Bhakti Vikasa Swami's Blog, page 127

Contradictory instructions

For our understanding it is sometimes said that the Lord is situated in the heart of the thief as well as in the heart of the householder, but the Supersoul in the heart of the thief dictates, “Go and steal things from that particular house,” and at the same time the Lord tells the householder, “Now be careful of thieves and burglars.” These instructions to different persons appear contradictory, yet we should know that the Supersoul, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, has some plan, and we should not consider such activities contradictory. The best course is to surrender unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead wholeheartedly, and, being protected by Him, remain peaceful.

Srila Prabhupada; SB 4.17.36, purport

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Krsna and Siva

The purusa who gives birth to these material varieties is Lord Siva, and the prakrti which gives birth to these varieties, that is Durga. Therefore the original prakrti and purusa is represented by siva-linga and devi pot. Those who are worshiper of siva-linga, they know the devi pot and the siva-linga, they are worshiped. The original father, Krsna, says, aham bija-pradah pita: “I am the seed-giving father.” Sarva-yonisu kaunteya sambhavanti murtayo yah [Bg 14.4]. There are varieties of forms of life. How they are being begotten? Krsna says, aham bija-pradah pita. That pita, father, is Lord Siva. When Krsna comes in touch with prakrti for giving birth of these varieties of forms of life, that is Siva.

Srila Prabhupada, Talk on Srimad-Bhagavatam 3.26.17 – December 26, 1974, Bombay

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Siva and Parvati’s house

Parvati, Shiva’s wife, never complained, but once she complained that she wanted a house to live in, since she had none. So Lord Shiva, to please her, gave her a golden house. Before they moved in they had, as is customary, an opening ceremony. Many rishis were called to conduct the ceremony. After the ceremony, it was customary that the Rishis be given a gift, or dakshina, mainly money. But Shiva didn’t have any money, and the only thing of any value he had there to give to the Rishi but the house, [sic] and so he gave it. Once again Parvati had to live under a tree, but she never complained again.

(Srila Prabhupada, quoted in a letter from Aravinda to Satsvarupa, 28 Nov 1970)

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In the association of pure devotees

In an assembly of pure devotees, there is no question of discussing material subjects like politics and sociology. In an assembly of pure devotees, there is discussion only of the qualities, forms and pastimes of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. He is praised and worshiped with full attention. In the association of pure devotees, by constantly hearing such topics respectfully, even a person who wants to merge into the existence of the Absolute Truth abandons this idea and gradually becomes attached to the service of Vasudeva.

SB 5.12.13, text; translation by Srila Prabhupada

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Greatest gain

By giving everything to the cause of the Lord, one does not lose anything, but he gains everything that he could never otherwise expect.

Srila Prabhupada, SB 2.7.17, ppt.

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Stealing from Krsna

Just like I give some carpenter some wood, some implement, and salary. And he makes a very nice, beautiful closet. To whom this closet will belong. To the carpenter, or the man who has supplied the ingredients? To whom it will belong? The carpenter cannot say that: ‘Because I have transformed this wood into such nice closet, it is mine.’ No. It is not yours. Similarly, who is supplying the ingredients, rascal? That is Krsna’s. Krsna says: bhumir apo ‘nalo vayuh kham mano buddhir eva…, prakrtir me astadha [Bg. 7.4]. ‘This is My property.’ You have not created this sea, the land, the sky, the fire, the air. It is not your creation. You can transform these material things, tejo-vari-mrdam vinimayah, by mixing and transforming. You take earth from the land, you take water from the sea and mix it and put it in the fire. It becomes a brick. And then you pile up all this brick and make a skyscraper building. But wherefrom you got this ingredient, rascal, that you are claiming this skyscraper yours? This is intelligent question. You have stolen the property of God, and you are claiming that it is your property. This is knowledge. This is knowledge… So those who are intoxicated, they cannot understand. They think: ‘It is my property. I have stolen, I have stolen this land of America from the Red Indians. Now it is my property.’ But he does not know that he’s a thief. He’s a thief. Stena eva sa ucyate [Bg. 3.12]. In the Bhagavad-gita. One who takes the property of God, and claims his own, he’s a thief.

Srila Prabhupada, Lecture on Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.8.26 – Los Angeles, April 18, 1973

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Varnasrama, demon-crazy, and the most dangerous person

Prabhupada: If you can introduce this system, varnasrama, then it will establish. No more change. This is a rascal’s government, this democracy.

Tamala Krsna: “Demoncracy.”

Prabhupada: “Demoncracy.”

Hari-sauri: “Demon-crazy.”

Prabhupada: “Demon-crazy.” [laughter] Demon and crazy. Not only demon… There are demons whose brain is all right, but they are crazy also.

Tamala Krsna: [laughing] Demon-crazy.

Prabhupada: And introduce books in the school, colleges, libraries — so nice books. There is no doubt about it, there is no such literature throughout the world.

Tamala Krsna: Gradually some of the people are beginning to understand what you’re up to, Srila Prabhupada. Some of these big demons in America especially, they are beginning to understand that you are the most dangerous personality in the world to them.

Conversation — February 25, 1977, Mayapur

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S.R. (Simply rascals)

Prabhupada made up a saying that those who didn’t take to Krsna consciousness were “simply rascals.” He said we should make up a button that says “S.R.” on it, and when we meet someone who doesn’t believe in God or Krsna, we can give them this button and say, “Here, you are S.R.” Sometimes Prabhupada referred to someone as an “S.R. Man.” This was our inside language.

From “Meeting Srila Prabhupada” by SDG

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Uniting Hindus and Muslims

In India, even in the interior villages, all the Hindu and Muslim communities used to live very peacefully by establishing a relationship between them. The young men called the elderly members of the village by the name caca or kaka, “uncle,” and men of the same age called each other dada, “brother.” The relationship was very friendly. There were even invitations from Muslim houses to Hindu houses and from Hindu houses to Muslim houses. Both the Hindus and the Muslims accepted the invitations to go to one another’s houses to attend ceremonial functions. Even until fifty or sixty years ago, the relationship between Hindus and Muslims was very friendly, and there were no disturbances. We do not find any Hindu-Muslim riots in the history of India, even during the days of the Muslims’ rule over the country. Conflict between Hindus and Muslims was created by polluted politicians, especially foreign rulers, and thus the situation gradually became so degraded that India was divided into Hindustan and Pakistan. Fortunately, the remedy to unite not only the Hindus and Muslims but all communities and all nations can still be implemented by the Hare Krsna movement on the strong basic platform of love of Godhead.

Srila Prabhupada’s purport to Cc Adi 17.148

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Rupa Gosvami, Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati, Srila Prabhupada; one line

My Guru Maharaja is described as rupanuga-viruddha-apasiddhanta-dhvanta-harine. He strictly followed the rupanuga principle. Rupanuga principle, Srila Rupa Gosvami directs in the Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu, “You somehow or other engage people in Krsna consciousness.”Yena tena prakarena manah krsne nivesayet, sarve vidhi-nisedha syur etayor eva kinkarah.

Just like in Europe and America, some of our friends criticize that “Swami Maharaja, he is not doing this, not doing that.” We are doing everything, but our main business is just to induce them to Krsna consciousness. That is the secret. You have to induce them. Then even there are some discrepancies in the rules and regulations, it does not matter. Rupa Gosvami says, sarve vidhi-nisedha syur etayor eva kinkarah. First of all, we must be Krsna conscious somehow or other. We must find out. It can be changed according to country, climate, and circumstances. But the result, we have to see by the result whether one has become Krsna conscious. That is wanted. That is wanted. Then we say that this is the rule: you don’t do this, we don’t do this. In the beginning we have many difficulties. Because their behavior, their culture, everything [is] just opposite. Just opposite. How you can expect [that] everything [is] to the right point? That is not possible. So we have to find out means how he becomes Krsna conscious. That is my first business. So that is the secret.

So Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Gosvami followed strictly Rupa Gosvami. Just like Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Gosvami introduced that a sannyasi should go for begging alms in motorcar. In motorcar! They should live in palatial buildings. Now if in this age if we follow that rupanuga… Srila Rupa Gosvami used to live underneath a tree, and if we say now we shall also imitate…, just like there are many babajis in Vrndavana, they are imitating, a small loincloth but doing all nonsense. So imitation is not required. Real thing is required. How, what is the purpose of Gosvami? They say that yena tena prakarena manah krsne. Somehow or other first of all engage him in Krsna consciousness. That is my Guru Maharaja’s gift. He first of all started that there is no need of going to Vrndavana and imitate the Gosvamis. Live in big, big cities, in big, big palatial houses, but preach Krsna consciousness. People may understand. Give chance to the people how they will understand Krsna consciousness…

He [Srila Sarasvati Thakura] opened many centers. Similarly, in big, big cities. So we are doing that. And because we are following strictly the principles of Rupa Gosvami, rupanuga, therefore it is somehow or other coming out very successful. The Krsna consciousness movement should be pushed according to the rupanuga principle.

[Srila Prabhupada; Srimad-Bhagavatam lecture, March 1972, Calcutta]

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