Bhakti Vikasa Swami's Blog, page 110

August 20, 2022

The value of Srila Prabhupada’s books

Prabhupada: Who will understand this philosophy?

Tamala Krsna: Now with your books, the whole world may understand.

Prabhupada: Of course, we have made such attempt.

Tamala Krsna: People write that now they have got your books they are feeling actually alive for the first time. People write like that. They get so many letters, at the BBT, thanking them for giving these books. In all languages people are writing you like that. They feel grateful.

Prabhupada: Yes, I received directly such congratulations in the airport many times. Many times.

Tamala Krsna: People would come up to you.

Prabhupada: I think in Japan I have got. One European boy came. He came: “How you have got so much knowledge, sir?” [laughs] His inquiry was that. In Dum Dum Airport some gentleman came, Indian. The thing is, knowledge is there.

Morning Talk – June 27, 1977, Vrndavana

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Published on August 20, 2022 09:42

August 18, 2022

Srila Prabhupada conquered the world

Srila Prabhupada was telling that when He was a young man, that at an early age he was such a great businessman, pharmaceutical distribution, that already he had control of all of northern India. His horoscope foretold that Srila Prabhupada was destined to become as powerful and wealthy as Birla, and that the astrologers couldn’t understand how it didn’t happen. Srila Prabhupada said that it was because His Guru Maharaj didn’t let it happen. He induced Srila Prabhupada to take up spiritual life instead, and so now Srila Prabhupada is world famous as a spiritual leader instead of a big businessman. And his unparalleled organizational ability has now been dovetailed in Krishna’s service, as we can practically see how our beloved Srila Prabhupada is ‘conquering’ the world.

From a letter from Aravinda to Satsvarupa, 28 Nov 1970

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Published on August 18, 2022 19:25

A meditation for Janmastami

Krsna appears in this material world in His original eternal form, with two hands, holding a flute. He appears exactly in His eternal body, uncontaminated by this material world. Although He appears in the same transcendental body and is Lord of the universe, it still appears that He takes His birth like an ordinary living entity. And although His body does not deteriorate like a material body, it still appears that Lord Krsna grows from childhood to boyhood and from boyhood to youth. But astonishingly enough He never ages beyond youth. At the time of the Battle of Kuruksetra, He had many grandchildren at home; or, in other words, He had sufficiently aged by material calculations. Still He looked just like a young man twenty or twenty-five years old. We never see a picture of Krsna in old age because He never grows old like us, although He is the oldest person in the whole creation — past, present, and future. Neither His body nor His intelligence ever deteriorates or changes. Therefore, it is clear that in spite of His being in the material world, He is the same unborn, eternal form of bliss and knowledge, changeless in His transcendental body and intelligence.

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Bg 4.6

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Published on August 18, 2022 00:41

August 17, 2022

The center of all affection

Krsna is the center of all affection for all living creatures.

From Srila Prabhupada’s Krsna Book

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Published on August 17, 2022 02:38

August 16, 2022

The beauty of Krsna

Krsna is known as Madana-mohana because He conquers the mind of Cupid. He is also known as Madana-mohana due to His bestowing favors upon the damsels of Vraja and accepting their devotional service. After conquering Cupid’s pride, the Lord engages in the rasa dance as the new Cupid. He is also known as Madana-mohana because of His ability to conquer the minds of women with His five arrows of form, taste, smell, sound and touch. The pearls of the necklace hanging on Krsna’s neck are as white as ducks, and the peacock feather decorating His head is colored like a rainbow. His yellow garment is like lightning in the sky, and Krsna Himself is like a newly arrived cloud. The gopis are like food grains in the field, and when the cloud pours rain on those grains, it appears that Krsna is nourishing the hearts of the gopis by calling down His pastime rain of mercy. Indeed, ducks fly in the sky during the rainy season, and rainbows can also be seen at that time. Krsna freely moves among His friends as a cowherd boy in Vrndavana, and when He plays His flute, all living creatures, mobile and immobile, are overwhelmed with ecstasy. They quiver, and tears flow from their eyes.

From Teachings of Lord Caitanya, by Srila Prabhupada, Ch. 10: The Beauty of Krsna

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Published on August 16, 2022 00:16

August 15, 2022

Krsna is joyful

Krsna is joyful. I am part and parcel of Krsna; therefore I must be also joyful. That is natural. If my father is black, then I am also black. If my mother is black, I am also black. So our father, the supreme father Krsna, is joyful. Don’t you see Krsna’s attitude? Anywhere you see, Krsna is joyful. He is not engaged in some industrial work or in some heavy machine making. He is simply playing on His flute. You see? And Radharani is there. That is joyful nature.

From Srila Prabhupada’s lecture on Srimad-Bhagavatam 7.9.8 — Hawaii, March 21, 1969

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Published on August 15, 2022 01:38

August 14, 2022

Krsna phobia

Tamala Krsna: If you read that book, you have to know something about Krsna. Every page is about Krsna, every word. One professor complained that the trouble with your books is that everywhere you talk about Krsna. Even when Krsna’s name isn’t there, you put it there. [laughter]

Prabhupada: Krsna phobia. [laughs] And that is my idea. Let there be repeatedly the sounding, “Krsna, Krsna, Krsna.” Krsna krsna krsna krsna krsna krsna krsna he. They want to avoid it, [laughs] and I don’t allow.

Tamala Krsna: That reporter in Bombay complained against you that you had a one-track mind.

Prabhupada: Yes. They say, “Why you are stressing so much on Krsna?” And that is the only business.

Conversation Pieces – May 27, 1977, Vrndavana

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Published on August 14, 2022 04:15

August 12, 2022

Relieving Krsna’s pain

If there is little pain in the finger, I become so much disturbed because I have got intimate connection with this finger. Similarly, we have got intimate connection with Krsna, and we are fallen. Therefore Krsna also feels little pain, and therefore He comes down. Krsna is feeling pain. So you become Krsna conscious. Then Krsna will feel pleasure.

From Srila Prabhupada’s lecture on Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.7.7 — Vrndavana, April 24, 1975

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Published on August 12, 2022 22:37

No chance for liberation before Srila Prabhupada came

Hrdayananda: [translating] Is it possible to achieve liberation with other religious…

Prabhupada: There is no other religion except Krsna consciousness. All cheating religion. That is the… We discussed. Dharmah projjhita-kaitavah: “All cheating type of religion is rejected, kicked out.”

Hrdayananda: [translating] …in other words, until you have arrived here, there was no possibility of liberation for humanity?

Prabhupada: That you can judge. [laughter] If I say, it will be self-advertisement. But you are intelligent. You can judge. But I have not brought something invented by me. I have brought the Bhagavatam and Bhagavad-gita. That’s all.

(February 24, 1975, Caracas)

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Published on August 12, 2022 00:25

August 11, 2022

Balarama is so strong — who is stronger?

Prabhupada: Jaya Krsna-Balarama. Who has got strength like Balarama? Balarama, He can do everything by His strength. We are depending on Him, Balarama. He can please everyone, and He has got immense strength to do anything He likes. Jaya Krsna-Balarama.

Tamala Krsna: So Srila Prabhupada, you say that Balarama is so strong, but you have brought Balarama here, so you are stronger, I think.

Conversation – June 30, 1977, Vrndavana

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Published on August 11, 2022 00:20