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Vaisnava Tattva

By: Mahanidhi Swami

FaceBookquote as one becomes purified by chanting the Holy Names of the Lord, so one can be purified simply by chanting the name of a holy devotee.

? This quote is a little strange or maybe I am not understanding the meaning, cause Srila Prabhupada also said we should chant Krishna’s name and Lord Chaitanya also?

My gurudeva said this while glorifying one Gaudiya acharya on his tirobhava. The lecture was centered on vaisnavas and how powerful and purifying is remembering them, worshiping them and chanting their names and qualities, at any time especially on their disappearance day. Obviously krsna nama nirantara lao, Mahaprabhu said take Krsna’s name without stopping. But remember God and everyone and thing intimately connected with Him is also worshipable and purifying, tadiyanam samarcanam, as told by Lord Siva and often quoted by Prabhupada (cc 2.12.38)

Jai Jai Sri Radhe

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11 Suggestions for Leaders,

By:Mahanidhi Swami

1. Regularly serve prasada.

2. Are generous.

3. Push others forward.

4. Genuinely care for others’ welfare.

5. Instruct disciples to honor godbrothers.

6. Are inclusive instead of exclusive.

7. Live very simply.

8. Sometimes joke and laugh with us, not at us.

9. Apologize after making mistakes.

10. Ask others what they want to do to please Krishna.

11. Don’t insist on being served.

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Six Main Ways To Attain Krishna Prema

By:Mahanidhi Swami

You and I, and all the fortunate Gaudiya Vaisnavas are worshipers of Prema Purusottama Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. Lord Gauranga’s mission on earth was to give pure love of God, Krishna prema, and all the bliss it brings to one and all without discrimination. Srila Sanatana Goswamipada shows how that most coveted goal of love divine can easily be achieved:

1. Mercy: the main cause of attaining prema is Krishna’s mercy (nidanam param Krishna karuna)

2. Meditation: on Radha-Krishna’s Vraja pastimes (vraja krida dhyana).

3. Singing: about Radha-Krishna’s Vraja pastimes (vraja krida gana).

4. Association: with premi-bhaktas (rasa loka sanga).

5. Residence: alone in a Vrindavana Radha-Krishna pastime place (priya krida vana, rahah nivasa).

6. Humility: always cultivate the utmost humility in thoughts, words and actions.

(source: Brhad-Bhagavatamrta II 5.215-223)

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Seventy Obstacles / Anarthas To Vraja – Bhajan

By: Mahanidhi Swami

The following list of obstacles to Vraja-bhajana comes from Bhaktivinoda Thakura’s ‘Caitanya Siksastakam’. The demons manifesting in Vraja Gokula on earth have symbolic significance. They are not found in the spiritual world. There they appear only as rumors or impressions.

By reading the namittika (occasional) lilas of killing the twenty demons mentioned in the tenth canto of Srimad Bhagavatam, the sadhaka purifies his heart of all the impediments, obstacles, anarthas and aparadhas. Then one becomes eligible to read, reflect upon and taste the asta-kaliya lilas of Radha Krsna.

Until one reaches the platform of bhava-bhakti, it is necessary to cultivate devotion by meditating on both the naimittika and asta-kaliya lilas. By reading and remembering the asta-kaliya lilas (Bhavanasara Sangraha, Krsnahnika Kaumudi), one gets a taste of madhura-rasa. By understanding and appreciating the naimittika lilas, a devotee will destroy all the obstacles to tasting the bhakti rasa within Radha Krsna’s eternal pastimes. With a sincere desire to become purified of all material contaminations, one should read all the above pastimes from the tenth canto of Srimad Bhagavatam. With all humility, one should pray to Krsna and Balarama to remove the impurities personified by the demons whom they had killed.

The demons killed by Krsna in the tenth canto of Srimad Bhagavatam represent anarthas (impurities or obstacles) preventing a devotee from attaining pure love for Radha and Krsna. These undesirable impurities and demoniac qualities must be completely uprooted from the core of one’s heart. Only cent percent pure devotees of Krsna can live eternally in Vrndavana blissfully serving the Divine Couple.

If a devotee cries out humbly and sincerely to Lord Sri Krsna to remove these demoniac qualities which are represented by the demons killed by Lord Krsna, then Sri Krsna Himself will remove those evils. But the devotees must personally work to drive out the anarthas represented by the demons killed by Lord Balarama. This is a mystery of Vraja-bhajana. The aspirant must personally remove these strong impediments with his best care and efforts and by obtaining the mercy of Krsna. If the devotee’s humility- becomes very deep and intense, Krsna will be merciful. In that case, the feeling of Lord Baladeva will arise in his mind and quickly destroy these demoniac qualities. Then one will gradually improve his cultivation of bhajana.

anarthas Remedy – Tenth Canto Chapter
Aisvarya— Attachment to awe and reverence instead of Krsna’s sweetness Brahma-vimohana Lila – Ch.13
Argument— Attachment to false arguments Trnavarta – Ch.7
Argument— Accepting arguments as your guru Putana – Ch.6
Argument— Pointless Forest fire – Ch.17 & 19
Arrogance— Due to wealth and high birth Liberation of yamala-arjuna trees – Ch. 10
Association— With atheists believing in chemical evolution Trnavarta – Ch.7
Association— With proud people Trnavarta – Ch.7
Association— With dry logicians Trnavarta – Ch.7
Association— Giving up association of false, deceitful devotees Vyoma – Ch.37
Attachment— To enjoyment and salvation Putana – Ch.6
Battles & Conflicts— Fighting mental enemies or looking for fight with others due to ego Forest fire – Ch. 17&19
Buddhist philosophy— Trapped in the whirlwind of Trnavarta – Ch.7
Cheating propensity— Tendency to disobey the instructions of guru & Krsna due to material attachment Bakasura – Ch.11
Compassion— Lack of, for others Aghasura –Ch.12
Crookedness— Illegal, dishonest, bent out of shape Kaliya – Ch.16
Cruelty— In any form by the actions of one’s body, mind or words Liberation of yarnala-arjuna trees – Ch.10
Cruelty & unkindness— Due to envy of other living entities Kaliya – Ch.16
Cunningness— Skilled at deceiving people Bakasura – Ch.11
Debauchery— Indulging in sex, alcohol and drugs Liberation of yamala-arjuna trees – Ch.10
Addiction— To drinking alcohol Liberation of yamala-arjuna trees – Ch.10
Demigods— Attachment to worshipping different demigods for fruits even after initiation Stopping Indra-puja – Ch.24& 25
Doubts— Illusions about Absolute Truth and position of Krsna Brahma-vimohana lila – Ch.13
Fame— Destroying the desire for name and fame Sankhachuda – Ch.34
Falsity— Leaving vaidhi-bhakti to practice raganuga-bhakti; but if one doesn’t attain spiritual attachment to Krsna, he then cultivates perverted material attachments; becoming a show-bottle devotee. Vyoma – Ch.37
Fighting— Against the opinions of others Forest fire-Ch.17& 19
Greed— For position, worship and money Pralambasura – Ch 18
Greed— Performing bad activities due to greed Vatsasura – Ch.11
Habits— Bad – Old & new; load bearing down on bhakti Sakatasura – Ch.7
Hatred— Towards others; tendency to harass them Aghasura – Ch.12
Hatred— Towards others because of pride in one’s birth and money Liberation of yamala-arjuna trees – Ch.10
Hatred — Inner hatred towards other communities and groups Forest fire – Ch.l7&19
Honour— Desire for honour Pralarnbasura – Ch.18
Holy Name— Ignorance about the oneness of Krsna, the person and His Holy Name Dhenukasura – Ch.15
Hypocrisy— In behaviour—Pretending to have higher standards Bakasura – Ch.11
Ignorance— About one’s relationship with Krsna (sarnbandha-jnana) Dhenukasura – Ch.15
Illicit Sex— Removing the desire for illicit sex and attachment to it Pralambasura – Ch.18
Illusion— Freedom from the illusion of thinking, “I am a great devotee and acarya” Kesi – Ch. 37
Intolerance— Inability to tolerate ideas or behaviour different from yours Aghasura – Ch.12
Intoxication— Destroying the idea — “I can increase my bliss by intoxication” Releasing Nanda Maharaja from Varuna – Ch. 28
Knowledge— Loss of knowledge concerning one’s spiritual identity Dhenukasura – Ch.15
Karma -kanda— Becoming indifferent to bhakti due to absorption in karma-kandiya activities Yajnic brahmanas – Ch. 23
Laziness— Due to bad habits or attachment to the mode of ignorance Sakatasura – Ch.7
Lies— Tendency to speak Vyoma – Ch.37
Logic— Attachment to material logic (nyaya) Trnavarta – Ch.7
Lust— An external show of devotion while maintaining lust for opposite sex Pralambasura – Ch.18
Mayavada philosophy— Letting the truth of bhakti be swallowed by Mayavada philosophy Vidyadhara liberated – Ch.34
Mentality— Ass-like neophyte mentality which can’t appreciate books of previous acaryas and forbids others to read them Dhenukasura – Ch.15
Mind— Immature; performing sinful activities due to an immature mind Vatsasura – Ch.11
Misconception— Carrying the load of misconceptions and bad philosophies Sakatasura – Ch.7
Neophyte— Strong spirit to enjoy and tendency to perform illicit activities Vatsasura – Ch.11 & read Krsna

sporting lila with the cowhered boys
Offenses— Due to pride, one thinks that he is a great devotee and therefore offensively lords over others. Kesi – Ch.37
Philosophies— Other than bhakti, which try to diminish or destroy bhakti Vidyadhara liberated – Ch.34
Pride— Pride in scholarship and material learning Trnavarta – Ch.7
Pride— Pride caused by money and worldly attachments. Kesi – Ch.37
Pride— Thinking you are more expert in bhakti than other devotees Vyoma – Ch.37
Religious practices— Disregard for religious practices of others Forest fire – Ch.17 & 19
Religious principles— Not understanding the purpose of religious principles; merely carrying the burden of following them due to attachment Sakatasura – Ch.7
Sampradayas— Disagreement with other sampradayas and mathas Forest fire – Ch.17 & 19
Sectarianism— Due to sectarianism, you can’t accept anyone outside your group as a vaisnava Forest fire – Ch.17 & 19
Scepticism— Doubts regarding the path of bhakti Brahma-vimohana lila – Ch.13
Shameful behaviour— Breaking of four religious principles Liberation of yamala-arjuna trees – Ch.10
Speech— Loose speech; speaking offensively due to one’s birth or money Liberation of yamala-arjuna trees – Ch.10
Sense gratification— Desiring to attain sense gratification via bhakti Sankhachuda – Ch.34
Suddha bhakti— Negligence or disregard for Aristasura – Ch.36
Stealing— Others’ property Vyoma – Ch.37
Varnasrama— Due to pride and attachment to varnasrama, one neglects Krsna bhakti Yajnic brahmanas – Ch.23
Vanity— Pride in one’s own appearance or achievements Sakatasura – Ch.7

Kaliya – Ch.16
Violence— Tendency of the mind to commit violence to others Aghasura – Ch.12
Women — Destroying the desire to associate with women Sankhachuda – Ch.34
Yajna— Attachment to vedic homas and yajnas, and therefore becoming indifferent to bhakti. Yajnic brahmanas – Ch.23

Om Tat Sat!
Jai Jai Sri Radhe!!

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Purity Means Pure Food

By:Mahanidhi Swami

In America, there is a common saying, “You are what you eat!” This means that eating impure food produces an impure mind and an unhealthy body. Eating good sattvic food, which means pure vegetarian only, will make you think good sattvic thoughts; act in a good, pure and righteous way; and produce good health and peace of mind.

Food falls into three categories:

1. Sattvic (goodness) food—Increases life-span, energy, strength, fitness, and it produces peace, balance and joy. It is healthy, full of essential nutrients to maintain the body and mind.

2. Rajasic (passionate) food—Is too bitter or sour, high in sodium, spicy, oily, hot or too sweet.

3. Tamasic (ignorance) food—Is dry, stale, foul-smelling and contaminated.

The Chandogya Upanishad says, “Pure sattvic (100 % vegetarian) food produces mental purity and continuous remembrance, ahar-shuddhou sattva-shuddhih sattva-shuddhou dhruva-smritih.

As devotees, we want to always remember Bhagavan Sri Krishna’s wonderfully attractive name, form, qualities and sweet pastimes. To achieve the requisite mental purity to do this one must be careful that the food he eats is free from contamination by foreign elements or mundane consciousness.

Food can be contaminated in three ways: by nature, by contacting impure items, and by material consciousness.

1) By nature certain foods are impure because they are sinful and produce disturbing vibrations of passion and ignorance within the mind. Such as meat, egg, alcohol, fish, onion, garlic, leeks, and mushroom.

2) External contamination means vegetarian food made impure by contacting dirt, mosquitoes, flies, saliva, blood or sweat.

3) Consciousness contamination means food purchased by, cooked by or served by individuals in impure material consciousness. In other words, even pure vegetarian food will become contaminated if any of the above three persons is miserly, lusty, greedy, angry, dull-witted person, or infected by a sexual disease. Their bad impure qualities are transmitted to the food and into the mind of whoever eats it.

One should eat only pure sattvic food, which is free from all the above contaminations, and offered to Bhagavan Sri Krishna with a pure mind and sincere heart. When Srila Prabhupada lived alone in the Radha-Damodara Mandir he never took prasadam at “bhandaras”, which is a function where sponsors invite sadhus to take free prasadam along with a donation. Srila Prabhupada was very strict; he only took Thakuriji Radha Damodara’s maha-prasada or food purchased and prepared by his own lotus hands.

In this regard, Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu said, “When one eats food offered by a materialistic man, one’s mind becomes contaminated, and then he cannot do Krishna smarana, remember Sri Krishna”… vishayira anna khaile, malina haya mana, malina mana haile nahe krsnera smarana. (Cc. 3.6.278)

In conclusion, sadhakas should be very careful about the purity of the food they eat. It should be purchased, prepared, offered to Sri Krishna, and served in pure Krishna consciousness. Then such pure food, Krishna prasadam, will sanctify our minds, purify our existence and enable us to always remember Radha Govinda Yugala throughout the day and night.

Jai Jai Sri Radhe!

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Pure Love Only By Mercy

Mahanidhi Swami

To Srila Rupa Goswamipada, Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu spoke a very beautiful verse describing the relation between mercy and love divine. Let’s look at it and dive into the ocean of truth:

brahmanda bhramite kona bhagyavan jiva,
guru krishna prasade PAYA bhakti lata bija

“All living entities are wandering throughout the entire universe. Out of many millions of wandering living entities, one who is very fortunate gets an opportunity to associate with a bona fide spiritual master by the grace of Krishna. By the mercy of both Krishna and the spiritual master, such a person receives the seed of the creeper of devotional service.” (Caitanya-caritamrta 2.19.151; trans. Srila Prabhupada)

Comment: Please clearly read this most important verse, a main pillar in the house of Krishna consciousness. Srila Prabhupada translates the Bengali verb paya as receive. The word paya means to receive or to get something, which means that that something IS NOT INSIDE OF ONE.

The word PAYA clearly means, as Srila Prabhupada states, that something is received or gotten from an outside source. In this case it means one receives or gets the seed of bhakti or pure love of God, Krishna prema, from an outside source, namely Bhagavan Sri Krishna or Sri Guru, or a combination both as Srila Prabhupada states. In other words, neither Krishna bhakti nor its development to bhava or its culmination as Krishna prema is within the heart of any conditioned soul in this material world.

The conclusion is that if a jiva is very fortunate, however, he may RECEIVE OR GET BHAKTI FROM SRI KRISHNA OR SRI GURU. Then by purely hearing, chanting and remembering Sri Krishna’s beautiful sweet names, forms, qualities and pastimes that seed of bhakti will sprout, and grow into the tree of bhava producing the sweet tasty fruits of Krishna prema.

In other words, mercy gives bhakti, and that bhakti grows and develops by more mercy. Then by a rare and extraordinary ingress of mercy that bhakti becomes bhava and then quickly blossoms into prema, pure love of Krishna.

From this essential verse of Krishna consciousness we can understand the absolute importance and necessity of Sri Guru in our lives and the supreme role of mercy. Thus without the mercy of Sri Krishna and Sri Guru no one in the entire universe can ever attain pure love of Krishna, the sweetly fulfilling taste of Krishna prema.

Jai Jai Sri Radhe!

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Perfection Now!

By:Mahanidhi Swami

One will definitely attain spiritual perfection in this very lifetime by following three steps:

1) Give up your INDEPENDENCE completely.

2) Fully SURRENDER to Sri Guru and Sri Krishna.

3) Sincerely SERVE Radha Govinda Yugala under the guidance of Sri Guru.

In this regard Srila Prabhupada said, “All of my disciples should attain spiritual perfection in this lifetime. Why wait for another?” This quote was also often spoken by Prabhupada Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati to his disciples.

Jai Jai Sri Radhe!

Giriraj Dharan Ki Jai!

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Freedom And Vision In Married Life

By:Mahanidhi Swami

Just imagine how spiritually advanced we would be if every day we utilized just one-fourth of the energy we expend to maintain our families, to engage in spiritual practices? By doing this we would surely attain a solid foundation in pure devotion to Radha-Krishna. But as married folks where do we get the power to be determined and push on forcefully in sadhana?

Super strength comes from one’s daily personal bhajana and sadhu-sanga. By this combination you will attain two freedoms. You’ll get free from the illusion that “I am the doer”, and you’ll get free from the stranglehold of household attachments.

And by this, something very special called “Vraja Vision” will also gradually arise in your heart to give you a totally new outlook to life. “Vraja Vision” means to start seeing your wife, children and family members as persons meant for Sri Krishna’s pleasure, and to stop seeing them as objects for your personal enjoyment.

Turn your “home sweet home” into Krishna’s sweet serving temple by keeping Sri Krishna in the center of your heart, mind and actions. When you come home at night, you should think you’re entering your temple to serve your beloved Thakurji Sri Krishna. Then engage all and arrange everything for the Lord’s happiness and see the result!

Lastly, here’s a reminder of some essential DAILY TEACHINGS for family folks or anyone desiring spiritual perfection in this lifetime:

1) Continually cultivate DEP: determination, enthusiasm, and patience

in your daily sadhana of hearing and chanting about Gaura Radha Govinda Yugala.

2) Always avoid gossip and bad folks.

3) Heartfully serve Sri Hari, Sri Guru and Vaisnavas.

4) Chant Sri Harinama with purity of purpose and intensity of feelings.

5) Associate with saintly people.

6) Hear the sweet pastimes of Gauranga Mahaprabhu and Radha-Shyamasundara.

Gaura-Vishnupriya ki jai!

Jai Jai Sri Radhe!

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Four Ways Out

By:Mahanidhi Swami

We are all trapped in Maya, mad after sense gratification, and endlessly moving on the wheel of repeated birth and death (samsara chakra). If Krishna does not save us, we are lost forever. In four wonderful ways, our loving Lord Sri Krishna extends His causeless mercy to free us. 1) In the form of Guru, Krishna goes house to house to initiate everyone; 2) In the form of Vaisnavas, Krishna instructs everyone; 3) In the form of scriptures, Krishna speaks transcendental knowledge; 4) In the form of Supersoul, Krishna internally guides, reveals and advises (Bg. 10.10).

Parama Krpalu Sri Krishna ki jai!

Jai Jai Sri Radhe!

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Is Bhakti Stronger than God?

By:Mahanidhi Swami

Jai Sri Radhe, Vedas say asam urdhva no ONE is equal to or greater than Krsna. I agree 100 % BUT krsna himself says radhika prema guru, ami sishya nath which means Sri Radhika is my prem guru and I am Her dancing student. The pure love of Priyaji Radha is STRONGER THAN KRSNA. By that pure love Radha defeats and controls Bhagavan Sri Krsna. By that pure love Yasoda binds Damodara. By that pure love Subal pins Shyam under him when they wrestle. and by that pure love you can become stronger than god. No person is stronger than Krsna BUT the quality of sweet vraj prema is stronger than God Sri Krsna. May you I and all the devotees of Gauranga Mahaprabhu attain sweet vraj prema in this life.

Om Tat Sat!
Jai Jai Sri Radhe!!