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13660772879?profile=RESIZE_584x5 April, 1974

Seattle

Dear Sukadeva,

Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter, undated, and I have noted the contents…

One of the symptoms of a devotee is that he is kind, so if our Godbrother becomes ill it is our duty to help him get the proper medicine and treatment so that he can recover…. So there is no question of ill treating of our own Godbrothers simply because they are sick, nor should you allow such neglect to go on. So long we have this material body there will be sickness, but we have to remain on the transcendental platform nevertheless….

Your ever well-wisher,

A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

Lord Dhanvantari

The Lord in His incarnation of Dhanvantari very quickly cures the diseases of the ever-diseased living entities simply by His fame personified, and only because of Him do the demigods achieve long lives. Thus the Personality of Godhead becomes ever glorified. He also exacted a share from the sacrifices, and it is He only who inaugurated the medical science, or the knowledge of medicine, in the universe. dhanvantarir bhagavan patv apathyad

(SB 2.7.21)

May the Supreme Personality of Godhead in His incarnation as Dhanvantari relieve me from undesirable eatables and protect me from physical illness. May Lord Rsabhadeva, who conquered His inner and outer senses, protect me from fear produced by the duality of heat and cold. May Yajna protect me from defamation and harm from the populace, and may Lord Balarama as Sesa protect me from envious serpents. (SB 6.8.18)

The son of Kasya was Kasi, and his son was Rastra, the father of Dirghatama. Dirghatama had a son named Dhanvantari, who was the inaugurator of the medical science and an incarnation of Lord Vasudeva, the enjoyer of the results of sacrifices. One who remembers the name of Dhanvantari can be released from all disease.

 

 

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13660772284?profile=RESIZE_584xIn the Mahabharata, Vidura explained to Dhritarastra, “Destiny determines the consequences of our actions, not our actions themselves.” This means that we are not like programmed robots that have no free will, or no choice. Our past karma does determine what will happen in our life, but it does not determine how we will react to it.

Destiny is something like a weather forecast on a journey. A weather forecast can tell us whether our journey from one place to another is going to be snowy or sunny. But it does not determine what we do during the journey.

With respect to destiny, there are two schools of thought karmavada and daivavada. Karmavada means to think, “By my karma I will be successful. If I work hard enough and smart enough, then I will become the next Bill Gates. By my sweat and muscles, I will succeed.” But if you look at the reality of life, so many people work hard and not all of them are successful. Therefore karmavada, the idea that everything depends on my actions, brings frustration and the people who follow this doctrine tend to develop an inferiority complex because in reality it is not our action alone that determines results.

Many times, we feel sorry when we study hard but don’t get good marks. But if we are honest, we will admit that there are times in our life when we don’t study very much other than the few hours before exam and still get good marks. So the law of karma works both ways. Sometimes due to our past good karma we get good reactions even when we don’t do proper action.

On the other hand, daivavada means to think “everything is determined by destiny, what can I do?” Dhritarastra was trying to use daivavada to justify his inaction when Duryodhana was doing atrocities on the Pandavas. Vidura told him, “Stop your son Duryodhana from waging war against the Pandavas. Let him accept Krishna’s peace proposal.” Dhritarastra replied, “No, if it is a will of destiny, then who am I, a tiny mortal, to stop the will of almighty destiny?” Vidura reminded him, “You have your duty; you have the freedom to choose to do your duty or not. So you should try to stop your son to the best of your capacity.”

Many western thinkers and westernized Indians misunderstand the Vedic philosophy. They think that the Vedic philosophy is fatalistic because everything is predestined, and thus this notion preempts any purposeful activity. But actually, Indians were never lazy. The world’s biggest poem is the epic Mahabharata, which has 110,000 verses. This is seven times bigger than the world’s next two biggest poems the Illiad and Odyssey combined together. Could lazy people have composed such a massive masterpiece? Literature, architecture, art, and even science and mathematics had reached great heights in Vedic times. All this cannot be the products of lazy people. Thus, Vedic philosophy is not daivavadi.

 

 

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13660771893?profile=RESIZE_584xkrsnotkirtana-gana-nartana-kala-pathojani-bhrajita

sad-bhaktavali-hamsa-cakra-madhupa-sreni-viharaspadam

karnanandi-kala-dhvanir vahatu me jihva-maru-prangane

sri-caitanya daya-nidhe tava lasal-lila-sudha-svardhuni

 TRANSLATION

 O my merciful Lord Caitanya, may the nectarean Ganges waters of Your transcendental activities flow on the surface of my desert like tongue. Beautifying these waters are the lotus flowers of singing, dancing and loud chanting of Krsna’s holy name, which are the pleasure abodes of unalloyed devotees. These devotees are compared to swans, ducks and bees. The river’s flowing produces a melodious sound that gladdens their ears.

 PURPORT by Srila Prabhupada

 Our tongues always engage in vibrating useless sounds that do not help us realize transcendental peace. The tongue is compared to a desert because a desert needs a constant supply of refreshing water to make it fertile and fruitful. Water is the substance most needed in the desert. The transient pleasure derived from mundane topics of art, culture, politics, sociology, dry philosophy, poetry and so on is compared to a mere drop of water because although such topics have a qualitative feature of transcendental pleasure, they are saturated with the modes of material nature. Therefore neither collectively nor individually can they satisfy the vast requirements of the desertlike tongue. Despite crying in various conferences, therefore, the desertlike tongue continues to be parched. For this reason, people from all parts of the world must call for the devotees of Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, who are compared to swans swimming around the beautiful lotus feet of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu or bees humming around His lotus feet in transcendental pleasure, searching for honey. The dryness of material happiness cannot be moistened by so-called philosophers who cry for Brahman, liberation and similar dry speculative objects. The urge of the soul proper is different. The soul can be solaced only by the mercy of Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu and His many bona fide devotees, who never leave the lotus feet of the Lord to become imitation Mahaprabhus but all cling to His lotus feet like bees that never leave a honey-soaked lotus flower.

Lord Caitanya’s movement of Krsna consciousness is full of dancing and singing about the pastimes of Lord Krsna. It is compared herein to the pure waters of the Ganges, which are full of lotus flowers. The enjoyers of these lotus flowers are the pure devotees, who are like bees and swans. They chant like the flowing of the Ganges, the river of the celestial kingdom. The author desires such sweetly flowing waves to cover his tongue. He humbly compares himself to materialistic persons who always engage in dry talk from which they derive no satisfaction. If they were to use their dry tongues to chant the holy name of the Lord-Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna, Krsna Krsna, Hare Hare Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare-as exemplified by Lord Caitanya, they would taste sweet nectar and enjoy life.

 

 

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13660771457?profile=RESIZE_584xThe ISKCON Ministry of Education will host its Annual PAN America Mini-Symposium 2025 on Friday, July 18, bringing together educators, leaders, and practitioners from across the Americas in a two-hour virtual event. The symposium begins at 6:00 PM CDT (4:00 PM PDT / 7:00 PM EDT) and will be conducted online via Zoom, Facebook, and YouTube Live. To register for the event on Zoom, click here.

Balimardana Das, Co-Minister of North America’s Ministry of Education, said the event offers a unique opportunity for ISKCON educators and leaders throughout the PAN America region to connect with others engaged in Srila Prabhupada’s mission of education. Through this gathering, participants will be able to share experiences, gain inspiration, and expand their vision for education in Krishna consciousness. The symposium is envisioned as a step toward fulfilling Srila Prabhupada’s desire to see strong systems of education flourish within the International Society for Krishna Consciousness.

Those interested in presenting, contributing, or asking questions related to the event are encouraged to contact the organizers at balimardana@gmail.com. A detailed agenda, including a list of final speakers, is expected to be released soon. For more information or to follow the event, attendees can also visit the Facebook event page here and their YouTube channel here.

Source https://iskconnews.org/iskcon-ministry-of-education-to-host-pan-america-symposium-online-july-18/

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13660770456?profile=RESIZE_584x is relaunching its monthly educational talk series designed to raise awareness on key issues related to community wellbeing. The initiative, titled Caring for Our Community, will explore diverse topics intended to inspire thoughtful action and spiritual reflection. Talks will typically take place on the second Tuesday of each month, depending on speaker availability, and will be streamed live via Zoom, YouTube, and Facebook. The format of the session may include a presentation, an interview, or a podcast-style discussion, but all episodes will conclude with a live Q&A.

Upcoming Episode

The upcoming episode, titled The Silent Killer: Isolation and Loneliness, will air on Monday, July 14, 2025, from 7:00 to 8:00 p.m. ET. It will feature Rambhoru Brinkmann, M.Div., MA, BCC, ACPE Certified Educator, who will guide the audience through the dangers and remedies associated with chronic loneliness.

The Surgeon General of the United States, Dr. Vivek H. Murthy, recently warned that Americans are facing an epidemic of loneliness, with serious health consequences including increased risk of cardiovascular disease, dementia, depression, and premature death. He called for a nationwide effort to restore human connection in homes, schools, workplaces, and places of worship. Murthy said, “We are called to build a movement to mend the social fabric of our nation.”

Srila Prabhupada’s ISKCON was established to create a “Culture of Care” that would change the world one heart at a time.“The Lord cares about His devotee, just as a mother always cares about her little child, who is entirely dependent on her care” [Mukunda Mala Stotra Verse 4].

Read More https://iskconnews.org/seva-care-tackles-loneliness-in-new-talk-series/

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13660769856?profile=originalGreat experience it always is taking that special 6:30 AM trek through the Ramsden green.  Neighbours who do the same as we do (minus the meditation beads) are seeing us as regulars.  We came to the children’s playground section of the park.  I led them there.  Anyone who knows me knows there is a time in the day where I want to be like a kid.  At the playground is a small cabin resembling a wood cabin like the type a hermit might take shelter of.  It was good connecting with it.

 

 As the hours rolled out, so did the heat and the humidity.  I did not go for a second walk until the evening as it was quite unbearable outside.  Perhaps that’s why the numbers were less than usual at the Sunday Feast, but that wasn’t a deterrent for people to come.  It was one of the most exuberant, sweaty dances I’ve ever seen.

 

 At the class time, I outlined the whole history of the very first Ratha Yatra ever.  At a distance of well over 2,000 kilometres, people of Dwarka set out for travel to the field of Kuruksetra to reunite with Mathura residents where Krishna was born.  This occurred five millennia ago on a solar eclipse.  Krishna arrived in this northern region along with brother, Balaram, and sister, Subhadra.  Rites and festivities took place.  People fasted, bathed, chanted mantras, danced, and mingled.  At one point in the conversation with Krishna, the assembly of sages were surprised to hear Him suggest that it is due to these holy men that we will receive moksha (freedom).  They were surprised that He would speak about Himself as an ordinary conditioned soul.

 

 

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13659346482?profile=RESIZE_584x
By Kulavati Krishnapriya Devi Dasi

Bhakti Kids, an initiative of ISKCON Congregational Development Ministry, will be leading an inspiring new online course beginning this week titled Krishna – My Best Friend, designed to help children build a personal and loving relationship with Lord Krishna. The initiative, led by Gourangi Gandharvika Devi Dasi, seeks to cultivate spiritual values, devotional reflection, and emotional connection with Krishna in an accessible and engaging format.

The course invites children aged 6 to 15 to experience Krishna not just as the Supreme Personality of Godhead, but as their closest friend—someone they can laugh with, learn from, and love deeply. Over the span of four weekends—July 12–13, 19–20, 26–27, and August 2–3—from 6:00 to 7:30 PM IST, participants will journey through Krishna’s world, discovering His six divine opulences, the five rasas or relationships a devotee can have with Him, and charming details about His life in Vrindavan, including His beloved friends, pets, and the significance of His iconic peacock feather.

Each session is based on the beautifully illustrated and thoughtfully written book Krishna – My Best Friend, which forms the heart of the course. Children will engage with the book through reading, reflection, and hands-on activities that reinforce each lesson. Every class includes storytelling, group discussions, creative crafts, and devotional games, creating an immersive learning experience that appeals to both the mind and the heart.

Read more: https://iskconnews.org/krishna-my-best-friend-online-bhakti-course-for-kids-now-enrolling/

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13659343889?profile=RESIZE_584xBy Suniti Devi Dasi

Premkishor Das (Dr. Prashant A. Jani), a dedicated member of ISKCON Thunder Bay and Director of the Vedic Cultural Centre, has been awarded the June Callwood Outstanding Achievement Award for Voluntarism 2025. This is one of the highest civilian honors presented by the Government of Ontario. Conferred upon only 20 individuals across the entire province each year, the award recognizes outstanding, long-term contributions to community development through volunteer service.

This prestigious award celebrates Premkishor Das’s tireless efforts over the last 16-plus years in using cultural and spiritual programs to build inclusive, compassionate, and vibrant communities across Northwestern Ontario and beyond. At the heart of his service is the dynamic growth of the Festival of India and Festival of Colours—an annual public celebration of Vedic culture, spiritual music, dance, and prasadam. What began in 2009 with just 60 attendees in Thunder Bay has now grown to serve over 7,000 people annually, with the event becoming a regional highlight for both locals and newcomers.

Under his leadership, these festivals have expanded to reach smaller and often underserved communities such as Thunder Bay, Sudbury, Sault Ste. Marie, Terrace Bay, Fort Frances, London (Ontario), and most recently, Sydney (Nova Scotia). These events are not only cultural showcases but vehicles of spiritual upliftment, offering kirtan, drama, traditional dance, free vegetarian meals (prasadam), and book distribution—bringing the teachings of the Bhagavad-gita and Srila Prabhupada to thousands in remote regions.

Read more: https://iskconnews.org/ontario-canada-honors-iskcon-thunder-bay-devotee/

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13659343872?profile=RESIZE_400x
At Bronte Heritage Park, our Oakville branch of devotees organized their annual Chariot Fest at the harbour of Lake Ontario where gracious swans call it home.  People in the neighbourhood enjoy this waterfront green property, but this afternoon there was a unique feature.  Tents housing bhakti paraphernalia were present, a large shelter for nutritious food, directions India, and consecrated.  Another awning for a 12 by 16 stage got busy with presentations, including the drama, The Age of Kali put together by members of our Bhakti Academy.  The team was phenomenal.  I was so proud of them.  Yamuna Jivana, my Cuban student who is most likely one of the top tattoo artists in the city, if not the country, did a nice job at makeup.

The message – the optics of the play were powerful.

However, one of the top attractions of the Chariot Fest was the Chariot ride itself.  The vehicle is truly more of a glorified cart, but one day, as the community grows, we shall see a more substantial conveyance which usually reflects a moving temple.

A highlight for me was the interaction with festival goers.  There are the familiar versus the unfamiliar attendees.  Folks that are new have questions about the meaning of the fest.  To answer them, we shall simply say that life is meant for more than just surviving.  We are here to express gratitude to the Creator who goes by many names.  “Jagannatha” is one of them, defined as The Lord of the Universe.  The Fest is designed to say, “Thank you!” and to not complain. 

Source: https://www.thewalkingmonk.net/post/the-chariot-wheels-keep-turning

 

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8888594463?profile=RESIZE_584xBy Kenneth R. Valpey (Krishna Ksetra Swami)

Introduction

In recent decades we witness increasing public awareness about the profoundly damaging effects of accellerating human production, consumption, and mobility on ecosystems of the world; and this awareness is accompanied by a deepening sense of urgency that “something” must be done to stop the current trends of environmental destruction. Environmental activism is now a mainstream activity for all sorts of individuals and groups, not least persons and organizations whose motivations may be termed “religious.” Religious traditions are being seen as potential resources of wisdom, providing both theological vision and spiritual conviction for fostering responsible and reformative attitudes and action to favor the environment. In view of this journal’s present theme, Vaishnavism and the Environment, here I will explore representations of “nature” within the Bhāgavata Purāṇa (BhP, or Bhāgavata)—a text revered as canonical for followers of several Vaiṣṇava traditions—with the aim of considering how this text might serve as a resource not only for Vaiṣṇavas, but also for other seekers and implementers of deep ecological thought and practice.

In much contemporary environmental protection discourse, the word “holism” and its derivatives are typically employed. We are urged to “think holistically,” to seek “holistic solutions” to problems, and conversely to “avoid reductionism” in dealing with the subject. Yet the means to profoundly change our ways of individually and collectively thinking and acting with respect to our environment seem to elude us, and this sense of failure and ineptitude is aggravated by the suspicion that as human beings we are in a profound if not essential way different and separate from nature, or that we have become alienated from nature. Accounts, or stories, about how this state of affairs has come about are typically central to religious worldviews. And conversely, or as a cure for the condition of alienation, accounts or stories are also typically offered by religious traditions. More broadly, it has been argued that one way our difference and separateness from nature is mitigated is by the telling and hearing of stories. “Stories unite us in a holistic way to nature, our common stuff of existence,” writes William Bausch, and the Bhāgavata might be seen as an affirmation of this understanding, with its predominantly narrative approach to its didactic purposes, in which nature frequently plays significant roles.1 My attention here will therefore be on nature as represented in the BhP’s narratives. To be sure, the Bhāgavata has much to say about nature (especially as prakṛti) in its propositional, philosophically analytical passages, but here I restrict this survey to narrative representations as equally important to the text’s bhakti message.

While the question about the Bhāgavata’s possible contribution to broader (and deeper) contemporary environmental discourse gives impetus to this exploration, the more immediate matter I wish to explore has to do with the text’s representation of the relationship between two emic terms, namely dharma and bhakti, and how various elements, aspects, or representations of “nature” come into play—through narratives—in the dialectic between these two themes that are so central to the text and its didactic purposes. What I hope to show, in a necessarily brief sketch, is how the text offers an integrated, or “holistic,” view of nature by presenting what we might call a “realm of eternal possibility” in the land of VrajaVrindavan which, as Kṛṣṇa’s divine “playground,” challenges and invites us to conceive a proper human relationship to nature as being realizeable when a devotional (bhakti) relationship to a divine proprietor of nature, however one might designate such divinity, is established.

Such relationships are portrayed narratively in the Bhāgavata, especially in its charming Book Ten sacred biography of Kṛṣṇa, of which especially the chapters dealing with his birth and childhood, up to and including his killing of Kaṁsa (chs. 1-44) are most celebrated. There is however, in the remaining eleven books, a treasure of narrative and teachings relevant to our topic. Here I will therefore begin with a sketch of some narrative representations of nature outside Book Ten, especially as these relate to the paradoxical desirability and impossibility of sustaining dharma and dharmic activity. I will then consider selected episodes from Book Ten in terms of some of the ways it represents nature in relation to Kṛṣṇa’s interactions with his devotees. Finally I will offer brief reflections on the Bhāgavata’s lessons about nature as potential contributions to current environmental discourse.

Nature as object of desire, source of danger

There are several ways nature is represented throughout the Bhāgavata’s narratives outside Book Ten, all serving in varied ways the text’s didactic purpose of challenging the human assumption that nature is to be, or can be, dominated for selfish purposes. Natural “elements” such as water and earth, certain types or classes of flora and fauna, and land features such as mountains—all can be found present and relevant in this discourse. And generally there is an implicit dividing line of classification to be discerned in these narratives, namely, between wild nature and tame nature. Human beings, in their efforts to follow dharma and thus to tame (or domesticate) nature, may sometimes succeed—for some time—but wild nature is ever threatening. With a few examples, let us see how this happens.

In its opening lines, the Bhāgavata states its subject and identifies its audience, simultaneously defining its scope by exclusion, namely, to reject “deceitful dharma” (BhP 1.1.2). A dramatic high-point of Book One is a highly allegorical confrontation between Parīkṣit, the emblem of dharmic kingship, and Kali, the emblem of adharma—personified opposition to and destruction of dharma. Their face-off takes place over Kali’s mistreatment of a cow (the personified earth) and a bull (personified dharma), which throughout the BhP are both emblems of human culture in harmony with nature. Parīkṣit succeeds in protecting them, restoring the three destroyed legs of the bull (representing three of four portions of dharma) and the nourishing function of the cow-earth. But Kali is not killed, having begged Parīkṣit for his life; rather, he is subdued and contained by being given five places to reside (BhP 1.17.1-39).

Parīkṣit is thus portrayed as a powerful ruler who, ever conscious of his duties as sovereign, displays mercy even upon Kali because of the latter’s show of submission. Yet one knows that all is not well: The five places apportioned for Kali’s residence are wherever there is prostitution, gambling, drinking, and animal butchery, and wherever there is gold—places emblematic of moral turpitude and disregard for dharma. And such places, in the current age (Kali-yuga) abound. Further, Parīkṣit himself proves to be less than perfect, for in the next episode (1.18) he loses control of himself in a fit of anger, with dire, though ultimately glorious, consequences:

Parīkṣit, a king (master of humans), is out hunting in a forest (in much Sanskrit literature, a sure signal that trouble brews). His intention to subdue nature in the form of wild animals is subverted by his own bodily thirst (a physical, biological, hence “natural” need) getting the better of him. Upon not receiving welcome by the meditating sage Śamīka (an ascetic, hence detached from the natural demands of the body, and a mediator between wild nature and the human world) King Parīkṣit vents his anger by draping a dead snake (nature’s most dangerous wild animal, often representing the finality of fate) around the unresponsive sage’s neck. Seeing this, the sage’s young son angrily curses the king to die after seven days, to be bitten by a “snake-bird”—a supernatural animal that (as the story later unfolds) has magical transformative powers to appear (and speak) as a human being.

Before proceeding to the next example of nature within narrative, we may note the “chain-reaction” quality of the above episodes, whereby important representatives of nature (a cow, a bull; then water, and a snake) play passive but essential roles in the progression of the story as they become objects of contention. And contention is based on differing perceptions of nature’s representatives. For Kali, the cow and bull, as recipients of his abuse, are objects of desire, whereas for Parīkṣit they are (talking!) subjects needing protection. Water similarly becomes an object of desire for Parīkṣit, whereas for the sage it is an object of indifference (as is the worldly status of the king). Finally, the dead snake, placed as an “ornament” on the sage’s neck with the intention of retaliating a perceived breech of etiquette, becomes, ironically, a symbol of Parīkṣit’s death. As such the snake functions as a marker of fate’s unrelenting movement underlying the particulars of natural and human interaction.

But the snake also marks the end to Parīkṣit’s worldly existence as a king and the beginning of his progress toward liberation, under the tutelage of another sage, Śuka: The Bhāgavata will be recited by one who is veritably immersed in nature, having earlier been identified with the trees of the forest (1.2.2) and who comes naked before the assembly to recite the text (1.19.27). Wise and renounced sages are generally the Bhāgavata’s counterpart to kings, who generally show worldly ways and a domineering approach to nature. But whereas Parīkṣit is forced to immediately give up kingdom and comforts to seek his salvation, other of the Bhāgavata’s kings turn to asceticism graciously in old age, retreating invariably to the forest to practice austerities in preparation for death.

A noteworthy example of this pattern is the story of King Bharata in Book Five (ch. 8)—noteworthy because part of the narrative’s didactic aim is to point out the perils of asceticism. As if to say, “Just renouncing the world and the exploitation of nature is not enough,” Bharata’s story illustrates the precariousness of identity as a human being: In the course of his rigorous observances of austerities in the forest, Bharata witnesses the premature birth of a deer-fawn as its mother, frightened by the roar of a lion, scurries for safety but dies in the process. Feeling compassion for the helpless fawn, Bharata “adopts” it, and over time, doting over the charming animal, his growing affection for it leads to distraction from his meditational practices. So caught up in thoughts of the fawn, at his own death he becomes, in the next life, a deer. In that animal form, however, Bharata is able to remember his past life as an ascetic human and therefore resolves to return to the spiritual path by keeping in the proximity of other ascetics for the remainder of its animal life.

In this episode the central “representative” of nature is a wild animal which, like the cow and bull for Kali, becomes an object of desire. Unlike in the latter episode, however, this object is a mṛga—a hunted animal (hence wild)—rather than a paśu—an animal to be tied (hence domestic). The Bharata episode can be read as a story of taming wildness that backfires: Bharata’s attempt to tame the wild fawn, in its initial seeming success, leads to his own becoming a wild animal, albeit one that is not really wild, having “tamed” its passions as the ascetic yogin of the previous life. As the story unfolds in subsequent chapters (9-13), Bharata’s next life after having been a deer is as a brahmin who, in his determination to attain spiritual perfection, acts as a jaḍa, a dull-witted person, to avoid the distractions of social life. As it happens, in that condition he nevertheless becomes a spiritual preceptor for a king, Rahūgaṇa, instructing him on the dangerous character of worldly existence by comparing it, significantly, to a forest.

Whether as a locus of trouble for hunting kings or a place of shelter for sense-taming ascetics, one sees repeatedly in the Bhāgavata Purāṇa that forests are places of danger. Specifically the danger they embody is that of existence outside the reaches of dharmic behavior, by which is meant regulated behavior that essentially controls, restrains, or “contains” sexuality and violence. The forest is ever present as the threatening counterpart to human dharmic order, an order that is exemplified by the brahmin, who embodies, or is supposed to embody, these restraints. But as the Bhāgavata’s story of the brahmin Ajāmila illustrates, brahmins can also be failures in self-restraint (though ultimately, by divine grace, they can attain perfection):

As Śuka relates to Parīkṣit (BhP 6.1-3), Ajāmila had been a young, well-behaved and learned brahmin who displayed all the virtues of the brahminical order. But one day, while returning from the forest (!) where he had been sent by his father to collect some of its products for ritual purposes, Ajāmila espies a śūdra man flirting intimately with an intoxicated servant woman. The sight ignites lustful desire in his own heart, and although he was already married, he takes the servant woman as his concubine. As the story unfolds, Ajāmila abandons all decency in his efforts to please this woman, with whom, over some years, he fathers ten sons. Finally, in his old age, he can only dote on his youngest son “Nārāyaṇa” such that, on his deathbed, it is this son to whom he calls out in desparation. Although the (wild-looking) minions of the lord of death, Yama, arrive at that moment to drag the sinful Ajāmila to his just punishment, because he has pronounced a divine name of Viṣṇu at the critical moment, he is saved by Viṣṇu’s agents.

For our present purposes, we may note in this episode the role of a (nameless) servant woman—an apparently low-class, possibly “outcaste” member of the female sex. In the Bhāgavata’s semeiology, not unlike the forest, women are generally embodiments of danger and wildness—that which dharma attempts but typically fails to restrain and control. For Ajāmila, the (wild) servant woman becomes an object of desire, and as such she represents nature-as-illusion, whereby nature, in the context of human desire, is a manifestation of māyā, the divine power that functions as magic or illusion to perpetuate the bondage of living beings in the endless cycle of death and rebirth.

I have said that women are generally embodiments or representations of māyā because there are important exceptions—for the most part model wives and mothers—who exemplify dharmic behavior or, more importantly for the Bhāgavata’s main didactic purpose, exalted levels of devotion (bhakti) to Bhagavān, especially Kṛṣṇa. Notably in Book Ten, to which we now turn, it is the dairy-maids (gopīs) in the pastoral setting of Vraja who exemplify what later Vaiṣṇava traditions will deem the highest level of devotion to Kṛṣṇa.

It is in Vraja that Kṛṣṇa takes center stage to exchange joyful reciprocations with his most intimate devotees. Here, as we will see, nature’s role shifts from being an object of desire and source of danger that foils the human effort to sustain dharmic order to being a subject of devotion and source of devotional moods that sustains human thriving as it fosters integration into a “universe of feeling.”2

Nature as subject of devotion, source of love

As noted earlier, the Bhāgavata’s over-arching didactic aim is to reject what it considers to be “deceitful dharma” and to offer a positive alternative, centered in the cultivation of bhakti in relation to a supreme being, specified as Viṣṇu/Nārāyaṇa more generally and Kṛṣṇa more specifically. It is in the celebrated Book Ten that the “positive alternative” is presented in its most concentrated form through the narrative of Kṛṣṇa’s sacred biography, beginning with his birth in Mathurā. Here, the opposition dharma versus adharma is largely shifted to the opposition of Kṛṣṇa-and-his-devotees versus “demons”—a variety of political and family foes and their (often monster-like) agents. The “stage” for the enactment of this drama of godly and anti-godly struggle is, in the first forty-four of the book’s ninety chapters, the land of Vraja, which is vaguely bordered by the city of Mathurā and has its effective center in Vrindavan, where Kṛṣṇa spends most of his childhood. Refering to Vraja as a “stage” is significant because, as later Vaiṣṇava traditions will elaborate, the dramatic character of these accounts are highly conducive to the evocation of aesthetic relish—rasa. Though it is beyond the scope of this article to elaborate on this important dimension of the Bhāgavata, we will have occasion to call attention to aspects of this dimension of the text as we proceed.

The land of Vraja may best be portrayed as “super-natural,” in that all natural features and phenomena are represented as functioning under Kṛṣṇa’s direct supervision, even when the connection is not always apparent. General features of Vraja are that it is a place of simple, rustic abundance in which (despite regular “natural oppositions” that Kṛṣṇa invariably suppresses) cosmic functions, flora, and (nonpredatory) fauna exhibit aesthetically pleasing harmony. It is a place that serves as background, playground, and aesthetic enhancement for the enactment of Kṛṣṇa’s sports and for the display of reciprocal devotional sentiments between Kṛṣṇa and his devotees. And because all of Vraja is the place of Kṛṣṇa’s presence, nature’s proximity to him (as the absolute real, as emphasized throughout the Bhāgavata) identifies it as similarly “super-real”: Whereas ordinarily nature is, for bound souls, the jurisdiction of māyā in its illusion-generating and perpetuating feature, in Vraja nature, by virtue of Kṛṣṇa’s direct presence, is under the jurisdiction of yoga-māyā—Kṛṣṇa’s artful and wondrous instrument for securing connections (yoga) between himself and his devotees.

As we are here concerned with nature as portrayed in narratives of the Bhāgavata, and since the narrative episodes of Book Ten’s early chapters are the most well-known and popular passages of the text, we do well to consider briefly some specific ways that nature is portrayed in some of these episodes. I will categorize these in two general groups, namely, (1) supportive nature, and (2) (apparently) oppositional nature.

In the category of supportive nature one may discern at least three themes, namely, (a) cosmos as a whole and totality, (b) nature as supportive background, and (c) nature’s devotionally reciprocal bounty.

Śuka describes natural conditions at the time of Kṛṣṇa’s birth as being those of extraordinary harmony (10.3.1-5). Stars and planets are all favorably situated (that is, astrologically the positions are all favorable, auspicious, and harmonious); waters of the earth are clear, calm, and attractive; the air is clean, fragrant, and pleasant to the touch; and the ritual fires attended by brahmins are undisturbed. In a kind of inversion of relationships between inner and outer dimensions, readers encounter this same harmonious universe within the mouth of child Kṛṣṇa (10.8). The reversal serves to enhance the picture of nature as wondrous (adbhūta in Indian aesthetic theory) in two ways, namely, by identifying all of nature as being naught but Kṛṣṇa’s power, subsumed within his body; and by bringing in an element of humor. Kṛṣṇa as childhood competitor with his older brother Balarāma, “wins” against the latter’s accusations to their foster-mother Yaśodā that Kṛṣṇa had eaten dirt. To prove himself innocent, Kṛṣṇa opens his mouth for Yaśodā’s inspection, and what she sees— the entire cosmos including herself and her husband with baby Kṛṣṇa—temporarily throws her into a state of confused inaction. Here nature is graphically presented as a totality by virtue of its being contained within Kṛṣṇa who, significantly, is a small and therefore innocent (even if also mischievous) child.

Nature as supportive background is represented in several passages within the Vraja chapters. For example, as introduction to an account of Kṛṣṇa and his cowherd friends’ fighting and killing of the Ass Demon (Dhenukāsura, 10.15), Śuka describes Kṛṣṇa entering a forest and enjoying its charming atmosphere. Significantly, there is mention that Kṛṣṇa and his friends are accompanied by their cows (domestic animals), and that the forest is paśavya—suitable or fit for cattle (in other words, the forest offers nourishing grass). Also significant is that Kṛṣṇa “turned his mind to enjoy” the pleasing atmosphere of the forest, the stately trees of which he amusedly notes have bent down their branches to offer their fruit and flowers to his brother, Balarāma (10.15.4-5). Although Kṛṣṇa’s comment to Balarāma is but a playful offer of praise, it is significant that here nature, as represented by trees, is conceived as having conscious, pious intention, namely to offer service to the divine brothers.

The possibly best-known example of nature as supportive background comes in the five chapters of the Rasa Dance episode (10.29-33). Again, the pleasing atmosphere of the forest serves to inspire Kṛṣṇa to enjoy—this time by dancing with the gopī cowherd girls of Vraja. In this context nature provides enhancement to romantic feelings conducive to the coming together of Kṛṣṇa with the gopīs, and soon thereafter it becomes a locus—even a foreground—for the gopīs suffering feelings of longing in separation from Kṛṣṇa after his sudden disappearance from their midst. What is particularly noteworthy in this connection is that as the gopīs’ longing intensifies, they begin to address the trees and other plants, earth, and animals “as if they were mad” (10.30.4-13). As mentioned earlier, whereas generally the Bhāgavata represents women as embodiments of nature-as-illusion, the gopīs are the exception par excellence, in that they are utterly and selflessly devoted to the highest divinity. And their status as exalted bhaktas is enhanced, rather than reduced, by their worldly status as (apparently) common village women; and it is even further enhanced, rather than reduced, by their “mad” (wild) behavior. Thus flora, fauna, and the gopīs combine in this episode to represent nature in Vraja as the unfolding of the aesthetic rasa of conjugal love (śṛṇgāra, or mādhurya) which, the text would have readers understand, can only exist in such intensity in relation to Kṛṣṇa.

The devotionally reciprocal bounty of Vraja nature, while implied in numerous passages, is exemplified particularly in chapter 21, in which the gopīs describe the rapturous sound of Kṛṣṇa’s flute, upon hearing which all the creatures and plant-life of Vraja rejoice. The peacocks dance madly, other creatures are stunned, cows “drink” the sound with their upraised ears, and birds sit on the branches of trees and listen with eyes closed. Even the flow of rivers’ currents is interrupted as they embrace Kṛṣṇa’s feet while offering lotuses, and clouds form in the midst of summer heat to offer Kṛṣṇa protective shade. And Govardhana hill (featured in the famous episode of its lifting by Kṛṣṇa—see below), in its high regard for Kṛṣṇa and his friends, offers drinking water, soft grass for the cows, edible roots, and caves (10.21.10-19). In short, the natural features of Vraja do not merely form a neutral, passive background for Kṛṣṇa’s childhood and youthful adventures; rather, they are activated and, one might say, “sensitized” by Kṛṣṇa’s presence into affectionate reciprocation, freely and consciously giving the bounty that each form of nature has to offer.

Although nature as represented in Vraja is essentially benign and indeed devotionally supportive of Kṛṣṇa and his friends, at times it also provides agency for apparent opposition and life-threatening danger. The several episodes involving these oppositions all have a common conclusion: Kṛṣṇa effortlessly and playfully prevails over them, confirming his divinity and both astonishing and charming his friends. We can note three types of opposition here, namely (1) opposition of “elements” (in particular wind, fire, and rain); (2) opposition from a variety of wizards and monsters (mainly the agents of Kṛṣṇa’s arch-enemy, his uncle Kaṁsa); and (3) opposition from secondary gods (in particular Indra and Brahmā). Arguably the latter two categories may be included as features of “nature” in that, in the case of monsters and wizards, they represent wildness, and in the case of secondary gods, powers “behind” nature. All three types of oppositional nature can be seen as invasive interruptions to the natural harmony that generally prevails in Vraja. However, they may also be understood as integral to the Bhāgavata’s didactic purpose of establishing Kṛṣṇa’s divinity and supremacy through dramatic narrative. From the perspective of aesthetic relish, nature’s oppositions serve to enhance the emotion of wonder (adbhutatva) and heroism (vīratva).

For our purposes it will suffice to illustrate these three types of opposition in the briefest manner to show this twofold feature of nature in its oppositional mode in Vraja. In the case of oppositional “elements,” the Bhāgavata describes two occasions when forest fires suddenly break out and threaten the lives of Kṛṣṇa’s cowherd friends. In both cases, to the amazement of the Vraja residents, Kṛṣṇa extinguishes the fires by effortlessly swallowing them (10.17 and 10.19), thus not only preserving their lives but also preserving the threatened forests and animals.3 In a similar act of “environmental protection,” when the noxious fumes from the breath of the monster-snake Kalīya threaten to destroy the river Yamunā and its environs, Kṛṣṇa takes the opportunity to perform an artful dance upon the beast’s multiple hoods, simultaneously stamping it into humbly submissive agreement to depart from Vraja (10.16). Unlike Kalīya, several more or less monstrous (often shapeshifting) beings sent by Kaṁsa appear in the Bhāgavata’s Vraja section to interrupt the harmony of Kṛṣṇa’s pastoral pastimes and to give Kṛṣṇa opportunity to show his wondrous prowess. Tṛṇāvarta, the “whirlwind demon,” Pūtanā, a monstrous witch, and Pralambha, appearing as a cowherd boy, are all shape-shifters who reveal their “true” forms upon or after showing their intentions to kill Kṛṣṇa (10.7; 10.6; 10.18). Or, there are Baka, Agha, and Ariṣṭa, appearing as animals (a crane, snake, and a bull, respectively), albeit in giant-sized versions of these forms (10.11; 10.12; 10.36). Typically—for example in the case Agha—the threat to Kṛṣṇa and his friends is to become devoured; or, in an inverse way in the case of Pūtanā, the threat is that baby Kṛṣṇa will be poisoned by sucking the witch’s breast. In these, as in all cases, Kṛṣṇa’s playfully effortless retaliations immediately kill each demon. In the case of Pūtanā, having had her life-air sucked out by Kṛṣṇa’s seemingly innocent breastsuckling, her corpse expands to a massive size, her various bodily features “resembling” natural features of the landscape, and thus becomes a playground for Kṛṣṇa (10.6.14-18).

Finally, there are two episodes in the early portion of Book Ten in which secondary gods offer opposition to Kṛṣṇa, the most well-known of these being Indra’s sending destructive rains in retaliation for having been denied his usual worship rites by the Vraja residents on the advice of Kṛṣṇa.4 With respect to narrative representations of nature, we may note three aspects of this episode. First, prior to Indra’s attempted deluge, in a move to undermine the locally traditional annual worship of Indra, Kṛṣṇa organizes a grand feast, to be prepared by the Vraja residents and offered to Govardhana Hill. As the offering is being conducted Kṛṣṇa assumes a giant form (bṛhad-vapuḥ—10.24.35) and declares “I am the mountain (Govardhana)” and proceeds to eat the entire food offering in that form. By identifying himself with Govardhana, Kṛṣṇa identifies himself with the bountiful embodiment of nature, and vice-versa: Bountiful nature becomes a form of the divinity, in which form it becomes the recipient of human sacrificial offerings.

Second, when Indra’s deluge begins, Kṛṣṇa acts the super-human hero by detaching Govardhana from the earth and lifting the hill up over his head, balancing it on the little finger of his left hand for a period of seven days to serve as a shelter for all of Vraja’s residents. By placing himself and Govardhana between the destructive natural forces of rain sent by Indra and the Vraja residents, Kṛṣṇa positions himself as the protector of his devotees against the onslaughts of any adversarial forces manifest in nature. In doing so, he both separates and joins together two aspects of earth—its sustaining, supportive feature (the earth as a whole), and its protective feature (the hill, made to function as an umbrella).

Third, when Indra sees his mistake and humbles himself before Kṛṣṇa, with the help of the celestial cow Surabhi he offers a royal consecratory bath to Kṛṣṇa, in effect installing him as the actual Indra or celestial sovereign (10.27). The mood of this installation is celebratory, in which (reminiscent of the occasion of Kṛṣṇa’s birth) the entire cosmos participates by showing boundless generosity and harmony. Rivers flow with a variety of pleasing liquids (nānā-rasa); trees flow with honey; plants become ripe without cultivation (akṛṣṭa-pacyauṣadhayaḥ); mountains bear jewels forth to their surfaces (girayo ‘bhibran un maṇīn, 10.27.26); and all animals—including predators (krūrāṇi api, 10.27.27)—become non-inimical. Indeed, the “three worlds” attain thereby “ultimate satisfaction” (parāṁ nivṛtim) and cows saturate the earth with their milk (gām . . . payo-drutām, 10.27.25). This is the “realm of eternal possibility” that the Bhāgavata presents its readers—a place of harmony that becomes immediately possible to experience for persons who would participate in Kṛṣṇa’s līlā—devotional interactions.
Aside from the Govardhana-līlā’s obvious “statement” about the superiority of Kṛṣṇaworship over Indra-worship, it can be seen that the episode contributes substantially to the Bhāgavata’s over-all picture of nature in relation to bhakti and in relation to dharma. In the Vraja setting, Indra’s challenged authority over nature becomes for Kṛṣṇa an opportunity to display superior prowess in such a way that all Vraja residents—all beings in this realm of Kṛṣṇa’s childhood and youth—become charmed into deepened affection for Kṛṣṇa and thus for each other, within a supernatural space (under Govardhana) that is formed of nature’s otherwise familiar features.

Conclusion

I have opened this survey of the Bhāgavata Purāṇa’s narrative representations of nature with a question about the text’s possible contribution to environmental protection discourse, suggesting that the vague term “holism” may receive some degree of specificity by considering the Bhāgavata’s narrative approach to nature. I have further suggested that the Bhāgavata’s approach to nature must be understood within its larger discourse of the relationship between dharma and bhakti, whereby the essential message is that dharma— whether construed as individual or as cosmic regulation and order—can be effectively pursued only in light of the deeper principle of bhakti, which for the Bhāgavata is experienced most fully in relation with Kṛṣṇa. Not yet mentioned, but surely important to be at least aware of, is that the Bhāgavata places considerable demand on what we might call its “serious” readers or hearers. As with perhaps any major religious text, the Bhāgavata urges its readers to practice what Paul Griffiths calls “religious reading,”—the regular and repeated devotional reading that is in contradistinction to “consumer reading.”5 While this might be viewed as adequate reason to reject the Bhāgavata as inaccessible to a wider audience, alternatively such demand may be taken as a challenge to seriously explore, for example, the text’s apparent “mythic” dimension, for possible illuminations of our current environmental predicament. And whether or not one may find enriching the Bhāgavata’s portrayal of a supreme divinity as it presents Kṛṣṇa (or Viṣṇu or Nārāyaṇa), the text’s location of divinity within the world as an active and beloved personage who is able, by virtue of his omnipotence, to effect protecting, saving, and regenerating actions offers an arguably panentheistic perspective that reaches beyond abstract theologizing to concrete instance.

Beyond its broader project of establishing such a theistic worldview in which, by the practice of bhakti, some form of harmony between human beings and nature may be realized, the Bhāgavata can be read as a text that sharply challenges current human practices with respect to engagement with the natural environment. Among the several challenges offered by the Bhāgavata that we might consider, I will mention only two—one that may be seen as directed toward human society as a whole, and one that may be seen as directed toward the community of Vaiṣṇavas.
The first challenge contained in the Bhāgavata is addressed to the vast majority of the human population, for which the regular consumption of animal flesh—especially beef—is a matter of unquestioned habit. There is well-founded recognition that animal food industries, especially of meat from cattle, account for the most significant environmental problems throughout our planet.6 Although this is known and recognized, meat industries thrive with the incessant demand of populations for whom little or no thought is given to the consequences. The Bhāgavata presents a case for the protection of animals rather than their unrestricted production and slaughter, based on its theistic bhakti perspective wherein the supreme divinity takes personal charge for the protection of cattle as the basis of a peaceful and stable human society and economy. As we have seen, the dharmic king Parīkṣit does his best to protect a cow and a bull from the wicked Kali, but it is in the description of Vraja, where Kṛṣṇa wins the affection of all residents, that cow protection is fully sustained. In other words, within a worldview that sees animals as the subjects of a supreme, sensate being, rather than as objects to be consumed for one’s own pleasure, an ethos of environmental wellbeing can be conceived and, the Bhāgavata suggests, realized.

The second challenge contained in the Bhāgavata is, I would suggest, directed more specifically toward Vaiṣṇavas, especially those for whom Kṛṣṇa is most worshipable and for whom the land of Vraja that is located in present-day northern India is sacred. As industrialization and globalization impose themselves with ever-increasing rapidity in India, environmental degradation follows apace, not least in the land of Vraja. Considering the Bhāgavata’s descriptions of Vraja as a lush, verdant landscape that is most dear to Kṛṣṇa, the relative lack of active concern by the Vaiṣṇava community about the ongoing degradation of Vraja is disturbing if not appalling. While some noble efforts are being made to protect and preserve the land of Kṛṣṇa, certainly much more effort, by greater and more organized numbers, is needed if its sacredness in its present manifest form is to be retained for future generations.

The Bhāgavata Purāṇa offers many lessons about nature and environmental protection for discerning readers. Here we have considered these only in outline, necessarily bypassing numerous relevant passages that would more richly fill the picture of nature as related to bhāgavata-bhakti. Finally we may simply note that the Bhāgavata’s picture of nature is a beautiful one: Nature has intrinsic value because it is created by a beautiful Lord, whose beauty is reflected in nature, which therefore serves as an important means for perceiving the beauty of the divine. And such perception, the Bhāgavata argues, is what makes human life distinct, even as human life is meant to be in harmony with all of life in the shelter of its allloving creator.

1 Bausch, p. 32. Bausch discusses twelve characteristics of story in relation to faith, of which this is the second.
2 I am borrowing Klaus Klostermaier’s phrase—Klostermaier, 1988. For a useful brief overview of traditional Hindu views of nature, see Klostermaier, 2004, ch. 11, “Hindu Views of Nature”.
3 In these episodes, fire is represented as a destructive force out of control. Elsewhere the BhP has much to say about controlled fire—that which is the basis of sacrificial ritual and the energy of creative, especially sexual, activity. For an interesting exploration of classical Indian cultural representations of fire and water that is quite relevant to the study of the BhP, see Siegel, passim .
4 The other incident of “secondary god opposition” is known as brahmā – vimohana – līlā — the pastime of Brahmā’s bewilderment—in which Brahmā “tests” Kṛṣṇa’s divinity by stealing away his friends, the cowherd boys, and their calves (10.13).
5 Griffiths. See especially the Introduction.
6 See, for example, Horrigan et al.

Bibliography

Bausch, William J. Storytelling: Imagination and Faith. Mystic, Connecticut: Twenty-Third Publications, 1984
Bhāgavata-Purāṇa, trans. Dr. G.V. Tagare. Delhi: Motilal Banarsidas, 2007.
Griffiths, Paul J. Religious Reading: The Place of Reading in the Practice of Religion. New York: Oxford University Press, 1999.
Horrigan, Leo, R. S. Lawrence, and Polly Walker. “How Sustainable Agriculture Can Address the Environmental and Human Health Harms of Industrial Agriculture.” Environmental Health Perspectives, vol. 110, no. 5, May 2002.
Klostermaier, Klaus K. “A Universe of Feelings,” in Shri Krishna Caitanya and the Bhakti Religion, Studia Irenica 33, Edmund Weber and Tilak Raj Chopra, eds. Frankfurt am Main: Peter Lang, 1988.
Klostermaier, Klaus K. The Nature of Nature: Explorations in Science, Philosophy and Religion. Adyar, Chennai: The Theosophical Publishing House, 2004.
Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, trans. A.C. Bhaktivedānta Swami. Singapore: Bhaktivedanta Book Trust, 1987.
Siegel, Lee. Fires of Love, Waters of Peace: Passion and Renunciation in Indian Culture. Honolulu: University of Hawaii Press, 1983.
Bio for Kenneth R. Valpey:

Kenneth R. Valpey, after receiving his D.Phil. from Oxford University for his study of Caitanya Vaiṣṇava mūrti – sevā, has since then been a research fellow of the Oxford Centre for Hindu Studies, and during the last three years he has been a Visiting Scholar at the Chinese University of Hong Kong. Together with Dr. Ravi M. Gupta he is presently preparing two volumes on the Bhāgavata Purā ṇ a, to be published by Columbia University Press.

[published in Journal of Vaishnava Studies, vol. 18, no. 2, Summer 2010, pp. 67-82]

Source: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=49103

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In the section below, I have shown in italics, the relevant portions for our discussion on Conflicting roles of Sati:

It is said, “Satī was very much anxious to see her relatives at her father’s house, but at the same time she was afraid of Lord Śiva’s warning. Her mind unsettled, she moved in and out of the room as a swing moves this way and that.” [SB 4.4.1]

Satī felt very sorry at being forbidden to go see her relatives at her father’s house, and due to affection for them, tears fell from her eyes. Shaking and very much afflicted, she looked at her uncommon husband, Lord Śiva, as if she were going to blast him with her vision. [SB 4.4.2]

Srila Prabhupada writes in the purport to above verse, “Satī felt very sorry at being forbidden to go see her relatives at her father’s house, and due to affection for them, tears fell from her eyes. Shaking and very much afflicted, she looked at her uncommon husband, Lord Śiva, as if she were going to blast him with her vision.”

Thereafter Satī left her husband, Lord Śiva, who had given her half his body due to affection. Breathing very heavily because of anger and bereavement, she went to the house of her father. This less intelligent act was due to her being a weak woman. [SB 4.4.3]

Srila Prabhupada writes in the purport to above verse, “Generally, separation between husband and wife is due to womanly behavior; divorce takes place due to womanly weakness. The best course for a woman is to abide by the orders of her husband. That makes family life very peaceful. Sometimes there may be misunderstandings between husband and wife, as found even in such an elevated family relationship as that of Satī and Lord Śiva, but a wife should not leave her husband’s protection because of such a misunderstanding. If she does so, it is understood to be due to her womanly weakness.”

What should a Sadhaka do while encountering Conflicting roles?

Sati faced a tug of war between her desires to go to father’s house V/S Fear of disobeying Lord Siva her husband.

Her desire got better off and that impelled her to go ahead, making a bold decision.

Srila Prabhupada clearly draws a conclusion that in husband-wife relationship, it is better for wife to co-operate with the husband in a bitter situation than to quit the scene and take shelter of parents seeking a sweet relationship with them.  If one considers this matter seriously, one can see that any parent will want to see their daughter happily settled with her husband.  But sometimes it is seen that a woman boasts about her great parentage to her husband and picks quarrels seeing his deficiencies, often leading to separation or divorce.  Prabhupada calls such attachment to one’s parental home as `womanly weakness’.

Desire and Attachment, though can offer instant pleasure, lead to pain in the long run.

Obedience and Tolerance, though noble qualities that are difficult to practice, bring long enduring success.

In our life, definitely we should put Principle before Pleasure, if we want to experience ultimate success.

Arjuna was willing to be killed in the army unarmed instead of destroying all his kinsmen and enjoying an unrivaled kingdom, tainted with their blood.  This shows his nobility of purpose in goodness, which of course, was rejected by Krishna due to it being subordinate to transcendental goodness.  Still it carries some weight for those who are serious about practicing spiritual life.

Haridas thakura did not succumb to the pleasure of association of a prostitute, even in a private place, since his heart was fixed in the Lord’s pleasure.  Character is what we are, when no one is around.  To have such strength of Character like Haridas Thakura, we should practice in our everyday life, the art of putting Guru’s and Superior’s instruction at the topmost pedestal of our heart and kick out leanings for personal sense gratification.  As one keeps doing this on a regular basis, there is a likelihood of some frustration arising in one’s mind.  That frustration can be evaporated by higher taste that comes from genuine six loving exchanges in Vaishnava sanga, Gorgeous Darshan of Deities and Festivals, Lord’s reciprocation that comes in the form of appreciation from devotees, developing deeper and deeper understanding of KC wisdom and its practical application, sweet realizations revealed by Lord within our heart when we show some detachment for the pleasure of Guru and Krishna etc.  Eventually one will delightfully choose the option of surrendering to Guru’s will and kick out any tendency for sense gratification.  That will become a second nature for a sincere and serious devotee.

We can give many practical life examples to illustrate the above point :

  • Matapyar das brahmacari goes home for a couple of days after taking permission from his Temple President. While at home, he gets used to latenight chatting with relatives and casual time-pass with old friends. Being reminded by mother of his childhood days, his old fond attachment to parents is revived.  Now a week has passed at home and he is wondering whether to keep his mobile in switched off mode to `escape’ Temple President’s angry call.
  • After the Yatra got over in Mayapur dham, Sankirtanprem das brahmacari came to know on the last day of yatra that after four days, there is `Kirtan mela’ in Mayapur dham. Many brahmacaris asked TP whether are we going to extend our stay in Mayapur to join the same.  TP clearly said that the tickets for return were booked long ago and nobody should stay back in Mayapur.  Sankirtanprem prabhu was in no mood to ask TP again, simply to be turned away with a No.  He deliberately `missed’ the train and went to Mayapur to complete the `Kirtan mela’.  After it was over, he called TP and said, `Sorry prabhu. I missed the train and had to wait for a week to book my ticket for return.’  TP didn’t know the actual fact and said alright.  Sankirtanprem prabhu was delighted to share this with one of his equal friends who didn’t feel it was proper behavior.

Small small units of disobedience to superiors, gradually grow in future, leading a devotee to deviate and even fall away from KC.  Once I asked my Spiritual master, “I have to make hundreds of decisions at Pune as a TP.  How will I know whether I am making right decisions, since you may not be available for consultation for every decision I make.”  In reply he said, “If you obey the instructions that I have already given you, with sincerity, seriousness and without ulterior motives, then whatever decisions you make will be in line with my desire.”  It really made sense.

Jagadananda pandit had a strong desire to go to Vraj.  Lord Caitanya allowed him reluctantly, but with many instructions :  when you go stay with Sanatan; do not associate with Vrajbasis, else you’ll commit offenses; do not stay for many days there, return soon etc.  This goes to show that even if our superiors are likely to deny our request, it is best for us to consult them at the risk of being denied our request.  This is true obedience.

Balabhadra Bhattacarya asked Lord CM whether he could go to see Krishna dancing on Kaliya at night.  Lord CM lovingly slapped him and denied saying that Scriptures don’t quote such a thing.  Later the brahmanas who came next day revealed the fact that some fisherman with his lantern was boating at night and people concocted him to be Krishna and the lamp to be jewels on Kaliya’s hoods!  Anyway, Balabhadra bhattacarya obeyed Lord CM and did not go to see Krishna in Yamuna, because he had faith in Lord’s words.

Independent plan-making, Doing something without consultation, Disobeying instructions given, Rebelling and justifying, Offending superiors with blasphemy,  Claiming one’s superiority over superiors in talent or skill or knowledge etc are increasing degrees of wrong behavior that takes us away from Krishna’s lotus feet.

Doing what we are told obediently by superiors, doing it with faith love and sincerity, doing it with the desire to please the superior, willing to extend more than what we can do, putting oneself at the beck and call of superior like a child to parents, never making complaints even when chastised by superior for small mistakes committed, willing to unconditionally surrender in all circumstances without any desire for any credit etc are increasing degrees of right behavior that takes us closer to Krishna’s lotus feet.

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We may find ourselves in need of a “get away” from time to time, to abandon the chaos and search out a serene environment to de-stress body, mind, and soul. Circumstances do not allow us to up and leave when we feel the need. So, wouldn’t it be wise to make our home that place of tranquility? Being unable to relax in our own home is a peculiar scenario.

What would we say is the current focus and activities at home? To sit in front of the TV, munching on snacks, whilst fixated on a favourite DSTV soapie? Or to laze in bed with iPad in hand, browsing through YouTube videos? Real unwinding is the connection of our heart to the reality channel of God. Home is where the heart is, and the heart is most satisfied when in its natural state, one with God.

So, how do we upgrade our home to a sacred space or temple? A temple is a place of worship, centred around spiritual activity. When I speak to resident devotees at the Sri Sri Radha Radhanath Temple about their lives there, the common thread is that they are grateful to live in the Supreme Lord’s house, and that His presence is always felt. When we visit temples, we do not enter with our shoes on as they are unclean. We trod everywhere in them, touching all types of dirt. Removing our shoes immediately elevates our mind, making us recognise that we are now entering a special place. Replicating this practice in our homes will assist us in remembering that our homes are a sacred sanctuary too.

To feel the sweet presence of God in our homes, we simply have to think that He is the actual owner. Constantly thinking like this will make it natural for us to connect our activities to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Sri Krishna and make Him our focus. For this we must have “sacred space”. The energy from this space will soon permeate to our entire home and create an atmosphere of calm and an atmosphere no holiday destination could compare to.

Srila Prabhupada taught that if one wants to live a sublime life, they should live in a temple. If that is not possible, then they should live as close to a temple as possible. And if that cannot be done, then make the home a temple. My husband and I recently purchased our first home. During the process, our criteria included: an area to create a sacred space, a garden conducive for meditation, and that our home be within a 10km-radius to the Sri Sri Radha Radhanath Temple.

Our sacred space should be the most important area of our home. This space does not need to be a large area, rather an area where each member of the family spends part of their day to attain that elusive peace. It should be the place we go to find our centre, and to connect with God. And after having gone there, we come out renewed individuals.

Setting up my sacred space was most fulfilling. I excitedly shopped for items from ordering colourful floor cushions to sit on, to choosing my most beloved picture of Krishna. I pondered on décor and rug patterns that would complement the curtains to enhance my sacred space. This made me think that we may decorate our home for the Lord externally, but we need to do it internally as well. Our bodies are temples of God, as He is situated in our hearts. So we can decorate the throne of our heart with unlimited ornaments such as humility, tolerance, surrender, simplicity, and love.

May we all be blessed to remember Krishna, in our homes and in our hearts.

Hare Krishna News – Published by ISKCON Durban. Used with permission

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By Campakalata Fiorentino   

Our beloved Kamalini Devi Dasi, a respected disciple of His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, who has devoted her life to the distribution of his books and the education of our youth, experienced a harrowing brush with death — and a remarkable example of Krishna’s protection — as she made her way to New Goloka Temple for Mangala Arati.

At 72 years old, Mother Kamalini, a long-time resident of Efland, NC, was driving to attend Mangala Arati at 4:30 a.m. and give the Srimad-Bhagavatam class at 6:30 a.m. Devoted and conscientious as always, she was happy to be arriving on time for the early morning kirtan.

Unbeknownst to her, the area had been left in dangerous conditions by Tropical Storm Chantal, whose torrential rains had caused the Eno River to rise well over its banks overnight. The Dimmocks Mill Road bridge had become submerged under more than four feet of fast-moving floodwater, with a massive tree trunk and two uprooted trees deposited on the bridge, creating an invisible hazard in the darkness.

Thinking it was just a puddle, Kamalini Mataji attempted to drive through. But within moments, her car was caught in the strong current, the water rising rapidly, swirling about her car. With remarkable clarity and presence of mind, she managed to lower her electric window just before the system failed. Water rushed in and submerged her over her head.

Read more: https://iskconnews.org/kamalini-devi-dasi-saved-from-rising-floodwaters-by-radha-golokanandas-mercy/

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13658358466?profile=RESIZE_400x13658358085?profile=RESIZE_400xSrila Sanatana Gosvami, one of the intimate associates of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, is a well-known personality in Gaudiya Vaishnavism. Mahaprabhu taught the sequence of advancement in devotional service through Sanatana Goswami.

Sanatana Goswami was the oldest and most venerable among the six Goswamis. He propagated the mission of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. Srila Sanatana Goswami appeared in 1488 AD and lived for 70 years. He spent 27 years in household life and 43 years in Vrindavan as a renunciate

Srila Kavi Karnapura Goswami described the identity of Sanatana Goswami in Gaura-ganodesa-dipika: “Sanatana Goswami who is non-different from Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu is a venerable personality. He was formerly known as Rati Manjari and was very dear to Rupa Manjari in Vrindavan. Scholars call her by the name Lavanga Manjari. The famous sage Sanatana among the Catuh sanah entered his body.”

From his childhood, Sanatana was very fond of Shrimad Bhagavatam. At an early age, a Brahmin gave him Srimad Bhagavatam. Sanatana was immersed in an ocean of joy after receiving the Bhagavatam. At a young age, Sanatana studied all scriptures under the guidance of Vidya Vachaspati, the topmost teacher of that time. He was fond of studying Shrimad Bhagavatam. He used to discuss the conclusions of Bhakti with scholars.

Rupa Goswami received the news that Mahaprabhu would travel to Vrindavana through the forest. He wrote a letter to Sanatana Goswami and gave a hint of his journey. After that, he started his journey to Vrindavana with his younger brother, Anupama. Sanatana Goswami was intensely eager to go to Vrindavan and perform Krishna Bhajana. 

As soon as he received Rupa’s letter, he bribed the jail keeper, freed himself from imprisonment by Nawab Hussein Shah and started for Vrindavan. Along the way he stopped at Varanasi where Lord Chaitanya was staying.

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Mahaprabhu taught Sanatana Goswami on various topics and ordered him to perform the following services: 

  1. Compilation of Bhakti literature and scriptures and propagation of the unalloyed Bhakti,
  2.  Rediscovering the hidden sacred places of the Lord’s pastimes in Vrindavan,
  3.  Propagation of the daily worship of the deity of Sri Krishna,
  4. Compiling a Vaishnava Smriti (Vaishnava rule book) and introducing Vaishnava etiquettes to establish a Vaishnava society.

One day Sanatana Goswami was going to do madhukari (begging) through the beautiful banks of the Yamuna. He was stumbling, because he was remembering the wonderful glory of the holy Dham. He was thinking “How despicable, lowly, and vile I am! Yet Mahaprabhu is so gracious that He has granted me to reside here.”

Srila Sanatana Goswami was performing intense bhajan in Vrindavana. The deity of Sri Madana Mohana appeared before him. Rupa Goswami, Lokanatha Goswami, Bhugarbha Goswami, Gopala Bhatta Goswami, Raghunatha Bhatta Goswami came from all around. Everyone shed tears of love.

Then the deity was offered Abhisheka (offering milk, yogurt, ghee, honey, etc. to the Deity) and Bhoga (offering foodstuffs to the Deity). The Panda Brahmins came and very happily cooked for the Lord. Gopala Bhatta Goswami himself performed the Abhisheka. Immediately one devotee was sent to Puri to convey the news to Mahaprabhu.

When Sanatana Goswami was in Govardhana, he used to perform Govardhana Parikrama (circumambulation of the holy place) every day. As he grew older, he would get tired going around Govardhana. One day Krishna appeared to him in the form of a cowherd boy. 

That cowherd boy brought him a piece of Govardhana rock that had the footprint of Lord Krishna. Then he said to Sanatana Goswami, “You are old. Why are you working so hard? I am giving you this Govardhan Shila, if you circumambulate it daily, you will get the result of the entire Govardhan parikrama.” After saying this, the boy disappeared.

Sanatana Goswami composed many devotional books and hymns. Among them, four books are particularly notable in Vaishnavism. They are Brihat Bhagavatamrita, Haribhakti Vilasa and its Digdarshini commentary, Lilastava or Dasama Charita & Vaishnavatoshini or commentary on the tenth canto of Srimad Bhagavatam.

Srila Sanatana Goswami concluded his pastimes on Asadhi Purnima Tithi in 1480 Sakabda (558 AD). His samadhi is located next to the old Radha Madana Mohana temple.

Source: https://www.ramaiswami.com/sanatana-goswami-disappearance-5/

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By Payonidhi Das

Prema vilasa about the disappearance of Srila Sanatana Goswami and how Srila Rupa Goswami was very much affected by his divine disappearance.

Srila Narrotama das Thakura has sung:

kaha mora svarupa-rupa, kaha sanatana
kaha dasa raghunatha patita-pavana (2)

2) Where are my Svarupa Damodara and Rupa Gosvami? Where is Sanatana? Where is Raghunatha Dasa, the savior of the fallen?

vairagya-yug-bhakti-rasam prayatnair
apayayan mam anabhipsum andham
kapambudhir yah para-duhkha-duhkhi
sanatanas tam prabhum asrayami

Raghunatha dasa Goswami has glorified Sanatana Goswami in his Vilapa Kusumanjali (6) “I was unwilling to drink the nectar of devotional service possessed of renunciation, but Sanatana Goswami, out of his causeless mercy, made me drink it, even though I was unable to do so. Therefore he is an ocean of mercy. He is very much compassionate to fallen souls like me, and thus it is my duty to offer my respectful obeisances unto his lotus feet and take shelter of him.”

Srila Sanatana Goswami is described in Gaura-Ganodesha-Dipika by Sri Kavi Karnapura
(181):
sa rupa-manjari-presiha
purasid rati-manjari
socyate nama-bhedena
lavanga-manjari budhaih

“Rupa Manjari’s closest friend, who was known by the names Rati-Manjari and Lavanga Manjari, appeared in the pastimes of Sri Chaitanya mahaprabhu as Sri Sanatana Goswami, who was considered to be a personal extension of the body of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu.”

Lavanga Manjari is one of the asta manjaris, the main 8 manjaris assisting the asta Sakhis in service to Radha Krsna

Lavanga Manjari
In the eastern part of Sri Tungavidya’s kunja lies Lavanga-sukhada Kunja, which is very enchanting to all the beautiful-eyed gopis. In that kunja, Sri Lavanga Manjari always blissfully resides. In age, she is one day older than Sri Rupa Manjari, and she is very famous for her pleasant nature. Her complexion is like lightning, and she wears a dress marked with stars. She gives much happiness to Sri Krsna, and her nature is always daksina-mrdvi. Her age is 13 years 6 months and 1 day. In Kali-yuga, in gaura-lila, she is known as Sri Sanatana Gosvami.

In his Dhyanachandra Arcana Paddhati ,Srila Dhyanachandra Goswami has given a nice meditation on Lavanga Manjari and gayatri mantra to daily remember Lavanga Manjari

Srila Prabhupada has given us some very important knowledge about Srila Sanatana Goswami:

“Sri Sanatana Gosvami is described in the Gaura-ganoddesa-dipika (181). He was formerly known as Rati-manjari or sometimes Lavanga-manjari. In the Bhakti-ratnakara it is stated that his spiritual master, Vidyavacaspati, sometimes stayed in the village of Ramakeli, and Sanatana Gosvami studied all the Vedic literature from him. He was so devoted to his spiritual master that this cannot be described. According to the Vedic system, if someone sees a Muslim he must perform rituals to atone for the meeting. Sanatana Gosvami always associated with Muslim kings. Not giving much attention to the Vedic injunctions, he used to visit the houses of Muslim kings, and thus he considered himself to have been converted into a Muslim. He was therefore always very humble and meek. When Sanatana Gosvami presented himself before Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu, he admitted, “I am always in association with lower-class people, and my behavior is therefore very abominable.” He actually belonged to a respectable brahmana family, but because he considered his behavior to be abominable, he did not try to place himself among the brahmanas but always remained among people of the lower castes. He wrote the Hari-bhakti-vilasa and Vaisnava-tosani, which is a commentary on the Tenth Canto of Srimad-Bhagavatam. In the year 1476 Sakabda (A.D. 1555) he completed the Brhad-vaisnava-tosani commentary on Srimad-Bhagavatam. In the year 1504 Sakabda (A.D. 1583) he finished the Laghu-tosani.”
Caitanya-caritamrta, Adi lila 10:84

“In the First Wave of the book known as Bhakti-ratnakara, it is said that Sanatana Gosvami understood Srimad-Bhagavatam by thorough study and explained it in his commentary known as Vaisnava-tosani. All the knowledge that Sri Sanatana Gosvami and Rupa Gosvami directly acquired from Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu was broadcast all over the world by their expert service. Sanatana Gosvami gave his Vaisnava-tosani commentary to Srila Jiva Gosvami for editing, and Srila Jiva Gosvami edited this under the name of Laghu-tosani. Whatever he immediately put down in writing was finished in the year 1476 Saka (A.D. 1555). Srila Jiva Gosvami completed Laghu-tosani in the year Sakabda 1504 (A.D. 1583).”
Caitanya-caritamrta, Madyam lila 1:35

The Sanatana Siksa, Lord Caitanyas instructions to Srila Sanatana Goswami are found in the Caitanya Caritamrta and is proper to study on this holy day of his Divine Disapperance:
CC Madhya lila Chapter 20 http://vedabase.net/cc/madhya/20/en
CC Madhya lila Chapter 21 http://vedabase.net/cc/madhya/21/en
CC Madhya lila chapter 22 http://vedabase.net/cc/madhya/22/en
CC Madhya lila chapter 23 http://vedabase.net/cc/madhya/23/en
CC madhya lila Chapter 24 http://vedabase.net/cc/madhya/24/en

If one reads and carefully understands this Sanatana Siksa one will advance in KC:

Srila Krsna das Kaviraja has stated:
CC Madhya 24.346: Thus I have narrated Lord Caitanya’s mercy upon Sanātana Gosvāmī. When one hears these topics, one’s heart will be cleansed of all contamination.

CC Madhya 24.351: I have thus explained the mercy bestowed on Sanātana Gosvāmī by Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. If one hears this description, all moroseness in the heart will diminish.
CC Madhya 24.352: By reading these instructions to Sanātana Gosvāmī, one will become fully aware of Lord Kṛṣṇa’s various expansions and the process of devotional service according to the regulative principles and spontaneous love. Thus everything can be fully known.
CC Madhya 24.353: By reading these instructions, a pure devotee can understand love of Kṛṣṇa, the mellows of devotional service and the conclusion of devotional service. Everyone can understand all these things to their ultimate end by studying these instructions.
CC Madhya 24.354: The conclusion of these instructions can be known to one whose life and soul are the lotus feet of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, Nityānanda Prabhu and Advaita Prabhu.

Srila Sanatana Goswami asked Lord Caitanya to bless him to realize all these instructions:

CC Madhya 23.122: “If You want to make a lame man like me dance, kindly bestow Your transcendental blessings by placing Your lotus feet on my head.
CC Madhya 23.123: “Now, will You please tell me, ‘Let whatever I have instructed all be fully manifested unto you.’ By blessing me in this way, You will give me strength to describe all this.”
CC Madhya 23.124: Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu then placed His hand on Sanātana Gosvāmī’s head and blessed him, saying, “Let all these instructions be manifested to you.”

And CC Madhya lila chapter is Lord Caitanya explaining the atmarama vers to Sanatana Goswami

ātmārāmāś ca munayo
nirgranthā apy urukrame
kurvanty ahaitukīḿ bhaktim
ittham-bhūta-guṇo hariḥ

“‘Those who are self-satisfied and unattracted by external material desires are also attracted to the loving service of Śrī Kṛṣṇa, whose qualities are transcendental and whose activities are wonderful. Hari, the Personality of Godhead, is called Kṛṣṇa because He has such transcendentally attractive features.’
SB 1.7.10

CC Madhya 25.3: Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu instructed Śrī Sanātana Gosvāmī in all the conclusions of devotional service for two consecutive months.

Lord Caitanya made Sanatana Goswami the Sambhandha Guru, and he later established the worship of Radha Madan Mohan in Vrindavan.

May Srila Sanatana Goswami in his Nitya Svarupa as Lavanga Manjari mercifully bless us with the dust of her lotusfeet so we can also understand this Sanatana Siksa.
Srila Prabhupada has also given a summary of this in his “Teachings of Lord Caitanya”.
The books of Sanatana Goswami are many ,and by carefully studying and accepting the teachings he has left without mundane interpretation,we will advance nicely in our eternal relationship of service to Lord Caitanya and Radha Krsna.
In Vrindavana there is a festival in honor of Sanatana Goswami called Guru Purnima on this holy day at the Radha Madan Mohan temple

Source: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=9730

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Sanatana Goswami Disappearance Day

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Sri Sanatana Gosvami appeared in 1488, five years before Sri Rupa Gosvami, in a Sarasvata brahmana family in Bengal. Sanatana and his two brothers, Rupa and Anupama, were always absorbed in bhava bhakti from early childhood. Remembering Vrndavana, they named the forests in which they played after Vraja’s twelve forests (Talavana, Madhuvana, Kamyavana, Mahavana). They called their favorite bathing ponds Radha-kunda and Syama-kunda.

In his youth, Sri Sanatana dreamt that a beautiful brahmana boy gave him a Srimad Bhagavatam. Feeling ecstatic he awoke. But seeing neither the boy nor the Bhagavatam he felt sad. When Sanatana began his puja that morning, however, Krishna Himself, disguised as a beautiful brahmana boy, came and said, “Take this Srimad Bhagavatam from Me, always study it, and you will attain perfection.”

Forced to submit to the ruling Muslim government, Sri Rupa and Sri Sanatana became ministers and lived at Ramakeli. But their real engagement was teaching sastras which they learned from Vidyavacaspati, brother of Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya. Pan­dits and brahmanas from all over India came to study under the two brothers. Sri Rupa and Sanatana were acclaimed as the “crest jewels of the Gaudiya Vaisnava scholars.”

After the Lord visited Ramakeli and freed them, they renounced everything for Lord Gauranga’s service. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu ordered Sri Rupa and Sanatana Gosvamis to move to Vrndavana and perform four services: (1) Uncover Sri Krishna’s pastime places. (2) Install Deities, arrange for Their puja. (3) Compile bhakti scriptures. (4) Propagate the rules of devotional life. “Entering Lord Caitanya’s service, they resolutely gave up power, riches, and position to live in Vrndavana as humble beggars absorbed in bhajana.

To maintain himself Sanatana would beg some wheat flour, roll it into a ball by adding a touch of Yamuna water, and drop it in smoldering coals to cook. He would offer this bati(salt-free, baked bread ball) to his Deity of Madana Mohana. Giving up all kinds of material enjoyment, the Gosvamis accepted the poorest way of life as mendicants. They ate just enough to maintain their bodies.

The Radha-Madana Mohana mandir established by Sanatana Gosvami was the first one opened in Vrndavana by the six Gos-vamis. Described as “the personal extension of the body of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu,” Sri Sanatana is the ideal spiritual master because he gives one shelter at the lotus feet of Madana Mohana.

The three Vrndavana Deities (Madana Mohana, Govindaji and Gopinatha) are the life and soul of the Gaudiya Vaisnavas. The Deity of Madana Mohana has the specific quality of helping the neophyte devotees understand their eternal relationship with the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord Sri Krishna.

Sri Sanatana Gosvami spent forty-three years wandering from village to village in Vrndavana. The Vrajavasis would affectionate­ly care for him treating him like their father. With patience and concern he listened to their problems. Then he would please all the villagers by his preaching and practical advice on everything from increasing crop yields to solving family quarrels.

In his last years, he left his beloved Deity of Madana Mohana with Krishna Dasa brahmacari, his disciple. He did bhajana on the banks of Manasi Ganga next to Cakalesvara Mahadeva at Govardhana. Daily he walked the twenty-four mile parikrama (original longer route) of Govardhana Hill. Although he was sixty-five years old, he kept his daily vow of offering 1,008 obeisances to Govardhana Hill and to any Vaisnava whom he met. 

Understanding the difficulty of His pure devotee, Sri Madana Mohana appeared one day and said, “Baba! you are too old. Don’t take so much trouble to walk around Govardhana Hill everyday.”

Sanatana replied, “This is one of the daily activities of my bhajana: I must maintain it.”

“Since you are old,” said Madana Mohana, “you may now give up this vow.”

Starting to walk again, Sanatana replied, “I will never give up my religious principles.”

Sanatana Gosvami’s firm determination to complete his daily devotional vow pleased Sri Madana Mohana (Krishna). But in the loving dealings between the Lord and His pure devotee, Krishna’s desire to please His devotee often defeats the devotee’s desire to please Him. So out of loving compassion for His devotee, Sri Krishna stood on a large flat stone (Govardhana sila) taken from Giriraja. He played His irresistable flute. The Govardhana sila melted in ecstasy, capturing the impression of Krishna’s lotus feet.

Presenting this to Sanatana, Krishna said, “If you circumambu­late this sila everyday it will be the same as going around Govardhana Hill everyday. You will keep your vow intact and not compromise your religious principles.” Seeing that Giriraja Him­self (Sri Krishna) had given the sila, Sanatana Gosvami gratefully accepted. One can still see that Govardhana sila in the Radha Damodara temple.

In the form of Labanga manjari Sanatana Gosvami serves Srimati Visakha sakhi in Radha-Madhava’s nitya nikunja-lila. Sanatana Gosvami’s samadhi is behind Radha Madana Mohana’s temple. 

Source: http://www.ramaiswami.com/sanatana-goswami-disappearance-2/

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Sri Guru Purnima by Giriraj Swami

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Today is Guru-purnima. Srila Prabhupada has explained that the system of honoring the spiritual master is current in all sections of Vedic followers. In the Mayavadi (impersonalist) sects, the disciples offer respect to the spiritual master once a year, on Guru-purnima. And in the Gaudiya Vaishnava sampradaya, the disciples offer homage annually on the appearance day of the spiritual master, called Vyasa-puja because the spiritual master represents Vedavyasa, the empowered incarnation of Krishna who compiled the Vedic literatures, and the bona fide spiritual master presents the same knowledge through disciplic succession. Yet although Guru-purnima is generally observed by the Mayavadi groups, we shall take the opportunity to discuss the principle of guru—and glorify the acharya-sampradaya.

Guru is a deep subject. We sing, vande ’ham sri-guroh sri-yuta-pada-kamalam sri-gurun vaisnavams ca. We offer respects to the spiritual master in singular, to the spiritual masters in plural, and to all Vaishnavas. The singular spiritual master is our personal spiritual master, the plural spiritual masters are the predecessor acharyas, and the Vaishnavas are the followers of the spiritual master. We offer respects to them all, because they all come in the same line, the disciplic succession (parampara) from Krishna Himself.

Srila Prabhupada explains, “The offering of respect to the spiritual master means offering respect to all the previous acharyas. Gurun means plural number. All the acharyas, they are not different from one another, because they are coming in the disciplic succession from the original spiritual master and they have no different views.” Thus we offer respects to the predecessors.

Similarly, we offer respects to the followers. Srila Prabhupada explains further, “Spiritual master means they must have many followers, who are all Vaishnavas. They are called prabhus, and the spiritual master is called Prabhupada, because at his lotus feet there are many prabhus. Pada means ‘lotus foot.’ All these Vaishnavas are prabhus. So they are also offered respectful obeisances—not the spiritual master alone, but along with his associates. And these associates, his disciples, are all Vaishnavas. Therefore they should also be offered respectful obeisances.” (SP comment on Mangalacarana, January 8, 1969)

For us in ISKCON, Srila Prabhupada is the main guru; he is the founder-acharya. But he also has his associates—Srila Gour Govinda Swami Maharaja, Srila Tamal Krishna Goswami Maharaja, Srila Sridhar Swami, Srila Bhakti Tirtha Swami, Srila Bhaktisvarupa Damodara Swami—to name some prominent ones who have departed. And, of course, Prabhupada is being served by so many others today, and we can serve and learn from all of them.

“One who teaches can be treated as spiritual master. . . . So if we take instruction from them, all senior godbrothers may be treated as guru. There is no harm. Actually, you have only one spiritual master, who initiates you, just as you have only one father. But every Vaishnava should be treated as prabhu, master, higher than me, and in this sense, if I learn from him, he may be regarded as guru.” (SP letter dated November 20, 1971)

The original guru is Krishna. He speaks the knowledge of Bhagavad-gita and enunciates the principles of religion. Dharmam tu saksad bhagavat-pranitam: the principles of dharma—bhagavata-dharma, prema-dharma—are enacted by the Supreme Personality of Godhead. We cannot manufacture dharma. In reality, dharma means “the laws of God,” or “the orders of God.” So, dharmam tu saksad bhagavat-pranitam: the principles of religion are enacted by the Lord Himself. We cannot make religious principles any more than we can make our own laws. Srila Prabhupada gave the example that you can’t just get together with some friends and pass your own laws. “Okay, now I think we should legalize marijuana. Everyone agree? Good. Passed.” Law means that it must be enacted by the government, by the parliament or legislature. Similarly, dharma is enacted by God.

dharmam tu saksad bhagavat-pranitam
na vai vidur rsayo napi devah
na siddha-mukhya asura manusyah
  kuto nu vidyadhara-caranadayah

“Real religious principles are enacted by the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Although fully situated in the mode of goodness, even the great rsis who occupy the topmost planets cannot ascertain the real religious principles, nor can the demigods or the leaders of Siddhaloka, to say nothing of the asuras, ordinary human beings, Vidyadharas, and Caranas.” (SB 6.3.19)

The conclusion of the Bhagavad-gita is sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja—to give up all varieties of dharma and just surrender to Krishna. And to understand the confidential truths about religious principles and the knowledge of the Bhagavad-gita, we need the help of mahajanas, authorities in Krishna consciousness—gurus.

svayambhur naradah sambhuh
  kumarah kapilo manuh
prahlado janako bhismo
  balir vaiyasakir vayam

 dvadasaite vijanimo
  dharmam bhagavatam bhatah
guhyam visuddham durbodham
  yam jnatvamrtam asnute

“Lord Brahma, Bhagavan Narada, Lord Siva, the four Kumaras, Lord Kapila [the son of Devahuti], Svayambhuva Manu, Prahlada Maharaja, Janaka Maharaja, Grandfather Bhisma, Bali Maharaja, Sukadeva Gosvami, and I myself [Yamaraja] know the real religious principle. My dear servants, this transcendental religious principle, which is known as bhagavata-dharma, or surrender unto the Supreme Lord and love for Him, is uncontaminated by the material modes of nature. It is very confidential and difficult for ordinary human beings to understand, but if by chance one fortunately understands it, he is immediately liberated, and thus he returns home, back to Godhead.” (SB 6.3.20–21)

This confidential knowledge is given by God in scriptures and passed down through disciplic succession (evam parampara-praptam) to great souls who in turn impart the knowledge to their eager followers. And of all scriptures, Srimad-Bhagavatam is considered the most important, the ripened fruit of the tree of Vedic knowledge.

nigama-kalpa-taror galitam phalam
  suka-mukhad amrta-drava-samyutam
pibata bhagavatam rasam alayam
  muhur aho rasika bhuvi bhavukah

“O expert and thoughtful men, relish Srimad-Bhagavatam, the mature fruit of the desire tree of Vedic literatures. It emanated from the lips of Sri Sukadeva Gosvami. Therefore this fruit has become even more tasteful, although its nectarean juice was already relishable for all, including liberated souls.” (SB 1.1.3)

This nectarean fruit is passed down to us through disciplic succession. In commenting on this verse, Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura gives the example of a mango tree. To get a ripe mango from the top of a tree, different boys climb onto different branches. The boy at the top plucks the fruit and hands it to the boy on the next branch down, that boy hands it to the one on the next branch, and so on, until finally it reaches the boy on the ground—in the same perfect condition as when it was at the top of the tree. It hasn’t been bruised or broken but has been delivered intact, just as it was.

At the top of the tree is Krishna, and He passes the knowledge down to Brahma. Brahma passes it to Narada, and Narada passes it to Vyasa. (Today is also called Vyasa Purnima because Vyasadeva, who compiled the Vedic literature, appeared on this date.) Vyasa passes it to Madhvacharya, and so on—Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, the Six Gosvamis, and, further down, Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura, Srila Gaurakisora dasa Babaji Maharaja, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura, and Srila Prabhupada. And now the followers of Srila Prabhupada are presenting the same knowledge. They follow and present the same teachings—that is their qualification.

About Vedavyasa, Srila Prabhupada wrote: “Vyasadeva was a real person accepted by all authorities, and anyone can judge how wonderful he was to have compiled the Vedic literatures. He is therefore known as Mahamuni. Muni means ‘thoughtful’ or ‘great thinker’ or ‘great poet,’ and maha means still greater. There is no comparison of Vyasadeva with any other writer or thinker or philosopher. Nobody can estimate the scholarly importance of Srila Vyasadeva. He composed many millions of Sanskrit verses, and we try to receive just a fragment of the knowledge in them by our tiny efforts. Srila Vyasadeva therefore summarized the whole Vedic knowledge in Srimad-Bhagavatam, which is known as the ripened fruit of the desire tree of Vedic knowledge. The ripened fruit is received hand to hand through disciplic succession, and anyone who does this work in disciplic succession from Srila Vyasadeva is considered a representative of Vyasadeva, and as such the bona fide spiritual master’s appearance day is worshiped as Vyasa-puja.” (Srila Prabhupada letter dated August 25, 1970)

Not only is today Vyasa-purnima, the appearance day of Vedavyasa, but it is also the disappearance day of Srila Sanatana Gosvami, the most senior of the Six Gosvamis of Vrindavan. His book Brhad-Bhagavatamrta was the first major work of the Six Gosvamis. Sanatana Gosvami also comes in the disciplic succession from Lord Krishna to Brahma, but he is especially significant because he is a direct follower of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, who is Krishna Himself. Because Lord Chaitanya is Krishna, He is capable of beginning His own disciplic succession, but because He was acting as a devotee, He chose to take initiation in the disciplic succession from Krishna and Brahma. Still, He is God, and the process by which He imparted knowledge to His immediate followers—Rupa and Sanatana Gosvamis—is comparable to the way Lord Krishna imparted knowledge to Brahma. Srila Krishnadasa Kaviraja Gosvami, in his Caitanya-caritamrta, writes of Sanatana’s younger brother Rupa:

vrndavaniyam rasa-keli-vartam
  kalena luptam nija-saktim utkah
sancarya rupe vyatanot punah sa
  prabhur vidhau prag iva loka-srstim

“Before the creation of this cosmic manifestation, the Lord enlightened the heart of Lord Brahma with the details of the creation and manifested the Vedic knowledge. In exactly the same way, the Lord, being anxious to revive the Vrndavana pastimes of Lord Krsna, impregnated the heart of Rupa Gosvami with spiritual potency. By this potency, Srila Rupa Gosvami could revive the activities of Krishna in Vrndavana, activities almost lost to memory. In this way, He spread Krishna consciousness throughout the world.” (Cc Madhya 19.1) Lord Chaitanya also empowered him to write books on bhakti-yoga, and the same could be said about Sanatana Gosvami.

We are followers of the Six Gosvamis—followers of their followers. Srila Narottama dasa Thakura prays,

ei chaya gosai yara-mui tara dasa
tan’-sabara pada-renu mora panca-grasa

“I am the servant of that person who is a servant of the Six Gosvamis. The dust of their holy feet is my five kinds of foodstuffs.”

And:

tandera carana sevi-bhakta-sane vasa
janame janame hoy ei abhilasa

“This is my desire, that birth after birth I may live with those devotees who serve the lotus feet of the Six Gosvamis.”

A few weeks ago we were fortunate to have four devotees from Dallas, disciples of Tamal Krishna Goswami, visit us in Santa Barbara—Dharma Prabhu and his wife, Urjesvari; her sister, Saibya; and Padma Mataji. Mayapur dasa, Sridhar Swami’s personal servant for many years, was also with us. So we thought it a good occasion to glorify these two stalwart servants of Srila Prabhupada, these two powerful preachers, Tamal Krishna Goswami and Sridhar Swami. And it was very enlivening and purifying. All of the devotees spoke so beautifully—each and every one—and one could really feel Tamal Krishna Goswami’s and Sridhar Swami’s presence and really feel united with Srila Prabhupada and his associates. His Holiness Niranjana Swami also spoke beautifully and led kirtan.

Although we are all godbrothers in that we were all initiated by Srila Prabhupada, still, among Srila Prabhupada’s disciples, there are some who were—and are—leading the movement and showing the way for others to follow. Certainly His Holiness Tamal Krishna Goswami was a great pioneer, and His Holiness Sridhar Swami and the others I mentioned. And even now devotees are following Srila Prabhupada and leading us and showing us the way. We also are trying to make our little contributions, but still, there are some who are ahead of us, showing the way and making it easier for us to follow. And that is natural; it will always be that way.

At the same time, it is also very personal and individual—through whom Krishna speaks to whom. It is not that everyone has to follow only one particular person. Krishna can manifest Himself—Srila Prabhupada can manifest himself—through different servants, different Vaishnavas, and we should be open to that flow of mercy however, and through whomever, it comes. It is not stereotyped or fixed or rigid. That mercy can come in different ways, and we should be open to it. That is really the principle of guru: Krishna’s instructions come to us through some servant of Krishna, some representative of Krishna—and it is not limited to only one. Krishna can speak to us through many mouths, through many personalities, and we should be open to that guidance. We should take His instructions on our head and follow them. That is how Krishna guides the conditioned souls back home, back to Godhead. He can engage any number of His servants to help us; and God knows we need all the help we can get. So we shouldn’t be sectarian. We shouldn’t cut ourselves off from any flow of mercy that may come to us by the arrangement of the Lord, or the arrangement of Srila Prabhupada, or the arrangement of any of our spiritual masters.

I always think of the example of Raghunatha dasa Gosvami, because he had so many gurus. Of course, he was a direct associate of Lord Chaitanya Himself, but even then, he was helped by so many well-wishers and guides. First, He was initiated by Yadunandana Acharya, Raghunatha’s family’s spiritual master. Yadunandana Acharya himself was a great Vaishnava, an initiated disciple of Advaita Acharya and an intimate student of Vasudeva Datta. And Balarama Acharya, a dear associate of Haridasa Thakura, was Raghunatha’s family’s priest. Raghunatha learned from him too. Balarama Acharya and Yadunandana Acharya were friends, and both used to host Haridasa Thakura at their homes. For some time, Balarama Acharya provided Haridasa with a thatched hut and prasada, and at that time, while still a student, Raghunatha visited Haridasa Thakura daily, and it is said that because of the mercy Haridasa showed him then, Raghunatha later attained the mercy of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. Once, Balarama Acharya invited Haridasa Thakura to speak in the assembly of Raghunatha’s family, the Majumadaras, and thus Raghunatha heard from him again, about the glories of the holy name.

Eventually Raghunatha dasa met Nityananda Prabhu at Panihati and got His benediction to become free from all obstacles and attain shelter at the lotus feet of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. Soon, Raghunatha escaped from home, traveled by foot to Puri, and attained the merciful shelter of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu—by the mercy of Nityananda Prabhu. Then Chaitanya Mahaprabhu entrusted Raghunatha dasa to Svarupa Damodara Gosvami: “I entrust Raghunatha to you. Please accept him as your son or servant.” Raghunatha was very young then, only about twenty-two. Then the Lord took Raghunatha’s hand and personally placed him in the hands of Svarupa Damodara Gosvami. And so Raghunatha became Svarupa Damodara’s assistant. Svarupa Damodara was Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu’s secretary, and Raghunatha dasa in effect became assistant secretary.

After Chaitanya Mahaprabhu left this world, followed by Svarupa Damodara and almost all of His other intimate associates, Raghunatha dasa felt bereft: “I am all alone. There is no reason to live. How can I live without my prabhus, without all of my masters?”

Raghunatha dasa felt so much separation that he decided to go to Vrindavan to see the lotus feet of Rupa and Sanatana and then give up his life by jumping from Govardhana Hill. But the two brothers did not allow him to die. They prevailed upon him to stay with them and speak about Mahaprabhu’s later pastimes. “You should not give up your life,” they told him. “You were with Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu in Puri and were witness to so many of His intimate pastimes. You should stay with us and tell us about your experiences with Him.” And they accepted him as their third brother.

Especially Sanatana Gosvami gave him shelter and took care of him. At first, when Raghunatha dasa Gosvami was doing bhajana at Radha-kunda, he didn’t have any residence. And while doing his bhajana, he was pretty much oblivious to everything else. He would chant, but sometimes he could hardly chant, because he would go into a trance. Still, he did chant at least one lakh names every day. But it could happen that he would chant one name and then go into a deep trance, and the pastimes of Krishna would play in his mind. Like that, one day he was chanting Krishna’s name and remembering Krishna’s pastimes and the hot sun was beating down on his head. Srimati Radharani Herself then came and held a cloth over his head, but Raghunatha dasa Gosvami didn’t know it, because he was in deep meditation. But Sanatana Gosvami understood, and he personally built a bhajana-kutira for him. He took care of him in every respect.

In his book Vilapa-kusumanjali, Raghunatha dasa Gosvami begins by offering respects to his gurus. In Sanskrit devotional works, authors begin by offering respects to their gurus and worshipable Deities. So at the beginning he offers respects to Sanatana Gosvami:

vairagya-yug-bhakti-rasam prayatnair
  apayayan mam anabhipsum andham
krpambudhir yah para-duhkha-duhkhi
  sanatanas tam prabhum asrayami

“I was unwilling to drink the nectar of devotional service possessed of renunciation, but Sanatana Gosvami, out of his causeless mercy, made me drink it, even though I was otherwise unable to do so. Therefore he is an ocean of mercy. He is very compassionate to fallen souls like me, and thus it is my duty to offer my respectful obeisances unto his lotus feet.” (Vilapa-kusumanjali 6)

In this verse, Raghunatha dasa Gosvami describes Sanatana Gosvami with a phrase that Srila Prabhupada often quoted (for all compassionate Vaishnavas): para-duhkha-duhkhi—“he felt sorrow in the sorrow of others.” Raghunatha dasa says, vairagya-yug-bhakti-rasam prayatnair—he gave me the nectar of devotional service enriched with renunciation; anabhipsum andham—but I was unwilling (anabhipsum) to drink it, because I was blind (andham) to my spiritual well-being; so apayayan mam—he forced me to drink it. Sanatana Gosvami is an ocean of mercy (krpambudhi), and therefore I offer my respectful obeisances to him. I take shelter of him, my master (prabhum asrayami).

Srila Prabhupada paraphrased this verse in composing a verse to honor his sannyasa-guru, Srila Bhaktiprajnana Kesava Gosvami Maharaja. He used almost the same words. The idea is that it is very hard to become free from the shackles of family life. Of course, one can be a pure devotee in the grihastha-ashrama—that is another thing—but to preach, sannyasa may be advised.

As Srila Prabhupada describes it, he was having dreams—in modern psychological language one might say recurring nightmares—that his guru maharaja was calling him to follow him and preach. And as Prabhupada describes it, he would wake up horrified: “How can I take sannyasa and become a mendicant? How can I leave my wife and children? What will happen then?” It’s a long story, but eventually Prabhupada accepted vanaprastha. He went to Jhansi and began the League of Devotees there. But there was some politics. The wife of the governor wanted the property that Srila Prabhupada had been using for the League of Devotees. She made all efforts to get it for some ladies’ program, and because she was so influential Prabhupada decided not to fight against her. So he left and went to Mathura, where he stayed in the matha of his godbrother Bhaktiprajnana Kesava Gosvami Maharaja. And Kesava Maharaja insisted, “You must take sannyasa.” To fully take up the order of the spiritual master and preach, one must accept the renounced order of life. And Prabhupada did it. He took sannyasa.

Then, in 1968—in the early days of the movement in the West—Srila Prabhupada, in Seattle, got news that His Holiness Kesava Maharaja had passed away. So he held a meeting with the disciples there and spoke about the history, how his guru maharaja and his godbrother had “forced” him to take sannyasa: “My godbrother insisted. Not he insisted—practically my spiritual master insisted through him, that ‘You accept.’ He wanted me to become a preacher, so he forced me through this godbrother: ‘You accept.’ So, unwillingly I accepted.”

Srila Prabhupada saw his guru maharaja working through his godbrother, speaking through his godbrother—another Vaishnava—and he composed this verse, very similar to the one Raghunatha dasa composed for Sanatana Gosvami—but for Kesava Maharaja. Apayayan mam anabhipsum andham. “I was unwilling to take the medicine of bhakti with detachment because I was blind. I could not see my future, that spiritual life is the brightest future. So the Vaishnavas, the spiritual master, they force: ‘You must drink.’ ” Sri-kesava-bhakti-prajnana-nama krpambudhir yas tam aham prapadye: “Sri Bhaktiprajnana Kesava is an ocean of mercy, and I offer my respectful obeisances unto him.”

So, Sanatana Gosvami was a great shelter to Vaishnavas in Vrindavan. He was not only intelligent—all the Gosvamis were most intelligent—but he was very shrewd, very clever. He understood politics and diplomacy. It is said that Rupa Gosvami was very simple but that Sanatana Gosvami was very astute; he could understand people’s motives and intentions. So he was able to protect devotees in the most practical ways, because he had that type of intelligence. And he protected Raghunatha dasa Gosvami on every level.

Then, on the day of Guru-purnima, because Sanatana Gosvami was the most senior of the Gosvamis and the siksa-guru of almost everyone in Vrindavan, the Vaishnavas went to Govardhana to offer him respects. Upon their arrival at his bhajana-kutira at Manasi-ganga, they saw that he was in a trance. He didn’t move at all, and they didn’t want to disturb him. So they waited.

Eventually they understood that he had left, and they all were overwhelmed with separation. They took him on parikrama of Govardhana Hill—he had done parikrama of Govardhana Hill faithfully every day. Then they weren’t sure where to place his body. Jiva Gosvami, who was the leader after Sanatana, decided that they should bring him back to Vrindavan, close to the temple of the Deity of Madana-mohana, who was so dear to him. And that took place on Guru-purnima.

We can see how the devotees helped each other—everyone helped everyone. In Sri Caitanya-caritamrta we find that all the Vaishnavas were always helping each other, and we should learn from their example. We should develop that mood. Of course, help can come in different ways. Sometimes it comes in terms of instruction, and sometimes it comes in practical ways, like Sanatana Gosvami’s building Raghunatha dasa Gosvami’s bhajana-kutira. These exalted devotees were always serving each other—serving Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and serving each other. And that should be our mood: to serve each other, actually help each other—and to learn from each other.

In the Eleventh Canto of Srimad-Bhagavatam we learn how an avadhuta brahman took lessons from others—twenty-four siksa-gurus: from material elements, natural phenomena, plants, animals, even from a prostitute. By his intelligence, he learned from all of them, and he accepted them all as his gurus. For example, he learned from the mountain that a saintly person should devote all his efforts to the service of others and make their welfare the sole reason for his existence (as we learn from Govardhana Hill). From the python he learned that one should give up material endeavor and accept what comes of its own accord—one should remain peaceful and steady, indifferent to material gain but always alert to self-realization. He even learned from Pingala, a prostitute. Because she had no other source of income, Pingala was very anxious for customers. One night she was waiting, waiting, waiting, and still no customer came. Finally, at the end of the night, she felt disgusted with her situation and thus became detached. From Pingala he learned detachment—and attachment for the Supreme Personality of Godhead, whom she accepted as her ultimate shelter and object of love.

So we can learn from anyone and anything. If we are sincerely trying to serve Krishna and to understand how best to serve Him, the Lord in the heart will give us the intelligence of how to learn from others—even from trees and grass. Chaitanya Mahaprabhu glorified the trees and grass, for from them we learn how to be tolerant and humble. We can learn from anyone and everyone, and everything.

We can learn even from demons—and we are surrounded by them. Big business people, with their advertising and other strategies, are so clever. We should be that shrewd and clever for Krishna. Materialistic leaders figure out how to trap people in their nets and pull them in and keep them. We can learn from such powerful materialists how to attract people and keep them, for Krishna—how to be organized and intelligent, for Krishna. If we are in the proper mood, anything can remind us of devotional service and be used for Krishna’s benefit. Anyone can be a siksa-guru for us if we are absorbed in the mood of serving Krishna, fixed in Krishna consciousness.

But in particular, and especially on occasions like today, we are enjoined to offer respectful obeisances unto our diksa- and siksa-gurus in disciplic succession, from Krishna to Brahma to Narada to Vyasa, from Chaitanya Mahaprabhu to Sanatana Gosvami, from Srila Prabhupada to his followers, which includes all of you.

Thank you very much.

Hare Krishna.

[A Talk by Giriraj Swami on Guru-purnima, July 29, 2007, Dallas]

Source: https://girirajswami.com/blog/?p=20194

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Guru (Vyasa) Purnima

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The appearance anniversary of Srila Vyasadeva, the compiler of the Vedic literature.

This event really is directed towards Srila Vyasadeva, thus in some sampradayas they refer to Guru Purnima as Vyasa Purnima. Traditionally it is the day when the guru is worshipped.

In the book Festivals, Fairs and Fasts of India (Shakti M Gupta. 1991. Clarion books. page 88-89.) It says: Guru Purnima "……is observed on the full moon day in the month of Ashadha in honour of the sage Vyasa, by keeping a fast, worshippig him for His blessings and to gain wisdom. Formerly on this day, gurus who were the traditional teachers, were honoured by their pupils.

The river Beas is believed to have been so named as Vyasa practiced penance on its banks and compiled the four Vedas, the Mahabharat and the Eighteen Purana there. Since it is not possible for one man to have compiled so much in his life-time, and oer a tim span of a hundred years, it is believed that the name Vyasa must have been applied to many sages. Generally speaking, the name Veda Vyasa is applied to Krishna Dwaipayana who was the son of Satyavati and the sage Parasa – this is before Satyavati married King Shantanu of Mahabharata fame."
 
Some Brief Information About Srila Vyasadeva.
"When the second millenium ('Dwarpa Yuga') overlapped the third ('Treta Yuga'), the great sage Srila Vyasadeva was born to Parasara Muni in the womb of Satyati, the daughter of Vasu (the fisherman)."
(Srimad Bhagavatam 1:4:14.).
 
In Srila Vyasa's childhood he was called Krsna, because of his dark complexion, and because he was born on an island at the confluence of the Sati and Mati Rivers he was called Dwaipayana. After dividing the Vedas he got the name Veda Vyasa. There are some who say that Krsnadwaipayana Veda Vyasa took his birth at a place now known as Vyasa Goofer, the cave of Srila Vyasa in present day Nepal, on the road from Pokara to Kathmandu which was, in days of yore, part of the kingdom of King Janaka. There are local records that support this statement, which say this was the 'ashrama' of Parasara Muni and at this place Srila Vyasa was conceived. They also lay claim that later Srila Vyasa came back to that 'ashrama' and stayed there for some time, and this being why there is a small Deity of Him at the entrance of the cave. The Padma Purana however says that he was conceived on an island created by Parasara in the Yamuna river, (Padmalocana Prabhu's book entitled "Yamuna Devi, The Personification Of Prema Bhakti", Page 24.), in connection with the place known as Soma Tirtha ghat. Some also say that the birth place was at Damauli.
Anyway, everyone at least agrees that the date of Srila Vyasa's appearance was on the twelfth day of the light fortnight in the month of Vaisaka (April-May), called Vasant Dwadasi.
 
The following is the story that we just touched upon mentioning how Srila Vyasa came to make His appearance.
Once the hermit Parasara became attracted to a fisher girl of the name Matsya-Gandha who was found inside a fish. (The fish was actually a celestial maiden named Adrika who conceived two children by collecting the semen of the King of Chedi when his semen had fallen into the water of a river after seeing two animals engaged in coitus.) Parasara Muni asked the beautiful Matsya-Gandha, so named because of her fishy aroma, to take him in her boat from one side of the river to the other, but the beauty of this damsel, her bodily movements from the rowing, aroused lusty desires in Parasara. When he sat close to her she moved away, and asked him not to violate her chastity, but Parasara Muni being already too far carried away, created an artificial fog on the river and seduced her right there in the boat. He then created an island in the river and on that island the girl conceived a child in her womb. Parasara explained to her that even after the child was born she would remain a virgin and the son born to her would be a portion of Lord Visnu and would be famous throughout the three worlds. He would be a man of purity, the spiritual master of the entire world, and He would divide the Vedas.
Srila Vyasa soon grew into everything that Parasara had described, and had many disciples.
 
Later in life it is recorded that Srila Vyasa returned to this island in the river and there compiled the Srimad Bhagavatam. Recorded is another instance when Srila Vyasa called for Ganesa (the elephant-headed 'deva') to write the Mahabharata as he related it to him. He did so on the condition that Srila Vyasa continually recited, and Ganesa, having perfectly understood the meaning, wrote down the Mahabharata. The word "Vyasa" means one who describes elaborately.
 
"The great sage, Srila Vyasa who was fully equipped with knowledge, could see through his transcendental vision the deterioration of everything material, due to the influence of the age. He could also see that the faithless people in general would be reduced in duration of life and would be impatient due to lack of goodness. Then he contemplated for the welfare of men in all statuses and orders of life. He saw that the sacrifices mentioned in the Vedas were means by which people's occupations could be purified, and to simplify the process, he divided the one Veda into four, in order to expand them among men. The four divisions of the original sources of knowledge (the Vedas) were made separately, but historical facts and authentic stories mentioned in the Puranas are called the fifth Veda."(Srimad Bhagavatam 1:4:17-20.).
 
"Thus the great sage Srila Vyasadeva, who is very kind to the ignorant mass, edited the Vedas so they might be assimilated by less intellectual men. Still he was not satisfied, even though he was engaged in working for the total welfare of all people. Thus Srila Vyasa, being dissatisfied in heart, began to reflect within himself. 'I have, under strict disciplinary vows, unpretentiously worshipped the Vedas, the spiritual master and the altar of sacrifice. I also abided by the rulings and have shown the import of disciplic succession through the explanation of the Mahabharata, by which even women, shudras and others (friends of the twice born) can see the path of religion. I am feeling incomplete, though myself I am fully equipped with everything required by the Vedas. This may be because I did not specifically point out the devotional service of the Lord, which is dear both to perfect beings and to the infallible Lord'."
 
"Srila Narada Muni (who was another son of Prajapati Brahma) reached the cottage of Srila Krsna-dwaipayana Vyasa on the banks of the Sarasvati, where Srila Vyasa was staying at that time, just when Srila Vyasa was regretting his defects. At the auspicious arrival of Srila Narada, Srila Vyasadeva got up respectfully and worshipped him, giving him veneration equal to that given to Sri Brahmaji, the creator. Srila Narada then said: 'O Srila Vyasadeva, your vision is completely perfect. Your good fame is spotless. You are firm in vow and situated in truthfulness, and thus you can think of the pastimes of the Lord in trance for the liberation of the people in general from all material bondage. The people in general are naturally inclined to enjoy, and you have encouraged them in that way in the name of religion. This is verily condemned and is quite unreasonable. Because they are guided under your instructions, they will accept such activities in the name of religion and will hardly care for prohibitions.' And so Narada Muni, Srila Vyasadeva's spiritual master, instructed Srila Vyasa to compile the Maha-Bhagavat Purana (Srimad Bhagavatam) now in his maturity for the benefit of all mankind, to which Srila Vyasadeva agreed. He presented the glories of Krsna and His many incarnations just after the departure of Lord Krsna from this world. (Excerpts from Srimad Bhagavatam 1:4:24-33.).
 
"In this yuga the son of Parasara, who is glorified as a part of Visnu and who is known as Dvaipayana, the vanquisher of all enemies, became Srila Vyasa. Urged by Brahma, he undertook the task of classifying the Vedas. Srila Vyasa accepted four disciples to preserve and continue the Vedas. They were Jaimini who took care of the Sama Veda, Sumantu – the Atharva Veda, Vaisampayana – the Yajur Veda and Paila – the Rg Veda, and for the Itihasa and Puranas – Lomaharsana."(Sri Vayu Purana 60:10-16.).
According to Vayu Purana it says, "Previously there have been twenty-eight Vyasas, but when the twenty-eighth appears, Lord Visnu, the most Glorious, Great Father of the three worlds, becomes Dvaipayana Vyasa. Then Lord Sri Krsna, the best amongst the Yadus will be born of Vasudeva and will be known as Vasudeva. Then in due course I (Vayu) will come in the form of an ascetic and assuming the body of a religious student, will surprise the world by means of the Lord's 'yoga maya'." (Vayu Purana 23:206-208.) Actually, this is Vayudeva announcing his appearance as Sripad Madhwacarya.("The Life And Legacy of Ananda Tirtha Bhagavatpad – Madhwacarya, by Jaya Tirtha Charan dasa.)
 
Narayana Panditacarya has completed this seventh canto of Madhwa Vijay with a copulate of two verses called 'Antya-Yugma'. These verses introduce one to the miniature Vaikuntha realm, glorifying the killer of the Mura demon, Lord Murari, Krsna, Who is adorned with shining golden ornaments encrusted with the best of all kinds of previous gems. Sripad Madhwacarya remembered that same Lord lying down on Ananta Sesa, having His lotus feet embraced by the Goddess of Fortune, Laxmi devi, Who eternally remains with the Lord, smiling sweetly. This is the same Lord Visnu Who, for the 'caturmasya' (four months of the rainy season) takes rest, lying for two months on one side and then two months on the other side of His lotus body. He is Narayana, who according to Manu (Manu Smrti), Sri Narayana lives in the Naram ocean, and Who is also the localised Paramatma seated within the hearts of all His separated tiny living entities.
 
High in the Himalayan, beyond where any mere mortal can go, is to be found this Vaikuntha paradise. It is surrounded by ponds of full blown lotuses. The lotuses in these ponds are innumerable, nay unlimited, the most fragrant and indestructible. The sages and rshis who reside there make them into garlands for the Lord. Around these lakes are trees that constantly bear flowers, blossoming, sweet fragrant branches with fragrant flowers and fruits. These forest flowers adorn the captivating beauty of the Lord.
 
Sripad Madhwacarya could see all this from where he was standing looking to the north to the abode of Srila Vyasadeva. After his journey had neared it's end, and after crossing the Himalayas, Sripad Madhwacarya could see quite clearly the 'ashram' of Vedavyasa surrounded by jujube trees. That place is definitely not of this world; the whole 'ashram' was effulgent. Though up in the Himalayas, there was no biting cold or rain or snow. The trees and bushes there, which are way above the normal 'tree line', were none less than forests. As there was no unpleasant wind, rain or cold, also the sun was warm and comfortable. In the trees that touched the sky, innumerable beautiful birds nested and sung. Under those shade trees all the renowned 'brahmins', who were famous for performing huge sacrifices, sat, transfixed in meditation on the lotus feet of the Lord, Who resides in that place. In the surrounding areas, one could see pure white swans, whose necks entwined with the stems of blue, white and pink lotuses.
 
Madhwa could recognise many great and famous Vaisnavas sitting around in the ashram of Srila Vyasadeva. When those pure Vaisnavas saw Sripad Madhwacarya approach the 'ashram', they enquired as to who this saintly person was. "Marked with thirty two auspicious markings, lotus eyed, moon-like face, long arms and a golden complexion, no doubt this man enhances even Vaikuntha. There is no sign of exertion, and his face shows that his mind is fearless." "Is this person coming to this 'ashram' in the guise of a 'sannyasi', the four faced Lord Brahma, or is it Mukhyaprana?"
 
Madhwa walked quickly due to his intense devotion. Seated under a jujube tree was Srila Vyasadeva. The 'jujube' tree was a representation of Lord Ananta Sesa, with wide branches forming an umbrella which had jewels in the form of bright and fragrant flowers, and hoods in the form of branches. It exactly resembled Lord Ananta Sesa with His hoods encrusted with jewels jutting out in all directions forming branch-like hoods. The branches of this tree support the six 'sattvic' Puranas, the Upanishad's, and Mahabharata, and fruits that are sweet and full of nectar that drive away all known miseries like birth, death, old age and disease. These fruits cannot be obtained by those who are not devotees of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord Visnu – Krsna and Their numerous forms.
 
Sripad Madhwacarya approached closely the sages, who, with matted locks of hair on their heads and various Vaisnava 'tilaka' on their foreheads and bodies, sat with clean white sacred threads draped over their left shoulders. They had all transcended lust, anger, greed, false pride, the pushing's of the senses, and thoughts of trying to enjoy in the material world separately from the supreme enjoyer, Sri Krsna. All natural opulence was there. They were all adorned with garlands and saffron coloured sandalwood paste was auspiciously there on their bodies.
 
On a raised seat sat the preceptor of the three worlds, the son of Satyavati, Srila Krsna Dwaipayana Veda Vyasa. Sripad Madhwacarya had always been meditating on the Lord of his life, his preceptor 'guru' within his heart seated on a white lotus. Now, with brimming eyes, wonder-struck as though he had just seen him for the very first time, Madhwa drank the nectar of the vision of Vyasadeva through his eyes.
 
Madhwa Vijay (7:18-59.), describes Vedavyasa as follows: Satyavati gave birth to that Vedavyasa after praying to Lord Brahma, and Vyasa was conceived by the sage Parasara. Srila Vyasadeva, who has an ocean of wonderful attributes, is Lord Narayana Himself. Vyasadeva's mind is compared to the milk ocean and his qualities of compassion and respect are like the Mandara mountain. By his churning appeared three mothers who were the three Vedas – Rg, Yajur and Sama. By Vyasa the father and Veda the mother, the demoniac qualities of Kali Yuga are checked. From Vyasadeva the white rayed cooling moon of the Puranas and the 'parijata' tree of the Mahabharata were given. Later, born from it's own nectar, appeared the Brahmasutras, and Srimad Bhagavatam.
 
From the time of the Kuruksetra / Mahabharata war, during which Vyasa bestowed his blessings on the Pandavas, and even before this time, Vyasa walked this earth to protect knowledge of the Vedas, helping those devotees who have knowledge of that person who the Vedas are centred around. That is Lord Sri Krsna, Who is known as 'Vedanta Krt', the compiler of 'Vedanta', and 'Veda Vit', the knower of the Vedas. In Bhagavad-Gita 10:37., Krsna Himself says, "Of sages I am Vyasa."
 
Vyasa, still living in Badrikasrama to this day for eternity with his pure devotees, it says, gave up this Kali Yuga for his Vaikuntha realm just as the sun gives up the sky for the coming of night. Vyasa is seated on an excellent blackish Krsna deer skin Madhwa recalls, as he prostrated himself at the lotus feet of Vyasa. Taking the dust from Vyasadeva's feet he placed the sacred dust upon his own head. Sripad Madhwacarya was in ecstasy, standing offering respects to Vyasa, the best of sages, whose feet are adorned with the marks of the flag, thunderbolt, goad for driving elephants, and lotus, they are naturally auspiciously tinged with red and have the repute to be red due to evaporating any material desires that may come to the minds of Vyasadeva's devotees.
 
The nails of those lotus feet gleam and remove darkness, both of an internal nature by their purifying association and remembrance, and externally by their bright lustre. If, by material comparison of age one would think that the old hands of the sage Vyasa would be knotted, no, they are smooth and soft, with long delicate fingers completely free from stress and diseases, such as knots coming from arthritis.
 
Vyasadeva's two knees, which are large, round and joined to his long shins, are free from fault. These legs of Vyasa, which are free from fault, account for a basis of good conduct even to those who are inferior in knowledge and devotion. Srila Vyasadeva's yoga-pattika waist band, aid his firm sitting posture. The lotus waist of Vyasa maintains and fulfils all the devotees, it is amazing that all the pure spiritual desires of the devotees are fulfilled by taking shelter at the waist of Vyasa. This waist is covered by a sacred Krsna deer skin, hiding his deep and delicate navel. Vyasa's broad chest and broad mind support the pure white sacred thread, and Brahmasutras respectively. Madhwa Vijay (7:34.), states that it has been well substantiated by Vedavyasa that Caturmukha Brahma is the son of Garbhadaksayi Visnu, being born from a lotus sprouting from the Lord's lotus navel. This world has no equal or superior in all the three worlds. Brahma gave his 'Kaustubhamani', gem to Vedavyasa and that acts like a victory flag hanging around the neck of Vyasa.
The story in brief follows that once when Prajapati Brahma was in the association of Vedavyasa and one thousand sages, Srila Vyasa made a statement saying that he would always prove the superiority of Visnu Tattva at all times. The thousand sages took up the challenge and threw at Vedavyasa thousands of questio6ns simultaneously. Vyasadeva answered each question one by one perfectly all at the same time. Amazed at the victory of the literary incarnation of Lord Visnu, Brahma presented the Kaustubha gem to Srila Vyasa.
In Srila Vyasadeva's hands he holds a conchshell and a disc, his hands are again soft pinkish red, his arms are robust, round and powerful. There is no comparison to the broadness of these limbs. By the tip of Vyasadeva's right hand he bestows 'divya jnana' – transcendental knowledge to his devotees, and with the same tip of the same hand removes the darkness borne of ignorance simultaneously just like thunder and lightning. His left hand is placed on his knee. By this 'mudra', gesture all fear for the dangerous struggle for material existence is destroyed. Vyasadeva's neck is marked with the three lines of a conchshell from which only 'sabda brahman' or transcendental sound vibration, in the form of the main three Vedas and it's limbs, are coming. Seeing his moon-like face is the sweetest benediction to the eyes. Actually the moon-like face of the best of sages is compared to groups of full moons, each being completely free form even the smallest blemish. Srila Vyasadeva's lotus mouth and teeth are compared to a new row of pearls which shine forth from inside of a perfect ruby. These pearl-like teeth are seen decorated by a gentle smile surrounded by soft ruby red lips. To hear the speech of the literary incarnation of the Lord at once fills one's heart with transcendental knowledge, just as when the thousand wells in the form of sages became flooded with answers as the River Sarasvati replenishes the best of wells during the rainy season.
 
As Srila Vyasadeva approached Sripad Madhwacarya with a smile on his face, his wide lotus eyes looked unblinking at him, and Vyasa embraced the powerful Sripad Madhwacarya and picked him up off the floor, clean as one would one's small son. The powerful partial expansion of Mukhyaprana who previously played the mighty Hanuman and Bhima, felt blessed as his 'guru', Srila Vyasadeva, lovingly embraced him, and the sages smiled affectionately.
Sripad Madhwacarya prayed to his Lord after seeing the sprig of Tulasi leaf and 'manjari' tucked behind the right ear of Vyasa, "Please don't let me become jealous of this Tulasi sprig and garland of lotus flowers that adorn your body. They are supremely fortunate. Please don't let them rob me of my position of being so close to you. Wherever I am, always allow me to remain this close to you by always being absorbed in you."
 
Sripad Madhwacarya could now fully appreciate standing there in the shadow of his 'guru', that actually Srila Vyasadeva was looking after the welfare of the entire world. Just by a movement of his eyebrows everything was taking place. The creation, maintenance and destruction of all the three worlds in fact is going on by his design. He is the same Visnu Tattva Lord who maintains as Gunavataras along with Lord Brahma, the creator, who was born from a lotus, and Lord Shiva, the destroyer of these material worlds. Coming in contact with the material mode of passion, Prajapati creates under the direction of Lord Visnu. Lord Visnu Himself maintains the three worlds, the unlimited universes, in one form sleeping as Karanadakasayi Visnu, in another form as Garbhadaksayi Visnu lying down on His serpent couch Anantasesa, and as the localised form of Paramatma seated within the region of the heart of every living being as the witness. Effortlessly Lord Visnu is the Supreme Enjoyer, and not a blade of grass moves without His knowing or sanction.
 
srsti-hetu yei murti prapance avatare
sei isvara murti 'avatara' nama dhare
mayatita paravyome savara avasthana
visve 'avatari' dhare 'avatara' nama
 
"The 'avatara' of incarnation of Godhead, descends from the kingdom of God for material manifestations. And the particular form of the Personality of Godhead who so descends is called an incarnation, or 'avatara'. Such incarnations are situated in the spiritual world, the kingdom of God. When they descend to the material creation, They assume the name 'avatara'."
As such, there are various kinds of 'avataras', such as 'purusavataras', 'gunavataras', 'lilavataras', 'shaktyaveshavataras', 'manvantara-avataras' and 'yugavataras' all appearing on schedule all over the universe.
 
eko devo nitya-lilanurakto bhakta vyapi hrdy antaratma
 
"The one Supreme Personality of Godhead is eternally engaged in many, many transcendental forms in relationship with His unalloyed devotees."
 
Sripad Madhwacarya again drank the nectar of seeing this 'shaktyavesha avatara' of Lord Visnu with a resplendent blue hue like that of the Indranila gem, personally before him, standing on a mountain resembling an emerald, lush and green, above the natural barrier of the Himalayas. Srila Vyasadeva was wearing tilak of 'urdhva pundra' on the twelve places of His body, which are glorified throughout the Vedic literatures as being "Two straight lines of Lord Hari's abode are drawn at the root of the nose and reach to the top of the forehead, the space between which is Lord Vishnu's abode, and is more than a finger's breadth between and slightly wider at the top. Each of these two straight lines is only the thickness of a grain of rice and the breadth of four fingers. That is the abode or temple of Lord Visnu. Sadaishiva and Brahma reside on either side of the central space and Laxmi stays with Narayan in the middle." Seeing this and the red mark made of the ash of plantain flowers and turmeric mixed together resembling rubies, between the two lines, Madhwa relished again and again the sight of Vyasa.
"My Lord, I am so much blessed by seeing You, Your red matted locks of hair and Your hue which resembles a new monsoon cloud, full of depth, with illumination like lightning. Oh my Lord, though I have recorded many of Your auspicious features and qualities, actually to describe You, though counting incessantly the endless good qualities that are emanating from even the nail of the little toe of Your lotus feet, such is my frustration. Though You are situated far beyond this material world and it's covering, by Your mercy You have allowed me to approach You. Completely transcending all known boundaries, You have appeared to me and allowed me to come here to take 'darshan' of You, just to fulfil the plan chalked out by You. In obeisances, my body is bent in devotion to You. With folded hands I offer my humble prayers."
With His loving outstretched arms, Vedavyasa, the son of Parasara Muni, gently lifted Madhwa up from his prostrated obeisances and again, with a smiling face, embraced him.
 
Madhva Vijay (8:5.). says that Madhwacarya belongs to a class of devotees calle Rju which are the best of the 'devas'. These Rjus are even superior to the Rudras, who, by the grace of Vyasa, were bestowed with knowledge of the Absolute. The Rjus are one hundred in number, and after being given the post of Vayu, they become eligible for the post of Brahma. All of the Rjus are equally great, but they all are superior to Rudra and others.
 
Madhwa Vijay (7:53.), notes that Vyasadeva and Sripad Madhwacarya – Visnu and Vayu – are here compared with the powerful current of the sister of Yamaraja, Yamuna devi, whose mighty but gentle waters join the water of a golden river. The mighty waters of the Yamuna are compared to the dark blue lustre of Vedavyasa, while Sripad Madhwacarya is compared to a golden river who is being embraced by the dark blue waters of Vyasa. Previously these two great personalities embraced before. At that time they were dressed in royal clothing as Krsna and Bhimasena.
All the great sages in the assembly at Vyasadeva's 'ashram' honoured Madhwa with great respect. Vyasadeva gave Madhwa a special seat of honour next to Himself and in a very warm way, the two saviours of degradation of Vaisnava philosophy started to speak of Sripad Madhwacarya's urgent mission. Sri Krsna Dwaipayana Vyasa and Sripad Madhwacarya discussed all kinds of Vedic literatures, Vedas, Mahabharata, the 'Sattvic Puranas', Brahma Sutras, and the Pancaratras, which are all very dear to Vaisnava.
 
Madhwa Vijay (8:6.), agrees that Lord Narayana Himself directed Madhwa to come to the hermitage of Srila Vyasa.
Vedavyasa then took Sripad Madhwacarya to meet with the other form of the Lord residing there. Madhwa Vijay (8:7.), describes how the humble Purna Prajna Tirtha – Madhwa saw Lord Narayan, the original person, dressed in tree bark with a 'munja' grass belt. His effulgence that surround His beautiful matted locks is compared to being like the best of 'yajnic' fires, pure, bright and free from smoke.
That Lord, Who is always Dhira (self controlled and sober), and Who is Atmarama (self satisfied), Who is Acyuta (infallible and free from the allurements of the sense objects), He is free from all defects, yet with all these opulence's is happy to reside in the hermitage as a recluse and perform penance. "O Adhoksaja Krsna, Who is unobtainable to those of demerit, now I stand before You. You are the same Lord of Brahma born of Your lotus navel. By Your potency of Abhimani You made the Mahatattva, impregnated it by Your energy and placed there goodness, passion and ignorance. Along with this He created Rudra from Brahma and the tattva of Ahamkara which is threefold – the Vaikarika – Deities, the Taijasa – entities born of semen, and the 'tamasa' – the five gross elements (earth, eater, fire, air and sky). From this He made the 'jagad anda', the cosmic egg in which reside the fourteen worlds. Lord Narayan, You create, maintain and destroy everything, then effortlessly inhabit those fourteen worlds with varieties of entities – the demigods, 'gandharvas' – servants of the 'devas', humans, demons who have such masters as Prajapati Brahma, Mukhyaprana (Vayudeva), Garuda, Rudra and Devendra. Those living entities are given, according to their natures, places of residence. There are the 'uttama jivas' or 'nitya siddhas', Your pure devotees who only have thoughts for you. The 'nitya samsarins', who wander in the cycle of birth and death, are basically innocent, but just foolishly follow their lusty desires. And the 'tamoyogyas', who are hell bent, mischievous, wicked and best avoided, for their destination is to practically stay in hell for time immemorial."
 
In Sri Madhwa Vijay (8:14.), whilst standing directly in front of Srila Vyasadeva and Lord Narayana at Uttara Badri, Sripad Madhwacarya pondered over the many forms that Lord Narayana had taken. This is the mystic potency of the Lord for He can be both in the past in one's memory, and present before one at the same instant, in full. At any moment with all His retinue around Him acting out the pastimes, of previous lilas in the eternally present.
Madhwa realising this then prostrated himself at the lotus feet of Lord Narayana, as in his mind went over the endless pastimes of the Lord. He was directly in the association of his 'guru' (Srila Vyasadeva), and now had the honour of seeing Lord Narayana face to face. Lord Narayana's affection poured to the pure hearted Madhwa who was sitting, looking and relishing. He was so honoured to sit near these two whilst offering respectful prostrations, sitting and standing, Madhwa dwelt on His Lords.
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“HARE KRISHNA! The Mantra, the Movement

and the Swami who started it all”

is now FREE on YouTube

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The Guru of the Whole World

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Radhanath Swami: “I was in Vrindavan in 1971, and I was among five or six other people sitting around Srila Prabhupada. He wasn’t my guru then; he was just one of the saints I was coming to visit. And Srila Prabhupada was in Vrindavan for a few days. Somebody asked him, ‘Are you the guru for the whole world?’ He didn’t say anything. I was really very excited with anticipation—what is he going to say? Most people would say, ‘Yes.’ And after he paused for a few minutes, he looked down to the ground. With tears of humility in his eyes, he said, ‘No, I am the servant of everyone. That’s all.’ And I was thinking, ‘He is really the guru of the whole world!’

“A true guru is not one who claims to be God. A true guru is one who claims to be a humble messenger of God.”

All glories to Srila Prabhupada.

Hare Krishna.

Yours in service,
Giriraj Swami

Source: https://girirajswami.com/blog/?p=17304

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