Vidura das | The Hare Krishna Movement

Arjuna Teaches Us How to Serve the Spiritual Master in His Absence

01 Nov 2016 Leave a comment

by The Hare Krishna Movement in A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Vidura das Tags: A.C. Bhaktiveanta Swami Prabhupada, Arjuna, Battlefield of Kuruksetra, Bhagavad Gita, devotional service, Krishna, Krsna, revealed scriptures, SB1.15.25-26, SB1.15.27, SB1.15.28, SB1.15.29, SB1.15.30, SB1.15.31, Srila Prabhupada, Srila Prabhupadas instructions, Srimad Bhagavatam, Vidura das

I ran across this interesting compilation of quotes this morning on the Prabhupada News website, by Vidura Prabhu. This is a nice reminder that Krsna is present today, through His spoken words on the battlefield of Kuruksetra, and by chanting his holy names. And that Srila Prabhupada is also present today, through his words and instructions. I have done some slight editing (highlighting), and have included the full text and purports to SB 1.15.27-31 at bottom of post. -Vyasasan das

Arjuna Teaches Us How to Serve the Spiritual Master in His Absence
by: Vidura dasa

Oct 23 2011, USA — “The Lord left behind Him the instructions of the Bhagavad-gita not for the benefit of Arjuna alone, but also for all time and in all lands(1). […]The problem which arose in the heart of Arjuna on the Battlefield of Kuruksetra was solved by the teachings of the Bhagavad-gita. […]The merciful Lord left behind Him the great teachings of the Bhagavad-gita so that one can take the instructions of the Lord even when He is not visible to material eyesight(2). […] Thus the Bhagavad-gita, or any authentic scriptural sound representation of the Lord, is also the incarnation of the Lord. There is no difference between the sound representation of the Lord and the Lord Himself. One can derive the same benefit from the Bhagavad-gita as Arjuna did in the personal presence of the Lord.” (SB 1.15.27)

“Arjuna began to think of the Lord’s instructions to him on the Battlefield of Kuruksetra. Only those instructions began to eliminate the tinges of material contamination(3) in the mind of Arjuna.” (SB 1.15.28)

“As soon as Arjuna turned his attention towards the instructions of the Lord, as they are inculcated in the Bhagavad-gita, his true color of eternal association with the Lord became manifest, and thus he felt freed from all material contaminations.” (SB 1.15.29)

“As soon as Arjuna took up the instructions of the Bhagavad-gita, expert as he was, he could at once eradicate the material conception of Lord Krishna, his eternal friend. He could realize that the Lord was still present before him by His instruction(4), by His form, by His pastimes, by His qualities and everything else related to Him. […] One is not able to feel the presence of the Lord in all circumstances until one is endowed with the required transcendental vision made possible by devotional service prescribed in the revealed scriptures. Arjuna had attained this stage long before on the Battlefield of Kuruksetra, and when he apparently felt the absence of the Lord, he at once took shelter of the instructions of the Bhagavad-gita(5), and thus again he was placed in his original position*.” (SB 1.15.31)

The Cause of Confusion and Dissension in the Krishna Consciousness Movement

13 Aug 2016 Leave a comment

by The Hare Krishna Movement in A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Founder-Acarya, guru-tattva, Hare Krishna Movement, ISKCON, ISKCON History, Krishna Consciousness, Krishna Consciousness Movement, Krsna Consciousness, Vidura das Tags: A. C. Bhakthvedanta Swami Prabhupada, disciple, guru devotee, history of ISKCON, Iskcon, Krishna consciousness movement, materially concocted ideas, order of the spiritual master, spiritual advancement, Srila Prabhupada, The Hare Krishna Movement, Vidhura das

Here is another fine article compiled by Vidura Mahatma Prabhu, which appeared in my mailbox some time back. Some very nice quotes.

The Cause of Confusion and Dissension in the Krishna Consciousness Movement
by Vidura Mahatma Das

“When disciples do not stick to the principle of accepting the order of their spiritual master, immediately there are two opinions. Any opinion different from the opinion of the spiritual master is useless. One cannot infiltrate materially concocted ideas into spiritual advancement. That is deviation. There is no scope for adjusting spiritual advancement to material ideas.” (Caitanya-caritamrta Adi 12.9 purport)

“All the devotees connected with this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement must read all the books that have been translated (Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, Bhagavad-gītā and others); otherwise, after some time, they will simply eat, sleep and fall down from their position. Thus they will miss the opportunity to attain an eternal, blissful life of transcendental pleasure.”
(Chaitanya-caritamrta Madhya-lila 25.278 : Purport by Srila Prabhupada)

“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 12.10)

Vidura Prabhu 1944 – 2016

11 Mar 2016 1 Comment

by The Hare Krishna Movement in Devotee's, Vidura das Tags: A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami, disciple, Lord Nityananda's Appearance Day, New Vrindaban, Tryadhisa dasi, Vidura das

Vidura Prabhu holding the umbrella serving Srila Prabhupada

On Febuary 20th a friend and Godbrother, Vidura Prabhu, left his body peacefully at his home in New Vrindaban, WV, on the auspicious appearance day of Lord Nityananda, February 20, 2016, at the age of 71. Vidura Prabhu is survived by his wife of 45 years, Tryadhisa Dasi, and many friends around the world.

Vidura Prabhu 1944 – 2016

Vidura Das, born November 25, 1944, left his body peacefully at his home in New Vrindaban, WV, on the auspicious appearance day of Lord Nityananda, February 20, 2016, at the age of 71.

A disciple of Srila Prabhupada and long time resident of New Vrindaban, Vidura and his wife of 45 years, Tryadhisa, have been serving in the Dhama since 1984.

The Guru Issue Continued

19 Jul 2013 Leave a comment

by The Hare Krishna Movement in A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Diksha, Disciplic succession, Guru & Disciple, guru-tattva, Parampara System, Quotes by Srila Prabhupada, Rakshana das, Siksa, Vidura das Tags: A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, bona fide spiritual master, Guru Issue, Initiation, Iskcon, prabhupada, prabhupadanugas, Rakshana das, Sampradaya sun, spiritual master, transparent medium, Vidhura das, Vraja Vilasa

As always in our ISKCON Society, since the departure of His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, there is an ongoing discussion, debate, and, or, argument on the guru issue. No doubt finding a qualified spiritual master is of utmost importance as is outlined in Easy Journey to Other Planets:

1. The serious candidate must accept a bona fide spiritual master in order to be trained scientifically. Because the senses are material, it is not at all possible to realize the Transcendence by them. Therefore the senses have to be spiritualized by the prescribed method under the direction of the spiritual master.

2. When the student has chosen a bona fide spiritual master, he must take the proper initiation from him. This marks the beginning of spiritual training.

3. The candidate must be prepared to satisfy the spiritual master in every way. A bona fide spiritual master who is fully cognizant of the methods of spiritual science, learned in the spiritual scriptures such as the Bhagavad-gītā, Vedānta, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam and Upaniṣads, and who is also a realized soul who has made a tangible connection with the Supreme Lord, is the transparent medium by which the willing candidate is led to the path of the Vaikuṇṭhas. The spiritual master must be satisfied in all respects, because simply by his good wishes a candidate can make wonderful progress along the path.

Recently I have been following on the Sampradaya Sun a slew of posts by Vraja Vilasa Prabhu:
Which were in response to the article by Rakshana Prabhu (which we also posted here):

The Transmission of Transcendental Sound

Followed by his reply:

Surround Sound and the Big Mrdanga

Then of course there was a rebuttal post by Vidura Prabhu in response to Vraja Vilasa Prabhu’s; “Two Wrongs Don’t Make a Right”, which was not posted on the Sampradaya Sun, but rather by the Prabhupanuga pages and which we (for the sake of disclosure) will post here. This is a very nice assortment of quotes, for instance…

“Krishna and his representative are the same. Similarly, the spiritual master can be present wherever the disciple wants. A spiritual master is the principle, not the body.” (Letter to Malati, 28/5/68)

Who is My Disciple?

15 Nov 2012 Leave a comment

by The Hare Krishna Movement in Diksha, Guru & Disciple, Quotes by Srila Prabhupada, Vidura das Tags: A.C. Bhaktiveanta Swami Prabhupada, disciple, disciplined rules, guru, spiritual master, Srila Prabhupada, Srila Prabhupada vani, Vidura das

Śrīla Prabhupāda vāṇī
Submitted by Vidura das

Srila Prabhupada: Who is my disciple? First of all let him follow strictly the disciplined rules.

Disciple: As long as they are following, then he is…

Srila Prabhupada: Then he is all right.

(Morning Walk — June 13, 1976, Detroit)

Śrīla Prabhupāda vāṇī

12 Nov 2012 Leave a comment

by The Hare Krishna Movement in A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Books by Srila Prabhupada, Quotes by Srila Prabhupada, Srila Prabhupada vani, Vidura das Tags: A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Book Distribution, disciple should remain a fool before his spiritual master, krsna consciousness, Lord and His associates, preaching, science of Krsna, Srila Prabhupada vani, Vidhura das

click on image to slightly enlarge

Śrīla Prabhupāda vāṇī
Submitted by Vidura dasa

“…killing is also preaching. If I kill your ignorance, that is also killing. That is also killing. …Killing does not mean that everyone has to take the sword.” (Morning Walk, Los Angeles, 13/5/73)

“In my books the philosophy of Krishna Consciousness is explained fully so if there is anything which you do not understand, then you simply have to read again and again. By reading daily the knowledge will be revealed to you and by this process your spiritual life will develop.”
(Letter to: Bahurupa — Bombay 22 November, 1974)

Śrīla Prabhupāda vāṇī

20 Oct 2012 Leave a comment

by The Hare Krishna Movement in A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Letters by Srila Prabhupada, Quotes by Srila Prabhupada, Vidura das Tags: A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Lord Caitanya, Prabhupada lectures, Prabhupada Letters, Srila Prabhupada, Srila Prabhupada vani, vani, Vidura das

Śrīla Prabhupāda vāṇī
From Letters, Lectures, and Conversations
Submitted by Vidura Prabhu

“They say that you are all my disciples. So the guru is not on the scene. He has fled away and nobody knows where he is, but the Krishna consciousness program is going on. That was also going on during the time of Lord Caitanya. In South India He used to travel, and in a village He would meet some man and induce him to chant, and the man would become a devotee, and Lord Caitanya would go away, but still the man would continue to chant. So, I am not personally present, but still things are going on, and it is increasing. So the books are selling and we are expanding. This book distribution is the brihat mrdangam. It is the greater preaching.” (Letter to: Sri Govinda: — Bombay 6 December, 1974)