The appearance of Kṛṣṇa is the answer to all imaginative iconography of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

SB 10.2.35 purport…Only by the mercy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead can one understand Him. Those who are in the modes of material nature, although speculating for thousands of years, cannot understand Him. The Lord has innumerable forms (rāmādi-mūrtiṣu kalā-niyamena tiṣṭhan [Bs. 5.39]), and unless these forms, such as Lord Rāmacandra, Nṛsiṁhadeva, Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma, were transcendental, how could they be worshiped by devotees since time immemorial? Bhaktyā mām abhijānāti yāvān yaś cāsmi tattvataḥ (Bg. 18.55). Devotees who awaken their transcendental nature in the presence of the Lord and who follow the rules and regulations of devotional service can understand Lord Kṛṣṇa, Lord Rāmacandra and other incarnations, who are not of this material world but who come from the spiritual world for the benefit of people in general. If one does not take to this process, one imagines or manufactures some form of God according to material qualities and can never awaken a real understanding of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The words bhaktyā mām abhijānāti yāvān yaś cāsmi tattvataḥ signify that unless one worships the Lord according to the regulative devotional principles, one cannot awaken the transcendental nature. Deity worship, even in the absence of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, awakens the transcendental nature of the devotee, who thus becomes increasingly attached to the Lord’s lotus feet.

The appearance of Kṛṣṇa is the answer to all imaginative iconography of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Everyone imagines the form of the Supreme Personality of Godhead according to his mode of material nature. In the Brahma-saṁhitā it is said that the Lord is the oldest person. Therefore a section of religionists imagine that God must be very old, and therefore they depict a form of the Lord like a very old man. But in the same Brahma-saṁhitā, that is contradicted; although He is the oldest of all living entities, He has His eternal form as a fresh youth. The exact words used in this connection in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam are vijñānam ajñāna-bhidāpamārjanam. Vijñāna means transcendental knowledge of the Supreme Personality; vijñāna is also experienced knowledge. Transcendental knowledge has to be accepted by the descending process of disciplic succession as Brahmā presents the knowledge of Kṛṣṇa in the Brahma-saṁhitā. Brahma-saṁhitā is vijñāna as realized by Brahmā’s transcendental experience, and in that way he presented the form and the pastimes of Kṛṣṇa in the transcendental abode. Ajñāna-bhidā means “that which can match all kinds of speculation.” In ignorance, people are imagining the form of the Lord; sometimes He has no form and sometimes He has form, according to their different imaginations. But the presentation of Kṛṣṇa in the Brahma-saṁhitā is vijñāna—scientific, experienced knowledge given by Lord Brahmā and accepted by Lord Caitanya. There is no doubt about it. Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s form, Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s flute, Kṛṣṇa’s color—everything is reality. Here it is said that this vijñānam is always defeating all kinds of speculative knowledge. “Therefore,” the demigods prayed, “without Your appearing as Kṛṣṇa, as You are, neither ajñāna-bhidā (the nescience of speculative knowledge) nor vijñānam would be realized. Ajñāna-bhidāpamārjanam—by Your appearance the speculative knowledge of ignorance will be vanquished, and the real, experienced knowledge of authorities like Lord Brahmā will be established. Men influenced by the three modes of material nature imagine their own God according to the modes of material nature. In this way God is presented in various ways, but Your appearance will establish what the real form of God is.”

…. One should have the common sense to ask why, if Kṛṣṇa or Rāma were fictitious, stalwart scholars like Śrīdhara Svāmī, Rūpa Gosvāmī, Sanātana Gosvāmī, Vīrarāghava, Vijayadhvaja, Vallabhācārya and many other recognized ācāryas would have spent so much time to write about Kṛṣṇa in notes and commentaries on Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam.

The Transcendental appearance of Lord Krsna

SB 10.3.1-5—Thereafter, at the auspicious time for the appearance of the Lord, the entire universe was surcharged with all the qualities of goodness, beauty and peace. The constellation Rohiṇī appeared, as did stars like Aśvinī. The sun, the moon and the other stars and planets were very peaceful. All directions appeared extremely pleasing, and the beautiful stars twinkled in the cloudless sky. Decorated with towns, villages, mines and pasturing grounds, the earth seemed all-auspicious. The rivers flowed with clear water, and the lakes and vast reservoirs, full of lilies and lotuses, were extraordinarily beautiful. In the trees and green plants, full of flowers and leaves, pleasing to the eyes, birds like cuckoos and swarms of bees began chanting with sweet voices for the sake of the demigods. A pure breeze began to blow, pleasing the sense of touch and bearing the aroma of flowers, and when the brāhmaṇas engaging in ritualistic ceremonies ignited their fires according to Vedic principles, the fires burned steadily, undisturbed by the breeze. Thus when the birthless Lord Viṣṇu, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, was about to appear, the saints and brāhmaṇas, who had always been disturbed by demons like Kaṁsa and his men, felt peace within the core of their hearts, and kettledrums simultaneously vibrated from the upper planetary system.

SB 10.3.6-The Kinnaras and Gandharvas began to sing auspicious songs, the Siddhas and Cāraṇas offered auspicious prayers, and the Vidyādharīs, along with the Apsarās, began to dance in jubilation.

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It is not that “Become a big Vaiṣṇava and sit down and imitate.” This is all rascaldom. So don’t follow this thing. So at least we cannot advise you in that way. We have learned from our GuruMahārāja that preaching is very, very important thing, and when one is actually an experienced preacher, then he is able to chant Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra without any offense. Before that, this so-called chanting of HareKṛṣṇamantra, you may practice without any offenses… And giving up all other business to make a show of a big Vaiṣṇava, that is not required. Thank you very much. (end)Link to this page: https://prabhupadabooks.com/classes/sb/1/7/19/vrndavana/september/16/1976

Dinner Prasadam tonight—-fresh picked steamed beets  fresh picked steamed pole beans and pasta a la cabreze (sp?)also with fresh picked tomatoes and basil. The only thing we didn’t make or grow was the pasta noodles.

Śrī-vigrahārādhana-nitya–nānā śṛṅgāra–tan–mandira-mārjanādau: ** Deity worship means to dress the Deity very nicely, to cleanse the temple very nicely, to offer nice foodstuffs to the Deity, and to accept the remnants of the Deity’s foodstuffs for our eating. This is the method of Deity worship. Deity worship is done by the guru himself, and he also engages his disciples in that worship. This is the third symptom.The fourth symptom is: catur–vidha–śrī–bhagavat–prasāda– svādv-anna-tṛptān hari–bhakta–saṅghānkṛtvaiva tṛptiṁ bhajataḥ sadaiva vande guroḥ śrī-caraṇāravindam **The spiritual master encourages distribution of prasādam (remnants of Kṛṣṇa’s food) to the public. Ours is not a dry philosophy—simply talk and go away. No. We distribute prasādam, very sumptuous prasādam. In every temple, we offer prasādam to anyone who comes. In each and every temple we already have from fifty to two hundred devotees, and outsiders also come and take prasādam. So prasādam distribution is another symptom of the genuine spiritual master.If you eat bhagavat–prasādam, then gradually you become spiritualized; it has this potency. Therefore it is said that realization of God begins with the tongue. Sevonmukhe hi jihvādau: If you engage your tongue in the service of the Lord, then you realize God. So what is that engagement of the tongue? You chant the holy name of the Lord, and you take this prasādam, remnants of food offered to the Lord. Then you become self-realized, God-realized—by these two methods. You don’t have to be very highly educated or be a philosopher, a scientist, or a rich man to realize God. If you just sincerely engage your tongue in the service of the Lord, you will realize Him. It is so simple. It is not very difficult. Therefore the guru, the spiritual master, introduces this prasādam program. Svādv-anna-tṛptān hari–bhakta–saṅghān.Hari–bhakta–saṅghān means “in the association of devotees.” You cannot do it outside. Kṛtvaiva tṛptiṁ bhajataḥ sadaiva: When the guru is fully satisfied that prasādam distribution is going on, he is very much pleased, and he engages himself in the devotional service of the Lord by chanting and dancing. This is the fourth symptom. JSD 4

Sri Krsna Janma Astami, Wednesday, August 12, 2020 [Mayapura, West Bengal, India time]Srila Prabhupada explains the appearance of Lord Krishna

As stated in the Bhagavad-gītā, the Lord says that His appearance, birth, and activities, are all transcendental, and one who understands them factually becomes immediately eligible to be transferred to the spiritual world. The Lord’s appearance or birth is not like that of an ordinary man who is forced to accept a material body according to his past deeds. The Lord’s appearance is explained in the Second Chapter: He appears out of His own sweet pleasure. When the time was mature for the appearance of the Lord, the constellations became very auspicious. The astrological influence of the star known as Rohiṇī was also predominant because this star is considered to be very auspicious. Rohiṇī is under the direct supervision of Brahmā. According to the astrological conclusion, besides the proper situation of the stars, there are auspicious and inauspicious moments due to the different situations of the different planetary systems. At the time of Kṛṣṇa’s birth, the planetary systems were automatically adjusted so that everything became auspicious.

that time, in all directions, east, west, south, north, everywhere, there was an atmosphere of peace and prosperity. There were auspicious stars visible in the sky, and on the surface in all towns and villages or pasturing grounds and within the minds of everyone there were signs of good fortune. The rivers were flowing full of waters, and lakes were beautifully decorated with lotus flowers. The forests were full with beautiful birds and peacocks. All the birds within the forests began to sing with sweet voices, and the peacocks began to dance along with their consorts. The wind blew very pleasantly, carrying the aroma of different flowers, and the sensation of bodily touch was very pleasing. At home, the brāhmaṇas, who were accustomed to offer sacrifices in the fire, found their homes very pleasant for offerings. Due to disturbances created by the demoniac kings, the sacrificial fire alter had been almost stopped in the houses of brāhmaṇas, but now they could find the opportunity to start the fire peacefully. Being forbidden to offer sacrifices, the brāhmaṇas were very distressed in mind, intelligence and activities, but just on the point of Kṛṣṇa’s appearance, automatically their minds became full of joy because they could hear loud vibrations in the sky of transcendental sounds proclaiming the appearance of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

Hare Krsna-For those devotees who want to know- here is a comprehensive list given to us by Srila Prabhupada for the beginning stages of an aspiring devotee and- the already acquired  qualities of a bona fide guru or liberated soul
Hare Krsna

damaghosa das———————————

SB 5.4.5 purport…This is the way of Vedic life. One must stop the process of repeated birth and death and return home, back to Godhead. The words tan-mahimānam avāpa are significant in this regard. Śrīla Śrīdhara Svāmī says that mahimā means liberation in this life. We should act in such a way in this life that after giving up this body, we will become liberated from the bondage of repeated birth and death. This is called jīvan-mukti.Śrīla Vīrarāghava Ācārya states that in the Chāndogya Upaniṣad there are eight symptoms of a jīvan-mukta, a person who is already liberated even when living in this body. The first symptom of one so liberated is that he is freed from all sinful activity (apahata-pāpa). As long as one is under the clutches of māyā in the material energy, one has to engage in sinful activity. Bhagavad-gītā describes such people as duṣkṛtinaḥ, which indicates that they are always engaged in sinful activity. One who is liberated in this life does not commit any sinful activities. Sinful activity involves illicit sex, meat-eating, intoxication and gambling. Another symptom of a liberated person is vijara, which indicates that he is not subjected to the miseries of old age. Another symptom is vimṛtyu. A liberated person prepares himself in such a way that he does not take on any more material bodies, which are destined to die. In other words, he does not fall down again to repeat birth and death. Another symptom is viśoka, which indicates that he is callous to material distress and happiness. Another is vijighatsa, which indicates that he no longer desires material enjoyment. Another symptom is apipātā, which means that he has no desire other than to engage in the devotional service of Kṛṣṇa, his dearmost pursuable Lord. A further symptom is satya-kāma, which indicates that all his desires are directed to the Supreme Truth, Kṛṣṇa. He does not want anything else. He is satya-saṅkalpa. Whatever he desires is fulfilled by the grace of Kṛṣṇa. First of all, he does not desire anything for his material benefit, and secondly if he desires anything at all, he simply desires to serve the Supreme Lord. That desire is fulfilled by the Lord’s grace. That is called satya-saṅkalpa. Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī points out that the word mahimā means returning to the spiritual world, back home, back to Vaikuṇṭha. Śrī Śukadeva says that the word mahimā means that the devotee attains the qualities of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. This is called sadharma, or “the same quality.” Just as Kṛṣṇa is never born and never dies, His devotees who return to Godhead never die and never take birth within the material world.
BG 7.14 purport...Another meaning of guṇa is rope; it is to be understood that the conditioned soul is tightly tied by the ropes of illusion. A man bound by the hands and feet cannot free himself – he must be helped by a person who is unbound. Because the bound cannot help the bound, the rescuer must be liberated. Therefore, only Lord Kṛṣṇa, or His bona fide representative the spiritual master, can release the conditioned soul. Without such superior help, one cannot be freed from the bondage of material nature. Devotional service, or Kṛṣṇa consciousness, can help one gain such release.
Note-this purport is very nicely given to us by Srila Prabhupada so that we wont be cheated by future “gurus” who claim to be bona fide spiritual masters, yet have none of the above mentioned qualities of a liberated soul. If one is bound my material desires, or manifest material qualities, then how can this person who is bound to matter like ourselves, in any way help us who are also similarly bound by the ropes of material nature? Only that person who is not bound with ropes of maya can intie our ropes, and nobody else)

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Hare Krsna…..Hare Rama….
Lord Nityananda Prabhu was known as a trouble maker at times. He would throw His clothes around, standing sometimes naked before the devotees, toss His food into other rooms or on the floor, and sometimes reply in ways that made absolutely no sense to all others. When a pot of ghee was stolen by a crow from Mother Malinis kitchen he ordered the bird to return it, which it did.When she offered Him sweets, He would toss them about and then return them to the plate so as not to cause her distress.And yet He was always  bursting forth with divine happiness,  acting like an innocent young boy at times, even when Hewould jump into the Ganga river and chase crocodiles, much to the dismay of all others. He would chase the young gopi girls and ask them to marry Him, even though this was not possible according to the customs.  Nobody knew what He would do from moment to moment. And despite all this ,everyone loved Him just like they loved Nimai pandit, Sri Gauranga Mahaprabhu. The Two Lords were inseparable, and They both began the sankirtan movement in Bengal India 500 years ago and predicted it would spread to every town and village on this earth-which has almost been done up to today.
I offer my humble obeisances to these two Divine Incarnations of Lord Krsna and Lord Balarama who have captured the attention of millions of  devotees in this age of kali.

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Oct 3 1975 MauritiusCyavana: Perfect.Prabhupāda: So don’t be discouraged.Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: No, Prabhupāda. I’ll never leave your lotus feet. They asked you about other movements yesterday at the press conference…Prabhupāda: Yes.Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: …this movement and that movement. You said, “This is Kṛṣṇa’s movement.” So this should be our line of argument, because especially amongst the Indian community, when they question us about this swami and that swami…Prabhupāda: They replied that in everything there is light. And yes, the light of, what is called, glowworm and the light of sun is not the same. Everything is light; that doesn’t… We haven’t got to accept so-called lights. Even there is light, when there is sunlight, why you should aspire after glow of light? (People chanting in background) Who is chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa?Cyavana: Everyone is saying Hare Kṛṣṇa.Prabhupāda: Hare Rāma Hare Rāma. (laughter)Devotee (2): So all those sinful activities of these people have been eradicted now by saying Hare Rāma?Prabhupāda: Oh, yes. Immediately. That is the special advantage of this age. Kirtanād eva kṛṣṇasya mukta-saṅgaḥ [SB 12.3.51]. Immediately becomes free, mukta-saṅga. Without becoming mukta-saṅga, they cannot chant even. Why others are not chanting, they are chanting?Devotee (2): But the same… That means they will make more sinful activities?Prabhupāda: If he does, that is another thing. Otherwise, for the time being, he is freed from all the reaction of sinful, immediately. Sadyaḥ savanāya kalpate. Sadya, immediately. Immediately he becomes brāhmaṇa.Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Is pious activity on the material platform?Prabhupāda: No, no. It is transcendental, above pious activity. By accumulation of pious activities one may be elevated to the transcendental position. Kṛta-puṇya-puñjāḥ [SB 10.12.11]. Puṇya means pious activities. After doing for many, many years simply pious activities one may be elevated to the transcendental platform. So pious activities cannot be compared with transcendental activities. But it may help in the long run. Therefore transcendental activities does not depend on pious activity. It is not dependent. Then it will take long, long years. But automatically he becomes pious, achieves the result of pious activities.Cyavana: [break] …the standard of morality, Arjuna’s activity of killing was immoral.Prabhupāda: Morality, immorality, this is all creation of mind. Real purpose of life, to serve the order of Kṛṣṇa, that is real morality.

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Prayer unto the Lotus Feet of Krsna
by His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
on board the ship Jaladuta, September 13, 1965

By Balaram das

https://prabhupadabooks.com/diaries/jaladuta/8/jd_8.1_prayer_unto_the_lotus_feet_of_krsna

60 years ago, on March 10, 1959 the MS Jaladuta was launched
at the shipbuilding yard of Flenderwerke AG in Lübeck, Germany.

The MS Jaladuta

According to Yugala Kishor Gour dasa – who did some very serious research – it was *this* Jaladuta (of the three Jaladutas built) that brought Śrīla Prabhupāda to the West.

The MS Jaladuta slides off the yard towards the Elbe-Trave Kanal for its first test run.

Nice to see the auspicious Swastika in Germany in 1959, although it was outlawed after 1945.

Evidently, Krishna made sure that the carrier for His confidential pure devotee was *Made in Germany* to ensure a safe voyage.

(Thanks to Yugala Kishor Gour Prabhu for supplying the photo and the information)

1) The picture above displays Shri Patel of Scindia and a representative
of the Flenderwerke shipyard preparing the ceremonial fire.

2) Shri Patel painting (above) the Swastika on the bow of the vessel.

3) The procedure is that the yard invites a prominent figure to speak the name of the vessel while simultaneously breaking a bottle of champagne over the bow. In this case the shipbuilders invited members of the board of Scindia, and instead of a bottle of alcohol, a blessed coconut was used to inaugurate the name giving ceremony.

Srila Prabhupada’s Jaladuta Ticket

“So my Guru Maharaja ordered me long, long ago, when I was twenty- five years old, my Guru Maharaja ordered me to go to the foreign countries and preach Lord Caitanya’s message. But somehow or other I could not assimilate his order until I was seventy years old.

But it was better late than never. So also I was trying how to make a successful tour for preaching Caitanya Mahaprabhu’s message. So by the grace of my Guru Maharaja and by your blessings, I went to the Western countries and had such a very good response, very good response. I went there empty handed with forty rupees in my pocket and free ticket, return ticket, by the Scindia Steam Navigation Company. And for one year I had no place to live, I had no money to eat; still I was going here and there.

Then in 1966… I went in America in 1965. After struggling for one year, in 1966 I incorporated this Krishna consciousness, International Society for Krishna Consciousness. So some of our friends suggested, “Why not make ‘God Consciousness Society’?” and “No. ‘Krishna Consciousness.’ If I make ‘God Consciousness,’ that will be a big task.” Krsnas tu bhagavan svayam. Krsnas tu bhagavan svayam. Isvarah paramah krsnah [Bs. 5.1]. Therefore this distinctly should be the society for Krishna consciousness.

So these boys, when I started my class, 26 Second Avenue, some of these students were coming, and then I started my kirtana at the Thompkins Square Park, sitting on the ground floor. These boys and the girls were coming. That was the first publicity, make in the New York Times, about my kirtana, and gradually it developed.

Next branch was opened at San Francisco, then at Montreal, then at Boston, Buffalo. In this way now we have sixty-five branches all over the world, and each branch there are maximum two hundred devotees like these, and minimum twenty-five devotees at least.”

Srila Prabhupada’s passport

Jaladuta Journal :: 1965

1965 August 20: “The ship is stranded on the Arabian Sea about four miles from the coast. On account of Janmastami day I spoke for an hour on the philosophy and teachings of Lord Sri Krishna. All the officers attended and there was distribution of Prasadam.” ( Jaladuta Journal :: 1965)