SCSseva.com » Home Page

The Glories of the Holy Name

By | |
Comments Off on The Glories of the Holy Name

The Glories of the Holy Name
(from Padyavali)

kalyananam nidhanam kali-mala-mathanam pavanam pavananam
patheyam yan mumukshoh sapadi para-pada-praptaye procyamanam
vishrama-sthanam ekam kavi-vara-vacasam jivanam saj-jananam
bijam dharma-drumasya prabhavatu bhavatam bhutaye krishna-nama

May Krishna’s holy name, which is a reservoir of all transcendental happiness, the destruction of Kali-yuga’s sins, the most purifying of all purifying things, the saintly person’s food as he traverses the path to the spiritual world, the pleasure-garden where the voices of the greatest saints, philosophers, and poets play, the life of the righteous, and the seed of the tree of religion, bring transcendental auspiciousness to you all.

—author unknown

Śrī Mādhavendra Purī’s Devotional Service

By | |
Comments Off on Śrī Mādhavendra Purī’s Devotional Service
Sri Chaitanya Charitamrita - Adi Lila Krishnadas Kabiraj bengali 1915

Sri Chaitanya Charitamrita – Adi Lila Krishnadas Kabiraj bengali 1915

Śrī Mādhavendra Purī’s Devotional Service
Chaitanya Caritamrita

In his Amṛta-pravāha-bhāṣya, Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura gives the following summary of the fourth chapter. Passing along the path of Chatrabhoga and coming to Vṛddhamantreśvara, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu reached the border of Orissa. On His way, He enjoyed transcendental bliss by chanting and begging alms in different villages. In this way, He reached the celebrated village of Remuṇā, where there is a Deity of Gopīnātha. There He narrated the story of Mādhavendra Purī, as He had heard it from His spiritual master, Īśvara Purī. The narration is as follows.

Continue reading →

Tears offerings

By | | , ,
Comments Off on Tears offerings

Srila Gadadhar Pandit Pranati

nīlāmbhodhi-taṭe sadā sva-virahā-kṣepanvitaṁ bāndhavaṁ
śrīmad-bhāgavatī kathā madirayā sañjīvayan bhāti yaḥ
śrīmad-bhāgavataṁ sadā sva-nayanāśru-pāyanaiḥ pūjayan
gosvāmi-prabaro gadādhara-vibhūr-bhūyāt mad-ekā-gatiḥ

“On the shore of the broad blue ocean, Gadādhara Paṇḍita used to read Śrīmad- Bhāgavatam to Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, who was suffering from the great internal pain of separation from Himself (Kṛṣṇa). Gadādhara Paṇḍita supplied the wine of Kṛṣṇa-līlā to intoxicate his afflicted friend and give Him relief. As he read, tears would fall from his eyes like flower offerings onto the pages of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. May the pleasure of that brilliant personality, Gadādhara Paṇḍita, the best of the Goswāmīs, be my only object in writing this book.”

Srila Bhakti Rakshak Sridhar Dev Goswami

About Srila Gadadhara Pandita Goswami

By | | ,
Comments Off on About Srila Gadadhara Pandita Goswami

Srila Bhakti Rakshak Sridhar Dev Goswami

The advent day of Gadadhara Pandita is on amavasya, on the new moon, the night of the dark moon. Mahaprabhu came in the full moon, purnima, and He drew the entirety of internal wealth from Gadadhara Pandita. Mahaprabhu made him quite empty. He sent Gadadhara Pandita on a black night in the hot summer season. In Mahaprabhu’s case, He descended on the night of the full moon during a very good season. Krsna descended in the middle of the lunar period. Radharani also appeared in the middle. When They combined as One, They appeared under the full moon. But Gadadhara Pandita appeared under the blackest night.

Gadadhara Pandita appeared and disappeared during the summer season, under the new moon. Mahaprabhu took the fullest advantage from Gadadhara, and sent him to the most negative position. Gadadhara Pandita gave himself voluntarily to Him. His very heart was drawn by Mahaprabhu, bhava-kanti. And he, just like a shadow, gave the entirety of his wealth to Mahaprabhu. Gadadhara Pandita was a shadow, running after Him as if his heart had been stolen. This Person stole all his wealth, and he was fully dependent on Him. Like a shadow, he is moving after Him.

Continue reading →

Harinam is the highest service

By | |
Comments Off on Harinam is the highest service

Vrindavan Prabhuji (Russia): I was a full time bhramachari that time and traveling with Guru Maharaj (Srila Bhakti Ballabh Tirtha Goswami Maharaj ji) for all preaching tours. Once I approached GuruMaharaj and asked Him for some service because I wanted some special service.
To which Guru Maharaj replied: “Have I not given you service already?”
I was puzzled and asked: “What Service?”
He said: “Harinaam is the highest service. So why are you not doing Harinaam.”

I told that: “I am already chanting my rounds.”

Continue reading →

Confirmation from our hearts

By | | ,
Comments Off on Confirmation from our hearts

We receive confirmation from our heart’s approval, our inner approval. We must trace it to there because that took me to my Guru. Guru is all in all, but who took me to my Guru? It was my inner sentiment, my inner guide. It did not like anything else in the environment but instead selected that advice.

Many others do not care to come here, and many may ridicule this life, but what made ‘me’ come here? I cannot deprecate that internal approval, consciousness and sincerity. Therefore, that is an important factor and ultimately we have to depend on that internal consciousness the most. When collecting advice from the Scriptures and when seeking or relying on advice from a sadhu, the only thing that takes me there is my internal approval, my inner friend. If it were not for that I would not have come. Indeed, so many others do not come. So who has taken ‘me’ to this plane?

Continue reading →

Draupadi’s Prayer

By | | , ,
Comments Off on Draupadi’s Prayer

Śrīla Bhakti Rakṣak Śrīdhar Dev-Goswāmī Mahārāj illustrates how Śrī Kṛṣṇa of Vṛndāvan is the fundamental shelter of all.

Dhṛtarāṣṭra is the representation of mind, and Vidura that of the conscience. Dhṛtarāṣṭra represents the mind only: the mind’s inclination more so towards enjoyment: wife, children, and so on.
Bhīṣma represents a sense of duty, which may be vitiated.
Vidura holds the highest position.

The sense of duty may be misdirected, as we see in the case of the endeavor to disrobe Draupadī.

Bhīṣma did not oppose this. He is a sober man and a devotee, but his conscience was cowed down by his sense of duty. Of course, he explained this:

“Yudhiṣṭhir understands more about the conception of duty than I do, and when he did not give any opposition, then I could not.”

That was Bhīṣma’s explanation.

“What is the real direction of the Veda in this condition? The purport of Veda is known more so by Yudhiṣṭhir than myself. So, when he tolerated, I could not say anything.”

But Vidura did not care for this. He simply thought, in general, about the goodness of the dynasty in the future and boldly approached Dhṛtarāṣṭra:

“Under your care, taking advantage of your guardianship, what are these brutes doing? They are bringing danger to your dynasty by such actions. Are you dishonoring the Pāṇḍavas or are you dishonoring your own self? Draupadī is part of your family, so should you not help her in such a distressed state?”

Continue reading →

Srimad Bhagavatam 1.5.11 – 10

By | |
Comments Off on Srimad Bhagavatam 1.5.11 – 10

tad-vag-visargo janatagha-viplavo
yasmin prati-slokam abaddhavaty api
namany anantasya yaso “nkitani yat
srnvanti gayanti grnanti sadhavah
[ SB 1.5.11]

On the other hand, that literature which is full of descriptions of the transcendental glories of the name, fame, forms, pastimes, etc., of the unlimited Supreme Lord is a different creation, full of transcendental words directed toward bringing about a revolution in the impious lives of this world’s misdirected civilization. Such transcendental literatures, even though imperfectly composed, are heard, sung and accepted by purified men who are thoroughly honest.

And then against this:

Continue reading →

Srimad Bhagavatam 11.19.20 – 24

By | |
Comments Off on Srimad Bhagavatam 11.19.20 – 24

Firm faith in the blissful narrations of My pastimes, constant chanting of My glories, unwavering attachment to ceremonial worship of Me, praising Me through beautiful hymns, great respect for My devotional service, offering obeisances with the entire body, performing first-class worship of My devotees, consciousness of Me in all living entities, offering of ordinary, bodily activities in My devotional service, use of words to describe My qualities, offering the mind to Me, rejection of all material desires, giving up wealth for My devotional service, renouncing material sense gratification and happiness, and performing all desirable activities such as charity, sacrifice, chanting, vows and austerities with the purpose of achieving Me — these constitute actual religious principles, by which those human beings who have actually surrendered themselves to Me automatically develop love for Me.

What other purpose or goal could remain for My devotee?

Srimad Bhagavatam 11.11.34 – 41

By | |
Comments Off on Srimad Bhagavatam 11.11.34 – 41

Dear Uddhava, one can give up false pride and prestige by engaging in the following devotional activities.

One may purify oneself by seeing, touching, worshiping, serving, and offering prayers of glorification and obeisances to My form as the Deity and to My pure devotees.

One should also glorify My transcendental qualities and activities, hear with love and faith the narrations of My glories and constantly meditate on Me.

One should offer to Me whatever one acquires, and accepting oneself as My eternal servant, one should give oneself completely to Me.

One should always discuss My birth and activities and enjoy life by participating in festivals, such as Janmāṣṭamī, which glorify My pastimes.

In My temple, one should also participate in festivals and ceremonies by singing, dancing, playing musical instruments and discussing Me with other Vaiṣṇavas.

Continue reading →