krsna

This is an Artwork a devotee did while living in Wellington, New Zealand. It is inspired by a verse by Srila Rupa Goswami: "My dear friend, there is one boy—His name is Govinda. He is standing on the bank of the Yamuna near the Kesi-ghat, and He is playing on His flute. He is so beautiful, especially during this full-moon night. If you have any intentions to enjoy in this material world with your children, husband, or other family members, then please do not go there."

"my own most grievous fault." Bhaktivinode Thakur SARANAGATI (written in 1880-1897) Introductory song 1. sri-krsna-caitanya prabhu jibe doya kori swa-parsada swiya dhama saha abatori 2.atyanta durlabha prema koribare dana sikhaya saranagati bhakatera prana 3.dainya, atma-nivedana, goptritwe barana abasya rokhibe krsna — biswasa, palana 4.bhakti-anukula-matra karjera swikara bhakti-pratikula-bhava barjanangikara 5.sad-anga saranagati hoibe jahara tahara prarthana sune sri-nanda-kumara 6.rupa-sanatana-pade dante trina kori bhakativinoda pore duhun pada dhori 7.kandiya kandiya bale ‘ami-to’ adhama sikhaye saranagati koro he uttama Translation Out of compassion for the fallen souls, Sri Krisna Caitanya came to this world with His personal associates and divine abode to teache saranagati, surrender to the almighty Godhead, and to freely distribute ecstatic love of God, which is ordinarily very difficult to obtain. This saranagati is the very life of the true devotee The ways of saranagati are humility, dedication of the self, acceptance of the Lord as one’s only maintainer, faith that Krishna will surely protect, execution of only those acts favorable to pure devotion, and renunciation of conduct adverse to pure devotion. The youthful son of Nanda Maharaja, Sri Krishna, hears the prayers of anyone who takes refuge in Him by this six-fold practice. Bhaktivinoda places a straw between his teeth, prostrates himself before the two Goswamis,Sri Rupa and Sri Sanatana, and clasps their lotus feet with his hands. “I am certainly the lowest of men.” he tells them weeping, “but please make me the best of men by teaching me the ways of saranagati” Dainya, humility, 7 songs 1. bhuliya tomare, somsare asiya peye nama-bidha byatha tomara carana asiyachi ami, bolobo duhkhera katha 2. janani-jathare, chilama jakhona, bisama bandhana-pase ek-bara prabhu! dekha diya more, boncile e dina dase 3. takhona bhavinu, janama paiya, koribo bhajana taba janama hoilo, pori maya-jale na hoilo jnana-laba 4. adarera chele, swajanera kole, hasiya katanu kala janaka-janani- snehete bhuliya, somsara lagilo bhalo 5. krame dina dina, balaka hoiya, khelinu balaka-saha ara kichu dine, jnana upajilo, patha pori ahar-ahah 6. bidyara gaurave, bhromi dese dese, dhana uparjana kori swajana palana, kori eka-mane, bhulinu tomare, hari! 7.bardhakye ekhona, bhakativinoda kandiya katara ati na bhojiya tore, dina britha gelo, ekhona ki habe gati! Translation </B>I forsook You, O Lord, and came to this world of pain and sorrow. Now I submit my tale of woe at Your lotus feet. While still in the unbearable fetters of my mother’s womb, I saw You before me You revealed Yourself but briefly and then abandoned this poor servant of Yours. At that moment I swore to worship You after taking birth; but birth came, and with it the network of wordly illusion which robbed me of all good sense. As a fondled son in the lap of relatives, I passed my time smiling and laughing. My parents’ affection helped me to forget the pangs of birth, and I thought the world was very nice. Day by day I grew and soon began playing with other boys. Shortly my powers of understanding emerged. I read and studied my lessons incessantly. Travelling from place to place, proud of my education, I grew wealthy and maintained my family with undivided attention. O Lord Hari, I forgot You! Now in old age, Bhaktivinoda is sad. He weeps. I failed to worship You, O Lord, and instead passed my life in vain. What will be my fate now.

Mea culpa From Wikipedia Mea culpa is a Latin phrase that translates into English as "my fault", or "my own fault". In order to emphasize the message, the adjective "maxima" may be inserted, resulting in "mea maxima culpa," which would translate as "my most [grievous] fault." Origin The origin of the expression is from a traditional prayer in the Mass of the Roman Catholic Church known as Confiteor (Latin for "I confess"), in which the individual recognizes his or her flaws before God. The text in Latin is: <TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD><DL><DD>Confíteor Deo omnipoténti et vobis, fratres, <DD>quia peccávi nimis <DD>cogitatióne, verbo, ópere, et omissióne: <DD>mea culpa, mea culpa, mea máxima culpa. </DD></DL><DL><DD>Ideo precor beátam Maríam semper Vírginem, <DD>omnes Angelos et Sanctos, <DD>et vos, fratres, oráre pro me <DD>ad Dóminum Deum nostrum. </DD></DL></TD><TD><DL><DD><DL><DD>1973 ICEL translation </DD></DL><DD>I confess to almighty God, <DD>and to you, my brothers and sisters, <DD>that I have sinned through my own fault, <DD>in my thoughts and in my words, <DD>in what I have done, and in what I have failed to do; <DD>and I ask blessed Mary, ever virgin, <DD>all the angels and saints, <DD>and you, my brothers and sisters, <DD>to pray for me to the Lord our God. </DD></DL></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE> The traditional translation of the phrase, which appeared in most people's missals prior to 1970, was "through my fault, through my fault, through my most grievous fault." This same translation appears in missals used today in Masses of the Extraordinary Form, the so-called Traditional Latin Mass. Anglican Missals of the Episcopal Church in the USA and in the Church of England that included this prayer used the same translation, though sometimes the last part was translated "my own most grievous fault." Popular meaning In the popular vernacular, the expression "mea culpa" has acquired a more direct meaning, in which, by doing or performing a "mea culpa", someone admits to having made a mistake by one's own fault (meaning that it could have been avoided if that person had been more diligent). It may be used even in trivial situations: if an American football player, for instance, admits that his team lost a game because he missed a field goal, this may be called a "mea culpa", meaning that he admitted his mistake, which he could have avoided (at least in theory), and that resulted in a subsequent evil. In today's American vernacular, people often say "my bad."

<TABLE class=storycontent cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0><TBODY><TR><TD colSpan=2>India monkey god idol for Obama </TD></TR><TR><TD class=storybody><!-- S BO --><!-- S IIMA --><TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=226 align=right border=0><TBODY><TR><TD> Mr Bhama says he is ardent supporter of Mr Obama </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><!-- E IIMA --><!-- S SF --> A group of Indians are planning to present a statue of the revered Indian monkey God, Hanuman, to Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama. The group decided to order the idol after they read a magazine report saying that Mr Obama carried a good luck 'monkey king' charm. They say that a Barack Obama victory would be good for India. Hindus revere monkeys which they believe are descendents of the monkey God Hanuman. <!-- E SF --> The two-foot tall, 15kg gold-polished, brass idol has been made as a present for Mr Obama because "he will be good for India if he becomes the next president," according to Brij Mohan Bhama, leader of the group. Mr Bhama belongs to the ruling Congress party and also runs a textile mill in the western city of Mumbai. 'Monkey charm' "We have heard that he carries a small monkey charm in his pocket. So he is a devotee of Hanuman. That's why we want to present him with this idol," he said. Mr Bhama and his friends have also invited Carolyn Sauvage-Mar, chairwoman of the group, Democrats Abroad-India, to a meeting they are holding on Tuesday to pray for Mr Obama's success. The Delhi-based group registers voters, sponsors events and occasionally hosts Democratic Party leaders visiting India. <!-- S IBOX --><TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=231 align=right border=0><TBODY><TR><TD width=5></TD><TD class=sibtbg> Obama stands for change. We are hoping that he will bring about change so that oil and food prices come down Brij Mohan Bhama </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><!-- E IBOX --> Mr Bhama is hoping that Ms Sauvage-Mar will pick up the idol and arrange it to be delivered to Mr Obama. "They have invited me for the prayer. I am happy to go to bring best wishes to Obama," she said. She said she would talk with the organisers and find out whether she would be able to help in shipping the idol to Mr Obama. Ms Sauvage-Mar said the people organising the prayer meeting for the presidential candidate had possibly read a Time magazine article which mentioned that Mr Obama carried a "monkey king good luck charm". "Senator Obama has a good luck charm. We don't know whether it is of Hanuman. But the people here think it is Hanuman," she said. Mr Bhama says he is an ardent supporter of Mr Obama - even his email identification is bhamaforobama. "Obama stands for change. We are hoping that he will bring about change so that oil and food prices come down," he said. "India will progress if he comes to power." </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

> Haridasa Thakura was eulogized because while some persons had good acara > (actions) they were not good at prachara (teaching) whereas others were > good at prachara but not acara. Haridasa Thakura had both good acara and > prachara. > > An acharya is known by the fact that his words and actions are consistent. > > Acinoti yaH zAstrArtham AcAre sthApayaty api > svayam Acarate yasmAd AcAryas tena kIrttitaH > > acinoti yah sastrartham acare sthapayaty api > svayam acarate yasmad acaryas tena kirttitah > > "An AcArya is one who fully understands the conclusions of the revealed > scriptures and whose behavior reflects his deep realization. He is a > living example for he teaches the meaning of the scriptures both by word > and deed." (VAyu PurANa)

HELP (KRSNA!) Help, I need somebody, Help, not just anybody,(Only KRSNA!) Help, you know I need someone, help. When I was younger, so much younger than today, I never needed anybody's help in any way. But now these days are gone, I'm not so self assured, Now I find I've changed my mind and opened up the doors.(KRSNA!) Help me if you can, I'm feeling down And I do appreciate you being round.(KRSNA!) Help me, get my feet back on the ground, Won't you please, please help me? And now my life has changed in oh so many ways, My independence seems to vanish in the haze. But every now and then I feel so insecure, I know that I just need you like I've never done before.(KRSNA!) Help me if you can, I'm feeling down And I do appreciate you being round.(KRSNA!) Help me, get my feet back on the ground, Won't you please, please help me. When I was younger, so much younger than today, I never needed anybody's help in any way. But now these days are gone, I'm not so self assured, Now I find I've changed my mind and opened up the doors.(KRSNA!) Help me if you can, I'm feeling down And I do appreciate you being round. Help me, get my feet back on the ground, Won't you please, please help me, help me, help me, oh. (KRSNA!) -Beatles

"A real Krishna Conscious person can adjust things nicely even in hell. A fully Krishna Conscious person is always in transcendental position and he is not afraid of any place which is so called, unfit for human habitation. A Krishna Conscious person is always satisfied whether in Vaikuntha or in hell. His satisfaction is not the particular place but his sincere service attitude towards Krishna.":pray: (Srila Prabhupada letter, November 13, 1967)

Even a greatly sinful person becomes free from all kinds of sins by associating with persons who have taken shelter of Lord Sri Hari. Brhan-naradiya Purana

REAL Guru Now Movement!

FROM SRILA BHAKTIVINODE THAKURA: "As long as people try to approach Krishna with pride of material knowledge, Krishna will remain far from their reach, but when people call out to Krishna with a humble heart, they will see Krishna and experience the Lord’s unlimited bliss. With the appearance of genuine faith they lose their material pride and offensive nature. There is no room for caste, birthright, material knowledge, beauty, power, influence of material science, position, wealth, or kingdom in cultivating Krishna Consciousness. For this reason, understanding of Krishna remains far away from those who are proud of their material status. It is easy to understand then why Krishna is disregarded in the modern world.":pray:

Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakura Prabhupada Appreciate the beauty of the lotus-feet of God's devotees " The root of it all is humility or the due realization of one's own ineligibility. If the conviction of our own unfitness for the service of God is revealed to us, either automatically, or by the instruction of others, only then are we in a position to appreciate the beauty of the lotus-feet of God's devotees." --- If we worship God and disregard the worship of His devotees...??? " If we become arrogant after having adopted the path of devotion, If we worship God and disregard the worship of His devotees, we would be put into manifold difficulties for our offfence at the feet of the servants of God. We would be overtaken by the greatest of all misfortunes, by becoming afflicted with apathy for the principle of devotion itself.":pray:

Murli Manohara Srila Rupa Gosvami has written a very nice verse wherein one gopi advises another, "My dear friend, if you desire to enjoy the company of material society, friendship and love, then please do not go to see this smiling boy Govinda, who is standing on the bank of the Yamuna and playing His flute, His lips brightened by the beams of the full moonlight."

Sri Radha Govinda Mandir in Vrindavan Sri Sri Radha Govindaji in Jaipur "Govindaji resides eternally in Vrindavan." "When Krishna descends to the material world, this same Vrindavan descends just as an entourage accompanies an important person. Because when Krishna comes, His land also comes, Vrindavan is not considered to exist in the material world. Therefore devotees take shelter of the Vrindavan in India, for it is considered to be a replica of the original Vrindavan" Sri Vrindavan dhama Ki jaya Sri Radha Govindaji Ki Jaya

<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" bgColor=#ffcc33 border=0><TBODY><TR><TD vAlign=top background= colSpan=2 rowSpan=2> </TD><TD vAlign=top width="100%" background= height=5> </TD><TD vAlign=top background= colSpan=2 rowSpan=2> </TD></TR><TR height=21><TD background= > </TD></TR><TR height="100%"><TD width=3 background= height="100%"> </TD><TD width=10 background= height="100%"> </TD><TD class=nodeStuff vAlign=top background= height="100%"> ...from Sri Caitanya's Teachings - Colloquies with Foreigners -by Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakur Prabhupada We believe there is a Personality of Godhead and also that we are persons.We want all our troublesome situations removed and wish to reach a position where we can move freely and have all our needs satisfied. This has resulted in our turning towards that Supreme Absolute Personality. In the Supreme Lord we find three features - He is ever existing, full of knowledge and the source of unending happiness. In Him there is no inadequacy, no discrepancy, no defect, no influence of time, nor any ignorance. Because He is an "emporium" of all bliss and all knowledge, we should not seek after anything for our worldly purposes, leaving Him aside. We are His servants. He is the Lord. Nevertheless He need not give us anything. We are simply meant to serve Him and eternal peace comes from our eagerness in His service. God has got spiritual eyes, spiritual ears, spiritual tongue, spiritual nose, spiritual skin and a spiritual mind: nothing material like us. Our senses are made of material elements, but there are no material elements in Him. Although He can choose to delegate power to certain infintessimal souls and thereby enable them to transact affairs with Him, ordinarily we are placed in a region where all sorts of imperfection and undesirables are prominent. From this bitter experience, we should recognize the need to devise some means to get free from unpleasant situations and become prepared for the stage wherefrom we can realize the nature of our own true selves. -9th of January 1926 </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" bgColor=#ffcc33 border=0><TBODY><TR><TD vAlign=top background= colSpan=2 rowSpan=2> </TD><TD vAlign=top width="100%" background= height=5></TD><TD vAlign=top background= colSpan=2 rowSpan=2></TD></TR><TR height=21><TD background= ></TD></TR><TR height="100%"><TD width=3 background= height="100%"></TD><TD width=10 background= height="100%"></TD><TD class=nodeStuff vAlign=top background= height="100%"> The Only Reality by Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakura Prabhupada "Srimati Radhika is the source of all the individual souls who are to be employed in the service of Sri Krishna. They may choose to serve Him by loyal conscious submission, neutrality or actual opposition. In every case they serve as constituents of Srimati Radhika. When they forget their relationship with Her, they forget the nature of their own selves, and engage in abnormal activities on the mundane plane. The object of endeavour of individual souls is to learn to obey Sri Radhika. Only by obeying Her can they serve Sri Krishna" Srimati Radharani is angry. Here [and below] are small sections of a beautiful painting by Asta Sakhi dasi who lives in Mayapura. Here Sri Krishna is playfully disturbing Srimati Radharani whilst she is carrying a pot of milk by Govardhana Hill. Sometimes He also goes to Barsana and declares Himself the person to whom the girls must pay taxes whenever they travel along the narrow pass between two hills, with their milk pots on their heads. Naturally they object to this proposal, so Sri Krishna then knocks their pots to the ground spilling all the curd and milk. Both Krishna and the gopis invite each other to become very angry in these joking exchanges. Many playfully heated words are spoken. When these pastimes are remembered, the mind momentarily becomes withdrawn from the enticements of this world. ---------------- "The infinite variety of the pastimes of Sri Radha and Krishna constitute the only reality." </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

"The Harmonist"

Positive Spiritual Function "...there is a positive and concrete function of the pure soul which should not be perversely confounded with any utilitarian form of worldly activity. Mankind stands in need of that positive spiritual function of which the hypocritical impersonalists are in absolute ignorance. The positive function of the soul harmonises the claims of extreme selfishness with those of extreme self-abnegation in the society of pure souls even in this mundane world. In its concrete realisable form the function is perfectly inaccessible to the empiric understanding. Its imperfect and misleading conception alone is available by the study of the Scriptures to the conditioned soul that is not helped by the causeless grace of the pure devotees of Godhead. -Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura Prabhupada, The Harmonist, December 1931, vol. XXIX No.6

The Gift of Lord Krishna Directly "It is my duty to help you always in the matter of understanding Krishna Consciousness and whatever I am trying to bestow upon you all is the gift of Lord Krishna directly -- I am just doing the work of a bearer. There is nothing of my personal contribution and I ask all your mercy so that I may be able to distribute Krishna's message as it is without any deviation. That will make Krishna, myself, and all others eternally happy. It is so nice, sublime and easy to perform." (Srila Prabhupada letter, June 14, 1968)

Question: What is the difference between shanti and ananda (peace and bliss)? Answer: Impersonalists think that Godhead should offer a neuter race. Buddha thought cessation of perception at the end. Sankaracharya argued that Godhead should have no form at all, that there should not be any sexological question in regard to Him, that everyone should go back to the Absolute, that there should be no difference between the individual soul and Godhead, the three situations of the Observed, observer and observation being merged into one viz., the Brahma who is full of joy and at the same time void of joy, there being no distinction between the two. The third school is the devotional school. According to this school whatever we find here such as trees, rivers, hills, etc., are all present in the transcendental world. Here we have only screened entities and sometimes miss the sparks of the Reality. Question: Why does the study of Philosophy not give me peace now? Answer: Because we choose to stick to the miserable situation and do not pay attention to Godhead. <CENTER> </CENTER> (This is a reproduction of a conversation with Major Rana N. J. Bahadur at Armadale, Darjeeling on June 14th, 1935. It was originally published in The Harmonist (Vol. XXXI, No.21) on the 27th of June, 1935. This reproduction is not edited, except for a few ortographical changes.

KRSNA Is A Dancing Sport With His Gopis!

http://therealexplanation.org/article/pref_initiate.html The ceremony of diksha or initiation is that by which the spiritual Preceptor admits one to the status of a neophyte on the path of spiritual endeavour. The ceremony tends to confer spiritual enlightenment by abrogating sinfulness. Its actual effect depends on the degree of willing co-operation on the part of the disciple and is, therefore, not the same in all cases. It does not preclude the possibility of reversion on the novice to the non-spiritual state, if he slackens in his effort or misbehaves. Initiation puts a person on the true track and also imparts an initial impulse to go ahead. It cannot, however, keep one going for good unless one chooses to put forth his own voluntary effort. The nature of the initial impulse also varies in accordance with the condition of the recipient. But although the mercy of the good preceptor enables us to have a glimpse of the Absolute and of the path of His attainment, the seed that is thus sown requires very careful tending under the direction of the preceptor, if it is to germinate and grow into the fruit-and-shade-giving tree. Unless our soul of his own accord chooses to serve Krishna after obtaining a working idea of his real nature, he cannot long retain the Spiritual Vision. The soul is never compelled by Krishna to serve Him. But initiation is never altogether futile. It changes the outlook of the disciple on life. If he sins after initiation, he may fall into greater depths of degradation than the un-initiated. But although even after initiation temporary set-backs may occur, they do not ordinarily prevent the final deliverance. The faintest glimmering of the real knowledge of the Absolute has sufficient power to change radically and for good the whole of our mental and physical constitution and this glimmering is incapable of being totally extinguished except in extraordinarily unfortunate cases. It is undoubtedly practicable for the initiated, if only he is willing, to follow the directions of the preceptor that lead by slow degrees to the Absolute. The good preceptor is verily the savior of fallen souls. It is, however, very rarely that a person with modern culture feels inclined to submit to the guidance of another specially in spiritual matters. But the very person submits readily enough to the direction of a physician for being cured of his bodily ailments. Because these latter cannot be ignored without consequences that are patent to everybody. The evil that results from our neglect of the ailments of the soul is of a nature that paralyses and deludes our understanding and prevents the recognitions of itself. Its gravity is not recognized as it does not apparently stand in the way of our worldly activities with the same directness as the other. The average cultured man is, therefore, at liberty to ask questions without realizing any pressing necessity of submitting to the treatment of spiritual maladies at the hands of a really competent physician. The questions that are frequently asked are as these: ‘Why should it be at all necessary to submit to any particular person or to to any particular ceremony for the purpose of realizing the Absolute Who by His nature in unconditioned? Why should Krishna require our formal declaration of submission to Himself? Would it not be more generous and logical to permit us to live a life of freedom in accordance with the principles of our perverted nature which is also His creation. Admitting that it is our duty to serve Krishna, why should we have to be introduced to Him by a third party? Why is it impossible for one to serve Sri Krishna directly?’ It would no doubt be highly convenient and helpful to be instructed by a good preceptor who is well-versed in the Scriptures in understanding the same. But one should never submit to another to an extent that may furnish a rascal with an opportunity of really doing harm. The bad preceptor is a familiar character. It is inexplicable how those gurus who live in open sin contrive nevertheless to retain the unquestioning allegiance of the cultured portion of their disciples. Such being the case, can we blame any person who hesitates to submit unconditionally to a preceptor, whether he is good or bad? It is of course necessary to be quite sure of the bonafide of a person before we accept him even tentatively as our spiritual guide. A preceptor should be a person who appears likely to possess those qualities that will enablemhim it improve our spiritual condition. Those and similar thoughts are likely to occur to most persons who havereceived an English education, when they are asked to accept the help of any particular person as his spiritual preceptor. The literature, science and art of the West, body forth themprinciple of the liberty of the individual and denounce the mentality that leads one to surrender tohowever superior a person his right of choosing his own course. They inculcate the necessity and high value of having faith in oneself. But the good preceptor claims our sincere and complete allegiance. The good disciple makes a complete surrender of himself at the feet of the preceptor. But the submission of the disciple is neither irrational or blind. It is complete on condition that the preceptor himself continues to be altogether good. The disciple retains the right of renouncing his allegiance to the preceptor the moment he is satisfied that the preceptor is a fallible creature like himself. Nor does a good preceptor accept any one as his disciple unless the latter is prepared to submit to him freely. A good preceptor is in duty bound to renounce a disciple who is not sincerely willing to follow his instructions fully. If a preceptor accepts as his disciple one who refuses to be wholly guided by him, or if a disciple submits to a preceptor who is not wholly good, such preceptor and such disciple are, both of them, doomed to fall from their spiritual state. No one is a good preceptor who has not realised the Absolute. One who has realised the Absolute is saved from the necessity of walking on the worldly path. The good preceptor who lives the spiritual life is, therefore, bound to be wholly good. He should be wholly free from any desire for anything of this world whether good or bad. The categories of good and bad do not exist in the Absolute. In the Absolute everything is good. We can have no idea in our present state of this absolute goodness. Submission to the Absolute is not real unless it is also itself absolute. It is on the plane of the Absolute that the disciple is required to submit completely to the good preceptor. On the material plane there can be no such thing as complete submission. The pretence of complete submission to the bad preceptor is responsible for the corruptions that are found in the relationship of the ordinary worldly guru and his equally worldly-minded disciples. All honest thinkers will realise the logical propriety of the position set forth above. But most persons will be disposed to believe that a good preceptor in the above sense may not be found in this world. This is really so. Both the good preceptor and his disciple belong to the spiritual realm. But spiritual discipleship is nevertheless capable of being realised by persons who belong to this world. Otherwise there wold be no religion at all in the world. But because the spiritual life happens to be realizable in this world it does not follow that it is the worldly existence which is capable of being improved into the spiritual. As a matter of fact the one is perfectly incompatible with the other. They are categorically different from one another. The good preceptor although he appears to belong to this world is not really of this world. No one who belongs to this world can deliver us from worldliness. The good preceptor is a denizen of the spiritual world who has been enabled by the will of God to appear in this world in order to enable us to realise the spiritual existence. The much vaunted individual liberty is a figment of the diseased imagination. We are bound willingly or unwillingly to submit to the laws of God in the material as well as in the spiritual world. The hankering for freedom in defiance of His laws is the cause of all our miseries. The total abjuration of all hankering for such freedom is the condition of admission to the spiritual realm. In this world we desire this freedom but are compelled against our will to submit to the inexorable laws of physical nature. This is the unnatural state. Such unwilling for forced submission does not admit us into the spiritual realm. In this world the moral principle, indeed claims our willing submission. But even morality also is a curtailment of freedom necessitated by the peculiar circumstances of this world. The soul who does not belong to this world is in a state of open or court rebellion against submission to an alien domination. It is by his very constitution capable of submitting willingly only to the Absolute. The good preceptor asks the struggling soul to submit not to the laws of this world which will only rivet its chains but to the higher law of the spiritual realm. The pretence of submission to the laws of the spiritual realm without the intention of really carrying them out into practice is often mistaken for genuine submission by reason of the absence of fullness of conviction. In this world the fully convinced state is non-existent. We are, therefore, compelled in all cases to act on make-believes viz. the so-called working hypotheses. The good preceptor tells us to change this method of activity which we have learnt from our experience of this world. He invites us first of all to be really and fully informed of the nature and laws of the other world which happens to be eternally and categorically different from this phenomenal world. If we do not sincerely submit to be instructed in the alphabets of the life eternal but go on perversely asserting however unconsciously our present processes and so-called convictions against the instructions of the preceptor in the period of novitiate we are bound to remain where we are. This also will amount to the practical rejection of all advice because the two worlds have nothing in common though at the same time we naturally fail to understand this believing all the time in accordance with our accustomed methods that we are at any rate partially following the preceptor. But as a matter of fact when we reserve the right of choice we really follow ourselves, because evenwhen we seem to agree to follow the preceptor it is because he appears to be in agreement withourselves. But as the two worlds have absolutely nothing in common we are only under a delusion when we suppose that we really understand the method or the object of the preceptor or in other words reserve the right of assertion of the apparent self. Faith in the scriptures can alone help us in this otherwise unpracticable endeavour. We believe in the preceptor with the help of the shastras when we understand neither. As soon as we are fully convinced of the necessity of submitting unambiguously to the good preceptor it is then and only then that he is enabled to show us the way into the spiritual world in accordance with the method laid down in the shastras of that purpose which he can apply properly and without perpetrating a fatal blunder in as much as he himself happens to belong to the realm of the spirit. The crux of the matter lies not in the external nature of the ceremony of initiation as it appears to us because that is bound to be unintelligible to us being an affair of the other world, but in the conviction of the necessity and the successful choice of a really good preceptor. We can attain to the conviction of the necessity of the help of a good preceptor by the exercise of our unbiased reason in the light of our ordinary experience. When once this conviction has been truly formed Sri Krishna Himself helps us in finding the really good preceptor in two ways. In the first place he instructs us as regards the character and functions of a good preceptor through the revealed Shastras. In the second place He Himself sends to us the good preceptor himself at the moment when we are at all likely to benefit by his instructions. The good preceptor also comes to us when we reject him. In such cases also it is certainly Krishna Who sends him to us for no reason what-so-ever. Krishna has revealed from eternity the tidings of the spiritual realm in the form of transcendental sounds that have been handed down in the records of the spiritual Scriptures all over the world. The spiritual Scriptures help all those who are prepared to exercise this reason for the purpose of finding not the relative but the Absolute Truth to find out the proper instructor in accordance with their directions. The only good preceptor is he who can make us really understand the spiritual scriptures and they enable us realise the necessity and the nature of submission to the processes laid down in them. But there is still every chance of foul play. A very clever man or a magician may pass himself off as a person who can properly explain the Scriptures by means of his greater knowledge or deceptive arts. It is very important, therefore, that we should be on our guard against such tricks. The Scholar as well as the magician pretend to explain the Scriptures only in terms of the object or happenings of this world. But the Scriptures themselves declare that they do not tell us at all of the thing of this world. Those who are liable to be deluded by the arts of pervert yogis who persuade themselves into believing that the spiritual is identical with the perversion, distortion or defiance of the laws of physical nature. The laws of physical nature are not unreal. They govern the relation of all relative existences(.) In our present state it is therefore, always possible for another who possesses the power or the knowledge to demonstrate the merely tentative character of what we choose to regard as our deepest convictions by exposing their insufficiency or inapplicability. But such surprises as they belong to the realm of the phenomenal, have nothing to do with the Absolute. Those who have an unspiritual partiality for scholarship or for magic fall into the clutches of the pseudo-religionists. The serious plight of these victims of their own perversity will be realised from the fact that no one can be delivered from the state of ignorance by the method of compulsion. It is not possible to save the man who refuses on principle to listen to the voice of reason. The empiric pedants are no exception to this rule. The plain meaning of the Shastras should, therefore, be our only guide in the search of the good preceptor when we actually feel the need of his guidance. The Scriptures have defined the good preceptor as one who himself leads the spiritual life. It is not any worldly qualifications that make the good preceptor. It is by unreserved submission to such a preceptor that we can be helped to reenter into the realm that is our real home but which unfortunately is veritable terra incognita to almost all of us at present and also impossible of access to one body and mind alike which is the result of the disease of abuse of our faculty of free reason and the consequent accumulation of a killing load of worldly experiences which we have learnt to regard as the very stuff of our existence. Nitya-lila Om Visnupada 108 Srila Prabhupada Bhakti Siddhanta Sarasvati Thakura.

Here This Is Our Preceptorial Line (In REAL Time With Real Gurus) In "Gaura-ganodesa-dipika" Srila Kavi Karnapura lists the parampara of the Gaudiya Vaisnavas from Lord Brahma up to Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu as follows: tatra madhvi sampradayah prastavad atra likhyate paravyomesvarasyasic chisyo brahma jagat-patih tasya sisyo narado'bhud vyasas tasyapa sisyatam suko vyasasya sisyatvam prapto jnanavarodhatat tasya sisyah prasisyas ca bahavo bhutale sthitah vyasal labdha-krsna-dikso madhvacaryo maha-yasah cakre vedan vibhajyasau samhitam sata-dusanim nirgunad brahmano yatra sa-gunasya pariskriya tasya sisyo'bhavat padmanabhacaryo mahasayah tasya sisyo naraharis tac-chisyo madhava-dvijah aksobhyas tasya sisyo'bhut tac-chisyo jayatirthakah tasya sisyo jnanasindhus tasya sisyo mahanidhih vidyanidhis tasya sisyo rajendras tasya sevakah jayadharma-munis tasya sisyo yad-gana-madhyatah srimad-visnupuri yas tu bhakti-ratnavali-krtih jayadharmasya sisyo'bhud brahmanah purusottamah vyasa-tirthas tasya sisyo yas cakre visnu-samhitam sriman laksmipatis tasya sisyo bhakti-rasasrayah tasya sisyo madhavendro yaddharmo'yam pravartitah kalpa-vrksasyavataro vraja-dhamani tis��hitah prita-preyo vatsalatojjvalakhya phala-dharinah tasya sisyo'bhavac chriman isvarakhya-puri-yatih kalayamasa sr��garam yah sr��gara-phalatmakah advaitah kalayamasa dasya-sakhye phale ubhe sriman ra��gapuri hy esa vatsalye yah samasritah isvarakhya-purim gaura urarikrtya gaurave jagad aplavayamasa prakrtaprakrtatmakam "I shall now begin this book by describing the disciplic succession descended from Sripada Madhvacarya. Lord Brahma, the creator of the universe became the disciple of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord Narayana. Brahma's disciple was Narada. Narada's disciple was Vyasa. Vyasa then transmitted transcendental knowledge to his disciple Sukadeva. Sukadeva taught the same knowledge to his many disciples and grand-disciples in this world. The famous Madhvacarya received initiation from Vyasa personally. Madhvacarya carefully studied all the Vedas from Vyasa, and later wrote his book 'Mayavada-sata-dusani', where he proved that the Absolute Truth is the Supreme Person, full of all transcendental qualities, and not the quality-less impersonal Brahman. Madhvacarya's disciple was the exalted Padmanabhacarya. Padmanabhacarya's disciple was Narahari. Narahari's disciple was Madhava-dvija. Madhava-dvija's disciple was Aksobhya. Aksobhya's disciple was Jaya Tirtha. Jaya Tirtha's disciple was Jnanasindhu. Jnanasindhu's disciple was Mahanidhi. Mahanidhi's disciple was Vidyanidhi. Vidyanidhi's disciple was Rajendra. Rajendra's disciple was Jayadharma Muni. Among Jayadharma Muni's disciples was Sriman Visnupuri, the famous author of the 'Bhakti-ratnavali'. Another disciple of Jayadharma was Brahmana Purusottama. Purusottama's disciple was Vyasa Tirtha, who wrote the famous book Sri Visnu-samhita. Vyasa Tirtha's disciple was Sriman Laksmipati, who was like a great reservoir of the nectar of devotional service. Laksmipati's disciple was Madhavendra Puri, a great preacher of devotional service. Madhavendra Puri was the incarnation of a kalpa-vrksa tree in the abode of Vraja. This tree bears as its fruits the mellows of servitude to Lord Krsna, friendship with Lord Krsna, parental love for Lord Krsna, and conjugal love for Lord Krsna. Madhavendra Puri's disciple was Sriman Isvara Puri Svami. Isvara Puri carefully understood the mellows of conjugal love for Lord Krsna, and was able to distribute that fruit to others. Sri Advaita Acarya displayed the sentiments of servitorship and friendship for the Lord, and Sriman Ranga Puri manifested the sentiment of parental love for Lord Krsna. Lord Caitanya accepted Sriman Isvara Puri as His spiritual master. The Lord proceeded to flood the entire world with spontaneous transcendental love for Krsna." (Gaura Ganodesa-dipika 22-25) The above-mentioned disciplic succession given by Kavi Karnapura has been accepted by Bhaktivinoda Thakura and this is evident from the following statement: ei samasta vakyadvara spasta pratita haya ye, Sri brahma sampradayai Sri Krsna Caitanya -dasadiganer guru-pranali. Sri Kavi Karnapura Gosvami ei anusarre drta kariya sviyakrta 'Gaura Ganodesa-dipika' ya guru-pranalir krama likhiyachen. Vedanta-sutra-bhasyakara Sri Vidyabhusana u sei pranalike sthira rakhiyacchen. Yahara ei pranalike asvikara karen, tahara ye Sri Krsna Caitanya-carananucara-ganer pradhana satru, ihate ara sandeha ki? "It is evident that Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu belonged to the Brahma sampradaya, as it descends through Madhvacarya. Kavi Karnapura confirmed this line of disciplic succession in his Gaura Ganodesa-dipika, and the writer of the commentary of the Vedanta, Sri Baldeva Vidyabhusana, did so again (in his Prameya Ratnavali ). Is there any doubt that those who do not accept this line of disciplic succession are the principle enemies of the followers of Sri Krsna Caitanya?" (Bhaktivinoda Thakura - Sri Mahaprabhur-siksa, Ch.2) Bhaktivinoda further states in Chapter Two of Sri Mahaprabhur-siksa that anyone who does not accept these statements is an atheist: Sri Krsna Caitanya sampradaya svikara karata gopane guru- parampara siddha-pranali svikara Karen na, tahara kalir guptacara. Ihate sandeha ki? "Anyone who refuses to accept such statements is a promoter of atheism. Those who accept the authority of Sri Krsna Caitanya but secretly do not accept this disciplic succession of spiritual preceptors are actually agents of Kali. Can there be any doubt about this?" (Bhaktivinoda Thakura - Sri Mahaprabhur-siksa, Ch.2)

'A special preaching technique required according to country, time and candidate'