Our Glorious Master - Songs for Liberation

"When we hear songs by the Vaisnava, that is for liberation."
Arrival Address -- Denver, June 27, 1975

Reading Bhagavad Gita is hearing from Krishna directly

This is the way of the parampara system. If we follow the acaryas, we attain the same benefit as our predecessors. If one follows the decisions of Arjuna, he should be considered to be directly hearing Bhagavad-gita from the Supreme Personality of Godhead. There is no difference between hearing Bhagavad-gita directly from the Supreme Lord and following a personality like Arjuna, who formerly heard Bhagavad-gita directly from the Lord. Sometimes foolish people argue that since Krsna is not present at the moment, one cannot take direct instructions from Him. Such foolish people do not know that there is no difference between directly hearing Bhagavad-gita and reading it, as long as one accepts Bhagavad-gita as it is, spoken by the Lord. However, if one wants to understand Bhagavad-gita by his imperfect interpretations, one cannot possibly understand the mysteries of Bhagavad-gita, even though one may be a great scholar according to mundane estimation.

(Srimad Bhagavatam  4.30.10)

Yesterday's Shayan Arti Darshan, Sri Radha Govind Dev Ji Jaipur

Close up view of Govind Dev Ji

Sri Sri Lalita Vishakha rowing the boat.

Sri Sri Radha Govind Devji Ladden with flowers and Garlands

Can we request Krsna to force us to surrender to Him, due to our conditioning?

Devotee: Can we request Krsna to force us to surrender to Him, due to our conditioning?

Prabhupada: Yes, you can request Him. And He sometimes forces. He puts you in such circumstances that you have no other way than to surrender to Krsna. Yes. That is special favor. That is special favor.

Lecture-Day after Sri Gaura-Purnima -- Hawaii, March 5, 1969

He must be authorized

"Self-made guru cannot be guru. He must be authorized by the bona fide guru. Then he's guru. This is the fact...Similarly; bona fide guru means he must be authorized by the superior guru." 

Srila Prabhupada, Nectar of Devotion lecture, October 31, 1972

Dhoop Darshan of Sri Radha Govind Dev Ji, 6th July 2015

Don't spoil the movement

"So don't spoil the movement by manufacturing ideas. Don't do that. Go on in the standard way, keep yourself pure; then movement is sure to be successful. But if you want to spoil it by whimsical, then what can be done? It will be spoiled. If you manufacture whims and disagree and fight amongst yourself, then it will be another edition of these so-called movements. It will lose the spiritual strength. Always remember it. You cannot.... Now, actually, people are surprised: "What this Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra has got power that it is changing so quickly?" And on the other hand, it is to be admitted, unless it has got power, how it is changing? So we have to keep that power. Don't make it an ordinary musical vibration. It is a different thing, spiritual. Although it seems like musical vibration, but it is spiritual, completely. Mantrauśadhi-vaśa. Even, by mantra, the snakes can be charmed. So mantra is not ordinary sound vibration. So we have to keep the mantra in potency, potent, by offenseless chanting, by remaining pure. If you pollute the mantra, then it will lose its effect."

Srila Prabhupada's Room Conversation -- April 27, 1976, Auckland, New Zealand