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Sri Sri Radha Govinda Gaudiya Math

vande ’hań śrī guroģ śrī-yuta-pada-kamalań śrī gurūn vaișņavāńś caśrī rūpań sāgrajātań saha-gaņa-raghunāthānvitań tań sa-jīvamsādvaitań sāvadhūtań parijana-sahitań kŗșņa-caitanya-devańśrī-rādhā-kŗșņa-pādān saha-gaņa-lalitā-śrī-viśākhānvitāńś ca

I offer my obeisances to the divinely beautiful lotus feet of Sri Gurudeva (diksa-guru as well as siksa-guru), to all

revered Gurus and the devotees of Visnu.

Obeisances to Sri Rupa Gosvami himself, with his elder brother Sri Sanatana Gosvami, attended by Raghunatha

dasa Gosvami, in the company of his associates and followers, and with Jiva Gosvami.

Obeisances to Sri Krsna-Caitanyadeva with His own associates, with Sri Advaita Prabhu and

Avadhuta Sri Nityananda Prabhu.

Obeisances to the feet of Sri Radha and Krsna, attended by Lalita and Visakha with their sakhis and manjaris.

namo mahā-vadānyāya kŗșņa-prema-pradāya tekŗșņāya kŗșņa-caitanya-nāmne gaura-tvișe namaģ

Manifold obeisances to You who is by name Sri Krsna-Caitanya, Whose beauty is of the golden colour,

Whose very nature is exceedingly merciful, Whose function is bestowing the love of Krsna and Who is Krsna Himself.

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All glories to Sri Guru and Sri Gauranga!

Editorial Srila Prabhupada Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura

Without cheating anyone we should boldly speak the truth to everyone. Even if the truth is bitter or unpopular but bestows blessings on the living entities, we must speak it. This will not ultimately cause them anxiety.

We ourselves should inquire about the Absolute Truth, and then we should try to understand how to help everyone else. Giving Krsna consciousness to others requires firm determination. Do not think of saving only the people of the present age. Think of the people in all ages and all times. Teach about the most pleasant kingdom of Vaikuntha, the place from which no one ever returns to this material world. If you want to preach transcendence, it is vital that you yourself have taken shelter at the lotus feet of your spiritual master.

Always serve the spiritual master who imparts to you transcendental knowledge. Even if you live at home instead of in the Math (monastery), we should all serve him together. We should also maintain the Lord and his Devotees in opulent houses with comfortable atmospheres, and we ourselves should live in ordinary cottages. If we feed Krsna nicely rather then enjoying things for ourselves, we will attain His mercy. Always remember that everything belongs to Krsna. Our lives will

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Always remember that everything belongs to Krsna.Srila Prabhupada Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati

become successful only when we use everything in this world in His service. However, before preaching these instructions we must live them.

Unless we speak the truth boldly we cannot please Guru and Gauranga. The more determined one is in devotional service, the bolder and more courageous he will be as a preacher.

If I fail to speak the impartial truth because I might become unpopular, I have certainly abandoned the path of my disciplic succession and accepted an unauthorized path. In the end I will either find myself cheated or will become an atheist.

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What Is Gaudiya Math Doing?

Introduction For the Seekers of Gaurasundara’s Selected Ones

Once being asked by a young man in Delhi, “Why do you claim that Sri Gaudiya Math is the only way to God? Is there no other way at all?” Srila Prabhupada,

the illustrious Founder and Acarya of Sri Caitanya Math and its worldwide affiliated branches Sri Gaudiya Maths, replied, “Do you think that there is any other pathway to God, than the association of those, whom Godhead Himself has selected for His Service?”

Let the faithful reader decide for himself where Sri Gaudiya Math is nowadays, taking guidance from the characteristics given in this holy booklet. Signboards may not direct one to Sri Gaudiya Math. Praying for the grace of Sri Sri Gaura Nityananda, to be saved from fault-finding propensities, we should look on words and deeds, and even deeper, examine intentions, to discover where is Sri Gaudiya Math - the Home of our Gurus. One truth gives hope to our search - that the aim and methods of Sri Gaudiya Math have not changed, nor will they ever.

Humbly,Submitting aspirants to Sri Gaudiya Math

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What Gaudiya Math Is DoingBy the grace of the Lord of the Gaudiyas, the message

of the Gaudiya Math is today not unknown to anyone in the whole of Gaudadesa; and not only in Gaudadesa, but over Naimisaranya, Ayodhya, Prayag, Kasi, Sri Vrndavana and Mathura on one side, and also over Daksinatya (South India) and everywhere throughout the tracts of Orissa on the other. Here have been well proclaimed the tidings of the Gaudiya Math, the principal branch of the Sri Caitanya Math, which is the root implanted in the soil of the advent of Sriman Mahaprabhu,—Sri Mayapur Navadvipa Dham. Over Gauda-mandala, Ksetra-mandala, and Braja-mandala, the message of the Gaudiya Math has gone forth.

The truth (satya) is propagated in a two-fold way: positively (by the method of direct support) and negatively (by the method of opposition). The truth cannot be made generally known by the positive method alone. Propaganda by the method of opposition, more than the presentation of the positive aspect, brings about- in this world- more brilliantly the appearance and glorification of the truth. In the Satya-yuga, Hiranyakasipu, by the adoption of the method of negative propaganda, was more able than Prahlada to greatly proclaim the glory of Nrsinhadeva.

Likewise in the Treta-yuga, Ravana was more able than Hanumana to proclaim the greatness of Sri Ramacandra to the world. In the Dvapara-yuga, Kansa, Jarasandha, Sisupala and

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Sri Caitanya Math – Yogapith, Majapur

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the rest of the antagonists proclaimed the greatness of Sri Krsna more than the Pandava, Yadava and other devotees. In the Kali-yuga, Jagai, Madhai, Cand Kazi, Prakasananda Sarasvati (the professor of Mayavada), Ramacandra Khan (an enemy of Visnu and Vaisnavas), Ramacandra Puri- and in after times, the various hypocrite sects, more than the bhaktas of Gaura- have proclaimed the greatness of Gaura and Nityananda to the world by adopting the hostile method. The truth is in all ages propagated in this way by the positive and negative methods. The true message of the Sri Gaudiya Math has spread and is spreading in the world in this manner.

It may be asked: “What does the Gaudiya Math do? Is the Gaudiya Math merely another association like the thousands of sects that are to be found in this world? Or, is the Gaudiya Math one among the other welfare societies of the world? Or, is the Gaudiya Math one of the many mischievous organizations that carry on their activities in this world? What work does the Gaudiya Math do for the benefit of the world? Is the Gaudiya Math affectionate like a mother, a protector like a father, or a helper like a brother? What good does the Gaudiya Math do to the world, what well-being of society does it desire, what service does it render to mankind that the world, the civilized world, or the whole of mankind, should listen to its message?” Many such questions may arise in our minds.

There is no want of harmony between the Gaudiya Math and the whole world; the only disharmony is caused by one little word. The Gaudiya Math says that the whole world

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is in unison with itself and the duty of all jivas consists in the exclusive service of Adhoksaja, the Transcendent. The majority of the people of this world say that the service of the aksaja, the phenomenal, is the duty of every one of the jivas. Even when this is not actually said in so many words, in practice it is this that is always done. The Gaudiya Math says, that which is the object of our activities (sadhya) should itself be the only means (sadhan) for the attainment of the object. In the opinion of the majority of the world sadhya and sadhan are different from one another. The Gaudiya Math says that words like ‘unity’ and ‘universal love’, are mere sounds, like such words as akasa kusum (ærial flower)- so long as one continues to be under the influence of the physical and mental dharma. Harmony is possible only when one has obtained a firm footing in the dharma (function) of the soul.

This distinction must be made perfectly clear. The service of the Adhoksaja means the service of the transcendental God. That which helps or hinders the gratification of the body or the mind is not the service of the Adhoksaja, it is the service of the aksaja. The body is pleased by the enjoyment of free air, by gazing at the open sky. The troublesome mind is gratified if it is allowed to roam at will like an unbridled horse, to revel in the beauties of nature as it drinks honey from the multi-tinted flowerage of the groves of poesy. The opposite of this, the absolutist point of view, condemns all gratification. Neither of these is service to the Adhoksaja—both are service of the aksaja (phenomenal).

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Saranagati - SurrenderSrila Bhaktivinoda Thakura

Dainya - Humility(Introductory Prayer)

śri-kŗşņa-caitanya prabhu jīve doyā kori’svā-pārsada svīya dhāma saha avatari (1)

Sri Krsna Caitanya Mahaprabhu being gracious to all the living entities, descended with His own abode and personal associates.

atyanta durlabah prema karibāre dānaśikhāya śaranāgati bhakatera prāna (2)

To distribute freely prema-bhakti, the most rare wealth, He taught śaraņāgati, the life and soul of the devotees.

dainya, ātma-nivedana, goptŗtve varaņa‘avaśya rakşībe kŗşņa’—viśvāsa, pālana (3)

Humility, self-surrender, accepting the Lord as one‘s only maintainer and master, having complete conviction that Krsna will surely save us…

bhakti-anukūla-mātra kāryera svīkarabhakti-pratikūla-bhāva varjanāńgikāra (4)

..accepting things favourable for devotional service and rejecting the unfavourable.

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şaď-aňga śaraņāgati hoibe jāhāratāhāra prārthanā śune śrī-nanda-kumāra (5)

Sri Nanda-kumara hears the prayers of that person who submits unconditionally to this six-fold surrender.

rūpa-sanātana-pade dante tŗņa kori’bhakativinoda poďe duhuň pada dhori’ (6)

Bhaktivinoda Thakura prostrates before Sri Rupa and Sanatana Gosvamis embracing their lotus feet, holding a straw in his teeth.

kāňdiyā kāňdiyā bole āmi to’ adhamaśikhāye śaraņāgati koro he uttama (7)

Lamenting, he cries out, “I am so low and fallen! Teach me unconditional surrender and make me the best devotee!”

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Amrta VaniCan one totally renounce the empirical path?

Srila Prabhupada Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati

As long as we tend to rely on our own strength, pride, and experience, we cannot fully surrender at the Supreme Lord‘s lotus feet. As long as we do not adopt the process of surrender, we glorify the ascending or empirical process of approaching God. When we understand the futility of borrowed strength, the insignificance of our pride, and how futile our endeavors, we will surrender to the Lord and accept the teachings of the disciplic succession.

To illustrate this point, the Bhagavatam tells the story of Gajendra, king of the elephants. Once when Gajendra, who was intoxicated, was enjoying the association of female elephants in a lake, the aquatics life became disturbed. Because of Gajendra‘s careless behavior and their fear of him, the lake‘s inhabitants were on the verge of death. But after some time by the arrangement of providence, a powerful crocodile arrived and bit Gajendra‘s leg. A fierce battle between them ensued and continued for one thousand years - both trying to establish superiority over the other. Meanwhile, Gajendra found his strength gradually diminishing along with his pride in his own skill and expertise. When Gajendra was weakened to the point that he was about to lose the battle to the crocodile, he realized

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that the only way to survive was to take shelter at the lotus feet of the Supreme Lord.

As long as the living entities consider their insignificant false ego to be as great as that of the maddened Gajendra, they will continue to reach for God by their own endeavor. When the glories of taking shelter at the Lord‘s lotus feet are awakened in their hearts, however, they will face the choice between continuing the endeavor or simply making a complete surrender. The saints always glorify surrender and never encourage anyone to approach God by their own endeavor. However great we may be, if we think the ascending path beneficial, our downfall is guaranteed.

Krsna is everyone‘s shelter. Taking shelter of others can never protect us. Bhagavad-gita 3.27 states:

prakŗte kriyamāņāni, gunaih karmāņi sarvaśahahaňkāra-vimūďhātmā kartāham iti manyate

“The spirit soul, bewildered by the influence of false ego, thinks himself the doer of activities that are in actuality carried out by the three modes of material nature.”

People who are bewildered by false ego think that they are the doers and tend to follow the ascending path. Impersonalists desire liberation, which they try to attain by their own work, and yogis especially want to ascend by their own endeavor. The Caitanya Caritamrta states: „The jnanis consider themselves as liberated souls while still living.“ The jnanis want to become one with Brahman. The thirst of the insignificant to become great

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“When we understand the futility of borrowed strength, the insignificance of our pride, and how futile our endeavors, we

will surrender to the Lord and accept the teachings of the disciplic succession.“

Srila Prabhupada Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati

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is what the philosophy of ascending (empirical) knowledge is based on. The yogis want to ascend a few feet and to attain mystic perfections or even oneness with the Lord. These are all examples of the goals of the ascending path.

From whatever our current position, if we surrender body, mind, and speech to the sadhus, hearing submissively from them without the desire of maintaining the evil motive of karmis, jnanis, and yogis, and without being driven by material temptations or the desire for liberation, then we will conquer the unconquerable Supreme Lord. It does not matter how learned or foolish we may be—or whatever else we are: simply hear about Vaikuntha from the lotus mouth of the saints. We are presently in an incompatible situation in this world of anxiety.

If we study the scriptures under the guidance of our own minds we will be cheated. To think we can discuss the scriptures by interpreting them according to our own urges for material enjoyment or liberation means we think we can control the scriptures. But the scriptures are directly Lord Krsna‘s incarnation. The Bhagavad-gita (4.34) states:

tad viddhi praņipātena, paripraśnena sevayāupadekşyanti te jñānam, jñāninas tattva-darśinah“Just try to learn the truth by approaching a spiritual

master. Inquire from him submissively and render service unto him. The self-realized souls can impart knowledge unto you because they have seen the truth.”

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Those who wish to become masters of the material energy practice karma-kanda. By making a show of accepting instructions while maintaining the desire to become the master, they deceive themselves. The śāstras do not reveal themselves to them. The scriptures are revealed only to surrendered souls. The Vedas state:

yasya deve parā bhaktir, yathā deve tathā gurautasyaite kathitā hy arthāh, prakāśante mahātmanaģ“Only unto those great souls who have implicit faith in

both the Lord and the spiritual master are all the imports of Vedic knowledge automatically revealed.”

(Svetasvatara Upanisad 6.23)

Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu instructs:

tŗņād api sunīcena taror api sahişņunā,amāninā māna-dena kīrtanīyaģ sadā hariģ

“One who thinks himself lower than the grass, who is more tolerant than a tree, and who does not expect personal honor, yet is always prepared to give all respect to others, can always chant the holy name of the Lord.”

(Caitanya Caritamrta Adi 17.31)So long as we see ourselves as humbler than a blade of

grass, we can chant Hari‘s holy names. As soon as we try to become even a little higher, we will have to take leave from our chanting.

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Necessity of a Real Agent(Follow the Angels)

Srila Bhakti Raksak Sridhar Dev-Gosvami Maharaja

A real agent of Krsna is necessary to save us, and also to help others. Hegel,

the German philosopher, said that the idea comes first, then the movements of the mind and body follow. His philosophy is called Ideal Realism. First we conceive of doing something, and then the movements of the mind and the body begin, so the idea leads us. The idea is all-important. Whatever idea we may follow, then the mind, the body, everything will follow.

Divya darsana, divanbhuti, a divine arrangement must be made, and we must have the help of the sadhus, the saints, who are His bonafide agents. There may be many sham agents also - pseudo agents, sahajiya agents, imitationists. We must go to the real agent. And with his help, by his grace, we will gradually attain our end. Naisam matis tavad urukramanghrim, sprsaty anarthapagamayad arthah. Prahlada Maharaja said: So long as one‘s mind does not come in contact with the divine feet of the Lord, it is indispensable to get the help of His

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devotees, His agents, for the elimination of the undesirable elements within us.

anarthāpagamo yad-arthaģmahīyasāń pāda-rajo-‘bhişekańnişkiñcanānāń na vŗņīta yāvat

(Srimad Bhagavatam 7.5.32)Our divine life does not really begin as long as we do

not come to the feet of the real master. There it begins: our real progress, real life. Our real advancement towards divinity begins when we get recognition from the agent of the Lord. Some might say, „This is a monopoly, and an autocratic system. God is for everyone, why should some mediator be necessary at all? He is open to all; He knows us all. If we only desire Him sincerely, He will come directly.“ That may be their conception.

A Proper Guardian Assures Our FutureWe are unsettled, running hither and thither with no

principle in our life, and our position is very sad. This kind of life is very troublesome. To think, „I cannot put my faith anywhere,“ means that I cannot find a friend anywhere. I am friendless, moving amongst foreigners or perhaps even enemies.

But I must have a friend, or at the very least, some friendly atmosphere. I must come into such company in whom I can rest all my faith, in whom I can believe and trust.

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Without this, my life is miserable. By God‘s infinite grace, some sraddha (faith) should come to us: „It is not that I can only trust and believe, but it is this: I cannot but show my regard to a personality of the higher position, gurum evabhigacet.“

When we suffer from uncertainty to the extreme, we shall hanker for connection with the Guru, the spiritual master. We cannot only put an enquiry to him with faith and trust, but Guru is a guardian who is our well-wisher, more so than we are to ourselves. The guardian is a friend who thinks more of us

“The guardian is a friend who thinks more of us than we think of ourselves. He knows more about our welfare than

we do. “Srila Bhakti Raksak Sridhar Dev-Gosvami Maharaja

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than we think of ourselves. He knows more about our welfare than we do. That is what it is like to have a guardian, a friend, a Guru.

If one commits Vaisnava-aparadha or Nama-aparadha, offenses against the Vaisnava or the Holy Name, one may be detained again and again. It is not such a cheap thing. Still, there is the possibility that when properly guided, a proper soul may attain the highest position in a single life. It is not impossible.

Narottama Dasa Thakura says, asraya lana bhaje tare krsna nahi tyaje: „If we can get a bonafide guardian, our future in spiritual life is assured.“ Krsna cannot dismiss the guardian very easily, because the guardian has a solid position in the Lord‘s relationship. If we enter into the domain of our guardian‘s care, our position will be assured. Our only solace is that we are going through His agent. He‘s so kind and benevolent that He has sent His agent to recruit us, and that is our hope. We must be thankful for that, and not become traitors to His agent. We must be cautious to see that we do not betray His agent, for thereby we betray ourselves.

Ana saba mare akarana. Others, who have not yet been able to surrender at the holy feet of their guardian or Guru, are in an uncertain position, and they may be deviated by any agent. Their future is deplorable. They have no shelter, no asraya. If through our sraddha we can have a real ideal in life and acquire a real guardian, then certainly our future is assured practically. Our only duty will be towards our guardian, our

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Gurudeva, our asraya, and all other duties will be once and for all automatically accomplished and summarily completed.

To traverse the length and breadth of this wide world, where there is nothing but various types of exploitation of various planes, is to sail as a ship without a rudder that can be swept away by sea storms, endlessly and without purpose or objective. It is through sraddha that we can connect with our highest goal of achievement and fulfillment. First, this problem must be solved, then real life can begin.

Pure Devotion (1st part)Om Visnupada Sri Srimad

Bhakti Vaibhava Puri Gosvami Maharaja

The Bhagavad-gita teaches (18.66):

sarva-dharmān parityajya, mām ekań śaraņań vrajaahań tvāń sarva-pāpebhyo

mokşayişyāmi mā śucaģ„Abandon all varieties of religion and just surrender unto

Me. I shall deliver you from all sinful reactions. Do not fear.“If we possess that type of ego, ahankaram, that makes me

think that I am a brahmin, ksatriya, vaisya, sudra, brahmacari, grihasta, vanaprasta or a sannyasi we cannot transcend ourselves. We cannot go beyond the limits of Maya (illusion), trigunatmika-maya. You must go beyond the limits, beyond

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“If we want to reach Vaikuntha we should do service. The means is bhakti and the end is also bhakti – unalloyed

service.”Om Visnupada Sri Srimad Bhakti Vaibhava Puri Gosvami Maharaja

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this trigunams (the three modes of material nature). Only then are you able to approach that nirguna which is called na ca punar-avartate - the place from where we don´t come back. That sublime place we can approach is called Vaikuntha.

Of course there are reverential and confidential sides of worship there. But anyhow, from these sides we are not falling down, we cannot come down from that place that is called Vaikuntha.

This varnasrama-dharma and varnasrama path goes only up to Satyaloka. Satyaloka means: we are leaving this world, going to Bhuloka, Bhuvarloka, Svargaloka, Maharloka, Janaloka, Tapaloka and Satyaloka. These are the seven lokas. Then according to our karma, a-brahma-bhuvanal lokah punar avartino ‚rjuna (Bhagavad-gita 8.16). If we go to Satyaloka we have to come back again. If we can do hard penance then we are able to go on to Maharloka, Janaloka or Tapaloka or at last we can reach Brahmaloka or Satyaloka, the place of Brahma. The creator creates from there. That place we can reach. But beyond that we cannot reach, because the means we adopt to approach these places are quite different than to reach Vaikuntha. If we want to reach Vaikuntha our sadhana must be different.

“And what is that sadhana?” “That sadhana is bhakti.”“What is bhakti?” “Bhakti means service. We should do service.” “Whose service?” “The eternal Master‘s service.”

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“And who is the eternal Master?” “Krishna is the eternal Master.” “In return, what will we get?” “We will get nothing except bhakti.”Karma, jnana and yoga have one process: a means and

an end. Bhakti, however, has no end. The means is always the means. You see, the cause and effect both are one. In bhakti the cause is not vairagya. Bhaktya-sanjataya-bhaktya, bhakti is the cause of bhakti.

“What is the means?”“Bhakti is the means.”“What is the end, sadhya?”“Sadhya is also bhakti, the unalloyed service.”

transcribed by Jagadis das

Sri Caitanya BhagavataAdi-khanda 1st Chapter (1-50)

Srila Vrndavana Dasa Thakura

I offer my respectful obeisances unto Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu and Sri Nityananda Prabhu, whose arms extend down to Their knees, who have golden yellow complexions, and who inaugurated the congregational chanting of the holy names of the Lord. Their eyes resemble the petals of a lotus flower; They are the maintainers of the living entities, the best of the brahmanas, the protectors of religious principles for this

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age, the benefactors of the universe, and the most merciful of all incarnations.

O my Lord! You are eternally existing-in the past, present, and future-yet You are the son of Sri Jagannatha Misra. I offer my repeated obeisances unto You along with Your associates (Your devotee servants), Your sons (Your Gosvami disciples or the processes of devotional service, such as the congregational chanting of the holy name), and Your consorts (who, according to regulative principles, refer to Visnupriya, who is Bhu-sakti, Laksmipriya, who is Sri-sakti, and Navadvipa, which is Nila, Lila, or Durga, and, according to devotional principles, refer to the two Gadadharas, Narahari, Ramananda, Jagadananda, and others).

I worship the two brothers, Sri Krsna Caitanya and Sri Nityananda, who have descended in this world as the supreme controllers. They have appeared in covered forms as the embodiments of mercy.

All glories to Sri Gaurasundara, whose powerful activities are supremely pure, whose bodily complexion is like molten gold, whose eyes are like lotus petals, whose six beautiful arms extend to His knees, and whose heart is inundated by loving devotional sentiments as He enjoys dancing in various ways during kirtana.

All glories to Sri Krsna Caitanyacandra, who is the fully independent Supreme Personality of Godhead and the abode of transcendental pastimes! All glories to His eternally pure activities! Sri Gaurasundara is the controller of all other

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controllers, the Lord of the universe, and the embodiment of transcendental knowledge. All glories to His devotees, and all glories to the dancing of His beloved associates!

In the beginning I offer unlimited obeisances to the feet of the loving, confidential devotees of Lord Sri Caitanya. I then offer my obeisances to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Sri Krsna Caitanya. He incarnated in Navadvipa, and He is known as Visvambhara. That same Supreme Personality of Godhead has declared in the Vedas and Srimad Bhagavatam, “Worship of My devotees is superior to worship of Me. Worshiping My devotees is better than directly worshiping Me.” I have therefore offered my prayers first to the devotees, as this is the secret for attaining perfection.

I offer my respectful obeisances unto Sri Nityananda Raya, for He is my worshipable Lord. By His mercy the glories of Lord Caitanya become manifest. I offer my respectful obeisances unto the thousand-headed Lord Balarama. His thousands of mouths are the abode of Lord Krsna’s transcendental glories. Lord Ananta’s mouths are the storehouse of the gemlike glories of Lord Krsna, for valuable jewels are kept in a most appropriate place. Therefore in the beginning I offer my prayers to Lord Balarama, so that the glories of Lord Caitanya will manifest from my mouth.

Lord Balarama has thousands of hoods, and all of His activities are extraordinary. The Supreme Lord Balarama carries a plough and possesses a gigantic body. Although He is exceptionally grave, He is intoxicated by the glories of Lord

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Caitanya. There is no one more dear to Lord Caitanya than Nityananda, therefore Lord Caitanya always enjoys pastimes within Him. Sri Krsna Caitanya is most satisfied with one who chants or hears about the characteristics of Lord Nityananda. Lord Siva and Parvati also become pleased with such a person, and the transcendental goddess of learning, Sarasvati, manifests on his tongue. Along with Parvati and innumerable maidservants, Lord Siva engages in the worship of Sankarsana. All Vaisnavas glorify the topics in the Fifth Canto of the Srimad Bhagavatam, concerning Lord Balarama, the original Sankarsana.

The narrations of Lord Balarama’s rasa-lila pastimes with the gopis in Vrndavana are most exalted. The Puranas describe how Lord Balarama performs His rasa-lila in the two months of spring-Madhava and Madhu. Now please hear those verses that were spoken by Sukadeva Gosvami to Pariksit Maharaja in the Srimad Bhagavatam.

Lord Balarama, the Personality of Godhead, resided there for the two months of Madhu and Madhava, and during the nights He gave His cowherd girlfriends conjugal pleasure. In the company of numerous women, Lord Balarama enjoyed in a garden by the Yamuna River. This garden was bathed in the rays of the full moon and caressed by breezes bearing the fragrance of night-blooming lotuses. As the Gandharvas sang His glories, Lord Balarama enjoyed within the brilliant circle of young women. He appeared just like Indra’s elephant, the lordly Airavata, enjoying in the company of she-elephants. At

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that time kettledrums resounded in the sky, the Gandharvas joyfully rained down flowers, and the great sages praised Lord Balarama’s heroic deeds.

Sages condemn the association of women, yet they glorify Lord Balarama’s association with the cowherd girls in the rasa dance.

The demigods came and showered flowers on His rasa-lila, because they know there is no difference between Krsna and Balarama. The characteristics of Lord Balarama are confidential to the Vedas, but they are elaborated in the Puranas. What will I describe? Due to foolishness, some people neglect the Puranas and refuse to accept the authenticity of Balarama’s rasa-lila. The two brothers, Krsna and Balarama, both performed rasa-krida pastimes in the company of the gopis at the same place in Vrndavana.

Once Lord Govinda and Lord Rama, the performers of wonderful feats, were playing Holi in the forest at night with the young girls of Vraja. Krsna and Balarama wore flower garlands and spotless garments, and Their limbs were beautifully decorated and anointed. The women sang Their glories in a charming way, bound to Them by affection. The two Lords praised the nightfall, signaled by the rising of the moon and the appearance of stars, a lotus-scented breeze and bees intoxicated by the fragrance of jasmine flowers. Krsna and Balarama sang, producing the entire range of musical sounds simultaneously. Their singing brought happiness to the ears and minds of all living beings.

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Both the Lord and His devotees reject one who has no love for Lord Balarama after hearing the Srimad Bhagavatam. One who does not accept Srimad Bhagavatam is no better than a Yavana, and Lord Yamaraja punishes him birth after birth. Nowadays some faithless persons [eunuchs] challenge, “In which scripture is Balarama’s rasa-lila described?” Some sinful persons do not accept this pastime even if they read about it in the scriptures. They distort the actual meaning of the scriptures into some other meaning. Lord Nityananda is the most dear object of Sri Caitanyacandra, therefore anyone who commits an offense at His lotus feet is vanquished.

Lord Balarama appears in various forms as the servant of the Lord. He manifests these symptoms in His various incarnations. Lord Balarama serves Krsna in ten different ways: as His friend, brother, fan, bed, carrier, residence, umbrella, garments, ornaments, and sitting place. In all these forms He serves Himself. Whoever receives His mercy can understand this truth.

O my Lord, when will I satisfy You and Laksmi, who are both seated on the bed of Ananta? Although He is Your transcendental personal expansion, He has accepted Your service in the form of Your residence, bed, sitting place, slippers, garments, pillow, and umbrella. Therefore He is appropriately known by people as Sesa. (Stotra-ratna 37)

The most powerful Sri Garuda, the expansion of Anantadeva, enjoys his pastimes as Krsna’s carrier. Lord Brahma, Lord Siva, the four Kumaras (Sanaka, Sanatana, Sanandana

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and Sanat-kumara), Vyasadeva, Sukadeva Gosvami, and Narada are all pure devotees- eternal servants of the Lord. All the uncontaminated devotees mentioned above worship Lord Sri Ananta. He has thousands of hoods and is the reservoir of all devotional service. Lord Ananta is the first incarnation of the Lord and the master of all mystic power. At the same time, He is a servant of God, a Vaisnava. Since there is no end to His glories, no one can understand Him fully.

Srimad BhagavatamSarartha-Darsini-tika

Commentary bySrila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura

Srimad Bhagavatam 11.2.33

śrī-kavir uvācamanye ‘kutaścid-bhayam acyutasyapādāmbujopāsanam atra nityam

udvigna-buddher asad-ātma-bhāvādviśvātmanā yatra nivartate bhīģ

Kavi said: For one whose intelligence is disturbed by his falsely identifying himself with the temporary material world, I consider that worship of the Lord‘s lotus feet, which produces fearlessness from the material world, is the

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highest goal because Paramatma destroys all fears by that worship.

Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura: O King! I see that all dharmas have an element of fear. But bhakti gives fearlessness. I consider the highest goal to be bhakti - by performing which, one becomes free of fear of time, karma or other obstacles. The chief qualification is mentioned. A person is disturbed by his (atma) thoughts of body and family (asat), which are difficult to give up. This means he must desire to give up attachment to body, house and other objects that are unfavorable for bhakti. When one performs that worship, the Paramatma destroys fear.

Srimad Bhagavatam 11.2.34

ye vai bhagavatā proktā upāyā hy ātma-labdhayeañjaģ puńsām aviduşāń viddhi bhāgavatān hi tānEven ignorant living entities can very easily come

to know the Supreme Lord if they adopt those means prescribed by the Supreme Lord. The process recommended by the Lord is known as bhagavata-dharma.

Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura: The characteristics of bhagavata-dharma are described. Varnasrama was spoken by Manu and others. But because bhakti is most secret, the Lord himself speaks it. Know that the method to quickly attain

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one’s benefit (atma-labdhaye), even for ignorant persons, is bhagavata-dharma.

Srimad Bhagavatam 11.2.35

yān āsthāya naro rājan na pramādyeta karhicitdhāvan nimīlya vā netre na skhalen na pated iha

O King! One who accepts this process of devotional service will never be affected by pride. Even while running with eyes closed, he will never trip or fall.

Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura: The power of the process is explained. By taking shelter of bhakti and having faith (astha) - just having faith in the process, what to speak of performing it- a person will never be strongly (pro) affected by pride (madyeta). In karma or yoga the practitioner becomes proud. Or, pramadyeta can mean, “he never becomes inattentive.” That means the obstacles cannot overpower him. Moreover, taking shelter of bhakti, whether having his eyes open or closed, the person does not stumble or fall even while running. Someone may offer an easy process and say, “Run with your eyes closed using the method taught by me.” But do not have any doubt. Running means moving by putting a foot forward and placing it on the earth. One may stumble by going a little, and more likely one will fall by moving longer. But if one performs a little, or a lot, of one anga among all the angas of bhakti, there is no loss as there is in karma. One will

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not lose the result by performing only one anga for a short period. Though one is ignorant at present (closing the eyes), if one performs bhakti without awareness, it is not a fault. What to speak then of performing bhakti with awareness? Not performing even one anga however is a fault, since it was said that one should have faith in bhakti. Acting in such a way, one will fall from the correct path. To follow another path to attain the Lord is a big fault:

śruti-smŗti-purāņādi-pañcarātra-vidhiń vināaikāntikī harer bhaktir utpātāyaiva kalpate

“Even if a person seems to have attained steadiness in practicing pure bhakti to the Lord, that bhakti is a misfortune if it rejects the rules of sruti, smrti, purana and pancaratra out of atheism.” (Brahma-yamala)

The person who has begun bhakti is no longer qualified for varnasrama. In performing bhakti there is no consideration of whether one has performed those duties or not. The Lord says:

tāvat karmāņi kurvīta na nirvidyeta yāvatāmat-kathā-śravaņādau vā śraddhā yāvan na jāyate“One should continue to perform the Vedic ritualistic

activities only until one becomes detached from material sense gratification and develops faith for hearing and chanting about me.” (Srimad Bhagavatam 11.20.9)

In this chapter later (verse 37) it is said bhaktyaikayesam guru-devatatma. The word ekaya modifying bhaktya indicates that karma-misra and other types of bhakti are also rejected.

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Krsna Is Not For Your Enjoyment

Srila Bhakti Sadhaka Muni Maharaja

To understand spiritual life and realize the pastimes of the Supreme Lord, one has to become qualified- and it is not an easy thing. We have to start from the beginning, and go step by step. We can‘t enter into His pastimes and pull them down onto our platform, because we are very contaminated by this material world and by material desires for enjoyment. Our greatest enemy in this world is that we want to enjoy. As long as you want to enjoy this world, you will not get the chance to understand neither the pastimes of Lord Krsna and Srimati Radharani in Vraja, nor the pastimes of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu.

What is our mood here in this material world? We want to enjoy everything we see. Either you enjoy the disco, or you enjoy a festival, or you enjoy when you are standing in front of the deity of Krsna or you enjoy the speech of Guru or Vaisnava. Always you want to enjoy. This is our mood. But with this mood you will never get the real thing and you will never understand real spiritual life. Rather, you will fall into the trap of Maya. If you think that Krsna consciousness is some conception for your better enjoyment you will be captured by Maya. You will not get the chance to understand the real Krsna

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and His pastimes. If you don‘t develop the attitude that we are not

enjoyers- of the chanting of kirtana, neither enjoyers of Guru, nor are we enjoyers of anything what comes to us- then you will miss the real thing and will lose your life. In the whole world everybody has only this one aim; to enjoy, but this is a material mood. If you see this world with your material eyes, than you are unable understand what is spiritual life and you will miss the real thing. So, be very careful! If you do not realize it now, at the very beginning of your spiritual path- and if you will get cheated- than for many many lifetimes you will be unable to understand it. You will try to search for Krsna in a false way: “the meaning of Krsna consciousness is that I‘m happy, and if I‘m happy Krsna must be also happy.“

If your Guru is not telling you these things, then be very careful. Our aim is not to become enjoyers, but to become servants. We aren‘t doing service for our pleasure. If you want to know who Krsna is, then you have to realize that our aim is not to make us happy, but to make Krsna happy. How do you want to realize Krsna if your aim is only your happiness? How can you understand Krsna? Krsna does not care for your happiness, he wants only His own happiness. He exists only for His own happiness. He is the Autocrat. If you take happiness from Him you will become the enjoyer, but everything that exists is meant for His enjoyment. So if you help Him to enjoy then you become really happy. But if you are only searching for your happiness: “I‘m happy, you are happy, it‘s so nice to enjoy

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the atmosphere, enjoy the Guru, enjoy this and that,” than you will miss your real aim. You will not understand what spiritual life is. Be careful now at the beginning (of your spiritual path), that you will not look at things with your enjoying eyes. Otherwise you will never understand what it means to be a servant of the Supreme Lord, nor will you become His close associate and enter into His pastimes.

If you want to understand the mood of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, then you have to become His servant- like Sankara Pandit whose only service was to massage Mahaprabhu’s feet. For the Lord‘s happiness he offered everything. Those who offer everything to the Lord, including their own comfort, will get the greatest benefit. They will understand who the Lord is. The Lord will come to their presence, to their heart. So be very careful that you do not get cheated. Understand this point, otherwise you will be the loser. You will not understand activities of devotees, the line of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, Gaudiya Math and all our acaryas; Sri Rupa Gosvami, Sri Sanatana Gosvami, Srila Raghunath Das Gosvami, Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura, Srila Prabhupada Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati and all our line. All of them say the same thing, “Don‘t go the wrong direction, thinking that when you enjoy then you are conscious of Krsna. Try to follow the path that has been given for so many centuries. When you follow the wrong path of speculation, then instead of Krsna, you will get Maya. Don‘t become an enjoyer of situations. Always try to become the servant.”

This is the proper understanding of the Gaudiya Vaisnava

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“If you get the wrong understanding from the very beginning, you will never find your way back. You will think Krsna consciousness is for your pleasure. Real Krsna consciousness means that anything and everything is for Krsna‘s pleasure.”

Srila Bhakti Sadhaka Muni Maharaja

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line, otherwise you will be cheated. Easy come, easy go. Try to be a little serious and try not to think only of yourself. Rather, think, “I want to become a servant of Krsna, whatever it will take.” Of course it will give some pain to us but we have to be ready to give up our enjoying spirit. Otherwise you will not be attracted to Krsna‘s pastimes, and you will go to the material world, being attracted by the pastimes of this world. So, you have to sacrifice something.

If Guru wants only that you enjoy, then he is not a real Guru. Guru is someone who destroys our attachment to the material world. He is cutting the knots in your heart. Sometimes it is a little painful, but if you are not ready to accept it then you will stay in the material world, bereft of a way out. If you are serious then you will get a serious guide- and if you want the cheap thing, you will get a cheap guide. Don‘t forget this. In the sastras such as Srimad Bhagavatam, Bhagavad-gita, Caitanya Caritamrta and in all scriptures written by the six Gosvamis, it is clearly stated. We have to follow them; we are not finding new ways. Speculation is not proper.

I‘m speaking about this because many of you are now starting with spiritual life. If you get the wrong understanding from the very beginning, you will never find your way back. You will think Krsna consciousness is for your pleasure. Real Krsna consciousness means that anything and everything is for Krsna‘s pleasure- the highest degree of such consciousness we find in the gopis and in those who are living with Krsna in Vraja.

permanent temple programSunday festival

17.00 Bhajan • 18.00 Lecture • 19.00 Sandhja Arati•19.15 Tulasi Parikrama • 19.30 Prasadam

• 20.25 Sajan Arati

Morning program (daily)4.30 Mangala Arati • 4.45 Tulasi Parikrama

• 5.00 Bhajan follows Japa • 7.45 Sringara Arati, follows Bhajan • 8.25 Bhagavad-gita-patha, follows lecture from

Srimad Bhagavatam • 9.15 Guru-Puja, follows Bhoga Arati• 9.30 Prasadam

Evening program (daily except Sunday)19.00 Sandhya Arati • 19.15 Tulasi Parikrama, follows Bhajan

• 19.55 Lecture • 20.30 Sayan Arati, follows Prasadam

Bhajan – spiritual songs • Arati – temple ceremony • Prasadam – spiritual vegetarian food

Sri Sri Radha Govinda Gaudiya Math Sri Krishna Chaitanya MissionWienerbergstrasse 29A/Top3 • 1120 Vienna

Tel. +43 18 120 574 • www.radha-govinda.org

Acarya Nitya-lila-pravista Om Visnupada 108 Sri Srimad Bhakti Vaibhava Puri Gosvami Maharaja

Hare Krsna Hare Krsna Krsna Krsna Hare Hare Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare