26 Oct 2013
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Damodara, KRSNA The Supreme Personality of Godhead
Tags: A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Bhaktivedanta purport, Dhara, Drona, gopis, Krishna, krishna pastimes, Krsna, Krsna Book, Lord Balarama, Lord Damodara, Lord Krishna, month of Kartika, Mother Yasoda, Nanda Maharaja, residents of Vrndavana, SB 10.8, transcendental pleasure, Vision of the Universal Form
…continuing with our attempt to post Krsna’s childhood pastimes, throughout the duration of the “Month of Damodara”
…Another day, when Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma were playing with Their friends, all the boys joined Balarāma and told mother Yaśodā that Kṛṣṇa had eaten clay. On hearing this, mother Yaśodā caught hold of Kṛṣṇa’s hand and said, “My dear Kṛṣṇa, why have You eaten earth in a solitary place? Just see, all Your friends including Balarāma are complaining about You.” Being afraid of His mother, Kṛṣṇa replied, “My dear mother, all these boys, including My elder brother Balarāma, are speaking lies against Me. I have never eaten clay. My elder brother Balarāma, while playing with Me today, became angry, and therefore He has joined with the other boys to complain against Me. They have all combined together to complain so you will be angry and chastise Me. If you think they are truthful, then you can look within My mouth to see whether I have taken clay or not.” His mother replied, “All right, if You have actually not taken any clay, then just open Your mouth. I shall see.”
More
24 Oct 2013
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Damodara, KRSNA The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Srimad Bhagavatam
Tags: A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Ppabhupada, Balarama, butter, cows, Dear Yasoda, Krishna, Krsna Book, Krsna's childhood pastimes, milk, naughty childish activities of Krsna and Balarama in Vrndavan, naughty Krsna, Rohini, steal butter, Yasoda, yogurt
…All the gopī friends of Yaśodā and Rohiṇī enjoyed the naughty childish activities of Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma in Vṛndāvana. In order to enjoy further transcendental bliss, they all assembled and went to mother Yaśodā to lodge complaints against the restless boys. When Kṛṣṇa was sitting before mother Yaśodā, all the elderly gopīs began to lodge complaints against Him so that Kṛṣṇa could hear. They said, “Dear Yaśodā, why don’t you restrict your naughty Kṛṣṇa? He comes to our houses along with Balarāma every morning and evening, and before the milking of the cows They let loose the calves, and the calves drink all the milk of the cows. So when we go to milk the cows, we find no milk, and we have to return with empty pots. If we warn Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma about doing this, They simply smile charmingly. (Krsna Book Chapter 8)
…continuing with our attempt to post Krsna’s childhood pastimes, throughout the duration of the “Month of Damodara”
More
23 Oct 2013
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Damodara, Krishna Consciousness, KRSNA The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Srimad Bhagavatam
Tags: A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Balarama, clay and saffron, Damodara, gopis, Krishna, Krsna, Krsna The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord Damodara, naughty babies, Rohini, sandalwood pulp, Yasoda
Within the house of Nanda Mahārāja, the cowherd ladies would enjoy seeing the pastimes of the babies Rāma and Kṛṣṇa. The babies would catch the ends of the calves’ tails, and the calves would drag Them here and there. When the ladies saw these pastimes, they certainly stopped their household activities and laughed and enjoyed the incidents. (SB 10.8.24)
These childhood pastimes of Krsna are so sublime and pleasing to the consciousness. We will continue to post Krsna’s childhood pastimes throughout the duration of the “Month of Damodara”.
…both Balarāma and Kṛṣṇa began to crawl on Their hands and knees. When They were crawling like that, They pleased Their mothers. The bells tied to Their waist and ankles sounded fascinating, and They would move around very pleasingly. Sometimes, just like ordinary children, They would be frightened by others and would immediately hurry to Their mothers for protection. Sometimes They would fall into the clay and mud of Vṛndāvana and would approach Their mothers smeared with clay and saffron. They were actually smeared with saffron and sandalwood pulp by Their mothers, but due to crawling over muddy clay, They would simultaneously smear Their bodies with clay. As soon as They would come crawling to Their mothers, Yaśodā and Rohiṇī would take Them on their laps and, covering the lower portion of their saris, allow Them to suck their breasts. When the babies were sucking their breasts, the mothers would see small teeth coming in. Thus their joy would be intensified to see their children grow. Sometimes the naughty babies would crawl up to the cowshed, catch the tail of a calf and stand up. The calves, being disturbed, would immediately begin running here and there, and the children would be dragged over clay and cow dung. To see this fun, Yaśodā and Rohiṇī would call all their neighboring friends, the gopīs. Upon seeing these childhood pastimes of Lord Kṛṣṇa, the gopīs would be merged in transcendental bliss. In their enjoyment they would laugh very loudly. (excerpted from Krsna Book Chapter 8)
Also from the Srimad Bhagavatam More
15 Oct 2013
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Bhagavad-gita As It Is 1972 Edition, Book Changes, Books by Srila Prabhupada
Tags: Arjuna, as it is, bhagavad-gita, Bhagavad-gita As It Is, book changes, complete 1972 edition, Krishna, original Bhagavad-gita, Prabhupada books, prabhupadagita, Srila Prabhupada's books
click on image to visit site
More
10 Oct 2013
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
Tags: A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Arjuna, as it is, Bhagavad-gita As It Is, Brahma, Candra, demigods, faith, goodness, ignorance, Indra, Krishna, krsna consciousness, passion, sattva, Siva, Spiritual Life, Srila Prabhupada, sun-god, The Divisions of Faith, Visnu
click on image to enlarge
Bhagavad-gītā As It Is 1972 Edition
by His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Chapter Seventeen
The Divisions of Faith
More
08 Oct 2013
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Back to Godhead, Bhagavad-gita
Tags: A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Arjuna, as it is, bhagavad-gita, Bhaktivedanta purports, Krishna, Lord Krsna, mental agonies, Puranas, Srila Prabhupada, Srimad Bhagavatam, Upanisads, Vedanta-sutras, Vedic literatures, Vedic wisdom
1973 Back to Godhead cover
This morning I was reading from the Srimad Bhagavatam Canto 1, Chapter 15, Text 27, wherein Srila Prabhupada was describing the glories and importance of the the Bhagavad-gita As It Is. The following is some excerpts from this amazing purport, followed by full text and purport. I found this one purport to be a very nice synopsis of the entire Bhagavad-gita As It Is.
…The Lord left behind Him the instructions of the Bhagavad-gītā not for the benefit of Arjuna alone, but also for all time and in all lands. The Bhagavad-gītā, being spoken by the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is the essence of all Vedic wisdom. It is nicely presented by the Lord Himself for all who have very little time to go through the vast Vedic literatures like the Upaniṣads, Purāṇas and Vedānta-sūtras.
…the Bhagavad-gītā can be consulted in all critical times, not only for solace from all kinds of mental agonies, but also for the way out of great entanglements which may embarrass one in some critical hour.
…The merciful Lord left behind Him the great teachings of the Bhagavad-gītā so that one can take the instructions of the Lord even when He is not visible to material eyesight.
…There is no difference between the sound representation of the Lord and the Lord Himself. One can derive the same benefit from the Bhagavad-gītā as Arjuna did in the personal presence of the Lord.
…The Bhagavad-gītā begins with the problems of life by discriminating the soul from the elements of matter and proves by all reason and argument that the soul is indestructible in all circumstances and that the outer covering of matter, the body and the mind, change for another term of material existence which is full of miseries. The Bhagavad-gītā is therefore meant for terminating all different types of miseries, and Arjuna took shelter of this great knowledge, which had been imparted to him during the Kurukṣetra battle. (from Purport to SB 1.15.27)
Full verse and purport More
06 Oct 2013
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Bhagavad-gita, Dasya (Friendship), Srimad Bhagavatam
Tags: A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Arjuna, awe and reverence, conjugal love, dasya, friendship, God is great, Krishna, neutral stage, parental affection, sakhya, santa-rasa, servitude, srngara, vatsalya
There are five basic relationships a devotee might have with the Lord; namely in the neutral stage (sānta-rasa), which is the stage of awe and reverence. Knowing that God is Great. Then there are four transcendental mellows (rasas); servitude (dāsya), friendship (sakhya), parental affection (vātsalya) and conjugal love (śṛṅgāra).
Kṛṣṇa and Arjuna are related in friendship.
Arjuna was in a relationship with the Lord as friend. Of course there is a gulf of difference between this friendship and the friendship found in the material world. This is transcendental friendship which cannot be had by everyone. Of course everyone has a particular relationship with the Lord, and that relationship is evoked by the perfection of devotional service. But in the present status of our life, we have not only forgotten the Supreme Lord, but we have forgotten our eternal relationship with the Lord. Every living being, out of many, many billions and trillions of living beings, has a particular relationship with the Lord eternally. That is called svarūpa. By the process of devotional service, one can revive that svarūpa, and that stage is called svarūpa-siddhi-perfection of one’s constitutional position. So Arjuna was a devotee, and he was in touch with the Supreme Lord in friendship. (from Introduction to Bhagavad-gita As It Is)
The following verse is one of my most favorite from the Bhagavad-gita As It Is.
I have in the past addressed You as “O Kṛṣṇa,” “O Yādava,” “O my friend,” without knowing Your glories. Please forgive whatever I may have done in madness or in love. I have dishonored You many times while relaxing or while lying on the same bed or eating together, sometimes alone and sometimes in front of many friends. Please excuse me for all my offenses.
I find this verse to be a beautiful expression of what is Bhakti Yoga. It is a personal loving exchange with the Lord. There are two ways to approach the Lord. One can approach the Lord with awe and reverence (sānta-rasa), or with a more personal approach; love and affection.
Kṛṣṇa’s devotees relate to Kṛṣṇa in various relationships.. Kṛṣṇa and Arjuna are related in friendship. As the father tolerates, or the husband or master tolerates, so Kṛṣṇa tolerates. Very Beautiful!
Bhagavad-gita As It Is Texts 40-45 More
01 Oct 2013
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Devotional Service, Teachings of Lord Kapila
Tags: A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, bhakti, Bharatavarsa, devotional service, hearing and chanting, India, Kapila, Krishna, Krsna, nine processes of devotional service, parampara system, sravanam kirtanam visnoh, Teachings of Lord Kapila, the son of devahuti, the supreme Lord
…We can understand the pastimes of the Lord by following one or some of the authorized devotional processes.
śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ
smaraṇaṁ pāda-sevanam
arcanaṁ vandanaṁ dāsyaṁ
sakhyam ātma-nivedanam
[SB 7.5.23]
“Hearing, chanting and remembering the holy name, form, pastimes, qualities and entourage of the Lord, offering service according to the time, place and performer, worshiping the Deity, offering prayers, always considering oneself the eternal servant of Kṛṣṇa, making friends with Him and dedicating everything unto Him—these are the nine processes of devotional service.” (Bhāg. 7.5.23)
…hearing and chanting, are the beginning of bhakti, devotional service. Therefore it is said: tāni me śraddadhānasya kīrtanyāny anukīrtaya. The word anukīrtaya means to follow the paramparā system… The Supreme Lord is more anxious to give us education and enlightenment than we are to receive them. He gives us His literature, His devotees and the paramparā system, but it is up to us to take advantage of these. The Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is intended to give society the proper understanding of the Absolute Truth. We are not presenting a manufactured, bogus philosophy. Why should we unnecessarily waste our time concocting some philosophy? There is so much to be learned that has already been given by the supreme authority. All we have to do is take this Vedic literature, try to learn it and distribute it. That is Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s mission.
Teachings of Lord Kapila, the Son of Devahūti
By His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Chapter Three, Text 3
Full chapter More
30 Sep 2013
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Krishna Consciousness, Krsna Consciousness, KRSNA The Supreme Personality of Godhead
Tags: A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Dwarka, Jarasandha, Kamsa, king jarasandha, kingdom of Mathura, Krishna, Krsna, Krsna erects the Dvaraka fort, Krsna The Supreme Personality of Godhead, military strength capital of the Yadu kings, Sri Krishna, Vedic civilization
click on image to enlarge
I often lament that as a child growing up my hero’s were fictional characters, like Flash Gordan and Superman, without any Krsna Consciousness. And I often think how fortunate are the children who grew up instead with stories from the Krsna Book, or the Mahabharata. With great battle scenes, real drama, and romance. Not just fictional stories but eternal pastimes of the Lord and His devotees. Here is one such example:
…In order to fight with Kṛṣṇa, Jarāsandha surrounded Him from all sides with great military strength, and the sun appeared covered by the cloudy air and dust. Similarly, Kṛṣṇa, the supreme sun, was covered by the military strength of Jarāsandha. Kṛṣṇa’s and Balarāma’s chariots were marked with pictures of Garuḍa and palm trees. The women of Mathurā were all standing on the tops of the houses and palaces and gates to see the wonderful fight, but when Kṛṣṇa’s chariot was surrounded by Jarāsandha’s military force, they became so frightened that some of them fainted. Kṛṣṇa saw Himself overwhelmed by the military strength of Jarāsandha. His small number of soldiers was being harassed by them, so He immediately took up His bow, named Śārṅga.
He began to take His arrows from their case, and one after another He set them on the bowstring and shot them toward the enemy. They were so accurate that the elephants, horses and infantry soldiers of Jarāsandha were quickly killed. The incessant arrows thrown by Kṛṣṇa appeared as a whirlwind of blazing fire killing all the military strength of Jarāsandha.
Wow!
Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead 1970 Edition
By His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Chapter Fifty
Full Chapter More
29 Sep 2013
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Divine and Demoniac Natures
Tags: 1972 Edition, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Arjuna, as it is, austerity, Bhagavad-gita As It Is, charity, cultivation of spiritual knowledge, Demoniac, Divine, Fearlessness, Krishna, performance of sacrifice, purification of one’s existence, self-control, Sri Bhagavan uvaca, study of the Vedas, the blessed Lord said, the divine and demoniac natures
Bhagavad-gītā As It Is 1972 Edition
By His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Chapter Sixteen
More
25 Sep 2013
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Bhagavad-gita, Krsna Consciousness, Spiritual Life, Yoga
Tags: A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Arjuna, as it is, Bg. 6.29, Bg. 6.30, bhagavad-gita, bhakti yoga, Krishna, Krishna consciousness, krsna conscious yogi, love of God, self realization, true yogi, yoga, yogi
Please click on image to enlarge
A true yogī observes Me in all beings, and also sees every being in Me. Indeed, the self-realized man sees Me everywhere. (Bg. 6.29)
For one who sees Me everywhere and sees everything in Me, I am never lost, nor is he ever lost to Me. (Bg. 6.30)
…A person in Kṛṣṇa consciousness certainly sees Lord Kṛṣṇa everywhere, and he sees everything in Kṛṣṇa…Nothing can exist without Kṛṣṇa, and Kṛṣṇa is the Lord of everything—this is the basic principle of Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
…Kṛṣṇa consciousness is the development of love of Kṛṣṇa—a position transcendental even to material liberation. (from purport to Bg.6.30)
Bhagavad-gita As It Is 1972 Edition
By His Divine Grace A.;C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
Chapter 6, Text 29-30
Full Text and Purports More
14 Sep 2013
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
Tags: A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Arjuna, as it is, Banyan tree, bhagavad-gita, bhakti yoga, fruitive activities, Krishna, material world, Sri Bhagavan uvaca, the blessed Lord said, The Yoga of the Supreme Person, Vedas, Vedic hymns
Bhagavad-gītā As It Is Complete 1972 Edition
By His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Chapter Fiveteen
More
08 Sep 2013
by The Hare Krishna Movement
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…
More
30 Aug 2013
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, KRSNA The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krsna-katha, Vaisnava Vocabulary
Tags: A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Krishna, Krsna The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krsna-katha, Krsna_katha, Liberated souls, narrations spoken about Krsna, narrations spoken by Krsna, path of liberation, Srila Prabhupada, topics about krishna
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”)
More
26 Aug 2013
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Bhagavad-gita, Spiritual Life, Spiritual World
Tags: A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, bhakti, buddhi-yoga, karma yoga, Krishna, liberation, lotus feet of the Lord, material world, mukti, Personality of Godhead, Radha, Spiritual Life, spiritual sky, Spiritual world, Vaikuntha planets, vikunthaloka, yoga
please click on image to enlarge!
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)
Full verse and purport More
20 Aug 2013
by The Hare Krishna Movement
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.
More
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.
More
13 Aug 2013
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Bhagavad-gita, Prasadam, Slokas
Tags: A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Krishna, Krsna prasadam, leaf flower fruit or water, love and ecstasy, offering to God, patram puspam phalam toyam, with love and devotion
One of the first slokas I ever memorized from the Bhagavad-gita was 9.26 patraṁ puṣpaṁ phalaṁ toyaṁ… “If one offers Me with love and devotion a leaf, a flower, fruit or water, I will accept it.” (Full text and purport follows). This was practically the beginning of my spiritual life. ‘Just try to love God by offering Him something, with devotion. A leaf, a flower, fruit or water.’
One does not need great wealth, education or opulence to satisfy the Supreme Personality of Godhead. If one is fully absorbed in love and ecstasy, he need offer only a flower and a little water. As stated in Bhagavad-gītā, patraṁ puṣpaṁ phalaṁ toyaṁ yo me bhaktyā prayacchati: “If one offers Me with love and devotion a leaf, a flower. fruit or water, I will accept it.” (Bg. 9.26)
The Supreme Lord can be pleased only by devotional service: therefore it is said here that the Lord is surely satisfied by devotion and nothing else. Quoting from the Gautamīya-tantra, the Hari-bhakti-vilāsa states:
tulasī-dala-mātreṇa
jalasya culukena vā
vikrīṇīte svam ātmānaṁ
bhaktebhyo bhakta-vatsalaḥ
“Śrī Kṛṣṇa, who is very affectionate toward His devotees, sells Himself to a devotee who offers merely a tulasī leaf and a palmful of water.” The Supreme Lord is causelessly merciful upon His devotee, so much so that even the poorest of men can offer Him a little water and a flower in devotion and thus please Him. This is due to His affectionate dealings with His devotees. (SB 5.3.6 purport)
Everyone is searching after peace of mind. This is obtainable only when one is completely freed from the desire for material sense gratification and is engaged in the devotional service of the Lord. As stated in Bhagavad-gītā: patraṁ puṣpaṁ phalaṁ toyaṁ yo me bhaktyā prayacchati (9.26). Worship of the Lord is not at all expensive. One can offer the Lord a leaf, a flower, a little fruit and some water. The Supreme Lord accepts these offerings when they are offered with love and devotion. In this way, one can become freed from material desires. As long as one maintains material desires, he cannot be happy. As soon as one engages in the devotional service of the Lord, his mind is purified of all material desires. Then one becomes fully satisfied. (SB 5.7.11, purport)
More
11 Aug 2013
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Aksauhini, Lectures, Vaisnava Vocabulary
Tags: 109, 21, 600 cavalry is called an akṣauhiṇī, 650 infantry and 65, 870 chariots, 870 elephants, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, aksauhini, bhakta, bhaktas, isvarah paramah, Krishna, mukti, solid phalanx of 21, Srila Prabhupada, Srimad Bhagavatam lecture
Here is a word for your vaisnava vocabulary: Aksauhini (akṣauhiṇī).
The word akṣauhiṇī refers to a military phalanx consisting of 21,870 chariots and elephants, 109,350 infantry soldiers and 65,610 horses. An exact description is given in the Mahābhārata, Ādi parva, Second Chapter, as follows:
“One chariot, one elephant, five infantry soldiers and three horses are called a patti by those who are learned in the science. The wise also know that a senāmukha is three times what a patti is. Three senāmukhas are known as one gulma, three gulmas are called a gaṇa, and three gaṇas are called a vāhinī. Three vāhinīs have been referred to by the learned as a pṛtanā, three pṛtanās equal one camū, and three camūs equal one anīkinī. The wise refer to ten anīkinīs as one akṣauhiṇī. The chariots of an akṣauhiṇī have been calculated at 21,870 by those who know the science of such calculations, O best of the twice-born, and the number of elephants is the same. The number of infantry soldiers is 109,350, and the number of horses is 65,610. This is called an akṣauhiṇī.” (SB 9.15.30)
A solid phalanx of 21,870 chariots, 21,870 elephants, 109,650 infantry and 65,600 cavalry is called an akṣauhiṇī. (SB 1.8.48 purport)
What makes this word so noteworthy, is the fact that many akṣauhiṇīs were killed on the Battlefield of Kurukṣetra. Such was the enormity of the battle.
Following is a lecture by His Divine Grace describing the lamentation of King Yudhisthira. Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira, as the most pious king of the world, takes for himself the responsibility for killing such a huge number of living beings because the battle was fought to reinstate him on the throne.
More
10 Aug 2013
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Free Downloads, Free eBooks, KRSNA The Supreme Personality of Godhead
Tags: A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, cowheard boys, free boooks, free eBooks, free pdf download, gopis, Krishna, pdf, Spiritual Life, Spiritual world, Vrndavan
Recently I have been reading one chapter from the Krsna Book everyday, something I haven’t done since my children were young. But now in my old age, reading alone and out loud, in front of our deities, I am finding an even deeper appreciation of this beautiful book. To be honest, I am in awe of this Krsna Book, it is not of this world. Rather it is a window to the Spiritual World. With great joy we are posting a scanned version of Vol. 2 of the Krsna Book, in the pdf format, for a free download.
KRSNA_Book_Vol.2_1970_ISKCON
Click on above link and give it a few moments to load…then you can view it or save it to your files. Hare Krishna!
excerpt from book:
…After being received by the cowherd men and boys, the gopīs, and King Nanda and Yaśodā, Lord Balarāma sat down, feeling satisfied, and they all surrounded Him. First Lord Balarāma inquired from them about their welfare, and then, not having seen Him for such a long time, they began to ask Him different questions. The inhabitants of Vṛndāvana had sacrificed everything for Kṛṣṇa, simply being captivated by the lotus eyes of the Lord. Because of their great desire to love Kṛṣṇa, they never desired anything like elevation to the heavenly planets or merging into the effulgence of Brahman to become one with the Absolute Truth. They were not even interested in enjoying a life of opulence, but were satisfied in living a simple life in the village as cowherd men. They were always absorbed in thoughts of Kṛṣṇa and did not desire any personal benefits, and they were all so much in love with Him that in His absence their voices faltered when they began to inquire from Balarāmajī. (Chapter 11, Lord Balarāma Visits Vṛndāvana)
Previous Older Entries Next Newer Entries
The Hare Krishna Movement 