Rays of The Harmonist
- To Refute Misconceptions is Guru-sevā
- Appropriate Renunciation
- Sannyasa-garb Won't Make It Easier
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.❞ ...
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by Śrīla Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura Prabhupāda
❝It is essential to have full confidence in Bhagavan. It is equally essential to have similar firm determination to perform hari-bhajana, the process of devotional service. I must receive His grace. I must not go astray. I must always go on chanting His name. God will undoubtedly help me if I am bona fide.❞ ...
Read MoreOn Renunciation
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According to your impressions from previous lives and this life, if you are hankering for bhakti, it will come through service to your Gurudeva and it will come with renunciation. From his boyhood Raghunatha dasa Gosvami did not like wealth, praise, or anything else of that nature. He was trinadapi sunicena. Try to follow his life from the beginning...
Hear This Great Secret
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There is a reason that Sri Sukadeva Gosvami did not reveal this truth clearly at first. Many problems may have come for ordinary people, and especially for the Vedic Smarta brahmanas. They would not have read the Srimad-Bhagavatam; or, they would have spoken against it...
Please Do Not Be Late
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I have been explaining the aim and object of all living beings, which is gopi-prema. You should know the aim and object of our practices and devotion; but do not jump, otherwise you will become mad. Do not try to artificially enter raganuga-bhakti...
Impressions of Bhakti
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Although our gurudeva has also entered his unmanifest, eternal pastimes, we happily remain in this world. On the occasion of special days, like his appearance or disappearance day, we might remember him, but often we are involved in arranging the festival in his honor, and there is very little chance to contemplate our separation from him. A tear may come to our eye as we speak something about him; but it may not come...
Srila Gurudeva’s Auto-biographical Sketch
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The following is a transcription of Srila Gurudeva speaking on February 23, 2003 in Olpe, Germany, on the topic of his own life history. It was kindly translated from his Hindi talk by Radhika dasi of Russia.
A Fireside Darsana
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Try to fix your mind in harinama kirtana and japa. This is first. Pray to Nama Prabhu, who is not less than Krsna and Srimati Radhika. In fact, Nama Prabhu is more powerful even than Krsna. So pray to them: "Please make me qualified to serve you in all respects." Then, serve with your senses, mind, words and everything you possess...
The Blazing Forest Fire And The Burning Ghata
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One day, when Krsna was out cow-herding with His billions of cowherd friends and innumerable cows, He took them to Bhandiravana, one of twelve prominent forests of Vrndavana. Roaming from one forest to another, He and His associated finally reached Bhandirvana and began to play. Balarama and Krsna and all their friends, like Dama, Sudama, Sridama...
Unconventional Teachers
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"'However, most of my time was spent in cutting the "jungles" of mayavada, sahajiya-vada, sakhi-bekhi and all other non-devotional ideas. If there is a mayavada jungle, the seeds of bhakti will not sprout. I therefore had to cut so many jungles, and still there are so many jungles left throughout the world. Most of my time was spent in clarifying philosophical points.'
"Saying this, his mood changed and his face became reddish. Then he spoke the following verse...
A Very Auspicious Day
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Today is the very auspicious birthday of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Gosvami. He is sri-varsabhanavi-devi-dayita (most beloved to Srimati Radhika). He is krsna-prestha (very dear to Krsna), krsna-parikara (an associate of Krsna) and especially within Krsna’s parikaras, he is varsabhanavi-devi’s, that is, Srimati Radhika’s, palya dasi (maidservant)...
Sri Guru-tattva and Seva
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Today I have an opportunity to worship my Sri Gurudeva. Last year, also, I had the good fortune of worshipping him, and today that auspicious occasion has come again. By the mercy of Bhagavan, I had the fortune of being able to serve Srila Gurudeva for another year. If Srila Gurudeva had wanted to deprive me of service to him, I would not have survived this past year...
Sri Vyasa Puja - Srila Prabhupada Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura
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Today is the day of the worship of Sri Guru, and I have come here today for this purpose. I am a person blinded by ignorance. Ignorance is an object resembling darkness. I am the servant of Visnu - I have no other function except the service of Visnu - this mode of thought is being obstructed by the darkness of nescience...
The Appearance Day Of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura Prabhupada
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Today is a very auspicious day. It is the very holy birthday of Srila Prabhupada Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Gosvami Thakura. I want to speak something of his glory. If this great self-realized soul had not descended in this world, no one would have known the meaning of pure bhakti. No one would have known the identity of Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura, the book Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, or the books and glories of the Gosvamis.
The Disappearance Day of Srila Gour Govinda Maharaja
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I remember Pujyapada Gour Govinda Maharaja. He came from an aristocratic brahmana Vaisnava family, his father and mother were Vaisnavas, in his house there was a deity of Gopalji-deva, and he was thus trained in Vaisnava philosophy from the beginning...
Appearance Day Of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura Prabhupada - Giver Of Madhurya-Bhakti
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Srila Sarasvati Thakura is krpabdhaye, an endless ocean of mercy. He is the first acarya in the four sampradayas to desire that all the people in the world, all those who have forgotten Krsna, should realize all the truths of bhakti, and they should be helped to become pure devotees. If Srila Prabhupada Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Gosvami Thakura had not sent his disciples here and there, none of you, in any country, would have met pure devotees...
My Remarks
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Nowadays, many people in the sārasvata-bhaktivinoda-dhārā, or the line of thought of Śrīla Sarasvatī Ṭhākura and Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura, stray from the line of thought following Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī (rūpānuga-vicāra-dhārā), and licking the feet of the ‘īcaḍe-pākā’ sahajiyās, say, “What’s the use of preaching? What is there in performing kīrtana? Do bhajana, just do bhajana.”..
He Kept His Life In His Hands
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The backbone of bhakti is guru-nistha (strong faith in one's spiritual master), and those who have no guru-nistha can never develop in Krsna consciousness. We have seen his guru-nistha. He wanted to glorify his Gurudeva, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura Prabhupada, but he became overwhelmed simply by beginning to utter the word 'Prabhupada'. He would begin to weep loudly, and then he would call upon us (Srila Vamana Maharaja, Srila Trivikrama Maharaja, myself and others) by some signal to glorify his Gurudeva. Having heard from him about his relationship with his Gurudeva, we glorify him in connection with his absorption in his Gurudeva's service...
