by Damaghosa dasa

SP discusses the fallacies of impersonalism, mayavadis, etc in a humorous way

April 12, 2021 in Articles by Damaghosa dasa

When Prabhupada came to the west, so many devotees and others were confused and polluted by this impersonalism theory-its all one, you and I are god, etc, etc. This thinking pervaded peoples consciousness-especially among the younger generation. In this conversation he , sometimes with humor, invalidates these illusions and with logic establishes the Vedic conclusion-Krsna is God and we are all His parts and parcels.
Hare Krsna
damaghosa das
 
Sept 13 1`975 Vrndavnana
Dhṛṣṭaketu: They say when you become liberated then you become…, then you pervade everywhere. It’s just that… They say that just now, in this position…
Prabhupāda: So when you will be liberated? What is the standard of liberation?
Dhṛṣṭaketu: By performing austerities, by studying the…
Prabhupāda: That’s all right. What is the standard?
Dhṛṣṭaketu: When I merge, when I lose my identity, when I don’t…
Prabhupāda: That means you forget. You forget everything. Then how you will be liberated? Whatever little consciousness was there, that is finished. Then how you become liberated? Whatever you had, that is also finished. Eh? Then how you become liberated?
Harikeśa: But what we are forgetting is just illusion anyway.
Prabhupāda: That is liberation. Then I kill you, you forget everything—liberation. (laughter) What is the meaning of liberation? They do not know even the meaning of liberation.
Harikeśa: To get rid of all these miseries.
Prabhupāda: That you can do. I can kill you; you get rid of all miseries. Finished. You are finished; your miseries are finished. That’s all.
Brahmānanda: It doesn’t matter whether you live or you die because it is all one.
Prabhupāda: Well, let me kill you. That’s all right. It will be great beneficial to you.
Indian man (1): To my opinion, we are more liberated in… (indistinct).
Prabhupāda: Your opinion, my opinion. We have to consider the fact. (Vraja-vasi passes by, singing) This is jīvan ko sabadiya tomara. This is surrender, that he is singing, jīvan ko sabadiya: “When I surrender unto Your lotus feet.” That is surrender. This is liberation. Just like the child fully surrendered to the parent, he is liberated. He has no anxiety. He is confident “My parents are there. Whatever he’ll do, that’s all right for me.” That is liberation.
Indian man (1): We can become free from all anxieties.
Prabhupāda: Yes, that is liberation. If you are filled up with anxieties where is your liberation? That is not liberation.
Dhṛṣṭaketu: They will also say that this condition of being one with the Supreme is also…
Prabhupāda: How you become one? If Kṛṣṇa or the consciousness is there but you lose your consciousness, why you become one?
Harikeśa: Well, it’s not exactly that we lose consciousness but we merge into the supreme consciousness.
Prabhupāda: Supreme consciousness?
Harikeśa: Then we become God.
Prabhupāda: No. You cannot. Then why you are different now?
Harikeśa: It’s my līlā. (laughter)
Prabhupāda: Then if it is līlā, then why you are undergoing austerity? That is also līlā. If it is līlā, then why you are trying to get out of it by practicing austerity?
Harikeśa: Mahārāja Ṛṣabhadeva performed austerity.
Prabhupāda: Hm?
Harikeśa: Ṛṣabhadeva, he performed austerity.
Prabhupāda: No, what…? I do not follow what you say.
Brahmānanda: He’s saying that Ṛṣabhadeva performed austerity, so therefore I am performing austerity.
Prabhupāda: You are performing but what is Ṛṣabhadeva’s position?
Brahmānanda: He never claimed to merge with the supreme consciousness.
Dhanañjaya: But the whole thing is that the supreme consciousness is unembodied and we are embodied right now. So when we attain supreme consciousness we also become unembodied.
Prabhupāda: How you become embodied if you are supreme? Who made you embodied if you are supreme? Then who made you embodied, he is supreme. You are not supreme. You did not like to be embodied; therefore you are trying to be bodyless. But who made you embodied? Then that he or she is supreme. You are not supreme.
Dhṛṣṭaketu: I put myself in this condition so that I can enjoy getting out of it.
Prabhupāda: Huh?
Dhṛṣṭaketu: I put myself in this condition of illusion so that I can enjoy being liberated.
Prabhupāda: And so you put yourself to be kicked by me and enjoy. Just test what is the enjoyment of being kicked.
Dhanañjaya: But without pain how can you experience pleasure?
Prabhupāda: You get this experience, how it is pleasure? I kick and you enjoy?
Dhṛṣṭaketu: The idea is that after experiencing the suffering of this material world then liberation will be very…
Prabhupāda: Why there is suffering, material? You are supreme; why it is suffering for you?
Dhṛṣṭaketu: Well, so that when I…
Prabhupāda: So, there is no “so that.” Why you are suffering?
Brahmānanda: It’s suffering only for those…
Prabhupāda: If it is your līlā, then you are suffering. What is this nonsense of “my līlā.” Suffering?
Brahmānanda: The suffering is only for those who haven’t…, who don’t understand that they are supreme.
Prabhupāda: Hm?
Brahmānanda: Those who don’t understand, they are the ones who suffer, but I don’t suffer.
Prabhupāda: So it is better to remain in that ignorance. Just like the hogs and dogs, they do not understand that this is suffering. But we can understand that this is suffering.
Brahmānanda: Yes. To be a dog, that’s all right because the dog doesn’t suffer. He is enjoying.
Prabhupāda: No, no, why you are doing austerity? Remain as dog and cat. Therefore you are mūḍha. You do not know what is suffering, what is enjoyment. Mūḍho nābhijānāti mam ebhyaḥ param avyayam. Therefore one who is intelligent, jñāni, bahūnām jan… After suffering in this way and talking all nonsense, when he comes to the real knowledge, then he surrenders. Bahūnāṁ janmanām ante jñānavān maṁ prapadyate [Bg. 7.19]. That is knowledge.
Indian man (1): Kamādinaṁ katīna katidha palita durnideśaḥ.
Prabhupāda: Ah. When he comes to this awareness, that “I have simply suffered and I wanted to maintain myself by jugglery of words,” then he comes to the real knowledge.
Dhṛṣṭaketu: So the Māyāvādīs’ philosophy is actually the supreme illusion.
Prabhupāda: Yes. Therefore Caitanya Mahāprabhu has forbidden. Māyāvādī-bhāṣya sunile haya sarva nasa [Cc. Madhya 6.169]. One is finished if he follows the Māyāvāda philosophy. He is doomed. He will never be able to accept the real philosophy. He will be absorbed in that false philosophy. This is Māyāvādī’s position. Māyāvādī haya kṛṣṇe aparādhī. They are aparādhī, offender. Therefore they shall remain perpetually in ignorance and think himself, “I am God.” This is Māyāvādī’s position. Vivekānanda preached openly that “Why you are thinking that you are sinful? You are God.” He preached like that.

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by Damaghosa dasa

One who is situated in the disciplic succession can be understood by the result of his activities-SP

April 11, 2021 in Articles by Damaghosa dasa


Madhya 16.64–-“Do not come to Jagannātha Purī every year, but stay in Bengal and fulfill My desire.”
PURPORT-The mission of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu is to spread the only medicine effective in this fallen age of Kali-the chanting of the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra. Following the orders of His mother, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu was residing at Jagannātha Purī, and the devotees were coming to see Him. However, the Lord felt that this message must be spread very elaborately in Bengal, and in His absence there was not a second person capable of doing it. Consequently the Lord requested Nityānanda Prabhu to stay there and broadcast the message of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. The Lord also entrusted a similar preaching responsibility to Rūpa and Sanātana. Nityānanda Prabhu was requested not to come every year to Jagannātha Purī, although seeing Lord Jagannātha greatly benefits everyone. Does this mean that the Lord was refusing Nityānanda Prabhu a fortunate opportunity? No. One who is a faithful servant of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu must execute His order, even if one has to sacrifice going to Jagannātha Purī to see Lord Jagannātha there. In other words, it is a greater fortune to carry out Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s order than to satisfy one’s senses by seeing Lord Jagannātha.
Preaching Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s cult throughout the world is more important than staying in Vṛndāvana or Jagannātha Purī for one’s own personal satisfaction. Spreading Kṛṣṇa consciousness is Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s mission; therefore His sincere devotees must carry out His desire. pṛthivīte āche yata nagarādi grāma sarvatra pracāra haibe mora nāma
The devotees of Lord Caitanya must preach Kṛṣṇa consciousness in every village and town in the world. That will satisfy the Lord. It is not that one should act whimsically for his own personal satisfaction. This order comes down through the paramparā system, and the spiritual master presents these orders to the disciple so that he can spread the message of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. It is the duty of every disciple to carry out the order of the bona fide spiritual master and spread Lord Caitanya’s message all over the world.

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by Damaghosa dasa

Is there some worship of God in the animal kingdom??

April 9, 2021 in Articles by Damaghosa dasa

Aug 27 1975 Vrndavna
French devotee (1): Śrīla Prabhupāda, is there some worship of God in the animal kingdom?
Prabhupāda: No. (aside:) Hare Kṛṣṇa.
Harikeśa: Hut hut hut hut!
Prabhupāda: “Hut” will not do.
Brahmānanda: Stick will do.
Prabhupāda: At least show. [break] Trees and other lower animals, they are abiding by the order of Kṛṣṇa. That is worship.
Brahmānanda: But is it voluntary or involuntary?
Prabhupāda: By force. By force now this tree is standing. He has to stand up here. It cannot move an inch.
Brahmānanda: Is that considered worship?
Prabhupāda: Yes, it is.
Akṣayānanda: Indirect worship.
Prabhupāda: …indirect worship, abiding. Just like you don’t worship the government, revolt. But when you are put into jail you have to worship the government.
Akṣayānanda: We don’t worship, yet we don’t break the law.
Prabhupāda: You cannot break the law. Outside you break law. That you can do. But when you are put into jail, then you cannot. And jail means unless the government finds that you are now obedient to the government laws... (dog growling and barking)
Brahmānanda: Hut!

dog pissing picture.jpg

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by Damaghosa dasa

When we are separated from a devotee even for a moment, we cannot enjoy happiness.’-SP

April 7, 2021 in Articles by Damaghosa dasa

This Sudarshan cakra sila was given to me by  Sukadev das shown below-and whose separation from I am not feeling any happiness…..

Sudarshan chakra maharaja sila.jpg
The qualities of one engaged in the service of Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu-such as reputation, austerities, penances and knowledge-are not to be compared to the good qualities of others. Such is the perfection of a devotee always engaged in the service of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu.
 
Madshya 8,248–Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu asked, “Of all kinds of distress, what is the most painful?” Śrī Rāmānanda Rāya replied, “Apart from separation from the devotee of Kṛṣṇa, I know of no unbearable unhappiness.”
Purport-Concerning this, the Lord states in the Vedic literature:
mām anārādhya duḥkhārtaḥ kuṭumbāsakta-mānasaḥ sat-saṅga-rahito martyo
vṛddha-sevā-paricyutaḥ “A person who does not worship Me, who is unduly attached to family and who does not stick to devotional service must be considered a most unhappy person. Similarly, one who does not associate with Vaiṣṇavas, or who does not render service to his superior, is also a most unhappy person.“
There is also a statement given in the Bṛhad-bhāgavatāmṛta (1.5.51): sva-jīvanādhikaṁ prārthyaṁ śrī-viṣṇu-jana-saṅgataḥ vicchedena kṣaṇaṁ cātra na sukhāṁśaṁ labhāmahe
“[King Yudhiṣṭhira said:] ‘Out of all kinds of desirable things experienced in the life of a living entity, association with the devotees of the Lord is the greatest. When we are separated from a devotee even for a moment, we cannot enjoy happiness.’ “
 
this picture taken one summer at our ashram- during Janmastami festival time-as you can see the two of us enjoyed a very “hands on”  relationship !!
suk and me photo in kitchen.jpg

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by Damaghosa dasa

EVEN KRSNA IS NOT PLEASED, IF THE GURU IS PLEASED , KRSNA HAS TO BE PLEASED

April 7, 2021 in Articles by Damaghosa dasa

So to make a solution we must approach Kṛṣṇa as guru, or Kṛṣṇa’s representative. Kṛṣṇa and Kṛṣṇa’s representative… In, they are the same.
Therefore Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura says: yasya prasādād bhagavat-prasādaḥ **. By pleasing guru, you can please Kṛṣṇa. EVEN KRSNA IS NOT PLEASED, IF THE GURU IS PLEASED , KRSNA HAS TO BE PLEASED. Because he’s representative.
Suppose you have given somebody power of attorney to do some business. So after finishing the business, if you see the paper, not very favorable, it has not been done very nicely, still you have to accept. Because your representative has signed it. Yes. Therefore yasya prasādād bhagavat-prasādaḥ **. KRSNA NOT SATISFIED, BUT IF YOUR GURU IS SATISFIED, THEN KRSNA MUST BE SATISFIED. THIS IS KRSNA’S OBLIGATION. Because He has sent representative. Kṛṣṇa has… ācāryaṁ māṁ vijānīyān [SB 11.17.27]. Kṛṣṇa says: “ācārya, that is I am.” Ācāryaṁ māṁ vijānīyān nāvamanyeta karhicit. “Never try to neglect ācārya. Nāvamanyeta. Neither think of ācārya as ordinary person. Vedic injunction is one must approach understand all this subject matter.

Link to this page: https://prabhupadabooks.com/classes/bg/13/1-2/paris/august/10/1973

Film Scans_6-11-18_084.jpg

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by Damaghosa dasa

I am praying for everyone. That is my business. Otherwise why I have come here?–SP

April 7, 2021 in Articles by Damaghosa dasa

 

Madhya 15 .169–“Whosever welfare you desire immediately becomes a Vaiṣṇava, and Kṛṣṇa delivers all Vaiṣṇavas from the reactions of their past sinful activities.
PURPORT-Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu here informed Vāsudeva Datta that since Kṛṣṇa is all-powerful, He can immediately deliver all conditioned souls from material existence. In essence, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu said, “You desire the liberation of all kinds of living entities without discrimination. You are very anxious for their good fortune, and I say that simply by your prayer all living entities within the universe can be liberated.
Link to this page: https://prabhupadabooks.com/cc/madhya/15/169

Madhya 15.179–“If a person possessing millions of wish-fulfilling cows loses one she-goat, he does not consider the loss. Kṛṣṇa owns all six opulences in full. If the entire material energy is destroyed, what does He lose?”
PURPORT
Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura, in clarifying verses 171-179, states that the meaning of these stanzas is very simple but that the purport is a little difficult to understand. Generally, conditioned souls forget Kṛṣṇa when they are enticed by the material, external energy. Consequently they are called kṛṣṇa-bahirmukha-bereft of their relationship with Kṛṣṇa. When such a living entity comes under the jurisdiction of the material energy, he is sent into one of the innumerable material universes created by the material energy to give a chance to conditioned souls to enjoy their desires in the material world. Being very eager to enjoy the fruits of their activities, conditioned souls become involved in the actions and reactions of material life. Consequently one has to enjoy and suffer the results of karma. However, if a conditioned soul becomes Kṛṣṇa conscious, the karma of his pious and impious activities is completely destroyed. Simply by becoming a devotee, one is bereft of all the reactions of karma. Similarly, simply by the desire of a devotee, a conditioned soul can attain liberation and transcend the results of karma. If everyone is liberated in this way, one may conclude that according to the sweet will of the devotee, the material world exists or does not exist. Ultimately, however, it is not the sweet will of the devotee but the will of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who, if He so desires, can completely annihilate the material creation. There is no loss on His part. The owner of millions of cows does not consider the loss of one she-goat. Similarly, Lord Kṛṣṇa is the proprietor of both material and spiritual universes. The material world constitutes only one-fourth of His creative energy. If, according to the desire of the devotee, the Lord completely destroys the creation, He is so opulent that He will not mind the loss.  Link to this page: https://prabhupadabooks.com/cc/madhya/15/179
 

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by Laksman dasa

Extensive collection of BTG Magazine Ads of Bhagavad Gita As It Is (1972 Edition) to spread its glories

April 7, 2021 in Articles by Laksman dasa

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Subject: Extensive collection of BTG Magazine Ads of Bhagavad Gita As It Is (1972 Edition) to spread its glories

Extensive collection of BTG Magazine Ads

of Bhagavad Gita As It Is (1972 Edition) to spread its glories

Hare Krishna, Dandavat pranams and all glories to  His Divine Grace Srila A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada and all Vaisnavas.

The following link contains a collection of many advertisements of Original Bhagavad Gita As It Is(1972) that appeared in BTG Magazines in the 1970s. 

https://documentcloud.adobe.com/link/track?uri=urn:aaid:scds:US:ccafded7-ecf3-4bd5-8d29-d5f80976ed6c

This collection is presented to glorify the Original Macmillan Edition(Complete 1972 Edition) that Srila Prabhupada gave 100s of lectures from and always wanted to print it in large numbers.

All these advertisements can be used by the book distributors who want this original edition to be restored to distribute to all sections of people. 

A quote below gives a proper proof where the original Gita is reviewed by Dr. Vajpayee. 

“The reviews have very much encouraged me. Especially those of Prof. Bhatt and Prof. Vajpeye. I have personally written a letter of thanks to Dr. Bhatt, that he has so much encouraged me. Dr. Vajpeye’s review we are going to print and widely distribute, especially in Bombay and Madras, where there is so much propaganda from these bogus gurus and yogis. He has got practical experience of how they are cheating the innocent people in foreign countries and he has written; “The authorized edition of Bhagavad-gita will help to stop the terrible cheating of ‘gurus’ and ‘yogis’ who are false and unauthorized.  [Letter to: Svarupa, Ranadhira, Mayapur-3 February, 1976 Los Angeles]”

Srila Prabhupada explains the potency of Macmillan edition – “We present it exactly as it is; without any additions or subtractions. That is perfect in every way and THEREFORE IT IS ACTUALLY HAVING A TREMENDOUS EFFECT ALL OVER THE WORLD. “

75-03-14 Letter: Mr. Dennany 

“You mentioned in your letter that you had read many other Bhagavad-gitas before you read mine and that none of them revealed as much to you as Bhagavad-gita As It Is. The reason is because we do not change the actual meaning of the gita at all. MANY OTHER COMMENTATORS DUE TO POOR FUND OF KNOWLEDGE TAMPER WITH THE LINES OF BAHGAVAD-GITA AND TWIST THE MEANING FOR THEIR PERSONAL MOTIVES, BUT WE DO NOT DO LIKE THAT. We present it exactly as it is; without any additions or subtractions. That is perfect in every way and THEREFORE IT IS ACTUALLY HAVING A TREMENDOUS EFFECT ALL OVER THE WORLD. The original words of Lord Krishna have unrivalled potency and anyone who is fortunate enough to hear those words and tries to apply them to his life becomes perfect.”

Srila Prabhupada proves that Macmillan edition fulfills the want of the Gita received in the Parampara system

Please find a wonderful quote below that proves that the 1972 Macmillan edition of  the Bhagavad Gita As It Is fulfills the want of an edition that is in the line of disciplic succession.

Purport from Chapter 4: Transcendental Knowledge,Verse 2, Bhagavad Gita As It is,1972 original unrevised Macmillan Edition:

“There are innumerable interpretations rendered by different mundane scholars, but almost all of them do not accept the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa, although they make a good business on the words of Śrī Kṛṣṇa. This spirit is demonic, because demons do not believe in God but simply enjoy the property of the Supreme. Since there is a great need of an edition of the Gītā in English, as it is received by the paramparā (disciplic succession) system, an attempt is made herewith to fulfill this great want. Bhagavad-gītā—accepted as it is—is a great boon to humanity; but if it is accepted as a treatise of philosophical speculations, it is simply a waste of time.“

The above quote “an attempt is made herewith to fulfill this great want” proves that this Macmillan edition fulfills the great want of the edition of Bhagavad Gita in English that’s received by Parampara as it is.

Also the quote “Bhagavad-gita—accepted as it is—is a great boon to humanity” explains everything.

Kṛṣṇa says in the Bhagavad-gītā, na ca tasmān manuṣyeṣu kaścin me priya-kṛttamaḥ (BG 18.69): “One who is doing this humble service of preaching work, Kṛṣṇa consciousness, nobody is dearer than him to Me.” So if you want to become recognized by Kṛṣṇa very quickly, you take up this process of becoming spiritual master, present the Bhagavad-gītā as it is, your life is perfect.

[Lecture Festival Appearance Day, Sri Vyasa-puja – London,22nd August,1973]

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by Damaghosa dasa

Our progression of deity worship 1974–2021

April 6, 2021 in Articles by Damaghosa dasa

Hare Krsna-Just for historical sake here is a picture (below) I took of our TSKP Gaura Nitai deities back in 1974

We had Them tied with ribbon to the back wall of a wooden box about 3 foot square. This box stayed in our sankirtan van all the time. The beads I bought at some local fabric store and basically glued together some very simple “outfits”. We used to do book distribution 7 days a week, but  after months of that I told the sankirtan leader I wanted to “stay back”, on sunday, cook a feast for The Lordships and the devotees AND make some new outfit since everything was pretty spartan in those days. The fan backdrop was supplied by our Seattle Wa home temple pujari.
 
SB 3.19.24 purport….
By His inconceivable potency the Lord can become the universal form, as explained in Bhagavad-gītā, and at the same time He can remain within the box of His devotees as their worshipable Deity. There are many devotees who keep a statue of the Lord in a small box and carry it with them everywhere; every morning they worship the Lord in the box. The Supreme Lord, Keśava, or the Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa, is not bound by any measurement of our calculation. He can remain with His devotee in any suitable form, yet He is unapproachable by any amount of demoniac activities.
 
Note–When we got sent to us from the LA BBT warehouse the SB part 3– this above purport 
appeared in it and it made us very enlivened because Srila Prabhupada, our guru, was telling us in that purport how some devotees were doing– what we were already doing. So we knew we were on the right course of bhakti yoga. And this purport confirmed it.
PICT0011 (2).JPG
And here below, some 47 years later is our Deities today with 26 different very  opulent outfits along with many jewelry pieces made mostly by my wife and a little by myself. Personally, I don’t think most of the outfits they make in India can compare to these.,as I have seen both. Ours are made of mostly of silk, and some cotton or linen-no polyester or other synthetic materials. Natural fabric “breathes” whereas synthetic ones just make you perspire.
DSCN8942.JPG
DEITY WORSHIP-THE MOST VALUABLE BENEDICTION
GIVEN BY THE LORD TO NEOPHYTES
SB 4.30.27 purport–Deity worship in the form of temple worship is themost valuable benediction given by the Lord to beginners. All neophytes must therefore engage in the worship of the Lord by keeping the arcā-vigraha (arcāvatāra) at home or in the temple.
 
SB 7.14.39-TRANSLATION–My dear King, when great sages and saintly persons saw mutually disrespectful dealings at the beginning of Tretā-yuga, Deity worship in the temple was introduced with all paraphernalia.
 
NoD 35 Neutral Love of God 175614/530501
Without worshiping the arca-vigraha, the form or Deity of the Lord,
one cannot understand such literature as Bhagavad-gita and
Srimad-Bhagavatam.  
751030SB.NAI Lectures 223477/530501
So the temple worship is essential. So those who are against temple
worship, Deity worship, they are not very intelligent class of men,
foolish, mudha.  NoD 35 Neutral Love of God 175614/530501
 
When we have lost that loving feeling
760924SB.VRN–
If we think that “Here is a stone statue,” then it will not prolong many days. It will not… Galagraha. No more vigraha, but galagraha. Suppose I have established this temple. Now under my direction, my disciples are worshiping vigraha. Vigraha means the form of the Lord, rūpa. But if there is no following of the regulative principles, then after my death it will be galagraha, a burden, that “Our rascal Guru Mahārāja established this temple, and we have to worship, early rise in the morning, all botheration.”This will be… That is called galagraha, a burden, “He has left with us a burden.” This is the risk. Then this, such a big temple will be mismanaged, and you’ll find that “This is breaking” and “This is unclean,” and there is no attention. This will be our… That is called galagraha. “The rascal has given us a burden.”
 
Lecture NY sept 18 1966
So in my childhood, when I was five or six years old, I requested my father that “Father, give me this Deity. I shall worship.” So father purchased for me little Krishna, Radha, and he gave me, and I was imitating. Whatever foodstuff I was getting, I was offering to Krishna and eating. In this way I got my life developed. And there was a temple in our neighbourhood.So I was seeing the Krishna deity. Oh, I was thinking…..I still remember. I was standing for hours together. 
 
SB 4.30.27 Purport-The form of the Lord as worshiped in the temples is called arca-vigraha or arcāvatāra, the worshipable form, the Deity incarnation. This facility is offered to neophyte devoteesso that they can see the real form of the Lord face to face and offer their respectful obeisances and sacrifices in the form of arcā.Through such facilities the neophytes gradually invoke their original Kṛṣṇaconsciousness. Deity worship in the form of temple worship is themost valuable benediction given by the Lord to beginners. All neophytes must therefore engage in the worship of the Lord by keeping the arcā-vigraha (arcāvatāra) at home or in the temple.

 

 

 

 

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by Laksman dasa

Srila Prabhupada speaks – “So all my disciples are expected to become siksa-guru on my order, not by his own order.”

April 5, 2021 in Articles by Laksman dasa

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Srila Prabhupada speaks out- “So all my disciples are expected
to become siksa-guru on my order, not by his own order.”

Indian lady: Can the death of a spiritual master take to us, or I can get… Is that spiritual master still guiding after the death? (?) 
Srila Prabhupāda: Yes, yes. Just like Kṛṣṇa is guiding us, similarly, spiritual master will guide. We are being guided by Kṛṣṇa, by the Bhagavad-gītā. Although Kṛṣṇa is not physically present, so-called… Kṛṣṇa is present always. But even if we say that Kṛṣṇa is not physically present as He was present before Arjuna, still, His book, Bhagavad-gītā, is there. And that Bhagavad-gītā is non different from Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa and Kṛṣṇa’s teaching, the same, absolute. That is Absolute Truth. Kṛṣṇa and Kṛṣṇa’s… Here form, the same. It is not that we are making show of offering Kṛṣṇa some food. No, we are offering directly to Kṛṣṇa and He’s eating. Kṛṣṇa being absolute, He can perform through anything provided we are sincere and serious. All right. (Srila Prabhupada’s Lecture on the Appearance Day of Srila Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākur London, September 3, 1971)

Gopala Krsna: Srila Prabhupada, I am just trying to clarify — I don’t want to offend anyone — but no disciple of yours should call himself diksa-guru or siksa-guru. Am I right?
Srila Prabhupada:..” Well, everyone is engaged to become siksa-guru, but one should become perfect. The attempt is — what is called? — probationer. When probationer period is finished, then he is naturally, automatically, bona fide guru. Not in the probationer period. That is immature attempt. That will failure. Amara ajnaya [Cc. Madhya 7.128], Caitanya Mahaprabhu said: “By My order.” So all my disciples are expected to become siksa-guru on my order, not by his own order.”  That is meaning I am giving sannyasa, I am sending you to different places, so this means that you have to carry out the order of the guru very strictly; then you become mature. Otherwise it will be artificial attempt, and that kind of guru will not help.”(Srila Prabhupada’s room conversation May 30 1976 Honolulu, Hawaii.)

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by Laksman dasa

BACK TO GODHEAD ORIGINAL SCANS FROM 1944-1977

April 5, 2021 in Articles by Laksman dasa

BACK TO GODHEAD ORIGINAL SCANS FROM 1944-1977
[Srila Prabhupada – “BTG is my life and soul. Please therefore try to distribute BTG as many as it is possible.“(Letter to Gurudasa — Los Angeles 16 April, 1970)]

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Hare Krishna. All glories to His Divine Grace Srila A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada and all Vaisnavas. 

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The following link contains the nectar of all available scans of the Back to Godhead Magazine from 1944-77. 

There are a total of 141 scanned files in the drive with 100s of interesting and transcendental articles written by Srila Prabhupada. 

Please click the link below to access the scanned copies: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1NPfgrqxyrcT1CIEfoNM8WRgcpbbrON7E?usp=sharing

Some quotes below emphasize how dear was the BTG Magazine to Srila Prabhupada and how important it is for all of us to study thoroughly again and again. Therefore, all the devotees are requested to receive all the nectarean benefits of all these 141 copies and distribute them to everyone.

BTG is my life and soul. Please therefore try to distribute BTG as many as it is possible. I started this magazine in 1947 in my householder life. I was spending Rs. 300 to 400 at the time ($300 to 400 in your exchange), and I was distributing this magazine without any consideration how much I was getting in return. Practically the whole money was spent without any return. But ten years after, from 1954 to 1959, the struggle was very hard because at that time I had no money and alone I was editing, publishing, and securing money for publication. So it was a great struggle. My ambition was that I would publish BTG in huge quantity so that people may understand transcendental blessings of Lord Caitanya.

[Letter to Gurudasa — Los Angeles 16 April, 1970] 

Please accept my blessings. I have not heard anything from you in long time what is the situation with publication of our Back To Godhead. So I am anxious to know when it will be again published, and if it can be regularly printed, even on our mimeograph machine. It is too much important that it must be distributed regularly, as it is the backbone of our mission. So, even it is not printed very expensively and highly, still, it must be distributed even in mimeograph copy. And then in future we can print it very nicely, when there is the money there to do it. So please see to it, and please let me know the position by return of post as soon as possible.

[Letter to Rayarama — Montreal 8 June, 1968]

Please therefore save them from the great falldown. Believe me or not, I have got the clue of going “Back to Godhead” just after leaving my present material body and in order to take along with me all my contemporary men and women of the world, I have started my paper “Back to Godhead” as one of the means to the way.

Please do not think of me as an wonderful or a mad man when I say that I shall go “Back to Godhead” after leaving my present material body! It is quite possible for everyone and all of us.

[Letter to Dr. Rajendra Prasad, President of Indian Union — Delhi 21 November, 1956]

I am very glad to learn that S.F. Temple is doing very nicely in the street Sankirtana with transcendental plays. And your BTG sales are very encouraging to me. I have heard from Gargamuni that you are ordering 20,000 issues of BTG and this is very good news. Selling BTG means that our movement is increasing and our philosophy is being appreciated.

[Letter to Madhudvisa — Los Angeles 14 February, 1970]

You should take BTG as your life and soul. Your work for BTG is first and foremost above all. If you do not find any time for other things, there is no objection, but I want to see that you make BTG a successful magazine like Life magazine or Illustrated Weekly of India. I am very much ambitious of the progress of the paper, and you can use your discretion how to do it.

[Letter to Rayarama — San Francisco, March 23, 1968

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by Damaghosa dasa

Who– is the rich man? SP explains

April 5, 2021 in Articles by Damaghosa dasa

Chicago  july 11 1975
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: I think there was one great personality—I forget his name—he was going to live as long as how many millions of years that he had hairs in his head. What is that story?
Brahmānanda: The story of the man who was on the beach…
Prabhupāda: Ah, yes. Romaharṣaṇa. Romaharṣaṇa Muni was standing on beach and was chanting. So Nārada Muni was passing: “Then why don’t you make a cottage here?” He was: “Oh, how long I shall…?” That, his life, was: when one hair will fall, one Brahmā will die. (laughter) And in this way all the hairs, when they will fall—all the Brahmās will die—then he will die. And he was thinking, “How…?” Actually that is a fact.
 
[note-Romaharsana rekplied to Nartada-why build a cottage or hut to protect me from the hot sun when life is so temporary?]
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Who was that, Romaharṣaṇa Muni?
Prabhupāda: Romaharṣaṇa. [break] …basic principle of Vedic civlization. They did not… Vyāsadeva, such a learned scholar, he was sitting in a cottage. Lord Śiva, such a big powerful, and the whole material energy, Parvati, is his wife—he is sitting under a tree.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Therefore a sannyāsī is always moving around, Śrīla Prabhupāda?
Prabhupāda: Yes. Vairāgya. That is required. That is civilization. Vairāgya and jñāna. Jñāna-vairāgya, knowledge and renunciation, or detachment, this is the goal of human life. Because he is attached to this material world, he has to take birth after birth, birth after birth. So to save this botheration, one has to be detached. This is the basic principle of Vedic civilization, jñāna-vairāgya. And detachment is possible when one is in full knowledge, jñāna. And this bhakti-yoga process is detachment. Vairāgya-vidyā-nija-bhakti-yogam [Cc. Madhya 6.254]. So it is a civilization of detachment, not attachment.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: That detachment is a form of wealth for the renounced order.
Prabhupāda: Yes, that is the gain of human life. Arthadam. This is meaning. Artha means meaning. Arthadam. Durlābhaṁ mānuṣaṁ janma tad apy adhruvam arthadam. This human life, form of life, is very, very rare. So one can say, “You will also die like cats and dog. How it is rare?” No, yes, adhruvam arthadam: “Although it is temporary, it will not stay, but you can have meaning of life.” Adhruvam arthadam. Everything is there.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: The materialistic people say that… When they see someone in the detached position, they say, “He is impoverished.” They are so confused that they conclude the opposite.
Prabhupāda: Impoverished?
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Impoverished means they are poor.
Prabhupāda: Then what is the poor? What you are rich? You are whole day working day and night, and we are not working, getting our prasādam. I am poverty-stricken, or you are poverty-stricken? You rascal, whole day you are working…
Brahmānanda: For a dry biscuit.
Prabhupāda: …like an ass, and we are getting, sitting, chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa and getting our food. So you are poverty-stricken or I am poverty-stricken?
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: A poverty-stricken man has to work very hard.
Prabhupāda: Yes.
Lakṣmī-nārāyaṇa: But they will say, “Well…”
Prabhupāda: They will say… First of all you see. You try to understand that this rascal is working day and night twenty-four hours for getting his food, and we are simply chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa and getting our food. So he is poverty-stricken or I am poverty-stricken?
Brahmānanda: That means we’re the rich men.
Prabhupāda: I am rich man.
Brahmānanda: Rich man doesn’t have to work, and everything comes.
Prabhupāda: Yes, that is rich man. 

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by Damaghosa dasa

How many souls are in our bodies-besides us? SP explains

April 3, 2021 in Articles by Damaghosa dasa

How many “souls” are there in our bodies, what kind of control  or dependence do they have, and what happens to these souls we die? SP explains
July 14 1975 Philadelphia
Svarūpa Dāmodara: The question that I wrote to Śrīla Prabhupāda, the answer that Śrīla Prabhupāda gave me was that the cells in the body and the jīvātmā that resides in the heart, they are different living entities. But my understanding was directed to the relationship between the two, the jīvātmā in the cells and the jīvātmā in the heart, how they are related, how they…
Prabhupāda: They are separate identity.
Svarūpa Dāmodara: But it looks like, though, in the material body the one cannot exist without another. They look like interdependent.
Prabhupāda: That may be, but still, they are individuals.
Ravīndra-svarūpa: When the jīva in the heart dies, then all the other cells in the body also have to die.
Prabhupāda: No.
Ravīndra-svarūpa: No, they don’t. But when the body decays, doesn’t everything…
Prabhupāda: No. Dead body so many germs come out.
Ravīndra-svarūpa: Oh.
Prabhupāda: How it comes?
Svarūpa Dāmodara: But that is different, though. When a body dies, then there are many germs from outside that…
Prabhupāda: Living entities within the body, they come out, hundreds and thousands. They have not died. Suppose in this jungle there are so many living entities. If I die, what has got to do with them?
Svarūpa Dāmodara: But science tries to understand what is life and in order to do that they just want to understand what is cell. Because science tries to understand what is life, and in order to do that they just want to study what is the cell because cells are the smallest living units of life. That is their understanding. So once they understand what a cell is, then they know what life is. That is their aim. So if the cells and the jīvātmā within the heart, they are different and they are independent, then they cannot conceive of just having a jīvātmā in the heart.
Prabhupāda: That… The particular jīvātmā who has been given this body, he is living in the heart.
Ravīndra-svarūpa: But according to the scientists, our body is made up of little cells just like a brick wall is made up of so many individual bricks. Each… Like in one piece of skin there is…
Prabhupāda: That’s all right. That is body. Just like I live in a house. The house is made of so many bricks. But I am not brick.
Ravīndra-svarūpa: But they say that…
Prabhupāda: “They say!” They are foolish, we always say. Because I am living in a house consisting of so many bricks, it does not mean that I am brick.
Ravīndra-svarūpa: But is each cell an individual living entity?
Prabhupāda: That I do not know. What do you mean by cell? But there are many living entities within this body. That we know.

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by Damaghosa dasa

SP explains why 4th and 5th class men cannot understand guru tattva

April 2, 2021 in Articles by Damaghosa dasa

July 21 1975 San Francisco

Prabhupāda: Now they should come to big dictionary. This is Vedic. The Vedic truth is there, but it is not properly explained because the men were fourth-class. Now the people have become advanced. They should take to Vedic literature. Then they will understand how God created. But it was not explained because the people, they were living in the desert and shepherds and all fourth-class, fifth-class men. And now they, these first-class men, all advanced men, they are trying to adjust the tenth-class ideas, and therefore they are becoming rejecting, that “It is all useless.” Now they should come to first-class understanding in the Vedas.

Paramahaṁsa: As a matter of fact there’s a very famous quote from Christ…

Prabhupāda: I think Christ said that there are many things to be spoken but…

Paramahaṁsa: “My father’s house has many rooms, but I cannot tell you of it now.”

Prabhupāda: Because they were fourth-class, fifth-class men. They will not understand. Therefore it is taken, “dogmas.” The modern students, they are advanced in education, and these things are not explained. And besides that, their education is atheistic. Therefore they are trying to reject religion.

Nalinī-kaṇṭha: They say you cannot study Veda because Christ said that there is no other way than himself.

Prabhupāda: Because they are fourth-class, unless he says like that, how they will stick? They were not intelligent men. Just like Lord Buddha also said, “There is no God.” “There is no God,” but he is God himself.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: That means the followers of Lord Buddha are less intelligent than the followers of…

Prabhupāda: “Less” not. They are atheist class. So they will not understand what is God. So he said, “There is no God. You just hear me and become nonviolent.” So his idea was, “Let this rascal first of all become nonviolent. Then they will be pure, and then they will understand.”

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by Damaghosa dasa

some random nectar from CC-Performance of the Vrndavana pastimes

April 1, 2021 in Articles by Damaghosa dasa

“There are eight symptoms of ecstatic love on the platform of transcendental jubilation, and when they are combined and tasted by Kṛṣṇa, the Lord’s mind is completely satisfied.

Link to this page: https://prabhupadabooks.com/cc/madhya/14/177

 

“Indeed, they are compared to a combination of yogurt, candy, ghee, honey, black pepper, camphor and cardamom, which, when mixed together, are very tasty and sweet.

Link to this page: https://prabhupadabooks.com/cc/madhya/14/178

 

 

 

Svarūpa Dāmodara then retorted, “My dear Śrīvāsa, please hear me with attention. You have forgotten the transcendental opulence of Vṛndāvana.

Link to this page: https://prabhupadabooks.com/cc/madhya/14/218

 

“The natural opulence of Vṛndāvana is just like an ocean. The opulence of Dvārakā and Vaikuṇṭha is not even to be compared to a drop.

Link to this page: https://prabhupadabooks.com/cc/madhya/14/219

 

“Śrī Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Personality of Godhead full of all opulences, and His complete opulences are exhibited only in Vṛndāvana–dhāma.

Link to this page: https://prabhupadabooks.com/cc/madhya/14/220

 
“In Vṛndāvana, the natural speech of the people sounds like music, and their natural motion resembles a dance.

Link to this page: https://prabhupadabooks.com/cc/madhya/14/224

 

 

While Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu was dancing in ecstatic love and Svarūpa Dāmodara was singing, the Lord said, “Go on singing! Go on singing!” The Lord then extended His own ears.

Link to this page: https://prabhupadabooks.com/cc/madhya/14/231

 
While dancing absorbed in Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī’s ecstatic love, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu appeared in Her very form. Seeing this from a distant place, Nityānanda Prabhu offered prayers.

Link to this page: https://prabhupadabooks.com/cc/madhya/14/235

 

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by Damaghosa dasa

SP explains how distribution of books is transcendental and above mundane morality

April 1, 2021 in Articles by Damaghosa dasa

July 20 1975 SanFrancisco
SP discusses book distribution techniques- and how it is the highest morality

Prabhupāda: Humble, but if you do not follow your spiritual master’s instruction, you follow others, then where is the humbleness? You say that… Your wife says that what Siddha-svarūpa says it is very clear and and others are not so clear. Is it not? What is that clear what is not clear?
Bhūrijana: He says chant Hare Kṛṣṇa.
Prabhupāda: So who says that you don’t chant?
Bhūrijana: Maybe the emphasis wasn’t so much on the chanting even though everyone says harer nāma harer nāma harer nāma eva kevalam [Cc. Ādi 17.21], everyone just chants their sixteen rounds a day, chants a half hour ārati in the evening and half hour ārati in the morning.
Prabhupāda: So what do you want more? What is your program? 24 hours?
Bhūrijana: I like more kīrtana than that.
Prabhupāda: So you don’t like to sell books.
Bhūrijana: No, I think I like very much. I mean I think I would like to.
Prabhupāda: So what is difference?
Bhūrijana: Between selling books and kīrtana?
Prabhupāda: No no. Between others and you. Where is the difference? When you point out that this is the point, we differ. What is that point?
Bhūrijana: Well maybe the point about more kīrtana or less kīrtana.
Prabhupāda: So if you chant more, they’re objecting?
Bhūrijana: No.
Prabhupāda: Then where is the difference? Has anyone objected (if you) chant more?
Bhūrijana: No.
Prabhupāda: Then where is the objection? What is the point of difference?
Bhūrijana: I think there’s no point of difference.
Prabhupāda: Then why do you say we find these instructions more clear?
Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: You say that there’s no point of difference, but then you say that his instruction is more clear. There’s some contradiction.
Bhūrijana: It’s just the emphasis that was given to hari… to chanting. For myself, I know I was off track and I know that in my heart I built up an enmity toward your disciples and thinking that they…, that by their distributing books they were making people angry at Kṛṣṇa and…
Prabhupāda: That is real point. That is real point.
Bhūrijana: That’s what I felt. See, when I was in Hong Kong, people I would meet, they used to yell… They’d yell at me, “What have you done to Kṛṣṇa?” Some Indians used to say that. People we’d meet, they’d tell us they see the Hare Kṛṣṇa devotees and they hate Kṛṣṇa. I remember one specific time when I was speaking to one businessman who was helping us and…
Prabhupāda: He said that “We hate Kṛṣṇa”?
Bhūrijana: No no. He said that, “Your members of the Hare Kṛṣṇa, they’re making people in Australia hate Kṛṣṇa. They make people inimical.” Making people inimical to Kṛṣṇa.
Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: They feel threatened simply that we’re preaching something that will discourage their sinful way of life. Simply they feel threatened. Not they’re hating. Their argument is that because of our strong emphasis on preaching and book distribution, they say therefore that the mass of people they have a bad impression of Kṛṣṇa.
Bhūrijana: And also because…
Prabhupāda: Because we are selling books.
Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Because we’re selling books.
Bhūrijana: Not so much the selling books. Maybe because of the emphasis on taking…, how much money can be taken. Like if someone says on the street, “Please give me a donation.” So they give him a donation. “No, you must give more,” and more and more. So the people think that the devotees are only interested in getting money and they get a bad impression that ISKCON is a money making movement.
Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: We’re selling one half a million large size books each year.

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