Srila Prabhupada’s 1972 Bhagavad Gita As It Is Lecture notes: Part 1.3

Hare Krsna, pranams and all glories to His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada.. 
Part 1.3: Lecture notes on some verses of Chapter 1 of the Macmillan Bhagavad Gita As It Is 1972 Edition
1. BG 1.8-10-LONDON – July 12, 1973Srila Prabhupada explains Duryodhana’s pride in his strength 
Translation: “Our strength is immeasurable, and we are perfectly protected by Grandfather Bhīṣma, whereas the strength of the Pāṇḍavas, carefully protected by Bhīma, is limited.”

Srila Gopal Bhatta Goswami.. Appearance 2^nd Feb 2021.

Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu came to Ranga Kshetra in the Christian year 1511. Vyenkata Bhatta had two brothers, Tirumalla Bhatta and Prabodhananda Sarasvati. They all belonged to the Ramanuja sampradaya and Prabodhananda Sarasvati was a tridandi sannyasi of that order. Vyenkata Bhatta had a son named Gopal, who was then just a child. When the boy came to offer his obeisances at the lotusfeet of Mahaprabhu picked him up and very affectionately seated him in His lap. Mahaprabhu would call Gopal after He had finished His meal and offer His remnants to the boy. In this way He prepared him for the positon of Acarya.

Tuesday, February 2, 2021 [Mayapura, West Bengal, Bharata Bhumi time]
Sri Gopala Bhatta Goswami avirbhava tithi [appearance day of Sri Gopala Bhatta Goswami]
Sri Ramacandra Kaviraja tirobhava tithi [disappearance day of Sri Ramacandra Kaviraja]
Srila Prabhupada describes the glories of Sri Gopala Bhatta Goswami and Sri Ramacandra Kavirajacompiled by Damaghosa dasa and Yasoda nandan dasa

Srila Prabhupada Speaks Out – “As you say that “by reading Bible,” when you read Bible that means you are following
  the spiritual master represented by some priest or some clergyman in the line of Lord Jesus Christ.
So any case, you have to follow a spiritual master. There cannot be the question without spiritual master. Is that clear?”

Srila Prabhupada Speaks Out:   The pure devotee is always transcendental,

is not an ordinary man, and does not suffer, and is not contaminated

Srila Prabhupada Speak Out: The potency of Macmillan edition“We present it exactly as it is; without any additions or subtractions. That is perfect in every way and
therefore it is actually having a tremendous effect all over the world. “

“You mentioned in your letter that you had read many other Bhagavad-gitas before you read mine and that none of them revealed as much to you as Bhagavad Gita As It is. The reason is because we do no change the actual meaning of the Gita at all.

Many other commentators due to poor fund of knowledge tamper with the lines of Bhagavad gita and twist the meaning for their personal motives, but we do not do like that. We present it exactly as it is; without any additions or subtractions. That is perfect in every way and therefore it is actually having a tremendous effect all over the world. The original words of Lord Krishna have unrivalled potency and anyone who is fortunate enough to hear those words and tries to apply them to his life becomes perfect.” Srila Prabhupada Letter to Mr. Dennany. March 14, 1975

SPIRITUAL MASTER AS REPRESENTATIVE OF NITYANANDA PRABHU
compiled by Isana dasa

Nityānanda Prabhu is the immediate expansion of Caitanya Mahāprabhu, Baladeva–tattva. Baladeva means who gives strength for spiritual advancement……….. So without Baladeva’s or Nityānanda’s grace, one cannot make advancement.

āra kabe nitāi–cānda karuṇā karibe
saṁsāra vāsanā mora kabe tuccha ha’be

This is the grace of Nityānanda Prabhu. Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura explains, āra kabe nitāi–cānda, karuṇā karibe. Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura is aspiring for the day when NityānandaPrabhu will be pleased upon him. Just like Jagāi–Mādhāi was delivered by the mercy of Śrī Nityānanda Prabhu, so we have to pray Nityānanda Prabhu. He’s very merciful. He’s so kind, Baladeva, He gives spiritual strength. Then we can approach the Supreme Lord. ………This is the process……….The spiritual master… Nityānanda Prabhu is the spiritual master. Or spiritual master is the replica, representation, of Nityānanda Prabhu. So when Nityānanda Prabhu is pleased, then we become detached from this material attraction. Lecture CC Adi-lila 7..4 March 4, 1974

SPIRITUAL MASTER AS EXTERNAL MANIFESTATION

OF THE LORD IN THE HEART

  Tene brahma hṛdā. Brahmā was alone. He could not see Kṛṣṇa eye to eye, but īśvaraḥ sarva–bhūtānāṁ hṛd–deśe arjuna tiṣṭhati [Bg. 18.61]. Kṛṣṇa is everyone’s heart, so He taught him from within. Kṛṣṇa’s name is Caitya–guru, “guru, spiritual master from within.” So Kṛṣṇa is trying to help us from within, and He manifests again externally also as spiritual master, directly teaching. So, from within, from without, He is trying to help us. Kṛṣṇa is so kind. From within and without. Sb 1.1.1; 8.6.71 LONDON 

Sage Prabuddha continued to speak to the King as follows: “My dear King, a disciple has to accept the spiritual master not only as spiritual master, but also as the representative of the Supreme Personality of Godhead and the supersoul. In other words, the disciple should accept the spiritual master as God because he is the external manifestation of Kṛṣṇa.” NOD chapter 7

Regarding accepting initiation from the spiritual master, in the Eleventh Canto of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, 17th Chapter, 22nd verse, it is stated by Lord Kṛṣṇa: “My dear Uddhava, the spiritual master must be accepted not only as My representative but as My very self. He must never be considered on the same level with an ordinary human being. One should never be envious of the spiritual master, as one may be envious of an ordinary man. The spiritual master should always be seen as the representative of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and by serving the spiritual master, one is able to serve all the demigods.” NOD chapter 7

………

Like the sun, Your Goodness can travel everywhere in the three worlds, and like the air you can penetrate the internal region of everyone. As such, you are as good as the all-pervasive Supersoul. Please, therefore, find out the deficiency in me, despite my being absorbed in transcendence under disciplinary regulations and vows. SB 1.5.7

yadyapi āmāra guru—caitanyera dāsa

tathāpi jāniye āmi tāṅhāra prakāśa

yadyapi—even though; āmāra—my; guru—spiritual master; caitanyera—of Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu; dāsa—the servitor; tathāpi—still; jāniye—know; āmi—I; tāṅhāra—of the Lord; prakāśa—direct manifestation.

Translation

Although I know that my spiritual master is a servitor of Śrī Caitanya, I know Him also as a plenary manifestation of the Lord.

Purport

Every living entity is essentially a servant of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and the spiritual master is also His servant. Still, the spiritual master is a direct manifestation of the Lord. With this conviction, a disciple can advance in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. The spiritual master is nondifferent from Kṛṣṇa because he is a manifestation of Kṛṣṇa.

Lord Nityānanda, who is Balarāma Himself, the first direct manifestation or expansion of Kṛṣṇa, is the original spiritual master. He helps Lord Kṛṣṇa in His pastimes, and He is a servant of the Lord.

Every living entity is eternally a servant of Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya; therefore, the spiritual master cannot be other than a servant of Lord Caitanya. The spiritual master’s eternal occupation is to expand the service of the Lord by training disciples in a service attitude. A spiritual master never poses as the Supreme Lord Himself; he is considered a representative of the Lord. The revealed scriptures prohibit one’s pretending to be God, but a bona fide spiritual master is a most faithful and confidential servant of the Lord and therefore deserves as much respect as Kṛṣṇa.

Caitanya Caritamrta (1975 edition) Ādi 1.44:

july 5 1975 Chicago
Devotee (2): We are giving these books to so many common men. Then the books will attract them to perhaps chanting and following the regulative principles.
Prabhupāda: Yes, if they read. Even if they touch. That is the difference between this book and ordinary book. Even they touch and they read one line and says, “Oh, it is very nice,” he makes a step forward. If he simply says this word, “Oh, it is very nice,” that is sufficient to bring him. Therefore I am trying to push. He has paid some money. He will then say, “What these nonsense have written. Let me see.” (laughter) And if he sees and says, “Oh, it is very nice,” then the beginning is immediately. Therefore we are trying to push. At least let him say, “It is very nice.” The Kartikeya’s mother, the practical experience… The Kartikeya, when he used to go to see his mother, the mother was going to dance, ball dance, and she would not speak: “All right, sit down. I am coming.” She used to go out. The same mother gradually, in the association of her son, became Kṛṣṇa conscious. So at the time of death she asked Kartikeya, “Is your Kṛṣṇa here?” and she died immediately. This is the effect. So anta-kāle, she remembered Kṛṣṇa, so her life was successful. She inquired like this, “Is your Kṛṣṇa here?” And immediately died. So she got the benefit of her son’s Kṛṣṇa consciousness. You can ask Kartikeya also. She said that.

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