Answering Questions

This is a collection of responses to few queries posed by devotees to Srila Gurudev. The first question is on the sixth verse of Upadeshamrit where Srila Rupa Goswami advises not to commit offence to any Vaishnava by observing his external behaviour or bodily defects. One of the audio has Srila Gurudev’s instructions to a devotee entering married life. He advises him to live Krishna-centered life with the sole aim of serving Krishna only.

Baladeva Tattva

Sri Baladeva Prabhu is the eighth avatar of the Dasavatar. The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krishna, is the fountainhead of all avataras. His first expansion, Sri Baladeva—the original Sankarshana (Mula-Sankarshana), has the form of a cowherd boy in Vraja and that of a kshatriya in Dvarakapuri. Sri Baladeva, who is the Deity of the sandhini potency, serves Krishna in His five forms of Maha-Sankarshana, Karanodakashayi, Garbhodakashayi, Kshirodakashayi, and Shesh. In the shruti (Muṇḍaka Upaniṣad 3.2.4) it is said: ‘nāyamātmā balahīnena labhyaḥ’ — ‘Without the grace of Baladeva, no one can get God’. Sri Baladeva is the original spiritual master.

Bhagavad Gita Teachings I

The speaker of the Srimad Bhagavad Gita is the Supreme Lord, Sri Krishna. Gita has universal acceptance. Many learned scholars have translated Gita in many ways, but most of translations are as per their own tastes and motives. Conditioned souls who are not submitted to the Lord cannot understand the real implication and purport of His teachings. They will misinterpret them as per their own ulterior motives and tastes. So, it is not at all easy. Only those who have entered into the heart of Sri Krishna can understand the real implication and significance of His teachings and the purpose of His speech and advice. Outside people cannot understand at all.

Bhagavad Gita Teachings II

Gita should be rightly read with one-pointed devotion for the satisfaction of Sri Krishna. No other scripture is needed if one takes shelter of the Gita. Gita emerges from the Holy Lips of Sri Krishna and is one with Him. So, by taking shelter of the Gita we can have contact with Krishna. We have gone through the Gita but still we have no devotion to Krishna, then this is not actual reading. If we actually read the Gita we will have devotion to Sri Krishna.

Bhakta Dhruva

The holy life of Dhruva exemplifies devotion that was at first tinged with elements of personal desire and then blossomed to complete purity. The story of Dhruva originally occurs in the greatest of Indian scriptures, Śrīmad Bhāgavatam, which elaborates upon the science of full-fledged theism. Therein is recounted how Dhruva devoted Himself to God, how he dealt with difficulties on His spiritual path and he finally achieved self-realization by the grace of the Lord.

Bhakta Prahlad

Chaitanya Mahaprabhu even after hearing the biographies of Prahlad Maharaj and Dhruva Maharaj a hundred times from Gadadhar Pandit asks him to read them again and again. Through such an inconceivable pastime, the Lord is emphasizing the importance of reading the biographies of pure devotees. Conditioned souls may commit mistakes in understanding the pastimes of the Lord and it will be supremely detrimental to their spiritual progress if they try to imitate those divine pastimes. Therefore, the most compassionate form of the Lord, Sri Gaurasundar teaches us by example to go through the biographies of pure devotees. The current magazine features the holy biography of Srila Prahlad Maharaj, the embodiment of the most ideal character and pure devotion.

Bhakti-yoga: The Topmost Yoga

Srila Bhakti Siddhant Saraswati Prabhupad says, "According to Srimad Bhagavatam, the persons who have accepted karma-yoga or gyan-yoga, they are on the wrong path. They can get dharm (so called piety), artha (material wealth), kama (fulfilment of material desires) or moksha (salvation) but not the service of Supreme Lord. We are eternal servant of Supreme Lord and we can regain our position only by bhakti-yoga. Bhakti is the eternal function of pure souls. If we regain our real position, then we have the chance of dissociating ourselves from the world."

Chandan Yatra

The incarnation of the Supreme Lord in the Deity form is to provide service opportunities and award bliss to His devotees. Lord Jagannath Deva appeared in Nilachal Dham on the desire of His devotee, king Indradhyumn Maharaj, to accept his loving services. And astonishingly, the Lord Himself instructed him on what are the special services He would like to accept from him. One amongst those services is smearing the white sandalwood paste on His transcendental spiritual body. It is celebrated as Chandan Yatra festival which starts from Akshaya Tritiya and celebrated for 21 days. Following Lord Jagannath’s order His vijay-vigrah Sri Madanmohan is taken to Narendra sarovar to sail in the boat along with his minister, Sri Loknath Mahadev and others.

Damodar Vrata

Kartik also known as Damodar, is the best, the purest of purifiers, and most glorious of all months. Sree Chaitanya Gaudiya Math devotees observe the intense sadhana of eight period of devotional service as mentioned in Bhajan Rahasya. Eight verses of Sikshastak of Sri Gauranga Mahaprabhu are in conformity with the pastimes of SriKrishna of the eight periods (Astayama). Pastimes of Radha-Krishna will be gradually manifested by incessantly thinking, remembering and singing of the eight verses of Sikshastak. This collection features the videos of all the sikshastak shloka explanation by Srila Gurudev followed by narration of Radha-Krishna’s divine pastimes for all the eight periods.

Glories Of Bhagavat Shravan

This magazine is a collection of articles and Harikathas by Srila Gurudev and from Vaishnava Scriptures which narrate the glories of Srimad Bhagavatam which is one with Sri Krishna. Through His various sweet pastimes with His associates Mahaprabhu is teaching us on how to serve the two Bhagavats - Grantha Bhagavat and Bhakta Bhagavat which will lead us to attain the 'panchama purushartha' fifth goal of life - pure love for Krishna.

Guru Purnima

Sri Vedvyasa Muni, the shaktyavesh-avatar — an incarnation invested with special power—appeared on the full moon day of Ashadh, the Indian calendar month. He divided Vedas in four parts and wrote 18 Puranas and Mahabharat. He is respected and adorn as guru by all in India whatever group it may be karmi, jyani, yogi, bhakta, everyone. So his appearance day is named as guru-purnima. The whole India and even outside India, those who have belief in Sanatana Dharma, they perform worship of Vedvyasa Muni and their respective Guru on this day.

He Rules Our Hearts Eternally

The golden era of matchless conduct, full surrender and unflinching one-pointed devotion to the Spiritual Master has come to an end with Srila Guru Maharaj’s withdrawal from this world but he has given so much that he rules over the hearts of Gaudiya Vaishnavas eternally.

Hladini-shakti Srimati Radhika

Srila Bhakti Siddhant Saraswati Prabhupad says, "We worship Krishna because He is Radharani's favorite. Our interest is in Radharani, and Krishna is Her favorite. And only because She wants Krishna do we have any connection with Him. We are really saktas, worshipers of God's potency; not saktas like the worshipers of Durga, but suddha-saktas. The real, original potency, Krishna's dedicating Moiety, is in Vraja. Both direct and indirect connections with Krishna come through Her. This is Radha's position."

Hy Utkale Purushottamat

Srila Bhaktisiddhant Saraswati Thakur Prabhupad was a great acharya of the Gaudiya Vaishnav Sampradaya and its only protector, the ninth in descent from Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, and the best of the followers of Sri Svarupa Damodar and Sri Rupa Goswami. He is like the sun of the Gaudiya sampradaya. He has shown the path of the bower where Sri Gauranga resides and illuminated it by the lamp of devotion to the ears of eternally conditioned souls like us.

Janma Karma Ca Me Divyam...

Krishna says in Bhagavad Gita, “janma karma ca me divyam — My advent and activities are transcendental”. Nobody can understand His advent and His pastimes by his own mental capability. He will descend into our hearts—will be revealed in our hearts—when we actually and sincerely take absolute shelter at His lotus feet. He will reveal Himself to the surrendered soul. We might think that we will get Him by our own capacity, but He is not subservient to us. He is Self-effulgent, Self-luminous like the sun.

Jhulan-yatra

In Kamyavan of Sri Vrindavan-dham, RadhaKrishna perform the swinging pastimes daily with all the confidants and get immersed in immense bliss. Conditioned souls (ordinary aspirants) are not entitled to enter into such pastimes. Mercifully, our Guruvargas have given us the permission to remember and worship the swing pastime in the month of Shravan starting from Ekadashi (11th lunar day) till the full moon day. We can do this worship for five days as per Archan-marg. They specifically advised us to worship these pastimes along with Sankirtan, by praying for the grace, for entering into the transcendental realm.

Kirtan Sthali

Fourth floor of Sree Chaitanya Gaudiya Math, Kolkata will always be remembered as the place Srila Gurudev chose for his most intense pastimes of entering into his eternal service with his beloved master. It will also be remembered as kirtan-sthali as the devotees intoxicated in Divine madness performed six days and nights incessant kirtan for the satisfaction of their beloved master. Memories of those ecstatic moments will fill the heart with full of devotional sentiments for all whoever could connect with those transcendental vibrations brought to this world by Srila Gurudev.

Navadvip Dham Parikrama

Sri Mayapura and Sri Navadvip dham are not parts of West Bengal or India or a land of matter. Navadvip dham or Sri Mayapura dham has descended. As Sri Gaurhari is beyond our comprehension, His dham is also beyond our comprehension. By the causeless mercy of Sri Gaurhari, Gaur-dham, we can have contact with it.

Nitai Guna-mani

The Lotus Feet of Śrī Nityānanda are supremely pleasant and cooling, like the charming delightfulness of millions of moonlights, and under whose sweet shelter the whole world will be allayed from sufferings and pain and without whose grace nobody can get actual contact with Rādhā-Krishna'. 'One who does not utter the Holy Name 'Nitai' - will be utterly ruined, being attracted by non-eternal worldly enjoyments and by acquiring so called worldly learning and family dignity.

Prabhupada’s Advance Man

Srila Gurudev sings the glories of his Gurudev thus: Srila Gurudev’s single-minded allegiance to his spiritual master is an example to be followed by everyone. Srila Gurudev’s entire being—his meditation, his thoughts, his japa, everything was fully devoted for fulfilling Srila Prabhupad’s desires. Srila Prabhupad generally sent Srila Gurudeva as the advance man to do the groundwork for various events. He had complete faith that whatever task he gave him would be carried out to completion. Srila Prabhupad used the words ‘Volcanic Energy’ to describe Srila Gurudeva’s unflinching resolve, application and success in all endeavors entrusted to him.

Pranamami Prabhupad Padam

It is written by Sri Vyasadeva Risi in the Padma Puran, ‘hy utkale puruṣottamāt’, the message of pure devotion to Sri Krishna would get spread throughout the world from Jagannath Puri. After the appearance of Srila Bhakti Siddhant Saraswati Goswami Thakur Prabhupad, the preaching of Mahaprabhu’s message spread over the entire planet. This gave meaning to the words written by Sri Vyasadeva Risi. Srila Saraswati Thakur was the greatest acharya of the Gaudiya Vaishnava Sampradaya and its protector, the ninth in descent from Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, and the best of the followers of Sri Swarupa Damodar and Sri Rupa Goswami.

Purushottam Maas - I

Srila Gurudev in his discourse says that observing Purushottam month is many more times beneficial than observing any other vrata. The Supreme Lord Himself is the presiding deity of this month. It is the most congenial month for the bhakti-sadhan. Even the aparadhas can be pardoned if we do devotional practice in this month. The presiding deity of this holiest month is Bhagwan Sri Purushottam (Sri Krishna) Himself. So, of all the months, this month is the most favourite of the Supreme Lord Sri Krishna. The sadhana performed in this month will have manifold result.

Purushottam Maas - II

Srila Gurudev in his discourse says that observing Purushottam month is many more times beneficial than observing any other vrata. The Supreme Lord Himself is the presiding deity of this month. It is the most congenial month for the bhakti-sadhan. Even the aparadhas can be pardoned if we do devotional practice in this month. The presiding deity of this holiest month is Bhagwan Sri Purushottam (Sri Krishna) Himself. So, of all the months, this month is the most favourite of the Supreme Lord Sri Krishna. The sadhana performed in this month will have manifold result.

Purushottam Maas - III

Srila Gurudev in his discourse says that observing Purushottam month is many more times beneficial than observing any other vrata. The Supreme Lord Himself is the presiding deity of this month. It is the most congenial month for the bhakti-sadhan. Even the aparadhas can be pardoned if we do devotional practice in this month. The presiding deity of this holiest month is Bhagwan Sri Purushottam (Sri Krishna) Himself. So, of all the months, this month is the most favourite of the Supreme Lord Sri Krishna. The sadhana performed in this month will have manifold result.

Rathayatra - The Cart Festival

Lord Jagannathdev Himself instructed Indradyumn Maharaj on what are the services He would like to accept from him. After His Chandan Yatra festival for 21 days, He ordered the King to perform the bathing ceremony. After that again the King wanted another service. Then the Lord said, 'You do Rathayatra'. After the bathing ceremony, Jagannathdev made the pastimes of being ill for 15 days, ill of fever. Then He said, 'I want to see all my devotees, many of them are not allowed to enter in the temple, I want to see them and they should be given the scope to see me. If they will see me they will get eternal welfare.'

Sadhusang

Srila Paramgurudev says, "Sadhusang does not mean simply remaining with the sadhu, or sleeping on the sadhu’s bed, etc. If this were so, then the lice in the sadhu’s hair or the bedbugs in the sadhu’s bed would also be associating with the sadhu. This is not real association; they are not following the sadhu but are there to suck the blood of the sadhu. The sadhu always thinks about the Supreme Lord while others always think about sense objects. Sadhusang means acting according to the order of the sadhu or according to the internal mood of the sadhu."

Saranagati - Anukūlyasya Sankalpa

Saranagati - Atma Nivedana

Atma Nivedana is the limb of Saranagati in which devotee completely dedicates oneself to the Lord's service and will. Surrendering with full hearted devotion and serving the Lord for his pleasure. Following are the excerpts from various articles and audios audio recordings of Harikathas of Gurudev and other Guruvargas as well as numerous pastimes of Mahaprabhu which emphasize the importance of this anga of bhakti in our Sadhana and inspire us to advance in the spiritual path.

Saranagati - Dainya

Secrets of Devotion I

The associates of Supreme Lord appear in this world to deliver the message of that highest blissful realm to bring us back to the eternal abode, Goloka-Vrindavan. And transcendental words coming out from the lotus lips of those associates are the only rescue for the conditioned souls like us suffering from the three fold afflictions. This collection features such transcendental words in the form of divine answers to the spiritual queries of devotees by the dear most associates of the Supreme Lord, Srila Gurudev.

Secrets of Devotion II

The associates of Supreme Lord appear in this world to deliver the message of that highest blissful realm to bring us back to the eternal abode, Goloka-Vrindavan. And transcendental words coming out from the lotus lips of those associates are the only rescue for the conditioned souls like us suffering from the three fold afflictions. This collection features such transcendental words in the form of divine answers to the spiritual queries of devotees by the dear most associates of the Supreme Lord, Srila Gurudev.

Snana Yatra

The Supreme Lord is most affectionate to His devotees and is conquered by their love. How many different stratagems He engages in just to accept the service of His devotee! Though served in Goloka by hundreds of thousands of goddesses of fortune, Govinda still seems not to have enough people to serve Him. How many tricks He plays in order to engage the devotee He wants in His service. Astonishingly, the Lord Himself instructed Indradhyumna maharaj on what are the special services He would like to accept from him. One amongst those services is the transcendental bathing of Jagannath, Baladeva and Shubhadra which is performed on the appearance day of the deities.

Sravana Kirtana

This collection features three articles and three audios of harikathas emphasizing the importance of sravan-kirtan—listening and singing the glories of Supreme Lord and His associates. Vedavyas Muni instructs us through Srimad Bhagavatam that we should never pay negligence towards sravan-kirtan. We should listen to the transcendental topics regularly(nityaṁ) with the utmost faith that by serving Krishna we serve all(śraddhayā).

Sri Narasimha Avatar

Remembering and praying for the grace of Narasimha Deva removes all the anti-devotional propensities within us and also the hindrances on the path of pure devotion. It is always more beneficial to hear about the Lord and His associates from the lotus lips of suddha-bhakta, who have come to this world to rescue the fallen souls. Through the harikatha and articles included in this collection, we get the highest fortune to hear about Prahlad Maharaj and Narasimha Deva, spoken and written by Srila Gurudev.

Sri Ramnavami

Sri Ramacandra's pastimes strongly evoke the sentiment of compassion. By the mercy of Sri Ramacandra, we can be saved from immorality and adharma (unrighteousness). Supreme Lord Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu Himself prayed to Ramacandra in the following way to teach us: ‘rāma rāghava rāma rāghava rāma rāghava rakṣa mām’ (‘rakṣa mām’—rescue me)

The Glorious Gaudiya Lineage

Srila Paramgurudev Om Vishnupad 108 Sri Srila Bhakti Dayita Madhav Goswami Maharaj wrote in one of his articles, “One day, by the mercy of Srila Prabhupād, the world will profusely sing glories and worship Sri Sāraswata Gauḍīya Vaiṣṇavas (that is, Srila Prabhupād’s followers). They alone are able to establish the highest ideal of benevolence in the world. Victory will certainly belong to the devotees of the Sri Chaitanya Gauḍīya Maṭh or those who have taken shelter of the lotus feet of Gauḍīya Vaiṣṇavas.”

Volcanic Energy

Srila Gurudev sings the glories of his Gurudev, "Srila Gurudeva’s single-minded allegiance to his spiritual master is an example to be followed by everyone. Srila Gurudeva’s entire being—his meditation, his thoughts, his japa, everything—was fully devoted for fulfilling Srila Prabhupada’s desires. Srila Prabhupada generally sent Srila Gurudeva as the advance man to do the groundwork for all his big service events. He had complete faith that whatever task he gave him would be carried out to completion. Srila Prabhupada used the words ‘Volcanic Energy’ for Srila Gurudev, witnessing his unflinching resolve, application and success in all endeavors entrusted to him."

With His Guruvarga

Srila Gurudev is known to have a special place in the heart of his Gurudev and his Guruvarga. The statements of his highly esteemed Gurudeva and other prominent disciples of Srila Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Thakur Prabhupad enunciate his unparalleled spiritual standing and exemplary character. This collection features a letter to Srila Gurudev from Srila Puri Goswami Maharaj, three video clips and a few photographs of Srila Gurudev with his Guruvarga.