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Appreciations and Memories of Mother Isa devi dasi

A famous French political figure of the twenties, Edouard Herriot, said : “Culture is what remains when one has forgotten everything…”

So, I guess Mother Isa devi dasi lived true to that saying as, while she had apparently forgotten everything, still remembered the essential:

kaler dosha-nidhe rajann
asti hy eko mahan gunah
kirtanad eva krishnasya
mukta-sangah param vrajet

My dear King, although Kali-yuga is an ocean of faults, there is still one good quality about this age: Simply by chanting the Hare Krishna maha-mantra, one can become free from material bondage and be promoted to the transcendental kingdom. (S.B. 12.3.51)

PURPORT
After mentioning the innumerable faults of this age of Kali, Sukadeva Gosvami now mentions its one brilliant aspect. Just as one powerful king can kill innumerable thieves, one brilliant spiritual quality can destroy all the contamination of this age. It is impossible to overestimate the importance of chanting Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare/ Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare, especially in this fallen age.

and kept being able to practice the yuga dharma:

harer nāma harer nāma
harer nāmaiva kevalam
kalau nāsty eva nāsty eva
nāsty eva gatir anyathā

“‘For spiritual progress in this Age of Kali, there is no alternative, there is no alternative, there is no alternative to the holy name, the holy name, the holy name of the Lord.’ (C.c. Adi 7.76)

This is certainly a special blessing, both from Sri Krishna, who declares:

sarvasya cāhaḿ hṛdi sanniviṣṭo mattaḥ smṛtir jñānam apohanaḿ ca
I am seated in everyone’s heart, and from Me come remembrance, knowledge and forgetfulness. (B.g. 15.15)

and Srila Prabhupada, her beloved Spiritual Master:

Gurudeva,
jogyatā-vicāre, kichu nāhi pāi,
tomāra karuṇā-sāra

If you examine me, you will find no qualities.
Your mercy is all that I am made of.

Mother Isa devi dasi ki Jaya

All glories to Srila Prabhupada
All glories to his sincere disciples and followers

Das dasanudasa
Puskaraksa das

Comment Posted By Puskaraksa das On 15.04.2013 @ 07:36

Should a Spiritual Person be preaching from the Podium of a Political Party?

Hence, I feel that “mature” devotees (as per the denomination used by our friend Akruranath Prabhu in his recent contribution) should not be shy and should step forward, with all humility and expertise at their command, and approach leaders of all spheres of society, in relation with their sphere of competence.

By that, I mean to say that a doctor may be in a better position to preach to other doctors. Similarly, an entrepreneur may be in a better position to preach to other entrepreneurs, than a devotee who might have been maintaining his family on social welfare for years, without contributing to society.

Besides, according to the definition of Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakur, a Vaishnava is meant to be broad-minded and tolerant.

Thus, a “mature” devotee will be able to remain aloof from party spirit and corporatism, while taking into consideration the welfare of all…

Hence, as Sri Rupa and Sri Sanatana who acted as Ministers, as Ramananda Raya who acted as a Governor, as Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakur who acted as a judge, or as our Srila Prabhupada who acted in his grihasta years as a pharmacist, according to Srila Rupa Gosvami in his Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu (1.2.187):

iha yasya harer dasye
karmana manasa gira
nikhilasv apy avasthasu
jivan-muktah sa ucyate

“A person acting in the service of Krsna with his body, mind, intelligence, and words is a liberated person even within the material world, although he may engage in many apparently material activities.”

Comment Posted By Puskaraksa das On 31.03.2013 @ 11:11

I agree with Indradyumna Maharaja and appreciate the fact that he has seized an opportunity for preaching, be it to political leaders, in relation with a political party…

Why not?

Srila Prabhupada said we have to preach to “mass and class”.

yad yad acarati sresthas
tat tad evetaro janah
sa yat pramanam kurute
lokas tad anuvartate

Whatever action is performed by a great man, common men follow in his footsteps. And whatever standards he sets by exemplary acts, all the world pursues. B.g. 3.21

On his side, Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakur stated that we will be able to measure our success in spreading Krishna Consciousness, when judges in the High Court will bear tilak on the forehead.

So, it is essential that we may imbibe all spheres of society with spiritual values.

As Srila Prabhupada stated in his purport to the above quoted verse (B.g. 3.21):

“The king or the executive head of a state, the father and the school teacher are all considered to be natural leaders of the innocent people in general. All such natural leaders have a great responsibility to their dependents; therefore they must be conversant with standard books of moral and spiritual codes.”

Hence, it is critical that they may also benefit from the association of devotees.

Amongst others, similar examples are Bhakti Caru Swami and Radhanath Swami preaching to bankers and businessmen in London, Sivarama Swami meeting with heads of the European Community, Gopal Krishna Maharaja meeting with political leaders in India and facilitating the distribution of Bhagavad-gita in Russia, etc.

What to speak of Tulsi Gabbard who is the first Hindu to be elected as a Member of Congress in the USA, thanks to the support of the Democrat Party?

As a personal testimony, having been in charge of Communication for France for a decade, from the late eighties till the late nineties, I contributed, in 2000 a couple papers to politicians and was thus invited to be part of the group of experts elaborating the program of President Chirac which was to be reelected as the President of France in 2002 (right wing).

Similarly, I recently offered Bhagavad-gita as it is, along with a personal letter, to the French President, His Prime Minister, the Minister of Defense and the Minister of the Interior (left wing) and got very good feed-back and appreciation.

Comment Posted By Puskaraksa das On 31.03.2013 @ 11:05

From Sri Mayapur! Date: March 22 2013, Verse: SB 4.30.24 Speaker: HH Danavir Goswami

Please note, Śrī Caitanya Caritāmṛta Madhya 17.133 (and not 17.33)

nāma cintāmaṇiḥ kṛṣṇaś
caitanya-rasa-vigrahaḥ
pūrṇaḥ śuddho nitya-mukto
‘bhinnatvān nāma-nāminoḥ

SYNONYMS

nāmaḥ — the holy name; cintāmaṇiḥ — transcendentally blissful giver of all spiritual benedictions; kṛṣṇaḥ — not different from Kṛṣṇa; caitanya-rasa-vigrahaḥ — the form of all transcendental mellows; pūrṇaḥ — complete; śuddhaḥ — pure, without material contamination; nitya — eternal; muktaḥ — liberated; abhinna-tvāt — due to not being different; nāma — of the holy name; nāminoḥ — and of the person who has the name.

TRANSLATION

“‘The holy name of Kṛṣṇa is transcendentally blissful. It bestows all spiritual benedictions, for it is Kṛṣṇa Himself, the reservoir of all pleasure. Kṛṣṇa’s name is complete, and it is the form of all transcendental mellows. It is not a material name under any condition, and it is no less powerful than Kṛṣṇa Himself. Since Kṛṣṇa’s name is not contaminated by the material qualities, there is no question of its being involved with māyā. Kṛṣṇa’s name is always liberated and spiritual; it is never conditioned by the laws of material nature. This is because the name of Kṛṣṇa and Kṛṣṇa Himself are identical.’

PURPORT

This is a quotation from the Padma Purāṇa.

Comment Posted By Puskaraksa das On 01.04.2013 @ 10:25

Why Veganism in Iskcon does not work, part 2

You cannot reject milk from the human society.
Lecture — Los Angeles, December 4, 1968:
So Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is very scientific movement. Unless you raise the population from the animal propensities, how you can expect peace? Do you think is there any peace in the dog society, in the cat society? No, it is not possible. You keep some dogs. They meet. As soon as they meet together there will be howling—”gow, gow, gow, gow.” So you cannot expect if you create dog society, then you cannot expect. You have to create a portion, a certain percentage of the population, brāhmaṇas. Then there is possibility. Just like in the sky the numerical strength of the stars are greater, but there is one moon. That one moon is sufficient to illuminate the sky. Ekaś candras tamo hanti na ca tara sahasrasaḥ. Millions of millions of stars twinkling, they cannot dissipate the darkness. You see. Only one moon, only one sun. So try to make some percentage of the population actually brāhmaṇa. Go-brāhmaṇa-hitāya ca. And protect the cows. Actually, we are taking so much advantages. So from the cows, the milk. And from the milk we can make hundreds of vitaminous foodstuff, hundreds. They’re all palatable. So such a nice animal, faithful, peaceful, and beneficial. After taking milk from it, if we kill, does it look very well? Even after the death, the cows supply the skin for your shoes. It is so beneficial. You see. Even after death. While living, he gives you nice milk. You cannot reject milk from the human society. As soon as there is a child born, milk immediately required. Old man, milk is life. Diseased person, milk is life. Invalid, milk is life. So therefore Kṛṣṇa is teaching by His practical demonstration how He loves this innocent animal, cow. So human society should develop brahminical culture on the basis of protecting cows. The brāhmaṇa cannot take any other food except it is made of milk preparation. That develops the finer tissues of the brain. You can understand in subtle matters, in philosophy, in spiritual science. Just like in a scientific college, not ordinary man can understand the scientific intricacies. They require some preliminary qualification to enter into the scientific college. They require some preliminary qualification to enter into the law college, in the postgraduate classes. Similarly, to understand the subtle or finer implications of spiritual science, one has to become brāhmaṇa. Without becoming brāhmaṇa it is not possible.

Comment Posted By Puskaraksa das On 14.04.2013 @ 08:17

From Sri Mayapur! Date: March 15, 2013 Verse: SB 4.30.8 Speaker: HH Sacinandana Swami

In my menial experience, the taste - ruci - for spontaneously chanting the Holy Name and the occurence of uninterrupted absorption in Krishna consciousness comes through seva, by the causeless mercy and magnanimity of Sri Guru only…

Hence, it is not so much a matter of intended concentration, than a matter of unalloyed surrender to the supreme will of Sri Guru & Sri Gauranga, with the desire, as Sacinandana Maharaja acurately pointed out, to please Them and … serve Them no matter what!

Therefore, it is not merely a mental stand, but an unflinching service attitude, as actions speak louder than words!

Then, the Holy Name may flow out, not as part of a forced sadhana anymore, but as a natural expression of the attachment - asakti - which has developped in the heart, by the unfathomable mercy of Sri Guru & Caitya Guru.

Comment Posted By Puskaraksa das On 31.03.2013 @ 16:45

GBC Statement on Srila Prabhupada’s position

brahma-bhutah prasannatma
na socati na kankshati
samah sarveshu bhuteshu
mad-bhaktim labhate param

One who is thus transcendentally situated at once realizes the Supreme Brahman and becomes fully joyful. He never laments or desires to have anything. He is equally disposed toward every living entity. In that state, he attains pure devotional service unto Me. (B.g. 18.54)

PURPORT
To the impersonalist, achieving the brahma-bhuta stage, becoming one with the Absolute, is the last word. But for the personalist, or pure devotee, one has to go still further, to become engaged in pure devotional service. This means that one who is engaged in pure devotional service to the Supreme Lord is already in a state of liberation, called brahma-bhuta, oneness with the Absolute. Without being one with the Supreme, the Absolute, one cannot render service unto Him. …/…

Comment Posted By Puskaraksa das On 07.04.2013 @ 11:56

“. . .He was first deputed by my Guru Maharaja, along with our late God Brother, Bhakti Pradip Tirtha Maharaja, to open a missionary center in London, and they stayed there for 3 years, but didn’t make any appreciable advance. Except that spent enormous money of my Guru Maharaja, and later on they were called back to India. So that is a great history; it is not possible to say everything in this letter, but for the present, be satisfied with these words, and later we shall talk more and more. On the whole, you may know that he is not a liberated person, and therefore, he cannot initiate any person to Krishna Consciousness. It requires special spiritual benediction from higher authorities.” 
[Srila Prabhupada Letter to: Janardana — New York 26 April, 1968]

Concerning the liberated platform, here is what Sri Krishna and Srila Prabhupada say about it:

māḿ ca yo ‘vyabhicāreṇa
bhakti-yogena sevate
sa guṇān samatītyaitān
brahma-bhūyāya kalpate

One who engages in full devotional service, unfailing, i.e. who does not fall down in all circumstances, at once transcends the modes of material nature and thus comes to the level of Brahman. (B.g. 14.26)

PURPORT
…/… If one is not situated in the same transcendental position with the Lord, one cannot serve the Supreme Lord. To be a personal assistant to a king, one must acquire the qualifications. Thus the qualification is to become Brahman, or freed from all material contamination. It is said in the Vedic literature, brahmaiva san brahmāpy eti. One can attain the Supreme Brahman by becoming Brahman. This means that one must qualitatively become one with Brahman. By attainment of Brahman, one does not lose his eternal Brahman identity as an individual soul.

PURPORT to S.B. 4.30.8
…/… When one is strongly fixed in devotional service and free from all material attachment, uncontaminated by the material modes of nature, he becomes fit to return home, back to Godhead.
…/… As long as one is influenced by the modes of material nature, he cannot return to Godhead.

Comment Posted By Puskaraksa das On 07.04.2013 @ 11:54

One can become guru when he is ordered by his guru - (Lecture on Bhagavad-gita 7.2 — Nairobi, October 28, 1975):
INDIAN MAN: When did you become the spiritual leader of Krishna consciousness? 
PRABHUPADA: What is that? 
BRAHMANANDA: He’s asking, When did you become the spiritual leader of Krishna consciousness? 
PRABHUPADA: When my Guru Maharaja ordered me. This is the guru-parampara. 
INDIAN MAN: Did it… 
PRABHUPADA: Try to understand. Don’t go very speedily. A guru can become guru when he’s ordered by his guru. That’s all. Otherwise, nobody can become guru. 
INDIAN WOMAN 2: (Hindi) 
PRABHUPADA: (Hindi) Sadhi mam prapannam. “I am surrendered to you. Whatever you say, I shall carry out.” That’s all. 
INDIAN MAN: When did he tell you to– 
PRABHUPADA: What is the business, when did he tell me? And why shall I disclose to you? It is so very insignificant thing that I have to explain to you? 
INDIAN MAN: No, I am just curious when– 
PRABHUPADA: You should be curious within your limit. You should know that one can become guru when he is ordered by his guru, this much.

Srila Prabhupada Conversation, May 28, 1977, Vrindavan: 
Prabhupada: “When I order, “You become guru,” he becomes regular guru. That’s all. He becomes disciple of my disciple. That’s it.”

“..The spiritual master must never be carried away by an accumulation of wealth or a large number of followers. A bona fide spiritual master will never become like that. But sometimes, if a spiritual master is not properly authorized, and only on his own initiative becomes a spiritual master, he may be carried away by an accumulation of wealth and large numbers of disciples. His is not a very high grade of devotional service. If a person is carried away by such achievements, then his devotional service becomes slackened. One should, therefore, strictly adhere to the principles of disciplic succession….”
The Nectar of Devotion - 1970 Edition : Nectar of Devotion (Unrevised edition) Chapter 14: Devotional Qualifications.

“Self-made guru cannot be guru. He must be authorized by the bona fide guru. Then he’s guru. This is the fact…Similarly, bona fide guru means he must be authorized by the superior guru.”
(SP NOD Lecture, October 31. 1972)

“One should take initiation from a bona fide spiritual master coming in the disciplic succession, who is authorized by his predecessor spiritual master. This is called diksa-vidhana.”
(S.B. 4.8.54, purport)

Comment Posted By Puskaraksa das On 07.04.2013 @ 11:46

tad viddhi pranipatena
pariprasnena sevaya
upadekshyanti te jnanam
jnaninas tattva-darsinah

“Just try to learn the truth by approaching a spiritual master. Inquire from him submissively and render service unto him. The self-realized soul can impart knowledge unto you because he has seen the Truth.” Bhagavad-gita (4.34)

So, according to Krishna Himself, Sri Guru has to be a Tattva darshi, i.e. Sri Guru sees the Absolute Truth, the Absolute Truth being defined as follows, by Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu:

kṛṣṇera svarūpa-vicāra śuna, sanātana
advaya-jñāna-tattva, vraje vrajendra-nandana

“O Sanātana, please hear about the eternal form of Lord Kṛṣṇa. He is the Absolute Truth, devoid of duality but present in Vṛndāvana as the son of Nanda Mahārāja.
CC Madhya 20.152

So, a bona fide Guru Acarya sees Krishna, Vrajendra-nandana.
This is Guru Tattva.

What to speak of being in contact with his own Spiritual Master, the Predecessor Acarya in the Parampara…

In this line, Srila Prabhupada confided:
“I just accompanied my Spiritual Master to the USA.”

Thereby, one has to understand that spiritual communication in between liberated souls, as well as with Sri Krishna, is not limited by physical considerations such as time and space…

Therefore, the Guru-Parampara process as defined by Srila Prabhupada himself, has to be followed always, under any circumstances, being understood that one normally becomes Guru as well as a bona fide successor acarya, forming a new branch on the tree of Mahaprabhu, once the predecessor acarya has left his vapu…

Comment Posted By Puskaraksa das On 07.04.2013 @ 11:42