without faith, you cannot make advance.

Bahulāśva: Śrīla Prabhupāda, sometimes philosophers make a distinction between knowledge and a belief. They say you can believe in something, but that doesn't mean that you necessarily know that thing which you believe in.

 

Prabhupāda: Yes, that's fact. Therefore for the neophytes, less intelligent, they should believe. That is the only way, viśvāsa. So generally mass of people they are not so educated. They should believe.

 

Devotee (6): It says in the Bhāgavatam...

 

Prabhupāda: Therefore in the Caitanya-caritāmṛta it is said that viśvāsa śabde śudṛdha niścaya. Śudṛdha niścaya, kṛṣṇe bhakti kaile sarva-karma kṛta haya. Śraddhā, śraddhā. Śraddhā means faith. So in Christian science also, there is state, faithful. So this faith may be blind, but that is required.

Paramahaṁsa: Like a child.

 

Prabhupāda: Yes. Śraddha-śabde viśvāsa. Śraddhā, faith, means believing firmly. That is śraddhā, or faith. There is no question, "Yes." Śraddha-śabde viśvāsa. Therefore we have to believe in the Vedas. Vedas also says like that. That example I give sometimes, that cow dung is stool. In one place it is said stool is impure; in another place it is said cow dung is pure. Now, one may argue, "What is this, contradiction?" But you have to believe it. That is Veda. And that is actually being done. So without faith, you cannot make advance. The skeptics, they have no faith. Therefore they are lost. You must have faith.

 

Morning Walk —July 21, 1975, San Francisco

What is the value of your invention?

"There are so many they have invented. Just like Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra is prescribed in the śāstras, and they have invented so many. Although there is the name of the Supreme Lord, still you have to follow the śāstra. If you say Rāma Rāma Rāma, RādheRādhe Rādhe, Kṛṣṇa, there are so many mentioned. That is also name, but you have to follow the śāstra. Śāstra says:

Hare Kṛṣṇa Hare Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa Hare Hare

Hare Rāma Hare Rāma Rāma Rāma Hare Hare

You have to take that. Not that you can say, nitāi-gaura rādhe-śyāma, hare kṛṣṇahare rāma, no. Why? Is there any in the śāstra? No, you have invented. What is the value of your invention? You are not perfect. But they like that "It is my guru, I have got some followers, I invent some type of chanting." This is nonsense. You must follow, mahājano yena gataḥ sa panthāḥ [Cc. Madhya 17.186]. You cannot invent. "

 Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 5.5.14—Vṛndāvana, November 2, 1976

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What is this nonsense life?

Prabhupāda: That is everywhere. So that village gentleman, that place I liked.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Would you have agreed to stay with him?

Prabhupāda: I would have been glad. Very nice foodstuff, very nice, clean, and he has got his fresh vegetables, like that.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: How old were you?

Prabhupāda: At that time I was ten years old. Or twelve years. Not more than twelve years. But I liked that place very much. They still presented the foodstuff, fresh. I have been many... Not many. In the village so tasteful, fresh fruit, fresh vegetables, and they cooked so nicely. Nice milk. Everything very nutritious. That life is gone. What is this nonsense life, hanging in the daily buses, outside. Kṛṣṇa advises to live village life, agriculture, and utilize time for understanding your spiritual life. That is... So we are trying to introduce this, this farm life. [break] 

 Room Conversation -- April 19, 1977, Bombay

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Highest Conclusion of evey religion exists in Krishna Consciouness

Now take any religion and take their highest conclusion—it is there in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Take for example Buddhism. They say nonviolence. Oh, we are nonviolent. Christianism, love of God. Oh, we are simply meant for loving God. Mohammedan, servant of God, to render service to the Lord. Oh, we are twenty-four hours engaged in the service of the Lord. Yogis—samādhi, always in samādhi, absorbed in the thought of the Supreme. 

We are always absorbed in the thought of Kṛṣṇa. So take any religion, any process, any well. This river, Kṛṣṇa consciousness, will overflood everyone. There cannot be any comparison. What is there? How much water is there in the well? In the river, unlimited. Thousands of wells can be merged into the river. This example is given. Kasmin tu bhagavo vijñāte sarvam idaṁ vijñātaṁ bhavati. If you know Kṛṣṇa, you know everything.

Lecture on Bhagavad-gītā 2.46-62, Los Angeles, December 16, 1968

"The pure devotees are honored by the names Prabhupāda and Viṣṇupāda"

"To take shelter of the lotus feet of the Lord means to take shelter of the pure devotees. The pure devotees whose only business is serving are honored by the names Prabhupāda and Viṣṇupāda, which indicate such devotees to be representatives of the lotus feet of the Lord. Anyone, therefore, who takes shelter of the lotus feet of a pure devotee by accepting the pure devotee as his spiritual master can be at once purified. 

Such devotees of the Lord are honored equally with the Lord because they are engaged in the most confidential service of the Lord, for they deliver out of the material world the fallen souls whom the Lord wants to return home, back to Godhead. 

Such pure devotees are better known as vice-lords according to revealed scriptures. The sincere disciple of the pure devotee considers the spiritual master equal to the Lord, but always considers himself to be a humble servant of the servant of the Lord [Cc. Madhya 13.80]. This is the pure devotional path."

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 1.1.15

Nirjala Ekadashi Special Instructions

There are following 3 deviations from the original teachings of Srila Prabhupada in a video on Nirjala ekadashi which some devotees are propagating. Just clarifying them so that innocent devotees do not get cheated.

Deviation 1 - Drinking or distributing water on nirjala ekadashi is sin, against the teachings of Sanatana dharma etc. etc. 

Answer 1 - With every ekadashi there is a pastime of Lord Krishna which is also indicated by the name that ekadashi also. Just like on Mohini Ekadashi, the pastime of Mohini took place, on Mokshada ekadashi the pastime of Bhagavad Gita being spoken to Arjuna took place. Similarly on Nirjala Ekadashi the pastime that since Bhima was unable to obeserve every ekadashi so Vyasadeva gave him this special concession that he can observe this one ekadashi without taking even water and it will be considered as fasting for all ekadashis. This concesssion was given by Vyasadeva for Bhima,  not for us. For us all ekadashis are same as will be confirmed by Srila Prabhupada later on in this message.  If we want we can do nirjala on any or all ekadashis depending on our capacities. 

Deviation 2 - Overstressing on fasting without water without referring to preaching which is not in line with Srila Prabhupada's mood.

Answer 2 - Moreover if somebody can fast and go out for preaching that is very good but out of the other 2 classes of devotees one who is fasting and unable to go out for preaching and one who takes ekadashi prasadam and goes out to preach the second is better. This is applicable for all ekadashis,  not just for nirjala. 

Deviation 3 - If someone has missed some ekadashi and if he observes nirjala ekadashi without taking water then he will be excused for the mistake of missing that ekadashi or if someone observes nirjala ekadashi without water he will get the benefit of all ekadashis.

Answer 3 - This is nowhere mentioned by Srila Prabhupada and hence unauthorized.

All the above points can be verified by the following conversations with Srila Prabhupada. 

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Rāmeśvara: On the calendar it says it is Bhīma-ekādaśī.

Prabhupāda: Bhīma-ekādaśī, yes.

Rāmeśvara: So I've been told that if one fasts on Bhīma-ekādaśī, that it is like fasting on all the ekādaśīs. Is that true?

Prabhupāda: Yes. Ekādaśī is meant for fasting, either Bhīma or Arjuna. But we cannot fast, therefore we have to take little fruits and.... Otherwise, ekādaśī means fasting.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: If it is possible, should we go without eating at all?

Prabhupāda: Yes. But don't lie down and sleep.

Mahendra: Eating mahā-prasādam is also fasting.

Prabhupāda: Who says?

Mahendra: You said that to Paramahaṁsa Swami once.

Prabhupāda: And you heard from Paramahaṁsa.

Mahendra: No, I was in the room. It was when he was trying to observe Caturmāsya.

Prabhupāda: I never said that.

Mahendra: Oh, okay, I must have heard wrong.

Prabhupāda: If there is service and, on my fasting, service will be stopped, then I can take. First consideration, service. Now if somebody feels weak, he can take mahā-prasāda, render service.

Morning Walk -- June 7, 1976, Los Angeles

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Note the point made by Srila Prabhupada in the above conversation that for us all ekadashis are same. 

Srila Prabhupada is saying "Yes. Ekadashi is meant for fasting either Bhima or Arjuna"

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Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: I remember you were instructing once that all of your initiated disciples should chant twenty-five rounds...

Prabhupāda: Minimum.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Minimum on this day. Is that a rule that we should all follow in our temples?

Prabhupāda: We are sixteen rounds.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: No, I mean on ekādaśī.

Prabhupāda: Oh yes. Ekādaśī, simply you should chant. No other business. Nirjala.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: No preaching work? Should they go out for preaching?

Prabhupāda: No, those who are preaching, not for them. Those who are sitting idle, or they... (laughter) [break] ...has no other regulation, simply preaching. A preacher is so exalted. He hasn't got to follow any regulation. But don't take it. (laughter) And actually if one is busy in preaching work, that is first-class. [break] ...not my manufactured word, my Guru Mahārāja, that the... That Mādhava Mahārāja, when he was a brahmacārī, his name was Hayagrīva. So he was to go somewhere. So but he was sick. Guru Mahārāja was informed that he was sick and "Today is ekādaśī. He cannot take his regular meals." So Guru Mahārāja said, "No. Let him take immediately meals and go."

Revatīnandana: For preaching. [break]

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa:  ...Mahārāja would sacrifice everything for preaching.

Morning Walk -- July 5, 1975, Chicago

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So the conclusion is that Srila Prabhupada is not laying any special stress on Nirjala Ekadashi for us . If we can we should fast with or without water or ekadashi prasadam according to our capacities on all ekadashis but our service should not stop under any circumstances. Same we should teach others. 

So everything should be understood in the light of our eternal spiritual master Srila Prabhupada's teaching and not by somebody's mental speculation.

Hare Krishna!

Vaishnav Calendar: June 2017

*Vaishnava Calendar JUNE 2017*

Lord Jagannath,Puri,Odisha

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