Preaching is Not A Business

om ajnana timirandhasya jnananjana salakaya
caksur unmilitam yena tasmai sri gurave namah
“O Gurudeva, you are so merciful. I offer my humble pranama unto you and am praying from the core of my heart that, with the torchlight of divine knowledge, you open my eyes which have been blinded by the darkness of ignorance.”

O dear friends, followers and disciples of Srila Gurudeva…please let me remember that preaching is not a business, when I go out on book distribution. Please let me remember to be an instrument, so that Srila Gurudeva and Srila Prabhupada can change people’s hearts.

Here is today’s sharing:

 

Srinivasa Acarya Prabhu went to Katwa, Srikhanda, Jhanji Grama, North Bengal, Assam, Gohati and Bangladesh.
They went preaching for the welfare of all living entities. They did not preach for business. Why don’t we work and help the jivas? Now people are selfish. They say, “I will go preaching.” When they come back, people ask them, “How much money did you collect?” But how many people’s hearts did you change? How many people did you distribute nectar to? And drinking this nectar, how many people changed and became inclined to the service of God . . . .They don’t ask this. If anyone collects a lot of money and brings it back to his leader, then he will be glorified as a great Acarya.

The guru-varga do not act like this. They travel without any condition or want, only to help the living entities. How do they help?
nama-sankirtanam yasya
sarva-papa-pranasanam
pranamo duhkha-samanas
tam namami harim param

Srimad-Bhagavatam (12.13.23)

“All sins are completely destroyed by the chanting of Bhagavan’s names, and all kinds of miseries are relieved by complete surrender to His lotus feet and by always bowing down to Him. I offer my respectful obeisances unto that Absolute Truth, Sri Hari.”

This harinama-sankirtana movement is helpful for all living entities. It is not a business. If you chant this without any selfish motives, anyone who hears your chanting will be purified. If you have relation with harinama, not relation with money, name, fame and followers, then you can help others. If you make announcement of your own glories, this is not paramartha; this is an anartha.

One should chant harinama for the pleasure of Mahaprabhu, and to help the living entities and oneself to achieve a spiritual relation. Then this harinama is helpful for all, and the kindness and help of harinama will come.

–Sripad Premananda Prabhu, February 22, 2016

 

Aspiring for the service of Sri Sri Guru and Gauranga,

CSK

The Glories of Ekadasi and Bhismadeva

om ajnana timirandhasya jnananjana salakaya
caksur unmilitam yena tasmai sri gurave namah
“O Gurudeva, you are so merciful. I offer my humble pranama unto you and am praying from the core of my heart that, with the torchlight of divine knowledge, you open my eyes which have been blinded by the darkness of ignorance.”

 

Today in the U.S.A. it is Bhaimi Ekadasi. This Ekadasi is about Bhisma Pitamaha, the grandfather of the Pandavas and great devotee of Lord Krishna. Here, Sripad Premananda Prabhu Bramacari gives harikatha on the powers of Ekadasi and the glories of Bhismadeva:

 

Srila Gurudeva & Sripad Premananda Prabhu Bramacari

King Santanu told Bhisma, “This Ekadasi-vrata is very strong. If you desire to follow this Ekadasi-vrata, then I give you the boon that your senses will never disturb you. I also bless you that you will be able to use all your senses in the service of the Lord. God will accept your service; you will be close to God.”

On the strength of his father’s advice, Bhisma Pitamaha started following Ekadasi-vrata. After starting to follow Ekadasi-vrata, Bhisma Pitamaha’s senses never disturbed him. He never lost his intelligence; his mind always dwelled on Krsna’s lotus feet. Therefore, Srila Vishvanatha Cakravarthi Thakura has written that during the Mahabharatha, on one particular day of the war, Bhisma Pitamaha said, “Hari se astra gaun, to Santanu putra kahaon.” Bhisma Pitamaha vowed that he would only be known as Santanu’s  son if he would make Krsna use any kind of a weapon to defend His devotee-Arjuna. On this particular day of the war, Bhisma Pitamaha didn’t fight with Arjuna; rather, he attracted Krsna to fight with him. Bhisma pierced Krsna’s transcendental body with many arrows. Krsna’s body even bled at times. With the wheel of a chariot in hand, Krsna ran towards Bhisma, intending to kill him.

Krsna broke His promise to never take up weapons during the war. On seeing the Lord approach him, Bhisma Pitamaha stood on his knees and with folded hands prayed and offered many prayers to the Lord. Describing this scene, Srila Vishvanatha Cakravarthi Thakura has said, “This battle was like a madana-yudha, kama-yudha, the battle of cupid.” A lusty man fights with a lady and forcefully defeats her. He then embraces and kisses her. Similarly, Bhisma said, “Krsna likes me. He is trying to defeat and attract me. He intends to catch and embrace me.” Hence, Bhisma prays, “This is a battle-place, don’t come now. After I go to another place, you can touch me.” Srila Vishvanatha Cakravarthi Thakura gives this Rasika explanation in his purport. Why has Bhisma prayed as such? He has offered everything to Krsna. Bhisma is a one-pointed follower of Krsna.

-Sripad Premananda Prabhu, February 17, 2016

 

Aspiring to serve,

CSK

Faults in One’s Practice

om ajnana timirandhasya jnananjana salakaya
caksur unmilitam yena tasmai sri gurave namah
“O Gurudeva, you are so merciful. I offer my humble pranama unto you and am praying from the core of my heart that, with the torchlight of divine knowledge, you open my eyes which have been blinded by the darkness of ignorance.”

 

“If anyone is practicing for a very long time and these results are not coming, then we should understand that there is some loophole. There is some fault in one’s practice. If we eat food but our hunger is not going away, we should think that we must have a very serious disease. There may be some worms in our stomach that are eating everything, and therefore we are not getting any nutrition.

“At once we should go and surrender to a doctor who can adjust our diet and give us some medicine so that our eating will actually nourish us. In the same way, if there is no effect from our devotional practices, we should submit ourselves at the lotus feet of the sad-guru and the pure Vaisnavas. They will adjust our practices in such a way that the development of our bhakti, our seva-vrtti, realization, and detachment from this world will come as we go on practicing.

“This will not come all at once. When we eat one bite, we feel something, but not completely. We therefore take another bite and another, and gradually the effect of eating comes. In the same way, if one is in the line of pure bhakti, these three effects will gradually manifest in his life.”

~ Srila Gurudeva Bhaktivedanta Narayana Goswami Maharaja (Birmingham, June 25, 2001)

 

Aspiring to serve,

CSK

The Ultimate Conclusion

om ajnana timirandhasya jnananjana salakaya
caksur unmilitam yena tasmai sri gurave namah
“O Gurudeva, you are so merciful. I offer my humble pranama unto you and am praying from the core of my heart that, with the torchlight of divine knowledge, you open my eyes which have been blinded by the darkness of ignorance.”

After months of being away, I am so happy to be able to share what I am reading and what is inspiring me once again with you.

Recently we celebrated the holy month of Kartik, the month which Srimati Radhika especially prevails over. Sripad Premananda Prabhu at Radhe Kunj temple in Sri Vrindavana Dham has been giving some very nice classes on the Damodarastakam song.

From the Bhaktabadhava website,here is some commentary on Verse 8 of Damodarastakam:

Sripada Premananda Prabhu: We are going in circles in the cycle of birth and death. We do not know the way to escape. There is only one door to escape this material existence. This door brings us to the lotus-feet of God. We have come here, but we are blind, without faith. The wall is there and the door will come, and we will achieve everything, but we have no faith. Then, we go around and around hopelessly.
We can follow all vratas, but if we have no faith, if we do not take shelter, and if we do not understand anything, then everything is useless. The result will be zero. We may bind ourselves so tightly in rules and regulations, but when we open the knot, we will find nothing.

“Namo radhikayai tvadiya-priyayai—I offer pranama to Srimati Radharani, and to Krsna who is Her beloved. I do not offer pranama to any other.” Damodara’s servants and devotees in other rasas are not as close to Krsna’s heart as those in srngara-rasa. Their hearts are shared with others. But, in srngara-rasa, the gopis hearts are only one-pointedly devoted to Krsna. Srimati Radharani is the crest-jewel of all the gopis.
Namo ’nanta-lilaya devaya tubhyam. We pray to Damodara, “You have so many incarnations. I offer them all pranamas. But, I don’t need their blessings. I am only waiting for the mercy of Your beloveds. Namo radhikayai tvadiya priyayai. If Her mercy comes to me, that is enough. You have given me a chance to really follow Your footsteps, O Damodara. My ultimate welfare lies in giving pleasure to Your beloved gopis. Please help me. In sastras, many different incarnations are described. There are the manvantara-avataras, yuga-vataras, avesa-avataras, and saktyavesa-avataras. They are all glorified extensively by scholars of many different ideas.”

tarko ‘pratishthah srutayo vibhinna
nasav rishir yasya matam na bhinnam
dharmasya tattvam nihitam guhayam
mahajano yena gatah sa panthah
—Mahabharata, Vana-parva 313.117

All the different sages establish their different points of view, and cut their opponents’ points of view, telling different philosophies. Gautama, Yajnavalka, Javali, Patanjali, Kapila all give different philosophies. One says, “This is the truth,” and then another says, “No, that is wrong. This is the truth.” Which one is really right? Who can tell us this? Mahajano yena gatah sa panthah—follow the footsteps of the mahajanas.

Who are the mahajanas?

svayambhur naradah sambhuh
kumarah kapilo manuh
prahlado janako bhishmo
balir vaiyasakir vayam
—Srimad Bhagavatam 6.3.20

These are the twelve mahajanas. At the end, Vaiyasaki is mentioned. Vaiyasaki is Sukadeva Gosvami.

Sukadeva Gosvami did not openly describe the glories of Radharani in the Bhagavatam. He did not say to follow Narayana. He said to follow Krsna. Prahlada Maharaja and the other mahajanas glorified Krsna Himself. But, how can we please Krsna, conquer His heart, and do everything for Him? This is hidden. You must completely take shelter of Sukadeva Gosvami. In the Bhagavatam, Sukadeva Gosvami does not mention Radharani’s name directly. Her name is not written. Her name is hidden because She is very secret and hidden. That Sukadeva Gosvami indicates that we should go to Vraja-mandala, to the Vrajavasis. Then, we can cross santa, dasya, sakhya, and vatsalya. We can see that Krsna is pleased by their service, but not completely. He is pleased with the sakhas, but only half pleased. He is with them from the morning to the afternoon. With his mother He is even more pleased, but still not completely. Only when He is with Srimati Radharani is He fully pleased.

Now, at the end, Satyavrata Muni finally comes to the ultimate conclusion—the lotus feet of Srimati Radharani. He prostrates at the lotus-feet of Srimati Radharani and begins a vrata. Which vrata? This is called Katyayani-vrata and it is to please Srimati Radharani.
Now he is one-pointed, and he follows Srimati Radharani’s vrata.

katyayani maha-maye
maha-yoginy adhisvari
nanda-gopa-sutam devi
patim me kuru te namah

Nanda-gopa-sutam devi—this is direct. This is the vrata we must follow. The son of Nanda Gopa Himself worships Devi. Which devi? Srimati Radharani. Who is the priya, or beloved, of Krsna? That is only Srimati Radharani.

We must take a certificate from this school. We have passed this school, and now we will go to college and university. Which university will we go to? There is only one university—the service center, the Seva-kunja of Srimati Radharani. How can we attain Her service? How can we please Krsna?

Satyavrata Muni says, “O Radharani, I give up all my pride.” Namo means, “Giving up my pride, I offer my obeisance and I surrender unto You.”
“O Srimati, I do not know You,” the sage says. “When the sakhis and manjaris accept me and make me qualified for Your service, then I can serve You.” Therefore, namo radhikayai. This means that Radharani has many groups, or yuthas. There are 108 prominent sakhis and each have eight prominent manjaris, and all together there are millions and millions of gopis. Where should we go? Where is our service-post? Who will teach us and give us shelter?

People chant ‘aham brahmasmi’. They want to become Brahma. They strive for sahujya-mukti. On the other side, in this line even, some people chant ‘aham manjari, aham gopi’. They should more accurately say, “Aham bhogi.”

This behavior will not work. It is not helpful. It is a bogus idea. We must surrender. Namo radhikayai. “Giving up all pride, I have offered myself to You, O Radhe, please, whatever service You see beneficial for me, whether You want me to be a monkey, a cuckoo, a peacock, a deer, or anything—my own choice is useless. I do not know who I am. I don’t know where You will send me or into which species. I don’t know where I will serve. I am completely saranagata to You. If You like, send me to the sakhas, the servants, those in vatsalya-rasa, or those in madhura-rasa. I don’t know who will be my guru and guardian. I have no idea of this. I offer myself. Please, accept me.”

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aspiring for the service of Sri Hari, Guru and Vaisnavas,
Rain-drop

Notes from Sri Navadwip Dham parikrama (pilgrimage) 2013

om ajnana timirandhasya jnananjana salakaya
caksur unmilitam yena tasmai sri gurave namah
“O Gurudeva, you are so merciful. I offer my humble pranama unto you and am praying from the core of my heart that, with the torchlight of divine knowledge, you open my eyes which have been blinded by the darkness of ignorance.”

Notes from NAVADWIP DHAM parikrama 2013

These are notes from various harikatha in the evening and at places of parikrama (pilgrimage holy places). The speakers are various followers of Srila Gurudeva – Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayana Goswami Maharaja.

===================

Sripad Ashram Maharaja:

Ekadasi = upavasa, to come closer
It was created so that we can come closer to Krsna. Krsna appears as vigraha (deity) but His name is most merciful.

The Name fulfills our desire to serve Gaura Hari. If we chant a fixed number of rounds, and do bhajans describing the glories of this dham, it will inspire us to pray.

Today we went to Krodhamaya Parama Tal. The pastimes of Sri Gaura, Radha and Krsna are always going on here. But us conditioned souls can’t see it, due to maya (illusion). Pray to Krodhamaya to get the moods to enter into these pastimes. We have no shelter except vaisnavas and dham. She can help us see these pastimes.

Maya does not like to cloud us and hides behind Krsna.

We can cleanse the heart by chanting.

Sadhu sanga helps us to chant – specifically while doing vaisnava seva. It scrubs the heart. Krsna is not so attracted to milk and bananas, fancy deity worship, big renunciation, grhastha philanthropy but pleased by GURU SEVA. In math or in the house – house, Krsna’s family, Krsna’s things, all Krsna’s. Then powerful chanting and the heart is scrubbed. Nityananda as guru scrubs. But we must also do effort. Chant a fixed number of rounds. If you fall behind, catch up the next day or do ASAP. Gurudeva is our example in this.

=====================

Sripad Srauti Maharaja:

If we do not think, “Who am I doing this for?” Then it is not bhakti.

We must tripe our endeavors. Krsna is not easy to get darsana of. We can’t just chant and not endeavor.

We must look in our heart and see how many desires are there. Cut out desires that aren’t Krsna. One who wants to be wealthy will calculate and try every day, dream about it, etc. His mind will be saturated with the desire to make money. One who wants knowledge will focus there. Etcetera. So our desire should be focused – how to come closer to the Lord. If not focused, so difficult. If desire for Krsna’s darsana is one desire of many, then it will take many lifetimes for us to get his darsana.

Our love for Krsna goes to Radhika. As neophyte there is no need to focus on inclination.

=====================

Sripad Premananda Prabhu:

Gurudeva has said, “Without bhakta seva, nothing happens.”

Gaura is giving all. It does not seem like it, but He is. He gives bhakta seva. He teaches us how to be greedy for this.

Question by a devotee: How can all I do be for Krsna’s pleasure?

Answer:

Krsna is saying, ‘By love, leaves, water – anything you have, give Me and I will be pleased.’ Offer tulasi and Ganga water, and He will always be happy.

Go to programs, dham, honor mahaprasad, vaisnavas seva, etc., this pleases Him. Gurudeva and Swami Maharaja are the example, pleasing Krsna and Mahaprabhu by preaching all around the world.

Offer all seriously, with LOVE. Not fake. Have faith in guru and vaisnavas, deity, dham, carnamrta, etc. We think all rubbish? Then, even going parikrama, useless. Foolish. If mood, heart, prayer good, and you feel you are fallen – then God accepts this and is pleased.

God is pleased even by small things, like water. For example, Draupadi with the mystical pot. {story of Durvasa Muni visiting the Pandavas after their meal and Draupadi and the Pandavas had nothing to feed him and his followers} Draupadi cried to Krsna. Krsna was at lunch in Dwarka, and very hungry, but He left and came running. “Draupadi, I am so hungry! Please give me a lot.” Draupadi – “Prabhu, this is no joke. You know everything already.” She gave Krsna a bit of rice with tulasi and water. Krsna accepted it. The pot was fixed.

Do not worry. No problems. Anything you give with love, God accepts. Gurudeva is doing all. Try to offer all you get to him first. A sevak‘s duty is to offer all to guru and vaisnavas.

____________________________________________________________________________

More soon! =)

"I am not a servant of A, B, C, or D. I am a servant of Mahaprabhu."

“I am not a servant of A, B, C, or D. I am a servant of Mahaprabhu. I may have to turn this way or that way, or whatever way will be favorable to reach my Lord. Wherever I feel the presence of my Lord in an intense form, I must be attracted to that side. We are out for that thing, and not for any fashion or formality; that will hamper our cause.

“Krsna says, sarva-dharman parityajya, mam ekam saranam vraja. Wherever we  shall find him, we must run in that direction. The direction may not be always straight. It may go in a zigzag way, but if Krsna comes from that side, I must run there. Again if he appears on this side, I must run to this side. My interest is with him. Not that we can challenge, “Why did Krsna appear here, and why is he appearing there? That may be a doubtful thing, so I must stay on this side.” No. If I have genuine appreciation for the real thing, the proper thing, I must go to that side, the side of Krsna.”

[ Sri Guru and His Grace, p. 108, Copyright @1983, by Gaurdian of Devotion Press]

"Your life should be given to Krsna"

“Initiation alone will not do. Practically follow all of my instructions. Merely taking initiation but not following is not sufficient. Positively follow and you will see that, atma samprasidyati, your soul will always be happy. No obstruction will come.

“We should strongly accept that which is favorable for bhakti and we should at once reject that which is unfavorable. Then progress will be made.

“Your life should be given to Krsna. Go on chanting and remembering. Be satisfied with whatever Krsna is doing.”

Happiness

om ajnana timirandhasya jnananjana salakaya
caksur unmilitam yena tasmai sri gurave namah

“O Gurudeva, you are so merciful. I offer my humble pranama unto you and am praying from the core of my heart that, with the torchlight of divine knowledge, you open my eyes which have been blinded by the darkness of ignorance.”

Here is a beautiful Gurudeva picture along with a quote:

“In this world we see that if I make happy those who are very close to me, then only I am happy. But these relationships are self-centered and by self-interest we do not get any satisfaction. But real satisfaction will come, like Srila Bhaktivinode Thakura is saying [in his Saranagati, ‘amara bolite prabhu! are kichu nai…], if you are trying to please Nityananda Prabhu and to please Krsna and Srimati Radhika – then, Their pleasure automatically brings you happiness.”

The senses of the one, non-dual Supreme Truth; Praying for worthiness to serve

“The ultimate object of our desires is to become specks of dust at the lotus feet of the followers of Sri Rupa Goswami.
Remain united in following the asraya-vigraha, in order to satisfy the transcendental senses of the one, non-dual Supreme Truth…
May we never under any circumstances becomes indifferent to the seven-tongued sacrificial flame of the Holy Name.
If our attraction to it remains ever-increasing, we will achieve all perfection.”

– Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakur

“We pray that our commitment to these last instructions of his manifest presence in this world may be unfailing. May we never interpret these words to elicit secondary meanings that allow us to engage in sense gratification, but rather, single-mindedly dedicating all our energies and working together aim for the pleasure of ‘the senses of the one, non-dual Supreme Truth,’ making it the one and only goal of our lives. If we wish to show our love and faith for our spiritual master, it will be by following these teachings.”

– Srila Bhakti Pramode Puri Goswami Maharaja

“…My most worshipable Gurudeva…did not see the faults in anyone; he was most compassionate. We who aspire to become the servants of his servants and to partake of the remnants of his plate, pray to him with all the sincerity at our command that by his causeless mercy he will give us the worthiness to serve him. We pray to him to please make our hearts simple and free from deception; may he forgive us of our offenses, and consider us the servants of his servants, birth after birth. May he free us from the aversions of this world and keep us fixed in service to his lotus feet.”

– Srila Bhakti Pramode Puri Maharaja

"We are in a prison – we must make all efforts to free ourselves."

om ajnana timirandhasya jnananjana salakaya
caksur unmilitam yena tasmai sri gurave namah

“O Gurudeva, you are so merciful. I offer my humble pranama unto you and am praying from the core of my heart that, with the torchlight of divine knowledge, you open my eyes which have been blinded by the darkness of ignorance.”

Again, apologies for being so terrible at updating this blog. This blog is one of my favorite things to do; one of my favorite ways to engage my mind in Krsna consciousness and in beautiful harikatha. Yet as of late I am not being strict on making time to do it. As of now, I will be stricter.

The following is an excerpt from a class given by Srila Bhaktivedanta Vamana Maharaja [pictured below, within excerpt], on 12 December 1998 Sri Madhav Jiu Gaudiya Math; you can find it in Volume 4, Gaur Purnima issue, of the 2000 edition of Vishva-Vaisnava-Raj-Sabha magazine.

This article/class was SO beautiful, I wish I could put the entire thing in here!

Self Imprisonment

“Right from our birth till our death all the education that we receive, all the experience that we gain, all of them are of a perishable nature. The knowledge we receive helps us somehow to live our lives in this world. In brief, it helps us to find food, to find some clothing, to get a roof.

“That there is a world beyond all this, apart from this, that we are not trained to think about. Why? Just as this world exists, there must also exist the other world. Why don’t we learn to think about this other world? Are we destined to remain satisfied with our eating, our wearing clothes and our finding a roof over our heads in this world? Is there nothing else for us to do?

“Our scriptures ask these questions. And our scriptures give the answers.

“We all are saying, ‘Oh, we are fine. Why do we want to hear about Krsna or any other such names?’ I am amazed at such talk. We do not need to be in this error all the time. If we can understand from our gurus, from Vaisnavas, from sadhus or from the scriptures that we are in a foreign land – we are in a prison – hen we must make all effort to free ourselves.

Srila Bhaktivedanta Vamana Maharaja

“Yet the influence of jada-maya is so great that instead of trying to free ourselves, we want to continue in this prison! A very old jailbird has been released from the prison, but he does not want to go. He turns to all the other thieves, dacoits and ruffians who are there in the prison, and cries out, ‘I don’t want to go, leaving you here.’

“He does not understand that his real life is outside. He is crying to come back to the prison. Then, even when he is forced to go outside, he will vow to return. ‘I’ll come back here, if necessary I will again commit the crime of theft…so that I will come back to the prison.’

“This is our situation also. We do not understand what is good and what is bad. Our imprisoned status we consider to be a very good status. The status of peace and happiness. When the Lord has created us as human beings then we must establish our humanity. We must live as human beings. How do we live as human beings? By doing proper deeds as befits human beings.

“...If I want to come away from devotion, then I may live in this world but I do not show that I am a human being. It can not be proven that I am a human being. This is what the Lord Himself has said.

“…We don’t have to toil too much. Why? Because those who know more than us, they have already gone through the ocean of the scriptures and from there they have taken out the cream for us…Do not keep yourselves tied down to the search for food, clothing, and a roof.”