Sri Ram Navami – Bhaktivedanta Manor Photos

The whole set is at : http://www.flickr.com/photos/deitydarshan/archives/date-posted/2010/03/24/detail/

I have tried to write at the bottom of each picture

Sri Rama Shila

Rabbit At the feet of Sri Rama and Also lots of milk sweets

  

Sri Sri Radha Gokulananda and Sri Sri Sita Rama Laxman Hanuman

 

Sri Sri Radha Gokulananda and Sri Sri Sita Rama Laxman Hanuman

Lotus feet of Sri Rama, A Puja Tray and Lots of flowers and milk sweets

Sri Hanuman Ji

Cake Offerings

Sri Sri Radha Gokulananda

 

Sri Sri Sita Rama

Srimati Vrindadevi

Cake Offerings

Cake Offerings

Lotus feet of Sri Rama, Flowers, fruit and milk sweets and fruit garland offerings and Mother Tulasi(right on the feet.)

Lotus feet of Sri Krishna, Flower garlands, and Mother Tulasi(right on the feet.)

Sri Sri Gaura Nitai

Sri Govardhan Shila and Srimati Vrindadevi

Chota Radha Krishna

 

Altar full

 

Sri Sri Radha Gokulananda, Sri Govardhan Shila, Chota Radha Krishna and Srimati Vrindadevi

Sri Sri Sita Rama Laxman Hanuman and Sri Rama Shila

Sri Rama Shila, with bow and arrow and lots of flower garlands and sweets.

Lotus feet of Sri Rama, Flowers, fruit and milk sweets and fruit garland offerings and Mother Tulasi(right on the feet.)

Sri Rama Shila, Abhishek with honey.

Sri Rama Shila, Abhishek with milk.

Bhoga Offering.

Sri Ram Navami – Some thoughts

I heard this from His Grace Rohini Priya Prabhu for the first time.

The first time Hanuman meets Ravana, Hanuman has created havoc in Lanka. He is brought before Ravana, Who is a bit suprised to see a monkey and asks him “Who are You”.

Hanuman Replies :

“Daso Aham Kosala Indra asyah, Rama asyah Klishta Karmanah”

So instead of saying Aham Dasah – I am servant, he  says Daso Aham – Servant am I. This is very significant. He is explaining that my first identity is Servant and then Aham i exist. Ravana by this time is thinking who’s servant are you. So Hanuman says Kosala Indra asyah- The King of Kosala, Raavan is thinking, but Dasharatha is dead? Then Hanuman reveals Rama Asayah, Servant of Lord Rama Chandra. At this time Rama is not the King but Hanuman is already predicting that Rama will be King. Then he adds the Punch Words, Klishta Karmanah, Rama who is the rejoices in performing  impossible tasks. Sri Hanuman Ji Ki Jaya , Sri Rama Chandra Bhagavan Ki Jaya.

So in The Srimad Bhagavatam there is a verse which describes The Lords activities and how it is just to show mercy to conditioned living beings. Significantly for us Gaudiya Vasihnavas it also refers to Sri Krishna Chaitanya Mahaprabhu.

Please read this amazing verse and it’s amazing purport by His Divine Grace Srila Prabhupada.

http://vedabase.net/sb/11/5/34/en2

Canto 11: General History   
Chapter 5: Narada Concludes His Teachings to Vasudeva

Bhaktivedanta VedaBase: Srimad Bhagavatam 11.5.34

tyaktva su-dustyaja-surepsita-rajya-laksmim
dharmistha arya-vacasa yad agad aranyam
maya-mrgam dayitayepsitam anvadhavad
vande maha-purusa te caranaravindam

SYNONYMS

tyaktva -- abandoning; su-dustyaja -- most difficult to give up; sura-ipsita -- anxiously desired by the demigods; rajya-laksmim -- the goddess of fortune and her opulence; dharmisthah -- most perfectly fixed in religiousness; arya-vacasa -- according to the words of a brahmana (who had cursed Him to be deprived of all the happiness of family life); yat -- He who; agat -- went; aranyam -- to the forest (taking to the renounced order of life); maya-mrgam -- the conditioned soul, who is always searching out illusory enjoyment; dayitaya -- out of sheer mercy; ipsitam -- His desired object; anvadhavat -- running after; vande -- I offer my homage; maha-purusa -- O Lord Mahaprabhu; te -- to Your; carana-aravindam -- lotus feet.

TRANSLATION

O Maha-purusa, I worship Your lotus feet. You gave up the association of the goddess of fortune and all her opulence, which is most difficult to renounce and is hankered after by even the great demigods. Being the most faithful follower of the path of religion, You thus left for the forest in obedience to a brahmana's curse. Out of sheer mercifulness You chased after the fallen conditioned souls, who are always in pursuit of the false enjoyment of illusion, and at the same time engaged in searching out Your own desired object, Lord Syamasundara.

PURPORT

According to the Vaisnava acaryas, this important verse of the Srimad-Bhagavatam is understood to describe Caitanya Mahaprabhu, Lord Krsna and also Lord Sri Ramacandra. This verse appears within the discussion by the sage Karabhajana of the yugavataras, or the different incarnations of the Personality of Godhead who deliver the conditioned souls of each age. The prayers ending with the words vande mahapurusa te caranaravindam are understood to glorify the incarnation of Lord Krsna in Kali-yuga known as Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Caitanya Mahaprabhu lived for twenty-four years in Navadvipa as a householder and enjoyed immense popularity among both scholars and ordinary persons. His sankirtana movement was completely supported by the local government, even though it was Muslim. And Caitanya Mahaprabhu had the pleasure of marrying the goddess of fortune. No ordinary woman of the material world, no matter how gorgeous she may be, can in any way compare with the beautiful goddess of fortune. Everyone in the universe, including Lord Brahma, is searching after the goddess of fortune. Therefore it is stated here, surepsita.

However, Caitanya Mahaprabhu is Lord Krsna appearing as a brahmana, and therefore He is certainly dharmisthah, or the most religious. Actually the Supreme Personality of Godhead is always dharmisthah, whether He appears as a cowherd boy, a great king or a brahmana, because the Lord Himself is the original source and personification of all religious principles. However, in the pastimes of Caitanya Mahaprabhu there are very few political or economic activities. Caitanya Mahaprabhu appeared as a great philosopher-brahmana, and thus He is certainly dharmisthah. In Caitanya-caritamrta, in the Seventeenth Chapter of the Adi-lila, it is described that a certain brahmana, who was well known for being harsh and cursing others, could not enter the kirtana hall where Caitanya Mahaprabhu was performing kirtana because the door was locked. Being very agitated and breaking his brahmana's thread, he cursed Caitanya Mahaprabhu the next day on the bank of the Ganges, saying, "I shall now curse You, for Your behavior has greatly aggrieved me. You shall be bereft of all material happiness." However, Caitanya Mahaprabhu felt great jubilation within Himself, since His mission was vairagya-vidya-nija-bhakti-yoga [Cc. Madya 6.254] -- to give up the illusion of material sense gratification and staunchly engage twenty-four hours a day in the devotional service of the Lord. Therefore, Caitanya Mahaprabhu took this curse as a blessing, and soon after, the Lord took sannyasa. Thus it is stated in this verse that by the words of the Aryan, the brahmana (arya-vacasa), Caitanya Mahaprabhu took sannyasa (yad agad aranyam) and went traveling through the different forests of India on the way to Vrndavana, and later South India. Caitanya Mahaprabhu wanted especially to preserve the prestige of the brahmana class, and therefore He decided to keep the brahmana's curse intact.

Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura has explained the word maya-mrgam as follows. Maya means one's so-called wife, children and bank account, which keep one firmly bound up in the material bodily concept of life. The word mrgam indicates mrgyati, or "to search out." Thus, maya-mrgam indicates the conditioned living entity, who is always frantically searching for the latest up-to-the-minute sense gratification in the material bodily concept of society, friendship and love. Anvadhavat indicates that Caitanya Mahaprabhu was always visibly going here and there, searching after the fallen conditioned souls. Caitanya Mahaprabhu would sometimes embrace the conditioned souls on the pretext of religious friendship or ecstasy. But actually, the Lord was touching the bodies of the conditioned souls to pull them out of the ocean of material existence and hurl them into the ocean of ecstatic love of Godhead. Thus Caitanya Mahaprabhu was the most merciful and munificent incarnation of the Lord, whose mercy surpassed the bounds of mundane discrimination in the matter of caste, color and creed.

The word dayitaya can be explained as follows. The Sanskrit word daya means "mercy." Thus, by grammatical derivation, the word used in this verse, dayitaya, indicates that because of being the most merciful, Caitanya Mahaprabhu was busily engaged in rescuing the fallen conditioned souls, who are completely distracted and bewildered by the external illusory energy of the Lord. The quality of being the most merciful is part and parcel of the character of the maha-purusa, or the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

According to Srila Jiva Gosvami, this verse also describes the incarnation of Lord Krsna Himself in His original blackish form. Thus the words surepsita-rajya-laksmim indicate sri-mathura-sampattim, or the opulence of Mathura. Mathura is described in Vedic literature as the reservoir of all opulence because of the touch of the Lord's lotus feet in that precinct. But Krsna, although taking birth in the opulent city of Mathura, transferred Himself to the forest village of Vrndavana. In this case the word arya-vacasa indicates the order of Lord Krsna's original parents, Vasudeva and Devaki. In Srimad-Bhagavatam (10.3.22, 29) both Vasudeva and Devaki express their fear at the threat of Kamsa, who had already killed all of Krsna's elder brothers. The word arya-vacasa thus indicates that with great love they requested Krsna to kindly make some arrangement to avoid Kamsa. And Krsna, to obey their order, transferred Himself to the forest village of Vrndavana (yad agad aranyam).

In this context, the words maya-mrgam indicate the special, exalted relationship between Srimati Radharani and Sri Krsna. Maya also indicates the internal potency of Krsna, yoga-maya. The original form of Krsna's internal potency is Srimati Radharani. Due to the inconceivable love of Srimati Radharani, Lord Krsna becomes easily controlled by Her. Thus, mrgam, or "animal" in this case indicates krida-mrgam, or "a toy animal." Just as a beautiful young girl may play with so many dolls or stuffed animals, similarly Lord Krsna becomes just like a doll in the hands of the most beautiful young girl, Srimati-Radharani. According to Srila Jiva Gosvami, Srimati Radharani performed innumerable types of worship in order to bind Krsna more and more to Her because Srimati Radharani cannot live without Krsna. Thus, due to Srimati Radharani's aradhana, or worship, Krsna can never leave Vrndavana. He runs here and there in Vrndavana, protecting the cows, playing with His friends and engaging in countless intrigues of love with Srimati Radharani and the gopis. Thus the word anvadhavat indicates Krsna's boyish activities, His running throughout the transcendental land of Vrndavana, tightly under the control of the love of Srimati Radharani.

Srila Sridhara Svami has explained how this verse also describes the incarnation of Lord Sri Ramacandra. Although the Lord is completely independent and detached from everything, He becomes attached to His pure devotees due to their love for Him. In the great capital of Ayodhya all of the citizens loved Ramacandra more than can be described. In this context arya-vacasa means that by the order of His father, who was just like His guru, Ramacandra gave up everything and went to the forest. There He exhibited His great affection for mother Sita and chased after maya-mrgam, or the illusory deer that had been created by the trick of Ravana. That this golden deer was especially desired by Srimati Sitadevi is indicated by the word dayitayepsitam.

All of the limbs of the Lord's transcendental body are nondifferent and interchangeable, as stated in Brahma-samhita (5.32):

angani yasya sakalendriya-vrttimanti
pasyanti panti kalayanti ciram jaganti
ananda-cinmaya-sad-ujjvala-vigrahasya
govindam adi-purusam tam aham bhajami

All of the limbs (angani) of the Supreme Lord are sakalendriya-vrttimanti, or possessing all of the functions of all of the other limbs. Thus the two lotus feet of the Personality of Godhead are a plenary representation of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and worshiping the Lord's lotus feet immediately places the worshiper in the ocean of transcendental bliss. There is no factual difference in spiritual quality between the incarnations of Caitanya Mahaprabhu, Lord Krsna and Lord Sri Ramacandra. As stated in Vedic literatures, advaitam acyutam anadim ananta-rupam [Bs 5.33]. Therefore there is no contradiction in the opinions of the acaryas that this verse wonderfully glorifies three different manifestations of the one Absolute Truth. Caitanya Mahaprabhu is undoubtedly the Supreme Personality of Godhead. His transcendental attributes fulfill in every sense of the term the descriptions of the Absolute Truth as given in Vedic literature. In Caitanya-caritamrta, in the Third Chapter of the Adi-lila, Krsnadasa Kaviraja Gosvami and Srila Prabhupada have given elaborate explanations of the transcendental status of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, which the reader can refer to for further information.

Everyone should follow the example of the sage Karabhajana and worship the lotus feet of the Mahaprabhu, the maha-purusa, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. One should not rot on the platform of mental speculation and whimsical interpretation but should actually revive his lost relationship with the Absolute Truth by surrendering to Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Those who are worshiping Caitanya Mahaprabhu are deriving wonderful spiritual results and are tasting the fruit of love of Krsna. Therefore, vande maha-purusa te caranaravindam: let us humbly bow down at the lotus feet of the original Personality of Godhead, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, who is the maha-purusa glorified within Srimad-Bhagavatam.

Corroborating the explanation of this verse, the followers of Caitanya Mahaprabhu also worship Him in His six-armed form of sad-bhuja. Two arms carry the waterpot and danda of the sannyasi Caitanya Mahaprabhu, two arms carry the flute of Lord Krsna, and two arms carry the bow and arrow of Sri Ramacandra. This sad-bhuja form is the actual purport of this verse of Srimad-Bhagavatam.

Videos my son is addicted to

1 ) Kirtan, with HG Govinda and HG Gauranga Prabhu. I am also in this Kirtan.

 

2) Ramayana Drama by the Pandava Sena UK 2009

Dussera‏ by Pandava Sena 2009 from The108Project on Vimeo.

All Glories to The Son of God

A glorious day

Today is the day !

It is said that the Son of God was sent to us today.

Me trying to glorify Lord Jesus Christ, is like a child trying to grab the moon. But since my heart is filled with this thought, and i am a bit audacious, i will try something.

I have been fascinated by all, the wonderful stories, of the birth and activities of Lord Jesus Christ, since childhood when, I went to a nice missionary school.

After coming in contact with the Hare Krishna vaishnavas , my respect has just increased manifold. Our dear Srila Prabhupada, glorifies Lord Jesus Christ, many times. And he brings out clear qualities of Lord Jesus Christ. that show how grateful we all must be, to the Supreme Lord to send us such a good Son.

The Great Guru

Lord Jesus Christ was very compassionate, this this so much well known, He cured the sick, He walked over water, turned water to wine , etc…He was not hesitant to, preach to the outcasts, like the prostitutes, or the diseased.

But at the same time he was a very bold preacher just as a Guru.

He was indeed very bold to try and stop animal selling and animal sacrifice in the Lord’s temple, or to openly explain to his disciples, just like any Guru “I am the THE way to the truth and Light”, so that they do not stray here and there and waste precious time, but remain with Him and fulfil their life’s purpose.

Great Sacrifice without any regrets

One of His own followers betrayed Him, Lord Jesus Christ, forgave him.

Then on the day before the event, He washed the feet of each and every one of his disciples. Usually the disciples, wash the feet of the Guru.

Here is the greatest an d only Guru in the western world, and He is washing the feet of his disciples. Why ?

There are many reasons given, but the main reason i think, is that Lord Jesus Christ, has no false ego, his only identity is that He is the son of God and has come to this world, to serve everyone.

Also Thinks about this, If He is washing their feet, how should, they treat each other. It can mean only one thing, They are meant to serve one another and they are to remain united in their service to God and Lord Jesus Christ.

Then on the cross Lord Jesus Christ is praying, for those that are doing this ghastly act, praying to God to forgive them for they do not know what they are doing ? Who can do this ?

Ask yourself , Can we do this ?

If we can not do this, then, even if we do not believe there is a God, can we not just respect this great Personality who lived and breathed among us ?

Srila Prabhupada talks about Lord Jesus Christ

On so many occasions Srila Prabhupada would glorify Lord Jesus Christ.

A lot of these conversations are in many books, but they are especially captured in the book “Science of Self Realization” .

It is available for a free read at http://www.krishnamedia.org/e-books/Science_of_Self-Realization.pdf 

Here are some excerpts:

So Lord Jesus Christ said, "My Lord, hallowed be Thy name." He wants to glorify the name of the Lord. And some people says that there is no name of God. How? If Lord Jesus Christ says "Hallowed by Thy name," there must be name. The name is there, but he did not pronounce it because the people at that time will not be able to understand or maybe some reason, but he says there is name. So we are making this propaganda, Krishna consciousness movement, the "Hallowed by Thy name. My Lord Krishna, the Personality of Godhead, let Your holy name be glorified." This is our movement. It is not a sectarian...(Lecture: Bhagavad Gita 3.27 Melbourne June 27, 1974)

As Lord Jesus Christ said, we should hate the sin, not the sinner. That is a very nice statement, because the sinner is under illusion. He is mad. If we hate him, how can we deliver him? Therefore, those who are advanced devotees, who are really servants of God, do not hate anyone. When Lord Jesus Christ was being crucified, he said, "My God, forgive them. They know not what they do." This is the proper attitude of an advanced devotee. He understands that the conditioned souls cannot be hated, because they have become mad due to their materialistic way of thinking. In this Krishna consciousness movement, there is no question of hating anyone. Everyone is welcomed to come and chant Hare Krishna, take Krishna-prasada, listen to the philosophy of Bhagavad-gita, and try to rectify material, conditioned life. This is the essential program of Krsna consciousness.
(Path of Perfection Chapter 3: Learning How to See God)

Srila Prabhupada was moved to tears remembering Lord Jesus Christ’s sacrifice.

I heard this from one of Srila Prabhupada’s disciples. Srila Prabhupada was in Mexico or one another Latin American country. And the vaishnava’s there put him up in a hotel. In the hotel there was a wooden Jesus Christ on the cross, in each room. So the vaishnava’s left Srila Prabhupada in the room. After some time Srila Prabhupada called them back, and he was in tears, He could not bear to see the Cross, He said “Our Lord sent Lord Jesus Christ to help them and instead these people hurt Him so much”.

Christ or Krishna a Hare Krishna experience

His Grace Rupa Vilas prabhu has been merciful to us and is our shiksa guru.

He explained an incident which happened in his early days in the Hare Krishna or Krishna consciousness movement.

One person came to the temple and liked, out chanting, dancing and feasting. He wanted to know what to do, So he was asked to chant the Hare Krishna Mahamantra. He was a Christian and so we was reluctant.

Our Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu explains in the verse two of his Siksastaka prayers like this:

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namnam akari bahudha nija-sarva-saktis
tatrarpita niyamitah smarane na kalah
etadrsi tava krpa bhagavan mamapi
durdaivam idrsam ihajani nanuragah

O my Lord, Your holy name alone can render all benediction to living beings, and thus You have hundreds and millions of names like Krishna and Govinda. In these transcendental names You have invested all Your transcendental energies. There are not even hard and fast rules for chanting these names. O my Lord, out of kindness You enable us to easily approach You by chanting Your holy names, but I am so unfortunate that I have no attraction for them.

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So since the Lord has so many names, and each name is fully potent i.e “namnam akari bahudha nija sarva shaktis”, the vaishnavas in the temple asked him to chant the names of Lord as per the bible.

He chose Jehovah or Lord Jesus Christ(I do not remember exactly which one.)

So then he was asked to chant and hear this name of God, 16 rounds every day, one round containing 108 beads on a mala or a rosary.

This is exactly what the vaishnavas do, but they chant the Hare Krishna Mahamantra.

After some time, when he came to the temple he explained to the vaishnavas that he was diligently following this practice every day and he was so very ecstatic !

So the names of God are unlimited, and it does not matter which authorised names of God we chant just “Hallowed be THY name”, that is all.

Sri Hari Nam Prabhu ki Jaya

Some Parallels within Vaishnava history

Sripad Ramanuja Acharya

Sripad Ramanuja Acharya was given a secret mantra by his guru. His guru had explained that this mantra will liberate anyone who regularly chants it and also His guru told him do not give it out to anyone.

At that time, no one could imagine not following the guru’s order.

But our Acharya, Sripad Ramanuja Acharya, even though he understood the consequences, was prepared to face the consequences, because it meant that anyone who chanted this mantra would be liberated.

He went to highest place in the village, and call everyone and said i will give you a mantra that will liberate anyone who regularly chants it, please come, please come. All kinds of people came, He told them the mantra “Om Namo Narayanaya”. Please take it and make your lives sublime.

When his guru found out he was furious, and asked our Acharya, Sripad Ramanuja Acharya, why did he do this ?

Our Acharya, Sripad Ramanuja Acharya, said he does not mind suffering the reactions of his action, or even going to hell if it meant all other people were liberated by this mantra, His own guru was moved to tears seeing the compassion of our Acharya, Sripad Ramanuja Acharya

Srila Haridas Thakur

Srila Haridas Thakur, was born around five hundred years ago, in Bengal. He was not born a Hindu, but he was always chanting the Hare Krishna Mahamantra.

The king of the region and his chief priest, who were non-Hindu, were not very happy. They were also very cruel by their very nature.

Srila Haridas Thakur, tried to explain to them that since God is unlimited, his names are unlimited, and just as you are attached to chanting the non-Hindu names of God, he was attached to chanting the Hindu names of God and that there was no reason for their unhappiness.

But still the non-Hindu king of the region, on instigation by the chief priest, ordered Srila Haridas Thakur to be beaten in 22 market places, by very strong guards. No one had ever survived this gruesome punishment and they were sure that Srila Haridas Thakur, would not survive either.

The pious people tried to object, and even asked the guards to take and beat them instead, but since it was the cruel kings order, the guards would not listen.

The gruesome beating commenced, one market place after next. The pious people wept, not able to bear the suffering of this great soul. Somehow by the will and mercy of The Supreme Lord, Srila Haridas Thakur, survived. Throughout this beating Srila Haridas Thakur, was praying to the Lord to forgive them.

The guards now looked very disturbed, Srila Haridas Thakur asked, “What is the matter”. They said no one has every survived this kind of beating, but you have survived, now the kind will kill us instead. Srila Haridas Thakur replied “Oh my living is a problem to you, i shall die!”, saying this he went into Samadhi, and it looked like he was dead.

The guards brought his body to the non-Hindu king and the chief priest. The priest said if we bury the dead body he will go to heaven, let us throw the dead body into the Ganga. So they threw Srila Haridas Thakur into the Ganga, and after some time he came back out of Samadhi and walked out of water.

At the Mahaprakash lila of Sriman Mahaprabhu, The Lord showed all the beating marks on His own back to Srila Haridas Thakur. The Lord had taken all the beating himself ! . The Lord explained, Haridas I could not bear to see you in that state, and was ready to come with my chakra, but because you were praying for the sinners, i could not do anything.

Srila Vasudeva Dutta’s prayers

At the Mahaprakash lila, Sriman Mahaprabhu has the following conversation with Srila Vasudeva dutta :

See the link below of details and purports

http://vedabase.net/cc/madhya/15/

CC Madhya 15.158: Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu then embraced Vasudeva Datta and began to speak of his glories as if He had a thousand mouths.

CC Madhya 15.159: When Caitanya Mahaprabhu glorified him, Vasudeva Datta immediately became very much embarrassed and shy. He then submitted himself, touching the Lord's lotus feet.

CC Madhya 15.160: Vasudeva Datta told Caitanya Mahaprabhu, "My dear Lord, You incarnate just to deliver all conditioned souls. I now have one petition, which I wish You would accept.

CC Madhya 15.161: "My Lord, You are certainly able to do whatever You like, and You are indeed merciful. If You so desire, You can very easily do whatever You want.

CC Madhya 15.162: "My Lord, my heart breaks to see the sufferings of all the conditioned souls; therefore I request You to transfer the karma of their sinful lives upon my head.

CC Madhya 15.163: "My dear Lord, let me suffer perpetually in a hellish condition, accepting all the sinful reactions of all living entities. Please finish their diseased material life."

CC Madhya 15.164: When Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu heard Vasudeva Datta's statement, His heart became very soft. Tears flowed from His eyes, and He began to tremble. In a faltering voice He spoke as follows.

CC Madhya 15.165: Accepting Vasudeva Datta as a great devotee, the Lord said, "Such a statement is not at all astonishing because you are the incarnation of Prahlada Maharaja. It appears that Lord Krsna has bestowed complete mercy upon you. There is no doubt about it.

CC Madhya 15.166: "Whatever a pure devotee wants from his master, Lord Krsna doubtlessly grants because He has no duty other than to fulfill the desire of His devotee.

CC Madhya 15.167: "If you desire the deliverance of all living entities within the universe, then all of them can be delivered even without your undergoing the tribulations of sinful activity.

CC Madhya 15.168: "Krsna is not incapable, for He has all potencies. Why would He induce you to suffer the sinful reactions of other living entities?

CC Madhya 15.169: "Whosever welfare you desire immediately becomes a Vaisnava, and Krsna delivers all Vaisnavas from the reactions of their past sinful activities.

CC Madhya 15.170: "'Let me offer my respectful obeisances unto the original Personality of Godhead, Govinda, who regulates the sufferings and enjoyments due to fruitive activity. He does this for everyone -- from the heavenly King Indra down to the smallest insect [indra-gopa]. That very Personality of Godhead destroys the karmic reactions of one engaged in devotional service.'

CC Madhya 15.171: "Because of your honest desire, all living entities within the universe will be delivered, for Krsna does not have to do anything to deliver all the living entities of the universe.

CC Madhya 15.172: "Just as there are millions of fruits on the udumbara tree, millions of universes float on the waters of the river Viraja.

CC Madhya 15.173: "The udumbara tree is filled with millions of fruits, and if one falls down and is destroyed, the tree does not even consider the loss.

CC Madhya 15.174: "In the same way, if one universe is vacated due to the living entities' having been liberated, that is a very little thing for Krsna. He does not take it very seriously.

CC Madhya 15.175: "The entire spiritual world constitutes the unlimited opulence of Krsna, and there are innumerable Vaikuntha planets there. The Causal Ocean is considered the surrounding waters of Vaikunthaloka.

CC Madhya 15.176: "Maya and her unlimited material universes are situated in that Causal Ocean. Indeed, maya appears to be floating like a pot filled with mustard seeds.

CC Madhya 15.177: "Of the millions of mustard seeds floating in that pot, if one seed is lost, the loss is not at all significant. Similarly, if one universe is lost, it is not significant to Lord Krsna.

CC Madhya 15.178: "To say nothing of one universal mustard seed, even if all the universes and the material energy [maya] are destroyed, Krsna does not even consider the loss.

CC Madhya 15.179: "If a person possessing millions of wish-fulfilling cows loses one she-goat, he does not consider the loss. Krsna owns all six opulences in full. If the entire material energy is destroyed, what does He lose?"

CC Madhya 15.180: Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu continued, "'O my Lord, O unconquerable one, O master of all potencies, please exhibit Your internal potency to conquer the nescience of all moving and inert living entities. Due to nescience, they accept all kinds of faulty things, thus provoking a fearful situation. O Lord, please show Your glories! You can do this very easily, for Your internal potency is beyond the external potency, and You are the reservoir of all opulence. You are also the demonstrator of the material potency. You are also always engaged in Your pastimes in the spiritual world, where You exhibit Your reserved, internal potency, and sometimes You exhibit the external potency by glancing over it. Thus You manifest Your pastimes. The Vedas confirm Your two potencies and accept both types of pastimes due to them.'"

Vaishnava Lifestyle(part 1) – Who are we?

ISKCON – Who are we ? What are we about ?

Topics

• Bhajan
• Skit
• Introduction
• Ask the audience
• Theme
• Class
• We are in Lord Chaitanya's leela
• What we learn from the play
• What the Lord explains as the work of devotees
• Srivas Thakur acts exactly as per BG 9.14
• The Result of Srivas Thakur's action
• Non Vaishnava Gossip monger analysis of Srivas's actions
• Sacrifice and renunciation, for preaching, is an intricate part of the Lord Caitanya's leela
• Sacrifice of  great souls among our spiritual ancestors
• Sri Krishna Chaitanya Mahaprabhu
• Sachi mata
• Mother Vishnu Priya
• Srila Bhakti Sidhanta Saraswati Thakur Prabhupada
• Our Srila Prabhupada
• Concluding points

Bhajan: Sri Krishna Chaitanya Prabhu Daya Karo more...

Skit: The son of Srivas thakur is no more and still he does not stop the kirtan of Sriman Mahaprabhu

Introduction:

This course is for some of us who have been in KC for some years, and do chant regularly, have some knowledge of the shastras, know of service in the temple etc. It is not intended for comparatively new people, though they too are welcome.

At some point it is good to introspect Who are we ? What are we about ?

Ask the audience:

Theme: Param vijayate Sri Krishna Sankritanam

Lecture:

We are in Lord Chaitanya's leela

His Holiness Bhakti Tirtha Swami Maharaj, one day explained something with profound realisation.

He was in his room when he was not well, His Holiness Radhanath Swami Maharaj was also present in the same room. He got up and said “It is amazing”, '”It is amazing”. When asked about what is amazing he explained, we are living the leela of Sriman Mahaprabhu and His associates. ISKCON is no different than Sriman Mahaprabhu's leela. He truth revealed the truth so nicely. He was sick, he was in pain, and at the same time he was also in divine ecstasy.

We are ISKCON - the International Society for Krishna Consciousness Or International Society for Krishna Chaitanya. So how can we be any different than the leela of Sriman Mahaprabhu.

So if we are the in the leela of Sriman Mahaprabhu, how doe we behave ? We behave as the associates of Sriman Mahaprabhu.

As much as we imbibe the qualities of Sriman Mahaprabhu's devotees, that much we will also relish the same bliss as mentioned in the Chaitanya Charitraamrita and the Chaitanya Bhagavat.

What we learn from the play

We saw the drama of Srila Srivas Thakur. This incident is mentioned in the Chaitanya Charitraamtira in a brief way and is described in detail in the Chaitanya Bhagavat in detail by Srila Vrindavan Das Thakur.

From the drama we can see that Srila Srivas Thakur, was not wanting to disturb the sankirtan at any cost. He was informed, your son has passed away. He said alright, just make no noise. We will deal with it when it is over.

When some of his relatives still cried, he said that he would leave the house and drown in the Ganga, if their crying caused the sankirtan to stop.

Srivas Thakur may seem extraordinary to us, even unreasonable.

What the Lord explains as the work of devotees

But let us see what Sri Krishna explains in the Bhagavad Gita

Bhagavad-gita As It Is 9.14

satatam kirtayanto mam
yatantas ca drdha-vratah
namasyantas ca mam bhaktya
nitya-yukta upasate

SYNONYMS

Always chanting My glories, endeavouring with great determination, bowing down before Me, these great souls perpetually worship Me with devotion.

Srivas Thakur acts exactly as per BG 9.14

So we can see the following

1. For Srivas Thakur the most important thing is “satatam kirtayanto mam”

2. Also Since Lord Chaitanya was personally present the “namasyantas ca mam. bhaktya” and “nitya-yukta upasate” was also being done at the same time.

3. And since it(the kirtan) was supposed to be Nitya or eternal, he was having no problem doing “yatantas ca drdha-vratah”.# even though his son passed away.

4. So as per the Sri Krishna he was perfect beyond human words, only the words of Sri Krishna can describe such a person.

5. He had full faith that when my dear Sriman Mahaprabhu, and His eternal associates are present and doing San Kirtan what else is needed for my departed son ?

6. As devotee father, of course he was affected by his son's death, but in no case would he let his own feelings come in the way of Sriman Mahaprabhu's sankirtan.

The Result of Srivas Thakur's action

This is Sriman Mahaprabhu's leela. Vasihnava's sacrifice in the fire of the Sankirtan Yagya at all costs and not letting any personal consideration come in the way of this.

And as we can see, there is no loss at any time. The son went back to Godhead. The family was pacified. Srivas Thakur and his family will be eternally glorified by this act.

For some of us, due to material consciousness there is only a fear of loss, before doing the Sacrifice, after it is done there is only happiness.

Please know that since our Sriman Mahaprabhu is none other than Sri Krishna in the mood of our mother Srimati Radharani, there never was and there never will be a more munificent and merciful incarnation of Godhead.

Non Vaishnava Gossip monger analysis of Srivas's actions

Person 1: You know Srivas's son died.

Person 2: Oh ! So bad. He was so young.

Person 1: You know there was a party going on at his house where they were loudly singing and dancing at the time. When his relatives told him about his son, he said the party will not stop or he will kill himself.

Person 2: These people are unbelievable. How can they be so foolish, especially his wife ?

So do not expect all people to understand you at all times.

Sacrifice and renunciation, for preaching, is an intricate part of the Lord Caitanya's leela

Sri Caitanya Caritamrta Antya 6.220

mahaprabhura bhakta-ganera vairagya pradhana
yaha dekhi' prita hana gaura-bhagavan

TRANSLATION

Renunciation is the basic principle sustaining the lives of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu's devotees. Seeing this renunciation, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is extremely satisfied.

So the above verse comes in the CC antya leela when the supreme renunciation of Srila Raghunath das goswami is explained in detailed. Srila Das Goswami was the son of Hiranya Majumdar, one of the most wealthy person in Bengal at the time. And what was he a eating in the end, at first collecting rice that the cows had rejected, and then only some butter milk every few days, even that he considered as sense gratification. If he wanted he had the wealth of a king, but what he wanted was the mercy of Sriman Mahaprabhu and that was his only wealth.

What can we say about such a person ? I do not know if i am even qualified to take his name “Srila Das Goswami”, And yet he is your spiritual ancestor, he loves you due to your connection with Srila Prabhupada and you are his people.

THIS IS WHO YOU ARE ! AND THIS IS YOUR PURPOSE IN LIFE !

Srila Prabhupada explains the very same thing, in the purport to this verse

“Anyone, whether an ordinary materialistic person or a pure devotee, can understand the behaviour of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu's devotees if he studies it minutely. One will thus find that the devotees of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu are not at all attached to any kind of material enjoyment. They have completely given up sense enjoyment to engage fully in the service of Lord Sri Krishna and dedicate their lives and souls to serving Krishna without material desires. Because their devotional service is free from material desires, it is unimpeded by material circumstances. Although ordinary men have great difficulty understanding this attitude of the devotees, it is greatly appreciated by the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu”

Sacrifice of great souls among our spiritual ancestors

All great souls have been such examples of sacrifice in our parampara.

I will name a few.

Sri Krishna Chaitanya Mahaprabhu

When the incident we saw in the drama happened. Sriman Mahaprabhu was Not attached to anything material. But he was certainly very attached to the love of His devotees like Srivas Thakur and others. He was also very attached to his mother, and his own chaste wife.

How could he leave those who did not care a fig for anything other than Sriman Mahaprabhu's happiness ? They did not care if they themselves suffered but they wanted the Lord to enjoy at all costs

He left because he wanted to give mercy to all the people in kali yuga.

Here is how Srimad Bhagavatam perfectly describes this

Srimad Bhagavatam 11.5.34

tyaktva su-dustyaja-surepsita-rajya-laksmim
dharmistha arya-vacasa yad agad aranyam
maya-mrgam dayitayepsitam anvadhavad
vande maha-purusa te caranaravindam

SYNONYMS

tyaktva -- abandoning; su-dustyaja -- most difficult to give up; sura-ipsita -- anxiously desired by the demigods; rajya-laksmim -- the goddess of fortune and her opulence; dharmisthah -- most perfectly fixed in religiousness; arya-vacasa -- according to the words of a brahmana (who had cursed Him to be deprived of all the happiness of family life); yat -- He who; agat -- went; aranyam -- to the forest (taking to the renounced order of life); maya-mrgam -- the conditioned soul, who is always searching out illusory enjoyment; dayitaya -- out of sheer mercy; ipsitam -- His desired object; anvadhavat -- running after; vande -- I offer my homage; maha-purusa -- O Lord Mahaprabhu; te -- to Your; carana-aravindam -- lotus feet.

TRANSLATION

O Maha-purusa, I worship Your lotus feet. You gave up the association of the goddess of fortune and all her opulence, which is most difficult to renounce and is hankered after by even the great demigods. Being the most faithful follower of the path of religion, You thus left for the forest in obedience to a brahmana's curse. Out of sheer mercifulness You chased after the fallen conditioned souls, who are always in pursuit of the false enjoyment of illusion, and at the same time engaged in searching out Your own desired object, Lord Syamasundara.

PURPORT

According to the Vaisnava acaryas, this important verse of the Srimad-Bhagavatam is understood to describe Caitanya Mahaprabhu, Lord Krsna and also Lord Sri Ramacandra. This verse appears within the discussion by the sage Karabhajana of the yugavataras, or the different incarnations of the Personality of Godhead who deliver the conditioned souls of each age. The prayers ending with the words vande mahapurusa te caranaravindam are understood to glorify the incarnation of Lord Krsna in Kali-yuga known as Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Caitanya Mahaprabhu lived for twenty-four years in Navadvipa as a householder and enjoyed immense popularity among both scholars and ordinary persons. His sankirtana movement was completely supported by the local government, even though it was Muslim. And Caitanya Mahaprabhu had the pleasure of marrying the goddess of fortune. No ordinary woman of the material world, no matter how gorgeous she may be, can in any way compare with the beautiful goddess of fortune. Everyone in the universe, including Lord Brahma, is searching after the goddess of fortune. Therefore it is stated here, surepsita.

Sachi mata

Mother sachi is none other than Mother Yashoda. Even if Nimai misbehaved very much, we know she would just love for him and just care for him. One day he broke all the pots in the house in anger, and destroyed so many items in the house, what did sachi mata do right after this, called him lovingly, cared for him, cooked for him and put him to rest. She had only love for him whatever he did.

And yet she gave him permission for sanyas. Also note she had no other shelter, and a very young Vishnu Priya to look after all her life.

What did she do when Sriman Mahaprabhu asked her after taking sanyas “My dear mother i am a madman, and in some madness i took sanyas, now my dear mother if you want i will just come back home”. What would you do ? Think ?

She said “No ! If you do this everyone will criticise you. Remain a sanyasi ”.

Again pue sacrifice due to supreme love.

Mother Vishnu Priya

We do not have words to explain fully her sacrifice. She is just 16 years old. She is loving, beautiful, chaste, and fully surrendered. She is one of the last one's to find out about the lord taking sanyas.

When she very very humbly cries at the feet of the Lord, the Lord asks her why ? She explains what she has heard. The Lord says many things to pacify her and the last thing He says, if you do not give me permission i will not go ! You know what she says ? My Lord what ever you desire please do so ! How ? No one can understand this, None of us here should even claim that this love, i understand !

Again sacrifice due to supreme love.

And he lived 96 years, every day she would chant so many rounds. One round chanted and then one grain of rice set aside. She would only cook as many rice she collected after this chanting, and only eat that.

Please understand you are Her spiritual great great grand son's and daughter's. Who will not be proud of such a mother ?

If Mother Sachi and Mother Vishnu priya would have kept the Lord to themselves would any of us be benefitted ?

Srila Bhakti Sidhanta Saraswati Thakur Prabhupada

What a birth! The son of Thakur Bhakti Vinode, whose family is both a great Vaishnava family and also aristocratic. Born as a prayer to Lord Jagganath, A Ray of Vishnu Himself. By the age of Five knows the Gita and can give purports.

Srila Bhakti Sidhanta Saraswati Thakur Prabhupada, was very happy doing bhajan in Mayapur. He had no need to associate with materialists. In fact he disliked Calcutta and the material association. He was just happy doing simple bhajan .

He was disgusted with the material world and said “The material world is not a fit place for gentlemen.”

One day a disciple of Srila Thakur Bhaktivinode came to him and almost forced him to come to Calcutta and preach. And Boy did he preach! Sri Simha Guru ki jaya ! Such a short span of time and 64 matha's in India, sending people to the west to preach.

Such illustrious disciples as our grandfather Srila Bhakti Vedanta Swami Prabhupada, Srila Bhakti Rakshak Sridhar Swami Maharaja, Srila Bhakti Paranjana Keshava Maharaj, and so many others, about whom volumes of devotional books could be written.

The world has not seen such devotees and i guess never again will the world see such devotees.

Why then leave Mayapur, when there are no material desires, and you can chant all day and night? Why manage institutions, deal with so many materialists ?

Again sacrifice due to supreme love.

Our Srila Prabhupada

Srila Prabhupada one day revealed “There was never a time when i was not Krishna conscious”.

So It is our Srila Prabhupada who got the order that “Go to west, preach in the English language”.

He was living such a wonderfull life in Sri Vrindavan dham, at the Sri Radha Damodhar Mandir. This Mandir has the bhajan kutir of Srila Rupa Goswami, Samadhi of Srila Rupa Goswami, Samadhi of Jiva Goswami, Samadhi of Srila Krishna das kaviraj Goswami, puspa samadhi of Srila Bhakti Sidhanta Saraswati Thakur Prabhupada. Since we are Rupanugas, this is the hub of the universe for us.

He was so happy, like the Goswami's he was dhira adhira jana priya karau, He was doing his bhajan, writing his books, associating with advanced souls, all was well.

Then why print Back to Godhead , go to delhi, meet materialists and try to help them with KC? Why go to Mumbai ? The worst city in india in terms of degradation ? Why sit at the steps of Sumati morarji' s place for whole days and plead for a ticket ? Why agree to go to America on a steam cargo ship ? Why even after suffering so many hardships including two heart attacks on the one month, ship journey, still not be discouraged. Why live in the bowery ? It is no better than a slum, 70 year old Indian sadhu, picture this , 70 year old Indian sadhu, no proper money, no proper clothes for the cold in New York, no real friends or well wishers, people attacking Him, stealing his meagre things, still He does not give up hope, Still he wants to help people.

Why ? Again sacrifice due to supreme love.

Brothers and sisters, i am not talking about some one in ether space, this is your own grandfather, If he did not do all the things he did we would be rotting in the jungle of maya surely destined to hell. Ho can we forget this gift ?

You are meant with full love and feeling follow His order, and other order of his own disciples.

THIS IS WHO YOU ARE ! AND THIS IS YOUR PURPOSE IN LIFE !

There were some Sri Sampradaya Devotees , who came to an ISKCON temple and asked. Who is Srila Prabhupada, So the devotees explained who he was and what he did. When it was over, they said that is not the reason we are here, we know what he has done, No one has ever done what he has done.

So WHO IS YOUR SRILA PRABHUPADA ? For example we know Sripad Ramauja is Laxman or Balarama and Sripad Mdhadvacharya is vayu putra, So who is Srila Prabhupada.

We do not know, but we must know this much, that our grandfather Srila Prabhupada is not ordinary and no one has done what he has done.

Concluding points

Ask audience who we are and what we are about

Points about who we are in relation to who our parampara is:

1. We are living in the Leela of Sri Krishna Chaitanya Mahaprabhu.

2. We are directly in the line of extraordinary stalwart devotees whose glories can not be fully fathomed.

3. We can never ever fully pay the debt to our parampara.

4. These devotees have one thing in common, sacrifice and renunciation.

5. Fear of sacrifice or renunciation is unfounded as the Lord is always in full control.

Here is where we would want to be:

1. We want to be, interested in eternal spiritual happiness derived from serving The Lord and His Devotees, at all costs.

2. We are not very much interested in material advancement if it is not connected to Sri Krishna.

3. We want to deal with matter, only, if there is a reason in the Lords service.

The amazing Queen Kunti

Since last two Friday's His Grace Rupa Vilas Prabhu has been speaking from the Chapter 8 of the First canto of the Srimad Bhagavatam.

The Chapter starts with Ashasthama again sending bhramastras to kill the five pandavas and also to the womb of Uttara, the wife of Abhimanyu who was himself killed in a unjust battle by the kauravas.

What amazes me is the prayers that Uttara offers, the way the Lord saves King Pariksit in the womb of Uttara and then the incredible prayers by Queen Kunti.

What can i say. People may say that to understand Spiritual life one must take sansya, women are less qualified. But then when you hear the prayers of Queen Kunti, you realize that such paryers are the very inspiration for all trancendentalists in the furuture. Srila Prabhupada explains that “By the Mecry of Queen Kunti, we can understand Sri Krisna !” .

In fact he claims that “Women generally very easily accept the Lord and this is a very nice thing, while men tend to speculate a lot”. I have seen this in so many cases in my own life starting with my mother and father. Enough about me, let’s see the prayers.

What follows i just my brief understandings based on the class by Rupa Vilas Prabhu. I am just a fool and have no qualification. I am writing this down just so that i may not forget.

Please understand Srila Prabhupada’s purports and books are the ocean, what is written here is just a few mere drops of that same ocean. Please do read Srila Prabhupada’s deep insights and purports on this @ Srimad Bhagavatam http://vedabase.net/sb/1/8/en2 and Teachings of Queen Kunti @ http://vedabase.net/tqk/en2 .

Uttara’s Prayers

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Canto 1: Creation    Chapter 8: Prayers by Queen Kunti and Pariksit Saved

Bhaktivedanta VedaBase: Srimad Bhagavatam 1.8.9

uttarovaca
pahi pahi maha-yogin
deva-deva jagat-pate
nanyam tvad abhayam pasye
yatra mrtyuh parasparam

SYNONYMS

uttara uvaca -- Uttara said; pahi pahi -- protect, protect; maha-yogin -- the greatest mystic; deva-deva -- the worshipable of the worshiped; jagat-pate -- O Lord of the universe; na -- not; anyam -- anyone else; tvat -- than You; abhayam -- fearlessness; pasye -- do I see; yatra -- where there is; mrtyuh -- death; parasparam -- in the world of duality.

TRANSLATION

Uttara said: O Lord of lords, Lord of the universe! You are the greatest of mystics. Please protect me, for there is no one else who can save me from the clutches of death in this world of duality.

Bhaktivedanta VedaBase: Srimad Bhagavatam 1.8.10

abhidravati mam isa
saras taptayaso vibho
kamam dahatu mam natha
ma me garbho nipatyatam

SYNONYMS

abhidravati -- coming towards; mam -- me; isa -- O Lord; sarah -- the arrow; tapta -- fiery; ayasah -- iron; vibho -- O great one; kamam -- desire; dahatu -- let it burn; mam -- me; natha -- O protector; ma -- not; me -- my; garbhah -- embryo; nipatyatam -- be aborted.

TRANSLATION

O my Lord, You are all-powerful. A fiery iron arrow is coming towards me fast. My Lord, let it burn me personally, if You so desire, but please do not let it burn and abort my embryo. Please do me this favor, my Lord.

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Brief analysis

So we see a couple of things

1) Even though Uttara and her unborn child is in very immediate danger she still offers a small prayer at first. She praises Sri Krishna as maha-yogi, jagat-pate, and that no one else was capable of making her abhayam or free from fear. What a supreme class of ladies existed at the time.

2) Then next, she says If you may so desire my lord, you may help me and also that you may let me die but please save my womb. Again two noble thoughts,

a) She does not want to force the Lord to help, So she says, if you so desire O Lord You may help  Again not forcing the Lord but just pleading.

b) She is willing to die but her child may be saved if the Lord wishes. So she is selfless in her love for her child.

Krishna saves Uttara, Her Unborn Child  and the Pandavas

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Bhaktivedanta VedaBase: Srimad Bhagavatam 1.8.11

suta uvaca
upadharya vacas tasya
bhagavan bhakta-vatsalah
apandavam idam kartum
drauner astram abudhyata

SYNONYMS

sutah uvaca -- Suta Gosvami said; upadharya -- by hearing her patiently; vacah -- words; tasyah -- her; bhagavan -- the Personality of Godhead; bhakta-vatsalah -- He who is very much affectionate towards His devotees; apandavam -- without the existence of the Pandavas' descendants; idam -- this; kartum -- to do it; drauneh -- of the son of Dronacarya; astram -- weapon; abudhyata -- understood.

TRANSLATION

Suta Gosvami said: Having patiently heard her words, Lord Sri Krsna, who is always very affectionate to His devotees, could at once understand that Asvatthama, the son of Dronacarya, had thrown the brahmastra to finish the last life in the Pandava family.

Bhaktivedanta VedaBase: Srimad Bhagavatam 1.8.12

tarhy evatha muni-srestha
pandavah panca sayakan
atmano 'bhimukhan diptan
alaksyastrany upadaduh

SYNONYMS

tarhi -- then; eva -- also; atha -- therefore; muni-srestha -- O chief amongst the munis; pandavah -- all the sons of Pandu; panca -- five; sayakan -- weapons; atmanah -- own selves; abhimukhan -- towards; diptan -- glaring; alaksya -- seeing it; astrani -- weapons; upadaduh -- took up.

TRANSLATION

O foremost among the great thinkers [munis] [Saunaka], seeing the glaring brahmastra proceeding towards them, the Pandavas took up their five respective weapons.

Bhaktivedanta VedaBase: Srimad Bhagavatam 1.8.13

vyasanam viksya tat tesam
ananya-visayatmanam
sudarsanena svastrena
svanam raksam vyadhad vibhuh

SYNONYMS

vyasanam -- great danger; viksya -- having observed; tat -- that; tesam -- their; ananya -- no other; visaya -- means; atmanam -- thus inclined; sudarsanena -- by the wheel of Sri Krsna; sva-astrena -- by the weapon; svanam -- of His own devotees; raksam -- protection; vyadhat -- did it; vibhuh -- the Almighty.

TRANSLATION

The almighty Personality of Godhead, Sri Krsna, having observed that a great danger was befalling His unalloyed devotees, who were fully surrendered souls, at once took up His Sudarsana disc to protect them.

Bhaktivedanta VedaBase: Srimad Bhagavatam 1.8.14

antahsthah sarva-bhutanam
atma yogesvaro harih
sva-mayayavrnod garbham
vairatyah kuru-tantave

SYNONYMS

antahsthah -- being within; sarva -- all; bhutanam -- of the living beings; atma -- soul; yoga-isvarah -- the Lord of all mysticism; harih -- the Supreme Lord; sva-mayaya -- by the personal energy; avrnot -- covered; garbham -- embryo; vairatyah -- of Uttara; kuru-tantave -- for the progeny of Maharaja Kuru.

TRANSLATION

The Lord of supreme mysticism, Sri Krsna, resides within everyone's heart as the Paramatma. As such, just to protect the progeny of the Kuru dynasty, He covered the embryo of Uttara by His personal energy.

Bhaktivedanta VedaBase: Srimad Bhagavatam 1.8.15

yadyapy astram brahma-siras
tv amogham capratikriyam
vaisnavam teja asadya
samasamyad bhrgudvaha

SYNONYMS

yadyapi -- although; astram -- weapon; brahma-sirah -- supreme; tu -- but; amogham -- without check; ca -- and; apratikriyam -- not to be counteracted; vaisnavam -- in relation with Visnu; tejah -- strength; asadya -- being confronted with; samasamyat -- was neutralized; bhrgu-udvaha -- O glory of the family of Bhrgu.

TRANSLATION

O Saunaka, although the supreme brahmastra weapon released by Asvatthama was irresistible and without check or counteraction, it was neutralized and foiled when confronted by the strength of Visnu [Lord Krsna].

Bhaktivedanta VedaBase: Srimad Bhagavatam 1.8.16

ma mamstha hy etad ascaryam
sarvascaryamaye 'cyute
ya idam mayaya devya
srjaty avati hanty ajah

SYNONYMS

ma -- do not; mamsthah -- think; hi -- certainly; etat -- all these; ascaryam -- wonderful; sarva -- all; ascarya-maye -- in the all-mysterious; acyute -- the infallible; yah -- one who; idam -- this (creation); mayaya -- by His energy; devya -- transcendental; srjati -- creates; avati -- maintains; hanti -- annihilates; ajah -- unborn.

TRANSLATION

O brahmanas, do not think this to be especially wonderful in the activities of the mysterious and infallible Personality of Godhead. By His own transcendental energy, He maintains and annihilates all material things, although He Himself is unborn.

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Brief analysis

So in this set of verses we see that the Lord does amazing things.

1) Sri Krishna enters in the womb of Uttara in a small form and saves Maharaj Pariskit.

2) He also gives darshan to Maharaj Pariskit, who after birth, all that he does is to search (pariksha) everyone, to see if He is the same friend to gave him Darshan in the womb. Since then He is known as Pariskit.

3) Such is Krishna Conciousness. The Lord and His devotees, are very dear to the heart of all living beings. Once someone gets some mercy from the Lord and/or His devotees, he/she can not forget that nectar and will want more and more.

4) And then Suta Gowsami warns the sages, to not be amazed by this act of the Lord. He explains THE LORD CAN DO ANYTHING!. Do not Limit what the Lord can or can not do, by what your own insignificant mind can think.

Prayers of Queen Kunti

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Bhaktivedanta VedaBase: Srimad Bhagavatam 1.8.17

brahma-tejo-vinirmuktair
atmajaih saha krsnaya
prayanabhimukham krsnam
idam aha prtha sati

SYNONYMS

brahma-tejah -- the radiation of the brahmastra; vinirmuktaih -- being saved from; atma-jaih -- along with her sons; saha -- with; krsnaya -- Draupadi; prayana -- outgoing; abhimukham -- towards; krsnam -- unto Lord Krsna; idam -- this; aha -- said; prtha -- Kunti; sati -- chaste, devoted to the Lord.

TRANSLATION

Thus saved from the radiation of the brahmastra, Kunti, the chaste devotee of the Lord, and her five sons and Draupadi addressed Lord Krsna as He started for home.

Bhaktivedanta VedaBase: Srimad Bhagavatam 1.8.18

kunty uvaca
namasye purusam tvadyam
isvaram prakrteh param
alaksyam sarva-bhutanam
antar bahir avasthitam

SYNONYMS

kunti uvaca -- Srimati Kunti said; namasye -- let me bow down; purusam -- the Supreme Person; tva -- You; adyam -- the original; isvaram -- the controller; prakrteh -- of the material cosmos; param -- beyond; alaksyam -- the invisible; sarva -- all; bhutanam -- of living beings; antah -- within; bahih -- without; avasthitam -- existing.

TRANSLATION

Srimati Kunti said: O Krsna, I offer my obeisances unto You because You are the original personality and are unaffected by the qualities of the material world. You are existing both within and without everything, yet You are invisible to all.

Bhaktivedanta VedaBase: Srimad Bhagavatam 1.8.19

maya-javanikacchannam
ajnadhoksajam avyayam
na laksyase mudha-drsa
nato natyadharo yatha

SYNONYMS

maya -- deluding; javanika -- curtain; acchannam -- covered by; ajna -- ignorant; adhoksajam -- beyond the range of material conception (transcendental); avyayam -- irreproachable; na -- not; laksyase -- observed; mudha-drsa -- by the foolish observer; natah -- artist; natya-dharah -- dressed as a player; yatha -- as.

TRANSLATION

Being beyond the range of limited sense perception, You are the eternally irreproachable factor covered by the curtain of deluding energy. You are invisible to the foolish observer, exactly as an actor dressed as a player is not recognized.

Bhaktivedanta VedaBase: Srimad Bhagavatam 1.8.20

tatha paramahamsanam
muninam amalatmanam
bhakti-yoga-vidhanartham
katham pasyema hi striyah

SYNONYMS

tatha -- besides that; paramahamsanam -- of the advanced transcendentalists; muninam -- of the great philosophers or mental speculators; amala-atmanam -- those whose minds are competent to discern between spirit and matter; bhakti-yoga -- the science of devotional service; vidhana-artham -- for executing; katham -- how; pasyema -- can observe; hi -- certainly; striyah -- women.

TRANSLATION

You Yourself descend to propagate the transcendental science of devotional service unto the hearts of the advanced transcendentalists and mental speculators, who are purified by being able to discriminate between matter and spirit. How, then, can we women know You perfectly?

Bhaktivedanta VedaBase: Srimad Bhagavatam 1.8.21

krsnaya vasudevaya
devaki-nandanaya ca
nanda-gopa-kumaraya
govindaya namo namah

SYNONYMS

krsnaya -- the Supreme Lord; vasudevaya -- unto the son of Vasudeva; devaki-nandanaya -- unto the son of Devaki; ca -- and; nanda-gopa -- Nanda and the cowherd men; kumaraya -- unto their son; govindaya -- unto the Personality of Godhead, who enlivens the cows and the senses; namah -- respectful obeisances; namah -- obeisances.

TRANSLATION

Let me therefore offer my respectful obeisances unto the Lord, who has become the son of Vasudeva, the pleasure of Devaki, the boy of Nanda and the other cowherd men of Vrndavana, and the enlivener of the cows and the senses.

Bhaktivedanta VedaBase: Srimad Bhagavatam 1.8.22

namah pankaja-nabhaya
namah pankaja-maline
namah pankaja-netraya
namas te pankajanghraye

SYNONYMS

namah -- all respectful obeisances; pankaja-nabhaya -- unto the Lord who has a specific depression resembling a lotus flower in the center of His abdomen; namah -- obeisances; pankaja-maline -- one who is always decorated with a garland of lotus flowers; namah -- obeisances; pankaja-netraya -- one whose glance is as cooling as a lotus flower; namah te -- respectful obeisances unto You; pankaja-anghraye -- unto You, the soles of whose feet are engraved with lotus flowers (and who are therefore said to possess lotus feet).

TRANSLATION

My respectful obeisances are unto You, O Lord, whose abdomen is marked with a depression like a lotus flower, who are always decorated with garlands of lotus flowers, whose glance is as cool as the lotus and whose feet are engraved with lotuses.

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Brief analysis

So a few great points here

1) Queen Kunti has been trough a lot. Since the loss of her husband she and her children have been the subjects of most elaborate murder plots. Sri Krishna has always been there to save them.

2) This is happening just after the battle of Kurushetra when even the five small sons of the pandavas have just been unjustly killed by Ashwasthama. It is not exactly a great time to keep the faith.

3) She could have thought, like many of the people today “Why me ?”. I have loved and worshipped the Lord all my life, Why do i have to go though all of these difficulties ?

4) What does she do instead ?

She glorifies  The Lord in the first verse. She says “namaste purusham tu adyam”. I offer my obeciences to you O Lord who is The Original Supreme Personality of Godhead. “isvaram prakrteh param” The Lord who is beyond, material cosmos. “alaksyam sarva-bhutanam” , not visible to all living beings and “antar bahir avasthitam” both within and without everything.

This is so much like the Bhagavad Gita verses by Sri Krishna describing Himself. The beloved book of all kinds of renounced transcendentalists. And who is offering these prayers ? Queen Kunti, who is a lady, a housewife, a mother ? How dare anyone say she is less intelligent as she is a mere woman ?

As Srila Prabhupada would often explain something like “Real intelligence is not about IQ, but it is about spiritual acuteness !”

This is just the first verse of her prayers.

5) The next verse she explains

“maya-javanikacchannam” “ajnadhoksajam avyayam”  - You are covered by a curtain of maya for the ignorant,  beyond the range of material conception (transcendental) and irreproachable.

“na laksyase mudha-drsa”, not observed by the foolish observer.

“nato natyadharo yatha “ – Just as a artist who is nicely dressed as some player.

So here again we can see her profound philosophical understanding. Sri Krishna is covered by a curtain of maya, and so the ignorant can not see Him,  why ? because He is beyond the range of material conception (transcendental) and irreproachable.

Then she gives an allegory of a play

She says in a play someone may be so well dressed and playing the part of a character so well, that a foolish person may not be able to see the real actor who is just being the character for that play.

You see the genius of Mother Kunti here ?  She makes a very deep philosophical point and then she gives an allegory. And it is not that she had says preparing these prayers, she is doing all this right on the spot.

6) The next verse she explains

“tatha paramahamsanam muninam amalatmanam” besides that, of the advanced transcendentalists of the great philosophers or mental speculators, those whose minds are competent to discern between spirit and matter,

“bhakti-yoga-vidhanartham" - the science of devotional service for executing

“katham pasyema hi striyah” – certainly how can observe women.

Here we see the supreme humility of Queen Kunti.

Sri Krishna is standing in front of her, ready to do anything she wants. Sri Krishna was a chariot driver for her son. Sri Krishna was her Well Wisher. And what does she say, i have no qualification even to see you my Lord!

Think about it, mothers, if Sri Krishna was a driver for your son, He was present before you and ready to do anything you wanted , would you ever say, my dear Lord you are known to great transcendentalists in executing the science of devotional service, but You see if am just a mere foolish woman, so i certainly(hi) can not observe(pasyema ) You.

This is a devotee, never ever proud, even when the Lord is present in front of him/her, still feeling unqualified to get the Lord’s mercy.

7) The next verse she explains

krsnaya vasudevaya
devaki-nandanaya ca
nanda-gopa-kumaraya
govindaya namo namah

krsnaya -- the Supreme Lord; vasudevaya -- unto the son of Vasudeva; devaki-nandanaya -- unto the son of Devaki; ca -- and; nanda-gopa -- Nanda and the cowherd men; kumaraya -- unto their son; govindaya -- unto the Personality of Godhead, who enlivens the cows and the senses; namah -- respectful obeisances; namah -- obeisances.

Queen Kunti here is appealing to the Lord, by taking names of His devotees. Just as the devotee is happy when someone speaks the names of the lord, The Lord is happy when someone speaks the names of His dear devotees.

This verse is so nice, it is used by Brahama’s in all kinds of prayers.

Queen Kunti is here making very clear who she is speaking about.

Here is what Srila Prabhupada explains in the Prayers of Queen Kunti book .

“Kuntidevi, therefore, is pointing our attention toward Krsna, the Supreme Person, who is alaksya, invisible to all. Who is that invisible person? Here -- Krsna. "Oh, Krsna," one may say. "There are so many Krsnas." Therefore Kuntidevi says, "I am offering my prayers to Vasudeva, the son of Vasudeva." "There are many Vasudevas." "No. Nanda-gopa-kumaraya: I am praying to the foster son of Maharaja Nanda." In this way, three times she points out, "Here is Krsna.”

In the last paragraph of this verse explanation in Prayers of Queen Kunti book Srila Prabhupada makes a very nice point.”We know the address of God”

“By following in the footsteps of devotees like Kunti, we shall be able to understand Krsna's identity. For example, we may ask a person's identity by asking, "What is your father's name?" So Srimad-Bhagavatam presents God with His father's name, His mother's name, and even His address. We are not impersonalists with a vague idea of God. If one takes advantage of the Krsna consciousness movement, one can understand God perfectly and completely.”

8) The Lotus Verse, i can not break up this verse

Bhaktivedanta VedaBase: Srimad Bhagavatam 1.8.22

namah pankaja-nabhaya
namah pankaja-maline
namah pankaja-netraya
namas te pankajanghraye

SYNONYMS

namah -- all respectful obeisances; pankaja-nabhaya -- unto the Lord who has a specific depression resembling a lotus flower in the center of His abdomen; namah -- obeisances; pankaja-maline -- one who is always decorated with a garland of lotus flowers; namah -- obeisances; pankaja-netraya -- one whose glance is as cooling as a lotus flower; namah te -- respectful obeisances unto You; pankaja-anghraye -- unto You, the soles of whose feet are engraved with lotus flowers (and who are therefore said to possess lotus feet).

What can i add ! The Verse is perfect !

Two thing that Srila Prabhupada mentions in the Srimad Bhagavatam Purport are

a) “The Pankajanabhi Lord accepts the arca-vigraha (His transcendental form) in different elements, namely a form within the mind, a form made of wood, a form made of earth, a form made of metal, a form made of jewel, a form made of paint, a form drawn on sand, etc. All such forms of the Lord are always decorated with garlands of lotus flowers, and there should be a soothing atmosphere in the temple of worship to attract the burning attention of the nondevotees always engaged in material wranglings.”

b) “One should begin to see the Lord from His lotus feet, gradually rising to the thighs, waist, chest and face. One should not try to look at the face of the Lord without being accustomed to seeing the lotus feet of the Lord. Srimati Kunti, because of her being the aunt of the Lord, did not begin to see the Lord from the lotus feet because the Lord might feel ashamed, and thus Kuntidevi, just to save a painful situation for the Lord, began to see the Lord just above His lotus feet, i.e., from the waist of the Lord, gradually rising to the face, and then down to the lotus feet. In the round, everything there is in order.”

So that is why Queen Kunti starts with Namah Pankaja Nabhaya

Holy month of Kartik begins and the glorious Sri Damodar astakam

Today the holy month of Kartik or Damodar begins.

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Information about Karttika (Damodara) Vrata:

Performing vrata in the month of Kartika (Damodara) is glorified profusely in the puranas. Since this month is very dear to Krsna by performing austerities, or restraining ones sense gratification and performing activities to please the senses of the Lord, one becomes very dear to the Krsna. As Satya yuga is the best of yugas, as the vedas are the best of scriptures, as ganga is the best of rivers, so kartika is the best of months, the most dear to Krsna. ….

From: http://www.hknet.org.nz/parishad76-k.htm

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What is Damodar Asktaka

From : http://www.hknet.org.nz/parishad79.htm

Sri Damodara-ashtakam
(found in the Padma Purana of Krsna Dvaipayana Vyasa, spoken by Satyavrata Muni in a conversation with Narada Muni and Saunaka Rsi)

"In the month of Kartika one should worship Lord Damodara and daily recite the prayer known as Damodara-ashtakam, which has been spoken by the sage Satyavrata and which attracts Lord Damodara. (Sri Hari-bhakti-vilasa 2:16:198)

In Iskcon temples, centres, and devotees homes world wide devotees gather for the entire month of Damodar (Kartika) to offer lamps (candles - dipas, etc) and in ecstacy sing the glories of Sri Damodar. Check locally for the timings of that ceremony - usually it is done in the evening, but some temples and communities perform the ceremony morning and evening.

1
namamisvaram sac-cid-ananda-rupam
lasat-kundalam gokule bhrajamanam
yasoda--bhiyolukhalad dhavamanam
paramrstam atyantato drutya gopya

(1) To the Supreme Lord, whose form is the embodiment of eternal existence, knowledge, and bliss, whose shark-shaped earrings are swinging to and fro, who is beautifully shining in the divine realm of Gokula, who I (due to the offence of breaking the pot of yogurt that His mother was churning into butter and then stealing the butter that was kept hanging from a swing) is quickly running from the wooden grinding mortar in fear of mother Yasoda, but who has been caught from behind by her who ran after Him with greater speed-to that Supreme Lord, Sri Damodara, I offer my humble obeisances.

2
rudantam muhur netra-yugmam mrjantam
karambhoja-yugmena satanka-netram
muhuh svasa-kampa-trirekhanka-kantha-
sthita-graivam damodararm bhakti-baddham

(2) (Seeing the whipping stick in His mother's hand,) He is crying and rubbing His eyes again and again with His two lotus hands. His eyes are filled with fear, and the necklace of pearls around His neck, which is marked with three lines like a conch shell, is shaking because of His quick breathing due to crying. To this Supreme Lord, Sri Damodara, whose belly is bound not with ropes but with His mother's pure love, I offer my humble obeisances.

3
itidrk sva-lilabhir ananda-kunde
sva-ghosam nimajjantam akkyapayantam
tadiyesita-jnesu bhaktair jitatvam
punah prematas tam satavrtti vande

(3) By such childhood pastimes as this He is drowning the inhabitants of Gokula in pools of ecstasy, and is revealing to those devotees who are absorbed in knowledge of His supreme majesty and opulence that He is only conquered by devotees whose pure love is imbues with intimacy and is free from all conceptions of awe and reverence. With great love I again offer my obeisances to Lord Damodara hundreds and hundreds of times.

4
varam deva moksam na moksavadhim va
na canyam vrne 'ham varesad apiha
idam te vapur natha gopala-balam
sada me manasy avirastam kim anyaih

(4) 0 Lord, although You are able to give all kinds of benedictions, I do not pray to You for the boon of impersonal liberation, nor the highest liberation of eternal life in Vaikuntha, nor any other boon (which may be obtained by executing the nine processes of bhakti). O Lord, I simply wish that this form of Yours as Bala Gopala in Vrndavana may ever be manifest in my heart, for what is the use to me of any other boon besides this?

5
idam te mukhambhojam atyanta-nilair
vrtam kuntalaih snigdha-raktais' ca gopya
muhus cumbitam bimba-raktadharam me
manasy avirastam alam laksa-labhaih

(5) O Lord, Your lotus face, which is encircled by locks of soft black hair tinged with red, is kissed again and again by mother Yasoda, and Your lips are reddish like the bimba fruit. May this beautiful vision of Your lotus face be ever manifest in my heart. Thousands and thousands of other benedictions are of no use to me.

6
namo deva damodarananta visno
prasida prabho duhkha jalabdhi-magnam
krpa-drsti-vrsyati-dinam batanu-
grhanesa mam ajnam edhy aksi-drsyah

(6) O Supreme Godhead, I offer my obeisances unto You. O Damodara! O Ananta! O Vishnu! O master! O my Lord, be pleased upon me. By showering Your glance of mercy upon me, deliver this poor ignorant fool who is immersed in an ocean of worldly sorrows, and become visible to my eyes.

7
kuveratmajau baddha-murtyaiva yadvat
tvaya mocitau bhakti-bhajau krtau ca
tatha prema-bhaktim svakam me prayaccha
na mokse graho me 'sti damodareha

(7) 0 Lord Damodara, just as the two sons of Kuvera-Manigriva and Nalakuvara--were delivered from the curse of Narada and made into great devotees by You in Your form as a baby tied with rope to a wooden grinding mortar, in the same way, please give to me Your own prema-bhakti. I only long for this and have no desire for any kind of liberation.

8
namas te 'stu damne sphurad-dipti-dhamne
tvadiyodarayatha visvasya dhamne
namo radhikayai tvadiya-priyayai
namo 'nanta-lilaya devaya tubhyam

(8) 0 Lord Damodara, I first of all offer my obeisances to the brilliantly effulgent rope which binds Your belly. I then offer my obeisances to Your belly, which is the abode of the entire universe. I humbly bow down to Your most beloved Srimati Radharani, and I offer all obeisances to You, the Supreme Lord, who displays unlimited pastimes.

Sri Damodar astakam ki jaya

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We had a class at a program this evening, by His Grace Navadwip Chandra Prabhu in Rickmansworth.

After that we had the offering of Damodar Askhtaka along with candles to Lord Damodar.

From : http://photo.net/photodb/photo?photo_id=3816930

I was remembering Vrindavan so very much. Having been in Vrindavan in the holy moth of Kartik, i can say for sure that the atmosphere there is like no other.

In Vrindavan almost every temple that you visit, you are given ghee wicks, and then you can offer your own little arati to the deities.

For me the best place to be is at the home of Srila Prabhupada at our Sri Sri Krishna Balaram temple, ISKCON Vrindavan. For us the grandchildren of Srila Prabhupada, we naturally feel, the deities there are very special and also we love the Damodar Askhtaka prayers offered there.

See for yourself.

ISKCON Vrindavan Karik Damodar Askhtaka Prayers

 

A tour of the Srila Prabhupada samadhi mandir at ISKCON Vrindavan

 

HG Aindra Prabhu singing Kirtan in Kartik at ISKCON Vrindavan , Life is worth living…

Part1

Part2