Bhakti Vikasa Swami's Blog, page 160

He never returns

Only the purified soul can attain the perfection of associating with the Personality of Godhead in complete bliss and satisfaction in his constitutional state. Whoever is able to renovate such devotional perfection is never again attracted by this material world, and he never returns.

SB 2.2.31, Srila Prabhupada’s translation

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Nobody knows religion

Hindus do not purchase meat from Muslims’ shops. That is impure. [laughter] The same thing: stool this side and that side. They are eating meat, [chuckles] and Hindu shop is pure, Muslim shop is impure. These are mental concoction. Religion is going on like that. Therefore fighting: “I am Hindu,” “I am Muslim,” “I am Christian.” Nobody knows religion.

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

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Good, bad, meaningless

In this material world, to say this is good and this is bad has no value. To us, everything material is bad as it is lacking Krsna consciousness. Just like wet stool and dry stool. Stool is stool, but somebody is saying that wet stool is better than dry stool. What is this good and bad? The top side of some stool is dry and the bottom side is wet, but anyway that you take it, the material world is stool, and it must be given up. Therefore, we are trying to get out of the material world and go back to home, Back to Godhead.

But, of course, everyone has got some sentiment. If you want that my sentiment be decried, what is the wrong if I say that your sentiment should be decried? In this world of duality, this is good and this is bad has no meaning, it is called manodharma, mental concoction. However, the real truth is that Krsna says that: duhkhalayam asasvatam [Bg. 8.15], the world is a place of misery wherein repeated birth and death take place. Now this is good misery or bad misery? Misery is misery; and you have to die, good die or bad die? So to us everything material, without connection to Krsna, is to be rejected as stool, otherwise we will waste valuable time needed to solve the real problems of life, namely, birth, death, disease, and old-age.

Srila Prabhupada, letter, 20 May 1976

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The Nectar of Devotion

When inaugurating the first publication of The Nectar of Devotion on 23 June 1970, Srila Prabhupada instructed:

Every one of you should read this Nectar of Devotion repeatedly. The whole substance of Vaisnava philosophy and activities, everything is there. So every one of you read this Nectar of Devotion once, twice, thrice. Everything is very clearly explained in this Nectar of Devotion. So each chapter you should read very carefully. And if you cannot understand, read it repeatedly. Don’t all of a sudden, reading one or two pages, immediately question, “Prabhupada, what is this? What is this? What is this?” Go on reading, and the answers will automatically come. This valuable book is now published. You should take full advantage.

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Two things for liberation

Don’t take anything which is not Krsna prasadam and don’t talk anything which is not Krsna. Then you become liberated. Your path of liberation is open. Two things: don’t talk anything except Krsna, don’t eat anything except Krsna prasadam. Is it very difficult?

Srila Prabhupada, Initiation Lecture — December 1, 1968, Los Angeles

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Humble slap in face/kick out everything except Caitanya’s teachings

One day on a morning walk, Prabhupada was explaining Prabodananda Sarasvati’s verse where he states, “I take a straw in my teeth and bow before you and ask you to hear about Lord Caitanya.” One of Prabhupada’s sannyasi disciples said, “That is a very humble statement.” Prabhupada replied, “A humble statement for giving you a slap in the face.” Prabhupada went on to explain that the devotee is only humble so that he can ask you to kick out everything except Lord Caitanya’s teachings.

From Prabhupada Meditations by SDG

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Gaura Nectar

People from the three worlds used to come visit Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Anyone who saw Him received the transcendental treasure of love for Krsna. The inhabitants of the seven higher planetary systems-including the demigods, the Gandharvas and the Kinnaras-and the inhabitants of the even lower planetary systems [Patalaloka], including the demons and serpentine living entities, all visited Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu in the dress of human beings.

Dressed in different ways, people from the seven islands and nine khandas visited Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Prahlada Maharaja, Bali Maharaja, Vyasadeva, Sukadeva Gosvami and other great sages came to visit Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Upon seeing Him, they became unconscious in ecstatic love for Krsna.

Srila Prabhupada’s translation of Cc Antya 9.7-10

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Srila Prabhupada celebrates Gaura Purnima alone

From Srila Prabhupada’s diary, 1966, New York:

According to Mayapur Panjika today is Adhivas day of Gour Purnima. Devotees at Vrindaban and Nabadwipa are enjoying the celebration. I am here alone without any devotee companion. But I have come here to serve the Lord and not for personal happiness. I am prepared to live in hell even if I am able to serve the Lord. Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu wanted that His mission should be propagated all over the world and that is my objective. I do not mind the inconvenience personally felt.

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Wonderful Lord Caitanya

adbhuta-dayalu caitanya — adbhuta-vadanya!
aiche dayalu data loke nahi suni anya

Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu is wonderfully merciful and wonderfully magnanimous. We have heard of no one else within this world so merciful and charitable.

Srila Prabhupada’s translation of Cc Antya 17.69

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Lord Caitanya teaches pure devotion

Not that “By worshiping Krsna or acting devotional service I shall get this opportunity, this facility,” material or spiritual. A real devotee, he does not aspire even for liberation. He doesn’t want. He simply wants, “My Lord Krsna, wherever I may be, it doesn’t matter. Please keep me always engaged in Your consciousness.” That’s all. A devotee never aspires that he’ll be elevated to the spiritual sky or Vaikuntha or… Never mind. “For thousands and thousands of births I may rot into the hell, but simply I want my Lord, that wherever I may be situated, I may not forget You.” Mama janmani janmanisvare bhavatad bhaktir ahaituki [Cc. Antya 20.29, Siksastaka 4]. Lord Caitanya teaches this. Janmani janmani. Where there is janmani janmani, that means that is not liberation. As soon as you’re liberated, you are not supposed to take birth again. But Caitanya Mahaprabhu says, janmani janmani. He doesn’t aspire about liberation. “Birth after birth, please keep Me engaged in Your devotional service.” That is pure devotion.

From Srila Prabhupada’s lecture on September 16, 1969

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