A.C. Bhaktivedanta | The Hare Krishna Movement

Everyone Should Be Very Humble

20 Jan 2017 Leave a comment

by The Hare Krishna Movement in A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Lectures, Uncategorized Tags: 2017 Presidental inauguration, A.C. Bhaktivedanta, Ascot England, everyone should be humble, humility, Srila Prabhupada lectures, Tittenhurst Park

With today being the 2017 Presidential Inauguration, this instruction by Srila Prabhupada, “Everyone should be very humble”

seems like timely advice.

… Humility means that one should not be anxious to have the satisfaction of being honored by others. The material conception of life makes us very eager to receive honor from others, but from the point of view of a man in perfect knowledge-who knows that he is not this body-anything, honor or dishonor, pertaining to this body is useless. One should not be hankering after this material deception. People are very anxious to be famous for their religion, and consequently sometimes it is found that without understanding the principles of religion, one enters into some group, which is not actually following religious principles, and then wants to advertise himself as a religious mentor. As for actual advancement in spiritual science, one should have a test to see how far he is progressing. He can judge by these items. (from purport Bhagavad-gita As It Is 13.8-12)

Democratic Government

18 Nov 2016 Leave a comment

by The Hare Krishna Movement in A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Letters by Srila Prabhupada, Madhudvisa das (ACBSP), Srila Prabhupada, Srila Prabhupada Conversations Tags: 71-09-15, A.C. Bhaktivedanta, democratic goverment, Dr. Bali, goverment injunction, Madhudvisa Maharaja, rascals without any knowledge, Srila Prabhupada letters, Srila Prabhupada morning walk

Democratic Government

…Regarding the government injunction, that is the worst situation of this age. The so called democratic government means some of the sudras, rascals without any knowledge of the highest aim of life. By hook and crook they get some votes and get the responsible chair in government. Naturally they can whimsically enact any law which is against the interest of the people in general. According to the Vedic literature, the government’s first duty is to see whether people are following the rules and regulations of varnasrama dharma. That is explained in Bhagavad-gita also. Without coming to the system of Varnasrama dharma there is no question of human society. (Letter to: Madhudvisa Kenya 15 September, 1971)

Prabhupāda: (laughs) That’s all. This kind of election is rascal election. It has no meaning. Therefore the public must know whom to elect and how to elect. That should be our propaganda. Because nowadays it is democratic government, teach people how to select the real leader. Real leader means who does not commit mistake, who is not illusioned, who does not cheat and who has no imperfect senses, who has, or, other words, one who has got perfect senses. So if you say, “How it is possible for the conditioned soul?” “Yes, it is possible if you follow the perfect.” Just like we are doing. We are following Kṛṣṇa. He does not commit mistake, He is not illusioned, His senses are not imperfect, and He does not cheat. We are following. Therefore, although we are imperfect, because we are following the perfect, our proposition is perfect. A child may be illiterate, but when he’s taught, “Write A like this,” and he follows that, he becomes literate. This is the policy. (Srila Prabhupada Morning Walk Conversation December 12, 1973, Los Angeles)

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Devahūti Desires Transcendental Knowledge

21 Mar 2014 Leave a comment

by The Hare Krishna Movement in A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Teachings of Lord Kapila, Transcendental Knowledge Tags: A.C. Bhaktivedanta, books of His Divine Grace, Devahuti Desires Transcendental Knowledge, Kapila Muni, Lord Kapila, Srila Prabhupada, Teachings of Lord Kapila, transcendental knowledge

The following is chapter six in our series on the Teaching of Lord Kapila entitled “Devahūti Desires Transcendental Knowledge”. This chapter contains the timeless instructions on receiving spiritual knowledge. It is very difficult to get out of this entanglement and attain freedom, but if one is fortunate enough to get the association of a spiritual master like Kapila Muni or His representative, then by his grace one can be delivered from the mire of ignorance. The spiritual master is therefore worshiped as one who delivers the disciple from the mire of ignorance with the light of the torch of knowledge. We are fortunate in this age to have the books of His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada to guide us. Human knowledge was originally preserved through oral tradition, but today we have this knowledge preserved in the books of His Divine Grace.

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The Sound of Kṛṣṇa’s Flute

09 Feb 2014 Leave a comment

by The Hare Krishna Movement in A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Krishna's flute, Spiritual World Tags: A.C. Bhaktivedanta, damsels of vrndavana, gopis, His flute, Krishna's Flute, Lord Krsna's flute, Madhya 21.140-148, social etiquette, spiritual sky, Sri Caitanya Caritamrta, Srila Prabhupada, vibration of Krsna's flute, Vrajabhumi

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“His slight smiling and fragrant illumination are compared to camphor, which enters the sweetness of the lips. That sweetness is transformed and enters into space as vibrations from the holes of His flute.

“The sound of Kṛṣṇa’s flute spreads in four directions. Even though Kṛṣṇa vibrates His flute within this universe, its sound pierces the universal covering and goes to the spiritual sky. Thus the vibration enters the ears of all inhabitants. It especially enters Goloka Vṛndāvana-dhāma and attracts the minds of the young damsels of Vrajabhūmi, bringing them forcibly to where Kṛṣṇa is present.

“The vibration of Kṛṣṇa’s flute is very aggressive, and it breaks the vows of all chaste women. Indeed, its vibration takes them forcibly from the laps of their husbands. The vibration of His flute attracts even the goddesses of fortune in the Vaikuṇṭha planets, to say nothing of the poor damsels of Vṛndāvana.

“The vibration of His flute slackens the knots of their underwear even in front of their husbands. Thus the gopīs are forced to abandon their household duties and come before Lord Kṛṣṇa. In this way all social etiquette, shame and fear are vanquished. The vibration of His flute causes all women to dance.

“The vibration of His flute is just like a bird that creates a nest within the ears of the gopīs and always remains prominent there, not allowing any other sound to enter their ears. Indeed, the gopīs cannot hear anything else, nor are they able to concentrate on anything else, not even to give a suitable reply. Such are the effects of the vibration of Lord Kṛṣṇa’s flute.”

Sri Caitanya-caritamrta 1975 Edition
By His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
Madhya-lila, Chapter 21, Text 140-148

Human Prosperity

02 Feb 2014 Leave a comment

by The Hare Krishna Movement in A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Human Prosperity Tags: A.C. Bhaktivedanta, devotional service, fruits, gigantic industrial enterprises, godless civilization, grains, herbs, human life, human prosperity, industrial enterprises, jewels, milk, minerals, sufficient grains, vegetables, water

Farmland

Gasland

Human Prosperity

Currently at the New Vrindavan Farm Community, there is debate underway over the signing of a new Gas Lease. The devotees have presented argument and discussion on both sides of the Gas Drilling Issue. This is what Srila Prabhupada has to say on the matter of Human Prosperity.

…Human prosperity flourishes by natural gifts and not by gigantic industrial enterprises. The gigantic industrial enterprises are products of a godless civilization, and they cause the destruction of the noble aims of human life. The more we go on increasing such troublesome industries to squeeze out the vital energy of the human being, the more there will be unrest and dissatisfaction of the people in general, although a few only can live lavishly by exploitation. The natural gifts such as grains and vegetables, fruits, rivers, the hills of jewels and minerals, and the seas full of pearls are supplied by the order of the Supreme, and as He desires, material nature produces them in abundance or restricts them at times. The natural law is that the human being may take advantage of these godly gifts by nature and satisfactorily flourish on them without being captivated by the exploitative motive of lording it over material nature. The more we attempt to exploit material nature according to our whims of enjoyment, the more we shall become entrapped by the reaction of such exploitative attempts. If we have sufficient grains, fruits, vegetables and herbs, then what is the necessity of running a slaughterhouse and killing poor animals? A man need not kill an animal if he has sufficient grains and vegetables to eat. The flow of river waters fertilizes the fields, and there is more than what we need. Minerals are produced in the hills, and the jewels in the ocean. If the human civilization has sufficient grains, minerals, jewels, water, milk, etc., then why should it hanker after terrible industrial enterprises at the cost of the labor of some unfortunate men? But all these natural gifts are dependent on the mercy of the Lord. What we need, therefore, is to be obedient to the laws of the Lord and achieve the perfection of human life by devotional service.

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