Living Bhakti

If someone is always chanting but also criticizes devotees, it means that they are chanting nama-aparadha. 

Boundless happiness is accompanied by detachment, it is not accompanied by sense gratification.
If you saw the beauty of Krishna then nothing in this world would register in your mind as happiness. 

Reading from the Introduction to Srimad Bhagavatam. 

The process of self-realization has never been as easy as it is now.

Reading from the introduction to Srimad Bhagavatam. 

Krishna's desire is always to save the fallen souls. But when you add Radharan's compassion to it, then it becomes unprecedented mercy. And the worst thing that we could do is to take it for granted. 

What is the difference between humility and low self-esteem?
Humility is power, but low self-esteem is a weakness that may sometimes manifest in the form of arrogance or false power. 

Srila Prabhupada never wanted us to become sexist, he wanted us to respect everyone and not use the shastra to push our own agendas. 

What do you find as your biggest obstacle to good japa?

If we renounce too much too fast, it may not work. Renunciation should be natural and gradual. 

Srila Prabhupada said that Krishna Consciousness is simple for the simple and complicated for the complicated. 

Gaura Gaura!

Reading from the introduction to Srimad Bhagavatam.

How to adapt to the reality of your life and balance your spiritual and material life. 

The maha-mantra is an invitation into the eternal pastimes of Krishna. And kirtan is the faster e=and easiest way to become Krishna Conscious.

Nitai Gauranga!

Reading from the introduction to Srimad Bhagavatam

Why and How to appreciate Mahaprabhu - The Mercy of Gauranga

Taking birth in Krishna Lila and Yogamaya's role in enhancing the love between Krishna and his devotees. 

Kirtan!

I don't exist for my own pleasure, I exist only for Krishna's pleasure.
Through all our endeavors to be happy, we're really just searching for love. 

Krishna consciousness has to be relevant throughout our lives. When busy with other things in life, we shouldn't allow ourselves to go too far from Krishna Consciousness otherwise it may become hard to come back. 

Does Krishna know everything in the lilas?

How Krishna's flute affects different devotees

Krishna explains why he left the rasa dance

Low self-esteem is in and of itself not a problem, but it becomes a problem if it becomes severe. 

The meeting of Nityananda Prabhu and Lord Caitanya

Sufferin may help you take up spiritualality but may not be the best impetus for developing pure devotional service.

Kirtan lead by Mahatma prabhu on Day 2 of Radhadesh Mellows 2021 from Alachua, Florida.

To think that the whole world has to be the way that I relate to "My Prabhupada" is not going to spread Krishna Consciousness. We all relate to Prabhupada differently; what works for one may not work for another.

This is a recording form "The Late Morning Program with Namarasa" Podcast from March 6, 2021

Understanding the discussion between Ramananda Raya and Lord Chaitanya on the aim of life. 

Disagreement often leads to vaisnava aparadha.

Verses that Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakura loved the most. 

Amazing exchanges between Nitai and Mahaprabhu!

The Life and pastimes of Lord Nityananda

Reading from Srimad Bhagavatam about Lord Varahadeva.

Krishna appears in the holy name when a devotee is chanting in the mood of service. When we don't experience the full potency of the holy name, then we can lose faith in the power of the holy name. 

Sometimes it is very difficult to appreciate a person who we disagree with, but we still have to learn how to respect them.

Respecting devotees means appreciating their devotional qualities although we may disagree with them in different areas. 

Similarities and differences between Krishna lila on this planet and in the spiritual world. 

How to get yourself to do a service or sadhana that you have to do but are not inspired to do it? 

Most devotees think: I have sadhana and I have my life. But our life is a different kind of sadhana. Sadhana is like the gym and our life is like the arena  boxing ring where we are going to apply what we practiced. 

Let's try to understand why Yogamaya does what she does. 

First and Second initiation ceremony of devotees from Mauritius by His Grace Mahatma Prabhu on February 20, 2021 from Alachua, Florida. 

Zoom initiation ceremony of Harivilasa Dasa and Madhurya Lila Devi Dasi by His Grace Mahatma Prabhu on February 20, 2021 from Alachua, Florida. 

To facilitate the gopis' desire to be with Krishna, Yogamaya created doubles of the gopis to stay with their husbands.

How Yogamaya arranges everything for the pleasure of Krishna and his devotees. 

A pastime where even yogamaya became bewildered!

How yogamaya illusions even devotees to create relishable lilas; Lord Gaurachandra's mischievous pastimes with Saci mata. 

In marriage, it is important to be "we-centered" instead of "me-centered"

We sometimes have faith in our lack of faith, in our handicaps, and in our inability. Often we don't put out enough faith in Krishna for him to reciprocate. 

If we please an advanced devotee, then we can become very Krishna Conscious very quickly, even in spite of our resistance. But if we offend an advanced devotee, then even if we are very advanced it could destroy our bhakti. 

What are you united around? What are you trying to achieve? How is your attitude either helping or hindering your goal?

Maha maya is dragging you to hell and yoga-maya is pushing you back to godhead. 

We cannot be Krishna conscious alone, we have to do it in a community. You become who you are by your association and the environment around you. 

For a lot of devotees, they know too much about the Absolute Truth and hence can't enjoy maya, but they are not relishing Krishna Consciousness as well!
We may not be pure devotees yet, so we are still affected by our conditioning, but we are doing devotional service to please Srila Prabhupada. 

Somehow or other we should be eager for Krishna. When we come in contact with Krishna then we become purified. 

The process of giving up sense gratification is more difficult when we haven't replaced it with more taste in Krishna Consciousness. It is especially difficult when we give up too much too fast. 

How can one evaluate their own level of bhakti, and understand how to do their best from their present level? How do they avoid going overboard with their efforts and burn out, but also don't stay idle and lazy?

Srila Bhaktisiddhanta said that we don't enjoy prasadam, but the prasadam enjoys us. Similarly, when we take darshan of the Deity, we do it in the mood that Krishna is the Enjoyer and we are the enjoyed, so we are coming in front of Him to be enjoyed. The deity is not an object of enjoyment for your eyes. 

In this class, we discuss how to apply the lessons from Bhagavad-Gita (chapters1-6) practically in our lives. 

Sometimes you are analyzing something and you are completely in your head, and sometimes you are feeling something and you are not in you head at all.

Our head makes decisions but our heart guides us so that our decisions are compassionate, kind, and service-oriented. Sometimes we make decisions just to get a job done, without consulting our heart, and we  might hurt people in the process. 

A devotee, influenced by Radha Kunda babajis, told Prabhupada that one cannot get love of God unless one chants 64 rounds a day. Prabhupada said you cannot force Krishna to give you love. But of course, you can qualify yourself for it. 

"I am meant to e enjoyed by Krishna. I don't exist independently. I do not exist for my own enjoyment."
How long before we realize it, accept it, and embrace it?

How do you actually live an honest life?
It is important to be introspective in spiritual life. It means self-honesty.

This is an interview with Achyt Gopal Das, for the podcasts "Agents of Change"

Srila Prabhupada did not like Mayavadis because Mayavada Philosphy is antagonistic to bhakti. 

How the Municari Gopis became purified in Bhauma Vrindavan.
If you have a sincere and intense desire, then Yoga-maya could fast track your bhakti. 

Mayavada and impersonalist philosophy are two slightly different things. Impersonalists know that Krishna is the Supreme PERSON, but they a=prefer to merge into his impersonal brahmajyoti. But mayavada philosophy is a denial of Krishna's personal eternal form. 

What is a real attachment - family, job, position, pride, etc.?
What attachments are good for our spiritual life?

Sense gratification, gross or subtle, and how to give it up?
Why is the whole culture important to embrace?

This class was given by HG Mahatma prabhu, for ISKCON Oslo

With the help of Yoga-maya, Krishna makes sure that his associates don't understand that he is god. When Trinavarta, the whirlwind demon came to kill Krishna, but Kirhsna killed him insted, Krishna engaged Yoga-maya to not let Mother Yasoda discover that he is god. 

Sometimes we may thing, "Why can't I be Krishna conscious without having to get up early and do other austerities?" It's like the mentality of a criminal! We want to steal Krishna consciousness but we don't want to pay for it. 

If our material life is unstable, then it affects our spiritual life. 

Srila Bhaktisiddhanta was a lion guru who defeated the caste goswamis to establish Lord Caitanya's mission

Balance means you don't get good at something at the cost of getting bad at something else. And when difficulties happen, it's a good time to realize, "I'm not God."

We should always appreciate all the realizations we get as Krishna's girfts. We tend to forget our realizations, but if we apply them in our life then they won't be lost. 

Some transcendentalists, even after renouncing the material world, still try to imitate Krishna instead of surrendering to Him. 

Srila Prabhupada said that our worst day in Krishna consciousness is still better than our best day in the material world. 

Srila Prabhupada said to think that no diversity is impersonalism, to have diversity is normal. We should appreciate diversity (as long as it does not contradict siddhanta) because it helps create balance. We should respect everyon. Respect means that others have a right to think differently than us. 

Become established foundationally in your relationship with Prabhupada and that will give you the strongest foundation in Krishna Consiousness. 

We can do a lot of service....with the wrong consciousness...

What to do with the past, present, and future? How not to be affected by the past, and be happy in the present, and not hanker of things for the future. 

There has to be a sufficient degree of ignorance to be engaged in material activities and be happy in it. If we have knowledge, then we won't really enjoy materially. Devotional service is transcendental, but your consciousness may not be so. 

The Lord is open to being seen by devotees. but non-devotees cannot see him. When Krishna came to this world, not everyone could see him. 

Amazing stories about Prabhupada, such as when a devotee made buckwheat halava for him. 

What to do if we get wrong instructions about grihastha asrama?

How to forgive others and not hold grudges?
What is the difference between Vedic psychology and modern psychology?

We are controlled by Yoga maya or Maha maya, depending on our consciousness and activities. Krishna conscious activities look beautiful under the yoga-maya potency, and they seem boring when wea re under the maha maya potency.

Spiritual life means its not just you but you and God working together. No matter how difficult your life gets, you always have internal guidance by the Supersoul. 

We are controlled by Krishna's energy both in the material world, and the spiritual world. 

Prabhupada said that service is our dharma, because it is the nature of the pure spiritual soul. If we are always just serving ourselves, then we will feel some emptiness. In Bhagavad-Gita, Chapter 8, Krishna says: Love me, but if you can't love me, then do the practice of bhakti. If you can't do bhakti then do karma yoga. And if you can't even do karma yoga, then find someone and serve them. Service breaks our self-centered attitude.