Here in the West Mothers Day is being celebrated; a day to honor our Mothers.
…According to scriptures also, there are seven mothers: (1) the real mother, (2) the wife of the spiritual master, (3) the wife of a brāhmaṇa, (4) the wife of the king, (5) the cow, (6) the nurse, and (7) the earth. All of them are mothers.
Srimad Bhagavatam By His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swaim Prabhupada from Canto 1, Chapter 11, Text 28-
praviṣṭaḥ—after entering; tu—but; gṛham—houses; pitroḥ—of the father; pariṣvaktaḥ—embraced; sva-mātṛbhiḥ—by His own mothers; vavande—offered obeisances; śirasā—His head; sapta—seven; devakī—Devakī; pramukhā—headed by; mudā—gladly.
After entering the house of His father, He was embraced by the mothers present, and the Lord offered His obeisances unto them by placing His head at their feet. The mothers were headed by Devakī [His real mother].
It appears that Vasudeva, the father of Lord Kṛṣṇa, had completely separate residential quarters where he lived with his eighteen wives, out of whom Śrīmatī Devakī is the real mother of Lord Kṛṣṇa. But in spite of this, all other stepmothers were equally affectionate to Him, as will be evident from the following verse. Lord Kṛṣṇa also did not distinguish His real mother from His stepmothers, and He equally offered His obeisances unto all the wives of Vasudeva present on the occasion. According to scriptures also, there are seven mothers: (1) the real mother, (2) the wife of the spiritual master, (3) the wife of a brāhmaṇa, (4) the wife of the king, (5) the cow, (6) the nurse, and (7) the earth. All of them are mothers. Even by this injunction of the śāstras, the stepmother, who is the wife of the father, is also as good as the mother because the father is also one of the spiritual masters. Lord Kṛṣṇa, the Lord of the universe, plays the part of an ideal son just to teach others how to treat their stepmothers.
tāḥ—all of them; putram—the son; aṅkam—the lap; āropya—having placed on; sneha-snuta—moistened by affection; payodharāḥ—breasts filled up; harṣa—delight; vihvalita-ātmānaḥ—overwhelmed by; siṣicuḥ—wet; netrajaiḥ—from the eyes; jalaiḥ—water.
The mothers, after embracing their son, sat Him on their laps. Due to pure affection, milk sprang from their breasts. They were overwhelmed with delight, and the tears from their eyes wetted the Lord.
When Lord Kṛṣṇa was at Vṛndāvana even the cows would become moistened by affection towards Him, and He would draw milk from the nipples of every affectionate living being, so what to speak of the stepmothers who were already as good as His own mother.
So today is the appearance day of Lord Ramachandra or Rama-Navami. We honor it with a fast untill sunset, followed by a nice vegetarian feast. It is good to read and chant throughout the day and remind each other about the glorious pastimes of Lord Ramachandra.
In honor of the Appearance day of Lord Ramacandra, we are posting the entire tenth chapter from the ninth Canto of Srimad Bhagavatam entitled “The Pastimes of the Supreme Lord, Rāmacandra”.
Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam By His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda Canto Nine, Chapter Ten
So today we celebrate the Appearance Day of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura, the Spiritual Master of our Srila Prabhupada. We honor it today with a half day fast a Pushpanjali (offering of prayers and flowers) followed by a nice vegetarian feast.
The Absolute Necessity of a Spiritual Master—The Universal Teacher By His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada Founder-Acharya of the world-wide Hare Krishna Movement
In February 1936, in Bombay, India, the members of a reputed religious society, the Gaudiya Matha, were astonished by the powerful and eloquent words of a young member who spoke in honor of his spiritual master, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Gosvami. Three decades later, the young speaker would become the world-renowned founder and spiritual master of the Krishna consciousness movement. Srila Prabhupada’s presentation is a memorable statement on the importance of the guru in spiritual life.
sakshad-dharitvena samasta-shastrair uktas tatha bhavyata eva sadbhih kintu prabhor yah priya eva tasya vande guroh sri-charanaravindam
“In the revealed scriptures it is declared that the spiritual master should be worshiped like the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and this injunction is obeyed by pure devotees of the Lord. The spiritual master is the most confidential servant of the Lord. Thus let us offer our respectful obeisances unto the lotus feet of our spiritual master.”
Today is the Appearance day of Srila Prabhupada’s Sannayasa guru, Srila Bhakti Prajana Kesava Goswami Maharaja. The following is a lecture by Srila Prabhupada remembering His God Brother and Sannayasa guru.
Disappearance Day Lecture
By His Divine Grace Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada Seattle, October 21, 1968
Prabhupāda: One has to accept the renounced order from another person who is in renounced order. So I never thought that I shall accept this renounced order of life. In my family life, when I was in the midst of my wife and children, sometimes I was dreaming my spiritual master, that he’s calling me, and I was following him. When my dream was over, I was thinking. I was little horrified. “Oh, Guru Mahārāja wants me to become sannyāsī. How can I accept sannyāsa?” At that time, I was feeling not very satisfaction that I have to give up my family and have to become a mendicant. At that time, it was a horrible feeling. Sometimes I was thinking, “No, I cannot take sannyāsa.” But again I saw the same dream. So in this way I was fortunate. My Guru Mahārāja (Prabhupāda begins to cry, choked voice) pulled me out from this material life. I have not lost anything. He was so kind upon me. I have gained. I left three children, I have got now three hundred children. So I am not loser. This is material conception. We think that we shall be loser by accepting Kṛṣṇa. Nobody is loser. I say from my practical experience. I was thinking that “How can I accept this renounced order of life? I cannot accept so much trouble.” So… But I retired from my family life. I was sitting alone in Vṛndāvana, writing books. So this, my Godbrother, he insisted me, “Bhaktivedanta prabhu…” This title was given in my family life. It was offered to me by the Vaiṣṇava society. So he insisted me. Not he insisted me. Practically my spiritual master insisted me through him, that “You accept.” Because without accepting the renounced order of life, nobody can become a preacher. So he wanted me to become a preacher. So he forced me through this Godbrother, “You accept.” So unwillingly I accepted. And then I remembered that he wanted me to go to the Western country. So I am feeling now very much obliged to my, this Godbrother, that he carried out the wish of my spiritual master and enforced me to accept this sannyāsa order.
Excerpted from Back to Godhead Magazine 1975 Vol. 10 No. 2
Five hundred years ago, Sri Krsna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, appeared in West Bengal in the role of His own pure devotee—Sri Krsna Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Lord Caitanya is considered the most munificent incarnation of Godhead because He made love for Krsna easily available through the chanting of the maha-mantra—Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna, Krsna Krsna, Hare Hare/ Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare.
When Lord Krsna appeared as Lord Caitanya, His principal associate in spreading the Krsna consciousness movement was Lord Nityananda Prabhu. Lord Nityananda is Lord Caitanya’s expansion. In other words, He is nondifferent from Lord Caitanya. The same Supreme Lord appeared in different forms—as Lord Caitanya and Lord Nityananda—to bestow mercy upon the fallen souls of the material world. This song, therefore, describes the benefits of taking shelter of Lord Nityananda Prabhu.
Srila Narottama dasa Thakura was a great devotee and spiritual master in the disciplic chain coming down from Lord Caitanya. He has written many songs, and they are recognized as authoritative by all Krsna conscious devotees. He sang these songs in simple Bengali language, but the purport—the deep meaning of his songs—is very significant. His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada has therefore explained many of these songs in English and taught them to his disciples. (Cassette recordings of Srila Prabhupada singing and explaining these songs are available from Golden Avatar Productions in Los Angeles.)
“And for all the devotees of ISKCON since you follow the teachings of Srila Prabhupada, read his books, practice what he has taught, Srila Prabhupada is the deliverer for all ISKCON devotees.”
“Srila Prabhupada is the Deliverer of all ISKCON Devotees”
By Chanchalapathi Dasa -ISKCON Bangalore
Recently I had the opportunity of interacting with a few scholars of Madhva sampradaya in Bangalore and Udupi. One of them was an elderly Sanskrit scholar, a seventy year old retired university professor, a respected teacher and follower of Madhva philosophy in Bangalore.
The discussion with him led to the subject of the theological differences between ISKCON Bangalore and ISKCON Mumbai.
In the course of the discussion, I asked the scholar: “In your sampradaya when upanayana is performed, as it is the practice, one may receive the Gayatri mantra from one’s father, uncle or grandfather – in such cases who is considered to be the deliverer of the candidate undergoing upanayana?”
He emphatically and proudly declared, “We are Madhvas! For all Madhvas, the deliverer is Sri Madhvacharya. He is our mula guru. We follow his siddhanta, his understanding, his teachings, his practices and hence he is our deliverer.”
“In case if one receives,” I continued, “the Gayatri mantra from one of sannyasis of the Madhva sampradaya, the head pontiff of a Matha, then who is considered to be the deliverer?”
He was still emphatic in his reply, “Even then the deliverer is Sri Madhvacharya alone.”
“Even if one has received the mantra from a sannyasi…?” I quizzed.
“Deliverance from the material world,” he continued, “and admittance to Vaikuntha is not a small matter. It requires exceptional spiritual qualifications and special blessings of the Lord. And for all Madhvas, Sri Madhvacharya is the one who has such powers from the Lord to deliver.”
“If Sri Madhvacharya is the deliverer,” I asked, “then what is the role played by the giver of the Gayatri mantra – may be the father, grandfather or even a sannyasi of the Madhva Matha?”
“All of them are acting as agents or representatives of Sri Madhvacharya.”
“Is this your own understanding or do all Madhvas hold this view?” was my next question.
“This is the correct understanding of all Madhvas for nearly eight centuries.” And he added further,
“This is so not only for the Madhvas, it is so for all the followers of Sri Ramanujacharya – their deliverer is Sri Ramanuja. Even for the followers of Sri Shankara, the understanding is that one who gives them brahma sayujya is Shankaracharya. There is no doubt about this.”
Next he went on to address our situation in ISKCON, “And for all the devotees of ISKCON since you follow the teachings of Srila Prabhupada, read his books, practice what he has taught, Srila Prabhupada is the deliverer for all ISKCON devotees.”
Śrīla-Prabhupāda-Stotram (Composed by Ananta-rāma Śāstrī)
Ananta Dāsa Śāstrī was a disciple of Śrīla Prabhupāda. He used to travel with Śrīla Prabhupāda in India and he was in the Sanskrit department assisting Śrīla Prabhupāda in translation work. He compiled five ślokas which describe much of Śrīla Prabhupāda’s divine character and his divine mission also. Śrīla Prabhupāda very much liked these five ślokas.
Sacha bole tomare lata…jagat harai dhana kali-yuga dukha lalge haspai . This is a Hindi verse by one devotee that this Kali-yuga is so abominable that if you speak truth, then people will come with some rod to beat you. But if you cheat them, bluff them. they’ll be bewildered (?), they’ll like it. If I say I’m God, people will say, “Oh, here is Swamiji, God.” They won’t inquire, that “How you have become God? What is the symptom of God? Have you got all the symptoms?” Nobody inquires. So these things happen. Unless one is not fixed up in the self, unless one does not understand what is real self, unless one does not understand what is Superself. So, yoga means to understand this self-realizing process. That is yoga.
“A true yogi observes Me in all beings and also sees every being in Me.”
…To see every being, everything in relationship with Krsna , that means you see Krsna everywhere. That is the prefection of yoga. As it is taught in the Bhagavad-gita, raso ‘ham apsu kaunteya prabhāsmi sasi-suryayoh: [Bg. 7.8] “I am the taste of water. I am the light of the sun and the moon.”
Bhagavad-gita Lecture 6.25-29 Recorded in Los Angeles, February 18, 1969
Prabhupāda: Page hundred and fifty-six.
Viṣṇujana: “Gradually, step by step, with full conviction, one should become situated in trance by means of intelligence, and thus the mind should be fixed on the Self alone and should think of nothing else.” [Bg. 6.25].”
Prabhupāda: Yes. The self, the mind should be fixed in self. We are self and Krsna is also self. So, just like if you fix up your eyes on the sun, then you can see the sun and yourself also. Sometimes in dense darkness we cannot see ourself also. That you have experienced. So I cannot see my body in dense darkness. Although body is with me, I am the body or I am whatever I am, I cannot see myself. That you have got experience. So if you are in the sunshine, sunlight, then you see the sun as well as yourself. Is it not? Therefore to see the self means first of all see the Supreme Self. The Supreme Self is Krsna . In the Vedas it is said, Kaṭhopaniṣad, nityo nityānāṁ cetanaś cetanānām (Katha Upanisad 2.2.13). The Supreme Self is the chief eternal of all eternals. He is the chief living being of all living beings. So this Krsna consciousness movement means to fix up in self. To, the same example. If you fix up your mind in Krsna, then you can fix up your mind in everything. The same example again, if you take care of your stomach, then you take care of all the bodily limbs. If your stomach is supplied nice nutritious food, the stomach is cleared of all disturbances then you keep good health. So if you pour water in the root of the tree, then you take care of all the branches, leaves, flowers, twigs, everything, automatically.
… Yes, from the very beginning I went to New York because I thought that Krishna Consciousness is the most important idea in the world, so let me go to that place, New York, which is the most important city in the world, and if I am able to do anything for Krishna and my Spiritual Master, even I am at the fag-end of my life, at least let me try for it there. So my dreams have all come true, and all of you nice boys and girls are getting the credit. When I was alone in your New York, I was thinking, who will listen to me in this horrible, sinful place? All right, I shall stay little longer, at least I can distribute a few of my books, that is something. But Krishna was all along preparing something I could not see, and He brought you to me one by one, sincere American boys and girls, to be trained-up for doing the work of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Now I can see that it is a miracle. Otherwise, your city of New York, one single old man, with only a few books to sell for barely getting eatables, how he can survive, what to speak of introducing God-consciousness movement for saving the humankind? That is Krishna’s miracle. Now I can see it. (Letter to Sudama, December 23, 1972)
So today in America Martin Luther King Day is being observed. Although his main intent was to fight for the equality of African-Americans during the 1960s, Martin Luther King, Jr.’s quotes about nonviolence are still relevant today.
I thought it might be fitting to do a post on Ahimsa, nonviolence. Ahimsa, nonviolence, means that one should not do anything which will put others into misery or confusion. That which furthers the future spiritual happiness of the people in general is called nonviolence.
Violence is an ongoing cycle that is hard to break, and in todays world, violence is an epidemic.
(Photo:1969, Srila Prabhupada at Boston Harbor, where the Jaladutta arrived in 1965 USA)……
Prabhupada: When I was first in Boston, I was thinking on the ship that “I have come to preach here Krsna consciousness. I see these people are so much addicted to so many nonsense things. How I shall convince them? What shall I tell them? How they will understand me? It is a complete different culture, complete different…” I was thinking like that. “Anyway, when Krsna has sent me, let me try; otherwise I shall go back.” Yes. Actually I was thinking like that. I never thought that so many boys and girls will understand me and work with me. From the very beginning I was thinking that “It is impossible, because their mode of living, their mode of culture — everything is different. And I have brought Krsna consciousness. I will have to say, ‘You don’t take meat, you don’t take intoxication, don’t have illicit sex.’ How they will be able to do that?” I was thinking. But by Krsna’s grace everything is possible. That is my practical experience. (Srimad-Bhagavatam 7.9.8–11 – March 19, 1969, Hawaii)
Happy New Year! We all hope for a happy life and peaceful world, but still we see so much violence and war happening around the world. The strict law of karma deals measure for measure with anyone who violates the laws of nature. As long as the people of the world continue to murder and eat animals, they will perpetually suffer the sinful reactions of criminal violence and catastrophic wars. That is why I believe this to be a proper first post for the New Year. -V
The Case Against Animal Slaughter
(excerpted from Back to Godhead Magazine January 1976, Vol. 11 No. 1)
From the standpoints of health, economics and ethics, animal slaughter andmeat-eating are detrimental to human society.
1. Slaughtering animals causes extreme suffering. Animals are sentient creatures with feelings like humans. Cows especially can sense that they are going to be slaughtered, and they live in constant fear.
2. We have no right to artificially end the life of any creature, especially that of a cow, who nurses her own offspring and the whole human society with her milk.
3. Killing animals breeds insensitivity toward all beings, sadism and general irreverence. Pythagoras taught, “Those who kill animals for food will be more prone than vegetarians to torture and kill their fellow men.”
The strict law of karma deals measure for measure with anyone who violates the laws of nature. As long as the people of the world continue to murder and eat their two most benign friends, the cow and bull, they will perpetually suffer the sinful reactions of criminal violence and catastrophic wars.
Question: How Many Persons are Benefitted from Book Distribution?…………
Prabhupada: Whoever gets a book is benefitted. If he reads the book he is benefitted still more, or if he gives the book to someone else for reading, both he and the other person is benefitted. Even if one does not read the book but simply holds if and sees it, he is benefitted. If he simply gives small donation towards the work of Krsna consciousness he is benefitted. And anyone who distributes these transcendental literatures, he is also benefitted. ( Letter to: German Disciples — Bombay May 6, 1977)
“I liked Prabhupada’s humbleness. I always liked his humility and his simplicity. The servant of the servant of the servant is really what it is, you know. None of us are God—just His servants. He just made me feel so comfortable. I always felt very relaxed with him, and I felt more like a friend. I felt that he was a good friend. Even though he was at the time seventy-nine years old, working practically all through the night, day after day, with very little sleep, he still didn’t come through to me as though he was a very highly educated intellectual being, because he had a sort of childlike simplicity. Which is great, fantastic. Even though he was the greatest Sanskrit scholar and a saint, I appreciated the fact that he never made me feel uncomfortable. In fact, he always went out of his way to make me feel comfortable. I always thought of him as sort of a lovely friend, really, and now he’s still a lovely friend.
“That was the thing about Prabhupada, you see. He didn’t just talk about loving Krishna and getting out of this place, but he was the perfect example. He talked about always chanting, and he was always chanting. I think that that in itself was perhaps the most encouraging thing for me. It was enough to make me try harder, to be just a little bit better. He was a perfect example of everything he preached.
Recently, while discussing Srila Prabhupada and his glories with a younger devotee, I was surprised to hear him say, “You’re so lucky. You got Srila Prabhupada, but what about us?” Startled by hearing such a despondent remark by a newcomer who should be brimming with hope and enthusiasm in Krsna consciousness, I proceeded to explain that Srila Prabhupada is, in fact, as present now as he has ever been. Throughout his books, letters and conversations, Srila Prabhupada emphasized this point again and again, so there should be no cause for misunderstanding.
In 1975, when asked by a reporter in Berkeley what would happen to the movement after his departure, Srila Prabhupada replied, “I will never die. I will live forever in my books.” In the Caitanya-caritamrta (Adi-lila 1.35, purport), Srila Prabhupada explains, “There is no difference between the spiritual master’s instructions and the spiritual master himself.” Further assuring us all, Prabhupada spoke the following words just prior to his departure in 1977: “If I depart, there is no cause for lamentation. I will always be with you through my books and my orders. I will always remain with you in that way.”
This whole month of Damodara, (Kartik) we have been reading and relishing the KRSNA book. The stories and pastimes are so incredible and fascinating, and so beautiful. Srila Prabhupada explains the pastimes and activities of Krishna so wonderfully and as a matter of fact, it is easy to understand. And believe. Reading or hearing from Krishna’s pure representative, is the best and only way to understand the Absolute Truth.
Question: What are the Two Processes that a Devotee must Perform to Clear the Mind of all Doubts?
Prabhupada: You are experiencing some doubts, that you cannot believe that the Krishna from Krishna Book can be the Supreme Personality of Godhead, that it must be like some fairy-tale. To clear up these things the best remedy is to discuss amongst yourselves all members regularly all our books in classes, then these doubts will be killed. Without reading books it becomes hackneyed and such obnoxious ideas trouble us. Our thoughts are always changing, that is the nature of the mind, so you cannot expect that even the great saintly persons are free from thoughts coming and going. But after thinking there is feeling and willing, willing being the stage of putting the thoughts into action. So if we are able to employ our intelligence, then we kill the thoughts before they become manifest in activity, but because we are so much inclined to enjoy something unintelligently, we have to therefore daily sharpen our intelligence faculty by reading and discussing and preaching to others. In this way we are able very easily to defeat all challengers to our philosophy and everything becomes very clear as it is revealed from different angles of vision. Krishna makes promise to one who is striving to serve Him sincerely that He will give such devotee the intelligence by which he may come to Him. Therefore we should always pray that Krishna may kindly provide me the intelligence to kill all demons of doubt, and because He understands the heart of His sincere devotee, immediately He gives assistance. For my part, for example, I am absolutely certain that anyone who challenges me I can defeat you. Why is that? Because Krishna gives me the intelligence. (Letter to: Satyabhama — Mayapur 28 February, 1972)
I have been very much enjoying the daily post that Gargumuni Prabhu is posting on his Facebook page. Questions & Answers.
Is there Sex Life in Vaikuntha?
Prabhupada: For example: sex life, the most prominent feature of this material world. This sex life is explained in Srimad-Bhagavatam, 3rd Canto, in the explanation of Vaikuntha world, when it is said that in the Vaikuntha planets, the women or the fair sex is many many more times beautiful, well-constructed, their face and smiling more attractive, their breasts and hips are very high, and they clearly and freely mix with male devotees,, But their strong sense of devotion towards the Lord and being absorbed in Krishna Consciousness, all the features of womanly beauty cannot stimulate their sex passion. In the material world the same reflection of beauty and bodily features at once stimulate sex passion. Therefore, the enjoyment of opposite sex in the Vaikuntha world has no action of sex life whereas in the material world the perverted reflection of beauty has resultant action of sex life which is the cause of dragging material existence. So the description of the Vaikuntha life is nirguna, and the description of worldly life is sahaguna. Our devotional activities are executed by transferring epithet; our senses are there, they are acting pervertedly and putting us into difficulty. (Letter to: Janardana — Los Angeles 21 January, 1968)
Prabhupada: The women there are hundreds and thousands of times more beautiful than the women here in this material world, and the spiritual atmosphere is also many times better. Yet despite the pleasant atmosphere, the minds of the denizens do not become agitated because in the spiritual world, the Vaikuntha planets, the spiritualistic minds of the inhabitants are so much absorbed in the spiritual vibration of chanting the glories of the Lord that such enjoyment could not be surpassed by any other enjoyment, even sex, which is the culmination of all pleasure in the material world. In other words, in the Vaikuntha world, in spite of its better atmosphere and facilities, there is no impetus for sex life. As stated in Bhagavad-gita (2.59), param drstva nivartate: the inhabitants are so spiritually enlightened that in the presence of such spirituality, sex life is insignificant. ( SB 4.6.30)
Today we celebrate Govardhana-puja with a chapter from Srila Prabhupada’s Krsna Book, entitled “Worshiping Govardhana Hill”
Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead By His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda Chapter 24
Worshiping Govardhana Hill
While engaged with the brāhmaṇas who were too involved in the performance of Vedic sacrifices, Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma also saw that the cowherd men were preparing a similar sacrifice in order to pacify Indra, the King of heaven, who is responsible for supplying water. As stated in the Caitanya-caritāmṛta, a devotee of Kṛṣṇa has strong and firm faith in the understanding that if he is simply engaged in Kṛṣṇa consciousness and Kṛṣṇa’s transcendental loving service, then he is freed from all other obligations. A pure devotee of Lord Kṛṣṇa doesn’t have to perform any of the ritualistic functions enjoined in the Vedas; nor is he required to worship any demigods. Being a devotee of Lord Kṛṣṇa, one is understood to have performed all kinds of Vedic rituals and all kinds of worship to the demigods. Just by performing the Vedic ritualistic ceremonies or worshiping the demigods, one does not develop devotional service for Kṛṣṇa but one who is engaged fully in the service of the Lord has already finished all Vedic injunctions.
Kṛṣṇa ordered a stop to all such activities by His devotees, for He wanted to firmly establish exclusive devotional service during His presence in Vṛndāvana. Kṛṣṇa knew that the cowherd men were preparing for the Indra sacrifice beause He is the omniscient Personality of Godhead, but as a matter of etiquette, He began to inquire with great honor and submission from elder personalities like Mahārāja Nanda and others.
Kṛṣṇa asked His father, “My dear father, what is this arrangement going on for a great sacrifice? What is the result of such sacrifice, and for whom is it meant? How is it performed? Will you kindly let Me know? I am very anxious to know this procedure, so please explain to Me the purpose of this sacrifice.” Upon this inquiry, His father, Nanda Mahārāja, remained silent, thinking that his young boy would not be able to understand the intricacies of performing the yajña. Kṛṣṇa, however, persisted: “My dear father, for those who are liberal and saintly, there is no secrecy. They do not think anyone to be a friend or enemy because they are always open to everyone. And even for those who are not so liberal, nothing should be secret for the family members and friends, although secrecy may be maintained for persons who are inimical. Therefore you cannot keep any secrets from Me. All persons are engaged in fruitive activities. Some know what these activities are, and they know the result, and some execute activities without knowing the purpose or the result. A person who acts with full knowledge gets the full result; one who acts without knowledge does not get such a perfect result. Therefore, please let Me know the purpose of the sacrifice which you are going to perform. Is it according to Vedic injunction? Or is it simply a popular ceremony? Kindly let Me know in detail about the sacrifice.”
Today marks the Disappearance Day of Narottama Dasa Thakur.
This is a very nice song by Narottama dasa Thakura who says; Anyone who has accepted the two lotus feet of Lord Caitanya can understand the true essence of devotional service. Therefore, Narottama dasa Thakura prays that one take shelter of Lord Caitanya and follow in His footsteps.
We have included the Bengali/Elglish transliteration, translation, and 2 different purports by His Divine Grace Srila Prabhupada.
Anyone who has accepted the two lotus feet of Lord Caitanya can understand the true essence of devotional service. If one is captivated by the pleasing pastimes of Lord Caitanya, the dirty things in his heart will all become cleansed. (from the Songs of the Vaisnava Araryas)
Call me old-fashioned, but sometimes I hate to see new things introduced, to the process and standards, Srila Prabhupada has given us.
…The greatest danger to our movement will come when we manufacture and create our own process for worshiping the Deities. So don’t ask any more new questions, whatever is going on, follow it just to the exact standard as I have given you, that’s all. (Srila Prabhupada letter to Dhruvavanda 1973)
Now you are asking if Lord Jagannatha carries flute? Why this nonsense question? You are asking me so many concoctions and manufactured nonsense. Don’t bother my head in this way any more. From now on unless I order you do something change or in addition, go on with the usual standard way. You manufacture ideas and then I have to waste my time. I have given you everything already, there is no need for you to add anything or change anything. Why you are asking these things? Who has given you such freedom? (Srila Prabhupada letter to Dhruvavanda 1973)
In 1975 Prabhupada confirmed the process of offering prasadam to the Deities:
“The process is that what ever we offer to the Deity, that is offered to guru. And guru offers to his guru. In this way goes to Krsna. We don’t directly offer Radha-Krsna. No. We have no right. Neither He accepts in that way. The pictures of the acaryas, why are they there? Actually, one has to offer the plate to his guru, and he’ll offer his guru, he offers his guru, his guru. In this way it will go to Krsna. That is the process. You cannot directly approach Krsna or other subordinates to Krsna. That is not possible.
The Hare Krishna Movement 