Puru Das Adhikari
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Posts posted by Puru Das Adhikari
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Darwin Prabhu,
Greetings.Ultimately our mental quantum will only be at peace or undisturbed when we come to realize our true self. Until then you may have to take other measures to help you to engage nicely in devotional service.
The four regulative principles of freedom, and the regulated practices of vaidhi bhakti will all assist anyone who is struggling with the mind. It is very clear from the Bg. that Krsna's instructions to Arjuna concerning control of his mind are meant for us. However if we are not on the liberated platform this can be theory, only jnana and not vijnana.
Therefore if you have a broken bone yo go the the orthopedist, a cavity you go t othe dentist. If you have sever mental imbalance you may simply need to go to a professional to get correct medication to help you keep balance. Disease, means dis ease. Not at ease, due to some problem in the air, bile or mucus of the body. Mental illness is can be a result of chemical imbalance in the brain or bad circultion of life air in the head.
Why not take assitance from some of the many "new age" groups around and see if they can reccomend any therapist or psychiatrist who is sensitive to the religious practices of others, and not just a pill pusher for the chemical companies. Good luck to you.
In the meantime, these forums are certainly good group therapy, and I am sure you will get many positive suggestions from the assembled devotees, how you can get help for solving your problem, immediate and ultimtely eternal.
ys
unclepuru
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You can also read some of his writing here:
http://bvml.org/SBSST/index.html
Here is a short biographical sketch:
Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura was born in the holy pilgrimage place of Jagannatha Puri to Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura, a great Vaisnava acarya in the line of succession coming from Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. Although employed as a government magistrate, Srila Bhaktivinoda worked tirelessly to establish the teachings of Lord Chaitanya in India. He envisioned a worldwide spiritual movement and prayed for a son to help him achieve his dream.
On February 6, 1874, in the sacred pilgrimage town of Jagannath Puri, where Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura served as superintendent of the famous Jagannatha temple, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta appeared in this world. He was given the name Bimala Prasada. At the age of seven, Bimala Prasada had memorized the more than seven hundred Sanskrit verses of the Bhagavad-gita and could speak illuminating commentaries upon them. Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura, the author of many important books and other writings on Gaudiya Vaisnava philosophy, trained his son in printing and proofreading.
By the time he was twenty-five years old, Bimala Prasada had acquired an impressive reputation as a scholar of Sanskrit, mathematics, and astronomy. His astronomical treatise, Surya-siddhanta, won him the title Siddhanta Sarasvati in recognition of his immense learning. In 1905, following the advice of his father, Siddhanta Sarasvati accepted spiritual initiation from Srila Gaurakishora dasa Babaji. Although Srila Gaurakishora dasa Babaji was illiterate, he was renowned throughout the continent as a great saint and Vaisnava acarya. Siddhanta Sarasvati, although a great scholar, exhibited humility and dedication in the presence of Srila Gaurakishora. Satisfied with such humility and dedication of his highly educated disciple, Srila Gaurakishora gave Siddhanta Sarasvati his full blessings and requested him to "preach the Absolute Truth and keep aside all other work." Upon the disappearance of Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura in 1914, Siddhanta Sarasvati became editor of his father's journal, Sajjana-tosani, and founded the Bhagawat Press for the publication of Gaudiya Vaisnava literature. In 1918 Siddhanta Sarasvati accepted the renounced order of spiritual life, assuming the title Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Goswami Maharaja. For purposes of propagating Gaudiya Vaisnavism throughout India, he organized the Gaudiya Math, with sixty-four branches throughout the country. The headquarters of his mission, the Chaitanya Gaudiya Math, is located in Sridhama Mayapura, the birthplace of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu.
Srila Bhaktisiddhanta adjusted ancient traditions to conform with technological and social conditions of the twentieth century. He considered the printing press a most effective means of spreading this message throughout the world and was himself the author of many important translations, commentaries, and philosophical essays. He was the first spiritual teacher in this line to allow his renounced preachers (sannyasis) to wear Western clothes and travel in modern conveyances rather that on foot. Throughout the 1930s, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta expanded and increased his missionary work and succeeded in reestablishing Gaudiya Vaisnavism as the leading force in Indian spiritual life.
On January 1, 1937, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura passed from this world.
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Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu instructed His disciples to write books on the science of Krsna, a task which His followers have continued to carry out down to the present day. The elaborations and expositions on the philosophy taught by Lord Caitanya are, in fact, the most voluminous, exacting, and consistent, due to the system of disciplic succession. Although Lord Caitanya was widely
renowned as a scholar in His youth, He left only eight verses, called Siksastaka. These eight verses clearly reveal His mission
and precepts. These supremely valuable prayers are translated
herein.
1
ceto-darpana-marjanam bhava-maha--davagni-nirvapanam
sreyah-kairava-candrika-vitaranam vidya-vadhu-jivanam
anandambudhi-vardhanam prati-padam purnamrtasvadanam
sarvatma-snapanam param vijayate sri-krsna-sankirtanam
Glory to the sri-krsna-sankirtana, which cleanses the heart of
all the dust accumulated for years and extinguishes the fire
of conditional life, of repeated birth and death. This
sankirtana movement is the prime benediction for humanity
at large because it spreads the rays of the benediction moon.
It is the life of all transcendental knowledge. It increases the
ocean of transcendental bliss, and it enables us to fully taste
the nectar for which we are always anxious.
2
namnam akari bahudha nija-sarva-saktis
tatrarpita niyamitah smarane na kalah
etadrsi tava krpa bhagavan mamapi
durdaivam idrsam ihajani nanuragah
O my Lord, Your holy name alone can render all benediction
to living beings, and thus You have hundreds and millions of
names, like Krsna and Govinda. In these transcendental
names You have invested all Your transcendental energies.
There are not even hard and fast rules for chanting these
names. O my Lord, out of kindness You enable us to easily
approach You by Your holy names, but I am so unfortunate
that I have no attraction for them.
3
trnad api sunicena
taror api sahisnuna
amanina manadena
kirtaniyah sada harih
One should chant the holy name of the Lord in a humble
state of mind, thinking oneself lower than the straw in the
street; one should be more tolerant than a tree, devoid of all
sense of false prestige, and should be ready to offer all
respect to others. In such a state of mind one can chant the
holy name of the Lord constantly.
4
na dhanam na janam na sundarim
kavitam va jagad-isa kamaye
mama janmani janmanisvare
bhavatad bhaktir ahaituki tvayi
O almighty Lord, I have no desire to accumulate wealth, nor
do I desire beautiful women nor do I want any number of
followers. I only want Your causeless devotional service,
birth after birth.
5
ayi nanda-tanuja kinkaram
patitam mam visame bhavambudhau
krpaya tava pada-pankaja-
sthita-dhuli-sadrsam vicintaya
O son of Maharaja Nanda (Krsna], I am Your eternal servitor,
yet somehow or other I have fallen into the ocean of birth
and death. Please pick me up from this ocean of death and
place me as one of the atoms at Your lotus feet.
6
nayanam galad-asru-dharaya
vadanam gadgada-ruddhaya gira
pulakair nicitam vapuh kada
tava nama-grahane bhavisyati
O my Lord, when will my eyes be decorated with tears of
love flowing constantly when I chant Your holy name? When
will my voice choke up, and when will the hairs of my body
stand on end at the recitation of Your name?
7
yugayitam nimesena
caksusa pravrsayitam
sunyayitam jagat sarvam
govinda-virahena me
O Govinda! Feeling Your separations I am considering a
moment to be like twelve years or more. Tears are flowing
from my eyes like torrents of rain, and I am feeling all vacant
in the world in Your absence.
8
aslisya va pada-ratam pinastu mam
adarsanan marma-hatam karotu va
yatha tatha va vidadhatu lampato
mat-prana-nathas tu sa eva naparah
I know no one but Krsna as my Lord, and He shall remain so
even if He handles me roughly by His embrace or makes me
brokenhearted by not being present before me. He is
completely free to do anything and everything, for He is
always my worshipful Lord, unconditionally.
Siksastakam
[This message has been edited by Puru Das Adhikari (edited 01-12-2002).]
-
Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu instructed His disciples to write books on the science of Krsna, a task which His followers have continued to carry out down to the present day. The elaborations and expositions on the philosophy taught by Lord Caitanya are, in fact, the most voluminous, exacting, and consistent, due to the system of disciplic succession. Although Lord Caitanya was widely
renowned as a scholar in His youth, He left only eight verses, called Siksastaka. These eight verses clearly reveal His mission
and precepts. These supremely valuable prayers are translated
herein.
1
ceto-darpana-marjanam bhava-maha--davagni-nirvapanam
sreyah-kairava-candrika-vitaranam vidya-vadhu-jivanam
anandambudhi-vardhanam prati-padam purnamrtasvadanam
sarvatma-snapanam param vijayate sri-krsna-sankirtanam
Glory to the sri-krsna-sankirtana, which cleanses the heart of
all the dust accumulated for years and extinguishes the fire
of conditional life, of repeated birth and death. This
sankirtana movement is the prime benediction for humanity
at large because it spreads the rays of the benediction moon.
It is the life of all transcendental knowledge. It increases the
ocean of transcendental bliss, and it enables us to fully taste
the nectar for which we are always anxious.
2
namnam akari bahudha nija-sarva-saktis
tatrarpita niyamitah smarane na kalah
etadrsi tava krpa bhagavan mamapi
durdaivam idrsam ihajani nanuragah
O my Lord, Your holy name alone can render all benediction
to living beings, and thus You have hundreds and millions of
names, like Krsna and Govinda. In these transcendental
names You have invested all Your transcendental energies.
There are not even hard and fast rules for chanting these
names. O my Lord, out of kindness You enable us to easily
approach You by Your holy names, but I am so unfortunate
that I have no attraction for them.
3
trnad api sunicena
taror api sahisnuna
amanina manadena
kirtaniyah sada harih
One should chant the holy name of the Lord in a humble
state of mind, thinking oneself lower than the straw in the
street; one should be more tolerant than a tree, devoid of all
sense of false prestige, and should be ready to offer all
respect to others. In such a state of mind one can chant the
holy name of the Lord constantly.
4
na dhanam na janam na sundarim
kavitam va jagad-isa kamaye
mama janmani janmanisvare
bhavatad bhaktir ahaituki tvayi
O almighty Lord, I have no desire to accumulate wealth, nor
do I desire beautiful women nor do I want any number of
followers. I only want Your causeless devotional service,
birth after birth.
5
ayi nanda-tanuja kinkaram
patitam mam visame bhavambudhau
krpaya tava pada-pankaja-
sthita-dhuli-sadrsam vicintaya
O son of Maharaja Nanda (Krsna], I am Your eternal servitor,
yet somehow or other I have fallen into the ocean of birth
and death. Please pick me up from this ocean of death and
place me as one of the atoms at Your lotus feet.
6
nayanam galad-asru-dharaya
vadanam gadgada-ruddhaya gira
pulakair nicitam vapuh kada
tava nama-grahane bhavisyati
O my Lord, when will my eyes be decorated with tears of
love flowing constantly when I chant Your holy name? When
will my voice choke up, and when will the hairs of my body
stand on end at the recitation of Your name?
7
yugayitam nimesena
caksusa pravrsayitam
sunyayitam jagat sarvam
govinda-virahena me
O Govinda! Feeling Your separations I am considering a
moment to be like twelve years or more. Tears are flowing
from my eyes like torrents of rain, and I am feeling all vacant
in the world in Your absence.
8
aslisya va pada-ratam pinastu mam
adarsanan marma-hatam karotu va
yatha tatha va vidadhatu lampato
mat-prana-nathas tu sa eva naparah
I know no one but Krsna as my Lord, and He shall remain so
even if He handles me roughly by His embrace or makes me
brokenhearted by not being present before me. He is
completely free to do anything and everything, for He is
always my worshipful Lord, unconditionally.
Siksastakam
[This message has been edited by Puru Das Adhikari (edited 01-12-2002).]
-
Originally posted by Bhaktavasya:
Puru, I don't see the connection with the Manu Samhita and the laws in the Koran. Could you give you personal view on the subject?
God is one, guru is one and religion is one. Simply there are different manifestations of the same according to time and circumstance, and according to the capacity of the audience to receive the divine message and the method of approaching the divine couple. In the introduction to his Sri Krsna Samhita,(which I posted a segment of) Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura explains in some detail how the theological history of the planet culminated in the appearnce of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Pure devotees see events of this world from the eternal perspective, and the Thakura is giving an overview which includes the different sectarian faiths that have also manifest over time, and how they connect to the 5 rasas of the spiritual realm,goloka vrndavana.
While there is no specific reference as to how the Manu Samhita and the Koran are connected, we can understand that the Koran was written by Mohammed in his samadhi bhasya. He was illiterate otherwise, yet he offered this scripture for his followers to adhere to ,to make gradual progress towards bhakti. Lord Jesus did the same thing in his sermons. Such shyaktavesa avataras are directly empowered by the Supreme Lord to preach according to time and circumstance and often give the masses of people sub religious principles ( a sin Lord Buddha's case), mode of goodness instructions (as in Lord Jesus' preaching) or religiosity of some kind (Mohammed taught basic morality) so that they can progress toward a sinless life and in future come in contact with bhakti.
The Thakura also writes in one of his essays,
Non Sectarian Vaisnava Dharma,
http://bvml.org/SBTP/nsvd.html that as vaisnavas, or aspiring devotees, we should not criticise or reject other religious practices. That these practices are there by the will of the Supreme Lord so that jiva souls can make gradual progress towards him.
He says in this article:
Actually religious principles followed by people in general are different only due to the different qualifications of the
practitioners, but the constitutional religious principles of all living entities are one. It is not proper for swanlike persons to reject the religious principles that people in general follow according to
their situation."
If you read his entire piece,
Non Sectarian Vaisnava Dharma,
http://bvml.org/SBTP/nsvd.html
you will get a god feeling for his broad minded approach to religion, even though he was an eternally liberated nitya-siddha manjari himself, Kamala manjari.
Actualy in hs Sri Krsna samhita introduction
[ Sri Krsna Samhita is SBT's commentary on what he considered the most important slokas of the Srimad Bhagavatam. It is one of his earlier books]
the Thakura explains how the conflict between the demons and the daivas (devotees) started with the sacrifice of Daksa and his conflict with Lord Siva and has manifested in other way afterward to diminish the influence of the demigods on this planet.
This is all part of the Lords grand plan for kali yuga. Krsna has His grand plan to deliver all the jiva souls and ultimately for this age He wanted to offer the world the highest understanding of Radha and Krsna thorugh the appearance of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu.
In the same way that there are so many preliminary events in the Mahabharata leading up to the 5th chapter, all took place so that Lord Krsna could enact his plan to give the Bhagavad-gita. In the same way so many events (explained in SBT's introduction to Sri Krsna Samhita) are explained in connection to the ultimate appearance of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu and the offering to the jiva's of his Sikshastakam, which embody the highest understanding eternal.
So the connection of the Koran to the Manu Samhita must be there in a subtle if not gross way, as Mohammed is part of Krsna's plan as was Manu. That is how I see it, since you asked.
I'll post the shikastakam if you like and you can refer to them.
[This message has been edited by Puru Das Adhikari (edited 01-12-2002).]
-
Originally posted by Bhaktavasya:
Puru, I don't see the connection with the Manu Samhita and the laws in the Koran. Could you give you personal view on the subject?
God is one, guru is one and religion is one. Simply there are different manifestations of the same according to time and circumstance, and according to the capacity of the audience to receive the divine message and the method of approaching the divine couple. In the introduction to his Sri Krsna Samhita,(which I posted a segment of) Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura explains in some detail how the theological history of the planet culminated in the appearnce of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Pure devotees see events of this world from the eternal perspective, and the Thakura is giving an overview which includes the different sectarian faiths that have also manifest over time, and how they connect to the 5 rasas of the spiritual realm,goloka vrndavana.
While there is no specific reference as to how the Manu Samhita and the Koran are connected, we can understand that the Koran was written by Mohammed in his samadhi bhasya. He was illiterate otherwise, yet he offered this scripture for his followers to adhere to ,to make gradual progress towards bhakti. Lord Jesus did the same thing in his sermons. Such shyaktavesa avataras are directly empowered by the Supreme Lord to preach according to time and circumstance and often give the masses of people sub religious principles ( a sin Lord Buddha's case), mode of goodness instructions (as in Lord Jesus' preaching) or religiosity of some kind (Mohammed taught basic morality) so that they can progress toward a sinless life and in future come in contact with bhakti.
The Thakura also writes in one of his essays,
Non Sectarian Vaisnava Dharma,
http://bvml.org/SBTP/nsvd.html that as vaisnavas, or aspiring devotees, we should not criticise or reject other religious practices. That these practices are there by the will of the Supreme Lord so that jiva souls can make gradual progress towards him.
He says in this article:
Actually religious principles followed by people in general are different only due to the different qualifications of the
practitioners, but the constitutional religious principles of all living entities are one. It is not proper for swanlike persons to reject the religious principles that people in general follow according to
their situation."
If you read his entire piece,
Non Sectarian Vaisnava Dharma,
http://bvml.org/SBTP/nsvd.html
you will get a god feeling for his broad minded approach to religion, even though he was an eternally liberated nitya-siddha manjari himself, Kamala manjari.
Actualy in hs Sri Krsna samhita introduction
[ Sri Krsna Samhita is SBT's commentary on what he considered the most important slokas of the Srimad Bhagavatam. It is one of his earlier books]
the Thakura explains how the conflict between the demons and the daivas (devotees) started with the sacrifice of Daksa and his conflict with Lord Siva and has manifested in other way afterward to diminish the influence of the demigods on this planet.
This is all part of the Lords grand plan for kali yuga. Krsna has His grand plan to deliver all the jiva souls and ultimately for this age He wanted to offer the world the highest understanding of Radha and Krsna thorugh the appearance of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu.
In the same way that there are so many preliminary events in the Mahabharata leading up to the 5th chapter, all took place so that Lord Krsna could enact his plan to give the Bhagavad-gita. In the same way so many events (explained in SBT's introduction to Sri Krsna Samhita) are explained in connection to the ultimate appearance of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu and the offering to the jiva's of his Sikshastakam, which embody the highest understanding eternal.
So the connection of the Koran to the Manu Samhita must be there in a subtle if not gross way, as Mohammed is part of Krsna's plan as was Manu. That is how I see it, since you asked.
I'll post the shikastakam if you like and you can refer to them.
[This message has been edited by Puru Das Adhikari (edited 01-12-2002).]
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From Moses to Mahaprabhu
by Srila Saccidananda Bhaktivinoda Thakura
http://bvml.org/SBTP/fmtm.html
"If the reader carefully considers, it will be found that the spiritual science gradually evolved from
ancient times and became more simple, more clear and more condensed. The more impurities
arising from time and place are removed, the more the beauties of the spiritual science brightly
shine before us. This spiritual science took birth in the land of kusha grass on the banks of the
Sarasvati river in Brahmavarta. As it gradually gained strength, this spiritual science spent its
childhood in the abode of Badarikashram, which is covered with snow. It spent its boyhood in
Naimisharanya on the banks of the Gomati river and its youth on the beautiful banks of the Kaveri
river in the province of Dravida. The spiritual science ayyained maturity in Navadvip, on the banks
of the Ganges, which purifies the universe.
By studying the history of the world, it is found that the spiritual science reached its peak in
Navadvip. The Supreme Absolute Truth is the only object of love for the living entities. Unless
one worhips Him with attachment, however, the living entity can never attain Him. Even if a
person gives up all affection for this world and thinks of the Supreme Lord, He is still not easily
achieved. He is controlled and attained by transcendental mellows alone. These mellows are of
five types - shanta, dasya, sakya, vatsalya and madhurya.
The first mellow, shanta, is the stage in which the living entity surpasses the pains of material
existence and situates himself in transcendence. In that state there is a little happiness, but no
feeling of independence. At that time the relationship between the practitioner and the Lord is not
yet established.
Dasya rasa is the second mellow. It contains all the ingradients of shanta rasa as well as affection.
"The Lord is my master, and I am His eternal servant". This type of relationship is found in dasya
rasa. No one cares much for any of the best things of this world unless they are connected with
affection. Therefore dasya rasa is superior to shanta rasa in many ways.
Sakya is superior to dasya. In dasya rasa there is a thorn in the form of awe and reverence, but
the main ornament in sakya rasa is the feeling of friendship in equality. Among the servants, one
who is a friend is superior. There is no doubt about it. In sakya rasa all the wealth of shanta and
dasya is included.
It is easy to understand that vatsalya is superior to sakya. A son gives more affection and
happiness than any friend. Therefore in vatsalya rasa we find the wealth of four rasas. Although
vatsalya rasa is superior to these other rasas, it appears insgnificant before madhurya rasa. There
may be many secrets unknown between father and son, but this not the case between husband
and wife. Therefore, if we deeply consider, it will be seen that all the above-mentioned rasas attain
perfection within madhurya rasa.
If we go through the histories of these five rasas, it is clearly understood that shanta rasa was seen
in the beginning days of India. When the soul was not satisfied after performing sacrifices with
material ingredients, then transcendentalists like Sanaka, Sanatana, Sanat-kumara, Sananda,
Narada and Lord Shiva all became detached from the material world, situated in transcendence
and realized shanta rasa. Much later, dasya rasa manifested in Hanuman, the servant of Sri
Ramachandra. That same dasya rasa gradually expanded in the northwest and manifested in a
great personality named Moses.
In the age of Dvapara, Uddhava and Arjuna became the qualified authorities of sakhya rasa. They
preached this rasa throughout the world. Gradually tha rasa expanded up to the Arabian countries
and touched the heart of Mohammed, the knower of religious principles.
Vatsalya rasa manifested throughout India in different forms at different times. Among the different
forms, vatsalya mixed with opulence crossed India and appeared in a great personality named
Jesus Christ, who was a preacher of Jewish religious principles.
Madhurya rasa first shone brightly in Braj. It is extremely rare for this rasa to enter the hearts of
conditioned souls, because this rasa tends to remain with qualified, pure living entities. This
confidential rasa was preached by Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, the moon of Navadvipa, along with
His followers.
Till now, this rasa has not crossed beyond India. Recently a scholar from England named
Newman realized something about this rasa and wrote a book about it. The people of Europe and
America have not been satisfied with vatsalya rasa mixed with opulence as preached by Jesus
Christ. I hope, by the grace of the Lord, in a very short time they will become attached to drinking
the intoxicating nectar of madhurya rasa.
It has been seen tha any rasa that appears in India eventually spreads to the western countries,
therefore madhurya rasa will soon be preached throughout the world. Just as the sun rises first in
India and gradually spreads its lights to the West, the matchless splendor of spiritual truth appears
first in India and gradually spreads to the Western countries."
Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura
-
From Moses to Mahaprabhu
by Srila Saccidananda Bhaktivinoda Thakura
http://bvml.org/SBTP/fmtm.html
"If the reader carefully considers, it will be found that the spiritual science gradually evolved from
ancient times and became more simple, more clear and more condensed. The more impurities
arising from time and place are removed, the more the beauties of the spiritual science brightly
shine before us. This spiritual science took birth in the land of kusha grass on the banks of the
Sarasvati river in Brahmavarta. As it gradually gained strength, this spiritual science spent its
childhood in the abode of Badarikashram, which is covered with snow. It spent its boyhood in
Naimisharanya on the banks of the Gomati river and its youth on the beautiful banks of the Kaveri
river in the province of Dravida. The spiritual science ayyained maturity in Navadvip, on the banks
of the Ganges, which purifies the universe.
By studying the history of the world, it is found that the spiritual science reached its peak in
Navadvip. The Supreme Absolute Truth is the only object of love for the living entities. Unless
one worhips Him with attachment, however, the living entity can never attain Him. Even if a
person gives up all affection for this world and thinks of the Supreme Lord, He is still not easily
achieved. He is controlled and attained by transcendental mellows alone. These mellows are of
five types - shanta, dasya, sakya, vatsalya and madhurya.
The first mellow, shanta, is the stage in which the living entity surpasses the pains of material
existence and situates himself in transcendence. In that state there is a little happiness, but no
feeling of independence. At that time the relationship between the practitioner and the Lord is not
yet established.
Dasya rasa is the second mellow. It contains all the ingradients of shanta rasa as well as affection.
"The Lord is my master, and I am His eternal servant". This type of relationship is found in dasya
rasa. No one cares much for any of the best things of this world unless they are connected with
affection. Therefore dasya rasa is superior to shanta rasa in many ways.
Sakya is superior to dasya. In dasya rasa there is a thorn in the form of awe and reverence, but
the main ornament in sakya rasa is the feeling of friendship in equality. Among the servants, one
who is a friend is superior. There is no doubt about it. In sakya rasa all the wealth of shanta and
dasya is included.
It is easy to understand that vatsalya is superior to sakya. A son gives more affection and
happiness than any friend. Therefore in vatsalya rasa we find the wealth of four rasas. Although
vatsalya rasa is superior to these other rasas, it appears insgnificant before madhurya rasa. There
may be many secrets unknown between father and son, but this not the case between husband
and wife. Therefore, if we deeply consider, it will be seen that all the above-mentioned rasas attain
perfection within madhurya rasa.
If we go through the histories of these five rasas, it is clearly understood that shanta rasa was seen
in the beginning days of India. When the soul was not satisfied after performing sacrifices with
material ingredients, then transcendentalists like Sanaka, Sanatana, Sanat-kumara, Sananda,
Narada and Lord Shiva all became detached from the material world, situated in transcendence
and realized shanta rasa. Much later, dasya rasa manifested in Hanuman, the servant of Sri
Ramachandra. That same dasya rasa gradually expanded in the northwest and manifested in a
great personality named Moses.
In the age of Dvapara, Uddhava and Arjuna became the qualified authorities of sakhya rasa. They
preached this rasa throughout the world. Gradually tha rasa expanded up to the Arabian countries
and touched the heart of Mohammed, the knower of religious principles.
Vatsalya rasa manifested throughout India in different forms at different times. Among the different
forms, vatsalya mixed with opulence crossed India and appeared in a great personality named
Jesus Christ, who was a preacher of Jewish religious principles.
Madhurya rasa first shone brightly in Braj. It is extremely rare for this rasa to enter the hearts of
conditioned souls, because this rasa tends to remain with qualified, pure living entities. This
confidential rasa was preached by Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, the moon of Navadvipa, along with
His followers.
Till now, this rasa has not crossed beyond India. Recently a scholar from England named
Newman realized something about this rasa and wrote a book about it. The people of Europe and
America have not been satisfied with vatsalya rasa mixed with opulence as preached by Jesus
Christ. I hope, by the grace of the Lord, in a very short time they will become attached to drinking
the intoxicating nectar of madhurya rasa.
It has been seen tha any rasa that appears in India eventually spreads to the western countries,
therefore madhurya rasa will soon be preached throughout the world. Just as the sun rises first in
India and gradually spreads its lights to the West, the matchless splendor of spiritual truth appears
first in India and gradually spreads to the Western countries."
Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura
-
Originally posted by Krsnacandra dasa:
Haribol,
Does anyone know where I may find a copy of Prema-pradipa by Srila Bhaktivinode Thakur? Furthermore, who translates it into English? Thanks for any help.
Prema Pradipa
A Novel by Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura
was translated by Subhag Swami
Edited and Published by
Pundarika Vidyanidhi Das
Vrajraj Press
c/o ISKCON Vrndavana
It is likely to be available either from Krsna culture in Houston
Krishna Culture
P.O. Box 926337
Houston TX USA 7729
1-800-829-2579 (in the US) or
or at the lohi bazaar from Rasbiharilal & Sons (end of bazaar on the right opposite
Ganga Prasad cloth wallah)
or at the Krsna Balarama book store in Raman Reti Vrndavan
[This message has been edited by Puru Das Adhikari (edited 01-07-2002).]
-
Originally posted by dasanudas:
In the 'Books by Previous Acharyas' section
Maybe your eye sight is better than mine dasanudas, but I couldn't find a "Books by Previous Acharyas" section on this iskcon website from Belgium. Perhaps you can furnish the exact url for "Books by Previous Acharyas" so we can examine what is available. Srila Prabhupada has written in the Cc.Adi lila 1.117 in his purport:
"/. . . False devotees, lacking the conclusion of transcendental knowledge, think that artificially shedding tears will deliver them. Similarly, other false devotees think that studying books of the previous acaryas is unadvisable, like studying dry empiric philosophies. But Srila Jiva Gosvami, following the previous acaryas, has inculcated the conclusions of the scriptures in the six theses called the Sat-sandarbhas.] False devotees who have very little knowledge of such conclusions fail to achieve pure devotion for want of zeal in accepting the favorable directions for devotional service given by self-realized devotees. Such false devotees are like impersonalists, who also consider devotional service no better than ordinary fruitive actions."
Cc. Adi lila 1.117
So we are most anxious to obtain bona fide translations of our predecessor acaryas.
-
Originally posted by suryaz:
Does anyone know:
Where in the works of Bhaktivinoda Thakura can I find his views about:
1. proving the existence of the soul, or
2. lack of evidence to dis-prove the soul's existence either.
Jaiva Dharma is the most comprehensive summary of the teachings of Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura. It is one of his last books.
You can read the first two chapters of Srila Naryana Maharaj's translation here. He translated the orginal bengali of the
Thakura 's book into Hindi and his disciples have rendered it into english under his guidance.
http://www.bvml.org/SBNM/index.html
[This message has been edited by Puru Das Adhikari (edited 01-02-2002).]
-
Thank you very much for this nectar. Who did the translation of the article from the Gaudiya Patrika, and from where you obtained the articles of constitution?
-
Dandavats to one and all!!! All glories to Sri Guru and Gouranga.
I have in my possession, in 5 jpeg files, an original article, originally published in the 23rd year of the Sri Caitanya Vani magazine, in bengali. This article is entitled:
"Sri Prabhodananda Sarasvati and Sri Prakasananda Sarsvati" Are Not the Same Person."
It was authored by nitya lila pravistha om visnupada paramahamsa parivrajakacarya aaaottara sata sri Srila Bhakti Promode Puri Gosvami many years ago (more than 30). He lived in the Calcutta matha and his room there (his bhajan kutir) is still mantained by his disciples and the president acarya, His Divine Grace Srila Bhakti Ballabh Tirtha Gosvami Maharaj.
I was fortunate to spend three days during durga puja this year, Nov. 23-25th, taking His Divine Grace's association and hearing his hari-katha, nightly.
One devotee from the Gaudiya Vedanta Samiti had some doubt about Srila Bhakti Ballabh tirtha Gosvami Maharaj's earlier discussed remarks concerning why Sri Prabhodananda Sarasvati Thakura is not mentioned in the Sri Caitanya Caritamrta. So on his behalf and for my own education I inquired about the source of this information. His Divine Grace very kindly gave of his time and energy and researched the matter for me yet again. He read to me his orginal statement from his newly published book about Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu and his associates. He again explained that Prabhodananda Sarasvati Thakura, out of humility, instructed his disciple Srila Gopal Bhatta Gosvami( not to mention him in any subsequent writing. This same instruction ws understood through the heart by Srila Krsnadas Kaviraja Gosvami who wrote the Cc. Therefore this is one explanation why we do not read of Sri Prabhodananda Sarasvati Thakura in the Cc.
As I undertsand the matter this point does neither contradict or diminish other explanations of the same point by other gaudiya acaryas.
There is more than one tika (commentary) on the Bhagavat gita. There is more than one explanation of any one fact concerning Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu and His eternal associates. Sri Prabhodananda Sarasvati Thakura is accepted as Tungavidya manjari in Krsna lila and Gopala Bhatta Gosvami as
Guna manjari.
In fact when the brhat mrdunga of the Gaudiya Matha was at its pinnnacle (around 1935) Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura was publishing over 79 titles in five different langagues. Sri Srila Prabhupada, Nitya lila pravistha om visnupada parmahamsa parivrajakacarya astottara sata Sri Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarsavti Thakura, used to publish (in their original language) the Bhagavad-gita and commentary of Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti and also that of his siksa disciple Srila Baladeva Vidyabhusana. It was Sri Baladeva Vidyabhusana, (the defender of our sampradaya in Jaipura against the ramanandi's,) to whom my own beloved diksa guru, His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, dedicated his own translation and commentary, The Bhagavad-gita As It Is.
But back to the main point of my post:Later upon further inquiry by myself, Tamal Krsna das prabhu, Srla Bhakti Ballabh Tirtha Gosvami maharaj's private secretary explained that the source of his remarks in his book about the associates of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, concerning why Sri Prabhodananda Sarasvati Thakura is not mentioned in Sri Caitanya Caritamra came from an article by nitya lila pravistha. . .Srila Promode Puri Gosami. An original copy of the article was then provided to me and it is now in my possession. Anyone who wants to examine it can write to me at unclepuru@hotmail.com
and I will be happy to forward it to them] when I have time ( I hav ejust now returned from India and UK ont he 14th of Dec. and am flying to San Diego today) I will try to have this artricle translated by someone trsutworthy when I can and then put up in English on VNN and my website,
The Bhaktivedanta Memorial Libray, bvml.org.
asap.
The Sri Caitanya Vani magazine was the regular publication of the Sri Caitanya Gaudiya matha in Calcutta for many years.
nitya lila pravistha. . .Srila Promode Puri Gosvami lived and served there for alsmost 30 years.
The matha archives contains the original articles of many exalted vaisnavas.
your servant,
puru das adhikari, das anudas
n.b. Interestingly enough right next to the matha in Calcutta, for durga puja, the followers of Rabindra Tagore erected a replica of his house and the cue for this display was filled up every night till late in the early morning. One of SBSST's disciples, Srila Siddhanti Maharaj created a riot once in Bengal,when he called Tagore a donkey? Complaint was made about him to SBSST, who remarked, "finally I have a devotee who can preach." and he joined his disciple himself to add his transcendental support. That information is from Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayan Maharaj, the vice president of the Gaudiya Vedanta Samiti, and my beloved siksa guru and eternal friend.
[This message has been edited by Puru Das Adhikari (edited 12-17-2001).]
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Dandavats to one and all. I have in my possession (in the original bengali), in 5 jpeg files and article written by nitya lila pravistha astottara sata sri Srila Promode Puri Gosvami Maharaj. Published in the 23rd year of the Sri Caitanya Vani magazine, from his bhajana kutir in Calcutta, at the Sri Caitanya Gaudiya Matha. this article is directly on this topic. It is the source information for remarks about Srila Prabhodananda Sarsvati, summarized by His Divine grace Srila Bhakti Ballabh Tirtha Gosvami, in his new book about the associates of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. There is no doubt from this article that Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya and Srila Prabhodananda Sarasvati Thakura are different personalities.
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Gour Premanande!!!
-
bject:
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Originally posted by shvu:
Au contraire, the materialist is clear that he has no beliefs in para-normal stuff. So if anyone is under a delusion, it is the religious guy who is willing to believe in things without proof so long as it sounds exciting enough. The materialist at times, feels sorry for such people...sorry to see them being taken for a ride.
Cheers
Spare your pity. No one expects you to agree with Sri Krsna, especially His statements in the Bg. That is made very clear by SBSST in his remarks. After all since you didn't meet Lord Braham in the coffee shop this morning why bother to consider his Brahma-samhita? Your reaction is proof enough of the valdity of Sarasvati Thakur's observations about the materialistic demeanor which he says:
"
The materialistic demeanor cannot possibly stretch to the transcendental autocrat who is ever inviting the fallen conditioned souls to associate with Him through devotion or eternal serving mood. The phenomenal attractions are often found to tempt sentient beings to enjoy the variegated position which is opposed to undifferenced monism. People are so much apt to indulge in transitory speculations even when they are to educate themselves on a situation beyond their empiric area or experiencing jurisdiction. The esoteric aspect often knocks them to trace out immanence in their outward inspection of transitory and transformable things. This impulse moves them to fix the position of the immanent to an indeterminate impersonal entity, no clue of which could be discerned by moving earth and heaven through their organic senses/"
SBSST
[This message has been edited by Puru Das Adhikari (edited 07-23-2001).]
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Sri Krsna manifests his Bhauma lila eternally, somwhere in a material universe.
shvu, I don't expect you to accept SBSST's explanation necessarily, but since you asked here is some of his explanation of such phenomenon as the Lord's "birth."
Satyaraj please scroll past this post. Ignore what SBSST says. He is not speaking to you. Our acaryas were and are always filled with nothing but compassion and love for the jiva souls rotting in this external energy, devoid of spiritual realization. Jaundiced senses simply cannot appreciate the sweetness of rock candy.
I posted SBSST's article so Ananga and others can see that even the founder of 67 mathas understood the limitations of any institution without the presence of sadhu-sanga guidance.
SBSST is not your personal target to take pot shots at because of your personal dilemna. Your evaluations of him are tiresome, and only self dstructive. You no longer accept him then ignore him. If you persist in insulting him you will simply drag this discussion into the mud of vaisnava aparadha yet again. To what avail? To make yourself feel better about your rejection of his guru varga? Live with your decision. You don't need validation from cyberspace if you are acting on genuine realization anyway.
"Advaita means "indivisible truth who is knowledge absolute." Brahman, the infinite, emanates from Him as His effulgence and God-immanent (Paramatma) as His constituent; but nevertheless He remains one and indivisible. Acyuta means that though myriads of avataras emanate from Him as subjective portions and millions of jivas as separated spiritual particles, still He remains intact as the undivided whole of fullest perfection. Though He indulges in exhibiting the pastimes of births, etc., still He is without a beginning. Though He disappears after the pastimes of His appearance, still He is eternal. Though without origin, yet He is with an origin in His pastime of appearance; and although eternal in essence, He is still a person in the full bloom of youth. The sum and substance of it is that though He possesses diverse and apparently mutually contradictory qualities, still they are in universal harmonious concordance by dint of His unthinkable potency. This is what is meant by cid-dharma (transcendental nature) as distinguished from the material. His graceful threefold-bending form with flute in hand, possesses eternal blooming youth and is above all unwholesomeness that is to be found in limited time and space. In the transcendental realm there is no past and future but only the unalloyed and immutable present time. In the transcendental sphere there is no distinction between the object and its qualities and no such identity as is found in the limited mundane region. Hence those qualities that seem to be apparently contradictory in the light of mundane conception limited by time and space, exist in agreeable and dainty concordance in the spiritual realm. How can the jiva realize such unprecedented existence? The limited intellectual function of the jiva is always contaminated by the influence of time and space and is, therefore, not in a position to shake off this limitedness. If the potency of cognitive function does not extend to the realization of the transcendental, what else can? In reply. Brahma says that the transcendental Absolute is beyond the reach of the Vedas. The Vedas originate in sound and sound originates in the mundane ether. So the Vedas cannot present before us a direct view of the transcendental world (Goloka). It is only when the Vedas are imbued with the cit potency that they are enabled to deal with the transcendental. But Goloka reveals itself to every jiva-soul when he is under the influence of the spiritual cognitive potency joined to the essence of ecstatic energy. The ecstatic function of devotion is boundless and is surcharged with unalloyed transcendental knowledge. That knowledge reveals goloka-tattva (the principle of the highest transcendental) in unison with devotion, without asserting itself separately but as a subsidiary to unalloyed devotion."
SBSST
purport sloka 33 Braham-samhita
". . . All these arts manifesting their own eternal forms are ever visible in the region of Goloka as the ingredients of rasa; and, in the mundane sphere, they have been unstintedly exhibited in the pastimes of Vraja by the spiritual (cit) potency. Yogamaya. So Sri Rupa says, sadanantaih... santi tah, i.e., Krsna is ever manifest in His beauty with His infinite pastimes in Goloka. Sometimes the variant manifestation of those pastimes becomes visible on the mundane plane. Sri Hari, the Supreme Lord, also manifests His pastimes of birth, etc., accompanied by all His paraphernalia. The divine sportive potency fills the hearts of His paraphernalia with appropriate spiritual sentiments in conformity with the will of Krsna. Those pastimes that manifest themselves on the mundane plane, are His visible pastimes. All those very pastimes exist in their nonvisible form in Goloka beyond the ken of mundane knowledge. In His visible pastimes Krsna sojourns in Gokula, Mathura and Dvaraka. Those pastimes that are nonvisible in those three places, are visible in their spiritual sites of Vrndavana.
From the conclusions just stated it is clear that there is no distinction between the visible and nonvisible pastimes. The apostle Jiva Gosvami in his commentary on this sloka as well as in the gloss of Ujjvala-nilamani and in Krsna-sandarbha remarks that "the visible pastimes of Krsna are the creation of His cit (spiritual) potency. Being in conjunction with the reference to mundane function they exhibit certain features which seem to be true by the influence of the limiting potency (Maya); but these cannot exist in the transcendental reality. The destruction of demons, illicit paramourship, birth, etc., are examples of this peculiarity. The gopis are the extensions of the ecstatic energy of Krsna, and so are exceptionally His own. How can there be illicit connection in their case? The illicit mistress-ship of the gopis found in His visible pastime, is but the mundane reflection of the transcendental reality." The hidden meaning underlying the words of Sri Jiva Gosvami, when it is made explicit, will leave no doubt in the minds of the readers. Sri Jiva Gosvami is our preacher of transcendental truth. So he is always under the influence of Sri Rupa and Sanatana. Moreover in the pastimes of Krsna Sri Jiva is one of the manjaris. So he is conversant with all transcendental realities.
There are some who, being unable to understand the drift of his statements, give meanings of their own invention and indulge in useless controversies. Sri Rupa and Sanatana say that there is no real and essential distinction between the lilas visible and nonvisible, the only distinction lies in this that one is manifest in the mundane sphere whereas the other is not so. In the supermundane manifestation there is absolute purity in the seer and the seen. A particularly fortunate person when he is favored by Krsna, can shake off worldly shackles and connections, enter the transcendental region after attaining the realized taste of the varieties of rasa that is available during the period of novitiate. Only such a person can have a view and taste of the perfect and absolutely pure lila of Goloka. Such receptive natures are rarely to be found. He, who exists in the mundane sphere, can also realize the taste of cid-rasa by the grace of Krsna by being enabled to attain the realized state of service. Such a person can have a view of the pastimes of Goloka manifested in the mundane lila of Gokula. There is certainly a difference between these two classes of eligible seekers of the truth. Until one attains the perfectly transcendental stage he must be hampered by his lingering limitations, in his vision of the pastimes of Goloka. Again, the vision of the transcendental reality varies according to the degree of self-realization. The vision of Goloka must also vary accordingly.
It is only those fettered souls who are excessively addicted to worldliness that are devoid of the devotional eye. Of them some are enmeshed by the variegatedness of the deluding energy while others aspire after self-annihilation under the influence of centrifugal knowledge. Though they might have a view of the mundanely manifested pastimes of the Supreme Lord, they can have only a material conception of those visible pastimes, this conception being devoid of transcendental reality. Hence the realization of Goloka appears in proportion to eligibility due to the degree of one's self-realization. The underlying principle is this, that, though Gokula is as holy and free from dross as Goloka, still it is manifested on the mundane plane by the influence of the cit potency. Yogamaya. In visible and nonvisible matters of transcendental regions there is no impurity. contamination and imperfection inherent in the world of limitation; only there is some difference in the matter of realization in proportion to the self-realization of the seekers after the Absolute. Impurity. unwholesomeness, foreign elements, illusion, nescience, unholiness, utter inadequacy. insignificance, grossness--these appertain to the eye, intellect, mind and ego stultified by the material nature of conditioned souls; they have nothing to do with the essential nature of transcendence. The more one is free from these blots the more is one capable of realizing the unqualified Absolute. The truth who has been revealed by the scriptures, is free from dross. But the realizations of the seekers of the knowledge of these realities, are with or without flaw in accordance with the degree of their individual realization."
SBSST
purport sloka 37 SBS
[This message has been edited by Puru Das Adhikari (edited 07-23-2001).]
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Spiritual life without the loving guidance of sad guru is simply an hallucination. Just burn your copy of the Bhagavad-gita so you don't have to read 4.34. Read this essay by the founder-acarya of the Gaudia Matha.
Organised Religion
by Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakura
Sri Krsna manifest His eternal birth the pure cognitive essence of the serving soul who is located above all mundane limitations, King Kamsa is the typical aggressive empiricist, ever on the lookout for the appearance of the truth for the purpose of suppressing Him before He has time to develop. This is no
exaggeration of the real connotation of the consistent empiric position. The materialist has a natural repugnance for the transcendent. He is disposed to link that faith in the incomprehensible is the parent of dogmatism and hypocrisy in the guise of religion. He is also equally under the delusion that there is no real dividing line between the material and the spiritual, he is strengthened in his delusion by the
interpretation of scriptures by persons who are like-minded with himself. This includes all the lexicographic interpreters.
The lexicographical interpretation is upheld by Kamsa as the real scientific explanation of the scriptures, and is perfectly in keeping with his dread of and aversion for the transcendental. These lexicographical
interpreters are employed by Kamsa in putting down the first suspected appearance of any genuine faith in the transcendental. King Kamsa knows very well that if the faith in the transcendental is once allowed to grow it is sure to upset all his empiric prospects.
There is historical ground forsuch misgivings. Accordingly if the empiric domination is to be preserved in tact it would be necessary not to lose a moment to put down the transcendental heresy the instant it threatens to make its appearance in earnest. King Kamsa, acting on this traditional fear is never slow to
take the scientific precaution of deputing empiric teachers of the scriptures, backed by the resources of dictionary and grammar and all empiric subtleties to put down, by the show of specious arguments based on hypothetical principles, the true interpretation of the eternal religion revealed by the scriptures.
Kamsa is strongly persuaded that faith in the transcendental can be effectively put down by empiricism if prompt and decisive measures are adopted at the very outset. He attributes the failure of atheism in the past to the neglect of the adoption of such measures before the theistic fallacy has had time to spread among the fanatical masses.
But Kamsa is found to count without his host. When Krsna is born He is found to be able to upset all sinister designs against those who are apprised by Himself of His advent. the apparently causeless faith displayed by persons irrespective of age, sex and condition may confound all rabid empiricist who are on principle adverse to the Absolute Truth Whose appearance is utterly incompatible with the domination of
empiricism.
But no adverse efforts of the empiricists, whose rule seems till then to be pefectly well-established over the minds of the deluded souls of this world can dissuade any person from exclusively in following the
Truth when He actually manifests His birth in the pure cognitive essence of the soul.
Putana is the slayer of all infants. The baby, when he or she comes out of the mother's womb, falls at once into the hands of the pseudo-teachers of religion. These teachers are successful in forestalling the
attempts of the good preceptor whose help is never sought by the atheists of this world at the baptisms of their babies. This is ensured by the arrangements of all established churches of the world. They have been successful only in supplying watchful Putanas for effecting the spiritual destruction of persons from the moment of their birth with the cooperation of their worldly parents. No human contrivance can prevent these Putanas from obtaining possession of the pulpits. This is due to the general prevalence of
atheistic disposition in the people of this world.
The church that has the best chance of survival in this damned world is that of atheism under the convenient guise of theism. The churches have always proved the staunchest upholders of the grossest form of worldliness from which even the worst of non-ecclesiastical criminals are found
to recoil.
It is not from any deliberate opposition to the ordained clergy that these observations are made. The original purpose of the established churches of the world may not always be objectionable. But no stable religious arrangement for instructing the masses has yet been successful. The Supreme Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, in pursuance of the teachings of the scriptures enjoins all absence of conventionalism for the teachers of the eternal religion. It does not follow that the mechanical
adoption of the unconventional life by any person will make him a fit teacher of religion. Regulation is necessary for controlling the inherent worldliness of conditional souls.
But no mechanical regulation has any value, even for such a purpose. The bona-fide teacher of religion is neither any product of nor the favourer of, any mechanical system. In his hands no system has likewise, the chance of degenerating into a lifeless arrangement. The mere pursuit of
fixed doctrines and fixed liturgies cannot hold a person to the true spirit of doctrine or liturgy.
The idea of an organised church in an intelligible form, indeed, marks the close of the living spiritual movement. The great ecclesiastical establishments are the dikes and the dams to retain the current that cannot be held by any such contrivances. They, indeed, indicate a desire on the
part of the masses to exploit a spiritual movement for their own purpose. They also unmistakably indicate the end of the absolute and unconventional guidance of the bona-fide spiritual teacher. The people of this world understand preventive systems, they have no idea at all of the unprevented positive eternal life. Neither can there be any earthy contrivance for the permanent preservation of the life eternal on this mundane plane on the popular scale.
Those are, therefore, greatly mistaken who are disposed to look forward to the amelioration of the worldly state in any worldly sense from the worldly success of any really spiritual movement. It is these
worldly expectants who become the patrons of the mischievous race of the pseudo-teachers of religion, the Putanas, whose congenial function is to stifle the theistic disposition at the very moment of its
suspected appearance. But the real theistic disposition can never be stifled by the efforts of those Putanas. The Putanas have power only over the atheist. It is a thankless but salutary task which they
perform for the benefit of their unwilling victims.
But as soon as theistic disposition proper makes its appearance in the pure cognitive essence, of the awakened soul, the Putanas are decisively silenced at the very earliest stage of their encounter with new-born Krsna. The would-be slayer is herself slain. This is the reward of the negative services that the
Putanas unwittingly render to the cause of theism by strangling all hypocritical demonstrations against
their own hypocrisy.
But Putana does not at all like to receive her reward in only form which involves the total destruction of her wrong personality. King Kamsa also does not like to lose the services of the most trusted of his
agents. The effective silencing of the whole race of pseudo-teachers of religion is the first clear indication of the appearance of the Absolute on the mundane plane. The bona-fide teacher of the Absolute,heralds the Advent of Krsna by his uncompromising campaign against the pseudo-teachers of
religion.
Excerpted from the essay "Putana" printed in the January 1932 edition of The Harmonist, or Sree Sajjanatoshani.
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Ananga,
Greetings. Could you be more specific about which time period you are refering to when you say the "early days" of iskcon. I would understand that time to be l965-77, but you may mean after that. When our founder-acarya was on the planet there wasn't much question of anyone taking diksa from anyone else. No one ever had to "hard sell" His Divine Grace, from what I remember. After his samadhi post 1977 then that is another issue altogether.
[This message has been edited by Puru Das Adhikari (edited 07-22-2001).]
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The ongoing problem with many of the followers of the two twentieth century Prahupadas is that they are so eager to sit up on the vyasasana and lecture everyone else, when they often only have one piece to the puzzle.
Only someone who is qualified should sit as Srila Vyasadeva's representative, otherwise not. The poor behavior of many of my so called godbrothers is hardly the issue when we are discussing the guaiyda view of how to approach raga marga. Most of them haven't read Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura and are not actually following Sril Rupa Gosvami on guru tattva either, so this is a moot point.
For example: the matter of guru-tyaga. This is ordinarily a type of aparadha (or offense), however the sastras enjoin it under certain circumstances. Many GM/Iskcon members took that drastic step because they perceived that their gurus were exhibiting behavior that warranted (according to sastra) such action (one of the most common reasons was that the guru was seen to be vaisnava-vidvesi, or inimical to other Vaishnavas).
There is no question, if you read Srila Narahari Sakara Thakura's Sri Krsna Bhajanamrta, that in certain cases rejection of guru who becomes avaisnava is necessary. Sukracarya was rejected by Bali Maharaj for a bona fide reason. Also the point is made that many who claim to be "guru" are simply ecclesiastically appointed yes men that support an institution and not the actual understanding of the teachings of the six gosvamis of vraja. However I see a vast difference with rejection of institutionalized thinking that manifests in the mathas of bona fide acaryas after their samadhi, and rejecting those acaryas themselves. Institutional loyalty is not bhakti. But rejection of sad guru is another matter. Of course if you don't believe SBSST, or Srila A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami were sad- guru then what can be done? Nothing I can say to you.
To bring in a few statements, such as the one by Rupa on anartha nivrtti, while at the same time ignoring all of the other evidence is simply giving an incomplete presentation.
I have been posting segments from Srila Narayana Maharj's translation of Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura and Srila A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Maharaj's books to simply illustrate that raga marga is not neglected by them, only approached under the guidance of SBSST and his guru varga. I don't see how they are in any disagreement with the acaryas you quoted,and in particular the gosvamis. You've simply offered certain statements that are better understood in context of the larger body of shastra they are found in. In the Ramananda samvad discussion between Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu and Sri Raya Ramananda in Madhya lila Ch. 8 of the Cc. we read:
TEXT 200
TEXT
mora mukhe vakta tumi, tumi hao srota
atyanta rahasya, suna, sadhanera katha
SYNONYMS
mora mukhe--in my mouth; vakta--speaker; tumi--You are; tumi--You; hao--are; srota--the hearer; atyanta rahasya--extremely mysterious; suna--now please hear; sadhanera katha--the discussion of the process.
TRANSLATION
"Actually You are speaking through my mouth, and at the same time You are listening. This is very mysterious. Anyway, kindly hear the explanation by which the goal can be attained.
PURPORT
Srila Sanatana Gosvami has advised us to hear about Krsna from a Vaisnava. He has explicitly forbidden us to hear from an avaisnava.
avaisnava-mukhodgirnam
putam hari-kathamrtam
sravanam naiva kartavyam
sarpocchistam yatha payah
Thus quoting from Padma Purana, Srila Sanatana Gosvami warns that one should not hear anything about Krsna from an avaisnava, however great a mundane scholar he may be. Milk touched by the lips of a serpent has poisonous effects; similarly, talks about Krsna given by an avaisnava are also poisonous. However, because a Vaisnava is surrendered to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, his talks are spiritually potent. In the Bhagavad-gita (10.10) the Supreme Lord says,
tesam satata-yuktanam
bhajatam priti-purvakam
dadami buddhi-yogam
tam yena mam upayanti te
"To those who are constantly devoted to worshiping Me with love, I give the understanding by which they can come to Me." When a pure Vaisnava speaks, he speaks perfectly. How is this? His speech is managed by Krsna Himself from within the heart. Srila Ramananda Raya accepts this benediction from Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu; therefore he admits that whatever he was speaking was not derived from his own intelligence. Rather, everything was coming from Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. According to the Bhagavad-gita (15.15):
sarvasya caham hrdi sannivisto
mattah smrtir jnanam apohanam ca
vedais ca sarvair aham eva vedyo
vedanta-krd veda-vid eva caham
"I am seated in everyone's heart, and from Me come remembrance, knowledge and forgetfulness. By all the Vedas, I am to be known. Indeed I am the compiler of Vedanta, and I am the knower of the Vedas."
All intelligence emanates from the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the Supersoul within the heart of everyone. Nondevotees want to ask the Supreme Lord for sense gratification; therefore nondevotees come under the influence of maya, the illusory energy. A devotee, however, is directed by the Supreme Personality of Godhead and comes under the influence of yogamaya. Consequently there is a gulf of difference between statements made by a devotee and those made by a nondevotee.
Sri Cc. Madhya lila Ch. 8
HDGACBSP
One can only surmise from this is that when you do such things, it can only be to win your case at all costs, irrespective of the truth.
You are wlecome to believe that this is vitandi discussion and I am concerned with
"winning" a debate, but that is not the case.
The truth of any matter can be understood
in a vadi discussion and I believe the best way to bring out spiritual truth is to consult the shastra under sufficient guidance of a pure devotee.
Intersting that because I take such guidance from someone who ecclesiastically minded folowers in iskcon and even certain segments of the gm don't have an affinity to hear from; from their side I am considered a sahajiya. Then from your side, because I don't have an affinity to hear from the vaisnava's not in SBSST's line then you and jagat consider me reactionary and one sided, that I am guilty of the same error that I believe the iskcon followers are guilty of, of ignoring shastra. Spiritual life is indeed like a razor's edge, is it not? I don't see any fault in discrimation and filtering information about Radha and Krsna through the strainer of guru sadhu and shastra.
This middle position, as far as I can see it, it due to my belief that SBSST gave perfect direction for the bhadda jiva to make gradual progress toward raga marga with understanding of time and circumstance, and that he was
executing the will of SCM to make that path accessable to the most fallen, patita pavana.
Our real difference is there is who we take direction from toward the prayojana of suddha-bhakti. If anything I don't feel that
either SBSST, or Srila A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, or Srila B.V. Narayana Maharaja are incapable of offering me that direction, but can point me correctly toward
pure devotional service in the mood of the gopis. My connection to them is certainly eternal and I will always be under their guidance.
As jijaji says: PEACE NOW
Indeed. Whether it is apparant or not from these forum discussions, I actually have empathy for anyone who found iskcon uninhabitable, but have chosen a siksa guru from the same line, coming from SBSST, instead of going to any other group of followers of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. I don't see how trying to be an obedient disciple is a fault in this regard. Hearing from someonw who embodies the same mood as my diksa guru and is taking me further along the path seems a logical course of behavior. Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura advocates this step in his book bhakti-tattva-viveka, explains it more succinctly in Jaiva Dharma and Srila Visvanatha Cakrabarti Thakura also instructs the same way in Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu-bindu, when he explains the 62nd anga of bhakti,sajatiya-snigdha-mahattar-sadhu-sangah(association of like minded affectionate advanced devotees).
This is certaily not a page of cyberspace that you will necessarily appreciate.
http://www.gaudiya.net/sahajiya/eligibility.htm
The way this essay was received, illustrates that anyone who is following SBSST and the Gosvamis under the guidance of his guru varga can come under fire from all other sides. Nothing surpising and nothing to be disturbed about either.
[This message has been edited by Puru Das Adhikari (edited 07-22-2001).]
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TEXT 221
TEXT
raganuga-marge tanre bhaje yei jana
sei-jana paya vraje vrajendra-nandana
SYNONYMS
raga-anuga--of spontaneous attachment; marge--on the path; tanre--Krsna; bhaje--worships; yei--who; jana--a person; sei-jana--that person; paya--gets; vraje--in Vrndavana; vrajendra-nandana--the son of Maharaja Nanda.
TRANSLATION
"If one worships the Lord on the path of spontaneous love and goes to Vrndavana, he receives the shelter of Vrajendra-nandana, the son of Nanda Maharaja.
PURPORT
In all, there are sixty-four items listed for the rendering of service unto Krsna, and these are the regulative principles enjoined in the sastras and given by the spiritual master. One has to serve Krsna according to these regulative principles, but if one develops spontaneous love for Krsna as exhibited in the activities of those who live in Vrajabhumi, one attains the platform of raganuga-bhakti. One who has developed this spontaneous love is eligible for elevation to the platform enjoyed by the inhabitants of Vrajabhumi. In Vrajabhumi, there are no regulative principles set forth for Krsna's service. Rather, everything is carried out in spontaneous, natural love for Krsna. There is no question of following the principles of the Vedic system. Such principles are followed within this material world, and as long as one is on the material platform, he has to execute them. However, spontaneous love of Krsna is transcendental. It may seem that the regulative principles are being violated, but the devotee is on the transcendental platform. Such service is called gunatita, or nirguna, for it is not contaminated by the three modes of material nature.
TEXT 222
TEXT
vraja-lokera kona bhava lana yei bhaje
bhava-yogya deha pana krsna paya vraje
SYNONYMS
vraja-lokera--of the planet known as Goloka Vrndavana; kona--some; bhava--mood; lana--accepting; yei--anyone who; bhaje--executes devotional service; bhava-yogya--suitable for that spiritual attraction; deha--a body; pana--getting; krsna--Lord Krsna; paya--gets; vraje--in Vrndavana.
TRANSLATION
"In his liberated stage the devotee is attracted by one of the five humors in the transcendental loving service of the Lord. As he continues to serve the Lord in that transcendental mood, he attains a spiritual body to serve Krsna in Goloka Vrndavana.
HDGACBSP
Cc. Madhya Chapter 8
No one will get to this spontaenous liberated platform of thte residents of vraja without also following Sri Upadesamrta.
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Ananga,
No need to dodge a blank bullet. We know that His Divine Grace was on the highest platform of raganuga bhakti. We are confident that Srila Gour Govinda Maharaj was also. As far as the rest of us perhaps we should study the Cc. more srutinizingly and continue to practice sadhana keeping rati as our goal in this life.
Here is more party line:
"On the path of bhakti, no harm is done by non-performance of the assortment of activities appropriate for varnashrama or by diminution of certain angas of bhakti. That is fine.BUT THERE IS CERTAINLY GREAT HARM IF THERE IS DIMINUTION OF ANY OF THEPRINCIPLE ANGAS OF BHAKTI SUCH AS TAKING SHELTER OF A BONA FIDE SPIRITUAL MASTER, SRAVANA, KIRTANA AND SO ON. Therefore, one should take great care that there be no decline in any of the pinciple angas of bhakti. This is declared in the Agama sastra as quoted in Bhakti-rasamrta=sindhu (1.2.101):
sruti-smrti-puranadi- pancaratra-vidhim vina
aikantiki harer bhaktir utpatayaiva kalpate
Although engaged in single minded devotion to Lord Hari, if one trangresses teh regulations mentioned in the Sruti, Smrti, Puranas and the Narada Pancaratra, great misgivings (anarthas) are produced.
Comment
Because the practice of smarana is predominant in raganuga bhakti, some persons, prior to the actual appearance of raga within the heart, make a deceitful display of solitary bhajan whie still plagued with anarthas. They consider themselves as rganuga-bhaktas and thus begin to practice remembrance of asta-kaliya-lila. But ot displa ythe exclusive devotion that is described in the sruti-smrti-puranadi verse is for them the cause of great disturbance. Some ineligible persons who are entangled in anarthas, obtain so called siddha pranali by going here and there, and by imitation, they begin to consider themselves fit to conduct the practice of raganuga bhakti. But without the apperance of enguine greed (lobha), they cannot obtain qualification by pretentious means.
Because the vidhi-marga is mixed with the mood of Dvaraka and the majectic conception (aisvarya), one cannot obtain the service of Vrajendra-nandana Sri Krsna by htat means. Thisis confirmed in Caitanya-caritamrta, Madhya 8.226:vdhi marge nahi paiye braje krsnacandra-"One cannot obtain Sri Krsnacandra in Vraja by following the vidhi-marga."
SBVNM
sindhu-bindu
pp. 132.
WE read the same thing in SP's Cc. translation:
TEXT 226
TEXT
'anghri-padma-sudha'ya kahe 'krsna-sangananda'
vidhi-marge na paiye vraje krsna-candra
SYNONYMS
anghri-padma-sudhaya--by the nectar derived from the lotus feet of Krsna; kahe--it says; krsna-sanga-ananda--transcendental bliss by the association of Krsna; vidhi-marge--on the path of regulative principles; na paiye--one does not get; vraje--in Goloka Vrndavana; krsna-candra--Lord Krsna.
TRANSLATION
"The word 'anghri-padma-sudha' means 'associating intimately with Krsna.' One can attain such perfection only by spontaneous love of God. One cannot obtain Krsna in Goloka Vrndavana simply by serving the Lord according to regulative principles.
TEXT 227
TEXT
nayam sukhapo bhagavan
dehinam gopika-sutah
jnaninam catma-bhutanam
yatha bhakti-matam iha
SYNONYMS
na--not; ayam--this Lord Sri Krsna; sukha-apah--easily available; bhagavan--the Supreme Personality of Godhead; dehinam--for materialistic persons who have accepted the body as the self; gopika-sutah--the son of mother Yasoda; jnaninam--for persons addicted to mental speculation; ca--and; atma-bhutanam--for persons performing severe austerities and penances; yatha--as; bhakti-matam--for persons engaged in spontaneous devotional service; iha--in this world.
TRANSLATION
" 'The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krsna, the son of mother Yasoda, is accessible to those devotees engaged in spontaneous loving service, but He is not as easily accessible to mental speculators, to those striving for self-realization by severe austerities and penances, or to those who consider the body the same as the self.'
PURPORT
This verse from Srimad-Bhagavatam (10.9.21) is spoken by Srila Sukadeva Gosvami. It appears within a passage in which he glorifies mother Yasoda and other devotees of Krsna by describing how they can subjugate Him with their love.
TEXT 228
TEXT
ataeva gopi-bhava kari angikara
ratri-dina cinte radha-krsnera vihara
SYNONYMS
ataeva--therefore; gopi-bhava--the loving mood of the gopis; kari--making; angikara--acceptance; ratri-dina--day and night; cinte--one thinks; radha-krsnera--of Radha and Krsna; vihara--the pastimes.
TRANSLATION
"Therefore one should accept the mood of the gopis in their service. In such a transcendental mood, one should always think of the pastimes of Sri Radha and Krsna.
TEXT 229
TEXT
siddha-dehe cinti' kare tahanni sevana
sakhi-bhave paya radha-krsnera carana
SYNONYMS
siddha-dehe--in the perfected stage; cinti'--by remembering; kare--does; tahanni--in the spiritual world; sevana--service; sakhi-bhave--in mood of the gopis; paya--gets; radha-krsnera--of Radha and Krsna; carana--the lotus feet.
TRANSLATION
"After thinking of Radha and Krsna and Their pastimes for a long time and after getting completely free from material contamination, one is transferred to the spiritual world. There the devotee attains an opportunity to serve Radha and Krsna as one of the gopis.
PURPORT
Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura comments that the word siddha-deha, "perfected spiritual body," refers to a body beyond the material gross body composed of five elements and the subtle astral body composed of mind, intelligence and false ego. In other words, one attains a completely spiritual body fit to render service to the transcendental couple Radha and Krsna: sarvopadhi-vinirmuktam tat-paratvena nirmalam.
When one is situated in his spiritual body, which is beyond this gross and subtle material body, he is fit to serve Radha and Krsna. That body is called siddha-deha. The living entity attains a particular type of gross body in accordance with his past activities and mental condition. In this life the mental condition changes in different ways, and the same living entity gets another body in the next life according to his desires. The mind, intelligence and false ego are always engaged in an attempt to dominate material nature. According to that subtle astral body, one attains a gross body to enjoy the objects of one's desires. According to the activities of the present body, one prepares another subtle body. And according to the subtle body, one attains another gross body. This is the process of material existence. However, when one is spiritually situated and does not desire a gross or subtle body, he attains his original spiritual body. As confirmed by the Bhagavad-gita (4.9): tyaktva deham punar janma naiti mam eti so 'rjuna.
One is elevated to the spiritual world by the spiritual body and is situated either in Goloka Vrndavana or in another Vaikuntha planet. In the spiritual body there are no longer material desires, and one is fully satisfied by rendering service to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Radha and Krsna. This is the platform of bhakti (hrsikena hrsikesa-sevanam bhaktir ucyate). When the spiritual body, mind and senses are completely purified, one can render service to the Supreme Personality of Godhead and His consort. In Vaikuntha the consort is Laksmi, and in Goloka Vrndavana the consort is Srimati Radharani. In the spiritual body, free from material contamination, one can serve Radha-Krsna and Laksmi-Narayana. When one is thus spiritually situated, he no longer thinks of his own personal sense gratification. This spiritual body is called siddha-deha, the body by which one can render transcendental service unto Radha and Krsna. The process is that of engaging the transcendental senses in loving devotional service. This verse specifically mentions, sakhi-bhave paya radha-krsnera carana: only transcendentally elevated persons in the mood of the gopis can engage in the service of the lotus feet of Radha and Krsna.
TEXT 230
TEXT
gopi-anugatya vina aisvarya-jnane
bhajileha nahi paya vrajendra-nandane
SYNONYMS
gopi-anugatya--subservience to the gopis; vina--without; aisvarya-jnane--in the knowledge of opulence; bhajileha--if serving the Supreme Lord; nahi--not; paya--gets; vrajendra-nandane--the son of Maharaja Nanda, Krsna.
TRANSLATION
"Unless one follows in the footsteps of the gopis, he cannot attain the service of the lotus feet of Krsna, the son of Nanda Maharaja. If one is overcome by knowledge of the Lord's opulence, he cannot attain the Lord's lotus feet, even though he is engaged in devotional service.
PURPORT
One can worship Laksmi-Narayana by the process of vidhi-marga, worshiping the Lord with regulative principles according to the instructions of the sastra and the spiritual master. But the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Radha-Krsna, cannot be directly worshiped by this process. The dealings between Radha and Krsna and the gopis are devoid of the opulences of Laksmi-Narayana. The process of vidhi-marga, following the regulative principles, is utilized in the worship of Laksmi-Narayana, whereas the process of spontaneous service--following in the footsteps of the gopis, who are the denizens of Vrndavana--is transcendentally more advanced and is the process whereby Radha and Krsna are worshiped. One cannot attain this elevated position while worshiping the Lord in His opulence. Those attracted by the conjugal love between Radha and Krsna must follow in the footsteps of the gopis. Only then is it possible to enter into the Lord's service in Goloka Vrndavana and directly associate with Radha and Krsna.
Cc. Madhya lila
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No one is on trial Ananga, but we will all be tested at the time of death. I don't have the slightest idea who you take guidance from. As you wish for yourself.
Who is out of line? Who is deviating from the advice of Srila Rupa. Let Krsna judge.
[This message has been edited by Puru Das Adhikari (edited 07-21-2001).]
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A fe excerpts from Krsna Book:
Upon hearing the anxious plea of the gopis, the Supreme Personality of Godhead began to smile, and being very kind to the gopis, the Lord although self-sufficient, began to embrace them and kiss them as they desired. When Krsna, smiling, looked at the faces of the gopis, the beauty of their faces became a hundred times enhanced. When He was enjoying them in their midst, He appeared just like the full moon surrounded by millions of shining stars. Thus the Supreme Personality of Godhead, surrounded by hundreds of gopis and decorated with a flower garland of many colors, began to wander within the Vrndavana forest, sometimes singing to Himself and sometimes singing with the gopis. In this way, both the Lord and the gopis reached the cool sandy bank of the Yamuna where there were lilies and lotus flowers. In such a transcendental atmosphere, both the gopis and Krsna began to enjoy one another. While they were walking on the bank of the Yamuna, Krsna would sometimes put His arms around a gopi's head, breast or waist. Pinching one another and joking and looking at one another, they enjoyed. When Krsna touched the bodies of the gopis, their lust to embrace Him increased. They all enjoyed these pastimes. Thus the gopis were blessed with all mercy by the Supreme Personality of Godhead for they enjoyed His company without a tinge of mundane sex life.
. . .Sex desire is especially excited in the autumn season, but the wonderful thing about Krsna's association with the gopis is that there was no question of sex desire. It was, as clearly stated in the Bhagavata description by Sukadeva Gosvami, avaruddha-saurata, namely the sex impulse was completely controlled. There is a distinction between Lord Krsna's dancing with the gopis and the ordinary dancing of living entities within the material world. In order to clear up further misconceptions about the rasa dance and the affairs of Krsna and the gopis, Maharaja Pariksit, the hearer of Srimad-Bhagavatam, told Sukadeva Gosvami, "Krsna appeared on the earth to establish the regulative principles of religion and to curb the predominance of irreligion. But the behavior of Krsna and the gopis might encourage irreligious principles in the material world. I am simply surprised that He would act in such a way, enjoying the company of others' wives in the dead of night." This statement of Maharaja Pariksit's was very much appreciated by Sukadeva Gosvami. The answer anticipates the abominable acts of the Mayavadi impersonalists who place themselves in the position of Krsna and enjoy the company of young girls and women.
. . . All the princesses who were wives of Krsna were exquisitely beautiful, and each one of them was attracted by Krsna's eyes, which were just like lotus petals, and by His beautiful face, long arms, broad ears, pleasing smile, humorous talk and sweet words. Influenced by these features of Krsna, they all used to dress themselves very attractively, desiring to attract Krsna by their feminine bodily appeal. They used to exhibit their feminine characteristics by smiling and moving their eyebrows, thus throwing sharp arrows of conjugal love just to awaken Krsna's lusty desires for them. Still, they could not arouse the mind of Krsna or His sex appetite. This means that Krsna never had any sexual relations with any of His many wives, save and except to beget children.
The queens of Dvaraka were so fortunate that they got Lord Sri Krsna as their husband and personal companion, although He is not approachable by exalted demigods like Brahma. They remained together as husband and wife, and Krsna, as an ideal husband, treated them in such a way that at every moment there was an increase of transcendental bliss in their smiling exchanges, talking and mixing together. Each and every wife had hundreds and thousands of maidservants, yet when Krsna entered the palaces of His thousands of wives, each one of them used to receive Krsna personally by seating Him in a nice chair, worshiping Him with all requisite paraphernalia, personally washing His lotus feet, offering Him betel nuts, massaging His legs to relieve them from fatigue, fanning Him to make Him comfortable, offering all kinds of scented sandalwood pulp, oils and aromatics, putting flower garlands on His neck, dressing His hair, getting Him to lie down on the bed and assisting Him in taking His bath. Thus they served always in every respect, especially when Krsna was eating. They were always engaged in the service of the Lord.
Of the 16,108 queens of Krsna, each of whom had ten sons, there is the following list of the sons of the first eight queens. By Rukmini, Krsna had ten sons: Pradyumna, Carudesna, Sudesna, Carudeha, Sucaru, Carugupta, Bhadracaru, Carucandra, Vicaru and Caru. None of them was inferior in their qualities to their divine father, Lord Krsna. Similarly, Satyabhama had ten sons, and their names are as follows: Bhanu, Subhanu, Svarbhanu, Prabhanu, Bhanuman, Candrabhanu, Brhadbhanu, Atibhanu, Sribhanu and Pratibhanu. The next queen Jambavati had ten sons headed by Samba. Their names are as follows: Samba, Sumitra, Purujit, Satajit, Sahasrajit, Vijaya, Citraketu, Vasuman, Dravida and Kratu. Lord Krsna was specifically very affectionate to the sons of Jambavati. By His wife Satya, the daughter of King Nagnajit, Lord Krsna had ten sons. They are as follows: Vira, Candra, Asvasena, Citragu, Vegavan, Vrsa, Ama, Sanku, Vasu and Kunti. Amongst all of them, Kunti was very powerful. Krsna had ten sons by Kalindi, and they are as follows: Sruta, Kavi, Vrsa, Vira, Subahu, Bhadra, Santi, Darsa, Purnamasa and the youngest, Somaka. For His next wife, Laksmana, the daughter of the king of Madras province, He begot ten sons of the names: Praghosa, Gatravan, Simha, Bala, Prabala, Urdhvaga, Mahasakti, Saha, Oja and Aparajita. Similarly, His next wife, Mitravinda, had ten sons. They are as follows: Vrka, Harsa, Anila, Grdhra, Vardhana, Unnada, Mahamsa, Pavana, Vahni and Ksudhi. His next wife, Bhadra, had ten sons, of the names: Sangramajit, Brhatsena, Sura, Praharana, Arijit, Jaya, Subhadra, Vama, Ayur and Satyaka. Besides these eight chief queens, Krsna had 16,100 other wives, and all of them had ten sons each.
Sri Narada Muni is naisthika-brahmacari. There are four types of brahmacari, and the first is called savitra, which refers to a brahmacari who, after initiation and the sacred thread ceremony, must observe at least three days celibacy. The next is called prajapatya, which refers to a brahmacari who strictly observes celibacy for at least one year after initiation. The next is called brahma-brahmacari, which refers to a brahmacari who observes celibacy from the time of initiation up to the time of completion of his study of Vedic literature. The next stage is called naisthika, which refers to a brahmacari who is celibate throughout his whole life. Out of these, the first three are upakurvana, which means that the brahmacari can marry later on after the brahmacari period is over. The naisthika-brahmacari, however, is completely reluctant to have any sex life; therefore the Kumaras and Narada are known as naisthika-brahmacaris. The brahmacari system of life is especially advantageous in that it increases the power of memory and determination. It is specifically mentioned in this connection that because Narada was naisthika-brahmacari he could remember whatever he heard from his spiritual master and would never forget it. One who can remember everything perpetually is called sruta-dhara. A sruta-dhara brahmacari can repeat all that he has heard verbatim without notes and without reference to books. The great sage Narada has this qualification, and therefore, taking instruction from Narayana Rsi, he is engaged in propagating the philosophy of devotional service all over the world. Because such great sages can remember everything, they are very thoughtful, self-realized and completely fixed in the service of the Lord. Thus the great sage Narada, after hearing from his spiritual master Narayana Rsi, became completely realized. He became established in the truth, and he became so happy that he offered the following prayers to Narayana Rsi.
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http://www.bvml.org/
The Bhaktivedanta Memorial Library (BVML) website is a reference library of articles and some on line books, about Gaudiya Vaisnava siddhanta and tattva,based on the teachings of predecessor acaryas and their contemporary disciples
The BVML is dedicated to all the Bhaktivedantas of our guru-parampara. A compilation of articles by:
Srila Sanatana Goswami,
Srila Bhaktivinode Thakura,
Sri Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakura,
Sri Gaudiya Kanthahara,
Srila Bhakti Prajnan Kesava Maharaha,
Srila Hrydaya Bon Maharaja,
Srila Bhakti Rakshak Sridhar Maharaj,
Srila Dayita Madhava Maharaja,
Srila Bhakti Kumud Santa Maharja( soon to be added)
Srila Bhakti Promod Puri Goswami,
Srila A.C.Bhaktivedanta Swami Maharaja, Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayana Maharaja,
Srila Gour Govinda Maharaja,
Srila B.B. Bhodayan Maharaj (soon to be added)
as well as several other Vaisnavas, and their contemporary disciples.
[This message has been edited by Puru Das Adhikari (edited 07-20-2002).]