I have read and re-read this chapter many times this election year, and this is a perfect description on the demoniac man.
dambho darpo ’bhimānaś ca krodhaḥ pāruṣyam eva ca ajñānaṁ cābhijātasya pārtha sampadam āsurīm
dambhaḥ—pride; darpaḥ—arrogance; abhimānaḥ—conceit; ca—and; krodaḥ—anger; pāruṣyam—harshness; eva—certainly; ca—and; ajñānam—ignorance; ca—and; abhijātasya—one who is born; pārtha—O son of Pṛthā; sampadam—nature; āsurīm—demoniac.
Arrogance, pride, anger, conceit, harshness and ignorance—these qualities belong to those of demonic nature, O son of Pṛthā. (Bg 16.4)
In this verse, the royal road to hell is described. The demoniac want to make a show of religion and advancement in spiritual science, although they do not follow the principles. They are always arrogant or proud in possessing some type of education or so much wealth. They desire to be worshiped by others, and demand respectability, although they do not command respect. Over trifles they become very angry and speak harshly, not gently. They do not know what should be done and what should not be done. They do everything whimsically, according to their own desire, and they do not recognize any authority. These demoniac qualities are taken on by them from the beginning of their bodies in the wombs of their mothers, and as they grow they manifest all these inauspicious qualities. (From purport to Bg. 16.4)
The demoniac man knows no limit to his desire to acquire money. That is unlimited. He only thinks how much assessment he has just now and schemes to engage that stock of wealth farther and farther. For that reason, he does not hesitate to act in any sinful way and so deals in the black market for illegal gratification. He is enamoured by the possessions he has already, such as land, family, house and bank balance, and he is always planning to improve them…
People often think that The Hare Krishna Movement (ISKCON) is a Hindu Religion, but it is not. Sometime back in 1968, one reporter asked Srila Prabhupada, “What is this Hare Krishna Movement?”. Srila Prabhupada replied: “We are not a buissness , we are not a Religion”.
…I am not very interested to establish a Hindu temple. Perhaps you know from the very beginning I never described my movement as Hindu religion. Religion means the bona fide process by which we understand God and the first class religion is that which teaches people to develop love for God. To know or accept the authority of God is one thing, but to love God is another. Generally, people are interested in material comforts and they make God as the supplying agent. This kind of devotion is not purified. It is contaminated by material desires, but when one is elevated to the position of giving everything to God out of love and affection, that is the first class position. We are teaching this philosophy in the name of Krishna Consciousness, and it is applicable to all sober persons. The Bhagavat principle is that because we can be happy simply by developing our dormant love of God, this is our first business. (Letter to: Mukunda June 3, 1969)
In the eighteenth Chapter of Bhagavad-gita, Lord Krishna in conclusion states:
Abandon all varieties of religion and just surrender unto Me. I shall deliver you from all sinful reaction. Do not fear. (Bg 18.66)
PURPORT
The Lord has described various kinds of knowledge, processes of religion, knowledge of the Supreme Brahman, knowledge of the Supersoul, knowledge of the different types of orders and statuses of social life, knowledge of the renounced order of life, knowledge of nonattachment, sense and mind control, meditation, etc. He has described in so many ways different types of religion. Now, in summarizing Bhagavad-gītā, the Lord says that Arjuna should give up all the processes that have been explained to him; he should simply surrender to Kṛṣṇa. That surrender will save him from all kinds of sinful reactions, for the Lord personally promises to protect him.
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 some years ago 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”.
When we were in Butler PA, this summer for thefor the 60th aniversary of Srila Prabhupada’s arrival in the USA, We visited the home of Sally Agarwal, where Srila Prabhupada first stayed as their guest when he arrived in America. We heard many sweet stories of his stay in Butler, and how Sally’s daughter referred to Srila Prabhupada as Swami Jesus.
…I am obliged to your good daughter for awarding me a good degree as SWAMIJESUS which is actually a great honour for me. Some time the Lord speaks through innocent child and I take this honour as sent by Lord Jesus through an innocent child free from all formalities of the current society. Lord Jesus preached the message of God and I have taken up the same mission, and it would be a good luck for me if I can follow the foot prints of Lord Jesus who preached the message of God in spite of all persecution. Lord Jesus is a living example how one has to suffer in this material world simply for the matter of preaching the message of God… (letter to Sally Agarwal)
His Divine Grace Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Gosvāmī Prabhupāda’s Disappearance Day, Lecture By His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda Los Angeles, December 13, 1973
Prabhupāda:
nama oṁ viṣṇu-pādāyakṛṣṇa-preṣṭhāya bhūtaleśrīmate bhaktisiddhāntasarasvatīti nāmine
Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura passed away from this material world on 31st December, 1936. So almost forty years past. So there are two phases, prakaṭa and aprakaṭa, appearance and disappearance. So we have nothing to lament on account of disappearance because Kṛṣṇa and Kṛṣṇa’s devotee… Not only devotees, even the nondevotees, nobody disappears. Nobody disappears because every living entity… As Kṛṣṇa is eternal… It is confirmed in the Vedic literature, nityo nityānāṁ cetanaścetanānām. The description of the Supreme Lord is that He is also nitya, eternal, and the living entities are also eternal. But He is the chief eternal. Nityo nityānāṁ cetanaś cetanānām. So qualitatively, there is no difference between Kṛṣṇa and the living entities. And quantitatively, there is difference. What is the difference between nitya, the singular number nitya, and the plural number nitya? The plural number nitya is subordinate, eternal servants of the singular number nitya. Just like if you want to serve somebody, so the master is also exactly like you. He has got two hands, two legs, or the same sentiments. He also eats. Everything is same there. But the difference is the master and the servant. That’s all. Otherwise, equal in every respect.
Śrī Caitanya Mahaprabhu is none other than the combined form of Sri Radha and Krsna.
This morning I happened to open the Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Vol.1, and just began reading from the Preface. Every time I read from Srila Prabhupada’s books, something important is revealed, or something important is remembered.This morning I was reminded of the six guidelines for the process of surrender.
A pure devotee is a soul who is forever surrendered to the Lord, just as a child is surrendered to his parents or an animal to its master. In the surrendering process, one should: (1) accept things favorable for discharging devotional service, (2) reject things unfavorable, (3) believe firmly in the Lord’s protection, (4) feel exclusively dependent on the mercy of the Lord, (5) have no interest separate from the interest of the Lord, and (6) always feel oneself meek and humble.
God’s word cannot be changed. Then what will be the difference between God and ourself? He is always perfect. He is always perfect. What He said forty millions of years ago, what He said five thousand years ago, that is also correct up to date. That is sastra. Not that “So many years have passed and it has become old. Now let us reform it and put it into new way.” No.
Please accept my humble obeisances, and kindly forgive my offences.
I offer my most humble and heartfelt obeisance’s on this most auspicious day of your disappearance. As Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakur has reminded us:
He reasons ill who says that Vaiṣṇavas die, When thou art living still in sound! The Vaiṣṇavas die to live, and living try To spread the holy name around.
For me there is no difference between your appearance day and your disappearance day, for you are very much alive, in the hearts of you disciples. You live on, in your words and instructions.
Recently we visited Buttler PA, where you first preached the mission of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, and we witnessed your humble introduction to America.
Thank you for coming to this world to save us in spite of the tremendous difficulties and obstacles which you had to face alone, depending solely on the mercy of the Supreme Lord Krishna and your eternal spiritual master, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura.
Thank you for coming to America, and bringing with you so many matchless gifts. Not only did you bring the message of Krishna and Lord Caitanya, but you brought with you music and art, Vedic medicine, the science of cooking vegetarian food, and the keys to a healthy and productive life, in the service of God. I may never have learned who is God, had you not appeared on our shores.
Although I am an unworthy disciple, full of faults, I approach you with the greatest appreciation, and utmost respect, for you are the greatest spiritual ambassador to spread Krishna Consciousness all over the world.
I don’t have the words to properly glorify you, so instead, in closing, I want to quote from you, in your closing address to your Spiritual master Srila Bhaktisiddhanta, given in homage in 1936:
Personally, I have no hope for any direct service for the coming crores of births of the sojourn of my life, but I am confident that some day or other I shall be delivered from this mire of delusion in which I am at present so deeply sunk. Therefore let me with all my earnestness pray at the lotus feet of my divine master to allow me to suffer the lot for which I am destined due to my past misdoings, but to let me have this power of recollection: that I am nothing but a tiny servant of the Almighty Absolute Godhead, realized through the unflinching mercy of my divine master. Let me therefore bow down at his lotus feet with all the humility at my command. -Abhay Charan Das 1936
Srila Prabhupada arrived in the USA on September 17th 1965, after a thirty-five-day sea journey from Calcutta. The following are some prayers he wrote aboard the ship, on that historic journey
“My dear Lord Krishna, You are so kind upon this useless soul, but I do not know why You have brought me here. Now You can do whatever You like with me.
But I guess You have some business here, otherwise why would You bring me to this terrible place? Most of the population here is covered by the material modes of ignorance and passion. Absorbed in material life they think themselves very happy and satisfied, and therefore they have no taste for the transcendental message of Vasudeva [Krishna]. I do not know how they will be able to understand it. But I know that Your causeless mercy can make everything possible, because You are the most expert mystic.How will they understand the mellows of devotional service? O Lord, I am simply praying for Your mercy so that I will be able to convince them about Your message.
This morning I was reminded of something that I heard Srila Prabhupada say in a lecture. He was describing that Krishna Consciousness is very simple, you just need to do four things.Always think of Krishna, become His devotee, offer obeisances, and worship Him.
Engage your mind always in thinking of Me, offer obeisances and worship Me. Being completely absorbed in Me, surely you will come to Me. (Bhagavad-gita 9.34)
This verse is also repeated in the 16th Chapter:
man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru mām evaiṣyasi satyaṁ te pratijāne priyo ’si me
Always think of Me and become My devotee. Worship Me and offer your homage unto Me. Thus you will come to Me without fail. I promise you this because you are My very dear friend.
In this verse it is clearly indicated that Kṛṣṇa consciousness is the only means of being delivered from the clutches of this contaminated material world…Pure devotional service is the highest achievement of human society. (from purport)
I had to laugh, this came up on my Whats Up App. I followed this with some quotes from Srila Prabhupada on the definition of Paramahamsa.
“We are such lucky souls! Prabhupada was giving class and began to define Paramahamsa and their qualities: swanlike men who are so spiritually exalted that they appear like swans among the ravens and crow-like men. Then he looked at the devotees sitting in front of him and smiled his smile and he said, “And who knows, among you there may be some Paramahamsa’s. And, then he gave an even bigger smile that included all of us and said, “And, the rest of you are just lucky ducks.”
The Most Blessed Event: Sri Vyasa-Puja by Vyasasan das
Dear Srila Prabhupada
On this most auspicious day, please accept my humble obeisance’s, and kindly forgive my offenses.
Recently I was writing one article for our Web page The Hare Krishna Movement, and I was recalling how I first became interested in spiritual life, how it was I became a vegetarian, where I received my first book , The KRSNA Book, and how I fell in love with you and became your disciple.
When I saw your picture on the back cover of the KRSNA Book, I knew instantly you were my spiritual master, and had come for me. I had been thinking at the time that I needed a guru, but where was I going to find him. Did I need to travel to India and search out caves, or maybe go to the mountain tops, or sacred rivers and Holy places. No, you came and found me. You sent your disciples, the glorious and compassionate book distributors to Chicago O Hare airport to collect the conditioned souls. I will never forget that moment when the KRSNA Book was placed in my hand. On the cover was the most beautiful picture I had ever seen, the beautiful Radha and Krishna, and when I turned the book over there was an even more beautiful picture, your smiling face.
Although I am and insignificant disciple of your Divine Grace, and full of faults, still I am constantly awaiting your causeless mercy to be bestowed upon me. I have never given up my faith, or my love, nor the hope that someday I may be a worthy disciple. As you know my daily prayers always include the words “please forgive my offenses”, as I am always feeling myself unworthy to be receiving your mercy. Srila Prabhupada you have been the one constant in my entire adult life, my best friend and ever well wisher. And I remain chaste to you, my lord and master, unconditionally.
jaya–all glories to: rādhā-mādhava–Rādhā and the Lord of sweetness; kuñja-bihārī–He who enjoys loving pastimes in the groves of Vṛndāvana; gopī-jana-vallabha–the lover of the cowherd maidens of Vraja; giri-vara-dhārī–the holder of the great hill named Govardhana;
Krsna is the lover of Radha. He displays many amorous pastimes in the groves of Vrndavana, He is the lover of the cowherd maidens of Vraja, and the holder of the great hill named Govardhana.
yaśodā-nandana–the beloved son of mother Yaśodā; vraja-jana-rañjana–the delighter of the inhabitants of Vraja; yāmuna-tīra-vana-cārī–who wanders in the forests along the banks of the river Yamunā
He is the beloved son of mother Yasoda, the delighter of the inhabitants of Vraja, and He wanders in the forests along the banks of the River Yamuna!
My wife shared this with me, it was a post on Facebook, put up by Govinda dasi. Although I have never personally met Hayagriva Prabhu, I have enjoyed reading his books and articles in Back to Godhead Magizine.
…Srila Prabhupada named him Hayagriva, and used to jokingly say that Hayagriva is like the horse incarnation, and is sent by Krishna to make my books very beautiful and eloquent in English language.
Hari Sauri: There was an emotional reunion this afternoon between Srila Prabhupada and Hayagriva Prabhu. Although he was one of Srila Prabhupada’s first disciples, he has been away from devotional service for some years. He has come now to finish the philosophy book project and to be with Prabhupada for some time. He walked slowly into Prabhupada’s room, his face flushed and his deep voice trembling. “It’s your old Hayagriva, Prabhupada,” he choked out, and fell sobbing to the floor in full length dandavats. Prabhupada sat behind his desk, silent, but clearly moved by the sight of his sometimes – wayward son.
When Hayagriva got up Prabhupada gave him a garland, and remarked to Radhaballabha Dasa and me how Hayagriva had been sent by Krishna to help him spread Krishna consciousness all over the world. In reply, Hayagriva said that he had never forgotten Prabhupada, not even for a day. Prabhupada was deeply affected by this and said that he also had never forgotten Hayagriva. “I was thinking, has Hayagriva gone away? I was thinking like that.” His voice broke and he was unable to speak for a few seconds. Although he tried to check his tears, still some trickled from the corners of his eyes. Then he tipped his head from side to side. “All right,” he said, and we all left.
Prabhupada has so much affection for his disciples – no one can estimate how much. It was very apparent that he never forgets any devotional service that has been rendered to him.
Reference: A Transcendental Diary Volume 2 – Hari Sauri Dasa
This morning, for some reason I was thinking about envy, and how it is the enemy of the soul. Srila Prabhupada once described the Atheist as someone who is so envious of God, that they deny His existence. (ie. don’t believe in God)
I did a search on Vanipedia search and came up with just a few of the many things Srila Prabhupada had to say about envy.
The venomous snake. I mean, by nature they are so angry and so envious that they feel pleasure if somebody is bitten and immediately die. That is their nature.
And the Cāṇakya Paṇḍita says that a person who has envious nature, he’s more dangerous than the serpent. Cāṇakya Paṇḍita has enunciated that sarpaḥ krūraḥ khalaḥ krūraḥ (Cāṇakya Paṇḍita). There are two envious creatures: one is the snake, and another, a man envious, unnecessarily envious of others. So sarpāt krūrataraḥ khalaḥ. That man, envious, he’s dangerous, more dangerous than the snake. Why more dangerous? Now, mantrauśādhi-vaśaḥ sarpaḥ khalaḥ kena nivāryate. You can subdue a snake by herbs and by chanting particular type of mantra. There are many snake charmers in India, by mantra they can charm the snakes.
But a person who is envious, you cannot pacify him in any way. Therefore sarpaḥ krūrataraḥ khalaḥ. Just like Jesus Christ was crucified by some envious persons. Even the Roman judge denied that “This man should not be . . . there is no such fault.” But because they were envious, they were persistent, “Yes, he should be crucified.”
This morning I was reminded of something that I heard Srila Prabhupada say in a lecture. He was describing that Krishna Consciousness is very simple, you just need to do four things. Always think of Krishna, become His devotee, offer obeisances, and worship Him.
Engage your mind always in thinking of Me, offer obeisances and worship Me. Being completely absorbed in Me, surely you will come to Me. (Bhagavad-gita 9.34)
This verse is also repeated in the 16th Chapter:
man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru mām evaiṣyasi satyaṁ te pratijāne priyo ’si me
Always think of Me and become My devotee. Worship Me and offer your homage unto Me. Thus you will come to Me without fail. I promise you this because you are My very dear friend.
In this verse it is clearly indicated that Kṛṣṇa consciousness is the only means of being delivered from the clutches of this contaminated material world…Pure devotional service is the highest achievement of human society. (from purport)
A strange thing happened to me while we were in India. We were at Radha Kund (Srimati Radharani’s bathing ghat), and after sprinkling 3 drops of water on my head, I offered my obeisances, and I prayed, please take away the lust, anger, greed and envy from my heart. This surprised me because I never prayed for that before. But it got me thinking…if you take away Lust, what is left, is Love. Take away Anger, and you are left with Happiness, take away Greed, and you have Charity or Generosity, and if you take awayEnvy, you are left with Kindness to others.
“One has to qualify himself to see and understand God, and that process of qualification is called Kṛṣṇa consciousness. By engaging ourselves in God’s service, we become qualified to see God. Otherwise it is not possible.“
“One cannot understand the form, name, quality, or paraphernalia of God with one’s material senses.” (Cc Madya 17.136)
Just as God is eternal, we are also eternal, and when we establish our eternal relationship with the supreme, complete eternal, we realize our eternality.
God is the supreme living entity among all living entities, the supreme eternal among all eternals. By Kṛṣṇa consciousness, by purification of the senses, this knowledge will be realized, and we will come to see God.
The following post is Chapter 3 from the book “The Path to Perfection”which gives some instruction on Seeing God (Krsna) and on the yoga system.
Today as most of the Western World celebrates Easter Sunday, we thought we word honor the life of Lord Jesus Christ with some select writings by our spiritual master A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada.
The Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam states that any bona fide preacher of God consciousness must have the qualities of titikṣā (tolerance) and karuṇā (compassion). In the character of Lord Jesus Christ we find both these qualities. He was so tolerant that even while he was being crucified, he didn’t condemn anyone. And he was so compassionate that he prayed to God to forgive the very persons who were trying to kill him. (Of course, they could not actually kill him. But they were thinking that he could be killed, so they were committing a great offense.) As Christ was being crucified he prayed, “Father, forgive them. They know not what they are doing.”
…Of course, the message that Christ preached was just according to his particular time, place, and country, and just suited for a particular group of people. But certainly he is the representative of God. Therefore we adore Lord Jesus Christ and offer our obeisances to him.
Once, in Melbourne, a group of Christian ministers came to visit me. They asked, “What is your idea of Jesus Christ?” I told them, “He is our guru. He is preaching God consciousness, so he is our spiritual master.” The ministers very much appreciated that.
Actually, anyone who is preaching God’s glories must be accepted as a guru. Jesus Christ is one such great personality. We should not think of him as an ordinary human being. The scriptures say that anyone who considers the spiritual master to be an ordinary man has a hellish mentality. If Jesus Christ were an ordinary man, then he could not have delivered God consciousness. (Science of Self Realization, Chapter 4, “Understanding Krsna and Christ)
Padmapani Prabhu was a very dear friend, and a dear disciple of Srila Prabhupada who is well known as the web master of the pagePrabhupada Connection. He will be greatly missed.
Please join us in prayers for a very special Godbrother, Padmapani Prabhu who just left us in Canada. I never knew him personally, but loved to hear of his daring exploits in the mideast when it was quite a dangerous area! Then I knew him from the marvellous website he managed, The Prabhupada Connection. He’s on the left with Tribhuvanath in Sri Radha Rasabihari Mandir ( Deena Bandhu Das )
The Hare Krishna Movement 