Tag Archive for: Srila Prabhupada

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Boons of Bhagavad Gita

Mahanidhi Madan Gopal Das

The Padma Purana “Gita Mahatmya” describes many amazing stories to illustrate the astonishing spiritual power, benefits and results of reciting each chapter of the Bhagavad Gita, the quintessence of all Upanishadic wisdom.

To encourage everyone to daily read a chapter, a few verses or even half a verse of the most perfect and wonderful Bhagavad Gita, we present the shruti phalas i.e. the fruit or benefit received by hearing, reading or chanting each chapter.

1: End material misery; attain eternal service of Bhagavan Sri Krishna

2: Quickly attain full knowledge, devotion and the mercy of Sri Krishna.

3: Frees one’s ancestors from ghostly bodies or bondage in hell, and gives them sarupya mukti to Vaikuntha.

4: Frees one from tree form of life; gives devotee family birth; destroys material desires and awards Krishna bhakti.

5: Attain complete purity, purify anyone contacting you, and go to Vaikuntha.

6: Attain deep detachment, and the service of Bhagavan Vishnu’s lotus feet.

7: Freedom from all sins and Vaikuntha liberation.

8: Gives immense joy and Vaikuntha liberation to you and all your ancestors.

9: Removes fear, destroys sins and aparadhas, and gives constant remembrance of Sri Govinda’s lotus feet.

10: Freedom from the effects of curses, and attain the darshana of Bhagavan Sri Vishnu.

11: Gives full sense control, continuous remembrance of Jagat Ishvara Sri Vishnu and Vaikuntha liberation.

12: Attain divine powers and Sri Krishna bhakti.

13: Attain complete freedom from sinful reactions and Vaikuntha sarupya-mukti.

14: Attain Vaikuntha liberation and Sri Vishnu’s nitya seva.

15: Attain Vaikuntha liberation.

16: Attain immense peace, amazing powers and the lotus feet of Bhagavan Sri Krishna.

17: Attain Vaikuntha sarupya-mukti.

18: Destroys all material desires, gives unlimited bliss and Vaikuntha liberation.

The author of this article and millions of other fortunate souls worldwide have all received unlimited wisdom, solace, peace, purity and bliss from reading, hearing, studying, teaching and distributing Bhagavad Gita As It Is by Srila A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada. The following quote from his wonderful introduction to this most sacred grantha will close this post.

Srila Prabhupada said, “The ways and means for ultimate realization and attainment are stated in the Bhagavad Gita which is open for everyone. If one adopts the principles enunciated in Bhagavad Gita, one can make his life perfect and permanently solve all the problems of life. If one properly follows the instructions of Bhagavad Gita, one can be freed from all miseries and anxieties in this life.”

Sri Bhagavad Gita ki jai! Srila Prabhupada ki jai! Gitya Mahatmya ki jai! Jaya Jaya Sri Radhe!

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Boons of Bhagavad Gita

Mahanidhi Swami

The Padma Purana “Gita Mahatmya” describes many amazing stories to illustrate the astonishing spiritual power, benefits and results of reciting each chapter of the Bhagavad Gita, the quintessence of all Upanishadic wisdom.

To encourage everyone to daily read a chapter, a few verses or even half a verse of the most perfect and wonderful Bhagavad Gita, we present the shruti phalas i.e. the fruit or benefit received by hearing, reading or chanting each chapter.

1: End material misery; attain eternal service of Bhagavan Sri Krishna

2: Quickly attain full knowledge, devotion and the mercy of Sri Krishna.

3: Frees one’s ancestors from ghostly bodies or bondage in hell, and gives them sarupya mukti to Vaikuntha.

4: Frees one from tree form of life; gives devotee family birth; destroys material desires and awards Krishna bhakti.

5: Attain complete purity, purify anyone contacting you, and go to Vaikuntha.

6: Attain deep detachment, and the service of Bhagavan Vishnu’s lotus feet.

7: Freedom from all sins and Vaikuntha liberation.

8: Gives immense joy and Vaikuntha liberation to you and all your ancestors.

9: Removes fear, destroys sins and aparadhas, and gives constant remembrance of Sri Govinda’s lotus feet.

10: Freedom from the effects of curses, and attain the darshana of Bhagavan Sri Vishnu.

11: Gives full sense control, continuous remembrance of Jagat Ishvara Sri Vishnu and Vaikuntha liberation.

12: Attain divine powers and Sri Krishna bhakti.

13: Attain complete freedom from sinful reactions and Vaikuntha sarupya-mukti.

14: Attain Vaikuntha liberation and Sri Vishnu’s nitya seva.

15: Attain Vaikuntha liberation.

16: Attain immense peace, amazing powers and the lotus feet of Bhagavan Sri Krishna.

17: Attain Vaikuntha sarupya-mukti.

18: Destroys all material desires, gives unlimited bliss and Vaikuntha liberation.

The author of this article and millions of other fortunate souls worldwide have all received unlimited wisdom, solace, peace, purity and bliss from reading, hearing, studying, teaching and distributing Bhagavad Gita As It Is by Srila A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada. The following quote from his wonderful introduction to this most sacred grantha will close this post.

Srila Prabhupada said, “The ways and means for ultimate realization and attainment are stated in the Bhagavad Gita which is open for everyone. If one adopts the principles enunciated in Bhagavad Gita, one can make his life perfect and permanently solve all the problems of life. If one properly follows the instructions of Bhagavad Gita, one can be freed from all miseries and anxieties in this life.”

Sri Bhagavad Gita ki jai! Srila Prabhupada ki jai! Gitya Mahatmya ki jai! Jaya Jaya Sri Radhe!

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Srila Prabhupada Relished Tenth Canto

Mahanidhi Swami

Srila Prabhupada lived and breathed the Bhagavatam. And out of his love and compassion, he distributed its nectarean teachings throughout the world.

His Divine Grace spent the last fifteen years of his life translating, writing commentaries, and constantly speaking on the most fulfilling philosophy of the Bhagavatam. In the middle of the night at 1 a.m., Srila Prabhupada would rise and start translating the Sanskrit slokas of the Bhagavatam into English. Then he would write his commentaries after consulting the comments of Sridhara Swami, Sri Sanatana Gosvami, Sri Jiva Gosvami and Sri Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura.

Srila Prabhupada introduced daily Sanskrit verse recitation and classes on the Srimad Bhagavatam in each of the 108 Radha-Krishna temples he established. At any time of the day in some country around the globe, Krishna devotees are sitting together in some ISKCON temple to hear the Bhagavata philosophy in their local languages of English, French, German, Italian, Spanish, Hindi, Bengali, Gujarati, Japanese, Chinese, Swahili, Telegu and many others. ISKCON’s Bhaktivedanta Book Trust has published and distributed millions of copies of Srimad Bhagavatam in over fifty languages to benefit the world.

Srila Rupa Gosvami says hearing the Bhagavatam (bhagavata-sravana) is one limb of panca-anga bhakti, the five most powerful means of attaining Krishna-prema. Realizing this, Srila Prabhupada published the KRSNA book, a translation and commentary on the entire Tenth Canto of Srimad Bhagavatam, as one of his first books in 1969.

Indeed, Srila Prabhupada was so fond of the Tenth Canto that he instituted the daily reading of his KRSNA book in every ISKCON temple. Each night before sleeping, all the ashram devotees would sit together, honor hot milk prasadam and listen to the KRSNA book.

O what joy! And what satisfaction we all felt just by hearing the action-packed tales of Sri Krishna, the sweet Lord of Vrndavana! Afterwards, everyone would fall asleep and have happy dreams, the sweetest dreams in creation.

Srila Prabhupada introduced such a simple and sublime formula for attaining spiritual perfection. All glories to Srila Prabhupada! All glories to KRSNA book!

In the Preface to KRSNA book, Srila Prabhupada writes, “We therefore request everyone to take advantage of this great transcendental literary work. One will find that by reading one page after another, an immense treasure of knowledge in art, science, literature, philosophy and religion will be revealed, and ultimately, by reading this one book, KRSNA, love of Godhead will fructify.”

Good fortune brought a KRSNA book into my hands in 1974, and it was love at first reading. The pastimes of Radha-Krishna purely presented Prabhupada melted our hearts and attracted our wayward minds to the peerless path of bhakti. Enchanted by this transcendental prankster named Krishna, we innocently began a relationship with Krishna through the pages of the Tenth Canto.

Little did we know that forty years later we would still be following that beautiful blue boy and His glorious golden girlfriend, and worshiping that Divine Couple and Their eternal pastimes so beautifully portrayed in the Tenth Canto. We simply cannot read enough about Radha-Krishna. All other topics, hackneyed news and books seem pale and unattractive compared to the colorful emotional panorama of Krishna’s variegated lilas portrayed in the Bhagavata.

The Tenth Canto is one big gushing fountain of sweet nectar that spins the mind and sends the heart on wings to the lotus feet of Radha-Syama. Srimad Bhagavatam ki jai!

Srila Visvanatha Cakravartipada wrote commentaries on the entire Srimad Bhagavatam which he titled “Sarartha Darshini”, which means to see (darshana) the essential (sara) object (artha). It also means to understand and realize the essence of everything, namely Sri Krishna, His loving service and the attainment of Krishna’s eternal, blissful abode named Sri Vrindavana.

The Gaudiya Vaisnava Abhidhana describes Sarartha Darshini: “This book reveals the most confidential meanings of the Srimad Bhagavatam, and gives immense pleasure to the Vaisnavas. With unparalleled genius, Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura imparts a deep understanding of the sweet mellows of shuddha bhakti.

“In his commentaries, Srila Visvanatha Cakravartipada reveals his own internal mood and how to extract the sublime mellows of the Bhagavata. It is my [Sri Haridas Dasji] conviction that of the 130 different tikas on the Srimad Bhagavatam, those of Sri Sanatana Gosvami and Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura are the best!”

In the following passage, Srila Prabhupada mentions the incredible benefit one will receive by reading Krishna’s pastimes in the Tenth Canto. Surely anyone who reads Sarartha Darshini will also attain the same wonderful result. Srila Prabhupada: “Krishna pastimes are so powerful that simply by hearing, reading and memorizing this book, KRSNA, one is sure to be transferred to the spiritual world!“ (KRSNA ch. 90)

O devotees, please read more about Radha-Krishna, remember more and tell others. Get absorbed and go crazy over Krishna katha! May everyone become completely attached to Radha-Syama, and enter the eternally blissful abode of madhurya-lila—VRINDAVANA!

Grantha Raja Srimad Bhagavatam ki jai!

Krishna’s Smiling Face Tenth Canto ki jai!

Jai Jai Sri Radhe!

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A Sweet Ending

By: Mahanidhi Swami

Madhurena samaapayet is one rule of poetic composition practiced by Vaisnava authors, which means that a literary work should conclude in a mood of special sweetness. Simply said, the Sanskrit term madhurena samapayet means, “One should end on a sweet note.” Srila Prabhupada put it this way, “Everything ends well in transcendental bliss!”

Following this poetic maxim, Srila Sukadeva Gosvami concludes the Tento Canto narration of Sri Krishna’s pastimes (Cp.90) by describing Krishna’s blissful water sports with His beautiful queens in the lotus-filled water pools in Dvaraka.

To conclude the 12th Canto and the 18,000 verses of the complete Srimad Bhagavatam, Srila Sukadeva Gosvami wrote a very, very important verse. Since this is the last verse of his entire literary work, certainly Srila Sukadeva Gosvami would “conclude everything on a sweet note”,madhurena samapayet. And he does!

The concluding verse of the entire work contains all the unlimited sweetness of Bhagavan Sri Krishna’s form, qualities and pastimes, which are so beautifully depicted and personally manifest on every page of the Srimad Bhagavatam. This most glorious and uniquely pure Purana ends with the following sloka glorifying the supreme, unlimited power of Bhagavan Sri Krishna’s Holy Name, which compresses within it the power of unlimited majesty and the enchantment of ultimate sweetness:

nama-sankirtanam yasya, sarva-papa pranasanam

pranamo duhkha-samanas, tam namami harim param

“Performing Nama Sankirtana, or congregational chanting of the Holy Name of Bhagavan Sri Krishna, completely destroys all kinds of sins (prarabdha, aparabdha, kutam, bijam), and subdues all miseries. Thus I offer my respectful obeisances unto the Supreme Sri Lord Hari.” (Srimad Bhagavatam 12.13.23)

To conclude his most amazing and revelatory commentary on the entire Srimad Bhagavatam, Srila Visvanatha Cakravartipada says, “I offer respects to Govardhana, the best of the Bhagavan Sri Krishna’s servants. Lastly, I offer repeated respects to Radha Kunda and Krishna Kunda!”

Indeed, this is the ultimate in madhuram samapayet!

As the Srimad Bhagavatam concludes on a sweet note about the Holy Name, we pray that all the devotees will conclude their lives of loving service on the sweet notes of Sri Krishna’s Holy Names,

Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare

Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare!

The Skanda Purana (HBV 11.234) proclaims the stupendous sweetness of Sri Krishna Nama:

madhura madhuram etan, mangalam mangalanam

sakala nigama valli sat, phalam cit svarupam

sakrd api parigitam, sraddhaya helaya va

bhrgu vara! nara-matram tarayet krishna nama

O Bhrguvara! Sri Krishna Nama is the sweetest of all sweet things and the most auspicious of all that is auspicious. Bhagavan Sri Krishna is the fully-ripened fruit of the flourishing creeper of the Vedas, and the embodiment of divine knowledge. If someone chants Sri Krishna’s Holy Name only once, be it with faith or contempt, he is immediately delivered from the ocean of birth and death!

Sri Harinama Sankirtana ki jai!

Namacharya Srila Haridasa Thakura ki jai!

Kali-yuga Patita Pavana Sona Avatara Sri Gauranga Mahaprabhu ki jai!

Jai Jai Sri Radhe!

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Srila Prabhupada Vyas Puja Part VI Vyasa-puja Begins with Obeisances

By:Mahanidhi Swami

In Bhajan Rahasya, Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura mentions a pancaartrika-mantra, aim gurudevaya namah, as the seed mantra for worshiping the spiritual master. The word namaù is also uttered by all disciples whenever they offer respects unto the lotus feet of their respective spiritual masters.

But exactly what does the word namaù mean? In general, namaù means, “I am offering obeisance unto the lotus feet of my beloved Gurudeva.” On a deeper level, namah means to submit one’s self with the meditation, “I am giving up my worldly vanity and false ego. I renounce the false sense of being the supreme controller and enjoyer.”

The word namah means saying no to false ego, killing the false identity, and fully surrendering to the mastership and control of God standing before you as Sri Guru.

Renouncing one’s pride or vanity is actually the first object to be offered in one’s worship of Sri Guru. Therefore, the act of offering obeisances to the spiritual master means to give up the pride of thinking one’s self the doer, possessor and enjoyer of anything in this world. The real Vyasa-puja begins here. The moment the disciple realizes this and acts solely for the pleasure of Sri Guru, he engages in the true worship and eternal service of his spiritual master.

I pray that someday I can fall at Srila Prabhupada’s lotus feet, and with the full backing of my dedicated heart, utter this phrase, “Dearest Gurudeva, please accept my most respectful and humble obeisances.”

Om Tat Sat!

Sri Gurudeva ki ja!

Jai Jai Sri Radhe!

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Srila Prabhupada Vyas Puja Part V The First Vyasa-puja Celebration

By: Mahanidhi Swami

Srila Vrndavana dasa Thakura describes how CaitanyaMahaprabhu instituted the first Vyasa-puja ceremony in 1509 a.d. through Sri Nityananda Prabhu in Shrivasa Angana, Mayapura:

“Srivasa Pandita, the head priest for the function, gave Lord Nityananda a flower garland to offer to a painting of Vyasadeva. Holding the garland in His beautiful lotus hand, Nityananda Prabhu hesitated and began glancing here and there as if He was looking for someone. Then to everyone’s surprise, Nityananda offered the garland to Sri Caitanyadeva instead. At that moment, Lord Caitanya immediately manifested His six-armed form, sad-bhuja).” (Caitanya Bhagavata (Madhya khanda chp. 5)

Thus, Sri Nityananda Prabhu completed the Vyasa-puja ceremony by offering a garland to that personality from whom everything emanates and whose empowered incarnation is Sri Vyasa-deva. By this Nityananda Prabhu established the real meaning of Vyasa-puja by worshiping the Supreme Lord Himself in the form of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Lord Gauranga is the guru of Sri Nityananda Prabhu. This is the basis of the worship performed by Lord Nityananda. Therefore, the worship of Vyasa-deva, therefore, is actually the worship of Lord Gauranga in the form of the present acarya.

Although Sri Krishna and Sri Baladeva Prabhu are identical with Sri Caitanyadeva and Sri Nityananda Prabhu, Their activities are different. Nitai and Gaura are the supreme masters, the Supreme Lords, yet they play the role of devotees. The dual Lords act as devotees in order to teach Their servants the art of devotional service. Thus, in this pastime from Caitanya Bhagavata, one Lord, Nityananda, is teaching us that the ultimate recipient of the worship of Vyasa-deva or the spiritual master is the Supreme Lord, Sri Krishna Caitanyadeva. Sri Nityananda Prabhu, Lord Balarama, is the ultimate source of the spiritual function of the acarya.

In the scriptures, Sri Krishna tells Uddhava that the acarya is the manifestation of Himself:

acaryam mam vijaniyan, navanmanyeta karhicit

na martya-buddhyasuyeta, sarva-deva-mayo guruh

“One should know the acarya as Myself and never disrespect

him in any way. One should not envy him, thinking him an

ordinary man, for he is the representative of all the demigods.”

(SB 11.17.27)

If Sri Guru is not regarded as identical with the Supreme Lord, the worship of the acarya is not properly performed, and the said worshiper will not realize the true purport of the Vedas.

yasya deve para bhaktir, yatha deve tatha gurau

tasyaite kathita hy arthah, prakashshante mahatmana

For one who has unflinching faith in the lotus feet of the Lord,

as well as in the spiritual master, the real import of Vedic

knowledge can be revealed. (Shvetashvatara Upanishad 6.23)

Lord Balarama is non-different from Sri Nityananda Prabhu. However, Lord Nityananda plays a unique role in that He is the connecting link between all conditioned souls and Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, who is non-different from Radha-Govinda. The conditioned souls have no access to Lord Balarama in the spiritual world, but here in the material world everyone can access the mercy of Lord Nityananda. Sri Guru is empowered by Sri Nityananda Prabhu to save the fallen souls from the clutches of Maya. As Nityananda Prabhu’s delegatedauthority, the spiritual master liberates the conditioned souls from material world by engaging them in the direct service of Lord Nityananda.

The story of Srila Raghunatha Dasa Gosvami’s approaching Sri Caitanya shows the necessity of first receivingthe mercy of Sri Guru and Lord Nityananda before one can attain the service of Bhagavan Sri Krishna Caitanyadeva.

Sri Guru ki jai!

Jai Jai Sri Radhe!

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Srila Prabhupada Vyas Puja Part IV What is the Identity and Function of Sri Guru?

By: Mahanidhi Swami

In the form of the Vyasa-deva, Bhagavan Çré Krishna hasrevealed the hidden meaning of the Vedas to the ignorantconditioned souls of Kali-yuga by compiling the SrimadBhagavatam, the sun-like spotless Purana. While in a state ofsamadhi Vyäsa-deva realized the esoteric teachings of theBhagavata Purana by the mercy of his spiritual master, SriNarada Muni, who learned the spiritual science from LordBrahma.

Vyasa-deva is the greatest acarya because he wasdirectly empowered by the Supreme Lord to make the Vedicwisdom available in the present age. Without Vyasa-deva wewould be nowhere, wallowing in the mud of ignorance; trappedin the darkness and illusion of material sense gratification.

Srila Vyasa-deva is the divine propagator, a shaktyavesh avatara, in whom the divine power of transcendental knowledge has been infused. Vyasa-deva has been directly empowered and directed by the Absolute Truth to preach the word of God.

Sri Guru, the spiritual master is the living spokesman, thecontemporary representative of Vyasa-deva. The enlightenedspiritual discourses given by the bona fide guru are based onhis constant and uninterrupted realizations of the activities ofthe Supreme Absolute Truth, Çré Krishna, as described by SrilaVyasa-deva in the Srimad Bhagavatam.

The true guru is the enlightened guide, the merciful master,the messiah of harmony. He not only teaches the science ofGod, but he demonstrates practically by his pure actions thathe is the dearest servitor of the Supreme Lord. Sri Guru thinks,speaks and acts only in terms of his eternal relationship withthe Absolute Truth. The sad-guru has perfect knowledge of thepersonal Godhead, and he constantly associates with the Lordin a most direct and intimate bond of divine love.

The divine guide is fully competent to dispel the darkness ofignorance and remove all doubts from his disciple. He is capableof delivering his disciple to the beautiful lotus feet of Lord ÇréKrishna in the spiritual sky. Sri Guru has the power, granted byGod, to establish the bewildered conditioned soul in his eternalposition as a loving servitor of the Supreme Lord Krishna.

Sri Guru manifests in two forms: the quiet director orParamatma within the heart, and the external preceptor whoteaches us by realized knowledge and spotless behavior. Bothgurus help bewildered souls reach spiritual perfection. However,in the conditioned state one cannot hear the wise counsel ofthe inner guide. Therefore, the external manifestation of theParamatma as Sri Guru is my only hope.

Srila B.R. Sridhara Swami once said, “Sri Guru is the divine messenger of immortal hope and joy in this mortal and miserable world.” Acaryas say the spiritual master is Çré Krishna’s krpa-shakti murti, the very form of Lord Krishna’s mercy and love freely accessible to the suffering souls.

Sri Guru is the spiritual counterpart of the famous ATM machines which leading banks scatter around major cities to offer “Any Time Money” to eager customers thirsty for cash. So just how is Sri Guru an ATM? To anyone, at any time and anyplace the spiritual master gives the true wealth of Çré Krishna’seternal loving service. Therefore, Sri Guru is a Krishna conscious, walking ATM machine giving “Any Time Mercy.” The mercy of Sri Guru is freely available to all who are willing to accept it.

Being completely surrendered to the Supreme Lord, Sri Guruis always engaged in Krishna’s service, and helps others to do the same.

Sri Guru ki jai!

mahanidhi swami

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Srila Prabhupada Vyas Puja Part II Who Needs a Guru? Part Three

By:Mahanidhi Swami

The Vedas contain all the knowledge and mantras oneneeds to achieve both material happiness and spiritualperfection. So why can’t one just study the Vedas by himself,without a spiritual master, and attain all material and spiritualperfection? Besides, it is said that the Supreme Lord is withineveryone, so why does one need an external spiritual guide to realize God?

The sacred books alone are not the revelation. The acaryas,spiritual teachers, are a necessary part of revelation. The Vedictexts preserve the spoken words of the Supreme Lord andvarious liberated saints known as rishis. But alone, the bookscannot speak personally to us. God is sound and He must beheard. Therefore, the Vedic literature is called Shruti, whichmeans that which is heard or communicated orally from thebeginning; sacred knowledge orally transmitted by the spiritualteachers from generation to generation. The word shruti alsomeans the ear organ or the power of hearing.

The transcendental sound spoken by a God realized soul, thespiritual master, to the surrendered disciple disposed torendering unconditional service to Sri Guru, is not the same asthe transcendental sound written in or read in the sacredscriptures, the Vedas. The personal factor, Sri Guru, providesthe essential link connecting the covered consciousness of thedisciple and the Absolute Truth.

The Supreme Lord engages select persons to act as His delegated, empowered representatives, the spiritual masters, who act in this world to dispel the ignorance eclipsing the original, pure and brilliant consciousness of the conditioned souls.

By His own will the Absolute Truth appears on the lips of asurrendered devotee. But the Absolute Truth, which is fullyexperienced as Sri Krishna the transcendental autocrat, foreverreserves the right of not revealing Himself to the mundanesenses of the conditioned soul attached to material senseenjoyment. Personal submission to the living pure devotee isthe key to spiritual perfection. The spiritual preceptor is theempowered representative of Srila Vyasa-deva, who is noneother than Lord Narayana Himself.

Mundane scientists research the phenomenal world to makediscoveries to improve the quality of human life. Similarly, onemay argue that, “Since God is within everyone, why can’t aspiritual seeker independently research within himself, andthereby gain transcendental knowledge and realization of God?

Such statements as why does one need a guru simply reveal one’s ignorance about the essential nature of the Absolute Truth and transcendental knowledge of Him. In summary, the Absolute Truth is the fully conscious, supreme Absolute Person. In other words, God is the supremely conscious individual. Connection with the Absolute Truth depends solely on His sweet will, which God expresses by sending his agent, the spiritual master, when I am qualified with transcendental faith and surrender.

Sri Gurudeva ki jai!

Jai Jai Sri Radhe!

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Srila Prabhupada Vyas Puja Part II Why Do We Worship the Guru?

By:Mahanidhi Swami

Vyasa-puja is that one day in a year wherein a sadhaka compresses a lifetime of thoughts, feelings and acts of dedication into a few words of praise of his eternal spiritual guide, friend, master and mentor; a few drops of water humbly offered back to the ocean.

To serve and not to be served is the constitutional position ofthe jiva, the living entity. Forgetting his real eternal nature, theconditioned soul becomes the false master of the material world.He plays the role of God and tries to enjoy his senses in everyway imaginable and unimaginable. Though he tries very hardto be the supreme enjoyer, in reality the conditioned soulbecomes a completely bound slave of Maya. Ironically, the moreone strives for lordship, freedom and pleasure, the more heincreases his bondage of servitude.For a fortunate soul, the spiritual master, Sri Guru, appearsin his life to remove the darkness of misconception and establishhim in the light of eternal truth. Sri Guru proclaims, “O lostsoul! Verily, my dear friend, you are actually the eternal servantof the Supreme Lord Krishna (jivera svarupa haya nitya Krishna dasa).” A new life begins. Joy awakens and the highest divineprospect descends to lighten the burden of a million previousbirths.But who is the spiritual master? What is his relationship withSri Krishna and Srila Vyasa-deva, the compiler of all Vedicthought? And lastly why and how is Sri Guru worshiped in aceremony commonly known as Vyasa-puja?

Sri Guru ki jai!

Jai Jai Sri Radhe!

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Srila Prabhupada Vyas Puja Part I Guru Bhakti

By:Mahanidhi Swami

Guru bhakti is the basis of Krishna bhakti. If a disciple is fullyabsorbed in pleasing the spiritual master, he can very easilyattain the eternal service of Radha-Govinda Yugala in the grovesof Vrndavana. This point is confirmed in the ninth sloka, orbenediction verse (phala-sruti), of the famous mangala arotika

Samsara prayers. [note: Although many may not be aware of this, most Gaudiya Vaisnavas daily chant and heartily meditate upon this important verse.]

srimad-guror ashtakam etad uccair, brahme muhurte pathati prayatnatyas tena vrindavana-natha-saksat, sevaiva labhya januso ’nta eva“That person who very attentively recites this ashtakam to SréGurudeva during the brähma muhürta period (4:30 a.m.) issure to achieve the direct service to the lotus feet of Çré Kåñëa,the very life and soul of Våndävana (våndävana-nätha), uponattaining his vastu-siddhi, or pure spiritual form.” (SriGurvashtakam, Srila Visvanatha Cakravartipada)

Glorifying the spiritual master goes on eternally. With everybreath, thought, word and action the dedicated discipletries to please his beloved Gurudeva. In this world, I serveSri Guru in my sadhaka rupa, practitioner form. In the divinerealm of sweet love, I serve Sri Guru in my siddha rupa, ecstaticform of spiritual mellows.

The divine realm is far far beyond the purview of our material perception. It is the plane of Goloka, Vraja Gokula wherein all live in harmony, sweetly cooperating to please Sri Krishna. Now let’s consider, can love be seen, measured or weighed on a scale? With words I try my best to pay a debt that cannot even be calculated. Sri Guru has given me everything but it may take many lifetimes to realize this and finally surrender to his will.

But what is the will of the master? Sri Guru wants every disciple to love the holy name, to love Mahaprabhu, to love Radha-Govinda, and to love all; seeing the benign center within all beings. Sri Guru desires peace and happiness for all creatures, viçvaà pürëaà sukhäyate. “Let the whole world love Kåñëa! What is the difficulty?” proclaimed Çréla Prabhupäda as he gazed compassionately upon one and all.

On this most auspicious day of our Holy Masters appearance, Srila Prabhupada’s wonderfully blissful Vyasa-puja Celebration, I pray to Radha-Giridhari that all of you will deepen and increase your attachment,

dedication, surrender and service to His Divine Grace and your own spiritual guides, the emissaries of love divine!

Sri Guru ki jai!

Jai Jai Sri Radhe!