19 Jul 2013
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Diksha, Disciplic succession, Guru & Disciple, guru-tattva, Parampara System, Quotes by Srila Prabhupada, Rakshana das, Siksa, Vidura das
Tags: A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, bona fide spiritual master, Guru Issue, Initiation, Iskcon, prabhupada, prabhupadanugas, Rakshana das, Sampradaya sun, spiritual master, transparent medium, Vidhura das, Vraja Vilasa
As always in our ISKCON Society, since the departure of His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, there is an ongoing discussion, debate, and, or, argument on the guru issue. No doubt finding a qualified spiritual master is of utmost importance as is outlined in Easy Journey to Other Planets:
1. The serious candidate must accept a bona fide spiritual master in order to be trained scientifically. Because the senses are material, it is not at all possible to realize the Transcendence by them. Therefore the senses have to be spiritualized by the prescribed method under the direction of the spiritual master.
2. When the student has chosen a bona fide spiritual master, he must take the proper initiation from him. This marks the beginning of spiritual training.
3. The candidate must be prepared to satisfy the spiritual master in every way. A bona fide spiritual master who is fully cognizant of the methods of spiritual science, learned in the spiritual scriptures such as the Bhagavad-gītā, Vedānta, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam and Upaniṣads, and who is also a realized soul who has made a tangible connection with the Supreme Lord, is the transparent medium by which the willing candidate is led to the path of the Vaikuṇṭhas. The spiritual master must be satisfied in all respects, because simply by his good wishes a candidate can make wonderful progress along the path.
Recently I have been following on the Sampradaya Sun a slew of posts by Vraja Vilasa Prabhu:
Which were in response to the article by Rakshana Prabhu (which we also posted here):
The Transmission of Transcendental Sound
Followed by his reply:
Surround Sound and the Big Mrdanga
Then of course there was a rebuttal post by Vidura Prabhu in response to Vraja Vilasa Prabhu’s; “Two Wrongs Don’t Make a Right”, which was not posted on the Sampradaya Sun, but rather by the Prabhupanuga pages and which we (for the sake of disclosure) will post here. This is a very nice assortment of quotes, for instance…
“Krishna and his representative are the same. Similarly, the spiritual master can be present wherever the disciple wants. A spiritual master is the principle, not the body.” (Letter to Malati, 28/5/68)
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12 Jul 2013
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Prayers & Verses, Quotes by Srila Prabhupada, Slokas
Tags: A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, conversation with Srila Prabhupada, imports of Vedic knowledge, Letters by Srila Prabhupada, Prabhupada lectures, quotes by prabhupada, spiritual master, SU 6.23, Svetasvatara Upanisad, vani, vani quotes, Vedic knowledge, yasya deve para bhaktir, yatha deve tatha gurau
Last night I was having a discussion with a fellow vaisnava, and the following, important sloka, came up in the course of our conversation. I was reminded of a story that once Gurukrpa Swami asked Srila Prabhupada what was the most important sloka in our literature, and Srila Prabhupada responded:
yasya deve parā bhaktir
yathā deve tathā gurau
tasyaite kathitā hy arthāḥ
prakāśante mahātmanaḥ
“Only unto those great souls who have implicit faith in both the Lord and the spiritual master are all the imports of Vedic knowledge automatically revealed.” (Śvetāśvatara Upaniṣad 6.23)
I wanted to see how many times Srila Prabhupada used this sloka in his books and lectures so I went to Vani Quotes and did a search. It appears that this verse was used in:
Bhagavad-gita; 2 times
Srimad Bhagavatam; 11 times
Sri Caitanya-caritamrta; 12 times
Lectures; 43 times
Letters; 7 times
Morning Walks and Conversations; 22 times
Other books; twice
We share with you some of the the results of the Vani Quotes Research team, and thank Visnu Murti and Mayapur prabhu’s efforts.
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09 Jun 2013
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
Tags: 1972 Edition, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Arjuna, as it is, Bg. 11, bhagavad-gita, Chapter Eleven, Krishna, Krsna, prabhupada gita, spiritual master, Supreme Lord, Supreme Personality of Godhead, Universal Form
30 May 2013
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Letters by Srila Prabhupada, Practicing Krishna Consciousness at Home, Vegetarian Cooking, Vegetarianism
Tags: A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, nama om vishnu-padaya, namo maha-vadanyaya, namo rahmanya-devaya, offering food, offering food to the Lord, offering prasadam, Prasadam, prayer to Srila Prabhupada, spiritual master
…For offering prasadam simply prayers to the Spiritual Master is sufficient. The process is that everything is offered to the Spiritual Master, and the Spiritual Master is supposed to offer the same foodstuff to the Lord. When a thing is offered to the Spiritual Master, he immediately offers to the Lord. That is the system, and as we come by parampara system, it is our duty to go through the right channel—namely, first the Spiritual Master, then Lord Caitanya, and then Krishna. So when we chant prayers, we do this, Vande ham Sri Guru . . . and gradually to the Goswamis, then to Lord Caitanya, and then to Radha Krishna. That is the praying system. But offering the prasadam to present everything before the Spiritual Master whose picture is also in the altar, means that the Spiritual Master will take care of offering the foodstuff to the Lord. Therefore simply by chanting the prayer to the Spiritual Master, everything will be complete. (Letter to Harer Nama May 28, 1968)
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14 May 2013
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in Diksha, Disciplic succession, Guru & Disciple, guru-tattva, ISKCON, Iskcon Bangalore, Madhu Pandit das, Siksa
Tags: 1st and 2nd initiation, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Bangalore Group, diksa, diksa disciples, disciple, guru, guru disciple, initiates, ISKCON Bangalore, ISKCON Mumbi, officiating Acarya, ritvik, Satsvarupa, siksa, spiritual master, Srila Prabhupada, Synopsis of the System of Initiation, Tamala Krsna
Creating the Post of Officiating Acarya
In the ensuing struggle between the Devotees of ISKCON Bangalore and ISKCON Mumbi, it is this authors hope that both sides will try to work towards a brotherly reconciliation. Wherein both sides can find the common ground, which is faith in, and obedience to the teachings of Srila Prabhupada.
Srila Prabhupada’s intentions with regard to how initiations should be conducted in his physical absence was clearly stated in the May 28th, 1977 discussion with the GBC:
Satsvarūpa: …Then our next question concerns initiations in the future, particularly at that time when you’re no longer with us. We want to know how first and second initiation would be conducted.
Prabhupāda: Yes. I shall recommend some of you. After this is settled up, I shall recommend some of you to act as officiating ācāryas.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Is that called ṛtvik-ācārya?
Prabhupāda: Ṛtvik, yes.
Satsvarūpa: Then what is the relationship of that person who gives the initiation and the…
Prabhupāda: He’s guru. He’s guru.
Satsvarūpa: But he does it on your behalf.
Prabhupāda: Yes. That is formality. Because in my presence one should not become guru, so on my behalf, on my order… Āmāra ājñāya guru hañā [Cc. Madhya 7.128]. Be actually guru, but by my order.
Satsvarūpa: So they may also be considered your disciples.
Prabhupāda: Yes, they are disciples. Why consider? Who?
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: No, he’s asking that these ṛtvik-ācāryas, they’re officiating, giving dīkṣā. Their… The people who they give dīkṣā to, whose disciple are they?
Prabhupāda: They’re his disciple.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: They’re his disciple.
Prabhupāda: Who is initiating. He is grand-disciple.
Satsvarūpa: Yes.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: That’s clear.
So it is plain to see that those giving diksa would be acting as officiating acaryas, and those receiving diksa from them would be their disciples. It is the duty of the GBC to create the post of Officiating Acarya so that we may all be properly connected to the disciplic succession.
“Who is Initiating” refers to the Officiating Acarya who is giving diksa, and those who receive diksa are his initiated disciples and Srila Prabhupada’s grand-disciples.
That’s clear. (However that instruction was never followed).
The GBC must create the post of “Officiating Acarya”, and all the ISKCON gurus would be considered as such, as it should have been since the time of the famous July 9th Letter. This I think, would be the beginning of the much needed reconcililation, and cure many of the ills of our society.
The following is the Synopsis of the System of Initiation as applicable to the ISKCON Bangalore group of temples and could be incorporated into mainstream ISKCON very easily.
The Post of Officiating Acarya More
07 May 2013
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Diksha, Disciplic succession, Guru & Disciple, Prabhupadanugas, Remembering Srila Prabhupada, Satsvarupa das Goswami, Spiritual Master, The Hare Krishna Movement
Tags: A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Bhakti Caru Swami, buddha, Buddhists, Christ, Christians, devotees, Founder Acarya, Iskcon, prabhupadanuga, prabhupadanugas, Satsvarupa Dasa Goswami, spiritual master, Srila Prabhupada, Srila Prabhupada Lilamrta, The Final Lesson
click on image to enlarge
Perhaps it was Krsna who directed me to the last chapter of Śrīla Prabhupāda-līlāmṛta, by Satsvarūpa dāsa Goswāmī. The famous book chronicling The life of our Founder-Acarya His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada. In this last chapter entitled, “The Final Lesson”, last sentence of this voluminious book, Satsvarūpa dāsa Goswāmī concludes with this statement:
“Our hope is that by hearing about Śrīla Prabhupāda the reader will become himself a Prabhupādānuga, a follower of Śrīla Prabhupāda. We can wish no better fortune upon anyone.”
Update:
this came as a comment…
This is probably the best thing Satsvarupa Maharaja ever wrote.
When a devotee decides to join the Hare Krishna movement as a full-time member, they are announcing to the world their acceptance of Srila Prabhupada as the empowered representative of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. By mature realization they will come to recognize Srila Prabhupada as their eternal spiritual master. These lifetime servants of the spiritual master are called Prabhupadanugas.
Those who mould their lives in such a way that they can always think of the lotus feet of the spiritual master will live with him eternally. Because of Srila Prabhupada’s transcendental position, there is no separation in time or space between us. He is present in our lives and is guiding us back to Godhead through his written and spoken word. By his unlimited blessings we continue to move forward in Krishna consciousness and surely we will one day reach the ultimate goal of love of Godhead. The more we advance toward that goal, the more we will understand the greatness of Srila Prabhupada’s compassion upon us and his concern for the conditioned souls of this world who are all part and parcel of the Supreme Lord, Sri Krishna. (Locanananda das)
Sometimes the ISKCON devotees refer to Prabhupadanugas as some splinter group, not belonging to the mainstream devotees. But in fact we can plainly see from some of the writing of the senior members of our society that becoming a follower of Śrīla Prabhupāda is exactly what is needed. For instance in Bhakti Curu Swami’s, Disappearance Day offering to Srila Prabhupada, given June 16, 2010, he states:
…everyday, in all the temples of ISKCON, Srila Prabhupada is worshipped by everyone. Then why do we hesitate to tell a new comer who is searching for a guru that Srila Prabhupada, the best guru the world has ever seen, is still here, and one can surrender unto him and go back to Godhead very easily? When we have such a great good fortune, why do we not take full advantage of it? It is only when we do so that the glorious days of ISKCON will come back again and we will witness Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu’s sankirtan movement starting to spread in leaps and bounds all over the world.
If we really love ISKCON and if we sincerely want the Krsna Consciousness movement to spread all over the world in every town and village, then let us broadcast all over the world that Srila Prabhupada is still with us and that anyone who wants to receive his mercy can approach him and establish his eternal relationship with him.
Full Chapter of the “The Final Lesson” More
06 May 2013
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Diksha, Nectar of Instruction, Reference Material, Rupa Goswami, Siksa, Upadesamrta
Tags: A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Always thinking of Krsna, association with vaisnavas, devotee, diska, kanistha-adhikari, madhyama-adhikari, Nectar of Instruction, serving Krsna, spiritual master, Srila Prabhupada, Srila Rupa Goswami, uttama-adhikari, vaisnava
…In this verse Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī advises the devotee to be intelligent enough to distinguish between the kaniṣṭha-adhikārī, madhyama-adhikārī and uttama-adhikārī. The devotee should also know his own position and should not try to imitate a devotee situated on a higher platform. Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura has given some practical hints to the effect that an uttama-adhikārī Vaiṣṇava can be recognized by his ability to convert many fallen souls to Vaiṣṇavism. One should not become a spiritual master unless he has attained the platform of uttama-adhikārī. A neophyte Vaiṣṇava or a Vaiṣṇava situated on the intermediate platform can also accept disciples, but such disciples must be on the same platform, and it should be understood that they cannot advance very well toward the ultimate goal of life under his insufficient guidance. Therefore a disciple should be careful to accept an uttama-adhikārī as a spiritual master.
For a Free pdf download of entire book follow link at bottom of post More
15 Apr 2013
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Disciplic succession, Guru & Disciple, Letters by Srila Prabhupada, Parampara System
Tags: 68-04-12, Brahma sampradaya, Dayanda das, disciplic succession, guru and disciple, Madhava, Parampara, parampara system, Sampradaya Acarya, spiritual master, Vyasadeva
..Regarding parampara system: there is nothing to wonder for big gaps. Just like we belong to the Brahma Sampradaya, so we accept it from Krishna to Brahma, Brahma to Narada, Narada to Vyasadeva, Vyasadeva to Madhva, and between Vyasadeva and Madhva there is a big gap. But it is sometimes said that Vyasadeva is still living, and Madhva was fortunate enough to meet him directly. In a similar way, we find in the Bhagavad-gita that the Gita was taught to the sungod, some millions of years ago, but Krishna has mentioned only three names in this parampara system—namely, Vivasvan, Manu, and Iksvaku; and so these gaps do not hamper from understanding the parampara system. We have to pick up the prominent acaryas, and follow from him. There are many branches also from the parampara system, and it is not possible to record all the branches and sub-branches in the disciplic succession. We have to pick up from the authority of the acharya in whatever sampradaya we belong to. (from letter to Dayananda: April 12, 1968)
Full letter More
08 Apr 2013
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Quotes by Srila Prabhupada, Srila Prabhupada Conversations, Srila Prabhupada's Books, The Hare Krishna Movement
Tags: Krishna consciousness, liberated persons, philosophy and logic, spiritual master, Srila Prabhupada letters. A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Srila Prabhupada's books, that is living, the problems of life, vani
Here are some nice quotes stressing the importance of reading Srila Prabhupada’s books.
One has to associate with liberated persons not directly, physically, but by understanding, through philosophy and logic, the problems of life.
(SB 3.31.48)
What we have heard from the spiritual master, that is living.
(Lecture Excerpt – Los Angeles, January 13, 1969)
In my books the philosophy of Krishna Consciousness is explained fully so if there is anything which you do not understand, then you simply have to read again and again. By reading daily the knowledge will be revealed to you and by this process your spiritual life will develop.…You may please me the most by reading my books and following the instructions therein and by becoming fully Krishna Conscious in this life time.
(Letter to: Bahurupa Bombay 74-11-22)
I have instructed everything in my books.
(Letter to: Dina Dayala Mayapur 76-02-25)
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31 Mar 2013
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Jesus Christ
Tags: A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Christian, compassion, crucified, Easter Sunday, Father forgive them, God consciousness, guru, Jesus, Jesus Christ, Lord Jisus Christ, spiritual master, tolerance
Today as most of the Western World celebrates Easter Sunday, we thought we word honor the life of Lord Jesus Christ with some select writings by our spiritual master A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada.
The Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam states that any bona fide preacher of God consciousness must have the qualities of titikṣā (tolerance) and karuṇā (compassion). In the character of Lord Jesus Christ we find both these qualities. He was so tolerant that even while he was being crucified, he didn’t condemn anyone. And he was so compassionate that he prayed to God to forgive the very persons who were trying to kill him. (Of course, they could not actually kill him. But they were thinking that he could be killed, so they were committing a great offense.) As Christ was being crucified he prayed, “Father, forgive them. They know not what they are doing.”
…Of course, the message that Christ preached was just according to his particular time, place, and country, and just suited for a particular group of people. But certainly he is the representative of God. Therefore we adore Lord Jesus Christ and offer our obeisances to him.
Once, in Melbourne, a group of Christian ministers came to visit me. They asked, “What is your idea of Jesus Christ?” I told them, “He is our guru. He is preaching God consciousness, so he is our spiritual master.” The ministers very much appreciated that.
Actually, anyone who is preaching God’s glories must be accepted as a guru. Jesus Christ is one such great personality. We should not think of him as an ordinary human being. The scriptures say that anyone who considers the spiritual master to be an ordinary man has a hellish mentality. If Jesus Christ were an ordinary man, then he could not have delivered God consciousness. (Science of Self Realization, Chapter 4, “Understanding Krsna and Christ)
Full Chapter More
08 Mar 2013
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Disciplic succession, Isvara Puri, Sri Caitanya-Caritamrta
Tags: disciple of madhavendra puri, Hare Krsna Maha-mantra, Isvara Puri, Lord Caitanya, Madhavendra Puri, spiritual master, spiritual master of Caitanya Mahaprabhu, Sri Caitanya-caritmrta, usvara-puri gosani fare
Today is the the Disappearance of Śrī Īśvara Purī who was the spiritual master of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Even though Lord Caitanya, the Supreme Godhead, did not need a spiritual master, He accepted Śrī Īśvara Purī as His guru to establish the importance of accepting a spiritual master. In honor of his disappearance we are posting one verse from the Sri Caitanya-caritmrta describing the service he rendered to his spiritual master Śrīla Mādhavendra Purī.
…”At the last stage of his life Śrī Mādhavendra Purī became an invalid and was completely unable to move, and Īśvara Purī so completely engaged himself in his service that he personally cleaned up his stool and urine. Always chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra and reminding Śrī Mādhavendra Purī about the pastimes of Lord Kṛṣṇa in the last stage of his life, Īśvara Purī gave the best service among his disciples. Thus Mādhavendra Purī, being very pleased with him, blessed him, saying, ‘My dear boy, I can only pray to Kṛṣṇa that He will be pleased with you.’ Thus Īśvara Purī, by the grace of his spiritual master, Śrī Mādhavendra Purī, became a great devotee in the ocean of love of Godhead.”
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06 Mar 2013
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Spiritual Life, Spiritual Master, Srimad Bhagavatam, Sukadeva Goswami
Tags: A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, at the time of death, dying man, great master, guru, Maharaja Pariksit, spiritual master, Srimad Bhagavatam, Sukadeva Gosvami, thesis of Srimad Bhagavatam
You are the spiritual master of great saints and devotees. I am therefore begging you to show the way of perfection for all persons, and especially for one who is about to die.
Please let me know what a man should hear, chant, remember and worship, and also what he should not do. Please explain all this to me.
Unless one is perfectly anxious to inquire about the way of perfection, there is no necessity of approaching a spiritual master. A spiritual master is not a kind of decoration for a householder. Generally a fashionable materialist engages a so-called spiritual master without any profit. The pseudo- spiritual master flatters the so-called disciple, and thereby both the master and his ward go to hell without a doubt. Mahārāja Parīkṣit is the right type of disciple because he puts forward questions vital to the interest of all men, particularly for the dying men. The question put forward by Mahārāja Parīkṣit is the basic principle of the complete thesis of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Now let us see how intelligently the great master replies. (from purport to SB 1.19.37)
Srimad Bhagavatam
By His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami
Canto 1, Chapter 19, Text 29-40
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01 Mar 2013
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Bhagavad-gita, Guru & Disciple, Krishna Consciousness
Tags: A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Arjuna, Bg 10.12-14, brahman, guru, Krishna, param brahma param dhama, pavitram paramam bhavan, spiritual master, Srila Prabhupada, Supreme Brahman, Supreme Personality of Godhead
click on image to enlarge
…The Bhagavad-gītā should be taken up in a spirit of devotion. One should not think that he is equal to Kṛṣṇa, nor should he think that Kṛṣṇa is an ordinary personality or even a very great personality. Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, at least theoretically, according to the statements of Bhagavad-gītā or the statements of Arjuna, the person who is trying to understand the Bhagavad-gītā. We should therefore at least theoretically accept Śrī Kṛṣṇa as the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and with that submissive spirit we can understand the Bhagavad-gītā. Unless one reads the Bhagavad-gītā in a submissive spirit, it is very difficult to understand Bhagavad-gītā because it is a great mystery.
Although I have read and re-read the introduction to the Bhagavad-gita many times now, every time it seems fresh, and new realizations are evident. For instance this morning I was reading how one should accept the Bhagavad-gita in a ‘submissive spirit’. This instruction just jumped out at me because recently I was having a discussion with one devotee friend who was describing from Srila Prabhupada’s letters that Krishna Consciousness cannot be achieved…
Krishna Consciousness is a transcendental science which can be revealed to a sincere devotee who is prepared to render service to the Lord. Krishna Consciousness is not achieved by dry arguments or by academic qualifications. (Letter to Subala – Delhi 29 September, 1967)
…but rather is received, through the mercy of the spiritual master and Krishna.
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26 Feb 2013
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Mangalacarana Prayers, Songs of the Vaisnava Acaryas
Tags: A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupoada, feet of all vaisnavas, Gadadhara, Krishna, Lord Kṛṣṇa Caitanya and Lord Nityānanda along with Advaita Ācārya, lotus feet of my spiritual master, respectful obeisances, Sanatana Goswami, six goswami's, spiritual master, Sri Lalita, Sri Visakha, Srila Rupa Gosvami, Srimati Radharani, Srivasa, vande
click on image to enlarge
Maṅgalācaraṇa Prayers
vande ’haṁ śrī-guroḥ śrī-yuta-pada-kamalaṁ śrī-gurun vaiṣṇavāṁś ca
śrī-rūpaṁ sāgrajātaṁ saha-gaṇa-raghunāthānvitaṁ taṁ sa-jīvam
sādvaitaṁ sāvadhūtaṁ parijana-sahitaṁ kṛṣṇa-caitanya-devaṁ
śrī-rādhā-kṛṣṇa-pādān saha-gaṇa-lalitā-śrī-viśākhānvitāṁś ca
I offer my respectful obeisances unto the lotus feet of my spiritual master and unto the feet of all Vaiṣṇavas. I offer my respectful obeisances unto the lotus feet of Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī along with his elder brother Sanātana Gosvāmī, as well as Raghunātha Dāsa and Raghunātha Bhaṭṭa, Gopāla Bhaṭṭa, and Śrīla Jīva Gosvāmī. I offer my respectful obeisances to Lord Kṛṣṇa Caitanya and Lord Nityānanda along with Advaita Ācārya, Gadādhara, Śrīvāsa, and other associates. I offer my respectful obeisances to Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī and Śrī Kṛṣṇa along with Their associates, Śrī Lalitā and Viśākhā.
Purport to the Maṅgalācaraṇa Prayers
by His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
Los Angeles, January 8, 1969
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23 Feb 2013
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Balarama, Festivals, guru-tattva, Nityananda
Tags: 2-2-1977, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami, Balarama, Caitanya Mahaprabhu, guru, guru tattva, Krishna, Krsna, lecture by Prabhupada, Lord Nityananda's Appearance Day, Nityananda, spiritual master, Srila Prabhupada, yasya prasadad bhagavat-prasadah
click on image to enlarge
…Balarāma means guru-tattva. Balarāma represents guru. Yasya prasādād bhagavat-prasādaḥ. If we want to understand Caitanya Mahāprabhu, if we want to understand Kṛṣṇa, then we must take shelter of Balarāma. Nāyam ātmā bala-hinena labhyaḥ. This bala-hinena labhyaḥ, this Vedic injunction, means “Without the mercy of Balarāma you cannot understand, you cannot realize your spiritual identification. So that Balarāma comes as Nityānanda Prabhu.”
…So if we want actually peace of mind, if we actually want to be free from this material fatiguement, then we must take the shelter of Nityānanda Prabhu. Nityānanda Prabhu is the strength, spiritual strength. And without spiritual strength you cannot approach Kṛṣṇa.
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19 Feb 2013
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Prayers & Verses, Songs of the Vaisnava Acaryas, Sri Sri Guru-astaka, Sri Sri Guru-astaka, Vishvanatha Chakravarti
Tags: A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, blazing fire of material existence, gurus and disciples, material existence, prayer to the spiritual master, samsara, samsara-davanalalidha-loka, spiritual master, Srila Prabhupada, Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura
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Śrī Śrī Gurv-aṣṭaka
Eight Prayers to the Spiritual Master
by Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura
Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura, who appeared in the latter half of the 17th Century, is a great spiritual master in the Kṛṣṇa conscious chain of gurus and disciples. He says that one should loudly chant the following eight prayers, with care and attention, during brahma-muhurta, the auspicious time an hour and a half before sunrise when devotional practices are especially potent. Anyone who thus chants these eight beautiful prayers glorifying the spiritual master will certainly get a chance to render direct service to Krishna, the lord of Vrndavana, after the demise of his body.
…This song is offering obeisances particularly to the spiritual master, and the symptoms of the spiritual master are described in this prayer. The spiritual master has two kind of symptoms in his activities. One kind is called constant, and other kind is called temporary. So the first verse says that the constant symptom of the spiritual master is that he can deliver his disciples from the blazing fire of this material existence. That is the eternal qualification of spiritual master. (From purport by His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada)
For full song with Roman transliteration, English equivalents, translation and purport by His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada More
10 Jan 2013
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in Ananda devi dasi, Guru & Disciple, Srila Prabhupada, Srila Prabhupada vani
Tags: all these are instructions from the Spiritual Master, Ananda devi dasi, books, disciple, instructions of the spiritual master, Letters, spiritual master, Srila Prabhupada, tapes, vani, Vani Seva, vaphu, verbal instructions, videos
Vani Seva
by Ananda devi dasi
May 12 2009, UK
In Srimad Bhagavatam 4.28.47 we read: “The disciple and spiritual master are never separated because the spiritual master always keeps company with the disciple as long as the disciple follows strictly the instructions of the spiritual master. This is called the association of Vani. Physical presence is called Vapuh. As long as the spiritual master is physically present, the disciple should serve the physical body of the spiritual master, and when the spiritual master is no longer physically existing, the disciple should serve the instructions of the spiritual master.”
Srila Prabhupada makes it crystal clear that after the disappearance of the Spiritual Master, the disciple follows the instructions of the Spiritual Master. The Spiritual Master left His instructions in the form of Books, verbal instructions, letters, tapes, videos, all these are instructions from the Spiritual Master,Vani.
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25 Dec 2012
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Bob Cohen, Guru & Disciple, Srila Prabhupada, Srila Prabhupada Conversations
Tags: A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Bob Cohen, Christ, disciple, disciples, Jesus, Jesus Christ, Krishna, perfect questions perfect answers, spiritual master, young American Peace Corps worker
Continuing with our series of a True account entitled Perfect Questions, Perfect Answers… A search for meaning carries Bob Cohen, a young American Peace Corps worker halfway around the world, to an ancient village in the midst of West Bengal. There, in a small bamboo hut, he finds a teacher who is able to tell him everything he ever wanted to know.
…The spiritual master has to take the responsibility for all the sinful activities of his disciples…He takes responsibility for all the fallen souls. That idea is also in the Bible. Jesus Christ took all the sinful reactions of the people and sacrificed his life. That is the responsibility of a spiritual master.
Perfect Questions Perfect Answers
By His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
February 29, 1972, evening
Chapter Six
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19 Dec 2012
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in Book Changes, Diksha, Remembering Srila Prabhupada, Rupanuga das, Siksa, Spiritual Master, Srila Prabhupada
Tags: A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, confidential servants of God, devotee, guru, literary incarnation of God, Prabhupada Direct, Rupanuga das, Siksa guru, spiritual master, Srila Prabhupada, Srila Prabhupada vani
click on image to enlarge
I like reading the articles written by Sriman Rupanuga Prabhu, as he has a very good appreciation for the potency and attributes of Srila Prabhupada. So we took the liberty of posting another one here to share with our readers.
…The conclusion is that in the same way Lord Krsna is identical with His words in the Gita, even though He spoke them long ago, Srila Prabhupada is actually present in his purports, even though he is no longer physically present. And those purports are as much sastra as the verses they explain. Those books are as good as Deities in the temple. They are not the playthings of editors, but the literary incarnations of God and His most confidential servants. Therefore, they must be approached with all respect and reverence.
Srila Prabhupada’s books and recordings are a consistent and constant source of revelation for anyone who follows him. If one is able to follow Srila Prabhupada’s instructions to chant 16 rounds, follow the four regulative principles, systematically study his teachings and then help others do the same, that person will undoubtedly remember Lord Krsna at the time of death. Such a bhakta may be unable to discover a guru fully qualified to give diksa and specific name. Those who factually meet the standards required by Srila Prabhupada to become a genuine spiritual master may be few and far between. But by honestly and seriously accepting Srila Prabhupada as siksa guru, anyone can obtain freedom from the material conception of life, be inspired to action in Krsna consciousness, and learn to think of Srila Prabhupada and Lord Krsna always.
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16 Dec 2012
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Back to Godhead, Conversation with Srila Prabhupada, The Hare Krishna Movement
Tags: A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami, Back to Godhead Magazine, BTG Vol.1 No.49, disciple, International Society for Krishna Consciousness, Iskcon, Krishna consciousness movement, krsna consciousness, spiritual master, Srila Prabhupada, The Hare Krishna Movement, Vedic formula
The Search for the Divine
By His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
Excerpted from Back to Godhead Magazine Vol. 1, No. 49
[On his way from Los Angeles to London to attend the annual Jagannatha Car Festival, His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, the founder and spiritual master of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness, paused for three days at ISKCON’s East Coast Headquarters in New York City. There he delivered a short series of public lectures, initiated twenty new disciples, gave personal directions to many of his students, and granted audience to selected guests and visitors. The following is a conversation, held in Srila Prabhupada’s personal quarters on the second afternoon of his visit, between His Divine Grace and A Newsman.]
[A newsman, with two assistants and electronic equipment, has been trying to see Srila Prabhupada.]
Newsman (whispering to Syamasundara dasa, Srila Prabhupada’s secretary): Can I ask a couple of questions, and then I’ll leave?
Syamasundara: Please, ask, yes.
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