22 Sep 2011
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Back to Godhead, Devotional Service, Krishna Consciousness
Tags: Back to Godhead Magazine, devotional service, His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Krishna, krsna consciousness, materialism, spiritual endeavors, Supreme Personality of Godhead
The Urgent Need for Krishna Consciousness
By His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
This very important Krsna consciousness movement is meant to save human society from spiritual death. At present human society is being misled by leaders who are blind, for they do not know the aim and objective of human life, which is self-realization and the reestablishment of our lost relationship with the Supreme Personality of Godhead. That is the missing point. This Krsna consciousness movement is trying to enlighten human society in this important matter.
According to Vedic civilization, the perfection of life is to realize one’s relationship with Krsna or God. In Bhagavad-gita, which is accepted by all authorities in transcendental science as the basis of all Vedic knowledge, we understand that not only human beings but all living entities are parts and parcels of God. The parts are meant for serving the whole, just as the legs, hands, fingers and ears are meant for serving the total body. We living entities, being parts and parcels of God, are duty bound to serve Him.
Actually our position is that we are always rendering service to someone, either to our family, country or society. If we have no one to serve, sometimes we keep a pet cat or dog and render service to it. All these factors prove that we are constitutionally meant to render service, yet in spite of serving to our best capacity, we are no more satisfied. Nor is the person to whom we are rendering that service satisfied. On the material platform, everyone is frustrated. The reason for this is that the service which is being rendered is not properly directed. For example, if we want to render service to a tree, we must water the root. If we pour water on the leaves, branches and twigs, there is little benefit. If the Supreme Personality of Godhead is served, all other parts and parcels will be automatically satisfied. Consequently all welfare activities as well as service to society, family and nation are realized by serving the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
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21 Sep 2011
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in Krsna is the Source of All Incarnations
Tags: A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Asuri Brahmana, Devahuti, fifth incarnation of Visnu, Lord Kapila, metaphysics, Sankhya philosophy, Srimad Bhagavatam
The instructions of Lord Kapila to His mother Devahūti are fully described in the Third Canto (Chapters 25-32) of the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, and anyone who follows the instructions can achieve the same liberation obtained by Devahūti. The Lord spoke Bhagavad-gītā, and thereby Arjuna achieved self-realization, and even today anyone who follows the path of Arjuna can also attain the same benefit as Śrī Arjuna. The scriptures are meant for this purpose. Foolish, unintelligent persons make their own interpretations by imagination and thus mislead their followers, causing them to remain in the dungeon of material existence. However, simply by following the instructions imparted by Lord Kṛṣṇa or Lord Kapila, one can obtain the highest benefit, even today.
Srimad-Bhagavatam
By His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
Canto 1, Text 10
“Creation”
Krsna Is the Source of All Incarnations
The fifth incarnation, named Lord Kapila, is foremost among perfected beings. He gave an exposition of the creative elements and metaphysics to Āsuri Brāhmaṇa, for in course of time this knowledge had been lost.
Purport
The sum total of the creative elements is twenty-four in all. Each and every one of them is explicitly explained in the system of Sāṅkhya philosophy. Sāṅkhya philosophy is generally called metaphysics by the European scholars. The etymological meaning of sāṅkhya is “that which explains very lucidly by analysis of the material elements.” This was done for the first time by Lord Kapila, who is said herein to be the fifth in the line of incarnations.
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21 Sep 2011
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in Back to Godhead, Books by Srila Prabhupada, Brahmananda das
Tags: back to Godhead, bhagavad-gita, Books of His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Brahmananda Swami, Srimad Bhagavatam
The Books of His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
Originally published in Back to Godhead No. 52
Bhaktivedanta Book Trust 1973
By Brahmananda Swami ISKCON East Africa
Part 3
Back to Godhead contained timely articles, essays, book reviews and selections from full-length works in progress such as the Sri Isopanisad. It should be noted that this paper was entirely the effort of Srila Prabhupada. He wrote all the material, edited it, typed it for the printer and checked the galley proofs. Then he sold the copies. Each fortnight he would take batches of Back to Godhead into Delhi. To save a few cents bus fare he sometimes had to walk for miles, and often he would sit in tea parlors until late at night, himself not even taking a glass of water there, preaching and distributing his paper and collecting one cent per copy.
At this time Srila Prabhupada also wrote outlines of his dream. It was a worldwide association of God conscious devotees who actively preached the eternal religion of love of God in all fields of society at large and who used all the modern means at their disposal. The League of Devotees, the forerunner of the now worldwide ISKCON, the International Society for Krishna Consciousness, was thus formally registered. From international sankirtana parties, to gosalas (cow protection reserves), to authorized teaching of Sanskrit, to a printing press solely for flooding the marketplace with Krsna conscious literature, ISKCON is today the reality of that dream.
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20 Sep 2011
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Back to Godhead, Lectures
Tags: back to Godhead, Balarama, Gauda, Krishna, Lecture by A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Lord Nityananda, Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, Sri Krsna Caitanya, sun and moon
The Rising Sun and Moon
Lecture by His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
Mayapur, India—March 26, 1975
Back to Godhead 2004, Vol.38, No. 4
vande sri-krsna-caitanya-
nityanandau sahoditau
gaudodaye puspavantau
citrau sandau tamo-nudau
“I offer my respectful obeisances unto Sri Krsna Caitanya and Lord Nityananda, who are like the sun and moon. They have arisen simultaneously on the horizon of Gauda [West Bengal] to dissipate the darkness of ignorance and thus wonderfully bestow benediction upon all.”—Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, Adi 1.2
SriKrsna Caitanya has many expansions, and the first is Lord Nityananda, who is Krsna’s brother, Balarama. We have to understand these things from the mahajanas, the great sages who are learned in the science of Krsna consciousness. Narottama Dasa Thakura, a mahajana, says, vrajendra-nandana yei, saci-suta hoilo sei, balarama hoilo nitai: “Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu is Lord Krsna, the son of Nanda Maharaja, and Sri Nityananda Prabhu is Balarama.”
Sometimes foolish people say that Nityananda is an expansion of Radharani. That is not a fact. Nityananda is Balarama. We have to know from the mahajanas; we cannot manufacture our own ideas. That is blasphemy.
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20 Sep 2011
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in Krishna Consciousness, Letters by Srila Prabhupada
Tags: Gaudiya Math, Kali-yuga, Kirtanananda Swami, Krsna consciousness movement, Letters by Srila Prabhupada, Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu
Material nature means dissension and disagreement, especially in this Kali yuga. But, for this Krsna consciousness movement its success will depend on agreement, even though there are varieties of engagements. In the material world there are varieties, but there is no agreement. In the spiritual world there are varieties, but there is agreement. That is the difference. The materialist without being able to adjust the varieties and the disagreements makes everything zero. They cannot come into agreement with varieties, but if we keep Krsna in the center, then there will be agreement in varieties. This is called unity in diversity.
In an October 18, 1973 letter, Srila Prabhupada wrote to Kirtanananda
My Dear Kirtanananda Maharaja:
Please accept my blessings, and I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated October 16, 1973 and I have noted the contents carefully..
Now this displeasing of god brothers has already begun and gives me too much agitation in my mind. Our Gaudiya Math people fought with one another after the demise of Guru Maharaja but my disciples have already begun fighting even in my presence. So I am greatly concerned about it.
Following in the footprints of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu:
trnad api su-nicena taror iva sahisnuna
amanina manadena kirtaniya sada harih
“One should chant the holy name of the Lord in a humble state of mind, thinking oneself lower than the straw in the street; one should be more tolerant than a tree, devoid of all sense of false prestige and should be ready to offer all respect to others. In such a state of mind one can chant the holy name of the Lord constantly.”
We must always remember this verse and be as tolerant as the tree, as we execute the Krsna consciousness movement. Without this mentality we cannot be successful.
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20 Sep 2011
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in Diksha, Iskcon Bangalore, Siksa
Tags: Diksha guru of Iskcon, Initiation Ceremony, ISKCON Bangalore, July 9th Letter, Srila Prabhupada, Vaishnava Homa
Srila Prabhupada’s Initiation Ceremony at Iskcon Bangalore
By: Iskcontimes Team
On Sunday, at Iskcon Bangalore one more initiation ceremony was conducted, Reestablishing and Reinforcing the Position of Srila Prabhupada as the only Diksha Guru of Iskcon. 50 devotees took Harinam Diksha and 3 took Brahmana Diksha. Harinam Diksha devotees were given a Vedic name, and Japa Malas chanted upon by the Ritviks. Brahmana Diksha candidates were given a sacred thread. A Vaishnava Homa (fire sacrifice) was performed as the conclusion of the ceremony. The initiation ceremony took place in accordance with the July 9th Letter of Srila Prabhupada.
Pasted from iskcontimes.com
18 Sep 2011
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in Temples
Tags: Ganges, Jagadish Ganguli, Jagannatha Temple, Lord Chaitanya, Mayapur, Simantadvipa
History of the Jagannatha temple at Simantadvipa
Five hundred years ago, at the time of Lord Chaitanya, there lived a very wonderful devotee named Jagadish Ganguli. His residence was in a small village near Mayapur. Although he was advanced in age, every year he would go on the 900 kilometer journey to Jagannath Puri on foot to associate with his master Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, take darshan of his beloved Jagannatha, Baladeva and Subhadra Devi, and participate in the all-auspicious Ratha-yatra festival.
One day, less than a month before his scheduled departure for Puri, Jagadish’s plans were foiled. He was stricken with a terrible disease that left him completely blind. Because he was optimistic by nature, this did not dampen his desire to make the yearly padayatra to Puri. He would no longer be able to see the divine, all-merciful forms of Lord Chaitanya and Lord Jagannatha, that was for sure. But still he could relish the sound of sweet kirtana and discourses given by exalted Vaishnavas.
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17 Sep 2011
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in Letters by Srila Prabhupada, Prasadam, Vegetarianism
Tags: Aniruddha, Bhagavad-gita 3.13, Letters by Srila Prabhupada, Nandarani dd, non-vegetarian, Prasadam, Srila Prabhupada, vegetarian
Prasadam
. Anyone who is cooking for himself, he is eating simply volumes of sin. So in the material world, either a man is vegetarian or non-vegetarian, they’re eating simply sin, and they will have to suffer the consequence. But so far we are concerned, we are eating remnants of foodstuff which was offered to Krishna, so we are not afraid of anything. If Krishna wants vegetable foodstuff, therefore we supply Him vegetable foodstuff, and if He wants non-vegetarian foodstuff, we can offer Him also, but He does not want it, as it is explicitly stated in the Bhagavad-gita.
So we are concerned with Krishna Prasadam, neither vegetarian or non-vegetarian. … There are many vegetarians animals also; the monkeys are vegetarians, the pigeons are vegetarians, so to become vegetarian is not very good credit.
But to become Krishna Consciousness is the most important business of life. You should try to convince your friends in that way. They should try to learn about Krishna Consciousness. But because they are vegetarians, there is great possibility for them to understand this philosophy.
This article includes both the Bhagavad-gita verse 3.13 and a letter written in 1968 to Nandarani dd which both help explaine the importance of Prasadam
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16 Sep 2011
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Krsna Consciousness: The Topmost Yoga System, Yoga
Tags: bhagavad-gita, bhakti yoga, hatha yoga, Kali-yuga, krsna consciousness, Srila Prabhupada, the perfection of yoga, topmost yoga system, yoga
Simply to make a show of gymnastics is not perfection of yoga. Yoga means control of the senses. If you indulge your senses unrestrictedly but make a show of yoga practice, you will never be successful.
Krsna Consciousness: The Topmost Yoga System
By His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
Chapter One
The Perfection of Yoga
Lord Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, speaks about the topmost system of yoga in the Sixth Chapter of Bhagavad-gītā. There He has explained the haṭha-yoga system. Please remember that we are preaching this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement on the authority of Bhagavad-gītā. It is nothing manufactured. The bhakti-yoga system is authorized, and if you want to know about God, then you have to adopt this bhakti-yoga system because in the Sixth Chapter of Bhagavad-gītā it is concluded that the topmost yogī is he who is always thinking of Kṛṣṇa within himself.
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14 Sep 2011
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Back to Godhead, Sankirtan, The Hare Krishna Movement
Tags: A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Back to Godhead Magazine, Great Apostle of love of God, Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu, Lord Sri Krishna Caitanya, Origin of the Hare Krishna Movement, sankirtan movement
Lord Sri Krishna Caitanya's Sankirtan Movement
Origin of the Hare Krishna Movement
By His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
Back to Godhead Magazine Volume 01, Number 20, 1968
Lord Sri Krishna Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, the Great Apostle of love of God and the Father of the Sankirtan Movement, advented Himself in the City of Nabadwipa in Bengal, India. This was in February, 1486, by Christian reckoning.
By the will of the Lord there was a lunar eclipse on that evening. It is the custom of the Hindu public to bathe in the Ganges of any other sacred river during the hours of eclispe, and to chant the Vedic mantras for purification. When Lord Chaitanya was born during the eclipse, then, the whole India was roaring with the holy sound of Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare/ Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare.
These sixteen Names of the Lord are mentioned in many Puranas and Upanishads, and they are described as “Tarak Brahman,” the Names for this age. It is stated in the “Shashtras,” the accepted Scriptures, that offenseless chanting of the Holy Names of the Lord can deliver a fallen soul from material bondage. There inumerable Names for the Lord both in India and elsewhere, and all of them are equally good because all of them indicate the Supreme Personality of Godhead. But because these sixteen Names are especially recommended for this Age, called Kali Yuga, it is better for people to take the path of the great Acharyas, the saintly teachers who attained success by practice of this system.
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14 Sep 2011
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in Spiritual World, Srimati Tulasi Devi
Tags: Spiritual world, Srimad Bhagavatam, Srimati Tulasi Devi, Tulasi, tulasi garlands, tulasi leaves
Srimati Tulasi and Sri Sri Radha Vrindavan Chandra
The most important thing about the spiritual world is that there is no envy among the devotees there. This is true even among the flowers, which are all conscious of the greatness of tulasī.
Although flowering plants like the mandāra, kunda, kurabaka, utpala, campaka, arṇa, punnāga, nāgakeśara, bakula, lily and pārijāta are full of transcendental fragrance, they are still conscious of the austerities performed by tulasī, for tulasī is given special preference by the Lord, who garlands Himself with tulasī leaves.
Purport
The importance of tulasī leaves is very clearly mentioned here. Tulasī plants and their leaves are very important in devotional service. Devotees are recommended to water the tulasī tree every day and collect the leaves to worship the Lord. One time an atheistic svāmī remarked, “What is the use of watering the tulasī plant? It is better to water eggplant. By watering the eggplant one can get some fruits, but what is the use of watering the tulasī?” These foolish creatures, unacquainted with devotional service, sometimes play havoc with the education of people in general.
The most important thing about the spiritual world is that there is no envy among the devotees there. This is true even among the flowers, which are all conscious of the greatness of tulasī. In the Vaikuṇṭha world entered by the four Kumāras, even the birds and flowers are conscious of service to the Lord. (Srimad Bhagavatam)
14 Sep 2011
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Krishna Consciousness, Srimad Bhagavatam, Uncategorized, Yoga
Tags: devotee, krsna consciousness, mystic yogi, narayana-para, Srimad Bhagavatam, Surpreme Personality of Godhead, transcendental service of the Lord, yogi
…The real purpose of yogic performances is to control the mind and the senses. In other words, one cannot attain the mercy and benediction of the Supreme Lord until one is able to control the mind and the senses. This is actually possible when one fully engages in Kṛṣṇa consciousness…
Srimad-Bhagavatam
By His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
Canto 3: “The Status Quo”
SB 3.15: Description of the Kingdom of God
There is no defeat in this material world for persons who control the mind and senses by controlling the breathing process and who are therefore experienced, mature mystics. This is because by such perfection in yoga they have attained your mercy.
Purport
The purpose of yogic performances is explained here. It is said that an experienced mystic attains full control of the senses and the mind by controlling the breathing process. Therefore, controlling the breathing process is not the ultimate aim of yoga. The real purpose of yogic performances is to control the mind and the senses. Anyone who has such control is to be understood to be an experienced, mature mystic yogī. It is indicated herein that a yogī who has control over the mind and senses has the actual benediction of the Lord, and he has no fear. In other words, one cannot attain the mercy and benediction of the Supreme Lord until one is able to control the mind and the senses. This is actually possible when one fully engages in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. A person whose senses and mind are always engaged in the transcendental service of the Lord has no possibility of engaging in material activities. The devotees of the Lord are not defeated anywhere in the universe. It is stated, nārāyaṇa-parāḥ sarve: one who is nārāyaṇa-para, or a devotee of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is not afraid anywhere, whether he is sent to hell or promoted to heaven (Bhāg. 6.17.28).
Pasted from; PrabhupadaBooks.com
12 Sep 2011
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in Devotee's, Diksha, Iskcon Bangalore, Siksa
Tags: Bangalore devotees, GBC, ISKCON Bangalore, Iskcon Times, Madhu Pandit Das, Radhapran das, Srila Prabhupada
At this critical juncture of the tussle between ISKCON Mumbai and ISKCON Bangalore, I together with the devotees here in Malaysia, pledge support for His Grace Madhu Pandit Prabhu and the devotees of ISKCON Bangalore. Knowing only too well the many similar tribulations experienced in Malaysia over the last decade, it is obvious that the same demeaning tactics magnified manifold are at work to disrepute the good work accomplished by the devotees of ISKCON Bangalore.
Pledge of Support for ISKCON Bangalore
By: Radhapran Dasa, Malaysia
It gives me much grief to see what appears to be a concerted effort by the ISKCON GBC to smear the good name of His Grace Madhu Pandit Prabhu whom I have had the fortune to know personally since 1999. His association has been a stark contrast to that of the thuggish bogus gurus whom I have had the misfortune of encountering in my early association with ISKCON.
Having understood and accepted the authentic position of Srila Prabhupada as the sole diksha guru for ISKCON through contact with other like-minded devotees and evidence related to Srila Prabhupada’s books on Guru tattva and the principal documents pertaining to the process of initiation such as the May 28th conversation, July 9th letter and the Official Will, my team of devotees initially faced an uphill task of disengaging ourselves from the deviation-ridden GBC-led setup in Malaysia. We have faced both direct harassment and indirect plots to undermine our existence since 1999.
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10 Sep 2011
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in Hansadutta das, Nam Hatta, Practicing Krishna Consciousness at Home, Srila Prabhupada His Movement & You
Tags: chanting Hare Krishna, guru, hansadutta das, ISKCON GBC, Lord Caitanya, Nam Hatta, Sri Caitanya-caritmrta, Srila Prabhupada
Devotees keep asking themselves, “How will the Krishna consciousness movement spread under the present circumstances?”
They observe the lame leadership and feel personally helpless to make any change or contribution toward rectifying the situation or themselves. The answer to this debilitating state of thought is to see one’s self in the correct spiritual perspective. The devotees who helped Prabhupada spread his movement ISKCON are the same ones who can and will spread Krishna consciousness now and in the future. All that is required is that each individual devotee see himself as the servant of Prabhupada, now exactly as he was then (when Prabhupada was present)…
“The temple center is started just to present an example to the neighboring residents, how they can make a small temple in each and every home. It is not necessary that hundreds and thousands of people will live in our temple, but if we can make effective propaganda, then the neighboring residents, householders, will be inclined to be initiated and follow the modes of temple life. So you can encourage the visitors, boys and girls, as well as married couples, to understand the value of life and how they can peacefully and happily live if they follow the routine worship method in the temple and establish this in their home to be happy in all respects.” (Srila Prabhupada, letter to Tamal Krishna, June 1, 1969)
Nam Hatta: The Onus is On You
By Sriman Hansadutta Prabhu
Because of the circumstances under which most of Prabhupada’s early disciples joined the movement, a widespread misunderstanding has become a great obstacle for people in general to accept and practice Krishna consciousness in a realistic and progressive way under all circumstances. That misunderstanding is that a serious candidate for accepting and advancing in Krishna consciousness must abandon his worldly environment and responsibilities to join a temple ashram and live a communal or communistic life style under the rigid authority of an ISKCON GBC or guru. Nothing could be further from the truth, as we can plainly understand from the following descriptions of Lord Chaitanya’s preaching method and Prabhupada’s purports, which clearly support and obviously encourage the process introduced by Lord Chaitanya in His dealing with the Kurma brahmana and everyone He encountered throughout His two years of traveling and preaching in South India.
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10 Sep 2011
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in Iskcon Bangalore
Tags: battle over Iskcon Bangalore, GBC, ISKCON Bangalore, Iskcon temples, Madhu Pandit Das, Madhudvisa das, ritvik
Madhu Pandit Prabhu and the devotees of ISKCON Bangalore are intelligent devotees and are dedicated to Srila Prabhupada. I think there is no one who would disagree with this. On any metric you want to take, the ISKCON Bangalore Group is very successful in following the instructions of Srila Prabhupada. They have huge book distribution, prasadam distribution, a wonderful standard of Deity worship, very dynamic preaching programs, very good management, sincere devotees completely dedicated to strictly following the four regulative principles, chanting at least 16 rounds of the Hare Krishna mantra daily, rising before four every morning to attend the Mangal Aroti and being fully engaged 24 hours a day in serving Srila Prabhupada and Krishna.
So why is it that ISKCON is so intent on getting control over the ISKCON Bangalore Group, even though they know it is not possible really, unless the temple devotees are on their side? And the temple devotees are not on their side — they are Prabhupada men and ISKCON says: “Prabhupada is dead — you need a living guru.” So there is no way they are going to agree with ISKCON/GBC.
It’s All About the Money
By Sriman Madhudvisa Prabhu
Sep 09, 2011 Austrailia (SUN)
ISKCON claims they are trying to eject Mahu Pandit Prabhu from ISKCON Bangalore because of a philosophical deviation, but we have examples in the past where ISKCON temples have separated themselves from ISKCON and have followed a path different from the one chalked out by the GBC.
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10 Sep 2011
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in Chanting Hare Krishna, Sri Caitanya-Caritamrta
Tags: best of the brahmanas, chanting Hare Krishna, Haridas Thakur, His Divine Grace A., holy name of Krsna, Lord Caitanya's devotee, Nama Acharya, Sri Caitanya-caritamrta
Haridas Thakur is considered to be the namacarya, the spiritual master in chanting the holy name of Krsna. Though he was born in a low class, Muslim family, Lord Caitanya’s devotees respected him as being better than the best of brahmanas. He would not eat or sleep until he finished his daily quota of chanting the name of Krsna 300,000 times. Along with Lord Nityananda, Haridas Thakur spread the chanting of Krsna’s name throughout Bengal. In Jagannatha Puri, where Haridas Thakur spent his later days, Lord Caitanya would regularly send him prasadam and discuss with him topics of Krsna. Haridas Thakur died chanting Krsna’s name in the presence of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. After Haridas Thakur’s death, Lord Caitanya carried his body to the sea and with His own hands buried him in the sand.
Sri Caitanya-caritamrta – 1975 Edition
Antya-lila 3 Text49-
The Glories of Srila Haridasa Thakura
Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu derives great pleasure from glorifying His devotees, and among the devotees, Haridāsa Ṭhākura is the foremost.
The transcendental qualities of Haridāsa Ṭhākura are innumerable and unfathomable. One may describe a portion of them, but to count them all is impossible.
In Caitanya-maṅgala, Śrīla Vṛndāvana dāsa Ṭhākura has described the attributes of Haridāsa Ṭhākura to some extent.
No one can describe all the qualities of Haridāsa Ṭhākura. One may say something about them just to purify himself.
O devotees of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, please hear something about the qualities of Haridāsa Ṭhākura that Śrīla Vṛndāvana dāsa Ṭhākura has not described in detail.
After leaving his home, Haridāsa Ṭhākura stayed for some time in the forest of Benāpola.
Haridāsa Ṭhākura constructed a cottage in a solitary forest. There he planted a tulasī plant, and in front of the tulasī he would chant the holy name of the Lord 300,000 times daily. He chanted throughout the entire day and night.
Purport
The village of Benāpola is situated in the district of Yaśohara, which is now in Bangladesh. Benāpola is near the Banagāṅo station, which is at the border of Bangladesh and may be reached by the eastern railway from Shelda Station in Calcutta. Haridāsa Ṭhākura, being the ācārya of chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra, is called Nāmācārya Haridāsa Ṭhākura. From his personal Example we can understand that chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra and becoming highly elevated in Kṛṣṇa consciousness is very simple. Without difficulty one can sit down anywhere, especially on the bank of the Ganges, Yamunā or any sacred river, devise a sitting place or cottage, plant a tulasī, and before the tulasī chant the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra undisturbed.
Haridāsa Ṭhākura used to chant the holy name on his beads 300,000 times daily. Throughout the entire day and night, he would chant the sixteen names of the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra. One should not, however, imitate Haridāsa Ṭhākura, for no one else can chant the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra 300,000 times a day. Such chanting is for the mukta-puruṣa, or liberated soul. We can follow his example, however, by chanting sixteen rounds of the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra on beads every day and offering respect to the tulasī plant. This is not at all difficult for anyone, and the process of chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra with a vow before the tulasī plant has such great spiritual potency that simply by doing this one can become spiritually strong. Therefore we request the members of the Hare Kṛṣṇa movement to follow Haridāsa Ṭhākura’s example rigidly. Chanting sixteen rounds does not take much time, nor is offering respects to the tulasī plant difficult. The process has immense spiritual potency. One should not miss this opportunity.
Note: As Srila Prabhupada points out in his purport to Adi-lila 10, 43;
“Certainly the chanting of 300,000 holy names of the Lord is wonderful. No ordinary person can chant so many names, nor should one artificially imitate Haridāsa Ṭhākura’s behavior. It is essential, however, that everyone fulfill a specific vow to chant the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra. Therefore we have prescribed in our Society that all our students must chant at least sixteen rounds daily. Such chanting must be offenseless in order to be of high quality. Mechanical chanting is not as powerful as chanting of the holy name without offenses.”
09 Sep 2011
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in Bhaktivinoda Thakura
Tags: A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati, bhaktivinoda, Lord Nityananda, Ray of Visnu, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakur
Today is the appearance day of Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura
Brief Biography of Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura
Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura, then known as Kedarnatha Datta was born in 1838, in Birangara (Bengal). The youngest of seven sons, his father Raja Krisananda Datta was a great devotee of Lord Nityananda. The family lived in fairly wealthy circumstances, until Kedarnatha’s father passed away in 1849, when they were reduced to poverty. In 1850, Kedarnatha’s mother arranged a marriage with the five-year-old daughter of Madhusudana Mitra Mahasaya; a resident of Rana Ghata.
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09 Sep 2011
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in Bhaktivinoda Thakura, Chanting Hare Krishna
Tags: bhaktivinoda, Hare Krishna Maha-mantra, Krishna's holy name, Rama, Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura, Srimati Radharani
Hare Krsna Maha-mantra
Purport by Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura
हरे कृष्ण हरे कृष्ण कृष्ण कृष्ण हरे हरे |
हरे राम हरे राम राम राम हरे हरे ||
hare kṛṣṇa hare kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa hare hare
hare rāma hare rāma rāma rāma hare hare
The Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra is known as the mahāmantra, or the greatest of sound vibrations. The mahamantra is a thirty-two syllable mantra chanted requesting Harā (another name of His supreme pleasure energy, personified by Srimati Radharani), and the Supreme Lord (given by two of His names, Krsna, the All-Attractive One, and Rama, the Reservoir of Pleasure) an opportunity to serve Them.
There are four cosmic ages, namely, Satya Yuga, Treta Yuga, Dvapara Yuga, and Kali Yuga. Satya Yuga is known as the “Golden Age”, for values of truth and virtues were at the peak. In Treta Yuga (the age where Lord Sri Ramacandra appeared), vice was introduced. Then, Dvapara Yuga (the age when Sri Krsna appeared on Earth) took place, where vice and virtue was leveled off. Following Dvapara Yuga is the darkest age, known as Kali Yuga. It began approximately five thousand years ago, after Sri Krsna left the world. Throughout each age, the prescribed method of salvation changed. In Satya Yuga, strict penances and austerities was the path of salvation. Then, Treta Yuga introduced the concept of conducting sacrifices as mentioned in scriptures. Dvapara Yuga’s method of salvation comprised of developing personal relations with the Lord.
In Kali Yuga, however, lifespan, intelligence, and qualities are significantly lowered. Therefore, performing severe penance and austerities is impractical. Conducting sacrifices per scriptures is immensely difficult, for those scriptures are not easily accessible, and conductors of such sacrifices are not present on Earth. Receiving personal association and forming relations with the Lord was only fortunate for a few. Therefore, such methods are not practical and applicable for this age. Therefore, the Brhad Naradiya Purana has claimed:
harer nāma harer nāma harer nāmaiva kevalam
kalau nāsty eva nāsty eva nāsty eva gatir anyathā
“Only the Holy Name, Only the Holy Name, Only the Holy Name, is the only way. There is no other way, no other way, no other way in this Age of Kali”
Therefore, it is clearly indicated that in Kali Yuga, the only method of salvation is by chanting the holy name of God. However, the most powerful mantra for salvation was hidden in confidentiality until this age. It wasn’t until the late fifteenth century when the mahamantra was openly revealed by Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Typically, the Lord does not incarnate on Earth during Kali Yuga, until the very end. However, this Kali Yuga was especially fortunate to have Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu’s incarnation of gold appear on earth. Through His mission to spread the movement of devotional service in degraded age, He brought the Hare Krsna mahamantra openly for all to benefit.
Pasted from http://kksongs.org/mantra/hk_expl.html
08 Sep 2011
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in Six Goswamis
Tags: Jiva Goswami, six goswami's of Vrindavan, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu
Today is the Appearance Day of Srila Jiva Goswami, one of the six Goswamis of Vrindavan, and direct disciples of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu.
Srila Jiva Goswami
Srila Jiva Goswami was the son of Sri Vallabha and nephew of Sri Sanatana, Sri Rupa, all of whom were employed in the service of the Badsha Hussein Shah. Having been rewarded richly by the Badsha for their devices, their household life was very opulent.
When Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu came to Ramakeli, Sri Jiva was blessed by having darshana of his worshipable Lord, though he was just a baby at that time. Mahaprabhu indicated him to be a great future scholar in the Gaudiya sampradaya. Though he was only a child, Sri Jiva would meditate on Sri Chaitanya constantly.
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07 Sep 2011
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in Devotee's, Locanananda das, Tribhuvanath das
Tags: chanting Hare Krishna, devotee of Krishna, festival program, Locanananda das, sankirtan movement, Thibhuvannatha das
In Glorification of His Grace Tribhuvannatha Prabhu
by Locanananda dasa 2001
At the 1970 London Rathayatra, more than thirty years ago, I met a young bhakta who, like myself, was trying to absorb the transcendental gift of Krishna consciousness. He was bright-faced, innocent, full of energy and obviously very dedicated to pleasing his spiritual master. I knew him as Tom, and I thought that if I could do just as he was doing— always joyfully chanting the Hare Krishna Mantra and studying Srila Prabhupada’s books — then everything about my life would turn out all right.
We remained friends all of those years, but our service rarely brought us together. Still, I always felt a close connection with His Grace Tribhuvannatha Prabhu. In 1976, we spent some time associating in the holy land of Vrndavana Dhama and I can still recall the kirtana he led after Srila Prabhupada performed a fire yajna in the courtyard of the Krishna-Balarama Mandira. There was great potency in his chanting, the potency that comes from being totally surrendered to the will of a pure devotee of Krishna. Tribhuvannatha Prabhu’s chanting sounded like a call to every jiva soul to rise up and begin to serve the Supreme Personality of Godhead who resides in the hearts of all.
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