Author Archives: Sachidulal Das

tintidi-talastha-yamunormi-bhavanaplutam
nirjanaika-radhikatma-bhava-vaibhavavritam
syama-radhikapta-gaura-tattva-bhittikakaram
prema-dhama-devam eva naumi gaura-sundaram

(Srila B.R.Sridhar Dev Goswami)

At the place known as Imilitala, on the bank of the Yamuna river, Sri Gaurasundara sat beneath the ancient tamarind tree growing there since the previous age. He sat beneath the tree’s branches and, seeing the dancing waves of the river, the memory of jala-keli was aroused withing him. He became immersed in thoughts of those confidential sporting pastimes of Lord Krishna in the water with the Gopis. Undisturbed, in that secluded place, his whole being was pervaded with thoughts of Radhika, her beauty and her sweetness.

This place Imilitala is the place of origin of Gaura-tattva, for it was here that Syamasundar Krishna became totally radiant in the halo and the heartfelt mood of Sri Radha. Mahaprabhu Sri Chaitanyadev eternally dwells in this place, his thoughts captured by the inconceivable sweetness of Sri Radha’s feelings of devotion. I fall at the feet of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, the golden volcano of divine love.

Krishna consciousness is the cause of Krishna consciousness! And we have to get help from the sadhus who have got Krishna) consciousness within them. Just as, from one candle another candle may be lit. A candle cannot produce light from within, but it is to be lit from another candle – it is something like that. We are to awaken our buried Krishna consciousness, which is covered by ‘anyabhilasa-karmma-jnana’; so, that light, that association, will come to help the sleeping Krishna consciousness within us, and our consciousness will arise from it’s sleep and show itself, as it is. So, the method is that: to take sadhu-sanga – krsna-bhakti janma-mula, haya sadhu-sanga – association with the sadhu, devotee of Krishna, is the root-cause of Krishna consciousness.

At the same time, it is told that Krishna consciousness is ahaituki, causeless. How are we to harmonise these truths? – Krishna-bhakti, faith in Krishna, or devotion to Krishna, we can get from the sadhu; at the same time it is told that it is ’causeless’.

In this connection, Visvanath Cakravarti Thakur has explained the meaning of ahaituki in this verse from Srimad Bhagavatam:

sa vai pumsam paro dharmo
yatho bhaktir adhoksaje
ahaituky apratihata
yayatma suprasidati

(SB 1:2:6)

[“The supreme occupation (dharma) for all humanity is that by which man can attain to loving devotional service unto the transcendent Lord. Such devotional service must be causeless and uninterrupted, to completely satisfy the self.”]

Continue reading →

Devotee: Maharaja token austerity for caturmasya, yoghurt fast, spinach fast, milk fast, dhal fast. So I am noticing this month…

Sridhara Maharaja: That is of less importance. The real importance should be given to self-giving. These are so many methods to promote that self-giving, atma-nivedanam. That is the real thing. The real capital and all these, they are devised only to help atma-nivedanam. Samarpanam, Prahlada Maharaja says in his advice. So many advices are given in so many places by so many scriptures. But the very gist of them is samarpanam, give yourself. Only to effect that all these advices have been devised, different ways, suiting to different environment. But the very substance for everything samarpanam. Just as the ghee is poured into the fire so put yourself into the fire Krsna and gradually give yourself into the hands of the sadhu, Mahaprabhu, Gauranga. Only doing some penances this or that, they are less important thing.

Continue reading →