Truthfulness

Truthful

During the late 1960’s, a generation of young men and women took part in a mass rebellion against the lifetime of lies that had been perpetrated upon them by their government, schools, media and big business. They had grown weary of a social system that stifled their development in a network of lying, cheating and exploitation. At that time, Srila Prabhupada arrived on the scene, boldly preaching the message of Lord Krsna. He spoke truthfully, never altering the pure message in cowardly deference to the time and circumstance, in order to attract followers, fame and money. In an atmosphere seething with the fumes of unrestricted sense gratification, Srila Prabhupada presented a process of spiritual life which was based on personal sacrifice and purification of the senses. In those days, the peace movement was in vogue, and it was extremely unpopular to speak out to young people on behalf of any form of military activity. In spite of this strong public opinion, Srila Prabhupada spoke the truth about the Bhagavad-gita, explaining to his youthful listeners about Arjuna’s spiritual perfection in fighting a violent war under the order of Lord Krsna. Because of his straightforward presentation of Lord Krsna’s message, and his own shining example of spiritual perfection, people gradually began to understand what he was saying and received the message with great delight. Such was the powerful effect of Srila Prabhupada’s truthfulness.

Āśā-bandha

The strong conviction that one will certainly receive the favor of the Supreme Personality of Godhead is called in Sanskrit Āśā-bandha. Āśā-bandha means to continue to think, “Because I’m trying my best to follow the routine principles of devotional service, I am sure that I will go back to Godhead, back to home.”

In this connection, one prayer by Rupa Gosvāmī is sufficient to exemplify this hopefulness. He says, “I have no love for Krsna, nor for the causes of developing love of Krsna-namely, hearing and chanting. And the process of bhakti-yoga, by which one is always thinking of Krsna and fixing His lotus feet in the heart, is also lacking in me. As far as philosophical knowledge or pious works are concerned, I don’t see any opportunity for me to execute such activities. But above all, I am not even born of a nice family. Therefore I must simply pray to You, Gopi-jana-vallabha [Krsna, maintainer and beloved of the gopīs]. I simply wish and hope that some way or other I may be able to approach Your lotus feet, and this hope is giving me pain, because I think myself quite incompetent to approach that transcendental goal of life.” The purport is that under this heading of asa-bandha, one should continue to hope against hope that some way or other he will be able to approach the lotus feet of the Supreme Lord.

Month of Damodara (Kartika)

mother-yasoda-krishna

” Upon seeing His mothers whipping stick, He cried and rubbed His eyes again and again with His two lotus hands. His eyes were fearful and His breathing quick, and as Mother Yasoda bound His belly with ropes, He shivered in fright and His pearl necklace shook. To this Supreme Lord, Sri Damodara, who is bound with His devotee’s love, I offer my humble obeisances.” (Damodarastakam)

We are now in the month of Damodara (Kartika). In honor and in celebration of the month of Damodara, we will be focusing our attention on the pastimes of Krishna in Vrndavan. Especially Krishna’s childhood pastimes. The following song is sung morning and evening and it is customary to offer a candle or gee lamp as well to a picture of Lord Krsna and Mother Yasoda.

Following song lyrics is a link of Vishnujana Swami chanting the Damodara Prayers

Full song

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Prabhupadagita.com


Some years ago I put the complete Original 1972 Bhagavad-gita “As It Is” by His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami online. You can click on link prabhupada.gita to visit. I find it is a quick and easy site for reference to all your favorite chapters and slokas.

I happened to check on the site this morning, and was surprised to find we already have over 1 million visitors. People are appreciating The original version of the Bhagavad-gita As It Is

Radhastami

Today marks the Appearance of Srimati Radharani.  We honor it with a half day fast, puspanjali, discussion on the glories of Srimati Radharani, followed by a feast.

The following are just a few of the many quotes from Srila Prabhupada which encourage us to approach Krishna through the mercy of Srimati Radharani, Krishna’s eternal consort. For those of us who feel that there is no hope of making spiritual progress in this lifetime, Srimati Radharani, Who is compassion personified, kindly comes to our rescue if we can humbly invoke Her divine blessings.

tapta-kancana-gaurangi radhe vrndavanesvari
vrsabhanu-sute devi pranamami hari-priye

“I offer my respects to Radharani whose bodily complexion is like molten gold and who is the Queen of Vrndavana. You are the daughter of King Vrsabhanu, and You are very dear to Lord Krishna.”  (Sri Radha Pranama)

“So this is our philosophy, to please Krishna through Radharani, and just today is the auspicious day of Radharani appearance. So we should offer puspanjali and pray to Radharani that ‘Radharani, kindly be merciful and tell about me to Your Krishna. To Your Krishna. Krishna is Yours.’ Krishna, Radha-Krishna. Krishna is not independent. Krishna is Radharani’s property. So you have to approach Krishna through Radharani. That is, today is the auspicious day. Worship Radharani very nicely and be happy.”  (Srila Prabhupada Lecture, September 5, 1973)

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Sri Vyasa-Puja

The Most Blessed Event

Sri Vyasa-Puja

        The Appearance Day of Our Beloved Spiritual Master

His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

Founder-Acarya of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness

Dear Srila Prabhupada

Please accept my humble obeisances, and kindly forgive my offences.  I am truly grateful to you for all that you have given me.  Every day when I go into our temple room, and I light a candle or stick of incense, sit down and chant japa  or sing bhajans, whether I am cooking an offering or preparing the Lord’s plate, picking a flower to offer or washing and drying the Lord’s plate, reading from one of your many books, or simply thinking about Lord Krishna or Caitanya Mahaprabhu, I feel a deep sense of gratitude, and appreciation.

 You have changed and shaped my life.  You have given me a more meaning full life and a more hope full future.  This year I turned 71 years of age, and to think, I shaved my head, put on devotee cloth and aspired to become your disciple on my 21st birthday.  I have aspired to become your disciple my entire adult life, and I pray to Srimati Radharani that someday I will become a worthy disciple.

I cannot imagine my life without your presence, and continued guidance.  You have given me a matchless gift, the gift of Krishna consciousness, and although I can never repay the debt, I am eternally grateful.

Your insignificant servant

Vyasasan das

Krishna Janmastami

by The Hare Krishna Movement in A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Janmastami, Krsna Book, KRSNA The Supreme Personality of Godhead Tags: A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Janamastami, Krishna, Krishna Janmastami Celebration, Krsna, Krsna Janamastmi, Srila Prabhupada, Srimad Bhagavatam

The Birth of Lord Krishna Janmastami

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Today we celebrate the Appearance of Lord Krishna (Janmastami) with a full day fast, followed by a nice vegetarian feast. As we like to do on this day, we read from the KRSNA Book. So we are posting the complete chapter; “The Birth of Lord Kṛṣṇa”.

…As stated in the Bhagavad-gītā, the Lord says that His appearance, birth, and activities, are all transcendental, and one who understands them factually becomes immediately eligible to be transferred to the spiritual world. The Lord’s appearance or birth is not like that of an ordinary man who is forced to accept a material body according to his past deeds. The Lord’s appearance is explained in the Second Chapter: He appears out of His own sweet pleasure. When the time was mature for the appearance of the Lord, the constellations became very auspicious. The astrological influence of the star known as Rohiṇī was also predominant because this star is considered to be very auspicious. Rohiṇī is under the direct supervision of Brahmā. According to the astrological conclusion, besides the proper situation of the stars, there are auspicious and inauspicious moments due to the different situations of the different planetary systems. At the time of Kṛṣṇa’s birth, the planetary systems were automatically adjusted so that everything became auspicious. ( from Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead Chapter 3)

Full Chapter

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Krishna is the Supreme Father

Today, here in the West, we are celebrating Fathers day. After I opened my fathers day cards, I remembered, that Krishna is the Supreme Father of all of us, so decided to do this short post.

It should be understood that all species of life, O son of Kuntī, are made possible by birth in this material nature, and that I am the seed-giving father. (Bhagavad-gita As It Is 14.4)

PURPORT

In this verse it is clearly explained that the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa, is the original father of all living entities. The living entities are combinations of the material nature and the spiritual nature. Such living entities are seen not only on this planet but on every planet, even on the highest, where Brahmā is situated. Everywhere there are living entities; within the earth there are living entities, even within water and within fire. All these appearances are due to the mother, material nature, and Kṛṣṇa’s seed-giving process. The purport is that the material world is impregnated with living entities, who come out in various forms at the time of creation according to their past deeds. (from purport)

The Appearance Day of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu

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We are in Mayapura Dham, at the Sri Sri Radha Madhava Temple, to celebrate the Appearance Day of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. We honor His appearance with a full day fast (until moon rise), followed by a special vegetarian feast. Also to honor the Lord’s appearance day, we have selected these two verses from the Sri Caitanya-caritmrta.

“O most munificent incarnation! You are Kṛṣṇa Himself appearing as Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya Mahāprabhu. You have assumed the golden color of Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī, and You are widely distributing pure love of Kṛṣṇa. We offer our respectful obeisances unto You.

“We offer our respectful obeisances unto that merciful Supreme Personality of Godhead who has converted all three worlds, which were maddened by ignorance, and saved them from their diseased condition by making them mad with the nectar from the treasure-house of love of God. Let us take full shelter of that Personality of Godhead, Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya, whose activities are wonderful.”

Full text and Bengali

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Appearance Day Of Lord Nityananda

sun and moon

Today we celebrate the Appearance of Lord Nityananda with a few select verses from the Sri Caitanya-caritamrta

“I offer my respectful obeisances unto Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya and Lord Nityānanda, who are like the sun and moon. They have arisen simultaneously on the horizon of Gauḍa to dissipate the darkness of ignorance and thus wonderfully bestow benediction upon all.”

Śrī Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma, the Personalities of Godhead, who formerly appeared in Vṛndāvana and were millions of times more effulgent than the sun and moon, have arisen over the eastern horizon of Gauḍadeśa [West Bengal], being compassionate for the fallen state of the world. The appearance of Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya and Prabhu Nityānanda has surcharged the world with happiness. As the sun and moon drive away darkness by their appearance and reveal the nature of everything, these two brothers dissipate the darkness of ignorance covering the living beings’ and enlighten them with knowledge of the Absolute Truth. By the grace of Lord Caitanya and Lord Nityānanda, this darkness of ignorance is removed, and the truth is brought to light. The Absolute Truth is Śrī Kṛṣṇa, and loving devotion to Śrī Kṛṣṇa exhibited in pure love is achieved through congregational chanting of the holy name, which is the essence of all bliss.

Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna
Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare
Hare Rama, Hare Rama
Rama Rama, Hare Hare

These two, the sun and moon, are very kind to the people of the world. Thus for the good fortune of all, They have appeared on the horizon of Bengal.

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

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Verses excerpted from:
Sri Caitanya-caritamrta 1975 Edition
by His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
Adi-lila 1.84-89, 95-96, & 102