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: Sri Upadesamrta
This unprecedented edition contains the commentaries Srila Radha-ramana dasa Gosvami, Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura and Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Gosvami Prabhupada. Translated from the Hindi edition of Srimad Bhaktivedanta Narayana Gosvami Maharaja, Sri Upadesamrta gives instructions indispensable for practitioners of the devotional path. Without following these instructions, entering the realm of pure devotion and especially following the intricate and elevated path of spontaneous devotion (raganuga-bhakti) is not only difficult, but impossible.
Illuminating the Path to Ragatmika-bhakti
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This surrender and complete dedication of the heart to guru is called tadatmya (oneness of heart) in Sanskrit. When an iron rod is placed in fire, the qualities of the fire enter the iron. When fire permeates an iron rod it is the fire that burns other objects; it is not that the iron rod burns other objects; The iron rod may ‘consider,’ “I am fire,” in the sense that the qualities of the iron have become one with the qualities of the fire; it now does the work of fire.
Manasi Ganga And The Secret Of Giriraja Govardhana
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We have come here to Manasi Ganga, which is like the mouth of Sri Giriraja Govardhana. His shape resembles that of a cow, or a peacock, and the lower extremity at Puchari (or Punchari) is like the raised tail of the peacock or the raised hindquarters of the cow. At this end are Radha Kunda and Syama Kunda, which are like the eyes of the peacock. Sometimes, when a peacock is dancing, it will raise its back very high and gracefully bend its long neck back towards the stomach...
Sri Vraja-Mandala Parikrama At Govardhana
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Today we are here at Govardhana. Giriraja Govardhana is very kind; he is causelessly merciful. I came here for the first time in 1947 with my Gurudeva, Sri Srimad Bhakti Prajnana Kesava Gosvami Maharaja. At that time we were engaged in the performance of Dvaraka parikrama, and we came here briefly while on that parikrama. Since then I have done Vrndavana Parikrama every year for the last fifty-five years...
On Raganuga-bhakti
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Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: What is a manjari? We have heard about kamala-manjaris and mango-manjaris. Any creeper or good flower has manjaris. Although the manjari appears first and then the flower, the manjari is always located above the flower. When a bee comes to sit on the flower and drink its honey, the manjaris tremble, being overjoyed.
Meeting About The Newly Published Raga Vartma Candrika
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But it is only in viraha (separation) that the gopis, and all the Vrajavasis, sometimes say, "Oh, He's God, the Supreme Lord." And how do they say this? They say, "Paurnamasi has told us this." Or, "Gargacarya has told us." Somehow they have heard from them, but they themselves have no realization that Krsna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead...
How to Enter Raganuga-bhakti
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In this Raga Vartma Candrika, Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura tells us what he has realized about Sri Sri Radha-Krsna’s anuraga by the grace of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu and Srila Rupa Gosvami. Anuraga refers to that stage of prema which comes just before mahabhava. Within prema comes sneha, then mana, pranaya, raga, and then anuraga...
Holi
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This village, Ganthuli, is one mile from Gulala-kunda. In the month of Phalguna, February-March, at the time of Holi, all the gopis were present here, playing Holi with Sri Krsna and the gopas. This is where Holi took place. Sri Krsna and His friends were in one party and Srimati Radhika and Her sakhis were in the opposite party, and there were more gopis than there were gopas. Both the gopas and gopis held syringes which shot out many colors, and these colors were not easily removable...
A Darsana For Tamal Krsna Gosvami
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Yesterday I explained that there are two kinds of bhajana. The first is in vipralambha-lila, performed by chanting and remembering Krsna's pastimes of separation. The second is in sambhoga-lila, performed by remembering His pastimes of meeting. Although the gopis and Vrajavasis always like to meet Krsna, He plays in such a manner that they enjoy vipralambha-rasa...
Fulfillment is in Love
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Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu took shelter in the plane of jnana-sunya-bhakti. There our guardians will take care of us wholesale. To live under His guardianship is the best position for so many tiny souls. Give the responsibility of your own charge to the highest guardian. That is the most peaceful life, according to jnana-sunya-bhakti – surrender to such extremity, to such extent as forgetfulness of everything in the grace of the Almighty. To live there, in the automatic section of the world is the highest goal for living entities like us...
Heart and Halo
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We are far from the truth when we cannot see that everything, all waves, are flowing towards the satisfaction of one: Svayam Bhagavān. We are labouring under a deception. We are deceivers who are not just deceiving ourselves but the world also. We are guilty of misunderstanding everything and of carrying that false knowledge to others...
The Appearance Day of Srila Bhakti-Raksaka Sridhara Gosvami Maharaja
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I met Prapujyacarana Srila Sridhara Maharaja in 1946, at which time he did not have any disciples. He was with my Gurudeva, Srila Bhakti Prajnana Kesava Gosvami Maharaja, from 1942. He left the Sri Caitanya Gaudiya Matha and came with Guru Maharaja when Guru Maharaja established the Sri Gaudiya Vedanta Samiti in 1942...
Appearance Day of Sri Radha-kunda
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Among all the gopis, Srimati Radhaji is most dear to Sri Krsna, being His principal prana vallabha. Similarly, Radhaji's dear kunda is also very dear to Him.
O Sri Radha-kunda! O Sri Krsna Kunda! You destroy all sins and award one-pointed prema. I bow down to you again and again...
Appearance Day of Radha-kunda
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...the different varieties of colorful birds, deer, the cool and fragrant breezes from the Malaya Mountains, the peacocks, bumblebees, the pastimes with the flute...
...the flute itself, the buffalo horn bugle, the footprints of the cows in the dust, the banks of blackish clouds, springtime, the moon, the conchshell and karatalas...
A Phoned Glorification of Kartik Month
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In Vrndavana, India, October 28, 2002, at 6am, upon the first glimpses of sunrise, five hundred devotees from India and around the world were sitting in the beautiful Sri Rupa Sanatana Gaudiya Matha in Vrndavana, India. Surrounded by Rajasthani pillars, colorful bas-relief and other paintings of Krsna's pastimes on the walls, walls painted in shades of yellow, saffron, and beige, sastric verses appropriate for...
Sri Krsna's Boat and Other Pastimes
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Here the gopis were quarrelling with Krsna, who said, "O gopis you should all come on My boat. I will take you across this Manasi Ganga River. Don't worry, I will take you across." All the gopis climbed on the boat and Krsna took them to the middle of the river, where there were many waves, and there He began to rock the boat and say, "You should at once give up your vessels of butter...
The Appearance Place Of Srimati Radharani
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By the mercy of Sri Guru and Vaisnavas, we have come to the appearance place of Sri Krsnas svarupa-sakti, Mahabhava Svarupini Srimati Radhika. Due to differences in different kalpas (millenniums), the pastimes of Srimati Radhikas appearance manifest in different ways...
