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GBC concoctions refuted here by the actual followers of Srila Prabhupada

July 29, 2021 in Articles

GBC:The spiritual master may be a self-made guru who is nominated by his peers or followers and sanctioned by the GBC, an ecclesiastical board. There is no need for a direct, specific order from Srila Prabhupada to become a diksa-guru in Iskcon.
Srila Prabhupada’s siddhanta: “A guru can become guru when he is ordered by his guru. That’s all. Otherwise nobody can become guru.” (See below references 1, 2 and 10.)
GBC:Srila Prabhupada authorized the GBC to sanction and dismiss diksa-gurus in ISKCON.
SPS: “Mundane votes have no jurisdiction the elect a Vaisnava acharya. A Vaisnava acharya is self-effulgent, and there is no need of any court judgment.”Prabhupada authorized the GBC to select (or dismiss) representatives (ritviks), who initiate on His behalf.No one can be guru without the direct order of Krishna or His perfect devotee. (See below references 1, 2, 10 and 15.)
GBC: Lord Caitanya gave a blanket order for every devotee to initiate his own disciples.
SPS: Lord Caitanya ordered His followers to become “gurus” by asking everyone they meet to chant Hare Krishna. He never ordered all devotees to initiate their own disciples. Even Lord Caitanya’s eternal associates, like Sri Gadadhara Pandita, refused to initiate disciples without a direct order from Lord Caitanya. Many great devotees never initiated their own disciples. (References 2 and 3.)
GBC:Persons who are not self-realized souls or topmost Vaisnavas can be diksa-gurus if the GBC approves.
SPS: “Only a topmost devotee, a maha-bhagavata, is eligible to occupy the post of guru.” (See below reference 4.)
GBC:Spiritual masters must be sanctioned, overseen, regulated and, if necessary, disciplined by the GBC.
SPS: The genuine spiritual master is never to be regulated or disciplined by ecclesiastical boards. (See below reference 5.)
GBC: A spiritual master may sometimes fall down and become demoniac.
SPS:“There is no possibility that a first-class devotee will fall down…”–“The bona fide spiritual master is in the disciplic succession since time immemorial.” (See below references 6 and 18.)
GBC: One may ignore, neglect, or reject his spiritual master who falls from grace with the GBC.
SPS: A genuine disciple never rejects his spiritual master. (See reference 7.)
GBC: A student of Krishna consciousness may select any spiritual master, according his or her personal tastes and the ecclesiastical conventions current in Iskcon.
SPS: “Srila Jiva Goswami advised that one not accept a spiritual master in terms of hereditary or customary social and ecclesiastical conventions. One should simply try to find a genuinely qualified spiritual master for actual advancement in spiritual understanding.” (See below reference 8.)
GBC: There are dozens of gurus in Iskcon and each is entitled to his or her own ideas and opinions.
SPS: “Guru is one. He has no independent ideas or opinions.” (See reference 9.)
GBC: Iskcon gurus who have fallen down, if rectified, may be reinstated by the GBC.
SPS: “A bona fide spiritual master is in the disciplic succession from time eternal, and he does not deviate at all from the instructions of the Supreme Lord.” (See below reference 10.)
GBC: There are various levels of spiritual masters, or diksa-gurus, and not all are uttama-adhikaris.
SPS: “The spiritual master is always considered either one of the confidential associates of Radharani or a manifested representation of Sri Nityananda.”Only such a Vaisnava can impart transcendental knowledge into the heart of a disciple. (See below references 4, 7 and 11.)

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Etiquette-the Vaisnava ornament

July 28, 2021 in Articles

Antya 4.127--“The servants are always coming and going without interval. If I touch them, I shall be ruined.”
PURPORT-Herein it is very clearly indicated that priests performing Deity worship should be careful to keep themselves completely pure and not be touched by outsiders. Sanātana Gosvāmī and Haridāsa Ṭhākura, thinking themselves mlecchas and yavanas because of their past association with Mohammedans, did not enter the temple nor even travel on the path in front of the temple gate. It is customary for the priests of temples in India not even to touch outsiders nor enter the Deity room after having been touched. This is a very important item in temple worship.
Antya 4.129-130--“My dear Sanātana, although you are the deliverer of the entire universe and although even the demigods and great saints are purified by touching you, it is the characteristic of a devotee to observe and protect the Vaiṣṇava etiquette. Maintenance of the Vaiṣṇava etiquette is the ornament of a devotee.
Antya 4.131--“If one transgresses the laws of etiquette, people make fun of him, and thus he is vanquished in both this world and the next.
Antya 4.132-“By observing the etiquette, you have satisfied My mind. Who else but you will show this example?”
 
Note -at this point Sanatana goswami is in distress because of the open sores all over his body and does not want Sri Caitanya to touch and embrace him.
 
Antya 4.136-When Jagadānanda Paṇḍita and Sanātana Gosvāmī sat together and began to discuss topics about Kṛṣṇa, Sanātana Gosvāmī submitted to Jagadānanda Paṇḍita the cause of his distress.
Antya 4.140-“I came here for my benefit, but now I see that I am getting just the opposite. I do not know, nor can I ascertain, how there will be benefit for me.”
Antya 4.141–Jagadānanda Paṇḍita said, “The most suitable place for you to reside is Vṛndāvana. After seeing the Ratha-yātrā festival, you can return there.
Antya 4.144-Sanātana Gosvāmī replied, “You have given me very good advice. I shall certainly go there, for that is the place the Lord has given me for my residence.”
 
Antya 4.145–After talking in this way, Sanātana Gosvāmī and Jagadānanda Paṇḍita returned to their respective duties. The next day, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu went to see Haridāsa and Sanātana Gosvāmī.
 
Antya 4.147–Sanātana Gosvāmī offered his obeisances and daṇḍavats from a distant place, but Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu called him again and again to embrace him.
Antya 4.148--Out of fear of committing offenses, Sanātana Gosvāmī did not come forward to meet Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. The Lord, however, went forward to meet him.
Antya 4.152--“By nature I am lowborn. I am a contaminated reservoir of sinful activities. If You touch me, sir, that will be a great offense on my part.
 
Antya 4.153-“Moreover, blood is running from infected itching sores on my body, smearing Your body with moisture, but still You touch me by force.
 
Antya 4.155-“Therefore I see that I will get nothing auspicious by staying here. Kindly give me orders allowing me to return to Vṛndāvana after the Ratha-yātrā festival.
Antya 4.156-“I have consulted Jagadānanda Paṇḍita for his opinion, and he has also advised me to return to Vṛndāvana.”
 
Antya 4.157-Hearing this, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, in an angry mood, began to chastise Jagadānanda Paṇḍita.
 

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no one knows unless he is personally informed -the plan of Krsna

July 28, 2021 in Articles

After hearing this, Sanātana Gosvāmī was exceedingly astonished. He could understand,”My decision to commit suicide has not been greatly appreciated by Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu.”
 
Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu said,”Your body is My property. You have already surrendered unto Me. Therefore you no longer have any claim to your body.
 
“Your body is My principal instrument for executing many necessary functions. By your body I shall carry out many tasks.
 
“You shall have to ascertain the basic principles of a devotee, devotional service, love of Godhead, Vaiṣṇava duties, and Vaiṣṇava characteristics.
 
“You will also have to explain Kṛṣṇa’s devotional service, establish centers for cultivation of love of Kṛṣṇa, excavate lost places of pilgrimage and teach people how to adopt the renounced order.
 
At that time Sanātana Gosvāmī said to Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, “I offer my respectful obeisances unto You. No one can understand the deep ideas You plan within Your heart.
 
“A wooden doll chants and dances according to the direction of a magician but does not know how he is dancing and singing.
 
“My dear Lord, as You cause one to dance, he dances accordingly, but how he dances and who is causing him to dance he does not know.”
 
Haridāsa Ṭhākura replied, “We are falsely proud of our capabilities. Actually we cannot understand Your deep intentions.
 
 
“Unless You inform us, we cannot understand what Your purpose is nor what You want to do through whom.
 
Some Conclusions based upon the above  verses
BG 3.27–The bewildered spirit soul, under the influence of the three modes of material nature, thinks himself to be the doer of activities, which are in actuality carried out by nature.
 
BG 9.10–This material nature is working under My direction, O son of Kuntī, and it is producing all moving and unmoving beings. By its rule this manifestation is created and annihilated again and again.
So  conditioned souls are always bewildered about who is doing what and how things are going on. Even the liberated souls admit they do not know the plan of Krsna but because they are surrendered souls, they come to know of this plan, whereas all others are left only to guess and speculate. Best to become the puppet of God and dance according to His love for us.
Hare Krsna
damaghosa das
 
June 23 1976 New Vrndavana
Devotee (4): The difficulty is that we cannot understand, we cannot feel what pleases Kṛṣṇa now, yet we can feel what pleases us, and that is the difficulty?
Prabhupāda: You have no feeling, that everyone knows. Therefore you have to carry out the order of spiritual master, that’s all.
Devotee (1) : If we try to please Kṛṣṇa with all of our service and activities, that automatically brings pleasure to the self?
Prabhupāda: You cannot please Kṛṣṇa directly. You please your spiritual master, Kṛṣṇa will be pleased. If you want to please directly Kṛṣṇa, that is not possible. That is concoction You cannot please. Yasya prasādād bhagavat-prasādaḥ **. You have to please your spiritual master, then Kṛṣṇa will be pleased. Don’t jump. Guru-mukha-padma-vākya, cittete koriyā aikya **. What is that song you daily sing? What is that?
Pradyumna: By the words of the spiritual master our mind becomes conclusive from…
Prabhupāda: Āra nā koriha mane āśā. Don’t concoct. Don’t you sing daily? Āra nā koriha mane āśā. Don’t manufacture ideas. That is dangerous. Caitanya Mahāprabhu teaches by His example. Guru more mūrkha dekhi’ karilā śāsana [Cc. Ādi 7.71]. Caitanya Mahāprabhu said to Prakāśānanda Sarasvatī that “My spiritual master saw Me fool number one, so he has chastised Me, that ‘Don’t try to read Vedānta; chant Hare Kṛṣṇa.’ So I’m doing.” 
 
 

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Guru Tattva-The Big Picture

July 28, 2021 in Articles

GURU TATTVA—THE BIG PICTURE
Hare Krsna to all
Pranams
Glories to Srila Prabhupada
 
 
I am of the opinion that most devotees, can very easily get lost in the voluminous information contained within Prabhupadas books. Anyone can take one quote, to prove something , and another devotee can take the same quote and prove something just the opposite, at least in his own mind.
 
Therefore this “tunnel” vision, for lack of a better name, becomes very confusing and thats why we have so many devotees with so many opinions on the subject of guru tattva. I am proposing that one just hear/read the “big picture” quotes that are abundantly supplied by Srila Prabhupada so that one does not get lost in his quest for the truth.
An example of “big picture” quotes would be the example he gives of feeding the stomach or watering the trees roots as to why we must serve Krsna. There are hundreds of other quotes which explain the same principle in more detail, but one can get  mentally lost easily by reading them all. But the “big picture” quotes makes this difficult philosophy easier to grasp by giving examples that anybody can understand.
 
Another way to understand this “big picture” idea is this- say you are lost in a big city, but know  well where you want to go. It really doesnt matter in the long run if you dont know all the streets in detail, as long as you know WHERE you are going, because knowing that goal will get you there eventually. So to with guru tattva. If we understand the “big picture” of what and who is guru, then we wont get lost on all the side streets of the city of Maya.
 
Ok now lets hear some of these “big picture” quotes” of what Srila Prabhupada says.
 
1) Just like Krsna can be present simultaneously in millions of places, similarly the spiritual master also can be present wherever the disciple wants. A spiritual master is the principle, not the body. Just like a television can be seen in thousands of places by the principle or relay monitoring.(letter may 28 1968)
 
So in this statement it is very clear that Srila Prabhupada is telling us in this “big picture quote” that  the bona fide guru is NOT that physical body, but thru some physical body or NO body he can act just like TV is seen in thousands of places. So this one quote alone destroys the “living guru” nonsense idea.You  cannot show me one quote anywhere where he says you need a physically living diksa guru. But here, he clearly tells us that the guru is NOT the body but a principle. Not only does the bona fide guru not need a physical body to deliver Krsna, but he can appear wherever the disciple wants or needs him to. The guru is the principle not the body clearly is telling us that the Divine spirit of God can be experienced thru the disciplic sucession, whether in a physical body or no physical body. Otherwise how could so many thousands of disciples who never saw Prabhupada receive inspiration on a daily basis? And this inspiration goes on even after he physically has left our mortal material vision thru divine sound. And how could these thousands also receive diksa without the presence of a physical body in front of them and the sacred fire? Again, “spiritual master is not the body, but the principle.” And that “principle” is what is living not the body.
 
2)  a.”The potency of transcendental sound is never minimized because the vibrator is absent.(SB 2.9.8)
 
     b.So we should associate by vibration and not by the physical presence. That is real association. (SPL aug 18,1968)
 
     c.Threfore we should take advantage of the vani, not the physical presence, because the vani continues to exist eternally. (Nov 4, 1975)
 
These three statements clearly show which is more important , the guru in a physical form or the guru in the presence of Transcendental SOUND. And there are many more just like these.
 
3) 68-04-12.Day              Letter: Dayananda
 Regarding parampara system: there is nothing to wonder for big
gaps. Just like we belong to the Brahma Sampradaya, so we accept it
from Krishna to Brahma, Brahma to Narada, Narada to Vyasadeva,
Vyasadeva to Madhva, and between Vyasadeva and Madhva there is a big
gap. But it is sometimes said that Vyasadeva is still living, and
Madhva was fortunate enough to meet him directly. In a similar way, we
find in the Bhagavad-gita that the Gita was taught to the sungod, some
millions of years ago, but Krishna has mentioned only three names in
this parampara system–namely, Vivasvan, Manu, and Iksvaku; and so
these gaps do not hamper from understanding the parampara system. We
have to pick up the prominent acaryas, and follow from him. There are
many branches also from the parampara system, and it is not possible
to record all the branches and sub-branches in the disciplic
succession. We have to pick up from the authority of the acharya in
whatever sampradaya we belong to.
 
So in this letter again we find Srila Prabhupada explaining the “big picture”. Your lost in some city, but if you know where you should be, you just ask people, especially those who would know, how do I get to this place/person? Once Prabhupada disappears to our mortal vision, this is not a problem for future generations, because they only have to pick up the most recent prominent acarya and follow him.And if he is prominent, he will NOT be hard to find.  Very simple and very clearly explained. Srila Prabhupada is the most recent  prominent acarya, therefore we must follow him for that alone is sufficient for our spiritual lives. Even Christians today can become disciples of Christ if they follow him and his teachings–Prabhupada
clearly explained this in Seattle back in 1968. But you will never find a Christian priest today claiming he has been ordered by Jesus to accept new disciples. But the priests DO accept and teach new disciples in the NAME of Jesus. And everyone accepts and understands it is JESUS who is the one who is taking their sins, and delivering them.  
 
4) Reporter (2): What will happen to the movement in the United States
when you die?
Prabhupada: I will never die.
Devotees: Jaya! Hari bol! (laughter)
Prabhupada: I shall live for my books, and you will utilize.
Reporter (2): Are you training a successor?
Prabhupada: Yes, my Guru Maharaja is there. Where is my photo of Guru
Maharaja? I think… Here is.
 
So again here Srila Prabhupada explains the  spiritual master is the principle, not the body idea of what and who is Guru. Otherwise how do you explain how the movement can go on since he is telling us he will never die, but live from his books which all of us will utilize-eternally if need be. The problem arises when the foolish neophyte disciples “kill the guru” by trying to take his place. And so ends the disciplic sucession,at that point because nobody can become guru unless he is authorized and qualified.
The movement will continue, if for nothing else, simply because of Prabhupadas books And in the above, he says, the successor is his guru maharaj (not even him, taking the humble position) And Why is  Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Maharaj the successor? Because he is the most recent prominent link in the param para. Our Prabhupada is just being humble here and giving all credit for the continuance to his guru maharaj. 
 
 
5) 760816rc.bom                Conversations
Why this Gaudiya Matha failed? Because they tried to become
more than guru. He, before passing away, he gave all direction and
never said that “This man should be the next acarya.” But … the
failure. They never thought, “Why Guru Maharaja gave us instruction so
many things, why he did not say that this man should be acarya?” They
wanted to create artificially somebody … with common sense that if
Guru Maharaja wanted to appoint somebody as acarya, why did he not
say? He said so many things, and this point he missed? The real point?
And they insist upon it. They declared some unfit person to become
acarya. Then another ….
 
This is a very clear explanation of what NOT to do after our acarya leaves our vision. If you want to
fail, then appoint, elect, create an acarya board, etc or whatever you fantasize, but none of it will work.
Why not? Because none of these things were the order of Srila Prabhupada.
Also important in this statement is the idea that Srila  Bhaktisiddhanta Maharaj would not leave this world AND leave the continuation of his Gaudiya matha UNCLEAR to his disciples. And because  Srila Prabhupada is bringing up this point, then why would HE also leave the continuation of HIS movement UNCLEAR?? Prabhupada never left anything unclear and would ask his disciples several times in a conversation –“Is that clear”? So this most important thing, “THE REAL POINT” how the movement would go on, he left –THIS UNCLEAR?? What an absurd idea and proposition.
 
 
6)PKP                    PHALGUNA KRISHNA PANCAMI
23.  If everyone just initiates then there will only be a
     contradictory result. As long as it goes on there will be only
     failure.
 

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Why keep and serve Srimati Tulasi devi?

July 26, 2021 in Articles

Antya 3.224--Determined to deliver all the fallen souls, Advaita Ācārya decided to cause Kṛṣṇa to descend. With this vow, he began to offer Ganges water and tulasī leaves to worship the Lord.
Antya 3.225--Similarly, Haridāsa Ṭhākura chanted in his cave on the bank of the Ganges with the intention to cause Kṛṣṇa’s descent.
Antya 3,226—Because of the devotional service of these two persons, Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu descended as an incarnation. Thus He preached the holy name of the Lord and ecstatic love of Kṛṣṇa to deliver the entire world.
 

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Making gold from copper by drinking mercury at night-Warning-don’t try this at home!

July 21, 2021 in Articles

April 29 1974conversations Hyderabad
Devotee: They are attracted by wonderful things such as Sai Baba. He is doing so many wonderful things. People…
Prabhupāda: That is, means rascal. He does not see Kṛṣṇa’s wonderful. If you want to see wonderful things, why don’t you see the more wonderful things? But they are foolish; they are captivated with small wonderful things. That means less intelligent. Just like small children, they will be amazed by seeing small wonderful things, but his father will not be. What is the amazement, wonderful thing, Sai Baba has done? If he is creator of gold, then why he is doing business of incense? You know that? He has a big incense business exactly like us. He can create gold? Why there is incense business? [break] Caitanya Mahāprabhu used to give to His mother some gold when there was need of money. “Mother, I got this gold. So you can utilize it.” The mother would think that “We are poor men, we have no gold. Wherefrom this boy brings gold?” So he (she) was doubtful because he (she) was thinking, “My son is mad, sometimes crazy.” So he (she) would go, “Is it real gold? Just see.” Then. “Yes, it is real gold.” “Hm, how He got it?” You see. [break] …many yogis, they make such gold for meeting their expenditures. Yes. Still in India they know how to make gold from copper. Yes. The process is they will drink mercury at night, and in the morning they will urine on the copper coins. And then, after some hours, the copper coins taken and put into the fire, it becomes gold. And it is scientific that some molecules of mercury, if mixed with copper, it is gold. Gold is combination of mercury and copper. But the people cannot mix it. They have tried. That is called alchemist. They tried to mix it. Because they do not know the process, as soon as mercury is put into fire, it immediately goes out. You melt copper, and in hot copper, if you put mercury, it will not melt together. Immediately it will throw away. So some of the yogis, they know. They digest copper, er, mercury, and it comes in the form, urine. And then the copper is put there. There is an interaction, and then put into fire. It becomes gold.
Gargamuni: So we should start manufacturing.
Prabhupāda: You first of all eat mercury then. (laughter) You’ll be finished. [break] …no scarcity. Why should we go to imitate the rascals? We have got enough gold. Kṛṣṇa is supplying gold whenever we require. [break] …artha–prayojanam. Whatever you need, Kṛṣṇa will supply, if you actually remain dependent on Kṛṣṇa. There are so many literatures of different groups, but who is selling so much? Forty thousand, fifty thousand daily? Unless Kṛṣṇa is helping us. In the history no religion book have sold thirty thousand, forty thousand daily. There is no history. So why don’t you see this wonderful thing? All the money that I have brought from USA, India, it is all book fund. Nobody has given. George has given. That is not in cash. And he gave that two lakhs. That was spent for Kṛṣṇa Book. So wherefrom the cash is coming?

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Haridas thakur discusses nama bhasa chanting with Lord Caitanya

July 21, 2021 in Articles

Hari das thakur discusses namabhasa chanting with Lord Gauranga
 
Antya 3.49–One day Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu met Haridāsa Ṭhākura as usual, and in the course of discussion He inquired as follows.
 
Antya 3.50–“My dear Ṭhākura Haridāsa, in this age of Kali most people are bereft of Vedic culture, and therefore they are called yavanas. They are concerned only with killing cows and brahminical culture. In this way they all engage in sinful acts.
PURPORT-From this statement by Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu we can clearly understand that the word yavana does not refer only to a particular class of men. Anyone who is against the behavior of the Vedic principles is called a yavana. Such a yavana may be in India or outside of India. As described here, the symptom of yavanas is that they are violent killers of cows and brahminical culture. …. It is said that the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement will be prominent within the next ten thousand years, but after that people will all become mlecchas and yavanas. Thus at the end of the yuga, Kṛṣṇa will appear as the Kalki avatāra and kill them without consideration.
 
Antya 3.51--“How will these yavanas be delivered? To My great unhappiness, I do not see any way.”
Antya 3.52-Haridāsa Ṭhākura replied, “My dear Lord, do not be in anxiety. Do not be unhappy to see the condition of the yavanas in material existence.
PURPORT-These words of Haridāsa Ṭhākura are just befitting a devotee who has dedicated his life and soul to the service of the Lord. When the Lord is unhappy because of the condition of the fallen souls, the devotee consoles Him, saying, “My dear Lord, do not be in anxiety.” This is service. Everyone should adopt the cause of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu to try to relieve Him from the anxiety He feels. This is actually service to the Lord. One who tries to relieve Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s anxiety for the fallen souls is certainly a most dear and confidential devotee of the Lord. To blaspheme such a devotee who is trying his best to spread the cult of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu is the greatest offense. One who does so is simply awaiting punishment for his envy.
 
Antya 3.53-“Because the yavanas are accustomed to saying, ‘hā rāma, hā rāma’ [O Lord Rāmacandra], they will very easily be delivered by this nāmābhāsa.

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Prabhupada gives the sauce to the karmis and disciples-hogs dogs camels and asses

July 20, 2021 in Articles

May 31 1974-Conversation with Mr Hennis of the UN’s Labor organization
 
Yogeśvara: They are making better organizations, but they are not giving any example to the people.
Prabhupāda: Everyone is concocting some ideas, and they are going on as different organization. That’s all. No standard idea. The standard idea is there in the Bhagavad-gītā, that cows should be given protection, go-rakṣya. Who is following this? Everyone is making plan how to kill cows in a more scientific way. This is going on. Who is taking the instruction of Bhagavad-gītā? Nobody is taking. Even in India where Bhagavad-gītā is originally, these rascals also not taking. And they have become so brainless. Therefore the whole human society is a dead society. And the dead society’s dressing, decorating, is useless waste of time. That’s all. Their education, their advancement… He has no brain. What is the use of education? That is said by Cāṇakya Paṇḍita, that snake is a snake. Do you think a snake decorated with a jewel on the hood is gentleman? Similarly, a man without brain, so-called education, is just like a jewel on the head of a serpent. Kim asau na bhayaṅkara. Cāṇakya Paṇḍita asks “Whether a snake with jewel on the head is not fearful? He is as much fearful as the other snake without the jewel.” Similarly, if a human being has no brain, with his so-called education or no education, it is as good. The education has no value.He does not know what is good work, what is bad work, what is my aim of life, what is this body, what is the soul? If these things he does not know, then what is the value of his education? So the man is not satisfied?
Guru-gaurāṅga: He was in a hurry to get out.
Yogeśvara: Oh, yes. He asked me to excuse him to you. He had a meeting to go to.
Prabhupāda: I would say “If he has no brain, what is the use of going to a meeting?” (laughter) Our only… Śva-viḍ-varāhoṣṭra-kharaiḥ saṁstutaḥ puruṣaḥ paśuḥ [SB 2.3.19]. The men are like dogs, hogs, camels and asses. What they will do? Meeting of the dogs, hogs, camels and asses will be any beneficial to the society? We are very pessimistic, and our conclusion, that anyone who is not Kṛṣṇa conscious, he is dogs, hogs, camels, asses, that’s all. No brain, animal. Animal has got brain: how to eat, how to sleep, how to have sex life. So these people, they have got brain for that purposes only. That is animal life. Actually, they do not know what is the aim of life, why people should be educated, why human society should be organized. They do not know. Bahir-artha-māninaḥ.
Enamored by these big, big buildings. That’s all. “Oh, they are so advanced.” And naturally, the common man comes to the European or American city, he says, “Oh, Americans are very rich.” “Rich” means they have piled up stones and bricks, that’s all. This is their richness. What is there in the richness here? But people are common men. They think that this piling of bricks and stone is like real civilization. What do you think? Is that real civilization?
Yogeśvara: No.
Prabhupāda: Piling of bricks and stones? Heaps of stones and bricks? That is emblem of civilization? They have seen. In Rome they have seen. They also piled like that. Now they have gone. Where they have gone? Why they left? Why they were obliged to leave? That nobody is questioning. And if he has got a different body, if he is living in that house as cats and dogs and rats and ants, then what benefit he has derived? There is possibility. If you have got an attraction for the body, for your house, but you are not going to get a human body, then you’ll have to take your birth in that place, as tree, as plant, as live as rat or cat or ant. You have to live. Nature will give you advantage. But you must get the body according to your karma. That you cannot violate. Where is this science discussed? As soon as we shall speak gentleman like them, they will say, “I have got meeting.”
Yogeśvara: Yes, “I must leave.”
Prabhupāda: Ah, “I must leave.” When we come to real proposition, immediately they want to leave. This is their brain.
Yogeśvara: Every time a gentleman like that comes or a man like that comes and we get too close to the point about Kṛṣṇa consciousness, they seem to become afraid.
Prabhupāda: No, as soon as we raise this question, killing, he became sorry. He has no answer. Therefore he wants to be out, evade. “Why Christians are killing?”Anyone I raise this question, immediately he becomes stopped, mum, dumb. That’s all. Christian community, there are so many. Practically the majority of the human society, they are Christian. They are the persons who are indulging in killing. And where is Christian? Judging from the Ten Commandments, there is not a single Christian, not a single, and still, they are going, the Pope, the cardinal, the priest, the church. All simply show-bottles, that’s all. There is no life. And therefore it is dwindling. Practically… Just like our Los Angeles was Christian Church. Nobody was coming. Therefore it was sold. And now there is no place to accommodate devotees. Life is lost in Christian religion. Nobody is interested, no more. And within a few years, it will be lost. It is lost in… I have seen in England. Nobody is going to church. All churches are being closed. How long you will cheat? What is that?
Yogeśvara: Juice.
Prabhupāda: I have got it. You can distribute it.
Puṣṭa-kṛṣṇa: Prabhupāda, they have the philosophy that, generally when we ask them, that “God created the world for us to enjoy.” That is what the Christian generally says, that “The world is made for us to enjoy.”
Prabhupāda: But enjoy does not mean that you enjoy sinfully.Did God give that document, that “You enjoy as you like, sinfully.” Enjoy.There is prescription. You enjoy to the prescription. God says, tena tyaktena bhuñjīthā mā gṛdhaḥ kasya svid dhanam [Īśo mantra 1]. You simply enjoy what is allotted to you. Don’t encroach upon other’s property. This is God’s injunction. You enjoy. As human being, you enjoy life. You have got food grains, fruits, flowers, milk. Enjoy life. Offer to Kṛṣṇa. Enjoy life. Why should you kill animal? That is God’s… Tena tyaktena bhuñjīthā. He says patraṁ puṣpaṁ phalaṁ toyam [Bg. 9.26]. Why do you go to kill animals? That is not enjoyment. That means you suffer, therefore you are suffering. You are creating suffering. So this man is at least informed that they have no brain.
Yogeśvara: Maybe he will tell them at his meeting.
Prabhupāda: (laughter) But he could not defend that he has got brain, yes. So however these men may declare very, very big, we know that “You have no brain. You are as good as animal.” Therefore Bhāgavata says, śva-viḍ-varāhoṣṭra-kharaiḥ: [SB 2.3.19] “These classes of men are no better than the dogs, hogs, camels and asses.” Bhāgavata school will not approve of these rascals as human being. They are so strict. If one is not on the platform of God consciousness, he is not human being. He is animal. That’s a fact. But we should not hate the animals because our mission is to bring them to the human consciousness. You cannot expect that your audience should be all highly brain. No. Preaching is required because they have no brain. Therefore your duty is to tolerate all difficulties and bring them to the sense of brain. Not that “These people are animals; we shall not mix with them.” Then you have no missionary activities. Then you sit down in a place and chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. Then don’t open centers. That is also dangerous. If we imitate Haridāsa Ṭhākura, “Let us all chant and do nothing,” then the māyā, the women, they are very expert. They could not conquer over Haridāsa Ṭhākura, but she’ll conquer upon you. And become victim. Therefore we have to be active. We cannot imitate Haridāsa. Anyone who has imitated the Haridāsa Ṭhākura, he has fallen down. He has fallen. He must fall down because imitating the highest personality, for which he is not fit. Therefore he’s going to fall down. When by preaching, by chanting, we will be expert, then it is possible.
Some Conclusions–What I like about this conversation is how Prabhupada just pounces upon practically the entire so called human so called society. And who can argue with him and his valid points? They are all, unfortunately, true. And today some 47 years later, it has only gotten worse. And that also nobody can deny.
He makes the point of piling up bricks and stones and foolish people consider this “advancement” and then he asks the question what happen to all those Romans who did the same thing and then asks “why were they obliged to leave?” Meaning they did not want to die, like ourselves as well, but were forced out of those human bodies to suffer their fate elsewhere.
 This point is where  some or many of his guests all say, “I have to go to a meeting” or something like that. Prabhupada is not against big buildings-if they are connected to some Krsna Conscious activity. Then it has some value. But a large number of zeros are still zero-unless you add a one (Krsna) to the front of those zeros.
The last point in particular hit home with me about preaching to those people with no brains, which includes just about everyone who has not dedicated his or her life to Krsna conscious activity. Recently I hired a local handyman who is a nice guy and loves to talk about God and his own realizations. But the last talk we had he said he did not believe God could be present in His name. And no matter what I said, he still would not believe it possible . Why he thinks like this I still don’t know because he just says-I dont believe that !,  
And I was ready to give up on him until I read the above where Prabhupada says we must preach to these people-especially those who believe in God and this fellow does because he says God helped him get rid of drugs and a bad lifestyle some 20 years ago. 
And if we don’t try to help these people,  and we simply sit in one place and chant Hare Krsna then we will fall down because we are not Haridas Thakur. Prabhupada says….”“Let us all chant and do nothing,” then the māyā, the women, they are very expert.”….
On the large scale, iskcon is very messed up and not likely to change anytime soon, but on the local and personal level, we individually  need to preach to whomever we meet. That is the order of Mahaprabhu. So Krsna has arranged this fellow to come to our ashram and he loves to discuss religious activity but is in almost total ignorance of what this constitutes. So I must continue to help him some way or other….
Hare Krsna
damaghosa das
———————————-
SP says… if we don’t preach then in a couple years there will be no more… Hari Hari bol…
There are many reasons why this preaching mood will stop
letter karandhar oc8 1974
I wanted you all my experienced disciples should manage the whole institution very cleverly without any personal ambition like ordinary materialistic men. The Gaudiya Math institution has become smashed, at least stopped its program of preaching work on account of personal ambitions.

 
sept 30 1975 letter gurukripa
My Dear Gurukrpa Swami:
Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter addressed to Rupanuga das dated September 16, 1975 and have noted the contents. Why is there this politics? This is not good. If politics come, then the preaching will be stopped. That is the difficulty. As soon as politics come, everything is spoiled. In the Gaudiya Math the politics is still going on. My GuruMaharaja left in 1936, and now it is 1976, so after 40 years the litigation is still going on. Do not come to this.

june 7 1976 letter to Nitai
Please accept my blessings. I have received information that some of our devotees are mixing with the babajis in Vrindaban. This has produced so many problems amongst our men and women who visit Vrindaban. Here in Los Angeles, we have found that there is a group of about 40 devotees who privately meet to discuss the intimate pastimes artificially thinking that they can enter into the understanding of the gopis prematurely. This will create havoc in our society, and the result will be that if this is allowed to go on, our preaching work will be greatly hampered. This premature desire to understand the lila of Krishna is due to mundane sex-life desire as we have seen amongst many of the babajis and sahajiyas in Vrindaban.

 
Adi 12.8 purport….
 Despite the spiritual master’s order to form a governing body and execute the missionary activities of the GauḍīyaMaṭha, the two unauthorized factions began litigation that is still going on after forty years with no decision.
Therefore, we do not belong to any faction. But because the two parties, busy dividing the material assets of the GauḍīyaMaṭha institution, stopped the preaching work, we took up the mission of Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura and Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura to preach the cult of CaitanyaMahāprabhu all over the world, under the protection of all the predecessor ācāryas, and we find that our humble attempt has been successful. 
jan19 1974 Hawaii
Those who are in the preaching work, they are very much recognized by Kṛṣṇa. He says, “Nobody is dearer than him, one who is preaching, engaged in the preaching.” You see in the Bhagavad-gītā.So those who have stopped preaching work and easy-going imitation, that is not very good. Because how far he’s advanced? Because he goes to the forest and he’ll think of woman and money, what is the use? By his action, it will be proved. The same way, taking rest, sleeping, and doing everything whimsically. SoKṛṣṇa knows everything. How can you cheat Kṛṣṇa, by so-called forest-going? Because your enemy, your senses have gone with you. So how you can get out by going to the forest? Because your real enemies are your senses. So the enemies, you cannot escape. They’ll force you again to these material activities. So what is the use of going to the forest? It is simply show, make show. It has no value. Chant HareKṛṣṇa. (end)
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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the power and potency of chanting the Holy Name

July 15, 2021 in Articles

Antya 1.96-The Lord inquired, “What kind of book are you writing?” He held up a palm leaf that was a page of the manuscript, and when He saw the fine handwriting, His mind was very pleased.
Antya 1.97--Thus being pleased, the Lord praised the writing by saying, “The handwriting of Rūpa Gosvāmī is just like rows of pearls.”
Antya 1.98-While reading the manuscript, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu saw a verse on that page, and as soon as He read it He was overwhelmed by ecstatic love.
Antya 1.99-“I do not know how much nectar the two syllables ‘Kṛṣ-ṇa’ have produced. When the holy name of Kṛṣṇa is chanted, it appears to dance within the mouth. We then desire many, many mouths. When that name enters the holes of the ears, we desire many millions of ears. And when the holy name dances in the courtyard of the heart, it conquers the activities of the mind, and therefore all the senses become inert.”
PURPORT-This verse is included in the Vidagdha-mādhava (1.15), a seven-act play written by Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī describing the pastimes of Śrī Kṛṣṇa in Vṛndāvana.
Antya 1.100-When Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu chanted this verse, Haridāsa Ṭhākura, upon hearing the vibration, became jubilant and began dancing and praising its meaning.
Antya 1.101-–One has to learn about the beauty and transcendental position of the holy name of the Lord by hearing the revealed scriptures from the mouths of devotees. Nowhere else can we hear of the sweetness of the Lord’s holy name.
PURPORT-It is said in the Padma Purāṇa, ataḥ śrī-kṛṣṇa-nāmādi na bhaved grāhyam indriyaiḥ. Chanting and hearing of the transcendental holy name of the Lord cannot be performed by the ordinary senses. The transcendental vibration of the Lord’s holy name is completely spiritual. Thus it must be received from spiritual sources and must be chanted after having been heard from a spiritual master. One who hears the chanting of the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra must receive it from the spiritual master by aural reception. Śrīla Sanātana Gosvāmī has forbidden us to hear the holy name of Kṛṣṇa chanted by non-Vaiṣṇavas, such as professional actors and singers, for it will have no effect. It is like milk touched by the lips of a serpent, as stated in the padma purāṇa: avaiṣṇava-mukhodgīrṇaṁ pūtaṁ hari-kathāmṛtam śravaṇaṁ naiva kartavyaṁ sarpocchiṣṭaṁ yathā payaḥ As far as possible, therefore, the devotees in the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement gather to chant the holy name of Kṛṣṇa in public so that both the chanters and the listeners may benefit.
 
Some Conclusions—The main point being made here is that anybody can chant God’s name, but the real benefit (love of God) only can come from the Lords pure devotees. Many diferent religions teach their followers to chant Gods names as they know them, but none of these religions know anything about the offenses to their chanting of the Lords Holy Names.

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Krsna Consciousness means….SP

July 13, 2021 in Articles

kṛṣṇa-tattva, bhakti-tattva, prema-tattva sāra
bhāva-tattva, rasa-tattva, līlā-tattva āra
 
Madhya 25.265–TRANSLATION-Kṛṣṇa consciousness means understanding the truth of Kṛṣṇa, the truth of devotional service, the truth of love of Godhead, the truth of emotional ecstasy, the truth of transcendental mellow and the truth of the pastimes of the Lord.
 
Madhya 25.266–Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu has personally preached the transcendental truths and mellows of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam and the Supreme Personality of Godhead are identical, for Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is the sound incarnation of Śrī Kṛṣṇa.
 
Madhya 25.268-All sane men within these three worlds certainly accept the conclusion that no one is more merciful and magnanimous than Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu and that no one is as kind to His devotees.
 
Madhya 25.269-All devotees should hear about Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s pastimes with faith and love. By the grace of the Lord, one can thus attain shelter at His lotus feet.
 
Madhya 25.270-By understanding the pastimes of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, one can understand the truth about Kṛṣṇa. By understanding Kṛṣṇa, one can understand the limit of all knowledge described in various revealed scriptures.

Madhya 25.271-–The pastimes of Lord Kṛṣṇa are the essence of all nectar. They flow in hundreds of rivulets and in all directions. The pastimes of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu are an eternal reservoir, and one is advised to let his mind swim like a swan on this transcendental lake.
 

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Devotee means above the social positions of brahmana, sudra,etc–SP

July 8, 2021 in Articles

April 20 1974 Hyderabad conversations.
Prabhupāda: So we must know how to please Kṛṣṇa. Generally, the śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ [SB 7.5.23], that is pleasing. Therefore these rules and regulation for everyone. But when one becomes mature devotee, he knows how to please Kṛṣṇa. He knows.
Nitāi: One question came up the other day when I was talking with this clergyman.
Prabhupāda: Clergyman?
Nitāi: Yes, that man I was talking to was a clergyman.
Prabhupāda: Where he was?
Nitāi: He was on the airplane when we were coming here to Hyderabad. And he was asking what our program was. And I was telling him that first of all, in order to relieve the confusion of society, we wanted to establish the Vedic culture with this varṇāśrama system. And he asked me what would be the program that we would have for a man who works in the factory…
Prabhupāda: He is a śūdra.
Nitāi: Would we retrain him as a farmer?
Prabhupāda: No, if he is prepared. If not, let him remain. But we can utilize that śūdra also.
Nitāi: He can remain in the factory.
Prabhupāda: Yes. But he cannot do the work of a brāhmaṇa. He cannot be trained as a preacher. But he can help. Just like my legs. The legs cannot do the work of brain, but it can help me. I am walking. So leg is as important as the brain. Similarly, śūdra is as important as the brāhmaṇa, provided he helps the movement, Kṛṣṇa conscious. That is wanted, not that artificially a śūdra should be working as a brāhmaṇa, no. But everyone should be engaged in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That is required.
Nitāi: So in that case he is a śūdra, and he is also doing the work of a…
Prabhupāda: Then he is not a śūdra. One who is engaged in Kṛṣṇa’s service, he is neither brāhmaṇa nor śūdra. He is devotee. He is brahma-bhūta [SB 4.30.20]. Brahma-bhūyāya kalpate [Bg. 14.26]. Apparently he looks like śūdra. Just like we have got so many men from different quarters, but we do not belong to that quarter any more. Vaiṣṇave jāti-buddhiḥ.Therefore anyone who takes, “Oh, here is an American Vaiṣṇava, here is an Indian Vaiṣṇava,” that is nārakī. He is Vaiṣṇava. That understanding required.
Mahāṁsa: Just like that devotee who was making garlands for Kṛṣṇa.
Prabhupāda: Yes.
Mahāṁsa: He is a devotee. He is not a śūdra making garlands.
Prabhupāda: No. He is not a ordinary gardener.
Pañcadraviḍa: Or that devotee who was making leaf bowls for worshiping the Ganges.
Prabhupāda: Any engagement, any engagement for Kṛṣṇa, he is Vaiṣṇava. If he is under the guidance of his spiritual master and doing the business according to the direction, he is Vaiṣṇava. He is above all these.
Pañcadraviḍa: A śūdra, if he is working, he cannot take brāhmaṇa initiation, but he can take hari-nāma, is that it?
Prabhupāda: Just like sometimes our men, my devotee, they wash the cupboard. Does it mean he is a methar(?)? No. He can go to the Deity room also. He is not a methar(?) or sweeper. But sometimes we do that. So devotee is above all these consideration. But because there is management, they should appear as brāhmaṇa, as śūdra, as kṣatriya, like that.
sa guṇān samatītyaitān brahma-bhūyāya kalpate māṁ ca vyabhicariṇi bhakti-yogena yaḥ sevate
[Bg. 14.26]
A devotee, because he is working as a śūdra, he is not a śūdra; neither he is a brāhmaṇa. He is already in the spiritual platform. But for management we have to do that. One can do the śūdra’s work nicely—let him be engaged in that way. Why he should imitate?
Mahāṁsa: Does he get second initiation?
Prabhupāda: Everything he will get.
Mahāṁsa: He gets.
Prabhupāda: Yes. Second initiation means recognized: “Now he has become fully competent Vaiṣṇava.” Just like master is teaching the servant, “Now you give massage in this way, this way.” But that does not mean he has become servant.
Pañcadraviḍa: What if the person working as śūdra says, “I can do so much. I can…,”
Prabhupāda: First of all, try to understand. A devotee is neither brāhmaṇa nor śūdra. He may act like a śūdra, but he is not śūdra. He may act like a brāhmaṇa; he is not brāhmaṇa. He is Vaiṣṇava. Just like gopīs. The gopīs, they are village cowherds women. They are, according to social construction, they are not very high class. They did not belong to the brāhmaṇa class. But their worship, method of worship, has been taken the highest. Ramyā kācid upāsanā vrajavadhū-vargeṇa. They were village girls, and practically their character was also not good. Because at dead of night they are going to Kṛṣṇa.But why they have been taken as the most topmost devotee of Kṛṣṇa? Because the love was so high class. It is the test, how much one has learned to love Kṛṣṇa. That is wanted. Apparently he may appear as a brāhmaṇa, a śūdra or vaiśya. It doesn’t matter. It doesn’t matter. The only business is to see: sa vai puṁsāṁ paro dharmo yato bhaktir adho… [SB 1.2.6]. Aiye. Hare Kṛṣṇa. Jaya. That is wanted.
Pañcadraviḍa: What if the person cannot chant sixteen rounds a day. He says, “I can’t…“
Prabhupāda: Then he is not even a human being. He is a rascal. That’s all. He is not a human being. What to consider of talking…? Don’t talk about him if he cannot chant sixteen rounds. He is not even a human. He is animal. [break]
Pañcadraviḍa: …even he may be employed as factory worker or something.
Prabhupāda: Well, if you take factory workers are better than animals, that is another thing.

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There’s a new Smarta Brahmana organization on the block-Iskcon !!

July 7, 2021 in Articles

Madhya 25.118–‘When one is transcendentally situated, he can perceive Me. This perception is the basis of one‘s relationship with the Supreme Lord. Now let Me further explain this subject matter.
PURPORT–Real spiritual knowledge has to be received from revealed scriptures. After this knowledge is attained, one can begin to perceive his actual spiritual life. Any knowledge achieved by speculation is imperfect. One must receive knowledge from the paramparā system and from the guru, otherwise one will be bewildered, and will ultimately become an impersonalist. When one very scrutinizingly deliberates, he can realize the personal feature of the Absolute Truth. The Supreme Personality of Godhead is always transcendental to this material creation. Nārāyaṇaḥ paro ‘vyaktāt: Nārāyaṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is always transcendental. He is not a creation of this material world. Without realizing spiritual knowledge, one cannot understand that the transcendental form of the Lord is always beyond the creative energy. The example of the sun and sunshine is given. The sunshine is not the sun, but still the sunshine is not separate from the sun. The philosophy of acintya-bhedābheda-tattva (simultaneously one and different) cannot be understood by one who is fully under the influence of the external energy. Consequently a person under the influence of the material energy cannot understand the nature and form of the Personality of the Absolute Truth.
 
Madhya 25.120–” ‘Now please hear from Me about the process of devotional service, which is applicable in any country, for any person, at all times and in all circumstances.
PURPORT–The cult of bhāgavata–dharma can be spread in all circumstances, among all people and in all countries. Many envious people accuse this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement of spoiling the rigidity of so-called Hinduism. That is not actually the fact. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu confirms that devotional service to the Lord-the cult of bhāgavata–dharma, which is now being spread as the Hare Kṛṣṇa movement-can be spread in every country, for every person, in any condition of life, and in all circumstances. Bhāgavata–dharma does not restrict pure devotees to the Hindu community. A pure devotee is above a brāhmaṇa; therefore it is not incompatible to offer the sacred thread to devotees in Europe, America, Australia, Japan, Canada, and so on. Sometimes these pure devotees, who have been accepted by Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, are not allowed to enter certain temples in India. Some high-caste brāhmaṇas and gosvāmīs refuse to take prasāda in the temples of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness. Actually this is against the instruction of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Devotees can come from any country, and they can belong to any creed or race. On the strength of this verse, those who are actually devotees and followers of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu must accept devotees from all parts of the world as pure Vaiṣṇavas. They should be accepted not artificially but factually. One should see how they are advanced in Kṛṣṇa consciousness and how they are conducting Deity worship, saṅkīrtana and Ratha–yātrā. Considering all these points, an envious person should refrain from malicious atrocities.
 
Madhya 25.121–” ‘As far as religious principles are concerned, there is a consideration of the person, the country, the time and the circumstance. In devotional service, however, there are no such considerations. Devotional service is transcendental to all considerations.
PURPORT–When we are on the material platform, there are different types of religions-Hinduism, Christianity, Mohammedanism, Buddhism, and so on. These are instituted for a particular time, a particular country or a particular person. Consequently there are differences. Christian principles are different from Hindu principles, and Hindu principles are different from Mohammedan and Buddhist principles. These may be considered on the material platform, but when we come to the platform of transcendental devotional service, there are no such considerations. The transcendental service of the Lord (sādhana–bhakti) is above these principles. The world is anxious for religious unity, and that common platform can be achieved in transcendental devotional service. This is the verdict of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. When one becomes a Vaiṣṇava, he becomes transcendental to all these limited considerations. This is also confirmed in Bhagavad-gītā (14.26): māṁ ca yo ‘vyabhicāreṇa bhakti-yogena sevate sa guṇān samatītyaitān brahma-bhūyāya kalpate
“One who engages in full devotional service, who does not fall down in any circumstance, at once transcends the modes of material nature and thus comes to the level of Brahman.”
The devotional activities of the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement are completely transcendental to material considerations. As far as different faiths are concerned, religions may be of different types, but on the spiritual platform, everyone has an equal right to execute devotional service. That is the platform of oneness and the basis for a classless society. In his Amṛta–pravāha–bhāṣya, Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura confirms that one has to learn from a bona fide spiritual master about religious principles, economic development, sense gratification and ultimately liberation. These are the four divisions of regulated life, but they are subjected to the material platform. On the spiritual platform, the four principles are jñāna, vijñāna, tad–aṅga and tad–rahasya. Rules, regulations and restrictions are on the material platform, but on the spiritual platform one has to be equipped with transcendental knowledge, which is above the principles of religious rituals. Mundane religious activity is known as smārta–viddhi, but transcendental devotional service is called Gosvāmī-viddhi. Unfortunately many so-called gosvāmīs are on the platform of smārta–viddhi, yet they try to pass as Gosvāmī-viddhi, and thus the people are cheated. Gosvāmī-viddhi is strictly explained in Sanātana Gosvāmī’s Hari–bhakti–vilāsa, wherein it is stated: yathā kāñcanatāṁ yāti kāṁsyaṁ rasa-vidhānataḥ tathā dīṣkā-vidhānena dvijatvaṁ jāyate nṛṇām
The conclusion is that devotional service is open for everyone, regardless of caste, creed, time and country. This Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is functioning according to this principle.
 
Some Conclusions–– Srila Prabhupada writes above….A pure devotee is above a brāhmaṇa; therefore it is not incompatible to offer the sacred thread to devotees in Europe, America, Australia, Japan, Canada, and so on. Sometimes these pure devotees, who have been accepted by Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, are not allowed to enter certain temples in India.
I find this point he makes about his disciples being pure devotees interesting. For one who has studied his teachings in his books, we will find many points about classes of devotees, the neophytes being the lowest, then Madhyama being second class and Uttama adhikari being the top most. And this is not the only place he mentions (twice in this purport) that his disciples being pure devotees. 
Of course that recognition of purity comes with the total acceptance and obedience to Srila Prabhupada that distinguishes those pure devotees from those devotees who are still so called  religionists, (smarta brahmanas) or those who do not follow 100% of his instructions.
He writes…Unfortunately many so-called gosvāmīs are on the platform of smārta–viddhi, yet they try to pass as Gosvāmī-viddhi, and thus the people are cheated. 
 
So what is just one distinguishing characteristic of  a smarta brahmana from a goswami brahmana? 
He writes….
When we are on the material platform, there are different types of religions-Hinduism, Christianity, Mohammedanism, Buddhism, and so on. These are instituted for a particular time, a particular country or a particular person.
 
Now we will explain how iskcon has changed things according to their time and circumstances 
 

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“Accident” is not a word in the Vedic dictionary–SP

July 5, 2021 in Articles

Oct 14 Johannesbury 1975 conversations

Prabhupāda: Nothing happens accidentally. According to Vedic literature, there is no such word as “accident.” The word is adṛṣṭa: There is cause; I cannot see it. Adṛṣṭa. It is not in my vision, but there is cause. There is no question of accident.
Harikeśa: What about when somebody is born with three arms or eight toes?
Prabhupāda: There is karma, cause, but I cannot ascertain. To me the cause is invisible. Therefore, we take adṛṣṭa. But there is cause.
Harikeśa: They always reason that because somebody is born like that, that sometimes somebody could be born from an ape like a man.
Prabhupāda: Huh?
Harikeśa: Over a very long period of time… Let’s say in one ape somebody was born without hair, and then after a long period of time in the same line from that person who was born without hair…
Prabhupāda: But why the ape does not give birth now?
Harikeśa: But we have not seen all the apes.
Prabhupāda: But how do you suggest?
Harikeśa: It’s just a theory.
Prabhupāda: Then you’ll… Then what you have not seen, how you can suggest? What is not in your experience, how you can suggest? Then anyone will suggest any nonsense, and we will have to accept?
Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: So that is the rascaldom.
Prabhupāda: That is rascaldom. How you can suggest?
Harikeśa: Even he says it was just a theory.
Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: But now, Prabhupāda, they say that they have been to the moon, and we’re saying that the moon is so far away. And they have their pictures also to prove it.
Prabhupāda: Picture you can manufacture here.
Harikeśa: And they have earth dust as if it came from the moon.
Prabhupāda: And the other scientist says this kind dust can be had here. So what is the proof they went there? It can be collected here.
Harikeśa: And their dust does not reflect. They say the moon is reflective, but the dust and the pictures, it was all dark gray. No reflection.
Prabhupāda: So therefore if I say that they did not go to the moon, how they can support?
Harikeśa: They cannot prove. They are so clever and sophisticated with their nonsense, they can even make the astronauts believe…
Prabhupāda: Therefore I asked you to ask them, “Why Sunday first and Monday next?”
Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: It’s very conceivable that they could have tricked everyone. They simply have a video. They go up in a space ship around. They simply show a film from the space ship back to the earth, how they were practicing in the Arizona desert and they collected some rocks and took it with them. It’s very easy.
Harikeśa: Sanka dāsa, you know, in Bombay? He was in the CIA. And they…, when he was in Vietnam, they knocked him out one day and they brought him to a dentist and they took out three of his teeth, and they put in these little transistors. And these little transistors were connected to his brain. And they would talk to him and make him do things by speaking into these transistors into his brain. And if he ever said anything wrong…, like he was not supposed to reveal secrets. And if he ever revealed a secret, they would try to kill him by making a signal go to his brain, and they can explode his brain. So conceivably they can trick the astronauts completely like that by putting things and making them think like they went to the moon.
Prabhupāda: Śaṅkara dāsa?
Harikeśa: Yes. He was saying… And when he got out of the Army he had so much pain in his teeth he went to a dentist, and he took out all of his teeth. That’s why he has no teeth, because all of his teeth had these little things inside them. And one…
Prabhupāda: He is in Bombay now?
Harikeśa: Yes, he’s the gardener, you know, the one who gives you the flower every morning.
Prabhupāda: So he was troubled.
Harikeśa: Oh, yes. He had very much trouble because of it.
Prabhupāda: So he has got artificial teeth? No.
Harikeśa: No. Now he has no teeth. He’s getting some teeth. They’re making some. The dentist is working free in Bombay.
Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: The CIA, they’re going to build a television set in his mouth. (laughing)
Harikeśa: They do that with all their men, he said. They put things in the mouth so that they can control the people. And they listen to what they say because they can also hear anything he says. So somebody is listening all the time to all their special agents under the ground. They never come out of the ground. They stay under the ground all the time, and they listen to all the secret agents and all the conversations. And they control them. They speak things to them, tell them what to eat.
Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Demoniac.
Harikeśa: He says they even control the president that way. They can even make the president go crazy or kill him if he ever becomes a traitor or something like that.
Prabhupāda: Dangerous, huh? That is CIA? The CIA is maintained by government?
Harikeśa: Oh, yes. That’s why everybody is very afraid.
Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Sometimes they think that the government is maintained by the CIA. (laughing)
Harikeśa: The CIA even has laser beam guns where they can shoot somebody with this laser beam gun and they disintegrate completely, like they never existed. They shoot light out of a gun and it just goes-tssh-completely finished. [break]
…..

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Lord Caitanya instructs Sanatana goswami about mantras, devotees and behavior, and much more–SP

July 3, 2021 in Articles

Hare Krsna-Below are a few verses and purports from the famous CC Madhya  chapter 24 which is an ocean of nectar and information concerning devotees, behavior, mantras, Deities and the spiritual master. I have not included everything contained in that chapter because it is just too voluminous. If one is  a serious devotee they are well advised to consult this specific chapter themselves for the complete picture that Srila Prabhupada gives to us about poure devotional service and attaining love of Godhead-Krsna
Hare Krsna
damaghosa das
——————————–
Madhya 24.330 purport…
“One who engages in full devotional service, who does not fall down in any circumstances at once transcends the modes of material nature and thus comes to the level of Brahman.” When one engages in the Supreme Lord’s devotional service, he is in a transcendental position. Even though one may be situated in the mode of goodness in the material world, he is susceptible to pollution by the modes of passion and ignorance. When the mode of goodness is mixed with the mode of passion, one worships the sun-god, Vivasvān. When the mode of goodness is mixed with the mode of ignorance, he worships Gaṇapati, or Gaṇeśa. When the mode of passion is mixed with the mode of ignorance, one worships Durgā, or Kālī, the external potency. When one is simply in the mode of ignorance, he becomes a devotee of Lord Śiva because Lord Śiva is the predominating deity of the mode of ignorance within this material world. However, when one is completely free from the influence of all the modes of material nature, he becomes a pure Vaiṣṇava on the devotional platform. Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī states in the Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu: anyābhilāṣitā-śūnyaṁ jñāna-karmādy-anāvṛtam ānukūlyena kṛṣṇānu-
śīlanaṁ bhaktir uttamā ..The position of viśuddha-sattva is the position of uncontaminated goodness. On that platform, one can then understand, ārādhyo bhagavān vrajeśa-tanayas tad-dhāma vṛndāvanam: “The Supreme Personality of Godhead, the son of Nanda Mahārāja, is to be worshiped along with His transcendental abode, Vṛndāvana.”
The word sarva-mantra-vicāraṇa means “considering all different types of mantras.” There are different kinds of mantras for different kinds of devotees. There are the mantras known as the dvādaśākṣara, and these are composed of twelve syllables. Similarly, there are mantras composed of eighteen syllables-the Nārasiṁha mantra, the Rāma mantra, Gopāla mantra and so on. Each and every mantra has its own spiritual significance. The spiritual master has to select a mantra for his disciple according to the disciple’s ability to chant different mantras.
Madhya 24.331—
purport…If one actually wants to serve Kṛṣṇa, it doesn’t matter whether one is a śūdra, vaiśya, or even a woman. If one is sincerely eager to chant the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra or dīkṣā-mantra, he is qualified to be initiated according to the pāñcarātrika process. According to Vedic principles, only a brāhmaṇa who is fully engaged in his occupational duties can be initiated. Śūdras and women are not admitted to a vaidika initiation. Unless one is fit according to the estimation of the spiritual master, one cannot accept a mantra from the pāñcarātrika-vidhi or the vaidika-vidhi. When one is fit to accept the mantra, he is initiated by the pāñcarātrika-vidhi or the vaidika-vidhi. In any case, the result is the same.
Regarding mantra-siddhi-ādi-śodhana, the efficiency of the mantra, Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura gives sixteen divisions, which are confirmed in the Hari-bhakti-vilāsa (beginning with 1.204): siddha-sādhya-susiddhāri- kramāj jñeyo vicakṣaṇaiḥ
…Those who are initiated with the eighteen-alphabet mantra do not need to consider the above-mentioned sixteen divisions. As enjoined in the Hari-bhakti-vilāsa (1.215, 219, 220):
There is śodhana, or purification of the mantra, but there is no such consideration for the Kṛṣṇa mantra. Balitvāt kṛṣṇa-mantrāṇāṁ saṁskārāpekṣaṇaṁ na hi. “The Kṛṣṇa mantra is so strong that there is no question of śodhana. (1.235)
As far as dīkṣā is concerned, one should consult Madhya-līlā, Chapter Fifteen (108). On the whole, when a person is initiated according to the pāñcarātrika-vidhi, he has already attained the position of a brāhmaṇa. This is enjoined in the Hari-bhakti-vilāsa (2.12):yathā kāñcanatāṁ yāti kāṁsyaṁ rasa-vidhānataḥ tathā dīkṣā-vidhānena dvijatvaṁ jāyate nṛṇām
“As bell metal can be turned into gold when treated with mercury, a disciple initiated by a bona fide guru immediately attains the position of a brāhmaṇa.”
As far as the time of dīkṣā (initiation) is concerned, everything depends on the position of the guru. As soon as a bona fide guru is received by chance or by a program, one should immediately take the opportunity to receive initiation. In the book called Tattva-sāgara, it is stated:
“If, by chance, one gets a sad-guru, it doesn’t matter whether one is in the temple or the forest. If the sad-guru, the bona fide spiritual master, agrees, one can be initiated immediately, without waiting for a suitable time or place.”
In the early morning hours (known as brāhma-muhūrta) one should get up and immediately chant the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, or, at least, “Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa.” In this way, one should remember Kṛṣṇa. Some ślokas or prayers should also be chanted. By chanting, one immediately becomes auspicious and transcendental to the infection of material qualities. Actually one has to chant and remember Lord Kṛṣṇa twenty-four hours daily, or as much as possible. smartavyaḥ satataṁ viṣṇur vismartavyo na jātucit sarve vidhi-niṣedhāḥ syur etayor eva kiṅkarāḥ
“Kṛṣṇa is the origin of Lord Viṣṇu. He should always be remembered and never forgotten at any time. All the rules and prohibitions mentioned in the śāstras should be the servants of these two principles.” This is a quotation from padma Purāṇa in the portion called Bṛhat-sahasra-nāma-stotra.
Madhya 24.334-“Also describe Deity worship, wherein one should offer food to Kṛṣṇa at least five times daily. One should in due time place Kṛṣṇa on a bed. You should also describe the process for offering ārati and the worship of the Lord according to the list of five, sixteen or fifty ingredients.
PURPORT….
In the Hari-bhakti-vilāsa (Eleventh Vilāsa, verses 127-140) there is a vivid description of what is required in Deity worship. There are sixty-four items mentioned. In the temple, worship should be so gorgeous that all sixty-four items should be available for the satisfaction of the Personality of Godhead. Sometimes it is impossible to get all sixty-four items; therefore we recommend that at least on the first day of installation all sixty-four items should be available. When the Lord is established, worship with all sixty-four items should continue as far as possible. The sixty-four items are as follows:
Madhya 24.336--“You should glorify the holy name and carefully give up offenses when chanting the holy name. One should know the symptoms of a Vaiṣṇava. One must give up or nullify all kinds of sevā-aparādha, offenses in Deity worship.

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The name Hari has many meanings–SP

June 30, 2021 in Articles

Madhya 24.53--“Lord Kṛṣṇa even attracts the mind of the goddess of fortune simply by vibrating His transcendental flute.
Madhya 24.54–” ‘O Lord, we do not know how the serpent Kāliya attained such an opportunity to be touched by the dust of Your lotus feet. For this end, the goddess of fortune performed austerities for centuries, giving up all other desires and taking austere vows. Indeed, we do not know how this serpent Kāliya got such an opportunity.’
Madhya 24.59–“Although the word hari has many different meanings, two of them are foremost. One meaning is that the Lord takes away all inauspicious things from His devotee, and the second meaning is that He attracts the mind by ecstatic love for God.
Madhya 24.60–“When the devotee somehow or other always remembers the Supreme Personality of Godhead anywhere and everywhere, Lord Hari takes away life’s four miserable conditions.
PURPORT-The four miserable conditions are due to the four kinds of sinful activities, known as (1) pātaka, (2) urupātaka, (3) mahā-pātaka and (4) atipātaka-preliminary sin, very great sin, greater sin and topmost sin. However, Kṛṣṇa assures the devotee, ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo mokṣayiṣyāmi mā śucaḥ: “I will protect you from all sinful reactions. Do not fear.” The word sarva-pāpebhyaḥ indicates four kinds of sinful activity. As soon as the devotee surrenders unto Kṛṣṇa’s lotus feet, he is certainly relieved from all sinful activities and their results. The four basic sinful activities are summarized as illicit sex, intoxication, gambling and meat-eating.
Madhya 24.62–“In this way, when all sinful activities are vanquished by the grace of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, one gradually vanquishes all kinds of impediments on the path of devotional service, as well as the ignorance resulting from these impediments. After this, one totally manifests his original love of Godhead through devotional service in nine different ways-hearing, chanting and so forth.
Madhya 24.63–“When the devotee is freed from all sinful material activities, Kṛṣṇa attracts his body, mind and senses to His service. Thus Kṛṣṇa is very merciful, and His transcendental qualities are very attractive.
Madhya 24.64-“When one’s mind, senses and body are attracted to the transcendental qualities of Hari, one gives up the four principles of material success. Thus I have explained the chief meanings of the word hari.
PURPORT-The four principles of material success are (1) religious performance, (2) economic development, (3) sense gratification and (4) liberation, or merging in the impersonal effulgence of Brahman. These things do not interest the devotee.
Some Conclusions–This is a very nice sequence of verses in CC where Lord Caitanya is explaining the famous Atmarama verse of SB in 61 different ways.  Formerly He did the same with Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya but only in 18 different ways.
The essence of this conversation is that once one begins the chanting of the Holy names of Krsna, Rama and Hari, all auspicious things begin to take place. Prabhupada gave the example once of pouring milk into a glass filled with ink. The ink being our sinful activities. Once this (chanting) pouring began and was continued, the glass looked like a swirl of dark or ink colored milk, which meant that our sins were being shook up and dislodged from our hearts. In the beginning it does not look very pretty, but then neither does an old dirty closet appear nice when you open the door and find all sorts of nasty things in it.  There is a nice verse in BG which states….
BG 7.28-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.
So bottom line, lets not be discouraged, but keep pouring milk into that cup !
Madhya 24.62–“In this way,when all sinful activities are vanquished by the grace of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, one gradually vanquishes all kinds of impediments on the path of devotional service, as well as the ignorance resulting from these impediments. After this, one totally manifests his original love of Godhead through devotional service in nine different ways-hearing, chanting and so forth.
Hare Krsna
damaghosa das

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