Bhakti Vikasa Swami's Blog

To think of becoming a fool is the real qualification for a bonafide disciple. As soon as one thinks that he has become the wiser man than the spiritual master one is surely doomed. We should remain everlastingly a fool before the spiritual master. Not artificially, but feelingly, and then we can make real progress. Even my spiritual master, a great scholar, remained a so-called fool before his spiritual master, who was outwardly an illiterate village fellow. So in the Absolute world the fool is also the master, and the master is also a fool in reciprocal dealings. Lord Chaitanya also accepted Himself a great fool before His spiritual master, and all of us must follow the transcendental process.

Srila Prabhupada; letter to Rayarama dasa, dated December 14th, 1967

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In the morning Prabhupada would come for giving Bhagavatam class, but rather than have him walk from the back to the temple, I would pick him up in a jeep and drive him in the jeep. He would sit in the front seat, and I would drive him to the front, where our little temple was. So one morning Prabhupada came down from his quarters and got into the jeep. And the servant was taking some time, so I screamed out to him, “Jaldi, jaldi karo,” meaning, “quickly, quickly.” And Prabhupada turned to me and said, “Oh! You know Hindi?” (laughter) He was very surprised. It seemed like encouragement, that he wanted us to learn Hindi.

Told by ISKCON’s Sridhara Swami from “The Jolly Swami” by Adbhuta Hari Dasa

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Translation
In distributing love of Godhead, Caitanya Mahaprabhu and His associates did not consider who was a fit candidate and who was not, nor where such distribution should or should not take place. They made no conditions. Wherever they got the opportunity the members of the Panca-tattva distributed love of Godhead.

From the purport: Here is an authoritative statement that in distributing love of Godhead one should not consider whether the recipients are Europeans, Americans, Hindus, Muslims, etc. The Krsna consciousness movement should be spread wherever possible. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu desired that His name be spread in each and every town and village on the surface of the globe.

Cc. Adi 7.23, rendered by Srila Prabhupada

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Candanacarya: Also this morning you said that we should try to only love Krsna.

Prabhupada: Yes.

Candanacarya: And nothing else.

Prabhupada: Yes.

Candanacarya: But if we love our Godbrothers, is that also loving Krsna?

Prabhupada: Oh, yes. Because they are of…, of Krsna. What are your Godbrothers? They are Krsna’s servant. So if you do not love your Godbrothers, that means you reject your part of Krsna.

Candanacarya: So also our children, like that?

Prabhupada: Eh? Eh?

Candanacarya: Also…

Prabhupada: Yes, if you love children for making them Krsna conscious, then it is loving Krsna. Krsna wants sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja. So if you help… What is our movement? Why I have come to your country? Because to make you Krsna conscious. So there is love of Krsna. Otherwise why…, what is the business, I have come to you? I have no business. Because I love Krsna, I want to see all, everybody in the world, to become Krsna conscious. Otherwise why in this old age we are trying so much? Similarly, if you love your children to make them Krsna conscious, then produce hundreds of children and make them. That is love of Krsna. And if you make them cats and dogs, then one children producing is also sinful. That is also sinful. But if you can make them Krsna conscious, then produce hundreds of children. That is Krsna’s love. The Bhagavata says, pita na sa syaj janani na sa syat: “One should not become father, one should not become mother…” na mocayed yah samupeta-mrtyum …if he cannot deliver the children from the imminent hands of death.” That is the condition. So if you cannot make… Death cannot be avoided unless one becomes Krsna conscious. So if you cannot make your children Krsna conscious and stop their death, birth and death process, then don’t become a father. This is the injunction. And if you can actually do that, then become father of hundreds children. This is the condition. If you cannot make your children… If you can make, that is love of Krsna.

Morning Walk — January 11, 1974, Los Angeles

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We have been spreading this sankirtana movement in the Western countries, and in our recent tour of European cities like Rome, Geneva, Paris and Frankfurt, many learned Christian scholars, priests, philosophers and yogis came to see us, and by the grace of Krsna they agreed that the Krsna consciousness movement, the bhakti cult, offers the topmost conclusion. Following in the footsteps of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, we are trying to convince everyone that the devotional service of the Lord is enjoined in every scripture. If a person is religious, he must accept the supreme authority of the Lord, become His devotee and try to love Him. This is the real principle of religion. It does not matter whether one is Christian, Muslim or whatever. He simply must accept the sublime position of the Supreme Personality of Godhead and render service unto Him. It is not a question of being Christian, Muslim or Hindu. One should be purely religious and freed from all these material designations. In this way one can learn the art of devotional service. This argument appeals to all intelligent men, and consequently the Krsna consciousness movement is gaining ground throughout the world. Due to our solid logic and scientific presentation, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu’s prediction that Krsna consciousness will spread to every town and village throughout the world is gradually being realized.

Srila Prabhupada’s purport to CC Madhya 25.20

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Srila Jiva Gosvami cites a verse from the Vedic literature which says that there is no necessity of performing sacrificial demonstrations or ceremonial functions. He comments that instead of engaging in such external, pompous exhibitions, all people, regardless of caste, color or creed, can assemble together and chant Hare Krsna to worship Lord Caitanya. Krsna-varnam tvisakrsnam [SB 11.5.32] indicates that prominence should be given to the name of Krsna.

From Srila Prabhupada’s  purport to Caitanya-caritamrta Adi 3.52

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Being now alone and a widow in that forest, the daughter of Vidarbha began to lament, incessantly shedding tears, which soaked her breasts, and crying very loudly.

PURPORT: Figuratively the queen is supposed to be the disciple of the king; thus when the mortal body of the spiritual master expires, his disciples should cry exactly as the queen cries when the king leaves his body. However, the disciple and spiritual master are never separated, because the spiritual master always keeps company with the disciple as long as the disciple follows strictly the instructions of the spiritual master. This is called the association of vani (words). Physical presence is called vapuh. As long as the spiritual master is physically present, the disciple should serve the physical body of the spiritual master, and when the spiritual master is no longer physically existing, the disciple should serve the instructions of the spiritual master.

Srila Prabhupada Srimad-Bhagavatam 4.28.47

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When Kasi Misra heard the proposal, he said, “I am very fortunate that Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, the Lord of all prabhus, will stay at my home.”

PURPORT: In this verse the word Prabhupada, referring to Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, is significant. Regarding this, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Gosvami Prabhupada comments, “Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu is the Supreme Personality of Godhead Himself, Sri Krsna, and all His servants address Him as Prabhupada. This means that there are many prabhus taking shelter under His lotus feet.” The pure Vaisnava is addressed as prabhu, and this address is an etiquette observed between Vaisnavas. When many prabhus remain under the shelter of the lotus feet of another prabhu, the address Prabhupada is given. Sri Nityananda Prabhu and Sri Advaita Prabhu are also addressed as Prabhupada. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, Sri Advaita Prabhu and Sri Nityananda Prabhu are all visnu-tattva, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord Visnu. Therefore all living entities are under Their lotus feet. Lord Visnu is the eternal Lord of everyone, and the representative of Lord Visnu is the Lord’s confidential servant. Such a person acts as the spiritual master for neophyte Vaisnavas; therefore the spiritual master is as respectable as Sri Krsna Caitanya or Lord Visnu Himself. For this reason, the spiritual master is addressed as Om Visnupada or Prabhupada.

Srila Prabhupada’s rendering of Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Madhya-lila 10.23

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A disciple asked you, “Srila Prabhupada, what makes you happy?” and you replied, “I am happy when I see you struggle.” By this statement you meant that when we meet with difficulty in spreading Krsna consciousness, we have to persevere. When we have difficulty in our family lives or personal sadhana, we have to struggle and persevere. We have to have absolute faith in the simple process you gave us — that is the answer.

Told by ISKCON’s Sridhara Swami from “The Jolly Swami” by Adbhuta Hari Dasa

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Our Krsna consciousness movement is how to become one of the gopi-jana. Then Krsna will save us from any danger, even by lifting a hill or mountain.

From Srila Prabhupada’s Purport to Jaya Radha-Madhava — 20 July 20, 1971

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