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Srila
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How The Parampara Is Lost Srila Prabhupada's Authorized System of Initiations Reply to Rocana dasa's speculation Glories of Lord Nityananda Prabhu Avadhuta Practical Benefits of Devotion to Lord Krsna Malaysia Vaisnavas Worshipping Srila Prabhupada Srila Prabhupada on Vaisnavas Prasadam Ki Jaya The Infallible One in Unlimited Forms VRINDAVANE BHAJANA Srila Prabhupada's Ritvik System is authorized The Importance of Initiation Lazy Man's Way to Riches Srila Prabhupada's Godbrothers "Srila Prabhupada's System for Initiations part 2" "Srila Prabhupada's System for Initiations" Who is Srila Prabhupada's Disciple? Simple Quotes Easy to Follow Gaura Purnima festival Sedro Woolley 2007 Kirtan Is Meant For Krsna, Not An Audience Nectar from Srila Prabhupada on how to become perfect Gaura Pur Nim at Toronto's New Remuna Dahm My Grandaughter's first hari-nama Sri Govardhana Puja Sedro Woolley, WA 2006 Srila Prabhupada Writing at Radha Damodara Packed Temple Celebrates Lord Krishna's Appearance With Great Pomp The Skagit Magic Music Festival Proposal for Starting a Please Prabhu Key Events Society Friendship and Love Video of the annual Ratha Yatra If You Stay With Krsna The Tradition of Debate Hare Krishna Society Panama Potency of Krsna Book Authority of the Acarya "Atheists-Blind Bluffers" Death Is God Letter to Karandhar Tittenhurst, October 1969 Why not become a wise man? It is a very great mistake Glories and Pitfalls part 4 Glories and Pitfalls part 3 Glories and Pitfalls Part 2 Glories and Pitfalls of Chanting the Holy Names Simple Method of Krishna Consciousness HKS Montreal, Canada Festival of Nityananda The Position of Imitation Spiritual Masters What is a Devotee? If Only 5% Becomes Krishna Conscious HKS Montreal Gaura Purnima Festival Gaura Purnima Sedro Woolley, WA For Your Viewing Pleasure Honoring
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of Srila Prabhupada's What Good Are Many Devotees? What Is God Realization? The Future Church of The World Mythology Revival? Our Living Guru.zip Srila Prabhupada on Vapuh vs Vani a Brahmana Prabhupada Stotram Vishnujana on Chanting An Open Invitation Gaudiya Vaisnava Biographies Unique Acarya Jagat Guru Archives FAQs Documents Constitution
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Srila Prabhupada Siddhanta For Information
about Bona-Fide Initiations |
Srila Prabhupada
on Vapu and Vani Does the Guru have to be physically present? Physical
presence is immaterial. Presence of the transcendental sound received
from the Spiritual Master should be the guidance of life. That will
make our spiritual life successful. If you feel very strongly about my
absence you may place my pictures on my sitting places and this will be
source of inspiration for you. 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. So we should associate by vibration, and not by the physical presence. That is real association.(Lectures SB, 68/08/18) There
are two conceptions, the physical conception and the vibrational
conception. The physical conception is temporary. The vibrational
conception is eternal.[...] When we feel separation from Krsna or the
Spirirual Master, we should just try to remember their words or
instructions, and we will no longer feel that separation. Such
association with Krsna and the Spiritual Master should be association
by vibration not physical presence. That is real association.
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. As
far as my blessing is concerned, it does not require my physical
presence. If you are chanting Hare Krsna there, and following my
instructions, reading the books, taking only Krsna prasadam etc., then
there is no question of your not receiving the blessings of Lord
Caitanya, whose mission I am humbly trying to push on. 'Anyone
who has developed unflinching faith in the Lord and the Spiritual
Master can understand the revealed scripture unfolding before him'. So
continue your present aptitude and you will be successful in your
spiritual progress. I am sure that even if I am not physically present
before you, still you will be able to execute all spiritual duties in
the matter of Krsna Consciousness, if you follow the above principles. So
although a physical body is not present, the vibration should be
accepted as the presence of the Spiritual Master, vibration. What we
have heard from the Spiritual Master, that is living. Devotee: ...so
sometimes the Spiritual Master is far away. He may be in Los Angeles.
Somebody is coming to Hamburg Temple. He thinks 'How will the Spiritual
Master be pleased?' Just
like I am working, so my Guru Maharaja is there, Bhaktisiddhanta
Sarasvati. Physically he may not be, but in every action he is there.
To serve master's word is more important than to serve physically. So, spiritually, there is no question of separation, even physically we may be in far distant place. I
went to your country for spreading this information of Krsna
Consciousness and you are helping me in my mission, although I am not
physically present there but spiritually I am always with you. We
are not separated actually. There are two - Vani or Vapuh - so Vapu is
physical presence and Vani is presence by the vibration, but they are
all the same. So
in the absence of physical presentation of the spiritual master, the
Vaniseva is more important. My Spiritual Master Sarsavati Goswami, may
appear to be physically not present, but still because I try to serve
his instruction, I never feel separated from him. I
also do not feel separation from my Guru Maharaja. When I am engaged in
his service, his pictures give me sufficient strength. To serve
master's word is more important than to serve him physically. So
far as personal association with Guru is concerned, I was only with
Guru Maharaj 4 or 5 times, but I have never left his association, not
even for a moment. Because I am following his instruction, I have never
felt any separation. There are some of my Godbrothers here in India,
who had constant personal association with Guru Maharaja, but who are
neglecting his orders. This is just like the bug who is sitting on the
lap of the king. He may be very puffed up by his position but all he
can succeed in doing is biting the king. Personal association is not so
important as association through serving. So
spiritually appearance and disappearance, there is no difference ...
spiritually there is no such difference, appearance or disappearance.
Although this is the disappearance day of Om Visnupada Sri Srimad
Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura, there is nothing to be lamented,
although we feel separation. So
my Guru Maharaja will be very, very much pleased with you ... it is not
that he is dead and gone. That is not spiritual understanding ... he is
seeing. I never feel that I am alone. Vani is more important than vapuh. Yes
I am glad that your centre is doing so well and all the devotees are
now appreciating the presence of their spiritual master by following
his instructions, although he is no longer present. This is the right
spirit. The
spiritual master by his words, can penetrate into the heart of the
suffering person and inject knowledge transcendental which alone can
extinguish the fire of material existence. There
are two words, vani and vapuh. Vani means words, and vapuh means the
physical body. Vapuh will be finished. This material body it will be
finished, that is the nature. But if we keep to the vani, to the words
of the spiritual master, then we remain very fixed up...if you always
keep intact, in link with the words and instructions of the higher
instructions, then you are always fresh. This is spiritual
understanding. So
we should give more stress on the sound vibration, either of Krsna or
Spiritual Master. Never think that I am absent from you, presence by
message(or hearing) is the real touch. Reception of spiritual knowledge is never checked by any material condition. The potency of transcendental sound is never minimised because the vibrator is apparently absent. 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. 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. If
there is no chance to serve the spiritual master directly, a devotee
should serve him by remembering his instructions. There is no
difference between the spiritual masters instructions and the spiritual
master himself. In the absence therefore, his words of direction should
be pride of the disciple. He lives forever by his divine instructions, and the follower lives with him. He reasons ill who tells that Vaisnavas die, when thou art still living in sound. Yes, the ecstacy of separation of Spiritual Master is even greater ecstasy than meeting with him. Krsna
and his representative are the same. Similarly, the spiritual master
can be present wherever the disciple wants. A spiritual master is the
principle, not the body. Just like a television can be seen in
thousands of place by the principle of relay monitoring. It
is better service to Krsna and Spiritual Master in a feeling of
separation; sometimes there is a risk in the matter of direct service. Srila Prabhupada is our Eternal Guru Eternal bond between disciple and Spiritual Master begins from the day he hears. These are not ordinary books. It is recorded chanting. Anyone who reads, he is hearing. Regarding
parampara system, there is nothing to wonder for big gaps. [...]We have
to pick up the prominent acaryas and follow from him. These
great souls (members of the disciplic succession) were not mere
luminaries like comets appearing in the firmament for a while and
disappearing as soon as their mission is done. They are like so many
suns shining all along to give light and heat to succeeding
generations. Long time yet to roll on when they will be succeeded by
others of sublime mind, beauty and calibre. You
have asked if it is true that the spiritual master remains in the
universe until all his disciples are transferred to the spiritual sky.
The answer is yes, this is the rule. |