28 Nov 2019
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Krishna Consciousness, Krishna Consciousness Movement, The Hare Krishna Movement
Tags: bona fide spiritual master, guru, Hare Krishna, Krishna consciousness, Krsna, Krsna conscious, Sandy Nixon, Science of Self Realization, Srila Prabhupada, The Hare Krishna Movement
The following interview with freelance reporter Sandy Nixon took place in July 1975, in Śrīla Prabhupāda’s quarters at the Kṛṣṇa center in Philadelphia. This discussion serves as a superb introduction to Kṛṣṇa consciousness and covers such basic topics as the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, the relationship between the spiritual master and God, the difference between genuine and fake gurus, the role of women in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, the Indian caste system, and the relationship between Christ consciousness and Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
What is Krsna Consciousness?
Ms. Nixon: My first question is very basic. What is Kṛṣṇa consciousness?
Śrīla Prabhupāda: Kṛṣṇa means God. We are all intimately connected with Him because He is our original father. But we have forgotten this connection. When we become interested in knowing, “What is my connection with God? What is the aim of life?” then we are called Kṛṣṇa conscious.
Ms. Nixon: How does Kṛṣṇa consciousness develop in the practitioner?
Śrīla Prabhupāda: Kṛṣṇa consciousness is already there in the core of everyone’s heart. But because of our materially conditioned life, we have forgotten it. The process of chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra—Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare—revives the Kṛṣṇa consciousness we already have. For example, a few months ago these American and European boys and girls did not know about Kṛṣṇa, but just yesterday we saw how they were chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa and dancing in ecstasy throughout the whole Ratha-yātrā procession [an annual festival sponsored by the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement in cities around the world]. Do you think that was artificial? No. Artificially, nobody can chant and dance for hours together. They have actually awakened their Kṛṣṇa consciousness by following a bona fide process. This is explained in the Caitanya-caritāmṛta (Madhya 22. 107)
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20 Apr 2017
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Conversation with Srila Prabhupada, Guru & Disciple, Science of Self Realization
Tags: A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami, accepting the shelter of a bona fide spiritual master, as it is, Bhagavad-gita, fake guru, Genuine Guru, God Krishna, guru and disciple, Science of Self Realization, Spiritual Life, spiritual master, Srila Prabhupada
Saw this nice post in my mailbox this morning courtesy of my friend Padmapani Prabhu over at Prabhupada Connect and thought we would share it with all of you. The photo is by Mathuranath Prabhu I believe.
Finding a Genuine Guru
Excerpted from Science of Self Realization Chapter 2
Reporter: Have you ever had people come to you who had previously been involved with a fake
guru?
Srila Prabhupada: Yes, there are many.
Reporter: Were their spiritual lives in any way spoiled by the fakegurus?
Srila Prabhupada: No, they were genuinely seeking something spiritual, and that was their qualification. God is within everyone’s heart, and as soon as someone genuinely seeks Him, He helps that person find a genuine guru.
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05 Sep 2016
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Mukunda das Goswami
Tags: A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami, Manhattan's bowery, MIchael Grant, mukunda das goswami, prabhupada, Science of Self Realization, Srila Prabhupada, svami, swami
I have read and re-read the Foreward to The Science of Self Realization by Mukunda dasa Goswami many times now, and every time I am moved by this written account.
…From the very start, I knew that His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda was the most extraordinary person I had ever met. The first meeting occurred in the summer of 1966, in New York City. A friend had invited me to hear a lecture by “an old Indian svāmī” on lower Manhattan’s Bowery. Overwhelmed with curiosity about a svāmī lecturing on skid row, I went there and felt my way up a pitch-black staircase. A bell-like, rhythmic sound got louder and clearer as I climbed higher. Finally I reached the fourth floor and opened the door, and there he was. (Mukunda dasa Goswami from Foreward to The Science of Self Realiztion)
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14 Aug 2016
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Krsna Consciousness, Science of Self Realization, Sri Caitanya-Caritamrta
Tags: A.C.Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, forgetful conditioned soul, forgetful of God, glorification of the holy name, Krsna, krsna consciousness, Madhya 20.123, realized spiritual master, Science of Self Realization, Srila Prabhupada, supersou.
This morning I read the following verse from the Science of Self Realization;
“This is a simple method. All you have to do is bow down before Krishna with faith and say, ‘My Lord Krishna, I was forgetful of You for so long, for so many lives. Now I have come to my consciousness; please accept me.’ That’s all. If one simply learns this technique and sincerely surrenders himself to the Lord, his path is immediately open.” (Science of Self-Realization, Chapter 7)
I was moved by how simple this process is. Srila Prabhupada has said; “…it is so simple we can miss it”. But we are in a fortunate position, because Srila Prabhupada has given us the method to return home Back to Godhead through his books and instructions.
“The forgetful conditioned soul is educated by Kṛṣṇa through the Vedic literatures, the realized spiritual master and the Supersoul. Through these, he can understand the Supreme Personality of Godhead as He is, and he can understand that Lord Kṛṣṇa is his eternal master and deliverer from the clutches of māyā. In this way one can acquire real knowledge of his conditioned life and can come to understand how to attain liberation. (Madhya-līlā 20.123)
The following is the complete chapter 7 from the Science of Self Realization and the complete Text and purport to Madhya-lila 20.123 More
13 Aug 2016
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Books by Srila Prabhupada, Science of Self Realization, Srila Prabhupada, Srila Prabhupada Conversations, The Hare Krishna Movement
Tags: Caitanya Mahaprabhu, causeless mercy, Krishna consciousness movement, Padmapani das, Prabhupada connect, Science of Self Realization, The Hare Krishna Movement
My friend Padmapani Prabhu (the webmaster for Prabhupada Connect has been coming out with so many beautiful posts of late…we share another one with you here. Please visit his site if you get the chance.
“This Krishna consciousness movement is not something new, something that we have introduced or manufactured. It is authorized on the Vedic principles, authorized by acaryas like Caitanya Mahaprabhu and others. And the method is very simple; there is no loss. We are not charging anything, we are not asking for fees and giving the people some secret mantra and promising them that they will become God. No. This is open for everyone — children, women, girls, boys, old people — everyone can chant and see the results.” (Science of Self-Realization, Chapter 5)
Full Chapter More
06 Oct 2012
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Book Distribution, Books by Srila Prabhupada, Devotee Business's, Free Downloads, Free eBooks, Madhudvisa das, Prabhupada Libary, Srila Prabhupada's Books
Tags: A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Beyond Birth and Death, Bhagavad-gita As It Is, Easy Journey to Other Planets, Elevation to Krishna Consciousness, King of Knowledge, Krishna Store, Krsna The Reservoir of Pleasure, Krsna The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Madhuvisa das, Matchless Gift, Nectar of Devotion, Nectar of Instruction, On Chanting Hare Krishna, On the Way to Krishna, perfection of yoga, Science of Self Realization, Sri Isopanisad, Srila Prabhupada, Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.1, Teachings of Lord Caitanya
click on image to enlarge
Prabhupada Library
Reading Srila Prabhupada’s books is personal association with a pure devotee of Krishna. Prabhupada is living in his books and Krishna is also living in them.
“You may please me the most by reading my books and following the instructions therein…” (Srila Prabhupada)
A library of 16 essential books on Krishna consciousness by His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Founder-Acarya of the Hare Krishna Movement. Includes: Bhagavad-gita As It Is, Krsna–The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.1, Science of Self-Realization,Teachings of Lord Caitanya, Nectar of Devotion, Nectar of Instruction, Sri Isopanisad, Perfection of Yoga, Beyond Birth and Death, Matchless Gift, Elevation to Krishna Consciousness, King of Knowledge, Easy Journey to Other Planets, On the Way to Krishna, Krsna the Reservoir of Pleasure, On Chanting Hare Krishna.
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25 Sep 2012
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Bob Cohen, Books by Srila Prabhupada, Perfect Answers Perfect Questions
Tags: A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, conversation with Srila Prabhupada, perfect questions perfect answers, science, Science of Self Realization, scientist
click on image to enlarge
Perfect Questions, Perfect Answers
By His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
February 27, 1972
Chapter One
Kṛṣṇa, the All-Attractive
Bob: What is a scientist?
Śrīla Prabhupāda: One who knows things as they are.
Bob: He thinks he knows things as they are.
Śrīla Prabhupāda: What?
Bob: He hopes he knows things as they are.
Śrīla Prabhupāda: No, he is supposed to know. We approach the scientist because he is supposed to know things correctly. A scientist means one who knows things as they are. Kṛṣṇa means “all-attractive.”
Bob: All-attractive.
Śrīla Prabhupāda: Yes. So unless God is all-attractive, how can He be God? A man is important when he is attractive. Is it not?
Bob: It is so.
Śrīla Prabhupāda: So, God must be attractive and attractive for all. Therefore, if God has any name, or if you want to give any name to God, only “Kṛṣṇa” can be given.
Bob: But why only the name Kṛṣṇa?
Śrīla Prabhupāda: Because He’s all-attractive. Kṛṣṇa means“all-attractive.”
Bob: Oh, I see.
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15 May 2011
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in Book Distribution, Books by Srila Prabhupada
Tags: His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Prabhupada books, Science of Self Realization, wholesale books
The Science of Self Realization
By His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupad
This High Quality Hard Bound is a reproduction of the book first published by the Bhaktivedanta Book Trust in 1977
In this book you will discover the timeless science of the soul, information on practicing yoga and meditation in this Age l, finding the cure for todays social ills, choosing a spiritual master, understanding Krsna and Christ, and reaching life’s perfectional stage.
4×7 hardbound
360 pages
Appendixes: About the Author, Glossary, Guide to Sanskrit Pronunciation, and Index, 44 to the case!
Wholesale Price of $130.00 per case
Available for sale on line at; http://www.theharekrishnamovement.com
03 Mar 2011
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in Science of Self Realization
Tags: age of quarrel, chanting Hare Krishna, holy name, Kali-yuga, kirtan, New Vrindavan, Pariksit Maharaja, Science of Self Realization, Srimad Bhagavatam, Sukadeva Gosvami
Krishna Consciousness-The Yoga for the Modern Age
The Science of Self Realization by His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
from the chapter “Practicing Yoga in the Age of Quarrel”
harer nāma harer nāma
harer nāmaiva kevalam
kalau nāsty eva nāsty eva
nāsty eva gatir anyathā
[Adi 17.21]
“In this age of Kali there is no other religion than glorifying the Lord by utterance of His holy name, and that is the injunction of all the revealed scriptures. There is no other way, there is no other way, there is no other way.” This verse appears in the Bṛhan-nāradīya Purāṇa. Harer nāma harer nāma harer nāmaiva kevalam. Simply chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. There is no other alternative. Kalau nāsty eva nāsty eva nāsty eva gatir anyathā. In this age, Kali, there is no other alternative for self-realization. So we have to accept it.
There is another similar verse in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. In the Twelfth Canto, Third Chapter, Parīkṣit Mahārāja was informed by Śukadeva Gosvāmī of the faults of this age, and now all the symptoms of the age of Kali are apparent. In the conclusive portion, however, Śukadeva Gosvāmī said, kaler doṣa-nidhe rājann asti hy eko mahān guṇaḥ: “My dear king, this age, Kali, is full of faulty things, but there is one good opportunity.” What is that? Kīrtanād eva kṛṣṇasya mukta-saṅgaḥ paraṁ vrajet: “Simply by chanting this Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra one can become liberated and go back to Godhead.”
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