Put the soldiers uniform

Devotee: Maharaj, I have one question. I am very much afraid to write anything about Krsna consciousness because I see that I am having so many material desires; but at the same time, when I go out and I speak to people about Krsna, and the sweetness of Krsna, I see how much they are enjoying that. So I am thinking, even though I have no qualification, I should continue to write or to preach. Is this correct?

Srila Sridhar Maharaj: It is laudable that you want to do good to others. Mahaprabhu has given general instruction:

yare dekha, tare kaha ‘krsna’-upadesa
amara ajnaya guru hana tara ei desa
(Caitanya Caritamrita Madhya 7:128)

“Wherever you go, whomever you meet, talk with them only about Krsna. Deliver this news to anyone and everyone, and the new light will come to you, which in turn you are to distribute to others. In this way you will have a dynamic and progressive life and there will be no shortage of higher backing. If you obey my command, then you will find that I am there, backing you in this work.”

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Service is nourishing

SERVICE FOR KRISHNA

Service is nourishing. Service is not depleting; it is not killing. Therefore our attempt should not be so much for knowledge, for trying to know everything, but it should be directed towards how we can utilize ourselves in the highest function: service.

Service, service, service.

Don’t be afraid that service is depleting energy. Service is life-giving. It is feeding you properly.

Service!

— Srila Bhakti Rakshak Sridhar Dev Goswami

Krsna Bhakti Vina Kabhu

Song Name: Krsna Bhakti Vina Kabhu
Official Name: Sreyo Nirnaya Song 1
Author: Bhaktivinoda Thakura
Book Name: Gitavali
Language: Bengali

LYRICS:

(1)
kṛṣṇa-bhakti vinā kabhu nāhi phalodoy
miche sab dharmādharma jīver upādhimoy

(2)
yoga-yāga-tapo-dhyān, sannyāsādi brahma-jñān,
nānā-kāṇḍa-rūpe jīver bandhana-kāraṇa hoy

(3)
vinoder vākya dharo, nānā kānḍa tyāg koro,
nirupādhi kṛṣṇa-preme hṛdoye deho āśroy

TRANSLATION

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Bhajan and Kirtan, what should be our attitude?

Devotee: When performing bhajan and kirtan, what should be our attitude?

Srila Sridhar Maharaj: Meditation of a formal nature does not have much effect here. We shall try saranagati -surrender. Our whole attention should be concentrated on surrender. Once, a gentleman, a zamindar, took Harinama initiation from our Guru Maharaj and asked,

“While I count on the beads, what should I think of in my mind? Is there any portrait of Krsna or Sri Murti? How can I engage and utilize my mind at that time while counting the Beard?”

Our Guru Maharaj answered: „The mind has nothing to do in the supra-mental area. The mind is like a vulture. As a vulture goes to the cremation ground, so mind and other senses will try to fall there and make it mundane – a cremation ground. This is all mortal. They have got all mortal experience. The mind, the eye, the ear, etc. – everything has got mortal experience.“

So, whenever you take the Holy Name, the other senses, including the mind, will try to make it a mortal field with their prejudices and experiences of this relative world. They fall on it and make it a cremation ground. Do not allow it. Instead, we must try to understand.

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Bimala hema-jini

About Srila Chaitanya Mahaprabhu
Srila Vrindavan Das Thakur

bimala hema-jini tanu anupama re!
tahe sobhe nana phula-dama
kadamba kesara jini ekati pulaka re!
tara majhe bindu bindu ghama [1]

His figure defeats pure gold! Various flowers garlands adorn Him highlighting His beauty, and, in His ecstatic thrill, the hairs on His body standing erect defeat the stamens of kadamba flowers! His body is covered with drops of perspiration.

jini’ mada-matta hati gamana manthara ati
bhava-vese dhuli dhuli yaya
aruna-vasana chhabi jini prabhatera ravi
gaura-ange lahari khelaya [2]

His paced gait defeats the walk of a mad elephant; overcome with divine love, He staggers and walks about; The glow of His crimson garments defeat the glow of the morning sun; His golden limbs sway like large waves of an ocean.

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Are Bhai Nitai Amar Doyara Avadhi

Vrindavan Das Thakur has written this song “Are Bhai Nitai Amar Doyara Avadhi”. In this song, Vrindavan Das Thakur sings the glories of Lord Nitai, who wanders village to village giving the love of God to one and all.

(1)
are bhai nitai amara dayara avadhi
jivera karuna kari dese dese phiri phiri
prema-dhana yace nirabadhi

(2)
adwaitera samge ramga dharane na yaya amga
gora-preme gadha tanu-khani
dhuliya dhuliya cale bahu tili hari bale
du’-nayane bahe nita-ira pani

(3)
kapale tilaka sobhe kutila kuntala lole
gunjara antuni cuda taya
kesari jiniya kati kati-tate nila dhati
bajana nupura ramga paya

(4)
bhubana mohana besa maja-ila saba desa
rasabese atta atta hasa
prabhu mora nityananda kebala ananda-kanda
guna gaya brndabana dasa

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Srimad Bhagavatam 4.31.21

na bhajati kumanīṣiṇāṁ sa ijyāṁ
harir adhanātma-dhana-priyo rasa-jñaḥ
śruta-dhana-kula-karmaṇāṁ madair ye
vidadhati pāpam akiñcaneṣu satsu

TRANSLATION

The Supreme Personality of Godhead becomes very dear to those devotees who have no material possessions but are fully happy in possessing the devotional service of the Lord.

Indeed, the Lord relishes the devotional activities of such devotees.

Those who are puffed up with material education, wealth, aristocracy and fruitive activity are very proud of possessing material things, and they often deride the devotees.

Even if such people offer the Lord worship, the Lord never accepts them.

(Nârada Instructs the Pracetâs)

Highest type of infinite

Srila Bhakti Rakshak Sridhar MaharajDivine Words of His Divine Grace
Srila Bhakti Raksaka Sridhar deva Goswami

We can’t try to apply our reason or our standard of measurement to the movements of the infinite.
Sometimes reason, logic, and analysis are necessary, but only to preach to the people in general who have a lower understanding.

Krishna’s divine movements are kept in reserve by His sweet will: “All rights reserved.” We want to search for some law above His sweet will, but this is inconsistent.
It is self-contradictory.

Leaving aside all doubts and suspicions, we shall be most generous in approaching the absolute, free from all inhibitions. We shall approach Him with that spirit, and try more and more to leave aside our past prejudices and precedents, the records of our past experience.

 

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Chant anyway!

Your mind is wandering all over the universe when you chant.
Chant anyway!

Your mind is wandering to the past and future when you chant.
Chant anyway!

You are not able to concentrate on Krsna’s names while you chant.
Chant anyway!

You have no taste for chanting.
Chant anyway!

You have lusty desires.
Chant anyway!

You are making offenses in chanting.
Chant anyway!

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Medicine for lazy devotion

Srila Bhakti Raksak Sridhar Dev-Goswami MaharajDivine Words of His Divine Grace Srila Bhakti Rakshak Sridhar Dev Goswami

The only medicine for lazy devotion is a good association – to associate with those for whom you have regard.

Pratistha, one’s love for the position is very difficult to give up.
It is easier to give up attraction for females or money, but hankering for one’s own position is most difficult.
Prestige for position is our innermost enemy.

So long as that remains we cannot offer ourselves in the service of a vaisnava.