We are familiar with the literary devices of similes and metaphors. In a simile, we may say something like, “The summer air was as hot as a furnace”, but in a metaphor we do not simply compare two things but describe one as the other, as in Sandburg’s poem: “The fog comes on little cat feet. It sits looking over harbor and city on silent haunches, and then moves on.”
The language of metaphor and poetry is the language of emotion and love. In the Italian film “Il Postino” (The Postman), a simple
The influence of maya is very difficult to overcome. In our scriptures, the material energy is therefore compared to an ocean. When you sail the ocean you never know when the weather will become stormy and high waves will make it impossible for you to continue your journey. Material life is similar – you never know when difficulties will shake you. Krishna explains this fact to Uddhava and then says: “Devotees are like a strong boat that comes to rescue those persons who are repeatedly rising a
By Chandan Yatra Das
Shukratal is a tiny holy town about 2-3 hours (72 km) from Haridwar on the banks of Ganges River in Muzaffarnagar district of Uttar Pradesh. Srila Sukadeva Goswami spoke sacred Srimad-Bhagavatam (Bhagavata Purana) to Maharaja Pariksit (the grandson of Arjuna and son of Abhimanyu), under a banyan tree 5000 years ago.
Here at a place called Sri Sukadeva Temple, there is a gigantic 5100 year old Banyan tree, also known as Akshaya Vat Vriksha, underneath where Sukadeva Goswami,
[During a lecture Srila Prabhupada interrupts his discourse on the Srimad-Bhagavatam verse when he notices some of his disciples leaving the lecture, apparently to attend to other services] Srila Prabhupada: Why they are going? They are busy in some other work? Eh? Ugra-karma.
Without hearing, what will he do?
Nonsense? Sravanam kirtanam, this is our main business. If you don’t hear, what will you do? You will simply do sense gratification. That’s all. So this is the difficulty, that we are not
Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam begins with the definition of the ultimate source. It is a bona fide commentary on the Vedānta-sūtra by the same author, Śrīla Vyāsadeva, and gradually it develops into nine can
By Madhava Smullen
The Bhadra Campaign is a snowball that just keeps gathering size and momentum.
Also known as “Go to Goloka,” the campaign was launched in 2017 by the BBT Marketing, Communications, and Innovations team headed by Vaisesika Das. It’s inspired by the Srimad-Bhagavatam’s statement that “If on the full moon day of the month of Bhadra one places Srimad-Bhagavatam on a golden throne and gives it as a gift, he will attain the supreme transcendental destination.”
It’s also driven by S
By Madhava Smullen
New paperback editions of Srimad-Bhagavatam: A Comprehensive Guide for Young Readers Cantos 1, 2, and 3 are now available on Amazon.com, along with the just completed Canto 4. The first three cantos in the series, compiled by Aruddha Dasi, were originally each released in two parts starting in 2016. However the new editions, redesigned by Raghu Consbruck, and featuring new illustrations by a variety of artists, have been revised into a single volume per Canto, making them mo
Unscrupulous people go at once to the Tenth Canto, especially to the five chapters which describe the Lord’s rāsa dance. However, this portion of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is the most confidential part of that great literature. Unless one is thoroughly accomplished in the transcendental knowledge of the Lord, he is sure to misunderstand the Lord’s worshipable transcendental pastimes in the rāsa dance and the Lord’s love affairs with the gopīs. This subject matter is highly spiritual and technical, and
By Madhava Smullen
Sri Prahlada Das, who is known for traveling with Indradyumna Swami for 18 years as his assistant, performing in the band Village of Peace, and bringing kirtan and bhakti wisdom to yoga schools, has been offering life lessons from the Srimad-Bhagavatam online during the pandemic.
“At the beginning of lockdown, I thought, ‘In this situation, there’s so much angst, unrest, disease, death, and isolation – how do I contribute to the community?’” he says. “I decided, ‘Let’s meet o
By Madhava Smullen
The Bhadra Campaign, flooding the world with spiritual wisdom in the form of full sets of Srimad-Bhagavatam, keeps going from strength to strength.
Launched in 2017, the campaign is inspired by the Srimad-Bhagavatam verse 12.13.13, which states, “If on the full moon day of the month of Bhadra one places Srimad-Bhagavatam on a golden throne and gives it as a gift, he will attain the supreme transcendental destination.”
It’s also driven by Srila Prabhupada’s instruction in a 19
By Madhava Smullen
Bhagavat Seva, an ISKCON Silicon Valley project with the motto “Distributing Ancient Wisdom Through Education” is offering online Sunday School, and using the course fees to distribute full Srimad-Bhagavatam sets. Coordinators also hope that the program can be replicated by devotees in their local areas first nationwide, and eventually internationally.
Read more: https://iskconnews.org/bhagavat-seva-sunday-school-uses-course-fees-to-distribute-bhagavatam-sets,7760/
In Canto Twelve of Srimad-Bhagavatam, Bhumi, Mother Earth, says this: “Although in the past great men and their descendants have left me, departing from this world in the same helpless way they came into it, even today foolish men are trying to conquer me. For the sake of conquering me, materialistic persons fight one another. Fathers oppose their sons, and brothers fight one another because their hearts are bound to possessing political power. Political leaders challenge one another: ‘All this
In Canto Twelve of Srimad-Bhagavatam, Bhumi, Mother Earth, says this: “Although in the past great men and their descendants have left me, departing from this world in the same helpless way they came into it, even today foolish men are trying to conquer me. For the sake of conquering me, materialistic persons fight one another. Fathers oppose their sons, and brothers fight one another because their hearts are bound to possessing political power. Political leaders challenge one another: ‘All this
The greatness and sweetness of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam and the right mood of approaching it
by Gauranga Darshan Das
A multitalented person could do many things alone and even simultaneously. But have you ever heard of a book that does multitasking like this? Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam does. Because Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is also a person, non-different from the
Supremely powerful Person Kṛṣṇa.
God descends to save the devotees, destroy the demons and reestablish dharma (BG 4.8). For these purposes, He appears as Ma
