Bhakti Vikasa Swami's Blog, page 25

Selling books, going back to Godhead

Try to sell as many books as possible at all the schools and colleges. This is scholarly information, flawless science. Kindly assist me in this great work, and know it for certain, that by your sincerely working in this way you shall very soon go back to Home, back to Godhead.

Srila Prabhupada; letter to Locana — Delhi 24 November, 1971

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Actual human civilization

The people were good citizens because they accepted the institution of varna and asrama, which arranges society in the varna divisions of brahmana, ksatriya, vaisya, and sudra and the asrama divisions of brahmacarya, grhastha, vanaprastha, and sannyasa. This is actual human civilization.

Srila Prabhupada; SB 9.10.50, purport

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Brahmacari must consult guru

I must inform you that Vamanadeva’s advice that first you should make a move and then consult your spiritual master is most unauthorized. A disciple should not do anything without asking first his Spiritual Master. It is said in Srimad-Bhagavatam that a brahmacari should beg and collect things and then deliver them to his Spiritual Master, and when the Spiritual Master will ask him to come and take prasadam he will do so. If one day the Spiritual Master forgets to call a brahmacari to participate in the lunch, he should rather fast that day than take food out of his own accord. Of course I do not mean to impose upon you such strictures, but the purport is that a brahmacari should not do anything without being directed by the Spiritual Master. I know that you are sincere devotee and a faithful brahmacari, but still you should not do anything without consenting me. If Vamanadeva gave such unauthorized counsel, he did not do right.

From Srila Prabhupada’s letter to: Sivananda — Los Angeles 31 December, 1968

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The functions of the tongue in devotional service

We try to engage all the members of the Krsna consciousness movement in the service of the holy name. Since the holy name and Krsna are nondifferent, the members of the Krsna consciousness movement not only chant the holy name of the Lord offenselessly, but also do not allow their tongues to eat anything that is not first offered to the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

The Supreme Lord declares:

patram puspam phalam toyam yo me bhaktya prayacchati
tad aham bhakty-upahrtam asnami prayatatmanah

“If one offers Me with love and devotion a leaf, a flower, a fruit or water, I will accept it.” (Bg. 9.26) Therefore the International Society for Krishna Consciousness has many temples all over the world, and in each and every temple the Lord is offered these foods. On the basis of His demands, the devotees chant the holy name of the Lord offenselessly and never eat anything that is not first offered to the Lord. The functions of the tongue in devotional service are to chant the Hare Krsna maha-mantra and eat prasadam that is offered to the Lord.

Srila Prabhupada, CC Adi 8.16, ppt.

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Who is Krsna?

The name Krsna means “all-attractive.” God attracts everyone; that is the definition of “God.” We have seen many pictures of Krsna, and we see that He attracts the cows, calves, birds, beasts, trees, plants, and even the water in Vrndavana. He is attractive to the cowherd boys, to the gopis, to Nanda Maharaja, to the Pandavas, and to all human society. Therefore if any particular name can be given to God, that name is “Krsna.”

From The Science of Self-Realization by Srila Prabhupada

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The price to pay for material benefits

Sridhara Swami remembers:

On a morning walk once with Srila Prabhupada in Juhu Beach,  one of his disciples from Gujarat, Jasomatinandana Dasa, was walking with him. He had just got his master’s in engineering from USA — he joined in the West and Prabhupada had told him to come back to India. So they were walking, and
Prabhupada asked him how the preaching in the colleges was going. And he said, “Well, the boys are saying that this is very good for those Westerners; they’ve already experienced the fruits of sense gratification, therefore they can renounce. But “we want to first have material benefits, then we’ll think about spiritual life.”

Prabhupada said, “Yes, that’s all right; tell them that if that’s what they really want, then they have to be prepared to work morning shift, afternoon shift, evening shift.” (laughter) “They have to be ready to work hard like donkeys. This is the price the Westerners have paid.”

Adbhuta Hari Dasa, The Jolly Swami, p. 967

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When remaining silent is a fault

One should not at any time tolerate blasphemy and insults against Lord Visnu or His devotees. A devotee is generally very humble and meek, and he is reluctant to pick a quarrel with anyone. Nor does he envy anyone. However, a pure devotee immediately becomes fiery with anger when he sees that Lord Visnu or His devotee is insulted. This is the duty of a devotee. Although a devotee maintains an attitude of meekness and gentleness, it is a great fault on his part if he remains silent when the Lord or His devotee is blasphemed.

Srila Prabhupada; SB 4.14.32 purport

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An invitation from Srila Prabhupada

Everything within this material world will be destroyed, and therefore one should use everything for good purposes. If one is advanced in knowledge, he must always be prepared to sacrifice anything for a better cause. At the present moment the entire world is in a dangerous position under the spell of a godless civilization. The Krsna consciousness movement needs many exalted, learned persons who will sacrifice their lives to revive God consciousness throughout the world. We therefore invite all men and women advanced in knowledge to join the Krsna consciousness movement and sacrifice their lives for the great cause of reviving the God consciousness of human society.

Srila Prabhupada, Srimad-Bhagavatam 6.10.6, Purport

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Everyone is supposed to engage in the spiritual advancement of life

The man who lives with a wife has a great responsibility in maintaining the members of the other social orders — the brahmacaris, vanaprasthas and sannyasis. Except for the grhasthas, or the householders, everyone is supposed to engage in the spiritual advancement of life, and therefore the brahmacari, the vanaprastha and the sannyasi have very little time to earn a livelihood.

Srila Prabhupada, SB 3.14.18, ppt.

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Locana dasa’s request

Locana dasa requests everyone, bhajo bhajo bhai, caitanya-nitai: “My dear brother, I request that you just worship Lord Caitanya and Nityananda with firm conviction and faith.”

Don’t think that this chanting and dancing will not lead to the desired goal. It will. It is the assurance of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu that one will get all perfection by this process. Therefore one must chant with firm faith and conviction (biswasa kori’).

From Srila Prabhupada’s purport to Sri Sri Gaura-Nityanander Daya by Locana dasa Thakura

(Locana Dasa Thakura’s disappearance anniversary is on 21 Jan 2025)

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