Another sweet aspect of Sriman Mahāprabhu´s mercy

Question: Dear Tarun, in your diksha-parampara, the first acarya after Sriman Nityananda´s wife Jahnava Ma is Sri Dhananjaya Pandit. Now, in Gaura-ganoddesha-dipika (127) we can read: vasudama sakha yash ca panditah shri-dhanañjayah- "Krishna’s friend Vasudama became Dhanañjaya Pandit in Gaura-lila." I know that your Gurudeva, Srila Ananta das Babaji practices and teaches manjari-bhava-sadhana. But how can … Continue reading Another sweet aspect of Sriman Mahāprabhu´s mercy

Follow those who love the most – the glories of the gopis

Srila Rupa Goswami writes in his Bhakti-Rasamrita-Sindhu: || 1.2.295 || sevā sādhaka-rūpeṇa siddha-rūpeṇa cātra hi | tad-bhāva-lipsunā kāryā vraja-lokānusārataḥ ||295|| Following after the inhabitants of Vraja, one should perform service in one’s physical body and in one’s siddha body, with a desire for a particular bhāva. Ever since I met the devotees in 1989, I … Continue reading Follow those who love the most – the glories of the gopis

The power of minding one´s own business

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

In praise of RADHA DASYAM – Śrīla Raghunātha dāsa Gosvāmī 

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 

Wonderful Radhakunda

āra ujjvala madhura ye rasa varṇa viparyaya kori; bhakte sukha dite rahasya sahite āche sara nāma dhari e kāraṇa bhakta sara kori vyakta se rase koriyā snāna; kṛṣṇera kṛpāya rādhā sama prema lābha kore bhāgyavān śrī Kṛṣṇa yokhon rādhā daraśana lāgi utkaṇṭhita hoy; sakala upāya viphala hoiyā rādhākuṇḍāśraya loy tat kāle rādhāra pāya daraśana emati … Continue reading Wonderful Radhakunda

UNITY IN DIVERSITY

           " There are different types of devotees—those in śānta-rasa, dāsya-rasa, sakhya-rasa, vātsalya-rasa and mādhurya-rasa. Although all the rasas are on the transcendental platform, mādhurya-rasa is the supreme transcendental mellow. Consequently it is concluded that the worship of devotees engaged in the Lord’s service in mādhurya-rasa is the supreme spiritual activity. Śrī … Continue reading UNITY IN DIVERSITY

rāgānugā-bhakti and the power of hearing

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 Guru-tattva, part 2

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

The essence of it all

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