Bhakti Vikasa Swami's Blog, page 41

A lifetime in preparation

When Prabhupada came to us in his seventieth year, he had already spent a lifetime preparing himself, not only by preaching, but by practicing self-discipline and the many other qualities of an advanced spiritualist. We joined him handicapped by our so-called hippie freedom and by so many other weaknesses in our characters. Prabhupada encouraged us simply to add the chanting of Hare Krsna to our lives, and our anarthas would fall away. But our anarthas remain. Even after many years of practice, we are still trying to throw them off. In Prabhupada’s case, nothing of his earlier life was extraneous or had to be thrown off. Everything was useful in his preaching — his business sense, his ability to size up a worldly situation, his courage in living in New York City, his fearlessness in the face of crime, noise, and dirt. He was able to maintain his integrity and go about his pure purpose even while living in Manhattan. He was trained by his years in India, and strengthened by all the renunciation and austerity he had to perform just by living there and trying to preach Krsna consciousness.

From Prabhupada Meditations by SDG, PM 4.4.15: “A lifetime in preparation”

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Krsna and Balarama, appearing exactly like village boys

The cows taken care of by Krsna had different names, and Krsna would call them with love. After hearing Krsna calling, the cows would immediately respond by mooing, and the boys would enjoy this exchange to their hearts’ content. They would all imitate the sound vibrations made by the different kinds of birds, especially the cakoras, peacocks, cuckoos and bharadvajas. Sometimes, when they would see the weaker animals fleeing out of fear of the sounds of tigers and lions, the boys, along with Krsna and Balarama, would imitate the animals and run away with them. When they felt some fatigue, they would sit down, and Balarama would put His head on the lap of one of the boys just to take rest, and Krsna would immediately come and begin massaging the legs of Balarama. And sometimes Krsna would take a palm fan and fan the body of Balarama, causing a pleasing breeze to relieve Him of His fatigue. Other boys would sometimes dance or sing while Balarama took rest, and sometimes they would wrestle amongst themselves or jump. When the boys were thus engaged, Krsna would immediately join them, and catching their hands, He would enjoy their company and laugh and praise their activities. When Krsna would feel tired and fatigued, He would sometimes take shelter of the root of a big tree or the lap of a cowherd boy and lie down. When He would lie down with a boy or a root as His pillow, some of the boys would come and massage His legs, and some would fan His body with a fan made from leaves. Some of the more talented boys would sing in very sweet voices to please Him. Thus very soon His fatigue would go away. The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krsna, whose legs are tended by the goddess of fortune, shared Himself with the cowherd boys as one of them, expanding His internal potency to appear exactly like a village boy.

From Srila Prabhupada’s Krsna Book ch. 15: The Killing of Dhenukasura

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The parents of Krsna and Balarama

Krsna’s mother, Devaki, and Balarama’s mother, Rohini, both embraced Mother Yasoda. They said, “Dear Queen Yasodadevi, you and Nanda Maharaja have been great friends to us, and when we remember you we are immediately overwhelmed by the thought of your friendly activities. We are so indebted to you that even if we were to return your benediction by giving you the opulence of the King of heaven, it would not be enough to repay you for your friendly behavior. We shall never forget your kindly behavior toward us. When Krsna and Balarama were born, before They even saw Their real father and mother, They were entrusted to your care, and you raised Them as your own children, fostering Them as birds take care of their offspring in the nest. You have nicely fed, nourished and loved Them and have performed many auspicious religious ceremonies for Their benefit.

“Actually They are not our sons; They belong to you. Nanda Maharaja and you are the real father and mother of Krsna and Balarama. As long as They were under your care They had not even a pinch of difficulty. Under your protection, They were completely out of the way of all kinds of fear. This most affectionate care which you have taken for Them is completely befitting your elevated position. The most noble personalities do not discriminate between their own sons and the sons of others, and there cannot be any personalities more noble than Nanda Maharaja and you.”

From Srila Prabhupada’s Krsna Book ch. 82: Lord Krsna and Balarama Meet the Inhabitants of Vrndavana

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Rupa Gosvami instructs both the do’s and the don’t’s

Tamala Krsna: Sometimes the devotees question that the Kali-yuga is advancing, and in that sense the standards are deteriorating. Yet you are preaching that “Get everyone to the position where everyone is Krsna conscious.” How in the Kali-yuga advancing can everyone become Krsna conscious?

Prabhupada: They do not understand. If I say, “The epidemic is increasing. You take this injection, then you can be saved. If you don’t take vaccination, then you’ll suffer,” this is our propaganda. “You take this vaccination; you’ll be saved. The epidemic is very strong.” But if you think, “Now, because there is epidemic there is no other way. What is the use of taking vaccination? ” this is no argument. The epidemic is there; the vaccination is there. The disease is there; the medicine is there. So intelligent man should take the medicine, precaution, and then he’ll be saved. Two things are there. Kalau nasty eva nasty eva gatir anyatha. In Kali-yuga, if you don’t take this, then there is no means of your save, safety. The two things are there. Why you are taking one thing? You take this thing or… [break] Everywhere two things are there: do’s and don’t’s. So in order to make the process of do’s you have to accept the process of don’t’s. That Nectar of Instruction, Rupa Gosvami? He’s instructing both the do’s and the don’t’s.

Conversation, 23 Jan, 1976

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Bhakti-rasacarya, Srila Rupa Gosvami

Srila Rupa Gosvami is described as the bhakti-rasacarya, or one who knows the essence of devotional service. His famous book Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu is the science of devotional service, and by reading this book one can understand the meaning of devotional service. Another of his famous books is the Ujjvala-nilamani. In this book he elaborately explains the loving affairs and transcendental activities of Lord Krsna and Radharani.

From Srila Prabhupada’s purport to Cc Adi 5.203

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Pariksit’s conquering was not like that of Napoleon or Hitler

So this conquering of other countries was not like the Napoleon conqueror or Hitler conqueror. No. As it will be evident from the character of Maharaja Pariksit, the idea was to keep the whole world Krsna conscious. If certain countries, certain portion of the world, would not be Krsna conscious, then this king would go and chastise them. Just like Krsna used to kill the demons.

Srila Prabhupada; Lecture on SB 1.16.12 — Los Angeles, January 9, 1974

(Napoleon was born on August 15, 1769)

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The First and Last Kirtana Competition (Mayapur, 1977)

Two days before Gaura Purnima, Jayapataka Maharaja staged the nama kirtana competition, which turned out to be the first and last of its kind.

On the main stage, a day of elimination contests were held, and the next day was the grand finale. Kirtana groups from all over Bengal came to exhibit their talents — singing, dancing, and playing instruments. Particularly attractive were the special mrdangas beats the native Bengalis knew how to play. Jayadvaita Swami recalls seeing the kirtana leaders from America hanging around near the stage, picking up on the mrdangas beats that the Bengalis were doing, hoping to take their styles back to the West.

Devotees also formed their own kirtana contingents. The different temples took part, including our bullock-cart traveling sankirtana party. Some kirtana parties took the competition very seriously and spent many days practicing mrdanga beats and choreographed dance steps. Others were spontaneous and did not rehearse.

Guru-krpa’s Nama-hatta party was the most enthusiastic and did the wildest dancing. His men danced with all their strength and passion. Uttamasloka Dasa, the temple president from Chicago, had a polished routine, perfected through hours of practice. His group was favored to win the contest. In the bullock-cart kirtana party, I was the kirtana leader, and Abhayasraya played the mrdanga. Ravi, Atma-tattva, Krsna-nama, and others played kartalas and danced.

The kirtana competition went on all day, for two days. Each group performed for about half an hour, trying to put on the best show. The local Bengali singers were smartly dressed, with bright yellow and blue sashes, and they played great mrdangas beats and even cried and howled during their kirtanas. Perhaps they thought they could easily win by displaying such symptoms. So they put on a whole show, embracing each other in feigned separation from the Lord and rolling on the ground. The Bengalis sang in high-pitched voices, and the devotees responded until their throats were hoarse.

All this was being amplified through the Indian sound system. Unfortunately, the speakers were directed toward the Lotus Building, where Prabhupada was staying, and Prabhupada became disturbed by the excessive noise. He eventually asked what was happening, and the devotees told him in detail about the competition.

He reacted unfavorably: “This is not nama-sankirtana. It is nama-aparadha. They are simply singing for money.”

So the competition was stopped, and Jayapataka Maharaja decided not to hold any more kirtana competitions. The Los Angeles party of Agnideva, Puspadanta, and Ramadasa Abhirama won the competition.

From “Festivals” by Lokanatha Swami

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Impersonalists, atheists, and demons

“Why do we concentrate on the impersonalists?” Kirtanananda asked. “Why do we attack them so much? Why don’t we concentrate our attack on the atheists?”

“You say that because you are an impersonalist,” Prabhupada answered angrily.

On another occasion, Prabhupada explained that nondevotees who mislead the innocent public are demons and should be exposed. Kirtanananda objected. “If we call them demons, they’ll never come around.”

“But they are demons,” Prabhupada replied.

“But we can’t call them demons, Swamiji.”

“Yes, they are demons! Unless you understand this point, you will not make any advancement in Krsna consciousness.”

“Can demons become devotees?” Kirtanananda asked.

“Oh, yes,” Prabhupada answered. “If they chant Hare Krsna and render service, even demons become devotees.”

From Srila Prabhupada lilamrta

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Our mission

Everywhere the same instruction is there, that “You approach to a person who is coming in disciplic succession,” evam parampara-praptam [Bg 4.2], “and try to learn Bhagavad-gita as it is. Your life will be sublime. Your life will be successful.” That is our mission.

Srila Prabhupada, Pandal Lecture – March 31, 1971, Bombay

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London in comparison to India

In London also, [laughing] in a television, they asked for a distinction of hell and heaven, so I said, “Your London is hell. It is always covered with snow and darkness, so in comparison to India it is hell.” So that was published in the papers.

From Srila Prabhupada’s lecture on Srimad-Bhagavatam 6.1.42–43 — December 24, 1970, Surat

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