint. At that time, it was British rule. They complained to the governor or the commissioner, very high officer. The commissioner knew that Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura…

His name was Kedāranātha Datta. Datta. Kedāranātha Datta, his household name. So the commissioner of the division, he knew that Kedāranātha Datta is a religious man, and he’s magistrate in charge. So he handed over the case for inquiry, “What is this complaint? You please inquire and do the needful.”

So he was a pure devotee, and he understood that “This rascal is a bogus man, cheating people. I must inquire.” So he went to the village in plain dress with some constables, police constables. They were also in plain dress. And as soon as he approached that rascal yogī, he said, “Oh, you are Kedāranātha Datta. So, very nice. You are… I shall make you king of India. Please don’t try to bother me.” Because he could know that “He has come to inquire about my rāsa-līlā.”

So Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura first of all said, “Sir, you are such a great yogī. Why you are in the village? Why don’t you go to Jagannātha Purī? There is temple, and Lord Jagannātha is there. Better you go there and see the Lord and be happy. Why you are in this village?” “Oh, Jagannātha? Ah, that is made of wood. I am personally the Supreme Lord. That is made of wood.” Oh, then Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura—he was a devotee—he became fire. (laughter) He was insulting. Arcye śilā-dhīr guruṣu nara-matiḥ (Padma Purāṇa, Brahma Khaṇḍa 25.15-18).

According to śāstra, if somebody thinks… Just like here is Deity. If somebody thinks, “Oh, it is made of stone…” It is stone to the eyes of the nondevotee, but it is personally Supreme Personality of Godhead to the devotees. It requires the eyes to see. So, devotee sees in a different angle of vision.

Just like Caitanya Mahāprabhu, when He entered Jagannātha temple, immediately He fainted: “Oh, here is My Lord.” And the nondevotee is seeing, “It is wood, a lump of wood.” Therefore, to the nondevotee, He remains always as wood, but to the devotee He speaks. That is the difference. Premāñjana-cchurita-bhakti-vilocanena (Bs. 5.38).

If God is everything, why wood, through wood and stone, God cannot manifest? If God is everything, according to Māyāvāda philosophy… That’s a fact. God, omnipotent. He can express Himself even through wood and stone. That is God’s omnipotency. That is called omnipotency. Not that God is unable to express Himself through wood and stone. Then how He’s omnipotent? Omnipotent means His potency can be expressed through anything.

Because anything, everything is the expansion of God’s energy. Parasya brahmaṇaḥ śaktis tathedam akhilaṁ jagat (Viṣṇu Purāṇa 1.22.52). The whole world is manifestation of different energies of God. Therefore… Just like through the energy of electricity the electric powerhouse, although far, far away from this place, was expressing: there is electricity. Through this glass, through these wires, the power can be expressed. There is a process.

So Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura became very much… Because a devotee cannot tolerate blaspheming another devotee or God. So as soon as he said that “Why shall I go to Jagannātha Purī to see the wooden Jagannātha? I am personally Viṣṇu,” Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura immediately ordered his constables, “Arrest him. Arrest this rascal.” So he was arrested.

And when he was arrested—he had some yogic mystic power—all the constables, Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura and his family member became affected with high fever, 105 degrees fever. So, when he came back, his wife became very much disturbed that “You arrested Viṣṇu, and we are all going to die. We have got now high fever.” Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura replied, “Yes, let us all die, but this rascal must be punished.” This is the view of pure devotee.

So, he was put into the custody. And there was a date fixed for his trial, and all these days Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura himself and his family especially, they were suffering from high fever. Maybe that yogī was planning to kill all the whole family. But it was going on as fever. So, on the trial day, Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura, Kedāranātha Datta, when he came to the bench the man was presented, the so-called yogī, and he had big, big hairs.

So Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura ordered that “Bring one barber and cut his hair.” So no barber dared. The barbers thought, “Oh, he’s a Lord Viṣṇu. If I offend, as he’s suffering from fever, so I shall also die.” So Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura ordered that “Give me the scissor. I’ll cut.” So he cut his hairs and ordered him to be put into jail for six months, and in the jail that Viṣṇu incarnation managed to took some poison, and he died.

So this is one of the incidents. There are many incidences. He was very strong man. He punished many paṇḍas in the tīrthas who exploit visitors. So this is the position of devotee. In spite of his becoming a responsible magistrate, a householder, still, he was ācārya. So we have to follow the ācāryas.

If we at all…, if we are at all interested in spiritual science, then we must follow the Vedic instruction, tad-vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum evābhigacchet (MU 1.2.12). We must approach. You cannot have spiritual knowledge simply by speculating. Impossible. Simply waste of time. Śrama eva hi kevalam (SB 1.2.8). You must go to the… In the Bhagavad-gītā, therefore, it is recommended ācāryopāsanam. Ācārya-upāsanā. Not only worshiping the Lord, but also the ācārya. Caitanya Mahāprabhu said, guru-kṛṣṇa-kṛpayā pāya bhakti-latā-bīja (CC Madhya 19.151). Guru, ācārya and Kṛṣṇa. One should seek favor of both of them. Not that “I am now seeking favor of Kṛṣṇa.

What is the use of guru or ācārya?” No. You cannot overlap ācārya and go to Kṛṣṇa. That is not possible. Kṛṣṇa will not accept you. Just like if you want to see a big man you should go through his secretary, through his orderly, doorkeeper; similarly, our process is ācāryopāsanam, go through the ācārya. That is the injunction of the Vedas. Tarko ‘pratiṣṭhaḥ.

If you want to enter into the spiritual world, you cannot get through simply by arguments. Because there is no limit of argument. I place my argument in one way; another man, who is better arguer, he places his argument in a different way. So if you simply go on arguing, it is not possible. Tarko ‘pratiṣṭhaḥ. It will never help you, argument.

Śrutayo vibhinnāḥ. If you think that “I shall read scriptures and I shall understand God,” no, that is also not possible. Śrutayo vibhinnāḥ. Scriptures are also different, because scriptures are made according to time, circumstances, people. Just like Bible. Bible, Lord Jesus Christ preached in the desert, Jerusalem.

Or where it is? People who were not so advanced. Therefore, his first instruction is, “Thou shall not kill.” That means they were very much engaged in killing affairs; otherwise, why is this instruction? And actually, it so happened that they killed Jesus Christ. So that society was not very enlightened society.

So, a scripture for a society which is not very enlightened and a scripture for a society which is very enlightened must be different. Just like a dictionary. For the schoolboy, a pocket dictionary, and for a college student, international big dictionary. Both of them are dictionaries, but the small pocket dictionary is not equal to the big dictionary—because it is different made for different classes of men.

So, scriptures are made according to different classes of men. There are three classes of men: first class, second class and third class. The third-class man cannot understand the philosophy and scriptural injunction of the first-class man. That is not possible.

Higher mathematics cannot be understood by the small schoolboys who are simply trying to understand “Two plus two equal to four.” But “Two plus two equal to four” is equally good to the higher mathematics student. But still, higher mathematics and lower math is different. Therefore, it is said, śrutayo vibhinnāḥ: the scriptures are different.

So, if you simply try to understand what is God by reading scriptures, you cannot achieve. You must approach a guru. Just like a medical book: it can be available in the market. If you purchase one medical book and study and you become doctor, that is not possible. You must hear the medical book from a medical man in the college, medical college. Then you will be qualified. And if you say, “Sir, I have read all the medical books. Recognize me as a medical practitioner,” no, that will be not.

So śrutayo vibhinnāḥ. Scriptures are different. Arguments, that is also not helpful. One man may argue better than me. Then philosophy: The philosophy, it is said, nāsau munir yasya mataṁ na bhinnam (CC Madhya 17.186). One philosopher is differing from another philosopher. Just now today Śyāmasundara has purchased one book about different philosophers. So that, you also cannot ascertain what is truth. Therefore śāstra says, dharmasya tattvaṁ nihitaṁ guhāyām. The truth is very confidential. So if you want to know that truth, mahājano yena gataḥ sa panthāḥ (CC Madhya 17.186), you should have to follow the great ācāryas. Then you will understand.

Therefore ācārya-upāsanā is essential. Ācārya-upāsanā is very essential. In all the Vedic śāstras the injunction is that. Tad-vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum evābhigacchet, śrotriyaṁ brahma-niṣṭham (MU 1.2.12). Tasmād gurum prapadyeta jijñāsuḥ śreya uttamam (SB 11.3.21). Anyone who is inquisitive to understand higher truths, he must surrender to guru. Tasmād guruṁ prapadyeta, jijñāsuḥ śreya uttamam. One who is inquisitive, who is now inquiring about transcendental subject matter, tad viddhi praṇipātena paripraśnena sevayā (BG 4.34). So all the śāstras says, in our Vaiṣṇava śāstra also Rūpa Gosvāmī says, ādau gurv-āśrayam: “In the first beginning, you must take shelter of a bona fide guru.”

So, this Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura’s birthday, we should adore, we should worship, because in the modern age he reintroduced the disciplic succession. From Caitanya Mahāprabhu… Five hundred years ago, Caitanya Mahāprabhu taught this philosophy, but within two hundred years… Because this material world is so made that whatever you introduce, in due course of time it will deteriorate.

You make a nice house, but after hundred years, two hundred years, or nowadays, even after fifty years, it becomes dilapidated. That is the nature’s law, kāla. Time will destroy everything. Now, British empire, such a big, vast empire, now it is finished. The kāla, the time, will everything make finished. That is material. Anything material, it has birth, it has growth, it has got some opulence, then dwindling, then finished. That is the way of material…

So, we are interested in spiritual subject matter. Therefore, the process is ādau gurv-āśrayam: one has to accept a bona fide spiritual master. That is our process. Without accepting a bona fide spiritual master, we cannot make any progress. It is impossible. So Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura happens to be ācāryas, one of the ācāryas. And he has left behind him many books: Caitanya-śikṣāmṛta, Jaiva Dharma.

These are very important books. They’re in Bengali, in Sanskrit. And many songs. He has prepared many books of song. The song, Ei nām gāya gauracānd madhura svare, that is Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura’s song. So we are trying to present Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura’s books also in English translation. Gradually you will get it.

So, our adoration, our worship to Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura today, because he may bless us to make peacefully progress in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Ācārya-upāsanā: simply by the blessings of ācāryas we can make very rapid progress. Vedeṣu durlabham adurlabham ātma-bhaktau (Bs. 5.33). If we… Yasya prasādād bhagavat-prasādaḥ….

We sing every day. By the mercy of the spiritual master, ācārya, we immediately get the blessings of Lord. Immediately. Yasya prasādāt. Yasya means “whose”; prasādāt, “benediction.” By the benediction of the spiritual master. Yasya prasādād bhagavat-prasādaḥ. If spiritual master, ācārya, is pleased, then you should know that Kṛṣṇa is also pleased. You should know through.

This is not very difficult. Just like you are working in office. If your immediate officer, boss, is pleased, that means the proprietor of the firm, he’s also pleased, although you do not see him. This is fact. Your immediate boss, if he’s pleased. So similarly, we, our business, this spiritual line, is guru-kṛṣṇa-kṛpā.

We have to first receive the merciful benediction from the ācārya, and then Kṛṣṇa will be pleased and He’ll also give His blessings. Mad-bhakta. There is a version in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, mad-bhakta pūjyābhyadhikā. He says, Kṛṣṇa says, that “If anyone worships Me directly and if anyone worships Me through the ācārya, he’s better devotee who is coming to Me through ācārya.” Mad-bhakta pūjyābhyadhikā.

So our this Vaiṣṇava philosophy, process, is go through the ācārya. Servant of the servant of the servant. We should try to become servant of the servant. Gopī-bhartuḥ pada-kamalayor dāsa-dāsānudāsaḥ (CC Madhya 13.80). Dāsa-dāsānudāsaḥ. We should not approach the Supreme Personality of Godhead directly. That is not good.

That will not be… In the Vedic injunction also it is said, yasya deve parā bhaktir yathā deve tathā gurau (ŚU 6.23): if one has got unflinching faith in the Supreme Personality of Godhead, yathā deve, and similar faith in guru…

Of course, we must make guru bona fide. Then it is disciplic succession. And that is also not very difficult to select, who is bona fide guru. Bona fide guru means he presents himself as servant of God. He does not pose himself falsely that “I am God.” This is bona fide. It is not difficult to find out bona fide. But this is the test.

If anyone says that “I am guru…,” er, “I am God,” then he cannot be guru, because he has no knowledge. How he is God? But he can cheat some people. That is different thing. You can cheat all people for some time and some people for all time, but not all people for all time. That is not possible.

So these kinds of guru, who poses themself that “I am God,” he’s a false guru. The bona fide guru will say that “I am servant of the servant of the servant of Kṛṣṇa,” or God. Servant of. That is the business of guru. He serves Kṛṣṇa as Kṛṣṇa desires; that is his business. That is also not very difficult.

Kṛṣṇa says, Kṛṣṇa desires, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66), that “You give up all other engagement; just surrender unto Me, and I’ll give you protection.” Kṛṣṇa says. So guru’s business is that “You simply surrender to Kṛṣṇa.” What is the difficulty? Simply repeat the same thing. Not for himself, but for Kṛṣṇa. He’s bona fide guru.

So our this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is very bona fide because we say the same thing as Kṛṣṇa says. We don’t make any addition, alteration. Not like big scholars, like “It is not to Kṛṣṇa…” Kṛṣṇa says, man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru (BG 18.65), and the scholar interprets, “It is not to Kṛṣṇa.” Just see (the) foolishness. Kṛṣṇa directly says, “unto Me.” He says, “Not to Kṛṣṇa.” Misleading. Such misleading guru will not help you.

So therefore, to find out a bona fide guru means that he does not change the words of Kṛṣṇa. That is his position. He places everything as it is, and he has understood thoroughly the science. Jijñāsuḥ śreya uttamam. Guru…, what is the symptom of guru? Tasmād guruṁ prapadyeta jijñāsuḥ śreya uttamam (SB 11.3.21).

Those who are inquisitive to understand higher scientific knowledge, uttamam. Uttama means higher. Uttama, madhyama, adhama. There are three words: first class, second class, third class. So spiritual knowledge is uttamam. Anyone who is inquisitive to understand first-class knowledge, he requires to go to a guru. Those who are interested in third-class knowledge, they do not require any guru.

Third-class knowledge means animal knowledge: how to eat, how to sleep. How to make arrangement for eating, how to make arrangement for sleeping, that is third-class knowledge. Because the animal also try for this kind of knowledge, how to eat, how to sleep. Therefore, this kind of knowledge is third-class knowledge.

And second-class knowledge is “What I am?” Athāto brahma jijñāsā. The Vedānta. That is second-class knowledge. And first-class knowledge, when he actually understands what he is—he is eternal servant of Kṛṣṇa—and engages himself in the service of the Lord, that is first-class knowledge. And therefore, as soon as he comes to the first-class knowledge platform, he becomes happy.

brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā
na śocati na kāṅkṣati
samaḥ sarveṣu bhūteṣu
mad-bhaktiṁ labhate parām
(BG 18.54)

So, after being liberated from the material concept of life by the blessings of Kṛṣṇa and guru, one comes to the platform of first-class knowledge, where he engages himself directly in the service of the Lord, that is first-class knowledge. First-class knowledge means beyond liberation. Second-class knowledge is trying for liberation. Third-class knowledge means in bondage, like animal. The animal, they are bound up by the particular type of body and has no, I mean to say, possibility of becoming liberated. That is animal life.

But human life is better than animal life because he, if he likes, he can make himself liberated from this bondage of material body. That is the facility. He can understand himself what he is. He can understand what is God. He can understand the relationship between God and himself. He can understand what is this material world. Because there are thousands of books of knowledge. Take it for Bhagavad-gītā; everything is there. And it is meant for human being, not for the cats and dogs. Cats and dogs cannot understand, but a human being can understand.

So, our this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is to enlighten people to utilize his very nice life, human form of life, utilize it properly. To utilize it properly means to revive his dormant Kṛṣṇa consciousness. The Kṛṣṇa consciousness, or God consciousness, is there already. It is developed in human form of life. But it is now covered because due to our association with this material world for unlimited years background.

We are coming through different species of life. Millions and millions of years passed away. Suppose I was a tree sometimes. I was standing up for ten thousand years in one place. We have passed through. That’s a fact. That is evolution. Now we have got the opportunity of light. If you don’t use this opportune moment and again go back to the cycle of evolutionary process, jalajā nava-lakśaṇi sthāvarā…

So, these are great science. Unfortunately, there is no opportunity for the people to study this science in school, colleges or universities. They are simply teaching people that “You work hard and gratify your senses.” That’s all. Therefore, a section, younger section, they have been disgusted. They have refused to cooperate with this society on account of this disappointing education.

And it will increase. Because this sort of education cannot give peace or prosperity to the people. Problems are increasing. Therefore, our request is that if you want to decrease or completely finish all the problems of life, take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness in the process of disciplic succession and you’ll be all happy.

(Śrīla Prabhupāda Lecture, London, September 23, 1969)
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Srila Namacarya Haridasa Thakura Tirobhava Tithi [disappearance]

Sunday, September 23, 2018 [Mayapura, West Bengal, Bharata Bhumi time]

Srila Prabhupada glorifies Srila Haridasa Thakura

compiled by Narasimha dasa and Yasoda nandana dasa

‘upala-bhoga’ dekhi’ haridāsere dekhite

pratidina āisena, prabhu āilā ācambite

SYNONYMS

upala–bhoga—the offering of food to Lord Jagannātha at noon; dekhi‘-seeing; hari–dāsere dekhite—to see Haridāsa Ṭhākura; pratidina—daily; āisena—comes; prabhu—Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu; āilā—He reached there; ācambite—all of a sudden.

TRANSLATION

After seeing the upala–bhoga ceremony at the Jagannātha temple, Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu would regularly come to see Haridāsa every day. Thus He suddenly arrived there. CC Antya-Lila 1.47

haridāsa-rūpe lañā prabhu vasilā eka-sthāne

kuśala-praśna, iṣṭa-goṣṭhī kailā kata-kṣaṇe

SYNONYMS

hari–dāsa–rūpe—both Haridāsa Ṭhākura and Rūpa Gosvāmī; lañā—with; prabhu—Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu; vasilā—sat down; eka–sthāne—in one place; kuśala–praśna—questions about auspicious news; iṣṭa–goṣṭhī—talking together; kailā kata–kṣaṇe—continued for some time.

TRANSLATION

Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu then sat down with Haridāsa and Rūpa Gosvāmī. They inquired from one another about auspicious news, and then continued to talk together for some time. CC Antya-Lila 1.49

pratidina āsi’ rūpe karena milane

mandire ye prasāda pāna, dena dui jane

SYNONYMS

pratidina—every day; āsi‘-going; rūpe—Rūpa Gosvāmī; karena milane—Caitanya Mahāprabhu meets; mandire—at the Jagannātha temple; ye—whatever; prasāda pāna—prasāda He gets; dena—gives; dui jane—to two persons, Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī and Haridāsa Ṭhākura.

TRANSLATION

Every day Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu would go to see Rūpa Gosvāmī, and whatever prasāda He received from the temple He would deliver to Rūpa Gosvāmī and Haridāsa Ṭhākura. CC Antya-Lila 1.59

prasāda khāya, ‘hari’ bale sarva-bhakta-jana

dekhi’ haridāsa-rūpera haraṣita mana

SYNONYMS

prasāda khāya—eat the prasāda; hari bale—chant the holy name of Hari; sarva–bhakta–jana—all the devotees; dekhi‘-seeing this; hari–dāsa—of Haridāsa Ṭhākura; rūpera—and of Rūpa Gosvāmī; haraṣita—jubilant; mana—the minds.

TRANSLATION

When Haridāsa Ṭhākura and Rūpa Gosvāmī saw that all the devotees were accepting prasāda and chanting the holy name of Hari, they both were greatly pleased. CC vAntya-Lila 1.63

govinda-dvārā prabhura śeṣa-prasāda pāilā

preme matta dui-jana nācite lāgilā

SYNONYMS

govinda–dvārā—through Govinda; prabhura—of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu; śeṣa–prasāda—remnants of food; pāilā—they got; preme matta—overwhelmed by ecstasy; dui–jana—both of them; nācite lāgilā—began to dance.

TRANSLATION

When they received the remnants of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s prasāda through Govinda, they respected it, and then they both began to dance in ecstasy. CC Antya-Lila 1.64

sambhrame duṅhe uṭhi’ daṇḍavat hailā

duṅhe āliṅgiyā prabhu āsane vasilā

SYNONYMS

sambhrame—with great respect; duṅhe—Haridāsa Ṭhākura and Rūpa Gosvāmī; uṭhi‘-standing up; daṇḍavat hailā—fell down to offer obeisances; duṅhe—the two of them; āliṅgiyā—embracing; prabhu—Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu; āsane vasilā—sat down on a seat.

TRANSLATION

As soon as Haridāsa Ṭhākura and Rūpa Gosvāmī saw the Lord coming, they both stood up and then fell down to offer Him their respectful obeisances. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu embraced them both and then sat down. CC Antya-Lila 1.95

sei patre prabhu eka śloka ye dekhilā

paḍitei śloka, preme āviṣṭa ha-ilā

SYNONYMS

sei patre—on that palm leaf; prabhu—Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu; eka śloka—one verse; ye—which; dekhilā—He saw; paḍitei—by reading; śloka—the verse; preme—ecstatic love; āviṣṭa ha–ilā—was overwhelmed.

TRANSLATION

While reading the manuscript, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu saw a verse on that page, and as soon as He read it He was overwhelmed by ecstatic love. CC Antya-lila 1.98

tuṇḍe tāṇḍavinī ratiṁ vitanute tuṇḍāvalī-labdhaye

karṇa-kroḍa-kaḍambinī ghaṭayate karṇārbudebhyaḥ spṛhām

cetaḥ-prāṅgaṇa-saṅginī vijayate sarvendriyāṇāṁ kṛtiṁ

no jāne janitā kiyadbhir amṛtaiḥ kṛṣṇeti varṇa-dvayī

SYNONYMS

tuṇḍe—in the mouth; tāṇḍavinī—dancing; ratim—the inspiration; vitanute—expands; tuṇḍa–āvalī–labdhaye—to achieve many mouths; karṇa—of the ear; kroḍa—in the hole; kaḍambinī—sprouting; ghaṭayate—causes to appear; karṇa–arbudebhyaḥ spṛhām—the desire for millions of ears; cetaḥ–prāṅgaṇa—in the courtyard of the heart; saṅginī—being a companion; vijayate—conquers; sarva–indriyāṇām—of all the senses; kṛtim—the activity; no—not; jāne—I know; janitā—produced; kiyadbhiḥ—of what measure; amṛtaiḥ—by nectar; kṛṣṇa—the name of Kṛṣṇa; iti—thus; varṇa–dvayī—the two syllables.

TRANSLATION

“I do not know how much nectar the two syllables ‘Kṛṣ-ṇa’ have produced. When the holy name of Kṛṣṇa is chanted, it appears to dance within the mouth. We then desire many, many mouths. When that name enters the holes of the ears, we desire many millions of ears. And when the holy name dances in the courtyard of the heart, it conquers the activities of the mind, and therefore all the senses become inert.”

PURPORT

This verse is included in the Vidagdha–mādhava (1.15), a seven-act play written by Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī describing the pastimes of Śrī Kṛṣṇa in Vṛndāvana. CC Antya-Lila 1.99

śloka śuni haridāsa ha-ila ullāsī

nācite lāgilā ślokera artha praśaṁsi’

SYNONYMS

śloka śuni‘-hearing this verse; hari–dāsa—Haridāsa Ṭhākura; ha–ilā ullāsī—became very jubilant; nācite lāgilā—he began to dance; ślokera—of the verse; artha praśaṁsi‘-praising the meaning.

TRANSLATION

When Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu chanted this verse, Haridāsa Ṭhākura, upon hearing the vibration, became jubilant and began dancing and praising its meaning. CC Antya-Lila 1.100

kṛṣṇa-nāmera mahimā śāstra-sādhu-mukhe jāni

nāmera mādhurī aiche kāhāṅ nāhi śuni

SYNONYMS

kṛṣṇa–nāmera mahimā—the glories of the holy name of Lord Kṛṣṇa; śāstra—of the revealed scriptures; sādhu—of the devotees; mukhe—in the mouth; jāni—we can understand; nāmera mādhurī—the sweetness of the holy name; aiche—in that way; kāhāṅ—anywhere else; nāhi śuni—we do not hear.

TRANSLATION

One has to learn about the beauty and transcendental position of the holy name of the Lord by hearing the revealed scriptures from the mouths of devotees. Nowhere else can we hear of the sweetness of the Lord’s holy name.

PURPORT

It is said in the Padma Purāṇa, ataḥ śrī–kṛṣṇa-nāmādi na bhaved grāhyam indriyaiḥ. Chanting and hearing of the transcendental holy name of the Lord cannot be performed by the ordinary senses. The transcendental vibration of the Lord’s holy name is completely spiritual. Thus, it must be received from spiritual sources and must be chanted after having been heard from a spiritual master. One who hears the chanting of the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra must receive it from the spiritual master by aural reception. Śrīla Sanātana Gosvāmī has forbidden us to hear the holy name of Kṛṣṇa chanted by non-Vaiṣṇavas, such as professional actors and singers, for it will have no effect. It is like milk touched by the lips of a serpent, as stated in the padma purāṇa:

avaiṣṇava-mukhodgīrṇaṁ
pūtaṁ hari-kathāmṛtam
śravaṇaṁ naiva kartavyaṁ
sarpocchiṣṭaṁ yathā payaḥ

As far as possible, therefore, the devotees in the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement gather to chant the holy name of Kṛṣṇa in public so that both the chanters and the listeners may benefit. CC Antya-lila 1.101

bhakta-saṅge prabhu āilā, dekhi’ dui jana

daṇḍavat hañā kailā caraṇa vandana

SYNONYMS

bhakta–saṅge—accompanied by other devotee associates; prabhu—Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu; āilā—came; dekhi‘-seeing this; dui jana—Rūpa Gosvāmī and Haridāsa Ṭhākura; daṇḍavat hañā—falling flat like logs; kailā—did; caraṇa vandana—prayers to their lotus feet.

TRANSLATION

When Haridāsa Ṭhākura and Rūpa Gosvāmī saw that Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu had come with His intimate devotees, they both immediately fell down like logs and offered prayers to their lotus feet. CC Antya-Lila 1.109

prabhu kahe,–“kaha rūpa, nāṭakera śloka

ye śloka śunile lokera yāya duḥkha-śoka

SYNONYMS

prabhu kahe—Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu said; kaha—please recite; rūpa—My dear Rūpa; nāṭakera śloka—the verse of your drama; ye—which; śloka—verse; śunile—hearing; lokera—of all people; yāya—go away; duḥkha–śoka—the unhappiness and lamentation.

TRANSLATION

Thus Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu said, “My dear Rūpa, please recite that verse from your drama which, upon being heard, makes all people’s unhappiness and lamentation go away.” CC Antya Lila 1.118

bāra bāra prabhu yadi tāre ājñā dila

tabe sei śloka rūpa-gosāñi kahila

SYNONYMS

bāra bāra—again and again; prabhu—Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu; yadi—when; tāre—him; ājñā dila—ordered; tabe—at that time; sei śloka—that particular verse; rūpa–gosāñi—of the name Rūpa Gosvāmī; kahila—recited.

TRANSLATION

When the Lord persisted in asking this again and again, Rūpa Gosvāmī recited that verse [as follows]. CC Antya-Lila 1.119

SB 3.5.50–O unborn one, please enlighten us regarding the ways and means by which we can offer You all enjoyable grains and commodities so that both we and all other living entities in this world can maintain ourselves without disturbance and can easily accumulate the necessities of life both for You and for ourselves.

PURPORT-The modern theory that starvation is due to an increase in population is not accepted by the demigods or the devotees of the Lord. The devotees or demigods are fully aware that the Lord can maintain any number of living entities, provided they are conscious of how to eat. If they want to eat like ordinary animals, who have no God consciousness, then they must live in starvation, poverty and want, like the jungle animals in the forest. The jungle animals are also maintained by the Lord with their respective foodstuffs, but they are not advanced in God consciousness. Similarly, human beings are provided with food grains, vegetables, fruits and milk by the grace of the Lord, but it is the duty of human beings to acknowledge the mercy of the Lord. As a matter of gratitude, they should feel obliged to the Lord for their supply of foodstuff, and they must first offer Him food in sacrifice and then partake of the remnants.

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I was distributing books in a factory in a town in the CIS and had just signed up one hundred workers to each take a set of books (fifteen books per set). When I went to see the director for payment, he sent me to the chief accountant, but she refused to give me the money, saying she had nothing in the treasury.

A few days later was the anniversary of Srila Prabhupada’s passing, so we had a big festival at the temple. I thought that to really get the mercy of Srila Prabhupada I should go to the factory that day and see the chief accountant to get the payment so that the workers could get Srila Prabhupada‘s books. When I got to the factory, the chief accountant told me, “There’s no chance you will get the money today because it’s Friday. Come back on Monday.” But this was Srila Prabhupada’s Disappearance Day, and I really wanted to please him by getting these books out. So I sat down in the accountant’s office, pulled out a picture of Srila Prabhupada, placed it on the table, and began to pray intensely to him. After a while all attention turned to me. The chief accountant was quite concerned and asked me what was wrong.

“Today is the anniversary of my grandfather’s passing away,” I told her. “I’m praying to him to help me.” She left her office and came back with a paper in her hand – a release for the money. “You’ll get the money today,” she said, “I promise.”

By now it was late in the afternoon, and the bank was going to close in twenty minutes. We ran to her car and sped off to the bank. When we returned to the factory, she was concerned that the workers hadn’t gotten their books. It was already too late for me to pick up the books from the temple and make it back before the workers went home. So she made an announcement over the intercom: “All workers who were to receive books must go to the Hare Krishna temple tonight and collect them.”

When I returned to the temple later, I was amazed to see a long line of people entering and walking out with boxes of books. The temple was full of workers from the factory. They all received the mercy of Srila Prabhupada.

Jagadisa Dasa (Russia)

compliments vedaveda.com

At ISKCON Mayapur a devotee, Jitavrata Dasa, was publicly humiliated for speaking the truth about the book changes. He was asked to stop his vyasa puja offering.

Read the complete vyasa-puja offering below (the part that Jitavrata Prabhu was not able to speak has been marked with bold).

Nama Om Vishnu padaya Krishna prestaya bhutale
Srimate Bhaktivedanta swamin iti namine
namas te Sarasvate deve Gauravani pracarine
nirvisesa sunyavadi pascatya desa tarine

Dear Srila Prabhupada ,

please accept my humble obeisances unto your worshipable Lotus Feet.

You brilliantly shine as the most glorious servant of your Lordship Sri Sri Radha Madhava.

As time goes by, and as ignorance is dispelled, you are appreciated as the most important personality in our movement ,most definitely because you are the founder acharya under whose guidance everyone must abide in order to understand the instructions of the disciplic succession that are within your books.

You are without a doubt the most merciful guru to empower even today whoever takes shelter of your instructions. We all feel very fortunate to be under the shelter at your Lotus feet. They are guiding us back to Godhead beyond the shadow of a doubt.
It is only because of you that we can find the potency to continue your great mission of bringing immortal happiness to the entire world. Your greatest joy is to see your books distributed far and wide, because your books unlock the doors to the treasure house of pure Love of Krishna.

As time goes by, your Divine presence is becoming more intensely felt because we realize that it is only by your mercy that this movement is carrying on. You are everyone’s well wisher and your spiritual attributes are unfathomable.

As ISKCON is your body, you want to see it flourish and grow beyond material limits, in great spiritual happiness and health for all the generations to come. So many nice devotees have joined your movement and are very much eager to serve at your Lotus Feet with great joy.

Please give us the intelligence to not change the bonafide process that you are giving us, as to avoid causing you so many troubles. It was first given by Krishna and has worked wonders millions of years ago, it is still now working so many wonders and will continue to work wonders in the milleniums to come.

As you are the spirit maintaining ISKCON thru sickness and health, please give us the intelligence to understand the supreme importance of protecting all the original English versions of your books that you have personally approved and rendered thereby eternal.
You have compiled these books with great endeavor, choosing each word and sentence very carefully under the full guidance of Lord Krishna sitting next to you. Your very specific combination of words acts like a powerful mantra to cut thru the illusory energy of Maya and revive our remembrance of Krishna

By changing these word arrangements thinking to know English better than you is the greatest offense as it removes the bonafide value of your writings. You taught us that 5 things permits Kali’s influence to infiltrate our consciousness. Meat eating, intoxication, gambling, illicit sex and if all four are absent then Kali is allowed to reside where there is hording of gold. Our biggest protection is the chanting of a minimum of 16 rounds every day, and keeping the association of the devotees. These simple instructions if carefully practiced will protect us from down falls.

You told Rameswara your BBT Trustee that your greatest fear was that after your departure, bonafide instructions will be taken out of your books and non bonafide things will be introduced, that is why you strictly forbade any book changes and you really made this instruction very clear to him. Unfortunately Rameswara left after a series of unfortunate events and even though these instructions were left in writing when Rameswara was interviewed for the production of your Lilamrta, that interview was never utilized and simply sat in the archives forgotten for over 30 years. As the enemy is invisible but its influence can be seen. Kali has infiltrated somehow or other,maybe someone is hording some gold or breaking the principles who really knows, but somehow Kali has found a way to modify your books, making it look seemingly harmless, claiming the changes will be closer to what you really meant , but Kali has in fact opened wide the doors for future changes. Next Kali will make us believe that watering down the philosophy will greatly increase our membership among those who are especially angry that you are just too strict and conservative with your principles, so better make a few compromises, where is the harm? And then Kali will tell us next that there is no need to chant Jaya Prabhupada , it is not necessary . Kali’s goal is to really minimize your importance and gradually take you out of the picture .Kali says” no no a little book change that is alright,where is the harm we are making the books better, Prabhupada didn’t know how to speak english we are just helping him out especially since now we even know sanskrit better than him”. Is this why you emphatically stressed no book changes,as you could foresee these attacks from the fox like Kali?

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Hare Krishna Society

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Srila Sac-Cid=Ananda Bhaktivinoda Thakur avirbhava tithi [appearance day] Saturday, September 22, 2018, 2017 [Mayapura Time, West Bengal, Bharata Bhumi time]

Srila Namacarya Haridasa Thakura Tirobhava Tithi [disappearance] – Sunday, September 23, 2018 [Mayapura, West Bengal, Bharata Bhumi time]

Offering our fruits first to God-then enjoying the prasadam or mercy

An Amazing book distribution story in Russia

Trying to silence a devotee from speaking truthfully at Mayapur Vyasa puja day