Srila Prabhupada vani #475

#475-Srila Prabhupada explains-Krishna is predominator and everyone else is predominated-in his lecture-NOD 12 VRN 1972-11-08 The Complete Science of Bhakti-Yoga

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Znh6EFJ67DoSNp1Rahfohgx-V7FfLCfq/view?usp=drivesdk

Daily Reading: Caitanya Caritamrita page-121

CC Ādi 3.96

prakaṭiyā dekhe ācārya sakala saṁsāra
kṛṣṇa-bhakti gandha-hīna viṣaya-vyavahāra

Translation: 

Advaita Ācārya having appeared, He found the world devoid of devotional service to Śrī Kṛṣṇa because people were engrossed in material affairs.

CC Ādi 3.97

keha pāpe, keha puṇye kare viṣaya-bhoga
bhakti-gandha nāhi, yāte yāya bhava-roga

Translation: 

Everyone was engaged in material enjoyment, whether sinfully or virtuously. No one was interested in the transcendental service of the Lord, which can give total relief from the repetition of birth and death.

Purport: 

Advaita Ācārya saw the entire world to be engaged in activities of material piety and impiety, without a trace of devotional service, or Kṛṣṇa consciousness, anywhere. The fact is that in this material world there is no scarcity of anything except Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Material necessities are supplied by the mercy of the Supreme Lord. We sometimes feel scarcity because of our mismanagement, but the real problem is that people are out of touch with Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Everyone is engaged in material sense gratification, but people have no plan for making an ultimate solution to their real problems, namely birth, disease, old age and death. These four material miseries are called bhava-roga, or material diseases. They can be cured only by Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Therefore Kṛṣṇa consciousness is the greatest benediction for human society.

Daily Reading: Srimad Bhagavatam page-121

SB 1.5.23

ahaṁ purātīta-bhave ’bhavaṁ mune
 dāsyās tu kasyāścana veda-vādinām
nirūpito bālaka eva yogināṁ
 śuśrūṣaṇe prāvṛṣi nirvivikṣatām

Translation: 

O Muni, in the last millennium I was born as the son of a certain maidservant engaged in the service of brāhmaṇas who were following the principles of Vedānta. When they were living together during the four months of the rainy season, I was engaged in their personal service.

Purport: 

The wonder of an atmosphere surcharged with devotional service to the Lord is briefly described herein by Śrī Nārada Muni. He was the son of the most insignificant parentage. He was not properly educated. Still, because his complete energy was engaged in the service of the Lord, he became an immortal sage. Such is the powerful action of devotional service. The living entities are the marginal energy of the Lord, and therefore they are meant for being properly utilized in the transcendental loving service of the Lord. When this is not done, one’s situation is called māyā. Therefore the illusion of māyā is at once dissipated as soon as one’s full energy is converted in the service of the Lord instead of in sense enjoyment. From the personal example of Śrī Nārada Muni in his previous birth, it is clear that the service of the Lord begins with the service of the Lord’s bona fide servants. The Lord says that the service of His servants is greater than His personal service. Service of the devotee is more valuable than the service of the Lord. One should therefore choose a bona fide servant of the Lord constantly engaged in His service, accept such a servant as the spiritual master and engage himself in his (the spiritual master’s) service. Such a spiritual master is the transparent medium by which to visualize the Lord, who is beyond the conception of the material senses. By service of the bona fide spiritual master, the Lord consents to reveal Himself in proportion to the service rendered. Utilization of the human energy in the service of the Lord is the progressive path of salvation. The whole cosmic creation becomes at once identical with the Lord as soon as service in relation with the Lord is rendered under the guidance of a bona fide spiritual master. The expert spiritual master knows the art of utilizing everything to glorify the Lord, and therefore under his guidance the whole world can be turned into the spiritual abode by the divine grace of the Lord’s servant.

Daily Reading: Bhagvad Gita As it is- Page-121

Bg 3.23

yadi hy ahaṁ na varteyaṁ
jātu karmaṇy atandritaḥ
mama vartmānuvartante
manuṣyāḥ pārtha sarvaśaḥ

Translation: 

For if I ever failed to engage in carefully performing prescribed duties, O Pārtha, certainly all men would follow My path.

Purport: 

In order to keep the balance of social tranquillity for progress in spiritual life, there are traditional family usages meant for every civilized man. Although such rules and regulations are for the conditioned souls and not Lord Kṛṣṇa, because He descended to establish the principles of religion He followed the prescribed rules. Otherwise, common men would follow in His footsteps, because He is the greatest authority. From the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam it is understood that Lord Kṛṣṇa was performing all the religious duties at home and out of home, as required of a householder.

Srila Prabhupada vani #474

#474-Srila Prabhupada explains-there is no happiness unles we are with krishna--in his lecture-NOD 12 VRN 1972-11-08 The Complete Science of Bhakti-Yoga
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1HFrWNLhHTSlKo-h9DiZW_EKulrkopWlZ/view?usp=drivesdk

Srila Prabhupada pastimes:63-A sweet Story

A Sweet Story

When I first saw this  photo in the 70's, I wondered what the story was. Here Balabhadra Prabhu shares the details. Do you have a story that goes with a photo with Srila Prabhupada ? :

The photo of Srila Prabhupada eating Sugar cane was taken in the first preaching center in Hawaii in an area named Kaaawa in March of 1969. It was Srila Prabhupada's first visit to Hawaii and Govinda Dasi had arranged many preaching programs. We had borrowed Vamanadadev's car and driven Srila Prabhupada into town(Honolulu) to KPOI radio station where Srila Prabhupada was going to be interviewed and talk about the chanting of Hare Krsna. Goursundar drove and Govinda dasi sat in the back seat behind Srila Prabhupada. Mahaparush and I also sat in the back seat. When we reached the radio station Goursundar took Mahaparush to do some Bhoga shopping. Govinda dasi and I went into the radio station with Srila Prabhupada to do the interview.

The radio personality was very kind and respectful of Srila Prabhupada and after about 45 minutes of questions and answers, Srila Prabhupada was asked to chant which he did. Srila Prabhupada started to chant. Govinda dasi and I were sitting at His Lotus Feet. We thought that He was just going to chant and we would listen. Much to our surprise, after Srila Prabhupada, finished the first mantra we did not chant and He looked down on us and said, Chant which we did. Very sweet to say the least

 After the program we drove back to Kaaawa via Haleiwa. On the way, there were big sugar cane fields and Srila Prabhupada told us to pull over and pick some of the tallest sugar cane. When we got back to the preaching center Srila Prabhupada showed us how to break the sugar cane into sections and take the hard outer portion off. Srila Prabhupada went to His room and changed His cloth and sat in the chair you see in the photo. What you don't see in the photo is the devotees sitting at Srila Prabhupada's lotus feet chewing on the sugar cane. Also what you don't see is Srila Prabhupada taking the chewed sugar cane out of his mouth and tossing it on the floor and watching us scramble for this maha straight from Srila Prabhupada mouth.

 Needless to say, Srila Prabhupada enjoyed watching us scramble after the already chewed sugar cane. It was so very sweet and we told Srila Prabhupada that He had told us that material life is like trying to suck sweetness from already chewed sugar cane. Due to the sweetness of this pastime with sugar cane and Srila Prabhupada in this very intimate setting, Srila Prabhupada just laughed at us and with us. Those were wonderful days. Jai Srila Prabhupada." ~ Balabadra das / William Dove

Srila Prabhupada Vani #473

#473-Srila Prabhupada explains-The impersonalist again fall down-in his lecture -NOD 12 VRN 1972-11-08 The Complete Science of Bhakti-Yoga

https://drive.google.com/open?id=13qMP-Mk7gRIK4hlg6Z4HXOa8iqHRNvyq

Daily Reading: Caitanya Caritamrita page-120

CC Ādi 3.92

ācārya gosāñi prabhura bhakta-avatāra
kṛṣṇa-avatāra-hetu yāṅhāra huṅkāra

Translation: 

Advaita Ācārya Gosvāmī is an incarnation of the Lord as a devotee. His loud calling was the cause for Kṛṣṇa’s incarnation.

CC Ādi 3.93

kṛṣṇa yadi pṛthivīte karena avatāra
prathame karena guru-vargera sañcāra

Translation: 

Whenever Śrī Kṛṣṇa desires to manifest His incarnation on earth, first He creates the incarnations of His respectable predecessors.

CC Ādi 3.94

pitā mātā guru ādi yata mānya-gaṇa
prathame karena sabāra pṛthivīte janama

Translation: 

Thus respectable personalities such as His father, mother and spiritual master all take birth on earth first.

CC Ādi 3.95

mādhava-īśvara-purī, śacī, jagannātha
advaita ācārya prakaṭa hailā sei sātha

Translation: 

Mādhavendra Purī, Īśvara Purī, Śrīmatī Śacīmātā and Śrīla Jagannātha Miśra all appeared with Śrī Advaita Ācārya.

Purport: 

Whenever the Supreme Personality of Godhead descends in His human form, He sends ahead all His devotees, who act as His father, teacher and associates in many roles. Such personalities appear before the descent of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Before the appearance of Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya Mahāprabhu, there appeared His devotees like Śrī Mādhavendra Purī; His spiritual master, Śrī Īśvara Purī; His mother, Śrīmatī Śacī-devī; His father, Śrī Jagannātha Miśra; and Śrī Advaita Ācārya.

Daily Reading: Srimad Bhagavatam page-120

SB 1.5.22

idaṁ hi puṁsas tapasaḥ śrutasya vā
 sviṣṭasya sūktasya ca buddhi-dattayoḥ
avicyuto ’rthaḥ kavibhir nirūpito
 yad-uttamaśloka-guṇānuvarṇanam

Translation: 

Learned circles have positively concluded that the infallible purpose of the advancement of knowledge, namely austerities, study of the Vedas, sacrifice, chanting of hymns and charity, culminates in the transcendental descriptions of the Lord, who is defined in choice poetry.

Purport: 

Human intellect is developed for advancement of learning in art, science, philosophy, physics, chemistry, psychology, economics, politics, etc. By culture of such knowledge the human society can attain perfection of life. This perfection of life culminates in the realization of the Supreme Being, Viṣṇu. The śruti therefore directs that those who are actually advanced in learning should aspire for the service of Lord Viṣṇu. Unfortunately persons who are enamored by the external beauty of viṣṇu-māyā do not understand that culmination of perfection or self-realization depends on Viṣṇu. Viṣṇu-māyā means sense enjoyment, which is transient and miserable. Those who are entrapped by viṣṇu-māyā utilize advancement of knowledge for sense enjoyment. Śrī Nārada Muni has explained that all paraphernalia of the cosmic universe is but an emanation from the Lord out of His different energies because the Lord has set in motion, by His inconceivable energy, the actions and reactions of the created manifestation. They have come to be out of His energy, they rest on His energy, and after annihilation they merge into Him. Nothing is, therefore, different from Him, but at the same time the Lord is always different from them.

When advancement of knowledge is applied in the service of the Lord, the whole process becomes absolute. The Personality of Godhead and His transcendental name, fame, glory, etc., are all nondifferent from Him. Therefore, all the sages and devotees of the Lord have recommended that the subject matter of art, science, philosophy, physics, chemistry, psychology and all other branches of knowledge should be wholly and solely applied in the service of the Lord. Art, literature, poetry, painting, etc., may be used in glorifying the Lord. The fiction writers, poets and celebrated litterateurs are generally engaged in writing of sensuous subjects, but if they turn towards the service of the Lord they can describe the transcendental pastimes of the Lord. Vālmīki was a great poet, and similarly Vyāsadeva is a great writer, and both of them have absolutely engaged themselves in delineating the transcendental activities of the Lord and by doing so have become immortal. Similarly, science and philosophy also should be applied in the service of the Lord. There is no use presenting dry speculative theories for sense gratification. Philosophy and science should be engaged to establish the glory of the Lord. Advanced people are eager to understand the Absolute Truth through the medium of science, and therefore a great scientist should endeavor to prove the existence of the Lord on a scientific basis. Similarly, philosophical speculations should be utilized to establish the Supreme Truth as sentient and all-powerful. Similarly, all other branches of knowledge should always be engaged in the service of the Lord. In the Bhagavad-gītā also the same is affirmed. All “knowledge” not engaged in the service of the Lord is but nescience. Real utilization of advanced knowledge is to establish the glories of the Lord, and that is the real import. Scientific knowledge engaged in the service of the Lord, and all similar activities, are all factually hari-kīrtana, or glorification of the Lord.

Daily Reading: Bhagvad Gita As it is- Page-120

Bg 3.22

na me pārthāsti kartavyaṁ
triṣu lokeṣu kiñcana
nānavāptam avāptavyaṁ
varta eva ca karmaṇi

Translation: 

O son of Pṛthā, there is no work prescribed for Me within all the three planetary systems. Nor am I in want of anything, nor have I a need to obtain anything – and yet I am engaged in prescribed duties.

Purport: 

The Supreme Personality of Godhead is described in the Vedic literatures as follows:

tam īśvarāṇāṁ paramaṁ maheśvaraṁ
taṁ devatānāṁ paramaṁ ca daivatam
patiṁ patīnāṁ paramaṁ parastād
vidāma devaṁ bhuvaneśam īḍyam

na tasya kāryaṁ karaṇaṁ ca vidyate
na tat-samaś cābhyadhikaś ca dṛśyate
parāsya śaktir vividhaiva śrūyate
svābhāvikī jñāna-bala-kriyā ca

“The Supreme Lord is the controller of all other controllers, and He is the greatest of all the diverse planetary leaders. Everyone is under His control. All entities are delegated with particular power only by the Supreme Lord; they are not supreme themselves. He is also worshipable by all demigods and is the supreme director of all directors. Therefore, He is transcendental to all kinds of material leaders and controllers and is worshipable by all. There is no one greater than Him, and He is the supreme cause of all causes.

“He does not possess a bodily form like that of an ordinary living entity. There is no difference between His body and His soul. He is absolute. All His senses are transcendental. Any one of His senses can perform the action of any other sense. Therefore, no one is greater than Him or equal to Him. His potencies are multifarious, and thus His deeds are automatically performed as a natural sequence.” (Śvetāśvatara Upaniṣad 6.7–8)

Since everything is in full opulence in the Personality of Godhead and is existing in full truth, there is no duty for the Supreme Personality of Godhead to perform. One who must receive the results of work has some designated duty, but one who has nothing to achieve within the three planetary systems certainly has no duty. And yet Lord Kṛṣṇa is engaged on the Battlefield of Kurukṣetra as the leader of the kṣatriyas because the kṣatriyas are duty-bound to give protection to the distressed. Although He is above all the regulations of the revealed scriptures, He does not do anything that violates the revealed scriptures.