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29 Jul 2007

Quoting a renowned Bengali poet Michael Madhusudana Datta, Srila Prabhupada once told Prabhavisnu Swami, under whom I served in Bangladesh, that he should preach in Bangladesh with the courage of an Englishman and the heart of a Bengali mother. I found the part about being like a Bengali mother difficult.

Prologue, Village Life in Bangladesh, Glimpses of Traditional Indian Life


15 Jun 2007

Brahmacari guru-kule vasan danto guror hitam/ acaran dasavan nico gurau sudrdha-sauhrdah. The brahmacari should live at gurukula, controlling his senses and acting for the benefit of his guru, not for his personal benefit. He should act just like a servant. The master orders and the servant carries out the order. Although he may come from a very aristocratic or brahmana family, still he should be humble, ready to do whatever the spiritual master or teacher asks. The student should not challenge.

Why should he be submissive? He is not getting any money. These things are accepted out of love for the spiritual master. You are not working. I am not paying you, but why are you working? Out of love for me. This is the basic principle. One should be convinced, "My spiritual master is my best friend; therefore I must render service to him." The service which you are rendering is not possible to be done even if I pay somebody one thousand dollars per month. It is not possible. Because it is done out of love. This is the basic principle. Yasya deve para bhaktir yatha deve tatha gurau. When one is fixed up in devotion to Krsna and His representative guru, everything becomes revealed automatically. Tasyaite kathita hy arthah prakasante. These are all revealed experiences. Brahmacaris especially are under the protection of the guru. There is no question in the beginning of how much one has learned ABC. The first thing is that one should live in the gurukula and practice sense control. The basic principle should be that one is living for the benefit of the guru, not for one's own benefit. Whatever he orders, one must execute. (Srila Prabhupada speaking to gurukula teachers in Dallas, July 1975)

Quotes from Srila Prabhupada's Conversations, Bramacari Reader


20 May 2007

However, even among avadhuta babajis, the character of Vamsidasa Babaji is unique. His behaviour was so unusual that in any culture less spiritually enlightened than that of India, he would almost certainly have been considered crazy. Although physically present in this world, he had little connection with it. He was about six feet tall and strongly built. His hair and beard were uncut, matted, and dishevelled. He never took bath, and his eyes looked wild. He wore a loincloth only and nothing more.

The Character of Vamsidasa, Vamsidasa Babaji



19 Apr 2007

My British forefathers had sailed forth to Indiato India to civilize the natives and bathe them in the blood of Jesus.  The British conquered, ruled and ultimately retreated.  And now I was coming, having been conquered by Indian culture; and specifically by Gaudiya Vaishnavism, the religion of the Bengalis.


Prologue,  Village Life in Bangladesh, Glimpses of Traditional Indian Life



13 Apr 2007

krsna-nama-maha-mantrera ei ta' svabhava

yei jape, tarakrsne upajaye bhava

             

             

“It is the nature of the Hare Krsna maha-mantra that anyone who chants it immediately develops his loving ecstasy for Krsna.” (Caitanya Caritamrta, Adi 7.83)

             

Chanting Hare Krsna maha mantra is essential for every serious devotee of Krsna. Even though we may be busy with many duties, we must put aside some time every day for chanting Hare Krsna.


Japa, A Beginner's Guide to Krsna Consciousness



07 Apr 2007

In Indian society, brahmacarya has often been considered as a set of restrictions aimed at upholding good health and moral principles, with the ultimate purpose of enjoying civilized sense gratification. Brahmacarya in Krsna consciousness, however, operates on the dynamic principle of knowledge and renunciation fully engaged in the service of God. Srila Prabhupada: "One practicing brahmacarya should be completely engaged in the service of the Lord and should not in any way associate with women." (SB 4.28.3) According to the definition of brahmacarya given in Srimad-Bhagavatam (7.12.1), an unmarried person who does not live in the guru's asrama, who has not submitted himself to the rigid life of surrender, and is not directly and exclusively engaged in the service of his guru, cannot properly claim to be a brahmacari.

The Meaning of Brahmacarya, Bramacarya in Krishna Consciousness



15 Mar 2007

Regarding seeing your book on Lord Ramacandra partly translated into English, I am very much eager to see it. I have to translate all the Puranas, Ramayana, Mahabharata, and many other theistic literatures left by the Gaudiya Vaisnavas. I have a great desire to translate the Valmiki Ramayana because that is authorized. It appears that in the western countries there is a great demand for real knowledge of Vedic literature. So you are a learned scholar both in English and Hindi, and you can do this completely devoted to the service of Lord Ramacandra.

                 

(Letter from Srila Prabhupada to Dinanatha N. Mishra, 26 July, 1975)


Introduction, Ramayana



08 Mar 2007

Many people who appear to be pious and religious, if asked to surrender to Krsna and accept Him as the Supreme Personality of Godhead, refuse. They have been described by Krsna in Bhagvad – gita (7.15)

     

na mam duskrtino mudhah

prapadyante naradhamah

mayayapahrta-jnana

asuram bhavam asritah

     

“Those miscreants who are grossly foolish, who are lowest among mankind, whose knowledge is stolen by illusion, and who partake of the atheistic nature of demons do not surrender unto Me.”


Understanding Krsna Consciousness As It Is, A Beginner's Guide to Krsna Consciousness




03 Mar 2007

Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu appeared in this world at a time of transformation in both the West and East. In Europethe Renaissance was flourishing, inspiring navigators to find new territories, astronomers to explore the heavens, and scholars to discover facts about the universe that overturned the traditional paradigms and concepts. Simultaneously, in India a different kind of renaissance was taking place. Various social factors – for instance, evangelistic pressure from Muslim invaders and oppression from ill-motivated members of higher castes within the Hindu community – contributed to a revival of the bhakti movement on the subcontinent.


Birth and Childhood Pastimes, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu




18 Feb 2007

On Phalguna sukla-pratipada, the day after Siva Caturdasi, Rasika returned to the eternal lila in Goloka Vrndavana. He had been passing his days and nights enjoying sankirtana and dancing in bliss everywhere, in temples and in the homes of his disciples. When he was at Varisasda a small thorn entered his foot and caused a fever to spread throughout his body. Then Prabhu again told his companions of his desire to join Krsna, and again he ordered them to make his tomb in Remuna at the temple of Gopala.

                       

Constantly surrounded by his disciples, Rasika remained absorbed in sankirtana. Many kings, common people, disciples and grand disciples came to be with him. Prasada was served to thousands of saints. The sankirtana was accompanied by many musical instruments, and the entire place became just like a Vaikuntha.

                       

Suddenly Rasika collapsed to the ground. It was quickly decided to carry him to Gopivallabhapura. However, when his disciples tried to lift him, they were unable to move him. His body became so heavy that even hundreds of people were unable to move him. Rasika then ordered them to take him to Remuna, and to everyone’s surprise he easily sat up by himself. He was then carried to Sarata. As the party proceeded, they performed tumultuous sankirtana that shook the earth. From Sarata, they went to Remuna, where Rasika stood up by himself and went unaccompanied into the temple. The brahmana priest saw him enter the temple, proceed toward the Deity and then disappear.

                       

The brahmana inquired, “Where is Rasika Sekhara? I saw him go into the temple but I do not see him now.” He searached inside the temple but could not find Rasika. In intense emotion the brahmana then announced to everyone, “Rasika Thakura has entered into the body of Gopala.”

                       

The devotees built a tomb there and had seat covered in cloth with ornaments, garlands, kumkum, sandalwood pulp, aguru and other items placed before the image of Gopala. Except for his companions, no one could understand the manner of his disappearance. Truly, such matters can only be comprehended by saintly persons.


The passing of Rasika (chapter 48), The Story of Rasikananda




09 Feb 2007

Another important part of seva is giving things to the Lord. In front of the temple early in the morning, you can buy milk, flowers, vegetables, and fruits and bring them into the temple to offer to the Lord. People also give lots of money. The templeof Srinathaji is said to be the second richest in India , after the South Indian temple of Tirupati .

                         

People also give ghee and grains. Most of the food prepared for the Deity is cooked in pure ghee. People give ghee in cans of ten, fifteen, or twenty kilos. Sometimes, a whole train car full of ghee arrives in Nathdwara. The donor often prefers to stay anonymous. The shipment is simply marked, “From Srinathaji. To Srinathaji.”

                         

The temple has a literal well of ghee. Cans of ghee are cut open and slightly heated, and the ghee is poured into the well. A pipeline extends from the well to the Deity’s kitchen – ghee on tap. Ghee, of course, is expensive. But money is no bar in the worship of Srinathaji.


A well of Ghee, Nathdwara: Gateway to the Lord,

On Pilgrimage in Holy India.




22 Jan 2007

The Krishna Consciousness movement is now spread all over the world, yet its originator, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, remains largely unknown. Even in India, where at least the name of Lord Caitanya is widely familiar, most people know little about His activities or message. And even persons who know something of Lord Caitanya mostly understand Him as merely a great devotee, whereas revealed scriptures uphold that He is the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, Introduction.



17 Dec 2006

Sometimes devotees ask about my life before meeting Srila Prabhupada, but I don't like to tell them. There are so many conditioned souls wandering in the universe, and there is no value in hearing about one more. For those who really want to know my previous life history, here it is: I was a dog. I still am a dog, but now I am Srila Prabhupada's dog. His mercy is all I am made of.

A practical example of varna-sankara is the hippies. No caste, no creed, neither useful for the material world, neither useful for the spiritual. 760525SB.HON

That was my life before Srila Prabhupada saved me.

Some devotees have deduced from astrology or hypnotic regression that in their last lives they were pujaris, yogis or whatever. I congratulate them on their exalted background. Personally, I have no knowledge of my previous life. All that I know is that after many, many lives of suffering in ignorance, Prabhupada saved me. I was in maya -- maybe as a brahmana or a Brahma or a worm in stool, but in maya I certainly was. This is beyond doubt, as evidenced by my deep-rooted envy and strong attachments to the objects of the senses. Now my thoughts move in a different direction. Today I was meditating on how to convince a confused man I spoke to last night. My life plans are to write, preach and engage others and myself in Krsna's service. Who can deny Prabhupada's mercy on this wretched soul? So my dear brothers, enjoy your previous life speculation. I don't want it. I don't need it. I worship the dust of Srila Prabhupada's lotus feet as my only treasure, for it was Srila Prabhupada who saved me from the degradation of being sometimes a Brahma and sometimes a worm in stool. 

My memories of Srila Prabhupada: Then and Now: My Past and Present Lives



03 Dec 2006

Srila Prabhupada told us that as a young boy he used to enjoy watching Charlie Chaplin movies. Later, as the world acarya flying from New York to London, he enjoyed watching a Charlie Chaplin movie on the plane. The devotees accompanying him were confused. Why would Prabhupada laugh through a Charlie Chaplin movie? Srila Prabhupada replied, "Krsna is the source of all humor. Charlie Chaplin's humor is very original. When I saw that movie, I was seeing Krsna through Charlie Chaplin."

Mr. Chaplin never knew it, but among the millions of people whom he caused to laugh, one was a pure devotee of Krsna. So by Prabhupada's grace even Charlie Chaplin got to perform unknown devotional service.

Jaya Srila Prabhupada! : Srila Prabhupada and Charlie Chaplin



26 Nov 2006

There is really nothing special about sex. It is not wonderful, it is not noble, it is not romantic—it is just a bodily function, a response to raw gut feeling. If you think about it soberly, the whole prospect of sex seems rather silly. Still, everybody is doing it. The president of America is doing it, the bums on the street are doing it, the cats and dogs are doing it. Only a few great souls are attempting to conquer over it.

Ref: Bramacarya in Krsna Consciousness - Mundane sex desires


 

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