When we think of the great ācāryas, such as Madhva, Rāmānujācārya, and Narottama, it seems as if they were from another time and world, when the spiritual culture was thriving in India and saintliness was possible. In today’s nasty, impersonal, technological age, there is no culture or quest for God. It almostContinue Reading
Śrīla Prabhupāda did not present śāstra as a dry academic subject to be theorized, discussed, and armchair-philosophized about. Instead of giving abstruse explanations, he spoke and lived the essence of śāstra. He repeatedly emphasized the point of all śāstra: “You are not this body. Surrender to Kṛṣṇa.” Śrīla Prabhupāda said that by reading hisContinue Reading
In India’s recent history, there were certainly many Vaiṣṇavas who were devoted, learned, and renounced. However, the fact remains that only Śrīla Prabhupāda was sufficiently qualified to spread Kṛṣṇa consciousness all over the world. Only he had sufficient faith in the instructions of Lord Caitanya, the order of his spiritualContinue Reading
“Prabhupāda: Hitler one side, fought with the Britishers, smashed them. This is one cause. Another cause = Hitler helped Subhas Chandra Bose to organize I.N.A. Two causes, the Britishers to go away. Otherwise, Gandhi’s noncooperation movement was started in 1917, and we got our independence in 1947. Indian man: ThirtyContinue Reading
Everyone knows that Śrīla Prabhupāda thought big: “Take over the world with Kṛṣṇa consciousness.” But Prabhupāda also thought small. He did not like over-centralization or top-heavy management. When he saw devotees in Hawaii living simply on the land and chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa, he told them to go on like that.Continue Reading
Kuntī says that this intoxication position, madaḥ, edhamāna-madaḥ (SB 1.8.26), increasing, pumān, such person, naivārhati, they cannot feelingly address, “Jaya Rādhā-Mādhava.” They cannot feelingly. That is not possible. Their feeling, spiritual feeling, is lost. They cannot feelingly address, because they do not know. “Oh, this God is for poor man.Continue Reading
People are running around–“Oh, I am the manager. I am the factory owner. I am this. I am that. We know his politics, we have to defeat our competitors.” All these things are created just like a man creates a situation in a dream– svapna–drastur ivanjasa. So when someone asks,Continue Reading
Our attempts at happiness in the material world keep us bound to repeated suffering, but there is a way out. bhidyate hridaya-granthish chidyante sarva-samshayah kshiyante chasya karmani drishta evatmanishvare “Thus the knots of the heart and all misgivings are cut to pieces. The chain of fruitive actions, or karma, isContinue Reading
Jagannatha dasa, the BBT Sanskrit editor has just returned from Vrndavana. This afternoon he reported to Srila Prabhupada. Just a week ago Prabhupada received news that Jagannatha and Nitai dasa were no longer working on his books. Jagannatha informed Prabhupada Nitai is now the head pujari in Vrndavana. JagannathaContinue Reading