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Srila Prabhupada is proposing successful life–see photos

October 11, 2015 in Articles, Damahosa Dasa

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690323LE.HAW Lectures 245873/530501

We have created a civilization that one must earn thousands of dollars, then he can
live like a gentleman. Is that successful life? And for earning that
thousands of dollars he has to work so hard, just like animal, beast.
No. That is not successful life. Successful life is that, that we
should make our bodily necessities of life as far as required, not
more than that. I want to eat something. God has given sufficient
food. You grow. You live anywhere. You grow foodstuff. You grow
grains. You grow fruits. You grow vegetables. Keep cows. Take milk.
You can live anywhere. You haven’t got to go fifty miles off with a
car to attend your office at six o’clock with velocity of hundred
miles’ speed. Is that successful life, do you think? So where is
successful life? We are proposing successful life.

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4 seasons planting is what is going on here in these two pictures. The above photo is the greenhouse in early summer filled with tomato plants-about 85 of them, as well as pepper starts in the pots along the path.
Below is the present greenhouse with all tomatoes removed and a multi-cover crop laid down in 2 out of 4 beds. The third bed has plastic covering the dirt and beans are drying temporarily there. The last bed has crimson clover coming up (still in seed form) for about 80% of it, and along the inside edge, we have 6 kinds of winter greens and lettuces already seeded in the ground.

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Srila Prabhupada wanted us to write and prove this Krsna Consciousness is the BEST way to live

October 9, 2015 in Articles, Damahosa Dasa

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760706rc.wdc Room Conversation
—
July 6, 1976, Washington, D.C.

Prabhupāda: You economically prove that Kṛṣṇa consciousness is simple and inexpensive life.

Devotees: Yes, jaya, mercy.

Prabhupāda: Food, diet, living condition, healthy, hygienic, everything. You prove that this is the best way of life. That’s a fact. From all sides, prove that Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is essential for the human society, to make them happy in this and the next life. That is a fact.

Note- Sometimes we get criticized about what we send out in articles (what else is new?) But here is the proof and order by Srila Prabhupada that we are not just concerned with ourselves and our own spiritual life, but with everybody else who may be less fortunate than us. He mentions it should be noted above, that we want to show how this vedic model of living is the BEST way to live in this world-not only in the next, but this lifetime as well.

Hare Krsna
Damaghosa das

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Moon landing hoax-as explained by Srila Prabhupada

September 30, 2015 in Articles, Vidura Mahatma Dasa

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Moon Hoax – Srila Prabhupada’s Angles

The Great Moon Hoax

Exposed by Srila Prabhupada from numerous angles

Compiled by Vidura Mahatma das

The Point

“Apart from this discussion, the point is that a living entity has immense and unlimited desires for material enjoyment, and he has to transmigrate from one gross body to another until these desires are exhausted.” (SB 4.29.69 purport)
Srila-Prabhupada on moon hoax“Even you go to the Moon planet… This is Bhāgavata. Before going to your Moon planet here is the information: “Anywhere you go rascal these things will follow, janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi [Bg. 13.9] and inconveniences. You’ll have to suffer.” So one’s who’s, one who is intelligent, then: “Where shall I find real happiness?” That is Kṛṣṇa. Therefore one requires to be very, very intelligent to become Kṛṣṇa conscious.” (Room Conversation — November 1, 1973, New Delhi)

Can’t travel 95,000,000 miles in four days at 18,000 mph.

“My challenge is that moon is beyond the sun. First planet is sun, and then moon. So if the sun is 93,000,000 miles and moon is above the sun 1,600,000, then how they can go to the moon planet in four days? It requires seven and a half months. That is my challenge.” (Room Conversation — January 30, 1977, Bhuvanesvara)
“We have already discussed this point in many places. The sun is first, then the moon, then Mars, Jupiter and so on. The sun is supposed to be 93,000,000 miles above the surface of the earth, and from the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam we understand that the moon is 1,600,000 miles above the sun. Therefore the distance between the earth and the moon would be about 95,000,000 miles. So if a space capsule were traveling at the speed of 18,000 miles per hour, how could it reach the moon in four days? At that speed, going to the moon would take at least seven months. That a space capsule on a moon excursion has reached the moon in four days is therefore impossible.” (SB 8.10.38 purport)
“So far we understand from Vedic literature, the moon is the second planet. The sun is the first planet. If we consider like that, then moon is beyond the sun planet. The estimation is there in the Srimad-Bhag avatam: 1,600,000 miles above the sun the moon is situated. Now, if we take consideration of the sun planet situated 93,000,000 miles from earth, then add 1,600,000 miles again, it comes to 15,000,000…, 95,000,000’s miles away from the earthly planet. And how you can reach there in four days, 95,000,000 miles away? If we apply our common sense, then it appears they have never gone to the moon planet. It is all bogus propaganda. It is not possible.”
Devotee: Did they actually land on the moon, Śrīla Prabhupāda?
Prabhupāda: No, they cannot go there. What is the question of landing? They cannot go there. It is far, far away. What you calculated? 1,600,000 miles away, up the sun planet. 1,600,000 miles above the sun. According to your calculation, the sun is away from this planet by 93,000,000 miles. And above that, 1,600,000 miles. Then you go to the moon. How it is possible?   (Morning Walk — May 27, 1975, Honolulu)

Not going to the moon but to the planet Rahu.

“The failure of modern moon excursionists may be due to the Rahu planet. In other words, those who are supposed to be going to the moon may actually be going to this invisible planet Rahu. Actually, they are not going to the moon but to the planet Rahu, and after reaching this planet, they come back. Apart from this discussion, the point is that a living entity has immense and unlimited desires for material enjoyment, and he has to transmigrate from one gross body to another until these desires are exhausted.” (SB 4.29.69 purport)

If they went there, they wouldn’t want to come back.

Prabhupāda: …it is a common sense affair that if somebody takes the trouble of doing so many things for the last ten or twenty years and go there and touch the moon planet, come back, it is successful. So it may be complacence for him, but I don’t think it is success. Why should I take so much trouble to touch the moon planet, come back? (chuckling) I have no useless time for that thing.
Reporter: Well, I think that what you’re saying, that it is also not strictly impossible for someone to go there and be able to come back, that many conditions would have to change for them to do that, but you wouldn’t rule out as impossible. Is that right?
Prabhupāda: No. Actually, if anyone goes there, he’ll not like to come back. …Otherwise, he will give false information, that “I went there and touched it and came back.” (Interview with LA Times Reporter About Moon Trip — December 26, 1968, Los Angeles)

As simple as the days of the week

“Among the planets, the first is Surya, the sun, not the moon. Therefore, according to the Vedic version, the modern astronomer’s proposition that the moon is nearest to the earth should not be accepted. The chronological order in which people all over the world refer to the days of the week–Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday–corresponds to the Vedic order of the planets and thus circumstantiates the Vedic version.” (SB 8.18.5 purport)

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Simply mantra and Water–

September 21, 2015 in Articles, Damahosa Dasa

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Vrn Sept 25 1976

Now Kṛṣṇa advised Arjuna that “You release this saṁhārāstra,” how to counteract. Unnaddhamastra–jñaḥ. Unnaddham: “You know better than him how to counteract.” Hy astra–tejasā: “By another…” [break] …different astras[weapons]are released by different expert military men. So that science is not yet discovered. By mantra. Just like here it is said that he took water, āpaḥ. Spṛṣṭvāpas taṁ parikramya. Āpaḥ. Just like we take, oṁ apavitraḥ pavitro vā sarvāsvasthāṁ gato ‘pi vā. Similarly, mantra and water can be utilized for very, very important purpose. Simplymantra and water. So this is the science. This is called subtle science, not gross. They have discovered this atomic weapon—they require so many chemicals. But when you come to the higherstage, subtle, then mantra and water will do. Nothing more. No more chemicals. Simply mantra and water. That is yet you have to learn.

But these things are there in the Vedas. If you are a serious student of Veda you can also learn, you can also fight like Arjuna. There is no difficulty. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says astra–jñaḥ. Unnaddhamastra–jñaḥ. You can also become learned in the higher science of military art. You can also utilize. But that requires brain, good brain. That is not possible now, because the culture is lost. Now everyone is śūdra. Nobody is kṣatriya, nobody is brāhmaṇa. By the time… Kalau śūdra sambhava.The śūdras cannot learn all these veda. Because śūdras have no right to understand Vedic knowledge. It is meant for the brāhmaṇas, kṣatriyas. Even not for the vaiśyas. Striyo vaiśyās tathāśūdrāḥ. They are rejected, woman and vaiśya and śūdra. Kṛṣṇa says. Striyo vaiśyās tathā śūdrāḥ.But Kṛṣṇa says te ‘pi yānti parāṁ gatim: “Even woman, and śūdra and vaiśyas, low grade, they can also get parāṁ gatim, promotion to the transcendental world.” How? Māṁ hi pārtha vyapāśritya ye‘pi syuḥ pāpa–yonayaḥ [Bg. 9.32]. If you take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, then even these low-grade born persons, beginning from striya śūdra vaiśya, and down, caṇḍālas… Caṇḍālas means less than the caṇḍāla. Kirāta-hūṇāndhra-pulinda–pulkaśāḥ. They are caṇḍālas. Kirāta means the black clan, or the Africans. So they are called kirāta. Hūṇāndhra-pulinda-pulkaśā ābhīra-śumbhā yavanāḥkhasādayaḥ [SB 2.4.18]. Yavanas, khasādaya, Mongolians, without any moustaches. Kirāta-hūṇāndhra-pulinda–pulkaśā ābhīra-śumbhā yavanāḥ khasādayaḥ ye ‘nye ca pāpāḥ. “Even there are still more low-grade, sinful society,” ye ‘nye ca pāpā yad-apāśrayāśrayāḥ, “if he takes the shelter of a pure devotee, śudhyanti, becomes purified.” Becomes purified. How?Śudhyanti? Because prabhaviṣṇave namaḥ. Lord Viṣṇu has got so exalted power that through His devotee He can purify anyone. 
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Srila Prabhupada’s Quote

September 15, 2015 in Articles, Srila A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

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“We should always remember that Krishna is the only order giver.
His order is received through the agency of the spiritual master.
The bona fide spiritual master is the manifest representative of Krishna.
The spiritual master is described in the scriptures as good as Krishna
because he is the most confidential servitor of Krishna.
To please the spiritual master is to please Krishna.”
– Letter to:  Nandarani, Krishna Devi, Subala, Uddhava,  Delhi, October 3, 1967
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Srila Prabhupada Vyasa puja offering -2015 -by Yasoda nandana dasa

September 15, 2015 in Articles, Yasoda nandana Dasa

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Dear Srila Prabhupada

I offer my obeisances at your lotus feet

All Glories to you and your wonderful Krishna Consciousness Movement

Nama om Vishnu Padaya Krsna presthaya bhutale

Srimate Bhaktivedanta Swamin iti namine

Namaste sarasvate deve Gauravani pracarine

Nirvisesa sunyavadi pascatya Desa tarine

Bhakti siddhanta sishyaya  Bhativedanta namine

Prasannaya prasantaya tasmai Sri gurave namah

On this most auspicious day, let me repeatedly try to understand your unique position and offer my obeisances at your lotus feet.

tvam nah sandarśito dhātrā

dustaram nistitīrsatām

kalim sattva-haram puṁsām

karna-dhāra ivārnavam

TRANSLATION

We think that we have met Your Goodness by the will of providence, just so that we may accept you as captain of the ship for those who desire to cross the difficult ocean of Kali, which deteriorates all the good qualities of a human being.

Learned men, therefore, must be cautious of this age, and if they at all want to cross over the dangerous ocean of Kali, they must follow the footsteps of the sages of Naimisāranya and accept Śrī Sūta Gosvāmī or his bona fide representative as the captain of the ship. The ship is the message of Lord Śrī Krsna in the shape of Bhagavad-gītā or the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.1.22

You have explained that the Lord sends one of His reliable sons or a servant..

“…. The Lord unwillingly creates this material world, but He descends in His personal form or sends one of His reliable sons or a servant or a reliable author like Vyāsadeva to give instruction. He Himself also instructs in His speeches of Bhagavad-gītā. This propaganda work goes on side by side with the creation to convince the misguided living entities who are rotting in this material world to come back to Him and surrender unto Him. Therefore the last instruction of Bhagavad-gītā is this: “Give up all your manufactured engagements in the material world and just surrender unto Me. I shall protect you from all sinful reactions…”Srimad-Bhagavatam “The Status Quo” Conversation between Manu and Kardama SB 3.21.20

You have revealed your unique potency and the actual power of a fully realized pure devotee.

 

“…Ordinary yogis can exhibit wonderful material activities, known as asta-siddhi, eight kinds of perfection, but a pure devotee of the Lord can surpass these perfections by performing activities which can make the whole universe tremble…”  Srimad-Bhagavatam 4.8.78.

“..It is said that a single pure devotee of the Lord can deliver all the fallen souls of the world…” Srimad-Bhagavatam 2.8.5.

 

“…The pure devotee ignites Krishna consciousness in the hearts of the conditioned souls, and thus the blazing fire of the spiritual world becomes manifest even within this material world…” Krishna Book, Prayers of the Personified Vedas.

“…When a pure Vaishnava speaks, he speaks perfectly. How is this? His speech is managed by Krishna Himself from within the heart…” Sri Caitanya-caritamrta. 1975 Original Unrevised Undedited Edition – Madhya-lila 8.200.

“…The power of devotional service is so great that a pure devotee can electrify another person by his transcendental instruction on crossing over the ocean of nescience… “ Krishna Book, Prayers of the Personified Vedas.

 

Indian man (4): I know, Prabhupada, one of your Godsisters in Vrndavana. She is very old. She is staying in Tirtha Maharaja’s matha. So she told me she took her initiation when she was about sixteen year old and still she stays in the temple and she… (break) …say you’re the most pious person on this planet.

Srila Prabhupada: Yes. Hare Krsna.   Srila Prabhupada conversations- November 2, 1975.

“My dear Lord, You are glorified by the selected verses uttered by great personalities. Such glorification of Your lotus feet is just like saffron particles. When the transcendental vibration from the mouths of great devotees carries the aroma of the saffron dust of Your lotus feet, the forgetful living entity gradually remembers his eternal relationship with You. Devotees thus gradually come to the right conclusion about the value of life. My dear Lord, I therefore do not need any other benediction but the opportunity to hear from the mouth of Your pure devotee.”

Purport

“… A pure devotee always engages in the service of the Lord, taking shelter of His lotus feet, and therefore he has a direct connection with the saffron mercy-particles that are strewn over the lotus feet of the Lord. Although when a pure devotee speaks the articulation of his voice may resemble the sound of this material sky, the voice is spiritually very powerful because it touches the particles of saffron dust on the lotus feet of the Lord. As soon as a sleeping living entity hears the powerful voice emanating from the mouth of a pure devotee, he immediately remembers his eternal relationship with the Lord, although up until that moment he had forgotten everything…” Srimad-Bhagavatam “The Creation of the Fourth Order” Lord Visnu’s Appearance in the Sacrificial Arena of Maharaja Prthu 4.20.25.

Srila Prabhupada, you have mercifully explained the actual status of the spiritually developed person.

“…Therefore, although He is present in every atom, the Supreme Personality of Godhead may not be visible to the dry speculators; still the mystery is unfolded before the eyes of the pure devotees because their eyes are anointed with love of Godhead. And this love of Godhead can be attained only by the practice of transcendental loving service of the Lord, and nothing else. The vision of the devotees is not ordinary; it is purified by the process of devotional service. In other words, as the universal elements are both within and without, similarly the Lord’s name, form, quality, pastimes, entourage, etc., as they are described in the revealed scriptures or as performed in the Vaikuṇṭhalokas, far, far beyond the material cosmic manifestation, are factually being televised in the heart of the devotee. The man with a poor fund of knowledge cannot understand, although by material science one can see things far away by means of television. Factually, the spiritually developed person is able to have the television of the kingdom of God always reflected within his heart. That is the mystery of knowledge of the Personality of Godhead…”Srimad-Bhagavatam “The Cosmic Manifestation”Answers by Citing the Lord’s Version SB 2.9.35

I have been recently asked by some devotees why is it that some senior devotees even senior ones [in age] do not seem to understand your position and your teachings.

You have nicely explained the proper mentality to understand how to behave with the acarya and mercifully are giving very important warnings.  Let us always be situated at your lotus feet and absorbed in following your instructions.

I may inform you that you cannot be fool as you have humbly expressed yourself. Better to remain an ever fool before the spiritual master. But if a disciple is actually fool it reflects on the spiritual master. To think of becoming a fool is the real qualification for a bona fide disciple.
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Sri Krsna Janmastami 2015 Krsna Kunja Sila Puri Snohomish Wash

September 15, 2015 in Articles, Damahosa Dasa

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Hare Krsna to all and Happy Janmastami !!!

Yesterday at Krsna Kunja Sila Puri in Snohomish Wash we celebrated Sri Krsna Janmastami and Srila
Prabhupada’s vyas puja.

It was a joyous event for all, with much Krsna Kirtan, a class from Krsna book, abhisek of Krsna Deities,, bhajans,
Vyasa puja ceremony with devotees speaking from the heart and finally guru puja, with Makhancora das leading and at the very end we all offered obeisances three times with flower offerings, called pushpa puja.

And of course there was feasting on Krsna prasadam……lest I forget to mention that one important item !

Hare Krsna
All glories to Srila Prabhupada !!!

damaghosa das
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1) http://youtu.be/pMqULZkrO4s

2) http://youtu.be/vC88QQR-8Vc

3) http://youtu.be/cjglqaeY5AU

4)http://youtu.be/vszhdZyVwZ0

5) http://youtu.be/0JLarkKnEfw

6) http://youtu.be/nuBVSg6E9vs

7) http://youtu.be/9Z5mBJDUIK8

8) http://youtu.be/s7Vg-Rn09gY

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Evidence on Gurvastaka and who it is for

September 15, 2015 in Articles, Jitarati Dasa

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SP re praise and insult

Books : Srimad-Bhagavatam : Canto 4: “The Creation of the Fourth Order” : SB 4.15: King Prthu’s Appearance and Coronation : SB 4.15.23 : PURPORT :
Gentle devotees of the Supreme Personality of Godhead know perfectly well who is God and who is not. Nondevotee impersonalists, however, who have no idea what God is and who never offer prayers to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, are always interested in accepting a human being as God and offering such prayers to him. This is the difference between a devotee and a demon. Demons manufacture their own gods, or a demon himself claims to be God, following in the footsteps of Rāvaṇa and Hiraṇyakaśipu. Although Pṛthu Mahārāja was factually an incarnation of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, he rejected those praises because the qualities of the Supreme Person were not yet manifest in him. He wanted to stress that one who does not actually possess these qualities should not try to engage his followers and devotees in offering him glory for them, even though these qualities might be manifest in the future. If a man who does not factually possess the attributes of a great personality engages his followers in praising him with the expectation that such attributes will develop in the future, that sort of praise is actually an insult.
Dear _______ Prabhu,

Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada!
The following will establish the truth based on what Prabhupada said.
Letters : 1969 Correspondence : September : Letter to: Jayapataka — London 26 September, 1969 : 69-09-26 :
Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated September 11th, and I have noted the contents. Enclosed please find one photograph of the Radha-Krishna throne, so you may begin constructing it as soon as possible. When the Radha-Krishna Deities are installed, you may turn your main attention to Them, rather than to the Lord Jagannatha Deities. You continue to keep Jagannatha nicely though, and sometimes change His dress. So far as your having already ordered instruments from India, that is all right. Regarding your question about the verse in the prayers to the Spiritual Master, the Spiritual Master is one of the associates of Krishna. The prayers offered by VisvanathaCakravarti to his Spiritual Master have a special significance. His Spiritual Master was one of the assistant gopis, so the prayer was offered like that. On the whole, the Spiritual Master is an agent of Krishna. But either He is assistant to the gopis or assistant to the cowherds boys, He is on the level of Krishna. That is the verdict of all scriptures. Krishna is worshipable God and the Spiritual Master is worshipper God. The exact words are sebya (worshipable) and sebak (worshipper)
And who is his spiritual master?
Bombay, April 17, 1976 : 760417SB.BOM :
Dakṣa śraddadhānaḥ: faithful. Faithful to whom? To the spiritual master. Whatever he says, the brahmacārī should take it: “Yes, it is my life and soul.” That is the explanation given by Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura. He is explaining with reference to the verse vyavasāyātmikā buddhir ekeha kuru-nandana [Bg. 2.41]. He very nicely explains. You have perhaps read it, Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura’s… Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura has taught very, very nicely about guru. Therefore he has written in Gurvaṣṭaka, yasya prasādād bhagavat-prasādaḥ **. He is example, practical example of guru-bhakti,Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura. He accepted his guru, Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura. So he said that “I am not interested for my salvation or going back to Godhead. I am not interested.” Interested means it may come; it may not come. “That I don’t mind. But I am interested only with the words of my guru.” Viśvanātha Cakravartī said. “That is my life. Whether I will be successful or not successful, it doesn’t matter. I must take the words of my Guru Mahārāja as my life and soul.”

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Srila Prabhupada stotram recitation Vancouver, BC August 29, 2015 Krishna Balarama temple

September 2, 2015 in Articles, Yasoda nandana Dasa

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Srila Prabhupada stotram recited by Yasoda nandana dasa

Vancouver, BC August 29, 2015 Krishna Balarama temple

paris-vyasasana-pranamas

krsnaika-ceta mada-moha-vinasa-karin
mad-drsti-gocara prabho prabhupada-svamin
dosabhivrtti-paridusita-manda-buddhe
sancintayami caranau tava bhakti-heto

“O Lord, O Prabhupada, may you always be the object of my vision. Only the name of Krsna can destroy my pride and illusion. Although my mind and intelligence are contaminated by wicked inclinations, I nevertheless take shelter of Your Divine Grace by constant meditation upon your lotus feet in causeless devotion.”

vrndavane ramana-reti-prasiddha-bhumau
tatrapi krsna-balarama-supada-mule
jnanam param parama-krsna-sudharmity uktam
dantas tu deva prabhupada namo namaste

“In the most holy land of Vrndavana, in Ramana Reti, at the lotus feet of Sri Krsna-Balarama, you are preaching the topmost knowledge of Krsna the Supreme Personality of Godhead who is the fountainhead of religion. O master of the senses, O my Lord, Srila Prabhupada, let me offer my obeisances unto you.”

namaste namaste krpa-purna-drsti
namaste namaste mahananda-dhatri
namamo namama punar raksa raksa
prasiddha-prabho pahi mam daksa daksa

“I offer my obeisances unto the spiritual master of the entire world, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, whose glances are full of mercy and who is the bestower of transcendental bliss. O renowned lord, protect me and kindly shower your compassion on me again and again.”

bhaktisiddhanta-sisyaya
bhaktivedanta-swami-namine
prasannaya prasantaya
tasmai sri-gurave nama

“Let me offer my obeisances unto the lotus feet of my spiritual master, who is a disciple of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakura, who is always calm and joyful, and who in known by the name of Bhaktivedanta Swami.”

sri-vanga-bhumi-jana-bhusana gaura-lila
gauranga-bhava parisarana-matra-sila
radha-madhava-pada-padma-mano-vilasin
ananda-rasi prabhupada namo namas te

“The land of Bengal is worshipable by the whole world because Sri Gauranga Mahaprabhu performed His pastimes there. I offer my obeisances unto my divine master, who is full of bliss. He is always in the ecstasy of Lord Gauranga and is therefore immersed in the lotus feet of Sri Sri Radha-Madhava.”

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Some questions for the New Dwarka assembly of devotees

September 2, 2015 in Articles, Vidura Mahatma Dasa

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Some questions for the New Dwarka assembly of devotees

by Vidura Mahatma dasa
  • What about the actual meaning of the song…does it only apply to a particular type of devotee or spiritual master?
A good question but not the kind of questions we are seeing from the New Dwarka community or any other ISKCON center for that matter.
Yes, the samsara-dava prayers definitely do apply to a very particular type of devotee or spiritual master:
“This song is offering obeisances particularly to the spiritual master, and the symptoms of the spiritual master are described in this prayer. The spiritual master has two kind of symptoms in his activities. One kind is called constant, and other kind is called temporary. So the first verse says that the constant symptom of the spiritual master is that he can deliver his disciples from the blazing fire of this material existence. That is the eternal qualification of spiritual master. Trāṇāya means for deliverance, andkāruṇya means compassionate, very merciful. The spiritual master comes to the deliverance of the fallen souls out of his causeless mercy. Nobody has any business for the sufferings of others. The best example is Lord Jesus Christ, that he suffered for others. And it is the principle in the Bible that he accepted all the sins of others. This is the sign of spiritual master, that he voluntarily accepts the sinful activities of others and delivers them. That is the qualification of spiritual master. How it is? Just like ghanāghanatvam. Ghanāghanatvam means dense cloud in the sky. The first example has been said, that this material existence is just like forest blazing fire. Now, to extinguish the forest blazing fire, there is no use of sending fire brigade. The firebrigade cannot approach the forest fire; neither any man can go there to extinguish the fire. One has to depend completely on the mercy of nature. That means one has to completely depend on the cloud in the sky. Otherwise, there is no question of pouring water on that blazing fire. So the example is very appropriate. As man-made engine or fire brigade is unable to extinguish the forest blazing fire, similarly, the material existentional blazing fire cannot be extinguished by any man-made method.”
Song Purports : Purport to Sri-Sri-Gurv-astakam — Los Angeles, January 2, 1969
“So guru means spiritual master means who can deliver one from this forest fire. Just like when there is forest fire, the animals are very much disturbed, and they die mostly. The snakes, they die immediately. So this forest fire, saṁsāra-dāvānala,is going on perpetually, and the person or the authorized person who can deliver you from this forest fire of material existence, he’s called guru, or the spiritual master. Saṁsāra-dāvānala-līḍha-loka-trāṇāya kāruṇya-ghanāghanatvam. […] Just like cloud takes the water from the sea-cloud hasn’t got its own water; cloud takes water from the sea—similarly, a spiritual master brings mercy from the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Just see the comparison. He has no own mercy, but he carries the mercy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. That is the qualification of spiritual master.”
Lecture on Gurvastakam at Upsala University — Stockholm, September 9, 1973
The Gurvastakam is meant for:
  • Spiritual master who can actually deliver his disciples
  • Spiritual master who is directly receiving the mercy of Lord Krishna
  • Spiritual master who is authorized
  • Spiritual master in the same category of Lord Jesus Christ (a śaktyāveśa avatāra)
  • If there should be no change from the standard that Srila Prabhupada set, why are there even other initiating gurus to begin with?

This is the real question which nobody wants to ask. It had always only been Srila Prabhupada as the initiating guru in ISKCON. Upon his disappearance this changed and many gurus sprouted and began initiating their own disciples, splitting the world into zones and having their disciples in those zones chant their own names in the temple instead of Srila Prabhupada’s name. New Dwarka leaders acknowledge this history and assure us that the GBC, however, “outlawed” this practice. So the GBC has a record of changing the standard that Srila Prabhupada set but for some reason all of them still rely on the conclusions of the same GBC instead of what Srila Prabhupada actually says.

Now for some reason the devotees in New Dwarka insist that Srila Prabhupada is only the siksa guru of new devotees in ISKCON today. This is a huge change in the standard Srila Prabhupada set. Srila Prabhupada established himself as the spiritual master and initiating guru for all members of the institution:

“I am the Spiritual Master of this institution, and all the members of the Society, they’re supposed to be my disciples. They follow the rules and regulations which I ask them to follow, and they are initiated by me spiritually” (Srila Prabhupada Radio Interview, 12 March 1968, San Francisco)
Srila Prabhupada never said that his status as spiritual master of the institution depended on his physical presence, just as he never said that the morning prayers being dedicated to him depended on his physical presence. Srila Prabhupada simply set a certain standard and practice for the society to follow and that’s that. There should have never been any change to that standard. But while the devotees of New Dwarka take shelter of the principle of no change to support one aspect of the established standard in ISKCON (mangala-aratik), they reject the very same principle when applied to an even bigger established standard – initiations!

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