Bhakti Vikasa Swami's Blog, page 158

Rectifying material reversals

We should always remember that if something happens by providential arrangement, we should not be very sorry. The more we try to rectify such reversals, the more we enter into the darkest region of materialistic thought.

From Srila Prabhupada’s translation of SB 4.19.34

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Liberated even when under training

Actually, we are in the material state, but we are being trained up, the Deity worship. This is, following the rules and regulations under the instruction of spiritual master, or Vedic injunction, this is training period. But even in the training period, if one is sincere and serious, he’s liberated.

From Srila Prabhupada’s lecture on The Nectar of Devotion — November 2, 1972, Vrndavana.

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Srila Prabhupada said, on Ramanavami 1974:

There is no different between Rama and Krsna. Krsna is also param brahma, and Rama is also param brahma. We Vaisnava, we have equal faith and obeisances to all visnu-murtis, ramadi-murtisu, Rama, Nrsimha, Varaha, Narayana, Mahavisnu… There are advaitam acyutam anadim ananta-rupam [Bs 5.33]. But we Gaudiya Vaisnava or Madhva-Gaudiya Vaisnava, we are worshiper of Lord Krsna murti. Lord Ramacandra’s murti and Krsna’s murti, there is no difference. But as I have already explained, Krsna param brahma full-fledged, and Lord Ramacandra is also param brahma, but He did not exhibit His full-fledged opulence. So these are very confidential things, but still, on the birthday of Lord Ramacandra we offer our respectful obeisances at His lotus feet so that He may be merciful upon us to bestow His bhakti, devotional service.

We are all fallen souls. We have no power to approach the Supreme Personality of Godhead. But as it is directed by the sastra, sevonmukhe hi jihvadau svayam eva sphuraty adah [Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu 1.2.234]. So although there is no difference between Sri Rama and Sri Krsna, but one devotee is attracted by one feature of the Lord, and the other is attracted by other feature. Sometimes it so happened that Krsna disappeared from the rasa dance and the gopis were very much eager to find out Krsna again. So
when they were too much eager to see Krsna, where He is, Krsna appeared as Narayana, four-handed Narayana. The gopis saw narayana-murti but did not become attracted by Him. All the gopis said, “Oh, He is Narayana. Let us offer our respect,” and they went away. Actually there is no difference between Krsna and Narayana.

[aside:] What is that? But gopis were not very much interested with Narayana. They wanted Krsna, although there is no difference between Narayana and Krsna. Similarly, although there is no difference between Rama and Krsna, some devotees are attracted with rama-murti and some devotees are attracted with krsna-murti. But factually there is no difference.

But in the sastras it is said that if you chant the name of Visnu, visnu-sahasra-nama, by chanting one thousand times Lord Visnu’s name is equal to one name of Rama. And by chanting three times the name of Lord Rama it is equal to one name of Krsna. This is the verdict of the sastra. So when we chant Hare Krsna, Rama is there already, three times. It is not that because we are chanting Hare Krsna we are neglecting Rama. No. With each Krsna name there are three times Rama name. That is the verdict of the sastra.

Besides that, we are chanting also Hare Rama. Hare Rama and Sita-Rama the same thing. Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna or Hare Rama, Hare Rama, there is no difference. This is also rama-nama, Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare. In the sastras it is recommended, Agni Purana, Brahmanda Purana, Kali-santarana Upanisad, the
Hare Krsna Hare Krsna Krsna Krsna Hare Hare
Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare

Besides that, when we chant Krsna’s name, we chant also Lord Rama’s name. Just like in the prayer offered by Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu,
krsna krsna krsna krsna
krsna krsna krsna he
krsna krsna krsna krsna
krsna krsna krsna he
krsna krsna krsna krsna
krsna krsna raksa mam
krsna krsna krsna krsna
krsna krsna pahi mam
rama raghava rama raghava
rama raghava raksa mam
krsna kesava krsna kesava
krsna kesava pahi mam

So devotees, they always chant together Krsna’s name and Rama’s name. So when there is question of rama-nama, there is Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare. That is rama-nama.

So there is no partiality, that “These people are simply after Krsna.” Of course, we are little more attached to Krsna, but that does not mean we do not know who is Lord Ramacandra. We know that He is also Krsna Himself in His different feature of pastime.
ramadi-murtisu kala-niyamena tisthan
nanavataram akarod bhuvanesu kintu
krsnah svayam samabhavat paramah puman yo
govindam adi-purusam tam aham bhajami
[Bs 5.39]

From Srila Prabhupada’s lecture on Bhagavad-gita 4.12, Appearance Day of Lord Ramacandra — April 1, 1974, Bombay

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Associating with Ramacandra

Ramacandra’s life, God’s activities, pastimes, if we hear, that means we are associating with Ramacandra. There is no difference between His form, His name, His pastimes, and Himself. He’s absolute. Therefore either you chant the holy name of Rama or you see the statue of Rama or you talk of His pastimes, transcendental pastimes, everything, that means you are associating with the Supreme Personality of Godhead. So we take advantage of these days when the incarnation of God appears or disappears, and we try to associate with Him.

From Srila Prabhupada’s lecture on Sri Rama-Navami, Lord Ramacandra’s Appearance Day — 27 March, 1969

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Rama-navami fasting

Dr. Patel … raised the topic of fasting for Rama-navami, suggesting that one should fast throughout the night, until the following morning. A devotee volunteered that we fasted until sunset. Prabhupada agreed but added, “If one can continue until the next morning, that’s all right.”

Later, I asked Prabhupada when we should actually break the fast, and he replied that I should inquire when the local temples broke theirs and then follow their standard. It turned out that they broke their fasts at noon, so that day we did too.

Giriraj Swami. “I’ll Build You a Temple,” ch. 2

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We should not think pervertedly, like Ravana and Kamsa

As Ravana and Kamsa was thinking of Krsna as enemy, similarly, if we think of Krsna that “He’ll wash my sinful activities,” that means you are thinking like Ravana and Kamsa. Krsna should be thought favorably. Anukulyena krsnanusilanam [Cc Madhya 19.167].

Na pratikulyena. No. You cannot think of Krsna and commit sinful life at the same time. That is pratikula. Krsna does not want that you shall remain sinful, because you cannot approach Krsna without being free from sinful activities. Yesam anta-gatam papam [Bg 7.28].

Krsna is pavitra, paramam. Apapa-viddham. These are the description. Krsna is the Supreme Pure. You cannot approach the Supreme Pure being sinful, and make Krsna your order-supplier, that you go on committing sinful life and Krsna will wash it. Krsna washes it — once, twice, thrice. But if you consciously go on, continue the sinful life, then you’ll have to be punished. So we should not think pervertedly, like Ravana and Kamsa.

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

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Symptoms of an Aryan civilization

The members of human society who strictly follow the principles of bhagavata-dharma and live according to the instructions of the Supreme Personality of Godhead are called Aryans or arya. A civilization of Aryans who strictly follow the instructions of the Lord and never deviate from those instructions is perfect. Such civilized men do not discriminate between trees, animals, human beings and other living entities. Panditaù sama-darsinah: [Bg. 5.18] because they are completely educated in Kåñëa consciousness, they see all living beings equally. Aryans do not kill even a small plant unnecessarily, not to speak of cutting trees for sense gratification. At the present moment, throughout the world, killing is prominent. Men are killing trees, they are killing animals, and they are killing other human beings also, all for sense gratification. This is not an Aryan civilization.

Srila Prabhupada; SB 6.16.43, Purport

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Being a vegetarian is not enough

It is wrong, however, to think that simply by becoming a vegetarian one can avoid transgressing the laws of nature. Vegetables also have life, and while it is nature’s law that one living being is meant to feed on another, for human beings the point is to recognize the Supreme Lord. Thus one should not be proud of being a strict vegetarian. Animals do not have developed consciousness by which to recognize the Lord, but a human being is sufficiently intelligent to take lessons from the Vedic literature and thereby know how the laws of nature are working and derive profit out of such knowledge. If a man neglects the instructions of the Vedic literature, his life becomes very risky. A human being is therefore required to recognize the authority of the Supreme Lord and become His devotee. He must offer everything for the Lord’s service and partake only of the remnants of food offered to the Lord. This will enable him to discharge his duty properly. In the Bhagavad-gita (9.26) the Lord directly states that He accepts vegetarian food from the hands of a pure devotee. Therefore a human being should not only become a strict vegetarian but should also become a devotee of the Lord, offer the Lord all his food and then partake of such prasadam, or the mercy of God. Only those who act in this way can properly discharge the duties of human life. Those who do not offer their food to the Lord eat nothing but sin and subject themselves to various types of distress, which are the results of sin

(From Srila Prabhupada’s purport to Bg. 3.13)

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Drugs will finish everything

Drug is killing the whole Western nation. You will be spoiled, you will be finished with this drug habit. You are already finished. America is finished. They cannot do anything anymore. Neither industrialists nor big scholars, neither big fighter. Anything. Simply spoiled. The only shelter is this Krsna consciousness. Papi tapi yata chilo hariname uddharilo. They can be only saved by this process. They have no other… otherwise they are going to hell. All Americans, the so-called puffed up materialist. This is a fact. So if you want to do service to your country, introduce this Krsna consciousness to the younger generation. They will be saved. You be saved and save your brothers. And otherwise this poison, this intoxication, heroin, cocaine, and LSD and this and marijuana, finished everything.

Srila Prabhupada — August 15, 1971, London

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Fake news

Prabhupada: Bankim Babu, Bankim Chatterji, a famous novelist, wrote a book, one comic book. Trial is going on, so the witness charged the… First of all the judge charged that “I see you are witness in every case.” He was a professional. So, “You are speaking he is sixty years old for the last five years. You do not increase your age?” (laughing) “No, sir. A gentleman has one word. He does not change his word. And do not think me that I am either a lawyer or a prostitute or a newspaper editor.”

Gargamuni: Oh. Because they’re all liars. Yeah.

Prabhupada: “My word is one. I do not change my word.”

Gargamuni: So a newspaper editor, a lawyer…

Prabhupada: And a prostitute. (laughs) He classified them in one category.

Gargamuni: Especially these newspapers. When you give an interview, they always print something else.

Prabhupada: Yes.

Gargamuni: They never print exactly what one says.

Prabhupada: They’re not honest.

Conversation — January 21, 1977, Bhuvanesvara

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