Rays of The Harmonist
- Unalloyed Theism
- To Refute Misconceptions is Guru-sevā
- Appropriate Renunciation
by Śrīla Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura Prabhupāda
❝Factually, our restricted perspective in relation to the phenomenal domain should not be imposed on the Personality of a thoroughly Independent Integer. The Personality of Godhead is to be humbly approached, not subjected to our sensuous inspection, as though He were an accused in the court. We should accept that all existences are, and ought to be, His own. This method of approach is known as unalloyed theism.❞ ...
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by Śrī Śrīmad Bhaktivedānta Vāmana Gosvāmī Māhārāja
❝To refute misconceptions is guru-sevā. If, at any point, one can understand that someone is giving misleading teachings, one should, in a civil manner, refute them and establish the faultless siddhānta. Doing so is the ideal of conviction in service to guru. If, despite knowing and hearing the truth, one conceals it, hypocrisy finds its outlet, and that entails a lapse of duty. This (refuting someone’s views) is never contrary to humility or amānī-mānada-dharma.❞ ...
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by Śrī Śrīmad Bhaktivedānta Nārāyaṇa Gosvāmī Māhārāja
❝The renunciation by which the body becomes completely useless and which awakens impediments to hari-bhajana is not favourable for bhakti. You must accept bhagavat-prasāda appropriately. It is indeed proper to accept all the objects of the senses that are essential for one’s well-being, in a manner that is favourable for one’s kṛṣṇa-bhajana.❞ ...
Read MoreThe Satisfaction of Krsna
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I explained before, that we should not try to always remember Krishna as the Supreme Personality of Godhead. What is the harm in remembering Him as so? If we think of Krishna as the Supreme Personality of Godhead, having innumerable attributes, and opulence, then what is the harm? It has been told in Sri Caitanya Caritamrita: yaha hoite Krishnera lage sudhrda mana...
The Hunger of Krsna
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..to have a desire like, “I am serving Krishna, so I must be happy.” To serve Krishna for your happiness is not bhakti. If you have an appetite to serve Krishna and are worshipping Krishna, then you must realize ananda (bliss). Try to go deep. Desiring your own happiness is not bhakti...
A Note on Gita Govinda and Gaura-Vani
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"I will have no further relation with Krsna. I will not go to meet Him." Sri Krsna was upset and He therefore sent a gopi to Srimati Radhika to pacify Her. The gopi requested Her: "Sarasa vasante." New leaves have sprouted on all the trees. Cuckoos are singing...
A New Book Distribution Technique: Prema
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I want to say that the distribution of books is a main part of preaching. Although we do a lot of preaching, it may be that much of it will 'evaporate in the air'. In book publication and distribution, on the other hand, this preaching is solid. We are now publishing many books, and, as you are very inspired to distribute the books of Srila Swami Maharaja, your Srila Prabhupada, I want that you will also distribute my books, which are complementary to his...
Attachment For Radha
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I will now speak about the fifth stage of bhakti, called krsna-asakti. Suppose a man has left his wife, children, worldly position, and so on, but he has not yet come to the point of ruci, what to say of asakti. He must fall down, and in fact, he is already fallen. Whether he is a sannyasa, a brahmacari, or in any other asrama, it does not matter. External dress is not important; mood is important...
Moods While Chanting
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We must have some moods at the time of arati. It should not be performed without mood. When you are making an offering, you will also have to have mood. It may be the mood of Yasoda Ma, who is offering everything to Krsna and then distributing to all others. Or, if your svarupa (constitutional position) has the...
Srivasa Thakura, An Excerpt of His Glories
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In this world, it is essential to maintain our life. Without this, we can't do our bhajana. But don't be in anxiety about this. Your maintenance will come automatically, according to your previous activities. If something comes, that is okay, and if something that you have collected is lost, still you should not worry. Suppose you have deposited many thousands of dollars in a bank...
Na Danam Na Janam
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Caitanya Mahaprabhu is weeping and uttering this, and the other jewel-like verses of Sri Siksastakam. Everything - all moods and all objects of our life - are in these eight slokas. All the Vedas are present there, Srimad-Bhagavatam is there, and Caitanya-caritamrta and the essence of all the books of our Gosvamis are there. But how can you realize this?
The Glories Of Srivasa Pandita
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Vamsi dasa Babaji was always in a mood of intimacy with Caitanya Mahaprabhu. You, on the other hand, are always engaged in maintaining your life. Sometimes business is very good, and you think, "Oh, this is very good." And sometimes it is down and you think, "What to do? What to do? What to do?" You forget to chant and you forget to worship.
Humility
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You should try to be humble, but you cannot become humble simply by artificially acting so. If your bhakti increases, humility will come naturally. If you're not increasing your sadhana-bhajana of chanting Hare Krsna, not serving your Gurudeva and Vaisnavas...
Sri Siksastakam
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Once there was a wife who mistreated her husband and then rejected him. Because the husband was fully absorbed in that lady, he became so shocked and bewildered that he was about to die. We should always remember these things. When you are chanting and remembering in the association of high-class Vaisnavas, these bad attachments will leave and renunciation is bound to come. If it is not coming, something must be wrong...
Cleansing The Dust From The Heart
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I was telling yesterday that our ears, nose, tongue, and all of our senses are mundane; but Krishna's Name, krsna-katha, krsna-seva, and all things relating to Krishna are transcendental - purely transcendental. How then can these mundane senses touch the transcendental Name and other items of bhakti?
Srila Bhaktivedanta Swami Maharaja and Govardhana
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A devotee asked Srila Narayana Maharaja if there was any special significance in Srila Bhaktivedanta Svami Maharaja having expressed a desire to go to Govardhana at the very end of his life. The following is Srila Narayana Maharaja's reply...
Some Secrets In Bhakti
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Now come with me to Raya Ramananda on the banks of the Godavari in South India, where some discussions were going on. Mahaprabhu was asking questions and Raya Ramananda was replying. Krsna is endless, and therefore Mahaprabhu is also an endless ocean of love and affection. Even Krsna Himself cannot know how deep is the love and affection in Srimati Radhika and the gopis. He has a scale to measure it, but the love and affection for Krsna in Srimati Radhika and the gopis is so deep that His scale becomes a failure...
Revelation Of The Real Iskcon
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The bhakti that is defined here in that verse, raganuga-bhakti or Vraja-bhakti, can never be achieved simply by great quantities of sukrti. It can be achieved only if you are so fortunate as to have darsana and association of a rasika-bhakta of Vraja. That high-class devotee's heart is saturated with love and affection, like an Indian rasagulla, and everywhere there is rasa and rasa. If you squeeze a rasagulla, rasa will come out and still so much rasa will remain inside...
Introduction to Raya Ramananda Samvada
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Come with me. Let us join Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu in our minds as He went from Puri to South India to search for His brother, Visvarupa. This was only a pretext, however. Actually, Mahaprabhu wanted to make all of South India, and the entire world, pure devotees. He wanted them to all chant and remember Krsna, and be happy forever.
