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A Loving God

Posted by Saci Gaurasundara Dasa on September 28, 2011 at 9:05am

A loving GodWhen we see people suffering terribly, it is bewildering. Why is Goddoing this to people? Superficially, it seems very cruel and unfair.However, the reality is altogether different.Every action must have an equal and opposite reaction. That is the lawof karma. Suffering and miseries are the manifestation of ourindulgence in sinful activities from the past. We may or may notremember those.This stringent law of karma, designed and orchestrated by God, is Hisunmotivated, uninterrupted l

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It's time to get serious

Posted by Saci Gaurasundara Dasa on September 28, 2011 at 9:05am

It's time to get serious about spiritual life. It does not make sense to waste any more time unnecessarily engaged in material sense gratification. Serve your bodily needs only inasmuch as you require to stay healthy. The balance energy you should fully devote to the self-realization process. If you don't get serious about awakening your actual identity, you won't become self-realized, and you will remain suffering in the cycle of repeated birth and death. Is this what you want?Sankarshan Das Ad

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Be willing to take advice

Posted by Saci Gaurasundara Dasa on September 28, 2011 at 9:04am

Be willing to take adviceOnce upon a time, there were three people who went to watch drama together. One of them was far-sighted, another one had a hearing problem, and the other had a twisted head.After the show, they were judging the drama.“Today’s show had great singers, but the costume design was poor,” said the person who had farsightedness.“The costume was perfect, but the sound was too low,” said the person who had hearing problem.“The sound was loud and the costume was fine. Everything w

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Kriya Occupational Duty

Posted by Saci Gaurasundara Dasa on September 28, 2011 at 9:03am

Ritualistic Performances Vs Spiritual Engagements please post them for the benefit of all group members.One's occupational duty is prescribed in Bhagavad-gita. As already discussed in previous verses, the duties of a brahmana, ksatriya, vaisya and sudra are prescribed according to their particular modes of nature. One should not imitate another's duty. A man who is by nature attracted to the kind of work done by sudras should not artificially claim to be a brahmana, although he may have been bor

Tribute to Gopiparanadhana Prabhu by H H Radhanath Swami

Posted by ISKCON Desire Tree on September 27, 2011 at 5:30pm

I am beside myself with grief and am speechless while trying to digest the reality that His Grace Gopiparanadhana Prabhu has been taken away by Krishna. Krishna’s plan is always perfect but when it manifests in the passing away of such an intimate, loving Godbrother as Gopiparanadhana Prabhu it is painful. But our solace is in our deep confidence that he has attained the ultimate perfection of life, entrance into Radha Giridhari’s eternal lila.Gopiparanadhana Prabhu was an all-attractive persona

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Thought Of The Day

Posted by Shalabh Gupta on September 27, 2011 at 9:29am

The devotee does not long for any respect for his service. He is ready to offer all respect to others, but for himself, he does not want any respect.Freedom by surrenderBy H.H. Gopal Krishna Goswami Maharaj

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Japa Tips

Posted by Saci Gaurasundara Dasa on September 27, 2011 at 9:10am

Japa Tips1.Chant early in the morning, if possible 5 to 7 am2.Chant along with Srila Prabhupada's japa tape3.Chant with good chanters (when possible)4.Record your chanting so you can hear whether you skip syllables5.Read at least one inspiring text a day from Srila Prabhupada's books aboutchanting (like the compilation "The Nectar of the Holy Name")6.After each 16 rounds, write down in your journal how many rounds you haveactually heard7.Chant all 16 round in one go (this is very powerful!)8.Abo

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If you find yourself in a hole, stop digging

Posted by Saci Gaurasundara Dasa on September 27, 2011 at 9:07am

A great football coach once said,” Just because you’re doing something wrong, doing it more intensely won’t help.”Yet, how often do we do just that? We are making a mistake, getting ourselves into trouble – and, instead of backing off, reflecting, and doing it differently, we roll up our sleeves and do the very same thing even more intensely!The same pattern exists in many areas of our lives. Many people have a great deal of conflict to manage. Whenever a potential new conflict arises, or the en

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Where Can I Find a Spiritual Master?

Posted by Saci Gaurasundara Dasa on September 27, 2011 at 9:06am

Question: Where Can I Find a Spiritual Master?I am reading in the Bhagavad-gita that one is supposed to have a spiritual master, that the spiritual path becomes very easy when one has a spiritual master. Can you help me to find a spiritual master?KusumAnswer: You're Asking Guru Where to Find Guru.You are asking the spiritual master where you can find a spiritual master.Sankarshan Das Adhikari

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Remembering Srila Prabhupada - Uncompromising preaching

Posted by Saci Gaurasundara Dasa on September 27, 2011 at 9:05am

Uncompromising preachingAfter the lecture, during the time set aside for questions, a short-haired, serious-looking young man made a bold statement that surprised the audience: he had decided to live forever! Prabhupada assured him that this was impossible. "You cannot be eternal. This is a material body."The young man offered a possible scenario: "Why not make the material spiritual? Why not make everything 'all-conscious'."Prabhupada conceded that if one became Krsna conscious then he could ma

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Srimad-Bhagavatam - Canto 3 Chapter 3 Text 11

Posted by Saci Gaurasundara Dasa on September 27, 2011 at 9:05am

Srimad-Bhagavatam - Canto 3 Chapter 3 Text 11sambaram dvividam banammuram balvalam eva caanyams ca dantavakradinavadhit kams ca ghatayatsambaram -- Sambara; dvividam -- Dvivida; banam -- Bana; muram -- Mura; balvalam -- Balvala; eva ca -- as also; anyan -- others; ca -- also; dantavakra-adin -- like Dantavakra and others; avadhit -- killed; kan ca -- and many others; ghatayat -- caused to be killed.TRANSLATIONOf kings like Sambara, Dvivida, Bana, Mura, Balvala and many other demons, such as Dant

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Everyday newspapers are flooded with news of both joy and sorrow. Why are people destined to the experiences they receive?

Posted by Saci Gaurasundara Dasa on September 27, 2011 at 9:04am

Radhanath Swami decodes KarmaQuestion to Radhanath Swami: Everyday newspapers are flooded with news of both joy and sorrow. Why are people destined to the experiences they receive?Radhanath Swami Answers: The system of this world has been created by the divine but within the system we create our destiny. The divine hand of lord has created the laws of Karma. If we act sinfully then our destiny will be to suffer and if we act piously then our destiny will be to enjoy. What we have done in our pre

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Spiritual Perfection Before Initiation?

Posted by Saci Gaurasundara Dasa on September 27, 2011 at 9:01am

Question: Spiritual Perfection Before Initiation?Even before initiation can a person become a pure devotee of Lord Krishna by sincere chanting, proper listening, reading Vedic scriptures, and loving service to devotees and the spiritual master?SunilAnswer: All Steps Must Be Completed for Perfection.The process of becoming a pure devotee consists of nine steps as described by Srila Prabhupada and Srila Rupa Goswami:1. Faith in the self-realization process2. Association with devotees3. Initiation

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Avoid the Fallacious Mayavadis

Posted by Saci Gaurasundara Dasa on September 27, 2011 at 9:00am

A Mayavadi is someone who sticks to the principle that the form of God is maya or an illusion. The Mayavadis use very sophisticated world jugglery to try to establish their false conclusion. Those who are not learned in the Vedic wisdom can easily be razzle-dazzled or misled by Mayavadi philosophy. Here is a classic example of their philosophy as stated by a popular Mayavadi guru:I am that Brahman which is bliss, which is eternal, effulgent, all-pervasive, the substratum of names and forms, whic

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Anugraha: gaining the favor of the offended party

Posted by Saci Gaurasundara Dasa on September 27, 2011 at 9:00am

An illustration of how the principle of anugraha works is this: Someone steals your car. Later you find out who it was, and the thief knows that youknow. The thief comes to your house and very humbly apologizes, "I did it. I made a mistake. I wasnt in a proper state of mind, but I did do it and I begforgiveness." The owner of the car forgives the thief. That is ksama, forgiveness. Anugraha, gaining the favor of the offended party, is different. In the act of forgiveness one has given up anger or

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Vanaprasta Asrama and Tapasya

Posted by Saci Gaurasundara Dasa on September 27, 2011 at 8:57am

In Bhagavad-gita it is recommended that even though one enters the renounced order of life, he still cannot give up the performance of yajna, dana and tapasya. They are never to be given up. Tapasya is meant for the renounced order of life; those who are retired from worldly activities should perform tapasya, penances and austerities. Those who are in the material world, the ksatriyas and vaisyas, must give charity. Brahmacaris, in the beginning of their lives, should perform different kinds of

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Thought Of The Day

Posted by Shalabh Gupta on September 26, 2011 at 4:44pm

Bhakti-yoga system is to engage the senses and the mind in Krsnas service. If your mind is engaged in Krsnas service, then there is very little scope for the mind being diverted from it. It diverts, but if you practice, then Krsna will help you.(Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.15.41), Los Angeles, 19.12.1973by H.D.G. Srila Prabhupada

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Self-Confidence for a Devotee?

Posted by Saci Gaurasundara Dasa on September 26, 2011 at 9:06am

Question: Self-Confidence for a Devotee?

Dear Guru Maharaja: Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada. Can you give me some guidance on self-confidence? What's the relation between Krishna consciousness and self-confidence, and how to be self-confident in Krishna consciousness? Once you told me the main thing in business is my self-confidence, not what I eat. After I graduate, I find that self-confidence is important in both spreading Krishna consciousness and in sales job

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Remembering Srila Prabhupada - Evening class

Posted by Saci Gaurasundara Dasa on September 26, 2011 at 9:05am

Evening class

After evening arati, Srila Prabhupada spoke in the temple room packed with guests and devotees on Bhagavad-gita, Chapter 9 verse 2 -- one of Prabhupada's favourite verses:

raja-vidya raja-guhyam
pavitram idam uttamam
pratyaksavagamam dharmyam
su-sukham kartum avyayam.

"This knowledge is the king of education, the most secret of all secrets. It is the purest knowledge, and because it gives direct perception of the self by realisation, it is the perfection of religion. It is everlasting, a

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Srimad-Bhagavatam - Canto 3 Chapter 3 Text 10

Posted by Saci Gaurasundara Dasa on September 26, 2011 at 9:05am

Srimad-Bhagavatam - Canto 3 Chapter 3 Text 10
kala-magadha-salvadin
anikai rundhatah puram
ajighanat svayam divyam
sva-pumsam teja adisat

kala -- Kalayavana; magadha -- the King of Magadha (Jarasandha); salva -- King Salva; adin -- and others; anikaih -- by the soldiers; rundhatah -- being encircled; puram -- the city of Mathura; ajighanat -- killed; svayam -- personally; divyam -- transcendental; sva-pumsam -- of His own men; tejah -- prowess; adisat -- exhibited.

TRANSLATION
Kalayavana, the King of M

Blog

All Posts (35652)

A Loving God

It's time to get serious

Be willing to take advice

Kriya Occupational Duty

Tribute to Gopiparanadhana Prabhu by H H Radhanath Swami

Thought Of The Day

Japa Tips

If you find yourself in a hole, stop digging

Where Can I Find a Spiritual Master?

Remembering Srila Prabhupada - Uncompromising preaching

Srimad-Bhagavatam - Canto 3 Chapter 3 Text 11

Everyday newspapers are flooded with news of both joy and sorrow. Why are people destined to the experiences they receive?

Spiritual Perfection Before Initiation?

Avoid the Fallacious Mayavadis

Anugraha: gaining the favor of the offended party

Vanaprasta Asrama and Tapasya

Thought Of The Day

Self-Confidence for a Devotee?

Remembering Srila Prabhupada - Evening class

Srimad-Bhagavatam - Canto 3 Chapter 3 Text 10

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