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. ❞ ..
Read Moreby 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 MoreThe Glory of Sri Radha (Part 2)
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Last evening I discussed how Srimati Radhika appeared in Raval in the Yamuna River on a one-thousand-petal lotus flower. There are two births described for Her, and they are both correct. In this age (yuga) She appeared in Raval and in another She appeared in Varsana.
The Glory of Sri Radha
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Sri Krsna was present at Vamsivata, the place of the rasa dance, but He was not happy. He wanted to perform loving pastimes but He was all alone. Srimati Radharani then appeared from His left side, and Sankara (Siva), Sri Gopisvara, appeared from His right side as guru-tattva. Radha ran to Krsna with great pleasure. Ra is for anuragi, meaning ‘deep spiritual loving attachment,’ and dha is for dhavati, which means ‘to run very fast, with great eagerness.’ Krsna worshiped that very Radha, and therefore Her name became Radhika...
Sri Radhastami
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Only under the guidance of Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura is it possible to render service to Srimati Radhika. In the mood of a maidservant of Srimati Radhika, Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura has written that he cannot tolerate Radhika's condition during the time of Her separation from Krsna. And, for Their meeting together, he is readily prepared to easily give up his life...
Lalita-Devi's Appearance Day
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Lalita-devi was born in the village of Karehla, and later on her father brought her to Uccagaon, the place of her pastimes (lila-sthali). There are still many evidences of her pastimes here, like a rock containing the imprints of her lotus feet and some small utensils she used when she and the other sakhis fed Krsna there...
A Very High Topic
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If you want to be in Vraja and serve in raganuga-bhakti, with love and affection, then follow Sri Manah-siksa. Do not think this is a third-class book. If you neglect Upadesamrta and Manah-siksa, you cannot advance in rupanuga bhajana. I have instructed all sannyasis to preach from these two books first, for these two are the backbone of raganuga-bhakti...
Was Sri Krsna Cheating?
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Uddhava became disturbed thinking, "Krsna is very crooked, and clever. He knows everything but still he is asking me if He should go to Vrndavana .This means that He does not really want to go there. He is simply cheating everyone by asking me...
Appearance Day of Srila Gour Govinda Maharaja
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"Srila Gour Govinda Maharaja is one of the rare people in this world who are genuinely in the line of Caitanya Mahaprabhu and the Gosvamis. Only a real devotee can know all these truths."
Take Responsibility
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Someone who has no nistha (strong faith) in his Guru and in the Vaisnavas, no attachment for them, no attachment for their service, and who doesn't take any responsibility to do seva – such a person is like an animal with two legs. Taking responsibility can even make an animal into a human. Stay in the Mathas (temples) under the guidance of Guru and Vaisnava. Respect them and serve them with strong faith and attachment...
Divisions Of Devotion
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Nowadays, many have an idea that they have attained the stage of raganuga-bhakti, but if any worldly desire is there, that is not even pure vaidhi-bhakti. It is very hard to actually say, “I am a raganuga-vaisnava.” We can, of course, very easily say this with thousands of mouths, but we should examine our hearts to see if in our natural position even a touch of worldly desire is present there...
Even in His Dreams
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"In His sleep He sometimes looks for His flute, and sometimes He poses in His tribanga (three-fold bending) form. Sometimes He says, "O Candravali, what is the matter? And He pulls on my cloth."..
Why Not Only One Book?
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Not everyone is in the same stage of bhakti. Everyone is in different stages. If one is a neophyte and does not have even sraddha, how can you tell him, “You are a manjari; book your ticket for only the manjari mood”? I want to tell you all, that this is a very wrong idea. Try to truly understand and then follow the real meaning of rupanuga...
Only by Guru's Grace
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We should especially know that service to Krsna with mamata (a sense of “mineness” towards Lord Krsna) is uttama-bhakti, and the increase of mamata in service, places a devotee in successively higher stages...
Secrets of the Undiscovered Self
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No one doubts the existence of the sun, so why should one doubt the existence of the creator of the sun or thousands of suns? That personality can create millions upon millions of worlds in a moment, and He can also destroy them. He comes to this world only to save us from suffering, by establishing a relationship with us and by engaging us in His loving service...
No Part To Disregard
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Srimad-Bhagavatam is Krsna Himself, and it is the essence of the entire Vedic literature – Veda, Vedanta, the Upanisads, the Puranas, and so on. Being the essence of all Vedic scriptures, there is nothing in it to be disregarded. It is a nectarean fruit coming through the guru-parampara from transcendental Vrndavana...
Are All Manjaris?
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My request is: do not be mad to be a manjari. Try to follow Sri Upadesamrta first, and then the other writings of Srila Rupa Gosvami. You can then gradually go to the top of the bhakti tree. Don’t try to jump at once to the top of the tree. Otherwise, you may fall down, break your arms and legs, and crack your head. Be careful.
The Vrajavasis Are The Most Fortunate
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Why is it that Krsna never did anything to relieve the Vrajavasis from their suffering, whereas they did everything for Him? Srimati Rohini-maiya gave the answer. The Vrajavasis are mohita, bewildered. They are not bewildered, but "like" bewildered. They came under the control of Krsna as if hypnotized or as if under the control of a magician...