Radhe Radhe. It really amazes me why so many devotees always look what the "others" do, do not, should do, should not do... If a devotee is GENUINELY fixed in his own path, why would he care what "others" are doing? In my life I could see that, the more I focus and worry about … Continue reading The power of minding one´s own business

Vilapa Kusumanjali, verse  16 PĀDĀBJAYOS TAVA VINĀ VARA DĀSYAM EVA NĀNYAT KADĀPI SAMAYE KILA DEVI YĀCE SAKHYĀYA TE MAMA NAMO'STU NAMO'STU NITYAṀ DĀSYĀYA TE MAMA RASO'STU RASO'STU SATYAM       pādābjayoḥ - of the two lotus feet; tava - Your; vinā - without; vara - excellent; dāsyam - service; eva - only; na - … Continue reading In praise of RADHA DASYAM – Śrīla Raghunātha dāsa Gosvāmī 

Gauḍīya Vaiṣṇavas take shelter of the mode of worship called rāgānugā-bhakti (devotion in the wake of divine passions). Devotion in the wake of Vraja’s rāgātmikā devotion is called rāgānugā bhakti – virājantīm abhivyaktaṁ vrajavāsī janādiṣu rāgātmikām anusṛtā yā sā rāgānugocyate (B.R.S. – 1.2.271) In order to understand rāgātmikā or rāgānugā bhakti we must first understand … Continue reading rāgānugā-bhakti and the power of hearing

Śrī Śrī Prema-Bhakti-Candrikā, verse 4 guru mukha padma vākya, hṛdi kori mahā śakya āra nā koriho mane āśā śrī guru caraṇe rati, ei se uttama gati, ye prasāde pūre sarva āśā (4) "The words that emanate from Guru's lotus mouth give the heart sufficient strength to attain Kṛṣṇa. Do not covet anything else. Attachment to … Continue reading Śrī Guru-tattva, part 2

Chaitanya Mahaprabhu taught Sanatan Goswami— mane nija siddha deha kariyā bhāvana "Use the mind for contemplating your siddha deha." (CC 2.22.157) The Lord similarly instructed Ramananda Raya- siddha dehe cinti kore tāhāi sevana "Visualize your siddha deha and mentally serve in that form." (CC 2.8.229)   Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu evā sādhaka-rūpeṇa siddha-rūpeṇa cātra hi | tad-bhāva-lipsunā kāryā … Continue reading The essence of it all

sri caitanya mano'bhīṣṭam (Mahaprabhu´s innermost heart's desire) => unnatojjvala-rasāṁ sva-bhakti-śriyam (the highest aspect of madhura prema rasa) => tat-tad-bhava-icchatmika ( the desire or longing for relishing the sweetness of the sweet sentiments or bhavas of the Vraja gopis) => radha snehadika (a love with more inclination towards Radhika) => mañjarī-bhāva caitanya mano'bhīṣṭaṁ sthāpitaṁ yena bhūtale … Continue reading mañjarī bhāva – The innermost desire of Sriman Mahaprabhu’s heart

The abode of pure devotion - the lotus feet of Śrī Guru śrī guru caraṇa padma, kevala bhakati sadma bandoṅ mui sābadhāna sane yāhāra prasāde bhāi, ei bhava tariyā jāy kṛṣṇa prāpti hoy yāhā hoite "Carefully I praise the lotus feet of my Śrī Guru, that are the only abodes of pure devotion. O brother (mind), … Continue reading Śrī Guru-tattva, part 1