Saturday, April 1, 2000

Govinda Ghosh Thakura's Disappearance Festival at Agradvipa

Srila Govinda Ghosh Thakura is known for his most sweet kirtans at the annual Ratha-Yatra festival celebrated by Lord Caitanya at Jagannatha Puri. He was born in a Kayastha family in the north Radhi clan. His Sripata was at Agradvipa. Also known as Ghosa Thakura, Govinda was the brother of the well-known Vaisnava poet Vasudeva Ghosh. Govinda belonged to the lineage of Lord Caitanya and was instrumental in installing the deity Sri Gopinatha at Agradvipa.

(CC. Adi 10.115, 118).

govinda, madhava, vasudeva--tina bhai
yan-sabara kirtane nace caitanya-nitai (115)

The three brothers Govinda, Madhava and Vasudeva were the eighty-second, eighty-third and eighty-fourth branches of the tree. Lord Caitanya and Nityananda used to dance in their kirtana performances.

PURPORT

The three brothers Govinda, Madhava and Vasudeva Ghosa all belonged to a kayastha family. Govinda established the Gopinatha temple in Agradvipa, where he resided. Madhava Ghosa was expert in performing kirtana. No one within this world could compete with him. He was known as the singer of Vrndavana and was very dear to Sri Nityananda Prabhu. It is said that when the three brothers performed sankirtana, immediately Lord Caitanya and Nityananda would dance in ecstasy. According to the Gaura-ganoddesa-dipika (188), the three brothers were formerly Kalavati, Rasollasa and Gunatunga, who recited the songs composed by Sri Visakha-gopi. The three brothers were among one of the seven parties that performed kirtana when Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu attended the Ratha-yatra festival at Jagannatha Puri. Vakresvara Pandita was the chief dancer in their party.

ramadasa, madhava, ara vasudeva ghosa
prabhu-sange rahe govinda paiya santosa (118)

TRANSLATION
These three were Ramadasa, Madhava Ghosa and Vasudeva Ghosa. Govinda Ghosa, however, remained with Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu at Jagannatha Puri and thus
felt great satisfaction.

Among the three brothers, each had his Sripata as follows: Vasudeva at Tamluk, Madhava Ghosh at Dainhat, and Govinda at Agradvipa. According to Visvakosa, Ghosatha kura (Govinda) lived at Kasipur Visnutala near Agradvipa Some believe that he was born at Vasinavatala where to this day a number of Kayastha families
holding the surname Ghosh, continue to live.

Govinda accompanied Lord Caitanya and His devotees when they left Nilacala for Vrndavana. "One day after finishing His lunch, Lord Caitanya looked for some mouth-freshener (a fruit called Haritaki). Govinda rushed to the village, collected some fruits,and offered one to the Lord. Upon receiving the fruit so promptly, Lord Caitanya glanced inquisitively after Govinda. Understanding that Govinda had stored Haritaki, Lord Caitanya admonished him saying, "Govinda, since you have not been able to give up the habit of saving things, perhaps you had better stay back and take charge of installing the deity Gopinatha." Following the command of the Lord, Govinda continued to stay at Agradvipa. However, despite the Lord's reassuring words, he felt miserable to have been left behind by Lord Caitanya.

A few days later, when Ghosa Thakura was taking a dip in the Ganges, some floating object touched his back. It appeared to be some sort of wood,
although considerably heavy. That night he received divine directions in a dream to preserve that piece of wood with care and to hand it over to Lord
Caitanya when he arrived there. During the night when Govinda went to fetch the wood, he realized that it was a Krsnasila. The next morning Lord
Caitanya turned up in Govinda's house and said, "Look here Govinda! You have nothing to worry about anymore. Tomorrow one sculptor will come here
to chisel a deity from this sila and you should install that deity. The deity of Sri Gopinatha was thus installed.

Later, at the command of the Lord, Govinda married and continued to serve the deity jointly with his wife. Govinda was blessed with a son, however,
both his wife and son passed away one after another. Govinda was so deeply grieved by the loss of his family that he stopped serving Gopinatha. Lord
Krsna appeared to Govinda in a dream and asked him, "Govinda! Do you think it proper that when a person loses one son he should starve his other son
to death also?"

To this Govinda replied, "It was my hope that had my son survived he would have performed the necessary rituals in remembrance of my deceased soul and
those of my forefathers. Tell me, what do I gain by serving you?" Lord Krsna explained, "I hereby promise to celebrate your death anniversary in a fitting manner forever. Now please can I have some food to eat?" Govinda was delighted to hear this and immediately returning to serving Gopinatha.

In course of time, when Govinda disappeared, Gopinathaji held kusagrass in His fingers to perform the sradh ceremony, a practice continued even today. Govinda left word during the last moments of his life that his body should not be cremated, but should be buried under the ground near Dolaprangana.

Srila Govinda Ghosh Thakura Ki Jay!
Sri Sri Radha Gopinatha Ki Jay!
Sri Agradvipa Festival Ki Jay!

(Thanks to Nayana-ranjana Prabhu)
posted by Braja Dasa 4/1/00

Friday, March 24, 2000

The Raja of URLs has been found!
posted by Braja Dasa 3/24/00

Friday, March 10, 2000

Sri Isopanisad: Text 3

asurya nama te loka
andhena tamasavrtah
tams te pretyabhigacchanti
ye ke catma-hano janah

asuryah--meant for the asuras; nama--famous by the name; te--those; lokah--planets; andhena--by ignorance; tamasa--by darkness; avrtah--covered; tan--those planets; te--they; pretya--after death; abhigacchanti--enter into; ye--anyone; ke--everyone; ca--and; atma-hanah--the killers of the soul; janah--persons.

TRANSLATION

The killer of the soul, whoever he may be, must enter into the planets known as the worlds of the faithless, full of darkness and ignorance.

PURPORT

A human life is distinguished from animal life due to its heavy responsibilities. Those who are cognizant of these responsibilities and who work in that spirit are called suras (godly persons), and those who are neglectful of these responsibilities or who have no information of them are called asuras (demons). These two types of human beings are found all over the universe. In the Rg Veda it is stated that the suras always aim at the lotus feet of the Supreme Lord Visnu and act accordingly. Their ways are as illuminated as the path of the sun.

Intelligent human beings must always remember that this particular bodily form is obtained after an evolution of many millions of years and after long transmigration. This material world is sometimes compared to an ocean, and this human body is compared with a solid boat designed especially to cross this ocean. The Vedic scriptures and the acaryas, or saintly teachers, are compared to expert boatmen, and the facilities of the human body are compared to favorable breezes which help the boat ply smoothly to its desired destination. If, with all these facilities, a person does not fully utilize his life for self-realization, he must be considered atma-ha, a killer of the soul. Sri Isopanisad gives warning in clear terms that the killer of the soul is destined to enter into the darkest region of ignorance to suffer perpetually.

There are swine, dogs, camels, asses, etc., whose economic necessities are just as important as ours, but the economic problems of these animals are only solved under nasty and unpleasant conditions. The human being is given all facilities for a comfortable life by the laws of nature because the human form of life is more important and valuable than animal life. Why does man have a better life than the swine and other animals? Why is he a highly placed servant given all facilities rather than an ordinary clerk? The answer is that a highly placed officer has to discharge duties of a higher nature; a human being has higher duties to perform than animals who are always engaged in simply feeding their hungry stomachs. Yet modern soul-killing civilization has only increased the problems of a hungry stomach. When we approach a polished animal in the form of modern civilized man and ask him what his business is, he will say that he simply wants to work to satisfy his stomach and that there is no need for self-realization. The laws of nature are so cruel, however, that despite his eagerness to work hard for his stomach, he is always threatened by the question of unemployment.

We are given this human form of life not to work hard like asses and swine, but to attain the highest perfection of life. If we do not care for self-realization, the laws of nature force us to work very hard, even though we may not want to do so. Human beings in this age have been forced to work hard like the asses and bulls that pull carts. Some of the regions where the asuras are sent to work are revealed in this verse of Sri Isopanisad. If a man fails to discharge his duties as a human being, he is forced to transmigrate to the asurya planets and take birth in degraded species of life to work hard in ignorance and darkness.

In Bhagavad-gita it is stated (Bg. 6.41-43) that a man who enters upon the path of self-realization but does not complete the process, despite having sincerely tried for it, is given a chance to appear in a family of suci or srimat. The word suci indicates a spiritually advanced brahmana, and srimat indicates a vaisya, a member of the mercantile community. This indicates that the person who fails to realize his relation with God is given a better chance to cultivate self-realization due to his sincere efforts in his previous lives. If even a fallen candidate is given a chance to take birth in a respectable and noble family, one can hardly imagine the status of one who has achieved success. By simply attempting to realize God, one is guaranteed of birth in a wealthy or aristocratic family. However, one who does not even make an attempt, who wants to be covered by illusion, who is too materialistic and attached to material enjoyment, must enter into the darkest regions of hell, as confirmed in all Vedic literatures. Such materialistic asuras sometimes make a show of religion, but their ultimate aim is material prosperity. Bhagavad-gita rebukes such men (Bg. 16.17-18), for they are considered great only on the strength of deception and are empowered by the votes of the ignorant and by their own material wealth. Such asuras, devoid of self-realization and knowledge of isavasya, the Lord, are certain to enter into the darkest regions.

The conclusion is that as human beings we are not meant for simply solving economic problems on a tottering platform but for solving all the problems of the material life into which we have been placed by the laws of nature.
posted by Braja Dasa 3/10/00

Monday, March 6, 2000

Srila Prabhupada Applying Text 2 of Sri Isopanisad

Prabhupada: That will be our excellent achievement. This is our mission, the... Whatever we have got, teach others. In this spread. The whole world is chanting. Did you recite the verses in Fiji?
Yasoda-nandana: Yes. In Fiji we recited all those verses, Prabhupada.
Prabhupada: They appreciated?
Yasoda-nandana: Yes. People liked it very much. They had never heard before.
Prabhupada: Very good. The Gurukula is meant for this purpose. Teach them and let them go around the world to teach. Taroho e bhava-sindhu. Durlabha manava-janama sat-sange, taroho e bhava-sindhu re. This is our mission. Isopanisad?
Yasoda-nandana: Isopanisad? Recite?
Brahmananda: Sing it, Srila Prabhupada?
Prabhupada: Jijiviso. What is that verse? Jijiviso?
Gurukrpa:

kurvann eveha karmani
jijivisec chatam samah
evam tvayi nanyatheto 'sti
na karma lipyate nare

Prabhupada: How many things we have to do for preaching, for teaching. And live hundreds of years. That is jijiviso satam yah?
Yasoda-nandana: Jijivisec chatam samah.
Prabhupada: We are receiving very good report from Iran.
Tamala Krsna: The royal family is taking to Krsna consciousness. I think even your Guru Maharaja would have been surprised to hear that.
Prabhupada: Everyone, if one is actually gentleman. So we have this Gurukula, good chance for teaching future preacher. Here is Yasoda-nandana Maharaja and others. You can do. Prepare, send. Prepare and send.
Brahmananda: "Prepare and send," Prabhupada said. Prepare them and send them.
Prabhupada: How much tremendous work we have to do.
Brahmananda: The whole world, Srila Prabhupada.
Hari-sauri: It's unlimited.
Prabhupada: Eh? Unlimited.
Tamala Krsna: And you have to lead us, Srila Prabhupada.
Prabhupada: Yes. I am prepared, provided Krsna allows me.
Tamala Krsna: Today you said Krsna is giving you the choice.
Hari-sauri: In the Bhagavatam you mentioned that Narada Muni has the free will to travel anywhere within the universe--spiritual or material. So you must also have the same ability.
Tamala Krsna: Today we were discussing how nice a devotee you are, Srila Prabhupada, that you are so faithful servant and devotee of Lord Krsna that He allows you to do whatever you want, because He knows that you'll do everything for Him.
Prabhupada: Visaya means material activity. One side is visaya chariya, se rase majiya. One has to give up material activities and engage himself in Krsna consciousness. This is one side. Another side, my Guru Maharaja said, krsna sevai, yanha kahe anukula, visaya boliya tanha haya bhula. Anything which is favorable for krsna-seva, if we give up that business as visaya, that is mistake.
Tamala Krsna: So your life, Srila Prabhupada, is the most favorable thing in this whole world for spreading Krsna consciousness. You should not give it up.
Prabhupada: Anyway, Krsna has given us so many innocent boys. Yasoda-nandana Maharaja, teach them...
Yasoda-nandana: Yes, Prabhupada.
Prabhupada: ...like you so far as chanting.
Tamala Krsna: We are also your innocent boys, Srila Prabhupada.
Prabhupada: Hm. Let there be struggle for existence for this purpose.
Brahmananda: Let there be struggle for existence for this purpose. For spreading the movement?
Prabhupada: What is the time?
Tamala Krsna: Time is 9:15.
Prabhupada: Nana-sastra-vicaranaika-nipunau.
Brahmananda: Srila Prabhupada? I was thinking that the religion of Jesus Christ has spread all over the world, and you are much greater than Jesus Christ. Your teachings are far, far greater, and your power is far, far greater. So if you remain here more, more years, then certainly this Krsna consciousness movement will spread all over the entire world.
Prabhupada: I am willing.
Brahmananda: Actually we can make this whole world Krsna consciousness.
Prabhupada: Yes. It is not difficult.
Tamala Krsna: You say that you still want to see the world overflooded with Krsna consciousness. You said you wanted to see that happen.
Prabhupada: We can do that.
Tamala Krsna: As you instruct us, Srila Prabhupada, we will carry out your orders exactly.
Prabhupada: Two things. Visaya chariya. Material motive should be given up, and everything should be engaged for Krsna's..., whatever favorable. Then it will... (break) ... Rsi is doing nice. Who is that Maharaja?
Tamala Krsna: Parivrajakacarya Swami.
Prabhupada: Very nice. Good combination.
Tamala Krsna: He's been there now, Parivrajakacarya Swami, he's been there now for, I think, two or three years now. He's worked pretty faithfully there. He tricks them. In the guise of teaching a little hatha-yoga, then he teaches bhakti.
Prabhupada: That is preaching.
Brahmananda: You also tricked us, Srila Prabhupada, when you came to New York. You were just chanting Hare Krsna and speaking on Bhagavad-gita, and we came and we listened, and then you took everything. You took our lives, took all of our money... (devotees chuckle) We left our families.
Prabhupada: There is a Bengali word, "Enter like a needle and come out like a plow." (laughter)
Hari-sauri: "Enter like a needle and come out like a plow."
Prabhupada: If you say in the beginning, "I am a plow," he'll not allow you to enter. Say "I am needle." Let us try to serve Krsna. He'll give all intelligence. Buddhi-yogam dadami tam. Now go on. Take rest.
Hari-sauri: Jaya Srila Prabhupada.
Prabhupada: Jaya-ho.
Hari-sauri: Would you like some chanting?
Prabhupada: Chanting I like always. (Bengali) (end)
posted by Braja Dasa 3/6/00

Sri Isopanisad
Text 2

kurvann eveha karmani
jijivisec chatam samah
evam tvayi nanyatheto 'sti
na karma lipyate nare

kurvan--doing continuously; eva--thus; iha--during this span of life; karmani--work; jijiviset--one should desire to live; satam--one hundred; samah--years; evam--so living; tvayi--unto you; na--no; anyatha--alternative; itah--from this path; asti--there is; na--not; karma--work; lipyate--can be bound; nare--unto a man.

TRANSLATION

One may aspire to live for hundreds of years if he continuously goes on working in that way, for that sort of work will not bind him to the law of karma. There is no alternative to this way for man.

PURPORT

No one wants to die, and everyone wants to live as long as he can drag on. This tendency is not only visible individually but also collectively in the community, society and nation. There is a hard struggle for life by all kinds of living entities, and the Vedas say that this is quite natural. The living being is eternal by nature, but due to his bondage in material existence he has to change his body over and over. This process is called the transmigration of the soul, and this transmigration is due to karma-bandhana, or bondage to one's work. The living entity has to work for his livelihood because that is the law of material nature, and if he does not act according to his prescribed duties, he transgresses the law of nature and binds himself more and more to the cycle of birth and death.
Other life forms are also subject to the cycle of birth and death, but when the living entity attains a human life, he gets a chance to get free from the law of karma. Karma, akarma and vikarma are very clearly described in Bhagavad-gita. Actions which are performed in terms of one's prescribed duties, as mentioned in the revealed scriptures, are called karma. Actions which free one from the cycle of birth and death are called akarma. And actions which are performed by the misuse of one's freedom and which direct one to the lower life forms are called vikarma. Of these three types of action, that which frees one from the bondage to karma is preferred by intelligent men. Ordinary men wish to perform good works in order to be recognized and achieve some higher status of life in this world or in heaven, but more advanced men want to be free altogether from the actions and reactions of work. Intelligent men well know that both good and bad works equally bind one to the material miseries. Consequently they seek that work which will free them from the reactions of both good and bad work.
The instructions of Sri Isopanisad are more elaborately explained in Bhagavad-gita, sometimes called Gitopanisad, the cream of all the Upanisads. In Bhagavad-gita the Personality of Godhead says that one cannot attain the state of naiskarma or akarma without executing the prescribed duties mentioned in Vedic literatures (Bg. 3.9-16). The Vedas can regulate the working energy of a human being in such a way that one can gradually realize the authority of the Supreme Being. When one realizes the authority of the Personality of Godhead, it is to be understood that he has attained the stage of positive knowledge. On this purified stage the modes of nature--namely goodness, passion and ignorance--cannot act, and one is enabled to work on the basis of naiskarma. Such work does not bind one to the cycle of birth and death.
Factually no one has to do anything more than render devotional service to the Lord. However, in the lower stages of life one cannot immediately adopt the activities of devotional service, nor can one completely stop fruitive work. A conditioned soul is accustomed to working for sense gratification, for his own selfish interest, immediate or extended. An ordinary man works for his own sense enjoyment, and when this principle of sense enjoyment is extended to include his society, nation or humanity in general, it assumes various attractive names such as altruism, socialism, communism, nationalism, humanitarianism, etc. These "isms" are certainly very attractive forms of karma-bandhana (work which binds), but the Vedic instruction of Isopanisad is that if one actually wants to live for any of the above "isms," he should make them God-centered. There is no harm in becoming a family man, or an altruist, socialist, communist, nationalist, or humanitarian provided that one executes his activities in relation with isavasya, the God-centered conception.
Bhagavad-gita states (Bg. 2.40) that God-centered activities are so valuable that just a few of them can save a person from the greatest danger. The greatest danger of life is the danger of gliding down again into the evolutionary cycle of birth and death. If some way or another a man misses the spiritual opportunity afforded by his human form of life and falls down again into the evolutionary cycle, he must be considered most unfortunate. Due to his defective senses, a foolish man cannot see that this is happening. Consequently Sri Isopanisad advises us to exert our energy in the spirit of isavasya. Being so engaged in that spirit, we may wish to live for many, many years; otherwise a long life in itself has no value. A tree lives for hundreds and perhaps thousands of years, but there is no point in living a long time like trees, or breathing like bellows, or begetting children like hogs and dogs, or eating like a camel. A humble God-centered life is more valuable than a colossal hoax of a life dedicated to godless altruism or socialism.
When altruistic activities are executed in the spirit of Sri Isopanisad, they become a form of karma-yoga. Such activities are recommended in Bhagavad-gita (Bg. 18.5-9), for they guarantee their executor protection from the dangers of sliding down into the evolutionary process of birth and death. Even though such God-centered activities may be half-finished, they are still good for the executor because they will guarantee him a human form in his next birth. In this way one can have another chance to improve his position on the path of liberation.
posted by Braja Dasa 3/6/00

Tuesday, February 29, 2000

Sri Isopanisad
Text 1

isavasyam idam sarvam
yat kinca jagatyam jagat
tena tyaktena bhunjitha
ma grdhah kasya svid dhanam

isa- by the Lord; avasyam--controlled; idam--this; sarvam--all; yat kinca--whatever; jagatyam--within the universe; jagat--all that is animate or inanimate; tena--by Him; tyaktena--set apart quota; bhunjithah--you should accept; ma--do not; grdhah--endeavor to gain; kasya svit--of anyone else; dhanam--the wealth.

TRANSLATION

Everything animate or inanimate that is within the universe is controlled and owned by the Lord. One should therefore accept only those things necessary for himself, which are set aside as his quota, and one should not accept other things, knowing well to whom they belong.

PURPORT

Vedic knowledge is infallible because it comes down through the perfect disciplic succession of spiritual masters beginning with the Lord Himself. The first word of Vedic knowledge was spoken by the Lord Himself, and it is being received from transcendental sources. The words spoken by the Lord are called apauruseya, which indicates that they are not delivered by any mundane person. A living being who lives in the mundane world has four defects: (1) He is certain to commit mistakes; (2) he is subject to illusion; (3) he has a propensity to cheat others, and (4) his senses are imperfect. Being conditioned by these four imperfections, one cannot deliver perfect information of all-pervading knowledge. The Vedas are not produced by such imperfect creatures. Vedic knowledge was originally imparted into the heart of Brahma, the first created living being, and Brahma in his turn disseminated this knowledge to his sons and disciples, who have handed down the process through history.

Since the Lord is purnam, or all-perfect, there is no possibility of His being subjected to the laws of material nature; however, the living entities and inanimate objects are both controlled by the laws of nature and ultimately by the Lord's potency. This Isopanisad is part of the Yajur Veda, and consequently it contains information concerning the proprietorship of all things existing within the universe.

This is confirmed in the Seventh Chapter of Bhagavad-gita where para and apara prakrti are discussed (Bg. 7.4-5). The elements of nature--earth, fire, water, air, ether, mind, intelligence and ego--all belong to the inferior or material energy of the Lord, whereas the living being, the organic energy, is the para prakrti (superior energy) of the Lord. Both of the prakrtis, or energies, are emanations from the Lord, and ultimately He is the controller of everything that exists. There is nothing in the universe that does not belong either to the para or the apara prakrti; therefore everything is the property of the Supreme Being.
posted by Braja Dasa 2/29/00

The Supreme Being, the Absolute Personality of Godhead, is a complete person, and He has complete and perfect intelligence to adjust everything by means of His different potencies. The Supreme Being is often compared to fire, and everything organic and inorganic is compared to the heat and light of that fire. Just as fire distributes energy in the form of heat and light, the Lord displays His energy in different ways. He thus remains the ultimate controller, sustainer and dictator of everything. He is the knower of everything and the benefactor of everyone. He is full of all inconceivable potencies: power, wealth, fame, beauty, knowledge and renunciation.

One should therefore be intelligent enough to know that but for the Lord no one is a proprietor of anything. One should accept only those things which are set aside by the Lord as his quota. The cow, for instance, gives milk, but she does not drink that milk; she eats grass and grain, and her milk is designated as food for human beings. Such is the arrangement of the Lord, and we should be satisfied with those things which He has kindly set aside for us, and we should always consider to whom those things we possess actually belong.

A house, for instance, is made of earth, wood, stone, iron, cement and so many other material things, and if we think in terms of Sri Isopanisad, we must know that we cannot produce any of these materials ourselves. We can simply bring them together and transform them into different shapes by our labor. A laborer cannot claim to be a proprietor of a thing just because he has worked hard to manufacture it.

In modern society there is always a great quarrel between the laborers and the capitalists. This quarrel has taken an international shape, and the world is endangered. Men face one another in enmity and snarl just like cats and dogs. Sri Isopanisad cannot give advice to the cats and dogs, but it can deliver the message of Godhead to man through the bona fide acaryas (holy teachers). The human race should take the Vedic wisdom of Isopanisad and not quarrel over material possessions. One must be satisfied by whatever privileges are given to him by the mercy of the Lord. There can be no peace if the communists or capitalists or any other party claims proprietorship over the resources of nature, which are entirely the property of the Lord. The capitalists cannot curb the communists simply by political maneuvering, nor can the communists defeat the capitalists simply by fighting for stolen bread. If they do not recognize the proprietorship of the Supreme personality of Godhead, all the property which they claim to be their own is stolen. Consequently they will be liable to punishment by the laws of nature. Nuclear bombs are in the hands of both communists and capitalists, and if both do not recognize the proprietorship of the Supreme Lord, it is certain that these bombs will ultimately ruin both parties. Thus in order to save themselves and bring peace to the world, both parties must follow the instructions of Sri Isopanisad.

Human beings are not meant to quarrel like cats and dogs. They must be intelligent enough to realize the importance and aim of human life. The Vedic literatures are compiled for humanity and not for cats and dogs. Cats and dogs can kill other animals for food without incurring sin, but if a man kills an animal for the satisfaction of his uncontrolled taste buds, he is responsible for breaking the laws of nature. Consequently he must be punished.

The standard of life for human beings cannot be applied to animals. The tiger does not eat rice, wheat or drink cow's milk because he has been given food in the shape of animal flesh. There are many animals and birds that are either vegetarian or carnivorous, but none of them transgress the laws of nature as these laws have been ordained by the will of God. Animals, birds, reptiles and other lower life forms strictly adhere to the laws of nature; therefore there is no question of sin for them, nor are the Vedic instructions meant for them. Human life alone is a life of responsibility.

It is wrong to consider that simply by becoming a vegetarian one can avoid transgressing the laws of nature. Vegetables also have life. It is nature's law that one living being is meant to feed another. Thus one should not be proud of being a strict vegetarian; the point is to recognize the Supreme Lord. Animals do not have developed consciousness by which to recognize the Lord, but a human being is sufficiently intelligent to take lessons from Vedic literatures and thereby know how the laws of nature are working and derive profit out of such knowledge. If a man neglects the instructions of the Vedic literatures, his life becomes very risky. A human being is therefore required to recognize the authority of the Supreme Lord. He must be a devotee of the Lord, offer everything to the Lord's service and partake only of the remnants of food offered to the Lord. This will enable him to discharge his duty properly. In Bhagavad-gita the Lord directly states that He accepts vegetarian food from the hands of a pure devotee (Bg. 9.26). Therefore a human being should not only become a strict vegetarian but should also become a devotee of the Lord and offer the Lord all his food. Then only should one partake of prasada, or mercy of God. A devotee who can act in this consciousness can properly discharge the duty of human life. Those who do not offer their food to the Lord actually eat sin and subject themselves to various types of distress which are results of sin (Bg. 3.13).

The root of sin is deliberate disobedience to the laws of nature through disregarding the proprietorship of the Lord. Disobedience to the laws of nature or the order of the Lord brings ruin to a human being. If one is sober, knows the laws of nature and is not influenced by unnecessary attachment or aversion, he is sure to be recognized by the Lord, and he is sure to become eligible to go back to Godhead, back to the eternal home.
posted by Braja Dasa 2/29/00

upasatam va guru-varya-kotir
adhiyatam va sruti-sastra-kotih
caitanya-karunya-kataksa-bhajam
bhavet param sadya rahasya-labhah

''Whatever result one achieves by worshiping millions of the best of the
wayward karmi and jnani spiritual masters or by studying millions of Vedic
literatures, we don't care. But by associating with devotees who have
received the merciful sidelong glance of Sri Caitanyadeva one can
immediately understand the great secret of pure love for Lord Krishna.''

From Sri Caitanya-candramrta by Srila Prabodhananda Sarasvati Thakura
(thanks to Nayana-ranjana Prabhu, COM)
posted by Braja Dasa 2/29/00

Sunday, February 27, 2000

Sri Isopanisad

Invocation

TEXT

om purnam adah purnam idam
purnat purnam udacyate
purnasya purnam adaya
purnam evavasisyate

SYNONYMS

om--the Complete Whole; purnam--perfectly complete; adah--that; purnam--perfectly complete; idam--this phenomenal world; purnat--from the all-perfect; purnam--complete unit; udacyate--is produced; purnasya--of the Complete Whole; purnam--completely, all; adaya--having been taken away; purnam--the complete balance; eva--even; avasisyate--is remaining.

TRANSLATION

The Personality of Godhead is perfect and complete, and because He is completely perfect, all emanations from Him, such as this phenomenal world, are perfectly equipped as complete wholes. Whatever is produced of the Complete Whole is also complete in itself. Because He is the Complete Whole, even though so many complete units emanate from Him, He remains the complete balance.

PURPORT

The Complete Whole, or the Supreme Absolute Truth, is the complete Personality of Godhead. Realization of impersonal Brahman or of Paramatma, the Supersoul, is incomplete realization of the Absolute Complete. The Supreme Personality of Godhead is sac-cid-ananda-vigraha. Realization of impersonal Brahman is realization of His sat feature, or His aspect of eternity, and Paramatma realization is realization of His sat and cit features, His aspects of eternity and knowledge. But realization of the Personality of Godhead is realization of all the transcendental features--sat, cit and ananda, bliss. When one realizes the Supreme Person, he realizes these aspects of the Absolute Truth in their completeness. Vigraha means "form." Thus the Complete Whole is not formless. If He were formless, or if He were less than His creation in any other way, He could not be complete. The Complete Whole must contain everything both within and beyond our experience; otherwise He cannot be complete.

The Complete Whole, the Personality of Godhead, has immense potencies, all of which are as complete as He is. Thus this phenomenal world is also complete in itself. The twenty-four elements of which this material universe is a temporary manifestation are arranged to produce everything necessary for the maintenance and subsistence of this universe. No other unit in the universe need make an extraneous effort to try to maintain the universe. The universe functions on its own time scale, which is fixed by the energy of the Complete Whole, and when that schedule is completed, this temporary manifestation will be annihilated by the complete arrangement of the Complete Whole.

All facilities are given to the small complete units (namely the living beings) to enable them to realize the Complete Whole. All forms of incompleteness are experienced due to incomplete knowledge of the Complete Whole. The human form of life is a complete manifestation of the consciousness of the living being, and it is obtained after evolving through 8,400,000 species of life in the cycle of birth and death. If in this human life of full consciousness the living entity does not realize his completeness in relation to the Complete Whole, he loses the chance to realize his completeness and is again put into the evolutionary cycle by the law of material nature.

Because we do not know that there is a complete arrangement in nature for our maintenance, we make efforts to utilize the resources of nature to create a so-called complete life of sense enjoyment. Because the living entity cannot enjoy the life of the senses without being dovetailed with the Complete Whole, the misleading life of sense enjoyment is illusion. The hand of a body is a complete unit only as long as it is attached to the complete body. When the hand is severed from the body, it may appear like a hand, but it actually has none of the potencies of a hand. Similarly, living beings are part and parcel of the Complete Whole, and if they are severed from the Complete Whole, the illusory representation of completeness cannot fully satisfy them.

The completeness of human life can be realized only when one engages in the service of the Complete Whole. All services in this world--whether social, political, communal, international or even interplanetary--will remain incomplete until they are dovetailed with the Complete Whole. When everything is dovetailed with the Complete Whole, the attached parts and parcels also become complete in themselves.
posted by Braja Dasa 2/27/00

Thursday, February 24, 2000

Madhurastakam
by Sri Vallabhacarya

(1)
adharam madhuram vadanam madhuram
nayanam madhuram hasitam madhuram
hrdayam madhuram gamanam madhuram
madhuradhi-pater akhilam madhuram

adharam -- lips; madhuram -- sweet; vadanam -- face; madhuram -- sweet;
nayanam -- eyes; madhuram -- sweet; hasitam -- smile; madhuram -- sweet;
hrdayam -- heart; madhuram -- sweet; gamanam -- gait; madhuram -- sweet;
madhura-adhi-pateh -- of the Emperor of sweetness; akhilam -- all; madhuram
-- sweet.

1) His lips are sweet, His face is sweet His eyes are sweet, His smile is
sweet His heart is sweet, His gait is sweet -- Everything is sweet about
the Emperor of Sweetness!

(2)
vacanam madhuram caritam madhuram
vasanam madhuram valitam madhuram
calitam madhuram bhramitam madhuram
madhuradhi-pater akhilam madhuram

vacanam -- speech; madhuram -- sweet; caritam -- character; madhuram --
sweet; vasanam -- clothing; madhuram -- sweet; valitam -- belly-folds;
madhuram -- sweet; calitam -- wandering; madhuram -- sweet; bhramitam --
wandering; madhuram -- sweet; madhura-adhi-pateh -- of the Emperor of
sweetness; akhilam -- all; madhuram -- sweet.

2) His words are sweet, His character is sweet His dress is sweet, His
belly-folds are sweet His movements are sweet, His wandering is sweet --
Everything is sweet about the Emperor of Sweetness!

(3)
venur madhuro renur madhurah
panir madhurah padau madhurau
nrtyam madhuram sakhyam madhuram
madhuradhi-pater akhilam madhuram

venuh -- flute; madhurah -- sweet; renuh -- dust; madhura -- sweet; paih --
hands; madhura -- sweet; padau -- feet; madhurau -- sweet (pair); ntyam --
dancing; madhuram -- sweet; sakhyam -- friendship; madhuram -- sweet;
madhura-adhi-pateh -- of the Emperor of sweetness; akhilam -- all; madhuram
-- sweet.

3) His flute is sweet, His foot-dust is sweet His hands are sweet, His
feet are sweet His dancing is sweet, His friendship is sweet --
Everything is sweet about the Emperor of Sweetness!

(4)
gitam madhuram pitam madhuram
bhuktam madhuram suptam madhuram
rupam madhuram tilakam madhuram
madhuradhi-pater akhilam madhuram

gitam -- singing; madhuram -- sweet; pitam -- yellow cloth; madhuram --
sweet; bhuktam -- eating; madhuram -- sweet; suptam -- sleeping; madhuram
-- sweet; rupam -- beauty; madhuram -- sweet; tilakam -- forehead marking;
madhuram -- sweet; madhura-adhi-pateh -- of the Emperor of sweetness;
akhilam -- all; madhuram -- sweet.

4) His singing is sweet, His yellow cloth is sweet His eating is sweet,
His sleeping is sweet His beauty is sweet, His tilaka is sweet --
Everything is sweet about the Emperor of Sweetness!

(5)
karanam madhuram taranam madhuram
haranam madhuram ramanam madhuram
vamitam madhuram samitam madhuram
madhuradhi-pater akhilam madhuram

karanam -- deeds; madhuram -- sweet; taranam -- deliverance; madhuram --
sweet; haranam -- stealing; madhuram -- sweet; ramanam -- love-making;
madhuram -- sweet; vamitam -- offering oblations; madhuram -- sweet;
samitam -- tranquility; madhuram -- sweet; madhura-adhi-pateh -- of the
Emperor of sweetness; akhilam -- all; madhuram -- sweet.

5) His deeds are sweet, His liberating is sweet His stealing is sweet, His
love-sports are sweet His oblations are sweet, His tranquility is sweet --
Everything is sweet about the Emperor of Sweetness!

(6)
gunja madhura mala madhura
yamuna madhura vici madhura
salilam madhuram kamalam madhuram
madhuradhi-pater akhilam madhuram

gunja -- berry necklace; madhura -- sweet; mala -- garland; madhura --
sweet; yamuna -- the river; madhura -- sweet; vici -- ripples; madhura --
sweet; salilam -- water; madhuram -- sweet; kamalam -- lotuses; madhuram --
sweet; madhura-adhi-pateh -- of the Emperor of sweetness; akhilam -- all;
madhuram -- sweet.

6) His gunja-berry necklace is sweet, His flower garland is sweet His
Yamuna river is sweet, His ripples are sweet His water is sweet, His
lotuses are sweet -- Everything is sweet about the Emperor of Sweetness!

(7)
gopi madhura lila madhura
yuktam madhuram bhuktam madhuram
hrstam madhuram sistam madhuram
madhuradhi-pater akhilam madhuram

gopi -- cowherd girls; madhura -- sweet; lila -- pastimes; madhura --
sweet; yuktam -- union; madhuram -- sweet; bhuktam -- food; madhuram --
sweet; hrstam -- delight; madhuram -- sweet; sistam -- courtesy; madhuram
-- sweet; madhura-adhi-pateh -- of the Emperor of sweetness; akhilam --
all; madhuram -- sweet.

(8)
gopa madhura gavo madhura
yastir madhura srstir madhura
dalitam madhuram phalitam madhuram
madhuradhi-pater akhilam madhuram

gopah -- cowherd boyfriends; madhura -- sweet; gavah -- cows; madhura --
sweet; yaih -- staff; madhura -- sweet; srstih -- creation; madhura --
sweet; dalitam -- trampling; madhuram -- sweet; phalitam -- fruitfulness;
madhuram -- sweet; madhura-adhi-pateh -- of the Emperor of sweetness;
akhilam -- all; madhuram -- sweet.

8) His gopas are sweet, His cows are sweet His staff is sweet, His
creation is sweet His trampling is sweet, His fruitfulness is sweet --
Everything is sweet about the Emperor of Sweetness!

(thanks to Gauri Dasa, NY)
posted by Braja Dasa 2/24/00

Sunday, February 20, 2000

The Holy Name

Srila Rupa Gosvami in his Namastaka (verse 1):

nikhila-sruti-mauli-ratna-mala-
dyuti-nirajita-pada-pankajanta
ayi mukta-kulair upasyamanam
paritas tvam hari-nama samsrayami

"O Hari-nama! The tips of the toes of Your lotus feet are constantly being worshiped by the glowing radiance emanating from the string of gems known as the Upanisads, the crown jewels of all the Vedas. You are eternally adored by liberated souls such as Narada and Sukadeva. O Hari-nama! I take complete shelter of You."

Similarly, Srila Sanatana Gosvami has praised the chanting of the holy name as follows in his Brhad-bhagavatamrta (Chapter One, verse 9):

jayati jayati namananda-rupam murarer
viramita-nija-dharma-dhyana-pujadi-yatnam
kathamapi sakrd-attam muktidam praninam yat
paramam amrtam ekam jivanam bhusanam me

"All glories, all glories to the all-blissful holy name of Sri Krishna, which causes the devotee to give up all conventional religious duties, meditation and worship. When somehow or other uttered even once by a living entity, the holy name awards him liberation. The holy name of Krishna is the highest nectar. It is my very life and my only treasure."

(get more by clicking here Thanks to Vijay Pai and Krishna Kripa)
posted by Braja Dasa 2/20/00

Wednesday, February 16, 2000

Short and sweet lecture by Srila Prabhupada given on Lord Nityananda's Appearance Day in Bhubaneswar, on February 2, 1977.
(Thanks to Sumithra Krishna Dasa)

Appearance of Nityananda Prabhu

So today, is the appearance day of Lord Nityananda Prabhu...Nityananda Prabhu is Baladeva, Baladeva-tattva. Vrajendra nandana yei, saci suta haila sei, balarama haila nitai: "Who was formerly the son of Nanda Maharaja, He has appeared as the son of Sacidevi." Caitanya Mahaprabhu's mother's name was Sacidevi. So Krsna... Krsna is Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, and Balarama is Nityananda Prabhu. Now... Vrajendra nandana yei, saci suta haila sei, balarama haila nitai. So Balarama... In the Vedic literature it is said, nayam atma bala-hinena labhyah na bahuna srutena. So bala means strength. Sometimes some rascal philosophers, they take it that bala means bodily strength. They propagate this philosophy, that "Unless you are bodily stout and strong, you cannot achieve spiritual salvation. You must be very strong and stout and eat meat and fight, and then you'll get next spiritual birth" No. This bala, this strength, is different. This is spiritual strength. The difficulty of the present situation is that actually we are moving on account of spiritual strength, but they have no information of the spiritual strength. They are thinking of material strength. That is expressed here, that ahankare matta hoiya, nitai-pada pasariya, asatyere satya kori mani. This is due to ahankara. Ahankara-vimudhatma kartaham iti manyate. Those who are vimudha, especially rascal... Mudha rascals and vi means visesa, visesanam, particularly. Ahankara-vimudhatma. The same thing which is spoken in the Bhagavad-gita, Narottama dasa Thakura says the same thing in a plain Bengali language. Ahankare matta haiya, nitai pada... By the spell of maya-ahankara- vimudhatma kartaham iti manyate-they are thinking that "We are independent. We can do whatever we like." This is called ahankara-vimudhatma. Under false pretext, false prestige, everyone is thinking that "We are independent. We can find out the solution of the problems of life by material adjustment," so on, so on.

So that is our material disease. Ahankara-vimudhatma. Bewildered, they do not understand that the real strength is spiritual strength. We see daily, see daily that a very strong man, very powerful man, very good brain, very good scientist... So where is the strength? The strength is atma. As soon as the atma, or the soul, goes out of this body, so intelligent, so strong, and so many things, that is nothing. That is the difference between dead man and the living man. A living man is very powerful, very good position, everything. As soon as he lies down, he is lying down on the floor, and if you kick him on his face, he'll not protest, So where is that strength? The strength is gone.

That is spiritual strength. On the spiritual strength, the body moves. Suppose you have got a very good car, Mercedes car or Rolls Royce car, but when there is no petrol, how the car will move? It is not possible. There is spirit, petrol spirit. Similarly, real strength is spiritual strength. That spiritual strength is Balarama. Bala means strength. Therefore we have to take shelter of the lotus feet of Balarama, Guru-tattva. Balarama means guru- tattva. Balarama represents guru. Yasya prasadad bhagavat-prasadah. If we want to understand Caitanya Mahaprabhu, if we want to understand Krsna, then we must take shelter of Balarama. Nayam atma bala-hine na labhya. This bala- hinena labhya, this Vedic injunction, means "Without the mercy of Balarama you cannot understand, you cannot realize your spiritual identification. So that Balarama comes as Nityananda Prabhu. Balarama haila nitai. Therefore we must take shelter of Balarama. That is... This song has been sung by Narottama dasa Thakura. Nitai pada kamala, koti candra susitala. If we take shelter of Nityananda Prabhu, then we get peace. Koti candra susitala. Just like in daytime, especially in the summer season, we become very much exasperated. But at night, in the evening, as soon as there is moonshine we become very much satisfied. All day's labor and fatigue is immediately moved. So nitai pada kamala, the shade of Nityananda Prabhu's lotus feet, is koti candra susitala, as pleasing as one crore of moonshine. One moonshine gives us so much pleasure. So if we want actually peace of mind, if we actually want to be free from this material fatiguement, then we must take the shelter of Nityananda Prabhu.
posted by Braja Dasa 2/16/00

Nityananda Prabhu is the strength, spiritual strength. And without spiritual strength you cannot approach Krsna. Nayam atma pravaca... Simply by talking nonsense... Nayam atma pravacanena labhya. If you are a gocd speaker, that does not mean you'll understand, yourself. Na medhaya: "Neither by good brain." Because you have got very good brain you'll understand Krsna. No. Nayam atma pravacanena labhya na medhaya na bahuna srutena. If you think that you are a very good scholar, university degree holder-then you'll understand-no. This is not possible. So we must have spiritual strength. That source of spiritual strength is Balarama, Krsna's next manifestation, prakasa-vigraha. Krsna is manifesting Himself through Balarama. So we have to take shelter of Nityananda Prabhu. Nitai pada kamala, koti candra susitala, je chayay jagata juray. The whole world is suffering, but if you want peace, then you take the shelter of Nityananda Prabhu. Heno nitai bine bhai, radha-krsna paite nai, dhrdha kori" dharc nitair pay. Our real aim of life-how to go back home back to Godhead and associate with Radha Krsna. In another song the same author says, manusya-janama paiya, radha-krsna na bhajiya, janiya su niya bisa khainu. Unless you come to Radha-Krsna, you cannot get real pleasure. If you want to dance and get pleasure, don't dance independently. Dance with Krsna. Then you'll be happy. The dancing is there, but dancing without association of Krsna... Just like here, in our temple, we are also eating, but we are eating the remnants of foodstuff left by Krsna. That is real pleasure. It is not that we are stopping eating. We are not stopping eating. We are not dry philosophers. Krsna baro doyamoy, koribare jihwa jay, swa prasad anna dilo bhai. All over the world we are eating Krsna prasadam, and we have got good experience. At least ten thousand men and women, they are taking Krsna prasadam, but we have no anxiety. We have no anxiety. A family consists of a few members. They are full of anxiety how to maintain the family. And we are maintaining a family of ten thousand men. We have no anxiety. Just see practically. We have no anxiety. We require thousands and thousands of rupees for maintaining Europe, America, a costly affair. But because we are under the shelter of Nityananda Prabhu, Balarama, we have no anxiety. That means material life means anxiety. You cannot avoid anxiety if you lead a material life. Then you will be anxious. That is Prahlada Maharaja's instruction. He was asked by his father, "My dear scn, what you have learned, the best thing from your teachers?" So he replied, "My dear father..." He never said, "My dear father." He said, "My dear best of the asuras." Asura-varya. Tat sadhu manye 'sura-varya dehinam. Tat sadhu manye 'sura-varya dehinam sada samudvigna-dhiyam asad- grahat. The whole human society is suffering, at least suffering from one disease-anxiety. Ask anybody. Take one small ant and take the big elephant; take the President of United States or take one street beggar. Ask him, "Whether you are free from anxiety?" Nobody will say, "No." "I am full of anxiety." That's a fact. So why they are anxiety, in, full of anxiety? That Prahlada Maharaja had replied, sada samudvijna-dhiyam asad-grahat. Because we have taken asad-vastu, that will not exist... Everything, whatever you have got... Our, this body will not exist. And this is the main platform of our existence. In the material world, so long the body is there, you exist. So Prahlada Maharaja said that "Real solution of problems of life is to get out of this material condition.

That is best thing in my opinion." Sada samadvijna- dhiyam asad... That is Vedic injunction also. Asato ma sad gama: "Don't live in this asat, in this material condition." Sad gama: "Go to real existence." That real existence means spiritual life. Na hanyate hanyamane sarire. So if we actually want life, blissful life, then we must get out of this material existence. That is Prahlada Maharaja's instruction. Samudvigna-dhiyam. And if you remain in the material existence, you must suffer some anxiety. There is no excuse. So Prahlada Maharaja advises that hitvatma-ghatam grham andha-kupam vanam gato yad dharim asrayeta. If you... Real problem is anxiety. And this anxiety will continue so long you are material existent. Therefore the real life is to get out of this material... Hitvatma-ghatam. Atma-ghatam. Atma-ghatam means killing the soul. This material civilization is killing the soul. That... They have no information of the soul. They do not know how to become peaceful, how to become blissful. They are trying to be peaceful, bahir-artha-maninah, by external material energy they are thinking by constructing big, big buildings, just like in Bhubaneswar they are doing, and having good, very big, big roads and motor cars, that is advancement of civilization. No. That is not advancement of civili... That is increasing their anxiety. There is no solution of the anxiety. There is... Formally that... I was speaking. There was no university.

The university was in the cottage-Vyasadeva. Vyasadeva was writing Srimad-Bhagavatam and all the Puranas in a cottage. The university was there. Who can produce such literature as Vyasadeva has given. From any angle of vision, from literary point of view, from philosophical point of view-everything, so perfect, every literature, Mahabharata, Puranas, and Vedanta. Veda-Vyasa, he has given. So there was no need of university. It required clear brain. That was to be done by the brahminical qualifications, samo damo titiksa arjava, jnana vijnanam astikyam brahma-karma svabhava...Where is that education? This education, technical education, how you can very nicely hammer, this will not solve the problem. So if we want real solution of the problems, then our duty is first of all to take the shelter of nitai pada kamala. Then we'll be happy, and we'll get moonshine and our all fatigueness will be subsided. sambandha nahi jar, brtha janma gelo tar.

So if you have no connection with Nityananda Prabhu... Nityananda means always. Nitya means always, ananda means pleasure. This is another meaning you can draw. So therefore, if you have no connection with Nityananda Prabhu... Se tar: "He's simply wasting time." Brtha means useless. Uselessly, he's wasting time. Se pasu boro duracar. And Narottama dasa Thakura has used very strong word. "Anyone who has no connection with Nityananda Prabhu, he's a pasu." Sei pasu. He's a pasu, means animal. So animal, how one animal can get happiness? That is not possible. The dog, from the childhood he's searching after food, searching after food. And cannot get food. Unless a dog has got a master, he's street dog and he's always unhappy. So better to become a dog of Nityananda Prabhu. Then we shall be happy. Instead of becoming dog of so many other people... Everyone is dog.
posted by Braja Dasa 2/16/00

Everyone is searching after to serve a master. But none of them are satisfied because that is false master. You take real master, Nityananda
Prabhu. You'll be happy. Se pasu boro duracar. He does not know where is happiness. Where I shall become a dog? That... Our Bhaktivinoda Thakura, he has sung therefore, vaisnava thakur, tomara kukkurr, boliya janaha more. "My dear Vaisnava Thakura, kindly accept me as your dog, as your dog. I am dog already, but I am maya's dog. I'm not Vaisnava's dog. So kindly accept me." If you become a Vaisnava's dog... Chadiya vaisnava seva, nistar paiche keba. If you do not become a dog of Vaisnava and Nityananada Prabhu... Nityananda is guru. So if you do not become a dog of Nityananda Prabhu, Vaisnava, or guru, there is no question of happiness. Se sambandha nahi yar, brtha janma gelo.., se pasu boro duracar. Nitai na bolilo mukhe, majila samsara-sukhe. He who has no connection with Nityananda Prabhu, and he does not say, "Jaya Nitai! Jaya Gaura!" And majilo samsara sukhe, he thinks that this society, family, and... "Society, friendship and love, divinely bestowed upon man." These materialist persons, they say like that. That is called majilo samsara sukhe. In samsara there cannot be any sukha, but he's attracted by that. Majilo samsara sukhe. Vidya kule ki koribe tar. What we'll do with university education or born in big family or... This will not help. This is not possible. Vidya kule ki karibe tar. Why they're accepting this false? Ahankare matta hoiya, nitai-pada pasariya, asatyere satya kori mani. On account of being misled by false prestige and false egotism, asatyere satya kori mani, we are accepting this body which is asat, which- will not exist. That we have taken as reality. Ahankare matta hoiya, nitai pada pasariya. But if we take shelter of Nityananda Prabhu, then you get the enlightenment. Asatyere satya kori mani.

Therefore Narottama dasa Thakura advises that... Today is Nityananda Prabhu's avirbhava appearance day. Let us at least remember today nitai pada kamala. That is wanted. Nitai carana satya, tahara sevaka nitya. The reality is nitai carana, and anyone who is servant of Nitai.. So nitai carana satya, tahara sevaka nitya. One who has become the dog of Nityananda Prabhu, he gets his eternal life. We are eternal, but under misconception of material identification, we are under the subjugation of maya. Bhutva bhutva praliyate. Tatha dehantara... It is very botheration, but they do not know. I am going from one body to another transmigration. And that is not guaranteed, what body. They have no science, no knowledge about. Understanding tatha dehantara, the very first instruction of Bhagavad-gita.

They are so rascals, and they are proud of their education, their universities. This is going on. nitai carana satya, tahara sevaka.., nitai-
pada sada koro asa. Therefore we should always expect to be under the shelter of nitai pada kamala. Narottama boro duhkhi. Narottama dasa Thakur, he's acarya. He is presenting himself... That is acarya. Means he is not duhkhi, but he's presenting himself as duhkhi. That is acarya. Acaryas, they are never duhkhi. But taking the common man's position, he says, narottama boro duhkhi. Or, in other words, Narottama... Narottama means the best of the human being. So here in this material world one may be the best of the human being, very exalted position, but everyone is duhkhi, unhappy. Narottama boro duhkhi, nitai more koro sukhi: "Only Nityananda can make me happy. Otherwise not possible." Rakho ranga-caranera pasa. So today is Nityananda Prabhu's appearance day. We shall always pray Nityananda Prabhu, "Kindly keep me under your shelter so that...I am very duhkhi; I am very unhappy. Under the shelter of Your lotus feet I shall be happy." And that is real happiness. Thank you very much.

Devotees: Jaya Srila Prabhupada!
posted by Braja Dasa 2/16/00

Here's a meditation that may be appropriate today:

yad roma-rAndhra-paripUrti-vidhAv adakSA
vArAha-janmani babhvur amI samudrAH
taM nAma nAtham aravinda-dRzaM yazodA
pANi-dvayAntara-jalaiH snapayAM babhUva

"Although in His Varaha incarnation, many oceans could hardly even fill the Lord's hair follicles, Yashodamayi bathed that same lotus-eyed Lord (i.e, Shri Krishna) with just the water contained in her two joined palms."
--Krishna-karnamritam, 2.27
(thanks to Mukunda Datta Prabhu)
posted by Braja Dasa 2/16/00

The Appearance of Sri Nityananda Prabhu
(Thanks to ISKCON DC)

Thursday, February 17th is the appearance day of Lord Nityananda. Following is a brief biography of the personification of most
merciful, spiritual potency of the Lord.

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 active principle in both creation and lila. He is the second body of the Lord, manifesting as Balaram to Sri Krishna, Lakshman to Sri Ram and Nityananda Prabhu to Caitanya Mahaprabhu. All other forms and expansions of the Lord emanate from this second body. Nityananda Prabhu is thus the source of Sankarshan, all the Vishu's, and Ananta Sesa. As Vishnu tattva He and Advaita Acarya are worshipped in the same category as Caitanya Mahaprabhu.

In the manifested earthly lila, Nityananda Prabhu is senior to Caitanya Mahaprabhu by more than a decade. He is statuesque, like His Master, with the whitish complexion of Lord Balarama. His garments resemble a cluster of blue lotus flowers and His effulgence is said to surpass the grandeur of a rising moon at sunset. He has a deep melodious voice, constant singing the glories of Sri Krishna and carries a red stick with benedictions for the devotees, but feared by the demoniac. He has the carefree mood of a wild avadhuta, so absorbed is He in the love of Godhead, and no one knows what He will do next.

Nityananda Prabhu was born in Ekacakra, a small village in present West Bengal, around the year 1474. His birthsite is commemorated by a temple named Garbhasva and is visited by throngs of pilgrims today. His father, Hadai Ojha and mother Padmavati, were pious Brahmans originally from Mithila. Nityananda Prabhu was born on the auspicious thirteenth day of the bright fortnight of the month of Maga. As a child, Nitai (as Nityananda Prabhu was called), loved to enact the pastimes of Sri Krishna or Lord Rama. He did this so authoritatively and with such rapture, that the entire village would be immersed in the love of Godhead.

Nitai's favorite part was that of Lakshman, and He enacted it with so many apparently authentic scenes not described in the Ramayana, that people would wonder if He was making it up or actually relishing His own pastimes. The village of Ekacakra was completely absorbed in the love of little Nitai, where He spend the first 12 years of his earthly life. In the 13th year, a travelling sannyasi, said to be the famous Lakshmipati Tirtha, enchanted by Nitai's devotion and service, requested Nitai from his parents, as a travelling companion. His parents, bound by Vedic culture, could not refuse the request of a guest and reluctantly parted with Nitai. However, devastated by the separation with Nitai, that Hadai Pandit soon gave up his life.

Nitai traveled with Lakshmipati Tirtha for about 20 years, during which He visited all the holy places in the country, reminiscent of the manner that Balarama traveled while the battle at Kurukshetra raged on. Nitai is said to be later on initiated by Lakshmipati Tirtha. He also associated with another of Lakshmipati Tirtha's famous disciple, Madhavendra Puri, who although his godbrother, was revered by Nitai was as a spiritual master. Madhavendra Puri is famous for establishing the sweet truth of Madhurya-rasa which later become an integral part of Gaudiya Vaishnavism. Among the other disciples of Madhavendra Puri is Advaita Acarya, and Isavara Puri (the spiritual master of Caitanya Mahaprabhu).

Nityananda Prabhu met Caitanya Mahaprabhu in 1506, when He was 32 years old and the Lord 20 years. It is said that when Nityananda Prabhu reached the land of Nadia, He hid in the house of Nandanacarya, to heighten the ecstasy of meeting through separation. Caitanya Mahaprabhu aware of the arrival of His eternal associate dispatched Haridas Thakur and Srivas Pandit to search out Nitai, but they failed. Finally unable to bear the separation any longer, Caitanya Mahaprabhu Himself went directly to Nityananda Prabhu and the ecstasy of the meeting was so transcendental that every one witnessing it were awed by the sublime experience. A temple called Sri Gaura-Nityananda commemorates this meeting place in Nadia.

Nityananda Prabhu in His role as the original spiritual master, was instrumental in spreading the yuga dharma of sankritana all over the Gaudia desh (Bengal, Orrisa). His mercy knew no bounds, and people fortunate to come in contact with Him were inundated with the love of Godhead. It was by His mercy that Raghunatha dasa, one of the six Goswamis started the famous Danda Mahotsava festival of Panihatti, a tradition that continues to this day, and was thus able to serve Caitanya Mahaprabhu. He extended His mercy to even fallen souls like Jagai and Madhai, delivering them from the sinful lives and protecting them from the wrath of even Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Indeed His mercy knew no bounds, and fortunate were the people who tasted the nectar of His instructions.

When Nityananda Prabhu returned to Bengal at the request of Caitanya Mahaprabhu, His decided to abandon His avadhuta status and become a grahastha (householder). He married Jahnava devi and Vasudha, the two daughters of Suryadasa Sarakhel, who the brother of Gauridasa Pandit (an intimate associate of Caitanya Mahaprabhu and the spiritual master of the famous Shyamananda Pandit). Nityananda Prabhu had a son (Virchandara) and a daughter (Gangadevi) from Vasudha. Soon after Vasudha passed away and Jahanva devi looked after the children. She later initiated Virchandra, and also became an instructing spiritual master to the likes of Shyamananda Pandit, Shrivasa Pandit and Narottama dasa Thakur. Jahnava devi is revered as a Vaishnavi and she established the pre-eminent positon of women in the Vaishanava tradition.

Lord Nityananda wound up His earthly pastimes, by merging into the deity of Krishna, known as Bankim Ray, not far from Ekacakra. Vaishanava acaryas emphatically state that people who try to understand Caitanya Mahaprabhu without getting the mercy of Nityananda Prabhu will never succeed. and one must pray very sincerely to Lord Nityananda Prabhu as the adi-guru (original spiritual master) to be delivered to the Lotus feet of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. The presence of Nityananada Prabhu is always felt in the presence of one's own guru, for the guru is considered to be the living manifestation of Nityananda Prabhu's love and mercy, and his sakti (power) is what gives the disciple the ability to perform devotional service and experience spiritual bliss.

The complete text of The Bhagavat by Bhaktivinoda Thakura
(You can either save the page or cut and paste into a text editor or word processing program if you want to keep it for reference. But this page will be here for as long as the Bazaar remains in operation, i.e. a long time!)
posted by Braja Dasa 2/16/00

Saturday, February 12, 2000

All-time Favorites

TEXT 1

sri-caitanya-prabhum vande balo 'pi yad-anugrahat taren nana-mata-graha- vyaptam siddhanta-sagaram

SYNONYMS

sri-caitanya-prabhum--to Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu; vande--I offer obeisances; balah--an ignorant child; api--even; yat--of whom; anugrahat--by the mercy; taret--may cross over; nana--various; mata--of theories; graha--the crocodiles; vyaptam--filled with; siddhanta--of conclusions; sagaram--the ocean.

TRANSLATION

I offer my obeisances to Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, by whose mercy even an ignorant child can swim across the ocean of conclusive truth, which is full of the crocodiles of various theories.

PURPORT

By the mercy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, even an inexperienced boy with no educational culture can be saved from the ocean of nescience, which is full of various types of philosophical doctrines that are like dangerous aquatic animals. The philosophy of the Buddha, the argumentative presentations of the jnanis, the yoga systems of Patanjali and Gautama, and the systems of philosophers like Kanada, Kapila and Dattatreya are dangerous creatures in the ocean of nescience. By the grace of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu one can have real understanding of the essence of knowledge by avoiding these sectarian views and accepting the lotus feet of Krsna as the ultimate goal of life. Let us all worship Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu for His gracious mercy to the conditioned souls.

TEXT 2

TEXT

krsnotkirtana-gana-nartana-kala-pathojani-bhrajita sad-bhaktavali-hamsa-cakra-madhupa-sreni-viharaspadam karnanandi-kala-dhvanir vahatu me jihva-maru-prangane sri-caitanya daya-nidhe tava lasal-lila-sudha-svardhuni

SYNONYMS

krsna--of the holy name of Lord Krsna; utkirtana--loud chanting; gana--singing; nartana--dancing; kala--of the other fine arts; pathah-jani--with lotuses; bhrajita--beautified; sat-bhakta--of pure devotees; avali--rows; hamsa--of swans; cakra--cakravaka birds; madhu-pa--and bumble bees; sreni--like swarms; vihara--of pleasure; aspadam--the abode; karna-anandi--gladdening the ears; kala--melodious; dhvanih--sound; vahatu--let it flow; me--my; jihva--of the tongue; maru--desertlike; prangane--in the courtyard; sri-caitanya daya-nidhe--O Lord Caitanya, ocean of mercy; tava--of You; lasat--shining; lila-sudha--of the nectar of the pastimes; svardhuni--the Ganges.

TRANSLATION

O my merciful Lord Caitanya, may the nectarean Ganges waters of Your transcendental activities flow on the surface of my desertlike tongue. Beautifying these waters are the lotus flowers of singing, dancing and loud chanting of Krsna's holy name, which are the pleasure abodes of unalloyed devotees. These devotees are compared to swans, ducks and bees. The river's flowing produces a melodious sound that gladdens their ears.

PURPORT

Our tongues always engage in vibrating useless sounds that do not help us realize transcendental peace. The tongue is compared to a desert because a desert needs a constant supply of refreshing water to make it fertile and fruitful. Water is the substance most needed in the desert. The transient pleasure derived from mundane topics of art, culture, politics, sociology, dry philosophy, poetry and so on is compared to a mere drop of water because although such topics have a qualitative feature of transcendental pleasure, they are saturated with the modes of material nature. Therefore neither collectively nor individually can they satisfy the vast requirements of the desertlike tongue. Despite crying in various conferences, therefore, the desertlike tongue continues to be parched. For this reason, people from all parts of the world must call for the devotees of Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, who are compared to swans swimming around the beautiful lotus feet of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu or bees humming around His lotus feet in transcendental pleasure, searching for honey. The dryness of material happiness cannot be moistened by so-called philosophers who cry for Brahman, liberation and similar dry speculative objects. The urge of the soul proper is different. The soul can be solaced only by the mercy of Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu and His many bona fide devotees, who never leave the lotus feet of the Lord to become imitation Mahaprabhus but all cling to His lotus feet like bees that never leave a honey-soaked lotus flower. Lord Caitanya's movement of Krsna consciousness is full of dancing and singing about the pastimes of Lord Krsna. It is compared herein to the pure waters of the Ganges, which are full of lotus flowers. The enjoyers of these lotus flowers are the pure devotees, who are like bees and swans. They chant like the flowing of the Ganges, the river of the celestial kingdom. The author desires such sweetly flowing waves to cover his tongue. He humbly compares himself to materialistic persons who always engage in dry talk from which they derive no satisfaction. If they were to use their dry tongues to chant the holy name of the Lord--Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna, Krsna Krsna, Hare Hare. Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare--as exemplified by Lord Caitanya, they would taste sweet nectar and enjoy life.

--H.D.G. A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Caitanya-caritamrta, Adi-lila, chap 2.
posted by Braja Dasa 2/12/00

Thursday, February 10, 2000

bhaktya vihina aparadhalaksaih
ksiptasca kamadi tarangamadhye
krpamayi tvam saranam prapanna
vrnde numaste caranaravindam

"I am devoid of devotion, I am replete with millions of offenses, distracted by waves of evil desires. O compassionate Vrnda-devi I take shelter of You and I pay my innumerable prostrated obeisances at Your Lotus Feet. Kindly rescue me."
--from Vrndadevyastakam
posted by Braja Dasa 2/10/00

The Bhagavat
(installment 2)

4. Thus the great Bhagavat ever remains unknown to the foreigners like the elephant of the six blind who caught hold of the several parts of the body of the beast! But truth is eternal and is never injured but for a while by ignorance.

The Bhagavat Explains Itself:

1. It is the fruit of the tree of thought (Vedas) mixed with the nectar of the speech of Sukadeva. It is the temple of spiritual love.... [It is] composed of 18,000 Slokas. It contains the best part of the Vedas and Vedanta.

2. The Bhagavata is pre-eminently "the Book" in India. Once enter into it, and you are transplanted, as it were, into the spiritual world where gross matter has no existence. The true follower of the Bhagavat is a spiritual man who has already cut his temporary connection with phenomenal nature, and has made himself the inhabitant of that region where God eternally exists and loves. This mighty work is founded upon inspiration and its superstructure is upon reflection. To the common reader it has no charms and is full of difficulty. We are, therefore, obliged to study it deeply through the assistance of such great commentators as Sridhara Svami and Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu and His contemporary followers.

3. Now Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, the great preacher of Nadia, who has been Deified by His talented followers, tells us that the Bhagavat is founded upon the four verses which Vyasa received from Narada, the most learned of the created beings. He tells us further that Brahma pierced through the whole universe of matter for years and years in quest of the final cause of the world, but when he failed to find it abroad, he looked into the construction of his own spiritual nature, and there he heard the Universal Spirit speaking unto him:

4. "...I was in the beginning before all spiritual and temporal things were created, and after they have been created I am in them all in the shape of their existence and truthfulness, and when they will be all gone I shall remain full as I was and as I am. Whatever appears to be true without being a real fact itself, and whatever is not perceived though it is true in itself are subjects of my illusory energy of creation, such as light and darkness in the material world."

5. [Like Brahma, Vyasa also] fell back into his own self and searched his own spiritual nature and then it was that the above truth was communicated to him for his own good and the good of the world. The sage immediately perceived that his former works required supercession in as much as they did not contain the whole truth and nothing but the truth. In his new idea he obtained the development of his former idea of religion. He commenced the Bhagavat in pursuance of this change.
posted by Braja Dasa 2/10/00

Monday, February 7, 2000

THE BHAGAVATA

By Bhaktivinoda Thakura

PART I - Introducing The Subject:

The Fruitless Reader & The Shallow Critic

1. Most readers are mere repositories of facts and statements made by other people. But this is not study. The student is to read the facts with a view to create, and not with the object of fruitless retention.

2. Students like satellites should reflect whatever light they they receive from authors and not imprison the facts and thoughts.... Thought is progressive. The author's thought must have progress in the reader in the shape of correction or development. He is the best critic who can show the further development of an old thought; but a mere denouncer is the enemy of progress and consequently of Nature.

3. "Begin anew," says the critic, because the old masonry does not answer at present. Let the old author be buried because his time is gone. These are shallow expressions. Progress is certainly the law of nature and there must be corrections and developments with the progress of time. But progress means going further or rising higher.

4. Now, if we are to follow our foolish critic, we are to go back to our former terminus and make a new race, and when we have run half the race, another critic of his stamp will cry out: "Begin anew because the wrong road has been taken. In this way our stupid critics will never allow us to go over the whole road and see what is in the other terminus. Thus the shallow critic and the fruitless reader are the two great enemies of progress. We must shun them.

The True Critic & The Useful Reader

1. The true critic, on the other hand, advises us to preserve what we have already obtained, and to adjust our race from that point where we have arrived in the heat of our progress. He will never advise us to go back to the point whence we started as he fully knows that in that case there will be a fruitless loss of our valuable time and labor. He will direct the adjustment of the angle of the race at the point where we are.

2. This is also the characteristic of the useful student. He will read an old author and will find out his exact position in the progress of thought. He will never propose to burn the book on the ground that it contains thoughts which are useless. No thought is useless. Thoughts are means by which we attain our objects. The reader who denounces a bad thought does not know that a bad road is even capable of improvement and conversion into a good one.

3. Thoughts will necessarily continue to be an endless series of means and objects in the progress of humanity. The great reformers will always assert that they have come out not to destroy the old law, but to fulfill it. Valmiki, Vyasa, Plato, Jesus, Mohamed, Confucius and Caitanya Mahaprabhu assert the fact either expressly or by their conduct.

The Bhagavata Misunderstood:

1. The Bhagavata like all religious works and philosophical performances and writings of great men has suffered from the imprudent conduct of useless readers and stupid critics.... Men of brilliant thoughts have passed by the work in quest of truth and philosophy, but the prejudice which they imbibed from its useless readers and their conduct (i.e., sahajiyas), prevented them from making a candid investigation.

2. [...[T]ruth does not belong exclusively to any individual man or to any nation or particular race. It belongs to God, and man whether in the Poles or on the Equator, has a right to claim it as the property of his Father.]

3. The Bhagavata has suffered alike from shallow critics both Indian and foreign. That book has been accursed and denounced by a great number of our young countrymen who have scarcely read its contents and pondered over the philosophy on which it is founded. It is owing mostly to their imbibing an unfounded prejudice against it when they were in school [under the British]. The Bhagavata, as a matter of course, has been held in derision by those teachers who are generally of an inferior mind and intellect.... Oh! What a trouble to get rid of prejudices gathered in unripe years!

5. As far as we can understand, no enemy of Vaisnavism will find any beauty in the Bhagavat. The true critic is a generous judge, devoid of prejudices and party-spirit.... [T]he critic, in other words, should be of the same disposition of mind as that of the author whose merits he is required to judge. Thoughts have different ways.... Both the Christian and the Vaisnava [may for instance] utter the same sentiment, but they will never stop fighting with each other [simply] because they have arrived at their common conclusion by different ways of thought.

6. Subjects of philosophy and theology are like the peaks of large towering and inaccessible mountains standing in the midst of our planet inviting attention and investigation. Thinkers and men of deep speculation take their observations through the instruments of reason and consciousness. But they take different points when they carry on their work. These points are positions chalked out by the circumstances of their social and philosophical life, different as they are in different parts of the world.

7. Plato looked at the peak of the spiritual question from the West and Vyasa made the observation from the East; so Confucius did it from further East, and Schlegel, Spinoza, Kant and Goethe from further West. These observations were made at different times and by different means, but the conclusion is all the same in as much as the object of observation was one and the same. They all hunted after the Great Spirit, the unconditioned Soul of the Universe..., the absolute religion....

8. It requires a candid, generous, pious and holy heart to feel the beauties of their conclusions. Party-spirit, that great enemy of truth, will always baffle the attempt of the inquirer who tries to gather truth from religious works of other nations, and will make him believe that absolute truth is nowhere except in his own religious book.... The critic, therefore, should have a comprehensive, good, generous, candid, impartial and sympathetic soul.

What Is the Bhagavat?:

1. [The traveling companion of a European Gentleman newly arrived in India] will tell him with a serene look, that the Bhagavat is a book which his Oriya bearer daily reads in the evening to a number of hearers. It contains a jargon of unintelligible and savage literature of those men who paint their noses with some sort of earth or sandal, and wear beads all over their bodies in order to procure salvation for themselves.

2. Another of his companions, who has travelled a little in the interior, would immediately contradict him and say that the Bhagavat is a Sanskrit work claimed by a sect of men, the Gosvamis, who give Mantras, like the Popes of Italy, to the common people of Bengal, and pardon their sins on payment of gold enough to defray their social expenses.

3. A young Bengali, chained up in English thoughts and ideas, and wholly ignorant of the Pre-Mohammedan history of his own country, will add one more explanation by saying that the Bhagavat is a book containing an account of the life of Krsna, who was an ambitious and immoral man! This is all that he could gather from his grandmother while yet he did not go to school!
posted by Braja Dasa 2/7/00

The Power of the Maha-bhagavat

TEXT 74

TEXT

yanhara darsane mukhe aise krsna-nama
tanhare janiha tumi 'vaisnava-pradhana'

SYNONYMS

yanhara darsane--by the sight of whom; mukhe--in the mouth; aise--automatically awakens; krsna-nama--the holy name of Krsna; tanhare--him; janiha--must know; tumi--you; vaisnava-pradhana--the first-class Vaisnava.

TRANSLATION

Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu said, "A first-class Vaisnava is he whose very presence makes others chant the holy name of Krsna."

PURPORT

Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura says that if an observer immediately remembers the holy name of Krsna upon seeing a Vaisnava, that Vaisnava should be considered a maha-bhagavata, a first-class devotee. Such a Vaisnava is always aware of his Krsna conscious duty, and he is enlightened in self-realization. He is always in love with the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krsna, and this love is without adulteration. Because of this love, he is always awake to transcendental realization. Because he knows that Krsna consciousness is the basis of knowledge and action, he sees everything connected with Krsna. Such a person is able to chant the holy name of Krsna perfectly. Such a maha-bhagavata Vaisnava has the transcendental eyes to see who is sleeping under the spell of maya, and he engages himself in awakening sleeping conditioned beings by spreading the knowledge of Krsna consciousness. He opens eyes that are closed by forgetfulness of Krsna. Thus the living entity is liberated from the dullness of material energy and is engaged fully in the service of the Lord. The madhyama-adhikari Vaisnava can awaken others to Krsna consciousness and engage them in duties whereby they can advance. It is therefore said in Caitanya-caritamrta (Madhya-lila, Chapter Six, verse 279):

lohake yavat sparsi' hema nahi kare
tavat sparsa-mani keha cinite na pare

"One cannot understand the value of touchstone until it turns iron into gold." One should judge by action, not by promises. A maha-bhagavata can turn a living entity from abominable material life to the Lord's service. This is the test of a maha-bhagavata. Although preaching is not meant for a maha-bhagavata, a maha-bhagavata can descend to the platform of madhyama-bhagavata just to convert others to Vaisnavism. Actually a maha-bhagavata is fit to spread Krsna consciousness, but he does not distinguish where Krsna consciousness should be spread from where it should not. He thinks that everyone is competent to accept Krsna consciousness if the chance is provided. A neophyte and intermediate devotee should always be anxious to hear the maha-bhagavata and serve him in every respect. The neophyte and intermediate devotees can gradually rise to the platform of uttama-adhikari and become first-class devotees. Symptoms of a first-class devotee are given in Srimad-Bhagavatam (11.2.45):

sarva-bhutesu yah pasyed
bhagavad-bhavam atmanah
bhutani bhagavaty atmany
esa bhagavatottamah

When teaching Sanatana Gosvami, the Lord further said:

sastra-yuktye sunipuna, drdha-sraddha yanra
'uttama-adhikari' se taraye samsara

"If one is expert in Vedic literature and has full faith in the Supreme Lord, then he is an uttama-adhikari, a first-class Vaisnava, a topmost Vaisnava who can deliver the whole world and turn everyone to Krsna consciousness." (Cc. Madhya 22.65) With great love and affection, the maha-bhagavata observes the Supreme Personality of Godhead, devotional service and the devotee. He observes nothing beyond Krsna, Krsna consciousness and Krsna's devotees. The maha-bhagavata knows that everyone is engaged in the Lord's service in different ways. He therefore descends to the middle platform to elevate everyone to the Krsna conscious position.
(Cc. Madhya Lila Ch. 16)
posted by Braja Dasa 2/7/00

Sunday, February 6, 2000

Srila Rupa Goswami suggests that the person eligible for KC or devotional service can be classified by his particular taste. He says that devotional service is a continual process from one's previous life. No one can take to devotional service unless he has had some previous connection with it. ...In this way there is always a continuity. But even if there is no continuity, if only by chance a person takes interest in a pure devotee's instructions, he can be accepted and advance in devotional service. Anyway, for persons who have a natural taste for understanding books like the Bhagavad-gita and Srimad Bhagavatam, devotional service is easier than for those who are simply accustomed to mental speculation and argumentative processes.
--Srila Prabhupada, Nectar of Devotion.
posted by Braja Dasa 2/6/00

Friday, February 4, 2000

Jaya Radhe-Syama! After surveying the online world of Vaisnavism, I saw that there are many opinions. But one thing remains constant: the importance of sastra. So, on this auspicious day, er...Friday, we launch LoiBazaar's Aushadalaya. If you have quotes or pastimes you'd like to share with the Vaisnava world, please send them in: sastra submissions.

We'll also be posting links to sastra online at other sites. So you can send your links also.

Prayers Online
Here's a nice collection of prayers, including the perennial Brijbhasi favorite, Radha-krpa-kataksa-stava-raja. "Munindra-vrnda-vandite tri-loka-soka harini..." The meter alone is enough to pep up your whole day--what to speak of the meaning.

Narada Pancaratra (Laksmi Tantra)

The following was posted on the VNN Forums by R.Manoharan.

The following selection of verses are from Laksmi Tantra chapter 43, on the subject of women and their status in the Pancaratra tradition.

na samret kamini nindam karmana manasa gira
yatraham tatra tattvani tatraham tatra devatah - 62

A yogin should never abuse a woman, either in deed, speech or thgought.
Where ever I (Lakshmi) am, the realities are. where ever I am the gods too are.

yo bhinindati tam narim laksmima bhinindati
yo bhinindati tam laksmi trailokyama bhinindati (64)

He who abuses women abuses laksmi herself
He who abuses Laksmi abuses the entire three world.

jyotsnam iva striyam drstva yasya cittam prasidati
napadhyayati yatkincit sa me priyatmano matah (66)

He whose heart is gladdened by the sight of women - like moonlight and who never entertains evil thoughts about them, he is most dear to me

aruna hyapaga yadvattatha simantini vara
yadasmi janani nama trayanam jagatamaham (69)

As also the Aruna river, so too are all women revered as being sinless. The fact that I, the mother of the three worlds

mattanurvanita saksad yogi kasmanna pujayet
na kuryad vrjinam naryah kuvrttam na smaret striyah (71)

Knowing women as my direct manifestation, how can a yogi refrain from revering them ?

Bhakti-rasamrita-sindhu
Vraja Kishora's ongoing verse-by-verse analysis of Srila Rupa Goswami's Bhakti-rasamrita-sindhu.

And for a little interfaith work: drop by the Vatican.
posted by Braja Dasa 2/4/00

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