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 MoreLessons in Modrumadvipa
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One should be more humble than a blade of grass, more tolerant than a tree, and should give respect to all others. So why is it that Sri Vrndavana dasa Thakura has said, “If anyone will criticize or minimize Sri Nityananda Prabhu, I will take a stick and beat him on the head.” Is this the mood of trnad api sunicena?
Making Sannyasis
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I want to make a proposal to you all. Then, if you sanction or approve this proposal, it can be enacted. My age is now gradually becoming older. I can no longer travel everywhere, especially to far away countries like Brazil, Chile, Argentina, and Africa. My doctors tell me to lessen my travels. Therefore, I want that some of the more qualified devotees should be given sannyasa...
Who Is Praudhamaya?
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Just after Krsna took birth from Mother Yasoda's womb, she gave birth to His sister, Yogamaya. This is Praudhamaya, a manifestation of Krsna's antaranga-svarupa-sakti. The root or complete internal svarupa-sakti, transcendental energy, is Radharani. Srimati Radharani becomes samvit, sandini, and hladini in order to fulfill different functions and activities...
Prema Vivarta
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Jagadananda Pandita explained that we have forgotten Krsna since time immemorial. Therefore, chasing after us, Krsna came as Caitanya Mahaprabhu to give what no other acarya or incarnation gave before - unnatojjvala-rasa. By the mercy of the dhama and Mahaprabhu, we can remember this and worship Gauranga with nistha. We came here to Navadvipa, from all parts of the world, for this...
Navadvipa, Puri, And Godavari
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In Navadvipa Sri Gauranga performed sakhya-bhava pastimes with his friends in his naravat, human-like lila. It is said that after taking sannyasa in Navadvipa, He left and performed higher pastimes in Puri. After that, on the bank of Godavari, He met Ramananda Raya and learned how to taste Krishna in a still more...
Nectar Flowing in Navadvipa
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What is the glory of Navadvipa? The original Supreme Personality of Godhead Sri Krsna appeared in this world and performed His astonishing pastimes in Vrndavana. Yet, all of His desires were not fulfilled at that time. Those desires that were not fulfilled by Him during His pastimes in Vrndavana were fulfilled when He appeared here in Navadvipa-dhama in the form of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu...
The Superiority of Navadvipa Dhama
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What is the glory of Navadvipa? The original Supreme Personality of Godhead Sri Krsna appeared in this world and performed His astonishing pastimes in Vrndavana. Yet, all of His desires were not fulfilled at that time. Those desires that were not fulfilled by Him during His pastimes in Vrndavana were fulfilled when He appeared here in Navadvipa-dhama in the form of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu...
An Introduction To Navadvipa-Dhama Parikrama
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Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu appeared in Navadvipa and performed His pastimes there. It is said that after these pastimes were completed, He took sannyasa and went to Puri. Later He went to South India, met Srila Ramananda Raya, and revealed to him His form as Sri Sri Radha and Krsna combined – Rasaraja-mahabhava. This form of Rasaraja-mahabhava is also described in the Srimad-Bhagavatam, as the pastimes of Radha and Krsna...
The Deity is not Stone
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This place is very sacred and very old. Long ago, Sri Krsna-Balarama were worshiped here in a very small temple, and so it was known as the temple of Krsna and Balarama. Now that the temple is rebuilt, this place is called Sri Rupanuga Gaudiya Bhajana-sthali - a very good name...
A Surprise Navadvipa Parikrama
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I wanted that one year I would be here in Vrndavana for Gaura Purnima - to see how we can observe it here. I made up in my mind that, as it is performed during the Navadvipa parikrama, on the first day we will do sankalpa (vows and prayers for the success of the parikrama), on the second day we will visit those pastime places in Vraja that are hidden...
Sri Srimad Bhakti Dayita Madhava Gosvami Maharaja
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A doubt occasionally arises in my heart. I think, "Have I made a mistake in accepting the shelter of the lotus feet of the Vaiṣṇavas? It certainly seems so. I appear to have made a mistake in taking up bhajana, in accepting the shelter of the Gauḍīya Vaiṣṇavas and, specifically, in taking refuge of the Gauḍīya Maṭha and dedicating all my senses to serving in the Maṭha...
Three Considerations - for Siva Ratri
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There are three considerations (vicaras) from which to understand the relationship between Lord Krsna and Lord Siva. One is called tattva-gata-vicara - the consideration of their relationship by established philosophical truth. Another is called aisvarya-gata-vicara - the consideration of their relationship in the Supreme Lord's pastimes of majesty, and the third is naravat-gata-vicara - the consideration of their relationship in the Supreme Lord's sweet, human-like pastimes....
The Post and the Person
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Both as the post and the person, Siva is superior to Brahma. Lord Siva is an expansion of Lord Visnu, but sometimes a jiva may become Siva's expansion known as Rudra. If a man purely performs the duties of varnasrama for one hundred births, he may become Brahma. In other words, he may attain the position or post of Brahma. In turn, when a person in the post of Brahma carries out his function expertly for one hundred births, he becomes qualified to perform the function of Siva in his manifestation as Rudra...
The Glories Of Lord Siva And Siva-Ratri
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We should try to understand all the pastimes of Sankara and Rama. We should try to see what is the position of Lord Siva and what is the position of Rama. In this way we should do our bhakti. Those who take Lord Siva as an independent Lord are like Vrkasura. They want to have sense gratification with Krishna potency...
Siva-tattva
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Sri Narada has gone to Sankara, Lord Siva, and is glorifying him; “You are very near and dear to Lord Krsna. Not only that, you are Krsna’s manifestation; you are non-different from Him. You can give moksa, liberation, and also krsna-prema.” Hearing Narada glorify him in numerous ways, Sankara became somewhat angry and said, “Your glorification of me is all false. I am not very dear to Krsna – not at all – but I want to be. I want to be Krsna’s beloved, but actually I am not. I’ve done so many things against Him...
An Airport Darsana
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Now I must go. Thank you all. Now, my children, my sons and daughters, you should return to your homes – and we will meet again after one or two months...