indulekhadasi

Sorry, I took the Saraswati avatar away. I liked it a lot too, but I really wanted a picture of Indulekha devi of Vrindavan. So I picked this. I think this picture is equally good as the Saraswati one. Maybe I will alternate between the two! Here is some info on Indulekha devi: http://www.vrindavan.de/indulekha.htm.

I just love Teachings of Lord Chaitanya. That was the first Prabhupada book that I read when I was 8. Before that I was into the Transcendental Diaries by Hari Sauri. Then when I was about 10 I realized that I had obviously not imbibed enough from Teachings of Lord Chaitanya so I read it again. Then after a 2 years I felt like I have to read the Diaries again. In between I was reading other books like Bhagavatam, Chaitanya Bhagavata, etc. but I always went back to read those books. They are just so filled with nectar. Anyway about the first question, please get Chaitanya Charitamrita and Chaitanya Bhagavata. Chaitanya Bhagavata focuses on the earlier pastimes of the Lord while Chaitanya Charitamrita covers everything with great detail and explanations. But I would still get both, Vrindavana das Thakura's style of writing is so wonderful and sweet. And Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakura also instructed everyone to read it not once, but hundreds of times. Also other very important books are Nectar of Devotion and Nectar of Instruction. Personally I would also get Nityananda Charitamrita but you must be careful because some Sahajiya (sorry don't know name) is publishing a Nityananda Charitamrita. One must make sure that the Nityananda Charitamrita is only the one that is written by Vrindavan das Thakur, be very careful! It would also be good if you got some of the small books, just to start out with. Raja Vidya, A Second Chance, etc. Hope this helps. Hare Krishna.

Thanks. Also if you try a book called Sarartha Darsini, that has very detailed explanations of the pastimes. It is basically 10th canto of the Bhagavatam with Vishvanatha Chakravarty Thakura's purports. It helps a lot. It is nice how Krishna finally made them surrender by saying that they have offended Varunadeva by bathing naked in the water and that it is bad for women to keep their hair loose. So finally they had to tie up their hair and put their hands above their hands in obesiances to ask forgiveness from Krishna and Varunadeva. OMG, Krishna is so clever!

I don't think it is a big problem, but personally I would just stick to the regular Hare Krishna. Just my personal choice.

Krishna book is the most authoritative, but still sweet. I love it. And thanks for your compliment, I appreciate it very much. Suddha Saraswati is the wife of Lord Vishnu and therefore is very much worthy of our respects. Jai! And Radhe Radhe to you, too!

The only difference between Yashoda and and Devaki is that Devaki has some awe and reverence in her motherly love. When Krishna and Balaram came to free Vasudeva and Devaki they were afraid to recieve their respects, whereas Nanda and Yashoda would be happy to recieve their respects. You have seen the picture of Krishna carrying Nanda's sandals on the head, they never seemed to mind.

Wow, where did you read this?

Haribol Everyone, this thread started out nicely but now there is too much Vaishnava aparadha, so I am leaving. Hare Krishna, if I offended anyone please forgive me. Your servant eternally, indulekhadasi

Haribol. In answer to all of this, this is what I have: Thank you. Hare Krishna.

OMG, Kulapavana Prabhu took my thoughts out of my head and posted them here. Thanks, prabhu.

Please forgive me, unnfortunately it seems that you don't have a very clear understanding of Srila Prabhupada's relationship with his godbrothers. Some may have been antagonistic but many were his good friends. Please read the book "Our Srila Prabhupada, A Friend to All, Early Contemporaries Remember Him" by Mulaprakriti devi dasi. This book melted my heart and I am sure it will melt yours, too. Hare Krishna.

Arrival address and press conference- San Francisco, July 4th, 1970 "Even in some literatures of your Christian religion I find that Lord Jesus Christ also went to this Jagannath temple and lived there for some times. Of course, how far it is true, that is to be judged by you, but I have read this information in a Christian book, Aquarian Gospel." There are a few other quotes where Srila Prabhupada says this but this one is the most important one. If you request the other quotes I will put them up here. Thank you. Hare Krishna.

Haribol, is there any quote that you can give that explains your second thought? I don't think there is any reference that Devaki fled the prison.

NIRGUNA PRABHU DEPARTS!!! By Hari-sauri dasa H. G. Nirguna Krsna prabhu, who has been residing in Sri Mayapur dham for the last six months with a terminal case of tumor, departed his mortal coil in the most auspicious and glorious manner at 1.21 PM November 3, 2007. He was surrounded by loving devotees immersed in the Holy Names, and clutching Sri Giriraj Shila in his hand. The cremation will take place on the banks of Mother Ganga within the hour. All glories to Sriman Nirguna Krsna prabhu, whose life and soul was serving the lotus feet of his spiritual master Srila Prabhupada, and distributing his books. The sankirtan movement has lost the association of one of the stalwarts of book distribution and while we lament his absence, we rejoice in the glorious manner of his departure in full Krsna consciousness. A fuller report will be issued in a few hours time. Your humble servant, Hari-sauri dasa

There is no harm in worshipping Lord Shiva but I don't have Lord Shiva on my home altar, either. I know that by worshipping Krishna, Lord Shiva is automatically worshipped and Lord Shiva will be happier by my worshipping Krishna, then by worshipping him, himself. But I understand your veiw. However if I had a Lord Shiva on my altar I wouldn't try to take him off just because of these people. I would try to preach to them, you know, tell them why we are worshipping Lord Shiva because he is the greatest Vaishnava. At the same time we can convince them not to smoke, etc. Sanatan Goswami explains that we do not worship Lord Shiva separately from Lord Vishnu. So we can only place Lord Shiva on the altar if Lord Krishna is already there. And Sanatan Goswami said we should all follow Shiva Ratri. So I think we should have the courage to preach about Shiva tattva to the outside world also, that Lord Shiva does NOT represent smoking. Otherwise they will always remain in the darkness about the high position of Lord Shiva.

Vaishnavanam yatha sambuh. And also Srila Prabhupada said these people shouldn't imitate Lord Shiva. But does this make the faults of low-class people, his fault? Srila Prabhupada said that if those people cannot imitate his act of drinking poison then how can they smoke? But I don't think whatever those people do, it is Lord Shiva's fault. I could use the same example. Many people associate with many women at one time using Lord Krishna and the gopis' example. So now should we take Lord Krishna off our alter? Since Lord Shiva is present in Lord Krishna we don't need to worship him separately. But keep in mind that Vaishnava aparadha can be very dangerous. And as I started my post- Vaishnavanam yatha sambuh. Thank you. Hare Krishna.

Thanks for your explanation, I understand now. But it was not my intention to badmouth Lord Rudra at all and even if I did so unknowingly I beg for his forgiveness, as well as yours.

No, I definitely know that Lord Shiva is NOT a demigod, but I am talking about expansions like Rudra.

I see. Just asking, do you have any scriptural reference for this?

That's true, the original Sadashiva lives above the Viraja river (spiritual world) in Mahesh Dham. Isn't it also that Parvati devi cannot die but Durga and Kali (her expansions) must die because they reside below the Viraja river in Rudra dhama?

expansion-kala

Hare Krishna. You are right but it goes even a step further. Lord Shiva is Paramatma's expansion and Lord Shiva's expansion is Rudra who is in charge of destruction. Sadashiva in the spiritual world is beyond all that stuff. Sadashiva is not capable of dying but Rudra, whose residence is below the Viraja river, must die just like Brahma must die.

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