The Transcendental Qualities of Srimati Radharani

Today marks the appearance of Srimati Radharani, otherwise known as Radhastami. We honor it with a half day fast, followed by a feast after Her appearance at noon.

Srimati Radharani has twenty-five transcendental qualities. Her transcendental qualities are as follows:

1. She is sweetness personified
2. She is a fresh young girl
3. Her eyes are always moving
4. She is always brightly smiling
5. She possesses all auspicious marks on her body
6. She can agitate Krishna by the flavor of Her person
7. She is expert in the art of singing
8. She can speak very nicely and sweetly
9. She is expert in presenting feminine attractions
10. She is modest and gentle
11. She is always very merciful
12. She is transcendentally cunning
13. She knows how to dress nicely
14. She is always shy
15. She is always respectful
16. She is always patient
17. She is very grave
18. She is enjoyed by Krishna
19. She is situated on the highest devotional platform
20. She is the abode of love of the residents of Gokula
21. She can give shelter to all kinds of devotees
22. She is always affectionate to superiors and inferiors
23. She is always obliged by the dealings of Her associates
24. She is the greatest amongst Krishna’s girlfriends
25. She always keeps Krishna under Her control

Your Ever Well-Wisher

Today we are celebrating Vyasa-puja, the appearance day of our beloved spiritual master His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada.

The above 1080p HD video biography, is the original authorized biography of His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, the Founder-Acharya of ISKCON, the International Society for Krishna Consciousness or the Hare Krishna Movement.

It was produced by Yadubara dasa and his wife Vishakha devi dasi in the 1980’s using film footage they shot and collected from other film makers during the time Srila Prabhupada was physically present with us in the 1960’s and the 1970’s.

Krishna Janmastami

Kṛṣṇa! Kṛṣṇa! Kṛṣṇa! Kṛṣṇa! Kṛṣṇa! Kṛṣṇa! Kṛṣṇa! he
Kṛṣṇa! Kṛṣṇa! Kṛṣṇa! Kṛṣṇa! Kṛṣṇa! Kṛṣṇa! Kṛṣṇa! he
Kṛṣṇa! Kṛṣṇa! Kṛṣṇa! Kṛṣṇa! Kṛṣṇa! Kṛṣṇa! rakṣa mām
Kṛṣṇa! Kṛṣṇa! Kṛṣṇa! Kṛṣṇa! Kṛṣṇa! Kṛṣṇa! pāhi mām
Rāma! Rāghava! Rāma! Rāghava! Rāma! Rāghava! rakṣa mām
Kṛṣṇa! Keśava! Kṛṣṇa! Keśava! Kṛṣṇa! Keśava! pāhi mām

Caitanya-caritāmṛta (Madhya 7.96)

Today, here in the Western half of the World, we are celebrating Janmastami: the appearance day of Lord Sri Krishna. So let us take advantage of this auspicious day and hear, chant, and remember the pastimes of the Lord. Hare Krishna!

The following is Lord Krishna’s Appearance Day Lecture given by Srila Prabhupada on August 16, 1968, Montreal Canada.

Continue reading

The Brain

My wife shared this with me, something se saw posted on Facebook. I found it interesting.

Brain Substance of all men is not Equal”

Prabhupada: In psychology there is study brain substance. Brain substance of all men are not equal.

Svarupa Damodara: Yes. I think it is known because when Einstein died they tried to preserve the brain of Einstein. Thinking that his brain was different from others.

Prabhupada: If it was not different then how he became distinguished?

Svarupa Damodara: The brain substance is different just like everybodys intelligence different.

Prabhupada: Yes. According to the brain substance there is difference of intelligence. ( Morning Walk — September 23, 1972, Los Angeles)

Continue reading

Devotional Emotion

With regard to your question about Bengali style kirtana and mrdanga playing, one or two styles is best. To introduce more styles is not good. It will become an encumbrance. Who is that Krsna das Babaji who is teaching? If we introduce so much emphasis on style of kirtana, then simply imitation will go on. Devotional emotion is the main thing. If we give stress to instrument and style then attention will be diverted to the style. That will be spiritual loss. (Prabhupada letter to Satsvarupa Goswami 30th June, 1976)

Health Consciousness/Standard Devotee Diet

Once when Srila Prabhupada saw what was being served to the devotees, lavishly prepared multi-course lunches, he told the managers that it was too opulent. He said we should eat simply during the week with rice, dhal, chapatis and a little subji and once a week on the Sunday love feasts we could be more lavish. Today with more of us becoming Health Conscious, it is good to remember the very simple devotee diet that was recommended to us so long ago.

Standard Devotee Diet

Srila Prabhupada recommended a standard diet for the devotees, and instructed that all of the temples should follow it every day. That menu follows:

BREAKFAST:

Simple farina cereal with nuts and raisins
Milk (steaming hot), or yogurt in the summertime
Chick peas (raw, soaked overnight)
Ginger root (raw)
Oranges, apples and/or bananas

LUNCH:

Rice
Chapatis
Dal made with freshly ground ginger root and freshly ground spices
Subji made with ghee, freshly ground ginger root and freshly ground spices

BEFORE TAKING REST:

Milk (steaming hot)
Bananas

For a free download of the Hare Krishna Cookbook on pdf

click on link to download pdf file to your computer The Hare KRSNA Cookbook

Famous Personalities

My wife shared this with me, something she saw on Facebook. I found it interesting, so different than the Hollywood version. She, without a doubt, is a unique figure in the history of humanity.

Cleopatra ascended the throne at the age of 17 and died at the age of 39. She spoke 9 languages. She knew the language of Ancient Egypt and had learned to read hieroglyphics, a unique case in her dynasty. Apart from this, she knew Greek and the languages ​​of the Parthians, Hebrews, Medes, Troglodytes, Syrians, Ethiopians, and Arabs.

With this knowledge, any book in the world was open to her. In addition to languages, she studied geography, history, astronomy, international diplomacy, mathematics, alchemy, medicine, zoology, economics, and other disciplines. She tried to access all the knowledge of her time.
Cleopatra spent a lot of time in a kind of ancient laboratory. She wrote some works related to herbs and cosmetics. Unfortunately, all her books were destroyed in the fire of the great Library of Alexandria in 391 AD. C. The famous physicist Galen studied her work, and was able to transcribe some of the recipes devised by Cleopatra.


One of these remedies, which Galen also recommended to her patients, was a special cream that could help bald men regain their hair. Cleopatra’s books also included beauty tips, but none of them have come down to us.


The queen of Egypt was also interested in herbal healing, and thanks to her knowledge of languages, she had access to numerous papyri that are lost today. Her influence on the sciences and medicine was well known in the early centuries of Christianity. She, without a doubt, is a unique figure in the history of humanity.

Srila Prabhupada mentions Cleopatra in the Srimad Bhagavatam 3.31.38

Continue reading

Animal Rights

Animal-Rights

This morning I was reading from Srila Prabhupada’s Srimad Bhagavatam:

…Any living being, if he terrifies other living beings, is a most wretched subject, and the king should at once kill such a disturbing element. As the wild animal is killed when it creates disturbances, similarly any man who unnecessarily kills or terrifies the jungle animals or other animals must be punished at once. By the law of the Supreme Lord, all living beings, in whatever shape they may be, are the sons of the Lord, and no one has any right to kill another animal, unless it is so ordered by the codes of natural law. The tiger can kill a lower animal for his subsistence, but a man cannot kill an animal for his subsistence. That is the law of God, who has created the law that a living being subsists by eating another living being. Thus the vegetarians are also living by eating other living beings. Therefore, the law is that one should live only by eating specific living beings, as ordained by the law of God. The Īśopaniṣad directs that one should live by the direction of the Lord and not at one’s sweet will. A man can subsist on varieties of grains, fruits and milk ordained by God, and there is no need of animal food, save and except in particular cases. (from purport SB 1.17.10-11)

Full text and purport

Continue reading

Fathers Day

So today in the modern world, people are celebrating Fathers Day. It is basically an American Holiday honoring one’s father, or relevant father figure, as well as fatherhood, paternal bonds, and the influence of fathers in society.

But I am reminded of the Original Father, God (Krishna). Srila Prabhupada in His Introduction to the Bhagavad-gita As It Is describes the original Father.

The Supreme Lord and His transcendental abode are both sanatana, as are the living entities, and the combined association of the Supreme Lord and the living entities in the sanatana abode is the perfection of human life. The Lord is very kind to the living entities because they are His sons. Lord Krsna declares in Bhagavad-gita, “sarva-yonisu…aham bija-pradah pita.” “I am the father of all.” Of course there are all types of living entities according to their various karmas, but here the Lord claims that He is the father of all of them. Therefore the Lord descends to reclaim all of these fallen, conditioned souls to call them back to the sanatana eternal sky so that the sanatana living entities may regain their eternal sanatana positions in eternal association with the Lord. The Lord comes Himself in different incarnations, or He sends His confidential servants as sons or His associates or ācāryas to reclaim the conditioned souls.