Bhakti Vikasa Swami's Blog, page 103
October 31, 2022
Spiritual Master and Krishna: two parallel lines
The Spiritual Master and Krishna are two parallel lines. The train, on two tracks, moves forward. The Spiritual Master and Krishna are like these two tracks, they must be served simultaneously. Krishna helps one to find bona fide Spiritual Master, and bona fide Spiritual Master helps one to understand Krishna. If one does not get bona fide Spiritual Master, then how he can ever understand Krishna? You cannot serve Krishna without Spiritual Master, or serve just Spiritual Master without serving Krishna. They must be served simultaneously.
From Srila Prabhupada’s letter to Mahapurusa — Los Angeles 12 February, 1968
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October 30, 2022
Spiritual & material dancing
Krsna is dancing, and every living entity is also dancing, but there is a difference between the dancing in the spiritual world and that in the material world. This is expressed by the author of the Caitanya-caritamrta, who says that the master dancer is Krsna and everyone else is His servant. Everyone is trying to imitate Krsna’s dancing. Those who are actually in Krsna consciousness respond rightly to the dancing of Krsna: they do not try to dance independently. But those in the material world try to imitate Krsna as the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The living entities are dancing under the direction of Krsna’s maya and are thinking that they are equal to Krsna.
But this is not a fact. In Krsna consciousness, this misconception is absent, for a person in Krsna consciousness knows that Krsna is the supreme master and everyone else is His servant. One has to dance to please Krsna, not to imitate or attempt to become equal to the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The gopis wanted to please Krsna, and therefore as Krsna sang, they responded and encouraged Him by saying “Well done! Well done!” Sometimes they presented beautiful music for His pleasure, and He responded by praising their singing.
From Srila Prabhupada’s Krsna Book, ch. 33: Description of the Rasa Dance
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October 29, 2022
Srila Prabhupada, back home in Vrndavana
Now I have come back to my home, Vrndavana. If anything should go wrong, at least I will be here in Vrndavana. Vrndavana is for residence, Bombay is office for organization, and Mayapur is for worship of the Supreme Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu.
From Srila Prabhupada’s letter to Gurukrpa — Vrndavana, 18 May, 1977
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October 28, 2022
The gopis’ love of Krsna
As far as the gopis of Vrndavana were concerned, from the very beginning of their lives they did not know anything beyond Krsna. Krsna and Balarama were their life and soul. The gopis were so attached to Krsna that they could not tolerate not seeing Him even momentarily when their eyelids blinked and impeded their vision. They condemned Brahma, the creator of the body, because he foolishly made eyelids which blinked and checked their seeing Krsna.
From Srila Prabhupada’s Krsna Book, ch. 82: Lord Krsna and Balarama Meet the Inhabitants of Vrndavana
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October 26, 2022
Careful of dhamaparadha
Namnad balad yasya hi papa-buddhih. “I am living in Vrndavana. Oh, it is dhama, so let me do all nonsense. It will be counteracted.” They’ll be these cats and dogs and monkeys in Vrndavana. Dhamaparadha. Dhamaparadha. Of course, Vrndavana’s influence will be there, but at least one life he has to become the hog and dog in Vrndavana. Then next life he’ll be… Because as soon as he becomes animal, there is no scope of unlimited committing sinful life. Animals are restricted. They can commit one kind of sinful life. That, the human being, because he is very intelligent, he commits unlimited duration of sinful life. That is another danger. So one who commits this sinful life in Vrndavana, remember, he has to become next life cats and dogs. There, as you see, there are many dogs, hogs. But still, Vrndavana-dhama is so powerful that next life he will get salvation, even if he has become dogs and hogs. But that is not good. Why should we act in such a way that in Vrndavana-dhama we shall commit sinful life and become a cats and dogs? Jaya jaya vrndavanavasi yata jana. We should be careful. We should be careful, especially in dhama, dhamaparadha.
From Srila Prabhupada’s lecture on Srimad-Bhagavatam 7.6.4 — December 5, 1975, Vrndavana
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The Vraja-vasis recall Krishna lifting Govardhana
Let Krishna, who is so kind, beautiful and merciful, protect us. When angry Indra sent torrents of rain, accompanied by showers of ice blocks and high wind, He immediately took compassion upon us and saved us and our families, cows and valuable possessions by picking up the Govardhana Hill, just like a child picks up a mushroom. He saved us so wonderfully. May He continue to mercifully glance over us and our cows. May we live peacefully under the protection of wonderful Krishna.
(Krishna Book, Chapter 26, Wonderful Krishna)
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October 24, 2022
We can go to the spiritual world
So if we take it very seriously, then we become gradually advanced and eligible or fit candidate to go into the spiritual world — divyad-vrndaranya-kalpa-drumadhah. We can go there. That is wanted. Be serious. Don’t be misled by the allurement of maya. Remain strong. And then, in this life, you’ll be able to become fit candidate to go back to home, back to Godhead. Divyad-vrndaranya-kalpa-drumadhah. You’ll also be one of the associates of Krsna, as you desire. Krsna will give you the opportunity to serve Him as you desire. If you want to serve Him as a gopi, you’ll get that position. If you want to serve Him as cowherds boyfriend, you’ll get that opportunity. If you want to serve Krsna following the footsteps of mother Yasoda, accepting Krsna as your son, you’ll get it. You have to follow how they are loving Krsna. You have to learn that. Then you’ll get the chance of Krsna’s association.
From Srila Prabhupada’s lecture on Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, Adi-lila 1.16 — Mayapur, April 9, 1975
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October 23, 2022
Desirable madness in Vrndavana life
That madness wanted. Yugayitam nimesena: one moment appears to be one yuga. One yuga means twelve years. So yugayitam nimesena caksusa pravrsayitam. Crying. There is tears in the eyes like the torrents of rain. Yugayitam nimesena caksusa… Sunyayitam jagat sarvam: “I feel the whole world is vacant.” Why? Govinda-virahena me. This madness is wanted, without Govinda; that madness. So that madness fully exhibited in Vrndavana by the gopis. They were mad after Krsna. When Krsna left Vrndavana, went to Mathura, they became so mad that they had no other business than caksusa pravrsayitam, simply crying torrents of rain. That is wanted. That is Vrndavana life.
(Srila Prabhupada, speaking in Vrndavana; September 10, 1976)
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Surabhi cows
Surabhi cows are generally found on the Vaikuntha planets. As described in Brahma-samhita, Lord Krsna, on His planet, Goloka Vrndavana, engages in tending the surabhi cows (surabhir abhipalayantam [Bs. 5.29]). These cows are the Lord’s pet animals. From the surabhi cows one can take as much milk as one needs, and one may milk these cows as many times as he desires. In other words, the surabhi cow can yield milk unlimitedly. Milk is necessary for the performance of yajna. Sages know how to use milk to elevate human society to the perfection of life. Cow protection is recommended everywhere in the sastras.
From Srila Prabhupada’s purport to SB 8.8.2
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October 21, 2022
Meeting and separation of Krsna and the gopis
The spontaneous attraction of Sri Krsna for His dearest parts and parcels generates an enthusiasm that obliges Sri Krsna and the gopis to meet together. To celebrate this transcendental enthusiasm, there is need of a sentiment of separation between the lover and beloved. In the condition of material tribulation, no one wants the pangs of separation. But in the transcendental form, the very same separation, being absolute in its nature, strengthens the ties of love and enhances the desire of the lover and beloved to meet. The period of separation, evaluated transcendentally, is more relishable than the actual meeting, which lacks the feelings of increasing anticipation because the lover and beloved are both present.
From Srila Prabhupada’s purport to Cc Adi 4.31
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