Bhakti Vikasa Swami's Blog, page 44
July 24, 2024
The cannon to drive away maya
“Hare Krsna mantra is like a big cannon,” he [Srila Prabhupada] told them. “Go and sound this cannon so everyone can hear it, and it will drive away maya.”
From Srila Prabhupada Lilamrta
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July 23, 2024
Who is Krsna?
Our Krsna is love, all-attractive.
Srila Prabhupada, in conversation with Allen Ginsberg – May 12, 1969, Columbus
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July 22, 2024
Simple process to develop attraction for Krishna
To develop attraction for Krishna is not difficult, you simply have to hear about Krishna, his activities, his name, his form and his teaching in Bhagavad-gita. Naturally you will develop love for Krishna, because we are all part and parcel of Krishna. The beginning process is to Chant Hare Krishna, follow the four regulative principles and associate with devotees, and take Prasadam of Krishna. I think you are now living in the temple of Krishna, so these things will be very easy for you to practice.
From Srila Prabhupada’s letter to Bhakta Steven Knapp – Bombay 18 December, 1975
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July 21, 2024
The six Goswamis mendicantism was real life
The six Goswamis gave up their ministerial post, opulent post, and became mendicant. How they lived? They were merged in the ocean of the love affairs of the gopis with Krsna. Therefore this mendicantism was external. They were enjoying better things. So unless you enjoy better thing, you cannot give up inferior thing. So Krsna consciousness is the best. Anyone, individually or collectively, you take it, you’ll enjoy real life.
From Srila Prabhupada’s lecture on The Nectar of Devotion — Vrndavana, October 17, 1972
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July 20, 2024
Rupa and Sanatana, commanders-in-chief
Caitanya Mahaprabhu sent Sanatana Gosvami to Vrndavana, and other Gosvami, Rupa Gosvami…
mathurate pathaila rupa-sanatana
dui sena-pati kaila bhakti pracarana
[Cc Adi 7.164]
Sena-pati means these two brothers, Rupa Gosvami and Sanatana Gosvami, were appointed as the commander-in-chief, commander-in-chief in this fighting with maya. This Krsna consciousness means it is declaration of fighting with maya. Maya is killing all the poor conditioned souls, and Caitanya Mahaprabhu declared war against maya by spreading Krsna consciousness. And the commander-in-chiefs are Rupa-Sanatana. In other words, if anyone wants to be expert in Krsna consciousness to fight with maya, they must follow the principles of Rupa Gosvami and Sanatana Gosvami.
From Srila Prabhupada’s lecture on Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, Adi-lila 7.149–171 – March 18, 1967, San Francisco
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July 19, 2024
Actual solid preaching
There is nothing in the world that can compare with our Movement of chanting and dancing. So Chant dance and when you get tired take Prasadam, this is our actual solid preaching work all over the world.
From Srila Prabhupada’s letter to Bhakta dasa – Bhaktivedanta Manor 3 August, 1973
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July 18, 2024
Why one should come to Krsna consciousness
A devotee of Krsna should free himself from the clutches of maya, and he should also be compassionate to all others suffering in those clutches. The activities of the Krsna consciousness movement are meant not only for oneself but for others also. This is the perfection of Krsna consciousness. One who is interested only in his own salvation is not as advanced in Krsna consciousness as one who feels compassion for others and who therefore propagates Krsna consciousness. Such an advanced devotee will never fall down, for Krsna will give him special protection. That is the sum and substance of the Krsna consciousness movement. Everyone is like a plaything in the hands of the illusory energy and is acting as she dictates. One should come to Krsna consciousness to release oneself and others from this bondage.
Srila Prabhupada, A Second Chance ch. 18
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July 17, 2024
Material love
Loving affairs in the material world: they are only shadows or reflections of the real love with Krishna. If you love Krishna in any capacity, you shall never be frustrated because everything in Krishna is perfect, eternal, blissful, and full of knowledge.
From Srila Prabhupada’s letter to Kancanbala — Los Angeles 14 January, 1968
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July 16, 2024
Divorce is animalism
Yogesvara: So here’s a practical problem. People would be interested to know our position on divorce. Here in Rome they just passed a divorce law.
Prabhupada: That is also animalism. Just like a dog having sex intercourse with another female dog, and another, another, another. It is also animalism. So that is your decision. They are animals, and different way they are coming to be naked animal, that’s all. The divorce is also dog’s business. Dog is having sex intercourse with this female dog and another, another, another, another. It is animalism, that’s all.
Yogesvara: But people are objecting, that “If we cannot get divorced, then we are forced to live with each other even if we hate each other.”
Prabhupada: But hate each other, that’s all right. We say what is the use of your sexual intercourse? That is animalism. You avoid it. Our Vedic civilization is to avoid it. Therefore they remain brahmacari, naisthika-brahmacari, no sexual intercourse in the whole life. That is perfection.
Yogesvara: But that’s not possible for the mass of people.
Prabhupada: No, why not possible? We have got so many. Just like Sukadeva Gosvami: he remained completely brahmacari, although naked he is, even he is. He doesn’t require, and neither he is agitated. Just like when he was passing, the girls were taking bath. They did not take care, because they knew that he is not at all affected by any woman. And when his father was going, they covered. So father inquired, Vyasadeva, a personality like Vyasadeva, said, “Why you covered? I am old man, and my young son, he was passing naked.” They said that “He is paramahamsa. He has no agitation of the mind. But you are grhastha. You live with woman. You have got distinction, man and woman.”
So this is civilization. What is the use of sex life? It is simply entanglement. Therefore, at the last stage, one is supposed to become sannyasi. What is sannyasi? Vanaprastha, sannyasi, brahmacari — no sex life. Out of the three…, four different status of life, the brahmacari has no sex life, the vanaprastha has no sex life, the sannyasi has no sex life. Only the grhastha. That means it is prohibitory. It is allowed — it is a simply concession to the person who cannot remain without sex life. It is simply a concession. Otherwise, according to Vedic civilization, there is no need of sex life. Because it is entanglement, simply entanglement. Yan maithunadi-grhamedhi-sukham hi tuccham kanduyanena karayor iva duhkha-duhkham [SB 7.9.45].
Morning Walk — May 28, 1974, Rome
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July 15, 2024
Mayavadis cannot appreciate Krsna consciousness
Foolish Mayavadis, not knowing that the Krsna consciousness movement is based on a solid philosophy of transcendental science, superficially conclude that those who dance and chant do not have philosophical knowledge.
Those who are Krsna conscious actually have full knowledge of the essence of Vedanta philosophy, for they study the real commentary on the Vedanta philosophy, Srimad-Bhagavatam, and follow the actual words of the Supreme Personality of Godhead as found in Bhagavad-gita As It Is. After understanding the Bhagavata philosophy, or bhagavata-dharma, they become fully spiritually conscious or Krsna conscious, and therefore their chanting and dancing is not material but is on the spiritual platform. Although everyone admires the ecstatic chanting and dancing of the devotees, who are therefore popularly known as “the Hare Krsna people,” Mayavadis cannot appreciate these activities because of their poor fund of knowledge.
Srila Prabhupada, CC Adi 7.42, ppt.
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