Invitation To A Play-Marriage
- Details
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?
Jaladuta Prayers
- Details
by Śrīla Bhaktivedānta Svāmī Mahārāja
[O Krsna!] Although I have been ordered to accomplish this mission, I possess no qualification to do it, being very fallen and incapable. Since You are the wisest of all, I now beg for Your mercy so that I may become worthy...
Srila A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
- Details
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. ....
The Disappearance Day of Srila Bhaktivedanta Vamana Gosvami Maharaja
- Details
According to the degree of love and affection towards someone, one will experience that much separation for a person. The gopis had so much affection for Sri Krsna, and that is why they felt so much separation when He went to Mathura. We have read about the various stages of their separation in the Srimad-Bhagavatam and other scriptures...
Disappearance Day of Srila Bhaktivedanta Vamana Maharaja
- Details
We have heard from Vedic scriptures and Guru that when a high-class Vaisnava is speaking hari-katha, we should think, "It is better not to perform parikrama of Govardhana, or Navadvipa, or anywhere else. Better that I hear hari-katha." Sri Giriraja Govardhana will give us His mercy only after the Vaisnavas have given us their mercy. Govardhana will not speak to us or instruct us, and therefore our hearts will not be so rapidly purified...
The Glory of Srila Bhaktivedanta Vamana Gosvami Maharaja
- Details
We have heard from many Vaisnavas, such as Sripad Parivrajaka Maharaja and Sripada Madhava Maharaja, and especially Sripad Bhakti-prasada Van Maharaja spoke very nicely about the principle of separation (viraha-tattva). Separation feelings are very important in the bhajana of Gaudiya Vaisnavas. When first entering the realm of bhajana there are feelings of separation, in the middle there are such feelings, and when one attains...
Opulence, Or Sweetness?
- Details
Whether or not maha-aisvarya is present, if Krsna's pastimes are nara-lila, then it is madhurya. On the other hand, if by the presence of maha-aisvarya Krsna knows that, "I am Isvara, God," and His bhakta also knows that He is God, that is aisvarya-lila.
The Five Principles of Raganuga-Bhakti
- Details
We have completed the explanations of the first two slokas quoted and discussed by Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura in his Raga-vartma-candrika, but in summary. The first sloka is:
krsnam smaran janam casya prestham nija samihitam
tat tat katha ratas casau kuryad vasam vraje sada
What’s Favorable For Raganuga-bhakti?
- Details
First I explained abhista-bhava-mayi, which may be in an unripe or ripe stage. In the stage of sadhana it is the absorption that "We are gopis;" and in the siddha stage we will actually become gopis. In both cases, it is abhista-bhava-mayi.
Celebration of Dipvali and Annakuta
- Details
On the day of Amavasya we observe the festival of Dipavali. What is the meaning of Dipavali? "Tamaso ma, jyotir gamaya – Do not remain in darkness, come to the light." The meaning is that this world is of mahamaya, or illusion, and it is full of darkness. We conditioned souls are all in darkness...
We Should be Very Careful
- Details
Today is a very special festival called Annakuta. For this festival we will perform worship of the cow (go-puja), worship of the Vrajavasis, and also worship of the Vaisnavas and Sri Guru...
Dipavali - The Festival of Lights
- Details
Why do we celebrate Dipavali, and in what mood is it celebrated by Vrajavasis?
Dipavali means 'a time of happiness.' When Lord Rama defeated Ravana and reached Ayodhya, a big Dipavali festival was performed there...
Rays of The Harmonist - Kartik 2011 Edition
- Details
This Kartika, The Rays of The Harmonist team humbly presents the printed edition of "Entering Nitya-lila", the concluding transcendental pastimes of Sri Srimad Bhaktivedanta Narayana Gosvami Maharaja. Apart from above pictorial report, this edition's featured articles are entitled "The Real Significance of the Pastime of Illness Manifested by the Maha-bhagavata" and "The Avirabhava and Tirobhava Saktis"...
With Greed In The Center
- Details
Abhista-bhava-mayi: Whatever practices we execute at the time of our sadhana (the practice executed to attain our goal) will be the same at the time of sadhya (the goal of life, the stage of siddhi, perfection). Sadhakas remember Krsna, Govinda, now, at the time of their sadhana, and they will do so in siddha-sarira (spiritual form as a gopi-manjari) as well. Both remembrances are the same, but one is unripe and the other will be ripe. The subject of the mood will never change, just as kirtana will never be changed, whether in the stage of sadhana or siddha. The sadhakas' absorption in their constitutional mood is called abhista-bhava-mayi.
Guru Tattva and the Real Disciple
- Details
Those who follow strongly the life and teachings of their Gurudeva, from their heart, are really disciples. Those who have taken initiation from Parama-pujyapada Srila Svami Maharaja but are not following his teachings, are not truly disciples. Those who are not following or practicing may have been outwardly initiated by him, but they are not real disciples. On the other hand, those who have not taken initiation from him but are totally following – they deserve the qualities to be true devotees...
Sri Guru’s Spiritual Form
- Details
This is the third of the three important slokas discussed by Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura in his Rag-vartma-candrika:
sravanotkirtanadini vaidhi-bhakty uditani tu
yany angani ca tanyatra vijneyani manisibhih
Page 37 of 48
