Srila Prabhpada: Free Will Does Not Exit!

Mahanidhi Madan Gopal Das

#FreeWill #DoWeHaveFreeWill #KrishnaWill #KrishnaControlsAll #KrishnaMakesDevoteesNotMe #BecomeADevotee #DoesFreeWillExist #Destiny #FreeWill #KrishnasMercy #NoFreeWill

In Sridhama Mayapura (1976), Srila Prabhupada had the following conversation which fully concurs with the tattva siddhanta of the Srutis, Upanisads, Bhagavad-gita and Srimad Bhagavatam. It is recounted in a BBT book titled “A Transcendental Diary” by Sri Hari Sauri Dasji, a senior disciple of His Divine Grace.

The basic question is “Do We Have Free Will”? The answer is NO. Everyone and everything is completely under the control of Svatantra Bhagavan Sri Krishna. From the following conversation, it seems clear that Srila Prabhupada agrees with the fact that the JIVA HAS NO FREE WILL whatsoever.

Bhagavan Sri Krishna is the Supreme Controller and Doer of everything as proven throughout the Gita (i.e. 3.27). Srila Prabhupada clearly agrees with the popular saying, “man/woman proposes and God disposes”, which means no free will. You may want this or that, or choose to do this or that. But without Krishna’s will, His acceptance of “your want or choice”, His sanction and His arrangement, IT WILL NEVER BE!

As the Bilble says, “O God, Thy will shall be done on earth as it is in Heaven.” And so it is!

Thus with all our heart we pray, “O Krishna! Hey Bhagavan, saranagati Prabhu! Please save me, please uplift me, and please accept me as Your loving slave forever!”

Srila Prabhupada on Free Will:

Devotee: Srila Prabhupada, where is the question of the free will of the individual?

Srila Prabhupada: [You have] free will under Krishna. Your free will is sanctioned by Krishna. However, you are not so free that whatever you like, you can do.

Devotee: If I want to perform some pious deed, it is only by Krishna's mercy that I will do it?

Srila Prabhupada: Yes! It isn't just a question of our free will; Krishna has His free will also, and that is supreme. You cannot bind Krishna to dictate in a similar way. If Krishna likes, He may act and if He doesn't like, He may not act. That is Krishna.

Devotee: [Then no matter how much we preach or sell books] ultimately it is simply by the mercy of Krishna that a living entity comes back to Krishna.

Srila Prabhupada: Yes. So it is Krishna's business where to show mercy. But you cannot oblige [order] Krishna that: ‘You show mercy everywhere’.

Srila Prabhupada: No! You cannot oblige Krishna, ‘You do this’. That is not Krishna. Therefore whatever Krishna likes, He will do. If Krishna likes, He can give you mercy. And if Krishna does not like, He may not.

(BBT: Folio “Transcendental Diary” Vol.1 Sri Dhama Mayapur 14/3/1976)

Svatantra Bhagavan Sri Krishna ki jai! Srila Prabhupada ki jai! No free will ki jai! Surrender to Sri Krishna ki jai! Jai Jai Sri Radhe! 

THE BITTER SWEET TRUTH

Mahanidhi Madan Gopal Das

#ForbiddenFoods #DontEatThis #DevoteesDontEat #KrishnaWontAccept #WhatPrasadam #RadharaniDoesNotOfferThis

In 1972, Srila Prabhupada wrote a very important letter concerning forbidden foods which ISKCON members CAN’T EAT! Of course, as always in Kali-yuga, there are many views, takes, personal anecdotes and “Prabhupada told me personally” quotes on this sweet and bitter topic.

Most senior ISKCON devotees grew up in their spiritual lives not eating this and not missing it. Who needs it—especially when you have Sri Krishna maha-prasada burfi, sandesh, rabri, rasagulla, gulabjamuns, rasa-malai, halavah, simply wonderfuls, lugloos, and date gur kheer?

Besides, it is definitely something that Srimati Radharani NEVER COOKS OR OFFERS to Her dearly beloved Sri Shyamasundaraji. Despite the flurry of opinions and personal anecdotes regarding this topic, the following letter serves as concrete evidence that this eatable SHOULD NOT BE EATEN BECAUSE IT IS AN INTOXICANT!!

What is this mysterious food which fills kids everywhere with supercharged passion?

In the official BBT Folio collection of all Srila Prabhupada’s teachings, we find the following letter wherein Srila Prabhupada says:

“My dear Surasrestha,

Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter. COCOA and CHOCOLATE ARE NOT TO BE TAKEN as they are intoxicants!” (SPLetter to Surasrestha, Los Angeles 14 June, 1972)

Srila Prabhupada ki jai! Sri Jagannatha maha-prasadam ki jai! Jai Jai Sri Radhe!

Vraja Seva & Bhajan Gives 1,000 x 1,000 Benefits

Mahanidhi Madan Gopal Das

#WhyServeInVraja #CharityInVrindavan #DonationsGiveThousandTimes

Benefits #RadhaKrishna

Although it is a popular notion that one will suffer 1000 X reactions for any  offenses committed in Vrindavana (aparadhas to Thakuraji, Guru, Vaisnavas, Nama, Vrajavasis, Yatris, and the dhama itself, this fact is not stated anywhere in the Srimad Bhagavatam, or any of the Gaudiya Vaisnava Goswami granthas.

In this regard, Srila Prabhupada said, “It is the verdict of Vedic culture that one must follow the authorities. Krishna also said this in the Bhagavad-gita (16.24), tasmadshastraspramanamte: “Whatever you do, you must follow the shastras.” Otherwise it is not bona fide. So we cannot avoid shastras.” (751103CC.BOM)

The Srimad Bhagavatam (SB 7.14.30-33)which is the shastrapramana, amala Purana for the entire Gaudiya Vaisnava sampradaya says:

“The extremely, sacred transcendental pilgrimage sites (tirthas, dhamas) of MATHURA/VRINDAVAN, Puñkara, Kurukñetra, Gaya, Prayaga,  Dvaraka, Varanasi,  Badarikashrama,  Citrakuta…etc., and places where Radha-Krishna murtis are worshiped are the purest of places on earth(punyatamahdeshah). If one wants to advance in spiritual life, one should visit these transcendental holy places again and again.

“shreyaskamohyabhikshnashah, dharmohyatrehitahpumsam

sahasradhiphalodayahsahasraadhi

“All good activities like dana (giving charity), tapa (observing fasts and austerities) puja, punya karmas, Thakuraji puja, and Radha-Krishna bhakti bhajana performed in these sacred place give MORE THAN a thousand times the result of the same activities performed in other places.” (SB 7.14.33)

Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti tika: Acts performed in these places give a thousand times more result than at other places.

Vraja vasa, Harinama japa, kirtan and Krishna lila smaran ki jai! Jaya Jaya Sri Radhe!

Vrndavana Maha Yogapitha Meditation part two

Mahanidhi Madan Gopal Das

#MeditateOnYogapitha #VrindavanaYogapitha #Yogapitha #RadhaKrishnaLila #GovindaSthali #GovindadevaMandir #ManasiSeva #Manjari #Meditation

For lovers of Radha-Krishna Vrndavana lila and sadhakas doing yogapitha dhyana, we herein present Sri Krishna Dasa Kaviraja’s portrayal of Priya-Priyatam’s Vrndavana Yogapitha from the Govinda Lilamrta.

3. Simhasana—Radha-Govinda’s simhasana (royal throne or seat). In the center inside the golden Yogapitha Mandir is a golden throne resting on the back of carved golden sunstone jewel lion with ruby eyes resting on his haunches. The ruby eyed lion supporting the simhasana (lion or royal throne/seat) has its front paws raised to appear like he’s flying. Atop the throne is a golden umbrella.

4. Surrounding Kunjas—Eight desire tree kunjas stand in eight directions around the Yogapitha Mandir. Each kunja has a small, jeweled cottage covered by intertwining desire creepers. Beyond the eight kunjas are circles of many more kunjas, each one double the size of the previous. There circles of 8, 16, 32, 64, 128 individual kunjas around the Vrindavana Yogapitha.

Area Beyond Yogapitha

In concentric circles surrounding the Yogapitha Mandira and its thousands of keli-kunjas (love bowers) are the following:

1. A Golden Glen—circle filled with jeweled paintings of mating animals, birds and devatas to stimulate amorous feelings.

2. Banana Grove—circle with thousands of  banana trees full of ripened fruits, and cooling leaves due to natural camphor oozing from their trunks.

3. Flower Gardens—circle blossoming with infinite varieties of inconceivably fragrant flowers.

4. Fruit Orchards—with heavily laden trees bent down due to lots of juicy tasty fruits.

5. Kunja Cottages—scattered among the various gardens and orchards wherein Vrnda’s vanadasis store paraphernalia for Radha-Madhava’s ratri-lila.

6. Dense Forests—spread out beyond the orchards. 

7. Betelnut Tree Grove—with green, yellow and fully ripened fruits hanging within reach of the manjari’s graceful lotus stem arms.

8. Coconut Groves—surround the entire area of Govinda-sthali Maha Yogapitha and border Yamunaji. The continuous line of trees looks like a necklace around the island.

9. Keli Nikunjas—beyond the coconut groves along the banks of Yamunaji there are hundreds of secluded intimate pastime groves. These kunjas are formed from various trees and vines i.e. asoka, bakula, campaka, kadamba, mango, punnaga, vetasi; and vines of madhavi, malati etc. Many of these richly blossoming verdant trees hang luxuriantly over Yamunaji.

Yogapitha Related Lila Sthalis

1. Brahma Kunda: 5,000 years ago and in 2018, just northeast of the Yogapitha Mandir, which is exactly where the old Govindaji temple stands today, is Brahma-kunda!

2. Gopisvara Mahadeva Mandira: today and then this temple is still just northeast of Brahma Kunda!

3. Vamsivata: today and then this lila-sthali is still just northeast of Gopisvara Mahadeva Mandira! Govindaji relaxes on the jeweled dais (ratna-vedi) here to call the gopis to His side with His enchanting murali. Muralidhara Sri Syama ki jai!

4. Yamuna Pulina: Just north of today’s ancient Vamsivata is a sandbar in Yamunaji where Rasabihari and the gopi ramanis blissfully dance in rasa [invisible today to most]. The brilliant sandbanks along Yamunaji appear brighter than camphor glistening in the moonlight. With her love-excited waves Yamunaji spashes all sides of the rasa-mandala. Hundreds of private pastime madhavi-kunjas and countless celestial flower gardens lie beyond Yamunaji banks. The sensational lotus footprints of Syama and the sakhis can always be found here, and seen even today by some!

 Yamunaji’s Sevas:

Sri Yamunaji loving and personally serves Sri Sri Radha and Krishna in the following tasteful ways:

1. Water Depth—to blissfully serve Syamasunda’s jala-keli lilas with His beloved damsels, Yamunaji varies her depths to either ankle, knee, waist, chest, head, or super deep waters.

2. Scented Water—shaking the blooming red and white lilies in Yamunaji, excited bumblebees make the fragrant flower pollen fall into the water.

3. Colorful Birds—swans, cranes, humming birds, nightingales, and others sing attractively and play on Yamunaji’s banks.

We hope this article will increase everyone’s loving appreciation for Sri Vrndavana Dhama, and also help the sadhaka’s dive deep into the blissful world of lila-smarana and manasi-seva in their beautiful eternal and divine spiritual forms, siddha dehas.

To dive deeper in the ocean of Krishna lila you can read chapter 21 of Govinda Lilamrta, Krishna Bhavanamrta or hear our Govinda Lilamrta audio narration on Soundcloud and mnsaudio.com

Sri Maha Vrindavana Yogapitha ki jai!   Sri Sri Radha-Govinda Yugala ki jai!

Sri Guru ki jai! Jai Jai Sri Radhe!

Vrndavana Maha Yogapitha Meditation part one

Mahanidhi Madan Gopal Das

#MeditateOnYogapitha #VrindavanaYogapitha #Yogapitha #RadhaKrishnaLila #GovindaSthali #GovindadevaMandir #ManasiSeva #Manjari #Meditation

For lovers of Radha-Krishna Vrndavana lila and sadhakas doing yogapitha dhyana, we herein present Sri Krishna Dasa Kaviraja’s portrayal of Priya-Priyatam’s Vrndavana Yogapitha from the Govinda Lilamrta.

Vrindavana Maha Yogapitha

Before Their nightly rasa dance (ratri/nisa lila (10:48 p.m.-3.36 a.m.), Sri Sri Radha-Govindadeva meet Their beloved sakhis in a jeweled temple called the Yogapitha Mandir in Vrndavana. The entire area of Yogapitha appears like an island in Yamunaji. The island is formed by Yamunaji who rushes in from the north, divides into two branches flowing by the island’s east and west sides, and again unites in the south to form one gorgeous blue river. It appears like Yamunaji is holding Yogapitha on her lap with the arms of her beautiful waves. 

From Yamunaji’s banks the island rises gradually to a small hillock shaped like a sea turtles’s back. More than fifty types of exotic trees embraced by fragrant flowering vines adorn the island. To facilitate lila learning and meditation we present the individual features of Vrndavana’s Maha Yogapitha.

Names of Yogapitha

Govinda-sthali is the main name of Yogapitha which amazingly can change its colors according to time and the moods of Radha and Krishna. For various confidential reasons, the gopis call it Keli Mandir. When Sundari and the sakhis see Yogapitha, they flush with sumptuous thoughts of Syama. The Vedas call it Gopala’s Simhasana Yogapitha.

The Urdhvamnaya Tantra mentions many deeply descriptive names i.e. Ananda Mandap, Candravali Duradarsa, Kandarpa Mandapa, Keli Mandir, Maha-madhurya Mandapa, Radha Saubhagya Mandir, Ratna Mandap, Sathrajya Mandap, Saubhagya Mandapa and Srngara Mandap.

Yogapitha Area General Description

From a drone view the entire golden-soiled area of Govinda-sthali, which stands on top of the hillock, looks like a huge lotus flower with thousands of petals. Each petal is actually a separate seva kunja of a specific sakhi for serving Syamasundara!

Trees: The trees include amaranth, asoka, asvattha (peepul), bakula, banana, banyan, betel, bilva, campaka, date and coconut palms, guvaka, jackfruit, jambu, kadamba, lodhra, mango, naga-kesara, parijata, plaksa, punnaga, tamala, and sandalwood. Water basins of different shapes and heights made of rare gems i.e. blue sapphires crystal, diamond, emerald, moonstone, and ruby surround each tree.

Desire Trees: The unlimited kalpa latas and vrksas (desire-fulfilling vines & trees) supply anything at any time. Fulfilling all Krishna’s seva needs, they regularly give lots of tasty fruits, fragrant powders, clothes, ornaments, scents and gems! The flower laden vines automatically form garlands for Krishna’s use. To satisfy Radha-Govinda, colorful jeweled swings decorated with fancy fabrics and flowers hang from the many desire trees.

Birds: Vraja’s birds attract and excite everyone with their skittish movements and jovial sweet singing. There are bharadvajas, cakoras, cakravakas, cranes, cuckoos, doves, haritas, mynas, parrots, peacocks, pigeons, roosters, sparrows, swans etc.

Animals: Assorted animals, including black stags and twelve  species of deer i.e. Renku, Camaru, and Rohita frolic in the forests and nibble on the fresh grass in Vrndavana.

Kunjas: To excite loving hearts, the walls of Krishna’s jeweled keli kunjas have gem pictures of mating birds, animals and celestials. Colorful canopies hang over the beds of fragrant flower petals adorned with comfortable pillows.

Next to the beds are small tables with canisters of kajjala and kunkuma, crystal glasses, flower fans, jugs of honey nectar, mirrors of jewels, pan boxes, and perfumes. Aho! The kunjas look like jeweled temples, but the walls are merely flowering creepers and the roofs are just dense tree foliage.

Yogapitha Mandira Area

1. Grounds—The central ground of Govinda-sthali is golden with jeweled designed borders surrounded by kalpa vrksa kunjas.

2. Yogapitha Mandir—in the center of everything is the jeweled Yogapitha Mandir. The mandir is surrounded by a raised veranda with jeweled steps on four sides. Parijata, Mandara, Haricandana and Santanaka desire trees decorate its four corners.

From the four directions around the Yogapitha Mandir there are four jeweled pathways down the hill to Yamunaji. The paths are lined with evenly spaced, super fragrant bakula trees. There are colorful well-designed flower beds between the trees. At the end of each pathway are four beautiful jeweled bathing ghatas jutting into Yamunaji.

Read more in part two.

Radha-Govinda Yugala ki jai! Vrndavana Yogapitha ki jai! Jai Jai Sri Radhe!

Absolute Love: The Rasa Lila of Sri Krishna 1610018

Mahanidhi Madan Gopal Das

#RasaDance #KrishnasRasaLila #RasaLila #MeaningOfRasaLila #MahaRasa #KrishnaLila #SupremeLove #SpiritualBliss

Bhagavan Sri Krishna’s Rasa Lila is a completely divine, transcendental pastime. By hearing/reading it the sober and faithful learn about the secret, transcendental love affairs of the Supreme Absolute Truth, Bhagavan Sri Krishna, and His counter-part Absolute sakti, Srimati Radharani—Krishna’s innate power of divine beauty, love and bliss.

Sri Krishna’s rasa lila is indeed a richly emotive, exciting and endearing love story that somewhat resembles the classic secret love stories of Romeo & Juliet and Odysseus & Penelope. Thus from a completely uninformed, external, material viewpoint, one will misjudge and misconstrue the transcendental amorous affairs of Bhagavan Sri Krishna to be ordinary like any young lovers of this limited world. 

However, there is a unique quality in Radha-Krishna’s love story that distinguishes it from any other. And what is that specialty? The Rasa Lila and all of Radhe-Syama’s Vraja madhurya-lilas are completely transcendental, transforming and transporting. Any form of sensual or mental contact with Radha-Krishna’s divine pastimes will purify one’s being and elevate one to the transcendental plane of eternal life.

In addition, one’s mind and heart will be transformed, overhauled so to speak. One will attain a new and sanctified heart and an immaculately pure mind—totally devoid of lust, anger, greed, envy and pride. Then the transcendental vehicle of one’s pure mind and heart will transport one to the spiritual realm, Goloka Vrndavana, wherein one will joyfully live, sport, play, love and relish boundless bliss in the eternal association of Sri Sri Srimati Radharani and Bhagavan Sri Krishna!

All around us, we see that Kamadeva, the King of mundane lust and desire has conquered the kingdoms of everyone’s hearts, leaving one and all in a perpetual state of anxiety, tension, frustration and dissatisfaction. Many many love stories—full of intrigue, competition, arguments and romantic interludes—have come and gone. Yet still we remain suffering from the searing pain of unrequited lust, that continually itching inner hankering for ultimate bliss and fulfillment.

 

A question then arises: “How can I get free from lust, and discover the unique inner bliss that’s my very birthright as a human being? How can I touch the love and joy that hides within transcendence?”

Radha-Krishna have revealed the secret by saying, “Come My children! Come enter Our Rasa Lila! We guarantee that your mind and heart will be fully conquered by Our immaculately pure and sweet selfless love!”

All the famous love stories, be they past, present or personal, are certainly very compelling, exciting, and heart stirring. But none of them have the power to “spiritualize” one’s existence and free one from the cycle of birth and death, samsara. And they can never give one the sweet taste of a bliss that never ends.

However, there is one love story from time eternal, the divine love story of Radha and Krishna, the Rasa Lila, which definitely gives to any partaker the boundless joy arising from a pure mind, and the ultimate bliss and fulfillment arising from a fully satisfied, love-drenched heart. 

At the end of his Bhagavatam Rasa Lila narration (10.33.39), Sri Suka Muni offers the following gift, blessing and benediction to all his readers: “Anyone who faithfully hears or describes Bhagavan Sri Krishna playful, divine loving affairs with the youthful damsels of Vraja will attain the topmost form of devotion for Sri Krishna i.e. the sweet selfless love that Srimati Radharani cherishes for Her beloved Syamasundra.”

As Sri Radha’s love floods the heart, simultaneously one becomes quickly free from lust, the incurable disease of the heart. One becomes peaceful and wise—feeling completely refreshed, content, fulfilled and satisfied. 

On one side, Kamadeva rules the world, conquering everyone’s hearts with lust and desire. On the other side is Kamadeva Sri Krishna, the aprakrta-madana, saksad manmatha manmatha, waiting to conquer our hearts with His love. By the mercy of Sri Krishna and the power of Rasa Lila, everyone can attain a full life of bliss, joy and satisfaction by serving, playing, dancing and whirling around and around with Radha and Krishna in Their endless dance of pure love—the Rasa Lila.

Radha-Krishna’s Rasa Lila ki jai! Jai Jai Sri Radhe!  

Are You a Vaisnava?

Mahanidhi Madan Gopal Das

#Vaisnava #Bhakti #VaisnavaDefinition #KrishnaBhakta #HareKrishna

About anyone who is even slightly inclined to Krishna bhakti, we often hear people say, “O, this person is a good devotee, a nice Vaisnava!”

But exactly how does one define who is and who is not a Vaisnava, a “devotee”? The correct and most authoritative answer to this question is found in the sacred texts of our Gaudiya Vaisnava tradition. By reading and understanding these passages, one can then accurately determine who is a Vaisnava. 

I. Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu:

 “A Vaisnava is one who rejects the association of materialistic people (asat-sanga tyaga), the unsaintly (asadhu), and those not devoted to Bhagavan Sri Krishna (krishna abhakta)” (Cc. 2.22.87)

II. Sri Kapila Muni:

One is a sadhu Vaisnava if he/she is:

1. Tolerant.

2. Merciful to all living entities.

3. Not inimical toward anyone.

4. Follows rules of scripture.

5 Peaceful. (SB 3.25.21)

II. Sri Sanatana Goswami:

Simplest definition of a Vaisnava:

“The wise have determined that a Vaisnava is one who is initiated into a Vishnu [Krishna] mantra and engaged in the worship of Sri Vishnu [Krishna, Rama, Nrsimha].” All others are known as non-Vaisnavas. (Hari Bhakti Vilasa 1.55)

A Vaisnava is one who meets these criteria;

1. DIKSHA: has received Krishna mantra diksha from Sri Guru.

2. SEVA: dedicated to serving Sri Krishna.

3. EKADASHI: follows Ekadashi vrata without fail. 

4. BALANCED MIND: is equipoised toward all living beings.

5. MAINTAINS VAISNAVA BEHAVIOR: follows Vaisnava niyamas and sadachara. (HBV 2.12.338-340):

III. Sri Jiva Goswami:

PREMA: “The greatness of a Vaisnava depends on the amount of Krishna prema.” (Bhakti Sandarbha 187)

IV. Srila Prabhupada:

“A devotee is one who is always pleasing Krishna. He has no other business. That is a devotee.” (folio: PQPA 5)

In summary, a Vaisnava is one who is devoted to seeing, serving, pleasing, loving and living eternally with the Absolute Supreme Person, GOD—Bhagavan Sri Krishna, Rama, Vishnu.

A Vaisnava is a devotee, and a devotee is one who cares for God, and is loyal to Sri Guru, Sri Hari and the Vaisnava. A devotee is committed, determined, dedicated and steady in serving and pleasing Sri Krishna with deep feelings of attachment and mine-ness. A devotee genuinely feels, “I belong to Krishna and Krishna is mine.”

A true devotee feels his loving Lord’s presence everywhere, and he/she shows sweet affection to all, big and small, from an ant to a President. A devotee adores and worships his/her beloved Sri Krishna with great enthusiasm, attentively offering everything available at every moment throughout the day and night.

Vaisnava sadhu sanga ki jai! Jaya Jaya Sri Radhe!