Rays of The Harmonist
- "Serving" Jīvas
- Unalloyed Theism
- To Refute Misconceptions is Guru-sevā
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by Śrī Śrīmad Bhaktivedānta Vāmana Gosvāmī Māhārāja
❝The terms jīva-sevā (service to other entities) and jīva-prema (eternal love for other entities) are fictions, contrary to conclusive truth, and are illogical. One will never attain the result of service to Śrī Bhagavān by serving the conditioned souls’ gross senses and becoming a regular purveyor of their bodily and mental demands. One can never attain a transcendental life of service by serving that which is inert or loving the illusory objects produced by māyā.❞ ...
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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.❞ ...
Read MoreWhy Special Times?
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In this world we see the same thing. Why do people begin their financial month in April? In this world everything is organized in relation to some auspicious day. According to the graha-naksatra (arrangement of stars and planets) certain times become auspicious. It has therefore been told that we should choose a special time for each and every activity...
Why Srila Vyasadeva Wrote Srimad Bhagavatam
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This world is full of misery and very perishable. Very soon we will become old, and when we become too old we will have to give up these bodies. What we are collecting from this world - money position and so on - we cannot take with us. You are not this physical body, so don't quarrel because of it. Don't worry for this body; it is a bag of urine, stool, blood and so many similar substances. The soul is there and it is eternal, but maya has captured it in this body...
Appearance Day of Srinivas Acarya and Srila Madhavendra Puri
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Madhavendra Puripada is the root, or first sprout, of prema-bhakti, the prema kalpataru (the desire tree of love of God). The Deity of Srinathaji (Krsna, the lifter of Govardhana) manifested to him and gave him constant darsana. Prahlada Maharaja and Nrsimhadeva had association for only a moment, and Bhagavan often gave His association to Bali Maharaja in the planet Sutala, but Madhavendra Puri is a special maidservant of Srimati Radhika...
The Glories Of Giriraja Govardhana
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From the beginning of our Gaudiya Vaisnava Sampradaya line, all our acaryas have given proper respect to Giriraja Govardhana. All devotees have so much respect for Govardhana. So many Govardhana silas have somehow come to them, and they are worshiping those silas...
Śrī Prahlāda Mahārāja - Confidential Facts
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If you really want to be happy, don't try to gallop over Prahlāda Mahārāja to be in Vṛndāvana. Don't be mad for "goopi-prema." First be like Prahlāda, gradually be like Hanuman, then the Pandavas, then Uddhava and then any servant of the gopas and gopīs. You cannot attain gopī-prema before doing this. Try to follow all the instructions of Prahlāda...
On the Subject of Śrī Prahlāda
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Śrī Prahlāda Mahārāja never cared for any problem that arose in his life, and he accomplished his mission in a very short time. His father wanted to kill him, but he never cared. If death is to come, it will come; and you will not be able to do anything to protect yourself. Prahlāda Mahārāja was very bold; you should also be bold like him. I am telling all these truths, for you. If death is coming, or so many problems and sufferings are coming, try to keep your feet on the head of them all...
The Appearance Day of Lord Nrsimhadeva
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If you experience any difficulty or danger in your life, you can chant this mantra. Lord Nrismha surely will save you; He has come only to save you. You can test this. If you are very faithful to Him, as Prahlada Maharaja was faithful, He will take away all your difficulties in chanting, remembering, and becoming a pure devotee...
Who is Lord Nrsimhadeva?
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Today is the auspicious appearance day of Lord Nrsimhadeva. Who is Nrsimhadeva? He is Krsna Himself - "Kesava dhrta narahari rupa." Krsna Kesava - He is the same Kesava (a name of Krsna meaning that He has fine hair), but not directly. He is none other than Cakra. Krsna's cakra (wheel-shaped weapon) becomes Nrsimhadeva. When there is a temple installation of Cakra, the prayers are offered to Nrsimhadeva.
The Appearance Day Of Lord Nrsimhadeva
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What class of person was Hiranyakasipu? Was he a theist or an atheist? He was a theist. From sastra it appears that he believed in God, but he was against Him, he wanted to kill Him, and he had no honor for any of His devotees. He wanted to conquer Him and defeat Him ─ because it was natural for him. How was it natural? It was natural because he was Vijaya, the associate of Narayana...
How to Observe Nrsimha Caturdasi
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Before I begin my class, I want to announce that tomorrow is Nrsimha Caturdasi vrata. Out of mercy Nrsimhadeva came, saved Prahlada Maharaja, and killed the big demon Hiranyakasipu on this very day - on caturdasi of this month. We should try to observe this vrata. It is better if we follow nirjala, a full fast, and not even drink water. In India almost all devotees do nirjala, but for you Western devotees we give concession...
You Should Tell Your Mind
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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 mood of the gopis and you are very qualified for that, if you have some greed for that, then you can see that Srimati Radhika is giving the preparations to Krsna...
Is God Bad?
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The question of how to reconcile the notion of a loving God with the bad things that happen in the world is a challenge to many of us. The teachings of karma – that actions in one life may result in reactions in another life – are never given as a justification for judging others, or for cruelty to others, but as a means for self-assessment and reflection. The law of karma is taught to make us mindful that we should be non-violent (ahimsic) in our actions.
The Abandoned Dog
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Today I went to the seashore for a walk. I was chanting and remembering some pastimes of Sri Krsna, and I was especially chanting this verse...
The Vow of Ekadasi
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You are all observing Ekadasi today. We should surely observe Ekadasi – strictly avoiding grains, or anything prepared with any kind of grains, such as wheat, barley, corn, and so on. If you observe Ekadasi, chant the holy name, hear hari-katha in high-class association, always remain with elevated devotees, and perform any of the nine limbs of bhakti, you will never fall down...
Book Distribution and Other Topics
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During the evening class that preceded this morning walk of May 12, 2003 in Venice Beach, Los Angeles, Srila Gurudeva corrected the misunderstanding that book distribution is not bhakti. He clarified this by his statement of reconciliation: "If book distribution is performed...
Publication of Sri Gita Govinda
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Sri Jayadeva Gosvami was a very high class of maha-bhagavata, and he wrote a book called "Gita Govinda", "The Glories of Govinda". When Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu saw this book, He made a copy and instructed His followers to also obtain one. At that time there was no press, the books were reproduced by hand, so Mahaprabhu ordered His followers to write it down and then preach. In Jagannatha Puri, all the Vaisnavas and associates of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu wrote down that book and made a necklace for themselves of the beautiful songs therein...
