Thursday, 12 May 2016

This is my magic


Prabhupāda: Yes. I have told them that Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Lord, and they have accepted. This is my magic, and this is their magic. That's all. You ask them if I did any magic with them.

Guest (10): This is magic itself.

Prabhupāda: (laughs) Yes, it is magic. It is magic undoubtedly. But I never created any gold or some other... And neither I do know it, how to do it, although there is no scarcity of gold in my pocket. 

 Morning Darśana and Room Conversation Ramkrishna Bajaj and friends -- January 9, 1977, Bombay

Tuesday, 10 May 2016

DIFFERENCE BETWEEN SEVA AND PUJA:-


Pūjā means I call you and offer you some respectable (indistinct), some foodstuff, and then very much seated very comfortably. Naturally I may ask, "What do you want?" Then I’ll explain, "Give me this. Give me that. Give me that." That is going on. That is called pūjā. 

But those who are worshiping the Supreme Personality of Godhead, that is not called pūjā; that is called sevā, kṛṣṇa-sevā. We never say kṛṣṇa-pūjā. Nobody… Never says like that. Sevā. Sevā means it is my duty. I am eternal servant of Kṛṣṇa. Sevā is my duty. So there is difference between pūjā and sevā. 

Pūjā means I flatter you to satisfy you, and after being satisfied, you may offer me something, or I’ll ask you something and you offer me. That is called pūjā. That is devatā-pūjā. But, so when you come to Kṛṣṇa, or Viṣṇu, that is not pūjā; that is sevā. Sevā. So as Kṛṣṇa is offered sevā, service, similarly His representative, he is also offered sevā.

Srila Prabhupada - Lecture on Śrimad Bhāgvatam, October 22, 1976, Vrindavan

Monday, 9 May 2016

"One should take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, as Kṛṣṇa Himself recommends"


One who has taken birth in the land of Bhārata-varṣa has a full opportunity to study the direct instructions given by Kṛṣṇa in Bhagavad-gītā and thus finally decide what to do in his human form of life. One should certainly give up all other propositions and surrender to Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa will then immediately take charge and relieve one of the results of past sinful life (ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo mokṣayiṣyāmi mā śucaḥ [Bg. 18.66]). Therefore one should take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, as Kṛṣṇa Himself recommends. Man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru: [Bg. 18.65] "Always think of Me, become My devotee, worship Me and offer Me obeisances." This is very easy, even for a child. Why not take this path? One should try to follow the instructions of Kṛṣṇa exactly and thus become fully eligible to be promoted to the kingdom of God (tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti mām eti so'rjuna [Bg. 4.9]). One should go directly to Kṛṣṇa and engage in His service. This is the best opportunity offered to the inhabitants of Bhārata-varṣa. 

 Srimad Bhagavatam 5.19.23



Friday, 6 May 2016

"Kṛṣṇa says. Why you are disappointed?"


Bahavo jñāna-tapasā pūtā mad-bhāvam āgatāḥ. Bahavo, many, did come to Me. How? Jñāna-tapasā, by knowledge and tapasya, being purified, they come to Me.Kṛṣṇa says. Why you are disappointed? You can go. Kṛṣṇa is open. Te 'pi yānti parāṁ gatim. Striya śūdra tathā vaiśya, even the women, less intelligent, the śūdra, vaiśya, they can come. Where is the difficulty? Even if you are born very lowest, you can go. Kṛṣṇa is open to everyone. Simply you become qualified. That's all. And what is the qualification? Man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru [Bg. 18.65], just always think of Me, become My devotee, offer your respects to Me, and man-manā, worship Me. Four things. That... We are opening this temple (in Melbourne) for this purpose, that you always think of Him, you worship Him, you offer obeisances to Him, and become His devotee. And then? Mām evaiṣyasi asaṁśayaḥ [Bg. 18.65], without a doubt you will come to Him. What is the difficulty? There is no difficulty.

Morning Walk -- May 8, 1975, Perth

Wednesday, 4 May 2016

Daṇḍa means "a long rod," and vat means "like."


Daṇḍa means "a long rod," and vat means "like." Before a superior, one has to fall down on the ground just like a stick, and this sort of offering of respect is called daṇḍavat. Atri Ṛṣi offered his respect to the three deities in that way. They were identified by their different carriers and different symbolic representations. In that connection it is stated here that Lord Viṣṇu was sitting on Garuḍa, a big aquiline bird, and was carrying in His hand a disc, Brahmā was sitting on a swan and had in his hand kuśa grass, and Lord Śiva was sitting on a bull and carrying in his hand a small drum called a ḍamaru. Atri Ṛṣi recognized them by their symbolic representations and different carriers, and thus he offered them prayers and respects.

Srimad Bhagavatam 4.1.24

Tuesday, 3 May 2016

Varuthini Ekādaśī-3rd May 2016


In the Bhakti-sandarbha, by Śrīla Jīva Gosvāmī, there is a quotation from the Skanda Purāṇa admonishing that a person who eats grains on Ekādaśī becomes a murderer of his mother, father, brother and spiritual master, and even if he is elevated to a Vaikuṇṭha planet, he falls down. On Ekādaśī, everything is cooked for Viṣṇu, including regular grains and dahi, but it is enjoined that a Vaiṣṇava should not even take viṣṇu-prasāda on Ekādaśī. It is said that a Vaiṣṇava does not accept anything eatable that is not offered to Lord Viṣṇu, but on Ekādaśī a Vaiṣṇava should not touch even mahā-prasāda offered to Viṣṇu, although such prasāda may be kept for being eaten the next day. It is strictly forbidden for one to accept any kind of grain on Ekādaśī, even if it is offered to Lord Viṣṇu.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta-Ādi 15.10