Bhakti Vikasa Swami's Blog, page 138

Careful even in Vrndavana

So we should be very careful that even in Vrndavana, if we miss the point, if we are attached to something, then we have to accept another life, either as beast or tree. Of course, the chance will be given to become a tree and beast in Vrndavana. That is also profitable, because next life he’s going back to home, back to Godhead. But why should we waste another life in this way?

So krsna-nama rupe-avatara. So we should respect chanting of Hare Krsna mantra with very care, carefulness, cautious so that we may not commit any offense. Then your business is successful. Namnad balad yasya hi papa-buddhih. If somebody thinks that “I am living in Vrndavana. I am chanting Hare Krsna mantra. So if I do something sinful, what it will do…?” Eka nama, krsna-name yata papa kare, papi haya tata papa karite naraya [Prema-vivarta]. “So what sinful I am doing? A little sinful…”

Yes, little sinful will be excused, but if it is done not willingly. But if you commit sinful activities willingly, daily, then you’ll be punished. That is laws of nature. Even if you are bhakta. You’ll be given chance, but you’ll have to be punished.

So therefore we must be very careful. We are chanting Hare Krsna mantra means dealing with Krsna directly. Therefore we must be very careful, cautious, respectful. Then it is nice, it is success.

From Srila Prabhupada’s lecture on The Nectar of Devotion — October 31, 1972, Vrndavana

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To whom does Krishna award benediction?

Krishna is pleased to award benediction upon the aspiring devotee engaged in His service with patience determination and regularity.

(From Srila Prabhupada’s letter to Citsukhananda — Gorakhpur 21 February 1971)

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Respectful to Vrndavana

As Krsna, the Brajendra-nandana Hari Krsna, as He is worshipable, similarly His dhama is worshipable.

We should be very much respectful to Vrndavana dhama; otherwise we’ll be offender, dhamaparadha. Dhamaparadha. If we remain in Vrndavana we should know that we are living with Krsna. And how much we should be cautious, how much we should be careful if we are actually understand what is dhama. Dhama is also Krsna. If in the dhama we commit sinful activities, then we are, what is called, suiciding, committing suicide. It is a fact.

You know the story of Yamala-Arjuna. So they were given the place in the dhama, Vrndavana-dhama, as a tree, but they had to waste time for so many hundreds years. Although there is guarantee, anyone who is in dhama, he’ll get the shelter of the lotus feet of Krsna, but not… Why should we waste your time to become a tree or a monkey or a hog or a dog? Don’t waste. You should be very careful. Don’t commit any offense in the dhama. Then one life is sufficient to go back to home, back to Godhead. Tyaktva deham punar janma naiti mam eti kaun… [Bg 4.9].

If you actually live in Vrndavana carefully, without committing any offense and sinful life, then in this life you are going to Krsna. Krsna says, janma karma me divyam yo janati tattvatah. To live in Vrndavana means to know Krsna — how He appeared there, how He played here, how He executed His pastimes here. Janma karma divyam. These are all celestial, all transcendental. Jaya radha-madhava kunja-vihari.

So this is Vrndavana life of Krsna. So if we know Krsna, tattvatah… This tattvatah we discussed this morning.

manusyanam sahasresu
kascid yatati siddhaye
yatatam api siddhanam
kascit vetti mam tattvatah
[Bg 7.3]

So those who are living in Vrndavana, they should try to understand Krsna tattvatah. That is their business. Not that take advantage of Vrndavana and make some anyabhilasa, jnana-karma. No. That means we are wasting time. You’ll get the chance, because you have come to Vrndavana. Vrndavana’s so powerful. But if we commit offense and sinful activities, it will be delayed.

From Srila Prabhupada’s lecture on The Nectar of Devotion — October 31, 1972, Vrndavana

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The perfection of Krsna consciousness

It is stated in Srinivasacarya’s prayer to the Six Gosvamis that they left the material opulences of government service and the princely status of life and went to Vrndavana, where they lived just like ordinary mendicants, begging from door to door. But they were so much enriched with the gopis‘ feelings of separation that they enjoyed transcendental pleasure at every moment. Similarly, when Lord Caitanya was at Jagannatha Puri, He was in the role of Radharani, feeling separation from Krsna. Those who are in the disciplic succession of the Madhva-Gaudiya-sampradaya should always feel separation from Krsna, worship His transcendental form and discuss His transcendental teachings, His pastimes, His qualities, His entourage and His association. That will enrich the devotees to the highest devotional perfection. Feeling constant separation while engaged in the service of theLord is the perfection of Krsna consciousness.

From Srila Prabhupada’s Krsna Book

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Loving Krsna’s dog

Your next question is, should we love Krishna or love the spiritual master: You cannot go to Krishna directly, loving Him. It is common sense that if Krishna is the object of your love, His pet dog is also the object of your love. Friends meet friends and if the friend is with his dog the gentleman pats his dog first, is it not? So the man becomes automatically pleased, his dog being patted. I have seen it in your country. The conclusion is this: Without pleasing the spiritual master he cannot please Krishna. If anyone tries to please Krishna directly, he’s fool number one.

From Srila Prabhupada’s letter to Tusta Krsna — Ahmedabad 14 December, 1972

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The body is meant for disappearance

If death takes place, let it take here. So there is nothing to be said new. Whatever I have to speak, I have spoken in my books. Now you try to understand it and continue your endeavor. Whether I am present or not present, it doesn’t matter. As Krsna is living eternally, similarly, living being also lives eternally. But kirtir yasya sa jivati: “One who has done service to the Lord lives forever.” So you have been taught to serve Krsna, and with Krsna we’ll live eternally. Our life is eternal. Na hanyate hanyamane sarire [Bg. 2.20]. A temporary disappearance of this body, it doesn’t matter. Body is meant for disappearance. Tatha dehantara-praptih [Bg. 2.13]. So live forever by serving Krsna.

From Srila Prabhupada’s Arrival Speech — Vrndavana, 17 May, 1977

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Govardhana-puja

First of all, Nanda Maharaja was not willing, but out of the affection of Krsna… That is devotee, that Krsna… Devotees of Krsna, they are acting always in love for Krsna. So Nanda Maharaja changed his idea of worshiping Indra. Rather, on the contrary, all the ingredients he collected, he worshiped the Govardhana Hill and stopped Indra-yajna. So Indra became very much angry, and he sent the vicious cloud, and whole Vrndavana was inundated by flood. And Krsna showed that “Your power is not even competent to compare with the finger of My hand.” Therefore He lifted the Govardhana Hill with the finger of His left hand and saved all the people of Vrndavana.

From Srila Prabhupada’s lecture on Srimad-Bhagavatam 3.25.42 — December 10, 1974, Bombay

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Becoming greater than God

The Supreme Personality of Godhead is feared by everyone, but He becomes fearful of Mother Yasoda: “My dear mother, kindly do not bind Me. I shall obey your orders.”

So Mother Yasoda has become more than God, more than Krsna. The Mayavadi [impersonalistic] philosophers want to become one with the Lord, but our philosophy is to become more than Krsna. Why one with Krsna? More than Krsna. And, actually, Krsna does make His devotee more than Himself. Another example is Arjuna. Krsna took the part of his chariot driver. Krsna was actually the hero of the Battle of Kuruksetra, but He gave that position to His devotee: “Arjuna, you become the hero. I shall be your charioteer.”

Krsna is just like a father who wants to see his son become more than himself. If the father has an M.A., he wants to see his son get a Ph.D. Then the father is satisfied. He’ll not tolerate an outsider’s becoming more than him, but he’s glad if his son becomes more than him. Similarly, Krsna, the Supreme Lord, wants to see His devotee become more than Himself. That is His pleasure.

(From: The Journey of Self-discovery)

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Krsna has captured the heart of the gopis

Na tasya karyam karanam ca vidyate, na tasya samah adhikas ca drsyate. This is the definition of God, that He has nothing to do personally. When Krsna kills the demons outside Vrndavana, He is not original Krsna; He is Vasudeva. Vasudevah sarvam iti [Bg. 7.19]. When Krsna is acting universally, that is Vasudeva. Original Krsna is always in Vrndavana.

Jayatirtha: If the original Krsna is always in Vrndavana, then why do the gopis and Radharani feel separation from Him?

Prabhupada: That is here, in this material world. In the spiritual world Krsna does not leave. And even in the material world, Krsna superficially has gone to Mathura, but He has captured the heart of the gopis. So He is not leaving. Gopis are enjoying Krsna by separation. [pause] That is Caitanya Mahaprabhu’s feeling, how He is appreciating Krsna by separation.

Morning Walk — July 17, 1975, San Francisco

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That is love

Ahaituki, without any cause. “O Lord, I love You, God, because You supply me so many nice things. You are order-supplier.” No. Not that sort of love. Without any exchange.

That is taught by Caitanya Mahaprabhu, that “Whatever You do…” Aslisya va pada-ratam pinastu mam [Cc Antya 20.47].

Either You trample Me under Your feet or You embrace Me… What You like. You make Me brokenhearted by not seeing You — that doesn’t matter. Still You are My worshipable Lord.” That is love. “From God’s side, He may do whatever He likes. I don’t want anything in exchange.” That is love. That sort of love Krsna wants.

Therefore He was so much fond of the gopis. In the gopis’ love there was no question of business propaganda — “Give me this, then I love You.” [chuckles] No. That is pure love. That is unalloyed love. Ahaituky apratihata. Apratihata means without being checked. No impediment. If you want to love God, there is nothing throughout the whole world which can check you. Simply you have to develop your eagerness: “Krsna, I want You.” That’s all. Then there is no question of checking. In any condition you’ll increase your love, increase your love. Ahaituky apra…

And why this? Yayatma suprasidati. If you attain that state, then you will feel fully satisfied. Otherwise not. Otherwise not. If you can develop your love for God, or Krsna, without being checked, without any cause, then you will feel fully satisfied. Otherwise not. It is for your interest. It is not for God’s interest that He wants you. It is for your interest. If you do otherwise, you will never be happy. This is the only way. Sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam.

From Srila Prabhupada’s lecture on Sri Isopanisad, Mantra 1 — May 3, 1970, Los Angeles

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