Shakti-Fan

What you are both saying is a jnanic or philosophical truth about nature of time and eternity. This is what Uddhava tried to preach to the Gopis, but the Gopis thoroughly rejected this. They said something like, "O do you think we are jnanis, no we are just simple villiage girls, an not only that we are not trying to remember Krsna but rather we are trying to forget Him, for our separation is causing so much pain." Srila Narayana Maharaja has said, "Those who have an intense sense of mineness also experience a strong separation mood. If there is no mamata [mineness], there is no separation mood. Feelings of separation depend on the gradation of feelings of mineness. If the sense of mamata is condensed, then in meeting there is so much happiness and in separation there is so much suffering." aradhyo bhagavan brajesa-tanayas-tad-dhama vrndavana ramya kacid-upasana vraja-vadhu-vargena ya kalpita srimad-bhagavatah pramanam-amalam prema pumartho mahan sri caitanya mahaprabhur-matam-idam tatradaro nah parah "The Supreme Lord Vrajendra-nandana Sri Krsna is my worshipable Deity, and His transcendental abode, Sri Vrndavana-dhama, is equally worshipable. The most excellent method of worshipping Krsna is that adopted by the gopa-ramanis, the young wives of Vraja. Srimad-bhagavatam is the flawless and most authoritative evidence of this. This krsna-prema is the fifth and highest achievement of human life – beyond dharma, artha, kama, and moksa. This is the opinion of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. We have supreme regard for His conclusion, and we have no inclination or respect for any other, cheating opinions."

Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu has given this formula: trnad api sunicena taror api sahisnuna/ amanina manadena kirtaniyah sada harih [Cc. adi 17.31]. "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." Those engaged in preaching the glories of the Lord should be humbler than grass and more tolerant than a tree; then they can preach the glories of the Lord without difficulty. Bhaktivedanta VedaBase: Srimad Bhagavatam 6.4.5 Excerpt from Purport

There are so many mental constructs we can use to approximate the inconcievable reality. Most are jnana which lead only to further jnana. Yet if bhakti is to filter through the mirror of our mind, which thoughts will open our hearts to the vibration of bhakti coming from the possesor of such, Sri Guru? To meditate upon the glories of the eternal parishads (associates) of the Lord is our lofty goal. Maybe if we hope against hope we will some day wish to become their followers. To concieve of their potential fall is not their glory and will lead to our vainglorius stagnation and fall from what is our potential as jiva souls. The only separation from the inhabitants of Goloka or Gokula will ever experience are the pangs of not seeing Him face to face for even the time of a batting of an eye-lash. "Lord Caitanya, greatly relishing all the verses of Srimad-Bhagavatam which He was explaining to Sanatana, quoted another verse (Bhag. 9.24.65): yasyananam makara-kundala-caru-karna- bhrajat-kapola-subhagam savllasa-hasam nityotsavam na tatripur drisibhih pibantyo naryo naras ca muditah kupita nimes ca "The gopis used to relish the beauty of Krishna as a ceremony of perpetual enjoyment. They enjoyed the beautiful face of Krishna, His beautiful ears with earrings, His broad forehead and His smile, and when enjoying this sight of Krishna's beauty, they used to criticize the creator Brahma for causing their vision of Krishna to be momentarily impeded by the blinking of their eyelids."" Excerpt: Chapter 10: The Beauty of Krishna Bhaktivedanta VedaBase: Teachings of Lord Caitanya

Anyway to fight over this issue is also an offense. Yet I must say to view the origin of the soul as given by Srila Narayana Maharaja, Srila Bodhayan Maharaja, Srila Govinda Maharaja and previously Srila Sridhar Maharaja and of course many others is the proper way to harmonize Srila B.V. Swami Prabhupada's teachings. Otherwise we are left to assume that the eternal parishads of Radha Govinda are tumbling out of Goloka in a free fall into the oblivion of stool eating species of life - whether we word juggle our way into believing they are just imagining it or not. Therefore to think that these parishads or eternal associates are falling IS Vaisnava aparadha.

A liberated person who hears about the loving affairs of Radha and Krsna is not inclined to have lusty desires. One mundane rogue once said that when the Vaisnavas chant the name "Radha, Radha," he simply remembers a barber's wife named Radha. This is a practical example. Unless one is liberated, he should not try to hear about the loving affairs between Radha and Krsna. If one is not liberated and listens to a relation of the rasa dance, he may remember his own mundane activities and illicit connections with some woman whose name may also be Radha. In the conditioned stage one should not even try to remember such things. But then we are told just the opposite: According to Srimad-Bhagavatam (10.33.39) <center>vikriditam vraja-vadhubhir idam ca visnoh sraddhanvito 'nusrnuyad atha varnayed yah bhaktim param bhagavati pratilabhya kamam hrd-rogam asv apahinoty acirena dhirah</center> "He who faithfully hears about the dealings between Lord Krsna and the gopis in the rasa dance and he who describes these activities will certainly attain to the perfectional stage of devotional service and simultaneously lose material, lusty desires.

I'm just saying that there is some precedent for the English word "erotic" to be used in place of "conjugal" or other similar English words. The problem is that the word "erotic" is often used in contemporary parlance and for most of us in connotes mundane sexuality. But for others in different circumstances and subcultures, the word "conjugal" will connote mundane sexuality. I just think that we should suspend judgement and not be attached to the form of the words but the substance of the conception.

Brajeshwara, didn't you look at this:

Case closed.

I feel the same way. Tripurari Maharaja refers quite often to Radha Krsna's "erotic" pastimes and when I read it I just cringe. But I wonder if we are just being prejudiced and stuck in our ways. If we were conditioned to the term "erotic" being applied to the lila of the divine couple then perhaps we would cringe upon hearing the term, "conjugal".

Show one quote where Srila A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada writes or says that the jiva souls originate in Goloka. Show one quote like this - not anything about coming from the spiritual world or Vaikuntha etc. Just Prabhupada saying that the conditioned souls come from Goloka Vrndavana.

Conditioned souls in the material world never had a spiritual body. The spiritual body of a conditioned jiva only exists in a latent form, like a seed form. How will that form come out? Here's an interesting description by Srila Narayana Maharaja about how one comes to the higher levels of bhakti: suddha-sattva-visesatma prema-suryamsu-samya-bhak rucibhis citta-masrnya- krd asau bhava ucyate<o:p></o:p> ["When devotional service is executed on the transcendental platform of pure goodness, it is like a sun-ray of love for Krsna. At such a time, devotional service causes the heart to be softened by various tastes, and one is then situated in bhava (emotion)." (Madhya lila 23.5)]<o:p></o:p> We must know what is sattva, and then we must know what is suddha-sattva. Sattva means existence. This body is material sattva. It has no actual existence. All kinds of existence in this world and that transcendental world are sattva. Sattva is of two kinds: Suddha-sattva and misra-sattva. All the souls who are captured in the material energy are now misra-sattva. One who gives up the material sattva and considers himself an infinitesimal part of the Lord, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is suddha-anucit. Transcendental substance is called suddha-sattva.<o:p></o:p> Next, what is suddha-sattva-visesatma? What is this type of suddha-sattva? Baladeva Prabhu is the origin of all suddha-sattva, transcendental existence, and everything that exists in this world also comes from Him. He is the presiding Deity of sandini-sakti, Krsna's potency of existence. Everything that comes directly from this sandini-sakti in the form of Baladeva is suddha-sattva. Do you understand?<o:p></o:p> Suddha-sattva-visesatma. Hladini-sakti and samvit-sakti belong to the category of the svarupa-sakti of Krsna. Krsna's svarupa-sakti is hladini and samvit. Hladini-sakti is love and affection, with ananda. Samvit means knowledge. From that knowledge all the various kinds of bhava to serve Krsna which are in Radhika may partly come in the jiva. The essence of hladini and samvit, on the platform of sandini, is suddha-sattva visesatma.<o:p></o:p> How will it come? It will not come by any sadhana that can be performed by a jiva. It will come by krpa-siddha. What is krpa-siddha? It is perfection by mercy. Mercy is of two kinds. The first is Krsna's mercy, and that includes the mercy of Srimati Radhika, Vrnda, and all tadiya, associates. Secondly, mercy comes from high-class devotees of Krsna, like Sankara, Narada Gosvami, Uddhava, and even more advanced than that, Rupa Gosvami, Raghunatha dasa Gosvami, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Gosvami Prabhupada, Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura, our Gurudeva, our Srila Swami Maharaja, and others in this line.<o:p></o:p> <!--[if !supportEmptyParas]--> <!--[endif]--><o:p></o:p>

We are still waiting for this quote from Srila Prabhupada's books? Beggar's correct because it doesn't exist.

During the time of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu all the way until the mid-twentieth century Krsna bhakti was preached to people in India that more or less followed varasrama dharma. [Daiva] Varnasrama dharma is the standard for human civilization and anything less is uncivilized and subhuman. Varnasrama dharma helps people to stop behaving like animals, then in that context they may be able to hear Hari katha. Still there are those who have the sukriti to take directly to Krsna bhakti, but that is very rare. So Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati made some reforms for the members of his maths to organize them as brahmacaris, grhastas, vanaprasthas and sannyasis. Then Srila A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada considered expanding the application of daiva varnasrama dharma so as to establishing the four varnas in the West as a way to expand the preaching and organize the entire human civilization in such a way that the preaching of Krsna Consciousness would go on in a grand way. This was both his mood and the mood of his Guru Maharaja to "shoot for the Rhinocerous". This mood is really the true meaning of audarya, or mangnaminity. Prabhupada was always seeing the suffering of the conditioned souls and thinking of ways to deliver them. Only another pure devotee can know the ways of a pure devotee. Then why take the risk of vaisnava aparadha against that person who spread Krsna Consciousness worldwide and the person who inspired him? <o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> <o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p>

Swami B.V. Narayan's Instructions on Venice Beach Temple <hr style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);" size="1"> <!-- / icon and title --><!-- message --> Swami B.V. Narayan's Instructions on Venice Beach Temple BY: SUN CONTRIBUTOR Mar 8, USA (SUN) — Deities moving to Badger. My dear Bhagavat prabhu, my heartly blessings are for you. All glories to Sri Sri Guru and Gauranga, all glories to Sri Sri Radha Vinode Bihariji. I received your letters and carefully noted the contents. I approve your proposals to bring the 5 or 6 brahmacharies to India and engage in full time preaching services without any agony, pressure, or burden for finances. It is my desire that the devotees who have surrendered them selves completely, accepting saffron cloth and living in ashram, whether ladies or gents, they should have full opportunities to engage in sadhana and bhajan, without any mental anxieties. Regarding the sale of Los Angeles building, it is fully approved by me for the very reason that maintaining it is against the principles of pure bhakti. Srila Rupa Gosvami has given very clear definitions what is favorable for pure bhakti and what is not favorable. It is unfavorable to over endeavor for things that are very difficult to obtain. To obtain sufficient monies for paying the mortgage and rezoning the present building is a very difficult plan and it is taking away all energy from distributing and practicing the process of pure bhakti freely, without anxieties. I do not want the devotees who have left all material obligations in order to practice spiritual life, that they again should be burdened and pressured for money and other worldly problems. Please come to India with your party, bring Thakurji to Badger under the care of Srimati Gopanandini devi dasi and sell the building as soon as is possible. After the building is sold, at once there should be a simple preaching center where brahmacharies can live in order to practice and distribute the process of pure bhakti without any anxieties for other matters. If there is sufficient profit and you can give a donation for our Navadvip construction and our Badger project, I will be very pleased. Please know that I have safely arrived in India, in good health, very happy and 100 % engaged in preaching in Bengali villages. I am looking forward to meet with you again very soon. You may show this message to all devotees so that there will be no confusion. Your ever well-wisher, Swami B.V. Narayan Founder Acharya of Bhaktivedanta Trust International [bHAKTI] and International Gaudiya Vedanta Trust Sri Kesavji Gaudiya Math - Mathura [uP] 281001 India - Ph.: + 91 565.2502334 President of Sri Gaudiya Vedanta Samiti Trust and Vice President of Sri Gaudiya Vedanta Samiti

Dear Anadi dandavat pranams, Narayana Maharaja still preaches shuddha bhakti - go to purebhakti.com and read the transcripts of edited lectures. Yes, I personally asked Srila Narayana Maharaja about this and he told me that there is no difference in the precepts between Gaudiya Math and Pandit Ananta Das Babaji. The difference is in the application of the precepts or practice. This adjustment in the practice goes back to Srila Saraswati Thakur. Therefore the "traditional vaisnavas" and smarta brahmanas created an alliance against Saraswati Thakur and alledged such things as that he was not preaching shuddha bhakti but rather varnasrama dharma etc. There are others from different camps on this forum who will enjoy the attacks on Narayana Maharaja but due to their prejudices and lack of awareness of the history they do not realize that these are really affronts to Srila Bhaktivedanta Swami's And Srila Sridhar Maharaja's guru.

This is complete falsehood and an attempt to slander Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakur and all his followers. Srila Saraswati Thakur established triadandi sannyasa in the Rupanuga guru varaga and sannyasa is within varnasrama dharma. This was an attempt to reform the line in light of all the abuse of the paramahamsa vesa going on in those days. The babaji class still opposes these reforms until this very day. Go back and reread the original conversation with Narayana Maharaja at the beginning of this thread. All the questions are answered and you will see the use of the "half truth fallacy" by Anadi.

All the information you'll ever need about vegetarianism: http://turn.to/vegetarianism/

Vegetarianism Not a Political Issue BY: ANURADHA PANDEY Mar 6, FLORIDA (ALLIGATOR) — Last week I was trying to enjoy my tofu spaghetti on the Plaza of the Americas when I smelled something rather foul. It was the stench of barbecued animals that I often go to Krishna Lunch to avoid. As a vegetarian, Krishna Lunch is the most appetizing option on campus for me. The members of UF College Republicans were extremely tactless to host their "People Eating Tasty Animals" barbecue right next to it. Vegetarianism is a personal choice that people make for various reasons. I'm a religious Hindu, and I was raised vegetarian. The sight and smell of meat disgusts me. I don't attempt to convince people to be vegetarian, partly out of frustration from the senseless arguments I'm forced to get into. But for the group to purposely host its barbecue where there was undoubtedly a large concentration of vegetarians made it seem callous. It also did nothing to help the obvious polarization between liberal and conservative groups on campus. By holding their barbecue on the plaza, the group obviously hoped to attract attention. Not all of it was good. One of my friends, a member of the College Republicans, was offended. I wasn't aware that Republicans can't be vegetarians, but that's exactly what the barbecue implied. And I didn't realize that vegetarianism was a political issue until I saw this insensitive display. Since when are vegetarians and meat eaters classified as conservative or liberal? That's a stereotype that the College Republicans are too dense to look past. They only made themselves look closed-minded. The College Republicans realized - as most people do - that the plaza is generally a liberal-friendly area because of Krishna Lunch, which attracts the so-called "hippies." Turlington Plaza is the conservative area I generally tend to avoid. I don't particularly enjoy being told I'm going to hell every day on my way to class, and I'm sure most students agree. The polarization between these two areas is an example of enduring divisions that neither side wishes to end. Both sides attach stereotypes to each other and continue to make whatever political culture that exists on this campus even more foul. People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals may not be so ethical, but most people would be hard-pressed to think of an argument against vegetarianism. Animals raised for food in this country live in horrendous conditions that make their lives completely miserable. In the past, cows, herbivores by nature, were forced to eat meat. And chickens are often raised in cages that don't allow them to move an inch. They are fed hormones to make them grow in unnatural ways that subsequently affect our health - the childhood obesity epidemic has been linked to animal growth hormones. The College Republicans might be ignorant of these facts. If the College Republicans really want to protest PETA and its animal treatment record, their time would be much better spent educating students about the meat and dairy industry's dreadful treatment of livestock. If the group insists on holding such events, it will undoubtedly continue to lose respect on campus and perpetuate the cycle of undignified political dialogue. But then again, I don't recall the UF College Democrats ever going out of their way to offend large groups of people. Anuradha Pandey is a history junior. Her column appears on Tuesdays. Copyright 2005, HareKrsna.com. All rights reserved.

The paramahamsa stage of life is beyond the purview of daiva varnasrama dharma. The Six Goswamis manifested that stage of life, wore only white kopins and lived under a different tree every night. Srila Prabhupada said that, "if you try to do that then you will die." Still we must acknowledge that such a stage of life exists. Mathala hari jana kirtana range/ pujala raga patha gaurava bhange. We put this on our head and worship it from afar. As Srila Sridhar Maharaja has said this pujala raga patha verse is "the very gist of Bhaktisiddhanta vani".

I don't understand why members of the current Sri Caitanya Saraswat Math still refer to Srila A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada as "Swami Maharaja" It is a fact that the "Swami" in his sannyasa name is a name not just a title but a name, so there is nothing improper in his godbrothers referring to him in this way. But the current disciples of Srila Govinda Maharaja are not Srila Prabhupada's godbrothers or contempory asscociates from India. It has been explained to me that Srila Govinda Maharaja refers to Srila Saraswati Thakur as "Bhagavan Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakur" into order to emphasize his acceptance of the "Prabhupada" name for "Swami Maharaja". Therefore why not at least sometimes refer to "Swami Maharaja" as "Srila Prabhupada"?

SCSMath (Govinda Maharaja’s Sanga, Celebrated same day everywhere) <o:p></o:p> JANUARY 2007<o:p></o:p> MADHAVA<o:p></o:p> 31. (Wed) Gaura-trayodasi. Appearance of Sri Nityananda Prabhu. Fast until <o:p></o:p> noon<o:p></o:p> <!--[if !supportEmptyParas]--> <!--[endif]--><o:p></o:p> <!--[if !supportEmptyParas]--> <!--[endif]--><o:p></o:p> Pure Bhakti.com (Narayana Maharaja’s Sanga, different days by geography)<o:p></o:p> February 2007<o:p></o:p> 1 Feb 2007 Thursday <o:p></o:p> Purnima<o:p></o:p> Sri Krsna Madhura utsava<o:p></o:p> Athens, Moscow, Odessa<o:p></o:p> Purnima<o:p></o:p> Sri Krsna Madhura utsava<o:p></o:p> Srila Narottama Dasa Thakura -- Appearance<o:p></o:p> Abeokuta, Abidjan, Amsterdam, Barcelona, Belgrade, Berlin, Birmingham, Brasilia, Budapest, Buenos Aires, Caracas, Chicago, Denver, Druskininkai, Dublin, Frankfurt, Hamburg, Helsinki, Hilo, Houston, La Paz, Lima, Lisbon, Los Angeles, Madrid, Mexico City, Miami, Montreal, München, Panama, Paramaribo, Paris, Phoenix, Puerto Rico, Rome, San Diego, San Francisco, San Jose, San Salvador, Santiago, Seattle, St. Petersburg, Stockholm, Stuttgart, Tallinn, Toronto, Vancouver, Vienna, Vilnius, Warsaw, Washington, Zlin<o:p></o:p> 2 Feb 2007 Friday <o:p></o:p> Pratipat<o:p></o:p> Govinda Masa starts<o:p></o:p> Abeokuta, Abidjan, Amsterdam, Barcelona, Belgrade, Berlin, Birmingham, Brasilia, Budapest, Buenos Aires, Caracas, Chicago, Denver, Druskininkai, Dublin, Frankfurt, Hamburg, Helsinki, Hilo, Houston, La Paz, Lima, Lisbon, Los Angeles, Madrid, Mexico City, Miami, Montreal, München, Panama, Paramaribo, Paris, Phoenix, Puerto Rico, Rome, San Diego, San Francisco, San Jose, San Salvador, Santiago, Seattle, St. Petersburg, Stockholm, Stuttgart, Tallinn, Toronto, Vancouver, Vienna, Vilnius, Warsaw, Washington, Zlin<o:p></o:p> Purnima<o:p></o:p> Sri Krsna Madhura utsava<o:p></o:p> Srila Narottama Dasa Thakura -- Appearance<o:p></o:p> Alma-Ata, Bangalore, Brisbane, Cape Town, Christchurch, Ekaterinburg, Hong Kong, Kampala, Kuala Lumpur, Lusaka, Manila, Mathura, Melbourne, Mumbai, Murwillumbah, Nairobi, Navadwip, Novosibirsk, Perth, Port Morseby, Suva, Tashkent, Tokyo, Ufa, Vladivostok<o:p></o:p> Purnima<o:p></o:p> Srila Narottama Dasa Thakura -- Appearance<o:p></o:p> Athens, Moscow, Odessa<o:p></o:p> vcal.iskcongbc.org (for ISKCON Alachua, but different days by geography)<o:p></o:p> <!--[if !supportEmptyParas]--> <!--[endif]--><o:p></o:p> 30 Jan 2007 Tu Trayodasi G Viskumba Ardra * Nityananda Trayodasi: Appearance of Sri Nityananda Prabhu (fast till noon)<o:p></o:p> <!--[if !supportEmptyParas]--> <!--[endif]--><o:p></o:p>

Mantra 16 BY: VAMSHI VADANA DAS Mar 1, IRELAND (SUN) — Sri Isopanishad, probably the most distributed of Srila Prabhupada's small books, 500,000 printed in 1977 alone, was written in 1969. It is within the purport of Mantra 16 we find the answer to the origin of the jiva. "The all-pervading feature of the Lord-which exists in all circumstances of waking and sleeping as well as in potential states and from which the jiva-shakti (living force) is generated as both conditioned and liberated souls-is known as Brahman." As to why, later on, Srila Prabhupada saw fit to not be so clear on this point, it seems His Divine Grace was aware of his young students fragile faith and tendency to impersonalism and so acted accordingly. So the jiva's in the local garbage dump did not and have not ever tasted eternal rasa and bliss and then one day decided this is not enough, I think I'll go to the lower energy for a higher taste. Free will is never removed from the jiva and so they will always have choice, but their forms of Sat Chit Ananda and participating in Yoga Maya envelopes them in newer and fresher waves of unending blissful service. <center> Copyright 2005, HareKrsna.com. All rights reserved. </center>

DVD is like the husk and Krsna bhakti is like the grain of rice itself. Both are necessary, but still, there is no real taste or nourishment in the husk. Yet without the husk at a particular stage then no rice. But if we have some spiritual hunger these DVD topics although connected with Prabhupada and the general philosophy will become dry and boring. If you want to follow Prabhupada then preach and give Hari Katha like he did. We need to hear about every aspect of the philosophy in the same balanced way that he gave. To focus on DVD is a political mentality, a mental concoction and a manifestation of lack of guidance.

We Will Never Leave ISKCON (Excerpt) Nov. 20, 2001 <table border="0" width="800"><tbody><tr> </tr> <tr> </tr></tbody></table>Tridandisvami Sri Srimad Bhaktivedanta Narayana Maharaja tyaktva sva-dharmam caranambujam harer bhajann apakvo 'tha patet tato yadi yatra kva vabhadram abhud amusya kim ko vartha apto 'bhajatam sva-dharmatah ["If someone gives up his occupational duties and works in Krsna consciousness and then falls down on account of not completing his work, what loss is there on his part? And what can one gain if one performs his material activities perfectly?" Or, as the Christians say, "What profiteth a man if he gains the whole world yet suffers the loss of his eternal soul?" (1.5.17)] The navarshis said to Vyasadeva that if one performs his material duties perfectly and regularly, there is no true benefit. If he follows varnasrama-dharma perfectly, there is actually no spiritual gain. On the other hand, if one begins chanting the holy name, is initiated by a pure guru, and is trying to follow him, but he comes under the clutches of maya; as long as he does not commit offenses he has a chance for spiritual progress. What is the gain in varnasrama? Even if one performs his duty, still, the spiritual result is nil. Srila Swami Maharaja's internal mood is the same as that of Caitanya Mahaprabhu and our guru-paramapara - to change the direction of the living entities' mood towards Krsna. This is the best mercy, and he endeavored throughout his life for this. In his last days he told me he was not satisfied, because he was remembering so many of his disciples who were not following him and not trying to be real Iskcon. He therefore ordered me, "Help my disciples and give me samadhi." He also told me, "I made some mistakes. Please ask my god-brothers to forgive me, because I preached to my disciples that they are not preaching." I replied to him, "You made no offense. It was your duty at that time. You said your god-brothers are not preaching. This was just to give your less intelligent neophyte disciples enthusiasm. You have not done a wrong thing. You spoke appropriately for the needs of your students at that time. Your internal desire was to turn their mood toward Krsna. Now you are seeing that they are offensive to your god-brothers, by saying they have not preached." What is preaching? If one is 'preaching' and not following bhakti, then his activity is karma-marga (the path of fruitive activities). Where are the persons who were preaching all over the world? So many are not in Iskcon. Your Prabhupada therefore requested me to help them to become Iskcon in the real sense. Don't follow the rtviks. They are not disciples of Prabhupada. They never actually served him in a real sense, and they are opposed to his teachings. You should try to realize what instructions Srila Swami Maharaja has given. He has never given anything other than the instructions of Srila Rupa Gosvami. He always followed Rupa Gosvami, and therefore he is a rupanuga-vaisnava. He wanted to very clearly give the path of rupanuga, but he first had to cut down the jungles of mayavada and atheism. Because he wanted to give this path, he requested me to help them. He could have given it then, but they were not ready at that time. He told me to help them so that they could become strong in bhakti; more strong than iron; as strong as thunderbolts. You should therefore preach your Prabhupada's real mission, Rupa Gosvami's mission, everywhere. Only those who have had a high class of sadhu-sanga can realize his mission and his glories. Only a maha-bhagavata can understand another maha-bhagavata. You cannot realize this. You have heard from Srila Prabhupada Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura that Vamsidasa Babaji was a paramahamsa. Unless you heard it from Srila Sarasvati Thakura, how could you have understood? [Vamsidasa Babaji would, for example, keep fish bones in front of his hut, and sometimes he wouldn't dress his Deities. On other occasions he wouldn't follow Ekadasi, and sometimes he would offer tea and coffee to his Thakurji.] Prapujacarana Srila Bhakti Raksaka Sridhara Maharaja has also said about your Prabhupada that his power came from Sri Nityananda Prabhu, and therefore he is a saktyavesa-avatara. Who can realize this? Only one who is following him in the real sense. I used to see him when he was singing Sad Gosvami-astakam and Gauranga Bolite Habe. He used to sing in a pathetic tune (filled with feelings of separation and longing for Krsna), with his voice choked up and tears in his eyes. Gaura Premanande!

Vienna, Austria: September 19, 2002 (excerpt) Tridandisvami Sri Srimad Bhaktivedanta Narayana Maharaja [Later, Bhaktivinode Thakur] was sent to Krishnagara, Bihara, and also served in Vrndavana. While in Vrndavana, he went to Radha Kunda and Surya Kunda. At Radha Kunda, he met Jagannatha dasa Babaji Maharaja, who was 144 years old at that time. He was so old that the lids of his eyes would droop over his eyes in heavy folds. In order to see, he would lift the skin from over his eyes, and peering at someone from beneath these folds, he would say, "I am like an old turtle." Despite his apparent aged condition, he could dance with great energy when he sang devotional songs, and Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura would associate with him whenever he could. While Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura was at Radha Kunda, the disciples of Jagannatha das Babaji Maharaja complained to him about the instructions they were receiving from their Gurudeva. They told him, "We have given up our houses, our children, fathers, mothers, wives, and our positions. We have left everything to do bhajana and to remember asta-kaliya-lila. We have left everything, but our Gurudeva is telling us to grow brinjals (eggplant) and other vegetables and flowers for Thakurji. We did not come here to grow vegetables, flowers and fruits. Sir, should we return to our homes? We don't know what to do." Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura told them, "You should try to serve your Gurudeva and follow his orders. You are chanting Hare Krsna, but you are full of anarthas (impurities) and cannot chant suddha-nama (the pure name). You may chant for thousands and thousands of births and not accomplish anything. It is good and proper that you follow your Gurudeva's instructions. You cannot remember the pastimes of Krsna while you are contaminated by these anarthas. If you try to remember the asta-kaliya-lila before you are purified, the desire for young women and other material things will rise in your heart. You will soon give up your bhajana to become involved with women and you will return to worldly life. Most Radha Kunda babajis are doing just that, mixing illicitly with widows and having children with them; they are not doing any real bhajana. "Do not fall down like them. You should follow your Gurudeva's orders; engage your energy in growing fruits and vegetables to offer to Thakurji or to a pure Vaisnava. You should also chant the holy name, Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna. Real paramarthika (transcendental) impressions and sukrti will come into your heart, and you will be able to truly follow your Guru. Then, as chanting, remembering, and performing kirtana cleanse these anarthas, all the pastimes of Krsna will automatically enter your hearts. Don't follow the example of the Radha Kunda babajis. They don't know Vaisnava etiquette. They don't even know how to clean themselves after using the latrine. They certainly don't know any krsna-tattva, maya-tattva, or jiva- tattva. Ignorant persons who have left their homes arrive here knowing nothing about siddhanta. These babajis will cheat them, and for only two rupees, give them a false siddha name and a false siddha-deha. They will say, 'Now you are a gopi; your name is Lalita or Visakha.' This is abominable." In his Jaiva Dharma, Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura has written everything about the authentic process to become a paramahamsa. Jaiva Dharma is the essence of the Vedas, Upanishads, Srimad Bhagavatam, and the writings of Sri Rupa Gosvami, Sri Raghunatha das Gosvami and our guru-varga. Asta-kaliya-lila is described for those that are advanced, but how does one become qualified to understand it? One must systematically study Jaiva Dharma from beginning to end, starting with the first part where there is a description of the material world, and proceeding through a study of Dasa-mula and all the tattvas. By following Jaiva Dharma properly, your anarthas will gradually disappear and you will be able to practice bhakti as exemplified by the two disciples, Brajanatha and Vijay Kumara. They practiced first in Navadvipa and then in Puri, and they were completely conversant with all the teachings of the important literatures by our guru-varga, including Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu and Ujjvala-nilamani. They had realized all the stages of prema: vibhava, anubhava, sattvika, vyabhicari, etc. Thus they received real diksa, and they were blessed with a vision of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu, dancing with Lord Nityananda and all of their associates.