Its funny how you can read Bhagavad-gita for years, and everytime you read from it, something new jumps out at you. For instance this morning, I happened upon a word I must have seen before, but never noticed: Kṛṣṇa-karma. I have seen karma-kāṇḍa before, and jñāna-kāṇḍa but never have I noticed the word Krsna-karma. I like this word.
I ran across this word Krsna-karma while reading from the purport to text 55 in the eleventh chapter of Bhagavad-gita. We share with you this very important text and purport.
Anyone who wants to approach the Supreme of all the Personalities of Godhead, on the Kṛṣṇaloka planet in the spiritual sky, and be intimately connected with the Supreme Personality, Kṛṣṇa, must take this formula, as is stated by the Supreme Himself. Therefore, this verse is considered to be the essence of Bhagavad-gītā. The Bhagavad-gītā is a book directed to the conditioned souls, who are engaged in the material world with the purpose of lording it over nature and who do not know of the real, spiritual life. The Bhagavad-gītā is meant to show how one can understand his spiritual existence and his eternal relationship with the Supreme Spiritual Personality and to teach one how to go back home, back to Godhead. Now here is the verse which clearly explains the process by which one can attain success in his spiritual activity: devotional service. As far as work is concerned, one should transfer his energy entirely to Kṛṣṇa conscious activities. No work should be done by any man except in relationship to Kṛṣṇa. This called Kṛṣṇa-karma. (from purport to Bg. 11.55)
I was thinking about the following verse the other day:
“The supreme occupation [dharma] for all humanity is that by which men can attain to loving devotional service unto the transcendent Lord. Such devotional service must be unmotivated and uninterrupted to completely satisfy the self.” ( SB 1.2.6)
And in some small way, I was feeling very fortunate. Over the years Srila Prabhupada has kept me engaged in devotional service to Krishna, as a wood worker building different pujari rooms for the Lords paraphernalia, construction projects, maintaining various web pages, gardening, offering food and water to the Lord, worshiping the Lord in our temple room, and washing the Lord’s plates and cups.
Sometimes I think I am just an insignificant servant of my spiritual master, but then I remember what Srila Prabhupada once said about devotional service:“If you had any idea of what you were doing, you would be fainting in ecstasy”. Not to often am I fainting in ecstasy, but I am nonetheless grateful every day, to perform some minimal devotional service.
…Everyone should engage himself in that transcendental loving service of the Lord, even in the present conditional state of material existence. That will gradually give one the clue to actual life and please him to complete satisfaction.” (Bg Introduction)
I was reading from the introduction to the Bhagavad-gita As It is…
the whole purpose of Bhagavad-gita is to revive our sanātana occupation, or sanātana-dharma, which is the eternal occupation of the living entity. We are temporarily engaged in different activities, but all of these activities can be purified when we give up all these temporary activities and take up the activities which are prescribed by the Supreme Lord. That is called our pure life.
The Lord is very kind to the living entities because they are His sons. Lord Krsna declares in Bhagavad-gita 14.4, “sarva-yonisu…aham bija-pradah pita pitā.” “I am the father of all.” Of course there are all types of living entities according to their various karmas, but here the Lord claims that He is the father of all of them. Therefore the Lord descends to reclaim all of these fallen, conditioned souls to call them back to the sanātana eternal sky so that the sanātana living entities may regain their eternal sanātana positions in eternal association with the Lord. The Lord comes Himself in different incarnations, or He sends His confidential servants as sons or His associates or ācāryas to reclaim the conditioned souls.
Therefore, sanatana-dharma does not refer to any sectarian process of religion. It is the eternal function of the eternal living entities in relationship with the eternal Supreme Lord. Sanātana-dharma refers, as stated previously, to the eternal occupation of the living entity. Rāmānujācārya has explained the word sanātana as “that which has neither beginning nor end,” so when we speak of sanātana-dharma, we must take it for granted on the authority of Sri Rāmānujācārya that it has neither beginning nor end.
So in some small way, I am feeling very fortunate.
I have always enjoyed this pastime of Srimati Radharani’s talks with the Bumblebee. Every time I see a bumblebee in my garden I am reminded of these talks.
The pastimes of Lord Kṛṣṇa are uncommonly full of transcendental potency. It is a characteristic of such pastimes that they do not fall within the jurisdiction of experimental logic and arguments. (Cc. Antya 19.103)
When transcendental love of Kṛṣṇa awakens in one’s heart, even a learned scholar cannot comprehend one’s activities. (Cc. Antya 19.104)
“The activities and symptoms of that exalted personality in whose heart love of Godhead has awakened cannot be understood even by the most learned scholar.” (Cc. Antya 19.105)
The evidence of the truth of these talks is found in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. There, in the section of the Tenth Canto known as the Bhramara-gītā, “the Song to the Bumblebee,” Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī speaks insanely in ecstatic love for Kṛṣṇa. (Cc. Antya 19.107)
Just try to hear these topics with faith, for there is great pleasure even in hearing them. That hearing will destroy all miseries pertaining to the body, mind and other living entities, and the unhappiness of false arguments as well. (Cc. Antya 19.110)
The Song to the Bumblebee
When Uddhava arrived from Mathurā carrying a message for the gopīs, the gopīs began talking about Kṛṣṇa and crying. Then one important gopī saw a bumblebee and began speaking to it like someone mad, thinking that the bee was a messenger of Uddhava’s or was someone very dear to him and Kṛṣṇa. The verses are as follows:
“My dear bumblebee, you are a very cunning friend of Uddhava and Kṛṣṇa. You are very expert in touching people’s feet, but I am not going to be misled by this. You appear to have sat on the breasts of one of Kṛṣṇa’s friends, for I see that you have kuṅkuma dust on your mustache. Kṛṣṇa is now engaged in flattering all His young girl friends in Mathurā. Therefore, now that He can be called a friend of the residents of Mathurā, He does not need the help of the residents of Vṛndāvana. He has no reason to satisfy us gopīs. Since you are the messenger of such a person as He, what is the use of your presence here? Certainly Kṛṣṇa would be ashamed of your presence in this assembly.”
How has Kṛṣṇa offended the gopīs so that they want to reject Him from their minds? The answer is given as follows:
As I was reading from the Srimad Bhagavatam this morning about the passing of Bhīṣmadeva it was being described how “The perfect yogīs or mystics can leave the material body at their own sweet will at a suitable time and go to a suitable planet desired by them.” And how it is possiable to go beyond Saṁsāra, and go back to Godhead without any doubt?
…In the momentous hour of leaving his material body, Bhīṣmadeva set the glorious example concerning the important function of the human form of life. The subject matter which attracts the dying man becomes the beginning of his next life. Therefore, if one is absorbed in thoughts of the Supreme Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa, he is sure to go back to Godhead without any doubt.
And what is Samsara?
Saṁsāra means material existence. That is called saṁsāra. Bhūtvā bhūtvā pralīyate (BG 8.19). You take your birth once in some form of body. You live for some time. Then you have to give up this body. Then you have to accept another body. Then again live for some time. Then give up that body. Again accept another body. In this way, it is going on. That is called saṁsāra, rotating within this material world. (Lecture on Gurvastakam at Upsala University by His Divine Grace -Stockholm, September 9, 1973)
The saṁsāra means repetition of different bodies. That is called saṁsāra. (Lecture on SB 1.2.4 -Rome, May 28, 1974)
Saṁsāra means this material entanglement. This is called saṁsāra. (Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 25.40-50 – San Francisco, January 24, 1967)
Photo: September 17th, 1959, Mathura. (Muni Maharaja, Bhakti Prajnana Kesava Maharaja, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami)
So today, we honor the acceptance of the Sannyasa order of Srila Prabhupada in 1959. We share with you, this post from Facebook by Abhinanda das.
The Sannyasa Order
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Satsvarupa: One night Srila Prabhupada had a striking dream, the same dream he had had several times before, during his days as a householder. Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati appeared, just as Srila Prabhupada had known him, the tall, scholarly sannyasi, coming directly from the spiritual world, from Krishna’s personal entourage. He was asking Srila Prabhupada to take sannyasa.
Srila Prabhupada first had to approach one of his Godbrothers for permission. He decided to turn to Bhaktivilasa Tirtha Maharaja (formerly Kunja Vihari), the leader of the Chaitanya Math in Calcutta. In April 1959, Srila Prabhupada wrote to Tirtha Maharaja, inquiring about sannyasa as well as about the Chaitanya Math’s printing some of his manuscripts. Without printing books and going to the West, sannyasa did not have meaning for Srila Prabhupada. He wanted to go to the West right away, and he had thought the Chaitanya Math would welcome his offer. He thought that with the world’s crying need for Krishna consciousness staring them in the face, they might see that Srila Prabhupada was convinced and enthusiastic and so should be sent right away with whatever he required. But they had other priorities.
Srila Prabhupada next turned to Kesava Maharaja in Mathura, and Kesava Maharaja told Srila Prabhupada to take sannyasa immediately. On the morning of September 17, 1959, in the fifty-by-twenty-five-foot Deity room on the second floor of the Kesavaji Math, a group of devotees sat before the Deities of Radha-Krishna and Lord Chaitanya. Srila Prabhupada sat on a mat of kusa grass beside ninety-year-old Sanatana, also to receive sannyasa that day. Then, to everyone’s surprise, Kesava Maharaja asked Srila Prabhupada to speak. After Srila Prabhupada’s speech, each initiate received his sannyasa-danda, the traditional head-high staff made of four bamboo rods bound together and completely enwrapped in saffron cloth. Kesava Maharaja said that Srila Prabhupada would now be known as Bhaktivedanta Swami Maharaja.
After the ceremony, the two new sannyasis posed for a photo, standing on either side of their sannyasa-guru, who sat in a chair. Yet Srila Prabhupada knew that to become A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami did not mean merely that he was giving up family, home comforts, and business. Changing from white cloth to saffron cloth, from Abhay Babu to Bhaktivedanta Swami Maharaja, had a special significance: it was the mandate he had required, the irrevocable commitment. Now it was only a matter of time before Bhaktivedanta Swami would travel to the West as Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati had ordained.
Last night I woke in the middle of the night , and couldn’t fall back asleep. While laying there, my mind just kinda went to thoughts of Krishna and Arjuna. Arjuna accepted Krishna as his spiritual master with these famous words from the Bhagavad-gita:
O Kṛṣṇa, I totally accept as truth all that You have told me. Neither the gods nor demons, O Lord, know Thy personality. (Bg 10.14)
This lead me to think of our relationship with our spiritual master His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada. And I came to the same conclusion as Arjuna. “I totally accept as truth all that You have told me“.
So I was thinking of our unique relationship with Srila Prabhupada. “Neither the gods nor demons, O Lord, know Thy personality”.Maybe the whole world outside of the circle of disciples and followers of His Divine Grace, cannot know his greatness and divine personality, but as disciples and followers, we can began to understand. Our relationship with Srila Prabhupada is much like that relationship between Krishna and Arjuna.
With that last thought, I fell back asleep, reflecting on Srila Prabhupada. -V
I thought I knew about all of Srila Prabhupada’s books, but this one has somehow escaped my attention until this morning. I am looking forward to reading it, and we thought I should share it with all of you. So we have included the entire book in this post. Hare Krishna!
” Message of Godhead” is a short introductory book on Krishna consciousness written by His Divine Grace in the 1950’s and first published by the BBT in 1990.
Message of Godhead
by His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
Introduction
At present, we are concerned primarily with two things: one, ourselves; and the other, the place where we live. In other words, we are concerned with two objects: namely, everything that is related to our gross and subtle bodies; and the world at large, with all its paraphernalia. But there are others above us, the transcendentalists, who are concerned not only with their body and mind and the world at large, but also with the transcendental subject that is above the body and mind and the world at large. The transcendentalists are very much concerned with the Absolute Truth, and much less with relative truths.
These transcendentalists (ordinarily known as saints, philosophers, reformers, messengers, and so forth) appear in various places in the world at various times. They render transcendental service to the Absolute Truth and to humanity, also, by preaching the message of the transcendental world. According to these transcendentalists, even lower animals like cats and dogs are also concerned primarily with two things, namely, themselves and the world at large. Living entities other than human beings have no capacity to understand transcendental subjects. The human being is therefore considered to be the highest of all creations, and we must understand the nature of this higher standing.
When man, who is the highest of all created beings, is fully developed in consciousness, he concerns himself not only with his own self and the world where he lives, but he tries to understand the Absolute Truth. The Absolute Truth regulates man as well as the world, and knowing Him, the transcendentalist regulates his activities on the right path. This regulating process is commonly known as a system of faith or religion. All over the civilized world we find some process or form of religion – when man is devoid of any such religion or of transcendental traits, he is nothing but a beast. This subject matter, which the religionists delineate according to different countries, times, and people, is more or less aimed at the objective of the Absolute Truth.
Today marks the Appearance of Srimati Radharani. We honor it with a half day fast, discussion on the glories of Srimati Radharani,, followed by a nice vegetarian feast.
The following are just a few of the many quotes from Srila Prabhupada which encourage us to approach Krishna through the mercy of Srimati Radharani, Krishna’s eternal consort. For those of us who feel that there is no hope of making spiritual progress in this lifetime, Srimati Radharani, Who is compassion personified, kindly comes to our rescue if we can humbly invoke Her divine blessings.
“I offer my respects to Radharani whose bodily complexion is like molten gold and who is the Queen of Vrndavana. You are the daughter of King Vrsabhanu, and You are very dear to Lord Krishna.” (Sri Radha Pranama)
“So this is our philosophy, to please Krishna through Radharani, and just today is the auspicious day of Radharani appearance. So we should offer puspanjali and pray to Radharani that ‘Radharani, kindly be merciful and tell about me to Your Krishna. To Your Krishna. Krishna is Yours.’ Krishna, Radha-Krishna. Krishna is not independent. Krishna is Radharani’s property. So you have to approach Krishna through Radharani. That is, today is the auspicious day. Worship Radharani very nicely and be happy.” (Srila Prabhupada Lecture, September 5, 1973)
“The beauty of Srimati Radharani’s eyes forcibly devours the beauty of newly grown blue lotus flowers, and the beauty of Her face surpasses that of an entire forest of fully blossomed lotuses. Her bodily luster seems to place even gold into a painful situation. Thus the wonderful, unprecedented beauty of Srimati Radharani is awakening in Vrindavana.” (Caitanya-caritamrita Antya 1.169)
“I emphatically say to you, O brothers, you will obtain your good fortune from the Supreme Lord Krishna only when Srimati Radharani becomes pleased with you.”(Prayer to the Lotus Feet of Krishna, September 13, 1965)
“Actually, because Krishna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, it is very difficult to approach Him. But the devotees, taking advantage of His compassionate nature, which is represented by Radharani, always pray to Radharani for Krishna’s compassion.” (Nectar of Devotion, Chapter 22)
Srimati Radharani has twenty-five transcendental qualities. Her transcendental qualities are as follows:
1. She is sweetness personified2. She is a fresh young girl 3. Her eyes are always moving 4. She is always brightly smiling 5. She possesses all auspicious marks on her body 6. She can agitate Krishna by the flavor of Her person 7. She is expert in the art of singing 8. She can speak very nicely and sweetly 9. She is expert in presenting feminine attractions 10. She is modest and gentle 11. She is always very merciful 12. She is transcendentally cunning 13. She knows how to dress nicely 14. She is always shy 15. She is always respectful 16. She is always patient 17. She is very grave 18. She is enjoyed by Krishna 19. She is situated on the highest devotional platform 20. She is the abode of love of the residents of Gokula 21. She can give shelter to all kinds of devotees 22. She is always affectionate to superiors and inferiors 23. She is always obliged by the dealings of Her associates 24. She is the greatest amongst Krishna’s girlfriends 25. She always keeps Krishna under Her control
I was reading from the Caitanya-caritamrta, and these three verses and purports by His Divine Grace A. C Bhaktivedanta Swami explains much about the division we find in our ISKCON society today.
At first all the followers of Advaita Ācārya shared a single opinion. But later they followed two different opinions, as ordained by providence. (Cc Adi-lila 12.8)
Some of the disciples strictly accepted the orders of the ācārya, and others deviated, independently concocting their own opinions under the spell of daivī-māyā. (Cc Adi-lila 12.9)
The order of the spiritual master is the active principle in spiritual life. Anyone who disobeys the order of the spiritual master immediately becomes useless. (Cc Adi-lila 12.10)
Chant, chant “Radha-Krsna!” Everyone chant! When Lord Caitanya and Lord Nityananda came dancing through Nadia, They gave these teachings: Chant, chant “Radha-Krsna!” Everyone chant! You are caught up in a whirlpool of senseless action and are sinking lower and lower. Chant, chant “Radha-Krsna!” Everyone chant!
If you just understand that the spirit soul is the eternal servant of Krsna, you will never have any more sorrows. Chant Hare Krsna and your eyes will fill with tears and your body will feel transcendental shivering. Chant, chant “Radha-Krsna!” Everyone chant!
Simply chant “Radha-Krsna” and join with us. Those are the only alms we beg. Chant, chant “Radha-Krsna!” Everyone chant! “All dangers will be gone when that Name is chanted,” says Bhaktivinoda Thakura. Chant, chant “Radha-Krsna!” Everyone chant!
The strangest thing happened this morning. While I was chanting my japa, I guess I was a little distracted because I was thinking about work, and the following verse from the Srimad Bhagavatam just popped into my head. I was trying to remember where this verse was…I was pretty sure it was in the First Canto…so I took the first canto off the shelf and just randomly opened it. And to my great surprise, it opened to the exact verse I was thinking about.
The supreme occupation [dharma] for all humanity is that by which men can attain to loving devotional service unto the transcendent Lord. Such devotional service must be unmotivated and uninterrupted to completely satisfy the self. (Srimad Bhagavatam 1.2.6)
These original books by Srila Prabhupada are definitely transcendental.
“The Spiritual Master is present wherever his sincere disciple is trying to serve his instructions. This is possible by the mercy of Krishna.
In your attempts to serve me, and in all your sincere devotional sentiments I am with you, as my Guru Maharaja is with me. Remember this always…I shall never leave you. You are my disciple and I am your Spiritual Master, so there is no question, as long as you follow my instructions, that I shall never leave you” (Srila Prabhupada)
This is probably my favorite picture in our temple room. I don’t know much about the history of it, where it came from or how it appeared in our home, but it has always been hanging in our temple room. My wife Lokadrsti devi dasi, told me that this is a picture of Lord Caitanya in his childhood mood as Nimai. That’s about all I know, but I am enchanted by this painting, it is so beautiful!
The early pastimes of Lord Caitanya can be found in Adi-lila Volume 3, Chapter 13 of the Sri Caitanya-caritamrta. You can click on the following link to read the entire chapter.
Sri Caitanya-caritamrta
By His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
The Advent of Lord Śrī Caitanya MahāprabhuCc. Ādi 13
Please accept my humble obeisances at your lotus feet.
Srila Prabhupada you are not a mundane philanthropist or welfare worker.
You are not interested on merging into the brahman effulgence, nor interested in material honor or reputation.
You are the most exalted personality who wants to show mercy upon the conditioned souls
You are very much aggrieved to see the suffering of others.
By your presence the whole world has benefited and your heart is always filled with compassion for the conditioned souls.
You were prepared to risk everything to rescue the condition souls from the material existence and the medicine you gave is to chant Hare Krsna,Hare Krsna, Krsna Krsna, Hare Hare, Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama Hare Hare.
The entire world is purified by the APPEARANCE of such a great devotee.
“One who is brought under the lotus feet of the Lord by the endeavor of the Lord’s servant, the spiritual master is certainly immediately purified, however lowborn he may be. He becomes eligible to return home, back to Godhead.” (SB. 2. 14-18)
Thank you,Srila Prabhuapada for coming to save us.
Now it is up to me to take the medicine you have given seriously.
Today we celebrate the Appearance of Lord Krishna (Janmastami) with a full day fast, untill midnight.Lord Krishna’s birth is commemorated at midnight with devotional songs (bhajans), followed bya small ekadasi vegetarian feast.
Janmashtami means the celebration of the birth of Lord Krishna, derived from the Sanskrit words “janma” (birth) and “ashtami” (the eighth day)
On this day we like to read from the Krsna Book, so we have included an excerpt from the Krsna book, chapter 5 entitled “Meeting of Nanda and Vasudeva”.
KRSNA The Supreme Personality of Godhead
By His Divne Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
Although Kṛṣṇa was the real son of Vasudeva and Devakī, because of Kaṁsa’s atrocious activities Vasudeva could not enjoy the birth ceremony of his son. But Nanda Mahārāja, the foster father, celebrated the birth ceremony of Kṛṣṇa very joyfully. The next day, it was declared that a male child was born of Yaśodā. According to Vedic custom, Nanda Mahārāja called for learned astrologers and brāhmaṇas to perform the birth ceremony. After the birth of a child, the astrologers calculate the moment of the birth and make a horoscope of the child’s future life. Another ceremony takes place after the birth of the child: the family members take baths, cleanse themselves and decorate themselves with ornaments and garlands; then they come before the child and the astrologer to hear of the future life of the child. Nanda Mahārāja and other members of the family dressed and sat down in front of the birth place. All the brāhmaṇas who were assembled there on this occasion chanted auspicious mantras, according to the rituals, while the astrologers performed the birth ceremony. All the demigods are also worshiped on this occasion, as well as the forefathers of the family. Nanda Mahārāja distributed 200,000 well decorated, dressed and ornamented cows to the brāhmaṇas. He not only gave cows in charity, but hills of grains, decorated with golden-bordered garments and many ornaments.
The Following is an excerpt from “Our Family Business”
By His Grace Vaisesika Dasa,
In ISKCON we hear devotees say “Books are the basis.” Śrīla Prabhupāda himself used this phrase in a letter to Maṇḍali Bhadra Dāsa dated January 20, 1972: “My first concern is that my books shall be published and distributed profusely all over the world. Practically, books are the basis of our movement. Without them our preaching has no effect.” He uses it again in a letter to Tuṣṭa Kṛṣṇa Swami (January 9, 1976): “Books are the basis of our movement. Whatever appreciation we are getting on account of our books, it is because we are following the path chalked out by exalted devotees.”
So what does it mean that Śrīla Prabhupāda’s books are the foundation – the basis – of ISKCON? We can begin to understand by reading the letter Śrīla Prabhupāda wrote to Dāmodara Dāsa on December 3, 1971:
I’m especially pleased to hear that your distribution of our books and magazines has increased. Go on in this way, increasing more and more. Each time someone reads some solid information about Kṛṣṇa his life becomes changed in some way. These literatures are the solid ground upon which our preaching stands, so I want that they should be available to everyone, as many as possible. So please try for this.
I saw this posted on Facebook, and thought we would share it here with all of you. In this article by Locan Ananda Prabhu, he again makes the argument for Arsa-prayoga, or no change.
Srila Prabhupada was recognized as a great Sanskrit scholar. His depth of knowledge was unfathomable. Not a single word of his should have been changed. That policy is called arsa-prayoga, and it guarantees that the spiritual head of our institution should never be dishonored by changing his words.
THE ROD OF CHASTISEMENT IS GONE!!!
by Locan Ananda Dasa
One of my favorite verses in the Bhagavad-Gita As It Is
was once found in Chapter 10, verse 38:
“Among punishments I am the rod of chastisement, and of those who seek victory, I am morality. Of secret things I am silence, and of the wise I am wisdom.” (B.g. 10.38, original)
Chapter 10 is entitled, “The Opulence of the Absolute” wherein Krishna enumerates some of His extraordinarily splendorous manifestations. On August 12, 1976, Srila Prabhupada was having an evening darshan in Tehran, the capital and largest city in Iran. He was talking about how ordinary people know little about the greatness of God. “They say, ‘God is great,’ but how great? That they do not know.” Srila Prabhupada then asked his secretary at the time, Harikesa dasa, to read selected verses from the Bhagavad-Gita, beginning with Chapter 10, verse 20:
“I am the Self, O Gudakesa, seated in the hearts of all creatures. I am the beginning, the middle and the end of all beings.” (B.g. 10.20)
Harikesa prabhu continued to read through the verses that followed, the chapter ending with verse 42:
“But what need is there, Arjuna, for all this detailed knowledge. With a single fragment of Myself I pervade and support this entire universe.” (B.g. 10.42)
When he finished the reading, Srila Prabhupada said, “That’s it. This is greatness. So we should not simply be satisfied ‘God is great.’ We must try to know how great He is. Then our God consciousness will be fixed up. It’s all right?”
…One issue that many find shocking is the extent to which Srila Prabhupada’s Bhagavad-gita As It Is was edited without having been authorized by His Divine Grace, Srila Prabhupada. He was never a fan of extensive editing of any of his published works. What’s more, the over-edited edition published in 1983 removed thirty-two color pages that Srila Prabhupada insisted be included in his great opus. Three of those eliminated color pages were of the predecessor acaryas, namely Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakur, Srila Gaura Kishora Das Babaji Maharaja and Srila Thakur Bhaktivinode.
Even the pocket Gita printed in India included all of the color plates found in the Macmillan edition.
If you are just hearing about this for the first time, please contact the GBC representative in your area and humbly request that this offense be rectified with the next printing. Doing so will attract Srila Prabhupada’s blessings. Do not fear when the cause is just.
A CRISIS IN LEADERSHIP
by Locan Ananda dasa
Many followers of Srila Prabhupada’s teachings have been calling for the worldwide reformation of the leadership of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness. The charge being made is that leaders and managers need to adhere more closely to the specific instructions of our Founder Acarya. There should be greater vigilance and the immediate correction of inappropriate behavior on the part of errant leaders.
jaya–all glories to: rādhā-mādhava–Rādhā and the Lord of sweetness; kuñja-bihārī–He who enjoys loving pastimes in the groves of Vṛndāvana; gopī-jana-vallabha–the lover of the cowherd maidens of Vraja; giri-vara-dhārī–the holder of the great hill named Govardhana;
Krsna is the lover of Radha. He displays many amorous pastimes in the groves of Vrndavana, He is the lover of the cowherd maidens of Vraja, and the holder of the great hill named Govardhana.
yaśodā-nandana–the beloved son of mother Yaśodā; vraja-jana-rañjana–the delighter of the inhabitants of Vraja; yāmuna-tīra-vana-cārī–who wanders in the forests along the banks of the river Yamunā
He is the beloved son of mother Yasoda, the delighter of the inhabitants of Vraja, and He wanders in the forests along the banks of the River Yamuna!
Purport to Jaya Rādhā-Mādhava New York, July 20, 1971
Prabhupāda: So you know this song Jaya Rādhā-Mādhava?
Devotees: Jaya!
Prabhupāda: So you can follow me?
Devotees: Jaya! Haribol! (Śrīla Prabhupāda leads singing of Jaya Rādhā-Mādhava)
Prabhupāda: So this is the original nature of Kṛṣṇa, original nature of Kṛṣṇa. He is Rādhā-Mādhava. He is the lover of Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī. And kuñja-vihārī, always enjoying the company of the gopīs within the bushes of Vrndavana forest. Rādhā-mādhava kuñja-vihārī. So He’s not only lover of Rādhārāṇī, but braja-jana-vallabha. The whole residents of Vṛndāvana, they love Kṛṣṇa. They do not know anything else. They do not know whether Kṛṣṇa is God, or not; neither they are very much harassed, that “I shall love Kṛṣṇa if He is God.” “He may be God or He may be whatever He is. It doesn’t matter, but we love God, Kṛṣṇa.” That’s all. That is called unalloyed love.
