Teachings, stories, and glimpses of life from our spiritual family around the world.
Kṛṣṇa appeared as Mahāprabhu along with all of His associates from Vraja, and yet, although the Lord appeared in Māyāpura, many of His beloved associates appeared elsewhere in India, thus the Lord was very eager…
Read moreŚrīman Mahāprabhu instructs, “In this world there are two types of jīvas, one is the conditioned soul and one is a sādhaka. Sādhakas are of two types, one is vaidhi-marga follower and one is rāgānugā.…
Read moreSince the time of Srila Rupa Gosvami, no one in our sampradaya offers prayers of formal worship to Govinda. Bhajami means to do bhajana, but in our sampradaya bhajana means something more than that which…
Read moreKrsna is sac-cid-ananda-vigraha. This word actually consists of three words: sat, cit, and ananda. Krsna Himself is considered to be the predominating Deity of cit. Cit means jnana, which, when condensed or intensified, converts into…
Read moreThere may be many different types of flowers, such as beli, cameli, lotus, and so on, but unless there is a bee present, who can understand the nectar contained within those flowers? In the daytime,…
Read moreAfter Sriman Mahaprabhu disappeared from the vision of the world, the discussion of parakiya-rasa was not prominent. According to scripture, mundane rasa, this world’s love between those who are unmarried, is very immoral, illicit and…
Read moreLord Jagannātha, Baladeva, Subhadrā and Sudarśana are served in the Śrī Temple by Mahā Lakṣmī and many servants. During Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s time, Kāśī Miśra was ācārya and the King’s guru of that area. Kāśī…
Read moreSometimes, in front of the Jagannātha Temple, Mahāprabhu’s body extended out 10 meters and all His joints slackened and became dislodged, or all His limbs went inside like a turtle and the cows came and…
Read moreHow can we obtain this sevā-vṛtti, service tendency? We will not serve anyone else. We came to this world to learn this service mood and to follow this. We will be the servant of the…
Read moreJagannātha’s divine form is very special and full of many mysteries. Parabrahma resides within the heart of Jagannātha. That Parabrahma is Kṛṣṇa, and indranīla-maṇī. There is a śālagrāma there. This is called Parabrahma. Brahmā said,…
Read moreUddhava did not want to leave Kṛṣṇa for a minute, but he knew that as long as the Vrajavāsīs were all constantly thinking of Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa would feel no peace in Dvārakā. “Everyone in Vraja-bhūmi…
Read moreLust is piercing my heart. I do not know my own good. I cannot vanquish the bad desires in my mind. O Master, please keep me close to You. You are a wish fulfilling desire…
Read moreWhen will we desire Govinda’s service? How can we be free from all forms of disturbances? How can we perform śravaṇa and kīrtana? A sādhu renounces everything and comes to the temple. But he has…
Read more[Lecture by Srila Gurudeva, Sri Srimad Bhaktivedanta Narayana Gosvami Maharaja] I met Prapujyacarana Srila Sridhara Maharaja in 1946, at which time he did not have any disciples. He was with my Gurudeva, Srila Bhakti Prajnana…
Read moreGuru-pada-padma, Ganga, Vaisnavas, and Bhakti are always present in this world. They are always helping us. But we should follow these personalities. We should never forget Guru-pada-padma. We should never forget bhakti and her rules…
Read moreSrila Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura will now further explain the five aspects of raganuga-bhakti. Abhista-bhava-mayi: Whatever practices we execute at the time of our sadhana (the practice executed to attain our goal)…
Read more[Lecture by Srila Gurudeva, Sri Srimad Bhaktivedanta Narayana Gosvami Maharaja] The first Chariot Festival has now been completed, and the chariot has returned to Nilacala. On the return journey, Mahaprabhu and all His associates continued…
Read moreIn the early 1990’s, Śrīla Gurudeva gave hundreds of darśanas for several of Śrīla Bhaktivedanta Swami Maharaja's senior disciples (including Sripad Tamal Krsna Maharaja, Sripad Giri Maharaja and Sripad Burijana Prabhu). During those few years…
Read moreIf one is not with sādhus, then due to asat-saṅga, one’s nature will go wayward from bhakti. Gradually, one will perform less and less bhakti and will eventually give up everything. The Guru-varga has told…
Read moreAny good and qualified teacher or Guru doesn't think like this [that all are my disciples, or servants]. Rūpa Gosvāmī never thought like this—never. They had Raghunātha dāsa Gosvāmī like a disciple, like his own…
Read moreAfter taking sannyāsa, Caitanya Mahāprabhu came to Śrī Jagannātha Purī. In the Gauḍīya-sampradāya, sannyāsa means accepting gopī-bhāva and the shelter of the vraja-gopīs. Why then did Mahāprabhu not go to Vṛndāvana? This is an important…
Read moreŚrī Guru is not an ordinary mortal. If someone who does not know how to swim goes to help another drowning person, then they will only drown together. If one is not qualified to help,…
Read moreMerely following the rules and regulations of bhakti is not enough to attain perfection. Our determination will not last for so long. The body, mind, and senses naturally want to enjoy other bodies, minds, and…
Read moreHow many people have love for Guru-pāda-padma? How many have room for him in their hearts? How many like him? Who understands his specialties? Who is serious? Some people think that their nourishment can come…
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