Tag Archive for: Raganuga

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Prasadam in Raga Marga

Mahanidhi Madan Gopal Das

Why do we offer obeisances before taking Sri Krishna prasadam? Srila Prabhupada answers, “Because the prasadam is also Krishna. So by taking prasadam, I am contacting Krishna.” (Folio 661205CCNY)

The standard is to first offer obeisances to Krishna prasadam, and then glorify Krishna’s grace food with selected prayers. Most Vaisnavas utter the following Skanda Purana verse:

maha-prasade -govinde
-nama-brahmani -vaishnave
svalpa-punyavatam -rajan –
vishvaso -naiva -jayate

“A person with little piety can never develop faith in Krishna’s maha-prasada, Bhagavan Sri Govinda, Krishna’s transcendental Name, or the Vaisnavas.” (Caitanya-caritamrta 3.16.96)

Srila Prabhupada often quoted Bhagavad-Gita (2.65) to glorify Sri Krishna prasadam, the sanctified food remnants of Radha and Krishna.

In Paris (1974), when he saw a plate of Krishna prasadam brought in by a disciple, Srila Prabhupada excitedly uttered, “Hare Krishna! Prasade -sarva-duhkhanam hanir-asyopajayate!” (Folio 740610R1.PAR)

Once an Indian gentleman asked, “What is the importance of Krishna prasada?

Srila Prabhupada answered, “Yes, prasada! Very good! Prasada is Krishna’s special favor. That is prasada. Prasade -sarva-duhkhanam hanir-asyopajayate. If we simply eat Krishna prasada, without any culture, we can get spiritual knowledge.” (Folio (660812.BG.NY)

By reciting the following Gita verse before honoring Sri Krishna’s sacred food remnants, devotees can simultaneously glorify the tremendous power of Krishna prasadam, and remember our “ever well-wisher”, Srila Prabhupada:

prasade -sarva-duhkhanam
hanir -asyopajayate
prasanna-cetaso hy -ashu
buddhih –parya -vatishthate

“Krishna prasada destroys all miseries, fills the mind with happiness, and establishes the intelligence in self-realization.” (Bhagavad-gita 2.65)

Devotees doing raganuga –bhakti –sadhana often recite the following verse while remembering the sweet compassion of Kishoriju Srimati Radharani:

sri –radhaya -madhura –madhur -occhishta -piyusha -saram
bhojam -bhojam -nava -nava -rasananda -magnah -kada -syam

“When will I be absorbed in relishing ever-new blissful rasa by repeatedly chewing Sri Radha’s sweeter than sweet remnants which are the essence of nectar?” (Radha Rasa Sudhanidhi 87)

Jagannatha maha-prasada ki jai! Radha Raman maha-prasada ki jai!

Srimati Radharani’s nectarean prasadi ki jai! Jai Jai Sri Radhe!

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Gaudiya Vaisnava, Identity and Goal

Mahanidhi Madan Gopal Das

To progress nicely in Radha-Krishna bhakti -bhajan, we offer the following ideas for your daily remembrance and practice, sadhana -abhyasa. For most Gaudiya Vaisnavas this is the essence of SAMBANDHA and PRAYOJANA i.e. the foundation and goal of Radha-Krishna bhakti bhajan.

Our Eternal Identity

** By nature every jivatma (you) is an eternal servant, part and parcel of Bhagavan Sri Krishna.

** As Gaudiya Vaisnavas we are Radha-Govinda Yugala -upasakas, which means that here every day, and forever in Vraja Gokula, we will worship Radha and Krishna in the keli -kunjas, divine play groves of Sridhama Vrndavana in Goloka—the spiritual sky.

** My Sthayi-rati (permanent mood of loving attachment to Bhagavan Sri Krishna.)

Of the five Vraja rasas or ratis, we possess and serve Sri Krishna in the topmost form of madhurya-rati (divinely ecstatic amorous love), with the same parakiya bhava that Srimati Radharani and all Her confidential sakhis like Lalita, Visakha and Tulasi-manjari feel toward Bhagavan Sri Krishna.

** We are eternal loving maidservants (manjaris/dasis/kinkaris) of Srimati Radharani, following the moods and sevas of Her other manjaris like Sri Rupa and Tulasi manjaris.

** For Sri Radhika’s happiness, in our daily reading and meditation, we offer one specific seva (which we cherish most), and a variety of other tasteful services to please Swamini Radha throughout the day and night, asta-kaliya lila.

** Upon attaining Radha-Govinda prema, we will leave this maya jagat, samsara, once and for all, and go directly to Radha-Govinda Yugala’s pastimes in Bhauma Vrndavana.

** Then Srimati Herself and Her dearest companions like Visakha sakhi, Tulasi-manjari, Guru manjari and param-guru manjari will personally train us in perfect sevas, and all the nuances and advanced feelings beyond Krishna prema i.e sneha, maan, pranaya, raga, anuraga, bhava and MAHABHAVA.

** Our hearts and bodies have now become perfect (siddha-deha/siddha-bhava)—complete and immaculate divine spiritual beings.

** Upon concluding Their prakata lila in Bhauma Vrndavana, Radha-Govinda Yugala, all Their eternal associates (nitya-siddhas), and all Their sadhana-siddha dasi manjaris (us) will go directly to Goloka Vrndavana in the spiritual sky to eternally serve Radha-Krishna in the ever-fresh, beautiful and natural play land of loving happiness—Sridhama Vrndavana.

Jai Jai Sri Radhe!

Sri Vraja Dhama ki jai!