The Meaning Of Diksa
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The word initiation actually has come from the word diksa. A qualified, realized guru, who is detached from worldly things-he is really guru. Because he has some realization, he can give diksa. But diksa is not completed in one day or one moment, as it is going on nowadays. Diksa is a class, a course - a process. In one day we cannot be BA, MA, or PHD. It will take some time. There is a regular process...
The departure of Srila Narahari Seva-vigraha Prabhu
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Sri Seva-vigraha Prabhu was one of the foremost disciples and intimate servants of jagad-guru Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Gosvami Prabhupada. Our most worshipful Srila Gurupada-padma had a very close friendship with him; they lived together for a long time and served Sri Dhama Mayapura in countless ways. Srila Prabhupada turned over the entire responsibility for Sri Dhama Mayapura to this dear servant and could then preach suddha-bhakti everywhere with a peaceful mind...
Glorification of Sri Ramacandra Kaviraja
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Seeing the wedding party, Srinivasa Acarya said, "This foolish person has obtained a poisonous black snake, and he is keeping it around his neck. That very snake will bite him and he will die, but he does not know this."
Hearing the words of Srinivasa Acarya, the bridegroom at once approached him and said, "What are you saying? I could not understand thoroughly."
The Glories of Gopal Bhatta Gosvami
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First let us glorify Gopal Bhatta Gosvami. During Caturmasya-vrata Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu went to South India, to the Ranganathji temple. He began to dance and perform kirtana there, and all were attracted. The members of a very holy family met Him there, and they requested Him, "Please stay at our residence for these four months of Caturmasya, and after that You can go anywhere else...
How To Be Ready For Sannyasa / How Kumbha-Mela Came To Be
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Srila Swami Maharaja told me when he took sannyasa, "I remember the days just after Srila Pradhupada gave me initiation; I chanted with taste and eagerness. Then I saw a sloka: 'If anyone remembers me from the core of his heart, I take away all his possessions, home, and family, and make him a street beggar.'" Still, I had so much taste for chanting, and I continued. After some time my wife left me and my three sons also left...
Krishna, The Supreme Magician
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This is a very wonderful narration of the character of Sri Prahlada Maharaja and Nrsimhadeva. Especially important is Prahlada's statement, "I am not a businessman. At the end all are bound in birth and death. So I want their welfare." Prahlada is a siddha-bhakta. Lord Nrsimhadeva is a plenary part of Bhagavan, but he is not Svayam Bhagavan. Svayam Bhagavan is in Gokula; He is Nanda Baba's lala. He has all kinds of opulence and powers...
Farewell Address
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I also don't want to go to wealthy persons, to beautiful persons, or to very learned persons. If they will come, oh, they will ruin everything. I know it is very hard to control them. So I want that we go to common people and preach. I am not seeing that same enthusiasm and spirit which was there during Srila Prabhupadas time. You should have the same spirit-and then you can preach. Go door to door. Don't be afraid that, "He will beat me with a wine bottle." Never. Don't fear...
Only 24 Minutes Left
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You are seeing me. I have no problem at all – not even a death problem. Never do I have any problem, and I think that I will have no problem to solve in the future. My only worry is for your spiritual benefit. Try to realize that...
Neither Religion Nor Irreligion
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Krishna told, "sarva dharman parityaja/ mam ekam saranam vraja". He has told this so many times; he also told: "man mana bhava [mad bhakto]". Also, "mam eva ye prapadyante/ mayam etan taranti te". Mam eva. So He has told everywhere like this, but Caitanya Mahaprabhu never did. He taught that you should chant, remember, and worship Krishna, Radha-Krishna. Always He told like this...
Teachings Of Grandfather Bhisma
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If anyone is insulting, if anyone is beating, Don't think him as an enemy. Your activities are your enemy. So your activities from now, and in the future, should be how? Not to criticise. Not to offend. Not to do anything wrong. Otherwise, your activites will come and do this. So in this world no one is enemy or anything...
Sadhana And Sadhya
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I have told so many things about our goal, so now we are going to discuss the process, or method, by which we can attain that goal. First of all, we should know what is the goal of our lives; and then, according to that, we should fix our process - how we can attain it. If there is no goal [sadhya], then no process [sadhana]. We have discussed so many things, so much about our goal - that krsna-prema is our goal...
Cleansing the Heart
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We have discussed ruci. After ruci comes āśakti. This is almost the fifth stage of the “ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanam” verse. The first stage of the verse is ‘ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanam - cleansing the mirror of the heart’. When is our heart clear?
A New Year's Greeting
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I wish you all a happy New Year. The New Year we are now celebrating is according to Western calculation. This mainly affects our physical body and mind, because those in the Western world are very concerned about their physical health and mind – not more than that. Very few persons in the Western world know about the soul...
Blessings from Srila Bhakti Kumuda Santa Gosvami Maharaja
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Srila Bhakti Kumuda Santa Gosvami Maharaja was the last of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvatī Ṭhakura Prabhupada's sannyasa disciples to leave this world, entering nitya-lila in 2012. Srila Bhakti Hrdaya Bon Gosvami Maharaja and Srila Bhakti Pramoda Puri Gosvami Maharaja brought him to the lotus feet of his spiritual master at the tender age of eleven. Upon initiating him, Srila Sarasvati Thakura named him Sri Radha-ramana dasa, and carefully arranged for his education...
The Worldly Honey
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You should all think death is on your head. Any time death can take you. After this day, whether you will get a chance to do again or not. What species will you go, you cannot say. Always chant. Not busy in divorcing wives and husbands. "What to do, what to do?" 'Oh tell me gurudeva, should I divorce or not?' 'Should I marry?'. These are the two problems… What to do? I have not come to advise you this...
Meeting Is Higher Than Separation
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It was only for beginners and sadhakas that Srila Prabhupada Bhaktivedanta Swami Maharaja said that one must adapt the mood of separation. We have been forgetful of Krsna since the beginning of time. Thus, a sadhaka-bhakta should always lament, weep, and feel separation in his bhajana. He should weep like Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, like Srila Narottama dasa Thakura, and like Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura. Beginners must know that we have forgotten Krsna and we have been separated from Him from time immemorial,and therefore their bhajana should be full with feelings of separation...
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