Sri-Guru-Carana-Padma by Narottama dasa Thakura From Songs of the Vaisnava Acaryas
śrī-guru-caraṇa-padma, kevala-bhakati-sadma, bando muñi sāvadhāna mate jāhāra prasāde bhāi, e bhava toriyā jāi, kṛṣṇa-prāpti hoy jāhā ha’te
The lotus feet of our spiritual master are the only way by which we can attain pure devotional service. I bow to his lotus feet with great awe and reverence. By his grace one can cross the ocean of material suffering and obtain the mercy of Krsna.
guru-mukha-padma-vākya, cittete koriya aikya, ār nā koriho mane āśā śrī-guru-caraṇe rati, ei se uttama-gati, je prasāde pūre sarva āśā
My only wish is to have my consciousness purified by the words emanating from his lotus mouth. Attachment to his lotus feet is the perfection that fulfills all desires.
He opens my darkened eyes and fills my heart with transcendental knowledge. He is my Lord birth after birth. From him ecstatic prema emanates; by him ignorance is destroyed. The Vedic scriptures sing of his character.
śrī-guru karuṇā-sindhu, adhama janāra bandhu, lokanāth lokera jīvana hā hā prabhu koro doyā, deho more pada-chāyā, ebe jaśa ghuṣuk tribhuvana
Our spiritual master is the ocean of mercy, the friend of the poor, and the lord and master of the devotees. O master! Be merciful unto me. Give me the shade of your lotus feet. Your fame is spread all over the three worlds.
The Nectar of Devotion is specifically presented for persons who are now engaged in the Krsna consciousness movement. I beg to offer my sincere thanks to all my friends and disciples who are helping me to push forward the Krsna consciousness movement in the Western countries, and I beg to acknowledge, with thanks, the contribution made by my beloved disciple Śrīmad Jayānanda Brahmacari. My thanks are due as well to the directors of ISKCON Press, who have taken so much care in publishing this great literature. Hare Krsna.
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami
“Prabhupada: Hare Krsna. So we have published our Nectar of Devotion. So every one of you should read this Nectar of Devotion repeatedly. The whole substance of Vaisnava philosophy and activities, everything is there. So every one of you read this Nectar of Devotion once, twice, thrice.”
Recently I have been cleaning out the warehouse, organizing things, moving boxes, and I realized that I still have many box’s of small books. What to do with so many small books??? My book distribution days are for the most part over. I mean I can still drop off books in the mail, but pounding the streets with a book bag days are over. So I decided to open the treasure chest of Srila Prabhupada’s mercy and offer any of our readers Free Books!
Anyone can write to me at: theharekrishnamovement@gmail.com and request free books. I no longer have any Bhagavad-gita’s left but I do have so many of the others. You can request specific books or just a random assortment, and I will mail them out to you.
Book distributors can write and a larger package can be arranged.
I request anyone who does not already have Srila Prabhupada’s books to feel free to write, or anyone wanting to add to their collection. Maybe you just want to give them to your friends or family, this is, after all, the season of gift giving. Hare Krishna!
In many parts of the world people are celebrating Christmas. Some see it as a spiritual celebration, putting on their Sunday best and attending Christmas mass at their local church. While others view it as a fantasy holiday, with the focus on Santa Claus and the elves, and reindeer. But either way, for me it is a time focused on family, peace, love and charity.
Gift giving, sharing and receiving gifts, is for the most part, a loving exchange, and it brings joy to those giving, and to those recieving.
Also food is involved. There is always a Christmas dinner, and people spend hours in the kitchen preparing favorite dishes to share with their loved ones. And often a prayer or grace is said in thanks.
And sometimes there is singing. I remember as a child my father used to love to sing by the piano, with my mother or sister playing. As devotees we all love kirtan, or sit down for a melodious bhajan.
But any way that people decide to celebrate Christmas and the Holiday Season, it is a good thing in my mind. Its a celebration of life and love family and friends, and all the gifts God has given us.
There is one nice quote I am reminded of from the Nectar of Devotion
Offering gifts in charity, accepting charitable gifts, revealing one’s mind in confidence, inquiring confidentially, accepting prasadam (spiritual food) and offering prasada are the six symptoms of love shared by one devotee and another.(Nectar of devotion text 4)
I remember back in my younger years, before I became a devotee, I decided to spend my summer off from college, hiking the Appalachian trail. I took with me some small books with me to read along the way. I was becoming interested in Eastern philosophy, and was asking myself questions like who is God, who am I, and what is my relationship with Him. I carried with me a small paperback book by Hermann Hesse entitled Siddhartha, a book by Henry David Thoreau; “Walden”, and the Penguin Classic; “The Bhagavad-gita.
From the book “Siddhartha” I became interested in meditation and the journey to self discovery. From “Walden”, I became interested is self- sufficiency, or as I later describe it as simple living and high thinking, and from the Bhagavad-gita, I discovered who God is. Really. For some reason, as soon as I began reading, I immediately accepted that Krishna was God. This book was the song of God. This was God speaking to His friend Arjuna, instructing him. And I thought how wonderful to be a friend of God, to become Gods friend.
Even though I was raised as a Christian, went to church on Sunday, was taught by nuns and priests, I never got satisfactory answers to my question, Who is God? But this book the Bhagavad-gita, This was God Himself speaking to his friend. Now I knew, there is a God, and His name was Krishna.
About a year later I meet a Hare Krishna devotee at the Chicago O’Hare airport, and I got from him the Krsna Book, then later I went back there and found a deserted copy of the Bhagavad-gita As It Is, on a neglected bench seat, by His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami. It wasn’t just the translations that the penguin classic offered, but it was the complete edition, with original Sanskrit text, Roman transliterations, English equivalents, translation and elaborate purports.
I have been reading the Krsna Book lately, and just yesterday we were reading chapter 14 “Prayers Offered by Lord Brahma to Lord Krsna”, and I was reminded this was the last chapter Srila Prabhupada was working on in the Srimad Bhagavatam series before his passing. So I had another look at the Tenth Canto, part 3, and thought it a good idea to share it with all our readers.
This is the final Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam volume translated by His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Founder-Acarya of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness, before his untimely departure. We share it with you as a free PDF download. You can click on the above link to view the complete volume or save it to your computer.
Foward
This is the final Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam volume translated by His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, founder-acarya of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness. It is smaller than the earlier volumes because it ends where the renowned author stopped translating just before his departure from this mortal world on November 14, 1977, at the Krsna-Balarama Mandira in Vrndavana, India.
Recently I have had this image of Visnu in my mind. I find that my mind often goes back to the days when we went out on book distribution every day and passed out books, magazines, and Spiritual Sky incense. I guess because I had distributed hundreds of BTG magazines, I have a clear memory of the magazine covers. I forgot most of what I learned in school, but I can still recall those early days of Sankirtan, and the joy I felt when someone took a book or magazine, or said Hare Krishna for the first time. Actually, being out there on the streets was a real education in human nature. And I fondly remember so many of the magazine covers.
ON THE COVER
Sri Visnu the maitainer of the universe and goal of the yogis’ meditation.
This morning as I went out to feed the birds, I saw a dead bird on the patio who must have crashed into the window, and it just got to thinking about what is the difference between a dead body and a live body? Consciousness. So I did a little research on that word. The simple definition of the word is:
“Consciousness is the state of being aware of oneself, one’s body, and the outside world.”
OK that is the simple definition. But in the Bhagavad-gita As It Is, Srila Prabhupada gives us a more advanced understanding:
“Know that which pervades the entire body is indestructible. No one is able to destroy the imperishable soul.” (Bg. 2.17)
PURPORT
This verse more clearly explains the real nature of the soul, which is spread all over the body. Anyone can understand what is spread all over the body: it is consciousness. Everyone is conscious of the pains and pleasures of the body in part or as a whole. This spreading of consciousness is limited within one’s own body. The pains and pleasures of one body are unknown to another. Therefore, each and every body is the embodiment of an individual soul, and the symptom of the soul’s presence is perceived as individual consciousness…
…This very small spiritual spark is the basic principle of the material body, and the influence of such a spiritual spark is spread all over the body as the influence of the active principle of some medicine spreads throughout the body. This current of the spirit soul is felt all over the body as consciousness, and that is the proof of the presence of the soul. Any layman can understand that the material body minus consciousness is a dead body, and this consciousness cannot be revived in the body by any means of material administration. Therefore, consciousness is not due to any amount of material combination, but to the spirit soul. . Neither Vedic knowledge nor modern science denies the existence of the spirit soul in the body, and the science of the soul is explicitly described in the Bhagavad-gita by the Personality of Godhead Himself.
So we can conclude, that that consciousness is the presence of the soul.
This is an old photo taken in 1907 that my wife found on Facebook. I remember as a kid, thinking that’s what yogis do. Sit on a bed of nails, or levitate off the ground while meditating.
Before Srila Prabhupada came to the West, bringing with him the Vedic Philosophy, not many people had any idea of what was Yoga or Meditation. Or that there were different types of Yoga and Meditation.
We share with you an excerpt from the small paperback book by His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swmai Prabhupada entitled ” The Perfection of Yoga ”
The yogī obviously has to go through a great deal of difficulty to purify the ātmā (mind, body and soul), but it is a fact that this can be done most effectively in this age simply by the chanting of Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare. Why is this? Because this transcendental sound vibration is non-different from Kṛṣṇa. When we chant His name with devotion, then Kṛṣṇa is with us, and when Kṛṣṇa is with us, then what is the possibility of remaining impure? Consequently, one absorbed in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, in chanting the names of Kṛṣṇa and serving Him always, receives the benefit of the highest form of yoga. The advantage is that he doesn’t have to take all the trouble of the meditational process. That is the beauty of Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
So today we celebrate the Disappearance Day of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura, the Spiritual Master of our Srila Prabhupada. We honor it today with a half day fast a Pushpanjali (offering of prayers and flowers) followed by a nice vegetarian feast.
SRILA BHAKTISIDDHANTA SARASVATI-PRANATI
nama om vinsu-padaya krsna-presthaya bhu-tale srimate bhaktisiddhanta-sarasvatiti namine
I offer my respectful obeisances unto His Divine Grace Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati, who is very dear to Lord Krnsa, having taken shelter at His lotus feet.
sri-varsabhanavi-devi-dayitaya–unto Sri Varsabhanavi-devi-dayita Dasa, the servant of the lover of Srimati Radharani; krpa-abdhaye–who is an ocean of mercy; krsna-sambandha–(of) the relationship with Krsna; vijnana–(of) the science; dayine–who is the deliverer; prabhave–unto the master; namah–obeisances.
I offer my respectful obeisances to Sri Varsabhanavi-devi-dayita Dasa [another name of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati, who is favored by Srimati Radharani and who is the ocean of transcendental mercy and the deliverer of the science of Krsna.
madhuryojjvala-premadhya-sri-rupanuga-bhaktida- sri-gaura-karuna-sakti-vigrahaya namo ‘stu te
madhurya–conjugal; ujjvala–brilliant; prema–love; adhya– enriched with; sri-rupa-anuga–following Srila Rupa Gosvami; bhakti-da–delivering devotional service; sri-gaura–(of) Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu; karuna–(of) the mercy, sakti–energy; vigrahaya–unto the personified; namah–obeisances; astu–let there be; to–unto you.
“I offer my respectful obeisances unto you, who delivers devotional service which is enriched with conjugal love of Radha and Krsna, coming exactly in the live of revelation of Srila Rupa Gowvami.”
names te gaura-vani-sri-murtaye dina-tarine rupanuga-viruddhapasiddhanta-dhvanta-harine
namah–obeisances; to–unto you; gaura-vani–teachings of Lord Caitanya; sri-murtaye–unto the personified; dina–(of) the fallen; tarine–unto the deliverer; rupa-anuga–the philosophy which follows the teachings of Srila Rupa Gosvami; viruddha–against; apasiddhanta–(of) unauthorized statements; dhvanta–the darkness; harine–unto you who are removing.
I offer my respectful obeisances unto you, who are the personified teachings of Lord Caitanya. You are the deliverer of the fallen souls. You do not tolerate any statement which is against the teachings of devotional service enunciated by Srila Rupa Gosvami.
We often say “Chant and be Happy”, but there are offences to be considered. If we want to feel the full ecastscy derived from chanting the Holy names, we need to avoid them.
There are offenses to be considered while chanting the Hare Krishna mantra. Therefore simply by chanting Hare Krsna one does not become ecstatic. ( Cc. Adi-lila 8.24) 1) To blaspheme the devotees who have dedicated their lives for propagating the holy name of the Lord. 2) To consider the names of demigods like Lord Shiva or Lord Brahma to be equal to or independent of the name of the Lord Vishnu. 3) To disobey the orders of the spiritual master. 4) To blaspheme the vedic scriptures or scriptures in pursuance to the vedic version. 5) To consider the glories of chanting Hare Krishna to be an imagination. 6) To give some interpretations to the holy name of the Lord. 7) To commit sinful activities on the strength of the holy name. 8) To consider the chanting of Hare Krishna as one of the auspicious ritualistic activities which are offered in the Vedas as frutive activities (Karma kanda). 9) To instruct a faithless person about the glories of the holy name
10) To not have complete faith in the chanting of the holy name and to maintain material attachments, even after understanding so many instructions on this matter. It is also an offense to be inattentive while chanting.
Every devotee who claims to be Vaishnava must guard against these offenses in order to quickly achieve the desired successKRISHNA PREMA!!!
Yesterday was Gita Jayanti, or the Advent of Srimad Bhagavad-gita,which is an annual celebration to commemorate the day when Lord Krishna spoke the Bhagavad-gita to Arjuna on the first day of the battle of Kurukshetra. Recital of the Bhagavad Gita is performed throughout the day in most ISKCON centers throughout the world.
In honor of this day, Gita Jayntia, we present the Complete 1972 Edition of the Bhagavad-gita As It Is, by His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami in a link to our other page Prabhupadagita Where you can read the entire book online a chapter at a time with the original illustrations.
I remember on the morning of my initiation, 48+ years ago, my mind was completely disturbed. Srila Prabhupada was in New York for the big 1976 Rathayathra Festival, and I was there with the Radha Damodara Traveling Sankirtan Party. I had been traveling with the RDTSKP for the last year doing festivals and book distribution, and today right after the morning program I was about to get my first initiation. Like I said, my mind was disturbed. I was in total anxiety, never felt such terrible anxiety and doubt before. I wasn’t sure I could go through with it, wasn’t sure I could make such a serious promise. “I promise to chant 16 rounds and follow all 4 regulative principles.” I mean, I’m pretty sure I can follow some of the regulative principles, and chant some of my rounds every day, but 4 regs. and 16 rounds every day for the rest of my days, I don’t know?
“To chant the holy name always, one should be humbler than the grass in the street and devoid of all desire for personal honor, but one should offer others all respectful obeisances.
“A devotee engaged in chanting the holy name of the Lord should practice forbearance like that of a tree. Even if rebuked or chastised, he should not say anything to others to retaliate.
“For even if one cuts a tree, it never protests, and even if it is drying up and dying it does not ask anyone for water.
PURPORT
This practice of forbearance (tṛṇād api sunicena) is very difficult, but when one actually engages in chanting the Hare Krishna mantra, the quality of forbearance automatically develops. A person advanced in spiritual consciousness through the chanting of the Hare Krishna mantra need not practice to develop it separately, for a devotee develops all good qualities simply by chanting the Hare Krishna mantra regularly.
“Thus a Vaisnava should not ask anything from anyone else. If someone gives him something without being asked, he should accept it, but if nothing comes, a Vaisnava should be satisfied to eat whatever vegetables and fruits are easily available.
“One should strictly follow the principle of always chanting the holy name, and one should be satisfied with whatever he gets easily. Such devotional behavior solidly maintains one’s devotional service.
“One who thinks himself lower than the grass, who is more tolerant than a tree, and who does not expect personal honor yet is always prepared to give all respect to others can very easily always chant the holy name of the Lord.”
PURPORT
The grass is specifically mentioned in this verse because everyone tramples upon it yet the grass never protests. This example indicates that a spiritual master or leader should not be proud of his position; being always humbler than an ordinary common man, he should go on preaching the cult of Caitanya Mahaprabhu by chanting the Hare Krishna mantra.
Recently a fellow Vaisnava (Kamsahanta Prabhu) passed away, or as we like to say, left his body, and we were left to settle his affairs. First there was the death certificate, and registering his death. Then there was the funeral home where arrangements were made for his cremation. Then there was the big job of distributing all his possessions. We gave his clothes to a nearby charity, food stuffs to the local church, There was tons of religious paraphernalia, dieties, pictures, books, (which were left with other devotees) and vehicles. It took weeks. And it really got me thinking… about my own mortality.
Kamshanta Prabhu was very fortunate in many ways, for in his adult life he preformed so much devotional service, distributed so many of Srila Prabhupada’s books, and collected so much laxmi to help advance this movement. He was also fortunate that his son Namacharya, was there to assist him at his hour of passing. Nam put his fathers japa beads in his hand, helped him chant in his final hours, and made arrangements to have his fathers body be cremated with his tulasi beads around his neck and his japa beads in his hand.
But this is what got me thinking…after a whole lifetime, Kamshanta Prabhu was left with only his neck and japa beads, and most importantly the holy name on his lips and in his ears. And I was reminded of the verse from the Bhagavad-gita 8.5:
“And whoever, at the time of death, quits his body, remembering Me alone, at once attains My nature, of this there is no doubt”
“The Holy Name is so powerful, that even by chanting with offense, gradually one becomes pure. Therefore we should not give up chanting under any circumstances.” -Srila Prabhupada
The Hare Krishna Movement 