23 Sep 2015
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, KRSNA The Supreme Personality of Godhead
Tags: A. C. Bhakthvedanta Swami Prabhupada, appearance of autumn, Autumn, autumn season, first day of autumn, Krsna The Supreme Personality of Godhead
Today is the first day of Autumn. As is my custom, I like to read chapter 20 of the KRSNA Book, entitled “Description of Autumn”. Srila Prabhupada gives a very beautiful description of the Autumn season.
…Everything becomes naturally beautiful with the appearance of the autumn season. Similarly, when a materialistic person takes to Kṛṣṇa consciousness and spiritual life, he also becomes as clear as the sky and water in autumn. The autumn season takes away the rolling of dark clouds in the sky as well as the polluted water.
…Soon all the water reservoirs became very clean and pleasing, and refreshing air was blowing everywhere because of the appearance of autumn. The sky was completely cleared of all clouds, and it recovered its natural blue color. The blooming lotus flower in the clear water in the forest appeared like a person who has fallen down from yoga practice but again has become beautiful by resuming his spiritual life.
…Because of the appearance of the autumn season, the water of the ocean becomes calm and quiet, just as a person developed in self-realization is no longer disturbed by the three modes of material nature.
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23 Sep 2015
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Krishna, Krsna Consciousness, Srimad Bhagavatam
Tags: A. C. Bhakthvedanta Swami Prabhupada, Autumn, lotus flower, SB 4.24.52
My dear Lord, Your two lotus feet are so beautiful that they appear like two blossoming petals of the lotus flower which grows during the autumn season. Indeed, the nails of Your lotus feet emanate such a great effulgence that they immediately dissipate all the darkness in the heart of a conditioned soul. My dear Lord, kindly show me that form of Yours which always dissipates all kinds of darkness in the heart of a devotee. My dear Lord, You are the supreme spiritual master of everyone; therefore all conditioned souls covered with the darkness of ignorance can be enlightened by You as the spiritual master. (SB 4.24.52)
…The beauty of the lotus feet of the Lord is compared to the petals of a lotus flower which grows in the autumn season. By nature’s law, in autumn the dirty or muddy waters of rivers and lakes become very clean. At that time the lotus flowers growing in the lakes appear very bright and beautiful. The lotus flower itself is compared to the lotus feet of the Lord, and the petals are compared to the nails of the feet of the Lord. The nails of the feet of the Lord are very bright, as Brahma-saṁhitā testifies. Ānanda-cinmaya-sad-ujjvala-vigrahasya: [Bs 5.32] every limb of the transcendental body of the Lord is made of ānanda-cinmaya-sad-ujjvala. Thus every limb is eternally bright. As sunshine dissipates the darkness of this material world, the effulgence emanating from the body of the Lord immediately dries up the darkness in the heart of the conditioned soul. In other words, everyone serious about understanding the transcendental science and seeing the transcendental form of the Lord must first of all attempt to see the lotus feet of the Lord by studying the First and Second Cantos of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. When one sees the lotus feet of the Lord, all kinds of doubts and fears within the heart are vanquished. (from purport)
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23 Sep 2015
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Chanting Hare Krishna, Letters by Srila Prabhupada, Srila Prabhupada
Tags: A. C. Bhakthvedanta Swami Prabhupada, Arundhati, chanting Hare Krishna, hearing and chanting, Srila Prabhupada's typewrtiier, transcendental sounds of Krishna
(Srila Prabhupada’s typewriter)
“When you are typing, you should know that it is as good as chanting, because the work is also on the matter of Krishna. Chanting on the beads and chanting on the typewriter Composer machine are both transcendental sounds of Krishna. Krishna’s Name, His Fame, His Qualities– all of them are on the absolute platform, and therefore there is no difference between one and another. So do not be misled that you are typing and not chanting.” (Srila Prabhupada letter, 16th June, 1969)
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22 Sep 2015
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Srila Prabhupada, Srila Prabhupada vani, Srila Prabhupada's Books
Tags: A. C. Bhakthvedanta Swami Prabhupada, books by Srila Prabhupada, hearing through reading, read my books, Srila Prabhupada, Vidura Mahatma dasa
The following is a collection of quotes by Srila Prabhupada on the subject of reading his books. This is just an excerpt from a larger file entitled “A Spiritual Approach” by Vidura Mahatma dasa, which can be found at the end of this post.
The importance of Srila Prabhupada’s books upon humanity can not be over stressed! Thus it is with pleasure we repeat some of these quotes on hearing through reading.
“These are not ordinary books. It is recorded chanting. Anyone who reads, he is hearing.” (Letter 19/10/74)
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21 Sep 2015
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in Festivals, Sri Caitanya-Caritamrta, Srimati Radharani
Tags: A. C. Bhakthvedanta Swami Prabhupada, Radha, Radharani, Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, Srimati Radharani
Today, being the most auspicious day of the appearance of Srimati Radharani, we honor the day with a half day fast, and anxiously await Her hour of appearance, at noon.
Today we post from the Sri Caitanya-caritmrta Madhya-lila 2.18-30 The Lamnentations of Srimati Radharani
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15 Sep 2015
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Qualities of Srimati Radharani, Srimati Radharani, Teachings of Lord Chaitanya
Tags: A. C. Bhakthvedanta Swami Prabhupada, Qualities of Srimati Radharani, Radha, Radharani, Srimati Radharani, Teachings of Lord Caitanya
The appearance of Srimati Radharani is coming up on the 26th of this month. With this in mind, we will be posting some nice Radharani Nectar in the next few days.
Srimati Radharani has twenty-five transcendental qualities. 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 Krishna 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 Krishna
19. She is 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 Krishna’s girlfriends
25. She always keeps Krishna under Her control
Teachings of Lord Caitanya
By His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
Chapter 14
Bhaktivedanta Book Trust
14 Sep 2015
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Krishna Consciousness, KRSNA The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krsna-katha
Tags: A. C. Bhakthvedanta Swami Prabhupada, Kaliya, kaliya serpent, Krsna's childhood pastimes, Lord Krsna, Subduing Kaliya, Yamuna river
Krishna’s Punishment to the Serpant Kaliya was Actually a Benediction
I love the stories and pastimes in the Krsna Book, and never tiring of hearing them. I ran across the above image on the Internet, I found it so sweet, that I opened up the Krsna Book and re-read the story of Krsna Subduing the Kaliya Serpent.
…When this story was being narrated by Śukadeva Gosvāmī, Mahārāja Parīkṣit became eager to hear more about Kṛṣṇa’s childhood pastimes. He inquired from Śukadeva Gosvāmī how Kṛṣṇa chastised Kāliya, who was living in the water for many years. Actually, Mahārāja Parīkṣit was becoming more and more enthusiastic to hear the transcendental pastimes of Kṛṣṇa, and his inquiry was made with great interest.
Śukadeva Gosvāmī narrated the story as follows.
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14 Sep 2015
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Darwin, The Journey of Self, Theory of Evolution
Tags: A. C. Bhakthvedanta Swami Prabhupada, Darwin, Darwin's theory, evolutionists, imformation of the soul, soul, Srila Prabhupada, The Journey of Self, theory of evolution, transmigrating from one body to another
The other day a devotee friend was asking me if Srila Prabhupada had ever discussed with his disciples the topic of Dinosaurs. “That is a good question, I am not really sure”, I replied. So I went to Prabhupada Books and did a search. Sure enough there was some discussion about the theory of evolution and the dinosaur. We share with you one such conversation.
The Journey of Self
By His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
Chapter 7
Evolution in Fact and Fantasy
Los Angeles, June 1972: Śrīla Prabhupāda asserts that Darwin’s theory of evolution is inconclusive and illogical. But Darwin’s is not the only theory of evolution. The Vedas explain that an evolutionary process governs the progress of the soul. “We accept evolution,” Śrīla Prabhupāda says, “but not that the forms of the species are changing. The bodies are all already there, but the soul is evolving by changing bodies and by transmigrating from one body to another…. The defect of the evolutionists is that they have no information of the soul.”
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06 Sep 2015
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Vyas-puja, Vyasasan das
Tags: A. C. Bhakthvedanta Swami Prabhupada, His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, spiritual master, Vyasa Puja, vyasa-puga 2015, vyasa-puja homages
Sri Vyasa-puja Homage
by Vyasasan das
Dear Srila Prabhupada
On this most blessed and auspicious day, the celebration of your appearance, Sri Vyasa-puja
Please let me offer my respectful obeisances:
nama oṁ viṣṇu-pādāya kṛṣṇa-preṣṭhāya bhū-tale
śrīmate bhaktivedānta-svāmin iti nāmine
I offer my respectful obeisances unto His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda, who is very dear to Lord Kṛṣṇa, having taken shelter at His lotus feet.
namas te sārasvate deve gaura-vāṇī-pracāriṇe
nirviśeṣa-śūnyavādi-pāścātya-deśa-tāriṇe
Our respectful obeisances are unto you, O spiritual master, servant of Sarasvatī Gosvāmī. You are kindly preaching the message of Lord Caitanyadeva and delivering the Western countries, which are filled with impersonalism and voidism.
Today I am reminded that 50 years ago, you boarded the ship Jaladuta, which was bound for America, just to execute the order of your spiritual master Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Goswami, and preach the message of Lord Caitanya, to the Western speaking world.
This year we celebrate the 50th aniversery of that famous journey to America. While aboard the Jaladuta, on Sept 13th, 1965, in the middle of the Atlantic ocean you wrote the poem “Prayers to the Lotus Feet of Krsna”. I would like to read it here today, on this auspicious and blessed day of you appearance, to remind everyone of that famous journey and of the great sacrifice you made at the age of 69 years old, with several boxes of your books, and 40 rupees to your name.
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05 Sep 2015
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Festivals, Krishna, KRSNA The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Spiritual Life
Tags: A. C. Bhakthvedanta Swami Prabhupada, apearance of Lord Krishna, Birth of Lord Krsna, Janmastami, Krishna Janmastami, Krsna Janamastmi, Krsna The Supreme Personality of Godhead, mother yashoda bathes lord Krsna
click on image to enlarge
Joyous Celebration at Krishna’s Birth
Today we celebrate the birth of Lord Krsna, or Krishna Janmastami, with a full day fast and a feast after his appearance at Midnight tonight. We honor this auspicious day with a post from the Krsna Book.
The joyous vibrations at Krsna’s birth ceremony could be heard in all the pasturing grounds and houses.
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04 Sep 2015
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Guru & Disciple, guru-tattva, Spiritual Master
Tags: A.C. Bhaktiveanta Swami Prabhupada, bona fide guru, bona fide spiritual master, guru, guru and disciple, Jayadvaita Swami, Krsna, Sanatan Goswami, spiritual master, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, SrilaPrabhupada
Recently there has been some discussion on the internet about Jayadvaita Swami’s remarks on kirtana standards in his Kirtan Seminar lectures. I cannot repeat here, what he said on the YouTube Lecture, finding it offensive and not worthy of repeating. Rather than dwell on the negetive statements of Jayadvaita Swami, we thought it better to repeat the words of the bona fide spiritual master Srila Prabhupada, who so nicely describes the characteristics of the “Bona Fide Guru” in the pages of the Sri Caitanya-caritmrta.
…The guru must be situated on the topmost platform of devotional service. There are three classes of devotees, and the guru must be accepted from the topmost class. The first-class devotee is the spiritual master for all kinds of people. It is said: gurur nṛṇām. The word nṛṇām means “of all human beings.” The guru is not limited to a particular group. It is stated in the Upadeśāmṛta of Rūpa Gosvāmī that a guru is a gosvāmī, a controller of the senses and the mind. Such a guru can accept disciples from all over the world. Pṛthivīṁ sa śiṣyāt. This is the test of the guru.
…When one has attained the topmost position of mahā-bhāgavata, he is to be accepted as a guru and worshiped exactly like Hari, the Personality of Godhead. Only such a person is eligible to occupy the post of a guru. (purport Madhya 24.330)
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02 Sep 2015
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Gopis, Krsna Book, KRSNA The Supreme Personality of Godhead
Tags: A. C. Bhakthvedanta Swami Prabhupada, gopis, gopis of vrndavana, His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, KB 1.34, Krsna Book, Krsna The Supreme Personality of Godhead, The Gopis feelings of Separation
Kṛṣṇa, The Supreme Personality of Godhead
By His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
Vol. 1, Chapter 34
The Gopīs’ Feelings of Separation
The gopīs of Vṛndāvana were so attached to Kṛṣṇa that they were not satisfied simply with the rāsa dance at night. They wanted to associate with Him and enjoy His company during the daytime also. When Kṛṣṇa went to the forest with His cowherd boy friends and cows, the gopīs did not physically take part, but their hearts went with Him. And because their hearts went, they were able to enjoy His company through strong feelings of separation. To acquire this strong feeling of separation is the teaching of Lord Caitanya and His direct disciplic succession of Gosvāmīs. When we are not in physical contact with Kṛṣṇa, we can associate with Him like the gopīs, through feelings of separation. Kṛṣṇa’s transcendental form, qualities, pastimes, and entourage are all identical with Him. There are nine different kinds of devotional service. Devotional service to Kṛṣṇa in feelings of separation elevates the devotee to the highest perfectional level, to the level of the gopīs.
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