08 Apr 2011
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in Teachings of Pralada Maharaja
Tags: compassionate to all living entities, demoniac life, demons, kindness, mercy, miscreants, Prahlada Maharaja, Srila Prabhupada, Supreme Lord, Who is God
Transcendental Teachings of Prahlada Maharaja
By His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
Chapter 6
Kṛṣṇa Consciousness: The Perfection of Mercy
Prahlāda Mahārāja now gives his conclusion: “My dear friends, because the Supreme Lord is present everywhere and because we are part and parcel of the Supreme Lord, our duty is to be merciful to all living entities.” When a person is in a lower position, we have a duty to help him. For example, because a small child is helpless, he is dependent on the mercy of the parent: “Mother, I want this.” “Yes, my dear child.” We should be compassionate to all living entities and should show them mercy.
How can we show our mercy to everyone? There are millions and millions of poor people, so how can we show them all mercy? Are we able to supply clothing and food to all the needy persons of the world? That is not possible. How, then, can we be merciful to every living entity? By giving them Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That is how Prahlāda Mahārāja is showing his class friends real mercy. They were all fools, devoid of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, and therefore he was showing them how to become Kṛṣṇa conscious. This is the highest mercy. If you want to show any mercy at all to the living entities, then enlighten them in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, as Prahlāda Mahārāja did. Otherwise, it is materially beyond your power to show mercy.
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08 Apr 2011
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in Devotee's, Diksha, Locanananda das, Srila Prabhupada
Tags: diksa, initations, Iskcon, Locanananda das, Lord Caitanya's Sankirtan Movement, Officiating Acarya. ritvik, Srila Prabhupada, The Hare Krishna Movement, VNN
The War is Over
Editorial (VNN) – by Locanananda Das
There is a popular ideology that claims that Srila Prabhupad should still be considered the diksa guru in ISKCON. It is commendable that devotees who espouse this ideology want to see Krishna’s pure devotee unlimitedly and perpetually glorified. That goal can be accomplished by following the system of “officiating acharyas” that he factually authorized. An “officiating acharya” simply teaches by example how to follow in the footsteps of the great preceptor and founder acharya of ISKCON and then engages everyone in the service of expanding the sankirtan movement.
When Srila Prabhupad was asked how initiations would be performed after he was no longer physically present, his response was clear and powerful. He had been contemplating this question for ten years, and his main concern was to guarantee the continuity and future growth of his movement. His reply was “I shall recommend some of you to act as officiating acharya.” This was the term he wanted to introduce to describe the role of his disciples who would initiate new devotees as members of ISKCON after he had concluded his manifest pastimes.
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07 Apr 2011
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in Devotee's, Rochan das, Srila Prabhupada
Tags: Acarya, bonafied representative, Brahma Madhva Gaudiya Vaisnava Sampradaya, disciplic succession, Rochan das, Sampradaya Acarya, Sampradaya sun, Srila Prabhupada, vaisnava community
Sampradaya Acarya
By Sriman Rochan Prabhu 2003
The Sampradaya Acaryas who form the foundation of our parampara teach that the process of becoming Krsna conscious is not sentimental, but is instead an exact science for achieving the perfection of self-realization. As such, all aspects of this divine process are meticulously explained, clearly defined, and systematically presented. Adjustments needed to comply with time, place and circumstance can only be implemented by a maha-bhagavata Acarya ambassador of the past parampara Acaryas.
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01 Apr 2011
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in Devotee Books, Jayananda Thakur
Tags: Jayananda, Krishna, San Francisco temple, sankirtan festivals, spiritual relationship, Srila Prabhupada, The Beautiful Life of Jayananda Thakur, tribute, Vishoka das
The following is the introduction to the new book, soon to be released, on Jayananda Thakur, beautifully written by Sriman Vishoka Prabhu. Many of you remember Vishoka’s first book; “The Beautiful Life of Jayananda Thakur”, which was Vishoka’s tribute to Jayananda and portrays the beauty of something rarely seen-a genuinely happy man, experiencing a perfect life and death.
We will continue to post the chapters as they are released, so stay tuned.
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28 Mar 2011
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in Chanting Hare Krishna, Krishna Consciousness, The Hare Krishna Movement
Tags: chanting Hare Krishna, Iskcon, krishnasmercy.org, Lord Caitanya, Srila Prabhupada, The Hare Krishna Movement
By Krishna’smercy.org
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami, more affectionately known as Srila Prabhupada, is the founder of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness, ISKCON, or more popularly known as The Hare Krishna Movement. The movement was inaugurated in India by Lord Caitanya almost five hundred years ago. The age that we currently live in is full of quarrel and dissent and the only means of self-realization is through the constant chanting of the holy name of God.
Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare/Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare
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19 Mar 2011
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in Caitanya Mahaprabhu
Tags: apostle of love of God, Bhagavata-dharma, Caitanya, Chaitanya philosophy, father of congregational chanting, Gaura Purnima, holy name, life force, Lord Sri Chitanya Mahaprabhu, prema-dharma, Rupa Goswami, Siksastaka, six Gosvamis of Vrindavan, Sridhama Mayapura, Srila Prabhupada, Srimad Bhagavatam
A short sketch of the life and teachings of Lord Caitanya,
The Preacher of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam
By His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, the great apostle of love of God and the father of the congregational chanting of the holy name of the Lord, advented Himself at Śrīdhāma Māyāpura, a quarter in the city of Navadvīpa in Bengal, on the Phālgunī Pūrṇimā evening in the year 1407 Śakābda (corresponding to February 1486 by the Christian calendar).
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15 Mar 2011
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in Book Changes, Devotee's, Gauridas Pandit das
Tags: book changes, disciple, ecstasu of the spiritual master, edit, Gauridas Pandit dasa, Sri Isopanissad, Srila Prabhupada, translate, Vrindavan
“Do Not Change My Words” — Prabhupada
Testimonials — By Gauridas Pandit dasa on January 30, 1998 at 8:37 am
Srila Prabhupada used to like to sit in his garden in Vrindavan especially in the mornings. He liked to hear his books read to him daily. One time Yasodanandan Prabhu was reading Sri Isopanisad when Srila Prabhupada stopped him and asked him to reread the last paragraph. After hearing it again Srila Prabhupada said, “Those are not my words! They are changing my words! Is my English not good enough?” Srila Prabhupada became very angry and continued, “This is the worst thing a disciple can do! Do not become like a leap frog and try to jump over the spiritual master thinking you know better than him. Tell them immediately [the editors] do not change my words!”
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14 Mar 2011
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in Arsha Prayoga, Bhagavad-gita, Book Changes, Locanananda das
Tags: 1972 MacMillian, 1972 printing, Arsha Prayoga, BBT, bhagavad-gita, book changes, Hare Krishna, Krsna consciousness movement, Locanananda das, Maha Mantra, original edition, revised and enlarged edition, Srila Prabhupada
EDITORIAL
BY LOCANANANDA DAS – 11-01-04
While planning to print the unabridged version of the Bhagavad-gita, Srila Prabhupada often referred to it as the revised and enlarged edition. When the BBT published its unauthorized adulterated Gita years later, they would henceforward refer to the 1972 printing as the original edition while calling theirs the revised and enlarged edition. This appears to be a subtle act of deception meant to validate the irreverent practice of changing Srila Prabhupada’s Books.
The remainder of this article will focus mainly on the Bhagavad-gita As It Is, which contains the essence of Vaishnava philosophy. Srila Prabhupada said that the Krishna consciousness movement is genuine, historically authorized, natural and transcendental due to its being based on the Bhagavad-gita As It Is. It was his conviction that the entire human society could embrace one God, Krishna, and live harmoniously by practicing one religion, devotional service to God, by chanting one mantra, the Hare Krishna Maha Mantra, and by following one scripture, the Bhagavad-gita As It Is. Because the Bhagavad-gita is so vitally important to the spreading of Krishna consciousness, the adverse effect of changing its original wording without the approval of the Acharya can hardly be estimated.
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09 Mar 2011
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in Letters by Srila Prabhupada
Tags: 16 rounds, back to Godhead, bona fied spiritual master, devotional service, initiated disciple, Ravindra Gupta das, Srila Prabhupada
Vrindaban, Tuesday, 12 February, 1974:
Dear Ravendra Gupta, please accept my blessings. I have only recently received your letter of February 6, 1974, due to travelling.
I am very glad to hear you are following my instructions by chanting 16 rounds daily. In order to chant offenselessly, so that the chanting will have the greatest effect, one must avoid the four sinful activities.
You have asked “How serious would it be for me if I should miss the golden opportunity to become your initiated disciple?” You should know that the value of accepting a bona fide spiritual master is more than we can calculate.
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05 Mar 2011
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in Narada-bhakti-sutra
Tags: brahma-buta, brahman, brahmojyoti effulgence, devotional service, Narada Muni, Narayan, pure love of God, self realization, Spiritual Life, Srila Prabhupada, Srimad Bhagavatam
Narada-bhakti-sutra Text 2
Translation & Purport by His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami
TRANSLATION
Devotional service manifests as the most elevated, pure love for God.
PURPORT
As stated before, after attaining the highest stage of self-realization, one becomes situated in devotional service to the Lord. The perfection of devotional service is to attain love of God. Love of God involves the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the devotee, and the process of devotional service. Self-realization, the brahma-bhūta stage, is the beginning of spiritual life; it is not the perfectional stage. If a person understands that he is not his body and that he has nothing to do with this material world, he becomes free from material entanglement. But that realization is not the perfectional stage.
The perfectional stage begins with activity in the self-realized position, and that activity is based on the understanding that a living entity is eternally the subordinate servitor of the Supreme Lord. Otherwise, there is no meaning to self-realization. If one is puffed up with the idea that he is the Supreme Brahman, or that he has become one with Nārāyaṇa, or that he has merged into the brahmajyoti effulgence, then he has not grasped the perfection of life. As the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (10.2.32) states,
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04 Mar 2011
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in Bhagavat das, Book Changes, Devotee's
Tags: bhagavad-gita, Bhagavat das, book changes, devotee, Gour Govinda Swami, Jayawaita Swami, Krishna, Sanskrit, Srila Prabhupada, Srimad Bhagavatam, Surpreme Personality of Godhead
Leave the books alone!
by Bhagavat das
My Dear Godbrothers and Godsisters:
Please accept my most humble obeisances! All Glories to Srila Prabhupada!
I am very glad that we as disciples of Srila Prabhupada are finally doing something about this great offense to our Spiritual Master. I would like to tell three stories that are personal experiences of mine with Srila Prabhupada and his books. It is my earnest hope that these stories will once and for all lay to rest the controversy of anyone ever editing Srila Prabhupadas books.
The first story takes place in Mayapur where Srila Prabhupada was talking about why he came to the material world.
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04 Mar 2011
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in Chanting Hare Krishna, Krishna Consciousness
Tags: Caitanya-caritamrita, chanting Hare Krishna, hansadutta das, Hare Hare, Hare Krishna, Hare Rama, Krishna consciousness, Krishna Krishna, Srila Prabhupada
Krishna Consciousness in a Nutshell
By Sriman Hansadutta Prabhu
Self-realization the Aim of Life
Krishna consciousness is the original consciousness of every living being, and it is explained in different Vedic literatures. One of these literatures is the Chaitanya-charitamrita. Chaitanya-charitamrita means “characteristic of the eternal living force”. Every living being is eternal by nature, and because he is eternal, he cannot be happy in this material world, which is a temporary arrangement, however wonderful it may be. It is the duty of every living entity to learn the science of Krishna, or the science of the self, and to make himself perfect. He will attain freedom from the temporary world of material creation by reviving his original love of Krishna. In this way, he will return home, back to Godhead, which is the aim of all human endeavors, be they scientific, economic, artistic or cultural.
No one lives forever
Every living creature is subjected to four basic miseries, beginning with birth, continuing into old age and disease, and ending in death. No one wants to be miserable—everyone wants to be happy—but material nature functions in such a way that no one can be happy.
Ignoring this basic truth, modern thinkers, politicians, scientists, educators and artists are all struggling against the stringent laws of nature. They think by material adjustments they will find the happiness they hanker for. In spite of all comforts and the advancement of science, economics and politics, no one is happy—if for no other reason than life is temporary.
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04 Mar 2011
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in Hayagriva das, The Hare Krishna Explosion
Tags: beads, chant and sing the Lord's holy names, chapter 5, devotees, Hare Hare, Hare Krishna, Hare Rama, hayagriva das, Krishna Krishna, Mott Street, Rama Rama, Srila Prabhupada, Swamiji, the hare krishna explosion, The Hare Krishna Movement, vegetarian
The Hare Krishna Explosion
by Hayagriva Prabhu
Part I: New York, 1966
Chapter 5
The Hare Krishna Explosion
“If Krishna sees you are taking one step toward Him,” Swamiji says, “He will take ten toward you. He is so happy to see you turn to Him. He is more eager to see us return to Godhead than we are to go.”
Back in the Mott Street apartment, I stare at myself in the mirror and repeat my new name. “Now you are Krishna’s,” I think, inspecting the new kanthi beads around my neck. “These are Krishna’s dog collars, and they don’t come off.”
We all optimistically resolve to try to follow the rules. For most of us, meat eating and gambling pose no problems. Rules governing sex and intoxicants, however, force some rapid changes in living patterns. I decide to convert the old Mott Street apartment into a brahmachari ashram. Down come the psychedelic posters, and up go pictures of lotus-eyed Krishna.
The next day at the temple, we find a new notice posted on the bathroom door. There are additional rules and regulations written neatly in ink by Swamiji himself.
NOTICE
All initiated devotees must attend morning and evening classes. Must not be addicted to any kind of intoxicants, including coffee, tea and cigarettes. They are forbidden to have illicit sex-connections. Must be strictly vegetarian. Should not extensively mix with non-devotees. Should not eat foodstuffs cooked by non-devotees. Should not waste time in idle talks nor engage in frivolous sports. Should always chant and sing the Lord’s holy names, Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna. Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare, Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare.
Thank you.
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami, Acharya
Umapati says nothing when he reads the notice. Rayarama simply chuckles.
“No coffee, no tea,” he says, shaking his head.
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03 Mar 2011
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in Devotee's, Hasti Gopala das
Tags: disciple, guru, Hasti Gopal, Sprititual Master, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta, Srila Prabhupada
Srila Prabhupada – The Master Disciple
By Sri Hasti Gopala Dasa, Toronto, Canada.
Srila Prabhupada is the master disciple. He’s showing us by his example how to be a first class disciple. That example is continuing and the revelations will continue as we read his original books throughout the rest of our lives. The perfection of life is to follow strictly the bona fide spiritual master and make his orders, the life and soul of our disciplic position. By repeating without change his eternal message of how to love God Krishna, will be the perfection of life. He has told us this many times and he has masterfully followed it himself in the most perfect manner. Indeed he continues to do so.
So as much as we follow purely, we will become leaders but that following means to become as much as sincerely possible a master disciple.
The carpentry master has within himself the apprentice. The master may draw on the experience and knowledge of his apprenticeship but the apprentice cannot draw on the experience and knowledge of being a master carpenter. First we must become first class disciples of Srila Prabhupada…everyone. Then automatically leading others towards the same path of bhakti yoga will take its natural course.
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02 Mar 2011
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in Books by Srila Prabhupada, Sri Caitanya-Caritamrta
Tags: back to Godhead, Lord Caitanya, Madhya-lila, madman, mercy, Sri Caitanya-carimrta, Srila Prabhupada, Srimad Bhagavatam
Sri Caitanya-caritmrta
by His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
Madhaya-lila Vol. 5 Text 237-239
TRANSLATION TEXT 237
“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.
PURPORT
As stated in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (10.14.58):
samāśritā ye pada-pallava-plavaṁ
mahat-padaṁ puṇya-yaśo-murāreḥ
bhavāmbudhir vatsa-padaṁ paraṁ padaṁ
padaṁ padaṁ yad vipadāṁ na teṣām
This material world is just like a big ocean. It begins with Brahmaloka and extends to Pātālaloka, and there are many planets, or islands, in this ocean. Not knowing about devotional service, the living entity wanders about this ocean, just as a man tries to swim to reach the shore. Our struggle for existence is similar to this. Everyone is trying to get out of the ocean of material existence. One cannot immediately reach the coast, but if one endeavors, he can cross the ocean by Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s mercy. One may be very eager to cross this ocean, but he cannot attain success by acting like a madman. He must swim over the ocean very patiently and intelligently under the instructions of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu or His representative. Then, one day, he will reach the shore and return home, back to Godhead.
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01 Mar 2011
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in Devotee's, Srila Prabhupada, Yasodanandana das
Tags: Acarya, devotees, Gaudiya Vaisnava sampradaya, golden age, Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu, Sampradaya Acharya, spiritual authority, Srila Prabhupada, Yasodanandana dasa
Srila Prabhupada: The Unique Acarya
By Sri Yasodanandana Dasa
The unique position of His Divine Grace Srila Prabhupada in the Gaudiya Vaisnava sampradaya is supported as follows:
As the Acarya of his movement-
“I wish that each and every center shall keep the Acarya in the center and keep their separate identity” (1967 letter).
His unique position as the foremost spiritual authority for the golden age-
“My books will be the law books for the next ten thousand years”
(Srila Prabhupada statement in Los Angeles, 1976).
Statement by Locana das Thakura (middle of the 16th century)-
In the Caitanya Mangala the future appearance of a great senapati bhakta who would preach Krishna consciousness all over the world is predicted.
Statement by Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu-
In the Caitanya-caritamrta the Lord Himself predicts “Prthivite ache yadi nagaradi grama, sarvatra pracara hoibe more nama” (translation: “My holy name will be chanted in every town and village”). Srila Prabhupada fulfilled that prediction by his factual accomplishments.
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28 Feb 2011
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in Devotional Service, Narada-bhakti-sutra
Tags: Absolute Truth, bhakti, devotional service, jnana-yoga, joyfulness, karma yoga, liberation, mystic processes, Narada Muni, Srila Prabhupada
Narada-bhakti-sutra
Translation and Purport by His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
Text One
TRANSLATION
Now, therefore, I will try to explain the process of devotional service.
PURPORT
Devotional service to the Supreme Personality of Godhead is explained in the Bhagavad-gītā, where the Lord says that a self-realized person is always in the transcendental state known as brahma-bhūta, which is characterized by joyfulness. When one is self-realized he becomes joyful. In other words, he is free from the material contamination of lamentation and hankering. As long as we are in material existence, we lament for the losses in our life and hanker for that which we do not have. A self-realized person is joyful because he is free from material lamentation and hankering.
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27 Feb 2011
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in Srila Prabhupada's Books
Tags: bhagavad-gita, Krishna Conscious, Los Angeles, Nectar of Devotion, Srila Prabhupada, Srutakirti das, Supreme Lord
Prabhupada Reading His Own Books
by Srutakirti Prabhu
Entering Srila Prabhupada’s quarters was always an enlightening experience. Sometimes Srila Prabhupada sat and read his books. Whenever he read it seemed as if someone else had written his books because he didn’t read with the mind of an author who might be looking for editing mistakes or grammatical errors. He read them with the relish of a pure devotee reading the pastimes of the Supreme Lord to whom He was completely attached.
One day in Los Angeles I went into his room to perform my duties and he was sitting and readingBhagavad Gita As It Is. After I offered obeisances he looked at me and said, “If you just read this one book and understand, you will become Krishna Conscious in this very life.”
A few months later when I went into his room, he was reading Nectar of Devotion. He looked at me and said, “This book is so nice. Just by reading this one book you can become Krishna Conscious.”
Srila Prabhupada teaches us by example. He does everything he asks us to do. He requests us to read his books and he does, too.
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