The Vrajavasis are the eternal associates of Sri Krishna and they have a very special bhava for Him. When we hear about their bhava and how they express it, if we feel greedy to achieve the same bhava, then we are qualified for raganuga-bhajan. Srila Rupa Goswamipad says this in B.R.S. – tatra adhikārī— rāgātmikāika-niṣṭhā … Continue reading How raganuga-bhajan is performed (Srila Ananta das Babaji)

VERSE 17: VILĀSE VISMṚTYA SKHALITAM URU RAṄGAIR MAṆISARAṀ DRUTAṀ BHĪTYĀGATYA PRIYATAMA SAKHĪ SAṀSADI HRIYĀ TAM ĀNETUṀ SMITVĀ TAD AVIDITA NETRĀNTA NAṬANAIḤ KADĀ ŚRĪMAN NĀTHĀ SVAJANAM ACIRĀT PRERAYATI MĀM When, having forgotten the jewel necklace She dropped during Her pastimes, and suddenly arriving with fear and embarrassment in the assembly of Her dearmost girlfriends, will my … Continue reading Sva Sankalpa Prakasa Stotram, verse 17 (Srila Raghunatha dasa Gosvami)

VERSES 15-16: MUDĀ KUÑJE GUÑJAD BHRAMARA NIKARE PUṢPA ŚAYANAṀ VIDHĀYĀRĀN MĀLĀ GHUSṚṆA MADHU VĪṬI VIRACANAM PUNAḤ KARTUṀ TASMIN SMARA VILASITĀNY UTKA MANASOS TAYOS TOṢĀYĀLAṀ VIDHUMUKHI VIDHĀSYĀMI KIM AHAM JITONMĪLAN NĪLOTPALA RUCINI KĀNTYORASI HARER NIKUÑJE NIDRĀNĀṀ DYUTI GAMITA GĀṄGEYA GURUTĀM KADĀ DṚṢṬVĀ RĀDHĀṀ NABHASI NAVA MEGHE STHIRATAYĀ VALAD VIDYUL LAKṢYĀṀ MUHUR IHA DADHE THUTKṚTIM AHAM O … Continue reading Sva Sankalpa Prakasa Stotram, verse 15 – 16 (Srila Raghunatha dasa Gosvami)

Recently, I was thinking about why there is so much hate around right now. Especially here at the moment in Germany, where either you hate the refugees, you hate the ones who hate the refugees or you hate the politicians responsible for the utter chaos… In the material world, hate and envy dance a very … Continue reading Love Krishna, but hate people?

VERSES 13-14: ADABHRAṀ VIBHRĀṆAU SMARA RAṆABHARAṀ KANDARA KHALE MITHO JETUṀ VIDDHĀV API NIŚITA NETRĀÑCALA ŚARAIḤ API KLIDYAD GĀTRAU NAKHA DAŚANA ŚASTRAIR API DARĀ- TYAJANTAU DRAṢṬUṀ TAU KIM U TAMASI VATSYĀMI SAMAYE SAMĀNAṀ NIRVĀHYA SMARA SADASI SAṀGRĀMAM ATULAṀ TAD ĀJNĀTAḤ STHITVĀ MILITA TANU NIDRĀṀ GATAVATOḤ TAYOR YUGMAṀ YUKTYĀ TVARITAM ABHISAṄGAMYA KUTUKĀT KADĀHAṀ SEVIṢYE SAKHI KUSUMA PUÑJA … Continue reading Sva Sankalpa Prakasa Stotram, verse 13 – 14 (Srila Raghunatha dasa Gosvami)

When one receives dīkṣā from a sad-guru, the sādhaka’s duties are not then complete. After receiving dīkṣā, some type of guru-sevā[1] is necessary because the satisfaction of Śrī Gurudeva is the root cause of the destruction of all impediments to the sādhaka’s bhajana as well as of pleasing God. In Bhakti-Sandarbha, Śrīmat Jīva Gosvāmipāda has … Continue reading Serving Sri Guru

What is dīkṣā? In his Bhakti-Sandarbhaḥ (283 anuḥ), Śrīmat Jīva Gosvāmipāda has described the glory of dīkṣā by quoting from śāstra: divyaṁ jñānaṁ yato dadyāt kuryāt pāpasya saṁkṣayam | tasmād dīkṣeti sā proktā deśikais tattva-kovidaiḥ || “Those ācāryas who truly understand reality define the word dīkṣā as ‘that which bestows divine knowledge and completely destroys … Continue reading Diksha

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)