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.
We should not be surprised if Krishna had married sixteen million wives, for Krishna, as the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is unlimited. Indeed, we may note with wonder that Krishna married only 16,108 wives.
Kamsa heard the cries of the newborn child as his death knell, and he rushed in to kill him. But the baby flew up into the air and assumed the form of the demigoddess Maya. “You rascal,” she said to Kamsa. “The child who will kill you has already been born elsewhere. You cannot kill Him.”
When people see a picture like the one you see here, they often ask, “Who is that girl with Krishna?” The answer is that She is Srimati Radharani, Krishna’s pleasure potency.
Krishna’s pastimes go on as a kind of road show, visiting one planet after another. Not only does Krishna travel; He brings with Him His mother, His father, His cowherd friends, the gopis, the cows and the land of Vrndavana.
Lord Visnu, who is residing within the heart of every living entity, appeared in the darkness of night as the Supreme Personality of Godhead before Devaki, who also appeared as one of the demigoddesses. The appearance of Lord Visnu at that time could be compared with the full moon in the sky as it rises on the eastern horizon.