Because of Him

Om namo bhagavate vāsudevāya

janmādy asya yato 'nvayād itarataś cārtheṣv abhijñaḥ svarāṭ
tene brahma hṛdā ya ādi-kavaye muhyanti yat sūrayah
̣tejo-vāri-mṛdāḿ yathā vinimayo yatra tri-sargo 'mṛṣā
dhāmnā svena sadā nirasta-kuhakaḿ satyaḿ paraḿ dhīmahi

TRANSLATION

O my Lord, Śrī Kṛṣṇa, son of Vasudeva, O all-pervading Personality of Godhead, I offer my respectful obeisances unto You. I meditate upon Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa because He is the Absolute Truth and the primeval cause of all causes of the creation, sustenance and destruction of the manifested universes. He is directly and indirectly conscious of all manifestations, and He is independent because there is no other cause beyond Him. It is He only who first imparted the Vedic knowledge unto the heart of Brahmājī, the original living being. By Him even the great sages and demigods are placed into illusion, as one is bewildered by the illusory representations of water seen in fire, or land seen on water. Only because of Him do the material universes, temporarily manifested by the reactions of the three modes of nature, appear factual, although they are unreal. I therefore meditate upon Him, Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa, who is eternally existent in the transcendental abode, which is forever free from the illusory representations of the material world. I meditate upon Him, for He is the Absolute Truth.

Srimad Bhagawatam 1.1.1 Translation by ACBSP

Complete units

The Personality of Godhead is perfect and complete, and because He is completely perfect, all emanations from Him, such as this phenomenal world, are perfectly equipped as complete wholes. Whatever is produced of the Complete Whole is also complete in itself. Because He is the Complete Whole, even though so many complete units emanate from Him, He remains the complete balance.

Invocation Mantra - Sri Isopanishad

Within You

Lalita Said: O Krsna, All the Divine Avatars remain within You. We can clearly see the symptoms of these Avatars in your personality. You possess the restlessness of Matsya, the hardness of Kurma, Varaha's rescuing the earth, the sharp fingernails of Nrsimha, the fury of Parasurama, the power to crush Ravana of Ramacandra, the attachment for Varuni of Balarama, Buddha's wish to stop Animal sacrifices, and Kalki's pastime of yielding a raised sword. In this way Matsya and the other Avatars are all present within You.

Vidagdha Madhava text 37

Radha's effulgence

Monday Oct 26 (India) 25th (US) is Gaura-astami. The Disappearance Day of Sri Gadadhara das Goswami, Srila Dhananjaya Pandit and Srila Srinivas Acharya Prabhu (As a result of coming in contact with the whip of Abhirama Thakura, Srinivas Acharya became filled with Sri Krishna prema). Sri Gopastami, Sri Gosthastami, Go-puja and Go-gras dan are also celebrated on this day.

Srila Gadadhara dasa

Srila Gadadhara dasa is considered to be a united form of Candrakanti, who is the effulgence of Srimati Radharani, and Purnananda, who is an expansion of Lord Balarama's dear friend.

Thus Srila Gadadhara dasa was one of the associates of both Caitanya Mahaprabhu and Nityananda Prabhu.

Once while Srila Gadadhara dasa Prabhu was returning to Bengal from Jagannatha Puri with Nityananda Prabhu, he forgot himself and began talking very loudly as if he were a girl of Vrajabhumi selling yogurt, and Srila Nityananda Prabhu noted this.

Another time, while absorbed in the ecstasy of the gopis, he carried a jug filled with Ganges water on his head as if he were selling milk.

When Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu appeared in the house of Raghava Pandita while going to Vrndavana, Gadadhara dasa went to see Him, and Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu was so glad that he put His foot on his head. When Gadadhara dasa Prabhu was present in Endiyadaha he established a Bala Gopal murti for worship .

Caitanya Bhagavat

Feeding Pomegranates to Suka

Srila Sukadeva Gosvami was actually the dear parrot of Srimati Radhika – Sriyah Suka. Sriyah means ‘of Radhika’. One day, Srimati Radhika was feeding pomegranates to that parrot. She placed him on Her hand and told him, “O Suka, say ‘Krsna, Krsna, Krsna.’” The parrot repeated, in the same very sweet and melodious tune and voice as Srimati Radhika's: “Krsna, Krsna, Krsna”.

The parrot then flew away from Her and went to Krsna’s home in Nandagaon, which was situated nearby. There, Krsna was sitting with Madhu-mangala and they were talking about something. The green parrot sat on the branch of a tree that was fully laden with dark green leaves and began to speak like Srimati Radhika: “Krsna, Krsna, Krsna.” Krsna asked, “Where is the sound coming from? No one is here!”

He then saw that a very beautiful parrot was sitting on the tree. He very sweetly called to the parrot, “Come on, come on,” and the parrot at once came to sit on His hand.

Krsna asked him, “What are you saying again and again?”

The parrot said, “Krsna, Krsna, Krsna,” and added, “I am very, very unlucky. My Svamini (mistress) is Srimati Radhika. She held me on Her hand and gave me pomegranates, and She told me to repeat ‘Krsna, Krsna.’ She is very merciful. She loves me so much. Unfortunately, however, because I have the nature of a bird, I flew from there and I have come here.”

When Krsna heard this, He began to caress the parrot. He said, “Speak again.”

In the meantime, Lalita and Visakha arrived. They said, “O Krsna, this parrot belongs to Srimati Radhika. She cannot live without him. Please give him to us.”

Krsna replied, “You can call him, and if he comes to you, you can take him.”

They began to call the parrot, but he did not come. They told Krsna, “If any living entity comes to You, he will get Your affection and never go anywhere else. If Srimati Radhika comes and calls him, only then will he come; otherwise not.

“Without this parrot, my sakhi Radhika will not be able to remain alive. She is very upset.”

Krsna replied, “I will not give him to you. If he personally wants to go, he can go.”

Then Lalita and Visakha, who were very intelligent, went to Mother Yasoda and said, “Srimati Radhika’s parrot has come here. Our sakhi is very upset. Please take the bird and give him to us so that we can return him to Her.”

Mother Yasoda immediately said, “Sit here and wait, I will come back very soon.” She went to the place where Krsna was playing with the bird and said, “What nonsense are you doing? You are always playing with birds and animals. Come with me.” She took hold of Krsna’s hand and began to take Him home. “Your father is sitting and waiting for You to take bath and prasadam. You should go at once.”

Put Him Down

The Origin of Govardhan Puja

In the western coast of India, in the island of Salmali, lived Dronachala, the king of the mountains. Once a sage by the name of Pulastya Muni, came to him to take his son Giriraja with him to Kashi (Varanasi). After offering some initial resistance, Giriraja, somehow agreed to go with him only on condition that he should not put him down on the earth along the way. If he did so, he would stay there forever.

When they were flying over Vraja bhumi, Giriraja increased his weight to the extent that Pulastya had no option but to put him down. Pulastya understood the mischief of Giriraja. He became furious and cursed him that he would decrease by one grain everyday. But then repenting on the curse that he gave to Giriraja, he assured him that he would be blessed in the Dvapara Yuga and everybody would start worshipping him at that time.

This happened in the Satya yuga. Brahmaji wished to create the Dvapara Yuga but because of the portentous phenomenon of Ravana, he had to create the Treta Yuga. In this yuga, Hanumanaji on the instructions of Lord Rama, came to take Giriraja for the cause of constructing a bridge on the ocean.

Giriraja at once agreed to go for the service of Lord Rama. But before they reached the bridge it was already complete so there was no need of additional stones. Giriraja was very disappointed not getting the opportunity to have the darshana of Lord Rama.

On knowing the sorrow of Giriraja, Lord Rama sent a message saying that, "...by the end of the Dvapara Yuga, the Original personality of godhead, Sri Krishna will appear and have his transcendental leelas on you and will also worship you with great affection. In the kaliyuga, the devotees shall attain numerous divine supernatural powers by simply worshipping you.''

In Sarasvata Kalpa, i.e. the end of the Dvapara Yuga, Bhagavan Sri Krishna stopped the worship of Indra and started the Govardhana Puja by doing it Himself. It was a wonderful sight. Being worshipped by Sri Krishna, Giriraja himself became like Sri Krishna. It was like He (Sri Krishna) was worshipping Himself. Since then all the six seasons resided permanently on Giriraja.

Besides this, the eight gates of the Asta Sakha's from where they entered nitya lila, are also on Govardhan hill. The Asta Sakha's, who reside on Govardhan hill are in different places, each of which were passionately attached to their respective Deities at those places.

Potency to arouse

O learned devotees, I am by nature ignorant and low, yet even though it is through me that Vidagdha-Madhava has manifested, it is filled with sweet descriptions of the transcendental qualities of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.This dramatisation has the potency to arouse the true nature of Divine love? Although wood may be ignited by a low-class man, fire can nevertheless purify gold. Although I am very low by nature, this composition will cleanse the heart and minds of the golden devotees (rasikas) giving them great satisfaction.

Words to live by

"IF we know something of the Scriptures then we can understand that through the service of Guru Maharaj and the Vaisnavas we will get everything - ecstasy, nectar, love, beauty - in the transcendental service world, and that is our life's goal."

- Srila Govinda Maharaj

A whole lot of PUN

Sri Sri Radha Krsna.

....... Someones knocking on the Door .......
.......... Knock - Knock ........ Knock - Knock ..........

Radha: "Who's knocking on the door?"
Krsna: "Don't be cunning, it's Madhava."

Radha: "The spring?"
Krsna: "No, Chakri."

Radha: "What, a potter? What do I need with a potter?"
Krsna: "No, it's Giridhari."

Radha: "What, a two-tongued snake?"
Krsna: "No I am not a snake. I am the destroyer of the terrible snakes."


Radha: "Then you must be Garuda, the eagle."
Krsna: "No I am Hari."

Radha: "A monkey, then?"

May Krishna, who holds the disk in his hand, who was thus made to laugh by Radha's witty answers, deliver us all from samsara.

Radha: "Who's there?" "Keshava." "Are you so proud of your hair, then?"

Krsna: "No, this is Sauri, the son of Vasudeva."

Radha: "Well, the qualities have all gone to the father and I have no business with the son."


Krsna: "O moon-face one, you don't understand, it's Chakri."

Radha: "Oh, you must be the potter who has come to deliver a pitcher, a jug and a milking pail!"

Thus defeated in this exchange of words, Hari blushed. May he deliver us all. Sad-ukti-karnamrita (1.56.3). Rupa Goswami

Radha: "Where did you stay (vasa) last night, Keshava?"
Krsna: "My clothes (vasa)? Why I am wearing them. And did I tell you how enchanting your eyes are?"

Radha: "You rascal, explain where you have been (vasa)."
Krsna: "Explain my fragrance (vasa)? My beauty, this fragrant perfume has come to me from touching you."

Radha: "You cheat! Where did you spend the night?"
Krsna: "Stolen by the night? The night has no body; how can it steal anything?"

May that Krishna, who disarmed Radha with his witty replies, deliver us from the suffering of samsara.

This verse is quoted from the BRS 2.1.83

Krsna: "Radha, are you angry (kupita)?"
Radha: "No, you are the father of the world (ku-pita)."

Krsna: "Then you are the mother (mata) of the universe."
Radha: "No, you are. For you alone know all things and thus can know its measure (mata)."

Krsna: "My goddess, you have unlimited expertise in argumentative joking." "And you, too."

Hearing this, Krishna smiled and bowed his head to the milkmaid beauty; may he bestow auspiciousness on you all.

What follows is another sample of this type of verse found in Sad-ukti-karnamrita:

...... Knock - Knock ........ Knock - Knock ......

Radha: "Who's that at the door?" "Hari." "Go back to the forest. We don't need any monkeys around here."

Krsna: "Darling, it's Krishna." "Ooh, that scares me even more,

Radha: I have never seen black monkeys."
Krsna: "Don't be silly, it's Madhusudana."

Radha: "A bumblebee? Then go back to gathering honey in the flower garden!"

May that Krishna, who was thus rendered speechless by his beloved Radha, deliver you from the suffering of samsara. - Sri Rupa goswami

Thirsty heart

The thirsty heart is drinking from the water of life.
Basilica di S. Clemente, Rome. 12th cent. Cf.

As the heart panteth after the water brooks,
so panteth my soul after thee, O God
Psalm 42(LXX 41): 1:

A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami said something very simular in his book Light of the Bhagavata:
"Material manifestations of things are but shadowy representations of reality. They are compared to mirages in the desert. In the desert there is no water, but the foolish deer runs after illusory water in the desert to quench his thirsty heart. Water is not unreal, but the place where we seek it is misleading. The advancement of materialistic civilization is just like a mirage in the desert. The deer runs after water in the desert with full speed, and the illusion of water moves ahead at the same speed as the foolish deer. Water is not false, but we must not seek it in the desert. A living entity, by his past experience, remembers the real happiness of his original, spiritual existence, but since he has forgotten himself he seeks spiritual or permanent happiness in matter, although this is impossible to achieve."