07 Jan 2014
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Srimati Radharani, Teachings of Lord Chaitanya, Transcendental Qualities of Radha
Tags: 25 transcendental qualities of srimati radharani, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, fresh young girl, here eyes are always moving, Krsna, pure devotees, Srimati Radharani, sweetness personified, symptoms of devotional service, Teachings of Lord Caitanya, twenty-five qualities of Srimati Radharani
…Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī has unlimited transcendental qualities, of which twenty-five qualities are principal. Śrī Kṛṣṇa is controlled by these transcendental qualities of Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī.(Cc. Madhya-lila 23.86)
Her transcendental qualities are as follows:
(1) She is sweetness personified
(2) 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 Kṛṣṇa 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 Kṛṣṇa
(19) She is always 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 Kṛṣṇa’s girl friends
(25) She always keeps Kṛṣṇa under Her control.
Excerpted from; Teachings of Lord Caitanya
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06 Jan 2014
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Ganges, Pure Devotee
Tags: A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, ganges water, ganges water can sanctify, lotus feet of the Lord, pure devotee of the lord, River Ganges, sacred river ganges, spiritual benefit, Srila Prabhupada
click on image to enlarge
Here are two nice verses describing the glories of bathing in the river Ganges, and association with the pure devotee. How fortunate is this devotee who is helping the pure devotee Srila Prabhupada into the river.
O Sūta, those great sages who have completely taken shelter of the lotus feet of the Lord can at once sanctify those who come in touch with them, whereas the waters of the Ganges can sanctify only after prolonged use. (SB 1.1.15)
Dear Lord, Your personal associates, devotees, wander all over the world to purify even the holy places of pilgrimage. Is not such activity pleasing to those who are actually afraid of material existence? (SB 4.30.37)
…Pure devotees of the Lord are more powerful than the waters of the sacred river Ganges. One can derive spiritual benefit out of prolonged use of the Ganges waters. But one can be sanctified at once by the mercy of a pure devotee of the Lord.
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04 Jan 2014
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Deitie, Radha Raman
Tags: A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, impersonal or void, meditation, meditation on the form of the lord, process of meditation, Radha Raman, sac-cid-ananda-vigraha, Srimad Bhagavatam, Universal Form, virat-rupa, yoga
The process of meditation should begin from the lotus feet of the Lord and progress to His smiling face. The meditation should be concentrated upon the lotus feet, then the calves, then the thighs, and in this way higher and higher. The more the mind becomes fixed upon the different parts of the limbs, one after another, the more the intelligence becomes purified. (SB 2.2.13)
…The process of meditation recommended in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is not to fix one’s attention on something impersonal or void. The meditation should concentrate on the person of the Supreme Godhead, either in His virāṭ-rūpa, the gigantic universal form, or in His sac-cid-ānanda-vigraha [Bs. 5.1], as described in the scriptures. There are authorized descriptions of Viṣṇu forms, and there are authorized representations of Deities in the temples. Thus one can practice meditating upon the Deity, concentrating his mind on the lotus feet of the Lord and gradually rising higher and higher, up to His smiling face.
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02 Jan 2014
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Books by Srila Prabhupada, Srimad Bhagavatam
Tags: A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, glorification of Your lotus feet, hearing from the pure devotee, Krsna, lotus feet, prabhupada vani, pure devotees, rememberance of the Lord, saffron particles, SB 4.20.25, Srimad Bhagavatam
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This following verse reminds me of the importance of reading Srila Prabhupada’s books every day. Hearing from the pure devotee of the Lord, is so powerful that it can revive the living entity’s memory of his eternal relationship with the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
My dear Lord, You are glorified by the selected verses uttered by great personalities. Such glorification of Your lotus feet is just like saffron particles. When the transcendental vibration from the mouths of great devotees carries the aroma of the saffron dust of Your lotus feet, the forgetful living entity gradually remembers his eternal relationship with You. Devotees thus gradually come to the right conclusion about the value of life. My dear Lord, I therefore do not need any other benediction but the opportunity to hear from the mouth of Your pure devotee.
Reading the books of His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada is hearing from the mouth of the pure devotee.
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31 Dec 2013
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Saksi Gopala
Tags: A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Back to Godhead Magazine, brahmanas, Deity, gopala murti, Krsna, pilgrimage, saksi gopal deity, shaksi gopala
click on image to enlarge
This has always been one of my favorite stories, and has done much to increase my faith and understanding of deity worship in our temples.
…The brahmana youth returned to Vrndavana and began to pray to Gopala Krsna. “Dear Lord, You must come with me.” He was such a staunch devotee that he spoke to Krsna just as one would speak to a friend. He was not thinking that the Gopala was a mere statue or image, but he considered Him to be God Himself. Suddenly the Deity spoke to him:
“How do you think that I can go with you? I am a statue. I can’t go anywhere.”
“Well, if a statue can speak, he can also walk,” the boy replied.
The Story of Saksi-Gopala
By His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
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28 Dec 2013
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Guru & Disciple, guru-tattva, Letters by Srila Prabhupada
Tags: A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, devotional service, guru disciple, kripa siddha, leberated person, Letters by Srila Prabhupada, Mukunda das, New Vrindavan 1969, nitya siddha, Prabhupada Letters, sadhan siddha, spiritual master
In this letter to Mukunda dasa, Srila Prabhupada answers many relevant questions about the qualifications of a bona fide spiritual master.
My Dear Mukunda,
Please accept my blessings. I thank you very much for your letter of June 3, 1969, and I have noted the contents carefully.
…The answer to your Istagosthi questions are as follows: Unless one is a resident of Krishna Loka, one cannot be a Spiritual Master. That is the first proposition. A layman cannot be a Spiritual Master, and if he becomes so then he will simply create disturbance. And who is a liberated person? One who knows Krishna.
…Your next question, whether the Spiritual Master was formerly a conditioned soul, actually a bona fide Spiritual Master is never a conditioned soul. There are three kinds of liberated persons. They are called 1) sadhan siddha, 2) kripa siddha, and 3) nitya siddha. Sadhan siddha means one who has attained perfection by executing the regulative principles of devotional service. Kripa siddha means one who has attained perfection by the special mercy of Krishna and the Spiritual Master, and nitya siddha means one who was never contaminated. The symptoms of nitya siddha is that from the beginning of his life he is attached to Krishna, and he is never tired of rendering service to Krishna. So we have to know what is what by these symptoms.
…You are correct when you say that when the Spiritual Master speaks it should be taken that Krishna is speaking. That is a fact. A Spiritual Master must be liberated. It does not matter if he has come from Krishna Loka or he is liberated from here. But he must be liberated. The science of how one is liberated is explained above, but when one is liberated, there is no need of distinction whether he has come directly from Krishna Loka or from the material world. But in the broader sense everyone comes from Krishna Loka. When one forgets Krishna he is conditioned, when one remembers Krishna he is liberated. I hope this will clear up these points. I hope this will meet you in good health.
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26 Dec 2013
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Srimad Bhagavatam
Tags: A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, accidental sins committed by a devotee, brahmana, cows and brahmanas must be given all protection, devotee, disciple, Krsna, maharaha pariksit, Pariksit Maharaja, repentance, sages, saints, SB 1.19, sinful action, spiritual master, sri suta gosvami, Sukadeva Gosvami, Supreme Lord, suta uvaca
Some time ago I started to re-read the Srimad Bhagavatam from the beginning. This morning I finished the first canto. It is with great pleasure I post the final chapter in the First Canto entitled “The Appearance of Śukadeva Gosvāmī”
Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam
By His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Canto 1,Chapter Nineteen
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23 Dec 2013
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Caaitanya-caritamrta, Caitanya Mahaprabhu, Practicing Krishna Consciousness at Home, Spiritual Life, Sri Caitanya-Caritamrta
Tags: 1975 edition, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, devotee showbottle devotee, false renunciant, Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu, ocean of material existence, ordinary man, self realization, Spiritual Life, Sri Caitanya Caritamrta
“Be patient and return home. Don’t be a crazy fellow. By and by you will be able to cross the ocean of material existence. You should not make yourself a showbottle devotee and become a false renunciant. For the time being, enjoy the material world in a befitting way and do not become attached to it. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu continued: “Within your heart, you should keep yourself very faithful, but externally you may behave like an ordinary man. Thus Kṛṣṇa will soon be very pleased and deliver you from the clutches of māyā.” (Sri Caitanya-caritamrta: Madhya-lila Chapter 16, Text 237-239)
I have always liked this verse, it is sage advise for anyone practicing spiritual life (self-realization), in this age. “Within your heart, you should keep yourself very faithful, but externally you may behave like an ordinary man.” It is not that everyone who is interested in practicing Krishna Consciousness must artificially renounce the world, shave their head, put on robes, become a nun or monk, and live in a temple. No the instruction is here; “enjoy the material world in a befitting way and do not become attached to it.”
The peace and happiness for which we are all hankering for life after life, moment after moment, we will get when our desires become purified, and dovetailed with the Lord. One who desires sense gratification, the enjoyment of material satisfaction, will never be happy. That is not possible. If you want peace, if you want happiness, if you want perfection in your life, then just begin to dovetail your desires, activities, and potentials with the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Then you will see what real happiness is, and can tell who is really crazy.
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22 Dec 2013
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Cow Protection
Tags: A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupa, cow protection, cows, go dvija, Govinda, Krsna, nomo brahmanya devaya, protection of cows, well wisher of the cows and brahmanas
O Kṛṣṇa, O friend of Arjuna, O chief among the descendants of Vṛṣṇi, You are the destroyer of those political parties which are disturbing elements on this earth. Your prowess never deteriorates. You are the proprietor of the transcendental abode, and You descend to relieve the distresses of the cows, the brāhmaṇas, and the devotees, You possess all mystic powers, and You are the preceptor of the entire universe. You are the almighty God, and I offer You my respectful obeisances.
(Prayers by Queen Kunti—Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 1.8.43)
…When Kuntī prays, go-dvija-surārti-harāvatāra, she indicates that Govinda, Kṛṣṇa, descends to this world especially to protect the cows, the brāhmaṇas, and the devotees. The demoniac in this world are the greatest enemies of the cows, for they maintain hundreds and thousands of slaughterhouses. Although the innocent cows give milk, the most important food, and although even after death the cows give their skin for shoes, people are such rascals that they kill the cows, but still they want to be happy in this world. How sinful they are.
…Why is cow protection so much advocated? Because the cow is the most important animal….Nonetheless, the present human society is so ungrateful that they needlessly kill these innocent cows.
Kṛṣṇa is worshiped with this prayer:
namo brahmaṇya-devāya
go-brāhmaṇa-hitāya ca
jagad-dhitāya kṛṣṇāya
govindāya namo namaḥ
“My Lord, You are the well-wisher of the cows and the brāhmaṇas, and You are the well-wisher of the entire human society and world.” For perfect human society there must be protection of go-dvija—the cows and the brāhmaṇas.
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21 Dec 2013
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura, Lectures
Today we are honoring the disappearance of His Divine Grace Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura , the spiritual master of our Srila Prabhupada.
We honor him with a lecture given by Srila Prabhupada given on on Srila Bhaktisiddhanta’s disappearance day in 1969.
Lecture on the Disappearance Day of His Divine Grace Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Gosvami Prabhupada
By His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
Los Angeles, December 9, 1969 [691209DB.LA]
(Prabhupada leads kirtana)
Prabhupada: Hare Krsna. Come on. I was thinking of “Where is Jayananda?” now immediately he has come. (someone brings some kind of offering and Srila Prabhupada says to give it to his Guru Maharaja) Take care it may not fall down. (pause) All right.
So today is the disappearance day of my Guru Maharaja.
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19 Dec 2013
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Qualities of a Devotee, Srila Prabhupada
Tags: A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, bhagavad-gita, charity, compassion, divine and demoniac, divine nature, divine qualities, envy, Fearlessness, qualities of a devotee, renunciation, self-control, Srila Prabhupada, tranquility, vaikuntha man
click on image to enlarge
It is clear from the above photo, that His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami is not of this world. He was a Vaikuntha Man. He was an extraordinary personality with all the divine qualities as described in following verse…
The Blessed Lord said: Fearlessness, purification of one’s existence, cultivation of spiritual knowledge, charity, self-control, performance of sacrifice, study of the Vedas, austerity and simplicity; nonviolence, truthfulness, freedom from anger; renunciation, tranquility, aversion to faultfinding, compassion and freedom from covetousness; gentleness, modesty and steady determination; vigor, forgiveness, fortitude, cleanliness, freedom from envy and the passion for honor—these transcendental qualities, O son of Bharata, belong to godly men endowed with divine nature. (Bg. 16.1-3)
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17 Dec 2013
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Bhagavad-gita, Spiritual Life, Spiritual World
Tags: A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, abode of Lord Sri Krsna, actual happiness is eternal, eternal, eternal kingdom, kingdom of the Supreme, material world, nirmana-moha, sanatana, Spiritual world
click on image to enlarge
…In this material world we find that everything is temporary. It comes into being, stays for some time, produces some by-products, dwindles and then vanishes. That is the law of the material world, whether we use as an example this body, or a piece of fruit or anything. But beyond this temporary world there is another world of which we have information. This world consists of another nature which is sanātana, eternal. (from the Introduction to the Bhagavad-gita As It Is)
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17 Dec 2013
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Nectar of Instruction, Rupa Goswami
Tags: A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, absolute beauty, absoulte truth, bliss, Krishna, krsna-nama, Nectar of Instruction, qualities name and form, Rupa Sosvami, Text 7, the holy name of krsna, Upadesamrta
Continuing with our series on the Nectar of Iststuction (Upadeśāmṛta), we are posting Text 7, the very important instructions given by Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī on chanting the holy names of the Lord.
The holy name, character, pastimes and activities of Kṛṣṇa are all transcendentally sweet like sugar candy. Although the tongue of one afflicted by the jaundice of avidyā [ignorance] cannot taste anything sweet, it is wonderful that simply by carefully chanting these sweet names every day, a natural relish awakens within his tongue, and his disease is gradually destroyed at the root.
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16 Dec 2013
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Chanting Hare Krishna, Narada Muni, Srila Prabhupada, Srimad Bhagavatam
Tags: A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prtabhupada, bona fide representative, chanting Hare Krishna, chanting the glories of the Lord, devotee, Narada Muni, sincere devotee of the lord, Srila Prabhupada, Srimad Bhagavatam, traveling all over the world
click on image to enlarge
The following is a nice verse from the Srimad Bhagavatam spoken by Narada Muni. As I was looking for an image for this post, I thought I should put up a picture of Him. But then it hit me, this verse could have just as easily been spoken by Srila Prabhupada! In fact it was.
Thus I began chanting the holy name and fame of the Lord by repeated recitation, ignoring all the formalities of the material world. Such chanting and remembering of the transcendental pastimes of the Lord are benedictory. So doing, I traveled all over the earth, fully satisfied, humble and unenvious.
The life of a sincere devotee of the Lord is thus explained in a nutshell by Nārada Muni by his personal example. Such a devotee, after his initiation by the Lord or His bona fide representative, takes very seriously chanting of the glories of the Lord and traveling all over the world so that others may also hear the glories of the Lord. Such devotees have no desire for material gain. They are conducted by one single desire: to go back to Godhead. This awaits them in due course on quitting the material body. Because they have the highest aim of life, going back to Godhead, they are never envious of anyone, nor are they proud of being eligible to go back to Godhead. Their only business is to chant and remember the holy name, fame and pastimes of the Lord and, according to personal capacity, to distribute the message for others’ welfare without motive of material gain.
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13 Dec 2013
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Bhagavad-gita
Tags: A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, actions and reactions, bhagavad-gita, chess, karma, law of karma, player and his playthings, Srimad Bhagavatam, the player
As a player sets up and disperses his playthings according to his own sweet will, so the supreme will of the Lord brings men together and separates them. (Srimad Bhagavatam 1.13.43)
…Generally the law of karma is that one is awarded the result of one’s own actions…A rich man gets his son born with a silver spoon in his mouth, but the child who came as the rich man’s son deserved such a place, and therefore he is placed there by the will of the Lord… but in special cases, by the will of the Lord, such resultant actions are changed also. But this change can be affected by the will of the Lord only, and no other. Therefore, the example of the player cited in this verse is quite appropriate, for the Supreme Will is absolutely free to do whatever He likes, and because He is all-perfect, there is no mistake in any of His actions or reactions. These changes of resultant actions are especially rendered by the Lord when a pure devotee is involved. (from purport)
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12 Dec 2013
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Bhagavad-gita, Bhagavad-gita As It Is 1972 Edition, Gita Jayanti
Tags: A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Advent of Bhagavad-gita, Arjuna, as it is, bhagavad-gita, ekadasi, gita jayanti, Krishna, Krsna, Original 1972 Edition, prabhupada gita, Srimad Bhagavad-gita
So today is The Advent of Srimad Bhagavad-gita; Gita Jayanti. It is celebrated on the Ekadasi, 11th day of the waxing moon of Margashirsha month (November-December). I just so happens, that today is also Christmas Day. So merry Christmas to all.
In honor of this day, Gita Jayntia, we present the Complete 1972 Edition of the Bhagavad-gita As It Is, by His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami in the PDF format for you to read or save to your computer. Also we include a link to our other page Prabhupadagita Where you can read the entire book online a chapter at a time with the original illustrations.
click on links below:
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11 Dec 2013
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, KRSNA The Supreme Personality of Godhead
Tags: A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, devotee of Krsna, features of Krsna, gopis, Krsna, Krsna-katha, Nanda Maharaja, Srimati Radharani, topics about Krsna, Uddhava, Yasoda
I like this image very much and found the text to go with it. It is from the 46th chapter of Krsna The Supreme Personality of Godhead. We have posted the entire chapter for anyone who has the time or inclination to read it. Enjoy!
…When the gopīs understood that Uddhava had a message from Kṛṣṇa, they became very happy and called him to a secluded place to sit down. They wanted to talk with him very freely and did not want to be embarrassed before unknown persons. They began to welcome him with polite words, in great submissiveness.
…Uddhava understood that the gopīs of Vṛndāvana were all simply absorbed in the thought of Kṛṣṇa and His childhood activities. While talking about Kṛṣṇa with Uddhava, they forgot all about their household business. They even forgot about themselves as their interest in Kṛṣṇa increased more and more.
Full Chapter More
07 Dec 2013
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Lectures, Nectar of Devotion
Tags: A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, bhajana-kriya, Caitanya Mahaprabhu, Dasasvamedha-ghara, devotional service, four principles, Initiation, lecture on Nectar of Devotion, Nectar of Devotion, prabhupada, ruci, Rupa Gosvami, sadhu-sanga, sraddha, TLC
The Nectar of Devotion Lecture
Los Angeles, June 23, 1970
Prabhupāda: Hare Kṛṣṇa.
So we have published our Nectar of Devotion.
So every one of you should read this Nectar of Devotion repeatedly.
The whole substance of Vaiṣṇava philosophy and activities, everything is there.
So every one of you read this Nectar of Devotion once, twice, thrice.
Unless you have got full-fledged ideas what is this devotional service… That was written by… Actually, it was spoken by Lord Caitanya to Rūpa Gosvāmī. For ten days continually He instructed Rūpa Gosvāmī at Prayāga, Daśāśvamedha-ghāṭa. You have seen the picture in TLC. Caitanya Mahāprabhu was at Allahabad, Prayāga, and Rūpa Gosvāmī met Him there. He was offering obeisances flat. You have seen that picture. So at that time Caitanya Mahāprabhu personally gave him instruction what is this cult of bhakti. So for ten days. And he took note of it and later on he placed this book in the form of Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu. That is in Sanskrit. It will be difficult for you. Therefore I have presented a summary study, and the summary study has come to 407 pages. If we would have elaborately described each and every verse, then it would have come to at least thousand pages.
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05 Dec 2013
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Narada Muni, Srimad Bhagavatam
Tags: A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Krsna, Liberated souls, meditate on the lotus feet of the lord, Narada Muni, Personality of Godhead, supersoul, The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Vyasa, Vyasadeva
This morning I was reading from the First Canto, sixth chapter of the Srimad Bhagavatam entitled “Conversation Between Nārada and Vyāsadeva”. Here Śrī Nārada Muni is explaining how it is, he attained his present transcendental body, and his encounter with the Personality of Godhead Śrī Kṛṣṇa. This is a beautiful chapter and I find myself reading it again and again.
After that, under the shadow of a banyan tree in an uninhabited forest I began to meditate upon the Supersoul situated within, using my intelligence, as I had learned from liberated souls.
As soon as I began to meditate upon the lotus feet of the Personality of Godhead with my mind transformed in transcendental love, tears rolled down my eyes, and without delay the Personality of Godhead Śrī Kṛṣṇa appeared on the lotus of my heart.
O Vyāsadeva, at that time, being exceedingly overpowered by feelings of happiness, every part of my body became separately enlivened. Being absorbed in an ocean of ecstasy, I could not see both myself and the Lord.
The transcendental form of the Lord, as it is, satisfies the mind’s desire and at once erases all mental incongruities. Upon losing that form, I suddenly got up, being perturbed, as is usual when one loses that which is desirable.
I desired to see again that transcendental form of the Lord, but despite my attempts to concentrate upon the heart with eagerness to view the form again, I could not see Him any more, and thus dissatisfied, I was very much aggrieved.
Seeing my attempts in that lonely place, the Personality of Godhead, who is transcendental to all mundane description, spoke to me with gravity and pleasing words, just to mitigate my grief.
O Nārada [the Lord spoke], I regret that during this lifetime you will not be able to see Me anymore. Those who are incomplete in service and who are not completely free from all material taints can hardly see Me.
O virtuous one, you have only once seen My person, and this is just to increase your desire for Me, because the more you hanker for Me, the more you will be freed from all material desires.
Srimad Bhagavatam
By His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
First Canto, Chapter 6, Text 15-22
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