Srila Prabhupada describes the formula for success: “Our request to all our students is that they daily chant at least sixteen rounds of this harer nāma mahā-mantra offenselessly, following the regulative principles. Thus, their success will be assured without a doubt.”
Formula for Success: Without a Doubt
02 Oct 2019 Leave a comment
in A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Caaitanya-caritamrta, Chanting Hare Krishna Tags: Adi-lila 21-23, chanting Hare Krishna, eva, Hare Krishna, harer nama, Maha Mantra, mantra meditation, names of the lord
The World Acharya Dream
01 Oct 2019 Leave a comment
in Art, Govinda dasi, Srila Prabhupada Tags: Govinda dasi, mother earth, Srila Prabhupada, the world acharya dream, visionary dream, Vyasasana

His Divine Grace
Srila A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
Founder-Acarya of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness
The following is the written memories and description by Govinda dasi, of her dream which inspired the above picture and her description of the painting.
About “The World Acharya Dream”
by Govinda dasi
Some time after Srila Prabhupada left this world, I had a very powerful dream….In that visionary dream, I saw Srila Prabhupada sitting on a huge lion-flanked and jewel-bedecked Vyasasana. His Vyasasana rested on the brightly shimmering globe of Mother Earth, and was positioned just above the sacred land of India. Behind him, the vast curvature of the earth planet was visible. A silvery bluish-white light emanated from the center of the vision, forming a giant oval, in which Srila Prabhupada sat.
Below him were many crowds of people–all races, nationalities, and all ages–all the people of the world, reaching out from darkness. They were pointing toward Srila Prabhupada, in awe and wonder, exclaiming, reaching out, praising, and acknowledging him according to their various abilities. Many were in darkness, in worldly life, yet they were all reaching out toward Srila Prabhupada, seeking his mercy.
Above Srila Prabhupada, in the shimmering silver-blue sky, many swan-shaped airplanes circled. In these airplanes, devas were singing praises and showering flowers. Cascades of colorful blossoms tumbled down from their swan planes, as they glorified Srila Prabhupada. With sweet sounding instruments, and heavenly chorus, they sang “Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare. Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare…” Their joyful mood spread throughout the universe.
The Biography of a Pure Devotee
30 Sep 2019 Leave a comment
in A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Dr. Misra, Satsvarupa das Goswami Tags: Bopgraphy of a Pure Devotee, Dr. Misra, guru, Satsvrapupa dasa Goswami, spiritual master, Srila Prabhupada, svami
The Biography of a Pure Devotee
Srila Prabhupada in New York City, 1965 – Struggling Alone
by Satsvarupa dasa Goswami
On arriving in New York, Srila Prabhupada had nowhere to stay but the asrama of an impersonalist svami. To see students submissively listening to a speaker who denied the Personality of Godhead was painful for the pure devotee. But was he to go homeless and beg in the streets? A holy man might have been able to do that in India, but not in Manhattan.
Srila Prabhupada knew no one in New York City, but at least he had a contact. In India he had met a publisher of religious books, Paramananda Mehra of Bombay, who had, written a note introducing him to a guru based in New York City, Dr. Rammurti Misra, While still in Butler, Pennsylvania, Srila Prabhupada had sent Mr. Mehra’s note and one of his own to Dr. Misra. He had also phoned Dr. Misra, who had told him he was welcome to come join him in New York.
A student of Dr. Misra’s met Srila Prabhupada on his arrival, from Butler and brought him directly to an Indian festival in the city. There he was introduced to Dr. Misra, as well as to Ravi Shankar and his brother, the dancer Uddhar Shankar. Srila Prabhupada then accompanied Dr. Misra to his apartment at 33 Riverside Drive, beside the Hudson River, The apartment was on the fourteenth floor and had large windows facing the river. Dr. Misra gave Srila Prabhupada a room to himself.
Serving Srila Prabhupada
30 Sep 2019 Leave a comment
in A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Gauridas Pandit das, Srila Prabhupada Tags: Gauridas Pandit das, se, Srila Prabhupada, vrindavan 1977
Leaving Vrindavan (July15th 1977)
by Gauridasa Pandita Dasa
Serving Srila Prabhupada personally in Bombay, Hrishikesh and Vrindavan were the best days of my life. I had entered India on a three month tourist visa. I had applied for an extension but since I was already granted one and that was the limit, I was denied the extension. I considered just staying past my expiration date so I could remain with His Divine Grace because he said that he would
I had packed all of my belongings and loaded them onto a horse drawn cart for my trip to the Mathura train station. I went to offer my obeisance’s to Tamal Krishna Maharaja in his office before leaving. He told me I couldn’t leave without telling Srila Prabhupada. I replied that Srila Prabhupada knows everything anyway and I didn t want to bother him. Tamal K.G. said to wait and he entered Srila Prabhupada’s room. A moment later he stuck his head out of the door and told me to come in. Now I was getting really nervous. This would turn out to be the last time I would see Srila Prabhupada before his divine departure for Goloka Vrindavan.
Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī, Is the Attraction for the All-Attractive / Hlādinī—Pleasure Potency
26 Sep 2019 Leave a comment
in A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Caaitanya-caritamrta, Srimati Radharani Tags: A.C. Bhaktiveanta Swami Prabhupada, Adi lila chapter 4, bliss, hladini, Krishna, Lord Krsna, pleasure potency, Radharani, Srila Prabhupada, Srimati Radharani, supreme goddess
This morning there was this nagging voice that kept saying “read Adi-lila chapter 4, of the Sri Caitanya-caritamrta” I haven’t read from the Caitanya-caritamrta for a while because I was re-reading the Bhagavad-gita and Krsna Book and because it is summer, I am busy with work… But I responded to the nagging voice…and pulled Vol. 1 from the shelf. As I read I became more and more enlivened and the words jumped out at me…. Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī, who is the attraction for the all-attractive. What is attracting the All Attractive? Srimati Radharani!
And the other thing that jumped out at me was the word hlādinī. Here is another word for your vaishnava vocabulary. So today is a two part post from the Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, describing the hladini energy, and the attractiveness of Srimati Radharani.
Lord Kṛṣṇa enchants the world, but Śrī Rādhā enchants even Him. Therefore She is the supreme goddess of all. (Adi 4.95)
Śrī Rādhā is the full power, and Lord Kṛṣṇa is the possessor of full power. The two are not different, as evidenced by the revealed scriptures. (Adi 4.96)
Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī is as fully spiritual as Kṛṣṇa. No one should consider Her to be material. She is definitely not like the conditioned souls, who have material bodies, gross and subtle, covered by material senses. She is all-spiritual, and both Her body and mind are of the same spiritual embodiment. Because Her body is spiritual, Her senses are also spiritual. Thus Her body, mind and senses fully shine in love of Kṛṣṇa. She is the personified hlādinī-śakti (the pleasure-giving energy of the Lord’s internal potency), and therefore She is the only source of enjoyment for Śrī Kṛṣṇa.
Śrī Kṛṣṇa cannot enjoy anything that is internally different from Him. Therefore Rādhā and Śrī Kṛṣṇa are identical. The sandhinī portion of Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s internal potency has manifested the all-attractive form of Śrī Kṛṣṇa, and the same internal potency, in the hlādinī feature, has presented Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī, who is the attraction for the all-attractive. No one can match Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī in the transcendental pastimes of Śrī Kṛṣṇa. (from purport Adi 4.71)
…All the desires of Lord Kṛṣṇa rest in Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī. (from purport)
Lecture on the Teachings of Lord Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu
15 Sep 2019 Leave a comment
in A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Back to Godhead, Lectures, Srimad Bhagavatam Tags: Back to Godhead Magazine, bhakti yoga, BTG, devotional service, Krishna consciousness, lectures by His Divine Grace, Lectures by Srila Prabhupada, Srimad Bhagavatam, Vedic literature
“On The Teachings of Lord Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu”
From The Lectures of Swami A.C. Bhaktivedanta
BTG Year-1967 Volume-01 Number-06
(Notes transcribed from a lecture given Wednesday, December 7, 1966.)
If you want Lord Krishna, then there is no other way except by devotional service. As for yoga, ritualistic performances, and the study of Vedic or other scriptural literature-all these forms are recommended to help us further ourselves. But, if you want to be in touch with the Supreme Personality of Godhead, you have to engage in devotional service.
Sri Vyasa-Puja; The Most Blessed Event
24 Aug 2019 Leave a comment
in A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Lokadrsti devi, Uncategorized, Vyas-puja, Vyasasana Tags: A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhuada, Lokadrsti devi dasi, Sri Vyasa Puja, Srila Prabhupada, Vyasa Puja, Vyasasan das

Decorations by Lokadrsti devi dasi
The Most Blessed Event: Sri Vyasa-Puja
by Vyasasan das
Dear Srila Prabhupada
On this most auspicious day, please accept my humble obeisance’s, and kindly forgive my offences. Although I am and insignificant disciple of your Divine Grace, and full of faults, still I am constantly awaiting your causeless mercy to be bestowed upon me. I have never given up my faith, or my love, nor the hope that someday I may be a worthy disciple. As you know my daily prayers always include the words “please forgive my offences”, as I am always feeling myself unworthy to be receiving your mercy. Srila Prabhupada you have been the one constant in my entire adult life, my best friend and ever well wisher. And I remain chaste to you, my lord and master, unconditionally.
Śrī Vyāsa Pūjā Address New Vrindaban, September 2, 1972
24 Aug 2019 Leave a comment
in A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Uncategorized, Vyas-puja Tags: A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, New Vrindaban, Sri Vyasa Puja address, Srila Prabhupada, Vyasa Puja

Śrī Vyāsa Pūjā Address
New Vrindaban, September 2, 1972
by His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
…So this Vyāsa-pūjā means one day in a year, on the birthday of the spiritual master, because he is representative of Vyāsa, he is delivering the same knowledge which has come down by disciplic succession without any change, he is offered the respect. This is called Vyāsa-pūjā…
Prabhupāda: Ladies and gentlemen, this ceremony… Of course, those who are my students, they know what is this ceremony. Those who are visitors, for their information, I may inform you something about this ceremony. Otherwise, it may not be misunderstood. A outsider may see it that “Why a person is being worshiped like God?” There may be some doubt. So this is the etiquette. This ceremony is called Vyāsa-pūjā. Vyāsa. Vyāsa means the original author of Vedic literature. He is incarnation of Nārāyaṇa. He gave us all Vedic knowledge. He received the knowledge from Nārada. Nārada received the knowledge from Brahma. Brahmā received the knowledge from Kṛṣṇa. So in this way, by disciplic succession, we get transcendental knowledge.
Janmāṣṭamī; Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s Appearance Day Lecture
23 Aug 2019 Leave a comment
in A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Janmastami, Srila Prabhupada, Uncategorized Tags: appearance day lecture, birth of Lord Krishna, Janmastami, Krishna, Krsna, Lord Krsna's appearance, Srila Prabhupada

Today, being Janmastami, we thought we should include a lecture given by Srila Prabhupada on Janmastami. The following lecture given on August 16, 1968, in Montreal Canada, is very sweet and reminiscent of how this society grew in a very personal and organic way. With Srila Prabhupada inviting his students and guests to speak on their realizations of Krsna, and Krsna Consciousness.
…So today is that auspicious day, Janmāṣṭamī, when Lord Kṛṣṇa appeared five thousand years ago in India, Mathurā. Those who are Indian ladies and gentlemen present, they know very well where is Mathurā. It is about ninety miles south of New Delhi. Mathurā is still existing and it is eternally existing. Kṛṣṇa appeared in Mathurā in His maternal uncle’s house in a very precarious condition. That birthplace, Lord Kṛṣṇa’s birthplace, is now maintained very nicely. One who goes to India, they see.
So anyway, Lord Kṛṣṇa appeared on this planet five thousand years ago. Now Kṛṣṇa says, janma karma me divyam [Bg. 4.9]. Divyam means “not ordinary.” It should not be understood just like we take our birth. Kṛṣṇa does not take his birth like us.
…So we shall invite today to speak about Kṛṣṇa from our students, as well as all the members who are present here. So I shall request Janārdana to speak something about his realization of Kṛṣṇa. (pause) All right. Let him speak.
Full Lecture More
Photos by Gurudas
19 Aug 2019 Leave a comment
in A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Guru das, Photos by Gurudas, Prabhupada, Roger Siegel, Srila Prabhupada Tags: A. C. Bhakthvedanta Swami Prabhupada, ISKCON photography, parikrama with Srila Prabhupada, photos by Gurudas, Photos of Srila Prabhupada, Srila Prabhupada, The Hare Krishna Movement
From time to time, I like to post some of the old photos from Gurudas Prabhu’s camera. He was one of the first ISKCON photographers and took many of the famous and beautiful pictures of Srila Prabhupada. The following were from Parikama with Srila Prabhupada in India.
Padayatra
13 Aug 2019 Leave a comment
in A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Gaurangi devi dasi, Lokanatha Swami, Padayatra, Srila Prabhupada, Uncategorized Tags: disciples of Srila Prabhupada, Gaurangi devi dasi, Govardhana Hill, Lokanatha Swami, Padayatra, Padayatra Worldwide, parikrama, sankirtan movement, Srila Prabhupada

Last evening we had the good fortune to spend it with Lokanath Swami at a home program here in New Vrindaban. He spoke for 2 1/2 hours on village life, simple living-high thinking, the padayatra, how he joined the Hare Krishna Movement, meeting Srila Prabhupada, and ending it with a very moving account about Srila Prabhupada’s final request to go on parikrama in a bullock cart. Then in summary, hw spoke about Srila Prabhupada’s last desire to travel to all the holy places of pilgrimage, and the continuation of the Padayatra program Srila Prabhupada wanted.
“…However in the evening of the 14th of November, Srila Prabhupada left this mortal world. Some days after his departure, in order to fulfill his last desire, the devotees performed parikrama on Govardhana Hill with a bullock cart, carrying a portrait of their eternal well-wisher. Thousands of disciples and followers of Srila Prabhupada participated in this last procession. Something to deeply think about Only a few days before his departure, Srila Prabhupada wanted to go on pilgrimage with a bullock cart. Every moment of Prabhupada’s life had a purport that is meant to teach us some lesson. It is something for his followers to deeply think about, especially since traveling on a bullock cart was one of Prabhupada’s last desires, as well as to visit the holy places of pilgrimage. The Padayatra idea remained dormant for the next seven years, but then in 1984, at the advent of the 500th anniversary of the appearance of Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, the GBC requested Lokanath Maharaja to be the leader of an all-India Padayatra party that would travel from Dvaraka, Gujarat to Mayapur, West Bengal.”
Lord Sri Krishna
07 Aug 2019 Leave a comment
in Art, Muralidhara das, The Hare Krishna Movement, Uncategorized Tags: Krishna consciousness, Muralidhara ds, philosophy, philosophy of Krsna Consciousness, Spiritual Practice

“I Have No Capacity to Repay You”
06 Aug 2019 Leave a comment
in A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Art, Back to Godhead, Devotee's, Uncategorized Tags: Back to Godhead Magazine, I have no capacity to repay you, ISKCON artists, Srila Prabhupada, Yadurani devi dasi

“I Have No Capacity to Repay You”
by Yadurani Devi Dasi
Excerpted from Back to Godhead Magazine
Vol. 26, No. 2, 1992
Srila Prabhupada placed great spiritual value on the sometimes crude paintings of ISKCON’s first artists.
TWENTY-SIX SECOND AVENUE, New York City, 1967: Govinda Dasi had recently painted Srila Prabhupada’s quarters—blue walls with gold borders. His desk was his trunk from India. He sat on second-hand mats donated by his disciples.
Prabhupada showed me a beautiful print of Radha and Krsna with the eight principal gopis, standing together in the moonlight in a garden in the Vrndavana forest. He wanted me to copy the scene onto a large canvas.
Prabhupada told me that the gopis in the picture had Bengali beauty because they’d been painted by a Bengali artist. The flowers at Krsna’s feet didn’t seem very clearly painted to me. They looked like colored blobs. I asked Prabhupada what kind of flowers I should paint. “You can take any flower and transport it to Vrndavana,” he answered.
“What color should I paint Krsna’s eyes?” I asked. Sometimes we read that Krsna’s eyes are red.
“They are reddish, reddish black,” he said.
In the Age of Kali-yuga… There is Still One Good Thing…
28 Jul 2019 Leave a comment
in Kali Yuga, Uncategorized Tags: A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, chanting Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna Mantra, Hare Krsna, Kali-yuga, Maha Mantra, Srila Prabhupada
We all have our favorite quotes and slokas from the pages of Srila Prabhupada’s books. One of mine is the following:
“My dear King, although Kali-yuga is full of faults, there is still one good quality about this age. It is that simply by chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra, one can become free from material bondage and be promoted to the transcendental kingdom.” (Bhāg. 12.3.51)
Srila Prabhupada quotes this partictular verse from the Bhagavatam many times in his lectures, conversations, books etc., for instance:
“In the sastra it is said this Kali-yuga is full of faults, so many faults. It is the ocean of faults. But there is a very nice thing, asti hy eko mahan gunah, a very great quality. What is that? Kirtanad eva krsnasya mukta-sangah param vrajet [SB 12.3.51]. If you simply chant Hare Krishna mantra, then you become perfect. Is it very difficult? Chant Hare Krishna and you become perfect. But we are so unfortunate, we are not even prepared to chant. This is our position. So you have to make little determination that ‘I shall chant henceforward Hare Krishna mantra.’ Then everything is all right.”
Easy Journey to Other Planets
10 Jul 2019 1 Comment
in A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Easy Journey to Other Planets, Free Downloads Tags: A.C. Bhaktiveanta Swami Prabhupada, books by Srila Prabhupada, Easy Journey to Other Planets, free download, Srila Prabhupada books, stage of perfection, yoga
Easy Journey to Other Planets
By His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami
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.
From the Preface of the book:
A living being, especially civilized man, has a natural desire to live forever in happiness. This is quite natural because, in his original state, the living being is both eternal and joyful. However, in the present conditioned state of life, he is engaged in a struggle against recurring birth and death. Therefore he has attained neither happiness nor immortality.
The latest desire man has developed is the desire to travel to other planets. This is also quite natural, because he has the constitutional right to go to any part of the material or spiritual skies. Such travel is very tempting and exciting because these skies are full of unlimited globes of varying qualities, and they are occupied by all types of living entities. The desire to travel there can be fulfilled by the process of yoga, which serves as a means by which one can transfer himself to whatever planet he likes–possibly to planets where life is not only eternal and blissful, but where there are multiple varieties of enjoyable energies. Anyone who can attain the freedom of the spiritual planets need never return to this miserable land of birth, old age, disease and death.
One can attain this stage of perfection very easily by his individual effort. He can simply follow, in his own home, the prescribed method of bhakti-yoga. This method, under proper guidance, is simple and enjoyable. An attempt is made herein to give information to the people in general, and to philosophers and religionists in particular, as to how one can transfer oneself to other planets by this process of bhakti-yoga-the highest of all yogic processes.
click on link for a free download of original; Easy-Journey-to-Other-Planets-Original-India-SP-edition-scan
The Hare Krishna Record
03 Jul 2019 1 Comment
in Letters by Srila Prabhupada, Mukunda das Goswami, Syamasundara das, The Beatles Tags: Apple Records, Beatles, Hare Krishna record, Letters by Srila Prabhupada, Mukunda das, Syamasundara das, The Beatles
…I am very glad to know that George is interested in recording some Krishna Consciousness album, and it is very happy news. I request you and, through you, your friends, George and John, to make a nice Hare Krishna record sung by the most popular Beatles and assisted by our devotees. That will be very nice. I have all encouragement for you for this purpose. Try to make this Hare Krishna Movement popular through any source that is possible. That is our business. (from Srila Prabhupada letter to Syamasundara das June 29, 1969)
…Regarding the Beatles, if they chant the Hare Krishna Mantra, give them all facilities. Because if they make some Hare Krishna record, that will be widespread, and we want simply that the Hare Krishna Mantra may be very popular all over the world. We do not care for any profit out of it. We should not try to make a profit out of the Hare Krishna Mantra; then our spiritual enlightenment will be hampered. (from Srila Prabhupada letter to Mukunda das July 2, 1969)
Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura’s Disapearance Day
02 Jul 2019 Leave a comment
in Bhaktivinoda Thakura, Kabe Ha'be Bolo, Songs of the Vaisnava Acaryas, Uncategorized Tags: Bhaktivinoda Thakura, disapearance day of Bhaktivinoda Thakur, invocation of the Holy Name, kabe ha'be bolo, lower than a blade of grass, songs of the vaisnava acharyas
Today marks the disapearance day of Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakur. We honor it with a half day fast and the posting on one of his many beautiful songs.
When, oh when, will that day be mine?
When my offenses ceasing,
taste for the name increasing,
when in my heart will your mercy shine?
When, oh when will that day be mine?
Lower than a blade of grass, more tolerant than a tree.
When will my mind attain this quality?
Respectful to all, not expecting their honour, then shall I taste the name’s nectar sublime.
When oh when will that day be mine?
Kabe Ha’be Bolo (Invocation of the Holy Name)
by Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura
For complete lyrics and translation More
Pleasing Srila Prabhupada by reading his books
25 Jun 2019 1 Comment
in A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Books by Srila Prabhupada, Gauridas Pandit das, Srila Prabhupada's Books Tags: books by Srila Prabhupada, Gauridas Pandita das, Srila Prabhupada, Srila Prabhupada's books, Srimad Bhagavatam
Reading Srimad Bhagavatam
By Gauridas Pandita Prabhu
Vrndavan India June 1977. I used to take Srila Prabhupada’s paraphernalia to translate his books up to the rooftop before sundown every evening. Part of the roof was covered and part was open and there is an inside room also and a bathroom. Srila Prabhupada would come up just at about sunset to start his translation work for the night.
Speaking About Varnasrama Volume 1
18 Jun 2019 1 Comment
in A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Books by Devotees, Conversation with Srila Prabhupada, Devotee's, Hare Krishna devi dasi, Hare Krsna devi dasi, Suresvara das, Uncategorized, Varnasrama Dharma Tags: A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, BBT, conversations with Srila Prabhupada, Hare Krsna devi dasi, Speaking about Varnasrama, Suresvara, the bhaktivedanta book trust

A friend of mine recently shared a book with me that I found most interesting. This first volume, Speaking about Varnasrama, focuses on Srila Prabhupada’s actual spoken conversations and lectures about varnasrama. This post includes a brief descprition of Srila Prabhupada taken from back cover of book, as well an the table of contents.
It can be ordered from the site Exoitc India
It is a good book for anyone interested in the Varnasrama System and Farm Community Development.
Speaking About Varnasrama Volume 1
His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
Founder-Acarya of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness
Compiled by Hare Krsna-devi dasi
Edited by Suresvara-dasa
Published by The Bhaktivedanta Book Trust
About the Author
In this work, His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, the foremost Vedic scholar and teacher of the modern age, and author of than sixty volumes of authoritative annotated translations and summary studies of the philosophical and religious classics of India, presents a vision of a spiritual society. Criticizing a mode society based on industrialism, materialism, and a callous disregard for the workers who support it, Srila Prabhupada calls for a spiritualized•social structure. Citing Bhagavad-gita, he advocates varnasrama, dharma, a social institution in which people gain spiritual satisfaction and spiritual advancement by doing their daily work as an offering to God.
Though his vision is based on Vedic scriptures of India, Prabhupada faults the modern caste system as a perversion of scriptural injunction. But India is not alone, he states, for materialistic social structures around the world impede spiritual progress. Thus, in the forty conversations, lectures, and interviews in this volume, we hear him present a society where occupations are determined by character and training, not by birth and wealth; a society based on opportunity and maximizing human potential rather than on stagnancy and oppression; one based on mutual appreciation and cooperation between classes rather suspicion and disdain. We hear about a society which is inclusive rather than exclusive, a society based on simple living and high thinking rather than on wealth and greed. Above all, van, uarnasrama society Prabhupada describes is consciously organized to bring each kind of person closer to the actual goal human life, attaining a loving relationship with the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord Sri Krsna.




























