Early Prabhupada

[gHari]

EARLY PRABHUPADA

WORLD PACIFIST AND THE BHAGWAT GITA

Meeting with the Governor of Bihar

 

Sri Abhay Charanarvindo Bhaktivedanta who is now at Patna on a cultural and peace mission, met His Excellency the Governor of Bihar on the 18th January and discussed with him on the prime necessity of starting a spiritualising movement without infringing the principles of a secular state. He said that the world pacifists who are now trying to bring in an eternal peace in the world by spiritualism, will do well to understand the difference between spirit and matter. We have heard so many times the pacifists speaking of spiritualism as the basis of world peace and we think it is our duty to say something of spiritualism as we find it in the Bhagwat Gita and as it is practically demonstrated by Lord Chaitanya.

Sri Krishna, the author of the great Indian Philosophy Bhagwat Geeta, has elaborately discerned materialism from spiritualism. From Him we can learn that the material nature of which we are now made of, is different from the spiritual nature of which we are(?) actually the parts and parcels. He has stressed most vehemently in the beginning of the Bhagwat Gita that the living entity is eternal and does not annihilate on the annihilation of the outward coverings of the gross body and subtle mind.

To understand this we must know it well that the material nature is conducted under three modes namely material goodness, material passion and material ignorance. Matter being completely different from spirit, it will be a mistake on our part to accept material goodness as substitute for spiritualism. The three modes of nature (material) work sometimes jointly and sometimes separately.

Prevalence of material goodness is congenial to temporary peaceful atmosphere but we must know it for certain that this sort of material goodness is sure to be disturbed by the other two baser modes. The example of the playing children may be given here. The children while playing together sometimes quarrel with one another and fight. But after fighting for some time when they become tired of such fighting mode, they declare some sort of peace with one another and promise emphatically that thenceforward they shall play with peace and amity and shall cease to hurt one another.

We may tell the pacifists of the world that the peaceful atmosphere for which they are now so much anxious, cannot be achieved by the dual process of fighting and peace-making attempt of the children.

The goodness of Mahatma Gandhi should not be misunderstood as spiritualism. Gandhi's goodness exhibited as love for all, goodwill for all, tolerance for all and all such good and moral codes are not new to the world. There were institutions all over the world to preach all these pious qualities. Gandhi's success was not therefore due to all these pious wishes only but behind these good qualities was his spiritual strength. If we ignore his spiritual strength exhibited by his actions, mind and intelligence and simply take up outward activities, it will not be possible for us to adopt his means. We cannot accept one half of a thing without spoiling it.

Spiritualism, real and scientific can bestow on us eternal peace and happiness but that is not material goodness. The world is tired of fighting tendency as by the actual experience of the two great world wars. The people out of fear of the havocs of the war are now trying to take shelter of Gandhiji's material goodness of nonviolence but that is just like the fighting children's peacemaking attempt. Real spiritualism is transcendental. This transcendental process depends more on realization than on resolution. The other day Dr. P. C. Ghose in the pacifist's meeting said that unless they changed the whole outlook transcended the geographical boundaries and considered all people of the world as one there is very little hope for mankind.

This consciousness of oneness is possible by spiritual realization. In the Bhagwat Gita it is said that only the genuine learned person can see equally on a learned Brahmin, a cow, a dog or a Candala as one. We should not only change our outlook on all human being as one but we shall have to change our outlook on all living entities irrespective of the material coverings. The clear conception of changing such outlook is inculcated in the Bhagwat Gita. It is said that the Personality of Godhead Sri Krishna is the life-giving force and thus the Universal Father of all living entities and the material nature is the body and mind giving Universal Mother. If we want to change our outlook, therefore, for transcending the geographical as well as corporal boundaries then we have to do that by spiritual process and not by any amount material goodness. This spiritual process only saved India so long from the poison of provincialism and in the absence of that spiritual process India have now began to think in terms of provinces. This cannot be counteracted by any amount of goodness without spiritual activities.

Nonviolence is therefore a process of material goodness against the (?) violence. Violence is a product of the modes of passion and ignorance whereas nonviolence is a product of material goodness. Nonviolence and violence are therefore co-relative terms under the modes of the same material nature. Spiritualism is the process of invoking(?) the lost relation with the Universal Father. If we stick to materialism and its different modes of goodness passion and ignorance, it is not possible to attain spiritualism.

Lord Chaitanya practically taught all people of this process of spiritualism by His novel and yet original method of chanting the Holy Name of the Lord as is AUM in the Vedas. His philosophy is a combination of monism and dualism simultaneously i.e. He gave the finishing touch to the philosophies of all other previous Acaryas by the exposition of His philosophy of acintya bheda-bheda tattva or inconceivable one and different simultaneously. By this philosophy He actually confirmed the direct teachings of Bhagwat Gita and made it easy and practical for even by the common man without any mundane education. He represented Himself for the mass of uneducated people particularly of the present age although He was personally the most erudite scholar of His time.

Spiritual realization through the studies of Vedanta and allied scriptures, is very difficult nowadays. But yet the supreme realization is possible by the transcendental chanting process in this age. That is the recommendations of Lord Chaitanya in accordance with the Vedic principles.

Gandhiji in the latter part of his life began this transcendental chanting of the Name of the Lord and his famous chorus singing of RAGHUPATI RAGHAVA RAJA RAMA is quite well known to us. Lord Chaitanya did not put any barrier to any caste, creed or color for joining this transcendental chorus of chanting the Lord's name and he blesses all men to achieve the highest spiritual realization by this simple method. By this method of chanting every one will attain to the plane of pure consciousness. They shall be relieved of the pangs of a mechanical life of repeated birth, death, old age and disease. By this method of realization the supreme life of perfection by realizing God as He is, will usher in.

Mahatma Gandhi's preliminary attempt in the following four ways namely:-

1) Daily prayer and Sankirtana meetings followed by the recitation of Bhagwat Gita,

2) Reorganization fo the temple worship movements,

3) Upliftment of the falled people by the 'Harijan' movement.

4) Reorganization of the Caste-system movement,

may be taken up immediately by the leaders of India. These movements if systematically carried on will help very much in the spiritualizing process. They can be given a real spiritual shape in accordance with the principles of Bhagwat Gita and other authentic scriptures. And by doing so India's original culture will not only be revived and re-established but also will foster India's indigenous culture in other parts of the world. That will be a sort of cultural conquest of all world by India. By such conquest the people of the world will get relieved of the so-called material prosperity terrorized by atomic bombs.

Fragment of an essay explaining the Yoga System.

Krishna Consciousness movement is the highest yoga performance by trained devotional yogis. The yoga system, as stated in the standard yoga practice formulas given by Lord Krishna in the Bhagavad-gita or what is recommended in the Patanjali yoga practice, is different from the nowadays practice of hatha-yoga as generally understood in the Western countries.

Real yoga practice means to control the senses and after such control concentrate the mind on the Narayana Form of the Supreme Personality of Godhead Krishna. Lord Krishna is the original Absolute Personality of Godhead and all other Vishnu Forms with four hands decorated with conch, lotus, disk and wheel are plenary expansions of Krishna. In the Bhagavad-gita it is recommended that one should meditate upon the form of the Lord. For pracitsing the concentration of the mind one has to sit down in a secluded place sanctified by sacred atmosphere and yogi should observe the rules and regulation of becoming a Brahmacari who lives strictly a life of self-restraint and celibacy. Nobody can practice yuoga in a congested city and living a life of extravagancy including unrestricted sex indulgence and adultry of the tongue. As we have already stated that yoga practice means controlling the senses, so the beginning of controlling the sense is to control the tongue. You cannot allow the tongue to taste all kins of forbidden food and drink and at the same time improve in the practice of yoga. It is very regretable a fact that many unauthorized and stray so-called yogis came in this country to exploit the leaning of the people for yoga practice. Such unauthorized yogis even dare to say publicly that one can indulge in drinking habit and at the same practice meditation.

Five thousand years before Lord Krishna recommended yoga practice to Arjuna but Arjuna flatly expressed his inability to follow the stringent rules and regulation of yoga practice. One should be very practical in every field of activity. One should not waste one's valuable time in practising some gymnastic feats in the name of yoga. Real yoga practice is to search out the four-handed Supersoul within one's heart and see Him perpetually.

RELIGION IS GODLY LIFE

 

No religion of the world is without any connection with God. The principal religions of the world are 1. Hinduism, 2. Islam, 3. Buddhism and 4. Christianity. And all of them have some sort of direct or indirect connection with God. Such religions are made and propagated by God Himself or by His authorised agents. So far Hinduism is concerned and the Bhagavad-gîtR is accepted, all sects and subsects of the Hindu population take up the cause of the Bhagavad-gîtR and it is directly preached by God Himself in the Form of Lord ¸rî K®ß_a. So far Islam is concerned and the Koran is accepted, all Islamic population accept Hazrat Mohammad as the authorised agent of God and the faith is propagated by Him. So far Buddhism is concerned, all the people of the world professing faith in Buddhism obey Lord Buddha as God or the greatest authority. Lord Buddha advented Himself in India and He took up the cause of the poor animals who were being slaughtered unhesitatingly on the plea of Vaidic yajSa and therefore Lord Buddha was compelled to disregard the principles of Vedic sacrifice just to establish the principles of nonviolence. The Hindu scriptures especially the Vaiß_avite literatures of the Vedas accept Lord Buddha as the incarnation of God. It is said that He preached His philosophy amongst those who had practically no faith in the existence of God but by His propaganda such men become faithful to Him and therefore indirectly they accepted God. So far Christianity is concerned, there is open acceptance of God because Lord Jesus declared Himself as the son of God. So all the religions of the world have direct or indirect connection with God and therefore we can take it for acceptance that religion means to learn obedience to the Laws of God as it may be compared with Nationalism means obedience to the laws of the state.

Obedience is the first law of discipline. Even in your national life, you may be a member of a great independant nation but that does not mean you have absolute independence and you are able to do anything and everything at your will without the sanction of the state. Similarly in terms of our wider and universal relation we may be all independant individual living beings but our independence is not absolute and we have to depend mostly on the laws of God and in every step of our life we cannot do anything without the sanction of God. There are five causes to effect a definite thing may be good or bad. The first cause is the place where the action has to take place, the second cause is actor or the man who will do the act, the third cause is the instrument by which the action has to be executed, the fourth cause is the endeavor which pushes the actor to do it and above all there is the fifth cause namely God's will and that is the ultimate sanction. However may the other four causes be efficient, if the fifth cause is not favourable the effect cannot take place and therefore in every action the hand of God is there we may or may not appreciate it.

The conception of God in every religion is either personal or impersonal. But those who are expert in the science of God have said that God is both personal and impersonal and not He is personal and impersonal but also He is localised. At the ultimate issue God is personal. Impersonal feature of God is the manifestation of His all-pervasiveness and localized function of God is His representation. The king of a state or nowadays the president of a state is always a personal affair. The supreme executive head of a state cannot be impersonal and there is no such example anywhere. The impersonal feature of the king or the president is His all pervasive power in the form of government and the localized representation of the king are executive officers who carry on the orders of the king for maintenance of the state law and order. Similarly, the ultimate authority is God in person and the form of His government through various agencies are His impersonal form and the different representatives for executing the function of God's government are different demigods. According to Hindu conception the actual head of a state, be he the president or the King in person is the representative of God. Therefore the conception of God in all religion is to accept one Ultimate Truth from where everything emanates nevermind personal or impersonal.

Cawnpore

13 July, 1947

 

Raja Mohendra Pratap

World Federation

Prem MohaVidyalaya

P.O. Vrindaban.

 

Dear Raja Sahib,

 

In continuation of my last post card, I beg to inform you that I have finished the reading of your book Religion of Love. In my opinion the whole thesis is based on the philosophy of pantheism and the approach is made by the services of mankind. Religion of love is the true religious idea but if the approach is made through the service of mankind only, then the process is made imperfect, partial and unscientific.

As you say the waves of the creations are the different aspects, why a particular type of waves namely the mankind should be partially selected and offered services and why other types of waves such as the beasts or birds, the plants and the stone shall not be offered a similar type of services? In that case how can you say that the worship of a stone is sinful while a man who is more than a stone shall be considered as the object of love? These are some of the questions that arise out of a critical study of your book.

If you so desire I can enter into discussions about it and my opinion is that your approach is partial and unscientific. There is no hesitation to accept the principle of the Religion of Love because the Absolute Truth is, as we have known, Godhead Who is sat, cit and ananda. Without ananda there cannot be any love that is an accepted fact. Your delineation of society, friendship and love among the human beings is based on this ananda portion only but you have avoided the other portions of eternity and cognition of God the Whole Soul. Thus the approach is partial and unscientific. The true religion of love is perfectly inculcated in the Bhagavad-gita. When we speak of love there must be the object of love and the lover too. Here in this world we find that the object of love and the lover both are the cheater and the cheated in their reciprocal dealings. That is our experience. But the ultimate end being one Whole Soul, the dual existence of the object of lover and the loved loses identity. In that case the eternity and cognizibility of the loved and lover vanish at once. In this way there arises many questions which may be put forward to you for further discussions to adjust your ideas of religion.

Besides you have not quoted any authority for all your statements. So it is more or less dogmatic. If different men put different dogmatic views about religion and its essentials who is to be accepted and who is not be? Therefore the approach shall be and must be authoritative, scientific and universal. Your delineations do not conform to all these necessary things. That is my main contention. If you have time to discuss on it, I shall be glad to substantiate my contentions as far as possible. My basis of arguments will be Bhagavad-gita which is the most authoritative, scientific and universal. To summarise the conclusions of Bhagavad-gita it may be said that,

1) God is one and everything is in Him and He is in everything.

2) To render transcendental service unto God is to serve everything that be, just like to water the root of the tree is to water the different branches and numerous leaves of the tree or to supply food to the stomach is to vitalize all the senses and the sense organs of the body.

3) The parts are automatically served when the Whole is served but when the parts are served the whole may not be served or not served at all.

4) The parts and the Whole being eternally related, it is the eternal duty of the parts to render service unto the Whole.

5) A recipient of the services of the parts, God's sat-cit-ananda vigraha i.e. the all-attractive Cognizant and all-blissful Personality eternal. He can reveal Himself by His own potency without any help of the external potency called maya in order to be cognizable by the limited potency of the parts and as such He is not only the greatest of all but he is the smallest of all. That is His prerogative.

6) He is better realized when He by His causeless mercy agrees to descend in this mortal world but he He is never realized by the partial speculations of the empiric philosophers however systematic and long-termed it may be.

7) Sri Krishna is the Personality of Godhead and is the Summum Bonum Cause of all Causes proved by fact and figures in the statement of Bhagavad-gita, but He reserves the right of not being exposed to the sensual speculations of the empiric philosophers.

8) One should therefore surrender unto Him if one wants to know Him as He is and that is the real process to approach the Infinite by the infinitesimals.

9) Sri Krishna is easily available by the religion of love i.e. by love and service as conceived by the damsels of Vraja who had practically no education whatsoever and much less any claim for high class birth right.

10) The highest service that can be rendered to the mankind is, therefore, to preach the philosophy and religion of Bhagavad-gita for all the times, all the places and all the people.

I hope you may agree with me and thus make a combined effort in this direction for the benefit of the mankind.

 

Yours sincerely,

Abhay Charan De

[gHari]

CONSTITUTION OF ASSOCIATION

 

1. The name of the society is The International Society for Krishna Consciousness.

2. The headquarters of the Society are located at Radhakrishna Temple, 26 Second Avenue, New York City, 10003, USA.

3. The objectives for which the Society is being established are:<BLOCKQUOTE>(A) To educate the greater human society in the techniques of spiritual life as the basis for a balanced psychic and biological development, and thereby achieve for the first time in human society a real peace and unity among the contending forces in the world today.

(B) To propagate the Sense of Godhead, the all attractive Personality of primal and eternal Form, as He Himself revealed in His own words in the Bhagavad Gita, the Holy Scripture of the Lord Sri Krishna, the Godhead.

© To bring together individuals in a Society, regardless of nationality and irrespective of creed or caste, in order to develop a nearness to the Godhead and thereby the idea that within the members and humanity-at-large there is an infinitesimal soul-spirit that is part and parcel in quality with the Godhead, and that all life is meant for the satisfaction of said Godhead, the Supreme Soul.

(D) To encourage the teachings of Lord Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu who demonstrated practically the transcendental process of approaching the absolute Personality of Godhead by His acts of congregational chanting of the holy name of God, a process known as Samkirtan.

(E) To prove by active work and preaching that Lord Sri Krishna is the only enjoyer of all the outcomes of individual and collective sacrifice, penance, meditation, arts, culture, science, because He is the Supreme Proprietor of the whole universe, eternally apart of Him everyone knows Him as a friend. Real peace can be attained when this is realized, in fact.

(F) To assist whenever and wherever possible in the building of a social structure on the real foundation of spiritual progress and establishment of peace and unity between men throughout the world.

(G) To attempt to save men individually from the chain of victimization the ongoing trend in modern civilization operates by, in the name of ideologies of false sentiment, so that Man may again be a free soul, to act and live freely with spiritual vision. This is possible by individual spiritual initiation, Diksha, when a man can see everything in Godhead and Godhead in everything.

(H) To further toward realization this highest truth as revealed by Lord Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and the six Goswamins headed by Srila Rupa and Sanatana Goswamins.

(I) To have for its objectives amongst the others four principles which the Goswamins had in view. They are the following:<BLOCKQUOTE>1. To erect a holy place of transcendental pastimes as well as a place where members of the Lord Sri Krishna can flourish.

2. To propagate all over the world in the form of missionaries the process of devotion, the transcendental service to the Godhead, and to make known that this devotional service is the main function of the human being.

3. In order to accomplish this, to adopt proselytizing methods of peaceful means and to establish a broader society of association for all members, including scholars and admirers, to engage in this service as put forth in the Srimad Bhagwatam.

4. To install, wherever it is possible, the worship and temple of Radhakrishna and that of Sri Chaitanya, and to give facility to everyone to become trained in the modes of Archan or preparatory principles of devotional service.</BLOCKQUOTE> (J) To introduce to the members of the Society and humanity-at-large a simpler and more natural purpose in life by means suitable to the particular place and time, and as enjoined in the Bhagavad Gita.

(K) To organize educational programs, such as classes and lecture tours, and to institute services, such as mailing, for the benefit of the members of the Society and humanity-at-large.

(L) To publish periodicals, books and/or pamphlets in all important languages in order to reach human society and give an opportunity to same to communicate with the Society.

(M) To invoke the quality of goodness particularly in every member of the Society, individually by the process of Diksha and by establishing one in the status of a Brahmin (good and intelligent man) on the basis of truthfulness, knowledge and faith in the transcendental service of the Lord.

(N) Among the secondary objectives of the Society, it shall undertake the following activities:<BLOCKQUOTE>1. To revive the scientific system of social orders of classification based on intelligence, martial spirit, productivity and common assistance, generally known as the four castes with reference to quality and worth for the common cause of world society.

2. To discharge as a matter of course the vitiated system of supremacy of one man over another by false prestige of birthright or vested interests.

3. To popularize the vegetable-grain diet under approved methods in order that full value of protein, carbohydrate, fat and vitamin benefit may be derived therefrom.

4. To discourage intoxicating or addicting habits of all descriptions and dimensions and to expose such persons thus afflicted to approved methods of spiritual realization.</BLOCKQUOTE></BLOCKQUOTE>

A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami, Acharya

 

Raymond Marais

Michael A. Grant

Robert Lefkowitz

James S. Greene

<font color="#dedfdf">

 

[This message has been edited by gHari (edited 12-28-2001).]

[Puru Das Adhikari]

Thank you very much for this nectar. Who did the translation of the article from the Gaudiya Patrika, and from where you obtained the articles of constitution?

[gHari]

I am pleased that you were here to hear that very wonderful poem, old friend. The two parampara pieces were from a 1944 BTG, and your Srila Prabhupada was the editor who translated them. No information was provided about a poem or Vyasa-puja offering translator; possibly they were written in English.

 

All the 'EARLY PRABHUPADA' nectar came from the Folio Vedabase History section. These kind devotees somehow have gotten me attached to reading the Vedabase day and night. I thank Krsna for their sincerity in this empty world.

 

<font color=blue>Sea-foam bubble gHari </font><font color="#dedfdf">

 

[This message has been edited by gHari (edited 12-29-2001).]

[gHari]

Excerpt from Back to Godhead 1956:

Conquering Vice

 

The anchor of sense gratification, which is a stumbling block on the path of progress, is manifested in five different symptoms. They are as follows:

<blockquote>(1) Attachment to the material body due to ignorance of spiritual facts.

(2) Attachment to our kinsmen on account of bodily relations.

(3) Attachment to the land of birth as also to all sorts of material possessions such as house, furniture, estates, property, business papers and all such relative things.

(4) Attachment to the holy water without knowing the persons who make it holy.

(5) Attachment to material science which always remains a mystery for want of consultation with liberated soul.

</blockquote>

..............

 

If we therefore want to diminish the forces of vices such as murdering, pilfering, kidnapping, stealing, cheating, adulteration and so many other minor things, then we must have to become a devotee of the Lord and thereby try to revive our divine forces dormant in every one of us for the purpose of going Back to Godhead. The Sreemad Bhagwat therefore advises us like this:

Jasya, Asti, Bhakti, Bhagwati, Akinchana,

Sarboi, Gunai, Tatra, Samasate, Sura,

Harou, Abhaktasya, Kuta, Mahat, Guna,

Mana, Rathena, Asath, Dhabato, Baio.

"One who has unflinching devotion in the service of Godhead is certainly qualified with all the good qualities of Gods. But one who is faithless in that matter has no value of his mundane decorations because that would not save him from the path of mental plane where all conditioned soul hover on vicious acts."

In the Bhagwat Geeta it is said also like [bg. 9.30]:

Api, Chet, Suderachana, Bhajate, Mam, Ananyabiak,

Sadhu, Eba, Sa, Mantbya, Samyak, Vyabasita, Hi, Sa.

"Even if a man who is primarily a vicious man, but is a staunchly devotee of Godhead constantly engaged in His service, he must be considered as Sadhu because he is well settled there."

A well settled devotee of Godhead cannot continue to be a vicious man because his cent percent engagement in the service of the Lord will make him automatically a saintly person by the Grace of the Supreme. The Supreme Lord, who is living with every individual living being, will act as his Chaitya Guru or the Spiritual Master from within and give him (the devotee) direction so that he may go Back to Godhead. There are thousands and thousands of instructive stories of the nature in the Ramayana, Mahabharata and Puranas which are all supplementary to the Vedas. To be cent percent engaged in the transcendental service of the Lord is the real process of sense-control. Vices are seated on the senses. The different senses of a man are different strategic positions of the enemy Vice which takes us to the miseries of life. The Karmis or the fruitive workers who have been described as the Mudhas or the foolish ignorant, is cent percent engaged in the matter of sense-gratification. Because the citadel of Vices, with its soldiers of the name desire, anger and avarice, is the sense-gratification means to follow the dictation of Mr. Vice. The Jnanis or the mental speculative philosophers are thousand times better than the Karmis because they can understand the real position of sense gratification and try to employ senses in a subtle form restraining the gross activities of the senses. By this action of Mr. Vice becomes surrounded and he is stopped for the time being. The Yogins want to control the senses or make direct attack on Mr. Vice and therefore the Yogins are thousand times better than the Jnanis; the Muktas or the liberated souls are still thousand times better than the Jnanis and Yogins for the Muktas are completely free from the attack of Mr. Vice. And above the Muktas are situated pure Bhaktas who not only drive away Mr. Vice from the citadels of senses but also engage the seat for occupation of the Supreme Lord. The king of the senses is the master Mind. Senses are like the horses while the mind is the coachman who directs the senses. The Bhaktas therefore first of all depose Mr. Vice the Coachman from the seat of Mind and place the lotus feet of Shri Krishna on that coach. When Shri Krishna becomes the coachman of the chariot of Arjuna, there is no more fear of the attack of Mr. Vice called by the name Dhuryodhana. The Bhagwat Geeta is therefore concluded like this [bg. 18.78]:

Jatra, Jogeswara, Krishna,

Jatra, Partha, Dhanurdhara,

Tatra, Sree, Vijoya, Bhuti,

Dhurban, Niti, Mati, Mama.

Sree Sanjaya concluded relaying Bhagwat Geeta in the above words. He said "Where there is the master of all energies, Shri Krishna and where there is a Master Devotee like Partha (Sri Arjuna), undoubtedly there are blessings, victories, influences and morality and that is my conclusion."

So in order to be victorious completely over the dictates of Mr. Vice and to save ourselves from the sufferings of miseries and ignorance, we have to place the lotus feet of Shri Krishna constantly upon our mind. And doing so we shall be able to speak and write always the transcendental news of the kingdom of God. And in that way we shall be able to engage our hands, legs, eyes, nose, tongue, head etc. all cent percent engaged in the service of the Lord. When these places will be occupied by the Master, there will be no place vacant for accommodating Mr. Vice and that is the easiest process of conquering Vice and replace them with all blessings, victory, influence, and morality.

Vice is compared with Mist and the living entity is compared with the Sun. Mist is in fact a creation of the Sun and Sun itself can drive away the Mist. The Sun has to increase the temperature of its heat a little more in order to drive away the Mist and in the similar way the living entity has to increase its spiritual heat in order to drive away the mist of Vice.

When the mist is cleared off the Sun is seen in its full fledged flowing beams and in the same way when the Vices are removed the living being is seen in his full fledged purity.

[This message has been edited by gHari (edited 12-30-2001).]

[mark]

Thank you, gHari, for posting that. It's nice to read the poetry of His Divine Grace. It's very inspiring. I'm looking forward to reading the rest of the thread but it will have to wait until tomorrow. It's late and I should go to bed. Hare Krsna.

 

Mark

[Arvindaksh das]

 

Originally posted by gHari:

"I gradually take away all the wealth of those upon whom I am merciful"

 

Dear Prabhu,

 

I have met many top devotees (sanyasis) of ISKCON. I may be wrong, but it is money and money all the way.

 

I have even seen cows (Go mata), who are dearest to Shri Krishna, eating trash outside massive marble temples.

 

So is Shri Krishna less merciful on ISKCON?

 

My sincere apologies to all those whose feelings I have hurt.

 

[gHari]

Of course, the marble doesn't have to stand between us and Sri Krsna, but I'm afraid starving cows and kids will.

 

There are only three major tenets of God consciousness: surrender, surrender, and surrender. We'll get it right, eventually. Of that I am sure.

[Janus]

Like the froth on the sea water mixes again in the sea,MAyA's saMsAra's play is just like that.

No one is mother or father, or personal relative,Just like the sea-foam they remain but a short time,

Just as the froth on sea water mixes again in the sea,

The body made of five elements meets with destruction.

How many bodies does the embodied soul take in this way;

His relatives are all simply related to this temporal body.

 

All glories to Srila Prabhupada

 

Poetic, but is it more than poetic? To John A. Wheeler, quantum physisist commenting on the material universe it appears to be so, for he writes in ‘Physics is Geometry’ that the fabric of space-time, or superspace can be seen as being composed of fundamental building blocks. If we could examine it under a microscope, Wheeler states, it would reveal itself as being composed of a turbulent sea of bubbles, that which he calls the ‘quantum foam’. Wheeler states: ‘The space of quantum geometrodynamics can be compared to a carpet of foam spred over a slowly undulating landscape… The continual microscopic changes in the carpet of foam as new bubbles appear and old ones disapear symbolize the quantum fluctuations in the geometry.

Jack Sarfatti, expanding upon Wheelers theory views the quantum foam as being a sea of maniblackholes and miniwhiteholes. These constantly appear and dissapear in the maelstrom of the universal sea. Gravitational and electromagnetic forces impact the quantum sea, setting up patterns like a pebble tossed into a still body of water and it is these ripples that are detected by scientific measurement as subnuclear particles. Some may be protons, others neutrons and together they interact, coalesce into molecules which in turn interact to form the planets and the stars and the bodies of the living entities…..

 

Poetry? Yes. But something more? Undoudtedly! And something more again for the concept of matter as undulations in the quantum foam promises to shed light on another mystery, that of the paradox of complementarity, why it is that subnuclear entities such as electrons and protons exhibit the properties of both particles and waves.

 

Guru is “not much interested” in extending our knowledge of the material universe, what is much more important to Guru is how to enable us to get out of it, but it does do us well, strengthening at least my convictions to know, to observe the truth of Srila Prabhupadas claims that Krsna Consciousness is “Scientific.” It is more scientific than we know, for here it is evident that to the source of this poem that such knowledge as we are only in the early stages of understanding is evident and thus that all branches of the tree; science, art, architecture, everything can be progressed through a God centered society in which all parts are related to the whole, in which all services are rendered not to the cause of weapons production or consummate greed, but to Krsna.

 

So why is Krsna, as Srila Prabhupada revealed to us, directing him to write in such a way as to exhibit to those who have eyes to see it that which is seen in this post? To increase our faith, to show us that which we are predisposed to doubt due to our conditioning, and which others mock us for, for our beliefs in this Supreme Personality of Godhead Sri Krsna, stands ready, advancing now to meet us, to shelter us and to defeat all argument that we are something less than on the cutting edge. They are the particles, the atoms at the lotus feet and they are also the wave, the great wave of Mahaprabhu that is destined to set all living entities free of bondage.

 

It’s really neat.

 

Hari bol

 

[Gauracandra]

Cosmic foam, eh? Sounds good to me Reminds me a bit of our multiverse discussion a while back. All these bubbles appearing and disappearing. Maybe we can write a song like "All we are are bubbles in the foam" sung to the tune of Dust in the wind

 

Gauracandra

[Janus]

The madhyama-adhikArI therefore being compassionate

Gives mercy to the innocent souls by awakening devotion in them.

The Supreme Lord acts according to the will of the VaiSNavas,

Therefore by the mercy of the VaiSNavas the bewildered can be awakened.

 

20.

The VaiSNavas can awaken the sleeping world

By their mercy the sinful can all become devotees.

Therefore they do not perform nirjana bhajana,

That is the world cheating process of the kaniSTha-adhikArI

 

"All we are is dust in the wind."

Same old song, an eternal a lament, a consumate sadness. From the topmost planetary system down to the lowest... all we are is dust in the wind.

And so they come down to us, ther mercy givers. Perhaps the cuxification isn't death for them, perhaps it is birth, birth in the material world, for what is the pain an iron tipped frail, or nails hammered mercilessly through the flesh to that of separation from Krsna? Who can understand them?

If we can but once say the name of Hari with the love, if we can but once in truth bow down in full surrender, but there is so much distraction, so many other things that spark our interest. Perhaps after all there is some enjoyment to be found here, some place of refuge, some eternal love, some absolute kin, but all that it is is the same old song...all is vanity and vexation of spirit, and all we are are bubbles in the foam, dust in the wind.

What I considered to be remarkable, one thing, is the knowledge of quantum physics implied in the Early Prabhupada, before what is now known was even discovered, even pondered. What do they know then, these pure devotees of Krsna? What does Krsna know? Srila Prabhupada said that Krsna was directing his writing, that he only supplied the hand. Our eyes run back and forth across the pages but what do they see? Prabhupada said that everything was there, everything. His writings are interactive, alive, they see you. Krsna reveals Himself through them through the mercy of his pure devotee.

In recent years some have made the comment that Srila Prabhupadas writings are limited, to basic to justify their abandonment of them for the writings of others, as if that which was written down by the pure devotee of Krsna under Krsna's direction is exhaustable, that it only has so much and nothing at all more. But Prabhupada said that everything is there for every level of advancement.

 

So why do they come down to us?

 

This transcendental service cannot actually be tasted by those who are not VaiSNavas.

In the material body one cannot relish this transcendental nectar.

One who has the material concept that the body is his self

Cannot relish spiritual mellows

 

Because we have never tasted.

Have you ever tasted parbhus? Did your guru give you a taste, do you you remember? If you have ever tasted then when you look at the teaming masses of humanity all around you who have never tasted, who have never relished, who walk in darkness, who live in darkness and who die in darkness and then go down, how can you not feel happiness knowing that you are part of Mahaprabhu's mission to give them real and eternal life, to bring them up from and out of the darkness?

"Oh, they are to obstinant. Oh, they aren't much interested. Oh they are so fallen." The preaching is the life. You are dust, but you are dust driven before the wind, borne upon the breath of Krsna's Holy name, God's living breath. We are beyond measurement for your momentum is that of more than a hurricane. The only limitations that you have are those that are self imposed as everyone of you have through the mercy of Sri Sri Guru and Gauranga incalcuable potential and the ability to realize that potential. There is thus no estimate of your ability other than it is amazing, no appreciation of you fine enough, no garments fitting enough, no chair or seat high enough to give but the barest indicaation of your office "as good as God", and yet you don't believe it, that you are anything but dust. I know better however, you are devotees, ajita, unconcorable. Why lay you down then in such abject posture as if in defeat?

 

[This message has been edited by Janus (edited 01-17-2002).]

[Avinash]

Maybe we can write a song like "All we are are bubbles in the foam" sung to the tune of Dust in the wind.

 

Nice idea. Write it and post it in the "Simply poetry" thread.

[Guest guest]

Srila AC Bhaktivedanta Swami (ca 1960)

 

 

 

King Yudhisthira's Answers to Dharmaraja

Rare commentary by Srila Prabhupada

 

In the great epic Mahabharata, Maharaja Yudhisthira, the son of Dharmaraja is the embodiment of all good qualities. For this reason, he is often referred to as Ajatasatru, one who has no enemies. In many conversations Yudhisthira reveals his deep understanding of the Vedic scriptures and their practical applications.

 

One day while living in exile in the forest, Yudhisthira finds that while attempting to drink water from a lake, all his brothers have been killed by a mysterious Yaksha (a celestial entity). When Yudhisthira arrives the Yaksha challenges him to answer all his questions or else face the same consequences as his brothers. These questions-answers are like Vedic sutras, short, pithy and practical and deal with piety and religiosity.

 

Yaksha:: Who is really a helpful companion?

 

Yudhisthira: Steady intelligence is a very good friend and can save one from all dangers.

 

Yaksha: How can one acquire something very great?

 

Yudhisthira: Everything desirable can be attained by the performance of austerity.

 

Yaksha: What is amrita (nectar)?

 

Yudhisthira: Milk is just like nectar.

 

Yaksha: What is the friend bestowed upon man by the demigods?

 

Yudhisthira: Wife is such a friend.

 

Yaksha: What is the best of happiness?

 

Yudhisthira: True happiness comes as a result of contentment.

 

Yaksha: Why does one give in charity to brahmanas, artists, servants and kings?

 

Yudhisthira: For religious merit, prestige, maintenance and protection, respectively.

 

Yaksha: Why does one forsake friends?

 

Yudhisthira: Lust and greed drives one to forsake friends.

 

Yaksha: What is the only food?

 

Yudhisthira: The cow is the only food, for the milk that she produces is used to make ghee (clarified butter), which is used to perform sacrifices, pleased by which the demigods give rain, which causes the grains to grow. Therefore it should be understood that the cow is the root cause of all kinds of food.

 

Yaksha: What is the king of knowledge?

 

Yudhisthira: Knowledge pertaining to the Supreme Personality of Godhead is the king of all kinds of knowledge.

 

Yaksha: What is ignorance?

 

Yudhisthira: Not knowing one's constitutional duty.

 

Yaksha: What is the best bath?

 

Yudhisthira: That which cleanses the mind of all impurities.

 

Yaksha: What is real charity?

 

Yudhisthira: Real charity is protecting one from the onslaughts of material nature.

 

Yaksha: Since dharma (virtue), artha (profit) and kama (desire) are opposed to each other, how can they co-exist harmoniously?

 

Yudhisthira: These three become congenial to one another when one has a virtuous wife.

 

Yaksha: Who is condemned to everlasting hell?

 

Yudhisthira: When one promise a brahmana charity but upon his arrival refuses to give him charity.

 

Yaksha: What make one a brahmana, birth, learning or behavior?

 

Yudhisthira: It is behavior alone that make a person a brahmana. Even if one who is expert in the four Vedas, born of brahmana parents, but whose behavior is not proper should be considered a sudra.

 

Yaksha: Who is pleasing?

 

Yudhisthira: A person who speaks in a pleasing manner.

 

Finally the Yaksha asked Yudhisthira four questions of great significance:

 

Yaksha: Who is truly happy?

 

Yudhisthira: One who cooks his own food (is not dependant on anyone), is not a debtor (does not spend more than he can afford), does not have to leave home to make in order to earn his livelihood (does not over endeavor for material things) is truly happy.

 

Yaksha:What is the most wonderful thing?

 

Yudhisthira: The most amazing thing is that even though every day one sees countless living entities dying, he still acts and thinks as if he will live forever.

 

Yaksha: What is the real path to follow in this life?

 

Yudhisthira: The best path is to follow in the footsteps of the pure devotees, for they are the actual Mahajanas whose hearts are the sitting places of the real truths regarding religion.

 

Yaksha: What is news? (that is What is real situation in the material world?)

 

Yudhisthira: The material world is like a frying pan. The Sun is the fire, the day and nights are the fuel. The passing seasons are the stirring ladle and time is cook. All living entities are being thus fried in this pan. This is the real news of what is happening in the material world which is a miserable place full of ignorance.

 

These questions and answers cover a wide gamut of instructions from being successful to pious to religious. Pleased by the answers of Yudhisthira, the Yaksha who was none other than Dharmaraja (the father of Yudhisthira and the embodiment of religiosity) revives all the brothers of Yudhisthira and offers him many benedictions.

[bija]

Markine Bhagavata-dharma

by His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedänta Svämi Prabhupäda

at Boston Harbour, September 18, 1965

 

My dear Lord Krsna, You are so kind upon this useless soul, but I do not know why You have

brought me here. Now You can do whatever You like with me.

 

But I guess You have some business here, otherwise why would You bring me to this terrible

place?

 

Most of the population here is covered by the material modes of ignorance and passion.

Absorbed in material life, they think themselves very happy and satisfied, and therefore

they have no taste for the transcendental message of Vasudeva. I do not know how they will

be able to understand it.

 

But I know Your causeless mercy can make everything possible because You are the most expert

mystic.

 

How will they understand the mellows of devotional service? O Lord, I am simply praying for

Your mercy so that I will be able to convince them about Your message.

 

All living entities have become under the control of the illusory energy by Your will, and

therefore, if You like, by Your will they can also be released from the clutches of

illusion.

 

I wish that You may deliver them. Therefore if You so desire their deliverance, then only

will they be able to understand Your message.

 

The words of Srimad-Bhagavatam are Your incarnation, and if a sober person repeatedly

receives it with submissive aural reception, then he will be able to understand Your

message.

 

It is said in the Srimad-Bhagavatam (1.2.17-21):

"Sri Krsna, the Personality of Godhead, who is the Paramatma [supersoul] in everyone’s heart

and the benefactor of the truthful devotee, cleanses desire for material enjoyment from the

heart of the devotee who has developed the urge to hear His messages, which are in

themselves virtuous when properly heard and chanted. By regular attendance in classes on the

Bhagavatam and by rendering of service to the pure devotee, all that is troublesome to the

heart is almost completely destroyed, and loving service unto the Personality of Godhead,

who is praised with transcendental songs, is established as an irrevocable fact. As soon as

irrevocable loving service is established in the heart, the effects of nature’s modes of

passion and ignorance, such as lust, desire and hankering, disappear from the heart. Then

the devotee is established in goodness, and he becomes completely happy. Thus established in

the mode of unalloyed goodness, the man whose mind has been enlivened by contact with

devotional service to the Lord gains positive scientific knowledge of the Personality of

Godhead in the stage of liberation from all material association. Thus the knot in the heart

is pierced, and all misgivings are cut to pieces. The chain of fruitive actions is

terminated when one sees the self as master."

 

 

He will become liberated from the influence of the modes of ignorance and passion and thus

all inauspicious things accumulated in the core of the heart will disappear.

 

How will I make them understand this message of Krsna consciousness? I am very unfortunate,

unqualified and the most fallen. Therefore I am seeking Your benediction so that I can

convince them, for I am powerless to do so on my own.

 

Somehow or other, O Lord, You have brought me here to speak about You. Now, my Lord, it is

up to You to make me a success or failure as You like.

 

O spiritual master of all the worlds! I can simply repeat Your message, so if You like You

can make my power of speaking suitable for their understanding.

 

Only by Your causeless mercy will my words become pure. I am sure that when this

transcendental message penetrates their hearts they will certainly feel engladdened and thus

become liberated from all unhappy conditions of life.

 

O Lord, I am just like a puppet in Your hands. So if You have brought me here to dance, then

make me dance, make me dance, O Lord, make me dance as You like.

 

I have no devotion, nor do I have any knowledge, but I have strong faith in the holy name of

Krsna. I have been designated as Bhaktivedanta, and now, if You like, You can fulfill the

real purport of Bhaktivedanta.

 

Signed-the most unfortunate, insignificant beggar

A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami,

on board the ship Jaladuta, Commonwealth Pier,

Boston, Massachusetts, U.S.A.

dated 18th of September, 1965

[gHari]

 

Excerpt from earlier BTG article from 1956:

 

So in order to be victorious completely over the dictates of Mr. Vice and to save ourselves from the sufferings of miseries and ignorance, we have to place the lotus feet of Shri Krishna constantly upon our mind. And <b>doing so we shall be able to speak and write always the transcendental news of the kingdom of God<b>.

That's my Prabhupada.

[indulekhadasi]

By Srila A.C Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada

(1)

sri-guru-vandana kori’, tanhara carana dhori,

sri-bhaktisiddhanta prabhupada

ara jata siksa-guru, sabe vañca-kalpa-taru,

krpa koro ghucuka visada

(2)

rupa-sanatana prabhu, gaudiya-acarya vibhu,

ara sei bhatta-raghunatha

sri-jiva-gopala-bhatta, vrndavana je samghatta,

mile prabhu dasa raghunatha

(3)

gosvami prabhura gana, asraya sei sri-carana,

anya mora kichu asa nai

tanra madhye je sri-jiva, ujjvala acarya-dipa,

diyachena caranete thai

(4)

ami se durmati ati,visaya-bhogete mati,

krpa kori’ anilo taniya

murkha mui nica ati, sri-siddhanta saraswati

krpa-vari dilo se siñciya

(5)

patita pavana prabhu, nityananda-gaura vibhu,

sri-advaita krpa-paravara

srivasadi-gadadhara, krpa koro e kinkara,

bhujhilama tava krpa sara

TRANSLATION

1) Touching the lotus feet of my spiritual teacher Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Prabhupada, I offer my respectful obeisances and orations to him, as well as the instructions of my spiritual masters.

2) Srila Rupa Gosvami and Srila Sanatana Gosvami are the acaryas between all the Gaudiya Vaisnavas. With them, Sri Raghunatha Bhatta Gosvami, Sri Jiva Gosvami, Sri Gopala Bhatta Gosvami and Sri Raghunatha dasa Gosvami formed in assembly and were intimate associates in Sri Vrindavana dhama.

3) I do not long for another thing more than the exclusive protection and refuge of the lotus feet these Gosvamis. Between all acaryas, Srila Jiva Gosvami stands out as a shining torch of knowledge. It has much mercy when giving me residence next to his lotus. (In the <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" /><st1:place><st1:PlaceType>temple</st1:PlaceType> of <st1:PlaceName>Radha-Damodara</st1:PlaceName></st1:place>)

4) I am a person of very evil and injurious mentality because I am always engrossed in the allowance of the senses with the material benefit, although this is the condition of my mind, by the mercy of my Guru Maharaja, Srila Bhaktisidhanta Sarasvati is kind with me removing to me and retiring to me of this dark. I am simply an idiot and I am extremely fallen and of low birth, but even so my Guru Maharaja has kindness to sprinkle on my heart the rain of its divine compassion.

5) Oh lifter of the fallen souls, Oh Lord! Oh omniscient Lords Nityananda and Goura! Oh Advaita Prabhu, the ocean of mercy, Oh Srivasa and Gadadhara, heads of the disciplic succession! Please they show mercy to this servant. I wish to understand that Their mercy, alone, is solely the real essence of the life.

[indulekhadasi]

Virahastakam by Srila Prabhupada

First Octet -- The Flood of Krsna Prema

(1)

O Srila Prabhupada! You personally suffer to see the suffering of the fallen conditioned souls. On this anniversary of your separation I am utterly despondent.

(2)

"The ocean of mercy was previously held back by a dam, but Lord Nityananda personally cut a channel in it and thereby released the outpouring flood of pure ecstatic love of God. " (from Locana's dasa's song Nitai Guna mani)

(3)

Those devotees to whom the responsiblity was given to continue spreading this flood of love somehow became overpowered by Maya and were thus reduced to simply performing ritualistic Hindu ceremonies for the benefit of the materialists.

(4)

Lord Nityananda's inundation of prema was thus completely stopped by those known as jati-gosai (caste gosvamis) But then you personally came, O Master to open wide the floodgates once again.

(5)

Again you engulfed everyone in the deluge of pure divine love- even such a low, wretched, fallen and sinful soul as myself.

(6)

On the strength of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu's command you sent all of your servants as spiritual masters, going from door to door, just to deliver the fallen souls.

(7)

The devotees were enthusiastically preaching everywhere- from the oceans to the <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" /><st1:place>Himalaya mountains</st1:place>, But now that you have gone from our midst everything today has become very dark.

(8)

O Srila Prabhupada! You personally suffer to see the suffering of the fallen conditioned souls. On this day of your separation I am utterly despondent.

Second Octet -- The Merciful Flood Has Been Stopped

 

(1)

Just as Advaita Prabhu had prayed fervently and thus induced Sri Gauranga to descend, so did your father, Bhaktivinoda Thakura, pray for you to incarnate.

(2)

Due to Bhaktivinoda's eagerness, O Master, you came and proclaimed to everyone that <st1:country-region><st1:place>India</st1:place></st1:country-region> is the most holy land of the Lord's divine pastimes.

(3)

"One who has taken birth in this land of Bharata-bhumi (India) should first make his own life successful and then work for the benefit of all other people" (C.C Adi 9.41)

(4)

This is the most significant message of Lord Caitanya that you boldly preached everywhere. But now in your absence, O Master, everything has fallen into darkness.

(5)

The overflowing ocean of your compassion has once again been dammed up. This makes me feel as if a spear of great misery has indeed pierced my heart.

(6)

Without Caitanya Mahaprabhu's message being spread there is only confusion and upheaval in the movement. Seeing this situation, all the Vaisnavas are also feeling overwhelmed with the pangs of your separation.

(7)

The spirit souls have once again been captured by Maya and plunged into absolute darkness. Desperately searching for relief, they are simply perishing in a fathomless ocean of anxiety.

(8)

O Srila Prabhupada! You personally suffer to see the suffering of the fallen conditioned souls. On this day of your separation I am utterly despondent.

Third Octet -- Practical Chanting and Preaching

(1)

You instructed everyone you met to chant the holy name of Lord Krsna. You showed the example of continually reciting the maha-mantra into their ears.

(2)

You empowered everyone with the qualification to further distribute that holy name But now, by the influence of Maya, there is only darkness on all sides.

(3)

The souls who are truly attached to worshiping the Lord always sing and dance in joyful sankirtana. Following in the footsteps of their spiritual master, they deliver the whole world.

(4)

But those who have no such qualification perform nirjana bhajana or so-called confidential worship in a solitary place. Thus acting whimsically, all of them actually remain absorbed in personal sense gratification.

(5)

[As stated in the Srimad Bhagavatam 10,33,30]: "An ordinary soul should never imitate the activities of the Supreme Lord, even in his mind." According to these instructions in devotional service, the unqualified imitators are ruined.

(6)

You preached "utility is the principle"- that is, one should act without attachment and use anything that is deemed appropriate in the devotional service of the Lord.

(7)

In such detached devotional service to Lord Krsna there would be a temple established in every house But now just the opposite situation is apparent everywhere.

(8)

O Srila Prabhupada! You personally suffer to see the suffering of the fallen conditioned souls. On this day of your separation I am utterly despondent.

Fourth Octet -- The Essential Purport Neglected

 

(1)

Everything regarding material prosperity as well as mystic perfection is fully present in your transcendental message: "Because the residents of Vraja have life, therefore they engage in preaching work." (Dusta Mana verse)

(2)

The "resolute intelligence" ("vyavasayatmika buddhi") explained by Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti [in his commentary to Bhagavad Gita 2.41] is now spoiled since your disciples have become ensnared in the bewildering noose of Maya.

(3)

Those disciples who were irresolute in performing devotional service according to your instructions have now divided your mission in many factions. It appears that the tigress of ambition for material names and fame has appeared and personally provoked this upheaval.

(4)

The essential purport of your message obviously did not enter their ears. O where will I get the strength to perform this hari-nama-sankirtana?

(5)

To chant the holy name of the Lord is the explicit command of my worshipful spiritual master. I could never honestly neglect that order

(6)

Your greatest acclaim is that you propagated the topmost religious culture. Anyone who accepts the holy name from you becomes spiritually qualified.

(7)

If all those who attained this qualification were to go out and make disciples then the miserable conditioned souls would all be delivered from this world of birth and death.

(8)

O Srila Prabhupada! You personally suffer to see the suffering of the fallen conditioned souls. On this day of your separation I am utterly despondent.

Fifth Octet -- The Disciple's Empowerment is Lost

(1)

The greatest mantra of all, consisting of thirty-two letters, is

hare krsna hare krsna krsna krsna hare hare

hare rama hare rama rama rama hare hare

People who are possessed by gross foolishness refuse to chant it.

(2)

Your so-called disciple, the jackal named Ananta Vasudeva, disobeyed your final instructions to keep the mission united, and thereby created a scandalous fiasco. The result of this philosophical deviation is evident to this day as imitative sahajiyas are being worshiped as gurus in your temples.

(3)

Is there a single temple to be found where your instructions are still being followed? As it is said: "punar musiko bhava"- Everyone has "again become a mouse."

(4)

The lion's food has been stolen away by the deceptive tricks of the jackal Now caught in Maya's mighty clutches everyone is reduced to wailing and weeping.

(5)

O Master! If your are merciful to us one again, then even though we are trapped here on the shores of the ocean of death, we will finally behold a change for the better.

(6)

Then once again we can blissfully remember the holy name of Krsna, and once again we will have firm faith in your "Vaikuntha messages."

(7)

Once again you will make us dance in the pure holy name of Krsna. thus you will personally dispel all this confusion caused by Maya.

(8)

O Srila Prabhupada! You personally suffer to see the suffering of the fallen conditioned souls. On this day of your separation I am utterly despondent.

Sixth Octet -- The Preaching Mission is Scattered

(1)

"Continue dancing, singing and performing sankirtana in the association of devotees." ( C.C. Adi 7.92) These words spoken by Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu are especially nectarine.

(2)

If we have complete faith in these instructions given by you, our spiritual master, then in the performance of sankirtana actual love for Krsna will be aroused in us.

(3)

Without love of God, our tiny intelligence only becomes entangled in the network of Maya's delusions Because no one actually attained prema, now there has been great upheaval in your mission.

(4)

The whole world has become filled with impersonalists, and the Vaisnavas have given up the work of preaching that was entrusted unto them and have simply gone off to perform solitary worship.

(5)

The Vaisnava's were famous as "patita pavana" ( deliverers of the fallen) but now this title has fallen into disgrace. Countless numbers of your disciples have been forced to leave your movement.

(6)

At such an inauspicious time, O Master, what can be done to repair the damage that is done? The beautiful garden that you had so carefully planted is now parched and withered away.

(7)

O Master, please awaken some good intelligence in this insignificant disciple of yours so that my firm faith in your transcendental message may increase more and more.

(8)

O Srila Prabhupada! You personally suffer to see the suffering of the fallen conditioned souls. On this day of your separation I am utterly despondent.

Seventh Octet -- Distributing the Pure Devotional Process

 

(1)

The most magnanimous incarnation of the Lord is Sri Krsna Caitanya. Distributing the process of attaining love of God by chanting the holy names of Krsna, He thus blessed the entire universe.

(2)

O Master, you are the personification of the transcendental message of Lord Caitanya. You are the distributor of that message to every town and village.

(3)

You sent your devotees to preach in the faraway lands of the Western countries, and you personally traveled all over <st1:country-region><st1:place>India</st1:place></st1:country-region>, even to the South.

(4)

You preached the pure philosophy of Lord Gauranga in such a way that intelligent persons could understand. And you showed such great concern, O Master, in convincing all you adversaries!

(5)

Lord Gauranga used many tricks just to engage the conditioned souls in devotional service, and you have also understood how to use all those tricks perfectly well.

(6)

You understood time, place and circumstance, and utilized everything as a strategy for preaching. Although observing your activities with their very eyes. those who are blind like owls and other creatures of the night could not see your true purpose.

(7)

What will the Auls and the Sahajiyas and the other nonsense groups ever understand? And what will the sheep-like common people or dry logicians ever understand?

(8)

O Srila Prabhupada! You personally suffer to see the suffering of the fallen conditioned souls. On this day of your separation I am utterly despondent.

Eighth Octet -- If Only You would Come Again

(1)

Lord Caitanya's method of devotional service is not performed in solitude. You preached this again and again to your own devotees.

(2)

Just as the Lord delivered Jagai and Madhai out of His own causeless mercy, you explained to everyone that this same method of preaching work has to go on.

(3)

The world has now filled up with many Jagais and Madhais to deliver. Everyone is anxiously looking down the road waiting for Caitanya-Nitai to come to their rescue.

(4)

If, at such a time as this, you were to personally return to this world and once more preach about all these things the way you always used to do…

(5)

If there were enthusiastic preaching activities again taking place in every direction, then all the people as before would be stirred up in blissful excitement.

(6)

Your profound shouting would cause the demons and atheists to flee, and your narrations of Lord Caitanya's message would fill the hearts of the innocent souls.

(7)

Again the whole world would be excitedly bustling with good tidings; but as it is, in your absence now there is nothing of value anywhere.

(8)

O Srila Prabhupada! You personally suffer to see the suffering of the fallen conditioned souls. On this day of your separation I am utterly despondent.

(9)

O Master! My heart is broken in your absence. This disciple named Abhay has hereby revealed only a small token of his wretched agony of separation.

[seamusjcarroll]

these letters were with me in india i read them over and over until the words floated in my mind pure science spoke a moment a mellow to saviure with prabhupada his love for krishna as rahda hides lost consumed with despaire she rages to erath to set krishna free shiva says no not until he drinks milk at my feet kali screams as rahda dreams krishna will wake when prabhupada is pleased

[indulekhadasi]

The Virahastakam is so sweet, this prayer is not known by many people. The nectar should not remain hidden! I posted it above.

[Taipan]

[Swami Iconoclast]

All glories to His Divine Grace A.C Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada! Without him, where would the world be?