bhakti yoga according to gaudiya vaisnav's topics - tribe.net

A challenge to the IRMSKCON Society.

labanga — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 00:58:23 GMT

Dear Krishna Kant Desai;

I have challenged you many times on this topic and you always ignore me, so now I am forced to take shelter of the Gaudiya Vaishnava Tribe and if they allow me to I would like to challenge you here.

There are many many quotes from Srila Prabhupada of ISKCON stating that his disciples will themselves become guru after he leaves the planet. Yet despite my repeatedly asking you to produce these quotes you remain silent. Why can't you find all of the quotes from His Divine Grace and compile them all together into one issue. Isn't there enough room? And then using your brilliant logic and argument prove how each and every quotation is wrong.

You have ignored me many times and have failed to be honest enough to admit even one quote exists, even when I find some myself. There is a saying, "A gentleman admits defeat." and a brahmana who hides knowledge in order to prove a point is no brahmana at all. If you continue to hide the fact that Srila Prabhupada did appoint specific indiviuals by name to become guru and even all of his disciples and specifically ONE MOON to become a guru then you do not deserve to talk, and you should give back all that you have stolen from the soiciety for withholding evidence from the court.

Please take this seriously and devote your next issue to it. We don't need another brilliant expose on guru hoaxes number 4. Thank you very much, Hare Krishna!

posted in bhakti yoga according to gaudiya vaisnav - 1 reply

Sreela Shivarama Swami is my guru!!!!!!!!111111

Wed, 26 Dec 2007 00:40:06 GMT

Shreela Shivarama Swami is my guru!!!1111 I just found out today!!!! I ddidn't know who he was I think I heard of him before but he is worshipping the Goddess katyayani to become Krishna's wife and that is good enough for me!! If nothing else I can gaze upon his Deity! She is so beautiful! Oh Goddess, please make me your eternal maidservant!~

posted in bhakti yoga according to gaudiya vaisnav - 3 replies

Where is my online friend?

labanga — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 00:37:49 GMT

I have a friend here at Tribe who likes to preach with me sometimes. She likes Narayana Maharaja and lives in Santa Monica sometimes. We sometimes go to various tribes to tell people about Krishna as long as they don't mind. We seem to have similar moods in a way. I haven't seen her in a while, or rather, haven't met up with her here at Tribe. I hate to ask but are you out there whoever you are? I don't remember your name here at Tribe, I never do until we meet up again here. Please send me a message if you read this. I need your association. I like preaching with you.

posted in bhakti yoga according to gaudiya vaisnav - 0 replies

Where is Krishna?

labanga — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 04:14:34 GMT

Where is Krishna? Where is Krishna? Where are Krishna's cows? And where is my dearmost friend?

posted in bhakti yoga according to gaudiya vaisnav - 1 reply

Why Vaishnavs Worship Cows?

Braja — Sun, 01 Jul 2007 19:00:38 GMT

Why worship the cows?

To answer this question we have to state a principle. We worship someone due their nature and actions. Even God is worshiped because of nature and actions. Across all religions, God is described as very merciful, benevolent, kind etc. This is his nature. He is always acting for the benefit of all, he guides us through difficult times and misery, He provides protection and provides for everyone’s welfare. These are his actions.

Cows are pure by nature. They are completely satvik. How is this? We know that cow’s urine and dung are disinfectants. This is scientifically proven. If the excreta are so purifying, what to speak of the other products – milk, butter, ghee? Secondly, cows are very simple and never harm any body. They provide milk for entire mankind. These are some simple examples.

Then there is a deeper meaning. In Sanskrit, cows are called “GO”. In Vedic culture all knowledge begins with the word “Ga”. Guru and Gayatri are the beginnings of all knowledge. All auspiciousness activities also start with the cows. No sacrifice can be done without Ghee; sacrifices are considered auspicious and ghee is required. The “Ga” signifies cows, this is a secret meaning.

For Vaishnavs (people worshiping Lord Krishna in his personal form) there is a still deeper meaning. The meaning is within the words – Govinda, Gopi, Govardhana, Goloka Vrindavan. It is clear these are the greatest. Govinda is Lord Krishna, the protector of cows, Gopis are the highest devotees, Govardhana is the best servant, and Goloka Vrindavan (“go loka - the abode of the cows ”) is the highest destination . The meaning is obvious. There is nothing without the cows. They all serve cows. Cows are the dearest to Lord Krishna, they are His deities. This is the highest form of worship of Lord Krishna and available to only a very select few devotees. Even this knowledge is very rare – most people don’t understand the exalted position of cows, they see cows as animals. People who serve Krishna ’s cows are the most fortunate and achieve all results. This is the ultimate and simplest. Its how 'goloka vrindavan' is achieved while in the material world, in the material body.

Hare Krsna.
bbdasa@yahoo.com

posted in bhakti yoga according to gaudiya vaisnav - 3 replies

wondering...

lookinglasssky — Wed, 19 Mar 2008 15:28:12 GMT

if anybody had any news about what's happening in New Vrindavan... I'm planning on a relocation and as
i have never visited there before i was wondering if anyone could give me some logistics... Im hankering for
some serious devotee association, it's been faaar too long... i figured with all the acreage there i could maybe
pitch a tent, perform some seva while attending temple programs and get my sadhan back in order... anyway...
any information would be greatly appreciated...
many blessings,
matthew

posted in bhakti yoga according to gaudiya vaisnav - 4 replies

Experience An India Yoga Odyssey

Dennis — Fri, 11 Jan 2008 02:08:30 GMT

Experience a Transforming India YOGA Odyssey
(February 21 to March 6, 2008)

Just imagine your airplane touching down at the India airport of your choice – Mumbai or Ahmadabad – on Thursday, February 21, 2008. Awaiting you at the airport is your guide, who will escort you by rail or taxi to your hotel accommodations in Surat City, Gujarat State. You will have arrived just in time to take in the World Yoga Championships, either as a participant or as a spectator. If anyone wishes to participate in the Championships the necessary registration forms can be downloaded at www.lifemission.org. The Championships run from February 22 though February 24. (The Championships were primarily founded as a means for encouraging youth worldwide to engage themselves in the ageless science of yoga for the betterment of body, mind and spiritual development in similar fashion that society worldwide encourages youth to participate in common sporting events.)

Following the Championships, you will be escorted to Malav Ashram for a five night stay, which includes three days of “hands on” yogic training under the expert guidance of Acharya Yogendradev, who has taught in North America, Taiwan, and India

And now – the Tours – you will tour the historic spiritual pilgrimage site of Kayavarohan and visit the Brahmeshwar Temple of Lord Lakulish (the 28th incarnation of Lord Shiva). You will spend 5 nights at a beautiful oceanside resort near the city of Div, overlooking the Indian Ocean with its miles of sandy beaches, and visit surrounding points of interest including the renowned Somnath Temple; a lion wildlife reserve, an ayurvedic clinic of a renowned ayurvedic physician where you will be able to observe the natural preparation of ayurvedic medicines and receive a free medical check-up. You will also have the opportunity to visit the temple complex at Rajrajeshwardham, where Lord Lakulish materialized in his divine body on January 29, 2007. Then – another great grace awaits you – you will have the rare opportunity of having darshan with the highly advanced yogi, Swami Rajarshi Muni.*

Now your yoga trip is reaching its end – on March 6, you will be escorted by your guide to your departure airport for your trip home – to reflect on and absorb your many yoga experiences of the past 2 weeks; the multitudes of wondrous Indian sites you've seen; the unmatched hospitality of its people and the many lasting new friendships you've made.

The cost per participant is $ 695.00 USD. This price does not include your transportation costs to and from India, which is entirely your responsibility, as are any required passports, visas etc. This price does include designated tour accommodations and meals in India, and all ground transportation to the Championships and touring sites in India, as well as ground transportation to and from airports at Mumbai or Ahmedabad. Any profits after all costs have been met will be directed to projects for the poor, including schools and hospitals. For further information, go to www.lifemission.org, or email: Acharya Yogendradev, ggvaghela@yahoo.com; or Dennis Konchak, lifema@telus.net; or Hans Splinter, Hsplinter@cogeco.ca.

* Swami Rajarshi Muni is the author of a vast library of nearly 100 titles in four different languages, including ten books in English. Some of the English titles are: Classical Hatha Yoga, Divine Body Through Yoga; Tenets for the Spiritual Life; Infinite Grace (The Story of My Spiritual Lineage), Awakening the Life Force, and Light from Guru to Disciple. For more information, check the Life Mission website www.lifemission.org and www.amazon.com under Rajarshi Muni

posted in bhakti yoga according to gaudiya vaisnav - 0 replies

Join ISKCON, the current topmost branch of the gaudiya vaishnava sampradaya.

Sun, 07 Oct 2007 01:46:26 GMT

WHY CAN'T WE ALL JUST JOIN ISKCON, THE BEST BRANCH OF THE TREE OF LORD CAITANYA? If it wasn't for Srila Prabhupada, where would we all be today? Surely no one in the Western world would have heard about Krishna from his godbrothers, who were practically useless outside of India, and who ruined the Gaudiya Math within India with their kanistha quarreling and arguments.
Forget all the rest, and join the best! Srila Prabhupada ki jaya!

posted in bhakti yoga according to gaudiya vaisnav - 9 replies

I know I've done this before but I keep on forgetting and I forgot.

Sun, 09 Dec 2007 20:53:49 GMT

I know I should do more than apologize to the Gaudiya Math. But it's hard, I have my false ego in the way, and I have somehow or other many times falsely come to the conclusion that it is ok to do nothing but think bad about the devotees inside. I have done this before, realized my mistake, only to fall back down into material consciousness again.
I can't ignore what my spiritual master has said, and he is either Srila Prabhupada or else coming in the disciplic succesion from Srila Prabhupada himself, of ISKCON, and so I am an ISKCON devotee. But at the same time, I have seen the Gaudiya Math Deities and devotees, and I should be welcoming them as devotees, not seeing them as non-devotees trying to take away devotees from Srila Prabhupada's movement.
I don't know what to do about this problem. How can I say GM devotees can come into ISKCON centers knowing that they might have the mentality of cruising for new devotees to take over to their gurus? All I can hope to remember is to try to pay a lot more respect to them from now on, along with all the devotees I have offended countlessly.

posted in bhakti yoga according to gaudiya vaisnav - 14 replies

Lakulish Yogasan Championships 2008: Feb. 22; 23; & 24th, - City of Surat, Gujarat State, India

Dennis — Mon, 10 Dec 2007 11:49:17 GMT

For details and application forms, please refer to: http://www.lifemission.org/ and under "New" go to item #4 and click on "World Open Yogasan Championships".

Please note, to optimize your India trip and your experience of Lakulish Yoga you could attend or participate in the Yogasan Championships and also take in the 3 week Certificate Yoga Training Course being offered at Swami Rajarshi Muni's Malav Ashram from January 30 -February 20th. For details on the training go to http://www.lifemission.org/ and under "New" click on item # 5 " "Overseas Students Annual Yoga Certificate Training Program"

posted in bhakti yoga according to gaudiya vaisnav - 0 replies

Any Krishna devotees in Olympia?

songbird — Tue, 07 Nov 2006 20:20:26 GMT

Haribol-
i live in Olympia, Washington and I would love to associate with mature devotees in the Gaudiya Vaisnav traditiion. I am not able to get to the temple in Sammamish and would appreciate the opportunity to get together with devotees for bhajan, reading, listening to lectures, sharing prasad. Thank you

posted in bhakti yoga according to gaudiya vaisnav - 6 replies

why is bhakti supreme?

Braja — Mon, 13 Aug 2007 19:45:50 GMT

1. because it is simple (sadaharana)
2. because it is real (satya)
3. because it is scriptural (Shastric)

Simple: one does need to leave home or family to practice it

Real: all the fruits of bhakti are real. even with a little practice one can experience it. moksha is lie, because there is no definition of it. only by negation can one comment on it.

Shastric: become my devotee, worship me and serve me - Krishna in BG. The instruction is simple and clear. Surprisingly many still misinterpret it. Why? because they dont want to surrender.
posted by:

posted in bhakti yoga according to gaudiya vaisnav - 5 replies

Don't be a sahajiya!

Mon, 23 Jul 2007 01:33:34 GMT

Don't try to jump into your eternal relationship with Krishna before you are ready. Srila Bhaktisiddhanta described the stages throught which one must pass. We can't go out of order. We can't jump up before we are ready.
'DON'T TRY TO SEE KRISHNA, ACT IN SUCH A WAY THAT KRISHNA WILL WANT TO SEE YOU!"
The Gaudiya Math seems to me to be packed full of sahajiya gurus and disciples. ISKCON on the other hand is not like that.
ISKCON ki jaya!

posted in bhakti yoga according to gaudiya vaisnav - 5 replies

How can I get gopi bhava?

Tue, 03 Jul 2007 01:35:19 GMT

I have to taste it! I can't live without it! Where can I get it or who can give it to me? How can I get Radharani's mercy?@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@22

posted in bhakti yoga according to gaudiya vaisnav - 0 replies

LET LUST LEAVE

cintamani — Wed, 04 Apr 2007 02:24:13 GMT

Sri Srimad Bhaktivedanta Narayana Maharaja
LET LUST LEAVE
Kona, Hawaii: January 17, 2007

Brahma thought about the wonderful glories of Krsna. He turned his worship from Sri Narayana, the Lord of Vaikuntha, and began the worship of the Supreme Lord Sri Krsna. Now he realized Krsna's glories and began to recite prayers (stava and stuti). At that time Krsna was resting His hand on the shoulder of a cowherd friend, and all His friends were asking, “Who is that four-headed person?” Krsna was acting indifferent to Brahma; He was absorbed in playing with His cowherd boy-friends.

Brahma offered obeisances thousand of times.

naumidya te 'bhra-vapuse tadid-ambaraya
gunjavatamsa-paripiccha-lasan-mukhaya
vanya-sraje kavala-vetra-visana-venu-
laksma-sriye mrdu-pade pasupangajaya

[Lord Brahma said: "My dear Lord, You are the only worshipable Lord, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and therefore I offer my humble obeisances and prayers just to please You. O son of the king of the cowherds, Your transcendental body is dark blue like a new cloud, Your garment is brilliant like lightning, and the beauty of Your face is enhanced by Your gunja earrings and the peacock feather on Your head. Wearing garlands of various forest flowers and leaves, and equipped with a herding stick, a buffalo horn, and flute, You stand beautifully with a morsel of food in Your hand." (Srimad Bhagavatam 10.14.1)]

At first Brahma had considered that Krsna was the son of Vasudeva and Devaki in Mathura, but now, according to our acaryas' commentaries, he is praying, “You are the son of Nanda Baba and Yasoda. You roam in the beautiful forest of Vrndavana and You have 19 kinds of auspicious marks are on Your feet. These marks are not even on the lotus feet of incarnations of Krsna like Varahadeva or Nrsinghadeva, and Sri Ramacandra may have one or two. These marks are on Krsna’s feet in full, and He is not wearing any shoes.”

Brahma prays,

jnane prayasam udapasya namanta eva
jivanti san-mukharitam bhavadiya-vartam
sthane sthitah sruti-gatam tanu-van-manobhir
ye prayaso 'jita jito 'py asi tais tri-lokyam

[“Those who, even while remaining situated in their established social positions, throw away the process of speculative knowledge and with their body, words and mind offer all respects to descriptions of Your personality and activities, dedicating their lives to these narrations which are vibrated by You personally and by Your pure devotees, certainly conquer Your Lordship, although You are otherwise unconquerable by anyone within the three worlds.” (Srimad-Bhagavatam, 10.14.3)]

What type of jnana (knowledge) is Brahma referring to here? He is referring to nirvisesa jnana (voidism or impersonalism) – the thinking that, “I am the Absolute Spirit Whole (God).” “Sarvam kalvidam brahma – only the one, Absolute Spirit Whole exists).” Brahma says here that this must be given up.

Not only this; Brahma is also referring to tattva-jnana, the knowledge that Sri Krsna is the Supreme Lord, the Lord of Lords, with six kinds of opulences. Brahma is indicating that one should also give up the separate effort to know tattva (established philosophical truths). Tattva will automatically come by hearing the sweet pastimes of Krsna.

Commenting on this verse, Srila Jiva Gosvami explains that ‘jnane prayasam’ implies that one should give up even the understanding that Krsna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, full with six opulences.

tasmin mahan-mukharita madhubhic-caritra-
piyusa-sesa-saritah paritah sravanti
ta ye pibanty avitrso nrpa gadha-karnais
tan na sprsanty asana-trd-bhaya-soka-mohah

["O king, if one gets the chance to hear from elevated saints the topics of the qualities of Sri Krsna, which are like a flowing river of nectar, and drinks this nectar with single-minded absorption and faith, then hunger, thirst, fear, lamentation, illusion and other such unwanted detriments will never be able to assail one." (Srimad Bhagavatam, 4.29.40)]

Self-realized, high-class Vaisnavas will speak about the sweet pastimes of Krsna in such a beautiful manner. It is as if their words are emanating from their mouths like a fountain. Those who hear hari-katha, those who offer obeisances to hari-katha and glorify the place where hari-katha is being spoken, those who are organizing the recitation of hari-katha, and especially those who are speaking hari-katha and those in the audience, are worthy of glorification. One should sit at that place and hear the nectar topics flowing from the mouths of pure devotees like Srila Sukadeva Gosvami.

During the time of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, Srila Raghunatha Bhatta Gosvami (one of the six Gosvamis) used to explain Srimad-Bhagavatam with a very sweet voice. All the Gosvamis, including Srila Rupa Gosvami and Srila Jiva Gosvami, used to come and hear him sing. They all used to weep and practically faint, while Rupa Gosvami sat motionless, in samadhi trance. They would ask, “Is Rupa Gosvami alive or dead?”

During the seven days after Maharaja Pariksit was cursed to die from the bite of a snakebird, he did nothing but hear Srimad-Bhagavatam. His desire was: “Krsna should be my most beloved,” and he instructed his mother in the same way. Therefore, I think that Krsna must now be his beloved.

Keep in mind our ultimate goal – bhakti like that of Sri Rupa Manjari. Under her guidance we should begin. From where?

adau sraddha tatah sadhu-sango 'tha bhajana-kriya
tato 'nartha-nivrttih syat tato nistha rucis tatah
athasaktis tato bhavas tatah premabhyudancati
sadhakanam ayam premnah pradurbhave bhavet kramah

[In the beginning one must have a preliminary desire for self-realization. This will bring one to the stage of trying to associate with persons who are spiritually elevated. In the next stage one becomes initiated by an elevated spiritual master, and under his instruction the neophyte devotee begins the process of devotional service. By execution of devotional service under the guidance of the spiritual master, one becomes free from all material attachment, attains steadiness in self-realization, and acquires a taste for hearing about the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Sri Krsna. This taste leads one further forward to attachment for Krsna consciousness, which is matured in bhava, or the preliminary stage of transcendental love of God. Real love for God is called prema, the highest perfectional stage of life. (Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu 1.4.15-16)]

Practicing the principles of bhakti, try to gradually reduce your worldly attachments. You can be a householder, no harm. If you are already a householder, you can remain a householder, but with no attachments. You should think, “My child is Krsna’s servant, so I must help them in their Krsna consciousness.” Those of you who are brahmacaris and sannyasis should be serious and mature. You should be very careful of ladies – and ladies of men. At the moment of death, only remember the sweet pastimes of Krsna. Remember radha-dasyam (the service of Srimati Radharani).

Maharaja Bharata left his kingdom at a very young age – at the age of 50,000 years – when his life was only half over. He had very obedient sons and daughters, but he left them and went to the forest. Although he had reached the stage of bhava-bhakti, he became very attached to a deer. That deer ran off with a group of other deer. Later, at the time of death, Bharata Maharaja was remembering that deer and became a deer in his next life.

If at the time of death you remember worldly attachments, you will have to accept a body accordingly. I discussed this last night. King Puranjana was remembering his wife at the time of death. Thus, he became a lady and again married. We should be very careful. As Bharata Maharaja remembered the deer and became a deer, if you will remember Krsna, as the servant of Rupa Manjari, why will you not become that? But this will not come automatically. You must practice from the beginning. You should prepare yourself to qualify for remembering asta-kaliya-lila.

Brahma also prayed:

tat te 'nukampam su-samiksamano
bhunjana evatma-krtam vipakam
hrd-vag-vapurbhir vidadhan namas te
jiveta yo mukti-pade sa daya-bhak

[“My dear Lord, one who earnestly waits for You to bestow Your causeless mercy upon him, all the while patiently suffering the reactions of his past misdeeds and offering You respectful obeisances with his heart, words and body, is surely eligible for liberation, for it has become his rightful claim.” (Srimad-Bhagavatam, 10.14.8)]

Such a devotee will be the inheritor of mukti-pade. Mukti, liberation, is situated at the lotus feet (pade) of Bhakti-devi. That devotee will live in Goloka Vrndavana, serving Krsna always.

While you are doing bhajana, sometimes suffering will come and sometimes happiness will come. How should we think at those times? Brahma prays, “Tat te 'nukampam su-samiksamano.” Whether suffering comes or happiness comes, don’t be disturbed. The results of what you have done in the past are coming, and you will have to taste those results. They are coming by the mercy of Krsna, who is like our father. Sometimes He may give a slap, sometimes He will embrace us, sometimes He will give bitter things, and sometimes He will allow us to remember His sweet pastimes. We should think, “I belong only to Krsna. So, accepting whatever He is giving me – suffering or happiness – I should be calm and quiet.” Always remember Krsna, and then Ajit-krsna, the unconquerable Krsna, will be conquered by you.

satam prasangan mama virya-samvido
bhavanti hrt-karna-rasayanah kathah
taj-josanad asv apavarga-vartmani
sraddha ratir bhaktir anukramiñyati

[In the association of pure devotees, discussion of the pastimes and activities of the Supreme Personality of Godhead is very pleasing and satisfying to the ear and the heart. By cultivating such knowledge one gradually becomes advanced on the path of liberation, and thereafter he is freed, and his attraction becomes fixed. Then real devotion and devotional service begin. (Srimad-Bhagavatam 3.25.25)]

In sadhu-sanga (association of realized souls) Krsna is easily available, but to have the association of a realized soul, a pure devotee of Krsna, is very rare in this world. We can get such association if they mercifully come to our countries – to our door. Srila Bhaktivedanta Swami Maharaja personally went door to door and preached everywhere. Narada Rsi goes door to door and tells sweet hari-katha, and thus he brings others to Krsna.

Do not waste your time. Always engage yourselves in what I am telling – what sastra is telling. Follow all these instructions.

Brahma prays:

aho bhagyam aho bhagyam
nanda-gopa-vrajaukasam
yan-mitram paramanandam
purnam brahma sanatanam

[“How greatly fortunate are Nanda Maharaja, the cowherd men and all the other inhabitants of Vrajabhumi! There is no limit to their good fortune, because the Absolute Truth, the source of transcendental bliss, the eternal Supreme Brahman, has become their friend.” (Srimad-Bhagavatam 10.14.32)]

Who is Krsna? He is the Supreme Personality of Godhead; now He is someone’s friend, someone’s most beloved, and someone’s son. Thus, He is very easily attained by the Vrajavasis. I offer my obesiances to that Supreme Godhead.

Brahma prays:

tad bhuri-bhagyam iha janma kim apy aöavyam
yad gokule 'pi katamanghri-rajo-'bhiñekam
yaj-jivitam tu nikhilam bhagavan mukundas
tv adyapi yat-pada-rajah sruti-mrgyam eva

[“My greatest possible good fortune would be to take any birth whatever in this forest of Gokula, and have my head bathed by the dust falling from the lotus feet of any of its residents. Their entire life and soul is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Mukunda, the dust of whose lotus feet is still being searched for in the Vedic mantras.” (Srimad-Bhagavatam 10.14.33)]

Brahma prays, “I will be very fortunate if I take birth in Vrndavana in any way – as a blade of grass, a tree, or as any devotee of Vrndavana.” Krsna told him, “You have not done anything to merit your taking birth in Vrndavana, or even in Gokula.” So he replies, “There, I want to be a piece of stone on which sweepers will come and wipe their feet. I will take the dust of their feet on my head. Then I would be very fortunate.” Brahma is praying for this.

One day, Krsna went to Vrndavana from Chatikara. Some of His cows and friends were very thirsty, and they drank the water from Kaliya-hrada. Krsna was going to stop them, saying, “Don’t, don’t,” but they had already drank and at once died.

Why did Kaliya go to Vrndavana? There is a history. He used to be in Ramanaka-dvipa. Before the time of Krsna-lila, Saubhari Rsi performed austerities within the Yamuna. To conquer his senses, he remained standing within the water of the Yamuna through all seasons. One day Garuda, an associate of Krsna, went there and swallowed a big male fish. Seeing this, the fish community lamented and prayed to Saubhari Rsi for retaliation. Saubhari Rsi cursed Garuda, saying that if he would come here again, he would die. Because Saubhari Rsi had cursed a great devotee, a desire arose in his heart to enjoy the material world. He came out of the waters of the Yamuna, and by his yogic power transformed himself into a young man. He married the many beautiful young daughters of Maharaja Mandhata, and became entangled in sense gratification for thousands of years.

By Sri Krsna’s desire, the Kaliya serpent later moved to that same Yamuna with his family, in order to protect himself from his enemy, the very powerful Garuda. Kaliya made the water full of poison, and all the fish living there, who had also committed an offence towards Garuda, died. In this way, Saubhari Rsi and all the fish who had taken shelter of him faced total destruction, because they had committed an offence towards a pure devotee. Saubhari Rsi was thinking, “For so many years I enjoyed this life, but I am not happy.” He repented for his offence, and then he went to Vrndavana, performed austerities and ultimately attained Krsna. *[See endnote 1]

Never criticize others. It may be that others are wrong and you cannot associate with them – but don’t criticize.

Why did Krsna dance with the gopis in rasa-lila, and why did He tell the brahmanis to return to their homes, which they did? It is because only the gopis can be with Krsna. The brahmanis were respected by Krsna. He told them to return to their husbands, and they did. They chanted and remembered Him, as He told them to do. In their next birth they would become gopis, and at that time they would be able to dance and sing with Krsna. Unless they would become gopis, it would not be possible.

Why did Krsna perform rasa? Srila Sanatana Gosvami has explained that rasa-lila is ‘kama-vijaya’, which means it was performed to defeat Kamadeva (Cupid).

Kamadeva was very proud, thinking, “I have conquered Sankara (Lord Siva), Brahma and Indra. Sankara was attracted to the Mohini incarnation of the Lord, Brahma created a daughter and was attracted to her, Indra was attached to the wife of Gautama Rsi, and Candra was attracted to the wife of his Guru.

All the demigods, including Brahma and Sankara, had been conquered by Cupid. On a beautiful full moon-night with a fragrant breeze coming from the Yamuna River, Krsna was alone with thousands of very beautiful young gopis, who were full with all-attractive qualities. He was surrounded by them and He was touching their bodies.

When they first arrived He told them, “Go to your husbands and serve them,” and during the dance He disappeared, leaving even Radhika weeping. Thus, Krsna is the Cupid of Cupid. He is Madana-mohana, the enchanter and conqueror of Cupid.

It is stated in Srimad-Bhagavatam:

vikriditam vraja-vadhubhir idam ca visnu
sraddhanvito 'nusrnuyad atha varnayed yah
bhaktim param bhagavati pratilabhya kamam
hrd-rogam asv apahinoty acirena dhirah

[Anyone who faithfully hears or describes the Lord's playful affairs with the young gopis of Vrndavana will attain the Lord's pure devotional service. Thus he will quickly become sober and conquer lust, the disease of the heart. (Srimad-Bhagavatam, 10.33.39)]

Those with strong faith will hear hari-katha. That strong faith should be like that of Haridasa Thakura and Prahlada Maharaja. Haridasa Thakura said, “Even if someone will cut me into pieces, I will not give up harinama or my devotion of Krsna. By hearing hari-katha with such faith, all varieties of heart disease will go away.

Those who have properly heard hari-katha from their Gurudeva and have then described it to others – those whose intelligence is sober (dhira) – attain bhakti and become free from lust. If anyone says that his lust will not disappear by hearing rasa-lila, that person is an offender. Why? This is because Srila Sukadeva Gosvami, Sri Narada Rsi and Srila Vyasadeva have explained this in Srimad-Bhagavatam, The lust of offenders will not go. On the other hand, for those who are sober and hear these sweet pastimes with faith, to the extent that bhakti will manifest, lust will go. This is the very essence of the above verse.

Bhagavad-gita and other scriptures state that first lust will go, and then bhakti will come. However this is not true if one hears rasa-lila. In this case first bhakti will come in your heart and then lust will go. This is the object of the process of Krsna consciousness.

Gaura-premanande.

[*Endnote 1 – “King Pariksit, after hearing of the chastisement of Kaliya, inquired from Sukadeva Gosvami as to why Kaliya left his beautiful land and why Garuda was so antagonistic to him. Sukadeva Gosvami informed the King that the island known as Nagalaya was inhabited by serpents and that Kaliya was one of the chief serpents there. Being accustomed to eating snakes, Garuda used to come to this island and kill many serpents at will. Some of them he actually ate, but some were unnecessarily killed. The reptile society became so disturbed that their leader, Vasuki, appealed to Lord Brahma for protection. Lord Brahma made an arrangement by which Garuda would not create a disturbance: on each half-moon day, the reptile community would offer a serpent to Garuda. The serpent was to be kept underneath a tree as a sacrificial offering to Garuda. Garuda was satisfied with this offering, and therefore he did not disturb any other serpents.

“But gradually, Kaliya took advantage of this situation. He was unnecessarily puffed up by the volume of his accumulated poison, as well as by his material power, and he thought, "Why should Garuda be offered this sacrifice?" He then ceased offering any sacrifice; instead, he himself ate the offering intended for Garuda. When Garuda, the great devotee-carrier of Visnu, understood that Kaliya was eating the offered sacrifices, he became very angry and rushed to the island to kill the offensive serpent. Kaliya tried to fight Garuda and faced him with his many hoods and poisonous sharp teeth. Kaliya attempted to bite him, and Garuda, the son of Tarksya, in great anger and with the great force befitting the carrier of Lord Visnu, struck the body of Kaliya with his effulgent golden wings. Kaliya, who is also known as Kadrusuta, son of Kadru, immediately fled to the lake known as Kaliya-hrada, which lay within the Yamuna River and which Garuda could not approach.

“Kaliya took shelter within the water of the Yamuna for the following reason. Just as Garuda went to the island of the Kaliya snake, he also used to go to the Yamuna to catch fish to eat. There was, however, a great yogi known as Saubhari Muni who used to meditate within the water there and who was sympathetic with the fish. He asked Garuda not to come there and disturb the fish. Although Garuda was not under anyone's order, being the carrier of Lord Visnu, he did not disobey the order of the great yogi. Instead of staying and eating many fish, he carried off one big fish, who was their leader. Saubhari Muni was sorry that one of the leaders of the fish was taken away by Garuda, and thinking of their protection, he cursed Garuda with the following words: "Henceforward, from this day, if Garuda comes here to catch fish, then-I say this with all my strength-he will be immediately killed."

“This curse was known only to Kaliya. Kaliya was therefore confident that Garuda would not be able to come there, and so he thought it wise to take shelter of the lake within the Yamuna. But Kaliya's taking shelter of Saubhari Muni was not successful; he was driven away from the Yamuna by Krsna, the master of Garuda. It may be noted that Garuda is directly related to the Supreme Personality of Godhead and is so powerful that he is never subject to anyone's order or curse. Actually the cursing of Garuda-who is stated in Srimad-Bhagavatam to be of the stature of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Bhagavan-was an offense on the part of Saubhari Muni. Although Garuda did not try to retaliate, the Muni was not saved from his offensive act against a great Vaisnava personality. Due to this offense, Saubhari fell down from his yogic position and afterwards became a householder, a sense enjoyer in the material world. The falldown of Saubhari Muni, who was supposed to be absorbed in spiritual bliss by meditation, is an instruction to the offender of Vaisnavas.” (Krsna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead)]

Editorial Advisors: Sripad Madhava Maharaja and Sripad Brajanath dasa
Transcriber: Vasanti dasi
Typist: Anita dasi
Proofreader: Krsna Kamini dasi
Editor: Syamarani dasi

posted in bhakti yoga according to gaudiya vaisnav - 3 replies

Gita by A.C BhaktiVedanta Swami Prabhupada

shyam — Wed, 10 Jan 2007 01:55:55 GMT

Hello Fellow Bhakta's

Please visit the gita tribe for disscussions on the teachings in gita by A.C Bhaktivedanta Swami Prapbhupada
link is:

http://tribes.tribe.net/saarthi

posted in bhakti yoga according to gaudiya vaisnav - 0 replies

Dont Miss the Appearance of Prabhupada!

Fri, 08 Dec 2006 17:23:47 GMT

Today is the appearance of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Prabhupada, our grand-guru! haribolo:

[December 8, 2006, is a very pure and holy day. It is the divine appearance day of om Visnupada Sri Srimad Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura, one of the greatest acaryas in the Gaudiya Vaisnava sampradaya. He is the diksa-guru of Srila Prabhupada Bhaktivedanta Svami Maharaja, and the param-guru of Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayana Gosvami Maharaja.

Srila Narayana Maharaja is in Hawaii now, and he is observing the grand festival of this holy day there. His observance lecture will be sent out at a future date. In the meantime, in order that you will receive something now, please accept the following discourse, given by Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura Prabhupada himself. His discourse was given on the Vyasa-puja day of his own Guru Maharaja, Srila Gaura-kisora dasa Babaji Maharaja. It was taken from Rays of The Harmonist. Vol. II. No. I, printed in the 1990's.

For our respected readers' kind attention, very excellent articles have been printed in the most recent edition of the Rays of the Harmonist Magazine (No. 16 Kartika 2006), also in glorification of Srila Prabhupada Sarasvati Thakura, and we pray that you will avail yourselves of the articles therein.]

ajnana-timirandhasya jnananjana-salakaya
caksur-unmilitam yena tasmai sri guruve namah

["Obeisances to Sri Gurudeva who has opened our sealed eyes, blinded by the darkness of ignorance, with the spike of the collyrium of knowledge."]

Today is the day of the worship of Sri Guru, and I have come here today for this purpose. I am a person blinded by ignorance. Ignorance is an object resembling darkness. I am the servant of Visnu – I have no other function except the service of Visnu – this mode of thought is being obstructed by the darkness of nescience. I have become blind for the present. Absence of light is darkness; absence of knowledge is ignorance. The only knowledge is the darling of Nanda, who is replete with all knowledge. I, who am averse to the service of the darling of Nanda, am blind.

Darkness assuming form envelopes my eyes. It is for this reason that my function of vision is inoperative, and that there has appeared in me the tendency towards various other activities. By means of my senses – namely, hands, feet, eyes, ears, nose, tongue, and skin – I am engaged in a variety of work. Because of this, a multitude of diverse dangers confront me. By attempting to walk with these feet I often stumble and fall. By trying to discuss with this mind, I am invoking manifold evil by not being able to understand the real subject of knowledge.

In such an hour of peril, Sri Guru, being moved to pity, manifested in this world. This has been done in order that he may impart to me the knowledge that "You are the servant of the darling of Nanda," and to dispel the darkness of ignorance.

My loss of sense of duty has led me to embark on the enjoyment of worldly objects, and to think such enjoyment is my duty. With this eye I see what is not my duty to see. I see only the bondage that obstructs me from my vision of He whom I ought to see by all means. By being deprived of His sight, I see only this bondage of material enjoyment.

The lotus feet of Sri Guru have imparted to me the light of spiritual knowledge, by removing that bondage of my eyes. Moving aside the bondage of my wrapped eyes and making the lids of my eyes open slightly, Gurudeva instructed me, saying, "Open your eyes a little and see." All these days I had been thinking that I can see by keeping my eyes closed.

For this reason I am performing the duty of offering obeisances to the lotus feet of Sri Guru, by giving up my worldly vanity. This is the first object of offering my worship. To give up the vanity that thinks "I see," "I enjoy," is called "offering obeisances." While I was cherishing the wicked notion that I am the master, Sri Guru opened my eyes and removed my misjudging judgment. I was following the blind, under the lead of the knowledge of other objects. The lotus feet of Sri Guru made me realize that it is my duty not to follow the blind.

I did not possess that judgment of worshipping the lotus feet of Sri Guru for many years. The service of Sri Guru is verily my only duty, the function of the principle of my individual self. This also I have been enabled to understand only by his grace. After obtaining the sight of the lotus feet of Sri Guru, I have no longer such judgment that I have any other function except serving the feet of Sri Guru.

By his mercy, that dearest servant of the Supreme Lord, in order to rescue me from the clutches of worldly vanity, made me cognizant of the service of the darling of Nanda. It was only at that moment that I could realize that there is no other function of the jiva's own self. There is no other blessing except the endeavor to please the senses of the darling of Nanda. He alone is both the only mode and the only goal of all my activities. Sri Guru is His most beloved.

The service to the lotus feet of Sri Guru cannot be performed by an unskilled person like me, by any of the instruments such as body, mind and speech. If Sri Guru infuses in me the power, or looks upon me with approval, then I can gain his favor, and I can then obtain the fitness for serving him.

I could understand the subject of the summum bonum only on the day Sri Guru placed his feet, which are obtainable with difficulty even by the gods, on the head of an unworthy person like myse lf and baptized me with their dust. I then submitted to them the auspicious wish that I might be a fit recipient of the potency that is wielded by them.

In my vanity I could not fancy that the lotus feet of Sri Guru could be really so great. But if I narrate to you the good fortune attained by them, this may be conducive to the worship of Sri Guru by yourselves also.

Srila Krsnadasa Kaviraja Gosvami has prayed, "I am most unworthy. I am more sinful than Jagai and Madhai; more insignificant than the maggot germinating in filth. The goodness of the person who even chances to hear my name, wears off. He who even utters my name reaps sin. Who is there in this world to have mercy on me, with the single exception of Sri Nityananda Prabhu?" *[See Endnote 1]

I have no resources to show my gratitude towards one who has acted the part of the most merciful of all persons, for the purpose of conferring on such an unworthy person the gift of fi tness. It is not possible for me to repay his kindness in any way. Sri Guru is the counterpart of Godhead – possessing a singleness of purpose to serve Godhead. Every act of his is the highest ideal of the service of Godhead. As long as this vision suffers any impediment, the scales have not fallen from my eyes.

Unless we obtain the grace, unless we gain spiritual enlightenment, we cannot realize the greatness of his lotus feet. When I set myself to discourse regarding Sri Gurudeva, I find that he manifests himself in this world for the establishment of the heart's desire of Sri Caitanya, for rousing me into the waking state. Our previous acarya Thakura Narottama has revealed this: sri caitanya mano' bhistam stapitam yena bhutale / svayam rupah kada mahyam dadati sva-padantikam – "Oh, when will Sri Rupa himself, by whom the heart's desire of Sri Caitanya has been substantiated in this world, vouchsafe me the close proximity of his own feet?"

After I had the good fortune of obtaining the sight of the lotus feet of Sri Guru, I had the opportunity of discoursing about these words of the best of teachers, Thakura Narottama. The lotus feet of Sri Guru manifest in this world for establishing the heart's desire of Sri Caitanya.

What is the nature of the heart of Sri Caitanya? Sri Caitanyadeva had said, "The hearts of other persons are their minds. My mind is Vrndavana. I deem My mind and the divine woodland where Krsna loves to stroll as the same."

The holy Vrndavana is really the heart of Sri Gaurasundara. Only those who are saved from the clutches of evil can realize the nature of Sri Vrndavana. The word "abhista" in the verse of Thakura Narottama means literally "to desire in every way". He is referring to that which is desired by Caitanya in every way, that which Caitanya wills, and the teaching that He imparts for making the unconscious conscious. He prays, "When will Sri Rupa Gosvami Prabhupada, who has established this teaching of Caitanya in this world, place me in the close proximity of his lotus feet for the same service of the Lord?" The word "svayam rupa" may also mean "the personal form of the divinity, the darling of Nanda". In that case he prays, "When will Sri Krsnacandra, drawing my soul to His, take me to the proximity of His lotus feet?"

In Sri Krsna's personal form is concentrated the principles of real existence, consciousness and bliss. With this bag of bone and muscle, this carcass of flesh and blood which has been born of parents for the purpose of suffering pain, for undergoing the threefold-misery in the prison of this world, for my aversion to Krsna – with this bundle of flesh and bones one cannot go to His presence.

Nor is it possible to approach the proximity of the feet of the personal divinity with the current of mental thought engrossed in external objects of sensuous perception, in which there is consciousness of any other object than the darling of Nanda. When the external objects of this world – house, body, air, fruits and flowers, this whole world – tell me, "Master, we wish to serve you," then I think, "Very well, let me be the lord of these."

The air-god is an object of my highest worship. Inhaling him with my nose and fancying him to be an object for ministering to my pleasure, I try to absorb him into my lungs. Why? In order to maintain my life, I have conceived the desire of becoming the lord pf my senses. I cannot understand that this eye is preventing me from seeing the unique and incomparable beauty of the darling of Nanda by holding external color and form; nor that the external sound is the obstacle of my catching the sound of Krsna's flute.

I am not able to find the strength to surmount this obstacle until Sri Guru, full of en dless mercy, manifests himself to me. I have been unable to feel any liking for the lotus feet of Sri Caitanya, the darling of Sri Nanda, and for the feet of Sri Rupa Gosvami – Sri Rupa Manjari – whose endeavors are fast bound to the lotus feet of Sri Caitanya. Alas! Indeed, where is another person whose fate is as blasted as mine?

Others work towards establishing the tidings of aversion to the darling of Nanda in this wicked world. But Sri Guru, the best beloved of Sri Caitanya, out of mercy, is trying to establish Sri Caitanya in my heart. When will the lotus feet of Sri Guru graciously allot me a place in their close proximity? When will Sri Guru make me enter the community of the followers of Rupa? When will the Vaisnavas, making me bathe in the shower of the dust of their feet, accept me as their servant? When shall I be able to behold that blessing, by bathing in the particles of feet-dust of the Vaisnavas – that blessing by which I shall b e able to obtain the mercy of that beauteous person Himself? Sri Baladeva Nityananda, who is the manifestation of Godhead's own Self, is Himself endeavoring to serve Krsna by cherishing that self conception.

There can be no service of Gaura if one is enveloped by the faculty of aversion. Sri Guru is that very person who, focusing in himself the manifestation of Krsna's own transcendental form, is engaged in establishing the heart's desire of Sri Caitanya in this world.

Sri Krsna, Brahma, Narada, Vyasa, Madhva, Padmanabha, Nrhari, Madhava, Aksobhya, Jayatirtha, Jnanasindhu, Dayanidhi, Vidyanidhi, Rajendra, Jayadharma, Purusottama, Vyasatirtha, Laksmipati, Madhavendra, Isvara, Advaita, Nityananda, Isvara's "disciple" Sri Caitanya – this is the successive order of preceptors. Sri Krsna has established the preceptorial order of this world. When will Krsna, drawing me into Himself, make me and object of His grace?

There is no func tion or object of endeavor for the individual soul, other than the service of Sri Radha-Govinda. I have observed this judgment and conduct only by the mercy of my Sri Guru. The worship of other gods, and so on, is also not the object of the endeavor of the individual soul.

The heart's desire of Sri Caitanya alone is also the limit of the desire of the individual soul. Words on any other subject are only a contrivance for the production of evil. This teaching also has been imparted by Sri Guru alone. Sri Guru is serving the darling son of Nanda at all times, by all senses, in every way. There is no other function of Sri Guru even for the space of a single moment, than such service. Unless we behold this, we do not really accept the protecting guidance of Sri Guru.

The darling son of Nanda, who is the sole object of worship by means of His centripetal attraction, has kept the attracted so effectively drawn towards Him that they do not experience any other desire. Such service is the only natural function of the soul. We, who are empowered by the limiting energy (maya), by the idea that we are not predominated parts of the divinity, are being engrossed by His deluding external power.

What endless variety of pretences have been put before us by the deluding energy in order to seduce us to the ambition of lording it over the material world, to impress on us that we have need of this connection with matter! The deluding energy has been appearing before us like a harlequin wearing a variety of masks.

We belong to the class of servants, as particles of the predominated energy of Godhead. We are not the concentrated or plenary forms of the predominated power. We shall lapse into the worship of the form of the false ego if we cherish the offensive desire of masquerading as the holy concentrated forms of power, by giving up the inclination of serving Godhead by submission to the true concentrated personalities of power.

We are dis-associable particles. If we are not separable, how else can we learn to be averse to Sri Hari? These manifold misunderstandings have appeared in me by reason of my cherishing the idea that Sri Guru, the best beloved of the bestower of freedom from ignorance, has no relationship of kindred with me. I think that these misunderstandings are my enemies.

Those who help me towards the aptitude for service of Krsna are my only friends. Those who help me augment my aversion to Krsna are my most deadly enemies. Forgetting this judgment I become busy with activities for procuring vegetables, fish, fuel, and so on, for the maintenance and nourishment of those kindred of mine who are averse to Krsna. Forgetfulness of the service of the lotus feet of Sri Guru, the best beloved of the bestower of freedom from worldly bondage, is the cause of this.

Those who are comparatively less fortunate maintain that the worship of Sita-Rama is th e best of all. Those who are less fortunate than even these, regard the worship of Sri Sri Laksmi-Narayana and the fourfold enveloping expansions (vyuha) as the highest form of worship. Those wretched who are wholly devoid of any such thing as good fortune, get enveloped in abstract indefinite thinking and, ignoring even the unknowable existence of the spiritual, regard the dogma of the void as the highest of all. There are also a few who propound the hypothetical views of skepticism and agnosticism. In this manner one gets anxious to secede from the lotus feet of Sri Guru, in that proportion that his aversion to Krsna increases.

One welcomes as his guru that degree of aversion to Krsna which happens to characterize himself. By this process, the individual soul attains to diverse conditions ranging from that of contracted consciousness to that of a stone. Sri Guru is engaged in establishing the heart's desire of Sri Caitanya as soon as such misfortune overtakes u s. I feel no hankering for the sight of the beauty of the lotus feet of Sri Guru who is so merciful. My thoughts wander away in all directions, in search of sensuous gratification, seeking how the belly may be well filled, how it may be possible to enjoy the world in an effective manner, how bodily ailments may be cured, how physical health may be maintained, and so on, and so on.

The words of Sri Gaurasundara, those words that Sri Guru always repeats to us, declare that in the case of a person who does not want any personal advantage, who is inclined to serve Godhead, who is anxious to get across the ocean of the world to the further shore of the spiritual realm, for such a person to appreciate worldliness and women is, alas, more harmful than swallowing poison.

When Sri Guru bestows on us the mantra (which relieves one from the mental platform), in which he has been instructed by the Supreme Lord's own, it is only then that we realize the fact that th e service of the lotus feet of Sri Guru is the only cause of all well-being.

For the present I will serve Sri Guru starting from the commencement of every year to its close, throughout the whole of the year. I will serve him in future births. If, as the result of my service I attain the state of liberated life someday, I will serve the son of Sri Nanda by continuing to be the recipient of the lotus feet of Sri Guru.

Srila Raghunatha dasa Gosvami says in his supplication to Sri Radhika that he had indeed passed some time in a state of expectation which is replete with the ocean of bliss. If She will not give him Her mercy, what does he care about life or residence in Vraja, or about the slayer of Baka (Sri Krsna) Himself? Similarly, if I do not obtain the protecting support of Godhead appearing in the role of His servant, what will it avail me to live in Vraja or to attain Krsna? If the fortune of obtaining the sight of the best-beloved of Krsna is to be missed, I am prepared to give up my little life this day. Where is there any more use for preserving the inanimate body?

What manner of other duty may possibly exist for me that is making me run after it by giving up the service of the lotus feet of Sri Guru? Is the evil fortune of triple misery, which is afflicting the innumerable individual souls of the world, ever acceptable to me? No sooner does vulgar talk come to prevail then it produces addiction to this world as a result. Sri Guru tells of the holy name, then he tells of the divine form as worldly desire begins to subside, of the quality of the divinity on further diminution of such appetite, and he draws us fully to the lotus feet of Sri Krsna by telling us of His activities (lila) and the distinctive nature of individual service when the aptitude for worldliness is still further attenuated. After that we serve the son of Nanda, the highest personality of divine activities, by entering into His pastime.

Is this service obtainable by the physical body derived from parents, by the second birth by means of gayatri, by admitting to the study of the scriptures or by subsisting on my mental function?

It is from Sri Guru alone that this function may be gained. His lotus feet are eternal. May I never undergo an interruption of relationship with his lotus feet, even for a single moment. May I be never loosened, even for a moment, from the bond that unites me to his lotus feet. May I never for a moment quit my hold of his lotus feet by being tempted by any fascination of this world. May I never be deprived of His lotus feet by listening to the advice of any other, worthless person.

The succession of preceptors commencing from Sri Krsna – Brahma, Narada, and all of them – are my Sri Gurudeva. My Gurudeva designates his preceptor as his Gurudeva. All of them are preceptors of the same chain. There is no difference in them. There is no diff erence in their utterances. The good fortune that I have gained by obtaining the sight of om visnupada Sri Sri Gaurakisora Prabhu, my mahanta Gurudeva *[See Endnote 2], I find no language to express. I have observed in him the renunciation of Srila Raghunatha dasa Gosvami in all its perfection. If there be a millionth part of his renunciation in any person, such a person is blessed, indeed; he is most highly blessed. He will be in a position to serve Krsna in the spirit of familiar confidence by climbing upon Krsna's bosom and shoulders.

It is my eternal function to serve the lotus feet of Sri Guru at all times and by means of all the senses. A great day of rejoicing for me has arrived inasmuch as those belonging to the disciplic line of om visnupada Sri Srila Jagannatha dasa Babaji Maharaja have come here to bless me. This high fortune has not been mine before now. All of you belong to the order of my Gurus. I have wasted your priceless time, devoted to the servi ce of Krsna, by speaking a number of incoherent words, but I have said these words only for worshipping Sri Gurudeva.

Sri Gaurasundara says, "Krsna is Master. He is the autocrat. He is full of activity by His will. All glory, above all things, to His self-willed activities. May He accept my service or reject it as He wishes. I will be prepared to offer Him my exclusive service without guile, at all time and in every way, with body, mind and speech. If He spurns me with His feet I shall know that it is my want of worth."

May the ephemeral world not deflect me for a moment, never make me averse to the lotus feet of my Sri Guru. May Sri Gurudeva be pleased to accept my service. May I never have to associate with evil-minded persons.

I do not know what part of my attempt to worship Sri Gurudeva may be accepted by him, but it fills me with hope that He is more merciful to the undeserving. Holding fast to the hope of his causeless merc y, I will be all the more eager to serve. All of you belong to the line of my Guru. May you have mercy on me that I may be enabled to serve him. I offer my prostrated obeisances at your feet.

[ENDNOTE 1:

jagai madhai haite muni se papistha
purisera kita haite muni se laghistha
mora nama sune yei, tara punya ksaya
mora nama laya yei, tara papa haya
emana nigrna more keba krpa kare
eka nityananda vinu jagat bhitare

["I am more sinful than Jagai and Madhai and even lower than the worms in the stool. Anyone who hears my name loses the results of his pious activities. Anyone who utters my name becomes sinful. Who in this world but Nityananda could show His mercy to such an abominable person as me?"
(Srila Krsnadasa Kaviraja Gosvami - Caitanya-caritamrta, Adi-lila 5.205-207)]

ENDNOTE 2:
There are two kinds of siksa-guru: caitya guru (the Supersoul) and mahanta guru.
siksa-guruke ta' jani krsnera svarupa
antaryami, bhakta-srestha,--ei dui rupa
["One should know the instructing spiritual master to be the Personality of Krsna. Lord Krsna manifests Himself as the Supersoul and as the greatest devotee of the Lord." (Caitanya-caritamrta, Adi-lila 1.47)]

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posted in bhakti yoga according to gaudiya vaisnav - 0 replies

A Hundred Warnings Against Mundane Mellows

Wed, 06 Dec 2006 03:50:05 GMT

I just found this book, Prakrta Rasa Shata Dushini, by Srila Bhaktisiddhanta. It is so nectarean! It completely clears up my dumb sahajiya tendencies in an instant. I highly recommend this booklet to all!

posted in bhakti yoga according to gaudiya vaisnav - 0 replies

A C Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada allows worship of Goddess Katyayani!

Tue, 31 Oct 2006 01:53:21 GMT

I just read it in the book titled Festivals by Lokanath Swami, an Indian guru, and Jayadvaita Swami. It is on page 191 of the book, and Prabupada said we can pray to her to give us her blessings so we can have Krishna as our husband.
I know a lot of Math devotees seem to think Srila Prabhupada never said anything like this, and that the current Gaudiya Math gurus have a monopoly on this type of bhakti yoga, but here it was said a long time ago, in 1976, to a couple of sannyasis at the time by him.

posted in bhakti yoga according to gaudiya vaisnav - 6 replies

New tribe called "Prabhupada" about guess who? Srila Prabhupada! The disciple of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta.

Sat, 02 Dec 2006 03:15:57 GMT

All are invited, tell all your friends. There is a new tribe I just started and I don't know how to post a link yet, but it is simply called, "Prabhupada".
Bring your own viewpoint, start your own thread, I promise not to chastise anybody unless they are on the wrong thread maybe, then look out!

posted in bhakti yoga according to gaudiya vaisnav - 1 reply

another apology from a kanistha adhikari

Tue, 28 Nov 2006 23:21:01 GMT

I didn't mean to preach to those more advanced than me. I should have tried to be friendly with those who my equals in Krishna Consciuosness, if there are any. And I should have offered my obeisances to those who are more advanced.

posted in bhakti yoga according to gaudiya vaisnav - 0 replies

who was Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Prabhupada?

Mon, 13 Nov 2006 21:38:46 GMT

He took birth in the home of Bhaktivinoda Thåkura, who is
an eternal associate of both Srî Krsna and Srî Caitanya
Mahåprabhu. Just as the sage Bhagîratha brought the
Gangå to this world, Bhaktivinoda Thåkura was the great
personality who brought the current of bhakti to this world
in the modern era. When the so-called gosvåmîs were
making a business out of bhakti while engaging in varieties
of worldly enjoyment, when in the name of Mahåprabhu so
many kinds of bogus philosophies were prevalent, such as
sakhî-bekî, smårta-jåti, sahajiyå, etc. – at that time Srîla
Bhaktivinoda Thåkura came. After that, Prabhupåda
appeared in the form of his son, Bimalå Prasåda. If these
two great personalities had not appeared, then suddha bhakti
would not exist in the world today. And from the
time that they disappeared, society began reverting back to
its previous condition. At first there were thirteen known
sahajiyå cults, then our Guru Mahåråja, Srîla Bhakti
Prajñåna Kesava Gosvåmî, counted thirty-nine. And how
many there are now, no one knows.
I am also seeing how things are gradually changing. We
saw how renounced the devotees were before. For instance,
we never used to see socks on the feet of any Vaisnava, and
we never saw devotees wearing such sweaters and cådaras as
we do now. They only wore the bare necessities of clothing
and a cheap blanket, even as they attended mangala-årati in
the morning cold. It is only after the disappearance of
Prabhupåda that devotees can be seen to wear these other
things. They would live with such simplicity, eating only
çåk, rice and a thin dahl, but in comparison to them, just
look at the way we are living! And I speak for myself also –
their knowledge, their renunciation and their spiritual conception
were of such a high standard that in comparison to
them we are so inferior.
The period between Viwvanåtha Cakravartî Thåkura and
Bhaktivinoda Thåkura was an age of darkness for Gau∂îya
Vaisnavism. Living at that time were some real Vaisnavas
who performed real bhajana, but mostly, just as we still see
sometimes today, the so-called Vaisnavas only performed
rituals for wages. When someone would die, people would
call the Gau∂îya Vaisnava båbåjîs, who would come and
chant some ceremonial kîrtana and perform other rituals
for wages. And there was so much misconduct in their
behaviour. Seeing this, Bhaktivinoda Thåkura thought,
“These people are Vaisnavas? The conception of
Mahåprabhu has completely vanished. What can be done?”
He was very worried. Bhaktivinoda Thåkura endeavoured
to his utmost, but changes did not come about in his
lifetime to the degree that he would have liked. He went
from town to town and village to village inaugurating the
nåma-ha††a. In each village he would assemble four or five
of the religious men, form a committee and hold programmes
for harinåma-kîrtana on Sundays. Gradually it
spread from one village to the next, but overall his preaching
was limited to Navadvîpa, Calcutta and the rest of
Bengal.
He published the magazine Sajjana-tosavalî, and through
its medium he gradually published Çrî Caitanya-caritåmrta
and other books in instalments. He made a circle of
devotees, and also revealed Navadvîpa-dhåma through his
writings, although the scholars of society and the sahajiyås
didn’t accept his ideology. Then Prabhupåda appeared in
Purî. Because Bhaktivinoda Thåkura was a district magistrate,
he would be transferred here and there, but he would
always keep Bhakti-rasåmrta-sindhu and Caitanya-caritåmrta
with him and explain them to his son. Prabhupåda received
so much instruction from him, but we should understand
that Prabhupåda is an eternally liberated soul; there was no
one in the world like him. Without being educated in
school or college he learned all subjects very quickly and
became a great scholar in Sanskrit. His English was so high
that even professors of English could not understand it. I
have been told by some learned Western devotees that
when reading his Brahma-saμhitå, they must repeatedly
consult the dictionary. And his Bengali was also of such a
high standard that even eminent scholars found it difficult
to follow. He said that spiritual language should be like
that; it shouldn’t be so simple to understand. As one
progresses spiritually by remaining in the company of
Vaisnavas, he will be able to understand spiritual vernacular.
At the age of seven or eight, Prabhupåda began worshipping
a deity of Kürmadeva, and Bhaktivinoda Thåkura gave
him the mahå-mantra and other mantras for his püjå. At the
age of eighteen, all of the scholars of astronomy in Bengal
gave him the title “Sarasvatî”. After that he attended college
but quarrelled with the professors, saying, “Will I learn
from you, or teach you?” When he abandoned his studies,
Bhaktivinoda Thåkura and other family members became
concerned, so they took him to Purî where he began studying
at Satåsana Åçrama, which is where Svarüpa Dåmodara
and Raghunåtha dåsa Gosvåmî had lived. Vaisnavas used to
regularly meet there, and now Srîla Siddhåntî Mahåråja has
a ma†ha at that very place. There Prabhupåda began giving
readings from Caitanya-caritåm®ta. Present there were
some båbåjîs who considered themselves rasika, and when
they heard Prabhupåda’s explanations, they became inimical
to him. Seeing this, Bhaktivinoda Thåkura took him away
from there and had him begin teaching the son of the king
of Tripura.
Prabhupåda had a great library of Vaisnava literature, and
having read through it thoroughly, he began teaching the
son of the king in such a way that the boy accepted a chanting
målå and began wearing tilaka. He became detached
from the world, and gradually, hearing hari-kathå became
his sole interest. Seeing this, the queen became very
annoyed and said to the king, “This boy will become useless!
Then, after your demise, what will happen? Who will
make offerings to our departed souls? He will become a
renunciate, and everything will be ruined! Quickly get rid
of this teacher. Give him four hundred rupees to go – we
don’t need money, we need a son!” That was approximately
one hundred years ago, so you can imagine how much four
hundred rupees was worth then. The queen put so much
pressure on her husband that in the end he approached
Prabhupåda and very humbly said, “It is a matter of great
unhappiness that our family members are not in favour of
you; they are afraid that the boy will take up bhakti and
become a renunciate. I consider that it has been our great
good fortune to have met a person like you and had our son
educated by you, but the others don’t understand.” The
king approached Bhaktivinoda Thåkura and offered the
money to him, but without accepting it they left there.
Then Bhaktivinoda Thåkura started a homeopathic shop.
When the shop was unsuccessful, he thought, “I was not
made to run a shop anyway,” and he went and purchased
some land in Måyåpura. After locating the birthplace
of Mahåprabhu, he installed deities there of Gaura,
Visnupriyå and Lakkmîpriyå, as well as small Rådhå-Krsna
mürtis. After Bhaktivinoda Thåkura’s disappearance,
Prabhupåda was determined to follow the Navadvîpa dhåma
parikramå that his father had written, and to attract
people he invited great kîrtana performers to attend. He
set up a large tent, thousands of people came for the
parikramå, and there the kathå of suddha-bhagavad-bhakti
commenced.
Gradually, qualified youths of only sixteen, seventeen and
eighteen years, whose hearts were soft and pure, came forward,
and Prabhupåda made them into brahmacårîs and
sannyåsîs. With great ease he was able to train them, but
those who were over fifty years old, like parrots could not
be taught anything new. Then devotees like our Guru
Mahåråja, Bon Mahåråja, Bhakti Pradîpa Tîrtha Mahåråja,
Bhakti Vilåsa Tîrtha Mahåråja, Aranya Mahåråja and
Narahari Prabhu came. In the beginning there in Måyåpura,
Narahari Prabhu would offer årati while Prabhupåda played
the hand-held gong, and gradually the preaching started.
The convention of tridandi-sannyåsa was established, and
the result is that today the name and conception of Caitanya
Mahåprabhu are being vigorously preached. Within eleven
years, from 1926–37, preaching was spread everywhere, but
before that, so much time was spent in merely setting the
foundation. Prabhupåda published many magazines – daily,
weekly, monthly – in the Sanskrit, Bengali, Hindi, Orissan,
English and Assamese languages, and very easily we have all
inherited the fruit of his endeavour. He established the
Gau∂îya line very strictly with great endeavour, and there
were so many difficulties in his preaching campaign that we
cannot even imagine them. There was so much opposition
to Prabhupåda’s preaching at that time that his disciples
were not even allowed to enter the mandiras in Vrndåvana
or Navadvîpa.
Prabhupåda began culturing the creeper of devotion by
cutting off all of the unnecessary branches and subbranches.
How? First of all he revised the guru-paramparå.
He said that we are of Mahåprabhu’s line, and he removed
the names of those who were not fully perfected. After
establishing the names of Brahmå, Nårada and Vyåsa, he
went straight to Madhva. Prabhupåda accepted the names
of those from whom the people of this world would get the
most benefit, and mostly they were brahmacårîs. For the
most part he didn’t accept the names of those who had been
grhasthas for a long time. After Madhva, he recognised
some special personalities, and then he went to the name of
Mådhavendra Purî. Everyone accepts him, and then from
him there is Isvara Purî, Svarüpa Dåmodara, the Six
Gosvåmîs, and then Krsnadåsa Kaviråja Gosvåmî. At this
point some had divided into the lines of Nityånanda
Prabhu, Advaita Åcårya, Gadådhara Pandita, Vakreçvara
Pandita, Lokanåtha Gosvåmî and others, but Prabhupåda
said, “We accept in our line those who are fully perfected
souls, who know the correct siddhånta and who are rasika,
wherever they are.” In this way all of the various lines were
represented in our paramparå in one place or another.
There are so many lines of disciplic succession, but
Prabhupåda said that we will recognise the guru-paramparå,
not the disciplic succession. The guru-paramparå is composed
solely of those who were bhågavata-gurus, even if
they made no disciples and there is therefore no direct
disciplic line coming from them. Some of them may not
have initiated any disciples at all, but still they are jagadgurus.
In this way, with all-pervading vision he collected all
the mahåjanas and made what is known as the bhågavata
paramparå or guru-paramparå.
After the departure of Visvanåtha Cakravartî Thåkura, so
many familial disciplic lines arose, but Prabhupåda ignored
them and gave recognition to Baladeva Vidyåbhüsana, and
then Jagannåtha dåsa Båbåjî. He accepted only those in
whom he detected the real spiritual siddhånta. Simply
receiving the mantra in one’s ear and wearing a dhotî or
other cloth given by the guru does not qualify one as the
guru’s successor. Bhaktivinoda Thåkura did not receive any
mantra from Jagannåtha dåsa Båbåjî Mahåråja, so how was
he his disciple? He was a disciple of his conception: his
feelings towards Krsna, his conception of rasa and his
conception of tattva. This is a disciple. Most people can’t
understand this, but being able to see with such insight,
Prabhupåda declared this to be our line. Gaura-kiçora dåsa
Båbåjî Mahåråja was also not an initiated disciple of
Bhaktivinoda Êhåkura, but he embraced all of Bhaktivinoda
Êhåkura’s sentiments and conceptions, and due to this his
name appears next in the succession. At this point, all of the
båbåjîs said, “Whose disciple is Bhaktisiddhånta Sarasvatî?
Who gave him sannyåsa? Why doesn’t he wear the same
cloth as Sanåtana Gosvåmî did? In our sampradåya, after
Nityånanda Prabhu and Svarüpa Dåmodara, everyone wore
white cloth, but we see that he wears saffron cloth and has
accepted a danda. How can he do this?” But what relation
does wearing either orange or white cloth have with bhakti?
Is there any relation?
kibå vipra, kibå ny
nyåsî, çüdra kene naya
yei krsna-tattva-vettå, sei ‘guru’ haya
Srî Caitanya-caritåmrta (Madhya-lîlå 8.128)
Whether one is a bråhmana, a sannyåsî or a südra, if he
knows krsna-tattva, then he is a guru, so what to speak of
being a Vaisnava? Prabhupåda was thinking, “We are not
qualified to accept the dress that was worn by such great
personalities as Rüpa, Sanåtana, Jîva and Krsnadåsa
Kaviråja. We will remain in the ordinary dress of sannyåsîs
and will not accept the dress of paramahaμsa-båbåjîs.
Remaining within the varnasrama system as brahmacårîs
and sannyåsîs, we will keep the ideal of that paramahamsa
dress above our heads. Otherwise, if we accept that dress
and commit sinful activities, it will be aparådha at the feet
of Rüpa and Sanåtana.” Some båbåjîs criticised him for
training brahmacårîs and giving them the sacred thread, but
our Guru Mahåråja said that those båbåjîs were all fools,
like animals. They wore paramahaμsa dress and gave the
elevated gopî-mantra to anyone and everyone who came,
yet Prabhupåda was only training brahmacårîs and giving
them instructions on how to control the senses – so which is
correct? First Prabhupåda wanted us to understand what is
siddhånta, i.e. jîva-tattva, måyå-tattva and bhagavat-tattva,
and how to avoid måyå in the forms of kanaka (wealth),
kåminî (women) and pratis†hå (prestige) – these are the
beginning instructions. Gopî-bhåva is very elevated; first
we must understand that “I am krsna-dåsa” and begin
taking harinåma. But these båbåjîs immediately give their
conception of gopî-bhåva to whoever approaches them;
then they all chant “I am a gopî, I am a gopî ” and in this
way create a disturbance in society.
Every morning in our ma†ha we sing the song in which
Prabhupåda established the bhågavata-paramparå: krsna
haite catur-mukha... In his composing of this song, he
accepted all of the great, perfected personalities from
different lines and declared, “This is the line of Gaura.” If
Prabhupåda had not come, then today would the name of
Mahåprabhu and talks from Bhagavad-gîtå and Srîmad
Bhågavatam be found anywhere? Here in Mathurå, in Vraja
and everywhere else, gaura-kîrtana and hari-kathå are still
going on and have not vanished. Therefore the world will
forever remain indebted to Prabhupåda for his preaching.
He never approached wealthy people, but he would take
one paiså from each person he met. And our Guru Mahåråja
did the same. Although he was from a wealthy family, he
would take a wooden box with a slot in it into the market
and also onto the trains, trams and buses. He would speak
with people from all classes, and in this way the preaching
spread in all directions. We should also engage in such a
pure form of preaching, and not just remain idle after hearing
this. As if giving an injection, you should all encourage
others to start taking harinåma and hearing this conception,
whether you are a man or lady, married or unmarried. And
don’t think that because one is not educated he cannot do
it. Did Haridåsa Thåkura have any college degree? Did
Raghunåtha dåsa Gosvåmî and others? But their activities
were first class, and their conceptions were extremely high.
We are regularly hearing tattva from scriptures such as
Srîmad-Bhågavatam and Brhad-bhågavatåmrta, but how
will others also get the opportunity to hear it? After hearing
it we should take it to many other people, and this is the
duty of each and every one of us. With great love we should
take harinåma and encourage others to chant it. We should
hear siddhånta ourselves and then help others to understand
it; that will give Prabhupåda great pleasure. To the
very end of his life Prabhupåda said, “We are mere labourers;
we are the peons of bhagavat-kathå.” He never made
himself a permanent living situation in an opulent temple,
but always kept moving. These days we do things a little
differently, but we should always try to follow not only
Prabhupåda’s philosophical conception but the ideal he
showed through his own behaviour as well.
These ideas serve as the very foundation of bhakti, and
if this foundation is not established, then we will fall
from hearing the higher levels of kathå. For instance,
Bhaktivinoda Thåkura has written a song entitled Vibhåvarî
Sesa, which includes lines such as:
yåmuna-jîvana, keli-paråyana,
månasa-candra-cakora
nåma-sudhå-rasa, gåo krsna-yaça,
råkho vacana mana mora
Srî Krsna is the life of the Yamunå, He is always engaged in
amorous pastimes and He is the moon of the gopîs’ hearts.
Sing the glories of He whose name is pure rasa – O mind,
always remember these words.
In our ma†ha we sing this every day, and there is certainly
some benefit in it, but do we understand the complete
bhåva contained within it? Nothing remains outside these
lines – not the råsa-lîlå, not the Bhramara-gîta, not the
Venu-gîta, nothing. Everything is there, and all of the previous
lines of this song are similarly saturated with both rasa
and tattva. Phula-çara-yojaka kåma – what is the meaning?
The complete kåma-gåyatrî has come here. Çara means an
arrow, an arrow of kåma (desire) which Krsna places on His
bow. How many of these arrows does Krsna have? Five: His
sidelong glances and His eyebrows, cheeks, nose and smile.
So tell me, is there anything remaining outside these lines?
Helping the people of the world to understand these
topics is the real task of the guru-paramparå – those who
are conversant with rasa, the dîkså- and çikså-gurus. If we
examine one line of this song after another, then for so
many days so many lectures could be given, and our hearts
would become full of rasa and divine bliss upon hearing
their full meaning. So much bhåva has been put into each
word by Bhaktivinoda Thåkura, and it is the same with the
compositions of Narottama Thåkura and Visvanåtha
Cakravartî Thåkura. To understand what our åcåryas have
given, great intelligence and bhåva are required. And if we
have such a bhåva in our hearts by which we can understand
the poetry and the special characteristics of åcåryas like
Prabhupåda, then wherever we may go, it will always
remain with us.
In explaining the line paraμ vijayate srî-krsna-sa∫kîrtanam
from the first verse of Mahåprabhu’s Siksas†aka, Prabhupåda
wrote that this is the Gau∂îya Ma†ha’s mode of worship.
There are three stages: the beginning stage of sådhana, the
intermediate stage of bhåva, and the final attainment produced
by that bhåva, which is called prema. Sådhana is that
practice by which suddha-sattva-bhåva arises, and if it does
not arise, what one is practising cannot be called sådhana.
We can all examine ourselves and see if we are practising
the sådhana that makes bhåva arise or not. Are the symptoms
there, or not? We may not even have the proper aim in our
sådhana. If someone is striking a match, what is his aim? To
obtain a flame; and if after striking one match a flame is not
obtained, then he will take another match and try again.
Our endeavour to reach the sådhya (final attainment)
through the practice of sådhana is like that. Kßud-anuv®tti
(spiritual “hunger”), tuß†i (satisfaction) and puß†i (strength)
– these three things should appear, and if they don’t, then
we are not really practising sådhana and cannot be called
real sådhakas. Whatever we do should be done with this
vision: “By performing this activity, bhåva for Krsna will
arise.” Is the match producing a flame or not? If we see that
our sådhana is producing attachment for material results
such as pratis†hå, then we are moving in the wrong direction.
Therefore we should understand this point well: the
sole aim of kîrtana is to make bhåva arise.
Ceto-darpa√a-mårjanam: in our practice of
kîrtana, have our minds become purified or not? Are our
minds going towards wealth, material enjoyment and prestige?
Do we consider material enjoyment to be poisonous
or favourable to us? Material enjoyment is poison. Haridåsa
Thåkura was taking harinåma in a solitary place when a very
beautiful woman approached him and said, “Prabhu, you
will no longer have to cook for yourself. You won’t have to
fetch water, and I will also serve your tulasî plant. You can
just chant harinåma all day and I will perform all of your
tasks. And if you become fatigued, I will massage your feet.”
But did Haridåsa Thåkura accept her?
All types of material enjoyment should be understood to
be poison, whether one is a man or a woman. If we consider
things like luxurious food and accommodation to be
favourable to us, then the mirror of the mind will not be
cleansed and the reflection of one’s own spiritual form will
not be visible. The mirror should be made pure; there
should be no dust or anything on it. We should be able to
see what is our illusory body, what is our spiritual body and
what all of our faults are; but it is our great misfortune that
instead we only see others’ faults. The first type of contamination
affecting our minds is thinking that we are the
material body. We are eternal servants of Krsna, but the
most prevalent dust on the mirror of the mind is thinking
that we are the material body. Endeavouring for the happiness
of the body is dust on the mirror, or contamination on
our minds.
There are so many anarthas: svarüpa-bhrama (bewilderment
concerning one’s actual form and nature), asat-t®ß√å
(desire for temporary things), h®daya-daurbalya (weakness
of heart) and aparådha (offences). Besides these, described
in Visvanåtha Cakravartî Thåkura’s Mådhurya-kådambinî,
are utsåhamayî (false confidence), ghanataralå (sporadic
endeavour), vyü∂ha-vikalpå (indecision), vißaya-sa∫garå
(combat with the senses), niyamåkßamå (inability to uphold
vows) and tara∫ga-ra∫gi√î (delighting in the material facilities
produced by devotion).
Then there are four types of aparådha: dußk®tottha (arising
from previous sins), suk®tottha (arising from previous
piety), aparådhottha (arising from offences in chanting) and
bhaktyuttha (arising from imperfect service). When all of
these are eradicated, then our real selves, the åtmå, will
reflect in the mirror of the mind; but for now our vision
is distorted. We consider the pain and happiness of the
material body to be our own, and our worldly relations and
worldly loss and gain to be related to our very selves.
Bhava-mahå-dåvågni-nirvåpa√aμ: this is the forest fire of
material existence in which we are time and again taking
birth.
When the mirror of the mind is purified, then this great
fire will be extinguished and we will progress along the path
of sådhana for uttama-bhakti, that devotion which is free
from any tendencies towards karma or jñåna. That devotion
will be kleça-ghnî, that which burns away so many types of
difficulties. It will not happen all at once, but gradually.
First there is sraddhå, then nis†hå, and then we will move
towards ruci and åsakti when our anarthas will have been
mostly eradicated. However, those anarthas may still exist
in root form. One may shave his head, but has even one hair
completely disappeared? Its roots are still there, and hair
will again appear after a couple of days. In the same way,
when we have reached the stage of åsakti, only the roots of
anarthas will remain; externally they will not be visible. If a
favourable environment is given to them – that is, if we
keep bad company or offend a Vaisnava – then they will
reappear. But upon reaching the stage of bhåva, they will be
finished forever.
Then there is subhadå, which is of many varieties. In the
worldly sense, çubha means having wealth, good progeny,
position, fame and knowledge, and keeping the body healthy
so that the effects of old age will not come prematurely. But
what is real subha? Having ruci for the name and lîlå-kathå
of Bhagavån and for the limbs of bhagavad-bhajanasådhana.
Having eagerness for these things is çubha, and
that çubha is the lotus flower described by the words
çreya˙-kairava-candrikå-vitaranam. If the rays of the moon
fall upon it, it will bloom purely and without blemishes.
How will such pure bhakti arise in the heart? The sakti of
harinåma is like the rays of the moon which make the lotus
of the heart gradually bloom, taking it through the stages of
nis†hå, ruci, åsakti and bhåva. When it fully blossoms, that
is the stage of prema. But for the sakti of harinåma to act in
this way, our interest must be drawn away from material
life. In the same way as two swords will not remain together
in one scabbard, måyå and bhakti will not remain together
in one’s heart.
Vidyå-vadhü-jîvanam: nåma-sa∫kîrtana is the very life of
vidyå-vadhü. Vidyå is that by which we can know jîvatattva,
måyå-tattva, and ultimately Krsna; it does not mean
knowledge of mundane science or how to make money.
Real vidyå is bhakti and ultimately assumes the form of the
vadhü, or consort, of Krsna. First there is sådhana-bhakti,
then bhåva-bhakti, and finally prema-bhakti. After entering
prema-bhakti, one’s devotion develops through the stages
of sneha, måna, prayaya, råga, anuråga, bhåva and finally
mahåbhåva. The embodiment of mahåbhåva is Srîmatî
Rådhikå, who is the vadhü, or consort, of Krsna. Over and
above the sandhinî-sakti, the samvit- and hlådinî-saktis fully
manifest as rådhå-bhåva. This is vidyå-vadhü, and if even
one ray of this transcendental potency enters into our
hearts, it is called bhåva.
Ånandåmbudhi-vardhanaμ prati-padam: if we are chanting
harinåma with this bhåva, then with every step we will
experience increasing ånanda, divine joy. In the mahåmantra,
there is krsna-nåma and also Hare, which means
She who attracts Krsna away to the kuñja, Srîmatî Rådhikå.
This bhåva is so deep that it has no end, and this is the
nåma, so saturated with rasa, that Caitanya Mahåprabhu
brought to this world. When we chant the mahå-mantra
with this bhåva, then every step will submerge us deeper
into the ocean of divine bliss. Pürnåmrtåsvådanam – what is
pürrnåm®ta, the complete nectar? Prema, and one will perpetually
relish it. Absorbed in chanting the name in this
way, our åcåryas such as Jayadeva Gosvåmî, Sanåtana
Gosvåmî and Bhaktivinoda Thåkura could envision divine
pastimes and compose such nectarean literatures. And
sarvåtma-snapanam – one will never desire to resurface
from that ocean of nectar where there is not even a trace of
måyå, meaning that they have entered into svarüpa-siddhi.
This is the explanation of the first verse of Mahåprabhu’s
Siksas†aka given by Srîla Bhaktisiddhånta Sarasvatî
Prabhupåda, whose return to Srî Rådhå-Krsna’s eternal
pastimes we are commemorating on this day.
-Srila Narayana Goswami Maharaja
See http://purebhakti.com/

posted in bhakti yoga according to gaudiya vaisnav - 5 replies

An apology to Srila Prabhupada's Godbrother.

Thu, 23 Nov 2006 02:17:39 GMT

I know I was wrong in insulting Narayana Maharaja and all the rest of the Gaudiya Math devotees, Godbrothers of Srila Prabhupada and Godnephews and the disciples who have left ISKCON and gone over to the Math. I am the most fallen of all living entities and lower than the straw in the street. I was only trying to defend the name of Srila Prabhupada and his movement but I went too far, I should not have blasphemed the devotees who are all senior to me.
Please forgive me.

posted in bhakti yoga according to gaudiya vaisnav - 18 replies

Quan Yin

Mon, 13 Nov 2006 11:53:13 GMT

Quan Yin, the head of the gods, is a conceited coward who is extremely terrified to see mankind evolve into a warrior so powerful that the earth would tremble with fear by his mere presence.
Mankind is being deceived because his essence is turned into hookers and pussies by this conceited goddess.

Maharishi Chin Chau An.

posted in bhakti yoga according to gaudiya vaisnav - 4 replies

Esoteric Teaching Podcast live on iTunes

DavidBruceHughes — Sun, 19 Nov 2006 20:25:10 GMT

Dear Friends,

Hare Krsna! The Esoteric teaching podcast, Your Perfect Body, is back online at Apple iTunes. You can also subscribe to the feed at http://feeds.feedburner.com/yourperfectbody

These days we are doing a series on Sri Isopanisad. See some recent posts mirrored on my MySpace blog, or http://theperfectionofyoga.org

love,
Baba

posted in bhakti yoga according to gaudiya vaisnav - 0 replies

have yer Guru

Wed, 08 Nov 2006 05:42:38 GMT

It is very important that we don’t focus on anyone’s faults. Look at their good qualities. We have to absorb these qualities in ourselves. We must take the association of Vaisnavas who are superior to us and who have the mood we want. Then we can attain bhakti.

Someone who has no nistha (strong faith) in his Guru and in the Vaisnavas, no attachment for them, no attachment for their service, and who doesn’t take any responsibility to do seva – such a person is like an animal with two legs. Taking responsibility can even make an animal into a human. Stay in the Mathas (temples) under the guidance of Guru and Vaisnava. Respect them and serve them with strong faith and attachment.

Devotees must take responsibility for service. Wherever Gurudeva sends a disciple, he should do that service with a sense of responsibility.

Gurudeva sent me to Mathura, and I accepted all the responsibilities of the Matha – including fighting in the court, preaching, doing kirtana, cooking, going house to house and preaching, writing books, publishing Bhagavat Patrika (monthly magazine). I took all this upon my head. This was my area of responsibility for Gurudeva.

You have all come here from different countries, for Guru-seva. What responsibility have you taken? You should consider whether or not you have accepted any responsibility, and whether or not you have got attachment for your service. All of you must think about this.

Taking your own life in your hand, perform Guru-seva. Bhakti is not easily attained. Valmiki performed severe austerities for 60,000 years and received the fruit of devotion to Lord Rama. How he served his Guru, Sri Narada, and followed his instructions! Narada told him to sit in one place and engage in harinama (chanting the name of Lord Rama). He sat down for 60,000 years and did not get up. He did not eat or drink, or even go to latrine. He did nothing but chant. Ants gradually built an anthill around him and covered his entire body, and his life airs stayed in his bones. This is Guru-seva.

Ekalabhya was only an ordinary person, but he gave his thumb to his Guru. His fault was that he didn’t follow his Gurudeva properly, but he did give his thumb when it was requested.

Even Lord Krsna carried a bundle of wood on His head for His Guru. He stood in the rain the entire night and got completely wet in the service of His Guru, and He is God Himself. This is how to do Guru-seva.

In the Upanisads we find the history of Upamanyu. His Guru told him to take the cows out grazing. After some time his Guru asked him, “Why are you so fat and healthy?” He replied, “After the calves take their milk, I drink the remaining milk.” His Guru said, “Don’t drink the milk,” but he did not tell Upamanyu what he could take. Some days passed, and when he saw Upamanyu, again he said, “How is it that you are still so fat and healthy? What are you eating?” Upamanyu answered, “I take the foam of the milk left in the calves’ mouths.” Again his Guru said, “Don’t do that.” Now all roads were closed. So what did he do? He saw some leaves with a white liquid coming out of them, and started taking that 'milk.' He became blind from that poisonous white liquid, and he fell in a well.

Gurudeva came looking for him, calling out, “Where are you?” He called back, “I am in this well.” “What happened?” Gurudeva asked. Upamanyu replied, “I was taking this milk from the leaves, not realizing it to be poison. I became blind and fell down in this well.” Gurudeva said, “You will get your eyesight back, and all Vedic knowledge will be at once be revealed in your heart.”

In the Upanisads and other Vedas, such examples of Guru-seva are given.

yasya deva para bhaktir
yatha deve tatha gurau
tasyaite kathita hy arthah
prakasante mahatmanah

[Only unto those great souls who have implicit faith in both the Lord and the spiritual master are all the imports of Vedic knowledge automatically revealed. (Svetasvatara Upanisad 6.23)]

We should be like such disciples. Bhakti is not easy. Bhakti will not come simply by saying the word 'bhakti.' Moreover, in the line of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, vraja-bhakti, gopi-bhakti, is very, very difficult to attain.

You are very fortunate to have come here. Keep your good fortune by developing strong faith in Guru, by performing devotional services under his guidance with commitment, and by following his instructions nicely – even if you have to go to hell. Go to hell with a contract. In other words, wherever you are sent – it may even be to hell – you will have your commitment to Gurudeva always with you, and you will execute it. Take Guru’s instructions to heart, and then you will get bhakti; otherwise it is not possible.

For more, see http://purebhakti.com/
or visit http://tribes.tribe.net/gurudeva/

posted in bhakti yoga according to gaudiya vaisnav - 1 reply

Join ISKCON, give the Mathas to ISKCON!

Fri, 06 Oct 2006 23:50:42 GMT

Someday they will all belong to ISKCON anyway. Join now! JOIN ISKCON NOW!

posted in bhakti yoga according to gaudiya vaisnav - 10 replies

Samadhi photos of: Bhakti Swarupa Damodar Swami Maharaj

mike-ace — Sat, 28 Oct 2006 09:28:27 GMT

Samadhi photos of Bhakti Swarupa Damodar Swami Maharaj at:

http://bharathch. tripod.com/ BSDS/

posted in bhakti yoga according to gaudiya vaisnav - 1 reply

New ashram in Eugene

matura — Sat, 28 Oct 2006 17:13:33 GMT

There's a beautiful new ashram in Eugene located downtown next to the WOW Hall at 268 1/2 W.7th. Ave between 7th and 8th St.s

It's named the Sri Chaitanya Saraswat Ashram and is dedicated to the aspiration of loving community and selfless devotion.
Our Gurudeva Srila Govinda Maharaj of the Gaudiya Vaishnava lineage has engaged us in this project to share the teachings of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu who spread the chanting of the Holy Names of God all over the world as the yuga-dharma- or most effecient way to realize Divinity in this age. His teachings have been summerized as "humility, tolerance and respect for others, in this mood one can continuously sing the Holy Names of God."

Every Sunday there is are kirtans (devotional chanting) followed by a beautiful aroti ceremony and prashadam distribution ( a delicsious vegetarian feast). All are welcome and it's always free.

http://www.scsashram.org
http://www.scsmath.com

posted in bhakti yoga according to gaudiya vaisnav - 0 replies

Sruti references for chanting Hare Krishna?

Ekendra — Sat, 21 Oct 2006 03:00:39 GMT

Sometimes Gaudiya-Vaisnavas are accused of being 'un-vedic' or 'un-Hindu' because we emphasise Gita and Puranas (Srimad Bhagavatam) and neglect the 'real sastra' like Upanisads and Rg Veda. Of course this whole assumption is fallicious but nevertheless some still accuse us of this.

I thought to ask the assembled Vaisnavas for references specifically to chanting Hare Krishna that they know of from these Sruti sources. I know of at least one clear reference that I'll post here but I'm sure there are more. Please reply with a verse, translation and reference as best you can.

-----------------------------------------------------------

It is clearly stated by Lord Brahma in the Kalisantarana Upanisad:

hare krishna hare krishna
krishna krishna hare hare
hare rama hare rama
rama rama hare hare
iti sodasakam namnam
kali-kalmasa-nasanam
natah parataropayah
sarva-vedesu drsyate

"These sixteen words of the Hare Krishna mantra are especially meant for counteracting the sins of the age of Kali. To save oneself from the contamination of this age there is no alternative but to chant this maha-mantra. After searching through all the Vedic literatures one cannot find a method of religion for this age so sublime as the chanting of Hare Krishna."

---------------------------

That's one. I'm sure there are more. Anyone?

posted in bhakti yoga according to gaudiya vaisnav - 2 replies

Seva-kunj Ashram

DavidBruceHughes — Tue, 10 Oct 2006 16:16:50 GMT

Dear Friend of the Esoteric Teaching,

I am extremely pleased to announce the dedication of Seva-kunj Ashram, a spiritual retreat center of the Sadgosai Society in the southeastern Arizona desert. Located in the rural Gila River Valley near beautiful Mount Graham, it offers serious spiritual seekers a place to retire from the complexities of daily life and go deep into chanting and sadhana. Please see http://sadgosai.org.

Seva-kunj is the place in Vrndavana in the spiritual world, where Krsna meets Srimati Radharana and the gopis for Their nightly ecstatic love-play, such as the Rasa Dance. Similarly, Seva-kunj Ashram is a place for meeting Krsna and service to Him and His devotees.

Life here is austere, simple and pure. We rise early in the morning and go for a long japa meditation walk as the sun rises. Two miles from the ashram is a peaceful wildlife reserve with trails and a lovely swimming lake. You can see the Mt. Graham wildlife area in the background of the picture below.

All arrangements are negotiable for sincere devotees from any sanga who want to go deep into chanting and perfect their spiritual life in an austere environment. Guests are invited for retreats on a space-available basis. Accommodations are very simple, Rainbow-style camping and desert trailers. To arrange a visit or retreat email me or call 928 485-9300 and leave a message.

I am getting a lot of writing done in the peace of the desert. You can follow my daily blog posts at http://theperfectionofyoga.org, or check out the lively community discussion on the Esoteric Teaching forum at http://esotericteaching.org/forum.

Also, please don't forget our interesting CDs and DVDs that offer perspectives on spiritual life from the ancient Esoteric Teaching: http://esotericteaching.org/store. Thank you very much for your valuable time and attention.

Love,
Baba

Sri Gaurahari Dasanudas Babaji Bhaktisiddhartha (David Bruce Hughes)

"Developing a transcendental ontology is the most powerful enabler of spiritual growth." http://transontology.org

posted in bhakti yoga according to gaudiya vaisnav - 0 replies

Interesting site by Bhakti Sudhir Goswami

matura — Tue, 26 Sep 2006 06:03:15 GMT

Here's a very interesting site by a very dynamic preacher. His Holiness Bhakti Sudhir Goswami Maharaj.
http://www.goswamipod.com

posted in bhakti yoga according to gaudiya vaisnav - 1 reply

The Passing of HH Bhaktisvarupa Damodara Swami

mike-ace — Fri, 06 Oct 2006 12:00:18 GMT

His Holiness Bhaktisvarupa Damodara Swami Maharaja, a disciple of ISKCON's founder, Srila Prabhupada, has passed away at 12:15am, 2 October 2006, in Kolkata, India.

He had been receiving treatment for an injury he sustained in a grenade attack at Janmastami in ISKCON's Manipur temple. Just before midnight on 1 October, Maharaja called for assistance complaining of severe pain in his shoulder. Over the next few minutes he became breathless, and before a doctor could be called, he suffered a fatal cardiac arrest.

posted in bhakti yoga according to gaudiya vaisnav - 2 replies