Bhakti Vikasa Swami's Blog, page 94
January 29, 2023
Krsna is attracted by devotion
How Krsna becomes attracted by the devotional service of His devotees is described by Narada in the Srimad-Bhagavatam, Seventh Canto, Tenth Chapter, 37th verse. There Narada addresses King Yudhisthira while the King is appreciating the glories of the character of Prahlada Maharaja. A devotee always appreciates the qualities of other devotees.” i So that was the position of the Pandavas; although Krsna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the greatest among all greats, He remained with those royal brothers, being attracted by their devotion, by their friendship and by their love. That is the proof of how great this process of devotional service is. It can attract even the Supreme Personality of Godhead. God is great, but devotional service is greater than God because it attracts Him.
From “The Nectar of Devotion” by Srila Prabhupada
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January 28, 2023
For Advaita Saptami
Cc Adi 13.66
In the house of Advaita Acarya, all the Vaisnavas took pleasure in always talking of Krsna, always worshiping Krsna and always chanting the Hare Krsna maha-mantra.
Srila Prabhupada’s purport:
On these principles only does the Krsna consciousness movement go on. We have no business other than to talk of Krsna, worship Krsna and chant the Hare Krsna maha-mantra.
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January 26, 2023
Definition of illicit sex
So that means illicit sex, sex without the intention for begetting a nice child, that is illicit sex.
Srila Prabhupada; January 3, 1971
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January 25, 2023
Don’t blame the government
It is foretold herein that in the absence of a monarchical regime the general mass of people will be an unwanted population like dogs and monkeys. As the monkeys are too sexually inclined and the dogs are shameless in sexual intercourse, the general mass of population born of illegitimate connection will systematically go astray from the Vedic way of good manners and qualitative engagements in the castes and orders of life.
The Vedic way of life is the progressive march of the civilization of the Aryans. The Aryans are progressive in Vedic civilization. The Vedic civilization’s destination is to go back to Godhead, back home, where there is no birth, no death, no old age and no disease. The Vedas direct everyone not to remain in the darkness of the material world but to go towards the light of the spiritual kingdom, far beyond the material sky. The qualitative caste system and the orders of life are scientifically planned by the Lord and His representatives, the great rsis. This perfect way of life gives all sorts of instruction in matters both material and spiritual. The Vedic way of life does not allow any man to be like the monkeys and dogs, following mammon’s philosophy of simply devoting oneself to economic development for sense gratification. Such a degraded civilization of sense gratification and economic development is the by-product of a godless or kingless government of the people, by the people, and for the people. The people should not, therefore, blame the poor administrations they themselves elect.
Srila Prabhupada, SB 1.18.45, Purport
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Extra money should be spent for Krsna
SB 7.14.8
TRANSLATION
One may claim proprietorship to as much wealth as required to maintain body and soul together, but one who desires proprietorship over more than that must be considered a thief, and he deserves to be punished by the laws of nature.
PURPORT
By God’s favor we sometimes get large quantities of food grains or suddenly receive some contribution or unexpected profit in business. In this way we may get more money than needed. So, how should that be spent? There is no need to accumulate money in the bank merely to increase one’s bank balance.
Such a mentality is described in Bhagavad-gita (16.13) as asuric, demoniac.
idam adya maya labdham
imam prapsye manoratham
idam astidam api me
bhavisyati punar dhanam
“The demoniac person thinks, ‘So much wealth do I have today, and I will gain more according to my schemes. So much is mine now, and it will increase in the future, more and more.'” The asura is concerned with how much wealth he has in the bank today and how it will increase tomorrow, but unrestricted accumulation of wealth is not permitted either by the sastra or, in the modern age, by the government. Actually, if one has more than one requires for his necessities, the extra money should be spent for Krsna. According to the Vedic civilization, it should all be given to the Krsna consciousness movement, as ordered by the Lord Himself in Bhagavad-gita (9.27):
yat karosi yad asnasi
yaj juhosi dadasi yat
yat tapasyasi kaunteya
tat kurusva mad-arpanam
“O son of Kunti, all that you do, all that you eat, all that you offer and give away, as well as all austerities that you may perform, should be done as an offering unto Me.”
Grhasthas should spend extra money only for the Krsna consciousness movement.
The grhasthas should give contributions for constructing temples of the Supreme Lord and for preaching of Srimad Bhagavad-gita, or Krsna consciousness, all over the world. Srnvan bhagavato’bhiksnam avatara-kathamrtam. In the sastras – the puranas and other Vedic literatures-there are so many narrations describing the transcendental activities of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and everyone should hear them again and again. For example, even if we read the entire Bhagavad-gita every day, all eighteen chapters, in each reading we shall find a new explanation. That is the nature of transcendental literature. The Krsna consciousness movement therefore affords one an opportunity to spend his extra earnings for the benefit of all human society by expanding Krsna consciousness. In India especially we see hundreds and thousands of temples that were constructed by the wealthy men of society who did not want to be called thieves and be punished.
This verse is very important. As stated here, one who accumulates more money than needed is a thief, and by the laws of nature he will be punished. One who acquires more money than necessary becomes desirous of enjoying material comforts more and more. Materialists are inventing so many artificial necessities, and those who have money, being allured by such artificial necessities, try to accumulate money to possess more and more. This is the idea of modern economic development. Everyone is engaged in earning money, and the money is kept in the bank, which then offers money to the public. In this cycle of activities, everyone is engaged in getting more and more money, and therefore the ideal goal of human life is being lost.
Concisely, it may be said that everyone is a thief and is liable to be punished. Punishment by the laws of nature takes place in the cycle of birth and death. No one dies fully satisfied by the fulfillment of material desires, for that is not possible. Therefore at the time of one’s death one is very sorry, being unable to fulfill his desires. By the laws of nature one is then offered another body to fulfill his unsatisfied desires, and upon taking birth again, accepting another material body, one voluntarily accepts the threefold miseries of life.
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January 23, 2023
Retirement
Retirement means to become cured from the diseased activities but to place yourself in healthy activities. That is Krsna consciousness.
From Srila Prabhupada’s lecture on Bhagavad-gita 4.11-18 — Los Angeles, January 8, 1969
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January 22, 2023
Everything is for Krsna
In our temple everyone is engaged for Krsna, offering mangala-aratrika and cleansing the temple and cooking for Krsna various nice prasadam, offering it, and writing articles for Krsna, typing for Krsna. Everything is for Krsna. This is practical.
Srila Prabhupada, Conversation regarding philosopher Kant
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January 21, 2023
How to worship God and realize Him
In the Srimad-Bhagavatam it is said that [Lord Caitanya] is the incarnation of God in this age. And who worships Him? The process is very simple. Just keep a picture of Lord Caitanya with His associates. Lord Caitanya is in the middle, accompanied by His principal associates — Nityananda, Advaita, Gadadhara, and Srivasa. One simply has to keep this picture. One can keep it anywhere. It is not that one has to come to us to see this picture. Anyone can have this picture in his home, chant this Hare Krsna mantra, and thus worship Lord Caitanya. That is the simple method. But who will capture this simple method? Those who have good brains. Without much bother, if one simply keeps a picture of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu at home and chants Hare Krsna, then one will realize God. Anyone can adopt this simple method. There is no expenditure, there is no tax, nor is there any need to build a very big church or temple. Anyone, anywhere, can sit down on the road or beneath a tree and chant the Hare Krsna mantra and worship God. Therefore it is a great opportunity.
Srila Prabhupada, The Science of Self-Realization
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January 20, 2023
The holy name circulates around the planet
Swamiji says in the taxi, “There is no question of separation. The sound vibration fixes us up together, even though the material body may not be there. What do we care for this material body? Just go on chanting HARE KRISHNA, and we will be packed up together. You will be chanting here, and I will be chanting there, and this vibration will circulate around this planet.”
Swamiji’s Departure,” by Brahmananda Dasa, BTG #16, 1968
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January 19, 2023
Simply struggling — where is happiness?
Unless Krsna gives, there is no question of happiness. Our business should be that we may not be uncomfortably living which will disturb our progress of Krsna consciousness — that much. Other things? Depend on Krsna. If He wants to make you Indra, you become Indra. There is no happiness even by
becoming Indra. Indra is how much disturbed, always fighting, devasura. He has to fight. The same thing as here. Only difference is the standard of living in the heaven and the duration of life are greater. But if you have to struggle for existence, then what is the use of this duration of life, greater? Simply struggling, where is happiness? So in different planets, in different species of life… I see at night these small bugs. They have got the same happiness. The husband and wife or the male and female together, jumping and having sex, and everything in a different body. And same thing is going on in higher planetary system. There is no other business. Ahara-nidra-bhaya-maithunam [Hitopadesa 25]: eating, sleeping, sex and defense.
Srila Prabhupada, Room Conversation with Vrindavan De – July 6, 1977, Vrndavana
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