Each of us seeks pleasure. But we do not know how to seek pleasure perfectly. We are frustrated at every step in satisfying our desire for pleasure, because we have no information regarding the real level on which to have real pleasure.
In the darkness of night, as a thunderstorm brought heavy rains to Mathura, Krishna appeared before Vasudeva and Devaki within the jail of Kamsa. He had four arms, and held a conchshell, club, disc, and lotus flower.
The king had many wives, but, strangely, he couldn’t have a son. What happened when he finally got one was even more strange.
Diti felt pressed by Cupid, and she caught hold of Kasyapa’s clothing, just like a shameless prostitute. Unable to dissuade his wife, Kasyapa resigned himself to his fate and lay with Diti in a secluded place.
The demoniac servants of Hiranyakasipu, who had fearful faces, sharp teeth, and reddish beards, then started to strike Prahlada’s tender body with their tridents. They shouted, “Chop him up! Pierce him!”
Krishna, tending the cows and accompanied by Sri Balarama and the cowherd boys, began to vibrate His transcendental flute. When the cowherd girls of Vrindavan heard the sweet vibration, they began to talk about how nicely Krishna was playing His flute.
Convinced that Navadvipa was not the actual birthplace of Lord Caitanya, Srila Bhaktivinoda became curious to locate the authentic spot. He set out to discover the yoga-pitha (birthplace).
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.
Since the beginning of time, avatars have descended from the spiritual world to impart transcendental knowledge. But none have ever distributed knowledge or love of God as freely as the golden avatar—Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. (Taken from “Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu: His Life and Precepts,” a short work by Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura first published in 1896.) In […]
He enjoyed half-killing animals and watching them writhe in pain. But before long he wouldn’t harm and ant… All because of meeting a great sadhu.
Rukmini’s brother Rukmi arranged for her to be married to Sisupala, a determined enemy of Krishna. When the black-eyed, beautiful Rukmini heard of this settlement, she became very morose.
The Buddhists began to chant the holy names of Krishna, Rama and Hari in unison. Soon the Buddhist scholar regained consciousness and also began to chant the holy name of Lord Hari, much to the astonishment of the onlookers.
The incarnation for Kali-yuga is Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, who is also called Gauranga or Gaurasundara because of His golden hue. His complexion is golden, and His activities engage everyone in chanting Hare Krishna.
An excerpt from Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, A new translation, with purports, by His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada.
Coming before Gopala, the elderly brahmana said, “My dear Lord, please witness that I have given my daughter to this boy.” In India the custom is to honor any promise made before the Deity. Such a promise cannot be canceled.
Accompanied by the cowherd boys and Balarama, Krishna brought forward the cows and played on His flute throughout the forest of Vrindavan, which was full of flowers, vegetables, and pasturing grass.
Krishna was very expert in playing the flute, and the gopis were captivated by the sound vibration, which was not only attractive to them, but to all living creatures who heard it.
After consulting with his demoniac ministers, Kamsa instructed a witch named Putana, who knew the black art of killing small children by ghastly, sinful methods, to kill all kinds of children in the cities, villages and pasturing grounds.
We have forgotten how to love Krishna. Consequently we rush to and fro in this material world trying to love this and that-wife, country, society, cats, dogs. Thus we are always frustrated. Why?
The universal form is the form of the Supreme Lord in which one can see everything in the universe, all at once. In the universal form, one can see past, present and future. One can see all the demigods of the material creation, and all other living beings.