Bhakti Vikasa Swami's Blog, page 34

Victory for Lord Krsna

By understanding bhagavata-dharma, one immediately becomes free from material contamination. Living entities, who are part and parcel of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, are loitering in this material world suffering. When they are instructed by the Lord Himself about bhagavata-dharma and they adopt it, that is victory for the Lord, for He then reclaims these fallen souls. A devotee following the principles of bhagavata-dharma feels very much obligated to the Supreme Personality of Godhead. He can understand the difference between life without bhagavata-dharma and life with bhagavata-dharma and thus he ever remains obliged to the Lord. Taking to Krsna consciousness and bringing fallen souls
to Krsna consciousness is victory for Lord Krsna.

From Srila Prabhupada’s purport to SB 6.16.40

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Rasa-lila wonderfully increases transcendental pleasure

One devotee has said, “I know about Narayana, the husband of the goddess of fortune, and I also know about many other incarnations of the Lord. Certainly all the pastimes of such incarnations are exciting to my mind, but still the pastimes of the rasa-lila performed by Lord Krsna Himself are wonderfully increasing my transcendental pleasure.”

From The Nectar of Devotion, by Srila Prabhupada

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In difficulty or opulence, devotees should always be happy

Devotees should always be happy with all the dealings of their master, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. A devotee may be put into difficulty or opulence, but he should accept both as gifts of the Supreme Personality of Godhead and jubilantly engage in the service of the Lord in all circumstances.

Srila Prabhupada, CC Adi 12.37, purport

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The glories of maha-maha prasada

When the rice thrown by Nityananda Prabhu touched His body, Advaita Acarya thought Himself purified by the touch of remnants thrown by Paramahamsa Nityananda. Therefore He began dancing.

PURPORT: The remnants of food left by a pure Vaisnava are called maha-maha-prasada. This is completely spiritual and is identified with Lord Visnu. Such remnants are not ordinary. The spiritual master is to be considered on the stage of paramahamsa and beyond the jurisdiction of the varnasrama institution. The remnants of food left by the spiritual master and similar paramahamsas or pure Vaisnavas are purifying. When an ordinary person touches such prasada, his mind is purified, and his mind is raised to the status of a pure brahmana. The behavior and statements of Advaita Acarya are meant for the understanding of ordinary people who are unaware of the strength of spiritual values, not knowing the potency of foodstuffs left by the bona fide spiritual master and pure Vaisnavas.

Srila Prabhupada, Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Madhya-lila 3.96

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Gopika-kanta, Radha-kanta

Krsna is gopika-kanta, Radha-kanta. That is Krsna’s real identification. He is gopika-kanta, and He is Radha-kanta. This relationship with Krsna and the gopis is the highest perfectional realization of the Absolute Truth.

Srila Prabhupada, Mayapur, March 29, 1975

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The opulence of Krsna’s Vrndavana

Bilvamangala Thakura in Krsna-karnamrta addressed Krsna thus: “My dear Lord, what can I say about the opulence of Your Vrndavana? Simply the ornaments on the legs of the damsels of Vrndavana are more than cintamani, and their dresses are as good as the heavenly parijata flowers. And the cows exactly resemble the surabhi cows in the transcendental abode. Therefore Your opulence is just like an ocean that no one can measure.”

From The Nectar of Devotion by Srila Prabhupada

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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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