Nandlal Prabhu's Posts (75)

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Narottam Finds the Deity of Gaura

Narottam Finds the Deity of Gaura


Nityananda Das was a disciple of Jahnava Mata, the divine consort of Lord Nityananda Prabhu. Jahnava related to Nityananda Das many stories from the lives of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, Nityananda Prabhu and their associates. On her order he compiled those stories into the book known as Prema-viläsa. The following is a translation excerpted from the 19th chapter.


One day in his home Narottam thought about installing a deity. That night Narottam saw in a dream the six deities of Gaurangga, Vallabhi Kanta, Sri Krishna, Vraja Mohana, Radha Kanta and Radha Ramana. Seeing those six dear deities the pleasure that Narottam received was beyond description. After seeing that dream Narottam woke and, sitting up, spent the rest of the night crying tears of joy.


When the night finished he performed his morning duties, and then began arranging for the deities to be carved. Stone was brought and artisans started carving those six deities with great devotion. The five Krishna deities were made beautifully, but although all due care was taken in the work, the deity of Gauranga was not made nicely. Seeing the deity of Mahaprabhu, Narottam became disheartened, and began calling out in a loud voice, “Gauranga, Gauranga,” and crying and crying.


Later, in a dream, Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu appeared before Narottam. In his dream Narottam saw Mahaprabhu sitting at his side. The Lord said gently: “My dear Narottam, listen carefully. With much care you are trying to carve a deity of Me, but I will never stay in this mürti. I will tell you how to obtain a deity of Me. Before I accepted sannyäsa I had a deity made of Myself which I had put into the Ganges. No one knows about this. But because you My dear devotee I am blessing youwith t his knowledge. That deity is now inside the rice storage house of Vipradas.” After saying this, Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu disappeared.


Narottam awoke and saw that morning had arrived. After finishing his morning duties he began making inquiring from people as to the whereabouts of Vipradas. One person told him that Vipradas was a wealthy man who lived nearby. He said that Vipradas was doing business in large quantities of rice and other grains. Hearing this, Narottam went to the house of Vipradas.


When Vipradas saw that Narottam had arrived he offered his obeisances and inquired what had brought him to his home. Thakur Mahashay replied, “I have some special purpose to accomplish here. I want to go to where you store your grains.” Vipradas replied, “ O Mahashay, this is not possible to do. That is a fearful place with many kinds of snakes. As soon as they see a man they begin to hiss very loudly. Out of fear of those snakes no one can go near that place. For many days much grain has been laying there.” Narottam said, “Don’t worry. When I go there the snakes will all leave.”


After saying this, Narottam Mahashay went to that storage room. Immediately all the snakes left that place and then Narottam came out with a deity of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. Seeing this, all of the people became surprised. From that time there was no more fear of snakes in that place, Vipradas became very happy. Vipradas came with his whole family and took shelter at the feet of Thakur Mahashay.


Obtaining that deity, Narottama brought Him to his house and installed Him. Seeing the beauty of that deity, everyone felt very blissful. Those who had previously seen Chaitanya Mahaprabhu verified that the deity looked exactly like Him.

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Child Hit by Truck


Now allow me to tell a true story that happened some 10 years ago in South Africa. The father and the daughter who experienced this event told this story to my friend, a sannyasi and devotee of Lord Nrsimhadev. This stories was also found in the newspapers, and several witnesses of this truck-accident after this incident became devotees of Lord Nrsimhadev. This happened to a simple Vaishnava family that lives there. They had back then a 5 years old daughter. This girl was a great "fan of Nrsimhadev." She found Him simply funny, as He looked half-lion half-man and she felt very attracted to Him. She often told her playmates about her favorite God, a lion, and the kids always wondered about what kind of God this could be--a lion.


What can a five year old girl know about God? She wasn't initiated, not even her parents, as far as I can remember. The father of the family followed a guru and surely later accepted initiation. But there was a small Hindu-community they were in close touch with.


So, one day the girl was playing outside with her ball together with other kids, beside the street. The ball, how else could it be, fell on the street, and the girl ran after her precious ball. There was nearly no traffic, a rarely used country road. But this time a very fast truck came running down the road. The girl in her play didn't see the truck coming.


The father was in the first floor of the house and saw his baby girl running on the street. But he also saw the huge truck coming down, closer to his daughter with huge speed. The father yelled at her, but she didn't hear him. So he jumped out of the window of this first floor to save his daughter, and broke both his legs, when coming down, and remained laying on the ground in pain.


He had to watch how his little girl was hit by the truck and thrown through the air, some 20meter away. All children and neighbors around who observed this froze the blood. The father later said his only desire when he saw this was to die.


From the other direction came a police car that also witnessed the accident. The truck went on and the policeman stopped his car across the street to stop him. The truck-driver hardly stopped his truck and he seemed to be very drunk.The policeman immediately called the ambulance and ran over to the motionless laying girl in the grass.The closest hospital was a small private clinic. The ambulance came, but refused to take the girl, being afraid they wouldn't have the necessary devices and machines to help the injuries the girl must have. They advised the policeman to call the main hospital, as only they could efficiently help her, as her spine must be broken, etc. The policeman was in despair, not even knowing where the father of the girl was. Actually he didn't even know if the girl was still alive, as he didn't dare to touch her, not knowing how injured she was. However, in the end she was brought to a right hospital, the policeman accompanied the girl, and also finally the father was there.


The chief-doctor heard then what happened to the girl, and they immediately x-rayed her to see first results. The policeman wanted to rest assured how the girl was doing, and waited there to see the results. Everybody was shocked to hear what terrific accident had happened to the girl.

So the nurse brought the x-ray pictures to the doctor, who became very upset and started yelling at the nurse she should for-God's-sake bring the right pictures, things were about death and life! He threatened to fire her, as it was unacceptable to make such mistakes. The nurse was scared and didn't understand what was happening. Those were the pictures of the five year old girl that was hit by the truck. The nurse wasn't aware yet of what had happened to the girl.The doc said this cannot be, for on the x-ray there was not a single broken bone. So, the doc all the time again and again repeated "Impossible! It can't be."


Then suddenly the girl awoke from her faint and then told a story at full consciousness, which made its tour through the media.


In the moment she picked up the ball from the street, she saw the truck coming up to her. The only thing she could do was to yell out for help. She didn't call for mommy or daddy, but for her Nrsimhadev. In this moment when the truck should hit her, she suddenly saw how Nrisimhadev picked her up from the ground, smiled at her, and said, "Don't be afraid, nothing will happen to you." The girl continued her story that the Lord had put her on the other side of the street into the grass. But when putting her down, He accidentally scratched her waist, which still hurt her a bit.


She spoke about how beautiful Nrsimhadev was, His hair, His eyes, etc. But his claws were very sharp, He should cut the nails. He wore a golden dhotie, etc. The doctor didn't understand anything and told the policeman she still was in shock and hallucinated, which is normal.

So, the girl was profoundly checked for any injuries, but the only injury they found on her body were those scratches and the doctor said this must be from a wild animal like a lion, as he had cases like this before. So, he was disturbed and asked if they had brought the girl to hospital, as this one was inured by a wild animal, not a truck. Nobody was clear about what had happened. The same doctor and the nurse who took care of her later became devotees, as they later learned from the parent who "that lion" was.

As we can see miracles still today happen. Not only in Mahabharata, Puranas or shastras that are more than thousands of years old. The little girl was very attracted to this form of God, and in her despair she called Him for help. Lord Nrsimhadev did not look if she was initiated and have the right to call His name. He protects His devotees that sincerely worship Him in their hearts.


I am sure this litte girl was no common soul. Who knows what she did in her previous life? The sannyasi heard that she very much liked to eat sweets, and prepared a big plate full of sweets for her to rest assured she will not be able to eat it all up. He gave her the mounted plate of sweets, she took some of the sweets and ran out playing with her friends.

As soon as she was gone from the room, the sannyasi went over to that plate and took the rest, as for him, this was the best maha-prasad available! Who last time has met Lord Nrsimhadev? Narada Muni maybe?? The girl for sure, and she must be a great soul.

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Terror Attack


Radhanath Maharaja told me a very blissful story the other day and he said I could use it. So here goes! There was that Taj Hotel where the terrorists attacked. They were fighting in there for three days, complete carnage. The terrorists had arranged in such a way that they would always be up higher. They would shoot from a lower vantage point down. Radhanath Maharaja told me this. They had all these grenades and they would throw the grenades and the grenades would create so much smoke that if you were down looking up you couldn't see anything.


Picture that you are one of these soldiers or police officers and you are in this cloud of smoke and up above you there is this hail of bullets from the terrorists shooting at you. One of those soldiers was one of our devotees. At one point, they were trying to chase these people through the hotel. They are trapped. The terrorist were throwing all these grenades, they are in a complete cloud of smoke. They cannot see one foot in front of their face. They can't see left, right or anything and this hail of bullets is being fired at them. Just a wall of bullets coming at them.


This devotee police officer, with two other police officers on either side, he is in the middle, he actually was completely helpless. He couldn't see left, right, he couldn't see his colleagues. He remembered that he had on his ring tone on his phone Nrsimhadeva prayers. He began playing the Nrsimhadeva prayers and praying intently to Lord Nrsimhadeva, "Please I am absolutely helpless. I am going to die. Save me, in an absolutely hopeless state."


When the shooting stopped, the smoke cleared, his friend to the right and his friend to the left were completely killed, riddled with bullets, and he was unscathed. In front of him, which he couldn't see at the time, was a giant pillar. And because they were shooting at him the pillar protected him.


He thought, "Just as Lord Nrsimhadev came out of the pillar to save Prahlada He put a pillar here to save me!" So my point is, simple point, is if we have that faith, "Oh, how will I be taken care of?" Krishna will take care of you, don't worry. Let me give my life to the sankirtana movement.


from Srimad Bhagavatam class in Mayapur

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"I Want My Eyes Back!"



On a warm December morning last year, around 11:00 a.m., as I sought the association of the magnificent Lord and prayed to His dear most devotee Prahlada, I found myself involved in one of His temple lilas (pastimes), much to my astonishment

After offering my obeisances to the captivating Prahlada, who stands next to his beloved Lord with his hands folded and his small body decorated with fresh fresh flowers and beautiful ornaments, I prayed, "My dear Prahlada, you are expert in receiving all kinds of blessings from Lord Nrsimhadev. You even received the blessings of forgiveness for you demoniac father, Hiranyakasipu. Please ask you Lord to bless this poor soul with the destruction of everything that stands in the way of her devotional service. Show me the way to real happiness."

Then, as I stood meditating on the Lord's beauty and mercy, I heard a very sweet, deep voice: "I want My eyes back!" At first, I ignored it and kept my mind in the mode of prayer. But the voice spoke a second time: "I want My eyes back!" Attempting again to disregard this clear message raised a burning and almost a painful sensation in my heart. I was dumbfounded. What was I to do? Then the voice continued: "Go to the pujari." Okay, I thought, I have nothing to lose. If the pujaris think I am crazy, I will at most lose a bit of my false ego.

Praying to the Lord to give me the strength to carry out His order, I paid my obeisances and almost breathlessly headed for the pujari rooms. There I found Jananivas Prabhu reading the Srimad Bhagavatam. The atmosphere in the room was extremely serene and otherworldly. I stood there for several minutes and waited for him to notice me. Then, after I told him what happened, he asked me to go see his twin brother, Pankajanghri Prabhu, the actual pujari of Lord Nrsimhadev.

Somehow I felt that I didn't have to do more at this point."

The following day, as I approached the magnificent form of Lord Nrsimhadev, my mind buzzed with doubt. "What if that voice was just my mind, demanding the healing of my eyesight, which has been very poor and painful for the past six week?"Thinking in this way, I prayed for an answer. The voice spoke to me again, this time with a more serious and firm tone: "You will get your eyes back when I get mine!" His form always emanates a soft light, and my heart felt peaceful and warm. I felt overwhelmed with unusual confidence, as if my head were touching the sky.

The next morning, at 2:20 a.m., I woke up fully refreshed and wide-awake. It was unusually early for me, as I usually get up around six O'clock. A soft voice urged me to rise, bathe and attend mangala-arati (early morning worship)-- which I did.

After the ceremony was over, the same voice urged me to follow Pankajanghri Prabhu from Lord Nrsimhadev's altar into the pujari room. I felt very embarrassed and had tears in my eyes. I also felt a kind of unwillingness in my heart to reveal my mind to him.

As he was preparing the articles for the Lord's abhisheka, I started to talk to him. Pankajanghri Prabhu listened attentively to my story. Then, without saying anything, he smiled and gave me maha sweets from Lord Nrsimhadev's plate.

The following morning, when my daughter returned from the temple, she was shouting, "Mommy, they changed Nrsimhadev's eyes! He has beautiful red eyes now." And as the sweet deep voice had promised, my eyesight was miraculously cured--within three days.

All glories, all glories to the merciful Lord Nrsimhadev in Sri Mayapur.

[Editor's note: Lord Nrsimhadev originally had red eyes. One day, a devotee came to Mayapur and offered two precious yellow stones for His eyes, and the pujaris reluctantly changed the eyes on the Deity. They felt happy when the Lord revealed that He wanted His original red eyes.]

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Sri Nrsimhadev:

Sri Nrsimhadev:

The Lord in His Most Terrific Form.

By Nandlal prabhu


Om namo bhagavate sri maha-Nrsimhaya/ damstra-karala-vadanaya/ ghora-rupaya vajra-nakhaya/ jvala-maline mama vighnan paca paca/ mama bhayan bhindi bhindi/ mama satrun vidravaya vidravaya mama/ sarva ristan prabhanjaya prabhanjaya/ chata chata, hana hana, chindi chindi/ mama sarvabhistan puraya puraya mam/ raksa raksa hum phat svaha

"O Nrsimhadeva, whose form is terrible by sharp and long teeth: who is very fearful to see with strong, large nails, and who is garlanded by flames--destroy, destroy my obstacles and kick out, kick out my fear. Scatter, scatter my enemies, destroy, destroy my karma. Flash, flash! Kill, kill! Cut, cut! Ever fulfill, fulfill my desire to serve You and protect, protect me and all around me."

Startling, isn't it--this maha-mantra of Lord Nrsimhadeva? For those who have had darsana of this Deity form here in Mayapur--especially at mangala-arati, when in the darkness of pre-dawn, His doors open to reveal His awesome form, illuminated by 200 oil lamps, that make His eyes and teeth glint in His lion-like face with a gaping mouth--they know that this description is no exaggeration. While inside the altar area, the pujari circles large lamps of bright flaming camphor and ghee. Outside, many devotees throng for a glimpse of their Lord, for they know that this auspicious arati will be over in just three or four minutes.

It is just before 5:00 a.m. The arati is over and the heavy wooden doors to Lord Nrsimhadeva's altar are closed.

I enter the Deity room, after offering prostrated obeisances and praying for the blessings of Srila Prabhupada and the assembled devotees. While standing before the Lord with folded hands, I recited the following prayer: "O Kesava, O Lord of the universe! O Lord Hari, who has assumed the form of half-man, half-lion. All glories to you! Just as one can easily crush a wasp between one's fingernails, so in the same way the body of the wasp-like demon Hiranyakasipu has been ripped apart by the wonderful painted nails on Your beautiful lotus hands."

After cleaning the floor and sitting on a kusa-grass mat, the puja begins... The first thing I do is to purify the articles to be used, as well as the body and the mind. Then I meditate on my spiritual identity as different from the body, understanding myself to be the eternal servant of the servant of the Lord. Next comes my worship for my spiritual master, Srila Prabhupada, with sandalwood paste, flowers, incense, a ghee lamps, and some food. I then ask for his permission to assist in the worship of Lord Nrsimhadeva. Repeating the same procedure for Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu and Sri Prahlada Maharaja, I begin to offer 16 items of worship through mantras--through the medium of water--to Lord Nrsimhadeva.

I touch my head to the lotus feet of the deity of Sri Prahlada Maharaja, praying for his blessings. "It was only to relieve the distress brought to you by your demoniac father Hiranyakasipu, that the Supreme Lord appeared in His wonderful form of Lord Nrsimhadeva. O Sri Prahlada Maharaja, you are one of the twelve mahajanas, or great authorities of devotional service. Kindly bless me with the understanding of spiritual truths."

On the altar of Lord Nrsimhadeva are 60 salagrama-silas. I remove Them to offer abhiseka. The big sila in the center who wears a crown is a Nrsimha saligram.

Although it is a scriptural injunction that one should touch one's head to the feet of the Deity, it's not always possible or practical. Therefore, we bring out the satari, the Deity's shoes, mounted on what looks like a helmet, and place it over the heads of the devotees. One of the benedictions of being a pujari is that he can place his head directly on the Lord's lotus feet. Receiving this benediction and begging forgiveness for any inconvenience I may cause Him, I undress the Lord and wipe His body with a soft, damp towel. His body begins to shine when I massage it with cooling oils like sandalwood or khus. His form is exquisite, slender and perfectly formed. He looks powerful but also graceful. The Lord's knees are bent, ready to spring, and around His hips is an engraved girdle, bearing a face with large cheeks, open mouth and a protruding tongue. His navel is deep and his chest is broad. Lord Nrsimhadeva's transcendental body is smooth, soft to the touch, and very much appealing to the eye. He is bedecked with bracelets and other ornaments. The Lord has eight arms. In six hands He holds a sword, lotus flower, disc, conch, club and shield, and to keep the promise of Brahma, His two front hands yield no weapons.

The Lord cannot bear any intolerance against His devotees. It is said that the face is the index of the mind. If this proves to be true, then we can see how furious Lord Nrsimhadeva must have been when He burst out from the pillar to attack the greatest of all demons, Hiranyakasipu, who tried to kill the Lord's pure devotee, Prahlada. "His angry eyes resembled molten gold, and His shining mane expanded the dimensions of His fearful face. His deadly teeth and His razor sharp tongue moved about like a dueling sword. His ears were erect and motionless, and His nostrils and gaping mouth appeared like caves of a mountain. His jaws parted fearfully and His entire body touched the sky." When it was decided to bring a Deity of Lord Nrsimhadeva to Mayapur for the protection of the devotees and the temple, three of the main pujaris were called by the managers to discuss the importance of establishing this Deity. However, when it came to the point of who would peform daily puja, no one was willing to step forward. "After such a long waiting period, the Deity is finally ready, and now nobody wants to worship Him!" Their concern was obvious. And then I was singled out...."Why don't you want to worship Him?" I was asked. "I'm too scared," I replied. They intimated me: "Oh, you probably don't follow the four regulative principles...." "Of course, but..."

Fortunately, our fears were allayed by Atma-tattva Prabhu, who had procured the Deity in South India. He told us that first, even the sthapati refused to make such a Deity, saying that nobody worships this sthanu form of Nrsimhadeva [the ferocious form of the Lord when He stepped out fo the pillar to Kill Hiranyakasipu]. Generally one goes before the Deity of the Lord to ask for some benediction, but to ask for something when He is shaking with fury--just wouldn't be a smart thing to do. It is certainly better to go for a more pacified form, e.g. after He has killed Hiranyakasipu. But later, when the stapati found out that it was for Mayapur Dhama, he agreed, because any deity brought to the dhama takes on the mood of the presiding deity of the dhama. In this case it is audarya, "benevolence," the mood of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu, Sri Gaura-Hari!

"Although very ferocious, the lioness is very kind to her cubs. Similarly, although very ferocious to non-devotees like Hiranyakasipu, Lord Nrsimhadeva is very, very gentle and kind to His devotees like Prahlada Maharaja."

While dressing the Lord and remembering His mercy, I am thinking how some people misunderstand our purpose of worshiping Lord Nrsimha. Sometimes devotees say that worship of Nrsimhadeva is Vaikuntha-bhava, and it cannot take one to Goloka Vrindavana, the Lord's supreme and most intimate abode. But Lord Nrsimhadeva is partucularly inclined towards the devotees of Radha and Krishna. He is Krishna Himself, appearing especially in this form to reciprocate with our desire to remove all the obstacles in our devotional service. If one can always raise his hands and call out with great love the names of Nitai-Gaura and Radha-Madhava, that is wonderful. But if there is something in your heart that is stopping you from that spontaneous call, why not go in all humility before Lord Nrsimhadeva and pray that with His sharp nails, He may pierce those crooked desires in your heart and throw them far away... This is His main function. Srila Bhaktivinode Thakura writes: "Therefore, I will pray at the feet of Lord Nrsimhadeva to purify my heart and give me the desire to serve Krishna. Weeping, I will beg at the lotus feet of Nrsimha that I may worship Sri Sri Radha and Krishna in Navadvip Dhama, free from all obstacles." His prayers continue: "At that moment, by Lord Nrsimhadeva's mercy, I will exhibit symptoms of ecstatic love for Radha and Krishna, and I will roll on the ground by the door of Lord Nrsimhadeva's temple."

Didn't Lord Caitanya reveal His divinity to Srivasa Thakura while Srivasa was worshipping his Nrsimha Deity, by saying: "Srivasa, don't you know that I am the same person whom you are worshipping behind those closed doors?" And what about Advaita Acarya, whose offerings of tulasi buds and Ganga water, along with His loud calling, caused the Lord to descend, it is said that He worshipped a Nrsimha Salagram!

I now begin putting ornaments on the Lord's body. I adjust Sri Nrsimhadeva's necklaces, so they hang symmetrically; tie shining bracelets on His wrist, and fix beautiful rings on His lotus fingers. "I am so close to you, oh Lord, and yet so far away. When will I become a devotee?" Prahlada, your foremost bhakta, is indicating that he is not afraid of Your ferocious mouth and tongue; Your eyes as bright as the sun, and Your frowning eyebrows. He fears not Your sharp, pinching teeth, your garland of intestines, and Your mane soaked with blood, nor Your tumultuous roaring, which makes elephants flee; nor Your nails meant for killing your enemies. However, he says, "I'm very much afraid of my condition of life within this material world. When will that moment come when You will call me to the shelter of Your lotus feet?" I know Sri Prahlada was saying that last point only for our benefit, for he was always completely surrendered unto You.

One time, I also felt surrendered unto You--at least for a few minutes. That was during the big flood in 1987. While offering You puja, standing waist deep in water, a big, frightening snake swam in the temple, passing behind You. It stopped about five feet in front of me, finding its exit blocked. After examining me for some long moments, it dipped down, out of sight, in the muddy Ganga water. Feeling myself in imminent danger, I noticed the hair on my arms standing on end, with no weapon to defend myself, nor the ability to run away, I felt very insecure. In such a helpless condition, I turned to You, oh Lord, and I knew that my fate was completely in Your hands. "You are the Supersoul in everyone's heart. If You want that snake to bite me, it will bite--if You don't, it won't. Let me continue my service; the result is dependent on You." Then, I became peaceful again, feeling the safety of Your shelter.

I finished the morning puja, but I couldn't stop thinking about the incident. It reminded me of the description by Lord Kapila of the babies in the womb. In their helpless and painful condition, they get the darshan of Paramatma, the Lord in the heart. If they are pious, they pray that if He relieves them from their suffering condition, they would--after being relieved from the womb--exclusively worship Him. But as soon as they're out and in good shape, they forget everything. Still, I have great hope that one day I'll be able to serve You nicely for Your pleasure. By the way, as long as the temple room was filled with water from the flood, the snake would come every day, circumambulate the Deity once, and then go out. Who knows who that snake actually was?

Covering His body with fresh garlands of flowers and tulasi, offering sandalwood paste, mixed with fragrant flowers and tulsi leaves to His lotus feet (which symbolizes sacrificing everything to the Lord), the morning puja is now complete. Hearing the devotees gathering outside makes me hurry--it's time for darshan. I blow the conch three times and open the doors to reveal the resplendent Lord. Jaya Sri Prahlada Nrsimhadeva! The devotees bow down, happy to see their Ugra Nrsimha again. In their hearts they know that He is not really as ugra as He looks.

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Lord Nrsimha

In my heart reside duplicity, insincerity, the desire for fame, and the six enemies: lust, anger, envy, fear, illusion and intoxication. Therefore I will pray at the feet of Lord Nrsimha to purify my heart and give me the desire to serve Krishna.

Weeping I will beg Lord Nrsimha that I may worship Radha-Madhava in Navadvip, free from obstacles. Although this form of the Lord is terrible for the evil, He is exceedingly auspicious for the devotees headed by Prahlada. When will Lord Nrsiimha become pleased to mercifully speak to me, a worthless fool, and remove my fears?

'Dear child, stay here happily in Gaura Dham. Worship Radha-Madhava, and develop attraction for the holy name. By the mercy of My devotees, all obstacles are transcended.' After speaking like this, when will that Lord joyfully place His feet upon my head? At that moment, by Lord Nrsimha's mercy, I will exhibit symptoms of ecstatic love for Radha and Krishna, and will roll on the ground by the door of Lord Nrsimha's temple.”

--Srila Bhaktivinode Thakur (Navadvipa-bhava-taranga)

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Srimati Radharani is the eternal consort of Lord Krishna. Five thousand years ago, when Lord Krishna came to this planet to perform His pastimes, Srimati Radharani also appeared. The following is adapted from a lecture by His Holiness Varshana Swami:

“On a half-moon night in the month of Bhadra, King Vrishabhanu came to the Jamuna to bathe and found himself engulfed in a golden aura, the golden aura of pure love. It was emanating from a lotus, which had a baby girl standing on its whorl. When the king returned to the palace with the baby, Queen Kirtida was delighted. She was also shocked that the girl was blind.

“Lord Krishna’s mother, Yashoda, heard that her best friend Kirtida had a baby, so she came to visit along with her husband and her son. Krishna crawled up to the cradle and pulled Himself up and looked in. At that moment, Srimati Radharani’s eyes fluttered and opened wide and blossomed like lotuses. It seems that she did not want to see anything of this world, only the form of Sri Krishna. Everyone was delighted.

“Srimati Radharani is the mother of the universe, the spiritual mother of all souls. And the concept of mother is the most sacred symbol—that of purity, selflessness, caring, sharing, nurturing, and love. That is why our sacred mantra is the holy names. It is the holy names in the vocative. Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare / Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare.

“‘Hare’ means ‘Radhe.’ It is a plaintive, desperate cry for the mother. ‘Radhe! Please wake us up from this nightmare of mortal life! Remind us of the father we have forgotten and take us home!’”

In the Krishna consciousness movement, devotees carefully worship Srimati Radharani as the bestower of devotional service to Krishna, by attentively chanting her name in the maha-mantra, by worshiping her deity form, and by following the instructions of the most merciful Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, who is the combined form of Radha and Krishna.
“(Therefore) Radha is parama-devata, the supreme goddess, and She is worshipable for everyone. She is the protectress of all, and She is the mother of the entire universe.” —Caitanya Caritamrita, Adi 4.89

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CHANTING YOUR NAME IS THE ONLY REMEDY.........

THINKING OF YOU IS THE ONLY WAY............

TO MEET YOU MY LORD...THE SCRIPTURES SAY........

 

SERVING YOUR LOTUS FEET SHOULD BE ONLY THE AIM.....

THINKING OF YOUR PASTIMES...WITH INTENSE LOVE.

SEEING YOU EVERYWHERE BELOW AND ABOVE.......

 

THOUSANDS OF CUPID SERVE YOUR LOTUS FEET....

YOU ARE INDEED BEAUTY PERSONIFIED.....

SAYS YOUR SERVANT KAMAL NAYAN ...ATTAINED YOU WHOEVER IN YOUR LOVE CRIED.........

 

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Attract Krsna's Mercy!!!

 

 

I get a lot of amazing e-mails from a devotee in South Africa, MotherCheron. Sometimes I don't have the time to read them, and many of them remain unopened, or half read, as I go off to study or chant my rounds or cook etc. But the heading of this e-mail 'Attract Krsna'smercy!!!" really got my attention, and not just because of the three exclamation points (although that certainly contributed!) After all, isn't that one of our important goals in Krsna Consciousness, to attract Krsna's attention and mercy? I have heard Bhakti CaitanyaSwami say several times in class that when we go before the deities, it is not so that we can see Krsna, it is so that Krsna can see us, and see what we have done to increase our love and devotion for Him. In this excerpt from Kadamba Kanana Swami's class, he tells us how we can attract Krsna's mercy, and when we next stand before Krsna andSrimati Radharani, maybe Krsna will take special notice of us because we have made an extra endeavour to do things with more love and devotion.

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"We should perform our service with love but we are not able to. Is it within our reach to love Krishna? Or is it granted by Krishna? It is always granted by Krishna. It is a gift from Krishna and it depends on Krishna’s mercy. The mercy of Krishna is causeless, so Krishna may give to whomever He likes - although one can do something to attract the mercy of Krishna because Krishna has a heart. So Krishna is full of appreciation. It is said that when Draupadi was going through that experience of Dushasana trying to pull her cloth, at that time she surrendered to Krishna and she called out " He Govinda". And Krishna later said that "Whenever I remember how Draupadi just surrendered unto Me, in My heart My appreciation for her is increasing." SoKrishna deeply appreciates and feels enlivened by the service of His devotee. Thus devotional service can attract Krishna. And this is what we keep in mind. We may not have love for Krishna, but devotional service to Krishna can attract the mercy of Krishna."

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Syamasundara, a deity of the heart

The deities of Syamananda Pandita in Vrindavana, Sri Sri Radha Syamasundara, are among my favourite deities in Vraja. This deity is said to be manifested from Srimati Radharanis own heart. Krsna has the most enchanting smile and He is always, always beautifully and opulently adorned.
The last time I was in Vrindavana during Kartik I would make a trip everyday to this temple after the morning program at the Krsna-Balarama mandir ended. Here I would spend an hour or two chanting extra rounds or reading, before heading off to the Radha-Damodara temple just a short walk away.
It's special being there on any ordinary day, but during Kartik, its extra-special. Radha-Shyamasundara, specifically Shyamasundara, is dressed according to His different pastimes - one day He is dressed as a female bangle seller, fully equipped with a basket of sparkly bangles on His head, another day He is dressed as a mendicant devotee of Shiva, with snakes around His neck and arms, and yet another He is disguised as a gopi or demigoddess. There were some days when I wasn't sure what the pastime was exactly (my understanding of Hindi is sketchy at best), but still, it was sweet to have Their darshan.
The devotees have done a great job with the temple website , where you can read about the history of the deities and have Their darshan. Below is a photo of Shyamasundara taken during Candana yatra

 

 

 

Dear Lord, when You appear in Your different incarnations, You take different names and forms according to different situations. Lord Krsna is Your name because You are all attractive; You are called Syamasundara because of Your transcendental beauty. Syama means blackish, yet they say that You are more beautiful than thousands of Cupids. Kandarpa-koti-kamaniya. Although You appear in a color which is compared to the blackish cloud, because You are transcendental Absolute, Your beauty is many many times more attractive than the delicate body of Cupid"
~Krsna Book

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I just realised that despite being here for two full years, this is my very first post about the deities in Toronto. Admittedly when I arrived here I expected to feel some kind of instant connection to the deities...I felt that way in South Africa with Radha-Radhanath,Nitai-Gaurahari in LenasiaKrsna-Balarama and Radhe-Shyam inVrindavana. Instead, upon my first darshan of the deities I felt nothing . Well, perhaps thats an exaggeration! I knew it was Krsnaand so I felt respectful. But that was about it.
Then I travelled to Detroit and Montreal and, especially in Montreal, found myself deeply attracted and attached to those deities. And my lack of feeling for Radha Ksiracora-Gopinath began to bug me - to the point where I wrote to my Guru Maharaja, freaking out a little bit. He explained that its natural to be more attracted to certain deities, but if I were to do some personal service for Them then my attachment to Them would grow.
Living in Kitchener and now Milton hasn't quite allowed any kind of regular deity service, but in these two years I've been fortunate enough to be involved in Bhaktimarga Swami's dramas. And even though it wasn't personal service - I was not preparing an offering for the Lord, or setting Their jewellery, or even wiping the altar floor - but it was still service that I did for Their pleasure.
And somewhere along the line, I lost my heart to Them. Perhaps it was the long, tiring hours of rehearsals where Their darshan, and knowing that it was for Them that we worked so long and so hard, were the two things that kept me going; or maybe it was on a quiet day, chanting japa before Their beautiful forms. I don't know when it happened...I'm just glad that it did.

This Gopinath is not just a sweet-rice thief, he is a stealer of hearts. If you're lucky, He will steal your heart immediately. Or it may take longer. But one way or the other, without even realising it, He will definitely steal your heart.

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Early morning darshan


With Your sweet, sweet smile
The tilt of Your hips
Your kind lotus eyes
The bamboo flute at your lips
Early in the morning
Without Your mukut in Your hair
Free of Your ornaments and all the fanfare
...
Just a sweet, simple cowherd boy
That is how I love you best
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Happy Mothers Day! I

The Vedic injunction is that one see women other than one’s wife as mother, which means that one should see all women as objects service as opposed to objects sense gratification. But those aspiring after pure devotion service aspire to an even higher standard. They aspire to treat all women, including their wife, as a object of service.

Once a sincere young couple visited Srila Gaurakisora Das Babaji maharaj and asked for instructions in how to progress in spiritual life. Babaji Maharaj seeing their sincerity blessed them with instructions in spiritual life. He told the husband that he should cook for his wife, serve her prasadam, and only eat after she is satisfied. This was an incredibly revolutionary statement given that cooking for her husband, serving him, and only eating after he has eaten is practically the main duty of a wife within the Vedic context. And this was in the early 1900’s when the culture of India was still very conservative in regards to traditional roles for men and women.

For a man to make tangible spiritual progress he must be able to see all women, including his wife as a spirit soul, part and parcel of Krishna, meant for Krishna’s enjoyment and not for his own enjoyment.

So for anyone interested in making spiritual advancement everyday should be mothers day.

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Happy Mothers Day!!




Vaishali Sundari 


Happy Mothers Day! I don't think there should be only one out of 365 days in honor of a person who gives so selflessly, who works so tirelessly, who loves so unconditionally. 

Since giving birth to our daughter Vaishali Sundari 4 and a half months ago, I have a new appreciation and understanding of what my own mother has felt for me since before I was born, and for what she has done since. 

And now, as a new mother, I am tired, sleep-deprived and slightly neurotic, but I am also overjoyed and honored (and a little scared, truth be told) that Krsna has given me my own little Vaisnavi to raise.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

My mother... 

Who fed me from her gentle breast, 
And hush'd me in her arms to rest, 
And on my cheek sweet kisses prest? 
My Mother.

When sleep forsook my open eye, 
Who was it sung sweet hushaby, 
And rock'd me that I should not cry? 
My Mother.

Who sat and watch'd my infant head, 
When sleeping on my cradle bed, 
And tears of sweet affection shed? 
My Mother.

When pain and sickness made me cry, 
Who gaz'd upon my heavy eye, 
And wept, for fear that I should die? 
My Mother.

Who drest my doll in clothes so gay, 
And taught me pretty how to play, 
And minded all I had to say? 
My Mother.

Who ran to help me when I fell, 
And would some pretty story tell, 
Or kiss the place to make it well? 
My Mother.

Who taught my infant lips to pray, 
And love God's holy book and day, 
And walk in wisdom's pleasant way? 
My Mother.

And can I ever cease to be 
Affectionate and kind to thee, 
Who wast so very kind to me, 
My Mother.

Ah! no, the thought I cannot bear; 
And if God please my life to spare, 
I hope I shall reward thy care, 
My Mother.

When thou art feeble, old, and gray, 
My healthy arm shall be thy stay, 
And I will soothe thy pains away, 
My Mother.

And when I see thee hang thy head, 
'Twill be my turn to watch thy bed, 
And tears of sweet affection shed, 
My Mother.

For could our Father in the skies 
Look down with pleased or loving eyes, 
If ever I could dare despise 
My Mother. Bindu Devi Dasi

 

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Balarama Rasayatra

In order to keep the gopis in Vrndavana satisfied, Lord Balarama stayed there continually for two months, namely the months of Caitra and Vaisakha. For those two months he kept himself among the gopis and he passed every night with them in the forest of Vrndavana in order to satisfy their desire for conjugal love. Thus Balarama also enjoyed the rasa dance with the gopis during those two months.
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Dvivida (SB 10.67)

There was a powerful monkey named Dvivida who was a friend of Narakasura. Dvivida was an associate of Lord Ramacandra's, he later became corrupted by bad association with the demon Naraka. This bad association was the reaction for an offense Dvivida had committed when, being proud of his strength; he disrespected Lord Ramacandra's brother Lakshman and others. 

To avenge the death of his friend, Naraka, the ape Dvivida ravaged the land, setting fires that burned cities, villages, mines and cowherd dwellings. Once, he tore up a number of mountains and used them to devastate all the neighboring kingdoms, especially the province of Anarta, wherein dwelt his friend's killer, Lord Hari. Another time he entered the ocean and, with the strength of ten thousand elephants, churned up its water with his arms and thus submerged the coastal regions. The wicked Gorilla tore down the trees in the hermitages of exalted sages and contaminated their sacrificial fires with his feces and urine. Just as a wasp imprisons smaller insects, he arrogantly threw both men and women into caves in a mountain valley and sealed the caves shut with boulders.

Once, while Dvivida was thus engaged in harassing the neighboring kingdoms and polluting women of respectable families, he heard very sweet singing coming from Raivataka Mountain. So he went there. There he saw Balarama, adorned with a garland of lotuses and appearing most attractive. He was singing amidst a crowd of young women, and since He had drunk varuni liquor, His eyes rolled as if He were intoxicated. His body shone brilliantly as He behaved like an elephant in rut.

The mischievous ape climbed a tree branch and then revealed his presence by shaking the trees and making some funny sounds. When Baladeva's consorts saw the ape's impudence, they began to laugh. They were, after all, young girls who were fond of joking and prone to silliness. Even as Lord Balarama looked on, Dvivida insulted the girls by making odd gestures with his eyebrows, coming right in front of them, and showing them his bottom. Seeing the impudence of the ape enraged Balarama, so much so that He hurled a rock at him. But the cunning ape dodged the rock and grabbed the Lord's pot of liquor, and further infuriated the Lord by laughing and by ridiculing Him. Wicked Dvivida then broke the pot and offended the Lord even more by pulling at the girls' clothing. Thus the powerful ape, puffed up with false pride, continued to insult Sri Balarama.

When Balarama saw the ape's rude behavior and thought of the disruptions he had created in the surrounding kingdoms, He angrily took up His club and His plow weapon, having decided to put His enemy to death. As the monstrous Dvivida came forward to attack the Lord, with an uprooted Palm tree, he rushed toward Balarama and struck Him on the head with the tree trunk. But Lord Sankarshana remained as motionless as a mountain and simply grabbed the log as it fell upon His head he throw in on the side and then struck Dvivida with His club.

Struck on the skull by the Lord's club, Dvivida became brilliantly decorated by the outpour of blood, like a mountain beautified by red oxide. Ignoring the wound, Dvivida uprooted another tree, stripped it of leaves by brute force and struck the Lord again. Enraged Balarama shattered the tree into hundreds of pieces, upon which Dvivida grabbed yet another tree and furiously hit the Lord again. This tree, too, the Lord smashed into hundreds of pieces. Thus fighting the Lord, who again and again demolished the trees He was attacked with, Dvivida kept on uprooting trees from all sides until the forest was left treeless. The angry ape then released a rain of stones upon Balarama, but the wielder of the club easily pulverized them all. Dvivida, the most powerful of apes, now clenched his fists at the end of his palm-tree-sized arms, came before Lord Balarama and beat his fists against the Lord's body. The furious Lord of the Yadavas then threw aside His club and plow and with His bare hands hammered a blow upon Dvivida's collarbone. The ape collapsed, vomiting blood. When he fell, Raivataka Mountain shook, along with its cliffs and trees, like a wind-tossed boat at sea. In the heavens the devas, perfect mystics and great sages cried out, "Victory to You! Obeisances to You! Excellent! Well done!" and showered flowers upon the Lord.
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Srila Prabhupada said "Love is action in freedom" -- we must be free from lust, greed, envy, ambition. If we are controlled by these things, we cannot express love. The love of the mother fro child is closest we experience of unconditional love, of love in humility - because it is selfless. This is the focus of our whole culture. To love selflessly. For example, the disciple patiently sits, accepts the discipline of the spiritual master, humbly serves him, and serves one's godbrothers and godsisters. We must rid ourselves of selfishness, as a mother does when she serves her child, if we are to experience the fulfillment of our desire to love and be loved.

Vaisnava parent can think, "This child has been given to me by Krishna to take care of as a service. He or she may or may not become a devotee of the Lord -- that is not totally within our control, not our decision to make -- but I must serve this child by loving and caring for this child selflessly."

Prabhupada wrote a letter to Arundhati, and he said "For you child worship is more important than deity worship. If you cannot spend time with him, stop pujari duties. These children are given to us by Krishna. They are not ordinary. They are Vaikunthachildren.... This is a very great responsibility, do not neglect it or become confused..."

The mother is the caretaker, she is the nurturer and caretaker, and we should be grateful to her. But how can we understand this if the mother is not particularly inclined towards spiritual life or has no interest in Krishna consciousness? We can be grateful that they "chose life" -- that they are -- directly or indirectly -- responsible for us to be here, to be able to take shelter of Srila Prabhupada'steachings.

In the first chapter of Bhagavad-gita, Arjuna gives many good reasons why he didn't want to fight and one of the reasons was that women will become unprotected, and that exploitation will lead to unwanted children. We are experiencing this in our modern society. So what an amazing service it is to have wanted children -- it is a sacred responsibility we take on.

So we see here that this jiva that has re-entered the body of the prince is speaking so cuttingly to his parents. What he is saying is not incorrect, and perhaps he speaks in this way because he wants to cut the attachment -- the purely material attachment -- that his parents had for him. This chapter is called King Chitraketu meets the Lord. After receiving these instructions from his son, the King becomes fixed in his determination to seek God. So, we can take from this pastime that the King and Queen were so attached to having a child that they neglected to give him a spiritual life. That attachment is natural, but it has to be Krishna centered, or else it simply causes misery.

When attachment is based on Krishna it is liberating. The eleventh canto of Bhagavatam gives a nice verse that explains this, and gives the success of motherhood:

One should learn how to associate with the devotees of the Lord by gathering with them to chant the glories of the Lord. This process is most purifying. As devotees thus develop their loving friendship, they feel mutual happiness and satisfaction. And by thus encouraging one another they are able to give up material sense gratification, which is the cause of all suffering. (Bhag. 11.3.30)

All glories to the loving mothers (and fathers) striving to serve selflessly!

Festival of Inspiration, New Vrindaban -- May 13, 20
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Happy Mother's Day!

Happy Mother's Day! Those who are familiar with the Festival of Inspiration know that the Sunday morningSrimad Bhagavatam class is generally a "Mataji Special" -- when one of the exaltedVaisnavis takes to thevyasasana to enlighten us all. I'm here, sitting in the back of the packed-out temple room as Mother Vishakha, a disciple of Srila Prabhupada and talented photographer, author, wife, and mother, begins her class.

The verse, from the Sixth Canto of Bhagavatam, speaks about the reality that we have actually had millions of "mothers" and "fathers" throughout various lifetimes:

By the mystic power of Narada Muni, the living entity reentered his dead body for a short time and spoke in reply to NaradaMuni's request. He said: According to the results of my fruitiveactivities, I, the living being, transmigrate from one body to another, sometimes going to the species of the demigods, sometimes to the species of lower animals, sometimes among the vegetables, and sometimes to the human species. Therefore, in which birth were these my mother and father? No one is actually my mother and father. How can I accept these two people as my parents?" (Bhag. 6.16.4)

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1Bhagavad-gétä 8.28-9.1—New York, November 21, 1966Prabhupäda: The Lord says that the purpose of all Vedic instruction is to achieve the highest goal of life, back to Godhead. Any scripture of any country, not only of this Bhagavad-gétä, but any scripture, they are aiming simply how to get us back to Godhead. That is the purpose. Take for any ex... Take for example any of the great religious reformers or äcäryas of any country. In your country, Lord Jesus Christ or Lord Buddha. Of course, Lord Buddha, he advented himself in India, but later on his philosophy was broadcast all over Asia. Then Lord Kåñëa, or Hazrat Muhammad—anyone take. Nobody will say that "You make your best plan in this material world and live peacefully." That is a common factor. There may be little difference according to country, climate and situation in the scriptural injunction, but the main principle—that we are not meant for this material world, we have our destination in the spiritual world—that is accepted by everyone.Therefore Lord Kåñëa says,vedeñu yajïeñu tapaùsu caivadäneñu yat puëya-phalaà pradiñöamatyeti tat sarvam idaà viditväyogé paraà sthänam upaiti cädyamAh, the yogi, the transcendentalist, his chief aim of life is how to get into the spiritual kingdom. That is the highest ambition of the yogi, of the transcendentalist.Now we begin the Ninth Chapter. We have finished the Eighth Chapter. We are beginning the Ninth Chapter of the Bhagavad-gétä. Çré bhagavän uväca. The Personality of Godhead, Kåñëa, is speaking. Çré Bhagavän. I have several times described what this word bhagavän means. Bhaga means "opulence," and vän means "who possesses." So bhagavän. There is... Everything has definition. So in the Vedic scripture we'll find the definition of God. We have got some conception of God, but in the Vedic literature you'll find definite description, what do we mean by "God." That what do we mean by "God" is described in one word: Çré bhagavän. Bhagavän. Bhaga means opulence, and vän means "one who possesses."2So what are the opulences? The opulences are that riches, wealth, and strength and influence and beauty, education, knowledge, and renunciation. These are opulences. Therefore Vedic literature says,aiçvaryasya samagrasyavéryasya yaçasaù çriyaùjïäna-vairägyayoç caivañaëëäà bhaga itéìganä(Viñëu Puräëa 6.5.47)Bhaga. These are opulences. Aiçvarya means opulence and... Aiçvaryasya samagrasya véryasya. Véryasya means strength. And yaçasaù. Yaçasaù means fame. And aiçvaryasya véryasya yaçasaù çriyaù. Çriyaù means beauty. And jïäna. Jïäna means knowledge. And renunciation, vairägya. Renunciation. These six opulences, when you find presented in a personality in full, He is God. He is God. That is the description of God. You have many rich men here in your New York City, but nobody can claim that he is the richest of all, he has got all the riches of the world. Nobody can claim. But if you find somebody who claims that "All the riches of the world or the universe belongs to me," He's God. He is God, just like Kåñëa claimed.In the Bhagavad-gétä you'll find,bhoktäraà yajïa-tapasäàsarva-loka-maheçvaramsuhådaà sarva-bhütänäàjïätvä mäà çäntim åcchati[Bg. 5.29]The Lord says that "I am the enjoyer. I am the enjoyer of all kinds of activities." He's the benefactor of all kinds of activities. Bhoktäraà yajïa-tapasäà sarva-loka-maheçvaram: "I am the proprietor of all planets." Loka means planets. We are proprietor of certain extent of land here, and we are very much proud. But God says that "I am the proprietor of all the planets." And suhådaà sarva-bhütänäm. And He is the friend of all living entities. And suhådaà sarva-bhütänäà jïätvä mäà çäntim åcchati: "When a person understands that God is the proprietor of everything, God is the friend of everyone, God is the enjoyer of everything, by knowing these three things, one becomes very peaceful." That is the peace formula. You cannot become in peace so long you think that "I am the proprietor." You are not actually the proprietor. You cannot claim proprietorship. Just like 3take for example this land of America. Say four hundred years before, the Red American, Red Indians, they were the proprietor. Now you are the proprietor. Now, after, say, four hundred years or thousand years, somebody will come. They'll become proprietor. So actually, we are not proprietor. The land is there, we come here, and we claim falsely that "I am proprietor."So this philosophy, as it is stated in the Éçopaniñad that éçäväsyam idaà sarvam [Éço mantra 1], "Everything belongs to God...' Everything belongs to God. Nothing belongs to me. Actually, this is the fact. But under illusion we are thinking that "I am the proprietor." So God is proprietor. Therefore He is the richest man. He is the richest man. He's not man, of course; He's God. But He is the richest. So if you find somebody... There are many incarnations of God. Nowadays you'll find, especially in India, there are dozens of incarnations of God. But if you ask him, "Are you the proprietor of everything?" oh, that is very difficult to answer.These are the checks, how you can understand that who is God. God must be the proprietor of all, everything. And He must be powerful than anyone. When Kåñëa was present on this earth, nobody could conquer Him. There is not a single instance that Kåñëa was defeated. So He belonged to the kñatriya family. He identified Himself as kñatriya. The kñatriyas are meant for giving protection to the poor, to the weak. So He belonged to the royal family. So there were so many fightings in His so long He remained on this earth, but in no fight He was defeated. Therefore He was the most powerful. And so far His opulence is concerned, from Bhägavatam we find that He married 16,108 wives, and every wife had a different palace. The palaces are described. And He expanded Himself into 16,108 divisions also. These things we have got in the Çrémad-Bhägavatam. If you believe, it is all right, but great äcäryas, great scholars of India, they have accepted this fact, that Kåñëa is God.Therefore, bhagavän uväca. Vyäsadeva... This Bhagavad-gétä was written by Vyäsadeva, spoken by Lord Kåñëa. It was noted by Vyäsadeva, and therefore Vyäsadeva says, çré bhagavän uväca: "The Supreme Personality of Godhead said." What does He say?idaà tu te guhyatamaàpravakñyämy anasüyavejïänaà vijïäna-sahitaàyaj jïätvä mokñyase 'çubhät"My dear Arjuna, now I shall speak to you the topmost part of knowledge." 4Idaà tu te guhyatamam. Guhyatamam means "most confidential." There are different kinds, grades of knowledge. But here the Lord says, "Just now I am going to explain what is the most confidential part of knowledge." Idaà tu te guhyatamaà pravakñyämy anasüyave. Anasüyave. This very word is used. Anasüyave means "who does not envy." Does not envy. Just like the Lord says, "I am the proprietor of all planets." Somebody may say, "Oh, Kåñëa is claiming the proprietorship of everything. How is that?" Because in the material world we are always envious. If somebody is greater than me, I am envious: "Oh, he's..., in that way, he has so much progressed." We are envious. This is the disease of material world, envious. So we are envious of God also. When God says that "I am the proprietor," we disbelieve it.So here this very word is used, anasüyave. Arjuna is hearing from Lord Kåñëa without any enviousness. He's accepting what does He say. This is the way of understanding. We cannot understand by our mental speculation what is God. We have to hear, and we have to accept. Otherwise there is no way to understand what is God. So God says that "Because you are not envious, therefore, I speak to you about the most confidential part of knowledge." Jïänaà vijïäna-sahitam. Vijïäna-sahitam means this knowledge is not theoretical, but it is scientific. Whatever knowledge we get from Bhagavad-gétä, we should not think that it is sentimentalism or fanaticism. No. They're all vijïänam, science. Jïänaà vijïäna-sahitaà yaj jïätvä: "If you become well versed in this confidential part of knowledge, then the result will be mokñyase açubhät." Açubhät. Açubha means inauspicious. Our stage of life, our existence in this material world, is açubha, inauspicious, always miserable. Mokñyase: "You shall be liberated from this miserable life of material existence if you understand this knowledge."So let us carefully understand what the Lord says to Arjuna about this knowledge. He says,räja-vidyä räja-guhyaàpavitram idam uttamampratyakñävagamaà dharmyaàsusukhaà kartum avyayam[Bg. 9.2]Now, this process of knowledge or this process of activity which we are trying to propagate as Kåñëa consciousness... Knowledge means, the topmost knowledge means Kåñëa consciousness according to Bhagavad-gétä. Because 5in the Bhagavad-gétä you'll find that a person who is learned, who is actually in knowledge, his symptoms will be that he has surrendered unto God. That is the symptom of knowledge. So long we go on speculating about God but do not surrender, that is not perfection of knowledge. Perfection of knowledge is bahünäà janmanäm ante: [Bg. 7.19] "After many, many births'mental speculation, philosophical speculation, when one understands what is actually God, God, then he surrenders there. He surrenders there." So long we do not surrender, we cannot understand God. So bahünäà janmanäm ante jïänavän mäà prapadyate. The Lord says, "One who is actually in knowledge, that knowledge is achieved after many, many births, not all of a sudden."Of course, if we accept that "God is great. Let me surrender," then we can accept in a second. But our present position is to become envious of any greatness. So we are also envious of God: "Why shall I surrender unto God? I am independent. I shall work independently." These things are there. Therefore for rectifying these misgivings we have to wait many births. And Lord says, "After many, many births, one who is actually in knowledge, he surrenders unto Me. He surrenders." Bahünäà janmanäm ante jïänavän mäà prapadyate [Bg. 7.19].How? How does he show? Väsudevaù sarvam iti sa mahätmä sudurlabhaù:[Bg. 7.19] "Because after many, many births' philosophical research, he can understand, 'God is everything. God is everything.' " The whole Bhagavad-gétä teaches this very science. God is everything. We are also part and parcel of God. So väsudevaù sarvam iti: [Bg. 7.19] "One who understands that 'Väsudeva, God, or Lord Çré Kåñëa...' " Çré Kåñëa means God. If there is any perfect name of God, that is Çré Kåñëa. Why?kåñir bhü-väcakaù çabdoëaç ca nirvåti-väcakaùtayor aikyaà paraà brahmakåñëa ity abhidhéyateKåñi. Kåñi means cultivation, and kåñi means very great. Kåñ-dhätu. So kåñëaor kåñ means who repeated repetition of birth, repetition. So kåñi—"repetition of birth;" ëa means "one who checks it." He is Kåñëa. "Repetition of birth, one who checks," He is Kåñëa. Therefore our repetition of birth can be checked only by God. Otherwise not possible. Harià vinä na måtià taranti: "Nobody can stop his repetition of birth and death without having the causeless mercy of God."6So therefore Kåñëa, Kåñëa is a scientific name of God. So Väsudeva, that Kåñëa's another... Kåñëa has many names. Väsudeva. Väsudeva means "all-pervading." So väsudevaù sarvam iti sa mahätmä sudurlabhaù [Bg. 7.19].After many, many births, if one comes to this understanding that "Väsudeva, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is everything," that is his perfection of knowledge. That is his perfection of knowledge. And at that time he surrenders. Sa mahätmä sudurlabhaù. That sort of, I mean to say, great soul, mahätmä... Mahätmä means great soul. You have... Perhaps you have heard mahätmä, the word, Indian word. Mahätmä is a designation of a person who is a surrendered soul to the Supreme Personality of Godhead. He's called mahätmä. He's not... Mahätmä means "great," "expanding, expanded." Ha. So one who becomes a devotee of the Lord, automatically he becomes expanded. Therefore mahätmä means one whose heart is expanded.Here Kåñëa says that räja-vidyä, räja-vidyä: "The knowledge which I am just trying to impart, this is räja-vidyä, the king of all knowledge." Räja-vidyä. Räja means "king," and vidyä means "knowledge." There are... Just like in our ordinary course of life we find somebody king, somebody subject, similarly, He's comparing this knowledge as the topmost, the king of all knowledge. Räja-vidyä räja-guhyam. Räja-guhyam means "very confidential." And pavitram. Pavitram means "very pure," idam, "this knowledge." And uttamam. Uttamam means "which is transcendental." Ut means "trans-," and tamameans "darkness." So uttama means "the knowledge which is beyond this material darkness." This material world is called darkness, and when the knowledge surpasses this material world, material knowledge, that is really called uttama. Udgata-tamaà yasmät: "from which the darkness has been separated." Light, the knowledge of light...So uttamam. Pratyakña avagamam. Pratyakña avagamam means if you follow this path, then you will personally understand how far you are advancing. How far you have become on the path of perfection, you yourself will understand. Nobody will require to certify that "You have advanced so much." You'll understand yourself. Pratyakña avagamaà dharmyam. Dharmyam means the religious principles. Pratyakña avagamaà dharmyaà susukham. Susukham means that it is very happy to execute. Very happy to execute. Susukhaà kartum avyayam [Bg. 9.2]. And if you perform it, it will have never any lapse. It is permanent, permanent. We do many things which is, has no permanent effect, which has no permanent... Suppose we work in this material world for some perfection of education, or perfection 7of business. We get, amass a vast amount of money. But that is not avyayam.That is not eternal. As soon as your body is finished, everything is finished. Your education finished, your M.A. degree finished, your bank balance finished, and everything, your family finished—everything finished. Now again begin life. Väsäàsi jérëäni yathä vihäya [Bg. 2.22].So therefore anything, whatever you are doing in this material world, that is not avyayam. That is not eternal. Temporary. Temporary. So this knowledge is not like that. Svalpam apy asya dharmasya träyate mahato bhayät: "The Kåñëa consciousness knowledge is so perfect that even if you do one percent, two percent execute, then it can help you to..., help you protection from the greatest danger." Svalpam apy asya dharmasya. And besides that, suppose in this life I perform work in Kåñëa consciousness, say twenty-five percent. I am not perfect. My next life will begin from twenty-sixth point. So much, what I have acquired in this life, that is not lost.These are the formulas we get from authoritative scripture. But material achievement, that is due... Because it is pertaining to this body, this designation, therefore it finishes with the finish of this designation. These are our all designations. This body... I am thinking, "I am American." I am thinking, "I am Indian." These are all our designations. So designation will finish, and there is no certainty what sort of body I am going to have in my next life. There are... Any thing, any material acquisition, that is not permanent. But this knowledge, this devotional service of the Lord, to act in Kåñëa consciousness, is permanent, whatever you do. If you can do it perfectly, this is the..., in this very life you get entrance into the kingdom of God. But even if you are not able to make it perfection, still, whatever you do, that will go with you, because you are spirit soul.So your spiritual activities will be with you. And because the matter, material body, will remain in this material world, therefore any work, an assessment of this material body, will remain in this material world. This is the formula. So Kåñëa will explain by and by about this formula which is described here as the king of knowledge and the very confidential and transcendental and very happily done. Happily done.Now, to act in Kåñëa consciousness, the devotional service, you can understand it, how happily it is done. Now, take for example what we are doing here. We are singing, we are dancing, we are taking nice prasädamoffered to Kåñëa and chanting and discussing Bhagavad-gétä philosophy. Oh, these are the processes. These are the processes. We are not meant for any 8stringent rules and regulation or gymnastic or breathing control, so many things, as they are described and they are performed by many different sections. But here it is very easy and happily done. Everyone wants to dance. Everyone wants to sing. Everyone wants to eat. Through this formula—dancing, singing and eating Kåñëa prasäda and hearing philosophical discussion, transcendental topics from Bhagavad-gétä—so don't you think it is very happy? Susukham. And whatever we acquire, it is permanent. Whatever knowledge you acquire, that is permanent. That is not going to be finished with the finish of your body. It is such a nice thing. So we are trying to impart this philosophy in your country. So we invite your cooperation. As Lord Kåñëa says, it is very nice thing. Susukhaà kartum avyayam [Bg. 9.2]. And vijïänam. Vijïänam means it is scientific. It is not a sentiment or fanaticism. It is scientific. So try to understand this philosophy of Kåñëa consciousness from Bhagavad-gétä and help yourself, help your countrymen, help the world. There will be peace and prosperity.Thank you very much. Any question? (end)
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Quotes of the week

Pure devotees of the Lord speak nothing other than the Lord. Srila Prabhupada's every letter and word is related to the Supreme Lord - Lord Sri Krishna. There are innumerable transcendental texts provided by His Divine Grace, which delivers one from this painful material world and then takes back to the eternal, ever blissful, no-miseries world - Goloka Vrindavana or Krishnaloka. Let us gain the transcendental knowledge through Srila Prabhupada's quotes. Thanks to the collectors and preserver's of Srila Prabhupada's letters, conversations, lectures, etc.

Srila Prabhupada

 

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Quotes Title


1) The Brahma-samhita begins in this way: ishvarah paramah Krishnah sac-cid-ananda-vigrahah/ anadir adir govindah sarva-karana-karanam. "Govinda, Krishna, is the cause of all causes. He is the primal cause, and He is the very form of eternity, knowledge and bliss." - Bhagavad-gita As It Is Introduction

2) The devotee, who wants to enjoy the association of the Lord, enters into the Vaikuntha planets, which are innumerable, and the Supreme Lord by His plenary expansions as Narayana with four hands and with different names like Pradyumna, Aniruddha and Govinda associates with him there. - Bhagavad-gita As It Is Introduction

3) The Lord has different names according to His different activities. For example, His name is Madhusudana because He killed the demon of the name Madhu; His name is Govinda because He gives pleasure to the cows and to the senses; His name is Vasudeva because He appeared as the son of Vasudeva; His name is Devaki-nandana because He accepted Devaki as His mother; His name is Yashoda-nandana because He awarded His childhood pastimes to Yashoda at Vrndavana; His name is Partha-sarathi because He worked as charioteer of His friend Arjuna. Similarly, His name is Hrshikesha because He gave direction to Arjuna on the Battlefield of Kurukshetra. - Bhagavad-gita 1.15 purport

4) If we try to satisfy the senses of Govinda, however, then automatically our own senses are satisfied. Materially, everyone wants to satisfy his senses, and he wants God to be the order supplier for such satisfaction. The Lord will satisfy the senses of the living entities as much as they deserve, but not to the extent that they may covet. But when one takes the opposite way—namely, when one tries to satisfy the senses of Govinda without desiring to satisfy one's own senses—then by the grace of Govinda all desires of the living entity are satisfied. - Bhagavad-gita 1.32-35 purport

5) The santas, being always in a compact of love with the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Govinda (the giver of all pleasures), or Mukunda (the giver of liberation), or Krishna (the all-attractive person), cannot accept anything without first offering it to the Supreme Person. - Bhagavad-gita 3.13 purport

6) He incarnates in different forms such as Rama, Nrsimha, Varaha and Krishna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and He descends like a human being, as the son of mother Yashoda, and He is known as Krishna, Govinda and Vasudeva. - Bhagavad-gita 6.47 purport

7) The Supreme Absolute Truth Personality of Godhead is Lord Krishna, who is the primeval Lord, the reservoir of all pleasure, Govinda, and the eternal form of complete bliss and knowledge. - Bhagavad-gita 7.7 purport

8) one can see the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Govinda, always within himself and outside himself if one has developed the transcendental loving attitude towards Him. - Bhagavad-gita 9.4 purport

9) There are other descriptions in the Vedic language also. Tam ekam govindam: "You are Govinda, the pleasure of the senses and the cows." Sac-cid-ananda-vigraham: "And Your form is transcendental, full of knowledge, bliss and eternality." (Gopala-tapani Upanishad 1.35) - Bhagavad-gita 9.11 purport

10) O my Lord, Your holy name alone can render all benediction to living beings, and thus You have hundreds and millions of names like Krishna and Govinda. In these transcendental names You have invested all Your transcendental energies. There are not even hard and fast rules for chanting these names. O my Lord, out of kindness You enable us to easily approach You by chanting Your holy names, but I am so unfortunate that I have no attraction for them. - Siksastaka (8 verses of Lord Chaitanya)

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