Every Town and Village
13 Feb 2021 Leave a comment
in Photos, Places of Pilgrimage, Vrindavan India Tags: India, photos of vrindavan, Vrindavan
My wife shared with me some beautiful pictures of the inhabitants of Vrindavan, India she found on Facebook. The photography was excellent, and although I don’t know who took these pictures, I hope there will be no objection to me posting them from my page, and that they will be well recieved. -V
07 Mar 2015 Leave a comment
in A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Holy Places of Pilgrimage, Letters by Srila Prabhupada, New Vrindavan Tags: A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, God consciousness community, krsna consciousness, letter to Kirtananda Swami, Letters by Srila Prabhupada, New Vrindaban, transcendental loving service of the Lord that is the highest perfectional platform, Vrindavan
Prabhupada’s Vision for New Vrindaban: Holy Pilgrimage
Letters by Srila Prabhupada
“Therefore, I may once more request you to try your best to construct New Vrindaban an exact duplicate of Vrindaban, and that will give me the highest pleasure.” – Srila Prabhupada Letter to Kirtanananda, February 18, 1970.
Full Letter More
09 Jul 2014 Leave a comment
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
click on image to enlarge
…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)
25 Oct 2013 2 Comments
in Cow Protection, Kurma Rupa das Tags: abandoned cows, Care For Cows, care for cows international, cow protection, cow volunteers, India, kurma rupa, Kurma Rupa das, orphaned calves, retired oxen, Vrindavan
Care for Cows Kartika Festivals
The following Links will take you to one of our favorite sites: “Care for Cows”. Sriman Kurma Rupa Prabhu has devoted his life to the care and protection of the cows in Vrndavan, and has helped advanced the cause for cow protection Internationally. You can click on following images to visit the sites (Web, Facebook, Newsletter, Contact). Our obeisances to this fine organization.
16 Oct 2012 Leave a comment
in A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Deena Bandhu das, Festivals, Kartika Tags: A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Damodar lila, Deena Bandhu das, Kartika, Kartika Parikrama schedule, month of Damodar, parikrama, Radharani, spiritual advancement, Sri Braja Dham, Sri Krishna Balarama Mandir, Srila Prabhupada, Vrindavan
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Sri Sri Krishna Balaram Mandir Kartika Parikrama Schedule
by Deena Bandhu das
Kartika is glorified in the Puranas as very special for making spiritual advancement and the best place to be in Kartika is Sri Braja Dham. In fact this month is known as Damodar, since in the middle of this month, the Lord performed His very enchanting Damodar Lila. Kartika month also represents Radharani, and devotees perform special austerities to gain Her favor.
With great happiness in our hearts, we invite everyone to join in the auspicious Kartika Festival in Vrindavan. We have organized a wonderful variety of parikramas to the Holy Places of Krishna’s pastimes in Braja for all of you.
Almost daily, we will be going by bus leaving in the morning and returning in time for lunch around 3 PM, unless otherwise noted. Sometimes we will also join up with Lokanatha Swami’s Braja Mandala Parikrama and enjoy the association of the many devotees who will be wandering around Braja on foot. Tickets will be available from the newly renovated Welcome Center next to the temple, and all of Srila Prabhupada’s disciples and accompanied family members are free!
The 17th of November is the Holy Disappearance Day Festival of His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada and we extend a warm invitation to all to come and commemorate this sacred occasion with us in Sri Vrindavan, where His Divine Grace is sitting in Samadhi. Leading up to this day, every evening, senior disciples will be relating their memories of Srila Prabhupada. One day before, we will take Srila Prabhupada in the very same palanquin from 1977 for a grand Sankirtan Procession past all the Goswami temples in Vrindavan.
Parikrama Schedule More
18 Jun 2012 Leave a comment
in Guru & Disciple, Lectures Tags: A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, bona fide guru, bona fide spiritual master, Caitanya Mahaprabhu, guru, guru-krsna-krpaya, Gurudas photo, India, lecture on Nectar of Devotion, spiritual master, The Nectar of Devotion, Vrindavan
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…So to find out a bona fide guru is not difficult, provided one is bona fide to search out a guru. Therefore Caitanya Mahāprabhu said, guru-kṛṣṇa-kṛpāya pāya bhakti-latā-bīja [Cc. Madhya 19.151]. By the mercy of guru and Kṛṣṇa… Because by the mercy of Kṛṣṇa one gets a bona fide guru, and by the mercy of bona fide guru, one gets Kṛṣṇa. This is the process. When I am actually serious to have connection with Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa is sitting in everyone’s heart. Īśvaraḥ sarva-bhūtānāṁ hṛd-deśe ’rjuna tiṣṭhati [Bg. 18.61]. So Kṛṣṇa can understand. We cannot hide anything from Kṛṣṇa. That is not possible.
Bona Fide Spiritual Master
Lecture from The Nectar of Devotion
By His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Vṛndāvana, October 31, 1972
Pradyumna: (reading) Page xxi. “In the Caitanya-caritāmṛta, by Kṛṣṇadāsa Kavirāja Gosvāmī, Lord Caitanya states that it is a fortunate person who comes in contact with a bona fide spiritual master by the grace of Kṛṣṇa. One who is serious about spiritual life is given by Kṛṣṇa the intelligence to come in contact with a bona fide spiritual master.”
Prabhupāda: Yes. Here it is stated, “It is…, it is a fortunate person.” Not the unfortunate. “It is the fortunate person who comes in contact with a bona fide spiritual master.” This question, we were just discussing before coming to the class, how to select a bona fide spiritual master. So that is not very difficult. Just like in our ordinary business life, we accept somebody as representative of the firm who is actually come, canvassing for the benefit of the firm. He’s representative. Suppose he’s representing some book seller, publisher, so he should canvass for selling the books published by his firm, not for anything else. Suppose he has taken the advantage of becoming representative of a business firm, but he’s doing his own business. He’s not bona fide. He’s not bona fide. So real guru is Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa… Aham eva āsam agre. Kṛṣṇa existed before the creation. Then He made His representative, Brahma. Tene brahma hṛdā ādi-kavaye. He instructed the original guru, Brahma. Because there was no other living creature, except Brahma, in the beginning of creation, and He instructed Brahma. Tene brahma hṛdā ādi-kavaye. There are other versions in the Vedas, that He instructed Brahma. So therefore, the original guru is Kṛṣṇa. The same guru, Kṛṣṇa, is instructing Arjuna also. Kṛṣṇa became guru of Arjuna. Arjuna accepted Him guru: śiṣyas te ’ham. Arjuna said, “Now I am not talking with You as friend, but I accept You as my guru.” Therefore, by sastric conclusion, Kṛṣṇa is the original guru. Who can deny it? Kṛṣṇa is jagat-guru. He’s guru of everyone, because everyone (is) accepting this authority of Kṛṣṇa. Anyone is accepting the authority of Bhagavad-gītā, he’s accepting, imperceptibly, Kṛṣṇa as guru. Therefore, bona fide spiritual master means who is representing Kṛṣṇa. Who can deny it?
So to find out a bona fide spiritual master is not a very difficult job, because if one is representing guru, Kṛṣṇa, then he must speak of Kṛṣṇa, canvass for Kṛṣṇa. What do you think, Visanji?
Indian man: Jaya, Mahārāja.
02 Apr 2012 Leave a comment
in Cow Protection, Devotee's, Kurma Rupa das Tags: Care For Cows, careforcows.org, cow protection, cows, Cows Newsletter, goshalla, Hari Bhakti-vilas 16.252, Kurma Rupa dasa, Vrindavan
Care for Cows
By Kurma Rupa Dasa
Apr 01, 2012 — VRINDAVAN, INDIA (SUN) —
Dear Friends, Jai Govinda! Our April 2012 Care for Cows Newsletter has been posted. Please review it at your earliest convenience. In this edition of 32 pages (2.5 MB), we present reports on:
1. The arrival of a beautiful one-year-old dwarf cow.
2. A daring and heroic rescue of an abandoned bull calf.
3. The surprising transformation of a bull fighter.
4. The three-month attempt to save an injured bull calf.
5. The sixteen calves decorating our goshalla.
Thanks for your participation and support. I hope this finds you experiencing the happiness and inner satisfaction that accompanies cow protection. Jaya Sri Gopal!
Your friend and servant,
Kurma Rupa dasa
careforcows.org
May cows stay in front of me; may cows stay behind me; may cows stay on both sides of me. May I always reside in the midst of cows.
(Hari Bhakti-vilas 16.252)
02 Jan 2012 Leave a comment
in Cow Protection Tags: Care For Cows, Care for Cows newsletter, cow protection, Kalyan Kalpataru, Kurma Rupa dasa, Vrindavan
Care For Cows
By Kurma Rupa dasa
Jan 01, 2012 — VRINDAVAN, INDIA (SUN)
Dear Friends, Jai Govinda!
Our January 2012 Care for Cows Newsletter has been posted. Please review it http://careforcows.org/downloads/newsletters_0 at your earliest convenience. In this edition of 22 pages (2.2 MB), we present reports on:
1. Basu Ghosh’s visit to the Bansi Gir Goshalla in Amedhabad, Gujarat.
2. The four new residents admitted this month.
3. A study which demonstrates that cows select best friends.
4. The practical ways to determine if and when your cow is in heat.
5. An excerpt from the famous Kalyana Kalpataru Volume IX February 1945.
Thanks for your participation and support. I hope this finds you experiencing the happiness and inner satisfaction that accompanies cow protection.
Jaya Sri Gopal!
Your friend and servant,
Kurma Rupa dasa
Pasted from http://www.harekrsna.com/sun/news/01-12/news4112.htm
28 Dec 2011 Leave a comment
in Krishna Consciousness, KRSNA The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Srimad Bhagavatam Tags: gopis, His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Krishna, Krsna The Supreme Personality of Godhead, rasa dance, remembering Krishna, Syamarani, Vrindavan
In the previous article, Srila Prabhupada is describing the nine types of devotional service recommended ….(hearing, chanting, remembering, worshiping, praying, serving, engaging as a servitor of the Lord, establishing friendly relations with the Lord, offering everything to the Lord). These are all easy to practice and should be joyfully performed. So with this in mind we are posting one of Krishna’s unlimited pastimes, to help us in remembering the Lord.
Both the gopīs and Kṛṣṇa entered the water of the Yamunā just to relieve their fatigue from the rāsa dance. The lily flower garlands around the necks of the gopīs were strewn to pieces due to their embracing the body of Kṛṣṇa, and the flowers were reddish from being smeared with the kuṅkuma on their breasts. The bumblebees were humming about in order to get honey from the flowers. Kṛṣṇa and the gopīs entered the water of Yamunā just as an elephant enters a water tank with his many female companions. Both the gopīs and Kṛṣṇa forgot their real identity, playing in the water, enjoying each others’ company and relieving the fatigue of rāsa dancing. The gopīs began to splash water on the body of Kṛṣṇa, all the while smiling, and Kṛṣṇa enjoyed this. As Kṛṣṇa was taking pleasure in the joking words and splashing water, the demigods in the heavenly planets began to shower flowers. The demigods thus praised the superexcellent rāsa dance of Kṛṣṇa, the supreme enjoyer, and His pastimes with the gopīs in the water of Yamunā. (Krsna The Supreme Personality of Godhead Chapter 32)
Image courtsy of Syamarani devi http://www.bhaktiart.net
20 Dec 2011 5 Comments
in Devotee's, Yamuna devi Tags: Deena Bandhu das, devotee, disciple, Godsister, Srila Prabhupada, Vrindavan, Yamuna Devi Dasi
Yamuna devi dasi Recording The Hare Krsna Album
Early this morning on Saphala Ekadasi in Florida, our very dear Godsister Yamuna left this world. Don’t have any details yet, but Dina Tarini found her asleep with her hand in her beadbag. One of Prabhupada’s first and dearest daughters, he said she cooks just like Radharani. So now she must be helping Radharani to cook for Shyamasundara. – Deena Bandhu, Vrindavan
01 Dec 2011 Leave a comment
in Back to Godhead, Brahmananda das, Spiritual World, Vrindavan Tags: back to Godhead, Brahmananda dasa, Krishna, Land of No Return, material world, Shangri-la, Spiritual world, Srila Prabhupada, Vrindavan
Because Vrndavana is the eternal and entirely spiritual abode of the Lord, it is nondifferent from Him. At Vrndavana, one will find unlimited wealth, strength, fame, wisdom, beauty and renunciation—all the six opulences possessed by the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Bhagavan Sri Krsna. Indeed Vrndavana is Krsna, and, to go there is to perceive God Himself.
Vrndavana—Land of No Return (Part 1)
By His Holiness Brahmananda Swami
Back to Godhead Magazine 1975 Volume 10 Number 9
From the beginning of time, man has yearned for the perfect home—a paradise, a Shangri-la, a Walden—where he could live eternally in peace and happiness. Such a place cannot be found anywhere in the material world, however, for the material world is by its very nature temporary and frustrating. To end our weary searching, we must go beyond this world of duality, beyond the boundaries of space and time, into the spiritual realm.
Vrndavana, India, is that sought-after eternal resting place because it is at Vrndavana that Lord Sri Krsna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, descended to this planet five thousand years ago. The Lord’s appearance and activities are not mundane; they are completely transcendental. Just as a king may travel with all his retinue, set up camp, and conduct his affairs of state in the same style as if he were in his palace, Lord Krsna brought with Him all His transcendental associates and paraphernalia and created on earth an exact replica of the spiritual world, known as Goloka Vrndavana.
28 Jun 2011 2 Comments
in Radha Damodar Mandir Tags: India, Iskcon, Radha Damodar Mandir, Sri Nirmal Chandra Goswami, Srila Prabhupada, Srila Prabhupada's Bhajan Kutir, Sun, Vrindavan
ISKCON vs Radha Damodar Mandir
By; Sri Nirmal Chandra Goswami
Jun 27, 2011 — Vrindavan, India (SUN)
The writing of this notice to the devotees has been a long time waiting. Due to the mercy of Sri Sri Radha Damodar and now having email and Internet access, I am able to send out this information for the contemplation of sincere and thoughtful devotees.
Since past five years the court case in India, ISKCON vs Radha Damodar Mandir has been going on. The case originally filed by ISKCON is primarily to solve the question as to who is the legal owner/proprietor of the rooms at Radha Damodar Mandir known as “Srila Prabhupada’s Bhajan Kutir”.
As you know, Srila Prabhupada resided in these rooms for several years before he went to America and established ISKCON. In Srila Prabhupada’s own words, it was by the mercy of Radha Damodar that he was successful in the West.
A few months before the disappearance of Srila Prabhupada in 1977 the worship in Prabhupada’s bhajan kutir began, and after Srila Prabhupada’s disappearance, ISKCON continued paying rent to Radha Damodar Mandir and the puja of Srila Prabhupada continued.
24 May 2011 1 Comment
in Hayagriva das, The Hare Krishna Explosion Tags: ashram, Hayagriva dasa, Kirtananda Swami, Krishna's name is chanted, New Vrindavan West Virginia, Satsavarupa das. Srimad bhagavatam, Swamiji, the hare krishna explosion, Vrindavan
The Hare Krishna Explosion
by Hayagriva Dasa
Part III: New Vrindaban, 1968-1969
Chapter 14
New Vrindaban, West Virginia
When Kirtanananda phones from West Virginia, I tell him that Prabhupada wants Mr. Foster converted to Vaishnavism.
“Impossible,” he replies. “We don’t agree on anything. I’ve just moved out to the back farm for some peace and quiet.”
“What about selling? Is he interested?”
“No, but he still favors five year leases on small parcels.”
“But we require the property!”
“Patience,” he says.
Impatient, I begin looking at real estate in the Poconos, near Wilkes-Barre. Prices, however, are prohibitive. Still, letters from Prabhupada keep pushing the conception of a rural ashram in West Virginia:
“We should always know that Vrindaban is not localized in a particular area, but that whenever Krishna is present, Vrindaban is automatically there. And wherever the holy name of Krishna is chanted, Krishna is present. There is no difference between Krishna and His holy name. So now Krishna is blessing a nice piece of land, resembling Vrindaban, to be a new place of pilgrimage for you Western devotees. So you must try for it.”
Satsvarupa has opened a fourth ISKCON center in Allston, Massachusetts, a suburb of Boston. From there, Prabhupada writes Kirtanananda, May 23:
“If this piece of land is turned into New Vrindaban, I shall forget to return to Indian Vrindaban. I am getting older and older, so actually if I get a peaceful place, as you describe, the rest of my life will be continued translating Srimad-Bhagavatam and other Goswami literatures, assisted by some of my disciples like you. So anytime you take me to your new hermitage, I shall be very glad to go there.”
01 Apr 2011 Leave a comment
in Diksha Tags: bangalore, Chennai, diksha ceremonies, harinam diksha, Hubli, ISKCON Bangalore, Madhupandit das, Mysore, second initiation, Vrindavan
Harinam Diksha Ceremonies held in Srila Prabhupada’s Temples
Vrindavan, Bangalore, Chennai, Mysore and Hubli, On March 19th 2011
by prabhupadanuga news
Harinam Initiation Ceremony ISKCON Bangalore March 2011
It was a very emotional and historic day for all followers of Srila Prabhupada, as hundreds of them formally accepted him as their diksha guru. The formal diksha ceremony was held in Hare Krishna centres of Bangalore, Mysore, Hubli, Vrindavan and Chennai. The respective Presidents of the temples conducted the harinam diksha and second initiation ceremonies.
The ceremony consisted of each of the devotees taking an oath in front of Srila Prabhupada’s deities that they will follow the four regulative principles and chant at least sixteen rounds of Hare Krishna Maha Mantra daily. Following which each of them were given japa beads which were already chanted on by the GBC appointed rtviks and the temple presidents announced the initiated disciples’ names declaring to all present that these devotees were accepted formally as disciples of His Divine Grace.
18 Mar 2011 Leave a comment
in Cow Protection Tags: cow protection, cows & bulls, flute, Gopal, Govinda, Krishna's ecstatic cow herding lila, Lord Balaram, pastimes, plow, Vrindavan
<Lord Krishna’s Example
To teach by example, the Supreme Lord Sri Krishna and Lord Balaram show us when They descend into this world, how important is to protect, love and serve Cows and Bulls. Krishna is known as Gopala (protector of the Cows) or Govinda (one who gives pleasure to the Cows). Lord Balaram represents plowing the land for agriculture and therefore always carries a plow in His hand, whereas Krishna tends Cows and therefore carries a flute in His hand. Thus the two brothers represent krisi-raksha (protecting Bulls by engaging them in farming) and go-raksha (protecting the Cows). 10.5.20 Purport
“Offering respect to the Cows will help the devotee to diminish the reactions to his past sinful activities” (Skanda Purana)
Vrindavan’s Cows are constant remainders of Krishna’s ecstatic Cow herding lilas (pastimes). By serving the Cows one receives tremendous spiritual benefit. Feeding grains to the Cows, offering puja, or simply a scratch under the neck will please these peaceful personalities and attracts the attention of Supreme Personality of Godhead Sri Govinda. The Gautamiya Tantra says, “One should gently scratch the body of a Cow, offer her a mouthful of green grass and reverentially circumambulate her. If Cows are maintained nicely and comfortably, Lord Gopal will be pleased.”
15 Mar 2011 Leave a comment
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!”
15 Mar 2011 Leave a comment
in Sri Caitanya-Caritamrta Tags: Caitanya Mahaprabhu, devotional service, diksa guru, Gopinath, Ishvara Puri, Madhavendra Puri, Malaya Mountains, Orissa, sankirtan movement of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, Vrindavan
Sri Madhavendra Puri
Disappearance day – 17th March, 2011
Madhavendra Puri Discovers Gopala
Madhavendra Puri also known as Madhavendra Puri Goswami appeared in the 14th century.
After making an extensive pilgrimage of India as a sannyasi he passed his life in Vrindavana and Orissa. The main source of knowledge about him is Chaitanya Charitamrita. He belongs to the Madhva line being a disciple of Lakshmipati Tirtha and he was the founder of the Vaishnava centre at Mathura, Vrindavana. He is considered a fountainhead of devotional worship of Krishna and he has started the worship of the Gopala deity, better known as Shrinathji. He is attributed to the discovery of the famous deity of Gopala near Govardhana that was later worshiped by Vallabhacharya, follower of Vishnuswami in Rudra sampradaya, who in turn was influenced by devotional mood of Vrindavana. He is also famed for receiving direct instructions and gifts from the deity of Gopinatha, who commanded him to travel for the supply of scarce sandal wood paste from Orissa to the Malaya Mountains.
Initiating the sankirtana movement
Madhavendra Puri is accepted as the initiator of the movement of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, who accepted Madhavendra’s intimate disciple, Ishvara Puri as his diksa guru. He was preaching the principles of Gaudiya Vaishnavism prior to Lord Chaitanya.
13 Mar 2011 1 Comment
in Letters by Srila Prabhupada, Quotes by Srila Prabhupada, Remembering Srila Prabhupada, Srila Prabhupada, Srila Prabhupada Conversations, Srila Prabhupada's Books Tags: Bhagavad Gita, Brahmananda dasa, conversations, Gaurasundara dasa, God-brothers, Govinda dasi, Hansadutta dasa, Jayananda dasa, Karandhara dasa, Krishna dasa, krsna consciousness, lectures, personal guide, physical association, Sivananda dasa, Srila Prabhupada letters, Srimad Bhagavatam, Suci devi, vani, vapuh, Vrindavan, walks
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I am always thinking of you (Srila Prabhupada)
Prabhupada: So there is nothing to be said new. Whatever I have to speak, I have spoken in my books. Now you try to understand it and continue your endeavor. Whether I am present or not present, it doesn’t matter. (770517ar.vrn Conversations)
“I shall remain your personal guidance, physically present or not physically, as I am getting personal guidance from my guru maharaja” (Srila Prabhupada to Tamal Krishna, 14 July 1977)
You write that you have desire to avail of my association again, but why do you forget that you are always in association with me? When you are helping my missionary activities I am always thinking of you, and you are always thinking of me . That is real association. Just like I am always thinking of my Guru Maharaja at every moment, although he is not physically present, and because I am trying to serve him to my best capacity, I am sure he is helping me by his spiritual blessings. So there are two kinds of association: physical and preceptorial. Physical association is not so important as preceptorial association. (SP Letter to Govinda Dasi, 18/8/69)
But always remember that I am always with you. As you are always thinking of me, I am always thinking of you also. Although physically we are not together, we are not separated spiritually. So we should be concerned only with this spiritual connection. (SP Letter to Gaurasundara, 13/11/69)
You write to say, ….I really miss Swamiji and my God-brothers’ association so much.” But I may remind you that I am always with you. And so wherever I am there, and you are there, all your God-brothers are there. Please remember always the humble teachings that you have received from me, and that will make you always associated with me, and with your other God-brothers. (Letter to: Sivananda dasa. Montreal , 24 August, 1968)
“However, the disciple and spiritual master are never separated because the spiritual master always keeps company with the disciple as long as the disciple follows strictly the instructions of the spiritual master. This is called the association of vani (words). Physical presence is called vapuh. As long as the spiritual master is physically present, the disciple should serve the physical body of the spiritual master, and when the spiritual master is no longer physically existing, the disciple should serve the instructions of the spiritual master.” (SB 4.28.47 purport)
Associate with Srila Prabhupada through his Vani
05 Mar 2011 Leave a comment
in Devotee's, Pradyuma das Tags: Acaryas, devotee, disciples, Godbrothers, guru, Initiation, Iskcon, Pradyumna das, Satsvarupa Maharaj, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta, successor, Vrindavan
Same solution as desired by Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura
Pradyumna Prabhu (ACBSP): 7 August, 1978
Dear Satsvarupa Maharaj,
Please accept my most humble obeisances.
Maharaj, I am writing you this letter with GREAT anxiety in my heart and after days and days and long nights of thought and careful consideration.
I have been staying in Vrndavan for some time and have not visited any other center recently except Delhi. Therefore, my information I have about what is happening at our other centers comes only from devotees visiting here, occasional letters, newsletters and our society’s magazine and other publications. But the news I hear from these sources is very alarming and therefore I am writing you in some anxiety.
14 Jan 2011 Leave a comment
in Devotional Service, Krishna Consciousness Tags: devotees tulasi leaf, Srimati Radharani, Tulasi devi, Vrindavan
Glories of Srimati Tulasi Devi
By Bharath Singh
Srimati Tulasi devi is one of the most exalted devotees of Sri Krishna. All scriptures stress the importance of getting the mercy of Tulasi devi if one is to make progress on the path of devotion. In the Skanda Purana it is said:
“Tulasi is auspicious in all respects. Simply by seeing, simply by touching, simply by remembering, simply by praying to, simply by bowing before, simply by hearing about or simply by sowing this tree, there is always auspiciousness. Anyone who comes in touch with the Tulasi tree in the above-mentioned ways lives eternally in the Vaikuntha world.”
Above this material world is the eternal spiritual world comprised of millions of Vaikuntha planets. The topmost planet in Vaikuntha is Goloka, which is presided over by Sri Krishna in His original Form. Here resides Vrinda devi, an intimate associate of and an expansion of Srimati Radharani. Her partial expansion is Tulasi devi in the Vaikuntha planets and they are all considered non-different from Her. Five thousand years Ago, when Sri Krishna descended on Earth to perform His pastimes, Vrinda devi created the proper environment for His pastimes in Vrindavana.
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The Hare Krishna Movement 