4/2013

Sri Sri R adha Govinda Gaudiya Math

 All Glories to Sri Guru and Sri Gauranga!

Sri Guru Mahima

Glories of the Spiritual Master
cakşu-dān dilo jei, janme janme prabhu sei,
divya jñān hŗde prokāśito
prema-bhakti jāhā hoite, avidyā vināśa jāte,
vede gāy jāhāra carito (3)
He is my master birth after birth as He has given me
the gift of transcendental vision. By His mercy, divine
knowledge is revealed within the heart bestowing
prema-bhakti and destroying ignorance.
The Vedic scriptures sing of His character.
(Sri Prema Bhakti-candrika - Srila Narottama Dasa Thakura)
 Editorial
Srila Prabhupada Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura

N o path in this material world is

auspicious except the path of service
to the Supreme Lord. The mentality
that we understand life better than the
devotees do leads us to hell, and therefore
keeping such a mentality is harmful. The
secret of success in spiritual life is to follow the path traversed
by the Lord’s devotees.
We should follow the devotees no matter how difficult
the path is. If we wish to be successful in our following, we
must be humble enough to realize how worthless we are. If we
understand our disqualification, we can become qualified to
see the beauty of the lotus feet of Krsna’s devotees.
Ordinary human beings are always proposing how to
get sense gratification. If we consider such topics religious, we
can never become religious. Serving the devotees is the best
form of auspiciousness.

What Gaudiya Math is Doing

T he Gaudiya Math is the missionary of this all time

kirtana. The Gaudiya Math begs everyone of us
to offer his all to Krsna. The dhum-dham or pomp
•1•
and display of the Gaudiya Math is for the sole purpose of
making all efforts of the world krsna-para ‘having Krsna as
their goal’; the offering to Krsna comes first and after the
offering has been made, bhakti begins. The Gaudiya Math
says, “make the offering to Krsna first and after that has
been done profess to be a bhakta (devotee).” The Gaudiya
Math says,“do not imitate the kirtankari (one who does
kirtana). Dhang ‘burlesque’ is the other name of anukarana
‘imitation’. By arraying oneself in the trappings of dhang
or shang ‘harlequin’, people can be deceived but no good
is done either to oneself or to others. It is those who follow
the kirtankari that are really their own benefactors, or
properly alive to self-interest, and also benefactors of others,
or mindful of other’s interests. They are not blinded by
considerations of undue personal advantages, nor do they
cheat others and are, therefore, truly disinterested. It is by
kirtana alone that the claims of self-interest, interests of
others, and disinterestedness are simultaneously satisfied.”
Bhoga (enjoyment) or mukti (freedom from misery)
in the shape of prevention of famines etc. is gained by
namaparadha (offensively taking the Name) or by namabhasa
(taking the dimly perceived Name). That by which crores of
times greater eternal good is produced—whereby the lotus
of the eternal well-being of the jiva blossoms forth, that Sri
Nama; the Holy Name itself—the Gaudiya Math endeavours
to give away freely. They are earnestly trying to give away freely
Krsna Himself.
•2•
 In this world there are many persons who spread
unwholesome doctrines after advertising their intention to give
good advice; but most men are deceived by the idea that the
actual pleasurable experience of the moment is the ‘good’. In
Sanatana Siksa (Instruction to Sanatana Gosvami)

ke āmi, keno more jāre tāpa-troy

ihā nāhi jāni kemone hito hoy
(Caitanya Caritamrta, Madhya 20.102 )
“Who am I, why the threefold misery doth wear me out?
Ignorant of this, how can good ensue?”
In answer to the question ‘how can there be good’, the
message of the ‘good’ that Gaurasundara, the expounder of the
sanatan-dharma (eternal religion) delivered to us regarding the
only means of obtaining that ‘good’—if it once reached our
ears we would not have considered bhakti denoted by kirtana
as weak, and other methods as strong. Turning our face away
from the direction in which the treasure would be easily found,
we would not have hurried towards the South for the bite of
wasps, towards the West for the terrors of the Yaksa (the demon
that guards wordly riches), towards the North for offering our
lives to the fangs of the black snake. Our Home is Eastwards,
but we are running with all speed away from East toward other
points of the compass; and when the people of the East call
out to us to turn back, deluded by the mirage we say, ‘We will
not listen to you, see what beautiful lakes full of the cleanest
water lie yonder before our very eyes.’ Talking thus and being
•3•
by degrees enamoured of that which only appears to our senses,
we are ever moving away from home towards foreign lands. In
those circumstances the doings of the Gaudiya Math sometimes
seem to us and to those who are like-minded with ourselves as
being contrary to our ideas. This is likely and need not cause
any surprise; but all this notwithstanding the Gaudiya Math
bearing its message, with its bright flag flying, emblazoning on
it the words that attract our ears and eyes, is saying—
neha yat-karma dharmāya  na virāgāya kalpate
na tīrtha-pada-sevāyai  jīvann api mŗto hi saģ

evań nŗņāń kriyā-yogāģ  sarve sańsŗti-hetavaģ

ta evātma-vināśāya kalpante kalpitāģ pare

yad atra kriyate karma  bhagavat-paritoşaņam

jñānań yat tad adhīnań hi  bhakti-yoga-samanvitam
(Srimad Bhagavatam 3.23.56; 1.5.34; 1.5.35 )
“The work that is not done for the sake of dharma,
the dharma that is not performed for the purpose of virāga
(renunciation), the vairāgya (renunciation) that is not practised
for the service of Visnu, the person who practises such work,
dharma, or vairāgya is dead in life. The naimittik (conditional)
kāmya-karmas (fruitive works) are the cause of samsara-bandhan
(the bondage of the world), or yoni-bhramana (birth-journeys);
but those very works if they are done for God have the power
to destroy ungodliness. The bhagavajjñāna (divine knowledge)
associated with bhakti (devotion), denoted by sravana, kirtana,
•4•
etc. (listening to, singing etc.) is assuredly the chaste fruit of
works that are performed in this world for pleasing God.”
It is this that is the subject of the propaganda of the Sri
Gaudiya Math. The Sri Gaudiya Math by its practice proclaims
that by the gratification of the senses of jīva, instead of the
gratification of the senses of God, no good can accrue either
to oneself or to others. By invocation of mukti (salvation) in
deprecation of the pleasures of the senses of the jīva, God is
not served.

Saranagati - Surrender
Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura
Dainyatmika - Humility (third prayer)
with
Sri Laghu-candrika-bhasya
Gentle Moonlight Commentary
Srila Bhakti Raksak Sridhar Dev-Gosvami Maharaja

yauvane yakhana, dhana-upārjane,

ha-inu vipula kāmī
dharama smariyā, gŗhiņīra kara,
dharinu takhana āmi [1]
•5•
 When I was young I became greatly desirous of earning
money. Remembering my religious duty, I took the hand of
a wife.
sańsāre pātā’ye, tāhāra sahita,
kāla-kşaya kainu kata
bahu suta-sutā, janama labhila,
marame ha-inu hata [2]
I established a household with her and wasted so much
time. We had many sons and daughters, and I became distresed
at heart.
sańsārera bhāra, bāďe dine dine,
achala ha-ila gati
vārddhakya āsiyā, gherila āmāre,
asthira ha-ila mati [3]
The burden of my household increased day by day, and my
progress towards attaining the goal of life came to a standstill. As
old age came and besieged me, my mind became disturbed.
pīďāya asthira, chintāya jvarita,
abhāve jvalita chita
upāya nā dekhi, andhakāra-maya,
ekhana hayechhi bhīta [4]
Restless with disease and feverish with anxiety, my heart
burns with unfulfilled desire. I see no way out of this darkness
and have now become fearful.
sańsāra-taţinī- srota nahe śeşa,
maraņa nikaţe ghora
saba samāpiyā, bhajiba tomāya,
•6•
 e āśā biphala mora [5]
There is no end to the torrent of the river of household life,
and fearsome death always looms nearby. “After finishing all of
this, I will serve You”—this hope of mine has proven vain.
ebe śuna prabhu! āmi gati-hīna,
bhakati-vinoda kaya
tava kŗpā vinā, sakali nirāśā,
deha’ more padāśraya [6]
Now please listen, O Lord! I am utterly helpless. Bhaktivinod
prays, “Without Your mercy, everything is hopeless. Please give
me the shelter of Your feet.”

•7•
Commentary by Srila BR Sridhar Maharaja
(1) dharama smariyā: “Remembering
my religious duty.” This refers to the injunction:
sa-strīko dharmam ācharet, one should practise
religion with a wife.
(3) achala ha-ila gati: “My progress towards attaining
the goal of life came to a standstill.” This is explained by
Śrī Prabuddha to Mahārāj Nimi in Śrīmad Bhāgavatam
(11.3.18):
śrī-prabuddha uvāca
karmāņy ārabhamāņānāń duģkha-hatyai sukhāya ca
paśyet pāka-viparyāsań mithunī-cāriņāń nŗņām
“One must see that those humans who unite in conjugal
relationships and make endeavours to eliminate their distress
and attain happiness (through sexual relations, producing
offspring, accumulating wealth, maintaining a household, and
so forth) incur the exact opposite result.”
vārddhakya āsiyā ... asthira ha-ila mati: “As old age
came ... my mind became disturbed.” Seeing everyone suffering
in illusion as he wandered throughout ancient India, Śankar
Āchārya would lament in Moha-mudgara-stotram (7):

bālas tāvat krīďāsaktaģ taruņas tāvat taruņī-raktaģ

vŗddhas tāvat chintā-magnāģ pare brahmaņi ko’pi na lagnaģ
“Boys are attached to play. Youths are attached to young
women. The elderly are absorbed in worries. Alas! No one is
conscious of the Supreme Absolute (Parabrahma).”
•8•
 Amrta Vani
Srila Prabhupada Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati
Why Can't Everyone Understand
Transcendental Subject Matter?

H ow can they if they are unfortunate? There must be

purity. Those who are fortunate hear transcendental
topics with faith and by the Lord’s mercy understand
them, and those who make hasty conclusions cannot
understand the Absolute Truth. Such persons cannot even
spend time cultivating complete transcendental knowledge.
Our society is so engrossed in materialism that people are
unable to spend even a moment to discuss eternal life. We are
busy in worldly activities twenty-four hours a day. We don’t
even bother to know who we are. But human beings should
spend twenty-four hours a day on spiritual cultivation. It is
not the duty of intelligent persons to waste their valuable
lives gratifying their senses.
We should search out our self-interest. Most of us are
engaged in pursuing selfishness. The children play, the young
maintain family life, and the old endeavor to protect their lives
and their property. Consequently, they are indifferent to their
own self-interest. In order to focus on worldly self-interest,
materialists sacrifice eternal self-interest. What a pity!
Some people say one need not worry about the soul’s
welfare at present. Why think about the future? All that’s
•9•
“We are busy in worldly activities twenty-four hours a day.
We don’t even bother to know who we are.
But human beings should spend twenty-four hours a day
on spiritual cultivation.”
Srila Prabhupada Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati

• 10 •
necessary at present is to work. But this is not right, because
if one fails to get an education in childhood, he will suffer
inconvenience as an adult. A person desiring social welfare
necessarily also desires welfare for himself. Such a person should
endeavor to see that devotional service, which is the characteristic
of the spirit, is not impeded by sense gratification.
Many people may think it is enough to give up sinful
activities and accumulate piety, but this is not the ultimate goal.
Those who are actually intelligent consider the relationship
between their present activities and their eternal existence at
every stage of life. If one fails to think about this, he will find
himself in trouble. Work done at the proper time reaps proper
fruits in the future. If one does not use his time properly he will
face difficulty. People who desire to discuss spiritual topics in
old age will find themselves unable to do so because they will
remain preoccupied with and disturbed by family life.

Ocean of Faith
(from the book: “Loving Search for the Lost Servant”)
Srila Bhakti Raksak Sridhar Dev-Gosvami Maharaja

A lthough the object of our heart’s faith is infinite,

still, some conceptions of Him have been given by
the men of experience in the ocean of faith. In the
ocean of faith, many have had their special experience, and
that has been recorded in the scriptures. Through that we
can approach the saints who stand like lighthouses to help
• 11 •
us cross the ocean of nescience. But that must be bona fide
and not merely a concoction or an imitation. It may also be
possible to imitate the real thing by taking our mundane
experience and thrusting it into the world of faith. So we
must approach that plane very carefully through the line of
reliable saints. We must be careful to know the qualifications
of a real saint. Their symptoms are given in the scriptures.
And who is a disciple and what should be his attitude? All
these things are given in the scriptures.
And faith is required in order to work in that substantial
conscious world which is subjective. This is the most important
thing that we have to remember: the infinite is subjective. It
can guide us and be affectionate to us. All these things are
to be reckoned with. He can guide us. The revealed truth
stands on this foundation: We cannot approach Krsna by the
ascending method, but He can descend to our level to make
Himself known. We must understand this very fundamental
and substantial point: He can come to us, and only through
faith can we come to Him.
Sraddha - faith - is more important than calculative
truth. The example of great souls is more valuable to us than our
human calculation. The external, material, physical truth does
not have much value. Rather, it is a false attitude of mind which
is very strong. That physical truth should not be given greater
respect than the intuitive practices of pure devotees; rather, the
intuition of a pure devotee should be given preference to the
calculations of truth made by ordinary men.
• 12 •
“Faith has no connection with the so-called reality
of this world. It is completely independent.”
Srila Bhakti Raksak Sridhar Dev-Gosvami Maharaja

• 13 •
 Faith has no connection with the so-called reality of this
world. It is completely independent. There is a world which is
guided only by faith (sraddha-mayam-lokan). Faith is everything
there, and it is infinite and all-accommodating. In the world of
faith, everything may be true by the sweet will of the Lord.
And here, in the land of death, calculation is inconclusive
and destructive in its ultimate goal; it has no ultimate value.
It should be rejected. The knowledge that materialists come
under, the fallible calculation of exploiting souls, has no value
whatsoever. But in the world of the infinite, faith is the only
standard by which everything moves.

svayań samuttīrya sudustarań dyuman

bhavārņavań bhīmam adabhra-sauhŗdāģ
bhavat-padāmbhoruha-nāvam atra te
nidhāya yātāģ sad-anugraho bhavān
(Srimad Bhagavatam 10.2.31)
Here, Srimad Bhagavatam says that just as in the vast
ocean, when nothing else can be seen, the compass is the only
guide, so in the world of the infinite, our only guide is the
footsteps of those great souls who have traveled on the path of
faith. The way has been marked by the holy footsteps of those
who have gone to the highest quarter. That is our only hope.
Yudhisthira Maharaja also says that the real secret is concealed
in the hearts of saints, as treasure is hidden in a mysterious
cave (dharmasya tattvam nihitam guhayam). The broad line
towards the truth is chalked out by those who are going to the
• 14 •
divine world. And that is our surest guide. All other methods of
guidance may be eliminated because calculation is fallible.
Guidance comes from the absolute infinite. And His
guidance can come in any form, anywhere, any time. With
this broad view, we should realize the meaning of Vaikuntha.
Vaikuntha means “without limitation.” It is as if we are in a
boat floating on the infinite ocean. Many things may come to
help or hinder us. But only our optimistic good faith may be
our guide, our Gurudeva.
The guide is Sri Guru.

nŗ-deham ādyań su-labhań su-durlabhań

plavań su-kalpań guru-karņadhāram
mayānukūlena nabhasvateritań
pumān bhavābdhiń na taret sa ātma-hā
(Srimad-Bhagavatam 11.20.17)
In the infinite ocean we have boarded our small boat,
the human form of life, and our destination is uncertain and
inconceivable. But it is conceivable to our Gurudeva (guru
karnadharam). Our Guru is our guide - the captain of the boat.
And we must progress with sincere faith. We are trying to cross
a horrible ocean with huge waves and dangerous sharks and
whale-swallowing whales. It is full of danger. The guidance of
saints is our only hope. We must depend on them. They stand
like lighthouses in the infinite ocean to guide us to the land
of faith. Faith means “hope in the infinite.” Vaikuntha means
“infinite.” And sraddha means “good faith.” Just as there is a
• 15 •
place called the Cape of Good Hope, sraddha means surcharged
with good hope in the infinite. Vaikuntha is infinite, and if we
wish to draw the attention of the infinite, the only way open
to us is sraddha.
By sraddha alone, we can attract the infinite. And when
sraddha develops a definite form, after progressing through
bhava, ecstatic emotion, sraddha becomes prema - divine love.
Columbus set sail, and after a long voyage, finally arrived in

The guidance of saints is our only hope. We must

depend on them. They stand like lighthouses
in the infinite ocean to guide us to the land of faith.
Faith means “hope in the infinite.”
Srila Bhakti Raksak Sridhar Dev-Gosvami Maharaja

• 16 •
America; he reached the land of good hope. In the same way,
with hope, sraddha, faith, we may, after crossing Vaikuntha,
arrive in the highest plane of the spiritual cosmos. Sraddha
is our light in the darkness. Only sraddha can guide us when
we are travelers in the infinite. “I have heard that this is the
way to that place” - that spirit will keep our hearts enlivened.
The definition of sraddha is given in the Caitanya Caritamrta:
“Faith is the firm conviction that by serving Krsna, all other
purposes are automatically served.” No risk, no gain. Greatest
risk, greatest gain. Krsna reassures us, “I am everywhere - there
is no need to be afraid at all. Just realize that I am your friend. I
am all in all, and you are Mine. To believe this is your only fare
for the journey to the land of faith.”

Ascending and
Descending Process
Om Visnupada Sri Srimad
Bhakti Vaibhava Puri Gosvami Maharaja

I f we want to enjoy the pleasures of

this world, we will suffer, because all
diseases will come. It is the function
of Nature that you cannot enjoy. You
will have to weep if you enjoy, because
that enjoyment is not real. One can say,
• 17 •
“I know that this enjoyment or attachment and its side-
effects will bring only suffering. I know this, still I am unable
to give it up.” Suppose a person wants to eat some particular
diet or has attachment to a wife and children. He knows that
he is supposed to give it up, but he cannot. He is aware of
the after-effects of these attachments, but still is unable to
leave them. He is not an Isvara, he is only an infinitesimal
jiva, therefore he cannot control himself. Isvara can control
the limbs, but the jiva cannot.
Still he, the bhakta, does not leave his bhajan. He is
always weeping for Krsna, “Oh Krsna, I know that this should
not be done, but I am doing it, because I am not fit. Please
make me fit!” Suppose a man likes a mango or whatever. He
knows it may be bad for his health and that he has to give it up,
but he is unable to control himself. Then he prays, “Oh Lord,
please help me!” That prayer will help him. When the time will
come, automatically that attachment will go away. However, if
all of a sudden, we give up one thing and we take another, it
will not last. Because it is Nature’s function. So one must have
sufficient strength to control himself. Self-control is different
from spontaneity.
There is a story about Guru Nanak. He was very fond
of payasam - rice, milk and sugar. One day he ate a very large
quantity of this payasam and he vomited. So on that day he gave
it up. After vomiting he told himself, “This happened because I
have such a taste for this preparation, so eat it now! Eat it!”
The devotee’s attitude should be, “I am unable to control
• 18 •
my limbs, I have no capability to control my organs. The Lord
must help me.” This is the correct process. Guru Nanak’s
approach was a long procedure because it was an ascending
process, not a descending one. Without the help of the Lord,
Guru Nanak took the initiative to give up this payasam. He gave
it up, no doubt, but this does not show that he has obtained
bliss. One may give up whatever is not necessary, but this does
not mean that he will automatically obtain bliss. What is that
bliss? To have the darsana of the Lord. Nothing except that can
be called bliss. The bliss of yogis and jnanis is to give up their
enjoyment, but they cannot be happy: rasavarjam raso 'py asya
/ param drstva nivartate. Forcing themselves they say, “No, I
don’t want to enjoy.” But that will never last. Only when this
detachment will come automatically, will it last.
Like in the story of Bilvamangala. He was too attached
to Cintamani, a harlot. One day he wanted to cross the river
to go to that harlot, but there was a heavy flood. The boats
were not available, so he jumped into the river. Fortunately
he saw a corpse, took hold of it and was able to cross the river.
He reached the harlot’s house, but she was upstairs and there
was no way to go inside. Then he saw a rope hanging from
the boundary wall, he caught hold of it and jumped over. He
knocked at the harlot’s door and went inside.
Seeing him, Cintamani said, “How were you able to
come here, sir?” He replied, “There was some rope there and
with it I could cross over the boundary wall.” “But there is no
rope at all!” Then with the help of some light they saw that it
• 19 •
 “If we want to enjoy the pleasures of this world, we will
suffer, because all diseases will come. It is the function of
Nature that you cannot enjoy. You will have to weep if you
enjoy, because that enjoyment is not real.”
Om Visnupada Sri Srimad Bhakti Vaibhava Puri Gosvami Maharaja

• 20 •
was not a rope, but a snake. “You did not realize that it was
a snake?! And you crossed the river holding onto a corpse! If
you could have one percent of this attachment for Lord Krsna,
you would be greatly benefited.” Immediately, upon hearing
these words, he was transformed. “Yes, I prostrate before you.
You are my siksa-guru, from today onward I will stop with this
attachment!”
Afterwards he went to his diksa-guru Somagiri to take
sannyasa and then he tore out his eyes, because they were
the cause of his calamities. Of course, this may seem like an
ascending process, but he was weeping and weeping for Krsna.
He remembered all His lilas and wrote the Krsna-karnamrta.
He had so much attachment for Krsna. Whatever attachment
he had for the harlot was doubled, tripled a hundred times
more for Krsna. So he wrote many wonderful slokas and he
sang them.
He was a blind man singing and Krsna would come
and listen to him. Once when he had finished, Krsna asked
him, “Where do you want to go, sir?“ “I want to go to that
place.” “Then take hold of My hand and come with Me.”
Taking Krsna’s hand he was guided to that particular place and
Krsna said, “Here is the place you wanted to reach,” and He
left. So this is the stage he had obtained. Anyhow it is all the
Lord’s grace. Without His grace, sacrifice never lasts. Sacrifice
depends upon the blessings of the Lord. So we have to depend
upon the blessings of the Lord.

• 21 •
 Sri Caitanya Bhagavata
Adi-khanda 2nd Chapter (1-12)
by Vyasa Avatara Srila Vrndavana Dasa Thakura

All glories to Mahaprabhu Sri Gaurasundara! All glories

to the son of Jagannatha Misra, the Lord of all lords! All glories
to the life and soul of Nityananda and Gadadhara! All glories
to the shelter of the devotees headed by Advaita Prabhu! All
glories to Lord Gauranga along with His associates!
By hearing the topics of Sri Caitanya, one attains
devotional service to the Lord. I again offer my obeisances
at the lotus feet of Sri Caitanya and His devotees. Let the
topics of Sri Gauracandra become manifest on my tongue. All
glories to Sri Gauracandra, the ocean of mercy! All glories to
Nityananda Prabhu, the personification of devotional service!
Although the truths of the two brothers and Their devotees are
incomprehensible, they can be realized by the mercy of Their
Lordships.
Commentary by Srila Prabhupada Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati
Both Lords, Gaura and Nitai, as well as Their pure
devotees are beyond the reach of material senses and eternally
full of knowledge and bliss. Therefore proud mundane
speculators who are simply interested in sense gratification
cannot understand Their real forms. They mercifully manifest
Their incomprehensible forms only to Their fully surrendered
servants who have taken shelter of Them. Srila Kaviraja Gosvami
• 22 •
has prayed to Gaura-Nitai in the Sri Caitanya Caritamrta (Adi
1.2) as follows: “I offer my respectful obeisances unto Sri Krsna
Caitanya and Lord Nityananda, who are like the sun and moon.
They have arisen simultaneously on the horizon of Gauda to
dissipate the darkness of ignorance and thus wonderfully
bestow benediction upon all.” Also in Sri Caitanya Caritamrta
(Adi 1.98) he writes: “But these two brothers [Lord Caitanya
and Lord Nityananda] dissipate the darkness of the inner
core of the heart, and thus They help one meet the two kinds
of bhagavatas [persons or things in relationship with the
Personality of Godhead].”
The knowledge of personalities like Lord Brahma is
enhanced by the mercy of Lord Krsna. This is confirmed in all
the scriptures such as the Vedas and the Srimad Bhagavatam.
May the Lord, who in the beginning of the creation amplified
the potent knowledge of Brahma from within his heart and
inspired him with full knowledge of creation and of His own
Self, and who appeared to be generated from the mouth of
Brahma, be pleased with me.
In the beginning of creation Lord Brahma was born
from the lotus sprouted from the navel of Lord Visnu. Still,
he had no power to see anything. When Brahma took full
shelter of the Lord, then out of compassion the Lord appeared
before him. Then, by the mercy of Krsna, Brahma received
transcendental knowledge so that he could understand the
various incarnations of the Supreme Lord.

• 23 •
Commentary by Srila Prabhupada Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati
Seven different lives of Brahma are described in the
Mahabharata (Santi 347.40-43). Besides being born from the
lotus, Brahma was also born from the mind, eyes, speech, ears,
nose, and egg. When Brahma was born from the lotus, he
opened his eyes and could not see his worshipable Lord. He
then took shelter of the Supreme Lord and was able to see Him.
Therefore it is stated in the Vedas (Katha Upanisad 1.2.23 and
Mundaka Upanisad 3.2.3)

nāyam ātmā pravacanena labhyo

na medhasā na bahunā śrutena
yam evaişa vŗņute tena labhyas
tasyaişa ātmā vivŗņute tanuń svām
“The Supreme Lord is not obtained by expert
explanations, by vast intelligence, or even by much hearing. He
is obtained only by one whom He Himself chooses. To such a
person, He manifests His own form.”
The omnipotent Lord Krsna manifested His quality of
magnificence and thus empowered Lord Brahma to realize
his constitutional position and disseminate transcendental
knowledge. Thereafter the words om and atah manifested from
the mouth of Brahma. As a result, Lord Brahma understood the
causelessly merciful advent and wonderful variegated pastimes
of the sac-cid-ananda Supreme Lord through the descending
process, rather than the ascending process. This is confirmed in
the Srimad Bhagavatam (1.1.1): “It is He only who first imparted
• 24 •
Vedic knowledge unto the heart of Brahmaji, the original living
being.”
Without the powerful glorification of Krsna from the
mouths of pure devotees, the living entities are unable to get
free from the clutches of maya, in the form of aversion to Krsna,
by uttering lifeless words born of material enjoyment.

Lord Krsna’s incarnations are very difficult to understand.

Who has the power to understand Them without His mercy?
Commentary by Srila Prabhupada Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati
The pastimes of Krsna are completely incomprehensible
for people who are overwhelmed by the knowledge acquired
through their material senses. Material scholars do not accept
the Lord of all energies and incarnations of Visnu, Krsna, as
the source of the omnipotent four-handed Narayana; rather,
they consider Him a political hero and an ordinary historical
descendant of the Yadu dynasty. In other words, rather than
understanding Krsna as the Absolute Truth and cause of all
causes, due to their material conceptions they consider Him an
ordinary living entity with a material form and one of various
objects of material enjoyment. When the Supreme Personality
of Godhead, Krsna, appears in this world, all the occasional
lila-avataras combine in His form. This fact is also extremely
incomprehensible. Without the mercy of Krsna, one can never
understand the science of Krsna by his own endeavor. Only
that person to whom Krsnacandra has mercifully revealed His
pastimes has attained the fortune to worship Him. In this regard
• 25 •
one may discuss the verse from Srimad Bhagavatam (10.14.3)
that begins: jnane prayasam udapasya.

In the Srimad Bhagavatam Lord Brahma concludes

that the pastimes of Krsna’s incarnations are inconceivable and
inaccessible. “O Supreme Great One! O Supreme Personality
of Godhead! O Supersoul, Master of all mystic power! Your
pastimes are taking place continuously in these three worlds,
but who can estimate where, how, and when You are employing
Your spiritual energy and performing these innumerable
pastimes? No one can understand the mystery of how Your
spiritual energy acts.” Who has the ability to know why
Krsnacandra incarnates? Still, I am giving whatever reasons are
described in the Srimad Bhagavatam and the Bhagavad-gita.

Srimad Bhagavatam
Sarartha-Darsini-tika
Commentary by
Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura

Srimad Bhagavatam 11.2.44

śrī-rājovāca
atha bhāgavatań brūta yad-dharmo yādŗśo nŗņām
yathācarati yad brūte yair lińgair bhagavat-priyaģ
Maharaja Nimi said: Now please tell me about the
• 26 •
devotees of the Supreme Lord—their natures, the different
types, the conduct, and speech by which one can know who
is dear to the Lord.

Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura: The previous verse

mentioned the devotees. He asks concerning their qualities.
What is their nature (dharma)? This is a question about their
mental condition. What types (yadrsah) of devotees are there?
This is a question about various grades of devotees. What is
their conduct? This is a question about their bodily nature.
What do they say? This is a question about their speech. Why
should one ask such questions? By these characteristics one can
infer who is dear to the Lord.

Srimad Bhagavatam 11.2.45

śrī-havir uvāca
sarva-bhūteşu yaģ paśyed bhagavad-bhāvam ātmanaģ
bhūtāni bhagavaty ātmany eşa bhāgavatottamaģ
Havi said: The most advanced devotee sees Supreme
Lord, one’s object of worship, within everything, and sees
everything in the Supreme Lord.

Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura: One should see the

presence (bhavam) of the Lord, who is one’s (atmanah) object
of worship, in all things. “When Hiranyakasipu asked, Where
is your Lord?” Prahlada said, “He is everywhere. One can see
• 27 •
the Lord even in a pillar.” In this way he saw his worshipable
Lord. Similarly one should see all living beings in the Lord
(atmani), the object of one’s worship, just as Yasoda saw all
beings in the belly of Krsna.
There is another meaning. One should see all beings as
having prema for the Lord, absorbed in the Lord who appears
in their minds. This is shown by the prema of the gopis and the
queens of Dvaraka.

vana-latās tarava ātmani vişņuń

vyañjayantya iva puşpa-phalāďhyāģ
praņata-bhāra-viţapā madhu-dhārāģ
prema-hŗşţa-tanavo vavŗşuģ sma
“The trees and creepers in the forest respond by
becoming so luxuriant with fruits and flowers that they seem to
be manifesting Lord Visnu within their hearts. As their branches
bend low with the weight, the filaments on their trunks and
vines stand erect out of the ecstasy of love of God, and both the
trees and the creepers pour down a rain of sweet sap.”
(Srimad Bhagavatam 10.35.9)

nadyas tadā tad upadhārya mukunda-gītam

āvarta-lakşita-manobhava-bhagna-vegāģ
ālińgana-sthagitam ūrmi-bhujair murārer
gŗhņanti pāda-yugalań kamalopahārāģ
“When the rivers hear the flute-song of Krsna, their
minds begin to desire him, and thus the flow of their currents
• 28 •
is broken and their waters are agitated, moving around in
whirlpools. Then with the arms of their waves the rivers
embrace Murari’s lotus feet and, holding on to them, present
offerings of lotus flowers.”
(Srimad Bhagavatam 10.21.15)

kurari vilapasi tvań vīta-nidrā na śeşe

svapiti jagati rātryām īśvaro gupta-bodhaģ
vayam iva sakhi kaccid gāďha-nirviddha-cetā
nalina-nayana-hāsodāra-līlekşitena
“O kurari bird, you are lamenting. Now it is night, and
somewhere in this world the Supreme Lord is asleep in a hidden
place. But you are wide awake, O friend, unable to fall asleep. Is
it that, like us, you have had your heart pierced to the core by
the lotus-eyed Lord’s munificent, playful smiling glances?”
(Srimad Bhagavatam 10.90.15)

na calasi na vadasy udāra-buddhe

kşiti-dhara cintayase mahāntam artham
api bata vasudeva-nandanāńghriń
vayam iva kāmayase stanair vidhartum
“O magnanimous mountain, you neither move nor
speak. You must be pondering some matter of great importance.
Or do you, like us, desire to hold on your breasts the feet of
Vasudeva's darling son?”
(Srimad Bhagavatam 10.90.22)
And one should contemplate the mood of the Lord
• 29 •
within oneself as being present in all living entities. Sanatana
Gosvami says this meaning is approved by past authorities.
One should see in this way. This implies that one must
gain qualification for seeing, rather than being able to see
like this at all times. However, this does not apply to Narada,
Vyasa and Sukadeva. They do not see the Lord at all times,
everywhere, but this increases their desire for him. When this
longing to see the Lord increases further, the devotees see the
whole world as the Lord, based on the logic that a lusty man
sees women everywhere. And, according to the saying that one
sees everyone else like oneself (atmavan manyate jagat), they see
all beings as suffering from eagerness for Krsna. One should
not explain that the verb “to see” here means “to know” and
that therefore the best devotee is he who knows the Lord is in
everything and everything is in the Lord simply by scriptural
knowledge.

Srimad Bhagavatam 11.2.46

īsvare tad-adhīneşu bāliśeşu dvişatsu ca

prema-maitrī-kŗpopekşā yaģ karoti sa madhyamaģ
An intermediate or second-class devotee, called madhyama-
adhikari, offers his love to the Supreme Lord, is a sincere
friend to all the devotees of the Lord, shows mercy to
ignorant people who are innocent, and disregards those
who are envious of the Lord.

• 30 •
Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura: The madhyama devotee
shows prema for the Lord, his object of worship. This actually
means he has attachment for the Lord (rather than prema). He
has friendship with the devotees, those who are dependent on
the Lord. He shows mercy to those who are ignorant of bhakti.
Since even Bharata, Vyasa and Sukadeva did not show mercy
to all persons they saw, it should be explained that this mercy
to the ignorant arises on its own. This is understood from the
example of the mountain:

girayo mumucus toyań

kvacin na mumucuģ śivam
yathā jñānāmŗtań kāle
jñānino dadate na vā
“During this season the mountains sometimes released
their pure water and sometimes did not, just as experts
in transcendental science sometimes give the nectar of
transcendental knowledge and sometimes do not.”
(Srimad Bhagavatam 10.20.36)
They avoid those who hate the Lord, since they know
the mercy will be useless. The proper conduct is to remain at
a distance from those who show hatred to oneself, with the
understanding that they are foolish, and at the same time wish
them good luck. The madhyama devotee, who does not have
the qualification to see the Lord in all beings, is characterized by
these four qualities. When he is seen to have that quality then
he should be considered an uttama devotee. But even among
• 31 •
uttama devotees like Narada one will see these four qualities of
prema, friendship, mercy and indifference also manifest.

Srimad Bhagavatam 11.2.47

arcāyām eva haraye pūjāń yaģ śraddhayehate

na tad-bhakteşu cānyeşu sa bhaktaģ prākŗtaģ smŗtaģ
A devotee who faithfully engages in the worship of the
deity in the temple but does not behave properly toward
other devotees or people in general is called an unrefined
devotee.

Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura: Sridhara Svami

explains this verse as follows. Arcayam means “in the deity.”
He faithfully engages in worship of the deity to please the Lord
(haraye). He does not worship the Lord’s devotees or others. He
is considered a beginning (prakrtah) devotee. This initial bhakti
gradually will become uttama-bhakti. The question about the
nature of devotees and the types of devotees has now been
answered.

Guru Tattva (Part One)

Srila Bhakti Sadhaka Muni Maharaja
Gurudev is giving us divya jnana. Divya
means divine, jnana means knowledge. He is
• 32 •
able to give us divya jnana, as he has received from his Guru,
and as his Guru has received from his Guru. In this way divya
jnana, is given down through the disciplic succession to those
who are serious and sincerely desire to get divine transcendental
knowledge, and want to cross over this samsara- the circle of
birth and death.
This is something that cannot be given by any book or
any university. We cannot buy it with billions and billions of
euros. We also cannot perform austerities for kalpas. It will not
be given to us, if we don’t have devotion to Guru. Bhakti. That
is what Narottama Das is singing, or writing, here. “Sri guru-
carana-padma, kevala bhakati-sadma, vando mui savadhana-
mate.” “Gurudev’s feet are the abode of pure devotional service.
So, I worship his lotus feet with great care.”
One has to be very careful if one wants to get the
mercy of a pure devotee, of Gurudev. One has to be sincere.
First the Guru has to be qualified, and then the disciple has
to be qualified. Otherwise it is not working. Both have to be
qualified - those who give and those who receive. If those who
receive are qualified they are also able to receive divya jnana,
transcendental knowledge. “Jahara prasade bhai, e bhava tariya
jai, krsna-prapti haya jaha ha’te.” “It is through the grace of
Gurudev that anyone can cross over this material existence and
attain the lotus feet of Krsna.”
Krsna says in the Bhagavad-gita (18.55), “Bhaktya mam
abhijanati.” “If you want to know Me as I am, if you want to
really know Me,” He says, “then only through bhakti.” “Bhaktya
• 33 •
“Gurudev's advices and words are not temporary tools. They
are not coming from some mundane speculation. … They
are divine. So we should let them enter into our heart and
meditate on them. We should not mix up those teachings
with our mind, our desires.”
Srila Bhakti Sadhaka Muni Maharaja

• 34 •
mam abhijanati.” “You can only know Me through devotion.”
“Sri guru-carana-padma, kevala bhakati-sadma.” “The
lotus feet of Gurudev are the abode of pure devotional service.”
Devotion is always emphasized; very, very strongly. Our
Gurudev emphasized this point very much. He emphasized
first, “Harer nama, harer nama, harer namaiva kevalam” -
always chant the Name of Krsna. And second, “Surrender,
surrender, surrender.” He would repeat both of these three
times. Many times he would say like this.
The last lecture I remember when he was still in Vienna,
before he left, was about saranagati. What does saranagati
mean? Surrender. He wanted that we bring him the book of
Bhaktivinoda Thakura, Saranagati. Then he read one sloka,
one prayer, only. And he just repeated and repeated again this
prayer.
We can learn so much from the prayers of Bhaktivinoda
Thakura, Saranagati. Not only Bhaktivinoda Thakura, but also
Narottama Dasa Thakura, and all the Vaisnavas in our line, in
our past. They fully understood the importance of saranagati.
“Guru-mukha-padma-vakya, cittete kariya aikya.” “Let
the teaching from the lotus mouth of Gurudev enter my heart.”
The teachings should not just go in one ear and come out the
other. They should not be something we just endure, and then
relish prasadam. The teachings should not be heard like this.
Actually we should open our hearts for these words to enter,
and then remember them. “Let the teaching from the lotus
mouth of Gurudev mingle with your heart.” “Ara na kariha
• 35 •
mane asa.” “Do not desire anything else.”
These advices and words are not temporary tools.
They are not coming from some mundane speculation. They
are coming from the line of our Gurudev, and descend from
Caitanya Mahaprabhu, who is Krsna Himself. They are the
same words given. They are divine. So we should let them enter
into our heart and meditate on them. We should not mix up
those teachings with our mind, our desires.
“Sri guru-carane rati, ei se uttama gati.” “Attachment to
the lotus feet of Gurudev is the best means of spiritual progress.”
“Carane rati, ei se uttama gati.” One should be attached to the
lotus feet of Guru. “Ei se uttama gati.” What will we get for
this? We will get the highest progress in our spiritual life. “Je
prasade pure sarva asa.” Prasade means mercy. His mercy fulfills
all desire for spiritual perfection.
What more do we want? We should not pray for material
perfection. This will come automatically. We should pray for
spiritual perfection. Spiritual perfection means we are satisfied.
We become happy in every way. What more can we desire than
to become happy? What more can we desire than to become
free from unhappiness, to be free from the burden that we have
to carry in this material world.
First we should develop attachment to the Guru’s lotus
feet, then our spiritual desire will be fulfilled. Not only spiritual
desire, but every desire will be fulfilled. Any obstacle that
comes will be arranged by Krsna, in a perfect way. So nothing,
nobody, is harmed, and everybody is benefited.
• 36 •
 Permanent Temple Program
Sunday Festival
17.00 Bhajan • 18.00 Lecture • 19.00 Sandhja Arati
•19.15 Tulasi Parikrama • 19.30 Prasadam
• 20.25 Sajan Arati

Morning Program (daily)

4.30 Mangala Arati • 4.45 Tulasi Parikrama
• 5.00 Bhajan follows Japa • 7.45 Sringara Arati, follows
Bhajan • 8.25 Bhagavad-gita-patha, follows lecture from
Srimad Bhagavatam • 9.15 Guru-Puja, follows Bhoga Arati
• 9.30 Prasadam
Evening Program (daily except Sunday)
19.00 Sandhya Arati • 19.15 Tulasi Parikrama, follows Bhajan
• 19.55 Lecture • 20.30 Sayan Arati, follows Prasadam

Bhajan – spiritual songs • Arati – temple ceremony

• Prasadam – spiritual vegetarian food
Hare Krsna Hare Krsna Krsna Krsna Hare Hare
Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare

Acarya Nitya-lila-pravista Om Visnupada 108 Sri Srimad

Bhakti Vaibhava Puri Gosvami Maharaja

Sri Sri R adha Govinda Gaudiya Math

Sri Krishna Chaitanya Mission
Wienerbergstrasse 29A/Top3 • 1120 Vienna
Tel. +43 18 120 574 • www.radha-govinda.org