11 Feb 2019
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Advaita Acarya, Caaitanya-caritamrta, Caitanya Mahaprabhu, Sri Caitanya-Caritamrta
Tags: A. C. Bhakthvedanta Swami Prabhupada, Adi lila, Advaita Acarya, appearance day of Advaita Acharya, Caitanya, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, Sri Caitanya-caritamrta
Today marks the appearance day of Advaita Acarya. We honor it with a half day fast and a reading of the Sixth Chapter from the Adi-lila of the Sri Caitanya-caritamrta by His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada. Full chapter follows:
The truth of Advaita Ācārya has been described in two different verses. It is said that material nature has two features, namely the material cause and the efficient cause. The efficient causal activities are caused by Mahā-Viṣṇu, and the material causal activities are caused by another form of Mahā-Viṣṇu, known as Advaita. That Advaita, the superintendent of the cosmic manifestation, has descended in the form of Advaita to associate with Lord Caitanya. When He is addressed as the servitor of Lord Caitanya, His glories are magnified because unless one is invigorated by this mentality of servitorship one cannot understand the mellows derived from devotional service to the Supreme Lord, Kṛṣṇa.
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12 Mar 2017
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in Caitanya Mahaprabhu, Chanting Hare Krishna, Gaura Purnima, Gauranga, Stephen Knapp
Tags: appearance of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, biography of Sri Caitanya, Gaura Purnima, gauracanda, nima tree, nimi tree, sankirtana movement started by Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, Srila Prabhupada, Stephen Knapp
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Today marks the appearance of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu otherwise known as Gaura Purnima. We will honor it today with a fast till moonrise followed by a feast. The following post is a beautiful biography on Lord Caitanya, written by Stephen Knapp.
Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu
by Stephen Knapp
Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu [pronounced Chaitanya] (February 27,1486 to 1534 A.D.) was born in Navadvipa, Bengal, on a full moon night during a lunar eclipse. It is typical for people to bathe in the Ganges during an eclipse and chant the Lord’s holy names for spiritual purification. So, everyone in the area was chanting the holy names when He was born. His parents, Jagannatha Misra and Sachidevi, gave Him the name of Vishvambhara, meaning the support of the universe, because astrologers had predicted His super human qualities and that He would deliver the people of the world. He was also nicknamed Nimai because He had been born under a nima tree.
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04 Mar 2017
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Caaitanya-caritamrta, Caitanya Mahaprabhu, Chanting Hare Krishna, Disciplic succession
Tags: A. C. Bhakthvedanta Swami Prabhupada, awakened, chanting Hare Krishna, chanting of the holy name, disciplic succession, ecstatic love of God, Hari, Krsna, Madhya17.47, Madhya17.48-49, purified, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, Srila Prabhupada, vaisnava devotee
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When someone heard the chanting of the holy name from the mouth of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, and someone else heard this chanting from that second person, and someone again heard this chanting from the third person, everyone in all countries became a Vaiṣṇava through such disciplic succession. Thus everyone chanted the holy name of Kṛṣṇa and Hari, and they danced, cried and smiled. (Madhya-lila 17. 48-49)
The transcendental power or potency of the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra is herein explained. First, the holy name is vibrated by Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. When someone hears from Him directly, he is purified. When another person hears from that person, he also is purified. In this way the purification process is advanced among pure devotees. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and no one can claim His potency. Nonetheless, if one is a pure devotee, hundreds and thousands of men can be purified by his vibration. This potency is within every living being, provided he chants the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra offenselessly and without material motives. When a pure devotee chants offenselessly, another person will become a Vaiṣṇava, and from him another Vaiṣṇava will emerge. This is the paramparā system. (Purport)
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06 Oct 2016
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Krsna Consciousness, Sri Caitanya-Caritamrta
Tags: A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, back home, back to Godhead, Madhya16.236, Madhya16.237, Madhya16.238, Madhya16.239, material existience, material world, omniscient, Raghunatha dasa Goswami, showbottle devotee false renunciant, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, Srila Prabhupada
Srila Raghunatha dasa Goswami
I have always liked the following verses from the Sri Caitanya-caritamrta. They remind me to slow down, chant nicely, and don’t be attached.
Since Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu was omniscient, He could understand Raghunātha dāsa’s mind. The Lord therefore instructed him with the following reassuring words.
“Be patient and return home. Don’t be a crazy fellow. By and by you will be able to cross the ocean of material existence.
“You should not make yourself a showbottle devotee and become a false renunciant. For the time being, enjoy the material world in a befitting way and do not become attached to it.”
Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu continued: “Within your heart, you should keep yourself very faithful, but externally you may behave like an ordinary man. Thus Kṛṣṇa will soon be very pleased and deliver you from the clutches of māyā. (Cc. Madhya 16.236-239)
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15 Sep 2016
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, chanting, Chanting Hare Krishna, Haridasa Thakura, Harinama Sankirtan, Sri Caitanya-Caritamrta, Yogi
Tags: A. c. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, chanting Hare Krishna, Chanting the holy name, dissaapearance of haridasa thakur, funeral ceremony, Haridasa Thakur, holy name, Jesus Christ, Namacharya, pradada, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, Srila Prabhupada, yogi
Today we honor Srila Haridasa Thakura’s Disappearance Day. We are posting the entire chapter from the Sri Caitanya-caritamrta entitled “The Passing of Haridasa Takura”
“After the passing away of Haridasa Ṭhakura, the Lord Himself took his body on His lap and danced with it in great ecstasy.” (Caitanya-caritamrta Adi 10.46)
“The transcendental qualities of Haridasa Ṭhakura are innumerable and unfathomable. One may describe a portion of them, but to count them all is impossible.” (Caitanya-caritamrta Antya 3.95)
Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta
By His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Antya-līlā, Chapter 11
The Passing of Haridāsa Ṭhākura
The summary of the chapter is given by Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura in his Amṛta-pravāha-bhāṣya as follows. In this chapter, Brahma Haridāsa Ṭhākura gave up his body with the consent of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, and the Lord Himself personally performed the funeral ceremony and carried the body to the sea. He personally entombed the body, covered it with sand, and erected a platform on the site. After taking bath in the sea, He personally begged prasāda of Jagannātha from shopkeepers and distributed prasāda to the assembled devotees.
Full Chapter More
16 Aug 2016
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Caaitanya-caritamrta, Caitanya Mahaprabhu, Sri Caitanya-Caritamrta, Srila Rupa Goswami
Tags: A. c. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Antya1.117, Kaviraja Goswami, kirtan, Madhya19.121, mercy of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, sankirtana movement, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, Srila Prabhupada, Srila Rupa Goswami
The Sankirtan Movement of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu
Devotees acknowledge Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s special mercy upon Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī in the following words:
śrī-caitanya-mano ’bhīṣṭaṁ-
sthāpitaṁ yena bhū-tale
svayaṁ rūpaḥ kadā mahyaṁ
dadāti sva-padāntikam
“When will Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī Prabhupāda, who has established within this material world the mission to fulfill the desire of Lord Caitanya, give me shelter under his lotus feet?”
The special function of Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī is to establish the feelings of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. These feelings are His desires that His special mercy be spread throughout the world in this Kali-yuga.
pṛthivīte āche yata nagarādi-grāma
sarvatra pracāra haibe mora nāma
His desire is that all over the world everyone, in every village and every town, know of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu and His saṅkīrtana movement. These are the inner feelings of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Śrī Rūpa Gosvāmī committed to writing all these feelings of the Lord. Now again, by the mercy of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, the same feelings are being spread all over the world by the servants of the Gosvāmīs, and devotees who are pure and simple will appreciate this attempt. As concluded by Śrīla Kṛṣṇadāsa Kavirāja Gosvāmī, however, those who are on the level of hogs and dogs will never appreciate such a great attempt. Yet this does not matter to the preachers of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s cult, for all over the world they will continue to perform this responsible work, even though persons who are like cats and dogs do not appreciate them.
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04 Sep 2015
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Guru & Disciple, guru-tattva, Spiritual Master
Tags: A.C. Bhaktiveanta Swami Prabhupada, bona fide guru, bona fide spiritual master, guru, guru and disciple, Jayadvaita Swami, Krsna, Sanatan Goswami, spiritual master, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, SrilaPrabhupada
Recently there has been some discussion on the internet about Jayadvaita Swami’s remarks on kirtana standards in his Kirtan Seminar lectures. I cannot repeat here, what he said on the YouTube Lecture, finding it offensive and not worthy of repeating. Rather than dwell on the negetive statements of Jayadvaita Swami, we thought it better to repeat the words of the bona fide spiritual master Srila Prabhupada, who so nicely describes the characteristics of the “Bona Fide Guru” in the pages of the Sri Caitanya-caritmrta.
…The guru must be situated on the topmost platform of devotional service. There are three classes of devotees, and the guru must be accepted from the topmost class. The first-class devotee is the spiritual master for all kinds of people. It is said: gurur nṛṇām. The word nṛṇām means “of all human beings.” The guru is not limited to a particular group. It is stated in the Upadeśāmṛta of Rūpa Gosvāmī that a guru is a gosvāmī, a controller of the senses and the mind. Such a guru can accept disciples from all over the world. Pṛthivīṁ sa śiṣyāt. This is the test of the guru.
…When one has attained the topmost position of mahā-bhāgavata, he is to be accepted as a guru and worshiped exactly like Hari, the Personality of Godhead. Only such a person is eligible to occupy the post of a guru. (purport Madhya 24.330)
Full text and purport More
17 Aug 2015
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Govinda, Sri Caitanya-Caritamrta
Tags: A.C. Bhaktiveanta Swami Prabhupada, Adi 5.22, cintamani, I worship Govinda, purpose trees, spiritual gems, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, tending cows, the first progentitor, the primeval Lord
The full opulence of the internal potency of Godhead is always resplendent in Vaikuṇṭhaloka, where goddesses of fortune are ever-increasingly attached to serving the lotus feet of the Personality of Godhead. These goddesses of fortune, accompanied by their friends, always create a festive atmosphere of transcendental mirth. Always singing the glories of the Lord, they are not silent even for a moment. ( from purport to: Adi-lila 5.22)
Full verse and Purport! More
12 Sep 2014
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Caaitanya-caritamrta, Caitanya Mahaprabhu, Lectures, Sri Caitanya-Caritamrta
Tags: A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Pabhupada, Adi-lila 1.4, causeless mercy, incarnation, Kali, krsna-prema, radiance of molten gold, Rupa Gosvami, Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya, son of Srimati Sacidevi, spiritual knowledge, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, Srila Rupa Gosvami, srimati sacidevi, Swami Prabhupada, transcendentally situated in the innermost chambers of your heart, uaya jagadisa hare
“May that Lord, who is known as the son of Śrīmatī Śacīdevī, be transcendentally situated in the innermost chambers of your heart. Resplendent with the radiance of molten gold, He has appeared in the age of Kali by His causeless mercy to bestow what no incarnation ever offered before: the most sublime and radiant spiritual knowledge of the mellow taste of His service.”
…He is giving His blessing that “This form of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Hari, may always remain within your…, in the core of your heart.” If we simply keep Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu within our heart, then it will be very easy to understand what is Kṛṣṇa, because if you understand Kṛṣṇa, then your life is successful. Janma karma ca divyaṁ me yo jānāti tattvataḥ. That is only. Our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement means just try to understand Kṛṣṇa; then your life is successful. Kṛṣṇa says, “Anyone who understands Me, why I come here, what is My activities,” tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma [Bg. 4.9], “he becomes liberated. After giving up this body, he does not accept any material body. In his own spiritual body he goes back to home, back to Godhead.” This is our Kṛṣṇa consciousness. (from lecture on Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta Ādi-līlā 1.4)
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14 Mar 2014
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Chanting Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna Maha Mantra, Harinama Sankirtan, Sankirtan, The Hare Krishna Movement
Tags: A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, bhakta, devotee, Hare Krishna Maha-mantra, hari nama, holy name of the lord, Krsna consciousness movement, Lord Caitnaya, Maha Mantra, mantra mediation, sankirtan, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, The Hare Krishna Movement
click on image to enlarge
Following in the footsteps of Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu, the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is distributing the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra and inducing people all over the world to chant. We are giving people an immense treasury of transcendental literature, translated into all the important languages of the world, and by the grace of Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu this literature is selling profusely, and people are chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra with great delight. This is the preaching process of the Caitanya cult. Since the Lord wanted this cult preached all over the world, the International Society for Krishna Consciousness is acting in a humble way so that the vision of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu may be fulfilled all over the world, especially in the Western countries. (Purport to Cc. Adi-lila 16.19)
…the human form of life is a chance to understand, and if one misses this opportunity, he is most unfortunate. The way to get out of illusory māyā is to engage in the topics of Kṛṣṇa. Lord Caitanya advocated a process whereby everyone may remain in his present position without change but simply hear from the proper authoritative sources about Kṛṣṇa. Lord Caitanya advised everyone to spread the word of Kṛṣṇa. He advised, “All of you become spiritual masters. Your duty is simply to talk to whomever you meet of Kṛṣṇa or of the instructions given by Kṛṣṇa.” The International Society for Krishna Consciousness is operating for this purpose. We do not ask anyone to first change his position and then come to us. Instead, we invite everyone to come with us and simply chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare, because we know that if one simply chants and hears the topics of Kṛṣṇa, one’s life will change; he will see a new light, and his life will be successful. ( from purport to SB 4.7.44)
This morning my reading took me to the following verses which describe the importance and ecstasy of chanting Hare Krishna. We share with you these very nice verses and purports More
14 Oct 2013
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Caaitanya-caritamrta, Caitanya Mahaprabhu, Ramananda Raya, Sri Caitanya-Caritamrta
Tags: 1975 edition, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Govinda-mohini, Krsna, maha-bhagavata, pleasure potency, Radha-Krsna, Ramananda Raya, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, Sri Krishna, Srila Prabhupada, Srimati Radharani, Talks between Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu and Ramananda Raya
click on image to enlarge
Not only is this one of my most favorite pictures from the Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, but this is one of the most nectarean chapters as well. This is a continuation from our previous post Drops of Nectar, and includes texts 279-289 from chapter eight of the Madhya-lila entitled “Talks Between Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu and Rāmānanda Rāya”.
Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa is the reservoir of all pleasure, and Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī is the personification of ecstatic love of Godhead. These two forms has combined as one in Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. This being the case, Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu revealed His real form to Rāmānanda Rāya.
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28 Jul 2013
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Ecstasy, KRSNA The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Separation, Sriman George Harrison
Tags: A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, adi 9.51, be with you, George Harrison, gopis, gopis feelings of separation, Krsna Book, Krsna The Supreme Personality of Godhead, My Sweet Lord, o govinda, see you, show you lord, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, Srila Prabhupada
click on image to enlarge
We were discussing the other night with some friends, that the mood of Lord Caitanya was love in separation, and that this should also be our mood as devotees. George Harrison understood this mood, and in his song “My Sweet Lord” we find in his lyrics:
My sweet Lord
Hmm, my Lord
Hmm, my Lord
I really want to see you
Really want to be with you
Really want to see you, Lord, but it takes so long, my Lord …
I really want to know you
Really want to go with you
Really want to show you, Lord, that it won’t take long, my Lord …
Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna
Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare
Hare Rama, Hare Rama
Rama Rama, Hare Hare
Srila Prabhupada has described this very nicely throughout all his writings, and in the Caitanya-caritmrta we find:
“O Govinda! Feeling Your separation, I am considering a moment to be like twelve years or more. Tears are flowing from My eyes like torrents of rain, and I am feeling all vacant in the world in Your absence.” This is the perfectional stage of chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra and eating the fruit of love of Godhead, as exhibited by Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. One should not artificially imitate this stage, but if one is serious and sincerely follows the regulative principles and chants the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, the time will come when these symptoms will appear. Tears will fill his eyes, he will be unable to chant distinctly the mahā-mantra, and his heart will throb in ecstasy. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu says that one should not imitate this, but a devotee should long for the day to come when such symptoms of trance will automatically appear in his body. (Purport Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, Adi 9.51)
This is all but and introduction to one of the very best, sweetest, chapters in the KRSNA Book “The Gopīs’ Feelings of Separation” which we have posted here in its entirety.
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28 Jun 2013
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Books by Srila Prabhupada, Free Downloads, Free eBooks, Nectar of Instruction, Rupa Goswami
Tags: A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, actions of anger, bengali vaisnavas, Gaudiya Vaisnavas, guru and disciple, manasah krodha-vegam, mind's demands, Nectar of Devotion Rupa Goswami, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, upadesmrta, urge to speak, urges of the tongue, vaco vegam
Also for a free pdf downlaod of entire book click on link at bottom More
27 Apr 2013
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura, Books by Srila Prabhupada, Caaitanya-caritamrta, Sri Caitanya-Caritamrta
Tags: A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Bhaktisiddanta Sarasvati, Caitanya Caritamrta, Jayadvaita das, Nitai das, Pradyumna das, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, Sri Caitanya-caritamrta
For some reason I love reading the Concluding Words of the Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, and find myself reading it again and again. The printing of this English translation is historically, a miraculous achievement, and yet reading Srila Prbhupada’s words and hearing the depth of his humility, is awe inspiring. He gives thanks to his American disciples, and to His Spiritual Master His Divine Grace Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura with the following words:
…I think that His Divine Grace Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura is always seeing my activities and guiding me within my heart by his words. As it is said in Śrīmad Bhāgavatam, tene brahma hṛdā ya ādi-kavaye. Spiritual inspiration comes from within the heart, wherein the Supreme Personality of Godhead, in His Paramātmā feature, is always sitting with all His devotees and associates. It is to be admitted that whatever translation work I have done is through the inspiration of my spiritual master because personally I am most insignificant and incompetent to do this materially impossible work. I do not think myself a very learned scholar, but I have full faith in the service of my spiritual master, His Divine Grace Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhakura. If there is any credit to my activities of translating, it is all due to His Divine Grace. Certainly if His Divine Grace were personally present at this time, it would have been a great occasion for jubiliation, but even though he is not physically present, I am confident that he is very pleased by this work of translation. He was very fond of seeing many books published to spread the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. Therefore our society, the International Society for Kṛṣṇa Consciousness, has formed to execute the order of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu and His Divine Grace Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhakura.
Although Srila Prabhupada gives all credit to his spiritual master, we give all credit to him. All Glories to Srila Prabhupada!
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26 Apr 2013
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Krishna Consciousness, Radha Krishna, Sri Caitanya-Caritamrta
Tags: A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Krishna consciousness, krsna consciousness, Narotamma dasa thakura, pastimes of Lord Krsna, radha-krsna nahe anya, servant of the servant, six goswami's, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, Sri Krsna Caitanya
…The essence of spiritual knowledge is found in the pastimes of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, which are identical with the pastimes of Lord Kṛṣṇa. This is the essence of knowledge. If knowledge does not include the understanding of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu and Kṛṣṇa, it is simply superfluous. By Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s grace, the nectar of Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s pastimes is flowing in different directions in hundreds and thousands of rivers. One should not think that the pastimes of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu are different from Kṛṣṇa’s pastimes. It is said: śrī-kṛṣṇa-caitanya, rādhā-kṛṣṇa nahe anya. Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu is a combination of Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa, and without understanding His pastimes, one cannot understand Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa. Śrīla Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura therefore sings: rūpa-raghunātha-pade haibe ākuti kabe hāma bujhaba se yugala pirīti. “When shall I become very eager to study the books left by the six Gosvāmīs? Then I shall be able to understand the conjugal pastimes of Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa.” (Purport Madha-lila 25.271)
Full text and purport More
27 Mar 2013
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Caitanya Mahaprabhu, Festivals, Gaura Purnima, Lectures
Tags: A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, appearance day of Sri Caitanya, devotee, Gaura Purnima, His Divine Grace Srila Prabhupada, Kali-yuga, Krishna, Krsna, Lord Caitianya, Mayapur, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, Sri Gaura Purnima, sri-krsna-caitanya radha-krsna nahe anya, tri-yuga
Today as most of the world celebrates Gaura Purnima, (Appearance day of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu), I was reminded of a lecture given by His Divine Grace Srila Prabhupada on Gaura Purnima in Mayapur, India, March 16th, 1976. So with pleasure we are posting this famous Gaura Purnima lecture in its entirety.
Prabhupāda:…Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa. Śrī-kṛṣṇa-caitanya rādhā-kṛṣṇa nahe anya. You are worshiping Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa, and there is Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s Deity also. There are some parties, they protest, “Why Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s Deity should be placed along with Kṛṣṇa?” But they do not know śrī-kṛṣṇa-caitanya rādhā-kṛṣṇa nahe anya. It is not different. So Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya is Kṛṣṇa. It is confirmed by the śāstras. Here it is said, channaḥ kalau yad abhava. In the Kali-yuga, directly He does not appear as the incarnation like Nṛsiṁhadeva or Vāmanadeva or Lord Rāmacandra, yes, but as devotee. So He’s the same incarnation, Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Abhavat. “Therefore sometimes You are called as tri-yuga.” There are four yugas, but He is known… Because in three yugas He appears distinctly, and in the fourth yuga, the Kali-yuga, as devotee, therefore He’s called tri-yuga. So today is the birthday or appearance day of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, and this is the birthplace, this Māyāpura, and you are all present here. It is a good fortune. Always remember Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu and chant śrī-kṛṣṇa-caitanya prabhu-nityānanda…
Devotees: …śrī-advaita gadādhara śrīvāsādi-gaura-bhakta-vṛnda.
Prabhupāda: This will make your life perfect.
Full Lecture More
10 Feb 2013
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Caitanya Mahaprabhu, Chanting Hare Krishna, Krsna Consciousness, Sankirtan, Sri Caitanya-Caritamrta
Tags: A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, actions which will be benificial for all living entities, adi-lila 9.27-52, devotional service, Krsna consciousness movement, sankirtan movement, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, tree of devotional service, welfare activities for the benifit of others
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Lord Caitanya’s Sankirtana Movement
“It is the duty of every living being to perform welfare activities for the benefit of others with his life, wealth, intelligence and words.”
“By his work, thoughts and words, an intelligent man must perform actions which will be beneficial for all living entities in this life and in the next.”
The Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement introduced by Lord Caitanya is extremely important because one who takes to it becomes eternal, being freed from birth, death and old age. People do not recognize that the real distresses in life are the four principles of birth, death, old age and disease. They are so foolish that they resign themselves to these four miseries, not knowing the transcendental remedy of the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra. Simply by chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra, one can become free from all misery, but because they are enchanted by the illusory energy, people do not take this movement seriously. Therefore those who are actually servants of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu must seriously distribute this movement all over the world to render the greatest benefit to human society.
There is a very nice section in the Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta wherein the author uses the figurative example of the gardener, to explain the mission of Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu. With pleasure we are posting the entire section below… More
02 Jan 2013
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Devotional Service, Srila Prabhupada, Twenty-Six Qualities of a Devotee
Tags: 1.kind to everyone, 10.benevolent, 11.peaceful, 12.completely attached to Krsna, 13.has no material hankering, 14.meek, 15.steady, 16.self-controlled, 17.does not eat more than required, 18.sane, 19.respectful, 2.does not quarrel with anyone, 20.humble, 21.grave, 22.compassionate, 23.friendly, 24.poetic, 25.silent, 26 qualities of a devotee, 26.expert, 3.fixed in the Absolute Truth, 4.equal to everyone, 5.faultless, 6.charitable, 7.mild, 8.clean, 9.simple, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, Srila Prabhupada, without material possession
“A New Year’s resolution is a commitment that a person makes to one or more personal goals, projects, or the reforming of a habit. A key element to a New Year’s resolution that sets it apart from other resolutions is that it is made in anticipation of the New Year and new beginnings.” (Wikipedia definition)
Every year it seems I make the fruitless attempt to write down my New Year’s Resolutions, vowing to do less of this and more of that. But this year, I am just going to try to be a better human being. I am just going to try to develop the qualities of a devotee, which are 26 in number, and try to get myself free from material entanglement and go Back Home, Back to Godhead.
The Twenty-Six Qualities of a Devotee
The Lord is satisfied by the development of the transcendental qualities of the living entities and not by artificial performance of sacrifices and mystic yoga. In other words, unless one is fully qualified to become a pure devotee of the Lord, one cannot expect to be liberated from material entanglement.
These qualities of a devotee, twenty-six in number, are listed by Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu:
1) Kind to Everyone, 2) Does not Quarrel with Anyone, 3) Fixed in the Absolute Truth, 4) Equal to Everyone, 5) Faultless, 6) Charitable, 7) Mild, 8) Clean, 9) Simple, without Material Possession, 10) Benevolent, 11) Peaceful, 12) Completely Attached to Krsna, 13) Has no Material Hankering, 14) Meek, 15) Steady, 16) Self-controlled, 17) Does not Eat More than Required, 18) Sane, 19) Respectful, 20) Humble, 21) Grave, 22) Compassionate, 23) Friendly, 24) Poetic, 25) Silent, 26) Expert
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30 Dec 2012
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Cow Protection, Sri Caitanya-Caritamrta
Tags: A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Balarama, cows and calves, Krishna, Krishna Balarama and cows, only shelter for the fallen conditioned soul, opulence and sweetness, real goal of life, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, The Opulence and Sweetness of Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa
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“According to Śukadeva Gosvāmī, Kṛṣṇa had unlimited cows and cowherd boys with Him. No one could count their actual number.
“All the cowherd boys had unlimited calves. Similarly, their canes, flutes, lotus flowers, horns, garments and ornaments were all unlimited. They cannot be limited by writing about them.
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11 Nov 2012
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Caitanya Mahaprabhu, Slokas, Sri Caitanya-Caritamrta
Tags: A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada. Mercy of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, age of kali, Beda-kirtana Pastimes, Caitanya, congregational chanting, golden complexion, incarnation of Godhead, Madhya-lila 11. 100-104, sings the name of Krsna, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, Srila Prabhupada, worship
Very Important verses and purports from Srila Prabhupada’s Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, on the Mercy of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu.
” ‘In the Age of Kali, intelligent persons perform congregational chanting to worship the incarnation of Godhead who constantly sings the name of Kṛṣṇa. Although His complexion is not blackish, He is Kṛṣṇa Himself. He is accompanied by His associates, servants, weapons and confidential companions.’ “
The King said, “According to evidence given in the revealed scriptures, it is concluded that Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu is Lord Kṛṣṇa Himself. Why, then, are learned scholars sometimes indifferent to Him?”
The Bhaṭṭācārya replied, “A person who has received but a small fraction of mercy from Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu can understand that He is Lord Kṛṣṇa. No one else can.
“If the mercy of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu is not bestowed upon a person-regardless of how learned a scholar that person may be and regardless of his seeing or listening-he cannot accept Lord Caitanya as the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
” ‘My Lord, if one is favored by even a slight trace of the mercy of Your lotus feet, he can understand the greatness of Your personality. But those who speculate to understand the Supreme Personality of Godhead are unable to know You, even though they continue to study the Vedas for many years.’ “
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