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 More
by 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 MoreAfter The Walk - Darsana
- Details
Those who are more advanced can remember Sri Krsna's asta-kaliya-lila (His pastimes throughout each twenty-four-hour period), and those who are still more elevated can remember something more. There is no single instruction or meditation that applies to all. The devotees' remembrance accords with gradation and qualification in bhakti...
Was Krsna's Promise Broken?
- Details
How are we to reconcile this? Krsna is the Supreme Lord. Everything is possible for Him. He performs all His pastimes under the direct shelter of His yogamaya potency, His trancendental spiritual deluding potency. So how should we understand this pastime?
Fortune Through Association
- Details
If you are helping and serving the pure Vaisnava, or doing parikrama of Vrndavana or a Tulasi plant, even unknowingly, or you have taken any maha-prasadam remnants which devotees are distributing somewhere and which has been sincerely offered to Krsna with tulasi leaves - that will surely have a great effect. This is called sukriti, pious credits that create impressions on the heart for the gradual attainment of bhakti. When much sukriti is amassed by someone, that person attains sadhu-sanga...
This Ignorant Boy
- Details
If you plant a seed in the ground, it will take three, four, five or six days to sprout. After four, five, six or ten months, leaves and creepers will come, and then flowers, and then fruits will manifest. You will have to give this process at least fifteen years. This is "asu". This is the meaning of "immediately". If you can attain a taste in bhakti, then one life may be sufficient...
On Prabhupadanuga
- Details
You should not think that Srila Bhaktivedanta Svami Prabhupada has discovered something new - and that we are "Prabhupadanugas". Some think that "Just as there are Rupanuga Vaisnavas, so we are Prabhupadanuga." Persons who think like that are nothing - they are completely ignorant...
To Transcend The Iron Age
- Details
You are very lucky to be in the line of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, Srila Rupa and Sanatana Gosvamis, Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura Prabhupada, my Gurudeva Srila Bhakti Prajnana Kesava Gosvami Maharaja and Srila Bhaktivedanta Svami Maharaja. And I am helping you to remain in line. Give importance to bhajana, to Krsna consciousness. This is not the first or last human form that Krsna is mercifully giving you...
Morning Walk in Miami
- Details
I am asking a question. Do you know why and how Brahmaji stole the friends and calves of Sri Krsna? Who will answer? Do you know?
Guru Wants One Thing - My Loyalty
- Details
If you are loyal and have nothing to take from Gurudeva – only his bhakti – he will know this. He will give you bhakti with realization. Otherwise, bhakti will never be possible for you...
It Is Not a Day - It Is Krsna
- Details
What is the speciality of today that gives it the name Ekadasi? It is the eleventh day from the dark moon day (Amavasya) and from the full moon day (Purnima). We have eleven senses – five working senses and five knowledge-acquiring senses. That makes ten, and the mind is the eleventh. With these eleven senses we should try to become nearer to Krsna. Ekadasi – by our eleven senses we do 'upavasa'. Upa means 'very near' and vasa means 'to reside...
The Highest Summits of Prema
- Details
What kind of krsna-prema do we want? Not the prema of Hanuman or the Pandavas or even Uddhava. We will not reject their prema; we will offer pranama to it. But we do not want it. What do we want? Do we want to serve Krsna as Srimati Radhika is serving Him? No. We also offer so many pranamas to that prema. Our goal is to serve that prema, but we do not desire it ourselves...
The Satisfaction of Krsna
- Details
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
- Details
..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
- Details
"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
- Details
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
- Details
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
- Details
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...
