Rays of The Harmonist
- Be Undisturbed by Sufferings
- Memories of Śrīla Bhaktivedānta Vāmana Gosvāmī Mahārāja
- Śrī Kṛṣṇa Does Not Deny Anyone
by Śrī Śrīmad Bhaktivedānta Nārāyaṇa Gosvāmī Māhārāja
❝O Lord, whether You kill me or have me live, whether You torment me, make me drink the poison of infamy or the nectar of recognition, or whether You keep me happy or distressed, I am Yours and will always remain Yours. The cātaka bird only looks towards the sky, longing for just one drop of water from svāti-nakṣatra. Whether thunder falls from above or whether there is fresh, cooling sweet water to drink, he does not mind. The life of sādhakas is surrendered to the Lord like this.❞ ..
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Memories of Śrī Śrīmad Bhaktivedānta Vāmana Gosvāmī Māhārāja
Once, the day before pūjyapāda Nārāyaṇa Mahārāja was to arrive in Kolkata from his first preaching tour abroad, Guru Mahārāja said to everyone, “Go and decorate the temple very nicely. Also nicely decorate the room that Śrīla Mahārāja will be staying in.” In the evening Guru Mahārāja went to the temple for darśana and saw that it had not been decorated. “If none of you have the time to do it, I will personally collect the flowers.” Hearing him say this, the brahmacārīs immediately went to the market and brought many kinds of flowers and other decorations. They nicely decorated Ṭhākurajī’s temple and then went to Guru Mahārāja’s room to decorate it. Guru Mahārāja said, “First ṭhākura-sevā, after that, vaiṣṇava-sevā, and after that, my sevā. Even though there is no need to decorate my room, if Nārāyaṇa Mahārāja sees it not decorated [but that his own room is decorated], it will make him feel uneasy. Our only aim is the pleasure and satisfaction of guru and Vaiṣṇavas, so decorate my room as well.” ...
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By Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura Prabhupāda
Krishna Kills Kamsa
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This is Kamsa Tila, the place where Krsna killed Kamsa. Tila mean hill, and it was upon this hill that Kamsa was sitting when Krsna pulled him from his dias. Our temple, Sri Kesavaji Gaudiya Matha, is situated in part of Kamsa's wrestling arena, and it is also where Krsna and Balarama killed the elephant demon...
More Humble Than A Straw
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We want to do bhajana, but at the moment we are doing bhajana of nama-aparadha, and sometimes of nama-abhasa. We cannot do bhajana because we neglect the importance of this third verse of Sri Siksastaka, beginning with trnad api sunicena. In Caitanya-caritamrta (Adi-lila 17.32), Srila Krsnadasa Kaviraja Gosvami says: "I am raising my hand and taking a vow. Please listen, all devotees; hear this: if you want to do bhajana, then make a garland with the thread of nama and the jewels of trnad api sunicena."
How To Follow
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Even if you are very busy at that time, always try to engage your mind in Krishna. Try to have a siksa-guru, keep your heart with that siksa-guru, and ask him or her questions. I will also help, but sometimes I may not be physically available. There are many qualified devotees here who can help you...
Srila Prabhupada's Legacy
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I have realized from my experience that if we are not independent, but rather meet and preach together, then we will be successful. Mahaprabhu has told, "Prithivite ache yata nagaradi gram. Sarvatra pracar haibe more nama". "All over the earth, in every town and village, my Name should be preached". There is a great possibility to fulfill the transcendental desire of Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu...
A Vaisnava Is Always Merciful
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If you befriend a sense enjoyer, a person who is attached to the opposite sex or one who opposes bhakti, the association of that ‘friend’ will cause you to go to hell. On the other hand, if you engage in inimical dealings with a pure Vaisnava, this will bestow a result similar to that which occurred with Kaliya...
Krsna Will Make Arrangement For Guru
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Diksa-guru must be qualified; Or, siksa-guru must be qualified. We cannot achieve perfection without a qualified guru.
The Glories of Sri Gadadhara Pandita
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Srimati Radhika came in the form of Sri Gadadhara. You should try to know Gadadhara-tattva. There is no difference between Sri Gadadhara Pandita and Srimati Radhika, but the activities are different in Krsna's pastimes and Gaura's pastimes. In Gaura-lila Sri Gadadhara Pandita is in the mood of a servant....
Weeping in Love
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The word prema-vivarta refers to that love and affection which sometimes appears as anger, but which is not. It is actually the highest class of love and affection, which appears in the form of a sulky mood of transcendental loving anger...
Parikrama to Bhubaneswara
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We went to Bhuvanesvara, and in Srimad Bhagavatam there is a history regarding this place. There was a demonic king named Paundraka, and He was very envious of Lord Krsna. He had heard that Krsna is Vasudeva, God Himself, and that He often manifested four-arms...
Love And Affection
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Today I am especially remembering my śikṣā-guru, Śrī Śrīmad Bhaktivedānta Svāmī Mahārāja and his first journey to America by boat. He passed through the Mediterranean Sea, on to the Atlantic Ocean, and finally he arrived in Boston. On the order of his gurudeva, he carried the message of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu and Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī to America. During his journey across the seas, he performed the humanlike pastime of becoming so sick that he seemed to be on the verge of death...
Love Speaks The Philosophy Of Love
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The philosophy of love has been given in the Srimad Bhagavatam, and Srimad Bhagavatam not only gives philosophy, but also examples of real love and affection. It explains how the gopis and other Vrajavasis love Krsna fully, with their lives and souls. If one hears Srimad Bhagavatam and thinks about even one line or even half of a line, or even one word – Krsna or Radha – he will attain that pure love and be able to control the Supreme Lord...
Srila Prabhupada's Appearance Day and Sannyasa Day
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"Sannyasa is taken in order to attain the service of Sri Mukunda. It is not an ordinary thing. The sannyasa mantra is the mantra of the very sacred gopi-bhava. By uttering this mantra we are able to give our entire body, mind, soul and everything we possess to Lord Krsna - to serve Him. Srila Swami Maharaja dedicated himself to his sannyasa-guru, nitya-lila pravista om visnupada astottara-sata Sri Srimad Bhakti Prajnana Kesava Gosvami Maharaja. They were god-brothers and very bosom friends."..
Visvarupa Mahotsava And The Sannyasa Ceremony Of Bhaktivedanta Swami
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Today is a very sacred day in our line. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu took sannyasa and began to search for his brother, Sri Visvarupa. While searching, He found out on this day that His brother had been in Pandarapur, and there he had left his body and had taken samadhi on the bank of the river Bhima...
Srila Prabhupada's Sannyasa Day Anniversary and Sri Visvarupa Mahotsava
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Today is the sannyasa day of Srila Bhaktivedanta Svami Maharaja. On this day he took sannyasa here, and then he preached all over the world. He began from New York, and from there he went to San Francisco and Los Angeles, and after that he established so many preaching centers everywhere...
Visvarupa Mahotsava and the Sannyasa Ceremony of Srila Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
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There are many items that are not allowed during Caturmasya, such as leafy vegetables in the first month, yogurt in the second month, milk in the third month, and mustard oil in the forth month. Besides this, throughout all four months, tomatoes, eggplants, and several other foodstuffs are prohibited. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu would follow all these rules very strictly, but ...
Criticize and Lose the Holy Name
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This is our dilemma. We are doing hari-nama, staying in the holy place and hearing Bhagavatam, but we are not really hearing. Sometimes, some of us only act as if we are following. We speak publicly on the Bhagavatam and give instructions to others, but we do not protect ourselves from offense to Vaisnavas. Joking and laughing, we somehow disrespect or criticize Vaisnavas. The holy name (who is God Himself) cannot tolerate this. Therefore, we deceive ourselves and we are deprived of the real fruit of chanting the holy name. In this way, many lifetimes are wasted...
