Bhakti Vikasa Swami's Blog, page 140

All perfection of our desires

The gopis or cowherd girlfriends of Krsna underwent tremendous penances in their previous lives to attain Krsna as their husband. Similarly, in Srimad-Bhagavatam, Sukadeva Gosvami says that those boys who were playing with Krsna had undergone great penances and austerities in their previous lives in order to acquire Krsna as a playmate. Thus the playmates, associates and wives of Krsna are not ordinary living entities. Because we have no idea of Krsna consciousness, we take His activities as triflings, but actually they are sublime. All perfection of our desires is there; whatever desires we have constitutionally will be perfectly fulfilled when we are in Krsna consciousness.

From “Raja-vidya” by Srila Prabhupada

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Krsna’s childish dealings: a lesson for philosophers

Sometimes Mother Yasoda used to ask Krsna to bring her a wooden plank for sitting. Although the wooden plank was too heavy to be carried by a child, still somehow or other Krsna would bring it to His mother. Sometimes His father, while worshiping Narayana, would ask Him to bring his wooden slippers, and Krsna, with great difficulty, would put the slippers on His head and bring them to His father. When He was asked to lift some heavy article and was unable to lift it, He would simply move His arms. In this way, daily, at every moment, He was the reservoir of all pleasure for His parents. The Lord was exhibiting such childish dealings with the inhabitants of Vrndavana because He wanted to show the great philosophers and sages searching after the Absolute Truth how the Supreme Absolute Truth Personality of Godhead is controlled by and subject to the desires of His pure devotees.

From Srila Prabhupada’s Krsna book ch. 11: Killing the Demons Vatsasura and Bakasura

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Old is better than modern

This is the process: we have to follow the previous acaryas. That is Vedic system. In the very beginning of this chapter Krsna said, evam parampara-praptam imam rajarsayo viduh [Bg. 4.2].

We haven’t got to make any research, modern understanding. There is no question of modern understanding. We are all following the old, ancient understanding. Now, even from ordinary platform, the eating, sleeping, mating and defending, is that modern? It is not modern. Formerly also, all living entities were eating, they were sleeping, they were having sex intercourse and they were defending. The main business is… Nothing is modernized. You can say modernized, but the principle is the same, old system. Nobody can change. The people are dying also, janma-mrtyu-jara-vyadhi [Bg. 13.9].

That is also the old system. Everyone is taking birth, everyone is growing, everyone is falling diseased and everyone is dying. Can the modern system stop this? The modern system can say, “Now you do not require to eat, you do not require to sleep,” or “You do not require to have sex,” or “You do not require to defend”? No. The same system. “The old wine in a new bottle.” Similarly, janma-mrtyu-jara-vyadhi, five thousand years before, Krsna said… This is real problem: janma-mrtyu-jara-vyadhi-duhkha-dosanudarsanam. The same problem is still going on.

So it is useless to say that modern time, modern ways, modern things. There is nothing modern. The old thing is going on. So if we follow systematically the previous acaryas, previous system, as Krsna is advising… Krsna does not advise, “Modern.” Five thousand years ago He instructed Bhagavad-gita. Still, He was saying purva purvataraih, purvatamaih. Evam parampara-praptam imam rajarsayo viduh [Bg. 4.2]. This is intelligence. We have to accept the real truth and follow it. It does not mean modern age or previous age, past age. That is not Vedic system. The old system is going on, everything. The sun is also the old. The sun is rising as it was doing in olden times. The moon is also rising. The years and season are changing. Everything is going on. Why we should not accept the system of Vedic knowledge, the oldest of all in the world? There is no history. That is intelligence.

Srila Prabhupada, Talk on Bhagavad-gita 4.15 — April 4, 1974, Bombay

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Communists will come out victorious

There will be fight. That is the prediction of great politician. There will be war between these Communist and anti-Communist. There are two parties now. The anti-Communist will be defeated. The Communists will come out victorious.

Srila Prabhupada, August 15, 1971, London

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How people are benefited by book distribution

Because the Krsna consciousness movement is spreading, people are purchasing our books about Krsna. Because they are curious they say, “What is this Krsna? Let us see the book.” Then they immediately see a picture of Radha and Krsna, and if they open the book they will see more. In the book there are many prayers glorifying Krsna. So some will hear about Krsna, and others will read, and if they are fortunate enough they will become Krsna conscious and engage in the worship of the Deity.

>>> Ref. VedaBase => TQK 18: Liberation from Ignorance and Suffering

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Contradictory Prabhupada is absolutely correct

He sat facing the two sannyasis over his desk; Hansaduta to his left and Aksayananda to his right. Prabhupada addressed Hansaduta first. “You are a sannyasi. Why you are spending such a long time here? You have a bus and you must travel. Sannyasi means that now you have to preach all over the world. Why you should be thinking of becoming the president here? Actually a sannyasi should not remain in one place for more than three days at a time. You have your bus and if the wheels stop turning then it means the preaching is also stopped.” Prabhupada gave Hansaduta the example of the Indian railways. “They have a motto: “The wheels must keep turning.” And it is the business of every employee, whether a train driver, a fireman, or a clerk in the office, to do their bit so that the wheels never stop. If the wheels stop, business stopped.” So he told Hansaduta that his bus should never stop. “Still,” he said, “the temple is nirguna, so you may stay more than three days — that is allowed. But only if you have business here.”

Then Prabhupada turned to Aksayananda Swami. “Now you must stay here in Vrndavana and never leave unless I say so. You must stay and do the management.”

We all looked at each other and laughed. Prabhupada is so wonderful that he can give two apparently contradictory instructions and still be absolutely correct.

Hari Sauri Dasa, A Transcendental Diary 4-5: Sri Vrndavana-dhama

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Surrounded by Krsna atmosphere

Somehow or other you have to engage your mind at the lotus feet of Krsna. Therefore so many paraphernalia how to engage your mind. Sravanam kirtanam visnoh: hearing about Krsna, chanting about Krsna, thinking of Krsna, worshiping Krsna, talking about Krsna, writing about Krsna, selling the books about Krsna, eating Krsna prasadam. In this way you become Krsna-ized. All-around Krsna. That is Krsna consciousness. This is called bhakti-yoga. This is called bhakti. Somehow or other, you become surrounded by Krsna atmosphere. This is Krsna consciousness.

From Srila Prabhupada’s lecture on Bhagavad-gita 7.1 – June 29, 1974, Melbourne

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Quote from Madhvacarya

There is no need to take shelter of unnecessary literature or concern oneself with many so-called philosophers and thinkers who are useless for spiritual advancement. Nor should one accept a disciple for the sake of fashion or popularity. One should be callous to these so-called sastras, neither opposing nor favoring them, and one should not earn one’s livelihood by taking money for explaining sastra. A sannyasi must always be neutral and seek the means to advance in spiritual life, taking full shelter under the lotus feet of the Lord.

Quoted in Srila Prabhupada’s purport to SB 7.13.7

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This is devotion

Krsna-bhakta doesn’t want anything. Krsna-bhakta even does not want Krsna even. He wants only Krsna’s service. That’s all. “Why I shall bother Krsna? Krsna is busy in His own business. Let Him dance with the gopis. I shall simply serve Him. That’s all. Why shall I want Krsna? Why shall I disturb Him?” This is devotion.

From Srila Prabhupada’s lecture on The Nectar of Devotion – January 6, 1973, Bombay

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Useless laws

In the modern age of democracy there are so many government representatives voting for legislation. Every day they bring out a new law. But because these laws are only mental concoctions manufactured by inexperienced conditioned souls, they cannot give relief to human society.

Srila Prabhupada; SB 4.20.15, Purport

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