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.❞ ..
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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 MoreBhakti does not depend on One's Asrama
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Once I was with my Gurudeva, Srila Bhakti Prajnana Kesava Gosvami Maharaja, in Assam - we were about forty brahmacaris (celibate students) and about ten sannyasis (those in the renounced order of life). One day, one of the brahmacaris was giving a class and saying that all householders are rotten...
Lovebirds
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In ancient times, there was a king named Citraketu who had many wives. King Citraketu married one woman after another, but he was very unhappy because none of them bore a child. One day a great saintly person named Angira Rsi arrived at his palace, whereupon the king welcomed him and washed his feet. Seeing that the king was very unhappy, Angira Rsi asked him, “Why you are so unhappy? ...
We Have Not Come to Make A Group
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Performing bhajana with the inclination to serve Srimati Radhika is the best type of bhajana. It cannot be said that no one is qualified to perform this kind of bhajana. In this world there is always a rupanuga Vaisnava who is capable of doing such bhajana. Past, present and future – there will always be someone with this qualification. To say otherwise is incorrect, because the world would face destruction if it lacked the presence of such a qualified person...
Disappearance Day of Sri Baladeva Vidyabhusana
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Today is the disappearance day of Sri Baladeva Vidyabhusana - one of the most elevated acaryas in our disciplic succession. Today is also the birthday of Srimati Gangamata Gosvamini, and it is also the very day that the Ganges River came to this world. Three holy days are here. In India, in all our Mathas (temples), there will be a very big festival of harikatha for these prominent leaders in devotion to Sri Krsna.
Appearance Day of Sri Gangamata Thakurani and the Ganga
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In Bengal, around the time of Srila Rupa Gosvami, a king and his family were living in Putiya. The king had a very beautiful daughter named Saci-devi, who, from a very young age, used to worship Sri Sri Radha and Krsna. When Saci-devi grew-up somewhat, she decided that Sri Krsna is her only beloved. She determined, "I will not marry any person in this world, for my beloved is Lord Krsna Himself - Syamasundara...
The Appearance Day of Sri Ganga-Devi
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There is another history, which is in the Brahma-vaivarta Purana. Ganga is a sakhi, a gopi like Lalita, Visakha, Srimati Radhika, Candravali and others like them. One day Sri Krsna was sitting with Ganga-sakhi, and He was engaged in some pleasant talks. In the meantime Srimati Radhika came and saw them, and She thought, "Oh, Krsna is meeting with Ganga-sakhi?"
Airport Conversations
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if you have no opportunity, then you should read yourself. It will help. You will be able to make more prominent and fixed, whatever you have heard from me or any high class of Vaisnava, by reading. Understand? By their example, behavior, mood, love and instructions...
You May Die Tomorrow
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Sravanam kirtanam visnoh smaranam and so on - all these general practices are in the category of vaidhi-bhakti when they are performed in the mood of worshipping the Lord in with awe and reverence, or when they are performed with a desire to attain that mood purely. Do you understand clearly? The same practices, performed with a special mood of greed to attain the devotion of the residents of Vrndavana, are called raganuga-bhakti...
A Lawn Darsana
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Srimati Radhika and all the gopis are most beautiful. If one sees them he will die, because he will change his body and go to Goloka Vrndavana. This material body will not survive because it is not able to take darsana of the transcendental world.
If Someone Urinates On You
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Be enthusiastic at the time of hearing, remembering, serving the Lord’s lotus feet (pada sevanam) and worship of the Deity form of the Lord (arcanam). Cooking is also arcanam – don’t be neutral at any time. This is the symptom of bhakti. If one has bhakti, one is enthusiastic to first please guru and to then please Sri Krsna. How will we know that guru is happy with my activities?
Go to Guru At Once
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Hearing this pastime someone may think, “Mother Yasoda is controlling Sri Krsna in such a wonderful way. I also want Krsna as my son. I also want to control Him.” Mother Yasoda is a ragatmika-parikara, an eternal associate of Krsna, and those who want to be like her are called raganuga...
Nirjala Ekadasi and other topics
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The Pandavas used to observe Nirjala Ekadasi on every Ekadasi. Once, Bhima told Krsna, "It is not possible for me to fully fast every time. Krsna replied, "On all other Ekadasis you can take fruits and roots, but you must follow Nirjala on this particular Ekadasi...
Disappearance of Sri Baladeva Vidyabhusana
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My supremely worshipable Gurudeva nitya-lila-pravista om visnupada astottara-sata Sri Srimad Bhakti Prajnana Kesava Gosvami Maharaja demonstrated his veneration for Sri Gaudiya Vedanta and for sri-gaudiya-vedantacarya Srila Baladeva Vidyabhusana Prabhu by using Prabhu’s name in establishing the society ‘Sri Gaudiya Vedanta Samiti’ and also in awarding his sannyasa disciples the title ‘Sri Bhaktivedanta.’
Don't Be Proud Of Your Intelligence
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Service requires a special relation. Now our goal is not fixed. What is our goal? "I should serve Krishna. I am an eternal servant of Krishna". But what kind of servant are you? This goal must be fixed, and it will come if you are initiated in the true sense; not only by fire sacrifice or when the guru changes your name. Simply that will not do...
What Are You Doing, My Brothers, My Sisters?
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Yesterday the subject was very high, but for preachers it is essential to know. If anyone does not know all philosophical conclusions (siddhanta), he cannot be strong. At any time he may fall down...
How to Fulfill All Your Desires
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If anyone takes part in the Govardhana-annukuta festival, and makes any preparation or even gives one grain, that person will never have to beg. Laksmi, the Goddess of Fortune herself, may have to beg, but that person will never have to beg. You can perform this worship even in your house. Today we are doing it here because I am here..
