 |
Srila Prabhupada's Hare Krishna Society Uniting devotees under the inspiration, guidance and authority of His Divine Grace AC Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada Founder Acharya of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness, also known as the Krishna Consciousness Movement. "I wish that each and every branch shall keep their independent identity and cooperate keeping the Acarya in the centre . On this principle we can open any number of branches all over the world." |
 "From now on unless I order you do something change or in addition, go on with the usual standard way. ." |
|
Articles
Simple things gets Complicated Srila Prabhupada takes us back to Godhead Writing from the Transcendental Platform Rascals are concerned with grammar Krsna Appears to Dance GBC Suppressed The Truth Detecting Srila Prabhupada's Original Books Do Not Change My Words Book Changes and BBT Oversight Palmdale , CA Rathayatra Photos
System is Authorized
How to behave with the acarya
Elementary, My Dear Watson
Simple Matter Key Events Society Friendship and Love If You Stay With Krsna The Tradition of Debate Hare Krishna Society Panama Potency of Krsna Book Authority of the Acarya Atheists-Blind Bluffers Death Is God Letter to Karandhar Tittenhurst, October 1969 Why not become a wise man? Simple Method of Krishna Consciousness HKS Montreal, Canada Festival of Nityananda The Position of Imitation Spiritual Masters What is a Devotee? If Only 5% Becomes Krishna Conscious HKS Montreal Gaura Purnima Festival Gaura Purnima Sedro Woolley, WA For Your Viewing Pleasure
Honoring Prasadam
Glories of Bhagavad-gita Merry Krsna Govardhana Puja Janmastami Festival Gaura Purnima Festival HKS Ashland Oregon Govardhana Puja S F Ratha Yatra Prabhupada Siddhanta at Vancouver Ratha Yatra Glories of Vrindavana Dhama Prabhupada Siddhanta at San Fransisco Ratha Yatra Simple Living High Thinking HKSWashington State H KS meets with India's Honorable Mr Prem Singh Srila Prabhupada Receives "Prabhupada Siddhanta" Time, Place and Circumstance Necessary Material Activities Transcendental Vision Lilamrta Review What Good Are Many Devotees? What Is God Realization? The Future Church of The World Mythology Revival? Our Living Guru.zip Srila Prabhupada on Vapuh vs Vani Prabhupada On Sadhana Bhakti a Brahmana Prabhupada Stotram Vishnujana on Chanting An Open Invitation Gaudiya Vaisnava Biographies Unique Acarya Jagat Guru Archives FAQs Book Changes Changes to Sri Caitanya-caritamrta It is a very great mistake Detecting Srila Prabhupada's Original Books Do Not Change My Words Book Changes and BBT Oversight HIDDEN CO-AUTHORS Krishna Consciousness Fundamental Documents
Constitution of
July 9th Letter
Hari Nama
Photo Galleries
Vrindavana  Read Srila Prabhupada Siddhanta For Information about Bona-Fide Initiations 
Contact the Hare Krishna Society
Most Recent Update
14 February 2008
Links provided
are for information only, The Hare Krishna Society does not necessarily endorse
all the contents and statements in those links
BBT images and written materials are (c) 1972 Bhaktivedanta Book Trust. All rights reserved. All such materials are published pursuant to Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, Fair Use Exception |
.."Its remarkable how complicated, simple
things get.."
750713rc.phi Conversations 391890/530501
Prof. Hopkins: It's difficult for people outside the society of Krsna consciousness
to see what the purpose is. How would you understand the purpose? Simply to make
God known? How would you state...
Prabhupada: Our purpose is how to become
happy. Everyone is struggling how to become happy. Somebody
is thinking that "If I can get money then I'll be happy." Somebody is thinking that
"If we become one with the Supreme, then I'll be happy." And somebody thinks that
"If I can get material power, then I'll be happy." So those who are thinking
in terms of money, they are karmis. And those who are thinking in terms of becoming
one, they are jnanis. And those who are thinking in terms of getting material power,
they are yogis.
But the bhaktas, they don't want any such perfection. They,
bhaktis, "Let me worship the Supreme, that's all." Therefore he has already (indistinct)
and they are all in want.
Bhakta is satisfied simply by worshiping the Lord. Svamin krtartho 'smi. And all others, karmis, jnanis,
yogis, they want something so they cannot be happy. So if happiness is my aim, then
I must become a bhakta, otherwise there is no happiness. You
are always in want. Somebody is in want of money, somebody is in want to becoming
one with the Supreme, and somebody wants to show some jugglery, mysticism. So they
want something. And a devotee, he doesn't want all these things. He wants to serve
Krsna, that's all. No demand. And he serves Krsna without any motive. Ahaituky apratihata.
That is bhakta.
Prof. Hopkins: So what you are doing is simply showing people how to be happy.
Prabhupada: Yes.
Prof. Hopkins: I like that.
Prabhupada: Thank you. That is the real want, how to become happy.
Prof. Hopkins: It's
remarkable how complicated simple things get.
Prabhupada: The example is also very simple. Just like a child is crying and somebody
is offering some milk, somebody is offering something but he is still crying. Could
not find any cause. Then when the child goes to the mother's lap, immediately (claps)--stops.
He understands immediately, "Now I am on the lap of my mother, then everything
is all right." Yam labdhva caparam labham manyate nadhikam tatah. Everyone
is hankering after making some profit, this way, that way, this way, that way. But
when one becomes, gets that supreme thing then he thinks, "Oh, I don't want anything."
That is happiness. Unhappiness due
to want. So the karmis, jnanis, yogis, they are all in want.
They want something. Bhaktas are also sometimes in want. They want Krsna. And in
absence of Krsna they are very unhappy, but that unhappiness ia greater than (material)
happiness....
-------------------- SB 5.5.35 P Lord Rsabhadeva' s Teachings to His Sons 45868/530501 krsna-bhakta----niskama, ataeva 'santa' bhukti-mukti-siddhi-kami----sakali 'asanta'
The word santa means completely peaceful. Unless all one's desires are fulfilled,
one cannot be peaceful. Everyone is trying
to fulfill his aspirations and desires, be they material or
spiritual. Those in the material world are asanta
(without peace) because they have so many desires to fulfill. The pure devotee,
however, is without desire. Anyabhilasita-sunya: a pure devotee is completely free
from all kinds of material desire. Karmis, on the other hand, are simply full of
desires because they try to enjoy sense gratification. They are not peaceful in
this life, nor the next, during the past, present or future. Similarly. jnanis are
always aspiring after liberation and trying to become one with the Supreme. Yogis
are aspiring after many siddhis (powers)--anima, laghima, prapti, etc. However,
a devotee is not at all interested in these things because he is fully dependent
on the mercy of Krsna. Krsna is yogesvara, the possessor of all mystic powers (siddhis),
and He is atmarama, fully self-satisfied.
74-01-07.Mal Letter: Malati 296558/530501
You write that things are in a crises
in England, with oil shortage and IRA bombing. Therefore, we
have to take shelter of Krsna. If Krsna wants to kill us that is not wrong, if it
is His desire. Our business should just to be
to follow the regulative schedule, deity worship, distributing prasadam, chanting,
book distribution and never mind the material danger.
Krsna Consciousness means to be on the platform of deathlessness.
Every sloka in Bhagavad-gita and Srimad-Bhagavatam is informing us of this.
If you read these books carefully
you will understand this platform of
deathlessness as opposed to the material condition in which
no one wants to die but no one can check death.
Conclusion-Any "thinking" by a devotee or a demon,
other than devotional service will never produce ultimate happiness-so better to
figure out how to please Govinda if we really want to be happy...
Consider this logic...
If you knew you had to die today, what would you do?
You would seriously be chanting.
If you knew you had to die in 6 months of cancer, what would you be doing? You would be seriously be chanting. So if knowing your future (ultimate bodily death) determines your present behavior, and nobody knows for sure exactly WHEN they will die, isnt it intelligent to just begin seriously chanting right now and not worry about tomorrow, knowing that death to this body can come at any moment? This is called intelligence.
Prabhupada once told us the story of some sage who had a benediction to live for
so many millions of years, and yet he didnt construct a small cottage to block the
suns rays from his body. When asked why not, he replied "why should I, life in this
body is so short !!" And he knew he was to "live" for thousands of years. As Prabhupda
says, one who is on the platform of deathlessness, has no wants for this body nor
is in anxiety for maintaining this body. He or she just does not worry since he
or she knows without any doubting, he or she is not this body but is the particle
of consciousness within this body-temporarily.
So I am writing this for those devotees who are worried about the coming calamities
in the world. As if only at this time there will be "coming calamities". No, Krsna
tells us there are ALWAYS coming calamities. There will never be a time when there
will be NO coming calamities in this material world.
Knowing this a devotee does not concern him or herself with these coming calamities knowing them to be temporary, and the nature of this place.. In the above letter to the woman devotee in England Prabhupada tells her that despite the crisis in England of oil shortages and bombings (almost exactly similar to whats going on right now), that our only business as devotees is to simply follow the regulative principles,worship our Deities, etc and in this way come to the platform of deathlessness.
If we think there is something else than this platform-
then we have not heard from our spiritual master properly. The first quote from
Prabhupada in his conversation tells us all how to be HAPPY, which is really all
we want. The letter, to the woman devotee, tells us how not to think. (and there
are very many quotes to this same effect about not worrying about war, california
falling into the ocean, etc) He makes it so clear-everyone WANTS something but the
devotee only wants Krsna to be happy, and as a result- the devotee himself becomes
happy. Everyone else has some agenda for himself or herself to "become" happy. Therefore
he or she puts him or herself into anxiety by this "Want". We are not for anybody
nor are we against anybody, we are simply for the pleasure of Krsna. This mentality
will keep or put us on the platform of deathlessness which also means fearlessness.
Hare Krsna-chant and be happy....
- Damaghosa das
|
