/Devotional qualities

Frustration or Fulfillment

Our frustration in this world mainly comes due to unfulfilled desires or that we did not get as much happiness as we expected. We all know there is a factor of “Karma” which determines whether our desires will be fulfilled and Lord Krsna in Bhagavad Gita clearly tells this material happiness is temporary and not truly satisfying as we are actually not these bodies.

Therefore, what hope do we have then, while we are in these

Expert at everything

Speaker: HG Shyamasundar prabhu
Source: Expert at everything

Expert at everything. That was Prabhupada. Shyamasundar: Once we were in Mayapur. We had an old—I think it was a 1948 Hudson or some old, big car. And I was driving. We had left the main road. If you have been on the main road you know how bad it is. You can imagine how bad this secondary road was like. We were going to visit Lalit Prasad, who was Bhaktisiddhanta’s living brother, who was a very old man then. We didn’t know the road, and we didn’t know the way

Secret of success

Speaker: Srila Prabhupada
Source: SB 3.23.7

In his previous life, Nārada was a maidservant’s son, but his mother was engaged in the service of great devotees. He got the opportunity to serve the devotees, and simply by eating the remnants of their foodstuff and carrying out their orders he became so elevated that in his next life he became the great personality Nārada. For spiritual achievement the easiest path is to take shelter of a bona fide spiritual master and to serve him with heart and soul. That is the secret of success. As stated by Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura

Bhakti Siddhantas determination for initiation

Speaker:  Bhakti Vikasa Swami
Source: Sri Bhaktisiddhanta Vaibhava

Bābājī Mahārāja told him, “I once accepted a disciple, but he cheated me and went away. I will not make any further disciples.” But Śrī Siddhānta Sarasvatī was not easily discouraged and again begged for mercy. Bābājī Mahārāja responded, “I will ask Mahāprabhu. If He gives permission your request will be granted.” When after a few days Śrī Siddhānta Sarasvatī returned and inquired, “What was Mahāprabhu’s order?” Bābājī Mahārāja replied, “I forgot to ask.” And when Śrī Siddhānta Sarasvatī came for the third time he was directly refused. “I asked,” Bābājī

Example of attachment

Speaker: Srila Prabhupada
Source: Increase your attachment to the Lord

So the temple is the facility how to become the first-class yogi and how to become the first-class devotee simply by increasing your attachment. This attachment, there is one example that one brahmana, he was daily seeing Lord Ramacandra and then he was breaking his fast. So Ramacandra was out of His station for some royal business. So this brahmana did not take even water seven days. So when Ramacandra returned, Laksmana informed Lord Ramacandra, “Here is Your devotee, My Lord. Because You were absent for seven days and he could

2016-05-02T18:58:05+00:00May 2nd, 2016|Categories: Attachment, Deity worship, Lord Rama, Stories|

Await Krsna’s mercy

Speaker: Srila Prabhupada
Source: Demonic Communists

Prabhupada: Oh. Oh. We have got an idea of thunderbird. The bird flies in the, near the cloud in expectation of water, and they are not afraid of thunder. That is called cataka. That example is given by Rupa Gosvami. The cataka does not take water from ground. They will take water when it falls from the cloud. So in the beginning of every cloud there is thunder. So this bird, because they expecting water from the cloud, the cloud is giving him thunder, but still he does not, will not take

2016-03-03T20:40:40+00:00March 3rd, 2016|Categories: Material world, Mercy, Surrender|Tags: , , , |

I live to be corrected

Speaker: Vaisesika Prabhu
Source: HG Vaisesika Prabhu (SB 6.4.5)

One of the great lessons of the material world is sensitivity training. The question is always, “Well, how do you like it?” The devotee has a mantra. I learned this mantra recently and I’m going to pass it on to you. It will change your life forever if you use this mantra. Should I say what it is?
“I live to be corrected.” Everyone please repeat. Now the next time you have an argument with your spouse or significant other, try this mantra and see how it works. The point is

2016-02-08T19:02:28+00:00February 8th, 2016|Categories: Empathy, Sadhana-bhakti|Tags: |

Rising above the modes

Speaker: Srila Prabhupada
Source: Subtle Cosmic Button-pusher

Bhagavad_gita_as_it_is_plate_09-e1371531068663We have to raise above the modes of material nature. Nirguna. Traigunya-visaya veda nistraigunyo bhavarjuna. That is the statement of Bhagavad-gita. In the Vedic instruction, traigunya, Vedic instruction is dealing with the three gunas, the three material modes of nature. Nistraigunyo bhavarjuna. Nistraigunya. What is that? Because when Krsna was asking Arjuna to fight, he was in the traigunya platform, in the material platform. He was thinking, “How shall I kill my grandfather? How shall I kill my teacher? How shall I kill

2016-02-08T04:30:56+00:00October 2nd, 2015|Categories: Arjuna, Krsna, Material modes, Stories, Transcendental|Tags: |

Real enjoyment

Speaker:  Srila Prabhupada
Source: Subtle Cosmic Button-pusher

1472736_661160550600985_1229478419_nActually, the enjoyment is in my mind. That is not enjoyment. That is not enjoyment. Real enjoyment is when I am free from this embodiment of five elements, gross elements, and three subtle elements. I have entered into this, and the action and reaction of these five gross elements, three subtle elements, I am enjoying. Actually, not enjoying. This is called maya. There is no enjoyment. It is enjoyment in the mind. The mind is also material creation. Real enjoyment is beyond these senses.

2016-02-08T04:22:52+00:00October 2nd, 2015|Categories: Analogies, Material enjoyment, Maya, Mind, Philosophical concepts, Senses, Transcendental|Tags: |

Krsna’s body does not change

Speaker:  Srila Prabhupada
Source: We Are Controlled

When Arjuna asked Krsna, Krsna said, imam vivasvate yogam proktavan aham avyayam (BG. 4.1). Krsna said that, “First of all, I narrated this yoga system of Bhagavad-gita to the sun-god.” So, in order to clear this matter, Arjuna inquired from Him: “My dear Krsna, we are born very recently. How is that You narrated this yoga system to the sun-god?” Arjuna, of course, knew everything, but in order to clear our doubts, he raised this question. And Krsna answered that “You were also present at that time, but you have forgotten.

2015-09-25T15:59:52+00:00September 24th, 2015|Categories: Arjuna, Krsna, Stories, Transcendental|Tags: , , |

Love of Krsna

Speaker:  Srila Prabhupada
Source: Devotee Doesn’t Want Anything

krishna_26_fullJust like Caitanya Mahaprabhu teaches: aslisya va pada-ratam pinastu mam marma-hatam karotu va adarsanat. A devotee desires to see Krsna. But he says: “I don’t mind if You break my heart by not being present. I don’t mind. You break my heart.” Because a devotee is always anxious to see Krsna. Just like Radharani. She’s always anxious to see Krsna. But Krsna does not come. Just like Krsna left all the gopis, immediately went to Mathura. Renouncement. So much

2015-09-24T13:30:20+00:00September 9th, 2015|Categories: Chastity, Gopis, Krsna, Lord Caitanya, Prema, Renunciation, Stories|Tags: |

The Bird’s Eye

Source: Arjuna: Essence of a Hero

arjuna bird

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

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