From Back to Godhead
False Prestige heads a list of weeds, such as Lust, Greed, and Anger, that block the growth of the vine of Bhakti.
Sri Chaitanya-charitamrita metaphorically describes love of God as a creeper, or vine. The following story is based on that metaphor.
I reared my head like a cobra, not to strike at someone but to catch the sun. Holding a jumbo glowing flower at the top of my green leaves, I dominated the garden with my presence.
My name is False Prestige, and I call myself an
krsnotkirtana-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 a
By Dr Malav Bhimpuria
Devotional service in this day and age is not an easy endeavour, with many obstacles on this material platform. However looking after yourselves is imperative, as the body is an instrument of devotional service. In short, if we fail to do that, our devotional service can be impaired. As part of The Devotee Care Festival held at the Bhaktivedanta Manor recently, I expanded on these themes.
According to the World Health Organisation, health is “…a state of complete physical,
In the Caitanya-caritamrta, Srila Krsnadasa Kaviraja Gosvami has given us a verse which is an open invitation. He is saying that if you are interested in logic and arguments, then apply them to the mercy of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. By doing so, you will experience amazement in your heart. So that is the foundation of this movement that the mercy of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu is flowing, and the topmost love of God is made available to the most fallen. That is what happened and what is still happen
Loyalty and acts of loving devotional service, are only possible in the Spiritual Worlds when the relationship with Krishna is expressed in a “two way” contributing exchange.
“Loyalty” is a “two way” street that can ONLY exist when “two” are having loving respectful exchanges of feelings.
Without this basic rule in the Spiritual Planets, there can NEVER be genuine love within one’s relationship with Krishna.
Emotions expressed in a “one way” mood without the contribution of loving exchanges only
Faith is the unflinching confidence that upon attaining one thing — Krsna-bhakti — one is provided with all other desirable achievements. Absolute faith, unflinching faith, rests in Krsna-bhakti only. Faith in any other result or any other process will be unavoidably transient and ultimately disappointing. Attaining this faith rests upon guru-kripa, which includes very careful guidance and training. Similarly, one cannot move forward on this path while holding tightly to a bodily or a material
With the Mangalacarana prayers, we have invoked the blessings of the entire parampara, coming down from Lord Krsna and all the acaryas. That is how an initiation takes place. It is by the grace of all these personalities. We are all here simply as representatives of the mercy flowing from this parampara. Somehow or other, we have received mercy and because of that mercy, we are able to be here in some role. And the roles we play simply depends on whatever the vaisnavas have bestowed upon us. Be
Srila Prabhupada stated that -“Learning from the life of Ajamila, we should vow with determination to do what is necessary to follow this path.” So vows are an important means to fix oneself more in the process of devotional service. These vows are interesting because in the vows, we are promising to behave on a level that is higher than what we would naturally do if we would act without any control. In that case, we would act on the lower platform. The vows are therefore tapas – austerity. H
When I was young, I was always searching for ways to develop my devotion to The Lord. As I have grown older, I not only seek to develop new ways, but how to nourish them as well.
In my search, I seek to understand as well as to grow, as I feel they go hand in hand. I have found there are all kinds of devotees and while learning, I found some on the impersonal path. I was interested to see what the difference was from personalism. Krishna tells us that the personalist seeks to engage himself in l
I signed up with my daughter for a Mother’s Day yoga class in the park about 12 years ago. Being a beautiful crisp Autumn morning, we thought this would be a relaxing way to start our Sunday.
A girl named Ambarissa led the most peaceful class I had ever attended. I think that the kirtan at the end made it even more special. After meeting this girl just once, she invited us to a home kirtan, to have dinner and meet other like-minded people. Usually, I would be more likely to shy away from this ki
One of the most prominent sages in the Vedic literature, he travels throughout the universe awakening love for the Lord.
NARADA MUNI is exalted in Vedic texts as one of the twelve mahajanas, or great authorities on eternal truth. Details of his life and teachings are recounted in the Narada Purana, the Padma Purana, and throughout Srimad-Bhagavatam. So advanced is his level of spirituality that in these texts he is even sometimes called “Bhagavan,” a term usually reserved for the Supreme Lord,
By Madhava Smullen
A new program at New Vrindaban in West Virginia, dubbed “Seva-Yoga,” has been launched to help guests build a relationship with Krishna through service.
“It evolved naturally from an experience we had over the weekend of Gaura Purnima,” says New Vrindaban Lodge Manager Sarah. “We were short-staffed for various different services, so a team of people like the temple president Jaya Krishna, communications director Anuradha, and others jumped in to help clean the rooms to get t
Krsna is conquered by all, but most by the devotee who gives the most, who does the most.
Love is the foundation of everything. It is not like a sentimental wet blanket. Sometimes, we hear of impersonalists speak about the cosmic love and how one has to connect to that cosmic love, that all this cosmic loving energy is all-pervading and if one simply connects to it then they will also become like an instrument of that love. That is the impersonal loving energy, like a wet loving bla
Direct devotional service is divided into five transcendental humors or flavors, and indirect devotional service is divided into seven transcendental humors.
Nectar of Devotion 34: Transcendental pleasure derived from devotional service can be divided into two groups: direct devotional service and indirect devotional service. Direct devotional service is divided into five transcendental humors or flavors, and indirect devotional service is divided into seven transcendental humors. Direct dev
