Whatever Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura wrote was inspired by Srila Rupa Gosvami. He wrote the commentary of Srila Rupa Gosvami's Bhakti-rasamrta sindhu in the form of his Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu-bindhu. He wrote Prema-samput and Camatkara-candrika. Without Srila Rupa Gosvami, the other acarayas could not have given the world what they did...
Srila Rupa Gosvami is the life of the Gaudiya Vaisnavas. He is the crest-jewel of the rasika-bhaktas (devotees who taste transcendental mellows) and it is he alone who fulfills the mano-bhistham, the heartfelt desire, of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. We have performed our worship of Srila Rupa Gosvami, and we pray to his lotus feet that his conceptions may manifest in our heart. We pray that the manner in which he served Sri Gauranga Mahaprabhu and Sri Sri Radha-Krsna may also manifest in our heart.
In Sri Krsna’s pastimes, Srila Rupa Gosvami is Rupa-manjari, a special maidservant of Srimati Radhika. Rupa-manjari is always serving Srimati Radhika, and she is always on Her side. If Krsna orders her to do something, she will not be afraid to disobey, and by disobeying she will be so pleasing to Krsna. Among all the maidservants of Radhika, including Rati-manjari (Raghunatha dasa Gosvami) and Labanga-manjari (Sanatana Gosvami), she is the most prominent. Ananga-manjari, the younger sister of Radhika, is her bosom friend...
At the time of Sravana everything becomes green. The summer was dry, but now the rain has come and everything has come to life again. All the young brides are taken at that time from their mother-in-laws’ homes by their brothers, and they return to their fathers’ home. Srimati Radhika was still at Her in-laws’ home in Yavat, however, because Her brother, Sridama, had not come...
It is my honor on behalf of the conference to invite you to attend the Sri Rupa Goswami Conference on Vaishnavism. An international assembly of distinguished scholars will be speaking and we welcome your participation...
Rupa Manjari and Rati Manjari, they always serve Srimati Radhika. They are solely inclined towards Radhika. Without Radhika, they cannot live. If Krsna is defeated by Srimati Radhika, they are overjoyed and clapping. And if Krsna defeats Srimati Radhika then some problems come. They do like this [hang their head down]. So, these manjaris are always with Radhika, at all times.
My Guru Maharaja, Srila Bhakti Prajnana Kesava Gosvami Maharaja, used to teach all this to us. When you are going to give any water from any vessel, you should not put your nails in the water. If you are cooking and you are putting some salt in dahl, or any other preparation, you should put the salt away immediately, before offering the dahl; otherwise it will become contaminated (juta).You should be very careful...
In recent times, the original explanation of slokas like this have been discarded, and other, different explanations are now given instead. According to the new explanations, those who make them claim that “One should only take shelter of our Gurudeva, or of someone else who comes from our group. It doesn’t matter who they are. Even though it may be Krsna ...
I came to you because you are a very good person. You should realize that only your soul is you, and that soul is part and parcel, an eternal servant of Krishna. You should realize that this is the truth. There is no birth and death of the soul. Due to these worldly truths you are coming and going in this world...
So there are no separate Indian, English, or Christian Gods. God is one, and all living entities are souls. There is no difference between the souls in dogs, cats, rats, ants, or even grasses and creepers. The quality of all souls is the same. They have forgotten Krsna, they are in different species of life, and they are tasting the fruits of their past activities...
If there is no bhakti, or even a part of bhakti, ignorance cannot go. To the degree that bhakti manifests, in the same proportion, ignorance, unwanted desires, and anarthas disappear; otherwise they can never go. It is absurd to think, "First I should purify my heart, and then I will chant and remember Krsna." First the sun should come, and then darkness will go. Without the appearance of the sun, how will the darkness dissipate? Narottama dasa Thakura is praying to his gurudeva, "Please be merciful. Sprinkle a drop of your mercy, and then I will be able to serve Radha-Krsna Conjugal...
Why have I come here, and why am I travelling here and there? Why have I invited everyone to come here, and why am I touring throughout the world? What is my mood and mission, and why I am journeying in this old age?
One day, Sri Krsna and Baladeva Prabhu went out for cow-herding with their friends. Their mothers had sent foodstuffs to Bandiravana, but by mistake the boys went to the border of Mathura and Vrndavana. In that area there were only asoka trees there – no other plants – and nearby there were brahmanas performing a yajna (a sacrifice).
Narada told him, "You can only know these topics by bhakti-yoga. Krsna is controlled by bhakti." We defined pure bhakti (uttama-bhakti) yesterday, and that bhakti is supremely situated in Radhika. In fact, bhakti is Radhika.
You are very lucky. If anyone comes here, or even takes a vow, that “I will go to Ksetra-mandala, Nilacala (Jagannatha-ksetra) or Bhubanesvara,” and if he dies before his vow is completed, still he will get the fruit. He will become four-handed. What relationship do you want with Lord Krsna?
We are far from the truth when we cannot see that everything, all waves, are flowing towards the satisfaction of one: Svayam Bhagavān. We are labouring under a deception. We are deceivers who are not just deceiving ourselves but the world also. We are guilty of misunderstanding everything and of carrying that false knowledge to others...
Page 1 of 49