O Gopinatha I am the sinner of sinners. Yet I sit waiting for You to take me, for many demons have attained your lotus feet.
August 30, 2019 in Articles by Damaghosa dasa
Monthly Archives: August 2019
Tonight’s dinner offering and tomorrow’s morning mongol offering
August 30, 2019 in Articles by Damaghosa dasa
Hare Krsna-
Above is some of simple vegetables and fruit I picked while chanting my rounds this morning sitting under the Kiwi Arbor. As you can see, some beans, some carrots, some corn on the cob and a few apples and some flowers. I will steam the beans and carrots in a lower tray, and add the corn in an upper tray later as they all cook in a time sequence. The apples will be offered to the Deities along with the dahlia flowers at tomorrow mornings mongol arotik.
It is really that simple-simple living and high thinking-but who is doing this among our devotees these days? Instead of driving to some store and buying these items, I simply go around to the different gardens and pick what is available for Krsnas morning offering and later on His dinner. It is fresh, it is organic, and it is what Krsna gives us to offer to Him on a daily basis.
Isn’t this very simple? How much more simple can it get? But we wont do it. We would rather work at some “job” collect our paycheck, then go to some store and transfer the cash into food, which is doubtful how nutritious it really is, then drive back home, and cook it. Which way is simpler? You decide.
Below Srila Prabhupada give us the reasons who can and who cannot do this.
Hare Krsna
damaghosa das
——————————-
Simple Living-the psychology behind it all
Sept 12 1976
Prabhupāda: I have seen, Gandhi wanted to organize a program, village [break] …in the field, that this program for constructing toilet in the village, they have spent so much. You know that? The first business was toilet. To restrict them to pass stool here and there, they must have. Now in constructing that toilet paraphernalia, (indistinct), they… Therefore it failed, village organization. Not for that purpose. There were many purpose. Because they had no engagement, so why they should remain in the village? There are so many attraction in the city, and they get money. The factory-wallas, they’re inviting, “Come here. You shall get twenty rupees per day.” Why shall he remain in the village? So if you can organize in the villages, they are interested in chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra and getting nice prasādam, then… One must have some attachment. In the city there are so many artificial attachments. So on what ground they’ll remain in the village? Mind, always remember this. Unless you have got some attachment, there is no possibility. Gandhi’s program was very nice, village organize so that they may not come to the city and help the capitalists. Remain satisfied in the village. But where is that satisfaction? That is the failure.
Lokanātha: If they add the holy name to their lives, they will…
Prabhupāda: Yes. If they could understand that. That will be helpful if you chant. Therefore Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s statement will never be false. Ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanam [Cc. Antya 20.12]. If they chant Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, then gradually the dirty things accumulated within the heart will be cleansed. And if he comes to the understanding, clear idea, that “I want to eat something and my necessities… So if I get my necessities, primary necessities of life, and satisfaction of mind, then why shall I go to city?” That they can have very easily. If they follow the instruction of Bhagavad-gītā, that “Your first necessity is food.” So produce food here. Kṛṣi-go-rakṣya-vāṇijyam [Bg. 18.44]. And you’ll find here so much land is lying vacant. Because they have gone to the city for twenty rupees daily to manufacture Goodyear tire. And who will work here? Now I have seen in Delhi, the government is advertising, “Go back to the village.” Rascal, you are manufacturing wine and keeping them engaged whole day in the work. So after being tired, he requires some wine. And why he’ll go? And no spiritual education, no cleanliness. Simply inviting “Go to the village” they will go?
Lokanātha: Just a propaganda.
Prabhupāda: No, they’re thinking that so many people are coming to the cities, how we shall provide them? That’s a problem. After all government has to supply them rations. Where is so much foodstuff? And if they are not supplied, then there will be resentment. That’s a fact. What they are doing in the city, so many scooter (makes motor sound), going here and there. Actually no engagement. The girls are loitering in the street by dressing. It will become more and more problems, city life. So this is the solution, that they must go back to the village. But they are trained up to enjoy the facilities, so-called facilities, of the city. They are not going to village. But if we can introduce this hari-saṅkīrtana, and if they have little taste, that is success. It’s a great program. And that taste will come-ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanam [Cc. Antya 20.12]. If he simply becomes little sober that “I want to eat, I have to sleep, I want some sense enjoyment and defense. So if I can get easily in the village, why shall I go three hundred miles away? Just keep in mind the psychology. So that simple life will be possible if one is bhakta. Bhaktiḥ pareśānubhavo viraktir anyatra syāt [SB 11.2.42]. Only by devotion. Not by otherwise. Not by artificial means, by manufacturing toilet. Only bhakti. If they get little attachment for Kṛṣṇa the questions will be solved automatically. And they will be happy. Undoubtedly. That is the Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s first instruction. Ceto-darpaṇa.
Who is the bona fide guru??
August 28, 2019 in Articles by Damaghosa dasa
Hare Krsna–
We as individuals can only become liberated souls if an actually liberated soul blesses us with his mercy. When one is tied up within matter (the very powerful three modes of nature) it is impossible to free oneself from this massive entanglement.(our gross body comprised of 5 material elements, our subtle body made of three subtle elements, our 5 working and knowledge acquiring senses and the 5 sense objects plus our false ego).
Below is a quick overview of our material situation and that of a jivan mukta, liberated soul. If one understands these points carefully, then there is hope for our personal liberation from matter by becoming a pure devotee of the Lord. If one does not take the time and effort to understand these step by step points of gradual development, then he or she will simply hover on the mental or bodily platform life after lifetime. Better to take the good advice from the Lords pure devotee-Srila Prabhupada.
SB 5.4.5 purport…
This is the way of Vedic life. One must stop the process of repeated birth and death and return home, back to Godhead. The words tan-mahimānam avāpa are significant in this regard. Śrīla Śrīdhara Svāmī says that mahimā means liberation in this life. We should act in such a way in this life that after giving up this body, we will become liberated from the bondage of repeated birth and death. This is called jīvan-mukti.Śrīla Vīrarāghava Ācārya states that in the Chāndogya Upaniṣad there are eight symptoms of a jīvan-mukta, a person who is already liberated even when living in this body. The first symptom of one so liberated is that he is freed from all sinful activity (apahata-pāpa). As long as one is under the clutches of māyā in the material energy, one has to engage in sinful activity. Bhagavad-gītā describes such people as duṣkṛtinaḥ, which indicates that they are always engaged in sinful activity. One who is liberated in this life does not commit any sinful activities. Sinful activity involves illicit sex, meat-eating, intoxication and gambling. Another symptom of a liberated person is vijara, which indicates that he is not subjected to the miseries of old age. Another symptom is vimṛtyu. A liberated person prepares himself in such a way that he does not take on any more material bodies, which are destined to die. In other words, he does not fall down again to repeat birth and death. Another symptom is viśoka, which indicates that he is callous to material distress and happiness. Another is vijighatsa, which indicates that he no longer desires material enjoyment. Another symptom is apipātā, which means that he has no desire other than to engage in the devotional service of Kṛṣṇa, his dearmost pursuable Lord. A further symptom is satya-kāma, which indicates that all his desires are directed to the Supreme Truth, Kṛṣṇa. He does not want anything else. He is satya-saṅkalpa. Whatever he desires is fulfilled by the grace of Kṛṣṇa. First of all, he does not desire anything for his material benefit, and secondly if he desires anything at all, he simply desires to serve the Supreme Lord. That desire is fulfilled by the Lord’s grace. That is called satya-saṅkalpa. Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī points out that the word mahimā means returning to the spiritual world, back home, back to Vaikuṇṭha. Śrī Śukadeva says that the word mahimā means that the devotee attains the qualities of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. This is called sadharma, or “the same quality.” Just as Kṛṣṇa is never born and never dies, His devotees who return to Godhead never die and never take birth within the material world.
BG 7.14 purport...Another meaning of guṇa is rope; it is to be understood that the conditioned soul is tightly tied by the ropes of illusion. A man bound by the hands and feet cannot free himself – he must be helped by a person who is unbound. Because the bound cannot help the bound, the rescuer must be liberated. Therefore, only Lord Kṛṣṇa, or His bona fide representative the spiritual master, can release the conditioned soul. Without such superior help, one cannot be freed from the bondage of material nature. Devotional service, or Kṛṣṇa consciousness, can help one gain such release.
Note-this purport is very nicely given to us by Srila Prabhupada so that we wont be cheated by future “gurus” who claim to be bona fide spiritual masters, yet have none of the above mentioned qualities of a liberated soul. If one is bound my material desires, or manifest material qualities, then how can this person who is bound to matter like ourselves, in any way help us who are also similarly bound by the ropes of material nature? Only that person who is not bound with the ropes of maya can untie our ropes, and nobody else)
Madhya 24.330 purport...The mahā-bhāgavata is one who decorates his body with tilaka and whose name indicates him to be a servant of Kṛṣṇa by the word dāsa. He is also initiated by a bona fide spiritual master and is expert in worshiping the Deity, chanting mantras correctly, performing sacrifices, offering prayers to the Lord and performing saṅkīrtana. He knows how to serve the Supreme Personality of Godhead and how to respect a Vaiṣṇava. When one has attained the topmost position of mahā-bhāgavata, he is to be accepted as a guru and worshiped exactly like Hari, the Personality of Godhead. Only such a person is eligible to occupy the post of a guru.
Isopanishad 10-The wise have explained that one result is derived from the culture of knowledge and that a different result is obtained from the culture of nescience.
Purport-As advised in Chapter Thirteen of the Bhagavad-gītā (13.8–12), one should culture knowledge in the following way:
(1) One should become a perfect gentleman and learn to give proper respect to others.
(2) One should not pose himself as a religionist simply for name and fame.
(3) One should not become a source of anxiety to others by the actions of his body, by the thoughts of his mind, or by his words.
(4) One should learn forbearance even in the face of provocation from others.
(5) One should learn to avoid duplicity in his dealings with others.
(6) One should search out a bona fide spiritual master who can lead him gradually to the stage of spiritual realization, and one must submit himself to such a spiritual master, render him service and ask relevant questions.
(7) In order to approach the platform of self-realization, one must follow the regulative principles enjoined in the revealed scriptures.
(8) One must be fixed in the tenets of the revealed scriptures.
(9) One should completely refrain from practices which are detrimental to the interest of self-realization.
(10) One should not accept more than he requires for the maintenance of the body.
(11) One should not falsely identify himself with the gross material body, nor should one consider those who are related to his body to be his own.
(12) One should always remember that as long as he has a material body he must face the miseries of repeated birth, old age, disease and death.There is no use in making plans to get rid of these miseries of the material body. The best course is to find out the means by which one may regain his spiritual identity.
(13) One should not be attached to more than the necessities of life required for spiritual advancement.
(14) One should not be more attached to wife, children and home than the revealed scriptures ordain.
(15) One should not be happy or distressed over desirables and undesirables, knowing that such feelings are just created by the mind.
(16) One should become an unalloyed devotee of the Personality of Godhead, Śrī Kṛṣṇa, and serve Him with rapt attention.
(17) One should develop a liking for residence in a secluded place with a calm and quiet atmosphere favorable for spiritual culture, and one should avoid congested places where nondevotees congregate.
(18) One should become a scientist or philosopher and conduct research into spiritual knowledge, recognizing that spiritual knowledge is permanent whereas material knowledge ends with the death of the body.
These eighteen items combine to form a gradual process by which real knowledge can be developed. Except for these, all other methods are considered to be in the category of nescience. Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura, a great ācārya, maintained that all forms of material knowledge are merely external features of the illusory energy and that by culturing them one becomes no better than an ass. This same principle is found here in Śrī Īśopaniṣad. By advancement of material knowledge, modern man is simply being converted into an ass. Some materialistic politicians in spiritual guise decry the present system of civilization as satanic, but unfortunately they do not care about the culture of real knowledge as it is described in the Bhagavad-gītā. Thus they cannot change the satanic situation.
Note-these 18 items are a good place to begin with an analysis of somebody who claims to be a spiritual master. If he does not have all these 18 preliminary qualifications, then how can he be guru? If you read these qualifications over carefully you will see that most if not all of them apply to a fully qualified brahmana,(kanistha adhikara, or a third class devotee) who is far below the status of a pure devotee- who is far above the material mode of goodness. Personally I feel that most devotees sentimentally think that if someone possesses these above qualities then he must be qualified to become guru. But these qualities are the basic items that have to be shown by qualified brahmanas. And these things have nothing to do with pure devotional service-they are preliminary to that position. As Srila Prabhupada says-“and below the brahmana there is no question of Vaisnava” . So one must have all these 18 qualities BEFORE he is even considered, strictly speaking, a Vaisnava)
Feb 14 1977.
Prabhupāda: Kaniṣṭha-adhikārī means he must be a brāhmaṇa. That is kaniṣṭha-adhikārī. The spiritual life, kaniṣṭha-adhikārī, means he must be a qualified brāhmaṇa. That is kaniṣṭha. What is esteemed as very high position in the material world, brāhmaṇa, that is kaniṣṭha-adhikārī.
arcāyām eva haraye pūjāṁ yaḥ śraddhayehate na tad-bhakteṣu cānyeṣu sa bhaktaḥ prākṛtaḥ smṛtaḥ
The brāhmaṇa means from the material stage gradually he is elevated to the spiritual stage. And below the brāhmaṇa there is no question of Vaiṣṇava.
Oct 28 1975 Nairobi
Indian man (1): When did you began to become the spiritual leader of Kṛṣṇa consciousness?
Prabhupāda: What is that?
Brahmānanda: He’s asking when did you become the spiritual leader of Kṛṣṇa consciousness?
Prabhupāda: When my Guru Mahārāja ordered me. This is the guru-paramparā.
Indian man (1): Did he just…
Prabhupāda: Try to understand. Don’t go very speedily. A guru can become guru when he’s ordered by his guru. That’s all. Otherwise nobody can become guru.
(Note-there was never this written or spoken order given by Srila Prabhupada for his disciples to become full fledged gurus on their own -within his Iskcon institution.Rather the only order his did give was to become ritvik acaryas who act only on behalf of their spiritual master-and the people they initiate are not their disciples, but Srila Prabhupadas disciples.)
Aug 4 1975 Detroit letter..
the GBC should all be the instructor gurus. I am in the initiator guru, and you should be the instructor guru by teaching what I am teaching and doing what I am doing. This is not a title, but you must actually come to this platform. This I want.
2019 ynd Vyasa Puja offering
August 25, 2019 in Articles by Laksman dasa
Nama om Vishnu Padaya Krsna presthaya bhutale
Srimate Bhaktivedanta Swamin iti namine
Namaste sarasvate deve Gauravani pracarine
Nirvisesa sunyavadi pascatya Desa tarine
Bhakti siddhanta sishyaya Bhativedanta namine
Prasannaya prasantaya tasmai Sri gurave namah
Dear Srila Prabhupada,
I offer my prostrated humble obeisances at your lotus feet.
Sri Raghunatha dasa Goswami has glorified Srila Rupa Goswami in his Shri Mukta Carita
adadanas trinam dantair
idam yace punah punah
shrimad-rupa-padambhoja
dhulih syam janma-janmani (2)
Clasping a straw between my teeth, I repeatedly beg to attain the dust of the lotus feet of Shrimad Rupa Gosvami birth after birth.
On this most auspicious day, I offer my respectful obeisances in this way:
adadanas trinam dantair
idam yace punah punah
Prabhupada-padambhoja
dhulih syam janma-janmani (2)
Clasping a straw between my teeth, I repeatedly beg to attain the dust of the lotus feet of Shrimad Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada birth after birth.
Recently, a well-meaning godbrother asked me whether in your voluminous teachings, you had given warnings to your followers and disciples about many of the events and controversial issues facing your movement after your unmanifested presence, specifically book changes.
Srila Prabhupada, as captain of the ship of the Krishna Consciousness Movement, you have given plenty of warnings, even before you came to America in 1965.
From your prayers to your Guru Maharaja in 1961 at the Radha-Damodara temple in Vrindavana, you have assessed the situation very expertly with regards to your godbrothers.
23. If everyone just initiates then there will only be a contradictory result. As long as it goes on there will be only failure
25. But simply a festival of flowers and fruits does not constitute worship. The one who serves the message of the guru really worships him.
29. O shame! My dear brothers, aren’t you embarrassed? In the manner of businessmen, you increase your disciples.
31. All these things are not our spiritual master’s preaching methods. These are all the things done by the caste Gosvamis.
39. You have become renouncers, brothers, so renounce everything. But if you also renounce the order of the spiritual master, then what kind of renunciation is that?
40. The one who renounces the guru’s order (guru tyagi) and the one who tries to enjoy the assets of his spiritual master (guru-bhogi) are two kinds of useless persons. First become a servant of your spiritual master (guru-sevi) and then you will understand things clearly.
55. Wearing a two paisa string a man is called a brahmin. Wearing a saffron cloth, he has become a sannyasi.
56. The householders beg from sannyasis, and why not? The sannyasis have tens of millions of rupees in the bank.
Presented on the commemoration of his appearance, by His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, at the Radha-Damodara temple, Vrindavana, India, in 1961.
So many of these warnings are still applicable today.
Srila Prabhupada, one of your numerous warnings was to never change your books:
As early as December I, 1996, New York, you clearly warned and instructed all of your disciples several times; “…So, in the parampara system in that disciplic succession, you will find no change…you cannot change anything…”
In one of your wonderful letters on September 26, 1968, you stated:”…The descriptions given in these books are not mundane speculations, but they are authorized versions of liberated souls, presented by our humble self. The strength is not in us, but the strength is in the Supreme Lord, and we have to simply present them without any adulteration. That is the secret of success…”
“…But one thing I may inform you that the three books which I have already prepared namely the Bhagavad-Gita as it is, Teachings of Lord Chaitanya and Srimad-Bhagavatam, all these books are the ultimate source of knowledge. If you simply reproduce what I have tried to explain in those books, surely you will come out victorious, even in the midst of so many mundane scholars. The description given in these books, are not mundane speculations, but they are authorized versions of liberated souls, presented by our humble self. So, the strength is not in us, but the strength is in the Supreme Lord. And we have simply to present them without any adulteration, in humble service spirit. That is the secret of success…” Srila Prabhupada letter, September 26, 1968.
In another one of your lectures in Los Angeles, California on May 8, 1973, you warden that one cannot change the words of the authority: “…One cannot change the words of the authority. If you believe in Lord Jesus Christ [in our case Srila Prabhupada] you cannot change to your convenience…”
On July 4, 1975, in a lecture, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA, you warned “If you concoct, ‘I am more intelligent than my Guru,’ ‘I can make additions and alterations,’ then you are finished.”
In another lecture in Paris, France on August 5, 1976, you explained the result of unauthorized changes: “…In the words of God, there is no question of changing. You cannot change. As soon as you change immediately it is material. It has nothing to do with spiritual world. That is nowadays happening. Which edition of Christianity? There are so many. Therefore, it is, the purport of Christianity is lost. That is lost…”
“…Therefore, we are presenting Bhagavad-Gita As It Is. No change. Others they are interpreting in their own way. That is not Bhagavad-Gita. That is something else…”
Why are your books so potent, Srila Prabhupada?
In a lecture on February 26, 1973, in Jakarta, Indonesia, you told us again and again that you did not invent a new philosophy or your own philosophy. You said that your books were simply the presentation of the message of the great Acaryas.
Srila Prabhupada: “Thank you. You have read some of my books?”
Guest: “Yes.”
Srila Prabhupada: “They are not my books. I am simply translating. They are written by Vyasadeva, the original Vedic scholar.”
God has sent His Holiness A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami
Brahmananda: “In the airport. And this caused big sensation, because never, even big Indian gurus have come to South Africa. Never have any whites bowed down. It was the first-time whites bowed down to…”
Srila Prabhupada: “They clapped. After hearing me, they clapped. They purchased books. Now they are selling books. Some think my books are more important. We shall give more concentration for pushing and publishing. What do you think?”
Devotee: “Yes. That is our weapons. They are our strength, they are our guidance, and they are our ammunition. Everything is based on these books, everything. We are…”
Srila Prabhupada: “One Indian. a very learned scholar in Chandigarh, he has given very good certificate. What is that?”
Satsvarupa: “He said that ‘There have been many commentaries on the Bhagavad-Gita including Ramanuja, Madhva and Sankara,’ and then, he said ‘Tilak and Gandhi, but of all of them the commentary by A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami is the greatest commentary. ‘Punjab University.’ Then he said later that ‘ In this suffering mankind, God has sent His Holiness A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami.”
Srila Prabhupada: “So, let us do our duty. Our attempt Krsna will see. That gentleman has written,” Swami Bhaktivedanta will be remembered for centuries, making history.” Is not that?”
Satsvarupa: “Unsurpassed,” this…Not just remembered, it will be unsurpassed.”
Srila Prabhupada: “And many foreign scholars also, they have. In France… In France one professor has said, the…
Satsvarupa: “Chenique?”
Srila Prabhupada: “Aurobindo and Dr. RadhaKrishnan, they have compromised with the Western idea, but here is the real tradition of India.” Actually, it is a fact. All of them, they have tried to make a hodge podge. And from the beginning my idea was I shall present as it is. That’s all. Therefore, I gave this name. “As it is.” Caitanya Mahaprabhu said yare dekha tare kaha krsna-upadesa. Why shall I manufacture idea? Present this as it is…” Srila Prabhupada Room Conversation, February 15, 1977, Mayapura, India
Your unique contribution with these nectarena books is under assault from the very persons who were supposed to protect them from being changed and protect your legacy.
I sincerely pray to your lotus feet and to Lord Krishna to inspire those persons to cease and desist from these unauthorized changes, to reverse course, and re-establish your original, unedited first edition books.
However, given the past track record of those individuals, I remain doubtful. After all, Srila Prabhupada, what can be expected from those who claim that” they have seen the truth.”
When a devotee is perfectly qualified in chanting the transcendental vibration of the holy name, he is quite fit to become a spiritual master and to deliver all the people of the world. The chanting of the holy name is so powerful that it gradually establishes its supremacy above everything in the world. The devotee who chants it becomes transcendentally situated in ecstasy and sometimes laughs, cries and dances in his ecstasy. Sometimes the unintelligent put hindrances in the path of chanting this maha-mantra, but one who is situated on the platform of love of Godhead chants the holy name loudly for all concerned. As a result, everyone becomes initiated in the chanting of the holy names–Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna, Krsna Krsna, Hare Hare. Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare. TLC 18 The Conversations with Prakasananda
Let us always take shelter at your divine lotus feet and your original unedited, unrevised books and instructions, and your bona fide followers who emphasize those original instructions.
maj-janmanah phalam idam madhu-kaitabhaare
mat-praarthaniya mad anugraha esha eva
tvat-bhrtya-bhrtya-paricaaraka-bhrtya-bhrtya
bhrtyasya bhrtya iti maam smara loka naatha
\”O enemy of Madhu and Kaitabha, O Lord of the universe, the perfection of my life and the most cherished mercy You could show me would be for You to consider me the servant of the servant of the servant of the servant of the servant of the servant of Your servant.\”
Your eternal servant
Yasoda nandana dasa
Krsna does not need our money opulence or temples-He only wants our Bhakti
August 18, 2019 in Articles by Damaghosa dasa
SB 5.3.3-In the performance of a sacrifice, there are seven transcendental means to obtain the mercy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead: (1) by sacrificing valuable things or eatables, (2) by acting in terms of place, (3) by acting in terms of time, (4) by offering hymns, (5) by going through the priest, (6) by offering gifts to the priests and (7) by observing the regulative principles. However, one cannot always obtain the Supreme Lord through this paraphernalia. Nonetheless, the Lord is affectionate to His devotee; therefore when Mahārāja Nābhi, who was a devotee, worshiped and offered prayers to the Lord with great faith and devotion and with a pure uncontaminated mind, superficially performing some yajña in the line of pravargya, the kind Supreme Personality of Godhead, due to His affection for His devotees, appeared before King Nābhi in His unconquerable and captivating form with four hands. In this way, to fulfill the desire of His devotee, the Supreme Personality of Godhead manifested Himself in His beautiful body before His devotee. This body pleases the mind and eyes of the devotees.
SB 5.3.4-5The priests began to offer prayers to the Lord, saying: O most worshipable one, we are simply Your servants. Although You are full in Yourself, please, out of Your causeless mercy, accept a little service from us, Your eternal servants. We are not actually aware of Your transcendental form, but we can simply offer our respectful obeisances again and again, as instructed by the Vedic literatures and authorized ācāryas. Materialistic living entities are very much attracted to the modes of material nature, and therefore they are never perfect, but You are above the jurisdiction of all material conceptions. Your name, form and qualities are all transcendental and beyond the conception of experimental knowledge. Indeed, who can conceive of You? In the material world we can perceive only material names and qualities. We have no other power than to offer our respectful obeisances and prayers unto You, the transcendental person. The chanting of Your auspicious transcendental qualities will wipe out the sins of all mankind. That is the most auspicious activity for us, and we can thus partially understand Your supernatural position.
Use everything for service of Krsna-in the beginning this requires training-SP
August 16, 2019 in Articles by Damaghosa dasa
SB 5.1.12 purport…The word manīṣayā (“by intelligence”) is of special significance. Priyavrata might argue that Lord Brahmā was requesting him to accept family life and the responsibility for ruling a kingdom, although Nārada Muni had advised him not to enter household life and be entangled in material affairs. Whom to accept would be a puzzle for Priyavrata because both Lord Brahmā and Nārada Muni are authorities. Under the circumstances, the use of the word manīṣayā is very appropriate, for it indicates that since both Nārada Muni and Lord Brahmā are authorized to give instruction, Priyavrata should neglect neither of them but should use his intelligence to follow the advice of both. To solve such dilemmas, Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī has given a very clear conception of intelligence. He says: anāsaktasya viṣayān yathārham upayuñjataḥ nirbandhaḥ kṛṣṇa-sambandhe yuktaṁ vairāgyam ucyate
Viṣayān, material affairs, should be accepted without attachment. and everything should be dovetailed with the service of the Lord. That is real intelligence (manīṣā). Becoming a family man or king in the material world is not harmful if one accepts everything for Kṛṣṇa’s service. That necessitates clear intelligence. Māyāvādī philosophers say, brahma satyaṁ jagan mithyā: this material world is false, and only the Absolute Truth is real. However, an intelligent devotee in the line of Lord Brahmā and the great sage Nārada—or, in other words, in the Brahma-sampradāya—does not consider this world false. That which is created by the Supreme Personality of Godhead cannot be false, but using it for enjoyment is. Everything is meant to be enjoyed by the Supreme Personality of Godhead, as confirmed in Bhagavad-gītā (5.29). Bhoktāraṁ yajña-tapasāṁ sarva-loka-maheśvaram: the Supreme Personality of Godhead is the supreme proprietor and enjoyer, and therefore everything should be dovetailed for His enjoyment and service. Regardless of one’s circumstances, favorable or unfavorable, one should use everything to serve the Supreme Lord. That is the perfect way to use one’s intelligence.
SB 5.1.16-Even if one is liberated, he nevertheless accepts the body he has received according to his past karma. Without misconceptions, however, he regards his enjoyment and suffering due to that karma the way an awakened person regards a dream he had while sleeping. He thus remains steadfast and never works to achieve another material body under the influence of the three modes of material nature.
PURPORT-The difference between a liberated and conditioned soul is that the conditioned soul is under the concept of bodily life, whereas a liberated person knows that he is not the body but a spirit, different from the body. Priyavrata might have thought that although a conditioned soul is forced to act according to the laws of nature, why should he, who was far advanced in spiritual understanding, accept the same kind of bondage and impediments to spiritual advancement? To answer this doubt, Lord Brahmā informed him that even those who are liberated do not resent accepting, in the present body, the results of their past activities. While sleeping, one dreams many unreal things, but when he awakens he disregards them and makes progress in factual life. Similarly, a liberated person—one who has completely understood that he is not the body but a spirit soul—disregards past activities performed in ignorance and performs his present activities in such a way that they produce no reactions. This is described in Bhagavad-gītā (3.9). Yajñārthāt karmaṇo ’nyatra loko ’yaṁ karma-bandhanaḥ: if one performs activities for the satisfaction of the Supreme Personality, the yajña-puruṣa, his work does not produce reactions, whereas karmīs, who act for themselves, are bound by the reactions of their work. A liberated person, therefore, does not think about whatever he has ignorantly done in the past; instead, he acts in such a way that he will not produce another body by fruitive activities. As clearly mentioned in Bhagavad-gītā:
mām 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.” (Bg. 14.26) Regardless of what we have done in our past lives, if we engage ourselves in unalloyed devotional service to the Lord in this life, we will always be situated in the brahma-bhūta (liberated) state, free from reactions, and will not be obliged to accept another material body. Tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti mām eti so ’rjuna (Bg. 4.9). After giving up the body, one who has acted in that way does not accept another material body, but instead goes back home, back to Godhead.
Srila Prabhupada describes Lord Balarama’s visit to Vrindavana
August 15, 2019 in Articles by Laksman dasa
Subject: Srila Prabhupada describes Lord Balarama’s visit to Vrindavana
Lord Balarāma Visits Vṛndāvana
Lord Balarāma became very anxious to see His father and mother, Mahārāja Nanda and Yaśodā. Therefore, He started for Vṛndāvana on a chariot with great enthusiasm. The inhabitants of Vṛndāvana had been anxious to see Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma for a very long time. When Lord Balarāma returned to Vṛndāvana, all the cowherd boys and the gopīs had grown up; but still, on His arrival, they all embraced Him, and Balarāma embraced them in reciprocation. After this He came before Mahārāja Nanda and Yaśodā and offered His respectful obeisances unto them. In response, mother Yaśodā and Nanda Mahārāja offered their blessings unto Him. They addressed Him as Jagadīśvara, or the Lord of the universe who maintains everyone. The reason for this was that both Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma maintain all living entities, and yet Nanda and Yaśodā were put into such difficulties on account of Their absence. Feeling like this, they embraced Balarāma and, seating Him on their laps, began their perpetual crying, wetting Balarāma with their tears. Lord Balarāma then offered His respectful obeisances to the elderly cowherd men and accepted the obeisances of the younger cowherd men. Thus, according to their different ages and relationships, Lord Balarāma exchanged feelings of friendship with them. He shook hands with those who were His equals in age and friendship, and with loud laughing embraced each one of them.
After being received by the cowherd men and boys, the gopīs, and King Nanda and Yaśodā, Lord Balarāma sat down, feeling satisfied, and they all surrounded Him. First Lord Balarāma inquired from them about their welfare, and then, not having seen Him for such a long time, they began to ask Him different questions. The inhabitants of Vṛndāvana had sacrificed everything for Kṛṣṇa, simply being captivated by the lotus eyes of the Lord. Because of their great desire to love Kṛṣṇa, they never desired anything like elevation to the heavenly planets or merging into the effulgence of Brahman to become one with the Absolute Truth. They were not even interested in enjoying a life of opulence, but were satisfied in living a simple life in the village as cowherd men. They were always absorbed in thoughts of Kṛṣṇa and did not desire any personal benefits, and they were all so much in love with Him that in His absence their voices faltered when they began to inquire from Balarāmajī.
First Nanda Mahārāja and Yaśodāmayī inquired, \\”My dear Balarāma, are our friends like Vasudeva and others in the family doing well? Now You and Kṛṣṇa are grown-up married men with children. In the happiness of family life, do You sometimes remember Your poor father and mother, Nanda Mahārāja and Yaśodādevī? It is very good news that the most sinful King Kaṁsa has been killed by You and that our friends like Vasudeva and the others who had been harassed by him, have now been relieved. It is also very good news that both You and Kṛṣṇa defeated Jarāsandha and Kālayavana, who now is dead, and that You are now living in a fortified residence in Dvārakā.\\”
When the gopīs arrived, Lord Balarāma glanced over them with loving eyes. Being overjoyed, the gopīs, who had so long been mortified on account of Kṛṣṇa’s and Balarāma’s absence, began to ask about the welfare of the two brothers. They specifically asked Balarāma whether Kṛṣṇa was enjoying His life surrounded by the enlightened women of Dvārakā Purī. \\”Does He sometimes remember His father Nanda and His mother Yaśodā and the other friends with whom He so intimately behaved while he was in Vṛndāvana? Does Kṛṣṇa have any plans to come here to see His mother Yaśodā and does He remember us gopīs who are now pitiably bereft of His company? Kṛṣṇa might have forgotten us in the midst of the cultured women of Dvārakā, but as far as we are concerned, we are still remembering Him by collecting flowers and sewing them into garlands. When He does not come, however, we simply pass our time by crying. If only He would come here and accept these garlands that we have made. Dear Lord Balarāma, descendant of Daśārha, You know that we would give up everything for Kṛṣṇa’s friendship. Even in great distress one cannot give up the connection of family members, but although it might be impossible for others, we gave up our fathers, mothers, sisters and relatives without caring at all about our renunciation. Then, all of a sudden, Kṛṣṇa renounced us and went away. He broke off our intimate relationship without any serious consideration and left for a foreign country. But He was so clever and cunning that He manufactured very nice words. He said, ‘My dear gopīs, please do not worry. The service you have rendered Me is impossible for Me to repay.’ After all, we are women, so how could we disbelieve Him? Now we can understand that His sweet words were simply for cheating us.\\”
Another gopī, protesting Kṛṣṇa’s absence from Vṛndāvana, began to say: \\”My dear Balarāmajī, we are of course village girls, so Kṛṣṇa could cheat us in that way, but what about the women of Dvārakā? Don’t think they are as foolish as we are! We village women might be misled by Kṛṣṇa, but the women in the city of Dvārakā are very clever and intelligent. Therefore I would be surprised if such city women could be misled by Kṛṣṇa and could believe His words.\\”
Then another gopī began to speak. \\”My dear friend,\\” she said, \\”Kṛṣṇa is very clever in using words. No one can compete with Him in that art. He can manufacture such colorful words and talk so sweetly that the heart of any woman would be misled. Besides that, He has perfected the art of smiling very attractively, and by seeing His smile women become mad after Him and would give themselves to Him without any hesitation.\\”
Another gopī, after hearing this, said, \\”My dear friends, what is the use in talking about Kṛṣṇa? If you are at all interested in passing away time by talking, let us talk on some subject other than Him. If cruel Kṛṣṇa can pass His time without us, why can’t we pass our time without Kṛṣṇa? Of course, Kṛṣṇa is passing His days very happily without us, but the difference is that we cannot pass our days very happily without Him.\\”
When the gopīs were talking in this way, their feelings for Kṛṣṇa became more and more intensified, and they were experiencing Kṛṣṇa’s smiling, Kṛṣṇa’s words of love, Kṛṣṇa’s attractive features, Kṛṣṇa’s characteristics and Kṛṣṇa’s embraces. By the force of their ecstatic feelings, it appeared to them that Kṛṣṇa was personally present and dancing before them. Because of their sweet remembrance of Kṛṣṇa, they could not check their tears, and they began to cry without consideration.
Lord Balarāma could, of course, understand the ecstatic feelings of the gopīs, and therefore He wanted to pacify them. He was expert in presenting an appeal, and thus, treating the gopīs very respectfully, He began to narrate the stories of Kṛṣṇa so tactfully that the gopīs became satisfied. In order to keep the gopīs in Vṛndāvana satisfied, Lord Balarāma stayed there continually for two months, namely the months of Caitra (March-April) and Vaiśākha (April-May). For those two months He kept Himself among the gopīs, and He passed every night with them in the forest of Vṛndāvana in order to satisfy their desire for conjugal love. Thus Balarāma also enjoyed the rāsa dance with the gopīs during those two months. Since the season was springtime, the breeze on the bank of the Yamunā was blowing very mildly, carrying the aroma of different flowers, especially of the flower known as kaumudī. Moonlight filled the sky and spread everywhere, and thus the banks of the Yamunā appeared to be very bright and pleasing, and Lord Balarāma enjoyed the company of the gopīs there.
The demigod known as Varuṇa sent his daughter Vāruṇī in the form of liquid honey oozing from the hollows of the trees. Because of this honey the whole forest became aromatic, and the sweet aroma of the liquid honey, Vāruṇī, captivated Balarāmajī. Balarāmajī and all the gopīs became very much attracted by the taste of Vāruṇī, and all of them drank it together. While drinking this natural beverage, Vāruṇī, all the gopīs chanted the glories of Lord Balarāma, and Lord Balarāma felt very happy, as if He had become intoxicated by drinking that Vāruṇī beverage. His eyes rolled in a pleasing attitude. He was decorated with long garlands of forest flowers, and the whole situation appeared to be a great function of happiness because of this transcendental bliss. Lord Balarāma smiled beautifully, and the drops of perspiration decorating His face appeared to be soothing morning dew.
While Balarāma was in that happy mood, He desired to enjoy the company of the gopīs in the water of the Yamunā. Therefore, He called Yamunā to come nearby. But Yamunā neglected the order of Balarāmajī, considering Him to be intoxicated. Lord Balarāma became very much displeased at Yamunā’s neglecting His order. He immediately wanted to scratch the land near the river with His plowshare. Lord Balarāma has two weapons, a plow and a club, and He takes service from them when they are required. This time He wanted to bring the Yamunā by force, and He took the help of His plow. He wanted to punish Yamunā because she did not come in obedience to His order. He addressed Yamunā: \\”You wretched river! You did not care for My order. Now I shall teach you a lesson! You did not come to Me voluntarily. Now with the help of My plow I shall force you to come. I shall divide you into hundreds of scattered streams!\\”
When Yamunā was threatened like this, she became greatly afraid of the power of Balarāma and immediately came in person, falling at His lotus feet and praying thus: \\”My dear Balarāma, You are the most powerful personality, and You are pleasing to everyone. Unfortunately, I forgot Your glorious, exalted position, but now I have come to my senses, and I remember that You hold all the planetary systems on Your head merely by Your partial expansion of Śeṣa. You are the sustainer of the whole universe. My dear Supreme Personality of Godhead, You are full of six opulences. Because I forgot Your omnipotence, I have mistakenly disobeyed Your order, and thus I have become a great offender. But, my dear Lord, please know that I am a surrendered soul unto You. You are very much affectionate to Your devotees. Therefore, please excuse my impudence and mistakes and, by Your causeless mercy, may You now release me.\\”
Upon displaying this submissive attitude, Yamunā was forgiven, and when she came nearby, Lord Balarāma wanted to enjoy the pleasure of swimming within her water along with the gopīs in the same way an elephant enjoys himself along with his many she-elephants. After a long time, when Lord Balarāma had enjoyed to His full satisfaction, He came out of the water, and immediately a goddess of fortune offered Him a nice blue garment and a valuable necklace made of gold. After taking bath in the Yamunā, Lord Balarāma, dressed in blue garments and decorated with golden ornaments, looked very attractive to everyone. Lord Balarāma’s complexion is white, and when He was properly dressed He looked exactly like the white elephant of King Indra in the heavenly planet. The Rver Yamunā still has many small branches due to being scratched by the plowshare of Lord Balarāma. And all these branches of the River Yamunā still glorify the omnipotency of Lord Balarāma.
Lord Balarāma and the gopīs enjoyed transcendental pastimes together every night for two months, and time passed away so quickly that all those nights appeared to be only one night. In the presence of Lord Balarāma, all the gopīs and inhabitants of Vṛndāvana became as cheerful as they had been before in the presence of both brothers, Lord Kṛṣṇa and Lord Balarāma.
Thus ends the Bhaktivedanta purport of the Second Volume, Tenth Chapter, of Kṛṣṇa, \\”Lord Balarāma Visits Vṛndāvana.\\” link to this page: https://prabhupadabooks.com/kb/2/10
Srila Prabhupada re Chanting of the Holy Name Is the Supreme Form of Yoga
August 14, 2019 in Articles by Laksman dasa
Srila Prabhupada glorifies Raghunandana Thakura [disappearance day August 4, 2019]
August 14, 2019 in Articles by Laksman dasa
Subject: Srila Prabhupada glorifies Raghunandana Thakura [disappearance day August 4, 2019]
