Bhakti Vikasa Swami's Blog, page 186
July 16, 2020
Facing severe adversity
If one is situated in real Krsna consciousness, he can face the most severe type of adversity and remain completely undisturbed. In our Krsna consciousness movement, we are giving people this ability.
Srila Prabhupada, as quoted in Journey of Self-discovery 7.3: Psychoanalysis
and the Soul.
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July 15, 2020
Inauspicious comet
Bali-mardana: There’s a comet in the sky and they’re saying that some very inauspicious…
Prabhupada: And what is auspicity now? We are describing all inauspicity, even without the comet. [laughter] Where do you find the auspicity? One man said that “He has kicked me, he has beaten me with shoes, and again he has said that ‘I shall insult you.'” Where is the scarcity of insult? If he is beaten by shoes and kicked by his leg, and still he’s expecting some more insult? You are already in inauspicity. Why you are expecting more inauspicity by the presence of comet? We are already in inauspicity. And therefore these descriptions are there. You have no fixture anything — where to live, where to take bath, where to eat, where to have sex life — nothing fixed up. Everything catastrophe, chaos. What more inauspicity you want? Everywhere. Here even one problem, another, in another country, another problem, another problem, another problem. He must be problematic. Daivi hy esa… Because anyone who is not Krsna conscious, he must be punished by the laws of nature. He must be punished. Therefore it is said, daivi hy esa gunamayi mama maya duratyaya, mam eva ye prapadyante mayam etam [Bg. 7.14]. They’re already in inauspicity. The whole atmosphere is inauspicious. So if there is little more inauspicity, what is the wrong there? The more inauspicity will come.
Srila Prabhupada — Hawaii, January 18, 1974
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July 14, 2020
“Without you, my life will be useless”
You are all my limbs of my body. Unless you cooperate, my life will be useless. The senses and life are correlative. Without life the senses cannot act and without sense, life is inactive.
From Srila Prabhupada’s letter to Brahmananda — 17 July, 1968
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July 13, 2020
Srila Prabhupada’s Holy Places
(Tommorow, 14 Jul 2020, is the anniversary of the incorporation of ISKCON in New York in 1966)
One time we were showing Prabhupada some slides of Lord Nrsimha temples and other holy places we had visited in South India. Prabhupada was interested to see them and even said he had also visited a few of the ones in the pictures. However, when our slides showed various ISKCON centers around the world, Prabhupada, who had previously been lying back casually on his couch remarking only occasionally, sat up erect with noticeably increased enthusiasm. He became animated and started to dominate the conversation. “Which temple is that? The Deities are very beautiful there. Very nice kitchen they have made, how much prasadam they are distributing? The devotees look very happy and effulgent, I can understand they are following strictly all our principles.” When I saw Prabhupada speak and act in that way, I immediately appreciated what was closest to his heart, what was very dear to him. He had worked tirelessly for the spiritual and material welfare of others. Especially, he had left India on the order of his spiritual master. He started his ISKCON as the vehicle by which the whole world could get salvation from the miseries of material existence and attain love of Godhead, Krsna-prema. He was concerned that the temples, devotees, and programs go on very nicely for those who were participating, and for others who came in contact with them.
(Ramai Swami, VP offering, 1998)
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July 11, 2020
Making pilgrimage sites by one’s presence
Buffalo will certainly gradually grow to a nice center, because there is a sincere devotee like you. When Vidura met Maharaja Yudhisthira received him by saying that, your good self can make any place a sacred place of pilgrimage because you always carry within your heart Lord Krishna. So that is the real truth. Anyone who carries Krishna within himself, constantly, can go anywhere and turn the place into a sacred pilgrimage. That is the verdict of Srimad-Bhagavatam and blessings of Lord Caitanya. Lord Caitanya gave a plain order that anywhere we go, simply talk of Krishna Consciousness, and you will become a spiritual master. So, if we simply do this work very sincerely, our life, and the life of those who will hear us, will be benedicted.
From Srila Prabhupada’s letter to Rupanuga — 3 July, 1968
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Uplifting advice from Srila Prabhupada
Do not be depressed. All along my godbrothers gave me only depression, repression, compression — but I continued strong in my duty. So never mind there is some discouragement, continue with your work in full enthusiastic Krishna Consciousness attitude of service.
Go on with your work and do not for one moment feel depressed because you are rendering the highest service to Krishna and He appreciates that, know it for certain.
From Srila Prabhupada’s letter to Gurudasa — 29 August, 1972
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July 10, 2020
Farms: extremely important
Our farm projects are an extremely important part of our movement. We must become self-sufficient by growing our own grains and producing our own milk, then there will be no question of poverty. So develop these farm communities as far as possible. They should be developed as an ideal society depending on natural products not industry. Therefore let everyone chant Hare Krsna, eat nicely and keep their bodies fit and healthy. This is ideal life style.
(Srila Prabhupada, letter, Dec. 18, 1974)
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July 9, 2020
How education makes unemployment
There are uneducated laborer, just like carpenter. He doesn’t require any education. He doesn’t require to become M.A., Ph.D. All these laborers are working so nicely. So why they should waste their time in going to school and college? As soon as he’s ten years old only, let him learn practically how to weave cloth, how to become carpenter, to become other craftsman. And in due course of time he can earn his… How to cultivate land.Why so many big, big universities for inviting everyone? There is no need. Educated means brahmana, ksatriya. Brahmana will give real knowledge, and ksatriyas will govern. For vaisyas and sudras, there is no… It is waste of time. Formerly it was done so. The vaisyas, they have got a son, goes to a shopkeeper: “Please here let my son work with you. He doesn’t want any salary.” So he gets engagement. Then, by seeing, seeing, he becomes little important. And the proprietor gives him some hand expense. And then, one day, he becomes very expert. He starts his own business. That was the system. Why he should go and waste time for education? A boy is given to a carpenter. He learns very easily. A weaver, he learns very easily. A shopkeeper, grocer, he learns very easily. That is education. Why he should waste time for academic education and create unemployment? So long he’s not educated, he has got enough employment. Still they take in the morning, say, half a maund of dal and goes home to home: [Hindi] So by selling half a maund of dal, he makes up these two, three rupees’ profit. That’s all. Where is unemployment?
Srila Prabhupada — June 24, 1977, Vrndavana
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July 8, 2020
Srila Prabhupada’s simple success formula
Think of Krishna always and try to work sincerely, and everything will come automatically.
From Srila Prabhupada’s letter to Aniruddha — 7 July, 1968
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July 7, 2020
Connected to Srila Prabhupada = connected to Krishna
You are mine and I am Krishna’s, therefore you are also Krishna’s.
From Srila Prabhupada’s letter to Gargamuni — 18 June, 1968
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