Thursday, October 13, 2011
Krishna Consciousness Movement is Not a Sectarian Movement
In the Thirteenth Chapter of Bhagavad-gita, you will find, it is described: the body and the knower of the body. Just like you think over your body, you think over your finger. You will understand that it is your finger. When I think of this finger, I know this is my finger. When I think of this leg, I think that "This is my leg." But I don't think your finger as my finger. This knower is individual, and he knows not everything but something of his body. I do not know everything of my body. Suppose I am eating, I am eating something. How this eatable substance transforms into vitamin secretion and how it is being distributed all over the body and is supplying the energy? Or take, for example, I have got my hairs, but I do not know how many hairs I have got. Is not that a fact? Can you count your hairs, how many hairs you have got? So, so many things we do not know even of our body, although I am claiming that "This is my body."
But there is another living being. He is supreme living being, Krishna. He says that "I know everything of everyone's body." Ksetra-jnam capi mam viddhi sarva-ksetresu bharata [Bg. 13.3]. This is the verse. Ksetra-jna means the knower of the body. You are individual knower of your body; I am knower individually of my body. So everyone is knower of his own body. But there is another person, who says that "I know everything of everyone's body." Ksetra-jnam capi mam viddhi sarva-ksetresu bharata. He is known as Paramatma. The individual knower is known as atma, or soul, spirit soul.
The individual soul is called atma. But there is another soul, Supersoul. He is called Paramatma. Paramatma is God, but atma and Paramatma, both of them are cognizant. Both of them know things. Just like I know something about my body or I know something about this world. Similarly, there is another atma, supreme atma, who knows everything of this universe. He is sometimes called God or the Paramatma or Krishna, whatever He..., according to different language. So that God is also knower; you are also knower. So far knowing capacity is concerned, you are one with God. Because Krishna or God is cognizant, you are also cognizant. But you are cognizant with very limited sphere, and He is cognizant unlimitedly everywhere. That is the difference. So try to understand Paramatma and jivatma. Jivatma is small, and Paramatma, or God, is great. That you know, every one of you. You say, "God is great," but how He is great, that we do not know. That we have to know. That is called God consciousness or Krishna consciousness. Everyone says, "God is great. God is omnipotent. God is all-powerful," but we do not know how God is great, how God is all-powerful, how God is omnipotent. That we should know. And that is the prerogative, a special power for the human being. The animals, they cannot know what is God, how God is great, how God is all-powerful. But a human being, if he tries, if he consults books of knowledge just like Bible or Bhagavad-gita or similar other scriptures, he can know what is God, how great He is, how omnipotent He is, and what is our relationship with God.
We should know also our relationship with God. And that is stated in the Bhagavad-gita. Our relationship with God is that we are all part and parcel of God. Just like your father has got many children -- you are part of the father's body -- similarly, God, the supreme father, He has also many children, and you are one of them; therefore you are part and parcel of God. That is stated in the Bhagavad-gita:
mamaivamso jiva-bhutah
jiva-loke sanatanah
manah sasthanindriyani
prakrti-sthani karsati
[Bg. 15.7]
Krishna says that, "All these living entities, they are all My parts and parcels, but being influenced by mental concoction, he is very much struggling hard within this material world." Manah sasthanindriyani prakrti-sthani karsati. This struggle for existence of the human being is due to his lack of knowledge of God. He does not know how God is great. There is no educational institution all over the world to discuss this subject matter, how God is great, how He is omnipotent, how I am servant of God. These things are not discussed. But when we forget our relationship with God we become subjected to the threefold miseries of material existence. Take for example... Just like an Australian citizen. He is under the laws of the state of Australia. But if he says, "I don't care for the government," he becomes lawless, and sometimes he becomes criminal, and he is put into the prison life. In the prison also, he has to abide by the laws of the government, and outside the prison also, one has to abide by the laws of the government. But outside the prison the citizens abide by the laws of the government voluntarily, and inside the prison house, the criminals, they defy the laws of government, and therefore they are put into the prison house. So when we defy the laws of God, we are put into threefold miseries of life. That is called material existence. And when we abide by the laws of God, then we are happy. We should know this fact. And religion means to abide by the laws of God. In the Sanskrit language it is said, dharmam tu saksad bhagavat-pranitam [SB 6.3.19]. Dharma, or religion, means the codes of God. Code. Just like laws cannot be manufactured by some individual man, laws are enacted by the government, similarly, religious principles, they are made by God. Godless man does not care for religion, but those who are sober, devotee, godly, they abide by the laws of God, and they are happy. Just like in your Bible there are commandments. So one has to abide by the commandment; then he will be happy. And if one disobeys the commandments of God, he will be unhappy.
So our, this Krishna consciousness movement is not a sectarian movement. We are trying to bring back people to God consciousness. Because unless one comes to God consciousness, he cannot be happy. That's a fact. He becomes careless, and without abiding by the laws of God, he becomes criminal, subjected to so many troubles inflicted by the laws of nature. So these things should be taught from the beginning. It is said in the Srimad-Bhagavatam, kaumaram acaret prajno dharman bhagavatan iha. In every school and college these codes of God should be taught to the children. Then in future they will be godly or God conscious and their life will be peaceful. And because this is not taught in the schools and colleges... I have got experience by traveling in the Western countries. Especially in America, they have got so many nice arrangements of big, big universities. Unfortunately, nowadays they are producing hippies. So this is not very encouraging. In every school and college the God consciousness should be taught. Never mind whether through Bible or Koran or through Bhagavad-gita. Everywhere there is knowledge of God consciousness. That teaching should be introduced in every school and college so that children, from the very beginning, may understand what is God, how great he is, how we are related with God, and how we have to live. So our, this movement, Krishna consciousness, is teaching that thing. Don't think that it is a sectarian religion. We are making people God conscious. It doesn't matter whichever religion you may belong. We want to see whether you are actually God conscious. Our Bhagavata says, sa vai pumsam paro dharmo yato bhaktir adhoksaje [SB 1.2.6], that "That religious system is first class wherein God consciousness or love of God is taught." That is first-class religion. It doesn't matter whether it is Christian religion or Hindu religion or Muhammadan religion. If by following the principles of religion one becomes advanced in God consciousness, that is first-class religion. That is our motto, and we are preaching all over the world.
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Bhagavad-gita is ever fresh
And by that repetition, you simply waste your time, chewing the chewed again and again. So after reading your newspaper, you throw it away. It has no value. Every day your media is printing so many newspapers. On Sunday, especially, the paper is so big that one can hardly carry it. But after reading it an hour, people throw it away. One's words may be simple, but they should be valuable. Here is this book, Bhagavad-gita, and people keep it and read it for a lifetime, and in this way it has been read for the past 5,000 years. The beauty of transcendental literatures like Bhagavad-gita is that they never become old. They have been read in the world by civilized man for the last five thousand years, and they have never become old.
They are ever fresh to the learned scholars and devotees, and even by daily repetition of the verses of Bhagavad-gita, there is no satiation for devotees. Give such literature that will be taken and kept forever.
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Dwarfs Grasping for the Moon
Dr. Singh: Srila Prabhupada, what you say about modern scientists is quite accurate, Even though they know they have imperfect senses, make mistakes, and become illusioned, most are still eager to present themselves as big authorities and take big salaries. Dishonesty. And worse, they teach this dishonesty to their students.
Srila Prabhupada: Yes.
Dr. Singh: Millions of students. The students see, "Oh, even though this man has imperfect senses and makes mistakes and becomes illusioned, he still passes himself off as an exalted authority and gets away with the bluff. He makes his living by bluffing. So it appears I'll have to bluff, also. The 'scientific method.'
Srila Prabhupada: Yes. Naturally the scientists spread the bluffing, the cheating. They understand that to be successful in their dishonesty, everyone else must become dishonest.
"Life evolves from matter," the scientists teach us. No need to mention the soul or the Supreme Soul, the creator. "That would be religious sentimentalism -- unprovable. We must adhere to our scientific method -- everything provable." But has anyone proved -- ever -- that life can come from matter? These scientists cannot create even a single blade of grass. And yet we have to tolerate their "life-evolves-from-matter" rubbish. This godless, irrational bluff. This dishonesty.
So save all these millions of students. If you can prove that these so-called scientists are actually dishonest -- cheaters -- that will be a very great service.
Dr. Singh: Yes, we can prove all these things in scientific journals such as Scientific American.
Srila Prabhupada: Surely. During my college days, in 1916 or 1917, Calcutta University had an issue of Scientific American with a very memorable drawing. It showed that, ironically, modern man knows how to construct huge skyscrapers -- but he does not know who he is. Modern man has no knowledge of his soul.
So here was this man expertly constructing the intricate iron framework of some skyscraper. And yet he was utterly unaware of his very self. Unaware that he himself is the spiritual resident within the framework of the material body. He was mistaking himself to be the bodily framework, just as foolishly as if he had mistaken himself to be the skyscraper.
The drawing was thoughtful. The idea was that this man did not know who he was or what would happen in his next life. Nothing. Mudho 'yam nabhijanati loko mam ajam avyayam: as Lord Krishna says, the foolish know neither the Lord's superior, spiritual nature nor their own, original place in that spiritual nature.
In this priceless human life, the soul can regain his place in the spiritual world -- his eternal inheritance. Instead, he engages in flimsy, transitory activities, materialistic activities that will force him to stay in this material world for life after life of suffering. So he is losing his priceless opportunity to become eternally liberated.
Therefore, we have to save the bewildered soul. These materialistic activities -- constantly striving after mundane profit, adoration, and distinction -- these are not important. The important thing is to know yourself. Before you are forced to leave your present material body and accept another, come to know yourself and the Lord -- so that when that death moment comes, He will deliver you from more material bodies and more suffering. Prepare yourself, so that He will take you back to His eternal, spiritual abode.
But today people are misled. They are captivated by these huge iron structures. Such foolishness. At the time of death, how will this iron structure help you? It will remain -- but you will be dragged into your next life, and your next material body, for more suffering.
According to the subtle situation you have created in this life -- according to the state of your mind, intelligence, and ego -- in your next life you will have to accept a corresponding gross situation. A new gross body -- an all-new body, with all-new varieties of suffering. You are lost.
Dr. Singh: Here in India, at least, most people have held on to this spiritual perspective. They're not so easily fooled by so-called. advanced thinking. Here, even scientists tend to be God conscious.
Srila Prabhupada: Yes. Anyone who receives a birth in India -- he gets this chance to live in the motherland of spiritual culture because in his prior life, he pursued spiritual culture. Virtually everyone in India is God conscious.
Dr. Singh: Yes -- including even many of the scientists. But the government here criticizes the scientists for putting so much stock in God and spiritual culture.
In fact, the government even sponsored some kind of International Society for the Study of the Origin of Life from Chemicals. The government wants to keep pushing this rubbish about all of us merely "evolving" from dead matter, with no need for a creator.
Srila Prabhupada: Oh, yes. Dishonesty, including scientific dishonesty, originates from the government. The government leaders are trying to discourage people from becoming God conscious.
Dr. Singh: Yes, they are very discouraging.
Srila Prabhupada: Today the government leaders are generally big industrialists as well. So of course they are worrying: "If people become God conscious, they will go back to the simple life of farms and villages, with no need for heavy industry. Then whom shall we get to work in our factories? This God consciousness will ruin all our industrial enterprises.
"In place of God consciousness, we shall maintain elite of scientists to promote 'the scientific method': Forget God. Better not discuss God and the soul. Let us simply absorb ourselves in matter."
A dangerous government. It is the duty of the government to help people become God conscious and spiritually realized. Instead, they are fostering the opposite atmosphere: "Forget God. Forget your soul. Work like hell. And go to hell."
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Wednesday, October 12, 2011
Sri Krishna Dasa Kaviraja Goswami – Disappearance Day – Oct. 8, 2011
In Chaitanya charitamrita, Adi-lila chapter five, Sri Kaviraja relates the cause of his leaving family life: “Lord Nityananda Prabhu had a servant named Sri Minaketana Ramadasa, who was a reservoir of love. At my house there was sankirtana day and night, and therefore he visited there, having been invited. Absorbed in emotional love, he sat in my courtyard, and all the Vaishnavas bowed down at his feet. In a joyful mood of love of God he sometimes climbed upon the shoulder of someone offering obeisances, and sometimes he struck others with his flute or mildly slapped them.
Whenever Minaketana shouted aloud the name Nityananda, the people around him were filled with great wonder and astonishment. One respectable brahmana named Sri Gunarnava Mishra was serving the Deity. When Minaketana was seated in the yard, this brahmana did not offer him respect. Seeing this, Sri Ramadasa became angry and spoke. “‘Here I find the second Romaharshana suta, who did not stand to show honor when he saw Lord Balarama.’ “After saying this, he danced and sang to his heart’s content, but the brahmana did not become angry, for he was then serving Lord Krishna. At the end of the festival, Minaketana Ramadasa went away, offering his blessings to everyone. At that time he had some controversy with my brother. My brother had firm faith in Lord Chaitanya but only a dim glimmer of faith in Lord Nityananda.
Knowing this, Sri Ramadasa felt unhappy in his mind. I then rebuked my brother. “‘These two brothers,’ I told him, ‘are like one body; They are identical manifestations. If you do not believe in Lord Nityananda, you will fall down. If you have faith in one but disrespect the other, your logic is like the logic of accepting half a hen.
It would be better to be an atheist by slighting both brothers than a hypocrite by believing in one and slighting the other. ‘”Thus Sri Ramadasa broke his flute in anger and went away, and at that time my brother fell down. “That night, because He was pleased with the chastisement that Krishnadasa gave his brother for offending His dear devotee Mineketana Ramadasa, Lord Nityananda appeared in his dreams and declared: Are are krsnadasa, na karaha bhaya, vrndavana yaha, tanha sarva larya haya “O my dear Krishnadasa, do not be afraid. Go to Vrindavana, for there you will attain all things.” [C.C. Adi 5.195]
Thus receiving the mercy of Lord Nityananda in his dream, he started for Vrindavana with a joyful mind. The lotus feet of the spiritual master of Sri Kaviraja are none other than those of Lord Nityananda Himself. He accepted the Gosvamis Sri Rupa, Sri Sanatana, Sri Jiva, Sri Raghunatha, Sri Raghunatha Bhatta and Sri Gopala Bhatta as his instructing spiritual masters. From Sri Lokanatha Gosvami and Sri Raghunatha Bhatta Gosvami he begged permission to write Sri Chaitanya charitamrita. Lokanatha directed Sri Kaviraja that he desired to be unmentioned in his book; that is why, in Sri Chaitanya charitamrita, hardly a reference about Lokanatha Gosvami is to be found. Sri Krishnadasa Kaviraja Gosvami compiled the following books: Sri Govinda lilamrita, Krishna karnamrita and Sri Chaitanya charitamrita.
Krishnadasa Kaviraja Gosvami maintains that the Govinda Deity shows us how to serve Radha and Krishna. The Madana-Mohana Deity simply establishes that "I am Your eternal servant." With Govinda, however, there is actual acceptance of service, and therefore He is called the functional Deity. The Gopinatha Deity is Krishna as master and proprietor of the gopis. He attracted all the gopis, or cowherd girls, by the sound of His flute, and when they came, He danced with them. These activities are all described in the Tenth Canto of Srimad-Bhagavatam. These gopis were childhood friends of Krishna, and they were all married, by the age of twelve. The boys, however, are not married before eighteen, so Krishna, who was fifteen or sixteen at the time, was not married. Nonetheless, He called these girls from their homes and invited them to dance with Him. That dance is called the rasa-lila dance, and it is the most elevated of all the Vrindavana pastimes. Krishna is therefore called Gopinatha because He is the beloved master of the gopis.
Krishnadasa Kaviraja Gosvami petitions the blessings of Lord Gopinatha: "May that Gopinatha, the master of the gopis, Krishna, bless you. May you become blessed by Gopinatha." The author of the Chaitanya-charitamrita prays that just as Krishna attracted the gopis by the sweet sound of His flute, He will also attract the reader's mind by His transcendental vibration."
Born:1496 (Christian) Disappearance: 12th day bright fortnight month of Ashvin (the year is not known).
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“The author of Sri Chaitanya-charitamrita, Srila Krishnadasa Kaviraja Gosvami, stands as the direct disciple of Srila Rupa Gosvami and Srila Raghunatha dasa Gosvami.
The direct disciple of Srila Krishnadasa Kaviraja Gosvami was Srila Narottama dasa Thakura, who accepted Srila Vishvanatha Chakravarti as his servitor. Srila Vishvanatha Chakravarti Thakura accepted Srila Jagannatha dasa Babaji, the spiritual master of Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura, who in turn accepted Srila Gaurakishora dasa Babaji, the spiritual master of Om Vishnupada Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Gosvami Maharaja, the divine master of our humble self.”
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Sri Raghunatha Dasa Goswami – Disappearance Day – Oct. 08, 2011
Around this time, a wealthy Seth underwent great austerity by walking to Badarikasrama in the Himalayas. Arriving there he reverently worshiped Sri Badrinarayana and offered much wealth at His lotus feet. That night as he slept there, he had a dream in which Sri Badarinarayana instructed him to proceed to Vraja, where he should present all his wealth to Sri Raghunatha Dasa Gosvami, who was residing at Aritgram. "If he declines to accept it, then you can mention My name and remind him about renovating Radha-kunda and Shyama-kunda."
The Seth was very happy at such a wonderful dream and after returning home he set out for Vraja and met Raghunatha dasa Gosvami and related all these events to him. Raghunatha dasa Gosvami was somewhat taken aback to hear this news, but then immediately gave his consent. Thus Sethji began the work of re-digging the two kunds.
On the banks of Radha-kunda, the five Pandavas were residing in the form of trees. As the work was proceeding it was decided that on the following day these trees would have to be cut down, but that night the five Pandavas appeared in a dream of Raghunatha dasa and forbade the cutting of those trees. Even to this day they are still residing there.
Nearby, the kundas of the eight gopis were also constructed. Seeing all this, Raghunatha dasa forgot himself in ecstasy. Raghunatha dasa Gosvami lived on the banks of Radha-kunda without any fixed residence, staying under a different tree every night. Sometimes he would stay on the banks of the Manasa Ganga. At that time these areas were jungles filled with ferocious animals. One day Sanatana Gosvami came to the banks of Manasa Ganga to meet Gopala Bhatta Gosvami. Before accepting his noon meal at Gopal Bhatta's bhajan kutir, he went to take bath at the Pavan ghat of Manasa Ganga. From there he saw two tigers come to the kund and after drinking some water saunter off. Just near that spot Raghunatha das Gosvami was sitting under a tree absorbed in his bhajana. Sanatana Gosvami was startled to see this but even more so when he saw Sri Krishna standing at some distance observing everything. He then requested Raghunatha to do his bhajana within a hut.
On another occasion, Raghunatha dasa, who still hadn't bothered to have a kutir constructed, was sitting in the noon day sun absorbed in his bhajana. Srimati Radharani happened to pass that way at this time and, seeing that the sun was beating down on Raghunatha's head, she stood behind him and held the end of her sari to shield him from the sun’s rays. Then one of the Gosvamis came along and saw this heart-rending scene, while profuse perspiration continued to flow from Srimati Radharani's transcendental body. This time when he was again requested to do his bhajan in a kutir, he immediately agreed to comply.
In Vraja, Krishna is served by Radharani and Chandravalli, who each have unlimited maid servants. According to mellows of paramour love, Sri Raghunatha dasa Gosvami counted himself as a maidservant of the friends of Srimati Radharani. As Chandravalli is the chief competitor of Radharani, Sri Raghunatha dasa Gosvami would never go to her kunja or talk with any of the sakhis. Thus he served the servants of Radharani within his mind in this way.
One Brajabasi known as Sri Das Brajabasi used to bring Sri Raghunatha das Gosvami a leaf cup of buttermilk every day. Drinking this he would engage in bhajana throughout the day. One day Sri Das Brijabasi went to Chandravalli's kunda, known as Sakhi-sthali, to herd his cows. There he saw a palash tree with very large leaves, so he collected some leaves to make leaf cups. The next day, in one of the new leaf cups he brought some buttermilk to Raghunatha das Gosvami. Raghunatha dasa accepted the leaf cup of buttermilk and inquired, "Sri dasji, where did you get these nice palash leaves?" Sri dasji replied, "While I was pasturing the cows I came to Sakhi-sthali and found them there."
Simply hearing the word 'Sakhi-sthali' Raghunatha dasa flew into a rage and threw the leaf cup of buttermilk away saying, "The followers of Srimati Radharani never accept anything from that place." Seeing the loyal devotion of Raghunatha dasa for Srimati Radharani, Sridasji was amazed.
Raghunatha dasa Gosvami used to always serve Sri Sri Radha-Govinda in his mind. One day in his meditation he cooked sweet rice and offered it to Sri Sri Radha and Krishna. In great pleasure they accepted the offering and the other sakhis also relished this prasadam. Then Raghunatha himself honored the remnants of their prasadam and in great ecstasy, due to the pleasure of having been able to satisfy Sri Sri Radha-Govinda and Their loving attendants, he ate a little more than was his custom.
In the afternoon Raghunatha dasa used to speak about Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. However, this day when the devotees came in the afternoon to hear him speak, they found that the door to his kutir was closed. They waited for some time but when it appeared that there was no movement inside they became a little anxious and called out, "Gosvamiji, are you all right?" Sri Raghunatha dasa Gosvami answered, "My body is not well."
The devotees became concerned and immediately sent word to Sanatana Gosvami in Mathura. At that time Sri Sanatana Gosvami was staying with Sri Vallabhacharya's son Sri Vithalnathji, who immediately sent two physicians to Radha-kunda to examine Sri Raghunath dasa Gosvami. After checking his pulse, the doctors concluded that, "due to eating a combination of rice and milk his body is feeling very heavy."
Hearing this diagnosis everyone was struck with wonder. That Raghunatha dasa Gosvami, who subsisted on only a little buttermilk each day, should fall ill from eating too much sweet rice was astonishing, especially because it was eaten only in meditation.
There are various opinions on Sri Raghunatha das Gosvami's identity in Krishna-lila. Some have ascertained that he was Rasa Manjari, some that he was Rati Manjari, while still others that he was Bhanumoti. The Govardhana-sila given by Sriman Mahaprabhu to Raghunatha dasa to worship is still worshiped at Sri Gokulananda Mandira, in Vrindavana.
Srila Raghunatha dasa Goswami compiled the following books: Stavavali, Dana charita, and Mukta charita, among others.
Birth: 1428 (Sakabda) Disappearance: 1504 on the 12th day of the bright fortnight of the month of Ashvin.
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Sri Raghunatha Bhatta Goswami – Disappearance Day – Oct. 08, 2011
As a boy Raghunatha was adept in Sanskrit grammar and rhetoric. He became well versed in the scriptures. Upon coming of age his father sent him to Puri, where he met Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. He spent eight months in the service of the Lord.
When Raghunatha's parents passed away, he returned to Jagannatha Puri where he spent a further eight months in the service of the Lord. Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu then sent Raghunatha to Vrindavana, to study the Srimad-Bhagavatam and other revealed scriptures under the guidance of Sri Sanatana and Sri Rupa Goswami. After some time Raghunatha’s disciples built a temple for Sri Gaura Govinda in Vrindavana.
In the Antya-lila, Chapter Thirteen, it is stated that he was also expert in cooking; whatever he cooked would be nectarean. Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu was greatly pleased to accept the food that he cooked, and Raghunatha Bhatta used to take the remnants of food left by Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. Raghunatha Bhattacharya lived for eight months in Jagannatha Puri, after which Lord Chaitanya ordered him to go to Vrindavana to join Sri Rupa Gosvami. Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu asked Raghunatha Bhattacharya not to marry but to remain a brahmachari, and He also ordered him to read Srimad-Bhagavatam constantly.
Thus he went to Vrindavana, where he engaged in reciting Srimad-Bhagavatam to Srila Rupa Gosvami. He was so expert in reciting Srimad-Bhagavatam that he would recite each and every verse in three melodious tunes. While Raghunatha Bhatta Gosvami was living with Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, the Lord blessed him by offering him betel nuts offered to the Jagannatha Deity and a garland of tulasi said to be as long as fourteen cubits. Under Raghunatha Bhatta Gosvami's order, one of his disciples constructed the Govinda temple. Raghunatha Bhatta Gosvami supplied all the ornaments of the Govinda Deity. He never talked of nonsense or worldly matters but always engaged in hearing about Krishna twenty-four hours a day. He never cared to hear blasphemy of a Vaishnava. Even when there were points to be criticized, he used to say that since all the Vaishnavas were engaged in the service of the Lord, he did not mind their faults.
Later Raghunatha Bhatta Gosvami lived by Radha-kunda in a small cottage. In the Gaura-ganoddesa-dipika, verse 185, it is said that Raghunatha Bhatta Gosvami was formerly the gopi named Raga-manjari.
Unlike the other Gosvamis, it is not known if Raghunatha Bhatta Gosvami worshipped any particular Sri Vigraha of the Lord or not. His worshippable Deity of ‘Srimad-Bhagavatam’ however is still being worshipped at ‘Gadadhar Bhatta Pith’ within Madan Mohan temple which is near the Radha-Vallabha Mandir in Vrindavan. There is also a very beautiful painting of Sri Sri Gaur-Gadadhar here. Raghunatha Bhatta was the disciple of Sri Gadadhar Pandit.
Raghunatha was full of humility and meekness. He was permanently engaged in remembrance of the Lord. He passed away in 1579 on the 10th day of the bright fortnight of Jyeshtha.
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Conquering the Ravana within
Who was Ravana? What was his mistake? Ravana, the chief of the demons, was the ruler of one of the most opulent kingdoms on earth, the Golden Lanka. His opulence, might and knowledge were unmatched. Srila Prabhupada explains: “Ravana was so powerful that all the demigods in higher planetary systems were afraid of him. He became so powerful. Ravana's brother reigned in Brazil. And there was a subway from Ceylon to Brazil. We get information from Ramayana. Such powerful demons. Who can make a subway now from one country to another country? They can make subways from one city to another, utmost. And Brazil, they say, still has a big stock of gold. So Ravana utilized these gold mines for constructing his city. Svarna-lanka, "Golden Ceylon," it was known at that time. He was so advanced even in material science, even at that time. And he was also a good scholar in Vedic literature. He was a great devotee of Lord Shiva. And by the blessings of Lord Shiva, he got so much opulence. And he became so powerful that he dared to kidnap the wife of Ramachandra. So such a powerful demon was killed by Ramachandra.”
Despite being such a powerful, opulent and knowledgeable person, what made Ravana a demon? If the reason had been his having taken birth in a demonic family, then personalities like Prahlada Maharaja and Bali Maharaja should also have been called demons. But birth alone does not count. It is the consciousness that makes a person demon. In the Bhagavad-gita, Lord Krishna defines demonic nature as, “Arrogance, pride, anger, conceit, harshness and ignorance—these qualities belong to those of demonic nature, O son of Prithu.” (Bg 16.4). Thus it has very much to do with the consciousness than the family lineage and appearance. A demon does not mean someone who is having a gigantic body with sharp teeth and claws and a thunderous voice.
In today’s world anyone who is well dressed, has good material education and possesses great wealth is called a ‘gentleman’. But Ravana had all these opulences many-many times more than the gentlemen of today… and yet he was termed as a demon. According to Padma Purana, a demon is one who decries the supremacy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead Krishna or Vishnu, and opposite to demons are the devatas or demigods who submit to the supremacy of the Lord and serve Him favorably. This is what distinguishes Prahlada Maharaja and Bali Maharaja from Ravana; that they were pure devotees of Lord Vishnu whereas Ravana was a staunch enemy of His.
The greatest fault with Ravana was that he wanted to enjoy Lakshmi or Sita, who is the property of the Supreme Lord Narayana. A materialistic person, just like Ravana, tries to enjoy the Lord’s energy for his personal sense gratification and sometimes even against the Lord Himself. Lord Krishna says in the Gita the eight elements: earth, water, fire, air, ether, mind, intelligence and false ego are His energies. This entire material creation is made up of these elements and thus it is Krishna’s property. That’s why in the Gita, Lord Krishna claims Himself to be the proprietor of all the universes; sarva loka mahesvara (Bg 5.29). Being the creator and master of everything that be, He is the rightful enjoyer of this creation. But the Ravana policy is to snatch away the property from the real owner to enjoy as one’s own, and not even hesitate in killing the real owner. In other words, it is to snatch away Lakshmi from Vishnu for personal sense gratification and declare that ‘There is no Vishnu or Vishnu is dead’.
The modern day civilization is a diligent follower of Ravana’s philosophy. However gentleman a person may appear to be, using Krishna’s property for his personal sense gratification and decrying the ownership of the Lord makes him demonic. Just like Ravana did not hesitate in even attempting to kill Rama, in the same way atheistic people do not hesitate in blaspheming the Lord or negating His existence. They want to exploit the whole world claiming it to be their own. There is a solid conviction within the heart to Lord it over material nature which actually belongs to Krishna and should be used in His service. This conviction is the cause of more and more sinful acts and further degradation in material existence.
We, as the Bhagavad-gita explains, are eternal parts and parcels of the Supreme Lord. It’s our responsibility to serve Him for His pleasure as we are being created for that very purpose. A ‘gentleman’ servant would never steal his master’s property but rather would use it for the pleasure of the master. And this is called a devotee, whose perfection can be seen in the personality of Hanuman. Srila Prabhupada explains, “The Ravana policy is, "Take away Sita from the clutches of Rama and enjoy it." This is Ravana policy. And the Hanuman policy is: "Take out Sita from the hands of Ravana and get her seated by the side of Rama." The same Sita. Sita means Lakshmi. So Lakshmi means Narayana's property, God's property. We are not of the mentality of Ravana who took Lakshmi from Narayana and became ruined. Keep Lakshmi and Narayana always together and you will become as powerful as Hanuman.”
Perfection of gentlemanliness is in becoming Hanuman by always engaging Lord’s property in His service for His pleasure. As both, Hanuman consciousness and Ravana consciousness, reside within our minds, all one needs to do is to replace Ravana with Hanuman and that process is called Bhakti or devotional service which makes us the real gentleman. This is possible only by taking shelter of the Supreme Lord just like Hanuman did. By remaining firmly fixed in devotional service to Lord Rama he could serve Lord Rama and thus reach the pinnacle of devotion. Similarly if one takes shelter of the Supreme Lord Ramachandra with determination to serve Him favorably always, then he can very well attain the devotional glory, bliss and Lord Rama’s favor eternally like Hanumanji. This would be the real celebration of Dasara.
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Sri Madhvacharya (1238 - 1317 A.D.) is one of the greatest saint-philosophers.
Madhvacharya was born of Tulu speaking parents at Udupi, Karnataka. The young Vasudeva, (Madhva’s boyhood name) expressed a desire to become an ascetic as early as age 8.
Madhva’s parents naturally objected and so it was not until he was about 16 years of age that he was able to leave home and become a sannyasi. From then on the young Vasudeva became known as Ananda Tirtha, the name given to him by his sannyasa guru. Ananda Tirtha later assumed the name Madhva by which he is most commonly known today.
Shankaracharya’s advaita-vedanta produced a profound dissatisfaction in the mind of the young Madhva, which often brought him into conflict with his teachers. In fact Madhva’s objection to advaita-vedanta became the most compelling force in this life and he spent much of his adult life arguing against this view of the world.
After studying in Udupi, Madhva traveled to Tamil Nadu where he continued to meet and debate with advaita scholars. Madhva soon returned to Udupi, but after a short time he left to visit Veda Vyasa at Badari in the northern Himalayas. Many months passed and Madhva’s followers thought that he had perished in the desolate mountains. When he finally appeared he was resplendent and joyful. He had received the blessings of Vyasa. Upon his return to Udupi, he immediately began to write his famous Brahma-sutra commentary.
Soon Madhva started his own temple in Udupi by installing a beautiful Deity of Bala Krishna. He obtained this Deity by rescuing a ship in distress near the coast of Udupi. Madhvacharya signaled the ship to shore by waving lamps and flags. Convinced that it was through the grace of Madhva that the ship was saved, the ship’s captain offered him a gift. Madhva chose the clay (gopi-chandana) that was used for the ship’s ballast. Upon washing the clay, Madhvacharya discovered a beautiful Deity of Sri Krishna, which He personally carried to Udupi and began to worship. This Deity of Krishna is still worshipped today in the central temple of Udupi. Madhva’s Udupi temple is one of the most important Krishna temples in India. The lamp beside this Deity of Krishna was lit by Madhvacharya himself and has never been extinguished.
During his lifetime, Madhvacharya wrote many important commentaries on the Upanishads, Bhagavad-gita, Brahma-sutra, Mahabharata and the Bhagavata-purana. The final years of Madhva were spent in teaching and worship. In the end he instructed his followers not to sit still, but to go forth and preach.
His biographers tell how Madhvacharya disappeared one evening while reciting his favorite text, the Aitareya Upanishad.
Pajakakshetra
A visit to Pajakakshetra acquaints one with the early life of Madhvacharya, the propounder of dvaita philosophy.
An aura of spirituality envelops and soothes one’s body and spirit as one enters this sacred land of Pajakakshetra, a small village 16 km from Udupi. It is the birthplace of Sri Madhvacharya. Pajakakshetra is the abode of Parashurama, the destroyer of evil, Durga the remover of ignorance and Madhvacharya, the giver of supreme knowledge. The confluence of these three forces makes Pajaka a unique place of pilgrimage.
The spiritual ambience of the well-preserved original home of Madhva, where he lived with his parents, captures one’s imagination. His father Madhyageha was a devout Brahmin. Inside the house is the small temple housing the Deity of Ananthapadmanabha, which he worshiped every day. In the backyard is the small sacred tank of 'Vasudevathirtha', created by Madhva as a child, and contains the essence of the four sacred tanks in the vicinity, the waters of which were used by his father for his daily worship at the nearby Durga temple.
A few feet away to the north is the huge tamarind tree, believed to be an offshoot of the original tamarind tree under which Madhva played as a child. Now a stone platform surrounds its trunk. Popular belief goes that Madhyageha was unable to return the loan he had taken from a moneylender and was being harassed by him. Madhva, who was then playing under the tamarind tree, brought a handful of tamarind seeds and gave them to the moneylender and asked him to leave. To the astonishment of the moneylender, the seeds had turned into gold coins by the time he could reach home.
A temple housing the Deity of Madhvacharya stands on the spot where the imprints of Madhva's feet are found. According to popular belief, it is precisely the spot where Madhva, as a child, landed after jumping from the nearby Durga hill after killing the vicious serpent Manimanta.
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Tuesday, October 11, 2011
ISKCON Bangalore Dasara Celebrations
Dussehra (Dasara) is one of the significant Hindu festivals, celebrated with much joy in the entire country. Dussehra is the tenth and final day of Durga Puja in Bengal and the rest of East, Navaratri in North and West India and culmination of Ramlila in some parts of India and Dasara in many parts of Southern India. Also known as Vijayadashami, Dussehra, commemorates the victory of Lord Rama over the ten headed demon king Ravana.
The festival marks the occasion of Lord Rama and his brother Lakshmana approaching Mother Durga asking for her blessings in their attack on the demon Ravana.
Brilliantly decorated tableaux and processions depicting various facets of Rama’s life are taken out. On the tenth day, the Vijayadashami day, colossal effigies of Ravana, his brother Kumbhakarna and son Meghanath are placed in vast open spaces. Rama, accompanied by his consort Sita and his brother Lakshman arrive and shoot arrows of fire at these effigies, which are stuffed with explosive material. The result is a deafening blast, enhanced by the shouts of gaiety and victory from the spectators.
It is significant that the Lord invoked the blessings of the divine mother, Goddess Durga, before actually going out to battle. In burning the effigies of the demon Ravana who was slain by Lord Rama it is also symbolic for us that we, the people are asked to burn the evil within us, and thus follow the path of virtue and goodness, bearing in mind the instance of Ravana, who despite all his might and majesty was destroyed for his evil ways.
Ravana was a great scholar and an ardent devotee of Lord Shiva, but the very powers that were bestowed on him for his steadfast devotion proved to be his undoing, due to his gross misuse of the same. Furthermore although empowered by his austerities performed to Lord Shiva, his powers were ineffective over the powers of Rama.
Srila Prabhupada comments as follows : "During autumn, the fields become filled with ripened grains. At that time, the people become happy over the harvest and observe various ceremonies, such as Navanna—the offering of new grains to the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The new grains are first offered to the Deities in various temples, and all are invited to take sweet rice made with these new grains. There are other religious ceremonies and methods of worship, particularly in Bengal, where the greatest of all such ceremonies is held, called Durga-puja." (Krishna, The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Chapter 20)
The festival of Dasara will be celebrated in Iskcon Mysore on Oct 6, 2011. Festival celebrations include chanting the Holy names of Lord Sri Ramachandra, Ambari utsava - majestic ride of Their Lordships on an elephant, davana of 50 ft high effigies of Ravana and Kumbhakarna and lots more
More Details:
The festival marks the occasion of Lord Rama and his brother Lakshmana approaching Mother Durga asking for her blessings in their attack on the demon Ravana.
Brilliantly decorated tableaux and processions depicting various facets of Rama’s life are taken out. On the tenth day, the Vijayadashami day, colossal effigies of Ravana, his brother Kumbhakarna and son Meghanath are placed in vast open spaces. Rama, accompanied by his consort Sita and his brother Lakshman arrive and shoot arrows of fire at these effigies, which are stuffed with explosive material. The result is a deafening blast, enhanced by the shouts of gaiety and victory from the spectators.
It is significant that the Lord invoked the blessings of the divine mother, Goddess Durga, before actually going out to battle. In burning the effigies of the demon Ravana who was slain by Lord Rama it is also symbolic for us that we, the people are asked to burn the evil within us, and thus follow the path of virtue and goodness, bearing in mind the instance of Ravana, who despite all his might and majesty was destroyed for his evil ways.
Ravana was a great scholar and an ardent devotee of Lord Shiva, but the very powers that were bestowed on him for his steadfast devotion proved to be his undoing, due to his gross misuse of the same. Furthermore although empowered by his austerities performed to Lord Shiva, his powers were ineffective over the powers of Rama.
Srila Prabhupada comments as follows : "During autumn, the fields become filled with ripened grains. At that time, the people become happy over the harvest and observe various ceremonies, such as Navanna—the offering of new grains to the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The new grains are first offered to the Deities in various temples, and all are invited to take sweet rice made with these new grains. There are other religious ceremonies and methods of worship, particularly in Bengal, where the greatest of all such ceremonies is held, called Durga-puja." (Krishna, The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Chapter 20)
The festival of Dasara will be celebrated in Iskcon Mysore on Oct 6, 2011. Festival celebrations include chanting the Holy names of Lord Sri Ramachandra, Ambari utsava - majestic ride of Their Lordships on an elephant, davana of 50 ft high effigies of Ravana and Kumbhakarna and lots more
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