Sastra Sadhu and Guru

Sastra Sadhu and Guru

Posted by Gargamuni das

God’s word cannot be changed. Then what will be the difference between God and ourself? He is always perfect. He is always perfect. What He said forty millions of years ago, what He said five thousand years ago, that is also correct up to date. That is sastra. Not that “So many years have passed and it has become old. Now let us reform it and put it into new way.” No.

Prabhupada: So if this confidential knowledge, one who preaches without any compromise, he is the confidential servant of Krsna. There is no compromise. This is real religion. So this is the person who has received the authority to draw mercy water from the ocean of mercy of Krsna. And what Krsna said five thousand years ago, the same thing Caitanya Mahaprabhu said. Same thing. There was no change, as there was no change between the statement of Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura and Narottama dasa Thakura.

Sadhu sastra. As sastra, there is no change. Not that “Modernize. The sastra should be changed.” No. That is nonsense. That is not sastra. Sastra cannot be changed. “Circumstantially, it will be changed, seasonal changes.” No. That is not sastra. Sastra means it is perpetual.

What Krsna said five thousand years ago or Krsna said some forty millions of years ago to the sun-god… He says, “I am talking to you Not that “Because it has passed millions of years and now it is a different time, so I will have to change.” No. He said, “I am talking to you that very old system.” Is it not? Just see. The sastra cannot be changed.

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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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When Swami Met Sally

When Swami Met Sally

By Satyaraja Dasa

The kindness of strangers played a pivotal role in ISKCON’s pre-history.

Last year I had the good fortune to meet Gopal and Sally Agarwal, an elderly couple who played a significant role in ISKCON’s origins. They are forever etched in the devotees’ collective memory as two of the Western world’s earliest recipients of Srila Prabhupada’s mercy. It was the Agarwals who hosted him in the fall of 1965, before ISKCON was even nominally born, giving him shelter, hospitality, friendship, and love. Indeed, for one month their home served as Prabhupada’s earliest refuge outside India.

As Prabhupada acquainted himself with the Agarwal home in Butler, in western Pennsylvania, he saw a typically quiet American town nestled in the hills, a town that has changed little since his brief visit those many years ago.

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Courage Under Fire

Padmapani & Tribhubanatha

My wife shared this post with me that she ran across on Facebook. The author is unknown, but this is a very nice memory of two courageous souls, and their desire to serve the mission of their spiritual master Srila Prabhupada.

Sriman Padmapani Prabhu passed away a short time ago. There is little doubt that he is now serving Srila Prabhupada’s ongoing pastimes, wherever that may be. There will be many sad devotees around the world when they learn that Padmapani has left his body.

My path first crossed Padmapani’s in 1974 or 75 in Winnipeg, Canada, and later again in Montreal. After departing Montreal, he eventually traveled to the Middle East to distribute Krishna consciousness. Upon his return, some years later, he resurfaced in the fledgling Iskcon rural community of Warkworth, Canada, and by my good luck lived in the apartment across the hall from me.

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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

click on image to enlarge

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)

This is a nice thoughtful letter from Hansadutta Prabhu to Kirtananda Maharja back in 1993 based of his realizations.

Hansadutta letter to Kirtanananda 1993

Singapore, 2. October 1993

Dear Kirtanananda Maharaj

Please accept my humble obeisances.

I thought now is the time to remind you of what you said to me upon meeting you at New Vrindaban after my fall from Guru and Sannyas. Seeing my condition, and anticipating the ensuing chaos and confusion amongst the new disciples, you said, “This is why I suggested so strongly that ISKCON should adopt the RITTVIK process of initiation for the new Gurus!!” It has been a long time since then, but after all is said and done, I have personally realized the truth of this statement. Rittvik representatives is all that PRABHUPADA ever sanctioned us to be -not ACHARYAS or GURUS.

After years of anguish and confusion over this issue, I have by the mercy of Prabhupada, come to take shelter in his instruction: “Act as Rittvik of the Acharya.” I think it is time for me to repay the debt I owe you for giving me shelter when I was so broken and lost in my spiritual life.

I humbly suggest you consider the fact that Prabhupada never authorized us to be Gurus, but restrained our ambition by designating some men to act as his deputies, or Rittvik representatives. Better late than never. Give up the false posture of Guru Acharya and consider acting as the humble servant of the Acharya, as a Rittvik representative. That is the solution for you and all the ISKCON Gurus.

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