Tag Archives: Nectar of Devotion

Seeing God

Posted on by under A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Krishna, Krishna Consciousness, Krsna

Question: Can One See God from Different Angles of Vision such as Christian, Hinduism, Islam, etc.??………

Prabhupada: If you see God, Krsna, from the Hindu angle of vision, if you see God from Christian angle of vision, then you cannot see God. That is not seeing God. You have to become free from all these designation. Just like Caitanya Mahaprabhu taught us, “I am not a Brahmin. I am not a ksatriya. I am not a vaisya. I am not a sudra. I am not a sannyasi. I am not a grhastha. I am not a brahmacari.” Then “What You are?” Because within these eight categories you are living. But Caitanya Mahaprabhu says “I don’t belong to all these categories.” “Then what You are, Sir?” “I am the servant of the servant of the servant of the servant of Krsna, the maintainer of the gopis.” So unless you come to this stage, free from all designation, you cannot serve Krsna. Krsna accepts service from the devotee. Krsna is not beggar, that He has come to your place and asking some food from you. No. But Krsna accepts your food provided you are a devotee. That is Krsna. (The Nectar of Devotion – October 18, 1972, Vrndavana)

Appearance Day of Srimati Radharani; Radhastami

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Srimati Radharani

Yesterday marked the appearance of Srimati Radharani, otherwise known as Radhastami. We honored it with a half day fast, followed by a feast after Her appearance at noon. I have always enjoyed reading Her 25 Transcendental Qualities.

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

Bilvamangala Thakura’s Pure Devotion

Posted on by under A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Bilvamangala Thakura

Bilvamangala Thakura’s Pure Devotion

“Śrī Bilvamaṅgala Thākur has said, ‘If I am engaged in devotional service unto You, my dear Lord, then very easily can I perceive Your presence everywhere. And as far as liberation is concerned, I think liberation stands at my door with folded hands waiting to serve me.’ To pure devotees, therefore, liberation and spiritual emancipation are not very important things.” (Nectar of Devotion, Chapter 3)

“Everything has some value, and one has to pay the value before obtaining or possessing it. It is stated in the Vedic literature that to purchase the most valuable thing, Kṛṣṇa consciousness, one has to develop intense eagerness for achieving success. This intense eagerness is very nicely expressed by Bilvamaṅgala Thākur in his book Kṛṣṇa-karṇāmṛta. He says, ‘I am eagerly waiting to see that boy of Vṛndāvana whose bodily beauty is captivating the whole universe, whose eyes are always bounded by black eyebrows and expanded like lotus petals, who is always eagerly glancing over His devotees and therefore moving slightly here and there. His eyes are always moist, and His lips are colored like copper, and through those lips there comes a sound vibration which drives one madder than a mad elephant. I want so much to see Him at Vṛndāvana!’ “ (Nectar of Devotion, Chapter 18)

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