Vaishnava Calendar MAY 2016

**Sri Narsimha Caturdasi **

Vaishnava Calendar MAY 2016

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Read the books

Prajāpati: ...foolish play tennis, and the lazy foolish they play golf. (Prabhupāda laughs) [break]

Prabhupāda: ...less dangerous than the active foolish. (devotees chant japa) [break]

Prajāpati: In the Bhagavad-gītā it is indicated by Śrī Kṛṣṇa that when we approach a bona fide spiritual master our relationship is twofold. We render service and then we also make inquiry.

Prabhupāda: Yeah.

Prajāpati: Now, you have answered all our inquiries so thoroughly in our books that to make inquiry at this point seems like..., you've already answered all the questions. So how may we... What is the proper relationship at that point to make inquiry?

Devotee (4): Read the books.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Read the books, yes. Why I'm working so hard? Read the books.

 Morning Walk -- January 5, 1974, Los Angeles

"If your surrender is cent percent, then Kṛṣṇa is realized cent percent"

Guest (1): After all, the views, you see. Everybody is right in his own views. You see. You cannot challenge... After all, the views are given by the God. The jñāna-śakti's from God, from the Almighty, and not your self. [break]

Prabhupāda: ...if you are right, Kṛṣṇa said, sarvasya cāhaṁ hṛdi sanniviṣṭaḥ.

Guest (1): Ah, mattaḥ smṛtir jñānam apohanaṁ ca [Bg. 15.15].
Prabhupāda: So why, why Kṛṣṇa gives you less knowledge and other's more knowledge? Why?

Guest (1): Because...

Prabhupāda: Is Kṛṣṇa partial?

Guest (1): No. As long as you're more conscious, then He gives you more knowledge.

Prabhupāda: No, no, no. Conscious is not. Because ye yathā māṁ prapadyante [Bg. 4.11]. Because the surrender is not full, therefore he's also not fully realized.

Guest (1): He's not fully... Correct.

Prabhupāda: That is the point.

Guest (1): That's correct.

Prabhupāda: Ye yathā mām... That very word, prapadyante. Ye yathā māṁ prapadyante. So if your surrender is twenty-five percent, then Kṛṣṇa is realized twenty-five percent. If your surrender is cent percent, then Kṛṣṇa is realized cent percent.

Morning Walk -- March 25, 1974, Bombay

Pure devotees of the Lord can render any place into a place of pilgrimage

"So by their actions the pure devotees of the Lord can render any place into a place of pilgrimage, and the holy places are worth the name only on their account. Such pure devotees are able to rectify the polluted atmosphere of any place, and what to speak of a holy place rendered unholy by the questionable actions of interested persons who try to adopt a professional life at the cost of the reputation of a holy place."

Srimad Bhagavatam 1.13.10

"The Lord is equal to every living entity"

"The Lord is equal to every living entity, just like the flowing Ganges. The Ganges water is meant for the purification of everyone, yet the trees on the banks of the Ganges have different values. A mango tree on the bank of the Ganges drinks the water, and the nimba tree also drinks the same water. But the fruits of both trees are different. One is celestially sweet, and the other is hellishly bitter. The condemned bitterness of the nimba is due to its own past work, just as the sweetness of the mango is also due to its own karma." 

Srimad Bhagavatam 3.5.39

Old wine in a new bottle

Nothing is modernized. You can say, "modernized," but the principle is the same, old system. Nobody can change. And people are dying also. Janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi [Bg. 13.9]. That is also the old system. Everyone is taking birth, everyone is growing, everyone is falling diseased, and everyone is dying. Can the modern system stop this? The modern system can say, "Now you do not require to eat, you do not require to sleep," or "You do not require to have sex,"or "You do not require to defend?" No. The same system. "The old wine in a new bottle."

Similarly, janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi, five thousand years before, Kṛṣṇa said... This is real problem: janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi-duḥkha-doṣānudarśanam. "The same problem is still going on. So it is useless to say that modern time, modern ways, modern things. There is nothing modern. The old thing is going on. So if we follow systematically the previous ācāryas, previous system, as Kṛṣṇa is advising... Kṛṣṇa does not advise, "Modern." Five thousand years ago He instructed Bhagavad-gītā. Still, He was saying pūrva pūrvataraiḥ, pūrvatamaiḥ. Evaṁ paramparā-prāptam imaṁ rājarṣayo viduḥ [Bg. 4.2]. This is intelligence. We have to accept the real truth and follow it. It does not mean modern age or previous age, past age. That is not Vedic system.

 Bhagavad-gītā 4.15 -- Bombay, April 4, 1974

Prasāda of Lord Viṣṇu

"If one is habituated to taking the prasāda of Lord Viṣṇu,
there is no chance of his becoming a ghost or anything lower than a human being." Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 4.18.18

Bhāgavatam's conclusion is that a devotee is never disturbed

"When something is arranged by the Supreme Personality of Godhead, one should not be disturbed by it, even if it appears to be a reverse according to one's calculations. For example, sometimes we see that a powerful preacher is killed, or sometimes he is put into difficulty, just as Haridāsa Ṭhākura was. He was a great devotee who came into this material world to execute the will of the Lord by preaching the Lord's glories. But Haridāsa was punished at the hands of the Kazi by being beaten in twenty-two marketplaces. Similarly, Lord Jesus Christ was crucified, and Prahlāda Mahārāja was put through so many tribulations. The Pāṇḍavas, who were direct friends of Kṛṣṇa, lost their kingdom, their wife was insulted, and they had to undergo many severe tribulations. Seeing all these reverses affect devotees, one should not be disturbed; one should simply understand that in these matters there must be some plan of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The Bhāgavatam's conclusion is that a devotee is never disturbed by such reverses. He accepts even reverse conditions as the grace of the Lord. One who continues to serve the Lord even in reverse conditions is assured that he will go back to Godhead, back to the Vaikuṇṭha planets."

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 3.16.37, Purport

Even a child can take part

"So take to this Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa movement. It is very easy. Even a child can take part. You see. Those children, they are not born of brāhmaṇa family or this family or that family. Never mind. Because they are taking part in chanting and dancing, they are becoming purified. Every step of their dancing being noted, being noted."

Bhagavad-gītā 4.3 -- Bombay, March 23, 1974

Father's duty

"The father's duty is to see that the children, the son, is raised very nicely so that in future he may be very happy. This is the duty of the father, to see, not that simply to feed him and make him fatty. No. In the śāstra it is said, pitā na sa syāt. One should not become a father. This is contraceptive. Pitā na sa syāt jananī na sā syāt: "One should not become a father, one should not become a mother, one should not become a guru, one should not become a relative, one should not become a caretaker, one should not become the king..." Who? Na mocayed yaḥ samupeta-mṛtyum: "One who cannot protect the dependent from the clutches of death." This is sastric injunction. So how much the father and the government or the guru should be strong so that he can save his dependents from the clutches of death."

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 6.2.3 -- Vṛndāvana, September 7, 1975

"The worship of Lord Rāmacandra began from Mahārāja Ikṣvāku."

So Mahārāja Ikṣvāku, the first king of the dynasty in which Lord Rāmacandra took birth, very pious family. So Ikṣvāku Mahārāja... The worship of Lord Rāmacandra began from Mahārāja Ikṣvāku. Mahārāja Ikṣvāku used to worship the Deity of Rāmacandra, Rāma-Sītā. 

Therefore in their family Lord Rāmacandra appeared. That Deity is still existing in some part of South India. The Deity was being worshiped in the family since Mahārāja Ikṣvāku, and during when Lord Rāmacandra was personally present, this Deity was kept in His bedroom. 

So one brāhmaṇa, he used to come and see Lord Rāmacandra. Then he would take, break his fasting, breakfast. That was his principle, regulative principle. So Lord Rāmacandra was absent for a week or so from the kingdom, and the brāhmaṇa did not take even a little water because he could not see Lord Rāmacandra. Such a devotee. 

So Lakṣmaṇa informed King Rāmacandra that "Here is a devotee, brāhmaṇa. You were absent from the kingdom for one week, so he did not take even a drop of water." So Lord Rāmacandra was very much pleased. Then He ordered Lakṣmaṇa that "You give him that Deity which was being worshiped in our family, now it is stopped." So He delivered that Deity Rāmacandra to the brāhmaṇa, that "When Lord Rāmacandra is absent from the kingdom, you can worship." 

 Bhagavad-gītā 2.32 -- London, September 2, 1973

"War is not always Impious"

Prabhupāda: Not necessarily. I don't say that. That is different thing. But richness is due...

Guest (1): I understood what you said before.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Not necessarily that because a man is very rich, therefore he has got a very good brain also. No, not necessarily. Neither good brain can produce richness. Even there is one man, he's very intelligent man, but in the field of activities, he remains a poor man. So neither intelligence is the cause of richness, nor richness is the cause of intelligence. These are two different things. But if one is pious, then his, as reaction of his pious acts, he becomes rich, he becomes wealthy, he becomes beautiful, he becomes learned. These things are stated in the scriptures. Janmaiśvarya-śruta-śrībhiḥ [SB 1.8.26]. Janma-aiśvarya, four things, janma-aiśvarya-śruta... Janma means birth, aiśvarya means richness, and śruta means education. Is that point clear?

(drunk begins yelling in background)

Is that point clear? Please hear. Stop! Don't talk. We are talking seriously. Don't disturb. Is that point clear?

Guest (1): Yes.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Any other questions?

Young Woman: If one is really pious, why should he care about materialistic things such as beauty and wealth?

Prabhupāda: Hm? If one is pious, why he should?

Young Woman: Why should he care about things like beauty and wealth?

Prabhupāda: Oh. So war is not always impious. Do you understand? Sometimes war, fighting... So far, so far the Vedic conception of life is concerned, there are four classes, four classes: the intelligent class, the administrator class, the mercantile class... Not only Vedic religion, this division is all over the world. There are four classes of men. So for administrative class of men, it is a duty to protect the weak. Sometimes law and order required, violence. Just like the government maintains military, police force because sometimes they are required. So when government employs some police force, some military force, that does not means impious. That is required. Similarly, fighting or violence is not always impious. But a responsible person, he does not take violence unnecessarily. He considers things very nicely, and when there is no other alternative than to use violence, then he uses violence. Just like the government sometimes takes violence upon the citizens. It is not the objective of the government to... (end)

 Bhagavad-gītā 4.15 -- Bombay, April 4, 1974

"That is called māyā."

So this pushing method is given by Caitanya Mahāprabhu personally, Kṛṣṇa personally. Jīv jāgo jīv jāgo gauracānda bole. Gauracandra, Caitanya Mahāprabhu, is asking everyone, "Wake up!" The same dreaming. "Wake up."

jīv jāgo jīv jāgo gauracānda bole

kota nidrā jāo māyā-piśācīra kole

"Why you are sleeping on the lap of this māyā, illusory energy? Why you are sleeping?" Jīv jāgo jīv jāgo gauracānda bole. "Get up."

bhajibo boliyā ese saṁsāra-bhitare

bhuliyā rohile tumi avidyāra bhare

When we were in the womb of our mother, the situation was so troublesome that we remembered at that time Kṛṣṇa. "Kṛṣṇa..."Just like when we are in great trouble we sometimes remember God. Similarly, that condition, packed-up condition, when the child's in the belly... You get consciousness back... Death means unconscious for seven months. That's all. That is death. There is no death. Death means I give up this body, enter the womb of another mother's body. And the mother nourishes by the materials..., the intestine joined with the belly. So mother supplies it through the pipe and the child grows. When it is fully grown, then he gets back his consciousness. So at that time it becomes very much troublesome to remain in that packed-up condition. So those who are pious, virtuous, they remember at that time, "O Kṛṣṇa, I am again put into this condition of..."(laughter) Oh, don't laugh. It is very serious subject. Try to understand.

So everyone has passed this condition, but by the influence of māyā forgets. Bhajibo boliyā ese saṁsāra-bhitare. Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura says, "At that time again I promised: 'This time by coming out of my mother's womb, I shall become a devotee.' " But as soon as he comes out, he becomes forgetful. This is going on. This is going on. 

There is no science, so-called science, who know, the scientists, who know these are facts, how we are passing through repeatedly unpleasant condition. When, as soon as we get a little light with this body, we forget everything. That is called māyā. 

So Caitanya Mahāprabhu said the pushing, the point pushing, enechi auṣadhi māyā nāśibāro lāgi': "Now I have brought this.

 Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 1.1.4 -- London, August 22, 1971

Festival of Prabhupadanugas: Initiation Ceremony

On the auspicious ocaasion of Srivas Acarya's Appearance Day we held initiation ceremony  in which 25 devotees were initiated by His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

Prabhupada is the initiating guru of the society and he confirms it in the following quote:

 Prahupada: "Yes, I am the spiritual master of this institution, and all the members of the society, they're supposed to be my disciples. They follow the rules and regulations which I ask them to follow, and they are initiated by me spiritually."

 March 12, 1968, San Francisco

The devotees who were going to be initiated

 Devotees taking part in fire sacrifice

A Gurukul Student getting his initiated beads and names

A devotee receiving initiation

Lord Jagannath, Shubhadra and Baladeva on this occasion

A devotee from Germany who took initiation

Some grhastha devotees taking initiation

"Asking for alms- an important part of this ceremony"

Sankirtan 

A group photo of the initiated devotees

Instructions given by Srila Prabhupada to the initiated devotees

"No addiction to indulgence in any form of intoxication, including coffee, tea and cigarettes
No illicit sexual relationships
Must be strictly vegetarian
No gambling
And the other standard practices for initiated devotees:
Must attend evening and morning classes
Should not extensively mix with non-devotees
Should not eat food cooked by non-devotees
Should not waste time in idle talks
Should not become engaged in frivolous sports
Should always chant and sing the Lord's Holy Names
Chanting as enunciated by Lord Caitanya is the only means for spiritual realization in this age of dissension. So chant at least 16 rounds daily, and for other help you can ask assistance from your elderly God-brothers.
Hope you are well."

Letter to: Sacisuta — Allston, Mass 30 May, 1968

                                        

Festival of Prabhupadanugas: Jaggannath Shobha Yatra

Devotees gathered for Rath Yatra

Lord of the universe "Jagannath" with Lord Baladeva and

Mother Shubhadra

Shobha Yatra begins....

Devotees enjoying and dancing on harinaam sankirtan

Devotees from all around the world gathered on this occasion

Lecture by Dayalu Nitai Prabhu

Final Arati

Festival of Prabhupadanugas: Visit to ancient temples of Jaipur

Visit to Sri Sri Radha Govind Devji 

 

 Sankirtan at Kalki Ji temple

 Lord Kalki

 Devotees doing Sankirtan at Kanak Vrindavan

A group photo of all the devotees who were on this visit