Bhakti Vikasa Swami's Blog, page 343
May 12, 2012
Bhakti Caru Swami learns Sanskrit
Once I [Bhakti Caru Swami] expressed a desire to learn Sanskrit to Srila
Prabhupada. But Srila Prabhupada discouraged me asking, “Why you want to
learn Sanskrit?” I gave him various reasons but Srila Prabhupada said, “No,
there is no need to learn Sanskrit.” But then he finally said, “You read my
books and you will learn Sanskrit.” But then he elaborated, “What is the
point in learning Sanskrit? There are so many Sanskrit scholars but what are
they doing? They are not doing anything to spread Krsna consciousness or
even to spread the glory of Indian culture. They are just learned in
Sanskrit and that is about all.” Prabhupada pointed out that our main
mission is actually to preach, not to become a big scholar, and he said,
“You can preach with whatever you have already learnt. What you learn in the
course of preaching, that is another thing, but there is no need to
separately learn something in order to preach. Whatever you have learnt is
sufficient to preach.” So in this way Srila Prabhupada discouraged me from
learning Sanskrit. One day Srila Prabhupada was discussing with Bimalananda
Thakura Tirtha. Prabhupada was discussing about the age of Kali, how
degraded it would become. Prabhupada wanted me to get the Srimad-Bhagavatam.
In those days the Twelfth Canto was not yet translated so Srila Prabhupada
asked me to get the Sanskrit Srimad-Bhagavatam and he asked me to open a
certain chapter and start reading some part of that chapter. He indicated
wherefrom I should start reading. I started to read the verses and then
Prabhupada explained and translated the verses. Then after Bimalananda
Thakura Tirtha left his room Srila Prabhupada looked at me and asked, “Where
did you learn Sanskrit?” I was also amazed how without any difficulty I was
able to read the verses of the Twelfth Canto of Srimad-Bhagavatam. At that
time I was able to understand that by the mercy of spiritual master
everything is possible.
Prabhupada. But Srila Prabhupada discouraged me asking, “Why you want to
learn Sanskrit?” I gave him various reasons but Srila Prabhupada said, “No,
there is no need to learn Sanskrit.” But then he finally said, “You read my
books and you will learn Sanskrit.” But then he elaborated, “What is the
point in learning Sanskrit? There are so many Sanskrit scholars but what are
they doing? They are not doing anything to spread Krsna consciousness or
even to spread the glory of Indian culture. They are just learned in
Sanskrit and that is about all.” Prabhupada pointed out that our main
mission is actually to preach, not to become a big scholar, and he said,
“You can preach with whatever you have already learnt. What you learn in the
course of preaching, that is another thing, but there is no need to
separately learn something in order to preach. Whatever you have learnt is
sufficient to preach.” So in this way Srila Prabhupada discouraged me from
learning Sanskrit. One day Srila Prabhupada was discussing with Bimalananda
Thakura Tirtha. Prabhupada was discussing about the age of Kali, how
degraded it would become. Prabhupada wanted me to get the Srimad-Bhagavatam.
In those days the Twelfth Canto was not yet translated so Srila Prabhupada
asked me to get the Sanskrit Srimad-Bhagavatam and he asked me to open a
certain chapter and start reading some part of that chapter. He indicated
wherefrom I should start reading. I started to read the verses and then
Prabhupada explained and translated the verses. Then after Bimalananda
Thakura Tirtha left his room Srila Prabhupada looked at me and asked, “Where
did you learn Sanskrit?” I was also amazed how without any difficulty I was
able to read the verses of the Twelfth Canto of Srimad-Bhagavatam. At that
time I was able to understand that by the mercy of spiritual master
everything is possible.
May 11, 2012
Real devotees
Real devotees of bhakti-yoga accept only the material necessities of life
absolutely needed to maintain the body and soul together; they refrain
completely from all exaggerated material sense gratification. They are
prepared to undergo all kinds of tribulation, provided they can make
progress in the realization of the Personality of Godhead.
>>> Ref. VedaBase => SB 3.21.12
absolutely needed to maintain the body and soul together; they refrain
completely from all exaggerated material sense gratification. They are
prepared to undergo all kinds of tribulation, provided they can make
progress in the realization of the Personality of Godhead.
>>> Ref. VedaBase => SB 3.21.12
May 10, 2012
Srila Prabhupada and a Christian convert
One Bengali boy from a brahmana family met you [Srila Prabhupada] in
Calcutta.
Boy: I have become a Christian.
Srila Prabhupada: Why? You are coming from a good family. In India, no
high-class persons become Christians.
Boy: There is no difference between Christianity and Krsna consciousness.
Prabhupada: There is. Christians eat meat and we don’t.
Boy: What is your philosophy?
Prabhupada: Our philosophy is very simple: ‘God is great, and we are very
small. Therefore our duty is to serve God.’ The rest is all detail.
From Giriraja Swami’s Vyasa-puja offering, 1997.
Calcutta.
Boy: I have become a Christian.
Srila Prabhupada: Why? You are coming from a good family. In India, no
high-class persons become Christians.
Boy: There is no difference between Christianity and Krsna consciousness.
Prabhupada: There is. Christians eat meat and we don’t.
Boy: What is your philosophy?
Prabhupada: Our philosophy is very simple: ‘God is great, and we are very
small. Therefore our duty is to serve God.’ The rest is all detail.
From Giriraja Swami’s Vyasa-puja offering, 1997.
May 8, 2012
Impossible to convince scientists
The word garuda in this verse indicates that there are planets of great
birds like Garuda. Similarly, the word uraga indicates that there are
planets of enormous serpents. Such a description of the various planets of
the universe may challenge modern scientists who think that all planets but
this earth are vacant. These scientists claim to have launched excursions to
the moon, where they have found no living entities but only big craters full
of dust and stone, although in fact the moon is so brilliant that it acts
like the sun in illuminating the entire universe. Of course, it is not
possible to convince modern scientists of the Vedic information about the
universe. Nonetheless, we are not very much impressed by the words of
scientists who say that all other planets are vacant and that only the earth
is full of living entities.
>>> Ref. VedaBase => SB 7.4.5-7
birds like Garuda. Similarly, the word uraga indicates that there are
planets of enormous serpents. Such a description of the various planets of
the universe may challenge modern scientists who think that all planets but
this earth are vacant. These scientists claim to have launched excursions to
the moon, where they have found no living entities but only big craters full
of dust and stone, although in fact the moon is so brilliant that it acts
like the sun in illuminating the entire universe. Of course, it is not
possible to convince modern scientists of the Vedic information about the
universe. Nonetheless, we are not very much impressed by the words of
scientists who say that all other planets are vacant and that only the earth
is full of living entities.
>>> Ref. VedaBase => SB 7.4.5-7
Why preach?
Everywhere the glories of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu will be spread. So by His
grace, we are doing that in America, in Europe, Africa, Australia. Village
to village, town to town we are preaching the mission of Sri Caitanya
Mahaprabhu.
So why we are preaching? What is the necessity of preaching? The necessity
is to make them happy.
>>> Ref. VedaBase => Arrival Address — Paris, August 11, 1975
grace, we are doing that in America, in Europe, Africa, Australia. Village
to village, town to town we are preaching the mission of Sri Caitanya
Mahaprabhu.
So why we are preaching? What is the necessity of preaching? The necessity
is to make them happy.
>>> Ref. VedaBase => Arrival Address — Paris, August 11, 1975
May 6, 2012
solid programs
Book distribution and farms: these are our solid programs. They can change
the whole world. The whole foundation of animal civilization can be
destroyed. If I have hope for still living, I wanted to organize the farms,
make it perfect. Simple living and high thinking.
[TKG’s Diary, August 9]
the whole world. The whole foundation of animal civilization can be
destroyed. If I have hope for still living, I wanted to organize the farms,
make it perfect. Simple living and high thinking.
[TKG’s Diary, August 9]
May 5, 2012
Why Do Gaudiyas Worship Nrsimha?
[B]Where:[/B] Mayapur, West Bengal, India[BR]
[B]When:[/B] 5 May 12[BR]
[B]Language:[/B] English with Russian translation[BR]
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[B]When:[/B] 5 May 12[BR]
[B]Language:[/B] English with Russian translation[BR]
[CUT]
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no more interested
We are no more interested with your, these big, big street, big, big buses
or anything, whatever you think that is improvement, advancement.
So Krsna conscious person are no more interested. Why not interested? They
are disgusted. Why disgusted? No, because it is full of danger. Padam padam
yad vipadam [SB 10.14.58]. Here everything appears to be very nice, but
every step there is danger. So the Krsna conscious person knows it, that
although it is decorated very nicely. The New York is a big city.
Twenty-four hours, “dungdungdungdungdungdung-guggugguggugguggug” — fire,
always fire. Every minute there is a fire case. Samsara-davanala-lidha-loka
**. Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura’s description of this material world as
blazing fire… We see big, big cities in America, always in blazing fire.
Still, they like this kind of life. But one who is advanced in Krsna
consciousness, they are no more interested, no more interested. They are
interested back home, back to Godhead.
>>> Ref. VedaBase => Lecture Excerpt — London, July 25, 1976
or anything, whatever you think that is improvement, advancement.
So Krsna conscious person are no more interested. Why not interested? They
are disgusted. Why disgusted? No, because it is full of danger. Padam padam
yad vipadam [SB 10.14.58]. Here everything appears to be very nice, but
every step there is danger. So the Krsna conscious person knows it, that
although it is decorated very nicely. The New York is a big city.
Twenty-four hours, “dungdungdungdungdungdung-guggugguggugguggug” — fire,
always fire. Every minute there is a fire case. Samsara-davanala-lidha-loka
**. Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura’s description of this material world as
blazing fire… We see big, big cities in America, always in blazing fire.
Still, they like this kind of life. But one who is advanced in Krsna
consciousness, they are no more interested, no more interested. They are
interested back home, back to Godhead.
>>> Ref. VedaBase => Lecture Excerpt — London, July 25, 1976
Krsna consciousness movement vs. demons
Demons are very much interested in advancing a plan by which people will
labor hard like cats, dogs and hogs, but Krsna’s devotees want to teach
Krsna consciousness so that people will be satisfied with plain living and
Krsna conscious advancement. Although demons have created many plans for
industry and hard labor so that people will work day and night like animals,
this is not the purpose of civilization. Such endeavors are jagato’hitah;
that is, they are meant for the misfortune of the people in general.
Ksayaya: such activities lead to annihilation. One who understands the
purpose of Krsna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, should seriously
understand the importance of the Krsna consciousness movement and seriously
take part in it. One should not endeavor for ugra-karma, or unnecessary work
for sense gratification. Nunam pramattah kurute vikarma yad indriya-pritaya
aprnoti (SB 5.5.4). Simply for sense gratification, people make plans for
material happiness. Maya-sukhaya bharam udvahato vimudhan (SB 7.9.43). They
do this because they are all vimudhas, rascals. For flickering happiness,
people waste their human energy, not understanding the importance of the
Krsna consciousness movement but instead accusing the simple devotees of
brainwashing. Demons may falsely accuse the preachers of the Krsna
consciousness movement, but Krsna will arrange a fight between the demons in
which all their military power will be engaged and both parties of demons
will be annihilated.
>>> Ref. VedaBase => SB 9.24.59
labor hard like cats, dogs and hogs, but Krsna’s devotees want to teach
Krsna consciousness so that people will be satisfied with plain living and
Krsna conscious advancement. Although demons have created many plans for
industry and hard labor so that people will work day and night like animals,
this is not the purpose of civilization. Such endeavors are jagato’hitah;
that is, they are meant for the misfortune of the people in general.
Ksayaya: such activities lead to annihilation. One who understands the
purpose of Krsna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, should seriously
understand the importance of the Krsna consciousness movement and seriously
take part in it. One should not endeavor for ugra-karma, or unnecessary work
for sense gratification. Nunam pramattah kurute vikarma yad indriya-pritaya
aprnoti (SB 5.5.4). Simply for sense gratification, people make plans for
material happiness. Maya-sukhaya bharam udvahato vimudhan (SB 7.9.43). They
do this because they are all vimudhas, rascals. For flickering happiness,
people waste their human energy, not understanding the importance of the
Krsna consciousness movement but instead accusing the simple devotees of
brainwashing. Demons may falsely accuse the preachers of the Krsna
consciousness movement, but Krsna will arrange a fight between the demons in
which all their military power will be engaged and both parties of demons
will be annihilated.
>>> Ref. VedaBase => SB 9.24.59
May 4, 2012
Glorifying Hiranyakasipu
[B]Where:[/B] Mayapur, West Bengal, India[BR]
[B]When:[/B] 4 May 12[BR]
[B]Language:[/B] English[BR]
[VIDEO: http://blip.tv/play/hZdDgvX2CQI.html?p=1, http://blip.tv/file/get/Yasomati-HHBh...]
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[B]When:[/B] 4 May 12[BR]
[B]Language:[/B] English[BR]
[VIDEO: http://blip.tv/play/hZdDgvX2CQI.html?p=1, http://blip.tv/file/get/Yasomati-HHBh...]
[CUT]
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