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Courtesy Sri Vrindavan Das 7 hours ago

What is the Most Severe Nama-aparadha?

— From Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakur's 'Srila Prabhupadera Upadesamrta'.

Question 1 How can one attain perfection within a single lifetime?
Answer: If one gives up one's free will and fully surrenders to Sri Gurudeva, and then performs bhajana without duplicity under his guidance, one will attain perfection within a single lifetime.
Question 2 By what means can one know Sri Bhagavan?
Answer: One will have to hear with faith the katha of Bhagavan coming from the lotus lips of Sri Gurudeva. There is no way to know Sri Bhagavan other than by whole-heartedly surrendering unto the lotus feet of Sri Gurudeva. Only a person who does so can know Sri Bhagavan.
Question 3 What is the most severe nama-aparadha, or offence to the holy name?
Answer: To consider Srila Gurudeva to be an ordinary human being is the most deadly offence, the most severe nama-aparadha. By maintaining a conception of him as a mere morta

GITA CLASS ! SPI members kindly come to class! Jaya! Haribol!

Ramanujacharya.

   When the religion of the Vedas became weakened due to the influence of less intelligent men who blindly performed ritualistic ceremonies and wantonly killed animals in the name of Vedic injunctions, Buddha appeared on the scene as a great reformer. Totally rejecting the Vedic literature and substituting his rational, atheistic views, Buddha advocated the path of ahimsa, (nonviolence and nirvana-the negation of reality as we know it) as the ultimate goal of life. Soon after, the philosophy of Shankaracharya overpowered Buddhism and spread throughout India.

   The authority of the Upanishads and other Vedic literature were revived by Shankara and employed as weapons to fight the Buddhist doctrine. Interpreting the Vedas to draw a particular conclusion, Shankara established the doctrine of non-dualism, adwaita-vedanta, stating that all living entities were on an equal level with God. He prominently stressed those texts which afforded an answer to the rationalistic atheism

Madhvacharya took diksha at age five, sannyasa at twelve and left home. He appeared with a mission to fight and defeat Sankara's Mayavada (impersonal) philosophy. By giving a pure interpretation of Vedanta-sutra he promoted pure theism. He named his innovative shastric explanation dvaita-dvaita-vada (pure dualism). (In the image: Shrila Madhvacharya).

   Shri Madhvacharya appeared in 1238 A.D. near Udupi, Karnataka in South India. He was considered an incarnation of Vayu (wind god). He had an unusually strong physique and extraordinary intellectual power. Once a fierce Bengali tiger attacked Madhvacharya's sannyasa disciple, Satya Tirtha. Madhvacharya wrestled the tiger and sent him away with his tail between his legs. Madhvacharya took diksha at age five, sannyasa at twelve and left home. He appeared with a mission to fight and defeat Sankara's Mayavada (impersonal) philosophy. By giving a pure interpretation of Vedanta-sutra he promoted pure theism. He named his innovative shastric ex

Bhismastami is the appearance anniversary of Bhismadeva, the “grandfather” of the Pandavas. Bhishma's name in his boyhood was Devavrata.
 

Geneology:
From Vishnu were descended in the following order – Brahma-Atri-Candra-Budha – Pururavas – Ayus – Nahusha- Yayati – Puru – Janamejaya – Prachinvaa – Pravira – Namasyu – Vitabhava – Shundu – Bahuvidha – Samyati – Rahovadi – Raudrasva – Matinara – Santurodha – Dushyanta – Bharata – Suhotra – Gala – Gardda – Suketu – Brhatksetra – Hasti – Ajamidha – Riksha – Samvarana – Kuru – Jahnu – Suratha – Vidaratha – Sarvabhauma – Jayatsena – Ravyaya – Bhavuka – Chakroddhata – Devatithi – Riksha – Bhima-Pratipa-Shantanu-Bhishma.
 

Birth and Boyhood:
Bhishma's name in his boyhood was Devavrata. He was the eighth son of Shantanu, a king of the lunar dynasty and Gangadevi. This boy was the human embodiment of Dyau, one of the Ashthavasus. Shantanu, his father was the re-birth of another king, Mahabhisheka. The story concerning this is given in the Mahabharata

B. Radha-Govinda Swami (ACBSP)

CC Ādi 6.1 I offer my respectful obeisances to Śrī Advaita Ācārya, whose activities are all wonderful. By His mercy, even a foolish person can describe His characteristics.
CC Ādi 6.2: All glories to Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu! All glories to Lord Nityānanda! All glories to Advaita Ācārya! And all glories to all the devotees of Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu!
CC Ādi 6.4: Lord Advaita Ācārya is the incarnation of Mahā-Viṣṇu, whose main function is to create the cosmic world through the actions of māyā.
CC Ādi 6.5: Because He is nondifferent from Hari, the Supreme Lord, He is called Advaita, and because He propagates the cult of devotion, He is called Ācārya. He is the Lord and the incarnation of the Lord's devotee. Therefore I take shelter of Him.
CC Ādi 6.6: Śrī Advaita Ācārya is indeed directly the Supreme Personality of Godhead Himself. His glory is beyond the conception of ordinary living beings.
CC Ādi 6.7: Mahā-Viṣṇu performs all the functions

The Bhagavad-Gita is the essence of all Vedic knowledge. Through a careful and detailed study of the Bhagavad-Gita, members can move closer to self-realization. This group is open to all who wish to participate, and will begin on Saturday, 31 January 2015. https://puredevoteeseva.ning.com/

Bhagavad-Gita Study Group

Saraswati Vandana

Yaa Kundendu tushaara haaradhavalaa,

Yaa shubhravastraavritha

Yaa veenavara dandamanditakara,

aa shwetha padmaasana

Yaa brahmaachyutha shankara

prabhritibhir Devaisadaa Vanditha

Saa Maam Paatu Saraswatee

Bhagavatee Nihshesha jaadyaapahaa

Meaning: May the Goddess Saraswati protect me. She is fair like the jasmine-colored moon, and whose pure white garland is like frosty dew drops. She is adorned in radiant white attire, on whose beautiful arm rests the veena, and whose throne is a white lotus. She is surrounded and respected by the Gods. Please remove my weariness, sluggishness and ignorance.

Shri Uddhav das sings the glories of Raghunandan, who is non different from Madan (Cupid).

   Shri Mukunda Das, Madhava Das and Shri Narahari Sarakar Thakur were three brothers who lived in the village of Shri Khanda. Raghunandan was the son of Shri Mukunda Das. [C. C. Mad 15]

   In the house of Shri Mukunda Das, who lives at Shri Khanda, Lord Shri Gopinath is served with great devotion. One day Mukunda was called out to do some work, and then he instructed his son Raghunandan to worship the Deity and asked him to serve the Lord Gopinath that day. He explained to him that this Deity is in our family for many generations and thus He has been worshipped by my father and his father and his father on and on, in this way for many years. Just as your mother feeds you and I everyday, so also He has to be fed everyday. Having explained to Raghunandan that this is a very big responsibility and he should be very careful to give his full attention to this service, Mukunda went out. Raghunandan mean

Comment on Mantra 18 of Sri Isopanisad:

This is the final mantra of Sri Isopanisad, and is translated by Srila Prabhupada as follows: “O my Lord, as powerful as fire, O omnipotent one, now I offer You all obeisances, falling on the ground at Your feet. O my Lord, please lead me on the right path to reach You, and since You know all that I have done in the past, please free me from the reactions to my past sins so that there will be no hindrance to my progress” (p. 133). This final mantra summarizes what has come before, and reminds us that the path to self- realization is found by surrendering to Lord Sri Krsna.

As we have already seen, it is easy to be led astray in this materialistic world. We can incur sin in so many ways, but as humans we are able to do something about it. Of the 8.400.000 forms of life in the universe, humans are the only species to be able to attain self-realization. Through the study of the Bhagavad-Gita, we find that there are many paths one may follow whil

Appearing in 1638, Sri Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura (Hari Vallabha Dasa) came in the disciplic succession from Sri Narottama Dasa Thakura. Visvanatha took diksa from Sri Radha Ramana Cakravarti. Although married, Visvanatha was indifferent and soon renounced family life. He came to Vrindavana dhama and did Krishna bhajana at Radha-kunda.
 
He was known as "the crest jewel of the Vaisnavas" because of his pure devotion, scholarship, and realized perception of Radha Gokulananda's intimate conjugal pastimes. Gaudiya authorities say that Sri Rupa Goswami is vag-devavatara (an incarnation of the god of speech). And Gaudiya acaryas, especially among his direct disciples, believe that Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura is an incarnation of Sri Rupa Goswami.

Among all Gaudiya Vaisnava acaryas only Visvanatha Cakravarti comes close to matching Srila Rupa Goswami's profound realizations on the Absolute Truth. Visvanatha Cakravarti's name itself implies his position. Visvanatha means "He who reveals the