Even if one does not accept all the Vaiñëava principles, but still takes the remnants of foodstuff offered to Kåñëa, or Kåñëa-prasädam, he will gradually become qualified to rise to the platform of a Vaiñëava. NOD
Continue reading Potency of Eating Krsna-Prasadam
When one marks the forehead with tilaka, he must remember Keçava. When one marks the lower abdomen, he must remember Näräyaëa. For the chest, one should remember Mädhava, and when marking the hollow of the neck one should remember Govinda. Lord Viñëu should be remembered while marking the right side of the belly, and Madhusüdana …
Continue reading Marking the Body with Tilaka
In the Padma Puräëa there is a statement describing how a Vaiñëava should decorate his body with tilaka and beads: “Persons who put tulasé beads on the neck, who mark twelve places of their body as Viñëu temples with Viñëu’s symbolic representations [the four items held in the four hands of Lord Viñëu-conch, mace, disc …
Continue reading Importance of Body Tilaka
Unfortunately in this Age of Kali there are many mundane persons in the dress of Vaiñëavas, and Çréla Bhaktivinoda Öhäkura has described them as disciples of Kali. He says, kali-celä. He indicates that there is another Vaiñëava, a pseudoVaiñëava with tilaka on his nose and kaëöhé beads around his neck. Such a pseudoVaiñëava associates with …
Continue reading Beware of Pseudo Vaisnavas or Kali-cela!
If one criticizes or finds fault with such an empowered personality, one is to be considered an offender against Lord Viñëu and is punishable. Even though such offenders may dress as Vaiñëavas with false tilaka and mälä, they are never forgiven by the Lord if they offend a pure Vaiñëava. There are many instances of …
Continue reading Criticizing or Finding Fault With an Empowered Personality – Punished
We have to revert ourself, we have to rectify the lust into love. And if we love God, then we love everything. And without loving God, if you want to love something else, that is nonsense. You cannot love. Therefore we find practically there is so much love between a boy and girl. And just …
Continue reading Divorce Due to Lust Not Love
To practice the regulative principles of bhakti-yoga one should, under the guidance of an expert spiritual master, follow certain principles: one should rise early in the morning, take bath, enter the temple and offer prayers and chant Hare Kåñëa, then collect flowers to offer to the Deity, cook foodstuffs to offer to the Deity, take …
Continue reading How to Attain Love of God?
One can achieve the ultimate success of going back to Godhead if he is favored by the Lord’s sending His true representative. As soon as a true representative of the Lord is met by a devotee of the Lord, the devotee is assured a guarantee for going back to Godhead just after leaving the present …
Continue reading Become Very Eager to go Back to Godhead
In the process of devotional service, the first step is to take shelter of the spiritual master and then inquire from the spiritual master all about the process. This inquiry is essential for immunity to all kinds of offenses on the path of devotional service. Even if one is fixed in devotional service like Mahäräja …
Continue reading It is Illegal to Become a Spiritual Master if One is Unable to Deliver the Disciple
Whatever is to be learned of the teachings of Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura can be learned from our books. There is no need whatsoever for any outside instruction. Letter to Gurukrpa and Yasoda nandana – Los Angeles December 25, 1973 Paramahaàsa: Practically speaking, Çréla Prabhupäda, you are giving us the essence of all the previous …
Continue reading Reading Srila Prabhupada’s Books Only is Sufficient