"Dandavats" - 16 new articles
Save Vrindavana Before January 10th !!!Kesavananda Das: Dear Readers, Dandavats! The following concerns the Indian Governments latest idea to spoil the landscape of Vrindavana by building a flyover at Keshi Ghat • Email to a friend • Article Search • Related • View comments • Track comments •  •Save Vrindavana Before January 10th !!!Save Vrindavana Before January 10th !!! Kesavananda Das: Dear Readers, Dandavats! The following concerns the Indian Governments latest idea to spoil the landscape of Vrindavana by building a flyover at Keshi Ghat: So here is the sum and substance: All this preaching has increased the attraction of Vrindavan to people from every corner of the planet. But this has not just had the positive effect of making more Vaishnavas, it has also resulted in so much pressure on Vrindavan’s infrastructure that it has made this project necessary in the eyes of the government. Since we have all helped contribute to the problem, we must now participate in finding solutions. That begins with stopping the bridge, by making the government officials aware that any solution must be based on an awareness of the sacred character of Braj. So all Vaishnava leaders: Put your weight behind this effort, please. Rally the troops: Have petition signing marathons, letter-writing parties. Have people coming to the temples sign the petition and send emails. Print out the emails and snail mail addresses with a sample letter and give them to everyone. Our goal is 100,000 signatures by Jan. 10. You are all very good at this, bhaktas, so please do it. Jai Radhe! Please sign the following Petition and send to your friends - http://www.petitiononline.com/NObridge/petition-sign.html YS Kesavananda Das In Honor and remembrance of Mother Rasaja Devi DasiPrahladpriya das: I was unformed of the passing of my friend and God-sister Mother Rasaja on Dec 28th. It was my wife's birthday, needless to say I will never forget the day of her passing. • Email to a friend • Article Search • Related • View comments • Track comments • •In Honor and remembrance of Mother Rasaja Devi DasiIn Honor and remembrance of Mother Rasaja Devi Dasi My name is Prahladpriya das (ACBSP) I was unformed of the passing of my friend and God-sister Mother Rasaja on Dec 28th. It was my wife’s birthday, needless to say I will never forget the day of her passing. I met Rasaja when I was 19 years old. The Radha Damodar party had docked at the 55th street temple in New York. I admit that I was enamored by her beauty, but more enamored by her humility, her friendly nature, her deep concern for others and most of all, her devotion to Srila Prabhupad. We worked together the following year at Candle Fashions, a temple business that was set up to raise funds for the temple. We traveled together back and forth to the mall each day for many weeks and I got to know her very well. We quickly became friends. At her behest I reluctantly took on various roles in the theater company allowing me the opportunity to witness first hand her deep love and affection for our Spiritual Master Srila Prabhupad. We then became connected in the strangest of ways. On September 28th, 1977 in the evening my former wife who was pregnant began to go into labor. I ran from the temple to get the car to bring her to the birthing clinic. When I arrived back to the temple less than 15 minutes later, I was greeted at the door by Bhaktivinode das and he informed me that I need not rush as the child had already been delivered. I did not know at that time if he was joking or not. I rushed up to the 8th floor of the temple and toward the bathroom. Sure enough there was Mother Rasaja kneeling over Purna Shakti devi- She smiled that broad smile and with tears in her eyes said “Congratulations Prahlad “you have a beautiful baby girl, born at the Lotus Feet of Sri Sri Radha Govinda”. We named our daughter Sita Devi dasi . Little did I know at the time that the name Sita Devi would go on to be synonymous with the role Rasaja so aptly portrayed for years to come. As time passed we always kept in touch. Rasaja would encourage me when I would explain my difficulties in devotional service. I felt I should have never burdened Srila Prabhupad by taking initiation. She reassure me that I should remain in devotional service. I would reveal my mind to her and she would say “ Prahlad, at least you’re honest about who you are and what you are. Never give up that mentality and it will keep you close to Srila Prabhupada.” When Sita Devi grew up she had a daughter. Sita Devi decided to make Rasaja the namesake- and named our granddaughter Rasa Lila. In 2003 we lost Sita Devi and her husband Dan in a tragic car accident. Shortly afterward I received a call from Mother Rasaja and she reminded me that I should not lament. Sita Devi was born in Radha Govindas temple she said. She is with Krishna now. I could not help but to always feel a debt of gratitude toward Rasaja for all she had done for me. In 2005 in an effort to repay this debt, I requested that she allow me to purchase a ticket for her and have her join my family on a trip to India. She accepted and Lory (my wife), Arjuna Das (my son) Rasaja, Dharma Setu and Ragaputra das ( two of my dearest friend) set off on our journey. It was an amazing time and my friendship and love grew even deeper during this pilgrimage. We discussed so many things including our age , realizations , friendships and the end game, death. I know we were very much alike in that we never felt qualified or worthy. We shared that insecurity, however we agreed to never stop trying. Mother Rasaja had the most amazing sense of humor, always finding a light hearted joke to mitigate the pain and suffering that the material energy so kindly provides to us on a daily basis. I want to share an experience that that exemplifies Rasaja. In 1977-78 in New York Temple there were many complaints from the householders on the 8th floor about the insensitive way that we were being awakened for Mangal Arati . Loud bells and loud calls to wake up from the temple commander only brought anxiety to the occupants. Rasaja decide to take over this responsibility. At 3:30 while I slept in complete ignorance, I would hear a voice singing sweetly from the hallway. Playing a tambora Mother Rasaja would travel the length of the hallway chanting the bhajan Jiva Jago, Jiva Jago,. It felt as though we hearing from the Spiritual world. Her voice was like a Gandarva, sometimes I can still hear her. I feel empty and lost now that she has departed. I pray that any pious activities that I may have accumulated over the years go directly to her. And that she attains ( as my God-brother Dharma Setu so aptly put it) an eternal place in the pastimes that she so wonderfully portrayed for our Spiritual Master , whom she so dearly loved. I beg to be forgiven for my unlimited offenses over the years- at the feet of all of my God-brothers and God-sisters. It is by there mercy I still remain in the service of His Divine Grace, Srila Prabhupad. There are many pastimes – to many for me to recount. Please take the time to share your memories about Mother Rasaja to enliven all of us. In the service of Srila Prabhupad your servant Prahladpriya das Dear Farm devotees…Lakshmi Kary: After taking care of my cows almost singlehandedly for the past 22yrs, with declining health(10+ surgeries and with knee and another back surgery soon to follow)I want to relocate my standard size cows and stick with a smaller size animal, the mini jersey that will be easier for me to handle and maintain. • Email to a friend • Article Search • Related • View comments • Track comments • •Dear Farm devotees…Dear Farm devotees...
Lakshmi Kary: Hare Krishna After taking care of my cows almost singlehandedly for the past 22yrs, with declining health(10+ surgeries and with knee and another back surgery soon to follow)I want to relocate my standard size cows and stick with a smaller size animal, the mini jersey that will be easier for me to handle and maintain. I prefer to place these cows with people that have at least some experience with cows, or have access locally to someone who can guide them.Cows are easy if you know what to do and how and what to feed them.Cows are also costly and whoever takes a cow needs to realize it is like having another child and it requires a big financial commitment along with physical and emotional care.If you cant keep a cow, but would graciously like to help me by making donations for cow care I would be grateful. I spend over $500.-800.per month just on hay,pasture etc. for my 8 cows. I used sexed semen to get only hiefer calves and I think this Kali-yuga invention could be utilized for people who dont have alot of land and are worried what would happen to a bull calf.So you can consider this option if you are interested in a cow, but worried about no people to work bulls in your area. I would like to immediately place beautiful “Kamadhenu” a reg standard Jersey. She is 3yrs old and calved ‘08july and still gives about 2.5-3 gallons per day.I milk her once a day which works well.Currently She has been supplying the Berkeley Temple with milk, but due to lack of continued support and the distance to get the milk to the temple, we can no longer do it.Since she is young I would rather not “retire” her to pasture with the older cows. I also have a Jersey/MS heifer due to calve in about 4 months.She was bred to a mini-jersey bull. Cintamani is a very pretty red and white, she is a little bit fiesty, but would be fine with an experienced person.She is the daughter of anohter cow-Rohini (she is a purebred MS and I might like to find her a home this summer) I have that had very nice handmilking teats and very healthy . I havent had health problems or mastitis with my cows and I have maintained good care practices with all my cows . In addition, I am expecting some very nice mini-mid sized reg, jersey calves from my mini-mid sized jerseys in the spring. I expect to have several of these for sale, and they ought to make excellent family cows due to their size.Much easier for children and people to handle and give a more reasonable amount of milk than the standard size jerseys. I also do astrology readings to support myself and the cows, I have books and cds on my website if you are interested in vedic astrology.Please write for further detials pictures etc. Lakshmi ramapublications@yahoo.com 2010 Vaisnava Calendar is now onlineHarinama dasa: As surely you remember 10 years ago we begin to put online the Vaisnava Calendar each year, also each year we've added more and more features on this online service. • Email to a friend • Article Search • Related • View comments • Track comments • •2010 Vaisnava Calendar is now online690 Views / EMail This Post / Print This Post / Home » 2010 Vaisnava Calendar is now online
Harinama dasa: Dear Maharajas and Devotees: As surely you remember 10 years ago we begin to put online the Vaisnava Calendar each year, also each year we’ve added more and more features on this online service. Now we have a great pleasure in anouncing that 2010 Online Vaisnava Calendar is located in his own website at www.vaisnavacalendar.com, with following standard features: * You can see calendar pages in english, spanish and portuguese language to pancanga and in all calendar menus, and looking for more languages to add, please contact us if you’re interested helping with. Please visit the Online Vaisnava Calendar at following link: http://www.vaisnavacalendar.com Hopping you will be pleased with this service. Your servants Harinama dasa Narendra dasa Offering and Remembrance of My Godsister Rasajna Devi DasiOmkara Devi Dasi: I am writing this as my fond remembrance for my dear Godsister Rasajna…. I was 17 years old and at the Brooklyn Temple in New York. • Email to a friend • Article Search • Related • View comments • Track comments • •Offering and Remembrance of My Godsister Rasajna Devi DasiOffering and Remembrance of My Godsister Rasajna Devi Dasi Omkara Devi Dasi: December 31, 2009 I am writing this as my fond remembrance for my dear Godsister Rasajna…. I was 17 years old and at the Brooklyn Temple in New York. I recall greeting Rasajna when she first came to the temple with Lohitaksha…. Preaching to them.. — how they joined the temple – becoming bhaktin & bhakta… Rasajna’s love for Prabhupada and Krsna was very predominant… She is well remembered as a special soul. At the Brooklyn Temple we had a close relationship. It was very austere and oftentimes we would go on the roof of the temple and share moments of talking…. Eating cookies and yogurt. That was a wonderful memory. Rasajna served Srila Prabhupada in many, many ways…. One of her glorious services was with the Vaikuntha Players – a group of devotees who performed skits of Lord Krsna’s pastimes. Rasajna – along with Lohitaksha, Sudama (Maharaj at the time), Nanda Kishore, Satarupa, and a few others – would go to 42nd Avenue and draw big crowds – who enjoyed watching their performances. I remember one time the Vaikuntha Players orchestrated a performance in the temple in front of Srila Prabhupada – a play wherein Krsna chops the mustache off Rukma – and Prabhupada laughed so very much! He laughed and laughed! Then Prabhupada exclaimed… “This is better than my books!” They had won his heart by the performance. In time, Rasajna had traveled and we lost touch. However, Rasajna has always had a special place in my heart. She is, and always will be, my dear Godsister. In closing I have recently posted on my Facebook photo albums two spiritual reflections: ( 1 ) It is important to me that I can take care of the Lord (my deities at home)…. That I chant ‘Laxsmi Narayan… Laxsmi Narayan… Jaya Srila Prabhupada… Jaya Radhe..’ since I do not know what my consciousness or mental capacities will be at the time of death… Will I be able to utter these words? Will I be able to think or speak? So now I am saying these words, now I am praying, now I am practicing…. Each and every day… so that when I leave my body… who knows what will happen… hoping the Lord and Srila Prabhupada will take care of me and uplift me… Rescue me from this world and take me back to Godhead… Yes, Srila Prabhupada I have this desire… Please take me back, I am your servant, your humble servant, I wish to be with you. Hare Krsna, Omkara devi dasi ( 2 ) As my Godsisters and Godbrothers leave this material world it is my reminder to hold on to the Lotus Feet of Srila Prabhupada and reflect… this is not a sad thing… this is a glorious thing. We need to remember that our real constitution is spiritual. We do not belong in these material bodies. We are eternal spirit souls. This life is a prison sentence. We are engulfed in material existence. Illusioned. Encaged. We need to get out…. Back to Godhead. That is our real happiness. That is the real beauty of leaving this body… So there should be no lamentation. There should be rejoicing… There should be chanting the Holy Name. Lots of kirtan and feasting! That’s what Srila Prabhupada would want…. That is what I would want… As a final closure…. I have no doubts… by the Mercy of Srila Prabhupada… my Dear Godsister has found her way back to Srila Prabhupada and is serving happily. Srila Prabhupada has given us this wonderful opportunity. He has sacrificed so much for us and given us the one chance, by initiation, this golden opportunity to Go Back To Godhead. Please take this ticket home… take this very simple ticket… Chant and Be Happy! …. Thank you Srila Prabhupada. Your humble servant, Omkara devi dasi….. Protesting the Shri Vrindavan Development ProjectShrivatsa Goswami: I would like to express deepest concern at the current ongoing phase of work being undertaken under the guise of the Shri Vrindavan Development Project. • Email to a friend • Article Search • Related • View comments • Track comments • •Protesting the Shri Vrindavan Development ProjectProtesting the Shri Vrindavan Development Project Shrivatsa Goswami (Jai Singh Ghera, Vrindavan) I would like to express deepest concern at the current ongoing phase of work being undertaken under the guise of the Shri Vrindavan Development Project. The bridge or the elevated road in the middle of stream running parrallel to Vrindavan Ghats specially at Keshighat that is being constructed on the river Yamuna will have a direct impact in changing the character and texture of what is most sacred to millions of Hindus. Like Jerusalem and Mecca for their religions, the twin sites of Mathura and Vrindavan are integral to the beliefs and spirit of Hinduism. Both sites are benchmarks in our mythology, religious practices, traditions and beliefs. While development of tourist sites, especially for religious tourism is undoubtedly a noble objective and must be pursued, all efforts must be taken to ensure that the character of these places is not altered. The kunja gallis of Vrindavan are integral to the heritage and lore of the place. As are the river and the many ghats that spot its banks. It is the live theatre where the Krishna legend played out. The current bridge at Keshighat will completely alter all that. By bringing traffic into the river – a plan unheard of anywhere else in the world — the legend of millennia will be irreversibly erased. Already, the paving of the parikrama road has alienated the ghats from the river waterfront. The sky-bridge with vehicular traffic with its attendant pollution and forced urbanity will further obliterate the true character of Vrindavan. We have lessons to learn from other heritage sites; recently Dresden in Germany was removed from UNESCO’s Heritage List for constructing a highway near the town. We have faced similar action in Hampi in Karnataka. Vrindavan is a world heritage site, irrespective of whether UNESCO has declared it so. It is our heritage site! We urge you to cease this mindless “development” of Vrindavan and propose a dialogue with people’s groups that are already working in situ to discuss ways in which this development can be shaped to the betterment of pilgrim tourism without sacrificing the true nature of our sacred dham! Let us not replace the sacred Radhe Radhe! with the shrill sound of the automobile horn! —- Jan Brzezinski: Pictures for article: I think the most illustrative ones will be these before and after shots. Rasa passed quietly on Monday, December 28, 2009Greg: After an all too short, four month battle against cancer, Rasa passed quietly on Monday, December 28, 2009 at 3:00 pm. • Email to a friend • Article Search • Related • View comments • Track comments • •Chennai RYSumithra Krishna das: ISKCON Chennai is conducting the 27th Ratha-yatra on 13th January, 2010, Wednesday • Email to a friend • Article Search • Related • View comments • Track comments • •Demons in the Guise of DevoteesGopaljiukatha: A sastric look at the problem of false gurus and materialistic persons donning the dress of devotees. • Email to a friend • Article Search • Related • View comments • Track comments • •New Year ResolutionsDhruva Maharaja dasa: Have you made your New Year resolutions yet? "Those who are on this path are resolute in purpose, and their aim is one. O beloved child of the Kurus, the intelligence of those who are irresolute is many branched" • Email to a friend • Article Search • Related • View comments • Track comments • •Rasajna devi dasi passesPandava: Rasajna devi dasi took initiation into Gaudîya Vaishnavism of the Brahmã-Madhva sampradãya in humble service to His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada in 1973 • Email to a friend • Article Search • Related • View comments • Track comments • •Guest house “NITAI KUNJ” in New Delhi,Pankaj: I have guest house "NITAI KUNJ" in New Delhi, India. I want to give special discount of 50% on listed tariff for Life members of ISKCON. • Email to a friend • Article Search • Related • View comments • Track comments • •Is Astrology Useful in Krishna Consciousness? Part One – The PanchangBy Patita Pavana das The sacred teachings that Shrila Prabhupada called Krishna Consciousness are all transcendental to this material world. Shrila Prabhupada never gave material advice for those who would try to live comfortably here in this temporary world. • Email to a friend • Article Search • Related • View comments • Track comments • •Twenty Foot Flames: Lord NrsimhadevaBy Amogha das A few weeks ago Jananivas Prabhu told me that a married couple could not conceive a child. A year ago the doctor examined the wife and said that in the past some disease had occurred and her tubes were permanently closed. • Email to a friend • Article Search • Related • View comments • Track comments • •Twenty Foot Flames: Lord NrsimhadevaTwenty Foot Flames: Lord Nrsimhadeva By Amogha das Pankajanghri Prabhu told me a few months ago that one Mataji had been suffering a health condition that would not go away for years. When she read about Lord Nrsimhadeva curing devotees, she realized that she could pray to Him for this purpose and she did. The condition disappeared. A few weeks ago Jananivas Prabhu told me that a married couple could not conceive a child. A year ago the doctor examined the wife and said that in the past some disease had occurred and her tubes were permanently closed. The couple took shelter of Lord Nrsimhadeva. Just recently they again went to the doctor, who revealed that now the tubes are open, which normally does not happen. And, he was happy to say, she is pregnant! Manohar Shyam Prabhu told me that recently there were massive bushfires in Argentina. There were raging hot winds and the flames were devouring everything in their path. Emergency workers were evacuating people from their homes. Manohar Shyam’s mother, who worships Mayapur Nrsimhadeva, could see the flames rising twenty feet into the air coming directly towards her home. She immediately went to pray to Lord Nrsimhadeva. Suddenly the wind changed direction, and the flames blew away from her home to another destination. We have asked his mother for her account in detail. Devotees often are humble and sometimes will not tell us all about what they have experienced. But other devotees will feel inspired by their revelations, so pleaase, anyone who has something to tell us about their experiences, please write it down and send to amogha.acbsp@pamho.net or amoghadas8@gmail.com. A few days back we had an ecstatic Rathayatra at Klang near Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. There are 25 Rathayatras a year in this country. In my little speech afterwards I declared that the kirtans at these Rathayatras are as ecstatic as the kirtans in Rathayatras when Srila Prabhupada was present. Sometimes it seems they are more ecstatic. If Krsna can be more beautiful and more beautiful at every moment forever, the kirtans can also seem more ecstatic and more ecstatic! Why not? If you want a transcendental holiday, come to Malaysia when there are Rathayatras every weekend and dive in. They are mainly around July and December-January. (see http://www.iskcon.com.my/) After Rathayatra by mercy I was sitting next to a sannyasi, talking about the above Nrsimhadeva pastimes, when he kindly said, “We should be preaching about how to develop love of God, not karmakandiya practises. We should be careful. Non-devotees may take advantage. Has anyone attained love of God by praying to Lord Nrsimhadev?” I thought about the quote below: “Bhaktivinode Thakur?” I said. “Bhaktivinode Thakur got love of God from Nrsimhadeva?” he asked. I tried to recount the passage from the Navadvipa-bhava-taranga I had place on narasimhalila. com.”At that moment, by Lord Nrsimha’s mercy, I will exhibit symptoms of ecstatic love for Radha and Krishna…” I tried to explain that Bhaktivinode Thakur considered Lord Nrsimhadeva paramount in attaining love of Krsna. I said to Maharaj, who has been my dear friend for many years, “Even if someone comes to Mayapur to worship Lord Nrsimhadev desiring something selfishly material, wouldn’t he or she get the mercy of Nitai and Gauranga?” How can anyone go to Mayapur without getting the mercy of Nitai and Gauranga? This reminds me of the statement: “One easily becomes free from the bondage of Maya by even once visiting Mayapur. The power of Maya will go far away, and the cycle of birth and death will cease for one who simply walks in Mayapur.” (Navadvip Dham Mahatmya) (on the website under Mayapur) Afterwards I considered the situation: Devotees praying to avert disease, death and injury. The Lord revives them. Is that karmakandiya? Didn’t Nanda Maharaj and all the devotees cry out to Krsna for help when a huge snake had half-swallowed him in the night? And Krsna saved him. Lord Nrsimhadeva appeared to save his devotee Prahlad. He loves to save His devotees! I don’t think this reciprocation between the Lord and His devotees is karma-kandiya, or about worshiping the Lord just to get some material thing. As mentioned in the Preface to narasimhalila. com, Jananivas Prabhu told me that Lord Nrsimhadeva derives transcendental ecstasy from serving Gauranga by saving His sankirtan devotees from obstacles. What about having children? One might say praying for children is materialistic. But isn’t the appearance of Vaishnava and Vaishnavi children one of the most auspicious aspirations of married couples? We need devotees to appear in the world to purify the place. If a couple cannot bear a child, and Lord Nrsimhadeva intervenes, is that karma-kandiya? How special a devotee is that child? I leave you with the words of Srila Bhaktivinode Thakur: “In my heart reside duplicity, insincerity, the desire for fame, and the six enemies: lust, anger, envy, fear, illusion and intoxication. Therefore I will pray at the feet of Lord Nrsimha to purify my heart and give me the desire to serve Krishna. “Weeping I will beg Lord Nrsimha that I may worship Radha-Madhava in Navadvip, free from obstacles. Although this form of the Lord is terrible for the evil, He is exceedingly auspicious for the devotees headed by Prahlada. When will Lord Nrsimha become pleased to mercifully speak to me, a worthless fool, and remove my fears? ‘Dear child, stay here happily in Gaura Dham. Worship Radha-Madhava, and develop attraction for the holy name. By the mercy of My devotees, all obstacles are transcended.’ After speaking like this, when will that Lord joyfully place His feet upon my head? At that moment, by Lord Nrsimha’s mercy, I will exhibit symptoms of ecstatic love for Radha and Krishna, and will roll on the ground by the door of Lord Nrsimha’s temple.” By the way, the Hindi and Gujrati translations are now online at www. narasimhalila. com/index. htm. Twenty Foot Flames: Lord Nrsimhadeva 1  We should never forget Lord Narasimha killed Hiranyakasipu at Ahovalam in south India, and all the demoniac soldiers , then He washed His lotushands at Rakta Kunda (still the stones there are red from all the blood) and then He blessed Prahlada and accepted His prayers .After that quikly He went to Navadvipa and took full bath at Narasimhapalli.He rested there and the demigods came and build residences nearby to have Lord Narasimhadevas blessings and constantly associate with Him .So Lord Narasimha must have stayed for quiet soem time if even the devas made residence there, this is all explained by srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura.We read in Jaiva Dharma how Nrsimhananda Brahmacari had his bhajan kurti there at Narasimha palli,Srila Prabhupada mentions that Nrsimhananda Brahmacari was abel to directly and constantly talk to Lord Narasimha personally.In our humble understanding ,there is no greater holy place of Lord Narasimha than Narasimha palli, so Lord Narasimha Himself stays in Navadvipa to bless us like He did Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura,we just have to learn to take advantage of this great mercy.
Comment posted by varahanarasimha on January 5th, 2010 2  Sweet. I searched Vedabase for Srila Prabhupada’s words surrounding this topic and found some very nice excerpts. —— From a Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 6.3.16-17 class given at Gorakhpur, India on February 10, 1971: Unless one is convinced that “Kṛṣṇa will give me protection,” so how he can surrender? There is no question of surrender. Avaśya rakṣibe kṛṣṇa vivaśa-pālana. Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura has said to be firmly convinced: “Then Kṛṣṇa will give me all protection.” Therefore surrender is perfect. Ānukūlyasya saṅkalpaḥ prātikūlyaṁ vivarjanam. Surrender means one should simply accept favorable service to Kṛṣṇa and reject anything which is unfavorable, and then next is avaśya rakṣibe kṛṣṇa viśvasa-pālana: “And to be firmly convinced that ‘Kṛṣṇa will give me all protection.’ ” Therefore, instead of “trying to protect myself,” a devotee should always remain dependent on Kṛṣṇa. That is śaraṇāgati. And to consider oneself that “Now I am in the association of Kṛṣṇa,” these are different items of śaraṇāgati. So this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is the best contribution to the human society. There is no comparison with this movement, any other welfare activity of the whole world. There is no comparison. Can you suggest any better welfare activities than this Kṛṣṇa consciousness, that “Here is another item which is better than Kṛṣṇa consciousness?” What is that? Who will suggest? (Continued in the next post.)
Comment posted by ekendra das on January 7th, 2010 3 From a Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 1.8.37 class given in Los Angeles on April 29, 1973: apy adya nas tvaṁ sva-kṛtehita prabho “O my Lord, You have executed all duties Yourself. Are You leaving us today, though we are completely dependent on Your mercy and have no one else to protect us now, when all kings are at enmity with us?” Prabhupāda: So this conversation was going on between Kuntī and Kṛṣṇa when Kṛṣṇa was going home after establishing the Pāṇḍavas in their kingdom and finishing the battle of Kurukṣetra. Kṛṣṇa is going back home, Dvārakā, and was taking leave, farewell, from the aunt. At that time, Kuntī offered this prayer. Now she’s asking directly that “After finishing Your duty, is it a fact that You are going away, leaving us alone?” This is the devotee’s position. Here it is said, yeṣāṁ na ca anyad bhavataḥ padāmbujāt: “We have no other means of protection than Your lotus feet. This is our position.” Anyat. Anyat means “anything else.” This is full surrender. Just like Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura sings, hā hā prabhu nanda-suta vṛṣabhānu-sutā-juta. “Nanda-suta, Kṛṣṇa, You are present here with the daughter of King Vṛṣabhānu. Both of You are here.” Hā hā prabhu nanda-suta vṛṣabhānu-sutā-juta. We don’t want to see Kṛṣṇa alone. Anyway… So Kuntīdevī says, yeṣāṁ na ca anyad bhavataḥ padāmbujāt. This is called full dependence. In the śaraṇāgati, in the surrender process, there are six things. The six things is that completely, one of the…, completely dependent upon Kṛṣṇa. Ānukūlyasya saṅkalpaḥ. The first śaraṇāgati is to accept everything favorable for Kṛṣṇa’s service. Ānukūlyam. Ānukūlyena kṛṣṇānuśīlanaṁ bhaktir uttamā [Cc. Madhya 19.167]. Devotional, first-class bhakti means accepting everything which is favorable for devotional service. And prātikūlyasya varjanam. And reject everything which is unfavorable to the procedure of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. So we forbid that “You don’t do this,” because they are unfavorable. And we say something, “You do this, chant Hare Kṛṣṇa sixteen rounds,” that is favorable. Śaraṇāgati means to give up the unfavorable things and to accept the favorable. Ānukūlyasya saṅkalpaḥ prātikūlyasya varjanam. And believe that “Kṛṣṇa will give me protection.” Full faith. And to count oneself as one of the servants of Kṛṣṇa. In this way, śaraṇāgati. (Continued in next post.)
Comment posted by ekendra das on January 7th, 2010 4 Intersting topic. If we are in a threatening situation should we: 1. Follow in the footsteps of the Vrajabasis and cry out for Krishna’s deliverance? 2. Refrain from bugging Krishna and be content with the truth that Krishna protects his devotees? 3. Remember the maxim: “Rakhe krishna mare ke mare krishna rakhe ke” and think “If Krishna wants to protect me nothing can harm me. If Krishna wants to kill me nothing can save me.”? 4. All of the above? I’m interested to hear other Vaishnavas thoughts on this topic.
Comment posted by ekendra das on January 7th, 2010 5  Since I wrote this, Manohar Shyam Prabhu told me that his family had packed everything they could save in a vehicle and were about to drive away from the house, but the huge wall of flames was only about 20 metres away coming at them. His mother cried out to Lord Nrsimhadeva for help. That is when the wind changed direction and the fire went in another direction.
Comment posted by amoghadas.acbsp on January 8th, 2010 6  Of course we should cry out for Krishna’s deliverance and understand that by simply serving Krishna in accordance with our appropriate level of surrender and realization, we will lack for nothing, Krishna will protect us. But we should not bother Krishna by asking for things that will not help us in devotional service. Sometimes we do not know what will really help us. Often devotees are kept by Krishna in an impecunious state. We foolishly think, “If I somehow had millions of dollars, I would use it so nicely for devotional service. Please, Krishna, why don’t you give me the millions of dollars that I really need to serve you nicely.” Sometimes devotees even break the regulative principles by buying lottery tickets, foolishly thinking, “Surely Krishna has chosen this means of providing me with the millions of dollars He knows I will use for His service,” as if He could not supply His devotee with money in some lawful way. Surrender to Krishna and feeling one’s self exclusively under Krishna’s protection also involves understanding that Krishna knows what’s best for us, and has given us the means of deliverance by the mercy of Guru’s instructions. The Vrajabasis actually would prefer to be burned in forest fires than to have to live outside of Krishna’s association, but ordinary people forget Krishna and Lord Nrsimhadeva when there is no threat. They want to go on trying to enjoy the fruits of their work independent of Krishna consciousness. Many of us would truly be distracted from our devotional service if we suddenly inherited millions of dollars. Not that we should pray to be poor, either, or become jnanis who practice tyaga and analyze the falseness of fruitive activity without performing devotional service. We should do our service, carefully chanting our rounds, and pray for bhakti. The chapter of the Tenth Canto and Krishna Book called “Deliverance of Lord Shiva” is instructive. There, Sukadeva Goswami answers Pariksit Maharaja’s question about why devotees of opulent Vishnu are often poor, while devotees of renounced Shiva are often rich. Sukadeva explains that Vishnu is kinder than the demigods. He does not easily grant boons to supplicants that will not be good for them. If we approach Him, He gives the highest benefit, i.e. Krishna consciousness. The time will come for all of us when Krishna delivers us by destroying this material body. After all, material bodies die in due course. Will we see it as deliverance?
Comment posted by Akruranatha on January 8th, 2010 7 “Unable to find any other source of deliverance, they all approached Govinda to take shelter of his lotus feet. At that time all the inhabitants of Vrndavana began to pray to Lord Krsna. Dear Krsna, they prayed. You are all-powerful, and You are very affectionate to Your devotees. Now please protect us who have been much harassed by angry Indra……. Lord Krsna…… I have lifted this hill, which will protect you exactly like a huge umbrella I think this is a proper arrangement to relieve you from your immediate distress. Be happy along with your animals underneath this great umbrella. ”
Comment posted by Matsya on January 8th, 2010 Sacred Cows or Sacred Cars ?By Bala Krsna dasa I would like to take you on a journey, and am going to ask you to please fasten your seat belts. We are going to time travel a few years into the future, to a small village, to take a little tour. • Email to a friend • Article Search • Related • View comments • Track comments • •Suicide, Krsna-prema, and Bhagavad-gitaBy Dhruva Maharaja dasa During our current Bhagavad-gita eCourse semester on Krishna.com one of the participants friend's husband took his life while we studied Chapter 8, Attaining the Supreme, and thus the topic became magnified in our online forums • Email to a friend • Article Search • Related • View comments • Track comments • •More Recent Articles |
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