Hare Krishna Society

“…So if you want to understand Bhagavad-gītā, then we must understand in the same way as the person who directly heard from him. This is called paramparā system. Suppose I have heard something from my spiritual master, so I speak to you the same thing. So this is paramparā system. You cannot imagine what my spiritual master said. Or even if you read some books, you cannot understand unless you understand it from me. This is called paramparā system. You cannot jump over to the superior guru, I mean to say, neglecting the next ācārya, immediate next ācārya.

Just like our this Gau…, Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s cult; we cannot understand Caitanya Mahāprabhu directly. This is not possible. We have to understand through the Gosvāmīs. Therefore you’ll find in the Caitanya-caritāmṛta, in…, at the end of every chapter, the writer says, rūpa-

raghunātha-pade… What is that?

Yaśomatīnandana: Caitanya-caritāmṛta kahe.

Prabhupāda: Kṛṣṇa-dāsa.

rūpa-raghunātha-pade yāra āśa
caitanya-caritāmṛta kahe kṛṣṇa-dāsa
[Cc. Ādi 1.110]

This is the process. He does not say that “I have understood Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu directly.” No. That is not understanding. That is foolishness. You cannot understand what is Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Therefore repeatedly he says,

rūpa-raghunātha-pade yāra āśa
caitanya-caritāmṛta kahe kṛṣṇa-dāsa”
[Cc. Ādi 1.110]

Audio link for this lecture given by his divine grace on Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 1.15.30 in Los Angeles, Dec. 8, 1973: https://prabhupadavani.org/transcriptions/731208sbla/

Compiled by,

Balarama dasa

This message is for all
so please share it my friends
because this message from Gopal
shall supremely heal and mend.

All we need to do is awake
to our eternal blissfull state
beyond pain and even death
so be unlimitedly blessed.

And just hear the message of God
from everyone’s guru Prabhupad
for he repeats Lord Krishna’s words
that bestow all blessings when heard.

Because I did hear them
I know all blessings I can give
by simply repeating these words
that wake us up to really live.

Living means preaching life
life that shines eternally bright
which is transcendental wisdom
just how to live our lives right.

Which means sharing the greatest grace
given by the guru of the whole human race
the greatest grace now is in Krishna’s names
to bless us in Krishna’s service always be engaged.

It can not be preached enough!
we must know Prabhupada’s love!
who labored hard for all of us
to transcend anger greed and lust.

I must make it known
now its Prabhupada alone
who left us perfect instructions
how to return to blissful home.

His instructions are unchanged
through a pure disciplic chain
headed by Lord Sri Krishna!!
to awake our love Krishna prem.

You just open up your ears
and just open up your hearts
to hear Lord Krishna’s holy names
to light up your spiritual parts.

As all loving servants of Lord Krishna
to fulfill all Lord Krishna’s wishes
to deliver all in this material existence
to where our unlimited wisdom and bliss is.

Yes it is just as easy as this
for us most fallen souls in this age
to wake up our Krishna consciousness
and no longer be illusion’s slaves.

Yes please spread it far near and far
you just need to know who you are
servants of the supreme greatest star
known as the son of Jashoda Damodar.

Yes you can transcend all pain, doubt and fear
when Krishna’s holy names you really hear
so everyone come together to know all pleasure
and return back to blissfull home forever.

And sing sing sing the names of Him supreme
all you need to do is wake up from your dreary dream
this is Your supreme friends Gaur nitai’s request
begging all to wake up to their unlimited happiness.

Everyone please bring to this world peace
freedom from all disease, pleasure to always increase
please come together now to know no impossibility
please come together now to end hatred and hostility.

Please come together now to lighten this world’s burden
please come together now to stop all kinds of hurting
this is not pretend we can link up to our Supreme friend
by just singing loudly His names we shall truly transcend.

We shall transcend all with a beginning and end
and caress everyone as our family my friend
I pray you share this poem to guide all home
we must know we’re not alone our love must be known.

He is all that we desire He is all that we require
that one Supreme person no one equal to nor higher
He is His holy names to wake up our loving aim
just to satisfy Lord Krishna and fully wake up again.

Everyone pray no longer let us stray
Oh my dear Lord Krishna guide us all Your way
and wake up our loving service through Your names
may we always be always ecstatically engaged.

Hare Krishna Hare Krishna
Krishna Krishna Hare Hare
Hare Rama Hare Rama
Rama Rama Hare Hare

We must thank Srila Prabhupada
for his blessings flowing here
through this lost and crippled dog
praying share this far and near!!!

in his books I beg
for everyone their fully read
to know everything Prabhupada said
to guide all souls back to Godhead!!!

A poem written by,

Anubhava Ananda dasa

“It is said that one result is achieved by worshiping the Supreme Cause of all causes, and that another is obtained by worshiping what is not supreme. All this was heard from the undisturbed authorities who clearly explained it.” (Sri Isopanisad, Mantra Thirteen) In his purport to this verse, Srila Prabhupada explains, “Unless one hears from the bona fide acarya, who is never disturbed by the changes of the material world, one cannot have the real key to transcendental knowledge.” Iti susruma dhiranam, ye nas tad vicacaksire.

Devotees who have traveled and preached in India can easily understand what Srila Prabhupada identified as the main problem with modern India: “In modern times the numbers of such pretenders has increased in considerable numbers, and it has become a problem for the pure devotees of the Lord to save the mass of people from the unholy propaganda of these pretenders and imitation incarnations of God.” (Sri Isopanisad, Mantra 13, Purport) Although people in India have natural devotion to the Supreme Lord and His great devotees, such as Lakshmi, Hanuman and Garuda, most are confused or ignorant about the conclusions of the scriptures and thus sometimes get misled into “worshiping what is not supreme.” This is because they hear from bogus preachers rather than the pure devotees of the Lord.For this defect, they are unable to distinguish between matter and spirit.

“Presently people are so fallen that they cannot distinguish between a conditioned soul and a liberated soul.” (Srimad-Bhagavatam 4.18.5, Purport)

“If one tries to mingle the worship of yogamaya and mahamaya, considering them one and the same, he does not really show very high intelligence.” (Caitanya-Caritamrta, Madhya 8.90, Purport)

Monkey Worshipers and Hanuman Offenders

I am presently residing at Sri Kishkindhya Kshetra, the birthplace of the pure devotee avatar Sri Hanumanji. In a few days from now, a half million people will converge on the nearby tiny village of Hampi for Hanuman Jayanti. Many of the pilgrims, local tour guides and residents here refer to Hanuman’s divine birthplace as “The Monkey Temple.” In fact, all over India, Hanuman is referred to as “the monkey god.” At the same time, here, and at other places in South India, monkeys are worshiped as Hanuman. People feed them all kinds of sweets and junk food. This causes them to become deranged and destructive; they constantly create havoc in the temples and villages. At remote small farms they often destroy entire crops of coconuts and bananas for sport. Nonetheless, they are not only tolerated but freely fed and adored by foolish, misguided persons who consider them expansions of Hanuman. (According to modern Indian law it is illegal for a farmer to kill a single monkey to protect his livelihood, yet it is perfectly legal for big businessmen to export millions of cows for slaughter.)

The other day, while I was walking into the Virupaksha temple (at Hampi) with a bunch of ripe bananas to offer to Lord Shiva, I was attacked by three large languor monkeys, commonly known as “Hanuman monkeys.” Fortunately, I had my umbrella and was able to fight them off. Seeing the fray, some pilgrims protested, shouting, “No, no, give them the bananas. They are Hunuman!” I exclaimed, “Monkeys are animals! Hanuman is a devata!”

Actually, Hanuman is much more than an ordinary devata; he is a great devotee of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. It is offensive to consider Hanuman a monkey or to consider monkeys to be Sri Hunuman-ji. Similarly, it’s offensive to worship a demigod as God or to consider the Supreme Lord a demigod. Such worshipers are condemned in the Bhagavad-gita and in Sri Isopanisad. “Those who are engaged in the worship of demigods enter into the darkest regions of ignorance, and still more so do the worshipers of the Absolute.” (Sri Isopanisad, Mantra 12) Persons who consider the bona fide spiritual master an ordinary man and persons who worship a pretentious upstart as the spiritual master are on the same dangerous path. All such foolish mistakes are avoided by understanding the difference between matter and spirit. Proper discrimination is achieved by hearing from “the undisturbed authorities who clearly explained it.” Iti susruma dhiranam, ye nas tad vicacaksire.

Vaikuntha Avatars

Queen Kunti Devi prayed to Lord Krishna, expressing her feelings that His pastimes as a human being were sometimes bewildering.  Although she was fully aware that Krishna was the Supreme Personality of Godhead, she expressed wonderment at how He seemed to act exactly like an ordinary human being in many ways. For instance, He seemed to take birth from the womb of Devaki. He would offer Kunti Devi and other so-called superiors His humble obeisance. He once cried in lamentation when the mystic demon Shalva presented an illusion before Him wherein Shalva appeared to be beheading Krishna’s father, Vasudeva. As a child, He cried when Mother Yasoda chased Him with a whipping switch. Srila Prabhupada comments in this regard that when Lord Krishna plays a role, He does it perfectly. Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu played this “human” role more completely than any other avatar of God by strictly following the rules and regulations of varnashrama-dharma. Similarly, the eternally liberated spiritual master plays the role of an ordinary human being for the benefit of all living entities, to show everyone how to become a pure devotee.  And he does it perfectly.

“A nitya-siddha devotee comes from Vaikuntha upon the order of the Supreme Personality of Godhead and shows by his personal example how to become a pure devotee. (anyabhilasita-sunyam…) A pure devotee, therefore, is a practical example for all living entities, including Lord Brahma.” (Srimad-Bhagavatam 7.10.3, Purport)

“The Personality of Godhead, from His Kingdom, sends His bona fide servants to propagate this mission of going back to Godhead, and sometimes He comes Himself to do this work.” (Sri Isopanisad, Mantra 11, Purport)

“Whenever and wherever there is decline in religious practice, O descendent of Bharata, and a predominant rise of irreligion – at that time I descend Myself.” (Bhagavad-gita As It Is 4.7)

In the case of some pure devotees, there is another reason they descend: to show sadhakas the pitfalls on the devotional path, as did the great devotee Bharata Maharaja, who became a deer in his next life due to becoming attached to a pet. Sometimes a liberated devotee acts as if he were bewildered or perplexed. In truth, he allows himself to come under the spell not of mahamaya, or material illusion, but Krishna’s yoga–maya. Srila Prabhupada mentions that when a pure devotee speaks as if he were fallen or unqualified, he is not making a show; rather, he truly feels this way due to deep humility, which is inspired by the Lord’s internal spiritual potency. Usually when a great devotee appears to be in illusion or ignorant, it is for the sake of enacting a pastime of the Supreme Lord. For instance, Arjuna was apparently bewildered on the battlefield of Kurukshetra before the fight, and this gave rise to the great lila of Krishna speaking the Bhagavad-gita. Those who have heard about the transcendental character of Arjuna from undisturbed authorities, know there could be no material reason why Arjuna would hesitate to do his duty, especially with Krishna by his side, driving his chariot.

“Pilgrims to Hell”

Srila Prabhupada points out that there is another reason that Krishna sometimes acts like an ordinary human being. It is to bewilder the envious atheists –to give them full opportunity to deny God and go to hell. “If a living being wants to go to hell, the Lord allows him to do so without interference, and if he wants to go back home, back to Godhead, the Lord also helps him to do that.” (Sri Isopanisad, Mantra Eight, Purport) The mission of the Pure Devotee is the same as that of Lord Krishna. Although he is said to be more merciful than Krishna Himself, his mission is fundamentally the same.

Duplicitous, mischievous persons sometimes deride the authorized acharya. The memoirs and writings of such polluted conditioned souls should be avoided by those serious about advancing in Krishna consciousness. To a grossly conditioned soul, Srila Prabhupada might have sometimes appeared temperamental, angry, capable of making mistakes, or ignorant of certain facts, but thoughtful disciples are not misled by external appearances. Maya can create any illusion before a conditioned soul. These are tests. Only those who are knowledgeable and willing to surrender can understand Sri Guru and Sri Krishna in truth. Otherwise, if one has some other agenda in the Krishna consciousness movement, he will likely make fatal miscalculations regarding Srila Prabhupada, his disciples, or Lord Krishna Himself.

“If the spiritual master is considered an ordinary man, the disciple surely loses his chance to advance further.” (Srimad-Bhagavatam 5.12.14, Purport)

“Fools deride Me when I descend in the human form. They do not know My transcendental nature as the Supreme Lord of all that be.” (Bhagavad-gita As It Is 9.11)

Why would the self-effulgent pure devotee hide his true glory from his own disciples? He would not. The sastras, however, are full of stories of disciples being tested by the guru, or by maya’s agents. But a sincere student passes the tests. Duplicitous pretenders fail. They get weeded out. Despite their opportunity to associate with Srila Prabhupada and witness his extraordinary devotional mood and unique transcendental qualities, some of his original disciples have fallen from the path due to their “envy of the exalted status of the spiritual master.” Under the tight grip of illusion, they began thinking, “My guru is a regular guy. Let me exploit him and his mission for my own sense gratification.” Such mundane students are quickly ruined. “One should consider the spiritual master to be as good as the Supreme Personality of Godhead. In spite of all of these instructions, if one considers the spiritual master an ordinary human being, he is doomed.” Some so-called disciples deliberately conspired to minimize Srila Prabhupada and remove him as the spiritual master of the Hare Krishna movement. Their motive? They coveted his post.Srila Prabhupada prophetically warned of this: “As soon as a foolish disciple tries to overtake his spiritual master and becomes ambitious to occupy his post, he immediately falls down.” (Srimad-Bhagavatam 5.12.14, Purport)

Many modernly educated Indians have concluded that Krishna’s pastimes on Earth were a myth. Such people have all been indoctrinated by Western traditions of atheism and speculation. “Such faithless persons are described in Bhagavad-gita as mudhas, foolish as the ass. It is said that the mudhas deride the Supreme Personality of Godhead because they don’t have complete knowledge from the undisturbed acaryas. One who is disturbed by the whirlpool movements of the material energy is not qualified to become an acharya.” (Sri Isopanisad, Mantra 13, Purport)

Such shallow people are unable to appreciate that Lord Krishna has been worshiped as the Supreme Personality of Godhead for thousands of years by the most intelligent and highly qualified people who ever lived in this world. For example, Srila Vyasadeva, Sri Sukadeva Goswami, Sri Madhvacarya, Sri Alavandar, Srila Ramanujacarya, Bilvamangala Thakura, Emperor Kulashekara, King Prataparudra, Emperor Krishnadeva Raya, Ramananda Raya, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, the Six Gosvamis of Vrindaban, Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati and Srila Prabhupada have all accepted Krishna as the Supreme Absolute Truth, as have innumerable other great persons throughout history. Yet according to many deluded, modern-day Hindu leaders, the hundreds of millions of Krishna bhaktas throughout the past 5,000 years, and prior, were naïve fools.

In fact, the pseudo-humanitarian politicians and Godless Hindu scholars are the fools. They have tried to exploit Krishna’s words and fame for mundane social and political causes while simultaneously claiming Krishna is a myth. Secular party politics and atheistic systems of education have done the worst violence to millions of innocent Indian people by indoctrinating them with a sectarian socio-political consciousness imported from the West. This type of indoctrination leads to disastrous, bloody conflicts or full-scale war. Godless social ideals of secularism and party politics aim to repress the natural, native-born Krishna consciousness of all Indian people. Avajananti mam mudha, manusim tanum asrita. (Bg. 9.11)

Another type of miscreant understands that Krishna was a genuine historical personality, yet they think He was an ordinary king who died by an accidental wound to the foot. This brand of ignorant person fails to consider that according to all historical accounts, Krishna easily defeated the greatest warriors and their powerful weapons and armies. Even as a child He easily killed the most powerful mystic demons. So how was it possible that He could be killed by a hunter’s single small arrow in His foot? Bad luck? Yet this misleading story of a hunter shooting Krishna’s lotus foot is there in sastras. Why? Srila Prabhupada explains that one reason is to give envious persons facility to go to hell. Krishna thus fulfills the desires of those who would rather be pilgrims to hell than pilgrims to Vaikuntha.  “If a living being wants to go to hell, the Lord allows him to do so without interference…” Na mam duskritino mudhah, prapadyante naradhamah.(Bg. 7.15)

Dull-minded fools who never hear from proper authorities cannot understand why Krishna disappeared in an apparently ordinary way and seemed to leave a material body behind. Similarly, although Valmiki Rishi described in Ramayana how Ravana kidnapped Mother Sita, the liberated acharyas who know the conclusions of all the sastras know this incident was a pastime enacted under the Supreme Lord’s internal spiritual potency. Lord Chaitanya Himself discovered the passages in the Kurma Purana that explain that Ravana kidnapped an illusory form of Mother Sita. This is fully explained in Sri Caitanya-Caritamrita. Ravana could never capture the all-spiritual Srimati Sita Devi, who is more powerful than Durga Devi and all demigods combined.

Srila Prabhupada’s translations and purports give the final conclusions of all Vedic scriptures. In Srimad-Bhagavatam, he explains, “Persons who are addicted to the impersonal feature of the Lord, whether in meditation or otherwise, are all pilgrims to hell, because as stated in Bhagavad-gita (12.15), impersonalists simply waste their time in mundane mental speculation because they are addicted more to false arguments than reality.” (SB. 3.9.4, Purport)  Such people who teach that Krishna’s form is temporary or mundane, part of the illusory maya-shakti, will certainly go to hell. “Impersonalists who consider the transcendental forms of the Lord to be products of the material world are surely destined for hell.” He warns that their association is most dangerous and condemned by Lord Brahma, because in truth the personal forms exhibited by the Supreme Lord are meant for blessing everyone in all the universes. “Therefore the association of impersonalists is condemned herewith by Lord Brahma.” Equally as toxic is the association of Western indoctrinated pseudo-sadhus, pseudo-Hindu politicians and professors, and Hindus, Christians and Muslims who teach that Krishna is a myth.It would be far better for those unwilling to accept the authority of the authorized guru-parampara to avoid speculating on the Absolute Truth and the Vedic scriptures. In this way, they could avoid causing great harm to themselves and those who hear from them.

So-called disciples and others who think Srila Prabhupada was an ordinary man are not intelligent. They have not carefully understood Srila Prabhupada’s exalted character, unique qualities and predicted activities and symptoms. They have obviously neglected a careful study of his books. Such people, and those who like to publish, distribute and read their polluted memoirs, will likely suffer serious reactions. For them, there may be hell to pay. Perhaps Srila Prabhupada will save them, or perhaps not. Srila Prabhupada said one malicious ex-disciple would get another bona fide guru after ten million lifetimes.  “… gurusu nara-matir… naraki sah: One who considers that the spiritual master is an ordinary human being… is considered a naraki, a candidate for hellish life.” (CC. Antya 6.294, Purport)

Materialistic devotees (prakrita-bhaktas) might argue, “Srila Prabhupada himself said he was an ordinary man, and he  presented himself in that way. Why would he mislead us?” Srila Prabhupada answers, “That is the teaching of Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Guru more murkha dekhi. Caitanya Mahaprabhu is murkha? Why is it He’s posing Himself as that murkha?—‘I am fool number one.’ That means that is liberation. You must always be ready to be chastised by the guru. Then one is liberated.” (Conv. August 16, 1976, Bombay)

Liberated saints, such as Srila Sanatana Gosvami and Srila Raghunath Das Gosvami, although on the same level as Krishna Himself, often speak of themselves as being fallen and lowly. Such statements are due to their feelings of transcendental ecstasy and should never be taken literally. Liberated acharyas show the proper mood that should be cultivated in devotional service.Prakasananda Sarasvati, though an impersonalist at the time of his first meeting with Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, was not a dull fellow or an offender. He never accepted that Lord Caitanya was a fool. In spite of the Lord’s testing him with the statement: “guru more murkha dekhi,” Prakasananda Sarasvati understood that Lord Chaitanya was personally the self-effulgent source of the brahma-jyoti. Similarly, sincere disciples are not misled by Srila Prabhupada’s examples of humility but rather appreciate his unique, transcendental character and symptoms, which are self-effulgent.

People who think Srila Prabhupada was ignorant or deficient in any way are, at best, foolish and dense. Those who imply that he speculated about the future or lacked full command of English or Sanskrit, or that he neglected to give important instructions, are certainly narakis, orcandidates for hellish life. Their association may be more dangerous than diehard impersonalists, who Srila Prabhupada said are “pilgrims to hell.”

As Good As Krishna Himself

Those who carefully read Srila Prabhupada’s books and develop fundamental faith in the bona fide spiritual master learn that the supernatural perfections of mystic yoga “constitute very little of his godly opulence.”(Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.5.6, Purport)The eight-fold mystic powers intensely sought by great rishis and demigods, which are rarely achieved by anyone in full, are an insignificant part of the power of a pure devotee –particularly one who acts as Lord Krishna’s empowered representative (saksad hari). It is described in sastras that all the powers of the demigods and great rishis, as well as full liberation, which is high above all such powers, wait with folded hands as maidservants of the pure devotee, who generally neglects them.

“Since one cannot visually experience the presence of the Supersoul, He appears before us as a liberated devotee. Such a spiritual master is none other than Krishna Himself.” (Caitanya-Caritamrta, Adi-lila 1.58)

“On the whole, the spiritual master is an agent of Krishna. Either he is assistant to the gopis or assistant to the cowherd boys. He is on the level of Krishna. That is the verdict of all scriptures.” (Letter, Sept. 26, 1969)

“One should consider the spiritual master to be as good as the Supreme Personality of Godhead. In spite of all of these instructions, if one considers the spiritual master an ordinary human being, he is doomed. His study of the Vedas and his austerities and penances for enlightenment are all useless, like the bathing of an elephant…” (SB. 7.15.26, Purport)

Dearest Prabhupada Jagat Guru
my whole life I surrender to you
please now tell me what to do
every moment help me through.

I’ve fallen in the darkest dark
where nobody knows who they are
please guide me by thy perfect art
to light up every spiritual spark.

My mind is criippled by my fate
I need you constantly Gurudeva
to guide me to my spiritual state
in Krishna’s service fully awake.

O dearest master O friend of all
completely surrendered to Gopal
I must help every soul that did fall
I must spread your most loving call.

O dear souls you’ve fallen from above
of thy supreme love you are sparks of
please call his names like a helpless babe
to in Krishna’s service be always engaged.

Pray O my dear Radha and Krishna
pray my original guru Sri Balaram
please place me where all souls belong
in your loving service beyond all wrong.

You have descended most kindly as Prabhupad
most recently to spread the pure truth unchanged
You have descended nondifferent as Thy names
to deliver souls to their eternal blissfull home again.

I must thank you Prabhupad for the souls here
reading this poem please keep them near
I need all the help I can to make this clear
to all on mother earth life’s mission most dear.

I can not bare to see all thats taking place
and I know the only hope is your divine grace
living for all through your books Prabhupad
you give all the enlightenment from Krishna God.

And so I am begging empower me please
to reach every soul to know the path to peace
and their real pleasure forever to increase
by simply waking up to their Lord Jagadish.

Nothing is impossible you famously said
everyone now can go back to Godhead
for this is yours and Gaura Nitai’s strong desire
to deliver everyone here right out of Maya.

And so I’m begging please make me instrumental
to spread everywhere this message transcendental
to lift every soul beyond the physical and mental
to know their eternal soul and nothings accidental.

We have all taken birth on this planet earth
to follow Srila Prabhupada guru of the universe
to be trained up to realize our life’s very worth
spreading the very wisdom the wise do search.

So all may board the ship of transcendental knowledge
to travel easily home guided by the greatest vedic scholars
who are fully enlightened by our top most Prabhupad
the master all masters bow to, to hear all about God.

It is by Prabhupada’s grace alone you hear this poem
through this dumb dog who could not bare the unknown
I had to know life’s purpose so now to me it is shown
by the mercy of Lord Krishna Who wants us all back home.

We do nothing without Him every soul’s dearest friend
out of His love for His children He guides us every bend
He fulfilled our insistence to leave Him and go stray
so now we must suffer so we will eventually pray.

O my dear Lord Krishna O supreme person
now finally I realize I’m not God by Your mercy
I can fall if I’m not serving You with all of my love
so I must follow Your laws to rise safely above.

O my dear Lord I can only suffer in illusion
when I don’t accept You life’s only solution
just like outside of the light there is only dark
out side of Your service we forget our real part.

Now because we’ve fallen Your mercy is most great
in this age our main duty is to chant Your holy names
so we shall gradually become purified to know life’s aim
and surrender to Prabhupad through the books he gave.

And through this surrender we’ll be empowered by Govinda
to engage in the highest welfare work one can ever render
distributing Prabhupada law books and bhagawat prasadam
singing loudly Krishna’s names to revive what we’ve forgotten.

Our pure love for Krishna can save a universe
therefor Prabhupad said his mission is a success
if he makes one pure devotee these were his words
that we should follow in Jayananda’s holy footsteps.

It is Prabhupada’s words we are duty bound to repeat
and follow them perfectly and we can also lead
so as the servant of the servant I pray I’m of service to you
all of you who read this poem I pray I helped you through.

I also must humbly make this request
please share this poem to make others blessed
for I must share my blessings to be blessed with more
blessings to reveal Prabhupada can stop all this war.

For when all come together for Prabhupada’s pleasure
we shall know life’s treasure that brings pleasure forever
and this is no joke Prabhupada is the world’s only hope
simply because he holds the most perfect vedic scope.

Hare Krishna Hare Krishna
Krishna Krishna Hare Hare
Hare Rama Hare Rama
Rama Rama Hare Hare

A poem written by,

Anubhava Ananda dasa

Hare Krsna. All glories to His Divine A.C. Bhaktivendanta Swami Prabhupada. The photo above is of ISKCON’s Pepsi/Coca-Cola conscious Paramahamsas, who promote Pepsi/Coca-Cola drinking consciousness. 
Despite all the nonsense inclinations of these bogus Gurus, there are still people who accept that this unauthorized system in ISKCON of bogus Guru worship is bonafide. 
Lecture on SB 7.5.30 — Mauritius, October 2, 1975: Uncontrolled. Our senses are uncontrolled. This morning, while I was walking on the beach, we found so many things, the capsule of the Coca-cola, cigarette butts and so many other things. So what is the necessity of this Coca-cola? You don’t find all these things in our society. We don’t drink Coca-cola. We don’t drink Pepsi-cola. We don’t smoke. So many things which are selling in the market in huge quantity by advertisement, by victimizing the poor customer… But they are called unnecessary things. There is no need of such things.
Letter to Rupanuga — Ahmedabad 29 September, 1975: We do not have to make propaganda, but automatically people will not want. The people are innocent. The rascal leaders say it is primitive to remain on the farm, but to do business in the city and become rogue and rascal, that is advanced. They have dog race, horse race, gambling, coca cola, pepsi cola—all unnecessary. There is no use for it but the business is going on. They take to cigarette and T.V. because they have no good engagement. They are chewing the already chewed. That is nice that the parents are donating. They will donate more and more, because they see here is something good.

Quotes on bogus Gurus and the importance of acceptance of a bonafide Guru

Books : Srimad-Bhagavatam : Canto 5: “The Creative Impetus” : SB 5.15: The Glories of the Descendants of King Priyavrata : SB 5.15.4 : PURPORT :The word anusasmāra is very significant. God consciousness is not imaginary or concocted. The devotee who is pure and advanced realizes God as He is. Mahārāja Pratīha did so, and due to his direct realization of Lord Viṣṇu, he propagated self-realization and became a preacher. A real preacher cannot be bogus; he must first of all realize Lord Viṣṇu as He is. As confirmed in Bhagavad-gītā (4.34), upadekṣyanti te jñānaṁ jñāninas tattva-darśinaḥ: “one who has seen the truth can impart knowledge.” The word tattva-darśī refers to one who has perfectly realized the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Such a person can become a guru and propound Vaiṣṇava philosophy all over the world. The paragon of bona fide preachers and guru is King Pratīha. 
Books : Srimad-Bhagavatam : Canto 6: “Prescribed Duties for Mankind” : SB 6.15: The Saints Narada and Angira Instruct King Citraketu : SB 6.15.16 : PURPORT :This is the way to receive knowledge. One must submit oneself at the lotus feet of great personalities who can actually deliver transcendental knowledge. It is therefore said, tasmād guruṁ prapadyeta jijñāsuḥ śreya uttamam: [SB 11.3.21] “One who is inquisitive to understand the highest goal and benefit of life must approach a bona fide spiritual master and surrender unto him.” Only one who is actually eager to receive knowledge to eradicate the darkness of ignorance is eligible to approach a guru, or spiritual master. The guru should not be approached for material benefits. One should not approach a guru just to cure some disease or receive some miraculous benefit. This is not the way to approach the guru. Tad-vijñānārtham: one should approach the guru to understand the transcendental science of spiritual life. Unfortunately, in this age of Kali there are many bogus gurus who display magic to their disciples, and many foolish disciples want to see such magic for material benefits. These disciples are not interested in pursuing spiritual life to save themselves from the darkness of ignorance.
Books : Teachings of Lord Kapila, the Son of Devahuti : TLK 13: Perfect Knowledge Through Surrender : TLK Vs 28 : PURPORT :To understand these subjects, we should be careful to approach Kṛṣṇa’s representative. We should not approach a bogus guru, who is like a blind man trying to lead other blind men. We must go to one who has open eyes, to one who has seen the Absolute Truth. The Absolute Truth is there, just as the sun is there for everyone to see. The sun does not hide, but a person can try to hide from the sun by closing his door. One must open the door in order to see the sun. Similarly, Kṛṣṇa is there, God is there, and we have to come to Kṛṣṇa and take the lessons of Bhagavad-gītā to learn who and what God is. Rascals will not do this, but will simply manufacture some philosophy or other. There is actually no difficulty because Kṛṣṇa’s instructions are there, and Kṛṣṇa Himself is there. Kṛṣṇa is so kind that He says, “All right, if you cannot understand Me in this way, just see Me in water. Come on, if you do not understand Me in that way, just see Me in the sunshine.” Is this very difficult? There is nothing difficult about it, but we are very obstinate. Māyā is also very strong, and as soon as we try to accept Kṛṣṇa as the Supreme Lord, māyā will whisper in our ear, “No, no. There are many gods. Why are you accepting Kṛṣṇa?” However, the śāstras say, kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam… īśvaraḥ paramaḥ kṛṣṇaḥ [Bs. 5.1]. “Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Personality of Godhead.” We should take our lessons from the ācāryas and the śāstras. At least in India there are many great ācāryas—Rāmānujācārya, Madhvācārya, Viṣṇusvāmī, and even Śaṅkarācārya and Guru Nanak. All of these have accepted Kṛṣṇa as the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Why, then, should we reject Him? Why should we accept a competitor? We should not simply engage in mental speculation but should accept Kṛṣṇa in full consciousness and be happy. This is made possible by the help of the guru; therefore Devahūti is further questioning her son, Kapiladeva. 
Lectures : Bhagavad-gita Lectures : Bg 2: Lectures : Bhagavad-gita 2.7 — London, August 7, 1973 : 730807BG.LON :So actually āryan samāja means Kṛṣṇa conscious society, International Society for Kṛṣṇa… That is Ārya. Not bogus. So here, Arjuna is explaining, putting himself: “Yes, kārpaṇya-doṣo. Because I am forgetting my duty, therefore upahata-svabhāvaḥ, I am bewildered in my natural propensities.” A kṣatriya should be always active. Whenever there is a war, there is fight, they must be very much enthusiastic. A kṣatriya, if another kṣatriya says: “I want to fight with you,” he, oh, he cannot refuse. “Yes, come one. Fight. Take sword.” Immediately: “Come one” That is kṣatriya. Now he’s refusing to fight. He’s forgetting his duty, kṣatriya duty. Therefore, he’s admitting: Yes, kārpaṇya-doṣa. Kārpaṇya-doṣopahata-svabhāvaḥ [Bg. 2.7]. “My natural duty I am forgetting. Therefore I have become miser. Therefore my…” Now when you become miser, that is a diseased condition. Then what is your duty? Then go to a person who can… Just like when you become diseased, you go to a physician and ask him “What to do, sir? I am now suffering with this disease.” This is your duty. Similarly, when we are perplexed in our duties, or we forget our duties, it is very nice to go to the superior person and ask him what to do. So who can be superior person than Kṛṣṇa? Therefore Arjuna says: pṛcchāmi tvām. “I am asking you. Because it is my duty. I’m now falling in my duty, faulty. So this is not good. So I must ask somebody who is superior to me.” That is the duty. Tad vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum eva abhigacchet [MU 1.2.12]. This is the Vedic duty. Everyone is perplexed. Everyone is suffering in this material world, being perplexed. But he’ll not search out a bona fide guru. No. That is kārpaṇya-doṣa. That is kārpaṇya-doṣa. Here, Arjuna is coming out of the kārpaṇya-doṣa. How? Now he’s asking Kṛṣṇa. Pṛcchāmi tvām. “My dear Kṛṣṇa, You are the most superior person. That I know. You are Kṛṣṇa. So I am perplexed. Actually, I am forgetting my duty. Therefore, I am asking You.” 
Lectures : Bhagavad-gita Lectures : Bg 2: Lectures : Bhagavad-gita 2.13 — Hyderabad, November 19, 1972 : 721119BG.HYD :Similarly, acceptance of spiritual master means representative of God. Of course, he, he must be representative of God. If unfortunately I accept a bogus man as representative of…, that is my misfortune. But actually, acceptance of spiritual master means he’s a bona fide representative of God. Evaṁ paramparā-prāptam imaṁ rājarṣayo viduḥ [Bg. 4.2]. That is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā, you’ll find. That paramparā system, disciplic succession, ācārya. Ācāryavān puruṣo veda. Just like we accept our philosophy, Vaiṣṇava philosophy, or any Indian philosophy, they accept this paramparā, guru-paramparā. They accept it. Sampradāya. Just like we have got sampradā…, Rāmānuja-sampradāya, Madhva-sampradāya. So we have to accept the sampradāya, disciplic succession, to receive real knowledge. So that sampradāya begins from Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa is the original spiritual master of Lord Brahmā, of Lord Śiva, Nārada, so many other authorities. There are twelve authorities, svayambhur nāradaḥ śambhuḥ [SB 6.3.20]. Svayambhu means Lord Brahmā; Nārada; and Śambhu, Lord Śiva; Kumāra; Kapila; Manu. They are all authorities. So that is the indication of the śāstra, that if you want to understand the transcendental science, the science of God, then tad-vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum eva abhigacchet [MU 1.2.12]. That is the injunction of the Vedas, that if you really interested to learn the transcendental science, you must approach. Abhigacchet. This is vidhilin. Vidhilin. This form of verb is used in Sanskrit grammar when it meant “You must.” You cannot say “I may accept or may not accept.” That will not do. You must accept. Tad, tad-vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum eva abhigacchet, samit-pāṇiḥ śrotriyaṁ brahma-niṣṭham [MU 1.2.12]. These are the injunctions of the Vedas. 

Monday, November 20, 2023.

Srila Prabhupada glorifies these exalted acaryas

People generally cannot understand the actual meaning of chanting and dancing. Describing the Gosvāmīs, Śrī Śrīnivāsa Ācārya stated, kṛṣṇotkīrtana-gāna-nartana-parau: not only did Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu and His associates demonstrate this chanting and dancing, but the six Gosvāmīs also followed in the next generation. The present Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement follows the same principle, and therefore simply by chanting and dancing we have received good responses all over the world. It is to be understood, however, that this chanting and dancing do not belong to this material world. They are actually transcendental activities, for the more one engages in chanting and dancing, the more he can taste the nectar of transcendental love of Godhead Books : Sri Caitanya-caritamrta – 1975 Edition : Cc. Adi-lila : Adi 7: Lord Caitanya in Five Features : Adi 7.22 : PURPORT

In the Gaura-gaṇoddeśa-dīpikā, verse 195, it is said that Śrīla Jīva Gosvāmī was formerly Vilāsa-mañjarī gopī. From his very childhood Jīva Gosvāmī was greatly fond of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. He later came to Navadvīpa to study Sanskrit, and, following in the footsteps of Śrī Nityānanda Prabhu, he circumambulated the entire Navadvīpa-dhāma. After visiting Navadvīpa-dhāma he went to Benares to study Sanskrit under Madhusūdana Vācaspati, and after finishing his studies in Benares he went to Vṛndāvana and took shelter of his uncles, Śrī Rūpa and Sanātana. This is described in the Bhakti-ratnākara. As far as our information goes, Śrīla Jīva Gosvāmī composed and edited at least twenty-five books. They are all very celebrated, and they are listed as follows: (1) Hari-nāmāmṛta-vyākaraṇa, (2) Sūtra-mālikā, (3) Dhātu-saṅgraha, (4) Kṛṣṇārcā-dīpikā, (5) Gopāla-virudāvalī, (6) Rasāmṛta-śeṣa, (7) Śrī Mādhava-mahotsava, (8) Śrī Saṅkalpa-kalpavṛkṣa, (9) Bhāvārtha-sūcaka-campū, (10) Gopāla-tāpanī-ṭīkā, (11) a commentary on the Brahma-saṁhitā, (12) a commentary on the Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu, (13) a commentary on the Ujjvala-nīlamaṇi, (14) a commentary on the Yogasāra-stava, (15) a commentary on the Gāyatrī-mantra, as described in the Agni Purāṇa, (16) a description of the Lord’s lotus feet derived from the Padma Purāṇa, (17) a description of the lotus feet of Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī, (18) Gopāla-campū (in two parts) and (19-25) seven sandarbhas: the Krama-, Tattva-, Bhagavat-, Paramātma-, Kṛṣṇa-, Bhakti- and Prīti-sandarbha. After the disappearance of Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī and Sanātana Gosvāmī in Vṛndāvana, Śrīla Jīva Gosvāmī became the ācārya of all the Vaiṣṇavas in Bengal, Orissa and the rest of the world, and it is he who used to guide them in their devotional service. In Vṛndāvana he established the Rādhā-Dāmodara temple, where we had the opportunity to live and retire until the age of sixty-five, when we decided to come to the United States of America. When Jīva Gosvāmī was still present, Śrīla Kṛṣṇadāsa Kavirāja Gosvāmī compiled his famous Caitanya-caritāmṛta. Later, Śrīla Jīva Gosvāmī inspired Śrīnivāsa Ācārya, Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura and Duḥkhī Kṛṣṇadāsa to preach Kṛṣṇa consciousness in Bengal. Jīva Gosvāmī was informed that all the manuscripts that had been collected from Vṛndāvana and sent to Bengal for preaching purposes were plundered near Viṣṇupura, in Bengal, but later he received the information that the books had been recovered. Śrī Jīva Gosvāmī awarded the designation Kavirāja to Rāmacandra Sena, a disciple of Śrīnivāsa Ācārya’s, and to Rāmacandra’s younger brother Govinda. While Jīva Gosvāmī was alive, Śrīmatī Jāhnavī-devī, the pleasure potency of Śrī Nityānanda Prabhu, went to Vṛndāvana with a few devotees. Jīva Gosvāmī was very kind to the Gauḍīya Vaiṣṇavas, the Vaiṣṇavas from Bengal. Whoever went to Vṛndāvana he provided with a residence and prasāda. His disciple Kṛṣṇadāsa Adhikārī listed all the books of the Gosvāmīs in his diary. Books : Sri Caitanya-caritamrta – 1975 Edition : Cc. Adi-lila : Adi 10: The Trunk, Branches and Subbranches of the Caitanya Tree : Adi 10.85 : PURPORT :

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: We had one CIA agent. Previously, he was a CIA agent. I was told this story; I don’t know. Anyway, might as well relate it. So they were doing an experiment in the Bahama islands off Florida. They were all very high intellects. They were developing a certain radio beam to measure the beams which are given off from other planets, thinking that maybe these intelligent beings, they are sending some message out. So they developed this way of sensoring the beams which were coming from the North Star. Anyway, he said—and he was serious, I was told this; he’s in India now, one of our devotees there—he said that when they focused on the North Star and they got the beam back, when they translated it, it came out to be the mahā-mantra.
Prabhupāda: Hare Kṛṣṇa.
Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Yes. And so they went to the Department of Intelligence, [laughter] and they went to the United States Army, because this was an Army project, and when the Army got hold of it they said, “Oh, you people are all nonsense. Disband this project.”
Prabhupāda: That is… Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura has sung = golokera prema-dhana hari-nāma-saṅkīrtana. Hari-nāma-saṅkīrtana is not the mundane sound. It is coming from there. Golokera prema-dhana hari-nāma-saṅkīrtana. It is not material. Had it been material, then how it is so effective? That’s a fact. The sound is…, beam is coming from there.

[Except taken from Srilā Prabhupāda’s Room Conversation- 15 June 1976, Detroit]

Link to the conversation: https://causelessmercy.com/t/?P=760615r3.det&PLFN=Detroit

NOTE: North Star refers to pole star or Dhruv tara, the residence of the great devotee Dhruva Maharaj

I was there when you passed away
I remember how I was crying and how I did pray
I felt I didn’t know how I would go on
so I prayed please stay I’ll die if you are gone.

I prayed to you Prabhupada
please you take over my body
for I am useless with out you
and I believe you did Jagat Guru.

Because I don’t know how I’m writing these poems
and keep on writing although thousands were destroyed
I have concluded that you have remained in my heart
and the only reason I’m alive is you never did depart.

But this conclusion is confirmed by scripture
that he never leaves the pure devotee of Krishna
as long as by instructions we try to abide
we can feel our spiritual master always by our side.

You said you never felt seperate from your spiritual master
and you gave all the credit of your accomplishments to him
you said infact Bhaktisidhanta forced you to take sanyass
coming to in your dreams by his mercy all victory you did win.

And so I have been praying to you since 72
please force me to surrender to Krishna and you
I have no qualifications I realize more and more
I must keep praying to you to open up the door.

For I keep closing the door you opened for us
to make spiritual advancement and conquer over lust
and so I must be honest if that is all I can really do
I have yet to keep my promise still all I know is you.

You said even if your like a dog you can make progress
just like the pet dog of Shivananda Sen indeed
because that dog was very dear to Shivananda Sen
Lord Chaitanya delivered that dog to Krishna’s lotus feet.

So I confess I’m like that dog but I’m yours Prabhupad
I’m your beggar birth after birth please drag me back to God
I now know I am not writing without your guiding hand
and only by your causeless mercy I am blessed to understand.

I must just pray to you and that is my perfection
infact praying is in shastra as a path thats authorized
and so I pray to you Prabhupada keep forcing open my eyes
to the fact I’m not this gross disguise and become self realized.

And I pray to you Prabhupada please send me your servants
for thats the highest perfection you said being the servant of your servant
alone we can not stand you said therefor please cooperate together for me
like many sticks together can’t be broken when shall we see?

On this your disappearance day I can’t help but remember
when I prayed to you to take my body so I would surrender
so I believe you really did or I would not be here to preach
that its you Prabhupada all must take shelter of your lotus feet.

And thus your very house that all can fit in will stay alive
with devotees cooperating for you in bliss they will dive
until I see this happening I shall repeat it till we know
to show our love for you we must know your the way to go.

For you said you shall be our initiator for the next ten thousand years
through your very lawbooks Krishna spoke to you so with ecstatic tears
you translated the purport of the Vedas and all the greatest sages
we must surrender to Krishna to know our soul is blissful and ageless.

So death shall not conquer us and there is no material impediment
we must just somehow or other fix our mind on Krishna
by chanting His names always to stop offenses and be transcendent
we can cross over birth and death to fulfill Krishna’s wishes.

That we have full faith in Prabhupada who never will cheat us
and we shall know all victory where no one can defeat us
we must just know Prabhupada is the perfect person to lead us
for he said everything in his books and in Krishnaloka he’ll greet us.

Written by,

Anubhava Ananda dasa

Jayatīrtha: So, the wars and the crime are a direct result of the cow slaughter.

Srila Prabhupāda: Oh, yes. Oh, yes. It is a wholesale reaction. All these crises are taking place. They are killing their own child. Own child means that child is criminal; therefore, it is being killed within the womb. Nature will take action. Prakṛteḥ kriyamāṇāni guṇaiḥ karmāṇi sarvaśaḥ [Bg. 3.27]. You are not independent. So, if you work independently, then you will have to suffer. The law of nature is there. You cannot avoid it. If you infect some disease, you must suffer from the disease. You cannot avoid it. This is the law of nature. Law of nature is working in such a way that as you are infecting… Kāraṇaṁ guṇa–saṅgaḥ asya sad-asad-janma–yoniṣu. Find out this verse. Why there are varieties of life. One is tree, one is cat, one is dog, one is human being, one is blind, one is lame, one is educated, one is foolish—why? Why the difference, varieties? And that is answered in the Bhagavad-gītā, kāraṇaṁ guṇa-saṅgo ‘sya: “As you are infecting the modes of material nature, you are getting your birth.” Otherwise, how you can explain by nature there are so many varieties of life, 8,400,000 species of life?

Every living creature is the son of the Supreme Lord, and He does not tolerate even an ant’s being killed. One has to pay for it. So, indulgence in animal killing for the taste of the tongue is the grossest kind of ignorance. A human being has no need to kill animals because God has supplied so many nice things. If one indulges in meat-eating anyway, it is to be understood that he is acting in ignorance and is making his future very dark. Of all kinds of animal killing, the killing of cows is most vicious because the cow gives us all kinds of pleasure by supplying milk. Cow slaughter is an act of the grossest type of ignorance. In the Vedic literature the words gobhiḥ prīṇita-matsaram indicate that one who, being fully satisfied by milk, is desirous of killing the cow, is in the grossest ignorance. There is also a prayer in the Vedic literature that states: 

namo brahmaṇya–devāya go-brāhmaṇa–hitāya ca
jagaddhitāya kṛṣṇāya govindāya namo namaḥ.

“My Lord, You are the well-wisher of the cows and the brāhmaṇas, and You are the well-wisher of the entire human society and world.” The purport is that special mention is given in that prayer for the protection of the cows and the brāhmaṇas. Brāhmaṇas are the symbol of spiritual education, and cows are the symbol of the most valuable food; these two living creatures, the brāhmaṇas and the cows, must be given all protection-that is real advancement of civilization. In modern human society, spiritual knowledge is neglected, and cow killing is encouraged. It is to be understood, then, that human society is advancing in the wrong direction and is clearing the path to its own condemnation. A civilization which guides the citizens to become animals in their next lives is certainly not a human civilization. The present human civilization is, of course, grossly misled by the modes of passion and ignorance. It is a very dangerous age, and all nations should take care to provide the easiest process, Kṛṣṇa consciousness, to save humanity from the greatest danger.https://prabhupadabooks.com/bg/14/16

The King will consider all embodied living entities as dear as his own self, and he will always be increasing the pleasures of his friends. He will intimately associate with liberated persons, and he will be a chastising hand to all impious persons.

PURPORT

The word dehinām refers to those who are embodied. The living entities are embodied in different forms, which number 8,400,000 species. All of these were treated by the King in the same way he would treat himself. In this age, however, so-called kings and presidents do not treat all other living entities as their own self. Most of them are meat-eaters, and even though they may not be meat-eaters and may pose themselves to be very religious and pious, they still allow cow slaughter within their state. Such sinful heads of state cannot actually be popular at any time. Another significant word in this verse is mukta–saṅga–prasaṅgaḥ, which indicates that the King was always associating with liberated persons.   https://prabhupadabooks.com/sb/4/16/18

Although in this age men can live up to one hundred years, their duration of life is reduced because they do not drink large quantities of milk. This is a sign of Kali–yuga. In Kali–yuga, instead of drinking milk, people prefer to slaughter an animal and eat its flesh. The Supreme Personality of Godhead, in His instructions of Bhagavad-gītā, advises go-rakṣya, which means cow protection.

Agriculture and cow protection are the way to become sinless and thus be attracted to devotional service. Those who are sinful cannot be attracted by devotional service.

TEXT 12

yathāgnim edhasy amṛtaṁ ca goṣu

bhuvy annam ambūdyamane ca vṛttim

yogair manuṣyā adhiyanti hi tvāṁ

guṇeṣu buddhyā kavayo vadanti

SYNONYMS

yathā—as; agnim—fire; edhasi—in wood; amṛtam—milk, which is like nectar; ca—and; goṣu—from cows; bhuvi—on the ground; annam—food grains; ambu—water; udyamane—in enterprise; ca—also; vṛttim—livelihood; yogaiḥ—by practice of bhakti–yoga; manuṣyāḥ—human beings; adhiyanti—achieve; hi—indeed; tvām—You; guṇeṣu—in the material modes of nature; buddhyā—by intelligence; kavayaḥ—great personalities; vadanti—say.

TRANSLATION

As one can derive fire from wood, milk from the milk bag of the cow, food grains and water from the land, and prosperity in one’s livelihood from industrial enterprises, so, by the practice of bhakti–yoga, even within this material world, one can achieve Your favor or intelligently approach You. Those who are pious all affirm this.

PURPORT

Although the Supreme Personality of Godhead is nirguṇa, not to be found within this material world, the entire material world is pervaded by Him, as stated in Bhagavad-gītā (mayā tatam idaṁ sarvam). The material world is nothing but an expansion of the Lord’s material energy, and the entire cosmic manifestation rests upon Him (mat–sthāni sarva–bhūtāni). Nonetheless, the Supreme Lord cannot be found here (na cāhaṁ teṣv avasthitaḥ). A devotee, however, can see the Supreme Personality of Godhead through the practice of bhakti–yoga. One ordinarily does not begin to practice bhakti–yoga unless he has practiced it in previous births. Moreover, one can begin bhakti–yoga only by the mercy of the spiritual master and Kṛṣṇa. Guru–kṛṣṇa–prasāde pāya bhakti–latā–bīja. The seed of devotional service is obtainable by the mercy of guru, the spiritual master, and Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

Only by the practice of bhakti–yoga can one achieve the favor of the Supreme Personality of Godhead and see Him face to face (premānjana-cchurita-bhakti-vilocanena santaḥ sadaiva hṛdayeṣu vilokayanti [Bs. 5.38]). One cannot see the Lord by other methods, such as karma, jnāna or yoga. Under the direction of the spiritual master, one must cultivate bhakti–yoga (śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ smaraṇaṁ pāda–sevanam [SB 7.5.23]). Then, even within this material world, although the Lord is not visible, a devotee can see Him. This is confirmed in Bhagavad-gītā (bhaktyā mām abhijānāti yāvān yaś cāsmi tattvataḥ [Bg. 18.55]) and in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (bhaktyāham ekayā grāhyaḥ). Thus, by devotional service one can achieve the favor of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, although He is not visible or understandable to materialistic persons.

In this verse, the cultivation of bhakti–yoga is compared to many material activities. By friction one can get fire from wood, by digging the earth one can get food grains and water, and by agitating the milk bag of the cow one can get nectarean milk. Milk is compared to nectar, which one can drink to become immortal. Of course, simply drinking milk will not make one immortal, but it can increase the duration of one’s life. In modern civilization, men do not think milk to be important, and therefore they do not live very long. Although in this age men can live up to one hundred years, their duration of life is reduced because they do not drink large quantities of milk. This is a sign of Kali–yuga. In Kali–yuga, instead of drinking milk, people prefer to slaughter an animal and eat its flesh. The Supreme Personality of Godhead, in His instructions of Bhagavad-gītā, advises go-rakṣya, which means cow protection. The cow should be protected, milk should be drawn from the cows, and this milk should be prepared in various ways. One should take ample milk, and thus one can prolong one’s life, develop his brain, execute devotional service, and ultimately attain the favor of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. As it is essential to get food grains and water by digging the earth, it is also essential to give protection to the cows and take nectarean milk from their milk bags.

The people of this age are inclined toward industrial enterprises for comfortable living, but they refuse to endeavor to execute devotional service, by which they can achieve the ultimate goal of life by returning home, back to Godhead. Unfortunately, as it is said, na te viduḥ svārtha-gatiṁ hi viṣṇuṁ durāśayā ye bahir–artha–māninaḥ [SB 7.5.31]. People without spiritual education do not know that the ultimate goal of life is to go back home, back to Godhead. Forgetting this aim of life, they are working very hard in disappointment and frustration (moghāśā mogha-karmāṇo mogha jnānā vicetasaḥ [Bg. 9.12]). The so-called vaiśyas—the industrialists or businessmen—are involved in big, big industrial enterprises, but they are not interested in food grains and milk. However, as indicated here, by digging for water, even in the desert, we can produce food grains; when we produce food grains and vegetables, we can give protection to the cows; while giving protection to the cows, we can draw from them abundant quantities of milk; and by getting enough milk and combining it with food grains and vegetables, we can prepare hundreds of nectarean foods. We can happily eat this food and thus avoid industrial enterprises and joblessness.

Agriculture and cow protection are the way to become sinless and thus be attracted to devotional service. Those who are sinful cannot be attracted by devotional service. As stated in Bhagavad-gītā (7.28):

yeṣāṁ tv anta–gataṁ pāpaṁ
janānāṁ puṇya–karmaṇām
te dvandva–moha–nirmuktā
bhajante māṁ dṛḍha–vratāḥ

“Persons who have acted piously in previous lives and in this life, whose sinful actions are completely eradicated and who are freed from the duality of delusion, engage themselves in My service with determination.” The majority of people in this age of Kali are sinful, short-living, unfortunate and disturbed (mandāḥ sumanda-matayo manda–bhāgyā hy upadrutāḥ [SB 1.1.10]). For them, Caitanya Mahāprabhu has advised:

harer nāma harer nāma
harer nāmaiva kevalam
kalau nāsty eva nāsty eva
nāsty eva gatir anyathā
[Adi 17.21]

“In this age of quarrel and hypocrisy the only means of deliverance is chanting the holy name of the Lord. There is no other way. There is no other way. There is no other way.”