By Madhumati Pushkarini

Coming from a traditional family in India, the land of myriad ceremonies, rituals and customs, my mind was conditioned to all of it. Quite naturally. As a child I rarely questioned about anything we were ‘asked’ to do such as offering obeisance to parents first thing in the morning, then the deities at home, refraining from tea, coffee, watching TV only in rationed quantities and so on. In fact I got so conditioned to all of it that I would feel guilty when I would sway away even a bit. But very soon the innocent mind started questioning and finding most of the rituals as superfluous, drudgery. They would just not fit in to my ‘civilized’ life style any longer and at the very first instance I chose to give it all up with practically little or no guilt at all. Those that lingered on like visiting Ganesha temples on Tuesdays or visiting the Hanuman temple on Saturdays were rituals which did not interfere much with my ‘other’ life!

When I got introduced to Krishna consciousness, as given by Srila Prabhupada, I realized it was like old wine put in a new bottle. Keeping all the original taste, the original essence, Srila Prabhupada packed Krishna consciousness in such a way that every ritual made sense and life in itself made sense. I realized that rituals weren’t so bad after all and that devotional service inclusive of all the austerities could be so much pleasurable. In the HariBhakthi Sudhodaya, it is said “For a person devoid of devotional service, birth in a great family or nation, knowledge of revealed scripture, performance of austerities and penances and chanting of Vedic mantras are all like ornaments on a dead body. Such ornaments simply serve the concocted pleasures of the general populace”. So in ISKCON we learn how to tune our consciousness in service of Sri Krishna. Srila Prabhupada tamed our ‘ritual conditioned’ Indian minds. Here we learn how our activities are not aimed at gaining piety or good merit but only bhakthi, Krishna bhakthi or devotional service towards the Lord. And because it is said that only bhakthi can beget bhakthi, only devotees of the lord can give us devotional service. Thus service attitude towards devotees becomes the most logical cause for the birth of devotional service. And again by chanting the holy names of the lord will we be able to attain the service attitude and actually serve the devotees. So we are in the square one of ISKCON, chanting. We start from there and we end up there as well!

However, the biggest threat to our conditioned minds is making chanting also a blind ritual, a meaningless custom, mechanical and most unfortunately a big burden. Somehow or the other, I cannot fathom how, but even chanting and deity worship can sometimes end up becoming a dead ritual. Despite several warnings from the more sincere devotees, enthusiasm for chanting sometimes fades and once again we could get all confused about life or even worse make life highly mechanical. Chanting is supposed to change our consciousness. Progress in Krishna consciousness is supposed to rid us of all anarthas, all our past meaningless pursuits. A higher taste in life automatically implies distaste in the other lowly pursuits that once gave us so called pleasure. And the most important way to progress in Krishna consciousness is chanting attentively. Chanting attentively in turn depends on reading Srila Prabhupada’s books, our association, and of course actively participating in various temple programs. Both chanting loudly (kirtan) and chanting to oneself (japa) give us several revelations big and small. We should seek for these revelations amidst devotees, amidst kirtan. Even understanding that bollywood is mythology and stories from Vedic texts are exemplary narrations from History is in itself a revelation. Only Srila Prabhupada exposed that fact to us and only he could make us see the Lord’s hand in everything. For instance I had a liking for old Hindi movie songs in my pre Krishna consciousness days and there was one song which went, ‘Aa chalk e tujhe mein leke chalu ek aise gagan ke tale, jahan gum bhi na ho aasu bhi na ho bus pyaar hi pyaar pale’ which translates itself into, ‘Come (my beloved) I shall take you to a place where there is no sorrow, no tears but only love and more love’. Now I know that that place in fact is Vaikuntha or even better Goloka Vrindavana! In my early Krishna conscious days I found the way devotees signed off their mails as ‘your servant’, the way they addressed others as ‘prabhuji’ or ‘mataji’ pretty absurd. Gradually I realized that these terms were very meaningful, very genuine and definitely far more meaningful than the usual ‘uncle’ and ‘aunty’ or ‘yours sincerely’!! Srila Prabhupada brought out a revolution in religion. He taught us how the flame of Krishna bhakthi can remain ignited in our hearts. He tamed our minds. He gave us the process of chanting and even a time table for our lives so as to always remain enthusiastic, dedicated and disciplined in devotional service. Srila Prabhupada’s books and his life story itself serve as powerful preaching instruments. If we do not take shelter of them and make chanting just a blind ritual, with no intention to progress in our spiritual lives then this beautiful phenomenon of Krishna consciousness will become very dull and burdensome and we will miss the bus that Srila Prabhupada has arranged for each one of us! I pray and hope that with the kind help of all you vaishnavas I will become worthy one day to board that bus.

Your servant, Madhumati Pushkarini Dasi.

Great MANTRA for LOVE and PEACE! (3 min video)
A compilation of friendly people on the streets of London chanting the maha-mantra and contributing to the peace of the world. Very happy and nicely edited video.
Watch it here: https://goo.gl/AMtgoE

February 13. ISKCON 50 – S.Prabhupada Daily Meditations.
Satsvarupa dasa Goswami: Talk to Srila Prabhupada.
I have been going too long without trying to talk to Prabhupada. We shouldn’t refrain from talking to Prabhupada out of lack of faith. If a Christian can talk to Christ, and a yogi can talk to his Supersoul, why can’t a Prabhupadanuga speak his mind to Prabhupada? It just takes faith and hope that he will hear us – hope that Krishna will hear us. We may say, “Well, I definitely have faith in Krishna as the Supersoul,” but that faith may be more an acceptance of the scripture, than direct realization of the Lord in the heart. But the same scriptures tell us that the pure devotee, by Krishna’s grace, can be just as present as the Supersoul in the heart of His disciple. We do not have to doubt that, even if we don’t have direct realization of it. If we do doubt it, then we have to pin our hopes on a prayer to both Krishna and Prabhupada, “Please, Krishna, deliver my message to Prabhupada. Please, Prabhupada, deliver my message to Krishna. Please, Srimati Radharani, forgive me for my offenses, and let me become a devotee of my spiritual master, Lord Krishna, and You.”
To read the entire article click here: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=20490&page=5

ISKCON Purchases 50 Acres Near Downtown Columbus.
ISKCON of Columbus, Ohio, USA, has purchased fifty acres of prime real estate fifteen minutes’ drive from downtown Columbus. On the land, which they have offered to Srila Prabhupada for ISKCON’s 50th anniversary, devotees plan to develop a Krishna conscious community that offers the best of both urban and rural worlds. The local congregation raised $500,000 and bought the new property outright. Located in a fast-developing suburb called Hilliard, it’s flanked by upcoming million-dollar homes and neighboring land owned by banks. While all amenities are close by, ISKCON Columbus is planning a haven of simple living and high thinking. Within six months to a year, devotees expect to break ground and begin construction on a gorgeous temple with a 500-person capacity temple room, a gift shop, accommodation for celibate students, and a children’s school.
To read the entire article click here: http://goo.gl/Iai8qY

Katha-Kirtan on Sri Vishnupriya-devi

(Gour Govinda Swami sings a song of Srila Narottama dasa Thakura)

jaya jaya guru gosani-sri-carana sara

yaha ha-ite haba para e bhava-samsara

“All glories to the glorious feet of the spiritual master and the Supreme Personality of Godhead that enable us to cross to the other side of the ocean of birth and death!”

manera anande bala hari bhaja vrndavana

sri-guru vainnava paya majaiya mana

“With a joyful heart please chant, ‘Hari!’ Please worship Vrndavana. Plunge your heart into meditation on our spiritual master and the Vainnavas.”

jaya rupa sanatana bhatta raghunatha

sri-jiva gopala bhatta dasa raghunatha

All glories to Rupa Gosvami, Sanatana Gosvami, Raghunatha Bhatta Gosvami, Sri Jiva Gosvami, Gopala Bhatta Gosvami, and Raghunatha dasa Gosvami.

ei chaya gosanira karama carana vandana

yaha haite vighna-nasa abhinta purana

“Please bow down before the feet of these six Gosvamis. Their feet will destroy obstacles and fulfil desires.”

jaya rasa-nagari jaya nanda-lala

jaya jaya madana-mohana sri-gopala

“All glories to Sri Radha, the heroine of nectar pastimes! Glory to Sri Krnna, who is Nanda’s son! All glories, all glories to the cowherd boy Krnna, who is more enchanting than Kamadeva!”

jaya saci-suta gauranga-sundara

jaya nityananda padmavatira konara

“All glories to handsome Lord Gauranga-sundara, who is Saci’s son! All Glories to Lord Nityananda, who is Padmavati’s son!”

jaya jaya sita-natha advaita gosani

yahara karuna-bale gora-guna gai

“All glories, all glories to Lord Advaita Gosani, who is Sita’s husband! By the power of His mercy I chant Lord Gaura’s glories.”

jaya jaya srivasa jaya gadadhara

jaya svarupa ramananda premera sagara

“All glories, all glories to Srivasa! All glories to Gadadhara! All glories to Svarupa Damodara and Ramananda Raya, who are like oceans of ecstatic spiritual love!”

jaya jaya sanatana jaya sri-rupa

jaya jaya raghunatha pranera svarupa

“All glories to Rupa Gosvami and Sanatana Gosvami! All glories to Svarupa Damodara Gosvami, who is Raghunatha dasa Gosvami’s very life!”

jaya gaura-bhakta-vrnda daya kara more

sabara carana-dhuli dhari nija sire

“All glories to Lord Gaura’s devotees! O devotees, please be merciful to me. I take the dust of all your feet. I place that dust upon my head.”

jaya jaya nilacala-candra jagannatha

mo papire daya kari kara atma-satha

“All glories, all glories to Lord Jagannatha, the moon of Nilacala! O Lord, please be kind and accept this sinner as one of Your personal associates.”

jaya jaya gopala deva bhakata-vatsala

nava ghana jini tanu parama ujjvala

“All glories, all glories to Lord Gopala, who loves the devotees, and whose glorious form is more splendid than new monsoon clouds!”

jaya radhe jaya krnna jaya vrndavana

jaya jaya nilacala nala prabhu yama

sri rasa-nagari jaya nanda-lala

jaya jaya mohana sri-madana-gopala

hare krnna hare krnna krnna krnna hare hare

hare rama hare rama rama rama hare hare

nitai-gaura haribol ! haribol !haribol ! haribol !

nitai-gaura haribol ! haribol !haribol ! haribol !

Sri Vishnupriya-devi avirbhava-tithi ki jaya!

Samaveta bhakta vrnda ki jaya!

Gaur premanandi ! haribol !

ananda-lilamaya-vigrahaya

hemabha-divya-cchavi-sundaraya

tasmai maha-prema-rasa-pradaya

caitanya-candraya namo namas te

“O Lord Caitanyacandra, whose form is full of blissful pastimes, whose complexion is as splendid as gold, and who gives in charity the most glorious mellow of pure love for Lord Krnna, I offer my respectful obeisances unto You.” (Caitanya Candramrta 11)

Today is Vasanta-pancami [the fifth day of the light lunar quarter of Magha, January-February], Krnna’s vasanta–rasa, rasa-rasotsava also begins from this day. It is the appearance day of Sri Sri Vishnupriya-devi, and also the appearance day of Sri Sri Raghunatha Das Gosvami. It is a very, very auspicious day today.

So I had the desire to do some katha-kirtan on Vishnupriya-devi. Have patience, sit down quietly with concentrated attention, and hear the nectarine katha of Vishnupriya-devi.

Bhagavan’s Three saktis

Vishnupriya Thakurani was the second wife of Gaurasundara. His first wife was Lakshmipriya. When Lakshmipriya passed away Mahaprabhu married Vishnupriya.

Bhagavan has three saktis, potencies: sri, bhu, nila. It is said that Vishnupriya is Bhu-sakti. Bhu-sakti was Satyabhama in krnna–lila. It is said that bhu-sakti is generally the creative sakti, energy, jagat-srnti-sakti.

sri-sakti is Yogamaya. Raga-bhakti, Rukmini all the wives of Krnna, Lakshmi and especially Radharani come under this sri-sakti and sri-sakti is said to be jagat palana–sakti, the maintaining potency of the whole world.

Yuthesvari Syamala and her group come under nila-sakti. In nila-sakti there are yuthesvaris. Amongst Radha’s sakhis, there are many groups, which are called yutha. Each yutha has one head, called yuthesvari. One yuthesvari is syamala. So Nila-sakti is Syamala and the sakhis in that group, yutha, come under nila-sakti.

Two saktis beside Lord Jagannatha

We find that bhu-sakti and sri-sakti are on the two sides of Lord Jagannatha. Sometimes the question is raised, “Why is it so? Why are there two saktis, bhu-sakti and sri-sakti, beside Lord Jagannatha? In answer we might say that Lord Jagannatha in that way is presenting Himself as the Creator and the Maintainer of the whole world, the cosmic manifestation. Therefore two saktis are there. This is tattva, tattva–vicara.

Vishnupriya is said to be Bhu-sakti, and it is said that She was Satyabhama in krnna–lila; but it is also said that Jagadananda Pandit was Satyabhama in krnna–lila. How is this possible? Jagadananda Pandit is Satyabhama and Vishnupriya is also Satyabhama? Your material mind cannot conceive it. It is not a question of your material logic and argument that you can understand it; this is inconceivable, it is a spiritual topic and it is transcendental. Don’t exhaust your material mind on it. Just accept it; that is all. How can you understand this through your material logic and argument? Give that up, baba! Just accept the siddhanta, what the acaryas have said. Do not exhaust your material brain on it; that is an unnecessary waste of energy. Don’t do it.

Sanatana Misra’s Daughter

In Navadvipa-dhama, there was a very dear vinnu–bhakta brahmana named Sanatana Misra. He was also known as Raja Pandita, because he was a pandita in the king’s court; and he was Satrajita in Dvaraka. Satrajita’s daughter is Satyabhama. It is said that Sanatana Misra was always engaged in worshiping Lord Vishnu. As a result, he obtained this daughter, Vishnupriya, who was parama sundari, supremely beautiful. From her very childhood, Vishnupriya was taking bath three times a day in the Ganges, and was offering puja, worship, to the vigraha and tulasi. She was engaged in many varieties of puja.

When she would see Sacimata on the bank of the Ganges, she would pay very humbly dandavat pranama to Sacimata. Sacimata would bless her, “Alright, may You have a very good husband.” That was Sacimata’s blessing, but in her mind Sacimata was thinking that it would be good if this girl would become her daughter-in-law.

Mahaprabhu Was Very Devoted to His Mother

After Gaurasundara’s first wife Lakshmipriya passed away, Sacimata became very much aggrieved. Therefore she proposed this second marriage to Gaurasundara. Sriman Mahaprabhu was very much devoted to His mother. Whatever Sacimata said, He would do. He did not want to give any unhappiness or distress to His mother. Thus He agreed, “Alright I will have a second marriage; I will accept another wife.”

The Mediator Kasinatha Pandita

Then Sacimata called for Kasinatha Pandita, who was known as a ghataka. Ghataka means a mediator, who performs these marriage negotiations. When the question of marriage comes, there should be a mediator. One should not approach directly. Do not commit such mistake. This is the process: one mediator should go to the bride’s side then to the bridegroom’s side, and talk. A negotiation will take place, and everything will be settled. That is the process.

Thus this Kasinatha Pandita, who was a famous mediator in marriage affairs in Navadvipa-dhama, was called for and he came. Sacimata said, “I called you to mediate the marriage of Nimai Pandita, my son.” When the question of who the bride could be arose, Sacimata said, “I have been thinking of Sanatana Misra’s daughter, Vishnupriya.” When Kasinatha Pandita heard this, he became very pleased and said, “Thakurani, I was just going to say the same thing, and you said it!” Then Sacimata said, “We are very poor. Will Sanatana Misra be willing to give his daughter to Nimai? You go and talk with him. Make some negotiations.” Kasinath Pandit said, “Thakurani, your son Nimai Pandita is very famous in Nadia, Navadvipa. Why would Sanatana Misra be unwilling to give his daughter to Nimai? I don’t think he will disagree. To whom else will he give Her? He must give Her to your son Nimai.”

Kasinatha Pandita went to Sanatana Misra’s house. Sanatana Misra and his wife were both in anxiety because their daughter had already attained marriageable age. That is the parent’s anxiety. Such grown up girl should not be kept in her father’s house. Therefore they were in anxiety. They were pondering over it, “What to do? Who is a befitting bridegroom for our daughter?” They were thinking that Nimai Pandita was the only befitting bridegroom in Nadia. “His qualities, His beauty, and everything else are incomparable. If we have acquired some sukrti, then it will take place.” They were thinking in this way and they were praying to the Lord, “O Lord Hari, if we have acquired some sukrti, then we’ll be able to give our daughter to Nimai Pandita.”

Just at that time, the ghataka Kasinatha Pandita arrived. Sanatana Misra became very happy, gave him a nice seat, some sweet water to drink and asked, “It is my good fortune that you have come. Why have you come?” Kasinatha Pandita smilingly said,

visvambhara-panditere tomara duhita

dana kara’—e sambandha ucita sarvatha

Caitanya-bhagavata Adi–khanda15.57

This is mentioned in Caitanya-bhagavata, “I have come for the marriage proposal of Visvambhara Pandita, Nimai Pandita and your daughter Vishnupriya. Nimai Pandita is the most befitting bridegroom for your daughter. Your daughter is very beautiful, and maha-sati, very chaste. Vishnupriya and Nimai Pandita are as suitable a match as Krnna and Rukmini were!”

When Sanatana Misra and his wife heard this, they became very, very joyful. They were very thankful to Bhagavan Lord Hari because He had answered their prayers. Sanatana Misra said, “Only if we are very fortunate, we can get a son-in-law like Nimai Pandita.” All their relatives and family members became very happy. Then everything else was discussed: how the marriage would take place, what kind of arrangements needed to be made, and what was needed.

Then Kasinath Pandita went to Sacimata and said, “Everything is already settled. They are very happy.” Sacimata said, “We are very poor. No one is there for us, only Lord Hari.”

Then all over Nadia the message spread that Nimai Pandit was going to marry. Nimai Pandita was a teacher. He was teaching grammar, rhetoric, alankara, vyakharana, nyaya sastras. So all His students said, “Alright! We will help arrange Pandita’s marriage to the best of our capability.” Buddhimanta Khan, who was a very rich man, said, “I will bear the whole expense of this marriage ceremony.” Mukunda, a friend who was also present, said, “Please give me some of the burden of the expenses. We will arrange a very nice and pompous ceremony like the marriage of a prince.” Is there any difficulty in arranging Bhagavan’s marriage?

An Ocean of Happiness

The whole of Navadvipa was blissful. On adhi-vasa, the day before the marriage, many Vainnavas, brahmanas and friends came. There were nice decorations. It was a pompous ceremony, with musicians playing musical instruments and drummers playing many varieties of drums. aratika, puja, raja-bhoga, was all going on. Women who are sarvanari brahmanis, who have husbands, not widows, generally come to these functions. Hundreds of such sarvanari brahmanis came. Out of joy, they do this ulu-dhvani, [a sound Bengali women make while vibrating their tongues], “Hulahuli!” The men say, “Haribol!” and the women say, “Hulahuli!” This is a custom, a Vedic custom. Because of the marriage of Bhagavan, an ocean of happiness, sukha sindhu, was swelling up. Gaurasundara Himself individually put candana on the forehead and gave one mala to each of the many brahmanas and Vainnavas who had come. The whole of Nadiya Puri was drowning in an ocean of happiness, sukha-sindhu.

All these preparations were done on the day before the marriage. On the day of the marriage itself, Gaurasundara dressed as a bridegroom. After getting dressed, He went first to pay obeisance to His mother, Sacimata. Then He paid obeisances to all guru-janas, superior persons. Then He went into a nicely decorated palanquin. They took Him to the bank of Ganges. He got down from the palanquin and paid obeisances to Mother Ganges. At that time, varieties of musical instruments were being played. Many men and women were in the marriage procession. The time of the day was go-dhuli lagna, dusk. Gaurasundara and all the persons following vivaha-yatri, the marriage ceremony, then went to Sanatana Misra’s house at dusk.

Sanatana Misra and his wife came forward and gave their asirbad, blessings, to their son-in-law, Gaurasundara. The ladies decorated Vishnupriya: a nice sari, nice ornaments, a flower garland, everything looked nice. There was an elevated pandal, or bedi, where the marriage ceremony was to take place. The brahmanas were uttering veda-mantras. Then the ladies brought Vishnupriya, who is Mahalakshmi, to that bedi where Her eternal Husband Gaura-Narayana was. Vishnupriya circumambulated Gaura-Narayana seven times, and then paid Her obeisances at His lotus feet. Gaurasundara made Her sit on His left side. After that They exchanged malas, flower garlands.

age laknmi jagan-mata prabhura carane

mala diya karilena atma-samarpane

Caitanya-bhagavata Adi–khanda 15.176

First Lakshmipriya gave a mala to Gaura-Narayana, paid obeisances, then: prabhu inat hasiya laknmira galaya mala dilena tuliya, (Cb adi 15.177) Gauracandra smilingly put a mala around the neck of Lakshmipriya.

tabe laknmi narayane punpa-phelapheli

karite lagila hai maha-kutuhali

Caitanya-bhagavata Adi–khanda 15.178

This is described in Caitanya-bhavagata. Then they played, throwing flowers at each other. Gaura-Narayana and Lakshmipriya were playing this nice play. You might have played it? No? There are no plays like this in the Western countries. There it is all dry, isn’t it? Only maya is there. The ugly witch maya is there, and a ghost. A witch and a ghost are married, so no such function is there.

Vaikunthananda Descended that Day

Then the marriage ceremony took place. Sanatana Misra gave much dowry to Gaurasundara, his son-in-law, and he offered Him his daughter in charity, kanya-dana, like Janakaraja, King Janaka who gave his daughter Sita to Lord Rama, or like King Bhinmaka who gave his daughter Rukmini to Krnna.

So, in the house of Sanatana Misra, there was vaikunthananda, the ananda available in Vaikuntha. That ananda descended on that day. With great pomp and ceremony this took place. Innumerable men, women, boys, and girls came to see Gaura-Narayana, Lakshmi-Narayana, and their lives were successful. All the family members, friends, kith and kin of Sanatana Misra became very, very happy.

Gaurasundara Takes Vishnupriya to His House

In the afternoon of the following day, Gaurasundara took His newly wedded wife Vishnupriya to His own house. They went in a nicely decorated palanquin accompanied by a variety of sounds: bugles, drums, and other musical instruments. All the men and women of Nadia saw the beautiful form of Lakshmi-Narayana and they were all talking among themselves how very, very fortunate, bhagyavati, this girl was. “How many lives has she served the goddess Kamala, Lakshmi, the goddess of fortune and Parvati; how many lives to become so fortunate?”

Keha bale, — “ei hena bujhi hara-gauri (Cb adi 15.206), some said, “I think They are Siva and Parvati.” Others said, keha bale, — “hena bujhi kamala sri-hari” (Cb adi 15.206), “I think They are Hari and Kamala.” Keha bale, — “ei dui kamadeva-rati (Cb adi 15.207). Some said, “In my opinion it’s Cupid and his wife Ratidevi.” Keha bale, — “indra-saci laya mora mati”(Cb adi 15.207), someone else said, “I think it’s Indra and Saci.” Keha bale, — “hena bujhi ramacandra-sita”(Cb adi 15.208), some said, “I think it’s Ramacandra and Sita.” Ei-mata bale yata sukrti-vanita (Cb adi 15.208), all the women were talking like that, among themselves.

At an auspicious moment, Gaurasundara arrived with His newly wedded wife Vishnupriya at the house. Sacimata with many sarvanari brahmanis, wedded women, went outside and welcomed putra-vadhu, the son and daughter-in-law. Nava dhanapati, the newly wedded couple alighted from the palanquin. They first paid Their obeisances to Sacimata and then to all Their superiors, gurujanas.

grhe asi’ vasilena laknmi-narayana

jaya-dhvani-maya haila sakala bhuvana

Caitanya-bhagavata Adi–khanda 15.214

“Lakshmi-Narayana entered into the house and sat together. All said, ‘Jaya! Jaya! Jaya!’ and glorified them.”

ki ananda haila, se akathya-kathana

se mahima kon jane karibe varnana?

Caitanya-bhagavata Adi–khanda 15.215

“There was such ananda, such tumultuous pleasure and such joyful sounds! No one can describe it.”

Fortunate to See the Marriage of Bhagavan

yanhara murtira vibha dekhile nayane

papa-mukta hai’ yaya vaikuntha-bhuvane

Caitanya-bhagavata Adi–khanda 15.216

“If someone is so fortunate to see the marriage of Bhagavan, Lakshmi-Narayana, he will immediately be free from all sinful reactions and directly go to Vaikuntha.”

se prabhura vibha loka dekhaye saknat

teni ta’na nama—’dayamaya’ ‘dinanatha’

Caitanya-bhagavata Adi–khanda 15.217

The people of Nadia all saw it. They were so fortunate. One of the names of the Lord is Dinanatha. He is the Lord of the dinas, akincana. Even yogis, undergoing very strict severe penance, cannot have the fortune to see this marriage festival of Bhagavan, Lakshmi-Narayana, but the navadvipa-vasis, the inhabitants of Navadvipa, including the pamaras and patitas, the fallen and wretched persons, all saw it. They were very fortunate. Doya-moya bhagavan, He is so merciful! He manifests such lilas and He gives darsana. Therefore one of His names is Dinanatha. These descriptions are all according to Caitanya-bhagavata. Vrndavana dasa Thakura has not given more than these descriptions.

What Has Happened to Nimai?

Then Mahaprabhu went to Gaya-dhama to offer oblations for His deceased father, Jagannath Misra. When Mahaprabhu came back from Gaya, He was completely changed. He was always thinking of Krnna, crying for Krnna, ecstatic, and forgetting His own existence. He was like a mad man. When Sacimata saw Him, she thought, “What has happened to Nimai? Has He been affected by some fatal disease? What has happened to Him?” Desiring for all auspiciousness, Sacimata offered puja, worship, to Ganga Mata, Mother Ganges, and Vishnu. Sacimata brought Vishnupriya and made her sit beside Gaura-Narayana, “Sit here, sit here.” but Mahaprabhu was not looking at Her. Gaura-Narayana was looking the other way, He was not looking at Her. He was always saying, “OKrnna,Krnna, he krnna!” Mahaprabhu was shedding tears, crying, crying and crying. He was always in this ecstatic mood.

Then Sacimata offered bhoga to their deities, Rama and Krnna, Narayana. Bringing that bhoga-tali, plate, she would place it before Gaura-Narayana, and when Sacimata sat down He would eat. Gharera bhitare dekhe laksmi pati-vrata (Cb M 1.191) Vishnupriya was inside the house, just observing everything. She saw how Mahaprabhu was always in such an ecstatic mood, saying “Krnna, Krnna, Krnna!” and crying, crying, shedding tears. Sometimes some of His followers would come and report, “So many pasandis are there in Nadia. They are trying to obstruct your sankirtana.” Hearing this, sometimes Mahaprabhu, Caitanya-simha, would roar like a lion, “I will kill them! I will kill them! I will kill them!” He roared like a lion, and threatened to kill them. Hunkara, roaring like Caitanya-simha. Sacimata could not understand anything, “What is that? What has happened to Nimai?” She would tell Vishnupriya, “Go and sit with Him! Go, sit with Him!” Lakshmire dekhiya knane maribare yaya (Cb M 2.87). When Vishnupriya was coming to sit, Mahaprabhu was going to beat Her, “Get out!” Yes, Mahaprabhu was going to beat her, drive Her out, “Get out!” He was completely forgetful of His existence, therefore He was going to beat Her. When He came to His senses, He felt ashamed and begged for excuse, “Please excuse Me, please excuse Me.”

Sacimata’s Dream

One-day Sacimata and Gaurasundara were sitting in the room and talking among themselves. Vishnupriya was standing just behind the door and could hear everything. Sacimata said, “I had a dream last night. I saw You and Nityananda playing with the Deities, Rama and Krnna, in our house. You were also eating, and Nityananda was snatching a morsel of food from Your mouth, and You were snatching a morsel of food from his mouth. You two were doing this. Sometimes you were also fighting among yourselves. You were engaged in so many varieties of play. I saw this in my dream.”

Gaurasundara said, “Mother, this is a very, very nice and auspicious dream. Don’t tell anyone about it, be silent.” Mahaprabhu continued, “Don’t tell it to anyone, keep it to yourself. Yes, that Rama and Krnna have appeared in our house.” Gaurasundara said, “Yes, for many days I was observing and wondering who was eating all the offered bhoga. I couldn’t understand who was eating it. I had the doubt that your daughter-in-law was eating it. I had that doubt that She would be eating everything, but that doubt is cleared today: that Rama and Krnna were eating everything.” This is fun.

Sacimata said, “O My dear boy, don’t say that. Why are you saying that my daughter-in-law was eating everything? Don’t talk like that, no!” Vishnupriya heard everything and was laughing.

Matri-Vatsala Prabhu

eka-dina nija-grhe prabhu visvambhara

vasi’ ache laknmi-sange parama-sundara

yogaya tambula laknmi parama harine

prabhura anande na janaye ratri-dise

Caitanya-bhagavata Madhya–khanda 11.65-66

One day, both Gaura-Narayana and Vishnupriya were sitting together in the room. Lakshmi was sitting with Narayana, so nice, transcendental and beautiful. Lakshmi was offering some betel nuts, tambula, with much pleasure and Prabhu was very happy. They were completely forgetful of day and night: such transcendental happiness!

yakhana thakaye laknmi-sange visvambhara

sacira cittete haya ananda vistara

Caitanya-bhagavata Madhya–khanda 11.67

When Vishnupriya was with Visvambhara, Sacimata was very happy. Vrndavana dasa Thakura gives all these descriptions in Caitanya-bhagavata. This is nitya-vilasa, the eternal pastimes of Lakshmi-Narayana, Gaura-Narayana in Navadvipa. In Navadvipa dhama, this eternal pastime of Lakshmi-Narayana is going on. Matri-vatsala Prabhu is very affectionate to His mother. He is matri-bhakta, devoted to His mother and always prepared to give happiness to His mother. Sometimes He allows Vishnupriya to sit with Him, to give happiness to His mother.

mayera cittera sukha thakura janiya

laknmira sangete prabhu thakena vasiya

Caitanya-bhagavata Adi–khanda 11.68

“Sometimes He allowed Vishnupriya to sit with Him for this purpose: because then His mother would be happy.”

There was a dramatic performance in Candrasekhara bhavan, and Mahaprabhu played the role of Lakshmi. Sacimata and Vishnupriya both went there to see that drama, ai calilena nija vadhura sahite (Cb M 18.29). After that Mahaprabhu thought about taking sannyasa. Up to this point Vrndavana dasa Thakura mentions the name of Lakshmi and Vishnupriya in his description, but there after he never mentions Vishnupriya any more. In Caitanya-caritamrta, Kaviraja Gosvami has not given such elaborate descriptions because Vrndavana dasa Thakura had already given it very precisely, sanketa, therefore he did not repeat it.

Mahaprabhu Instructs Vishnupriya

The night before Mahaprabhu left home to take sannyasa, He gave some instruction, tattva–upadesa, to Vishnupriya. Locana dasa Thakura has described this in Caitanya-mangala.

jagate yateka dekhe, micha kari’ saba dekha,

satya eka sabe bhagavan

Mahaprabhu said to Vishnupriya, “In this material world everything is mithya, false. The only truth is Bhagavan.

satya ara vainnava, ta-vine yateka saba,

micha kari, karaha geyana

“Bhagavan is satya, He is truth, and another truth is the Vainnava. Except this, everything else is mithya, false.” The instruction was that husband, wife, son, daughter, kith and kin, friends and family members, are all material, they are mithya, false. Ultimately, there is no one. Without the lotus feet of Krnna, there is nothing. The lotus feet of Krnna are the only destination; they are everything for us. Krnna is the husband of everyone, sah vai patih. No one understands this in this material world. Your name is Vishnupriya, which means very dear to Lord Vishnu, therefore engage yourself in vinnu–bhajan and justify your name. Don’t lament, don’t cry and don’t be aggrieved. I tell You this truth; completely absorb your mind at the lotus feet of Krnna.”

Then Vishnupriya said, “You are isvara, You are the Lord. Please remove Your maya from Me, then I will be glad.” Her heart filled with all joyfulness. Mahaprabhu showed Vishnupriya His four handed form. Vishnupriya became amazed to see this, but she was always thinking, “Oh, He is my Husband.” Then Vishnupriya paid obeisances at the lotus feet of Mahaprabhu, and said, “I have one prayer at your lotus feet. I am most degraded, most fallen, and most unfortunate. I have taken birth in this samsara, material world, but You are My only and very dear Husband. I am your maidservant. I was engaged in service at Your lotus feet. What bad fortune has come to Me that you are leaving Me? I am losing this invaluable asset now.”

Then Gaurasundara said to Vishnupriya,

suna devi vinnupriya, e tore kahila hiya,

yakhane je tumi mane kara

ami yatha tatha jai, achiye tomara thani,

satya satya kahilama drda

Caitanya-mangala 38

Mahaprabhu consoled her, “Vishnupriya, I am telling you this from the core of My heart; whenever you think of Me, wherever I may be, I am with You. This is the truth. Three times I am telling You that, ‘What I told You is the truth. What I told You is the truth. What I told You is the truth’.”

Hearing this Vishnupriya said,

krnna-ajnavani suni, vinnupriya mane, guni

svatantra isvara tumi prabhu

nija sukhe kara kaja, ke dibe tahate badha,

pratyuttara na dileka tabhu

“You are svatantra isvara, You are the supremely independent isvara. You act according to Your own happiness and pleasure. Who can create any obstruction to it?”

He acts according to His own pleasure, baba. Completely surrender unto Him! Let Him act for His own pleasure!

After saying this, she said nothing. She was quiet.

Mahaprabhu Leaves Home

Then, in the dead of the night, when Vishnupriya was sound asleep, Mahaprabhu very quietly left the room. He went to the door of Sacimata. Sacimata was sleeping. He paid obeisances at the doorstep to Sacimata and manifested some transcendental opulence as if talking to Sacimata. Although Sacimata was sleeping, He was talking to Sacimata. Sacimata became enchanted. Then He left the house. He swam across the Ganga, and went to the other side of the river to Kesava Bharati.

Vishnupriya Cried Piteously

Vasu Ghosh Thakura has mentioned what happened thereafter. When Vishnupriya awoke at dawn, early in the morning, she stretched her hand just to feel if Mahaprabhu was there, but she found His bed empty; Mahaprabhu was not there.

17.35

sunya kate nila hata bhadra kahila mata

vidhi more hoile nila mana

She felt as if a thunderbolt struck her head, “Vidhi! I am so ill-fated! Bad fortune has come to me.”

Karunya koriya kande e saba vande

saci ramanda kase

Then She cried piteously. She was crying, crying, and crying. Her hair was scattered, She was not taking care of it. She went to the doorstep of Sacimata’s house. The pangs of separation were intolerable, Vishnupriya cried and cried piteously.

Locana dasa Thakura has given a description in Caitanya-mangala,

vinnupriya kanda-nate prtivi bidare

pasu-pakni-lata taru e panana jhure

Caitanya-mangala 15

papintha sarira mora prana nahi yaya

bhumite lotana devi kare haya haya

Caitanya-mangala 26

Upon hearing the piteous crying of Vishnupriya, Mother Earth cracked. Pasu pakhi, the birds, beasts, creepers and trees were crying, and blocks of stone were melting. Vishnupriya said, “I am most sinful, papintha. Prana nahi yaya, I am not giving up this body. I am most sinful.” Crying and talking like this, She was rolling on the ground, “Aho, alas, alas, alas, what happened, what happened?”

viraha-anala-svasa bahe anibara

adhara sukhaya-kampa haya kalevara

Viraha-anala, this separation is like intense heat, fire. While breathing heavily, hot breath was coming out Her mouth. Her mouth was drying up and Her whole body was shivering. That is the description in Caitanya-mangala.

How Vishnupriya Lived After That

How did Vishnupriya spend her days after that? Narahari Cakravarti has given a description in Bhakti-ratnakara,

prabhura vicare soina bhumite

…

krsna …….. sarira

These acute pangs of separation were intolerable. She gave up sleeping: She did not sleep at all. She was lying and rolling on the ground. If by chance, some little sleep would come, She was bhumite sayana, sleeping on the ground. Her body had a golden hue, but because of her rolling on the ground it had become dirty, muddy. It was like when the moon declines during the dark fortnight, day by day. Similarly the hue declined and declined from Her body.

hari-nama sankhya purna……

kori prabhure orpoy

icin matra kore ei vakhyan

keha na …jivan

Bhakti-ratnakara gives the description that She was always chanting:

hare krnna hare krnna krnna krnna hare hare

hare rama hare rama rama rama hare hare

We are counting harinama with our chanting beads, but She was counting harinama with grains of rice. She had one earthen pot filled with rice, and one empty pot. After each mala: hare krnna hare krnna krnna krnna hare hare, hare rama hare rama rama rama hare hare, She would put one grain of rice in the empty pot. Then again She would chant hare krnna hare krnna krnna krnna hare hare, hare rama hare rama rama rama hare hare and put another grain of rice in that pot. She was chanting in this way from early in the morning, dawn, to dusk. Whatever rice She accumulated, She would cook. After cooking such small amount of rice, She would offer it to Mahaprabhu, and She would only accept very little, one or two grains, out of that. No one knew how She was surviving.

Vishnupriya Made a Murti

Murari Gupta has written in his Karca, journal,

prakasa-rupena nija-priyayah

samipam asadya nijam hi murtim |

vidhaya tasyam sthita ena krnnah

sa laknmi-rupa ca ninevate prabhum ||8|| (4.14)

Vishnupriya made a murti of Gaura-Narayana, looking how She wanted to see Him, samipam asadya nijam hi murtim. Mahaprabhu had told Her when He was still with Her, sthita ena krnnah, “He is Krnna”. Pointing out His own murti, He said, “He is Krnna, sthita ena krnnah, Krnna is there.”

Sa laknmi-rupa ca ninevate prabhum, according to these words from Mahaprabhu, Vishnupriya is Lakshmi and Mahaprabhu is Krnna. Vishnupriya was offering worship every day.

When Mahaprabhu left home, His servant Isana Thakura took care of Sacimata and Vishnupriya. Vamsivadana Thakura who was very dear to Mahaprabhu also always stayed with Vishnupriya and Sacimata. He received so much krpa, mercy, from Sacimata and Vishnupriya, especially from Vishnupriya Thakurani. Vamsivadana Thakura has written one song, which is Viraha Sangita, a song of separation. The beginning line is ara na heriba sonara kamale nayana khanjana naca.

When Srinivasa Acarya came to Mayapura, Isana Thakura was an old man at that time. He took Srinivasa Acarya to Vishnupriya and introduced him to Her. Vamsivadana Thakura had also showered his mercy on Srinivasa Acarya.

So Vishnupriya Thakurani, as I mentioned already, is Bhu-sakti. Therefore, on this auspicious day of Her holy appearance day, we offer prayers at the lotus feet of Vishnupriya Thakurani. Let her shower Her mercy on us so that we will develop gaura-bhakti and krnna-bhakti and make our life successful.

Vishnupriya Thakurani ki jaya!!!

Gaura-Narayana ki jaya!!!

Gaura-Vishnupriya ki jaya!!!

Samaveta Gaura bhakta vrinda ki jaya

Gaura Premananda!

Haribol!

Devotee 1: … in yoga-pitha one is worshipped as Gaura-Narayana?

Gour Govinda Swami: He is worshiped as Gaura-Vishnupriya.

Devotee 1: even there they put no peacock feather?

Gour Govinda Swami: no, there is no peacock feather.

Devotee 2: He said at Gauranga Nagara

Gour Govinda Swami: Gauranga Nagara use peacock.

Devotee 1: So we have become gauranga-nagaris? (laughter)

Puri Retreat (Album with photos)
Deena Bandhu Das: Visiting Baligram, the sweet rural village of Dasya Bauri, a famous out caste devotee of Jagannatha! Then we visited Haridas Thakura’s Samadhi and many important places on Satasana Marg nearby! The Seven Rishis have their asans there. Finally ending the retreat with katha and kirtan.
Find them here: https://goo.gl/RgiWhi

Hare Krishna! Please accept our humble obeisances! __^_o

Garuda and Yamaraja.
“Our friends, relatives and so-called wives and children are not only fallible, but also bewildered by the outward glamor of material existence. As such, they cannot save us. Still we think that we are safe within the orbit of family, society or country.” One who properly prepares for the time of death is really intelligent, while one who thinks he can remain at home forever and enjoy the association of his wife and children is a fool. In illusion a man thinks, “My bank balance, my nice house, and my family will protect me.” But these cannot protect anyone. In this regard we came across following thought provoking story.
High in the reaches of Mount Kailash is the abode of Lord Shiva. One evening Lord Vishnu, came to see Lord Shiva. He left behind at the entrance Garuda, who served as His vehicle. Garuda sat alone, marveling at the natural splendor of the place. Suddenly his eyes fell on a beautiful creature, a little bird seated on the arch crowning the entrance to Lord Shiva’s place. Garuda wondered aloud, “How marvelous is this creation! One who has created these lofty mountains has also made this tiny bird – and both seem equally wonderful.” Just then Yamaraj came passing by with the intention of meeting Lord Shiva. As he crossed the arch, his eyes went over to the bird and he raised his brows in a quizzical expression. Then he took his eyes off the bird and disappeared inside. Even a slight glance of Yamaraj is said to be the harbinger of death. So Garuda told himself, “Yamaraj looking intently at the bird can mean only one thing – the bird’s time is up. Perhaps on his way back he will carry away the bird’s soul with him.” Garuda’s heart was filled with pity for the helpless creature. That it was oblivious of its own impending doom further agonized Garuda and he resolved to save the bird from the clutches of death. He swooped it up in his mighty talons, rushed to a forest thousands of miles away and left the bird on a rock beside a brook. Then he returned to Kailash and regained his position at the entrance gate. Soon after, Yamaraj emerged from inside, and nodded to Garuda in recognition. Garuda greeted him and said, “While going in, you saw a bird and for a moment you became pensive, why?” Yamaraj replied, “Well, when my eyes fell on the little bird, I saw that it was to die in a few minutes, swallowed by a python, far away from here in a forest near a brook. I wondered how this tiny creature would traverse the thousand of miles separating it from its destiny in such a short time. But there are no such serpents here, high on Kailash, and I was briefly puzzled. Then I forgot. Surely it must have happened somehow.” Saying this, Yamaraj smiled and went away. This story nicely explains us however we hard we try to escape from death, “Death is inevitable”. Death in the form of time, kala, will seize us just like the serpent seizes its prey. Srila Sukadeva Goswami is advising us that understanding the temporary nature of material existence, we must utilize our time for the self-realisation. When we fail to do this we will remain bewildered in this material existence, life after life. When we use our time for Krishna, death is also blissful as after death we will again go back to Krishna.

Travel Adventures of a Krishna Monk.
Diary of a Traveling Sadhaka by Krishna-kripa das - New York City Harinam, Albany. (Sent from Gainesville, Florida, on February 12, 2016)
I rejoined the New York City Harinam party for the second half of December, except for a one-day excursion to see my family in Albany for Christmas Eve. Because of the cold, our NYC Harinam party sang in the subway stations except for a couple days in Union Square and one night in Times Square. New Years Eve was special in that I did harinama with the NYC Harinam party at the subway stations at Times Square and Grand Central, and outside at Bryant Park, and with the Bhakti Center devotees all the way from the Bhakti Center, in the Lower East Side of Manhattan, over the Manhattan Bridge, to Radha-Govinda Mandir in Brooklyn.
To read the entire article click here: http://goo.gl/gXdjpL

Saturday Night Harinam London 6-02-2016 (11 min video)
RAIN AND STRONG WINDS… said the weather forecast. Still there was a great turnout of devotees and the Harinam was… special again. So many nice things happened. One devotee handed out prasadam to 5-6 police officers, one after the other, all in a row, while we were in Leicester Square. A little later on as we left the Square and moved off towards Piccadilly Circus, one policeman was seen playfully dancing, kicking his legs high into the air. Over the past 4/5 weeks three young students all doing their GCSE’s this year have been coming down from Archway (North London) and enthusiastically joining in with the Harinams. This week they got soaking from the quite heavy rain, but the enthusiasm was not dampened one iota. They all have copies of Bhagavad-Gita and are happily reading them. Also in recent weeks there have been two sisters (Deena & Diane) attending regularly. They are always happy to help hand out “On Chanting” booklets and prasadam. This week I had a little chat with them and was really impressed to hear that they have been taking the day return train from Nottingham each week all the way to London specifically to attend the Samkirtan Parties. They came in contact with Krsna Consciousness through a Hare Krsna Festival programme held in Nottingham not long ago.
*******
“So we are sending our men for street sankirtana. It doesn’t matter whether people are eager to hear it or not, but it is auspicious. It will create an atmosphere which is very, very congenial to the human society. That should be our principle.” Srila Prabhupada 6th April 1973 New York.
Watch it here: https://goo.gl/Cx1euW

Festival of India set to debut in Nigeria.
TVC E, LIFESTYLE – India is one of the most religiously diverse nations in the world, with some deeply religious societies and cultures.
The artistry and culture of the Indians is set to manifest in Nigeria at the first ever Festival of India, a celebration of cultural unity and diversity.
The international society for Krishna consciousness West Africa in partnership with the indian diaspora made the announcement in Lagos.
The Festival of India also called Rath Yaatra festival originated in the holy city of Puri, India and has been celebrated for thousands of years.
Organizers say, bringing the festival to Nigeria is to project the country in positive light.
The festival would include a display of various Indian costumes, dressing and dance groups representing different states in India.
Source: http://goo.gl/2XlPuz

By Sivarama Swami

Devotees often ask what the meaning of steadiness is: some consider that chanting sixteen rounds a day and following the four regulative principles means that one is steady, while others say it is steadiness in one’s service; yet others give different variations of what they consider steadiness to mean. But these things mentioned—regularly chanting and regularity in serving—are physical symptoms that may or may not indicate real steadiness.

Suddha-bhakti-cintamani deals with the subject of steadiness from several different perspectives. What does real steadiness mean? nasta-prayesv abhadresu nityam bhagavata-sevaya: “nasta-prayesu,” when almost all the inauspicious things in the heart, which are of so many variations, when they are more or less eradicated then there is steadiness. And this “more or less,” Srila Prabhupada said “75%,” so when 75% of impurities in the heart are eradicated, then the devotee achieves a certain level of spiritual steadiness that enables him to think about Krishna, to chant Krishna’s names, because his mind and senses are no longer distracted from chanting, serving, and thinking of Krishna. Why? Because the effect of the anarthas still remaining in the heart is minimal when compared to the storehouse of devotional energy that the devotee has acquired.

So when we speak of steadiness we speak of a certain degree of purification of the heart which has its threefold symptoms, according to Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura: steadiness of mind, speech, and physical activities. These are listed in increasing order of grossness; the most subtle form of unsteadiness is in the mind. A devotee can determine how steady their mind is by how easy it is for them to think about Krishna, to chant Hare Krishna and not allow their mind to wander and be distracted. That may happen once in a while, but overall they are able to focus on the holy name. With steadiness of speech, one is able to avoid prajalpa, unnecessary and foolish talks. And steadiness in bodily activities, this means sensual steadiness.

So these are the symptoms of steadiness, but real steadiness is that 75% purification of the heart. It is technically called nisthita bhajana-kriya, when the kriya, the activities, of one’s bhajana are unwavering, then that is steadiness, or, as Srila Prabhupada said, “fixed up” in devotional activities. And by definition of the word itself, bhajana kriya, the activities of bhajana will really indicate how steadily one is situated in Krishna consciousness. For instance, we will often see how someone is so fixed up in their service they don’t even have time to chant sixteen rounds a day, and this is no good. When that devotee is asked to just sit and chant and make up their missing rounds, then we see that they cannot do so, their mind is distracted.

Therefore, even though someone may appear very steady in terms of their activities, it simply means they have some other qualification: it may be that by nature they’re very dutiful persons. That someone is dutiful does not necessarily indicate that they are steady in devotional service. If someone is steady in devotional service, then they will be dutiful, but the converse does not automatically apply. As a good friend used to say, “I judge a man by his japa!”

So this is nistha bhajana kriya: chanting Hare Krishna, hearing Srimad-Bhagavatam associating with Vaisnavas, worshipping the deity. And when devotees have fixed attention to the performance of these activities, a natural, observable taste for these activities of pure devotion exists in the devotee. Even if it may appear that they are not so steady in their duties, still this kind of devotee is superior to those who may appear to be steady in their duties but who are not steady in devotion. Because ultimately, even if one can imitate the external activities, or if one has a particular karma or qualification and therefore has the external symptoms of nistha, still if the concomitant purification of the heart is not there, then one will not advance to the next stage of devotional service, which is rucih.

The spiritual benefit of being steady in devotional activities means that one actually focuses on the acts of sravanam kirtanam, when one is not distracted. Therefore by being offenseless in those activities, one achieves the full benefit. And that is rucih: param drstva nivartate, one attains a higher taste, and when that happens one becomes attached to Krishna Himself. This higher taste is attachment to the acts of devotion, and those acts mature into an attachment to Krishna, His form, His pastimes. That ultimately becomes the doorway to transcendence.

So Vaisnavas really strive to achieve this purity of heart called steadiness, because from that stage devotional service progresses rapidly. There are no significant obstructions to one’s advancement in Krishna consciousness and the devotee can really shoot forward, back home, back to Godhead, without delay.

So let’s be conscientious in our bhajana kriya, even if we are not nisthita, even if we are anisthita, unsteady, then by effort and good association with devotees who are fixed, by avoiding bad habits, by avoiding carelessness in devotional activities, by avoiding offenses, then very quickly the process of chanting and hearing fructifies, and one of the primary benefits of that maturing creeper of devotional service is that it becomes steady. Just like a tree at a certain point is no longer a sapling, it isn’t green and tender, prone to being easily toppled, but it starts to develop a bark, it becomes brown and strong and can stand on its own without any kind of support, so it is with the creeper of devotional service when the stage of steadiness is achieved. And this is, as Srila Prabhupada says, the stage of 75% purification of the heart, purification from these unwanted habits.

Hare Krishna.

By Praghosa Dasa

Recently while reading Srimad Bhagavatam I felt as if I was committing an offence, simply in the act of that study. The words I was reciting at the time were uttered by Prajapati Daksa, they were:

“O Narada Muni, O personality of sinful action” [SB 6.5.37]

It is certainly uncomfortable to read such words spoken about such an elevated personality, what to say of speaking them out loud. That uncomfortable feeling is, I guess, a good protection, as it naturally helps to ensure that we avoid using such offensive language toward such a glorious personality. Of course sastra informs us that being offensive is not just restricted to offences we might make to pure devotees:

“Just as a student in a law class is to be understood to have already graduated from general education, anyone who is engaged in the chanting of the holy name of the Lord—Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna, Krsna Krsna, Hare Hare Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare—must have already passed all lower stages. It is said that those who simply chant the holy name with the tip of the tongue are glorious” SB 3.33.7 Purport

The safest position to take is to not criticise any devotee that way we can be sure not to fall fowl of vaisnava aparadha:

“A pure Vaisnava should be very careful to engage in his specific duty without criticizing others. This is the safest position. Otherwise, if one tends to criticize others, he may commit the great offence of criticizing a Vaisnava” SB 6.17.15 Purport

In the pastime of Jagai and Madhai, prior to them receiving the mercy of Lord Caitanya, they were glorified as having one good quality. The fact that they kept such bad association meant that they had never come into contact with devotees hence their good quality was that they had never committed vaisnava aparadha.

There are so many references in sastra as to the importance of avoiding offending vaisnavas, so as I read the words of Daksa it seemed worthwhile to look a little deeper into why he would offend Narada in this way. On the face of it Daksa was extremely upset because his first 10,000 sons, the Haryasvas, whom he had earmarked to populate the planet with good progeny, were convinced by Narada to by-pass the grhastha asrama. Due to the inherent risks of being side tracked by maya while populating the world, Narada suggested they would be better to simply devote themselves exclusively to the path of renunciation. That was bad enough but then Daksa had another 1,000 sons to do the job his previous sons had been diverted away from but Narada had a different idea and did exactly the same again, convincing Daksa’s latest arrivals to follow in the footsteps of their elder brothers.

This was too much for Daksa, the straw that broke the camels back, hence his offensive words and cursing of Narada that while he may be able to travel all over the universe, he will not be able to reside anywhere. Srila Prabhupada comments on this curse as a case of Daksa ego projecting, due to the fact that Daksa, being a grhamedhi, was thinking that such a curse would be unbearable; however for a preacher like Narada it was not so daunting.

To understand better the core reason why Daksa committed this offence, we find a clear hint in the different reactions that Daksa and Narada had to their reversals. Narada’s reaction to the curse imposed on him by Daksa was ‘tad badham’ – “Yes, what you have said is good. I accept this curse” So the mood of Narada was to be tolerant (titiksava) and accept the curse. Whereas Daksa’s reversal, which really wasn’t a reversal at all, as confirmed by the verse – devarsi-bhutapta-nrnam pitrnam, still Daksa saw it as a negative and his response was not one of tolerance but rather one of anger, aggression and retribution.

The logical conclusion would seem to be that if we have faith that all apparent reversals we receive in life are actually the mercy of the Lord, then it will be far more likely that we will respond in a tolerant way, as opposed to an angry way. If we are tolerant of them then we are far less likely to fall victim to vaisnava aparadha, however if we react angrily to them we are far more likely to fall prey to vaisnava aparadha.

Anyone who is able to accept that not even a blade of grass moves without the sanction of Krsna, will be far better prepared to be tolerant of such reversals, however fair or unfair they may appear to be. For devotees who accept the supremacy, glory and absolute position of Krsna, acceptance of life’s reversals should be that bit easier again:

isvarah parama Krsna – The Supreme Lord is the Personality of Godhead Sri Krsna [brahma samhita 5.1]

aham sarvasya prabhavo – I am the source of all spiritual and material worlds [BG 10.8]

krsnas tu bhagavan svayam – Lord Sri Krsna is the original Personality of Godhead [SB 1.3.28]

yo mam evam asammudho – Whoever knows Me as the Supreme Personality of Godhead without doubting [BG 15.19]

And as devotees we are also aware that we can never be sure what the plan of the Lord is:

na hy asya karhicid rajan – no one can know the plan of Lord Sri Krsna [SB 1.9.16]

However we do know that the Lord is always fair and always favourable to His devotees:

samo ‘ham sarva-bhutesu – I envy no one, nor am I partial to anyone. I am equal to all. But whoever renders service unto Me in devotion is a friend, is in Me, and I am also a friend to him [BG 9.29]

So armed with all this knowledge we should be able to navigate clear of reacting angrily to the inevitable calamities that will continue to be thrown our way, who knows one day we might even come to the point of welcoming them with open arms.

February 14. ISKCON 50 – S.Prabhupada Daily Meditations.
Satsvarupa dasa Goswami: Prabhupada Is Not Ordinary.
The sastras warn us not to think of the spiritual master as an ordinary man. That is very hard for the nondevotees to comprehend. They think the spiritual master is an ordinary person because they see him growing old, or they see him show anger. They misjudge him in many ways. They have no idea what is ordinary and what is extraordinary. It takes spiritual vision to appreciate the pure devotee, but the sastras tell us the truth.
The sastras list certain qualifications of a spiritual master, yet even among those who possess these qualifications, Srila Prabhupada is extraordinary. What is it about him that makes him extraordinary? Or, we can ask, “There appear to be some extraordinary things about Prabhupada, so what is it about Prabhupada that makes these things extraordinary?”
Dr. Harvey Cox said, “Prabhupada is one in a million.” He founded the Hare Krishna Movement, which continues to grow and establish roots in countries all over the world. Fulfilling Lord Caitanya’s prediction that the holy name would be known in every town and village of the world was seen as a near impossible task by other sannyasis. Prabhupada fulfilled the Lord’s prediction. He must be an extraordinary person, someone fully empowered by Krishna, to possess so much pure devotion and determination.
One should not see the spiritual master as an ordinary man. This is not only the proper etiquette described in the Vedas, it is reality. The spiritual master is never ordinary, even if he appears to be growing older, or seems to forget a Sanskrit verse, the disciple should never doubt his spiritual master because of these things. Prabhupada explained that his perfection was that he was always preaching and was fully engaged in Krishna consciousness. The guru is not the Supersoul who knows all things, but he has an intimate relationship with the Supersoul. Srila Prabhupada was always dedicated to Krishna’s mission. He produced amazing, tangible results. He is extremely dear to Krishna. All his displays of anger, or illness, or humanness are transcendental; they are meant to bring us closer to him in loving exchange.
To read the entire article click here: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=20490&page=5

By Giriraja Swami

jaya jaya sri-caitanya jaya nityananda
jayadvaita-candra jaya gaura-bhakta-vrnda

We are gathered here to celebrate the appearance day of Sri Advaita Acarya. Advaita Acarya is an incarnation of Maha-visnu. In terms of pastimes, He appeared before Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu and so was considered an elder by Mahaprabhu. He was actually older than Lord Caitanya’s own father.

Advaita Acarya, although Visnu Himself, was in the mood of a Vaisnava. As a Vaisnava, He felt compassion for the fallen conditioned souls who were suffering without Krsna consciousness. Although previously Navadvipa had been a great center of devotion, it had deteriorated into a center of dry learning. Thus, Advaita Acarya felt compassion for the fallen souls of the age, so engrossed in material affairs, devoid of devotional service to Krsna. In the mood of a humble Vaisnava, although He was Visnu Himself, He felt that He was not capable of delivering the fallen souls. He believed that only Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu Himself could preach the yuga-dharma of hari-nama-sankirtana and deliver them.

Advaita Acarya Prabhu was an ideal householder. He had read in the scriptures that the Lord sells Himself to a devotee who offers Him a Tulasi leaf and a palmful of water. As a grhastha brahmana, He worshipped a salagrama-sila at home. Therefore, He specifically began to worship Salagrama with Ganges water and Tulasi leaves with the aim of bringing about Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu’s descent.

The Caitanya-caritamrta describes Sri Advaita Acarya’s appeal to Lord Krsna to appear again on earth. He cried with such intensity that the sound traveled throughout the entire universe and ultimately reached Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Because of the loud cries of Sri Advaita Acarya, Mahaprabhu did indeed descend, appearing in Navadvipa on the full moon night of Phalguna (February-March). Thus the Lord came at the request of Advaita Acarya, His pure devotee, to reclaim the fallen souls.

What was the method by which He reclaimed them? The method was hari-nama- sankirtana, or the chanting of the holy names of the Lord. And so, in response to Advaita Acarya’s cries, the Lord appeared in Navadvipa on the full moon night of the Phalguna month, during a lunar eclipse, while millions of Hindus were bathing in the Ganges loudly chanting the holy names. Later, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu Himself practiced sankirtana in Navadvipa-dhama, and after adopting the renounced order of life (sannyasa) left Navadvipa and traveled throughout India. Wherever He went, He chanted the holy names and induced others to chant the holy names as well.

Originally, after Lord Caitanya took sannyasa, He wanted to make His residence in Vrndavana. His mother, however, could not bear the thought that He would be so far away. So in deference to his mother’s will, He made His headquarters in Jagannatha Puri, which is not so far from Navadvipa. Every year, devotees would travel from Navadvipa to Puri to attend the Ratha-yatra festival and have the association of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Thus, they would go back and forth between Navadvipa and Puri and bring news to Mother Saci about Lord Caitanya.

Still, Lord Caitanya had an ardent desire to visit Vrndavana, and so He left by foot from Puri to travel to Vrndavana-dhama. On the way, He stopped in a place called Ramakeli, the capital of the Muslim despot Nawab Hussein Shah. There the prime minister and the finance minister of the Nawab, who later became known as Srila Sanatana Gosvami and Srila Rupa Gosvami, came to meet Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu in disguise.

At the time, thousands of devotees were following Lord Caitanya, and Lord Caitanya inaugurated the hari-nama-sankirtana in Ramakeli just outside the area of the Nawab’s palace. The devotees chanted and danced day and night for many days. They totally forgot about eating, sleeping, and other bodily demands. They were simply absorbed in the ecstasy of hari-nama-sankirtana.

But after some time, a few of the devotees began to think of the Nawab, realizing that they were just outside the doorsteps of his palace. The Nawab, Hussein Shah, was a terrible tyrant. He killed people like anything. In fact, he induced or compelled Rupa and Sanatana to serve him by intimidation, threatening that if they didn’t accept his proposal to act as his ministers or secretaries, he would wreak havoc on the Hindu community and kill thousands of Hindus, if not more. He was a terrible tyrant, and some of the devotees began to become anxious that they were doing such loud hari-nama-sankirtana so close to the Nawab’s palace: “What if he takes notice of us and becomes enraged? He could kill us all!”

Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, as the omniscient Lord, could understand the anxiety of these devotees. Therefore, He stopped the kirtana. He addressed the assembled devotees and told them, “Although I am acting as a devotee, actually I am the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and because I am the Supreme Lord, no one can harm Me or My movement.” Then Lord Caitanya explained that His movement of hari-nama-sankirtana was destined to spread to every town and village of every country of the world: prthivite ache yata nagaradi-grama, sarvatra pracara haibe mora nama. (Cb Antya 4.126) Thus He reassured the devotees.

Now during the time of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, His mission spread throughout India. But with the passage of time, even in India, His mission became weak. Unauthorized groups who claimed to be followers of Lord Caitanya but who did not actually understand or follow His principles arose and became prominent. The situation got worse and worse until, in the 1800s, Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura appeared. He separated the true followers of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu from the pseudo-followers and identified at least thirteen deviant groups (apasampradayas). He established the true idea of Caitanya Mahaprabhu. He also discovered the birthplace of Caitanya Mahaprabhu in Mayapur-dhama, and with his followers he gradually located many different sites associated with the Lord’s pastimes, including the residence of Sri Advaita Acarya in Mayapur. Advaita Acarya actually had two residences – one in Mayapur-dhama itself and one some distance away in nearby Santipura.

Although Lord Caitanya had predicted that the holy name would be chanted and preached in every town and village of the world, even learned devotees could not imagine how such a phenomenon could come to pass. Still, Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura predicted that very soon somebody would come to fulfill the prediction of Lord Caitanya. And, as we know, His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada did emerge from the followers of Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura and Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura to fulfill the desire and prediction of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu.

Yet this entire arrangement, from one point of view, was created simply to fulfill the desire of Sri Advaita Acarya. Sri Advaita Acarya was the one who so intensely desired that the Lord should come and deliver the fallen souls, especially through hari-nama- sankirtana, that Lord Caitanya did appear. And now, more than five hundred years later, we are gathered here in Camarillo, California, chanting the holy names of Krsna. This is possible only because Sri Advaita Acarya Prabhu desired so intensely that we would be able to do so and thus be delivered from the bondage of material existence and imbued with the ecstasy of devotional service.

The sixteen words of the Hare Krsna maha-mantra—Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna, Krsna Krsna, Hare Hare/ Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare—contain all spiritual truths. Realized devotees have actually seen the entire pastimes of Radha and Krsna within the maha-mantra. Srila Jiva Gosvami has written a poem describing various pastimes of Radha and Krsna that transpire in the course of chanting one round of the Hare Krsna maha-mantra. Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura has discussed the import of each word of the maha-mantra, and each pair of words (Hare Krsna, Krsna Krsna, etc.). There are eight pairs of names that combine to make the sixteen words of the Hare Krsna maha-mantra. Bhaktivinoda Thakura has explained how each pair corresponds to one verse of the Siksastaka prayer of Lord Caitanya. Further, he has written an entire chapter on each verse of the Siksastaka.

So, although superficially the Hare Krsna maha-mantra appears to be a simple combination of three different words arranged in a combination of sixteen, actually the entire spiritual world is contained in the maha-mantra. And as we go deeper and deeper in chanting the maha-mantra, we come closer and closer to actually entering into the spiritual world and the pastimes of Radha and Krsna. Thus, what Lord Caitanya came to give by the intense desire of Sri Advaita Acarya, although it appears to be very simple—just an arrangement of sixteen words—is actually deeply profound, and unlimitedly vast. It is actually the entire spiritual world, in comparison with which the whole material world is just a fraction.

So the whole process is inconceivable. We know the story of Mother Yasoda and baby Krsna. On Krsna’s birthday, Balarama and the cowherd boys accused Krsna of having eaten some dirt, and Balarama and other sons of the gopas complained to Mother Yasoda. But Krsna denied that He had eaten any dirt. To the contrary, He accused Balarama and the other friends of being angry with Him from Their play, and therefore wanting to get Him into trouble. Then little Krsna said, “If you have any doubts, Mother, you can look into My mouth and see if there is any dirt.” So Krsna opened His mouth, and Mother Yasoda looked inside. In Krsna’s mouth she saw the entire universe, the whole cosmic manifestation. She saw all moving and nonmoving entities and all directions. She saw past, present, and future. She saw the material elements and the three qualities of nature. She even saw herself and Sri Vrndavana-dhama, and she became completely bewildered.

Mother Yasoda saw the entire cosmic manifestation in the mouth of Krsna, while Krsna Himself appeared just like a small child that she could hold in her arms. In the same way, the entire spiritual world is contained within the two syllables Krs and na, because the two syllables Krs-na are Krsna Himself, the origin of everything. That is actually the invaluable gift of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu upon the fallen souls, given to us due to the desire of Sri Advaita Acarya.

Sri Advaita Acarya is very merciful. Advaita literally means “nondifferent.” He is Advaita because He is nondifferent from Hari, the Supreme Lord (advaitam harinadvaitad). And He is Acarya because He preaches the cult of devotion (acaryam bhakti-samsanat).

We are actually followers of Advaita Acarya. He is the acarya, or one of the acaryas in the line of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Actually, He was initiated by Sri Madhavendra Puri and therefore is in the same generation of spiritual masters as Sri Isvara Puri, the spiritual master of Caitanya Mahaprabhu Himself. Nevertheless, in one sense we could say Sri Advaita Acarya is in the line of Lord Caitanya, because He considered Himself to be the servant of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu.

So He is acarya, Advaita Acarya. Not only did He induce Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu to descend to deliver the fallen souls through the holy name, but He also set the example how one can be acarya. Even as a grhastha, He was an acarya. Most people, especially in Kali-yuga, do marry and become householders. Therefore, the example of Sri Advaita Acarya is most important for us. In some ways, His example may be even more relevant for most people in Kali-yuga than the example of Lord Caitanya, Who renounced family life at an early age, or that of Nityananda Prabhu, Who as an avadhuta was beyond all material categories.”

Thus, we all have been blessed by the mercy of Advaita Acarya, directly and indirectly. We should take advantage of His mercy, and the mercy He caused to descend from the spiritual world for us. We should serve Him with great love and affection.

Hare Krsna.

Would you like to say something?

Sarvatma dasa: I just wonder if to be an ideal householder you have to be Maha-visnu.

Giriraj Swami: What do you think?

Devotee: I think so.

Sarvatma dasa: It helps.

Giriraj Swami: There are many ideal householders.

Devotee: Some of Lord Caitanya’s devotees went and stayed with Him in Jagannatha Puri. So why not Advaita Acarya?

Giriraj Swami: Advaita Acarya was a grhastha, so he remained in Bengal. But when the other devotees would travel from Bengal to Orissa to join in the Ratha-yatra festival and spend the four months known as caturmasya with Caitanya Mahaprabhu in Puri, He would accompany them. But then He would go back. It was really just the renunciates who were able to join Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Some of them were married previously but later joined Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Advaita Acarya, however, as far as we know, remained based in Navadvipa.

Actually, all the members of the Panca-tattva more or less concealed their glories. It was only later that the devotees gradually realized their positions.

February 8, 2003
Camarillo, California

By the Sastric Advisory Committee

Listed below are evidences for both sides of the issue, our analysis and conclusion.

Pro-Beard Evidence (mainly from Srila Prabhupada’s letters, lectures and conversations):

1) “The Pashca-tattva can all be golden. The Deity of Lord Caitanya is very nicely done so there is no need to change the color. Yes, Srivasa Pandita has sikha. Vaishnava must have sikha. Advaita Prabhu has a full white beard. He was an old man. He was practically older than the father of Lord Caitanya. He was an elder gentleman in the town of Navadvipa, elder of the brahmana community.” (Letter to Govinda Dasi / 20 November 1971)

2) “According to Caitanya Mahaprabhu’s sampradaya, they keep themselves clean-shaven. And only single instance is there, Advaita Prabhu. He had his beard. And Caitanya Mahaprabhu never asked Him to cleanse. Because one reason is that Advaita Prabhu was just contemporary to His father, so He did not like to dictate. But otherwise, all His disciples, they were clean-shaved. (Lecture / Cc Madhya 20.66-96 / 21 November1966)

3) “You see this picture, five learned brahmanas. In the center there is one picture who is Lord Caitanya. He started this movement when He was only seventeen years old, a boy. A boy only—a schoolboy. He was student, but He introduced this movement five hundred years ago, and some of the elderly men, as you see, one elderly man with beard, He also helped Him, and the others…Actually this movement was originally started by young boys. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, Nityananda Prabhu, and Advaita Prabhu, They started. (Brandeis University Lecture / April 29, 1969)

4) “As far as wearing beards one class of men like Advaita Prabhu never wore clean shaven appearance but always had a beard.”

(Letter to Muralidhara [BBT artist] / 7 March 1974 LA)

5) “You can also arrange for costumes and wig; one boy may be dressed as Lord Caitanya, another as Nityananda, as well as Gadadhara, Advaita with white beard and Srivasa with shaven head.” (Letter to Hamsaduta / 3 March, 1968 LA)

6) “Yes, the Pashca-tattva picture is standard, no need of changing.” (Letter to Jadurani / 8 April 1968)

7) “Thank you for the nice photos. I saw one photo there of Bharadvaja’s doll studio along with the others. You can tell him that we want many Pashca-tattva Deities made out of cement or plaster paris. They can be made the same size as the L.A. Gaura-Nitai Deities.” (Letter to Kalacanda / 31 May 1975 Honolulu)

8) “As you have suggested I am instructing Bharadvaja to immediately make a new set of Pashca-tattva Deities for our Hawaii temple.” (Letter to Gurukripa / 6 April 1977 Bombay)

10) “I have enclosed herewith some photos from the deity installation of Pashca-tattva in Honolulu. I remember that you have good ability to do propaganda work, so I am entrusting that you will try for printing these photos in the big newspapers in Bombay. You can write that they are taken at the deity

installation in our Honolulu ISKCON center on May 7, 1972.” (Letter to Cyavana / 23 May, 1972 LA)

11)

Bhavananda: These are the remnants of old dioramas that we had.

Prabhupada: That means you have broken them?

Bhavananda: They were broken.

Prabhupada: Huh? Broken by?

Jayapataka: Time. They were clay. They started just falling…. No doll maker is here. After one year they started to fall apart.

Tamala Krishna: Is this last years’ exhibit?

Bhavananda: From three years ago.

Tamala Krishna: Three years ago. Last years’ are still good?

Prabhupada: No, they break.

Bhavananda: Some. The Pashca-tattva and…

Jayapataka: They should have been put in the Ganges.

Prabhupada: No, how it breaks? They keep it for years, and you broke them?

How you…? How you broke? Automatically?

(Morning Walk / January 16, 1976, Mayapura)

12) “Regarding taking Lord Jagannatha to your next center, that will not be very good because you already do not have enough devotees to engage in Arcana. Unless there is a Deity worshipper [pujari] available, we may worship Pashca-tattva and guru. That can be done by all initiated students whether they are once or twice initiated. Before an altar with pictures of Lord Caitanya, Pashca-tattva and Acaryas, everyone can offer aratrika and bhoga. (Letter to Himavati /1 April1970 LA)

13) In the book Gauradesa: A Devotional Guide to Navadvipa Dhama, by Mashjari Devi Dasi, there is on page 157 a photo of a painting of Lord Caitanya, Lord Nityananda, and Advaita Acarya speaking about the confidential pastimes of Lord Krishna. The painting shows Advaita Prabhu with a beard. The painting is in a small shrine at the house of Advaita Acarya in Santipura.

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Anti-Beard Evidence (from various sources):

1) Srila Sarasvati Thakura’s Pashca-tattva Deities at the Yogapitha in Mayapura: No beard

2) Srila Sarasvati Thakura’s Deities at Srivasa Angana in Mayapura: No beard

3) Sri Advaita Acarya Deity at Santipura: No beard

4) Many babaji– and gosvami-parivaras (caste gosvamis) insist that He did not have one. (In their paintings they usually portray Him in a youthful form.)

5) Advaitashtakam verse: eka-anga tridha murti kaisoradi sada varam

(“All three of Them are one personality in three forms. Their forms are eternally youthful”.)

6) Caitanya-bhagavata purport by Srila Sarasvati Thakura [the verse itself could be taken as evidence for pro-beard,but see the commentary]

Sri Caitanya-bhagavata, Madhya 16.99:

tarjje garjje acarya dadite diya hata

bhrukuti kariya nace santipura-natha

“The Acarya threatened and roared, placing his hand on his beard. That Lord of Santipura furled his eyebrows and began to dance.” (translated by Gopiparanadhana Prabhu)

Original Bengali commentary by Srila Sarasvati Thakura:

sri-advaita-prabhu sastracara-sampanna gumpha-smasru-kesadi-mundita chilena. dadi va cibuke ye unnata kesa (smasru) deya yaya, uhake sadharana bhashaya ‘dadi’ bale. taj-janya keha keha anabhijshata-vase ajsha bauliyara vesha smasru-kesadir niyoga karena. kintu prakrita prastave tini mundita-kesa chilena. tanhake ‘nada’-sabde abhihita karaya mundita-keseri nirdesa bujha yaya.

Translation of Commentary

“Sri Advaita Prabhu was perfectly fixed in proper behavior according to scripture, and was clean shaven, without whiskers, beard and hair on his head. A ‘beard’ or long-grown hair (smasru) found on the chin is called in the vernacular dadi. Therefore some people, swayed by their ignorance, try to ascribe to Him the dress of a foolish Baul and a Baul’s beard, hairy head and so on. But actually He had all His hair shaven. This is indicated by the word Nada, which refers to one who is clean-shaven.” (translated by Gopiparanadhana Prabhu)

Opinions from two ISKCON leaders:

7) H.H. Jayapataka Swami: “In this detail of iconography which Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura specifically said wasn’t bona fide, I can’t imagine that Srila Prabhupada would have maintained it if he was aware of these instructions.”

8) H.G. Krishnakshetra Prabhu: “As for determining the weight of different pramanas, my understanding has always been that Srila Prabhupada considered his books as decisive and normative for the Society, over and above particular comments he wrote to particular devotees in letters or made to specific devotees should there seem to be contradiction. Mutatis mutandis, we may consider, as he showed consistent concern to honor the instructions of his Guru Maharaja, he would expect an explicit instruction from Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Thakura written in one of his published books to be honored by us. I think this can be a general guiding principle. But in a particular case there might be other considerations outweighing this one.”

Observation of Evidence

It is clear that there are two views: one coming from Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura and one from our Srila Prabhupada. How can we reconcile these two varying perspectives?

Analysis

One argument for a beardless deity of Advaita Acarya is that we should follow Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura. Certainly we should follow the previous acaryas. Sometimes, as in the case of Maharaja Priyavrata, the param-guru may override the decision of the guru. In this regard, Srila Prabhupada wrote, “The duty of a great devotee is to carry out the order of the spiritual master, or the spiritual master of the spiritual master in the parampara system. “ (SB 5.1.20 purport) Unfortunately, neither Srila Prabhupada nor his Guru Maharaja is physically present with us. Srila Prabhupada also wrote, “In the Skanda Purana it is advised that a devotee follow the past acaryas and saintly persons, because by such following one can achieve the desired results, with no chance of lamenting or being baffled in his progress.” (NOD Ch. 7)

A guru’s authority is derived from the scriptures and from Krishna Himself through the parampara of sadhus. Therefore, one must evaluate and apply the instructions of the guru in the context of these other two—sadhu and sastra. Yet, simultaneously, one understands sadhu, sastra and tradition, through the guru.

There are two dangers—one is to follow Prabhupada’s literal instructions without reference to sadhu, sastra and tradition. Such following could easily become blind and condemned. This type of obedience runs the risk of preserving in stone, not eternal principles, but interpretation and application. Truth is then lost in institutional formula, so that hundreds of years from now, a “Sunday love feast” will become unquestionable canon.

On the other hand, if any difference or apparent difference between Prabhupada’s instructions and tradition or other sadhus or sastra is decided in an opposite way as to what Prabhupada gave us, we run the risk of losing our identity as his followers. Our goals, values, and practices become so fluid that anyone can bring anything from the tradition and assert its place and superiority in our Society. There are reasons, albeit reasons we may not fully understand, for how and why Prabhupada did things. When those reasons are clearly circumstantial or most likely circumstantial, then it is our duty to consider an issue fluid. When the reasons are not apparent at all, or the context is clearly applicable to all members for all times (such as mangala aratrika or sixteen rounds minimum) then we should cease to be ISKCON if we make a change of institutional policy, except in a very rare case or in a temporary emergency.

It would be easy if tradition, the examples of sadhus, sastric instructions, and the guidance of guru were always the same for everyone. However, such cannot be the case in a vibrant tradition that is rooted in eternal individuality as an element of absolute truth. Individuality directly implies different perspectives and decisions, even in the realm of transcendence which is freed from the bias of cheating and imperfect senses.

“So far as your question about controversy amongst the disciples of Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Goswami Maharaja, that is a fact. But this controversy is not material. Just like in a national program, different political parties are sometimes in conflict and make propaganda against each other, but their central point is always service to the country. Similarly, amongst the disciples of Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati there may be some controversy, but the central point is how to preach the mission of His Divine Grace. If the central point is fixed up then there is no harm in such controversy. Every individual being must have his opinion; that is the significance of individuality, but all such differences of opinions must coincide in Krishna.” (Letter to Mandalibhadra / 28 July 1969)

“Wherever there are individuals there is bound to be difference of opinion.” (Letter to Rupanuga / 14 February 1973)

There are many instances where great Acaryas do not concur. “As for your question about santa-rasa and the opinions of Rupa Gosvami and Sridhara Svami, I don’t remember. You can send me the appropriate passages. There is no reason why acaryas cannot differ on certain points.” (Letter to Upendra / 19 February 1972)

Sometimes this difference of opinion occurs due to what would appear to be a matter of objective facts, as in the following: “According to Sripada Sridhara Svami, the original commentator on the Bhagavatam, there is not always a devastation after the change of every Manu. And yet this inundation after the period of Cakshusa Manu took place in order to show some wonders to Satyavrata. But Sri Jiva Gosvami has given definite proofs from authoritative scriptures (like Vishnu-dharmottara, Markandeya Purana, Harivamsa, etc.) that there is always a devastation after the end of each and every Manu. Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti has also supported Srila Jiva Gosvami, and he (Sri Cakravarti) has also quoted from Bhagavatamrita about this inundation after each Manu.” (SB 1.3.15 purport)

If we find varying perspectives between our founder-acarya Srila Prabhupada and his guru, his Godbrothers, anyone else in our Gaudiya tradition, other acaryas in other sampradayas, or statements of scripture, our first inclination should be to simply follow Srila Prabhupada because “a basic principle is that one has to accept a spiritual master. Exactly how one follows the instructions of his spiritual master is considered a detail. For example, if one is following the instruction of his spiritual master and that instruction is different from the instructions of another spiritual master, this is called detailed information. But the basic principle of acceptance of a spiritual master is good everywhere, although the details may be different.” (NOD Ch 6)

Overriding Criteria (Srila Prabhupada’s statements are our primary authority)

To follow others’ statements, even Srila Prabhupada’s own guru, Srila Sarasvati Thakura, and override Srila Prabhupada’s statements, there should be one or more of the following criteria:

• Srila Prabhupada stated that his instruction was based on time, place, and circumstance.

• Srila Prabhupada gave differing instructions on the same topic at different times, places, or to different individuals, showing implicitly that the instruction was relative.

• There is an emergency where life is in danger, such as preaching in a Muslim country.

• There is a unique circumstance which Prabhupada never encountered and there is ambiguity as to whether the instruction is general or relative due to its rarity of occurrence and/or unknown factors about the circumstances in which it was given.

• There is ambiguity as to the general or relative nature of the instruction, and to take a different course would greatly enhance the preaching. Such a decision should be with a consensus of a large body of strict followers of Srila Prabhupada. This ambiguity could be present if the instruction didn’t occur in purports, or not in purports and public lectures, or was not generally practiced in ISKCON or was of a very peripheral nature to our basic preaching work. Consensus would exist if there were no marked controversy even among senior, strict followers who have a reputation for brahminical, independent thinking and are fluid and innovative in their preaching application. A greatly enhanced result does not exist where the proposed gain is uncertain.

In the case before us of whether or not to have a beard on the Deity of Advaita Acarya, all of Prabhupada’s instructions on the matter indicate that he wished for Advaita Acarya to be shown with a beard. All the paintings in ISKCON publications show Him this way, as do the Deities which Prabhupada personally directed in Hawaii. There is no evidence that Prabhupada intended these instructions to be relative. The negative evidences that he did not give these specific instructions for Mayapura, nor present them in purports and public lectures are not strong enough unless there are witnesses to the circumstances in Hawaii and with the artists to be unique in some way.

Argument

The statements of the two respected ISKCON devotees (7 & 8) above are basically that if Srila Prabhupada was physically with us today and read the quoted commentary by his Guru Maharaja in the Caitanya-bhagavata, then surely he would make an adjustment and withdraw the beard from the Deity of Sri Advaita Acarya.

This is a possibility. He might just do that.

The Gaudiya Matha temples (1&2) referred to above present Deities of Sri Advaita Acarya without a beard. This also indicates the opinion and instruction of Srila Sarasvati Thakura, at least in regards to the murti of Sri Advaita Prabhu in Mayapura. This corresponds to and supports his Caitanya-bhagavata commentary.

Counter Argument

The statements of the senior devotees (7 & 8 above) make two assumptions that cannot be demonstrated:

1) That Srila Prabhupada was unaware of the statement by Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura. In other words, he may have been aware of it. During the time of Srila Sarasvati Thakura, Caitanya-bhagavata was published and widely read by Gaudiya Matha devotees due to their guru’s recommendation. It is also possible that Srila Prabhupada had already read that specific comment or at least was aware of the Pashca-tattva Deities installed in the Gaudiya Matha temples.

2) That if he was aware of it, he would have simply accepted it. Although his acceptance is possible, it is also possible, however, that if informed of this Srila Prabhupada might reply, “Oh, my Guru Maharaja established the murti of Sri Advaita Acarya as such because . . .”

Further Reasoning

We cannot be cent percent sure of how Srila Prabhupada would have reacted to this issue. If we decide to alter the appearance of the Deity of Sri Advaita Acarya in one or more ISKCON temples based on the possibility that Prabhupada had not known about the Caitanya-bhagavata commentary, we do so at the risk of displeasing Srila Prabhupada.

We do know for sure that Srila Prabhupada directly instructed his disciple in Honolulu to present the Deity of Advaita Acarya with a full white beard. And in a letter dated 1974 to a BBT artist in regards to his own books he wrote, “Advaita Prabhu never wore clean shaven appearance but always had a beard.”

To propose that Srila Prabhupada did not see the Deities at the Yogapitha or did not read Srila Sarasvati Thakura’s commentary to Caitanya-bhagavata is also negative evidence, somewhat speculative and inconclusive at best. It is also possible that Srila Sarasvati Thakura’s commentary was due to relative circumstances.

Srila Prabhupada did not unequivocally state that his instruction to Govinda Dasi in Honolulu for installing the Deity of Advaita Prabhu should be applied in all future circumstances. However, there is also no indication that the instruction to Govinda Dasi should not be applied in future circumstances. Nor did Prabhupada ever ask that Advaita Acarya be shown in any other way. Moreover, the pro-beard references above (7-10) offer indications of future application the instruction to Govinda Dasi.

SAC’s Conclusion

We take shelter of guru, sadhu and sastra as our guidelines.Can we emphasize guru and overlook the other pramanas? That should generally not be done.We must accept Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura’s vision of Advaita Prabhu as one variant of the truth. In other words, one should not be considered a heretic if he presents Advaita Prabhu’s Deity without a beard.

Ultimately, there are no opposing opinions between guru and sadhu, although at times acaryas may take positions that are in fact different. There is some transcendental reason for their taking a different position, temporarily. But ultimately, there is no difference among them. If there is, however, some apparent difference, then we should accept what our own acarya says while waiting for Krishna to reveal how there really is no difference. That is a reasonable approach to the question of pramanas.

In other words, siddhanticly speaking, both forms of Advaita Prabhu are acceptable by our sampradaya, but since our founder-acarya has specifically instructed us to present Advaita Prabhu with a beard in ISKCON, the SAC recommends the GBC to follow the instructions given to Govinda Dasi in 1974 by Srila Prabhupada. This should be generally followed when installing deities of Sri Advaita Acarya in ISKCON.

Rare Circumstances

In a very rare situation, e.g. in a location where it may be somehow unfavorable for ISKCON’s preaching or for differentiating Gaudiya Vaishnavism from the Bauls or other deviant sects, we accept the possibility that an adjustment could be made according to time, place and circumstance. Such circumstances should be determined by the GBC. (A relative consideration such as preventing Bauls from authorizing their sect may be the very reason why Sarasvati Thakura installed the beardless murti of Sri Advaita Acarya and wrote his commentary to Caitanya-bhagavata.) Nevertheless, any possible local circumstances should be weighed against the impact of overriding Srila Prabhupada’s directions.

Disclaimer

SAC’s conclusion does not indicate that an ISKCON devotee may ignore the instructions of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura. It should be understood that there may sometimes exist a variety of bona fide instructions coming from different Acaryas. We pray that Srila Sarasvati Thakura will accept our decision as proper for chaste disciples. Furthermore, our conclusion might possibly be read by some as ISKCON’s stepping away from the wider Sarasvata Gaudiya tradition. This is not the case, and it should be clearly understood and explained if need be.

Mayapura: Relative Considerations (loka-vicara)

What reasons are given for installing a Deity of Advaita Prabhu without a beard in Mayapura? One is a concern that other Gaudiya members and organizations will criticize us otherwise. A second concern might be to not give credence to apasampradayas. Let us discuss the former reason.

Neighboring Gaudiya Matha devotees in Mayapura might criticize a Deity of Advaita Acarya with a beard. The small Pashca-tattva, however, has been in Mayapura for years with a bearded form of Advaita Acarya. Still, Jayapataka Maharaja has maintained working relationships with the other Gaudiya branches there.

Therefore it doesn’t seem likely that our neighbors will get too upset about us having a bearded Deity of Advaita Prabhu.

Another example to illustrate this is the Ugra Nrisimha Deity. He is like nothing ever seen in Bengal. We have heard that this Deity provoked much curiosity among the local Gaudiyas. Often devotees from other mathas visited us just to have a look at Him. The excitement gradually died down, as it eventually will do. So why does a concern for increased unity among the Sarasvati family mean quid pro quo we should install a Deity of Advaita Acarya in Mayapura without a beard?

There will be little or no gain from changing the Deity in Mayapura to be like those at the Yogapitha. With the present small Pashca-tattva and Ugra Nrisimha, our relationships with the other Gaudiya Mathas seem to be good, fair, or poor depending on the specific individuals involved more than such differences. There are so many differences, and surely we are not going to imitate all the aspects of the mathas simply for public relations. Such was not Prabhupada’s general mood, though he made some accommodations to local customs.

The potential harm, however, from changing the form of Advaita Acarya is great. It would set a standard that when there is some difference between Prabhupada and other Acaryas that we will choose the others if we feel we will gain some advantage. This mentality is prevalent in those who have left ISKCON, accepting other Gaudiya leaders as siksha-guru. When there is a disagreement between our Srila Prabhupada and their siksha-guru, they explain Prabhupada through the latter. We would want, instead, to understand other Gaudiyas through the medium of Srila Prabhupada. We risk creating a free-for-all where temples change things dramatically to accommodate local people. Such is already happening in some ISKCON centers—“Hinduizing” or “New Ageing” some places almost beyond recognition. An additional loss would be the loss of the good wishes of many of ISKCON’s loyal members. On the other hand, very few ISKCON members will feel upset if a bearded Advaita Acarya is installed.

Again, after considering the relative situation, SAC recommends that the Deity of Advaita Acarya should be installed with a beard as generally done in ISKCON.

A Piece of ISKCON’s History (presented by HH Suhotra Swami)

I served in Harikesa Swami’s zone from the late 70’s to the late ’80’s. In 1986 he installed Pashca-tattva Deities in Almviksgaard, an ISKCON farm near Stockholm, Sweden. He insisted that the Sri Advaita Deity be made without a beard. I and some other Godbrothers in the zone expressed our concern that

this decision went against Srila Prabhupada’s instructions, but he was adamant. He had heard from HH Jayapataka Maharaja that Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura wrote that Sri Advaita must not be worshiped with a beard. His mind locked onto the conclusion that Srila Prabhupada was not aware of this order of his spiritual master; thus Prabhupada was mistaken in making Sri Advaita with a beard the ISKCON standard. I was not happy about this, but what could be done? That period of ISKCON’s history was more or less still overshadowed by the zonal-acarya system. And, as was confirmed to me recently, this Sri Advaita murti has been worshiped all these years without at beard; not even a wig-hair beard was ever fitted to His face.

It appears that this precedent of beardless Sri Advaita worship within ISKCON is not much known around our Society. Personally, I think it would be unreasonable to assume that this Sri Advaita Deity is “not bona fide.” I would just say that He is unique. And I would add that He should remain unique, i.e. this precedent is not for the rest of the movement to follow. It goes without saying that Harikesa Swami left a reputation behind him in ISKCON for sticking to his own ideas no matter what anyone else advised him. This is yet another example. To my knowledge he did no sastric research, nor did he hold discussions with different senior Godbrothers, nor did he consult with experienced Gaudiya Vaishnavas outside of ISKCON in arriving at the conclusion that Sri Advaita should have no beard. He simply heard from one Godbrother about one quotation by Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati. And that was it. Thus his method of decision-making is open to the charge of being whimsical. The devotees of ISKCON today are rightfully unsatisfied with an autocratic style of setting policy, especially if it seems at variance with Srila Prabhupada’s own instructions. Therefore the worship of Sri Advaita without a beard in ISKCON Sweden for the last 17 years is not a legal precedent for a decision on how Sri Advaita ought to be worshiped at ISKCON Mayapura.

We are looking for pujaris/cooks to serve the Deities here in Berkeley temple. The Deities here include Lord Jagannatha, Baladeva and Subhadra who were installed by Srila Prabhupada in 1967. Hence, these are the first Deities in ISKCON.

Anyone interested should contact us by calling 707-426-4672.

Your servant,

Jagannath Swami dasa

Temple President

ISKCON

2334 Stuart St

Berkeley CA 94705

Oneness with God, Different from God, or both?
Urmila Devi Dasi: OBL Kapoor, godbrother of Srila Prabhupada, explains how the various sampradayas view simultaneous oneness with, and difference from, God, in this chapter of his well-known book. Srila Prabhupada especially liked this book and wanted ISKCON centers to distribute it. This chapter makes the concepts of oneness and difference very clear and as understandable as anything “inconceivable” can ever be!
This chapter is helpful for those are practitioners of bhakti-yoga, for those who teach bhakti, for scholars, and anyone who is spiritually curious.
To read the entire article click here: http://goo.gl/Ot0iQe

Avoiding Yamaraja: Ajamila’s story. Ajamila’s story is given in the Bhagavata Purana (6th book, chapter 1) as an example to illustrate that even the most wicked person can attain salvation. Ajamila was a brahmana who was once sent by his father to the jungle to fetch leaves and twigs to make the sacrificial fire. Ajamila met there a beautiful sudra woman. Forgetting everything, the brahmana made her his wife and children were born to them. When that brahmana, who was the very embodiment of all vices, reached the age of eighty-seven, the time came for him to die. Yamadutas (agents of Yama, the god of death) had arrived. The frightened Ajamila shouted loudly the name of his eldest son, “Narayana”. Hearing the repeated call of his name “Narayana”, servants of Visnu appeared there and dismissed the agents of Yama. From that day Ajamila became a devotee of Vishnu and did penance on the bank of the Ganges and after some years attained salvation. Ajamila was saved from hell because he chanted “Narayana” as the Yamadutas approached him. Afterwards Yamaraja forbade his servants from touching devotees who “even if by mistake or because of bewilderment or illusion… sometimes commit sinful acts,” because “they are protected from sinful reactions because they always chant the Hare Krishna mantra.” Yamaraja then told the Yamadutas: “Paramahamsas are exalted persons who have no taste for material enjoyment and who drink the honey of the Lord’s lotus feet. My dear servants, bring to me for punishment only persons who are averse to the taste of that honey, who do not associate with paramahamsas and who are attached to family life and worldly enjoyment, which form the path to hell. "My dear servants, please bring to me only those sinful persons who do not use their tongues to chant the holy name and qualities of Krishna, whose hearts do not remember the lotus feet of Krishna even once, and whose heads do not bow down even once before Lord Krishna. Send me those who do not perform their duties toward Vishnu, which are the only duties in human life. Please bring me all such fools and rascals.”

The real meaning of (Saint) Valentine Day.
Radhanath Swami: When I was young, no one called it Valentines Day, everyone called it Saint Valentines day. You remember? Now they just call it Valentines Day because they don’t want to think about saints (laughter). Because it’s actually totally contradictory to the whole conception of what valentine’s day is all about. Who was saint valentine?
There were 2 saint valentines. And they were both celibate monks how were preachers of God consciousness. One of them was a catholic priest who lived in Rome and who preached the message of love of God with such enthusiasm and there was so much opposition against him, he lived in the second half of the 3rd century; that means just two and a half hundred years after Jesus Christ. And even though preaching of Christianity was against the law, it was a criminal activity, he was preaching, he was risking his life and he was brahmachari. He was a priest, he sacrificed family life, any relationship with sex, for the sake of preaching the instructions of love for God and he was captured, he was tortured and he was killed. He’s one of the great martyrs of the Catholic Church.
And then the second saint Valentine, he was a bishop in the catholic church. He was also a celibate monk, who dedicated his whole life to God consciousness, and he was a preacher, and he was also captured tortured and killed because he wouldn’t give up preaching devotion to God. Saint valentine, these 2 great personalities, the sacrificed all the pleasures of this world, life itself to serve God.
So you may be wondering, what that has to do with Valentines day in Bombay today. I don’t see any celibate is giving valentines, at least they are not supposed to. But saint valentine was celibate. He respected every woman as his mother. But a little later because the day, both these saint Valentines were killed, were murdered, was February 14th. So in England and France February 14th is the middle of the second month of the year. It’s like the beginning of spring. Yes?
Tomorrow we’re celebrating basant panchami, beginning of spring. Now what people saw is just in this spring is begging, Feb 14th they saw male and female birds meeting in the trees and mating. It’s the mating season. The inauguration of the mating season for the birds and the beasts. So devotees see it for what it is. But romantic materialists they are very attracted to this when theys see a male bird and a female bird biting each other with their beaks and having sex life. This is considered something very nice. So since the middle of Feb. is the day when the birds mate, they were thinking that we should consecrate this day as the day of showing your passionate love to others because that’s what the birds do on this day, And it happened to be the day on which saint valentine was murdered, so it came to be known as saint valentines day. Hare Krishna. So really what saint valentines day is all about for a religious person is giving up everything, being willing to undergo torture and killing in the service of the lord. That’s what Valentines day means to a vaisnava, or to a devotee. But to a materialistic person Saint Valentine’s Day means following in the footsteps of the lusty birds. Hare Krishna