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 MoreThe Goal - Vilap-kusumanjali
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In this world we have a guru and we are his disciples, but in raganuga-bhakti (internally) the guru is like a friend. Visrambhena gurau seva. In the spiritual realm, there is no formal relation of guru and disciple as there is in this world. Srila Raghunatha dasa Gosvami used to address Srila Rupa Gosvami as guru, and he respected him as such. Inwardly, however, he saw him as a sakhi, as Rupa-manjari, as he will further reveal in the third verse...
Illuminating the Path to Ragatmika-bhakti
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This surrender and complete dedication of the heart to guru is called tadatmya (oneness of heart) in Sanskrit. When an iron rod is placed in fire, the qualities of the fire enter the iron. When fire permeates an iron rod it is the fire that burns other objects; it is not that the iron rod burns other objects; The iron rod may ‘consider,’ “I am fire,” in the sense that the qualities of the iron have become one with the qualities of the fire; it now does the work of fire.
On Raganuga-bhakti
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Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: What is a manjari? We have heard about kamala-manjaris and mango-manjaris. Any creeper or good flower has manjaris. Although the manjari appears first and then the flower, the manjari is always located above the flower. When a bee comes to sit on the flower and drink its honey, the manjaris tremble, being overjoyed.
Deep Teachings at Gambira - II
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We have come to this very sacred place called Sri Gambhira, the palace residence of Kasi Misra, who offered it to Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. This place was given to Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu on the request of the king, who said, "Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu is Krsna Himself. I want Him to stay here." And it was so managed...
Meeting About The Newly Published Raga Vartma Candrika
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But it is only in viraha (separation) that the gopis, and all the Vrajavasis, sometimes say, "Oh, He's God, the Supreme Lord." And how do they say this? They say, "Paurnamasi has told us this." Or, "Gargacarya has told us." Somehow they have heard from them, but they themselves have no realization that Krsna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead...
How to Enter Raganuga-bhakti
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In this Raga Vartma Candrika, Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura tells us what he has realized about Sri Sri Radha-Krsna’s anuraga by the grace of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu and Srila Rupa Gosvami. Anuraga refers to that stage of prema which comes just before mahabhava. Within prema comes sneha, then mana, pranaya, raga, and then anuraga...
Holi
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This village, Ganthuli, is one mile from Gulala-kunda. In the month of Phalguna, February-March, at the time of Holi, all the gopis were present here, playing Holi with Sri Krsna and the gopas. This is where Holi took place. Sri Krsna and His friends were in one party and Srimati Radhika and Her sakhis were in the opposite party, and there were more gopis than there were gopas. Both the gopas and gopis held syringes which shot out many colors, and these colors were not easily removable...
A Darsana For Tamal Krsna Gosvami
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Yesterday I explained that there are two kinds of bhajana. The first is in vipralambha-lila, performed by chanting and remembering Krsna's pastimes of separation. The second is in sambhoga-lila, performed by remembering His pastimes of meeting. Although the gopis and Vrajavasis always like to meet Krsna, He plays in such a manner that they enjoy vipralambha-rasa...
The Appearance Day of Srila Bhakti-Raksaka Sridhara Gosvami Maharaja
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I met Prapujyacarana Srila Sridhara Maharaja in 1946, at which time he did not have any disciples. He was with my Gurudeva, Srila Bhakti Prajnana Kesava Gosvami Maharaja, from 1942. He left the Sri Caitanya Gaudiya Matha and came with Guru Maharaja when Guru Maharaja established the Sri Gaudiya Vedanta Samiti in 1942...
Appearance Day of Sri Radha-kunda
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Among all the gopis, Srimati Radhaji is most dear to Sri Krsna, being His principal prana vallabha. Similarly, Radhaji's dear kunda is also very dear to Him.
O Sri Radha-kunda! O Sri Krsna Kunda! You destroy all sins and award one-pointed prema. I bow down to you again and again...
Appearance Day of Radha-kunda
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...the different varieties of colorful birds, deer, the cool and fragrant breezes from the Malaya Mountains, the peacocks, bumblebees, the pastimes with the flute...
...the flute itself, the buffalo horn bugle, the footprints of the cows in the dust, the banks of blackish clouds, springtime, the moon, the conchshell and karatalas...
A Phoned Glorification of Kartik Month
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In Vrndavana, India, October 28, 2002, at 6am, upon the first glimpses of sunrise, five hundred devotees from India and around the world were sitting in the beautiful Sri Rupa Sanatana Gaudiya Matha in Vrndavana, India. Surrounded by Rajasthani pillars, colorful bas-relief and other paintings of Krsna's pastimes on the walls, walls painted in shades of yellow, saffron, and beige, sastric verses appropriate for...
Lokanatha Mahadeva Parikrama
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Sankara is a very, very exalted mahabhagavata. He always serves Krsna and all His manifestations, like Rama, Nrsimha, Kalki and Varaha. In this world he has five kinds of manifestations: earth, water, fire, air, and ether. You cannot see other than these five. You can see water, you can see earth, you can see sky and you can see fire...
The Disappearance Day of Srila Narottama dasa Thakura
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Today is the disappearance day of Srila Narottama Thakura dasa, so it is a very sacred day. Srila Narottama dasa Thakura took birth in West Bengal as the son of a very great king, and he was a beautiful prince. The king was one of two brothers, but there was only one son in the family. Still, from the beginning of his life he was very pure and devoted, and he remained a life-long brahmacari, never marrying...
Sri Krsna's Boat and Other Pastimes
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Here the gopis were quarrelling with Krsna, who said, "O gopis you should all come on My boat. I will take you across this Manasi Ganga River. Don't worry, I will take you across." All the gopis climbed on the boat and Krsna took them to the middle of the river, where there were many waves, and there He began to rock the boat and say, "You should at once give up your vessels of butter...
The Appearance Place Of Srimati Radharani
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By the mercy of Sri Guru and Vaisnavas, we have come to the appearance place of Sri Krsnas svarupa-sakti, Mahabhava Svarupini Srimati Radhika. Due to differences in different kalpas (millenniums), the pastimes of Srimati Radhikas appearance manifest in different ways...
