21 May 2020
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, B. G. Sharma Art, Bhismadeva, Srimad Bhagavatam
Tags: A. C. Bhakthvedanta Swami Prabhupada, Arjuna, Battlefield of Kuruksetra, Bhismadeva, Krishna, salvation, Sri Krsna, Supreme Lord, the Personality of Godhead, ultimate destination
click on image to enlarge
…The dealings of Lord Kṛṣṇa and Bhīṣmadeva on the Battlefield of Kurukṣetra are interesting because the activities of Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa appeared to be partial to Arjuna and at enmity with Bhīṣmadeva; but factually all this was especially meant to show special favor to Bhīṣmadeva, a great devotee of the Lord. The astounding feature of such dealings is that a devotee can please the Lord by playing the part of an enemy.
Srimad Bhagavatam
By His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
First Canto, Chapter 9, Text 38
The Passing Away of Bhismadeva
More
04 Jan 2018
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Natural Disasters
Tags: A. C. Bhakthvedanta Swami Prabhupada, adhibhautika, adhidaivika, adhyatmika, Bhagavad-gita, demigods, Krishna, living entities, miseries caused by nature, Natural Disasters, pure living soul, supirior engery of Krsna, Supreme Lord, threefold miseries
All schemes are only useless scraps of paper in the face of war, famine, earthquakes and other disasters. All these disasters are warnings from Mother Durga, and by them she confirms her eternal superiority over the illusioned planmakers.
[Excerpt from Teachings of Lord Caitanya, Ch 3]
It is the duty of a disciple approaching a spiritual master to inquire about his constitutional position. In conformity to that spiritual process, Sanatana has already asked, “What am I, and why am I suffering from the threefold miseries?”
The threefold miseries are called adhyatmika, adhibhautika, and adhidaivika. The word adhyatmika refers to those miseries caused by the mind and body. Sometimes the living entity suffers bodily, and sometimes he is distressed mentally. Both are adhyatmika miseries. We experience these miseries even in the womb of our mother. As we well know, there are many types of miseries that take advantage of the delicate human body and give us pain. Miseries inflicted by other living entities are called adhibhautika. These living entities need not even be large, for there are many—such as bugs—that can make us miserable even while we are sleeping in bed. There are many insignificant living entities, like cockroaches, that sometimes give us pain, and there are also other living entities who are born on different kinds of planets and who give us miseries.
More
24 Dec 2017
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Srimad Bhagavatam
Tags: A. C. Bhakthvedanta Swami Prabhupada, Acarya, gop tax plan, Krishna, principles of religion, rogues and non-devotees, SB4.28.48, Srimad Bhagavatam, Supreme Lord, Supreme Personality of Godhead, tax bill
Unfortunately, I have been following the News of late, and with some personal disgust, have had to watch the Republican Tax Bill, which was written in secret, and pushed through the House and Senate for final signing, become law. It puts the country into more debt, while giving a tax break to the very rich and largest corporations. The new tax bill lowers the tax rate for top earners, and gives a massive tax cut to corporations. Starting on Jan. 1, 2018, big businesses’ tax rate would fall from 35 percent to just 21 percent, the largest one-time rate cut in U.S. history for the nation’s largest companies. Seems like the swamp didn’t get drained after all.
O best of kings, please get up! Get up! Just see this world surrounded by water and infested with rogues and so-called kings. This world is very much afraid, and it is your duty to protect her.
“Whenever an ācārya comes, following the superior orders of the Supreme Personality of Godhead or His representative, he establishes the principles of religion, as enunciated in Bhagavad-gītā. Religion means abiding by the orders of the Supreme Personality of Godhead… Unfortunately, when the ācārya disappears, rogues and nondevotees take advantage and immediately begin to introduce unauthorized principles in the name of so-called svāmīs, yogīs, philanthropists, welfare workers and so on.
The main business of human society is to think of the Supreme Personality of Godhead at all times, to become His devotees, to worship the Supreme Lord and to bow down before Him. The ācārya, the authorized representative of the Supreme Lord, establishes these principles, but when he disappears, things once again become disordered. The perfect disciples of the ācārya try to relieve the situation by sincerely following the instructions of the spiritual master. At the present moment practically the entire world is afraid of rogues and nondevotees; therefore this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is started to save the world from irreligious principles. Everyone should cooperate with this movement in order to bring about actual peace and happiness in the world. (from Purport to SB4.28.48)
Full text and purport follow: More
23 Apr 2017
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Astrology, Srimad Bhagavatam
Tags: A.C. Bhaktiveanta Swami Prabhupada, astronomical calculations, Bg3.9, pious acts, SB1.12.12, Srila Prabhupada, stellar influences, Supreme Lord, zodiac
For some reason this Purport from the First Canto of the Srimad-Bhagavatam caught my attention this morning. I generally do not put much thought into the Zodiac, or stellar influences upon us, or how the laws of nature are controlling us at every moment. But in this purport by Srila Prabhupada, he mentions the importance of preforming pious acts to take advantage of good stellar influences. “Suitable arrangement of astral influences is never a creation of man’s will, but is the arrangement of the superior management of the agency of the Supreme Lord. Of course, the arrangement is made according to the good or bad deeds of the living being. Herein lies the importance of pious acts performed by the living being. Only by pious acts can one be allowed to get good wealth, good education and beautiful features.” (Purport Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.12.12)
Astronomical calculations of stellar influences upon a living being are not suppositions, but are factual, as confirmed inŚrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Every living being is controlled by the laws of nature at every minute, just as a citizen is controlled by the influence of the state. The state laws are grossly observed, but the laws of material nature, being subtle to our gross understanding, cannot be experienced grossly. As stated in the Bhagavad-gītā (3.9), every action of life produces another reaction, which is binding upon us, and only those who are acting on behalf of Yajña (Viṣṇu) are not bound by reactions. Our actions are judged by the higher authorities, the agents of the Lord, and thus we are awarded bodies according to our activities. The law of nature is so subtle that every part of our body is influenced by the respective stars, and a living being obtains his working body to fulfill his terms of imprisonment by the manipulation of such astronomical influence. A man’s destiny is therefore ascertained by the birthtime constellation of stars, and a factual horoscope is made by a learned astrologer. It is a great science, and misuse of a science does not make it useless… (Purport Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.12.12)
More
11 Aug 2016
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Bhagavad-gita, Bhagavad-gita As It Is 1972 Edition, Krishna, Krishna Consciousness, Krsna
Tags: A. c. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Bg 15.19, Bg15.20, bona fide spiritual master, philosophy of krishna consciousness, revealed scriptures, spiritual master, Srila Prabhupada's Bhagavad-gita, Supreme Lord, Supreme Personality of Godhead, transcendental knowledge
Somehow while reading the Srimad Bhagavatam the other day, I was reminded again that all the philosophy of Krishna Consciousness is contained in the Bhagavad-gita As It Is. It is such an important book. The song of God, sung by the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Himself. Hare Krishna!
Whoever knows Me as the Supreme Personality of Godhead, without doubting, is to be understood as the knower of everything, and he therefore engages himself in full devotional service, O son of Bharata (Bg 15.19)
This is the most confidential part of the Vedic scriptures, O sinless one, and it is disclosed now by Me. Whoever understands this will become wise, and his endeavors will know perfection. (Bg 15.20)
The Lord clearly explains here that this is the substance of all revealed scriptures. And one should understand this as it is given by the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Thus one will become intelligent and perfect in transcendental knowledge. In other words, by understanding this philosophy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead and engaging in His transcendental service, everyone can become freed from all contaminations of the modes of material nature. Devotional service is a process of spiritual understanding. Wherever devotional service exists, the material contamination cannot coexist. Devotional service to the Lord and the Lord Himself are one and the same because they are spiritual—the internal energy of the Supreme Lord. The Lord is said to be the sun, and ignorance is called darkness. Where the sun is present, there is no question of darkness. Therefore, whenever devotional service is present under the proper guidance of a bona fide spiritual master, there is no question of ignorance. (from purport to Bg 15.20)
full text and purports More
19 Nov 2014
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Maitreya, Srimad Bhagavatam, Vidura
Tags: A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Ppabhupada, all-inclusive welfare service, essence of all topics, human society, jnais, karmis, King of all kings, Krsna, Krsna-katha, Maitreya Muni, miseries of material existence, O great sage, O my Lord, saints, sri suka uvaca, Sukadeva Gosvami, Supreme King of all kings, Supreme Lord, topics of the Lord, transcendental loving service, Vidura, welfare for all people, yogis
I have been reading, with rapt attention, from Volume One, of the Third Canto, of Srimad Bhagavatam, by His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, each morning. As I was reading this morning the words “…all-inclusive welfare service for the entire human society”, just kinda jumped out at me, as did the words “…greatest welfare service for the world”. I am reminded of the importance of hearing Srimad Bhagavatam every day, and of our good fortune to be able to partake in this transcendental conversation (kṛṣṇa-kathā). There are many topics for different persons in different modes of material nature, but the essential topics are those in relationship with the Supreme Lord.
Śukadeva Gosvāmī said: Vidura, the best amongst the Kuru dynasty, who was perfect in devotional service to the Lord, thus reached the source of the celestial Ganges River [Hardwar], where Maitreya, the great, fathomless learned sage of the world, was seated. Vidura, who was perfect in gentleness and satisfied in transcendence, inquired from him. (SB 3.5.1)
The great sage Maitreya Muni is described here as bhagavān because he surpassed all ordinary human beings in learning and experience. Thus his selection of the greatest welfare service for the world is considered authoritative. The all-inclusive welfare service for the entire human society is devotional service to the Lord, and, as requested by Vidura, the sage described the same very appropriately. (purport 3.5.17)
Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam: Canto 3: “The Status Quo”
By His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Canto Three, Chapter Five, Text 1-17
Vidura’s Talks with Maitreya
More
16 Nov 2014
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Caaitanya-caritamrta, Sri Caitanya-Caritamrta, Temples
Tags: A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Adi lila, damsels of Vraja, Gopijana-vallabha, Govinda, grace of Krsna, Madana-mohana, neophyte devotees, reservoir of all pleasure, Sri Radha Madana Mohana, Supreme Lord, the pleasure deity
Sri Sri Radha-Madana-mohana Mandir
click on image to enlarge
As we mentioned in a previous post With the Radiance of Molten Gold “The First Chapter of Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta begins with fourteen Sanskrit verses that describe the Absolute Truth. Then the next three Sanskrit verses describe the principal Deities of Vṛndāvana, namely, Śrī Rādhā-Madana-mohana, Śrī Rādhā-Govindadeva and Śrī Rādhā-Gopīnāthajī.” Today we are posting the next three verses describing the principal deities, with images of the three temples. In addition we are posting verses 18 & 19. The purport to text 19, is the main content of today’s post.
…The three Deities-Madana-mohana, Govinda and Gopījana-vallabha-have very specific qualities. Worship of Madana-mohana is on the platform of reestablishing our forgotten relationship with the Personality of Godhead. In the material world we are presently in utter ignorance of our eternal relationship with the Supreme Lord… It is best for such persons not to aspire for success in fruitive activities or mental speculation, but instead simply to surrender to the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The perfection of life is simply to surrender to the Supreme. In the beginning of our spiritual life we must therefore worship Madana-mohana so that He may attract us and nullify our attachment for material sense gratification. This relationship with Madana-mohana is necessary for neophyte devotees. When one wishes to render service to the Lord with strong attachment, one then worships Govinda on the platform of transcendental service. Govinda is the reservoir of all pleasures. When by the grace of Kṛṣṇa and the devotees one reaches perfection in devotional service, he can appreciate Kṛṣṇa as Gopījana-vallabha, the pleasure Deity of the damsels of Vraja. (from purport to Adi 1.19)
More
18 Oct 2014
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Dharma, Dream
Tags: A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Pabhupada, dharma, happiness, living being's eternal occupation, occupation, root meaning of the word dharma, Srimad Bhagavatam, Supreme Lord, that which sustains
This morning I awoke early, and before rising, I was just going over the dreams in my head. I was dreaming about the following verse from the Srimad Bhagavatam.
“The supreme occupation [dharma] for all humanity is that by which men can attain to loving devotional service unto the transcendent Lord. Such devotional service must be unmotivated and uninterrupted to completely satisfy the self.” (SB 1.2.6)
I have been very much absorbed in my worldly occupation of late, writing up contracts, submitting bills, paying employees etc. and have mostly been waking up with thoughts of work. But this morning I was dreaming about a specific verse from the Srimad Bhagavatam. Interesting! So I went to the Bhagavatam, and read the purport to this verse.
…We have purposely denoted dharma as occupation because the root meaning of the word dharma is “that which sustains one’s existence.” A living being’s sustenance of existence is to coordinate his activities with his eternal relation with the Supreme Lord Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa is the central pivot of living beings, and He is the all-attractive living entity or eternal form amongst all other living beings or eternal forms. Each and every living being has his eternal form in the spiritual existence, and Kṛṣṇa is the eternal attraction for all of them. Kṛṣṇa is the complete whole, and everything else is His part and parcel. The relation is one of the servant and the served. It is transcendental and is completely distinct from our experience in material existence. This relation of servant and the served is the most congenial form of intimacy. One can realize it as devotional service progresses. Everyone should engage himself in that transcendental loving service of the Lord, even in the present conditional state of material existence. That will gradually give one the clue to actual life and please him to complete satisfaction.
Somehow I feel more satisfied, more complete, after my reading.
Full Verse and Purport More
11 Jul 2014
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, B. G. Sharma Art, Bhagavad-gita
Tags: A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Arjuna, Bg2.10, Bg2.11, Bg2.12, bhagavad-gita, God, illusion, impersonal Brahman, individual soul, Krsna, maya, mayavadi theory, saintly persons, Sharaman, supreme authority, Supreme Lord, the blessed Lord said, The Krishna Art of B. G. Sharma
click on image to enlarge
…at that time Kṛṣṇa, smiling, in the midst of both the armies, spoke the following words to the grief-stricken Arjuna.
The Blessed Lord said: While speaking learned words, you are mourning for what is not worthy of grief. Those who are wise lament neither for the living nor the dead.
Never was there a time when I did not exist, nor you, nor all these kings; nor in the future shall any of us cease to be. (Bg. 2.10-12)
Full text and purports More
07 Jun 2014
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Dream, Srila Prabhupada's Books, Uncategorized
Tags: A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, awakenes to discover the self, deep sleep, dreaming, dreams, human form of life, Krsna, Le Reve, original creator, Srimad Bhagavatam, Supreme Lord, The Dream, The Supreme Personality of Godhead, The Wynn, vasudevah sarvam, wynn las vegas, Wynn theater
Recently we were in Las Vegas for a wedding celebration, and after dinner we went to the show “Le Reve” at the Wynn. “Le Reve” is French for; “The Dream”. It was the most amazing theatrical performance we have seen in years. My mind was swept away by the magnificence of the production, and it was in fact, dream-like. I was transported to another dimension; phantasmagoria. A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami uses this word in his books, to describe the dream-like nature of this material world.
I would highly recommend seeing Le Reve at the Wynn, if you are in Las Vegas, and as always…recommend reading the books by His Divne Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada for further advancement and enlightenment in life.
When a person is in deep sleep, he dreams and sees in himself many other objects, such as great mountains and rivers or perhaps even the entire universe, although they are far away. Sometimes when one awakens from a dream he sees that he is in a human form, lying in his bed in one place. Then he sees himself, in terms of various conditions, as belonging to a particular nationality, family and so on. All the conditions of deep sleep, dreaming and wakefulness are but energies of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. One should always remember the original creator of these conditions, the Supreme Lord, who is unaffected by them. (SB 6.16.53-54_
More
14 May 2014
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Free Downloads, Free eBooks, Srila Prabhupada's Books, Teachings of Lord Chaitanya, The Hare Krishna Movement
Tags: A.C. Bhaktiveanta Swami Prabhupada, devotees, impersonalism, Krishnapath, Krsna, Krsna consciousness movement, Lord Caitanya, pure devotional service, Supreme Lord, Supreme Personality of Godhead, Transcendental Teachings of Caitanya Mahaprabhu, voidism
We share with you this nice little booklet printed in 1972 by the ISKCON Press. This book is Srila Prabhupada’s “A short sketch of the life and teachings of Lord Caitanya, the preacher of Srimad Bhagavtam”, which appeared in the Introduction to the Srimad Bhagavatam. This scanned copy was made available by Krishnapath.org where you can go to find other ebooks and Audio books that are available as a free download. To veiw or save the entire book follow link below. Hare Krishna!
The transcendental teachings of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu offer a practical and scientific method by which anyone can easily develop love for the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krsna. These teachings, in their pure form, have been spread all over the world by His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, to whom devotees of Lord Krsna and Lord Caitanya throughout the world offer their most humble and respectful obeisances.
Especially in the West, where the philosophies of impersonalism and voidism, presented in different ways, are enjoying temporary prominence, the culture of pure devotional service to the Supreme Lord appears to have been lost in the oblivion of time. Now Srila Prabhupada has appeared in the West to spread the Krsna consciousness movement introduced by Lord Caitanya in India 500 years ago and thus renovate the principles of pure devotional service. (From Preface)
to read online or to save click on following link; Transcendental Teachings of Caitanya Mahaprabhu
More
26 Dec 2013
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Srimad Bhagavatam
Tags: A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, accidental sins committed by a devotee, brahmana, cows and brahmanas must be given all protection, devotee, disciple, Krsna, maharaha pariksit, Pariksit Maharaja, repentance, sages, saints, SB 1.19, sinful action, spiritual master, sri suta gosvami, Sukadeva Gosvami, Supreme Lord, suta uvaca
Some time ago I started to re-read the Srimad Bhagavatam from the beginning. This morning I finished the first canto. It is with great pleasure I post the final chapter in the First Canto entitled “The Appearance of Śukadeva Gosvāmī”
Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam
By His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Canto 1,Chapter Nineteen
More
12 Oct 2013
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Caaitanya-caritamrta, Caitanya Mahaprabhu, Krishna Nectar
Tags: A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada Caitanya Mahaprabhu, advanced devotee, devotional service, ecstatic love of krsna, Godhead, maha-bhagavata, Ramananda Raya, spiritual platform, Sri Caitanya Caritamrta, Supreme Lord
Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu continued, ” ‘A person advanced in devotional service sees within everything the soul of souls, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Śrī Kṛṣṇa. Consequently he always sees the form of the Supreme Personality of Godhead as the cause of all causes and understands that all things are situated in Him.’
” ‘The plants, creepers and trees were full of fruits and flowers due to ecstatic love of Kṛṣṇa. Indeed, being so full, they were bowing down. They were inspired by such deep love for Kṛṣṇa that they were constantly pouring showers of honey. In this way the gopīs saw all the forest of Vṛndāvana.’ “
Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu continued, “My dear Rāya, you are an advanced devotee and are always filled with ecstatic love for Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa. Therefore whatever you see-anywhere and everywhere-simply awakens your Kṛṣṇa consciousness.”
Full Text and Purports More
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
03 Jan 2013
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Gajendra, Gajendra's Prayers of Surrender, Gajendra's Prayers of Surrender, Srimad Bhagavatam
Tags: A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, elephant and the crocodile, Gajendra, indradyumna, king of the elephants, SB 8.3.1-29, Srimad Bhagavatam, Supreme Lord, The Supreme Personality of Godhead
click on image to enlarge
The following are the prayers by Gajendra, the King of the elephants, offered to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, during his difficult struggle with the crocodile. It appears that the King of the elephants was formerly a human being known as Indradyumna and that he learned a prayer to the Supreme Lord. Fortunately he remembered that prayer and began to chant it. First he offered his respectful obeisances to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and because of his awkward position in having been attacked by the crocodile, he expressed his inability to recite prayers nicely. Nonetheless, he tried to chant the mantra and expressed himself in the prayers that follow.
…It is imperative that all devotees in Kṛṣṇa consciousness practice chanting some mantra. Certainly one should chant the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, which is the mahā-mantra, or great mantra, and also one should practice chanting cintāmaṇi-prakara-sadmasu or the Nṛsiṁha strotra (ito nṛsiṁhaḥ parato nṛsiṁho yato yato yāmi tato nṛsiṁhaḥ). Every devotee should practice in order to chant some mantra perfectly so that even though he may be imperfect in spiritual consciousness in this life, in his next life he will not forget Kṛṣṇa consciousness, even if he becomes an animal. Of course, a devotee should try to perfect his Kṛṣṇa consciousness in this life, for simply by understanding Kṛṣṇa and His instructions, after giving up this body one can return home, back to Godhead. Even if there is some falldown, practice of Kṛṣṇa consciousness never goes in vain. For example, Ajāmila, in his boyhood, practiced chanting the name of Nārāyaṇa under the direction of his father, but later, in his youth, he fell down and became a drunkard, woman-hunter, rogue and thief. Nonetheless, because of chanting the name of Nārāyaṇa for the purpose of calling his son, whom he had named Nārāyaṇa, he became advanced, even though he was involved in sinful activities. Therefore, we should not forget the chanting of the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra under any circumstances. It will help us in the greatest danger, as we find in the life of Gajendra. (From Purport to text 1)
Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam
By His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Canto 8, Chapter Three, Text 1-29
Gajendra’s Prayers of Surrender More
25 Nov 2012
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Spiritual Life, Spiritual World
Tags: A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, abode, abode of the Supreme Lord, bhagavad-gita, Brahma-samhita, brahmajyoti, eternal sky, Goloka, goloka eva nivasty, Lord Sri Krsna, material conception, spiritual sky, Spiritual world, Supreme Lord, Vrndavana
…The Lord descends to this mortal world to show His pastimes in Vṛndāvana, which are full of happiness. When Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa was in Vṛndāvana, His activities with His cowherd boy friends, with His damsel friends, with the inhabitants of Vṛndāvana and with the cows were all full of happiness. The total population of Vṛndāvana knew nothing but Kṛṣṇa. But Lord Kṛṣṇa even discouraged His father Nanda Mahārāja from worshiping the demigod Indra because He wanted to establish the fact that people need not worship any demigod. They need only worship the Supreme Lord because their ultimate goal is to return to His abode.
The abode of Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa is described in the Bhagavad-gītā, Fifteenth Chapter, sixth verse: More
07 Jun 2012
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Back to Godhead, Lectures
Tags: A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Conway Hall London, eternal servitors of Krishna, Gurudas, Krishna, lecture by Prabhupada, meditation, relationship with God, sankirtana movement, self realization, Srila Prabhupada, Supreme Lord, true identity
…As soon as one understands his identity, his relationship with God, then immediately he becomes happy. We are so full of miseries because we have identified ourselves with the material world. Therefore we are unhappy. Anxieties and fearfulness are due to our misidentifying with the material world.
A Lecture Given At Conway Hall, London,
By His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
We Are All Eternal Servitors of Krsna
Today’s subject matter is our relationship with God. That is self-realization. The sankirtana movement is the easiest process for self-realization because it cleanses the heart. Our misunderstanding of our identity is due to the dust covering the mirror of the mind. In a mirror which is covered with dust one cannot see himself. But if it is very clear, then one can see himself. So meditation is a process for cleansing the heart. Meditation means to try to understand one’s relationship with the Supreme.
More
29 May 2012
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in Essays & Articles
Tags: peace formula, Srila Prabhupada's type writer, Supreme Lord, Swami A.C. Bhaktivedanta, Who Is Crazy
…The peace for which you are hankering in life after life, moment after moment—that you’ll get at that time, when your desires are purified, and dovetailed with the Lord. One who desires sense gratification, the enjoyment of material satisfaction, will never be happy. That is not possible. If you want peace, if you want happiness, if you want perfection in your life, then just begin to dovetail your desires, activities, and potentials with the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Then you will see what real happiness is, and can tell who is really crazy.
Who Is Crazy? (Original)
by Swami A.C. Bhaktivedanta
Lord Sri Krishna says, “My dear Arjuna, there are different classes of men. One class of men, they are sleeping. And another class of men, they are awake. They are not sleeping.” And how is this so? This chanting, which we have performed just now, is the wakening process for the sleeping soul. The soul is sleeping, covered by this material body. These bodily activities are in the sleeping stage. Just as we see dreams in the sleeping stage, similarly, all these bodily activities are dreams. Just think for yourself: how many incidents have there been in your past life? If you think of them, they will appear just like dreams. At least for myself this is the case. I was born in India, educated, then married, then I had very good days with my wife, got some children, some of whom died, some of whom are living, some of whom are married; now they have begotten children. All this occurred in my past life. Now it is all a dream. I have no connection with it. Similarly, in dreams I sometimes find that I have become a king. Oh, there are so many riches and so much opulence. Then, as soon as the dream is over, I come home and all is gone.
More
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.
More
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.
Previous Older Entries
The Hare Krishna Movement 