JayaPrabhupada

I wonder if Hari-sauri had ever thought that his fight for truth is only based on a contradicting evidence put forward by Vridavana Candra De. Of course at the time Lilamrita was written ISKCON was fighting his brother in the courts of Bombay! I guess it makes more sense to Hari-sauri at this stage, so he should put it in his own books. Vaisnavas (or even vaishnava-alikes) do not call use of a poetic license bogus. But then again Prabhupada-kripa was always a bit pushy and not without a pratistha, so we can cut some slack here and take it in a perspective!

Prabhupada was so accessible then. He just started in <st1:place w:st="on">New York</st1:place>, and I was fortunate to come at that time. So he was my personal, first teacher. He had no money or men, but somehow or other he had the faith that <st1:place w:st="on">Krishna</st1:place> would send him enough that he could continue in his little storefront. He was located in the Lower East Side of New York, which at that time was like a slum. But also hippies from around the country had come to live there; they were trying to experience spiritual life by taking drugs. So somehow or other we came to him. I had a job in the welfare office, and every day I used to pass the storefront where he would later have his temple. It used to be a store called Matchless Gifts. One day I walked by and saw that the storefront was empty, and then a little later I walked by and there was a little note taped to the window. It said, “Classes in Bhagavad Gita Monday, Wednesday and Friday, Transcendental Sound Vibration.” I was already interested in Eastern religion, and so I went in there and saw him for the first time. It was in the summer. He was dressed with just a lungi or dhoti and a sannyasa toppiece with no kurta. To me he looked like Lord Buddha. I was very impressed by him. I couldn’t understand perfectly what he was saying because of his accent, but I liked the chanting very much. He led the Hare Krishna kirtana for half an hour, and then he lectured for about half an hour, and then he chanted again for half an hour. He had such faith in this kirtana process that it was his main way to present Krishna consciousness to the so-called sophisticated people of <st1:place w:st="on">New York City</st1:place>. Prabhupadadesh, Italy, October 11, 2008 - by Satsvarupa das Goswami http://www.sdgonline.org/prabhupada/prabhupada_early_iskcon_days.html

Malati is a sannyasi and is on GBC.

SDG From Tachycardia25: published - 12 September 2008 Recent Giriraja Maharaja told me of a conversation he had last December with H.H. Radhanatha Maharaja. Radhanatha Maharaja was apprehensive about the proliferation of pictures of Krishna in the mood of subservience to Srimati Radharani. He said that this was a very, very confidential pastime and not meant to be widely broadcast. The first painting of this pastime, done by Yadurani under the direction of Srila Narayana Maharaja, appeared some years ago. That painting appeared in Back to Godhead magazine and has now become very famous. Apparently since then, there have appeared many paintings done by Eastern European artists of Krishna in subordination to Radharani. Radhanatha Maharaja thought it was a disservice to show this pastime too cheaply. Giriraja Maharaja remarked that even such an exalted soul as Jayadeva Goswami hesitated to write the words in his poem that Krishna surrendered to Radharani. Anyway, I’m happy that I compiled Srila Prabhupada’s quotes from his books and lectures about the topic of presenting Srimati Radharani and would like to share it with my Godbrothers and Godsisters.

I can remember Srila Prabhupada speaking about Srimati Radharani in the summer of 1966 at <st1:street w:st="on"><st1:address w:st="on">26 Second Ave.</st1:address></st1:street> in <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">New York City</st1:place></st1:city>. I always remember Prabhupada on Radhastami because I received first initiation from Prabhupada on this day, September 23rd, 1966. Prabhupada’s qualifications for initiation were very easy in those days and so I could have been initiated at the first initiation in ISKCON which was on Janmastami day 1966. But I didn’t feel ready for the surrender of my so-called free activities. It seemed too much to give up and so I passed up the initiation. But a few days after that I began to regret that I didn’t get initiated. Then I heard from one of the devotees that Prabhupada was planning to hold another initiation in two weeks on the occasion of the appearance day of Srimati Radharani. So then Prabhupada began to explain to us something about Srimati Radharani. He said that on Janmastami we had to fast all day until midnight because Krishna is very strong and hard. But on Radhastami we would only have to fast until noon because Radharani is soft and kind. I therefore decided that I would ask Prabhupada if I could get initiated on Radharani’s appearance day. What had seemed too hard two weeks previously on Krishna’s birthday now seemed easier under the protection of Srimati Radharani. Prabhupada’s first explanation of Radharani is an unforgettable sutra. Prabhupada said that Srimati Radharani is the best devotee of Krishna. Because She loves Him the most. Prabhupada then explained that Srimati Radharani was interested in the welfare of all devotees and that we could pray to Her. He said you can’t go directly to Krishna but if Krishna’s devotee is pleased with you then he or she will recommend you to Krishna and Krishna will be obliged to give you His mercy. This is especially true if you get the mercy of Srimati Radharani. Prabhupada put knowledge of Radharani in the very first books that he translated in <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">America</st1:place></st1:country-region>, Teachings of Lord Caitanya 1967, Krishna Book 1968, and Nectar of Devotion in 1969. In the Nectar of Devotion, under the category of “Attracting Krishna”, the characteristics of pure devotional service, Prabhupada explained the principle of approaching Krishna through Radha: To perform devotional service means to follow in the footsteps of Radharani, and the devotees in Vrndavana put themselves under the care of Radharani in order to achieve perfection in their devotional service. In other words, devotional service is not an activity of the material world; it is directly under the control of Radharani. In Bhagavad Gita it is confirmed that the mahatmas or great souls, are under the protection of daivi prakrti, the internal energy—Radharani. So, being directly under the control of the internal potency of Krishna, devotional service attracts even Krishna Himself.” (NOD pg. 16) Prabhupada’s remark that Krishna was hard and Radharani was soft and kind, is collaborated by a statement he made in the Nectar of Devotion under Krishna’s quality of “compassionate”: <dl><dd>“Instead of offering obeisances to Krishna, devotees offer obeisances to His compassionate nature. Actually , because Krishna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, it is very difficult to approach Him. But the devotees, taking advantage of His compassionate nature, which is represented by Radharani, always pray to Radharani for Krishna’s compassion.” (NOD pg. 176) </dd></dl> Prabhupada sometimes described Radharani as Krishna’s tenderhearted female counter part. And for praying to Radharani, the easiest way is to address Her in Hare Krishna Mantra which is made up of names of Radha and Krishna. Energy of the Lord (Hara) O Lord, please engage me in Your service.” Prabhupada did not broadcast explicitly the glories of Radharani as much as he did those of Lord Krishna the Supreme Personality of Godhead. And yet he does inform us that, according to Gaudiya Vaisnava siddhanta, Srimati Radharani is the Queen of Vrndavana. She has the power to attract even Krishna. As stated by Prabhupada in the Nectar of Devotion: <dl><dd>“Krishna attracts everyone, but devotional service attracts Krishna. The symbol of devotional service in the highest degree is Radharani. Krishna is called Madana Mohana, which means He is so attractive that He can defeat the attraction of thousands of Cupids. But Radharani is still more attractive, for She can attract Krishna. Therefore devotees call Her Madana Mohana Mohini, the attractor of the attractor of Cupid.” (NOD 16)</dd><dt> </dt><dt>from:</dt><dt>Srila Prabhupada’s Presentation of Srimati Radharani </dt></dl>

Who is the disciple?

What do you mean original? Is it before Pradyumnas editing?

How long will Kalki be here? Will we last to see it? I hope not.

I do not think that people do not care. They do care, but not about some local temple rooms, but rather about where big money are being spent. Just see the IRGB statement here to see that people care (maybe not in Cz...)

I am sure there are lots of buildings like that since they are all copies of St. Peter dome. Why would you copy it exactly if Prabhupada approved a different design?

SrIla Prabhupāda emphasized the difficulty of attaining spiritual knowledge in the material world. Recalling a recent talk with a psychiatrist in Caracas, he told how the man had adamantly refused to understand the existence of the soul. So the devotees were fortunate. “Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu,” Prabhupāda continued, speaking slowly, “out of His great compassion for the fallen souls, He appeared. Kṛṣṇa comes also. But Kṛṣṇa is not so liberal. Kṛṣṇa makes conditions that ‘First of all you surrender, then I take charge of you.’ But Caitanya Mahāprabhu is more compassionate than Kṛṣṇa, although Kṛṣṇa and Caitanya Mahāprabhu are the same thing. By Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s mercy we are so easily understanding Kṛṣṇa. That Caitanya Mahāprabhu is present here. You worship Him. It is not very difficult. Yajñaiḥ saṅkīrtana-prāyair yajanti hi sumedhasaḥ. Kṛṣṇa-varṇaṁ tviṣākṛṣṇaṁ sāṅgopāṅgāstra-pārṣadam/ yajñaiḥ saṅkīrtana. You simply chant Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, and whatever you can, offer Caitanya Mahaprabhu. He is very kind. He does not take offense. Radha-Kṛṣṇa worship is a little difficult. We have to worship with great awe and veneration. But Caitanya Mahāprabhu has voluntarily come to deliver the fallen souls.” Śrīla Prabhupāda continued explaining the mercy of Lord Caitanya. Lord Caitanya does not accept any offense from His worshipers, and He is pleased just by your dancing and chanting, the easiest process for God realization. “So as far as possible,” Prabhupāda requested, “if possible twenty-four hours—if that is not possible, at least four times, six times—chant the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra before Caitanya Mahāprabhu, and you will get success in your life. So I am very glad that you are worshiping Caitanya Mahāprabhu, Nityānanda Prabhu. So continue to do this. There is no need of installing Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa, at least at the present moment. When you become more advanced in spiritual consciousness, then you can establish. But even if you do not establish, it does not matter. Caitanya Mahāprabhu is sufficient. Śrī-kṛṣṇa-caitanya rādhā-kṛṣṇa nahe anya. Caitanya Mahāprabhu is combination of Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa. In one place you worship Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa. So I see this place is very nice, and you are also very nice. Take advantage of this opportunity and go on chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra and worship Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu. He will bless you sufficiently to become successful in getting shelter at the lotus feet of Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa.” from Prabhupāda-līlā by Satsvarūpa dāsa Goswāmī (Addendum to Śrīla Prabhupāda-līlāmṛta)

After the crowd of guests had left Prabhupāda’s room, only Hanumān and a few senior men remained. “Śrīla Prabhupāda,” Hanumān began, “Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu had one disciple in the renounced order, Choṭa Haridāsa, whom He rejected from His association because he became too much lusty after a woman . I was also one of your sannyāsa disciples, and I too became lusty after a woman. I was wondering if you have also rejected me from your association.” A heavy silence followed as everyone looked at Prabhupāda, who sat with his head down. After a long pause, Prabhupāda looked up at Hanumān and said quietly, “Lord Caitanya is God. He can spread this movement all over the world in one second without the help of anyone if He likes. I am not God. I am simply a servant of God. I require so much assistance to help me spread Kṛṣṇa consciousness all over the world. If someone renders even some small service to help me, I am eternally indebted to him. You have rendered so much assistance to me, how could I reject you?” The devotees were moved, amazed at the depth of Śrīla Prabhupāda’s compassion. Then Hanumān began to tell Śrīla Prabhupāda about his family, about his son named Bhaktivedānta. “That is not very good.” Śrīla Prabhupāda shook his head. “Sometimes you may have to chastise your child, and you should not be chastising your guru.” Hanumān became a little disturbed. “But Śrīla Prabhupāda,” he said, “we have already grown accustomed to calling him that. What will we call him now?” Prabhupāda thought and then explained that actually it was all right because his name was Bhaktivedānta dāsa. “Just like we name all our disciples Kṛṣṇa dāsa,” Prabhupāda said. “Not Kṛṣṇa, but servant of Kṛṣṇa. Just like you are not Hanumān, but servant of.” On the first evening of his visit, Prabhupāda lectured from the Bhagavad-gītā. After the lecture, he asked for questions. Hṛdayānanda Mahārāja, seated on a cushion at Prabhupāda’s feet, translated the inquiries from Spanish into English for Prabhupāda and then translated Prabhupāda’s reply into Spanish for the audience. Hṛdayānanda Mahārāja: “He asks, ‘What if we’ve already committed so many offenses to chanting? At this point, how can we purify?’” Prabhupāda: “If we don’t commit offense. Why do you voluntarily commit offense? You should not commit offense, then it will be all right—purified.” Hṛdayānanda Mahārāja: “We don’t know how we can increase our desire for chanting.” Prabhupāda: “By performing saṅkīrtana. Just like if a man drinks, and if he drinks and drinks, then he becomes a drunkard.” The example amused the audience, and they broke into laughter. “Drink more and more and you become a drunkard,” Prabhupāda continued. “Similarly, chant more and more and you become—perfect chanter.” Hṛdayānanda Mahārāja: “What is the greatest offense?” Prabhupāda: “Yes, that is the first offense, guror avajñā śruti-śāstra-nindanam, śruti-śāstra-nindanam, guror avajñā. If you accept a guru and then again disobey him, then what is your position? You are not a gentleman. You promised before guru, before Kṛṣṇa, before fire, that ‘I shall obey your order. I shall execute this.’ If again you do not do this, then you are not even a gentleman, what to speak of a devotee. This is common sense.” A man asked in Spanish, “Excuse me, sir. Before, in your previous life as a karmī, what were you doing?” Hṛdayānanda Mahārāja didn’t translate the question to Śrīla Prabhupāda but immediately asserted strongly, “‘The pure devotee has never been a karmī. He is never a karmī. A pure devotee is always a transcendental person, right from his birth. He just came from the spiritual world to save us, to teach us this transcendental knowledge given out thousands and thousands of years ago by Lord Kṛṣṇa.” Hṛdayānanda Mahārāja continued glorifying Śrīla Prabhupāda. “What does he say?” Prabhupāda asked Hṛdayānanda Mahārāja. But he didn’t want to say anything to Śrīla Prabhupāda. He said, “Nothing, Śrīla Prabhupāda, nothing.” He would speak strongly to the man asking this question, and when Śrīla Prabhupāda would question him, Hṛdayānanda Mahārāja would be like a little child, “Oh, Śrīla Prabhupāda, it doesn’t matter. Don’t worry about it. He’s just talking some nonsense.” Then finally Śrīla Prabhupāda just laughed and took the next question. Hṛdayānanda Mahārāja: “He asks, ‘How can we control the tongue?’” Prabhupāda: “You can take prasādam.” Prabhupāda smiled, and his answer was so pleasurable for everyone that they began to laugh. from Prabhupāda-līlā by Satsvarūpa dāsa Goswāmī (Addendum to Śrīla Prabhupāda-līlāmṛta)

What is the good news is that both the footnotes and BBT comments already exist. They are published a while back at hbbt.info

Its best dealt with by live association with devotees who can understand your difficulty and can show you an example of how to adjust without being critical of each other. It takes maturity and best association is with mature devotees. JP

There are a few reasons to that: 1. Madhva himself found a deity of Krishna in Udupi, that became the center of attraction for the whole town. "poornavatar" for him meant that he has all the qualities of Narayana. 2. Sri sampradaya started with alvars, some of whom, such as Kulashekharalvar, were worshiping Vishnu and Krishna on the equal basis and did not distingush philosophically who is first. 3. Krishna worship is accepted to be earlier then Vishnu worship, such as in Krishna-Vasudeva traditions. 4. Krishna is a preference of worship for many Vishnu bhaktas, because of personal preference. Taking four of the above onboard it will explain to you the reasons.