Busting The Myths and Misconceptions About Lord Krishna

This essay has been written by Pranjal Joshi. Feedback can be given to the writer at pranjal280@gmail.com

It was more than 5000 years ago that Lord Krishna personally descended on this Earth as the Supreme Personality of Godhead, to bless his devotees, punish the miscreants, spread the Divine knowledge and to establish law and order.

Shri Krishna appeared in Mathura as a son of Nand and Devaki. His birthday is celebrated every year as ‘Janma

Sometimes I have had dreams wherein I’m caught in a situation that seems to have no solution. For example, I have found myself where I am staying in a hotel, but this hotel is huge, with many floors of rooms, an arena for sports games, stages for entertainment, plus shops, restaurants, and all kinds of amenities, with crowds of people everywhere. I check in and then I am supposed to find my room. Or maybe I have already checked in and reached my room, but after wandering around the place, I can’

In the Bhagavatam, there are twelve individuals considered Mahajan and Yamaraj is one among them. Vidura, Yamaraj’s sudra incarnation, is not explicitly mentioned as a Mahajan. For punishing Mundaka Muni, Yamaraj was cursed by the Muni to become a sudra (lower birth).  Is there a reason why Yamaraj punished Mundaka Muni?  Should we consider Vidura a Mahajan as well, since Yamaraj is a Mahajan? Does Vidura possess the traits necessary to qualify as a Mahajan?

Mundaka Muni was wrongly arrested al

Today is Guru-purnima. Srila Prabhupada has explained that the system of honoring the spiritual master is current in all sections of Vedic followers. In the Mayavadi (impersonalist) sects, the disciples offer respect to the spiritual master once a year, on Guru-purnima. And in the Gaudiya Vaishnava sampradaya, the disciples offer homage annually on the appearance day of the spiritual master, called Vyasa-puja because the spiritual master represents Vedavyasa, the empowered incarnation of Krishn

By Puskar das

In 1956, I moved from one area of Brooklyn (near the temple) to the Benson Hurst area, where I entered fifth grade. Peter Viggiani (a.k.a. Kusakratha) was in my class for the next two years. He also attended the same junior high as I, and we shared some of the same classes. For approximately 5 years we were good friends. He was always quite eccentric and didn’t appear to have many other friends.
“
Those who knew "Kusa” found him to be a bit of an avadhuta, and he was no less so i

The Lord’s Potencies are inconceivable (acintya): That which cannot be thought of, understood, imagined or believed. While taking Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma to Mathura, and taking bath in the Yamunā, what Akrura saw in the water was four-armed Lord Vāsudeva. His complexion was dark blue like a fresh raincloud, He wore yellow garments and He lay on the lap of thousand-hooded Ananta Śeṣa. Lord Vāsudeva was receiving the prayers of perfected beings, celestial serpents and demons, and He was encircled by H

From Back to Godhead

A gang intent on stealing Lord Nityananda’s jewelry eventually surrenders to Him, and He mercifully awards them pure love of God.

When I was eight or nine years old, my parents took me to the Smithsonian museums in Washington, D.C. After meandering through myriad halls and galleries, we came across an exhibit of valuable gemstones in the Museum of Natural History. I remember being particularly struck by the famous Hope Diamond, a large bluish diamond pendant surrounded by s

Soon will be Guru-purnima. Srila Prabhupada has explained that the system of honoring the spiritual master is current in all sections of Vedic followers. In the Mayavadi (impersonalist) sects, the disciples offer respect to the spiritual master every year on Guru-purnima. And in the Gaudiya Vaisnava sampradaya, the disciples offer homage annually on the appearance day of the spiritual master; this occasion is called Vyasa-puja, because the spiritual master represents Vedavyasa, the empowered in

Speaker: HH Lokanath Swami
SB: 11.5.32
Date: 16 Feb 2018
Mayapur Dhama
 

Verse

kṛṣṇa-varṇaṁ tviṣākṛṣṇaṁ
 sāṅgopāṅgāstra-pārṣadam
yajñaiḥ saṅkīrtana-prāyair
 yajanti hi su-medhasaḥ

Translation

In the Age of Kali, intelligent persons perform congregational chanting to worship the incarnation of Godhead who constantly sings the names of Kṛṣṇa. Although His complexion is not blackish, He is Kṛṣṇa Himself. He is accompanied by His associates, servants, weapons and confidential companions.

Purport:

T

"A natural human sentiment, compassion finds its highest expression in the works of devotees of the Lord.
The tenderness of the heart experienced toward Krishna is known as bhakti. All other jivas are servants of Krishna. When one experiences tenderness of heart toward them, it is known as daya, compassion. Therefore, compassion is included within bhakti."

Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura, Jaiva Dharma, p. 179

I was aware of the concept of compassion before I met Srila Prabhupada. While studying at Br

By Giriraj Swami

Today is Guru-purnima. Srila Prabhupada has explained that the system of honoring the spiritual master is current in all sections of Vedic followers. In the Mayavadi (impersonalist) sects, the disciples offer respect to the spiritual master every year on Guru-purnima. And in the Gaudiya Vaisnava sampradaya, the disciples offer homage annually on the appearance day of the spiritual master; this occasion is called Vyasa-puja, because the spiritual master represents Vedavyasa, the

By Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakura

The holy command of Shri Guru has been that we shall serve Godhead in association with one another. By the word ‘we’ he did not mean any one individual. There are many persons who are very selfish, indeed. They say, ‘I alone shall serve. It is incumbent on me alone. No one else has any claim to join me in my service of Godhead.’ But the kind heart of Shri Gurudeva says, ‘Come, let all of us jointly worship Godhead by giving up malice.’ The service of G

By Mohini Radha Devi Dasi

A gang intent on stealing Lord Nityananda’s jewelry eventually surrenders to Him, and He mercifully awards them pure love of God.

When I was eight or nine years old, my parents took me to the Smithsonian museums in Washington, D.C. After meandering through myriad halls and galleries, we came across an exhibit of valuable gemstones in the Museum of Natural History. I remember being particularly struck by the famous Hope Diamond, a large bluish diamond pendant surrounde

HH Radhanath Swami:

Om Namo Bhagavate Vasudevaya
Om Namo Bhagavate Vasudevaya
Om Namo Bhagavate Vasudevaya.

mantratas tantratas chidram
desa-kalarha-vastutah
sarvam karoti nischidram
anusankirtanam tava

(word to word meaning is read)

TRANSLATION: There may be discrepancies in pronouncing the mantras and observing the regulative principles, and, moreover, there may be discrepancies in regard to time, place, person and paraphernalia. But when Your Lordship's holy name is chanted, everything

Hare Krsna

Please accept my humble obeisance. All glories to Srila Prabhupada

Hare Krsna

Please accept my humble obeisance. All glories to Srila Prabhupada

Srila Gopal Bhatta Goswami

The all merciful Lord Sri Gaur Hari, as He travelled from village to
village throughout the south of India, continued to distribute love of
Godhead wherever He went. Hearing the nectarean names of Hari from His
lotus mouth, thousands and thousands men and women felt relief from the
blazing fire of material existence. Various wretched, miserable and fallen
souls lives were completely rejuvenated and thus they became virtuous and
happy. While causing rains of love of God

- Sri Radhika Stotra -
The 108 Names of Radharani


by Srila Raghunatha Dasa Goswami

aviksatmesvari kascid vrndavana-mahesvarim
tat padamboja-matraika gati dasyati katara
patita tat-saras tire ruda tyartha-ravakulam
tac chri-vaktreksanavaptyai namanyetani sanjagau
Some maidservant, unable to find her mistress, has fallen on the bank of Radhakunda, crying in great anxiety, being very eager to take exclusive shelter of Her lotus feet, glorifying Her by singing the following names of Her:

radha gandharvik

Spiritual knowledge descends through the disciplic succession from Krishna. The representatives of the disciplic succession can not change anything, add anything or subtract anything. Otherwise the disciplic succession will be broken and their preaching will have no potency. Many times in the history this disciplic succession has been broken because the representatives of the disciplic succession did not correctly pass on the knowledge to their students.

We can understand how perfect knowledge ca