Rays of The Harmonist
- Serving Śrī Guru with Heartfelt Affection (Part 2)
- The Incomparable Affection and Compassion of Śrī Guru and Vaiṣṇavas
- My Friend Renders More Intimate Service Than I Can
by Śrī Śrīmad Bhaktivedānta Nārāyaṇa Gosvāmī Māhārāja
“Don’t think, “A better result will come from my sādhana-bhajana than by engaging in that guru-sevā.” One may think, “What special fruit will I get merely by sitting near gurujī and serving him?” Do not think like this. Consider what he wants and depend on him.” ...
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by Śrīla Bhaktivedānta Vāmana Gosvāmī Mahārāja
There is nothing equal to the Vaiṣṇavas’ transcendental affection and compassion. If a soul who wishes to perform bhajana can appreciate this compassion, then he will surely reap auspiciousness. It is indicative of great fortune to be able to comprehend the essence and substance of the chastisement and compassion of Guru and Vaiṣṇavas. ...
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by Śrīla Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura Prabhupāda
I will be all more pleased if I find that another person competes in my line to serve my All-love in a better way perhaps than I can. ...
Read MoreFeatured: Damodarastakam
For thousands of years, devotees have sung Śrī Dāmodarāṣṭakam, especially in the revered month of Kārtika. These eight verses mark the profound blossoming of Śrī Satyavrata Muni's love for Śrī Dāmodara, as he prays, "Please appear before me in Your beautiful, eternal form as a young cowherd-boy, and grant me the perfection of life." The true meaning of this prayer remained mostly hidden until the late 1500s, when Śrīla Sanātana Gosvāmī wrote his elucidating commentary. Śrī Śrīmad Bhaktivedānta Nārāyaṇa Gosvāmī Mahārāja's lively and poignant supplementary commentary serves to make these essential meanings even more accessible.
Srila Jiva Gosvami's Disappearance Day
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Today is a very auspicious day. It is the disappearance day of Srila Jiva Gosvami. We don't observe the disappearance days of Lord Krsna, Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu, Lord Rama or any other incarnation of Bhagavan, but we observe the disappearance days of His associates. By such observance we learn many things about their worshipable Sri Sri Radha-Krsna, Sriman Mahaprabhu and Lord Nityananda Prabhu...
Srila Jiva Gosvami
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All jivas (spirit souls) have a special relationship with Sri Krsna. Some are related with Him in the mood of friendship. Others have a relationship in the mood that "Krsna is my son," and that is called parental mood (vatsalya). Moreover, some have the mood that "Krsna is my beloved." All jivas have their own original, eternal relationship with Krsna...
Makhara-Sankranti
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There are many lines on the earth, like the Equator, the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn. In the Sanskrit language these lines are called rekhas. In Vedic Astronomy these rekhas are called Bhumadhya-rekha, Karka-rekha, and Makhara-rekha. In its travels, the Sun is always somewhere between these lines. The day on which it comes nearest...
The Glories of Srimati Gangamata Gosvamini
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There was a beautiful girl in East Bengal named Saci devi, and she was the daughter of the King of Putiya. From the beginning of her life she heard about Lord Krsna, and from that time onward she gave her entire heart to Him. From the time she was about five years old, she used to worship Krsna, sing to Krsna, play with Krsna, and do everything with Him. When she was about sixteen years old she became maddened for Him...
King Janastruti and Raika Muni
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I am willing to be humiliated, reprimanded and heavily beaten by maya hundreds of times, but I cannot accept or tolerate the affectionate, transcendental discipline of Sri Gurudeva. Consequently, I forever relinquish devotional service to Krsna and thus I commit spiritual suicide...
Sudama Vipra Visits Dvarakadisa Krishna
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Sometimes we are very worried. How will we maintain our family, also worried for ourselves? Very worried. What is the meaning of this? That you have no belief in Krishna. If we are worried for anything in this world, what is this? What will be of this? Then you have no strong belief in Krishna. Krishna has told, "Believe Me." If Krishna is our protector...
Javala and Satyakama
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Javala was a widow. She had one young son named Satyakama. One day, Satyakama approached her and said, "Mother, I want to adopt a vow of sacred celibacy and take up residence in the school of my guru. But to do so, I must know my family lineage."
Vilap-kusmanjali - Verse Seven
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There are two kinds of bhajana. The first is in vipralambha-lila, and that is performed by chanting and remembering the pastimes of separation. The second is in sambhoga-lila, and it is performed by remembering the pastimes of meeting.
Srila Gurudeva’s Auto-biographical Sketch
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The following is a transcription of Srila Gurudeva speaking on February 23, 2003 in Olpe, Germany, on the topic of his own life history. It was kindly translated from his Hindi talk by Radhika dasi of Russia.
Rays - First Disappearance Day Anniversary
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The Rays of The Harmonist team humbly announces the last of three special editions published in honour of Srila Gurudeva. This beautiful third edition is dedicated to the first disappearance day anniversary of Srila Gurudeva...
Srila Gurudeva's Tirobhava Mahotsava in Seva-kunja
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On December 15th this year, programs were held celebrating the appearnce of nitya-lila-pravista om visnupada Sri Srimad Bhaktivedanta Vamana Gosvami Maharaja and the disappearance festival of nitya-lila-pravista om visnupada Sri Srimad Bhaktivedanta Narayana Gosvami Maharaja...
Guru-Devatatma
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First, we must think that guru is our ātmā, our life and soul. Being totally surrendered to him, we must depend solely on him... If we serve Kṛṣṇa under the guidance of sad-guru, then certainly, like magic, we will be out of māyā...
The Appearance Day of Srila Bhaktivedanta Vamana Maharaja
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Vamana Maharaja is very grave and quiet, and there is another special quality that he possesses: I have seen many people, myself included, who give explanations from the scriptures and enjoy taking praise from others for it. But having known Vamana Maharaja for almost fifty years, I have never seen him do this, not even by accident. He is also very tolerant...
Sri Rathayatra in Sri Dhama Navadvipa
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Having read the essay entitled 'Sri Rathayatraya Sri Rupanuganucintana' [Ratha-yatra according to the conception of the followers of Srila Rupa Gosvami] published in the first issue, volume 13 of 'Sri Gaudiya Darsan' [the journal of Sri Caitanya Sarasvat Matha], it seems that this article has been printed without showing it to the most honourable editor, Pujyapada Srila Bhakti Raksaka Sridhara Maharaja...
Unconventional Teachers
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"'However, most of my time was spent in cutting the "jungles" of mayavada, sahajiya-vada, sakhi-bekhi and all other non-devotional ideas. If there is a mayavada jungle, the seeds of bhakti will not sprout. I therefore had to cut so many jungles, and still there are so many jungles left throughout the world. Most of my time was spent in clarifying philosophical points.'
"Saying this, his mood changed and his face became reddish. Then he spoke the following verse...
Prahlada Maharaja
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Any bogus guru who is himself falling down, fallen, how he can give me this knowledge? The sons of Sukracarya, Sanda and Amarka, they are bogus gurus. They are not qualified and bona fide guru. They are all engaged in sense gratification. These bogus gurus have no idea of real happiness and any good conception for the Supreme Personality of Godhead. So these gurus should be given up at once, in a moment. They are like blind persons...
