Continuing with our series “Photos by Gurudas”. The following series is the famous “Portrait”.
click on images to enlarge
Every Town and Village
30 May 2015 Leave a comment
in Photos by Gurudas Tags: A. C. Bhakthvedanta Swami Prabhupada, Gurudas, photos by Gurudas, Portrait of Srila Prabhupada, prabhupada, Srila Prabhupada
Continuing with our series “Photos by Gurudas”. The following series is the famous “Portrait”.
click on images to enlarge
29 May 2015 Leave a comment
in A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, The Hare Krishna Movement Tags: Allen Ginsberg, Beatles, Bob Dylan, Grateful Dead, Hare Krishna Movement, Jack Kerouac, Janis Joplin and Big Brother, Jefferson Airplane, Moby Grape, Owsley Stanley, prabhupada, Quicksilver Messenger Service, Srila Prabhupada, the Hell's Angels, The Peace Formula, The Yoga of Love, Timothy Leary
My dear friend from the Prabhupada Connection, Padmpani Prabhu, sent me the following post in my mail box the other day and gave me his permission to post it. So with great pleasure we are posting it here.. Please, if you havn’t already, check out his famous site The Prabhupada Connection
Whatever Happened to the Revolution?
For many of us who came of age in the Sixties and Seventies, the counterculture and its promise of an alternative society based on love and peace was an important part of our lives. Art, music, poetry, philosophy, ecology and human rights were just a few of the buzzwords floating through the collective psyche of the Sixties generation. Revolution was in the air. “The establishment” was doomed and soon to be replaced with a kinder, gentler society. Peace would reign supreme and all peoples of the world would unite and be free from the chains of oppression. Or so we thought.
At the time, it appeared that massive cultural changes were about to sweep away the capitalist system (or the “military industrial complex,” as we used to call it). Every day there was a new victory for change. Underground newspapers proliferated, broadcasting the latest progress reports: the sit-ins, the love-ins, the be-ins, the antiwar and civil rights demonstrations, the Democratic National Convention of 1968, the Chicago Seven Trial, Woodstock, etc. Something was happening here, and it was big.
28 May 2015 Leave a comment
in A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Spiritual Master, Srila Prabhupada Tags: A. C. Bhakthvedanta Swami Prabhupada, guru, prabhupada, spiritual master, Srila Prabhupada
The following PDF file entitled “Prabhupada” is a very nice little pamphlet describing Srila Prabhupada’s Journey to the West, the society he formed, his teachings, ect. It is very nice and you can click on the following link to view it or save it to your comuputer.
click of the following link to veiw or save pdf file Prabhupada
24 May 2015 Leave a comment
in FAQ, Hare Krishna Maha Mantra, ISKCON, The Hare Krishna Movement Tags: A. C. Bhakthvedanta Swami Prabhupada, devotees, devotional service, diksa, disciple, FAQ, frequently asked questions, gambling, Initiation, International Society of Krishna Consciousness, Iskcon, Raganuga bhakti, regulative principles, spontaneous devotional service, vegetariian diet
Hare Krishna FAQ – Frequently Asked Questions
Some years ago I happened across this interesting internet page called “Hare Krishna FAQ”. The page was located at; http://www.harekrsna.de/artikel/faq.htm I quickly read through it and copied it to my files to re-read at a later time. I read it again this evening and found it very interesting and at times amusing. We share it with our readers here at The Hare Krishna Movement.
Hare krishna FAQ
• About “Hare Krishna”
• About Srila Prabhupada
• About ISKCON
• About Gaudiya-math
• About regulative principles
• About the Vedas
• About India
• About devotional service (bhakti)
• About initiation (diksa)
• About the disciplic succession (parampara)
What is the meaning of Hare Krishna?
It is the short form of the maha-mantra, the great spiritual sound of final liberation:
Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare
Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare
“By vibrating this transcendental sound, the meaning of everything, both material and spiritual, is revealed. This Hare Krishna is nondifferent from the Personality of Godhead.” (from Bhaktivedanta Prabhupada Commentary, Srimad Bhagavatam 4.24.40)
22 May 2015 Leave a comment
in Lectures Tags: A. C. Bhakthvedanta Swami Prabhupada, Nectar of Devotion Lecture, photo by Gurudas, prabhupada, Pradyuma dasa, Vrndavana October 19 1972
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The Nectar of Devotion Lectures
Given by His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
Vṛndāvana, October 19, 1972
Pradyumna: (reading) “…happiness immediately terminates with his body as long as his life, as soon as his life is over. Death is therefore taken as the representative of God for the atheistic class of men. The devotee realizes the presence of God by devotional service, whereas the atheist realizes the presence of God in the shape of death.”
Prabhupāda: Yes. This point we have discussed last night that everyone can see God. To see God is not very difficult job. There are so many points described in the Bhagavad-gītā. For the devotees, those who are serious about seeing God, they can see God. God is present everywhere. And God Himself, Kṛṣṇa, is describing, raso ‘ham apsu kaunteya prabhāsmi śaśi-sūryayoḥ [Bg. 7.8]. So everyone drinks water. Now Kṛṣṇa says, “The taste of the water, I am.” So who has not tasted the water? Everyone drinks water at least four times, five times. So as soon as you drink water, the taste of the water is Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa says, “I am this.” Kṛṣṇa has described Himself in so many ways. “Amongst the trees, I am this. Amongst the aquatics, I am this. Amongst the nonmovable, I am this.” So why not see God in that way? The atheist class of men, they say, “Can you show me God?” So why don’t you see God? Why you close your eyes? If you have got eyes to see, you can see God everywhere.
17 May 2015 Leave a comment
in Chanting Hare Krishna, Songs of the Vaisnava Acaryas, Teachings of Lord Chaitanya Tags: A. C. Bhakthvedanta Swami Prabhupada, Caitanya Mahaprabhu, chanting Hare Krishna, krsna kesava, Krsna! Krsna!, pahi mam, raksa mam, rama raghava, Songs of the Vaisnava Acaryas
Caitanya Mahāprabhu while passing on the road, He used to chant:
kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa he
kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa he
kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa rakṣa mām
kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa pāhi mām
rāma rāghava rāma rāghava rāma rāghava rakṣa mām
kṛṣṇa keśava kṛṣṇa keśava kṛṣṇa keśava pāhi mām
“O Lord Kṛṣṇa, please protect Me and maintain Me. O Lord Rāma, descendant of King Raghu, please protect Me. O Kṛṣṇa, O Keśava, killer of the Keśī demon, please maintain Me.”
If one always chants the holy name of Kṛṣṇa, gradually one is freed from all reactions of sinful life, provided he chants offenselessly and does not commit more sinful activities on the strength of chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra. In this way one is purified, and his devotional service causes the arousal of his dormant love of God. If one simply chants the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra and does not commit sinful activities and offenses, one’s life is purified, and thus one comes to the fifth stage of perfection, or engagement in the loving service of the Lord (premā pum-artho mahān).
10 May 2015 Leave a comment
in A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Back to Godhead Tags: A. C. Bhakthvedanta Swami Prabhupada, Back to Godhead Magazine, BTG, Govinda, govindam adi-purusam, Krsna, love of God, Placing our love in Krsna, The Original Person
click on image to enlarge
Placing Our Love in Krsna
A talk given in September 1968 by His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Founder-Acarya of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness, at the Hare Krsna temple in Seattle.
Excerpted from Back to Godhead Magazine Vol. 16, No. 10
Govindam adi-purusam tam aham bhajami. Our program is to worship Govinda, the original person, with love and devotion. This is Krsna consciousness. We are teaching people to love Krsna. That’s all. Our program is to direct your love toward the proper place. Everyone wants to love, but they’re being frustrated because their love is being misplaced. People do not understand where to place their love. First of all you love your body. Then, a little extended, you love your father and mother. Then you love your community, then your country, then the whole human society. And at last you love all living entities. But all this extended love will not give you satisfaction—until you reach the point of loving Krsna. Then you’ll be satisfied.
For example, when you throw a stone into a lake, a circle begins expanding. The circle keeps expanding, expanding, expanding … And when the circle touches the shore, it stops. Until the circle reaches the shore of the lake, it must go on increasing. So we have to go on increasing and increasing our love until we love Krsna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
10 May 2015 Leave a comment
in A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Srimad Bhagavatam Index Tags: A. C. Bhakthvedanta Swami Prabhupada, Jan Alexander, Srimad Bhagavatam index, study guid to Srimad Bhagavatam, Topical Guide
Sometime back one of our readers submitted this Index on the Srimad-Bhagavatam, and asked if I could post it. It is truly a very impressive piece of work, and represents a great deal of time and study. We applaud the effort that Jan has put into this Index, and with great pleasure we post it here, in the hopes that others can benefit.
Srimad-Bhagavatam Index, Notes, Topical Guide
compiled by Jan Alexander
This was written to help me find, understand and remember the massive truth found in the Srimad-Bhagavatam. Every abbrieviated, shortened, misused, form of the Supreme Personality of Godhead’s name, fame, and pastimes is just in attempt to cram the Srimad-Bhagavatam into this being that I am. I hope that this will be of great help to others who are studying the Srimad-Bhagavatam. I offer this handful of rice to the Lord.
– Jan Alexander
This file is so large we will have to post it in parts. This Second part is letter F – K
09 May 2015 Leave a comment
in A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Conversation with Srila Prabhupada, George Harrison, John Lennon, Yoko Ono Tags: 690911rc.lon, and George Harrison at Tittenhurst, Bible, Conversation With John Lennon, George Harrison, John Lennon, Mukunda, prabhupada, Sanskrit, yoko ono
Conversartion with John Lennon, Yoko Ono and George Harrison at Tittenhurst, England
Prabhupāda: Would you like to record or not?
George Harrison: Don’t mind.
Prabhupāda: Give this garland.
Śyāmasundara: Haribol.
George Harrison: Thank you. Hare Kṛṣṇa.
Prabhupāda: This Kṛṣṇa’s blessings.
George Harrison: Hare Kṛṣṇa.
Prabhupāda: Yes. There is a verse in Bhagavad-gītā,
yad yad ācarati śreṣṭhas
itaras tad anuvartate
sa yat pramāṇaṁ kurute
lokas tad anuvartate
BG 3.21
05 May 2015 Leave a comment
in A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Quotes by Srila Prabhupada, Srila Prabhupada vani, Srila Prabhupada's Books Tags: A. C. Bhakthvedanta Swami Prabhupada, direct association, Mahesh Raja das, prabhupada vani, reading srila prabhupada's books, Srila Prabhupada, Srila Prabhupada's books, vani, vapu
Sometime back I saw this article on the Prabhupada News website that I saved to my files because it is a good assortment of quotes.
You Can Directly Associate With Srila Prabhupada by Reading His Books
compiled by Mahesh Raja
…. it is described here that ONE HAS TO ASSOCIATE WITH LIBERATED PERSONS NOT DIRECTLY, PHYSICALLY, BUT BY UNDERSTANDING, THROUGH PHILOSOPHY AND LOGIC, THE PROBLEMS OF LIFE. (Srimad-Bhagavatam – 3.31.48 Purport)
Prabhupada: JUST FOLLOW HIS ORDER. SPIRITUAL MASTER IS ALONG WITH YOU BY HIS WORDS. Just like my spiritual master is not physically present, but I am associating with him by his words. (Lecture – London, August 18, 1971)
02 May 2015 Leave a comment
in Bhaktivinoda Thakura, Lord Nrsimha, Lord Nrsimhadeva Tags: Lord Nrsimha, Narasimha, Sri Navadvipa Bhava Taranga, Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakur
Five Prayers to Lord Nrsimha
By Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakur
Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura has written five beautiful prayers in “Sri Navadvipa Bhava Taranga” for receiving the mercy of Lord Narasimha. These prayers are certainly assurance to all sincere devotees that the worship of Lord Narasimha is purely in the line of aspiring love and devotion to Sri Sri Radha and Krsna. Those prayers are as follows:
e dusta hrdaye kama adi ripu chaya
kutinati pratisthasa sathya sada raya
hrdaya-sodhana ara krsnera vasana
nrsimha-carane mora ei to’ kamana
Within my sinful heart the six enemies headed by lust perpetually reside, as well as duplicity, the desire for fame, plus sheer cunning. At the lotus feet of Lord Narasimha, I hope that He will mercifully purify my heart and give me the desire to serve Lord Krsna.
kandiya nrsimha-pade magibo kakhana
nirapade navadvipe jugala-bhajana
bhaya bhaya paya yan’ra darsane se hari
prasanna hoibo kabe more daya kari
Weeping, I will beg at the lotus-feet of Lord Narasimha for the benediction of worshipping Radha and Krsna in Navadvipa, perfectly safe and free from all difficulties. When will this Lord Hari, Whose terrible form strikes fear into fear itself, ever become pleased and show me His mercy?
02 May 2015 Leave a comment
in A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Lord Nrsimha, Srimad Bhagavatam Tags: A.C. Bhaktiveanta Swami Prabhupada, appearance of Lord Nrismha, hiranyakasipu, Nrisimhadeva, prahlada, Prahlada Maharaja, SB 7.8, Srimad Bhagavatam
In honor of the appearance day of Lord Nrsimhadeva, we are posting the eight chapter of the Seventh Canto of the Srimad-Bhagavatam, entitled “Lord Nṛsiṁhadeva Slays the King of the Demons”.
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Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam
By His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Canto Seven, Chapter Eight
Lord Nṛsiṁhadeva Slays the King of the Demons
Chapter Summary
As described in this chapter, Hiraṇyakaśipu was ready to kill his own son Prahlāda Mahārāja, but the Supreme Personality of Godhead appeared in front of the demon as Śrī Nṛkeśarī, half lion and half man, and killed him.
Following the instructions of Prahlāda Mahārāja, all the sons of the demons became attached to Lord Viṣṇu, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. When this attachment became pronounced, their teachers, Ṣaṇḍa and Amarka, were very much afraid that the boys would become more and more devoted to the Lord. In a helpless condition, they approached Hiraṇyakaśipu and described in detail the effect of Prahlāda’s preaching. After hearing of this, Hiraṇyakaśipu decided to kill his son Prahlāda. Hiraṇyakaśipu was so angry that Prahlāda Mahārāja fell down at his feet and said many things just to pacify him, but he was unsuccessful in satisfying his demoniac father. Hiraṇyakaśipu, as a typical demon, began to advertise himself as being greater than the Supreme Personality of Godhead, but Prahlāda Mahārāja challenged him, saying that Hiraṇyakaśipu was not God, and began to glorify the Supreme Personality of Godhead, declaring that the Lord is all-pervading, that everything is under Him, and that no one is equal to or greater than Him. Thus he requested his father to be submissive to the omnipotent Supreme Lord.
The more Prahlāda Mahārāja glorified the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the more angry and agitated the demon became. Hiraṇyakaśipu asked his Vaiṣṇava son whether his God existed within the columns of the palace, and Prahlāda Mahārāja immediately accepted that since the Lord is present everywhere, He was also present within the columns. When Hiraṇyakaśipu heard this philosophy from his young son, he derided the boy’s statement as just the talk of a child and forcefully struck the pillar with his fist.
As soon as Hiraṇyakaśipu struck the column, there issued forth a tumultuous sound. At first Hiraṇyakaśipu, the King of the demons, could not see anything but the pillar, but to substantiate Prahlāda’s statements, the Lord came out of the pillar in His wonderful incarnation as Narasiṁha, half lion and half man. Hiraṇyakaśipu could immediately understand that the extraordinarily wonderful form of the Lord was surely meant for his death, and thus he prepared to fight with the form of half lion and half man. The Lord performed His pastimes by fighting with the demon for some time, and in the evening, on the border between day and night, the Lord captured the demon, threw him on His lap, and killed him by piercing his abdomen with His nails. The Lord not only killed Hiraṇyakaśipu, the King of the demons, but also killed many of his followers. When there was no one else to fight, the Lord, roaring with anger, sat down on Hiraṇyakaśipu’s throne.
The entire universe was thus relieved of the rule of Hiraṇyakaśipu, and everyone was jubilant in transcendental bliss. Then all the demigods, headed by Lord Brahmā, approached the Lord. These included the great saintly persons, the Pitās, the Siddhas, the Vidyādharas, the Nāgas, the Manus, the prajāpatis, the Gandharvas, the Cāraṇas, the Yakṣas, the Kimpuruṣas, the Vaitālikas, the Kinnaras and also many other varieties of beings in human form. All of them stood not far from the Supreme Personality of Godhead and began offering their prayers unto the Lord, whose spiritual effulgence was brilliant as He sat on the throne.
Translations and purports More
01 May 2015 Leave a comment
in Uncategorized Tags: Jayananda, Jayananda and Srila Prabhupada, Jayananda Thakur, Jayananda's disappearance day, photos by Gurudas, Srila Prabhupada, Yamuna Devi Dasi
In honor of Jayananda’s disappearance day we are posing a few more photos by Gurudas, taken in San Francisco.
01 May 2015 Leave a comment
in Jayananda Thakur Tags: disappearance of Jayananda thakur, Jayananda Thakur, Srila Prabhupada, TKG
Today we honnor the disappearance day of one of my dear Godbrothers; Jayananda Thakur. He was well loved by the whole society, and an inspiration to many.
Jayananda Thakura’s Disappearance
from Tamal Krishna Goswamis Diary
3rd May 1977: Today we received word that Jayananda Prabhu had given up his body. When Srila Prabhupada was informed he said, ‘”Yes, sooner or later we must all go.” Afterwards, tears came to His Divine Grace’s eyes. “He was one of my very best disciples. He was the first to give me five thousand dollars, which was used for printing Teachings of Lord Caitanya. He used to drive me in the car, and while driving he would be chanting.
I asked Prabhupada about Jayananda’s destination, “He is not lost. He will be promoted. If he still has some desire for sense gratification, then he will be promoted to the higher planets where he will live for ten thousand years with full enjoyment. By then, he may have perfected his devotional service and he will be transferred back to Godhead. Or, if he has not yet perfected his devotional service, he will be reborn in a very high, aristocratic, pious family But if he was thinking of Krishna, then he can have gone directly to Krishna-loka.”