July 2015 – Light of Godhead

SB 1.2.20-21: How to know God

SB 1.2.20: Thus established in the mode of unalloyed goodness, the man whose mind has been enlivened by contact with devotional service to the Lord gains positive scientific knowledge of the Personality of Godhead in the stage of liberation from all material association.

The brahminical stage is the highest stage of human life because of its good qualities. So one cannot be a devotee unless one at least qualifies as a brāhmaṇa. The devotee is already a brāhmaṇa by action. But that is not the end of it. As referred to above, such a brāhmaṇa has to become a Vaiṣṇava in fact to be actually in the transcendental stage. A pure Vaiṣṇava is a liberated soul and is transcendental even to the position of abrāhmaṇa. In the material stage even a brāhmaṇa is also a conditioned soul because although in the brahminical stage the conception of Brahman or transcendence is realized, scientific knowledge of the Supreme Lord is lacking. One has to surpass the brahminical stage and reach the vasudeva stage to understand the Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa.

light-of-godhead2015-09-07T22:46:59+00:00July 31st, 2015|Categories: Canto 1, God realization, Goodness, Srimad Bhagavatam notes|Tags: Performing duty|

Brahmana and the Cobbler

Speaker: Srila Prabhupada
Source: Everything Is Resting On Krsna

Narada Muni used to visit Narayana every day. So when he was passing on the road, so one very learned brahmana and taking thrice bath and everything very nicely, he asked Narada Muni, “Oh, you are going to Lord. Will you inquire when I shall get my salvation?” “All right. I shall ask.” And then another cobbler, he was under the tree, sewing the shoes, old shoes. He also saw Narada Muni. He also inquired, “Will you kindly inquire from God

light-of-godhead2015-07-31T18:53:59+00:00July 30th, 2015|Categories: Faith, Narada Muni, Narayana, Stories|Tags: Banyan tree, Brahmana, Cobbler, Elephant|

Two things in parallel

Speaker: Srila Prabhupada
Source: Knot Between Matter And Spirit

Therefore two things must go on in parallel lines. One side, a person should cultivate Krsna consciousness and, another side, he should try to give up all the unwanted things. That will help him. You cannot continue both the things. Just like when a person is diseased, he’s given medicine. At the same time, he has to act, not to take this, not to take that. That is the way of treatment. Not that whatever you like, you can eat;

light-of-godhead2015-07-31T18:55:16+00:00July 30th, 2015|Categories: Analogies, Anartha-nivritti|

Maya and Krsna are side by side

Speaker: Srila Prabhupada
Source: Knot Between Matter And Spirit

As soon as you deviate from devotional service, immediately the maya is standing. She’ll capture you. You can see practically. There is sunshine, and just next to the sunshine, there is darkness or shadow. So little deviation from the sunshine there is shadow. And little deviation from the shadow, you go to the sunshine. Both things are side by side, maya and Krsna. Maya means absence of Krsna. Shadow means absence of light, sunshine. So if you always keep

light-of-godhead2015-07-31T18:56:02+00:00July 30th, 2015|Categories: Analogies, Maya|Tags: Light, Maya, Shadow|

Fry up the karma

Speaker: Srila Prabhupada
Source: Knot Between Matter And Spirit

So everyone is suffering or enjoying the resultant action of his karma. Yas tv indra-gopam athavendram aho sva-karma-bandhanurupa. Bandhana. As he’s bound up by the resultant action of karma… Bandhanurupa-phala-bhajanam ata… They are getting different results of their karma. It is very easy to understand. But for the devotees it is said, karmani nirdahati kintu ca bhakti-bhajam [Bs. 5.54], those who have taken to Krsna consciousness in devotional service, their karma is cut off. There is no resultant action. Just like

light-of-godhead2015-07-31T18:56:41+00:00July 30th, 2015|Categories: Analogies, Karma|

How to beget Krsna

Speaker: Srila Prabhupada
Source: Transcendental Goodness

Sattvam visuddham vasudeva-sabditam, there is a verse. Pure goodness. Pure goodness means there is only Vasudeva. Vasudevah sarvam iti (BG. 7.19). That is pure sattva, when there is no other conception, simply Vasudeva. Vasudeva is the platform. Just like Vasudeva was the father of Krsna. When Krsna appeared, Vasudeva was the father. So suddha-sattva is Vasudeva. Vasudeva means there is no contamination of ignorance or passion, simply sattva-guna. Tato rajas tamo bhava kama-lobhadayas ca ye, ceta etair anaviddham. When your

light-of-godhead2015-07-31T18:57:43+00:00July 30th, 2015|Categories: Brahmana, Philosophical concepts, Transcendental goodness, Vasudeva|

Transcending the four varnas

Source: BG 3.35 Purport

Everyone has to cleanse his heart by a gradual process, not abruptly. However, when one transcends the modes of material nature and is fully situated in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, he can perform anything and everything under the direction of a bona ﬁde spiritual master. In that complete stage of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, the kṣatriya may act as a brāhmaṇa, or a brāhmaṇa may act as a kṣatriya. In the transcendental stage, the distinctions of the material world do not apply. For example, Viśvāmitra was originally a kṣatriya, but later on he acted as a brāhmaṇa, whereas Paraśurāma was

light-of-godhead2015-07-31T18:58:32+00:00July 30th, 2015|Categories: Brahmana, Ksatriya, Parasurama, Stories, Visvamitra muni|

God is not so cheap

Speaker: Srila Prabhupada
Source: Spiritual Life Is Scientific

This is the sign. Evam prasanna-manaso bhagavad-bhakti-yogatah (SB 1.2.20). Then you can understand what is God. God is not so cheap: “Come on, I shall show you God. You haven’t got to follow any rules and regulations.” People want to be cheated. Therefore there are so many cheaters. They take advantage of it. Because they want everything very cheap. That is not possible. This is the stage, prasanna-manasa. Then you can understand what is God. Bhagavat-tattva-vi… Because it

light-of-godhead2015-07-31T18:59:08+00:00July 30th, 2015|Categories: Analogies, God realization|Tags: Cheated, Cheaters, Mathematics, Science|

How to easily understand Krsna

Speaker: Srila Prabhupada
Source: Spiritual Life Is Scientific

So it is not so easy to understand Sri Krsna. Manusyanam sahasresu kascid yatati siddhaye, yatatam api siddhanam: (BG. 7.3) “Those who have endeavored for perfection of life, out of many such persons, one can hardly understand Krsna.” It is not so easy. But it is by Krsna’s grace. Krsna being very compassionate with these fallen souls of this age, He appeared as Lord Caitanya and distributed Krsna. That is His prerogative. That is His right. If Krsna wants to distribute

light-of-godhead2015-07-31T19:00:36+00:00July 30th, 2015|Categories: Analogies, God realization, Lord Caitanya|

I am so unfortunate

Speaker: Srila Prabhupada
Source: Spiritual Life Is Scientific

So if you want to know God, then you have to follow the prescribed rules and regulations of bhagavad-bhakti-yoga. It is very simple. It is made very easy, especially in this age: simply by chanting Hare Krsna mantra. It’s so made easy, but we are so unfortunate that we do not take advantage of this. Etadrsi tava krpa bhagavan mamapi durdaivam idrsam ihajani nanuragah. Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu laments, “My dear Lord, You are so compassionate and merciful upon us that in this

light-of-godhead2015-07-31T19:01:16+00:00July 29th, 2015|Categories: Analogies, Chanting, God realization, Lord Caitanya|Tags: Lament, No taste, Rules and regulations, Unfortunate|

First interest is to satisfy Krsna

Speaker: Srila Prabhupada
Source: Spiritual life means joyfulness

A pure devotee is always interested how Krsna would be satisfied. Just like Arjuna. Of course, when one is interested in that way, all other things, subordinate things, they come within. Just like Arjuna was a great devotee of Krsna, but at the same time he was a politician also. So, but the first interest is to become Krsnized, how to satisfy Krsna, not that “For political purpose I love Krsna.” No. You love Krsna, and your all problems, political, social and

light-of-godhead2015-07-31T19:04:53+00:00July 29th, 2015|Categories: Arjuna, Sadhana-bhakti|Tags: Politics|

Krsna can excuse you

Speaker: Srila Prabhupada
Source: Bound By So Many Knots

Karmani nirdahati kintu ca bhakti-bhajam [Bs. 5.54]. In the Brahma-samhita this is, that “Those who have taken to Krsna consciousness, their karma, their action of, resultant action of karma, is stopped.” How it is stopped? Krsna gives you assurance in the Bhagavad-gita: aham tvam sarva-papebhyo moksayisyami. “I shall give you protection from all kinds of resultant action of your sinful life. You just surrender to Me.” Krsna can do everything. Just like king can give you, excuse you. Although by law

light-of-godhead2015-07-31T02:21:09+00:00July 29th, 2015|Categories: Analogies, Karma|Tags: Excuse, King|