An Istagosthi - The Process Of Initiation
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To initiate is a very weighty responsibility. Still, to continue the strict line of our Sampradaya, we are doing so. I have permitted my disciples like Madhava Maharaja, Tirtha Maharaja, Aranya Maharaja, and others to give mala. If they try to give initiations however, then after some time their disciples will have no honor for them, and they will also try to initiate prematurely. So this is not a good process...
The Highest Summits of Prema
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What kind of krsna-prema do we want? Not the prema of Hanuman or the Pandavas or even Uddhava. We will not reject their prema; we will offer pranama to it. But we do not want it. What do we want? Do we want to serve Krsna as Srimati Radhika is serving Him? No. We also offer so many pranamas to that prema. Our goal is to serve that prema, but we do not desire it ourselves...
The Hunger of Krsna
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..to have a desire like, “I am serving Krishna, so I must be happy.” To serve Krishna for your happiness is not bhakti. If you have an appetite to serve Krishna and are worshipping Krishna, then you must realize ananda (bliss). Try to go deep. Desiring your own happiness is not bhakti...
Attachment For Radha
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I will now speak about the fifth stage of bhakti, called krsna-asakti. Suppose a man has left his wife, children, worldly position, and so on, but he has not yet come to the point of ruci, what to say of asakti. He must fall down, and in fact, he is already fallen. Whether he is a sannyasa, a brahmacari, or in any other asrama, it does not matter. External dress is not important; mood is important...
The Satisfaction of Krsna
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I explained before, that we should not try to always remember Krishna as the Supreme Personality of Godhead. What is the harm in remembering Him as so? If we think of Krishna as the Supreme Personality of Godhead, having innumerable attributes, and opulence, then what is the harm? It has been told in Sri Caitanya Caritamrita: yaha hoite Krishnera lage sudhrda mana...
A New Book Distribution Technique: Prema
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I want to say that the distribution of books is a main part of preaching. Although we do a lot of preaching, it may be that much of it will 'evaporate in the air'. In book publication and distribution, on the other hand, this preaching is solid. We are now publishing many books, and, as you are very inspired to distribute the books of Srila Swami Maharaja, your Srila Prabhupada, I want that you will also distribute my books, which are complementary to his...
A Note on Gita Govinda and Gaura-Vani
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"I will have no further relation with Krsna. I will not go to meet Him." Sri Krsna was upset and He therefore sent a gopi to Srimati Radhika to pacify Her. The gopi requested Her: "Sarasa vasante." New leaves have sprouted on all the trees. Cuckoos are singing...
The Constitutional Position Of Gadadhara Pandit
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Srimati Radharani was like a guru. In the form of Gadadhara Pandit, She was watching Krishna in the form of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, to see whether He was playing Her role properly or not...
We Are One Family
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We should not always remain in the kanistha-adhikari stage. There should be a way to go up to something superior, but our minds will not go there. We should try to make advancement through someone who is superior, through those who are practically serving, whose minds are there, who know Prabhupada’s mood, and who know the very deep process of Srila Rupa Gosvami and Srila Raghunatha dasa Gosvami that Srila Bhaktivedanta Swami Maharaja has written about in his books. We should try to go very deep...
Pastimes of Srila Bhakti Prajnana Kesava Gosvami Maharaja
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Once, after taking the permission of his Guru Maharaja, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura, my Gurudeva went to visit Srila Gaura Kisora dasa Babaji Maharaja. At that time, Babaji Maharaja had closed the door of his bhajana kutir, which was a municipal outhouse. He had locked himself inside and refused to meet anyone...
The Glories of Hanuman
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Now we are coming to our subject - where we left off in Badger. Why do we prefer Ambarisa Maharaja over Prahlada Maharaja? Prahlada Maharaja is a siddha-bhakta and parama-mahabhagavata (a perfected devotee situated at the stage of prema, love of God), and Ambarisa Maharaja is a sadhaka-bhakta (a practitioner at the stage of bhava-bhakti) So why do we want to follow Ambarisa Maharaja?
Taste
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The fourth yam (stage or period) of sadhana is ruci, taste. In this stage of ruci, especially the second kind of ruci, it does not matter whether or not the Deity is decorated, or whether or not His face, mouth, hands, and so on are complete. Even though Jagannatha has only two round eyes and no hands, Caitanya Mahaprabhu saw Him as Krsna and cried out to Him, "O Vrajendranandana, I want to meet You. My heart is breaking...
Sanatana Gosvami Comes to Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu
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Sanatana Gosvami was very happy. It has been written: raja more priti kore emor bandhana. My wife is loving me so much that it is bondage for me. The father is giving love-it is bondage for me. What is the meaning of this sloka, do you know? It is a very important thing. If you want to follow Rupa and Sanatana, you should know this meaning and then you can follow them...
Alloyed And Unalloyed Devotion
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Our subject is now very exalted, and I request you all to hear this high, sweet and powerful tattva-katha very attentively. I know that some of the devotees will hear it, but will keep it in cold storage after I leave. Never keep it in cold storage. We should try to go over what we have discussed, again and again, in our minds. If anything else enters your mind just after hearing hari-katha and you focus on that thing, the hari-katha may leave your heart...
The Assembly Of Srila Rupa Gosvami
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Try to realize this mood. I have explained to you the process: you must first take shelter of the lotus feet of the Guru, totally, without having any doubt in him at all. Visramabhena-guro seva (intimate service to Sri Guru), taking siksa and diksa from him - these are the root of bhakti. If you doubt him, the fruit of. bhakti will not come to you Mayadevi will take it away. Doubt can be there in the very beginning so that you can determine whether or not the Guru is bona fide...
Oh Mind, Please Worship Nanda Nandana
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Take responsibility for yourself and chant 'Govinda' one-pointedly In this way you'll be cured, your life will be saved, and you'll be happy forever...
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