18 Jan 2014
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Qualities of a Devotee, Spiritual Life, Srila Prabhupada
Tags: A.C. Bhaktiveanta Swami Prabhupada, devotional service, free from false ego, friend to all living entities, non envious, perfectional stage of spiritual life, qualities of a devotee
As devotees, or rather as practitioners of bhakti-yoga, we should be aspiring to act in such a way that all of our actions and words will be an inspiration to others. We are representatives of our spiritual master and Krishna. And as such should try to act according to the instructions given in the Bhagavad-gita.
The perfectional stage of spiritual life which one can experience even while being in the material world is described in the Twelfth Chapter of Bhagavad-gītā as follows:
“One who is not envious but who is a kind friend to all living entities, who does not think himself a proprietor, who is free from false ego and equal both in happiness and distress, who is always satisfied and engaged in devotional service with determination and whose mind and intelligence are in agreement with Me-he is very dear to Me. He for whom no one is put into difficulty and who is not disturbed by anxiety, who is steady in happiness and distress, is very dear to Me. A devotee who is not dependent on the ordinary course of activities, who is pure, expert, without cares, free from all pains, and who does not strive for some result, is very dear to Me. One who grasps neither pleasure or grief who neither laments nor desires, and who renounces both auspicious and inauspicious things, is very dear to Me. One who is equal to friends and enemies, who is equipoised in honor and dishonor, heat and cold, happiness and distress, fame and infamy, who is always free from contamination, always silent and satisfied with anything, who doesn’t care for any residence, who is fixed in knowledge and engaged in devotional service, is very dear to Me. He who follows this imperishable path of devotional service and who completely engages himself with faith, making Me the supreme goal, is very, very dear to Me.” (Bg. 12.13-20)
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17 Jan 2014
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Caaitanya-caritamrta, Caitanya Mahaprabhu, prabhu, Sri Krsna Caitanya Prabhu
Tags: A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, atmospher of helplessness, conditioned soul, illusion, Lord Caitanya, loving service to the lord, mahaprabhu, material existence, maya, prabhu, Sri Caitanya Caritamrta, Sri Caitanya Maharpabhu, transcendental to salvation
…A person in the conditioned stage of material existence is in an atmosphere of helplessness, but the conditioned soul, under the illusion of māyā, or the external energy, thinks that he is completely protected by his country, society, friendship and love, not knowing that at the time of death none of these can save him. The laws of material nature are so strong that none of our material possessions can save us from the cruel hands of death…An intelligent person, therefore, does not put his faith in any material possessions, but completely takes shelter of the lotus feet of the Lord.
Let me offer glorification to the Supreme Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. One who has taken shelter of His lotus feet is the most glorified person. (Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Adi Lila, Chapter 7, Text 2)
…Prabhu means master. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu is the supreme master of all masters; therefore He is called Mahāprabhu. Any person who takes shelter of Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya Mahāprabhu is most glorified because by the mercy of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu he is able to get promotion to the platform of loving service to the Lord, which is transcendental to salvation. (purport to above verse)
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16 Jan 2014
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in Sri Tulasi Pranama, Srimati Tulasi Devi, Tulasi
Tags: auspiciousness, devotional service to tulasi, Lord Kesava, namo namah tulasi krsna preyasi nomo mamah, o goddess, Spiritual world, Sri Tulasi devi, Srila Prabhupada, Srimati Tulasi Devi, Tulasi, tulasi is all auspicious, tulasi tree, Vrnda, vrndayai tulasi devyai, you bestow devotional service to Krsna
“Tulasi is auspicious in all respects. Simply by seeing, simply by touching, simply by remembering, simply by praying to, simply by bowing before, simply by hearing about, or simply by sowing this tree, there is always auspiciousness. Anyone who comes in touch with the Tulasi tree in the above mentioned ways lives eternally in the spiritual world.” (—Srila Prabhupada, The Nectar of Devotion)
Śrī Tulasī-praṇāma
(oṁ) vṛndāyai tulasī-devyai priyāyai keśavasya ca
kṛṣṇa-bhakti-prade devi satyavatyai namo namaḥ
I offer my repeated obeisances unto Vṛndā, Śrīmatī Tulasī-devī, who is very dear to Lord Keśava.
O goddess, you bestow devotional service to Kṛṣṇa and you possess the highest truth.
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13 Jan 2014
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Krsna Consciousness, The Hare Krishna Movement, Twenty-Six Qualities of a Devotee, Vaisnava, Vaisnava Compassion
Tags: A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, desire tree, envious, Krsna, Krsna consciousness movement, non envious, SB 5.18.9, vaisnava, welfare of others, welfare of the entire universe
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May there be good fortune throughout the universe, and may all envious persons be pacified. May all living entities become calm by practicing bhakti-yoga, for by accepting devotional service they will think of each other’s welfare. Therefore let us all engage in the service of the supreme transcendence, Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa, and always remain absorbed in thought of Him. Srimad-Bhagavatam 5.18.9)
…Just like a desire tree, a Vaiṣṇava can fulfill all the desires of anyone who takes shelter of his lotus feet… he prays not for himself, but for all living entities—the gentle, the envious and the mischievous…This is the attitude of a Vaiṣṇava, who always thinks of the welfare of the entire universe.
…If the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement spreads all over the world, and if by the grace of Kṛṣṇa everyone accepts it, the thinking of envious people will change. Everyone will think of the welfare of others. (from purport)
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11 Jan 2014
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Books by Srila Prabhupada, Free Downloads, Free eBooks, Srila Prabhupada's Books, Srimad Bhagavatam
Tags: 1972 original edition, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Bhaktivedanta Book Trust, copyright 1972 Bhaktivedanta Book Trust, First Canto, free pdf download srimad-bhagavatam, free scanned copy first canto, SB 1.1, SB 1.2, SB 1.3, Srimad Bhagavatam
For a Free pdf download of the entire First Canto of the Srimad-Bhagavatam Original 1972 Editions (scanned copiess), click on the following underlined links;
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11 Jan 2014
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Raghunatha dasa Goswami, Sri Premambhoja-maranda, Srimati Radharani, Transcendental Qualities of Radha
Tags: 8.166, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, beauty of Srimati Radharani, kacchapi-vina, Kaviraja Goswami, Lord Krsna, Madhya-lila, perfumed massage, premambhojs-maranda, Radha, Radharani, Raghunatha dasa Goswami, Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, Sri Premambhoja maranda, Srila Prabhupada, transcendental fragrances
The following is a very beautiful verse from the Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, Madhya-lila 8.166, describing the beauty and fragrance of Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī. The purport is a summary translation of the Sri Premāmbhoja-maranda, a song composed by Raghunatha Dasa Goswami, which Kavirāja Gosvāmī quotes, and is given to us by Srila Prabhupada, as described by Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura. The full song follows the text and purport.
“Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī’s transcendental body is brilliant in luster and full of all transcendental fragrances. Lord Kṛṣṇa’s affection for Her is like a perfumed massage. (Madhya 8.166)
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09 Jan 2014
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Krsna-katha, Nectar of Devotion
Tags: A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, ecstatic loving exchanges, hasya bhakti, laughing devotion, Laughing Ecstasy, laughing meditation, laughter of Lord Visnu, laughter of the Lord, reservois of pleasure, Srila Prabhupada laughing
I saw this picture of Srila Prabhupada laughing and thought; I have to do a post on laughter. So I did a search and came up with some very nice verses on laughing attachment to Kṛṣṇa.
“With devotion steeped in love and affection, the yogī should meditate within the core of his heart upon the laughter of Lord Viṣṇu. The laughter of Viṣṇu is so captivating that it can be easily meditated upon. (SB 3.28.33)
…It is recommended that the yogī visualize the laughter of the Lord after studying His smile very carefully. (from purport)
…In a direct relationship of conjugal love, there is laughter.
After He had stolen some curd from the pots of two gopīs, Kṛṣṇa told one of His gopī friends: “My dear beautiful friend, I can take oath that I have not stolen even a drop of curd from your pot! But still, your friend, Rādhārāṇī, is very shamelessly smelling the flavor of My mouth. Kindly forbid Her from this devious policy of putting Her face near Mine.” When Kṛṣṇa was speaking like this, the friends of Rādhārāṇī could not check their laughter. This is an instance of ecstasy in conjugal love. (Nectar of Devotion Chapter 33)
…When a smiling person claps his hands and leaps in the air, the smiling expression changes into atihasita, or overwhelming laughter. An example of atihasita was manifested in the following incident: Kṛṣṇa once addressed Jaratī thus: “My dear good woman, the skin of your face is now slackened, and so your face exactly resembles a monkey’s. As such, the King of the monkeys, Balīmukha, has selected you as his worthy wife.” While Kṛṣṇa was teasing Jaratī in this way, she replied that she was certainly aware of the fact that the King of the monkeys was trying to marry her, but she had already taken shelter of Kṛṣṇa, the killer of many powerful demons, and therefore she had already decided to marry Kṛṣṇa instead of the King of the monkeys. On hearing this sarcastic reply by the talkative Jaratī, all the cowherd girls present there began to laugh very loudly and clap their hands. This laughter, accompanied by the clapping of hands, is called atihasita.
Sometimes there are indirect sarcastic remarks which also create atihasita circumstances. An example of one such remark was made by one of the cowherd girls to Kuṭilā, the daughter of Jaṭilā and sister of Abhimanyu, the so-called husband of Rādhārāṇī. Indirectly Kuṭilā was insulted by the following statement:
“My dear Kuṭilā, daughter of Jaṭilā, your breasts are as long as string beans-simply dry and long. Your nose is so gorgeous that it is defying the beauty of the noses of frogs. And your eyes are more beautiful than the eyes of dogs. Your lips are defying the flaming cinders of fire, and your abdomen is as beautiful as a big drum. Therefore, my dear beautiful Kuṭilā, you are the most beautiful of all the cowherd girls of Vṛndāvana, and because of your extraordinary beauty, I think you must be beyond the attraction of the sweet blowing of Kṛṣṇa’s flute!” (Nectar of Devotion Chapter 45)
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09 Jan 2014
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Spiritual Life, Sri Caitanya-Caritamrta
Tags: A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, affection, devotional service, gopis, Lord Krsna, Lord's mercy, obliged by affection, service rendered in affection, special mercy, Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, veneration
click on image to enlarge
Two Ways to Approach the Lord; Affection & Veneration
“Lord Kṛṣṇa’s mercy is dependent only on affection. Being obliged only by affection, Lord Kṛṣṇa acts very independently. (Cc. Madya 10. 139)
I have been looking for this(above) verse for the longest time. I remember reading this verse and purport a couple of years ago, and could not remember which book of the Sri Caitanya-caritamrta it came from. But today by Krsna’s mercy, I found the verse and purport.
“…Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is merciful, but His mercy does not depend on mundane rules and regulations. He is dependent only on affection and nothing else. Service to Lord Kṛṣṇa can be rendered in two ways. One can serve the Lord in affection or in veneration. When service is rendered in affection, it is the Lord’s special mercy. When service is rendered in veneration, it is doubtful whether Kṛṣṇa’s mercy is actually involved.” (from purport Cc. Madya 10. 139)
Full text and purport More
08 Jan 2014
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Bhagavad-gita, Letters by Srila Prabhupada, Spiritual Life
Tags: A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Bhagavad Gita, body mind and intelligence, conditioned soul, Krsna, Krsna conscious person, krsna consciousness, Letters by Srila Prabhupada, material contamination, purified activities, sadacara
…I wish everyone of my devotees may purify himself from all material contamination and thus be eligible for entering into the association of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Material life means indulging in sense gratification which diverts our attention from spiritual importance and thus we remain captive under the bewilderment of Maya. This is the most dangerous of our condition of life. Intelligent persons therefore try to avoid it under the protection of Krsna and the Spiritual Master. (from a letter by His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada Aug.25 1970)
…A conditioned soul, entangled in material contamination, is sure to act in the material atmosphere, and yet he has to get out of such an environment. The process by which the conditioned soul can get out of the material atmosphere is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. (purport Bg. 4.24)
…By acting in Kṛṣṇa consciousness for the satisfaction of the senses of Kṛṣṇa, any action, whether of the body, mind, intelligence or even of the senses, is purified of material contamination. There are no material reactions resulting from the activities of a Kṛṣṇa conscious person. Therefore, purified activities, which are generally called sadācāra, can be easily performed by acting in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. (purport Bg. 5.11)
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07 Jan 2014
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Srimati Radharani, Teachings of Lord Chaitanya, Transcendental Qualities of Radha
Tags: 25 transcendental qualities of srimati radharani, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, fresh young girl, here eyes are always moving, Krsna, pure devotees, Srimati Radharani, sweetness personified, symptoms of devotional service, Teachings of Lord Caitanya, twenty-five qualities of Srimati Radharani
…Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī has unlimited transcendental qualities, of which twenty-five qualities are principal. Śrī Kṛṣṇa is controlled by these transcendental qualities of Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī.(Cc. Madhya-lila 23.86)
Her transcendental qualities are as follows:
(1) She is sweetness personified
(2) She is a fresh young girl
(3) Her eyes are always moving
(4) She is always brightly smiling
(5) She possesses all auspicious marks on Her body
(6) She can agitate Kṛṣṇa by the flavor of Her person
(7) She is expert in the art of singing
(8) She can speak very nicely and sweetly
(9) She is expert in presenting feminine attractions
(10) She is modest and gentle
(11) She is always very merciful
(12) She is transcendentally cunning
(13) She knows how to dress nicely
(14) She is always shy
(15) She is always respectful
(16) She is always patient
(17) She is very grave
(18) She is enjoyed by Kṛṣṇa
(19) She is always situated on the highest devotional platform
(20) She is the abode of love of the residents of Gokula
(21) She can give shelter to all kinds of devotees
(22) She is always affectionate to superiors and inferiors
(23) She is always obliged by the dealings of Her associates
(24) She is the greatest amongst Kṛṣṇa’s girl friends
(25) She always keeps Kṛṣṇa under Her control.
Excerpted from; Teachings of Lord Caitanya
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06 Jan 2014
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Ganges, Pure Devotee
Tags: A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, ganges water, ganges water can sanctify, lotus feet of the Lord, pure devotee of the lord, River Ganges, sacred river ganges, spiritual benefit, Srila Prabhupada
click on image to enlarge
Here are two nice verses describing the glories of bathing in the river Ganges, and association with the pure devotee. How fortunate is this devotee who is helping the pure devotee Srila Prabhupada into the river.
O Sūta, those great sages who have completely taken shelter of the lotus feet of the Lord can at once sanctify those who come in touch with them, whereas the waters of the Ganges can sanctify only after prolonged use. (SB 1.1.15)
Dear Lord, Your personal associates, devotees, wander all over the world to purify even the holy places of pilgrimage. Is not such activity pleasing to those who are actually afraid of material existence? (SB 4.30.37)
…Pure devotees of the Lord are more powerful than the waters of the sacred river Ganges. One can derive spiritual benefit out of prolonged use of the Ganges waters. But one can be sanctified at once by the mercy of a pure devotee of the Lord.
full texts and purports More
04 Jan 2014
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Deitie, Radha Raman
Tags: A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, impersonal or void, meditation, meditation on the form of the lord, process of meditation, Radha Raman, sac-cid-ananda-vigraha, Srimad Bhagavatam, Universal Form, virat-rupa, yoga
The process of meditation should begin from the lotus feet of the Lord and progress to His smiling face. The meditation should be concentrated upon the lotus feet, then the calves, then the thighs, and in this way higher and higher. The more the mind becomes fixed upon the different parts of the limbs, one after another, the more the intelligence becomes purified. (SB 2.2.13)
…The process of meditation recommended in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is not to fix one’s attention on something impersonal or void. The meditation should concentrate on the person of the Supreme Godhead, either in His virāṭ-rūpa, the gigantic universal form, or in His sac-cid-ānanda-vigraha [Bs. 5.1], as described in the scriptures. There are authorized descriptions of Viṣṇu forms, and there are authorized representations of Deities in the temples. Thus one can practice meditating upon the Deity, concentrating his mind on the lotus feet of the Lord and gradually rising higher and higher, up to His smiling face.
Full text and purport More
03 Jan 2014
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in Jiva Goswami
Tags: disappearance day of srila jiva goswami, Jiva Goswami, Lord Caitanya, philosopher, Radha-Damodara Temple, sanskrit scholar, scholar, six goswamis of vrndavan, Srila Jiva Goswami
As today marks the disappearance of Srila Jiva Goswami, who was one the Six Goswami’s of Vrndavan, we honor this day with a short biography of his life.
Srila Jiva Goswami (1513–1598)
Jiva Goswami was the nephew of Rupa Goswami and Sanatana Goswami. He received initiation from Rupa Goswami and became the acharya (spiritual master) after Rupa and Sanatana. Jiva Goswami was a Sanskrit scholar par excellence. Some contemporary Sanskritists call him the greatest philosopher and scholar who ever lived. The youngest among the six Goswami followers of Lord Chaitanya, Jiva Goswami was also the most prolific writer. He wrote some twenty-five books, including the Sat-sandarbha, Gopala-champu, and Hari-namamrita-vyakaranam. In 1542, Sri Jiva Goswami established the worship Shri-Sri Radha-Damodara in Seva Kunja, Vrindavana. His samadhi stands in the Temple compound.
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02 Jan 2014
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Books by Srila Prabhupada, Srimad Bhagavatam
Tags: A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, glorification of Your lotus feet, hearing from the pure devotee, Krsna, lotus feet, prabhupada vani, pure devotees, rememberance of the Lord, saffron particles, SB 4.20.25, Srimad Bhagavatam
click on image to enlarge
This following verse reminds me of the importance of reading Srila Prabhupada’s books every day. Hearing from the pure devotee of the Lord, is so powerful that it can revive the living entity’s memory of his eternal relationship with the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
My dear Lord, You are glorified by the selected verses uttered by great personalities. Such glorification of Your lotus feet is just like saffron particles. When the transcendental vibration from the mouths of great devotees carries the aroma of the saffron dust of Your lotus feet, the forgetful living entity gradually remembers his eternal relationship with You. Devotees thus gradually come to the right conclusion about the value of life. My dear Lord, I therefore do not need any other benediction but the opportunity to hear from the mouth of Your pure devotee.
Reading the books of His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada is hearing from the mouth of the pure devotee.
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