Bhakti Vikasa Swami's Blog, page 180

Dullheads, take prasadam!

We are giving you prasadam. And that is fact, that by eating, eating, eating, eating, you one day will become Krsna conscious. Simply by eating. Because you are so dull, you cannot understand the philosophy. You know the belly like the animals. So therefore we are giving facility, “All right, fill up your belly, fill up your belly. And you’ll be infected.” As you take foodstuff from a infected area, you become infected with some disease, so this is Krsna infected, prasadam. You take it, and one day you’ll be diseased with Krsna consciousness.

Srila Prabhupada, Conversation — 30 April, 1976.

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Preference should be to Krsna, not Om

Om is formless but Krsna has got beautiful form, enjoying. And we are addicted to beautiful form. Why something which is not beautiful? Krsna says in the Bhagavad-gita, “I am omkara.” So in one sense omkara and Krsna the same. But I can see Krsna very beautiful and so many things, but I do not see in omkara that thing. Therefore my preference should be to Krsna.

From Srila Prabhupada’s lecture on Srimad-Bhagavatam 5.5.3 — 4 May, 1968

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Krsna’s asirvada (blessing)

They want asirvada so that their nefarious activities may continue peacefully. The difficulty is sometimes Krsna’s asirvada may be just the opposite. Krsna will take away. So at that time they become atheist.

From Srila Prabhupada’s lecture on Srimad-Bhagavatam 2.9.9 — 25 April, 1972, Informal Class in Room

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Living entities are meant for enjoyment

We, the living entities, are meant for enjoyment, but we are seeking enjoyment in a false place — in an illusion. We are like the desert animals who run after water in a mirage and eventually die of thirst. They cannot relieve their thirst with such illusory water. Similarly, we are trying to manufacture many things to satisfy our thirst for enjoyment, but we are being baffled at every turn because material existence is an illusion. Therefore real intelligence means to inquire, “Where is the reality? Where is the eternal substance behind the illusion?” If we can find that out, we can experience real enjoyment.

(From “Life Comes From Life,” by Srila Prabhupada)

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Srila Prabhupada, “alone, helpless” in America

Along with all this inconvenience, in this faraway foreign country, I am working alone, helplessly. My only hope is Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura. I have no one else. In my house my wife and son did not help me, so I left my home. I thought the Godbrothers would help me, but even that I did not get.

In my old age I have taken so much risk, but not to fulfill any of my own desires. Srila [Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati] Prabhupada had desired this work, and I am trying to fulfill that desire according to my ability. Personally I have no ability. My only hope is Srila Prabhupada.

(Letter to Sripad Narayana Maharaja, 30 December, 1966)

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Somehow or other Srila Prabhupada reached America

Somehow or other I reached Boston on the seventeenth of September 1965. But I was thinking that “Who will hear about my mission?” Because according to our Krsna consciousness movement, one must be free from all sinful reaction. Without being freed from sinful activities, nobody can understand the science of God.

Srila Prabhupada; Lecture, MPV College — Surat, India, December 24, 1970

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How to become a good swimmer

Nowadays people are very fond of diving within the water and swim. This has become a fashion. So next life they are going to become fish. Yes. If at the time of death, you think of how to swim very nicely within the water, next life nature will give you a fish life. That is God’s mercy. Why artificially try to become a fish? You become actually a fish. That is nature’s gift.

From Srila Prabhupada’s lecture on Bhagavad-gita 9.4 — 22 April, 1976

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Srila Prabhupada comes to the West — why so late?

Prajapati: Srila Prabhupada, why has it taken so long for a pure devotee to come to the West? Has the West been so sinful that no pure devotee has come before Your Divine Grace?

Prabhupada: (laughs) Don’t be sorry. At that time you were so sinful that
you could not receive a pure devotee.

Karandhara: Yes. Once in a lecture a lady asked you why hadn’t you come sooner, and you just said, “Well, you weren’t ready for me.”

Prabhupada: Yes, “Because you were not ready.” (laughs) Yes, I told, yes. Now the Western boys, the descendants of the Western people, they are fortunate; therefore they receive Krsna. Kona bhagyavan jiva. It is Krsna’s desire that “These people are suffering so much; let some devotees come here.” So you are all devotees. You have come to join together.

(Morning Walk — December 7, 1973, Los Angeles)

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Happy with Krsna or captured by Maya

Krsna is dancing — you have seen — similarly, our position is simply dancing with Krsna and be happy. That is our position. But we have come to this material world to enjoy independently of Krsna. Therefore we have been captured by the illusory energy.

From Srila Prabhupada’s lecture on Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.2.9 — 23 April, 1974

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Shedding blood to convince them

They have forgotten Krsna, they have forgotten God, and I am trying to make them Krsna conscious. It is a very difficult job. I have to shed my blood three tons before I make one convinced in Krsna consciousness. That is my experience. I have to talk with him, especially these Europeans and Americans. They do not accept anything so blindly.

Srila Prabhupada, Conversation — 18 April, 1972.

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