Bhakti Vikasa Swami's Blog, page 168
January 11, 2021
Christ-loka
Rukmini: Is there a Christ-loka?
Prabhupada: Yes. Why not? There are innumerable lokas. Why not Christ-loka?
…jagad-anda-koti-
kotisv asesa-vasudhadi-vibhuti-bhinnam
tad brahma niskalam anantam asesa-bhutam
govindam adi-purusam tam aham bhajami
[Bs 5.40]
In the effulgence, bodily effulgence of Govinda, just like the sunshine is effulgence of the sun planet, similarly, Govinda’s planet, the original planet, which is called Goloka Vrndavana, that is the original effulgence, light. And when that light is distributed there are innumerable universes created. Just like within the sunlight there are innumerable planets. So in each and every planet there are different kinds of living entities, so why not a planet belonging to Christ? There is no doubt about it. There must be.
(August 20, 1968, Montreal)
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January 10, 2021
Government-ordered vaccination — keep free from contamination
It is very difficult to get out of the clutches of this maya, contamination. Very difficult. Mam eva ye prapadyante: “But one who keeps touch with Me, with full surrender,” mayam etam taranti te, “he’s out of these clutches of maya.”
So just like there is antiseptic, what is called, vaccination, to keep yourself from the contamination… There is epidemic, and under government order everyone is vaccinated, that “You take this vac…, so you shall keep your…” This is material way of keeping oneself from contamination. Similarly, if you keep always yourself in spiritual understanding of Krsna consciousness, you’ll remain pure.
(Srila Prabhupada — September 25, 1968, Seattle)
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January 9, 2021
Faith in the principles of devotion to Guru
Guru and Krishna are two parallel lines on which the spiritual express runs very smoothly. In the Caitanya Caritamrta it is said Guru Krsna prasade paya bhakti lata bija. By the Grace of Guru one gets Krishna and by the Grace of Krishna one gets a bona fide Guru. Therefore Krishna consciousness means staunch faith both in Guru and Krishna. One minus the other is no good for the devotee. So your faith in the principles of devotion to Guru will certainly help you more and more Krishna. Do not ever try to approach Krishna directly. Anyone who talks of Krishna without service to Guru will not be successful. So your faith in Guru and Krishna simultaneously will help you to become crowned with success in the progressive march in Krishna consciousness. Do not be worried, be situated in the present aptitude and everything will be clear.
From Srila Prabhupada’s letter to Devananda — 27 September, 1967
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Fashion guru
A spiritual master is not a fashion, that “Oh, I should have a spiritual master.” People after fashion. No. One must be very much inquisitive to know. What about, inquisitive? Uttamam. Sreya uttamam, what is the highest perfection of life. If one is actually inquisitive to understand about the highest perfectional stage of our life, then he should search after a spiritual master.
From Srila Prabhupada’s lecture on Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.5.1-4 — 22 May, 1969
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January 8, 2021
Love, frustrating and otherwise
Love affairs in the material world: they are only shadows or reflections of the real love with Krishna. If you love Krishna in any capacity, you shall never be frustrated because everything in Krishna is perfect, eternal, blissful, and full of knowledge.
From Srila Prabhupada’s letter to Kancanbala — Los Angeles 14 January, 1968
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January 6, 2021
We shall go forward
You can do all kinds of opposition, but we shall go forward. The caravan will pass. “You may bark.” So take all these things as Krsna’s mercies and engage more enthusiastically. Why should we be defeated?
Srila Prabhupada, Conversation on 1976 Book Scores — January 16, 1977, Calcutta
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Lessons from Sudama
An ordinary man who is very poor and prays to the Lord for benediction in material opulence, and who somehow or other becomes richer in material opulence, immediately forgets his obligation to the Lord. Therefore, the Lord does not offer opulences to His devotee unless the devotee is thoroughly tested. Rather, if a neophyte devotee serves the Lord very sincerely and at the same time wants material opulence, the Lord keeps him from obtaining it.
(From Srila Prabhupada’s “Krsna” book, ch. 81: The Brahmana Sudama Blessed by Lord Krsna)
[NB Sudama Brahmana talked about neophyte devotees “who lack spiritual insight” (Bhagavatam 10.81.37) and whom the Personality of Godhead has to protect from the danger of too much material opulence.]
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January 5, 2021
Operation (not) required!
Prabhupada: [laughs] The servant was crying, “Oh! I am dying, I am dying, I am dying.” So I immediately called ambulance and took her [him] to the hospital. Then, when I went there, there were so many neophyte doctors. They experimented, and they said, “Immediate operation is required.” “Why?” They gave us some technical terms. Then their leader doctor came. He said, “All right. Let us see this night. Then, next morning we shall operate.” So I asked him, “I can go? He may remain in your charge?” “Yes.” So I went, came back.
And when I was absent, another servant was with neighbor, he told to my wife that “Babuji” — Babuji means master — “it is unnecessarily he has taken to hospital. He was drunk, and he was crying like that. [laughter] He’s drunk.” So my wife told that he was drunk, and he was therefore crying like that. “No, no. Doctor says that it is a serious case [laughter] and it is to be operated.”
And the next morning the servant came back. “And why you come back? You were to be operated?” “Oh, thik hai. It is now all right.” Just see. The rascals were going to operate. He was drunk. In drunken state he was crying, and they took it a case of operation. That is my practical experience.
Everything you take there: “Operation.”
Srila Prabhupada. Room Conversation — February 14, 1971, Gorakhpur
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January 4, 2021
Cheaters and teachers
A cheater is taking the place of teacher. Therefore the whole world is degraded. You can cheat others that “I am in dress of a devotee, so I am…” What is your character? What is your actual value? That has to be judged. That is called bona fide teacher.
Srila Prabhupada, Questions and Answers — January 17, 1974, Hawaii
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January 2, 2021
Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati: books better than temples
In Vrndavana there are prakrta-sahajiyas who say that writing books or even touching books is taboo. For them, devotional service means being relieved from these activities. Whenever they are asked to hear a recitation of Vedic literature, they refuse, saying, “What business do we have reading or hearing transcendental literatures? They are meant for neophytes.” They pose themselves as too elevated to exert energy for reading, writing and hearing. However, pure devotees under the guidance of Srila Rupa Gosvami reject this sahajiya philosophy. It is certainly not good to write literature for money or reputation, but to write books and publish them for the enlightenment of the general populace is real service to the Lord. That was Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati’s opinion, and he specifically told his disciples to write books. He actually preferred to publish books rather than establish temples. Temple construction is meant for the general populace and neophyte devotees, but the business of advanced and empowered devotees is to write books, publish them and distribute them widely. According to Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura, distributing literature is like playing on a great mrdanga. Consequently we always request members of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness to publish as many books as possible and distribute them widely throughout the world. By thus following in the footsteps of Srila Rupa Gosvami, one can become a rupanuga devotee.
From Srila Prabhupada’s purport to Cc Madhya 19.133
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