by Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura Prabhupāda

Question 1: What is our highest duty?

Answer: This human form of life lasts only a moment and it is extremely rare. Instead of wasting our time by engaging in wicked, offensive or wasteful activities, we should all engage our minds in hari-bhajana, abandoning everything else.

We have attained this human birth after many lifetimes, and this human form is the rarest form of life. It is not just rare, but extremely rare. Although it is a temporary designation, it is nevertheless known as paramārtha-prada – that which grants supreme, absolute welfare. Those

who have discriminating intelligence, for as long as their human body permits the pursuit of spiritual life (sādhana), abandon all material activities, and without even a moment’s delay endeavour to achieve the highest benefit.

In order to attain the topmost benefit, one has to take shelter of the lotus feet of a bona fide spiritual mast

The Highest Process of Love is Hidden within Bhagavad-gītā

(Śrī Gītopaniṣad Ātma-nivedana)

by Śrīla Bhakti Prajṅāna Keśava Gosvāmī Mahārāja

The Nectarean Milk of Śrī Bhagavad-gītā

The most dignified seers of ancient India (ārya-ṛṣis) have glorified  Śrīmad Bhagavad-gītā  as the crest jewel of all the philosophical treatises of Vedic India known as the Upaniṣads. In contrast to other Upaniṣads,  Śrī Gītā  specifically establishes that Bhagavān is inherently imbued with unlimited transcendental pastimes. Also, in the  Gītā-māhātmya, which beautifully extols the  Gītā, the  Gītā  has been described as the essence of all Upaniṣads:

sarvopaniṣado gāvo
dogdhā gopāla-nandana
pārtho vatsaḥ su-dhīr bhoktā
dugdhaṁ gītāmṛtaṁ mahat

Gītā-māhātmya  (6)

The Upaniṣads are like a cow, and this  Gītopaniṣad  –  Bhagavad-gītā, which is the essence of all the Upaniṣads – is just like nectarean milk from that cow. Lord Kṛṣṇa, who is renowned as a cowherd boy, is milking the cow, and Arjuna is just like

Letter to: Mukunda

Los Angeles
8 February, 1970

London
My Dear Mukunda,
[...]
The purpose of World Sankirtana Party will be to establish a center in each and every city and village of the world. This idea is taking practical shape in various centers.

Just like you started for London Yatra and now after one year it has taken a shape, similarly in Germany also it has taken a shape, but in Paris it has not taken as yet. Therefore World Sankirtana Party means to establish a center everywhere we go.

I do not mean a concert party or musical party that may go to a city, have some performances and collect some money without any permanent effect.

For this purpose the World Sankirtana Party should consist of members who can impress spiritual ecstasy in the hearts of the people so that some of them may come forward and agree to establish a center where the Sankirtana party may go on continually.

Srila Prabhupada letter to Mukunda, Feb. 7, 1970

The Divinity Of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu

by  Swami B.V. Giri

OBJECTION: Madhva has said in his commentary to the Kathopanisad that there are nine types of offense to Lord Visnu, such as ascribing divinity to an ordinary mortal. You are guilty of this because you claim that Caitanya is an incarnation of God. The result of this is that you will go to the darkest regions of hell.

REFUTATION: There are many evidences to prove the divinity of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. First we will present those statements of sastra which are from sruti, and then those from the Puranas and other Vedic literatures.

itotham krta sannyaso'vatarisyami sa-guno nirvedo
niskamo bhu-girvanas tira-atho' lakanandayah kalau
catuh-sahasrabdhopari panca-sahasrabhyantare
gaura-varno dirghangah sarva-laksana-yukta isvara-
prarthito nija-rasasvado bhakta-rupo misrakhyo
vidita-yogah syam

I will descend on the earth after the passage of four thousand years in the Kali-Age, and before the passsage of five thousand years.

 Lord Nityananda is the eternal associate of Caitanya Mahaprabhu, the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
Rarely is the Name Nimai (Caitanya Mahaprabhu) taken without that of Nitai (Lord Nityananda).

Mahaprabhu cannot be approached or understood without the mercy of Nityananda Prabhu, Who is the
cardinal guru of all the universes and serves as an intermediary between Mahaprabhu and His devotees.

He is the Lord's

The half day fast (vrata) for the appearance of Lord Varahadev is also observed on this Ekaadasii day, and the utsav (festival celebration - pujas and feasting, etc.) is oserved on the Dvaadasii, which is when He appeared.

Yudhisthira Maharaj said, "Oh Lord of the lords, Sri Krishna, all glories unto You! Oh Master of the universe, You alone are the source of the four types of living entities - those born from eggs, those born from perspiration, those born from seeds and those born from embryos. You alone are the root cause of all, Oh Lord, and therefore You are the creator, maintainer and destroyer.

"My Lord, You have so kindly explained to me the auspicious day known as Sat-tilA EkAdasi, which occurs during the dark fortnight (krishna paksha) of the month of Magha (January - February). Now please explain to me the EkAdasii that occurs in the light fortnight (shukla or Gaura paksha) of this month. By what name is it known, and what is the process for observing it? Who is the presid

"When Caitanya Mahāprabhu took sannyāsa, His wife, Viṣṇupriyādevī, although only sixteen years old, also took the vow of austerity due to her husband’s leaving home. She chanted her beads, and after finishing one round, she collected one grain of rice. In this way, as many rounds as she chanted, she would receive the same number of rice grains and then cook them and so take prasāda. This is called austerity. Even today in India, widows or women whose husbands have taken sannyāsa follow the principles of austerity, even though they live with their children." [Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam Srimati Vishnupriya Devi

The appearance day of Vishnu-Priya devi dasi

Commentary from HH Narayana Maharajah Swami    

.

.
.
.

Western Instruments style

Q: Can Parampara exist without a living pure devotee? A: Yes! From a Traditional Literalist point of view

Jan 17, 2012 — ALBUQUERQUE, NEW MEXICO, USA — Anyway, regarding the need for a “Living” guru or the pure representative of Krishna. When you refer to a “living” spiritual master as opposed to a “dead” spiritual master you are referring to the body – vapu form.

The vani of guru lives eternally with his followers. The most important aspect, what is the true essence of Guru, however, is his eternal vani, not his temporary vapu manifestation. Just after Srila Prabhupad left I began hearing the phrase “Living Spiritual Master”, referring to the 11 new acaryas.

This phrase became much more pronounced in the 90′s. So one day I sat down with the Vedabase and searched for all varieties of the concept, living spiritual master, living guru, living acarya, etc. Only in recent version of the Vedabase has “living acarya” appeared, it is a quote from Satsvarup in one of his more recent books. And