Tag Archive for: KrishnaMercy

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Prasadam in Raga Marga

Mahanidhi Madan Gopal Das

Why do we offer obeisances before taking Sri Krishna prasadam? Srila Prabhupada answers, “Because the prasadam is also Krishna. So by taking prasadam, I am contacting Krishna.” (Folio 661205CCNY)

The standard is to first offer obeisances to Krishna prasadam, and then glorify Krishna’s grace food with selected prayers. Most Vaisnavas utter the following Skanda Purana verse:

maha-prasade -govinde
-nama-brahmani -vaishnave
svalpa-punyavatam -rajan –
vishvaso -naiva -jayate

“A person with little piety can never develop faith in Krishna’s maha-prasada, Bhagavan Sri Govinda, Krishna’s transcendental Name, or the Vaisnavas.” (Caitanya-caritamrta 3.16.96)

Srila Prabhupada often quoted Bhagavad-Gita (2.65) to glorify Sri Krishna prasadam, the sanctified food remnants of Radha and Krishna.

In Paris (1974), when he saw a plate of Krishna prasadam brought in by a disciple, Srila Prabhupada excitedly uttered, “Hare Krishna! Prasade -sarva-duhkhanam hanir-asyopajayate!” (Folio 740610R1.PAR)

Once an Indian gentleman asked, “What is the importance of Krishna prasada?

Srila Prabhupada answered, “Yes, prasada! Very good! Prasada is Krishna’s special favor. That is prasada. Prasade -sarva-duhkhanam hanir-asyopajayate. If we simply eat Krishna prasada, without any culture, we can get spiritual knowledge.” (Folio (660812.BG.NY)

By reciting the following Gita verse before honoring Sri Krishna’s sacred food remnants, devotees can simultaneously glorify the tremendous power of Krishna prasadam, and remember our “ever well-wisher”, Srila Prabhupada:

prasade -sarva-duhkhanam
hanir -asyopajayate
prasanna-cetaso hy -ashu
buddhih –parya -vatishthate

“Krishna prasada destroys all miseries, fills the mind with happiness, and establishes the intelligence in self-realization.” (Bhagavad-gita 2.65)

Devotees doing raganuga –bhakti –sadhana often recite the following verse while remembering the sweet compassion of Kishoriju Srimati Radharani:

sri –radhaya -madhura –madhur -occhishta -piyusha -saram
bhojam -bhojam -nava -nava -rasananda -magnah -kada -syam

“When will I be absorbed in relishing ever-new blissful rasa by repeatedly chewing Sri Radha’s sweeter than sweet remnants which are the essence of nectar?” (Radha Rasa Sudhanidhi 87)

Jagannatha maha-prasada ki jai! Radha Raman maha-prasada ki jai!

Srimati Radharani’s nectarean prasadi ki jai! Jai Jai Sri Radhe!

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Srila Prabhupada: MERCY or FREE WILL?

Mahanidhi Swami

Devotee: Srila Prabhupada where is the question of the free will of the individual?

Srila Prabhupada: “[You have] free will under Krishna. Your free will sanctioned by Krishna. However, you are not so free that whatever you like, you can do.”

Devotee: If I want to perform some pious deed, it is only by Krishna’s mercy that I will do it?

Srila Prabhupada: “Yes. It isn’t just a question of our free will; Krishna has His free will also, and that is supreme. You cannot bind Krishna to dictate in a similar way. If Krishna likes, He may act and if He doesn’t like, He may not act. That is Krishna.”

Devotee: [Then no matter how much we preach or sell books] ultimately it is simply by the mercy of Krishna that a living entity comes back to Krishna.

Srila Prabhupada: “Yes. So it is Krishna’s business where to show mercy, but you cannot oblige [order] Krishna that ‘You show mercy everywhere.’

“No! You cannot oblige Krishna, ‘You do this.’ That is not Krishna. Therefore whatever Krishna likes, He’ll do. If Krishna likes, He can give you mercy. And if Krishna does not like, He may not.” (Trans.Diary 14th March 1976)

Svatantra Bhagavan Sri Krishna ki jai! Srila Prabhupada ki jai! Jaya Jaya Sri Radhe!