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Pre-Janmastami meditation — Krsna’s pastimes in a nutshell

Posted: 26 Aug 2013 06:26 AM PDT

The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Sri Krsna, known as lila-purusottama, appeared as the son of Vasudeva but immediately left His father’s home and went to Vrndavana to expand His loving relationship with His confidential devotees. In Vrndavana the Lord killed many demons, and afterwards He returned to Dvaraka, where according to Vedic principles He married many wives who were the best of women, begot thro

Lecture on Srila Prabhupada Appearance Day by HH Giriraj Swami on 22 Aug 2011

(HH Giriraj Swami has taught at the Vrindavan Institute for Higher Education and continues to lecture and to give presentations at japa retreats and workshops around the world.)

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Lecture on Who is Srila Prabhupada by HH Bhakti Charu Swami on 06 Aug 2007

(HH Bhakti Charu Swami became a member of the GBC in 1987 and served a term as chairman from 1989-1990. Bhakti Charu Swami’s GBC zonal assignments include Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh, India and is co-zonal secretary for Calcutta and Mayapur, West Bengal, and North Orissa and Puri.)

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Lecture on Krishna Lila by HH Vedavyasapriya Swami on 24 Aug 2013

(Vedavyasapriya Swami worked as a research biochemist first in East Africa and then later when he migrated to USA. Within a week of arrival in the USA, he met the devotees, disciples of His Divine Grace, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Srila Prabhupada)

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Lecture on Kamsa so called Good Qualities by HH Devamrita Swami on 28 July 2013

(His Holiness Devamrita Swami entered this life on October 16, 1950 in New York City, as the firstborn in a family dominated by a very devout and education-motivated Christian mother.)

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TEXT 6

bandhur atmatmanas tasya
yenatmaivatmana jitah
anatmanas tu satrutve
vartetatmaiva satru-vat

SYNONYMS

bandhuh--friend; atma--mind; atmanah--of the living entity; tasya--of him; yena--by whom; atma--mind; eva--certainly; atmana--by the living entity; jitah--conquered; anatmanah--of one who has failed to control the mind; tu--but; satrutve--because of enmity; varteta--remains; atma eva--the very mind; satru-vat--as an enemy.

TRANSLATION

For him who has conquered the mind, the mind is the best

We suffer due to our sinful activities. That is the general meaning of suffering. For pious activities we enjoy. But in this material world, either we enjoy or suffer, the common factor is suffering. Suppose if for my pious activities I get good birth, janmaisvarya-sruta-sri [SB 1.8.26]. By pious activities, we get birth in good family, janma; aisvarya, we get sufficient riches, wealthy family, wealthy parents; janmaisvarya-sruta, good education; and sri, beauty. These are the result of pious ac

Krishna ran desperately the moment he got the news that his childhood friend Sudama had come to meet him. Krishna was the emperor of Dwarka, he lived in a royal palace and was lovingly served by several of his associates.  But still he remembered his old friend who was living in penury and did not have even proper clothes to cover his body. But Krishna is hardly impressed by a person’s material position and possessions. For Krishna everyone is his own friend. Brihad Bhagavatam narrates the story

Hare Krishna

Let me share how I came into Krishna Consciousness. We had invited an old acquaintance to help our start-up company and give us some `gyaan' on how to scale it and make it big. His name, Mukul Harmilapi. He will change my life for ever.

We hit it off pretty quickly and were soon discussing  many things apart from business. He was, and still is, very intelligent and very calm. He would answer each problem at office with a very simple solution and I would wonder why couldn't I think of

Hare Krsna

Please accept my humble obeisance. All glories to Srila Prabhupada

Srila Prabhupada Says - [Regarding how one must understand the concept of the next acarya]

That is the teaching of Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Guru more murkha dekhi'. Caitanya Mahaprabhu is murkha? Why He's posing Himself that murkha? "I am fool number one." That means that is liberation. 

You must be ready always to be chastised by guru. Then he's liberated. And as soon as he thinks that "I am beyond this chastisement, I am lib

Hare Krsna

Please accept my humble obeisance. All glories to Srila Prabhupada

Srila Prabhupada says:"By your very constitution you are meant to enjoy unlimited happiness at every minute. Therefore don't deceive and cheat yourself by foolishly misidentifying yourself with a rotting material body. In such a delusional state you can never be happy in spite of whatever nice arrangements you have made for yourself here in this temporary material world. Therefore you should reawaken your eternal spirit

Hare Krsna

Please accept my humble obeisance. All glories to Srila Prabhupada

Srila Prabhupada Says - [Regarding how unless you submit/surrender to the Acarya then you cannot understand his instructions]

Bhurijana: Prabhupada, I think my illusion is not yet dispelled.

Prabhupada: Then unfortunate.

Bhurijana: Yes.

Prabhupada: Continue. (laughter) Who can check?

Bhurijana: I want to understand in this sense though, exactly how far your instructions are because I know I want to do it, what you say, but I

Hare Krsna

Please accept my humble obeisance. All glories to Srila Prabhupada

Srila Prabhupada Says - [Regarding how in ISKCON we must accept his authority and not think we have a better idea understanding or interpretation]

"Disciple means who voluntarily accepts the spiritual master to be..., regulate. Disciple means one who is regulated by higher authority. He is disciple. The higher authority is called the spiritual master, and the person who voluntarily submits to him for being regulated, he i

Hare Krsna

Please accept my humble obeisance. All glories to Srila Prabhupada

One should focus upon the destination for progress, which is to become Krsna conscious. This is the aim and end of all varṇas and asramas. However, if Viṣṇu is not worshiped, the followers of the varṇasrama institution manufacture some concocted God. Thus it has now become fashionable for any rascal or fool to be elected God, and there are many missionaries who have concocted their own gods, giving up their relat

Hare Krsna

Please accept my humble obeisance. All glories to Srila Prabhupada

All religions in the world claim quick and easy God-realization . However, the most ancient religion without a name (Sanatana Vedic Dharma) does not make any such claim. It just urges everyone to lead a vedic way of life, for the benefit of everyone.

The Vedas are the life-air of the world. When People live according to the Vedic rules, the entire world including the Mother-Nature( Prakriti) is happy . When People become

TEXT 5

uddhared atmanatmanam
natmanam avasadayet
atmaiva hy atmano bandhur
atmaiva ripur atmanah

SYNONYMS

uddharet--one must deliver; atmana--by the mind; atmanam--the conditioned soul; na--never; atmanam--the conditioned soul; avasadayet--put into degradation; atma--mind; eva--certainly; hi--indeed; atmanah--of the conditioned soul; bandhuh--friend; atma--mind; eva--certainly; ripuh--enemy; atmanah--of the conditioned soul.

TRANSLATION

A man must elevate himself by his own mind, not degrade himsel

These are the immediate result of taking to Krsna consciousness. Pure devotional service brings immediate relief from all kinds of material distress. There is a song of Bhaktivinoda Thakura: manasa deha geha yo kichu mora, arpilun tuya pade nanda-kisora. The purport of this song is when we surrender to Krsna, pranair arthair dhiya vaca, then we get relief from all kinds of anxieties. This is very simple to understand. Everyone is, in the material world, here, everyone is full of anxieties. That

The Vedas are words of God. Isopanisad describes God as purnam (perfectly complete). So the knowledge imparted by Vedic literatures is perfect and complete.  Vedic knowledge is called sabda – pramana. Another name of Vedas is sruti i.e. knowledge acquired by hearing. Vedic knowledge is not experimental knowledge.

The present education system only teaches us how we can enjoy this material world more and more. It does not teach us - Who we are? Why are we suffering? Where were we before this life?

Hare Krishna.

During his last trip I told Guru Maharaja that we hardly get to spend any time with him, even when he comes to Gurgaon he is always so busy. I mentioned how Priti remarked the other day that it will be better to take a flight with Guru Maharaja from Kolkatta to Delhi. He invited us to fly with him to Surat and spend time with him. At first I thought he must be joking but then knowing him a little I knew he would not make any casual remark. We had renovations happening at our new apa

From Right to left-
01)Kulashekara Dasa
02)Yamuna Devi Dasi
03)Digvijaya Das
04)Mr.Patrick (With books in hand)
05)Guru Das (behind smiling)
06)Bhagavanbai Parmar (holding child)
07)Baby Saraswati (Populary called as Little Saraswati)
08)Malati Devi Dasi(with chapa bag)
09)Shyam Sundar Das (with Hat on)
10)Janaki Devi Dasi (with Clutches)
11)Mukunda Das -may be (far left with Dhoti & hat on)