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Glories of Srimati Lalita Devi

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Srimati Lalita Devi

Svarupa Damodara is Lalita Devi in Krsna-lila. He gives permission there to join the service of Radharani. He is canvassing to look after the interests of Radharani. Such intense attention to the service of Radharani is never found anywhere else. Lalita Devi sometimes even chastises Krsna boldly. She takes risks by reproaching Krsna, “You do not know the dignity of my Mistress.”

Sometimes Radharani feels ashamed within Her mind. She thinks, “What does He say about Me?” Lalita Devi replies, “This shame is very bad. You just sit quietly. You do not know Your own interest. I know what is Your interest, Your position. I cannot tolerate that Your dignity should be minimized in any way, ever.” That is the spirit of Lalita Devi, of Svarupa Damodara.

Svarupa Damodara is the constant companion of Mahaprabhu in Puri. He is a scholar of the highest class and also a very good singer. Without consideration of his elevated social position, he will perform the simplest service. Svarupa Damodara is there always, everywhere with Mahaprabhu. When Mahaprabhu was lost, the devotees inquired after Him the whole night and Svarupa Damodara was there with a lantern, moving along the seashore, looking for Him.

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Glories of Srimati Radharani

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satyam satyam punah satyam satyam eva punah punah
vina radha prasadena mat-prasado na vidyate

Shri Krishna says: “O Narada! I tell you truly truly, again truly, truly, again and again – without the mercy of Shrimati Radharani, one cannot attain my mercy.”

(Narada Purana)

yad amiya-mahima srirbhagavatyah kathayam pratipadam anubhutam capy alabdhvabhidheya
tad akhila-rasa-murti-syama-lilavalambam madhura-rasa-dhi-radha-padapadmam prapadye

She is the conclusion to be established in Bhagavatam by so many descriptions of events, so many stories of devotion etc. The highest aim of Bhagavatam is to establish Radha-dasyam , service to Radharani, and everything in Bhagavatam is preparatory towards that end. But still Her name is not mentioned anywhere in Bhagavatam . Everywhere in Srimad Bhagavatam every word is used only to prove Her noblest position, but still no name is expressively given there for Her. Krsna is akhila-rasamrta-murtih : He is the combination of all sorts of ecstasies, and the main support of that akhila-rasamrta-murtih is Srimati Radhika. She is the only support of that lila of Syama: the sole support, the fountain of madhura-rasa (Divine Consorthood). I surrender myself to the Holy Feet of that Srimati Radharani who is the only support, the gist, the all in all of the whole life of akhila- rasamrta-murtih : of He who consists in Himself of all sorts of high rasas, ecstasies. She is His only support and I surrender myself to Her Holy feet.

Srila B.R. Sridhar Dev Goswami

Prayer of Sri Vritrasura

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SRIMAD BHAGAVATAM

Sri Vritrasura Prayer

aham hare tava padaika-mula-
dasanudaso bhavitasmi bhuyah
manah smaretasu-pater gunams te
grnita vak karma karotu kayah

O my Lord, O Supreme Personality of Godhead, will I again be able to be a servant of Your eternal servants who find shelter only at Your lotus feet? O Lord of my life, may I again become their servant so that my mind may always think of Your transcendental attributes, my words always glorify those attributes, and my body always engage in the loving service of Your Lordship?
(SB 6.11.24)

Prayer of Prithu Maharaj

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SRIMAD BHAGAVATAM

Prayer of Prithu Maharaj

tvan-mayayaddha jana isa khandito
yad anyad asastartatmano ’budhah
yatha cared bala-hitam pitasvayam
tatha tvam evarhasi nahsamihitum

My Lord, due to Your illusory energy, all living beings in this material world have forgotten their real constitutional position, and out of ignorance they are always desirous of material happiness in the form of society, friendship and love. Therefore, please do not ask me to take some material benefits from You, but as a father, not waiting for the son’s demand, does everything for the benefit of the son, please bestow upon me whatever You think best for me.
(SB 4.20.31)

Prayers of Akrura

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SRIMAD BHAGAVATAM

Prayers of Akrura
(SB 10.40.25-29)

Thus mistaking the temporary for the eternal, my body for myself, and sources of misery for sources of happiness, I have tried to take pleasure in material dualities. Covered in this way by ignorance, I could not recognize You as the real object of my love.

Just as a fool overlooks a body of water covered by the vegetation growing in it and chases a mirage, so I have turned away from You.

My intelligence is so crippled that I cannot find the strength to curb my mind, which is disturbed by material desires and activities and constantly dragged here and there by my obstinate senses.

Being thus fallen, I am approaching Your feet for shelter, O Lord, because although the impure can never attain Your feet, I think it is nevertheless possible by Your mercy. Only when one’s material life has ceased, O lotus-naveled Lord, can one develop consciousness of You by serving Your pure devotees.

Obeisances to the Supreme Absolute Truth, the possessor of unlimited energies. He is the embodiment of pure, transcendental knowledge, the source of all kinds of awareness, and the predominator of the forces of nature that rule over the living being.

Sri Caitanya-bhagavata, Antya-khanda 4

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Sri Chaytanya Mahaprabhu saying:

“I have advented to propagate the congregational chanting of the Holy Names of Krsna and by this I will deliver this sinful material world. In this age, those demons and evil forces that have never accepted My lordship and authority will weep in joy by chanting My names. Furthermore, I will vigorously distribute this ordinarily most rare devotional service, which is always most earnestly sought after by the demigods, sages, and perfected beings, to even the most abominable sinners, dog-eaters, untouchables, and women. However, those who, becoming intoxicated with education, wealth, family heritage, and knowledge, criticize and offend My devotees, I will deprive of everything and they will never know My true identity.”

Sri Caitanya-bhagavata, Antya-khanda 4, by Vrndavana dasa Thakura’

CC Madhya 8.77

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CC Madhya 8.77

nandaḥ kim akarod brahman
śreya evaṁ mahodayam
yaśodā vā mahā-bhāgā
papau yasyāḥ stanaṁ hariḥ

Synonyms
nandaḥ — Nanda Mahārāja; kim — what; akarot — has performed; brahman — O brāhmaṇa; śreyaḥ — auspicious activities; evam — thus; mahā-udayam — rising to such an exalted position as the father of Kṛṣṇa; yaśodā — mother Yaśodā; vā — or; mahā-bhāgā — most fortunate; papau — drank; yasyāḥ — of whom; stanam — by the breasts; hariḥ — the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

Translation
Rāmānanda Rāya continued, “ ‘O brāhmaṇa, what pious activities did Nanda Mahārāja perform by which he received the Supreme Personality of Godhead Kṛṣṇa as his son? And what pious activities did mother Yaśodā perform that made the Absolute Supreme Personality of Godhead Kṛṣṇa call her “Mother” and suck her breasts?’

CC Madhya 19.96

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CC Madhya 19.96

śrutim apare smṛtim itare bhāratam anye bhajantu bhava-bhītāḥ
aham iha nandaṁ vande yasyālinde paraṁ brahma

Synonyms
śrutim — Vedic literature; apare — someone; smṛtim — corollary to the Vedic literature; itare — others; bhāratam — the Mahābhārata; anye — still others; bhajantu — let them worship; bhava-bhītāḥ — those who are afraid of material existence; aham — I; iha — here; nandam — Mahārāja Nanda; vande — worship; yasya — whose; alinde — in the courtyard; param brahma — the Supreme Brahman, Absolute Truth.

Translation
Raghupati Upādhyāya recited, “Those who are afraid of material existence worship the Vedic literature. Some worship smṛti, the corollaries to the Vedic literature, and others worship the Mahābhārata. As far as I am concerned, I worship Kṛṣṇa’s father, Mahārāja Nanda, in whose courtyard the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the Absolute Truth, is playing.”

Purport
This verse recited by Raghupati Upādhyāya was later included in Śrī Rūpa Gosvāmī’s Padyāvalī (126).

Lord Sri Baladeva

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The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa, is the fountainhead of all incarnations. Lord Balarāma is His second body.

These two are one and the same identity. They differ only in form. Lord Balarāma is the first bodily expansion of Kṛṣṇa, and He assists in Lord Kṛṣṇa’s transcendental pastimes.

That original Lord Kṛṣṇa appeared in Navadvīpa as Lord Caitanya, and Balarāma appeared with Him as Lord Nityānanda.

May Śrī Nityānanda Rāma be the object of my constant remembrance. Sańkarṣaṇa, Śeṣa Nāga and the Viṣṇus who lie on the Kāraṇa Ocean, Garbha Ocean and ocean of milk are His plenary portions and the portions of His plenary portions.

Lord Balarāma is the original Sańkarṣaṇa. He assumes five other forms to serve LordKṛṣṇa.

He Himself helps in the pastimes of Lord Kṛṣṇa, and He does the work of creation in four other forms.

He executes the orders of Lord Kṛṣṇa in the work of creation, and in the form of Lord Śeṣa He serves Kṛṣṇa in various ways.

In all the forms He tastes the transcendental bliss of serving Kṛṣṇa. That same Balarāma is Lord Nityānanda, the companion of Lord Gaurasundara.
( cc.adi.5. 4-11)

Where is Kuliyā Aparādha-Bhañjana Pāṭa?

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Aparādha-Bhañjana Pāṭa Kuliyā Kothāya (Where is Kuliyā Aparādha-Bhañjana Pāṭa?) was first published in Sajjana Toṣaṇī, Vol.7 issue 2 in 1895.

Herein, Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura discusses the significance of the village of Kuliyā and establishes its true whereabouts.

Aparādha-Bhañjana Pāṭa Kuliyā Kothāya
(Where is Kuliyā Aparādha-Bhañjana Pāṭa?)

by Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura
(translated by Swami B.V. Giri)

Someone’s question has come to our hands. The questioner is a wise Vaiṣṇava. We will therefore proceed to answer this question carefully.

Presently, in many places in Bengal there are various villages in Bengal named Kuliyā. The Kuliyā we have been specifically asked about is a place unrivalled in the whole world. Why does history speak with special regard to that Kuliyā? The name of that Kuliyā is Śrīpāṭa Kuliyā. Śrīmad Gaurāṅga Prabhu, the avatāra who has come to deliver us in the age of Kali, resided in this place for seven days, chastised a great offender named Cāpāla Gopāla, and freed a scholar of Śrī Navadvīpa from his offences. Here, a resident, who lived near Maheśvara Viśārada’s dam, named Devānanda, who was a paṇḍita that recited the Bhāgavata, was purified of his offences to the devotees. At this place, a paṇḍita who was expert in Tantra named Kṛṣṇānanda had contracted a great disease due to Vaiṣṇava aparādha, and was mercifully delivered by Śrīman Mahāprabhu from his offence and from the disease. What better way could there be to decide where the holy town of Kuliyā is, other than deliberating upon the books written by paṇḍitas who were the contemporaries of Śrīman Mahāprabhu?

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