Bhakti Vikasa Swami's Blog, page 212
October 26, 2019
Dreaming of Krsna
Devotee: How does the devotee go about practicing this Krsna consciousness when he’s asleep?
Prabhupada: Yes, Sleep means your gross senses are stopped, but your mind works. Therefore you dream. So if you practice your mind to be engaged in Krsna consciousness, in dream also you’ll see that you are preparing prasadam. “I am going to sell Back to Godhead.” [chuckles] That’s all. Sometimes some nights when I feel hungry, I dream that I’m eating Krsna prasadam very sumptuous. [laughing]
November 25, 1968, Los Angeles
October 24, 2019
Vrajabhumi
vraja-vasi lokera krsne sahaja piriti
gopalera sahaja-priti vraja-vasi-prati
The ideal place to execute Krsna consciousness is Vrajabhumi, or Vrndavana, where the people are naturally inclined to love Krsna and Krsna is naturally inclined to love them.
Cc Madhya 4.95, with Srila Prabhupada’s translation
October 23, 2019
Don’t try to understand gopi-lila
You have to understand Krsna tattvatah, in truth, not superficially. Then you’ll misunderstand. Without understanding Krsna, if we try to understand Krsna’s pastimes with Radharani, that is foolishness. But they do not know Krsna. How can understand His pastimes with the gopis? That is foolishness. Therefore we have to understand Krsna first of all, and Krsna Himself, explaining Himself. In the Bhagavad-gita, Krsna does not speak anything about His pastimes with Radharani. That is strictly prohibited. You never find Krsna is speaking about His pastimes with the gopis or with Radharani. No. He’s officially speaking about Himself, “I am this, I am that.” Mattah parataram nanyat kincid asti dhananjaya [Bg. 7.7]. Mam eva ye prapadyante mayam etam taranti te [Bg. 7.14]. First of all try to understand Krsna. Thoroughly study Bhagavad-gita, and after studying Bhagavad-gita, if you are fortunate enough to understand what is Krsna, then, Krsna says, surrender. That is the beginning of understanding Krsna. Don’t try to understand the pastimes of Krsna with the gopis. Just like if you make a friend, ordinarily, if you become intimate friend, then you can understand about his household affairs. If you are newly a gentleman introduced with another gentleman, you cannot ask him, “What is the affair in your household or with your wife or with your beloved?” That you cannot ask, neither it is possible to understand.
So the foolishness is going on that without understanding Krsna, there are so-called rascal foolish poets. They are describing Krsna’s pastimes with Radharani. That is the cause of falldown of the so-called Vaisnavism.
From Srila Prabhupada’s lecture on Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, Adi-lila 1.6 — Mayapur, March 30, 1975
October 22, 2019
Krsna Himself wants to taste the nectar of chanting
anyera ka katha, apane vrajendra-nandana
avatari’ karena prema-rasa asvadana
TRANSLATION by Srila Prabhupada
What to speak of others, even Krsna, the son of Nanda Maharaja, personally descends to taste the nectar of love of Godhead in the form of the chanting of Hare Krsna.
Cc Antya 3.265
Mathura
Who is that person who will not agree to worship the land of Mathura? Mathura can deliver all the desires and ambitions of the fruitive workers and of the salvationists, who desire to become one with the Supreme Brahman. Certainly Mathura will deliver the desires of the devotees, who simply aspire to be engaged in the devotional service of the Lord.
From NoD ch. 12
Going to Vrndavana, getting no spiritual benefit
Materialists consider Vrndavana-dhama an unclean city because there are many monkeys and dogs there, and along the bank of the Yamuna there is refuse. Some time ago, a materialistic man asked me, “Why are you living in Vrndavana? Why have you selected such a dirty place to live after retiring?” Such a person cannot understand that the earthly Vrndavana-dhama is always a representation of the original Vrndavana-dhama. Consequently Vrndavana-dhama is as worshipable as Lord Krsna. Aradhyo bhagavan vrajesa-tanayas tad-dhama vrndavanam: according to Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu’s philosophy, Lord Sri Krsna and His abode, Vrndavana, are equally worshipable. Sometimes materialistic people who have no spiritual understanding go to Vrndavana as tourists. One who goes to Vrndavana with such materialistic vision cannot derive any spiritual benefit. Such a person is not convinced that Krsna and Vrndavana are identical. Since they are identical, Vrndavana is as worshipable as Lord Krsna.
Srila Prabhupada; purport to Cc Madhya 16.281
October 19, 2019
Qualities of Krsna are all Krsna
To be attracted by the qualities of Krsna means to be attracted by Krsna Himself, because there is no real distinction between Krsna and His qualities. Krsna’s name is also Krsna. Krsna’s fame is also Krsna. Krsna’s entourage is also Krsna. Krsna and everything related with Krsna which gives stimulation to love of Krsna are all Krsna.
Srila Prabhupada; from the section of “Nectar of Devotion” titled: Krsna’s Transcendental Qualities, His Uncommon Activities and His Smile
How we can always live in Vrndavana
When Krsna left Vrndavana for Mathura, everyone in Vrndavana fell dead out of separation from Him. Similarly, we can always live in Vrndavana, in Vaikuntha, if we are mad after Krsna.
Srila Prabhupada; TLK Vs 25-26
Krsna consciousness of the gopis
Krsna and gopis. They were cowherds girl. Their father, mother, they were only ordinary village men, keeping cows. That’s all. What was their education? They were not Vedantists. But they learned to love Krsna. That was their qualification. And Caitanya Mahaprabhu certifies, ramyad upasana vraja-vadhu-vargena va kalpita. “Oh, there is no better worship than that which was contemplated by the gopis.” Because they did not know what is Krsna but they loved Krsna. That’s all. They loved Krsna, that because Krsna was God or Krsna was something great? No. Their natural affection was for Krsna. They could not stay even for a moment without seeing Krsna. That was their qualification. This is Krsna consciousness.
Srila Prabhupada — Los Angeles, November 25, 1968
The perfection of love
The central object of love is Krsna. That is Vrndavana. The animals love Krsna, the human beings love Krsna, the trees love Krsna, the water loves Krsna, everyone loves Krsna — central point. That is the perfection of love.
Srila Prabhupada — June 24, 1976, New Vrindaban
