Srila Prabhupada Glorifies Gita

Mahanidhi Madan Gopal Das

#BhagavadGita #GitaJayanti #PrayersToGita #Krishna #EasternPhilosophy

By Priya-Priyatama’s merciful plan, the BHAGAVAD GITA AS IT IS, Srila Prabhupada’s pure Krishna devotional edition, is the most popular and widely distributed multi-lingual edition of Gita in the whole world!

Unlike other editions, Srila Prabhupada’s As It Is speaks the clear, easy to understand, gentle and at times quite forceful message of Absolute Truth.

With its universal principles, philosophy, and reasonable analysis of the material world, time, action, the individual self and the Superself, the Antaryami, Srila Prabhupada’s Gita has profoundly and amazingly purified and transformed the minds, hearts and lives of millions of fortunate human beings.

Srila Prabhupada was a “Gita Man” in the sense that He fully realized the essence of Gita, which is selfless service-based immaculate love divine. For Srila Prabhupada, the Gita was one with his mind, heart, words, teachings and his sterling personal devotional behavior.

Thus, who would know the glories of the Bhagavad-gita more than Srila Prabhupada? I am sure my beloved Gurudeva would be most pleased that his own realized words spoken in praise of Gita were being shared with the world on the most auspicious occasion of Gita Jayanti, Mokshada Ekadashi.

The following amazing statements of Srila Prabhupada will inspire, encourage, enliven and satisfy all classes of devotees. Just by reading them, many seekers of love divine will surely pick up the Bhagavad-gita, and start the most beneficial practice of reading it EVERYDAY!

And for the caring and compassionate transcendental book distributors, these quotes are the perfect “lines” to use in convincing the curious to buy the book. Worlwide Bhagavad-gita book distribution ki jai!

Srila Prabhupada speaks:

1. IDENTITY: Bhagavad-gétä is also known as Gitopanishad. It is the essence of Vedic knowledge and one of the most important Upaniñads in Vedic literature.

a. Vedic knowledge is complete because it is above all doubts and mistakes, and Bhagavad-gétä is the essence of all that infallible Vedic knowledge.

b. This one book, Bhagavad-gétä, is the essence of all Vedic literatures and [very] special because it is spoken by Bhagavan Sri Krishna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

c. Bhagavad-gétä is a transcendental literature which one should read very carefully.

d. One need not read any other Vedic literature. One need only attentively and regularly hear and read Bhagavad-gétä.

e. Bhagavad-gita contains perfect knowledge which comes down by the disciplic succession, guru parampara.

f. Bhagavad-gétä is the essence of the Mahäbhärata, and it is spoken by Bhagavan Sri Krishna Himself.

2. PURPOSE: The purpose of Bhagavad-gétä is to deliver mankind from the nescience of material existence.

a. All the instructions of Bhagavad-gétä are intended to awaken one’s pure consciousness, which is the preliminary activity for the transcendentalist.

b. Bhagavad-gétä was spoken by Bhagavan Sri Krishna just to change Arjuna’s point of view [because Arjuna was foolishly stuck in the bodily concept of life].

c. The whole purpose of Bhagavad-gétä is to revive our sanatana dharma, which means the eternal occupation of the living entity [i.e. Sri Krishna’s selfless loving seva].

3. READERS: Those who question why they are suffering; where they came from and where they shall go after death are proper students for understanding Bhagavad-gétä.

a. The ways and the means for ultimate realization, ultimate attainment, are stated in the Bhagavad-gétä, and the doors of this knowledge are open for everyone.

b. The Bhagavad-gétä is just like a cow and its milk is the essence of the Vedas. Sri Krishna is milking this cow to feed the calf-like Arjuna. Wise men, great sages and pure devotees should drink the nectarean milk of Bhagavad-gétä.

4. TEACHINGS: The subject of the Bhagavad-gétä entails the comprehension of five basic truths [i.e. the tattvas: Ishvara, Prakrti, Kala, Karma and Jivatma.]

a. The Bhagavad-gétä teaches that we have to purify this materially contaminated consciousness.

b. The Bhagavad-gita teaches that the complete whole is comprised of the supreme controller, the controlled living entities, the cosmic manifestation, eternal time and activities [Ishvara, jivas, prakrti, nitya kala, karma].

c. The Gita teaches that the living entity is never born and never dies. The jivatma, living entity, is eternal and indestructible. He continues to live after the destruction of his/her temporary material body.

d. Through the Bhagavad-gita’s instructions, we are given information how to leave the material world and begin a truly blissful life in the spiritual sky.

e. The Bhagavad-gétä gives the real picture of the material world.

f. The Bhagavad-gétä teaches how to absorb the mind and intelligence in the thought of Lord Sri Krishna and thus transfer one’s self to the kingdom of the Lord.

g. This is the art! And this is also the secret of Bhagavad-gétä: total absorption in the thought of Sri Krishna.

5. BENEFITS: If we properly utilize the instructions of Bhagavad-gétä, then our whole life will become purified, and ultimately we will be able to reach the spiritual sky [Krishnaloka].

a. If one properly follows the instructions of Bhagavad-gétä, one can be freed from all miseries and anxieties in this life, and one's next life will be spiritual.

b. If one reads Bhagavad-gétä very sincerely and with all seriousness, then by the grace of Bhagavan Sri Krishna the reactions of his past misdeeds (papa karma phala) will not act upon him.

c. One who takes his bath only once in the sacred Ganges water of the Gita cleanses away all the dirt of material life.

d. In conclusion, Bhagavad-gétä is a transcendental literature which one should read very carefully because it is capable of saving one from all fear. (all quotations from Srila Prabhupada’s personally written Introduction of Bhagavad-gita As It Is.)

Gita Jayanti ki jai! Srimad Bhagavad-gita ki jai! Daily Gita reading ki jai! Jaya Jaya Sri Radhe!

Who Can Speak Or Hear Rasa Lila?

Mahanidhi Madan Gopal Das

Why do we speak on rasa lila? We discuss rasa lila to please Srila Prabhupada, purify our heart, increase our devotion, dedicate our life to the Bhagavata (nityambhagavatasevaya), deepen our love and attachment for Radha and Krishna, and to share the blessings of our teacher.

After publishing “Krishna Book” in 1969 as one of his foremost foundational works, Srila Prabhupada ordered all disciples to read it every night before sleeping. Thus, for the last 44 years, Krishna Book has been a main part of our life. And of all the lilas therein, Sri Krishna’s rasa-lila has especially thrilled and enlightened us regarding the divine reality of true love—pure, selfless, blissful and eternal: The immaculate, transcendental romantic love of Bhagavan Sri Krishna, Srimati Radharani and the beautiful cowherd damsels of Vraja. 

To answer the often asked questions regarding Sri Krishna’s rasa-lila, we will quote His Divine Grace Srila Prabhupada. 

1. Who can hear rasa-lila?

Srila Prabhupada: “One who has faith in Krishna as the Supreme Personality of Godhead can both describe and hear the rasa-lila.”

2. Who can speak rasa lila?

SrilaPrabhupada: “One should hear the rasa-lila from an authorized spiritual master person in the disciplic succession who is always engaged in Krishna consciousness. In this way, one will understand the whole situation, lose all traces of lust, and be elevated to the highest standard of spiritual life.”

3. What benefit does one get by hearing rasa-lila?

SrilaPrabhupada: “One who actually hears the rasa-lila will become completely freed from lusty desire.” (“Krishna Book” chapter 33)

Indeed, this is a most astonishing benediction which Sri Suka Muni himself proclaims at the end of his rasa lila description.

vikriditamvraja-vadhu, bhiridam ca visnoh

sraddanvito ‘nusrnuyad, athavarnayed yah

bhaktimparambhagavati, pratilabhyakamam

hrd-rogamasvapahinot, yacirenadhirah

 “A person who with a reverential attitude hears the transcendental pastimes of Sri Krishna with the damsels of Vraja from the mouth of a pure devotee and then describes those pastimes accordingly, achieves the supramundane loving service of Godhead [Sri Krishna] within no time and thereby drives away mundane lusty desires for sense gratification from his heart.” (SrimadBhag. 10.33.39/trans: Srila Prabhupada “Search Ultimate Goal of Life”)

Second trans: “Anyone who faithfully and continually hears or describes Bhagavan Sri Krishna’s playful affairs with the young gopis of Vrndavana will attain Vrajamadhurya Krishna prema, quickly destroy the heart disease of lust, and immediately become steady and serene.”

Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu personally described the incredible power and benefit of Sri Krishna’s rasa-lila:

ye sune ye pade, tanraphalaetadrsi // seibhavavistayei, seveahar-nisi

tanraphalakikahimu, kahanenayaya // nitya-siddha seipraya, siddha tanra kaya

Mahaprabhu said, “Anyone who hears or speaks the rasa-lila will attain the fruit of being absorbed in bhava. Day and night such a person will serve Radha and Krishna, and his/her body will become perfect and transcendental [siddha-deha] like Sri Krishna’s eternal associates.” (Caitanya-caritamrta 3.5.49-50)

May all devotees now become inspired to hear, study, meditate and enter the rasa-lila of Radha and Krishna in order to see the most beautiful “smiling face of Krishna” and to experience the “five life airs” (panca-prana) of the Srimad Bhagavatam! 

Srila Prabhupada ki jai! Srimad Bhagavatam ki jai! Radha Govinda Yugala ki jai! Jai Jai Sri Radhe!

Tribute: 108 Pandita Sri Ananta Das Babaji Maharaja

Mahanidhi Madan Gopal Das

Above the tall, wide entrance gate, the Hindi sign reads “Moksa Dhama Radha Kunda”. Following the divine form of Pandita Sri Ananta Das Babaji Maharaja, our raga-marga mentor and friend for 31 years, we and thousands of grateful ones entered the cremation ground to observe the last rites of this great Vraja rasika saint.

The divine body of Sri Ananta Das Babaji Maharaja was removed from the palanquin, placed on the cintamani bhumi of Vrindavana, and covered by a huge mound of gobhir and dried tulasi wood offered by the loving hands of hundreds. As the sun lazily set in the west, the cremation fire was ignited. Thousands of devotees circumambulated Sri Ananta Das Babaji Maharaja’s divine form with hearts heaving  in Harinama.

Sri Kajjala Dasji Maharaja sang the maha-mantra in a vilapa raga accented with his tears of anguish. While watching the cremation fire our heart melted into tears. Sweet memories of Babaji Maharaja merged in feelings of intense gratitude. Eternal indebtedness and a strong sense of commitment swelled within our being.

Our heart cried as our mind spoke:

“O Sri Ananta Das Babaji Maharaja! I owe you so much! For the last 30 years, you gave me unbounded mercy, hope and wisdom to illuminate the sacred path of divine greed, and the attainment of the most coveted and cherished seva of Srimati Radharani in the kunjas of Vrindavana. You taught me all I know about ragamayi bhakti. It is you alone who opened my heart to the beautiful inner world of eternal seva to the lotus feet of Srimati Radharani as Her tender loyal maidservant—manjari, kinkari.

“O Babaji Maharaja! Whatever we have written or spoken on raganuga bhakti is just a trickling stream drawn from the vast and powerful Ganga River of your sweeter-than-sweet Radha-Krishna katha that is enriched with your tasty bhavas, and voluminous quotations from sastra to make everything clear and authoritative.

Gratitude toward one’s mentor is measured by how much one remembers him with love and appreciation, serves his desires, and tries one’s best to represent him with all of one’s feelings, words and behavior.

“O Babaji Maharaja! You are a lover of Radha-Madhava, a renunciate, a teacher, a poet, a sad-guru, a wonderful writer, and a uniquely empowered speaker delivering the sweetest of words on the deepest subjects hankered by all true seekers of love divine. 

“O Babaji Maharaja! Your sacred speech satisfied the intellect and saturated the heart with that special “Radha madhuri” which you were always relishing within your rasa-filled, most loving and compassionate heart. Standing here before your divine body burning in separation from your dearest Srimati is an empty shell sadly watching the one who significantly changed the course of our devotional life.

“O Babaji Maharaja! Like you, somehow or other Sri Krishna has blessed us with a little talent for writing. As we stand before you watching the rising flames through the screen of our falling tears, we want to make a commitment to you. O Babaji Maharaja! With your mercy and Sri Guru’s grace we will try our best to carry on the tradition of transcendental writing which you did so perfectly for the benefit of bhaktas the world over. And we will try our best to somehow or other live our life fully engaged in the humble service of Srimati Radharani.

“May we never forget those precious moments when we would meet you on the Radha Kunda parikrama marga or Chattikara Road during your late afternoon walks. With your pleasant, warm and friendly smile you would look at us, raise your beautiful, radiant golden hand and say, ‘Is everything all right? Are you fine? Just stay in Radha Kunda and do bhajan!’

“Or those times when your servants would so kindly allow us to immediately meet you to present our latest book. Upon receiving it you would say, ‘O very nice, many devotees will benefit from this.’ Then you would start reading our book, turning several pages as you read with attention and genuine interest. ‘Yes, this book looks good, I will go through it’, you would say encouragingly.

“At another time in a small room upstairs, we met you sitting and writing on a small desk facing Radha Kunda and Radha Gopinatha. We presented you a book and asked for a blessing, “O Babaji Maharaja! We see that you are always writing about the glories of Radha and Krishna and bhakti bhajan. Can you please bless us that we can do the same?” Putting down your pen, you smiled broadly and said positively, ‘Yes, may Srimati Radharani bless you to do like this.’ This happened in about 1995 or so.”

In 1996, to celebrate Sri Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada’s centennial avirbhava, we donated full sets of his Hindi SB and CC books to libraries in Vraja Mandala. Sri Ananta Das Babaji Maharaja gladly accepted the books, and wrote a wonderful appreciation of Srila Prabhupada’s books in our records file which was unfortunately lost. Because the CC sets were out of print we could not give them for some time. Whenever we met Sri Ananta Das Babaji Maharaja, he would say in a most understanding and friendly tone, “Mahanidhi baba, what about my Hindi Caitanya Caritamrta set?”

“O Babaji Maharaja! Our last meeting was by far one of the most important events of our devotional life. It was Sunday November 4, 2018 just one week before your divine disappearance. You were doing Radha Kunda parikrama and suddenly you stopped just near the Sita Rama Mandira. Then you sent a sisya with a message to us at Lalita Kunda where we were doing Harinama Sankirtana. The message: “Sri Ananta Das Babaji Maharaja wants to meet you, COME QUICKLY!”

“We ran up to you, fell at your feet and then stood humbly before you. O Babaji Maharaja! You then placed your divine hand firmly on our shoulder like a father, looked deep into our eyes with the most gentle, loving and humble glance that we have ever seen, and spoke with a tender voice choked with tears, ‘May Srimati Radharani enter deep into your heart.’

“Then you lifted your hand, placed it back on our shoulder and said affirmatively, ‘And always stay there!’ Overwhelmed by your nectarean words, we spontaneously cried and fell at your lotus feet.”

Sri Ananta Das Babaji Maharaja then continued his parikarama, and we returned to the Harinama Sankirtana with this most incredible blessing locked in our heart forever!

All glories to Sri Ananta Das Babaji Maharaja!

All glories to Sri Ananta Das Babaji Maharaja!

Jai Jai Sri Radhe!