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Mathurā

Mathurā

by Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura Prabhupāda


(Portrait of Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura<br /

In śāstra, it has been declared that the month of Kārtika possesses the greatest significance in connection with the practice of devotion to Śrī Śrī Rādhā-Dāmodara. This month is sacred to Dāmodara and should be spent in non-stop service while residing in the holy city of Mathurā.

Śrī Kṛṣṇa was born in Mathurā. The modern city occupies practically the site of ancient Mathurā on the river Yamunā. About six miles to the north of Mathurā is Vṛndāvana, and about seven miles to the southeast is Gokula. All three places are located on the banks of the Yamunā; Mathurā and Vṛndāvana being on the western and Gokula on the eastern bank of the river.

After His birth, which took place in the middle part of a dark and tempestuous night, Śrī Kṛṣṇa was immediately taken to Gokula by His father Vasudeva, who crossed the Yamuna, which was then in flood, by wading on foot. Vasudeva and his wife Devakī had been confined in a strongly guarde

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absolutely natural hankering

9468759856?profile=originalThe desire for spiritual life is an absolutely natural hankering. Because we are spirit souls, we cannot be happy in the material atmosphere. If you take a fish out of water, it cannot be happy...Unless you take to Krsna consciousness, you cannot be happy. That is a fact...Srila Prabhupada Interview
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Narottama Dasa Thakura Disappearance

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Pastimes of Narottama Dasa Thakura

I take refuge at the lotus feet of Lokanatha Prabhu, who is completely indifferent to the pains and pleasures of this material world. His mercy was fully realized only by the great scholar Narottama dasa. All glories to Narottama dasa Thakura, the beloved disciple of Lokanatha Goswami. How the illustrious Narottama took his birth in the house of Krishnananda Datta, the elder brother of Sri Purusottama, I dare not discuss elaborately here. However, for your pleasure, I shall give a brief description.

One day while Chaitanya Mahaprabhu was dancing with his associates during sankirtana, He suddenly looked in the direction of Sri Kheturi village. A peculiar look appeared on His face, tears whelmed up in His eyes, and He cried out the name "Narottama! Narottama!" again and again. The ocean of mercy Nityananda Raya shouted in joy, and Haridasa, Vakreshvara, and others were inexplicably filled

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"God has given independence to everyone; therefore, if a person desires to have material enjoyment and wants very sincerely to have such facilities from the material demigods, the Supreme Lord, as Supersoul in everyone's heart, understands and gives facilities to such persons. As the supreme father of all living entities, He does not interfere with their independence, but gives all facilities so that they can fulfill their material desires. Some may ask why the all-powerful God gives facilities to the living entities for enjoying this material world and so lets them fall into the trap of the illusory energy. The answer is that if the Supreme Lord as Supersoul does not give such facilities, then there is no meaning to independence. Therefore He gives everyone full independence—whatever one likes—but His ultimate instruction we find in the Bhagavad-gītā: man should give up all other engagements and fully surrender unto Him. That will make man happy."

His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedan
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Lakshmi Stuti

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1) Namastestu Mahaamaaye Shreepeete Surapoojite
Shankha Chakra Gadaa Haste Mahaalakshmi Namostu Te. 

O Mahaamaaya, abode of fortune, worshipped by the Gods, I salute Thee. O Mahaalakshmi, one who has conch, disc and mace in Her hands, obeisance to Thee. 

2) Namaste Garudaroode Koalaasura Bhayankari
Sarva Paapa Hare Devi, Mahaalakshmi Namostu Te. 

My salutations to Thee, who rides Garuda and are a terror to demon Kola; O Devi Mahaalakshmi, remover of all miseries, my obeisance to Thee. 

3) Sarvagye Sarva Varade Sarva Dushta Bhayankari 
Sarva Duhkha Hare Devi Mahaalakshmi Namostu Te. 

O Devi Mahaalaksmi, who is the embodiment of knowledge, giver of all boons, a terror to all the wicked, remover of all sorrows, obeisance to Thee. 

4) Siddhi Buddhi Prade Devi Bhukti Mukti Pradaayini 
Mantra Moorthe Sadaa Devi Mahaa Lakshmi Namostu Te. 

O Devi, You give success and intelligence and worldly enjoyment and liberation (as well). Thou hast always the mystic symbols (Mantra) as Thy form, O Mahaalakshmi, obe

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Sri Murari Gupta Disappearance

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sri-murari gupta sakha - premera bhandara
prabhura hridaya drave suni’ dainya yanra


TRANSLATION
Murari Gupta, the twenty-first branch of the tree of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, was a storehouse of love of Godhead. His great humility and meekness melted the heart of Lord Caitanya.


PURPORT
Sri Murari Gupta wrote a book called Sri Caitanya-carita. He belonged to a vaidya physician family of Srihatta, the paternal home of Lord Caitanya, and later became a resident of Navadvipa. He was among the elders of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Lord Caitanya exhibited His Varaha form in the house of Murari Gupta, as described in the Caitanya-bhagavata, Madhya-lila, Third Chapter. When Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu exhibited His maha-prakasa form, He appeared before Murari Gupta as Lord Ramacandra.

 

When Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu and Nityananda Prabhu were sitting together in the house of Srivasa Thakura, Murari Gupta first offered his respects to Lord Caitanya and then to Sri Nityananda Prabhu. Nityananda Prabhu, however,

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"If you want to love somebody, you must know him. Love is not with the air. If you want to love somebody, then you must know what he is and why should I love him. So nobody can understand Kṛṣṇa. Where is the question of love? If you do not understand what is Kṛṣṇa, the question of loving Him does not arise. But here Caitanya Mahāprabhu is giving directly love of Kṛṣṇa. That means Kṛṣṇa understanding is automatically—finished. Therefore He is addressed as the most magnanimous. So it is not at all seldom. As the age is fallen, the most magnanimous incarnation is Caitanya Mahāprabhu, and He is giving directly Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa-prema. You take it. Why don't you take it? It is not seldom. You do not like to take it. That is the disease. And that is aśraddadhāna. There is no śraddhā. Aśraddadhānāḥ puruṣāḥ, mām aprāpya [Bg. 9.3]. How you can get Kṛṣṇa? There is no śraddhā. Therefore they must suffer in the cycle of birth and death."
Srila Prabhupada's conversation; may 13 1977
Photo: "If you want to love somebody, you must know him. Love is not with the air. If you want to love somebody, then you must know what he is and why should I love him. So nobody can understand Kṛṣṇa. Where is the question of love? If you do not understand what is Kṛṣṇa, the question of loving Him does not arise. But here Caitanya Mahāprabhu is giving directly love of Kṛṣṇa. That means Kṛṣṇa understanding is automatically—finished. Therefore He is addressed as the most magnanimous. So it is not at all seldom. As the age is fallen, the most magnanimous incarnation is Caitanya Mahāprabhu, and He is giving directly Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa-prema. You take it. Why don't you take it? It is not seldom. You do not like to take it. That is the disease. And that is aśraddadhāna. There is no śraddhā. Aśraddadhānāḥ puruṣāḥ, mām aprāpya [Bg. 9.3]. How you can get Kṛṣṇa? There is no śraddhā. Therefore they must suffer in the cycle of birth and death." Srila Prabhupada's conversation; may 13 1977
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Raghunatha-Bhatta-Goswami.jpg 

By the order of Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu Raghunatha Bhatta Goswami remained a lifelong brahmachari. His service was constant chanting of Hare Krishna and reading Shrimad Bhagavatam. In Jagannatha Puri, Raghunatha satisifed Lord Gauranga by his exceptional cooking and kirtana performances, which won him the title, kirtana acharya.
 
   When he came to Vrindavana, the Vaishnavas (including Shri Rupa and Sanatana Goswamis) would regularly listen to his singing of Bhagavata shlokas in four tunes as sweet as a cuckoo. His recitation was unparalleled; even Vyasadeva enjoyed it. He fulfilled Lord Chaitanya's order to preach the glories and peerless significance of the grantha-raja Shrimad Bhagavatam.
 
   His tears of pure love for Radha-Govinda would wet the pages. Raghunatha Bhatta was so absorbed in Krishna-katha that he never heard or spoke worldly topics, what to speak of criticizing Devotees. He believed that all Vaishnavas are sincerely serving the Lord according to their realization, an

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Sri Raghunatha dasa took his birth in the village of Sri Krsnapura in the district of Hooghly. His father's name was Sri Govardhana, whose elder brother was Sri Hiranya dasa. Both of them were respectable wealthy land-holders belonging to the Kayastha caste. Their title, which was given by the King, was "Majumdar" and their yearly income was two million.

In his childhood Sri Raghunatha dasa studied at the house of the priest, Acarya Sri Balarama dasa. Haridasa Thakura was very merciful to Balarama dasa and occasionally visited his house. At these times Raghunatha dasa had the good fortune of relishing Thakura Haridasa's association and listened to philosophical discourses from him.

Sri Raghunatha dasa was the only son in the family of Hiranya and Govardhana and there was no limit to the care and affection which was showered upon him. Though he was brought up just like the son of a king, by the powerful influence of saintly devotees, he realized at a very young age that material existence

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He was a famous Vaisnava poet, born in a vaidya caste in Saka 1482 (1560 AD) at Jhamatpur in the district of Burdwan. His parents were Bhagiratha and Sunanda. His brother, Syamadasa, was a physician.

Krsnadasa's father died when he was only six years of age. Thus Krsnadasa and his brother were brought up in the house of their paternal aunt. From early childhood Krsnadasa displayed a strong inclination towards renunciation. Upon reaching maturity he entrusted his brother with the responsibility of caring for the property and he dedicated himself completely to Harinama.

One night he received a command in a dream from Lord Nityananda to go to Vrndavana. Thus Krsnadasa went to Vrndavana, where he lived until the end of his life.

Premavilasa 18 states that Raghunatha dasa Gosvami was his guru. Krsnadasa's profound command over the Sanskrit sastras is apparent in his works CC, Govindalilamrta, and the 'Sarangarangada' tika of Krsnakarnamrta. His CC. is a treasure cherished by all Vaisnava

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9468765893?profile=original""Where is comfort? You are going to die. Where is your comfort? You are going to be diseased. You are going to be old man like me. Every moment there is some trouble. So where is the comfort, rascal? That means misleading. There is no comfort; still, they are promising comfort. This is misleading. Where is comfort? If you have to die—"Oh, I am dying comfortably"—what is this nonsense? "I am dying comfortably."... Why you have so many medical men if you are comfortable? Why there are so many drugs, medicine, if you are comfortable? This is maya. He is not in comfort; still, he will say that "I am in comfort." This is called maya, illusion... Yes. He will take injection. It is comfort. Daily he will take injection, and it is comfort. (laughter) Just see the fools and rascals. Mudha...met so many medical men, doctors and quack. "Die comfortably." What is the use of this medical man, medicine? What is the use? If your comfort and death is comfortable, then why spend so much money? Die c
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"Your strong desire to serve me is very beautiful; your serving me means serving Krishna. I am also your servant so I cannot accept your service from you, or from any of my disciples. I accept service from my disciples on behalf of Krishna. Just like a tax collector must collect for the treasury, not for himself. If he himself touches so much as a farthing it would be unlawful. So I have no right to accept service from any disciple, but on behalf of Krishna I can accept. Sincere service to the Spiritual Master is service to the Supreme Lord. As stated in the prayer, "Prasadad Bhagavat Prasadad''. That means because Krishna accepts service through the via media of Spiritual Master, therefore pleasing the Spiritual Master is equal to pleasing the Supreme Lord."

His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Founder-Acarya of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness
Letter to: Upendra -- Los Angeles 13 February, 1968
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Ramacandra Vijayotsava

  

 

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On the tenth day of the waxing moon of Padmanabha (Asvina) month, occurs Vijayotsava. On this day Lord Ramacandra heard from Hanuman beneath the sami tree that he had found and seen Sita on the Island kingdom of Lanka. Hearing this, Ramacandra held a festival, and then set out for Sri Lanka. On this day one may perform special puja of Lord Ramacandra and then in His honour feed the Vaisnavas. This is a popular festival in north India, where, on this occasion, large paper effigies of the demon Ravana are burned to the resounding chants of Victory to Rama, Victory to Rama.

In the pastimes of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu he absorbed Himself in the transcendental lila of Lord Ramacandra in the following manner as recorded by Srila Krishna dasa Kaviraj Goswami.

Sri Chaitanya Charitamrita Madhya-lila Chapter 15 Texts 31-35.


Madhya 15.31
parama-avese prabhu aila nija-ghara
ei-mata lila kare gauranga-sundara


TRANSLATIO

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Yours faithfully, Bhaktivedanta Swami

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.Srila Prabhupada sent some American and European disciples to one of his sannyasi godbrothers' ashram in India in the late 60s'. However, this sannyasi forbid them to cook or to perform aroti; they were Westerners, and were thus too fallen to perform these services. Prabhupada never forgot this insult to his disciples: half a decade later, when that sannyasi asked Prabhupada for a contribution, Prabhupada replied as follows. Prabhupada was so cool. September 7th, 1975 Dear [...] Maharaja: Please accept my obeisances. I am in due receipt of your letter dated August 27, 1975 and have noted the contents. Yes, it is Bhagavan's special mercy upon me that I am getting such immense wealth. You will be pleased to know that my books are selling to the extent of one million of dollars per month. But this money is coming from the mlecchas and yavanas. That is the difficulty. This money is not coming from the brahmanas. Therefore I am afraid to contribute to you as you request. How shall I giv

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Madhavacharya Apperance

Madhvacharya

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

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Bonafide Spiritual Master

Devotee (3): , you have explained that if one receives a mantra from a spiritual master who is not bona fide, that mantra has no effect. So I would like to ask if one is worshiping a Deity and his spiritual master is not bona fide, so that Deity cannot be considered the Supreme Lord?

Prabhupada: Well, first of all, thing is if the spiritual master is not bona fide, how his mantra can be bona fide? Your statement is contradictory. If you say the spiritual master is not bona fide, then how his mantra becomes bona fide? If he is bona fide, then his mantra is bona fide.
Devotee (3): Then why is he giving instruction to worship the Deity? If the spiritual master is not bona fide, then is the Deity also not bona fide? Prabhupada: I do not follow. What does he say?
Tamala Krsna: His idea is that if one receives a mantra from a spiritual master, if the spiritual master is not bona fide…
Prabhupada: Then there is no question of mantra. There is no question of worshiping D
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Russel Brand is an English comedian, actor, and author. He has been a vegetarian since the age of 14, and has shown interest in the Hare Krishna Movement and chants the Hare Krishna Mantra regularly. In the video, Bhakta Russell Brand discusses karma, how one is not the body, varnasrama, the coming spiritual revolution, and mentions Srila Prabhupada. Furthermore, he can be seen with 108 japa mala beads strung around his neck.

 

Alex Jones is the personality behind the world’s largest internet talk show. The show, and his website Infowars.com, address current issues within the realm of social, political, and spiritual activism. The Alex Jones Show, based in Austin, Texas, airs via the Genesis Communication Network on over 70 AM, FM, and shortwave radio stations across the United States and on the internet. As of September 2013, his YouTube channel had received over 300 million views. As of 2010,

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In 1885, Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura took Bimala along with other sons to visit a few places of Lord Caitanya's pastimes in Bengal. Arriving late one night evening on the outskirts of Kulina-grama, a settlement whose former inhabitants were very dear to Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, the father and sons were accorded repose in a temple. Next morning upon entering the halmet, they were asked by some local residents where they have come from and where they have spent the night.

Upon hearing the answer the village men, amazedly asked, "How could you have slept? No one can stay there peacefully, for it is haunted by a brahmana raksasa who pitches stones and brickbats at anyone passing by after dusk." Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura replied, "Yes, that ghost did try to disturb us, but I loudly chanted the Hare Krsna maha-mantra and he went away." Learning that he was Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura, whom they already knew of, some having read his books, the villagers became most obeisant and further questio

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ORIGIN OF NATIONS9468758101?profile=original

Everyone wonders or will wonder at some time "What is the origin of different peoples and how did I get here?"

According to Darwinists, the ancestors of modern humans migrated out of Africa and colonized Asia and Europe. When North of Europe and Asia became ice free the Caucasus region was the route used. Immediately to the south of the Caucasus, the Euphrates and the Tigris have their sources. According to Jews, Moslems and Christians this is where the garden of Eden was located and is the homeland of Abraham. Mount Ararat in the South Caucasus was the mountain where Noah's ark landed. This is the supposed homeland fatherland of the Indo-European Caucasians.

The Vedic scriptures give a similar account as far as the Caucasian ranges being a stage for the development of the human being. The Aitareya Upanisad says: "He (the atma) was thinking: "Shall I create the worlds?" and He created the worlds." After being empowered by the mantra from the fl
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