Begin from the Root

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."

Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayan Gosvami Maharaja:

Begin from the root of the tree and climb up from there.

Srila Vallabhacarya's bhajana, Sri Madhurastakam, tells us that everything is sweet (madhura) about Krsna, the original lord of sweetness. His Yamuna is madhura, His nikunjas (groves wherein Radha and Krsna perform their confidential amorous pastimes) are madhura, and His flute playing and sidelong glances are also very sweet.

Who is actually speaking about the sweetness of Krsna here? Is it Kamsa Maharaja, Aghasura, Bakasura, or Putana? Radhika herself is telling this; She alone is qualified to speak in this way. The history behind Her words is that a sakhi once told Her, "Krsna has left Vrndavana. He now has 16,108 queens, and millions of others also want to marry Him. Why do you have so much love and affection for that crooked Krsna? He has no love for you and no love for Vrndavana. Give Him up and try to forget Him forever." Srimati Radhika replied, "O sakhi, what you are saying is true, but I cannot forget Him. Everything about Him is so sweet"

Demons like Kamsa, Jarasandha, Duryodhana, Putana, Bakasura, Aghasura, Kesi, Canura, and Mustika were seeing that very same Krsna, but they thought of Him as a very cruel, powerful, and dangerous enemy. They did not see or experience His sweetness.

Do you know why I am speaking in this way? These demons are against Krsna. Therefore instead of experiencing His sweetness, they simply experience their own enmity. Similarly, if we imagine that we are meditating on Krsna's asta-kaliya-lila and we have not reached the stage of rati, we will also not experience His sweetness. Rather, we will experience our own lusty and other material desires. In this connection, Kamsa and other demons represent our material desires. Krsna, and the realization of the sweetness of Krsna, is our goal, but do not try to "jump up to the top of the tree." Begin from the root of the tree and climb up from there; then you can realize your goal.

aspiring to serve,
Rain-drop

Sri Adwaita Acarya

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."

Sri Adwaita Acarya

Today is the birthday of Advaita Acarya. He is very powerful, as can be especially understood by the fact that He brought Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu to this world. Otherwise, there was no certainty when Caitanya Mahaprabhu would come. Krsna, in the form of Caitanya Mahaprabhu, wanted to come; but if He would have come by His own sweet will, perhaps He would have done so at the end of Kali-yuga. Advaita Acarya called Him with Tulasi leaves, which are also very powerful. Along with offering Tulasi and Ganges water, Advaita Acarya called to Krsna: “Come at once; otherwise I will manifest My four arms and destroy the entire world.” He then heard an aerial voice: “Please don’t worry. Everything will be managed.” Sripad Madhava Maharaja: Krsna had some fear that Advaita would destroy the world, so He came.
 Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: Very soon after that, Krsna appeared in the form of Caitanya Mahaprabhu to manifest His pastimes. It is for this reason that Advaita Acarya is called Gaura-ana Thakura, which means: “He who brought Caitanya Mahaprabhu.” He is also called Nada, which means: “He who can shake the throne of Krsna.” Advaita Acarya called, “Please come, Please come,” and Krsna came. Advaita Acarya Prabhu ki jaya! Jaya ho!

- 2001 lecture, Perth, Australia 

"Vaidhi bhakti is not artificial"

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."

 

 

 

[Srila Narayan Gosvami Maharaja:] Vaidhi-bhakti is not artificial. If you pray, "Oh Krsna, please remove all my anarthas (bad thoughts and habits). Be pleased with me and give me pure bhakti," that is not artificial. And, if a devotee is engaging in sravanam (hearing Krsna's names and glories), kirtanam (chanting His names and glories), visnu smaranam (remembering Him), this is not artificial.

[Jaganatha dasa:] But in vaidhi-bhakti, sometimes one has to force himself to think and act properly.

[Srila Narayan Gosvami Maharaja:] No harm - this is practice. If your mind is not fixed in one-pointed devotion, then you must bring it back from the other places. You are hearing hari-katha - this is not artificial. You are performing kirtana - this is not artificial. You are worshiping - this is not artificial.

Source: Two Morning Walks

Don't be worried about your future

"Sincerely perform hari bhajana and serve Hari, guru, and vaisnavas. By doing so, you will never encounter any problem, but the moment you think of your own happiness, various types of problems will arise before you. Don't be worried about your future, because your spiritual guardians, sri guru and vaisnavas are worrying for that."

- Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayana Goswami Maharaja

"Your life should be given to Krsna"

"Initiation alone will not do. Practically follow all of my instructions. Merely taking initiation but not following is not sufficient. Positively follow and you will see that, atma samprasidyati, your soul will always be happy. No obstruction will come.

"We should strongly accept that which is favorable for bhakti and we should at once reject that which is unfavorable. Then progress will be made.

"Your life should be given to Krsna. Go on chanting and remembering. Be satisfied with whatever Krsna is doing."

"Never are you alone"

 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."

"Krsna and Guru are in your heart, so don't feel this - that I am alone. Never are you alone; He who has created you is always with you."

- HDG Srila BV Narayana Gosvami Maharaja

Spiritual Greed

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."

Quote:

"If there is no greed, then yukti, or logical argument, will influence our
consideration as to whether we should, or should not, pray
for this attainment. If there is greed, no reasoning is needed.
Our rāgānuga-sādhana will be kept very sacred and secret, and
we will desire to meet with those persons who have a keen
interest in such sādhana. We will not discuss these topics with
anyone else.

"At that time there will be no need for sastric yukti; no need
to become convinced by sastric reasoning or logic. Suppose a
man loves a lady, or a lady loves a man. There is no reason why
the lady loves that man; she simply saw him and fell in love
with him. Greed is like that.

"We should try to perform vaidhī-bhakti always, thinking,
'I am performing vaidhī-bhakti by the grace of Ƙṛṣṇa, who is
so merciful.' Greed will come later on. The practices of both
are one; there is no difference. Some difference is there, but
no real difference.

"If a blind man prays for something, there is no harm in
that. 'I want to be in Vṛndāvana.' What harm is there in such
desire? 'I want to serve my Gurudeva in transcendental Goloka
Vṛndāvana.' There is no harm in this desire. We should avoid
thinking, 'I am a gopī, a mañjarī. I am doing this and that
service.' We are not qualified to go there, so we pray for that
qualification."

- Srila Gurudeva in Raga-vartma-chandrika

Happiness

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 a beautiful Gurudeva picture along with a quote:

"In this world we see that if I make happy those who are very close to me, then only I am happy. But these relationships are self-centered and by self-interest we do not get any satisfaction. But real satisfaction will come, like Srila Bhaktivinode Thakura is saying [in his Saranagati, 'amara bolite prabhu! are kichu nai...], if you are trying to please Nityananda Prabhu and to please Krsna and Srimati Radhika - then, Their pleasure automatically brings you happiness."

Jai Srila Gurudeva!

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.

nama om vishnu padaya radhikayai priyatmane sri srimad bhaktivedanta narayana iti namine

I offer pranama to om vishnupada Sri Srimad Bhaktivedanta Narayana Maharaja, who is very dear to Srimati Radhika.

sri krishna lila kathane sudaksam
audarya madhurya gunais ca yuktam
varam varenyam purusam mahantam
narayanam tvam sirasa namami

Srila Narayana Maharaja is expert in describing krsna-lila. He is endowed with the qualities of magnanimity and sweetness, and he is the best of the great souls. Because he is always relishing Krsna's sweetness, he is able to freely distribute that sweetness to others. I bow down and place my head at his lotus feet.

tridandinam bhakta siromanim ca sri krsna padabja dhrtaika hrdi
caitanya lilamrta sara saram narayanam tvam satatam prapadye

Tridandi-sannyasi Srila Narayana Maharaja, the crown jewel of devotees, always keeps in his heart the lotus feet of Radha and Krsna, especially when Krsna serves Srimati Radhika. He deeply meditates on Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu and the internal reasons for His descent. I bow down to the lotus feet of Srila Narayana Maharaja, who possesses innumerable transcendental qualities.

= = =

Tomorrow is the holy disappearance day of my beloved spiritual master, Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayana Goswami Maharaja. I do not know where to begin in glorifying him or sharing his pastimes and sweetness. I do not feel at all qualified to speak on him in any way, and yet tomorrow I will be asked to speak, and I do want to say something.

Earlier in the year I wrote a poem for him...perhaps I will write another poem. This morning at the temple I live at we spoke on verse 11.11.32 of the Srimad Bhagavatam, in which 28 qualities of a saintly person are described. We picked the first two - merciful, and not taking offense even when people say offensive things about him - and spoke on how Srila Gurudeva is a perfect example of these two qualities.

Many times people would slander my Gurudeva horribly, but he said he considered them as children, and did not take offense. To each who came to him, he would treat them very affectionately. And to those who, very late, realized his potency and purity, he accepted their offerings.

I have one close person to me who, during my Gurudeva's last tour of the West, made a garland for him - after years of feeling unfavorable and disinclined to his lotus feet - and at first he simply let the garland stay on his table in front of him. She thought, "Maybe I am too offensive, so he won't accept it." Then my Gurudeva accepted that garland, and wore it for the whole class (which he doesn't usually do). How merciful! And just see how he does not take offense.

There is so much to say on Gurudeva...I did not get a lot of association, but even just a glance from him was association and filled with nectar. I have never met anyone else who could affect me so. He could make me cry with a laugh, or make me feel about to burst with happiness. His gaze was very sweet, and he could convey so much just by it - chastisement, or joy, approval, so many things.

Once, I was sitting in class and he looked at me. His gaze was so powerful. Just by having him look into my eyes with his beautiful blue eyes, I felt blessed. I wanted to share that glance with him forever. But his gaze was so powerful! I was the first to look away. Perhaps he was slicing anarthas away from me with his glance, and that was why I could not keep my gaze locked with his - I am so material and offensive.


I also feel so blessed to have offered him a little service, just a little. Each year I would greet him every morning with flowers. It felt like I was offering my heart, and it felt like each flower bound me tighter and tighter to Srila Gurudeva. One year, I worked at a booth selling posters of Syamarani didi's art inspired by Srila Gurudeva's transcendental harikatha and rose-like heart. When my Gurudeva heard that I had helped in this service, he gave me a very brilliant, sweet smile. I felt like it was a shot of love injected in my heart to stay there forever. That was one of the times I had made extra effort to serve him; it was one of the first times I felt, "Oh, I belong to this person - not to myself, not to family, but to him, this beautiful personality smiling at me."

He has so much love...it can flood the universe. I feel so indebted to have received that love...I am a small, nothing person, who does not learn - even after years of hearing his harikatha, I did not follow, I do not follow, I remain so confused and lost sometimes - and yet he accepted me, and he will never, ever let go. It is said that just ONE MOMENT with a pure devotee makes one's life successful...so how fortunate am I, to have gotten momentS, days, with His Divine Grace Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayana Goswami Maharaja? It is truly making the impossible possible, that I can have hope of serving Srimati Radhika and Krsna - and Gurudeva has given me this hope.

I want to share a song he wrote:

LYRICS:

(Refrain)

vraja-jana-mana-sukhakārī

rādhe syām syāmā syām

(1)

mor mukuṭa makarākṛta-kuṇḍala, gala vaijayantī-māla,

caraṇana nūpura rasāla

rādhe syām syāmā syām

(2)

sundara vadana kamala-dala locana, bākī cita-vana-hārī,

mohana-vaḿśī-vihārī

rādhe syām syāmā syām

(3)

vṛndāvana mê dhenu carāve, gopī-jana manahārī

śrī govardhana-dhārī

rādhe syām syāmā syām

(4)

rādhā-kṛṣṇa mili aba dou, gaura-rūpa avatārī

kīrtana dharma pracārī

rādhe syām syāmā syām

(5)

tum vinā mere aur na koi, nāma-rūpa avatārī

caraṇana meń balihārī,

nārāyaṇa balihārī,

rādhe syām syāmā syām

TRANSLATION

(Refrain) Krsna gives happiness in the hearts of all the Vrajavasis - Radhe! Syama! Syama! Syama!

1) He wears a peacock feather mukut, swinging makara-shaped earrings and a vaijayanti garland around His neck, and the sound of His anklebells is full of rasa! Radhe! Syama! Syama! Syama!

2) His lotus face is very beautiful and His eyes are like lotus-petals. Wandering here and there, He charms everyone with His flute and threefold curved form! Radhe! Syama! Syama! Syama!

3) In Vrndavana He tends the cows in the pastures, steals the gopis' minds, and holds up Sri Govardhana Hill! Radhe! Syama! Syama! Syama!

4) Sri Radha-Krsna have united and now the two have come as the beautiful golden avatara, preaching kirtana-dharma. Radhe! Syama! Syama! Syama!

5) I have no one but You in this world. You descend as the avatara of the beautiful name and beautiful form. Your lotus feet fill me with wonder - so this Narayana is filled with delight! Radhe! Syama! Syama! Syama!

Jai Srila Gurudeva! May his glories spread everywhere, and may I some day get the dust of his lotus feet not only externally, but internally, so that I can understand his heart and please him to the utmost...

- in service of sri guru and vaisnavas

Srila Bhakti Pramode Puri Goswami Maharaja

I am unable to post pictures at this time, due to a horrible internet connection. I am sorry!


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.


Again I have not been posting, and again, please accept my humble apologies. Recently, roughly a week ago, we celebrated the auspicious appearance day of Srila Bhakti Pramode Puri Maharaja, pictured above.

Please enjoy this appreciation by Srila Gurudeva of Srila Maharaja, published in the Harmonist magazine:

Srila Gurudeva's offering to Srila Bhakti Pramode Puri Goswami Maharaja

The Way to Transcendence

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.


Lately I have not been able to post daily, weekly, even monthly. In order to rectify this, I am going to start a new thing - short posts with quotes from our guruvarga and vaisnavas. That way I can still get a post in and share, but I can have time for other things. Right now it is Kartik, and here in Srila Gurudeva's New Braj, we are doing daily parikrama. This week is especially busy because we are preparing for Govardhan Puja! =) Jai!

Also I am doing evening pujari service for Sri Sri Radha Govinda. Pictures of them soon!

Here is our quote today:

Srila Gurudeva (Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayana Goswami Maharaja):

"You should know that the transcendental names and pastimes of Krsna are all transcendental. Our body, our senses, our tongue, and our ears are material. They can never reach transcendence. There is only one process by which they can touch it. By praying, praying, praying to the lotus feet of gurudeva and Krsna, they will come and they will be in oneness with our tongue, ears, senses, and hearts."

- 29 April 2001

The Spotless Authority

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 about to begin memorizing the following verse, which Srila Gurudeva wanted all his disciples to learn:

aradhyo bhagavan vrajesa-tanayas tad-dhama vrndavanam ramya kacid upasana vraja-vadhu-vargena va kalpita srimad bhagavatam pramanam amalam prema pum-artho mahan sri-caitanya mahaprabhor matam idam tatradarah na parah

"The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord Krishna, the son of Nanda Maharaja, is worshipped along with His transcendental abode Vrndavana. The most pleasing form of worship for the Lord is that which was performed by the gopis of Vrndavana. Srimad Bhagavatam is the spotless authority on everything and pure love of Godhead is the ultimate goal of life for all men. These statements, for which we have the highest regard, are the opinion of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu."

- (Caitanya-matta-manjusa by Srila Viswanatha Cakravarti Thakura)

The Srimad Bhagavatam is the spotless authority on everything! wow! That is amazing. To think, we have the answers right there in that book. It will show us how to get the goal of life. Srila Prabhupada said this - he says it in his Preface to the 1st Canto of Srimad Bhagavatam - that by reading Srimad Bhagavatam, in order, by the end "one will know God perfectly well."

How merciful are the Lord and His devotees, to give us this gem? It is spotless, without flaw. We can consult it on anything. And ANYONE can read it! Prabhupada says further in his Preface that, "The only qualification one needs to study this great book of transcendental knowledge is to proceed step by step cautiously, and not jump forward haphazardly as with an ordinary book."

So, it is important that we read the Srimad Bhagavatam in order. Then we can reap full benefit.

Further glorification of Srimad Bhagavatam from the Bhagavatam itself:

"On the other hand, that literature which is full with descriptions of the transcendental glories of the name, fame, form and pastimes of the unlimited Supreme Lord is a transcendental creation meant to bring about a revolution in the impious life of a misdirected civilization. Such transcendental literatures, even though irregularly composed, are heard, sung, and accepted by purified men who are thoroughly honest."

(Bhagavatam, 1.5.11, namanty anantasya yaso...)

I feel so fortunate to have heard Srila Gurudeva speak on this gem so many times. And yet, how much have I heard, and really taken in? Even so, I know I am fortunate to have had the transcendental power of his voice, his sweet harikatha, enter my ears, and I can only aspire to hear one day properly, to "take it in to [my] heart," as he instructed us to at the end of each class of his. And! Just today, I heard from one didi that these transcendental personalities like Srila Gurudeva and Srila Prabhupada, they give us the power to follow their instructions. So we know that even if we can't follow in this life, in some lifetime we can, and we should try for sooner rather than later, right? Srila Rupa Goswami tells us in his Upadesamrta to have both enthusiasm and patience in the path to bhakti (two of the six favorable qualities, Verse 3).

There is so much more to be said on that Bhagavatam verse, especially about the esteemed gopis of Sri Vrndavana dhama, and the topmost gopi, Srimati Radhika. I am not qualified to say anything. Here is more from Srila Gurudeva on the meaning of that verse, aradhyo bhagavan...

"Here, vraja-vadhu means the mood in which the gopis of Vraja worship Krsna, and the Srimad Bhagavatam is the immaculate scriptural evidence to verify this.

"We are so happy to invite all the vaisnavas just after Kartika to join in this program at Gopinath Bhavan on the bank of the Yamuna River. We have only one request. Listen attentively to drink this nectar. The benefit of hearing Srimad Bhagavatam is inestimable. The topmost achievement of the human form of life is krsna-prema."

Jai! Gaura Premanande!

One should endeavor with great eagerness for spiritual attachment

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.

Today I am sharing from Srila Raghunath Das Goswami's Sri Manah Siksa. This book has the commentary of Srila Bhaktivinode Thakura and Srila Gurudeva. Gurudeva instructs that we should read Upadesamrta, then Manah Siksa, etc. So this book is very important. I actually haven't read it before, so I was happy to read it. I might read it again, because there is so much in it, and I sortof whisked through it; I'm not able to take it all in, anyway.

Just think! Manah Siksa before Upadesamrta. And both of those before Bhagavad Gita...I find Upadesamrta intimidating, myself. So many things in it and Manah Siksa are beyond...but I guess it's supposed to be like that. They tell us the goal. Gurudeva says that Bhagavad Gita is the doorway to surrender; the doorway to Srimad Bhagavatam.
Anyway, the topic of this bit is, spiritual attachment versus material attachment, how spiritual attachment is true attachment -atma rati, our soul's attachment - and should be endeavored for with eagerness.

This part of the commentary is by Srila Gurudeva:

Apurva Rati
Atma rati or rati of the soul is pure rati (spiritual attachment). The jiva is by nature a servant of Krsna. Pure krsna-rati is present in his spiritual form. But when the jiva is diverted from Krsna and bound by maya, his rati (material attachment) is directed toward perishable material objects. This perverted rati which is connected with maya is incidental and distressful.

It is only in pure krsna-bhakti that rati of the soul finds its place. In other words, pure krsna-prema is itself atma-rati, because Sri Krsna is the Supersoul of all souls. In its mature state, the more this pure atma-rati evolves, the more it is known as apurva-rati or unprecedented spiritual attachment.

Atitaram kuru: Make Intensive Endeavors
One should endeavor with great eagerness to obtain atma-rati. One should not remain complacent thinking that bhakti will arise of its own accord by some good fortune. The more one's spiritual strength increases, the more the effects of one's karmic activities will diminish, and without doubt one will obtain the mercy of pure devotees and the Supreme Lord.
The purport of this instruction is that as long as the desire for reward-seeking activity is not diminished by the association of devotees, sraddha will not arise. As long as sraddha or deep faith does not arise, one is unfit to hear and assimilate harikatha and spiritual instructions.

When, by good fortune, paramarthika or transcendental sraddha arises, one should take shelter of a diksa-guru and receive the sri yugala-mantra. Having obtained this mantra, one should worship the diksa and siksa gurus with intense attachment or atma-rati.

One should not be satisfied simply to offer respect to Sri Gurudeva considering him to be a mere sage. Rather, one should serve him with love and devotion, accepting him as one's dearest friend and well-wisher. The three kinds of Vaisnava devotees - kanistha, madhyama, and uttama - should be offered respects suitably and received with affection. One should cultivate true attachment to harinama and the mantra given by one's diksa guru. Considering Sri Sri Radha-Krsna Yugala to be one's life and soul, one should take shelter at Their lotus feet.

I really enjoyed reading this. I found it very encouraging, and I also feel like it explains why so many times I heard Gurudeva, but I didn't *really* hear, because I still have material desires. I feel encouraged, like if I just take shelter of guru and cultivate love and affection, I will be okay; Gurudeva said that guru and Krsna are always supporting and protecting us. So of course, they are taking care of me, too.

Dear Srila Gurudeva...

The other day, I was reading with some very sweet vaishnavis the 10th chapter of the 10th Canto of Srimad Bhagavatam. In this chapter, in one particular verse, it is described how Mother Yashoda would sing Krsna's pastimes while churning yogurt. In the purport to this verse, Srila Prabhupada says how one used to create poems in order to remember something. He glorifies Mother Yashoda for singing about Krsna while She works.

In a video at this year's New Braj festival, Srila Gurudeva spoke similarly. He instructed that whatever we are doing during the day, during this activity we should sing, "Govinda Damodara Madhaveti, Govinda Damodara Madhaveti..." Also, one vaishnavi said that Gurudeva told that he wanted his disciples to write something each day.

In light of all this, I have decided to write some devotional poetry. This idea occurred to before, during Kartik last year, but I did not follow up on it. Now, I have more desire to.

So here is one small, simple, not very good humble poem to Srila Gurudeva:

Dear Srila Gurudeva,
I want to love you more than I love anyone or anything else.

But I am out of breath
For Maya never rests

She chases me from behind
I hold onto her, so unkind

To myself, moment after moment
When will I relent, and repent?

I have made so much offense
To your lotus feet, which are rinsed

With drops of prem that emanate from you.
Give me strength to serve, and my life will renew.

Only by service can I gain affection, so sweet
For you, and be transported to Radha's lotus feet.

Jai Srila Gurudeva!

I will try to find the video I mentioned. I had the link before, but now I am not sure where it is. I will try to post it later. It is VERY sweet! It is in a class where Srila Gurudeva speaks on Srila Prabhupada's Upadesamrta purports - specifically tan nama rupa caritadi sukirtananu, that verse.

The Mercy of Srila Rupa Goswami

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.
Today I am sharing some more nectar about Srila Rupa Goswami. My last post was about Srila Rupa Goswami in his manjari form, where he serves Srimati Radhika very intimately in the form of a young gopi girl. This post will be about Srila Rupa Goswami in his sadhaka form, who heard from Mahaprabhu and knew His moods.

For example, when Mahaprabhu recited a mundane poem at Rathayatra about a person missing their lover, Rupa Goswami knew the true, deeper, inner meaning behind Mahaprabhu reciting this verse. He wrote the following in response:

priyah so’yam krsnah sahacari kuru-ksetra-militas tathaham sa radha tad idam ubhayoh sangama-sukham tathapy antah-khelan-madhura-murali-pancama-juse mano me kalindi-pulina-vipinaya sprhayati


"My dear friend, now I have met My old and dear friend Krsna on
this field of Kurukshetra. I am the same Radharani, and now we are
meeting together. It is very pleasant, but I would still like to go to
the bank of the Yamuna beneath the trees of the forest there. I
wish to hear the vibration of His sweet flute playing the fifth note
within that forest of Vrndavana.”

Srila Gurudeva spoke a class in Vrndavana in 1998 about the cleverness and excellency of Srila Rupa Goswami, his writings, and his mood for Srimati Radhika:

"All of the associates of Krsna act as if they are dumb when it comes to expressing themselves about their own loving exchanges with Sri Krsna. They personally relish Krsna’s pastimes, but they cannot tell anything about their experiences. Radhika will also not tell anything about how She meets with Krsna. Sometimes, in the early morning, Syamala visits Srimati Radhika and asks, “I want to hear something from You. I want to take bath in hearing Your krsna-katha; I want to hear how You met with Krsna last night.” Srimati Radhika replies, “I don’t remember. I went there and I saw Him, and then I fainted, and I don’t know anything about what happened after that.”

Srila Rupa Gosvami's samadhi at the Sri Radha-Damodara Mandira in Vrndavana

"If Candravali asks what happened, Radhika’s sakhis tell the opposite of what actually transpired. They will not reveal what incidents actually took place. Whenever they are asked this question, all act as if dumb. Neither Lalita nor Visakha nor any other sakhis will tell, and even Krsna will not tell what happened. They will relish their pastimes together, but not tell others about them.

Caitanya Mahaprabhu has said:

na prema-gandho ’sti darapi me harau
krandami saubhagya bharam prakasitum
vamsi vilasy anana lokanam vina
bibhrami yat prana patangakan vrtha

(Caitanya-caritamrta, Madhya-lila 2.45)

[“My dear friends, I have not the slightest tinge of prema within My heart. When you see Me crying in separation, I am just falsely exhibiting a demonstration of My great fortune. Indeed, not seeing the beautiful face of Krsna playing His flute, I continue to live My life like an insect, without purpose.”]

"Mahaprabhu said, “I have not a scent of that prema.” In this way, He is also as if dumb.

"In Srila Raya Ramananda’s conversation with Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu (Ramananda-samvada), Raya Ramananda – who is Visakha in Krsna’s pastimes – barely told anything. He was simply replying to Mahaprabhu’s questions, one after another. In Mahaprabhu’s instructions to Srila Sanatana Gosvami (Sanatana-siksa), what did He tell? He did not say anything about the confidential pastimes of Sri Sri Radha-Krsna, nor did He reveal how the gopis serve Them.

"What has Mahaprabhu told in His instructions to Srila Rupa Gosvami in Sri Rupa-siksa? He told next to nothing regarding Radha and Krsna’s pastimes. And finally, He ordered Rupa Gosvami to reveal all that He Himself could not.

"Even Rupa-manjari cannot tell anything. Only Rupa Gosvami can tell; he tells everything.

...

"He tells us what he has seen: In the form of Rupa-manjari he is serving Krsna and Srimati Radhika. He is obeying the orders of Srimati Radhika and stopping Krsna from entering Her kunja. He is seeing how Krsna, being so much pleased, is begging her to be allowed to enter Radhika’s kunja and is placing His head at her (Rupa-manjari’s) own lotus feet to attain her (Rupa-manjari’s) mercy.

Sri Rupa Manjari

"Srila Rupa Gosvami is very clever. He has written all his prayers as though he has not already experienced the fruit of those prayers. Although he has actually experienced his personal services to Radhika, he is writing prayers as if he has never experienced this – for us. What he felt in the form of Rupa-manjari, he has very cleverly shared with us by means of his prayers.

"Rupa Gosvami has personally taken darsana of Radha and Krsna, but for the true, sincere sadhaka, he has written this verse in his prayer, “Gandharvika Prarthan-astakam”:

vrndavane viharator iha keli kunje
matta dvipa pravara kautuka vibhramena
sandarsayasva yuvayor vadanaravinda
dvandvam vidhehi mayi devi krpam prasida (1)

[“O devi Radhike! Like the intoxicated king of elephants sporting with his queen elephant, Sri Krsna and You are constantly enjoying Your ambrosial amorous pastimes in the lush pleasure groves of Vrndavana. Therefore, O Gandharvike, be pleased with me and mercifully grant me the darsana of Your two lotus-like faces.”]

"Srila Rupa Gosvami is teaching by his own example how a rupanuga Vaisnava prays to Srimati Radhika. Those who want to follow him never pretend to have already attained ekadasa-bhava (gopi-bhava, or manjari-bhava). Those who pretend to be already on that platform when they are actually not so, are actually mad; they have no sense at all. We should always pray as Srila Rupa Gosvami prayed. Then, by the mercy of the gopis and by the mercy of Srimati Radhika, we can realize all the truths hidden within Rupa Gosvami’s prayers. Srimati Radhika will give this realization. She will at once be pleased and give Her service.

"Srila Rupa Gosvami teaches us how to pray: “Vrndavane viharator iha – O, when will that time come? O my dear Srimati Radhika-devi, You are very merciful, so please be merciful to me. Please sprinkle Your mercy upon me.”

"...If Srimati Radhika hears these prayers uttered from the core of one’s heart, Her heart will melt and She will bestow Her mercy.

"Srila Rupa Gosvami has skillfully written prayers such as this, filled with the pastimes of Krsna. He is Rupa-manjari, a prominent nitya-siddha (eternally perfect) associate of Radha and Krsna, but in the form of a sadhaka he is explaining to us the pastimes and the process to understand and enter them, so that we may be helped. This is his mercy."

Source link [entire class]: August 6, 1998: "The Mercy of Srila Rupa Goswami"

Srila Rupa Goswami ki JAI!!! So much mercy!! Tomorrow is Lord Balarama's appearance day! Jai!!

Gurudeva will manifest all truths

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.


This is an excerpt from a conversation between Srila Gurudeva and Tamal Krishna Maharaja, spoken in Mathura in 1991. It is part of a series of conversations, on purebhakti.com. The link to the one below is here: "On Raganuga-bhakti".

Here, Gurudeva speaks on how all truths are manifested from guru by the mercy of Krsna:

Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayana Gosvami Maharaja:


In Bhagavad-Gita (10.10) it is stated:

tesam satata-yuktanam
bhajatam priti purvakam dadami buddhi-yogam tam
yena mam upayanti te

["Upon those who perform bhajana to Me with love, yearning for My eternal association, I give them the intelligence by which they can come to Me."]

If a soul surrenders to Krsna and possesses pure greed, if he has a pure heart and sufficient samskaras, the Lord reveals everything in his heart (dadami buddhi-yogam) as caitya-guru. Krsna states in Bhagavad-gita, “I give him the wisdom to achieve my bhakti.” He does not give this openly; He gives it in the heart. He benedicts His devotee with a sphurti (internal vision), inspiring him from within, and personally manifests in his heart all siddhantas. He also gives instructions externally, in the form of the diksa-guru or siksa-guru.

Sripad Tamal Krsna Gosvami: You say he dictates within the heart?

Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: Yes. He dictates in the heart. Certainly.

People may see that this devotee has no guru and wonder, “How does he know these things?” Here is the answer. Krsna dictates everything, He manifests Himself, from within, whether or not anyone else sees.

I have sometimes experienced this myself. I feel something within myself – I have not read, nor have I seen or heard a certain fact; yet, sometimes very beautiful things come in my heart. Perhaps you have also had this experience? Certainly you will have had this experience, because one who serves his gurudeva will surely receive these realizations. Even if gurudeva is not present in our sight, still, he will manifest all these truths.

What strikes me in this one, is how Gurudeva explains and knows all of this, and yet he is so humble and says, he has experienced this, as if he is not an associate of Sri Krsna who already knows all this tattva. I love also how merciful Krsna and guru are, to give us jivas this knowledge. And, how sweet, and how *important* to remember, that this is a HEART exchange, it is a heart thing. We cannot get the nectar with our minds, bodies, intelligence - only the heart.

Jai!

Prayer while chanting

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.


This book by Srila Gurudeva, Harmony, it is SO beautiful!! Every page is a gem of instructions. Instructions on what is proper behavior, on how to honor vaishnavas, on how to be humble, on householder or sanyasi life, etc. etc....there is so much nectar here.

I am sharing from this book again today:

"Consider thinking in this way: 'I am worthless. I have offended many vaishnavas, and the reaction is that I am stupid and nonsense. Although I chant the holy name, tears do not come and my heart does not melt. O Krsna, what shall I do?'

art by Annapurna dasi

"You can also remember Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu and pray: 'O Caitanya Mahaprabhu, You are causelessly merciful. Plese bestow Your mercy upon me. In this kali yuga life is short, there are many problems, and the mind is always upset. What should I do? I am always besieged with obstacles in my attempt to execute bhakti. I am without vaishnava association. I am weak, and I have not obtained Krsna's mercy. O Caitanya Mahaprabhu, I know only You. You have given mercy to Jagai and Madhai. Why not to me? I am more wretched than them, and therefore I am qualified to receive Your mercy.'


"If you weep in this way, Krsna will bestow His mercy. By chanting in this way, you heart will melt and tears will come. If tears are not coming, you can think, 'I have committed so many offenses.' Always repent like this and chant, 'Hare Krsna Hare Krsna, Krsna Krsna Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama, Rama Rama Hare Hare.'"

- Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayana Goswami Maharaja, Toulouse, France, July 1999

Looking at your own condition

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.

Today I am sharing another excerpt from Srila Gurudeva's book, "Harmony". This book is very wonderful! Every day I am reading a little bit, and it really makes me think and assess myself. It is very humbling, and it makes me feel so strongly, that I am so fortunate to have these instructions, to have Gurudeva; all of our guru varga are so very merciful.

Srila Gurudeva: Be very careful. First look at your own condition and try to purify yourself. Is there any lust in you? Is there any deceit and hypocrisy in you? Be worried about that; do not worry about others. Guru and Krsna are responsible for others. You cannot do anything to help them, so you have no right to criticize. This instruction is for all.

Hilo, Hawaii: February 7, 2005

"The Medicine to Cure Criticizing"

The following is an excerpt from Srila Gurudeva's book, "Harmony":

Anandini dasi: How can I stop myself from criticizing?

Srila Gurudeva: You can criticize yourself, but not others. This is an offense, and bhakti [love] will go away. Be careful.

Vrndavana, India: August 9, 2009


Prakasatma dasa: How can I curb my tendency to always speak prajalpa [nonsense] and criticize others?

Srila Gurudeva: You can do so by always being in sadhu-sanga and hearing harikatha. Pariksit Maharaja had no time to speak with anyone, or to sleep or eat or drink. He was drinking only the nectar of Krsna-lila. Sadhu-sanga is the best medicine. Chant the holy name in sadhu-sanga, and don't associate with persons who are chattering and pattering.

Read books and engage your mind at all times. If the mind is not engaged by you, then it will automatically engage itself in bad things. The mind wants something to eat, so we should give it harikatha - as much as you can hear and chant and meditate on.

Paris, France: June 30, 2009

Nectar about vyasa puja and Bilvamangala Thakura

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 one quote from Srila Gurudeva, related to vyasa puja, on bonafide guru:

"The guru never thinks that he is making so many disciples. These are all Krsna's wealth. They are all very fragrant, very smooth, and very sweet flowers. Guru takes them and offers them at the lotus feet of Srimati Radhika. Guru only does this. He never thinks, 'Oh, all the disciples are my property.' Never!

"A real guru thinks that all the disciples are very sweet, fragrant, small flowers of Radha and Krsna Conjugal. The guru offers the disciple like a flower at Radhika's lotus feet. She then places that flower in a garland and puts that garland around Krsna's neck."

[Cessnock, Australia, February 1, 2000]

Here is more nectar from Sripad Madhav Maharaja's book "Srila Gurudeva: The Supreme Treasure":

[After blinding himself and arriving in Vrndavana with Krsna's help], Bilvamangala found himself alone. He called out to the boy for a long time, but there was no answer. Finally he thought, "How is it that we have arrived in Vrndavana so quickly? It must be by the influence of that black cheater. That black fellow came to me and said, 'I am also going to Vrndavana', and brought me here very quickly. If He does not give me darsana again, I will not eat or drink; I will fast to death."

If an advanced devotee such as Bilvamangala Thakura has a wish, Krsna is bound to fulfill it, so Krsna felt obliged to give him darsana. He came before him again, but this time He was not alone. He was with his internal potency, His svarupa-sakti, Srimati Radhika.



The sweet young couple came very close to Bilvamanagala, and at a certain point, Krsna said to Radhika, "Don't go any closer."

"Why not? What is the harm? What will he do?" She asked.

"He will catch You."

"How will he be able to catch me? He's a blind fellow."

"Yes," replied Krsna, "he is blind, and blind people have very sharp hearing. They can understand how close a person is by the sound they make, so don't go too close."

"It's all right. I'm still far enough away. He can't catch hold of me."

Through this exchange with Srimati Radhika, Sri Krsna was conveying a message to Bilvamangala. He was moving closer to him, and at the same time telling Radhika, 'No, no! Don't go too close. You're almost within his reach. He'll catch you!' Sri Krsna was actually telling Bilvamangala, "We are very close to you, and you can catch hold of Srimatiji."

Bilvamangala immediately caught hold of Srimati Radhika's lotus feet.

"Thief! Thief! Let me go! Let me go!" She cried.

Krsna said, "What did I tell You? I warned You not to go so close. Blind people are expert at hearing. Now, what can be done?"

"I will not give up Your lotus feet," said Bilvamangala.

"What do you want?" asked Srimati Radhika.

"I want to have darsana of both of You."

Radhika then put Her hand on Bilvamangala's head, and his sight was restored. Seeing the beauty of Sri Radha and Sri Krsna, Bilvamangala wept and continued to hold on to Srimatiji's lotus feet.

She said, "You can let go of My feet now."

"No, I will not."

"Oh! Why not? What more do you want?"

"Please make me blind again."

"Make you blind again? Why do you want that?"

"Now I have seen the beauty of You two. Especially, Srimatiji, I have seen Your lotus feet, and Your beauty. Now I do not wish to see anything else in this world. I want to keep Your lotus feet always in my memory and the beauty of Your beloved in my heart. I do not want anything else."