Rays of The Harmonist
- Unalloyed Theism
- To Refute Misconceptions is Guru-sevā
- Appropriate Renunciation
by Śrīla Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura Prabhupāda
❝Factually, our restricted perspective in relation to the phenomenal domain should not be imposed on the Personality of a thoroughly Independent Integer. The Personality of Godhead is to be humbly approached, not subjected to our sensuous inspection, as though He were an accused in the court. We should accept that all existences are, and ought to be, His own. This method of approach is known as unalloyed theism.❞ ...
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by Śrī Śrīmad Bhaktivedānta Vāmana Gosvāmī Māhārāja
❝To refute misconceptions is guru-sevā. If, at any point, one can understand that someone is giving misleading teachings, one should, in a civil manner, refute them and establish the faultless siddhānta. Doing so is the ideal of conviction in service to guru. If, despite knowing and hearing the truth, one conceals it, hypocrisy finds its outlet, and that entails a lapse of duty. This (refuting someone’s views) is never contrary to humility or amānī-mānada-dharma.❞ ...
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by Śrī Śrīmad Bhaktivedānta Nārāyaṇa Gosvāmī Māhārāja
❝The renunciation by which the body becomes completely useless and which awakens impediments to hari-bhajana is not favourable for bhakti. You must accept bhagavat-prasāda appropriately. It is indeed proper to accept all the objects of the senses that are essential for one’s well-being, in a manner that is favourable for one’s kṛṣṇa-bhajana.❞ ...
Read MoreSri Uddhava's Guru Rsi Narada
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After arriving in Dvaraka in an ecstatic and maddened state, Sri Narada Muni made his way into the wonderfully opulent palace of Srimati Rukmini devi, to the entrance of her room, where he saw an astonishing sight. A large crowd had gathered there, including Srimati Rohini-maiya, Rukmini devi and Krsna's other queens, their maidservants, and Sri Uddhava. Everyone there was concerned and upset because, although it was late in the morning, Lord Krsna was still sleeping in His bed...
Sri Narada Muni's ecstacy
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Sometimes it is seen that the gopis or exalted Vaisnavas fall to the ground and become unconscious; but their unconsciousness is not like ours, or that of munis or other types of so-called sadhus. When munis enter their samadhi, they forget everything - this world and themselves. But when the gopis or the Vaisnavas go into samadhi, they deeply remember the names, form, qualities and pastimes of Bhagavan Sri Krsna. A kanistha-adhikari cannot understand this...
Glorification a Few Days Later
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Everyday we should look in our own hearts, to see how much we are following Srila Rupa Gosvami. We should think, "If I am not following Srila Rupa Gosvami then I should die. There is no purpose to my life...
Vrndavana Is Made Of Srimati Radhika
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Vrndavana is Radhamayi. It is made of Srimati Radhika, and everyone there is bhava-vibhor, lost in transcendental sentiments. The devotees here have just sung a bhajana in which they prayed, "I don't want to leave Vrndavana", and the main cause of that prayer is the variagated moods of Radhika and their depth of absorption. When Uddhava saw the moods of Radhika at Uddhava-kyeri, he became stunned like a wooden doll...
Baladeva's Birthday
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Today is the appearance day of Rohini-nandana Baladeva. According to the Vedic scripture Garga-samhita, Baladeva Prabhu appeared after Janmastami, but if this is accepted, there would be confusion. Baladeva would be older than Krsna by one year, and then they would not be able to play together, wrestle on equal terms, and have Their name giving ceremony performed for both of them at the same time...
Sri Rupa Gosavami, & Sri Baladeva's Appearance
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Many people have spoken tonight about Srila Rupa Gosvami. Even if Anantadeva (the many-thousand-headed serpent who holds the universes on his hoods) speaks for thousands of years with his thousands of mouths, he will not be able to complete the topic of Rupa Gosvami...
Sri Baladeva Is Guru
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Lord Sri Krsna appeared as Sri Baladeva Prabhu, to give instructions on how to serve Himself. As one may massage his feet by his own hands, so Baladeva is Krsna Himself, in the form of the supreme Guru, to teach others how to serve His lotus feet. They are one, but there is a slight difference in their forms; Krsna is black and Baladeva is white, and Krsna carries a flute whereas Baladeva carries a buffalo horn. Because Baladeva teaches service to Krsna, he is called akanda-guru-tattva, the complete and undivided principle of Guru...
Lord Baladeva's Appearance Day
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You know the pastime of Sri Baladeva's killing Romaharsana Suta, but do you know why He did it? The fact is that this Romaharsana Suta never honored any devotees. He thought, "I am supreme of all. I am guru of all the 88 thousand rsis assembled here....
Our relationship with Balarama
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Today is a very auspicious day because two very sacred tithis (days) have met together: Purnima, and the Appearance Day of Baladeva. Today also ends Jhulana Yatra, which has been going on for one month since the beginning of this sravana month. At the end of Jhulan Yatra all Vrajabasis are very sad, and therefore Baladeva Prabhu appears on this day and makes them happy...
The Mercy of Srila Rupa Gosvami
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In Sri Krsna’s pastimes, Srila Rupa Gosvami is Rupa-manjari, a special maidservant of Srimati Radhika. Rupa-manjari is always serving Srimati Radhika, and she is always on Her side. If Krsna orders her to do something, she will not be afraid to disobey, and by disobeying she will be so pleasing to Krsna. Among all the maidservants of Radhika, including Rati-manjari (Raghunatha dasa Gosvami) and Labanga-manjari (Sanatana Gosvami), she is the most prominent. Ananga-manjari, the younger sister of Radhika, is her bosom friend...
If Rupa Gosvami Had Not Come
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Srila Rupa Gosvami is the life of the Gaudiya Vaisnavas. He is the crest-jewel of the rasika-bhaktas (devotees who taste transcendental mellows) and it is he alone who fulfills the mano-bhistham, the heartfelt desire, of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. We have performed our worship of Srila Rupa Gosvami, and we pray to his lotus feet that his conceptions may manifest in our heart. We pray that the manner in which he served Sri Gauranga Mahaprabhu and Sri Sri Radha-Krsna may also manifest in our heart.
The Disappearance Day of Srila Rupa Gosvami
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Whatever Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura wrote was inspired by Srila Rupa Gosvami. He wrote the commentary of Srila Rupa Gosvami's Bhakti-rasamrta sindhu in the form of his Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu-bindhu. He wrote Prema-samput and Camatkara-candrika. Without Srila Rupa Gosvami, the other acarayas could not have given the world what they did...
Sri Rupa Goswami Conference - 2021
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It is my honor on behalf of the conference to invite you to attend the Sri Rupa Goswami Conference on Vaishnavism. An international assembly of distinguished scholars will be speaking and we welcome your participation...
The Swing Ceremony
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In the month of Sravana (the rainy season), the clouds in the sky begin to make a thundering sound, and extremely fine mist-like rain drizzles everywhere. The atmosphere is very beautiful and pleasant after the heat of the summer months, for at that time all the forests of Vrndavana begin to bloom. Many types of flowers on both sides of the Yamuna, such as beli, cameli, jui, and madhavi begin to bloom...
Srila Gurudeva’s Beautiful Desires
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We are fast approaching the holy month of Kartika. We are immeasurably fortunate that our beloved Srila Gurudeva is with us. He will be guiding us forever, and soon he will be guiding us through an inspiring month of parikrama, harikatha, and sadhu-sanga.
The Lotus Feet of the Spiritual Master
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If there is no bhakti, or even a part of bhakti, ignorance cannot go. To the degree that bhakti manifests, in the same proportion, ignorance, unwanted desires, and anarthas disappear; otherwise they can never go. It is absurd to think, "First I should purify my heart, and then I will chant and remember Krsna." First the sun should come, and then darkness will go. Without the appearance of the sun, how will the darkness dissipate? Narottama dasa Thakura is praying to his gurudeva, "Please be merciful. Sprinkle a drop of your mercy, and then I will be able to serve Radha-Krsna Conjugal...
