The tent programmes and other preaching activities
have started i must say very successfully.In Pietermaritzburg
we had programmes for 3 day`s and also we had to deal with
the rain,in spite of all that we managed to deliver the
message of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu and also spread the Holy
Names.Everone in the tent were clapping their hands and singing
along to the very sweet Bhajans of Sudevi and Kishori Mohan prabhu.
On the last day in Pietermaritzburg we had the most number of
attendees.The last day was Ekadasi,which made it more special
and auspicious,Sripad Damodara Maharaja and Ashram Maharaja`s
led the preaching efforts,and all were listening with rapt attention.
The following week we were in Tongaat,It rained throughout the day
and night and the ground became soaked and to make matters worse
there was no power this is all from a material point of view,the
spiritual side was a grand success.One devotees from Iskcon Deva
Deva prabhu who leads the Tongaat Nama Hatta and his wife attended.
They were so happy and excited about our programmes there ,they actually
took out photgraphs and his wife also with her cell phone was recording
the lecture that Sripad Damodara Maharaja was giving,this really
made us happy that our brothers and sister from another Gaudiya
Vaishnava family came and gave us support and appreciated so much
Maharaja`s lecture.
Then on the 8th December we had a tent programme in Greytown.
Greytown is about an hour`s drive from Pietermaritzburg.
Keshore prabhu actually arranged both the Tongaat and Greytown
programmes,he actually put the tents up on his own and also supplied
the sound and prasadam.In Greytown we had a full house and so many
people enjoyed the Bhajanas by Kishori Mohan and Sudevi didi.
This weekend we will conduct the tent programme in Phoenix,
north of Durban with the second largest Indian population
in South Africa.I`ll let you all know what happens after
this programme.
Wednesday, December 9, 2009
Thursday, November 19, 2009
Preaching kicks off in South Africa
Dear devotees,friends and well wishers
Please accept my dandavat pranams
All Glories to Sri Sri Guru and Gauranga
On wednesday the 18th November 2009
Sripad Damodara Maharaja and his team
of devotees i.e.Kishori Mohan,Sudevi,
Savitri,Nandini and Krsna Prem prabhu
arrived in South Africa and next week
Sripad Ashram Maharaja will be arriving
for almost 2 months intense preaching.
Firstly we will start with our tent campaigns
in Pietermaritzburg the City of Choice for
Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayan Maharaj`s Gaudiya
Matha preaching activities.
Also Srila Gurudeva(Bhaktivedanta Narayan Maharaja
will be in Pietermaritzburg first to speak His
Transcendental sweet Hari Katha)then we move to Durban.
The tent campaigns also will move in the same manner
with a few more area`s to create awareness of Srila
Gurudeva`s historic visit to South Africa and also
to give the people Krsna Consciousness.
So please join us in these transcendental
preaching activities starting from the 26th
to the 28th November 2009.
Please accept my dandavat pranams
All Glories to Sri Sri Guru and Gauranga
On wednesday the 18th November 2009
Sripad Damodara Maharaja and his team
of devotees i.e.Kishori Mohan,Sudevi,
Savitri,Nandini and Krsna Prem prabhu
arrived in South Africa and next week
Sripad Ashram Maharaja will be arriving
for almost 2 months intense preaching.
Firstly we will start with our tent campaigns
in Pietermaritzburg the City of Choice for
Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayan Maharaj`s Gaudiya
Matha preaching activities.
Also Srila Gurudeva(Bhaktivedanta Narayan Maharaja
will be in Pietermaritzburg first to speak His
Transcendental sweet Hari Katha)then we move to Durban.
The tent campaigns also will move in the same manner
with a few more area`s to create awareness of Srila
Gurudeva`s historic visit to South Africa and also
to give the people Krsna Consciousness.
So please join us in these transcendental
preaching activities starting from the 26th
to the 28th November 2009.
Sunday, November 15, 2009
Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayan Maharaja Initiates the Modern Day Prakashananda Saraswati
Srila Gurudevas China Preaching Tour
After Gaura Purnima, on March 29th 2009, Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayan Goswami Maharaja Srila Gurudeva left from New Delhi for Guanghouz, China. Before Srila Gurudeva left for his first world preaching tour in 1996, he made an oath to never, under any circumstance, give up his sannyasa robes. Krsna is bhakta-vatsala, ever affectionate to His devotees, so He protected Srila Gurudeva’s vow and, although it is forbidden, we were allowed entrance without changing out of our sannyasa robes by being classified as Indian monks.
Srila Gurudeva’s preaching in China has some special features. First, Srila Bhaktivedanta Svami Maharaja Srila Prabhupada spread Sriman Mahaprabhu’s message all over the world. Although he never personally traveled to mainland China, but to Hong Kong where he established an ISKCON center, by his unlimited mercy and by the causeless mercy of Srila Paramgurudeva OM Visnupada Srila Bhakti Prajnana Kesava Gosvami Maharaja – Srila Gurudeva, in Indian sannyasa dress, engaged in extraordinary preaching in China. Another special feature of Gurudeva’s preaching in China was that Weng Sho Qin was finally able to receive harinama and diksa from Srila Gurudeva, which he had wanted for so long. Although Weng Sho Qin was being hospitalized, the doctor reluctantly allowed him to take the two and a half hour flight to meet Srila Gurudeva. Weng Sho Qin’s initiated name is Krsna-dasa. What is so special about this patient that he was able to compel the hospital to let him leave in such poor health?
Krsna-dasa is an extraordinarily famous Buddhist guru. He has forty thousand direct disciples, so he is
greatly honored by everyone, including the doctors. He has already constructed a beautiful mandira, with seventy rooms, and begun the process of registering it with the government. Buddhist gurus are very highly respected in China. Once Krsna-dasa completes the registration process, the Chinese government will lift the present ban against Indian monks in China, and Srila Gurudeva will personally install deities there. Srila Gurudeva has named the first Gaudiya Matha in China Sri Syama-brahma Mandira.
How wonderful was Srila Gurudeva’s preaching tour in China!
Only someone who has the mercy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead Sri Sri Radha Krsna and the previous Acharyas can accomplish such a preaching feat. Srila Narayan Maharaja has now brought the modern day Prakashananda Saraswati into the Gaudiya Vaishnava Sampradaya. Srila Narayan Maharaja has received the direct Mercy of Srimati Radhika who personally arranged for Him to receive Her Maha Prasadam from the rasa dance in Seva Kunja by telling the pujari in dream to bring it to Him, just like Sri Gopinathaji arranged for khira to go to Madhavendra Puri. Srila Narayan Maharaja brought Srila Prabhupada to external consciousness from ecstatic samadhi the way Sri Swarupa Damodara did to Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Again and again the Supreme Lord and the previous Acharaya's are indicating by their mercy and the arrangement of his extraordinary pastimes who the most exalted personality amongst our present day Gaudiya Sampradaya actually is:
Vaishnava Sarvabhouma Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayan Goswami Maharaja Srila Gurudeva
Only the envious and the ignorant will refuse his association. Only those who are Kali Chelas will blaspheme Him. You should stay in whatever sanga or organization you are in and continue to serve there with love and affection and happiness. However you should offer all respect and honor to this great personality Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayan Goswami Maharaja Srila Gurudeava and never ever blaspheme him. Those who do are doing so at their own risk.
I the most unfortunate beggar at the lotus feet of the previous acharya's pray that all the vaishnava devotees will soon embrace in Vaishnava Prema as per the desire of Srila Bhaktivinode Thakura.
Aspiring to be the servant of the servant
B.V. Bhagavat Maharaja
After Gaura Purnima, on March 29th 2009, Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayan Goswami Maharaja Srila Gurudeva left from New Delhi for Guanghouz, China. Before Srila Gurudeva left for his first world preaching tour in 1996, he made an oath to never, under any circumstance, give up his sannyasa robes. Krsna is bhakta-vatsala, ever affectionate to His devotees, so He protected Srila Gurudeva’s vow and, although it is forbidden, we were allowed entrance without changing out of our sannyasa robes by being classified as Indian monks.
Srila Gurudeva’s preaching in China has some special features. First, Srila Bhaktivedanta Svami Maharaja Srila Prabhupada spread Sriman Mahaprabhu’s message all over the world. Although he never personally traveled to mainland China, but to Hong Kong where he established an ISKCON center, by his unlimited mercy and by the causeless mercy of Srila Paramgurudeva OM Visnupada Srila Bhakti Prajnana Kesava Gosvami Maharaja – Srila Gurudeva, in Indian sannyasa dress, engaged in extraordinary preaching in China. Another special feature of Gurudeva’s preaching in China was that Weng Sho Qin was finally able to receive harinama and diksa from Srila Gurudeva, which he had wanted for so long. Although Weng Sho Qin was being hospitalized, the doctor reluctantly allowed him to take the two and a half hour flight to meet Srila Gurudeva. Weng Sho Qin’s initiated name is Krsna-dasa. What is so special about this patient that he was able to compel the hospital to let him leave in such poor health?
Krsna-dasa is an extraordinarily famous Buddhist guru. He has forty thousand direct disciples, so he is
greatly honored by everyone, including the doctors. He has already constructed a beautiful mandira, with seventy rooms, and begun the process of registering it with the government. Buddhist gurus are very highly respected in China. Once Krsna-dasa completes the registration process, the Chinese government will lift the present ban against Indian monks in China, and Srila Gurudeva will personally install deities there. Srila Gurudeva has named the first Gaudiya Matha in China Sri Syama-brahma Mandira.
How wonderful was Srila Gurudeva’s preaching tour in China!
Only someone who has the mercy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead Sri Sri Radha Krsna and the previous Acharyas can accomplish such a preaching feat. Srila Narayan Maharaja has now brought the modern day Prakashananda Saraswati into the Gaudiya Vaishnava Sampradaya. Srila Narayan Maharaja has received the direct Mercy of Srimati Radhika who personally arranged for Him to receive Her Maha Prasadam from the rasa dance in Seva Kunja by telling the pujari in dream to bring it to Him, just like Sri Gopinathaji arranged for khira to go to Madhavendra Puri. Srila Narayan Maharaja brought Srila Prabhupada to external consciousness from ecstatic samadhi the way Sri Swarupa Damodara did to Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Again and again the Supreme Lord and the previous Acharaya's are indicating by their mercy and the arrangement of his extraordinary pastimes who the most exalted personality amongst our present day Gaudiya Sampradaya actually is:
Vaishnava Sarvabhouma Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayan Goswami Maharaja Srila Gurudeva
Only the envious and the ignorant will refuse his association. Only those who are Kali Chelas will blaspheme Him. You should stay in whatever sanga or organization you are in and continue to serve there with love and affection and happiness. However you should offer all respect and honor to this great personality Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayan Goswami Maharaja Srila Gurudeava and never ever blaspheme him. Those who do are doing so at their own risk.
I the most unfortunate beggar at the lotus feet of the previous acharya's pray that all the vaishnava devotees will soon embrace in Vaishnava Prema as per the desire of Srila Bhaktivinode Thakura.
Aspiring to be the servant of the servant
B.V. Bhagavat Maharaja
Sunday, November 8, 2009
Peace and Prayer
Peace and Prayer
by Tridandiswami B.V. Vana Maharaja
Material sense gratification should not be the main aim of human life. One should lead a simple existance and use one's valuable time to inquire into the absolute truth. There is no meaning what-so-ever in endless material activities.
All mankind inquires after complete peace and happiness, therefore the Vedas explain:
"natalpa sukham bhumeva sukham"
This world is called the 'incomplete creation,' therefore no one can fulfil all their own desires, but still everyone searches after happiness. Scripture gives evidence about the happiness of the transcendental world only. This transcendental world is called the 'complete creation.' Krishna told Arjuna in the Bhagavad Gita:
tam eva saranam gaccha sarva-bhavena bharata
tat prasadat param santim sthanam prapsyasi sasvatam
"O Bharata, surrender exclusively to that Isvara in every respect. By His grace, you will attain transcendental peace and the supreme eternal abode."
(18.62)
Attempts are made from time to time to make the kingdom of heaven descend on earth. Those attempts are of different natures. One type is to bring about world peace.
Peace-makers have been glorified at different tiimes. The political history of the world has seen many. Their extrordinary qualities of heart and mind bring them into promanancy and even among their peers they are noteworthy. This enables them to control the minds of millions who, in their eagerness to have peace, gather round ready to work under their dictation. Very soon these exalted personalities succeed in establishing an era of 'world peace.' But soon after, people realise they have been cheated. The peace they attained is just the seed of more unrest ready to sprout at any moment. The reputation of those great peace-makers soon becomes degraded and they are forced to give up their position. Somebody else is then pushed into that position to carry on. Such is the fate of every human conception of peace.
There are two types of jivas that manifest from the Lord, the bound and the liberated. The liberated souls always remain in the transcendental world and the bound souls live in this material world. Those who are bound in this world are of two types: pious and impious. The pious jiva who is situated in the material body is controlled by eating, sleeping and sensual activities, as his material sense desires dictate. In order to enjoy material comforts he engages in a variety of activities that are born from his material desires. Performing the purifying ceremonies prescribed in the Vedas, his intention is to gather pious credits so that he can enjoy material pleasures by taking birth in a high class family in this world and after attain godly pleasures in the higher planets. Thus he undertakes the path of karma.
In contrast, impious souls take shelter of irreligion and enjoy sense gratification by performing various types of sinful activities. The conclusion is that the aim and object of both types of jivas, pious and impious, is sense gratification, but the Srimad Bhagavatam explains that we should give up gratifying our own senses to gratify the senses of Lord Krishna.
In His Siksastakam Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu (who, appearing in this age of kali-yuga, is non-different from Lord Krsna,) declared:
na dhanam na janam na sundarim
kavitam va jagadisa kamaye
mama janmani janmanisvare
bhavatad bhaktir ahaituki tvayi
"O Jagadisa ! I do not desire wealth, followers such as wife, sons and friends and relatives, or mundane knowledge expressed in poetic language. My only desire is that in birth after birth I may have pure devotional service unto your lotus feet."
(no.4)
World peace is only possible when we stop identifying our real selves with this material world, and when the mundane happiness of this world stops being our aim and object.
Vaisnavaism deals with the religion of the soul as distinguished from the body or the mind. Neither the body nor the mind is eternal, only the soul, and therefore it is the religion of the soul that is eternal. Vaisnavaism is the eternal religion of the soul. The object of the pursuit of other religions is one of the following four things: virtue, wealth, desire and salvation. But Vaisnavas have nothing to do with any of these things as none of them is the real object of the soul. Vaisnavaism begins with distinguishing between temporary and permanant things. Both the body and the mind are noticed by the Vaisnavas to be subject to birth and death and therefore temporary, but the soul is eternal as we can see in the Bhagavad Gita: " The soul is eternal and not born or destroyed with the distruction of the body." (2.20)
The Srimad Bhagavat discourses on who is the greatest benefactor in this world:
tava kathamrtam tapta-jivanam
kavibhir iditam kalmasapaham
sravana-mangalam srimad atatam
bhuvi grnanti ye bhuri-da janah
The gopis of Vrindavan declare "The nectar of your words and the discriptions of your activities are the life and soul of those suffering in this material world. These narrations, transmitted by learned sages, eradicate one's sinful reactions and bestow good fortune upon whoever hears them. These narrations are broadcast all over the world and are filled with spiritual power. Certainly those who spread the message of Godhead are most munificent."
(10.31.9)
We must hear the dictation of the soul in this matter. Soul is all love, and hence peace established on the principles of soul is what is real peace. The soul loving God loves all. It is all accommadating.
Teachers of this devine love are genarally misunderstood; people who are unaccustomed to the study of things without reference to flesh and blood, see disturbance of all social and moral ettiquette in their teachings. Addressing such an assembly Christ said, "Think not that I come to send peace on earth. I come to set a man against his father and the daughter against her mother and the daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law." (New Testament) He meant to say that love built on the stands of blood relationships is no love. A God loving son is sure to go against his father who does not love God. Here, in going away from one's father there is peace. There is peace in rebellion against all the social and moral conventions, if that is prompted by Devine Love. There is peace when Prahlad disobeyed his father Hiranyakasipu who pleaded with him not to worship Lord Krsna. There is peace when Arjuna commanded by Lord Krsna, killed in the battle of Kuruksetra his relatives including Bhisma, his own grandfathers step-brother. There is peace when Christ, crucified alive, prayed to God saying "father forgive them they no not what they do". There is peace in peace as well as in disturbance. God knows how to maintain peace, even if it appears apparently harmful to its cause it is in fact favourable.
Some are karmins (performers of fruitive actions), some are jnanins (followers of the path of knowledge), but we are the servants of the true devotees of Hari. One who cultivates a bonafide spiritual process for cleansing his heart and mind and prepering for the hereafter, is considered to be an intelligent person and knows the real goal of life. Bhakti-yoga or devotional service to Krsna, is the fastest means of achieving happiness and real security for the future. In this age of chaos and confusion, known as kali-yuga, the easiest method recommended is the hearing and chanting of the sublime names of God, the Supreme person, Krsna.
Hare Krsna Hare Krsna Krsna Krsna Hare Hare
Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare
These 16 names are all that is required to deliver one from the darkness of ignorance and situate him or her on the highest platform of God-realisation. Krsna is not an Indian God, or the head of the "Hindu" religion. "Hare" is the vocative or spoken word used to address the supreme Lord "Hari." Krsna is an address we use for the Lord, asking him to please deliver us from the maya of material existence. And when we say "Rama" we are requesting the Lord to please sport with us. We humbly request every one to take this sublime procces of bhakti-yoga and become truely happy in this life.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Contemporary Disciples Page
Material sense gratification should not be the main aim of human life. One should lead a simple existance and use one's valuable time to inquire into the absolute truth. There is no meaning what-so-ever in endless material activities.
All mankind inquires after complete peace and happiness, therefore the Vedas explain:
"natalpa sukham bhumeva sukham"
This world is called the 'incomplete creation,' therefore no one can fulfil all their own desires, but still everyone searches after happiness. Scripture gives evidence about the happiness of the transcendental world only. This transcendental world is called the 'complete creation.' Krishna told Arjuna in the Bhagavad Gita:
tam eva saranam gaccha sarva-bhavena bharata
tat prasadat param santim sthanam prapsyasi sasvatam
"O Bharata, surrender exclusively to that Isvara in every respect. By His grace, you will attain transcendental peace and the supreme eternal abode."
(18.62)
Attempts are made from time to time to make the kingdom of heaven descend on earth. Those attempts are of different natures. One type is to bring about world peace.
Peace-makers have been glorified at different tiimes. The political history of the world has seen many. Their extrordinary qualities of heart and mind bring them into promanancy and even among their peers they are noteworthy. This enables them to control the minds of millions who, in their eagerness to have peace, gather round ready to work under their dictation. Very soon these exalted personalities succeed in establishing an era of 'world peace.' But soon after, people realise they have been cheated. The peace they attained is just the seed of more unrest ready to sprout at any moment. The reputation of those great peace-makers soon becomes degraded and they are forced to give up their position. Somebody else is then pushed into that position to carry on. Such is the fate of every human conception of peace.
There are two types of jivas that manifest from the Lord, the bound and the liberated. The liberated souls always remain in the transcendental world and the bound souls live in this material world. Those who are bound in this world are of two types: pious and impious. The pious jiva who is situated in the material body is controlled by eating, sleeping and sensual activities, as his material sense desires dictate. In order to enjoy material comforts he engages in a variety of activities that are born from his material desires. Performing the purifying ceremonies prescribed in the Vedas, his intention is to gather pious credits so that he can enjoy material pleasures by taking birth in a high class family in this world and after attain godly pleasures in the higher planets. Thus he undertakes the path of karma.
In contrast, impious souls take shelter of irreligion and enjoy sense gratification by performing various types of sinful activities. The conclusion is that the aim and object of both types of jivas, pious and impious, is sense gratification, but the Srimad Bhagavatam explains that we should give up gratifying our own senses to gratify the senses of Lord Krishna.
In His Siksastakam Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu (who, appearing in this age of kali-yuga, is non-different from Lord Krsna,) declared:
na dhanam na janam na sundarim
kavitam va jagadisa kamaye
mama janmani janmanisvare
bhavatad bhaktir ahaituki tvayi
"O Jagadisa ! I do not desire wealth, followers such as wife, sons and friends and relatives, or mundane knowledge expressed in poetic language. My only desire is that in birth after birth I may have pure devotional service unto your lotus feet."
(no.4)
World peace is only possible when we stop identifying our real selves with this material world, and when the mundane happiness of this world stops being our aim and object.
Vaisnavaism deals with the religion of the soul as distinguished from the body or the mind. Neither the body nor the mind is eternal, only the soul, and therefore it is the religion of the soul that is eternal. Vaisnavaism is the eternal religion of the soul. The object of the pursuit of other religions is one of the following four things: virtue, wealth, desire and salvation. But Vaisnavas have nothing to do with any of these things as none of them is the real object of the soul. Vaisnavaism begins with distinguishing between temporary and permanant things. Both the body and the mind are noticed by the Vaisnavas to be subject to birth and death and therefore temporary, but the soul is eternal as we can see in the Bhagavad Gita: " The soul is eternal and not born or destroyed with the distruction of the body." (2.20)
The Srimad Bhagavat discourses on who is the greatest benefactor in this world:
tava kathamrtam tapta-jivanam
kavibhir iditam kalmasapaham
sravana-mangalam srimad atatam
bhuvi grnanti ye bhuri-da janah
The gopis of Vrindavan declare "The nectar of your words and the discriptions of your activities are the life and soul of those suffering in this material world. These narrations, transmitted by learned sages, eradicate one's sinful reactions and bestow good fortune upon whoever hears them. These narrations are broadcast all over the world and are filled with spiritual power. Certainly those who spread the message of Godhead are most munificent."
(10.31.9)
We must hear the dictation of the soul in this matter. Soul is all love, and hence peace established on the principles of soul is what is real peace. The soul loving God loves all. It is all accommadating.
Teachers of this devine love are genarally misunderstood; people who are unaccustomed to the study of things without reference to flesh and blood, see disturbance of all social and moral ettiquette in their teachings. Addressing such an assembly Christ said, "Think not that I come to send peace on earth. I come to set a man against his father and the daughter against her mother and the daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law." (New Testament) He meant to say that love built on the stands of blood relationships is no love. A God loving son is sure to go against his father who does not love God. Here, in going away from one's father there is peace. There is peace in rebellion against all the social and moral conventions, if that is prompted by Devine Love. There is peace when Prahlad disobeyed his father Hiranyakasipu who pleaded with him not to worship Lord Krsna. There is peace when Arjuna commanded by Lord Krsna, killed in the battle of Kuruksetra his relatives including Bhisma, his own grandfathers step-brother. There is peace when Christ, crucified alive, prayed to God saying "father forgive them they no not what they do". There is peace in peace as well as in disturbance. God knows how to maintain peace, even if it appears apparently harmful to its cause it is in fact favourable.
Some are karmins (performers of fruitive actions), some are jnanins (followers of the path of knowledge), but we are the servants of the true devotees of Hari. One who cultivates a bonafide spiritual process for cleansing his heart and mind and prepering for the hereafter, is considered to be an intelligent person and knows the real goal of life. Bhakti-yoga or devotional service to Krsna, is the fastest means of achieving happiness and real security for the future. In this age of chaos and confusion, known as kali-yuga, the easiest method recommended is the hearing and chanting of the sublime names of God, the Supreme person, Krsna.
Hare Krsna Hare Krsna Krsna Krsna Hare Hare
Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare
These 16 names are all that is required to deliver one from the darkness of ignorance and situate him or her on the highest platform of God-realisation. Krsna is not an Indian God, or the head of the "Hindu" religion. "Hare" is the vocative or spoken word used to address the supreme Lord "Hari." Krsna is an address we use for the Lord, asking him to please deliver us from the maya of material existence. And when we say "Rama" we are requesting the Lord to please sport with us. We humbly request every one to take this sublime procces of bhakti-yoga and become truely happy in this life.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Contemporary Disciples Page
by Tridandiswami B.V. Vana Maharaja
Material sense gratification should not be the main aim of human life. One should lead a simple existance and use one's valuable time to inquire into the absolute truth. There is no meaning what-so-ever in endless material activities.
All mankind inquires after complete peace and happiness, therefore the Vedas explain:
"natalpa sukham bhumeva sukham"
This world is called the 'incomplete creation,' therefore no one can fulfil all their own desires, but still everyone searches after happiness. Scripture gives evidence about the happiness of the transcendental world only. This transcendental world is called the 'complete creation.' Krishna told Arjuna in the Bhagavad Gita:
tam eva saranam gaccha sarva-bhavena bharata
tat prasadat param santim sthanam prapsyasi sasvatam
"O Bharata, surrender exclusively to that Isvara in every respect. By His grace, you will attain transcendental peace and the supreme eternal abode."
(18.62)
Attempts are made from time to time to make the kingdom of heaven descend on earth. Those attempts are of different natures. One type is to bring about world peace.
Peace-makers have been glorified at different tiimes. The political history of the world has seen many. Their extrordinary qualities of heart and mind bring them into promanancy and even among their peers they are noteworthy. This enables them to control the minds of millions who, in their eagerness to have peace, gather round ready to work under their dictation. Very soon these exalted personalities succeed in establishing an era of 'world peace.' But soon after, people realise they have been cheated. The peace they attained is just the seed of more unrest ready to sprout at any moment. The reputation of those great peace-makers soon becomes degraded and they are forced to give up their position. Somebody else is then pushed into that position to carry on. Such is the fate of every human conception of peace.
There are two types of jivas that manifest from the Lord, the bound and the liberated. The liberated souls always remain in the transcendental world and the bound souls live in this material world. Those who are bound in this world are of two types: pious and impious. The pious jiva who is situated in the material body is controlled by eating, sleeping and sensual activities, as his material sense desires dictate. In order to enjoy material comforts he engages in a variety of activities that are born from his material desires. Performing the purifying ceremonies prescribed in the Vedas, his intention is to gather pious credits so that he can enjoy material pleasures by taking birth in a high class family in this world and after attain godly pleasures in the higher planets. Thus he undertakes the path of karma.
In contrast, impious souls take shelter of irreligion and enjoy sense gratification by performing various types of sinful activities. The conclusion is that the aim and object of both types of jivas, pious and impious, is sense gratification, but the Srimad Bhagavatam explains that we should give up gratifying our own senses to gratify the senses of Lord Krishna.
In His Siksastakam Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu (who, appearing in this age of kali-yuga, is non-different from Lord Krsna,) declared:
na dhanam na janam na sundarim
kavitam va jagadisa kamaye
mama janmani janmanisvare
bhavatad bhaktir ahaituki tvayi
"O Jagadisa ! I do not desire wealth, followers such as wife, sons and friends and relatives, or mundane knowledge expressed in poetic language. My only desire is that in birth after birth I may have pure devotional service unto your lotus feet."
(no.4)
World peace is only possible when we stop identifying our real selves with this material world, and when the mundane happiness of this world stops being our aim and object.
Vaisnavaism deals with the religion of the soul as distinguished from the body or the mind. Neither the body nor the mind is eternal, only the soul, and therefore it is the religion of the soul that is eternal. Vaisnavaism is the eternal religion of the soul. The object of the pursuit of other religions is one of the following four things: virtue, wealth, desire and salvation. But Vaisnavas have nothing to do with any of these things as none of them is the real object of the soul. Vaisnavaism begins with distinguishing between temporary and permanant things. Both the body and the mind are noticed by the Vaisnavas to be subject to birth and death and therefore temporary, but the soul is eternal as we can see in the Bhagavad Gita: " The soul is eternal and not born or destroyed with the distruction of the body." (2.20)
The Srimad Bhagavat discourses on who is the greatest benefactor in this world:
tava kathamrtam tapta-jivanam
kavibhir iditam kalmasapaham
sravana-mangalam srimad atatam
bhuvi grnanti ye bhuri-da janah
The gopis of Vrindavan declare "The nectar of your words and the discriptions of your activities are the life and soul of those suffering in this material world. These narrations, transmitted by learned sages, eradicate one's sinful reactions and bestow good fortune upon whoever hears them. These narrations are broadcast all over the world and are filled with spiritual power. Certainly those who spread the message of Godhead are most munificent."
(10.31.9)
We must hear the dictation of the soul in this matter. Soul is all love, and hence peace established on the principles of soul is what is real peace. The soul loving God loves all. It is all accommadating.
Teachers of this devine love are genarally misunderstood; people who are unaccustomed to the study of things without reference to flesh and blood, see disturbance of all social and moral ettiquette in their teachings. Addressing such an assembly Christ said, "Think not that I come to send peace on earth. I come to set a man against his father and the daughter against her mother and the daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law." (New Testament) He meant to say that love built on the stands of blood relationships is no love. A God loving son is sure to go against his father who does not love God. Here, in going away from one's father there is peace. There is peace in rebellion against all the social and moral conventions, if that is prompted by Devine Love. There is peace when Prahlad disobeyed his father Hiranyakasipu who pleaded with him not to worship Lord Krsna. There is peace when Arjuna commanded by Lord Krsna, killed in the battle of Kuruksetra his relatives including Bhisma, his own grandfathers step-brother. There is peace when Christ, crucified alive, prayed to God saying "father forgive them they no not what they do". There is peace in peace as well as in disturbance. God knows how to maintain peace, even if it appears apparently harmful to its cause it is in fact favourable.
Some are karmins (performers of fruitive actions), some are jnanins (followers of the path of knowledge), but we are the servants of the true devotees of Hari. One who cultivates a bonafide spiritual process for cleansing his heart and mind and prepering for the hereafter, is considered to be an intelligent person and knows the real goal of life. Bhakti-yoga or devotional service to Krsna, is the fastest means of achieving happiness and real security for the future. In this age of chaos and confusion, known as kali-yuga, the easiest method recommended is the hearing and chanting of the sublime names of God, the Supreme person, Krsna.
Hare Krsna Hare Krsna Krsna Krsna Hare Hare
Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare
These 16 names are all that is required to deliver one from the darkness of ignorance and situate him or her on the highest platform of God-realisation. Krsna is not an Indian God, or the head of the "Hindu" religion. "Hare" is the vocative or spoken word used to address the supreme Lord "Hari." Krsna is an address we use for the Lord, asking him to please deliver us from the maya of material existence. And when we say "Rama" we are requesting the Lord to please sport with us. We humbly request every one to take this sublime procces of bhakti-yoga and become truely happy in this life.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Contemporary Disciples Page
Material sense gratification should not be the main aim of human life. One should lead a simple existance and use one's valuable time to inquire into the absolute truth. There is no meaning what-so-ever in endless material activities.
All mankind inquires after complete peace and happiness, therefore the Vedas explain:
"natalpa sukham bhumeva sukham"
This world is called the 'incomplete creation,' therefore no one can fulfil all their own desires, but still everyone searches after happiness. Scripture gives evidence about the happiness of the transcendental world only. This transcendental world is called the 'complete creation.' Krishna told Arjuna in the Bhagavad Gita:
tam eva saranam gaccha sarva-bhavena bharata
tat prasadat param santim sthanam prapsyasi sasvatam
"O Bharata, surrender exclusively to that Isvara in every respect. By His grace, you will attain transcendental peace and the supreme eternal abode."
(18.62)
Attempts are made from time to time to make the kingdom of heaven descend on earth. Those attempts are of different natures. One type is to bring about world peace.
Peace-makers have been glorified at different tiimes. The political history of the world has seen many. Their extrordinary qualities of heart and mind bring them into promanancy and even among their peers they are noteworthy. This enables them to control the minds of millions who, in their eagerness to have peace, gather round ready to work under their dictation. Very soon these exalted personalities succeed in establishing an era of 'world peace.' But soon after, people realise they have been cheated. The peace they attained is just the seed of more unrest ready to sprout at any moment. The reputation of those great peace-makers soon becomes degraded and they are forced to give up their position. Somebody else is then pushed into that position to carry on. Such is the fate of every human conception of peace.
There are two types of jivas that manifest from the Lord, the bound and the liberated. The liberated souls always remain in the transcendental world and the bound souls live in this material world. Those who are bound in this world are of two types: pious and impious. The pious jiva who is situated in the material body is controlled by eating, sleeping and sensual activities, as his material sense desires dictate. In order to enjoy material comforts he engages in a variety of activities that are born from his material desires. Performing the purifying ceremonies prescribed in the Vedas, his intention is to gather pious credits so that he can enjoy material pleasures by taking birth in a high class family in this world and after attain godly pleasures in the higher planets. Thus he undertakes the path of karma.
In contrast, impious souls take shelter of irreligion and enjoy sense gratification by performing various types of sinful activities. The conclusion is that the aim and object of both types of jivas, pious and impious, is sense gratification, but the Srimad Bhagavatam explains that we should give up gratifying our own senses to gratify the senses of Lord Krishna.
In His Siksastakam Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu (who, appearing in this age of kali-yuga, is non-different from Lord Krsna,) declared:
na dhanam na janam na sundarim
kavitam va jagadisa kamaye
mama janmani janmanisvare
bhavatad bhaktir ahaituki tvayi
"O Jagadisa ! I do not desire wealth, followers such as wife, sons and friends and relatives, or mundane knowledge expressed in poetic language. My only desire is that in birth after birth I may have pure devotional service unto your lotus feet."
(no.4)
World peace is only possible when we stop identifying our real selves with this material world, and when the mundane happiness of this world stops being our aim and object.
Vaisnavaism deals with the religion of the soul as distinguished from the body or the mind. Neither the body nor the mind is eternal, only the soul, and therefore it is the religion of the soul that is eternal. Vaisnavaism is the eternal religion of the soul. The object of the pursuit of other religions is one of the following four things: virtue, wealth, desire and salvation. But Vaisnavas have nothing to do with any of these things as none of them is the real object of the soul. Vaisnavaism begins with distinguishing between temporary and permanant things. Both the body and the mind are noticed by the Vaisnavas to be subject to birth and death and therefore temporary, but the soul is eternal as we can see in the Bhagavad Gita: " The soul is eternal and not born or destroyed with the distruction of the body." (2.20)
The Srimad Bhagavat discourses on who is the greatest benefactor in this world:
tava kathamrtam tapta-jivanam
kavibhir iditam kalmasapaham
sravana-mangalam srimad atatam
bhuvi grnanti ye bhuri-da janah
The gopis of Vrindavan declare "The nectar of your words and the discriptions of your activities are the life and soul of those suffering in this material world. These narrations, transmitted by learned sages, eradicate one's sinful reactions and bestow good fortune upon whoever hears them. These narrations are broadcast all over the world and are filled with spiritual power. Certainly those who spread the message of Godhead are most munificent."
(10.31.9)
We must hear the dictation of the soul in this matter. Soul is all love, and hence peace established on the principles of soul is what is real peace. The soul loving God loves all. It is all accommadating.
Teachers of this devine love are genarally misunderstood; people who are unaccustomed to the study of things without reference to flesh and blood, see disturbance of all social and moral ettiquette in their teachings. Addressing such an assembly Christ said, "Think not that I come to send peace on earth. I come to set a man against his father and the daughter against her mother and the daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law." (New Testament) He meant to say that love built on the stands of blood relationships is no love. A God loving son is sure to go against his father who does not love God. Here, in going away from one's father there is peace. There is peace in rebellion against all the social and moral conventions, if that is prompted by Devine Love. There is peace when Prahlad disobeyed his father Hiranyakasipu who pleaded with him not to worship Lord Krsna. There is peace when Arjuna commanded by Lord Krsna, killed in the battle of Kuruksetra his relatives including Bhisma, his own grandfathers step-brother. There is peace when Christ, crucified alive, prayed to God saying "father forgive them they no not what they do". There is peace in peace as well as in disturbance. God knows how to maintain peace, even if it appears apparently harmful to its cause it is in fact favourable.
Some are karmins (performers of fruitive actions), some are jnanins (followers of the path of knowledge), but we are the servants of the true devotees of Hari. One who cultivates a bonafide spiritual process for cleansing his heart and mind and prepering for the hereafter, is considered to be an intelligent person and knows the real goal of life. Bhakti-yoga or devotional service to Krsna, is the fastest means of achieving happiness and real security for the future. In this age of chaos and confusion, known as kali-yuga, the easiest method recommended is the hearing and chanting of the sublime names of God, the Supreme person, Krsna.
Hare Krsna Hare Krsna Krsna Krsna Hare Hare
Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare
These 16 names are all that is required to deliver one from the darkness of ignorance and situate him or her on the highest platform of God-realisation. Krsna is not an Indian God, or the head of the "Hindu" religion. "Hare" is the vocative or spoken word used to address the supreme Lord "Hari." Krsna is an address we use for the Lord, asking him to please deliver us from the maya of material existence. And when we say "Rama" we are requesting the Lord to please sport with us. We humbly request every one to take this sublime procces of bhakti-yoga and become truely happy in this life.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Contemporary Disciples Page
Saturday, November 7, 2009
Rays of The Harmonist
Welcome to
Welcome to
Rays of The Harmonist
Monthly On-line Edition – Year 2
By the causeless mercy of Śrī Śrī Guru Gaurāṅga, the Rays of The Harmonist team would like to welcome you to this monthly on-line edition, which features some of Śrīla Prabhupāda Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura’s discourses.
The domain name of this email address, sarasvatī-vinoda, has a special meaning. Sarasvatī is the name of transcendental knowledge herself and also the embodiment of transcendental knowledge Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura Prabhupāda, and vinoda means “spiritual bliss” or more particularly “one who increases Śrīla Sarasvatī Ṭhākura’s transcendental bliss”. In other words, vinoda refers to Śrīla Sarasvatī Ṭhākura’s illustrious disciple Śrī Vinoda-bihārī Brahmacārī, later known as Śrīla Bhakti Prajñāna Keśava Gosvāmī Mahārāja. Śrīla Bhakti Prajñāna Keśava Gosvāmī Mahārāja is the sannyāsa guru of Śrīla A. C. Bhaktivedānta Svāmī Mahārāja and the spiritual master of Śrīla Bhaktivedānta Nārāyaṇa Gosvāmī Mahārāja.
If the souls suffering in this world receive this transcendental knowledge with faith, they will experience spiritual bliss. At the same time, the aim of distributing this transcendental knowledge is to enhance the vinoda of Sarasvatī Prabhupāda.
We hope these articles nourish you. In this way we may all increase the bliss of Śrīla Sarasvatī Ṭhākura Prabhupāda.
Aspiring for the service of Śrī Śrī Guru Gaurāṅga,
The Rays of The Harmonist team
Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura Prabhupāda (right) and Śrī Vinoda-bihārī Brahmacārī (second from left).
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
śrī śrī guru gaurāṅga jayataḥ!
Year-2, Issue 10
Posted: 7 November 2009
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dedicated to
nitya-līlā praviṣṭa oṁ viṣṇupāda
Śrī Śrīmad Bhakti Prajñāna Keśava Gosvāmī Mahārāja
Inspired by and under the guidance of
Śrī Śrīmad Bhaktivedānta Nārāyaṇa Gosvāmī Mahārāja
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ārohavāda – The Ascending Process
by Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura Prabhupāda
Editor’s note: The words ārohavāda and avarohavāda literally mean the ascending (āroha) path and the descending (avaroha) path. The former refers to depending on one’s own abilities to elevate oneself to a higher stage of existence, while the latter refers to depending on help from above to become elevated.
Question 1: What is ārohavāda, or the ascending process?
Answer: The policy of ārohavāda is, like Rāvana, to attempt to construct a stairway to reach Heaven. That kind of uphill work is most puzzling.* In Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, it has been prescribed that this ‘uphill work’ – namely trying to construct a stairway to heaven – be abandoned.
_____________________
* The underlined phrase appeared in English in the original article.
On one end of the spectrum is attempting to force the sun to become visible at night by using lanterns, and on the other end is prayerfully waiting for sunrise and then viewing the sun by way of its own rays of light. If we hanker for temporary objects of enjoyment we are bound to become followers of the path of ārohavāda, compelled to endeavour to acquire jñāna, or perform karma or yoga.
But endeavours on the path of ārohavāda will always remain incomplete. A twenty year-old civilization shall surely prove to be deficient and fault-ridden in comparison to a one hundred year-old civilization, and the knowledge and culture of a two-hundred year old civilization shall at once be rejected in favour of the knowledge and culture of a one-thousand year old civilization. In fact intelligent men do not pursue the ascending path (ārohavāda) in any of their activities; rather they are avaroha-panthi, followers of the descending process.
Question 2: Can the mentality of inductive reasoning (ārohavāda) be permanently relinquished?
Answer: As long as someone maintains the mentality that he can fully depend on his own strength and abilities, his own self-confidence and his own understanding, he will be unable to surrender unto the lotus feet of Śrī Bhagavān. And he will have great regard for the notion of argument and reasoning (ārohavāda) as long as the notion of surrender has not manifested in his heart.
Only when someone realizes the insignificance of his own ability to support himself, the worthlessness of his proud self-conception and the ineffectiveness of his own endeavours, can he surrender himself and accept the path of receiving help from above (avarohavāda).
Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam recounts the history of Gajendra, the king of the elephants. Once, Gajendra was passionately engaging in water sports within a lake, along with all his wives. Due to his wild stamping, he was a threat to all the other living beings in the lake who lived in constant fear of being trampled to death by him.
But then, a very powerful crocodile suddenly appeared from within the lake and caught hold of the leg of the intoxicated Gajendra. A fierce fight ensued between the elephant and the crocodile. It was so severe that it continued to rage even after a thousand years had passed, since they were both trying to display their might by overpowering the other. Gradually, however, Gajendra’s strength began to diminish. As he lost his power his madness, bravado and self pride also began to wane. When Gajendra, who was hopelessly trapped by the crocodile, saw that there was no way for him to escape, he realized that the most beneficial course of action for him was to accept the shelter of the lotus feet of the Lord.
Like the proud elephant, as long as the jīva considers his insignificant existence to be important, he follows the path of ārohavāda, but when the glories of surrendering unto the lotus feet of Śrī Bhagavān manifest within his heart, he accepts the path of surrender, or avarohavāda. All the sādhus preach only the path of surrender. They never instruct us to adopt ārohavāda (the ascending process). However great a person may be, if he follows the path of ārohavāda, considering it to be auspicious, he is bound to fall down. Kṛṣṇa is the sole shelter of all. The belief that anyone else can provide us shelter can never protect us.
prakṛteḥ kriyamāṇāni
guṇaiḥ karmāṇi sarvaśaḥ
ahaṅkāra-vimūḍhātmā
kartāham iti manyate
Bhagavad-gītā (3.27)
All aspects of material activity are performed by the modes of material nature, yet he whose intelligence has become bewildered by false ego considers himself to be the doer.
Due solely to their false ego, the intelligence of dull-minded people is inclined towards mundane goal-oriented activities. These elevationists are of course followers of ārohavāda.
Likewise, the jñānīs, who seek emancipation, want to attain greatness solely by their own endeavours: “jñānī jīvan-mukta-daśā pāinu kari’ mane – the jñānīs falsely consider that they have attained the stage of liberation” (Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā, 22.29). The jñānīs wish to become brahma (the Supreme Absolute). This longing of one who is utterly insignificant to become the most prominent of all is called ārohavāda. The yogīs wish to become only a litte greater than they already are by acquiring some supernatural power and opulence, or else they desire liberation by merging with the existence of brahma. All these endeavours are nothing but ārohavāda.
We should simply remain in our own station, whatever it may be. We should never become a jñānī and follow the path of ārohavāda, nor should we engage in the ill-minded endeavours of a karmī or yogī on the path of ārohavāda. We should not be influenced by the desire for the attainment of monistic emancipation (mokṣa) or enjoyment (bhoga). Rather, surrendering our body, mind and words , we should hear hari-kathā from the mouths of sādhus. Then, only, shall the unconquerable and unattainable Śrī Bhagavān be conquered by us.
* * *
It does not matter whether one is a scholar or a fool. Whatever and wherever someone is, from his own position, it is essential that he simply engage in hearing transcendental hari-kathā from the lips of the sādhus. That hari-kathā has descended from Vaikuṇṭha. At present we remain in a veiled condition within this realm of kuṇṭha, or anxiety. Therefore, if we start analyzing the scriptures through mental speculation, we will be deprived. When our deliberation on the scriptures is motivated by the desire to enjoy or the desire to attain liberation, it is tantamount to attempting to make the scriptures subordinate to ourselves, but the scriptures are the direct, non-different manifestation of Śrī Kṛṣṇa. Śrī Kṛṣṇa has said:
tad viddhi praṇipātena
paripraśnena sevayā
upadekṣyanti te jñānaṁ
jñānīnas tattva-darśinaḥ
Bhagavad-gītā (4.34)
Acquire this knowledge by offering prostrated obeisances to a guru who imparts transcendental knowledge, by asking relevant questions from him and by rendering service to him. Those who have seen the truth, the tattva darśīs, who are expert in the imports of śāstra, and the jñānīs, who have realized Absolute Reality, will enlighten you with that knowledge.
Endeavours to become the Lord are actually just karma-khaṇḍa. When someone is overpowered with the intoxicating desire to become the Lord, his pretentious display of accepting the instructions of the scriptures leaves him deprived of their actual import, which never manifest for him. The real meaning of the scriptures only manifests for surrendered souls. It is written in the Vedic literature:
yasya deve parā bhaktir
yathā deve tathā gurau
tasyaite kathitā hy arthāḥ
prakāśante mahātmanaḥ
Śvetāśvatara Upaniṣad (6.23)
The meaning of this verse is that all the deepest meanings of the scriptures become manifest for those who have, equally, the same implicit faith in and devotion for the spiritual master as they do for the Lord.
Śrīman Mahaprabhu has given the instruction, tṛṇādapi sunīcena taror api sahiṣṇunā amāninā mānadena kīrtanīyaḥ sadā hariḥ. In other words, hari-kīrtana is only possible when one considers oneself to be lower than a blade of grass. If one harbours the desire to become even slightly distinguished, his desire will compel him to bid his performance of kīrtana farewell.
Translated from Śrīla Prabhupadera Upadeśāmṛta
Questions re-numbered for this on-line presentation
Posted by the Rays of The Harmonist team
_____________________
Śrīla Prabhupadera Upadeśāmṛta is a compilation of Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura Prabhupāda’s instructions in question-and-answer form.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Special On-line Edition: On the disappearance day of Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura Prabhupāda, 5 December 2009
Next Issue - Year 2, Issue 11: “The One Absolute – Part II”, 6 December 2009
Visit Rays of The Harmonist Monthly On-Line Edition at purebhakti.com for a complete list of articles.
Or click here to download PDFs of the Rays of The Harmonist yearly magazine.
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Rays of The Harmonist On-line; Year 2, Issue 10, "Ārohavāda – The Ascending Process", by Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura Prabhupāda is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported License to ensure that it is always freely available.
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Monthly On-line Edition – Year 2
By the causeless mercy of Śrī Śrī Guru Gaurāṅga, the Rays of The Harmonist team would like to welcome you to this monthly on-line edition, which features some of Śrīla Prabhupāda Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura’s discourses.
The domain name of this email address, sarasvatī-vinoda, has a special meaning. Sarasvatī is the name of transcendental knowledge herself and also the embodiment of transcendental knowledge Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura Prabhupāda, and vinoda means “spiritual bliss” or more particularly “one who increases Śrīla Sarasvatī Ṭhākura’s transcendental bliss”. In other words, vinoda refers to Śrīla Sarasvatī Ṭhākura’s illustrious disciple Śrī Vinoda-bihārī Brahmacārī, later known as Śrīla Bhakti Prajñāna Keśava Gosvāmī Mahārāja. Śrīla Bhakti Prajñāna Keśava Gosvāmī Mahārāja is the sannyāsa guru of Śrīla A. C. Bhaktivedānta Svāmī Mahārāja and the spiritual master of Śrīla Bhaktivedānta Nārāyaṇa Gosvāmī Mahārāja.
If the souls suffering in this world receive this transcendental knowledge with faith, they will experience spiritual bliss. At the same time, the aim of distributing this transcendental knowledge is to enhance the vinoda of Sarasvatī Prabhupāda.
We hope these articles nourish you. In this way we may all increase the bliss of Śrīla Sarasvatī Ṭhākura Prabhupāda.
Aspiring for the service of Śrī Śrī Guru Gaurāṅga,
The Rays of The Harmonist team
Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura Prabhupāda (right) and Śrī Vinoda-bihārī Brahmacārī (second from left).
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
śrī śrī guru gaurāṅga jayataḥ!
Year-2, Issue 10
Posted: 7 November 2009
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dedicated to
nitya-līlā praviṣṭa oṁ viṣṇupāda
Śrī Śrīmad Bhakti Prajñāna Keśava Gosvāmī Mahārāja
Inspired by and under the guidance of
Śrī Śrīmad Bhaktivedānta Nārāyaṇa Gosvāmī Mahārāja
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ārohavāda – The Ascending Process
by Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura Prabhupāda
Editor’s note: The words ārohavāda and avarohavāda literally mean the ascending (āroha) path and the descending (avaroha) path. The former refers to depending on one’s own abilities to elevate oneself to a higher stage of existence, while the latter refers to depending on help from above to become elevated.
Question 1: What is ārohavāda, or the ascending process?
Answer: The policy of ārohavāda is, like Rāvana, to attempt to construct a stairway to reach Heaven. That kind of uphill work is most puzzling.* In Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, it has been prescribed that this ‘uphill work’ – namely trying to construct a stairway to heaven – be abandoned.
_____________________
* The underlined phrase appeared in English in the original article.
On one end of the spectrum is attempting to force the sun to become visible at night by using lanterns, and on the other end is prayerfully waiting for sunrise and then viewing the sun by way of its own rays of light. If we hanker for temporary objects of enjoyment we are bound to become followers of the path of ārohavāda, compelled to endeavour to acquire jñāna, or perform karma or yoga.
But endeavours on the path of ārohavāda will always remain incomplete. A twenty year-old civilization shall surely prove to be deficient and fault-ridden in comparison to a one hundred year-old civilization, and the knowledge and culture of a two-hundred year old civilization shall at once be rejected in favour of the knowledge and culture of a one-thousand year old civilization. In fact intelligent men do not pursue the ascending path (ārohavāda) in any of their activities; rather they are avaroha-panthi, followers of the descending process.
Question 2: Can the mentality of inductive reasoning (ārohavāda) be permanently relinquished?
Answer: As long as someone maintains the mentality that he can fully depend on his own strength and abilities, his own self-confidence and his own understanding, he will be unable to surrender unto the lotus feet of Śrī Bhagavān. And he will have great regard for the notion of argument and reasoning (ārohavāda) as long as the notion of surrender has not manifested in his heart.
Only when someone realizes the insignificance of his own ability to support himself, the worthlessness of his proud self-conception and the ineffectiveness of his own endeavours, can he surrender himself and accept the path of receiving help from above (avarohavāda).
Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam recounts the history of Gajendra, the king of the elephants. Once, Gajendra was passionately engaging in water sports within a lake, along with all his wives. Due to his wild stamping, he was a threat to all the other living beings in the lake who lived in constant fear of being trampled to death by him.
But then, a very powerful crocodile suddenly appeared from within the lake and caught hold of the leg of the intoxicated Gajendra. A fierce fight ensued between the elephant and the crocodile. It was so severe that it continued to rage even after a thousand years had passed, since they were both trying to display their might by overpowering the other. Gradually, however, Gajendra’s strength began to diminish. As he lost his power his madness, bravado and self pride also began to wane. When Gajendra, who was hopelessly trapped by the crocodile, saw that there was no way for him to escape, he realized that the most beneficial course of action for him was to accept the shelter of the lotus feet of the Lord.
Like the proud elephant, as long as the jīva considers his insignificant existence to be important, he follows the path of ārohavāda, but when the glories of surrendering unto the lotus feet of Śrī Bhagavān manifest within his heart, he accepts the path of surrender, or avarohavāda. All the sādhus preach only the path of surrender. They never instruct us to adopt ārohavāda (the ascending process). However great a person may be, if he follows the path of ārohavāda, considering it to be auspicious, he is bound to fall down. Kṛṣṇa is the sole shelter of all. The belief that anyone else can provide us shelter can never protect us.
prakṛteḥ kriyamāṇāni
guṇaiḥ karmāṇi sarvaśaḥ
ahaṅkāra-vimūḍhātmā
kartāham iti manyate
Bhagavad-gītā (3.27)
All aspects of material activity are performed by the modes of material nature, yet he whose intelligence has become bewildered by false ego considers himself to be the doer.
Due solely to their false ego, the intelligence of dull-minded people is inclined towards mundane goal-oriented activities. These elevationists are of course followers of ārohavāda.
Likewise, the jñānīs, who seek emancipation, want to attain greatness solely by their own endeavours: “jñānī jīvan-mukta-daśā pāinu kari’ mane – the jñānīs falsely consider that they have attained the stage of liberation” (Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā, 22.29). The jñānīs wish to become brahma (the Supreme Absolute). This longing of one who is utterly insignificant to become the most prominent of all is called ārohavāda. The yogīs wish to become only a litte greater than they already are by acquiring some supernatural power and opulence, or else they desire liberation by merging with the existence of brahma. All these endeavours are nothing but ārohavāda.
We should simply remain in our own station, whatever it may be. We should never become a jñānī and follow the path of ārohavāda, nor should we engage in the ill-minded endeavours of a karmī or yogī on the path of ārohavāda. We should not be influenced by the desire for the attainment of monistic emancipation (mokṣa) or enjoyment (bhoga). Rather, surrendering our body, mind and words , we should hear hari-kathā from the mouths of sādhus. Then, only, shall the unconquerable and unattainable Śrī Bhagavān be conquered by us.
* * *
It does not matter whether one is a scholar or a fool. Whatever and wherever someone is, from his own position, it is essential that he simply engage in hearing transcendental hari-kathā from the lips of the sādhus. That hari-kathā has descended from Vaikuṇṭha. At present we remain in a veiled condition within this realm of kuṇṭha, or anxiety. Therefore, if we start analyzing the scriptures through mental speculation, we will be deprived. When our deliberation on the scriptures is motivated by the desire to enjoy or the desire to attain liberation, it is tantamount to attempting to make the scriptures subordinate to ourselves, but the scriptures are the direct, non-different manifestation of Śrī Kṛṣṇa. Śrī Kṛṣṇa has said:
tad viddhi praṇipātena
paripraśnena sevayā
upadekṣyanti te jñānaṁ
jñānīnas tattva-darśinaḥ
Bhagavad-gītā (4.34)
Acquire this knowledge by offering prostrated obeisances to a guru who imparts transcendental knowledge, by asking relevant questions from him and by rendering service to him. Those who have seen the truth, the tattva darśīs, who are expert in the imports of śāstra, and the jñānīs, who have realized Absolute Reality, will enlighten you with that knowledge.
Endeavours to become the Lord are actually just karma-khaṇḍa. When someone is overpowered with the intoxicating desire to become the Lord, his pretentious display of accepting the instructions of the scriptures leaves him deprived of their actual import, which never manifest for him. The real meaning of the scriptures only manifests for surrendered souls. It is written in the Vedic literature:
yasya deve parā bhaktir
yathā deve tathā gurau
tasyaite kathitā hy arthāḥ
prakāśante mahātmanaḥ
Śvetāśvatara Upaniṣad (6.23)
The meaning of this verse is that all the deepest meanings of the scriptures become manifest for those who have, equally, the same implicit faith in and devotion for the spiritual master as they do for the Lord.
Śrīman Mahaprabhu has given the instruction, tṛṇādapi sunīcena taror api sahiṣṇunā amāninā mānadena kīrtanīyaḥ sadā hariḥ. In other words, hari-kīrtana is only possible when one considers oneself to be lower than a blade of grass. If one harbours the desire to become even slightly distinguished, his desire will compel him to bid his performance of kīrtana farewell.
Translated from Śrīla Prabhupadera Upadeśāmṛta
Questions re-numbered for this on-line presentation
Posted by the Rays of The Harmonist team
_____________________
Śrīla Prabhupadera Upadeśāmṛta is a compilation of Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura Prabhupāda’s instructions in question-and-answer form.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Special On-line Edition: On the disappearance day of Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura Prabhupāda, 5 December 2009
Next Issue - Year 2, Issue 11: “The One Absolute – Part II”, 6 December 2009
Visit Rays of The Harmonist Monthly On-Line Edition at purebhakti.com for a complete list of articles.
Or click here to download PDFs of the Rays of The Harmonist yearly magazine.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Rays of The Harmonist On-line; Year 2, Issue 10, "Ārohavāda – The Ascending Process", by Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura Prabhupāda is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported License to ensure that it is always freely available.
You may redistribute this article if you include this license and attribute it to Rays of The Harmonist. Please ask for permission before using the Rays of The Harmonist banner-logo.
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Welcome to
Rays of The Harmonist
Monthly On-line Edition – Year 2
By the causeless mercy of Śrī Śrī Guru Gaurāṅga, the Rays of The Harmonist team would like to welcome you to this monthly on-line edition, which features some of Śrīla Prabhupāda Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura’s discourses.
The domain name of this email address, sarasvatī-vinoda, has a special meaning. Sarasvatī is the name of transcendental knowledge herself and also the embodiment of transcendental knowledge Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura Prabhupāda, and vinoda means “spiritual bliss” or more particularly “one who increases Śrīla Sarasvatī Ṭhākura’s transcendental bliss”. In other words, vinoda refers to Śrīla Sarasvatī Ṭhākura’s illustrious disciple Śrī Vinoda-bihārī Brahmacārī, later known as Śrīla Bhakti Prajñāna Keśava Gosvāmī Mahārāja. Śrīla Bhakti Prajñāna Keśava Gosvāmī Mahārāja is the sannyāsa guru of Śrīla A. C. Bhaktivedānta Svāmī Mahārāja and the spiritual master of Śrīla Bhaktivedānta Nārāyaṇa Gosvāmī Mahārāja.
If the souls suffering in this world receive this transcendental knowledge with faith, they will experience spiritual bliss. At the same time, the aim of distributing this transcendental knowledge is to enhance the vinoda of Sarasvatī Prabhupāda.
We hope these articles nourish you. In this way we may all increase the bliss of Śrīla Sarasvatī Ṭhākura Prabhupāda.
Aspiring for the service of Śrī Śrī Guru Gaurāṅga,
The Rays of The Harmonist team
Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura Prabhupāda (right) and Śrī Vinoda-bihārī Brahmacārī (second from left).
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
śrī śrī guru gaurāṅga jayataḥ!
Year-2, Issue 10
Posted: 7 November 2009
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dedicated to
nitya-līlā praviṣṭa oṁ viṣṇupāda
Śrī Śrīmad Bhakti Prajñāna Keśava Gosvāmī Mahārāja
Inspired by and under the guidance of
Śrī Śrīmad Bhaktivedānta Nārāyaṇa Gosvāmī Mahārāja
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ārohavāda – The Ascending Process
by Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura Prabhupāda
Editor’s note: The words ārohavāda and avarohavāda literally mean the ascending (āroha) path and the descending (avaroha) path. The former refers to depending on one’s own abilities to elevate oneself to a higher stage of existence, while the latter refers to depending on help from above to become elevated.
Question 1: What is ārohavāda, or the ascending process?
Answer: The policy of ārohavāda is, like Rāvana, to attempt to construct a stairway to reach Heaven. That kind of uphill work is most puzzling.* In Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, it has been prescribed that this ‘uphill work’ – namely trying to construct a stairway to heaven – be abandoned.
_____________________
* The underlined phrase appeared in English in the original article.
On one end of the spectrum is attempting to force the sun to become visible at night by using lanterns, and on the other end is prayerfully waiting for sunrise and then viewing the sun by way of its own rays of light. If we hanker for temporary objects of enjoyment we are bound to become followers of the path of ārohavāda, compelled to endeavour to acquire jñāna, or perform karma or yoga.
But endeavours on the path of ārohavāda will always remain incomplete. A twenty year-old civilization shall surely prove to be deficient and fault-ridden in comparison to a one hundred year-old civilization, and the knowledge and culture of a two-hundred year old civilization shall at once be rejected in favour of the knowledge and culture of a one-thousand year old civilization. In fact intelligent men do not pursue the ascending path (ārohavāda) in any of their activities; rather they are avaroha-panthi, followers of the descending process.
Question 2: Can the mentality of inductive reasoning (ārohavāda) be permanently relinquished?
Answer: As long as someone maintains the mentality that he can fully depend on his own strength and abilities, his own self-confidence and his own understanding, he will be unable to surrender unto the lotus feet of Śrī Bhagavān. And he will have great regard for the notion of argument and reasoning (ārohavāda) as long as the notion of surrender has not manifested in his heart.
Only when someone realizes the insignificance of his own ability to support himself, the worthlessness of his proud self-conception and the ineffectiveness of his own endeavours, can he surrender himself and accept the path of receiving help from above (avarohavāda).
Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam recounts the history of Gajendra, the king of the elephants. Once, Gajendra was passionately engaging in water sports within a lake, along with all his wives. Due to his wild stamping, he was a threat to all the other living beings in the lake who lived in constant fear of being trampled to death by him.
But then, a very powerful crocodile suddenly appeared from within the lake and caught hold of the leg of the intoxicated Gajendra. A fierce fight ensued between the elephant and the crocodile. It was so severe that it continued to rage even after a thousand years had passed, since they were both trying to display their might by overpowering the other. Gradually, however, Gajendra’s strength began to diminish. As he lost his power his madness, bravado and self pride also began to wane. When Gajendra, who was hopelessly trapped by the crocodile, saw that there was no way for him to escape, he realized that the most beneficial course of action for him was to accept the shelter of the lotus feet of the Lord.
Like the proud elephant, as long as the jīva considers his insignificant existence to be important, he follows the path of ārohavāda, but when the glories of surrendering unto the lotus feet of Śrī Bhagavān manifest within his heart, he accepts the path of surrender, or avarohavāda. All the sādhus preach only the path of surrender. They never instruct us to adopt ārohavāda (the ascending process). However great a person may be, if he follows the path of ārohavāda, considering it to be auspicious, he is bound to fall down. Kṛṣṇa is the sole shelter of all. The belief that anyone else can provide us shelter can never protect us.
prakṛteḥ kriyamāṇāni
guṇaiḥ karmāṇi sarvaśaḥ
ahaṅkāra-vimūḍhātmā
kartāham iti manyate
Bhagavad-gītā (3.27)
All aspects of material activity are performed by the modes of material nature, yet he whose intelligence has become bewildered by false ego considers himself to be the doer.
Due solely to their false ego, the intelligence of dull-minded people is inclined towards mundane goal-oriented activities. These elevationists are of course followers of ārohavāda.
Likewise, the jñānīs, who seek emancipation, want to attain greatness solely by their own endeavours: “jñānī jīvan-mukta-daśā pāinu kari’ mane – the jñānīs falsely consider that they have attained the stage of liberation” (Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā, 22.29). The jñānīs wish to become brahma (the Supreme Absolute). This longing of one who is utterly insignificant to become the most prominent of all is called ārohavāda. The yogīs wish to become only a litte greater than they already are by acquiring some supernatural power and opulence, or else they desire liberation by merging with the existence of brahma. All these endeavours are nothing but ārohavāda.
We should simply remain in our own station, whatever it may be. We should never become a jñānī and follow the path of ārohavāda, nor should we engage in the ill-minded endeavours of a karmī or yogī on the path of ārohavāda. We should not be influenced by the desire for the attainment of monistic emancipation (mokṣa) or enjoyment (bhoga). Rather, surrendering our body, mind and words , we should hear hari-kathā from the mouths of sādhus. Then, only, shall the unconquerable and unattainable Śrī Bhagavān be conquered by us.
* * *
It does not matter whether one is a scholar or a fool. Whatever and wherever someone is, from his own position, it is essential that he simply engage in hearing transcendental hari-kathā from the lips of the sādhus. That hari-kathā has descended from Vaikuṇṭha. At present we remain in a veiled condition within this realm of kuṇṭha, or anxiety. Therefore, if we start analyzing the scriptures through mental speculation, we will be deprived. When our deliberation on the scriptures is motivated by the desire to enjoy or the desire to attain liberation, it is tantamount to attempting to make the scriptures subordinate to ourselves, but the scriptures are the direct, non-different manifestation of Śrī Kṛṣṇa. Śrī Kṛṣṇa has said:
tad viddhi praṇipātena
paripraśnena sevayā
upadekṣyanti te jñānaṁ
jñānīnas tattva-darśinaḥ
Bhagavad-gītā (4.34)
Acquire this knowledge by offering prostrated obeisances to a guru who imparts transcendental knowledge, by asking relevant questions from him and by rendering service to him. Those who have seen the truth, the tattva darśīs, who are expert in the imports of śāstra, and the jñānīs, who have realized Absolute Reality, will enlighten you with that knowledge.
Endeavours to become the Lord are actually just karma-khaṇḍa. When someone is overpowered with the intoxicating desire to become the Lord, his pretentious display of accepting the instructions of the scriptures leaves him deprived of their actual import, which never manifest for him. The real meaning of the scriptures only manifests for surrendered souls. It is written in the Vedic literature:
yasya deve parā bhaktir
yathā deve tathā gurau
tasyaite kathitā hy arthāḥ
prakāśante mahātmanaḥ
Śvetāśvatara Upaniṣad (6.23)
The meaning of this verse is that all the deepest meanings of the scriptures become manifest for those who have, equally, the same implicit faith in and devotion for the spiritual master as they do for the Lord.
Śrīman Mahaprabhu has given the instruction, tṛṇādapi sunīcena taror api sahiṣṇunā amāninā mānadena kīrtanīyaḥ sadā hariḥ. In other words, hari-kīrtana is only possible when one considers oneself to be lower than a blade of grass. If one harbours the desire to become even slightly distinguished, his desire will compel him to bid his performance of kīrtana farewell.
Translated from Śrīla Prabhupadera Upadeśāmṛta
Questions re-numbered for this on-line presentation
Posted by the Rays of The Harmonist team
_____________________
Śrīla Prabhupadera Upadeśāmṛta is a compilation of Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura Prabhupāda’s instructions in question-and-answer form.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Special On-line Edition: On the disappearance day of Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura Prabhupāda, 5 December 2009
Next Issue - Year 2, Issue 11: “The One Absolute – Part II”, 6 December 2009
Visit Rays of The Harmonist Monthly On-Line Edition at purebhakti.com for a complete list of articles.
Or click here to download PDFs of the Rays of The Harmonist yearly magazine.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Rays of The Harmonist On-line; Year 2, Issue 10, "Ārohavāda – The Ascending Process", by Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura Prabhupāda is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported License to ensure that it is always freely available.
You may redistribute this article if you include this license and attribute it to Rays of The Harmonist. Please ask for permission before using the Rays of The Harmonist banner-logo.
--
If you do not want to receive any more newsletters, follow this link
To update your preferences and to unsubscribe visit this link
Forward a Message to Someone by following this link
powered by phplist v 2.10.9, © tincan ltd
__________ Information from ESET NOD32 Antivirus, version of virus signature database 4580 (20091106) __________
The message was checked by ESET NOD32 Antivirus.
http://www.eset.com
Monthly On-line Edition – Year 2
By the causeless mercy of Śrī Śrī Guru Gaurāṅga, the Rays of The Harmonist team would like to welcome you to this monthly on-line edition, which features some of Śrīla Prabhupāda Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura’s discourses.
The domain name of this email address, sarasvatī-vinoda, has a special meaning. Sarasvatī is the name of transcendental knowledge herself and also the embodiment of transcendental knowledge Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura Prabhupāda, and vinoda means “spiritual bliss” or more particularly “one who increases Śrīla Sarasvatī Ṭhākura’s transcendental bliss”. In other words, vinoda refers to Śrīla Sarasvatī Ṭhākura’s illustrious disciple Śrī Vinoda-bihārī Brahmacārī, later known as Śrīla Bhakti Prajñāna Keśava Gosvāmī Mahārāja. Śrīla Bhakti Prajñāna Keśava Gosvāmī Mahārāja is the sannyāsa guru of Śrīla A. C. Bhaktivedānta Svāmī Mahārāja and the spiritual master of Śrīla Bhaktivedānta Nārāyaṇa Gosvāmī Mahārāja.
If the souls suffering in this world receive this transcendental knowledge with faith, they will experience spiritual bliss. At the same time, the aim of distributing this transcendental knowledge is to enhance the vinoda of Sarasvatī Prabhupāda.
We hope these articles nourish you. In this way we may all increase the bliss of Śrīla Sarasvatī Ṭhākura Prabhupāda.
Aspiring for the service of Śrī Śrī Guru Gaurāṅga,
The Rays of The Harmonist team
Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura Prabhupāda (right) and Śrī Vinoda-bihārī Brahmacārī (second from left).
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
śrī śrī guru gaurāṅga jayataḥ!
Year-2, Issue 10
Posted: 7 November 2009
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dedicated to
nitya-līlā praviṣṭa oṁ viṣṇupāda
Śrī Śrīmad Bhakti Prajñāna Keśava Gosvāmī Mahārāja
Inspired by and under the guidance of
Śrī Śrīmad Bhaktivedānta Nārāyaṇa Gosvāmī Mahārāja
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ārohavāda – The Ascending Process
by Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura Prabhupāda
Editor’s note: The words ārohavāda and avarohavāda literally mean the ascending (āroha) path and the descending (avaroha) path. The former refers to depending on one’s own abilities to elevate oneself to a higher stage of existence, while the latter refers to depending on help from above to become elevated.
Question 1: What is ārohavāda, or the ascending process?
Answer: The policy of ārohavāda is, like Rāvana, to attempt to construct a stairway to reach Heaven. That kind of uphill work is most puzzling.* In Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, it has been prescribed that this ‘uphill work’ – namely trying to construct a stairway to heaven – be abandoned.
_____________________
* The underlined phrase appeared in English in the original article.
On one end of the spectrum is attempting to force the sun to become visible at night by using lanterns, and on the other end is prayerfully waiting for sunrise and then viewing the sun by way of its own rays of light. If we hanker for temporary objects of enjoyment we are bound to become followers of the path of ārohavāda, compelled to endeavour to acquire jñāna, or perform karma or yoga.
But endeavours on the path of ārohavāda will always remain incomplete. A twenty year-old civilization shall surely prove to be deficient and fault-ridden in comparison to a one hundred year-old civilization, and the knowledge and culture of a two-hundred year old civilization shall at once be rejected in favour of the knowledge and culture of a one-thousand year old civilization. In fact intelligent men do not pursue the ascending path (ārohavāda) in any of their activities; rather they are avaroha-panthi, followers of the descending process.
Question 2: Can the mentality of inductive reasoning (ārohavāda) be permanently relinquished?
Answer: As long as someone maintains the mentality that he can fully depend on his own strength and abilities, his own self-confidence and his own understanding, he will be unable to surrender unto the lotus feet of Śrī Bhagavān. And he will have great regard for the notion of argument and reasoning (ārohavāda) as long as the notion of surrender has not manifested in his heart.
Only when someone realizes the insignificance of his own ability to support himself, the worthlessness of his proud self-conception and the ineffectiveness of his own endeavours, can he surrender himself and accept the path of receiving help from above (avarohavāda).
Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam recounts the history of Gajendra, the king of the elephants. Once, Gajendra was passionately engaging in water sports within a lake, along with all his wives. Due to his wild stamping, he was a threat to all the other living beings in the lake who lived in constant fear of being trampled to death by him.
But then, a very powerful crocodile suddenly appeared from within the lake and caught hold of the leg of the intoxicated Gajendra. A fierce fight ensued between the elephant and the crocodile. It was so severe that it continued to rage even after a thousand years had passed, since they were both trying to display their might by overpowering the other. Gradually, however, Gajendra’s strength began to diminish. As he lost his power his madness, bravado and self pride also began to wane. When Gajendra, who was hopelessly trapped by the crocodile, saw that there was no way for him to escape, he realized that the most beneficial course of action for him was to accept the shelter of the lotus feet of the Lord.
Like the proud elephant, as long as the jīva considers his insignificant existence to be important, he follows the path of ārohavāda, but when the glories of surrendering unto the lotus feet of Śrī Bhagavān manifest within his heart, he accepts the path of surrender, or avarohavāda. All the sādhus preach only the path of surrender. They never instruct us to adopt ārohavāda (the ascending process). However great a person may be, if he follows the path of ārohavāda, considering it to be auspicious, he is bound to fall down. Kṛṣṇa is the sole shelter of all. The belief that anyone else can provide us shelter can never protect us.
prakṛteḥ kriyamāṇāni
guṇaiḥ karmāṇi sarvaśaḥ
ahaṅkāra-vimūḍhātmā
kartāham iti manyate
Bhagavad-gītā (3.27)
All aspects of material activity are performed by the modes of material nature, yet he whose intelligence has become bewildered by false ego considers himself to be the doer.
Due solely to their false ego, the intelligence of dull-minded people is inclined towards mundane goal-oriented activities. These elevationists are of course followers of ārohavāda.
Likewise, the jñānīs, who seek emancipation, want to attain greatness solely by their own endeavours: “jñānī jīvan-mukta-daśā pāinu kari’ mane – the jñānīs falsely consider that they have attained the stage of liberation” (Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā, 22.29). The jñānīs wish to become brahma (the Supreme Absolute). This longing of one who is utterly insignificant to become the most prominent of all is called ārohavāda. The yogīs wish to become only a litte greater than they already are by acquiring some supernatural power and opulence, or else they desire liberation by merging with the existence of brahma. All these endeavours are nothing but ārohavāda.
We should simply remain in our own station, whatever it may be. We should never become a jñānī and follow the path of ārohavāda, nor should we engage in the ill-minded endeavours of a karmī or yogī on the path of ārohavāda. We should not be influenced by the desire for the attainment of monistic emancipation (mokṣa) or enjoyment (bhoga). Rather, surrendering our body, mind and words , we should hear hari-kathā from the mouths of sādhus. Then, only, shall the unconquerable and unattainable Śrī Bhagavān be conquered by us.
* * *
It does not matter whether one is a scholar or a fool. Whatever and wherever someone is, from his own position, it is essential that he simply engage in hearing transcendental hari-kathā from the lips of the sādhus. That hari-kathā has descended from Vaikuṇṭha. At present we remain in a veiled condition within this realm of kuṇṭha, or anxiety. Therefore, if we start analyzing the scriptures through mental speculation, we will be deprived. When our deliberation on the scriptures is motivated by the desire to enjoy or the desire to attain liberation, it is tantamount to attempting to make the scriptures subordinate to ourselves, but the scriptures are the direct, non-different manifestation of Śrī Kṛṣṇa. Śrī Kṛṣṇa has said:
tad viddhi praṇipātena
paripraśnena sevayā
upadekṣyanti te jñānaṁ
jñānīnas tattva-darśinaḥ
Bhagavad-gītā (4.34)
Acquire this knowledge by offering prostrated obeisances to a guru who imparts transcendental knowledge, by asking relevant questions from him and by rendering service to him. Those who have seen the truth, the tattva darśīs, who are expert in the imports of śāstra, and the jñānīs, who have realized Absolute Reality, will enlighten you with that knowledge.
Endeavours to become the Lord are actually just karma-khaṇḍa. When someone is overpowered with the intoxicating desire to become the Lord, his pretentious display of accepting the instructions of the scriptures leaves him deprived of their actual import, which never manifest for him. The real meaning of the scriptures only manifests for surrendered souls. It is written in the Vedic literature:
yasya deve parā bhaktir
yathā deve tathā gurau
tasyaite kathitā hy arthāḥ
prakāśante mahātmanaḥ
Śvetāśvatara Upaniṣad (6.23)
The meaning of this verse is that all the deepest meanings of the scriptures become manifest for those who have, equally, the same implicit faith in and devotion for the spiritual master as they do for the Lord.
Śrīman Mahaprabhu has given the instruction, tṛṇādapi sunīcena taror api sahiṣṇunā amāninā mānadena kīrtanīyaḥ sadā hariḥ. In other words, hari-kīrtana is only possible when one considers oneself to be lower than a blade of grass. If one harbours the desire to become even slightly distinguished, his desire will compel him to bid his performance of kīrtana farewell.
Translated from Śrīla Prabhupadera Upadeśāmṛta
Questions re-numbered for this on-line presentation
Posted by the Rays of The Harmonist team
_____________________
Śrīla Prabhupadera Upadeśāmṛta is a compilation of Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura Prabhupāda’s instructions in question-and-answer form.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Special On-line Edition: On the disappearance day of Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura Prabhupāda, 5 December 2009
Next Issue - Year 2, Issue 11: “The One Absolute – Part II”, 6 December 2009
Visit Rays of The Harmonist Monthly On-Line Edition at purebhakti.com for a complete list of articles.
Or click here to download PDFs of the Rays of The Harmonist yearly magazine.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Rays of The Harmonist On-line; Year 2, Issue 10, "Ārohavāda – The Ascending Process", by Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura Prabhupāda is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported License to ensure that it is always freely available.
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Friday, November 6, 2009
Srila Prabhupada's Last Conversation
Srila Prabhupada's Last Conversation
"The cassette was kindly provided by the BBT Archives.
This recording was in Bengali, and that's
why it wasn't distributed, here is the transcription"
Srila Prabhupada: Narayana Maharaja. He will come tomorrow?
Tamal Krsna Gosvami: He will come when we (discussing with others). If we pick him up he might come tonight.
Srila Prabhupada: Hmm.
Tamal Krsna Gosvami: If we go just now with the car. Bhakticaru is going just now with the car. Maharaja may come tonight.
(Someone begins to sing govindam adi purusam...)
Tamal Krsna Gosvami: Yeah, Srila Prabhpada. Should we put a little fan on? A little bit.
(The conversation with Srila Narayana Maharaja begins:)
Srila Prabhupada: Prabhupada (Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura) had a desire to preach all over the world - in Europe, America...I tried my best to fulfill his desire. Now we should preach together.
Srila Narayana Maharaja: Yes.
Srila Prabhupada: We have got experience that if we endeavor collectively, there is great possibility to spread the message of akara matha: the mission of Mahaprabhu, 'prithvi te ache, everywhere in the world. I have contributed to this end to the best of my ability.
Srila Narayana Maharaja: Hmm.
Srila Prabhupada: I wish that my god-brothers forgive my offenses...While preaching, many times we do say things contrary to each other, or we cut each other's philosophical arguments. That happens. Please ask my god-brothers to forgive my offences...(inaudible)
Srila Narayana Maharaja: All right.
Srila Prabhupada: (inaudible)?
Srila Narayana Maharaja: Whatever you will order I will accept completely. I consider you as my Guru.
Nov 6, 1977 Srila Prabhupada's instructions for cooperating with His God brothers
Prabhupada: At least one year. I want to develop Gauda-mandala. So in yoga-pitha they could not build even a darsana-mandapa in fifty, sixty years. So we can construct a, what is called, hall.
Jayapataka: Without mandira.
Prabhupada: Hm. Yes.
Jayapataka: Kirtana hall.
Bhavananda: No. Bhaktivedanta... Yoga Pitha Bhaktivedanta Hall. Bhaktivedanta Swami Hall.
Prabhupada: What do you think?
Bhavananda: With bookstand. Prabhupada has formed a trust, the Bhaktivedanta Swami Charity Trust, and its purpose is to develop Gauda-mandala-bhumi. Prabhupada's one idea is to build this darsana-mandapa at the yoga-pitha. And another is to finish Sridhara Maharaja's darsana-mandapa at his..., like that, to develop the different..., to encourage cooperation between the different Godbrothers in the temples. The members of the trust are myself and Tamala Krsna Maharaja and Giriraja, Svarupa Damodara, myself, Madhava Maharaja and Madhusudana Maharaja. Prabhupada named those members.
Prabhupada: How do you think the idea?
Jayapataka: All of your ideas, Srila Prabhupada, are perfect. I am not someone to offer opinion. But if you ask, I think that actually, especially the yoga-pitha, natha-mandira, that's a very dynamic idea, and in general it must do good.
Prabhupada: We want cooperation.
Tamala Krsna: No more noncooperation.
Jayapataka: Generally the... Even Devananda Gaudiya Matha, they had invited us for the disappearance day of Kesava Maharaja, but I wasn't present at the time. So generally now they're inviting us, and everyone seems to have the desire for more and more cooperation.
Those, whose judgment is made of mundane stuff, being unable to enter into the spirit of the all-loving controversies among pure devotees
“Those, whose judgment is made of mundane stuff, being unable to enter into the spirit of the all-loving controversies among pure devotees, due to their own want of unalloyed devotion, are apt to impute to the devotees their own defects of partisanship and opposing views.” Sri Brahma Samhita 5.37 purport (p.72 in BBT edition)
“So far as your question about controversy amongst the disciples of Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Goswami Maharaja, that is a fact. But this controversy is not material. Just like in a national program, different political parties are sometimes in conflict and make propaganda against each other, but their central point is always service to the country. Similarly, amongst the disciples of Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati there may be some controversy, but the central point is how to preach the mission of His Divine Grace. If the central point is fixed up then there is no harm in such controversy.
Letter to: Mandali Bhadra : 69-07-28 Los Angeles
“Among Vaishnava’s there may be some difference of opinion due to everyone’s personal identity, but despite all personal differences, the cult of Krsna consciousness must go on. We can see that under the instructions of Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Goswami Maharaja began preaching the Krsna consciousness movement in an organized way within the past hundred years. The disciples of Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Goswami Maharaja are all Godbrothers, and although there are some differences of opinion, and although we are not acting conjointly, every one of us is spreading this Krsna consciousness movement according to his own capacity and producing many disciples to spread it all over the world.”
SB 4.28.31
“Practically there is no difference of opinion in our missionary activities, especially because we all are deriving inspiration from His Divine Grace Prabhupada Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Goswami Maharaja. I think all of our Godbrothers are doing the same missionary activities without a doubt, but still the regrettable fact is we are doing all separately, not in conjunction.”
(Letter to Bhagavata Maharaja, August 21, 1969)
“Disunity between individual souls is so strong within this material world that even in a society of Krsna consciousness; members sometimes appear disunited due to their having different opinions and leaning toward material things. Actually, in Krsna consciousness there cannot be two opinions. There is only one goal: to serve Krsna to one’s best ability. If there is some disagreement over service, such disagreement is to be taken as spiritual. Those who are actually engaged in the service of the Supreme Personality of Godhead cannot be disunited in any circumstance.” SB 4.30.8
"The cassette was kindly provided by the BBT Archives.
This recording was in Bengali, and that's
why it wasn't distributed, here is the transcription"
Srila Prabhupada: Narayana Maharaja. He will come tomorrow?
Tamal Krsna Gosvami: He will come when we (discussing with others). If we pick him up he might come tonight.
Srila Prabhupada: Hmm.
Tamal Krsna Gosvami: If we go just now with the car. Bhakticaru is going just now with the car. Maharaja may come tonight.
(Someone begins to sing govindam adi purusam...)
Tamal Krsna Gosvami: Yeah, Srila Prabhpada. Should we put a little fan on? A little bit.
(The conversation with Srila Narayana Maharaja begins:)
Srila Prabhupada: Prabhupada (Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura) had a desire to preach all over the world - in Europe, America...I tried my best to fulfill his desire. Now we should preach together.
Srila Narayana Maharaja: Yes.
Srila Prabhupada: We have got experience that if we endeavor collectively, there is great possibility to spread the message of akara matha: the mission of Mahaprabhu, 'prithvi te ache, everywhere in the world. I have contributed to this end to the best of my ability.
Srila Narayana Maharaja: Hmm.
Srila Prabhupada: I wish that my god-brothers forgive my offenses...While preaching, many times we do say things contrary to each other, or we cut each other's philosophical arguments. That happens. Please ask my god-brothers to forgive my offences...(inaudible)
Srila Narayana Maharaja: All right.
Srila Prabhupada: (inaudible)?
Srila Narayana Maharaja: Whatever you will order I will accept completely. I consider you as my Guru.
Nov 6, 1977 Srila Prabhupada's instructions for cooperating with His God brothers
Prabhupada: At least one year. I want to develop Gauda-mandala. So in yoga-pitha they could not build even a darsana-mandapa in fifty, sixty years. So we can construct a, what is called, hall.
Jayapataka: Without mandira.
Prabhupada: Hm. Yes.
Jayapataka: Kirtana hall.
Bhavananda: No. Bhaktivedanta... Yoga Pitha Bhaktivedanta Hall. Bhaktivedanta Swami Hall.
Prabhupada: What do you think?
Bhavananda: With bookstand. Prabhupada has formed a trust, the Bhaktivedanta Swami Charity Trust, and its purpose is to develop Gauda-mandala-bhumi. Prabhupada's one idea is to build this darsana-mandapa at the yoga-pitha. And another is to finish Sridhara Maharaja's darsana-mandapa at his..., like that, to develop the different..., to encourage cooperation between the different Godbrothers in the temples. The members of the trust are myself and Tamala Krsna Maharaja and Giriraja, Svarupa Damodara, myself, Madhava Maharaja and Madhusudana Maharaja. Prabhupada named those members.
Prabhupada: How do you think the idea?
Jayapataka: All of your ideas, Srila Prabhupada, are perfect. I am not someone to offer opinion. But if you ask, I think that actually, especially the yoga-pitha, natha-mandira, that's a very dynamic idea, and in general it must do good.
Prabhupada: We want cooperation.
Tamala Krsna: No more noncooperation.
Jayapataka: Generally the... Even Devananda Gaudiya Matha, they had invited us for the disappearance day of Kesava Maharaja, but I wasn't present at the time. So generally now they're inviting us, and everyone seems to have the desire for more and more cooperation.
Those, whose judgment is made of mundane stuff, being unable to enter into the spirit of the all-loving controversies among pure devotees
“Those, whose judgment is made of mundane stuff, being unable to enter into the spirit of the all-loving controversies among pure devotees, due to their own want of unalloyed devotion, are apt to impute to the devotees their own defects of partisanship and opposing views.” Sri Brahma Samhita 5.37 purport (p.72 in BBT edition)
“So far as your question about controversy amongst the disciples of Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Goswami Maharaja, that is a fact. But this controversy is not material. Just like in a national program, different political parties are sometimes in conflict and make propaganda against each other, but their central point is always service to the country. Similarly, amongst the disciples of Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati there may be some controversy, but the central point is how to preach the mission of His Divine Grace. If the central point is fixed up then there is no harm in such controversy.
Letter to: Mandali Bhadra : 69-07-28 Los Angeles
“Among Vaishnava’s there may be some difference of opinion due to everyone’s personal identity, but despite all personal differences, the cult of Krsna consciousness must go on. We can see that under the instructions of Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Goswami Maharaja began preaching the Krsna consciousness movement in an organized way within the past hundred years. The disciples of Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Goswami Maharaja are all Godbrothers, and although there are some differences of opinion, and although we are not acting conjointly, every one of us is spreading this Krsna consciousness movement according to his own capacity and producing many disciples to spread it all over the world.”
SB 4.28.31
“Practically there is no difference of opinion in our missionary activities, especially because we all are deriving inspiration from His Divine Grace Prabhupada Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Goswami Maharaja. I think all of our Godbrothers are doing the same missionary activities without a doubt, but still the regrettable fact is we are doing all separately, not in conjunction.”
(Letter to Bhagavata Maharaja, August 21, 1969)
“Disunity between individual souls is so strong within this material world that even in a society of Krsna consciousness; members sometimes appear disunited due to their having different opinions and leaning toward material things. Actually, in Krsna consciousness there cannot be two opinions. There is only one goal: to serve Krsna to one’s best ability. If there is some disagreement over service, such disagreement is to be taken as spiritual. Those who are actually engaged in the service of the Supreme Personality of Godhead cannot be disunited in any circumstance.” SB 4.30.8
Wednesday, November 4, 2009
A Joint Statement of: The BHAKTI Trust Public Affairs Office and the ISKCON Communications Ministry
by ISKCON News Service on 25 Oct 2009
Posted November 1, 2009
A Joint Statement of: The BHAKTI Trust Public Affairs Office and the ISKCON Communications Ministry
October 24, 2009,
Vrindavana, India - On October 17, five representatives of Governing Body Commission of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON), founder-acarya His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, forming an official delegation, met with Srila B.V. Narayana Maharaja, founder-acarya of the BHAKTI Trust Mission, near the pilgrimage site of Govardhana Hill, just a few miles from Vrindavana, India. The meeting, which had been planned for several months, was held at Narayana Maharaja's Sri Sri Gauranga Radha Giridhari temple at Giridhari Gaudiya Math.
The ISKCON leaders in attendance were His Holiness Gopal Krishna Maharaja, His Holiness Lokanath Maharaja, Ravindra Svarupa dasa, Badrinarayan dasa, and Anuttama dasa. Besides Narayana Maharaja himself, BHAKTI Trust leaders present were Sripad B.V. Madhava Maharaja, Brajanath dasa and Jalakara dasa. The meeting lasted for more than thirty minutes. It was described by both sides as "respectful and cordial."
Upon arrival at the temple, the ISKCON leaders had a brief darshan of the temple Deities. Afterward, they were escorted to Narayana Maharaja's quarters. There, the participants were introduced to each other and there was an exchange of gifts and garlands.
Narayana Maharaja opened the meeting by expressing his appreciation for Srila Prabhupada, ISKCON's founder-acarya, and for Prabhupada's achievements in promoting Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu's mission around the world. Narayana Maharaja reminded those present of the assistance he had offered to Srila Prabhupada and ISKCON in the early days of Prabhupada's mission, and after Prabhupada's passing in 1977.
Anuttama dasa, ISKCON's Communications Minister, speaking on behalf of the GBC, offered a formal apology to Narayana Maharaja for "the GBC's failure to communicate properly and in a timely personal manner," to Narayana Maharaja regarding ISKCON policies that were established in 1995. Although the GBC decided at that time the policies were necessary, Anuttama dasa regretted that they had not communicated them properly and the lapse had contributed to further misunderstandings. Anuttama dasa also shared the GBC's mandate from Srila Prabhupada that the GBC guide and manage his ISKCON institution.
Narayana Maharaja made several proposals how to improve the relationship between ISKCON and himself and his followers. The ISKCON delegation said it would convey those suggestions to the full GBC Body. Narayana Maharaja and the ISKCON leaders expressed their shared desire that the two Vaishnava organizations would like to see cordial relations between them based on mutual respect and understanding.
As the session drew to a close, both sides expressed gratitude to each other for the meeting and its pleasant tone. As the ISKCON emissaries prepared to leave, a delegation of senior devotees serving in the BHAKTI Trust (Jalakara dasa, B.V. Sajjan Maharaja and Jadurani (Syamarani) dasi) formally asked the GBC representatives to accept their apologies for all mistakes and offenses they had committed in their past relations with ISKCON. Obeisances were then exchanged all around.
Anuttama dasa, ISKCON Minister of Communications
Jalakara dasa, BHAKTI Trust Public Affairs Director
news.iskcon.com/node/2354
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Windows 7: Find the right PC for you. Learn more.
Posted November 1, 2009
A Joint Statement of: The BHAKTI Trust Public Affairs Office and the ISKCON Communications Ministry
October 24, 2009,
Vrindavana, India - On October 17, five representatives of Governing Body Commission of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON), founder-acarya His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, forming an official delegation, met with Srila B.V. Narayana Maharaja, founder-acarya of the BHAKTI Trust Mission, near the pilgrimage site of Govardhana Hill, just a few miles from Vrindavana, India. The meeting, which had been planned for several months, was held at Narayana Maharaja's Sri Sri Gauranga Radha Giridhari temple at Giridhari Gaudiya Math.
The ISKCON leaders in attendance were His Holiness Gopal Krishna Maharaja, His Holiness Lokanath Maharaja, Ravindra Svarupa dasa, Badrinarayan dasa, and Anuttama dasa. Besides Narayana Maharaja himself, BHAKTI Trust leaders present were Sripad B.V. Madhava Maharaja, Brajanath dasa and Jalakara dasa. The meeting lasted for more than thirty minutes. It was described by both sides as "respectful and cordial."
Upon arrival at the temple, the ISKCON leaders had a brief darshan of the temple Deities. Afterward, they were escorted to Narayana Maharaja's quarters. There, the participants were introduced to each other and there was an exchange of gifts and garlands.
Narayana Maharaja opened the meeting by expressing his appreciation for Srila Prabhupada, ISKCON's founder-acarya, and for Prabhupada's achievements in promoting Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu's mission around the world. Narayana Maharaja reminded those present of the assistance he had offered to Srila Prabhupada and ISKCON in the early days of Prabhupada's mission, and after Prabhupada's passing in 1977.
Anuttama dasa, ISKCON's Communications Minister, speaking on behalf of the GBC, offered a formal apology to Narayana Maharaja for "the GBC's failure to communicate properly and in a timely personal manner," to Narayana Maharaja regarding ISKCON policies that were established in 1995. Although the GBC decided at that time the policies were necessary, Anuttama dasa regretted that they had not communicated them properly and the lapse had contributed to further misunderstandings. Anuttama dasa also shared the GBC's mandate from Srila Prabhupada that the GBC guide and manage his ISKCON institution.
Narayana Maharaja made several proposals how to improve the relationship between ISKCON and himself and his followers. The ISKCON delegation said it would convey those suggestions to the full GBC Body. Narayana Maharaja and the ISKCON leaders expressed their shared desire that the two Vaishnava organizations would like to see cordial relations between them based on mutual respect and understanding.
As the session drew to a close, both sides expressed gratitude to each other for the meeting and its pleasant tone. As the ISKCON emissaries prepared to leave, a delegation of senior devotees serving in the BHAKTI Trust (Jalakara dasa, B.V. Sajjan Maharaja and Jadurani (Syamarani) dasi) formally asked the GBC representatives to accept their apologies for all mistakes and offenses they had committed in their past relations with ISKCON. Obeisances were then exchanged all around.
Anuttama dasa, ISKCON Minister of Communications
Jalakara dasa, BHAKTI Trust Public Affairs Director
news.iskcon.com/node/2354
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Windows 7: Find the right PC for you. Learn more.
Friday, October 23, 2009
New preaching centre established for Bhaktivedanta International
By the Mercy of our beloved Srila Gurudeva
we managed to finalise the first preaching
centre/Temple in Pietermaritzburg,this will
be the second Gaudiya Matha Temple in Pietermaritzburg
the first being the Sarasvati Math.
We are planning to open the Temple in November
this will coincide with our Beloved Srila Gurudeva`s
historic visit to South Africa and also our tent
programmes the Festival of Devotion which will
start on the 26th to 28th November 2009.
This preaching centre/Temple is a great
oppurtunity to increase the preaching
under of most merciful Gurudeva Srila
Bhaktivedanta Narayana Gosvami a pure
devotee of Sri Sri Radha and Krsna,and
who is representing our Gaudiya Vaishnava
Sampradaya in its true and purest form.
Yesterday we observed Srila Bhaktivedanta
Swami Maharaj`s and Srila Bhaktivedanta
Vaman and Trivikrama Maharaj`s dissapeareance
day which fell on Wednesday 21st November 2009.
Many devotees attended to honour these great
Vaishnva`s who contributed so much to our
Vaishnava Sampradaya and we now are reading and
learning so much from these Great Vaishnava
saints.
I`ll keep you all informed as to when
our official opening of our Temple/
preaching centre.Jai Srila Gurudeva.
we managed to finalise the first preaching
centre/Temple in Pietermaritzburg,this will
be the second Gaudiya Matha Temple in Pietermaritzburg
the first being the Sarasvati Math.
We are planning to open the Temple in November
this will coincide with our Beloved Srila Gurudeva`s
historic visit to South Africa and also our tent
programmes the Festival of Devotion which will
start on the 26th to 28th November 2009.
This preaching centre/Temple is a great
oppurtunity to increase the preaching
under of most merciful Gurudeva Srila
Bhaktivedanta Narayana Gosvami a pure
devotee of Sri Sri Radha and Krsna,and
who is representing our Gaudiya Vaishnava
Sampradaya in its true and purest form.
Yesterday we observed Srila Bhaktivedanta
Swami Maharaj`s and Srila Bhaktivedanta
Vaman and Trivikrama Maharaj`s dissapeareance
day which fell on Wednesday 21st November 2009.
Many devotees attended to honour these great
Vaishnva`s who contributed so much to our
Vaishnava Sampradaya and we now are reading and
learning so much from these Great Vaishnava
saints.
I`ll keep you all informed as to when
our official opening of our Temple/
preaching centre.Jai Srila Gurudeva.
Saturday, October 17, 2009
Srila Gurudeva receives Srimati Radharani`s direct Mercy
KARTIKA NECTAR UPDATE!! This Morning the pujari from Seva Kunj came to Srila Narayana Maharajas Temple with a plate of Maha Prasad. He told Srila Gurudeva that every night they leave a plate of prasad out for Radha Krsna and the sakhis when they get Hungry from dancing and love sports in Seva Kunja. Last night Srimati Radharani came to the head pujari in a dream and said please take the remnants of the Maha Prasad and Garland to my sakhi who is known as Narayana Maharaja. So the pujari did as ordered. Srila Gurudeva took a bite and then the sannyasis distributed the mercy to one and all. This was too much nectar for me, my heart has been pounding all morning.
Monday, October 5, 2009
Diwali celebrations
Hare Krsna to all
All Glories to our most
merciful beloved Srila Gurudeva
Sri Srimad Paramhamsa Bhaktivedanta
Narayana Gosvami Maharaja.
Last weekend the midlands Hindu
society held a pre Diwali celebration
at a local sports ground.In the morning
we participated in a float procession that
they had arranged from the city hall to
the festival site.Our youth group led
Harinam kirtan throughout the procession.
Many onlookers also started participating
in the Harinam and started dancing.
We had a book and food stall at the festival
and distributed prasadam(sanctified food offered
to Lord Sri Krsna)and also many of Srila Gurudeva`s
books.Many people asked many questions about
Krsna Consciousness and many want to attend our Nama
Hatta programmes.Of interest was the Siva Tattva
book written by Srila Gurudeva.
Around 10 000 people attended,we also took this
oppurtunity to advertise Srila Gurudeva`s visit
to South Africa in January 2010 and also our tent
festivals in November with Sripad Ashram and Damodar
Maharaja.All the devotees were actively engaged in
preaching and thus created such a transcendental
atmosphere.
This weekend we have a book stall at the Durban
Diwali festival and we hope to distribute many
more of Srila Gurudeva`s books and invite them
to attend Srila Gurudeva`s programmes in January 2010.
I`ll keep you all informed what happens next.
All Glories to our most
merciful beloved Srila Gurudeva
Sri Srimad Paramhamsa Bhaktivedanta
Narayana Gosvami Maharaja.
Last weekend the midlands Hindu
society held a pre Diwali celebration
at a local sports ground.In the morning
we participated in a float procession that
they had arranged from the city hall to
the festival site.Our youth group led
Harinam kirtan throughout the procession.
Many onlookers also started participating
in the Harinam and started dancing.
We had a book and food stall at the festival
and distributed prasadam(sanctified food offered
to Lord Sri Krsna)and also many of Srila Gurudeva`s
books.Many people asked many questions about
Krsna Consciousness and many want to attend our Nama
Hatta programmes.Of interest was the Siva Tattva
book written by Srila Gurudeva.
Around 10 000 people attended,we also took this
oppurtunity to advertise Srila Gurudeva`s visit
to South Africa in January 2010 and also our tent
festivals in November with Sripad Ashram and Damodar
Maharaja.All the devotees were actively engaged in
preaching and thus created such a transcendental
atmosphere.
This weekend we have a book stall at the Durban
Diwali festival and we hope to distribute many
more of Srila Gurudeva`s books and invite them
to attend Srila Gurudeva`s programmes in January 2010.
I`ll keep you all informed what happens next.
Sunday, October 4, 2009
For the Disappearance Day of Srila Bhakti Prajnana Kesava Gosvami Maharaja
Tridandisvami Sri Srimad Bhaktivedanta Narayana Gosvami Maharaja
For The Disappearance Day Of
Srila Bhakti Prajnana Kesava Gosvami Maharaja
Miami, Florida: May 28, 2008
[Respected Harikatha Readers,
Please accept our humble obeisances. All glories to Sri Sri Guru and Gauranga.
October 4, 2009 is the first day of Kartika. It is also the disappearance day of Sri Srimad Bhakti Prajnana Kesava Gosvami Maharaja, who is the diksa-guru of Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayana Gosvami Maharaja and sannyasa guru of Srila Bhaktivedanta Svami Maharaja Prabhupada. The following is a newly transcribed morning walk in Miami, wherein Srila Narayana Gosvami Maharaja affectionately speaks about his Guru Maharaja on the request of a disciple.
On the order of Srila Narayana Gosvami Maharaja, we are currently working on a book of all his morning walks and darsans. If you have any audio or movie files of his walks and darsans from 1996-2007, please contact Isa dasa at williamglick@gmail.com. If you would like to help transcribe these nectar walks, or edit or proofread them, or help in any other way, please contact Vasanti dasi at vasantidasi@gmail.com. Thank you.
Sincerely, the Harikatha team]
[Devotee:] Is it possible for you to speak something about your spiritual master, Srila Bhakti Prajnana Kesava Gosvami Maharaja?
[Srila Narayana Gosvami Maharaja:] Once, after taking the permission of his Guru Maharaja, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura, my Gurudeva went to visit Srila Gaura Kisora dasa Babaji Maharaja. At that time, Babaji Maharaja had closed the door of his bhajana kutir, which was a municipal outhouse. He had locked himself inside and refused to meet anyone.
The police superintendent and district magistrate had previously come there and told him, “Babaji Maharaja, why are you sitting in this impure place? We will make you a very beautiful place where you can do bhajana.”
Babaji Maharaja had replied, “I am very weak and cannot open the door.” Why did he say this? He used to tell his own devotees, “The smell of this outhouse is nothing in comparison to the stench of sense enjoyers who come and disturb me, saying, ‘Babaji Maharaja, give me a son, a very qualified wife, and much wealth.’ They used to harass me in this way. Staying in an outhouse is better than having to deal with those people. No one will disturb me while I am here.”
So Gurudeva, along with his paternal aunt, Srimati Saroj Basini, and a brahmacari who later became a very good speaker by the name of Sripad Nemi Maharaja, all went to see Babaji Maharaja. They saw that the door was closed and they called to him, “Babaji Maharaja, please be merciful and open your door. We want to take your darsana.” (meaning, “We beg you to give us your audience.”)
At first, Babaji Maharja gave the same answer he had given the superintendent: “I am very weak, so I cannot open the door.”
My Gurudeva, who was at that time eighteen years old Vinoda-bihari brahmacari, replied, “Babaji Maharaja, we are disciples of Srila Sarasvati Thakura. He has sent us to see you.”
Babaji Maharaja then said, “Oh, you are disciples of Srila Sarasvati Thakura? All right, I will open the door.” He thus allowed the three devotees to enter. They went into the municipal latrine and offered their obeisances.
Babaji Maharaja told my Gurudeva, “You should boldly preach the mission and instructions of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Do not fear; I will save you from all problems and dangers.”
Guru Maharaja used to tell us this story with tears in his eyes, saying, “This is how I am now able to boldly preach in Bengal and Assam and so many other places.” He told us that this actually took place – Gaura Kisora dasa Babaji Maharaja protected him whenever obstacles came.
For example, Srila Guru Maharaja was once preaching boldly in Assam, and his audience consisted of many persons opposed to Gaudiya Vaisnavism. This group did not accept the worship of Srimati Radhika with Sri Krsna; they worshiped Sri Krsna alone. Guru Maharaja told them, “Krsna-bhakti alone is not perfect. It is like an offense. Also, those who do bhajana but at the same time eat meat, eggs, and fish, and also drink alcohol, are not pure bhaktas. In fact, their mouths are like drains because their mouths are the containers of all kinds of stool, urine, and other wastes.” Hearing this, some of the members of the very large opposition crowd became enraged and shouted, “Caitanya Mahaprabhu is not the Supreme Lord. Do you have any proof that He is?”
In response, our Guru Maharaja requested Srila Vamana Maharaja to stand up and provide sastric evidence that Mahaprabhu is the Supreme Lord, and Srila Vamana Maharaja quoted either 101 or 108 Sanskrit verses. The crowd then began to throw stones and many other things, trying to kill both Guru Maharaja and Srila Vamana Maharaja. However, there were also some devotees present in the audience who began to throw stones back at the attackers, and somehow the conflict subsided.
In this way, he used to preach boldly. If anyone said anything against Srila Prabhupada Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura or our sampradaya, he would become furious. He would at once attack them, like a lion, with so many sastric arguments that no one could defeat him.
Some time in 1956, Srila Gurudeva came to Mathura to visit Sri Kesavaji Gaudiya Matha. At that time followers of the Nimbarka sampradaya in Vrndavana used to publish a spiritual journal called Sri Sudarsana. In one issue they cast aspersions on Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, saying that He was a disciple of Kesava Kasmiri. They said that Kesava Kasmiri was not actually defeated by Sri Caitanya Maharprabhu. Rather, he defeated Mahaprabhu and initiated Him into the Gopal Mantra. *[See endnote 1] In other editions they insolently dared to claim that Gaudiya Vaisnava acaryas such as Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura were in the Nimbarka sampradaya.
When I showed these editions to Srila Gurudeva, he became extremely angry. He told me, “Bring a paper and pen,” and began to dictate. He then immediately published this dictation as a short essay in our Sri Bhagavata Patrika. The headline was ‘Sri Nimbaditya and Nimbarka are not the same person.’ In the essay he said that nowhere in the scriptures is there any mention of a Nimbarka sampradaya. The Puranas mention a Vaisnava acarya named Sri Nimbaditya, and the Four Kumaras have accepted Nimbaditya Acarya as their sampradaya-acarya.
Nimbarka Svami is a completely different person. Nimbaditya was a disciple of Naradaji at the end of Dvapara-yuga, but Nimbarka Acarya appeared much more recently. Great and eminent authors of scripture such as Srila Jiva Gosvami have mentioned the names of the prominent acaryas of all the other sampradayas, but they have not mentioned the name of Nimbarka Acarya anywhere.
The scriptures of the Six Gosvamis mention the names of acaryas such as Sri Ramanuja, Sri Madhva, Sri Visnu Svami, Sri Nimbaditya and Sri Vallabha Acarya. If the Nimbarka sampradaya had existed even to a slight extent at that time, then they would most certainly have mentioned the name of Nimbarka Acarya as well. None of the other sampradaya acaryas, such as Sri Ramanuja, Sri Madhva, Sri Visnu Svami and so on have mentioned Nimbarka Acarya’s name in any of the scriptures that they have written.”
The Nimbarka sampradaya currently uses the Parijata-bhasya which was written, not by Nimbaditya Acarya, but rather by Srinivasa Acarya and Kesava Kasmiri. These two wrote this scripture and then preached that it had been written by their guru.
When this essay was published in Sri Bhagavata Patrika, the office directors of the Sudarsana journal announced that they were making arrangements to prosecute for slander. Srila Gurudeva replied firmly, “We will prove each and every word that we have written on the basis of evidence supported by sastra.” The scholars filed a court case demanding one hundred thousand rupees for defamation. They went to an advocate (lawyer) who told them, “You do not know Sripad Kesava Maharaja. He is a very dangerous person. He knows the law better than we advocates do. Do not put your hands in a snake’s hole, otherwise that snake will come and bite you. Better to leave this alone; better to be silent.”
When the prosecution party heard about Srila Gurudeva’s immense scriptural knowledge and his profound personality, they became absolutely silent, and from that day onwards they did not dare to write any more nonsense. *[see endnote 2]
[Devotee:] You have also described how affectionate your Guru Maharaja was. Can you speak something in this regard?
[Srila Narayana Gosvami Maharaja:] Once, while Pujyapada Vamana Maharaja was doing service at a printing press in Cincurah, his fingers were severely injured. Our Guru Maharaja began to weep and at once took him to a medical hospital in Kolkata, where he arranged treatment for him. Although Srila Vamana Maharaja’s fingers had been crushed under the printing press, after some time they were completely healed with only a scar remaining.
There was a disciple of our Guru Maharaja who joined before me, whose name was Ananga Mohan. He used to play very sweetly on mrdanga and engage in many personal services for our Guru Maharaja, such as cooking, washing clothes, and so on.
He contracted tuberculosis, at which time he was vomiting blood, even on the body of our Guru Maharaja. Guru Maharaja served him with his own hand, cleaning away his stool, feeding him, and nourishing him in every way.
I told Guru Maharaja, “Please feel free to go and preach. I will look after him. Do not worry.” Kindly giving me this ‘love burden’ of caring for Ananga Mohan, he went to preach. I would then clean Ananga Mohan’s vomit and stool, burying it in the earth. Guru Maharaja also sent me with him and Trigunatita brahmacari to Tambaram Hospital in Madras, which was a hospital for tuberculosis patients, and he was there for about three or four months.
Because this hospital was quite expensive, and Guru Maharaja’s god-brothers became upset and told him, “We cannot give you any of the money we have collected. Why are you doing all of this for your disciple?!” In this regard he did not care for the opinion of his opposing god-brothers, and finally they gave up his association. How loving he was.
Although Guru Maharaja spent a great deal of money to save Ananga Mohan, he left his body in Tabaram Hospital. At the time of his departure Guru Maharaja was performing parikrama in Navadvipa with thousands of pilgrims. I wrote him a letter saying, “I could not save Ananga Mohan, so Trigunatita prabhu and I are returning to Siddhabari. Please excuse me.” He read my letter and began to weep loudly.
He loved me so much for this. I had also developed slight symptoms of tuberculosis, and Guru Maharaja took me to a hospital in Calcutta, where I was treated and recovered.
Guru Maharaja gave sannyasa first to Srila Vamana Maharaja, Srila Trivikrama Maharaja and me. We three then began to increase our preaching fields and we performed many other services. Previously, Guru Maharaja’s respectful relationships with the god-brothers obliged him to give scope to their opinions and ideas, but now he was independent.
He would go to various places with thirty or forty brahmacaris and sannyasis and preach. Sometimes he had audiences of 15,000 people. At that time there were no microphones, so his audiences heard him by his loud speaking.
I used to personally go with him, and at those times I would cook for him, massage him, and wash his clothes. When he gave classes I would take notes. On his order I learned Bengali and read the Jaiva Dharma, and then I became a very good speaker. Also, at that time, I was known as the best singer in the Gaudiya Math.
Guru Maharaja also gave sannyasa to Pujyapada Srila Bhaktivedanta Svami Maharaja. The two were bosom friends.
[Mahabhuddi dasa:] How could our Srila Prabhupada have been one of the co-founders of the Gaudiya Vedanta Samiti if they were not friends? How would he have taken sannyasa from him if they were not friends?
[Srila Narayana Gosvami Maharaja:] In fact, Srila Bhaktivedanta Svami Maharaja wrote to me: “Our relationship is certainly based on spontaneous love. That is why there is no chance of us forgetting one another. By the mercy of Guru and Gauranga may everything be auspicious for you. This is my constant prayer. From the first time I saw you I have been your constant well-wisher. At his first sight of me Srila Prabhupada also saw me with such love. It was in my very first darsana of Srila Prabhupada that I learned how to love.”
[Brajanath dasa:] Remembering your Guru Maharaja, you spoke for such a long time.
[Srila Narayana Gosvami Maharaja:] I became unaware of the time.
[*Endnote 1:
“The next morning the poet came to Lord Caitanya and surrendered unto His lotus feet. The Lord bestowed His mercy upon him and cut off all his bondage to material attachment” (Caitanya-caritamrta, Adi-lila, 16.107).]
[*Endnote 2: On Srila Narayana Gosvami’s request, we have added some sentences from his Biography of his Guru Maharaja to his discussion of Nimbaditya Acarya.]
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For The Disappearance Day Of
Srila Bhakti Prajnana Kesava Gosvami Maharaja
Miami, Florida: May 28, 2008
[Respected Harikatha Readers,
Please accept our humble obeisances. All glories to Sri Sri Guru and Gauranga.
October 4, 2009 is the first day of Kartika. It is also the disappearance day of Sri Srimad Bhakti Prajnana Kesava Gosvami Maharaja, who is the diksa-guru of Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayana Gosvami Maharaja and sannyasa guru of Srila Bhaktivedanta Svami Maharaja Prabhupada. The following is a newly transcribed morning walk in Miami, wherein Srila Narayana Gosvami Maharaja affectionately speaks about his Guru Maharaja on the request of a disciple.
On the order of Srila Narayana Gosvami Maharaja, we are currently working on a book of all his morning walks and darsans. If you have any audio or movie files of his walks and darsans from 1996-2007, please contact Isa dasa at williamglick@gmail.com. If you would like to help transcribe these nectar walks, or edit or proofread them, or help in any other way, please contact Vasanti dasi at vasantidasi@gmail.com. Thank you.
Sincerely, the Harikatha team]
[Devotee:] Is it possible for you to speak something about your spiritual master, Srila Bhakti Prajnana Kesava Gosvami Maharaja?
[Srila Narayana Gosvami Maharaja:] Once, after taking the permission of his Guru Maharaja, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura, my Gurudeva went to visit Srila Gaura Kisora dasa Babaji Maharaja. At that time, Babaji Maharaja had closed the door of his bhajana kutir, which was a municipal outhouse. He had locked himself inside and refused to meet anyone.
The police superintendent and district magistrate had previously come there and told him, “Babaji Maharaja, why are you sitting in this impure place? We will make you a very beautiful place where you can do bhajana.”
Babaji Maharaja had replied, “I am very weak and cannot open the door.” Why did he say this? He used to tell his own devotees, “The smell of this outhouse is nothing in comparison to the stench of sense enjoyers who come and disturb me, saying, ‘Babaji Maharaja, give me a son, a very qualified wife, and much wealth.’ They used to harass me in this way. Staying in an outhouse is better than having to deal with those people. No one will disturb me while I am here.”
So Gurudeva, along with his paternal aunt, Srimati Saroj Basini, and a brahmacari who later became a very good speaker by the name of Sripad Nemi Maharaja, all went to see Babaji Maharaja. They saw that the door was closed and they called to him, “Babaji Maharaja, please be merciful and open your door. We want to take your darsana.” (meaning, “We beg you to give us your audience.”)
At first, Babaji Maharja gave the same answer he had given the superintendent: “I am very weak, so I cannot open the door.”
My Gurudeva, who was at that time eighteen years old Vinoda-bihari brahmacari, replied, “Babaji Maharaja, we are disciples of Srila Sarasvati Thakura. He has sent us to see you.”
Babaji Maharaja then said, “Oh, you are disciples of Srila Sarasvati Thakura? All right, I will open the door.” He thus allowed the three devotees to enter. They went into the municipal latrine and offered their obeisances.
Babaji Maharaja told my Gurudeva, “You should boldly preach the mission and instructions of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Do not fear; I will save you from all problems and dangers.”
Guru Maharaja used to tell us this story with tears in his eyes, saying, “This is how I am now able to boldly preach in Bengal and Assam and so many other places.” He told us that this actually took place – Gaura Kisora dasa Babaji Maharaja protected him whenever obstacles came.
For example, Srila Guru Maharaja was once preaching boldly in Assam, and his audience consisted of many persons opposed to Gaudiya Vaisnavism. This group did not accept the worship of Srimati Radhika with Sri Krsna; they worshiped Sri Krsna alone. Guru Maharaja told them, “Krsna-bhakti alone is not perfect. It is like an offense. Also, those who do bhajana but at the same time eat meat, eggs, and fish, and also drink alcohol, are not pure bhaktas. In fact, their mouths are like drains because their mouths are the containers of all kinds of stool, urine, and other wastes.” Hearing this, some of the members of the very large opposition crowd became enraged and shouted, “Caitanya Mahaprabhu is not the Supreme Lord. Do you have any proof that He is?”
In response, our Guru Maharaja requested Srila Vamana Maharaja to stand up and provide sastric evidence that Mahaprabhu is the Supreme Lord, and Srila Vamana Maharaja quoted either 101 or 108 Sanskrit verses. The crowd then began to throw stones and many other things, trying to kill both Guru Maharaja and Srila Vamana Maharaja. However, there were also some devotees present in the audience who began to throw stones back at the attackers, and somehow the conflict subsided.
In this way, he used to preach boldly. If anyone said anything against Srila Prabhupada Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura or our sampradaya, he would become furious. He would at once attack them, like a lion, with so many sastric arguments that no one could defeat him.
Some time in 1956, Srila Gurudeva came to Mathura to visit Sri Kesavaji Gaudiya Matha. At that time followers of the Nimbarka sampradaya in Vrndavana used to publish a spiritual journal called Sri Sudarsana. In one issue they cast aspersions on Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, saying that He was a disciple of Kesava Kasmiri. They said that Kesava Kasmiri was not actually defeated by Sri Caitanya Maharprabhu. Rather, he defeated Mahaprabhu and initiated Him into the Gopal Mantra. *[See endnote 1] In other editions they insolently dared to claim that Gaudiya Vaisnava acaryas such as Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura were in the Nimbarka sampradaya.
When I showed these editions to Srila Gurudeva, he became extremely angry. He told me, “Bring a paper and pen,” and began to dictate. He then immediately published this dictation as a short essay in our Sri Bhagavata Patrika. The headline was ‘Sri Nimbaditya and Nimbarka are not the same person.’ In the essay he said that nowhere in the scriptures is there any mention of a Nimbarka sampradaya. The Puranas mention a Vaisnava acarya named Sri Nimbaditya, and the Four Kumaras have accepted Nimbaditya Acarya as their sampradaya-acarya.
Nimbarka Svami is a completely different person. Nimbaditya was a disciple of Naradaji at the end of Dvapara-yuga, but Nimbarka Acarya appeared much more recently. Great and eminent authors of scripture such as Srila Jiva Gosvami have mentioned the names of the prominent acaryas of all the other sampradayas, but they have not mentioned the name of Nimbarka Acarya anywhere.
The scriptures of the Six Gosvamis mention the names of acaryas such as Sri Ramanuja, Sri Madhva, Sri Visnu Svami, Sri Nimbaditya and Sri Vallabha Acarya. If the Nimbarka sampradaya had existed even to a slight extent at that time, then they would most certainly have mentioned the name of Nimbarka Acarya as well. None of the other sampradaya acaryas, such as Sri Ramanuja, Sri Madhva, Sri Visnu Svami and so on have mentioned Nimbarka Acarya’s name in any of the scriptures that they have written.”
The Nimbarka sampradaya currently uses the Parijata-bhasya which was written, not by Nimbaditya Acarya, but rather by Srinivasa Acarya and Kesava Kasmiri. These two wrote this scripture and then preached that it had been written by their guru.
When this essay was published in Sri Bhagavata Patrika, the office directors of the Sudarsana journal announced that they were making arrangements to prosecute for slander. Srila Gurudeva replied firmly, “We will prove each and every word that we have written on the basis of evidence supported by sastra.” The scholars filed a court case demanding one hundred thousand rupees for defamation. They went to an advocate (lawyer) who told them, “You do not know Sripad Kesava Maharaja. He is a very dangerous person. He knows the law better than we advocates do. Do not put your hands in a snake’s hole, otherwise that snake will come and bite you. Better to leave this alone; better to be silent.”
When the prosecution party heard about Srila Gurudeva’s immense scriptural knowledge and his profound personality, they became absolutely silent, and from that day onwards they did not dare to write any more nonsense. *[see endnote 2]
[Devotee:] You have also described how affectionate your Guru Maharaja was. Can you speak something in this regard?
[Srila Narayana Gosvami Maharaja:] Once, while Pujyapada Vamana Maharaja was doing service at a printing press in Cincurah, his fingers were severely injured. Our Guru Maharaja began to weep and at once took him to a medical hospital in Kolkata, where he arranged treatment for him. Although Srila Vamana Maharaja’s fingers had been crushed under the printing press, after some time they were completely healed with only a scar remaining.
There was a disciple of our Guru Maharaja who joined before me, whose name was Ananga Mohan. He used to play very sweetly on mrdanga and engage in many personal services for our Guru Maharaja, such as cooking, washing clothes, and so on.
He contracted tuberculosis, at which time he was vomiting blood, even on the body of our Guru Maharaja. Guru Maharaja served him with his own hand, cleaning away his stool, feeding him, and nourishing him in every way.
I told Guru Maharaja, “Please feel free to go and preach. I will look after him. Do not worry.” Kindly giving me this ‘love burden’ of caring for Ananga Mohan, he went to preach. I would then clean Ananga Mohan’s vomit and stool, burying it in the earth. Guru Maharaja also sent me with him and Trigunatita brahmacari to Tambaram Hospital in Madras, which was a hospital for tuberculosis patients, and he was there for about three or four months.
Because this hospital was quite expensive, and Guru Maharaja’s god-brothers became upset and told him, “We cannot give you any of the money we have collected. Why are you doing all of this for your disciple?!” In this regard he did not care for the opinion of his opposing god-brothers, and finally they gave up his association. How loving he was.
Although Guru Maharaja spent a great deal of money to save Ananga Mohan, he left his body in Tabaram Hospital. At the time of his departure Guru Maharaja was performing parikrama in Navadvipa with thousands of pilgrims. I wrote him a letter saying, “I could not save Ananga Mohan, so Trigunatita prabhu and I are returning to Siddhabari. Please excuse me.” He read my letter and began to weep loudly.
He loved me so much for this. I had also developed slight symptoms of tuberculosis, and Guru Maharaja took me to a hospital in Calcutta, where I was treated and recovered.
Guru Maharaja gave sannyasa first to Srila Vamana Maharaja, Srila Trivikrama Maharaja and me. We three then began to increase our preaching fields and we performed many other services. Previously, Guru Maharaja’s respectful relationships with the god-brothers obliged him to give scope to their opinions and ideas, but now he was independent.
He would go to various places with thirty or forty brahmacaris and sannyasis and preach. Sometimes he had audiences of 15,000 people. At that time there were no microphones, so his audiences heard him by his loud speaking.
I used to personally go with him, and at those times I would cook for him, massage him, and wash his clothes. When he gave classes I would take notes. On his order I learned Bengali and read the Jaiva Dharma, and then I became a very good speaker. Also, at that time, I was known as the best singer in the Gaudiya Math.
Guru Maharaja also gave sannyasa to Pujyapada Srila Bhaktivedanta Svami Maharaja. The two were bosom friends.
[Mahabhuddi dasa:] How could our Srila Prabhupada have been one of the co-founders of the Gaudiya Vedanta Samiti if they were not friends? How would he have taken sannyasa from him if they were not friends?
[Srila Narayana Gosvami Maharaja:] In fact, Srila Bhaktivedanta Svami Maharaja wrote to me: “Our relationship is certainly based on spontaneous love. That is why there is no chance of us forgetting one another. By the mercy of Guru and Gauranga may everything be auspicious for you. This is my constant prayer. From the first time I saw you I have been your constant well-wisher. At his first sight of me Srila Prabhupada also saw me with such love. It was in my very first darsana of Srila Prabhupada that I learned how to love.”
[Brajanath dasa:] Remembering your Guru Maharaja, you spoke for such a long time.
[Srila Narayana Gosvami Maharaja:] I became unaware of the time.
[*Endnote 1:
“The next morning the poet came to Lord Caitanya and surrendered unto His lotus feet. The Lord bestowed His mercy upon him and cut off all his bondage to material attachment” (Caitanya-caritamrta, Adi-lila, 16.107).]
[*Endnote 2: On Srila Narayana Gosvami’s request, we have added some sentences from his Biography of his Guru Maharaja to his discussion of Nimbaditya Acarya.]
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Tuesday, September 29, 2009
A Trip to Nepal Sita Devi`s Birthplace
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A Trip to Nepal
Thursday, 24 September 2009
August 17-23, 2009
[Respected Harikatha Readers, Please accept our humble obeisances. All glories to Sri Guru and Gauranga. On August 17, 2009, Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayana Gosvami Maharaja and his party traveled from Delhi to Nepal for a five-day Harikatha festival. The following is a report on the events of that festival, written by Srila Maharaja’s disciple, Sulata dasi of Vrndavana. To view movie clips from Nepal, please visit www.purebhakti.tv]
Since his childhood, Srila Gurudeva had nurtured a strong desire to visit Janakapura (in Nepal), because this is where Sita-devi lived with her father Janaka Maharaja and her mother Queen Sunayana. This is also where Her marriage and other wonderful pastimes took place. Before meeting his Guru Maharaja, Srila Bhakti Prajnana Kesava Gosvami Maharaja, Srila Gurudeva worshiped Sri Sri Sita-Rama with great love and devotion. As you can imagine, this was a very special trip for him.
In the beginning of his first discourse, Srila Gurudeva explained that although he has circled the globe many times preaching Sanatana-dharma in countries like Australia, Brazil, England, America, and all over Europe, he had never been to Janakapura. Now, by the assistance of Somnath prabhu, he would be boarding a plane to go there on the 20th morning.
Left: Katmandu, at the City Cultural Center where the two-day program was held.
During his discourse, Srila Gurudeva explained the perils of living in Kali-yuga and the means to escape them. He said that nowadays most people labor to accumulate wealth and acquire a good position, but these things do not benefit the soul. Monetary earnings cannot help the soul. Everyone is thinking, “I am this body,” but this is a false idea. Our real identity is the soul within the body. Both Paramatma (the Supersoul) and the atma (individual soul) reside together within the body. The atma is like the passenger and the Paramatma is like the charioteer. Most people do not understand these truths because they have forgotten Krsna.
These days, if a wife does not please her husband’s senses or vice versa, they divorce and get a new partner. They do not care how much pain their actions cause their children.
Then Srila Gurudeva posed the question, “How can we solve the problems we face in Kali-yuga?” He then answered that one should take full shelter of Sri Guru, continuously serve him, try to give up all material attachments, and develop love for Krsna. These are our topmost duties, and by carrying out these duties we will receive Krsna’s causeless mercy.
He said that one should understand and have faith that all sastras (Vedic scriptures), including Srimad-Bhagavatam, reside within Sad-Guru, the bona fide Guru.
By serving and associating with that type of Guru, we will get bhakti. What kind of bhakti do we want?
anyabhilasita-sunyam
jnana-karmady-anavitam
anukulyena krsnanu-
silanam bhaktir uttama
["The cultivation of activities that are meant exclusively for the pleasure of Sri Krsna, or in other words the uninterrupted flow of service to Sri Krsna, performed through all endeavours of the body, mind and speech, and through the expression of various spiritual sentiments (bhavas), which is not covered by jnana (knowledge aimed at impersonal liberation) and karma (reward-seeking activity), and which is devoid of all desires other than the aspiration to bring happiness to Sri Krsna, is called uttama-bhakti, pure devotional service." (Sri Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu 1.1.11)]
He explained in simple words the meaning of this verse. All sastras recommend that one have an uninterrupted devotional mood and that all of one’s activity should be performed with the aim of pleasing Krsna and Sri Guru. To illustrate this point, He very narrated the pastime in which Mother Yasoda threatened to hit Krsna with a stick because she wanted Him to stop stealing butter.
To clear away any confusion in the minds and hearts of the listeners, he explained that although externally Krsna was crying, within Himself He was feeling great pleasure from hearing His mother call Him a thief for stealing the butter. Mother Yasoda was thinking “He is only a small boy. He is not stealing anything more valuable than butter. Still, if I don’t punish Him now, He may become a big dacoit in the future.” This ‘punishment’ was accepted by Krsna as uttama-bhakti, or pure bhakti, because Mother Yasoda’s actions were motivated by the desire to make Krsna’s life successful and happy. Her sweet, loving mood (madhurya) was so strong that it completely covered Krsna’s opulence (aisvarya). She was not thinking that Krsna is God, but that He is only her beloved son.
Srila Gurudeva then described the five types of devotees and devotion. As I looked around at the audience, I could see that everyone present was listening with rapt attention. It was quite amazing to witness how, by his powerful harikatha, he so quickly captured their hearts, which is part of his process for loosening the knot of material attachment.
The next morning, as we were all sitting in the airport waiting to board the plane for Janakapura, torrents of heavy rain began to fall. I began to wonder if the airline staff would allow us to take off in such terrible weather. Miraculously, just before we boarded the plane, the rays of sunshine began to push their way past the dark clouds and the rain stopped. After we were all seated comfortably on the plane, I was surprised to see that the sky had turned pale blue Suryadeva, the Sun-god, was bathing everyone with his warm rays.
When we arrived in Janakapura, Srila Gurudeva told the Mahant at Sri Sri Sita-Rama’s temple complex how he had prayed to Sita-devi to ask Indradeva, the god of the rains, to stop the rain, and by Her mercy he did so. The Mahant, who treated Srila Gurudeva with the utmost respect, replied, “How could Janaki ignore a prayer from you? Your arrival has brought us so much auspiciousness.”
Janaka Pura, The wedding hall next to the Mandir. This is where Lord Ramacandra and Srimati Sita Thakurani's wedding ceremony was performed.
Circumambulating Sri Sri Sita-Rama, along with six sages, in the Lord's wedding hall.
Outside the wedding hall there are four small kutirs, one in every corner. In each one there is one pair - Lord Ramacandra and Srimati Sita Thakurani, then Sri Satrughna and his consort Srimati Srutakirthi, then Sri Laxmana and his consort Srimati Urmila, and finally Sri Bharata and his consort Srimati Mandhati.
Srila Gurudeva then proceeded to the main temple where Sri Sri Sita-Rama were being worshiped. We circumambulated the main temple, stopping at a smaller temple of Janak Maharaja and Queen Sunayana.
Worshipping Lord Ramacandra and Srimati Sita Thakurani
When we finished our parikrama, the Mahant invited us for prasadam. The prasadam hall was up a steep flight of stairs, so Srila Gurudeva stayed outside and sent the rest of us upstairs to take prasadam.
After some moments the Mahant came to Srila Gurudeva and begged him to come upstairs so that he could show him “something very special.” To please the Mahant, who had treated Srila Gurudeva and all the devotees with so much honor, he obliged and was carried by the devotees up the steep stairway.
The Mahant took us to a large room which housed over 125,000 salagram silas, which was really an amazing sight.
The Mahant is showing Srila Gurudeva the 125,000 silas - mostly covered by the white cloth - in the main Mandir in Janakapura.
The Mahant shows Srila Gurudeva the goracana covered with red powder.
Srila Gurudeva was seated in a room next to the prasadam hall, and the Mahant brought what looked like a small pebble covered by red powder. He explained that it was gorocana from the hoof of a cow, and a pearl from the head of an elephant, both of which are produced by rainfall during the auspicious stellar constellation called svati-naksatra. We all gathered around, fascinated.
I cannot speculate on the deep moods in which Srila Gurudeva was immersed in on that day. I do not have the good fortune to understand all these things. I do know that I felt very privileged to accompany him on such a journey. I had the great opportunity that day to observe a very remarkable, humble, merciful, soft personality who was filled with devotion for his worshipful Lord and full of compassion for those souls who are suffering in separation from the Soul of their soul. Although all tattva (established philosophical truth) is manifest in the heart of our beloved Srila Gurudeva, still, he listened to the words of the Mahant with humility and interest, treating him with respect and kindness.
The Mahant was quite moved, and when Srila Gurudeva offered him daksina, he refused to take it. At one point, when some beggars were trying to disturb Srila Gurudeva, he calmly told Sripad Madhava Maharaja to give them some rupees. I never saw him get angry or frustrated.
After taking prasadam, a small group of us accompanied Srila Gurudeva to Dhanush-dharma, where one part of the bow that Lord Rama broke can still be seen in the form of a large stone which grows one mustard seed in size every day.
Darsan of the bow that was broken by Lord Rama
The next day, in his final class, Srila Gurudeva briefly explained the Tenth Canto Srimad-Bhagavatam and ended with narrations of the glories of the Vraja gopis, and especially the glories of Srimati Radhika.
About twenty-five people took initiation, and from the family of Ramacandra Prabhu, the organizer of the festival, another fifteen people. As always, the local devotees were left with a mixture of happiness and sadness when Srila Gurudeva departed, happy that he had blessed them by visiting their country, but also sad to see him leave so soon.
The highlight of this trip for me was to witness Srila Gurudeva’s good qualities, and to see him in such a relaxed atmosphere distributing his smile and mercy to all. The thought came to me that it is not possible for an ordinary person to manifest such exalted behavior. We are all so fortunate to be accepted by such a personality.
Returning to Katmandu
Sri Sri Guru Gauranga Jayatah!
(Pictures courtesy of Savitri dasi)
--
Next >
Last Updated on Thursday, 24 September 2009
© Syamarani dasi
A Trip to Nepal
Thursday, 24 September 2009
August 17-23, 2009
[Respected Harikatha Readers, Please accept our humble obeisances. All glories to Sri Guru and Gauranga. On August 17, 2009, Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayana Gosvami Maharaja and his party traveled from Delhi to Nepal for a five-day Harikatha festival. The following is a report on the events of that festival, written by Srila Maharaja’s disciple, Sulata dasi of Vrndavana. To view movie clips from Nepal, please visit www.purebhakti.tv]
Since his childhood, Srila Gurudeva had nurtured a strong desire to visit Janakapura (in Nepal), because this is where Sita-devi lived with her father Janaka Maharaja and her mother Queen Sunayana. This is also where Her marriage and other wonderful pastimes took place. Before meeting his Guru Maharaja, Srila Bhakti Prajnana Kesava Gosvami Maharaja, Srila Gurudeva worshiped Sri Sri Sita-Rama with great love and devotion. As you can imagine, this was a very special trip for him.
In the beginning of his first discourse, Srila Gurudeva explained that although he has circled the globe many times preaching Sanatana-dharma in countries like Australia, Brazil, England, America, and all over Europe, he had never been to Janakapura. Now, by the assistance of Somnath prabhu, he would be boarding a plane to go there on the 20th morning.
Left: Katmandu, at the City Cultural Center where the two-day program was held.
During his discourse, Srila Gurudeva explained the perils of living in Kali-yuga and the means to escape them. He said that nowadays most people labor to accumulate wealth and acquire a good position, but these things do not benefit the soul. Monetary earnings cannot help the soul. Everyone is thinking, “I am this body,” but this is a false idea. Our real identity is the soul within the body. Both Paramatma (the Supersoul) and the atma (individual soul) reside together within the body. The atma is like the passenger and the Paramatma is like the charioteer. Most people do not understand these truths because they have forgotten Krsna.
These days, if a wife does not please her husband’s senses or vice versa, they divorce and get a new partner. They do not care how much pain their actions cause their children.
Then Srila Gurudeva posed the question, “How can we solve the problems we face in Kali-yuga?” He then answered that one should take full shelter of Sri Guru, continuously serve him, try to give up all material attachments, and develop love for Krsna. These are our topmost duties, and by carrying out these duties we will receive Krsna’s causeless mercy.
He said that one should understand and have faith that all sastras (Vedic scriptures), including Srimad-Bhagavatam, reside within Sad-Guru, the bona fide Guru.
By serving and associating with that type of Guru, we will get bhakti. What kind of bhakti do we want?
anyabhilasita-sunyam
jnana-karmady-anavitam
anukulyena krsnanu-
silanam bhaktir uttama
["The cultivation of activities that are meant exclusively for the pleasure of Sri Krsna, or in other words the uninterrupted flow of service to Sri Krsna, performed through all endeavours of the body, mind and speech, and through the expression of various spiritual sentiments (bhavas), which is not covered by jnana (knowledge aimed at impersonal liberation) and karma (reward-seeking activity), and which is devoid of all desires other than the aspiration to bring happiness to Sri Krsna, is called uttama-bhakti, pure devotional service." (Sri Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu 1.1.11)]
He explained in simple words the meaning of this verse. All sastras recommend that one have an uninterrupted devotional mood and that all of one’s activity should be performed with the aim of pleasing Krsna and Sri Guru. To illustrate this point, He very narrated the pastime in which Mother Yasoda threatened to hit Krsna with a stick because she wanted Him to stop stealing butter.
To clear away any confusion in the minds and hearts of the listeners, he explained that although externally Krsna was crying, within Himself He was feeling great pleasure from hearing His mother call Him a thief for stealing the butter. Mother Yasoda was thinking “He is only a small boy. He is not stealing anything more valuable than butter. Still, if I don’t punish Him now, He may become a big dacoit in the future.” This ‘punishment’ was accepted by Krsna as uttama-bhakti, or pure bhakti, because Mother Yasoda’s actions were motivated by the desire to make Krsna’s life successful and happy. Her sweet, loving mood (madhurya) was so strong that it completely covered Krsna’s opulence (aisvarya). She was not thinking that Krsna is God, but that He is only her beloved son.
Srila Gurudeva then described the five types of devotees and devotion. As I looked around at the audience, I could see that everyone present was listening with rapt attention. It was quite amazing to witness how, by his powerful harikatha, he so quickly captured their hearts, which is part of his process for loosening the knot of material attachment.
The next morning, as we were all sitting in the airport waiting to board the plane for Janakapura, torrents of heavy rain began to fall. I began to wonder if the airline staff would allow us to take off in such terrible weather. Miraculously, just before we boarded the plane, the rays of sunshine began to push their way past the dark clouds and the rain stopped. After we were all seated comfortably on the plane, I was surprised to see that the sky had turned pale blue Suryadeva, the Sun-god, was bathing everyone with his warm rays.
When we arrived in Janakapura, Srila Gurudeva told the Mahant at Sri Sri Sita-Rama’s temple complex how he had prayed to Sita-devi to ask Indradeva, the god of the rains, to stop the rain, and by Her mercy he did so. The Mahant, who treated Srila Gurudeva with the utmost respect, replied, “How could Janaki ignore a prayer from you? Your arrival has brought us so much auspiciousness.”
Janaka Pura, The wedding hall next to the Mandir. This is where Lord Ramacandra and Srimati Sita Thakurani's wedding ceremony was performed.
Circumambulating Sri Sri Sita-Rama, along with six sages, in the Lord's wedding hall.
Outside the wedding hall there are four small kutirs, one in every corner. In each one there is one pair - Lord Ramacandra and Srimati Sita Thakurani, then Sri Satrughna and his consort Srimati Srutakirthi, then Sri Laxmana and his consort Srimati Urmila, and finally Sri Bharata and his consort Srimati Mandhati.
Srila Gurudeva then proceeded to the main temple where Sri Sri Sita-Rama were being worshiped. We circumambulated the main temple, stopping at a smaller temple of Janak Maharaja and Queen Sunayana.
Worshipping Lord Ramacandra and Srimati Sita Thakurani
When we finished our parikrama, the Mahant invited us for prasadam. The prasadam hall was up a steep flight of stairs, so Srila Gurudeva stayed outside and sent the rest of us upstairs to take prasadam.
After some moments the Mahant came to Srila Gurudeva and begged him to come upstairs so that he could show him “something very special.” To please the Mahant, who had treated Srila Gurudeva and all the devotees with so much honor, he obliged and was carried by the devotees up the steep stairway.
The Mahant took us to a large room which housed over 125,000 salagram silas, which was really an amazing sight.
The Mahant is showing Srila Gurudeva the 125,000 silas - mostly covered by the white cloth - in the main Mandir in Janakapura.
The Mahant shows Srila Gurudeva the goracana covered with red powder.
Srila Gurudeva was seated in a room next to the prasadam hall, and the Mahant brought what looked like a small pebble covered by red powder. He explained that it was gorocana from the hoof of a cow, and a pearl from the head of an elephant, both of which are produced by rainfall during the auspicious stellar constellation called svati-naksatra. We all gathered around, fascinated.
I cannot speculate on the deep moods in which Srila Gurudeva was immersed in on that day. I do not have the good fortune to understand all these things. I do know that I felt very privileged to accompany him on such a journey. I had the great opportunity that day to observe a very remarkable, humble, merciful, soft personality who was filled with devotion for his worshipful Lord and full of compassion for those souls who are suffering in separation from the Soul of their soul. Although all tattva (established philosophical truth) is manifest in the heart of our beloved Srila Gurudeva, still, he listened to the words of the Mahant with humility and interest, treating him with respect and kindness.
The Mahant was quite moved, and when Srila Gurudeva offered him daksina, he refused to take it. At one point, when some beggars were trying to disturb Srila Gurudeva, he calmly told Sripad Madhava Maharaja to give them some rupees. I never saw him get angry or frustrated.
After taking prasadam, a small group of us accompanied Srila Gurudeva to Dhanush-dharma, where one part of the bow that Lord Rama broke can still be seen in the form of a large stone which grows one mustard seed in size every day.
Darsan of the bow that was broken by Lord Rama
The next day, in his final class, Srila Gurudeva briefly explained the Tenth Canto Srimad-Bhagavatam and ended with narrations of the glories of the Vraja gopis, and especially the glories of Srimati Radhika.
About twenty-five people took initiation, and from the family of Ramacandra Prabhu, the organizer of the festival, another fifteen people. As always, the local devotees were left with a mixture of happiness and sadness when Srila Gurudeva departed, happy that he had blessed them by visiting their country, but also sad to see him leave so soon.
The highlight of this trip for me was to witness Srila Gurudeva’s good qualities, and to see him in such a relaxed atmosphere distributing his smile and mercy to all. The thought came to me that it is not possible for an ordinary person to manifest such exalted behavior. We are all so fortunate to be accepted by such a personality.
Returning to Katmandu
Sri Sri Guru Gauranga Jayatah!
(Pictures courtesy of Savitri dasi)
--
Next >
Last Updated on Thursday, 24 September 2009
© Syamarani dasi
A Trip to Nepal Sita Devi`s Birthplace
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A Trip to Nepal
Thursday, 24 September 2009
August 17-23, 2009
[Respected Harikatha Readers, Please accept our humble obeisances. All glories to Sri Guru and Gauranga. On August 17, 2009, Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayana Gosvami Maharaja and his party traveled from Delhi to Nepal for a five-day Harikatha festival. The following is a report on the events of that festival, written by Srila Maharaja’s disciple, Sulata dasi of Vrndavana. To view movie clips from Nepal, please visit www.purebhakti.tv]
Since his childhood, Srila Gurudeva had nurtured a strong desire to visit Janakapura (in Nepal), because this is where Sita-devi lived with her father Janaka Maharaja and her mother Queen Sunayana. This is also where Her marriage and other wonderful pastimes took place. Before meeting his Guru Maharaja, Srila Bhakti Prajnana Kesava Gosvami Maharaja, Srila Gurudeva worshiped Sri Sri Sita-Rama with great love and devotion. As you can imagine, this was a very special trip for him.
In the beginning of his first discourse, Srila Gurudeva explained that although he has circled the globe many times preaching Sanatana-dharma in countries like Australia, Brazil, England, America, and all over Europe, he had never been to Janakapura. Now, by the assistance of Somnath prabhu, he would be boarding a plane to go there on the 20th morning.
Left: Katmandu, at the City Cultural Center where the two-day program was held.
During his discourse, Srila Gurudeva explained the perils of living in Kali-yuga and the means to escape them. He said that nowadays most people labor to accumulate wealth and acquire a good position, but these things do not benefit the soul. Monetary earnings cannot help the soul. Everyone is thinking, “I am this body,” but this is a false idea. Our real identity is the soul within the body. Both Paramatma (the Supersoul) and the atma (individual soul) reside together within the body. The atma is like the passenger and the Paramatma is like the charioteer. Most people do not understand these truths because they have forgotten Krsna.
These days, if a wife does not please her husband’s senses or vice versa, they divorce and get a new partner. They do not care how much pain their actions cause their children.
Then Srila Gurudeva posed the question, “How can we solve the problems we face in Kali-yuga?” He then answered that one should take full shelter of Sri Guru, continuously serve him, try to give up all material attachments, and develop love for Krsna. These are our topmost duties, and by carrying out these duties we will receive Krsna’s causeless mercy.
He said that one should understand and have faith that all sastras (Vedic scriptures), including Srimad-Bhagavatam, reside within Sad-Guru, the bona fide Guru.
By serving and associating with that type of Guru, we will get bhakti. What kind of bhakti do we want?
anyabhilasita-sunyam
jnana-karmady-anavitam
anukulyena krsnanu-
silanam bhaktir uttama
["The cultivation of activities that are meant exclusively for the pleasure of Sri Krsna, or in other words the uninterrupted flow of service to Sri Krsna, performed through all endeavours of the body, mind and speech, and through the expression of various spiritual sentiments (bhavas), which is not covered by jnana (knowledge aimed at impersonal liberation) and karma (reward-seeking activity), and which is devoid of all desires other than the aspiration to bring happiness to Sri Krsna, is called uttama-bhakti, pure devotional service." (Sri Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu 1.1.11)]
He explained in simple words the meaning of this verse. All sastras recommend that one have an uninterrupted devotional mood and that all of one’s activity should be performed with the aim of pleasing Krsna and Sri Guru. To illustrate this point, He very narrated the pastime in which Mother Yasoda threatened to hit Krsna with a stick because she wanted Him to stop stealing butter.
To clear away any confusion in the minds and hearts of the listeners, he explained that although externally Krsna was crying, within Himself He was feeling great pleasure from hearing His mother call Him a thief for stealing the butter. Mother Yasoda was thinking “He is only a small boy. He is not stealing anything more valuable than butter. Still, if I don’t punish Him now, He may become a big dacoit in the future.” This ‘punishment’ was accepted by Krsna as uttama-bhakti, or pure bhakti, because Mother Yasoda’s actions were motivated by the desire to make Krsna’s life successful and happy. Her sweet, loving mood (madhurya) was so strong that it completely covered Krsna’s opulence (aisvarya). She was not thinking that Krsna is God, but that He is only her beloved son.
Srila Gurudeva then described the five types of devotees and devotion. As I looked around at the audience, I could see that everyone present was listening with rapt attention. It was quite amazing to witness how, by his powerful harikatha, he so quickly captured their hearts, which is part of his process for loosening the knot of material attachment.
The next morning, as we were all sitting in the airport waiting to board the plane for Janakapura, torrents of heavy rain began to fall. I began to wonder if the airline staff would allow us to take off in such terrible weather. Miraculously, just before we boarded the plane, the rays of sunshine began to push their way past the dark clouds and the rain stopped. After we were all seated comfortably on the plane, I was surprised to see that the sky had turned pale blue Suryadeva, the Sun-god, was bathing everyone with his warm rays.
When we arrived in Janakapura, Srila Gurudeva told the Mahant at Sri Sri Sita-Rama’s temple complex how he had prayed to Sita-devi to ask Indradeva, the god of the rains, to stop the rain, and by Her mercy he did so. The Mahant, who treated Srila Gurudeva with the utmost respect, replied, “How could Janaki ignore a prayer from you? Your arrival has brought us so much auspiciousness.”
Janaka Pura, The wedding hall next to the Mandir. This is where Lord Ramacandra and Srimati Sita Thakurani's wedding ceremony was performed.
Circumambulating Sri Sri Sita-Rama, along with six sages, in the Lord's wedding hall.
Outside the wedding hall there are four small kutirs, one in every corner. In each one there is one pair - Lord Ramacandra and Srimati Sita Thakurani, then Sri Satrughna and his consort Srimati Srutakirthi, then Sri Laxmana and his consort Srimati Urmila, and finally Sri Bharata and his consort Srimati Mandhati.
Srila Gurudeva then proceeded to the main temple where Sri Sri Sita-Rama were being worshiped. We circumambulated the main temple, stopping at a smaller temple of Janak Maharaja and Queen Sunayana.
Worshipping Lord Ramacandra and Srimati Sita Thakurani
When we finished our parikrama, the Mahant invited us for prasadam. The prasadam hall was up a steep flight of stairs, so Srila Gurudeva stayed outside and sent the rest of us upstairs to take prasadam.
After some moments the Mahant came to Srila Gurudeva and begged him to come upstairs so that he could show him “something very special.” To please the Mahant, who had treated Srila Gurudeva and all the devotees with so much honor, he obliged and was carried by the devotees up the steep stairway.
The Mahant took us to a large room which housed over 125,000 salagram silas, which was really an amazing sight.
The Mahant is showing Srila Gurudeva the 125,000 silas - mostly covered by the white cloth - in the main Mandir in Janakapura.
The Mahant shows Srila Gurudeva the goracana covered with red powder.
Srila Gurudeva was seated in a room next to the prasadam hall, and the Mahant brought what looked like a small pebble covered by red powder. He explained that it was gorocana from the hoof of a cow, and a pearl from the head of an elephant, both of which are produced by rainfall during the auspicious stellar constellation called svati-naksatra. We all gathered around, fascinated.
I cannot speculate on the deep moods in which Srila Gurudeva was immersed in on that day. I do not have the good fortune to understand all these things. I do know that I felt very privileged to accompany him on such a journey. I had the great opportunity that day to observe a very remarkable, humble, merciful, soft personality who was filled with devotion for his worshipful Lord and full of compassion for those souls who are suffering in separation from the Soul of their soul. Although all tattva (established philosophical truth) is manifest in the heart of our beloved Srila Gurudeva, still, he listened to the words of the Mahant with humility and interest, treating him with respect and kindness.
The Mahant was quite moved, and when Srila Gurudeva offered him daksina, he refused to take it. At one point, when some beggars were trying to disturb Srila Gurudeva, he calmly told Sripad Madhava Maharaja to give them some rupees. I never saw him get angry or frustrated.
After taking prasadam, a small group of us accompanied Srila Gurudeva to Dhanush-dharma, where one part of the bow that Lord Rama broke can still be seen in the form of a large stone which grows one mustard seed in size every day.
Darsan of the bow that was broken by Lord Rama
The next day, in his final class, Srila Gurudeva briefly explained the Tenth Canto Srimad-Bhagavatam and ended with narrations of the glories of the Vraja gopis, and especially the glories of Srimati Radhika.
About twenty-five people took initiation, and from the family of Ramacandra Prabhu, the organizer of the festival, another fifteen people. As always, the local devotees were left with a mixture of happiness and sadness when Srila Gurudeva departed, happy that he had blessed them by visiting their country, but also sad to see him leave so soon.
The highlight of this trip for me was to witness Srila Gurudeva’s good qualities, and to see him in such a relaxed atmosphere distributing his smile and mercy to all. The thought came to me that it is not possible for an ordinary person to manifest such exalted behavior. We are all so fortunate to be accepted by such a personality.
Returning to Katmandu
Sri Sri Guru Gauranga Jayatah!
(Pictures courtesy of Savitri dasi)
--
Next >
Last Updated on Thursday, 24 September 2009
© Syamarani dasi
A Trip to Nepal
Thursday, 24 September 2009
August 17-23, 2009
[Respected Harikatha Readers, Please accept our humble obeisances. All glories to Sri Guru and Gauranga. On August 17, 2009, Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayana Gosvami Maharaja and his party traveled from Delhi to Nepal for a five-day Harikatha festival. The following is a report on the events of that festival, written by Srila Maharaja’s disciple, Sulata dasi of Vrndavana. To view movie clips from Nepal, please visit www.purebhakti.tv]
Since his childhood, Srila Gurudeva had nurtured a strong desire to visit Janakapura (in Nepal), because this is where Sita-devi lived with her father Janaka Maharaja and her mother Queen Sunayana. This is also where Her marriage and other wonderful pastimes took place. Before meeting his Guru Maharaja, Srila Bhakti Prajnana Kesava Gosvami Maharaja, Srila Gurudeva worshiped Sri Sri Sita-Rama with great love and devotion. As you can imagine, this was a very special trip for him.
In the beginning of his first discourse, Srila Gurudeva explained that although he has circled the globe many times preaching Sanatana-dharma in countries like Australia, Brazil, England, America, and all over Europe, he had never been to Janakapura. Now, by the assistance of Somnath prabhu, he would be boarding a plane to go there on the 20th morning.
Left: Katmandu, at the City Cultural Center where the two-day program was held.
During his discourse, Srila Gurudeva explained the perils of living in Kali-yuga and the means to escape them. He said that nowadays most people labor to accumulate wealth and acquire a good position, but these things do not benefit the soul. Monetary earnings cannot help the soul. Everyone is thinking, “I am this body,” but this is a false idea. Our real identity is the soul within the body. Both Paramatma (the Supersoul) and the atma (individual soul) reside together within the body. The atma is like the passenger and the Paramatma is like the charioteer. Most people do not understand these truths because they have forgotten Krsna.
These days, if a wife does not please her husband’s senses or vice versa, they divorce and get a new partner. They do not care how much pain their actions cause their children.
Then Srila Gurudeva posed the question, “How can we solve the problems we face in Kali-yuga?” He then answered that one should take full shelter of Sri Guru, continuously serve him, try to give up all material attachments, and develop love for Krsna. These are our topmost duties, and by carrying out these duties we will receive Krsna’s causeless mercy.
He said that one should understand and have faith that all sastras (Vedic scriptures), including Srimad-Bhagavatam, reside within Sad-Guru, the bona fide Guru.
By serving and associating with that type of Guru, we will get bhakti. What kind of bhakti do we want?
anyabhilasita-sunyam
jnana-karmady-anavitam
anukulyena krsnanu-
silanam bhaktir uttama
["The cultivation of activities that are meant exclusively for the pleasure of Sri Krsna, or in other words the uninterrupted flow of service to Sri Krsna, performed through all endeavours of the body, mind and speech, and through the expression of various spiritual sentiments (bhavas), which is not covered by jnana (knowledge aimed at impersonal liberation) and karma (reward-seeking activity), and which is devoid of all desires other than the aspiration to bring happiness to Sri Krsna, is called uttama-bhakti, pure devotional service." (Sri Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu 1.1.11)]
He explained in simple words the meaning of this verse. All sastras recommend that one have an uninterrupted devotional mood and that all of one’s activity should be performed with the aim of pleasing Krsna and Sri Guru. To illustrate this point, He very narrated the pastime in which Mother Yasoda threatened to hit Krsna with a stick because she wanted Him to stop stealing butter.
To clear away any confusion in the minds and hearts of the listeners, he explained that although externally Krsna was crying, within Himself He was feeling great pleasure from hearing His mother call Him a thief for stealing the butter. Mother Yasoda was thinking “He is only a small boy. He is not stealing anything more valuable than butter. Still, if I don’t punish Him now, He may become a big dacoit in the future.” This ‘punishment’ was accepted by Krsna as uttama-bhakti, or pure bhakti, because Mother Yasoda’s actions were motivated by the desire to make Krsna’s life successful and happy. Her sweet, loving mood (madhurya) was so strong that it completely covered Krsna’s opulence (aisvarya). She was not thinking that Krsna is God, but that He is only her beloved son.
Srila Gurudeva then described the five types of devotees and devotion. As I looked around at the audience, I could see that everyone present was listening with rapt attention. It was quite amazing to witness how, by his powerful harikatha, he so quickly captured their hearts, which is part of his process for loosening the knot of material attachment.
The next morning, as we were all sitting in the airport waiting to board the plane for Janakapura, torrents of heavy rain began to fall. I began to wonder if the airline staff would allow us to take off in such terrible weather. Miraculously, just before we boarded the plane, the rays of sunshine began to push their way past the dark clouds and the rain stopped. After we were all seated comfortably on the plane, I was surprised to see that the sky had turned pale blue Suryadeva, the Sun-god, was bathing everyone with his warm rays.
When we arrived in Janakapura, Srila Gurudeva told the Mahant at Sri Sri Sita-Rama’s temple complex how he had prayed to Sita-devi to ask Indradeva, the god of the rains, to stop the rain, and by Her mercy he did so. The Mahant, who treated Srila Gurudeva with the utmost respect, replied, “How could Janaki ignore a prayer from you? Your arrival has brought us so much auspiciousness.”
Janaka Pura, The wedding hall next to the Mandir. This is where Lord Ramacandra and Srimati Sita Thakurani's wedding ceremony was performed.
Circumambulating Sri Sri Sita-Rama, along with six sages, in the Lord's wedding hall.
Outside the wedding hall there are four small kutirs, one in every corner. In each one there is one pair - Lord Ramacandra and Srimati Sita Thakurani, then Sri Satrughna and his consort Srimati Srutakirthi, then Sri Laxmana and his consort Srimati Urmila, and finally Sri Bharata and his consort Srimati Mandhati.
Srila Gurudeva then proceeded to the main temple where Sri Sri Sita-Rama were being worshiped. We circumambulated the main temple, stopping at a smaller temple of Janak Maharaja and Queen Sunayana.
Worshipping Lord Ramacandra and Srimati Sita Thakurani
When we finished our parikrama, the Mahant invited us for prasadam. The prasadam hall was up a steep flight of stairs, so Srila Gurudeva stayed outside and sent the rest of us upstairs to take prasadam.
After some moments the Mahant came to Srila Gurudeva and begged him to come upstairs so that he could show him “something very special.” To please the Mahant, who had treated Srila Gurudeva and all the devotees with so much honor, he obliged and was carried by the devotees up the steep stairway.
The Mahant took us to a large room which housed over 125,000 salagram silas, which was really an amazing sight.
The Mahant is showing Srila Gurudeva the 125,000 silas - mostly covered by the white cloth - in the main Mandir in Janakapura.
The Mahant shows Srila Gurudeva the goracana covered with red powder.
Srila Gurudeva was seated in a room next to the prasadam hall, and the Mahant brought what looked like a small pebble covered by red powder. He explained that it was gorocana from the hoof of a cow, and a pearl from the head of an elephant, both of which are produced by rainfall during the auspicious stellar constellation called svati-naksatra. We all gathered around, fascinated.
I cannot speculate on the deep moods in which Srila Gurudeva was immersed in on that day. I do not have the good fortune to understand all these things. I do know that I felt very privileged to accompany him on such a journey. I had the great opportunity that day to observe a very remarkable, humble, merciful, soft personality who was filled with devotion for his worshipful Lord and full of compassion for those souls who are suffering in separation from the Soul of their soul. Although all tattva (established philosophical truth) is manifest in the heart of our beloved Srila Gurudeva, still, he listened to the words of the Mahant with humility and interest, treating him with respect and kindness.
The Mahant was quite moved, and when Srila Gurudeva offered him daksina, he refused to take it. At one point, when some beggars were trying to disturb Srila Gurudeva, he calmly told Sripad Madhava Maharaja to give them some rupees. I never saw him get angry or frustrated.
After taking prasadam, a small group of us accompanied Srila Gurudeva to Dhanush-dharma, where one part of the bow that Lord Rama broke can still be seen in the form of a large stone which grows one mustard seed in size every day.
Darsan of the bow that was broken by Lord Rama
The next day, in his final class, Srila Gurudeva briefly explained the Tenth Canto Srimad-Bhagavatam and ended with narrations of the glories of the Vraja gopis, and especially the glories of Srimati Radhika.
About twenty-five people took initiation, and from the family of Ramacandra Prabhu, the organizer of the festival, another fifteen people. As always, the local devotees were left with a mixture of happiness and sadness when Srila Gurudeva departed, happy that he had blessed them by visiting their country, but also sad to see him leave so soon.
The highlight of this trip for me was to witness Srila Gurudeva’s good qualities, and to see him in such a relaxed atmosphere distributing his smile and mercy to all. The thought came to me that it is not possible for an ordinary person to manifest such exalted behavior. We are all so fortunate to be accepted by such a personality.
Returning to Katmandu
Sri Sri Guru Gauranga Jayatah!
(Pictures courtesy of Savitri dasi)
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Last Updated on Thursday, 24 September 2009
© Syamarani dasi
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