Bhakti Vikasa Swami's Blog, page 72

Srila Prabhupada on Srila Bhaktivinoda’s prediction

…his blessings upon you. You are fulfilling his mission. He wanted that European, American should come here. It is all Bhaktivinoda Thakura’s blessing. Hare Krsna. I am simply messenger. Mercy is of Bhaktivinoda Thakura and Srila Prabhupada. Before your coming they predicted, that “Somebody will bring.” Maybe that somebody I am. (chuckles) Bhaktivinoda Thakura predicted.

Srila Prabhupada — Mayapur, March 23, 1975

The post Srila Prabhupada on Srila Bhaktivinoda’s prediction appeared first on Bhakti Vikasa Swami.

Bhakti is voluntary

Krsna does not force. Krsna says that “You surrender unto Me.” He does not force, that “You must surrender. I am God. You are My part and parcel.” No, He’ll never say that. Because He has given you little independence, He will not touch it. Otherwise what is the difference between a stone and a living entity? A living entity must have independence, although it is very little, minute. That Krsna does not touch. He’ll never touch. You’ll have to agree, “Yes, Krsna, I shall surrender unto You. Yes. That is for my benefit.” This is Krsna consciousness. You must voluntarily agree, not hackneyed, mechanical. “Spiritual master says like this right. All right let me do it.” No. You have to understand very nicely. Tesam satata-yuktanam bhajatam priti-purvakam [Bg. 10.10]. Priti, with love. When you work, when you work for Krsna with love and enthusiasm, that is your Krsna conscious life. If you think that “It is hackneyed, it is troublesome, but what can I do? These people ask me to do it. I have to do it,” that is not Krsna consciousness. You have to do it voluntarily and with great pleasure.

From Srila Prabhupada’s lecture on Bhagavad-gita 1.30 – London, July 23, 1973

The post Bhakti is voluntary appeared first on Bhakti Vikasa Swami.

“Probably”

Tamala Krsna: This is the book of the rascal scientists. They describe the solar system according to their nonsense. The solar system… Gives all the calculations. They calculated how much it weighs on each planet. [laughs] They haven’t even been there. They say that each planet has moons. Says here — this is how scientific they are — “Pluto was discovered only in 1930, and as yet, little is known about this remote planet. Pluto is much smaller than Neptune and has a diameter probably about…”

Prabhupada: “Probably.”

Tamala Krsna: “…half the size.”

Prabhupada: “Probably.”

Tamala Krsna: “The orbit of Pluto is extremely elliptical, and the day is some 6,109 hours long. There is probably no atmosphere, and there are no known moons.”

Prabhupada: “Probably.” Their science is “probably.” Probably it is science; otherwise it is nonsense. [laughter]

Tamala Krsna: It says here, “The moon is 238,860 miles from the earth. It has no atmosphere, no weather and no wind.”

Prabhupada: “Probably.” Everything “probably.”

Tamala Krsna: It says here, “There is a thick dust covering and no evidence to suggest that the moon has ever supported life.” In that newspaper article the man who is exposing them said — because they say it is covered by dust — “How is it that no dust is shown on the astronauts’ suits when they walked around?” He says, “If there’s such a thick dust, then, when the rocket landed, it would have made a pocket within that dust.” He says, “But there’s no crater around the rocket. Then how is it possible that these things are like that?” ‘Cause actually they forgot. When they were making the stage-setting in Arizona, they forgot these points.

Bhu-mandala Diagram Discussion – July 2, 1977, Vrndavana

The post “Probably” appeared first on Bhakti Vikasa Swami.

The importance of devotee association

One must seek the association of persons who are Krsna conscious and who engage in devotional service. Without such association one cannot make advancement. Without such association one cannot make advancement. Simply by theoretical knowledge or study one cannot make any appreciable advancement. One must give up the association of materialistic persons and seek the association of devotees because without the association of devotees one cannot understand the activities of the Lord.

Srila Prabhupada, Srimad Bhagavatam 3.25.25 purport

The post The importance of devotee association appeared first on Bhakti Vikasa Swami.

Every day, as much as possible, read

Nityam. Read every day, especially those who are in Vrndavana. Every day, as much as possible, read Srimad-Bhagavatam, Bhagavad-gita. Nityam. Then our heart will be cleansed, and we shall know what is our constitutional position, what is our relationship with Krsna, and then if we serve in that relationship, our life is perfect.

From Srila Prabhupada’s lecture on Srimad-Bhagavatam 2.1.1 — March 16, 1974, Vrndavana

The post Every day, as much as possible, read appeared first on Bhakti Vikasa Swami.

Radharani gives inspiration

Radharani is the source of spiritual inspiration.

From Srila Prabhupada’s lecture on Bhagavad-gita 4.10 — 23 September, 1974

The post Radharani gives inspiration appeared first on Bhakti Vikasa Swami.

That is Radharani

We should utilize our talents without being envious of others. You should do your best, but you should not be envious of others. In material life there is simply envy of other’s progress, but in spiritual life one encourages another. ‘Oh! You are doing very nice: That is Radharani. She says, ‘Oh! Here is a very nice devotee. Please Krsna, you accept him.’

From Srila Prabhupada’s letter to Madhavananda, 6th October, 1974

The post That is Radharani appeared first on Bhakti Vikasa Swami.

A description of Radharani

Srimati Radharani is fifteen days younger than Krsna. She always keeps Her hand on the shoulder of one of Her friends, and She always talks and thinks of pastimes with Krsna. She always offers Krsna a kind of intoxicant by Her sweet talks, and She is always prepared to fulfill all His desires. In other words, She supplies everything needed to meet all the demands of Sri Krsna, and She possesses unique and uncommon qualities for Krsna’s satisfaction.

From Teachings of Lord Caitanya, Chaper 31: The Supreme Perfection, by Srila Prabhupada

The post A description of Radharani appeared first on Bhakti Vikasa Swami.

Vrndavana devotees seek Radha’s mercy

Radharani is the internal potency of Sri Krsna, and She eternally intensifies the pleasure of Sri Krsna. Impersonalists cannot understand this without the help of a maha-bhagavata devotee. The very name “Radha” suggests that Srimati Radharani is eternally the topmost mistress of the comforts of Sri Krsna. As such, She is the medium transmitting the living entities’ service to Sri Krsna. Devotees in Vrndavana therefore seek the mercy of Srimati Radharani in order to be recognized as loving servitors of Sri Krsna.

From Srila Prabhupada’s purport to CC Adi 4.56

The post Vrndavana devotees seek Radha’s mercy appeared first on Bhakti Vikasa Swami.

Real meditation

Thinking of Krsna twenty-four hours is first-class meditation. You are seeing Krsna here, standing with Radharani. And if you see always, then you naturally you get impression of Krsna within the heart. Those who are engaged in service, just like they are offering this foodstuff, Krsna. They have prepared this foodstuff very nicely, thinking that “Krsna will eat. Let us do it very cleanly and attentively.” And whatever they can offer, first-class thing… That is meditation, because they are thinking of Krsna, “This foodstuff will be taken by Krsna. This dress will be used by Krsna. These flowers will be offered to the lotus feet of Krsna.” Real meditation is this. And that is the first-class yoga.

Srila Prabhupada, Talk on Srimad-Bhagavatam 3.25.31 – December 1, 1974, Bombay

The post Real meditation appeared first on Bhakti Vikasa Swami.