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So some way or other, if you be in touch with this Hare Kṛṣṇa movement, then your life is successful;

Sāṅketyam. You keep your children’s name just like he kept, Nārāyaṇa. He actually became delivered because he kept his son’s name Nārāyaṇa. Sāṅketyaṁ pārihāsyam. Joking. Sometimes they joke: “Oh, these people are chanting ‘Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa,’ ” and they joke also, “Hare Kṛṣṇa!” sometimes seriously, sometimes joking. So joking, they are chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa—that is taken to their credit, although he is joking; he is not serious. Sāṅketyaṁ pārihāsyaṁ stobham. Sometimes we make fun. To complete one sentence sometimes we, “Hari,” “Kṛṣṇa,” we add it. So that is also accepted. And then helanam eva vā. Helanam eva vā. Just like sometimes in the Western countries there is propaganda, as it was in Germany. Now they are going in Japan: “These Hare Kṛṣṇa people are very bad.” But he’s chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa. While saying that “Hare Kṛṣṇa people are very bad,” but the “Hare Kṛṣṇa

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THIS IS SAHAJIYA . THIS IS NOT MATURE DEVOTEE

The Gosvāmīs, they also, when they were in Vṛndāvana, they never said that “I have seen Kṛṣṇa.” Although they were the most perfect, they never said that “I have seen Kṛṣṇa.” Their prayers were like this: he rādhe! vraja-devīke! he nanda-suno! kutaḥ. He rādhe, Rādhārāṇī, he rādhe! vraja-devīke! ca. Rādhārāṇī does not remain alone. He (She) remains always with His (Her) friends, vraja-devī, Lalitā or Viśākha and other damsels of Vṛndāvana. So the Gosvāmīns are praying, in their mature stage, when they were living at Vṛndāvana, they were praying in this way, he rādhe! vraja-devīke! ca lalite! he nanda- suno! kutaḥ: “Where, Rādhārāṇī, where You are? Where are Your associates? Where You are, Nanda-suno, the son of Nanda Mahārāja, Kṛṣṇa? Where you are, all?” They were searching after. They never said, “I have seen Kṛṣṇa dancing with the gopīs. Last night I saw.” (laughter) This is sahajiyā. This is not mature devotee. This is call

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  • Devotee (9): What I meant to say is he does not want to chant with women in the temple room. I have seen this before. He says, "I do not want to chant in a room with women. I would rather be away from the women."

    Prabhupada: That means he has got distinction between men and women. He is not yet pandit. Panditah sama-darsinah. He is a fool. That's all. He is a fool. So what is the value of his words? He is a fool.

    Indian man (4): So he'll go first to make...

    Prabhupada: He should always consider, "There is woman, that's all. She is my mother." That's all. Matrvat para-daresu. Then what is the...? Suppose you sit down with your mother and chant. What is the wrong? But he is not so strong; then he should go to the forest. Why he should live in the Nairobi city? On the street there are so many women. He will walk on the street closing the eyes? (laughter) This is all rascaldom. They are rascals. They are not devotees, simply rascals.

    Conversation - November 2, 1975, Nair

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"Those favored by God find their paths set by thorns."
 (Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura)
 
"Sometimes Krsna may put us into some difficulty just to purify us and force us to advance in Krsna consciousness.  The devotee should always see his difficulty in this light, that Krsna is so kind upon me for creating this condition of struggling, thus He is relieving me of so many billions of lifetime of sinful reactions by this very insignificant and temporary condition of suffering something."
 (Srila Prabhupada letter, Dec. 29, 1972)
 
"A devotee always accepts his distress as minimized by God’s mercy; although he would have to suffer many more times the suffering.  Anyone who accepts this philosophy of God’s mercy in suffering conditions, and still makes progress in Krishna consciousness, it is said that he is sure to go back to home, Back to Godhead."
 (Srila Prabhupada letter, February 13, 1968)
 
"A pure devotee of the Lord accepts tribulation as favours from the Lord.  Sinc
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From Bhagavad-gita lecture, 3.18-30, L.A., 12/68, Srila Prabhupada said:

"So a Kṛṣṇa conscious person should not be disturbed whether his preaching work is being accepted by the people or not. It doesn't matter. My Guru Mahārāja used to say that... If somebody said that "We went to preach in such and such place. Only there were three or four, attendance." So my Guru Mahārāja used to encourage them and it is factual—that "Why, two, three men were there was sufficient. If there were none, you could speak and the walls would hear you." You see. "Why you are disappointed?" So even the walls, they hear, then our kīrtana is sufficient. You don't mind. Because only fortunate persons... Bahūnāṁ janmanām ante [Bg. 7.19]. Manuṣyāṇāṁ sahasreṣu [Bg. 7.3]. So to become God conscious, Kṛṣṇa conscious, is not very cheap thing. It requires a great amount of austerity, penance to come to this stage. So never be disappointed that because people are not responding. You see?

There are many

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Since age 16 I've been representing.
Now I'm sixty of body years,
grown tough and curt
so many tough times,
so often hurt,
no time left for baloney,
though i love bhakti poetry.
I've fought against Maya a battle unrelenting.

Do i seem a bit shell-shocked and rude in my venting?
sorry but i really meant it.
This life, Krsna sent it
I just grabbed ahold and went with it
I did not create or invent this
I am simply one of the Magician's apprentices.

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9468794891?profile=originalSrimati Radhika cooks and Lord Krishna spies on Her

In his svarūpāveśa Śrī Raghunātha has a vision of his devotional service and when the vision vanishes he prays:

“Ayi Kuśale! O all-auspicious Svāmini! When will You enter the kitchen after washing Your feet and offering Your obeisances to Vrajeśvarī Yaśodā and other superiors?”

 

The maidservant changes Śrīmatī’s clothes and ornaments and dresses Her in clothes that are fit for use in the kitchen. Śrī Raghunātha clearly perceives this pastime.

During visualization it appears as if it is directly happening, but after the vision subsides, one considers: “Oh, that wasn’t real – it was just a vision!”

Then with piteous cries one prays again. Then the meditation appears again as if it is directly happening. In this way the līlā smaraṇa gradually continues.

When a sensitive devotee hears and recites this he will think:

“Aho! Blessed is Śrī Dāsa Gosvāmī! He was totally free from bodily consciousness when he fell on th

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Once in the house of Srivasa Thakura Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu sang while Vakresvara Pandit danced in, constant ecstasy for seventy-two hours. At that time Lord Caitanya said, "Vakresvara, I have only one wing like you, but if I had another certainly I could fly in the sky".

Expert at singing and dancing, Vakresvara Pandit always pleased Lord Caitanya with his service in the Navadvipa sankirtana parties (which he joined from the beginning), the dramas at Srivas Angam, and the yearly Ratha-yatra at Jagannatha Puri.
 
Vrindavana Dasa Thakura said, 'To awaken the sleeping souls in the age of Kali Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu came to distribute the nectar of the holy name of Krishna. When He came the khol (mrdanga) and karatals sounded like thundering clouds. Absorbed in moods of ecstatic love and shouting "Hari bol Hari bol," Sri Gauranga told everyone to chant the holy name of Krishna. Raising His golden arms to the sky, Lord Gaura Hari would dance in ecstasy. At that time, Vakresvara Pandit and

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What is Bhagavad Gita?
What is the purpose of Bhagavad Gita?

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Chaitanya Maha Prabhu was once travelling through a town where in a temple many erudite brahmin Sanskrit scholars were reciting the verses from  the Gita. Chaitanya Maha Prabhu noticed that one of them, an old brahmin was sitting alone in a corner and trying to read but had tears rolling down his cheeks. He could not pronounce the verses properly. Some of the brahmins listening to him were giggling and laughing at him. So Chaitanya Maha Prabhu approached him and told him not to worry about others and to continue reciting.

The old brahmin said that he was not even aware others were laughing at him. He was emotional because whenever he saw the beautiful image of Krishna on the cover of Gita he could not stop the flow of tears.
Maha Prabhu said, "you're the one who has really understood the purpose of the Bhagavad Gita. You need not study the verses".

The purpose of the Bhagavad Gita is to develop pure love for Krishna.

Some

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Namabhasera phala

The clearing stages of chanting Harinama are described below;

( Namabhasera phala ), The Results of namabhasa Chanting; Nama bhasa chanting chanting brings many auspicious benefits. By it the individual soul gets piety. This is inevitable. By namabhasa sins are destroyed, by namabhasa liberation is attained, all the effects of Kali yuga are over come. By namabhasa one becomes purified of the mud of materialism by namabhasa all diseases are cured. All fears flee from namabhasa. A person who chants namabhasa is safe from all calamites. Yaksas, raksasas, bhutas, ( ghosts ), pretas ( goblins ), evil planets, and anarthas all flee from namabhasa. By namabhasa the souls fallen into hell are delivered. From namabhasa all past karma flees. Nama bhasa is better than all the Vedas and all holy places. Namabhasa is the best of all auspicious deeds. - Srila Hari das Thakura, Hari nama Cintamani.

Caitanya Bhagavata Dasa's photo.
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  • 9468735689?profile=originalShishir Katote R Does vaidhi bhakti refer to sadhana bhakti and bhava bhakti to raganuga bhakti? I find it more of a preaching strategy that vaidhi bhakti gets converted to raganuga bhakti. Why? Sadhana-bhakti arises from nirguna-sraddha or paramarthiki sastriya sraddha arising out of visuddha-sattva. Brahma-Samhita (5.61) clearly states that the caliber of sadhya-bhakti (the stage of siddhi or perfection) depends on the caliber of sadhana-bhakti (i.e. bhavana). Vide – “…yādṛśī yādṛśī śraddhā siddhir bhavati tādṛśī…”. Hence, the sadhana-bhakti is also part of uttama-bhakti, though not its paramount stage. JG writes in his vaisnava-tosani commentary to SB 10th canto that "sraddha tu raty-ankura-rupa jayate..." or that this paramarthiki sraddha arises as a seed of the actual rati or bhava. If bhava and prema are visuddha-sattvatmika (as explained in BRS 1.3.1 and BRS 1.4.1), then the seed of that bhava and prema will also be visuddha-sattvatmika – making it to be uttama also (b
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9468738091?profile=originalSrila Prabhupada...."The Hare Kṛṣṇa movement is also an incarnation of Kṛṣṇa in the form of the holy name (nāma-rūpe). Every one of us who is actually afraid of the asuric rulers and politicians must welcome this incarnation of Kṛṣṇa: Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare. Then we will surely be protected from the harassment of asuric rulers. At the present moment these rulers are so powerful that by hook or by crook they capture the highest posts in government and harass countless numbers of people on the plea of national security or some emergency. Then again, one asura defeats another asura, but the public continues to suffer. Therefore the entire world is in a precarious condition, and the only hope is this Hare Kṛṣṇa movement. Lord Nṛsiṁhadeva appeared when Prahlāda was excessively harassed by his asuric father. Because of such asuric fathers—that is, the ruling politicians—it is very difficult to press forward the Hare Kṛṣṇa mo

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Ratha Yatra

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The chariot festival in which Lord Krsna in the form of Lord Jagannatha rides with Lord Balarama and Subhadra Devi in Jagannatha Puri, India.

At the height of Indian summer, right at the beginning of the Monsoon, the Lord of Puri goes to his garden palace for the annual summer vacation. Originally the festival has its foundation in the residents of Vrindavan bringing back their Lords, Krishna, Balaram and Lady Subhadra from Kurukshetra.

Today in Puri He, the Lord of the Universe travels in some style from his temple in Puri, to his garden temple, located outside the town centre called Gundicha. Thousands of Hindus flock to see, and to pull the grand chariots from one temple to the other. The English word "Jagannaut" comes from the giantchariots of Lord Jagannath of Puri. The British were so stunned by the size of the chariots, they coined a word for it!

In Puri, Lord Jagannath is worshipped with his elder brother Bala-Rama and his sister Subhadra. Each sibling has his / her own chariot an

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Svarupa Damodara Goswami

Just as Lalita and Vishakha are Radharani's dearest gopis, Svarupa Damodara (Vishakha-sakhi) and Ramananda Raya (Lalita-sakhi) are Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu's most confidential associates. (In the image: Shrimati Vishakha Devi, ISKCON Chowpatty, Mumbai).

  One of the closest associates of Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, Purushottama Acharya (Svarupa) knew exactly the heart of Shri Krishna Chaitanya. Glorifying him as "the storehouse of all devotional mellows," Lord Chaitanya added the word Damodara to his name.

   Svarupa Damodara revealed to the world the innermost emotions of Shri Chaitanya's mood of Radharani feeling separation from Krishna. Sensing Lord Gauranga's moods, Svarupa Damodara would perform kirtana to enhance the Lord's internal sentiments. To soothe Lord Chaitanya's love pangs in viraha bhava he would sing songs from Gita-Govinda, Krishna Karnamrta, and the love poems of Chandidasa and Vidyapati.

   Throughout the day and night Svarupa Damodara and Ramananda Raya stayed near Sh

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Every year one month before chaturmasya (four month period of the rainy season) Shivananda Sena would lead a party of two hundred Devotees from Bengal to Jagannatha Puri to attend the annual Ratha-Yatra festival. He would pay for everyone's food, tolls, ferries, and lodging. He personally arranged for their comfort.
 
   Shivananda Sena showed Vaishnava compassion for all living entities, be they man or beast. When a stray dog joined the party Shivananda Sena fed the dog and even paid his boat fare. When the dog disappeared one day Shivananda sent 200 men to search for him. Upon arriving in Puri, they saw Lord Chaitanya throwing coconut pulp to the dog. The dog became purified of all material contamination by eating the Maha-Prasadam remnants of Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. Not seeing the dog the next day, Shivananda Sena understood that the dog had attained liberation by the mercy of Lord Chaitanya.
 
   Observing chaturmasya in Puri, Shivananda and the Devotees would regularly bathe in

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Gundica Marjana

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The cleansing of the Gundica temple in Jagannatha Puri, India.

In his Amrta-pravaha-bhasya, Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura summarizesthis chapter as follows. The King of Orissa, Maharaja Prataparudra,tried his best to see Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Srila Nityananda Prabhu andthe other devotees informed the Lord about the King's desire, but SriCaitanya Mahaprabhu would not agree to see him. At that time Sri NityanandaPrabhu devised a plan, and He sent a piece of the Lord's outward garmentto the King. The next day, when Ramananda Raya again entreated SriCaitanya Mahaprabhu to see the King, the Lord, denying the request, askedRamananda Raya to bring the King's son before Him. The prince visited theLord dressed like a Vaisnava, and this awakened remembrance of Krsna. Thus SriCaitanya Mahaprabhu delivered the son of Maharaja Prataparudra.

After this, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu washed the Gundica temple before the Ratha-yatra took place. He then took His bath at Indradyumna Lakeand partook of prasadam

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Gurukrpa speaks on ISKCON History

Gurukripa dasa speaks with Bhakta dasa:

Question to GK: What happened the final months of SP’s
appearance in connection with the process of initiating new devotees?
Answer: Nothing happened. In the beginning SP did the
disksa, the yajna and the name giving. As the numbers increased, he
authorized  GBC, and senior sanyassis to pick names and chant on the
beads, etc.  In 1977 during the months of May, June, July 1977 I was in
Vrindaban with Srila Prabhupada, giving him his massage in his bed
between 1 AM and mangala aratik. During the day, many letters would
arrive. Satsvarupa Swami was the secretary and we decided that only
letters that would give joy to Srila Prabhupada would be read. Like
numbers of books sold, etc. A maximum of five letters daily were read
to SP.
After some weeks like this, there were stacks and stacks of
letters, all relating to initiation. Hundreds of people were panicking
that SP would leave the planet before they were given ini
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