Why Bother Singing Bhajanas and Kirtanas?
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Why do we do so many kirtanas? Is it a waste of time? Why not always chant, “Hare Krsna Hare Krsna, Krsna Krsna…” When you will sing, “Hare Krsna Hare Krsna,” and “Hari haraye namah krsna yadavaya namah,” and “Jaya radhe, jaya krsna,” other devotees think they should take their mala and sit behind, and they can chant, “Hare Krsna Hare Krsna, Krsna Krsna…”
Good Questions, Great Answers
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Devotee: Gurudeva, I am looking for a guru. What are the qualities of a good guru – a bona fide guru?
Srila Gurudeva: He knows all sastra – Vedas, Upanisads, and all other Vedic scriptures – and thus he can remove devotees' doubts. He has some realization of the Supreme Lord, and by that realization he is able to transfer Krsna from his own heart to his disciple...
Govinda Damodara Madhaveti
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Absorbed in this beauty of Krsna, the gopis forget their body and mind. They don’t know where they are. The calves and cows also forget about their surroundings when they see Krsna or listen to His flute song. I was speaking on this yesterday or the day before? Where was it?
The Bhakti-Lata-Bija
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Very good, thank you. From today on, you should all try to have the firm belief that by serving Krsna your lives will be successful, and that your maintenance and everything else will automatically be taken care of. With this firm belief, you will not need to do anything except chant and remember Krsna. I am repeating these very important topics again and again, in order that you may come to realize them. Try to realize this: if you are serving Krsna, your whole life will be successful; you will not need to do anything for your worldly necessities. In this way, instead of doing anything for your maintenance, you will perform all devotional activities: sravana kirtanam visnu smaranam pada sevana.
Mahaprabhu Was Also Very Strict
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If you want to love and honor Caitanya Mahaprabhu and you want His mercy to come to you, always remember the pastime of Caitanya Mahaprabhu banishing Chota Haridasa. Do you know that history? You should speak something about it in brief...
Initiations and Other Topics
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Somebody may say that because in some societies there are no high-class Vaisnavas, there is a need for kanisthas to give initiation...
Two Questions
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It is very hard to utter Sri Krsna’s name at the time of death. At that time one’s throat will be choked up. You should speak hari-katha to that person, and chant Lord Sri Krsna's name: “Hare Krsna Hare Krsna Krsna Krsna Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare.” If you cannot do this, then chant: “Krsna, Radhe, Rama...
Be Very Careful About This
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Nowadays, especially in European countries and in Russia, devotees think they are very 'rasika'. *[See Endnote 2]. They want rasa (the taste of spiritual mellows). They want to go up to the top of the tree of prema at once. They only want madanakhya-bhava (the highest ecstatic devotional love, situated only in Srimati Radhika). They do not want to follow vaidhi-bhakti. They don't like vaidhi-bhakti.
If We Want to Read Prabhupada's Books
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You know that Lord Rama loves His wife, Sita. You know how He loves Sabari, a very low-born lady. He even ate Sabari's food remnants. You know that Krsna took His flute and peacock feather and placed them at Srimati Radhika's lotus feet, saying, "I will not be able to repay you, even if I live for millions of years...
The Bird in the Sage - Part One
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A drunkard might think he has become greatly happy by drinking vast quantities of wine, but actually he is not happy. One who eats the flesh of cows and thinks that he is very happy, is not happy. Such persons are deluded. They don't know what will be the effect of doing such things. So the sages asked, "Please tell us the essence of all the scriptures, by knowing which our soul will be happy...
Levels of Devotion - continued
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Try to be like Pariksit Maharaja, who was cursed to die after seven days. He forgot to take any prasadam, and he did not even drink any water during that seven-day period. He did not sleep at all, for he was engaged day and night in hearing Hari-katha. Then, after seven days he left his body without any suffering and went to Goloka Vrndavana. Try to hear with the same absorption as Pariksit Maharaja...
Honoring The Vaisnava
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What is the proper way to utter the name of your gurudeva? If you are offering pranama to him, should you hold your hand in your japa bag and say, "Namah om visnupadaya krsna presthaya bhutale sri srimad bhakti prajnana kesava gosvami iti namine"? What is the proper etiquette? Among the sixty-four limbs of bhakti, the first ten are for guru. Do you remember what they are?
The Creeper Of Devotion Grows - Part 2
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When one’s creeper of devotion matures and one comes to the stage of an uttama-bhagavata, crossing bhava-bhakti and coming to prema-bhakti, at that time the devotee can go to Vraja (the highest abode of the Lord), and especially to Radha-kunda ... from bhava-bhakti up to but not including prema-bhakti, one’s anarthas are sleeping (dormant)...
Don't Collect Anything
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Try to follow all the principles. Don't divide your heart into fractions. Don't let it go here and there. Be one-pointed to Sri Krsna, as the gopis are. They gave up their husbands, fathers, mothers and children, and even their chastity, Vedic injunctions, and fear of society's accusations. They are one-pointed. If you can do this, then, very soon, in one human birth, you can attain up to the devotional stage of asakti or rati (transcendental ecstasy), and after that you can attain prema...
Morning Walk -Sadhu Sanga is Essential
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Anyone who has as his stayi-bhava (permanent transcendental emotion or relationship) a relation with Krsna in Vraja, in Mathura, in Dvaraka, in Ayodya, in Vaikuntha or anywhere in the spiritual world, and they look towards the spiritual world from the tatastha region, they do not have to come to this world in order to perfect their bhajana. Only if Krsna desires that they come with Him and His pastimes to this world do they come; otherwise not...
The Creeper Of Devotion Grows
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The senior disciples of my siksa-guru Om Visnupada Sri Srimad Bhaktivedanta Swami Maharaja, who have become somewhat weak after his divine departure, are now receiving new life. This was my main objective. I wanted to obey the words of my siksa-guru, to go wherever necessary to re-inspire his disciples and followers, and I think that we have been successful. Many thanks to the devotees who have left everything for the past seven days to come and hear hari-katha. My blessings to all the devotees that they will become very strong...
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