02 Mar 2014
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Chanting Hare Krishna, Maha-mantra, Mantra Meditation, Quotes by Srila Prabhupada
Tags: A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, chanting Hare Krishna, forgetfulness, Hare Krishna, Hare Krsna, holy name, Maha Mantra, quotes by Srila Prabhupada, remembering Krishna, remembering the Supreme Perosnality of Godhead, Srila Prabhupada
click on image to enlarge
” Simply our prayer should be, My dear Krishna, please remind me to always chant Your Holy Name, please do not put me into forgetfulness. You are sitting within me as Supersoul, so you can put me into forgetfulness or into remembering You. So please do not put me into forgetfulness. Please always remind me to chant, even You send me into the hell, it doesn’t matter, just so long as I can always chant Hare Krishna…” (from Srila Prabhupada’s letter to Devananda dated Nov.23,1968)
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21 Feb 2014
In the old days, book distributors and sankirtan devotees usually carried some mantra cards like the one above to distribute. Hopefully this practice is still going on, because if there was only one piece of literature being distributed, it should be the maha- mantra, or the great mantra for deliverance.
Following in the footsteps of Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu, the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is distributing the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra and inducing people all over the world to chant. We are giving people an immense treasury of transcendental literature, translated into all the important languages of the world, and by the grace of Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu this literature is selling profusely, and people are chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra with great delight. This is the preaching process of the Caitanya cult. Since the Lord wanted this cult preached all over the world, the International Society for Krishna Consciousness is acting in a humble way so that the vision of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu may be fulfilled all over the world, especially in the Western countries. (from purport to Adi-lila, 6.19)
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Image
by The Hare Krishna Movement
16 Feb 2014
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in George Harrison, Mukunda das Goswami, Srila Prabhupada, Sriman George Harrison
Tags: A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Allen Ginsberg, Bobby Dylan, Derek Taylor, George Harrison, Govinda, Hare Krishna, John and Yoko, John Lennon, Living in the Material World, Mukunda das, mukunda das goswami, My Sweet Lord, Norman Mailer, Radha Krishna Temple Album, Rosemary, Srila Prabhupada, The Beatles, the hare krishna mantra, Timmy Leary, Tommy Cooper, Tommy Smothers, yoko ono
click on inage to enlarge
In the following conversation, taped at George’s home in England on September 4, 1982, George reveals some memorable experiences he has had chanting Hare Krishna and describes in detail his deep personal realizations about the chanting. He reveals what factors led him to produce “The Hare Krishna Mantra” record, “My Sweet Lord,” and the LPs All Things Must Pass and Living in the Material World, which were all influenced to a great extent by the Hare Krishna chanting and philosophy. He speaks lovingly and openly about his association with His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Founder-Acarya (spiritual master) of the Hare Krishna movement. In the following interview George speaks frankly about his personal philosophy regarding the Hare Krishna movement, music, yoga, reincarnation, karma, the soul, God, and Christianity. The conversation concludes with his fond remembrances of a visit to the birthplace of Lord Krishna in Vrndavana, India, home of the Hare Krishna mantra, and with George discussing some of his celebrity friends’ involvement with the mantra now heard and chanted around the world.
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12 Feb 2014
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Krsna Consciousness, The Hare Krishna Movement
Tags: A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Absolute Truth, age of kali, blissful consciousness, bona fide spiritual science, chant the holy names of the Lord, eternal spirit souls, Founder Acarya, genuine spiritual master, Hare Hare, Hare Krishna, Hare Rama, International Society for Krishna Consciousness, Krishna, Krishna Krishna, love of God, sense gratification, Vedic knowledge
A Short Statement of the Philosophy of Krishna Consciousness
By His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
Founder-Acarya of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness
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08 Feb 2014
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Chanting Hare Krishna, Krsna Consciousness, Mantra Meditation, Meditation, The Path of Perfection, Yoga
Tags: A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prtabhupada, Action as Yoga, Bhagavad Gita, chanting and dancing, chanting Hare Krishna, dancing and chanting, Hare Krishna, kirtan, Krsna, mantra meditation, meditation, sankirtan, The Hare Krishna Movement, The Path of Perfection, yoga, yoga system
…In the Sixth and Eighth Chapters of Bhagavad-gītā, Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, explains that the eightfold yoga system is a means to control the mind and senses. This method, however, is very difficult for people to perform, especially in this age of Kali, an age characterized by ignorance and chaos.
Although this eightfold yoga system is particularly recommended in the Sixth Chapter of Bhagavad-gītā, the Lord emphasizes that the process of karma-yoga, action in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, is superior.
…No one really wants to sit down and meditate. Why should we? We’re meant for positive activity, for recreation, for pleasure. In Kṛṣṇa consciousness, our recreation is dancing and chanting, and when we get tired, we take prasāda. Is dancing difficult? Is chanting difficult? We don’t charge anything to dance in the temple. If you go to a ballroom, you have to pay to enter, but we do not charge. It is natural to enjoy music and dancing and palatable foods. These are our recreations, and this is our method of meditation. So this yoga system is not at all laborious. It is simply recreation, susukham. It is stated in the Ninth Chapter of Bhagavad-gītā (9.2) that this yoga is susukham—very happy. “It is everlasting, and it is joyfully performed.” It is natural, automatic, and spontaneous. It is our real life in the spiritual world. (The Path of Perfection)
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23 Jan 2014
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in Chanting Hare Krishna, Harinama Sankirtan, Krishna Consciousness, Locanananda das, Sankirtan, The Hare Krishna Movement
Tags: Back to Godhead Magazine, BTG, chanting Hare Krishna, enthusiastic devotees, Fifth Ave., Hare Krishna, Hari Nama Sankirtan, Locanananda dasa, Lord Jagannatha's Rathayatra parade, mantra meditation, Near Death while Out Chanting, sankirtan, sankirtana cleanses the heart, Sri Krsna sankirtana, Yajna Purusa dasa
The following is a very nice story which appeared as a Back to Godhead Magazine Article back in 1998. It was written by Locanananda dasa and he recounts the true events that occurred while out chanting on a hot summers day, in the streets of New York City.
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24 Nov 2013
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Chanting Hare Krishna
Tags: always chant, chanting Hare Krishna, chanting of the holy name of Lord Visnu, Hare Hare, Hare Krishna, Hare Rama, Krishna, Lord Visnu
The following are a few select excerpts on the importance of chanting Hare Krishna. Even if there is still some offence, our chanting should not be abandoned, but rather continued day and night.
Simply our prayer should be, My dear Krishna, please remind me to always chant Your Holy Name, please do not put me into forgetfulness. You are sitting within me as Supersoul, so you can put me into forgetfulness or into remembering You. So please do not put me into forgetfulness. Please always remind me to chant, even You send me into the hell, it doesn’t matter, just so long as I can always chant Hare Krishna. (letter to Devananda, Nov. 23, 1968)
The chanting of the holy name of Lord Viṣṇu is the best process of atonement for a thief of gold or other valuables, for a drunkard, for one who betrays a friend or relative, for one who kills a brāhmaṇa, or for one who indulges in sex with the wife of his guru or another superior. It is also the best method of atonement for one who murders women, the king or his father, for one who slaughters cows, and for all other sinful men. Simply by chanting the holy name of Lord Viṣṇu, such sinful persons may attract the attention of the Supreme Lord, who therefore considers, “Because this man has chanted My holy name, My duty is to give him protection.” (Srimad Bhagavatam 6.2.9-10)
“I do not find the strength to carry on alone the sankirtana of the holy name of Hari. Please bless me by giving me just one drop of faith with which to obtain the great treasure of the holy name of Krsna.
Krsna is yours. You have the power to give Him to me. I am simply your servant running behind you shouting, “Krsna! Krsna!” (Ohe! Vaisnava Thakrua-Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakur)
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31 Oct 2013
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Panca-Tattva, Sankirtan, Sri Caitanya-Caritamrta
Tags: A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, chanting Hare Krishna, Hare Hare, Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna mahamantra, Hare Rama, incarnation, internal potencey, Lord Caitanya, Maha Mantra, mahaprabhu, marginal potency, most magnanimous incarnation, panca tattva mantra, plenary expansion, sankirtan jajna, Sri Krsna Caitanya, ultimate benediction, śrī-kṛṣṇa-caitanya prabhu-nityānanda śrī-advaita gadādhara śrīvāsādi-gaura-bhakta-vṛnda
“Love of Godhead is the ultimate benediction for all human beings.” Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu is the bestower of this great benediction.
“In the Age of Kali, people who are endowed with sufficient intelligence will worship the Lord, who is accompanied by His associates, by performance of saṅkīrtana-yajña.” (Bhāg. 11.5.32)
…Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu is always accompanied by His plenary expansion Śrī Nityānanda Prabhu, His incarnation Śrī Advaita Prabhu, His internal potency Śrī Gadādhara Prabhu and His marginal potency Śrīvāsa Prabhu. He is in the midst of them as the Supreme Personality of Godhead. One should know that Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu is always accompanied by these other tattvas. Therefore our obeisances to Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu are complete when we say śrī-kṛṣṇa-caitanya prabhu-nityānanda śrī-advaita gadādhara śrīvāsādi-gaura-bhakta-vṛnda. As preachers of the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, we first offer our obeisances to Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu by chanting this Pañca-tattva mantra; then we say Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare. There are ten offenses in the chanting of the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra, but these are not considered in the chanting of the Pañca-tattva mantra, namely, śrī-kṛṣṇa-caitanya prabhu-nityānanda śrī-advaita gadādhara śrīvāsādi-gaura-bhakta-vṛnda. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu is known as mahā-vadānyāvatāra, the most magnanimous incarnation, for He does not consider the offenses of the fallen souls. Thus to derive the full benefit of the chanting of the mahā-mantra (Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare), we must first take shelter of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, learn the Pañca-tattva mahā-mantra, and then chant the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra. That will be very effective. (Purport from Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, Adi-lila 7.4)
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07 Sep 2013
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Caaitanya-caritamrta, Caitanya Mahaprabhu, Krsna is the Source of All Incarnations
Tags: A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Caitanya Caritamrta, Caitanya Mahaprabhu, chanting Hare Krishna, confidential devotees, Hare Krishna, Krsnadasa Kaviraja Gosvami, Lord Caitanya, Radharani, Sri Krsna, Srimati Radharani, transcendental pleasure
“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.
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18 Aug 2013
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in Chanting Hare Krishna, Harinama Sankirtan, Sankirtan, The Hare Krishna Movement
Tags: chanting Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, harinama sankirtan, His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Krishna consciousness movement, Lord Caitanya, Radha-Damodar Traveling Sankirtan Party, RDTSKP, sankirtan, The Hare Krishna Movement, traveling temple
Harinam Sankirtana
A friend shared these images with me on Facebook and we thought we would share them with you. I loved this idea of a traveling temple, and in the 1970’s I traveled on one of the famous Radha-Damodara bus’s. This idea of bringing the holy name to every Town & Village should be encouraged throughout our society more and more. This would help unite devotees under the banner of Lord Caitanya, and bring peace to the world.
In pursuance of the order of Lord Caitanya, the devotees of the Krishna Consciousness movement should try to introduce the chanting of the Hare Krishna maha-mantra throughout the world. It is only by chanting Hare Krishna that one may get free from the disease of forgetfulness of Krishna, which is the root cause of all suffering. However one is situated, whether one is single, married or renounced, one should have the determination to go out and preach Krishna consciousness. That was the instruction of our spiritual master, His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada. (Locanananda das)
“We are saying that this Hare Krishna maha-mantra can save everyone, and we are therefore distributing it publicly, free of charge… The devotees are preaching without charge, declaring in the streets, parks, and everywhere. “Here! Here is the Hare Krishna maha-mantra. Come on, take it!” (POP p. 72)
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15 Aug 2013
by The Hare Krishna Movement
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.
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01 Aug 2013
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Caaitanya-caritamrta, Sankirtan, The Hare Krishna Movement
Tags: A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Adi-lila 2.2, celestial kingdom, chanting Hare Krishna, dancing, Ganges, Hare Krishna, Hare Rama, krsna consciousness, Lord Caitanya, lotus flowers, materialistic persons, pastimes of Lord Krsna, singing, Sri Caitanya-caritamrta
…Lord Caitanya’s movement of Kṛṣṇa consciousness is full of dancing and singing about the pastimes of Lord Kṛṣṇa. It is compared herein to the pure waters of the Ganges, which are full of lotus flowers. The enjoyers of these lotus flowers are the pure devotees, who are like bees and swans. They chant like the flowing of the Ganges, the river of the celestial kingdom. The author desires such sweetly flowing waves to cover his tongue. He humbly compares himself to materialistic persons who always engage in dry talk from which they derive no satisfaction. If they were to use their dry tongues to chant the holy name of the Lord-Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare-as exemplified by Lord Caitanya, they would taste sweet nectar and enjoy life. (from purport to Adi 2.2)
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15 Jul 2013
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Chanting Hare Krishna, Lectures
Tags: A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami, Avatara, chanting Hare Krishna, Hare, Hare Krishna, Krishna, lecture on the maha-mantra, Maha Mantra, mantra, mantra meditation, prabhupada, Prabhupada Lecture, Rama, sound incarnation, Srila Prabhupada, swami, transcendental sound
So this sound, this Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna, Krsna Krsna, Hare Hare. Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare, is the sound representation of the Supreme Lord.
Lecture on Maha-mantra
By His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
Recorded September 8th, 1966, New York
Prabhupada: Now, some of you members have asked me to explain the meaning of this chanting, Hare Krishna, Hare Krsna, Krsna Krsna, Hare Hare. Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare. Now, this sound is transcendental sound, transcendental sound, incarnation, sound incarnation of the Absolute Truth. Just try to understand what is incarnation. Incarnation means… The Sanskrit word is avatara, and that is translated into English as “incarnation.” Of course, the root meaning of incarnation I cannot exactly explain to you, but the root meaning of the… (aside:) The root meaning of avatara is “which comes from the transcendental sky, the spiritual sky to the material sky.” That is called avatara. Avatarana. Avatarana. Just like… Avatarana means “coming from up to down.” That is called avatarana. And avatara is understood that when God or His bona fide representative comes from that sky to this material plane, that is called avatara.
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09 Jul 2013
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Chanting Hare Krishna, Free Downloads, Free eBooks, On the Way to Krsna
Tags: 2nd Ave., A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, chanting Hare Krishna, free ebook, free pdf download, Hare, Hare Krishna, Krishna, meditation, mirror of the mind, On the Way to Krishna, Rama, The Way of Chanting and knowing Krsna, transcendental sound vibration
The following chapter “The Way of Chanting and Knowing Kṛṣṇa” is from one of the small paperback books entitled On The Way to Kṛṣṇa that was printed back in 1973. I always liked these smaller paperback books because I could take them with me wherever I went. For a Free PDF download that you can save or read online follow the link at bottom of post.
On the Way to Kṛṣṇa
By His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Chapter Two
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05 Jun 2013
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Back to Godhead, Kali Yuga
Tags: A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, bhagavatam, chanting Hare Krishna, future, Hare Krishna, hypocrisy, kalau dasa-nidhe rajan, Kali-yuga, past, prediction, present, Srimad Bhagavatam
Predictions for the Age of Hypocrisy
Fifty centuries ago a great sage looked into the future and told us just what to expect. . .
An address based on the Srimad-Bhagavatam of Krsna-Dvaipayana Vyasa, given by His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada in Los Angeles during the summer of 1974.
Excerpted from Back to Godhead Magazine
tatas canu-dinam dharmah
satyam saucam ksama daya
kalena balina rajan
nanksyaty ayur balam smrtih
“My dear King, with each day religion, truthfulness, cleanliness, forgiveness, mercy, duration of life, bodily strength, and memory will all decrease more and more by the mighty force of time.” (Srimad-Bhagavatam 12.2.1)
This description of the Kali-yuga [the present Age of Quarrel and Hypocrisy] is given in the Twelfth Canto of Srimad-Bhagavatam. Srimad-Bhagavatam was written five thousand years ago, when the Kali-yuga was about to begin, and many things that would happen in the future are spoken of there. Therefore we accept Srimad-Bhagavatam as sastra [revealed scripture]. The compiler of sastra (the sastra-kara) must be a liberated person so that he can describe past, present, and future.
In Srimad-Bhagavatam you will find many things which are foretold. There is mention of Lord Buddha’s appearance and Lord Kalki’s appearance. [Lord Kalki will appear at the end of the Kali-yuga.] There is also mention of Lord Caitanya’s appearance, although the Bhagavatam was written five thousand years ago. Tri-kala-jna: the writer knew past, present, and future.
So here Sukadeva Gosvami is describing the chief symptoms of this age. He says, tatas canudinam: with the progress of this age (Kali-yuga), dharma, religious principles; satyam, truthfulness; saucam, cleanliness; ksama, forgiveness; daya, mercifulness; ayur, duration of life; balam, bodily strength; smrti, memory—these eight things will gradually decrease to nil or almost nil.
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04 Jun 2013
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Chanting Hare Krishna, Sri Caitanya-Caritamrta
Tags: A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Antya-lila 4.71, chanting Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, holy name of the lord, Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, Srila Prabhupada, ten offenses
The Following is a very nice verse from the Sri Caitanya-caritamrta about the importance of Chanting the Holy Name of the Lord. Following that is the verse which describes the importance of chanting the names śrī-kṛṣṇa-caitanya prabhu-nityānanda before chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra, and the ten kinds of offenses which should be avoided.
…”Of the nine processes of devotional service, the most important is to always chant the holy name of the Lord. If one does so, avoiding the ten kinds of offenses, one very easily obtains the most valuable love of Godhead.” (Antya-lila 4.71)
Similarly, Śrīla Sanātana Gosvāmī has praised the chanting of the holy name as follows in his Bṛhad-bhāgavatāmṛta (Chapter One, verse 9)
“All glories, all glories to the all-blissful holy name of Śrī Kṛṣṇa, which causes the devotee to give up all conventional religious duties, meditation and worship. When somehow or other uttered even once by a living entity, the holy name awards him liberation. The holy name of Kṛṣṇa is the highest nectar. It is my very life and my only treasure.”
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12 Apr 2013
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Chanting Hare Krishna, Mantra Meditation, Srimad Bhagavatam, Vaisnava Vocabulary
Tags: A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, chanting Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna Mantra, holy name, kirtanad eva krsnasya, Krsna maha-mantra, Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu, Srila Prabhupada
click on image to enlarge
..Simply by chanting the holy name of Kṛṣṇa: Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare simply by chanting the holy name…,” kīrtanād eva kṛṣṇasya, “he becomes free from all these contaminations, by one thing, simply chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa.”
Kīrtanād eva kṛṣṇasya, mukta-saṅgaḥ paraṁ vrajet
…although Kali-yuga is an ocean of faults, there is still one good quality about this age: Simply by chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra, one can become free from material bondage and be promoted to the transcendental kingdom.
This is a very important sloka (verse), as can be confirmed by the number of times Srila Prabhupada has cited it. I was curious about this verse so I went to the incomparable web page Vani Quotes and did a search on the phrase kīrtanād eva kṛṣṇasya, mukta-saṅgaḥ paraṁ vrajet, and was surprised to find just how many times Srila Prabhupada used this verse in his preaching. I think this will be the next verse I try to memorize.
Full verse:
kaler doṣa-nidhe rājann
asti hy eko mahān guṇaḥ
kīrtanād eva kṛṣṇasya
mukta-saṅgaḥ paraṁ vrajet
kaleḥ—of the age of Kali; doṣa-nidheḥ—in the ocean of faults; rājan—O King; asti—there is; hi—certainly; ekaḥ—one; mahān—very great; guṇaḥ—good quality; kīrtanāt—by chanting; eva—certainly; kṛṣṇasya—of the holy name of Kṛṣṇa; mukta-saṅgaḥ—liberated from material bondage; param—to the transcendental spiritual kingdom; vrajet—one can go.
My dear King, although Kali-yuga is an ocean of faults, there is still one good quality about this age: Simply by chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra, one can become free from material bondage and be promoted to the transcendental kingdom. (SB 12.3.510
Cited Verses More
07 Apr 2013
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in Bhaktivinoda Thakura, Visnujana Swami
Tags: Hare Krishna, invocation of the Holy Name, kabe ha'be bolo, Visnujana Swami, when oh when will that day be mine
Visnujana Swami
This song written by Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura, and made famous in the West by the illustrious Visnujana Swami, has always been a favorite of mine, and the devotees of The Hare Krishna Movement.
Kabe Ha’be Bolo
(Invocation of the Holy Name)
By Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura
When, oh when will that day be mine?
When my offenses ceasing, taste for the name increasing.
When in my heart will your mercy shine?
When, oh when, will that day be mine.
Lower than a blade of grass, more tolerant than a tree.
When will my mind attain this quality?
Respectful to all, not expecting their honor,
then shall I taste the name’s nectar sublime.
Great wealth or followers, feminine beauty,
I won’t care for them or the comforts of my body.
Birth after birth, give me, Oh Lord Caitanya,
causeless devotion to Your feet divine.
When will I utter Krsna, Krsna, Krsna,
with words choked up and shivering body?
When will I be trembling all over, lose bodily color,
tears pouring from my eyes.
When in Navadvipa along the Ganges bank,
shouting ‘Gaura-Nityananda’ as a surrendered soul,
dancing, chanting, running everywhere,
when will I become half mad of mind?
When will Lord Nityananda show mercy upon me,
when will I reject the world of Maya:
Bestow unto me the shade of Your lotus feet,
let the right to preach the name be mine.
I will beg, borrow, or steal the nectar of the name.
By the name’s effect I will feel paralyzed.
Oh! Enjoyed of the nectar of the name
when will I touch your lotus feet till the end of time?
When kindness to all beings will be appearing
with free heart forget myself comforting
Bhaktivinoda in all humility prays
“Now I will set out to preach Your order sublime.”
More
03 Apr 2013
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Ajamila, Back to Godhead, Srimad Bhagavatam
Tags: A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Back to Godhead Magazine, Hare Krishna, Narayana, servants of Yamaraja, Supreme Lord Visnu, Visnu, Visnudutas, yamadutas
click image to enlarge
…At the time of death, Ajamila helplessly and very loudly chanted the holy name of the Lord. That chanting alone has already freed him from the reactions of all sinful life. One who chants the holy name is immediately freed from the reactions of unlimited sins, even if he chants indirectly to indicate something else, jokingly, for musical entertainment, or even neglectfully. This is accepted by all the learned scholars of the scriptures. If one chants the holy name of Hari and then dies because of an accidental misfortune, one is immediately absolved from having to enter hellish life, even though he is sinful.
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17 Jan 2013
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in Chanting Hare Krishna, Mantra Meditation, Meditation
Tags: Bg 8.8, chanting, chanting Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, mantra meditation, sixteen words, Srila Prabhupada, Srimad Bhagavatam lecture 7.9.10, Sriman Havagriva brahmacari, vishnujana swami
He who meditates on the Supreme Personality of Godhead, his mind constantly engaged in remembering Me…is sure to reach Me.
…In this verse Lord Kṛṣṇa stresses the importance of remembering Him. One’s memory of Kṛṣṇa is revived by chanting the mahāmantra, Hare Kṛṣṇa. By this practice of chanting and hearing the sound vibration of the Supreme Lord, one’s ear, tongue and mind are engaged. This mystic meditation is very easy to practice, and it helps one attain the Supreme Lord. (from purport to Bhagavad-gita 8.8)
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