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 MoreWeeping 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...
Visvarupa Mahotsava and the Sannyasa Ceremony of Srila Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
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There are many items that are not allowed during Caturmasya, such as leafy vegetables in the first month, yogurt in the second month, milk in the third month, and mustard oil in the forth month. Besides this, throughout all four months, tomatoes, eggplants, and several other foodstuffs are prohibited. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu would follow all these rules very strictly, but ...
Srila Prabhupada's Sannyasa Day Anniversary and Sri Visvarupa Mahotsava
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Today is the sannyasa day of Srila Bhaktivedanta Svami Maharaja. On this day he took sannyasa here, and then he preached all over the world. He began from New York, and from there he went to San Francisco and Los Angeles, and after that he established so many preaching centers everywhere...
Visvarupa Mahotsava And The Sannyasa Ceremony Of Bhaktivedanta Swami
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Today is a very sacred day in our line. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu took sannyasa and began to search for his brother, Sri Visvarupa. While searching, He found out on this day that His brother had been in Pandarapur, and there he had left his body and had taken samadhi on the bank of the river Bhima...
Criticize and Lose the Holy Name
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This is our dilemma. We are doing hari-nama, staying in the holy place and hearing Bhagavatam, but we are not really hearing. Sometimes, some of us only act as if we are following. We speak publicly on the Bhagavatam and give instructions to others, but we do not protect ourselves from offense to Vaisnavas. Joking and laughing, we somehow disrespect or criticize Vaisnavas. The holy name (who is God Himself) cannot tolerate this. Therefore, we deceive ourselves and we are deprived of the real fruit of chanting the holy name. In this way, many lifetimes are wasted...
Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura's Appearance Day
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If Srila Thakura Bhaktivinoda had not appeared in this world, the pastime places and instructions of Sri Gauranga Mahaprabhu would have disappeared from the world. The entire world of Gaudiya Vaisnavas will therefore remain indebted to him forever. It is for this reason that he has been awarded the highest honor in the Vaisnava community by being addressed as the Seventh Gosvami.
Appearance Of Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura
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Today we are observing the auspicious Appearance Day of Srila Saccidananda Bhaktivinoda Thakura. He is considered to be the Saptama (seventh) Gosvami, and he has written more than one hundred very authorized books in many languages. He has especially given us two very important gifts. He discovered the birthplace of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, and he gave us Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Prabhupada...
"You Must Return"
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Baladeva Prabhu has been hearing the conclusions of Rohini Maiya - who had been describing the separation of the cows in Sri Vrndavana...
All Turned to Lord Balarama
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It was Srimati Rohini devi who gave this description of the beauty of Vrndavana - in response to the statements of Padmavati, the mother of King Kamsa. When Padmavati heard the glories of Vrndavana she said, "Rohini, you talk too much. If Vrndavana is so sweet and attractive, and if there is no jealousy there, then why are the cows there dying?" When Krsna heard this His mouth dried up and He became practically unconscious. Nobody knew what to do, so everyone turned towards Sri Balarama...
Sri Radhastami, The Day of Her Advent
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There is one person whose name is never mentioned in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. And yet Bhāgavatam’s steadfast readers constantly nurture the ardent hope of becoming that person’s devout, one-pointed servant. May that person, who means everything to Śrī Bhagavān, kindly destroy our false ego in all its various forms and bestow upon us the shelter of Her lotus feet. Today is the day of Her advent.
In Glorification of Sri Radha
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Desire is also a power, and that desire-power is called iccha-sakti. Radhika is present (as the personification of that iccha-sakti). Without Radhika, there is no existence of Krsna. He is nirvisesa-brahma...
Sri Radhastami
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She is Krsna-mayi; She sees Krsna everywhere – inside and outside of Herself. Wherever Her mind or senses go, it is only for and about Krsna. When She sees a tamal tree She thinks, "Oh, there is Krsna." Her name is Radhika because She fulfills all the desires of Krsna and because He Himself worships Her...
Sri Radhastami Day
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Sri Jayadeva Gosvami knows in his heart that the best prayers to Sri Krsna Bhagavan are those which glorify Him in relationship to the gopis, and especially in relation to Srimati Radhika. He therefore begins this kirtana with the words "srita-kamalakuca-mandala! dhrta-kundala! e."
