Calling out to Krsna with love

There was a child playing with a rattle and he cried out for his mother softly and then went back to playing with his rattle, his mum sees he's ok and so carries on with her duties.

The child sees his mother hasnt come and so calls a little louder and then carries on playing with his rattle..again his mother doesnt come now the child is getting frustrated so calls out even louder and then goes back to playing with his rattle...still the mother doesnt come. Finally, the child gets very angry and throws his rattle on the floor and screams for his mother and she comes.

In the same way whilst we are still playing with our material toys (the rattle) it is very hard to call out sincerely for Krishna. Only when we give these up will we cry for Krishna with love and sincerity.

(Source: H.H. Bhakti Visvambara Madhava Swami)

There is no time to waste

Since we know that life is meant to prepare for a glorious death, we can live each day as if it is our last. There is no time to waste on irrelevant, superfluous activities. Even when we must give time to somewhat superficial things, it must be done in a way that enhances the primary, significant involvements. "

(Source: H.H. Bhakti Tirtha Swami - The Beggar IV, p.67)

Gratefully surrender to Krsna's purifying our hearts

The frustrations, the disappointments, the pains, the sufferings that come into our life is the love of God upon us, to purify our hearts, to bring us closer to the real standard of selfless service. We shouldn't react. When Krishna either does it through material nature or does it through another devotee or another living being, we should not respond by throwing thunderbolts upon Him. We should respond by bowing at the lotus feet in the presence of Krishna's mercy and by surrendering. Ultimately surrender means to surrender that ego. You can surrender all your material possessions, all your money. You can surrender your physical form to do whatever you are asked, but it is all incomplete until we surrender our ego to Krishna. And what does it mean to surrender our ego to Krishna? It means, "Krishna. You are enjoyer. I am meant for your enjoyment." We are striving sincerely to be the servant of the servant of the servant of our Guru and Sri Krishna. When Krishna sees our honest endeavor in this way, by His Grace, He frees us. And He will make so many wonderful divine arrangements to increase our sincerity, our humility, if we accept it with a grateful heart. There is no doubt that Krishna will lift us beyond this realm of Maya into the eternal realm of loving service.

(Source: H.H. Radhanath Swami)

The Lord's pastimes in different kalpas

Every day we tend to have the same schedule or routine. We wake up, we brush our teeth, have a bath etc. Yet everyday there is some small variation in the way we carry out the routine, it is never identically done. Similarly, in every cycle of yugas, Krishna performs the same pastimes with the same incarnations, but every time He carries out the mission with slight variation. So this is why there are different ways in which, for example, Lord Narsimhadeva kills Hiranyakashipu according to different cycle of yugas.

(Source: H.H. Bhakti Charu Swami - QnA - ISKCON Pandava Sena Retreat

Simhachalam, Jandelsbrunn, Germany, Aug 2005)

Reconciling our free will with Krishna's

It seems contradictory that we have free will, yet not a blade of glass moves without Krishna's will. There is an example from the Mahabharata which clears this up. Gandhari had acquired a lot of mystic power due to the voluntary austerity of blindfolding herself. Using such powers, anything she would look at could never be destroyed. She asked her son, Duryodhana, to appear before her naked, so she could keep him alive, by protecting his entire body from ever being destroyed. Duryodhana agreed, but on his way to see Gandhari, Krishna tricked Duryodhana by ridiculing the fact that he was a grown man about to shamelessly go in front of his mother naked. He convinced Duryodhana to cover the upper portion of his legs. Thus, when Gandhari utilised her powers, Duryodhana's legs went unprotected. In this way, Krishna made sure that His will prevailed without interfering with the free will of Gandhari. You can see how hard it is just to organise a retreat for a 100 people, so the fact that Krishna can do this with billions of living entities just shows how inconceivable his potency is. Somehow everybody's free will is fulfilled and at the same time that free will is included within Krishna's ultimate plan.

(Source: H.G. Urmila Mataji - QnA, ISKCON Pandava Sena Retreat

Simhachalam, Jandelsbrunn, Germany, Aug 2005)

One single speck of dust from Sri Gurudev

When a devotee is in a humble state of mind, that devotee can bear all sorts of injustices upon himself, without complaining and without blaming others. This is a very important principle and there are so many wonderful examples. Srimad Bhagavatam describes Prahlad Maharaj; how his father Hiranyakasipu tried to kill him in so many ways - through fire, through snakes, through poison, through winds, through crushing under mountains, swords and spears, elephants, but he never criticized his father, never blamed his father-he was humble. He just accepted that it was Lord's mercy and continued chanting the holy name Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare.

One of our great acharyas explained that one speck of dust of Srila Prabhupada has the power to deliver the entire universe.

One single speck of dust from Sri Gurudev has the strength to deliver tens and crores of people and all the knowledge in all the Universities and all the reasonings of all the philosophers and all the wealth of the industrialists and all the politics of the politicians, all multiplied together, does not equal even a fraction of the weight of one speck of dust from the lotus feet of the previous acharyas. This is the statement that Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati made about Gaur Kishore das Babaji.

We can make the same about Srila Prabhupada. Therefore it is my most honoured duty in life to sprinkle those particles of dust wherever we go, by our behaviour and by the sincerity and wish, we pray for the benefit of others and chant the Holy names Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare. On behalf of Srila Prabhupada, I thank you very much.

(Source: H.H. Radhanath Swami)

Applying Srila Prabhupada's teaching to our life

Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu is Krsna Himself in the role of a devotee to teach us how to be devoted. The basic principle of Lord Caitanya's life and teachings is service to vaisnavas in loving relationships amongst vaisnavas.

So this must be very carefully and systematically established in our minds. Devotees need to be protected. Devotees need to be cared for. Devotees need to be loved. And devotees need to be taught how to show love. This is what Srila Prabhupada has given us in his books. Actually, everything is in Srila Prabhupada's books. There is no higher philosophy. There is nothing absent that we require in our life that's not there. But if we are not applying his teaching to our life, then there is dissatisfaction.

(Source: H.H. Radhanath Swami)

Dynamics of pleasing Krishna and His devotee

I was thinking about how our ultimate aim is to please Krishna. But Krishna is only pleased when we please His devotees. And then His devotees are only pleased when we try to please Krishna. But as already mentioned, we can only please Krishna by pleasing His devotees...and it goes on and on like that. It made me realise how we cannot separate pleasing the devotee from pleasing Krishna - they go hand in hand.

(Source: Nimesh Mistry)

Better to be simple - else misery and anxiety

You get a beautiful house, car, wife or husband - whatever you have you immediately start thinking that everyone wants it, because I am enjoying it so much, everyone must want it. Then you become fearful and suspicious of everything and everyone. There is no happiness in even having these things - it just brings about misery and anxiety. We cannot even trust our friends when you are attached to things in the material world - it is a fact. Then how is it that many people in this world remain good friends. Even amongst family members how many people really trust each other because everyone has their attachment, everyone is afraid that somebody may want to take something that I have, this is envy. So it is better to be simple.

(Source: H.H. Radhanath Swami)

Krsna's bodily effulgence and fragrance

One evening while in his New Dwarka garden, Srila Prabhupada looked into the sky and said, "So, is the sky the color of Krsna?" A disciple said, "In Krsna Book it says that Krsna is dark bluish like the thunder cloud." Srila Prabhupada said, "The sky is the color of Krsna. It is the light from Krsna's bodily effulgence that makes the sky blue."

Sometimes after leaving the garden, he would go back to his room and listen to the recording of that morning's Srimad Bhagavatam class. Then he would have me pick night blooming star jasmine growing on the bushes just outside his garden. The flower's scent is especially fragrant at night. One evening while holding a sprig of blossoms up to his nose for several minutes, he said, "Ahh, this is Krsna!"

Often times I would bring them to his bedroom just before his evening massage. Throughout his massage he would smell them off and on. He would then keep them on His pillow (close to His nose) all night. The following morning, I would find the flowers gently laying on the pillow exactly where they had been the night before. The flowers looked as fresh and fragrant as ever, looking as if they had just been picked. His Divine Grace is always showing us how Krishna is in every part of this material creation.

(Source: "Srila Prabhupada Uvaca" - H.G. Srutakirti prabhu
7th October 1972, ISKCON, San Francisco)

Faith is primary qualification

Faith has to be there in the potency of Krishna to manifest through Vaisnavas and by having that faith that small Vaisnava, big Vaisnava, this type of Vaisnava, that type of Vaisnava, by the proper adherence of the sadacara, respect in relationship to Vaisnavas, by having faith in that principle, Krishna then gives the devotees the ability to actually see how He's manifesting shakti through that and by that association then one becomes qualified or one advances in spiritual life.
This becomes the principle that is enunciated here in this phala-stuti referring to the sloka, if you have faith, srnvata sva-katha krsna, you have to have this punya, asraddhadana munaya, the qualification for this katha is that you have to have faith in it. Then there's the other statement in first Canto, munayo sada pristhoham. Everyone has to have faith in the potency of the message, and then it will act. That becomes the adau, the preliminary, or primary qualification.

(Source: H.H. Sivarama Swami - SB 4.23.32)

Hearing constantly can check force of anger

By constantly hearing about devotional service, one can check the force of anger, which is detrimental to the process of devotional service. Srila Pariksit Maharaja said that the constant hearing of the pastimes of the Lord is the panacea for all material diseases. Everyone, therefore, should hear about the Supreme Personality of Godhead constantly. By hearing one can always remain in equilibrium, and thus his progress in spiritual life will not be hampered.

(Source: SB 4.11.31 - Purport)

Anger against mischief in the common world

A snake became a devotee upon instruction by Narada, who instructed him not to bite anymore. Since ordinarily a snake's business is to fatally bite other living entities, as a devotee he was forbidden to do so. Unfortunately, people took advantage of this nonviolence on the part of the snake, especially the children, who began to throw stones at him. He did not bite anyone, however, because it was the instruction of his spiritual master. After a while, when the snake met his spiritual master, Narada, he complained, "I have given up the bad habit of biting innocent living entities, but they are mistreating me by throwing stones at me." Upon hearing this, Narada Muni instructed him, "Don't bite, but do not forget to expand your hood as if you were going to bite. Then they will go away." Similarly, a devotee is always nonviolent; he is qualified with all good characteristics. But, in the common world, when there is mischief made by others, he should not forget to become angry, at least for the time being, in order to drive away the miscreants.

(Source: SB 4.11.31 - Purport)

Realization Means Writing

"Every one of you. What is your realization? You write your realization – what you have realized about Krishna. That is required. It is not passive. Always you should be active. Whenever you find time, write. Never mind – two lines, four lines, but you write your realizations. Sravanam, kirtanam.

Writing or offering prayers, glories – this is one of the functions of a Vaisnava. You are hearing, but you have to write also. Then, writing means smaranam – remembering what you have heard from your spiritual master."

(Source: Srila Prabhupada Los Angeles 1970)

Importance of Self-Control

Yudhisthira inquired, “How should one react to people who insult you by their rudeness and arrogance?”

Bhisma replied, “If one does not become angry when insulted by another, then he takes away all the pious merit that person may have accumulated by good deeds. In addition he transfers to the abuser his own sinful reactions. After all what is the value of praise or blame when uttered by a vulgar fool? A person who praises some one in his presence but criticizes him behind his back is no better that a dog.”

Yudhisthira, “How should one debate with an unscrupulous person?”

Bhisma replied, “In a debate the tactics of a truthful person are limited, but a deceitful person can utilize any abominable method. However if the truthful person were to use the same tactics as his opponent, he will find himself at a greater disadvantage, for he is acting contrary to his nature. Therefore a truthful and honest person should always avoid an argument with an unscrupulous person.”

Yudhisthira then inquired, “How should one behave towards a more powerful enemy?”

Bhisma replied, “Even though the swift current of the river can uproot and carry huge trees, the canes survive since they bend with the current. Similarly in order to survive an enemy more powerful, one must yield while staying firmly anchored to the roots.”

Yudhisthira inquired, “What should a weak person do if out of foolishness and pride he provokes a powerful enemy?”

Bhisma replied, “O King, the weaker person must repent and thus appease the stronger enemy.”

Yudhisthira inquired, “What is the origin of all sin?”

Bhisma replied, “Greed, the hankering to posses more than one’s naturally ordained quota is the origin of all sin. The desire to posses that which belongs to another is insatiable and gives rise to anger, lust, loss of judgment, arrogance, miserliness, lack of compassion, enviousness, mistrust and many other evils. Ignorance is made up of the same material as greed, though if analyzed it can be seen that ignorance also comes from greed. As one’s greed increases, his ignorance also becomes more dense.”

Yudhisthira inquired, “What produces the highest merit?”

Bhisma replied, “Self-restraint surpasses all other activities in this regard and is therefore considered to be the highest virtue. Because self-restraint purifies and controls every aspect of one’s life it is more important than giving in charity and the study of the Vedas. By self-restraint alone one can achieve liberation from the material world. Self-restraint comprises sense-control, freedom from anger, non-enviousness, impartiality, truthfulness, steadiness and contentment. However, the essential quality of self-restraint is austerity. Thus no good can be achieved without austerity.”

Yudhisthira then inquired, “O Bhisma, is there any rule that should never be violated under any condition?”

Bhisma replied. “The worship of true brahmans and giving them all kinds of respect must never be given up under any circumstance.”

Doing it for Krsna

Before we carry out any service we should always meditate on sweet Krsna and say, 'My dear Lord, I am doing this just for You!' (with a BIG heart and BIG smile)

Feed your spiritual side by making the Lord your sense objects; the Lords Name and the Lords form. Do this with a feeling of affectionate respect and offer your activitiy before you do it to Krsna and you will see your spiritual strengths will increase like anything!

(Source: H.H. Sacinandana Swami- IPS Retreat
Simhachalam, Jandelsbrunn, Germany, Aug 2005)

The original exposure....

A classic Prabhupada analogy: You take camera, and you take a photo of something. But you forget to advance the film. You repeatedly take photos and you keep forgetting to advance the film. Gradually the photographic film becomes black and you have multiple exposures.

Similarly, we have been in this material world for such a long time, having taken so many births, that we have forgotten what is the original exposure.

We recall how Lord Caitanya told Sanatana, that the original exposure is jivera swarupa hoy nitya krsna dasa, or that the living entities are Krsna's eternal servants. But, we have all forgotten about that. We therefore we think we are something material - we think we are gujaratis, we think we are punjabis, we think we are men, we think that we are women. We think so many different things, but we forget that the original exposure is that we are Krsna's servants and residents of the spiritual world.

But if we continue chanting Hare Krsna everyday, trying to chant as much as we can, and trying to chant as nicely as we can. Nicely has to be there also, becasue there is a science to chanting. The acaryas explain how there are ten mistakes that we should avoid when chanting. Then one day when our chanting becomes very pure, we will become irrestibly attracted to join Krsna.

(Source: H.H. Bhakti Brngha Govinda Swami, IPS Retreat
Stockholm, Sweden - July 2002)

Krsna.... the real valentine

Srila Prabhupada lila...

Once a disciple was standing next to Srila Prabhupada at check-in at Amsterdam airport. As a beautiful girl walked past, the disciple found himself following her with his gaze. After a few moments, he realised what he did and looked away in embarrassment. As he looked down, he saw that Srila Prabhupada, who had seen the whole episode, was intently looking at him with wide eyes. The disciple was further embarrassed.

Srila Prabhupada said, "Beautiful, isn't she?"

The disciple did not know how to respond and could only manage to nod his head.

Srila Prabhupada lovingly concluded, "If you think the creation is beautiful, then imagine how beautiful the creator is?"

(Source: H.G. Gauranga prabhu - House Program @ Mehul's
East London, 16/02/2006)

Something we can all relate to...

Devotees can pray to the Lord: “My Lord, I know that young girls have natural affection for young boys, and that young boys have natural affection for young girls. I am praying at Your lotus feet that my mind may become attracted unto You in the same spontaneous way.”

This is a material example, but the devotee is praying that he may develop a similar spontaneous attachment for the Supreme Lord, free from any desire for profit and without any other cause. This natural attraction for the Lord is the perfectional stage of self-realization.

(Source: Srila Prabhupada - Nector of Devotion,
Chapter 9, from Padma Purana)

So whats missing? (i.e. just covered, not lost)

The basic principle of the living condition is that we have a general propensity to love someone. No one can live without loving someone else. This propensity is present in every living being. But there is no information where to repose the loving propensity so that everyone can become happy. That missing point is Krsna, and The Nectar of Devotion teaches us how to stimulate our original love for Krsna and how to be situated in that position where we can enjoy our blissful life.

(Source: Srila Prabhupada - Nector of Devotion, Preface)

Where is the love? (i.e. how to find it?)

Srila Prabhupada stressed the use of the mind and the heart in our chanting:
1. Mind (thinking of the meaning) – Srila Prabhupada said that while chanting we should think “O my Lord, O energy of the Lord, please engage me in Your service!"
2. Heart (proper mood) – He said “The chanting is exactly like genuine crying by the child for his mother.”

(Source: H.H. Dhanurdhara Swami - Online Journal)

Dynamics of pleasing Krishna and His devotee

I was thinking about how our ultimate aim is to please Krishna. But Krishna is only pleased when we please His devotees. And then His devotees are only pleased when we try to please Krishna. But as already mentioned, we can only please Krishna by pleasing His devotees...and it goes on and on like that. It made me realise how we cannot separate pleasing the devotee from pleasing Krishna - they go hand in hand.

(Nimesh Mistry)

Control speech, remember the Lord and chant

If the sense of speech, which sets all the external and internal senses in motion, is brought under constant control, then the mind becomes stable and can properly engage in transcendental remembrance of the Lord. Remembrance thus develops as the fruit of chanting.

(Source: Sri Brhad-bhagavatamrta 2.3.150
Associates of Lord Visnu)