July 2015 – Page 2 – Light of Godhead

Spiritual life is scientific

Speaker: Srila Prabhupada
Source: Spiritual Life Is Scientific

So bhagavat-tattva-vijnanam. Vijnana means science. It is not concoction, speculation. It is a science. Just like mathematics is a science: “Two plus two equal to four.” You cannot make two plus two equal to five according to your whims. No. Anywhere you go, it doesn’t matter. Because it is science, so either in America or in India or in England, everyone will accept “Two plus two equal to four.” That is science. Science is true everywhere. Not that “I can imagine my

light-of-godhead2015-07-31T19:02:54+00:00July 29th, 2015|Categories: Analogies, God realization|Tags: Imagination, Mathematics, Science|

SB 1.2.18-19: The two bhagavatas

SB 1.2.18: By regular attendance in classes on the Bhāgavatam and by rendering of service to the pure devotee, all that is troublesome to the heart is almost completely destroyed, and loving service unto the Personality of Godhead, who is praised with transcendental songs, is established as an irrevocable fact.

Here is the remedy for eliminating all inauspicious things within the heart, which are considered to be obstacles in the path of self-realization. The remedy is the association of the Bhāgavatas. There are two types of Bhāgavatas, namely the book Bhāgavata and the devotee Bhāgavata. Both the Bhāgavatas are competent remedies, and both of them or either of them can be good enough to eliminate the obstacles. A devotee Bhāgavata is as good as the book Bhāgavata because the devotee Bhāgavata leads his life in terms of the book Bhāgavata and the book Bhāgavata is full of information about the Personality of Godhead and His pure devotees, who are also Bhāgavatas. Bhāgavata book and person are identical.

light-of-godhead2015-09-07T22:46:59+00:00July 9th, 2015|Categories: Association, Canto 1, Goodness, Srimad Bhagavatam notes|Tags: Performing duty|

You saw only stone

Speaker: Indradyumna Swami
Source: His Lotus Feet

Once, Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura was giving a talk in the temple. It had a lecture hall and a temple room. In the middle of the lecture, the conch sounded for aarti. Some of the disciples stood up and went to the next room to watch the aarti. They left the lecture to join the aarti. Then, they came back and sat down to hear the rest of the lecture. But Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura stopped speaking and he said, “Where did you go?” The

light-of-godhead2015-07-15T23:40:56+00:00July 9th, 2015|Categories: Hearing, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati|Tags: Aarti, Stone|

Forgive the enemy

Speaker: Srila Prabhupada
Source: Actual Sense Pleasure

Tapasvi, one who is, who are sages, their duty is they always forgive any enemy. Just like you have got very nice example, Lord Jesus Christ. He was being crucified, but he forgave all the persons who were engaged in crucifying him. He prayed Lord, “O my Lord, these people do not know what they are doing.” So this is, I mean to say, the signs of great sages. They are not, I mean to say angry. Kama-krodha.

light-of-godhead2015-10-25T09:34:51+00:00July 8th, 2015|Categories: Anger, Forgiveness, Jesus Christ, Videos|

Teacher is learning his ABC’s

Speaker: Srila Prabhupada
Source: Caitanya caritamrta, Adi-lila, Introduction

Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu should therefore not be considered one of us. He is Kṛṣṇa Himself, the Supreme living entity, and as such He never comes under the cloud of māyā. Kṛṣṇa, His expansions and even His higher devotees never fall into the clutches of illusion. Lord Caitanya came to earth simply to preach kṛṣṇa-bhakti, love of Kṛṣṇa. In other words, He is Lord Kṛṣṇa Himself teaching the living entities the proper way to approach Kṛṣṇa. He is like a teacher who,

light-of-godhead2015-07-15T23:43:26+00:00July 8th, 2015|Categories: Lord Caitanya, Surrender|

I am very happy

Speaker: Srila Prabhupada
Source: Vedas, Guru And Supersoul

There is a story in the Bhagavata that once Indra, the king of heaven, he was condemned by his spiritual master, Brhaspati, that “You are so foolish. You should have become a hog.” So he became a hog. So after some days, when the throne of the heavenly kingdom was vacant, Brahma went to reclaim this hog, Indra, that “Come to your place.” So when the hog was requested that “You are Indra. Why you are suffering? Now you come. I

light-of-godhead2015-07-15T23:44:49+00:00July 8th, 2015|Categories: Brahma, Happiness, Indra|Tags: Hog|

SB 1.2.16-17: Affinity for hearing

SB 1.2.16: O twice-born sages, by serving those devotees who are completely freed from all vice, great service is done. By such service, one gains affinity for hearing the messages of Vāsudeva.

The servants of God come to propagate God consciousness, and intelligent people should cooperate with them in every respect. By serving the servant of God, one can please God more than by directly serving the Lord. The Lord is more pleased when He sees that His servants are properly respected because such servants risk everything for the service of the Lord and so are very dear to the Lord. The Lord declares in the Bhagavad-gītā (18.69) that no one is dearer to Him than one who risks everything to preach His glory. By serving the servants of the Lord, one gradually gets the quality of such servants, and thus one becomes qualified to hear the glories of God. The eagerness to hear about God is the first qualification of a devotee eligible for entering the kingdom of God.

light-of-godhead2015-09-07T22:46:59+00:00July 3rd, 2015|Categories: Attention, Canto 1, Srimad Bhagavatam notes|Tags: Performing duty|

We become what we associate with

Speaker: Radhanath Swami
Source: Power of Inquiry-1

We become what we associate with. If we associate with impure people, impure activities, impure thoughts, we become polluted. If we associate with people who are pure, activities that are pure, and thoughts that are pure, we become purified. Srila Prabhupada, our guru, gave the example of an iron rod. If we put it in fire, it becomes red and hot like fire; and if you touch it, you’ll be burnt the same way as when you touch the fire directly. That is the

light-of-godhead2015-07-02T19:18:05+00:00July 2nd, 2015|Categories: Analogies, Association, Pastimes of Srila Prabhupada|Tags: Fire, Ice, Iron rod|

Lord Caitanya being called as God

Source: SB 1.2.16 Purport

The servants of God urge people to become devotees of the Lord. They never tolerate being called God. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu was God Himself according to the indication of the revealed scriptures, but He played the part of a devotee. People who knew Him to be God addressed Him as God, but He used to block His ears with His hands and chant the name of Lord Visnu. He strongly protested against being called God, although undoubtedly He was God Himself. The Lord behaves so to warn

light-of-godhead2015-07-02T19:43:15+00:00July 1st, 2015|Categories: Lord Caitanya, Stories|Tags: Becoming God|

Worshipping a devotee is better than worshipping the Lord

Speaker: Srila Prabhupada
Source: How To Become Very Dear To God

There is a common word in English, “If you love me, love my dog.” That is very important. So Bhagavat-priyanam, one who is very dear to Krsna. If you love such a person, then Krsna is more pleased. Krsna is more pleased. Bhagavat-priyanam.
There is a version in the Puranas, Devi Purana. Parvati was asking questions to Lord Siva, and Lord Siva was replying. So the inquiry was “Which worship is the best? Lord Siva, or Brahma or Chandra?” There

light-of-godhead2015-07-02T19:39:50+00:00July 1st, 2015|Categories: Parvati, Service attitude, Siva, Stories|Tags: Servant of the Servant|

Representative of Krsna

Speaker: Srila Prabhupada
Source: Kanista, Madhyama, Uttama

The spiritual master is the representative of Krsna. How he becomes representative? What is the test? The test is… Just like anyone can understand, representative. Suppose a business firm’s representative is going to canvass for business, what is his business? He will take the interest of the firm, not his personal interest. He will try to secure business for the firm he’s working, not for his personal… That is perfect representative. And if he goes, in the name of the firm’s representative,

light-of-godhead2015-07-02T19:56:12+00:00July 1st, 2015|Categories: Analogies, Spiritual master, Surrender|Tags: Representative|