Syamasundara | The Hare Krishna Movement

Vrndavana

03 Mar 2016 Leave a comment

by The Hare Krishna Movement in Narottama das Thakur, Vrndavana Tags: cintamani gems, eight petals, golden lotus flowers, Narottama das thakura, regal swans, song of the vaisnave acharays, sri radhika, Syamasundara, Vrndavan, waters of the yamuna

This is one of my favorite songs in the Vaisnava Songbook. This morning it became my meditation.

Vṛndāvana
by Narottama das Thakura

Vrndavan is a transcendental beautiful place. It is the spiritual sky, where everything is made of touchstone, which fulfills all desires. All the temples there are bedcked with costly jewels, In that far distant place is the River Yamuna, which is full of lotus flowers, In the midst of that throng of lotus flowers there is a golden boat, appearing like another big lotus flower, with eight petals, who are none but the eight chief gopis who always surround Radha and Krishna, In the surrounding petals there is a golden throne where the two transcendental lovers, namely Radha and Krishna are seated, but of all of them the governing Deity is Srimati Radharani. There is no comparison to Radharani’s beauty and the luster of Her transcendental body. The so-called beauty of the moon has fallen on the ground in the presence of Radharani’s beauty. In that assembly of Radha-Krishna and their principal associates there is a flood of laughing and joking as they address one another. Narottama das says that the eternal pastimes of Radha-Krishna from day to day are full of transcendental pleasure, Let us all remember them now and then and thus become happy even in this material world.

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Nectar of Devotion Lecture

12 Jul 2014 Leave a comment

by The Hare Krishna Movement in A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Nectar of Devotion, Nectar of Devotion Tags: A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Acyutananda, bhakti, bhakti means devotional service, Gurudas, Janaki, lecture on Nectar of Devotion, Malati, Mukunda, Nectar of Devotion, prabhupada, Srila Prabhupada, Syamasundara, Yamuna

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The Nectar of Devotion
given by His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
Vṛndāvana, October 16, 1972

Pradyumna (reading): “The Nectar of Devotion is a summary study of Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu, which was written in Sanskrit by Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī Prabhupāda. He was the chief of the six Gosvāmīs who were the direct disciples of Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu. When he first met Lord Caitanya, Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī Prabhupāda was engaged as a minister in the Muhammadan government of Bengal. He and his brother Sanātana were then named Sākara Mallika and Dabira Khāsa respectively, and they held responsible posts as ministers of Nawab Hussain Shah. At that time, five hundred years ago, the Hindu society was very rigid and if a member of the brāhmaṇa caste accepted the service of a Muhammadan ruler he was at once rejected from brāhmaṇa society. That was the position of the two brothers, Dabira Khāsa and Sākara Mallika. They belonged to the highly situated sārasvata-brāhmaṇa…”

Krsna’s Abode, Vrndavana

09 Jul 2014 Leave a comment

by The Hare Krishna Movement in A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Bhagavad-gita, Spiritual World, Vrindavan, Vrndavana Tags: A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, abode of lord krsna, as it is, Bhagavad Gita, Goloka, goloka vrndavan, Krsna, sac-cid-ananda-vigraha, Spiritual Life, spiritual sky, Spiritual world, Syamasundara, Vrindavan, Vrndavana

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…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. (from Introduction to the Bhagavad-gita As It Is)

The Culmination of Yoga Practices

17 Jun 2014 Leave a comment

by The Hare Krishna Movement in A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Bhagavad-gita, Krsna, Krsna Consciousness, Meditation, Yoga, Yogi Tags: A.C. Bhaktiveanta Swami Prabhupada, bhakti yoga, Govinda, Krsna, krsna consciousness, meditation, Nrismha, Rama, Syamasundara, Varaha, yoga, yogas, yogi, yoginam api sarvesam

“Of all yogis, he who abides in Me with great faith is the highest of all.”

It is by great fortune that one comes to Kṛṣṇa consciousness on the path of bhakti-yoga to become well situated according to the Vedic direction. The ideal yogī concentrates his attention on Kṛṣṇa, who is called Śyāmasundara, who is as beautifully colored as a cloud, whose lotus-like face is as effulgent as the sun, whose dress is brilliant with jewels and whose body is flower garlanded. Illuminating all sides is His gorgeous luster, which is called the brahmajyoti. He incarnates in different forms such as Rāma, Nṛsiṁha, Varāha and Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and He descends like a human being, as the son of Mother Yaśodā, and He is known as Kṛṣṇa, Govinda and Vāsudeva. He is the perfect child, husband, friend and master, and He is full with all opulences and transcendental qualities. If one remains fully conscious of these features of the Lord, he is called the highest yogī. (from purport to Bg. 6.47)

This is more or less a continuation of yesterdays post Freedom From All Miseries as it is the last verse in the Chapter 6, entitled; “Sankhya-yoga”. This is one of the very best verses and purports in the Bhagavad-gita for study if one is an aspiring yogi…

…The culmination of all kinds of yoga practices lies in bhakti-yoga. All other yogas are but means to come to the point of bhakti in bhakti-yoga. Yoga actually means bhakti-yoga; all other yogas are progressions toward the destination of bhakti-yoga. From the beginning of karma-yoga to the end of bhakti-yoga is a long way to self-realization. Karma-yoga, without fruitive results, is the beginning of this path. When karma-yoga increases in knowledge and renunciation, the stage is called jñāna-yoga. When jñāna-yoga increases in meditation on the Supersoul by different physical processes, and the mind is on Him, it is called aṣṭāṅga-yoga. And, when one surpasses the aṣṭāṅga-yoga and comes to the point of the Supreme Personality of Godhead Kṛṣṇa, it is called bhakti-yoga, the culmination. Factually, bhakti-yoga is the ultimate goal, but to analyze bhakti-yoga minutely one has to understand these other yogas. The yogī who is progressive is therefore on the true path of eternal good fortune. (from purport to Bg. 6.47)

Govinda

01 Oct 2013 Leave a comment

by The Hare Krishna Movement in Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura, Brahma-samhita, Krishna Consciousness Tags: best dancer, Bhaktisiddhanta, Brahma-samhita, Govinda, holder of the flute, muralidhara, natavara, Syamasundara, tribhanga, triple bending

I worship Govinda, the primeval Lord, who is Śyāmasundara, Kṛṣṇa Himself with inconceivable innumerable attributes, whom the pure devotees see in their heart of hearts with the eye of devotion tinged with the salve of love. (Bs 5.38)

…The phrase “in their hearts” means Kṛṣṇa is visible in proportion as their hearts are purified by the practice of devotion. The sum and substance of this śloka is that the form of Kṛṣṇa, who is Śyāmasundara, Naṭavara (Best Dancer), Muralīdhara (Holder of the Flute) and Tribhaṅga (Triple-bending), is not a mental concoction but is transcendental, and is visible with the eye of the soul of the devotee under trance. (from purport)

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Bhakti-yoga; The Culmination of Yoga

23 Apr 2012 Leave a comment

by The Hare Krishna Movement in A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Bhagavad-gita, Bhakti Yoga, Krishna Consciousness, Yoga Tags: astanga-yoga, bhakti yoga, Govinda, jnana-yoga, karma yoga, Krishna, Srila Prabhupada, Syamasundara, Vasudeva, yoga, yogi

If one is fortunate enough to come to the point of bhakti-yoga, it is to be understood that he has surpassed all the other yogas. Therefore, to become Kṛṣṇa conscious is the highest stage of yoga, just as, when we speak of Himalayan, we refer to the world’s highest mountains, of which the highest peak, Mount Everest, is considered to be the culmination.

The culmination of all kinds of yoga practices lies in bhakti-yoga. All other yogas are but means to come to the point of bhakti in bhakti-yoga. Yoga actually means bhakti-yoga; all other yogas are progressions toward the destination of bhakti-yoga. From the beginning of karma-yoga to the end of bhakti-yoga is a long way to self-realization. Karma-yoga, without fruitive results, is the beginning of this path. When karma-yoga increases in knowledge and renunciation, the stage is called jñāna-yoga. When jñāna-yoga increases in meditation on the Supersoul by different physical processes, and the mind is on Him, it is called aṣṭāṅga-yoga. And, when one surpasses the aṣṭāṅga-yoga and comes to the point of the Supreme Personality of Godhead Kṛṣṇa, it is called bhakti-yoga, the culmination. Factually, bhakti-yoga is the ultimate goal, but to analyze bhakti-yoga minutely one has to understand these other yogas. The yogī who is progressive is therefore on the true path of eternal good fortune.

The Spiritual World

20 Jan 2011 4 Comments

by The Hare Krishna Movement in Spiritual World Tags: abode, bhagavad-gita, goloka vrindavan, spiritual sky, Spiritual world, Syamasundara

The Spiritual World — And how to get there
Author Unknown

Krishna means the highest pleasure:

Krishna means the highest pleasure. We are all hankering after pleasure. We, the living entities, like Krishna, are full of consciousness, and we are looking for happiness. Krishna is perpetually happy, and if we associate with Krishna and cooperate with Him we will also become happy.

Krishna descends to this material world to show His pastimes in Vrndavana, which are full of happiness. When Lord Sri Krishna was in Vrndavana, His activities with His cowherd boy friends, with the gopis, with the inhabitants of Vrndavana and with the cows were all full of happiness. The total population of Vrndavana knew nothing but Krishna.

The purpose of Krishna’s pastimes in Vrindavan on this planet is so we can see such wonderful pastimes of Krishna and therefore come to understand something of what life in the spiritual world, the abode of Krishna, will be like when we go there.