02 Apr 2016
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Allen Ginsberg, Back to Godhead, BTG magizine, Guru das, People, Roger Siegel
Tags: 518 Frederick Street San Francisco, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami, Allen Ginsberg, BTG, conversation with Srila Prabhupada, Guru das, Krishna Consciousness Temple, swami

This morning I was cleaning out one of the sheds, and found this old suitcase filled with cassette tapes. There were some of the old Bhaktivedanta Archive tapes, Golden Avatar tapes, various lectures, bahjans and kirtans. I started to listed to some of the old vintage kirtans and lectures and I was filled with a nostalgic mood of yearning, for the early days of the Hare Krishna Movement. This lead me to re-examine the old Back to Godhead magazine issues. The following is one article I found very reminiscence of those early days.
A Conversation between A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami & Allen Ginsberg
Recorded by Guru Das Adhikary
Swamiji had come to San Francisco in late January, 1967 for the opening of the Krishna Consciousness Temple there, at 518 Frederick Street. Allen Ginsberg had always shown friendly and helpful interest in the Society; and he agreed to attend a giant “Mantra Rock Festival,” which the temple members were planning to hold in the Avalon Ballroom. And so, a few days before that event, the good poet came to early morning Kirtan (7 A. M.), and later joined the Swami upstairs in the apartment his pupils had rented for him.
We were sitting in the glow of this holy man, munching on Indian sweetballs cooked by the Swami, when Allen Ginsberg came through the door, a warm smile on his face.
The Swami offered him a sweetball: “Take.”
They sat in silence for a few moments, radiating mutual love.
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22 Mar 2016
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Caitanya Mahaprabhu, Festivals, Lectures, Srimad Bhagavatam
Tags: 7.9.38, A. C. Bhakthvedanta Swami Prabhupada, appearance of Lord Caitanya, Caitanya Mahaprabhu, Gaura Purnima, gaura purnima moon, Lecture by Srila Prabhupada, Mayapur

click on image to enlarge
So today is Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu’s appearance day. We will honor it with a full day fast, which we will break at the appearance of the full moon with a nice prasadam feast. Also in honor of this auspiscious day, we share with you a lecture given in Mayapur India, on the Gaura Purnima day, in 1976. Hare Krishna!
Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam Lecture 7.9.38
By His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Māyāpur, March 16, 1976
Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: “In this way, my Lord, You have appeared in different incarnations—as human beings, as animals, as a great saintly person, as demigods and as a fish and a tortoise. In this way You maintain the whole creation in different planetary systems and kill the demoniac principles in every age. My Lord, You therefore protect the principles of religion. In the age of Kali You do not assert Yourself as the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Therefore You are known as Tri-yuga, or the Lord who appears in three yugas.”
Prabhupāda:
itthaṁ nṛ-tiryag-ṛṣi-deva-jhaṣāvatārair lokān vibhāvayasi haṁsi jagat pratīpān dharmaṁ mahā-puruṣa pāsi yugānuvṛttaṁ channaḥ kalau yad abhavas tri-yugo ’tha sa tvam
So here is a very specific statement about Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, who is avatāra. Caitanya Mahāprabhu is the same Supreme Personality of Godhead, but He’s channa. Channa means covered, not directly, because He has appeared as a devotee. Avatāra… Rūpa Gosvāmī has found out that He’s avatāra of Kṛṣṇa. All the devotees, Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya, Rūpa Gosvāmī, and in the śāstra, and the Upaniṣad, Mahābhārata, in every… Sādhu-śāstra. Avatāra should be confirmed by great devotees, personalities, and must be collaborated with the statement in the śāstra.
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20 Mar 2016
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Books by Srila Prabhupada, Caitanya Mahaprabhu, Teachings of Lord Chaitanya, Uncategorized
Tags: A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, appearance of Lord Caitanya, free pdf download, Gaura Purnima, Gauranga, Lord Caitanya, pdf file, Srila Prabhupada's books, The Hare Krishna Movement

With the advent of the Gaura Purnima, or the Appearance day of Lord Caitanya, rapidly approaching, I thought it would be nice to again offer the free pdf file of the Teachings of Lord Chaitanya. Just click on link to read it online or save it to your computer. Hare Krishna!
Teachings-of-Lord-Chaitanya-original-1968
11 Mar 2016
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.
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03 Mar 2016
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in Narottama das Thakur, Vrndavana
Tags: cintamani gems, eight petals, golden lotus flowers, Narottama das thakura, regal swans, song of the vaisnave acharays, sri radhika, Syamasundara, Vrndavan, waters of the yamuna

This is one of my favorite songs in the Vaisnava Songbook. This morning it became my meditation.
Vṛndāvana
by Narottama das Thakura
Vrndavan is a transcendental beautiful place. It is the spiritual sky, where everything is made of touchstone, which fulfills all desires. All the temples there are bedcked with costly jewels, In that far distant place is the River Yamuna, which is full of lotus flowers, In the midst of that throng of lotus flowers there is a golden boat, appearing like another big lotus flower, with eight petals, who are none but the eight chief gopis who always surround Radha and Krishna, In the surrounding petals there is a golden throne where the two transcendental lovers, namely Radha and Krishna are seated, but of all of them the governing Deity is Srimati Radharani. There is no comparison to Radharani’s beauty and the luster of Her transcendental body. The so-called beauty of the moon has fallen on the ground in the presence of Radharani’s beauty. In that assembly of Radha-Krishna and their principal associates there is a flood of laughing and joking as they address one another. Narottama das says that the eternal pastimes of Radha-Krishna from day to day are full of transcendental pleasure, Let us all remember them now and then and thus become happy even in this material world.
Full Song Lyrics More
27 Feb 2016
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura, Bhaktivinoda Thakura
Tags: A. C. Bhakthvedanta Swami Prabhupada, appearance of Srila Bhaktisidhanta, Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati, Bimala Prasad, Feb. 6 1874, Jagannatha Puri, Orissa, Purusottam Ksetra, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati, Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura, Srila Prabhupada, Srimati Bhagavati Devi

Today we celebrate the Appearance of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakura, the son of Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura, and Spiritual Master of our Srila Prabhupada. We will honor it with a half day fast, rememberances and readings. I happened upon the following post on the Sampradaya Sun, and because it was so nicely assembled, we will share it with you here today.
The Appearance of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta
by Sun Staff CANADA (SUN)
Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakura appeared in Purusottam Ksetra, Jagannatha Puri, Orissa, on February 6, 1874. He was born in the family home next to the Narayan-chhata of Sri Jagannatha Temple, which always reverberated with the chanting of the Holy Name. Named Bimala Prasad, He was the fourth son of Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura and Srimati Bhagavati Devi.
By the age of twelve, Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati was well versed in astronomy. Hearing news of this, Srila Jagannatha dasa Babaji summoned him one day and instructed him to make a Vaisnava calendar that included the appearance and disappearance days of all Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu’s and Visnupriya Thakurani’s associates. Following these instructions, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati made the necessary calculations and began publication of “Sri Nabadvipa Panjica”.
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24 Feb 2016
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Lectures, Srimad Bhagavatam
Tags: 1.2.12, A. C. Bhakthvedanta Swami Prabhupada, Govinda, Krsna, lecture on Srimad Bhagavatam, prabhupada, Srimad Bhagavatam lecture

…The idea is that one gopī is advising another gopī, “My dear friend, there is one boy. His name is Govinda. He is standing on the bank of Yamunā near the Keśi-ghāṭa, and He’s playing on His flute. And He’s so beautiful that especially during full moon night, please do not go there.” [laughter] Why? “Now, because if you have got intention to enjoy in this material world with your family members, wife, children, husband, please do not go there.” Smerān bhaṅgī-traya-paricitāṁ sāci-vistīrṇa-dṛṣṭim. Bhaṅgī-traya. “Kṛṣṇa always stands in three-curved way with His flute. That is Kṛṣṇa’s tri-bhaṅga-murāri.” Tri-bhaṅga. Three places, He is bent. (Lecture 1.2.12)
Lecture on the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam
By His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
First Canto, Chapter 2, Text 12
Full lecture More
16 Feb 2016
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Bhagavad-gita, Bhagavad-gita As It Is 1972 Edition, Vegetarian Cooking, Vegetarianism
Tags: A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Pabhupada, Bhagavad-gita As It Is, food, food in the mode of ignorance, food in the mode of passion, foods in the mode of goodness, Foods in the mode of goodness increase the duration of life, happiness and satisfaction, health, purify one’s existence and give strength, Srila Prabhupada

Foods in the mode of goodness increase the duration of life, purify one’s existence and give strength, health, happiness and satisfaction. Such nourishing foods are sweet, juicy, fattening and palatable. Foods that are too bitter, too sour, salty, pungent, dry and hot, are liked by people in the modes of passion. Such foods cause pain, distress, and disease. Food cooked more than three hours before being eaten, which is tasteless, stale, putrid, decomposed and unclean, is food liked by people in the mode of ignorance. (Bhagavad-gita As It Is 17.8-10)
…The purpose of food is to increase the duration of life, purify the mind and aid bodily strength. This is its only purpose. In the past, great authorities selected those foods that best aid health and increase life’s duration, such as milk products, sugar, rice, wheat, fruits and vegetables. These foods are very dear to those in the mode of goodness. (from purport to Bhagavad-gita 17.8-10)
full translation and purport More
09 Feb 2016
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in Diksha, Disciplic succession, Guru & Disciple, guru-tattva, Quotes by Srila Prabhupada, Srila Prabhupada, Srila Prabhupada Conversations, Srila Prabhupada vani
Tags: A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Bhagavad-gita, bona fide spiritual master, disciple, disciplic succession, discipline in devotional service, Guru & Disciple, His Divine Grace, krsna consciousness, quotes by Srila Prabhupada, spiritual master and disciple, Srila Prabhupada

The following is an article that was sent to me through email sometime back. I just recently got a chance to read it in full. There are many very good quotes by Srila Prabhupada, on the matter of accepting a bona fide spiritual master. I did some slight editing (highlighting) but all the notes and comments are by the author.
Srila Prabhupada’s Diksa
by Vidura Mahatma dasa
In order to attain the highest perfection of life one must approach a bona fide spiritual master coming in the disciplic succession from Lord Krishna Himself. The self-realized spiritual master is able to present the real conclusions of Krishna’s instructions in a way that can be understood and executed as applicable to this day and age. This is the special purpose and great need of accepting a bona fide spiritual master. The rare opportunity to approach a bona fide, self-realized spiritual master coming in the authorized chain of disciplic succession is available to everyone today and is indeed intended for everyone [in every town and village] to take advantage of, owing to the mercy of Sri Krishna Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and His Divine Grace Srila A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada. Readers will find this composition instrumental in ascertaining the philosophical basis of taking shelter of Srila Prabhupada – the current approachable link in the disciplic succession – by adhering to the principles and instructions given in his books. The execution of Srila Prabhupada’s discipline will surely elevate one to the perfectional stage of life leading back home, back to Godhead.
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04 Feb 2016
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Free Downloads, Free eBooks, Krishna Consciousness, Transcendental Teachings of Prahlada Maharaja
Tags: A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, age of kali, age of quarrel, atheistic, atheistic person, demons, devotee, God, His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Krishna Path, krsna consciousness, materialists, materially powerrful, My dear friends, Prahlada Maharaja, Srila Prabhupada's books, Srimad Bhagavatam

For some reason (supersoul, I guess), I have been reading the “Transcendental Teachings of Prahlada Maharaja”. There are so many books on my shelves, but I searched for this small paper back book amongst the many small books in our library. We have included it here today as a post. You can also download it as a free pdf file, or as a scanned pdf of the original. Just click on following links to download.
Transcendental Teachings of Prahlad Maharaj 1973 Original
Transcendental_Teachings_of_Prahlad_Maharaj-Original_book-SCAN
The following is based on a series of talks Śrīla Prabhupāda gave in 1968 on the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, Canto 7, Chapter 6.
Transcendental Teachings of Prahlāda Mahārāja
By His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
Full Book More
30 Jan 2016
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Hare Krishna Maha Mantra, Letters by Srila Prabhupada, Vishnujana Swami, Visnujana Swami
Tags: chanting, chanting Hare Krishna, Krishna, Krsna Book, Letters by Srila Prabhupada, missionary success, Srila Prabhupada, Visnujana Maharaja, Visnujana Swami

…I have got confidence in you because Krishna has given you special talent for chanting Hare Krishna Mantra. When you were chanting in L.A. temple in the evenings, or in the mornings, I enjoyed your chanting so nicely that I thought myself immediately carried to Vaikuntha. So I am always thankful to you for your activities in announcing the interest of our mission. Thank you very much. Most probably when I return to L.A. I may call you back just to hear your chanting of Hare Krishna Mantra.
…So take advantage and enchant those who are coming by your chanting of Hare Krishna Mantra. You will be victorious. And try to introduce our books there and it will be a great missionary success. One Krishna book sold means we go forward one step in our Krishna Consciousness. We should always remember this. (Letter to Visnujana Swami April 4, 1971)
This morning as I was reading some letters by Srila Prabhupada, this letter to Visnujana Swami really touched my heart. “My Dear Son, Visnujana Maharaja, Please accept my blessings.” Srila Prabhupada was so sweet in his dealings with his disciples, particularly those who took the mission seriously.
Full letter More
29 Jan 2016
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Krsna is the Source of All Incarnations
Tags: A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Asuri, brahmana, decorated with thousands of helmets and glowing earrings, etmological meaning, form of a tortoise, incarnation the Lord, Kapila, Mandaracala Hill, material elements, metaphysics, original Personality of Godhead, path of perfection, plenary portions of the Lord, Purusa, the devotees, the incarnations of the Lord are innumerable

click on image to enlarge
O brāhmaṇas, the incarnations of the Lord are innumerable, like rivulets flowing from inexhaustible sources of water. (SB1.3.26)
This morning as I was reading the Srimad Bhagavatam, First Canto, Vol. 1, I spent a few minutes just looking at the pictures. They say a picture tells a thousand words, and the above image is no exception. The Thousand words follow…
Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam
By His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Canto One, Chapter Three
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19 Jan 2016
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Bhagavad-gita, Bhagavad-gita As It Is 1972 Edition, Chanting Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna Maha Mantra, Krsna, Krsna Consciousness
Tags: chanting Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Introduction to Bhagavad-gita, mantra meditation, one religion

…In this present day, man is very eager to have one scripture, one God, one religion, and one occupation. So let there be one common scripture for the whole world—Bhagavad-gītā. And let there be one God only for the whole world—Śrī Kṛṣṇa. And one mantra only—Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare. And let there be one work only—the service of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. (from Introduction to the Bhagavad-gita As It Is)
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17 Jan 2016
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Krsna, Krsna Book
Tags: A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, bugles made of horn, buzzing of the bumblebees, cowheard boys, devotees of Krsna, Krishna, Krsna, Krsna Book, Srimad Bhagavatam, voice of the cuckoo

All the boys would be differently engaged. Some boys blew their flutes, and others blew bugles made of horn. Some imitated the buzzing of the bumblebees, and others imitated the voice of the cuckoo. Some boys imitated flying birds by running after the birds’ shadows on the ground, some imitated the beautiful movements and attractive postures of the swans, some sat down with the ducks, sitting silently, and others imitated the dancing of the peacocks. Some boys attracted young monkeys in the trees, some jumped into the trees, imitating the monkeys, some made faces as the monkeys were accustomed to do, and others jumped from one branch to another. Some boys went to the waterfalls and crossed over the river, jumping with the frogs, and when they saw their own reflections on the water they would laugh. They would also condemn the sounds of their own echoes. In this way, all the cowherd boys used to play with Kṛṣṇa, who is the source of the Brahman effulgence for jñānīs desiring to merge into that effulgence, who is the Supreme Personality of Godhead for devotees who have accepted eternal servitorship, and who for ordinary persons is but another ordinary child. The cowherd boys, having accumulated the results of pious activities for many lives, were able to associate in this way with the Supreme Personality of Godhead. How can one explain their great fortune? (SB 10.12.7-11)
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16 Jan 2016
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Book Distribution, Books by Srila Prabhupada, Srila Prabhupada, Srila Prabhupada's Books, Srimad Bhagavatam
Tags: back to Godhead, BBT, books by Srila Prabhupada, constructing temples, publishing books, Sri Srimad Bhaktsiddhanta Sarasvati Gosvami Prabhupada, Srila Prabhupada's books, Srimad Bhagavatam. spiritual master

First of all, let me offer my humble, respectful obeisances unto the lotus feet of my spiritual master, His Divine Grace Śrī Śrīmad Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Gosvāmī Prabhupāda. Sometime in the year 1935 when His Divine Grace was staying at Rādhā-kuṇḍa, I went to see him from Bombay. At that time, he gave me many important instructions in regard to constructing temples and publishing books. He personally told me that publishing books is more important than constructing temples. Of course, those same instructions remained within my mind for many years. In 1944 I began publishing my Back to Godhead, and when I retired from family life in 1958 I began publishing Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam in Delhi. When three parts of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam had been published in India, I then started for the United States of America on the thirteenth of August, 1965.
I am continuously trying to publish books, as suggested by my spiritual master. Now, in this year, 1976, I have completed the Seventh Canto of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, and a summary of the Tenth Canto has already been published as Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Still, the Eighth Canto, Ninth Canto, Tenth Canto, Eleventh Canto and Twelfth Canto are yet to be published. On this occasion, therefore, I am praying to my spiritual master to give me strength to finish this work. I am neither a great scholar nor a great devotee; I am simply a humble servant of my spiritual master, and to the best of my ability I am trying to please him by publishing these books, with the cooperation of my disciples in America. Fortunately, scholars all over the world are appreciating these publications. Let us cooperatively publish more and more volumes of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam just to please His Divine Grace Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura.
by His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
from Summary to the 8th Canto, Chapter 1

14 Jan 2016
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Devotional Service, Krishna Nectar, Krsna, Krsna Consciousness, Krsna Consciousness: The Topmost Yoga System, Yogamaya
Tags: Balarama, bhakti yoga, highest perfection is love, Krishna, Krishna eating dirt, Krsna, Mother Yasoda, transcendental ecstatic love, Yasoda, yoga, yogamaya

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One day while Krishna was playing with His small playmates, including Balarama and other sons of the gopas, all His friends came together and lodged a complaint to mother Yasoda. “Mother,” they submitted, “Krishna has eaten earth.” Upon hearing this from Krishnas’s playmates, mother Yasoda, who was always full of anxiety over Krishna’s welfare, picked Krishna up with her hands to look into His mouth and chastise Him. Her eyes fearful, she spoke to her son as follows. Dear Krishna, why are You so restless that You have eaten dirt in a solitary place? This complaint has been lodged against You by all Your playmates, including Your elder brother, Balarama. How is this? Lord Śrī Krishna replied: My dear mother, I have never eaten dirt. All My friends complaining against Me are liars. If you think they are being truthful, you can directly look into My mouth and examine it. Mother Yasoda challenged Krishna, “If You have not eaten earth, then open Your mouth wide.” When challenged by His mother in this way, Krishna, the son of Nanda Mahārāja and Yasoda, to exhibit pastimes like a human child, opened His mouth. Although the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krishna, who is full of all opulences, did not disturb His mother’s parental affection, His opulence was automatically displayed, for Krishna’s opulence is never lost at any stage, but is manifest at the proper time. When Krishna opened His mouth wide by the order of mother Yasoda, she saw within His mouth all moving and non-moving entities, outer space, and all directions, along with mountains, islands, oceans, the surface of the earth, the blowing wind, fire, the moon and the stars. She saw the planetary systems, water, light, air, sky, and creation by transformation of ahaṅkāra. She also saw the senses, the mind, sense perception, and the three qualities goodness, passion and ignorance. She saw the time allotted for the living entities, she saw natural instinct and the reactions of karma, and she saw desires and different varieties of bodies, moving and nonmoving. Seeing all these aspects of the cosmic manifestation, along with herself and Vṛndāvana-dhāma, she became doubtful and fearful of her son’s nature. (SB 10.8.32-45)
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12 Jan 2016
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Cow Protection, Srimad Bhagavatam
Tags: A. C. Bhakthvedanta Swami Prabhupada, brahmanas, brahminical culture, cow protection, cows and the senses, devotees, Dwaraka Puri, govindah, Lord Krsna, pious assembly, SB1.14.34, Srimad Bhagavatam, the Personality of Godhead

“The Lord is the protector of cows and the brahminical culture. A society devoid of cow protection and brahminical culture is not under the direct protection of the Lord, just as the prisoners in the jails are not under the protection of the king but under the protection of a severe agent of the king. Without cow protection and cultivation of the brahminical qualities in human society, at least for a section of the members of society, no human civilization can prosper at any length. By brahminical culture, the development of the dormant qualities of goodness, namely truthfulness, equanimity, sense control, forbearance, simplicity, general knowledge, transcendental knowledge and firm faith in the Vedic wisdom, one can become a brāhmaṇa and thus see the Lord as He is.” (from within the Purport of Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.14.34)
Full text and purport More
11 Jan 2016
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Bhagavad-gita, Bhagavad-gita As It Is 1972 Edition, Introduction to the Bhagavad-gita
Tags: 1972 Edition, A. C. Bhakthvedanta Swami Prabhupada, Arjuna, bath in the ganges, Bhagavad-gita As It Is, bhagavad-gita introduction, Krsna, Mahabharata, spoken by Krishna

“One may cleanse himself daily by taking a bath in water, but if one takes a bath even once in the sacred Ganges water of Bhagavad-gita,
for him the dirt of material life is altogether vanquished. One who drinks the water of the Ganges attains salvation, so what to speak of one who drinks the nectar of Bhagavad-gita? Bhagavad-gita is the essential nectar of the Mahabharata, and it is spoken by Lord Krishna Himself, the original Vishnu.” – Introduction to Bhagavad-gita As It Is
Sometimes when I need a boost in my Krsna consciousness, I will re-read the very powerful Introduction to the Bhagavad-gita As It Is. For me this Introduction explaines the entire philosophy of the Gita in a very nice way that even a layman like myself can easily understand. Although our readers can find this complete Introduction on other sites such as Prabhupadagita, Causlessmercy, or Prabhupadabooks I have decided to post the entire Introduction again here this morning. There is a print icon at the bottom of post where one can print out this entire post it they are son inclined. Hare Krishna!
Full Introduction More
06 Jan 2016
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Back to Godhead, Srila Prabhupada, Srila Prabhupada Conversations, Visakha devi dasi
Tags: Back to Godhead Magazine, feasting and festivities, God consciousness, ISKCON center, Krsna, Krsna conscious philosophy, spiritual master, Srila Prabhupada, Supreme Personality of Godhead, Visakha devi dasi

click on images to enlarge
I have always enjoyed going back in time and re-reading the old Back to Godhead Magazines. This one was from 1974 and chronicles the arrival of Srila Prabhupada.
The Arrival of a Pure Devotee
by Visakha-devi dasi
New York: His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, founder and spiritual master of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON), stopped here for a few days recently as part of his continuing tour of ISKCON centers around the world. At JFK International Airport, as more than one hundred disciples royally greeted him and curious reporters thronged around him, Srila Prabhupada explained, in clear language and with fixed conviction, the Krsna conscious philosophy of a God-centered society in which “everything animate and inanimate is recognized to be controlled and owned by the Lord.”
“Will this solve the energy crisis?” one reporter asked. “Yes, why not?” Srila Prabhupada immediately responded. “The only lack in the world today is the lack of God consciousness.”
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