Rays of The Harmonist
- Symptoms of Degradation
- "There is no way I can imagine a separate institution"
- Why are we not realizing Bhagavān?
by Śrī Śrīmad Bhaktivedānta Nārāyaṇa Gosvāmī Māhārāja
❝Unnecessary gossip about others (paracarcā) and acts of hypocrisy and deceit (kuṭīnāṭī) are symptoms of degradation. These disturbances are bound to occur if there is no taste for harināma and hari-kathā. Those who are desirous of progressing in hari-bhajana must keep distance from the association of anyone who indulges in paracarcā. If they don’t, the dirtiness of their hearts can also affect the hearts of those associating with them.❞ ..
Read Moreby Śrī Śrīmad Bhaktivedānta Vāmana Gosvāmī Māhārāja
❝Many preaching centres of the Gauḍīya Maṭha have been established today in the East and West, yet I consider all of them to be a single indivisible unit. I know those who have been favoured by jagad-guru Śrīla Sarasvatī Prabhupāda and those who are his disciples and grand-disciples to be my own people, and I convey my obeisance to them, knowing them to be Gauḍīyas. I know every Vaiṣṇava who is bathed in the current of Śrī Gaura-vāṇī-vinoda (the delight of Śrī Gaura’s message) to be my supreme well-wishing friend and most intimate relative, but there is no way I can imagine a separate institution.❞ ...
Read Moreby Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura Prabhupāda
❝Service to the devotees promises more than service to the Lord Himself. The association of the bhaktas is even more beneficial than the association of the Lord. The living place of the bhakta, the abode of śrīla gurudeva, is more favourable for śuddha-bhajana (pure, loving devotional service) than the abode of the Lord.❞ ...
Read MoreI am Inviting You All
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You have been following some rules and regulations during the four months of Catur-masya, and especially during this one month of Kartika. This is now completed. We have also given some “wind-up,” so that you will be able to go on for the next four months. Then, after four months another winding will be given in Navadvipa-dhama. I am inviting you all. Not only should you all come, but each of you should bring ten people from your country. I want at least 15-20,000 devotees to come and perform parikrama in Navadvipa...
The Disappearance Day of Srila Bhakti Pramoda Puri Gosvami Maharaja
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For the service of the brhad-mrdanga (book publication), Srila Puri Maharaja stayed in various places like Calcutta, Krsna Nagar, and Mayapura. For the sake of preaching gaura-vani, the message of Gaurasundara, he traveled not only throughout Bengal, but also to many places throughout India, and he met with great success...
Our Family Goal
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I think always, and I also tell my devotees, that we are in only one family – the family of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu and Sri Nityananda Prabhu. We should always be together and preach their mission throughout the world. If we are united again, we can preach throughout the world – as in the time of Srila Bhaktivedanta Svami Maharaja...
To His Rope and His Belly
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Srila Sanatana Gosvami explained the mood of this prayer in Brhad-Bhagavatamrta. The devotee does not fear taking any birth. For example, although Vrtasura took birth as a demon, he was always glorifying Krsna's pastimes...
Srila Gaura-kishora dasa Babaji Maharaja
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We cannot touch Srila Gaura-kishora dasa Babaji Maharaja’s renounced lifestyle and high standard of bhajana, but we can at least accept and follow whatever lower principles that he established for us and practised in his own life. After making sufficient spiritual progress, we may be able to accept the higher things, but we should not desire to follow them in our present condition. Who can possibly follow his extreme renunciation...
We've Already Been Married
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Those who have attended this parikrama should think about why they have come. We have come here to earn bhakti, especially suddha-bhakti (pure devotion), and more especially vraja-bhakti - the very highest attainment. We have come to the best place in the world - Vraja. In Vraja, superior to Gokula is Nandagaon and Varsana, more superior is Vrndavana, more superior is Govardhana and most superior is Radha-kunda. You have come here, so we should not have any desire other than vraja-bhakti and radha-dasyam...
What to Pray For
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Lord Krsna became pleased when He heard Sri Damodarastakam - the prayer of Satyavrata Muni - and told him, "You may ask for any benediction." Satyavrata Muni replied, "You are the king of all gods and demigods. You have the power to give any benediction You like. But I don't desire any benediction of this world, within or outside the entire universe, or in Siva-loka...
After The Play - Varsana
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Similarly I am puzzled, thinking, "Should I continue to preach in Western countries about the goal of Krsna's service, or should I stop?" Those I believed in tried to cheat me. They should not try to cheat me. They have endeavored for sense gratification for so many lives, so why should they not give this human life to the lotus feet of Lord Krsna? My lady disciples should be determined and think, "Do or Die!" There are so many examples for ladies to follow, like Srimati Gangamata Thakurani...
Why Is Brahma Our Original Guru - Varsana
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Why is Brahma our original guru? Sri Krsna Himself, by His own Sarasvati (internal knowledge potency), gave Brahma initiation into the gopal-mantra, and with the sound of His flute, He gave him the kama-gayatri mantra...
Srila Sri Rupa Siddhanti Maharaja
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Today is a very auspicious day. It is the appearance day of param-pujyapada nitya-lila-pravista om visnupada Srila Bhakti Sri Rupa Siddhanti Gosvami Maharaja. He was born and brought up in East Bengal. He was a learned scholar and a good writer. When he first came to Srila Prabhupada Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura, he saw that all the brahmacaris in the temple were very learned, and he thought, "I am not learned, so I should return to my home. There I will study Sanskrit, law, and other subjects, and then I will join and serve Srila Prabhupada...
Gaudiya Sannyasis Never Become Babajis
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Our Guru Mahārāja also gave bābājī-vesa, and Śrīla Prabhupāda Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura also gave bābājī-vesa to some, but they never changed anyone from sannyāsa to bābājī... We should not change...
The "Marriage" Of Radha And Krsna
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Some persons have false pride and false ego because they have taken birth in Vrndavana and think themselves to be Vrajavasis. However, if theydo not have the internal moods of Nanda Baba, Yasoda-maiya, and all of the eternal associates of Krsna, they are not Vrajavasis. Real Vrajavasis are those who have the mood of Vrajavasis like Nanda Baba, Yasoda-maiya, Krsna's sakhas, (boyhood friends) and especially the mood of the dasis (maidservants) of Sri Radha...
Srila A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
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Try to follow the teachings and actions of Srila Svami Maharaja – not following blindly and not imitating. Simply copying will not do. We should try to deeply follow his siddhanta, behavior and moods. ....
In Honor of Srila Prabhupada’s Disappearance Day
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When Sri Guru is on this planet, we have a relation with him as guru and disciple. At that time our entire energy goes into carrying out his order, and we are not solely able to think, outwardly and internally, about his deep motive for coming to this world. Today, on this auspicious day, we have the opportunity to think about his entire life: who he is, what he did, what he wanted to teach, and why he came to this sphere...
Invitation To A Play-Marriage
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This is our Gaudiya Vaisnava speciality. We should continue practicing, and go on trying to learn everything that is needed in order to enter raganuga-bhakti. We are sure that Srimati Radhika will arrange everything for us. If She made arrangements for Gopa Kumara and the Govardhana brahmana, why would She not arrange for us as well? Surely, She will do so. She sent one of Her associates to you, to bring you up to this stage. Why would She not arrange further?
Their Lasting Relation
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Not only here, but wherever I go throughout the world, whether in the East or the West, I see the result of the inspiration he has given. In a very remote place in Canada, in a deep forest in the mountains, I went to a devotee village named Saranagati; and I was so pleased to see the many devotees there following varnasrama-dharma and the principles of bhakti. I also went to a remote village in Australia, also among the hills, in a very beautiful setting...