Baladeva's Birthday
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Today is the appearance day of Rohini-nandana Baladeva. According to the Vedic scripture Garga-samhita, Baladeva Prabhu appeared after Janmastami, but if this is accepted, there would be confusion. Baladeva would be older than Krsna by one year, and then they would not be able to play together, wrestle on equal terms, and have Their name giving ceremony performed for both of them at the same time...
Sri Rupa Gosavami, & Sri Baladeva's Appearance
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Many people have spoken tonight about Srila Rupa Gosvami. Even if Anantadeva (the many-thousand-headed serpent who holds the universes on his hoods) speaks for thousands of years with his thousands of mouths, he will not be able to complete the topic of Rupa Gosvami...
The Disappearance Day of Srila Rupa Gosvami
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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...
The Mercy of Srila Rupa Gosvami
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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...
If Rupa Gosvami Had Not Come
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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.
The Swing Ceremony
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In the month of Sravana (the rainy season), the clouds in the sky begin to make a thundering sound, and extremely fine mist-like rain drizzles everywhere. The atmosphere is very beautiful and pleasant after the heat of the summer months, for at that time all the forests of Vrndavana begin to bloom. Many types of flowers on both sides of the Yamuna, such as beli, cameli, jui, and madhavi begin to bloom...
Sri Rupa Goswami Conference on Vaishnavism 2024
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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...
Srila Gurudeva’s Beautiful Desires
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We are fast approaching the holy month of Kartika. We are immeasurably fortunate that our beloved Srila Gurudeva is with us. He will be guiding us forever, and soon he will be guiding us through an inspiring month of parikrama, harikatha, and sadhu-sanga.
The Lotus Feet of the Spiritual Master
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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...
Short but Sweet
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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).
Bhakti is Radhika
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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.
Lokanatha Mahadeva
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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?
Experiencing a Higher Taste
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[Question:] Since we spirit souls haven't fallen from Krsna's pastimes in Goloka Vrndavana, why do the scriptures say we ‘revive' our relationship with Krsna, or that we have ‘forgotten' that relationship? Since we have never experienced it, what is the question of ‘reviving' or ‘forgetting' it?
Darshan On Guru Tattva
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If one's guru is not qualified, then, taking his permission, the disciple should at once take initiation from a higher rank of guru. This is not an offense. If that guru is not giving permission, he should at once be given up and the disciple should take proper initiation. This is because that guru is not a Vaisnava...
Guru Tattva: Real And Apparent
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You should understand who is a real guru. He is the abode of bhakti, and he has all kinds of serving moods towards Radha-Krishna Conjugal or Mahaprabhu. He can give sadhana-bhakti, and he can also give rati - a high class of rati. If he is qualified to even give prema-bhakti in Goloka Vrindavana, and the love and affection of Conjugal Radha-Krishna, can he fall down?
A Response To The Ritvik System
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Without accepting diksa from a bona fide guru, can one develop bhakti or not? Some think that chanting, remembering, reading books, and performing arcana, sravanam and kirtanam is sufficient and there is no need for a mediator. They think that accepting a 'ritvik' person is sufficient for attaining pure bhakti, and there is no need of accepting diksa from any living self-realized guru...
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