Bhakti Vikasa Swami's Blog, page 33

Monkeys, dogs, and hogs in Vrndavana

Those who are in Vrndavana, if they actually want to live in Vrndavana, their business should be how to satisfy the senses of Krsna. That is Vrndavana. Not that “I am living in Vrndavana and trying to satisfy my senses.” That is not vrndavana-vasi. There are so many monkeys, dogs, and hogs also; they are in Vrndavana. Do you mean to say that they are living in Vrndavana? No. Anyone who wants to satisfy his senses in Vrndavana, their next life is dogs, hogs, and monkey. You must know that. So one should not try to sense gratify in Vrndavana. That is a great sin. Simply try to satisfy Krsna’s senses.

From Srila Prabhupada’s lecture on Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.7.24 — September 21, 1976, Vrndavana

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Initiation: four no’s and one yes

This initiation by the grace of guru and Krsna, do not take it very leniently. Take it very seriously. It is a great opportunity. Whatever you have promised before the Lord, before your spiritual master, before fire, before Vaisnavas, never deviate from this promise. Then you will keep fixed up in your spiritual life: no illicit sex, no meat-eating, no gambling, no intoxication — these four no’s — and chanting Hare Krsna — one yes. Four no’s and one yes. That will make your life successful. It is very easy. It is not difficult. But maya is very strong, sometimes deviates us. So when there is endeavor by the maya to deviate us, just pray to Krsna, “Please save me. I am surrendered, fully surrendered, and kindly give me protection,” and Krsna will give you protection. But don’t miss this opportunity. That is my request. I have all my good wishes and blessings upon you.

Srila Prabhupada; Initiation Lecture — April 23, 1976, Melbourne

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Saintly persons and politics

Saintly persons are not interested in political matters, yet they are always thinking of the welfare of the people in general. Consequently they sometimes have to come down to the political field and take steps to correct the misguided government or royalty. However, in Kali-yuga, saintly persons are not as powerful as they previously were. They used to be able to burn any sinful man to ashes by virtue of their spiritual prowess. Now saintly persons have no such power due to the influence of the Age of Kali. Indeed, the brahmanas do not even have the power to perform sacrifices in which animals are put into a fire to attain a new life. Under these circumstances, instead of actively taking part in politics, saintly persons should engage in chanting the maha-mantra, Hare Krsna. By the grace of Lord Caitanya, by simply chanting this Hare Krsna maha-mantra, the general populace can derive all benefits without political implications.

Srila Prabhupada, Srimad-Bhagavatam 4.14.12

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In Srila Prabhupada’s absence

I am aware that you are feeling my absence just as I am feeling the absence from you. But in the meantime this must be so and Krishna will provide for you as long as you keep chanting Hare Krishna.

From Srila Prabhupada’s letter to devotees — San Francisco 30 March, 1967

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Srila Prabhupada’s pranama mantra

The pranama-mantra of Srila Prabhupada was humbly recited by his followers in every conceivable instance such as when a disciple was introduced to another swami, or in the occasion of bowing down in any church of place of worship, and sometimes before parents and other startled relatives and friends. When Deity worship began in the temples, devotees bowed down before the Supreme Lord and recited the one mantra they were most sure of,

nama om visnu-padaya krsna-presthaya bhu-tale
srimate bhaktivedanta-svamin iti namine.

After three years, Srila Prabhupada composed and gave his disciples a second mantra,

namas te sarasvate deve gaura-vani-pracarine
nirvisesa-sunyavadi-pascatya-desa-tarine

I was in Boston when we received our copy in the mail. Bharadraja dasa, a musically talented devotee, quickly made a nice tune for the mantra, which is still sung by devotees today. A devotee in California wrote to Srila Prabhupada thanking him for the second mantra and commenting how we were such dependent neophytes that Srila Prabhupada had to himself supply us with prayers to our spiritual master. We were all very interested in the meaning of the new mantra. Out of all possible descriptions of his mission, Srila Prabhupada had chosen to state it as “delivering the Western countries, which are filled with impersonalism and voidism.” Prabhupada’s mission was our mission-to assist him in preaching the message of Lord Caitanya by attacking the forces of nirvisesa and sunyavadi. The two mantras taken together are themselves a formidable utterance against impersonalism.

Living with the Scriptures by SDG, Chapter 15

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Srila Prabhupada remembrance by Jagat Purush Prabhu

Srila Prabhupada walked to the edge of the temple (in Mumbai). There was a building that had remained outside of ISKCON’s possession after the rest of the property had been acquired and it was owned by a man by the name of Mr. Ragnaparki so we called it the Ragnaparki house.

Since Srila Prabhupada’s last visit, that house had finally been acquired and I was living in the first floor (not the ground floor but the first floor up) and  sometimes you would just have a glimpse of Prabhupada and see his particular expression and it would be so profound and so deep. So this is what I felt, watching Srila Prabhupada look towards that house, but he seemed to be looking to me, he was looking at the whole world; he was surveying the world, Prabhupada had such a thoughtful look on his face and then Srila Prabhupada said, “I want to see the house.”

The devotees immediately gathered behind him and Srila Prabhupada started walking towards this house.  This was typical, whenever anything new was constructed, Srila Prabhupada wanted to inspect it.  So Prabhupada walked into the house, he looked in the rooms, he walked upstairs then he pointed toward a door that was locked and he said, “whose room is this?” and one of the devotees mentioned, “Jagat Purush lives there.”  Prabhupada said, “open the door.”

I immediately unlocked the lock and opened the door and Srila Prabhupada walked in, by Krsna’s mercy everything was neat and tidy in the room (softly laughs) and Srila Prabhupada was pleased and then he came out of the room and he wanted to walk up some very old rickety stairs that went up to a little loft area — no one was staying there.  It was very small, just like a little attic area. Prabhupada wanted to go up there and Tamal Krsna
Maharaja said, “Oh, Prabhupada, it’s too risky, too dangerous, the boards on the steps are old and we don’t think it’s a good idea for you to go up there.”

Srila Prabhupada just completely ignored those words and went right to the stairway and walked right up.  And what he saw at the top of the stairs disturbed him very much.  In that little, small area between the top of the stairs and a window was an area, maybe six feet by four feeti something like that, and there was a pile of damaged Srimad Bhagavatam books.  Srila Prabhupada did not like that one bit.  These were books that had been damaged with mold because they had been stored in a place that had too much moisture and worms had eaten away parts of the books and these were books which were destroyed and perhaps the devotee who needed to clear that area didn’t know what to do with the books so he just put them in this space which was out of the way. Nobody ever would have imagined that Srila Prabhupada would walk up and see these books.

Prabhupada was very, very, very angry. And this was the first and only time that I, personally had witnessed Srila (chokes) Srila Prabhpada’s anger — to this extent.  Prabhupada immediately wanted to know, who is responsible for this, how this happened. Some explanation was given to him and then Prabhupada turned around and started walking down these steps and he walked past all of us and Srila Prabhupada’s lip was quivering when he was so upset.  It was a very, very, very awkward time, nobody knew what to say.  It reminded me of the pastime of Lord Nrsimhadeva who was exhibiting so much anger that the demigods were afraid to approach Him. And they didn’t know what to say or what to do because the anger was soitoo much for anybody to even grasp or relate to.

Prabhupada walked out of the house and he walked towards the back of the property and towards the hut where we were all living and some few months before, we had had the ground breaking ceremony and a cornerstone established, and the stone had been created saying “International Society for Krsna Consciousness — Founder Acarya A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada.” That stone, somehow or other, since Prabhupada’s previous visit had been broken in half and was lying on the ground outside the hut. So, after seeing this pile of books, Prabhupada came to the hut and saw the cornerstone, broken. Prabhupada was very, very upset, also, about that. He was seeing our negligence and our incompetence.

Prabhupada went up to his quarters, we all went about our various services. And several hours later, I came up to the rooftop where Srila Prabhupada would generally go at around four or five in the afternoon and greet guests. I noticed that Srila Prabhupada was smiling, he was so relaxed. It was amazing contrast from what I had seen just two, three hours before. But I knew that the pure devotee’s anger is not because of the modes of material nature. Prabhupada was seeing in these books, Krsna, and seeing the neglect of his disciples to deal with Krsna in this form.  He was very disappointed and he had to be angry for our rectification. Nobody who was present at the time will ever forget this concern of Srila Prabhupada’s. I can’t imagine anyone in that group ever disrespecting any of Prabhupada’s books having had that experience.

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Protection from demoniac rulers

Krsna appears in this world for two purposes, paritranaya sadhunam vinasaya ca duskrtam: [Bg. 4.8] to protect the innocent, religious devotees of the Lord and to annihilate all the uneducated, uncultured asuras, who unnecessarily bark like dogs and fight among themselves for political power. It is said, kali-kale nama-rupe krsna avatara. The Hare Krsna movement is also an incarnation of Krsna in the form of the holy name (nama-rupe). Every one of us who is actually afraid of the asuric rulers and politicians must welcome this incarnation of Krsna: Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna, Krsna Krsna, Hare Hare / Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare. Then we will surely be protected from the harassment of asuric rulers. At the present moment these rulers are so powerful that by hook or by crook they capture the highest posts in government and harass countless numbers of people on the plea of national security or some emergency. Then again, one asura defeats another asura, but the public continues to suffer. Therefore the entire world is in a precarious condition, and the only hope is this Hare Krsna movement. Lord Nrsimhadeva appeared when Prahlada was excessively harassed by his asuric father. Because of such asuric fathers — that is, the ruling politicians — it is very difficult to press forward the Hare Krsna movement, but because Krsna has now appeared in His holy name through this movement, we can hope that these asuric fathers will be annihilated and the kingdom of God established all over the world. The entire world is now full of many asuras in the guise of politicians, gurus, sadhus, yogis and incarnations, and they are misleading the general public away from Krsna consciousness, which can offer true benefit to human society.

Srila Prabhupada’s full purport to SB 10.3.22

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Srila Prabhupada whacked him hard with his cane

Once on a morning walk in Melbourne, a devotee who was following close behind, eager to hear everything that Srila Prabhupada said, made the blunder of accidentally stepping on his guru’s heel. Srila Prabhupada stopped, turned around, looked admonishingly at disciple, then turned back and continued walking. Shortly thereafter, that disciple made the same mistake. Srila Prabhupada again turned and looked at him, longer than previously. When the disciple did it for a third time, Srila Prabhupada turned and whacked him hard with his cane. Without saying anything, Srila
Prabhupada turned back and continued walking.

Told by Sukla-devi Dasi, Srila Prabhupada Memories #71

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Pancadravida to Jayadvaita, before Srila Prabhupada’s departure

Mahamsa Swami recently returned from Vrndavana where he was summoned by Srila Prabhupada. Prabhupada had just ended a seven day fast when Mahamsa Swami arrived, and now he is beginning to eat again. His Divine Grace had been very ill. Mahamsa Swami described Srila Prabhupada as being very white, and for the first time He looked very old. His Divine Grace was very weak, and when He talked it was very slowly, one word at a time, and that in a soft whisper. Prabhupada said that this was not a normal illness, but was caused by 90% of His disciples not following the devotional principles. Therefore, Srila Prabhupada had said that he requested 24-hour continuous kirtans to purify the devotees. He had refused to take any medicine, and repeated that samkirtan was the only cure. Here in Hyderabad the kirtans continued uninterrupted for over a week, and I could see practically that this sankirtan yajna initiated by Lord Caitanya is the prime benediction. The devotees here became enthused as the kirtans continued ecstatically through the night. Devotees worked in kirtan shifts and my feeling was that every day felt like Janmastami. Prabhupada indicated that in particular the senior disciples were lax in following the principles. Actually Srila Prabhupada has said many times that what is needed is not leaders, but acharyas—those who can demonstrate by their example. In His article “What is a Goswami?” Prabhupada has mentioned that the Six Goswami[s] did not need to tell people to chant; people would chant just by seeing them. This is the standard of purity. When someone sees a Vaisnava, just by his personal appearance and conduct they are reminded of Krishna. There is always need for us to personally see that our own devotion has not become impure, tinted by any fruitive desires, speculation, laxness, or compromise with the regulative principles. In practice there is need for the senior disciples, the GBC, the sannyasis, and advanced initiates to provide the standard for all devotees to follow. The actual purity, nirmatsaranam, cent percent devotion is there in Srila Prabhupada. But the spiritual master as a pure representative of Krishna, worshipped on an equal level like the Lord Himself, is able to instill pure love of Krishna in His disciples, and provided we accept His instructions and practice them, to bring us up to the standard of pure, undeviating devotion to Lord Krishna. Brahmananda Swami in Vrndavana emphasized that it is important we attend all regular devotional activities, from arotiks, tulasi worship, classes, etc. and help to give our Godbrothers (what to speak of ourselves) a taste of the full-nectar of Krishna Consciousness.

Letter from Pancadravida to Jayadvaita, Hyderabad, September 1, 1974

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Mother Yasoda’s Krsna anxiety

Pusta Krsna: Anxiety for one’s self is maya?

Prabhupada: That is material.

Pusta Krsna: And anxiety for Krsna?

Prabhupada: That is spiritual. Rupa Gosvami’s sloka, krsna-bhakti-rasa-bhavita matih kriyatam yadi kuto ‘pi labhyate  [Cc. Madhya 8.70]: “The anxiety for Krsna, if it can be purchased, immediately purchase it.” Rupa Gosvami said. Krsna-bhakti-rasa-bhavita matih kriyatam: “Just purchase Krsna anxiety if it is available somewhere.” So the next question will be that “What is the price?” Tatra laulyam ekalam mulyam: “That anxiety can be purchased by anxiety.” “So I’ll do it.” No. Na janma-koti-sukrtair labhyate: “That anxiety is not available even by millions of births’ pious activities.” So this anxiety is not so easy.

Devotee (1): So if we’re performing the Deity worship and we get in anxiety, how to make it nice…

Prabhupada: Yes, that is Krsna anxiety. That is Krsna anxiety. If you become anxious how to worship Deity, how to dress Krsna nicely, how to do, if you remain, that will develop your anxiety for Krsna. Therefore Deity worship essential. Exactly in time to get up, to offer mangala-arati, to dress — this anxiety is the beginning of Krsna anxiety. Then, when you become perfect, you’ll always be anxious for Krsna. And that is perfectional stage. Therefore, by the injunction of the sastra, regulative, it is a way of creating that anxiety. So we must follow. Then we’ll come to the real anxiety.

Gurukrpa: Not artificially.

Devotee (1): So therefore it is good that we have so much Deity worship to do that we’re very, very busy and we do not have any time? We practically do not have enough time, but that is very good? To worship the Deity. We have so much to do.

Prabhupada: So what enough time you want? To go to the cinema? [laughter] Then? Your time has to be occupied by Krsna anxiety. That’s all. And as soon as you go to other anxiety, then it is maya.

Gurukrpa: If we have four hours to dress the Deity, we can use the whole four hours. But sometimes we only have an hour and a half, so we have to rush. So that is anxiety.

Prabhupada: No, that anxiety does not mean this laziness, that “I am anxiety for four hours. Deity cannot be opened now. I am in anxiety.” That is negligence. That is negligence. That is not anxiety.

Devotee (2): When we are distributing books, Srila Prabhupada, and we are not doing so good and we are in anxiety, that is also spiritual?

Prabhupada: That is… For selling books anxiety is Krsna anxiety. So if you become very anxious how to sell more books, that is Krsna anxiety. That is not trade anxiety; that is Krsna anxiety.

Gurukrpa: So some people say that “When I go on sankirtana to sell books I become in too much anxiety if I’m not doing well, so I’d rather not do it.”

Prabhupada: No, that is Krsna anxiety. He does not know. Let him know that that is Krsna anxiety. Yasoda, Mother Yasoda, became mother of Krsna so that she would always remain in anxiety for Krsna, whether Krsna is safe. That is mother’s anxiety. Therefore she became mother. How to become in Krsna anxiety? This philosophy nobody knows. Everyone takes Krsna as the father. Father means I’m anxiety-less: “Father, you supply my wants.” And to become father of Krsna means to purchase anxiety for Krsna. This philosophy they do not know. To accept Krsna as father means “My father is there. I have no anxiety.” And if you accept Krsna as your son, then you are full of Krsna anxiety. This is the philosophy. And these Mayavadis, they cannot understand. They think that “Krsna is born of this father and mother. How He is God?” But they do not know the philosophy.

Pusta Krsna: They talk of santi.

Prabhupada: Mother Yasoda is always anxious: “Krsna is crawling. Whether He is falling down in some water or some monkey has come, hurting Him, or…?” Always. Or “He is touching some fire.” Always anxiety. And besides that, the demons are coming. So this is perfection. Always remain in anxiety for Krsna.

April 26, 1976, Melbourne

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