Bhakti Vikasa Swami's Blog, page 184

The material world is uncomfortable

If somebody takes your legs and catches you and your head down, then it is not very comfortable. This whole material world is like that. It is uncomfortable. It is perverted reflection. On the bank of a river or the bank of a pond, tree is standing, but the reflection in the water, of the tree, is not real. Real tree is up. Similarly, real enjoyment, real varieties — everything is in the spiritual world.

From Srila Prabhupada’s lecture on Bhagavad-gita 15.1 — 26 February, 1974

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Becoming Krsna’s screw

Unless we cooperate with the Supreme Lord, our life is baffled. I have given the example many times that a screw which has fallen from a machine has no value. But when the same screw is again attached to the machine, it has value. Similarly, we are part and parcel of God. So without God, what is our value? No value! We should again come back to our position of attachment to God. Then we have value.

Srila Prabhupada, in PQPA ch 5: Becoming Pure

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In Remembrance of Srila Prabhupada’s USA Departure

Preaching is independent. If you have got desire, you can preach in any circumstances and Krsna will help you. I have practically experienced. I went to your country without any help, without any money, alone. And gradually things developed. [break] …all foreigners. I did not approach any Indian. I did not approach anyone, but Krsna sent friends, gradually developed.

(Srila Prabhupada; Room Conversation — September 30, 1976, Vrndavana)

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Take shelter of Balarama

Balarama means guru-tattva. Balarama represents guru. Yasya prasadad bhagavat-prasadah. If we want to understand Caitanya Mahaprabhu, if we want to understand Krsna, then we must take shelter of Balarama. Nayam atma bala-hinena labhyah. This bala-hinena labhyah, this Vedic injunction, means “Without the mercy of Balarama you cannot understand, you cannot realize your spiritual identification.”

Srila Prabhupada; Lord Nityananda Prabhu’s Avirbhava Appearance Day Lecture — Bhuvanesvara, February 2, 1977

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Ideal, Indian, Vedic civilization

This is ideal of human civilization: every woman should try to become maidservant of her husband, and every man should try to become the hundred times servant of Krsna. This is Indian civilization. Not that “Husband and wife, we are equal rights,” that, in Europe, America, the movement is going on, “Equal rights.” That is not Vedic civilization. Vedic civilization is the husband should be a sincere servant of Krsna, and the wife should be a sincere maidservant of the husband.

From Srila Prabhupada’s lecture on Srimad-Bhagavatam 7.9.24 — 2 March, 1976

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Rupa Gosvami’s greatest contribution

We should always remember the instruction of Srila Rupa Gosvami. Therefore we pray, sri-caitanya-mano-‘bhistam sthapitam yena bhu-tale. Our mission is to establish the desire of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. That is our business. Sri-caitanya-mano-‘bhistam sthapitam yena bhu-tale. Srila Rupa Gosvami did it. He has given us so many books, especially Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu, which we have translated into English as Nectar of Devotion, to understand the science of devotional service. This is the greatest contribution of Srila Rupa Gosvami: how to become a devotee.

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From Srila Prabhupada’s lecture on Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, Adi-lila 1.4 —
March 28, 1975, Mayapur

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The test of bhakti

Unless one becomes detestful of this material world, it is to be understood that he has not yet entered in the spiritual understanding. This is the test of bhakti. If one has entered the domain of devotional service, this material world will be not at all tasteful for him.

From Srila Prabhupada’s lecture on Srimad-Bhagavatam 7.9.15 — 22 February, 1976

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Imitators of Srila Rupa Gosvami

Vaisnava position is not very easy thing; above all qualities. Therefore Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura introduced not to become an imitation of Rupa Gosvami. Rupa Gosvami, Sanatana, the Gosvamis of Vrndavana, they are paramahamsas. And in Vrndavana you’ll find so-called babajis, they have imitated the dress of Rupa Gosvami — half loincloth — but a bidi in the mouth. What is this nonsense? Rupa Gosvami used to smoke bidi? [laughter] [chuckles] Not only that; you’ll find in Vrndavana so many Rupa Gosvamis are making bidi. Have you seen in the Gopinatha Bazar? They’re making trade, bidis, and shameless. Therefore my Guru Maharaja introduced this. Of course, sannyasa is there in the Vaisnava… All the acaryas, they were sannyasa, but later on, it so degraded that these bidi-smoker, ganja-smoker, they imitated Rupa Gosvami. Therefore to purify, Guru Maharaja introduced this sannyasa system, below the paramahamsas, not that artificial means I become a paramahamsa. No.

From Srila Prabhupada’s lecture on Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.8.41 — October 21, 1974, Mayapur

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Servant of the wife

A man has served the family with heart and soul throughout the whole life, and when he is old man, if he asks permission from his wife, “My dear wife, now I have served so much. Let me take sannyasa now,” the wife will never give permission. She will say, “What you have done? I have got to do so many things. Your, this son is not yet settled up; this daughter is not yet married. How you can take sannyasa? So you cannot do.” So actually, he is the servant of the wife, but he is thinking, “I am master of the family.” This is called maya.

From Srila Prabhupada’s lecture on Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.1.3 — 24 February, 1975

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Churning milk, grinding the wheat

In India the practice was hand grind [wheat] daily. The women will do that. That’s exercise for them, and they keep their body fit and beautiful. In the morning they chant Hare Krsna and grind. Whatever they require for the day, they grind fresh. And actually, by this exercise, they keep their body beautiful. Yasodamayi was doing that, even she is the queen of Nanda Maharaja, what to speak of other women. Churning milk, grinding the wheat, this is their household. Full engagement. Otherwise gossiping… “Idle brain, devil’s workshop.”

Srila Prabhupada — February 15, 1977

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