ISKCON: From the Absolute Truth to Insanity…
February 24, 2013 by Madhudvisa dasa
Filed under Guru, ISKCON
Srila Prabhupada has given us the greatest gift. The absolute truth. Krishna consciousness, pure love of Krishna. He explains in great detail the simple and beautiful philosophy of Krishna consciousness. It is this beauty, perfection and simplicity of the timeless philosophy of Krishna consciousness so perfectly presented by Srila Prabhupada which attracted me to Krishna consciousness.
Over the years, to my great dismay, I have seen ISKCON systematically reject, misinterpret and now, with the book changes, change the teachings of Srila ...Read More
Guru: Everyone is lying to you…
January 18, 2013 by Madhudvisa dasa
Filed under Guru
The “Guru Issue”. Everyone wants to be a guru. It is such a nice thing to have all those disciples worshiping you and giving you all their money… Even the greatest ritvik leader shouting out “Prabhupada is the guru”, Krishna Kant, also wants to be a guru. He has his philosophy, “The Final Order”, and wants everyone else to follow his philosophy. But, as you may know, I have defeated Krishna Kant’s philosophy way back in 1996 when he first ...Read More
His Divine Grace Srila Sac-cid-ananda Bhaktivinoda Thakura’s Appearance Day Lecture, London, September 23, 1969
January 15, 2013 by His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
Filed under Guru
So Bhaktivinoda Thakura is an ideal guru. He was not a sannyasi; he was grhastha, householder, living with family, wife, children. Still, he was guru. So anyone can become guru. Not that a sannyasi can become guru. A householder also can become guru, provided he knows the science.
So today is a very auspicious day, Thakura Bhaktivinoda’s birthday. Here is the picture of Thakura Sac-cid-ananda Bhaktivinoda. He was one of the acaryas of this disciplic succession from Krsna. We have got ...Read More
Bhakti Caru Swami’s Disappearance Day offering to Srila Prabhupada
December 18, 2012 by bhakti-caru-swami
Filed under Guru
Why do we hesitate to tell a new comer who is searching for a guru that Srila Prabhupada, the best guru the world has ever seen, is still here, and one can surrender unto him and go back to Godhead very easily? When we have such a great good fortune, why do we not take full advantage of it?
…Prabhupada did not say anything and then in a very soft voice he told me, “Didn’t I teach you that the spirit ...Read More
Srila Prabhupada Our Jagad Diksa Guru: Living Still–In Sound
December 17, 2012 by mahesh-das
Filed under Guru
Just like I have written in the first publications of Srimad-Bhagavatam, the spiritual master lives forever by his divine instruction and the disciple lives with him., because I have always served my Guru Maharaja and followed His teachings I am now even never separated from Him.
750716pc.sf Conversations Reporter (2): What will happen to the movement in the United States when you die? Prabhupada: I WILL NEVER DIE. Prabhupada: I SHALL LIVE FROM MY BOOKS, AND YOU WILL UTILIZE.
690113LE.LA Lectures …vani ...Read More
The Universal Teacher
November 29, 2012 by Madhudvisa dasa
Filed under Guru
(an article from Back2Godhead.com)
Back To Godhead August 1975
The following speech was given by Abhay Charan Das (His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada) before the members of the Sri Gaudiya Matha in Bombay, in February 1936, on the occasion of the appearance anniversary of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura.
saksad-dharitvena samasta-sastrair
uktas tatha bhavyata eva sadbhih
kintu prabhor yah priya eva tasya
vande guroh sri-caranaravindam
“In the revealed scriptures it is declared that the spiritual master should be worshiped like the Supreme Personality ...Read More
Srila Prabhupada’s July 9th. Letter.
April 8, 2012 by sudama-das
Filed under Guru
An important point is that Srila Prabhupada’s final written instruction on initiations is a system whereby new devotees are initiated by a ritvik priest on his (Srila Prabhupada’s) behalf. Many new devotees are not aware of this nor have they read the letter that Prabhupada sent out to all temples on July 9th 1977. This letter very clearly states that henceforward all new devotees would be initiated in this way.
The GBC argue that the ritvik system was a temporary ...Read More
The Blind Man and the Cow’s Tail
March 8, 2012 by sudama-das
Filed under Guru
A blind man was once trying to negotiate the path to his father-in-law’s house with the help of only his walking stick. In a field nearby he heard a cowherd boy humming a tune to himself. The blind man hailed the boy and asked, Kindly lead me to the house of my father-in-law. It is nearby, but I can’t find the way myself.
The cowherd boy replied, “I’m very sorry, but if I leave this field to go with you, what ...Read More
The Symptoms of a Self-Realized Person
November 29, 2011 by Madhudvisa dasa
Filed under Guru, Philosophy
“A person who neither rejoices upon achieving something pleasant nor laments upon obtaining something unpleasant, who is self-intelligent, unbewildered, and who knows the science of God, is to be understood as already situated in Transcendence.” (Bhagavad Gita 5.20)
The first symptom of a self-realized soul is that he is not illusioned by the false identification of the body with his true self. He knows perfectly well that he is not this body, but is the fragmental portion of the Supreme Personality of ...Read More
The Absolute Necessity of a Bona Fide Spiritual Master
November 16, 2011 by Madhudvisa dasa
Filed under Devotees, Guru, Philosophy
“Just try to learn the truth by approaching a spiritual master. Inquire from him submissively and render service unto him. The self-realized soul can impart knowledge unto you because he has seen the truth.” (Bhagavad Gita 4.34)
For one who actually wants to make advancement in spiritual life having a bona fide spiritual master to instruct him and show him the path is not optional, it is essential. Without a bona fide spiritual master we have no strength or power ourselves ...Read More
The Ten Offenses in Chanting the Hare Krishna Mantra
August 22, 2011 by Madhudvisa dasa
Filed under Chanting, Guru
The Hare Krishna mantra is unlimitedly powerful and has the potency to immediately cleanse us of all the reactions from our sinful activities from this an so many other lifetimes. It has the power to awaken within us our original pure love for Krishna. The Hare Krishna mantra has the power to connect us with an ever-increasing ocean of transcendental pleasure. On the other hand one can chant the Hare Krishna mantra for many, many births and not achieve any ...Read More
Prabhupada Speaks on Bona Fide and Bogus Gurus
July 29, 2011 by His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
Filed under Guru, MP3 Audio, Prabhupada
SB 2-3-25 LA 1972-06-23 Prabhupada on Bona Fide and Bogus Gurus [ 27:47 ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download
Translation: “O Sūta Gosvāmī, your words are pleasing to our minds. Please therefore explain this to us as it was spoken by the great devotee Śukadeva Gosvāmī, who is very expert in transcendental knowledge, and who spoke to Mahārāja Parīkṣit upon being asked.”
Prabhupāda: So Parīkṣit Mahārāja was asking and Śukadeva Gosvāmī was replying. Both of them were fit ...Read More
SB 2-3-25 LA 1972-06-23 Prabhupada on Bona Fide and Bogus Gurus [ 27:47 ] Play Now | Play in Popup | DownloadThe Importance of Having a Qualified Guru
July 25, 2011 by Madhudvisa dasa
Filed under Guru
It may sound strange but the biggest danger to your spiritual advancement is if you accept as your guru a person who is incapable of guiding you back home, back to Godhead.
It is Kali-yuga and this age is called the age of quarrel and the age of hypocrisy. Almost everyone is cheating and almost everyone is presenting themselves as something which they are actually not. This is the age of the cheaters and the cheated. Practically every guru is a ...Read More
Lord Vamanadeva, Bali Maharaja and His Non-Bona Fide Guru
July 4, 2011 by His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
Filed under Guru, Letters
Bali Maharaja is Mahajana because he wanted to serve Visnu by disobeying his non-bonafide spiritual master… one should be anxious to accept a spiritual master who is bona fide in spiritual knowledge. And if need be one should relinquish the connection of hereditary spiritual master and accept a real bona fide spiritual master.
Montreal 3 July, 1968
My Dear Satsvarupa,
Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated June 28, 1968, and I thank you ...Read More
Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Gosvami Prabhupada’s Disappearance Day, Lecture (1)
June 24, 2011 by His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
Filed under Guru, MP3 Audio
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Now, you American boys and girls who have taken to this movement, please take it more seriously and… That is the mission of Lord Caitanya and my Guru Maharaja, and we are also trying to execute the will by disciplic succession. You have come forward to help me. I shall request you all that I shall go away, but you shall live. Don’t give up pushing on this movement, and you’ll be blessed by Lord Caitanya and His Divine ...Read More
Sri Vyasa-puja Hyderabad, August 19, 1976 [MP3 Audio]
May 27, 2011 by His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
Filed under Guru, MP3 Audio
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So anyone of you, you can become guru. It is not that I am an extraordinary man, an extraordinary god coming from some mysterious place. It is not that–it is very simple thing. Caitanya Mahaprabhu says yare dekha tare kaha krsna’-upadesa. So I request you follow the Caitanya Mahaprabhu’s instruction that you also, you become a guru at your home.
(Srila Prabhupada’s lecture is preceded by several speeches in Hindi and one in English by a disciple.)
Prabhupada: Sripada Sampatkumar ...Read More
Sri Vyasa-puja Lecture London, August 22, 1973 (MP3 Audio)
May 26, 2011 by His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
Filed under Guru, MP3 Audio
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One who is doing this humble service of preaching work, Krishna consciousness, nobody is dearer than him to Me [Krishna]. So if you want to become recognized by Krishna very quickly, you take up this process of becoming spiritual master, present the Bhagavad-gita as it is. Your life is perfect.
My dear sons and daughters, I am so much obliged to you that you have become so enthusiastic for offering Vyasa-puja. Now try to understand. Several times we have explained ...Read More
Srila Prabhupada’s Vyasa Puja Offering–1961
May 20, 2011 by His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
Filed under Guru
If everyone just initiates then there will only be a contradictory result. As long as it goes on there will be only failure. O shame! My dear brothers, aren’t you embarrassed? In the manner of businessmen you increase your disciples.
A Vyasa-Puja offering of five prayers glorifying special characteristics of Srila 108 Bhaktisiddanta Saraswati Goswami Thakura. Presented on the commemoration of his appearance, by His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, at the Radha-Damodara temple, Vrindavana, India, in 1961.)
First ...Read More
Spiritually There is No Difference Between Appearance and Disappearance
May 16, 2011 by His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
Filed under Guru, MP3 Audio
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Although this is the disappearance day of Om Visnupada Sri Srimad Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura, so there is nothing to be lamented. Although we feel separation, that feeling is there, but spiritually, there is no difference between appearance and disappearance. There is a song, Narottama dasa Thakura’s song, ye anilo prema-dhana. Do you know, any one of you? Can you sing that song anyone?
His Divine Grace ...Read More
Questions About Initiation and Preaching
May 10, 2011 by Madhudvisa dasa
Filed under Guru
When someone is initiated they have received transcendental knowledge and their past karma is burned up, they must be a bit like a new born baby. Why is it they still appear and behave the same and even fall down, where has that divine knowledge gone?
Dear Prabhu
Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada!
It’s wonderful to receive your questions as it gives me a chance to think about how to answer them. It’s inspiring to both ask ...Read More



