30 Jun 2011
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in Devotee's, Devotional Service, Palaka das, Remembering Srila Prabhupada
Tags: chanting Hare Krishna, devotional service, Hare Krsna, Hari Bol, Palaka das, Srila Prabhupada
Opening the door for Srila Prabhupada
By; Palaka-dasa,
February 19, 2009:
When Srila Prabhupada traveled to Washington DC in the summer of 1976 I wanted desperately to do what ever little direct personal service for him that I could. So I eagerly looked for any opportunity an insignificant disciple such as my lowly self could find. Considering all of my Godbrothers and Godsisters out ranked me on every level, I would have to be a little aggressive if I were to render any direct service at all. Of course all of us were already assisting and serving Srila Prabhupada and his mission of spreading the Hare Krsna movement all over the world. Still, by some extra ordinary amount of good fortune, special mercy was coming our way. Srila Prabhupada was going to reside among us for one week and the potential for personal contact would be available like never before. Especially for the majority of us who never had been given the opportunity to serve directly along side of Srila Prabhupada. This would be a special time and a rare chance to gather up the nectar of his personal presence. As it turned out, this was the first and only time Srila Prabhupada came to Washington DC, thus making the memories of these days even that much sweeter.
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30 Jun 2011
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in Bhaktivinoda Thakura
Tags: Bhaktivinode Thakur, Disappearance of Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakur, Prayer in Separation of Srila Bhaktivinode Thakur, Sampradaya, Sampradaya sun, Sri Gauranga, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta, Sripad Swarupananda das
The Disappearance day of His Divine Grace Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakur
Jun 29, 2011 — CANADA (SUN) —
The Disappearance day of His Divine Grace Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakur is observed on June 30th.
Translator’s Note: This prayer to Srila Bhaktivinode Thakur, the pioneer of Pure Devotion in the recent age, was composed within the lifetime of the author’s Guru, Srila Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Thakur Goswami Prabhupada. Upon reading the original Sanskrit verse, Srila (Bhaktisiddhanta) Prabhupada commented, “Now I am confident that we have one man who is qualified to uphold the standard of our Sampradaya (Divine Succession).” [English Translation by Sripad Swarupananda das.]
Prayer in Separation of Srila Bhaktivinode Thakur
“Alas, alas! O Bhaktivinode Thakur, O Supreme Guru, for twenty-two years this world has been plunged into misfortune, long grief-stricken in your intolerable separation. You are the Divine Potency of Sri Gaura, and you graciously made your advent in this earthly plane, being attracted by the living beings’ virtuous deeds performed throughout many lifetimes.”
“Since I am lowly and very wretched, it was not my luck to reach the ocean that bestows the fortune of surrender—-the Ocean of the Ecstasy of bathing in a particle of the dust of your Holy Lotus Feet. Yet due to your magnanimous nature, you gave your Grace to the whole universe, personally revealing your supereminence as the personification of the Mercy Potency of Sri Gauranga. (That is, by coming into this world, I received His Grace.)”
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30 Jun 2011
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in Krishna, Krishna Consciousness
Tags: Balarama, gopis, His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Krishna, Krsna, Krsna Book, Lord Caitanya, Siksastaka, The Supreme Personality of Godhead
Krishna Nectar
From; KRSNA, The Supreme Personality of Godhead – 1970 Edition
By; His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
Chapter23
Delivering the Wives of the Brahmanas Who Performed Sacrifices
The brāhmaṇas’ wives saw Kṛṣṇa putting on a garment glittering like gold. He wore a nice garland of forest flowers and a peacock feather on His head. He was also painted with the minerals found in Vṛndāvana, and He looked exactly like a dancing actor on a theatrical stage. They saw Him keeping one hand on the shoulder of His friend, and in His other hand, He was holding a lotus flower. His ears were decorated with lilies, He wore marks of tilaka, and He was smiling charmingly. With their very eyes, the wives of the brāhmaṇas saw the Supreme Personality of Godhead, of whom they had heard so much, who was so dear to them, and in whom their minds were always absorbed. Now they saw Him eye to eye and face to face, and Kṛṣṇa entered within their hearts through their eyes.
…”For a long time the wives had been anxious to see Kṛṣṇa. However, when they were preparing to leave home to go see Him, their husbands, fathers, sons and relatives asked them not to go. But the wives did not comply. When a devotee is called by the attraction of Kṛṣṇa, he does not care for bodily ties. The women entered the forest of Vṛndāvana on the bank of the Yamunā, which was verdant with vegetation and newly grown vines and flowers. Within that forest, they saw Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma engaged in tending the cows, along with Their very affectionate boy friends.
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30 Jun 2011
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in Bhaktivinoda Thakura
Tags: Bhaktivinoda Thakura, Bhaktivinoda's life, Caitanya, mortal man, prabhupada, Sri Caitanya-shiksamrita, Stephen Knapp, Surpreme Personality of Godhead, Vaishnava Acharya
The Divine Character of Bhaktivinoda Thakura
By Stephen Knapp
In his Sri Caitanya-shiksamrita he predicted a day when people of all nations, castes, creeds and colors would come under the banners of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu and dance together hand in hand in the universal church of the chanting of the Holy Name of God. He believed strongly that the sankirtana movement of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu would bring eternal peace and harmony to the whole world and for this reason he stressed the preaching of Sri Caitanya’s teachings, particularly through the medium of the English language in the world today.
By studying the character, life and literary works of a great Vaishnava acharya, one can derive deep understanding of how to lead one’s life in such a way that devotion to God becomes manifest in the heart. Although in the beginning of Thakura Bhaktivinoda’s life he seemed to display the activities of an ordinary mortal man, one should not wrongly think him to be so, for he is the dearly beloved associate of the Supreme Personality of Godhead Sri Krishna and it was by the Lord’s divine wish that he appeared on this mundane plane of existence, for the spiritual reformation of fallen humanity of the nineteenth century was in a miserable plight. There were so many off-shoots from the main stem of religion, each sect preaching its own philosophy, that people were thrown into utter confusion and did not know what the pure religion was. It then became a necessity for a leader to save the good souls who were hankering for their real welfare. To quench their thirst a bhakta-avatara was badly needed and that avatara appeared in the form of Thakura Bhaktivinoda. His religious disposition was observed from his very childhood and as he grew older he studied all the religious books of the world and appreciated the doctrines preached by Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu as the most sublime of all and the surest path to lead the fallen souls to the feet of God. The enlightened and cultured men of the present age have now learned to honor this most sublime philosophy which the Thakura brought to light and which would have lain buried in darkness, had he not opened their eyes.
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28 Jun 2011
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in Radha Damodar Mandir
Tags: Gurudas, krsna consciousness, Radha Damodar temple, sannyasa, Srila Jiva Goswami, Srila Prabhupada, Srila Rupa Goswami
Srila Prabhupada at Radha Damodar Temple
“I eternally reside in my rooms at the Radha Damodara Temple” [Srila Prabhupada]
His Divine Grace Srila A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, the foremost preacher of Krsna Consciousness in the world, first came to live in Radha Damodar Temple in 1959 after accepting the sannyasa order of life. The sevaite of the temple, Sri Gaurachanda Goswami, approached Srila Prabhupada and invited him to come and live there since it was the eternal home of Srila Rupa Goswami and Srila Jiva Goswami.
Srila Prabhupada took two rooms, one that acted as a kitchen, the other as a study where he would write.
In the early morning at Radha Damodar Temple, Srila Prabhupada would write and chant japa. He would then circumambulate the samadhis of Jiva Goswami and Rupa Goswami. At 10:00 he would go and take darsana of the other temples of Vrndavana, purchase vegetables and return by 11:00 to cook. Using a kerosene burner and a three-tiered cooker, he would prepare rice, dahl, potatoes, chapattis and subji. He would eat once a day and take some hot milk at night. In the afternoon he would rest for 15 minutes and resume his writing after honoring Radha Damodar Raj bhoga prasadam.
From his kitchen he would gaze out of the small window into the courtyard where Rupa Goswami’s samadhi mandir is situated. He later said that he received great inspiration from Rupa Goswami and that his plans for spreading Krsna Consciouness were formulated during his years at the Radha Damodar Temple.
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28 Jun 2011
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in Radha Damodar Mandir
Tags: India, Iskcon, Radha Damodar Mandir, Sri Nirmal Chandra Goswami, Srila Prabhupada, Srila Prabhupada's Bhajan Kutir, Sun, Vrindavan
ISKCON vs Radha Damodar Mandir
By; Sri Nirmal Chandra Goswami
Jun 27, 2011 — Vrindavan, India (SUN)
The writing of this notice to the devotees has been a long time waiting. Due to the mercy of Sri Sri Radha Damodar and now having email and Internet access, I am able to send out this information for the contemplation of sincere and thoughtful devotees.
Since past five years the court case in India, ISKCON vs Radha Damodar Mandir has been going on. The case originally filed by ISKCON is primarily to solve the question as to who is the legal owner/proprietor of the rooms at Radha Damodar Mandir known as “Srila Prabhupada’s Bhajan Kutir”.
As you know, Srila Prabhupada resided in these rooms for several years before he went to America and established ISKCON. In Srila Prabhupada’s own words, it was by the mercy of Radha Damodar that he was successful in the West.
A few months before the disappearance of Srila Prabhupada in 1977 the worship in Prabhupada’s bhajan kutir began, and after Srila Prabhupada’s disappearance, ISKCON continued paying rent to Radha Damodar Mandir and the puja of Srila Prabhupada continued.
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26 Jun 2011
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in Caitanya Mahaprabhu, Festivals, Sri Caitanya-Caritamrta
Tags: Balarama, ecstatic dancing of Lord Caitanya, His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Lord Jaganath, Ratha-yatra, Sri Caitanya-carimrta, Sri Jagannatha, Subadra, Surpreme Personality of Godhead
Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta: Madhya-līlā Text 1-69
By His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
The Ecstatic Dancing of the Lord at Ratha-yātrā
May the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya, who danced in front of the car of Śrī Jagannātha, be all glorified! By seeing His dancing, not only was the whole universe held in wonder, but Lord Jagannātha Himself became very much astonished.
All glories to Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya and Prabhu Nityānanda! All glories to Advaitacandra! And all glories to the devotees of Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu!
All glories to the listeners of Caitanya-caritāmṛta. Please hear the description of the dancing of Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu at the Ratha-yātrā festival. His dancing is very enchanting. Please hear of it with great attention.
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25 Jun 2011
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in Ratha-yatra
Tags: Balarama, Hare Krishna, jagannath svami nayana pathagame, Lord Krishna, Rathayatra, San Francisco Rathayatra, Srila Prabhupada lecture, Subhsdra
Ratha-yatra Address
Given by Srila Prabhupada
San Francisco, June 27, 1971
Jagannatha svami nayana-pathagami bhavatu me. (crowd repeats) Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare/ Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare. (crowd repeats) Thank you very much. Ladies and Gentlemen, I thank you very much for your kindly participating in this great Ratha-yatra festival.
I have already explained what is this Ratha-yatra festival. It is in commemoration of a grand visit by Lord Krishna along with His elder brother, Balarama, and His younger sister, Subhadra, in a solar eclipse ceremony at Kuruksetra.
This occasion is the subject matter of this Ratha-yatra festival. Apart from these historical references in the matter of Ratha-yatra festival, there is another spiritual meaning, that the Lord is situated in everyone’s heart, and this body is just like ratha, or car.
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24 Jun 2011
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in Devotional Service, Nectar of Devotion
Tags: A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami, Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu, characteristics of pure devotional service, Krsna, Nectar of Devotion, Srila Rupa Goswami, Srimad Bhagavatam
Nectar of Devotion
By: His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
Chapter One
Characteristics of Pure Devotional Service
In Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, Third Canto, Twenty-ninth Chapter, verses 12 and 13, Śrīla Kapiladeva, while instructing His mother, has given the following characteristics of pure devotional service: “My dear mother, those who are My pure devotees, and who have no desire for material benefit or philosophical speculation, have their minds so much engaged in My service that they are never interested in asking Me for anything—except to be engaged in that service. They do not even beg to live in My abode with Me.”
There are five kinds of liberation, namely to become one with the Lord, to live with the Supreme Lord on the same planet, to have the same features as the Lord, to enjoy the same opulences as the Lord and to live as a companion of the Lord. A devotee, what to speak of rejecting material sense gratification, does not even want any of the five kinds of liberation. He is satisfied simply by discharging loving service to the Lord. That is the characteristic of pure devotion.
In the above statement by Kapiladeva from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, the actual position of a pure devotee is described, and the primary characteristics of devotional service are also defined. Further characteristics of devotional service are described by Rūpa Gosvāmī with evidences from different scriptures. He states that there are six characteristics of pure devotional service, which are as follows:
(1) Pure devotional service brings immediate relief from all kinds of material distress.
(2) Pure devotional service is the beginning of all auspiciousness.
(3) Pure devotional service automatically puts one in transcendental pleasure.
(4) Pure devotional service is rarely achieved.
(5) Those in pure devotional service deride even the conception of liberation.
(6) Pure devotional service is the only means to attract Kṛṣṇa.
Kṛṣṇa is all-attractive, but pure devotional service attracts even Him. This means that pure devotional service is even transcendentally stronger than Kṛṣṇa Himself, because it is Kṛṣṇa’s internal potency.
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24 Jun 2011
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in Bhaktivinoda Thakura
Tags: Back to Godhead Magazine, Madhusudana, mission of Lord Caitanya, Prabhupada books, Prabhupada Letters, Srila Ghaktivinoda Thakura, Srila Prabhupada
…sometimes even a liberated person like Arjuna plays the part of a conditioned soul in order to play some important part. Similarly, Bhaktivinode Thakura for sometimes was associating with the impersonalists. And then he exhibited himself in his true color as pure devotee, exactly in the same way as Arjuna exhibited in the beginning as a conditioned soul, and then as a liberated soul. So there is nothing to be misunderstood in this connection. Krishna and His devotees sometimes play like that, as much as Lord Buddha although an incarnation of Krishna, preached the philosophy of voidism.
Letter to: Madhusudana
Los Angeles
20 November, 1968
My Dear Madhusudana,
Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter of Nov. 16, 1968, and have noted the contents carefully. Your sentiment is very much appreciated by me, and your service attitude is very nice. It is very good that you are helping to put out our magazine Back To Godhead, and whenever I see the new magazine mailed to me each month, I am so pleased to go through its contents and see all the nice work you have done, and you are always in my thoughts as I read through it, as well as Rayarama, and all your other co-workers. To make this magazine a great success is very very important to the mission. And you along with your co-workers are doing it very nicely. And Krishna will bless you, please continue to do it.
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23 Jun 2011
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in Books by Srila Prabhupada, The Hare Krishna Movement
Tags: 1972 Macmillan edition, Arjuna, Bhagavad-gita As It Is, classic edition, Gita, His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, India's Spiritual Wisdom, Lord Sri Krsna, The Hare Krishna Movement
“Classic Edition”
Bhagavad-gita As It Is
By His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
The Original “Classic” 1972 Bhagavad-gita “As It Is” In High Quality Hard Bound Cover.
This is the compact , Complete Edition of Srila Prabhupada’s 1972 Macmillan edition. This edition is the most widely read Gita in the world. Written by His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, who is the world’s foremost Vedic scholar and teacher. He represents an unbroken chain of fully self-realized spiritual masters beginning with Lord Krsna Himself. Thus, unlike other editions of the Gita, his edition conveys Lord Krsna’s profound message as it is-without the slightest taint of adulteration or personally motivated change. Replete with sixteen full-color plates, this new edition is certain to stimulate and enlighten any reader with its ancient yet thoroughly timely teachings.
Bhagavad-gita is universally renowned as the jewel of India’s spiritual wisdom. Spoken by Lord Sri Krsna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, to His intimate devotee Arjuna, the Gita’s seven hundred concise verses provide a definitive guide to the science of self-realization. Indeed, no work even compares in its revelations of man’s essential nature, his environment and, ultimately, his relationship with God.
Special Features
• Original Sanskrit Text
• English transliterations for each Sanskrit word
• Elaborate commentary
• Complete glossary
• Complete verse index
• High readability
• Profuse full-color illustrations
Original 1972 Complete edition. With translations and elaborate purports by His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada.
Hard-cover, 981 pages, 48 color plates. 5″ x 7.5″
Note; Also available in High Quality Soft Bound or Hard Bound, Wholesale by the case!!!
Shop on-line at http://www.theharekrishnamovement.com
23 Jun 2011
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in Chanting Hare Krishna, Lectures, Srimati Radharani
Tags: bhagavad-gita, Caitanya Mahaprabhu, chanting Hare Krishna, hara, Hare, Hare Krishna Mantra, man-mana bhava mad=bhakto, O Radha-Krishna, Radha, Radharani, Radhastami, Srila Prabhupada, taking shelter of Krishna
Lectures on Bhagavad-gita As It Is, (Bhagavad-gita 4.10)
Calcutta, September 23, 1974
By His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
By taking shelter of Krishna, one has to become absorbed in thinking of Krishna. That is not very difficult. Man-mana bhava mad-bhakto mad-yaji mam namaskuru [ Bhagavad-gita 18.65]. It is not at all difficult. You simply chant Hare Krishna mantra. You’ll be man-maya. This is so nice thing. Therefore Chaitanya Mahaprabhu has recommended,
harer nama harer nama harer namaiva kevalam
kalau nasty eva nasty eva nasty eva gatir anyatha [ Chaitanya-charitamrita Adi-lila 17.21]
So our request is… Everyone who is present here… Today is Radhastami. So pray to Radharani. And She is hare, hara. This hare, this word, is Radharani. Hara, Radharani. Radha or Hara: the same thing. So Hare Krishna. So we are praying to Radharani, “My Mother, Radharani, and Krishna.” Hare Krishna. “O Krishna, O the Lord.” Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, the same thing, repetition. “O Radharani, O Krishna.” “O Radha-Krishna.” “Radhe-Krishna” or “Hare Krishna,” the same thing. Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare. Again addressing, “O Krishna, O Krishna, O Radharani.” Hare Rama. The same thing, again. Hare Rama. Rama is also Krishna. Rama is Rama, Rama is Balarama. They are all Krishna. Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare.
So this repetition of addressing Radha and Krishna or Hare Krishna is to pray, “My dear Lord, … and the energy, the spiritual energy of the Lord, kindly engage me in Your service.” That’s all. “I am now embarrassed with this material service. Please engage me in Your service.”
This is good sense. We are servants here. We are engaged in so many services. But it is not giving us comfort. Na trapa nopashanti. The service which we are rendering to others, they are not satisfied, I am not satisfied. This is material service. But if you give service to Krishna… Svalpam apy asya dharmasya trayate mahato bhayat. A little service can save you from the greatest danger. This is the formula.
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21 Jun 2011
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in Bhagavad-gita, Krishna Consciousness, Spiritual World
Tags: brahmajyoti, devotee, fruitive worker, impersonalist, Krishna, meditation, mystic yogi, pure devotees, spiritual effulgence, Srila Prabhupada, supersoul, transcendental world
In picture; At the top Krishna is dancing with His purest devotees as a lover. On the lotus petals the Lord is reciprocating with His devotees as a son, as a friend and as a master. Below left, a devotee in the material world is associating with Krishna personally by painting His transcendental form. Next, an impersonalist, by his meditation, is merging with the brahmajyoti, the spiritual effulgence emanating from the Lord’s body. On the right a mystic yogi is walking on the water. On the far right a fruitive worker is receiving the fruits of his labor. (Picture and description taken from the Original 1972 Bhagavad-gita As It Is)
Bhagavad-gītā As It Is
By: His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
Chapter 4 Transcendental Knowledge
TEXT 11
ye yathā māṁ prapadyante
tāṁs tathaiva bhajāmy aham
mama vartmānuvartante
manuṣyāḥ pārtha sarvaśaḥ
ye—all of them; yathā—as; mām—unto Me; prapadyante—surrender; tān—unto them; tathā—so; eva—certainly; bhajāmi—do I reward; aham—I; mama—My; vartma—path; anuvartante—do follow; manuṣyāḥ—all men; pārtha—O son of Pṛthā; sarvaśaḥ—in all respects.
TRANSLATION
All of them—as they surrender unto Me—I reward accordingly. Everyone follows My path in all respects, O son of Pṛthā.
PURPORT
Eveyone is searching for Kṛṣṇa in the different aspects of His manifestations. Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is partially realized in His impersonal brahmajyoti effulgence and as the all-pervading Supersoul dwelling within everything, including the particles of atoms. But Kṛṣṇa is only fully realized by His pure devotees. Consequently, Kṛṣṇa is the object of everyone’s realization, and thus anyone and everyone is satisfied according to one’s desire to have Him. In the transcendental world also, Kṛṣṇa reciprocates with His pure devotees in the transcendental attitude, just as the devotee wants Him. One devotee may want Kṛṣṇa as supreme master, another as his personal friend, another as his son, and still another as his lover. Kṛṣṇa rewards all the devotees equally, according to their different intensities of love for Him. In the material world, the same reciprocations of feelings are there, and they are equally exchanged by the Lord with the different types of worshipers. The pure devotees both here and in the transcendental abode associate with Him in person and are able to render personal service to the Lord and thus derive transcendental bliss in His loving service. As for those who are impersonalists and who want to commit spiritual suicide by annihilating the individual existence of the living entity, Kṛṣṇa helps also by absorbing them into His effulgence. Such impersonalists do not agree to accept the eternal, blissful Personality of Godhead; consequently they cannot relish the bliss of transcendental personal service to the Lord, having extinguished their individuality. Some of them, who are not situated even in the impersonal existence, return to this material field to exhibit their dormant desires for activities. They are not admitted in the spiritual planets, but they are again given a chance to act on the material planets. For those who are fruitive workers, the Lord awards the desired results of their prescribed duties, as the yajñeśvara; and those who are yogīs seeking mystic powers are awarded such powers. In other words, everyone is dependant for success upon His mercy alone, and all kinds of spiritual processes are but different degrees of success on the same path. Unless, therefore, one comes to the highest perfection of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, all attempts remain imperfect, as is stated in the Śrīmad Bhāgavatam:
akāmaḥ sarva-kāmo vā mokṣa-kāma udāradhīḥ
tīvreṇa bhakti-yogena yajeta puruṣaṁ param
“Whether one is without desire [the condition of the devotees], or is desirous of all fruitive results, or is after liberation, one should with all efforts try to worship the Supreme Personality of Godhead for complete perfection, culminating in Kṛṣṇa consciousness.” (Bhāg. 2.3.10)
20 Jun 2011
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in Iskcon Bangalore, The Struggle for Truth
Tags: devotees of Iskcon Bangalore, ISKCON Bangalore, Madhu Pandit dasa, Srila Prabhupada, The Struggle For Truth.org
The Struggle For Truth
By The Devotees of ISKCON Bangalore
The pains of this struggle for truth have been borne silently by the devotees of ISKCON-Bangalore for the last nine years. So far we have been trying ourbest to contain this within the institution.
However, it has become necessary today, unfortunately, to disseminate the sensitive information of purely internal nature in this paper. Our adversaries are exploiting our silence by perpetrating false and maligning propaganda against the devotees of ISKCON-Bangalore, even more vigorously than ever before, in order to demean our cause, and sidestep the real issue.
As supporters and donors of this organization, we believe it is your right to be informed by us of the real issues that have transpired in this matter. In this second issue, we present more details concerning the developments in ISKCON post 1977.
Link: http://struggle-for-truth.org/sft2/index.html
20 Jun 2011
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in Iskcon Bangalore
Tags: Bangalore correspondent, Constitution of India, ISKCON Bangalore, Madhu Pandit dasa, Sampradaya sun, Supreme Court of India
Challenging the Bangalore Correspondent
By: Madhu Pandit Dasa (Jun 18, 2011 — BANGALORE, INDIA)
We are very confident that the unsubstantiated bland and vague allegations of fraud made in the recent High Court judgment against me will also proved to be false in the Supreme Court, when I am heard. As a fundamental right enshrined in the Constitution of India, enjoyed by every citizen of this country, I, as an individual, will be challenging through a Petition before the Supreme Court how such findings could be made against me in person, when I was never a party to the suit and conclusions were made about me without hearing me. (The Bangalore Society was the party and not me.)
What a twist the Bangalore Correspondent has given to the purpose of my recent visit to ISKCON Mumbai temple. I never went to ISKCON Juhu temple to talk compromise with them. I went to ISKCON Juhu temple directly from Delhi after the Supreme Court hearing as a thanks giving visit to the Deities of ISKCON Juhu temple, and was there for not more than 15 minutes. They are the first Deities whose mercy I received in 1979, when I walked into ISKCON after reading Srila Prabhupada’s books for two years in my IIT library without knowing that there is an organization called ISKCON.
It has always been my practice to visit Sri Sri Radha RasaBihari to take their blessings after every hearing in the Supreme Court. I have done so after all the victories we had in the last 10 years in the Supreme Court. On three earlier counts our matter had reached the Supreme Court and ISKCON Bangalore received a favorable judgment. The recent one is the fourth such victory before the Supreme Court. On each of these occasions I had flown directly from Delhi to Bombay. Brajahari das, the President came to the Temple Hall and met me.
Just while leaving, Bhima das appeared there and we exchanged some words standing there. He said, why don’t you sit and talk compromise and said that it is too risky for me if I did not, as they will file criminal charges against me if I lost in the Supreme Court, and that I have to be on the run like Adhrdharan Prabhu. I replied that I will never run, as I have never abused a single penny of Srila Prabhupada’s, and that I will face such false criminal charges and come out clean. No question of running. He appeared shocked. He thought that, file a few criminal cases and that is end of this war.
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18 Jun 2011
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in Diksha, Disciplic succession, Guru & Disciple, Siksa
Tags: Ananda devi, current link, diksa guru, disciplic succession, Iskcon, physically present guru, Prabhupadanuga News, Srila Prabhupada
Does the Disciplic Succession stop with Srila Prabhupada?
By Ananda Devi
Posted on 4. April 2009 by Prabhupadanuga News
Whether Srila Prabhupada is “physically present” or not is of no consequence He is the current link in ISKCON. Srila Prabhupada IS the “current link” in ISKCON. There is no difference between Srila Prabhupada, ISKCON, and the sound vibration coming from Him, even though He is not personally present. The potency is never minimized because the vibrator is apparently absent.
Srila Prabhupada incorporated the organisation named ISKCON as a legal entity. He had already foreseen the future temples, farms, devotees and His position in Sri Chaitanya’s Sankirtana Movement. Not only is Srila Prabhupada the Founder/Acarya, but also the Diksa Guru of ISKCON. In 1966, this position was not questioned.
Srila Prabhupada gathered together the Brahma-Samita, the essence of Vedic literature, the Srimad Bhagavatam authored by Srila Vyasadeva, the Nectar of Devotion and Instruction by Rupa Goswami, the Caitanya-caritamrita by Krsnadasa Kaviraja, and His very own Bhagavad-Gita As It Is, as well as many other Vedic literatures. These are the cream of Vedic literature, not the bread and butter; those He discarded.
As a uniquely empowered potent preacher, Srila Prabhupada created His very own organisation for Him to be the centre, ISKCON. The exclusive worship is the same today as it was back in those days. Srila Prabhupada is directly worshipped as the Diksa Guru as if He was physically present today There has been no change to the daily worship.
From Mangala Arati through to Bhagavatam class is all based around Srila Prabhupada’s process of Diksa that He introduced for His ISKCON. In ISKCON this is exactly the definition and meaning of “current link” to the Disciplic Succession.
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18 Jun 2011
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in Back to Godhead, Chanting Hare Krishna
Tags: devotees, Hare Krishna, impersonalists, Krsna, Kurappiah Chockalingam, Om, omkara, pranava, spiritual vibration, Srimati Radharani
Om or Hare Krishna?
By Kurappiah Chockalingam
Though the sacred sound om is often associated with impersonalists, only the devotees understand its full import.
The Gosvamis of Vrndavana have analyzed om (a-u-m) as follows: The letter a refers to Krsna, the master of all planets and all living entities. The letter u indicates Srimati Radharani, the pleasure potency of Krsna, and m indicates the living entities. Thus omkara represents Krsna; His name, fame, pastimes, potencies, and devotees; and everything else pertaining to Him.
THROUGHOUT THE VEDAS there is much mention of the syllabel om. This spiritual vibration, which is sometimes called omkara or pranava, comprises three Sanskrit sounds – a, u, and ma (the a in ma is silent). When these three sounds are combined, the result is the single-syllabled vibration om.
An unusual attribute of om is that it has no direct translation from Sanskrit into English. And though every Vedantist will accept om to be a representation of God, exactly how om is viewed differs according to various schools to thought. These schools can be classified into two main categories, the Mayavadi, or impersonalist, and the Vaisnava, or devotee.
The impersonalist, as the name suggests, is happy to treat om as an impersonal, formless, representation of the Absolute Truth. Therefore, the Mayavadi will very openly chant om, being careful to avoid names such as Krsna and Rama, which according to them, are limited. A Mayavadi might explain his theory of pranava om like this: “Since this whole universe has been created by Him (God), whatever there is in the universe is Him alone.
As such, He has no name. But if He has to have a name, then all names are His, for He alone is appearing in all forms. The first sound in most languages is a; the last sound to leave as our mouth closes is m; u is the center of the two. Together, they represent all the basic sounds from which words are produced. And threfore, these three sounds, making up the syllable om, represent the entire universe of names and forms.”
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17 Jun 2011
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in Krsna is the Source of All Incarnations
Tags: bhagavad-gita, birth, death, Garbhodakasayi, His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, innumerable universes, Karanodakasayi, Krsna Is The Source of All Incarnations, Ksirodakasayi Visnu, old age disease, Personality of Godhead, Srimad Bhagavatam
Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam: Canto 1: “Creation”
By: His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
Chapter 3
Kṛṣṇa Is the Source of All Incarnations
Therefore, the conclusion is that the puruṣa-avatāra is manifested in three features — first the Kāraṇodakaśāyī who creates aggregate material ingredients in the mahat-tattva, second the Garbhodakaśāyī who enters in each and every universe, and third the Kṣīrodakaśāyī Viṣṇu who is the Paramātmā of every material object, organic or inorganic. One who knows these plenary features of the Personality of Godhead knows Godhead properly, and thus the knower becomes freed from the material conditions of birth, death, old age and disease, as it is confirmed in Bhagavad-gītā.
Chapter 3
TEXT 2
yasyāmbhasi śayānasya
yoga-nidrāṁ vitanvataḥ
nābhi-hradāmbujād āsīd
brahmā viśva-sṛjāṁ patiḥ
SYNONYMS
yasya—whose; ambhasi—in the water; śayānasya—lying down; yoga-nidrām—sleeping in meditation; vitanvataḥ—ministering; nābhi—navel; hrada—out of the lake; ambujāt—from the lotus; āsīt—was manifested; brahmā—the grandfather of the living beings; viśva—the universe; sṛjām—the engineers; patiḥ—master.
TRANSLATION
A part of the puruṣa lies down within the water of the universe, from the navel lake of His body sprouts a lotus stem, and from the lotus flower atop this stem, Brahmā, the master of all engineers in the universe, becomes manifest.
PURPORT
The first puruṣa is the Kāraṇodakaśāyī Viṣṇu. From His skin holes innumerable universes have sprung up. In each and every universe, the puruṣa enters as the Garbhodakaśāyī Viṣṇu. He is lying within the half of the universe which is full with the water of His body. And from the navel of Garbhodakaśāyī Viṣṇu has sprung the stem of the lotus flower, the birthplace of Brahmā, who is the father of all living beings and the master of all the demigod engineers engaged in the perfect design and working of the universal order. Within the stem of the lotus there are fourteen divisions of planetary systems, and the earthly planets are situated in the middle. Upwards there are other, better planetary systems, and the topmost system is called Brahmaloka or Satyaloka. Downwards from the earthly planetary system there are seven lower planetary systems inhabited by the asuras and similar other materialistic living beings.
From Garbhodakaśāyī Viṣṇu there is expansion of the Kṣīrodakaśāyī Viṣṇu, who is the collective Paramātmā of all living beings. He is called Hari, and from Him all incarnations within the universe are expanded.
Therefore, the conclusion is that the puruṣa-avatāra is manifested in three features — first the Kāraṇodakaśāyī who creates aggregate material ingredients in the mahat-tattva, second the Garbhodakaśāyī who enters in each and every universe, and third the Kṣīrodakaśāyī Viṣṇu who is the Paramātmā of every material object, organic or inorganic. One who knows these plenary features of the Personality of Godhead knows Godhead properly, and thus the knower becomes freed from the material conditions of birth, death, old age and disease, as it is confirmed in Bhagavad-gītā, In this śloka the subject matter of Mahā-Viṣṇu is summarized. The Mahā-Viṣṇu lies down in some part of the spiritual sky by His own free will. Thus He lies on the ocean of kāraṇa, from where He glances over His material nature, and the mahat-tattva is at once created. Thus electrified by the power of the Lord, the material nature at once creates innumerable universes, just as in due course a tree decorates itself with innumerable grown fruits. The seed of the tree is sown by the cultivator, and the tree or creeper in due course becomes manifested with so many fruits. Nothing can take place without a cause. The Kāraṇa Ocean is therefore called the Causal Ocean. Kāraṇa means “causal.” We should not foolishly accept the atheistic theory of creation. The description of the atheists is given in the Bhagavad-gītā. The atheist does not believe in the creator, but he cannot give a good theory to explain the creation. Material nature has no power to create without the power of the puruṣa, just as a prakṛti, or woman, cannot produce a child without the connection of a puruṣa, or man. The puruṣa impregnates, and the prakṛti delivers. We should not expect milk from the fleshy bags on the neck of a goat, although they look like breastly nipples. Similarly, we should not expect any creative power from the material ingredients; we must believe in the power of the puruṣa, who impregnates prakṛti, or nature. Because the Lord wished to lie down in meditation, the material energy created innumerable universes at once, in each of them the Lord lay down, and thus all the planets and the different paraphernalia were created at once by the will of the Lord. The Lord has unlimited potencies, and thus He can act as He likes by perfect planning, although personally He has nothing to do. No one is greater than or equal to Him. That is the verdict of the Vedas.
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15 Jun 2011
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in Krishna Consciousness, Srila Prabhupada
Tags: Jaladuta, Krishna, Padmapani das, prabhupadaconnect, Prayer to the Lotus Feet of Krsna, Srila Prabhupada
Prayer to the Lotus Feet of Krsna
By: His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
Founder-Acarya of the International Society for Krsna Consciousness
On September 13, 1965, Srila Prabhupada wrote the following prayer
on board the Jaladuta steamship bound for America.
I emphatically say to you, O brothers, you will obtain your good fortune from the Supreme Lord Krsna only when Srimati Radharani becomes pleased with you.
Sri Srimad Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakur, who is very dear to Lord Gauranga, the son of mother Saci, is unparalleled in his service to the Supreme Lord Sri Krsna. He is that great saintly spiritual master who bestows intense devotion to Krsna at different places throughout the world.
By his strong desire, the holy name of Lord Gauranga will spread throughout all the countries of the Western world. In all the cities, towns and villages on the earth, from all the oceans, seas, rivers and streams, everyone will chant the holy name of Krsna.
As the vast mercy of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu conquers all directions, a flood of transcendental ecstacy will certainly cover the land. When all the sinful, miserable living entities become happy, the Vaisnava’s desire is then fulfilled.
Although my Guru Maharaja ordered me to accomplish this mission, I am not worthy or fit to do it. I am very fallen and insignificant. Therefore, O Lord, now I am begging for Your mercy so that I may become worthy, for You are the wisest and most experienced of all.
If You bestow Your power, by serving the spiritual master one attains the Absolute Truth — one’s life becomes successful. If that service is obtained, then one becomes happy and gets Your association due to good fortune.
evam janam nipatitam prabhavahikupe
kamabhikamam anu yah prapatan prasangat
krtvatmasat surarsina bhagavan grhitah
so ‘ham katham nu visrje tava bhrtya-sevam
“My dear Lord, O Supreme Personality of Godhead, because of my association with material desires, one after another, I was gradually falling into a blind well of snakes, following the general populace. But Your servant Narada Muni kindly accepted me as his disciple and instucted me how to achieve this transcendental position. Therefore, my first duty is to serve him. How could I leave his service?” (Prahlada Maharaja to Lord Nrsimhadeva, Srimad-Bhagavatam, 7.9.28)
O Lord Krsna, You are my eternal companion. Forgetting You, I have suffered the kicks of maya birth after birth. If today the chance to meet You occurs again, then I will surely be able to rejoin You.
O dear friend, in Your company I will experience great joy once again. In the early morning I will wander about the cowherd pastures and fields. Running and frolicking in the many forests of Vraja, I will roll on the ground in spiritual ecstacy. O when will that day be mine?
Today that remembrance of You came to me in a very nice way. Because I have a great longing I called to You. I am Your eternal servant and therefore I desire Your association so much. O Lord Krsna, except for You there is no other means of success.
Pasted from: The Prabhupada Connection
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