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News from the spiritual worldNews from the spiritual world
[Srila Prabhupada] explained that there are different grades of devotees. The lowest grade will find a little fault and make a big thing out of it. The next grade will see the good and bad in a person but give more emphasis to the bad. And the next grade will see the good and the bad and give equal importance to both. But the advanced devotee, although he or she sees both the good and bad in a person, gives more emphasis to the good. And the most advanced will find a little good and make a big thing out of it. >From HH Giriraja Maharaja's Vyasa-puja offering, 2007
from Vancouver Vyasa Puja offering 1984 Christianity has spread widely on the basis of one book with scanty information about the Personality of Godhead. Christ has become celebrated, although he withheld intimate information about the spiritual world and taught the rogues sub religious principles for elevation to the mode of goodness. But you, Srila Prabhupada, have so expertly presented the sublime teachings of Lord Caitanya which reveal the most intimate relationships that the living entities can have with the Supreme Person and have shown by personal example the step-by-step practical process for attaining that goal. You have taken the highest philosophical understanding of Krsna and through your purity and wisdom made it available, understandable, and tangible, even for the ordinary man in the street. You are to ISKCON what Jesus Christ is to Christianity. When one speaks of Christianity one immediately thinks of Christ, and similarly when one talks about ISKCON one immediately remembers Srila Prabhupada. You are inseparable from ISKCON. You are the founder; you are the guiding light. Your position will not diminish with the passage of time, but will grow as more and more the world wakes up to acknowledge and appreciate the extraordinary personality who walked among us to revitalize real religious principles in the spiritual wasteland, the desert of Kali-yuga.
You should always pray that only by the grace of the spiritual master we achieve the grace or mercy of Krsna. This is the meaning of Vyasa-puja. As far as possible we have tried to give you instruction, books. But remain always faithful to the spiritual master and try to understand Krsna. Any other so-called understanding is simply a waste of time. >>> Ref. VedaBase => SPL 7-10: A World Tour
My dear master, although You have nothing to do with material existence, You come to this earth and imitate material life just to expand the varieties of ecstatic enjoyment for Your surrendered devotees. PURPORT Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura points out that just as a lamp does not seem to shine as brightly in sunlight as it does in the shade, or as a diamond does not seem as brilliant on a silver platter as it does on a plate of blue glass, the Lord's pastimes as Govinda do not seem as amazing in the transcendental abode of Vaikuntha as they do within the material realm of Maya. Lord Krsna comes to the earth and acts toward His pure devotees exactly like a devoted son, boyfriend, husband, father, friend and so on, and within the darkness of material existence these brilliant, liberated pastimes give unlimited ecstasy to the surrendered devotees of the Lord. In his Krsna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Srila Prabhupada quotes Lord Brahma as follows: "I can also understand that Your appearance as a small cowherd boy, a child of the cowherd men, is not at all a material activity. You are so much obliged by their affection that You are here to enthuse them with more loving service by Your transcendental presence. " >>> Ref. VedaBase => SB 10.14.37
Sometimes a confidential friend would come before Krsna and embrace Him with great affection and love. Another friend would then come up from the rear and cover Krsna's eyes with his hands. Krsna would always feel very happy by such dealings with His confidential friends. >>> Ref. VedaBase => NoD 41: Fraternal Devotion
Prabhupada received an invitation to appear on Britain's most popular TV talk show, "Late Night Line-Up." The interviewer, accustomed to snappy repartee, tried to engage Prabhupada in his style of conversing, avoiding long, philosophical answers. "Swamiji," he asked, "do you have a concept of hell in your religion?" "Yes," Prabhupada replied. "London is hell." The host appeared stunned, as if beaten at his own game from the start. Prabhupada continued, "It is always damp, cloudy, and raining. In India the sun is always shining." The interviewer was still at a loss for words, and Prabhupada, perhaps sensing the man's embarrassment, added, "Of course, it is a very great credit to the English people to have established such a great civilization in such a climate." There were other questions, and Prabhupada talked for an hour, explaining the Krsna consciousness movement and philosophy. The next day a London newspaper announced, "Swami Calls London Hell." (from Srila Prabhupada-lilamrta)
Try to organize our book selling department very nicely. That will be great service to the society and to the people in general. The books we are publishing are completely novel to the Western world. We are explaining the science of devotional service in so many ways, and Srimad-Bhagavatam especially is unique literature that the people in general should try to understand. I have got an ambition to finish the Srimad-Bhagavatam in the same way I have already done, so try to help me as far as possible to finish this high project. >>> Ref. VedaBase => Letter to: Bali-mardana — Los Angeles 11 July, 1969
Life is short and it is so much disturbed. So how it is possible to practice? Therefore, this one practice -- chanting Hare Krsna, and hearing -- that is very nice. And praying to Krsna, "Please give me strength." Hare, "O Energy of Krsna, O Krsna, I am fallen, I have no strength. Please accept me." That's all. "I have no qualification. I am frail. I am trying, but I am failing." All these appeals should be made. And Krsna is all-powerful, He can do anything. Even we, we do not perform, trying our best, if we fail, Krsna will help us. Just like a child tries his best, but he falls down. The mother takes up and, "All right. Come on. Walk." >>> Ref. VedaBase => Morning Walk at Stow Lake -- March 23, 1968, San Francisco
"What if people don't want to hear our message?" Pradyumna asked. "The people might not understand our message, but Krsna will be pleased," Prabhupada replied. "And that is our mission. They thought Jesus Christ's mission was stopped. They killed him. But his mission was attained. He preached three years only, but so many followers. He pleased Krsna. We must not be disappointed that no one is hearing Krsna consciousness. We will say it to the moon and stars and all directions. We will cry in the wilderness, because Krsna is everywhere. We want to get a certificate from Krsna that, "This man has done something for Me.' Not popularity. If a pack of asses says you are good, what is that? We have to please Krsna's senses with purified senses." >From Srila Prabhupada-lila: A Visit to Boston, 1968
Even if one thinks that there are many pseudo devotees or nondevotees in the Krsna Consciousness Society, still one should stick to the Society; if one thinks the Society's members are not pure devotees, one can keep direct company with the spiritual master, and if there is any doubt, one should consult the spiritual master. However, unless one follows the spiritual master's instructions concerning the regulative principles and chanting and hearing the holy name of the Lord, one cannot become a pure devotee. By one's mental concoctions, one falls down. By associating with nondevotees, one breaks the regulative principles and is thereby lost. >>> Ref. VedaBase => Madhya 19.157
Srila Prabhupada said that a brahmacari is one who rich men automatically approach saying, "How can I serve you?" What is the reference for this?
They'll not go to the real person. The real person is strict. Suppose somebody comes here, if he comes to me. I shall immediately order, "You have to do this." But these rascals, they do not say that. They (say), "You pay me, and you become perfect." That is their proposal. So your money is very cheap. They pay and flock together. That is going on. That is called sumanda-mataya, misled. Manda, by nature they are rascals, and if they take some path, that is sumanda-mataya, again rascaldom. Why? Manda-bhagya, unfortunate, disturbed. They cannot find out. Therefore real guru has to canvass. This is the position. Short age, alpayus, they are not going to live for many years, and most of them are unfortunate rascals, and if they are eager to accept a guru, they accept a false guru, and they are materially disturbed. This is the position of the people of this age. So against so many disturbances and counter-facts, we have to preach. >>> Ref. VedaBase => Morning Walk -- December 10, 1973, Los Angeles
You have to take sankirtana party... at least sixteen men, four mrdangas. Practice mrdanga like that. And twelve cymbals, and one chanting and all others responding. Oh, it will be tremendous. Take some flags, "ISKCON, Hare Krsna" flag, red flag. You see? And conchshell, mrdanga... Yes. Oh, you will get devotees. You just begin sankirtana party. You will get many devotees. You see? In Los Angeles, daily the devotees, new devotees, are coming, and very nice boys. We are now searching after a bigger place. Room Conversation Boston, April 27, 1969
Upendra asked, "Swamiji, how should we feel humble? I feel sometimes that when I try to be humble I first think about it, and then I try to be humble. But it seems artificial." "This is humbleness," Prabhupada said. "When we think, "Oh, I should have done it this way'-that is good. Because then there is always room for improvement. If you go on thinking, "Oh, I did not perform this duty so nicely. I should have done it this way,' then you will improve. Our love for Krsna keeps growing as long as we think that we are not doing the most for Krsna and that we must do more. This is humbleness. If you think, "Oh, I did this so wonderfully. I am such a nice and sincere devotee,' then this is not good. There will be no improvement." >From Srila Prabhupada-lila.
Upendra asked, "Swamiji, how should we feel humble? I feel sometimes that when I try to be humble I first think about it, and then I try to be humble. But it seems artificial." "This is humbleness," Prabhupada said. "When we think, "Oh, I should have done it this way'-that is good. Because then there is always room for improvement. If you go on thinking, "Oh, I did not perform this duty so nicely. I should have done it this way,' then you will improve. Our love for Krsna keeps growing as long as we think that we are not doing the most for Krsna and that we must do more. This is humbleness. If you think, "Oh, I did this so wonderfully. I am such a nice and sincere devotee,' then this is not good. There will be no improvement." >From Srila Prabhupada-lila.
...after eating more laddus than anyone else, Madhumangala would still not be satisfied, and he would say to Krsna, "If You give me one more laddu, then I shall be pleased to give You my blessings so that Your friend Radharani will be very much pleased with You." >>> Ref. VedaBase => NoD 41: Fraternal Devotion
[Regarding eva kevalam being repeated three times in the "harer nama verse] To emphasize something to an ordinary person, one may repeat it three times, just as one might say, "You must do this! You must do this! You must do this!" Thus the Brhan-naradiya Purana repeatedly emphasizes the chanting of the holy name so that people may take it seriously and thus free themselves from the clutches of maya. It is our practical experience in the Krsna consciousness movement all over the world that many millions of people are factually coming to the spiritual stage of life simply by chanting the Hare Krsna maha-mantra regularly, according to the prescribed principles. Therefore our request to all our students is that they daily chant at least sixteen rounds of this harer nama maha-mantra offenselessly, following the regulative principles. Thus their success will be assured without a doubt. >>> Ref. VedaBase => Adi 17.23
Srila Prabhupada told TKG, "I have been through many difficulties, but those difficulties have become my assetts."
"The devotees," Prabhupada said, "are more interested in talking about Krsna and in chanting His name than in arguing. But because so many godless parties come forward and challenge, a Vaisnava must be able to argue on the basis of sastra and sound logic." from Srila Prabhupada-lila 7-3: A Visit to Boston, 1968
"When you love God, you want to tell others about Him. And automatically you write volumes and volumes of books." from Srila Prabhupada-lilamrta |
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