Srila Prabhupada Quote Of The Day

His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
Founder~Acharya of the Krsna Consciousness Movement

Úrîmad-Bhâgavatam (Pre-1978)
4.20.25 Purport

"The transcendental vibration from the mouth of a pure devotee is so powerful that it can revive the living entity's memory of his eternal relationship with the Supreme Personality of Godhead. In our material existence, under the influence of illusory mâyâ, we have almost forgotten our eternal relationship with the Lord, exactly like a man sleeping very deeply who forgets his duties. In the Vedas it is said that every one of us is sleeping under the influence of mâyâ. We must get up from this slumber and engage in the right service, for thus we can properly utilize the facility of this human form of life. As expressed in a song by Ṭhâkura Bhaktivinoda, Lord Caitanya says, jîva jâga, jîva jâga. The Lord asks every sleeping living entity to get up and engage in devotional service so that his mission in this human form of life may be fulfilled. This awakening voice comes through the mouth of a pure devotee.
A pure devotee always engages in the service of the Lord, taking shelter of His lotus feet, and therefore he has a direct connection with the saffron mercy-particles that are strewn over the lotus feet of the Lord. Although when a pure devotee speaks the articulation of his voice may resemble the sound of this material sky, the voice is spiritually very powerful because it touches the particles of saffron dust on the lotus feet of the Lord. As soon as a sleeping living entity hears the powerful voice emanating from the mouth of a pure devotee, he immediately remembers his eternal relationship with the Lord, although up until that moment he had forgotten everything.
For a conditioned soul, therefore, it is very important to hear from the mouth of a pure devotee, who is fully surrendered to the lotus feet of the Lord without any material desire, speculative knowledge or contamination of the modes of material nature. Every one of us is kuyogî because we have engaged in the service of this material world, forgetting our eternal relationship with the Lord as His eternal loving servants. It is our duty to rise from the kuyoga platform to become suyogîs, perfect mystics. The process of hearing from a pure devotee is recommended in all Vedic scriptures, especially by Lord Caitanya Mahâprabhu. One may stay in his position of life—it does not matter what it is—but if one hears from the mouth of a pure devotee, he gradually comes to the understanding of his relationship with the Lord and thus engages in His loving service, and his life becomes completely perfect. Therefore, this process of hearing from the mouth of a pure devotee is very important for making progress in the line of spiritual understanding."

Submitted by Nityananda Rama dasa

Glorification Of Radha Kund

Nectar of Instruction Verse 11
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krishnasyoccaih pranaya-vasatih preyasibhyo 'pi radha

kundam casya munibhir abhitas tadrig eva vyadhayi

yat preshthair apy alam asulabham kim punar bhakti-bhajam

tat premedam sakrid api sarah snatur avishkaroti

SYNONYMS

krishnasya -- of Lord Sri Krishna; uccaih -- very highly; pranaya-vasatih -- object of love; preyasibhyah -- out of the many lovable gopis; api -- certainly; radha -- Srimati Radharani; kundam -- lake; ca -- also; asyah -- of Her; munibhih -- by great sages; abhitah -- in all respects; tadrik eva -- similarly; vyadhayi -- is described; yat -- which; preshthaih -- by the most advanced devotees; api -- even; alam -- enough; asulabham -- difficult to obtain; kim -- what; punah -- again; bhakti-bhajam -- for persons engaged in devotional service; tat -- that; prema -- love of Godhead; idam -- this; sakrit -- once; api -- even; sarah -- lake; snatuh -- of one who has bathed; avishkaroti -- arouses.

TRANSLATION

Of the many objects of favored delight and of all the lovable damsels of Vrajabhumi, Srimati Radharani is certainly the most treasured object of Krishna's love. And, in every respect, Her divine kunda is described by great sages as similarly dear to Him. Undoubtedly Radha-kunda is very rarely attained even by the great devotees; therefore it is even more difficult for ordinary devotees to attain. If one simply bathes once within those holy waters, one's pure love of Krishna is fully aroused.

PURPORT

Why is Radha-kunda so exalted? The lake is so exalted because it belongs to Srimati Radharani, who is the most beloved object of Sri Krishna. Among all the gopis, She is the most beloved. Similarly, Her lake, Sri Radha-kunda, is also described by great sages as the lake that is as dear to Krishna as Radha Herself. Indeed, Krishna's love for Radha-kunda and Srimati Radharani is the same in all respects. Radha-kunda is very rarely attained, even by great personalities fully engaged in devotional service, not to speak of ordinary devotees who are only engaged in the practice of vaidhi bhakti.

It is stated that a devotee will at once develop pure love of Krishna in the wake of the gopis if he once takes a bath in Radha-kunda. Srila Rupa Gosvami recommends that even if one cannot live permanently on the banks of Radha-kunda, he should at least take a bath in the lake as many times as possible. This is a most important item in the execution of devotional service. Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura writes in this connection that Sri Radha-kunda is the most select place for those interested in advancing their devotional service in the wake of the lady friends (sakhis) and confidential serving maids (manjaris) of Srimati Radharani. Living entities who are eager to return home to the transcendental kingdom of God, Goloka Vrindavana, by means of attaining their spiritual bodies (siddha-deha) should live at Radha-kunda, take shelter of the confidential serving maids of Sri Radha and under their direction engage constantly in Her service. This is the most exalted method for those engaged in devotional service under the protection of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. In this connection Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura writes that even great sages and great devotees like Narada and Sanaka do not get an opportunity to come to Radha-kunda to take their baths. What, then, to speak of ordinary devotees? If, by great fortune, one gets an opportunity to come to Radha-kunda and bathe even once, he can develop his transcendental love for Krishna, exactly as the gopis did. It is also recommended that one should live on the banks of Radha-kunda and should be absorbed in the loving service of the Lord. One should bathe there regularly and give up all material conceptions, taking shelter of Sri Radha and Her assistant gopis. If one is thus constantly engaged during his lifetime, after giving up the body he will return back to Godhead to serve Sri Radha in the same way as he contemplated during his life on the banks of Radha-kunda. The conclusion is that to live on the banks of the Radha-kunda and to bathe there daily constitute the highest perfection of devotional service. It is a difficult position to attain, even for great sages and devotees like Narada. Thus there is no limit to the glory of Sri Radha-kunda. By serving Radha-kunda, one can get an opportunity to become an assistant of Srimati Radharani under the eternal guidance of the gopis.

Translation by His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
Founder~Acharya of the Krsna Consciousness Movement

Chant Hare Krishna

Sri Caitanya Caritamrita Adi 8.26

‘eka’ krishna-name kare sarva-papa nasa
premera karana bhakti karena prakasa

SYNONYMS

eka -- one; krishna-name -- by chanting the holy name of Lord Krishna; kare -- makes; sarva -- all; papa -- sinful life; nasa -- exhausted; premera -- of love of Godhead; karana -- cause; bhakti -- devotional service; karena -- becomes; prakasa --manifest.

TRANSLATION

Simply chanting the Hare Krishna maha-mantra without offenses vanquishes all sinful activities. Thus pure devotional service, which is the cause of love of Godhead, becomes manifest.

PURPORT

One cannot be situated in the devotional service of the Lord unless one is free from sinful life. This is confirmed in the Bhagavad-gita (7.28):

yesham tv anta-gatam papam jananam punya-karmanam
te dvandva-moha-nirmukta bhajante mam dridha-vratah

“Persons who have acted piously in previous lives and in this life and whose sinful actions are completely eradicated are freed from the duality of delusion, and they engage themselves in My service with determination.” A person who is already cleansed of all tinges of sinful life engages without deviation or duality of purpose in the transcendental loving service of the Lord. In this age, although people are greatly sinful, simply chanting the Hare Krishna maha-mantra can relieve them from the reactions of their sins. Eka krishna-name: only by chanting Krishna's name is this possible. This is confirmed in Srimad-Bhagavatam (12.3.51): kirtanad eva krishnasya mukta-sangah. Caitanya Mahaprabhu has also taught us this. While passing on the road, He used to chant:

krishna krishna krishna krishna krishna krishna krishna he

krishna krishna krishna krishna krishna krishna krishna he

krishna krishna krishna krishna krishna krishna raksha mam

krishna krishna krishna krishna krishna krishna pahi mam

rama raghava rama raghava rama raghava raksha mam

krishna kesava krishna kesava krishna kesava pahi mam

If one always chants the holy name of Krishna, gradually one is freed from all reactions of sinful life, provided he chants offenselessly and does not commit more sinful activities on the strength of chanting the Hare Krishna mantra. In this way one is purified, and his devotional service causes the arousal of his dormant love of God. If one simply chants the Hare Krishna mantra and does not commit sinful activities and offenses, one's life is purified, and thus one comes to the fifth stage of perfection, or engagement in the loving service of the Lord (prema pum-artho mahan).

Transalation by His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
Founder-Acarya of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness