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Who Can be an Ācārya?
One who is given unreserved mercy by Śrī Gurudeva, whom Gurudeva does not want to deceive, is considered to be a disciple who is worthy of chastising and instructing. He does not cheat his most beloved disciple by offering all sorts of eulogies like, “You are so good,” “I am a dog in your house” or by giving members of the seminal succession (śaukra-vaṁśa) plenty of wealth, clothes, jewellery and rasagūlas to enjoy.
Aṣṭottara-śata Śrī (108 Opulences of Śrīla Saraswati Thākura)
Based on and expanded from “Śrī Śrīmad Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvati Gosvāmī Prabhupāda” (Gaudīya 9.440-41), which was a list of sixty-five items authored by “Śrī-Caitanya-mathāśrita-sevaka-vṛnda” (the body of servants in the shelter of Śrī Caitanya Matha). It was compiled as it appears below by Śrīmad Bhakti Kusuma Śramana Mahārāja (formerly named Śrī Kṛṣṇa-kānti Brahmacārī), after the tirobhāva of Śrīla Sarasvati Ṭhākura.
The conception of Gaura-nagari-bhava has been totally rejected by our Gaudiya Guruvarga
Gauḍīya Goṣṭhī Pati Śrī Śrīla Bhakti Siddhānta Sarasvatī Gosvāmī Ṭhākura Prabhupāda said that—”To consider a nondevotee a devotee, and false bhakti as bhakti, is simply self-deception. Until one is fortunate enough to serve and respect devotees, he will continue to desire to fabricate that nondevotees are devotees. Can a crow become a peacock simply by wearing peacock feathers? Can a blue jackal become the king of animals? How long can cheating remain covered? The truth will certainly be revealed.”
Neutrality (Nirapekṣatā)
True nirapekṣatā means refraining from supporting anyone out of self-interest. Often, we stand by those close to us even when they are at fault. By doing so, we unknowingly harm their spiritual welfare. Yet, we act in this manner out of selfish motives, driven by the hope of gaining some benefit from them.
Om̐ viṣṇupāda Srī Srīmad Bhaktisiddhānta-Sarasvatī -gosvāmicaraṇānāṃ -nityalīlāpraveśamuddiśya Vilāpakusumāñjaliḥ
O Divine Lord of Vraja, you who are the beloved life and soul of Vṛṣabhānu-nandinī (Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī), and who eternally reside in the transcendental temple of Your supreme pastimes, We, the most fallen and destitute souls, take shelter at Your lotus feet. Now that our beloved Gurudeva who is intimate servant of Rādhārāṇī (vṛṣabhānu-nandinī-dayitā) and a radiant embodiment of Your compassion, went (vraja) into the eternal embrace of his beloved divine couple (nija-nātha-mandiram), We pray that his mercy continues to flow upon us who is the shelter of the surrendered, I offer my deepest obeisances, time and again.
Madhur rasa? Remember it is far better late than never
Gauḍīya Goṣṭhī Pati Śrī Śrīla Bhakti Siddhānta Sarasvatī Gosvāmī Ṭhākura Prabhupāda Paramahaṁsa- Jagad Guru said that—”While anarthas are there inside our heart, one cannot start hari-bhajana.” Really what a kind of revolting absolute siddhānta vichar it is! Which means that even hari-bhajan cannot start, then what to speak about prema bhakti which is beyond human comprehension. Śrīla Prabhupāda very often used to say that— “Oh! Devotees do not try to overlook the most basic differences existing in those following technical devotional terms available in śāstras like sādhana bhakti, bhāva bhakti, prema bhakti.
How to develop Ruchi in Harināma?
Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Saraswati Ṭhākura Prabhūpāda ( Translated for first time in English dated 17.12.2024 from Bhāgvata Patrikā Year 18_1972 -73 _issue_12, and Weekly Gaudīya Patrīka). Dedicated in the name of Gauḍīya Goṣṭhī Pati Śrī Śrīla Bhakti Siddhānta...
The Personal Account of Service (A Personal Accounting) [Sevaar Khatiyaan]
More than thirteen years have passed since the mahendra-kṣaṇa—the supreme moment—when the words of my śrī-gurupāda-padma first entered the cavities of my ears. From that very instant, I have been ceaselessly pondering the true essence of the word sevā. Sevā is the engagement of oneself solely in the satisfaction of the senses of the Supreme Transcendental Sovereign, Śrī Kṛṣṇa, the Adhokṣaja and Parātpara Para-Tattva. It is devoid of the slightest pretense, deceit, or disguise of self-sense gratification. The most piercing strike against the desire for self-indulgence, and simultaneously, the inspiration to embrace the free and fervent inclination to serve the senses of Kṛṣṇa—this potent(viryavati) and virile speech(vani)—I found in no so-called spiritual guides or preceptors.
Śrī Gītā Tātparya
Even after witnessing the extraordinary transformation and conduct of the cosmic progenitor, Lord Brahmā, who humbled himself before Śrī Bhagavān, the conditioned souls, ensnared in the ever deceptive grasp of māyā (constantly evolving illusion) which makes impossible possible, remain blinded by their own misconceptions. Despite the divine dialogue between the Lord and His devotee, Śrī Bhagavān’s nectarean teachings in the Śrīmad Bhagavad-gītā, these souls measure it with their own limited, material intellect. They refuse to accept and follow the authoritative commentaries penned by ancient sages and mahājanas (great realized souls) as conclusive. Instead, with a misplaced sense of self-importance, they concoct interpretations of their own, vying to establish themselves as original commentators. In doing so, they not only reject the legacy of the great spiritual luminaries but also distort the Gītā’s essential message.Worse yet, such individuals, while reciting teachings Śrī Bhagvān–who resides in everyone —become divided in their conclusions. Some elevate karma (action) as supreme, others extol yoga (discipline), while still others venerate jñāna (knowledge). Failing to grasp the eternal and intrinsic nature of bhakti (devotion), they relegate it to a subordinate position. They declare that only the purity of karma or the culmination of jñāna qualifies as bhakti. By marginalizing the path of devotion, they foster endless debate and division among themselves.
The greatest service to humanity is to recognize one’s true nature and to offer oneself to the Divine—Śrī Kṛṣṇa Chaitanya
In the splendid, versatile characteristics of Śrī Caitanya, the perfect, real solution to all the problems of all people of all times and of all countries of the entire world is included. The solution which the greatly thoughtful personalities of the present age and the great sages of the ancient time, could not and are not being able to and by exercising their researching capacities and intellect, or the innumerable problems of the innumerable ages that are present in a subtle form in the all devouring ocean of the innumerable future time factor, as well as the solution to the thousand faced quarreling problems which is beyond the capacity of the renowned personalities of the world – the perfect and real solution to all those problems is found in the spotless character of Śrī Caitanya. The present problem of creating a platform of world peace, not theoretically (not just in talking) but practically (in reality), in other words, realization of self esteem or rejection of dependence is completely inclusive in the most munificent contribution contributions of Śrī Caitanya.