August 2015 – Light of Godhead

SB 1.2.24-25: Beyond sense perception

SB 1.2.24: Firewood is a transformation of earth, but smoke is better than the raw wood. And fire is still better, for by fire we can derive the benefits of superior knowledge [through Vedic sacrifices]. Similarly, passion [rajas] is better than ignorance [tamas], but goodness [sattva] is best because by goodness one can come to realize the Absolute Truth.

As explained above, one can get release from the conditioned life of material existence by devotional service to the Personality of Godhead. It is further comprehended herein that one has to rise to the platform of the mode of goodness (sattva) so that one can be eligible for the devotional service of the Lord. But if there are impediments on the progressive path, anyone, even from the platform of tamas, can gradually rise to the sattva platform by the expert direction of the spiritual master. Sincere candidates must, therefore, approach an expert spiritual master for such a progressive march, and the bona fide, expert spiritual master is competent to direct a disciple from any stage of life: tamas, rajas or sattva.

light-of-godhead2015-09-07T22:46:59+00:00August 14th, 2015|Categories: Canto 1, God realization, Goodness, Srimad Bhagavatam notes|Tags: Performing duty|

We cannot speculate

Speaker: Srila Prabhupada
Source: Teach What Krsna has Said

So we have to follow mahajana because we are tiny living entities. We cannot speculate. This is nonsense. Speculation is nonsense. Panthas tu koti-sata-vatsara-sampragamyo vayor athapi manaso [Bs. 5.34]. If we speculate we shall never reach the Absolute Truth. That is not possible. But power is very limited. How long I shall speculate? This is called kupa-manduka-nyaya. Just like a frog in the well is informed by his friend, “My dear friend, Mr. Frog, or Dr. Frog, I have seen

light-of-godhead2017-07-04T19:25:58+00:00August 14th, 2015|Categories: Analogies, God realization|Tags: Frog, Speculation|

Show you are rich

Speaker: Srila Prabhupada
Source: Impersonalists misguide people

There are many Vedantists in Vrndavana, but they do not come to see the temple, because they think themselves that they have become Krsna. That is the Vedanta, so-called Vedanta philosophy conclusion. But Bhagavata says that vimukta-maninah. “They are thinking that they have become liberated.” That is their concoction. Maninah. If somebody thinks that “I have become the richest man in the world,” although he has nothing to show… To become richest man, there must be some symptoms. But if a poor man

light-of-godhead2015-08-20T22:17:20+00:00August 14th, 2015|Categories: Analogies, Impersonalist, Liberation|Tags: Absolute truth, Becoming God, Concoction, Poor, Relative truth, Rich|

Krsna is self-effulgent

Speaker: Srila Prabhupada
Source: Paltry research work

Here we get the information. Why should we take so much trouble? Krsna says aham adir hi devanam: “I am the original of all demigods.” Just like Brahma. Brahma is the first demigod within this universe, but he is not original. Original is Krsna. Aham adir hi devanam maharsinam. So He says that He is the adi, adi-purusam. Brahma says adi-purusam, the original person. Govindam adi-purusam tam aham bhajami **. So He’s the adi-purusa, He’s the original source. Every Vedic literature declares, every

light-of-godhead2015-08-14T01:15:44+00:00August 14th, 2015|Categories: Analogies, Brahma, God realization, Krsna|Tags: Research|

I cannot grant you immortality

Speaker: Srila Prabhupada
Source: The eternal struggle

Hiranyakasipu wanted to become immortal, so he underwent such severe penances that the whole universe trembled. Lord Brahma had to come to pacify him “What do you want?”

Hiranyakasipu said, “I want to become immortal!”

Lord Brahma replied, “Although I have a very long duration of life, even I am not immortal, so I cannot grant you immortality.”

So although Brahma lives for trillions of years, still he has to die. Wherever you go within this material world, either in

light-of-godhead2015-08-13T01:56:19+00:00August 13th, 2015|Categories: Brahma, Hiranyakasipu, Immortality, Lord Nrsimhadeva, Prahlada Maharaja, Stories|Tags: Disease, Immortal, Penances, Real problem|

You take the body you want

Speaker: Srila Prabhupada
Source: How to see the Absolute truth

Desire-Pic If you want, nature will give you facility. Prakrteh kriyamanani gunaih karmani sarvasah [Bg. 3.27]. Prakrti means nature. He’s giving, by nature. Just like, if you infect, if you become infected with some disease, so you’ll get that disease. It is nature’s way. If you touch fire, your finger will be burned. Not that nature has to make a particular arrangement. By nature it is there. Similarly, if you remain like cats and dogs, then by nature you’ll get

light-of-godhead2015-08-13T02:03:52+00:00August 13th, 2015|Categories: Analogies, Material nature, Reincarnation|Tags: Cats and Dogs, Disease, Fire|

Come out to see the light

Speaker: SrilaPrabhupada
Source: How to see the Absolute truth

To understand the Absolute Truth, even brahma-darsanam, Absolute Truth, you have come to the light, not in the darkness. If you want to see the sun at least, then you have come to the sunshine. Not that in the dark room, closing your doors, you can see sunshine. You have to come out. Tamasi ma jyotir gama. Therefore the Vedic injunction is “Don’t remain in the darkness. Come out to see the light.” Just like in the morning, somebody is sleeping,

light-of-godhead2015-08-13T02:12:20+00:00August 12th, 2015|Categories: Analogies, God realization, Goodness, Ignorance|Tags: Absolute truth, Darkness, Light, Sunshine|

Sober activity is required

Speaker: Srila Prabhupada
Source: How to see the Absolute truth

Foolish activity has no meaning. Without brain, simply active, that is dangerous. Sober activity is required. Just like a high court judge. He is paid very lump sum, money, but he’s sitting on his chair and simply thinking. The others may think that “We are working so hard, we are not getting so big salary, and this man is getting so big salary. He’s sitting only.” Because foolish activity has no value, it is dangerous. So this modern world, they’re very

light-of-godhead2015-08-13T01:55:02+00:00August 12th, 2015|Categories: Analogies, God realization, Goodness, Ignorance, Passion|Tags: Foolishness, Judge|

The Bird’s Eye

Source: Arjuna: Essence of a Hero

One bright, sunny morning, a large group of young boys gathered by the woodland with their bows and arrows. But these were not just ordinary boys. These were the five Pandavas and hundred Kauravas! The five Pandava brothers and hundred Kaurava brothers were cousins, and a fierce rivalry between them began when they were only children. These young princes would eventually grow into men of incredible power. The five Pandavas were even sons of gods!

On this day Drona, their mentor and military

light-of-godhead2015-09-07T22:46:59+00:00August 7th, 2015|Categories: Arjuna, Concentration, Dronacharya, Kauravas, Pandavas, Stories, Yudhisthira|

Bhima and the snake poison

Source: Bhima and the snake poison

Duryodhana was very much worried. His father being blind, the kingdom was ruled by Pandu. After his death Yudhishthira, the heir-apparent, would in course of time become king. Duryodhana thought that as his blind father was quite helpless he must, to prevent Yudhishthira’s accession to the throne, contrive a way of killing Bhima.
He made arrangements to carry out his resolve since he thought that the powers of the Pandavas would decline with the death of Bhima.
Duryodhana and his brothers planned to

light-of-godhead2015-09-07T22:46:59+00:00August 7th, 2015|Categories: Bhima, Duryodhana, Kauravas, Kunti devi, Lords protection, Stories, Vidura, Yudhisthira|

SB 1.2.22-23: Ultimate benefit

SB 1.2.22: Certainly, therefore, since time immemorial, all transcendentalists have been rendering devotional service to Lord Kṛṣṇa, the Personality of Godhead, with great delight, because such devotional service is enlivening to the self.

The speciality of devotional service unto the Personality of Godhead Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa is specifically mentioned herein. The living entities are separated parts and parcels of the Personality of Godhead. Therefore Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa is the original form of Godhead, and He is the last word in the Transcendence. Thus He is more attractive to the higher transcendentalists who participate in the eternal pastimes of the Lord. In forms of the Personality of Godhead other than Śrī Kṛṣṇa and Baladeva, there is no facility for intimate personal contact as in the transcendental pastimes of the Lord at Vrajabhūmi. The transcendental pastimes of Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa are not newly accepted, as argued by some less intelligent persons; His pastimes are eternal and are manifested in due course once in a day of Brahmājī, as the sun rises on the eastern horizon at the end of every twenty-four hours.

light-of-godhead2015-09-07T22:46:59+00:00August 6th, 2015|Categories: Canto 1, Demigod worship, God realization, Srimad Bhagavatam notes|Tags: Performing duty|

The most attractive one

Source: Chapter 16, Nectar of Devotion

The story of the sages of Daṇḍakāraṇya can be explained as follows. When Lord Rāmacandra was residing in Daṇḍakāraṇya, the sages who were engaged in devotional service there became attracted by His beauty and immediately thought of the gopīs at Vṛndāvana, who enjoyed conjugal loving affection with Kṛṣṇa. In this instance it is clear that the sages of Daṇḍakāraṇya desired conjugal love in the manner of the gopīs, although they were well aware of the Supreme Lord as both Kṛṣṇa and Lord Rāmacandra. They knew that although

light-of-godhead2015-08-06T22:04:12+00:00August 5th, 2015|Categories: Conjugal love, Krsna, Rama|Tags: Daṇḍakāraṇya, Gokula, Gopis, Vṛndāvana|