Devotees

Published on July 3rd, 2005 | by Gadadhara das

5

Hare Krishna Blog Wins Award

Srila Prabhupada is an extremely influential person. He personally introduced Vedic culture to the West. He started the massive movement called “The Hare Krishna Movement” in 1966 which has spread all across the globe and personally opened over 108 temples in every major country in the world.

Dear Kathleen,
Thank you for your interest in His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada’s “The Hare Krishna Blog”. Yes, Srila Prabhupada is a master of the Vedas and hence He is certainly the “Ultimate Authority” on the Vedas.

He has written and spoken about “Vedic culture”, “Vedic yoga”, “Vedic times” and anything and everything related to the Vedas: hence the name Bhakti “VEDA-NTA”, which means that He is the master of the Vedas.

He is an extremely influential person. He personally introduced Vedic culture to the West. He started the massive movement called “The Hare Krishna Movement” in 1966 which has spread all across the globe and personally opened over 108 temples in every major country in the world. He introduced the “Rathayatra Festival” or “Festival of the Chariots,” which is held in all major cities across the globe attended by literally thousands of people each year. The “Hare Krishnas” have appeared in over 80 Hollywood feature films, dancing and chanting the “Hare Krishna Mantra”. He has written over 140 different books on Vedic Culture and Krishna Consciousness and has translated over 70 volumes of Vedic literature from Sanskrit to English. He personally influenced many great celebrates, such as, John Lennon, George Harrison, Ravi Sankara, Bob Dylan, Donavon, Allen Ginsberg and many more, the list is very long. They consider him a titanic personality in India, so much so that they have dedicated a postage stamp with His picture on it.

You can find more information on Srila Prabhupada at http://www.krishnablog.com, just click “About Srila Prabhupada”. It is a short description about His life and does not really do Him justice. He essentially translated the sum and substance of the Vedas into English and He is the greatest example of the Vedic teachings. Everything He taught, He practiced.

The word “vedic” comes from the great vedic texts called “The Vedas”. The Vedas are actually text books on how to live. Anything and everything you need to know is in the Vedas. Veda means “knowledge”. The Vedas were written down written by Srila Vyasadeva, but the Vedas existed way before that. Before he wrote them down, this knowledge was spoken orally from one spiritual master to the next. Srila Prabhupada is the 32nd spiritual master in a line of disciplic sucession that begins with Lord Krishna Himself. Krishna says in the Bhagavad-gita (the essential Vedic scripture)

raja-vidya raja-guhyam
pavitram idam uttamam
pratyaksavagamam dharmyam
su-sukham kartum avyayam

“This knowledge is the king of education, the most secret of all secrets. It is the purest knowledge, and because it gives direct perception of the self by realization, it is the perfection of religion. It is everlasting, and it is joyfully performed”

The Vedas are not just simply texts that were written for the betterment of society. The goal of what the Vedas teach is “love of God”. Krishna says in the “Bhagavad-gita”,

sarva-dharman parityajya
mam ekam saranam vraja
aham tvam sarva-papebhyo
moksayisyami ma sucah

“Abandon all varieties of religion and just surrender unto Me.
I shall deliver you from all sinful reaction. Do not fear.”

All of these religious practices, including Hinduism, and all other “isms” are useless unless they actually lead one to develop “love for God”. Srila Prabhupada taught from the Vedas, that if one really wants to understand the Vedas, one must know the self and his position in the world. The only way to do this is by being constantly engaged in God Consciousness and engaging in activities that are aimed at serving God, such as singing His names, cooking for Him, eating His remnants, thinking of Him, worshiping Him, serving Him, and so on. In this way we can begin our lost relationship with Him. The “Hare Krishna” mantra is the Vedic prescription for this age. Although it has always been prescribed in past ages, such as Satya, Treta, Dvapara (these are periods of time spanning thousands of years- we are currently living in the Kali yuga) this “Hare Krishna” mantra:

Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare,
Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare

is especially important because it is directly associating with the Lord. In past yugas other forms of yoga were prescribed, but in this Kali yuga, due to man’s short attention span and memory loss, Bhakti yoga is prescribed.

Bhakti means “devotion” to God.

Some call Him Jehovah, Allah, Buddha, or Krishna; God has millions of names. Srila Prabhupada says that anyone can chant any name of God and it is very beneficial, but Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu (the founder of chanting “Hare Krishna” and dancing in the streets- 1486-1534) has taught us to chant this mantra in the streets very sweetly with instruments. Anyone who attempts to chant this great mantra, also known as “the great chanting for deliverance,” will surely feel joyful and at peace and he or she can begin to understand the essence of the Vedas.

Srila Prabhupada says in the “Bhagavad-gita As It Is,” “One cannot understand the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krsna, or His form, quality or name simply by mental speculation or by discussing Vedic literature. One must understand Him by devotional service. When one is fully engaged in Krsna consciousness, beginning by chanting the maha-mantra–Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna, Krsna Krsna, Hare Hare/Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare–then only can one understand the Supreme Personality of Godhead”(BG 7.24)

Please feel free to ask and questions you might have.
Thank you very much,
-Gadadhara dasa

Tags: blog, hare krishna blog, prabhupada blog

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Gadadhara das