04 Mar 2011 Leave a comment
in Sriman George Harrison, YouTube Tags: Hare Krishna, Jaya Sri Krishna, Om Hari Om, Radha Krishna, Sriman George Harrison
Krishna Consciousness in a Nutshell
04 Mar 2011 Leave a comment
in Chanting Hare Krishna, Krishna Consciousness Tags: Caitanya-caritamrita, chanting Hare Krishna, hansadutta das, Hare Hare, Hare Krishna, Hare Rama, Krishna consciousness, Krishna Krishna, Srila Prabhupada
Krishna Consciousness in a Nutshell
By Sriman Hansadutta Prabhu
Self-realization the Aim of Life
Krishna consciousness is the original consciousness of every living being, and it is explained in different Vedic literatures. One of these literatures is the Chaitanya-charitamrita. Chaitanya-charitamrita means “characteristic of the eternal living force”. Every living being is eternal by nature, and because he is eternal, he cannot be happy in this material world, which is a temporary arrangement, however wonderful it may be. It is the duty of every living entity to learn the science of Krishna, or the science of the self, and to make himself perfect. He will attain freedom from the temporary world of material creation by reviving his original love of Krishna. In this way, he will return home, back to Godhead, which is the aim of all human endeavors, be they scientific, economic, artistic or cultural.
No one lives forever
Every living creature is subjected to four basic miseries, beginning with birth, continuing into old age and disease, and ending in death. No one wants to be miserable—everyone wants to be happy—but material nature functions in such a way that no one can be happy.
Ignoring this basic truth, modern thinkers, politicians, scientists, educators and artists are all struggling against the stringent laws of nature. They think by material adjustments they will find the happiness they hanker for. In spite of all comforts and the advancement of science, economics and politics, no one is happy—if for no other reason than life is temporary.
The Hare Krishna Explosion (Chapter 5)
04 Mar 2011 1 Comment
in Hayagriva das, The Hare Krishna Explosion Tags: beads, chant and sing the Lord's holy names, chapter 5, devotees, Hare Hare, Hare Krishna, Hare Rama, hayagriva das, Krishna Krishna, Mott Street, Rama Rama, Srila Prabhupada, Swamiji, the hare krishna explosion, The Hare Krishna Movement, vegetarian
The Hare Krishna Explosion
by Hayagriva Prabhu
Part I: New York, 1966
Chapter 5
The Hare Krishna Explosion
“If Krishna sees you are taking one step toward Him,” Swamiji says, “He will take ten toward you. He is so happy to see you turn to Him. He is more eager to see us return to Godhead than we are to go.”
Back in the Mott Street apartment, I stare at myself in the mirror and repeat my new name. “Now you are Krishna’s,” I think, inspecting the new kanthi beads around my neck. “These are Krishna’s dog collars, and they don’t come off.”
We all optimistically resolve to try to follow the rules. For most of us, meat eating and gambling pose no problems. Rules governing sex and intoxicants, however, force some rapid changes in living patterns. I decide to convert the old Mott Street apartment into a brahmachari ashram. Down come the psychedelic posters, and up go pictures of lotus-eyed Krishna.
The next day at the temple, we find a new notice posted on the bathroom door. There are additional rules and regulations written neatly in ink by Swamiji himself.
NOTICE
All initiated devotees must attend morning and evening classes. Must not be addicted to any kind of intoxicants, including coffee, tea and cigarettes. They are forbidden to have illicit sex-connections. Must be strictly vegetarian. Should not extensively mix with non-devotees. Should not eat foodstuffs cooked by non-devotees. Should not waste time in idle talks nor engage in frivolous sports. Should always chant and sing the Lord’s holy names, Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna. Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare, Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare.
Thank you.
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami, Acharya
Umapati says nothing when he reads the notice. Rayarama simply chuckles.
“No coffee, no tea,” he says, shaking his head.
Krishna Conscious Farms; Simple Living High Thinking
03 Mar 2011 Leave a comment
in Letters by Srila Prabhupada Tags: communities, dairy, farm projects, grains, ideal life style, ideal society, Krishna consciousness, self-sufficient
Srila Prabhupada:
“Our farm projects are an extremely important part of our movement. We must become self-sufficient by growing our own grains and producing our own milk, then there will be no question of poverty. So develop these farm communities as far as possible. They should be developed as an ideal society depending on natural products not industry. Industry has simply created godlessness, because they think they can manufacture everything that they need. Our Bhagavad-gita philosophy explains that men and animals must have food in order to maintain their bodies. And the production of food is dependent on the rain and the rain of course is dependent on chanting Hare Krsna. Therefore let everyone chant Hare Krsna, eat nicely and keep their bodies fit and healthy. This is ideal life style. We do not condemn modern civilization but we don’t like to get it at the cost of God Consciousness, that is suicide.” (Letter to Rupanuga, 18 December, 1974)
Krishna Consciousness-The Yoga for the Modern Age
03 Mar 2011 Leave a comment
in Science of Self Realization Tags: age of quarrel, chanting Hare Krishna, holy name, Kali-yuga, kirtan, New Vrindavan, Pariksit Maharaja, Science of Self Realization, Srimad Bhagavatam, Sukadeva Gosvami
Krishna Consciousness-The Yoga for the Modern Age
The Science of Self Realization by His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
from the chapter “Practicing Yoga in the Age of Quarrel”
harer nāma harer nāma
harer nāmaiva kevalam
kalau nāsty eva nāsty eva
nāsty eva gatir anyathā
[Adi 17.21]
“In this age of Kali there is no other religion than glorifying the Lord by utterance of His holy name, and that is the injunction of all the revealed scriptures. There is no other way, there is no other way, there is no other way.” This verse appears in the Bṛhan-nāradīya Purāṇa. Harer nāma harer nāma harer nāmaiva kevalam. Simply chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. There is no other alternative. Kalau nāsty eva nāsty eva nāsty eva gatir anyathā. In this age, Kali, there is no other alternative for self-realization. So we have to accept it.
There is another similar verse in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. In the Twelfth Canto, Third Chapter, Parīkṣit Mahārāja was informed by Śukadeva Gosvāmī of the faults of this age, and now all the symptoms of the age of Kali are apparent. In the conclusive portion, however, Śukadeva Gosvāmī said, kaler doṣa-nidhe rājann asti hy eko mahān guṇaḥ: “My dear king, this age, Kali, is full of faulty things, but there is one good opportunity.” What is that? Kīrtanād eva kṛṣṇasya mukta-saṅgaḥ paraṁ vrajet: “Simply by chanting this Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra one can become liberated and go back to Godhead.”
KIRTAN Ancient Medicine for Modern Man
03 Mar 2011 Leave a comment
in Devotee Books Tags: dancing and chanting, hansadutta das, kirtan, KIRTAN Ancient Medicine for Modern Man, kirtan leaders, soul, soul dancing, The Hare Krishna Movement
KIRTAN Ancient Medicine for Modern Man
by Hansadutta Swami
Rare out of Print book written by one on the famous Kirtan Leaders of The Hare Krishna Movement.
“The singing and dancing of Hare Krsna is known as kirtan. My spiritual master Srila Prahupada said; “This is not ordinary dancing: this is the dancing of the soul, a soul awakened to his original consciousness, Krishna consciousness.” There is no motive in performing kirtana. It is the song and dance of ecstasy, the dance of the soul. The soul is dancing: therefore the body is dancing. Actually, the body cannot dance without the soul. A body without the soul is a dead body” (excerpt from book)
This is a beautiful Softbound book that is beautifully illustrated with Color and B & W Plates throughout.
Limited supply! Get one while they last!
* 6 x 9
* 105 pages Softbound cover
* Foreword, Preface, Introduction, Appendixes, About the Author, Supporting References from Vedic Scriptures, Glossary, and Index
This book can be purchased on-line at; http://www.theharekrishnamovement.com
Srila Prabhupada – The Master Disciple
03 Mar 2011 Leave a comment
in Devotee's, Hasti Gopala das Tags: disciple, guru, Hasti Gopal, Sprititual Master, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta, Srila Prabhupada
Srila Prabhupada – The Master Disciple
By Sri Hasti Gopala Dasa, Toronto, Canada.
Srila Prabhupada is the master disciple. He’s showing us by his example how to be a first class disciple. That example is continuing and the revelations will continue as we read his original books throughout the rest of our lives. The perfection of life is to follow strictly the bona fide spiritual master and make his orders, the life and soul of our disciplic position. By repeating without change his eternal message of how to love God Krishna, will be the perfection of life. He has told us this many times and he has masterfully followed it himself in the most perfect manner. Indeed he continues to do so.
So as much as we follow purely, we will become leaders but that following means to become as much as sincerely possible a master disciple.
The carpentry master has within himself the apprentice. The master may draw on the experience and knowledge of his apprenticeship but the apprentice cannot draw on the experience and knowledge of being a master carpenter. First we must become first class disciples of Srila Prabhupada…everyone. Then automatically leading others towards the same path of bhakti yoga will take its natural course.
Don’t be a crazy fellow
02 Mar 2011 Leave a comment
in Books by Srila Prabhupada, Sri Caitanya-Caritamrta Tags: back to Godhead, Lord Caitanya, Madhya-lila, madman, mercy, Sri Caitanya-carimrta, Srila Prabhupada, Srimad Bhagavatam
Sri Caitanya-caritmrta
by His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
Madhaya-lila Vol. 5 Text 237-239
TRANSLATION TEXT 237
“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.
PURPORT
As stated in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (10.14.58):
samāśritā ye pada-pallava-plavaṁ
mahat-padaṁ puṇya-yaśo-murāreḥ
bhavāmbudhir vatsa-padaṁ paraṁ padaṁ
padaṁ padaṁ yad vipadāṁ na teṣām
This material world is just like a big ocean. It begins with Brahmaloka and extends to Pātālaloka, and there are many planets, or islands, in this ocean. Not knowing about devotional service, the living entity wanders about this ocean, just as a man tries to swim to reach the shore. Our struggle for existence is similar to this. Everyone is trying to get out of the ocean of material existence. One cannot immediately reach the coast, but if one endeavors, he can cross the ocean by Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s mercy. One may be very eager to cross this ocean, but he cannot attain success by acting like a madman. He must swim over the ocean very patiently and intelligently under the instructions of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu or His representative. Then, one day, he will reach the shore and return home, back to Godhead.
Srila Prabhupada: The Unique Acarya
01 Mar 2011 Leave a comment
in Devotee's, Srila Prabhupada, Yasodanandana das Tags: Acarya, devotees, Gaudiya Vaisnava sampradaya, golden age, Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu, Sampradaya Acharya, spiritual authority, Srila Prabhupada, Yasodanandana dasa
Srila Prabhupada: The Unique Acarya
By Sri Yasodanandana Dasa
The unique position of His Divine Grace Srila Prabhupada in the Gaudiya Vaisnava sampradaya is supported as follows:
As the Acarya of his movement-
“I wish that each and every center shall keep the Acarya in the center and keep their separate identity” (1967 letter).
His unique position as the foremost spiritual authority for the golden age-
“My books will be the law books for the next ten thousand years”
(Srila Prabhupada statement in Los Angeles, 1976).
Statement by Locana das Thakura (middle of the 16th century)-
In the Caitanya Mangala the future appearance of a great senapati bhakta who would preach Krishna consciousness all over the world is predicted.
Statement by Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu-
In the Caitanya-caritamrta the Lord Himself predicts “Prthivite ache yadi nagaradi grama, sarvatra pracara hoibe more nama” (translation: “My holy name will be chanted in every town and village”). Srila Prabhupada fulfilled that prediction by his factual accomplishments.
Second Avenue Fire Sacrifice (Chapter 4)
01 Mar 2011 1 Comment
in Hayagriva das, The Hare Krishna Explosion Tags: hayagriva das, India, Janmastami, Krishna consciousness, Lord Krishna, second ave., Swamiji, the hare krishna explosion
The Hare Krishna Explosion
by Hayagriva Prabhu
Part I: New York, 1966
Chapter 4
Second Avenue Fire Sacrifice
September 8, 1966. Janmastami. Lord Krishna, we learn, is not born like an ordinary child. He appears. Five thousand years ago, in Mathura, India, He appeared as four-armed Narayana, attired in His transcendental garments. At His mother’s request, He assumed a two-armed form, like an ordinary child. Sri Krishna is most obliging to His devotees.
“Today we will fast,” Swamiji tells us. “Normally we do not fast all day. Krishna consciousness is not for one who eats too much or too little. Gandhi fasted many days for political reasons, but we don’t. In Bhagavad-gita, that kind of fasting is considered rajasic, or passionate. We fast according to regulations: Ekadasi, the eleventh day of the full moon, we take no grains. That is a partial fast. And Janmastami, there is complete fast all day until midnight. So today we will fast and chant, and tomorrow there will be initiation.”
There are eleven of us to be initiated. Roy buys us beads for chanting, a hundred and eight round wooden beads the size of marbles. Standing in the courtyard behind the temple, I string them into a rosary called a japa-mala. While chanting, I carefully slide each bright, red bead up the string and then knot it. It takes hours to complete knotting all the beads. When I ask Swamiji why there are a hundred and eight, he tells me that they represent the gopis, the Vrindaban cowherd girls beloved of Lord Krishna.
The Process of Devotional Service
28 Feb 2011 2 Comments
in Devotional Service, Narada-bhakti-sutra Tags: Absolute Truth, bhakti, devotional service, jnana-yoga, joyfulness, karma yoga, liberation, mystic processes, Narada Muni, Srila Prabhupada
Narada-bhakti-sutra
Translation and Purport by His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
Text One
TRANSLATION
Now, therefore, I will try to explain the process of devotional service.
PURPORT
Devotional service to the Supreme Personality of Godhead is explained in the Bhagavad-gītā, where the Lord says that a self-realized person is always in the transcendental state known as brahma-bhūta, which is characterized by joyfulness. When one is self-realized he becomes joyful. In other words, he is free from the material contamination of lamentation and hankering. As long as we are in material existence, we lament for the losses in our life and hanker for that which we do not have. A self-realized person is joyful because he is free from material lamentation and hankering.
“By sound vibration one becomes liberated.”
28 Feb 2011 Leave a comment
in Letters by Srila Prabhupada, Science of Self Realization Tags: Arjuna, chanting, Hare Hare, Hare Krishna, J.F. Staal, Krishna Krishna, Krsna, liberation devotional service, sound vibration, Supreme Brahman
Excerpt from The Science of Self-Realization
by A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
Letter to J.F. Staal Professor of Philosophy and of South Asian Languages
January 30, 1970
“By sound vibration one becomes liberated.” By devotional service, by understanding well the Supreme Personality of Godhead, one can go to His abode and never come back again to this material condition. How is it possible? The answer is, simply by chanting His name constantly.
This is accepted by the exemplary disciple, Arjuna, who has perfectly learned the conclusion of spiritual science from the yogeśvara, the master of mystic knowledge, Kṛṣṇa. Recognizing Kṛṣṇa to be the Supreme Brahman, Arjuna addresses Him, sthāne hṛṣīkeśa…: “The world becomes joyful hearing Your name, and thus do all become attached to You.” (Bg. 11.36) The process of chanting is herein authorized as the direct means of contacting the Supreme Absolute Truth, the Personality of Godhead. Simply by chanting the holy name Kṛṣṇa, the soul is attracted by the Supreme Person, Kṛṣṇa, to go home, back to Godhead.
In the Nārada-pañcarātra it is stated that all the Vedic rituals, mantras, and understanding are compressed into the eight words Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare. Similarly, in the Kali-santaraṇa Upaniṣad it is stated that these sixteen words, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare, are especially meant for counteracting the degrading and contaminating influence of this materialistic age of Kali.
Prabhupada Reading His Own Books
27 Feb 2011 Leave a comment
in Srila Prabhupada's Books Tags: bhagavad-gita, Krishna Conscious, Los Angeles, Nectar of Devotion, Srila Prabhupada, Srutakirti das, Supreme Lord
Prabhupada Reading His Own Books
by Srutakirti Prabhu
Entering Srila Prabhupada’s quarters was always an enlightening experience. Sometimes Srila Prabhupada sat and read his books. Whenever he read it seemed as if someone else had written his books because he didn’t read with the mind of an author who might be looking for editing mistakes or grammatical errors. He read them with the relish of a pure devotee reading the pastimes of the Supreme Lord to whom He was completely attached.
One day in Los Angeles I went into his room to perform my duties and he was sitting and readingBhagavad Gita As It Is. After I offered obeisances he looked at me and said, “If you just read this one book and understand, you will become Krishna Conscious in this very life.”
A few months later when I went into his room, he was reading Nectar of Devotion. He looked at me and said, “This book is so nice. Just by reading this one book you can become Krishna Conscious.”
Srila Prabhupada teaches us by example. He does everything he asks us to do. He requests us to read his books and he does, too.
For Sale; Case of Original Bhagavad-gita’s Hardbound
27 Feb 2011 Leave a comment
in Books by Srila Prabhupada, The Hare Krishna Movement Tags: bhagavad-gita, bhakti yoga, by the case, devotee, original, Song of God, spiritual books, Srila Prabhupada, The Hare Krishna Movement, wholesale books, yoga
By them by the case!!!
Case of the Original “Classic” 1972 Edition Bhagavad-gita “As It Is” by His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
In High Quality Hard Bound Cover.
This is the compact , Complete Edition of Srila Prabhupada’s 1972 Macmillan edition. This edition is the most widely read Gita in the world. Written by His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, who is the world’s foremost Vedic scholar and teacher. He represents an unbroken chain of fully self-realized spiritual masters beginning with Lord Krsna Himself. Thus, unlike other editions of the Gita, his edition conveys Lord Krsna’s profound message as it is-without the slightest taint of adulteration or personally motivated change. Replete with sixteen full-color plates, this new edition is certain to stimulate and enlighten any reader with its ancient yet thoroughly timely teachings.
Bhagavad-gita is universally renowned as the jewel of India’s spiritual wisdom. Spoken by Lord Sri Krsna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, to His intimate devotee Arjuna, the Gita’s seven hundred concise verses provide a definitive guide to the science of self-realization. Indeed, no work even compares in its revelations of man’s essential nature, his environment and, ultimately, his relationship with God.
Special Features
• Original Sanskrit Text
• English transliterations for each Sanskrit word
• Elaborate commentary
• Complete glossary
• Complete verse index
• High readability
• Profuse full-color illustrations
Original 1972 Complete edition. With translations and elaborate purports by His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada.
Hard-cover, 1008 pages, 48 color plates. 5″ x 7.5″
20 Books per case!
Note; Also available by the case in High Quality Soft Bound cover
You can purchase these and other of Srila Prabhupada’s original works on-line by visiting
Who is Crazy? (Chapter 3)
26 Feb 2011 2 Comments
in Hayagriva das, The Hare Krishna Explosion Tags: 26 Second Ave., Hare Krishna Explosion, hayagriva das, New York 1966., Srila Prabhupada
The Hare Krishna Explosion
by Hayagriva das
Part I: New York, 1966
Chapter 3
Who is Crazy?
Twenty-six Second Avenue. Matchless Gifts. No doubt, to most New Yorkers, nothing more than the kind of squalid storefront someone might open a pawnshop in. What with traffic noise and our neighbors—Cosmos Parcels Express Corporation, Gonzalez Funeral Home, Weitzner Brothers Memorials, The Red Star Bar, and a Mobil gas station—no one would think it Vaikuntha. But for us, Matchless Gifts becomes a temple, a part of Vrindaban, because of Swamiji’s presence and the words spoken here.
Keith, Wally, and I rummage through the Mott Street apartment, gather souvenirs from the recent India trip—two rugs, a dozen paintings, three silk wall hangings, and two brass hookah tops—and take them to Second Avenue.
Then, unknown to Swamjji, we start decorating the Matchless Gifts storefront, turning it into a temple befitting Krishna’s messenger. That is, as far as we are able.
Transcendental Teachings of Prahlāda Mahārāja
25 Feb 2011 Leave a comment
in Teachings of Pralada Maharaja Tags: bhakti yoga, devotional service, His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, krsna consciousness, liberation, material world, sense enjoyment, spiritual happiness, Transcendental Teachings of Prahlada Maharja
Transcendental Teachings of Prahlāda Mahārāja
by His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Chapter 2
“We Are Spoiling Our Lives”
Therefore, instead of being very anxious to stimulate our senses to increase material happiness, we should try to attain spiritual happiness by practicing Kṛṣṇa consciousness. As Prahlāda Mahārāja says, “Although your life in this human body is temporary, it is very valuable. So instead of trying to increase your material sense enjoyment, your duty is to dovetail your activities in some way in Kṛṣṇa consciousness.”
Our higher intelligence comes with his human body. Because we have higher consciousness, we should try for the higher enjoyment in life, which is spiritual enjoyment. And how can that spiritual enjoyment be achieved? One should absorb himself in serving the Supreme Lord, who gives the pleasure of liberation. We should turn our attention to achieving the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa, who can give us liberation from this material world.
How To Offer Your Food To The Lord
24 Feb 2011 Leave a comment
in Practicing Krishna Consciousness at Home, Prasadam Tags: bhakti yoga, devotion, devotional service, God, Krishna, Lord Caitanya, Lord Krishna, love, Prasadam, Srila Prabhupada, yoga
How to Offer Your Food To The Lord
Everything comes from God (Krishna), the air we breath, the water we drink, and the food we eat. But this process of Krishna Consciousness or bhakti-yoga, is the method for re-awakeing our dormant love for God. When you love someone, then there is service. Isn’t this so? A mother loves her baby, and cares for the babies needs; she baths the baby, dresses the baby, feeds the baby etc. So this process of Krishna Consciousness is giving back to the Supreme Lord, in the mood of loving devotional service. Although the Supreme Lord is providing everything, still a devotee thinks, “I want to give something back. I want to offer something to the Lord” Not that we just take from the Lord, ‘O Lord thank you for our daily bread’. No, a devotee wants to bake some bread for the Lord, cook some rice and offer it to the Lord, offer some fruits, and flowers, and water for the Lords pleasure. This is the begining of Love, through service.
A young boy meets a young girl, and he gives her a flower, carries her books, gives her gifts and offers her service. Similary, we want to love God, so we begin with gifts and service, to develope our love and devotion. So this process of offering very nicely prepeared foods to the Lord is Bhakti Yoga. Yoga means ‘union’, and Bhakti means through loving devotional service. It is a very blissful process. I want to Love God, so let me offer some service, some flowers, some nicely cooked food,etc. And we can link up with God (yoga) by thinking of Him, offering prayers, chanting His holy names, and offering the food we eat.
Lord Sri Krishna
24 Feb 2011 Leave a comment
in Krishna Tags: Bhagavata Purana, Bramhavaivarta Purana, Christians, Hindus, Jews, krishnasmercy, Lord Krishna, Mahabharata, Srila Prabhupada, Srimad Bhagavatam, Srimati Radharani, Supreme Personality of Godhead, Vedas
Lord Krishna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, as described by the Vedas. The Vedas are the eternal truths of life originating in India that have been passed down from time immemorial originally through oral reception, and more recently through written scripture in the Sanskrit language. Though there are many different religions in the world each having their own name for God, God is still one. There isn’t one God for Hindus and another for Christians and Jews.
Even in the Vedic literatures, God has many names and many different incarnations and expansions. Lord Krishna is the original of all other expansions. In Sanskrit, the word Krishna means “all-attractive.” Krishna is the most beautiful, powerful, famous, wealthy, wise and renounced. Since He possesses all these opulences at the same time and in full, He is defined as the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
Preparing and Offering Prasadam
23 Feb 2011 Leave a comment
in Prasadam Tags: bhagavad-gita, Food offered to the Lord, Krsna, Lord Caitanya, Prasadam, senses become spiritualized, spiritual pleasure, transcendental, vegetarianism
By His immense transcendental energies, Krsna can convert matter into spirit. If we place an iron rod in a fire, before long the rod becomes red hot and acts just like fire. In the same way, food prepared for and offered to Krishna with love and devotion becomes spiritualized. Such food is called Krsna prasadam, which means “the mercy of Lord Krsna.”
Eating prasadam is a fundamental practice of bhakti yoga. In other forms of yoga one must artificially repress the senses, but the bhakti-yogi can engage his or her senses in a variety of pleasing spiritual activities, such as tasting delicious food offered to Lord Krsna. In this way the senses gradually become spiritualized and bring the devotee more and more transcendental pleasure by being engaged in devotional service. Such spiritual pleasure far surpasses any kind of material experience.
Lord Caitanya said of prasadam, “Everyone has tasted these foods before. However, now that they have been prepared for Krishna and offered to Him with devotion, these foods have acquired extraordinary tastes and uncommon fragrances. Just taste them and see the difference in the experience! Apart from the taste, even the fragrance pleases the mind and makes one forget any other fragrance. Therefore one should know that the spiritual nectar of Krsna’s lips must have touched these ordinary foods and imparted to them all their transcendental qualities.”
Eating only food offered to Lord Krsna is the perfection of vegetarianism. In itself, being a vegetarian is not enough; after all, even pigeons and monkeys are vegetarians. But when we go beyond vegetarianism to a diet of prasadam, our eating becomes helpful in achieving the goal of human life–reawakening the soul’s original relationship with God. In the Bhagavad-gita Krsna says that unless one eats only food that has been offered to Him in sacrifice, one will suffer the reactions of karma.
Tommorow we will feature an article entitled “How to offer Your Food to the Lord”. So stay with us!
Transcendental Teachings of Prahlāda Mahārāja
23 Feb 2011 Leave a comment
in Krishna Consciousness, Teachings of Pralada Maharaja Tags: age of quarrel, atheistic persons, causless mercy, demons, God, Jesus Christ, Kali, materialistic, Pralada Maharaja, Supreme Lord
Transcendental Teachings of Prahlāda Mahārāja
by His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
The Dearmost Person
Today I shall speak to you of the history of a boy devotee named Prahlāda Mahārāja. He was born in a family that was stubbornly atheistic. There are two kinds of men in this world: the demons and the demigods. What is the difference between them? The main difference is that the demigods, or godly persons, are devoted to the Supreme Lord, whereas the demons are atheistic. They do not believe in God because they are materialists. These two classes of men always exist in this world. At the present moment, due to the Age of Kali (Age of Quarrel), the number of demons has increased, but the classification has existed since the beginning of creation. The incident I am narrating to you occurred very, very long ago, a few million years after the time of creation.
Prahlāda Mahārāja was the son of the most atheistic person and the most materially powerful as well. Because the society was materialistic, this boy had no opportunity to glorify the Supreme Lord. The characteristic of a great soul is that he is very eager to broadcast glorification of the Supreme Lord. Lord Jesus Christ, for example, was very eager to broadcast the glorification of God, but demoniac people misunderstood him and crucified him.
The Hare Krishna Movement 