In Kali-yuga (the present age), materialism is rampant, knowing no bounds. The mind is flickering, restless, untamed, sick and perverse. A restless mind cannot meditate; an untamed mind is incapable of the performance of sacrifices and a sick, perverted mind is unfit for puja and worship. A diseased person cannot serve properly. Therefore, in the Kali-yuga, the only panacea for material misery is nama-sankirtana, the chanting of the Holy Names of Sri Hari. This is the medicine that Sri Bhagavan

So I, as spirit soul, I am individual, existing. I shall continue to exist as individual in this material world either as human being or as an animal or as demigod, or a tree, plants, fish, aquatics -- so many. Jalaja nava-laksani sthavara laksa-vimsati. So this is going on. This is material world. And if you go to the spiritual world, yad gatva na nivartante tad dhama paramam mama [Bg. 15.6]. The difference... What is the difference between the spiritual world and the material world? The differ

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Plan-Making For More Suffering

Srila Prabhupada is showing us how the material intelligence is misused for more and more suffering in his lecture on 12/17/76 in Hyderabad on Bhagavad-gita 3.25:

There are two classes of men: vidvan - learned, and the fools - not learned, known as the fool. Human being, they are, of course, very intelligent

Punching Purports by Srila Prabhupada

This tie of affection in terms of material relation is the relation of maya because the relations of the body or the mind are due to the influence of the external energy. Relations of the soul, established in relation with the Supreme Soul, are factual relations. When Kuntidevi wanted to cut off the family relation, she meant to cut off the relation of the skin. The skin relation is the cause of mate

Temple Room Etiquette

Temple room etiquette is described in detail by Srila Prabhupada in his Nectar of Devotion.

Other Quotes from Srila Prabhupada

Another thing I request is that everything in the Temple should be kept nice and clean. Everyone should wash hands before touching anything of Krsna's. We should always remember that Krsna is the purest and similarly only the purest can associate with Him. Cleanliness is next to Godliness.

SP letter to Nandarani and Krsna Devi (October 4, 1967)

[In arcan

Etiquette in Management

Correcting Others

Dressing Like a Vaishnava

Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu said, "A first class Vaisnava is he whose very presence makes others chant the Holy Name of Krsna." CC. Madhya-lila 16.74

1. There should be no compromise in our Vaisnava appearance. We are representatives of Srila Prabhupada. We should aim to be first class representatives. 2. We need to be aware of the bonafide standard of appearance, maintain it and preach it. In the age of Kali deviations easily become the standard. We should be alert to this.

Vaishnava Aparadhas

"In Krsna consciousness every man is so important because all of the activities of a devotee of Lord Krsna is beneficial to all living entities." SP letter to Sivananda (June 15, 1969)

The Greatness of A Vaishnava Quotes from Hari-Bhakti-Vilasa 1. Devotees of Hari are very rare in the age of Kali. The position of the devotee is more elevated than the position of Lord Brahma and Lord Rudra. 2. The presence of a devotee at the time of death elevates even the killer of a brahmana

Treating Women as Mothers

In distributing love of Godhead, Caitanya Mahaprabhu and His associates did not consider who was a fit candidate and who was not, nor where such distribution should or should not take place. They made no conditions. CC. Adi-lila 7.23

1. In essence, duality means that we forget that we are part and parcel of Krsna. We want to enjoy separately from Him, we want to play the controller. This controlling tendency culminates in sex desire. 2. Man/woman concept is synonymous wit

Etiquette with in Relationships

1. The Vaishnava society is very meticulously structured, where the juniors always respect seniors and juniors always receive affection and blessings from the seniors. 2. The Vaishnava society is structured according to varnasrama, brahmana, ksatriya, vaisya and sudra; and sannyasi, vanaprastha, grhastha and brahmacari. 3. There are considerations of seniority according to initiation among Godbrothers. Devotees who have received initiation earlier are considered se

More on the Behavior of a Vaishnava

It is the characteristic of a devotee to observe and protect the Vaishnava etiquette. Maintenance of the Vaishnava etiquette is the ornament of a devotee. CC. Antya-lila 4.129-130.

1. The consciousness of a devotee is manifested by his actions. 2. If one has any depth of realization, the jewels of Vaishnava behavior will naturally pace all of his dealings and activities. 3. We need to be aware that the vast majority of our exchanges are with devotees and the inn

Basic Principles of Vaishnava Behavior

Vaishnava etiquettes are not superficial or un-essential. Having heard all these details, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, greatly pleased, spoke as follows:

tathapi bhakta-svabhava-maryada-raksana maryada-palana haya sadhura bhusana

"My dear Sanatana, although you are the deliverer of the entire universe and although even the demigods and great saints are purified by touching you, it is the characteristic of a devotee to observe and to protect the Vaishnava etiquette

My Lord and Master His Divine Grace
(Composed on 62nd. Birth anniversary of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakur)
By His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhpada
Bengali poem translation by H.H. Sri Bhakti Charu Swami Maharaj

                        

1
Adore adore ye all the happy day
Blessed than heaven, sweeter than May
When he appeared at Puri, the holy place
My Lord and Master, His Divine Grace

se shubhodiner aradhana kore jagore jagat-vasi
chaitra madhur, swarga-medur shubha laganera rashi
y

How to Become a Devotee

(Compiled from notes on lectures of H. H. Mahavishnu Goswami)

Recently I was listening to a wonderful lecture on Srimad Bhagavad gita verse 9.34, by our beloved Guru Maharaja and I would like to share the transcendental messages for the benefit of all the readers.

Srimad Bhagavad gita 9.34:
man-manaa bhava mad-bhakto
mad-yaaji maam namaskuru
maam evaisyasi yuktvaivam
aatmaanam mat-paraayanah
"Engage your mind always in thinking of Me, become My devotee, o

So kalpa-taru means whatever you want you can get from that tree. Because everything is spiritual. For example, he can give you... Just like you are a spiritual being, I am also a spiritual being. If I say, "Bring me a glass of water." You'll bring. "Give me some fruit." You'll give me. "Bring this." You'll bring. Because you are spirit soul, you can supply me whatever I want. This is the spiritual idea.

So when there is no material obstacles, then the spiritual world can be utilized for any pur

So, as I said in my previous day blog, that since, it was almost 2 AM, Kanai Thakur Prabhu announced that it was not compulsory for us to attend the morning Mangal aarti but how can we be in that place and dare miss a Mangal aarti? Most of us were there in the temple hall. J

The first look at Radha Madhav was magnificent. I could bet, all of us fell in love with them. Now, that is what I would call as love in first sight. :)

The Mangal Aarti would start with Radha Madhav and Panchtattva simultaneo