The Direct Words of Thakura Haridasa

Mahanidhi swami

Diving into the fathomless ocean of the Chaitanya-caritamrta, we found some very precious rare rubies in the form of Haridasa Thakura’s direct words. Although Haridasa Thakura is an intimate eternal associate of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, he speaks so humbly about himself. His words reveal the nature of the truly unpretentious devotee who has been blessed by the constant loving association of Sri Harinama Prabhu.

By reading and hearing, within the walls of our hearts, the sacred vibrations emanating from the prema-filled heart of Haridasa Thakura, we may someday manifest that type of genuine humility which attracts Sri Harinama Prabhu to come live in our hearts. Kirtaniya sada Hari!
In addition, we have included a brief but powerful illumination on the Holy Name by the Namacharya Srila Haridasa Thakura ki jai!

* HUMILITY:
Haridasa Thakura said, “I am the most sinful and lowest among men (muïi päpiñöha adhama). I am a low-born, abominable person, and I have no qualification to go anywhere near the Jagannatha Mandira (néca-jäti chära mandira-nikaöe, yäite mora nähi ädhikära). O Mahaprabhu, please do not touch me, for I am most fallen an untouchable; I am the lowest of mankind (parama pämare).

* NAMA TATTVA:
In an assembly of Brahmins discussing the glories of Sri Krishna’s Holy Name, Haridasa Thakura revealed the real truth of Nama-tattva:

Namacharya Srila Haridasa Thakura said, “The twin benedictions of liberation and the destruction of sins, papa-kshaya, moksha haya, are not the true result of chanting the Holy Name. The actual result of chanting is that it produces prema, ecstatic divine love, for the lotus feet of Krishna, nämera phale kåñëa-pade prema upajaya. Liberation and extinction of sins are two concomitant by-products of chanting.

“Devotees of Krishna, however, are not concerned with any of the five forms of liberation. They are experiencing such transcendental bliss from serving Krishna (bhakti-sukha) that mukti is completely extremely insignificant (mukti ati-tuccha). Devotees will never accept it. One can never understand the truth and glories of the Holy Name merely by logic and argument.

“Just consider the example of the rising sun, which immediately dissipates the deep darkness of night. As the sun begins to rise, even before it is visible it dissipates the darkness of night, and immediately destroys the fear caura, preta and räkñasa—thieves, ghosts and demons. After sunrise everything is clearly visible, and everyone begins performing his daily rites and religious activities. Similarly, when one begins to chant the Holy Name his sins are diminished, and as he continues chanting he achieves Krishna prema.

“Once chanting of Krishna’s Holy Name completely finishes one’s material bondage to the endless cycle of birth and death, samsara. All glories to Harinama, which fills the whole world with auspiciousness, jayati jagat-maìgalam hari näma!” (Cc. 3.3.178-207)

Namacharya Srila Haridasa Thakura ki jai!
Sri Harinama Sankirtana ki jai!
Nitai Gaura Premanande ki jai!

Questions on Deity Worship

Mahanidhi Swami

The following article answers the commonly asked question, “Are you worshiping an idol or is it really God?” And then Srila Prabhupada provides some philosophy and logic to improve our understanding. To conclude the article there are some FAQAA. This is another article I found on my hard drive with an unknown author. I thank that person and pray for their long life. May all benefit from this article.

Jai Jai Sri Radhe!

I. Is Deity Worship Idol Worship?           
LORD Kåñëa's appearance in deity form is another display of His compassion, another opportunity for loving exchange with Him. The deity is not a material idol. With our present eyes and other senses we can perceive only matter, though we may appreciate the existence of spirit. For example, when a person dies we note that consciousness, the soul’s energy, leaves the body, but we cannot see the soul itself depart. The supreme soul, the Lord of the universal body, is similarly not visible to material eyes, but He makes Himself visible as a deity to accept our service. All the material elements are God’s energies. He can use them as He likes and appear as He likes. He is omnipotent. For Him there is no distinction between matter and spirit.
One may fashion a deity of wood, stone, clay, or jewels, or the deity may be a painting or a drawing. Mind too is God’s subtle material energy, so a mental image of the Lord in line with scripture is also a worshipable deity. The key is that the deity must be a form authorized by scripture, just as a mail box must be authorized by the post office. Dropping your mail in any old box will not do. As each mailbox has the support of the entire postal system, the deity form authorized by the Lord through scripture has the same unlimited potency as the Lord Himself.
Service rendered to an authorized deity on the other hand, whether we fashion the deity of stone, wood, paint, or mental elements, is service to the Lord Himself, to His original personal form of eternity, bliss, and knowledge. Servants of the deity gradually realize that they are in direct contact with the supreme person.

II. Srila Prabhupada on Deity Worship and Realizing Bhagavan Sri Kåñëa
God is present everywhere. He is omnipotent, omnipresent. He is present here in the temple as arcä-vigraha, the form of the body by which He can accept our worship. It is not that He is different from the original Kåñëa. No, He is Kåñëa, the same Kåñëa, goloka eva nivasati, who is living in Goloka Våndävana, but akhilätma-bhütaù [Bs. 5.37], He can present Himself in different forms for accepting service for realization.
The arcä-vigraha is also Kåñëa. Therefore, adhokñajam. Adhokñajam, adhah-kåtaà akñajaà jïänam. Our knowledge is what we see. We can see stone. We can see metal. We can see other material elements, wood. Kåñëa has appeared as we can see Him. Because we cannot see more than stone, wood, metal, therefore Kåñëa has appeared as stone statue. But He is not stone statue. That we have to understand. He is Kåñëa, but He is so kind that He has appeared before us as we can see Him.
And Kåñëa is, being omnipotent, He can accept your service any way. Provided you want to render service, Kåñëa is ready to accept it. Therefore our duty is that we should never think of this Deity as something made of stone or metal. We should always think, "Here is Kåñëa personally present." That is devotion. And we should worship Him like that. We should offer respect, that "Here is Kåñëa. Similarly, we cannot see at the present moment by the imperfect senses what is Kåñëa. Therefore it is Kåñëa's kindness that He has appeared before you in a manner by which you can see Him. This is Kåñëa's mercy. (SP 750303sb.dal)

III. Questions and Answers on Deity Worship
1. How does the completely spiritual, transcendental Supreme Personality of Godhead Bhagavan Sri Kåñëa appear in the form of the arcä-vigraha, a Deity supposedly made of earth, stone or wood?
Bhagavan Sri Kåñëa has unlimited varieties of inconceivable potencies, and thus by his sweet will He can convert His material energies into spiritual energy.
2. But why does Bhagavan Sri Kåñëa choose to manifest in the deity?
As materially conditioned souls we cannot see the Supreme Lord due to our faulty impure vision. To favor His loving devotees and accept their service Sri Kåñëa agrees to appear in a so-called material form known as the arcä-vigraha. The deity form of the Lord is not fashioned according to the whims of the worshiper. This form is eternally existent with all paraphernalia and a sincere devotee can perceive it. Devotees are not worshiping an idol. They are factually worshiping Bhagavan Sri Kåñëa, who has agreed to appear before them in an approachable way.
Srila Prabhupada clarifies this principle by comparing the Deity to a postal mailbox. The government post office has fixed authorized mailboxes in many locations. Posting a letter in any of these mailboxes will give the same result as bringing it to the main post office. Any old box or some non-government box, which we may find somewhere, will not work.” Similarly, Sri Kåñëa  has authorized the arcä-vigraha incarnation, so He will accept service through this form. Bhagavan Sri Kåñëa appears in this way for the convenience and accessibility of His devotee.
3. How to increase my faith in deity worship?
One can solidify his convictions by studying Srila Prabhupada’s teachings on Bhagavat-tattva and sakti-tattva contained in the Caitanya-caritamrta, Sri Isopanisad and Srimad Bhagavatam, and also by reviewing the many Vedic verses that confirm Deity worship. One can gain strength and inspiration from reading pastimes about the reciprocation between the Deity and His devotees like Ksira-cora Gopinatha and Mädhavendra Puré; Säkñi-gopäla and the brahmana; Gopala and Raghunandana Thakura; ISKCON Mayapura’s Jagannatha and Nrsimha Deity pastimes; and the many pastimes of Lord Jagannatha in Sri Ksetra Jagannatha Puri. The Vedas abound with testimonies proving that the Deity of the Lord is not a stone, brass or wooden idol but completely Bhagavan Sri Kåñëa.
4. Are worshipers of the deity are in the lowest stage (kanistha) of devotion? The answer is no. In reality, both beginners in bhakti and perfectly realized souls like Srila Raghunatha dasa Gosvami engage in deity worship. What is the difference? A neophyte, kanistha-adhikari, devotee sees the arcä-vigraha as a representation of God, whereas the advanced devotee, uttama-adhikari, sees that the Deity is really Bhagavan Sri Kåñëa Himself. Gauranga Mahaprabhu displayed intense ecstatic symptoms in relationship with the Deity of Lord Jagannätha in Puri. He swooned in divine rapture just by seeing Lord Jagannätha. During the Ratha-yäträ, Mahaprabhu would gaze upon the Deity with eyes full of longing and a heart surging in separation as He glorified Vrajendranandana Syamasundara Jagannatha in the mood of Rädhäräëé. During the medieval period, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu was famous as a world class scholar and Vedantist who defeated the greatest philosophers and logicians of the day. Therefore, His divine revelations and raptures in relationship with the deity form of the Supreme Lord can never be taken as sentimentalism or fanatical idolatry.
5. Will the Deity speak?
  The Deity form of the Lord is made of earthly elements but it is not material. Those elements (wood, brass, clay, stone), although separated from the Lord, are also part of Sri Kåñëa’s energy. Because there is no difference between the energy and the energetic Lord, Sri Kåñëa can appear through any element as in the case of Nrsimha who appeared from a stone pillar. As the sun acts through sunlight to distribute its heat and light, Sri Kåñëa, by his inconceivable power, appears in His original spiritual form in some material element.
Philosophically, since all material elements emanate from the supreme spiritual entity, nothing is really material; everything is transcendental. The Deity, as in the case of Saksi Gopala, can act just like the Supreme Person Kåñëa and speak and walk for his devotee. To a non devotee, however, the Deity will appear to be made of stone, brass or wood. But for the pure devotee, the Kåñëa Deity will speak, walk or even play as Madana Gopala did in Mathura. “Being omnipotent, omnipresent and omniscient, Kåñëa can deal with His devotee in any form without difficulty. By the mercy of the Lord, the devotee knows perfectly well about the Lord’s dealings. Indeed, he can talk face to face with the Lord.” (Cc. 2.5.97)
6. What is the difference between idol worship and Deity worship? The word “idol” is derived from the Greek word eidolon, “image.” An idol is a powerless image of a person or thing, such as a photograph, painting or statue. An idol and the substance it represents are not the same thing. An idol is simply an image of the original, perhaps even something imagined.
The word deity, on the other hand, is derived from the Latin word deus, God. Unlike objects of this material world which are separate from their names and forms, the names and forms of God are transcendental and absolute. Because God is absolute, His name, form and person are not different from Him.
In the material world the name of something is not the same as the substance. For example, if we are thirsty, we cannot experience refreshment simply by calling “Water, water, water.” But because God is spiritual and absolute, when you chant Kåñëa’s name, see Kåñëa’s form and discuss Kåñëa’s pastimes, you will experience direct union with God. The proof is your experience. Followers of all religious traditions experience direct communion with God by praising Him, praying to Him or seeing His form. That is the universal experience of the Absolute Truth.
Giridhari Shyama ki jai!
Radha Shyamasundara ki jai!

Vaisnava Tattva

FB quote "as one becomes purified by chanting the Holy Names of the Lord, so one can be purified simply by chanting the name of a holy devotee."

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This quote is a little strange or maybe I am not understanding the meaning, cause Srila Prabhupada also said we should chant Krishna’s name and Lord Chaitanya also?

My gurudeva said this while glorifying one Gaudiya acharya on his tirobhava. The lecture was centered on vaisnavas and how powerful and purifying is remembering them, worshiping them and chanting their names and qualities, at any time especially on their disappearance day. Obviously krsna nama nirantara lao, Mahaprabhu said take Krsna's name without stopping. But remember God and everyone and thing intimately connected with Him is also worshipable and purifying, tadiyanam samarcanam, as told by Lord Siva and often quoted by Prabhupada (cc 2.12.38)

Seventy Obstacles / Anarthas to Vraja – Bhajana

Mahanidhi Swami

The following list of obstacles to Vraja-bhajana comes from Bhaktivinoda Thakura's 'Caitanya Siksastakam'. The demons manifesting in Vraja Gokula on earth have symbolic significance. They are not found in the spiritual world. There they appear only as rumors or impressions.
By reading the namittika (occasional) lilas of killing the twenty demons mentioned in the tenth canto of Srimad Bhagavatam, the sadhaka purifies his heart of all the impediments, obstacles, anarthas and aparadhas. Then one becomes eligible to read, reflect upon and taste the asta-kaliya lilas of Radha Krsna.
Until one reaches the platform of bhava-bhakti, it is necessary to cultivate devotion by meditating on both the naimittika and asta-kaliya lilas. By reading and remembering the asta-kaliya lilas (Bhavanasara Sangraha, Krsnahnika Kaumudi), one gets a taste of madhura-rasa. By understanding and appreciating the naimittika lilas, a devotee will destroy all the obstacles to tasting the bhakti rasa within Radha Krsna's eternal pastimes. With a sincere desire to become purified of all material contaminations, one should read all the above pastimes from the tenth canto of Srimad Bhagavatam. With all humility, one should pray to Krsna and Balarama to remove the impurities personified by the demons whom they had killed.
The demons killed by Krsna in the tenth canto of Srimad Bhagavatam represent anarthas (impurities or obstacles) preventing a devotee from attaining pure love for Radha and Krsna. These undesirable impurities and demoniac qualities must be completely uprooted from the core of one's heart. Only cent percent pure devotees of Krsna can live eternally in Vrndavana blissfully serving the Divine Couple.
If a devotee cries out humbly and sincerely to Lord Sri Krsna to remove these demoniac qualities which are represented by the demons killed by Lord Krsna, then Sri Krsna Himself will remove those evils. But the devotees must personally work to drive out the anarthas represented by the demons killed by Lord Balarama. This is a mystery of Vraja-bhajana. The aspirant must personally remove these strong impediments with his best care and efforts and by obtaining the mercy of Krsna. If the devotee's humility- becomes very deep and intense, Krsna will be merciful. In that case, the feeling of Lord Baladeva will arise in his mind and quickly destroy these demoniac qualities. Then one will gradually improve his cultivation of bhajana.

anarthas

Remedy – Tenth Canto Chapter

Aisvarya—
Attachment to awe and reverence instead of Krsna's sweetness
Brahma-vimohana Lila – Ch.13

Argument—
Attachment to false arguments
Trnavarta - Ch.7

Argument—
Accepting arguments as your guru
Putana - Ch.6

Argument—
Pointless
Forest fire - Ch.17 & 19

Arrogance—
Due to wealth and high birth
Liberation of yamala-arjuna trees - Ch. 10

Association—
With atheists believing in chemical evolution
Trnavarta – Ch.7

Association—
With proud people
Trnavarta – Ch.7

Association—
With dry logicians
Trnavarta – Ch.7

Association—
Giving up association of false, deceitful devotees
Vyoma - Ch.37

Attachment—
To enjoyment and salvation
Putana - Ch.6

Battles & Conflicts—
Fighting mental enemies or looking for fight with others due to ego
Forest fire - Ch. 17&19

Buddhist philosophy—
Trapped in the whirlwind of
Trnavarta - Ch.7

Cheating propensity—
Tendency to disobey the instructions of guru & Krsna due to material attachment
Bakasura - Ch.11

Compassion—
Lack of, for others
Aghasura –Ch.12

Crookedness—
Illegal, dishonest, bent out of shape
Kaliya - Ch.16

Cruelty—
In any form by the actions of one's body, mind or words
Liberation of yarnala-arjuna trees - Ch.10

Cruelty & unkindness—
Due to envy of other living entities
Kaliya - Ch.16

Cunningness—
Skilled at deceiving people
Bakasura - Ch.11

Debauchery—
Indulging in sex, alcohol and drugs
Liberation of yamala-arjuna trees - Ch.10

Addiction—
To drinking alcohol
Liberation of yamala-arjuna trees - Ch.10

Demigods—
Attachment to worshipping different demigods for fruits even after initiation
Stopping Indra-puja - Ch.24& 25

Doubts—
Illusions about Absolute Truth and position of Krsna
Brahma-vimohana lila – Ch.13

Fame—
Destroying the desire for name and fame
Sankhachuda - Ch.34

Falsity—
Leaving vaidhi-bhakti to practice raganuga-bhakti; but if one doesn't attain spiritual attachment to Krsna, he then cultivates perverted material attachments; becoming a show-bottle devotee.
Vyoma - Ch.37

Fighting—
Against the opinions of others
Forest fire-Ch.17& 19

Greed—
For position, worship and money
Pralambasura – Ch 18

Greed—
Performing bad activities due to greed
Vatsasura - Ch.11

Habits—
Bad - Old & new; load bearing down on bhakti
Sakatasura - Ch.7

Hatred—
Towards others; tendency to harass them
Aghasura - Ch.12

Hatred—
Towards others because of pride in one's birth and money
Liberation of yamala-arjuna trees - Ch.10

Hatred —
Inner hatred towards other communities and groups
Forest fire - Ch.l7&19

Honour—
Desire for honour
Pralarnbasura - Ch.18

Holy Name—
Ignorance about the oneness of Krsna, the person and His Holy Name
Dhenukasura - Ch.15

Hypocrisy—
In behaviour—Pretending to have higher standards
Bakasura - Ch.11

Ignorance—
About one's relationship with Krsna (sarnbandha-jnana)
Dhenukasura - Ch.15

Illicit Sex—
Removing the desire for illicit sex and attachment to it
Pralambasura - Ch.18

Illusion—
Freedom from the illusion of thinking, "I am a great devotee and acarya"
Kesi – Ch. 37

Intolerance—
Inability to tolerate ideas or behaviour different from yours
Aghasura – Ch.12

Intoxication—
Destroying the idea — "I can increase my bliss by intoxication"
Releasing Nanda Maharaja from Varuna – Ch. 28

Knowledge—
Loss of knowledge concerning one's spiritual identity
Dhenukasura – Ch.15

Karma -kanda—
Becoming indifferent to bhakti due to absorption in karma-kandiya activities
Yajnic brahmanas – Ch. 23

Laziness—
Due to bad habits or attachment to the mode of ignorance
Sakatasura – Ch.7

Lies—
Tendency to speak
Vyoma – Ch.37

Logic—
Attachment to material logic (nyaya)
Trnavarta – Ch.7

Lust—
An external show of devotion while maintaining lust for opposite sex
Pralambasura – Ch.18

Mayavada philosophy—
Letting the truth of bhakti be swallowed by Mayavada philosophy
Vidyadhara liberated – Ch.34

Mentality—
Ass-like neophyte mentality which can't appreciate books of previous acaryas and forbids others to read them
Dhenukasura – Ch.15

Mind—
Immature; performing sinful activities due to an immature mind
Vatsasura – Ch.11

Misconception—
Carrying the load of misconceptions and bad philosophies
Sakatasura – Ch.7

Neophyte—
Strong spirit to enjoy and tendency to perform illicit activities
Vatsasura – Ch.11 & read Krsna
sporting lila with the cowhered boys

Offenses—
Due to pride, one thinks that he is a great devotee and therefore offensively lords over others.
Kesi – Ch.37

Philosophies—
Other than bhakti, which try to diminish or destroy bhakti
Vidyadhara liberated – Ch.34

Pride—
Pride in scholarship and material learning
Trnavarta – Ch.7

Pride—
Pride caused by money and worldly attachments.
Kesi – Ch.37

Pride—
Thinking you are more expert in bhakti than other devotees
Vyoma – Ch.37

Religious practices—
Disregard for religious practices of others
Forest fire – Ch.17 & 19

Religious principles—
Not understanding the purpose of religious principles; merely carrying the burden of following them due to attachment
Sakatasura – Ch.7

Sampradayas—
Disagreement with other sampradayas and mathas
Forest fire – Ch.17 & 19

Sectarianism—
Due to sectarianism, you can't accept anyone outside your group as a vaisnava
Forest fire – Ch.17 & 19

Scepticism—
Doubts regarding the path of bhakti
Brahma-vimohana lila – Ch.13

Shameful behaviour—
Breaking of four religious principles
Liberation of yamala-arjuna trees – Ch.10

Speech—
Loose speech; speaking offensively due to one's birth or money
Liberation of yamala-arjuna trees – Ch.10

Sense gratification—
Desiring to attain sense gratification via bhakti
Sankhachuda – Ch.34

Suddha bhakti—
Negligence or disregard for
Aristasura – Ch.36

Stealing—
Others' property
Vyoma – Ch.37

Varnasrama—
Due to pride and attachment to varnasrama, one neglects Krsna bhakti
Yajnic brahmanas – Ch.23

Vanity—
Pride in one's own appearance or achievements
Sakatasura – Ch.7
Kaliya – Ch.16

Violence—
Tendency of the mind to commit violence to others
Aghasura – Ch.12

Women —
Destroying the desire to associate with women
Sankhachuda – Ch.34

Yajna—
Attachment to vedic homas and yajnas, and therefore becoming indifferent to bhakti.
Yajnic brahmanas – Ch.23

Purity Means Pure Food

Mahanidhi Swami

In America, there is a common saying, “You are what you eat!” This means that eating impure food produces an impure mind and an unhealthy body. Eating good sattvic food, which means pure vegetarian only, will make you think good sattvic thoughts; act in a good, pure and righteous way; and produce good health and peace of mind.

Food falls into three categories:
1. Sattvic (goodness) food—Increases life-span, energy, strength, fitness, and it produces peace, balance and joy. It is healthy, full of essential nutrients to maintain the body and mind.
2. Rajasic (passionate) food—Is too bitter or sour, high in sodium, spicy, oily, hot or too sweet.
3. Tamasic (ignorance) food—Is dry, stale, foul-smelling and contaminated.

The Chandogya Upanishad says, “Pure sattvic (100 % vegetarian) food produces mental purity and continuous remembrance, ahar-shuddhou sattva-shuddhih sattva-shuddhou dhruva-smritih.
As devotees, we want to always remember Bhagavan Sri Krishna’s wonderfully attractive name, form, qualities and sweet pastimes. To achieve the requisite mental purity to do this one must be careful that the food he eats is free from contamination by foreign elements or mundane consciousness.

Food can be contaminated in three ways: by nature, by contacting impure items, and by material consciousness.
1) By nature certain foods are impure because they are sinful and produce disturbing vibrations of passion and ignorance within the mind. Such as meat, egg, alcohol, fish, onion, garlic, leeks, and mushroom.
2) External contamination means vegetarian food made impure by contacting dirt, mosquitoes, flies, saliva, blood or sweat.
3) Consciousness contamination means food purchased by, cooked by or served by individuals in impure material consciousness. In other words, even pure vegetarian food will become contaminated if any of the above three persons is miserly, lusty, greedy, angry, dull-witted person, or infected by a sexual disease. Their bad impure qualities are transmitted to the food and into the mind of whoever eats it.

One should eat only pure sattvic food, which is free from all the above contaminations, and offered to Bhagavan Sri Krishna with a pure mind and sincere heart. When Srila Prabhupada lived alone in the Radha-Damodara Mandir he never took prasadam at “bhandaras”, which is a function where sponsors invite sadhus to take free prasadam along with a donation. Srila Prabhupada was very strict; he only took Thakuriji Radha Damodara’s maha-prasada or food purchased and prepared by his own lotus hands.
In this regard, Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu said, “When one eats food offered by a materialistic man, one’s mind becomes contaminated, and then he cannot do Krishna smarana, remember Sri Krishna”… vishayira anna khaile, malina haya mana, malina mana haile nahe krsnera smarana. (Cc. 3.6.278)

In conclusion, sadhakas should be very careful about the purity of the food they eat. It should be purchased, prepared, offered to Sri Krishna, and served in pure Krishna consciousness. Then such pure food, Krishna prasadam, will sanctify our minds, purify our existence and enable us to always remember Radha Govinda Yugala throughout the day and night.
Jai Jai Sri Radhe! 

Perfection Now!

Mahanidhi Swami

One will definitely attain spiritual perfection in this very lifetime by following three steps:
1) Give up your INDEPENDENCE completely.
2) Fully SURRENDER to Sri Guru and Sri Krishna.
3) Sincerely SERVE Radha Govinda Yugala under the guidance of Sri Guru.
In this regard Srila Prabhupada said, “All of my disciples should attain spiritual perfection in this lifetime. Why wait for another?” This quote was also often spoken by Prabhupada Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati to his disciples.
Jai Jai Sri Radhe!
Giriraj Dharan Ki Jai!

Freedom and Vision in Married Life

Mahanidhi Swami

Just imagine how spiritually advanced we would be if every day we utilized just one-fourth of the energy we expend to maintain our families, to engage in spiritual practices? By doing this we would surely attain a solid foundation in pure devotion to Radha-Krishna. But as married folks where do we get the power to be determined and push on forcefully in sadhana? 

Super strength comes from one’s daily personal bhajana and sadhu-sanga. By this combination you will attain two freedoms. You’ll get free from the illusion that “I am the doer”, and you’ll get free from the stranglehold of household attachments.

And by this, something very special called “Vraja Vision” will also gradually arise in your heart to give you a totally new outlook to life. “Vraja Vision” means to start seeing your wife, children and family members as persons meant for Sri Krishna’s pleasure, and to stop seeing them as objects for your personal enjoyment.

Turn your “home sweet home” into Krishna’s sweet serving temple by keeping Sri Krishna in the center of your heart, mind and actions. When you come home at night, you should think you’re entering your temple to serve your beloved Thakurji Sri Krishna. Then engage all and arrange everything for the Lord’s happiness and see the result!

Lastly, here’s a reminder of some essential DAILY TEACHINGS for family folks or anyone desiring spiritual perfection in this lifetime:
1) Continually cultivate DEP: determination, enthusiasm, and patience
in your daily sadhana of hearing and chanting about Gaura Radha Govinda Yugala.
2) Always avoid gossip and bad folks.
3) Heartfully serve Sri Hari, Sri Guru and Vaisnavas.
4) Chant Sri Harinama with purity of purpose and intensity of feelings.
5) Associate with saintly people.
6) Hear the sweet pastimes of Gauranga Mahaprabhu and Radha-Shyamasundara.

Gaura-Vishnupriya ki jai!
Jai Jai Sri Radhe!

Four Ways Out

Mahanidhi Swami 

We are all trapped in Maya, mad after sense gratification, and endlessly moving on the wheel of repeated birth and death (samsara chakra). If Krishna does not save us, we are lost forever. In four wonderful ways, our loving Lord Sri Krishna extends His causeless mercy to free us. 1) In the form of Guru, Krishna goes house to house to initiate everyone; 2) In the form of Vaisnavas, Krishna instructs everyone; 3) In the form of scriptures, Krishna speaks transcendental knowledge; 4) In the form of Supersoul, Krishna internally guides, reveals and advises (Bg. 10.10).

Parama Krpalu Sri Krishna ki jai!
Jai Jai Sri Radhe!

THE BEST FORM OF CHARITY

MAHANIDHI SWAMI

Pious people are always interested in giving charity to worthy individuals and institutes because it makes them feel good and improves their own position. Of all forms of charity, which is the best and most beneficial? Vedic scriptures like Bhagavad Gita and the Puranas states that giving transcendental knowledge is the best of charity. In Hari Bhakti Vilasa, Sanatana Gosvami quotes Skanda Purana, where Brahma told Narada, danam vidya danam param “Giving transcendental knowledge is the greatest form of charity. By giving transcendental knowledge, one attains good qualities, wealth, happiness, freedom from sins and kingdom of God.” (HBV 2.250-253)One can easily obtain all these wonderful benefits by following Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu’s request to, “Tell everyone you meet about Krsna.” You can also give a Bhagavad Gita or some small spiritual books to people, and encourage them to read and follow the teachings to attain a life full of love, happiness and perfection. There is no better form of charity than this.Om Tat Sat!Jai Jai Sri Radhe!!

Tenth Canto Nectar

Mahanidhi Swami

The Srimad Bhagavatam is the sweet liquid that Srila Vyasadeva extracted from all the transcendental Vedic scriptures. He nourished his divine son Shukadeva Goswami with that liquid. And upon realizing the ambrosial essence of the Bhagavata within his pure heart, Sri Shuka Muni concentrated it into athat liquid into an ambrosia or nectar called a rasayana.

The Tenth Canto, which ac  is that nectar or rasayanaThe Tenth Canto, which is the smiling sweet face of Shyamasundara, is that rasayana. How is this? A material rasayana is an ayurvedic medicine that rejuvenates one’s body, and fills one with the nectar taste of robust health and mental satisfaction. The Tenth Canto is a spiritual rasayana which does all these things and much more as you will learn below.

   

Now let’s hear from Sri Chaitanyadeva and our Gaudiya rasika acharyas about the amazing power and benefits of hearing and reading the Srimad Bhagavatam. And how much more do all these glories apply to the Tenth Canto!

*
  On several occasions, Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu glorified the Srimad Bhagavatam, so that all His followers past and present would realize its topmostsupreme absolute importance. Now let’s hear Next we will cite statements of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, Srila Rupa Goswamipada, Sri Jiva Goswamipada, Srila Visvanatha Cakravartipada and, and my Gurudeva exalting  the grantha raja Srimad Bhagavatam: ki ja!

Sri Gauranga Mahaprabhu said:
Krishna-tulya bhaagavata, vibhu sarvaashraya, prati-shloke prati-akshare, naanaa artha kaya
“Srimad Bhagavatam is as great as Bhagavan Sri Krishna Himself, the supreme shelter of everything. In each and every verse and syllable of Srimad Bhagavatam, there are multi-faceted meanings, for it is as infinite as Krishna.” (Cc. 2.24.318)

In the next quote Lord Gauranga explains how the Srimad Bhagavatam is the transcendental body of Bhagavan Sri Krishna and it is full of pure love of God:

premamaya bhaagavata, Krishnera sri anga,
taahaate kahena yata, gopya Krishneranga
“The Srimad Bhagavatam is saturated with Krishna prema. The Srimad Bhagavatam is non-different from the beautiful body of Krishna and is a part of Krishna Himself, for it describes Krishna’s confidential pastimes with His intimate associates like Sri Radha and the Vraja-gopis.” (Cb. Antya 3.516)

In this last quote, Prema-Purusottama Gauranga establishes the Srimad Bhagavatam’s preeminent position over all other Vedic shastras and spiritual scriptures:
pade pade bhaagavata, prema-rasa-maya,
shuniyaa dravila ati, tomaara hrdaya
“Every single line of Srimad Bhagavatam is full of prema-rasa, ecstatic divine raptures. By hearing the Srimad Bhagavatam, your heart will melt.” (Cb. 2.9.91)

  
* In the Preface to Krishna book, Gurudeva Srila Prabhupada says that love of Godhead will fructify by reading [or hearing] this one book, Krishna, which contains only the Tenth Canto pastimes of Bhagavan. In the 90th chapter of Krishna Book, Srila Prabhupada describes the wonderful benefits of the Tenth Canto. He said, “The transcendental pastimes of Sri Krishna [in the Tenth Canto] are so powerful that simply by hearing, reading and memorizing this book, Krishna, one is sure to be transferred to the spiritual world.”

We will conclude our discussion by explaining why it is so necessary and important for serious sadhakas to focus and concentrate their Bhagavata studies on hearing, reading and meditating upon the sublime rasa-filled teachings of the TENTH CANTO.
harinama praises

While finishing his glorification of the Srimad Bhagavatam and the pancha-anga bhakti in Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu, Srila Rupa Goswamipada says (1.2.244): “These five limbs or practices (pancha-anga-bhakti) have the inconceivable power to manifest both bhaava and Sri Krishna Himself at the same time.”

In other words, even a brief association with these five supremely powerful angas of vaidhi-sadhana bhakti [such as hearing Tenth Canto] can arouse bhaava in bhakti-sadhakas, provided that one’s practice of these is free from offenses in the form of the ten nama-aparadhas and the offenses in Thakurji archana, Deity worship.

Sri Jiva Goswamipada gives a very encouraging illumination of this section of Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu: “The Srimad Bhagavatam [especially the Tenth Canto] is exclusively devoted to and full of the sweet taste of bhakti-rasa for Bhagavan Sri Krishna alone and nothing else. Anyone who hears Srimad Bhagavatam will attain pure rasa-filled bhakti, which in turn will destroy all one’s fears, diseases, material desires and false attachments. Srimad Bhagavatam is the rasa-svarupa of Bhagavan Sri Krishna. Among all the scriptures existing on this planet, the Srimad Bhagavatam, and only the Srimad Bhagavatam, contains the highest bliss. Srimad Bhagavatam is totally transcendental, pure and uncontaminated with any tinge of the three modes of material nature, ignorance, passion or goodness.”

Watch our web site mnsaudio.com for a soon to be released free download CD with this title “Tenth Canto Nectar”. We call it that because by repeatedly hearing the “Tenth Canto Nectar”, we guarantee you will become completely rejuvenated and thrilled with the joy of transcendence, feeling the rapture of Radha-Krishna’s pure love flooding your entire being.
Grantha Raja Srimad Bhagavatam ki jai!
Jai Jai Sri Radhe!

The Devotee is More Merciful than God

Mahanidhi Swami
 
In Bhagavata-gita (18.54), Bhagavan Sri Krishna says, “After one [a bhakta] becomes liberated from the three modes of material nature, he attains para-bhakti or pure devotion, uttama-bhakti to Me (brahma bhuta prasannatma, mad-bhaktim labhate param)”.
 
It is significant here that Bhagavan uses the word labhate (achieves, attains), instead of the word kurute (do, make). Labhate means that uttama bhakti is achieved only by the mercy of Bhagavan or His bhaktas; it is not attainable by one’s own efforts.
 
This is the position of Bhagavan Sri Krishna and the Bhagavad-gita: first liberation then para-bhakti.
 
Now let’s look at the grantha-raja Srimad Bhagavatam (10.33.39). Here the devotee, Sri Sukadeva Goswami promises that simply by hearing or describing Radha-Krishna’s Rasa Dance, one will first attain uttama-bhakti, para-bhakti, pure devotion to Bhagavan Sri Krishna. And then he will quickly attain liberation from the modes of nature, and their concomitant qualities like lust, anger, greed and so on (vikriditam vraja-vadhubhir, srnuyad atha varnayed, bhaktim param bhagavati pratilabhya, kamam
hrd-rogam ashu apahinoti acirena).
 
This is the position of the bhakta Sukadeva Goswami and the Bhagavatam: first para-bhakti then liberation.
 
The conclusion is that the devotees of Krishna are more merciful than Bhagavan Sri Krishna.
Grantha-raja Srimad Bhagavatam ki jai!
Krpa-shakti murti Sukadeva Goswami ki jai!
Jai Jai Sri Radhe!

Srila Prabhupada Glorifies Rasa Lila

Mahanidhi Swami

You will be surprised to know that way back in 1969, Srila Prabhupada glorified the hearing of rasa lila, and even encouraged it in the right circumstances. His Divine Grace even went so far as to say that conditioned souls, which means everyone on this planet, “SHOULD HEAR THE RASA LILA.” Please do the needful after deeply reflecting on the following statements Srila Prabhupada made in his Kåñëa Book printed in 1969.

In chapter 33 of Kåñëa Book, Srila Prabhupada said:
“One who actually hears the rasa-lila will become completely freed from the lusty desire of sex life.

“The conditioned soul should hear the rasa-lila dance from an authorized spiritual master, who is in the disciplic succession, and is always engaged in Krishna consciousness. When a person hears the rasa-lila in this way, the effect will be sure: he will be elevated to the highest position of spiritual life.” (Krishna Book, Srila Prabhupada)

In the 1970’s, Srila Prabhupada’s disciples made sure that every day no matter what happened, they would read the Krishna Book without fail. May those days come again. And may all my friends dive deep into the ocean of pure spiritual nectar called Krishna Book.

Puranic Rules for Prasadam

Mahanidhi Madan Gopal Das

#Puranas #KrishnaPrasadam #RulesForEating #Health #HowToTakePrasadam

When describing grhastha life, the Vishnu Mahapuranam (3.11.76-98)mentions a few rules about how to properly take food/Krishna prasadam. Most of these verses are also quoted by Sri SanatanaGoswami in Hari Bhakti Vilasa (# 9).

To begin with, Vishnu Puranasays, “If one follows these rules, one will attain perpetual good health, strength and intelligence.” (v. 76)
ihacarogyavipulam, balabuddhistathanrpa

Then Vishnu Mahapurana continues, “When eating one should wear clean cloth; face east or north; be happy, attentive and have a pleasant face. Don’t eat if in a bad mood. Eat fresh, tasty food and nothing stale.Before eating, chant purifying mantras and prayers, mantra bhimantritam (v. 84)

Eating Sequence:
“Start with sweet tasting liquid items,
ashniyat tan mayo bhutvapurvamtumadhuramrasam. (v. 87)
Middle of meal eat salty and sour items,
madhyekatutiktaadhikamstatah.
End meal/prasadam with bitter and pungent items.
One who starts the meal with fluid items; takes solid foods in the middle and concludes the meal with fluid items—will always be strong and healthy. (v. 88)

“One should eat in silence and only take five handfuls of food to maintain his/her five live airs. (v. 89)
panchagrasammahamaunam
pranaadyapyayanam hi tat

“After eating, one should cleanse the mouth and hands, sit down peacefully, meditate upon Radha and Krishna and pray, ‘May this food/prasadam be fully digested and assimilated and thereby give my body strength and satisfaction.’ [ed. to serve Krishna better!] (v. 90-94)After reciting this prayer, one should rub his/her stomach with one’s hand palm.” (98)
ityuccaryasvahastenaparimrjyatathodaram

Rubbing the belly after eating is a very ancient practice, common in India. As an alternative to the prayer mentioned above, we suggest the following verse from Sri Bhagavad Gita (15.14):
ahamvaishvanarobhutva
praninamdehamashritah
pranapanasamayuktah
pachamyannamchaturvidham
Bhagavan Sri Krishna said, “O Arjuna, I am the fire of digestion in all living entities, and I mix with the prana and apana life airs to digest the four kinds of foodstuff.”

We have personally seen that after taking Krishna prasadam, many Vrajavasis, GaudiyaVaisnavas and Brahmins rub their bellies and chant the Gita verse above. Although prescribed for grhastas, these basic rules of eating will benefit anyone who follows them. And for this, we have offered this post.
Sri Jagannathamaha-prasadamki jai!  Jaya Jaya Sri Radhe!

Gems of Cakravartipada 003

Mahanidhi Madan Gopal Das

BhagavatKatha SrimadBhagavatam SukadevaGosvami SararthaDarsini SriKrishna
From the sweet ocean of Srila Visvanatha Cakravartipada’s tikas on Srimad Bhagavatam, we have collected some of the most rare and incredibly amazing jewels—each one glittering with a uniquely soothing and enlightening effulgence. So now please bask in their beneficial rays and rejuvenate your soul! For easier understanding and reference the gems are presented by category.

BHAKTI LASTS FOREVER:
“If a person gives up his duties and karmas in varna ashrama to worship Sri Krishna’s lotus feet, but then deviates or fails to attain perfection, still one will not experience misfortune in the future.” (SB 1.5.17)
Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti tika: “Without any other practices, bhakti is independently powerful and not dependent on prior inner purification. Even in the beginning stage of bhakti, practice of karma is forbidden.

“Having given up ones dharma (tyaktvä svadharmän (SB 1.5.17) and Bg. 18.66), even at the beginning stages of bhakti, a person who worships Krishna’s lotus feet will not incur any sin by giving up that dharma. And if one dies without attaining Sri Krishna, or if while alive one falls down to sinful acts because of attachment to material pleasures, even then, one meets no misfortune from giving up prescribed karmas. One will not be punished and take a low body in the next life because of omitting karmas.

“However, the impressions created by bhakti are indestructible and remain in a subtle form within the chitta. Surely, the sprout of bhakti, being productive, will eventually bear leaves, flowers and the fruit of Krishna prema [in this or some future life].

DEVOTEE MEETS NO MISFORTUNE:
“O! Unlike practitioners of other processes, the person who serves Mukunda will never under any condition return to the material world. By remembering the embrace of the Mukunda Sri Krishna’s lotus feet, and being eager for that taste one has experienced, one will not desire to give up Krishna’s feet again.” (SB 1.5.19)

Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti tika:
“This verse establishes that there is no misfortune for a devotee. Even if overcome because of poor determination, one who serves Mukunda never returns to the samsara for enjoying the results of karma. But those practicing karma (anyavat) will definitely return. The devotee does not experience happiness and distress from karmas, since he experiences only the fruit of happiness and distress directly given by Bhagavan Sri Krishna.

This is proven in Srimad Bhagavatam 10.87.40:
“When one realizes Sri Krishna, one no longer cares about one’s good and bad fortune arising from past pious and sinful acts because it is Krishna alone who control this good and bad fortune [of His devotee].”
Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti continues: “Remembering from previous practice alone the mental embrace (upaguhanam sb1.5.19) of Sri Krishna’s lotus feet, one will no longer want to give it up. The verse does not say ‘“remembering Krishna’s lotus feet” but rather “remembering the embrace of Krishna’s lotus feet.” 

“The implication is that by one’s own choice or desire one may give up Krishna’s worship, once, twice or three times because of poor determination. However, after some time, by remembering the state of bliss derived from meditation on Sri Krishna, and considering the present state of distress being experienced from not remembering Sri Krishna, one will repent crying out, ‘O! O! What have I foolishly done? Anyway, let that be. I will never ever again abandon worship of my beloved Bhagavan Sri Krishna!

“Then the sadhaka again begins to worship Sri Krishna. In the verse (SB 1.5.19) the phrase rasa graha means one who is eager to taste, or one who possesses a taste which cannot be given up, like being haunted by the ghost of rasa which is experienced at the stage of bhava in spiritual advancement. However, even from the first day of worshipping Sri Krishna, a beginning sadhaka will taste some bhakt rasa although in a very covered form.”
Srimad Bhagavatam ki jai! Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti ki jai! 

64 Rounds Japa & Perfection

Mahanidhi Madan Gopal Das

ArrayixtyFourRounds ArrayamaJapa Arrayhakti Arrayadhana ArrayamaSankirtana ArrayaridasaThakura ArrayareKrishna ArrayrishnaNama

After hearing that chanting 64 rounds a day gives spiritual perfection, some very sincere and well-meaning devotees begin chanting 64 rounds a day.

However, they soon face problems in the form of maintaining the quota, being attentive and not doing robotic/mechanical chanting, committing aparadhas, lack of enthusiasm, not seeing any results, a gradual loss of taste for the practice itself, and worst of all—PRIDE—pramada, an aspect of the 10th nama-aparadha).

When trying to understand any truth in shastra, one must always consider kala, desha and patra—the time and place, situation and persons involved. It appears that many devotees have misunderstood the circumstances (kala, desha, patra) of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu’s ONE INSTRUCTION regarding the daily chanting of one lakh japa (100,000 names aka 64 rounds).

If one studies the life of Mahaprabhu, one sees that in every instance and in every place, Sri Chaitanyadeva was very very strict about maintaining maryada, which means following the proper conduct or behavior according to one’s social or spiritual position (varna/ashram).

So because Chaitanya Mahaprabhu was as a brahmin (Sri Vishvambhara Mishra), whether it was from His different personal servants, or in homes of His devotees, anywhere in India, Mahaprabhu ONLY ATE FOOD FROM THE HAND OF A BRAHMIN, and not from anyone of any other jati or class, regardless of their personal purity or spiritual realization.

Mahaprabhu’s Instruction to Brahmins
Mahaprabhu’s one and only instruction about 64 rounds giving spiritual perfection was spoken only to grhastha brahmins who wanted to feed the Golden Avatara in their homes.

Chaitanya Bhagavata narrates the story, “When the brahmins invited Chaitanya Mahaprabhu for prasada, Gauranga smiled and said, ‘I take meals only in the house of a lakṣeśvara brahmin.’

Hearing this, the brāhmaṇas became worried. Praying to Prabhu, the brahmins said, ‘O Gosai, what to speak of a hundred thousand, none of us possess even a thousand rupees.’
Mahaprabhu replied, ‘Do you know who is a lakṣeśvara? He is someone who daily chants a hundred thousand holy names (aka 1 lakh or 64 rounds). I take meals in only such a brahmin’s house, not in the houses of any other brahmins.’”(CB 3.9.117-123)

After reading this lila and Gauranga’s shiksha herein, some nice devotees innocently think, “O, if I don’t chant 64 rounds a day, then God, Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu or Sri Krishna, won’t eat my bhoga offerings.”

Thinking like this is ok, but it’s not really proven in this lila. One can see two points illustrated in this lila:

Point One: Since He was a Brahmin, Mahaprabhu would not display adharmic behavior by eating grains from non-brahmins, and He never did as is evident from all His biographies.
Point 2: Although it is not required, if a devotee can, then certainly it would be very good to chant a lakh (64 rounds) of nama before making a bhoga offering to his/her Thakurajis of Gaura-Nitai, Girirajaji, or Radha-Krishna.

Now let’s hear Mahaprabhu’s instructions on nama japa and attaining spiritual perfection for all the masses of us, non-brahmins and non nitya-siddha associates. Sri Chaitanya’s following teachings on siddhi in nama bhajana are the perfect instructions for every human being at all times and in every place. So everyone please understand them clearly and practice bhakti bhajana accordingly. 

Mahaprabhu’s Teachings for All
Once in Navadvipa, in a general assembly of all His followers, which included brahmins, kshatriyas, vaishyas, sudras, mlecchas, yavanas, and assorted other outcastes, the all-merciful Mahaprabhu personally instructed everyone saying, “Now please, everyone happily hear the Krishna nama maha-mantra from Me……..

Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare
Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare
āpane sabāre prabhu kare upadeśe
Krishna-nāma mahā-mantra śunaha hariṣe

“I have told you the mahā-mantra. Now all of you chant this mantra as a daily practice (abhyasa).”[mmgd: which some take to mean 4, 20, 24, 64, 128 rounds per day]
prabhu bale kahilāṅa ei mahā-mantra
ihā japa giyā sabe kariyā nirbandha

Mahaprabhu continued, “Everyone will attain all perfection by it [i.e. Hare Krishna maha-mantra]. At every moment chant it, there is no other rule (vidhi nāhi āra).” (CB 2.23.75-78)
ihā haite sarva siddhi haibe sabāra
sarva-kṣaṇa bala ithe vidhi nāhi āra

Thus Mahaprabhu establishes that the Hare Krishna maha-mantra so transcendentally amazing and wonderful that it will give PERFECTION TO ANYONE who chants it daily. Srila Prabhupada repeatedly quoted this verse in his lectures.

Srila Prabhupada said:
1. “That is the version of Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu. He said, ihā haite sarva-siddhi haibe tomāra [Caitanya-bhāgavata Madhya 23.78]. He also stresses that ‘Simply by chanting, you will get all perfection.’” (folio 710217L2GOR)
2. “That's a fact. Caitanya Mahāprabhu says, ihā haite sarva-siddhi haibe tomāra. Caitanya Mahāprabhu blesses, “You will get all perfections simply by chanting this Hare Krishna mantra.”(folio 720714SB.LON)
3. “If you chant or if you associate with the chanting of holy name of Krishna, then you will get the highest perfectional stage of life. (folio 680613BG.MON)
4. “Thus Lord Caitanya has blessed us. Simply by chanting Hare Krishna, we will achieve the perfection of self-realization.” (folio POP cp. 5)

The main point Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu establishes here is that daily Hare Krishna Maha Mantra japa is compulsory. Other than Mahaprabhu’s instructing the brahmins of Navadvipa to chant 64 rounds a day, I have not seen this instruction in any of the universally accepted Gaudiya Vaisnava shastras.

However, there is some mention about chanting 64 rounds in a not so authoritative book titled Prema-vilasa (chapter 17):
“Mahaprabhu was also in the habit of chanting three lakhs, and giving one lakh to His followers.”
prabhura āchāye saṅkhya, tina lakṣa nāma
eka lakṣa bhakta gaṇe, kaila kṛpā dāna
 
“In His own words, Gaurāṅga told Sri Rupa and the Vaiṣṇavas that the counting of one hundred thousand names is certainly to be done.”
gaurāṅga śrī-mukhe rūpe, kahila vaiṣṇave
lakṣa nāma saṅkhya kari, avaśya karibe

From the teachings of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, Sri Haridasa Thakura and Srila Prabhupada, it is clear that chanting the Hare Krishna maha mantra is the fastest, most powerful and best means to attain spiritual perfection in Krishna prema.

Not only Mahaprabhu but numerous shastras confirm the unlimited power of Sri Krishna’s Divine Name. The Name is directly Krishna Himself, and thus Sri Nama Prabhu can easily give one all perfection (sarva siddhi).

Since Mahaprabhu’s time, many Gaudiya Vaisnavas have adopted the practice of daily chanting 64 rounds of nama-japa on tulasi beads. Sri Rupa Gosvami, Sri Raghunatha Dasa Goswami, the other Goswamis, and acharyas down to the present day have also chanted 64, and instructed their disciples to do likewise.

In the beginning of ISKCON in 1966, Srila Prabhupada ordered his disciples to daily chant 64 rounds. Seeing their inability to do so, however, Srila Prabhupada reduced the number to 32 and then finally to 16.

Other than Mahaprabhu’s one time demanding His brahmin hosts to daily chant 64 rounds, the Gaudiya Vaisnava purvacharyas and contemporary Gurus all stress the need to daily chant a fixed number of nama japa with the right feeling, mentality and attitude—be it 4, 16, 24, 64, or 192 DAILY ROUNDS.

In addition, all sadhakas should happily and peacefully keep engaged mentally and physically (where possible) in Krishna consciousness, so they can remember Krishna at the time of death. Of course, if one can, under the order of and with the blessings of his Sri Guru, steadily chant 64 rounds EVERYDAY WITHOUT FAIL that is very good.

In this regard, Mahaprabhu said, “Of all forms of bhakti practices, nama sankirtana is the best, for if one takes the name without offenses, one will attain the treasure of Krishna prema. (Cc. 3.4.71)
tāra madhye sarva-śreṣṭha nāma-saṅkīrtana
niraparādhe nāma laile pāya prema-dhana

It must be noted that only a very rare sadhaka can continue to chant 64 rounds of HONEST nama japa every day without fail throughout his/her life with the proper consciousness, humility, attention, absorption, and most of all without aparadhas.

For those who cannot chant 64, however, still with the blessings of Sri Krishna and Sri Guru, just by practicing any limb of bhakti bhajana, one will definitely attain spiritual perfection and Radha Govinda prema.

SUMMARY:
64 is not a magic number in that—“Bingo! I hit 64 a day and now perfection is in my pocket!” Although quantity japa certainly helps, it does not guarantee perfection. Success depends on QUALITY NOT QUANTITY.

Our sadhana practices—be they chanting, hearing, worshiping or whatever—must bring about purification of the mind, reformation of the character, transformation of consciousness, melting of the heart, and a direct experience of Radha and Krishna within and without.

But don’t worry if you just can’t chant 64 a day. You can still attain spiritual perfection. In other yoga disciplines, personal performance brings perfection. But in bhakti only love bring perfection.

Perfection or siddhi in bhakti depends on you and Krishna—your loving endeavors offered to Krishna and Krishna’s sweet mercy returning from His heart.

In addition, the following factors will surely help bring about perfection in sri harinama japa:
1. The mercy and sweet will of Bhagavan Sri Krishna.
2. The blessings and satisfaction of Sri Guru.
2. Chanting a daily fixed number of japa per Guru’s order.
3. Quality japa which means nama japa that is free from all types of aparadhas, misconceptions, and selfish ambitions.
4. Proper moral behavior, which means following the four principles of purity.

In closing, we hope this post will encourage all the surrendered devotees struggling every day to chant “their rounds” with the desire to attain spiritual perfection and the eternal loving service of Radha-Govinda Yugala in the groves of Vraja Dhama.
(Special thanks to Sri Advaita Dasji)
Sri Harinama Japa ki jai! Jai Haridasa Thakura ki jai! Srila Prabhupada ki jai! Jaya Jaya Sri Radhe!

Prabhupada’s Amazing Karttika Shiksha

Mahanidhi Swami

In Karttika 1972, in his “eternal residence” at the Radha-Damodara Mandira, Srila Prabhupada had the most amazing conversation full of realizations and Vraja illuminations. Present there at that most auspicious time were his fortunate disciples Shyamasundara, Gurudasa, Hayagriva, and Prabhupada’s gurubhai Dr. O.B.L. Kapoor. We hope all our devoted friends will increase their understanding and love for Radha-Krishna, the Vrajavasis and Sridhama Vrindavana by reading the following entries which we have categorized by topic.

THE VRAJAVASIS
SrilaPrabhupada:“The Vrajavasis prefer to die rather than give up their Krishna. Throughout India you’ll find that some of the lower castes—the shudras, or vaishyas, or harijans—will convert to Mohammedanism [Christianity], but in Vrindavana even the shudra will not give up Krishna, not even for all the gold in the world.”

“A devotee knows that this Vrindavana right here is Vrindavana. Even if the people living in Vrindavana do not appear very pious, they are most fortunate because they live in the land of Krishna. Jaya jaya vrindavana-vasiyatajana, all glories to all the inhabitants of Vrindavana! It is not said that only the devotees here are glorified. Everyone! Even the pigs. It is more fortunate to be born in Vrindavana than in a rich or aristocratic family, because in the next life, one will go back to Godhead.”

ANIMALS IN VRINDAVANA
Srila Prabhupada: “No one born in Vrindavana is ordinary. It may not be very palatable to hear, but those who live in Vrindavana and commit sinful activities take birth as dogs, monkeys, and hogs here. In this way, by eating the dust of Vrindavana, they become purified, liberated.”
Disciple: “Gurudeva, how does one get these different bodies?”
Srila Prabhupada: “If a person in Vrindavana engages in too much sex indulgence, he will get the body of a dog, a monkey, a pigeon, or even the body of a tree. The pig body is there for one who overeats or eats prohibited food.”
Disciple: “Gurudeva, what about those guys down by the Yamuna that smoke ganja all day?”
In a very sweet, humorous way with a slight laugh, Srila Prabhupada replied: “They get hippy bodies with big beards and long hair. And they have to take birth in San Francisco U.S.A.”

POWER OF VRAJA VASA
Srila Prabhupada “The effect of living in Vrindavana cannot be overestimated. At every turn, you are reminded of Krishna here, and your spiritual strength increases due to that contact. For instance, from ’62 to ’65, I would sit in these rooms and chant Hare Krishna and see the samadhis of Jiva and Rupa Goswamis. Just by thinking of how they wrote, I got courage to write. I would type and cook a little. I lived very simply, content to be in Rupa Goswami’s presence. These samadhis are the best in Gaudiya Vaishnavism. They actually inspired me to go to the West.”

DIRT &DETERIORATION
Disciple: “Prabhupada, it appears that the Dhama is deteriorated and unclean.”
Srila Prabhupada: “Vrindavana has not deteriorated! Just see. For a materialist, everything is topsy-turvy because his vision is perverted. Beauty and ugliness are in the eye of the seer. The ugliness that you see here is yoga-maya, Krishna’s covering. Vrindavana appears dirty and deteriorated to drive away the atheists and impersonalists. For a devotee, this Vrindavana is as good as Krishna’s transcendental abode in the spiritual sky, Goloka Vrindavana. But you must have the eyes to see. Vrindavana hides HERSELF from the materialist.

“Vrindavana is so potent that even the dogs and pigs here are going to be liberated. Life here is not polluted because even the most polluted are being purified. So it is not deteriorating. If even the dogs are going to be liberated, how has Vrindavana deteriorated?”

PERSONAL VRINDAVANA
Disciple: Prabhupada, why did you just speak of Vrindavana as a person[ hides herself]?
Srila Prabhupada: “In spiritual consciousness, everything is personal. In Ramayana, we find that even the city of Ravana appeared before Hanuman as a gigantic person, a rakshashi, and Hanuman knocked her down because she challenged him.”

LIBERATION IN VRINDAVANA
Srila Prabhupada: “Both the pigs and devotees here in Vrindavana are liberated, indiscriminately. Unless one is a devotee in a previous life, he cannot take birth here. He may take a pig’s or dog’s body for a few years, but that’s no impediment. He is simply getting rid of sinful reactions.
Disciple: “Are people in Vrindavana liberated even if they don’t have a bona fide spiritual master?”
Srila Prabhupada: “Yes, because Vrindavan is directly under Krishna’s supervision. Krishna is their spiritual master.”

ALL BE MESSENGERS
Living eternally in Vrindavana engaged in the loving personal service of Srimati Radharani is the goal of all Gaudiya Vaisnavas. In our hearts, in our minds and with our lives we all try to live moment by moment in Vrindavana. We meditate on Vrindavana, dream of Vrindavana, and try our best to tell everyone about the sweet glories of Vraja Dhama. Every Gaudiya is a messenger of Vrindavana, carrying the good news of Radha-Govinda’s pure loving service to one and all.

In closing his wonderful teachings at this time, Srila Prabhupada humbly said, “I’m simply Vrindavana’s messenger.” (all entries from Vrindaban Days cp. 5)

Srila Prabhupada ki jai!
Kartika Vratosava ki jai!
Jai Jai Sri Radhe!