The North East Lincolnshire Hare Krishna Society

THE TEACHINGS OF THE VEDAS

Devarsi — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 23:03:30 +0000

Srila Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada speaking

What are the Vedas?
A lecture by His Divine Grace Srila A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

Ladies and gentlemen, today’s subject matter is the teachings of the Vedas. What are the Vedas?

The Sanskrit verbal root of veda can be interpreted variously, but the purpose is finally one. Veda means knowledge. Any knowledge you accept is veda, for the teachings of the Vedas are the original knowledge. In the conditioned state, our knowledge is subjected to many deficiencies. The difference between a conditioned soul and a liberated soul is that the conditioned soul has four kinds of defects.

The first defect is that he must commit mistakes. For example, in our country, Mahatma Gandhi was considered to be a very great personality, but he committed many mistakes. Even at the last stage of his life, his assistant warned, “Mahatma Gandhi, don’t go to the New Delhi meeting. I have some friends, and I have heard there is danger.” But he did not hear. He persisted on going and was killed. Even great personalities like Mahatma Gandhi, President Kennedy–there are so many of them–make mistakes. To err is human. This is one defect of the conditioned soul.

Another defect: to be illusioned. Illusion means to accept something which is not: maya. Maya means what is not. Everyone is accepting the body as the self. If I ask you what you are, you will say, “I am Mr. John; I am a rich man; I am this, I am that.” All these are bodily identifications. But you are not this body. This is illusion.

The third defect is the cheating propensity.

Everyone has the propensity to cheat others. Although a person is fool number one, he poses himself as very intelligent. Although it is already pointed out that he is in illusion and makes mistakes, he will theorize: “I think this is this, this is this.” But he does not even know his own position. He writes books of philosophy, although he is defective. That is his disease. That is cheating.

Lastly, our senses are imperfect. We are very proud of our eyes. Often, someone will challenge, “Can you show me God?” But do you have the eyes to see God? You will never see if you haven’t the eyes. If immediately the room becomes dark, you cannot even see your hands. So what power do you have to see? We cannot, therefore, expect knowledge (veda) with these imperfect senses. With all these deficiencies, in conditioned life, we cannot give perfect knowledge to anyone. Nor are we ourselves perfect. Therefore we accept the Vedas as they are.

Srila Prabhupada

We are not Hindus You may call the Vedas Hindu, but Hindu is a foreign name. We are not Hindus. Our real identification is varnasrama. Varnasrama denotes the followers of the Vedas, those who accept the human society in eight divisions of varna and asrama. There are four divisions of society and four divisions of spiritual life. This is called varnasrama. It is stated in the Bhagavad-gita, “These divisions are everywhere because they are created by God.”

The divisions of society are brahmana, ksatriya, vaisya, sudra. Brahmana refers to the very intelligent class of men, those who know what is Brahman. Similarly, the ksatriyas, the administrator group, are the next intelligent class of men. Then the vaisyas, the mercantile group. These natural classifications are found everywhere. This is the Vedic principle, and we accept it. Vedic principles are accepted as axiomatic truth, for there cannot be any mistake. That is acceptance.

For instance, in India, cow dung is accepted as pure, and yet cow dung is the stool of an animal. In one place you’ll find the Vedic injunction that if you touch stool, you have to take a bath immediately. But in another place it is said that the stool of a cow is pure. If you smear cow dung in an impure place that place becomes pure. With our ordinary sense we can argue, “This is contradictory.” Actually, it is contradictory from the ordinary point of view, but it is not false. It is fact. In Calcutta, a very prominent scientist and doctor analyzed cow dung and found that it contains all antiseptic properties.

In India if one person tells another, “You must do this,” the other party may say, “What do you mean? Is this a Vedic injunction that I have to follow you without any argument?” Vedic injunctions cannot be interpreted. But ultimately, if you carefully study why these injunctions are there, you will find that they are all correct.

Four Vedas

The Vedas are not compilations of human knowledge. Vedic knowledge comes from the spiritual world, from Lord Krsna. Another name for the Vedas is sruti. Sruti refers to that knowledge which is acquired by hearing. It is not experimental knowledge. Sruti is considered to be like a mother. We take so much knowledge from our mother. For example, if you want to know who your father is, who can answer you? Your mother. If the mother says, “Here is your father,” you have to accept it. It is not possible to experiment to find out whether he is your father. Similarly, if you want to know something beyond your experience, beyond your experimental knowledge, beyond the activities of the senses, then you have to accept Vedas. There is no question of experimenting. It has already been experimented. It is already settled. The version of the mother, for instance, has to be accepted as truth. There is no other way.

The Vedas are considered to be the mother, and Brahma is called the grandfather, the forefather, because he was the first to be instructed in the Vedic knowledge. In the beginning the first living creature was Brahma. He received this Vedic knowledge and imparted it to Narada and other disciples and sons, and they also distributed it to their disciples. In this way, the Vedic knowledge comes down by disciplic succession. It is also confirmed in the Bhagavad-gita, that Vedic knowledge is understood in this way. If you make experimental endeavor, you come to the same conclusion, but just to save time you should accept.

If you want to know who your father is and if you accept your mother as authority, then whatever she says can be accepted without argument. There are three kinds of evidences: pratyaksa, anumana and sabda. Pratyaksa means direct. Direct evidence is not very good because our senses are not perfect. We are seeing the sun daily, and it appears to us just like a small disc, but it is actually far, far larger than many planets. Of what value is this seeing? Therefore we have to read books; then we can understand about the sun.

So direct experience is not perfect. Then there is anumana, inductive knowledge: “It may be like this”–hypothesis. For instance, Darwin’s theory says it may be like this, it may be like that. But that is not science. That is a suggestion, and it is also not perfect. But if you receive the knowledge from the authoritative sources, that is perfect. If you receive a program guide from the radio station authorities, you accept it. You don’t deny it; you don’t have to make an experiment, because it is received from the authoritative sources.

Vedic knowledge is called sabda-pramana. Another name is sruti. Sruti means that this knowledge has to be received simply by aural reception. The Vedas instruct that in order to understand transcendental knowledge, we have to hear from the authority. Transcendental knowledge is knowledge from beyond this universe. Within this universe is material knowledge, and beyond this universe is transcendental knowledge. We cannot even go to the end of the universe, so how can we go to the spiritual world? Thus to acquire full knowledge is impossible.

There is a spiritual sky. There is another nature that is beyond manifestation and non-manifestation. But how will you know that there is a sky where the planets and inhabitants are eternal? All this knowledge is there, but how will you make experiments? It is not possible. Therefore you have to take the assistance of the Vedas. This is called Vedic knowledge. In our Krsna consciousness movement, we are accepting knowledge from the highest authority, Krsna. Krsna is accepted as the highest authority by all classes of men. I am speaking first of the two classes of transcendentalists.

One class of transcendentalists is called impersonalist, Mayavadi. They are generally known as Vedantists, led by Sankaracarya. And there is another class of transcendentalists, called Vaisnavas, like Ramanujacarya, Madhvacarya, Visnu-svami. Both the Sankara-sampradaya and the Vaisnava-sampradaya have accepted Krsna as the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Sankaracarya is supposed to be an impersonalist who preached impersonalism, impersonal Brahman, but it is a fact that he is a covered personalist.

In his commentary on the Bhagavad-gita he wrote, “Narayana, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is beyond this cosmic manifestation.” And then again he confirmed, “That Supreme Personality of Godhead, Narayana, is Krsna. He has come as the son of Devaki and Vasudeva.” He particularly mentioned the names of His father and mother. So Krsna is accepted as the Supreme Personality of Godhead by all transcendentalists. There is no doubt about it.

Our source of knowledge in Krsna consciousness is directly from Krsna, Bhagavad-gita. We have published Bhagavad-gita As It Is because we accept Krsna as He is speaking without any interpretation. That is Vedic knowledge. Since the Vedic knowledge is pure, we accept it. Whatever Krsna says, we accept. This is Krsna consciousness. That saves much time. If you accept the right authority or the source of knowledge, then you save much time.

For example, there are two systems of knowledge in the material world, inductive and deductive. From deductive, you accept that man is mortal. Your father says man is mortal, your sister says man is mortal, everyone says man is mortal–but you do not experiment. You accept it as a fact that man is mortal. If you want to research to find out whether man is mortal, you have to study each and every man, and you may come to think that there may be some man who is not dying, but you have not seen him yet. So in this way your researching will never be finished. This process is called i n Sanskrit, aroha, the ascending process. If you want to attain knowledge by any personal endeavor, by exercising your imperfect senses, you will never come to the right conclusions. That is not possible.

There is a statement in Brahma-samhita: Just ride on the airplane which runs at the speed of mind. Our material airplanes can run 2,000 miles per hour, but what is the speed of mind? You are sitting at home, you immediately think of India, say 10,000 miles away, and at once it is in your home. Your mind has gone there. The mind-speed is so swift. Therefore it is stated, “If you travel at this speed for millions of years, you’ll find that the spiritual sky is unlimited.” It is not possible even to approach it.

Therefore, the Vedic injunction is that one must approach–the word “compulsory” is used–a bona fide spiritual master, a guru. And what is the qualification of a spiritual master? He has rightly heard the Vedic message from the right source. Otherwise he is not bona fide. He must practically be firmly established in Brahman. These are the two qualities. This Krsna consciousness movement is completely authorized from Vedic principles. In the Bhagavad-gita Krsna says, “The actual aim of Vedic research is to find out Krsna.” In the Brahma-samhita it is also stated, “Krsna, Govinda, has innumerable forms, but they are all one.”

They are not like our forms, which are fallible. His form is infallible. My form has a beginning, but His form has no beginning. It is ananta. And His form–so many multiforms–has no end. My form is sitting here and not in my apartment. You are sitting there and not in your apartment. But Krsna can be anywhere at one time. He can sit down in Goloka Vrndavana, and at the same time He is everywhere, all-pervading. He is original, the oldest, but whenever you look at a picture of Krsna you’ll find a young boy fifteen or twenty years old.

Impressions of the Spiritual World from Vedic descriptions

You will never find an old man. You have seen pictures of Krsna as a charioteer from the Bhagavad-gita. At that time He was not less than one hundred years old. He had great-grandchildren, but He looked just like a boy. Krsna, God, never becomes old. That is His supreme power. And if you want to search out Krsna by studying the Vedic literature, then you will be baffled. It may be possible, but it is very difficult. But you can very easily learn about Him from His devotee. His devotee can deliver Him to you: “Here He is, take Him.” That is the potency of Krsna’s devotees.

Originally there was only one Veda, and there was no necessity of reading it. People were so intelligent and had such sharp memories that by once hearing from the lips of the spiritual master they would understand. They would immediately grasp the whole purport. But five thousand years ago Vyasadeva put the Vedas in writing for the people in this age, Kali-yuga. He knew that eventually the people would be short-lived, their memories would be very poor, and their intelligence would not be very sharp. “Therefore, let me teach this Vedic knowledge in writing.”

The Four Vedas

He divided the Vedas into four: Rg, Sama, Atharva, and Yajur. Then he gave the charge of these Vedas to his different disciples. He then thought of the less intelligent class of men, stri, sudra and dvija-bandhu. He considered the woman class and sudra class (worker class) and dvija-bandhu. Dvija-bandhu refers to those who are born in a high family but who are not properly qualified. A man born in the family of a brahmana, who is not qualified as a brahmana, is called dvija-bandhu.

For these persons, he compiled Mahabharata, called the history of India, and the eighteen Puranas. These are all Vedic literatures: the Puranas, the Mahabharata, the four Vedas, and the Upanisads. The Upanisads are part of the Vedas. Then Vyasadeva summarized all Vedic knowledge for scholars and philosophers in what is called the Vedanta-sutra. This is the last word of the Vedas. Vyasadeva personally wrote Vedanta-sutra under the instructions of Narada, his Guru Maharaja spiritual master, but still he was not satisfied. That is a long story, described in the Srimad-Bhagavatam.

Narada Muni Instructs Veda Vyasa

Vedavyasa was not very satisfied even after compiling many Puranas, Upanisads, and even after Vedanta-sutra. Then his spiritual master, Narada, instructed him, “You explain Vedanta.” Vedanta means ultimate knowledge, and the ultimate knowledge is Krsna. Krsna says that throughout all the Vedas one has to understand Krsna: vedanta-krd veda-vid eva caham. Krsna says, “I am the compiler of Vedanta, and I am the knower of the Vedas.” Therefore the ultimate objective is Krsna. That is explained in all the Vaisnava commentaries on Vedanta philosophy.

We Gaudiya Vaisnavas have our commentary on Vedanta philosophy, called Govinda-bhasya by Baladeva Vidyabhusana. Similarly, Ramanujacarya has a commentary, and Madhvacarya has one. The version of Sankaracarya is not the only commentary. There are many Vedanta commentaries, but because the Vaisnavas did not present the first Vedanta commentary, people are under the wrong impression that Sankaracarya’s is the only Vedanta commentary. Besides that, Vyasadeva himself wrote the perfect Vedanta commentary, Srimad-Bhagavatam. Srimad-Bhagavatam also begins with the first words of the Vedanta-sutra: janmady asya yatah. And that janmady asya yatah is fully explained in the Srimad-Bhagavatam.

The Vedanta-sutra simply hints at what is Brahman, the Absolute Truth: “The Absolute Truth is that from whom everything emanates.” This is a summary, but it is explained in detail in Srimad-Bhagavatam. If everything is emanating from the Absolute Truth, then what is the nature of the Absolute Truth? That is explained in Srimad-Bhagavatam. The Absolute Truth must be consciousness. He is self-effulgent (sva-rat). We develop our consciousness and knowledge by receiving knowledge from others, but for Him it is said that He is self-effulgent. The whole summary of Vedic knowledge is the Vedanta-sutra, and the Vedanta-sutra is explained by the writer himself in the Srimad-Bhagavatam. We finally request those who are actually after Vedic knowledge to try to understand the explanation of all Vedic knowledge from Srimad-Bhagavatam and the Bhagavad-gita.

Srila Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

[Delivered as a lecture by His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada on October 6, 1969, at Conway Hall, London, England.]

From the introduction to Sri Isopanisad by His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada Founder-Acarya of the Hare Krishna movement.

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NEITHER RELIGION NOR IRRELIGION

Devarsi — Wed, 12 Jun 2013 00:48:35 +0000

Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayana Maharaja

A class given by Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayana Maharaja in Murwillumbah, Australia, January 20, 2000

na dharmam nadharmam sruti-gana niruktam kila kuru
vraje radha-krsna pracura-paricaryam iha tanu
saci-sunum nandisvara-pati-sutatve guru-varam
mukunda-presthatve smara param ajasram nanu manah

Do you know the meaning? (To devotee) You should read the meaning, and then I will explain. (To all) You should be like this. Please hear carefully – it will give you strength in the process for chanting hari nama ( so very soon you will have taste in chanting. Don't weep for problems. Don't. Chant, and all problems will go by your service to gurudeva and Krishna. This is the remedy. Weep for Krishna, lament for Krishna. Go on.

Please chant Hare Krishna, the most wonderful Mantra Meditation

Prema Prayojana Prabhu: "Oh my dear mind! Please do not perform either dharma or adharma mentioned in the Srutis or Vedas. Rather, you should render profuse loving service to Sri Sri Radha Krishna Yugala here in Vraja, for the Srutis have ascertained Them to be the highest principle of supreme worship, and the Supreme Absolute Truth. Always meditate on Sacinandana Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, richly endowed with the complexion and sentiments of Srimati Radhika, as non-different from Sri Nanda-nandana. And always remember Sri Gurudeva as most dear to Sri Mukunda."

The Absolute Truth Is Personal

Srila Narayana Maharaja: What is the essence of the meaning? Syamarani.

Syamarani dasi: Srila Raghunatha dasa Gosvami is speaking to his mind. Actually he is speaking to us through the medium of his mind, and teaching us to broom the dirt away from the mind by these prayers. Srila Gurudeva has explained, that when our Guru Maharaja Srila Prabhupada, and when Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura Prabhupada say that one should beat the mind with a shoe and with a broomstick, in the morning and in the night, they mean this; – that we should chant these prayers, very sweetly brooming, by offering humble prayers to the mind in very sweet words.

Radha and Krishna

So here Srila Raghunatha dasa Gosvami is praying to his mind, "Please do not perform dharma or adharma, that is, religious [or irreligious] activities which are described in the Vedas. Don't try for any high material position, of going to heavenly planets, getting resultant good birth, power and so forth, by performing pious activities; and don't make yourself and myself go to hell, by engaging in sinful activities. Rather, you should engage your full energy in worshipping Radha and Krishna. Do profuse loving service to Radha-Krishna Yugala, here in Vraja, because the Srutis have ascertained Them as the Absolute Truth."

Lord Caitanya

Now, very often, our guru-varga asks the following question. In fact, all the commentators mentioned in [our publication of] Sri Manah-Siksa have asked this question – that here Srila Raghunatha dasa Gosvami is saying, "Worship Radha and Krishna Yugala here in Vraja, consider that Caitanya Mahaprabhu, Gaura Hari is non-different from Sri Nanda-nandana, Sri Krishna; and always worship my Guru, and consider him as the dearmost servant of Mukunda".

So, on one hand, we are supposed to engage in eka-nistha, one-pointed bhakti, and [yet] here, he is saying, “Worship Radha and Krishna, worship Lord Caitanya, and worship guru”. So this appears to be three. So, very mercifully, Srila Gurudeva explains everywhere in the world, how this is one-pointed, because actually he [Ragunatha dasa Gosvami] is saying that we should always consider Sacinandana, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, as that very same Krishna, who took the bhava and complexion of Srimati Radharani, in order to understand Her love. So, we don't have to worship Radha and Krishna, and Lord Caitanya separately. Lord Caitanya is guru-varam, the supreme guru, Who is Radha and Krishna Themselves combined together, to teach us how to worship Them. And our guru is very dear to Mukunda, meaning that he is a maidservant of Radhika – which makes him so close to Mukunda, that Mukunda falls at his feet, and begs him to pacify the mana of Srimati Radhika. So actually, this is one-pointed worship, and Srila Gurudeva will explain.

Lord Hari

Srila Narayana Maharaja: Very good. Thank you. Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura has given the explanation of this second sloka. That is, in the first sloka it is said that you should give up all varieties of false egos, worldly egos; 'I am this person, I am the father of that person, I am the mother of that person, I am the husband of that lady, I am the wife of that man", and doing all kinds of things [acting the part of various relationships]‘. So, he [Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura] is saying that if we will do the service of Radha and Krishna, giving up all kinds of worldly designations, then we cannot live. We will die. We must die, because we will not be like householders, or anyone [i.e. we will not be in varnasrama]. I am only serving and serving Krishna. So, how can we maintain our life? If you are not grhastha, you are not doing dharma and adharma. What is dharma?

Meditate on Krishnas Name, Form and Pastimes

Prema Prayojana Prabhu: Following the regulative principles of religion according to one's situation in society.

Srila Narayana Maharaja: And adharma?

Prema Prayojana Prabhu: Those things which are against the Vedic injunctions.

Sri Sri Radha And Krishna Reality The Beautiful

Srila Narayana Maharaja: So, if you are giving up all kinds of dharma and adharma, you cannot survive, you must die. Secondly: nitya and naimittika. There are two kinds of dharma, nitya and naimittika. That is called karma, not religion. Daily worshipping something, offering something, taking something, sleeping something, talking something. Some relation with others. If totally you will give up these things, then it is very hard to maintain your life. Secondly she said, that he [Ragunatha dasa Gosvami] has told that you should do ananya bhajana. Na anya – ananya. What [is this]?

[Devotees offer suggestions.]

Srila Narayana Maharaja: Exclusive, one-pointed to Krishna. It is very hard. Especially, how can you give up the bhajana of Caitanya Mahaprabhu? If you are doing bhajana of Radha and Krishna, [and ] you are [also] doing the worship of Jagannatha deva or Nrsimhadeva, all; somewhere we see that Ramacandra, Laksmana, Sita and Hanuman are also there, and Caitanya Mahaprabhu, Nityananda Prabhu, Laddu Gopal, so many. And if you are giving up. You can give up Jagannatha, no harm. You can give up other incarnations, but what to do about Caitanya Mahaprabhu? What should we do? If you are serving Caitanya Mahaprabhu as well as Radha-Krishna conjugal, then it will be not one-pointed. Then what should we do? Then it will not be ananya. We should try to follow ananya. One-pointed. Not so many [ista-devas]. Otherwise how can you concentrate? If you are doing arcana of Radha-Krishna, and also Dvarakadhisa, and Laddu Gopal also, Nrsimha-deva also, and so many: Mahaprabhu, Ramacandra, Laksmana, Sita on the same altar – if you are doing this, it means that you are ignorant. You have no knowledge at all.

We should know all these things. All the doubts are explained [in the acaryas' commentaries on Manah Siksa], and they will quickly go away when reading all these things. We should follow Raghunatha dasa Gosvami, who was worshipping Caitanya Mahaprabhu. In what way? As guru. If you are doing arcana of gurudeva and Krishna, no harm. This is ananya.

Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu

Try to realize this point. Caitanya Mahaprabhu never said that, "I am Krishna, and you should serve Me, worship Me". But Krishna told, "sarva dharman parityaja/ mam ekam saranam vraja". He has told this so many times; he also told: "man mana bhava [mad bhakto]". Also, "mam eva ye prapadyante/ mayam etan taranti te". Mam eva. So He has told everywhere like this, but Caitanya Mahaprabhu never did. He taught that you should chant, remember, and worship Krishna, Radha-Krishna. Always He told like this. He has not played the part that you should worship Him. We should worship Him, but in what way? Knowing that Radha and Krishna are the same as Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Therefore Mahaprabhu has come, in the shape of guru, like a bhakta – bhaktavatara.

Lord Chaitanya is Radha and Krsna Combined.

Though He is Radha and Krishna Himself. So, He instructed Srila Rupa Gosvami in all these tattvas in Prayaga and also in Jagannatha Puri. He instructed all these things to Srila Sanatana Gosvami in Varanasi. He also inspired everything in the heart of Raya Ramananda at Godavari. He also instructed Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya [in] everything, when he wanted to teach Him Vedanta Sutra. He told so many things to Tapana Misra, when He was a householder in East Bengal. So He has acted like this all the time. Like a sadhaka. He was so merciful, thus He is explaining all these things. Na dharmam nadharmam sruti-gana niruktam kila kuru. You should read the explanation.

Gaura-premanande!

Devotees: Shouting aloud Haribol! (All glories to the Holy Names)

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Windows To The Spiritual World

Devarsi — Tue, 04 Jun 2013 22:57:57 +0000

His Divine Grace Srila Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

A lecture by His Divine Grace Srila Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

From the Divine Devotional Classic Caitanya Caritamrta

Sri_Caitanya_Caritamrta

The Spiritual Masters
Chapter 1 Text 16 Given in Hyderabad on April 9, 1975

Devotee: "In a temple of jewels in Vrndavana, underneath a desire tree, Sri Sri Radha-Govinda, served by Their most confidential associates, sit upon an effulgent throne.

I offer my humble obeisances unto Them."

Srila Prabhupada

divyad-vrndaranya-kalpa-drumadhah-
srimad-ratnagara-simhasana-sthau
srimad-radha-srila-govinda-devau
prestalibhih sevyamanau smarami
[Cc. Adi 1.16]

So, description of Vrndavana, Vrndavana and Radha and Krsna situated there. The Vrndavana… Vana means forest, and vrnda means tulasi. Mostly there are tulasi plants and other trees also, but all the trees are living desire trees, spiritual. They can serve Krsna in any way, desire. They have become trees by their voluntary desire. They're all spiritual beings — there is no force — but everyone has got a particular tendency to serve Krsna in a different way. So these trees and plants, they are also living beings. They are not ordinary living beings, but they have decided to serve Krsna by supplying fruits and flowers. They want that service. Everyone has got his particular propensity. So someone is serving as the land there, someone is serving as the throne, someone is serving as the supplying agent of fruits and flowers, someone is engaged in His service as the gopis, confidential servitors.

Krishna God Performs Wonderful Pastimes

The cows, calves, everything — they are all different living entities. They are not made of these material things, material body. Ananda-cinmaya-rasa-pratibhavitabhis tabhir ya eva nija-rupataya kalabhih [Bs. 5.37]. They are all also expansion of Krsna's pleasure potency. In one sense they are also Krsna; they are not different from Krsna. Sakti-saktimatayor abheda: "The power and the powerful, they are not different, identical." Just like the sun and the sunshine. So in the sun globe there is heat and light, and the sunshine, there is heat and light. So, so far heat and light is concerned, they are one. Similarly, Krsna and Krsna's pleasure potency, ananda-cinmaya, ahladini… It is already described, radha krsna-pranaya-vikrtir hladini-saktir asmat.

Lord Krishna God.

So whatever description is there of Vrndavana, that is expansion of Krsna's pleasure potency. They are not different. Therefore in the beginning it is said, divyad, "shining," or "divine," "transcendental." So we should not consider Vrndavana as ordinary forest. Here we have got Vrndavana on this planet. That is also not ordinary forest. The exactly the same Vrndavana as it is Goloka Vrndavana… There is no difference. Therefore Narottama dasa Thakura says that

visaya chadiya kabe suddha ha 'be mana
kabe hama herabo, sri-vrndavana

Visaya chadiya. Our present position is that we are materially diseased, so we have to become free from the material disease. Material disease means sense gratification, and the most formidable disease is sex. This is called material disease. So visaya chadiya. We have to be, become free from the contamination of visaya, material enjoyment. This is the statement of Narottama dasa Thakura.

Krishna performes wonderful pastimes in His own abode Goloka Vrindavan.

visaya chadiya kabe suddha ha 'be mana
kabe hama herabo sri-vrndavana

"When my mind will be cleansed of all material desires, then I shall be able to see what is Vrndavana." It is very difficult to see Vrndavana with material desires. Bhakti means the first qualification is to become free from all material desires. Sarvopadhi-vinirmuktam.

sarvopadhi-vinirmuktam
tat-paratvena nirmalam
hrsikena hrsikesa-
sevanam bhaktir ucyate
[Cc. Madhya 19.170]

anyabhilasita-sunyam
jnana-karmady-anavrtam
anukulyena krsnanu-
silanam bhaktir uttama
[Brs. 1.1.11]

You know all these definition of bhakti given in our Nectar of Devotion. So spiritual life means free from material desires. And material desires mean just to hanker after sense gratification. This is material desire. When we have no more desire for sense gratification, then we should think that we are on the spiritual platform.

A Window To The Spiritual World

So this description of Vrndavana is spiritually described; therefore in the beginning the word is used, divyad. Divyad means divine. Krsna says, janma karma ca me divyam [Bg. 4.9]. This is not ordinary material thing. So desire tree also described in the Brahma-samhita: Cintamani-prakara-sadmasu kalpa-vrksa [Bs. 5.29] — the same kalpa-vrksa-laksavrtesu surabhir abhipalayantam, laksmi-sahasra-sata-sambhrama-sevyamanam. This laksmi-sahasra-sata-sevyamanam is described here as presthalibhih sevyamanau. Prestha-alibhih. Prestha means very dear, and ali means gopis, associates of Radharani, friends. So they are all Laksmis, goddess of fortune. Laksmi… You have heard the name Laksmi, Laksmi-Narayana, associates of Narayana. Krsna is Narayana. So all these gopis, they are expansion of Srimati Radharani, the original Laksmi. This is spiritual world. It is not impersonal, neither nirakara, formless. Everything form, but that form is different from this form. That form is sat-cid-ananda form — eternal, full of bliss, full of knowledge. This is not this material form. When we speak of formless, that means without any material form. Formless does not mean Krsna and His expansion, they are formless. They are not of material form. Aprakrta, not material. Here everything is prakrta. It is not, neither, eternal nor blissful nor full of knowledge. It is temporary, full of ignorance and always miserable, this form. We can understand it.

So that is just opposite. This form is temporary. Everyone knows this form will be finished. Antavanta ime deha [Bg. 2.18], Krsna says. This body is antavat. Antavat means it will be finished. It grew at a certain date, and it will increase, it will stay, then it will dwindle, then it will produce some by-products and then vanish. This is called sad-vikara, six kinds of changes of the material body. Of the spiritual body there is no such change. That is the difference between spiritual body and material body. Therefore it is called sat. Sat means eternal; there is no change. Just like Krsna. His body is sac-cid-ananda; therefore He never grows old. You’ll never find a picture of Krsna that He has grown old. No. There is no change. Advaitam acyutam anadim ananta-rupam adyam purana-purusam [Bs. 5.33]. Purana-purusam means the oldest person. Because Krsna is the origin of everything… Sometimes they consider, “Because God is very old, therefore He must have big, big beard and…” That is imagination. Here you find the real description of God: advaitam acyutam anadim ananta-rupam adyam [Bs. 5.33], "Original," Purana-purusam, "the oldest of all," nava-yauvanam ca, "but His bodily feature is just like a fresh young man." That is Krsna. You'll never find Krsna… Krsna, when He was in the battlefield of Kuruksetra, He was a great-grandfather, but you'll find a young boy. That is Krsna. So that is eternal.

Now our body is not sat. Krsna's body is sat, cid, ananda. Our, this material body — asat. And because we have got… Asat means temporary, that will not exist. And because we have accepted this material body, therefore we are full of anxiety. Ultimately, what is our anxiety? We are always trying to… This is called struggle for existence, survival of the fittest. So we are trying to become the fittest, to exist. But that is not possible in this body. That is not possible, because it is asat; it is not sat. And because the struggle is that we want to exist in this body, therefore there is anxiety. Asad-grahat sada samudvigna-dhiyam asad-grahat [SB 7.5.5]. The sastra says that we are always full of anxieties. Why? Now, asad-grahat: “We have accepted this body, which will not exist.” Asad-grahat. These are facts. Study sastra in that way. Why we are full of anxiety? Because we have accepted this body. So our main business is how to get out of this entanglement of this temporary body. The people are not very seriously thinking, neither they have got sufficient knowledge how the temporary body is obtained, how it is changed, another temporary body, and there are 8,400,000 different forms of body, and we are changing one after another. Why this disease? “If I am, my position is, as I understand from Bhagavad-gita, na hanyate hanyamane sarire [Bg. 2.20] — I am not destroyed after the destruction of this body — why I am in this position that I have to change my body?” Tatha dehantara-praptih [Bg. 2.13]. This is intelligence. When you come to this intelligence, then athato brahma jijnasa; then the inquiry about spiritual life begins. But unfortunately, we are in such a civilization that we have no time to think of this great dangerous position of changing body one after another, and we have accepted it that “There is no remedy; we have to change or die for good.” These theories, this ignorance, is going on, and Krsna consciousness movement is the only movement which is trying to educate man to this standard of knowledge, that he may at least think that “I am not this body, as I understand from the sastras. I am within the body. So how I can become free of this material body?” That is our real problem. Janma-mrtyu-jara-vyadhi-duhkha-dosanudarsanam [Bg. 13.9].

So if we take it very seriously, then we become gradually advanced and eligible or fit candidate to go into the spiritual world — divyad-vrndaranya-kalpa-drumad hah. We can go there. That is wanted. Be serious. Don't be misled by the allurement of maya. Remain strong. And then, in this life, you'll be able to become fit candidate to go back to home, back to Godhead. Divyad-vrndaranya-kalpa-drumadhah. You'll also be one of the associates of Krsna, as you desire. Krsna will give you the opportunity to serve Him as you desire. If you want to serve Him as a gopi, you'll get that position. If you want to serve Him as cowherds boyfriend, you'll get that opportunity. If you want to serve Krsna following the footsteps of mother Yasoda, accepting Krsna as your son, you'll get it. Accepting Krsna as your son, Nanda Maharaja following… We have to follow their principles, not that "I shall become Nanda Maharaja" or "I shall become Yasoda," "I shall…" No, that is Mayavada. You have to follow how they are loving Krsna. You have to learn that. Then you'll get the chance of Krsna's association.

Lord Krishna enjoys prasadam with His friends

Divyad-vrndaranya-kalpa-drumadhah, prestalibhih sevyamanau smarami. The Gaudiya Vaisnava, generally, following the footsteps of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, they aspire to become one of the assistants of the gopis. There are others also who like to be the assistants of the cowherd boys. So our Gosvamis, Rupa Gosvami, sri rupa sanatana bhatta raghunatha, they were all the assistants of the gopis. Gopi-bhava-rasamrtabdhi-lahari-kallola-magnau muhur vande rupa-sanatanau raghu-yugau sri-jiva-gopalakau. These six Gosvamis, rupa sanatana bhatta raghunatha sri jiva gopala bhatta dasa raghunatha, they were all very, very big men, not ordinary men — ministers, zamindars, learned scholars. They were not ordinary men. And they gave up everything. Tyaktva turnam asesa-mandala-pati-srenim sada tucchavat. Just like Rupa Gosvami, Sanatana Gosvami, he was, they were ministers in the government of Hussain Shah. Raghunatha dasa Gosvami was the only son of his father and uncle, very, very big zamindar, landholder. Twelve lakhs of rupees' income. Five hundred years twelve lakhs — twelve crores now. He was so rich man. Similarly, Gopala Bhatta Gosvami, Srila Jiva Gosvami, they were very, very learned. Jiva Gosvami was the nephew of Rupa Gosvami, very learned scholar. So either scholar, rich men, big politician — all of them gave up their occupational, material occupational duty and joined Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu in His sankirtana movement. So they were always absorbed in the gopis' activities, always thinking. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu was always thinking of Srimati Radharani's activities, and the Gosvamis, they were also thinking of the gopis' activities. Gopis' activities means to assist Srimad-Radharani how to serve Krsna. Prestalibhih sevyamanau. They are always ready.

So in this way there is the description of the spiritual world. You just have a glimpse of the spiritual world, how they are perpetually enjoying blissful life with full knowledge. That is described here. Divyad-vrndaranya-kalpa-drumadhah-srimad ratnagara-simhasana-sthau. There the simhasana, the throne, that is also spiritual. That is not material. Everything spiritual. Simply in different capacity they are serving. There the water is also spiritual. So this spiritual realization, if we get the opportunity fortunate enough, then naturally we shall aspire to enter into the spiritual world. Bhaktivinoda Thakura said, krsnera samsara kara chadi' anacara: "If you want to enter into this association of spiritual kingdom, then practice here the family of Krsna." Just like here we are trying to be family members of Krsna. Here Krsna is sitting, Radha-Madhava is sitting on the throne. He is the enjoyer, and we are trying to serve Him so that He may very nicely enjoy. This is called Krsna family-center, Krsna. Just like in ordinary family the head man is there, and he is the chief man, and all other — his wife, children, servants, and other friends, associates, even animals, cats, dogs, cows — everyone is serving the center point, master. Similarly, our Krsna family means Krsna is the master, and He is the supreme enjoyer. Bhoktaram yajna-tapasam sarva-loka-mahesvaram [Bg. 5.29]. And if we understand this point, that Krsna is the center, He is the enjoyer, and we are meant for serving Him for His enjoyment, that is Krsna family.

So we have to, according to the sastric injunction, according to the spiritual master instruction, everywhere we have to organize this Krsna family. So Krsna family does not mean starvation. Krsna family means to enjoy simply. Simply minus this material contamination. Chadi anacara. Anacara. Anacara means not proper behavior. Proper behavior means to remain always pious, and improper behavior means to become impious, sinful. If you become sinful, then you cannot enter into the family of Krsna; that is not possible. Krsna is described in the Bhagavad-gita by Arjuna — param brahma param dhama pavitram paramam bhavan [Bg. 10.12]. Pavitra. Pavitra means pure, completely pure, without any material contamination. So if you want to enter into Krsna’s family, then you have to become also completely pure. Otherwise, there is no chance. Completely pure of all material contamination. That can be done when we give up our designations. That can be done. If I think, “I am American,” “I am Indian,” “I am brahmana,” “I am ksatriya,” “I am vaisya,” “I am white,” “I am black,” these are upadhi, designations. And if we think like Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, that “I am not this, I am not a brahmana, I am not a ksatriya, I am not a vaisya, I am not a sudra, I am not a brahmacari, I am not a…, not, not this, not this…” Then what you are? Gopi-bhartuh pada-kamalayor’ dasa-dasa-dasanudasah: [Cc. Madhya 13.80] “I am simply servant of the servant of Krsna.” That is sarvopadhi-vinirmuktam [Cc. Madhya 19.170]. Then you'll remain pure. And as soon as you will think in the bodily concept of life, then you will remain impure. This is the process how to give up this bodily concept of life. That is called sarvopadhi-vinirmuktam.

God can be experienced and the beginning of this experience is chanting His Holy Names

So in this way, in one life we may practice how to become free from this material contamination and execute devotional service as it is prescribed in the sastra and by the instruction of spiritual master. If we keep ourself pure without material contamination, then we become fit to enter into the family of Krsna. This is the process.

Thank you very much. (end)

Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, Adi-lila 1.16 — Mayapur, April 9, 1975 including some images
© 2001 The Bhaktivedanta Book Trust International. Used with permission.

Krishna Consciousness Is A Science

Devarsi — Tue, 28 May 2013 01:53:04 +0000

Krishna Consciousness Is A Science.
By Devarsi

The Hare Krishna Philosophy is more a science and philosophy than a religion and is factually better described as a science; we are Vaishnavas, teachers of the science of self realization and the study of consciousness. Religion can include or exclude. We're open to everybody. Some people think that we are Hindus because this science originated in India, but we are not Hindus. This science of self realization has been in existence tens of thousands years before Hinduism and is explained in the oldest philosophical literature of the World the Vedas, it is completely timeless and ever fresh, independent of any social or political circumstances.

It is a release from the materialistic effects of this age and does not depend on anyone’s faith, colour, or nationality. All life must have naturally and logically the same source and we believe that when we are consciously connected with that original source of life, that we are properly situated and can make real progress towards pure love and happiness. We like to promote the idea of such love and peace and a better world. We are also fully vegetarian, opposed to killing or harming life in whatever shape it appears. In the whole ancient history of Vaishnavism there has never ever been an occasion where Vaishnavas have attacked another religion, society or country. Our life style is based on simple living and high thinking. We are completely non sectarian and also completely non political.

We are a serving society and have a deep desire to understand more about our real meaning in this world and our existence. Our idea is not to convert people from other religions or faith, or to be in competition with them, we simply disperse information from the Vedas and whatever people do with it, is up to them. We are also a non profit making society and registered charity, all our public outreach programs depend on donations.

Life is hard in this world and we try and teach others how to meditate and have a peaceful existence. Most people do not know how much more fulfilled and at home they could be with each other, if they would consider to adapt even a small aspect from this ancient philosophy into their life’s. Inside, we're all the same, no matter who we are or where we come from, the human society is one big family, no matter what our race, colour or religion is. Everyone wants to become happy, everyone is fed up with wars and conflicts. Somehow, we will be getting there and Krishna Consciousness is very supportive and helping to achieve this. It is something everybody can do.

Back Home

On God, Love, and Reincarnation

Devarsi — Sat, 25 May 2013 10:00:48 +0000

Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayana Maharaja

Tridandisvami Sri Srimad Bhaktivedanta Narayana Gosvami Maharaja

[Los Angeles, California: June 8, 1998]

[Srila Narayana Gosvami Maharaja:] Do you want to ask any questions?

[Elderly lady:] I don't know what to ask. What organization is this?

[Srila Narayana Gosvami Maharaja:] Bhudhara prabhu can answer.

[Bhudhara dasa:] There is very little organization actually. This is all happening by God's grace. This is Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayana Goswami Maharaja. He is a teacher and a guru, and he lives in Mathura, India. He is a scholar and a writer, and he gives lectures. Many people come and listen to him talk about God, as well as high topics about God. He talks about how one can

develop love and affection for God, and love and affection for our fellow man. He talks about how to live in peace and harmony, and eventually, at the end of this life, go back to God.

He has come to America, and we have been taking him from city to city. We have been in Washington, New York, Houston, and now Los Angeles; and after this we are going to San Francisco. We are inviting people to come and have some exchange with him, to ask him questions, and to learn about this science called Krsna consciousness. Have you heard about Hare Krsna?

[Elder lady:] Yes, I think I was in a place like this some years back. His picture was on the wall.

[Devotee:] You've seen pictures of Krsna?

[Elder lady:] There were flowers, fruits, and a handkerchief on the alter. Do you know the symbolic meaning of this?

[Bhudhara dasa:] These are simple offerings of love. In the Bhagavad-gita, Krsna says, “If you offer Me something with love and devotion, like a flower, some vegetable, or some fruit or water, I will accept it.”

[Srila Narayana Gosvami Maharaja:] We see that there is no difference between God and Krsna. It’s the same idea. Krsna is very merciful. If you pray to Him and glorify Him by any song, or by any word, He will hear and He will be pleased. You can pray, “Oh God, You are so merciful.”

[Srila Narayana Gosvami Maharaja sings, and the devotees join in:] Hare Krsna Hare Krsna Krsna Krsna Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare.

The Hare Krishna Mantra. Man means mind and tra to free

[Srila Narayana Gosvami Maharaja:] This means, “O Supreme Personality of Godhead, You are so merciful. You have given me this human body, intelligence, a heart so soft and full of love and affection. I want to serve You eternally, so please be merciful to me.”

[Srila Narayana Gosvami Maharaja sings again, and the devotees join in:] “Govinda Damodara Madhaveti, Govinda Damodara Madhaveti, Govinda Damodara Madhaveti, Govinda Damodara Madhaveti.”

[Srila Narayana Gosvami Maharaja:] When we are dying, when we are on our death-bed, there is no one to help us. We are not even able to take a breath. We are full of mucus and we want to take a breath, but we cannot. We want to move our hands from here to there, but we cannot do so. We cannot do anything. At that time we pray, “Oh God, You are so merciful. Be pleased with me; sprinkle Your mercy upon me. Take me to Your eternal abode, where I will serve You.”

Lord Krishna The Supreme Personality Of Godhead

We want to be free from becoming old and again taking birth in this miserable world. There is so much pain at the time of birth, and there is so much pain at the time of death; so we must pray to God. He is everywhere. He is in everyone and in all atoms of the world. He hears whatever you utter. When you weep and sing and glorify Him, He will at once hear you and come to you and liberate you forever.

We never pray to Krsna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead: “God, give me bread and butter.” Rather, we want to serve Him with bread and butter. We want that this chain of birth and death and suffering will be stopped forever.

This body is not my self. It is something like a garment. The body is covered with a garment, and it is also like a garment. One day, when we become old, we will have to give up this garment. Surely, we will have to do so.

What is God? What is the soul? You can realize this only in this human body; otherwise it is not possible. If you are an animal, a tree, a creeper, or an insect, you cannot realize this; you cannot understand all these truths. You can understand something only in this human body. You have some intelligence given by the Lord, so try to use it.

Krishna Devotees Eat Pure Vegetarian Food, Which Is Offerered To Krishna First

Also, don't kill animals and eat their flesh and eggs. If you do, your mind and heart will become like them. If you eat the flesh of hogs and pigs, your mentality and heart will become like them. Your nature will be changed to be like them. What is the meaning of meat? ME-EAT. If you eat meat, that animal will come as a human and eat you. So don't take meat, eggs, and other bad things. God has given fruits, milk, butter, curd, and so many other nice foodstuffs. Personally, I have never taken meat, eggs, or wine in my entire life.

If you want to be pure to serve God, then you must follow this. There is only one religion, that religion is natural, and that natural religion is love and affection to God and everyone. Even a dog, a lion, a bear, and a tiger have love for their wife and children. Although they may eat the flesh of others, they have love for their families. To love is natural for all. Trees also love; they want to love each other. How? Little creepers love trees and embrace them.
If you touch a tree’s leaf as though caressing it, the tree will be very happy. If you take a knife to cut the branches, the tree will be scared. It will tremble. If you tell a dog, “Come on, come on,” he will come. And if you are mean, then the dog will attack you. So, our nature – the nature of the soul – is love.

We should practice this at home. We should love our mother and father, for they have done so many things for us. We should love our wife and children; not divorcing each other twenty or thirty times.

If you have love, it may be gradually transferred to God. If you have no love and you are always quarrelling, you cannot have the mercy of God. We should try to discover this love in our heart, and try to practice chanting the holy names: “Hare Krsna Hare Krsna Krsna Krsna Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare.”

Chanting Peacefully

All the names of Krsna are the embodiment of love. ‘Hare’ is the embodiment of love. ‘Krsna’ is very charming and beautiful, and He is the embodiment of love. ‘Rama’ is the embodiment of love. If you are in touch with this love, your life will be happy; otherwise it is not possible. If a man is always cruel to others, he cannot be happy.

[Elderly lady:] Do you believe in reincarnation?

[Srila Narayana Gosvami Maharaja:] We see that two children take birth at exactly the same time, but one has no backbone, no intelligence, and eyes that cannot see. The other child is born as the son of President Clinton or a very rich person. Why are there such differences? In India, and also in Western countries, some people remember their past life. There are many examples of this.

The Soul Enters A new Body At Death

So, we believe in reincarnation. If you don't believe in this, all your ideas will be illogical. Why is one person very intelligent, and why is one so unintelligent that he is like a donkey? Why is one person very beautiful and one is not beautiful at all? The philosophy of reincarnation answers these questions. There are so many reasons to believe this.

[Devotee:] Couldn't you say that because the father or mother are beautiful, the child will be beautiful?

[Srila Narayana Gosvami Maharaja:] We see many fathers and mothers who are very beautiful, but their sons or daughters have crooked teeth, or ugly faces, or no bones; or eyes that cannot see. The soul is immortal, but he has adopted this material position by forgetting God and by the subsequent touch of maya, illusion.

Why is a person in jail. He has done something wrong. Similarly, we are now in jail – the jail of the deluding energy called maya. We are being crushed by maya.

If you realize this fact, you will at once pray to God, "Save me. Save me." Have you heard of the Vedas? They are very old scriptures. These facts are written in the Vedic scriptures, and we realize this.

[Srila Narayana Gosvami Maharaja:] Is my mother hearing all these things? You are like my mother.

[Elderly lady:] I am like your mother? Yes, I hear you. I had a surgery some years ago. Do you know medical terms?

[Bhudhara dasa:] No, he is a doctor of the soul, not the body.

[Srila Narayana Gosvami Maharaja:] I had surgery too, so you are like me. You are my mother – the son and mother both had surgery.

[Elderly lady:] Do you have a living mother?

[Srila Narayana Gosvami Maharaja:] That mother has left this world, but there are so many mothers. I think that this young lady is also my mother, and you are too. All ladies are my mother. We think like this in India.

[Elderly lady:] I am glad to have such a gracious son.

[Srila Narayana Gosvami Maharaja:] Our relation should be eternal.

[Elderly lady:] So we never die?

[Srila Narayana Gosvami Maharaja:] No, I do not have to die, and I will teach you a trick so that you will also not die.

[Elderly lady:] What happens to those who die? What happens to their soul?

[Srila Narayana Gosvami Maharaja:] According to their activities, they will have to taste the fruits in their future birth. They will take birth again.

[Elderly lady:] So we should go to the cemetary and pray to God to take their soul in His possession?

[Srila Narayana Gosvami Maharaja:] Yes, we want this. We are trying to help everyone, and that is why we perform kirtana, congregational chanting of the holy name and fame of Krsna. We chant “Hare Krsna” so that even trees, animals, dogs, and even any person who doesn’t want to hear, can receive spiritual benefit. We chant, “Hare Krsna” very loudly, so that the transcendental sound vibration will go everywhere. And we give some prasadam, remnants of food offered to God. This will help them.

Editorial Advisors: Pujyapada Madhava Maharaja, Sripad Brajanath dasa, Sri Prema-prayojana dasa
Assistant editor: Hariballabha dasi
Transcriber: Tulasi dasi
Typist: Kundalata dasi
Proofreader: Vasanti dasi
Editor: Syamarani dasi
HTML: Bhutabhavana dasa

More Evidence Of Ancient Vedic Culture

Devarsi — Wed, 15 May 2013 23:55:41 +0000

First evidence of brain surgery in Bronze Age Harappa

We report here the first unequivocal case of ancient brain surgical practice, known as trepanation, observed ~4300 years agoin a Bronze Age Harappan skull. A decade ago, a Neolithic skull from Burzahom in the Kashmir Valley was reported with multiple trepanations as the first case from the Indian subcontinent. The trepa-nation, also called trephination or tre- phining, had been the oldest craniotomic surgical procedure practised by mankind since the Stone Age by way of

drilling or cutting through the skull vault of a living or recently deceased person. It was first noticed in Peru and later in Europe as well around 5000 years ago, and thought to have spread to Asia ~4000 BP in the Bronze Age Jericho of Palestine.
Most scholars noticed striking similarities in trepanation techniques across the continents, and therefore consider it as an important evidence for prehistoric movements of people and for transfer of surgical skills from one society to another. Presence of trepanation in the Indus Civilization was suspected about four decades ago on a child’s skull from Lothal and on Harappan and Kalibangan skulls, but not ascertained, except those on the Burzahom skull. The present study confirms and reports the occurrence of trepanation in one Harappan male skull (H-796/B; Figure 1) kept in the Palaeoanthropology Repository of the Anthropological Survey of India, Kolkata. The trepanated Harappan skull has come from Cemetery H, which contained crude red ware but not typical Harappan ceramics. The lower Stratum II (H2) of Cemetery H formed about two dozens of the extended burials with the heads facing eastwa rd and the knees flexed, whereas the upper Stratum I (H1) contained pot/jar/urn burials with skullsand a few long bones along with red ware.

The cause of trepanation in the Harappan skull could be understood in the light of similar cases elsewhere. Scholars argued for different motives for trepanations in different regions and societies of the world, but a majority consider most of these as definitely surgical operations of therapeutic use either for repairing a fracture of the skull resulting from blows of sticks or stones, or to remove splinters and clotted blood, or alleviate persistent headaches. In South America and the Mediterranean region alone more than half of the Iron Age trepanations were practised on traumatic crania by the similar techniques of boring and cutting. In addition, there were trepanated surgical cases intended to get relief from certain intracranial vascular catastrophes, otitis
media, mastoid inflammation, vertigo, neuralgia, coma, delirium, meningitis, convulsions, epilepsy, intracranial tumours,mental diseases, and syphilitic lesions in Peru. Interestingly, trepanations are still practised by the traditional medicine-men in Bolivia
for head injuries, and in Melanesia in certain cases of headache, epilepsy or insanity, and also to enhance longevity. There were also cases where posthumous trepanations were performed to obtain roundels of human skull bone for making necklace as charms or amulets to ward off the evil spirits or as a talisman to counter the demons. Some scholars thought that the Burzahom multiple trepanations done for roundels, but this proved an error of diagnosis of the trepanation since in parietal osteoporosis, the normal bone shelves into a thinned area which is extremely fragile and breaks down post-mortem, for one reason or another, leaving an opening with a more or less bevelled circumference and apparently healed.

The Harappan case is clearly of a cranial trauma visible on the parietals as a horizontal linear depression with cracked margins, probably resulting from a severe blow using a strong wooden stick. The trephined hole is just on the right superior temporal line at the terminus of the traumatic line. A clear rim of 3 mm width at the internal border of the hole is the evidence of osteogenesis or healing, indicating that the victim survived for a considerable time after the operation. Thus, trepanation was practised as a common means of surgery during the Bronze Age in the Indian subcontinent, which could have been a precursor to the later Ayurvedic surgical practices followed in ancient India as well.

Sankhyan, A. R. and Weber, W. H. G.,
Int. J. Osteoarchaeol

References and copyright
http://www.currentscience.ac.in/Volumes/100/11/1621.pdf

Darwinism On The Way Out?

Devarsi — Tue, 07 May 2013 10:29:16 +0000

No matter how grand a scientific venture may be it certainly cannot capture the entire reality in its feast. Modern science cannot control cosmos, sun, planets, seasons, and so on and so forth. Hence, science confines itself to an

insignificant fraction of complete reality and entire scientific world endlessly makes attempt to understand only an insignificant portion of the entire reality. As Sir Isaac Newton said, “I seem to have been only like a boy playing on the sea-shore, and diverting myself in now and then finding a smoother pebble or a prettier shell than ordinary, whilst the great ocean of truth lay all undiscovered before me.”.

At times the scientific schemes are exceedingly fruitful and many concepts appear to be firmly established in science. However, as time progresses, with the development of new connote, the same science recognizes new phenomena, which evidently fails to accommodate the firmly established old concepts. In such situations a portion of scientific world tries to powerfully and sometimes emotionally preserve their belief on the old concepts. However, the empirical observations compel science to embrace the truth on the face of all such antagonism.

21st century biology is witnessing a move of this nature, where the empirical evidence forcing many prominent scientists to reject the old, widely used, Darwinism. Some biologists engrossed in the old disposition of Darwinism or abiology want to preserve it at any cost. In such attempts, often they cannot recognize the winkers they enforce on themselves due to their idealistic obligations rather than empirical inevitabilities. However, we must recognize the fundamental strength of science as rightly stated by Taylor[1] in a recent News article:

“The fundamental strength of science is that it compels its practitioners to confront their own fallibility…

“Science is not always right – very far from it. What marks it out from other fields of human endeavour is that, because of its formalised humility, it’s always ready to correct itself when it makes a mistake.”

Reference:
1. Taylor, M. (2012). Science is enforced humility. The Guardian.
www.guardian.co.uk/science/blog/2012/nov/13/science-enforced-humility Accessed
12 January 2013

Yoga Maya and Maha Maya

Devarsi — Mon, 06 May 2013 22:02:06 +0000

Srila-Bhakti-Pramode-Puri-Gosvami-Maharaja

Yoga Maya and Maha Maya
by His Divine Grace Srila Bhakti Promode Puri Gosvami Maharaja

Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura has written of the principle of energy. The three modes of material nature is material energy called 'Maha-Maya and is responsible fore the material activities like creation and destruction. As long as the living entity is engrossed in

sense gratification; till then he comes under this influence of illusory energy. He is able to escape from this abominable material energy only on realization of his innate blissful spiritual identity in relation with transcendence. The question is asked do the devotees come under any energy at all? The answer is yes, we are part of the material energy but having escaped the realm of material energy, we are now under the safe protection of the spiritual energy.

Together with Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayana Maharaja

The opposition sometimes raise this question "so are you all the worshippers of the female personification of Divine energy" (sakta)? The answer is "yes" we are under the shelter of the personification of spiritual energy Srimati Radharani. We are practicing devotions entirely under Her direction. We can compare ourselves in this sense as Saktas and are therefore non-different from the devotees (Vaishnavas). On the contrary, those not taking shelter of this spiritual potency but only have attraction for the material aspect are not considered devotees but are simply sense enjoyers. In Narada Pancaratra, Durga Devi says: "I am Your loving partner in your delightful Vrndavana pastimes in the form of Your internal pleasure potency". We perceive from the statement of Durga Devi that this energy is non-dual. In the transcendental feature, this energy is present as Srimate Radhika and in the material form manifests as the material energy. The question is sometimes raised by the opposition that the smarta brahmins say that the energy of Lord Siva is the foremost energy (sakti). Why is this?

Srila Bhaktivinodha Thakura

Srila Bhaktivinoda replies. The material nature is composed of the three modes: goodness, passion and ignorance. The brahmins who are oriented in goodness worship the demigod in that material mode of goodness; those in passion worship the demigod in passion while those in the mode of ignorance worship "material nature" a knowledge. In actual fact, there is no separate energy called material energy and "Maya" is just a transformation of the spiritual potency. It is but the shadow energy of the pure spiritual potency of the Lord. The material energy is mainly responsible for the conditioning of the living entity as a form of punishment due to his forgetfulness of his relationship with the Supreme Lord. The living entity, on regaining his lost relationship with the Lord becomes surcharged with knowledge and bliss. However, if the material energy becomes predominant, it makes the living entities in their forgetfulness refer to this illusory energy (Maya) as all in all. This explains the worship of material nature (sakta). Gradually, the bewildered living entity, by long period of accumulation of pious merit, can be impelled into the position of acquiring divine knowledge (Vaishnava).

Durga Devi

The question is raised again: do we sometimes compare Durga Devi to be a transcendental associate within the precincts of Gokula? The answer given by Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura is:- yes! In the spiritual world Durga Devi is called YogaMaya. She is present as the seed-form in the changes of the spiritual energy. For this reason, she considers herself non-different from the original internal energy of the spiritual world. YogaMaya, also can be transformed into material energy, or shadow potency. The material goddess Durga Devi is the servitor of the spiritual aspect of the same Durga Devi. The spiritual Durga Devi plays an important part in Lord Krishna's variegated pastimes as YogaMaya. The Srimad Bhagavatam (10/29/20) describes how the Lord takes shelter of His own internal potency in the love-sports of the gopis. (YogaMaya anupasritah). The internal energy which nourishes such divine pastimes may look like ignorance but in reality is an essential ingredient in the blossoming of these transcendental sports. The opposition then raises the query if so why do the devotees not honor the remnants of Goddess Durga and other demigods? Why specifically Vishnu prasadam?

Kālī, Durgā, Śiva, Ganeśa, non are God. Krishna in the center is God

The answer is, Lord Krishna is the sole Supreme Lord and all the demigods are His loyal servants. The leavings of the pure devotees if partaken gives rise to pure devotion. The remnants of food partaken by the pure devotees, the dust of their lotus feet and the water that washes their feet are highest and most conducive to devotion. The fact is, the impersonalists make a show of worshipping the Deity and offer foodstuffs to them but the demigods neither appreciate their worship nor accept such foodstuffs seeing their ignorance by the verdict of scriptures. Ultimately, worship of the demigods is a form of Impersonalism. Ultimately, worship of the demigods is a form of Impersonalism. To accept foodstuff from such impersonalists is detrimental to pure devotion and the Goddess of Devotion becomes offended by this action.

Radha and Krishna The Absolute Truth

On the other hand, of a pure devotee offers remnants o foodstuffs of Lord Krishna (Krishna prasadam) to the demigods, then they all dance in joy. These remnants of the demigods are then partaken with relish by the devotees (mahaprasadam). In the yoga scriptures, one should never accept the remnants of any demigod. Here the sole reason for such refusal is that they are able to remain steadfast in their meditations in doing so and not in any way wanting to be offensive to the demigods. Usually, in the practice of devotion, remaining loyal and unalloyed to one's worshipable Deity is beneficial while partaking of the remnants of the foodstuffs of other Deities does not contribute to the practice of such devout or loyal worship of one's beloved Deity. In conclusion, there is no question of offense involved in such practices, to obtain spiritual advancement one has to follow scriptural injunctions verbatim.

Lord Krishna is The Supreme personality Of Godhead

Lord Krishna has an eternally youthful form and He is the Undivided Absolute Truth. He exhibits Supreme Majesty and uncommonness in His prabhava and vaibhava forms. Again, His expansions are two-fold, direct expansions (amsa) and empowered incarnations (satya vesha). Further, His childhood and youthful pastimes are of different contrast and moods. Even though He performs His pastimes in these six different ways He remains the sole Absolute Supreme Being unchanged in any way. He is the possessor of directly opposing qualities, characteristics of only the Supreme Power in the Spiritual dimension. In Him are present all fame, opulence, knowledge, wealth, renunciation and beauty to the highest degree, unraveling His extraordinary sweetness. His spiritual energy is called the internal energy and all divine spiritual planets have manifested as a result of this energy. The marginal energy gives rise to the innumerable living entities together with the liberated souls. The external material energy helps to create the different material universes.

The four handed form of Lord Hari

Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura comments on the prabhava and vaibhava pastimes:- that which has the four handed form of Lord Hari in existence, knowledge and bliss is the prabhava form and while when it differs slightly from the actual four-handed form then it is termed vaibhava. Prabhava signifies predominance of Lordship or mastery and vaibhava denotes mysticism or uncommonness. Prabhava expansion are of two categories, one type occurs at the end of yugas and is only for a brief period like Mohini, Hamsa and Sukla etc. The other type is not so common, like, Danvantari, Rsabha, Vyasadeva, Dattatreya and Kapiladeva. The category of vaibhava expansions include Kurma, Matsya, Nara-Narayana, Varaha, Prisnigarbha, Yajna, Vibhu, Hari Vamana, Visvaksena, and all the fourteen Manus in their different Manvantaras. That one Supreme Lord, whose energies are beyond this mundane material world, is present in four distinct features as stated by Srila Jiva Gosvami in his Bhagavat Sandarbha.

These features are His transcendental and original form, His Splendor consisting of the spiritual worlds, the living entity and inert material nature. As an analogy, these four features can be compared to the sun whose different aspects are the form of the sun's effulgence, the sun globe, the sun's rays and the reflection of the sun's rays or its shadows. A huge blazing fire may be situated in one place but the effect of its effulgence may be permeated a long distance away. Similarly the energies of the Supreme Lord are permeated throughout the universe though He is situated in one place as in the Spiritual World, as verified by Visnu Purana.

Impressions of the Spiritual World from Vedic descriptions

The Srutis describe the Supreme Lord as whose tiny rays of effulgence are the myriad living entities. Inconceivably, the source of energy can be equal to its diverse energies. These inconceivable energies are three fold in division, the internal, marginal and external potency. It is inconceivable because it can make impossible things happen. The internal spiritual potency has resulted in the transcendental form of the Supreme Lord plus the colossal spiritual world like Goloka and Vaikuntha which are manifestation of this energy. The marginal energy consists of the many living entities which are but rays of the Supreme, while the material energy gives rise to the gross and subtle material coverings in this universe, or in urn the shadow potency of the original spiritual energy.

The ancient Srimad Bhagavatam translated by Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

These three different energies are described in Vishnu Purana. The material energy is in charge of deluding the minute sparks (jiva soul) with ignorance and which causes them to work with desires for fruits of work. The external material energy is inferior by nature, still it has the power of bewildering the marginally-situated superior living entity. The living entity by origin being transcendental but by identifying with the three modes of material nature becomes entangled. The effects of the material energy manifests in varying degrees depending on the position of Lord Brahma down to the non-moving living entities. Thus the original spiritual spark in its ignorance is compelled to suffer the bad effects of this material energy. In Srimad Bhagavatam (1/7/5)

Srila Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

It is explained that the only way to escape the effects of this insurmountable material energy, is to practice constant and unmotivated devotional service to the Supreme Lord and not otherwise. In the Bhagavad Gita (7/13-14).

tribhir guna-mayair bhavaih ebhih sarvam idam jagat
mohitam nabhijanati mam ebhyah param avyayam
daivi hy esa guna-mayi mama maya duratyaya
mam eva ye prapadyante mayam etam taranti te
The three modes of material nature are working under My direction and belong to the inferior energy, but the living entities are influenced by their interactions.

(ii) The three modes of material nature form the inferior energy, by their effects, all the living entities are deluded and are not able to know My divine Nature."

(iii) Srila Cakravartipada, on this third verse "Daivyesa" has commented the fallen living entities, due to the desire to extract enjoyment from material nature, have become bewildered by the demigods. Sri Ramanujacarya has defined the word "daivi" as that crated for the sport of the demigods or that which is instigated by the demigods. Srila Baladeva Vidyabhusana has commented that Devi means not out of this world, or very extraordinary material energy and for the conditioned souls, extremely unsurpassable. Those who surrender to My divine form can cross over this ocean of material existence.

Surrender!

Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura writes: "The Supreme Lord is the storehouse and controller of all energies. All these energies, internal, marginal and material are His maidservants. Simply by His sweet will, He sets into motion all these variety of energies. The tiny infinitesimal living speck, though possessing in a minute measure the qualities of the Supreme Lord, can be deluded by this strong material nature. Miyate anaya iti maya — that which can be measured is called Maya. However, this illusory energy serves as a yard stick to identify the different worlds like the material world, living entities and the spiritual world. Lord Krsna is the master of this material energy while the living entity can be subjugated by this material energy."

The cosmic manifestation is controlled by God

The Svetasvatara Sruti (4/9-20)
yasmanmayi srjate visvam etat tasmin ca anyo mayaya sanniruddah
mayantu prakrtim vidyan mayinnantu mahesvaram:
The Lord creates this universe from material elements and the living entity being influenced by the material energy, becomes entangled by it. The controller of the material nature is the Supreme Lord who pervades the whole cosmic manifestation.

The word 'mayi' refers to Lord Krishna who is the powerful ruler of all energies. The minute living entity, even on liberation, cannot equal this state, for the Supreme Autocrat creates the entire material world plus the spiritual worlds. His material creation is done through the agency of Lord Brahma. In Brahma Sutra (4/4/19). Learned scholars confirm there is an eternal gulf of difference between the living entity and the Lord.

Lord Brahma

What is the difference between the illusory energy (Maya) and ignorance (avidya)? The illusory energy is the energy of Sri Krishna and with this, He creates the entire material worlds and these energies that have been unleashed also serves the purpose of rectifying the fallen entities. Material energy has two functions (1) avidya or ignorance (2) Pradhan or existing material nature in inert condition. Ignorance (avidya) causes the biding of the living entity while the existing inert material nature evolves as the whole material universe under impulse i.e., while (avidya) ignorance is the cause of the unwanted desires of the living entities, the inert material nature leads after stimulus to become the cosmic material creation. Material energy too has two categories 1)Knowledge, 2)Ignorance.

The knowledge aspect is that which enlightens the living entity to liberation while the ignorant aspect binds the living entity. When the action of the knowledge feature springs into motion, one becomes inclined to the devotional service of the Lord, and when one forgets Sri Krishna, that is the play of ignorance (avidya). The knowledge of the Absolute Truth is all included under this action of knowledge. At the start, this entails intelligent discrimination and proper effort to cultivate such knowledge.In Srimad Bhagavatam Lord Kapila deva's teachings, the Supreme Lord is the master of the three modes of nature. Sri Ramanuja has written in his 'Gita-Bhasya' of "Maya" which is stated as when the actual identity of the Supreme Lord becomes covered in one's vision and one's own self becomes enmeshed in the selfish enjoying mentality, this is the work of 'Maya'. Due to this form of delusive energy, the whole world cannot fathom the blissful Supreme Controller. The only solution is in complete surrender to the lotus feet of the Lord. Srila Ramanuja explains "one who is endowed with right thought, compassionate, equal to all beings without distinction and surrendered to the Supreme Lord can hope to cross over this ocean of material existence. One should, by worshipping Him, completely give up 'Maya", illusory energy.

Sri Ramanuja

In the writings of Sri Baladeva Vidyabhusana we see:- The Supreme Lord is very affectionate to His devotees and those who are surrendered to Him, will easily be able to cross over the material existence. This material existence is compared to a huge ocean which can instantly reduced to a hoof-print of a cow by such surrender. The word 'mam eva' means one who is exclusively surrendered to Sri Krishna and not anyone else, for surrender to the other demigods like Lord Siva does not entail liberation. The Srutis say that those who know the Supreme Lord in truth can become immortal.

Lord Vishnu

Once the demigods had informed King Mucukunda "Oh King, may good fortune be upon you!; whatever you may desire other than complete liberation can be awarded by us but only Lord Vishnu can bestow liberation". Sridhar Swami writes; "Pure devotion with surrender is required to overcome the three modes of nature; The word 'eva' is used to demonstrate singe-pointed devotion to the Supreme Lord. Bereft of this process of devotion, by the influence of this divine material energy, one may have to wander through countless wombs due to ignorance or pray to the different demigods and thus end up rotating up and down this universe. All this is the snare of 'Maya' and the incredible effects of this energy have been described in detail in the Markandeya Purana. The next question is what is the nature and position of the living entity? Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura quotes from Gita:- bhumir apo'nalo vayuh kham mano buddhir eva ca
ahankara itiyam me bhinna prakrtir astadha
aparayam itas tv anyam prakrtim viddhi me param
jiva-bhutam maha-baho yayedam dharyate jagat

Earth, water ,fire, either, mind, intelligence and false ego; these eight are the components of My inferior material nature. Above this material nature is my superior nature which is composed of living entities.

The Gita confirms that the living entity is superior to material nature but inferior to the transcendental spiritual potency.

This is described by Srila Krsnadas Kaviraja in Caitanya Caritamrta:-

ji vera svarupa haya krsnera nitya dasa
krsnera tatastha sakti bhedabheda prakash

The living entity is the eternal servant of the Supreme Lord and His marginal potency. He is equal in quality not in quantity and are the rays of the Supreme Lord. Just as the sun ordinarily radiates light, in this manner they are likewise emanating from the Supreme. In Vishnu Purana the superior, marginal and the material energy have been discussed (para, kshetra and avidya).

krsna bhuli sei jiva-anadi-bhahirmukha ataeva maya tare deya samsara duhkha
The living entity has been covered by illusion for a long time and have been suffering countless miseries but by receiving the mercy of the pure devotees, he takes to the devotional service of the Lord which frees him from the effects of the illusory energy. Seeing the bewilderment of the living entity, the compassionate Lord reveals the scriptures. Consequently, by this utility of scripture with the help of the external spiritual master and internal 'caitya-guru' (the Supreme Lord in the heart), he uncovers his real spiritual identity. This according to stages is the process of knowledge to Sri Krishna (sambandha), the devotional practice which is abhideya and finally devotion to the Supreme Lord. It has already been mentioned that the Lord is the controller of the material energy while the living entity can be subjugated by the material energy. The Svestasvatara Upanisad mentions:

balgra-sata bhagasya sadadha kaliptasya ca
bhago jivah ca cinjeyah sa canantyaya kalpate

The living entity is compared to the size of one ten-thousandth of a tip of a single hair. Nevertheless, that same living entity can be qualified to be liberated.

On Vedanta sutra (2/3/18) it describes how the living entity being very tiny, can be overcome by the tendency for either sinful or pious activities. Manduka Sruti (3/1/19) describes, eso' nuratma cetasa veditavyo: The minute living soul ultimately has to attain the form of purified consciousness. The Lord is the controller of material energy while the living entity by nature being spiritual is liable to be influenced by the material energy due to its minute nature. Srimad Bhagavatam (1/7/4-5) states:

bhakti-yogena manasi samyak pranihite 'male
apasyat purusam purnam mayam ca tad-apasrayam
yaya sammohito jivatmanam tri-gunatmakam
paro 'pi manute 'nartham tat-krtam cabhipadyate

Srila Vyasa deva, by the power of devotional service with his mind and senses perfectly controlled, was able to see the bodily complexion of the Supreme Lord Sri Krishna with His different expansion and energies. He glimpsed also the material energy situated at the back of the Lord and as one aspect of His different energies.

This material energy is the only shadow form of His spiritual internal potency and is responsible for the illusion of the living entities in two ways:- they are the 'akaranatmika' potency which functions to cover the living entity's orginal identity, the other is by the viksepatmika'potency by which the mind and intelligence of the living entity becomes confused or bewildered. The effect of this material energy binds the living entity into the triple modes of material nature, whereby immediately he develops the false consciousness of being the doer and enjoyer and by this false ego becomes entangled. The characteristic of the marginal potency is of its being able to be influenced by both the spiritual and material energies.

From (Brhat Aranya Sruti 2/2/20)

yatha agneh ksudra vishpur linga vyucharanty
evam eva asmadatmanah sarvani bhutam vyuccharanti
Just as many tiny sparks are emitted from a blazing fire, similarly many varieties of minute living entities are produced from the Supreme Lord. The living entity has the option to either stay in the material world or attain the spiritual world. He is in the middle position at the demarcation between these two worlds and has equal opportunity to go to either of these worlds.

This marginal position can be described for more clarity. Just as a huge fish can move either to one bank or the opposite bank, similarly the living entity , from his MARGINAL POSITION can go either to the material or spiritual worlds, and is dependent on whether he is dreaming (in illusion) or awake in knowledge. The word "tatastha" is further examined. The boundary between the land and the water is called the bank (tatastha). This is usually a narrow strip so minute that it cannot be seen with a naked eye. If we compare the spiritual world to the ocean and the material world to be the land, that minute strip or boundary is the corresponding position of the living entity. Both these words are huge in comparison to the minute living entity. Both these worlds are huge in comparison to the minute living entity. Thus in the middling position being the marginal energy, partial characteristics of both sides are present in the living entity. By proper spiritual cultivation, he can be spiritualized or conversely in being ignorant, can fall into the material whirlpool. Originally the living entity is constituted of spiritual elements, not material. Nevertheless, it can be overcome by the force of material attraction. Without the association of pure devotees, the living entity cannot be released from his precarious position. In Caitanya Caritamrta is described how the living entities, though minute sparks of the Supreme, are either bonded or eternally liberated. The bonded souls are suffering hellish pains by punishment afflicted upon them by material nature due to their enjoying tendencies. Eventually, in receiving instructions from the pure devotees submissively they can be freed by taking to the devotional service of the Lord. In C.C, the teachings to Sanatana Gosvami, begins with:

advaya-jnana-tattva krsna-svayam bhagavan
svarupa-saktirupa tanhara haya avasthana
The Lord has two types of expansions (amsa). His own spiritual expansions, and the other His tiny living parts and parcels-jiva (vibhinnamsa). Without the shelter of the Lord, the bonded living entities cannot escape from the clutches of Maya. On this above verse, Sri Srila Prabhupada comments that Lord Krishna is the Supreme Non-Dual Truth. His energies are equal to the source of energy but the energy in this connection is not the bewildering shadow material energy or that which deludes the bonded souls but that which serves Lord Krishna in His diverse loving pastimes. The 'Maya' or insurmountable material energy here has to be overcome and not worshipped.

In Srimad Bhagavatam (2/5/13):

villajamanaya yasya statum iksa-pathe 'muya
vimohita vikatthante mamaham iti durdhiyah
The material personified energy, being ashamed of her despicable work was not able to come in front of the Supreme Lord for her action, the living entity becomes bewildered into thinking in terms of "me" and "mine." By these statements, the bewildering action of this material energy which causes the delusion of living entities has been condemned.

In the nectarine pastimes of Sri Hari, the moods of contrast are always present, the opposite contrasting mellows, inevitably serving to nourish such pastimes in full. It is not that one advocates all the opposite contrasting moods only and tries to reject the normal recommended practices. This type of action is not in accordance with the scriptures.

The scriptures like Bhagavad Gita give proper direction of how one can overcome material nature and be freed. In actual fact, without the association of saintly personalities, one cannot understand the purports of these scriptures. The scriptures, with its manifold opposing conclusions are difficult to discern and their mystery can be uncovered in the proper vision, solely with the help of saintly people. In Bhagavad Gita, the Supreme Lord has equivocally described the importance of work, yoga and knowledge but in the end has revealed the great secret, pure devotional service with the verses beginning with: "man mana-bhava mad bhakta" and also "sarva dharman parityaja". These two verses contain the summum bonnum of devotional service. It has further been demonstrated in the Srimad Bhagavatam, that spontaneous attraction to the Supreme is expressed in the different loving ways of servitude, friendship, parental love and conjugal love, which is ascertained as the highest goal.

Sriman Mahaprabhu had informed Srila Svarupa Damodara for the benefit of the brahmins in Bengal province.

yaha bhagavata pade vaisnavera sthane
ekanta asraya kara caitanya carane
caitanya bhakta ganera nitya kara sanga
tabe ta janie siddhanta samudra-tarange

One has to study the cream of all scriptures, Srimad Bhagavatam in the association of the pure devotees of the Lord so that he can cross over the ocean of all types of deviant and opposing devotional conclusions. In this way, one can free himself from Maha Maya and take to the lotus feet of Sri Krishna with devotion. Finally, the shelter of Srila Gurudeva is very essential in devotional service to get the mercy of Yogamaya and free oneself from the effects of Maha Maya.

THE MEANS TO THE ENDS

Devarsi — Thu, 11 Apr 2013 00:47:27 +0000

Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayana Maharaja

THE MEANS TO THE ENDS
A Lecture by Tridandisvami Sri Srimad Bhaktivedanta Narayana Maharaja, Given in Holland June 28, 2002

Usually on his Western tours, Srila Narayana Maharaja spoke on a different theme in each country or city. During the 2002 summer tour, however, He discussed the same theme and the same verses of Raya Ramananda Samvad in two countries. Raya Ramananda Samvad is the conversation between Caitanya Mahaprabhu and His associate Raya Ramananda, regarding various conceptions of the ultimate goal of life. The following is a transcription of one of those lectures

Srila Narayana Maharaja: We begin today with:

brahma-bhutah prasannatma
na socati na kanksati
samah sarvesu bhutesu
mad-bhaktim labhate param

(Madhya lila 8.65)

Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu and Sri Ramananda Ray

Ramananda Raya continued, "According to the Bhagavad-gita, 'One who is thus transcendentally situated at once realizes the Supreme Brahman and becomes fully joyful. He never laments or desires to have anything. He is equally disposed toward every living entity. In that state he attains pure devotional service unto me."

What are the symptoms of a person who is situated in the stage of brahma-bhutah? He is not affected by birth, or death, or by worldly sufferings. He is always happy because he never feels that he is in want of anything. We have desires, but one on the platform of brahma-bhutah doesn't have any worldly desires. Na kanksati. He never desires anything. Na socati. Even if all his possessions are destroyed, he never laments. Samah sarvesu bhutesu. He considers that all souls are brahma, spirit, not matter, and therefore all are equal. The atma is the same in the body of an elephant, a cow, a hog, or a dog, because all are brahma. Mad-bhaktim labhate param; if one does not offend any grantha (book) bhagavat, like Srimad Bhagavatam, or any bhakta bhagavata, a mahabhagavata Vaisnava, it may be that Krsna will arrange a high class of association for him. Then, under the guidance of such association, he will gradually attain para-bhakti, meaning prema-bhakti.

Lord Caitanya The Golden Avatar

There are two kinds of persons in the category of brahma-bhutah, and they are the brahmavadi, and the mayavadi. The mayavadi lives in places like Haradwar and Kasi. They only chant and remember, "Aham brahmasmi," and they are offenders of sastra. They don't like to hear Srimad Bhagavatam, Bhagavad-gita, or anyother Vedic scripture. They are against pure bhaktas, and therefore they will not attain para-bhakti. On the other hand, there are there are many brahmavadis who live in Vrndavana. They want mukti, salvation, but they do not commit offences to Srimad Bhagavatam.

Their goal is mukti, but they like to read the sweet pastimes of Krsna and they chant, "Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna." This type of person, who lives in Vrndavana, or Puri Dhama, or elsewhere, who likes to hear and to explain the sweet pastimes of Krsna, will attain para-bhakti very quickly. There is a condition however. They can only achieve para-bhakti if they associate with pure devotees and if they follow the correct process.

Radha And Krishna

Rejecting this, Mahaprabhu said, "Eho bahya; this is also external." He said this because that conception is mixed with impersonal jnana. One desires salvation, to merge with Krsna, Paramatma, brahma, or the rays of brahma. This is not the pure religion of the atma, and therefore Caitanya Mahaprabhu told Raya Ramananda, "This is external; you should go on to something better. Then, "Raya kahe." Ramananda Raya replied, "Jnana-sunya bhakti sadhya-sara." Giving an example from the Brahma-vimohan-lila in the 10th Canto of Srimad Bhagavatam, Ramananda Raya quoted the prayer of Brahma after he had stolen Krsna's cows:

jnane prayasam udapasya namanta eva
jivanti san-mukharitam bhavadiya-vartam
sthane sthitah sruti-gatam tanu-van-manobhir
ye prayaso 'jita jito 'py asi tais tri-lokyami
(Madhya 8.68)

[Ramananda Raya continued, "Lord Brahma said, `My dear Lord, those devotees who have thrown away the impersonal conception of the Absolute Truth and have therefore abandoned discussing empiric philosophical truths, should hear from self-realized devotees about Your holy name, form, pastimes and qualities. They should completely follow the principles of devotional service and remain free from illicit sex, gambling, intoxication and animal slaughter. Surrendering themselves fully with body, words and mind, they can live in any asrama or social status. Indeed, You are conquered by such persons, although You are always unconquerable.'"

Srila Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

Here, Srila Bhaktivedanta Swami Maharaja, my revered siksa-guru, has explained the meaning briefly; and elsewhere, other acaryas like Sri Sanatana Gosvami in Vaisnava-tosani, Jiva Gosvami in Laghu-tosani, and Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura in his Dig Darsani Tika, have explained it more elaborately and with very deep meaning. I am now giving the essence of those explanations. Jnane prayasam udapasya namanta eva. There are two kinds of knowledge: one is the conception of mixing in brahma, and its followers chant, "Aham brahmasmi," I am brahma, the supreme spirit, the impersonal God, and all are brahma." The goal of their meditation is to mix into brahma and to become brahma. The second type of knowledge is called tattva-jnana, and it is the conception that we are all parts and parcels of Krsna and He is the Supreme Lord. He is sarva-saktiman, the possessor of all powers, and He is full with all opulence. He can create millions of universes in a moment, and again, in a moment, He can also destroy those universes. This is tattva-jnana.

There are many kinds of jnana, like tat-padartha jnana (the knowledge regarding Krsna's bhagavata or Godhood), tvam-padartha jnana (the knowledge of the jiva's infinitesimal nature and his relationship with bhagavan), and jiva-brahma-aikya jnana (the misconception that the jiva and the supreme brahma are one inall respects), and they have been explained in great detail in sastra. Impersonal knowledge is not appreciated in Srimad Bhagavatam, and Srila Vyasadeva and Sri Sukadeva Gosvami have refuted impersonal jnana throughout Srimad Bhagavatam and other scriptures. What to speak of "tat-tvam asi" jnana and "aham brahmasmi" jnana, even the tattva-jnana that Krsna is the supreme Lord and the creator – not that He Himself creates, but that He gives the order to His subordinates and they then create anddestroy millions of universes in a moment – must ultimately be discarded. Jnane preyasam udapasya. Don't endeavor for that.

At first Srila Bhaktivedanta Swami Maharaja preached that Krsna is the Supreme Lord; but later, inspiring me, he said, "Now you should go everywhere and tell the devotees that Krsna is not the Supreme Lord – that He is merely the son of Nanda Baba and Mother Yasoda. Tell them that He is the most beloved of the gopis – only this." If you have knowledge that Krsna is the Supreme Lord, Vraja prema can never come – never, never, and never. It would be very absurd to think that both are simultaneously possible.

Although it is possible for Krsna, the conceptions of aisvarya and madhurya cannot exist simultaneously for devotees. When Krsna showed Arjuna His universal form on the battlefield during the Mahabharata war, Arjuna became perplexed and began to pray with folded hands, " I have made many mistakes. I have done wrong. I have called You 'sakha,' friend, and You are also personally driving my chariot. Prabhu, excuse me for this. Now I know that You are the creator of this universe. You are the Supreme Lord." Arjuna now forgot his friendship with Krsna, and he repented his previous actions and mentality. On the other hand, when Mother Yasoda saw the universal form in Krsna's mouth, she was puzzled and thought, "Why is my boy like this? A ghost may have come." Overwhelmed by vatsalya-prema, she called for the brahmanas and also for Nanda Baba. The brahmanas told her, "We will quickly purify Him." Then, after fetching black cows for a yajna, the brahmanas procured urine and cow dung, mixed them together, and applied it on the body of Krsna.

Mother Yasoda and Krishna

Yasoda Ma never thought that Krsna is the Supreme Lord. In fact, if anyone would say that He was, she would not take it seriously; she would take it as a joke. No Vrajavasi will ever believe that Krsna is the Supreme. Prema cannot manifest unless one has a relationship with Krsna with the realization that "Krsna is my most beloved" or that "He is my son." Vraja-prema can never come if one thinks, "My son is the Supreme Lord." If you want to have Vraja-prema one day, then, like the Vrajavasis, you will have to forget that Krsna is the Supreme Lord. The Mathuravasis can say that He is the Supreme Lord because the saw His four-handed form, but the Vrajavasis can never say that.

Jnane prayasam udapasya namanta eva. For those of you who are somewhat advanced, don't endeavor to practice in this way – to know that Krsna is the Supreme Lord. You should go to the assembly of pure Vaisnavas like Sri Sukadeva Gosvami, where hari-katha is flowing automatically, like a stream, or a fountain, or a waterfall.

tasmin mahan-mukharita madhubhic-caritra
piyusa-sesa-saritah paritah sravanti
ta ye pibanty avitrso nrpa gadha-karnais
tan na sprsanty asana-trd-bhaya-soka-mohah
(Srimad-Bhagavatam 4.29.40)

"My dear King, in the place where pure devotees live, following the rules and regulations and thus purely conscious and engaged with great eagerness in hearing and chanting the glories of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, in that place if one gets a chance to hear their constant flow of nectar, which is exactly like the waves of a river, one will forget the necessities of life – namely hunger and thirst – and become immune to all kinds of fear, lamentation and illusion."

Radha And Krishna

We have heard that Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Gosvami Thakura Prabhupada would explain sastra for hours and hours, And even a child like Madhumangala (the five-year-old son of Sripad Ramsraddha dasa who was present in Srila Maharaja's class) and other children would come to faithfully listen to his continuous discourses. Tasmin mahan mukharita. The sweet pastimes of Krsna flow automatically from the mouth of the pure devotee, just like a stream of honey. Even if no one in his audience has asked him questions, the flow of nectar still comes from his mouth.

Editorial advisors: Pujyapad Madhava Maharaja and Sripad

Brajanatha dasa

Transcriber: Ananga Manjari dasi

Editors: Premavati dasi and Syamarani dasi

Typist: Premavati dasi

Saranagati

Devarsi — Tue, 02 Apr 2013 01:41:32 +0000

Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura

SARANAGATI

by Bhaktivinode Thakur( written in 1880-1897)

Click here if you want to read Saranagati together with the accompanying slokas (verses)

Introductory song

Out of compassion for the fallen souls, Sri Krisna Caitanya came to this world with His personal associates and divine abode to teache saranagati, surrender to the almighty Godhead, and to freely distribute ecstatic love of God, which is ordinarily very

difficult to obtain.

This saranagati is the very life of the true devotee

The ways of saranagati are humility, dedication of the self, acceptance of the Lord as one’s only maintainer, faith that Krishna will surely protect, execution of only those acts favorable to pure devotion, and renunciation of conduct adverse to pure devotion.

The youthful son of Nanda Maharaja, Sri Krishna, hears the prayers of anyone who takes refuge in Him by this six-fold practice.

Bhaktivinoda places a straw between his teeth, prostrates himself before the two Goswamis,Sri Rupa and Sri Sanatana, and clasps their lotus feet with his hands. “I am certainly the lowest of men.” he tells them weeping, “but please make me the best of men by teaching me the ways of saranagati”

Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura

(1) Dainya, humility, 7 songs

I forsook You, O Lord, and came to this world of pain and sorrow. Now I submit my tale of woe at Your lotus feet.

While still in the unbearable fetters of my mother’s womb, I saw You before me You revealed Yourself but briefly and then abandoned this poor servant of Yours.

At that moment I swore to worship You after taking birth; but birth came, and with it the network of wordly illusion which robbed me of all good sense.

As a fonded son in the lap of relatives, I passed my time smiling and laughing. My parents’ affection helped me to forget the pangs of birth, and I thought the world was very nice.

Day by day I grew and soon began playing with other boys. Shortly my powers of understanding emerged. I read and studied my lessons incessantly.

Travelling from place to place, proud of my education, I grew wealthy and maintained my family with undivided attention. O Lord Hari, I forgot You!

Now in old age, Bhaktivinoda is sad. He weeps. I failed to worship You, O Lord, and instead passed my life in vain. What will be my fate now?

Confidently, I spent my time in the pleasures of mundane learning and never worshiped Your Lotus feet, O Lord. Now You are my only shelter.

Reading on and on, my hopes grew, for I considered material knowledge to be life’s true path.

Sri Sri Radha and Krishna The Divine Couple

How fruitless was that hope, and how feeble that knowledge proved to be. I know now that all such knowledge is ignorance.Knowledge of this world is knowledge born of Your illusory energy (maya). It impedes devotional service and makes an ass of the eternal soul by encouraging his infatuation with this temporary world.

Here is one such ass who for so long has carried on his back the burden of material existence. Now in my old age, for want of the power to enjoy, nothing pleases me.

Life has become agony now, my knowledge has proven itself worthless, and ignorance has penetrated my heart with the intolerable, burning pain of a pointed shaft.

O Lord, I seek no other treasure in this world than Your lotus feet. Bhaktivinoda abandons everything to make them the sum and substance of his life.

When I was young, I greatly desired to earn money. At that time bearing in mind the codes of religion, I took a wife. Together we set up a household, wasted much time, had many sons and daughters… my heart grew heavy.

Lord Caitanya the latest incarnation of Lord Krishna, who appeared 500 years ago

The burden increased day by day, I felt my life at a standstill. Old age came, grabbed me, and made my mind fickle and disturbed.

Diseases trouble me now, and constant anxiety has made me feverish. My heart burns from lack of satisfaction, and I see no way out. All is darkness and I am very much afraid.

The current of this worldly river is strong and relentless. A frightening, gloomy death approaches. How I wish I could give up my worldly attachements. I would worship You, O Lord, but it is a useless hope.

Now please hear me, O Lord, for I am utterly helpless. Bhaktivinoda says, “Without Your mercy, everything is lost. Please give me the shelter of Your lotus feet.”

I am an impious sinner and have caused others great anxiety and trouble.

I have never hesitated to perform sinful act for my own enjoiment. Devoid of all compassion, concerned only with my own selfish interests, I am remorseful seeing others happy. I am a perpetual liar, and the misery of others is a source of great pleasure for me.

The material desires within the core of my heart are unlimited. I am wrathful, devoted to false pride and arrogance, intoxicated by vanity, and bewildred by worldly affairs. Envy and egotism are the ornaments I wear.

Ruined by laziness and sleep, I resist all pious deeds; yet I am very active and enthusiastic to perform wicked acts. For worldly fame and reputation I engage in the practice of deceitfulness. Thus I am destroyed by my own greed and am always lustful.

A vile, wicked man such as this, rejected by godly people, is a constant offender. I am such a person, devoid of all good works, forever inclined toward evil, worn out and wasted by various miseries.

Now in old age, deprived of all means of succes, humbled and poor, Bhaktivinoda submits his tale of grief at the feet of the Supreme Lord.

Hear, O Lord, my story of sadness. I drank the deadly poison of worldliness, pretending it was nectar, and now the sun is setting on the horizon of my life.

I spent my childhood in play, my youth in academic pursuit, and in me there was no sense of right or wrong. In young manhood I set up a household and settled down to the spell of material enjoyment. Children and friends quickly multiplied.Soon old age arrived, and all happiness departed.

Subjected to disease, troubled and weak, all my senses are feeble now, my body racked and exhausted, and my spirits downcast in the absence of youthful pleasures.

Devoid of even a particle of devotion, lacking any enlightenment — what help is there for me now? Only You, O Lord, friend of the fallen. I am certainly fallen, the lowest of men. Please, therefore lift me to Your lotus feet.

The Absolute Truth Is Personal

Where You to judge me now, You would find no good qualities. Have mercy and judge me not. Cause me to drink the honey of Your lotus feet and thereby deliver this Bhaktivinoda.

At Your feet, soft as new-grown leaves, I offer this humble prayer. Those feet shelter the fallen souls who burn from the heat of material existence. But I gave up their shelter, and now my mind scorched by the fire of worldliness, has dried up like a desert.

I find no strength to go on, and thus I spend my days lamenting My only desire now is for Your lotus feet, O Lord of the meek and humble.

Has there ever been a soul as forlorn as me? Please be merciful and award me the association of Your devotees, for by tasting the pleasure of hearing your pastimes I shall give up all evils.

One hope animates my soul: to spend day and night in Your divine abode singing Your holy name. Your tiny servant Bhaktivinoda begs a place in the delightfully cooling shade of Your feet.

A wicked mind brought me into this world, O Lord, but one of Your pure and elevated devotees has come to bring me out.

He saw me so fallen and wretched, took pity, and came to me saying, “O humbled soul, please listem to this good tiding, for it will gladden your heart.

Sri Krishna Caitanya has appeared in the land of Navadvipa to deliver you. He has safely conducted many miserable souls such as you across the sea of worldly existence.

“To fulfill the promise of the Vedas, the son of a brahmana bearing the name Mahaprabhu of golden complexion, has descended with His brother the avadhuta Nityananda. Together They have overwelmed all of Nadia with divine ecstasy.

“Sri Caitanya, who is Krishna Himself, the son of Nanda, has saved the world by freely distributing His own holy name. Go also and receive your deliverance.”

O Lord, hearing those words, Bhaktivinoda has come weeping to the soles of Your lotus feet and tells the story of his life.

(Atma-nivedana, dedicationof the self, 8 songs)

I have earned neither piety nor knowledge. Overwhelmed by sensual pleasures, I have cheated myself and now see only darkness in all directions.

You, O Lord, are the fountainhead of all mercy. I surrender myself at Your lotus feet. Kindly show me Your compassion.

It is Your promise that one who takes refuge in You will know no dangers or fear. For a sinner like me there is no other shelter. I beg You now for infinite grace.

O when will I know freedom from desire and thus become Yours? You are eternally to be served, I am Your eternal servant, and that is the sum of Bhaktivinoda’s devotional mood.

How much more shall I tell You of my shameful story? There is no sin which I have not committed thousands and thousands of times.

My life in this world has been one of affliction and torment as a result of those sins. Whom will I blame but myself? At the time I did not consider the consequences; now, in the aftermath, I seek to be saved.

After judging my sins, You should punish me, for I deserve to suffer the pangs of rebirth in this world. I only pray that, as I wander through repeated births and deaths, my mind may ever dwell at Your lotus feet in the company of Vaisnavas.

Pure love for Krishna

I offer You this judicious prayer. My heart’s false pride has gone far away. O You who are so kind to the meek, Your pure mercy has become Bhaktivinoda’s only hope.

Mind, body, and family, whatever may be mine, I have surrendered at Your lotus feet, O youthful son of Nanda! In good fortune or in bad, in life or at death, all my difficulties have disappeared by choosing those feet of Yours as my only shelter. Slay me or protect me as You wish, for You are the master of Your eternal servant.If it is Your will that I be born again, then may it be in the home of Your devotee. May I be born again even as a worm, so long as I may remain Your devotee. I have no desire to be born as a Brahma averse to You. I yearn for the company of that devotee who is completely devoid of all desire for worldly enjoyment or liberation. Father, mother, lover, son, Lord, preceptor, and husband; You are everything to me.

Thakura Bhaktivinoda says, "O Kana, please hear me! O Lord of Radha, You are my life and soul!"Whatever I am, whatever I possess, I offer at Your lotus feet.

O merciful Lord. I no longer belong to myself. Now I am exclusively Yours.

The soul inhabiting this mortal body has given up the false ego attached to the word “I”, and now the eternal, spiritual sense of being Yours has entered his heart.

All my possessions – body, brothers, friends, and followers, wife, sons, personal belongings, house and home- all of these I give You, for I have become Your servant.

Now I dwell in Your house. You are the Lord of my house, and I Your most obedient servant..

Your happiness is my only endeavor now.

Whatever piety or sins were done by me, by mind or deed, are no longer mine, for I am redeemed My desire has become one with Yours.

From this day Bhaktivinoda has no other identity.

Nothing remains “mine”. Father, friend, brother — You are even these to me.

Those whom I called friends, wife, sons, and daughters are all Your servants and maidservants.

Whatever care I take for them is only as it relates to You. If I continue to maintain my wealth, family members, home, and wife, it is because they are Yours.

I am a mere servant. For Your service I will earn money and bear the expense of Your houselhold.

I know neither good nor bad. I merely serve. I am but a watchman who guards the properties in Your household.

The exercising of my senses — hearing, seenig, smelling, tasting, touching — is done according to Your desire.

I no longer do anything for my own pleasure. Bhakativinoda says, “Your happiness is the essence of everything”.

Everything belongs to Lord Krishna

In truth, all things belong to You. NO jiva is owner of anything. The tiny soul wanders in this world mistakenly thinking, “I am this transitory body, and everything related to this body is mine.” Thus he suffers sorrow and fear.

The conditined soul is falsely proud and considers everything attached to the words “I” and “mine” to be his treasures alone.

Due to that same vanity, I fell into this world. Floundering in the ocean of mundane existence like a drowning man, I suffer the pangs of rising and sinking in that ocean.

I take shelter at Your lotus feet, which award fearlessness, and dedicate myself to You on this day.

The vanity of “I” and “mine” has left me now. May it never again find a place within my heart.

O Lord, please give me this strength, that I may be able to keep the false conceptions of “I” and “Mine” far away.

May the mood of self-surrender to the Supreme Lord remain firmly fixed in my heart and not prove to be like the momentary cleanliness of an elephant after a bath.

Bhaktivinoda begs at the lotus feet of Lord Nityananda for the grace which delivers one from all false pride.

Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu

I submit at Your lotus feet, O Lord, that I am fallen and wretched, a fact known to the three worlds.

There is no sinner more sinful than me. In the entire material creation there is no offender whose offenses equal mine.

By attempting to clear myself of all these sins and offenses I am put to shame and beg Your forgiveness. All this is understood by You.

Of whom will I take shelter except for You? O son of the King of Vraja, You are the Lord of all lords.

This world is Yours, and You pervade all things in it. You forgive the offenses committed against You.

You alone are the shelter of those who have gone astray. Apart from You, what else exists, O merciful Lord?

Those like me who have offended You will know no peace until achieving Your shelter.

Bhaktivinoda takes shelter in You and surrenders himself at Your lotus feet on this very day.

Srimati Radhika

I have become supremely joyful by surrendering myself at Your holy feet. Unhappiness has gone away, and there are no more anxieties. I see joy in all directions.

Your two lotus feet are reservoirs of immortal nectar where one may live free from sorrow and fear. I have found peace there now and have given up the fear of worldly existence.

I shall render service in Your household and not endeavor to enjoy the fruits of that service, but rather I shall strive for whatever pleases You, fully devoted to Your lotus feet.

Troubles encountered in Your service shall be the cause of great happiness, for in Your devotional service joy and sorrow are equally great riches. Both destroy the misery of ignorance.

I have completely forgotten all past history by feeling great joy in my mind. I am most certainly Yours, and You are indeed mine. What need is there of any other treasure?

Bhaktivinoda, diving into the ocean of bliss, devotes all his efforts for Your service and dwells in Your house according to Your wishes.)

The Lord Controls Everything

Goptritve-varana, acceptance of the Lord as Maintainer, 4 songs

How has one such as I come to Your shelter? Surely it is by Your mercy alone, for You are everseeking the purification and deliverance of the fallen souls. You are my only hope, for You are full of compassion and mercy.

There is no one who needs Your mercy more than I. You will surely drive away all fear.

No one else has the power to deliver me. O merciful Lord, by Your declaration, kindly deliver this vile and lowly sinner.

I have given up everything and come to Your lotus feet. I am Your eternal servant, and You are my protector and maintainer, O Lord of the universe!

Everything is Yours. I am merely a servant, certain that You will deliver me. I have chosen Your lotus feet as my only shelter. I no longer belong to myself.

Weeping, Bhaktivinoda takes shelter at Your feet. Forgive his offenses, afford him a taste for the holy name, and kindly maintain him.

Within my heart I have always been anxious for the maintenance of my wife and children, my own body and relatives.

How will I earn money? How will I obtain fame? How will I arrange the marriages of my sons and daughter?

Now, through self-surrender, I have been purged of all anxiety. O Lord, surely You will provide for the maintenace of Your household.

Surely You will preserve me, knowing me to be Your own servant. O Lord, in Your devotional service I feel great happiness.

All events take place by His will

All events take place by Your will, O Lord. The deluded soul of this world declares, “I am the doer,” but this is pure folly. If You do not act first, then what is a tiny soul actually able to do?

By Your will he can only desire to act, and unless You fulfill his desire, hcannot do anything. I will serve You free from all anxiety, and at home, if any good or evil should occur, it will not be my responsibility.

Bhaktivinoda thus gives up his independence and engages in the exclusive service of Your lotus feet with no other interest in life.

Now that I have surrendered all I possess, I fall prostrate before Your house. You are the Supreme Lord. Kindly consider me Your household dog.

Chain me nearby and maintain me as You will. I shall remain at the doorstep and allow no enemies to enter Your house. I will keep them at the bounds of the moat surrounding Your home.

Whatever remnants Your devotees leave behind after honoring Your prasada will be my daily sustenance. I will feast on those remnants with great ecstasy.

While sitting up, while lying down, I will constantly meditate on Your lotus feet. Whenever You call, I will immediately run to You and dance in rapture.

I will never think of my own maintenance but rather remain transported by a multitude of ecstasies. Bhaktivinoda accepts You as his only

support

Krishna Supports Everything

O youthful son of the King of Vraja, You are Lord of all. Creation and destruction take place in the universe according to Your will.

According to Your will Lord Brahma creates, and in accordance with Your will Lord Visnu maintains.

Lord Siva destroys in similar obedience to You, and by Your wish maya constructs the prison house of this world.

By Your will the living beings take birth and die, and by Your will they meet with prosperity and ruin, happiness and sorrow.

The tiny soul bound up by maya vainly struggles in the fetters of worldly desire. Without Your sanction he is unable to do anything.

You are my protector and maintainerl Without Your lotus feet there is no hope for me.

No longer confident of my own strength and endeavor, I depend solely on Your will.

Bhaktivinoda is most poor, and his pride has been leveled. Now he lives or dies, as You wish.

We can have full faith in Him

(Avasya Raksibe Krsna — Viswasa Palana, faith in Krsna as protector, 4 songs)

I know now Your divine feet are a refuge free from all sorrow and fear, eternally full of sweet nectar.

At the soles of those lotus feet I surrender myself and all I possess.

O Lord, there is no other protection but You in this world of birth and death.

At last I know myself to be Your eternal servant, whose maintenance You have assured.

Life before, without You, held nothing but sorrow. Now I live free from all misery

Laksmi, desiring such a place at Your lotus feet, excuted austerities. Only after secureing a place by Your lotus feet did Lord Siva attain his sivatva, or quality of auspiciousness.

Loving Him Our Lifes Have Become Successful

Upon obtaining those feet Lord Brahma became successful in life, and the great sage Narada Muni held those two feet to his heart.

Your lotus feet drive away all fear. Having held them to my head, I dance in great ecstasy, singing their glories.

Your lotus feet will deliver Bhaktivinoda from the perils of worldly journey.

Who can protect that person whom You wish to slay? The three worlds are obedient to Your will. The gods, headed by Brahma, are Your countless servants and stand ready to execute Your command,

By Your will the planets exercise their auspicious or inauspicious influences. Illness, grief, death, and fear occur by Your will. Your command is all-powerful.In fear of You the wind blows, and the sun, moon, and all others perform their allotted duties.

You are the Supreme Lord, the Supreme Spirit, supreme above all. Your residence is in the heart of Your loving devotee. You are eternally pure. All Your desires are fulfilled.

Your name is Bhakta-vatsala, for You are very affectionate to the Vaisnavas. You are the eternal Lord of Your loving devotees. Who can slay that person whom You wish to protect? You are the law of all laws.

Radha And Krishna

O Lord, Your eternal servant Bhaktivinoda has bowed down at Your lotus feet. O master, he cherishes the faith that You will surely protect him from all dangers.

Surrendering to You lifted from me the burden of false pride. No longer will I try to secure my own well-being.

O Lord, I am confident of Your protection, for, like one of Your cows or calves, I am Your treasured property.

O Madhava, I see You leading Your herds to pasture on the banks of the Yamuna. You call to them by gently playing Your flute.

By slaying giant demons such as Agha and Baka You will always provide full protection, O Gokula Kana!

Fearless and confident of Your protection, I will drink the water of the Yamuna.

The Kaliya serpent’s venom poisoned the Yamuna’s waters, yet that poison will not act. You will purify the Yamuna and by such heroic deeds enhance our faith.

You who are called Govinda and Gopala will surely protect me by swallowing the forest fire.

When Indra, king of the gods, sends torrents of rain, You will counteract his malice and protect us by lifting the mighty Govardhana Hill!

When the four-headed Brahma steals Your cowherd boyfriends and calves, then, too, You will surely protect me, O Gokula Hari!

Bhakativinoda is now the property of Gokula, Your holy abode, O Kesava, kindly protect him with care.

The Supersoul

Gone is the variety of male egoism, O Kana. Now I am Your faithful maidservant.

O Lord of Radha, in the groves of Vraja I will perform devotional service as a follower of one of the sakhis.

I will string together a necklace of forest flowers, and tulasi buds shall be the jewels of that necklace.

With utmost care I will place the garland in the hands of that confidential devotee, and she will take it with affection.

Then she will place the garland around both Your necks, while I watch in wonder from afar.

The confidant will then say to me, “Listen, O beautiful one, you should remain in this grove as my attendant.

“Daily you shall string together beautiful flower garlands that will enchant Radha and Krsna.

“The responsibility for your maintenance shall be mine. My cottage in the grove is yours.

When I serve Radha and Madhava, you will attend behind me. After preparing tambula and bringing camphor, you will give them to me, knowing me to be yours.”

Bhaktivinoda, having heard all these instructions, bows down at the lotus feet of that confidential sakhi.

Radha And Krishna

(Bhakti-anukula-matra Karyera Svikara, acceptance of activities favorable to pure devotion, 4 songs)

I will surely execute with utmost care those activities favorable to Your pure devotional service.

I will feel fondness for those things in this world which are conductive to pure devotion, and with my senses I will engage them in Your service.

I will carefully listen to all discussions concerning You, and the satisfaction of my eyes will be to behold Your divine abode.

I will nourish my body with the sacred remnants of Your food and smell the sweet scent of tulasi leaves adorning those offerings.

With my hands I will always execute Your service, and I will forever dwell at that place where You abide.

I will employ my desires in Your devotional service and show anger to those who are envious of You.

In this way may all of my propensities and emotions obtain dignity and glory by being favorable to You.

I will consider as favorable to Your devotional service anything I do which is favorable to Your devotee.

Bhaktivinoda knows neither religion nor irreligion. He simply prays that all his activities be conductive for pure devotion to You.

Lord Chaitanya

1-2) On the banks of the celestial Ganges River I will dwell in a cottage at Surabhi-kunj in Godruma-dhama. This land of Godruma is very conductive for performing devotional worship of the Supreme Lord and is nondifferent from the sacred place called Nandagram, located in the holy district of Mathura.

3-4) I will put on the garb that is dear to the devotees of Lord Gaurasundara and wear the twelve Vaisnava tilaka markings on my body and beautiful beads of tulasi wood around my neck. Then, by planting flowering trees like Campaka, Bakula, Kadamba, and Tamala, I will make an extensive grove by my cottage. I will put madhavi and malati creepers on the trees and in this way make a shady bower.

I will sow a variety of flowering forests and different kinds of jasmine like yuthi, jati and malli. All these will be present there, arrayed in a charming fashion.

I will install the empress tulasi on an elevated throne on the terrace, then procure all necessary paraphernalia for having kirtana, such as mrdanga drums, karatalas (hand cymbals), and gongs, and place them there.

Dust from the lotus feet of pure devotees is conductive to devotional service, whilee service to the Vaisnavas is itself the supreme perfection and the root o the tender creeper of divine love.

I observe with great care the holy days like Ekadasi and Janmastami, for they are the mother of devotion. As my dwelling place I choose with the greatest of reverence and love the transcendental abode of Sri Krsna.

Lord Gaurasundara Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu

All those places where my Lord Gaurasundara traveled for pastimes I will visit in the company of loving devotees.

My mind always begs for the opportunity to hear the music of the mrdanga. Upon hearing the kind of kirtana ordained by Lord Gaurasundara, my heart dances in ecstasy.

Beholding the Deity forms of the Divine Couple, Sri Sri Radha-Krsna, I feel the greatest joy. By honoring the Lord’s prasada, I conquer over all worldly illusions.

Goloka Vrndavana appears in my home whenever I see the worship and servicee of Lord Hari taking place there. When I see the Ganges, that river of nectar emanating from the lotus feet of the Lord, my happiness knows no bounds.

The sight of the holy tulasi tree soothes my soul, for I know she gives pleasure to Lord Krsna. By honoring sak, a great favorite of Lord Caitanya’s, I consider life worthwhile.

Whatever Bhaktivinoda obrains that is conducive for the service of Sri Krsna he accepts every day with greatest joy.

Krishna God Performs Wonderful Pastimes

1-6) The cottage in the grove on the banks of Radha-kunda, the great Govardhana Hill, the banks of the Yamuna, Kusuma-sarovara, Manasa-ganga, the daughter of Kalinda (the Yamuna) with her many waves, the Vamsi-vat, Gokula, Dhira-samira, the trees and creepers and reeds of Vrdavana, the different varieties of colorful birds, the deer, the cooling breeze from the Malaya Mountains, the peacocks, the bumblebees, the pastimes with the flute, the flute itself, the buffalo horn bugle, the footprints of cows in the dust of Vraja, the rows of blackish rainclouds, springtime, the moon, the conchsell, and the karatalas – all these I know to be very conductive for the pastimes of Radha and Krsna. I recognize in them a transcendental stimulus for making the Lord’s charming pastimes more intense.

I refuse to go anywhere if there stimuli to devotional service are not there, for to abandon them is to abandon life itself.

Bhaktivinoda says, “Please hear me, O Kana! Your entourage and paraphernalia stimulate remembrance of You and are the very sourcee of my life.”

Bhakti-pratikula-bhava Varjanangikara, renunciation of conduct averse to pure devotion, 4 songs

This material creation of Yours, O Kesava, is most strange. I have roamed throughout the forest of this universe in consequence of my selfish acts, and I have beheld many strange and curious sights.

Forgetfulness of Your lotus feet has brought on anguish and grief. As I burn in this fire of misery, my would-be saviors — Kapila, Gautama, Kanada, Jaimini, and Buddha — come running to my aid.
Each expounds his particular view, dangling various pleasures and liberation as bait in their philosophical traps. They are all cheaters, averse to Your devotional service and thus fatally dangerous.

They are magnates of karma, jnana, and yoga who specialize in opinions and proofs for cheating the materially inclined. Bhaktivinoda, considering refuge at the feet of the Vaisnavas as essential, pays his respects to these cheating philosophers from afar.

I vow to abandon without compromise all actions contrary to Your devotional service.

I will keep company with no one opposed to devotional service, nor even look at the face of a person inimical toward Lord Gauranga.

I shall never reside at a place unfavorable for devotional practices, and may I never take pleasure in nondevotional works.

I will read no book opposed to pure devotion, nor listen to any explanation which disagrees with pure devotional principles.

I will never regard as sacred any place where Lord Gauranga is rejected. Any knowledge hindering pure devotional service I consider worthless.

Any season which poses obstacles to the execution of devotional service shall find no favor with me, and I will consider all relatives or family members averse to pure devotion as strangers.

I will abandon all desires that hinder devotion and never accept food offered to me by nondevotee atheists.

I vow to promptly shun whatever I know to contradict pure devotion. This I strongly promise.

Bhaktivinoda, falling at the feet of the Lord, begs for the strength to give up all obstacles to pure devotion.

Both the monist philosophers and those bewildered by worldly affairs live in vain, for both are devoid of devotion to You.

I pray at Your lotus feet, O Lord, that I may be spared the company of them both.

Yet of the two the worldly man is better. I ask never to have the company of mayavadi.

The Mayavadi Will Never Understand That God Has A Eternal Form

When the worldly man enters into the company of saintly persons within his heart he becomes inspiried by pure devotion through the mercy of those devotees.

But woe to him who has known the offensive presence of impersonalist philosophy. Such sophistry makes the heart hard as a thunderbold.

The mayavada philosopher declares that the true form of bhakti, its object (Sri Krishna), and its possessor (the devotee) are all transitory and thus illusory.

Fie on his pretense of service to Krishna, of hearing and chanting His glories! His so-called prayers strike the body of Krishna with blows more cruel that a thunderbolt.

There is no philosophy as antagonistic to devotional service as mayavada philosophy. Therefore I do not desire the association of the mayavadi.

Bhaktivinoda drives away the philosophy of illusionism and sits safely in the society of Vaisnavas under the shelter of the holy name.

I am a resident of Svananda-sukhada-kunja and a maidservant of the lotus feet of Radhika and Madhava.

Srimati Radhika and Lord Krishna

At the union of the Divine Couple I rejoice, and in Their separation I die in anguish.

I never look at the place where Candravali and her friends stay. Whenever I see such a place it reminds me of Candravali’s gopi friend, Saibya.

I feel pain in my heart when I catch sight of Candravali’s girl-friends, for they are opposed to Radha.

Candravali wants to take away Radha’s Lord Hari, thus covering the grove of Radhika with the darkness of gloom.

I never look at the faces of those who are opposed to Sri Radha and Govindas joyous union.

Nor do I find any pleasure in conversing with those who are opposed to Radha.

Bhaktivinoda has enthusiastically entrusted his soul to the lotus feet of Srimati Radharani.

Bhajana-lalasa, hankering for divine service, 13 songs

O Lord Hari, having fallen helplessly into the illusion of this world, I see no other means of deliverance but You. You are the only recourse for the helpless. I accept the shelter of Your lotus feet as essential.

I have no knowledge, no background of pious activities, nor any history of strict devotional practice. But You are full of compassion and kindness. Therefore, although I am certainly destitute, I solicit Your causeless mercy.

The powerful urges of speech, mind, anger, tongue, belly, and genital have banded together to cast me adrift on the sea of this material world, thus causing me great anxiety and trouble.

After great endeavor to subdue these material demands, I have completely given up all hope. O Lord of the destitute, I call upon Your holy name, for now You are my only shelter.

Lord Hari

O Lord Hari, I have become absorbed in accumulating wealth and endeavoring for material possessions. I am addicted to speaking of topics apart from You and am always eager to accept practices apart from my own duties. I am in the habit of meeting with worldly men and am absorbed in speculative thinking.

Therefore, devotion to You has remained distant from me. In this heart of mine dwells only envy and malice towards others false pride, hippocrisy, deceitfulness, and the desire for fame and honor.I have not been able to give up any of these attachments.

Thus my own faults have been my down fall. My birth as a human being has been wasted. O Lord Hari, what am I to do now?

I am indeed fallen; but Your holy name is the savior of the fallen. Clinging to that holy name, I have taken shelter at Your lotus feet.Enthusiasm in devotional service, faith in the process of devotional service, the treasure of patience in endeavoring to attain love of God, performing activities conducive to pure devotion, abandoning the company of worldly people, performing approved devotional practices — I have never possessed these six devotional qualities. How, then, shall I give up the association of maya and worship Your lotus feet, O Lord?

Absorbed in abominable activities, I never kept company with sadhus. Now I adopt the garb of the sadhus and instruct others. This is maya’s big joke.

Krishnas Pastimes

O Lord Hari, in such a helpless condition surely I will obtain Your causeless mercy.

O when, under the shelter of my spiritual master, will I call out to You with humble prayers?

O Lord Hari, to offer a gift and receive one in return, to give and receive spiritual food, to reveal one’s confidential thoughts and make confidential inquiries these are the six characteristics of loving association, and in them is found the very soul of devotion.

I have failed to understand the Absolute Truth, and by practicing these six activities with nondevotees, either knowingly or unknowingly, I have lost all devotion. Thus I have become a materialist. For me, You, O Lord, remain afar.

Meditate on Krishnas Name, Form and Pastimes

The day I cherish these activities of intimate association with the devotees of Sri Krsna, that day the great goddess of devotion will ascend the throne of my heart.

When will I give up the company of those who are addicted to women and those who are not devoted to You? When will I get the constant association of Your devotees, O Lord?

O Lord, I will mentally honor and consider as my brother one who avoids bad company and sings Your holy name, be he formally initiated or not.

I offer obeisances to that person who is initiated and worships Your lotus feet, and I will serve, O Lord, anyone who is fixed in unalloyed devotion to You.

I consider myself greatly fortunate to even see that devotee who looks upon all living beings equally. By obtaining his association I know that I become successful in life.

When will my mind become simple and inoffensive toward the Vaisnavas, and when will I cross over the ocean of worldly existence to reach Your abode of Vraja?

Mud and foam are seen in the waters of the Ganges, for that is the inherent nature of river water. Yet Ganges water never loses its transcendental nature.

One may likewise find defects in the body of a Vaisnava, yet his body is always spiritual, never material. That person who criticizes the body of a Vaisnava falls into deadly irreligion.

Meditate upon Krishna, not a loveless light or loveless nothing and love will come

For such an offense, the fallen soul continuously suffers the tortures of Yamaraja, lord of death. O youthful son of Nanda, I pray that I not be destroyed by committing such an offense.

The Vaisnava is Yours, and he is Your glory. May he be merciful to me. Then my life’s journey will lead to You, and I will obtain shelter in the shade of Your lotus feet.

O venerable Vaisnava. O ocean of mercy, be merciful unto your servant. Give me the shade of your lotus feet and purify me. I hold on to your lotus feet.

Teach me to control my six passions; rectify my six faults, bestow upon me the six qualities, and offer unto me the six kinds of holy association.*

I do not find the strength to carry on alone the sankirtana of the holy name of Hari. Please bless me by giving me just one drop of faith with which to obtain the great treasure of the holy name of Krsna.

Devotion to Lord Krishna is most wonderful

Krsna is yours; you have the power to give Him to me. I am simply running behind you shouting, "Krsna! Krsna!"

O Lord Hari, because I forgot You my tongue has become afflicted with the disease of ignorance. I cannot relish the nectar of Your holy name, for I have become addicted to the taste of worldly pleasures.

O Lord Hari, if I sing Your holy name aloud every day with great respect, then as sugar candy taken medicinally destroys the very disease which makes it taste bitter (jaundice), so Your holy name will cure my spiritual disease and allow me to gradually taste His sweetness.

O merciful Lord, how great is my misfortune that I feel no appreciation for Your holy name! In such a lamentable state, how will I be freed from committing the ten offenses to the holy name? If I sing Your holy name every day, by Your mercy the ten offenses will gradually disappear. A taste for Your holy name will grow within me, and then I will taste the intoxicating spirit of the name.

Radha and Krishna

O Lord Hari, Sri Rupa Gosvami, in the form of the spiritual master, gave these instructions to my ears: “Try to understand my words, O you who begs for the gift of the holy name, for by these instructions you will develop attraction for chanting the holy name.

“Follow the scriptural rules and regulations and engage your tongue and mind in carefully chanting and remembering the holy names, divine forms, qualities, and wonderful pastimes of Lord Krishna.

“Dwell in the holy land of Vraja, cultivate spontaneous loving devotion (raganuga-bhakti), and spend your every moment chanting and remembering the glories of Sri Hari. Just accept these as the essence of all instructions”.

O Rupa Gosvami, when out of your causeless mercy, will you enable this poor wretched soul to reside in Vrndavana? You are a ragatmika devotee, an eternally liberated, intimate associate of Radha and Krsna. This humble servant of yours desires to become a follower at your lotus feet.

Gurudeva! Because you are so merciful, you gave me a place in Godruma amid the woodlands of Gauda, with this order to fulfill: “Dwell here in this Vrndavana and sing the holy name of Hari.”

The Supreme Lord Is A Person Who Eternally Performs Beautiful Pastimes In His Own Abode Goloka Vrindavan

But when, O master, out of your great mercy, will you bestow upon this servant of yours the spiritual competence to fulfill that order? When will my mind become tranquil and fixed? When will I endure all hardships and serve Lord Hari without distractions?

Due to attachment to worldly pleasures in childhood and youth, I have developed bad habits. Because of these sinful acts my body has become an impediment to the service of the Supreme Lord.

Now, in old age, afflicted by the five-fold illnesses, how will I serve the Lord? O master, please tell me. I have fallen at your feet weeping, overwhelmed by anxiety.

Gurudeva, give to this servant just one drop of mercy. I am lower than a blade of grass. Give me all help. Give me strength. Let me be as you are, without desires or aspirations.

I offer you all respects, for thus I may have the energy to know you correctly. Then, by chanting the holy name in great ecstasy, all my offenses will cease.

The Holy Names

When will such mercy fall to this one who is weak and devoid of intelligence? Allow me to be with you.

If you examine me, you will find no qualities. Your mercy is all that I am made of. If you are not merciful unto me, I can only weep, and I will not be able to maintain my life.

Gurudeva! When, with a steady mind in a secluded place, will I sing the name of Sri Krsna? When will the pandemonioum of worldly existence no longer echo in my ears and the diseases of the body remain far away? When will that day be mine?

When I chant “Hare Krsna”, tears of love will flow from my eyes and ecstatic rapture will arise within my body, causing my hair to stand on end and my body to become overwhelmed with divine love.

Faltering words choked with emotion will issue from my mouth. My body will tremble, constantly perspire, turn pale and discolored, and become stunned. All of this will be like a devastation of ecstatic love and cause me to fall unconscious.

Radha And Krishna The Divine Couple

When will such a genuine ecstatic condition be mine? I will constantly sing the holy name and remain absorbed in profound devotion while maitaining the material body. In this way I will abtain your mercy.

Gurudeva! Lord Gauranga’s transcendental pastimes are eternal realities. I await the day when, with this firm faith manifested by your mercy, I will wander through the groves of Godruma, chanting “Hari! Hari!” and hoping to behold those pastimes.

The Panca-tattva — Nitai, Gauranga, Advaita, sSrivasa and Gadadhara — will flood the entire universe with the intoxiacting nectar of the holy name of Sri Krsna by performing a maha-sankirtana.

In my ears I will hear the sounds of dancing and the playing of the mrdangas. By constantly beholding the sweetness and beauty of that pastime of Lord Gauranga’s, I will swim in the flood tide of divine love.

Materialists will throw dirt at my body and proclaim me thoroughly mad. For being again bereft of seeing the jewel of that pastime, I shall weep and cry out, “O my Lord Gauranga!”

Sri Sri Radha and Krishna

Siddhi-lalasa, hankering for spiritual perfection, 3 songs

When will I wander weeping under the shade of various trees and creepers on th banks of Ganges in the land of Navadvipa, crying, “O Radha! O Krsna!” and forgetting all physical comforts?

I will even take my meals by begging at the homes of the candalas and will drink the water of the Sarasvati. In ecstasy I will roll on the ground along the banks of the river, raising an uproar of “Krsna! Krsna!”

Bowing down to the inhabitants of the holy land of Navadvipa, I will beg a bit of their mercy. I will wear the dress of a mendicant and smear the dust of the Vaisnavas’s feet on my body.

I will see no difference between the inhabitants of Vraja Bhumi and those of Navadvipa, and I will be transformed into a resident of Vraja. The true nature of the Lord’s abode will manifest itself to my eyes, and I will become a maidservant of Srimati Radharani.

Srimati Radharani The Queen Of Vrindavan

When, in a flash, will I forget my false bodily indentity and be able to behold the exquisite beauty of the realm of Vraja, full of eternal spiritual bliss?

I shall take my birth in the town of King Vrsabhanu and be married in Yavatagram. My sole disposition and character shall be that of a cowherd girl, and I shall know no other.

When, by the power of Radha’s mercy, will I obtain my own eternal spiritual body, name, form and dress and when, by Her mercy, will I obtain initiation into divine love of Krsna?

As I go to draw water from the Yamuna, I shall cherish knowing the love that unites Radha with Krsna. I shall sing Sri Radha’s glories like a madwoman, enchanted by divine love.

For serving the lotus feet of Sri Radha, the daughter of Vrsabhanu, I will become a maidservant of one of the gopis in Vraja. I will always strive to bring about the happiness of Sri Radha.

Within my heart I will know that Radha’s pleasure is Krsna’s source of Joy. Therefore I will never desire to abandon Her lotus feet for His solitary company.

The sakhis are my best friends and teachers concerning the love uniting Radha with Krsna. As one of their attendants, I will serve Radha’s lotus feet, which are like wish-fulfilling desire trees.

I myself am always partial to Radhika and therefore never look at those who have abandoned Radha’s entourage, whoever they may be and whatever their ways.

lord Caitanya

Vijnapti, spiritual request, 1 song

When, oh when will that day be mine? When my offenses ceasing, taste for the name increasing, when in my heart will your mercy shine, when, oh when will that day be mine

Lower than a blade of grass,more tolerant than a tree. When will my mind attain this quality? Respectful to all, not expecting their honor, then shall I taste the name's nectar sublime. When, oh when will that day be mine?

Great wealth or followers, feminine beauty, I won't care for them or the comforts of my body. Birth after birth give me, Oh Lord Caitanya, causeless devotion to Your feet divine, when, oh when will that day be mine?

When will I utter Krsna,Krsna, Krsna, with words choked up and shivering body? When will I be trembling all over, lose bodily color, tears pouring from my eyes, When, oh when will that day be mine?

When in Navadvipa along the Ganges bank, shouting 'Gaura-Nityananda' as a surrendered soul, dancing, chanting, running everywhere, when will I become half mad of mind? When, oh when will that day be mine?

When will Lord Nityananda show mercy upon me, when will I reject the world of Maya:' Bestow unto me the shade of Your lotus feet, let the right to preach the name be mine. When, oh when will that day be mine?

I will beg, borrow, or steal the nectar of the name. By the name's effect I will feel paralyzed. Oh! Enjoyer of the nectar of the name, When will I touch your lotus feet till the end of time? When, oh when will that day be mine?

When kindness to all beings will be appearing, with free heart forget myself comforting, Bhaktivinoda in all humility prays, "Now I will set out to preach Your order sublime." When, oh when will that day be mine?

The Holy Names

Sri Nama-Mahatmya, the glories of the holy name, 1 song

How much power does the name of Krsna possess? My heart constantly burns in the fire of worldly desires, like a desert scorched by the sun. The holy name, entering within my heart thorugh the holes of my ears, showers unparalleled nectar upon my soul.

The holy name speaks from within my heart, moves on the tip of my tongue, and constantly dances on it in the form of transcendental sound.

My throat becomes choked up, my body violently trembles, and my feet move uncontrollably.

Rivers of tears flow from my eyes. Perspiration pours from my body. My body thrills with rapture, causing my hair to stand on end and my skin to turn pale and discolored. My mind grows faint, and I begin to experience devastation. My entire body is shattered in a flood of ecstasies.

While causing such an ecstatic disturbance, the holy name showers liquid nectar on my heart and drowns me in the ocean of divine love of Godhead. He does not allow me to understand anything, For He has made me truly mad and has stolen away my heart and all my wealth.

Such is the behaviour of Him who is now my only shelter. I am not capable of describing all this. The holy name of Krsna is independent and thus acts at His own sweet will. In Whatever way He becomes happy, that is also my way of happiness.
The holy name is thebud of the flower of divine love, the abode of devotion’s wonderful mellows. Such is the power that He manifests, that although He displays His power only slightly, He reveals His own divine form and qualities, steals my heart and takes it to Krsna.

Being fully manifest, the holy name of takes me to Vraja and reveals to me His own love dalliance. He gives to me my own divine, eternal body, keeps me near Krsna and completely destroys this mortal frame of mine.

The name of Krsna is touchstone, a mine of all devotional mellows, eternally liberated, and the embodiment of pure rasa. When all impedimets to the pure chanting of the holy name are taken away and destroyed, then my happiness will know its true awakening

Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura

Thus ends the Saranagati of Thakura Bhaktivinoda

Gitavali (Selected Songs)

Sri Namastaka, prayers glorifying the holy name, 8 songs

Through the mouth of Srila Rupa Gosvami, Krsna, in the form of Lord Caitanya, the son of Mother Saci, preached the glories of His own holy name.

There is no difference between that holy name of Lord Hari and Lord Hari Himself. The Vedic scriptures sing of the true value and glory of the holy name.

All the Upanisads are like a necklace of beautifully effulgent jewels shining before the lotus feet of the holy name. They are perpetually perform mangala arati for the holy name with arati lamps of ten ghee wicks.

Within the fourteen worlds , those demigods, men and demons whose fortune is very great, perpetually drink the nectar of the sweet mellows of the holy name, casting aside all kinds of fruitive activities and speculative froms of knowledge.

The eternally liberated souls, however, always worship the holy name in beautifully composed hymns and songs and sit in Goloka Vrndavana constantly singing the name. Therefore they do not know any separation from the holy name.

The two syllables ha and ri are a mine of all devotionall mellows. All the ecstasies of devotion have taken shelter in them. Falling at the lotus feet of the holy name, Thakura Bhaktivinoda says, O Harinam, I pray for residence at Your lotus feet.”All glories, all glories to the holy name, the abode of immortal transcendental bliss. The Supreme Absolute Truth, who possesses an eternal form, has descended in the form of the holy name. He shows mercy to His devotees and shows boundless compassion and kindness to all fallen souls.

A Window To The Spiritual World

All glories to the Supreme Personality of Godhead who is called by different names such as Hari, Krsna and Rama. He is the auspicious resting place of all living entities within the universe, and He delights the minds of all souls. Great sages, honoring His holy name, constantly sing that holy name, filling their mouths with the sound.

O eternal holy name of Krishna, You possess all powers and bestow auspiciousness upon the living beings. Without You there is no other friend to deliver us from the ocean of material existence. You have come for the deliverence of all fallen souls.

For all souls within this world there is much misery and sorrow. O Harinam, if someone calls upon You just one time, feeling himself very meek and lowly, possessing nothing and seeing no other remedy for his relief, You then easily destroy all his sorrows.

If one simply obtains a slight reflection or glimmer of You, then all sorts of terrible miseries disappear. Thakura Bhaktivinoda says, “All glories, all glories to the holy name of Lord Hari! O Harinam, I perpetually fall at Your lotus feet.”

The sun of the holy name has appeared in the universe to destroy all forms of ignorance. Casting aside all worldly things, the saintly become devoted to Him alone.

The sun of the holy name is the remover of the darkness of ignorance. O Harinam, who actually knows Your greatness? What sort of learned man is capable of singing all Your glories?

O holy name, from the very moment You first appear on the horizon of the heart, the darkness of this material world is almost totally devoured.

Quickly destroying all remaining darkness, You bestow divine wisdom upon our spiritually blinded eyes.

That divine wisdom gives rise within the heart to pure devotion and an understanding of the transcendental characteristics of Lord Hari.This wonderful pastime of Yours is eternal and Thakura Bhaktivinode has understood its essence.

The learned man, endeavoring in the practice of jnana-yoga, eventually sees the Supreme Brahman. That realization of Brahman, in full knowledge, removes all the potential sinful reactions lying in his heart.

By dint of Brahman realization all such potential sinful reactions are destroyed; but unless one undergoes the suffering of current sinful reactions, they will not be destroyed. Therefore, despite being a Brahman realized soul, even such a learned man must undergo the current reactions to his sins and thus be implicated in the cycle of birth and death.
But, O holy name, if You are vibrated on the tongue of Your unalloyed devotee, then all of his sinful reactions of both past and present lives are comnpletely destroyed. This truth is sung by the Vedas again and again.

O sun of the holy name, when You arise on the horizon of the living being’s heart, it becomes completely purified, the bondage to materialistic activities and speculatiove knowledge disappears and the soul’s worldly existence comes to an end without any difficulty.

Thakura Bhaktivinoda, raising his arms says, “Take up the banners of the holy name and walk along sounding the drum of the holy name. In this way you will surely obtain the direct audience of Krsna, the holder of the flute.”

O Harinam, You possess unlimited forms, such as the beloved son of Mother Yasoda, the increaser of the bliss of Gokula, the son of Nanda, and the reservoir of all transcendental mellows.

Radha and Krishna

You are the slayer of the demons Putana and Trnavarta, the breaker of the cart, the protector of the cows, the player of the flute, the destroyer of the demons Agha and Baka, the holder of Govardhan Hill, and You are a cowherd boy.

You destroyed the Kesi demon, bewildered Lord Brahma, and broke the pride of Indra, king of Heaven. You are the destroyer of Aristasura, the enchanter of all the young girls of Gokula, and You sport along the sandy banks of the river Yamuna.

You delight Srimati Radhika and give life to the rasa dance. You sport in the groves near Radha Kunda, performing a variety of pastimes. You are the reservoir of pleasure, attractive to every living being. You remove all inauspiciousness and are the husband of the goddess of fortune. You are the source of all incarnations such as Lord Nrsimha, the half-man half-lion incarnation and Matsya, the fish avatara.
O Harinam, You are pleasing to the cows, land and senses. You are the dwarf brahmana incarnation Vamana and the slayer of the demon Madhu. You are the moon of the Yadu dynasty and always wear beautiful garlands of fresh forest flowers. You are the destroyer of the Kaliya serpent, the delighter of Gokula and You rejoice in the worship of Srimati Radharani.

Thakura Bhaktivinoda, understanding Your glories, clasps the lotus feet of Rupa Goswami and Swarup Damodar Goswami and prays, “O Harinam, according to Your sweet will You are manifest in all these forms and in many others also. Please let them increase my love and attachment for You.”

O Lord, You possess two transcendental forms, properly called vacya and vacaka. The vacya is Your beautiful form full of transcendental knowledge and bliss.

The vacaka froms are Your holy names, such as Sri Krsna, etc. This transcendental sound form is the resting place of the bliss of all souls.

Your unlimited manifestations are found in these two forms. Taking pity and being very kind, they confer upon the fallen souls entrance to Your divine pastimes.

But I have understood Your vacaka form to be more merciful than Your vacya form, O Lord. Thus do I find Your holy name most wonderful.

It is the declaration of the Vedas that the holy name of the Lord and the Lord are nondifferent, yet still the holy name is more merciful than the Lord Himself.

Krishna and the gopies

If one is an offender to Lord Krsna but respects His holy name and calls out with all his heart and soul, “Rama!” “Krsna” “Hari” then all his offenses depart, and that person then swims without difficulty in the ocean of divine bliss and transcendental mellows.

A person may commit offenses to the vacya or the transcendental feature and personality of the Lord; but if he is under the shelter of the pure holy name, he crosses over all those offenses.

At the lotus feet of Srila Rupa Goswami, Thakura Bhaktivinoda begs for constant attachment and love for the vacaka or divine holy name of the Supreme Lord.

O holy name, Your glories are boundless! I therefore bow down at Your lotus feet again and again

O festival of Gokula! O ocean of bliss! I fall down at Your lotus feet, for I am feeling very distressed and troubled at heart.

You are Lord Krishna, Your divine form is perfect and You are the origin of all transcendental mellows. Falling down at Your lotus feet, I sing of Your divine qualities.

You destroy the multitude of afflictions of that person who takes exclusive shelter at Your holy feet.

O holy name, you destroy all his offenses, even those he might have committed to You directly.

Cleansing him of all impurities, You, who are the supreme shelter, sit upon a throne within his heart.

You are delightful and beautiful, the personification of complete cognizance and deep ecstasy. The Vedas sing of You, saying, “The Supreme Personality of Godhead is the personification of all transcendental mellows.”

Lord Krishna And The Gopies

At the lotus feet of Srila Rupa Goswami, Thakura Bhaktivinoda constantly begs that at every moment there be the transcendental vibration of the holy name.

When the great soul Narada Muni plays his vina, the holy name , Radhika-raman, descends and immediately appears amidst the kirtan of the Lord’s devotees.

Like a monsoon cloud, the holy name showers nectar in their ears. All the devotees, due to great ecstasy, repeatedly dance to their hearts content.

All the people of the universe become maddened upon entering this intoxicating shower of nectar. Some people cry, some dance and others become fully intoxicated within their minds.

Lord Siva, embracing Narada Muni, repeatedly makes loud screams of ecstatic joy, and Lord Brahma, dancing very ecstatically, says, “All of you kindly chant, Haribol! Haribol!”

In great happiness the thousand-faced Ananta Sesa chants “Hari! Hari!” By the influence of the transcendental vibration of the holy name, the whole universe becomes ecstatically maddened and everyone tastes the mellows of the holy name.

Thakura Bhaktivinoda, the humble servant of the Lord, says, “The holy name of Krishna has fulfilled all my desires by vibrating on everyone’s tongue.” Bhaktivinoda therefore prays at the feet of Sri Rupa Goswami that the chanting of harinam may comtinue like this always.

Sri Sri Radha And Krishna Reality The Beautiful

Sri Godruma-candra-bhajanopadesa, instructions for the worship of Lord Caitanya, the Moon of Godruma

If you want you heart to be always absorbed in drinking the ambrosial mellows of the lotus feet of Lord Hari, then give up household life, which is full of quarrels and strife, and just worship Lord Gaura, the moon of Godruma’s forest bowers.

Material riches, youth, long duration of life, and royal happiness — none of these are eternal. At any moment they may be destroyed. Give up all useless topics of mundane conversation and just worship Lord Gaura, the moon of Godruma’s forest bowers.

O Friend, ultimately the pleasure to be had in the company of beautiful young women turns to fearfulness and distracts one from the real goal of life. Just worship Lord Gaura, the moon of Godruma’s forest bowers with your mind intoxicated by the nectarine mellows of the holy name.

The taste of mundane poetry does not afford the sweet taste of actual poetry. The sweet mellows of true poetry are found in descriptions of Lord Caitanya, the savior of all souls in the Kali yuga. Enough with the study of any other topics! Just worship Lord Gaura, the moon of Godruma’s forest bowers.

Krishna, the transcendental paramour, stands on the banks of the Yamuna with Radha, the daughter of Vrsabhanu, on His left side. He is absorbed in the pastime of playing soft, melodious songs on His flute. Just worship Lord Gaura, the moon of Godruma’s forest bowers, Lord Caitanya, who is non-different from the son of Nanda.
He is Lord Hari, shining like molten gold and surrounded by His loving devotees in the midst of hari-kirtana, He is the only ocean of mercy for the Gaudiya Vaisnavas. Just worship Lord Gaura, the moon of Godruma’s forest bowers.

Just worship Lord Gaura, the moon of Godruma’s forest bowers — Lord Caitanya, who along with His beloved wife Visnu-priya is glorified by all demigods and saintly persons. His home, Navadvipa, is surrounded by the river Ganga, the daughter of the Himalayas. He is the Lord of Navadvipa and the stealer of the hearts of all sannyasi’s.

Lord Gauranga is like a powerful hammer which smashes the sin and oppression of the mad-dog of the Kali-yuga. and He is absorbed in distributing the holy name of Krishna, which is the greatest medicine to release one from the material existence. His transcendental form is beautiful , and His heart is full of compassion for the suffering, fallen souls of this world. Just worship Lord Gaura, the moon of Godruma’s forest bowers.

Compassion which is free from the duality of “Friend” and “enemy” is always manifest of his lotus face. He is the son of Maharaja Nanda Krishna, who has appeared in a golden form in the land of Navadvipa. Just worship Lord Gaura, the moon of Godruma’s forest bowers.

In this world and in the Upanishads He is celebrated as the all-pervading Supreme Lord. He appeared as the son of a brahmana and is Lord Hari Himself, with a shining complexion of molten gold. In His own abode He sports with His cowherd boy friends. Just worship this Lord Gaura, the moon of Godruma’s forest bowers.
He is the most wonderful of all avataras because He is the source of all other expansions of God. He is the Supreme Truth, enjoying His pastimes here in this world. He is the embodiment of the most confidential flows that exist in the ocean of rasa.

Without strong devotional worship and service, mere mundane scholarship, high family lineage , wealth and so on are not effective for invoking the causeless mercy of the Lord. O friend, just worship ord Gaura, the beautiful moon of Godruma’s forest bowers, by the path of unmotivated devotion.

In His appearance as Hari, the Lord liberated Gajendra, the king of elephants, from the grasp of the crocodile in the lake, and in His appearance as Sri Caitanya, He delivered King Gajapati Prataparudra from the jaws of the kali-yuga crocodile who was lying in the lake of politics. Lord Sri Caitanya is unborn, possesses inconceivable power ,and is likened to an auspicious desire tree. Just worship Lord Gaura, the moon of Godruma’s forest bowers.

Lord Krsna, who was pleased with the penances and austerities of Indra and the Surabhi cow, appeared in this world as Lord Caitanya, possessing a golden complexion. He is eternal happiness and the captivator of the intelligence of all learned sages. Just worship Lord Gaura, the moon of Godruma’s forest bowers.

Give up all worldly desires, monistic meditation and relative conceptions of inauspiciousness and auspiciousness. In a favorable mood, with loving devotion, just engage yourself in just worshipping Lord Gaura, the moon of Godruma’s forest bowers.

Lord Gaura

Remaining devoted to the service of the Vaishnava’s, being addicted to drinking the sweet nectar of the name of Hari, and with a mentality endowed with modesty, humility, and compassion, just worship Lord Gaura, the moon of Godruma’s forest bowers.

Always worship Lord Gaura, the beautiful moon of Godruma’s forest bowers, and call out to the Lord,” O Yadava, ! O Madhava O Krishna, O Hari, O Rama O Janardana, O Keshava, O beloved Lord of Radha!”

Just worship Lord Gaura, the moon of Godruma’s forest bowers and call out to the Lord “O Lord of the Vrindavana forest, which lies along the banks of the Yamuna! O Lord of Govardhana Hill! O sun of the forest of Gokula! O giver of life to the rasa dance.! O Gaurahari!

Go to Navadvipa, the land of Lord Caitanya, Read and recite with great joy the wonderful pastimes of Lord Gaurahari. Roll about in ecstasy on the banks of the Ganges, which are marked with the footprints of Lord Caitanya, and just worship Lord Gaura, the moon of Godruma’s forest bowers.
Remember the wonderful pastimes of Gaura and Gadadhara.

Become a servant of Gaura and Gadadhara. Listen to the beautiful narration’s concerning Gaura and Gadadhara and just worship Lord Gaura, the moon of Godruma’s forest bowers.

RARE HUMAN BIRTH WASTED

The human form of life is the rarest opportunity for attaining spiritual perfection. But now I am lamenting, because I've somehow or other been born with such an opportunity, and I wasted it by never worshiping Lord Krsna. Oh, to whom shall I tell the tale of this misery?

Having married and entered into the entanglements of materialistic family life, I passed my time in vain. I never got any tangible gain or permanent benefit, only trouble and botheration.

What kind of world is this anyway? It seems to be just like a magic lantern show that I saw at a carnival, wherein so many shadows and optical illusions dance magically before my eyes. I feel great attachment and identification with such a world, and thus day after day passes by fruitlessly, without any purpose whatsoever.

When this body drops dead on the ground then what will remain mine? At that moment, all of my sons and dearest loved ones will not be able to give me any happiness.
I work hard just like an ass every day, and now I am wondering for whom am I working so hard? I am still surrounded by so many illusions.

I waste every day in useless, insignificant work, and I waste every night controlled by sleep. And in every 24 hours I never for one second consider that cruel death is sitting very close by my side.

I live a very carefree life-style, sometimes eating a lot, or eating a little if I feel like it, sometimes I see nice things around the town, or sometimes I do not go out at all, sometimes I wear opulent clothing, or if I'm in the mood, I'll wear something simple. I live so carefree that I never consider that one day I will have to give up this body.

My poor heart is plagued by constant anxieties about the maintenance and daily turmoils created by my body, my house, my wife, my family members and my social obligations. All these anxieties are pinching me and destroying all my intelligence.

Alas, alas! What a remorseful situation has arisen! I am absorbed in all this trouble, but I never consider that all these things are temporary and subject to perish very soon. After I'm dead and gone, where will all of my material opulences remain?
When my body will be thrown int the pit at the cremation grounds, it will simply lie there motionlessly. Then many crows, vultures, ants, and worms will come and playfully sport there.

All the stray dogs and jackals will then become very much delighted, and in great ecstasy they will make a festival ground out of my body and will have a huge celebration and feast.

Just see, this is the ultimate destination of this material body. And the most amazing thing is that all of my material opulences, house, family and friends have exactly the same destination.

Therefore I ask of anyone who has any sharp intelligence: please give up all of these temporary illusions presented by maya, and kindly search after the means to get pure devotion to Lord Krsna, for this is the only really tangible eternal truth.

Devotion to Lord Krishna is most wonderful

SONG FOUR — WORSHIP NOW, NOT LATER

A wise, experienced man will never say: 'At the end of my life I will woship God, but now I will enjoy happiness in family life'– for he knows that this body is tottering and unstable, about to drop at any second.

Death certainly must come, either today or in about hundred years, so don't live so carefree, brothers! Immediately begin worshiping the lotus feet of Krsna, for ther is no fixed certainty of this life.

One thinks: 'After spending my worldly life I shall go to Vrndavana, but to purify myself of the three debts I am endeavoring very hard now'.

This type of idea is not the ultimate goal of life. By the influence of such a nonsensical desire, your life will depart in the end without your ever having worshiped the lotus feet of -dina-bandhu-, sthe dearmost Friend of the fallen.

If you want the topmost auspiciousness, then just sing always the name of Krsna whether you live at home or in the forest. All these other arguments described here are simply aimless excuses.