gHari

Apparently half of the priests are so renounced that they remain naked (skyclad).

From A Brief Introduction to Jainism

The two principal sects, Svetambara (white-clad) and Digambara (skyclad, or unclothed), diverged by about A.D. 82. The schism shook the main structure of Jainism. The split concerned the question of nudism. Living in the warmer zone of south India, the Digambara thought that to become a saint, a man should abstain from food and possessions, including clothing. They also denied that women are eligible for salvation. Living in a cooler region to the north, the Shvetambara sect wear white clothes and follow a less rigorous order.

[This message has been edited by gHari (edited 01-28-2002).]

Haribol Leyh,

A couple of things came to mind when I heard your candid appeal. I wouldn't doubt that Sri Krsna also appreciates your sincerity.

The first was the JAPA SANDWICH, namely ending the day with a few rounds and awaking and continuing where you left off, with a few more rounds.

The other was that when you have this thought that I am going to chant a few rounds every morning, right then, drop everything, take bath, brush your teeth, and begin chanting. There's nothing to make us want to chant, more than chanting itself. And what is so important that it can't wait a little while, while we put the whole game back into perspective? Nothing.

It seems you've already realized that there is no other way, there is no other way, there is no other way. A few rounds would drive that home again.

Out in the world with the users and abusers pulling us this and that way, it is much more difficult than being surrounded by divine gentle vaishnavas. That one chanting is who we really are, the one we really want to be, the only one we really enjoy being. Just sometimes we forget that, having to hide our true selves from the wicked world for just too too long.

Of course, there is always reading some good inspiration from Prabhupada, chanting Panca Tattva right after brushing (my favorite), playing tapes or MP3 files, remembering Krsna even when the nonsense is happening (or at least the Panca Tattva), and I'm sure we could all come up with hundreds of little tactics to beat the big bad modes.

But as you mention, begging the Mahamantra from Lord Caitanya may be the most powerful approach. Then it will pour out of your mouth with no effort; just sit back and listen. This is my desire for you ... and for anyone else who wants to chant as much as you do.

gHari<font color="#dedfdf">

[This message has been edited by gHari (edited 01-27-2002).]

I quite enjoyed the extended fifteen minute visual morphing on the newly enhanced All Things Must Pass -- My Sweet Lord 2000 Version Site . I think I've learned to like the new vocal too.

At the end you can download it as a screensaver for either PC or Mac. Unfortunately it only cycles through the initial morphing sequences. Perhaps later it will be enhanced too.<Font color="#f7f7f7">

[This message has been edited by gHari (edited 01-21-2002).]

Darwin,

It is good to avoid drugs, especially those offered by dentists, like novocain and laughing gas. For remember, our goal: transcend dental medication.

Dr. gHari<font color="#dedfdf">

[This message has been edited by gHari (edited 01-18-2002).]

Mahatma Gandhi, as you know, walked barefoot most of the time, which produced an impressive set of calluses on his feet. He also ate very little, which made him rather frail and with his odd diet, he suffered from bad breath. This made him ....what?

A super callused fragile mystic hexed by halitosis.

It's Hugh Marr.

I recommend reading the last post (posted 01-13-2002 09:10 PM) on this thread:

http://www.indiadivine.com/ubb/Forum1/HTML/000838.html

Yes, that is a recent authentic Nancy toon. The cartoonist is obviously a true fan, judging by the lyrics chosen which really define our sweet George well.

Soon My Sweet Lord will begin to sweep the Americas. I keep listening to it. Can't believe how far I've come in thirty years.

Jaya Prabhupada.

My Sweet Lord on target to be number ONE in UK.

Hear it FREE<font color="#f7f7f7">

[This message has been edited by gHari (edited 01-15-2002).]

Here's a bit of George's 2000 version of My Sweet Lord,

but apparently it is original Sweet Lord that was released again to the world Monday.

<center><img src=http://www.unitedmedia.com/comics/nancy/archive/images/nancy20020111044613.gif>

</center>

Tomorrow My Sweet Lord will be released; expected to top charts.

This is from the Sunday Times:

SUNDAY JANUARY 13 2002

Beatle’s $1m for Krishna shrine

MAURICE CHITTENDEN

THE former Beatle George Harrison pledged to help build a shrine to the Hindu god Krishna before his death. The temple is to be constructed on high ground near the banks of the River Ganges close to the spot where Harrison’s ashes may soon be immersed.

The ornate building will include a prayer hall where devotees of Krishna facing to the east can gaze out on a 30ft-high statue of the god. It is to be built at Varanasi, the holiest of Indian cities.

 

The 1Å-acre site has been donated by a company that manufactures traditional Indian medicines.

 

As well as the 6,000 sq ft temple, there will be dormitory-style accommodation for 100 monks and nuns and a guesthouse with 150 beds for pilgrims. Krishna supporters say Harrison promised $1m (£700,000) for the temple when he visited last summer.

 

Harrison, pale and thin from the cancer that was to kill him, had returned to Varanasi, where he first discovered eastern mysticism in the 1960s, to bathe in the waters. According to Hindu philosophy, a believer must touch the Ganges before death to be cleansed of his sins.

 

Prasann Atama, president of the temple, said: “If the lord has given George Harrison strength to help us, all well and good.”

 

In 1973 Harrison bought a 400-year-old mansion and 17 acres of wooded grounds in the Hertfordshire village of Letchmore Heath for £220,000 and gave it to the Krishna movement.

 

My Sweet Lord, his No 1 single from 1971 in praise of Krishna, is being re-released tomorrow and is likely to top the charts once again. A last album recorded months before his death under the working title Portrait of a Leg End is also likely to be released later this year.

 

Krishna devotees say that tomorrow, the festival of Makar Sankranti when the sun moves out of a dark zone to symbolise renewal, would be a perfect time to scatter Harrison’s ashes.

 

 

Olivia Harrison, the musician’s widow, has accused her former brother-in-law of taking Beatles memorabilia, photos and records from one of her homes in the 1970s and then trying to sell them the day after the guitarist died.

The executors of Harrison’s estate have filed a law suit in Los Angeles against Carl Roles, the former husband of Linda Arias, Olivia’s sister, preventing sale of the items.

 

From http://www.sunday-times.co.uk/article/0,,9003-2002020596,00.html

 

[This message has been edited by gHari (edited 01-14-2002).]

CC Adi-lila 8.33-47:

ore mUDha loka, zuna caitanya-maGgala

caitanya-mahimA yAte jAnibe sakala

 

ore--O all of you; mUDha--foolish; loka--people; zuna--just hear; caitanya-maGgala--the book of this name; caitanya--Lord Caitanya's; mahimA--glories; yAte--in which; jAnibe--you will know; sakala--all.

 

<font color=blue>O fools, just read SrI Caitanya-maGgala! By reading this book you can understand all the glories of SrI Caitanya MahAprabhu.</font>

 

<ul>PURPORT

SrI VRndAvana dAsa ThAkura's SrI Caitanya-bhAgavata was originally entitled SrI Caitanya-maGgala, but when SrIla Locana dAsa ThAkura later wrote another book named SrI Caitanya-maGgala, SrIla VRndAvana dAsa ThAkura changed the name of his own book, which is now therefore known as SrI Caitanya-bhAgavata. The life of SrI Caitanya MahAprabhu is very elaborately described in the Caitanya-bhAgavata, and KRSNadAsa KavirAja GosvAmI has already informed us that in his SrI Caitanya-caritAmRta he has described whatever VRndAvana dAsa ThAkura has not mentioned. This acceptance of SrI Caitanya-bhAgavata by KRSNadAsa KavirAja GosvAmI indicates his acceptance of the disciplic succession. A writer of transcendental literature never tries to surpass the previous AcAryas.

As VyAsadeva has compiled all the pastimes of Lord KRSNa in SrImad-BhAgavatam, ThAkura VRndAvana dAsa has depicted the pastimes of Lord Caitanya.

 

ThAkura VRndAvana dAsa has composed SrI Caitanya-maGgala. Hearing this book annihilates all misfortune.

 

By reading SrI Caitanya-maGgala one can understand all the glories and truths of Lord Caitanya and NityAnanda and come to the ultimate conclusion of devotional service to Lord KRSNa.

 

<ul>PURPORT

SrImad-BhAgavatam is the authoritative reference book from which to understand devotional service, but because it is very elaborate, few men can understand its purport. SrImad-BhAgavatam is the original commentary on the VedAnta-sUtra, which is called nyAya-prasthAna. It was written to enable one to understand the Absolute Truth through infallible logic and argument, and therefore its natural commentary, SrImad-BhAgavatam, is extremely elaborate. Professional reciters have created the impression that SrImad-BhAgavatam deals only with KRSNa's rAsa-lIlA, although KRSNa's rAsa-lIlA is described only in chapters 29 through 33 of the Tenth Canto. They have in this way presented KRSNa to the Western world as a great woman-hunter, and therefore we sometimes have to deal with such misconceptions in preaching. Another difficulty in understanding SrImad-BhAgavatam is that the professional reciters have introduced bhAgavata-saptAha, or seven-day readings of the BhAgavatam. They want to finish SrImad-BhAgavatam in a week, although it is so sublime that even one verse of SrImad-BhAgavatam, if properly explained, cannot be completed in three months. Under these circumstances, it is a great aid for the common man to read SrIla VRndAvana dAsa ThAkura's Caitanya-bhAgavata, for thus he can actually understand devotional service, KRSNa, Lord Caitanya and NityAnanda. SrIla RUpa GosvAmI has said:

zruti-smRti-purANAdi-paJcarAtra-vidhiM vinA

aikAntikI harer bhaktir utpAtAyaiva kalpate

[brs. 1.2.101]

"Devotional service to the Lord that ignores the authorized Vedic literatures--the UpaniSads, PurANas, NArada-paJcarAtra, etc.--is simply an unnecessary disturbance in society." Due to misunderstanding SrImad-BhAgavatam, people are misled regarding the science of KRSNa. However, by reading SrIla VRndAvana dAsa ThAkura's book one can very easily understand this science.

In SrI Caitanya-maGgala [later known as SrI Caitanya-bhAgavata] SrIla VRndAvana dAsa ThAkura has given the conclusion and essence of devotional service by quoting the authoritative statements of SrImad-BhAgavatam.

 

If even a great atheist hears SrI Caitanya-maGgala, he immediately becomes a great devotee.

 

The subject matter of this book is so sublime that it appears that SrI Caitanya MahAprabhu has personally spoken through the writings of SrI VRndAvana dAsa ThAkura.

 

<ul>PURPORT

SrIla SanAtana GosvAmI has written in his Hari-bhakti-vilAsa:

avaiSNava-mukhodgIrNaM pUtaM hari-kathAmRtam

zravaNaM naiva kartavyaM sarpocchiSTaM yathA payaH

"One should not hear anything about KRSNa from a non-VaiSNava. Milk touched by the lips of a serpent has poisonous effects; similarly, talks about KRSNa given by a non-VaiSNava are also poisonous."

Transcendental literature that strictly follows the Vedic principles and the conclusion of the PurANas and pAJcarAtrika-vidhi can be written only by a pure devotee. It is not possible for a common man to write books on bhakti, for his writings will not be effective. He may be a very great scholar and may be expert in presenting literature in flowery language, but this is not at all helpful in understanding transcendental literature. Even if transcendental literature is written in faulty language, it is acceptable if it is written by a devotee, whereas so-called transcendental literature written by a mundane scholar, even if it is a very highly polished literary presentation, cannot be accepted. The secret in a devotee's writing is that when he writes about the pastimes of the Lord, the Lord helps him; he does not write alone. As stated in the Bhagavad-gItA (10.10), dadAmi buddhi-yogaM taM yena mAm upayAnti te. Since a devotee writes in service to the Lord, the Lord from within gives him so much intelligence that he sits down near the Lord and goes on writing books. KRSNadAsa KavirAja GosvAmI confirms that what VRndAvana dAsa ThAkura wrote was actually spoken by Lord Caitanya MahAprabhu, and he simply repeated it. The same holds true for SrI Caitanya-caritAmRta. KRSNadAsa KavirAja GosvAmI wrote SrI Caitanya-caritAmRta in his old age, in an invalid condition, but it is such a sublime literature that SrIla BhaktisiddhAnta SarasvatI GosvAmI MahArAja used to say, "The time will come when the people of the world will learn Bengali to read SrI Caitanya-caritAmRta." We are trying to present SrI Caitanya-caritAmRta in English and do not know how successful it will be, but if one reads the original Caitanya-caritAmRta in Bengali he will relish increasing ecstasy in devotional service.

I offer millions of obeisances unto the lotus feet of VRndAvana dAsa ThAkura. No one else could write such a wonderful book for the deliverance of all fallen souls.

 

NArAyaNI eternally eats the remnants of the food of Caitanya MahAprabhu. SrIla VRndAvana dAsa ThAkura was born of her womb.

 

<ul>PURPORT

In text 43 of the Gaura-gaNoddeza-dIpikA, a book written by Kavi-karNapUra that describes all the associates of SrI Caitanya MahAprabhu and who they previously were, there is the following statement regarding NArAyaNI:

ambikAyAH svasA yAsIn nAmnA zrIla-kilimbikA

kRSNocchiSTaM prabhuJjAnA seyaM nArAyaNI matA

When Lord KRSNa was a child, He was nursed by a woman named AmbikA, who had a younger sister named KilimbikA. During the time of Lord Caitanya's incarnation, the same KilimbikA used to eat the remnants of food left by Lord SrI Caitanya MahAprabhu. That KilimbikA was NArAyaNI, who was a niece of SrIvAsa ThAkura's. Later on, when she grew up and married, SrIla VRndAvana dAsa ThAkura was born from her womb. A devotee of Lord SrI KRSNa is celebrated in terms of devotional service rendered to the Lord; thus we know SrIla VRndAvana dAsa ThAkura as the son of NArAyaNI. SrIla BhaktisiddhAnta SarasvatI ThAkura notes in this connection that there is no reference to his paternal ancestry because there is no need to understand it.

What a wonderful description he has given of the pastimes of Lord Caitanya! Anyone in the three worlds who hears it is purified.

 

I fervently appeal to everyone to adopt the method of devotional service given by Lord Caitanya and NityAnanda and thus be freed from the miseries of material existence and ultimately achieve the loving service of the Lord.

 

SrIla VRndAvana dAsa ThAkura has written SrI Caitanya-maGgala and therein described in all respects the pastimes of Lord Caitanya.

 

He first summarized all the pastimes of the Lord and later described them vividly in detail.

 

The pastimes of Lord Caitanya are unlimited and unfathomable. Therefore, in describing all those pastimes, the book became voluminous.

 

He saw them to be so extensive that he later felt that some had not been properly described.

Srila Prabhupada and Krsnadasa Kaviraja Goswami say it much better in Caitanya-caritamrta Adi-lila 8.29-31:

hena kRSNa-nAma yadi laya bahu-bAra

tabu yadi prema nahe, nahe azrudhAra

tabe jAni, aparAdha tAhAte pracura

kRSNa-nAma-bIja tAhe nA kare aGkura

 

hena--such; kRSNa-nAma--holy name of the Lord; yadi--if; laya--one takes; bahu-bAra--again and again; tabu--still; yadi--if; prema--love of Godhead; nahe--is not visible; nahe azru-dhAra--there are no tears in the eyes; tabe--then; jAni--I understand; aparAdha--offense; tAhAte--there (in that process); pracura--enough; kRSNa-nAma--the holy name of KRSNa; bIja--seed; tAhe--in those activities; nA--does not; kare--do; aGkura--sprout.

 

If one chants the exalted holy name of the Lord again and again and yet his love for the Supreme Lord does not develop and tears do not appear in his eyes, it is evident that because of his offenses in chanting, the seed of the holy name of KRSNa does not sprout.

 

caitanya-nityAnande nAhi esaba vicAra

nAma laite prema dena, vahe azrudhAra

 

caitanya-nityAnande--when chanting the holy names of Lord Caitanya and NityAnanda; nAhi--there are not; esaba--all these; vicara--considerations; nAma--the holy name; laite--simply by chanting; prema--love of Godhead; dena--they give; vahe--there is a flow; azru-dhAra--tears in the eyes.

 

But if one only chants, with some slight faith, the holy names of Lord Caitanya and NityAnanda, very quickly he is cleansed of all offenses. Thus as soon as he chants the Hare KRSNa mahA-mantra, he feels the ecstasy of love for God.

 

PURPORT

SrIla BhaktisiddhAnta SarasvatI ThAkura remarks in this connection that if one takes shelter of Lord SrI Caitanya MahAprabhu and NityAnanda, follows Their instructions to become more tolerant than the tree and humbler than the grass, and in this way chants the holy name of the Lord, very soon he achieves the platform of transcendental loving service to the Lord, and tears appear in his eyes. There are offenses to be considered in chanting the Hare KRSNa mahA-mantra, but there are no such considerations in chanting the names of Gaura-NityAnanda. Therefore, if one chants the Hare KRSNa mahA-mantra but his life is still full of sinful activities, it will be very difficult for him to achieve the platform of loving service to the Lord. But if in spite of being an offender one chants the holy names of Gaura-NityAnanda, he is very quickly freed from the reactions to his offenses. Therefore, one should first approach Lord Caitanya and NityAnanda, or worship Guru-GaurAGga, and then come to the stage of worshiping RAdhA-KRSNa. In our KRSNa consciousness movement, our students are first advised to worship Guru-GaurAGga, and then, when they are somewhat advanced, the RAdhA-KRSNa Deity is installed, and they are engaged in the worship of the Lord.

 

One should first take shelter of Gaura-NityAnanda in order to reach, ultimately, RAdhA-KRSNa. SrIla Narottama dAsa ThAkura sings in this connection:

<center>

gaurAGga balite ha'be pulaka zarIra

hari hari balite nayane ba'be nIra

Ara kabe nitAi-cAGdera karuNA karibe

saMsAra-vAsanA mora kabe tuccha habe

viSaya chADiyA kabe zuddha habe mana

kabe hAma heraba zrI-vRndAvana</center>

In the beginning one should very regularly chant SrI Gaurasundara's holy name and then chant the holy name of Lord NityAnanda. Thus one's heart will be cleansed of impure desires for material enjoyment. Then one can approach VRndAvana-dhAma to worship Lord KRSNa. Unless one is favored by Lord Caitanya and NityAnanda, there is no need to go to VRndAvana, for unless one's mind is purified, he cannot see VRndAvana, even if he goes there. Actually going to VRndAvana involves taking shelter of the six GosvAmIs by reading the Bhakti-rasAmRta-sindhu, Vidagdha-mAdhava, Lalita-mAdhava and the other books that they have given. In this way one can understand the transcendental loving affairs between RAdhA and KRSNa. Kabe hAma bujhaba se yugala-pirIti. The conjugal love between RAdhA and KRSNa is not an ordinary human affair; it is fully transcendental. In order to understand RAdhA and KRSNa, worship Them and engage in Their loving service, one must be guided by SrI Caitanya MahAprabhu, NityAnanda Prabhu and the six GosvAmIs, Lord Caitanya's direct disciples.

 

For an ordinary man, worship of SrI Caitanya and NityAnanda Prabhu or the PaJca-tattva is easier than worship of RAdhA and KRSNa. Unless one is very fortunate, he should not be induced to worship RAdhA-KRSNa directly. A neophyte student who is not sufficiently educated or enlightened should not indulge in the worship of SrI RAdhA and KRSNa or the chanting of the Hare KRSNa mantra. Even if he does so, he cannot get the desired result. One should therefore chant the names of NitAi-Gaura and worship Them without false prestige. Since everyone within this material world is more or less influenced by sinful activities, in the beginning it is essential that one take to the worship of Guru-GaurAGga and ask their favor, for thus despite all his disqualifications one will very soon become qualified to worship the RAdhA-KRSNa vigraha.

 

It should be noted in this connection that the holy names of Lord KRSNa and Gaurasundara are both identical with the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Therefore one should not consider one name to be more potent than the other. Considering the position of the people of this age, however, the chanting of SrI Caitanya MahAprabhu's name is more essential than the chanting of the Hare KRSNa mahA-mantra because SrI Caitanya MahAprabhu is the most magnanimous incarnation and His mercy is very easily achieved. Therefore one must first take shelter of SrI Caitanya MahAprabhu by chanting zrI-kRSNa-caitanya prabhu-nityAnanda zrI-advaita gadAdhara zrIvAsAdi-gaura-bhakta-vRnda. By serving Gaura-NityAnanda one is freed from the entanglements of material existence and thus becomes qualified to worship the RAdhA-KRSNa Deity.

From CC Ali-lila 4.34p:

SrIla Narottama dAsa ThAkura, in his prayers to the GosvAmIs, has explained his inability to understand such spiritual affairs:

rUpa-raghunAtha-pade ha-ibe Akuti

kabe hAma bujhaba se yugala-pIriti

"When I shall be eager to understand the literature given by the GosvAmIs, then I shall be able to understand the transcendental love affairs of RAdhA and KRSNa."

 

In other words, unless one is trained under the disciplic succession of the GosvAmIs, one cannot understand RAdhA and KRSNa. The conditioned souls are naturally averse to understanding the spiritual existence of the Lord, and if they try to know the transcendental nature of the Lord's pastimes while they remain absorbed in materialism, they are sure to blunder like the sahajiyAs.

From Caitanya-caritamrta Adi-lila Introduction:

This brings up the question of who SrImatI RAdhArANI is and what RAdhA-KRSNa is. Actually RAdhA-KRSNa is the exchange of love--but not ordinary love. KRSNa has immense potencies, of which three are principal: the internal, the external and the marginal potencies. In the internal potency there are three divisions: samvit, hlAdinI and sandhinI. The hlAdinI potency is KRSNa's pleasure potency. All living entities have this pleasure-seeking potency, for all beings are trying to have pleasure. This is the very nature of the living entity. At present we are trying to enjoy our pleasure potency by means of the body in the material condition. By bodily contact we are attempting to derive pleasure from material sense objects. But we should not entertain the nonsensical idea that KRSNa, who is always spiritual, also tries to seek pleasure on this material plane. In the Bhagavad-gItA KRSNa describes the material universe as a nonpermanent place full of miseries. Why, then, would He seek pleasure in matter? He is the Supersoul, the supreme spirit, and His pleasure is beyond the material conception.

 

To learn how KRSNa enjoys pleasure, we must study the first nine cantos of SrImad-BhAgavatam, and then we should study the Tenth Canto, in which KRSNa's pleasure potency is displayed in His pastimes with RAdhArANI and the damsels of Vraja. Unfortunately, unintelligent people turn at once to the sports of KRSNa in the Dazama-skandha, the Tenth Canto. KRSNa's embracing RAdhArANI or His dancing with the cowherd girls in the rAsa dance are generally not understood by ordinary men, because they consider these pastimes in the light of mundane lust. They foolishly think that KRSNa is like themselves and that He embraces the gopIs just as an ordinary man embraces a young girl. Some people thus become interested in KRSNa because they think that His religion allows indulgence in sex. This is not kRSNa-bhakti, love of KRSNa, but prAkRta-sahajiyA--materialistic lust.

 

To avoid such errors, we should understand what RAdhA-KRSNa actually is. RAdhA and KRSNa display Their pastimes through KRSNa's internal energy. The pleasure potency of KRSNa's internal energy is a most difficult subject matter, and unless one understands what KRSNa is, one cannot understand it. KRSNa does not take any pleasure in this material world, but He has a pleasure potency. Because we are part and parcel of KRSNa, the pleasure potency is within us also, but we are trying to exhibit that pleasure potency in matter. KRSNa, however, does not make such a vain attempt. The object of KRSNa's pleasure potency is RAdhArANI; KRSNa exhibits His potency as RAdhArANI and then engages in loving affairs with Her. In other words, KRSNa does not take pleasure in this external energy but exhibits His internal energy, His pleasure potency, as RAdhArANI and then enjoys with Her. Thus KRSNa manifests Himself as RAdhArANI in order to enjoy His internal pleasure potency. Of the many extensions, expansions and incarnations of the Lord, this pleasure potency is the foremost and chief.

 

It is not that RAdhArANI is separate from KRSNa. RAdhArANI is also KRSNa, for there is no difference between the energy and the energetic. Without energy, there is no meaning to the energetic, and without the energetic, there is no energy. Similarly, without RAdhA there is no meaning to KRSNa, and without KRSNa there is no meaning to RAdhA. Because of this, the VaiSNava philosophy first of all pays obeisances to and worships the internal pleasure potency of the Supreme Lord. Thus the Lord and His potency are always referred to as RAdhA-KRSNa. Similarly, those who worship NArAyaNa first of all utter the name of LakSmI, as LakSmI-NArAyaNa. Similarly, those who worship Lord RAma first of all utter the name of SItA. In any case--SItA-RAma, RAdhA-KRSNa, LakSmI-NArAyaNa--the potency always comes first.

 

RAdhA and KRSNa are one, and when KRSNa desires to enjoy pleasure, He manifests Himself as RAdhArANI. The spiritual exchange of love between RAdhA and KRSNa is the actual display of KRSNa's internal pleasure potency. Although we speak of "when" KRSNa desires, just when He did desire we cannot say. We only speak in this way because in conditioned life we take it that everything has a beginning; however, in spiritual life everything is absolute, and so there is neither beginning nor end. Yet in order to understand that RAdhA and KRSNa are one and that They also become divided, the question "When?" automatically comes to mind. When KRSNa desired to enjoy His pleasure potency, He manifested Himself in the separate form of RAdhArANI, and when He wanted to understand Himself through the agency of RAdhA, He united with RAdhArANI, and that unification is called Lord Caitanya. This is all explained by SrIla KRSNadAsa KavirAja in the fifth verse of the Caitanya-caritAmRta.

As Darwin would point out, it could actually be a common ancestor from which both authorities manifested; not that one evolved into the other. It seems that perhaps Puru das also suggested this in so many words.

As Darwin would point out, it could actually be a common ancestor from which both authorities manifested; not that one evolved into the other. It seems that perhaps Puru das also suggested this in so many words.

In the early eighties I assimilated Jesus with Gaudiya Vaishnavism. Spending months studying the New Testament, I now realize that Krsna was preparing an innocent boy's faith in Jesus for a future two year role I would play in a major Christian Church.

I ended up leaving after discovering their booklet about Krsna Consciousness, written by a psychologist of all people. Reading from the first page "ISKCON was founded by His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada", I told them with great authority and devotion as I closed the book: "This is the only true statement in this booklet".

However, as we Be Here Now, I will explain the essence or gospel of the teachings of Jesus of Nazareth, as I have come to understand it.

Christ came to relieve our burden by giving us everlasting eternal life. We were and are suffering from accepting the sham of a non-eternal temporary life. Christ came to present the truth of life. His continuing theme was: "The Kingdom of God is at hand. Seek ye first the Kingdom of God. Do not go here or there looking for it, for it is within".

Yes, Jesus responded to the mundane question about which is the most important (self-evident) commandment in a way to lift religion beyond mere mundane morality by preaching love of God. Clearly this is the goal along with the Kingdom, but he was very definite about the purpose of his advent: to relieve our burden, our heavy yoke, to give us eternal life.

Many could not understand this for their mundane concept of life had presumed that the Messiah would lead them out of bondage in a way compatible with their mundane concept of political bondage. Yet, it was relief from the bondage of material existence in the freedom in spiritual reality.

Guru-tattva, and really what else is guru going to preach?

I often watch the TV preachers. I guess each has his own audience. Some I find terribly repulsive, some even frightfully phoney.

I wish they could understand that the promise of Christ for life everlasting is not about living forever (duh, that is a given), but rather it is something right now - eternal life versus the temporary farce and anxiety of the bodily conception. I have yet to hear it in some hundreds of hours of auditing the boys on the tube. Prabhupada might call it "Caitanya-caritamrta", the pastimes of the living force in eternity. Unfortunately they have absolutely no information about eternal life.

The funny thing is that as I hacked away on my computer in my little office with a Spiritual Sky Syamasundara on my monitor, burning incense now and then, and chanting japa here and there, these Christians thought I was a great Christian. Eventually the rumour was: "But we can't take credit for this one". I used to love carrying Adi-lila One; they knew it was a very powerful book.

I don't know whether 20 years later they have changed their stilted opinion and propaganda against Vaishnavas. Talk about a boat without a rudder; a thousand churches off in space. Krsna knew how difficult it had become for me to work there. I hope He is not displeased with my abandoning them.

Originally posted by Tarun:

... We know Florida's Governor Bushel personally went to Venice just before 9/11 to totally remove all police records of these so-called hijackers.

... We know certain Republicans heavily invested in American & United Airlines, driving their values up.

 

Tarun,

Can these 'facts' be proven? The first is very serious and I would guess a crime.

I don't see why blowing up some planes would affect the stock investment since the buying and selling both occured prior to the terror. Finding this in the paper you read should have raised the BS WARNING flag. Unless of course, there is some strategy that eludes me here.

gHari

Vasudeva Datta?

<h3>JAYA VASUDEVA DATTA</H3>

CC Adi-lila 10.40p:

In the Gaura-gaNoddeza-dIpikA (140) it is said:

<center>vraje sthitau gAyakau yau madhukaNTha-madhuvratau

mukunda-vAsudevau tau dattau gaurAGga-gAyakau</center>

"In Vraja there were two very nice singers named MadhukaNTha and Madhuvrata. They appeared in caitanya-lIlA as Mukunda and VAsudeva Datta, who were singers in the society of Lord Caitanya MahAprabhu."

CC Adi-lila 10.41-42:

vAsudeva datta----prabhura bhRtya mahAzaya

sahasra-mukhe yAGra guNa kahile nA haya

 

vAsudeva datta--VAsudeva Datta; prabhura--of Lord SrI Caitanya MahAprabhu; bhRtya--servant; mahAzaya--great personality; sahasra-mukhe--with thousands of mouths; yAGra--whose; guNa--qualities; kahile--describing; nA--never; haya--becomes fulfilled.

 

VAsudeva Datta, the nineteenth branch of the SrI Caitanya tree, was a great personality and a most confidential devotee of the Lord. One could not describe his qualities even with thousands of mouths.

 

PURPORT

VAsudeva Datta, the brother of Mukunda Datta, was also a resident of CaTTagrAma. In the Caitanya-bhAgavata it is said, yAGra sthAne kRSNa haya Apane vikraya: VAsudeva Datta was such a powerful devotee that KRSNa was purchased by him. VAsudeva Datta stayed at SrIvAsa PaNDita's house, and in the Caitanya-bhAgavata it is described that Lord Caitanya MahAprabhu was so pleased with VAsudeva Datta and so affectionate toward him that He used to say, "I am only VAsudeva Datta's man. My body is only meant to please VAsudeva Datta, and he can sell Me anywhere." Thrice He vowed that this was a fact and that no one should disbelieve these statements. "All My dear devotees," He said, "I tell you the truth. My body is especially meant for VAsudeva Datta." VAsudeva Datta initiated SrI Yadunandana AcArya, the spiritual master of RaghunAtha dAsa, who later became RaghunAtha dAsa GosvAmI. This will be found in the Caitanya-caritAmRta, Antya-lIlA, Sixth Chapter, verse 161. VAsudeva Datta spent money very liberally; therefore Lord Caitanya MahAprabhu asked SivAnanda Sena to become his sarakhela, or secretary, in order to control his extravagant expenses. VAsudeva Datta was so kind to the living entities that he wanted to take all their sinful reactions so that they might be delivered by SrI Caitanya MahAprabhu. This is described in the Fifteenth Chapter of the Caitanya-caritAmRta's Madhya-lIlA, verses 159 through 180.

SrIla BhaktisiddhAnta SarasvatI ThAkura writes in his AnubhASya, "There is a railway station named PUrvasthalI near the NavadvIpa railway station, and about one mile away, in a village known as MAmagAchi, which is the birthplace of VRndAvana dAsa ThAkura, there is presently a temple of Madana-gopAla that was established by VAsudeva Datta." The GauDIya MaTha devotees have now taken charge of this temple, and the sevA-pUjA is going on very nicely. Every year all the pilgrims on the navadvIpa-parikrama visit MAmagAchi. Since SrI BhaktisiddhAnta SarasvatI ThAkura inaugurated the navadvIpa-parikrama function, the temple has been very well managed.

 

jagate yateka jIva, tAra pApa laJA

naraka bhuJjite cAhe jIva chADAiyA

 

jagate--in the world; yateka--all; jIva--living entities; tAra--their; pApa--sinful activities; laJA--taking; naraka--hell; bhuJjite--to suffer; cAhe--wanted; jIva--the living entities; chADAiyA--liberating them.

 

SrIla VAsudeva Datta ThAkura wanted to suffer for the sinful activities of all the people of the world so that Lord Caitanya MahAprabhu might deliver them.

CC Madhya-lila 11.137-143:

vAsudeva dekhi' prabhu Anandita haJA

tAGre kichu kahe tAGra aGge hasta diyA

 

vAsudeva--VAsudeva; dekhi'--seeing; prabhu--Lord SrI Caitanya MahAprabhu; Anandita haJA--becoming very pleased; tAGre--unto him; kichu kahe--says something; tAGra aGge--on his body; hasta diyA--placing His hand.

 

As soon as SrI Caitanya MahAprabhu saw VAsudeva Datta, the older brother of Mukunda Datta, He immediately became very happy and, placing His hand on his body, began to speak.

 

yadyapi mukunda----AmA-saGge zizu haite

tAGhA haite adhika sukha tomAre dekhite

 

yadyapi--although; mukunda--Mukunda; AmA-saGge--with Me; zizu haite--from childhood; tAGhA haite--than him; adhika--still more; sukha--happiness; tomAre dekhite--to see you.

 

SrI Caitanya MahAprabhu said, "Although Mukunda is My friend from childhood, I nonetheless take greater pleasure in seeing you than in seeing him."

 

PURPORT

VAsudeva Datta was the older brother of Mukunda Datta, who was the childhood friend of SrI Caitanya MahAprabhu. It is naturally a great pleasure to see a friend, but SrI Caitanya MahAprabhu informed VAsudeva Datta that although it was His pleasure to see His friend, His pleasure was increased by seeing the older brother.

 

vAsu kahe,----mukunda Adau pAila tomAra saGga

tomAra caraNa pAila sei punar-janma

 

vAsu kahe--VAsudeva Datta said; mukunda--Mukunda; Adau--in the beginning; pAila--got; tomAra saGga--Your association; tomAra caraNa--Your lotus feet; pAila--got; sei--that; punaH-janma--transcendental rebirth.

 

VAsudeva replied, "Mukunda got Your association in the beginning. As such, he has taken shelter at Your lotus feet. That is his transcendental rebirth."

 

choTa haJA mukunda ebe haila AmAra jyeSTha

tomAra kRpA-pAtra tAte sarva-guNe zreSTha

 

choTa haJA--being junior; mukunda--Mukunda; ebe--now; haila--has become; AmAra--my; jyeSTha--senior; tomAra--Your; kRpA-pAtra--favorite; tAte--therefore; sarva-guNe--in all good qualities; zreSTha--superior.

 

Thus VAsudeva Datta admitted his inferiority to Mukunda, his younger brother. "Although Mukunda is my junior," he said, "he first received Your favor. Consequently he became transcendentally senior to me. Besides that, You very much favored Mukunda. Thus he is superior in all good qualities."

 

punaH prabhu kahe----Ami tomAra nimitte

dui pustaka AniyAchi 'dakSiNa' ha-ite

 

punaH--again; prabhu kahe--the Lord said; Ami--I; tomAra nimitte--for your sake; dui--two; pustaka--books; AniyAchi--have brought; dakSiNa ha-ite--from South India.

 

The Lord said, "For your sake only, I have brought two books from South India.

 

svarUpera ThAGi Ache, laha tA likhiyA

vAsudeva Anandita pustaka pAJA

 

svarUpera ThAGi--in the possession of SvarUpa DAmodara; Ache--they are; laha--you take; tA--them; likhiyA--copying; vAsudeva--VAsudeva; Anandita--very glad; pustaka--the books; pAJA--getting.

 

"The books are being kept with SvarUpa DAmodara, and you can get them copied." Hearing this, VAsudeva became very glad.

 

pratyeka vaiSNava sabe likhiyA la-ila

krame krame dui grantha sarvatra vyApila

 

pratyeka--each and every; vaiSNava--devotee; sabe--all; likhiyA--copying; la-ila--took; krame krame--by and by; dui grantha--the two books; sarvatra--everywhere; vyApila--become broadcast.

 

Indeed, each and every VaiSNava copied the two books. By and by, the two books [the Brahma-saMhitA and SrI KRSNa-karNAmRta] were broadcast all over India.

CC Madhya-lila 14.98-99:

prati-vRkSa-tale prabhu karena nartana

vAsudeva-datta mAtra karena gAyana

 

prati-vRkSa-tale--underneath each tree; prabhu--SrI Caitanya MahAprabhu; karena nartana--dances; vAsudeva-datta--VAsudeva Datta; mAtra--only; karena--performs; gAyana--chanting.

 

As SrI Caitanya MahAprabhu danced beneath each and every tree, VAsudeva Datta sang alone.

 

LLßÁ LLßÁ õÔŽÂîÂNH LLßÁ LLßÁ á±D á±LLþ H

óõþ÷-Õ±NõNú LLßÁ± D±NA ÎáGõþõþ±LLþ G 99 G

eka eka vRkSa-tale eka eka gAna gAya

parama-Aveze ekA nAce gaurarAya

 

eka eka vRkSa-tale--under each and every tree; eka eka--a different; gAna--song; gAya--sings; parama-Aveze--in great ecstasy; ekA--alone; nAce--dances; gaurarAya--SrI Caitanya MahAprabhu.

 

As VAsudeva Datta sang a different song beneath each and every tree, SrI Caitanya MahAprabhu danced there alone in great ecstasy.

CC Madhya-lila 15.158-181:

tabe vAsudeve prabhu kari' AliGgana

tAGra guNa kahe haJA sahasra-vadana

 

tabe--then; vAsudeve--VAsudeva; prabhu--SrI Caitanya MahAprabhu; kari' AliGgana--embracing; tAGra guNa--his good qualities; kahe--began to explain; haJA--becoming; sahasra-vadana--possessing thousands of mouths.

 

SrI Caitanya MahAprabhu then embraced VAsudeva Datta and began to speak of his glories as if He had a thousand mouths.

 

nija-guNa zuni' datta mane lajjA pAJA

nivedana kare prabhura caraNe dhariyA

 

nija-guNa--his personal qualities; zuni'--hearing; datta--VAsudeva Datta; mane--in the mind; lajjA pAJA--being ashamed; nivedana kare--submits; prabhura--of Lord SrI Caitanya MahAprabhu; caraNe dhariyA--catching the lotus feet.

 

When Caitanya MahAprabhu glorified him, VAsudeva Datta immediately became very much embarrassed and shy. He then submitted himself, touching the Lord's lotus feet.

 

jagat tArite prabhu tomAra avatAra

mora nivedana eka karaha aGgIkAra

 

jagat tArite--to deliver the whole world; prabhu--my Lord; tomAra--Your; avatAra--incarnation; mora--my; nivedana--petition; eka--one; karaha aGgIkAra--please accept.

 

VAsudeva Datta told Caitanya MahAprabhu, "My dear Lord, You incarnate just to deliver all conditioned souls. I now have one petition, which I wish You would accept.

 

karite samartha tumi hao, dayAmaya

tumi mana kara, tabe anAyAse haya

 

karite--to execute; samartha--capable; tumi--You; hao--are; dayA-maya--O merciful one; tumi mana kara--if You so desire; tabe--then; anAyAse--without difficulty; haya--it becomes possible.

 

"My Lord, You are certainly able to do whatever You like, and You are indeed merciful. If You so desire, You can very easily do whatever You want.

 

jIvera duHkha dekhi' mora hRdaya bidare

sarva-jIvera pApa prabhu deha' mora zire

 

jIvera--of all conditioned souls; duHkha dekhi'--by seeing the sufferings; mora--my; hRdaya--heart; bidare--breaks; sarva-jIvera--of all living entities; pApa--the sinful reactions; prabhu--my dear Lord; deha'--just put; mora zire--upon my head.

 

"My Lord, my heart breaks to see the sufferings of all the conditioned souls; therefore I request You to transfer the karma of their sinful lives upon my head.

 

jIvera pApa laJA muJi karoG naraka bhoga

sakala jIvera, prabhu, ghucAha bhava-roga

 

jIvera--of all conditioned souls; pApa laJA--accepting the sinful reactions; muJi--I; karoG--do; naraka--hellish life; bhoga--experience; sakala jIvera--of all living entities; prabhu--my dear Lord; ghucAha--please finish; bhava-roga--the material disease.

 

"My dear Lord, let me suffer perpetually in a hellish condition, accepting all the sinful reactions of all living entities. Please finish their diseased material life."

 

PURPORT

SrIla BhaktisiddhAnta SarasvatI ThAkura gives the following commentary on this verse. In the Western countries, Christians believe that Lord Jesus Christ, their spiritual master, appeared in order to eradicate all the sins of his disciples. To this end, Lord Jesus Christ appeared and disappeared. Here, however, we find SrI VAsudeva Datta ThAkura and SrIla HaridAsa ThAkura to be many millions of times more advanced even when compared with Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ relieved only his followers from all sinful reactions, but VAsudeva Datta is here prepared to accept the sins of everyone in the universe. So the comparative position of VAsudeva Datta is millions of times better than that of Lord Jesus Christ. A VaiSNava is so liberal that he is prepared to risk everything to rescue the conditioned souls from material existence. SrIla VAsudeva Datta ThAkura is universal love itself, for he was willing to sacrifice everything and fully engage in the service of the Supreme Lord.

SrIla VAsudeva Datta knew very well that SrI Caitanya MahAprabhu was the original Personality of Godhead, Transcendence itself, above the material conception of illusion and mAyA. Lord Jesus Christ certainly finished the sinful reactions of his followers by his mercy, but that does not mean he completely delivered them from the pangs of material existence. A person may be relieved from sins once, but it is a practice among Christians to confess sins and yet commit them again. By getting freed from sins and again engaging in them, one cannot attain freedom from the pangs of material existence. A diseased person may go to a physician for relief, but after he leaves the hospital he may again be infected due to his unclean habits. Thus material existence continues. SrIla VAsudeva Datta wanted to completely relieve the conditioned souls from material existence so that they would no longer have an opportunity to commit sinful acts. This is the significant difference between SrIla VAsudeva Datta and Lord Jesus Christ. It is a great offense to receive pardon for sins and then commit the same sins again. Such an offense is more dangerous than the sinful activity itself. VAsudeva Datta was so liberal that he requested SrI Caitanya MahAprabhu to transfer all offensive activity upon him so the conditioned souls would be purified and go back home, back to Godhead. This prayer was certainly without duplicity.

VAsudeva Datta's example is unique not only within this world but within the universe. It is beyond the conception of fruitive actors or the speculation of mundane philosophers. Due to being illusioned by the external energy and due to a poor fund of knowledge, people tend to envy one another. Because of this they are entangled in fruitive activity, and they try to escape this fruitive activity by mental speculation. Consequently neither karmIs nor jJAnIs are purified. In the words of SrIla BhaktisiddhAnta ThAkura, they are kukarmIs and kujJAnIs--bad fruitive actors and bad speculators. The MAyAvAdIs and karmIs should therefore turn their attention to the magnanimous VAsudeva Datta, who wanted to suffer for others in a hellish condition. No one should consider VAsudeva Datta a mundane philanthropist or welfare worker. Nor was he interested in merging into the Brahman effulgence or in gaining material honor or reputation. He was far, far above philanthropists, philosophers and fruitive actors. He was the most exalted personality to ever show mercy to the conditioned souls. This is not an exaggeration of his transcendental qualities. It is perfectly true. Actually, there cannot be any comparison to VAsudeva Datta. As the perfect VaiSNava, he was para-duHkha-duHkhI, very much aggrieved to see others suffer. The entire world is purified simply by the appearance of such a great devotee. Indeed, by his transcendental presence the whole world is glorified and all conditioned souls are also glorified. As Narottama dAsa ThAkura confirms, VAsudeva Datta is the ideal devotee of SrI Caitanya MahAprabhu:

gaurAGgera saGgi-gaNe, nitya-siddha kari' mAne,

se yAya vrajendrasuta-pAza

One who executes SrI Caitanya MahAprabhu's mission must be considered eternally liberated. He is a transcendental person and does not belong to this material world. Such a devotee, engaging in the deliverance of the total population, is as magnanimous as SrI Caitanya MahAprabhu Himself.

namo mahA-vadAnyAya kRSNa-prema-pradAya te

kRSNAya kRSNa-caitanya-nAmne gaura-tviSe namaH

[Cc. Madhya 19.53]

Such a personality factually represents SrI Caitanya MahAprabhu because his heart is always filled with compassion for all conditioned souls.

eta zuni' mahAprabhura citta dravilA

azru-kampa-svarabhaGge kahite lAgilA

 

eta zuni'--hearing this; mahAprabhura--of SrI Caitanya MahAprabhu; citta--heart; dravilA--became softened; azru--tears; kampa--trembling; svara-bhaGge--with faltering of the voice; kahite--to speak; lAgilA--began.

 

When SrI Caitanya MahAprabhu heard VAsudeva Datta's statement, His heart became very soft. Tears flowed from His eyes, and He began to tremble. In a faltering voice He spoke as follows.

 

"tomAra vicitra nahe, tumi----sAkSAt prahlAda

tomAra upare kRSNera sampUrNa prasAda

 

tomAra--in you; vicitra nahe--this is not extraordinary; tumi--you; sAkSAt prahlAda--incarnation of PrahlAda MahArAja; tomAra upare--upon you; kRSNera--of Lord KRSNa; sampUrNa--complete; prasAda--mercy.

 

Accepting VAsudeva Datta as a great devotee, the Lord said, "Such a statement is not at all astonishing because you are the incarnation of PrahlAda MahArAja. It appears that Lord KRSNa has bestowed complete mercy upon you. There is no doubt about it.

 

kRSNa sei satya kare, yei mAge bhRtya

bhRtya-vAJchA-pUrti vinu nAhi anya kRtya

 

kRSNa--Lord KRSNa; sei--that; satya kare--fulfills as true; yei--whatever; mAge--wants; bhRtya--servant; bhRtya-vAJchA--the desire of His servant; pUrti--fulfilling; vinu--without; nAhi--there is not; anya--other; kRtya--duty.

 

"Whatever a pure devotee wants from his master, Lord KRSNa doubtlessly grants because He has no duty other than to fulfill the desire of His devotee.

 

brahmANDa jIvera tumi vAJchile nistAra

vinA pApa-bhoge habe sabAra uddhAra

 

brahmANDa--of the universe; jIvera--of all living entities; tumi vAJchile--if you desire; nistAra--deliverance; vinA--without; pApa-bhoge--undergoing tribulations of sinful activities; habe--there will be; sabAra--everyone's; uddhAra--liberation.

 

"If you desire the deliverance of all living entities within the universe, then all of them can be delivered even without your undergoing the tribulations of sinful activity.

 

asamartha nahe kRSNa, dhare sarva bala

tomAke vA kene bhuJjAibe pApa-phala?

 

asamartha nahe--is not unable; kRSNa--Lord KRSNa; dhare--possesses; sarva bala--all potencies; tomAke--you; vA--then; kene--why; bhuJjAibe--would cause to suffer; pApa-phala--results of sinful reactions.

 

"KRSNa is not incapable, for He has all potencies. Why would He induce you to suffer the sinful reactions of other living entities?

 

tumi yAGra hita vAJcha', se haila 'vaiSNava'

vaiSNavera pApa kRSNa dUra kare saba

 

tumi--you; yAGra--of whom; hita vAJcha'--desire the welfare; se--such a person; haila--immediately becomes; vaiSNava--a devotee; vaiSNavera--of a VaiSNava; pApa--the accidental sinful life; kRSNa--Lord KRSNa; dUra kare--vanquishes; saba--all.

 

"Whosever welfare you desire immediately becomes a VaiSNava, and KRSNa delivers all VaiSNavas from the reactions of their past sinful activities.

 

PURPORT

SrI Caitanya MahAprabhu here informed VAsudeva Datta that since KRSNa is all-powerful, He can immediately deliver all conditioned souls from material existence. In essence, SrI Caitanya MahAprabhu said, "You desire the liberation of all kinds of living entities without discrimination. You are very anxious for their good fortune, and I say that simply by your prayer all living entities within the universe can be liberated. You do not even have to take up the burden of their sinful activities. Thus there is no need for you to suffer for their sinful lives. Whoever receives your compassion becomes a VaiSNava immediately, and KRSNa delivers all VaiSNavas from the reactions to their past sinful activities." KRSNa also promises this in the Bhagavad-gItA (18.66):

sarva-dharmAn parityajya mAm ekaM zaraNaM vraja

ahaM tvAM sarva-pApebhyo mokSayiSyAmi mA zucaH

"Abandon all varieties of religion and just surrender unto Me. I shall deliver you from all sinful reactions. Do not fear."

As soon as one fully surrenders to KRSNa, he becomes a VaiSNava. In this verse from the Bhagavad-gItA KRSNa promises to relieve His devotee from all the reactions to sinful life. It is a fact that a fully surrendered VaiSNava is completely out of the range of material infection. This is to say that he does not suffer the results of his previous pious or impious actions. Unless one is freed from sinful life, one cannot become a VaiSNava. In other words, if one is a VaiSNava, his sinful life is certainly ended. According to the Padma PurANa:

aprArabdha-phalaM pApaM kUTaM bIjaM phalonmukham

krameNaiva pralIyeta viSNu-bhakti-ratAtmanAm

"There are different stages of dormant reactions to sinful activities to be observed in a sinful life. Sinful reactions may be just waiting to take effect [phalonmukha], reactions may be still further dormant [kUTa], or the reactions may be in a seedlike state [bIja]. In any case, all types of sinful reactions are vanquished one after another if a person engages in the devotional service of Lord ViSNu."

 

yas tv indra-gopam atha vendram aho sva-karma-

bandhAnurUpa-phala-bhAjanam Atanoti

karmANi nirdahati kintu ca bhakti-bhAjAM

govindam Adi-puruSaM tam ahaM bhajAmi

 

yaH--He who (Govinda); tu--but; indra-gopam--to the small red insect called indra-gopa; atha vA--or even; indram--to Indra, King of heaven; aho--oh; sva-karma--of one's own fruitive activities; bandha--bondage; anurUpa--according to; phala--of reactions; bhAjanam--enjoying or suffering; Atanoti--bestows; karmANi--all fruitive activities and their reactions; nirdahati--destroys; kintu--but; ca--certainly; bhakti-bhAjAm--of persons engaged in devotional service; govindam--unto Lord Govinda; Adi-puruSam--the original person; tam--unto Him; aham--I; bhajAmi--offer my obeisances.

 

"'Let me offer my respectful obeisances unto the original Personality of Godhead, Govinda, who regulates the sufferings and enjoyments due to fruitive activity. He does this for everyone--from the heavenly King Indra down to the smallest insect [indra-gopa]. That very Personality of Godhead destroys the karmic reactions of one engaged in devotional service.'

 

PURPORT

This is a quotation from the Brahma-saMhitA (5.54).

 

tomAra icchA-mAtre habe brahmANDa-mocana

sarva mukta karite kRSNera nAhi kichu zrama

 

tomAra icchA-mAtre--simply by your desire; habe--there will be; brahmANDa-mocana--deliverance of the universe; sarva--everyone; mukta karite--to liberate; kRSNera--of Lord KRSNa; nAhi--there is not; kichu--even a little; zrama--labor.

 

"Because of your honest desire, all living entities within the universe will be delivered, for KRSNa does not have to do anything to deliver all the living entities of the universe.

 

eka uDumbara vRkSe lAge koTi-phale

koTi ye brahmANDa bhAse virajAra jale

 

eka uDumbara vRkSe--in one uDumbara tree; lAge--there are; koTi-phale--millions of fruits; koTi--millions; ye--which; brahmANDa--of universes; bhAse--float; virajAra--of the VirajA River; jale--in the water.

 

"Just as there are millions of fruits on the uDumbara tree, millions of universes float on the waters of the river VirajA.

 

PURPORT

VirajA is a river that divides the material world from the spiritual world. On one side of the river VirajA is the effulgence of Brahmaloka and innumerable VaikuNTha planets, and on the other side is this material world. It is to be understood that this side of the VirajA River is filled with material planets floating in the Causal Ocean. The name VirajA indicates a marginal position between the spiritual and material worlds, but the VirajA River is not under the control of the material energy. Consequently it is devoid of the three guNas.

 

tAra eka phala paDi' yadi naSTa haya

tathApi vRkSa nAhi jAne nija-apacaya

 

tAra--of the tree; eka phala--one fruit; paDi'--falling down; yadi--if; naSTa haya--becomes destroyed; tathApi--still; vRkSa--the tree; nAhi jAne--does not know; nija-apacaya--its loss.

 

"The uDumbara tree is filled with millions of fruits, and if one falls down and is destroyed, the tree does not even consider the loss.

 

taiche eka brahmANDa yadi mukta haya

tabu alpa-hAni kRSNera mane nAhi laya

 

taiche--similarly; eka brahmANDa--one universe; yadi--if; mukta haya --becomes liberated; tabu--still; alpa-hAni--very little loss; kRSNera--of Lord KRSNa; mane--the mind; nAhi laya--does not take it very seriously.

 

"In the same way, if one universe is vacated due to the living entities' having been liberated, that is a very little thing for KRSNa. He does not take it very seriously.

 

ananta aizvarya kRSNera vaikuNThAdi-dhAma

tAra gaDa-khAi----kAraNAbdhi yAra nAma

 

ananta--unlimited; aizvarya--opulence; kRSNera--of Lord KRSNa; vaikuNTha-Adi-dhAma--innumerable VaikuNTha planets; tAra--of VaikuNThaloka; gaDa-khAi--surrounding water; kAraNa-abdhi--Causal Ocean; yAra--of which; nAma--name.

 

"The entire spiritual world constitutes the unlimited opulence of KRSNa, and there are innumerable VaikuNTha planets there. The Causal Ocean is considered the surrounding waters of VaikuNThaloka.

 

tAte bhAse mAyA laJA ananta brahmANDa

gaDa-khAite bhAse yena rAi-pUrNa bhANDa

 

tAte--in that water; bhAse--floats; mAyA--the material energy; laJA--taking; ananta--unlimited; brahmANDa--universes; gaDa-khAite--in the surrounding water; bhAse--floats; yena--as if; rAi-pUrNa bhANDa--a pot filled with mustard seeds.

 

"MAyA and her unlimited material universes are situated in that Causal Ocean. Indeed, mAyA appears to be floating like a pot filled with mustard seeds.

 

tAra eka rAi-nAze hAni nAhi mAni

aiche eka aNDa-nAze kRSNera nAhi hAni

 

tAra--of it; eka--one; rAi-nAze--loss of a mustard seed; hAni--loss; nAhi--does not; mAni--notice; aiche--in that way; eka--one; aNDa--universe; nAze--being lost; kRSNera--of KRSNa; nAhi hAni--there is no loss.

 

"Of the millions of mustard seeds floating in that pot, if one seed is lost, the loss is not at all significant. Similarly, if one universe is lost, it is not significant to Lord KRSNa.

 

saba brahmANDa saha yadi 'mAyA'ra haya kSaya

tathApi nA mAne kRSNa kichu apacaya

 

saba brahmANDa--all the universes; saha--with; yadi--if; mAyAra--of the material energy; haya kSaya--there is destruction; tathApi--still; nA--not; mAne--considers; kRSNa--Lord KRSNa; kichu--any; apacaya--lost.

 

"To say nothing of one universal mustard seed, even if all the universes and the material energy [mAyA] are destroyed, KRSNa does not even consider the loss.

 

koTi-kAmadhenu-patira chAgI yaiche mare

SaD-aizvarya-pati kRSNera mAyA kibA kare?

 

koTi--of millions; kAma-dhenu--of desire cows; patira--of the master; chAgI--one she-goat; yaiche--as; mare--dies; SaT-aizvarya-pati--the master of six opulences; kRSNera--of KRSNa; mAyA--external energy; kibA--what; kare--can do.

 

"If a person possessing millions of wish-fulfilling cows loses one she-goat, he does not consider the loss. KRSNa owns all six opulences in full. If the entire material energy is destroyed, what does He lose?"

 

PURPORT

SrIla Bhaktivinoda ThAkura, in clarifying verses 171–179, states that the meaning of these stanzas is very simple but that the purport is a little difficult to understand. Generally, the conditioned souls forget KRSNa when they are enticed by the material, external energy. Consequently they are called kRSNa-bahirmukha, bereft of their relationship with KRSNa. When such a living entity comes under the jurisdiction of the material energy, he is sent into one of the innumerable material universes created by the material energy to give a chance to conditioned souls to fulfill their desires in the material world. Being very eager to enjoy the fruits of their activities, conditioned souls become involved in the actions and reactions of material life. Consequently they enjoy and suffer the results of karma. However, if a conditioned soul becomes KRSNa conscious, the karma of his pious and impious activities is completely destroyed. Simply by becoming a devotee, one is freed of all the reactions of karma. Similarly, simply by the desire of a devotee, a conditioned soul can attain liberation and transcend the results of karma. Since everyone can be liberated in this way, one may conclude that it is according to the sweet will of the devotee whether the material world exists or does not exist. Ultimately, however, it is not the sweet will of the devotee but the will of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who, if He so desires, can completely annihilate the material creation. There is no loss on His part. The owner of millions of cows does not consider the loss of one she-goat. Similarly, Lord KRSNa is the proprietor of both the material and spiritual universes. The material world constitutes only one-fourth of His creative energy. If, according to the desire of the devotee, the Lord completely destroys the creation, He is so opulent that He will not mind the loss.

 

jaya jaya jahy ajAm ajita doSa-gRbhIta-guNAM

tvam asi yad AtmanA samavaruddha-samasta-bhagaH

aga-jagad-okasAm akhila-zakty-avabodhaka te

kvacid ajayAtmanA ca carato 'nucaren nigamaH"

 

jaya jaya--kindly exhibit Your glory; jahi--please conquer; ajAm--nescience, mAyA; ajita--O unconquerable one; doSa--faulty; gRbhIta-guNAm--by which the qualities are accepted; tvam--You; asi--are; yat--because; AtmanA--by Your internal potency; samavaruddha--possessing; samasta-bhagaH--all kinds of opulences; aga--nonmoving; jagat--moving; okasAm--of the embodied living entities; akhila--all; zakti--of potencies; avabodhaka--master; te--You; kvacit--sometimes; ajayA--by the external energy; AtmanA--of Your self; ca--also; carataH--manifesting pastimes (by Your glance); anucaret--confirm; nigamaH--all the Vedas.

 

SrI Caitanya MahAprabhu continued, "'O my Lord, O unconquerable one, O master of all potencies, please exhibit Your internal potency to conquer the nescience of all moving and inert living entities. Due to nescience, they accept all kinds of faulty things, thus provoking a fearful situation. O Lord, please show Your glories! You can do this very easily, for Your internal potency is beyond the external potency, and You are the reservoir of all opulence. You are also the demonstrator of the material potency. You are also always engaged in Your pastimes in the spiritual world, where You exhibit Your reserved, internal potency, and sometimes You exhibit the external potency by glancing over it. Thus You manifest Your pastimes. The Vedas confirm Your two potencies and accept both types of pastimes due to them.'"

 

PURPORT

This verse is taken from SrImad-BhAgavatam (10.87.14). It is from the prayers of the zruti-gaNa, the personified Vedas, who glorify the Lord.

The almighty Personality of Godhead has three potencies--internal, external and marginal. The conditioned souls, who are condemned due to their forgetfulness of the Lord, are put under the control of the external potency when she creates the material world. The three modes of material nature keep the living entity in a constant state of fear (bhayaM dvitIyAbhinivezataH). The conditioned soul is always fearful due to being controlled by the external potency; therefore the conditioned soul should always pray to the almighty Lord to conquer the external potency (mAyA) so that she will no longer manifest her powers, which bind all living entities, moving and inert. By praying in this way one will become eligible to remain constantly in the association of the Lord, thus fulfilling the mission of going back home, back to Godhead.

 

ei mata sarva-bhaktera kahi' saba guNa

sabAre vidAya dila kari' AliGgana

 

ei mata--in this way; sarva-bhaktera--of all the devotees; kahi'--describing; saba guNa--all the good qualities; sabAre--unto everyone; vidAya dila--bade farewell; kari' AliGgana--embracing.

 

In this way, SrI Caitanya MahAprabhu described the good qualities of His devotees one after the other. He then embraced them and bade them farewell.

The Matchless Gift 3:

Sukadeva GosvAmI and MahArAja ParIkSit discussed this subject, and ParIkSit MahArAja was anxious to know how the conditioned souls could be saved from their hellish lives. It is the natural desire of a VaiSNava to save suffering humanity. Generally others do not care whether people suffer or not, but a VaiSNava, a devotee of the Lord, is always thinking of how to alleviate the fallen condition of the people. Christians believe that through His crucifixion Lord Jesus Christ assimilated all the sinful activities of the world's people. A devotee of the Lord is always thinking of how to assimilate the sufferings of others. A similar devotee was VAsudeva Datta, who was Lord Caitanya's associate. He told the Lord: "Now that You have come, kindly deliver all people on this earth and take them to VaikuNTha, the spiritual world. And if You think that they are so sinful that they cannot be delivered, please transfer all their sins unto me. I shall suffer for them." This is a VaiSNava's mercy. However, it is not that Jesus Christ or VAsudeva Datta should make a contract for our sins and that we should go on committing them, for this is a most heinous proposal. A VaiSNava or devotee may suffer for all humanity, but the human race or a particular devotee's disciples should not take advantage of this facility and continue to commit sins. One should, rather, realize that since Lord Jesus Christ or VAsudeva Datta suffered for him, he should stop committing sins.

After looking at the picture again, I saw the humour since the demon getting trashed by our hero bears a certain resemblance in dress to Ronald McDonald (later known as Puripada).

Kirtanananda was known as Srila Bhaktipada.

Fascinating. Thank you, Gauracandra Prabhu.