29 Jun 2014
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Caaitanya-caritamrta, Sri Caitanya-Caritamrta, Srimati Radharani, Vaisnava Vocabulary
Tags: A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, ananda, aradhana, blissfulness, cit, devi, gopis The Supreme Personality of Godhead, His devotees, hladini, hladini energy, hladini-shakti, hlādinī—pleasure potency, krsna mayi, Krsna pleasure, lovely abode of Lord Krsna, pleasure potency, Radha Radhika, resplendent and most beautiful, sat, sat cit ananda, worship
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This morning there was this nagging voice that kept saying “read Adi-lila chapter 4, of the Sri Caitanya-caritamrta” I haven’t read from the Caitanya-caritamrta for a while because I was re-reading the Bhagavad-gita and Krsna Book and because it is summer, I am busy with work. But today is Sunday and my time is a bit more relaxed. So I responded to the nagging voice…and pulled Vol. 1 from the shelf. As I read I became more and more enlivened and the words jumped out at me…. Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī, who is the attraction for the all-attractive. What is attracting the All Attractive? Srimati Radharani!
And the other thing that jumped out at me was the word hlādinī. Here is another word for your vaishnava vocabulary. So today is a two part post from the Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, describing the hladini energy, and the attractiveness of Srimati Radharani.
Lord Kṛṣṇa enchants the world, but Śrī Rādhā enchants even Him. Therefore She is the supreme goddess of all. (Adi 4.95)
Śrī Rādhā is the full power, and Lord Kṛṣṇa is the possessor of full power. The two are not different, as evidenced by the revealed scriptures. (Adi 4.96)
Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī is as fully spiritual as Kṛṣṇa. No one should consider Her to be material. She is definitely not like the conditioned souls, who have material bodies, gross and subtle, covered by material senses. She is all-spiritual, and both Her body and mind are of the same spiritual embodiment. Because Her body is spiritual, Her senses are also spiritual. Thus Her body, mind and senses fully shine in love of Kṛṣṇa. She is the personified hlādinī-śakti (the pleasure-giving energy of the Lord’s internal potency), and therefore She is the only source of enjoyment for Śrī Kṛṣṇa.
Śrī Kṛṣṇa cannot enjoy anything that is internally different from Him. Therefore Rādhā and Śrī Kṛṣṇa are identical. The sandhinī portion of Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s internal potency has manifested the all-attractive form of Śrī Kṛṣṇa, and the same internal potency, in the hlādinī feature, has presented Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī, who is the attraction for the all-attractive. No one can match Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī in the transcendental pastimes of Śrī Kṛṣṇa. (from purport Adi 4.71)
…All the desires of Lord Kṛṣṇa rest in Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī. (from purport)
Some notes on the hlādinī potency More
27 Jun 2014
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Krishna Nectar, Krsna Consciousness
Tags: A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, celebrated flute, cowherd boys, friends of krsna, Krishna, Krsna, remembrance of Lord Krsna, SB 3.2.27, Srimad Bhagavatam, Third Canto, transcendental flute, transcendental pleasure, Yamuna river
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This morning I was reading from the Srimad Bhagavatam Third Canto, Chapter Two. It was so enlivening, that I read out-loud, the entire chapter. The following is just three verses and purports from the chapter entitled ” Remembrance of Lord Kṛṣṇa”.
In His childhood, the Almighty Lord was surrounded by cowherd boys and calves, and thus He traveled on the shore of the Yamunā River, through gardens densely covered with trees and filled with vibrations of chirping birds. (SB 3.2.27)
…the Lord used to play His celebrated flute. The sound vibrated by His flute would give His friends such transcendental pleasure that they would forget all the talks of the brahmānanda which is so praised by the impersonalists. These cowherd boys, as will be explained by Śukadeva Gosvāmī, were living entities who had accumulated heaps of pious acts and thus were enjoying with the Lord in person and were hearing His transcendental flute. The Brahma-saṁhitā (5.30) confirms the Lord’s blowing His transcendental flute. (from purport to SB 3.2.29)
veṇuṁ kvaṇantam aravinda-dalāyatākṣaṁ
barhāvataṁsam asitāmbuda-sundarāṅgam
kandarpa-koṭi-kaminīya-viśeṣa-śobhaṁ
govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajāmi
Brahmājī said, “I worship Govinda, the primeval Lord, who plays on His transcendental flute. His eyes are like lotus flowers, He is decorated with peacock plumes, and His bodily color resembles a fresh black cloud although His bodily features are more beautiful than millions of cupids.” These are the special features of the Lord.
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25 Jun 2014
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in Chanting Hare Krishna, Letters by Srila Prabhupada, Maha-mantra, Mantra Meditation, Meditation
Tags: Hare Krishna, hare krishna means, Hare Krsna, Letters by Srila Prabhupada, Maha Mantra, maya, Radha and Krishna
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“Our prayer of the Hare Krishna Mantra means addressing Radha and Krishna for being engaged in Their service. Hare Krishna means “Oh Hare, Oh Radharani! Oh Krishna! Please engage me in Your service so that I can get relief from the service of Maya.” (Letter to Subala das July 8, 1969)
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25 Jun 2014
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Primeval
Tags: A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, ancient, antediluvian, Bg. 2.20, bhagavad-gita, earliest, first, having existed from the beginning, history of the world, original, prehistoric, primeval, primeval forest, primordial, primordial forms of life, primordial matter, pristine, virgin
This morning I was reading from the Bhagavad-gita As It Is 1972 Edition by His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, and for the thousandth time I read the word “primeval”, as in the following verse; “For the soul there is never birth nor death. Nor, having once been, does he ever cease to be. He is unborn, eternal, ever-existing, undying and primeval. He is not slain when the body is slain” (Bg 2.20). I always figured that I understood that word ‘primeval’ and never felt the need to look it up. But this morning I paused and asked myself “what is primeval?” I really didn’t know. So that is the basis for todays post.
Definition, examples More
23 Jun 2014
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Bhagavad-gita, Krishna
Tags: A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Pabhupada, Absolute Truth, administrators, businessmen, educated philosophers, grossly follish, Krishna, lotus feet of the Supreme Personality Krsna, lowest avong mankind, scientists, surrender to the lotus feet of Krsna, the desirer of wealth, the distressed, the inquisitive, thoes who are searching for knowledge of the Absolute, who partake of the atheistic nature of demons, whose knowledge is stolen by illusion
Those miscreants who are grossly foolish, lowest among mankind, whose knowledge is stolen by illusion, and who partake of the atheistic nature of demons, do not surrender unto Me. (Bg. 7.15)
O best among the Bhāratas [Arjuna], four kinds of pious men render devotional service unto Me—the distressed, the desirer of wealth, the inquisitive, and he who is searching for knowledge of the Absolute. (Bg. 7-16)
…It is said in Bhagavad-gītā that simply by surrendering oneself unto the lotus feet of the Supreme Personality Kṛṣṇa, one can surmount the stringent laws of material nature. At this point a question arises: How is it that educated philosophers, scientists, businessmen, administrators and all the leaders of ordinary men do not surrender to the lotus feet of Śrī Kṛṣṇa, the all-powerful Personality of Godhead? Mukti, or liberation from the laws of material nature, is sought by the leaders of mankind in different ways and with great plans and perseverance for a great many years and births. But if that liberation is possible by simply surrendering unto the lotus feet of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, then why don’t these intelligent and hard-working leaders adopt this simple method? (from purport)
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21 Jun 2014
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in Jyotirmayi devi, Women, Women in ISKCON
Tags: Arundhat dasi, brahmacarini status, Chakra, guru's ashrama, i, Jadurani dasi, Jamuna dasi, Janaki dasi, Jyotirmayi dasi, Kausalya dasi, Lilavati dasi, prabhupada, spiritual activities, spiritual advancement, Srila Prabhupada paroxysm, women in ISKCON, Women in Iskcon in Prabhupada's times, women in temples, women issues
This is an older article written by Jyotirmayi devi dasi that was originally posted on Chakra back in 1998. We are posting it here just to include it in the archives and history of The Hare Krishna Movement as founded by Srila Prabhupada. There is some very nice historical information, and pertinent insights by a woman practicing within the society.
…By accepting women in the temples and giving them the brahmacarini status, Prabhupada was not pretending: he gave them all the same rights and duties of the brahmacaris in the guru’s ashrama. The same thing applied when he gave them Brahman initiation. The women devotees had exactly the same spiritual activities, the same tasks, the same possibilities to progress spiritually and they were entitled to the same respect. At that time everything was done according to the abilities and the spiritual advancement of a person and not according to sex. Prabhupada did not make any distinction.
Women in ISKCON in Prabhupada’s Times
by Jyotirmayi Devi Dasi
[Originally posted on Chakra on January 22, 1998]
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17 Jun 2014
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Bhagavad-gita, Krsna, Krsna Consciousness, Meditation, Yoga, Yogi
Tags: A.C. Bhaktiveanta Swami Prabhupada, bhakti yoga, Govinda, Krsna, krsna consciousness, meditation, Nrismha, Rama, Syamasundara, Varaha, yoga, yogas, yogi, yoginam api sarvesam
“Of all yogis, he who abides in Me with great faith is the highest of all.”
It is by great fortune that one comes to Kṛṣṇa consciousness on the path of bhakti-yoga to become well situated according to the Vedic direction. The ideal yogī concentrates his attention on Kṛṣṇa, who is called Śyāmasundara, who is as beautifully colored as a cloud, whose lotus-like face is as effulgent as the sun, whose dress is brilliant with jewels and whose body is flower garlanded. Illuminating all sides is His gorgeous luster, which is called the brahmajyoti. He incarnates in different forms such as Rāma, Nṛsiṁha, Varāha and Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and He descends like a human being, as the son of Mother Yaśodā, and He is known as Kṛṣṇa, Govinda and Vāsudeva. He is the perfect child, husband, friend and master, and He is full with all opulences and transcendental qualities. If one remains fully conscious of these features of the Lord, he is called the highest yogī. (from purport to Bg. 6.47)
This is more or less a continuation of yesterdays post Freedom From All Miseries as it is the last verse in the Chapter 6, entitled; “Sankhya-yoga”. This is one of the very best verses and purports in the Bhagavad-gita for study if one is an aspiring yogi…
…The culmination of all kinds of yoga practices lies in bhakti-yoga. All other yogas are but means to come to the point of bhakti in bhakti-yoga. Yoga actually means bhakti-yoga; all other yogas are progressions toward the destination of bhakti-yoga. From the beginning of karma-yoga to the end of bhakti-yoga is a long way to self-realization. Karma-yoga, without fruitive results, is the beginning of this path. When karma-yoga increases in knowledge and renunciation, the stage is called jñāna-yoga. When jñāna-yoga increases in meditation on the Supersoul by different physical processes, and the mind is on Him, it is called aṣṭāṅga-yoga. And, when one surpasses the aṣṭāṅga-yoga and comes to the point of the Supreme Personality of Godhead Kṛṣṇa, it is called bhakti-yoga, the culmination. Factually, bhakti-yoga is the ultimate goal, but to analyze bhakti-yoga minutely one has to understand these other yogas. The yogī who is progressive is therefore on the true path of eternal good fortune. (from purport to Bg. 6.47)
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16 Jun 2014
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Patanjali Muni, Yoga
Tags: A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, monist, Patanjali Muni, patanjali system, Patanjali system of yoga, patanjali yoga sutras, samadhi, superself, theory of oneness, trance, transcendental pleasure, yoga, yoga practice, yoga principle, yogi
This morning my body was stiff when I woke from sleep, as I have been working rather hard lately, and I thought that I would do my morning Yoga out on the deck as the Sun was rising. Going through all the different asanas, my mind was thinking about the actual meaning of the word yoga (union with God). So after my shower I opened the Bhagavad-gita As It Is and read chapter six entitled “Sankhya-yoga”.
I guess you could say I felt some pleasure while performing my hatha-yoga asanas, as the stiffness left my body and blood circulation returned, and then from my reading I could understand that this was understandable and acceptable.
…There is an acceptance of transcendental pleasure in the Patañjali system, but the monists do not accept this transcendental pleasure out of fear of jeopardizing the theory of oneness. The duality of knowledge and knower is not accepted by the nondualist, but in this verse transcendental pleasure—realized through transcendental senses—is accepted. And this is corroborated by the Patañjali Muni, the famous exponent of the yoga system. The great sage declares in his Yoga-sūtras: puruṣārtha-śūnyānāṁ guṇānāṁ pratiprasavaḥ kaivalyaṁ svarūpa-pratiṣṭhā vā citi-śaktir iti.
This citi-śakti, or internal potency, is transcendental. Puruṣārtha means material religiosity, economic development, sense gratification and, at the end, the attempt to become one with the Supreme. This “oneness with the Supreme” is called kaivalyam by the monist. But according to Patañjali, this kaivalyam is an internal, or transcendental, potency by which the living entity becomes aware of his constitutional position. In the words of Lord Caitanya, this state of affairs is called ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanam, or clearance of the impure mirror of the mind. This “clearance” is actually liberation, or bhava-mahādāvāgni-nirvāpaṇam. The theory of nirvāṇa—also preliminary—corresponds with this principle. In the Bhāgavatam this is called svarūpeṇa vyavasthitiḥ. The Bhagavad-gītā also confirms this situation in this verse. (from purport to Bg. 6.20-23)
Maybe I just use the philosophy to justify my enjoyment of yoga-asanas, or perhaps controlling the mind, body and senses, is the preliminary path leading to liberation, freedom from all miseries.
As a lamp in a windless place does not waver, so the transcendentalist, whose mind is controlled, remains always steady in his meditation on the transcendent Self. (Bg. 6.19)
The stage of perfection is called trance, or samādhi, when one’s mind is completely restrained from material mental activities by practice of yoga. This is characterized by one’s ability to see the self by the pure mind and to relish and rejoice in the self. In that joyous state, one is situated in boundless transcendental happiness and enjoys himself through transcendental senses. Established thus, one never departs from the truth, and upon gaining this he thinks there is no greater gain. Being situated in such a position, one is never shaken, even in the midst of greatest difficulty. This indeed is actual freedom from all miseries arising from material contact.
(Bg. 6.20-23)
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15 Jun 2014
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Bhagavad-gita, Father, Letters by Srila Prabhupada
Tags: A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, disciplic succession, eternal father, father, fathers, Fathers day, God, Krishna, Krsna, original father, spiritual master, supreme father
Here in the West people are celebrating Fathers day. So today we honor our our Father with some quotes on Father.
…To accept Kṛṣṇa as father means “My father is there. I have no anxiety.” (Morning Walk — April 26, 1976, Melbourne)
…I am your Spiritual Father, and Krishna is your Spiritual Husband. A girl can never forget either her father or her husband.
(Letter to Jadurani — Stinson Beach, Calif 8 July, 1967)
…The Lord is very kind to the living entities because they are His sons. Lord Kṛṣṇa declares in Bhagavad-gītā, “sarva-yoniṣu…ahaṁ bīja-pradaḥ pitā.” “I am the father of all.”
You are the father of this complete cosmic manifestation, the worshipable chief, the spiritual master. No one is equal to You, nor can anyone be one with You. Within the three worlds, You are immeasurable.
You are the Supreme Lord, to be worshiped by every living being. Thus I fall down to offer You my respects and ask Your mercy. Please tolerate the wrongs that I may have done to You and bear with me as a father with his son, or a friend with his friend, or a lover with his beloved. (Bg 11. 43-44)
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14 Jun 2014
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Demigod, Demons, Devaki
Tags: A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Anantadeva, Baladeva, demigods, Devaki, devaki's womb, Garbha-stuti prayers, Jarasandha, Kamsa, Lord Krsna, saktas, Sankarsana, Srimad Bhagavatam, Vaisnavas, yogamaya
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This morning I was reading Chapter Two in the Krsna Book, the chapter entitled “Prayers by the Demigods for Lord Kṛṣṇa in the Womb” and I was reminded of this above image from the Tenth Canto of Srimad Bhagavatam, that I like very much. So I thought I would share this image with you, along with the brief chapter description. Hare Krishna!
…when the Supreme Personality of Godhead entered the womb of Devakī to kill Kaṁsa, all the demigods understood that the Lord was living within Devakī’s womb, and therefore in veneration they offered Him the Garbha-stuti prayers. (from chapter description SB 10.2)
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13 Jun 2014
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in Back to Godhead, Cow Protection, Taru das
Tags: A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Back to Godhead Magazine, BTG, bull as father and symbol of religion, bull protection, cow protection, devotional service, farming for Krsna, Farms, gigantic industrial enterprises, godless civilization, Kirtananda Swami, Krsna conscious farming communities, oxen, Srila Prabhupada
Farming With Krsna in Mind
Excerpted from Back to Godhead Magazine Vol. 12, No. 11 1977
I just spent the day here at New Vrindavan farm community, discussing plans for the future cow protection program, which will include an Ox barn and training for teams of young oxen, for use in plowing, wood harvesting, and pulling carts and wagons. It was all very inspiring and I am very much eger to become more deeply involved in this important aspect of our philosophy. Personally I have plans to work with some young oxen, build an ox cart, and put them to work. What is that saying…”when the father is employed the family will prosper”…so it is time to engage the bulls in some meaningful activity so the family will prosper and they will become joyful once again.
With this idea in mind, we post this older article from the Back to Godhead Magazine.
“Naturally, cow protection includes bull protection. The bull is our father and the symbol of religion. At present a few boys are working the oxen and hauling wood, plowing fields, and cutting hay. Of course, we do have tractors, but we want to develop skill working the oxen. They are our future.”
“Human prosperity flourishes by natural gifts, and not by gigantic industrial enterprises, “says His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, who has founded many Krsna-conscious farming communities all over the world. “The gigantic industrial enterprises are products of a godless civilization, and they cause the destruction of the noble aims of human life…. What we need, therefore, is to be obedient to the laws of the Lord and achieve the perfection of human life by devotional service to Him. “Here’s a look at two ‘ ISKCON farms in action.
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09 Jun 2014
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Bhagavad-gita, Devotional Service, Dharma, Spiritual Life
Tags: A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, active state, Bhagavad Gita, devotee as a conjugal lover, devotee as friend, devotee as parent, devotional service, eternal relationship with the Lord, passive state, relationship, svarupa, transcendental friendship
click on image to enlarge
I have always loved this picture since the first time I opened the Bhagavad-gita some 42 years ago. It is a beautiful image of life in the Spiritual Sky, and also, it is a nice graphic description of the 5 types of relationships one can have with the Supreme Lord. The following is a short description, from the Introduction to the Bhagavad-gita As It Is, about the eternal nature, and the 5 types of relationships on can have with the Lord.
…In this material world we find that everything is temporary. It comes into being, stays for some time, produces some by-products, dwindles and then vanishes. That is the law of the material world, whether we use as an example this body, or a piece of fruit or anything. But beyond this temporary world there is another world of which we have information. This world consists of another nature which is sanātana, eternal. Jīva is also described as sanātana, eternal, and the Lord is also described as sanātana in the Eleventh Chapter. We have an intimate relationship with the Lord, and because we are all qualitatively one—the sanātana-dhāma, or sky, the sanātana Supreme Personality and the sanātana living entities—the whole purpose of Bhagavad-gītā is to revive our sanātana occupation, or sanātana-dharma, which is the eternal occupation of the living entity. We are temporarily engaged in different activities, but all of these activities can be purified when we give up all these temporary activities and take up the activities which are prescribed by the Supreme Lord. That is called our pure life.
…That destination is called the sanātana sky, the eternal spiritual sky. (from Introduction to Bhagavad-gita As It Is)
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08 Jun 2014
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Balarama, Krishna, Krishna Consciousness, Krishna Nectar, KRSNA The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krsna-katha
Tags: A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Balarama, gopis, Krishna, Krsna, Krsna and Balarama, krsna and balarama nectar, Krsna's flute, land of vrndavana, pastimes of krsna and balarama, pastimes of krsna and balarama in the forest of vrndavan, Rama, Spiritual Life, Vrndavan
When I saw this beautiful image of Krsna and Balarama, my mind immediately went to the Krsna Book. So I pulled out some of the pastimes of the two transcendental brothers to share with you today.
…Accompanied by the cowherd boys and Balarāma, Kṛṣṇa brought forward the cows and played on His flute through the forest of Vṛndāvana, which was full of flowers, vegetables, and pasturing grass. The Vṛndāvana forest was as sanctified as the clear mind of a devotee and was full of bees, flowers and fruits. There were chirping birds and clear water lakes with waters that could relieve one of all fatigues. Sweet flavored breezes blew always, refreshing the mind and body. Kṛṣṇa, with His friends and Balarāma, entered the forest and, seeing the favorable situation, enjoyed the atmosphere to the fullest extent. Kṛṣṇa saw all the trees, overloaded with fruits and fresh twigs, coming down to touch the ground as if welcoming Him by touching His lotus feet. He was very pleased by the behavior of the trees, fruits and flowers, and He began to smile realizing their desires. (Chapter 15 Killing of Dhenukasura)
…One day, when Kṛṣṇa, along with Balarāma, was maintaining the calves in the forest, They saw some cows grazing on the top of Govardhana Hill. The cows could see down into the valley where the calves were being taken care of by the boys. Suddenly, on sighting their calves, the cows began to run towards them. They leaped downhill with joined front and rear legs. The cows were so melted with affection for their calves that they did not care about the rough path from the top of Govardhana Hill down to the pasturing ground. They began to approach the calves with their milk bags full of milk, and they raised their tails upwards. When they were coming down the hill, their milk bags were pouring milk on the ground out of intense maternal affection for the calves, although they were not their own calves. These cows had their own calves, and the calves that were grazing beneath Govardhana Hill were larger; they were not expected to drink milk directly from the milk bag but were satisfied with the grass. Yet all the cows came immediately and began to lick their bodies, and the calves also began to suck milk from the milk bags. There appeared to be a great bondage of affection between the cows and calves. (Chapter 13 The Stealing of the Boys and Calves by Brahma)
…Kṛṣṇa was very pleased with the atmosphere of the forest where flowers bloomed and bees and drones hummed very jubilantly. While the birds, trees and branches were all looking very happy, Kṛṣṇa, tending the cows, accompanied by Śrī Balarāma and the cowherd boys… (Chapter 21 The Gopīs Attracted by the Flute)
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07 Jun 2014
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Dream, Srila Prabhupada's Books, Uncategorized
Tags: A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, awakenes to discover the self, deep sleep, dreaming, dreams, human form of life, Krsna, Le Reve, original creator, Srimad Bhagavatam, Supreme Lord, The Dream, The Supreme Personality of Godhead, The Wynn, vasudevah sarvam, wynn las vegas, Wynn theater
Recently we were in Las Vegas for a wedding celebration, and after dinner we went to the show “Le Reve” at the Wynn. “Le Reve” is French for; “The Dream”. It was the most amazing theatrical performance we have seen in years. My mind was swept away by the magnificence of the production, and it was in fact, dream-like. I was transported to another dimension; phantasmagoria. A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami uses this word in his books, to describe the dream-like nature of this material world.
I would highly recommend seeing Le Reve at the Wynn, if you are in Las Vegas, and as always…recommend reading the books by His Divne Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada for further advancement and enlightenment in life.
When a person is in deep sleep, he dreams and sees in himself many other objects, such as great mountains and rivers or perhaps even the entire universe, although they are far away. Sometimes when one awakens from a dream he sees that he is in a human form, lying in his bed in one place. Then he sees himself, in terms of various conditions, as belonging to a particular nationality, family and so on. All the conditions of deep sleep, dreaming and wakefulness are but energies of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. One should always remember the original creator of these conditions, the Supreme Lord, who is unaffected by them. (SB 6.16.53-54_
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06 Jun 2014
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Bhagavad-gita, Bhagavad-gita As It Is 1972 Edition
Tags: A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, back home, back to Godhead, conditioned souls, essence of bhagavad gita, eternal relationship with the Supreme Lord, Krishna and Arjuna, Krsna, Krsnaloka planet, spiritual existence, spiritual personality, spiritual sky, Supreme Personality of Godhead
Sometimes when reading the Bhagavad-gita As It Is by His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, a verse or purport will just jump out at me, as it did this morning. No matter how many times I read the Bhagavad-gita, because it is transcendental literature, it is everfresh and new. Every reading has new and deeper realizations…as was the case with this important verse and purport.
My dear Arjuna, one who is engaged in My pure devotional service, free from the contaminations of previous activities and from mental speculation, who is friendly to every living entity, certainly comes to Me. (Bg 11.55)
Anyone who wants to approach the Supreme of all the Personalities of Godhead, on the Kṛṣṇaloka planet in the spiritual sky, and be intimately connected with the Supreme Personality, Kṛṣṇa, must take this formula, as is stated by the Supreme Himself. Therefore, this verse is considered to be the essence of Bhagavad-gītā. The Bhagavad-gītā is a book directed to the conditioned souls, who are engaged in the material world with the purpose of lording it over nature and who do not know of the real, spiritual life. The Bhagavad-gītā is meant to show how one can understand his spiritual existence and his eternal relationship with the Supreme Spiritual Personality and to teach one how to go back home, back to Godhead. Now here is the verse which clearly explains the process by which one can attain success in his spiritual activity: devotional service….
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The Hare Krishna Movement 