If one is to be blessed with the fruit of sādhana and bhajana, it is absolutely essential that he accepts the shelter of Śrī Guru’s lotus feet. When the potency that distinguishes one as a competent teacher appears within a virtuous person, he is to be regarded as a sad-guru.  This occurs when, as the … Continue reading Characteristics of a True Guru

To do bhagavad-bhajana, it is essential that one first takes shelter of Śrī Guru’s lotus feet. Otherwise, bhajana-sādhana is hardly possible because this shelter is the natural gateway onto the path of bhakti. There is no pure bhakti-mārga-sādhana anywhere that doesn’t include guru-pādāśraya. To learn something in the physical universe, a competent teacher is necessary. … Continue reading The Importance of Taking Shelter at Śrī Guru’s Lotus Feet (guru-pādāśraya)

VERSE 12: RAHAḤ KĪRA DVĀRĀPYATI VIṢAMA GŪḌHĀRTHA RACANAṀ DALE PĀDME PADYAṀ PRAHITAM UDAYAC CĀṬU HARIṆĀ SAMAGRAṀ VIJÑĀYĀCALAPATI BALAT KANDARA PADE TAD ABHYARṆE NEṢYE DRUTAM ATI MAD ĪŚĀṀ NIŚI KADĀ When will I very quickly bring my mistress to a shining cave of Govardhana Hill at night, after understanding a very difficult, hidden message that flattering … Continue reading Sva Sankalpa Prakasa Stotram, verse 12 (Srila Raghunatha dasa Gosvami)

VERSE 11: SA DAKṢA KRĪḌĀNĀṀ VIDHIM IHA TATHĀ ŚIKṢAYATU SĀ SUDEVĪ ME DIVYAṀ SADASI SUDṚŚĀṀ GOKULABHUVĀM TAYOR DVANDVE KHELĀM ATHA VIDADHATOḤ SPHŪRJATI YATHĀ KAROMI ŚRĪ NĀTHĀṀ SAKHI VIJAYINĪṀ NETRA KATHANAIḤ O sakhi Rūpa Mañjarī! May Sudevī make me very expert in playing dice, so that I can make my Śrī Nāthā (mistress) Rādhikā victorious over … Continue reading Sva Sankalpa Prakasa Stotram, verse 11 (Srila Raghunatha dasa Gosvami)

Śrī Śrī Prema-Bhakti-Candrikā kṛṣṇaṁ smaran janaṁ cāsya preṣṭhaṁ nija-samīhitam | tat-tat-kathā-rataś cāsau kuryād vāsaṁ vraje sadā || 59 || The sādhaka shall reside in Vraja, constantly remembering that cherished form of Śrī Kṛṣṇa with his beloved companions and devoted to hearing about their pastimes. Sudhā-Kaṇikā-Vyākhyā (by Śrī Anantadāsa Bābājī Mahārāja): Śrīla Ṭhākura Mahāśaya now further … Continue reading The Rāgānugā Method

VERSE 10: AYE PŪRVAṀ RAṄGETY AMṚTAMAYA VARṆA-DVAYA RASA SPHURAD DEVĪ PRĀRTHYAṀ NAṬANA PAṬALAṀ ŚIKṢAYATI CET TADĀ RĀSE DṚŚYAṀ RASA VALITA LĀSYAṀ VIDADHATOS TAYOR VAKTRE YUÑJE NAṬANA PAṬU VĪṬIṀ SAKHI MUHUḤ O sakhi Rūpa Mañjari! If she whose name bears the two nectarean syllables 'ra-ṅga', that reveal her 'raṅga', or playfulness, and who is 'devī' or … Continue reading Sva Sankalpa Prakasa Stotram, verse 10 (Srila Raghunatha dasa Gosvami)

VERSE 9: SPHURAN MUKTÄ GUÏJÄ MAËI SUMANASÄÀ HÄRA RACANE MUDENDOR LEKHÄ ME RACAYATU TATHÄ ÇIKÑAËA VIDHIM YATHÄ TAIÙ SAÀKßÅPTAIR DAYITA SARASÉ MADHYA SADANE SPHUÖAÀ RÄDHÄ KÅÑËÄV AYAM API JANO BHÜÑAYATI TAU May Indulekhä-sakhé blissfully teach me how to make necklaces of beautiful pearls, guïjä-beads, jewels and flowers, with which I can excellently decorate Çré Rädhä … Continue reading Sva Sankalpa Prakasa Stotram, verse 9 (Srila Raghunatha dasa Gosvami)

The loyalty of Rādhā's maidservants is evident from the prayers of Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī and Śrīla Raghunātha dāsa Gosvāmī. In Śrī Śrī Utkalika Vallari, Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī prays to Śrī Kṛṣṇa: "Please make me the object of Śrī Rādhā's grace", and to Śrī Rādhā he prays: "May Kṛṣṇa give me more mercy, knowing me to … Continue reading RĀDHĀ NIṢṬHĀḤ – Loyalty to Rādhā

PARAṀ TUṄGĀDYĀ YAUVATA SADASI VIDYĀDBHUTA GUṆAIḤ SPHUṬAṀ JITVĀ PADMĀ PRABHṚTI NAVA NĀRĪ BHRAMATI YĀ JANO'YAṀ SAMPĀDYAḤ SAKHI VIVIDHA VIDYĀSPADATAYĀ TAYĀ KIṀ ŚRĪ NĀTHĀ CCHALA NIHITA NETREṄGITA LAVAIḤ O sakhi Rūpa Mañjari! With her wonderful qualities Tuṅgavidyā has completely defeated the entire assembly of young women, headed by Padmā, and thus she can proudly wander among … Continue reading Sva Sankalpa Prakasa Stotram, verse 8 (Srila Raghunatha dasa Gosvami)

Rādhākuṇḍa Mahānta Paṇḍita Śrī Ananta dāsa Bābājī Mahārāja: Devotional service is the very life of bhakti, and the service of Rādhikā's kiṅkarīs is most luscious, because their mood is completely free from awe and reverence. This service is the heart of the Gauḍīya Vaiṣṇavas. Śrīla Raghunātha dāsa Gosvāmī has said: "I desire Your (Rādhā's) excellent … Continue reading Loving service is the heart of bhakti