If one does a nirjala fast for Janmastami, highly recommended, then after Sunrise one can take non-grain prasada and then fast from grains till Prabhupada's feast celebration, thus both fasts are observed.
If one has taken non-grain prasada on Janmastami then one can't take prasada again till the Prabhupada feast.
The sastric paran or break fast rules for Janmastami are as follows:
1. After the Janmastami festival (around 12.45) Grains are strictly forbidden.
2. After the astami tithi ending, 3
TEXT 21
bahya-sparsesv asaktatma
vindaty atmani yat sukham
sa brahma-yoga-yuktatma
sukham aksayam asnute
SYNONYMS
bahya-sparsesu--in external sense pleasure; asakta-atma--one who is not so attached; vindati--enjoys; atmani--in the self; yat--that which; sukham--happiness; sah--that; brahma-yoga--concentrated in Brahman; yukta-atma--self-connected; sukham--happiness; aksayam--unlimited; asnute--enjoys.
TRANSLATION
Such a liberated person is not attracted to material sense pleasure or external object
Those who bring Krishna in their lives invite auspiciousness in their lives. In Srimad Bhagavatam 1.5.17 it is described, “If someone gives up all material prospects and takes complete shelter of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, there is no loss or degradation in any way.” Krishna loves everyone equally but he is more favorably inclined towards those who are his devotees. “Those who follow this imperishable path of devotional service and who completely engage themselves with faith, making Me
So to find out a bona fide guru is not difficult, provided one is bona fide to search out a guru. Therefore Caitanya Mahaprabhu said, guru-krsna-krpaya paya bhakti-lata-bija [Cc. Madhya 19.151]. By the mercy of guru and Krsna... Because by the mercy of Krsna one gets a bona fide guru, and by the mercy of bona fide guru, one gets Krsna. This is the process. When I am actually serious to have connection with Krsna, Krsna is sitting in everyone's heart. Isvarah sarva-bhutanam hrd-dese 'rjuna tistha
Hare Krsna
Please accept my humble obeisance. All glories to Srila Prabhupada
Hare Krsna
Please accept my humble obeisance. All glories to Srila Prabhupada
Hare Krsna
Please accept my humble obeisance. All glories to Srila Prabhupada
Bhagavan Sri Krishna's most favorite pastime is , the interaction with His Bhaktas. This is known as *Krishna-leela*. Like a loving Parent, Bhagavan cares for His Bhaktas and guide them to success . Sometimes, Bhagavan pretends not to notice the Bhakta.However, the Bhakta should not get discouraged , but should continue his/her Bhakti-yoga with increased vigor .
Bhagavan Sri Krishna says in Srimad Bhagavad Gita (9.29-31
Hare Krsna
Please accept my humble obeisance. All glories to Srila Prabhupada
Hare Krsna
Please accept my humble obeisance. All glories to Srila Prabhupada
Lecture on How to conquer our greatest enemy within us by Bhakti Vasudeva Swami on 01 Sep 2011 at Detroit
(His Holiness Bhakti Vasudeva Swami joined ISKCON, Nigeria, in 1984 as a disciple of His Holiness Bhakti Tirtha Swami. He holds a master's degree in Philosophy and Education with a major in Critical and Creative Thinking (CACT) from AICCACOI/Montclair State University, New Jersey, USA.)
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Seminar on Happiness Simplified by Bhakti Charu Swami
(Bhakti Charu Swami is from a Bengali family and spent most of his early childhood in urban Kolkata. He met with Srila Prabhupada at the end of 1976 after a long and intense search for a spiritual teacher. )
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TEXT 20
na prahrsyet priyam prapya
nodvijet prapya capriyam
sthira-buddhir asammudho
brahma-vid brahmani sthitah
SYNONYMS
na--never; prahrsyet--rejoice; priyam--pleasant; prapya--achieving; na--does not; udvijet--agitated; prapya--obtaining; ca--also; apriyam--unpleasant; sthira-buddhih--self-intelligent; asammudhah--unbewildered; brahma-vit--one who knows the Supreme perfectly; brahmani--in the transcendence; sthitah--situated.
TRANSLATION
A person who neither rejoices upon achieving something ple
Seminar on Vaisnava Personalities by Bhakti Caitanya Swami
(Bhakti Caitanya Swami initially served in the Bhaktivedanta Book Trust and also distributed Srila Prabhupada’s books from 1973 until 1980.Then Bhakti Caitanya Swami moved to South Africa, where, from 1980 to 1982, he served as temple president in the rural community of Cato Ridge.)
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Lecture on After Death by Jayadvaita Swami on 26 Feb 2013 at Durban
(Jayadvaita Swami is editor, publisher, and teacher. He is a disciple of His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Founder-Acharya of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness.)
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This service should be spontaneous, not forced. Just like a father loves his son spontaneously. A young man likes to love a young girl spontaneously. So bhakti should be like that. As soon as one hears the name of Krsna, immediately, spontaneously, he should be ready to serve Him. That is pure devotion. Not that forced. In the beginning, we have to force, that "You rise early in the morning. There is mangala aratrika. You have to perform it." But when this function will be done spontaneously, "O
For many, giving up old bad habits appears to be impossible. Subconsciously we convince ourselves that it is impossible for me to give up my habits. “I am like that only”, we often fret. It is true that changing old habits isn’t so easy. And so we compromise and start seeking pleasure or relief by indulging in those activities. The more we indulge in bad habits the more that habit gets reinforced in our life. A smoker knows that smoking is injurious to health but he is so accustomed to smoking t
