So today is the appearance day of Lord Ramachandra or Rama-Navami. We honor it with a fast untill sunset, followed by a nice vegetarian feast. It is good to read and chant throughout the day and remind each other about the glorious pastimes of Lord Ramachandra.
In honor of the Appearance day of Lord Ramacandra, we are posting the entire tenth chapter from the ninth Canto of Srimad Bhagavatam entitled “The Pastimes of the Supreme Lord, Rāmacandra”.
Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam By His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda Canto Nine, Chapter Ten
Sometime back I created this site https://prabhupadagita.com/ where I put the original Bhagavad-gita As It Is online. Anyone can quickly access this great book from their phone or laptop. All Glories to Srila Prabhupada!
So today marks the Appearance Day of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu. In honor of His Appearance there is a full day fast (untill Moonrise), followed by a nice vegetarian feast. We share with you a song by Narottama Das Thakur entitled “Gaurangera Duti Pada”, with a purport by His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami.
Gaurangera Duti Pada by Narottama Dasa Thakura
1) Anyone who has accepted the two lotus feet of Lord Caitanya can understand the true essence of devotional service. If one is captivated by the pleasing pastimes of Lord Caitanya, the dirty things in his heart will all become cleansed.
2) One who simply takes the holy name of Gaurasundara, Sri Krsna Caitanya, will immediately develop love of God. To such a person I say: Bravo! Very nice! Excellent! If one appreciates the merciful pastimes of Lord Caitanya and feels ecstasy and sometimes cries, this process will immediately help him to understand the eternal pastimes of Radha-Krsna.
3) Simply by understanding that the associates of Lord Gauranga are eternally free from material contamination, one can immediately be promoted to the transcendental abode of Lord Krsna. If one simply understands that the land of Navadvipa is not different from Vrndavana, then he actually lives in Vrndavana.
4) If one says: “Let me dive deep into the waves of the nectarean ocean of the transcendental loving movement introduced by Lord Caitanya”, he immediately becomes one of the confidential devotees of Radha and Krsna. It does not matter whether one is a householder living at home or a vanaprastha or sannyasi living in the forest, if he chants “O Gauranga, and becomes a devotee of Lord Caitanya, then Narottama dasa begs to have his association.
…Gauranga refers to Lord Caitanya, who has a fair complexion. One who has a fair complexion is called gaura, and since Lord Caitanya was very fair, just like molten gold, He was also named Gaurasundara. Narottama dasa Thakura says, gaurangera duti pada, jar dhana-sampada, se jane bhakati-rasa-sar. Anyone who has accepted the two lotus feet of Lord Caitanya can understand the true essence of devotional service. Devotional service is very difficult. It cannot be understood by any ordinary man. As it is stated in the Bhagavad-gita, out of many thousands of persons who are trying to achieve the perfection of human life, only some actually become perfect and realize the self. And out of many thousands of such self-realized persons, only one can understand Krsna. Without understanding Krsna, how can one engage himself in the service of Krsna? Therefore, the devotional service of Krsna is not an ordinary thing. But fortunately, if one follows in the footsteps of Lord Caitanya (gaurangera duti pada) by following the path shown by Lord Caitanya-the process of simply chanting Hare Krsna-he can very easily understand what devotional service is. (from purport to the song “Gaurangera Duti Pada”)
Full song with Bengali Lyrics, English translation, and purport by His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
I had to laugh when I saw this posted on Facebook. But it is both beautiful and practical, and is good for the planet and the garden.
Horse-driven cart New Vrindaban
Can be used both for carrying goods and passengers…………
The carriage board should be balanced on the wheel beam and then it will be weightless for the horse who can then very swiftly draw the whole load without any difficulty. By this at least half ton of load or 10 passengers can be easily drawn.”
I have always enjoyed SrilaPrabhupada’s sense of humor.
Prabhupada: ”Krsna has got accountant. [laughter] He keeps nice account of the activities of His devotees.”……
Prabhupada: So one thing is guaranteed. If you engage in Krsna consciousness, and suppose you do not become perfectly mature, some way or other you fall down… We should not fall down. Because if we have got enthusiasm and patience, we shall not fall down. But suppose we fall down. There is nothing inauspicious, because whatever you have done sincerely, that is recorded in the book, in the Krsna’s book. Krsna has got accountant. [laughter] He keeps nice account of the activities of His devotees. That’s a fact. Just like the non devotees’ accounts are kept by Yamaraja for punishment, similarly, devotees’ accounts are kept by Krsna, personally. Unless He keeps account, how He says, “I respond to the devotee to the proportionate surrender”? The real business is surrender to Krsna. If we surrender immediately, cent percent, then Krsna also gives you the result immediately, cent percent. ( The Nectar of Devotion Lecture , October 20, 1972, Vrndavana)
So today we celebrate the Appearance Day of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura, the Spiritual Master of our Srila Prabhupada. We honor it today with a half day fast a Pushpanjali (offering of prayers and flowers) followed by a nice vegetarian feast.
The Absolute Necessity of a Spiritual Master—The Universal Teacher By His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada Founder-Acharya of the world-wide Hare Krishna Movement
In February 1936, in Bombay, India, the members of a reputed religious society, the Gaudiya Matha, were astonished by the powerful and eloquent words of a young member who spoke in honor of his spiritual master, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Gosvami. Three decades later, the young speaker would become the world-renowned founder and spiritual master of the Krishna consciousness movement. Srila Prabhupada’s presentation is a memorable statement on the importance of the guru in spiritual life.
sakshad-dharitvena samasta-shastrair uktas tatha bhavyata eva sadbhih kintu prabhor yah priya eva tasya vande guroh sri-charanaravindam
“In the revealed scriptures it is declared that the spiritual master should be worshiped like the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and this injunction is obeyed by pure devotees of the Lord. The spiritual master is the most confidential servant of the Lord. Thus let us offer our respectful obeisances unto the lotus feet of our spiritual master.”
Today is the Appearance day of Srila Prabhupada’s Sannayasa guru, Srila Bhakti Prajana Kesava Goswami Maharaja. The following is a lecture by Srila Prabhupada remembering His God Brother and Sannayasa guru.
Disappearance Day Lecture
By His Divine Grace Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada Seattle, October 21, 1968
Prabhupāda: One has to accept the renounced order from another person who is in renounced order. So I never thought that I shall accept this renounced order of life. In my family life, when I was in the midst of my wife and children, sometimes I was dreaming my spiritual master, that he’s calling me, and I was following him. When my dream was over, I was thinking. I was little horrified. “Oh, Guru Mahārāja wants me to become sannyāsī. How can I accept sannyāsa?” At that time, I was feeling not very satisfaction that I have to give up my family and have to become a mendicant. At that time, it was a horrible feeling. Sometimes I was thinking, “No, I cannot take sannyāsa.” But again I saw the same dream. So in this way I was fortunate. My Guru Mahārāja (Prabhupāda begins to cry, choked voice) pulled me out from this material life. I have not lost anything. He was so kind upon me. I have gained. I left three children, I have got now three hundred children. So I am not loser. This is material conception. We think that we shall be loser by accepting Kṛṣṇa. Nobody is loser. I say from my practical experience. I was thinking that “How can I accept this renounced order of life? I cannot accept so much trouble.” So… But I retired from my family life. I was sitting alone in Vṛndāvana, writing books. So this, my Godbrother, he insisted me, “Bhaktivedanta prabhu…” This title was given in my family life. It was offered to me by the Vaiṣṇava society. So he insisted me. Not he insisted me. Practically my spiritual master insisted me through him, that “You accept.” Because without accepting the renounced order of life, nobody can become a preacher. So he wanted me to become a preacher. So he forced me through this Godbrother, “You accept.” So unwillingly I accepted. And then I remembered that he wanted me to go to the Western country. So I am feeling now very much obliged to my, this Godbrother, that he carried out the wish of my spiritual master and enforced me to accept this sannyāsa order.
Excerpted from Back to Godhead Magazine 1975 Vol. 10 No. 2
Five hundred years ago, Sri Krsna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, appeared in West Bengal in the role of His own pure devotee—Sri Krsna Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Lord Caitanya is considered the most munificent incarnation of Godhead because He made love for Krsna easily available through the chanting of the maha-mantra—Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna, Krsna Krsna, Hare Hare/ Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare.
When Lord Krsna appeared as Lord Caitanya, His principal associate in spreading the Krsna consciousness movement was Lord Nityananda Prabhu. Lord Nityananda is Lord Caitanya’s expansion. In other words, He is nondifferent from Lord Caitanya. The same Supreme Lord appeared in different forms—as Lord Caitanya and Lord Nityananda—to bestow mercy upon the fallen souls of the material world. This song, therefore, describes the benefits of taking shelter of Lord Nityananda Prabhu.
Srila Narottama dasa Thakura was a great devotee and spiritual master in the disciplic chain coming down from Lord Caitanya. He has written many songs, and they are recognized as authoritative by all Krsna conscious devotees. He sang these songs in simple Bengali language, but the purport—the deep meaning of his songs—is very significant. His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada has therefore explained many of these songs in English and taught them to his disciples. (Cassette recordings of Srila Prabhupada singing and explaining these songs are available from Golden Avatar Productions in Los Angeles.)
Nothing will benefit human health and increase chances for the survival of life on Earth as much as the evolution to a vegetarian diet. -Albert Einstein
I personally feel it is very important to eat as healthy as possible. That is one of the reasons I plant a garden. Although not everyone has that luxury to plant a garden, still there are so many fresh fruits and vegetables available in every American grocery store, there is ample opportunity to eat a healthy vegetarian diet.
Back in 1972 when I first became a vegetarian, the challenge was learning how to cook vegetarian meals. Therefore I am including the first cookbook that taught me the basics as a free pdf download (just click on link at bottom of post). Wishing you all a happy and healthy life. -V
“And for all the devotees of ISKCON since you follow the teachings of Srila Prabhupada, read his books, practice what he has taught, Srila Prabhupada is the deliverer for all ISKCON devotees.”
“Srila Prabhupada is the Deliverer of all ISKCON Devotees”
By Chanchalapathi Dasa -ISKCON Bangalore
Recently I had the opportunity of interacting with a few scholars of Madhva sampradaya in Bangalore and Udupi. One of them was an elderly Sanskrit scholar, a seventy year old retired university professor, a respected teacher and follower of Madhva philosophy in Bangalore.
The discussion with him led to the subject of the theological differences between ISKCON Bangalore and ISKCON Mumbai.
In the course of the discussion, I asked the scholar: “In your sampradaya when upanayana is performed, as it is the practice, one may receive the Gayatri mantra from one’s father, uncle or grandfather – in such cases who is considered to be the deliverer of the candidate undergoing upanayana?”
He emphatically and proudly declared, “We are Madhvas! For all Madhvas, the deliverer is Sri Madhvacharya. He is our mula guru. We follow his siddhanta, his understanding, his teachings, his practices and hence he is our deliverer.”
“In case if one receives,” I continued, “the Gayatri mantra from one of sannyasis of the Madhva sampradaya, the head pontiff of a Matha, then who is considered to be the deliverer?”
He was still emphatic in his reply, “Even then the deliverer is Sri Madhvacharya alone.”
“Even if one has received the mantra from a sannyasi…?” I quizzed.
“Deliverance from the material world,” he continued, “and admittance to Vaikuntha is not a small matter. It requires exceptional spiritual qualifications and special blessings of the Lord. And for all Madhvas, Sri Madhvacharya is the one who has such powers from the Lord to deliver.”
“If Sri Madhvacharya is the deliverer,” I asked, “then what is the role played by the giver of the Gayatri mantra – may be the father, grandfather or even a sannyasi of the Madhva Matha?”
“All of them are acting as agents or representatives of Sri Madhvacharya.”
“Is this your own understanding or do all Madhvas hold this view?” was my next question.
“This is the correct understanding of all Madhvas for nearly eight centuries.” And he added further,
“This is so not only for the Madhvas, it is so for all the followers of Sri Ramanujacharya – their deliverer is Sri Ramanuja. Even for the followers of Sri Shankara, the understanding is that one who gives them brahma sayujya is Shankaracharya. There is no doubt about this.”
Next he went on to address our situation in ISKCON, “And for all the devotees of ISKCON since you follow the teachings of Srila Prabhupada, read his books, practice what he has taught, Srila Prabhupada is the deliverer for all ISKCON devotees.”
Śrīla-Prabhupāda-Stotram (Composed by Ananta-rāma Śāstrī)
Ananta Dāsa Śāstrī was a disciple of Śrīla Prabhupāda. He used to travel with Śrīla Prabhupāda in India and he was in the Sanskrit department assisting Śrīla Prabhupāda in translation work. He compiled five ślokas which describe much of Śrīla Prabhupāda’s divine character and his divine mission also. Śrīla Prabhupāda very much liked these five ślokas.
Sacha bole tomare lata…jagat harai dhana kali-yuga dukha lalge haspai . This is a Hindi verse by one devotee that this Kali-yuga is so abominable that if you speak truth, then people will come with some rod to beat you. But if you cheat them, bluff them. they’ll be bewildered (?), they’ll like it. If I say I’m God, people will say, “Oh, here is Swamiji, God.” They won’t inquire, that “How you have become God? What is the symptom of God? Have you got all the symptoms?” Nobody inquires. So these things happen. Unless one is not fixed up in the self, unless one does not understand what is real self, unless one does not understand what is Superself. So, yoga means to understand this self-realizing process. That is yoga.
“A true yogi observes Me in all beings and also sees every being in Me.”
…To see every being, everything in relationship with Krsna , that means you see Krsna everywhere. That is the prefection of yoga. As it is taught in the Bhagavad-gita, raso ‘ham apsu kaunteya prabhāsmi sasi-suryayoh: [Bg. 7.8] “I am the taste of water. I am the light of the sun and the moon.”
Bhagavad-gita Lecture 6.25-29 Recorded in Los Angeles, February 18, 1969
Prabhupāda: Page hundred and fifty-six.
Viṣṇujana: “Gradually, step by step, with full conviction, one should become situated in trance by means of intelligence, and thus the mind should be fixed on the Self alone and should think of nothing else.” [Bg. 6.25].”
Prabhupāda: Yes. The self, the mind should be fixed in self. We are self and Krsna is also self. So, just like if you fix up your eyes on the sun, then you can see the sun and yourself also. Sometimes in dense darkness we cannot see ourself also. That you have experienced. So I cannot see my body in dense darkness. Although body is with me, I am the body or I am whatever I am, I cannot see myself. That you have got experience. So if you are in the sunshine, sunlight, then you see the sun as well as yourself. Is it not? Therefore to see the self means first of all see the Supreme Self. The Supreme Self is Krsna . In the Vedas it is said, Kaṭhopaniṣad, nityo nityānāṁ cetanaś cetanānām (Katha Upanisad 2.2.13). The Supreme Self is the chief eternal of all eternals. He is the chief living being of all living beings. So this Krsna consciousness movement means to fix up in self. To, the same example. If you fix up your mind in Krsna, then you can fix up your mind in everything. The same example again, if you take care of your stomach, then you take care of all the bodily limbs. If your stomach is supplied nice nutritious food, the stomach is cleared of all disturbances then you keep good health. So if you pour water in the root of the tree, then you take care of all the branches, leaves, flowers, twigs, everything, automatically.
… Yes, from the very beginning I went to New York because I thought that Krishna Consciousness is the most important idea in the world, so let me go to that place, New York, which is the most important city in the world, and if I am able to do anything for Krishna and my Spiritual Master, even I am at the fag-end of my life, at least let me try for it there. So my dreams have all come true, and all of you nice boys and girls are getting the credit. When I was alone in your New York, I was thinking, who will listen to me in this horrible, sinful place? All right, I shall stay little longer, at least I can distribute a few of my books, that is something. But Krishna was all along preparing something I could not see, and He brought you to me one by one, sincere American boys and girls, to be trained-up for doing the work of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Now I can see that it is a miracle. Otherwise, your city of New York, one single old man, with only a few books to sell for barely getting eatables, how he can survive, what to speak of introducing God-consciousness movement for saving the humankind? That is Krishna’s miracle. Now I can see it. (Letter to Sudama, December 23, 1972)
So today in America Martin Luther King Day is being observed. Although his main intent was to fight for the equality of African-Americans during the 1960s, Martin Luther King, Jr.’s quotes about nonviolence are still relevant today.
I thought it might be fitting to do a post on Ahimsa, nonviolence. Ahimsa, nonviolence, means that one should not do anything which will put others into misery or confusion. That which furthers the future spiritual happiness of the people in general is called nonviolence.
Violence is an ongoing cycle that is hard to break, and in todays world, violence is an epidemic.
(Photo:1969, Srila Prabhupada at Boston Harbor, where the Jaladutta arrived in 1965 USA)……
Prabhupada: When I was first in Boston, I was thinking on the ship that “I have come to preach here Krsna consciousness. I see these people are so much addicted to so many nonsense things. How I shall convince them? What shall I tell them? How they will understand me? It is a complete different culture, complete different…” I was thinking like that. “Anyway, when Krsna has sent me, let me try; otherwise I shall go back.” Yes. Actually I was thinking like that. I never thought that so many boys and girls will understand me and work with me. From the very beginning I was thinking that “It is impossible, because their mode of living, their mode of culture — everything is different. And I have brought Krsna consciousness. I will have to say, ‘You don’t take meat, you don’t take intoxication, don’t have illicit sex.’ How they will be able to do that?” I was thinking. But by Krsna’s grace everything is possible. That is my practical experience. (Srimad-Bhagavatam 7.9.8–11 – March 19, 1969, Hawaii)
Happy New Year! We all hope for a happy life and peaceful world, but still we see so much violence and war happening around the world. The strict law of karma deals measure for measure with anyone who violates the laws of nature. As long as the people of the world continue to murder and eat animals, they will perpetually suffer the sinful reactions of criminal violence and catastrophic wars. That is why I believe this to be a proper first post for the New Year. -V
The Case Against Animal Slaughter
(excerpted from Back to Godhead Magazine January 1976, Vol. 11 No. 1)
From the standpoints of health, economics and ethics, animal slaughter andmeat-eating are detrimental to human society.
1. Slaughtering animals causes extreme suffering. Animals are sentient creatures with feelings like humans. Cows especially can sense that they are going to be slaughtered, and they live in constant fear.
2. We have no right to artificially end the life of any creature, especially that of a cow, who nurses her own offspring and the whole human society with her milk.
3. Killing animals breeds insensitivity toward all beings, sadism and general irreverence. Pythagoras taught, “Those who kill animals for food will be more prone than vegetarians to torture and kill their fellow men.”
The strict law of karma deals measure for measure with anyone who violates the laws of nature. As long as the people of the world continue to murder and eat their two most benign friends, the cow and bull, they will perpetually suffer the sinful reactions of criminal violence and catastrophic wars.
Happy New Year! My first post of the New Year, an issue very dear to my heart, Cow Protection.
…The Srimad-Bhagavatam says the cow is an offenseless living being. It’s Krsna’s arrangement that the cow takes so little and gives so much. From her milk you can make hundreds of delicious preparations. She simply performs her service very peacefully without any bother to anyone.
Cow Protection – Practical Necessity for a Peaceful Society
(excerpted from Back to Godhead Magazine January 1976 Vol. 11, No. 1)
by Visakha-devi dasi
Speaking on the troubled condition of our modern world, the late historian Arnold Toynbee once said, “The cause of it [the world’s malady] is spiritual. We are suffering from having sold our souls to the pursuit of an objective which is both spiritually wrong and practically unobtainable. We have to reconsider our objective and change it. And until we do this, we shall not have peace, either amongst ourselves or within each of us.”
The conditions of our urbanized, technology-oriented society that prompted Dr. Toynbee’s remarks are no mystery to us. Especially in the West, and increasingly in the rest of the world, the mad quest for artificial luxuries has created a chaotic atmosphere pervaded by greed and power-seeking.
Question: How Many Persons are Benefitted from Book Distribution?…………
Prabhupada: Whoever gets a book is benefitted. If he reads the book he is benefitted still more, or if he gives the book to someone else for reading, both he and the other person is benefitted. Even if one does not read the book but simply holds if and sees it, he is benefitted. If he simply gives small donation towards the work of Krsna consciousness he is benefitted. And anyone who distributes these transcendental literatures, he is also benefitted. ( Letter to: German Disciples — Bombay May 6, 1977)
“I liked Prabhupada’s humbleness. I always liked his humility and his simplicity. The servant of the servant of the servant is really what it is, you know. None of us are God—just His servants. He just made me feel so comfortable. I always felt very relaxed with him, and I felt more like a friend. I felt that he was a good friend. Even though he was at the time seventy-nine years old, working practically all through the night, day after day, with very little sleep, he still didn’t come through to me as though he was a very highly educated intellectual being, because he had a sort of childlike simplicity. Which is great, fantastic. Even though he was the greatest Sanskrit scholar and a saint, I appreciated the fact that he never made me feel uncomfortable. In fact, he always went out of his way to make me feel comfortable. I always thought of him as sort of a lovely friend, really, and now he’s still a lovely friend.
“That was the thing about Prabhupada, you see. He didn’t just talk about loving Krishna and getting out of this place, but he was the perfect example. He talked about always chanting, and he was always chanting. I think that that in itself was perhaps the most encouraging thing for me. It was enough to make me try harder, to be just a little bit better. He was a perfect example of everything he preached.
The Hare Krishna Movement 