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Avoiding the 10 offences

 

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<!-- end .post-top --><!-- the main section of the post goes here -->By His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

Offenseless Chanting

 

“The Science of Congregational Chanting of the Name of the Lord” Back To Godhead, 1944

 

The sincere devotee who wants to attain a perfection (Siddhi) for himself by the process of chanting the Name of the Lord must refrain from the ten kinds of offences which are quoted below from the “Padmapuranam.”

 

The first and foremost offence is the act of defaming the great saints who have glorified the chanting of the Name of the Lord by example in their own life and precepts. According to ordinary moral principles no one must be defamed for serving any ulterior motive. But still according to the gravity of different offences, defamation of Saints who have done much for the propagation of the Name of God and His Fame must be considered the gravest of all offences. Those who are therefore accustomed to defame such saints, are spiritually great offenders and such persons can have no access to the transcendental Name of the Lord. We should therefore be guard against such offence.

The second offence is to place the Absolute Godhead or Vishnu Tattwa in the category of the demigods who derive their powers from the Supreme Lord. The Supreme Lord is one without a second and all other gods are His servitors, having no separate existence as another Almighty Godhead. These subordinate gods are stated in the Geeta as “Anya devata” i.e., gods other than Myself (Sree Krishna)

Jepyanya devata bhakta jajante shradhyannita Teopi mam eba Kounteya jajantee avidi purbakam

This abidhipurbakam means unduly or with offensives. The Supreme Godhead is Sree Krishna undoubtedly and this is confirmed in all the scriptures and specially in the Brahma Samhita as follows:–

Iswara parama Krishna sachchitananda vigraha Anadiradi Govinda Sarbakarana karanam.

i.e., Sree Krishna is the primeval Lord and Origin of everything. He is the cause of all causes. He is the Summum Bonum Absolute Godhead. The Plenary Manifestations of Sree Krishna are manifold such as Rama, Nrisingha, Vishnu etc. But all such manifestations are Absolute knowledge. No one is therefore equal or greater than the Absolute Knowledge. This subject is itself a matter of studies by transcendentalists but without knowing the intricacy of the Absolute knowledge, those who simply imagine that the Absolute Godhead and subordinate demigods are one and the same commit great offence at the feet of the Supreme Lord. The subordinate gods such as Shiva, Brahma, Ganesh, Surya, Indra, Chandra, Varuna, Vaue etc., are either qualitative incarnations of the Absolute Godhead or in other cases Jiva souls with delegated powers from the Personality of Godhead. Neither existence of the demigods shall be misconceived nor they should be made one and the same with the Absolute Personality of Godhead. Those who want to attain perfection in the way of chanting the Names of the Lord must refrain from such conglomeration of facts in the spiritual science.

The third offence is disregard of the Spiritual Master. The devotee must receive the transcendental Name of the Lord from the transcendental lips of a bonafide spiritual master who is cent percent devotee of the Lord and nothing more or nothing less and then begin chanting the transcendental Name of the Lord by constant repetition. Such spiritual master as above mentioned is known as the Guru from whom either initiation is taken or the one from whom spiritual instruction is received. One should have unflinching faith in such self realised transcendental spiritual master. The bonafides of such spiritual master can however be known, by their activities only which are always evident in respect of everything being done for and on behalf of the Lord. The self-realised spiritual master never deviates from the rulings of Shastras (Law Books) and he always does in practice what he speaks in theory. Those who however manufacture spiritual lessons from their own fertile brain, without having undergone any spiritual training from a bonafide spiritual master, cannot be counted as a spiritual master. Disrespect for such bonafide spiritual master and respect for the pseudo-spiritual master both are offences of the third order.

The fourth offence is defamation of the standard scriptures such as the four Vedas, Upanishads, Puranas, Brahmasutras, Ramayana, Mahabharata, Geeta, or other literatures which conform to the principles of the above mentioned scriptures. In the Geeta Sree Krishna Himself accepts ‘Brahmasutras’ or ‘Vedanta Darshan’ as the standard of all spiritual knowledge.

“Brahmasutrapadaschaiba Hetumatvinischitam”

In the spiritual society no sect or Sampradaya is considered as bonafide party who has no authorised interpretation of the Brahmasutras. (Interpretation of “Brahmasutra” by the party represented by Lord Chaitanya is known as “Govinda Vashya” of Acharya Baladeva Vidyabhusan). Those who therefore invent some spiritual party without knowing the Brahmasutra from an authorised spiritual master or do interpret without proper reason and philosophy, do simply create disturbances in the spiritual line without doing any benefit to himself or to his unfortunate followers. Sreela Rupa Goswami describes such unauthorised activities as follows:–

Sruti Smriti Puranadi Pancharatrabidhin bina Aikantiki Harerbhakti utpataiba kalpate.

Pseudo-devotional activities without reference to the standard scriptures as above mentioned, are simply acts of disturbances in the name of spirituality. The performer of Samkirtan must refrain from such disturbing elements.

The fifth offence is to misunderstand the glorification of the transcendental Name of the Lord as exaggerated facts. Actually by the chanting of the transcendental Name of the Lord, all gains be it material or spiritual are automatically obtained. It is simply a question of time that takes for the fructification of the desired result. But those who think, without attaining to perfection, that such results are exaggeration of facts, do commit offence of the fifth order. The performer of Samkirtan must refrain from such misrepresentation of facts.

The sixth offence is to manufacture concocted or designed meanings of the Names of Hari (The Lord) or that of the scriptural truths. One can directly understand that the word ‘Hari’ means the Personality of Godhead Who is Eternal Bliss, Eternal Knowledge, and Eternal Form but without knowing the intricacy of the Lord’s form etc., those who think ‘Hari’ means the Impersonal Brahman do commit offence of the sixth order. There are others who are still less intelligent and do manufacture meanings of the word “Sree Krishna” as the mind (?) Rama as satisfaction and similar other things. Such manufacturers of distorted meanings do not generally take what is direct and spontaneous interpretation but they always try to enforce indirect interpretations for their own temporary benefit only. They are also great offenders and the performer of Samkirtan must carefully take leave of them.

The seventh offence is to indulge in vices on the strength of chanting the Name of the Lord. Those who are really recipient of the transcendental Name of the Lord from the transcendental sources, and those who chant the Name of the Lord very carefully without any offence as above mentioned, cannot naturally indulge in vices as a matter of course. But for the reason of that those who intentionally commit vices knowing that they are always with the Lord (?),–are the greatest of all offenders and their counteracting endeavours for the vices committed during the day time, by the chanting of the Name of the Lord, in the evening, cannot be accepted as Samkirtan at any cost. One should always guard himself against such pseudo-spiritual devices for the well being of one’s ownself as well as one’s followers. This sort of offences can be compared with the act of pouring water on the fire while it is burning. Water pouring and burning of the fire cannot go together.

The eighth offence is to equalise the value of all good works with the chanting of the transcendental Name of the Lord. Penances, austerity, meditation, fasting, methodism, morality or such goodness that lead the performer to higher stations of life, cannot be equalised with Sree Krishna Samkirtan. Those who do like that, are also offenders at the feet of the transcendental Name. The results of all the above mentioned good works are after all material in nature because they can offer in return material prosperities only and are therefore limited within time and space. But the transcendental Name of the Lord and the Lord Himself are non-different. As such realisation of the Absolute Truth cannot be compared with relative goodness. The performer of Samkirtan must be on his guard against commitment of offence of the eighth order.

The ninth offence is to preach and advise of the transcendental nature of the Name of Lord to such a person who is atheistic in temperament, mundane moralists, and addicted to elevatory process only. Unless one has cleansed his heart from such contaminations, he can hardly be eligible for receiving the transcendental Name of the Lord.

There are many professional spiritual masters whose business is to sell the transcendental Name of the Lord (?) and these traders generally sell to persons who are altogether unfit. Such business transactions on considerations of s s. d. exchanged between the spiritual master and the so-called disciple are undoubtedly great offences. The student of Samkirtan must refrain from the association of such pseudo-spiritualists in order to achieve perfection in the process of Samkirtan.

The tenth and the last but not the least offence to the lotus feet of the transcendental Name of the Lord is either to become inattentive to all the above offences or not to take to the chanting of the transcendental Name of the Lord in spite of hearing all the glories of the system.

A serious student of Samkirtan can get rid of all the above offences if he desires so, knowing well the different forms of offences and by refraining from them by all possible precautions. This can however be done without difficulty by continuous chanting of the Name of the Lord and for such constant reciter of the transcendental name of the Lord, there is no room for committing such offences.

In conclusion we may add that without culture nothing can be made to perfection. The culture of the science of Samkirtan is Sree Krishna Himself, both being non-different. In mundane matters only the means and the end are different from one another. But in the transcendence the means and the end are non-different. In preparatory stage only, for chanting the Name of the Lord, there is every chance for committing the above offences but for the reason of that we must not be disheartened at the least. We should always remember that both the preparatory stage and the perfection stage of Samkirtan is nothing but Samkirtan. The difference of these two stages are realisation and non-realisation only.

Bhaktivedanta Book Trust. HDG A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada.

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Srila Srila Prabhupada is India's spiritual ambassodor to the world. he is really great. India's prestige is popularised by Him. Let me pay me obeisancene to Him. Here are eight contrasts between the Science of the

Scientist and the Vedanta of the Vedantin:

1.While the Scientist attempts to establish that out of randomness

all this order of the universe has arisen, the Vedantin recognizes a

purpose in everything.

2.Science is an intellectual response of the finite to the

infinite. Vedanta brings a complementary response.

3.Science informs but Vedanta transforms.

4.Science has made major contributions to just the minor needs of

Man. Vedanta makes only minor demands for his major needs.

5. Vedanta attempts to reveal the `that' and `why' while Science

pursues the `what' and `how'.

6.Science constantly pursues a reconciliation between infinitesimal

smallness and infinite immensity. Vedanta declares an identity

between the two.

7.The reductionist approach of Science chases only a receding

horizon. The holisitic explanation of Vedanta brings a macro-

perception.

8.Vedanta starts fom the axiom of an ever-present immutable reality,

which is both transcendent and immanent. Science can pursue only

what is sensed by the senses.

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<!-- the main section of the post goes here -->Srila Prabhupada answers some questions in a letter to his disciple, Anirudda prabhu. Aniruddha was a nice devotee who first joined Prabhupada on the West Coast of the US in 1967. He later lived in Hawaii. Recently he passed away in Hawaii. This letter was written to Aniruddha by Prabhupada when Aniruddha was still a new devotee.

 

Regarding your questions: Your first question, “Are great sages put under yogamaya or maya? Also are all the eternally liberated souls under yogamaya?”

 

Yogamaya means the mercy of the Supreme Lord which connects a devotee in the transcendental loving service of the Lord, and mahamaya means the external potency of the Lord which puts a conditioned soul into illusion that he will be happy by material adjustment.

 

So great sages who are impersonalists are also under the spell of mahamaya, because a conditioned soul in the material world wants to improve his material position as exalted as possible, and the concept of becoming one with the Supreme Lord is the greatest illusion for them. Because it is a fact that nobody can be equal or greater than the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and as such, anyone desiring to become one with the Supreme means that he is still in the trap of maya.

 

On the other hand, a humble devotee who may not be a great sage, but simpy by his implicit acceptance of the Lotus Feet of the Lord as the goal of his life means that he is under the protection of yogamaya. I think this will clear the idea.

Your next question, “Is there a difference between Arjuna’s body and his soul, and how does this apply to all Krishna’s eternally liberated souls described in the scriptures. Is Arjuna always the same in his appearances with Krishna or is a new soul taking his body each time?”

Yes, there is difference. Therefore he forgets his past activities. Just like we forget ourselves while dreaming because our subtle body acts at that time differently from the gross body. Similarly, by changing this body or transmigrating from one body to another, we forget all the activities of our previous body. The associates of the Lord, even though they have a different body, or even though they forget the activities of their past body, still they are associates of the Lord. These explanations are given in the Bhagavad-gita as it is.

Your next question, “Is a pure devotee eternally liberated and if so is he at any time a conditioned soul? We are eternally conditioned, but as soon as we surrender to Krishna do we then become eternally liberated? When Lord Christ appeared he seemed to be conditioned in his growth. Was he a specific incarnation or a conditioned soul who became liberated?”

You are not eternally conditioned. You are eternally liberated but since we have become conditioned on account of our desire to enjoy materialistic way of life, from time immemorial, therefore it appears that we are eternally conditioned. Because we cannot trace out the history or the date when we became conditioned, therefore it is technically called eternally conditioned. Otherwise the living entity is not actually conditioned.

A living entity is always pure. But he is prone to be attracted by material enjoyment and as soon as he agrees to place himself in material enjoyment, he becomes conditioned, but that is not permanent. Therefore a living entity is called on the marginal state, sometimes this side, sometimes that side.

These are very intelligent questions. And I am very glad that you are putting such intelligent questions and trying to understand it. It is very good. But best thing is that one should know he is in conditioned life and try to cure it. When a man is in diseased condition he should try to get out of diseased condition without harassing his brain when the disease has begun. But it is to be understood that the disease is not our constant companion, it is temporary.

So the best thing is to cure the disease, and not waste our time to find out the date when it began. Forgetfulness of Krishna is the disease, so let us keep ourselves always in Krishna Consciousness, and get out of the disease, that is healthy life. Yes, Lord Jesus was jivatattva. He is not Visnu tattva. When a jiva tattva becomes specifically empowered by the Lord, he is called saktyavesa avatara. Lord Buddha and Lord Jesus Christ were in this group of saktyavesa avatara.. But they were not in conditioned state when they appeared; they came to teach here.

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Srila Prabhupada himself talks about his unique position in the following informal talk in Bhubaneshwar Jan.28'77:

 

"Now I'll say from my practical life...It is not pride. Actually everyone knows that my Guru Maharaja had thousands of disciples. So out of thousands disciples, practically I am a little successful. That everyone knows. Why? Because I firmly believed in the words of my guru. That's all."

"There may be many other Godbrothers, maybe very learned and very advanced, whatever it may be, favored and...Everyone claims that 'I am the most favorite.' And practical point of view...So I think sometimes that 'Why this wonderful thing has happened to me?' So I search out. I search out only that I cent percent believed in the words of my spiritual master. That is all, nothing else. Guru mukha-padma vakya, cittete koriya aikya, ara na koriho mane asa. Don't think of any nonsense. Simply execute what your guru has said. That is success....

And the child decides it that 'Whatever my parents says, that's all I shall do. I shall do nothing', then he's safe. Then he's safe. And as soon as he manufactures - finished. So don't do this. This is the secret of spiritual success.":smash:

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Srila Prabhupada himself talks about his unique position in the following informal talk in Bhubaneshwar Jan.28'77:

 

"Now I'll say from my practical life...It is not pride. Actually everyone knows that my Guru Maharaja had thousands of disciples. So out of thousands disciples, practically I am a little successful. That everyone knows. Why? Because I firmly believed in the words of my guru. That's all."

"There may be many other Godbrothers, maybe very learned and very advanced, whatever it may be, favored and...Everyone claims that 'I am the most favorite.' And practical point of view...So I think sometimes that 'Why this wonderful thing has happened to me?' So I search out. I search out only that I cent percent believed in the words of my spiritual master. That is all, nothing else. Guru mukha-padma vakya, cittete koriya aikya, ara na koriho mane asa. Don't think of any nonsense. Simply execute what your guru has said. That is success....

And the child decides it that 'Whatever my parents says, that's all I shall do. I shall do nothing', then he's safe. Then he's safe. And as soon as he manufactures - finished. So don't do this. This is the secret of spiritual success.":smash:

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Guest guest

 

Srila Srila Prabhupada is India's spiritual ambassodor to the world. he is really great. India's prestige is popularised by Him. Let me pay me obeisancene to Him. Here are eight contrasts between the Science of the

Scientist and the Vedanta of the Vedantin:

1.While the Scientist attempts to establish that out of randomness

all this order of the universe has arisen, the Vedantin recognizes a

purpose in everything.

2.Science is an intellectual response of the finite to the

infinite. Vedanta brings a complementary response.

3.Science informs but Vedanta transforms.

4.Science has made major contributions to just the minor needs of

Man. Vedanta makes only minor demands for his major needs.

5. Vedanta attempts to reveal the `that' and `why' while Science

pursues the `what' and `how'.

6.Science constantly pursues a reconciliation between infinitesimal

smallness and infinite immensity. Vedanta declares an identity

between the two.

7.The reductionist approach of Science chases only a receding

horizon. The holisitic explanation of Vedanta brings a macro-

perception.

8.Vedanta starts fom the axiom of an ever-present immutable reality,

which is both transcendent and immanent. Science can pursue only

what is sensed by the senses.

 

 

When u get a flu do u go to a Allopathy doctor who cures with Scientific medicine or use Vedas?

When u want to fly do u use a Aeroplane or Magic Carpets shown in mythologies?

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PPD___Gins._1969.jpg

 

Ohio State University poster featuring Srila Prabhupada and Poet Allen Ginsberg

 

 

 

 

 

 

(May 12, 1969)

 

 

 

 

 

 

Excerpts from prior conversation:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ginsberg: "I think you'd better speak. You're more eloquent on the subject, and you might not like what I say."

 

 

 

 

 

 

Prabhupada: "So, tell about what you're experiencing. And I will also speak. You have Krishna's blessing upon you. You are not an ordinary man."

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ginsberg: "But what do you do when different religious groups claim to be the center?

 

 

 

 

 

 

Prabhupada: "We don't decry any religion. Our point is love of Godhead. Krishna is love, all-attractive, and we want to be attracted by Krishna, just as iron is attracted to some magnetic force. That is the test of true religion -- how much you have enhanced your love of God. Call Him Krishna or something else. What you call Him doesn't matter."

 

 

 

 

 

Excerpts from evening lecture:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ginsberg: "I have known Swami Bhaktivedanta for about three years, since he settled in the Lower East Side, New York, which is my neighborhood. It seemed to me like a stroke of great intelligence for him to come, and not as un uptown swami, but as a real down-home street swami, and make it on the street in the Lower East Side, and also open a branch on Frederick Street in San Francisco, right in the center of the Haight-Ashbury neighborhood."

 

 

 

 

 

 

Prabhupada: "Om ajnana timirandhasya... I was born in the darkest ignorance, and my spiritual master opened my eyes with the torch of knowledge. I offer my respectful obeisances unto him."

 

 

 

 

 

 

"My dear boys and girls. I thank you very much for coming here and participating in this sankirtan function, or, as it is called, sankirtan-yajna, sacrifice. In this kali-yuga age, as poet Ginsberg has explained to you, everything is very degraded from the spiritual point of view. And from the material point of view also, people are reduced in their duration of life, in their merciful tendencies, strength and stature."

 

 

 

 

 

 

"When we chant Hare Krishna, our original consciousness, Krishna consciousness and its joyfulness, begins. When we come to the platform of pure, spiritual consciousness, we become joyful, brahmabhuta. This transmigration of the soul, these repeated births and deaths, is a diseased condition of the spirit soul. That you do not know. In our educational system, there is no department of knowledge teaching what the soul is, what is after death or what was before birth. There is no science. It is very lamentable. Education in the name of simply eating, sleeping and mating is not education, not if my bodily condition continues. Because you cannot see it, you are concluding that there is no soul. That is ignorance. There is soul, and this body has developed on that platform. That soul is transmigrating from one body to another, and that is called real, spiritual evolution, and that evolutionary process is going through 8,400,000 species of life."

 

 

 

 

 

 

"So, don't commit suicide. Take to this chanting of Hare Krishna mantra, and all real knowledge will be revealed. We are not bluffing you, saying, 'I shall give you some secret mantra and charge you fifty dollars.' No. It is open for everyone. Please take it. That is our request. We are begging you -- don't spoil your life. Please take this mantra and chant it wherever you like. There are no hard and fast rules you have to follow. Wherever and whenever you like, chant, and you'll feel ecstasy."

 

 

 

 

 

 

"Just become meek and humble and try to receive the message from authorized sources. You don't have to change your work or conditions. Just hear. Then a day will come when you will be able to conquer the Supreme Lord, who is unconquerable. God is great. Nobody can conquer Him. But if you simply follow this process and try to hear about God from authorized sources, then one day you will be able to conquer the Supreme Lord. As Brahma-Samhita confirms, you cannot find God by merely reading and speculating on sastra, scripture. You have to conquer Him by your love. This is our path -- Krishna consciousness. The path of happiness."

 

 

 

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A Summary of Srila Prabhupada’s Miraculous Accomplishments from 1965 to 1977

 

In 1965, at seventy years of age, he ventured outside India for the first time to fulfill the order of his spiritual master. During his voyage at sea, he suffered two severe heart attacks. He reached the shores of America with the equivalent of seven dollars to his name.

He founded the International Society for Krsna Consciousness with a small group of disciples, after a year of struggling alone in New York City. This marked the only time in history that a Krsna devotee successfully trained non-Indians in the strict disciplines of Vaisnavism. Amazingly, this was achieved during the blossoming of America’s hedonistic counterculture movement.

He sent his followers, chanting the names of God, into the streets of cities and towns everywhere and Hare Krsna became famous in every corner of the earth.

He sent his disciples to London, where they recorded the single, “Hare Krsna Mantra”, with George Harrison, in 1969. It became the fastest selling of all the Apple Corporation’s releases, including those of the Beatles. The record reached #3 in Czechoslovakia, #9 in Britain, and made the top ten in Germany, Japan, Australia, South Africa, Yugoslavia, and many other countries.

He formally initiated approximately five thousand disciples. These initiates represented a sweeping diversity of nationalities, races, ethnicities, and religious backgrounds.

He established 108 Krsna temples on six continents, installed the deity of Krsna in each center and trained his disciples in the process of deity worship. Thirty-two new temples (almost three a month) were opened in a single year, between 1970 and 1971.

He inaugurated the Rathayatra Festival of Lord Jaganatha in major cities around the globe, in effect, bringing the temple to the people.

He instituted the brahmacarini asram, something previously unheard of in Vedic culture, to give shelter to single women wishing to practice Krsna consciousness.

He instructed his disciples in 1967 to start an incense business to provide financial support for the temples. Within four years the business, Spiritual Sky Incense, generated an annual revenue of one million dollars (equivalent to $4,600,000 in 2004).

He introduced the “Sunday Love Feast” and other prasadam (sanctified food) distribution programs that provided millions of free meals to the public.

He created the world’s first chain of vegetarian restaurants.

He spoke daily on the philosophy of Krsna consciousness, delivering thousands of formal lectures. Over 2,200 were recorded and archived.

He conducted many hundreds of informal conversations on the science of Krsna consciousness with disciples, guests and friends. Over 1,300 were recorded and archived.

He had scores of interviews and philosophical discussions with news reporters, scientists, religious leaders and politicians, as well as meetings with world-renowned dignitaries and celebrities like Indira Gandhi, Allen Ginsberg, Ravi Shankar, Alice Coltrane, John Lennon and George Harrison.

He recorded more than twenty albums of devotional music.

He published the monthly magazine, Back to Godhead, which he called the backbone of his movement. At the height of its circulation in the mid seventies, over a million copies per issue were sold.

He launched the ISKCON Life Membership Program that enrolled tens of thousands of members.

He built major temples in Bombay and Vrndavana, and founded a spiritual city at Mayapur. All became international sites of pilgrimage.

He established primary schools to provide education in the principles of devotional service.

He founded the Bhaktivedanta Institute to advance Krsna consciousness within the scientific community, engaging serious academics in the consideration of the science of self-realization.

He formed the Bhaktivedanta Swami Charity Trust to unearth and renovate the holy places of Lord Caitanya’s pastimes.

He set up farm communities to teach “simple living and high thinking”, emphasizing cow protection and dependence on God and nature.

He commissioned his artist disciples to produce hundreds of illustrations of Krsna’s pastimes based on his meticulous instructions and the descriptions in his books.

He directed some of his followers to learn the Indian art of “doll making” to present Vedic philosophy through dioramas. This project became the FATE Museums.

He counseled his disciples on complex managerial, philosophical and personal issues in more than 6,000 archived letters.

He was the subject of more than 30,000 archival photos and more than seventy hours of documentary film footage.

He wrote approximately seventy books on the science of Krsna consciousness, sleeping only a few hours per day. Dozens of prominent scholars and educators from leading universities praised his work (see appendix). The Encyclopaedia Britannica proclaimed that his voluminous translations from the original Sanskrit and his lucid commentaries “have astounded literary and academic communities worldwide.” This feat is even more astonishing considering the translations and commentaries were in English, which was a second language to the author.

He founded the Bhaktivedanta Book Trust (BBT) in 1972, to produce his books. By 1976, over 55,000,000 literatures had been published in twenty-five languages and distributed in almost every country, making the BBT the world’s largest publisher of Indian religious and philosophical texts. One printing alone of Bhagavad-gita As It Is required seventy-six train cars to ship the paper needed to print it.

He completed the entire Caitanya-caritamrta manuscript (seventeen volumes) in eighteen months.

He ordered and supervised the BBT in publishing seventeen volumes of his books in only two months time, in 1974.

He circled the globe fourteen times, visiting twenty-four countries, preaching, inspiring his followers and making countless public appearances before multitudes of people.

He skillfully managed his international society simply through letters and personal meetings, virtually without the use of a telephone.

In accomplishing all the above, he also fulfilled the following:

 

 

1.

 

idam sthanam parityajya videsam gamyate maya

I will leave this place [Vrndavana] and travel to foreign lands...

Bhakti Devi speaking to Narada,

Srimad Bhagavata Mahatmyam

(Padmapurana, Uttarakhanda)

translated by Sri Satyanarayana Dasa

[The Srimad Bhagavata Mahatmyam (The Glories of Srimad Bhagavatam) is a section of the Padmapurana. It tells the story of how Bhakti can be revived in Kali yuga through recital of Srimad Bhagavatam. When Srila Prabhupada left Vrndavana and came to America, it is significant that his only possession was a trunk containing the first volumes of his Srimad Bhagavatam, which he considered his most important work. It is also significant that he instituted daily recitation of the Bhagavatam as the foundation of the temple program, and that Srimad Bhagavatam (in the form of Krsna Book) was the first of Srila Prabhupada’s books to be distributed in large quantities. Until Srila Prabhupada came west, devotional service (Bhakti) had never been successfully introduced in foreign lands.]

 

 

2.

 

krsne sva-dhamopagate

dharma-jnanadibhih saha

kalau nasta-drsam esa

puranarko 'dhunoditah

This Bhagavata Purana is as brilliant as the sun, and it has arisen just after the departure of Lord Krsna to His own abode, accompanied by religion, knowledge, etc. Persons who have lost their vision due to the dense darkness of ignorance in the age of Kali shall get light from this Purana.

Srimad Bhagavatam 1.3.43

 

 

3.

 

(Lord Caitanya speaking of the reasons for His

descent):

ebe nama sankirtana tikshna khadaga laiya

antara asura jivera phelibe katiya

Taking the sharp sword of the congregational chanting of the Hare

Krsna mantra, (nama-sankirtana) I will root out & destroy the demoniac

mentality in the hearts of all the conditioned souls.

yadi papi chadi dharma dure dese yaya

mora senapati-bhakta yaibe tathaya

If some sinful people escape and giving up religious principles go to far off countries, then my Senapati Bhakta will come at that time to give them Krsna consciousness. (senapati - a military field commander, bhakta - a devotee. Lord Caitanya will empower His own devotee to spread Krsna Consciousness around the world.)

Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu

Sri Caitanya Mangala, Sutra-Khanda

by Locana das Thakura

 

 

4.

 

prthivite ache yata nagaradi grama

sarvatra pracara haibe mora nama

In every town and village, the chanting of My name will be heard.

Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu

Caitanya-bhagavata, Antya 4.126

 

 

5.

 

Very soon the unparalleled path of hari-nama sankirtana will be propagated all over the world…Oh, for that day when the fortunate English, French, Russian, German, and American people will take up banners, mrdangas, and karatalas and raise kirtana through their streets and towns! When will that day come?

Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura

Sajjana Tosani 4.3, 'Nityadharma Suryodoy'

1885

 

 

6.

 

Prabhupada: Just like Thakura Bhaktivinoda. In 1896 he sent the Caitanya Mahaprabhu's message to McGill University. That book you have seen. The letter was there. And these are coincidence. Now, after so many years, a servant of that disciplic succession has come here again to preach. So these things are significant.

Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, Adi-lila 7.149-171

San Francisco, March 18, 1967

Prabhupada: ...in 1896. Bhaktivinoda Thakura was the first origin of this movement. But he simply thought of it. And he was expecting some others that willing to take up the work. Well, somebody says that I am the same man. And I was born in 1896.

Room Conversation with Canadian Ambassador to Iran

Iran, March 13, 1975

 

 

7.

 

Anyway please try to save temple of Jiva Goswami because in very near future many people from all parts of the world will come to see the Temple and Samadhi of Jiva Goswami and Rupa Goswami.

Letter to Nripen Babu

San Francisco, March 18, 1967

 

 

8. & 9.

 

Prabhupada: And in my horoscope there was written there, "After seventieth year this man will go outside India and establish so many temples."

Tamala Krsna: Really?

Prabhupada: I could not understand. "What is this, that I have to go outside India? That is not..." And Guru Maharaja foretold. He told my Godbrothers, Sridhara Maharaja and others, that "He'll do the needful when time comes. Nobody requires to help him." He told in 1935. And after all, this was true. Guru Maharaja told. And in the beginning, first sight, he told, "You have to do this."

Room Conversation

Vrndavana, June 17, 1977

 

 

10.

 

He (Srila Prabhupada) seemed to know that he would have temples filled up with devotees. He would look out and say, "I am not a poor man, I am rich. There are temples and books, they are existing, they are there, but the time is separating us from them."

Mr. Ruben,

subway conductor who met Prabhupada in 1965

Fulfillment of these prophecies was also confirmed by Srila Prabhupada’s Godbrothers:

This return back to homeland of Srila Prabhupada, is particularly significant, because this time he comes back with a host of his western disciples. This signifies to me the meeting of the East and the West, or at least the beginning of such a meeting. This signifies the victory of spiritualism over materialism, of good over evil. This is really a rare moment in history, for the first time in the history of the world, for the first time at least living memory, Vaisnavism, the message of Vaisnavism, the message of Mahaprabhu, the message of devotion and of pure devotion has been carried to the west an d carried so successfully. I am sure that historians of the future will have a lot to say about Prabhupada and his movement, and they will be even envious of us for living in a time when this movement was begun and for participating in it.

Introduction Speech By Dr. O.B.L. Kapoor

Vrndavana, October 15, 1972

And what about the qualities he had? All devotional qualities he possess. And that we can know him that he is great only by preaching. Less than 10 years. There is no history, no recording anywhere. Preaching in 10 years he has established this divine name everywhere. As is told in Mahaprabhu’s future [prediction].

His Holiness B.V. Puri Maharaj

ITV, Memories of Srila Prabhupada

Sripada Sridhara Maharaja also appreciated my service. He said that Caitanya Mahaprabhu's prediction: prthivite ache yata nagaradi grama/ sarvatra pracara haibe mora nama, would remain a dream only, but he congratulated me that I have done it practically.

Srila Prabhupada letter to Bon Maharaja

Evanston, Illinois, July 7, 1975

Any one of the feats mentioned above would be a significant feather in anyone’s cap—even if it were the only thing a person accomplished in a lifetime. That Srila Prabhupada did all these things in just twelve years, and fulfilled so many predictions of sastra, great devotees, acaryas and astrologers, and the Supreme Personality of Godhead Himself, is patent validation of his inimitable role in Vaisnava history. By his efforts, uncountable millions have read about Krsna, honored Krsna prasadam, and heard and chanted the maha mantra. Through his teachings, he continues to relieve humanity from the maladies spawned by doctrines of monism and voidism, while holding open the door of Krsna bhakti for many generations to come. Let us recognize and remember his unprecedented contributions and strive to bring him honor throughout the world.

Devotee: Prabhupada, they said that if Caitanya Mahaprabhu wanted Krsna consciousness in the Western countries, why didn't He go there Himself? That's what they told us.

Prabhupada: So He left the credit for me. (laughter)

 

Morning Walk

Nellore, January 4, 1976

 

 

 

 

All glories to

Om Visnu-pada Paramahamsa Parivrajakacarya Astotarra-sata

Sri Srimad

His Divine Grace

A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada!

 

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"In our lifetime, if we can fix up at least one soul in Krishna Consciousness, Krishna immediately recognizes the service. The spell of Maya is very strong, and to save a living entity from such clutches is the greatest service to the humanity."

 

 

(Srila Prabhupada letter, August 19, 1969)

 

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"You Can See And Talk With God"

Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.16.3

Los Angeles, December 31, 1973

 

listen <HR width="60%" color=#ff0000 SIZE=1>

Pradyumna: Translation: "Maharaja Pariksit, after having selected Krpacarya for guidance as his spiritual master, performed three horse sacrifices on the banks of the Ganges. These were executed with sufficient rewards for the attendants. And at these sacrifices, even the common man could see demigods."

 

Prabhupada: Now, people say that "Why we do not see the demigods?" So the answer should be, "Where is your sacrifice, horse sacrifice?" The demigods, they are not so cheap. Just like the king or the president. Does he come anywhere, who is a cheap common man? No. Where the kings or the demigods or a great sage like Narada Muni will come, that place also must be worth coming there.

 

So there were interplanetary system. Just like Arjuna went to the heavenly planet, similarly, in such sacrifices, if it was arranged by great kings like Maharaja Pariksit and others, Maharaja Yudhisthira, then the demigods, invited, they would come. Not only they would come, but all common men could see. Therefore it is said here, yatraksi-gocarah, deva yatraksi-gocarah. We are much proud of seeing everything, but we should wait for being qualified to see. Not that whimsically I want to see, "O God, please come before me. I want to see." God... God is there just suitable for your seeing power. God is very kind. Here He is present in the temple. And you go on seeing. Then you will realize that He is God.

 

So God or demigod, everyone can be aksi-gocarah, within the purview of your vision, provided you are qualified. This is the process. These rascals say, "Can you show me God?" But what power you have got to see? First of all gain that qualification. Then you will see. God is everywhere. Andantara-stha-paramanu-cayan... Even He is within the atom. Therefore one who is not competent to see God, he is advised to see God in different way in the Bhagavad-gita. Just like Krsna says, raso 'ham apsu kaunteya prabhasmi sasi-suryayoh: "My dear Kaunteya, Arjuna, I am the taste of the water." So you try to see God there in the taste of water. At the present moment, we have got many senses. You want to see God with the eyes. So begin with your tongue. This is also another sense. Just like if there is nice foodstuff, if I say, "Let me see how it is,Let me see" means... You are already seeing. What do you want? "No, I want to touch in the tongue." That is "Let me see." Not by the eyes. If there is good sweetmeat, halava, then "Let me see" means "Let me taste." So first of all taste God. It is within your reach of the sensual perception, but try to practice. Then sevonmukhe hi jihvadau svayam eva sphuraty adah. Then you will realize. God will reveal to..., Himself. When you become submitted, devoted to God, by tasting the prasadam, you will see God personally. He will talk with you. That is possible.

 

So at the present moment, we want to see God, but we do not acknowledge that we are not qualified. How we can see? If I cannot see even an ordinary president... By my whims I want to see the president or the such and such big officer. You cannot see unless you are qualified. So how you can see God? That is not possible. You have to qualify yourself. Then you will see God. Aksi-gocarah. Aksi-gocarah means, just we are seeing -- you are seeing me, I am seeing you -- similarly, you will see the demigods or God, provided you are qualified.

 

So Maharaja Pariksit was so exalted king that by his invitation, the demigods would come and public could see. That was possible. That is stated here. He was so, I mean to say, exalted king, he could invite. And the kings also were invited. Just like Maharaja Yudhisthira went. That was interplanetary exchange. That is now not... You cannot go by the sputniks to the heavenly planet. The moon planet is also one of the heavenly planet. Or the other planets. They are all heavenly planets. Urdhvam. Urdhvam gacchanti sattva-sthah. When you are competent, fit, for going there, then you can go there. That is stated in the Bhagavad-gita. Yanti deva-vrata devan pitrn yanti pitr-vratah, bhutejya yanti.. [bg. 9.25]. You can go, but you must be qualified, pitr-vratah, deva-vratah. Similarly, you can go to Krsna also if you are krsna-vratah. Mad-yajino 'pi yanti mam. What to speak of going to other planets, if one is qualified, if one is pure devotee, Krsna says, "He also comes to Me." So this exchange of going and coming is not difficult, provided a person is qualified. Not a cat and dog can go. That is not possible.

 

So another important point is... Ajaharasva-medhams trin, three times. The asvamedha-yajna is so expensive that the king of heaven, Indra, he executed the asvamedha-yajna seven times. So Maharaja Prthu was also going to complete seven times. So there was some, I mean to say, competition. The Indra would not allow him to complete seven times. Otherwise he would become equal with him. So amongst the kings, not only in this planet, but in other planets also, the asvamedha-yajna was performed by very, very powerful rich kings, not ordinary kings. It is very expensive job. Because it is stated, bhuri-daksinan, and vast amount of money required for distribution in charity. Then you can perform asvamedha-yajna. Similarly, there is gomedha-yajna. Asvamedha-yajna was to send the horse with flag, that "Such and such king is the emperor of the whole world." So if some king in some state, he does not agree that "He is emperor," he will capture the horse, "I don't agree, I don't accept." Then there will be fight, "You have to accept." In this way there will be sacrifice.

 

So Maharaja Pariksit was the emperor of the whole world, whole this planet. So he performed three times. Now, that means three times he challenged, "If there is any dispute, any objection of my becoming emperor?" This is asvamedha-yajna. "If you have got any objection, then I will make you obliged to accept me. Otherwise, if you accept, that's all right. You remain in your state. Give me tax." This is the... So this is very expensive job. Formerly one king performed this asvamedha-yajna, and bhuri-daksinan. He gave in daksina... Daksina means in charity. Just like you give daksina to your spiritual master for initiation, similarly, here also, it is said, saradvatam gurum krtva. Everything must be executed under the guidance of a guru, not whimsically, "Oh, I have got my own idea, I have got my own God. I can do whatever I like." This is simply waste of time. Yah sastra-vidhim utsrjya vartate kama-karatah. In the Bhagavad-gita it is said that "Anyone who does not follow the instruction of the sastra, how things should be done," sastra-vidhim utsrjya vartate kama-karatah, "does things whimsically," na sukham savapnoti, "he will never get happiness." Yah sastra-vidhim utsrjya vartate kama-karatah, na sukham sa...

 

So everything should be done according to sastra. And the sastra should be guided by acarya, guru. Acarya means one who knows what is there in the sastra. He practices in his life and teaches the disciple. He is called acarya. Acarya is not a whimsical thing. He must know. Therefore Pariksit Maharaja appointed acarya, saradvatam. He is the brother of Dronacarya. Dronacarya was also acarya, but he was military acarya. And here he was acarya for Vedic rituals, acarya. Tad-vijnanartham sa gurum eva [MU 1.2.12]. Gurum krtva. In order to do things very rightly, you must appoint... Just like if you are going to the court to file some suit, do it very nicely. You have to appoint a very good lawyer. Similarly, these Vedic principles, the Vedic rituals, they should be performed under the direction of acarya, guru, not whimsically. So therefore this kind of sacrifices are forbidden in this age, in this age.

 

That was discussed between Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu and Chand Kazi, the Muhammadan magistrate of Nadia. He, Sri Krsna Caitanya Mahaprabhu, challenged the Kazi, Muhammadan, that "What is your religion, that you eat your father and mother?" This was the challenge by Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. What is that, father, mother? Now, mother, your cow is your mother. You drink milk of cow. And the bull is your father. Because without bull, without the cow and bull being united, there is no milk. So how is that you are eating your father and mother? It is a great challenge. Actually those who are meat-eater, beef-eater, they are killing their father and mother and become implicated in sinful life. Therefore we say no meat-eating. No meat-eating. If you become implicated in sinful life, how you can be happy? There must be nature's punishment. Just like if you infect some disease, nature must punish you. You must suffer from the disease. You cannot get out. It is not possible. Karanam guna-sango 'sya. Why there are so many varieties of life? Why not one class of men, all President Nixon? (laughter) Why not? Why there is bum in the Bowery Street? In your country I am saying. Why there are arrangement of first-class, second-class, third-class, fourth-class, fifth-class men? Or animals, or trees? Everything is there. Why?

 

That is explained in the Bhagavad-gita. Karanam guna-sango 'sya. As you have infected yourself with a particular type of modes of nature, you will get a body. That's all. If you have infected to get the body of a dog, you must be infected. People who are keeping dog, that means he is being infected by the germs of dog. Next life he will become a dog. He is infected. What he will think at the time of death? If he has got a beloved dog, he will think of... Somebody... In your country, they bequeath great, I mean to say, wealth, for the dog. That means at the time of death, at the time of death he is thinking of his beloved dog. So he must be a dog. So all his wealth goes to the dog and he goes to become a dog. This science is unknown to the rascals. Yam yam vapi smaran bhavam tyajaty ante kalevaram [bg. 8.6]. At the time of death, your position of the mind will create the next body. This is the science. So if you create your the position of the mind, Krsna conscious, then you will get a body like Krsna, sac-cid-ananda-vigraha [bs. 5.1]. This is Krsna consciousness movement, that "Why you shall love dog and cats? Love God, Krsna, and you get the next body like Krsna." Sac-cid-ananda-vigraha. Anadir adir govindah sarva-karana-karanam [bs. 5.1]. This is Krsna consciousness movement, how to think of Krsna at the time of death. Then your life is successful.

 

So that has to be practiced. Sada tad-bhava-bhavitah [bg. 8.6]. If you always chant Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna, Krsna Krsna, Hare Hare/ Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare, that means you remember Krsna always. So there is chance, ninety-nine percent chance, that at the time of your death you will think of Krsna and your life is successful. Very simple method. Make always your mind absorbed in Krsna. Naturally at the time of death you will think of Krsna. Mad-yajino 'pi yanti mam. That is confirmed in the Bhagavad-gita. Tyaktva deham punar janma naiti mam iti kaunteya [bg. 4.9]. Such person, Krsna conscious person, who knows Krsna... If you think of Krsna, naturally you know of Krsna. You know of Krsna. Krsna is within your heart. So if you think of Krsna, then gradually you become Krsna-ized. Just like you put the iron rod in the fire. Gradually it becomes fire. Warm, warmer, warmer, then red-hot. When it is red-hot it is fire. Whenever you touch, it will burn immediately. Similarly, if you think of Krsna, the same example... Touching fire. So Krsna will purify you. Srnvatam sva-kathah krsnah punya-sravana-kirtanah [sB 1.2.17]. Just like you are being purified by hearing about Krsna daily. Otherwise why you are coming here? We have no money to bribe you to come here. You are feeling, becoming Krsna-ized; therefore you are coming.

 

So this is the process, simple process. You simply be engaged in Krsna consciousness. Then you become Krsna-ized, purified. And as soon as you become purified, you understand Krsna. Sevonmukhe hi jihvadau svayam. "You understand Krsna" means Krsna becomes revealed. Just like something is covered, you try to move the covering. You see the goal. Similarly, by your constant endeavor to become Krsna conscious, Krsna will reveal to you, "Yes. You are so anxious to see Me? Here I am. Here I am. Yes." You will see Krsna. So how this is possible? Premanjana-cchurita-bhakti-vilocanena santah sadaiva hrdayesu vilokayanti [bs. 5.38]. By thinking of Krsna, naturally you become attached. Just like materialists. They are always thinking of woman and money. So they become attached to woman and money, the materialists. So similarly, if you think of Krsna, you become attached to Krsna. It is not a difficult job.

 

So the asvamedham gavalambham sannyasam pala-paitrkam [Cc. Adi 17.164]. This was explained by..., why asvamedha-yajna is forbidden in this age. In this age no sacrifice is possible. There is no money. There is no guru. Guru means who can conduct the sacrifices. First of all there is no means. Even one can conduct, there is no means. It requires huge amount of money. Here it is said that bhuri-daksinan. Bhuri means an unlimited amount. Bhuri means very great. So there is no money. Neither there is expert brahmana also who can conduct such sacrifices, because they must chant the Vedic mantra so perfectly that even a horse or a cow is put into the fire, he will come out with a new life. That is the test. This Chand Kazi, Muslim magistrate, he also challenged Caitanya Mahaprabhu. When Caitanya Mahaprabhu said, "What is your this religion? You are eating your father and mother?" Directly. Not that He was talking with a magistrate, He should be a little respectful. No. In spiritual matter, everything spoken frankly, no compromise. Just like we say, "You are not a Krsna conscious person. Then you are a rascal. That's all." You may be the president. That doesn't matter. But because you are not Krsna conscious, you are rascal. There is no compromise, "Oh, here is a big man. How he is speaking." We see everywhere. So many scientists come. I say, "You are rascal. You are demon." (laughter) I say it. And they tolerate. I prove that he is a rascal. I prove that he is a rascal, he is a demon. Then he tolerates, "Yes." We have got sufficient strength to prove, any materialistic man, to prove that he is a rascal. That is possible. Vidhi-mahendradis ca kitayate: "If one is practically a devotee of Lord, he doesn't care even personalities like Vidhi." Vidhi means Lord Brahma. Vidhi-mahendradis ca kitayate. Kitayate means such great personalities are taken by perfect devotee as ordinary insect. As ordinary insect has no value, similarly, anyone, however great he may be in this material world, if he is not God conscious, he is no better than the insect. Because it has no value. Because he does not know that he is going to become a dog next life. He loved a dog very much, and he bequeathed his all property to the dog, but he is going to become himself a dog. Therefore he's a rascal. What is his intelligence? He got some money. There are many instances in (your) country. They bequeath the whole wealth to the dog. Is it not?

 

Devotees: Yes.

 

Prabhupada: So how much rascal he is, that? And if you go that "Give us some money for advancing Krsna consciousness,No, no, we are not interested in religion. I am interested in dog." So how much rascal he is, that. Just imagine.

 

So everyone is a rascal. Everyone is rascal. How we so boldly say that everyone is? Because Krsna says. We are Krsna-ite. We have to follow. Just like a small child follows the talkings of his father and mother, so similarly, we learn from Krsna. Krsna says,

 

 

na mam duskrtino mudhah

prapadyante naradhamah

mayayapahrta-jnana

asuram bhavam asritah

[bg. 7.15]

 

 

Krsna says. So we have learned from Krsna. So we test. What is the test? Na mam prapadyante. He does not surrender to Krsna. So such person, what he is? Now, duskrtina, sinful. Meritorious sinful, that when merit is applied for sinful activities, you can do it very nicely than the ordinary man. A scientist discovers some method of stealing, how to break the treasury of the bank. So that does not mean... Because he is doing scientifically, stealing, that does not mean he is not a thief. He is a thief. How you can say, "Oh, he has done it very scientifically"? (laughing) The law will say, "You are rascal. You are thief. You must be punished." So these so-called educated scientists, philosophers, what they are doing? They are simply doing mischief. Therefore they are duskrtina. Duskrtina. Mudha. Mudha means rascal. Ass. Because nobody knows what is the aim of life. They're exactly like the ass. He does not know what is his interest. Unnecessarily he is carrying three tons of cloth of the washerman. Therefore he is called ass. His gain is a little morsel of grass. He can get grass anywhere. Still, he is thinking, "I am obliged to this washerman. Because he is supplying me grass, therefore I must have three tons of cloth on my back." This is ass. This is ass. He has no interest. Not a single cloth belongs to him, and he is carrying, oh, three tons of cloth. Therefore the ass. Ass means one who does not do know his interest, and he works unnecessarily and wastes his time.

 

So everyone in this material world, he does not know what is the aim of life. Unnecessarily he is making plan, this plan, that plan, this plan, that plan. And all plan is being frustrated by the laws of nature. Daivi hy esa gunamayi mama maya duratyaya [bg. 7.14]. Every plan will fail. And those who are plan-making persons, they are all rascals. They do not know that what kind of plan should be made. The plan should be made that everyone should be God conscious. Then every plan will be successful. Otherwise all, everything will fail.

 

So these sacrifices are forbidden in this age, Kali-yuga, because there is no expert brahmana who can conduct the sacrifices, neither people have got any means. Now, so far bhuri-daksinan, so there was one king. He performed this sacrifice, and by the grace of Lord Siva, he got the information of a golden mountain. So golden mountain, he collected enough gold from that mountain, and in the sacrifice he made everything made of gold, everything. So he distributed utensils. That is the system, that to the brahmana who attends the sacrifice, they are given money, utensils, cloth, bedding. Because brahmanas, they do not care for material possessions. They are simply engaged in Brahman consciousness, God consciousness. Therefore it is the duty of the ksatriyas and the vaisyas to give them in charity so many things, so that they may not feel any want of material necessities. They do not beg. So this king, he arranged for distributing to the brahmanas so many golden utensils that when they were given to the brahmana, each and every brahmana, some of them thought, "What is the use of such load?" This is brahmana. So after coming out from the sacrificial arena, they threw away. "Throw! Who will carry such a load?" Just see. This is brahmana. A big load of gold they neglected. They threw it away. "I don't want it. This king has given. All right, take. But I will throw away." (laughing) This is brahmana, yes. He doesn't care for all these things. Brahmana's another par..., is yajana yajana dana pratigraha. He accept charity, huge quantity, and next moment he spends or throw it away. That's all. Again poor man. That is brahmana. Again collect money. Spend it for Krsna consciousness. That is brahmana. That is brahmana. So bhuri-daksinan. Those... In very long, long years ago this was done.

 

So when Maharaja Yudhisthira was in need of money for performing this asvamedha sacrifice, so he asked his brothers, assistants, "Now we have spent all our money in this Battle of Kuruksetra. You know the expenditure of battle. So I require money. So where is the money?" So when Krsna saw that Arjuna and Maharaja Yudhisthira is is very much perplexed to secure money, so he asked his friend Arjuna, "You can go there, near Himalaya. There is huge stock of gold utensils, and formerly they threw it away. You can go and collect. Bring it." So immediately he went, and he collected all the thrown utensils of gold, and enough money was collected. Therefore Arjuna's another name is Dhananjaya. Dhananjaya means "who has conquered, securing wealth." Dhana means wealth. Dhananjaya.

 

So this is sacrifice. This is sacrifice. But it is not possible. Asvamedham gavalambham [Cc. Adi 17.164]. This is forbidden. Here, at the present moment, the yajna is sankirtana. Yajnaih sankirtana-prayair yajanti hi su-medhasah. Here at the present moment this yajna is recommended. This is recommended in the sastra, not manufactured.

 

 

krsna-varnam tvisakrsnam

sangopangastra-parsadam

yajnaih sankirtana-prayair

yajanti hi su-medhasah

[sB 11.5.32]

 

 

This is the process of yajna in this age. What is that? Now, krsna-varnam tvisa akrsnam. The God's incarnation, that is incarnation, not a manufactured incarnation. There must be reference to the sastra. So what is the incarnation? Pracchanna-avatara. In this Kali-yuga the incarnation is Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu. It is stated in the sastra, krsna-varnam, krsna

 

varnayati: "He is simply chanting ‘Krsna,' although He is Krsna Himself." Krsnam-varnam tvisakrsnam. Therefore He has hidden Himself. His bodily color is more Krsna, but golden. That is also stated. Krsna has got four colors. Suklo raktas tatha pita idanim krsnatam gatah. When Gargamuni made the horoscope of Krsna, that "This child has three other colors, suklo raktas tatha pitah. He had His color. Red color and white color and now..., and yellow color. Now He has assumed black color." Suklo raktas tatha pita idanim krsnatam gatah. So therefore His name was Krsna. So Krsna has another color. Pita. Pita-varna-gaurah. That is Lord Caitanya. Therefore tvisa akrsna: "Bodily complexion, not krsna." Such Krsna, chanting Krsna... Krsna-varnam tvisakrsnam sangopangastra-parsadam [sB 11.5.32]. Followed by many devotees, Caitanya Mahaprabhu. At least followed by Nityananda Prabhu, Advaita Prabhu, Gadadhara Prabhu, like that. So this is the description of the incarnation of God in Kali-yuga. Pracchanna-avatara. There is another avatara, Kalki.

 

So krsna-varnam tvisakrsnam sangopangastra-parsadam. To such God the method is to sacrifice. The sacrificing method is yajnaih sankirtana-prayair yajanti hi su-medhasah. Su-medhasah. Medha means brain substance. Those who have got good brain substance, such persons worship this Lord by the yajnaih sankirtanaih. So that we are doing here. Here is krsna-varnam tvisakrsnam [sB 11.5.32], Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, Nityananda Prabhu. Therefore our first obeisance is to Him, then Krsna. This is the process of Krsna consciousness.

 

Thank you very much. (end)

 

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.16.3 -- Los Angeles, December 31, 1973

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SB 8.19.40 Purport: Lord Vamanadeva Begs Charity from Bali Maharaja

 

"One who rejects things without knowledge of their relationship to Krsna is incomplete in his renunciation." (Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu 1.2.66)

 

When the body is engaged in the service of the Lord, one should not consider the body material.

 

Sometimes the spiritual body of the spiritual master is misunderstood. But Srila Rupa Gosvami instructs, prapancikataya buddhya hari-sambandhi-vastunah. The body fully engaged in Krsna's service should not be neglected as material.

 

One who does neglect it is false in his renunciation. If the body is not properly maintained, it falls down and dries up like an uprooted tree, from which flowers and fruit can no longer be obtained.

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[Question:] How does a disciple relate with his guru once he has entered in aprakata-lila (the guru's entrance into the eternal pastimes of Krsna in the spiritual world)? Like Srila Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada's disciples, those who took initiation when he was still physically present. How can they relate with him since he is now in aprakata-lila? :confused:

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