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On Remembering Srila Prabhupada

Myself and many others practically perceive how the relationship with the spiritual master is not based on physical presence. I joined ISKCON as a young kid in 1975, when it was already a big world-wide organization. There was no question of just walking up to Srila Prabhupada and talking to him, nor even of getting an appointment to see him. We could attend lectures and darsanas, but felt (and were) too insignificant to ask him a question, even in the public forum

PRABHUPADA'S QUOTE OF THE DAY

"We take a newspaper and we read what the politician says, so many nonsense things. We waste our time. Srama eva hi kevalam. We should increase our taste for hearing and chanting about Visnu, Krishna."

Vrindavan, March 31, 1976

On Remembering Srila Prabhupada

Remembering Srila Prabhupada is not just a sentiment or a fancy to be indulged in from time to time. It is the very essence of our existence.

Not only when reading, but throughout the day, every day, remembrance of Srila Prabhupada continues as we serve his mission. If we are not still associating with Srila Prabhupada, then what are we living for and what are we preaching about? My relationship with Srila Prabhupada is not limited to memories of a few incidents tha

Srimad-Bhagavatam - Canto 2 Chapter 3 Text 8
dharmartha uttama-slokam
tantuh tanvan pitrn yajet
raksa-kamah punya-janan
ojas-kamo marud-ganan

dharma-arthah -- for spiritual advancement; uttama-slokam -- the Supreme Lord or persons attached to the Supreme Lord; tantuh -- for offspring; tanvan -- and for their protection; pitrn -- the residents of Pitrloka; yajet -- must worship; raksa-kamah -- one who desires protection; punya-janan -- pious persons; ojah-kamah -- one who desires strength should worsh

Srimad-Bhagavatam - Canto 2 Chapter 3 Text 2-7
brahma-varcasa-kamas tu
yajeta brahmanah patim
indram indriya-kamas tu
praja-kamah prajapatin
devim mayam tu sri-kamas
tejas-kamo vibhavasum
vasu-kamo vasun rudran
virya-kamo 'tha viryavan
annadya-kamas tv aditim
svarga-kamo 'diteh sutan
visvan devan rajya-kamah
sadhyan samsadhako visam
ayus-kamo 'svinau devau
pusti-kama ilam yajet
pratistha-kamah puruso
rodasi loka-matarau
rupabhikamo gandharvan
stri-kamo 'psara urvasim
adhipatya-kamah sarvesam
yajeta paramesthinam
yaj

Srimad-Bhagavatam - Canto 2 Chapter 3 Text 1
sri-suka uvaca
evam etan nigaditam
prstavan yad bhavan mama
nrnam yan mriyamananam
manusyesu manisinam

sri-sukah uvaca -- Sri Sukadeva Gosvami said; evam -- so; etat -- all these; nigaditam -- answered; prstavan -- as you inquired; yat -- what; bhavan -- your good self; mama -- unto me; nrnam -- of the human being; yat -- one; mriyamananam -- on the threshold of death; manusyesu -- amongst the human beings; manisinam -- of the intelligent men.

TRANSLATION

Sri

प्रेम की हर पराकाष्ठा तो

दर्शा गए हैं कृष्ण कन्हैया

माँ-बेटे का प्रेम दिखाया

चाहे देवकी हो या यशोदा मैया

राधा से प्रेम के लिए

वो तो है जग - जाहिर

हर रिश्ते को निभाने में

रहे हैं वो माहिर

रुक्मणी को भी दिए

उसके अधिकार सारे

सबको प्यार दिया

जिसके भी थे वो प्यारे

द्रोपदी की लाज बचायी

जब थी वो संकट में घोर

उस समय उसकी नैया थामी

जब दिया था सबने भँवर में छोड़

मित्रता की मशाल दे गए

वो सुदामा संग निभाकर

कोई कर नही पाया ऐसा मित्र-प्रेम

आज तक उससे आगे जाकर

अर्जुन से इतना प्रेम कि

दे गए गीता का ज्ञान

इसमे छुपा था प्रेम मानव - मा

भक्ति का मतलब

है सम्पूर्ण समर्पण

हर कार्य हो बस

प्रभु चरणों में अर्पण

न शंका न शक

न विचलन

न भटकन

बस प्रभु का

श्रवन

स्मरण

और कीर्तन

न मोह

न माया

न ही कोई

बंधन

नित्य प्रतिपल

बस प्रभु का

अभिनन्दन

उनकी उपस्थिति

का आभास

कराये

कण - कण

उनकी लीलाओं

का आस्वादन

उनके नाम

का भजन

उनके लिए

रुदन

उनके लिए

क्रंदन

व्याकुल हो

हर क्षण

उनके लिए

अंतर्मन

खुली आँखों से

दर्शन

स्वप्न में भी हो

उन्ही से मिलन

ISKCON Mayapur Introduces New “Festival of Bliss”


Beginning this year, organizers at ISKCON’s headquarters in Mayapur, India, are establishing an annual early summer festival dubbed “Festival of Bliss.”

The growing spiritual city is already host to ISKCON’s biggest international event, the world-famous Mayapur Gaura Purnima Festival, which runs for two weeks every spring during February/March.

However leaders say that there can never be too many festivals. “In the spiritual world, festivals are tak

Srimad-Bhagavatam - Canto 2 Chapter 2 Text 37
pibanti ye bhagavata atmanah satam
kathamrtam sravana-putesu sambhrtam
punanti te visaya-vidusitasayam
vrajanti tac-carana-saroruhantikam

pibanti -- who drink; ye -- those; bhagavatah -- of the Personality of Godhead; atmanah -- of the most dear; satam -- of devotees; katha-amrtam -- the nectar of the messages; sravana-putesu -- within the earholes; sambhrtam -- fully filled; punanti -- purify; te -- their; visaya -- material enjoyment; vidusita-asayam --

Srimad-Bhagavatam - Canto 2 Chapter 2 Text 36
tasmat sarvatmana rajan
harih sarvatra sarvada
srotavyah kirtitavyas ca
smartavyo bhagavan nrnam

tasmat -- therefore; sarva -- all; atmana -- soul; rajan -- O King; harih -- the Lord; sarvatra -- everywhere; sarvada -- always; srotavyah -- must be heard; kirtitavyah -- glorified; ca -- also; smartavyah -- be remembered; bhagavan -- the Personality of Godhead; nrnam -- by the human being.

TRANSLATION

O King, it is therefore essential that every human being h

Srimad-Bhagavatam - Canto 2 Chapter 2 Text 35
bhagavan sarva-bhutesu
laksitah svatmana harih
drsyair buddhy-adibhir drasta
laksanair anumapakaih

bhagavan -- the Personality of Godhead; sarva -- all; bhutesu -- in the living entities; laksitah -- is visible; sva-atmana -- along with the self; harih -- the Lord; drsyaih -- by what is seen; buddhi-adibhih -- by intelligence; drasta -- one who sees; laksanaih -- by different signs; anumapakaih -- by hypothesis.

TRANSLATION

The Personality of Godhead Lord S

Srimad-Bhagavatam - Canto 2 Chapter 2 Text 34
bhagavan brahma kartsnyena
trir anviksya manisaya
tad adhyavasyat kuta-stho
ratir atman yato bhavet

bhagavan -- the great personality Brahma; brahma -- the Vedas; kartsnyena -- by summarization; trih -- three times; anviksya -- scrutinizingly examined; manisaya -- with scholarly attention; tat -- that; adhyavasyat -- ascertained it; kuta-sthah -- with concentration of the mind; ratih -- attraction; atman (atmani)-unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead Sr

Then and Now: My Past and Present Lives

Sometimes devotees ask about my life before meeting Srila Prabhupada, but I don't like to tell them. There are so many conditioned souls wandering in the universe, and there is no value in hearing about one more. For those who really want to know my previous life history, here it is: I was a dog. I still am a dog, but now I am Srila Prabhupada's dog. His mercy is all I am made of.

A practical example of varna-sankara is the hippies. No caste, no creed, neith