A householder who renounces his home should take shelter of a Guru who is not a householder Grha-tyagi agrhi-gurvasraya karite paren If for some reason one renounces grhastha-dharma and enters another asrama, but ultimately fails to … Read More
Patala’s brother (Gola) Grandmother Patala’s brother is called Gola. His clothes and complexion are of a greyish purple colour. When his brother-in-law Sumukha makes fun of him and laughs, he becomes mad with anger. He received … Read More
Vrindavana Lila Asta-kaliya Nitya Lila The following eight slokas are excerpts from Srila Kaviraja Gosvami’s classic, Govinda Lilamrita, and are named Sri Radha-Krishnayoh Asta Kaliya Lila Smarana Mangala Stotram. Pratham-yama-kirtanam Chanting during … Read More
But something important was happening elsewhere. Taking a few steps back in time, we arrive exactly at the period in which Lomasa had returned from the planet of Indra. One day he had taken Yudhisthira aside … Read More
Neglecting or disobeying the Guru guror-avajna Glory to Panca-Tattva, glory to Sri Radha-Madhava. Glory to Navadvipa, Vraja, Yamuna and Vaishnava. Hari Dasa said: Oh Lord, at Your request I will now talk about the third aparadha … Read More
Srila Rupa Gosvami defines pure devotional service as the tendency to be fully engaged in Krishna consciousness, serving Radha Krishna with love and devotion. Nothing else is present in the mind and heart of a suddha-bhakta … Read More
They entered the Krauncha forest, full of dangers of all kinds. That same day they bumped into Ayomukhi, a horrible Rakshasi who, seeing Laksmana so beautiful, fell in love with him and tried to force him … Read More
The difference in the conduct and tendencies of a devotee and a Mayavadi Bhakta o mayavadira acara o pravrtti bheda A Mahajana takes exclusive refuge in the Holy Name. He worships Krishna as the one Supreme … Read More
The fallacious arguments and the offense of the Mayavadis Mayavadira kutarka o aparadha If duality were introduced, based on the ideology of certain philosophies, then it would be an offense that cannot be taken back. The … Read More
2. The priestly class The brahmanas[1] know all the Vedas and are engaged in the following six duties: performing sacrifices, engaging others in performing sacrifices, studying, teaching, giving charity and accepting charity. 3. Craftsmen Craftsmen, who … Read More
Following Agastya’s advice, Rama, Laksmana, and Sita went to Pancavati. As they made their way to their destination, they encountered a giant vulture watching them menacingly. It was so big that Sita began to tremble with … Read More
Note: I listened to the TED talk by Jim Holt that you mentioned in the Bhagavad-gita class last week. I found it to be extremely helpful after hearing your definition of mental speculation. There are … Read More
Radha and Syamasundara reunited During those days another unprecedented incident took place. One night Syamasundara appeared in Sri Syamananda Prabhu’s dream and told him, “My Radharani has appeared in the palace of the King of Bharatpur. … Read More
Srila Prabhupada: “Guru Maharaja (Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Gosvami) said, saktyavesa-avatara, powerful incarnation. Therefore whenever there was question of Jesus, I never disrespected Jesus, never criticized him, because I know that he is powerful representative of God. … Read More
The glories of the Supreme Personality of Godhead are so great that the impersonalistic followers of the Upaniṣads cannot reach the platform of knowledge to understand them. Especially the transcendental forms of the Lord are beyond … Read More
The rules for people of low birth Antyajera vidhi The sankara and antyaja[1] should completely renounce their low-class nature and activities and accept the role of sudras in the material world. This is because in this … Read More
One day, after finishing his religious rites and ablutions, the sage returned to the hermitage. And there, radiant with the light of a thousand suns, Brahma, the first being born, the one who designed and built … Read More
One day, Kisori Radhika was watching the cows being milked, and She too desired to milk them. She took a clay pot and proceeded to do so. Mischievous Krishna arrived at that spot and said, … Read More
“Of all internal potencies Gadadhara Pandita is the greatest, which means he is the form of Radha.”[1] baḍa sakha, — gadadhara panḍita-gosañi tenho laksmi-rupa, tanra sama keha nai “Gadadhara Panḍita, the fourth branch, is described as … Read More
Duties of a Vaishnava family man Grhastha vaisnavera kartavya vidhana The grhastha who is a devotee of Vishnu should, without any doubt, worship Krishna in everything he does. In all samskaras[1], starting from niseka[2] and ending … Read More
