Previous Acaryas text
Writing of Previous Acaryas
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Further Dangers of Rittvik
Here Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Prabhupada contrasts the guidance received from a physically departed spiritual master, Jesus Christ (or Srila Prabhupada), and a physically manifest guru. This is not only applicable to current rittvik advocates but all current followers of Srila Prabhupada since there is no known physically manifest pure devotee. From Amrita Vani, the Spiritual Master by Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Prabhupada, English translation by Bhumipati dasa 40. If Jesus Christ was a jagad-guru and his instructions capable of bringing us deliverance, why do we need a spiritual master? We accept both the universal spiritual master and the initiating spiritual master. By accepting only the jagad-guru, we may…
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Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta – Ādi-līlā 1.35
mantra-guru āra yata śikṣā-guru-gaṇa tāṅhāra caraṇa āge kariye vandana SYNONYMS mantra–guru — the initiating spiritual master; āra — and also; yata — as many (as there are); śikṣā–guru–gaṇa — all the instructing spiritual masters; tāṅhāra — of all of them; caraṇa — unto the lotus feet; āge — at first; kariye — I offer; vandana — respectful obeisances. TRANSLATION I first offer my respectful obeisances at the lotus feet of my initiating spiritual master and all my instructing spiritual masters. PURPORT Śrīla Jīva Gosvāmī, in his thesis Bhakti-sandarbha (202), has stated that uncontaminated devotional service is the objective of pure Vaiṣṇavas and that one has to execute…
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Glories of the Holy Name by Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Prabhupada
From Amrita Vani, Achieving Perfection, 47. According to Mahaprabhu, what is a human being’s most important duty? by Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Prabhupada, English translation by Bhumipati dasa Sri Caitanyadeva inaugurated the sankirtana movement and delivered the fallen souls of this age. He is the most magnanimous personality. In the verse beginning trnad api, He taught that chanting Krsna’s holy name is our only duty. Those who desire liberation and eternal happiness, as well as those who desire the treasure of love of God, should always chant the Lord’s holy name. The Lord’s name is nondifferent from Him. It is capable of delivering us from material existence and awarding us…
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Srila Bhaktisiddhanta on Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu’s Appearance
From Amrita Vani, Sri Chaitanyadeva by Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Prabhupada, English translation by Bhumipati dasa 9. How does the Supreme Lord perform His appearance pastimes? Since mother Saci and Jagannath Misra are eternally perfect devotees, their hearts and bodies consist of pure goodness. They are never to be considered ordinary jlvas. Pure goodness is also called vasudeva. Lord Vasudeva, who enjoys transcendental pastimes, appears only in pure goodness, or vasudeva. Mother Saci’s pregnancy did not occur through lusty association with her husband, as if they were a mundane male and female interested only in sense gratification, whose bodies were made of flesh, bones, and blood. Even to think…
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A Glimmer of His Causeless Mercy
From Amrita Vani, Material and Spiritual Topics by Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Prabhupada, English translation by Bhumipati dasa 2. Does lack of faith in God cause distress? Wherever there is an absence of complete faith in the most auspicious personality, there is bound to be inauspiciousness. Therefore, the ascending or unauthorized path should be totally rejected and the descending or authorized path of disciplic succession accepted. If we really want to benefit, we will have to offer everything we have accumulated since birth to the Lord’s lotus feet without reservation and await His causeless mercy. Until we are favored by a glimmer of His causeless mercy, we will not…
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Fault-find Yourself First!
From Amrita Vani, Devotional Service by Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Prabhupada, English translation by Bhumipati dasa 49. Is anger toward those envious of devotees a limb of devotional service? We should display anger toward those who are envious of devotees. This is a particular limb of devotional service. A lack of anger against blasphemers is unjustified. But we need to understand who is actually envious of devotees. Those who do not serve the Supreme Lord, the Supersoul and most blissful friend of all living entities, do not benefit themselves but instead invite trouble by their envy of Krsna and the Vaisnavas. Such people are branded as envious, and we…
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Selection From Amrita Vani, The Spiritual Master
by Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Prabhupada, English translation by Bhumipati dasa 60. Who can act as our spiritual master? Only that great personality who has been sent by the Lord from the spiritual world into this world to deliver fallen souls like us, who delivers people who are afflicted with the threefold miseries and sends them back to Godhead, who is most dear to the Supreme Lord and who represents Him, and who is the messenger of transcendental subject matter, is capable of acting as our spiritual master. He is an actual devotee and an actual spiritual master whose ax-like words remain always sharpened to sacrifice our propensities for material…
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Reality and Illusion
From Dialectic Spiritualism: Benedict Spinoza Page 182-3 Syamasundara dasa: Spinoza believes that the more we understand reality, the more we understand God. Srila Prabhupada: This is because God is reality, and forgetfulness of God is illusion. Illusion is also God, but in illusion we forget God; therefore it is not real. Sunshine and darkness are both reality because they exist side by side. Wherever there is light, there is also shadow. How can we say that the shadow is not reality? It is maya, but because maya attacks the individual soul, Kn;J)a is forgotten. In that sense, illusion or the unreal is also reality. Syamasundara dasa: But…
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The Hard to Hide Incarnation
Jaya Sacinandana! Sri Chaitanya Bhagavat, Antya Kanda, Chapter 9, English translation by Bhumipati dasa, Commentary by Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Prabhupada Text 157 eka-dina advaita sakala bhakta-prati balila paramanande matta hai’ ati//CB, Antya 9.157// TRANSLATION One day when Advaita Prabhu was intoxicated with ecstasy, He spoke to all the devotees. Text 158 “suna bhai-saba, eka kara samavaya mukha bhari’ gai’ aji sri-caitanya-raya//CB, Antya 9.158// TRANSLATION “Please listen, My dear brothers. Let us all together glorify Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. COMMENTARY The word samavaya means “together.” Text 159 aji ara kona avatara gaoya nai sarva-avatara-maya—caitanya-gosani//CB, Antya 9.159// TRANSLATION “Today we will not glorify any incarnation other than Lord Caitanya, who is the source…
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Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu’s Glorification of Srimad Bhagavatam
Sri Chaitanya Bhagavat, Antya Kanda, Chapter 3, English translation by Bhumipati dasa, Commentary by Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Prabhupada Devananda Pandita’s request to the Lord as to how to preach Srimad Bhagavatam Text 501 eka nivedana prabhu tomara carane ki kari upaya prabhu, balaha apane//CB, Antya 3.501// TRANSLATION “O Lord, I have one request at Your lotus feet. Please instruct me. Text 502 muni asarvajna-sarvajnera grantha laiya bhagavata padana apane ajna haiya//CB, Antya 3.502// TRANSLATION “I am an ignorant person yet I teach Srimad Bhagavatam, which is a book meant for the most intelligent persons. COMMENTARY Sarvajna Visnusvami has accepted Srimad Bhagavatam as the commentary on Vedanta. Devananda Pandita said, “It…
