Rays of The Harmonist
- Remain in the Line of Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura
- What Śrī Caitanya Meant by Theism
- Call Out, Weeping
by Śrī Śrīmad Bhaktivedānta Nārāyaṇa Gosvāmī Māhārāja
❝Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura is a liberated mahāpuruṣa. After the six Gosvamīs, he is the seventh Gosvāmī. His Jaiva-dharma, his other books, all his books that are there, his commentary on Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam that is no longer available, his commentary on Vedānta and his commentaries on all Gosvāmīs’ literatures, beginning from Vilāpa-kusmañjali to Manaḥ-śikṣā and so on, Mahaprabhu’s Śikṣāṣṭaka, Upadeśāmṛta – he has written a commentary on all of them after deeply entering [realizing the essence of] those books. If anyone opposes one such as Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura, should we go to such a person? Never! Don’t go! Not to speak of gopī-prema, even if he gives everything [related to that], then also, don’t go. Understand this: what he is giving is not gopī-prema. Do not be khaḍa-jaṭhiyā. ❞ ..
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by Śrīla Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura Prabhupāda
❝The Supreme Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya has asked all sections of the people of this world not to tamper with or mutilate the Absolute Truth with their crippled attempts to regulate Him, but rather to approach Him with an absolutely clean and sincere heart, in which His own feature will be revealed.❞ ...
Read Moreby Śrī Śrīmad Bhaktivedānta Nārāyaṇa Gosvāmī Māhārāja
❝In happiness and distress, in dissent and calamity, in every situation, we have to call out, weeping, to Śrī Gurudeva, Śrī Gauracandra and Śrī Śrī Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa at every moment. If we are calling out to them sincerely, they will surely bestow their mercy. However, we face obstacles in our calling out.❞ ..
Read MoreIt Will First Sprout For Gurudeva
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How will it be possible for a sadhaka (spiritual practitioner) to attain this possessiveness for Sri Krsna? It will first sprout for Srila Gurudeva, the asraya or associate of Krsna. The sadhaka will feel, “He is my life and soul. He is more dear and intimate than my own soul.” Then, when that possessiveness for Gurudeva gradually matures, Gurudeva will personally transform it into possessiveness for Sri Krsna Himself...
Why Did Krishna Not Return?
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Krishna has left Vrindavana for Mathura. Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura has explained in his commentary that all the Vrajabasis, especially the gopas and gopis, and Krishna's father and mother, are feeling so much separation that is beyond the limit of explanation. It is said that the Vrajabasis sent a swan as a messenger to Mathura, and the Puranas say that they sent many messengers; but Srimad Bhagavatam has not told so...
Vow to Please Sri Radha
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Urja means power. Srimati Radhika is the Urja-sakti, power, of Krsna. Urja-vrata (vrata means vow) means Radha-vrata. Although we regularly recite Sri Damodara-astakam in the morning and evening, we must keep in mind that this is Sri Radha-vrata. We are attending classes – to please Srimati Radhika. Both in the morning and evening we will sing kirtanas of Radhika, and we will also visit the places of Sri Sri Radha and Krsna’s pastimes – we will go everywhere in Vraja Mandala.
Krishna And Gurukula
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The evening after Krishna killed Kamsa and made Ugrasena king, He and Baladeva met Nanda Baba and tried to satisfy him. Krishna and Baladeva went to Vrindavana in one prakasa and in another stayed in Mathura. In one prakasa Nanda Baba went to Vrindavana alone and was very sad. He was weeping bitterly and feeling so much separation. In another prakasa Krishna returned and played...
To Be One-Pointed
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There was a gopi, and at first she had had no association of Krsna's beloved gopis. Although she was a gopi, she had not seen Krsna nor did she know anything about Him. She was newly married, and by chance her marriage was performed in Yavata. She had recently come to her father-in-law's house, and there she met Visakha, Kundalata, and other gopis...
The Tears Of Krishna, Balarama, And Nanda Baba
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Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura is asking, "Is it impossible that Krishna and Balarama and the Vrajavasis can take more than one form?" He is also answering his own question. During Rasa-lila Krishna took millions of forms and danced between millions of gopis. If he does so in Vrindavana, then what to speak of Dvaraka?
Krishna Kills Kamsa
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This is Kamsa Tila, the place where Krsna killed Kamsa. Tila mean hill, and it was upon this hill that Kamsa was sitting when Krsna pulled him from his dias. Our temple, Sri Kesavaji Gaudiya Matha, is situated in part of Kamsa's wrestling arena, and it is also where Krsna and Balarama killed the elephant demon...
More Humble Than A Straw
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We want to do bhajana, but at the moment we are doing bhajana of nama-aparadha, and sometimes of nama-abhasa. We cannot do bhajana because we neglect the importance of this third verse of Sri Siksastaka, beginning with trnad api sunicena. In Caitanya-caritamrta (Adi-lila 17.32), Srila Krsnadasa Kaviraja Gosvami says: "I am raising my hand and taking a vow. Please listen, all devotees; hear this: if you want to do bhajana, then make a garland with the thread of nama and the jewels of trnad api sunicena."
How To Follow
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Even if you are very busy at that time, always try to engage your mind in Krishna. Try to have a siksa-guru, keep your heart with that siksa-guru, and ask him or her questions. I will also help, but sometimes I may not be physically available. There are many qualified devotees here who can help you...
Srila Prabhupada's Legacy
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I have realized from my experience that if we are not independent, but rather meet and preach together, then we will be successful. Mahaprabhu has told, "Prithivite ache yata nagaradi gram. Sarvatra pracar haibe more nama". "All over the earth, in every town and village, my Name should be preached". There is a great possibility to fulfill the transcendental desire of Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu...
A Vaisnava Is Always Merciful
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If you befriend a sense enjoyer, a person who is attached to the opposite sex or one who opposes bhakti, the association of that ‘friend’ will cause you to go to hell. On the other hand, if you engage in inimical dealings with a pure Vaisnava, this will bestow a result similar to that which occurred with Kaliya...
Krsna Will Make Arrangement For Guru
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Diksa-guru must be qualified; Or, siksa-guru must be qualified. We cannot achieve perfection without a qualified guru.
Weeping in Love
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The word prema-vivarta refers to that love and affection which sometimes appears as anger, but which is not. It is actually the highest class of love and affection, which appears in the form of a sulky mood of transcendental loving anger...
Parikrama to Bhubaneswara
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We went to Bhuvanesvara, and in Srimad Bhagavatam there is a history regarding this place. There was a demonic king named Paundraka, and He was very envious of Lord Krsna. He had heard that Krsna is Vasudeva, God Himself, and that He often manifested four-arms...
Love Speaks The Philosophy Of Love
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The philosophy of love has been given in the Srimad Bhagavatam, and Srimad Bhagavatam not only gives philosophy, but also examples of real love and affection. It explains how the gopis and other Vrajavasis love Krsna fully, with their lives and souls. If one hears Srimad Bhagavatam and thinks about even one line or even half of a line, or even one word – Krsna or Radha – he will attain that pure love and be able to control the Supreme Lord...
Love And Affection
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Today I am especially remembering my śikṣā-guru, Śrī Śrīmad Bhaktivedānta Svāmī Mahārāja and his first journey to America by boat. He passed through the Mediterranean Sea, on to the Atlantic Ocean, and finally he arrived in Boston. On the order of his gurudeva, he carried the message of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu and Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī to America. During his journey across the seas, he performed the humanlike pastime of becoming so sick that he seemed to be on the verge of death...
