Bhakti Vikasa Swami's Blog, page 339
June 5, 2012
Basic duties and further intelligence
The spiritual master has given you so many things to do. Do it. First of all
finish that. First of all finish sixteen rounds, observe the regulative
principles. First of all… First of all finish this duty. And neglecting
this duty, what you can do further? If you cannot finish sixteen rounds
chanting, you cannot observe the regulative principles, then what else you
can do? First of all finish this duty. Be expert in finishing, executing
these duties. Then ask for another duty. And if you finish these duties,
automatically Krsna will give you intelligence. Tesam satata-yuktanam
bhajatam priti-purvakam [Bg. 10.10]. One who is actually engaged in the
service of the Lord, buddhi-yogam dadami tam, “I give him intelligence.”
Krsna will give you intelligence. You will be able to talk with Krsna from
within if you become sincere. If you cannot execute the preliminary duties,
then how you can execute further duty? There is no question.
>>> Ref. VedaBase => Srimad-Bhagavatam 6.1.15 — Auckland, February 22, 1973
finish that. First of all finish sixteen rounds, observe the regulative
principles. First of all… First of all finish this duty. And neglecting
this duty, what you can do further? If you cannot finish sixteen rounds
chanting, you cannot observe the regulative principles, then what else you
can do? First of all finish this duty. Be expert in finishing, executing
these duties. Then ask for another duty. And if you finish these duties,
automatically Krsna will give you intelligence. Tesam satata-yuktanam
bhajatam priti-purvakam [Bg. 10.10]. One who is actually engaged in the
service of the Lord, buddhi-yogam dadami tam, “I give him intelligence.”
Krsna will give you intelligence. You will be able to talk with Krsna from
within if you become sincere. If you cannot execute the preliminary duties,
then how you can execute further duty? There is no question.
>>> Ref. VedaBase => Srimad-Bhagavatam 6.1.15 — Auckland, February 22, 1973
June 4, 2012
Srila Prabhupada’s message to the Indian people
Reporter: Sir, would you like to give any message to the Indian people?
Prabhupada: Yes. You take… My message is you take Bhagavad-gita as it is
seriously, you will be happy.
Reporter: That’s all? Take it as is?
Prabhupada: Take it AS IT IS. Don’t try to interpret foolishly. That is my
message.
Reporter: But, sir…
Prabhupada: So long they are simply foolishly interpreting, therefore they
did not get any benefit. But if you take AS IT IS you’ll get the benefit.
>>> Ref. VedaBase => Interview with Reporters — November 10, 1971, New
Delhi
Prabhupada: Yes. You take… My message is you take Bhagavad-gita as it is
seriously, you will be happy.
Reporter: That’s all? Take it as is?
Prabhupada: Take it AS IT IS. Don’t try to interpret foolishly. That is my
message.
Reporter: But, sir…
Prabhupada: So long they are simply foolishly interpreting, therefore they
did not get any benefit. But if you take AS IT IS you’ll get the benefit.
>>> Ref. VedaBase => Interview with Reporters — November 10, 1971, New
Delhi
How Women Should Offer Obeisances?
Question:
Certain individuals in ISKCON believe that women can offer dandavat pranams (fully prostrate on ground in a rod like fashion). To support the argument they quote SB 8.17.5 where in Aditi fell to the ground like a rod to offer the Lord her respectful obeisances. Also cited is a video clip wherein a mataji is seen offering dandavat pranam to Srila Prabhupada.
Please comment on the above two instances in the context of the proper way of offering obeisances for women.
Download How Women Should Offer Obeisances?
Certain individuals in ISKCON believe that women can offer dandavat pranams (fully prostrate on ground in a rod like fashion). To support the argument they quote SB 8.17.5 where in Aditi fell to the ground like a rod to offer the Lord her respectful obeisances. Also cited is a video clip wherein a mataji is seen offering dandavat pranam to Srila Prabhupada.
Please comment on the above two instances in the context of the proper way of offering obeisances for women.
Download How Women Should Offer Obeisances?
June 3, 2012
rest assured of the Lord’s protection
…the Visnudutas … are always very alert to protect the devotees of the
Lord from the hands of enemies, from natural disturbances and from all
dangerous conditions in this material world. Sometimes the members of the
Krsna Consciousness Society are afraid of the impending danger of world war
and ask what would happen to them if a war should occur. In all kinds of
danger, they should be confident of their protection by the Visnudutas or
the Supreme Personality of Godhead, as confirmed in Bhagavad-gita (kaunteya
pratijanihi na me bhaktah pranasyati [Bg. 9.31]). Material danger is not
meant for devotees. This is also confirmed in Srimad-Bhagavatam. Padam padam
yad vipadam na tesam: [SB 10.14.58] in this material world there are dangers
at every step, but they are not meant for devotees who have fully
surrendered unto the lotus feet of the Lord. The pure devotees of Lord Visnu
may rest assured of the Lord’s protection, and as long as they are in this
material world they should fully engage in devotional service by preaching
the cult of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu and Lord Krsna, namely the Hare Krsna
movement of Krsna consciousness.
>>> Ref. VedaBase => SB 6.3.19
Lord from the hands of enemies, from natural disturbances and from all
dangerous conditions in this material world. Sometimes the members of the
Krsna Consciousness Society are afraid of the impending danger of world war
and ask what would happen to them if a war should occur. In all kinds of
danger, they should be confident of their protection by the Visnudutas or
the Supreme Personality of Godhead, as confirmed in Bhagavad-gita (kaunteya
pratijanihi na me bhaktah pranasyati [Bg. 9.31]). Material danger is not
meant for devotees. This is also confirmed in Srimad-Bhagavatam. Padam padam
yad vipadam na tesam: [SB 10.14.58] in this material world there are dangers
at every step, but they are not meant for devotees who have fully
surrendered unto the lotus feet of the Lord. The pure devotees of Lord Visnu
may rest assured of the Lord’s protection, and as long as they are in this
material world they should fully engage in devotional service by preaching
the cult of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu and Lord Krsna, namely the Hare Krsna
movement of Krsna consciousness.
>>> Ref. VedaBase => SB 6.3.19
June 2, 2012
A chaste sweeper woman
Prabhupada: We have got experience in our school, college days. I was
sitting in a friend’s house and one sweeper woman, sweeper, with broomstick
and with, what is called, covering?
Devotee: Shawl.
Prabhupada: She was standing, say, about twenty yards distant from our
sitting place. So I asked my friend that: “Your, this sweeper woman wants to
come in. She’s waiting because we are sitting. She is ashamed to come. So
let us come here.” So we stood separately. That means although she was a
sweeper woman, still we had to honor her to enter. We stood up separately.
She was feeling that; “How can I go between two men?” This we have seen in
our… So this is Vedic culture.
>>> Ref. VedaBase => Bhagavad-gita 1.40 — London, July 28, 1973
sitting in a friend’s house and one sweeper woman, sweeper, with broomstick
and with, what is called, covering?
Devotee: Shawl.
Prabhupada: She was standing, say, about twenty yards distant from our
sitting place. So I asked my friend that: “Your, this sweeper woman wants to
come in. She’s waiting because we are sitting. She is ashamed to come. So
let us come here.” So we stood separately. That means although she was a
sweeper woman, still we had to honor her to enter. We stood up separately.
She was feeling that; “How can I go between two men?” This we have seen in
our… So this is Vedic culture.
>>> Ref. VedaBase => Bhagavad-gita 1.40 — London, July 28, 1973
distant rascal
…a new disciple stopped coming to classes and said he felt distant from
Prabhupada and Krsna. Prabhupada said the son is always close to the father.
If the son says he is distant he is a rascal. And then he gave the
acintya-bhedabheda-tattva example, in reference to both the guru and Krsna.
From Satsvarupa dasa Goswami VP offering, 2004
Prabhupada and Krsna. Prabhupada said the son is always close to the father.
If the son says he is distant he is a rascal. And then he gave the
acintya-bhedabheda-tattva example, in reference to both the guru and Krsna.
From Satsvarupa dasa Goswami VP offering, 2004
Purusa
[B]Where:[/B] Salem, Tamil Nadu, India[BR]
[B]When:[/B] 16 Jan 12[BR]
[B]Scripture:[/B] Visnu Sahasranama, Verse 2[BR]
[B]Language:[/B] English[BR]
[CUT]
Download Purusa
[B]When:[/B] 16 Jan 12[BR]
[B]Scripture:[/B] Visnu Sahasranama, Verse 2[BR]
[B]Language:[/B] English[BR]
[CUT]
Download Purusa
June 1, 2012
Drink the Nectar of Immortality
As by drinking nectarine, one can become immortal, similarly, by drinking
the nectarine of devotion, one becomes immortal. Therefore we have named the
book Nectar of Devotion. You drink it and become immortal.
>>> Ref. VedaBase => Srimad-Bhagavatam 6.3.20-23 — Gorakhpur, February 14,
1971
the nectarine of devotion, one becomes immortal. Therefore we have named the
book Nectar of Devotion. You drink it and become immortal.
>>> Ref. VedaBase => Srimad-Bhagavatam 6.3.20-23 — Gorakhpur, February 14,
1971
May 30, 2012
A devotee is always joyful
…a devotee does not attach much importance to the pains and trouble
pertaining to the body because he knows perfectly well that he is not the
material body. He does not identify with the body; therefore he is freed
from the conception of false ego and is equipoised in happiness and
distress. He is tolerant, and he is satisfied with whatever comes by the
grace of the Supreme Lord. He does not endeavor much to achieve something
with great difficulty; therefore he is always joyful.
>>> Ref. VedaBase => Bg 12.13, Bg 12.14, Bg 12.13-14
pertaining to the body because he knows perfectly well that he is not the
material body. He does not identify with the body; therefore he is freed
from the conception of false ego and is equipoised in happiness and
distress. He is tolerant, and he is satisfied with whatever comes by the
grace of the Supreme Lord. He does not endeavor much to achieve something
with great difficulty; therefore he is always joyful.
>>> Ref. VedaBase => Bg 12.13, Bg 12.14, Bg 12.13-14
calm, quiet and patient
A pure devotee is never disturbed in any circumstances. Nor is he envious of
anyone. Nor does a devotee become his enemy’s enemy; he thinks, “This person
is acting as my enemy due to my own past misdeeds. So it is better to suffer
than to protest.” In the Srimad-Bhagavatam (10.14.8) it is stated: tat te
‘nukampam su-samiksamano bhunjana evatma-krtam vipakam. Whenever a devotee
is in distress or has fallen into difficulty, he thinks that it is the
Lord’s mercy upon him. He thinks, “Thanks to my past misdeeds I should
suffer far, far greater than I am suffering now. So it is by the mercy of
the Supreme Lord that I am not getting all the punishment I am due. I am
just getting a little, by the mercy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.”
Therefore he is always calm, quiet and patient, despite many distressful
conditions. A devotee is also always kind to everyone, even to his enemy.
>>> Ref. VedaBase => Bg 12.13, Bg 12.14, Bg 12.13-14
anyone. Nor does a devotee become his enemy’s enemy; he thinks, “This person
is acting as my enemy due to my own past misdeeds. So it is better to suffer
than to protest.” In the Srimad-Bhagavatam (10.14.8) it is stated: tat te
‘nukampam su-samiksamano bhunjana evatma-krtam vipakam. Whenever a devotee
is in distress or has fallen into difficulty, he thinks that it is the
Lord’s mercy upon him. He thinks, “Thanks to my past misdeeds I should
suffer far, far greater than I am suffering now. So it is by the mercy of
the Supreme Lord that I am not getting all the punishment I am due. I am
just getting a little, by the mercy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.”
Therefore he is always calm, quiet and patient, despite many distressful
conditions. A devotee is also always kind to everyone, even to his enemy.
>>> Ref. VedaBase => Bg 12.13, Bg 12.14, Bg 12.13-14
