Jesus and book distribution - Syamarani didi - - - LA, May 2012

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."

Here is another one!

"If Jesus is actually a pure devotee, than he did not really die, so 'died for his sins,' actually he did not die. He only pretended to die. If Jesus were dead, why worship him anymore? He was resurrected after 3 days. Nowhere in the Bible does it truly say that Jesus died for his sins - that we can keep sinning while he keeps suffering.

"Similarly, 'thou shalt not kill,' etc., what does it mean to accept Jesus? It means to accept guru, accept his instructions. 

"Gurudeva said, the daksina he wants is gratitude.

"If Hindus say that they know everything already [when you try to distribute a book to them], tell them to give the book to their less fortunate friends, or that it is a new publication. Just keep going. It's for Gurudeva!

"This is anxiety-less book distribution. Don't be anxious for the money.

"For Sanskrit titles, tell them it is the oldest language in the world. Give them the meaning of the title in English, so it's more relate-able.

"'How to get high naturally from within without drugs' - line devotees used in the 60s

"Prabhupada said, even if they don't like the books, if they read it, that is smaranam, remembrance.

"Share verses with people you distribute to. Bhagya - van - that person who has all opulences...The names of Krsna that relate to Radha are most powerful because he is most complete with Her. Tell people names of Krsna and stories.

"Think of the people as eternal servants of Krsna, that they do know this [already] and can understand it.

"It is difficult to control the mind but by practice and detachment, you can."

Here's a video I found! Love it!

Srimati Syamarani didi and the Gangamatas

Sukriti and Book Distribution - Syamarani didi - - - LA, May 2012

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."

Recently I went on a beautiful book distribution tour with Jadurani/Syamarani didi and a group of young women. We went all around California having blissful festivals in major cities like Los Angeles and Berkeley. Everywhere we were received very sweetly by devotees, and everywhere people were attracted to the spiritual gem literatures given by our vaisnava acaryas. Also Syamarani didi's posters of art, inspired from the hearts of Srila Prabhupada and Srila Gurudeva, were very popular.

I took some notes during the tour - Syamarani didi spoke on Sri Siksastakam for most of it - and would like to share them.

So here's the first of a series of Syamarani didi posts - my notes are very shorthand and may be difficult to understand. Please forgive me if they are!

Everything in brackets, [], is something she said about herself, so I put it in brackets so that it doesn't get confusing.

Syamarani didi

 

"evam vrtasah priyanarma krtyah...

One who has developed prema is always loving his Lord, dancing, crying, not caring for others. - mood of gopis. If in tune with this mood, then we can be in tune with all entities. We want to be in tune with all living entities. Book distribution is a way to do this.

"As a preacher your mindset changes. [When Syamarani didi does book distribution, all her experiences come into the forefront. She thinks of the Bhagavad Gita As It Is paintings.]

"People gather sukriti - pious credits - by inadvertently serving, too. For example, if someone lets Srila Gurudeva go first in line at the airport - then, they'll get a book, or hear the Hare Krsna mantra, or get a bonafide guru, and surrender to that guru. Even if someone appreciates what we are doing but does not take any book, that gets him sukriti.

"Gurudeva said, 'Keep giving sukriti.' By contact with us book distributors, people get it, and we give it.

"Once connected with Krsna Consciousness, we illuminate, like a light bulb connected to a powerhouse.

Gurudeva said, when you don't know whether your sari is on or off and you're rolling on the ground, then you'll be an effective preacher.

Make your heart one with the goswamis and your gurudeva.

Think of they benefit people are getting, not of yourself. Preach and distribute books for benefit of the humans and the animals. If the humans read these books they won't kill the animals.

Our preaching is like throwing a butterfly wing into a pond - not much ripple created. But if Gurudeva tells us to [preach, distribute books], his power goes with us. Gurudeva is with us making it all happen. He is the doer. 

Practically try to assess the needs of the person, ask them what they're interested in, if they have any questions. etc. 

Gurudeva is more powerful than Visvamitra Muni, Narada Muni, etc. He can come in another body. He can do anything. He is all merciful and his mercy is ever increasing."

Srila Gurudeva, ki JAI!!

"Sundara Bala Saci Dulala"

Sundara Bala Saci Dulala

 

(1)

sundara-bālā śacī-dulālā

nācata śrī-hari-kīrtana meń

bhāle candana tilaka manohara 

alakā śobhe kapolana meń

1) This gorgeous boy is the darling child of mother Saci, dancing in the kirtana of chanting Lord Hari’s names. His forehead is adorned with drawings of sandalwood paste, and His enchanting locks of hair are shining in a splendorous fashion as they bounce upon His cheeks.

(2)

śire cūḍā daraśi bāle

vana-phula-mālā hiyāpara dole

pahirana pīta-paṭāmbara śobhe 

nūpura ruṇu-jhunu caraṇo meń

 2) His hair is wrapped in a topknot, and a garland of forest flowers sways upon His chest. Wearing brilliant yellow silken garments, He dances with ankle bells tinkling upon His feet.

(3)

rādhā-kṛṣṇa eka tanu hai

nidhuvana-mājhe baḿśī bājāy

viśvarūpa ki prabhujī sahi 

āota prakaṭahi nadīyā meń

 3) Sri Sri Radha and Krsna have become joined in one body, and together They play a flute within the grove of Nidhuvana. In this mood, the Lord of Visvarupa has come and manifested Himself in the town of Nadiya.

(4)

koi gāyata hai rādhā-kṛṣṇa nām

koi gāyata hai hari-guṇa gān

mańgala-tāna mṛdańga rasāla 

bājata hai koi rańgaṇa meń

 4) Someone in that kirtana sings the names of Radha and Krsna, someone else sings songs of Lord Hari’s transcendental qualities, while others play the auspicious rhythms of the sweet and relishable mrdanga drums. All this takes place in that spectacular performance.

source link 

Srimati Radharani

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."

A friend mailed me this beautiful excerpt from a book by Srila BR Sridhara Maharaja; here he is speaking on the brahma gayatri mantra, which women do not have (it makes women hard-hearted, but softens mens' hearts, I've read), still it is very beautiful and applicable to any meditation one is doing on Srimati Radharani:

"Radha-dasyam, the service of Srimati Radharani,
is the ultimate meaning to be extracted from the
gayatri mantra. That is the supreme end of our
life. It cannot but be so. Srimad-Bhagavatam is
the ultimate or full-fledged theism to be
extracted from the Vedas, Upanisads, and so
many scriptures. All the revealed truth rises to
its acme, to its highest position, in the
conception given by Srimad-Bhagavatam. And
Srimad-Bhagavatam teaches us that the highest
realization, self-determination, is the service of
Srimati Radharani - that under her guidance we
may serve Sri Krsna. We aspire for a direct
connection with her service.

"...The very gist of svarupa-sakti is
Srimati Radharani, and the whole svarupa-sakti
is her extended self. The town of her beautiful
service is the whole svarupa-sakti.
Just as rays of light extend from the sun, the
whole internal potency is an extension of
Mahabhava, Sri Radhika. She has developed
herself into such a beautiful area of brilliance, of
internal energy, and thereby she serves her Lord.
All these necessary things have sprung from her.

"To help her in serving her Lord, they all come out.
When the entire internal energy is condensed in a
concise form, it is Mahabhava, Radharani. And
when Radharani wants to serve, she extends
herself in limitless different ways. And with
some contribution from Baladeva and Yogamaya,
the whole spiritual world, including Vrndavana,
Mathura, and Vaikuntha, evolves to assist Srimati
Radharani in the service of Sri Krsna."

Srila Vrndavana das Thakur ki jai!

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."

the deities of Srila Vrndavana das Thakur

Here is a link to a sweet biography of Srila Vrndavana das Thakur: Sri Vrndavana das Thakur

Srila Vrndavana das Thakur was the last disciple of Sri Nityananda Prabhu. Jai! He wrote the Caitanya Bhagavata,, and beautiful, beautiful songs, one of which is the following, Jaya Jaya Nityananda Rohini Kumar:

(1)

jaya jaya nityananda rohini-kumara

patita uddhara lagi su-bahu pasara

(2)

gada gada madhura madhura adha bola

pare dekhe gare preme dhari deya khola

(3)

dagamaga locana ghoraye nirantara

sonara kamale yena phiraye bhramara

(4)

dayara thakura nita-i para duhkha jane

hari-namera mala ganthi dila jane jane

(5)

papi pasandi yata karila dalane

dina hina jane kaila prema bitarane

(6)

aha re gauranga bali pade bhumi-tale

sarira bhijila nita-ira nayanera jale

(7)

brndabana dasa mane e-i bicarila

dharani upare kiba sumeru padila

(1) Glory, glory to Lord Nityananda. He is Lord Balarama Himself. To deliver the fallen sinners He extends His two arms.

(2) His half words spoken in a choked voice are the sweetest nectar. Whomever He sees He hugs in the ecstasy of spiritual love.

(3) His eyes are always restless. They are like two black bees flying among golden lotus flowers.

(4) Lord Nitai is the master of mercy. Seeing the people tormented by troubles, He strings for them a necklace of Lord Hari’s holy names. To person after person He gives that necklace.

(5) The arrogant blasphemers and sinners He rips into shreds. To the poor fallen people He gives the gift of ecstatic spiritual love.

(6) Calling out, “O! O Gauranga!”, He falls to the ground. His whole body is soaked with tears.

(7) In his heart Vrndavana dasa thinks: Now Lord Nityananda is like a golden Mount Sumeru fallen to the ground.

Here is a video of Srila Gurudeva in Sridham Mayapura glorifying Sri Vrndavana das Thakur:

Srila Gurudeva glorifies Sri Vrndavana das Thakur

"If you want to do anything good to the world, talk about Krsna."

“If you want to do anything good to the world, talk about Krsna. Try to distribute Him— - He who can compensate for all other alternatives. Only try to distribute that central, absolute thing to help the people and the environment, and don'’t have any other sort of duty.

"Only try to distribute this teaching of sarva-dharmän parityajya, mäm ekam saranam vraja to whomever you meet. If you want to do good to others, only give this highest thing. Engage yourself in this way and you will become more and more confirmed in your position, and so many others will be benefitted. No other more holy duty than this can be there."

- Srila BR Sridhar Maharaja, commenting on CC Madhya 7.128
From The Rays of the Harmonist no. 9, Winter 2001

"I am not a servant of A, B, C, or D. I am a servant of Mahaprabhu."

"I am not a servant of A, B, C, or D. I am a servant of Mahaprabhu. I may have to turn this way or that way, or whatever way will be favorable to reach my Lord. Wherever I feel the presence of my Lord in an intense form, I must be attracted to that side. We are out for that thing, and not for any fashion or formality; that will hamper our cause.

"Krsna says, sarva-dharman parityajya, mam ekam saranam vraja. Wherever we  shall find him, we must run in that direction. The direction may not be always straight. It may go in a zigzag way, but if Krsna comes from that side, I must run there. Again if he appears on this side, I must run to this side. My interest is with him. Not that we can challenge, "Why did Krsna appear here, and why is he appearing there? That may be a doubtful thing, so I must stay on this side." No. If I have genuine appreciation for the real thing, the proper thing, I must go to that side, the side of Krsna."

[ Sri Guru and His Grace, p. 108, Copyright @1983, by Gaurdian of Devotion Press]