Bhakti Vikasa Swami's Blog, page 54
March 25, 2024
The significance of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu
Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu’s activities means His distributing krsna-prema, love of Krsna. He has no other business. He has no other business. At the full youthful age He gave up His family life, beautiful wife, most obedient, perfect wife, beautiful wife, mother, affectionate mother, very good prestige, social prestige. Nimai Pandita, learned scholar, everything He sacrificed. Tyaktva su-dustyaja rajya laksmim [SB 11.5.34]. Gave up everything — that is the teachings of Lord Caitanya — and became a servant of Krsna personally. He’s Krsna Himself, but teaching us how to become servant of Krsna. This is the significance of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu.
From Srila Prabhupada’s lecture on Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, Adi-lila 7.3 — March 3, 1974, Mayapur
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March 24, 2024
The appearance and qualities of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu
The religious practice for the Age of Kali is to broadcast the glories of the holy name. Only for this purpose has the Lord, in a yellow color, descended as Lord Caitanya.
The luster of His expansive body resembles molten gold. The deep sound of His voice conquers the thundering of newly assembled clouds.
One who measures four cubits in height and in breadth by his own hand is celebrated as a great personality.
Such a person is called nyagrodha-parimandala. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, who personifies all good qualities, has the body of a nyagrodha-parimandala.
His arms are long enough to reach His knees, His eyes are just like lotus flowers, His nose is like a sesame flower, and His face is as beautiful as the moon.
He is peaceful, self-controlled and fully devoted to the transcendental service of Lord Sri Krsna. He is affectionate toward His devotees, He is gentle, and He is equally disposed toward all living beings.
He is decorated with sandalwood bangles and armlets and anointed with the pulp of sandalwood. He especially wears these decorations to dance in sri-krsna-sankirtana.
Cc Adi 3.40-46, Srila Prabhupada’s translation
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March 23, 2024
Caitanya Mahaprabhu — always mad after Krsna
We can always live in Vrndavana, in Vaikuntha, if we are mad after Krsna. This is the teaching of Caitanya Mahaprabhu, and He illustrated this by His very life. When He was in Jagannatha Puri, He was always mad after Krsna day and night. The last twelve years of His life were passed in madness. Sometimes He threw Himself into the ocean, and He wandered about like a madman. Of course, this is not possible for ordinary living entities.
From Teachings of Lord Kapila by Srila Prabhupada
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March 22, 2024
Lord Caitanya comes to help us understand Krsna
You cannot understand Krsna without the mercy of these Panca-tattva. Therefore Krsna, although He came personally, He taught the teachings of Bhagavad-gita and asked people, sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja [Bg. 18.66].
But because we are mudhas, we misunderstood Krsna. We could not take the last instruction of Krsna. Therefore Krsna again came as Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu to teach us how to approach Krsna. If we read the life of Caitanya Mahaprabhu, His acceptance of sannyasa order, His preaching all over India, His chanting and dancing, His living at Jagannath Puri, His activities, His meeting with the devotees, His Gundica-marjana, His Ratha-yatra kirtana — if we study all these activities of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, immediately you understand Krsna.
Therefore, we are inviting you at this place of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, His birth site, to take the inspiration given by Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. That will help us understanding Krsna.
From Srila Prabhupada’s lecture on Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, Adi-lila 7.3 — March 3, 1974, Mayapur
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Seek Lord Caitanya’s mercy
Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu’s special mission is the deliverance of all fallen souls in Kali-yuga. Devotees of Krsna must persistently seek the favor and mercy of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu to become fit to return home, back to Godhead.
From Srila Prabhupada’s purport to Cc Madhya 14.16
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March 20, 2024
Gaura-krpa: how everyone can be saved from sinful reactions
Actually the whole world is presently fallen into material existence. Everyone is a meat-eater, drunkard, woman-hunter, gambler and whatnot. People are enjoying material life by committing the four basic sins. Although they are fallen, if they simply submit themselves at the lotus feet of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, they will be saved from sinful reactions.
From Srila Prabhupada’s purport to Cc Madhya 20.99
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March 19, 2024
Lord Caitanya poses Himself as a fool
Liberated soul never says that “I am liberated.” As soon as he says “liberated,” he’s a rascal. A liberated soul will never say that “I am liberated.” That is liberation. Caitanya Mahaprabhu, He is God — guru more murkha dekhi’ karila sasan [Cc. Adi 7.71]: “My Guru Maharaja saw Me fool number one, and he has chastised Me.” He’s God. This is the example. If one remains always a servant ever-lastingly of guru, then he is liberated. And as soon as he thinks that he is liberated, he’s a rascal. That is the teaching of Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Guru more murkha dekhi’. Caitanya Mahaprabhu is murkha? Why He’s posing Himself that murkha, “I am fool number one”? That means that is liberation. You must be ready always to be chastised by guru. Then he’s liberated. And as soon as he thinks that “I am beyond this chastisement. I am liberated,” he’s a rascal. Why Caitanya Mahaprabhu says guru more murkha dekhi’ karila sasan? This is sahajiya-vada. He is thinking, “Oh I have become liberated. I don’t require any direction of my guru. I’m liberated.” Then he’s rascal.
Srila Prabhupada — August 16, 1976, Bombay
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March 18, 2024
Caitanya Mahaprabhu’s mission: learn to love God
One may call God “Allah” or “Krsna” or something else, but where is that religion which does not recognize God? We are teaching that one should simply try to love God. We are attracted by so many things, but if our love is reposed in God, then we will be happy. We don’t have to learn to love anything else; everything else is automatically included. Just try to love God. Don’t try to love just trees or plants or insects. This will never satisfy. Learn to love God. That is Caitanya Mahaprabhu’s mission; that is our mission.
From Science of Self-realization, by Srila Prabhupada: The Appearance of Lord Caitanya
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The mystic power of devotees
A devotee never practices any mystic power. But a devotee, being protected by the supreme mystic, Krsna, a devotee is never in danger in all circumstances.
So just to try to remain a devotee always, and Krsna will give you protection in all circumstance. There is no fear. Devotees, they remain devotee of Krsna, and Krsna does everything. If something mystic or magic has to be shown, the devotee does not take any credit for that magic, because the magic is done by Krsna for the sake of devotee. So he doesn’t require to learn the art of magic to cheat the people. That is not. When magic is required, Krsna plays. Krsna is called Yogesvara. Yoga is mystic power, and He is the Yogesvara, master of all yogesvara…, yoga, mystic power. Yatra yogesvarah harih. Just like Krsna was on the chariot of the Kuruksetra battle, Arjuna. Arjuna was facing enemies, big, big enemies like Bhisma, Karna, Dronacarya and many other who were very, very powerful. Arjuna was nothing before them. They are compared with timingala, timingala, a big fish which swallows up the whale fishes. So Maharaja Pariksit said that “Although they were timingala-like, they could kill thousands of Arjuna, but still, because You were protecting him, sitting on his chariot, they were killed; Arjuna was not killed.”
So the devotee, he doesn’t require to acquire any mystic power. What mystic power Prahlada could attain? He was only five years old. So there was no opportunity of acquiring any mystic power. But he was being protected by the supreme mystic, Krsna. That should be a devotee’s point of view. Don’t waste your time for acquiring so-called mystic power. Just devote yourself to remain a pure devotee of Krsna, and you become the supreme mystic.
From Srila Prabhupada’s lecture, 25 May 1975, Honolulu
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March 17, 2024
Universal communism
The modern communistic theory, and also the idea of the United Nations, can be reformed — indeed, rectified — by the understanding that everything belongs to the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The Lord is not a creation of our intelligence; rather, He has created us. Atmavasyam idam visvam. Isavasyam idam sarvam (ISO 1). This universal communism can solve all the problems of the world.
Srila Prabhupada, SB 8.1.10, Purport
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