Sharing from Sri Prabandhavali

om ajnana timirandhasya jnananjana salakaya
caksur unmilitam yena tasmai sri gurave namah

O Gurudeva, you are so merciful. I offer my humble pranama unto you and am praying from the core of my heart that, with the torchlight of divine knowledge, you open my eyes which have been blinded by the darkness of ignorance.

I am most fortunate to have been able to hear so much harikatha over the years; to be able to sit and hear classes is something I am unable to properly appreciate, and yet I take notes. Taking notes helps me to concentrate. It is my dear wish that the harikatha I have heard will help me to water my devotional creeper.

I have many notes, and I cannot saying anything for their accuracy, but I am hoping to share a little of those that were taken diligently.

I would like to ask that any and all readers excuse any offenses I may make, and offer my humble dandavat pranamns to all.

Right now, I am reading from Srila Gurudeva's Sri Prabandhavali. This book is a collection of lectures that he spoke in 1989 and 1991, three in English, most in Hindi, at Sri Rupa Sanatana and Sri Keshaviji gaudiya maths in Vrindavana and Mathura dhama.

Here is something I read yesterday:

"We are regularly hearing tattva from scriptures such as the Srimad Bhagavatam and Brhad Bhagavatamrta, but how will others also get the opportunity to hear it?

After hearing it we should take it to many other people, and this is the duty of each and every one of us. With great love we should take harinama and encourage others to chant it. We should hear siddhanta and then help others to understand it."

Both Srila Gurudeva and Srila Swami Maharaja Prabhupada put emphasis on the importance of preaching. I think of all the books I have bought, and all the small books and booklets that automatically came with them, and how I should go out and distribute them! Also, how sweet and wonderful is going on harinama sankirtana with the vaishnavas. How wonderful to see others join us, and to get the chance to speak something on Krishna.

I cannot claim to understand any of the siddhanta. Let us hope for me that this blog will help. =)