Sri Nandanandana das | The Hare Krishna Movement

Senapati Bhakta Srila Prabhupada

12 Mar 2017 Leave a comment

by The Hare Krishna Movement in A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Senapati Bhakta, Sri Nandanandana das, Srila Prabhupada, Stephen Knapp, The Hare Krishna Movement

Today as we are celebrating the appearance day of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu we are further reminded of the great senapati bhakta Srila Prabhupada who Lord Caitanya foretold would take the sankirtana movement everywhere.

…Lord Caitanya foretold the coming of an empowered devotee who would take the sankirtana process everywhere: “I want to flood the whole world with the chanting of the holy names. I will personally preach and flood India with harinama sankirtana, chanting of the holy names. And My senapati bhakta (great devotee commander) will come, preach in different countries and flood the world with the chanting of Hare Krishna.” This means that, though Sri Caitanya came to establish and spread the process of congregational chanting of Krishna’s names in India, there would be one great devotee who would appear and spread it throughout the world.

Today we honor not only Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu but his empowered devotee as well with this nice biography written by Stephen Knapp (Sri Nandananda dasa).

His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

by Stephen Knapp (Sri Nandanandana dasa)

In the Brahma-vaivarta Purana, in a conversation with Ganga Devi, Lord Krishna describes that after 5,000 years of Kali-yuga have passed, His mantra upasaka, the great sage and worshiper of Krishna’s holy names, will appear and spread the chanting of Krishna’s names (in the form of the Hare Krishna mantra) not only in India but throughout the world. Lord Krishna explains that by the chanting of His holy names the world will become spiritualized and everyone will be hari-bhaktas, engaged in the process of devotion to the Supreme. The purified devotees will visit the holy places and holy rivers of India and will purify them. They will also purify those with whom they come in contact. Thus, Sri Krishna predicted the appearance of a powerful devotee who would spread the chanting of His names worldwide.

Why Be Vegetarian?

25 Jan 2013 Leave a comment

by The Hare Krishna Movement in Sri Nandanandana das, Vegetarian Cooking, Vegetarianism Tags: animal crulety, animal slaughter, bhakti yoga, compassion, Ferdinando Lambruschini, Isaac Bashevis Singer, karma, meateaters, Newton's third law of motion, non violence, peace, Prasadam, slaughter industry, spiritual path, universal brotherhood, vegetarian, vegetarian diet, violence to animals

…On the spiritual path, there are several reasons why a person is recommended to be vegetarian. One primary reason is that we need to see the spiritual nature within all living beings, and that includes the animals and other creatures as well. Universal brotherhood means nonviolence to both humans and animals. It consists of understanding that animals also have souls. They are alive, conscious, and feel pain. And these are the indications of the presence of consciousness, which is the symptom of the soul.

…Isaac Bashevis Singer, who won the Nobel Prize in Literature, asked, “How can we pray to God for mercy if we ourselves have no mercy? How can we speak of rights and justice if we take an innocent creature and shed its blood?” He went on to say, “I personally believe that as long as human beings will go shedding the blood of animals, there will never be any peace.”

…The Buddhist scripture (Sutta-Nipata 393) also advises: “Let him not destroy or cause to be destroyed any life at all, or sanction the acts of those who do so. Let him refrain from even hurting any creature, both those that are strong and those that tremble in the world.” It is also said in the Buddhist scripture, the Mahaparinirvana Sutra, “The eating of meat extinguishes the seed of great compassion.”

Why Be Vegetarian?
By Stephen Knapp (Sri Nandanandana dasa)

Lord Vishnu’s Names are More Powerful than the Greatest Holy Places

15 Jan 2013 Leave a comment

by The Hare Krishna Movement in Chanting Hare Krishna, Ganges, Holy Places of Pilgrimage, Sri Nandanandana das, Stephen Knapp Tags: chanting Hare Krishna, Hari, Holy Names of the Lord, Krishna, Lord Vishnu, Padma Purana, Sri Nandanandana dasa, Stephen Knapp

This is Part 3 in the series on ‘Chanting the Hare Krishna Maha Mantra’ by Sri Nandanandana Prabhu, describing the power of the Lord’s holy names.

Lord Vishnu’s Names are More Powerful than the Greatest Holy Places
by Sri Nandanandana dasa (Stephen Knapp)

The power of the Lord’s holy names is also related in the following story. It is described in the Padma Purana that many years ago when asked by the sages at the forest of Naimisharanya which one single act will bring the fruit of visiting the many holy places, Suta Gosvami answered in this way: Out of so many rituals and rites that are prescribed, only one is superior. There is no doubt that one who has devotion to Lord Vishnu has undoubtedly conquered everything. Hari, [Vishnu, Krishna], the Lord of all gods, should alone be propitiated. The goblin of sin will perish by means of the great sacred hymns in the form of the names of Vishnu. There is no doubt that those with pure hearts, going around Vishnu even once, get (the fruit of) having bathed at all the holy places. A man would obtain the fruit of (having visited) all holy places by seeing Vishnu’s image. Chanting the excellent name of Vishnu, a man would obtain (the result) of having chanted all the sacred hymns. A man having once smelt the tulasi plant, the grace of Vishnu, does not see the huge and terrible face of Yama [Yamaraja, the lord of death]. A man having (but) once saluted Krishna does not drink the mother’s milk [does not need to be reborn again]. I always repeatedly salute them whose mind is (fixed) on the feet of Vishnu. Even [those of lower tribes, such as] pulkasas, chandalas, or other mleccha tribes, who serve the feet of Vishnu alone are fit to be saluted. Then what about the meritorious and devoted brahmanas and royal sages? Having placed one’s devotion in Vishnu, a person does not experience confinement in the womb (is not reborn). A man who with high sounds chants the name of Vishnu purifies the world as does the Ganga [Ganges River]. There is no doubt that a man is freed from sins like murder of a brahmana by seeing (the image of), touching (the feet of), reciting (the name of), and devoting oneself (to Vishnu).

Chanting the Maha-Mantra

26 Dec 2012 Leave a comment

by The Hare Krishna Movement in Chanting Hare Krishna, Sri Nandanandana das, Stephen Knapp Tags: age of kali, age of quarrel and anxiety, chanting Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Hare Rama, Maha Mantra, mantra meditation, sixteen words, Sri Nandanandana das, Stephen Knapp, Vedic Scriptures, yoga

This is Part 2 in the series on chanting by Sri Nandanandana Prabhu. This is a collection of quotes from the Vedic Scriptures advocating the merits of chanting the Holy Names. To read Part 1

Chanting the Maha-Mantra
by Stephen Knapp (Sri Nandanandana dasa)
Part 2

There are many Vedic references which specifically recommend the chanting of the Hare Krishna maha-mantra as the most effective and advantageous means of reaching spiritual realization and counteracting all the problems of this age. Some of these verses are the following:

These sixteen words–Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare/Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare–are especially meant for counteracting the ill effects of the present age of quarrel and anxiety. (Kali-santarana Upanishad)

Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, What’s So Special About Chanting Hare Krishna?

13 Nov 2012 1 Comment

by The Hare Krishna Movement in Chanting Hare Krishna, Sri Nandanandana das, Stephen Knapp Tags: chanting Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, mantra meditation, meditation, Om, omkara, Sri Nandanandana das, Sthphen Knapp

This will begin a new 6 part series on ‘Chanting Hare Krishna’ written by Sri Nandanandana Prabhu (Stephen Knapp).

Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna,
What’s So Special About Chanting Hare Krishna?

By Stephen Knapp

Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna
Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare
Hare Rama, Hare Rama
Rama Rama, Hare Hare

We’ve all heard the Hare Krishna mantra at some time, but what the heck is so special about this mantra? Why are we supposed to spend time chanting it? What can it do for us?