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.❞ ..
Read Moreby 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 MoreIt Doesn’t Matter What You Are
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Sri Krsna continued, "If you have attachment to worldly things, to your children and to all your possessions, only association with exalted devotees of Krsna can destroy it. Only such association can remove all your worldly attachments. Such association is extremely powerful, and that is why it strongly controls Me...
Teachers Need These Qualities
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We are discussing the conversation between Sri Krsna and His devotee Uddhava. At the time of His departure from this world, Krsna gave instructions to Uddhava. Uddhava had asked: What are the symptoms of pure devotees? How can we become pure devotees? How can we achieve uttama-bhakti (pure devotional service)? In this connection, Krsna replied, "The symptoms of My devotees are as follows...
Be Detached From Dead Matter
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If a man is married, he has love and affection for his wife; but he should not be attached. Ladies should also be careful in this way. If they see any male person other than their husband, they should treat him as a father, son, or brother; nothing else. You should all learn this...
Varnashrama Dharma
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I want that we follow varnasrama-dharma. Varnasrama dharma is of two kinds: daiva-varnasrama and smarta-varnasrama. We reject smarta, but we follow daiva-varnasrama – especially as established by Srila Sanatana Gosvami in his Hari-bhakti-vilasa. Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura Prabhupada also established it, as did our Gurudeva Srila Bhaktiprajnana Kesava Maharaja and Srila Bhaktivedanta Swami Maharaja...
About Criticism
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So, don’t criticize anyone – neither a devotee nor a worldly person. Don’t glorify worldly persons, whether they are good or bad. If you do so, all their bad activities will come in you and your life will be spoiled...
I Came To Remind You
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First we should know what anarthas are. By hearing hari-katha, Lord Krsna will come and purify your hearts, and all anarthas will go away. You should realize what these anarthas are, and whether or not you are covered by them. One of the anarthas is kutinati, which means criticizing others, especially Vaisnavas. We should not criticize...
Pass Time in Pastimes
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We discussed the birth of Sri Krsna, He who is certainly the son of Yasoda. He is partly the son of Vasudeva and Devaki, but fully the son of Yasoda. After He took birth, His father Nanda Baba went to Mathura to pay taxes to Kamsa, the King of Surasena-pradesh in Mathura. Then at night, after paying the tax, he went to meet Vasudeva.
My Mission
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I want to tell you one thing. Someone asked me, "What is your mission? What have you have come here to give?" My mission is the same mission as that of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, Srila Rupa Gosvami and my guru-parampara. It is to give love and affection to all living beings, without any consideration of cast and creed, and according to their qualification and standard of devotion to Krishna. Our main mission is to give love and affection to the highest standard. We are giving this...
One Pointed Bhakti
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Our Deity is Radhika. I am an eternal maidservant of Radhika. My relation to Krishna is not direct. Krishna is the beloved of Radhika; so to please Radhika, I am serving Krishna under Her guidance. In this way it is ananya - in our line of disciplic succession...
The Cows Of Krishna
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Cows always give milk. They have no dvesa, envy. They do not only support themselves. Their life is always for others, and especially for Krishna, for all the Vrajavasis and for the whole world. If anyone is saranagata...
A Humble Letter
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Although we have no qualification for offering or remembering such an exalted personality as Srimad Trivikrama Maharaj, we pray fervently with our utmost sincerity, however meagre, that he please accept this dedication for our benefit and thereby bestow His Divine Shower of innumerable Maha-Bhagavata Blessings on us fallen souls...
A Great Pillar of Devotion - Srila Bhaktivedanta Trivikrama Maharaja
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In Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu asked Srila Raya Ramananda: duhkha-madhye kona duhkha haya gurutara? krsna-bhakta-viraha vina duhkha nahi dekhi para ["Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu asked, 'Of all kinds of distress, what is the most painful?'Sri Ramananda Raya replied, 'Apart from separation from the devotee of Krsna, I know of no unbearable unhappiness....
The Speciality of Sriman Mahaprabhu’s Dance at Ratha-yatra
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Mahaprabhu moved with such speed, that He appeared to be simultaneously present at every point of His circumambulation. Such a sight is certainly astonishing, but our amazement should not stop there. What bhava was manifesting in Sriman Mahaprabhu at a given moment, and what internal transformations was He undergoing as a result? This was the foundation of His dance...
The Bumblebee
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Radharani is speaking to a bumblebee, who is buzzing about and trying to sit on Her lotus feet, thinking them to be a lotus flower. She tells the bumblebee to go back to Madhupuri (Mathura), from where it has come, for it looks very intoxicated and impure. But the bee does not leave, and Radharani responds by saying, "You are a bumblebee with six legs. Man has two legs and animals have four legs. Animals are foolish...
Venu-Gita - The Flute Song
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I request you to come with me to Vrindavana. The Gopis are assembled in their houses. By their bhava-netra, eyes of transcendental ecstatic emotions, they are seeing that Krishna is going through the forest and playing on the flute - very beautiful Krishna. They are hearing the very sweet voice of the flute, and they are all totally immersed in that. They are discussing with each other, and one sakhi is telling another...
Upadesamrta 1-3 - Controlling The Six Urges
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I hear that so many devotees are sometimes very humble and sometimes like a red bull. If you will come in front of him he will lift you up and throw you with his horns. Don't be bulls in that way. Rather, as a bull serves and supports like a father-we should take this quality. We should never be bulls. We should never fight with or beat anyone...