Bhakti Vikasa Swami's Blog, page 143

Practice to become a compulsive singer

Our tongues should be like that, unable to ever stop singing the glories of the Lord. We practice, and some day it will be like that.

From Srila Prabhupada’s letter to Upendra, 5th February, 1968)

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Allah, Allah, Allah, Allah

In 1977, twenty-four hours a day, workers were carving marble to finish the Bombay temple. One old Muslim worker carved by himself and never stopped chanting, “Allah, Allah, Allah, Allah,” even during lunch. Surabhi Maharaja told Prabhupada how the name of Allah was this worker’s meditation all the time. Prabhupada said, “I want to go and meet him!” Surabhi Maharaja said, “Prabhupada, I can bring him to you.” Prabhupada said, “I don’t want to disturb his work. I want to go there and meet him.”

A Bond of Love: Srila Prabhupada and His Daughters (p. 11). Bookwrights Press. Kindle Edition. By Vaishnavi disciples

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Srila Prabhupada’s sannyasa

Devotee: …withdraw that independence, can we request Krsna to force us to surrender to Him, due to our conditioning?

Prabhupada: Yes, you can request Him. And He sometimes forces. He puts you
in such circumstances that you have no other way than to surrender to Krsna.
Yes. That is special favor. That is special favor. Yes. My spiritual master
wanted me to preach, but I did not like it, but he forced me. Yes. That is
my practical experience. I had no desire to accept the sannyasa order and
preach, but my spiritual master wanted it. I am not very much inclined, but
he forced me. That is also done. That is special favor. When he forced me,
at that time, I thought that “What is this? What…? I am committing some
mistake or what is that?” I was puzzled. But a little after, I could
understand that it is the greatest favor shown to me. So when Krsna forces
somebody to surrender, that is a great favor. But generally, He does not do
so. But He does so to a person who is very sincere to Krsna’s service but at
the same time he has got slight desire for material enjoyment. In that case
He does, that “This foolish person does not know that material facility will
never make him happy, and he is sincerely seeking My favor. So he is
foolish. Therefore whatever resource, little resource he has got for
material enjoyment, break it. Then he will have no other alternative than to
surrender unto Me.” That is stated in the Srimad-Bhagavatam. Yasyaham
anughrnami harisye tad-dhanam sanaih. Krsna says that “If I do somebody
special favor, then I make him poverty-stricken. I take away all his means
of sense enjoyment.” You see? That is stated in the Srimad-Bhagavatam.
Because here in this material world everyone is trying to be happy by
earning more money, by business, by service, by this way or that way. But in
special cases Krsna makes his business or service unsuccessful. Do you like
that? [laughs] At that time he has no other alternative than to surrender to
Krsna. You see? But sometimes, when we are unsuccessful in our business
attempt or earning attempt, we become sorry that “Oh, Krsna is so cruel upon
me that I could not trust in this.” But that is His favor, special favor.
You should understand like that. Yes.
—————————————–
From Srila Prabhupada’s lecture on Srimad-Bhagavatam 7.9.8 – March 21, 1969,
Hawaii

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Our worship to Bhaktivinoda Thakura today

Bhaktivinoda Thakura happens to be one of the acaryas. And he has left behind him many books: Caitanya-siksamrta, Jaiva Dharma. These are very important books. They’re in Bengali, in Sanskrit. And many songs. He has prepared many books of song. The song, Ei nam gaya gauracand madhura svare, that is Bhaktivinoda Thakura’s song. So we are trying to present Bhaktivinoda Thakura’s books also in English translation. Gradually you will get it. So our adoration, our worship to Bhaktivinoda Thakura today, because he may bless us to make peacefully progress in Krsna consciousness. Acarya-upasana: simply by the blessings of acaryas we can make very rapid progress.

Srila Prabhupada; Bhaktivinoda Thakura Appearance Day Lecture – September 3, 1971, London

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Levels of realization in chanting

Relishing the transcendental sweetness of Krishna Kirtana is only possible when one is actually advanced, towards perfection. Srila Rupa Goswami used to say, wishing if he had possessed millions of ears, and billions of tongues then he could chant the Hare Krishna mantra a little bit relishably. In the conditioned stage, we chant Hare Krishna mantra officially without any attachment and try to finish the rounds as soon as possible. Sometimes we also forget to chant the prescribed number of rounds. But Haridasa Thakura even at the last stage of his life, he was chanting 300,000 beads although Lord Caitanya personally asked him to not labor so hard. But Haridasa Thakura said that he would continue the practice till the end of his life. So that is the position of transcendental taste. Please therefore chant very sincerely with your present aptitude of mind and Krishna will bless you more and more in understanding this secret of transcendental vibration.

From Srila Prabhupada’s letter to Jayapataka — Hawaii 11 March, 1969

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Hare Krishna cannot be copyrighted

Although I have brought this Sankirtana Movement to the Western World, we cannot make it copyrighted. The Sankirtana Movement is not my invention. So how can it be copyrighted? Besides that, as you will find in the album of my previous recording, the chanting of Hare Krishna is going on since time immemorial. So Hare Krishna cannot be copyrighted, although the tune in which I sing with my disciples, that may be made copyrighted. I have no objection to sign this agreement, but don’t be misled that the chanting of Hare Krishna or Lord Caitanya’s Movement can be made copyrighted.

From a letter by Srila Prabhupada to Dinesh – New Vrindaban 10 June, 1969

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Pious children

The children, they are dancing, they are chanting, they are playing the cymbal. All these activities are taking into account. Krta-punya-punjah. We collect all these effects of pious activities. This devotional service is so nice that whatever you do, little bit, that is pious. Punya-sravana-kirtanah [SB 1.2.17].

Even if you do not do anything, simply if you hear, that is also punya. Punya-sravana-kirtanah. And if I speak just like a parrot, if I do not know anything about, it doesn’t matter; still, it is pious.

Punya-sravana-kirtanah. Someway or other… The children, what do they know about Krsna consciousness? But they are becoming pious, purified. This little, little accumulation of punya, very easy. No expenditure, no experience, no education, nothing. Simply come here and join this chanting and dancing. Even a child. Krta-punya-punjah. Little, little, little — one day he will be able to play with Krsna.

Srila Prabhupada, Srimad-Bhagavatam 3.26.20 – December 29, 1974, Bombay

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The failure of science

Harikesa: The whole scientific craze seems to be settling down anyway. It seems to be dying down.

Prabhupada: It must die. The scientists, they admit now, “What we shall do? We have bluffed in so many ways. Now what is the next bluffing?” Their bluff, last bluffing, was going to the Moon planet, and everything is failed. Then what is next bluffing? That is their problem, how to keep their big, big post?

Harikesa: There’s nothing left to do.

Prabhupada: Yes. They have finished all their theories. Still, they could not do anything. This is their position.

Morning Walk, Durban, October 13, 1975

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Out of many thousands of gopis, who is the most prominent?

We understand from the Brahma-samhita and Skanda Purana that Krsna is always surrounded by many thousands of goddesses of fortune. The gopis are all goddesses of fortune.

It is said in the Skanda Purana that out of many thousands of gopis, 16,000 are prominent, out of those 16,000 gopis, 108 are especially prominent, out of these 108 gopis, eight gopis are still more prominent, out of those eight gopis, Radharani and Candravali are even more prominent, and out of these two gopis, Radharani is the most prominent.

From Srila Prabhupada’s Krsna Book, ch. 32: Krsna Returns to the Gopis

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Vaikuntha understanding of the gopis

Just like Radharani and the gopis. They are on the same status, but the gopis know that “Radharani is the better worshiper than us.” Therefore their only business is how to take Radharani and join with Krsna. This is Vaikuntha understanding. They are not envious that “Krsna loves Radharani so much.”

From Srila Prabhupada’s lecture on Srimad-Bhagavatam 2.1.1 — Delhi, November 4, 1973

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