galaxy18

League Of Devotees The instructive story of Rsyasrnga is found in the Ramayana and Mahabharata. Rsyasrnga was the son of a sage (Mrgi, a son of Kasyapa) who was determined that his son be brought up as a spotless brahmacari. Accordingly, from his very birth the child was brought up in a forest atmosphere far away from women or even talk of women. He was trained in meditation, scriptural study and brahminical rituals. Thus, on reaching youth, he had no idea of even the existence of the opposite sex. Meanwhile, in the neighboring state (Kingdom of Anga), a severe drought ensued, which caused great fear among all living beings. The worried king (Romapada) summoned the council of his learned brahmanas, who by their mystic insight were able to ascertain the only method by which good fortune could return to the land: the brahmacari boy-sage Rsyasrnga, a resident of the nearby jungle, must come to reside in the kingdom. The brahmanas also told how the boy could be brought: he must be enticed by beautiful women. They said, "My dear King, since we desire your welfare, we have devised a mehtod for bringing Rsyasrnga to your kingdom. Have the most beautiful courtesans go there and allure him with their feminine ways. He has never seen another human being except his father. Because he has never beheld a member of the fair sex, he is completely unaware of the pleasure of their association." Maharaja Romapada agreed to their plan and sent for the foremost of young & beautiful prostitutes. After being thus instructed by the king and promised sufficient rewards, the girls departed for the forest, determined to bring back the young rsi at all costs. A few days later, when Rsyasrnga was alone at his father's asrama, he was shocked out of meditation by the sound of laughter and giggling. Opening his eyes, he was amazed to behold a group of young boys playing with a gay frolic and abandon he had never known before. How charming these boys were! Rsyasrnga's mind became captivated by the beautiful features of their faces and bodies, their attractive smiles and glances, the tinkle of their voices, and their exulting mood of enjoyment. "Who are you?" he asked. "We are muni-putras (i.e. sons of forest sages)," they replied-for indeed, these young girls from the city were dressed as brahmacaris. "Come play with us," they invited. How could Rsyasrnga refuse? In the course of play, his body touched the bodies of the girls, and again his senses were attracted. The girls embraced Rsyasrnga tightly with great affection and fed him sumptuous sweets. The muni-putras shared their deliciously prepared food with Rsyasrnga. The boy, who had been brought up on forest roots and fruits, was now completely captivated. But all too soon his new-found friends went away. When Rsyasrnga's father returned, he immediately noticed his son's disturbance of mind. Intuitively understanding that that which he had feared all his life had now come to pass, he demanded that his son relate all that had happened in his absence. On hearing the description of the muni-putras, he strictly forbade Rsyasrnga to talk with or even look at those boys again, and under no circumstances to go anywhere with them. But the damage was done. Rsyasrnga could no longer concentrate on his meditation, for his mind was yearning after his friends. Rsyasrnga began to experience feelings of ease and restlessness within his heart. The seed of lusty desire, which had remained dormat within his heart had sprouted. Rsyasrnga began to constantly think about the beautiful women. He could hardly sleep that night. His mind & heart were overwhelmed by their sweet speech & tender embraces. When his father went away again the next day, the muni-putras had little difficulty in enticing the boy-sage to come with them. A boat waiting on the nearby river took them swiftly to the city. Just as he arrived, Indra began to send forth rain, giving joy to all creatures. Before his father could arrive to protest, the king married Rsyasrnga to his daughter Santa whom he had adopted from King Dasaratha. Maharaja Romapada begged from him the benediction that neither he nor his father will show their wrath upon him and his kingdom. It was Rsyasrnga only, whom King Dasaratha invited to Ayudya to perform the horse & Putresti sacrifice which led to the apperance of Lord Rama. Some of the morals of this story are: 1) Association with the opposite sex awakens and aggravates sexual desire; 2) Whoever one may be, one should never consider oneself beyond the fascinating power of the opposite sex; 3) Mere avoidance of association with the opposite sex is not enough to overcome sexual desire; the negative process must be supplemented by the only positive process sufficient to conquer maya, namely Krsna consciousness and also knowledge about the dangers of associating with opposite sex; 4) Sexual desire is very deep-rooted and strong and is aroused even due a little association. League Of Devotees

League Of Devotees Examples from the 11th Canto of SB (24 Gurus) The 24 gurus are: the earth, the air, the sky, water, fire, moon, sun, pigeon, python, the sea, the moth, honeybee, elephant and honey thief, the deer, the fish, the prostitute Pingala, the kurara bird, the child, the young girl, arrow maker, serpent, spider and wasp. (SB 11.7.33-35) 1. Earth: a sober person should never be distracted from progress on his won path even if he is harassed by other living beings, because they are acting helplessly under the control of God. He should be as steady as the earth. Like the mountain and the tree, he should dedicate himself to the service of others. 2. Air: a transcendentalist may be surrounded by innumerable material objects possessing good and bad qualities. But like the wind he should never be entangled by them. When the wind carries different aromas, it never mixes with them. 3. Sky: Though the sky extends everywhere and everything rests within it, it does not mix with anything. The soul and Supersoul have the same quality. The sky is never implicated or affected by the blowing action of the wind. In the same way the living entity is never affected though it may enter a body of material elements. 4. Water: The saintly person is like water because he is free from all contamination, gentle by nature and when speaking creates a beautiful vibration like the flowing of water. By seeing, touching or hearing such a saintly person, the living entity is cleansed as if coming in contact with pure water. 5. Fire: Even if a saintly person eats contaminated food by chance he is not affected, like the fire that burns up con-taminated substances that are offered to it. Like fire, he is sometimes concealed and sometimes revealed. As the spiritual master he burns up the past and future reactions of his dis-ciples. The Supreme Soul is like fire in that He enters dif-ferent bodies as fire manifests differently in various pieces of wood. Like the flickering fire, the waves of time flow constant-ly and imperceptibly bring with them birth, growth and death. But just as nobody can follow the changing pattern of a flame, no-one can see the changes wrought by time upon them. 6. Moon: Though the moon waxes and wanes, it is not affected my this “change.” Similarly the living entity is not affected by the changes of the body from birth to death. 7. Sun: A saintly person can accept a material thing with his senses and at the apppropriate time he gives that thing to the proper person. So also the sun evaporates water and returns it to earth as rain. Sun and saint are never entangled by this. The sun is reflected in many objects but is never divided. Also the soul is reflected into various bodies but is always one and the same. 8. Pigeon: he is an example for excessive attachment, because he chose to be captured by the hunter after seeing his wife and children so captured, thinking that without them life was not not worth living. 9. Python: he does not make arrangements for food, but waits for food to come to him. This exemplifies peacefulness and patience. 10. The sea: just like a tranquil sea, the saintly person, being full of knowledge, is never disturbed. 11. The moth: a foolish man is captivated by a woman’s charms just like a moth is captivated by a flame and burns within it. 12. The honeybee: a renounced person who begs a little food from different houses is like a madhukari, or honeybee. Also a honeybee takes nectar from different flowers. So also an intelligent human being takes the essence of different scrip-tures. But a saintly person should not become greedy and collect too much. 13. The elephant: A saintly person should remember how the great bull elephant is captured by the she-elephant; therefore he should never desire to touch the body of a young girl. 14. The honeythief: sannyasis and brahmacaris are entitled to take away the wealth of the laboring householders, just like a hone thief takes away the honey from the nest of the busy bees. 15. The deer: they are bewildered by the sound of a hunter’s horn, and thus are killed. A renounced person should never become attracted by mundane sounds like sensuous music, especial-ly the sweet singing and dancing of beautiful women. 16. The fish: they are caught on the hook by their uncontrollable tongues. A learned man should control all his senses by first controling the tounge, which is the most powerful sense of all. 17. Pingala: this prostitute gave up her plans for earning money through sex indulgence out of frustration. Feeling satisfaction from her abandonment of material desires, she could remember Krsna and became peaceful. 18. The kurara bird (hawk): When a hawk carrying some meat was attacked by larger hawks, he gave it up out of fear for his life. Renouncing and saving himself, he felt more happiness than he did when he took the meat. 19. The child: a foolish child is happy due to ignorance, and a saintly person is happy due to having surrendered to Krsna. 20. The young girl: receiving some prospective bridegrooms on a day when her parents were away from home, she went into the kitchen to prepare food for them. While beating rice, her bracelets jangled, and she was afraid that the young men would think her family was poor because she was doing all the work in the home. She broke all the bracelets except two on each arm, but these also jangled. She then removed one from each arm, leaving only one on each arm. Thereafter she worked in silence. So too, when many people live together, there will be clashing of interests and fighting. It is better to live alone. 21. The arrow maker: the devotee should be so absorbed in the Lord that he does not see duality, just as the arrow maker was so absorbed in his work of making a straight arrow that he did not notice the king passing buy. 22. The snake: he makes no home for himself, but takes over the homes of others, having eaten them. A sage should similarly make no endeavors for his own shelter. 23. The spider: God is like the spider because He creates the network of the cosmos from his own potency and then withdraws it into Himself. 24. The wasp: he trapped a weaker insect in his hive. This insect took on the mentality of a wasp out of intense fear of the wasp, and thus became a wasp in its next life. This illustrates how one attains in the next life what one’s mind is fixed upon. League Of Devotees

League Of Devotees Chanting while Bhagavatam class in going on Chanting while reading newspaper Chanting while discussing Hari Katha Chanting while cooking with left hand Chanting while watching spiritual video Chanting while listening what other's are talking Chanting while attending telephone calls Chanting to show other that I am chanting Chanting while thinking about sense gratification Chanting while sleeping and thinking that rounds are over. Chanting while monitoring the time clock Chanting while fingers are faster than the mantra Chanting while watching if others are chanting properly Chanting while shaking japa bags continuously Chanting while missing some of the syllable Chanting while bargaining the price Chanting while sleeping on the bed Chanting for material prosperity Chanting two japas simultaneously to finish prescribed rounds Chanting while driving to work Chanitng occassionally Chanting less than 16 rounds a day Chanting to finish the rounds somehow League Of Devotees

League Of Devotees Srila Rupa Gosvami on: Nanda and Yasoda’s Vatsalya Rasa srutim apare smrtim itare bharatam anye bhajantu bhava-bhitah aham iha nandam vande yayalinde param brahma “Let others study the Vedas, smrti and Mahabharata, fearing material existence, but I shall worship Nanda Maharaja, in whose courtyard is crawling the Supreme Brahman. Nanda Maharaja is so great that the Parabrahman is crawling in his yard, and therefore I shall worship him.” (Padyavali 126, Cited in Srila Prabhupada’s purports to Bhag. 10.8.21 & 10.13.63) bandhukaruna-vasanam sundara-kurcam mukunda-hrta-nayanam nantundila-vapusam candana-gaura-tvisam vande “I offer my respectful obeisance’s to Nanda Maharaja. His garments are red as a bandhuka flower. His face is handsome. His chubby form is the golden color of sandalwood paste. His eyes are enchanted by the sight of Lord Mukunda.” (Padyavali 128) ankaga pankajanabham navya-ghanabham vicitra-ruci-sicayam viracita-jagat-pramodam muhur yasodam namayami “Mother Yasoda holds Lord Pankajanabha (Krsna) on her lap. Her garments are wonderfully beautiful. Her complexion is the color of a fresh raincloud. She delights the entire world. I repeatedly offer my respectful obeisance’s to her.” (Padyavali 129) Srila Prabhupada on the meaning of Mother Yasoda's Name "By the blessings of Krsna, Yogamaya was able to achieve the reputation of being the daughter of mother Yasoda, who also became famous by the blessings of Krsna. Yasoda means "one who gives fame." League Of Devotees

League Of Devotees * "The Vaisnava devotees of the Lord are eternally pure and realized souls. Sometimes there are differences of opinion amongst them which might appear like an argument, but in fact, it is an amazing relationship between devotees. Foolish rascals who do not understand this exchange, praise one Vaisnava and denounce the other. Such a mentality will lead to destruction of faith and knowledge." (M 5) * "Any person who sides with a Vaisnava against another Vaisnava and criticizes him is destined to be destroyed." (MI 3:160) * "If Vaisnavas are offended even by an assembly of renunciates, sannyasis, such an assembly is more irreligious than a group of drunkards. For the drunkards there is still a chance of salvation, but for those who are critical of Vaisnavas there is no hope of liberation." (MI 3:41-43) * "Lord Caitanya absorbed the sin of Jagai and Madhai into His own body. He then said, "Begin kirtana, then this black shroud of sin will lift from My body and enter the bodies of those who criticize the devotees of the Lord." (MI 3:302-303) * "One never advances in spiritual life by finding faults in other Vaisnavas,in fact only sinful reactions are increased, so give up all your faultfindings." (MI 3:313) * "To criticize and find faults in pure devotees of the Lord is the most grievous offence against the holy name. O holy name! How can you bear the criticism agaisnt your pure devotees through whom your glories have been propagated? (You can never tolerate criticism against those who have dedicated their lives in propagating the holy name of the Lord.) Such offenders are annihilated." (M 13:393) * "Therefore the conclusion is that having devotion is the foremost of all rules, regulations, and rituals. Rules and regulations are meant to be subservient and secondary to devotional service; those who are dissatisfied with this arrangement fall down from the path of self-realization." (M 16:143-144) * "Those devotees who are narrow-minded and bigoted start fighting over petty matters, this is a serious deviation from the path of spiritual realization, and so a really knowledgeable devotee will refrain from taking sides in such disputes." (M 17:109-110) * "The offence or criticizing the Lord or His devotees even once steals a man's proper intelligence." (M 19) * "Lord Gaurasundara has advented specifically to deliver all the fallen souls with the exception of those who find fault in Vaisnava devotees of the Lord." (M 19) * "The Vedas clearly describe that if one hears criticism of a Vaisnava devotee of the Lord then he loses all of his accumulated piety and is cast into abominable conditions of life birth after birth." (M 20) * "Everything, from the highest to the lowest living entity, is a manifestation of Lord Krishna's energy, hence Krishna cannot tolerate violence or offences perpetrated against anyone. And if anyone offenselessly chants Krishna's name then Krishna will certainly very soon liberate him from material bondage. A person may be well versed in all the four Vedas, but if he still maintains an offensive attitude towards the Vaisnavas, then he is eternally doomed to the worst kind of hell." (M 20) * "Whosoever makes any differences between Me, My pure devotees, and Srimad-Bhagavatam are forever lost." (M 21) * "The spiritual master cannot even protect his own disciples against the wrath of the Lord if his disciple commits Vaisnava-aparadha. In fact the guru of such a disciple is hardpressed to protect himself from the effects of the aparadha. If the guru is in a very elevated stage of devotion, then he can protect himself alone, but if he is not so elevated, then he along with disciple sinks down into hell." (M 22) * "The true followers of Lord Nityananda are free from fault-finding, they engage their full time in blissfully glorifying Lord Caitanya. They are always careful to avoid the pitfalls in devotional service." (M 22) * "Some persons, trying to compare Vaisnavas, calling one a bigger Vaisnava than the other, commit a grave blunder for which they will soon suffer." (M 22) * "At times one may see a certain elevated devotee quarrelling with other devotees; this is all transcendental and happening by the desire of Lord Krishna. No one should side with any party, because they are all most elevated Vaisnavas, to do so would certainly result in Vaisnava-aparadha." (M 23) * "One can become a true Vaisnava by serving Lord Krishna and by not finding faults in others." (M 23) * "One who worships Krishna's lotus feet seeing all Vaisnavas to be dear to the Lord will indeed cross over this ocean of material nescience." (M 24) * "If one does not pay heed to Lord Caitanya's warning and teachings on Vaisnava-aparadha, then he will remain completely ignorant about the offenses and thus suffer terrible consequences." (M 22) (from the "Caitanya Bhagavata" by Srila Vrindavan Das Thakur) Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare League Of Devotees

Ha ha ha …..What a joke mr sambya. And even if you say that GV practitioner is taught and wishes to believe that Srimad Bhagavatam is a commentary on the Vedanta sutra.GV belief come from Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu who is Krishna himself and the proof of it is there is Vedas ,purana etc (articles regarding lord chaitanya being the supreme lord , who is predicted in the sastra, can be read on indiadivine.org). And Lord Krishna says in Bhagavad Gita Vedais ca sarvair aham eva vedyah [bg. 15.15]” By all the Vedas, I am to be known. Indeed, I am the compiler of Vedänta, and I am the knower of the Vedas” Lord Krishna is the ultimate authority. So Lord Krishna and Lord Chaitanya being the same personality if Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu teaches his followers citing from the sastra that Srimad Bhagavatam is a commentary on the Vedanta sutra than that is the proof .Do you have any problem and if so than that’s your problem

Hare Krishna aranya baba, I am initiated, my name is gaurangasundar dasa -sisya of HIS HOLINESS MAHANIDHI SWAMI, You say I am unable to answer but I have already answered. I have already told in which scriptures you can find the names of foodstuff in mode of goodness. I am hear to share knowledge and not debate .I believe in sharing and not unnecessary arguing .if you are interested in a debate I invite you to come .if you want my address, phone no I'll give you. Than we'll see who has more knowledge. What I gave in my original post was a guideline as to what to eat what not to eat given by our acharayas. Some one wrote I am only quoting purports and commentaries .well just to inform you srimad bhagavat puran is a commentary on the Vedanta sutra. So if you don't except commentaries as praman than i think you'll have to reject all purans, itihas, etc. I have quoted from varaha purana.srimad bhagavatam etc. I have also given the scriptures in which in detail it is given what to eat what not to eat. If you'll are so much interested in finding the facts instead of debating use your time constructively by reading those books. Aranya baba says I don't use any knowledge of your own but simply copy paste. thanks for your compliment.Srila Prabhupada and my guru maharaja always says what is the use of your knowledge ,you are imperfect so your knowledge is also imperfect .ever conditioned soul has 4 defect so quote from sastra .I don't speculate .and I advice you also don't speculate .just follow the sastra and our acharayas(perfect spiritual jivas).

League Of Devotees “I want the maximum benefit while visiting Vrndavana. What activities should I perform? Should I a fast a lot, do daily parikrama, bathe in the Yamuna, visit specific temples or holy places, walk around Govardhana Hill, or bathe in Radha-kunda?” These are natural inclinations devotees experience during their holy pilgrimage to Sri Vrndavana. We all want to capitalize on our good fortune, and utilize our time wisely. To ascertain the best possible activities to perform, perhaps we can learn from our previous acaryas. Sarvabhauma Bhattacharya, one of Sr Caitanya Mahaprabhu’s personal associates, once inquired from the Lord with a similar sentiment. The Caitanya-caritamrta, Madhya-lila narrates: The Bhattacharya went to visit the temple of Lord Jagannatha, but before he reached the temple, he went to see Caitanya Mahaprabhu. When he met Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu, the Bhattacharya fell down flat to offer Him respects. After offering various prayers to Him, he spoke of his previous bad disposition with great humility. Then the Bhattacharya asked Caitanya Mahaprabhu, “Which item is most important in the execution of devotional service?” The Lord replied that the most important item was the chanting of the holy name of the Lord. PURPORT There are nine items to be executed in devotional service. These are enumerated in the following verse from Srimad-Bhagavatam (7.5.23): Hearing the glories of the Lord, chanting, remembering, serving the lotus feet of the Lord, offering worship in the temple, offering prayers, becoming a servant of the Lord, becoming the Lord’s friend, and sarvatma-nivedana, offering oneself fully at the lotus feet of the Lord—these are the nine devotional processes. In The Nectar of Devotion, these are expanded into sixty-four items. When Sarvabhauma Bhattacharya asked the Lord which item was most important, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu immediately answered that the most important item is the chanting of the holy names of the Lord—Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna, Krsna Krsna, Hare Hare/ Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare. He then quoted the following verse from the Brihan-naradiya Purana (38.126) to confirm His statement. harer nama harer nama harer namaiva kevalam kalau nasty eva nasty eva nasty eva gatir anyatha “‘In this age of quarrel and hypocrisy, the only means of deliverance is the chanting of the holy names of the Lord. There is no other way. There is no other way. There is no other way.’” PURPORT Because the people of this age are so fallen, they can simply chant the Hare Krsna maha-mantra. In this way they can rid themselves of the bodily conception of life and become eligible to engage in the Lord’s devotional service. One cannot engage in the devotional service of the Lord without being purified of all contamination. This is confirmed in the Bhagavad-gita (7.28): “Persons who have acted piously in previous lives and in this life and whose sinful actions are completely eradicated are freed from the dualities of delusion, and they engage themselves in My service with determination.” Sometimes people are surprised to see young men and women take so seriously to the Krsna consciousness movement. By giving up sinful activity—illicit sex, meat-eating, intoxication and gambling—and strictly following the injunctions given by the spiritual master, they have become purified of all contamination. They can therefore fully engage in the devotional service of the Lord. In this Age of Kali, hari-kirtana is very, very important. The importance of chanting the holy name of the Lord is stated in the following verses from Srimad-Bhagavatam (12.3.51–52): “The most important factor in this Age of Kali, which is an ocean of faults, is that one can be free from all contamination and become eligible to enter the kingdom of God simply by chanting the Hare Krsna mantra. The self-realization that was achieved in the Satya millennium by meditation, in the Treta millennium by the performance of different sacrifices, and in the Dvapara millennium by worship of Lord Krsna can be achieved in the Age of Kali simply by chanting the holy names, Hare Krsna.” Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu very elaborately explained the harer nama verse of the Brihan-naradiya Purana, and Sarvabhauma Bhattacharya was struck with wonder to hear His explanation. Thus, our humble suggestion is that visitors increase their rounds while here in Vrndavana. There is no other activity so auspicious. In the Skanda Purana it is said: "Whatever potency to award auspiciousness and destroy sin may be found in the performance of charity, penances, austerities, visiting holy tirthas, worshiping demigods, performing Rajasuya or Asvamedha sacrifices, or the attainment of knowledge related to the soul…that potency has been invested in the Holy Name of Sri Hari." League Of Devotees

League Of Devotees "One must eat appropriately and not take after food as hogs take after stool. For a human being there are eatables described in Bhagavad-gita (17.8) as sattvika-ahara, or food in the mode of goodness. One should not indulge in eating food in the modes of passion and ignorance. This is called ucitahara, or appropriate eating. One who is always eating meat or drinking liquor, which is eating and drinking in passion and ignorance, must give these things up so that his real consciousness may be awakened. In this way one may become peaceful and refreshed. If one is restless or fatigued, one cannot understand the science of God. As stated in Srimad-Bhagavatam (1.2.20): evam prasanna-manaso bhagavad-bhakti-yogatah bhagavat-tattva-vijnanam mukta-sangasya jayate Unless one can become free from the influence of passion and ignorance, he cannot be pacified, and without being pacified, one cannot understand the science of God." Srimad-Bhagavatam 4:26:11 </B> "Foods in the mode of goodness increase the duration of life, purify one's existence and give strength, health, happiness and satisfaction. Such nourishing foods are sweet, juicy, fatty and palatable. Foods that are too bitter, too sour, salty, pungent, dry and hot, are liked by people in the mode of passion. Such foods cause pain, distress, and disease. Food cooked more than three hours before being eaten, which is tasteless, stale, putrid, decomposed and unclean, is food liked by people in the mode of ignorance. Purport: The purpose of food is to increase the duration of life, purify the mind and aid bodily strength. This is its only purpose. In the past, great authorities selected those foods that best aid health and increase life's duration, such as milk products, sugar, rice, wheat, fruits and vegetables. These foods are very dear to those in the mode of goodness. Some other foods, such as baked corn and molasses, while not very palatable in themselves, can be made pleasant when mixed with milk or other foods. They are then in the mode of goodness. All these foods are pure by nature. They are quite distinct from untouchable things like meat and liquor. Fatty foods, as mentioned in the eighth verse, have no connection with animal fat obtained by slaughter. Animal fat is available in the form of milk, which is the most wonderful of all foods. Milk, butter, cheese and similar products give animal fat in a form which rules out any need for the killing of innocent creatures. It is only through brute mentality that this killing goes on. The civilized method of obtaining needed fat is by milk. Slaughter is the way of subhumans. Protein is amply available through split peas, dal, whole wheat, etc. Foods in the mode of passion, which are bitter, too salty, or too hot or overly mixed with red pepper, cause misery by producing mucus in the stomach, leading to disease. Foods in the mode of ignorance or darkness are essentially those that are not fresh. Any food cooked more than three hours before it is eaten (except prasadam, food offered to the Lord) is considered to be in the mode of darkness. Because they are decomposing, such foods give a bad odor, which often attracts people in this mode but repulses those in the mode of goodness. Bhagavad-gita 17:8-10 Text and Purport "Prabhupada: We are interested in eating Krsna prasadam. If Krsna says "Give Me meat," we shall give Him. But He does not say. He says patram puspam phalam toyam yo me bhaktya prayacchati. Meat-eating is sinful, that's a fact, amedha, tamasika, but if you remain in the darkness of ignorance, you cannot improve your spiritual life. Tamasika. It is described in the Bhagavad-gita, rajasika, tamasika, sattvika. Therefore we should eat sattvika, and that is also after offering to Krsna. Then we are free from all sinful reactions. And if you want to implicate yourself in sinful activities, then you can eat whatever you like. But either you eat meat or vegetables, if it is eaten for my satisfaction of the tongue, you become implicated in sinful activities, and you have to suffer the reaction. The animal you are killing, he'll kill also you next life. Then you become bound up." 760711ed.ny Srila Prabhupada, Evening Darsana, 07-11-76, New York "The River Ganges flowing from the heavenly planets is full of golden lotus flowers, and we, the residents of those planets, eat the stems of the flowers. Thus we are very beautiful, more so than the inhabitants of any other planet. This is due to the law of cause and effect, for if one eats food in the mode of goodness, the mode of goodness increases the beauty of his body.' " Purport: One's bodily luster and beauty, one's constitution, one's activities and one's qualities all depend on the law of cause and effect. There are three qualities in material nature, and as stated in the Bhagavad-gita (13.22), karanam guna-sango 'sya sad-asad-yoni-janmasu: one takes birth in a good or bad family according to his previous association with the qualities of material nature. Therefore one seriously eager to achieve transcendental perfection, Krsna consciousness, must eat Krsna prasada. Such food is sattvika, or in the material quality of goodness, but when offered to Krsna it becomes transcendental. Our Krsna consciousness movement distributes Krsna prasada, and those who eat such transcendental food are sure to become devotees of the Lord. This is a very scientific method, as stated in this verse from Nala-naisadha (3.17): karyam nidanad dhi gunan adhite. If in all one's activities he strictly adheres to the mode of goodness, he will certainly develop his dormant Krsna consciousness and ultimately become a pure devotee of Lord Krsna." Caitanya-caritamrta, Antya lila 1:92 "If we are actually serious about entering into the kingdom of God, Vaikuntha, then we should be very careful to follow the four regulative principles mentioned above. One must not have any sex except to have children within marriage. One must not indulge in intoxication. One must not gamble. And one must not eat meat, fish, or eggs or anything else beyond the foods established for human beings--grains, fruits, vegetables, milk, and sugar. Such foodstuffs are sattvika, or pure and good, and they are allotted for human consumption. One should not imitate the cats and dogs, reasoning that because the animals are eating meat, human beings can do likewise. If everything eatable is food, why not eat stool? Stool is also food--hogs eat stool. But human beings should not eat like hogs, who will eat all kinds of unclean foods. We have to discriminate. If we want to enter into spiritual life, we must observe these four principles of restriction. This may mean undergoing some austerity, but this is the purpose of human life. When we have purified our existence through austerity, we will be eligible to enter into the kingdom of God, but without being purified, we can never enter." Second Chance, Chapter 16 "After taking his dinner and having his thirst and hunger satisfied, King Puranjana felt some joy within his heart. Instead of being elevated to a higher consciousness, he became captivated by Cupid, and was moved by a desire to find his wife, who kept him satisfied in his household life. Purport: This verse is very significant for those desiring to elevate themselves to a higher level of Krsna consciousness. When a person is initiated by a spiritual master, he changes his habits and does not eat undesirable eatables or engage in the eating of meat, the drinking of liquor, illicit sex or gambling. Sattvika-ahara, foodstuffs in the mode of goodness, are described in the sastras as wheat, rice, vegetables, fruits, milk, sugar, and milk products. Simple food like rice, dhal, capatis, vegetables, milk and sugar constitute a balanced diet, but sometimes it is found that an initiated person, in the name of prasada, eats very luxurious foodstuffs. Due to his past sinful life he becomes attracted by Cupid and eats good food voraciously. It is clearly visible that when a neophyte in Krsna consciousness eats too much, he falls down. Instead of being elevated to pure Krsna consciousness, he becomes attracted by Cupid. The so-called brahmacari becomes agitated by women, and the vanaprastha may again become captivated into having sex with his wife. Or he may begin to search out another wife. Due to some sentiment, he may give up his own wife and come into the association of devotees and a spiritual master, but due to his past sinful life he cannot stay. Instead of being elevated to Krsna consciousness, he falls down, being attracted by Cupid, and takes to another wife for sex enjoyment. The fall of the neophyte devotee from the path of Krsna consciousness down to material life is described in Srimad-Bhagavatam (1.5.17) by Narada Muni." tyaktva sva-dharmam caranambujam harer bhajann apakvo 'tha patet tato yadi yatra kva vabhadram abhud amusya kim ko vartha apto 'bhajatam sva-dharmatah This indicates that although a neophyte devotee may fall down from the path of Krsna consciousness due to his immaturity, his service to Krsna never goes in vain. However, a person who remains steadfast in his family duty or so-called social or family obligation but does not take to Krsna consciousness receives no profit. One who comes to Krsna consciousness must be very cautious and refrain from prohibited activities, as defined by Rupa Gosvami in his Upadesamrta: atyaharah prayasas ca prajalpo niyamagrahah jana-sangas ca laulyam ca sadbhir bhaktir vinasyati A neophyte devotee should neither eat too much nor collect more money than necessary. Eating too much or collecting too much is called atyahara. For such atyahara one must endeavor very much. This is called prayasa. Superficially one may show himself to be very much faithful to the rules and regulations, but at the same time not be fixed in the regulative principles. This is called niyamagraha. By mixing with undesirable persons, or jana-sanga, one becomes tainted with lust and greed and falls down from the path of devotional service." Srimad-Bhagavatam 4:26:13 "So our main business should be how to improve in Krsna consciousness. So far other things are required, bodily necessities, that is recommended by Rupa Gosvami, anasaktasya: "Don't be attached." Don't take food, don't eat simply for satisfying your palate. That is called sense enjoyment. But you, just to keep yourself fit, just to keep your body fit for giving service to the Lord, you can eat Krsna prasada. And so far Krsna prasada is concerned, it is not very bad; it is very good. We offer... Of course, those who are followers of Vedic principles of life, they know how nice foodstuff can be offered to Krsna. There are hundreds and thousands of varieties of fruits. There is nice grains also, there is nice milk also, there is sugar also. So you can prepare nice foodstuff on these ingredients which are considered sattvika, sattvikahara. Fruits, grains, vegetables, and sugar, rice, wheat, they are considered as sattvikahara. So you can prepare. Krsna also says that patram puspam phalam toyam yo me bhaktya prayacchati. Krsna is the Supreme Lord. He can eat everything. Just like we have evidences from His life, sometimes He ate fire. Blazing fire in the forest, He ate up. So He can eat everything because He is God. He has got the potency of accepting anything. That is a different thing. But when He demands from His devotees, He says, patram puspam phalam toyam. So we have satisfy Him from these groups. Patram puspam means vegetables, fruits, grains; and toyam, water or milk, like that. And you partake the prasada. Sometimes I am questioned in European countries that "What is the difference between patram puspam? That is also eatables. They are also vegetables. They have got life. Why do you ask us not to eat meat because they are living beings?" So answer is that it is not the question of living being. Every living being has to eat another living being. That is the law of nature. Jivo jivasya jivanam. Those who have got hands, they are eating the legless. Just like the vegetables. Just like cows, goats, or other animals, they are eating grass. The grass is also a living entity, but it has no legs. It is being eaten up by another animal which has got legs. Similarly, we are also a kind of animal with hands. We are eating another animal which has no hands. Similarly, those who are strong, even in animal kingdom or vegetable kingdom, those who are strong, they are eating the less strong. In this way the whole world is maintained by one animal is eating another animal or one living entity is eating another living entity. That is the law of nature. Jivo jivasya jivanam. So you (we) are not interfering with the right of the living entities. A tiger has got the right to eat another animal. So we are not going to preach amongst the tigers that "You become vegetarian" or "You become Krsna conscious." That is not our business. Our business is that we are inducing, we are entreating, we are requesting people that "You take Krsna prasada." That is our business. To become vegetarian or nonvegetarian is not very big business. We do not admit that vegetarians are very much pious and nonvegetarians are not pious. No. Not like that. We say that everyone is impious who is not taking foodstuff offered to Krsna. That is our view. Anyone. That is stated by Krsna. Yajna-sistasinah santo mucyante sarva-kilbisaih: "Anyone who is eating foodstuff offered to Yajna, to Visnu or Krsna, he is diminishing his volumes of sinful life." Bhunjate te tv agham papa ye pacanty atma-karanat: "And anyone who is cooking for himself, not for Krsna, then he is simply eating a lump of sinful life." It doesn't matter whether he is vegetarian or nonvegetarian. This is the philosophy of Krsna consciousness. We have to eat what is offered to Krsna. Yajna-sistasinah santo mucyante sarva. Yajnarthe karmano 'nyatra loko 'yam karma-bandhanah. If you simply work for Krsna... That is called karma-yoga. One who is working simply for Krsna, he is karma-yogi. You have got tendency to work. You have got tendency to flourish yourself by advancing industrialism. That's nice. You go on, do it. We don't forbid it. But do it for Krsna. Make Krsna center. That is the whole teachings of Bhagavad-gita. Man-mana bhava mad-bhakto mad-yaji mam namaskuru. You offer... Kurusva tad mad-arpanam. Yat karosi. "Whatever you do, it doesn't matter. Whatever you eat," yat karosi yaj juhosi, "whatever you sacrifice, whatever you give in charity, give unto Me." Kurusva tat mad-arpanam. This is Krsna consciousness." Srila Prabhupada Lecture, 03-26-71, Bombay League Of Devotees

It is mentioned in Varaha Purana,Padma purana,Garuda purana,Hari BhaktiVilas and in Srila Prabhupada's book about different foodstuf vegetable etc in different modes.Hing is in mode of goodness.

League Of Devotees Q)What is Priti? Differences between happiness and Priti? Every living entity is looking for happiness or ananda. Whatever activity one may perform, the purpose is happiness. Then Srila Jiva Gosvami analyzed material and transcendental happiness and by doing so he concluded that Priti or love is actually the purpose of life because happiness is seen when a person loves somebody or something. In Priti a devotee does not feel distressed whether he is in a favorable or unfavorable situation. He always feels happy. Now one has to understand the differences between happiness and Priti. He says (sanskrit words), happiness means "knowledge of delightness". Happiness is nothing but a perception, knowledge. When something happens and one feels delighted that feeling means "knowledge", it is a perception. Happiness is nothing but a sensation. In medical science they have discovered that different parts in the brain, which are connected with the various senses, can be stimulated to provoke a certain type of happiness. Like the experince of satisfaction of having a nice feast although one is not in contact with the food, one is not conscious of the object of satisfaction. So this experience of happiness is only a sensation of the brain, it is not something that springs from within the heart.This word Priti or love comes from the root prin which means satisfy or please. Obviously when there is a question of satisfying or pleasing there is an object whom one satisfies. Therefore Priti is never without an object. Material happiness can be without an object but Priti cannot exist without the object of Priti because the very root of the word means to satisfy. There has to be somebody to whom one satisfies or pleases. The happiness is not the real caracteristic of Priti and therefore the devotees do not ask for it. "Either You appear or not appear before me; You treat me harshly or out of love, in any case I want to be always Your servant." This is Priti. The happiness for which everyone is dying, commiting violence, engaging in sinful activities, cheating, and so on, it is not but a particular sensation in the body. In yoga system there are different means to derive the same sensation. If one can control the life airs in a particular way and send them to the brain he can feel a sensation of happiness and enjoy trance. This is samadhi-sukha, it is also external. It is all a mechanical system and that is why this happiness is also mechanical. There is no need to endeavor for this mechanical happiness. Why waist spiritual life to pursuit a mechanical happiness? "sukha is nothing but the enjoyement of a feeling". (happiness is also a kind of disturbance in the mind. In nyaya, happiness is counted among the 21 types of misery) League Of Devotees

masoor dal has lot of protiens (excess) it is considered like meat.it makes a person to much passionate.sastra say it also makes a person sexually agitated.what i am saying is not my opinion ,its there in the sastra and the current achraya of the gaudiya vaisnava tradition Srila Prabhupada is giving the guidelines what has to be taken what not if on want to progress spritualy.if one want to make scientific reseach he can do it .he will definitely reach the same conclusion.better to hear from the acharyas sabda praman and follow them.rather then using our own little limited inteligence.

Radha Kripa Kataksha SHRI RADHA KRIPA KATAKSHA – The PRAYER FOR THE MERCIFUL SIDELONG GLANCE OF SHRI RADHA (by Lord Shiva from the Urdhvamnaya-tantra) 12. makhesvari kriyesvari svadhesvari suresvari tri veda bharatisvari pramana sasanesvari ramesvari ksamesvari pramoda kananesvari vrajesvari vrajadhipe sri radhike namo stu te O Goddess Supreme, who presides over all sacrifices, rites and oblations and over the hosts of demigods and saintly persons. O Goddess Supreme, who provides the force to the Vedic utterances and to all arguments of law and logic; O Supreme Mistress of Laksmi and Bhu; O Queen of the celestial gardens of delight; Queen of Vraja, O Sovereign Mistress of Vrndavana, Srimati Radhika, I prostrate before Thee! League Of Devotees

Srimati Radharani is the Supreme Goddess. She is most always seen with Lord Krishna. It is described that She is the Chief Associate and devotee of Lord Krishna, and topmost of all Goddesses. Her name means the She is the most excellent worshiper of Lord Krishna. However, She is also an expansion of the Lord's energy. Since She is also an extension of Krishna, She is the feminine aspect of God. Thus, in the Gaudiya Vaishnava tradition, God is both male and female. They are One, but Krishna expands into two, Himself and Radharani, for the sake of divine loving pastimes. If They remained as One, then there is no relationship, there are no pastimes, and there can be no dynamic exchange of love. (Caitanya-caritamrita, Adi-lila, 4.55-56) Actually, if we all remained merged or amalgamated into one single force or light, then there is no further need of anything else. There certainly would be no need for the material manifestation to provide the innumerable conditioned souls with the means to seek out the way to satisfy their senses, minds, emotions, desires for self-expression, intellectual pursuits, and on and on. So, similarly, the spiritual world is the manifestation wherein all souls have the opportunity to engage in a multitude of pastimes in loving relationships in full spiritual variety, without the many hindrances we find in this material world. The only difference is that the spiritual world is centered around the Supreme Being. And that Supreme Personality has expanded Himself into Radharani for exhibiting the supreme loving relationship, in which so many others assist Them. In the Brihad-Gautamiya Tantra, Radharani is described as follows: devi krishna-mayi prokta radhika para-devata sarva-lakshmi-mayi sarva kantih sammohini para "The transcendental goddess Srimati Radharani is the direct counterpart of Lord Sri Krishna. She is the central figure for all the goddesses of fortune. She possesses all the attractiveness to attract the all-attractive Personality of Godhead. She is the primeval internal potency of the Lord." To explain further, Srimati Radharani is also the source of the other goddesses, who are expansions of Her. Just as Lord Krishna is the source of all other expansions and incarnations of God, Radharani is the source of all other expansions of the energies of God, the shaktis, or other goddesses. Thus, Vishnu, Rama, even Shiva are all expansions of the one Supreme Being, and similarly Lakshmi, Sita, and even Durga are all expansions of this Supreme Feminine form of God, Radharani. It is explained that the beloved consorts of Lord Krishna are of three kinds, namely the goddesses of fortune or Lakshmis, His queens, and the milkmaids of Vraja called the gopis. All of them proceed from Radharani. The Lakshmis are partial manifestations, or plenary portions, of Srimati Radharani, while the queens in Vaikuntha and in Dvaraka are reflections of Her image. The Vraja-devis or gopis are Her expansions and assist in the increase of rasa, or the divine loving pastimes. Among them there are many groups that have various sentiments and moods, which help Lord Krishna taste the sweetness of the rasa dance and other pastimes. (Cc.Adi-lila. 4. 75-81) "Among the gopis of Vrindavana, Srimati Radharani and another gopi are considered chief. However, when we compare the gopis, it appears that Srimati Radharani is most important because Her real feature expresses the highest ecstasy of love. The ecstasy of love experienced by the other gopis cannot be compared to that of Srimati Radharani." (Ujjvala-nilamani 4.3 of Srila Rupa Gosvami) League Of Devotees

League Of Devotees SOME TEACHINGS BY SRILA PRABHUPADA ON GRIHASTHA ASRAMA spiritual advancement at home “No need to change from family life” As for detachment from children, wife and home, it is not meant that one should have no feeling for these. They are natural objects of affection. But when they are not favorable to spiritual progress, then one should not be attached to them. The best process for making the home pleasant is Krishna consciousness. If one is in full Krishna consciousness, he can make his home very happy, because this process of Krishna consciousness is very easy. One need only chant Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare/ Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare, accept the remnants of foodstuffs offered to Krishna, have some discussion on books like Bhagavad-gita and Srimad-Bhagavatam, and engage oneself in Deity worship. These four things will make one happy. One should train the members of his family in this way. The family members can sit down morning and evening and chant together Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare/ Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare. If one can mold his family life in this way to develop Krishna consciousness, following these four principles, then there is no need to change from family life to renounced life. But if it is not congenial, not favorable for spiritual advancement, then family life should be abandoned. One must sacrifice everything to realize or serve Krishna, just as Arjuna did. Arjuna did not want to kill his family members, but when he understood that these family members were impediments to his Krishna realization, he accepted the instruction of Krishna and fought and killed them. In all cases, one should be detached from the happiness and distress of family life, because in this world one can never be fully happy or fully miserable. --Bg 13.8-12, purport “Grihastha is not bad” So material life means nidraya hriyate naktam. At night they want to sleep as much as possible or, those who have got facility, then they utilize sex life. Nidraya hriyate naktam vyavayena ca, vyavayena means sex. Vayah, in this way wasting time. The whole twelve hours or ten hours, wasted. And during daytime, diva carthehaya rajan, diva ca artha ihaya: “Where is money? Where is money?” Just like in your country, from early in the morning, 5:30, the road is congested. People are going to work. Why? For seeking money, money, money, money. Diva carthehaya rajan. Then when he gets money, “Let’s spend it for sense gratification, for family maintenance.” So in this way materialistic person waste their time day and night. Where is time? Ask any materialistic person, ‘Why don’t you come to our temple, sir? Why don’t you hear Bhagavad-gita?” “We have not time.”Because they’re wasting time in that way. You see? So this is the materialistic life. And spiritualistic life means that one should be trained up as brahmacari. Then regulated life in grihastha, regulated life. Grihastha is not bad. Family life is not bad. Therefore it is called grihastha-asrama. Asrama means..., this very word is meant where the spiritual cultivation is practiced. That is called asrama. So it may be household life, it may be renounced order of life, it may be brahmacari, student’s life, or retired life. The spiritual culture must be there. That is human civilization. If there’s no spiritual culture, that is not human society. That is animal society. The cats and dog, they have no spiritual culture. --Class on Srimad-Bhagavatam 2.2.5, New York, March 5, 1975 “Family life is not condemned” According to the Vedic system, one has to forcibly give up family life at the age of fifty. One must go. There is no alternative. The first twenty-five years are for student life. From age five to age twenty-five, one should be educated very nicely in Krishna consciousness. The basic principle of one’s education should be Krishna consciousness, nothing else. Then life will be pleasing and successful, both in this world and in the next. A Krishna conscious education means one is trained to give up material consciousness altogether. That is perfect Krishna consciousness. But if the student is unable to capture the essence of Krishna consciousness, then he is allowed to marry a good wife and live a peaceful householder life. And because he has been trained in the basic principles of Krishna consciousness, he will not entangle himself in the material world. One who lives simply—plain living and high thinking—can make progress in Krishna consciousness even within family life. So family life is not condemned. But if a man forgets his spiritual identity and simply becomes entangled in material affairs, then he is lost. His life’s mission is lost. If one thinks, “I cannot protect myself from the attack of sex desire,” then let him be married. That is prescribed. But don’t have illicit sex. If you want a girl, if you want a boy, get married and live in Krishna consciousness. A person who is trained in Krishna consciousness from childhood naturally becomes disinclined toward the material way of life, and at the age of fifty he gives it up. How does he start giving it up? The husband and wife leave home and travel together on pilgrimage. If from twenty-five to fifty one remains in family life, one should have some grown-up children. So at age fifty the husband entrusts the family affairs to some of his sons who are family men, and he and his wife go on pilgrimage to the holy places in order to forget family attachments. When the gentleman is completely matured in detachment, he asks his wife to go home to their children, and he remains alone. That is the Vedic system. We have to give ourselves a chance to progress in spiritual life, step by step. Otherwise, if we remain attached to material consciousness throughout all our days, we will not perfect our Krishna consciousness, and we shall miss the opportunity of this human form of life. So-called happy family life means that we have a very loving wife and loving children. Thus we enjoy life. But we do not know that this enjoyment is false, that it is resting on a false platform. At once, in the twinkling of an eye, we may have to give up this enjoyment. Death is not under our control. From the Bhagavad-gita we learn that if one dies while too much attached to one’s wife, the result will be that in his next life he will have the body of a woman. And if the wife is very attached to her husband, she will get a man’s body in her next life. Similarly, if you are not a family man but are attached to a cat or dog, then your next life will be as a cat or dog. These are the laws of karma, or material nature. The whole point is that one should begin Krishna consciousness immediately. Suppose one thinks, “After finishing my sporting life, when I am old and there is nothing else to do, then I shall go to the Krishna consciousness Society and hear something.” Certainly at that time one can take up spiritual life, but what is the assurance that one will live to an old age? One may die at any time; so postponing one’s spiritual life is very risky. Therefore one should take the opportunity now to advance in Krishna consciousness. That is the purpose of this Society: to give everyone a chance to begin Krishna consciousness at any stage of life. And by the process of chanting Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare/ Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare, advancement is very quick. There is an immediate result. --Transcendental Teachings of Prahlada Maharaja “If you remain as family man there is no harm” Yan maithunadi-grihamedhi-sukham hi tuccham. This happiness of the grihamedhi, family attachment... Family you can utilize, grihastha. If you are inconvenienced to accept sannyasa or brahmacari life, remain in household life, but the purpose is the same, to develop Krishna consciousness. If one is in the family life and is trying to advance in Krishna consciousness, he is called grihastha, and his family life is called grihastha-asrama. Just like sannyasa-asrama. Asrama means where there is activities, spiritual. That is called asrama. So if you remain as grihastha or family man, there is no harm. But utilize for advancement of Krishna consciousness. Then you are grihastha. And if you do not know that, if you simply remain a family man for satisfying your senses and begetting children up to the point of death, that is called grihamedhi. These two words. Apasyatam atma-tattvam griheshu grihamedhinam. So one should not be grihamedhi. One may become grihastha. That is the difference. --Class on Srimad-Bhagavatam 6.1.24, Chicago, July 8, 1975 “We never condemn family life” Prabhupada: So, there will be good community. How the Egyptian people are? Prithu-putra: They’re really a nationalistic type of persons. Prabhupada: That is everywhere. Prithu-putra: But I never noticed like this anywhere else. And they’re really attached to family life, even more than in India. Prabhupada: Accha? Prithu-putra: Oh, yes. Prabhupada: They have got nice family? Prithu-putra: Oh, yes. They have nice family, and they have many children. And the man is working, and the woman stay home and prepare food, taking care... Prabhupada: That is Indian culture. Prithu-putra: Yes, it’s exactly like in India. But their family attachment is so strong that it is..., it will be very difficult to have devotees out of them. Prabhupada: No, no, why you should dissuade them from family life? That is not our... Prithu-putra: No, I’m not doing that. I know. Prabhupada: Let them remain, family life, but understand what is Krishna consciousness. That’s all. We never condemn family life. Chant Hare Krishna anywhere. That’s all. --Room Conversation, January 30, 1977, Bhubaneshwar “You must be responsible” Indian man (5): Srila Prabhupada, is it better for grihasthas to be self-supporting and living outside the temple? Like somebody working all day and following the regulative principles? Prabhupada: Temple is meant for rendering service to the Lord. So if anyone is rendering service to the Lord, he can live. But not for sense gratification. Those grihasthas who still have desire for sense gratification, they may live outside. Indian man (5): What about the grihastha’s duty toward his family, like looking after his family and children? In India, like when you have a daughter you have to get her married and... Prabhupada: Yes, when you have accepted family life, you must be responsible to carry out. Not that I become family man all of a sudden I give up everything. No, that is not wanted. But if one is actually advanced, he can give up everything. He has no more duty. Indian man (5): But the question comes up that you have given a vow against fire at the time of marriage that the husband will look after the wife and the family. Then how does that fit in when you leave the family all of a sudden? Is there not a responsibility to... Prabhupada: No no, not all of a sudden. All of a sudden..., generally you have to discharge the duties of family life, and at the ripe age, when everything is settled up, then you give up the family. Indian man (5): Is it right that all the responsibility should be cleared up before... Prabhupada: You cannot clear up all the responsibility. Therefore up to fiftieth year. After that, whatever is done, that’s all. (Sanskrit) But our philosophy is there is no question of giving up this or taking up that. Simply take to Krishna consciousness. Wherever you remain, it doesn’t matter. Either in family life or... Indian man (5): In the vanaprastha asrama, after fifty years of age, what is the duty? Is it to live in the temple, or devote most of time to Krishna, or where the wife comes in then? Prabhupada: Temple you should live always. Even if in family life, you must come to the temple. Temple worship is for everyone. --Morning Walk, June 21, 1976, Toronto “The grihastha’s concern is to get out of the family life created by illusion” TRANSLATION He gives heart and senses to a woman, who falsely charms him with maya. He enjoys solitary embraces and talking with her, and he is enchanted by the sweet words of the small children. PURPORT Family life within the kingdom of illusory energy, maya, is just like a prison for the eternal living entity. In prison a prisoner is shackled by iron chains and iron bars. Similarly, a conditioned soul is shackled by the charming beauty of a woman, by her solitary embraces and talks of so-called love, and by the sweet words of his small children. Thus he forgets his real identity. In this verse the words strinam asatinam indicate that womanly love is just to agitate the mind of man. Actually, in the material world there is no love. Both the woman and the man are interested in their sense gratification. For sense gratification a woman creates an illusory love, and the man becomes enchanted by such false love and forgets his real duty. When there are children as the result of such a combination, the next attraction is to the sweet words of the children. The love of the woman at home and the talk of the children make one a secure prisoner, and thus he cannot leave his home. Such a person is termed, in Vedic language, a grihamedhi, which means “one whose center of attraction is home.” Grihastha refers to one who lives with family, wife and children, but whose real purpose of living is to develop Krishna consciousness. One is therefore advised to become a grihastha and not a grihamedhi. The grihastha’s concern is to get out of the family life created by illusion and enter into real family life with Krishna, whereas the grihamedhi s business is to repeatedly chain himself to so-called family life, in one life after another, and perpetually remain in the darkness of maya. --SB 3.30.8 League Of Devotees

League Of Devotees "SRI" IS BASICALLY A NOUN & IS ALSO USED AS AN ADJECTIVE. According to Sanskrit Dictionary, "Sri" as a noun, means Srimati Radharani, Laxmidevi, wealth, opulence, beauty, fame, knowledge, strength, any virtue or excellence etc. etc. Also "Sri" as an adjective means splendid, radiant, adorning (decorated) etc. So when "Sri" is used for Visnu Tattva, it can be taken both as a noun and an adjective. But whenever it is used for the jiva tattva, it is used as an adjective. "SRILA" IS AN ADJECTIVE OF THE NOUN "SRI" "Sri-la" means one who possesses wealth (i.e rich), opulence, beauty etc.etc. "Sri" also means the three Vedas. So "Srila" means learned personality who knows the three Vedas. "Sri" means Srimati Radharani. "Srila" means one who possesses the lotus feet of Srimati Radharani is his heart. "Sri" is the name of one of the six ragas or musical modes.(masculine) "Srila" means expertise in music, especially in the "Sri" raga. League Of Devotees

every thing in this material world in under the 3 modes of nature.even the food we eat is in the 3 modes of nature .mode of goodness is called sattva guna,mode of passion is called raja guna ,mode of ignornce is called tama guna .in the sastra it is said that food in the mood of passion and ignorance should not be offered to the supreme lord.because one should offer the best food stuff to the lord.so onion,garlic,raddish.masoor dal are all food stuff in mode of ignorance.AS devotees eat on those thing that is offered to the lord ,they should avoid the above food stuf. gaurav League Of Devotees for more information on this topic you can mail me,or if you are in india you can call me.

League Of Devotees Forbidden foods: Fish, meat, wine, onions, garlic, masur dhal, burned rice. radish, white eggplant, hemp, citron and saps from trees, buffalo and goat‑milk products. mahisam varjayen mahyam ksiram dadhi ghrtam yadi Buffalo milk, yoghurt and ghee should not be offered to me. Varaha Purana alabur vartulakara vartaki dugdha varnika dugdhe ca lavanam dattva sadyo gomamsa bhaksanam Round alabu, white eggplant and milk with salt in it should be rejected as if they were cow meat. yatra madyam tatha mamsam tatha vrntaka mulake nivedayen naiva tatra harer aikantiki ratih Where liquor, meat, eggplant and radish are offered, loving devotion to the Lord does not reside. Yamala Vacanam Vinegar is not good; it is tamasic, in the darkness, nasty food. letter from Srila Prabhupada, Mar.24, 1969 Ice cream purchased from the market may not be offered. letter from Srila Prabhupada Oct.21, 1968, Seattle Frozen foods,...are not bad, but if they are twice‑ boiled, they should not be used. letter from Srila Prabhupada July 5, 1968, Los Angeles Unpolished rice which looks like brown can be used. We do not mind polished or unpolished but doubly‑boiled (siddha rice) must not be used. Doubly boiled rice is considered impure. Sun baked rice (atapa) is all right. letter from Srila Prabhupada, Oct.17, 1967 Soya beans and lentils are unoffereable. verbal instruction of Srila Prabhupada to Srila Hrdayananda Goswami Regarding purchasing things in the market, these items are considered as purified when we pay the price for them. That is the general instruction. But when we know something is adulterated, we should avoid it. ...Things that are suspicious should be avoided. letter from Srila Prabhupada, Oct 21, l968 Offerable foods: Vilva, amlaki, jujub, dates, coconut, jack fruit, grapes, tal fruit, lotus root, leaf vegetables, cow milk products, items made from grains, ghee and sugar. Rice, barley, wheat sesame, mung, urad should be offered with ghee. Rice without ghee is considered asuric. The Lord is pleased by items made of ghee sugar, yoghurt, chick peas, dhals, guda, honey, by soups, varieties of cakes, and items which can be licked, chewed, sucked or drunk. They offered pungent preparations made with black pepper, sweet and sour preparations, ginger, salty preparations, limes, milk, yogurt, cheese, two or four kinds of spinach, soup made with bitter melon, eggplant mixed with nimba flowers (bitter), and fried patola. CC Antya v.3.p.261 Foodstuffs in the modes of goodness are wheat , rice, pulse (beans and peas), sugar, honey, butter and all milk preparations, vegetables, flowers, fruits, grains. So these foods can be offered in any shape, but prepared in various ways by the intelligence of the devotees. letter from Srila Prabhupada Nov.13, 1968, Los Angeles If chocolate is not an intoxicant, it can be offered to the deities. letter from Srila Prabhupada, June 8, 1975 Sugar cane juice, yogurt drinks, sweetened lemon water, water flavored with cinamon, camphor or cardamom, fruit drinks of various scents and colors may be offered. Permissible foods which are considered delicacies by the local people or are preferred by ones family and oneself should be offered. Permissible foods which are without taste, not tasty, inedible, impure for any reason, or eaten by insects, animals, or people should not be offered. If variety of items is unavailable, fruit alone is sufficient. If fruit is unavailable edible herbs may be offered. If herbs are unavailable, pure water may be offered, meditating upon the items. If water is unavailable the items should be offered in the mind. Preparation: Just as one must select pure, excellent foods to offer to Krsna, so also one must prepare them purely. Thus usually only a vaisnava is allowed in the kitchen: avaisnavanam annam ca patitanam tathaiva ca anarpitam tatha visnau sva mamsa sadrsam bhavet Food (especially grains) which are cooked by non vaisnavas, by sinful people, or which has not been offered to Visnu, is the same as dog meat. Everything should be very respectfully and cleanly presented and prepared. In Jagannatha Puri, the Lord eats 56 times. So the Lord can eat as many times as you can offer. But the only thing is, whatever is offered must be with respect and devotion. letter from Srila Prabhupada, Montreal June 16, 1968 As far as possible we should not offer to the deity things which are prepared by non‑devotees. We can accept from them raw fruits, grains or similar raw things. Cooking and preparing should be strictly limited to the initiated devotees. letter from Srila Prabhupada, Oct.21, 1968, Seattle As far as possible non‑initiated devotees may not enter the kitchen or deity area. They can help from outside. Just take care of them so that they may become pure devotees. letter from Srila Prabhupada, April 4, 1971 Unless one is initiated he cannot cook. One must be regular disciple then he can do deity worship. There is no question of the outsiders cooking in the New Delhi temple. letter from srila Prabhupada, Gopal Krsna das, July 11, 1976 In the kitchen you should always see that nothing is wasted. letter from Srila Prabhupada, Upendra das, Nov.10, 1975 If in the cooking process food falls on the floor, if it is raw and can be washed nicely, then it can be offered. But if it is prepared and cannot be washed, then it is not to be offered, but can be eaten rather than be wasted. letter from Srila Prabhupada, Dec.25, 969 .Food which has been offered should never be put back into The refrigerator with unoffered foods, or brought back into the kitchen. ...Refrigerator should always be very clean and pure. ....If there is any food extra, that should be kept separately, not within the kitchen.... ...No one should wear shoes within the kitchen. There is ample place to eat so why should one eat in the kitchen? Kitchen should be considered as the Lord's room.... Smelling and tasting of foods being prepared for the Lord should never be done. Talking within the kitchen should be only what is necessary for preparing the prasadam or about the Lord. Dirty dishes should not be brought back into the kitchen but if there is no other place to wash them, then they should be put into the sink and washed immediately). Hands should always be washed when preparing prasadam. Nothing should be eaten before offering to the Lord. In this way everything shall be prepared very cleanly and purely. What is the difficulty of enforcing these rules? They are rules, and they are simple rules, and must be followed. One must be prepared to follow the rules for Krsna. Otherwise where is the proof that he loves Krsna. letter from Srila Prabhupada June 16, 1968, Montreal It is advisable that food being offered to the Deity be covered when take from the kitchen to the deity room, In that way others may not see. Those who are not accustomed to following the advanced regulative devotional principles may desire to eat the food and that is an offense. CC madhya ch. 4.p.63 Method of Offering: The principle behind service to Krsna is to approach through the spiritual master, for then there is no possibility of committing offense to Krsna. For this reason worship of guru is performed before worshipping Krsna in daily puja. The safest method of worship is to give everything to the spiritual master to offer on our behalf. Thus, in offering bhoga to the Lord the simplest method is to offer it to the spiritual master and request him to offer it to the Lord. Since one must approach Radha and Krsna through Lord Caitanya, the offering may goes through Lord Caitanya to Radha and Krsna. Simply by chanting the prayer to the spiritual master everything will be complete. letter from Srila Prabhupada, May 1965 Berkeley The custom is to offer the foodstuff first to the spiritual master. We cannot do anything directly. The spiritual master accepts the offering on behalf of his disciple and offers the same to Krsna. After Krsna's eating, the spiritual master eats it, and then the devotees take it as mahaprasad. This is the system. Everything is offered to the spiritual master first, with the prayer "nama om visnupadaya...." letterfromSrila Prabhupada, Jadurani, Feb.15, 1968 You may say the prayer to the spiritual master three times,,, and also after offering to spiritual master, offer to Lord Caitanya by saying the prayer "namo maha vadanyaya..." three times and then offer to Krsna thrice (namo brahmanya devaya). letter from Srila Prabhupada, Mar 22, 1968 Whatever is offered to the deity actually goes through the spiritual master. The spiritual master offers to Lord Caitanya, and Lord Caitanya offers it to Krsna. Then Radha Krsna eat or Jagannatha eats, then Caitanya Mahaprabhu eats, then the spiritual master eats, and it becomes mahaprasadam. So when you offer something, you think like that and chant the gayatri mantra and then everything is complete. At last, ring the bell,take out the plate and wipe the place where the plate was kept. letter form Srila Prabhupada, New Vrndavana, June 16, 1969 League Of Devotees

yes some more quotes are there on my blog under the same topic League Of Devotees

League Of Devotees Teachings of Queen Kunti: Chapter Four :Approaching Krsna, the All-pervading Truth The worship of the Deity of Krsna in the temple is also direct contact with Govinda. Sri-vigraharadhana-nitya-nana-srngara-tan-mandira-marjanadau (Sri-gurvastaka 3). The vigraha, the Deity of Krsna, appears by Krsna's mercy. Because Krsna is alaksya, invisible, He becomes visible to give us the facility to see Him. It is not that Krsna is stone, wood, or metal. Krsn'a is always Krsna, but because we cannot see anything beyond material elements like wood, stone, and metal, He appears in a form made of these elements. But He is neither wood, metal, nor stone. When we associate with the Deity, we associate with Krsna personally. Because Krsna is invisible, He very kindly takes a form that is visible to us. This is Krsna's mercy. Do not think, "Oh, here is a stone Krsna." Krsna is everything, and therefore Krsna is stone also, but He is not the kind of stone that cannot act. Even in the form of stone or metal, Krsna can act as Krsna, and one who worships the Deity will perceive that. Svayam eva sphuraty adah. The Deity, although apparently stone, may speak with a devotee. There are many instances in which this has happened. I am very pleased, therefore, when my disciples nicely dress the Deity, offer the Deity nice foodstuffs, and keep the temple very clean. Sri-mandira-marjanadau. Marjana means "cleansing." Whether one dresses Krsna or cleanses the temple, the spiritual benefit one receives is the same. Don't think, "I am only a cleanser, and he is a dresser." No, the person who is dressing the Deity and the person who is cleansing the temple are the same because Krsna is absolute. Therefore, one should engage in Krsna's service in any way, and one's life will be successful. This is the Krsna consciousness movement. Prabhupada's Lectures Srimad-Bhagavatam 1972 720530SB.LA Magnanimous. And the most magnanimous is Lord Caitanya. Namo maha-vadanyaya krsna-prema-pradayate. Magnanimous. Giving krsna-prema, which is very rare. Krsna says, manusyanam sahasresu kascid yatati siddhaye. It is very difficult to understand what is Krsna, and Lord Caitanya is distributing Krsna like anything. Therefore maha-vadanyaya, magnanimous. Mild. Mild and meek. Clean. Always cleanliness. Because you have surpassed the stage of brahminical life. Therefore, must be very clean. By taking bath, by washing cloth, keeping the kitchen very clean, everything clean. Temple... Tan-mandira-marjanadisu. Sri-vigraharadhana-nitya-nana-srngara-tan-mandira-marjanadau. The temple should be bright always, clean. Prabhupada's Lectures Srimad-Bhagavatam 1973 730428SB.LA We should supply by which He can enjoy. Just like if somebody gives me a new dress, so I say: "Oh, it is a new dress. Very nice." So that is my enjoyment. Similarly if you satisfy Krsna daily a very gorgeous dress... Just like today I see it is very nice... This kind of dress should be supplied to Krsna. First-class clothing, first-class... Everything first-class. No third-class thing for Krsna. All first-class. The gopis must be first class, the dress must be first-class, the eating foodstuff must be first-class, the sitting place must be first-class, more than first-class. That is called: sri vigraharadhana nitya nana srngara tan mandira marjanadau. Cleansing the temple as clean as glass, always. Everyone remarks this that our temples are very clean. Yes. Temple means must be very clean. The more you cleanse the temple, the more your heart becomes cleansed. This is the process. Prabhupada's Lectures Srimad-Bhagavatam 1976 761023SB.VRN Tapo divyam. To understand spiritual position, my spiritual position, Krsna's spiritual. So that is tapasya. These are the tapasyas. To rise early in the morning. That is also tapasya. Not that every day we have to ring bell--dung, dung, dung, dung--Get up! Get up! "No, I am sleeping." No, have to accept. These are the tapasyas. We cannot avoid. If we actually want to avoid this body, working like cats and dogs, like animal, then we have to undergo tapasya. Very simple tapasya. In this age it is not possible that as big big saintly persons they go to the forest and undergo meditation in Himalaya mountain under the snow and so many... No food, no shelter, secluded place, there are so many animals. That kind of tapasya is not possible in this age. You remain. We have constructed big big nice building. But because the building is there you simply come here as free guest and make life very easy for eating and sleeping. That is not tapasya. That is not tapasya. You must be very careful how to keep the temple very cleanse, yourself clean, worshiping the Deity. That is recommended. Sri-vigraharadhana-nitya-nana-srngara-tan-mandira- marjanadau. This is also tapasya. If you cannot read, if you cannot do any other thing, so try to keep the temple, every corner of this temple is Krsna. Don't think that only Krsna is here in the temple room. No. Krsna is everywhere. Especially this temple where Krsna live. Every part of this temple, every part of is Krsna. Otherwise why it is recommended tan-mandira marjanadisu? This is tapasya. You should always remain engaged doing something for Krsna. Don't think this is very first-class, this is last- class. No. Advaya-jnana. Krsna and Krsna's temple the same thing. Don't think that "Oh, I am given this work to cleanse the temple and that man is given this work to worship the Deity." There is no difference. Aradhya bhagavan vraj tad dhama vrndavanam. As Krsna is aradhya, worshipable, similarly His dhama, His place, this Vrndavana, is also worshipable, As good as Krsna. What to speak of temple. Whole Vrndavana. Prabhupada's Lectures Caitanya-caritamrta 1976 760817CC.HYD So this temple, do not think that it is Hyderabad place. No. It is Goloka Vrndavana. You should be very careful. Aradhya bhagavan vraje ta naya tad dhaman vrndavana.. As Krsna is worshipable, similarly His place is also worshipable. Not that His place is different from Him. No. Visvanath Cakravarti Thakur says sri vigraharadhana-nitya-nana-srngara-tan-mandira- marjanadau. As the worship of the Deity is important, similarly sri-vigraharadhana-nitya-nana-srngara-tan-mandira-marjanadau. keep the temple very cleansed, very attractive #-hat is also Deity worship. Those who are here working, they should keep this temple as clean as possible. Then Krsna will be satisfied. Krsna's body, this temple. Do not think it otherwise. Temple should be worshiped in that way. Therefore I ask you not to come with shoes. Even the temple is not opened. It's still Krsna's temple. It is not different from Krsna. Sri-vigraharadhana-nitya-nana-srngara. should always remember that. The temple management very nicely means to render service to Krsna. So we are going to open this temple. Those who are in charge, they must take care of the temple. Cleanliness. Tan-mandira-marjanadau. The more we have got men, engage them. And do not think that temple cleaning and Deity worshiping are different. Do not be envious that this person has been given the in charge of decorating the Deity and I have given to wash the temple where there are not Deity. No. It is the same thing. There is no difference. It is spiritual. spiritual, Just like either you worship Krsna's lotus feet or you offer a garland to Krsna on His head, it is the same thing. Prabhupada's Lectures General - 1977 770204AR.CA Yes.(Bengali) So this is the duty of all disciples under the guidance of the spiritual master, to decorate. Sri vigraharadhana-nitya-nana-srngara. Srngara means decoration. Amongst the various paraphernalia of worshiping the Lord, the srngara is very essential, Srngara and tan-mandira-marjanadi, and cleansing the temple. The more you cleanse the temple, the more you decorate the Deity, more your heart becomes cleansed and you become spiritually decorated. So cleanliness is next to godliness. And after cleansing, taking bath regularly, keeping the temple very neat and clean and worshiping the Deity, dressing, decorating, ornamenting. These are the general process. So if we follow the process regularly, then we gradually become advanced in spiritual consciousness, material world and spiritual world. Material world means dirty things and spiritual world means clean. So the living entities, they are called tatastha-sakta. Parasya saktir vividhaiva sruyate. Room Conversation Melbourne, May 22, 1975 750522RC.MEL So keep yourself always engaged in the service of the Lord. Sri-vigraharadhana-nitya-nana-srngara-tan-mandira-marjanadau. Sri-vigraharadhana, this arcana process, beginning from mangala-aratrika up to the sayam-aratrika, everything should be done very nicely. And the temple should be made very clean. Tan-mandira-marjanadau. To dress the Deity is as much important as to cleanse the temple also, not that temple will remain dirty, simply you are dressing the Deity. No. Everything within the temple should be kept very, very neat and clean. And the more you keep the temple neat and clean, you will be neat and clean within your heart. And then your understanding will be very easy. We cannot understand Krsna because our heart is piled up with many garbages. That we have to cleanse. Then it will be easy to understand Krsna. So I am very much pleased that we have secured this nice building. Keep it very neat and clean and go on chanting. many more quotes by Srila Prabhupada on cleanliness and various other topic can be read at: League Of Devotees

League Of Devotees By Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura Aspiring devotees should first take shelter of the lotus feet of a bona fide guru. Without taking shelter of a guru, one cannot achieve anything auspicious. There are two types of people—one has developed intelligence and one has undeveloped intelligence. Those whose intelligence is undeveloped are absorbed in the so-called happiness of this world. If by chance they get the association of a mahajana, then they also become intelligent. Then they consider, “How unfortunate I am! I'm always engaged in sense gratification. I'm passing my days hankering for material enjoyment.” This initial association with a great soul is also called association with the guru by hearing. By good fortune, at this time faith is awakened. When faith is awakened, one endeavors for devotional service. Then it is essential for one to take shelter of the lotus feet of a guru. In this way by good fortune persons with undeveloped intelligence become intelligent and take shelter of the lotus feet of a guru. What type of guru one should take shelter of is explained in the sastras. One who has conquered the six enemies beginning with lust, one who is pure, one who performs devotional service on the path of raga, one who is brahminical, one who knows the clear path of the Vedas, one who sadhus can respect as guru, one who is able to control the senses, one who is merciful to all living entities, one who is cultured, one who is without duplicity, and one who is truthful—this type of householder is fit to be a guru. All these qualities are considered in two ways. The principle quality of a guru is attachment to Krsna and detachment for what is not related with KsNa. All other qualities are secondary. That is why Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu has said in the Caitanya-caritamrta (Madhya 8.127): kiba vipra, kiba nyasi, sudra kene naya yei krsan-tattva-vetta, sei `guru' haya “Whether one is a brahmaNa, a sannyasi, or a sudra regardless of what he is he can become a spiritual master if he knows the science of Krsna.” If one possess this principle symptom of a guru, then he is eligible to be guru even though he lacks one or two secondary symptoms. Being a brahmana and being a householder are counted as secondary symptoms. It is good if a person possesses these two secondary symptoms along with the principle qualification. But those who are defective in the principle symptom are unqualified to be guru even though they possess the other two. As stated in Sri Padma Purana: mahabhagavata srestho brahmano vai gurur nanam sarvesam eva lokanam asau pujyo yatha harih mahakula prasuto `pisarva yajshesu diksitah sahasrasakhadhyayi ca na guruƒ syad avaisnavah “Among all human beings the brahmaNa who is a maha-bhagavata, or great devotee, is topmost and qualified as guru. He is as worshipable as Lord Hari. A non-Vaisnava is never fit to be guru even if he has taken birth in a great family, performed all sacrifices, and studied many branches of the Vedas.” After finding a qualified guru, a faithful disciple should serve him with firm conviction and without duplicity. One should accept initiation and krsna-mantra after pleasing the guru. Those who are averse to taking initiation and only make a drama of pseudo-kirtana while advertising themselves as Vaisnavas certainly cheat themselves. It is not the duty of materialistic persons to renounce the process of initiation because a few great souls like Jada Bharata did not take initiation. Initiation is a constitutional injunction for every birth of the living entity. If initiation is not seen in the life of a perfected soul, it should not be taken as an example. General rules are not changed because something happens to a particular person in a special situation. Sri Dhruva Maharaja went to Dhruvaloka in his material body; seeing that, should one waste time hoping for the same? The general rule is a living entity gives up his material body and goes to Vaikuntha in his spiritual body. General rules should be accepted by people in general. Whenever and whatever is desired by the Lord, who is full of inconceivable potencies, that only happens. Therefore we should never transgress the general rules. After pleasing the guru by serving him without duplicity, one should receive from him instructions on the Absolute Truth and initiation into chanting the holy name of the Lord. After receiving initiation and instructions from a bona fide guru, a fortunate disciple should follow the path of the previous sadhus. Those who are proud neglect the previous mahajanas and create new paths. As a result, they soon proceed on their inauspicious path and ruin themselves. It is said in the Skanda Purana: sa magyaƒ sreyasaˆ hetuh panthah santapa-varjitah anavapta-sramam purve yena santah pratasthire “One should strictly follow the easy path which the previous mahajanas have accepted. That path bestows great auspiciousness and is devoid of all misery.” By discussing the path of the previous sadhus, one gets determination, courage, and satisfaction. When we discuss the path of devotional service exhibited by Sri Rupa, Sri Sanatana, Sri Raghunatha, and Sri Haridasa µhakura, then we feel such happiness that it cannot be described. When the miscreant Mohammedans tortured Haridasa µhakura, he said: khanda khanda hai' deha yaya yadi prana tabu ami vadane na chadi hari-nama e saba jivere krsna! karaha prasada mora drohe nahu e sabara aparadha “Even if my body is cut into pieces and I loose my life, I will never give up chanting the Lord's holy name. O Krsna, please be merciful upon these poor souls, kindly excuse them for their offense of torturing me.” Maintaining this type of determination and being compassionate to all living entities while always chanting the holy name of Krsna is the path of devotional service exhibited by the previous mahajanas. A path cannot be manufactured. Whatever path is there should be accepted by sadhus. Those who are proud and want fame try vigorously to discover new paths. Those who have good fortune from past lives give up pride and respect the established path. Those who are unfortunate promenade on a new path and thus cheat the world. League Of Devotees

League Of Devotees May Sri Yamuna, the daughter of Suryadeva, who saves one from having to enter the city of her brother Yamaraja, the sight of whom enables the most sinful persons to cross the ocean of sin, and the sweetness of whose water charms the hearts of everyone, always purify me. May Sri Yamuna, the daughter of Suryadeva, who decorates the great Khandava forest with a stream of pleasant waters, who is filled with lotus flowers and dancing birds, and who blinds the terrible sins of they who desire to bath in her, always purify me. May Sri Yamuna, the daughter of Suryadeva, a drop of whose water destroys the sinful reactions of the people, who creates a great flood of confidential pure devotional service to Sri Nandanandana, and who brings auspiciousness to they who desire to live on her shore, always purify me. May Sri Yamuna, the daughter of Suryadeva, who divides the seven oceans and seven continents, who witnessed many of Lord Mukunda's transcendental pastimes, and whose splendor rebukes a host of sapphires, always purify me. May Sri Yamuna, the daughter of Suryadeva, who is decorated by the beautiful district of Mathura, who expertly protects they who follow the path of loving devotional service, and who with the playful motions of the waves that are her arms offers respectful obeisances to Padmanabha's feet, always purify me. May Sri Yamuna, the daughter of Suryadeva, whose charming shores are decorated with many lowing cows, who is filled with many splendid and fragrant kadamba flowers, and who is delighted to have the company of Lord Krsna's devotees, always purify me. May Sri Yamuna, the daughter of Suryadeva, who is filled with the warblings of thousands of joyful mallikaksa swans, who is worshiped by the Vaisnavas, devas, siddhas, and kinnaras, and the slightest scent of the fragrant breeze moving on whose shores stops the cycle of repeated birth and death, always purify me. May Sri Yamuna, the daughter of Suryadeva, who is the famous, splendid, spiritual river flowing through the Bhur, Bhuvah and Svar planetary systems, who burns away the greatest sins, and who is fragrant with scented ointments from Lord Krsna's transcendental body, always purify me. O lotus eyed one, O daughter of Suryadeva, O rescuer from all sins, please flood with pure devotional service that person who, reciting these eight prayers with a cheerful heart, glorifies you, whose waves are pure and splendid, and who is accompanied by the demigods. League Of Devotees: PRAYERS TO JAMUNA

League Of Devotees For acquiring transcendental knowledge, the Vedas (sabda-pramana) is the only effective means. The Vedas inform us about the soul's existence beyond the body, about the planets of the spiritual world, and about the Supreme Lord, His pastimes, and other matters. All these subjects are beyond the reach of our sensory and mental faculties. Without the method of sabda, such philosophers as the Buddhists who do not accept the Vedas cannot justifiably say anything positive about transcendence, let alone the way to attain it. Sabda-pramana is so important that although Vaishnavas count Lord Buddha among the incarnations of the Lord on the strength of Vedic testimony, they reject His philosophy because it was not based on sabda-pramana. All orthodox schools of philosophy in India, whether monistic or dualistic, consider the Vedas apaurusheya, not written by any mortal being. Many modern scholars, however, dispute the divine origin of the Vedas. . They suggest various dates for the composition of the Vedas, and while most of them agree that the Vedas were composed before 1500 B.C., they disagree about the exact time of their composition. They have yet to arrive at a definitive conclusion. Here Srila Jiva Gosvami says that the Vedas are beginningless and are the source of various kinds of knowledge coming down through many schools of thought since time immemorial. The phrase sarva-purusha, ``all persons" indicates that the knowledge was passed on not only by human beings but also by superhuman beings, such as the demigods and divine sages. These traditions of thought all originate with the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is infallible in all respects and thus completely untainted by the four human defects. Moreover, Srila Jiva Gosvami has already shown (in Text 9) how unreliable are the alternatives to the Vedic authority. If, as he has established, only apaurusheya-sabda can give access to transcendental reality, how could the Vedas then have been written or compiled by human beings? If Jiva Gosvami allowed that human authors composed the Vedas, he would be contradicting his own previous dismissal of human knowledge as imperfect . Those who contest the apaurusheya origin of the Vedas, claiming that they are human compilations have no proof of their invalidity. They refuse to consider the Veda's own statements about its origin and purpose. They merely assume the Veda's are not authoritative and speculate about its true origin. Their motive is clear, for accepting the Vedic version would put an end to the speculative philosophical tradition; it would oblige them to accept the Vedic description of ultimate reality. On account of being too attached to the speculative or ascending method of knowledge, however, such scholars and philosophers rather insist that the Vedas are of human origin, regardless of their inability to produce any proof of their claim. Indeed the theory of the Vedas having a human composer is a recent development advocated by persons who did not come in disciplic succession. They were mostly outsiders who refused to believe that India had much of importance to offer the world in the realm of philosophy and who had their own motive for minimizing the Vedic traditions-namely, their eagerness to convert India to Christianity. They certainly were not impartial judges of the Vedas' origin. For lack of any definitive proof of the invalidity or the divine origin of the Vedas, and in light of the many reasonable arguments for the Vedas' divine origin, we should reject the possibility of human authorship.The senses of humans cannot approach an inconceivable object, and thus it is not even theoretically possible that the Vedas could have been composed by human beings. League Of Devotees

League Of Devotees The most important business in the time of death is to remember Krsna. The person who is dying at the time of death, in most cases can not decide what he should do. Because that time his will does not function. Therefore those who are around him should look at the point to remind him about krsna. Therefore, they should chant the Hare Krsna Mahamantra or play a tape of Hare Krsna Mahamantra. One should put a picture of the deities of the Lord in front of him. "Ante Narayana Smriti". At the time of death one must remember Sri Krsna. And if he can do that then his life will be successful, that is he will become free from the bondage of birth and death and go back to the Spiritual sky. The other considerations also. Tilak should be put in 12 places of his body. One should make sure that the tulasi neck beed is tied around his neck. When tulasi mala is in contact with his neck then Yamadutas can not come near him. Just by wearing a kanthi mala, a tulasi neck beed around our neck the door to the abode of Yamaraj becomes closed. It will also be nice to put tulasi leaves on the forehead and chest. At the time of death one feels very thirsty so it is advised that Ganga water or Yamuna water is given to him. The dust from the holy dham also can be put in his body and a few specs of dust can also be given to him in his mouth. After death the body should be bathed and after drying the body tilak should be marked on 12 centers of his body. Then the body should be dressed with new clothes and flowers and sandal wood paste and agar can be smeared in the body. Tulasi leaves can be placed on the forehead and chest. At the time of cremation it is preferable to put tulasi wood because it has been advised in the scriptures that if the body is burned with the contact of tulasi then the spirit souls derives spiritual benefit. After cremation the ash, mainly the naval where all the nerves shrink in and make a sort of a ball should be thrown in the Ganges or Yamuna. If possible Ganges water should also be thrown on the ash in the crematorium. According to the karma kanda section after death one gets a ghost body. Therefore close relatives like the sons should perform shraddhya in order to release the soul from the ghost body. According to that understanding the Brahmanas should perform shraddhya on the 11Th day, kshatriyas on the 13th day, vaishyas on the 16th day and the shrudyas on the 31st day, and after that every month on the tithi of his death shraddhya should be performed and after one year another shraddhya should be performed. In Lokeshvak shraddhya the relative must offer charity generously and feed learned and pure Brahmannas. When the shraddhya is performed in Gaya then the forefathers become specially pleased. This karmakandya shraddhya do not advise service to Hari and his devotees. Therefore, according to the vaisnava understanding this is nothing but deception to the self and the mass of people. In Satkiya Sar Dipika, a book written by Sri Jiva Goswami, it has been mentioned "When Lord Narayan is worshipped then all the Demi-Gods, sages, living entities become perfectly satisfied. In Visnu Jamala also it has been mentioned that by worshipping Krsna all the Demi-Gods, forefathers, sages, rulers of different planets, sun, moon and other planets become satisfied. In Srimad Bhagavad also it has been mentioned that just as by watering the root of the tree its branches, leaves, flowers and fruits becomes watered and just as by putting food in the stomach the whole body and senses become strong, similarly just by worshipping Arcyuta everyone becomes satisfied. In Hari Bhakti Vilas, a book written by Srila Sanatana Goswami, the procedure of shraddhya has been described - On the day of shraddhya food stuff must be first offered to the Supreme Personality of Godhead Sri Hari, and then with his remnant the shraddhya should be performed. In Visnu Purana also it has been mentioned when the fore fathers shraddhya is performedd with Maha Prasad that produces endless result. Skandha Purana also mentioned those who worship Kesava for the benefit of their forefathers need not even need to perform shraddhya in Gaya. When Hari is worshipped for the benefit of someone then those persons become free from their sufferings in hell and attain the position in the Spiritual sky. In Visnu Dharma also it has been mentioned - without first offering to the Supreme Personality of Godhead if anything is offered to the forefathers then it is an offense and one must atone for that. The Vaisnavas should be fed on the shraddhya. League Of Devotees

League Of Devotees From the Mahabharata, Anusasana Parva, Sections LXXXIII - LXXVII - LXXVI Bhishma said: No sacrifice can be performed without the aid of curds and ghee (clarified butter). The very character of sacrifice which sacrifices have, depends upon ghee. Hence ghee (or, the cow from which it is produced) is regarded as the very root of sacrifice. Cows have been said to be the limbs of sacrifice. They represent sacrifice itself. Without them, there can be no sacrifice. With their milk and the Havi produced therefrom, they uphold all creatures by diverse acts. Cows are guileless in their behaviour. From them flow sacrifices and Havya and Kavya, and milk and curds and ghee. hence cows are sacred. Afflicted by hunger and thirst, they bear diverse burdens. Cows support the Munis (sages). Among all objects mobile and immobile, the mobile are superior. Among mobile creatures Brahmanas are superior. The sacrifices are all established upon them. It is by sacrifice that Soma (nectar) is got. Sacrifice has been established upon cows. ( For without ghee or clarified butter, which is produced from milk, there can be no sacrifice). The gods become gratified through sacrifices. It is from the cows that the means have flowed of the sustenance of all the worlds. They yield Soma (nectar) in the form of milk. Cows are auspicious and sacred, and grantor of every wish and givers of life. They who make gifts of cows, and who subsist upon the remnants of things offered as libations on the sacred fire, are regarded, as always performing sacrifices of every kind. Of all kinds of gifts, the gift of cows is applauded as the highest. Cows are the foremost of all things. Themselves sacred, they are the best of cleansers and sanctifiers. People should cherish cows for obtaining prosperity and even peace. Cows are said to represent the highest energy both in this world and the world that is above. There is nothing that is more sacred or sanctifying than cows. One should never feel any repugnance for the urine and the dung of the cow. Note: The Rishis (ascetic seers) discovered that the magnetism of the cow is something that is possessed of extraordinary virtues. Give the same kind of food to a cow and to a horse. The horse-dung emits an unhealthy stench, while the cow-dung is an efficacious disinfectant. There can be little doubt that the urine and dung of the cow possess untold virtues. Vyasa said: Cows are sacred. They are embodiments of merit. They are high and most efficacious cleansers of all. One should for three days drink the hot urine of the cow. For the next three days one should drink the hot milk of the cow. Having thus drunk for three days hot milk, one should next drink hot ghee for three days. Having in this way drunk hot ghee for three days, one should subsist for the next three days on air only. Vasishtha said: By bathing in water mixed with cow-dung, people shall become sanctified. The deities and men, shall use cow-dung for the purpose of purifying all creatures mobile and immobile. One can sit on dried cow dung. One should never eat the flesh of cows. One should never show any disregard for cows in any way. If evil dreams are seen, men should take the names of cows. One should never obstruct cows in any way. Cows are the mothers of both the Past and the Future. Cows have become the refuge of the world. It is for this that cows are said to be highly blessed, sacred, and the foremost of all things. It is for this that cows are said to stay at the very head of all creatures. Every morning, people should bow with reverence unto cows. Cows are the best Havi for the deities. The Mantras called Swaha and Vashat are forever established in cows. Sacrifices are established in the cows. Cows constitute the fruit of sacrifices.Cows are the future and the past, and Sacrifices rest on them. Morning and evening cows yield unto the Rishis, Havi for use in Homa (sacred fire ceremony). Cows are always fragrant. The perfume emanated by the exudation of the Amytis agallochum issues out of their bodies. Cows are the great refuge of all creatures. Cows constitute the great source of blessing unto all. (Swastayana is a ceremony of propitiation, productive of blessing and destructive of misery of every kind). Cows are the source of eternal growth. Cows are sacred. They are the foremost of all things in the world. They are verily the refuge of the universe. They are the mothers of the very deities. They are verily incomparable. Cows are the mothers of the universe. There is no gift more sacred than the gift of cows. There is no gift that produces more blessed merit. Vyasa said: Cows constitute the stay of all creatures. Cows are the refuge of all creatures. Cows are the embodiment of merit. Cows are sacred and blessed and are sanctifiers of all. One should never, in even one's heart, do an injury to cows. One should, indeed, always confer happiness on them. Living in a pure state, in the midst of cows, one should mentally recite those sacred Mantras that are known by the name of Gomati, after touching pure water. By doing this, one becomes purified and cleansed. Brahmanas of righteous deeds, who have been cleansed by the knowledge, study of the Vedas, and observance of vows, should, only in the midst of sacred fires or cows or assemblies of Brahmanas, impart unto their disciples a knowledge of the Gomati Mantras which are every way like unto a sacrifice (for the merit they produce). One should observe a fast for three nights for receiving the boon constituted by a knowledge of the import of the Gomati Mantras. The man who is desirous of obtaining a son may obtain one by adoring these Mantras. He who desires the possession of wealth may have his desire gratified by adoring these Mantras. The girl desirous of having a good husband may have her wish fulfilled by the same means. In fact, one may acquire the fruition of every wish one may cherish, by adoring these sacred Mantras. When cows are gratified with the service one renders them, they are, without doubt, capable of granting the fruition of every wish. Even so, cows are highly blessed. They are the essential requisites of acrifices. They are grantors of every wish. Know that there is nothing superior to cows. Cows are endued with the elements of strength and energetic exertion. Cows have in them the elements of wisdom. They are the source of that immortality which sacrifice achieves. They are the refuge of all energy. They are the steps by which earthly prosperity is won. They constitute the eternal course of the universe. They lead to the extension of one's race. Bhishma said: One should not, by imparting a knowledge of this ritual, benefit a person that is not one's disciple or that is not observant of vows or that is bereft of faith or that is possessed of a crooked understanding. Verily, this religion is a mystery, unknown to most people. One that knows it should not speak of it at every place. There are, in the world, many men that are bereft of faith. There are among men many persons that are mean and that resemble Rakshasas. This religion, if imparted unto them, would lead to evil. It would be productive of equal evil if imparted to such sinful men as have taken shelter in atheism. League Of Devotees