Monthly Archives: December 2018

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by Yasoda nandana dasa

Final Instructions of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakura Prabhupada

December 29, 2018 in Articles by Yasoda nandana dasa

Final Instructions of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakura Prabhupada

On December 23rd, 1936, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Prabhupada gave his final instructions to the assembled devotees: Read the rest of this entry →

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by Damaghosa dasa

Srila Prabhupada discusses simple living at New Vrndavana 1976

December 28, 2018 in Articles by Damaghosa dasa

June 1976 New Vrndavana

Srila Prabhupada: The Western civilization is a nasty civilization, artificially increasing the necessities of life. For example, take the electric light. The electric light requires a generator, and to run the generator you need petroleum. As soon as the petroleum supply is stopped, everything will stop. But to get petroleum you have to painstakingly search it out and bore deep into the earth, sometimes in the middle of the ocean. This is ugra-karma, horrible work. The same purpose can be served by growing some castor seeds, pressing out the oil, and putting the oil into a pot with a wick. We admit that you have improved the lighting system with electricity, but to improve from the castor-oil lamp to the electric lamp you have to work very hard. You have to go to the middle of the ocean and drill and then draw out the petroleum, and in this way the real goal of your life is missed. You are in a precarious position, constantly dying and taking birth in various species of life. How to get free of this cycle of birth and death – this is your problem. And this problem is meant to be solved in the human life. You have advanced intelligence for self-realization, but instead of using your advanced intelligence for self-realization, you are utilizing it to improve from the castor-oil lamp to the electric lamp. That’s all.
Kulasekhara dasa: People would say that your suggestion is impractical. Besides, electricity does many other things besides produce light. Most of our modern comforts depend more or less on electricity.
Srila Prabhupada: In this life you may be living very comfortably, but in the next life you might become a dog.
Srila Kirtanananda Swami: People don’t believe that.
Srila Prabhupada: Whether they believe it or not, it is a fact. For example, a boy does not know that he is going to grow into a young man, but his mother and father know. If the boy says, “No, I’m not going to become a young man,” that is childish; the father and mother know that the boy will grow into a young man and that they should educate him so he can be properly situated. This is the guardians’ duty. Similarly, when we talk of transmigration of the soul, a rascal may say, “I don’t believe in it,” but it is still a fact. A rascal, a mad man, may say transmigration is not a fact, but the real fact is that he’ll have to accept another body according to the quality of his endeavor in this life. (karanam guna-sango ’sya sad-asad-yoni-janmasu).
Srila Kirtanananda Swami: What if someone says, “This life of growing the castor seeds is very difficult, and farming in general is very difficult. It is easier to go to the factory for eight hours, come home with my money, and enjoy.”

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by Damaghosa dasa

For a real guru, one can give up this professional guru–SP

December 28, 2018 in Articles by Damaghosa dasa

Hare Krsna-below in one short conversation we find two different things- Srila Prabhupada telling us that he became purified just thinking about some old devotee friend of his,….and that he got initiated by some professinal guru when he was 12 years old-a family guru. Later he rejected this man when he met Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Maharaja. 

So two things-first one is that we  also can become purified thinking  of  actual devotees and the reverse of that is that we become contaminated thinking of nonsense people who pose themselves as devotees. And second thing is that if one has accepted initiation from a person who is not a real guru, you can reject that person, and there is no sinful reaction. If you can find a bona fide guru (Srila Prabhupada) then your life become perfect. But for that one must become serious or be blessed by Lord Krsna.

damaghosa das

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July 1, 1977, Vṛndāvana

 

Prabhupāda: In Bhāgavata there are many instances, very old man married. Anyway, this gentleman was such a nice devotee. Oh.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: What was particularly nice about his devotional quality?

Prabhupāda: Hm?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Which devotional qualities particularly did he…?

Prabhupāda: Because later on he retired—he was a pleader—so whole day and night, simply devotee. Sometimes he would offer obeisances to the Deity. Actually he was old man. He’ll fall asleep by… And he would remain in that two, three hours.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Two or three hours? Wow. Wow. Completely devoted.

Prabhupāda: Oh, yes. And daily he would go to the Ganges.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: What was his name, Śrīla Prabhupāda?

Prabhupāda: His name was Nanda Dulal Phaini(?). So yesterday I was thinking of him, and I said it in my… I am being purified by thinking of him. All of a sudden.

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by Damaghosa dasa

 If you use properly your money, then you make your path parapavarga, clear.–SP

December 28, 2018 in Articles by Damaghosa dasa

Hare Krsna-I was reading the verse below at breakfast time and felt inspired to send it and a few others out as well. For those who are somewhat serious about spiritual life, they will find in these purports, verses and classes of Srila Prabhupada very informative and useful on a practical level. We don’t want theory, we want something practical that can be applied daily in our lives that will bring the desired result-no more birth and death, and love for God-Krsna. Here below, is such an approach.
damaghosa das
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SB 3.26.7-Material consciousness is the cause of one’s conditional life, in which conditions are enforced upon the living entity by the material energy. Although the spirit soul does not do anything and is transcendental to such activities, he is thus affected by conditional life.
PURPORT-The Māyāvādī philosopher, who does not differentiate between the Supreme Spirit and the individual spirit, says that the conditional existence of the living entity is his līlā, or pastime. But the word “pastime” implies employment in the activities of the Lord. The Māyāvādīs misuse the word and say that even if the living entity has become a stool-eating hog, he is also enjoying his pastimes. This is a most dangerous interpretation. Actually the Supreme Lord is the leader and maintainer of all living entities. His pastimes are transcendental to any material activity. Such pastimes of the Lord cannot be dragged to the level of the conditional activities of the living entities. In conditional life the living entity actually remains as if a captive in the hands of material energy. Whatever the material energy dictates, the conditioned soul does. He has no responsibility; he is simply the witness of the action, but he is forced to act in that way due to his offense in his eternal relationship with Kṛṣṇa. Lord Kṛṣṇa therefore says in Bhagavad-gītā that māyā, His material energy, is so forceful that it is insurmountable. But if a living entity simply understands that his constitutional position is to serve Kṛṣṇa and he tries to act on this principle, then however conditioned he may be, the influence of māyā immediately vanishes. This is clearly stated in Bhagavad-gītā, Seventh Chapter: Kṛṣṇa takes charge of anyone who surrenders to Him in helplessness, and thus the influence of māyā, or conditional life, is removed.

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by Damaghosa dasa

Offenses to pure chanting-let us discuss this important subject

December 26, 2018 in Articles by Damaghosa dasa

Hare Krsna-we shall try to discuss the very important subject of—offenses to pure chanting
Why is it that we devotees have such a hard time actually hearing the Holy Name or even each other for that matter?? The saying goes…”you can always tell a devotee, ……you just cant tell him anything”
Why do we devotees make verbal offenses over and over again to each other and think nothing of it? Isn’t the first offense to chanting Hare Krsna maha mantra not to blaspheme or unnecessarily criticize the devotees of the Lord? Lord Caitanya, who, according to the sastra, is God Himself, tells us that anybody who chants only once the Holy Names- is a Vaisnava.
Madhya 15.106-Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu replied, “Whoever chants the holy name of Kṛṣṇa just once is worshipable and is the topmost human being.
PURPORT-Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura says that simply by chanting the holy name of Kṛṣṇa once, a person becomes perfect. Such a person is understood to be a Vaiṣṇava.
March 10 1976 mayapur
Prabhupāda: No, you should always remember that either gṛhastha or brahmacārī or sannyāsī, nobody can strictly follow all the rules and regulations of them. In the Kali-yuga it is not possible. So if I find simply fault with you, and if you find fault with me, then it will be factional, and our real business will be hampered. Therefore Caitanya Mahāprabhu has recommended that hari-nāma, chanting HareKṛṣṇa mantra, should be very rigidly performed, which is common for everyone: gṛhastha, vānaprastha or sannyāsī. They should always chant Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra.Then everything will be adjusted. Otherwise it is impossible to advance. We shall be complicated with the details only. This is called niyamāgrahaḥ. I think I have explained.

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by Damaghosa dasa

Regarding propaganda against animal slaughter–SP

December 25, 2018 in Articles by Damaghosa dasa

Regarding propaganda against animal slaughter in BTG. Please do not print any picture showing how a cow is being murdered in our BTG. This will pollute the whole atmosphere. We are not meant for moving anyone’s sentiment against animal slaughter, we are neither Buddhists or Jains, whose main propaganda is against animal slaughter. Even the so-called vegetarians who do not take Krishna prasadam are as much sinful as the non-vegetarians. Our propaganda is different, to make people Krishna Conscious, which automatically makes them sympathetic against any kind of animal slaughter. According to Srimad-Bhagavatam, one living entity subsists on the life of other living entities, either vegetarian or non-vegetarian. But we are neither of them. We are not vegetarian nor non-vegetarian. We are transcendental. We are concerned with Krishna Prasadam. Try to popularize Krishna Prasadam as you have already done. People will naturally become vegetarian without any ghastly propaganda.
The pictures of a mahajana or similar pictures for propagating the Bhagavata conclusion should be our objective. Other pictures, there are so many subject matters, just like we follow 4 principles, say for example, illicit sex life, we can publish so many pictures of illicit sex life, but that will not advance our cause. Similarly we may make propaganda against animal slaughter, but that will not advance our real cause. KC is based on pure understanding, not by any sentimental provocation. People must be intelligent enough to catch up this KC movement without being carried away by any sentimental wave. We should always remember that we do not belong to any group like the karmis, jnanis, or yogis. We belong to pure devotional service group, following the footprints of great mahajanas. Our purpose should be that we are in one side and all others they are on the other side. We deprecate everyone, even one who is against animal slaughter. In the Caitanya-caritamrta, it is clearly said that there are two classes of activities. Pious and impious. We do not favor any one of them. Neither we favor any philosophical speculation, we simply stick to Krishna, and wish to render loving transcendental service unto Him. That should be our main objective, and the policy of BTG must be pursued on this line of action. I hope you will understand me rightly. Everyone who is not a KC person is a butcher. Even the so-called pious man, who is not in KC, he is also a butcher. Because he is killing his own self. So in our view, everyone is butcher, and everyone is thief also, because he is enjoying Krishna’s property. So how we can discriminate who is honest and dishonest and butcher and not butcher? Our only test is how one is taking to KC: Even a so-called butcher comes we welcome to chant Hare Krishna.
Letters : 1968 Correspondence : November : Letter to: Rayarama — Los Angeles 19 November, 1968 : 68-11-19

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by Damaghosa dasa

Srila Prabhupada explains how a pure devotee householder should think

December 23, 2018 in Articles by Damaghosa dasa

SB 3.25.40 purport-
A pure devotee does not pray to the Lord for liberation from this material bondage. Actually, the pure devotee never thinks that he is fit for liberation. Considering his past life and his mischievous activities, he thinks that he is fit to be sent to the lowest region of hell. If in this life I am trying to become a devotee, this does not mean that in my many past lives I was one-hundred-percent pious. That is not possible. A devotee, therefore, is always conscious of his real position. Only by his full surrender to the Lord, by the Lord’s grace, are his sufferings made shorter.
….A pure devotee is not anxious to elevate himself in his next birth. He has already given up that sort of hope. In any life in which one is born, as a householder, or even as an animal, one must have some children, some resources or some possessions, but a devotee is not anxious to possess anything. He is satisfied with whatever is obtainable by God’s grace. He is not at all attached to improving his social status or improving the status of education of his children. He is not neglectful—he is dutiful—but he does not spend too much time on the upliftment of temporary household or social life. He fully engages in the service of the Lord, and for other affairs he simply spares as much time as absolutely necessary(yathārham upayuñjataḥ).

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by Damaghosa dasa

women are according to vedic injunction- not allowed to take sannyasa

December 14, 2018 in Articles by Damaghosa dasa

SB 3.24.40 purport–Kardama Muni followed the Vedic injunction that no one in sannyāsa life can have any kind of relationship with women. But what is the position of a woman who is left by her husband? She is entrusted to the son, and the son promises that he will deliver his mother from entanglement. A woman is not supposed to take sannyāsa.So-called spiritual societies concocted in modern times give sannyāsa even to women, although there is no sanction in the Vedic literature for a woman’s accepting sannyāsa. Otherwise, if it were sanctioned, Kardama Muni could have taken his wife and given her sannyāsa. The woman must remain at home. She has only three stages of life: dependency on the father in childhood, dependency on the husband in youth and, in old age, dependency on the grown-up son, such as Kapila. In old age the progress of woman depends on the grown-up son. The ideal son, Kapila Muni, is assuring His father of the deliverance of His mother so that His father may go peacefully without anxiety for his good wife.
Some Conclusions to the above—Over the past 45 years I personally have seen so many concoctions to the teachings of Srila Prabhupada  given by him orally, written in his books or in his letters to disciples. This one  about women not to take sannyasa, I had personal experience by one female disciple of Srila Prabhupada who told and wrote to me that she had “taken sannyasa” to which I replied this is not proper for a woman to do such a thing. She ignored me and just did what she wanted and called herself “swami”.

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by Damaghosa dasa

Five forbidden things in Kali Yuga

December 12, 2018 in Articles by Damaghosa dasa

Hare Krsna-

Below we have one purport and one conversation in which Srila Prabhupada outlines the future for his movement regarding sannyas, householders and sex life. Prabhupada tried it out with his new fledgling disciples, to try and spread Caitanya Mahaprabhus movement worldwide. it did not work, so he stopped giving sannyasa in 1977. These things a bona fide Acarya can do, and nobody else.

Hare Krsna

damaghosa das

SB 5.6.7 purport-Quoting from the Brahma-vaivarta Purāṇa, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu said: aśvamedhaṁ gavālambhaṁ sannyāsaṁ pala-paitṛkam devareṇa sutotpattiṁ kalau pañca vivarjayet [Cc. Ādi 17.164]

“In this age of Kali, five acts are forbidden: the offering of a horse in sacrifice, the offering of a cow in sacrifice, the acceptance of the order of sannyāsa, the offering of oblations of flesh to the forefathers, and a man’s begetting children in his brother’s wife.” The word pala-paitṛkam refers to an offering of flesh in oblations to forefathers. Formerly, such an offering was allowed, but in this age it is forbidden.

Jan 7 1977 Bombay conversation…

Prabhupāda: Hare Kṛṣṇa. ..This sex life in this material world is so strong, even in the heavenly planets. Big, big ṛṣis. Sex life with animals also there is… Sex life is so strong. Man cohabiting with animal. It makes blind. Vyāsadeva made one of her (his) students pregnant, what to speak of ourselves. Vyāsadeva was born, Satyavatī. She was low class. Although she was born by a king, but her mother was a low-class fisherwoman. And the fisherman raised her as daughter. And Parāśara Muni became attracted. And Vyāsadeva was born. Sex affairs, just see, in the highest circle. Bṛhaspati, the spiritual master of the devatās, he became so much mad for his brother’s wife who was pregnant, and forcibly they had sex. Just see. These are examples. Brahmā became attracted with his daughter. Lord Śiva became attracted with the beauty of Mohinī-mūrti, even in the presence of his wife. So this sex life can be controlled only by becoming Kṛṣṇa conscious. Otherwise there is no… The Bhāgavata has discussed all this because in this material world there is no escape unless we become Kṛṣṇa conscious, from the sex impulse. It is not possible. Yad-avadhi mama cetaḥ kṛṣṇa… When one is fully Kṛṣṇa conscious, then he’ll reject all this nonsense: “What is this?” Bhavati mukha-vikāraḥ suṣṭhu. He’ll spite (spit): “Eh! Get out. Is that enjoyment?” It is possible for a Kṛṣṇa conscious… No other can do it. And that is the bondage. He’ll have to work hard for maintaining sex issues. And so long you are bound up by the karmas, you have to accept another body and then continue. Who knows this how we are bound up and conditioned? If you talk in the modern society they will laugh: “What nonsense this man is… ‘By sex life one becomes conditioned.’ ” They cannot understand. Hare Kṛṣṇa… (japa) This should be strictly outlawed, no more sannyāsīs. And those sannyāsīs who have fallen, you get them married, live like a… No more this showbottle, cheating. It is very ludicrous. Even there is a promise that “We shall not fall down again,” that is also not believable. What is the use? Better go and speak philosophy in your gṛhastha dress, not this dress, but you have nice coat, pants, gentleman. Who says no? I never said. Rather I shall be glad to see that up-to-date gentlemen with tilaka and śikhā are speaking. That is very prestigious everywhere. Why this false dress? What is the wrong to become gṛhastha? I was gṛhastha, pākā caliber gṛhastha. My Guru Mahārāja was brahmacārī, This is ever… Just see his character. Caitanya Mahāprabhu was gṛhastha, but when He took sannyāsa: “Oh, I am now…” For sober person. That is wanted. That is ideal. He married twice. Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura married twice. Caitanya Mahāprabhu married twice. What is the wrong there? One has to become pure devotee, that’s all. Other things, of course, are circumstantially favorable, either a gṛhastha, brahmacārī or vānaprastha or sannyāsa. Kibā vipra kibā śūdra nyāsī kene naya, yei kṛṣṇa-tattva-vettā sei ‘guru’ haya [Cc. Madhya 8.128]. You must know the science of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That makes you guru, not this dress.

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by Damaghosa dasa

one morning meeting with a Jehovas witness

December 11, 2018 in Articles by Damaghosa dasa

One morning a Jehovah’s witness came to my house. I just came back from the morning program at the Vancouver temple. When I opened the door he could see I was a Hare Krishna devotee with tilak, neckbeads, dhoti / kurta etc.

He looked me up and down and proceeded anyway by saying “I want to recite just one paragraph from the Bible for you, is that alright?” I said sure, go ahead. He said I will just flip the pages and whatever verse I land my finger on will be meant for you!”

I said “great, let’s hear it!” He flipped the pages, landed on this paragraph and read it to me with enthusiasm:
“The fifth angel blew his trumpet. And I saw a star that had fallen from heaven to the earth, and the key to the shaft* of the abyss was given to him. He opened the shaft* of the abyss, and smoke ascended out of the shaft* like the smoke of a great furnace, and the sun was darkened, also the air, by the smoke of the shaft. And locusts came out of the smoke onto the earth, and authority was given to them, the same authority that the scorpions of the earth have. They were told not to harm the vegetation of the earth or any green plant or any tree, but only those people who do not have the seal of God on their foreheads (Revelation 9)

I said “wait, stop right there!” He then got nervous when he looked up at me. I was smiling as I pointed to my chandan tilak on my forehead and said “where’s yours? I think this verse was meant for you, not me! This is God’s arrangement that you opened to that particular verse! You must get this seal of God on your forehead too before it’s too late!”
He stammered and tried to explain it didn’t really mean that literally. I said no, you should take your holy book literally! He gave up, with a half amused, half confused look on his face and walked away shaking his head mumbling something. I’m sure it gave him something to think about.

Visnu Das

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