26 Apr 2017
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Quotes by Srila Prabhupada, Srila Prabhupada, Srila Prabhupada vani
Tags: chanting Hare Krishna, crying for Krsna, Dharma is loving God, genuine cry, how to love God, Krishna, love, quotes by Srila Prabhupada, real religion
“The three words, namely Hara, Krishna and Rama, are transcendental seeds of the maha-mantra, and the chanting is a spiritual call for the Lord and His internal energy, Hara, for giving protection to the conditioned soul. The chanting is exactly like a genuine cry by the child for the mother. Mother Hara helps in achieving the grace of the supreme father, Hari, or Krishna, and the Lord reveals Himself to such a sincere devotee.
No other means, therefore, of spiritual realization is as effective in this age, as chanting the maha-mantra:
Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare/
Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare”
(Happening Album, 1966)
“Real religion is love, how to love God. That is real religion. Dharma, what is that? Yato bhaktir… Sa vai puṁsāṁ paro dharmo (SB 1.2.6). There are different kinds of dharma, or religious system. But real religious system means how we have learned to love God. That’s all. Nothing more. No ritualistic ceremony, no formula, nothing. If your heart is always crying for God, that is perfect religion. That is perfect religion. Therefore Caitanya Mahāprabhu says, śūnyāyitaṁ jagat sarvam: ‘Oh, without Kṛṣṇa, I am feeling the whole world is vacant.’ Vacant, yes. So we have to come to that stage. Of course, it is not possible for all of us, but Caitanya Mahāprabhu showed us how to become highest religious person. That is to feel always, ‘Oh, without Kṛṣṇa, everything is vacant. Śūnyāyitaṁ jagat sarvaṁ govinda viraheṇa me. That is dharma, that is dharma.” (Srila Prabhupada Lecture, Los Angeles, June 5, 1976)
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23 Apr 2017
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Astrology, Srimad Bhagavatam
Tags: A.C. Bhaktiveanta Swami Prabhupada, astronomical calculations, Bg3.9, pious acts, SB1.12.12, Srila Prabhupada, stellar influences, Supreme Lord, zodiac
For some reason this Purport from the First Canto of the Srimad-Bhagavatam caught my attention this morning. I generally do not put much thought into the Zodiac, or stellar influences upon us, or how the laws of nature are controlling us at every moment. But in this purport by Srila Prabhupada, he mentions the importance of preforming pious acts to take advantage of good stellar influences. “Suitable arrangement of astral influences is never a creation of man’s will, but is the arrangement of the superior management of the agency of the Supreme Lord. Of course, the arrangement is made according to the good or bad deeds of the living being. Herein lies the importance of pious acts performed by the living being. Only by pious acts can one be allowed to get good wealth, good education and beautiful features.” (Purport Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.12.12)
Astronomical calculations of stellar influences upon a living being are not suppositions, but are factual, as confirmed inŚrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Every living being is controlled by the laws of nature at every minute, just as a citizen is controlled by the influence of the state. The state laws are grossly observed, but the laws of material nature, being subtle to our gross understanding, cannot be experienced grossly. As stated in the Bhagavad-gītā (3.9), every action of life produces another reaction, which is binding upon us, and only those who are acting on behalf of Yajña (Viṣṇu) are not bound by reactions. Our actions are judged by the higher authorities, the agents of the Lord, and thus we are awarded bodies according to our activities. The law of nature is so subtle that every part of our body is influenced by the respective stars, and a living being obtains his working body to fulfill his terms of imprisonment by the manipulation of such astronomical influence. A man’s destiny is therefore ascertained by the birthtime constellation of stars, and a factual horoscope is made by a learned astrologer. It is a great science, and misuse of a science does not make it useless… (Purport Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.12.12)
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22 Apr 2017
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Chanting Hare Krishna, George Harrison, Prabhupada, Prabhupada Connection, Sriman George Harrison
Tags: chanting Hare Krishna, conversation with Srila Prabhupada, George Harrision, george harrison lyrics, Krsna Book, Living in the Material World, Srila Prabhupada, Srila Prabhupada conversations with George Harrison, Sriman George Harrison
This is another fine compilation of quotes, in chronological order, put together by Prabhupada Connection, this time Srila Prabhupada blessing and praising George Harrison.
“When Bhaktivedanta Manor was donated, Srila Prabhupada said of George, ‘Because he has given shelter to Krishna by providing this temple, Krishna will surely provide shelter for him.’ Just before Srila Prabhupada left this world in 1977, he removed the ring on his right hand and said to the disciples around him, ‘This is for George, give it to him.'”
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21 Apr 2017
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, George Harrison, Hare Krishna Maha Mantra, People, Sriman George Harrison
Tags: chanting Hare Krishna, George Harrision, prabhupada, Srila Prabhupada, the hare krishna mantra, The Hare Krishna Movement, Vedic scholars
George Harrison Remembers Prabhupada
(Srila Prabhupada and George Harrison, London, 1973)
“I liked Prabhupada’s humbleness. I always liked his humility and his simplicity The servant of the servant of the servant is really what it is, you know. None of us are God—just His servants. He just made me feel so comfortable. I always felt very relaxed with him, and I felt more like a friend. I felt that he was a good friend. Even though he was at the time seventy-nine years old, working practically all through the night, day after day, with very little sleep, he still didn’t come through to me as though he was a very highly educated intellectual being, because he had a sort of childlike simplicity. Which is great, fantastic. Even though he was the greatest Sanskrit scholar and a saint, I appreciated the fact that he never made me feel uncomfortable. In fact, he always went out of his way to make me feel comfortable. I always thought of him as sort of a lovely friend, really, and now he’s still a lovely friend.”
“That was the thing about Prabhupada, you see. He didn’t just talk about loving Krishna and getting out of this place, but he was the perfect example. He talked about always chanting, and he was always chanting. I think that that in itself was perhaps the most encouraging thing for me. It was enough to make me try harder, to be just a little bit better. He was a perfect example of everything he preached.”
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20 Apr 2017
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Conversation with Srila Prabhupada, Guru & Disciple, Science of Self Realization
Tags: A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami, accepting the shelter of a bona fide spiritual master, as it is, Bhagavad-gita, fake guru, Genuine Guru, God Krishna, guru and disciple, Science of Self Realization, Spiritual Life, spiritual master, Srila Prabhupada
Saw this nice post in my mailbox this morning courtesy of my friend Padmapani Prabhu over at Prabhupada Connect and thought we would share it with all of you. The photo is by Mathuranath Prabhu I believe.
Finding a Genuine Guru
Excerpted from Science of Self Realization Chapter 2
Reporter: Have you ever had people come to you who had previously been involved with a fake
guru?
Srila Prabhupada: Yes, there are many.
Reporter: Were their spiritual lives in any way spoiled by the fakegurus?
Srila Prabhupada: No, they were genuinely seeking something spiritual, and that was their qualification. God is within everyone’s heart, and as soon as someone genuinely seeks Him, He helps that person find a genuine guru.
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19 Apr 2017
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Bhakti Yoga, Books by Srila Prabhupada, Easy Journey to Other Planets
Tags: A.C. Bhaktiveanta Swami Prabhupada, bhakti yoga, Bhaktivedanta Swami, Easy Journey to Other Planets, journey to other planets, original books by srila prtabhupada, out of body travel, science of yoga, stage of perfection, yogi, yogic perfection
It is said that the perfect yogi can relinquish his body at death and journey, at the speed of mind, to antimaterial planets far beyond the limits of the material universe. Encompassing the systems of sankhya, astanga and bhakti, this absorbing publication treats the science of yoga, particularly in its application to out-of-body travel.
Easy Journey to Other Planets was one of the earliest small books available at the onset of The Hare Krishna Movement. The following is a link for a free download of the original edition that Srila Prabhupada printed in India before he ever came to the USA. Just click on link at bottom of post.
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The Hare Krishna Movement 