bbtirtha - Chapter

Appendix

Book, Sreela Bhakti Ballabh Tirtha Goswami Maharaj

Pronunciation Guide

The system of transliteration used in this book conforms to a system that scholars have accepted to indicate the pronunciation of each sound in the Sanskrit language.

The short vowel a is pronounced like the u in but, long ā like the a in far. The short i is pronounced as in pin, the long ī as in pique, the short u as in pull, and the long ū as in rule.

The vowel ṛ is pronounced like the ri in rim, e like the ey in they, o like the o in go, ai like the ai in aisle, and au like the ow in how.

The anusvāra (ṁ) is pronounced like the n in the French word bon, and visarga (ḥ) is pronounced as a final h sound. At the end of a couplet aḥ is pronounced as aha, and iḥ is pronounced as ihi.

The guttural consonants -k, kh, g, gh, and ṇ- are pronounced from the throat in much the same manner as in English. K is pronounced as in kite, kh as in Eckhart, g as in give, gh as in dig hard, ṅ as in sing.

The palatal consonants -c, ch , j, jh and ñ- are pronounced with the tongue touching the firm ridge behind the teeth. C is pronounced as in chair, ch as in staunch-heart, j as in joy, jh as in hedgehog, and ñ as in canyon.

The cerebral consonants -ṭ, ṭh, ḍ, ḍh, n- are pronounced with the tip of the tongue turned up and drawn back against the dome of the palate. Ṭ is pronounced as in tub, ṭh as in light-heart, ḍ as in dove, ḍh as in red-hot, and ṇ as in nut.

The dental consonants - t, th, d, dh, and n- are pronounced in the same manner as the cerebrals, but with the forepart of the tongue against the teeth.

The labial consonants -p, ph, b, bh, and m- are pronounced with the lips. P is pronounced as in pine, ph as in uphill, b as in bird, bh as in rub-hard, and m as in mother.

The semivowels -y, r, l, and v- are pronounced as in yes, run, light, and vine respectively.

The sibilants -ś, ṣ, and s- are pronounced, respectively, as in the German word sprechen and the English words shine and sun. The letter h is pronounced.
Glossary

Abhidheya: the means of attaining the ultimate goal of life (see also sādhana).

Ahaṅkāra: false ego; the most subtle material layer that covers the spirit soul (jīva).

Ānanda: ecstatic bliss.

Aparā śakti: material potency of the Lord (see also māyā-śakti).

Ātmā: soul; either refers to the individual soul (jīvātmā) or the Supersoul (paramātmā).

Avatāra: divine descent; the Supreme Lord appearing in this world in His own transcendental form (without accepting a physical body), to carry out a specific task, like re-establishing the principles of religion or killing the demoniac.

Avatāri: the original form from which all avatāras originate; Supreme Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa.

Bhagavān: God or Kṛṣṇa, the possessor of six opulences–all majesty, all prowess, all fame, all beauty, all wisdom and all detachment.

Bhakta: devotee.

Bhakti: devotion to God.

Brahmā: the creator of the Universe, designated to this task by Lord Kṛṣṇa.

Brahman: the all-pervading effulgence coming from the transcendental body of Lord Krsna; the impersonal aspect of Godhead.

Buddhi: intelligence.

Caitanya Mahāprabhu: The divine descent (avatāra) of Lord Kṛṣṇa, appearing 500 years ago to inaugurate the congregational chanting of the Holy Names for attaining love of God, the religion for kali-yaga.

Cit: pure consciousness.

Darśana: seeing the divine.

Dāsya-rasa: mellow of servitude in relation to Śrī Kṛṣṇa.

Gauṇa-rasa: the seven secondary rasas, namely: hāsya-, adbhuta-, vīra-, karuṇa-, raudra-, bhayānaka-, and vī-bhatsa-rasa. These correspond respectively to laughter, astonishment, heroism, compassion, anger, fear, and disgust.

Gopa: cowherd boy; eternal associates of Kṛṣṇa in Vṛndāvana, who serve Him in the mood of bosom-friends. See also sakhā.

Gopī: cowherd girl; eternal associates of Kṛṣṇa in Vṛndāvana, headed by Śrīmatī Rādhārāni, who serve Him in the mood of amorous love. See also sakhī.

Guṇa: (1) quality or mode of material nature, three in number: sattva-, rajo- and tamo-guṇa. (2) Kṛṣṇa’s transcendental qualities.

Guru: one who is ‘heavy’ with transcendental knowledge; spiritual preceptor.

Hari: another name for God or Kṛṣna.

Harināma: indicates the glorification and singing of the Names of Kṛṣna.

Jīva: (or jīvātma) individual atomic soul.

Jīva-śakti: the marginal potency of the Lord, from where unlimited jīvas manifest.

Jñāna: knowledge aimed at impersonal brahman-realization, resulting in liberation.

Jñāni: practitioner of jñāna.

Kali-yuga: the fourth and most degraded of the cosmic ages. According to the Vedas this age started 5000 years ago and will last another 427,000 years.

Kāma: lust.

Karma: (1) materially motivated action which yields an equal and opposite reaction (fate). (2) reward-seeking activity.

Karmi: practitioner of karma.

Kṛṣṇa: the original bhagavān, the Supreme Lord and avatāri, Who performs His eternal līlā as a cowherd-boy in Goloka Vṛndāvana (see also Vṛndāvana).

Līlā: the transcendental sportive pastimes of Lord Kṛṣṇa.

Mādhurya-rasa: mellow of consorthood in relation to Śrī Kṛṣṇa.

Manas: the mind.

Māyā: illusion.

Māyā-śakti: illusory potency of the Lord. (see also aparā śakti).

Nāma-saṅkīrtana: congregational chanting of the Holy Names of the Lord; best method for Kali-yuga to attain love of God, the ultimate goal of life.

Mukhya-rasa: the five primary rasas, namely: śānta-, dāsya-, sakhya-, vātsalya-, and mādhurya-rasa.

Parā śakti: spiritual potency of the Lord (see also svarūpa-śakti).

Paramātmā: the Supersoul, the form of Kṛṣṇa residing in the heart of every living being

Prasāda: sanctified remnants of the articles offered to the Lord; usually refers to offered food.

Prayojana: the ultimate goal of life, Kṛṣṇa-prema.

Prema: Divine love of God, the ultimate goal of life.

Pūjā: worship of the deity of the Lord with various items.

Rādhā: (also called Rādhārāṇī) the Absolute feminine counterpart of Lord Kṛṣṇa; the most beloved of Kṛṣṇa; the personification of Kṛṣṇa’s internal potency.

Rāga: spontaneous attraction.

Rāgānugā bhakti: bhakti that is awakened in the heart out of a spontaneous desire to serve the Lord affectionately in the wake of the Eternal Associates of Lord Kṛṣṇa, known as Rāgātmikās.

Rāgātmikā bhakti: the loving devotion of the eternal associates of Lord Kṛṣṇa for His divine pleasure alone, accompanied with complete self-effacement on the part of the eternal associates.

Raja-guṇa: the material mode of passion.

Rasa: ‘taste’ or ‘juice’, referring to the transcendental mellows that are experienced in relation to the Supreme Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa.

Sādhanā: spiritual practice.

Sādhu: saint; pure devotee

Sakhā: transcendental boyfriend of Kṛṣṇa.

Sakhī: transcendental girlfriend of Kṛṣṇa.

Sakhya-rasa: mellow of friendship in relation to Śrī Kṛṣṇa.

Śakti: potency.

Sambandha: relationship.

Saṅkīrtana: congregational glorification of the Lord.

Śānta-rasa: mellow of neutrality in relation to Śrī Kṛṣṇa.

Śaraṇāgati: full surrender to Kṛṣṇa or His representative, the spiritual master or śuddha-bhakta.

Sat: eternal.

Sattva-guṇa: the material mode of goodness.

Śiva: God of destruction.

Śraddhā: faith in the Lord which manifests in the association of sadhus as a result of previous pious deeds (sukṛti).

Śuddha: pure.

Śuddha-bhakta: pure devotee.

Śuddhā bhakti: pure devotion.

Sukṛti: pious activity which produces faith in the Lord and the process of bhakti.

Svarūpa-śakti: internal potency of the Lord (see also parā śakti).

Tamo-guṇa: the material mode of ignorance.

Upādhi: material designation.

Vaidhī-bhakti: regulated devotion, which follows the guidelines of the scriptures.

Vaiṣṇava: devotee of Viṣṇu or Kṛṣṇa.

Vātsalya-rasa: mellow of parenthood in relation to Śrī Kṛṣṇa.

Viṣṇu: the primary expansion of Kṛṣṇa, Who is in control of the material creation.

Vedas: the revealed scriptures of India.

Vraja: see Vṛndāvana.

Vrajavāsis: inhabitants of Vraja.

Vṛndāvana: ‘Forest of Vṛnda-trees’, Transcendental abode of Lord Kṛṣṇa. The transcendental Vṛndāvana situated in the spiritual realm is called Goloka Vṛndāvana, whereas the earthly Vṛndāvana indicates the place where Kṛṣṇa performed His manifest līlā 5000 years ago, as the tradition holds. This earthly Vṛndāvana is situated 120 kilometers south of the present city of New Delhi.

Yoga: (1) any spiritual discipline meant to link or unite oneself with the Supreme; (2) practice of meditation.

Yogī: a person who practices self-control and meditative practices in order to attain salvation from material life.

Yuga: an age of the cosmic time cycle into which infinite time has been divided according to the Vedas. The four yugas are Satya, Tretā, Dvāparā, and Kali.
Upadeśāvalī

Śrīla Prabhupāda Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvati Ṭhākur

1.“Paraṁ vijayate śrī kṛṣṇa saṇkīrtanam - supreme victory to the congregational chanting of Kṛṣṇa’s names”- this is Śrī Gauḍīya Maṭha’s sole object of worship.

2. Śrī Kṛṣṇa, who is the viṣaya-vigraha or the object of the devotees prema, is the sole enjoyer and all others are to be enjoyed by Him.

3.Those who don’t perform hari-bhajana are ignorant and murderers of their own souls.

4.The acceptance of Śrī Harināma and direct realization of Bhagavān are one and the same.

5.Those who equate the demigods with Viṣṇu are unable to serve Bhagavān.

6.Establishing a printing press to print devotianal books and preaching by organizing nāma-hāṭṭa programs constitutes genuine service to Śrī Māyāpura.

7.We are not doers of good or bad deeds, nor are we scholars or illiterate. Carrying the shoes of Hari’s pure devotees as our duty, we are initiates into the mantra “kīrtanayah sada hari”.

8.Preaching without proper conduct falls within the category of karma, mundane activity. Without criticizing the nature of others, one should correct one’s self - this is my personal instruction.

9.Serving the Vrajavāsīs who felt great separation from Kṛṣṇa when He left vraja to reside in Mathurā is our supreme constitutional occupation.

10.If we desire to follow an auspicious course in life, then we should disregard the theories of even countless people and hear instructions from a transcendental source.

11.Life as an animal, bird, insect or any other of the countless thousands of species is acceptable, but taking shelter of deceit is thoroughly improper. Only an honest person possesses real auspiciousness.

12.Simple-heartedness is synonymous with Vaiṣṇavism. Servants of a paramahaṁsa Vaiṣṇava should be simple-hearted, a quality which makes them the topmost brāhmaṇas.

13.Helping to draw conditioned souls away from their perverted attachment to the material energy is the greatest compassion. If even one soul is rescued from Mahāmāyā’s fortress, that compassionate act is infinitely more benevolent than the construction of unlimited hospitals.

14.We have not come to this world to be construction workers; we are the bearers of Śrī Caitanya’s instructions.

15.We will not remain in this world for long, and by profusely performing Hari-kīrtana, upon relinquishing this material bodies we will experience the ultimate reward of embodied life.

16.The foot-dust of Śrī Rūpa Gosvāmī, the fulfiller of Śrī Caitanyadeva’s inner desires, is the desired object of our soul.

17.If I were to desist from lecturing about the Absolute Truth due to being fearful that some listeners may be displeased, I would be deviating from the path of Vedic truth and accepting the path of untruth. I would become one who is inimical to the Vedas, an atheist, and would no longer possess faith in Bhagavān, the very embodiment of truth.

18.Kṛṣṇa’s darśana can only be attained through the medium of the ear as one hears Hari-kathā from pure Vaiṣṇavas; there is no other way.

19.Wherever Hari-kathā is being spoken is a holy place.

20.Proper śravaṇa, hearing, is accomplished through the medium of kīrtana, and this will give one the good opportunity to practice smaraṇa, remembrance. Then the internal experience of rendering direct service to the aṣṭa-kālīya-līlā, Śrī Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa’s pastimes in each of the eight parts of the day, becomes possible.

21.We should understand that the loud calling out of Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s names is bhakti.

22.Bhagavān will not accept anything which is offered by a person who doesn’t chant Harināma one hundred thousand times daily.

23.By sincerely endeavoring to chant Harināma without offences and remaining fixed in chanting constantly, one’s offences will fade and pure Harināma will arise on one’s tongue.

24.If mundane thoughts arise while taking Harināma, one should not become discouraged. A secondary consequence of taking Harināma is that these useless mundane thoughts will gradually dissipate; therefore one should not worry about this. By devoting one’s mind, body and words to serving Śrī Nāma and continuing to chant with great persistence, Śrī Nāma Prabhu will grant one darśana of His supremely auspicious transcendental form. And by continuing to chant until one’s anarthas are fully eradicated, realization of His form, qualities and pastimes will automatically arise by the power of Śrī Nāma.