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  1. A lecture on Sri Caitanya-Caritamrta, Adi-lila 10.114 by Sri Srimad Gour-Govinda Swami Maharaja 01-07-1993 in Bhubaneswar, India In the Adi-Lila, Tenth Chapter of Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, Srila Kaviraja Gosvami has given a description of the many expansions of the Caitanya tree, the branches and the sub-branches. So all these very dear, intimate devotees of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu they know Gauranga mahaprabhu and they know Krsna. It is given in the Gaura-ganoddesa-dipika how most of them were in Krsna-lila, Vraja-lila. Most of them were sakhis, manjaris and some were in sakhya-rasa, friendship, like this Abhirama. They have all taken part in both krsna-lila and Gaura-lila. They are the associates of Krsna and the associates of Gaura, because there is no difference between Gaura and Krsna. Is there any difference? No. Krsna is Gaura and Gaura is Krsna, so Krsna-lila is Gaura-lila and Gaura-lila is Krsna-lila. In tattva they are the same. But... only one difference is there. In Gaura the two bodies of Radha and Krsna are combined together, that is the only thing, nothing else. radha-purna-sakti, krsna-purna-saktiman dui vastu bheda nai, sastra-paramana radha-krsna aiche sadaeka-i svarupa lila-rasa asvadite dhare dui-rupa (Caitanya-caritamrta Adi 4.96,98) There is no difference between the energy and the energetic, sakti-saktiman abhina. Therefore there is no difference between Radha and Krsna. Radha is purna-sakti and Krsna is purna-saktiman, so there is no difference, but, lila-rasa asvadite dhare dui-rupa, to relish the mellow of pastimes two bodies are there, Radha and Krsna, otherwise they are one. So in Vraja-lila there are two bodies, Radha and Krsna, visaya and asraya. But in the form of Gauranga They are one. Radha and Krsna combined together. Krsna assuming the mood and complexion of Radharani appears and that is Gauranga. This is the tattva, and that is a very deep and confidential tattva. Narahari Sarkara has said: caitanya bhakti-naipunya krsnas tu bhagavan svayam tayo prakasa dekatra krsna-caitanya ucyate Caitanya is Krsna and Krsna is Caitanya, there is no difference. But in Caitanya one thing is added - that is bhakti-naipunya. When Krsna comes assuming the mood of a bhakta, He is Caitanya. But without the mood of a bhakta that is Krsna. So Caitanya means, caitanya bhakti-naipunya. Krsna is the Absolute Truth, advaya-jnana-tattva, the Supreme Truth, parama tattva. And so is Caitanya, also advaya-tattva. But one addition is there, that is bhakti naipunya, The last limit of bhakti - prema-bhakti. If prema bhakti is added to Krsna, that is Caitanya. Therefore Sacinandana Gauranga is the Supreme Absolute Truth, parama tattva - Bhagavan, but with bhakti-naipunya added to it. That is Gauranga, and in the Gauranga form you will find two things combined together. What are those? Sambhoga and vipralambha. These two things combined together that is Gauranga. And that is bhakti-naipunya - The last limit of bhakti. So the sadhya, the end - that is prema, and that is bhakti naipunya, it means prema-bhakti. If that prema-bhakti is added to Krsna, that is Gauranga, nothing else. And in that Gauranga form you will find these two opposite things placed together. That sambhoga and vipralambha. We say viruddhita - opposite things placed together. This you will only find in the combined form of Radha and Krsna. That is Gauranga. Otherwise you will never find it anywhere else, it is only in Gauranga. But in Vraja, will you find these two things combined? No, not possible at all, because in Vraja-lila two bodies are there, Krsna and Radha. And in Vraja-lila, the flow of that lila is like the flow of a river. As a river has two embankments, similarly the flow of Vraja-lila has two embankments. That is sambhoga and vipralambha. The embankment of union and the embankment of separation. Try to understand. So on the embankment of union both Radha and Krsna relish the mellow of union. On the embankment of separation both Radha and Krsna relish the mellow of separation. It is mentioned in the Ujjvala-nilamani that on the embankment of separation the relishment of this mellow, viraha-rasa, that is of four types. Purva-raga, mana, prema-vaicchitya and pravasa. These specific words. Just hear it, when you will get to read or hear Ujjvala-nilamani you can see that Rupapada has given elaborate explanations. So four types of relishment are there, and similarly on the embankment of union there are also four types of relishment. That is samhksipa, sankirna, sampanya and samriddhimana. This Caitanya-caritamrta is the postgraduate study so everything will come up - Ujjvala- nilamani, Vidagdhamadhava, Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu, all these books will come up. So samksipa, sankirna, sampanya and samriddhimana - this is on the embankment of union, and it has connection with the other embankment. First comes samksipa. That is relished after the first type of that in viraha-tattva, that is purva-raga. First viraha and then milana, sambhoga, and similarly sankirna is relished after mana-viraha. Then sampanya is relished after prema-vaicchitya-viraha. And samriddhimana is relished after pravasa-viraha. This is just to have an idea of the four types of relishment on each embankment. These are two opposite things, sambhoga and vipralambha, union and separation. And these two are required otherwise there will be no question of the flow of these transcendental loving conjugal pastimes. They are always there, and they are required otherwise if these two were not there how will there be flow, how will there be movement. You have two legs, a right leg and a left leg, and then you are moving as the bird has two wings, right wing and left wing and flies. So similarly two are there - sambhoga and vipralambha, two embankments, so the flow of lila in Vraja is there. Another thing is there. On the embankment of sambhoga there is sukha, happiness. Union means happiness. On the embankment of vipralambha, viraha, there is accute pain - the pangs of separation. Intense heat is there and vilapa, crying is also there. And these two separate things are eternally there in Vraja. But they are not in one container, they are on two separate embankments. But in Navadvipa-lila or Gaura-lila these two are contained in one pot. Union and separation. Because Gaura is the combination, union of Radha and Krsna, and He also at the same time accepts vipralambha bhava, feeling the pangs of separation from Krsna. Two opposites are in one container, this is the tattva here. Asraya and visaya. Krsna is the visaya and Radha is the asraya, and in Vraja They are eternally visaya and Asraya. Thus the flow of lila is going on. But in Gaura, asraya and visaya are combined together. Two opposites - union and separation combined in one container, and this is the tattva. In one container, ekadi karana, two opposites together. It is abicintya - inconceivable. We cannot conceive of it. But one question is there. In Vraja-lila, these union and separation cannot be placed together, they are separately taking place, not together. But in Gaura-lila you will find it together - two opposites are there. This is wonderful and very mysterious, but Rupapada says, "It is not a fact that in Vraja-vilasa these two are never placed together. It is there, but not always, and not everywhere. In some special cases for a fleeting moment, a very temporary period, it is there." Rupapada has given that, and such devotees they relish it. Rupa Gosvami has given this thing in the Vidagdha madhava and the Lalita-madhava dramas. It is prema vaicchitya, that means one feels the separation in union. If one feels separation in union, that becomes prema vaicchitya, and you will find this prema-vaicchitya in Vidagdha-madhava and Lalita-madhava. These two opposites are there. Union is there and the feeling of separation is also there, for a very short moment. I am giving one example from the Vidagdha-madhava. On the embankment of the Yamuna, both Radha and Govinda are there, and they are playing on the bank of the Yamuna. Then Vrndadevi came with two lotuses in her hands to decorate Radharani's ears. So Vrndadevi came with these two ornaments for the ears and gave them to Krsna. Krsna took them with much pleasure, with a smiling face, and He was going to put them on the two ears of Radharani. At that time it was noticed that, pundarika kose canchorika vartate. This is the language of Rupapada in that drama Vidagdha-mãdhava. A black bumblebee was there in the whorl of the lotus. Then when Krsna was going to put these two lotuses on the two ears of Radharani, Radharani noticed this thing. Then Radharani said, "Hey bumblebee, get out!" Then that bumblebee, coming out of the lotus, thinking the face of Radharani to be another lotus, went there. Radharani says "Hey get out, get out!" moving Her hand. Then the bumblebee thinks as another lotus, the palm of Radharani's hand, and Radharani says "“This stupid bumblebee, shameless debauchee is not going away. Get out, get out!” With the corner of Her sari She tries to drive him out. And Radharani is also frightened that it is not going away. At that time Madhumangala came and drove him out with a stick to a far distance. Then he came back and said, “ma hu su ana.” Madhumangala said it in this specific language. Unless you understand this language you cannot taste it. Madhusudhana means what? Madhusudhana has two meanings. One meaning is bumblebee and the other meaning is Krsna. And so what Madhumangala said means bumblebee, but Radharani understood it as Krsna. Try to follow the language. This is a wonderful thing. Otherwise you cannot relish it.You cannot relish it unless you understand this language. Ma hu su ana - madhusudhana - tira hade - has disappeared. So Madhumangala points out the bumblebee - "That bumblebee has gone." But what RadharaniI understood is that Krsna has gone. Madhusadhana means Krsna also, “Krsna has gone.” And as soon as Radharani heard it She said “Handi handi, kahin kadana madhusudhana.” Radharani said like that, this is the drama. “Alas, alas! Where goes Madhusudhana, Krsna? Ooh!” Krsna is there, but She started crying, weeping, “O where goes Madhusudhana? Why has that lotus-eyed Krsna left Me alone here in the forest of Vrndavana on the bank of the Yamuna? Why He does so? Alas!” And She started weeping, crying although Krsna is there. This is the very wonderful prema-vaicchitya-viraha. The lover and beloved are both there but they are feeling the pangs of separation. This is prema-vaicchitya. Then Krsna says “Sarvani baja smitan karoti” and He drove them all out - Vrndadevi and Madhumangala - and smiled. He just smiled and said, “Radhe Oh!” This is the very wonderful prema-vaicchitya-viraha and it is in Vidagdha-madhava. Many instances are there. In Lalita-madhava you will find candravali-labhah, and also another one, nava-vrndavana-sangamah. Also purnamanarathah, so many things are there in Lalita-madhava. And Rupapada has written about this prema-vaicchityaviraha. It means though Rãdhã and Krsna are there, They are feeling the pangs of separation for a short time. And that is only on special occasions, not always, and not everywhere. That cannot be there in Vraja, but in Gauralila it is always there. The two opposite things are placed in one container. That is Gaura. Vipralambha and sambhoga. A very mysterious lila, the tattva of Gaura-lila. Otherwise you cannot find it anywhere else that these opposites are placed together. Such wonderful lilas, very mysterious and inconceivable. This Gaura-tattva is a very deep and confidential tattva. It is the highest and very, very confidential. Therefore it is said to be the postgraduate study, and only the students of that postgraduate class can understand, otherwise nobody can understand it. So this course is there, and two lectures are there every week. Anyone can come and hear, just hear. But if he is not a student of that postgraduate class he cannot understand it. Anyway sit and let it touch your ear, then that is beneficial. The time will come that you can understand it, and in your heart you should cry for that - kabe ha'be bolo se-dina amar. "When will that auspicious day come in my life that I can understand this thing, so that I can relish it? I can become ecstatic, dance and roll and shed tears and be overwhelmed with that bhava, drowned and intoxicated." You should feel like that, cry, cry! Therefore we speak these things, just to put you in such a condition of crying.
  2. Excerpt from CHAPTER 1 Choti,Orissa— The Native Place of Thakur Bhaktivinode and Thakur Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati by Sri Dr. Fakir Mohan Das From the historical slokas of the Dutta family of Ulberia, West Bengal, and also from the local people of Choti,Orissa it is learnt that in the 16th century Krishnananda Dutta, a disciple of Sri Nityananda Prabhu and a forefather of Thakur Bhaktivinode, left his home in Ulberia and lived in Puri as a Vaishnava sannyasi. There, he daily chanted 300,000 names of the Lord, worshiped his deities Sri Sri Radha Madhava, and observed a vow of silence. At the request of the King of Aul, Krishnananda left Puri and along with his deities Radha Madhava and Jagannath (Dadhi Baman) moved to the village of Choti, nearly 10 km from Kendrapara. The King of Aul established the Dutta family as the landlord of 9/16ths of Choti and another family, named Ray, as the 7/16ths landlord. The King also donated many landed properties for the worship of Krishnananda’s deities. Although the descendants of Krishnananda Dutta resided in Calcutta as rich landowners, they maintained their connection with Choti. However, in the 7th generation from Krishnananda, serious legal problems besieged the family and all the family properties in Bengal became lost. Thakur Bhaktivinode's grandfather, Rajaballav Dutta, thus left Calcutta and lived permanently with his family in his paternal land at Choti. Rajaballav’s son, Ananda Chandra, though, chose to live in Ula, West Bengal, at his father-in-law’s house, as educational opportunities for his family were not available in Orissa at that time. This is where Thakur Bhaktivinode was born. Ananda Chandra was not present in Ula at the time of the Thakur’s birth in 1838. Some quarrel had developed in Choti between the Ray family and Rajaballav Dutta and the Ray family was forcibly collecting the rent due to Rajaballav. One of Rajaballav’s tenants, Sri Kurupi Sahoo, refused to pay rent to the Ray family and went to Ula, bringing Ananda Chandra to Choti to help Rajaballav. The Rays filed a case against the Sahoos and Rajaballav, but the case was dismissed and out of gratitude Thakur Bhaktivinode’s grandfather donated one acre of land to Kurupi Sahoo. When Ananda Chandra died in 1849, his wife, Thakur Bhaktivinode’s mother, came under severe financial hardship. But somehow she was able to arrange for the completion of her son’s education, and then, in 1857, Thakur Bhaktivinode brought his mother and the rest of the family from Calcutta to Choti, living there with his grandfather until his grandfather's death in 1858. The landed property and zamindari of Choti Mangalpur were then recorded in the name of Thakur Bhaktivinode. The Thakur acknowledged this in his book Maths of Orissa: “I have a small village (Choti Mangalpur, six miles from Kendrapara) in the country of Cuttack, of which I am the proprietor.” He also describes his place in his autobiography: In Choti Mangalpur [now known as Choti] we have six or seven big thatched houses. Thakur Radha Madhava and Jagannath are being worshiped in one of these houses. Behind these houses there was a pond named Uasa Pokhari. There was a fence of kanta baumsa [thorny bamboo] around the gada [palace]. We did not think about our food, only because grandfather Rajaballav Dutta had nine parts (9/16) of the paternal zamindari here and the rest seven parts (7/16) belonged to the Ray family. So, though Thakur Bhaktivinode took birth on 2nd September 1838 in his maternal uncle's house in Ula, West Bengal, yet his native place is village Choti in Kendrapara. After his divine demise in 1914, the landed property there was transferred into the name of his son, Bimala Prasad Dutta, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakur, and it still stands in that name. From the local people it is learned that Srila Bimala Prasad Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakur came to Choti three or four times and he was also regularly sending his brahmacari disciples from the Gaudiya Mission in Calcutta to collect the rents from the tenants. During his visits there, though, he would not enter into his father’s house, but he would stay in the adjacent Dasahara Mandap. As he considered Choti to be his native place and his hereditary property, and as he was leading the life of a Vaishnava sannyasi, he considered all his property to be dedicated to the service of Sri Sri Radha Madhava and Dadhi Baman (Jagannath), and thus it was not meant for him to enjoy.
  3. A Speech by His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada. Recorded on February 2nd 1977 in Bhubaneswar, India My foreign disciples, they could not understand either Hindi or Oriya. So for this movement, I am very much obliged to these American boys. The history of this movement is that my Guru Maharaja, His Divine Grace Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura, and before him, Bhaktivinoda Thakura, they had an intense desire to preach Caitanya Mahaprabhu's message throughout the whole world. That was the intense desire of Caitanya Mahaprabhu. prthivite ache yata nagaradi-grama sarvatra pracara haibe mora nama He wanted it. Because this is the only message to bring the human society into oneness. There is no other alternative. That is confirmed in the Srimad-Bhagavatam:. kaler dosa-nidhe rajann asti hy eko mahan gunah kirtanad eva krsnasya mukta-sangah param vrajet So this Kali-yuga, as described by our Gour-Govinda Maharaja, a bhankara yuga. But there is one opportunity, kirtanad eva krsnasya mukta-sangah param vrajet. This is the message of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, and a little attempt was made at the age of seventy years. Of course, my Guru Maharaja asked me... When I was twenty-five years old, I first met him. He asked me to do this task. But I thought that "Let me adjust my family life, and then I shall do this." But I took it very seriously. But family life, never it was adjusted, so he forced me at the ripe old age to take up this work. So I tried to make an experiment that nobody had done: "Let me try." But I tried sincerely, so by the grace of my Guru... Guru-Krsna, they favored me. When I was on the Commonwealth Jetty, Pier, yes, I was thinking that "Who will hear me? As soon as I shall say to these people that ‘No illicit sex, no meat-eating, no intoxication and no gambling,' immediately they will say, ‘Please go home. Don't talk here.' Because I know that. This is their daily life. But by the grace of Krsna they agreed. All these students, all these disciples... I do not accept anyone as my disciple that "You can do whatever you like." No. My first condition is that "You must be sinless." At least you must try to become sinless, because in the Bhagavad-gita we understand, yesam tv anta-gatam papam jananam punya-karmanam te dvandva-moha-nirmukta bhajante mam drdha vrata [bg. 7.28] Without being sinless, one cannot make any advance. So Caitanya Mahaprabhu introduced this movement. Ceto-darpana-marjanam [Cc. Antya 20.12]. That is the first installment. Actually, if we chant Hare Krsna mantra, the first installment is that we cleanse our heart. It is simply misunderstanding. Krsna also wanted to start this movement. When He instructed Arjuna, the first word He spoke: dehino 'smin yatha dehe kaumaram yauvanam jara tatha dehantara-praptir dhiras tatra na muhyati [bg. 2.13] So in this age practically there is nil who is a dhira. Everyone is adhira. But the sankirtana movement is so nice, as it is spoken by Srinivasa Acarya on behalf of Narottama dasa Thakura, krsnot-kirtana-gana-nartana parau premamrtambho-nidhi dhiradhira-jana-priyau. This movement is so nice that it will be pleasing to the dhiras and the adhiras. dhiradhira-jana-priyau priya-karau nirmatsarau pujitau sri-caitanya-krpa-bharau bhuvi bhuvo bharavahantarakau vande rupa-sanatanau raghu-yugau sri-jiva-gopalakau So the disease is there, but the remedy is also there. Ceto-darpana-marjanam [Cc. Antya 20.12]. We are misunderstanding. The human society, they are trying to adjust things by the United Nations, but it is not possible. United Nations cannot do. In Melbourne I was speaking, so I accused the United Nations, "They're assembly of barking dogs." Because you cannot be united on this material platform. If you keep yourself that "I am dog,I am tiger,I am American,I am Indian,I am brahmana,I am sudra," then there is no question of United Nations. United Nations is possible when sarvopadhi-vinirmuktam tat-paratvena nirmalam [Cc. Madhya 19.170]. You have to become purified on Krsna consciousness, not "I am American," not "I am Indian." No. This will not help. sarvopadhi-vinirmuktam tat-paratvena nirmalam hrsikena hrsikesa- sevanam bhaktir ucyate [Cc. Madhya 19.170] So factually we see that these Americans, Europeans, they are Christian, Jews, or there are Muhammadans also in our movement, Africans, all over the world, but they no more think that he is African or Indian or American. They think Krsna dasa. As Caitanya Mahaprabhu taught us, jivera svarupa haya nitya krsna dasa [Cc. Madhya 20.108-109]. Unless we come to that platform, that we are servants of Krsna, there is no question of unity. That is brahma-bhutah stage. brahma-bhutah prasannatma na socati na kanksati samah sarvesu bhutesu mad-bhaktim labhate param [bg. 18.54] Unless you come to that brahma-bhutah stage, that "I am not this body. I am soul, aham brahmasmi. I am part and parcel of the Supreme Brahman" -- param brahma param dhama pavitram paramam bhavan [bg. 10.12] -- there is no question of unity. So Caitanya Mahaprabhu wanted to introduce this movement how actually there can be possibility of being united. That is possible. That is not difficult because they are all sons of Krsna. Sarva-yonisu kaunteya sambhevanti..., aham bija-pradah pita [bg. 14.4]. He's the original father. So this Krsna consciousness movement is trying to introduce in the human society, and not on my conviction, on the assurance of the sastras, that if you want to be united, you'll have to come to this platform of Krsna consciousness; otherwise it is not possible. So I do not wish to take much of your time. It is already late. Kindly take little prasadam, whatever they have arranged, and I thank you very much for your coming in this occasion. And I must also thank Srimati Ananda, this young girl. Out of her own accord, she contributed this piece of land so that we can begin Krsna consciousness movement in this city. Thank you very much.
  4. by Srila A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada Guru of Lord Caitanya The method of approach and the manner of humility exhibited by Lord Caitanya to Ramananda is the ideal for approaching a bona fide tattva-darsi or a master of transcendental knowledge. This is confirmed in the Bhagavad-gita (4.34): tad viddhi pranipatena pariprasnena sevaya upadeksyanti te jnanam jnaninas tattva-darsinah In the Bhagavad-gita, it is recommended that one approach the spiritual master for supramundane knowledge under the protection of service and surrender accompanied by relevant inquiries. Lord Caitanya, as the ideal teacher and practical demonstrator of the teachings of the Bhagavad-gita, teaches us by His approach to Ramananda Raya. He shows that a person desirous of knowing the transcendental science must not be proud of his material acquisitions of education and wealth, which are very insignificant to the transcendentally situated spiritual master from whom we should be very keen to understand the science of devotion. If somebody approaches the bona fide spiritual master with the vanity of mundane pride in respect to his heredity, wealth, education, or personal beauty and without the necessary qualifications of surrender, service, and relevant inquiry, surely such a person will be honored outwardly by the spiritual master, but the spiritual master will decline to bestow transcendental knowledge upon the student who by his attitude of mundane vanity is rendered unqualified. Such a proud student is actually a sudra and he has no access to spiritual knowledge for want of the necessary qualifications mentioned above. Thus the sudra student, instead of availing himself to the mercy of the spiritual master, goes to hell as a result of his mundane vanity. Ramananda Raya was born in the family of a sudra and was also a grhasta in terms of the system of varnasrama-dharma. Lord Caitanya appeared in the family of a highly cultured brahmana of Navadvipa and was in the topmost rank of the sannyasa asrama. Therefore, in terms of the varnasrama system, Ramananda Raya was in the lowest status while Lord Caitanya was in the highest status; yet, because Ramananda was a master in the art of transcendental knowledge, Lord Caitanya approached him as one should approach a guru. He did so for the benefit of us all. True Student of Truth Lord Caitanya descended into this mortal world as the ideal spiritual master, and thus His teaching is very significant. The students who really desire spiritual upliftment may carefully note all these dealings. Ramananda Raya, as a true Vaisnava, always possessed natural humility, and thus when he was asked by Lord Caitanya he said, raya kahe–iha ami kichui na jani tumi yei kahao, sei kahi ami vani tomara siksaya padi yena suka-patha saksat isvara tumi, ke bujhe tomara nata hrdaye prerana kara, jihvaya kahao vani ki kahiye bhala-manda, kichui na jani "My Lord, I have no information of the transcendental world but I can simply speak that which You inspire me to utter. I am just like a parrot and I can repeat only that which You direct me to say. You are Yourself the Personality of Godhead and it is very difficult to understand what You do and how You play. The inspiration that You create in me and the vocabulary that You cause to come out of my mouth are known to You. I do not know myself what I speak and what I think." Lord Caitanya, again in His mood of a true student of truth, replied to Ramananda Raya, prabhu kahe–mayavadi ami ta’ sannyasi bhakti-tattva nahi jani, mayavade bhasi sarvabhauma-sange mora mana nirmala ha-ila ‘krsna-bhakti-tattva kaha,’ tanhare puchila tenho kahe–ami nahi jani krsna-katha sabe ramananda jane, tenho nahi etha tomara thani ailana tomara mahima suniya tumi more stuti kara ‘sannyasi’ janiya kiba vipra, kiba nyasi, sudra kene naya yei krsna-tattva-vetta, sei ‘guru’ haya sannyasi’ baliya more na kariha vancana krsna-radha-tattva kahi’ purna kara mana; "I am a mayavadi sannyasi who is an atheist by nature. As such, I always float on My theory of maya and Brahman without any entrance into devotional science. By the association of Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya, I was lucky enough to get My heart purified. When I asked him to speak about the transcendental topics of the lila of Sri Krsna and Srimati Radharani, he asked Me to see you. He recommended you as the best among those who know this science and he regretted your absence at Puri. I have therefore come to you after hearing your glories from him. You are now praising Me because I am a sannyasi, but it does not matter whether a person is a brahmana, a sannyasi, or a sudra. A person is thoroughly competent to become a bona fide spiritual master provided he knows the transcendental art and science of devotional activities. Therefore please do not try to avoid Me because I am a sannyasi. Kindly fulfill My desire by fully describing the glories of the lila performed by Sri Krsna and Srimati Radharani." Beyond Varna and Asrama In the teachings of Lord Caitanya, especially in this perverted age of Kali, the passage mentioned above, wherein it says that it does not matter whether a person is a brahmana, sannyasi, or a sudra, is important. The qualification for a spiritual master is that he must be thoroughly conversant in the art and science of devotional service. This is revolutionary to the stereotyped, so-called spiritual mastership prevailing among the masses in India. The exploitative method is herein dealt a deadly blow and this truth is established by the devout followers of Sri Caitanya Maha- prabhu’s conception. The fact is that a person who is thoroughly conversant about Sri Krsna can become a spiritual master either as an initiator or an instructor. It does not matter whether such a person is a brahmana, ksatriya, vaisya, or a sudra. Nor does it matter whether he is a brahmacari, grhastha, vanaprastha, or a sannyasi. The only qualification of a spiritual master is his knowledge of the truth about Sri Krsna. The qualification certainly does not rest on his particular situation in terms of the system of varnasrama-dharma. This order of Lord Caitanya, although apparently revolutionary to the non-progressive opportunists, is not at all against the injunctions of the scriptures. Following this principle, Lord Caitanya Himself took initiation from Sripad ˆsvara Puri, and Lord Nityananda Prabhu and Advaita Prabhu took initiation from Sripad Madhavendra Puri Goswami. Rasikananda Prabhu took initiation from Srila Shyamananda Prabhu, who appeared in the family of a non-brahmana, and Sri Ganga Narayana Cakravarti and Sri Ramakrsna Bhattacarya took initiation from Srila Narottama dasa hakura, who also happened to appear in the family of a non-brahmana. In the ancient literatures, it is written that there are no hereditary considerations for becoming a spiritual master. In the Mahabharata and other historical literatures, there are innumerable examples of non-hereditary gurus and determination of caste by quality and action rather than by birth. In the Srimad-Bhagavatam (7.11.35), it is said that a person should be classified as belonging to a particular varna or caste in terms of his qualification: yasya yal-laksanam proktam pumso varnabhivyanjakam yad anyatrapi drsyeta tat tenaiva vinirdiset According to Bhagavad-gita, a really qualified brahmana possesses nine qualities, a ksatriya seven qualities, a vaisya three qualities, and a sudra only one quality. So, wherever the particular qualities are found or developed, the person possessing these particular qualities should be regarded as such. Accepting this formula from the scriptures, the Vaisnava accepts a spiritual master upon his becoming conversant in the knowledge of Sri Krsna. The qualities of a brahmana appear naturally, and, as such, a thoroughly conversant spiritual master cannot be anything but a qualified brahmana. The false notion that without being a caste brahmana a person cannot become a spiritual master is therefore a misconception. A person born in the family of a sudra can become a spiritual master if he has acquired the necessary knowledge about Sri Krsna. Sometimes it is seen that a pure Vaisnava does not undergo the formalities of the system of varnasrama-dharma by accepting the regulative principles thereof, but that does not mean that he is not a brahmana or a bona fide spiritual master. The Vaisnavas determine the varna and asrama of a person simply by their symptoms and not by their birth. Foolish people are unable to recognize such qualified Vaisnavas, and as such Lord Caitanya distinctly emphasizes all the above mentioned points. There is no difference in essence between the regulative principles found in the Hari-bhakti-vilasa and the statements of Lord Caitanya. The difference is concocted by the mental speculations of ignorant men. Who is an Acarya Some foolish students have accepted the statements of Lord Caitanya conditionally. According to them, the spiritual master fully conversant with the science of Krsna, yet not born in a brahmana family, can be an instructing spiritual master, but not an initiating spiritual master. They do not know that there is hardly any difference between the two classes of spiritual masters. According to them, a caste initiator or caste goswami, by dint of his hereditary blood lineage, becomes the real spiritual master, while a person knowing all about Sri Krsna can only become an instructor. They foolishly think that the position of the initiating spiritual master is greater than that of the instructing spiritual master. However, the matter is very clearly and conclusively discussed in the Caitanya-caritamrta (Adi-lila 1.47): siksa-guruke ta’ jani krsnera svarupa antaryami, bhakta-srestha–ei dui rupa "One should know the instructing spiritual master to be the Personality of Krsna. Sri Krsna manifests Himself as the Supersoul and as the greatest devotee of the Lord." In the Manu-samhita, the qualification of an acarya is described as follows: "A spiritual master is a twice-born brahmana able to train his disciple to instruct others on the Vedas." In the Vayu Purana, the acarya is described as follows: "One who knows the essence of the scriptures, establishes the truth of them, and conducts his activities according to the regulative principles of the scriptures is thus known as an acarya." The acarya or spiritual master is an empowered incarnation of the Personality of Godhead. He is not to be considered a plenary portion of Godhead, but at the same time the spiritual master is certainly very near and dear to Godhead. The acarya appears before the disciple as the bona fide representative of Godhead. Such an acarya has no duty other than to serve the Personality of Godhead and give shelter to the willing disciple on Godhead’s behalf. If a person becomes a so-called spiritual master without being engaged wholly in the service of the Personality of Godhead, nobody should accept him as guru and his activity should not be recognized. A guru’s character must be fully representative of the Personality of Godhead, and this will be demonstrated by his full-time engagement in the service of Godhead. A real acarya is sometimes envied by the sense-gratifying masses. However, the acarya is a nondifferent extension of the transcendental body of the Personality of Godhead. Anyone envying such a spiritual master will certainly suffer the consequence of being bereft of the Personality of Godhead’s blessings. The spiritual master, although the eternal servitor of Lord Caitanya, is always to be respected as much as Lord Caitanya. The spiritual master is the personality who exhibits the nature of Lord Caitanya. It should never be concluded that the spiritual master is exactly one and the same with Godhead as the mayavadi philosophers think. The Vaisnavas accept the spiritual master in terms of acintya-bhedabheda-tattva, simultaneously one with and different from the Personality of Godhead. Siksa and Diksa A spiritual master who gives instruction about the regulative principles of devotional service is called the siksa-guru or the instructing spiritual master. A person who is not engaged in the service of the Personality of Godhead and is addicted to ill habits cannot be a spiritual master. The instructing spiritual master is of two kinds. They are: (1) a self-realized soul constantly engaged in the service of the Personality of Godhead, and (2) a soul in pure consciousness who is constantly offering helpful directions favorable to the service of Godhead. Instruction in the service of the Lord is also of two kinds: (1) instruction on the object of service, and (2) instruction on the regulative principles of service. The spiritual master who connects the living entity with the Personality of Godhead Sri Krsna by initiation is called the diksa-guru or the initiating spiritual master. There is no difference between the initiating spiritual master and the instructing spiritual master. Both are the object of shelter for the disciple and both are asraya vigraha or the personality under whose shelter the eternal relationship with Godhead is established and the process of approaching Godhead by service is learned. To think of one spiritual master as purer than the other is offensive. The symbolic initiating spiritual master is Srila Sanatana Goswami, who initiates the devotees into their service to Madana-mohana. Srila Rupa Goswami is the instructing spiritual master, who instructs the devotee with his verses in the Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu regarding the service of Sri Sri Radha-Govinda. Nobody should therefore think of Sanatana Goswami as being greater than Rupa Goswami or vice versa. Both of them are our spiritual masters and engage us in the transcendental loving service of Godhead. When Lord Caitanya mentioned the word guru, spiritual master, He meant both the siksa-guru and the diksa-guru and not just one of them. Not a Vaisnava—Not a Guru According to Hari-bhakti-vilasa, a pure devotee of Godhead is never a sudra. On the other hand, one who is not engaged in the service of the Personality of Godhead is definitely a sudra, even though such a person may be born in the family of any varna other than sudra. A brahmana of the standard of varnasrama-dharma, although expert in all the details of the six specific functions of the scriptures, cannot be accepted as a spiritual master if he is not a Vaisnava. But if an untouchable candala (dog-eater) becomes a Vaisnava, he can be accepted as a spiritual master. A pure devotee of Godhead, although born in the family of a sudra, can be the spiritual master of all the other three varnas. Ramananda Raya, being always conscious of his transcendental task, is never subjected to the deluding energy of Godhead. He could understand the feelings of Lord Caitanya, and by His will, Ramananda wanted to proceed further. He said, aya kahe–ami–nata, tumi–sutra-dhara yei mata nacao, taiche cahi nacibara mora jihva–vina-yantra, tumi–vina-dhari tomara mane yei uthe, tahai uccari "My Lord, I am a dancing doll and You are the wire-puller. Let me dance as you wish. My tongue is like the vina (a stringed musical instrument) and You are playing upon it. Kindly let me vibrate the sound that You desire to produce." Ramananda continued: parama isvara krsna–svayam bhagavan sarva-avatari, sarva-karana-pradhana ananta vaikuntha, ara ananta avatara ananta brahmanda ihan–sabara adhara sac-cid-ananda-tanu, vrajendra-nandana sarvaisvarya-sarvasakti-sarvarasa-purna isvarah paramah krsnah, sac-cid-ananda-vigrahah anadir adir govindah, sarva-karana-karanam vrndavane 'aprakrta navina madana' kama-gayatri kama-bije yanra upasana "Sri Krsna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the cause of all causes. He expands Himself in His innumerable plenary portions known as incarnations. He is the fountainhead of innumerable Vaikuntha planets, innumerable incarnations, and innumerable universes. He is the eternal form of transcendental existence, knowledge, and bliss. He is known as the son of the King of Vraja. He is complete in Himself with all opulences, all powers, and all divine rasas. He is, as stated in the Brahma-samhita, the Supreme Primeval Lord and the cause of all causes. Sri Krsna is the transcendental Cupid and the resident of Sri Vrndavana. He is worshiped by the transcendental sounds produced by the pure utterances of kama-gayatri and kama-bija." Vrndavana Eternal Vrndavana, the residence of Sri Krsna, is described in the Brahma-samhita (5.56): sriyah kantah kantah parama-purusah kalpa-taravo druma bhumis cintamani-gana-mayi toyam amrtam katha ganam natyam gamanam api vamsi priya-sakhi cid-anandam jyotih param api tad asvadyam api ca sa yatra ksirabdhih sravati surabhibhyas ca sumahan nimesardhakhyo va vrajati na hi yatrapi samayah bhaje sveta-dvipam tam aham iha golokam iti yam vidantas te santah ksiti-virala-carah katipaye Everything is cognizant in the transcendental abode of Vrndavana. Although appearing in the material world, it exists eternally, even after the annihilation of the material world. The Bhagavad-gita (8.20) confirms this statement. In Vrndavana, the cowherd girls are all enjoyed by Sri Krsna, and He is the only enjoyer there because He is the Supreme Person. The trees in Vrndavana are all desire trees and the land is made of cintamani, desire-fulfilling touchstones. The water of Vrndavana is nectar, the words of conversation are themselves sweet songs, walking in Vrndavana is a dance, and the flute is eternally the constant companion of Sri Krsna. The luminaries in the sky are transcendental and blissful. With this in mind, we should always try to understand Vrndavana. In Vrndavana, even a moment is never lost because no moment passes away, and, as such, there is not a limited conception of the future either. The Vrndavana-dhama that we can experience in this mortal world is therefore a subject of deep study, and the significance of Vrndavana is known only to the purest devotees. Let us therefore worship Sri Vrndavana. The Vrndavana-dhama that manifests in the material world is not realized by our material senses, which are always prone to enjoy matter. When we are inspired by the proper attitude of transcendental service to Madana-mohana, we can know the actual Vrndavana. Because it is very difficult to understand, Srila Narottama dasa hakura taught us by his actions to cry for the mercy of Lord Nityananda Prabhu. By the mercy of Lord Nityananda, we can be free from the consciousness of trying to enjoy this material world. This enjoying spirit is known as samsara-vasana. When one is freed from the samsara-vasana, one is freed from focusing entirely on eating, sleeping, fearing, and other sense-gratifying habits. When this is done, the mind of the devotee is purified from all infections of matter, and in such a state of mind one can see the true Vrndavana- dhama situated in this mortal world. Cupid and the Kama-Gayatri The eternal Cupid, Sri Krsna, is eternally distinct from the material Cupid. The material Cupid produces pleasure only temporarily, but then lulls one into material dullness in just the next moment. But the eternal Cupid is ever-awakening and the transcendental pleasure is ever-increasing in ever-renewing developments. Such pleasure is eternally-existing and is not subject to the laws of material nature. The transient pleasure derived from the material Cupid is an enjoyable object to the materialists, but the transcendental Cupid is served eternally because He is Sri Krsna, the Personality of Godhead Himself. Gayatri means that which delivers one from the clutches of material hankerings. By chanting the kama-gayatri, klim kama-devaya vidmahe puspa-banaya dhimahi tan no ’nangah pracodayat, the transcendental sound composed of twenty-four and a half letters, one is connected with the service of Madana-mohana (kama-devaya). The nature of practical service is realized in connection with Govinda (puspa-banaya). And in the perfect stage of service, one is connected with Gopinatha (anangah), the attractor of the cowherd girls. The description of the kama-gayatri in the Brahma-samhita is vivid. The kama-gayatri was first chanted by Lord Brahma before he created the material universes. His pure consciousness was awakened in the matter of his relationship, action, and ultimate goal in the service of the Personality of Godhead. When he became absorbed in the chanting of the transcendental sound of the kama-gayatri, he acquired the ability to create the universe, and as such he composed the Brahma-samhita in praise of the glories of Lord Govinda, the Personality of Godhead. The scientific arrangement of the kama-gayatri is described in the Brahma-samhita. It says that the supramundane kama-gayatri combined with the kama-bija (the nucleus of transcendental love) is the transcendental means of worship by which the eternally youthful transcendental Cupid, Madana-mohana, is served. Sri Visvanatha Cakravarti hakura has explained the symbolic representation of the kama-bija ‘klim,’ with reference to the Brhad Gautamiya-tantra, as follows: K is Krsna, the supreme aggressive male, who possesses a form embodying full eternity, knowledge, and bliss; the letter I is Radha, the supreme receptive female, who is eternally the Vrndavanesvari, or the most majestic Princess of Sri Vrndavana; the letter L is celebrated as anandatmaka-prema- sukha, or the happiness of Radha and Krsna’s mutual ecstatic love in the form of pure blissful joy; and the  is the expression of cumban-ananda-madhurya, or the ecstatic sweetness of Their most blissful kiss. When the kama-bija is added to the gayatri, it becomes the transcendental prayer for worshiping Sri Sri Radha-Krsna. Ramananda Raya continued to speak: "Sri Krsna has multi-energies, three of which are prominent. They are known as the internal energy, external energy, and marginal energy; or the potency of full knowledge of life, the potency of darkness or ignor- ance, and the potency of the living being." In the Visnu Purana, these potencies are also mentioned. The internal energy and the marginal energy are referred to as the superior energies while the external energy or the potency of darkness is called the inferior energy. Hladini, Sandhini, and Samvit Sri Krsna is originally a person full with transcendental existence, knowledge, and bliss. His internal energy or the potency of full knowledge is manifested in three diverse ways: hladini, sandhini, and samvit, which represent transcendental bliss, existence, and knowledge respectively. In the Visnu Purana, the same is confirmed as follows: "O Lord, in You who are all-pervading, the hladini, sandhini, and samvit energies are all cognizant. Your parts and parcels, the living entities, have obtained the powers that are the perverted forms of hladini, sandhini, and samvit. They have done so under the influence of the three qualities of the external energy, because the living entities are prone to be influenced by the deluding energy known as maya. However, in You these three energies are transcendental to the qualities of maya." Who is Topmost The hladini energy means the pleasure potency and by this energy, which is His own, Sri Krsna becomes enthused and relishes His happy moods. The hladini energy is the cause of transcendental happiness for the devotees engaged in the transcendental service of Godhead. The hladini energy in Her very concentrated form is the embodiment of love of Godhead, which produces the emotions of transcendental bliss and knowledge. This transcendental love of Godhead in its mature state is named mahabhava and Srimati Radharani is mahabhava personified. She is thus described in the Ujjvala-nilamani (4.3) as follows: ayor apy ubhayor madhye radhika sarvathadhika mahabhava-svarupeyam gunair ativariyasi "Among the cowherd girls, Srimati Radharani and Srimati Candravali are the principal gopis. Out of these two, Srimati Radharani is the topmost because Her position is that of mahabhava or the highest stage of transcendental love of Godhead. No other cowherd girl possesses such high qualities as Srimati Radharani." premera 'svarupa-deha'–prema-vibhavita krsnera preyasi-srestha jagate vidita "Srimati Radharani is love of Godhead personified. She is made of pure love of Godhead. She is therefore celebrated in the universe as the most beloved of Sri Krsna." The Brahma-samhita (5.37) describes this as follows: ananda-cinmaya-rasa-pratibhavitabhis tabhir ya eva nija-rupataya kalabhih goloka eva nivasty akhilatma-bhuto govindam adi-purusam tam aham bhajami "I worship the primeval Lord Govinda, who in His original form resides in His abode named Goloka along with the transcendental cowherd girls, who are always inspired by the feelings of transcendental bliss and knowledge. That Govinda is the all-pervading Godhead." Srimati Radharani is further described by Srila Raghunatha dasa Goswami in his Premambhoja-maranda: The identity of Srimati Radharani is the personified service of Sri Krsna to fulfill His every desire. Her associates such as Lalita, Visakha, and other friends are the symbols of Her expression of such intimate service. The manifestation of Her first youthfully blooming appearance is the result of Her using the cosmetic made out of the affection of Sri Krsna. Her first (morning) bath is in the nectarean water of youthful energy. The gradual development of Her youthful beauty is the nectar of Her bath in the afternoon. Her evening bath is completed in the water of full-grown youth, and thus the three stages of Her youthful growth is compared with Her bath thrice daily classified under the names of karunyamrta, tarunyamrta, and lavanyamrta. This is the description of Her transcendental body. Qualities of Srimati Radharani As far as Her dress is concerned, it is described in two parts. One is made of Her youthful blush of modesty woven with syama or black colored threads turned into a bluish covering, and the second is called uttaria which is red due to extreme attachment for the company of Sri Krsna. Her breasts are covered by Her sari in the form of affection and anger toward Krsna. Her personal beauty is compared to kunkuma (a special kind of cosmetic) and Her friendship with Her associates is compared to sandalwood pulp. The sweetness of Her calm sobriety is compared to camphor. These three ingredients decorating the body of Srimati Radharani–kunkuma, sandalwood pulp, and camphor–are ever-increasingly glowing as Her youthful beauty. Outwardly, She is very clever and contradictory while at heart She is submissive. She speaks with cruel words to Her lover, yet Her heart is revealed by the flow of tears from Her eyes. This emotion is called dhiradhiratmaka. The degrees of this particular emotion vary in intensity and are called praghosa, madhya, and mugdha respectively. Her lipstick is the reddish color of Her lips due to Her deep attraction for Sri Krsna. The outward symptoms of Her transcendental sentiments such as cheerfulness, laughing, shivering, and crying are Her constant companions. Her different qualities may be divided into four categories, namely: (1) qualities pertaining to Her person, (2) qualities pertaining to Her words, (3) qualities pertaining to Her mind, and (4) qualities pertaining to Her relationship with others. She possesses six qualities in regard to Her person, three in regard to Her words, two in regard to Her mind, and six in regard to Her relationship with others. The description of these different qualities is very vividly given in the Ujjvala-nilamani. To avoid expansion of this literature, we will not elaborate on this subject at this time. Srimati Radharani always bears in Her heart the sentiment of prema-vaicittya, a feeling of the fear of separation even when She is in the company of Her consort. This is due to Her being very soft-hearted. She is eternally a young girl between 16 and 20 years of age. This period is called kaisora. She is always accustomed to moving along with Her hands resting on the shoulders of Her friends, the cowherd girls. She is always being lovingly attended by Her female friends and Her mind is always full of Her transcendental pastimes with Sri Krsna. Her constant cheerfulness is the fragrance of Her body and She is constantly sitting on the bedstead of Her peculiar pride due to constantly remembering Sri Krsna. Constant remembrance of the name, fame, and qualities of Sri Krsna are the earrings decorating Her body. The glories of Sri Krsna’s name, fame, and qualities are always inundating Her speech. She keeps Sri Krsna enlivened by the celestial drink of the incessant chanting of His qualities. In short, She is the reservoir of pure love of Krsna and She is full and complete with all the necessary qualifications in this regard. She is the perfect symbolic representation of pure love of Godhead. This fact is described in the Govinda-lilamrta (11.122) in the form of questions and answers: ka krsnasya pranaya-janibhuh srimati radhikaika kasya preyasy anupama-guna radhikaika na canya jaihmyam kese drsi taralata nisthuratvam kuce ‘sya vancha-purtyai prabhavati hare radhikaika na canya Q: Who is the generating source of the love of Sri Krsna? A: It is Srimati Radhika only. Q: Who is qualitatively the dearest to Sri Krsna? A: Again, it is Srimati Radharani and nobody else. Srimati Radharani’s hair is very curly, Her eyes are always moving to and fro, Her breasts are firm, and as such it is She alone who can fulfill all the desires of the all-attractive Hari. yanra saubhagya-guna vanche satyabhama yanra thani kala-vilasa sikhe vraja-rama yanra saundaryadi-guna vanche laksmi-parvati yanra pativrata-dharma vanche arundhati yanra sadguna-ganane krsna na paya para tanra guna ganibe kemane jiva chara Ramananda Raya concluded the descriptive qualities of Srimati Radharani by saying that She is envied by Satyabhama for Her unique fortune, and from Her alone the damsels of Vraja have learned the art of attracting a lover. Even Parvati and Laksmi, who are superexcellently beautiful, desire to possess Her qualities and beauty and rise to the level of Her chastity. Even Sri Krsna fails to calculate the qualities of Srimati Radharani. Therefore, how is it possible for any mortal being to estimate Her qualities? On hearing these statements by Ramananda Raya, Lord Caitanya said: prabhu kahe—janilun krsna-radha-prema-tattva sunite cahiye dunhara vilasa-mahattva "I have come to know the essence of love between Srimati Radharani and Sri Krsna. Now I wish to hear something about Their transcendental pastimes." Qualities of Sri Krsna Ramananda Raya replied that Sri Krsna is dhira-lalita, a person who is very clever, always youthful, expert in joking, free from all anxieties, and very submissive to His beloved. His characteristics are manifested always in His transcendental erotic pastimes. Thus He is constantly engaged in enjoyment with Srimati Radharani, making a perfection of the frolicsome age of kaisora. This stage of Sri Krsna’s engagement is described by Srila Rupa Goswami as follows: vaca sucita-sarvari-rati-kala-pragalbhyaya radhikam vrida-kuncita-locanam viracayann agre sakhinam asau tad-vaksoruha-citra-keli-makari-panditya-param gatah kaisoram saphali-karoti kalayan kunje viharam harih "Sri Krsna perfectly enjoys the age of His adolescence by His pastimes with Srimati Radharani in the bowers of Vrndavana. He takes advantage of the cowherd girls by His expertise in the art of painting. He made Srimati Radharani close Her eyes in shame before Her friends by speaking words of Their lovemaking on the previous night. Then, while She was almost unconscious in a swoon, Sri Krsna, showing the highest limit of cleverness, painted Her breasts with various types of makaras (mystical fish)." Topmost Love Affairs On hearing these words, Lord Caitanya said: prabhu kahe–eho haya, age kaha ara raya kahe–iha va-i buddhi-gati nahi ara; "Yes, this is all right, but please go still further." Ramananda replied, "I think my intelligence is unable to go any further!" The stage that is yet to be described is prema-vilasa-vivarta, the feeling of original attraction matured by the feeling of separation. "I do not know if such a description will be to Your satisfaction or not." Saying this Ramananda sang his own composition, the purport of which is as follows: pahilehi raga nayana-bhange bhela anudina badhala, avadhi na gela na so ramana, na hama ramani dunhu-mana manobhava pesala jani' e sakhi, se-saba prema-kahini kanu-thame kahabi vichurala jani na khonjalun duti, na khonjalun an dunhukeri milane madhya ta panca-bana ab sohi viraga, tunhu bheli duti su-purukha-premaki aichana riti "O, when We first met each other, the attraction was awakened by simple sight, and such attraction knows no bounds in the course of its growth, because that attraction was due to Our personal inclination. Neither Krsna nor Myself is the cause of such spontaneous attraction but it awakened and pierced Our minds in the form of Cupid. We are now separated from one another. O My dear friend, if you think that Sri Krsna has completely forgotten Me, tell Him that at the first sight We never required any negotiation, neither did We search for any messages. Cupid himself was the agent of Our meeting. But alas, at this time, O My friend, you are doing the job of a messenger when Our attraction is more desirable than before." This sort of feeling during separation of the lover and the beloved is called prema-vilasa-vivarta, which is the topmost sentiment in loving affairs. Here is another heartfelt description of the same prema-vilasa-vivarta by Srila Rupa Goswami in his Ujjvala-nilamani: radhaya bhavatas ca citta-jatuni svedair vilapya kramad yunjann adri-nikunja-kunjara-pate nirdhuta-bheda-bhramam citraya svayam anvaranjayad iha brahmanda-harmyodare bhuyobhir nava-raga-hingula-bharaih srngara-karuh krti "O, the king of the pirates (Sri Krsna) resided in the bowers of Govardhana Hill! The Creator of the Universe, who is very much expert in the art of decoration, has melted the casing of your heart and that of Srimati Radharani with the perspiration of transcendental symptoms and emotions, and thereby removed the misconception of duality. By such wonderful activities, He has painted both of your hearts in order to play wonders upon the universe." The explanation of the sentiment of prema-vilasa-vivarta can only be realized in a pure state of consciousness freed from all material conceptions. This transcendental subject matter is not to be realized in a state of consciousness that is either grossly or subtly influenced by the material body and mind. External consciousness in relation to material intelligence and mind is different from the pure soul. The mellowness of this transcendental subject is relished by the senses engaged in the divine service of the Personality of Godhead. Positive Consciousness The pure state of consciousness enjoyed in the transcendental service of Godhead is only partially manifested in the impersonalists through their negation of material engagement. The impersonal negative conception is simply an antidote for material misconception, it has no positive standing. Such a state of consciousness may be somewhat enlightening, but it cannot reach the positive consciousness of the soul in its pure state. Love of Godhead is a pure and positive transcendental subject. The attraction for matter is transient and inferior, and therefore it is best described as only passing for love. The apparent happiness of the material world is really unhappiness. However, the transcendental unhappiness experienced in the prema-vilasa-vivarta has nothing to do with the unhappiness of the material conception. In concluding this explanation of prema-vilasa-vivarta, the highest stage of transcendental relationships, Lord Caitanya said, prabhu kahe–‘sadhya-vastura avadhi’ ei haya tomara prasade iha janilun niscaya sadhya-vastu’ ‘sadhana’ vinu keha nahi paya krpa kari’ kaha, raya, pabara upaya "Now I understand the topmost limit of the ultimate goal of life. This has been possible by your grace. The goal cannot be reached without the endeavor of the devotee and the mercy of a pure devotee. Please therefore let me now know the means of reaching this topmost goal." Ramananda continued, raya kahe–yei kahao, sei kahi vani ki kahiye bhala-manda, kichui na jani tribhuvana-madhye aiche haya kon dhira ye tomara maya-nate ha-ibeka sthira mora mukhe vakta tumi, tumi hao srota atyanta rahasya, suna, sadhanera katha radha-krsnera lila ei ati gudhatara dasya-vatsalyadi-bhave na haya gocara sabe eka sakhi-ganera ihan adhikara sakhi haite haya ei lilara vistara sakhi vina ei lila pusta nahi haya sakhi lila vistariya, sakhi asvadaya sakhi vina ei lilaya anyera nahi gati sakhi-bhave ye tanre kare anugati radha-krsna-kunjaseva-sadhya sei paya sei sadhya paite are nahika upaya "My Lord, I do not know the means of approaching the ultimate goal of life, but I speak to You whatever You desire me to speak. I do not know if I am speaking correctly or incorrectly. Nobody in the three worlds will not dance according to Your wish. In fact, You speak through my mouth, and it is wonderful that You are the audience as well. Therefore, let me say that the transcendental pastimes of Srimati Radharani and Sri Krsna are extremely mysterious and confidential. Even those who are ardently engaged in the service of dasya, sakhya, or vatsalya rasas cannot enter into the essence of Their pastimes. Only the eternal associates of Srimati Radharani, the cowherd girls of Vraja, have the authority to enter into this mystery because this transcendental pastime develops in their association. "The fulfillment of the sweetest of all transcendental pastimes depends on the activities of Sri Radha’s female associates. It is they alone who expand these pastimes and relish their development. Therefore, if anyone wants to reach this stage of transcendental life, he has to do so in the ardent service of such female associates. Only one who follows this principle can become a servitor of Srimati Radharani and Sri Krsna in the groves of Sri Vrndavana. There is no other alternative in this regard." Deeper Happiness In the Govinda-lilamrta (10.17), the following description is given: vibhur api sukha-rupah sva-prakaso ‘pi bhavah ksanam api na hi radha-krsnayor ya rte svah pravahati rasa-pustim cid-vibhutir ivesah srayati na padam asam kah sakhinam rasa-jnah "The transcendental pastimes of Radha and Krsna are as self-effulgent as the Personality of Godhead Himself. Yet as the Almighty Godhead is glorified by His manifestation of diverse energies and potencies, the pastimes of Radha and Krsna are glorified in the association of the sakhis or female friends of Srimati Radharani." The activities of the sakhis are very wonderful. They do not desire any personal enjoyment with Sri Krsna but become happy only by uniting the Divine Couple. By uniting Srimati Radharani with Sri Krsna, the sakhis enjoy a thousand times more happiness than they would derive by direct contact with Sri Krsna. This is another mystery of the transcendental pastimes of Radha and Krsna. Srimati Radharani is the desire creeper embracing the desire tree of Sri Krsna, and the sakhis are the leaves, twigs, and flowers of that desire creeper. So naturally when the desire creeper is watered at the root by the nectarean water of the pastimes of Sri Krsna, the leaves and twigs and flowers of the desire creeper are automatically nourished. The sakhis therefore do not require any separate arrangement for their enjoyment. On the other hand, the happiness of the flowers and leaves is greater than the original creeper. This is explained in the Govinda-lilamrta (10.16): sakhyah sri-radhikaya vraja- kumuda-vidhor hladini-nama-sakteh saramsa-prema-vallyah kisalaya- dala-puspadi-tulyah sva-tulyah siktayam krsna-lilamrta-rasa- nicayair ullasantyam amusyam jatollasah sva-sekacchata-gunam adhikam santi yat tan na citram "There is no utility in watering the leaves and flowers of a tree without watering the root of the tree. The leaves and flowers are automatically nourished by watering the root of the tree. Similarly, without the unity of Srimati Radharani and Sri Krsna, there is no happiness for the sakhis. When Radha and Krsna are united, the happiness of the sakhis is thousands and thousands of times greater than when they are personally associating with Krsna." Great Mystery There is another mystery within these transcendental pastimes, and it is that Srimati Radharani arranges for the uniting of Her associates with Sri Krsna, although the sakhis have no such desire. By doing this, Srimati Radharani enjoys more happiness than by Her personally uniting with Sri Krsna and for this reason the sakhis accept this arrangement for Her happiness. By all these mutual arrangements of Sri Radha and the sakhis, Sri Krsna becomes still more happy, and therefore the whole arrangement causes Radha and Krsna to become even more enlivened in their transcendental pastimes. The natural divine love of the cowherd girls for Sri Krsna is never to be considered as or compared to material lust. The two, love and lust, are explained in similar terms because there appears to be a similarity between them, but the Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu (1.2.285) explains otherwise: premaiva gopa-ramanam kama ity agamat pratham ity uddhavadayo ‘py etam vanchanti bhagavat-priyah "People customarily describe and understand the love of the cowherd girls for Sri Krsna in the light of mundane lust, but in fact it is different because such a standard of love for Sri Krsna was desired even by the highest devotees like Uddhava and others." Mundane lust is meant for one’s personal enjoyment; transcendental love of Godhead is meant for the happiness of the Supreme Personality Sri Krsna. There is therefore a very wide gulf of difference between the two. The cowherd girls of Vraja had no desire for self-satisfaction by personally contacting Sri Krsna, yet they were always ready to render all varieties of services for the benefit of Sri Krsna. Anything short of this spirit amounts to lust. As confirmed in the Srimad-Bhagavatam, mundane desire is mundane lust. In the Vedas, the three modes of nature–goodness, passion, and ignorance–are described in different terms according to one’s desire for different benefits–followers, sons, wealth, and so on. All these are but different categories of mundane lust. Such lust is presented in the flowery language of the Vedas as religiosity. Lust is called by different names: altruism, karma-kanda, fruitive work, social obligations, the desire for liberation, family tradition, affection for kinsmen, and fear of chastisement and rebuke from relatives. All these are different forms of lust passing in the name of religiosity. There is nothing in these activities except one’s own sense gratification. Surrender In the Bhagavad-gita, the final instruction is to give up all varieties of religion and follow the Personality of Godhead without reservation. In the beginning of the Bhagavad-gita, the Personality of Godhead proclaimed that He descends to the earth whenever there is a rise of irreligious activities. He does so to protect the faithful, eradicate the unbelievers, and reestablish the principles of religiosity. The two declarations mentioned above seem contradictory. The Personality of Godhead descends on earth to protect religiosity, but advises Arjuna to give up all varieties of religion. The explanation, however, is very clear. Complete surrender unto the will of the Personality of Godhead without any reservation is the factual principle of religiosity. All other activities, such as altruism, are not in fact religious. As such, the Personality of Godhead advises Arjuna to give them up. They are all different forms of mundane lust, gorgeously presented in the dress of religiosity. Therefore, a transcendental conviction of feeling oneself to be the eternal servitor of Godhead and following this conviction means to follow the orders of Sri Krsna as He has advised in the Bhagavad-gita. Whenever there is the feeling that one is the enjoyer of one’s own activities, such actions are to be understood as different forms of mundane lust. To surrender fully unto the desire of Sri Krsna does not turn one into a lifeless machine without any impetus. Rather, the feeling of being eternally engaged in the service of Sri Krsna gives one transcendental impetus for carrying out the will of Godhead through the divine medium of the spiritual master, who is identical in purpose with Sri Krsna. This is only possible when one is inspired by pure love of Godhead called vyavasayatmika-buddhi, supramundane intelligence that assures success in spiritual activities. Imitators The artificial way of decorating oneself in the dress of a sakhi, as is done by a class of mundaners called sakhibheki or gauranga-nagari, is not inspired by supramundane intelligence. Such artificial decoration of the body, which is meant for annihilation, certainly cannot please the transcendental senses of Sri Krsna. It is therefore a mundane wishful desire of the less intelligent, easygoing pseudodevotees, and as such it cannot reach the transcendental stage of the cowherd girls of Vraja. We have already discussed in detail that the forms of Srimati Radharani and Her various female associates called the sakhis are composed of divine substance and their activities are therefore meant for the service of Sri Krsna. Their activities are never to be compared with the superficial activities in the material world. Sri Krsna is the all-attractive Personality of Godhead known as the enchanter of the universe, and Srimati Radharani is known as the enchanter of the enchanter of the universe. The imitative endeavors of a mundaner to become a sakhi is strictly forbidden by Srila Jiva Goswami in his commentary on the Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu. The real devotee may thus be warned not to imitate the dress of a sakhi as a means of bhajana or worship. Such activity is offensive and strictly forbidden. The transcendental feelings of the cowherd girls mentioned in the Srimad-Bhagavatam (10.31.19) are as follows: yat te sujata-caranamburuham stanesu bhitah sanaih priya dadhimahi karkasesu tenatavim atasi tad vyathate na kim svit kurpadibhir bhramati dhir bhavad-ayusam nah "O my dear, Your lotus feet, which are very soft and are placed on our hard breasts, are now treading over the forest of Vrndavana and thereby receiving pain on account of stepping on the fine particles of stone. This fact is giving us anxiety because You are our very life." This example is the standard sentiment of the cowherd girls of Vraja and demonstrates that their very life is meant for the service of Sri Krsna without any tinge of an idea for sense gratification. There are 64 different items of regulative devotional service. The devotee gradually develops the right to enter into the transcendental service of Godhead by implicit faith in the observance of the regulative principles. The intense eagerness to serve like the eternal associates of Sri Krsna, such as the cowherd girls, gives the devotee the right to serve Sri Krsna in that way. For this ardent service of Godhead, one is required to give up the practice of the mundane regulative principles of varnasrama-dharma. Raganuga In the transcendental abode of Vraja, the eternal residence of Sri Krsna, the inhabitants serve Sri Krsna in different mellows of loving service. Raktaka Parsada serves in the mellow of dasya-prema. Madhumangala Sakha, Sridama, and Sudama serve in the mood of sakhya-prema, while Nanda and Yasoda serve Sri Krsna in the mellow of vatsalya-prema. Any devotee who is attracted by any of the transcendental moods of service will obtain their desired goal at the time of perfection. A vivid example of this is the srutis (the personified Upanisads). The srutis were convinced that the transcendental loving service of Sri Krsna is not obtainable without following in the footsteps of the cowherd girls in Vraja. At that time, they adopted the spontaneous service of raganuga in pursuance of the footsteps of the gopis with the aim of achieving prema for the son of the King of Vraja. The srutis, who obtained the transcendental service of Godhead by following in the footsteps of the gopis, are described in the Srimad-Bhagavatam (10.87.23): nibhrta-marun-mano ‘ksa-drdha-yoga-yujo hrdi yan munaya upasate tad arayo ‘pi yayuh smaranat striya uragendra-bhoga-bhuja-danda-visakta-dhiyo vayam api te samah samadrso ‘nghri-saroja-sudhah "The enemies of the Personality of Godhead, who remembered Him constantly with an inimical feeling, entered into the impersonal Brahman effulgence, which is also obtained by the empiric philosophers and mystics by the process of controlling the mind and the senses strictly by yoga practice and meditating upon the impersonal Brahman. But the cowherd girls, the damsels of Vraja, were hypnotized by the poisonous beauty of the snakelike arms of Sri Krsna, and thus they obtained the nectar of His lotus feet. We have also followed the path of the cowherd girls and are thus drinking the nectarean juice of the lotus feet of the Personality of Godhead." The purport of this verse is that the srutis followed the path of the gopis and when they reached perfection they obtained bodies like those of the cowherd girls. After obtaining such transcendental bodies, they were able to enjoy the company of Sri Krsna in spiritual bliss.
  5. The Logic of the Blind Man Holding the Cow's Tail ("andha o gopuccha-nyaya") By Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakur (from Upakhyane Upadesa) Once upon a time a blind person was going to his father-in-law's house, finding his way with the help of his walking stick. While passing through a field he came across a cowherd boy and asked, "O brother, would you please do me a favor by leading me to my father-in-law's house?" The cowherd replied, "I am busy tending so many cows. If I take you to your father-in-law's house, all of the cows will run away. I can do one thing for you. I can lend you a very docile and faithful cow of mine, you can safely catch hold of her tail and she can smoothly lead you to your in-law's house." Thus advised by the cowherd, the blind traveler firmly caught hold of the cow's tail. The cow began walking with the blind man trailing behind. After a short time, however, the blind man's strong pulling on her tail frightened the cow. She became frantic and started running, dragging the blind person very roughly down the road and through thorny bushes all the while giving him frequent hard kicks with her hind legs. As a result, the blind man's body was severely injured and his garments were all torn apart. He finally arrived at his in-law's house in the dead of night. He was in a very wretched condition with cuts and bruises all over and he was totally naked. His in-law's servants mistook him to be a cattle thief and punched and slapped him in order to get him to let go of the cow's tail. Thus the blind man suffered unlimitedly. PURPORT Those who have ulterior motives take shelter of so-called gurus instead of a truly bona-fide spiritual master (sad-guru), and ultimately suffer very badly like the blind man in this story. Any and every person cannot lead one to the supreme abode of godhead, and no unauthorized representative can guide us to our true welfare. It is, therefore, obligatory that without any hesitation one should take shelter of a krishna-tattvavit-sad-guru - a bona-fide Krishna-conscious guru.
  6. [From a Lecture given by Sri Srimad Gour Govinda Swami Maharaj on 7th April 1992 at Bhubaneswar,India] "The Gaudiya sampradaya, the parampara of Caitanya Mahaprabhu, is a bona fide Vaisnava sampradaya. One should accept the instructions which are coming from the acaryas in this parampara as it is and practice them in one's life. Then You will get the mercy of Mahaprabhu. With a simple heart, that is krsna-seva. We are not speaking anything pseudo-sampradayist. We should not hear the words of pseudo-sampradayists. When Mahaprabhu ordered, "You become guru and deliver this world," that instruction has come unto my guru, Srila Prabhupada, and my guru gave me this same order. So I will never develop any duplicity or crookedness in executing this order. That means I will never come in murkha--sampradaya or kapatya-sampradaya or phalgu-sampradaya, the school of fools, hypocrites and pretenders. I will never teach duplicity or crookedness to anybody. Those who are visayis, materialistic persons, are duplicitous, crooked, and envious, they come under pseudo-sampradaya. They are selfish persons. Those who are under the bonafide sampradaya coming from Gauranga Mahaprabhu, they are so powerful that they kick all such sampradayas. They are always twenty-four hours day and night engaged in loving service ot the lotus feet of Radha and Krsna, executing the order of their guru. They never desist from rendering pure service without duplicity, nikapata-seva. An acarya is natural, not pretending, he is not pretentious. He is not pretending as acarya. He is a natural acarya, not artificial. He is more humble than a blade of grass lying on the street and as tolerant as a tree. He gives respect to one and all, seeing Krsna in everybody and never demands respect for himself. Our teachings which are coming through our parampara are true, coming form Mahaprabhu. They are our sadacara, our regulative principle. They are law for all humanity. And this law, this sadacara, has come down to us through parampara. If we disrespect it, if we don't execute it in our life, if we add any deliberation, if we twist it, then we will become offenders. We will commit offence by not obeying the orders of guru. Yes, namaparadha. Then we will be far away from the lotus feet of our guru. Guru will never keep us at his lotus feet. If, in order to execute, to obey the order of my guru, it is needed to become very proud, I will never hesitate to become very proud. If it is needed to become an animal, I will never hesitate to become an animal. If it is needed to go to hell for guru, I will never hesitate to do it. Do you follow me? That is how to execute the order of the guru. That is how to become a true follower of guru. I will never hesitate to do it. I will never hear from anyone but my guru. Those who are saying something different form this teaching coming through bonafide parampara, coming from Mahaprabhu‹we will never listen to them. If somebody says something different, then like Bhimasena, with my fist, I will crush it. I will destroy it. I will defeat it. I am so proud. With just one speck of dust form the lotus feet of my guru, crores and crores of people of this world will be delivered. You should understand how powerful one little speck of dust of my guru's lotus feet is. There is no such a scholar as my guru. I will never accept anyone else as a scholar. There is no such teachings as those that my guru has imparted, to be found in any human being, or in any demigod. I know it very well. No one else can give such teachings. There is nothing in thiw world that is as heavy as a tiny speck of dust from the lotus feet of my guru. This is the follower of true parampara, I am following such parampara. This is the teaching, one should understand it very well. Only Mahaprabhu gives prema. Mirabai got sayujya mukti, but we hate it. Gaudiya Vaisnavas hate it. We won't hear all these things. Get out from here! I am so proud, I will crush it with my fist! Entering into the body of the Lord, that was her desire. Jiva Goswami appreciated that she said that Krsna is the only male, but after that finish, chelo! Get out! Do you follow? Only Mahaprabhu gives prema, nobody else. It is a simple fact. Why are you making it complicated? It is very simple. Don't twist it, don't add any deliberation to it. As it is. This s most important. It appears contradictory but in tattva there is on contradiction. You should understand in tattva. Apparent considerations are not tattva. Apparent considerations and absolute considerations‹apara vicara and tattva vicara. All our Gaudiya Vaisnava philosophy is bassed on tattva vicara, not apara vicara."
  7. Taken From Lectures by Sri Srimad Gour Govinda Swami Maharaja We should not disrespect the demigods, they may not be the Supreme Lord, but they are still the servants of Krishna. Mahaprabhu has especially taught us this about Lord Siva, "Vaisnavanam yatha sambhu — Siva is a great vaisnava." Therefore Mahaprabhu visited Bhubaneswar and offered respects to Sivaji who is known as ‘Ksetrapala’— ‘He who guards the ksetra.’ In Vraja-mandala you will also find that nine Ksetrapala Mahadeva murtis are there. In Vrindavan you will find Gopeswar Mahadeva, in Kamyavana you will find Kameswar Mahadeva, and at Govardhan there is Cakreswar Mahadeva. In Nandagrama you will find Nandeswar Mahadeva, and in Mathura you will find Bhuteswar Mahadeva, Gokarneswar, Cakleswar, Brdhyeswar and Rangeswar. Besides these, there are many, many Siva temples in Mathura. In the Adi Varaha Purana it is mentioned how Lord Vishnu ordered Sivaji: "In Mathura you shall become Ksetrapala to guard My ksetra. If someone pays respect to you and has your darsana then he will actually get the result of circumambulating My ksetra." Those who circumambulate Vrindavan, at the beginning and at the end of the Vrindavan parikrama, they visit Bhuteswar Siva in Mathura because; vaisnavanam yatha sambhu — ‘Siva is a great Vaisnava.’ Caitanya-bhagavata Bhubaneswar ksetra is also Siva’s dhama. That is mentioned in the Caitanya-bhagavata. Therein Sri Vrindavan das Thakura has described Bhubaneswar. When Sriman Mahaprabhu was on His way to Jagannatha Puri He passed through Bhubaneswar. He visited the Lingaraj temple because that Bhubaneswar Lingaraj is a very dear servant of Anantadeva. Caitanya-bhagavat mentions: "Sriman Mahaprabhu came to Bhubaneswar and chanted and danced before Lord Siva in the Bhubaneswar temple." So following in the footsteps of Sriman Mahaprabhu all vaisnavas came here and visited Bhubaneswar to see Lord Siva. They all chanted and danced here. The Skanda Purana also mentions Bhubaneswar ksetra. Once, in Kasi, Varanasi, there was a King who was a great devotee of Lord Siva, but his desires where unfulfilled. That King underwent severe penances in order to conquer Lord Krishna. He was doing tapasya to satisfy Lord Siva with the desire to conquer Krishna. Who can understand the behavior of a vaisnava? Even the demigods cannot understand it, then what to speak of the human beings? Sivaji became pleased with the King’s tapasya and told him: "All right. You go and fight against Krishna. I will follow you to support and help you." So that King started for battle, followed by Lord Siva and all his followers. Krishna, who is known as Vasudeva, Devakinandana, could understand all this. Thus He released His sudarsana cakra. Sudarsana first cut off the head of the king, and then that cakra cut off the heads of all the Siva bhaktas of Kasi. Varanasi turned into a crematorium ground with everyone dead. Lord Siva then became very angry and released his pasupata-astra. But what can the pasupata-astra do in front of Krishna's sudarsana cakra? It could not do anything, and at last Siva became frightened. He tried to run away, but where could he go? Then Siva understood, "Except for Krishna, no one can save me now." So he surrendered to the lotus feet of Krishna, Govinda, and offered many prayers. Siva said: "O Lord of my heart, I have only one prayer. I am always very puffed up and I have this great false ego. But now I have understood that I cannot leave You. I cannot stay anywhere else, so please tell me where shall I live now?" This is all described in the Skanda Purana and Sri Vrindavan das Thakura has also written about it in Caitanya-bhagavata. Ekamra-kanana Then Lord Vasudeva says: "My ksetra is there at Purusottama Ksetra, and in the north of that ksetra is a place called ‘Ekamra-kanana.’ Ekamra-kanana, is a very auspicious place which can give one bhukti and mukti. It is a very nice and beautiful place. You will stay there and be known as ‘Bhubaneswar.’ I shall give you this Ekamra-kanana. You go and stay there and become the guard of that ksetra — ksetrapala." This Bhubaneswar is known as ‘Hemacala’, and ‘Svarnadi Ksetra.’ In this place there are crores and crores, koti lingam, of Sivajis. The eight famous tirthas are also present there. It is superior to Varanasi and more dear to Lord Siva. In the Svarnadi-mahadeva-grantha it is described that once Vyasadeva came here. This Ekamra-kanana is a vaisnava ksetra, so Vyasadeva has described its glories. It is mentioned that once Devi Bhagavati, Goddess Parvati, was hearing the glories of Ekamra-kanana from the lips of Lord Siva. So we know that also Bhagavati-devi came to see this ksetra. She saw the maha-linga, the form in which Siva is worshiped. That Linga has the complexion of half white and half black — sitasita varna. Devi also offered puja to that Maha-linga. One day Devi saw that from a lake hundreds of cows were coming and pouring milk from their udders onto that maha-linga. They circumambulated the linga and then went away. On another day when she saw the same thing again, she assumed the form of a gopalini, a cowherd girl, and followed the cows. At that time, two demon brothers appeared, named Kriti and Vasa. They were very much enchanted by the beauty of Parvati-devi and so they approached her and expressed their desire that they wanted to have her as their wife. Bhagavati-devi disappeared from that place and went to Lord Siva where she narrated everything before her Lord. Lord Siva then assumed the form of a gopa, a cowherd boy, and went there. Lord Siva then understand the history of these two demons. Lord Siva revealed that these two demons Kriti and Vasa were the sons of a raksasa named Drumilla. Drumilla had worshiped many demigods who became pleased and gave him a boon that his two sons could not be killed by any weapon. Sivaji told her, "Now they will be killed by you, O Devi. They will not be killed by any weapons so I cannot kill them, but you will kill them." Thus getting the instruction from Sivaji, Devi in the form of a cowherd girl came before those two demons and said: "All right. I shall fulfill your desires. But I have one condition: He who can carry me on his shoulder or head, I shall become his wife." Then Bhagavati-devi manifested her potency, placing one foot on the shoulder of one demon and the other on the shoulder of the other demon, and she crushed both of them. They were killed as Bhagavati assumed the form of Visvambari, visvambari-rupa. Visva means universe. She expanded herself as Visvambari and crushed the two demons. From that day Sambhu and Devi Bhagavati have stayed in this ksetra known as Ekamra-kanana.
  8. Interview on the Prabhupada Centennial With Srila Gour Govinda Swami Barcelona, Spain, 22 August 1994 Interviewed by Savyasrestha Prabhu Interviewer: What do you think is the best quality of Srila Prabhupada? Gour Govinda Swami: Prabhupada is a pukkha vaisnava, pure vaisnava. All vaisnava qualities are in him, as mentioned in sastra: krpalu, akrta-droha, satya-sara, sama, maitra vadanya, kavi (Cc. Mad. 22.77-80) All qualities are there. A pure vaisnava has all these qualities. Srila Prabhupada is a pure vaisnava — cent per cent vaisnava-sadhu. His heart bleeds to see the sufferings of the jiva’s, therefore he came down from the abode of Krsna and traveled all over the world to save the fallen jivas. One who is a vaisnava, his heart bleeds. Int: By celebrating the centennial, what benefit do we get? GGS: Are baba! Benefit for the individual and benefit for the masses. All benefit is there. Sastra says: vaisnava guna-gana karile jivera trana suniachi sadhu guru mukhe Sadhu guru says that if you glorify a vaisnava, you will be glorified. Glorify, magnify, spread, inculcate, tell others, print books, spread throughout the world, and the world will benefit. Individually and collectively such benefit is there. The vaisnava pure devotee should be glorified more than the Lord. The Lord will be very happy when His pure devotee is glorified. Int: If we want to make a nice centennial we have to become very Prabhupada conscious, how can we become strong and all the time thinking of Prabhupada? GGS: How can you become strong? How can you do it on your own? If you have love and affection for Prabhupada, if you have love and affection for a sadhu, if you can understand what he has done, then you will be very strong. You will get his mercy, his strength. It’s Baladeva’s krpa, Baladeva’s merciful strength. It’s manifest in sad-guru. You’ll get his strength. If you get his mercy, that is very powerful. Krpa-bala — merciful strength. Then you can do wonders with that strength. It’s not physical or material strength but spiritual strength that comes from such a sadhu, pure Vaisnava. And that is from Krsna. Int: Many former devotees of ISKCON seem to be forgetting Prabhupada. They have left the association of devotees. We feel that we have to bring all these people back to celebrate Prabhupada’s centennial. How can we accomplish this? GGS: The first thing we have to ask is why they left? What is the reason? Why did they leave Prabhupada’s movement? If that problem is done away with then they will come back, isn’t it? What is the reason why they left? If I state the reason, it will be an unpalatable truth. In his Bhagavatam purport to 5.13.11, Prabhupada has said: “The Krishna consciousness movement aims at creating an atmosphere of non-envy. Of course it is not possible for everyone to become Krishna conscious, but the Krishna consciousness movement can create an exemplary society wherein there is no envy.” Prabhupada wanted an exemplary society where there would be no envy at all, a society of vaisnavas and sadhus. They are never envious. This is the purpose of Prabhupada. If those who are the pillars of the society, the pillars of this house, if they will acquire all vaisnava qualities, if they will be pukka vaisnavas, sadhus, if they will be non envious, then they can bring them back. Those persons who left will see, "Yes, this is the ideal society. No envy at all, a vaisnava society." Krishna is all attractive. His dear devotee is all attractive. Krsna-katha is all attractive. How did Prabhupada attract people throughout the world? He just spoke krsna-katha. This krsna-katha is not different from Krsna, so thereby all are attracted. Do like that and all will be attracted. And those who have gone out of the society because of this enviousness, because some wrong was done to them, if you fix that and they see that it is completely gone, if they see that things are now very good — a pukka vaisnava society where there is no enviousness, only love and affection — then all will be attracted. If Krishna and krsna-katha are there, then they’ll definitely come back. Any jiva will be attracted, why wouldn’t they be attracted? Why would they not come back? But if the same thing continues to go on then no one will come back. The same thing is going on now, do you understand me? You should first know the reason. What is the reason why they left? If that is not going on now and you can exhibit it — not just theoretically saying it, but exhibiting it practically — then they’ll come back. Int: But Maharaja, when Prabhupada was here, some devotees left, because maya is very strong. GGS: Yes maya is very strong. They left because they couldn’t follow Prabhupada’s instruction as it is. You should follow sadhu-guru’s instruction as it is. Don’t twist it and don’t add any of your deliberation to it. Then you’ll get immense spiritual strength. If you don’t follow it, if sadhu-guru gives you some instruction and you think, “Yes, guru maharaja, sadhu maharaja, said this thing. O, I may or may not do like that.” Then finished. You will not get his mercy. You won't have strength. You cannot fight against maya. Maya is so strong, therefore Prabhupada said, “Our purpose is to inculcate Krsna consciousness unto one and all, but of course it’s not such an easy thing.” It is not such an easy thing that everyone will become Krishna conscious. Still we have formed this society, and the members of the society should be such that they will not be at all envious. This should be a society where there is no envy at all. That is Prabhupada’s purpose. If you fulfill this purpose then they’ll come back. These are Prabhupada’s words, do you understand? You may do so many things for show. So many material societies are there. Political groups are there, saying so many things, big big things. They produce so many material plans and projects, “O, this is the aim. We’ll do this thing and that thing.” What is the value? If you do like that what is the value? This is the society for Krishna consciousness, baba! This is significant. Why did he name this society Krishna consciousness, not other consciousness? To develop complete Krishna consciousness is the goal of this human life. That is the perfection of human birth.
  9. Devotee: Srila Prabhupada always emphasized that he was eternally present in his books, instructions, tapes, and letters. So when you say we should take association of a sadhu can we do that through Srila Prabhupada’s books? Present in His Books Gour Govinda Swami: If Prabhupada says he is there, then you try to see him, associate with him and listen from him. Do you see Prabhupada? Do you hear from Prabhupada? Is he speaking to you? Devotee: Through his books. Gour Govinda Swami: Through his books, yes. All sadhus speak through their books. Jiva Goswami, Rupa Goswami, Sanatana Goswami, Bhaktivinode Thakur, Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati and Srila Prabhupada all say that they speak through books. This is not a new thing. This is our vaisnava procedure. But you should see him. Can you see Bhaktivinode Thakur? Can you see Jiva Goswami? You may say, “Oh I have read their books, I have their association.” That won’t help you. You cannot understand what they have said merely by reading their books. Your consciousness is very low, so you cannot understand their words. They are very, very merciful, but you should follow the proper path. If you are intelligent you will understand how they are still here, not only in the form of their books but also they are here. You should see them. Why are you thinking so foolishly? So many books were already there, so why has Srila Prabhupada said this? You are thinking, “We need only to read books. There is no need of associating with a sadhu who is physically present. Is there any sadhu? No, there is no sadhu at all.” Seeing is Believing Your motto is, “Seeing is believing.” You cannot see, so you cannot believe. Because you are a conditioned soul your vision is defective. You cannot see a sadhu. Krsna is there, can you see Him? No, you cannot, because you are not endowed with proper vision. First develop the proper vision and then you can see Krsna. Then you can see how a sadhu is there. It is not a fact that sadhus are not present. How is everything going on? How does the sun rise, the wind blow, and Indra give rain? All these things are going on. No sadhu? No Krsna? It’s nonsense, foolishness. We are so proud and puffed up. We are identifying our self as the body, mind and false ego. We think we are very great. So we say, “Oh, there is no sadhu.” We are in the category of identification with the body and mind. We have not come to the beginning of the stage of purity. No! Devotee: So we have to associate with a living sadhu? Gour Govinda Swami: Definitely. There is always one there. But he is not a cheap person. Such a person is very rare. If you can get his mercy then you can see him. Otherwise, by your own effort and perception, you cannot see him. No, no, no. You are always thinking that you are drasta, the seer, and that the sadhu is drsta, the one to be seen. Everyone is like this. They think they are the seers. But it is just the reverse. You are to be seen and they are the seer! Think this over very deeply. I think you cannot completely understand what I say. We always think that we are the seer and that they are to be seen, but this is not a fact. It is just the reverse. They are the seers and we are to be seen.
  10. by Sri Srimad Gour Govinda Swami Maharaja There are many misconceptions about Lord Jagannath and Ratha-yatra. We should understand the tattva that Mahaprabhu described, that Mahaprabhu manifested, because Mahaprabhu is the supreme authority. Who is Jagannath? There is no difference between Mahaprabhu, Krishna and Jagannath: "sei krsna, sei gaura, sei jagannatha". The people in general don’t understand. They have many speculations or concoctions. They are proud of their material learning, merit, intelligence and knowledge. But one cannot understand the Supreme Lord without the mercy of the Lord. That is the only thing required. And they are not hearing from a sadhu, guru, vaisnava, without which no one can understand. Only a dear devotee of Jagannath, Krishna, Mahaprabhu will understand. Mahaprabhu is an acarya. He came as an acarya, sadhu-guru, and He has described the tattva behind Ratha-yatra. It isn’t easy to understand — paramo nirmatsaranam satam vedyam.1 Srimad Bhagavatam says who can understand — only a vaisnava who is non-envious. Although others may hear, still they cannot understand. It won’t enter into their ears. I will describe the history and tattva of Ratha-yatra according to how Mahaprabhu has revealed it. Jagannath’s Birthday Skanda Purana is the biggest Purana of the eighteen Puranas. There is one khanda named Utkal-khanda. In Utkal-khanda we find everything regarding Lord Jagannath and Purusottama-ksetra, which is also known as Jagannath-ksetra. Vyasadeva has written it. In Skanda Purana Lord Jagannath tells Maharaja Indradyumna, "O King, I appeared on the full moon day of the month of Jyestha." This is the day on which we observe Snana Purnima — Lord Jagannath’s public bath. That was in the Svayambhuva manvantara, in the first part of Satya-yuga. Lord Jagannath said, "I appeared, being pleased with the performance of yajna and bhakti." This is the birthday of Jagannath-deva. So every year on this day the public bathing ceremony should be performed — that was the order of Jagannath to Indradyumna Maharaja. Maharaja Indradyumna is a great devotee. He performed one thousand horse sacrifices. Being pleased with his devotee and his yajna performance, Lord Jagannath appeared in the second part of the Svayambhuva manvantara and Brahma installed the deities in the temple. Ancient History If you calculate this period you will find the dates on which the building of the Jagannath temple started, when the temple was inaugurated, and when the Deities were installed on their simhasana. This was fifteen crores and thirty-four lakhs (153,400,000) years ago. This is according to the authority of Skanda Purana. Ratha-yatra began in Svarocisa Manu’s time. There are fourteen Manus in one day of Brahma. Their period of reign is called a manvantara. Vaivasvata manvantara is going on now. Svayambhuva is the first Manu, then Svarocisa, followed by Uttama, Tamasa, Raivata, and Caksusa. Presently Vaivasvata Manu is going on. Next will come Savarni, Daksa-savarni, Brahma-savarni, Dharma-savarni, Rudra-savarni, Deva-savarni, Indra-savarni. Fourteen manus in all. Svarocisa Manu is the second Manu and according to Skanda Purana the Ratha-yatra began during his reign. That was Satya-yuga, and Ratha-yatra has been continuing up till now. It is mentioned that this will continue until the end of the second parardha [half] period of Brahma. Brahma’s lifetime is one hundred years. So Ratha-yatra will continue to go on for half of his lifetime.
  11. The Greed of The Lord A lecture by His Divine Grace Srila Gour Govinda Swami--------------- When we speak of the advent of Sri Gauranga Mahaprabhu we should understand what is the cause of the appearance of Sri Gauranga Mahaprabhu. There are two types of causes, external cause and internal cause. The external cause is nama prema pracare yuga dharma pracara. kali-yuga dharma hoy hari sankirtana etad arthe abatirna sri sacinandana Kali-yuga dharma, yuga dharma is hari sankirtana. To fulfill this purpose Sri Sacinandana appears. ei kaye bhagavate sarva tatva sar kirtan nimita gaura candra avatara Sankirtana-ike janakau - He's the father of hari sankirtan. He is Sri Gouranga Mahaprabhu. Kali-yuga sarva dharma hari sankirtan, sarva prakashila caitanya narayana. This is a quotation from Sri Caitanya Bhagavat. kali yuge sankirtana dharma palibare abatirne hoila prabhu sarva pari-kare With all His associates, paraphernalia, His dharma, Sri Gauranga Mahaprabhu appears in kali-yuga, especially this kali-yuga, to fulfill this purpose - yuga dharma, nama prema pracara, and prema dharma, the chief result of this hari nama sankirtan is to achieve Sri Krsna-prema and to get Sri Krsna. He is offering and distributing this Krsna-prema freely, indiscriminately. apamar vitatara brahmara durlabha prema saba kare yache patita pamara nahi bache It is very difficult even on the part of lord Brahma to get such prema but Sriman Mahaprabhu gives it freely, indiscriminately. Even patita pamaras, Jagai and Madhai, most degraded, most sinful persons also get it. Therefore He is known as Sri Prema Purusottama Sacinandana Gauranga. Five thousand years ago Sri Krsna came in His own svarup and in His Kuruksetra-lila. He gave His message in the form of Sri Bhagavad-gita through Sri Arjuna to all mankind. There He gave confidential, more confidential and most confidential instruction. His most confidential instruction is, man-mana bhava mad bhakto, mad-yaji mam namaskuru. That is His most confidential instruction. The concluding instruction is, sarva dharman parityajya, mam-ekam saranam vraja. Giving up all varieties of dharma, just surrender unto Me. He only said this theoretically, He never taught how to surrender practically. So after winding up His lila after Dvapara-yuga, He went to His own abode, Sri Goloka Vrndavan and because He's the only well-wishing friend of all living entities, suhrdam sarva bhutanam, therefore He is thinking, "I have given confidential, more confidential and most confidential instruction to Sri Arjuna for all mankind, but after Dvarpara-yuga there is Kali-yuga, the most sinful age. Due to an increase of sinful activities the consciousness of the people is most polluted consiousness. All are engaged in sinful activities. They cannot understand what I said, they cannot understand this sri saranagati tattva and I have only said theoretically, I have not demonstrated it practically how to surrender. Therefore I have to go again" So He came again as Sri Gauranga Mahaprabhu. This is the purpose, this is the reason why He comes. yuga dharma pravartarmu nama-sankirtana cari bhava bhakti diya nacamu bhuvana I'll go and preach this yuga dharma, nama sankirtan and I'll give the four forms of bhakti: dasya, sakhya, vatsalya, madhurya, (santa is discarded in Sriman Mahaprabhu's line), and make the whole world dance with that bhava bhakti. apani karimu bhakta bhava angikare apani acari bhakti sikhaimu sabare I'll accept bhakta bhava, the mood of a bhakta and I'll teach bhakti. Unless I practice it Myself I cannot teach. apane na kaila dharma sikhana na yaya ei ta' siddhanta gita-bhagavate gaya If I don't practice bhakti, sarangati (surrender) in My own life, I cannot teach it. So His mood is bhakta bhava, the mood of a bhakta. This is the purpose and this is the external cause (bahiranga karanam). Then there is the internal cause (antaranga karanam). The external cause is for others, it is for the people of kali-yuga, kali-yuga jiva. Therefore it is bahiranga, or external. Antaranga is meant for Himself. These two causes are there and then that calling of Sri Advaita Acarya, which I'll speak about tomorrow morning, is there. That is also one of the causes, but the most internal cause is to fulfill the three desires. radhayah pranaya-mahima kidrso vanayarva svadyo yenadhuta-madhurima kidrso va madiyah saukhyam casya mad-anubhavatah kidrsam veti lobhat tad bhavadhyah samajami saci-garbha-sindhau harinduh Srila Svarup Damodara Gosvami has said this and this quotation is mentioned by Srila Rupa Gosvami in Sri Lalita Madhava. Three types of desires remain unfulfilled in Sri Krsna-lila. What is radhayah pranaya-mahima kidrso vanayarva, what is Srimati Radharani's love? Svadyo yenadbhuta madhurima kidrso va madiyah, what is my rupa madhuri, excellent beauty, My beauty that Srimati Radharani relishes? What is My extra-excellent beauty and how can I relish it? In other words this veti lobhat, three desires, three types of greed developed in the Supreme Lord Krsna. Therefore, saci garbha-sindhau harinduh, to fulfill these three desires, these three types of greed, He appeared from the womb of Sri Sacimata. That is Gaura-avatara. Here this word lobha, greed, is very, very significant. The Lord has greed. It is quite natural that we have greed. We are greedy persons, materially greedy. This greed of the material world is condemned, it is considered as one of the enemies. In the 16th chapter, 21st verse of Sri Bhagavad-gita you'll find Lord Krsna has said: tir-vidham narakasyedam dvaram nasanam atmanah kamah krodhas tatha lobhas tasmad etat trayam tyajey Lord Krsna says, give up these three, kama, krodha, lobha - lust, anger and greed. If you become influenced or affected by these three then you will open your door towards hell, so give up these things. This lobha (greed) is very bad. Those persons who are materially greedy, definitely they suffer. For example, one very small story is there. A greedy boy was in his house when his mother put some nice berries into an earthen pot, like a water pot that has a very narrow opening. The boy developed greed to get some of those berries so he put his hand into the pot and grasped a handful of those berries. When he tried to get his hand out of the pot, it got caught because the opening was so narrow and caused some pain as he pulled but it wouldn't come out so he was crying. This is suffering out of greed. Though he's suffering, he's not allowing any berries to get out. A simple story showing the consequence of greed is suffering. Therefore Bhagavan Sri Krsna in Sri Bhagavad Gita says to give up this greed. But this greed can be utilised in Sri Krsna's service. This word lobha (greed) is a very ancient word, it is not a modern word. The seed of this greed is also there in Bhagavan and in Bhakta also. So in respect of Bhagavat bhakta, the devotee of the Lord will say, lobha sadhu sange hari katha. How can you utilise this greed? Develop this greed to have more and more sadhu sanga, association of sadhus and hear more and more Sri Krsna katha. Develop this greed, This is very nice greed, this is spiritual greed, transcendental greed. One should not give up this greed. One should develop this greed more and more. The more you develop this greed the more you get spiritual relishment and spiritual advancement. One who is not greedy he cannot make advancement in the spiritual path in this respect. But material greed should be given up, whereas spiritual greed should be developed. Again it is said: krsna bhakti rasa bhabita matih kriyanam jadi kutopi labhyate tatra laulyam api mulyame-kalam Laulya means 'lobha' (greed). That means from this verse you can understand how the seed of greed is there. The purport is that if you have such spiritual greed you can achieve sri krsna-bhakti-rasa, mellow of sri krsna-bhakti, otherwise if you are devoid of this greed you cannot have it, cannot achieve it. Sadhu sange hari katha. One should develop this greed of having more and more sadhu-sanga and hearing more and more hari-kirtan, hari-katha, than you will make advancement in bhajan-sadhan. Materialistic people don't know the use of this greed, they abuse it, utilising it for material enjoyment, material possessions, they suffer. So when you speak about the advent of Sri Sacinandana Gaura Hari, the Appearance of Sri Gauranga Mahaprabhu, this greed is there. In the beginning I explained that Sri Krsna developed three types of greed that could not be fulfilled in Sri Krsna-lila, therefore Sri Gaura-avatara. In Gaura-lila those three types of greed are fulfilled. This is very wonderful using this word greed. Has anybody used such word previously? No one has used such word previously. Srila Svarup Damodara Goswami has used it. Therefore Braja-raja-nandana Sri Krsna became Sri Sacinandana Gaura Hari because of the development of this greed. One who is purna brahma, one who has no deficiency, no wanting anything, still He develops greed. Wonderful! Wonderful! He has no deficiency, He is purna brahma, He's self-satisfied, He doesn't want anything, there is no lacking there. Why such greed? Wonderful, so wonderful! One should understand its mystery, what is the tattva behind it? He who is aptakama (self-satisfied), atmarama, who is rasa svarupa purna brahma, who is paramananda-moy, supremely blissful sacidananda-moy, He develops greed. What type of greed and to get what? Very wonderful! Very wonderful! Now you can understand how the seed of this greed gradually develops and the culmination is there in Sri Gauranga svarup. I'll give you an example. Vaikuntha-dhipati-visnu, He develops some greed. He develops the desire for fighting. He cherishes that 'I'll fight'. When He's Bhagavan the six types of opulences are there completely in Him and one of the opulences is strength or bala. Incomparable strength is there, therefore it is quite natural to develop such desire that 'I'll fight and fulfill this desire, this greed.' Whenever Bhagavan wants to fulfill some desire, His internal energy, potency, Sri Yogamaya creates such an atmosphere. So when this desire developed in vaikuntha-dhipati-narayan to fight, Sri Yogamaya, the internal potency created the circumstances to fulfill that desire. Another point is that the opponent should be equally strong otherwise one cannot get pleasure in fighting. So who is there? With whom will the Lord fight? Then the question of Jaya and Vijaya, the two doorkeepers who were very strong came. By the desire or will of the Supreme Lord, those two doorkeepers were cursed by the four Kumaras to beome demons for three lives. Sri Yogamaya did it. The first is Hiranyaksa and Hiranyakasipu, the the second is Ravana and Kumbhakarna and the third is Sisupala nd Dantavakra. Three incarnations are there and Lord Visnu-Narayana fought with them and got pleasure in fighting. Ths is the greed of Narayana-Visnu, this is in Srimad Bhagavatam. So this is lobha. Then came the greed of Lord Nrsimhadev. Lord Nrsimhadev has two types of forms, ugra (fearful) and anugra (peaceful). One is a very fearful form and another is a very peaceful form. After killing Hirasnyakasipu, Lord Nrsimhadev is very, very fearful, extremely fearful form and He was dancing, like the tandaba-nrtya of Lord Siva at the time of annihilation. The whole world was trembling seeing such dancing and anger of the fearful form of Lord Nrsimhadev. All the demigods are offering prayers to pacify Him, but it was all null and void. Then they requested Bhakta Prahlad, "You please go and calm down the anger of Lord Nrsimhadev." Prahlad Maharaj is a very dear devotee of the Lord, so Prahlad went there to offer prayers and Lord Nrsimhadev became calm and then His form is a very peaceful form. Then Lord Nrsimhadev put His dear devotee Sri Prahlad, like a son, on His lap. At that time vatsalya prema, parental love and affection developed in Lord Nrsimhadev. Both father and son relish this rasa, mellow. Father relishes, son also relishes by sitting in the lap of the father, so it is reciprocal but the relishing if this mellow of the son is greater than that of the father. One should understand this. So Lord Nrsimhadev developed that greed, "how can I sit in the lap of My father and relish that rasa? In this incarnation My father is a stone pillar, I cannot have it." So He developed that greed. Then all the incarnations after Lord Nrsimhadev came accepting Father and Mother, to fulfill that greed. Lord Rama also developed greed. Very nice topic you see. Vibhisana and Sugriva are friends of Lord Rama. That means sakhya rasa is there in Rama avatara. But there are two types of sakhya rasa - visrambha and sambhrama sakhya. Sambhrama means with awe and reverence, and visrambha is without awe and reverence - equal. So the sakhya rasa in Lord Rama avatara is the sambhrama sakhya, with awe and reverence. There is no question of visrambha sakhya or equality. In Lord Rama avatara His friends Sugriva and Vibhisana cannot climb onto the shoulders of Lord Rama. They cannot snatch away the food from the mouth of Lord Rama, what to speak of climbing onto the shoulders of Lord Rama. They are afraid if even their leg will touch Lord Rama's body. They are afraid and it will be offensive. This is sambhrama sakhya. That means sakhya rasa with awe and reverence. But affection that the friends think themselves equal with the Lord. There is no question of awe and reverence. If your own leg will touch your own body, is there any agitation? There is no agitation at all because it's your own leg touching your own body, not the leg of a different person. A different person is very cautious. If he comes near, he very cautiously moves. In Sri Krsna-lila you will find this visrambha sakhya. The cowherd boys climb up to the shoulders of Sri Krsna and they snatch away the food from the mouth of Sri Krsna and Sri Krsna snatches away the food from the mouth of the cowherd boys as if equal. The legs of the cowherd boys touch Sri Krsna's body and there is no agitation in Sri Krsna because it's as if it is His own leg, because priya sya sakha is very dear. Therefore there is equality and abhinnam (non-difference). But in Lord Ram avatara this sakhya rasa is not relished. Therefore Lord Rama develops greed for it, 'How can I relish it?' Then it was fulfilled in Sri Krsna avatara. Also another rasa is there, ie. conjugal mellow, madhurya rasa. In Lord Ram avatara, Lord Rama is maryada purusottama, who very strictly follows Vedic rules and regulations. Never transgresses them at all, eka-patni-dhara. He accepts only one wife, not more than one wife. Very strictly follows. In Lord Rama lila, madhurya rasa - the conjugal mellow is not relished there because when there is a question of union (milan) and separation (viraha) between lover and beloved, the essence of that conjugal rasa is relished in the highest degree. We will find also in Lord Ram lila there is union and separation of Lord Rama and Srimati Sita Devi. Ravana kidnapped Srimati Sita Devi, took Her away. So there is separation. And also to give pleasure and happiness to His citizens He, (Lord Ram) banished Srimati Sita Devi. Separation is there also, but there is no variegatedness in this type of separation. It is not natural, it is forced. So there is no question of relishing the essence of that conjugal mellow. Srila Rupa Gosvami has mentioned all these things (ie. different types of 'virahas' (separation) in Sri Ujjavala Nilamani. There are many types of virahas (separations) - puraba raga viraha; mana viraha; prema vaicitya viraha, and these virahas or separations are not there in Sri Ram-lila, no. One type of viraha is there, prabasa viraha. You cannot understand but just hear this. This is in Sri Ujjvala Nilamani. It is a big topic and very, very confidential and subtle point. I am not going to explain it (but when some occasion will arise I'll tell you). All these virahas are there in Sri Krsna-lila - this prema vaicitya viraha, purba raga viraha, mana viraha. Therefore Lord Rama develops this greed, how to relish these types of viraha. In Sri Krsna-avatara this greed is fulfilled. The viraha, the separation between lover and beloved is highest platform of prema. On that platform both the nayaka and nayika, lover and belove, relish that mellow in their heart. Therefore in Sri Krsna-lila, Sri Krsna is Sri Radha kanta. Srimati Radharani is His own wife, (kanta is husband), gopi kanta, (husband of gopis), He's the husband of gopis, He made them the wives of others to relish parakiya rasa. In Lord Rama lila only svakiya rasa is relished. Svakiya means one's own wife, not the relishment of parakiya rasa. Therefore Lord Rama developed that greed. So Sri Krsna made His own wives the wives of others to relish parakiya rasa. Therefore that greed is fulfilled in Sri Krsna lila but remained unfulfilled in Sri Rama lila; therefore Sri Krsna avatara. In this way, this is how the development of greed gradually turned into incarnation after incarnation of the Lord. Now in Sri Krsna lila these three types of greed are there: radhayah pranaya-mahima kidrso va nayarva svadyo yenadbhuta-madhurima kidrso va madiyah saukhyam casya mad-anubhavatah kidrsam veti lobhat tad bhavadhyah samajami saci-garbha-sindhau harinduh Sri Krsna developed these three types of greed, as I previously mentioned. The first desire (or greed) - What is the Love of Srimati Radharani and how an I relish it? Second desire (or greed) - What is My excellent all-attractive beauty? I cannot relish Myself. So how can I have it? And the third desire (or greed) - What pleasure and happiness does Srimati Radharani get by relishing My all-attractive excellent beauty? How can I have it? These three greeds, these three desires remain unfulfilled in Sri Krsna-lila, therefore Sri Gaura avatara. The fulfillment of three types of desires and greed is antaranga karan, internal cause. Srila Svarup Damodar Gosvami has used this word lobha' meaning, from greed. This word is so significant. Thank you very much.
  12. A Brief Life Sketch of Sri Srimad Gour Govinda Swami Sri Srimad Gour Govinda Swami was born as Braja Bandhu Manik on the second of September 1929 in Jagannathpur, a small village near to Jagannath Puri, Orissa. In his youth he mostly lived with his maternal family the Giris in the village of Gadeigiri. The Giris were Gaudiya Vaishnavas and well known for their expertise in kirtana. Braja Bandhu’s maternal grandfather, Bauri Giri, was famous in the local area as a paramahamsa vaisnava. He was constantly chanting the hare krsna maha-mantra and worshiping the family deity of Gopal Jiu. As a boy Braja Bandhu was very quiet and serious. Whatever free time he had from his studies he spent rendering services to Gopal and accompanying his grandfather and uncles in going from village to village, chanting hari-nama and singing songs of the vaisnava acaryas. He was very attached to Srimad Bhagavatam. As a young boy his mother found that whenever he would cry she need only place the Bhagavatam in his hands and he would stop. At night Braja Bandhu would go to sleep with the book clutched to his chest. In 1952 his mother arranged for him to marry, and in 1955, when his father passed away, the financial responsibility to maintain the family fell on his shoulders. After obtaining B.A. and B.Ed. degrees from Utkal University, he took up government service as a school teacher. Although busy with his family and teaching responsibilities, he maintained a strict daily sadhana of rising before 4:00 AM, chanting hare krsna, worshipping tulasi and speaking on Bhagavad-gita. Throughout his life Braja Bandhu made entries in his diary in the form of prayers to Gopal. His 1973 entries frequently mention his desire to renounce family life. From 10 October: O Prabhu Gopal, please make me a yogi sannyasi! I don’t need anything, Prabhu. I’m not asking You for material opulence, respect, glory or anything else. You may give those things to my younger brother Kripa-sindhu. Let him maintain Your [my] family. Make me a samsara-vairagi-yogi, a renunciate of family life. Let me beg that prema-dhana, that wealth of love of Godhead! Let me distribute prema and ananda! Let me serve You! Please shower this mercy on me, Prabhu! Please bless me with prema-bhakti, ecstatic love for You! In April of 1974, he left his family life, taking only a Bhagavad-gita, two gamuchas, and a notebook with him. At that time he adopted the name “Gour Gopal” — Gour for Gauranga Mahaprabhu and Gopal after his beloved childhood deity. Taking up the lifestyle of a mendicant sadhu, Gour Gopal set out to find a spiritual master who could teach him about the hare krsna maha-mantra, Srimad Bhagavatam and Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. His search took him all over India, from Kanya Kumari in the South to the Himalayas in the North. Finally in September of the same year, he resolved to go to Vrindavan the land of Krishna, thinking that surely his desire would be fulfilled there. Obtaining free passage from a train conductor, he arrived in Mathura. He stayed in a few different temples, and finally he made his way to Vrindavan where he saw a sign, “International Society for Krishna Consciousness.” Arriving there, a devotee gave him a copy of the society’s magazine, Back To Godhead. Seeing the articles in the magazine on Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, Srimad Bhagavatam and the maha-mantra, Gour Gopal knew he had found what he was looking for. He requested to meet the founder of the society, and at midday was brought to the quarters of His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada. After speaking with him for a little while, Srila Prabhupada asked, “Have you taken sannyasa?” Gour Gopal replied, “No.” Srila Prabhupada said, “Then I will give you sannyasa.” Gour Govinda Swami later commented: I could then understand, ‘He is a genuine guru because he knows my heart. He is caitya-guru.’ I was in search of such a person under whom I could take shelter. I took shelter of him. My heart was naturally attracted towards him. I had full faith in Krishna and Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and They helped me. Hearing of his scholastic abilities, Srila Prabhupada immediately engaged Gour Gopal in translating his small book Perfection of Yoga into Hindi. A few weeks later Srila Prabhupada gave him initiation and the name Gour Govinda Das. Then, on 20 April 1975, Gour Govinda Das received sannyasa from Srila Prabhupada at the opening ceremony of the ISKCON Sri Sri Krishna Balaram temple in Vrindavan. On Srila Prabhupada’s order, Gour Govinda Swami went to open a center in Bhubaneswar, the capital city of Orissa. Arriving there with no money and no resources, he stayed alone on the newly donated property, which at that time was nothing more than a jungle full of snakes, scorpions and ant hills. In late January 1977 Srila Prabhupada arrived in Bhubaneswar and stayed for seventeen days on the property in a small hut that Gour Govinda Swami had arranged for him. On Lord Nityananda’s appearance day Srila Prabhupada laid the foundation stone for the upcoming temple. This was his last founded project. Prabhupada predicted that one day the temple on the isolated property would be one of the best ISKCON centers in the world and would be situated in the heart of the city. Prabhupada also instructed Gour Govinda Maharaja to translate his books into the Orissan language and to travel and preach to devotees around the world. In early 1985 Gour Govinda Maharaja began accepting disciples. Two years later, on the request of senior devotees, he agreed to become a member of the ISKCON Governing Body Commission, and was given joint charge of the society’s projects in Orissa. In the summer of 1985, pursuing Srila Prabhupada’s order, Gour Govinda Maharaja went overseas to preach. For the next eleven years he traveled all over the world speaking krsna-katha to interested devotees. His lectures inspired thousands of devotees and these lectures are now being compiled into books by his followers. During this time, despite his busy schedule, he strictly maintained a daily quota of translating Srila Prabhupada’s books into Oriya. In 1991, after sixteen years of endeavor, Gour Govinda Swami opened the magnificent Sri Sri Krishna-Balaram temple in Bhubaneswar on the auspicious occasion of Lord Ramachandra’s appearance day. Today, the Sri Sri Krishna Balaram Mandir is the second most popular temple in Orissa, after the Jagannath Mandir in Puri, and the area around the temple is the fastest growing section of Bhubaneswar. In July 1994, in New York City, Gour Govinda Maharaja spoke to the devotees about his mission: There are three things that are very important to me. One is that I want to preach to the preachers. It causes me so much pain to see the devotees falling down and going away. The second thing is that I want to show how everything is in Prabhupada’s books. Those persons who are saying that Srila Prabhupada only gave ABC, it causes me so much pain in my heart. I want to make them silent. And the third thing is that I want to show how everything is in ISKCON and that devotees do not have to go elsewhere for higher teachings. In late January of 1996, Gour Govinda Swami mentioned, “Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati said that this material world is not a fit place for any gentleman. Therefore, because he was disgusted, he left this world prematurely. I may also leave. I don’t know. I will ask Gopal. I will do whatever He wants.” The next day he went to Gadeigiri to see Gopal. While there he spoke to his cousin Ghanashyam Giri, who recalls: We were discussing Gopal’s new temple and the planned installation of large deities of Radha Gopal to go with the existing small ones. Suddenly, Maharaja told me, “I won’t see this deity installation. You will see it but I won’t.” I said, “How is that? You are ten years younger than I am. If you won’t see it how will I?” Maharaja said, “No, no. You will see the inauguration of the temple and the deity because you have served Gopal so nicely.” That was the last discussion I had with Maharaja. After that he went to Bhubaneswar for a few days and then to Mayapur where he stayed forever.” In Mayapur, on 9 February 1996, the appearance day of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakur, two senior devotees requested an appointment to meet with Gour Govinda Swami to ask some questions. They inquired, “Why did Chaitanya Mahaprabhu stay in Jagannath Puri?” Gour Govinda Swami began to enthusiastically explain the confidential significance of Mahaprabhu’s pastimes in Puri. He described the pain of separation felt by Srimati Radharani when Krishna was away from Vrindavan. He gradually unfolded the pastime to the point where Radha and Krishna were finally united after Their long separation. He described how Krishna became so ecstatic upon seeing Radharani that He manifested a form with big round eyes and shrunken limbs, Lord Jagannath. At that time the devotees noticed that tears had come to his eyes and his voice had become choked up. In a whisper he said, “Then the eyes of Krishna fell upon the eyes of Radharani. Eye to eye union.” Unable to continue, he folded his hands and in a barely audible voice, apologized, saying, “Please forgive me, I cannot speak more.” The devotees present began to chant as he calmly lay back on his bed, breathing slowly and deeply. Upon his request, a servant placed a picture of Gopal Jiu in his hand. Then, gazing lovingly at the picture of his worshipable Deity, Gour Govinda Swami said, “Gopal!” Then his eyes closed, he lost external consciousness and left this world. His body was brought to the Sri Sri Krishna Balaram Mandir in Bhubaneswar where he was placed in samadhi in the small mud hut that had served as his bhajana-kutira for many years.
  13. Srila Prabhupada on Initiation Prabhupada's Initiation SSR 8 Attaining Perfection The spark of love for Krsna is struck by the spiritual master, the pure devotee. As for myself, my spiritual master, His Divine Grace Om Visnupada Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Gosvami Prabhupada, ordered me to take up the responsibility of spreading Krsna consciousness in the Western world. His Divine Grace had a great desire to preach Lord Caitanya's message in the West, and my success is both his grace and pleasure. When I first met my spiritual master, I was a very young man in India, a nationalist, engaged in a very responsible office. But although I did not want to go, one of my friends, who is still living in Calcutta, forcibly took me to His Divine Grace. I was reluctant to see him because in our home our father used to receive many sannyasis and I was not very satisfied with their dealings. I thought that Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Gosvami Maharaja might be a similar man, and if he were, what business would I have in seeing him? But my friend took me forcibly. "Why not see him?" he asked. I finally relented and went with him, and I profited. SSR 8 Attaining Perfection On my first visit, His Divine Grace said that it was necessary for educated boys like me to go to foreign countries and preach the gospel of Caitanya Mahaprabhu. I replied that India was a foreign-dominated nation and that no one would hear our messages. Actually, at the time foreigners considered Indians very insignificant because in the face of so many independent nations India was still dependent, being dominated by Britain. At the time there was one Bengali poet who actually lamented that even uncivilized nations were independent, whereas India was dependent on the British. His Divine Grace convinced me that dependence and independence are simply temporary conditions, and he pointed out that because we are concerned with the eternal benefit of humanity, we should take up this challenge of Caitanya Mahaprabhu. This meeting with His Divine Grace, my Guru Maharaja, took place in 1922, half a century ago. 731213DB.LA Lectures So at that time we had some talks, and of course I was defeated by his argument, my argument. (laughter) And then, when we came out, we were offered prasadam, very nice treatment, the Gaudiya Matha. And when I came out on the street, this my friend asked me, "What is your opinion of this sadhu?" Then I said that "Here is the right person who has taken up Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu's message, and now it will be distributed." Devotees: Jaya! Prabhupada: So I was at that time a fool, but I opined like this. And I accepted him as my spiritual master immediately. Not officially, but in my heart. That was in 1922. Then, in 1923, I left Calcutta on my business tour. And I made my headquarter at Allahabad. Allahabad is about five hundred miles from Calcutta. So I was thinking that "I met a very nice saintly person." That was my thinking always. So in this way, in 1928, there was a Kumbhamela. At that time, these Gaudiya Matha people came to Allahabad to establish a center there, and somebody else said, somebody informed them that "You go to that Prayaga Pharmacy." My drug shop was named as Prayaga Pharmacy. My name was also there. "You go and see Abhaya Babu. He is religiously... He will help you." These Gaudiya Matha people, they came to see me. So "Sir, we have come to you. We have heard your good name. So we want to start a temple here. Please try to help us." And because I was thinking of these Gaudiya Matha people that "I met a very nice, saintly persons," and as soon as I saw them, I was very much engladdened: "Oh, here are these persons. They have come again." 761210DB.HYD Lectures So anyway, from 1922 to 1933 practically I was not initiated, but I got the impression of preaching Caitanya Mahaprabhu's cult. That I was thinking. And that was the initiation by my Guru Maharaja. Then officially I was initiated in 1933 because in 1923 I left Calcutta. I started my business at Allahabad. So I was always thinking of my Guru Maharaja, that "I met a very nice sadhu." Although I was doing business, I never forgot him. Then, in 1928, these Gaudiya Matha people came to Allahabad during Kumbhamela. As the Kumbhamela is going to be held this year, a similar big Kumbhamela was held in 1928. In those days they came to open their branch in Allahabad, and somebody recommended that "You go to..." At that time I was running on my big pharmacy and I was very well known man in Allahabad as the proprietor of the pharmacy. So somebody recommended them that "You go to Abhaya Babu. He is a very religious man. He'll help you." So when they entered my shop I was very much pleased that "These men I met in 1922, and now they have come." In this way I became reconnected. And in 1933 I was officially initiated, and my only qualification was when I was introduced to my Guru Maharaja for initiation, so Guru Maharaja immediately said, "Yes, I shall initiate this boy. He is very nice. He hears me very patiently. He does not go away." So that was my qualification. The high standard of philosophy which he was speaking at that time, practically I could not follow what was, he was speaking, but still, I liked to hear him. That was my hobby. Whenever... I was asking that "When Guru Maharaja will speak?" So he took it very seriously. 68-05-03 Letter: Uddhava Please accept my blessings. I am just in receipt of your letter forwarded from New York. Please be happy in separation. I am separated from my Guru Maharaja since 1936 but I am always with him so long I work according to his direction. So we should all work together for satisfying Lord Krishna and in that way the feelings of separation will transform into transcendental bliss. 72-02-20 Letter: Satadhanya So far personal association with the Guru is concerned, I was only with my Guru Maharaja four or five times, but I have never left his association, not even for a moment. Because I am following his instructions, I have never felt any separation. There are some of my Godbrothers here in India who had constant personal association with Guru Maharaja, but who are neglecting his orders. This is just like the bug who is sitting on the lap of the king. He may be very puffed-up by his position, but all he can succeed in doing is biting the king. Personal association is not so important as association through service. 750203mw.haw Conversations Prabhupada: Sarva-sastre kaya, lava-matra sadhu-sange sarva-siddhi haya. For me, personally, I had the opportunity to talk with my spiritual master not more than ten times in my whole life, not more. It may be less than that. But I tried to follow his instruction, that's all, although I was a grhastha. 750203mw.haw Conversations Prabhupada: Yes. Anyway, follow the instruction. That is required. Follow the instruction. Wherever you remain, it doesn't matter. You are secure. Follow the instruction. Then you are secure anywhere. It doesn't matter. Just like I told you that I saw my Guru Maharaja not more than ten days in my life, but I followed his instruction. I was a grhastha, I never lived with the Matha, in the temple. It is practical. So many Godbrothers recommended that "He should be in charge in this Bombay temple, this, that, that..." Guru Maharaja said, "Yes, better he lives outside. That is good, and he will do what is needed in due course of time." 750203mw.haw Conversations Prabhupada: He said like that. I could not understand at that time what does he expect. Of course, I knew that he wanted me to preach. Initiation -- General Adi 12.50 The Expansions of Advaita Acarya and Gadadhara Pandita Materialistic persons who are not inclined to give up their sinful activities like illicit sex, intoxication, gambling and meat-eating sometimes want to become our disciples, but, unlike professional spiritual masters who accept disciples regardless of their condition, Vaisnavas do not accept such cheap disciples. One must at least agree to abide by the rules and regulations for a disciple before a Vaisnava acarya can accept him. In fact, a Vaisnava should not even accept charity or food from persons who do not follow the rules and regulations of the Vaisnava principles. Madhya 15.108 The Lord Accepts Prasada at the House of Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya The word purah means "before" and carya means "activities." Due to the necessity of these activities, we do not immediately initiate disciples in the International Society for Krishna Consciousness. For six months, a candidate for initiation must first attend arati and classes in the sastras, practice the regulative principles and associate with other devotees. When one is actually advanced in the purascarya-vidhi, he is recommended by the local temple president for initiation. It is not that anyone can be suddenly initiated without meeting the requirements. When one is further advanced by chanting the Hare Krsna mantra sixteen rounds daily, following the regulative principles and attending classes, he receives the sacred thread (brahminical recognition) after the second six months. Madhya 15.108 The Lord Accepts Prasada at the House of Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya In other words, the chanting of the Hare Krsna maha-mantra is so powerful that it does not depend on official initiation, but if one is initiated and engages in pancaratra-vidhi (Deity worship), his Krsna consciousness will awaken very soon, and his identification with the material world will be vanquished. The more one is freed from material identification, the more one can realize that the spirit soul is qualitatively as good as the Supreme Soul. At such a time, when one is situated on the absolute platform, he can understand that the holy name of the Lord and the Lord Himself are identical. At that stage of realization, the holy name of the Lord, the Hare Krsna mantra, cannot be identified with any material sound. If one accepts the Hare Krsna maha-mantra as a material vibration, he falls down. One should worship and chant the holy name of the Lord by accepting it as the Lord Himself. One should therefore be initiated properly according to revealed scriptures under the direction of a bona fide spiritual master. Although chanting the holy name is good for both the conditioned and liberated soul, it is especially beneficial to the conditioned soul because by chanting it one is liberated. When a person who chants the holy name is liberated, he attains the ultimate perfection by returning home, back to Godhead. Madhya 15.108 The Lord Accepts Prasada at the House of Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya The offenseless chanting of the holy name does not depend on the initiation process. Although initiation may depend on purascarya or purascarana, the actual chanting of the holy name does not depend on purascarya-vidhi, or the regulative principles. If one chants the holy name once without committing an offense, he attains all success. During the chanting of the holy name, the tongue must work. Simply by chanting the holy name, one is immediately delivered. The tongue is sevonmukha-jihva-it is controlled by service. One whose tongue is engaged in tasting material things and also talking about them cannot use the tongue for absolute realization. Madhya 15.110 The Lord Accepts Prasada at the House of Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya "'The holy name of Lord Krsna is an attractive feature for many saintly, liberal people. It is the annihilator of all sinful reactions and is so powerful that save for the dumb who cannot chant it, it is readily available to everyone, including the lowest type of man, the candala. The holy name of Krsna is the controller of the opulence of liberation, and it is identical with Krsna. Simply by touching the holy name with one's tongue, immediate effects are produced. Chanting the holy name does not depend on initiation, pious activities or the purascarya regulative principles generally observed before initiation. The holy name does not wait for all these activities. It is self-sufficient.'" Madhya 15.111 The Lord Accepts Prasada at the House of Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya In his Upadesamrta, Srila Rupa Gosvami states: krsneti yasya giri tam manasadriyeta diksasti cet. An advanced devotee should respect a person who has been initiated by a bona fide spiritual master and who is situated on the transcendental platform, chanting the holy name with faith and obeisances and following the instructions of the spiritual master. Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura comments that serving Vaisnavas is most important for householders. Whether a Vaisnava is properly initiated or not is not a subject for consideration. One may be initiated and yet contaminated by the Mayavada philosophy, but a person who chants the holy name of the Lord offenselessly will not be so contaminated. A properly initiated Vaisnava may be imperfect, but one who chants the holy name of the Lord offenselessly is all-perfect. Although he may apparently be a neophyte, he still has to be considered a pure unalloyed Vaisnava. It is the duty of the householder to offer respects to such an unalloyed Vaisnava. This is Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu's instruction. Madhya 19.152 Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu Instructs Srila Rupa Gosvami Bhakti-lata-bija means "the seed of devotional service." Everything has an original cause, or seed. For any idea, program, plan or device, there is first of all the contemplation of the plan, and that is called bija, or the seed. The methods, rules and regulations by which one is perfectly trained in devotional service constitute the bhakti-lata-bija, or seed of devotional service. This bhakti-lata-bija is received from the spiritual master by the grace of Krsna. Other seeds are called anyabhilasa-bija, karma-bija and jnana-bija. If one is not fortunate enough to receive the bhakti-lata-bija from the spiritual master, he instead cultivates the seeds of karma-bija, jnana-bija, or political and social or philanthropic bija. However, bhakti-lata-bija is different from these other bijas. Bhakti-lata-bija can be received only through the mercy of the spiritual master. Therefore one has to satisfy the spiritual master to get bhakti-lata-bija (yasya prasadad bhagavat-prasadah). Bhakti-lata-bija is the origin of devotional service. Unless one satisfies the spiritual master, he gets the bija, or root cause, of karma, jnana and yoga without the benefit of devotional service. However, one who is faithful to his spiritual master gets the bhakti-lata-bija. This bhakti-lata-bija is received when one is initiated by the bona fide spiritual master. After receiving the spiritual master's mercy, one must repeat his instructions, and this is called sravana--kirtana-hearing and chanting. One who has not properly heard from the spiritual master or who does not follow the regulative principles is not fit for chanting (kirtana). This is explained in Bhagavad-gita (2.41): vyavasayatmika buddhir ekeha kuru-nandana. One who has not listened carefully to the instructions of the spiritual master is unfit to chant or preach the cult of devotional service. One has to water the bhakti-lata-bija after receiving instructions from the spiritual master. NoD 7 Evidence Regarding Devotional Principles In the Seventh Canto of Srimad-Bhagavatam, Thirteenth Chapter, verse 8, Narada Muni, while discussing with Maharaja Yudhisthira the various functions of the different orders in society, especially mentions rules for the sannyasis, those persons who have renounced this material world. One who has accepted the sannyasa order of life is forbidden to accept as a disciple anyone who is not fit. A sannyasi should first of all examine whether a prospective student is sincerely seeking Krsna consciousness. If he is not, he should not be accepted. However, Lord Caitanya's causeless mercy is such that He advised all bona fide spiritual masters to speak about Krsna consciousness everywhere. Therefore, in the line of Lord Caitanya even the sannyasis can speak about Krsna consciousness everywhere, and if someone is seriously inclined to become a disciple, the sannyasi always accepts him. NoD 7 Evidence Regarding Devotional Principles The one point is that without increasing the number of disciples, there is no propagation of the cult of Krsna consciousness. Therefore, sometimes even at a risk, a sannyasi in the line of Caitanya Mahaprabhu may accept even a person who is not thoroughly fit to become a disciple. Later on, by the mercy of such a bona fide spiritual master, the disciple is gradually elevated. However, if one increases the number of disciples simply for some prestige or false honor, he will surely fall down in the matter of executing Krsna consciousness. 68-04-26 Letter: Janardana Regarding the action of Bon Maharaja: We shall discuss the matter when we meet. For the present, you may know that this gentleman is very much materially ambitious. He wants to utilize Krishna Consciousness for his material name and fame. Sometimes he greatly offended our Guru Maharaja, and it so happened that at the last stage, practically Guru Maharaja rejected him. And the result, we can find that instead of becoming a great preacher of Krishna Consciousness, this gentleman has become artificially a head of a mundane institution. To become a very important man in the mundane estimation is not success in Krishna Consciousness. He was first deputed by my Guru Maharaja, along with our late God Brother, Bhakti Pradip Tirtha Maharaja, to open a missionary center in London, and they stayed there for 3 years, but didn't make any appreciable advance. Except that spent enormous money of my Guru Maharaja, and later on they were called back to India. So that is a great history; it is not possible to say everything in this letter, but for the present, be satisfied with these words, and later we shall talk more and more. On the whole, you may know that he is not a liberated person, and therefore, he cannot initiate any person to Krishna Consciousness. It requires special spiritual benediction from higher authorities. 68-08-19 Letter: Tamala Krsna About my coming to San Francisco, I have already written to Jayananda. I am always hankering after going there, but because there are some other program, immediately, so please ask all the devotees on my behalf to wait and in the meantime, enjoy chanting Hare Krishna. The chanting Hare Krishna is our main business, that is real initiation. And as you are all following my instruction, in that matter, the initiator is already there. Now the next initiation will be performed as a ceremony officially, of course that ceremony has value because the name, Holy Name, will be delivered to the student from the disciplic succession, it has got value, but in spite of that, as you are going on chanting, please go on with this business sincerely and Krishna willing, I may be coming to you very soon. I have already written to Jayananda about this, so don't be impatient. Pray to Krishna that I may meet you very soon. 68-08-21 Letter: Acyutananda, Jayagovinda The first thing, I warn Acyutananda, do not try to initiate. You are not in a proper position now to initiate anyone. Besides that, the etiquette is that so long the Spiritual Master is present, all prospective disciples should be brought to him. Therefore if anyone is anxious to be initiated, he should first of all hear our philosophy and join chanting at least for three months, and then if required, I shall send chanted beads for him if you recommend. As we are doing here. Don't be allured by such maya. I am training you all to become future Spiritual Masters, but do not be in a hurry. If the family of the boy who is so eager to be initiated certainly, are Vaisnavas, let them offer you some place, because you are in need of a place, first and foremost. In that place hold Kirtana daily, morning and evening, as we do, that will be the sign of their sincerity. So for the time being, hold Kirtana. as I have advised above, and speak from Srimad-Bhagavatam, Bhagavad-gita, and try to serve the cause of the Krishna Consciousness society. You don't be attracted by such cheap disciples immediately. One has to rise gradually by service. If you get a place in Patel Nagar, that will be very nice. 69-01-25 Letter: Mr. Levine Regarding your initiation, you have to decide yourself whether both you and your wife can follow our four disciplinary principles. I do not know if you are able to abide by these principles immediately. Otherwise there is no objection in the matter of initiating a good soul like you. 69-07-30 Letter: Yoland Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated 26 July, 1969 and your nice poems, and I have read everything carefully. The poems will be submitted to Hayagriva, the editor of Back To Godhead, for his consideration for publication. I am very pleased to learn that you are now living at the Montreal temple, and this association with devotees of Lord Krishna will help you to advance further in Krishna Consciousness. You have asked me, "Could you accept me as your student until eternity?" My reply is that you may discuss this matter with Jayapataka, who is in charge there, and if he agrees, then you may submit your beads to me through the mail. Also, there is some possibility that I will be going to Germany sometime in August, and in that case I will be stopping in New York. So if you are able to meet me in New York, then the ceremony could be performed there. 69-10-31 Letter: Dinesh Please accept my blessings. I beg to thank you for your letter dated October 21, 1969 along with a contribution of $25. I have already acknowledged receipt of your new record. Regarding the disciplic succession coming from Arjuna, disciplic succession does not always mean that one has to be initiated officially. Disciplic succession means to accept the disciplic conclusion. Arjuna was a disciple of Krishna and Brahma was also a disciple of Krishna. Thus there is no disagreement between the conclusions of Brahma and Arjuna. Vyasadeva is in the disciplic succession of Brahma. The teachings to Arjuna was recorded by Vyasadeva verbatim. So according to the axiomatic truth, things equal to one another are equal to each other. We are not exactly directly from Vyasadeva, but our Gurudeva is a representative of Vyasadeva. Because Vyasadeva and Arjuna are of equal status, being students of Krishna, therefore we are in the disciplic succession of Arjuna. Things equal to the same thing are equal to one another. 70-05-14 Letter: Syamasundara So if from your center the surrounding villages are drawn to the attention of Krsna consciousness simply by the distribution of Prasadam and chanting of Hare Krsna Mantra, it will be a great success. It is not necessary always to be officially initiated, but if they participate in the group chanting of Hare Krsna Mantra and taking of Prasadam weekly or daily as it is possible, that will fulfill our mission. 71-01-21 Letter: Bhagavan I will be glad to initiate the two brahmacaris mentioned by you, but it is best if they chant strongly and wait for two months. I shall be returning to the U.S. by the end of March and shall initiate them personally. I have received no slides from you as yet. 71-07-07 Letter: Bhagavan Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 6th July, 1971 along with ten pairs beads for chanting as well as daksina presentation by check, $305.00. Thank you very much. You will be glad to know that I have gladly consented to initiate all those boys and girls recommended by you and their beads are enclosed herewith, duly chanted on, as well as their letters. Also enclosed, please find five gayatri mantras and four sacred threads also duly chanted. So all these beads (six of the seven pair enclosed) as well as sacred threads, may be presented by fire yajna, and you should oversee the ceremony as priest. 71-07-14 Letter: Makhanlal Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter undated and have noted the contents carefully. Yes, you have my blessings for the gayatri initiations of Jaya Deva Das Brahmacari and your wife Tilaka Devi Dasi. I am enclosing herewith a tape of the gayatri mantra chanted by me along with two copies of gayatri mantra and one sacred thread, duly chanted on by me, as well. The process should be that you let each of them hear the tape individually (through earphones). Show them how to chant on the fingers. Let them read the mantra and listen to the tape. Then, on my behalf you can present the sacred thread to Jaya Deva. Then hold a fire Yajna as you have seen done so many times before. If there are any questions about procedure, etc, you can consult with Karandhara and he will instruct you properly. 72-09-04 Letter: Jadurani Regarding your questions, second initiation is real initiation. First initiation is the preliminary, just to make him prepared, just like primary and secondary education. The first initiation gives him chance to become purified, and when he is actually purified then he is recognized as a brahmana and that means real initiation. The eternal bond between disciple and spiritual master begins from the first day he hears. Just like my spiritual master. In 1922 he said in our first meeting, you are educated boys, why don't you preach this cult. That was the beginning, now it is coming to fact. Therefore the relationship began from that day. 74-10-07 Letter: Tulsi: I am glad that you are taking the recommendation of new initiates very seriously, that they are writing essays. Yes, it is a serious matter. Not that let me take a spiritual master as a pet and I can do whatever I want. No, one must be prepared to follow the order of the spiritual master with life and soul. 75-02-15 Letter: Jennifer Regarding initiation, it is required that you be recommend by one of our temple presidents to me and then I shall consider it. First of all, one must have followed the regulative principle for at least six months without deviation. It is not necessarily required to live in the temple, but you must observe the rules. 75-06-03 Letter: Mr. Sharma Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated 1-5-75 and have noted the contents. The best thing is if you continue to visit our temple regularly in Vrndavana at Raman Reti. The temple manager there is His Holiness Aksayananda Swami. Since I am overseas and cannot personally interview you, you please request Aksayananda Swami to recommend you to me for initiation, and then do the needful as he may suggest to you. By this process, it may be possible for you and your wife to be initiated as my disciples. We are very strict in the selection of disciples. We are not after large numbers. In order to be initiated by us, one has to chant at least 16 times around his japa beads daily (the Hare Krishna maha-mantra), he has to follow strict rules such as: no meat, fish, eggs, no intoxication--including tea and cigarettes, no illicit sex, and no gambling. 76-08-20 Letter: Ajita The names and beads duly chanted upon by your local GBC man, may be given at a fire yajna. The brahmana thread and gayatri mantra which must be heard through the right ear, may also be given at the fire yajna. All initiated disciples must chant 16 rounds a day without fail and observe the four regulative principles very strictly. The brahmanas must become learned in the sastras and very clean internally and externally by regularly bathing with water and the holy name. A brahmana must be fixed up in understanding of brahmana. One should not take it cheaply. This initiation is very serious and one should endeavor to follow the orders of the spiritual master with great determination. Daksina should also be offered when one presents oneself for initiation.
  14. The Preaching Spirit and the Institution Srila Prabhupada did not want to create another society of love friendship and socializing... A free hotel, a society of mutual admiration, a society of beaurocrats. Social parasites in the name of God and the Hindu religion. The world hates these religious institutions which have exploited them in the name of Jesus, Buddha, Mohammed, and now Krishna, Chaitanya and Srila Prabhupada. By------Hansadutta dasa (04-04-02)
  15. Dear Das, Please accept my most humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada. Here in Cloverdale, at Jim's house we have a program every Thursday night. Some of his students have become more serious about Chanting and following the principles. Recently another person, (Paula) who was also a teacher to Radharani, and a professional musician and voice (Singing) teacher approached us for taking part in the production of a CD of religious chants from around the world. So I started preaching to her, and now she is totally enlivened about being a devotee, chanting and reading Bhagavad-gita, telling all her friends about Krishna etc... So following this method we find that one person awakens and tells those in their circle of associates, eventually someone else will be awakened, and they in turn will tell all their associates and one of them may also be awakened and go on to preach to their circle of friends. In this way the message of Prabhupada may actually be spread by the dynamic principle of exponential expansion. This I believe is the real purport of "You become Guru and tell everyone that you meet about Krishna" These new awakened ones have no interest in the institutional world of ISKCON. They are simply interested in the Teachings of Srila Prabhupada and Krishna as they apply to their everyday life, therefore when they go on to explain Krishna to those in their orbit of life, it is very real, and effective. It is as effective as some friend telling another about a great new restaurant, or a great bargain to be had at some shopping center. The advertising by word of mouth is most effective. In the sixties the spread of LSD and other indulgences was done purely by word of mouth. Conviction is infectious, and this is the platform Srila Prabhupada worked on. His conviction infected one person ( Hyagriva, Kirtananada ...) they infected their friends, and so the virus spread, Mukunda was infected by Srila Prabhupada, he went to the west coast, there his friends were infected, Shyamasundar, Malati, Guru das and this is the real beginning of Krishna Consciousness in America. Every movement, political, social, or spiritual, begins from this point. So this is going on, I am sure it will grow, and that growth will be substantial. To join ISKCON, or to join Narayan Maharaja's camp or any other group is not the aim of Krishna Consciousness. A person must embrace the Teachings of Srila Prabhupada, apply them to life and become a leader, by actually following Srila Prabhupada’s teachings. Simply becoming a member or follower of a GROUP, or a CROWD will be useless and do no good for the individual, or for the crowd. The sectarian party spirit is the great enemy of progressive Krishna consciousness. We see that Srila Prabhupada never joined the Gaudiya math, he never lived in the temple, and Srila Bhaktsiddhanta supported and protected him from his envious godbrothers. The further you get away from any dealings of ISKCON or their controversies, the better. It is a pot ( an ocean ) of sour milk, therefore any fresh milk ( New comers ) that is poured into the sour milk pot, that also immediately becomes sour. No amount of Fresh milk can bring the sour milk back to being fresh. Forget this ISKCON, it is a fossil, a petrified forest, an antique of a by gone era. Very interesting, but no more practical value. Like a model T Ford automobile which has been well preserved and sometimes taken to antique auto shows, it is very interesting, but no more practical value, just an entertainment, an item of curiosity, something to muse and sentiment over, but it's time , rather it's inventor, the man of genius ( Henry Ford ) is gone, and other men of genius have taken the development further, like Honda or the Toyota, and Mitsubishi. The only thing that has life is the words emanating from the lips of the pure devotee, everything else is a covering, a facade, a deception. New people do not need to be saddled with the stifling burden of an institutional ISKCON, they need your example by association, and they need to understand Prabhupada's teachings in as much as they apply to solving their everyday problems of life. This is, I believe , is the purport of Lord Chaitanya's meeting and teachings to the "Kuruma Brahmin." When the Kuruma Brahmin expressed his frustration with material life, and request to join Lord Chitanya, The Lord replied, to him, "better to remain at home, read Bhagavad Gita and Bhagavatam, Chant Hare Krishna and in this way YOU become GURU and tell everyone that you meet to do the same." But because we are ambitious for the prestige of being a holy man, we don’t want to do this, we want to have some designation, in some Institution, and have followers, money and comforts. But this was not Prabhupada's aim. He was preaching to individuals: madmen, perverts, drug addicts. It became gradually a small group, some facility was necessary to accommodate them, and from there it grew, on the basis of individual preaching, one convinced devotee to another. The institution is a by-product of the preaching spirit. Now the preaching spirit is a by-product of the Institution. More correctly, preaching is just a show, or ritual done in an obligatory way to justify their "Eating and sleeping" in the temple. Actually they have converted the temple into their living quarters, like a man rents an apartment, where he eats and sleeps. They preach for maintaining the Institution, it is a show only, ritual a ploy for maintaining their bureaucracy. The aim of their preaching is to recruit you into the crowd, the group, the party spirit. But Srila Prabhupada preached for the love of Krishna and his Spiritual master, not for position, or followers. Actually we do not want followers, we want leaders. Prabhupada said he wanted to create a class of honest and pure men, Brahmins who could give advice to the whole society. He did not want to create another society of love friendship and socializing, a free hotel, a society of mutual admiration, a society of bureaucrats... Social parasites in the name of God and Hindu religion. The world hates these religious institutions which have exploited them in the name of Jesus, Buddha, Mohammed, and now Krishna, Chaitanya and Srila Prabhupada. So I am going in that direction. Less intelligent people want to join something, real intelligent persons want to have the freedom and individual responsibility ( Independent thinkers ) that comes with actual knowledge and renunciation from being absorbed in the teachings and discipline of The Sampradaya Acharya, Spiritual master, Srila Prabhupada. Your servant, Hansadutta das
  16. Time For A Third Edition Of Bhagavad-Gita BY ANANDA-SVARUPA DASA Jul 12 — We have been watching the continued discussion on the subject of the 'book revisions'. It seems that on both sides there are good points. In the 'Hayagriva' edition of the Bhagavad-gita there were certainly many mistakes and though Srila Prabhupada certainly did not want his books 'changed' at the same time he did want his books 'improved'. Certainly this is the intention of the 'Jayadvaita' edition. Maharaj is certainly a dedicated servant of Srila Prabhupada, however it would seem that in the opinion of many that he has gone too far. Srila Prabhupada: My only credit is that I did not change anything. He has quite rightly pointed out the necessity of improving mistakes such as the famous "fruitive being in the fixed conception" but the improvement of these clear errors does not justify all the other changes that seem to be not only unnecessary but incorrect. In many places there are changes of meaning, style and voice, and it is on these changes Maharaj has been mute, preferring to move the discussion to the area where the changes are clearly justified. This is not an example of clear thinking and straight talking, but rather a refusal to accept the conclusion of many that he has over-stepped his limits and fiddled unnecessarily with the earlier edition in ways that are highly questionable. It is quite right that the devotees are unnerved to see Srila Prabhupada's books subject to changes that are not clearly supportable and productive of different meanings. Such a thing as many have pointed out is a dangerous precedent. The Bible is a document that is a fine example. Endless differing versions are available--is this the fate of Srila Prabhupada's books? While this may seem impossible at the moment,have not the BBT editors, of whom Maharaj is one, started a dangerous precedent with changes in the Gita whose necessity is questionable and that have produced clear changes in meaning? This, we feel, is the central point in this debate. The concern of many devotees is: "When will it stop?" How many more changes in meaning will arrive?" Such concern is well placed and is the actual duty of the disciple in regard to the words of the spiritual master. Srila Prabhupada's oft repeated statement: "My only credit is that I did not change anything," is fully pertinent here. We would call upon Maharaj to consider these points not with a combative/defensive attitude but with humility and an understanding of the dutiful concern of the society of devottes that we do not indulge in the negative propensity of agitated "chopping and changing" and "breaking and building". Srila Prabhupada pointed out this tendency in his disciples. Maharaj, in humility, kindly consider have you not been subject to this proclivity? While the propensity may be expensive when a new temple president whimsically decides to remodel a temple room, it is certainly most dangerous when it acts upon the sacred writings of Srila Prabhupada and starts a fearful precedent of unnecessary change. In the circumstances I would call upon either the KBI created by Hansdutta and Bhagavan Prabhus or the BBT(I) to produce a third edition of the Gita. This definitive edition would correct all the clear mistakes, correct the misplaced purports, have the improved word-for-word, and have only the editorial changes that are clearly supportable. How to define what is clearly supportable? I would suggest that not just the obviously needed changes be illustrated, but that every single change of punctuation, word or grammar be supported with relevant reason and argument and that every such case of change be published on the internet. Let there be imput from all concerned devotees of Srila Prabhupada, we are all custodians. When consensus has been reached (a time limit may be set) then let the book be published, signed and sealed as the final definitive edition. We must act now in a positive defined course of action to bring this ensuing confusion to a conclusion--who can say that this is not the desire of our Srila Prabhupada? I remain your servant, Ananda-svarupa dasa
  17. K /images/graemlins/mad.gif Krazy A /images/graemlins/blush.gif Antagonistic R /images/graemlins/shocked.gif Rebellious M /images/graemlins/laugh.gif Mad A /images/graemlins/tongue.gif Arrangement
  18. They have some heavy karma .Is it called race karma ?
  19. HBV> Goswami Grantha: Yes ,hide that which is most prescious (sp)from strangers or they may cause offense to your most beloved Gurudeva.They do not require to know the name of your istha-deva as a matter of curiosity or mind control police survelliance(sp).
  20. They are wanting to know. For what reason ? especially in ISKCON. Is it their business especially at first meeting ?!
  21. Once, there was a guru, who was brushing his teeth, when all of sudden a disciple came rushing in and said, "Gurudeva! Gurudeva! You will never guess what I have just seen! It was amazing! There was a man, and he was flying in the sky! He was actually flying up in the air! Woosh!" Now, as the disciple was carrying on like this, making a complete spectacle of himself, his guru-maharaja simply continued to nonchalantly brush his teeth, and eventually remarked, rather casually, that this is not important. "But gurudeva, did you actually hear what I said? I'm not making this up. He was flying," the disciple persisted. He insisted that this was a significant event in his life, and continued to persist, yet all the while, the guru kept brushing his teeth, sometimes calmly and rationally interjecting, that this was not at all important. After some time had passed, and even while the disciple was still carrying on like this, the guru literally began to levitate, and then flew all around the room. As he was actually floating in the air, the disciple, who was presently carrying on like a madman, then regained his senses and noticed that his guru-maharaja was actually flying, just like the man he was formerly so impressed with. His mouth suddenly dropped open. At this point he was ready to listen. When the guru descended back down to the ground, he explained that the important thing is devotion to God. This will bring about the greatest ecstasy and fulfill the purpose of life.
  22. British Fabications about India's History Descriptions of the kings of Magadh in the Puranas were fabricated, historic records were destroyed, false synchronization of edicts and coins were created to connect them to Ashok of Maurya dynasty, and in this way misguided the whole world. The fabrications. The example of the mutilation in the Bhavishya Puran is one of the most potent evidences that reveal the style of the working of the British. It evidently surmises that first they fabricated and incorporated the desired date of an historical personality in the original manuscript, whatever they wanted. Then they employed efficient scholars to write the full page or the full chapter that had the fabrication by exactly imitating the writing style of the original. In this way when the imitation was ready to the desired standard, they destroyed the original sheets and replaced them with the imitated ones. Now an original-looking manuscript was ready for circulation which was in fact the fabricated one. When the Venkateshwar Press printed the Bhavishya Puran, as a general professional policy, they must have looked into more than one manuscript to ascertain the correctness of the matter, and because that was the only kind of manuscript available, so it was printed that way. Other printers copied the same thing which was printed by the Venkateshwar Press. With this reference it becomes evident that the dynastical discrepancies in the descriptions of the rulers of Magadh, which are found in the printed volumes of the Puranas like Vishnu, Matsya, Vayu and Brahmand, may also be the work of the same people. There is also a possibility that in certain old manuscripts, while copying, the person may have made some minor mistakes in rewriting the names and the ruling period of the kings. But, in that case, there must also have been such ancient manuscripts of the same Puran that would have correct names and figures, because there were a number of copies available of all the Puranas at that time. So it was fully possible to get the correct version of the names and the ruling period of the kings of the dynasties of Magadh by comparing all the available manuscripts of those Puranas which describe the dynasties of Magadh. But it was not done, because the English people were not interested in correcting the dynastic statements; they were interested in damaging the statements so that they could find an excuse to disregard the authenticity of the descriptions of the Puranas. They had almost all the available manuscripts of the Puranas in their vast libraries and they had all the possible facilities to reconstruct and fabricate the manuscripts. Thus, under the above circumstances, it is most logical to believe that they must have destroyed these manuscripts (the entire manuscript, or only the required part of it) which had the correct statements of the kings of Magadh and kept those few which had some discrepancies; and, at the same time, they must have also added new discrepancies and fabricated the manuscripts of the Puranas according to their desired scheme. In this way, they created a master copy of each Puran with those dynastical discrepancies and, accordingly, fabricated the rest of the copies of those Puranas that were in their possession. These copies were made available for circulation. Later on these fabricated copies were published which are available nowadays. There are only eight dynasties from Brihadrath to Andhra that are described in the four Puranas with the names of the kings and their reigning period. But in the existing available copies they don't exactly match with each other. The pronunciation of their names and their reigning period varies. They are supposed to be exactly the same, but they are not. At some places this discrepancy is enormous. For example: In the Matsya Puran there is a description of only 6 kings in Maurya dynasty whose names are mostly unmatched and are not in proper sequence and who ruled for (6 + 70 +36 + 8 + 9 + 70) 199 years. But the concluding verse at the end of this description and in the same chapter tells that the total number of Maurya kings was 10 and their reigning period was 137 years. Such drastic discrepancies can never be the copying mistakes even if the most sloppy person is doing this job. It's a clear case of deliberate fabrication. The last thing is that, except the dynastical discrepancies, all the available Puranas are still in a perfect shape. Their Divine references, stories, teachings, technical descriptions, philosophy and the ancient history, everything is well coordinated and well established. When were these fabrications done? You may be interested to know when was that done? It's easy to find out. Jones gives his last statement in 1793, and after 39 years in 1832 H.H. Wilson, the President of the Asiatic Society of London, publishes his commentary on the Vishnu Puran in which he gives a comparative view of the dynastical discrepancies of all the four Puranas. In this way he establishes a ground to criticize all the Puranas. Thus, it is clear that these fabrications to distort the dynastic dates and the pronunciation of the names of the kings of Magadh were done in the early 19th century. Thirty-nine years were good enough time for them to fabricate the Puranas. The ingenious trickeries. (1) The fabrication and the mutilation in the dynastic records of the Puranas, and its subsequent presentation by H.H. Wilson in his commentary on the Vishnu Puran, was such an ingenious work of trickery by the English people that confused every Indian writer and they couldn't detect the fraud. The writers like Narayana Sastry and Krishnamacharar also got confused by this trickery and all the writers thought that the dynastic descriptions of the Puranas were faulty. (2) Not only that, they did something more which was worse than that. They promoted and produced some of the religious books (the Smritis and Grihya Sutras etc.) that had certain impious interpolations which showed that Hindu Sages killed and ate animals. They destroyed the true originals, kept the corrupted copies of those books for circulation and publication, and then said, "See, your own books are saying that," and in this way all the western writers got the license to openly abuse the Hindu religion. This trickery also befooled the whole world. Such interpolations would have been done by the Chatriya Kings of olden days as they loved to eat meat. So, to justify their such habits, they employed Sanskirt scholars to add such passages of meat eating in our hand-written religious books, which later on remained as collections in the Hindu society. When the English people came to India and started collecting our handwritten scriptures they discovered those impious interpolations of meat eating in the religious books of rituals and Smritis etc. It was in their favor, because they wanted to destroy our religion and culture. So, using the influence of their ruling power, they enormously collected our books and employed hundreds of scholars to reorganize and sort out the books according to their choice. In that collection there must have been some non-interpolated books in their unblemished form. Those books would prove hazardous to their scheme, so they were later on carefully destroyed. This was the period when the members of the Asiatic Society of Bengal were actively involved in producing such literatures that degraded and abused Hindu religion, and its president Sir William Jones, the obedient servant of the British, was wholeheartedly busy finding ways of how to blemish the greatness of Hindu scriptures and condemn the Divine history. It is thus very obvious that those people, to achieve their aim of defaming Hindu religion, must have also done a lot of fabrications and would have interpolated such verses in Hindu religious books wherever they would have found it convenient to do so; and later on they must have destroyed the true and uninterpolated handwritten books. They knew that Hindus adore their Sages, Saints and acharyas. They are vegetarian and have great regard for the cow. Thus, with one blow, they tried to crumble the faith of the Hindus in their Vedic Sages. They vigorously promoted such ideas which showed that Vedic brahmans not only ate meat but they loved to eat meat as a must. In this way they imposed their personal characteristics upon Hindu Sages. The Greek gods and goddesses were pleased with animal sacrifices, Roman gods were of the same kind, and the God of OT loved to demand frequent animal sacrifices from each and every house. Thus, because such things were in their own religion, the English people, tried to abuse the Vedic yagyas and the Vedic religion in a similar way. Could any sensible person imagine the depth and the extent of the wilfulness of those people who promoted such frauds to delude the minds of the Hindus from their own religion? In those days, in the late 19th century, there were three major publishing companies in India, Shree Venkateshwar Press of Bombay (1871), Nirnaya Sagar Press of Bombay (1864) and Chaukhamba Vidyabhavan of Varanasi (1892). Most of the religious books and scriptures were originally published by them. It should be noted that it was the prime ruling period of the British in India. So it must be understood that the manuscripts that were produced by the English people were unhesitatingly printed by these publishers. Whether they did it knowingly or unknowingly, it can't be said, but the fact was that for them only those copies were available for printing.* Thus, on one side, the English people got those fabricated religious books published and destroyed the true originals; and, on the other side, they showed to the Hindu community that it is their own religious books that say such things. In this way, their ingenious trickery befooled the Hindu society, Hindu scholars and also befooled the whole world. Now you know the truth. So, wherever such impious verses or passages are seen in our printed religious books you must know that they are the malicious gift of the rulers of India of those days. False synchronization of edicts and coins. To support their fabricated ideology of Chandragupt Maurya being in 300's BC, they did a lot more fabrications and manipulations. There were two kings in Magadh dynasties: Ashokvardhan, the grandson of Chandragupt Maurya, who was in the 15th century BC, and Samudragupt Ashokaditya (Priyadarshin), the son of Chandragupt of Gupt dynasty, who was in 4th century BC. Samudragupt was called Samudragupt Ashokaditya, or Ashok, or Ashok- the-Great or Ashok Priyadarshin. He was called Priyadarshin after adopting the Buddhist religion. But he was generally known as Ashok. He had a huge empire that stretched up to Punjab, whereas Ashokvardhan's kingdom was very small. It was the existing Bihar province of India. Ashok (Samudragupt Ashokaditya) established a number of monuments throughout his kingdom. Taking advantage of the similarity of their name, the English people, manipulatingly ascribed all the edicts of Samudragupt Ashokaditya to Ashokvardhan who was the grandson of Chandragupt Maurya. The period of Chandragupt Maurya was already pulled down from 1541 BC to 312 BC by Jones and it was subsequently followed by the other European writers. So, whatever ancient coins and edicts of that period (3rd to 4th century B.C.) were found, they tried to patch it up with Ashokvardhan (Maurya), which, in fact, were related to Samudragupt Ashokaditya. In general, they fabricated and created such records that showed wrong historic dates of all of the important historical figures like Panini, Buddh and Shankaracharya etc. In this way their writers constructed an enormous amount of biased literature against Indian religion and history that flooded all the libraries of India and of the world, which became the basis for all other writers to follow the same line of negative concepts about India; and thus, the glory of our scriptural Dignity was suppressed under the weight of their fabricated net of forged ideologies. They spoiled the social structure of India along with its national developments. The policy of the Britishers to create personal embitterment in the community, the emphasis on the English education, to represent the Vedic religion in a most demeaning manner, to keep the Indians under the grip of poverty by not promoting the industrial developments of India, and to own the big commercial companies themselves, damaged the entire social structure of India. As a result, the common people of India lost their national consciousness. They forgot that the welfare of India is their own welfare and the damage to India is their own damage; and thus, a deep instinct of personal selfishness grew in the hearts of the Indians from which they couldn't recover. The nineteenth century and the twentieth century were the prime time in the history of the world when major social, industrial and scientific developments happened and the prosperity of a country touched its heights. But, during that time India was only sucked of its resources and was left far behind because of the ruling policy of the British. Two hundred years of loss in the field of commercial, industrial, technological and scientific development is such a big thing which can hardly be recouped.
  23. How British Fabricated/Destroyed India's Historical Records How did the British fabricate and destroy the historic records of India and misguide the whole world? http://thetruehistoryandthereligionofindia.org/ The Divine knowledge of Hindu (Bhartiya) scriptures could have benefited the aspirants of God of the whole world. But, the diplomats of the British, who were ruling India in those days, clouded this opportunity by extensively launching their deliberate false propagation about India and its universal Hindu religion, and not only that, they degraded Hindu culture by all means, and thus, hampered the spiritual growth of the whole world. A fair example is the Encyclopaedia Britannica of 1854 itself in which they fed such derogatory statements about Hindu (Bhartiya) religion. Encyclopaedia Britannica, 8th Edition (1854), Volume XI. Millions of Europeans have visited India and have praised the Indian architecture. The fact is that the melody of Indian classical music is world famous, and the most renowned historical musician, Tansen, of Akbar's court was the disciple of Swami Haridas. But see what the English people wrote in their encyclopedia, "In architecture, in the fine arts, in painting and music, the Hindus are greatly inferior to the Europeans. `The columns and pillars,' says Tennant, `which adorn their immense pagodas, are destitute of any fixed proportions; and the edifices themselves are subjected to no rules of architecture.' He afterwards adds that the celebrated mausoleum at Agra has little to boast of either in simplicity or elegance of design." "The music of the Hindus is rude and inharmonious. They have numerous instruments, but those are preferred which make the most noise." (p. 477) The Hindu science of medicine named "Ayurved" was well established 200 years ago when modern medical technology was still developing; and India has lots of excellent Sanskrit literature. But see what Britannica said, "In the medical art: charms, incantations, exorcisms and the shallowest tricks are substituted for professional skill; and other imposters, generally Brahmins, practise astrology, and cheat them out of their money by pretended prophecies." "The literature of the Hindus has been generally rated very low by European writers, and has been represented as consisting in long desultory poems, inflated, and extravagant in their style, containing, under the idea of a history, a tissue of absurd fables." (pp. 474, 477) The topmost English literature, Beowulf, deals with dragons and monsters, the Shakespearean drama displays the tragedies of worldly living, and Wuthering Heights etc., expose the disappointing pains of an ambitious mind; whereas all of the Sanskrit literature is, in some way, related to the teachings of God and God realization. Now see how did they degrade the universal Hindu religion and the Hindu society, and what did they write about Shivaji who was a well known religious, honest and ardent patriot of Hinduism who fought for the protection of our country. "Their religion is that of a rude people, consisting in an endless detail of troublesome ceremonies." "The state of morals among the Hindus is such as might be expected from a religion so impure." "The historical poem, the Mahabharat, is a tissue of extravagant fables." (pp. 467, 470, 478) "The Hindus are by no means a moral people. According to the observation of Orme, the politics of Hindustan would afford in a century more frequent examples of sanguinary cruelty than the whole history of Europe since the reign of Charlemagne." (p. 472) "The Hindu rulers, however ignorant in other matters, thus appear to have been familiar with all the most approved modes of plundering their subjects. Power was here a license to plunder and oppress. The rod of the oppressor was literally omnipresent; neither persons nor property were secure against its persevering and vexatious intrusions." (p. 476) "Sevajee, the founder of this new state, was the chief of the Rajpoot princes. In his youth he resided at Poonah, on a zemindary estate obtained by his father. Here he collected around him a numerous banditti, and plundered the country." (p. 479) Those are just a few examples. More than twelve pages of the encyclopedia are filled with such senseless lies. Anyone who has read the history of Europe knows about the royal disposals in the Tower of London, and the brutal torturing and burning alive at the stake of millions of innocent people during the Inquisitions. He also knows about the bloody conquests of King Charlemagne who once killed about 5,000 Saxons in one day as he enjoyed mass executions in order to spread Christianity. It is thus evident that the English people misguided the entire world by giving a false image of Hinduism and the universal Hindu religion. Fabrication in the Bhavishya Puran. (Bhavishya Puran, Pratisarg Parv, part 1, chapter 6) While going through the Bhavishya Puran at one place I found some discrepancy in the contents of the verses. Again, when I looked at it carefully, I discovered that some of the verses are fabricated. It was not difficult to find out as to who would have done that, because the direct beneficiary of this fabrication was Sir William Jones. Jones, in his tenth presidential speech in 1793, stressed on the period of Chandragupt Maurya to be 312 BC and mentioned that Chandragupt had a treaty with Seleucus. The derived date of Chandragupt in these fabricated verses comes to exactly 312 BC. Thus, to justify his false statement of 1793, this fabrication must have been done according to his instructions. Jones died a year later, so it may have been done after his death. It's a general understanding that crime always leaves some clue, but here we have more than that. It appears that the learned pandit who was doing this job for the people of the Asiatic Society, was doing it under some kind of social or family pressure and against his conscience. So he did the job and created the verses with the desired dates, whatever they wanted, but he fully messed up the genealogical description of Buddh and Chandragupt. The general meaning of the verses of Chapter 6: "Sage Kashyap begot Gautam who was Hari. Gautam introduced Buddh religion and reigned for 10 years. His son Shakya Muni ruled for 20 years and then his son Shuddhodan ruled for 30 years. Shuddhodan's son was Shakya Singh who was born at the elapse of 2,700 years of kaliyug. This king was the destroyer of Vedic religion. He ruled for 60 years and converted everyone into Buddhism. Shakya Singh's son was Buddh Singh who ruled for 30 years. Buddh Singh's son was Chandragupt who ruled for 60 years. His son Bindusar ruled for 60 years. Bindusar's son was Ashok…" Comments: These verses were fabricated by the English people. It is an historical fact that Gautam Buddh did not rule any kingdom as he had renounced the world, and the second thing is that he was the son of Shuddhodan. But here Shuddhodan is shown as the grandson of Gautam. Gautam Buddh was during the time of King Bimbsar of Shishunag dynasty in 1800's BC. But here Buddh's time comes to 462 BC [2,700 years of kaliyug (-) 60 (10 + 20 + 30) years = 2,640, and subtracting 2,640 years from 3102 BC, which is the beginning of kaliyug, it comes to 462 BC] which was the desired figure by the English people. Another thing is, that each and every writer has accepted Chandragupt as the son of Nand. But here Chandragupt is shown as the son of Buddh Singh and the great-grandson of Shuddhodan (who was the historically known father of Gautam Buddh). The actual period of Chandragupt is 1500's BC. But here it comes to 312 BC [2,700 + (60 + 30) = 2,790]. Deducting 2,790 years, (the elapsed period of kaliyug) from 3102 BC (the beginning of kaliyug) comes to 312 BC which was especially desired by Jones. From the above discussions it is thus clear that the obedient servants of the British regime, the people of the Asiatic Society and East India Company, fabricatingly muddled up the historic dates of important personalities in our original records. /images/graemlins/frown.gif
  24. Is Srila Prabhupada the great Messiah separate from the Vedic parampara tradition? Is he Jesus,Muhamad,God and Krishna all rolled up into one? Why have some of his followers Deified him into this kind of God? /images/graemlins/frown.gif
  25. Madhavananda das has proposed that some devotees in our disciplic succession never underwent formal diksa. All these personalities, however, were stalwart devotees sent by the Lord to assist the progress of the Sankirtana movement. Neither SAC members nor Dhira Govinda das have offered this clause, which could add additional weight to both arguments. Great personalities are overwhelmed with Krsna prema; do they need to accept formalities? Lord Caitanya requested Haridas Thakur to reduce the number of rounds he was doing near the time of his departure. Is this not a contradiction to His own teaching? A pure devotee of the Lord is always under the protection of the Lord's spiritual energy; his activities are not subject to material contamination. This point was not emphasized in the arguments. Few devotees new to ISKCON and other Gaudiya sampradayas are such "Mahabhagavatas and stalwart devotees" who, appearing in the material world to assist the mission of Lord Caitanya, need not undergo "formal diksa". Comparing a newcomer's initiation to the "siksa link" of great personalities offends the service of the Lord. When a gulf separates great personalities and ourselves, formal initiation through a Vaisnava guru is necessary. This basic rule of ISKCON shall remain as long as neophyte devotees come to take shelter of Krsna. Dhira Govinda does not oppose the formal initiation system. However, some future devotee may propose Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Maharaja as his "Prominent Link". Mastering the words of Bhagavad-gita, one could argue that Sri Krsna Himself is his "Prominent Link". Sri Krsna has been our guru (and so-called "Prominent Link" in English word jugglery) residing in our heart as Paramatma and guiding us every day. However, we don't feel this every minute and every second. In the so called "Prominent Links", one may ignore service to greater Vaisnavas. In other words, if Dhira Govinda removes the ifs and buts, there is a tendency of his work to lead to impersonalism. Dhira Govinda prabhu ought also to look at other sampradayas. There can be exceptions available in paramparas, but exceptions have been for exceptional devotees, not a general rule for a big organization like ISKCON. Formal diksa initiation is necessary for neophytes to advance gradually to devotional service. Following the basic set of rules in ISKCON can be easy. However, to act in the platform of a great bhakta, one needs gradual training from a senior devotee. The person undergoing initiation has to decide whether he is on the platform and philosophical conviction of great personalities like Jagannatha das Babaji or Srila Sanatana Goswami, or if he is far away from Krsna-prema, addicted to sense gratification. Using this logic, the candidate will look forward to diksa initiation. To be a disciple of Srila Prabhupada is very great, but to be a grand-disciple is even better. In Bharatiya culture, grandparents offer more love and affection to grandsons and granddaughters than they offer to their own sons and daughters. The obvious connection of any grand-disciple of Prabhupada is also loving spiritually.
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