Bhakti Vikasa Swami's Blog, page 182
August 24, 2020
How Radha charms Krsna
Women are by nature endowed with many artistic tendencies, and from the Vedic age we find that high grade women and girls were highly qualified in sixty-four arts. Srimati Radharani was fully qualified in those arts, and therefore, by Her super-excellent transcendental qualities, she could charm Krsna who is the charmer of the three worlds.
From Srila Prabhupada’s letter to Syama Dasi — 23 February, 1970
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August 22, 2020
Women must be trained, like Radharani
Prabhupada: I have traveled all over the world, and this is my experience. Nobody knows how to eat. Only India. In every province they have got different dishes. Because the woman, they are trained up how to cook very nice. Woman is meant for that purpose, how to make nice palatable dishes. In Bengal there is a ceremony after marriage, bahu-bhata. The newly-married girl, she shall cook, and all the relatives, friends, are invited and they appreciate, ‘Yes, nice cook.’ Then she is accepted as member of the whole family.”
“And if not, Prabhupada?” Robin asked. “If her cooking is not…”
“Therefore she is trained up.”
“And if she’s not trained up?”
“She must be trained up,” Prabhupada replied, his tone indicating that there was no possibility of it being otherwise. “Just like Radharani, She was trained up in sixty-four arts. Do you think to captivate Krsna is easy thing? How much qualified She must have been so that Krsna was attracted.”
(From A Transcendental Diary, by Hari Sauri Prabhu; Morning Walk — August 31, 1976, Delhi)
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Devotional activity is different from pious activity
When we ask from Krsna anything other than devotional service, that is pious activities. That is not devotional activity. Devotional activity is different from pious activity. By pious activities you can get material, so-called happiness, janmaisvarya-sruta-sri [SB 1.8.26].
You can get birth in very nice family, rich family, brahmana family, janma; and you can get immense wealth, born with silver spoon; and aisvarya-sruta, education, nice education, material education; and sri, beauty. Generally, you will find in aristocratic family, rich family, they are very beautiful, they have got education, they have got wealth and good family, aristocratic family. So these are result of pious activities.
From Srila Prabhupada’s lecture on Srimad-Bhagavatam 3.26.22 — December 31, 1974, Bombay
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August 21, 2020
When chanting is not pure devotion
Hare Krsna means, “O Krsna, O Hara, Krsna’s energy, Radharani, Hara…” Hari, Hara. So this addressing, “O Krsna, O Krsna’s internal potency…” Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna, Krsna Krsna, Hare Hare, chanting, addressing: “O Lord Krsna, O the internal energy of Krsna.” So They will respond that “Why you are calling Me, or Us?” You have to submit, “Please again accept me as Your eternal servant.” This is the only prayer. Not that “Give me this money, this me that, this me that, give me that.” No. That is not pure devotion.
From Srila Prabhupada’s lecture on Srimad-Bhagavatam 3.26.22 — December 31, 1974, Bombay
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August 20, 2020
Straws gathered together and again scattered
He knows that this position — nice position, very good atmosphere, nice children, nice wife, nice house, nice bank balance, nice relative, nice position, everything, prime minister and everything — very all right. But it will be finished. He knows that. But he, although knows, he does not care for it. This is called vimudhan. He knows that “This will be finished. It will not stay, I will not stay, these things will not stay. I will have to change; they will have to change.” It is just like straws gathered together by the whims of the waves, and again it is scattered.
From Srila Prabhupada’s lecture on Srimad-Bhagavatam 3.26.22 — December 31, 1974, Bombay
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August 18, 2020
Only business of the devotee
That is the thankless task of the devotees, to turn these vimudhan from this maya-sukha to real sukha. This is the business of the devotee. They have no other business. Their business is not for making money. Money, they have got enough, and Krsna supplies all their money. So there is no such problem for a devotee of how to secure money. Their only problem is how to turn these rascals to Krsna consciousness, all rascals, vimudhan. We say clearly, “If you are not Krsna conscious, you are rascal number one.”
A gentleman, after working very hard, if he gets some bank balance and nice house, nice wife and some children, he thinks, “I am very happy.” This is maya.
From Srila Prabhupada’s lecture on Srimad-Bhagavatam 3.26.22 — December 31, 1974, Bombay
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The difference between God and us
God is also an individual person as you are individual person, I am individual person, but the difference between God and you and me is this, that you know your business, I know my business, but God knows everyone’s business. That is the difference.
From Srila Prabhupada’s lecture on Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.2.5 — 3 April, 1972, Lecture at Christian Monastery
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August 17, 2020
Nobody can conquer God, except…
God’s another name is ajita. A means “not,” and jita means “conquered.” Nobody can conquer God. That is God. God is never conquered by anyone. He conquers everyone. God is conquered by His devotee, not by the demons. The demons are conquered by God. But devotee can conquer. Ajito ‘pi, jito ‘pi. Although God is ajita, He becomes jita, means conquered, by His devotee.
From Srila Prabhupada’s lecture on Srimad-Bhagavatam 2.2.5 — 5 March, 1975
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August 16, 2020
What beggars should know
We can ask favor from anyone, but we must know that nobody can favor us unless it is sanctioned by the Supreme Person. We must always know. Not that because one is very, in a superior position, he can favor me. No, he cannot favor you unless it is sanctioned by the Supreme. Suppose we approach sometimes a rich man to favor us with some contribution, membership fees. But that rich man cannot favor us unless it is sanctioned by Krsna. Krsna is there within himself, and if He says that “You give him this money,” the man will give us. So we shall not be sorry. Suppose we go somewhere and he did not favor us. We should not be sorry. We should know that Krsna did not dictate him. He is not so fortunate now; therefore Krsna did not dictate him. So there is nothing to be sorry. This should be our principle.
From Srila Prabhupada’s lecture on Srimad-Bhagavatam 7.9.42 — 22 March, 1976
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