Bhagavad-gītā As It Is 1972 Edition
By His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Chapter Sixteen
The Divine and Demoniac Natures
29 Sep 2013 Leave a comment
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
Kṛṣṇa Conscious Yogī (Part II)
25 Sep 2013 Leave a comment
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
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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
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The Yoga of the Supreme Person
14 Sep 2013 Leave a comment
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
Fear of Death
08 Sep 2013 1 Comment
in A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Death and Dying, KRSNA The Supreme Personality of Godhead Tags: 1970 Edition, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, bhoja dynasty, bugles, chariot, conchshells, death, death and dying, demigod, demon, Devaki, devotee, devotional service, drums, Kamsa, kettledrums, Krishna, Krsna The Supreme Personality of Godhead, musical instruments, Vasudeva
…Once upon a time, Vasudeva, the son of Śūrasena, just after marrying Devakī, was going home on his chariot with his newly wedded wife.
While the bride and bridegroom were passing along on the chariot, there were different kinds of musical instruments playing to indicate the auspicious moment. There were conchshells, bugles, drums and kettledrums; combined together, they were vibrating a nice concert. The procession was passing very pleasingly, and Kaṁsa was driving the chariot, when suddenly there was a miraculous sound vibrated from the sky which especially announced to Kaṁsa: “Kaṁsa: you are such a fool. You are driving the chariot of your sister and your brother-in-law, but you do not know that the eighth child of this sister will kill you.”
Kaṁsa was the son of Ugrasena, of the Bhoja dynasty. It is said that Kaṁsa was the most demoniac of all the Bhoja dynasty kings. Immediately after hearing the prophecy from the sky, he caught hold of Devakī’s hair and was just about to kill her with his sword. Vasudeva was astonished at Kaṁsa’s behavior, and in order to pacify the cruel, shameless brother-in-law, he began to speak as follows, with great reason and evidence. He said, “My dear brother-in-law Kaṁsa, you are the most famous king of the Bhoja dynasty, and people know that you are the greatest warrior and a valiant king. How is it that you are so infuriated that you are prepared to kill a woman who is your own sister at this auspicious time of her marriage? Why should you be so much afraid of death? Death is already born along with your birth. From the very day you took your birth, you began to die.(Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Chapter 1)
On Janmastami day I decided to start reading the Kṛṣṇa Book over again. I don’t know how many times I have read it but unlike mundane literature, it becomes more and more transcendentally relishable with every reading. In this first chapter entitled “The Advent of Lord Kṛṣṇa”, Vasudeva, in his attempt to pacify Kaṁsa, spoke this very famous lesson about death…
Kṛṣṇa-kathā
30 Aug 2013 1 Comment
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”)
The Spiritual Sky
26 Aug 2013 Leave a comment
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
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The liberated living entities seek that place where there are no material miseries. The Bhāgavatam says:
samāśritā ye padapallava-plavaṁ
mahat-padaṁ puṇya-yaśo murāreḥ
bhāvambudhir vatsa-padaṁ paraṁ padaṁ
paraṁ padaṁ yad vipadāṁ na teṣām
(Bhāg. 10.14.58)
“For one who has accepted the boat of the lotus feet of the Lord, who is the shelter of the cosmic manifestation and is famous as Mukunda or the giver of mukti, the ocean of the material world is like the water contained in a calf’s hoofprint. Param padam, or the place where there are no material miseries, or Vaikuṇṭha, is his goal, not the place where there is danger in every step of life.” (From purport to Bg. 2.51)
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Attachment to Krsna is the Highest Goal
20 Aug 2013 Leave a comment
in A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Krishna Nectar, KRSNA The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krsna-katha, Queens of Dwarka Tags: A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, back to Godhead, blooming lotus flowers, ducks and cranes, ever-blissful, goddesses of fortune, gopis, impesonalists, Krishna, Krsna, Krsna The Supreme Personality of Godhead, kunkuma, lakes were full of beautiful swans, queens of Dwarka, red vermilion, saffron powder, Spiritual world
This is a post I have wanted to do for some time, and have waited for an auspicious day like today, on Lord Balarama’s appearance to post it. This is some of the nectar from the concluding chapter of Krsna, The Supreme Personality of Godhead, by our Srila Prabhupada. And the above image is one of my most favorite pictures from the book. This picture has always captivated my imagination and I am convinced that if ever I return Home, Back to Godhead, life with God (Krsna) would be very enjoyable. Eternal, full of knowledge and bliss (sat-cit-ananda)
…The crystal-clear water of the lakes contained many blooming lotus flowers of different colors like blue, yellow, white and red, and the saffron powder from the lotus flowers was blown all around by the breeze. All the lakes were full of beautiful swans, ducks and cranes, crying occasionally with melodious sounds. Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa sometimes entered those lakes, or sometimes the rivers, with His wives and enjoyed swimming pastimes with them in full jubilation. Sometimes the wives of Lord Kṛṣṇa, who were all goddesses of fortune, would embrace the Lord in the midst of the water while swimming or taking bath, and the red vermilion of kuṅkuma decorating the beauty of their breasts would adorn the chest of the Lord with a reddish color.
The impersonalists would not dare believe that in the spiritual world there are such varieties of enjoyment, but in order to demonstrate the factual, ever-blissful enjoyment in the spiritual world, Lord Kṛṣṇa descended on this planet and showed that the spiritual world is not devoid of such pleasurable facilities of life. The only difference is that in the spiritual world such facilities are eternal, never-ending occurrences, whereas in the material world they are simply impermanent perverted reflections. When Lord Kṛṣṇa was engaged in such enjoyment, the Gandharvas and professional musicians would glorify Him with melodious musical concerts, accompanied by mṛdaṅgas, drums, kettledrums, stringed instruments and brass bugles, and the whole atmosphere would change into a greatly festive celebration. In a festive mood, the wives of the Lord would sometimes sprinkle water on the Lord’s body with a syringe-like instrument, and the Lord would similarly wet the bodies of the queens.
Our Krsna Consciousness Movement is Very Scientific, Factual, and Authorized
15 Aug 2013 Leave a comment
in A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Lectures, The Hare Krishna Movement Tags: A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Arrival Lecture, Hare Krishna, in every town and village, Krishna, Krsna Caitanya, krsna consciousness, Radha-Krsna, Srila Prabhupada, svayan krsna
Arrival Lecture
By His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
Los Angeles, May 18, 1972
Prabhupada: (airport noises) (leads Prema-dhvani; says “Los Angeles bhakta-vrnda ki jaya!”)
So my dear boys and girls, about six years ago I came to your country single-handed, with this pair of cymbals. Now you are so many chanting Hare Krsna. That is my success. It was the prediction of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu:
prthivite ache yata nagaradi grama
sarvatra pracara hoibe mora nama
Lord Caitanya desired that “In all the towns, in as many towns and villages as there are on the surface of the globe, My name will be broadcast.” He is Krsna Himself, svayam krsna, krsna caitanya-namine, simply changing His name as Krsna Caitanya. So His prediction will never go in vain. That’s a fact. So my plan was that “I shall go to America. America is the leading country of the world. If I can convince (the) younger generation of America, they will take up.” I am old man. I came here at the age of seventy years; now I am seventy-six. So my warning is already there. In nineteen hundred and seventy-one, I had a severe heart attack. You know, all. So the mission of Caitanya Mahaprabhu is now in your hands. You are American boys and girls, very intelligent and graced by Krsna. You are not poverty-stricken. You have enough resources, prestige. Everything materially, you are all well-equipped. If you kindly take this Krsna consciousness movement seriously, your country will be saved, and the whole world will be saved.
If one offers Me with love and devotion a leaf, a flower, fruit or water, I will accept it.
13 Aug 2013 1 Comment
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)
Akṣauhiṇī
11 Aug 2013 Leave a comment
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.
KRSNA Book Vol. 2 (Free PDF Download)
10 Aug 2013 2 Comments
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.
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)
Nature, the Enjoyer, and Consciousness
10 Aug 2013 Leave a comment
in A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada Tags: A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, and Consciousness, Arjuna, Bg 13, knowledge, Krishna, ksetra, ksetrajna, nature, O son of Kunti, parkrtim purusam caiva, prabhupada gita, prakrti, Purusa, the Enjoyer
Bhagavad-gītā As It Is 1972 Edition
By His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Chapter Thirteen
Nature, the Enjoyer, and Consciousness
Krishna is All Attractive
08 Aug 2013 2 Comments
in Krishna, Krishna Consciousness, Krsna-katha Tags: Govinda, He is playing on His flute, Kesi-ghat, Krishna, Krsna
“My dear friend, there is one boy—His name is Govinda. He is standing on the bank of the Yamuna near the Kesi-ghat, and He is playing on His flute. He is so beautiful, especially during this full-moon night. If you have any intentions to enjoy in this material world with your children, husband, or other family members, then please do not go there.”
24/7
24 Jul 2013 Leave a comment
in A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Bhagavad-gita, Krishna Consciousness, Practicing Krishna Consciousness at Home, Spiritual Life Tags: 18.66, 24/7, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Praphupada, Arjuna, Bg. 18.65, impersonal Brahman vision, Krishna, Krishna consciousness, personal feature of the Lord, simply thinking of Krishna, so simple you can miss it, Spiritual Life, supersoul, transcendentalists
Srila Prabhupada once said that Krishna Consciousness is “So simple you can miss it”. Sometimes we become overwhelmed with so many books, so much instruction, rules and regulations etc.etc. but actually Krishna Consciousness is very simple, and anyone can begin this blissful process by simply thinking of Krishna. As we can see from the following verse and purport from the Bhagavad-gita:
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.
…Life should be so molded that one will always have the chance to think of Kṛṣṇa. One should always act in such a way that all his daily activities are in connection with Kṛṣṇa. He should arrange his life in such a way that throughout the twenty-four hours he cannot but think of Kṛṣṇa. And the Lord’s promise is that anyone who is in such pure Kṛṣṇa consciousness will certainly return to the abode of Kṛṣṇa, where he will be engaged in the association of Kṛṣṇa face to face. This most confidential part of knowledge is spoken to Arjuna because he is the dear friend of Kṛṣṇa. Everyone who follows the path of Arjuna can become a dear friend to Kṛṣṇa and obtain the same perfection as Arjuna.
…one should concentrate his mind upon Kṛṣṇa—the very form with two hands carrying a flute, the bluish boy with a beautiful face and peacock feathers in His hair.
….One should be attracted by the beautiful vision of Kṛṣṇa. His name is Kṛṣṇa because He is all-attractive. One who becomes attracted by the beautiful, all-powerful, omnipotent vision of Kṛṣṇa is fortunate.
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You Become A Lover of God
22 Jul 2013 Leave a comment
in A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Krsna Consciousness, Lectures Tags: A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Christian, govinda adi-purusam, Hindu, Krishna, krsna consciousness, Lecture by Srila Prabhupada, London August 11 1971, love of God, Love of Godhead, lover of God, loving propensity, Muslim, Radha, Radharani, religion, Srimati Radharani
click on image to enlarge
…If you want happiness, then you must learn how to love God. You are trying to love somebody, but you are being frustrated, foiled. Because except God, nobody is loving object. And if you love God, then naturally you love everything because God is everything. The example is that if you pour water on the root of the tree, it goes everywhere—to the twigs, to the leaves, to the flowers, everywhere.
That technique is love of Godhead. If you learn, it doesn’t matter what religion you profess. It is no concern. We do not say that “You become Hindu,” “You become Muslim,” or “Christian.” No. We say that “You become lover of God.” You learn how to love God. Your loving propensity is there, but it is being misplaced. It is placed on dog instead of God; therefore you are unhappy. When your loving propensity will be placed in the proper place, you will be happy. This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness, love of Godhead. (from Lecture)
Lecture by Srila Prabhupada
London, August 11, 1971
Prabhupāda: I have to speak something? So we are worshiping Rādhā-Mādhava, the lover or enjoyer of Rādhārāṇī. [break] Govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajāmi **
Sri Hamsadutta
20 Jul 2013 1 Comment
in Krishna, Kusakratha das, Rupa Goswami, Sri Hamsadutta, Srimati Radharani Tags: Akrura, ashoka flowers, Autumn, Autumn cloud, autumn evening pastimes, Balarama, bandhuka flower, bimba-fruit lips, bliss, buddha, cuckoo, dadamba flowers, Damodara, garments splendid as gold, Garuda, girimalli gflowers, gokulas's eyes, gopas, gopis, Govinda, jasmine vines, kadamba tree, kaliya lake, Kalki, Kamadeva, kaustubha jewel, king of the swans, Krishna, krishna's feet, kubja, Kurma, lalita, lord hari, Lord Krishna, lotus-faced one, lover of the gopis, madhuvana, manasa-sarovara, Matsya, Mount Kailasa, Mukunda, Nrisimha, peacock feather crown, peacock feathers, pillar arms, Radha, Radharani, Radhika, Ramacandra, rasa dance, rasa-lila, Sakara Mallika, shaphari fishes, shark earrings, silk garments, Srila Rupa Gosvami, swans, tamala tree, tilaka, Tulasi devi, tulasi leaves, Uddhava, Vamana, Varaha, vijayate, Vrindavana, Yamuna
This very beautiful translation of “Sri Hamsadutta” by Srila Rupa Goswami, is the work of His Grace Kusakratha prabhu (ACBSP).
Some of the literature, that Kuskratha Prabhu has translated, is so confidentially elevated that many devotees are not yet ready to grasp it. Nevertheless, these immortal works now stand as a vast body of reference material for the Vaisnava community to consult. Aside from accurately transmitting the words of the acaryas, Kusakratha has also rendered thousands of pages of glorification of Krishna through his personal English poetic composition. Some of these compositions have been published though many have not, as of yet.
More on Kuskratha Prabhu at bottom of post…but this is just a sampling of the Sri Hamsadutta before we post it here in its entirety.
May a certain blissful person in splendid yellow silk garments, the soles of His lotus feet glorious as a host of red roses, His form dark as a tamala tree, and His mouth playfully curved in a gentle smile, appear in my heart. (Text One)
Ecstasy
17 Jul 2013 2 Comments
in A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Ecstasy, Krsna Consciousness, Nectar of Devotion, Srimati Radharani, Teachings of Lord Chaitanya, Vaisnava Vocabulary Tags: A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, amorous pastimes, ecstasy, ecstasy of transcendental love, Krishna, Radha Madana-mohana, Spiritual Life, Srila Prabhupada, Srimati Radharani, supreme ecstasy of srimati radharani
No common man can understand the ecstasy of transcendental love between Radharani and Krsna (from Teachings of Lord Caitanya)
That supreme ecstasy of Srimati Radharani is the essence of spiritual life. Her only business is to fulfill all the desires of Krsna (CC Madhya 8.164, Translation)
This morning as I was doing my morning meditations (japa) I happened to be looking at this beautiful picture of Radha and Krishna. I was very much moved by the picture and was reminded of the following verse…
“Glory to the all-merciful Sri Radha and Madana-Mohana, who are always engaged in amorous pastimes. They are the only shelter of my depraved and crippled self. Their lotus feet are the be-all and end-all of my life” (Songs of the Vaisnava Acaryas)
…and the word that kept coming up in my mind was “Ecstasy”. I could not even begin to understand what Srimati Radharani must be feeling when She looks at Krishna, or what Sri Krishna must be experiencing when He looks into the eyes of Srimati Radharani. It must be Ecstaic Love!
I went to Srila Prabhupada’s “Nectar of Devotion”, to the “Teachings of Lord Caitanya”, and to try to get a better understanding also did a search on the word ‘ecstasy’ in vainquotes. The results of my readings are as follows:
The Meaning of the Hare Krishna Mantra
15 Jul 2013 Leave a comment
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.
The Pāṇḍavas Retire Timely
13 Jul 2013 Leave a comment
in A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Srimad Bhagavatam Tags: A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Arjuna, Krishna, Maharaja Yudhisthira, SB 1.15, Srimad Bhagavatam, The Pandavas Retire Timely
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The following is the entire 15th chapter of the First Canto of the Srimad Bhagavatam entitled “The Pandavas Retire Timely”. I so enjoy reading this First Canto, I read it over and over again. All of Srila Prabhupada’s purports are so laden with transcendental realization I feel as though I am there with Srila Sukadeva Goswami or with the Sages of Naimisaranya hearing this Srimad Bhagavatam spoken in its pure essence.
Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam
By His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Canto One, Chapter Fifteen
The Pāṇḍavas Retire Timely
The Way of Chanting and Knowing Kṛṣṇa
09 Jul 2013 Leave a comment
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
The Hare Krishna Movement 