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ISKCON Connection Newsletter, Issue 28, September 22, 2019
 
Prabhupada Nectar
If our workers are feeling tired, then that means he's working materially. And if he's feeling enthused, more and more, that is his, he's working spiritually

The Nectar of Devotion -- Bombay, January 10, 1973

I have several times explained that the love affairs between Kṛṣṇa and Rādhārāṇī, that is fact. There is no end. Eternally They are enjoying. Rādhārāṇī is enjoying the company of Kṛṣṇa, and Kṛṣṇa is enjoying. Rādhā kṛṣṇa-praṇaya vikṛtir ahlādinī śakti. That is Kṛṣṇa's pleasure potency. As Kṛṣṇa is eternal, Kṛṣṇa's pleasure potency is also eternal. So real love, Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa, or Kṛṣṇa with the gopīs, or Kṛṣṇa and the cowherd boys, Kṛṣṇa and Yaśodā Mā, Nanda Mahārāja, Kṛṣṇa and Kṛṣṇa's servants, Kṛṣṇa and the Kṛṣṇa's trees, Kṛṣṇa and Kṛṣṇa's water, Kṛṣṇa and Kṛṣṇa's flower, Kṛṣṇa and Kṛṣṇa's cows—everything eternal. That is eternal.

Ānanda-cinmaya-rasa-pratibhāvitābhis tābhir ya eva nija-rūpatayā-kalābhiḥ (Bs. 5.37). Kṛṣṇa's enjoyment means Kṛṣṇa's expansion. Just like in Bhāgavata, you know, when Kṛṣṇa's cowherds boys, calves and cows were stolen by Brahmā, Kṛṣṇa again expanded Himself in the similar forms so that the mother of the cowherds boys, the mother of the calves, they may not feel separation. Kṛṣṇa immediately replaced. That is Kṛṣṇa.

So the blissful enjoyment with Kṛṣṇa, it is unlimited. That is called Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu. Rasa and amṛta. Amṛta, that is not dying.

(break) . . . that is not possible, from some material enjoyment. It is not possible. But, because we are preaching Kṛṣṇa consciousness, they still persisted. Yes. This is the difference. You will feel more and more enthusiasm. In this material world, the more you'll work, you'll feel tired. And the spiritual world, the more you work, you'll feel enthused. That is called anandāmbudhi-vardhanam. That is the test. If our workers are feeling tired, then that means he's working materially. And if he's feeling enthused, more and more, that is his . . . he's working spiritually. Ānandāmbudhi-vardhanam. That is the spiritual test. Rāmante yoginaḥ anante satyānande cid-ātmani (CC Madhya 9.29). That is cid-ātmani; that is spiritual, not material.

So here, we are trying to enjoy material. So how we can be happy? That is not possible. Materially we cannot be happy, therefore Bhagavad-gītā gives us indication, sukham ātyantikaṁ yat tad atīndriya grāhyam (BG 6.21). If you want happiness . . . happiness is our prerogative, every individual soul—happiness. Because Kṛṣṇa is sac-cid-ānanda-vigraha, eternal, blissful ānanda. Ānanda, blissful; cit, knowledge and sat, eternal. That is Kṛṣṇa. Sat-cid-ānanda-vigrahaḥ. Īśvaraḥ paramaḥ kṛṣṇaḥ sac-cid-ānanda-vigrahaḥ (Bs. 5.1).

Vigraha means form, but not this form. Those who have no knowledge about Kṛṣṇa, they are thinking Kṛṣṇa is māyā: these bhaktas, they are worshiping the māyā form. Their philosophy is when Kṛṣṇa comes, when God comes, He takes a material form. No. That's not right. Kṛṣṇa says, sambhavāmy ātma-māyayā (BG 4.6). Sambhavāmy ātma-māyayā. The ātma-māyayā means cit potency. These Māyāvādī philosophers, they have no information that cit potency. That is ahlādinī śakti, that is Rādhārāṇī. They have got experience of this material potency, external energy, Durgā. But they have no information of the cit potency.

Therefore, they think that Kṛṣṇa appears in the form of māyā. Just like we have got this body, material body, this is gift by the māyā.

prakṛteḥ kriyamāṇāni
guṇaiḥ karmāṇi sarvaśaḥ
ahaṅkāra-vimūḍhātmā
kartāham iti manyate
(BG 3.27)
kāraṇaṁ guṇa-saṅgo 'sya
sad-asad-janma-yoniṣu
(BG 13.22)

Kāraṇam. We are getting this body according to our association with the different modes of material nature. But Kṛṣṇa has nothing to do with this material nature. Material nature is controlled by Him, and we are controlled by the material nature. That is the difference. He is controller, and we are controlled. They do not understand.

 

 

 

 

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Courtesy of iskconnews.org

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Dandavats

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The Vedas describe a multifaceted reality by presenting many diverse aspects in one grand picture, which cannot actually be seen simultaneously. Sadaputa Dasa (Dr. Richard L. Thompson) elaborates on this theme, using the Varaha incarnation (Vishnu Boar Incarnation) mentioned in this verse as a springboard. He borrows the expression "higher dimensional" from mathematics to elucidate how our senses are unable to perceive the full extent of the world around us.

Listen Now

 

 

 

 

Srila Prabhupada: 
founderacharya.com, vanipedia.org

The official ISKCON website: iskcon.org,

Find your nearest temple: centres.iskcon.org

ISKCON leadership: gbc.iskcon.org

Education such ar Bhakti-shastri, Bhaktivaibhava etc: Mayapur Institute, Vrindavan Institute for Higher Education, Bhaktivedanta College Europe

News: news.iskcon.org, dandavats.com,

BBT books: bbt.org, krishna.com, vanisource.org, vedabase.com, bbtmedia.com

World Sankirtan Newsletter: wsnl.net/wsnhome.htm

Temple of Vedic Planetarium: tovp.org

Deity Worship and courses: deityworship.com, Mayapur Academy 

Inspiration & Sadhana: 
mayapur.tv, iskcondesiretree.com

Vaishnava Calendars: 
ISKCON GBC Vaishnava Calendar Comitee, GCAL (Gaurabda Calendar, a program for calculation of the calendar for vaisnavas, according Gaudiya-Vaisnava tradition.)

These dates and timings are for Sri Mayapur Dhama. Find timings for your location at the Vaishnava Calendar links.

December 31, 2024 (Tuesday)
Sri Locana Dasa Thakura — Appearance

January 2, 2025 (Thursday)
Srila Jiva Gosvami — Disappearance

 

Address: ISKCON GBC Office
P.O. Sri Mayapur, Nadia, WB 741313, India

Email: office@iskconconnection.org

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