Bhagavad-gītā As It Is Complete 1972 Edition
By His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Chapter Fiveteen
The Yoga of the Supreme Person
14 Sep 2013 Leave a comment
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The Bliss Tasted by Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī
12 Sep 2013 Leave a comment
in A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Caaitanya-caritamrta, Caitanya Mahaprabhu, Sri Caitanya-Caritamrta, Srimati Radharani Tags: A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, appearance of srimati radharani, bliss tasted by radharani, conjugal sentiment, Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, Lord Sri Krsna, love of God, Radha, Radharani, Radhastami, Srimati Radharani, sweetness personified, transcendental love
In one of our previous posts “The Confidential Reasons for Lord Caitanya’s Appearance” The chapter summary described that:
Lord Caitanya appeared for three principal purposes of His own. The first purpose was to relish the position of Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī, who is the prime reciprocator of transcendental love of Śrī Kṛṣṇa. Lord Kṛṣṇa is the reservoir of transcendental loving transactions with Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī.
The third reason that Lord Caitanya appeared was to enjoy the bliss tasted by Rādhārāṇī…Kṛṣṇa is the transcendental male, and Rādhārāṇī is the transcendental female. Therefore, to know the transcendental pleasure of loving Kṛṣṇa, Lord Kṛṣṇa Himself appeared as Lord Caitanya, accepting the emotions and bodily luster of Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī.
Today in honor of the appearance of Srimati Radharani, we are posting more from this nectarean chapter More
Teachings of Lord Kapila, the Son of Devahūti (Foreword)
10 Sep 2013 Leave a comment
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Teachings of Lord Kapila, the Son of Devahūti
By His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Foreword
Kapila Muni, a renowned sage of antiquity, is the author of the philosophical system known as Sāṅkhya, which forms an important part of India’s ancient philosophical heritage. Sāṅkhya is both a system of metaphysics, dealing with the elemental principles of the physical universe, and a system of spiritual knowledge, with its own methodology, culminating in full consciousness of the Supreme Absolute. Kapila, however, is not an ordinary philosopher or sage. According to Vedic tradition, the tradition of India’s ancient scriptural literature, He Himself is an avatāra (incarnation) of the Supreme Absolute Truth.
Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead (Free PDF Download)
08 Sep 2013 1 Comment
in A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Free Downloads, Free eBooks, KRSNA The Supreme Personality of Godhead Tags: 1970 Edition, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, download free pdf, free, ISKCON Press, Krsna, one thousandth post, pdf download, scanned copy of Krsna, Srila Prabhupada, The Hare Krishna Movement, The Supreme Personality of Godhead, theharekrishnamovement, Vol. 1
This marks our one thousandth post! So we are putting up our favorite book; “Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead” Vol. 1, as a Free PDF Download. You can click on following link to view the entire scanned book, and or save it.
KRSNA_Book_Vol.1_1970_ISKCON_Press_edition_SCAN
Fear of Death
08 Sep 2013 1 Comment
in A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Death and Dying, KRSNA The Supreme Personality of Godhead Tags: 1970 Edition, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, bhoja dynasty, bugles, chariot, conchshells, death, death and dying, demigod, demon, Devaki, devotee, devotional service, drums, Kamsa, kettledrums, Krishna, Krsna The Supreme Personality of Godhead, musical instruments, Vasudeva
…Once upon a time, Vasudeva, the son of Śūrasena, just after marrying Devakī, was going home on his chariot with his newly wedded wife.
While the bride and bridegroom were passing along on the chariot, there were different kinds of musical instruments playing to indicate the auspicious moment. There were conchshells, bugles, drums and kettledrums; combined together, they were vibrating a nice concert. The procession was passing very pleasingly, and Kaṁsa was driving the chariot, when suddenly there was a miraculous sound vibrated from the sky which especially announced to Kaṁsa: “Kaṁsa: you are such a fool. You are driving the chariot of your sister and your brother-in-law, but you do not know that the eighth child of this sister will kill you.”
Kaṁsa was the son of Ugrasena, of the Bhoja dynasty. It is said that Kaṁsa was the most demoniac of all the Bhoja dynasty kings. Immediately after hearing the prophecy from the sky, he caught hold of Devakī’s hair and was just about to kill her with his sword. Vasudeva was astonished at Kaṁsa’s behavior, and in order to pacify the cruel, shameless brother-in-law, he began to speak as follows, with great reason and evidence. He said, “My dear brother-in-law Kaṁsa, you are the most famous king of the Bhoja dynasty, and people know that you are the greatest warrior and a valiant king. How is it that you are so infuriated that you are prepared to kill a woman who is your own sister at this auspicious time of her marriage? Why should you be so much afraid of death? Death is already born along with your birth. From the very day you took your birth, you began to die.(Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Chapter 1)
On Janmastami day I decided to start reading the Kṛṣṇa Book over again. I don’t know how many times I have read it but unlike mundane literature, it becomes more and more transcendentally relishable with every reading. In this first chapter entitled “The Advent of Lord Kṛṣṇa”, Vasudeva, in his attempt to pacify Kaṁsa, spoke this very famous lesson about death…
The Confidential Reasons for Lord Caitanya’s Appearance
07 Sep 2013 1 Comment
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“Lord Kṛṣṇa desired to taste the limitless nectarean mellows of the love of one of His multitude of loving damsels [Śrī Rādhā], and so He has assumed the form of Lord Caitanya. He has tasted that love while hiding His own dark complexion with Her effulgent yellow color. May that Lord Caitanya confer upon us His grace.”(This is the third verse of the second Caitanyāṣṭaka of Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī’s Stava-mālā.)
Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta
By His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Summary of Ādi-līlā, Chapter 4
The Confidential Reasons for Lord Caitanya’s Appearance
In this chapter of the epic Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Kṛṣṇadāsa Kavirāja Gosvāmī has stressed that Lord Caitanya appeared for three principal purposes of His own. The first purpose was to relish the position of Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī, who is the prime reciprocator of transcendental love of Śrī Kṛṣṇa. Lord Kṛṣṇa is the reservoir of transcendental loving transactions with Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī. The subject of those loving transactions is the Lord Himself, and Rādhārāṇī is the object. Thus the subject, the Lord, wanted to relish the loving mellow in the position of the object, Rādhārāṇī.
The second reason for His appearance was to understand the transcendental mellow of Himself. Lord Kṛṣṇa is all sweetness. Rādhārāṇī’s attraction for Kṛṣṇa is sublime, and to experience that attraction and understand the transcendental sweetness of Himself, He accepted the mentality of Rādhārāṇī.
The third reason that Lord Caitanya appeared was to enjoy the bliss tasted by Rādhārāṇī. The Lord thought that undoubtedly Rādhārāṇī enjoyed His company and He enjoyed the company of Rādhārāṇī, but the exchange of transcendental mellow between the spiritual couple was more pleasing to Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī than to Śrī Kṛṣṇa. Rādhārāṇī felt more transcendental pleasure in the company of Kṛṣṇa than He could understand without taking Her position, but for Śrī Kṛṣṇa to enjoy in the position of Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī was impossible because that position was completely foreign to Him. Kṛṣṇa is the transcendental male, and Rādhārāṇī is the transcendental female. Therefore, to know the transcendental pleasure of loving Kṛṣṇa, Lord Kṛṣṇa Himself appeared as Lord Caitanya, accepting the emotions and bodily luster of Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī.
Lord Caitanya appeared to fulfill these confidential desires and also to preach the special significance of chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare, and to answer the call of Advaita Prabhu. These were secondary reasons.
The Beauty of Kṛṣṇa
06 Sep 2013 Leave a comment
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“The gopīs used to relish the beauty of Kṛṣṇa as a ceremony of perpetual enjoyment. They enjoyed the beautiful face of Kṛṣṇa, His beautiful ears with earrings, His broad forehead and His smile, and when enjoying this sight of Kṛṣṇa’s beauty, they used to criticize the creator Brahmā for causing their vision of Kṛṣṇa to be momentarily impeded by the blinking of their eyelids.” (Teachings of Lord Caitanya Chapter 10)
The beauty of Lord Kṛṣṇa increases at the sight of the beauty of the gopīs. And the more the gopīs see Lord Kṛṣṇa’s beauty, the more their beauty increases. (Cc. Adi 4.192)
“May the pastimes of Śrī Kṛṣṇa reduce the miseries existing in the material world and nullify all unwanted desires. The pastimes of the Supreme Personality of Godhead are like śikhariṇī, a blend of yogurt and sugar candy. They overpower the pride of even the nectar produced on the moon, for they distribute the sweet fragrance of the concentrated loving affairs of Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī and the gopīs.” (Cc. Antya 1.128)
Summer Sessions With Srila Prabhupada
04 Sep 2013 Leave a comment
in A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Back to Godhead, Krsna Consciousness, Visakha devi dasi Tags: A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Back to Godhead Magazine, Book Distribution, BTG, His Divine Grace, hot off the press, preaching Krishna consciousness, Srila Prabhupada, transcontinental jet, traveling emissary, Visakha devi dasi
As a young devotee/book distributor, we were always anxious to see the new Back to Godhead Magazines “Hot off the Press”, and distribute them to the public. This was one article written by Visakha devi dasi that I fondly remember. Whenever I got tired out on book distribution, I would think of Srila Prabhupada’s rigorous schedule, and it would inspire me to continue on. Srila Prabhupada was tireless in his preaching and generous in giving others his divine association.
Summer Sessions With Srila Prabhupada
Excerpted from Back to Godhead Magazine 1975, Vol. 10, No 10
Article by Visakha devi dasi
In five cities and on a transcontinental jet, His Divine Grace spends a typical month at his favorite pastime—teaching Krsna Consciousness.
He’s probably logged as much flight time in the past ten years as any other traveling emissary. His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada has gone around the world twelve times visiting his ISKCON centers, lecturing and insuring a high standard of spiritual life among his disciples. The author traveled with him this past summer as he shuttled from West to East coast and back again, holding informal meetings and having dialogues with those who came to ask questions no one else could answer.
Kṛṣṇa-kathā, Part 2
03 Sep 2013 Leave a comment
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The position of Mahārāja Parīkṣit and Śukadeva Gosvāmī is unique. Mahārāja Parīkṣit is the right person to hear about the transcendental pastimes of Kṛṣṇa, and Śukadeva Gosvāmī is the right person to describe them. If such a fortunate combination is made possible, then Kṛṣṇa-kathā immediately becomes revealed, and people may benefit to the highest possible degree from such a conversation.
Kṛṣṇa-kathā
30 Aug 2013 1 Comment
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Here is a another word for your vaisnava vocabulary; Kṛṣṇa-kathā. The following is from the Introduction to the Krsna Book and how narrations describing the transcendental activities of the Lord are relished by liberated souls. But whether one is liberated or is trying to be liberated, or is even grossly materialistic, the pastimes of Lord Kṛṣṇa are worth studying. The more people know about Kṛṣṇa, the more they will be perfectly benefited in this human form of life.
…Kṛṣṇa-kathā means narrations about Kṛṣṇa. There are two kṛṣṇa-kathās: narrations spoken by Kṛṣṇa and narrations spoken about Kṛṣṇa. Bhagavad-gītā is the narration or the philosophy or the science of God, spoken by Kṛṣṇa Himself. Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is the narration about the activities and transcendental pastimes of Kṛṣṇa. Both are Kṛṣṇa-kathā. It is the order of Lord Caitanya that Kṛṣṇa-kathā should be spread all over the world, because if the conditioned souls, suffering under the pangs of material existence, take to Kṛṣṇa-kathā, then their path of liberation will be open and clear. The purpose of presenting this book is primarily to induce people to understand Kṛṣṇa or Kṛṣṇa-kathā, because thereby they can become freed from material bondage. (from introduction to “Krsna, The Supreme Personality of Godhead”)
A Brief Sketch of the Life of A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
29 Aug 2013 Leave a comment
in A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Srila Prabhupada Conversations, Vyas-puja Tags: A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Abhay Charan, Founder Acarya of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness, Gour Mohan De Srimati Radharani, Iskcon, Rajani Devi, vaishnavas
Allahabad 1924: (sitting) Srila Prabhupada and his son Prayag Raj; his father Gour Mohan; his eldest sister Rajesvari with his daughter Sulakshman, (standing) Srila Prabhupada’s wife Radharani; his nephew Tulasi and his brother Krishna Charan.
I ran across this nice image of Srila Prabhupada and his family while doing an image search on Google. This is a very nice older image of Srila Prabhupada, one that I had never seen before, taken with his family. Following the link, it brought me to a very nice biography which we also share with you on this eve to Sri Vyasa-puja. We thank the author who compiled this brief sketch of the life of our spiritual master His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada.
Today is the Appearance of His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, so there is a half day fast followed by a mid day feast in honor of Srila Prabhupada.
The Most Blessed Event; Sri Vyasa-puja
28 Aug 2013 Leave a comment
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The Most Blessed Event: Sri Vyasa-puja
by Vyasasan das
Dear Srila Prabhupada,
On this most blessed and auspicious day, the celebration of your appearance; Sri Vyasa-puja
Please let me offer my respectful obeisances:
om ajñāna-timirāndhasya jñānāñjana-śalākayā
cakṣur unmīlitaṁ yena tasmai śrī-gurave namaḥ
I offer my respectful obeisances unto you, for you have opened my eyes, which were blinded by the darkness of ignorance, with the torchlight of knowledge.
It is impossible to guarantee the authenticity of the emotions of a conditioned soul such as myself, but I think that I can honestly say, that in this lifetime, I have never loved anyone more than I love you.
And what is this love?
This love is simply the realization that in this life you are my dear most friend, my ever well wisher, my teacher and spiritual master, and above all my constant companion.
Yes my constant companion.
People, friends, family, loved ones have come and gone throughout the course of my life, but you have remained the one constant in my entire adult life.
Janmāṣṭamī; Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s Appearance Day Lecture
28 Aug 2013 1 Comment
in A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Festivals, Janmastami, Lectures Tags: A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Gaurasundara, govindam adi-purusam, Hamsaduta, Hasn, Janmastami, krishna's birthday, Lecture by Srila Prabhupada, Lord Krsna's appearance day, Lord Sri Krsna, Mukunda, prabhupada, Pradyumna, Yamuna devi
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Today, being Janmastami, we thought we should include a lecture given by Srila Prabhupada on Janmastami. The following lecture given on August 16, 1968, in Montreal Canada, is very sweet and reminiscent of how this society grew in a very personal and organic way. With Srila Prabhupada inviting his students and guests to speak on their realizations of Krsna, and Krsna Consciousness.
…So today is that auspicious day, Janmāṣṭamī, when Lord Kṛṣṇa appeared five thousand years ago in India, Mathurā. Those who are Indian ladies and gentlemen present, they know very well where is Mathurā. It is about ninety miles south of New Delhi. Mathurā is still existing and it is eternally existing. Kṛṣṇa appeared in Mathurā in His maternal uncle’s house in a very precarious condition. That birthplace, Lord Kṛṣṇa’s birthplace, is now maintained very nicely. One who goes to India, they see.
So anyway, Lord Kṛṣṇa appeared on this planet five thousand years ago. Now Kṛṣṇa says, janma karma me divyam [Bg. 4.9]. Divyam means “not ordinary.” It should not be understood just like we take our birth. Kṛṣṇa does not take his birth like us.
…So we shall invite today to speak about Kṛṣṇa from our students, as well as all the members who are present here. So I shall request Janārdana to speak something about his realization of Kṛṣṇa. (pause) All right. Let him speak.
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Krishna Janmastami
27 Aug 2013 Leave a comment
in A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Festivals, Krishna, KRSNA The Supreme Personality of Godhead Tags: A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, auspicious birth of the lord, baby krisnha, Birth of Lord Krsna, Janmastami, Krishna Janmastami, Krsna Janmastami, Lord's appearance, Mother Yasoda, Yashoda
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Today we honor the Birth of Lord Krishna, otherwise known as Krishna Janmastami. On Janmastami, the devotees of Lord Krishna observe a fast till midnight, followed by an Ekadasi Feast. Today we honor the auspicious event with this beautiful image of Mother Yaśodā bathing Lord Krishna, and the very first chapter of Krsna Book, entitled “Birth of Lord Kṛṣṇa”.
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The Spiritual Sky
26 Aug 2013 Leave a comment
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The liberated living entities seek that place where there are no material miseries. The Bhāgavatam says:
samāśritā ye padapallava-plavaṁ
mahat-padaṁ puṇya-yaśo murāreḥ
bhāvambudhir vatsa-padaṁ paraṁ padaṁ
paraṁ padaṁ yad vipadāṁ na teṣām
(Bhāg. 10.14.58)
“For one who has accepted the boat of the lotus feet of the Lord, who is the shelter of the cosmic manifestation and is famous as Mukunda or the giver of mukti, the ocean of the material world is like the water contained in a calf’s hoofprint. Param padam, or the place where there are no material miseries, or Vaikuṇṭha, is his goal, not the place where there is danger in every step of life.” (From purport to Bg. 2.51)
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The Highest Perfection
24 Aug 2013 Leave a comment
in A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Krsna Consciousness, KRSNA The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krsna-katha, Spiritual Life, Spiritual World Tags: A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, bees and drones, gopis, gopis in Vrndavana, Krishna and Balarama, krsna tending the cows, Krsna The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krsna's flute, The Gopīs Attracted by the Flute
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Kṛṣṇa was very pleased with the atmosphere of the forest where flowers bloomed and bees and drones hummed very jubilantly. While the birds, trees and branches were all looking very happy, Kṛṣṇa, tending the cows, accompanied by Śrī Balarāma and the cowherd boys, began to vibrate His transcendental flute. After hearing the vibration of the flute of Kṛṣṇa, the gopīs in Vṛndāvana remembered Him and began to talk amongst themselves about how nicely Kṛṣṇa was playing His flute. When the gopīs were describing the sweet vibration of Kṛṣṇa’s flute, they also remembered their pastimes with Him; thus their minds became disturbed, and they were unable to describe completely the beautiful vibrations. While discussing the transcendental vibration, they remembered also how Kṛṣṇa dressed, decorated with a peacock feather on His head, just like a dancing actor, and with blue flowers pushed over His ear. His garment glowed yellow-gold, and He was garlanded with a vaijayantī necklace. Dressed in such an attractive way, Kṛṣṇa filled up the holes of His flute with the nectar emanating from His lips. So they remembered Him, entering the forest of Vṛndāvana, which is always glorified by the footprints of Kṛṣṇa and His companions.
Kṛṣṇa was very expert in playing the flute, and the gopīs were captivated by the sound vibration, which was not only attractive to them, but to all living creatures who heard it. One of the gopīs told her friends, “The highest perfection of the eyes is to see Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma entering the forest and playing Their flutes and tending the cows with Their friends.”
Persons who are constantly engaged in the transcendental meditation of seeing Kṛṣṇa, internally and externally, by thinking of Him playing the flute and entering the Vṛndāvana forest, have really attained the perfection of samādhi. Samādhi (trance) means absorption of all the activities of the senses on a particular object, and the gopīs indicate that the pastimes of Kṛṣṇa are the perfection of all meditation and samādhi. It is also confirmed in the Bhagavad-gītā that anyone who is always absorbed in the thought of Kṛṣṇa is the topmost of all yogīs. (KRSNA The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Vol 1, Chapter 21)
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Sanātana Gosvāmī
23 Aug 2013 Leave a comment
in A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Caitanya Mahaprabhu, Devotional Service, Sanatana Goswami, Teachings of Lord Chaitanya Tags: A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, devotee of the Lord, devotional service, disciple, Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu, Sanatana Goswami, spiritual master, spiritual science, spiritual subject matters, Teachings of Lord Caitanya
This morning I was inclined to do a post about the special mercy of the devotee of the Lord, by whose mercy one can make spiritual advancement. So we chose the chapter from “Teachings of Lord Caitanya” entitled “Sanātana Gosvāmī”
The instructions and teachings of Lord Caitanya are very important for people in general. He teaches the process of devotional service, which is the constitutional occupation of every living entity, for it is every man’s duty to advance in spiritual science. Many subjects were thoroughly discussed in the talks between Lord Caitanya and Sanātana Gosvāmī. Due to the mercy of Lord Caitanya, Sanātana was able to put important questions before Him, and these questions were replied to properly.
“I offer my respectful obeisances unto Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu, by whose mercy even a person in the lowest form of life can find direction in transcendental devotional service to the Lord.” (Cc. Madhya 20.1)
…when Sanātana entered the courtyard, Lord Caitanya hurriedly came to see and embrace him. When the Lord embraced him, Sanātana became overwhelmed with spiritual ecstasy, and he said, “My dear Lord, please do not touch me.” But both of them embraced each other and began to cry. Seeing Sanātana and Lord Caitanya acting thus, Candraśekhara was struck with wonder. At length, Caitanya Mahāprabhu asked Sanātana to sit down with Him on a bench. He was touching the body of Sanātana with His hand, and Sanātana asked Him again, “My dear Lord, please do not touch me.”
“I am touching you just for My purification,” the Lord replied, “for you are a great devotee. By your devotional service you can deliver the whole universe and enable everyone to go back to Godhead.”
The Lord proceeded to quote a verse from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam to the effect that a person who is a devotee of Lord Kṛṣṇa and is one hundred percent engaged in devotional service is far better than a brāhmaṇa who is versed in all the Vedic literatures but who does not engage in the devotional service of the Lord. Because he is carrying the Supreme Lord within his heart, the devotee can purify everyplace and everything.
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Attachment to Krsna is the Highest Goal
20 Aug 2013 Leave a comment
in A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Krishna Nectar, KRSNA The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krsna-katha, Queens of Dwarka Tags: A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, back to Godhead, blooming lotus flowers, ducks and cranes, ever-blissful, goddesses of fortune, gopis, impesonalists, Krishna, Krsna, Krsna The Supreme Personality of Godhead, kunkuma, lakes were full of beautiful swans, queens of Dwarka, red vermilion, saffron powder, Spiritual world
This is a post I have wanted to do for some time, and have waited for an auspicious day like today, on Lord Balarama’s appearance to post it. This is some of the nectar from the concluding chapter of Krsna, The Supreme Personality of Godhead, by our Srila Prabhupada. And the above image is one of my most favorite pictures from the book. This picture has always captivated my imagination and I am convinced that if ever I return Home, Back to Godhead, life with God (Krsna) would be very enjoyable. Eternal, full of knowledge and bliss (sat-cit-ananda)
…The crystal-clear water of the lakes contained many blooming lotus flowers of different colors like blue, yellow, white and red, and the saffron powder from the lotus flowers was blown all around by the breeze. All the lakes were full of beautiful swans, ducks and cranes, crying occasionally with melodious sounds. Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa sometimes entered those lakes, or sometimes the rivers, with His wives and enjoyed swimming pastimes with them in full jubilation. Sometimes the wives of Lord Kṛṣṇa, who were all goddesses of fortune, would embrace the Lord in the midst of the water while swimming or taking bath, and the red vermilion of kuṅkuma decorating the beauty of their breasts would adorn the chest of the Lord with a reddish color.
The impersonalists would not dare believe that in the spiritual world there are such varieties of enjoyment, but in order to demonstrate the factual, ever-blissful enjoyment in the spiritual world, Lord Kṛṣṇa descended on this planet and showed that the spiritual world is not devoid of such pleasurable facilities of life. The only difference is that in the spiritual world such facilities are eternal, never-ending occurrences, whereas in the material world they are simply impermanent perverted reflections. When Lord Kṛṣṇa was engaged in such enjoyment, the Gandharvas and professional musicians would glorify Him with melodious musical concerts, accompanied by mṛdaṅgas, drums, kettledrums, stringed instruments and brass bugles, and the whole atmosphere would change into a greatly festive celebration. In a festive mood, the wives of the Lord would sometimes sprinkle water on the Lord’s body with a syringe-like instrument, and the Lord would similarly wet the bodies of the queens.
Appearance Day of Lord Balarama
19 Aug 2013 Leave a comment
in A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Balarama, Festivals, KRSNA The Supreme Personality of Godhead Tags: A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Balvala, Dantavakra, Krsna The Supreme Personality of Godhead, ksatriya, Lord Balarama, military etiquette, plow, Romaharsana, Viduratha, Vyasadeva, Vyasasana
In honor of the Appearance Day of Lord Balarama, we are posting a chapter from the Krsna Book, entitled ” The Killing of Dantavakra, Vidūratha and Romaharṣaṇa”. Some of the pastimes the Lord performed during His advent was the killing of demons. As is stated in the Bhagavad-gita:
“In order to deliver the pious and to annihilate the miscreants, as well as to reestablish the principles of religion, I advent Myself millennium after millennium.” (Bg. 4.8)
The following chapter has some nice pastimes of Lord Balarama in His glorious role as Statesman, Sage, and Kṣatriya. In the above image from the Krsna Book, Lord Balarama is seen dragging the Deamon Balvala down with his plow.
“…Our dear Lord, there is a demon of the name Balvala. He is the son of Ilvala, but he visits this sacred place of sacrifice every fortnight on the full moon and moonless days and creates a great disturbance to the discharge of our duties in the sacrifice… The demon occasionally comes here and profusely throws upon us contaminated, impure things like pus, blood, stool, urine and wine, and he pollutes this sacred place by showering such filth upon us.”
All Glories to Lord Balarama and His plow!
Full Chapter More
Our Krsna Consciousness Movement is Very Scientific, Factual, and Authorized
15 Aug 2013 Leave a comment
in A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Lectures, The Hare Krishna Movement Tags: A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Arrival Lecture, Hare Krishna, in every town and village, Krishna, Krsna Caitanya, krsna consciousness, Radha-Krsna, Srila Prabhupada, svayan krsna
Arrival Lecture
By His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
Los Angeles, May 18, 1972
Prabhupada: (airport noises) (leads Prema-dhvani; says “Los Angeles bhakta-vrnda ki jaya!”)
So my dear boys and girls, about six years ago I came to your country single-handed, with this pair of cymbals. Now you are so many chanting Hare Krsna. That is my success. It was the prediction of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu:
prthivite ache yata nagaradi grama
sarvatra pracara hoibe mora nama
Lord Caitanya desired that “In all the towns, in as many towns and villages as there are on the surface of the globe, My name will be broadcast.” He is Krsna Himself, svayam krsna, krsna caitanya-namine, simply changing His name as Krsna Caitanya. So His prediction will never go in vain. That’s a fact. So my plan was that “I shall go to America. America is the leading country of the world. If I can convince (the) younger generation of America, they will take up.” I am old man. I came here at the age of seventy years; now I am seventy-six. So my warning is already there. In nineteen hundred and seventy-one, I had a severe heart attack. You know, all. So the mission of Caitanya Mahaprabhu is now in your hands. You are American boys and girls, very intelligent and graced by Krsna. You are not poverty-stricken. You have enough resources, prestige. Everything materially, you are all well-equipped. If you kindly take this Krsna consciousness movement seriously, your country will be saved, and the whole world will be saved.
The Hare Krishna Movement 