Bhakti Vikasa Swami's Blog, page 5

Dina-dayadri Mata’s first impression of Srila Prabhupada

I remember going into his room and sitting down. I couldn’t understand hardly anything he said at that time. So what he said I couldn’t tell you [chuckles] but, but my impression of him, just looking at him, that just by looking at him I could tell here was a person that knows  he is not his body. That’s the impression I had the first time I was face-to-face with him. That he was completely off of the bodily platform.

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Churchianity

If we do not follow strictly our regulative principles, routine work, then the whole scheme will be failure. Then, instead of Christianity it will be “churchianity.” Everywhere this churchianity is going on. And the real aim is how to enjoy sense, under different cover. That is going on all over the world. Therefore it has come to that Rajneesh. Ramakrishna Mission, Rajneesh Mission. Vivekananda has given, preached, “Yes. Yata mata tata patha”; Rajneesh also, a mata. They have got also followers. Everyone can manufacture his own way of religion.

Srila Prabhupada – Room Conversation – September 19, 1973, Bombay

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Aryan, perfect civilization, very much eager to satisfy Krsna

The members of human society who strictly follow the principles of bhagavata-dharma and live according to the instructions of the Supreme Personality of Godhead are called Aryans or arya. A civilization of Aryans who strictly follow the instructions of the Lord and never deviate from those instructions is perfect. Such civilized men do not discriminate between trees, animals, human beings and other living entities. Panditah sama-darsinah: [Bg. 5.18] because they are completely educated in Krsna consciousness, they see all living beings equally. Aryans do not kill even a small plant unnecessarily, not to speak of cutting trees for sense gratification. At the present moment, throughout the world, killing is prominent. Men are killing trees, they are killing animals, and they are killing other human beings also, all for sense gratification. This is not an Aryan civilization. As stated here, sthira-cara-sattva-kadambesv aprthag-dhiyah. The word aprthag-dhiyah indicates that Aryans do not distinguish between lower and higher grades of life. All life should be protected. All living beings have a right to live, even the trees and plants. This is the basic principle of an Aryan civilization. Apart from the lower living entities, those who have come to the platform of human civilization should be divided into a society of brahmanas, ksatriyas, vaisyas and sudras. The brahmanas should follow the instructions of the Supreme Personality of Godhead as stated in the Bhagavad-gita and other Vedic literatures. The criterion must be guna and karma. In other words, one should acquire the qualities of a brahmana, ksatriya, vaisya or sudra and act accordingly. This is the civilization accepted by the Aryans. Why do they accept it? They accept it because they are very much eager to satisfy Krsna. This is perfect civilization.

Srila Prabhupada SB 6.16.43, Purport

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Authorized & unauthorized sastric commentaries

At present there are many commentaries on the revealed scriptures, but most of them are not in the line of disciplic succession coming from Srila Vyasadeva, who originally taught the Vedic wisdom. The final, most perfect and sublime work of Srila Vyasadeva is Srimad-Bhagavatam, which is the authorized commentary on the Vedanta-sutra. There is also Bhagavad-gita, which is spoken by the Lord Himself and which was recorded by Vyasadeva. These are the most important revealed scriptures, and any commentary which contradicts the principles of the Gita or Srimad-Bhagavatam is unauthorized. There is complete agreement amongst the Upanisads, Vedanta, the Vedas, Bhagavad-gita and Srimad-Bhagavatam, and no one should try to reach any conclusion about the Vedas without receiving instructions from members of Vyasadeva’s disciplic succession, or at least from those who believe in the Personality of Godhead and His diverse energies.

Srila Prabhupada Sri Isopanisad Mantra 6 purport

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The special advantage of Kali-yuga

One can go to the supreme planet (param vrajet) simply by chanting the Hare Krsna mantra. This is especially meant for the people of this age (kaler dosa-nidhe). It is the special advantage of this age that simply by chanting the Hare Krsna maha-mantra one can become purified of all material contamination and return home, back to Godhead. There is no doubt about this.

From Srila Prabhupada’s purport to SB 4.29.48

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Giving the Western people knowledge by books

The Krsna consciousness movement is very eager to present Vedic literature in modern languages, especially Western languages such as English, French and German. The leaders of the Western world, the Americans and Europeans, have become the idols of modern civilization because the Western people are very sophisticated in temporary activities for the advancement of material civilization. A sane man, however, can see that all such grand activities, although perhaps very important for temporary life, have nothing to do with eternal life. The entire world is imitating the materialistic civilization of the West, and therefore the Krsna consciousness movement is very much interested in giving the Western people knowledge by translating the original Sanskrit Vedic literatures into Western languages.

From Srila Prabhupada’s purport to Srimad-Bhagavatam 6.5.18

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Srila Haridasa Thakura saves from female allurement

A grhastha, vanaprastha, sannyasi and brahmacari should be very careful when associating with women. One is forbidden to sit down in a solitary place even with one’s mother, sister or daughter. In our Krsna consciousness movement it has been very difficult to disassociate ourselves from women in our society, especially in Western countries. We are therefore sometimes criticized, but nonetheless we are trying to give everyone a chance to chant the Hare Krsna maha-mantra and thus advance spiritually. If we stick to the principle of chanting the Hare Krsna maha-mantra offenselessly, then, by the grace of Srila Haridasa Thakura, we may be saved from the allurement of women. However, if we are not very strict in chanting the Hare Krsna maha-mantra, we may at any time fall victim to women.

Srila Prabhupada SB 5.6.3, ppt.

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Srila Prabhupada prays to Bhaktivinoda Thakura

That is our purpose, that “Europeans and Americans will come, and they will dance here with the chanting, “Jaya Sacinandana!'” So that is being done. So when they chant and dance, I simply remember Bhaktivinoda Thakura. That’s all. I pray to Bhaktivinoda Thakura, “Now they have come to your shelter. Give them protection.” That’s all. What can I do more? I cannot do anything more.

Srila Prabhupada; Morning Walk – March 6, 1974, Mayapur

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Vamana Dvadasi, Jiva Gosvami appearance

Vamana Dvadasi means the advent of Lord Vamanadeva. Therefore we have fast, Ekadasi fasting, and we observe two fastings in one day, Ekadasi and Vamanadeva, Vamana Dvadasi. The same process as we observe Ekadasi, and the evening there should be a meeting discussing on the life and work of Srila Jiva Gosvami. He is one of the very important acaryas in our sampradaya, so especially his Sandarbhas should be discussed.

If there is no such book, then the following discussion may be, take place. Srila Jiva Gosvami was a brahmacari, he left his home at the age of 10 to 12 years. His father and two elder uncles, they left home. His father was Vallabha, and his elder uncles, Sanatana and Rupa, or Sakara Mallika and Dabira Khasa. So, they were all government servants, but after meeting Caitanya Mahaprabhu they decided to retire from the service, and three of them retired. Out of that, Sanatana Gosvami was very important officer.

The Nawab did not like his retirement so he interned him, not allowed him to go out of home. But Rupa Gosvami and his younger brother, Vallabha, they left home, and they left instruction also to Sanatana Gosvami, that there is some money for his release, he could utilize that money. So Rupa Gosvami and Vallabha left home prior to Sanatana Gosvami’s leaving home. So, Rupa Gosvami and Vallabha met Lord Caitanya at Prayaga — these things are mentioned in our Teachings of Lord Caitanya — you can read, teachings to Sanatana Gosvami and Rupa Gosvami and their meeting with Lord Caitanya at Allahabad, Prayaga.

So this boy, Jiva Gosvami, when he saw that his father and uncles all left home, why he should remain at home? So he also left, and he first of all went to Benares, which is called Varanasi. It is a great center for learning Sanskrit. So he finished his education in Sanskrit grammar, specifically, he was a great scholar in Sanskrit grammar. According to Vedic system, the students are first of all taught the Sanskrit grammar, because it is very difficult subject.

Usually one has to study grammar for 12 years, and when one is very much conversant with grammatical rules, he can read any literature. That means after studying grammar, the door is open for any other subject matter, just like philosophy, medicine, then military art, there are so many Vedic knowledges. Generally they read literature, the Puranas, the Vedantas and saipa[?], saipa[?] means general literature. So Srila Jiva Gosvami became a great scholar in grammar and then he studied all Vedic literatures, and after that he approached his uncle Rupa Gosvami in Vrndavana. He became a disciple of his uncle by proper initiation and remained with him. He was assisting his uncle and after hearing from him he composed very scholarly books know as Sat-Sandarbha.

These Sat-Sandarbha are recognized as the most scholarly work in the world. There is no comparison of his philosophical approach to the Vaisnava school. Generally, the impersonal Brahman is discussed there, then Krsna is discussed there, Bhagavata is discussed there, love of Krsna is discussed there. In this way, all subject matter, very elaborately discussed in Sat-Sandarbha. That is his, the greatest gift [of] Sri Jiva Gosvami. And one of the Sandarbha thesis is Karma[?] Sandarbha, his comment on Srimad-Bhagavatam.

So Jiva Gosvami was so big scholar but sometimes one ordinary scholar, he approached Rupa Gosvami that “I want to discuss with you about sastra“. Rupa Gosvami could understand that this man is not a devotee, he will simply waste my time. He inquired from him, “What is your purpose of discussing with me about sastras? He said that “I have discussed sastras with many big scholars and I have come victorious, so if I come victorious by discussing with you, then I will have very good fame and name.” So Rupa Gosvami could understand his view or his ambition, that “this man is a materialistic man, he wants some name and fame,” so he told him, “All right, without discussing, if I give you certificate that I am defeated, will that do?” So, he said, “Yes, that will do.”

So he gave him in writing that “I had sastric discussion with this man, and I found myself very much inferior and defeated.” So he was very glad to take that certificate, but when he was going, Jiva Gosvami saw, “My dear sir, what is that paper you have taken?” “No your uncle has agreed that he was defeated, so I have got this certificate, I am going.”

So he said, “All right, let me see what he has written.” So he gave him, and he kept that paper, and then he invited that “you have defeated my uncle, but you can discuss with me also.” So he agreed. So he was defeated. He was defeated and the matter was informed to Rupa Gosvami, that “Your nephew and your disciple, Jiva Gosvami has defeated that learned scholar. So Rupa Gosvami became a little angry superficially, that “Why did you bother? He was taking…”

So some people say that Jiva Gosvami was rejected on this ground by Rupa Gosvami, but that is not a fact. He was very glad that Jiva Gosvami defeated him, but he superficially said, “Why should you take so much trouble and bother? He might have gone with that certificate.” But it is the duty of the disciple that even the spiritual master, or senior acarya, they agree to be defeated, it is the duty of the disciple to see that his spiritual master and superior is not defeated.

That is the instruction we get from Jiva Gosvami’s behavior. This is one of the important… and later on when Jiva Gosvami established the Radha-Damodara temple in Vrndavana, but he had no sons because he was brahmacari, so some of his grhastha devotee was entrusted with the management of the Radha-Damodara temple, and they are still going on by their descendants.

Srila Prabhupada; Vaisnava Calendar Description – September 2, 1970, Calcutta

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Vedic system regarding women

Especially instruction are given to men. All literatures, all Vedic literatures, they are especially meant for instruction to the men. Woman is to follow the husband. That’s all. The husband will give instruction to the wife. There is no such thing as the girl should go to school to take brahmacari asrama or go to spiritual master to take instruction. That is not Vedic system. Vedic system is a man is fully instructed, and woman, girl, must be married to a man. Even the man may have many wives, polygamy, still, every woman should be married. And she would get instruction from the husband. This is Vedic system. Woman is not allowed to go to school, college, or to the spiritual master. But husband and wife, they can be initiated. That is Vedic system.

Srila Prabhupada; lecture on SB 1.3.13 — Los Angeles, September 18, 1972

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