If you visit the town of Puri on the Bay of Bengal, you will find, amid palm trees and small houses, a stone shrine marking the place where the great saint Haridasa Thakura sat alone or with a devotee companion and worshiped Krsna.
Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura (1838-1914) was a pioneer in the distribution of Krishna consciousness in English. He dedicated much of his life to this effort. His mission has been continued and greatly expanded by his son’s disciple, Srila Prabhupada.
In this world there are three basic phenomena: the Supreme Controller (God), conscious living entities, and dead matter. Dead material things are those that have no capacity to desire, i.e., that are devoid of willpower.
This speech was given by Abhay Charan Das (Srila Prabhupada) before the members of the Gaudiya Matha in Bombay, in February 1936, on the occasion of the appearance anniversary of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura.
Forty years ago, a disciple of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura composed a poem in honor of the appearance of his spiritual master. Srila Bhaktisiddhanta greatly appreciated this simple expression of reverence and love.
Lord Caitanya did not advent Himself to liberate only a few men of India. He says in the Caitanya-bhagavata: ‘In every town, country and village, My name will be sung.’
I spent long hours in study. I never took to service of Your lotus feet as I do now. Reading on and on, I felt knowledge would be the highest goal. That knowledge was ignorance.
In Calcutta in 1896, the teachings of Lord Caitanya began their journey to the West. In Bengali-speaking Calcutta on August 20th of that year, Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura published a small English treatise entitled Lord Caitanya—His Life and Precepts.
After the disappearance of Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura, his son, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Gosvami Maharaja, a great scholar and pure devotee, continued to expand the mission of Lord Caitanya.
Before Madhavendra Puri, most Indians worshiped Lord Krishna in a ritualistic fashion, according to strict rules and regulations. Such formal worship is necessary for those who have not awakened their natural desire to serve the Lord with love and devotion.
Madhvacarya (acarya means “one who teaches by his life”) lived in thirteenth-century India and appeared in the Brahma-Gaudiya Vaisnava-sampradaya—the disciplic chain now represented by His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada.
Haridasa left the home of his kinsmen not out of religious sentiment nor out of disgust for their ignorance of spiritual matters. He left wholly out of love for the Supreme Lord because that was his natural position. Haridasa displayed in full the consciousness of an uttama-adhikari.
The following addresses of worship unto Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati, were submitted by the students of Bhaktivedanta Swami, the foremost disciple of Bhaktisiddhanta.
The origin of the Vedanta is innate in knowledge and inseparable from the same, though its practical phases may insist on tracing the cause where it submits to inspection.
I offer my respectful obeisances unto the six Goswamis, named Sanatan Goswami, Rupa Goswami, Raghunath Bhatta Goswami, Raghunath Das Goswami, Jiva Goswami and Gopal Bhatta Goswami, who are always engaged in chanting the Holy Name of Krishna and dancing.
Sixty-two years ago, on this auspicious day—the Acharyadeva made his appearance by the call of Thakore Bhakti-Vinode at Sree Kshetra Jaggannathdham at Puri.
The word Prabhupada signifies a great saint even among saints. The word has two meanings: first, one at whose feet (Pada) there are many Prabhus (masters). The second meaning is one who is always found at the Lotus Feet of Krishna (the Supreme Master).
Two of Lord Caitanya’s chief disciples were Srila Rupa Gosvami and Srila Sanatana Gosvami. They received extensive instruction from the Lord in the science of devotional service, and the books they wrote form an important philosophical pillar of the Krsna consciousness movement.
The material miseries of the living entity, which are superfluous to him, can be directly mitigated by the linking process of devotional service to Lord Krsna. But the mass of people do not know this, and therefore the learned Vyasadeva compiled this Vedic literature.
Bhisma was such a fierce and skillful fighter that he was virtually invincible; only by a trick was he mortally wounded. Now, in recognition of his exalted position and his profound devotion to Lord Krsna, many great saints and sages have also gathered to hear his last words.