Learn to Call the Lord
'Babies first learn to call their mothers or fathers. If you do not learn to
call the Lord, you can never learn to chant the Lord's glories. You must call
the Lord by His Name. When you have children at home, you call them by their
names, and you keep calling them until they turn. You must show the same for
the Lord – you must call out to Him until He turns.'
•
Download / listen to the audio (21.6 Mb, 52 min | Bengali | 13 November
2020)
—{ Sri Gurupadpadma's Worldwide Address }—
Gurudev's Insight[Part 6 | 24 April 2021]
"I have heard and learned a lot from Gurudev. Gurudev gave me so many
instructions how to maintain the temple, and Gurudev is dur-darasi—he
has a great foresight. He always managed everything very tactfully."
Sun, 2 July 2023
Loving Service
Connection
'Babies first learn to call their mothers or fathers. If you do not learn to
call the Lord, you can never learn to chant the Lord's glories. You must call
the Lord by His Name. When you have children at home, you call them by their
names, and you keep calling them until they turn. You must show the same for
the Lord – you must call out to Him until He turns.'
•
Download / listen to the audio (21.6 Mb, 52 min | Bengali | 13 November
2020)
—{ Sri Gurupadpadma's Worldwide Address }—
Gurudev's Loving Affection[Part 7 | 24 April 2021]
"Sri Sivananda Sen understood it, Sri Jagadananda Pandit understood it, and
Srila Sanatan Goswami also realised what is called Guru and Vaishnav's
blessing in the world of devotion. I myself realised and understood it
gradually too."
Mon, 3 July 2023 (Sri Guru Purnima)
Exclusive Enquiry
'Why must we chant the Holy Name? Why must we practise Krishna consciousness
or worship God? What will God give us? This is what we think. If we do not
get anything, we do not want to continue serving.'
•
Download / listen to the audio (21.6 Mb, 52 min | Bengali | 13 November
2020)
Today in the calendar:
Purnima. Sri Guru Purnima.Appearance of
Srila Vyasadev. Disappearance of Srila Sanatan Goswami Prabhu.Beginning of Chaturmasya Vrata.
His Divine Grace Om Vishnupad Srila B.N. Acharya Maharaj: "Even if you do
not know anything about the Vaishnav mentioned in the calendar, you must
still give them 'jay' on this day. We must always remember disappearance and
appearance days of all Vaishnavs. If we can remember such personalities, such
great souls, it will bring a great benefit to our spiritual life."
"We should always check the calendar, and when we see some dates mentioned
there, even if we do not know anything about the Vaishnav or events mentioned
there, we can at least give 'jay' to them—that also brings some good sukriti,
some purification to us. Seeing the calendar and taking devotees' names early
in the morning, from the beginning of the day, is very good for all
devotees."
"Wake up, look into the calendar and give 'jay' to your Guru and
Vaishnavs. Always pay obeisance to your Guru and Vaishnavs when you wake up
in the morning, always give them 'jay'. Always keep faith and show
respect to them. Always see the calendar—whose appearance day it is, whose
disappearance day it is. Even if you cannot make a festival, at least you can
give them 'jay', it will bring you benefit. When you give 'jay'
to your Guru and Vaishnavs, it brings you sukriti. For example, today
is the disappearance day of a Vaishnav—give 'jay' to him, remember
him. We must always remember the words of Vaishnavs. If I remember the words
of Vaishnavs, I get some benefit, some deposit through that."
In honour of
Sri Chaturmasya-vrata:
Chaturmasya
"Chaturmasya is good, but chaturmasya does not mean you must
keep a beard, grow long hair and not eat something, but secretly do nonsense.
This life is not for enjoyment only. You must be always careful with the
food..."
•
Download / listen to the audio (1.1 Mb, 4 min | 1 July 2012)
In honour of Srila
Vyasadev:
"You have heard of the Upanisads, Vedas, Vedanta, and the other
scriptures which were revealed in India in written form five thousand years
ago. Previously, this knowledge existed as sruti-mantram, spoken
words, and it was transmitted by rsis and munis to their
disciples through sruti-mantram. At that time there were no books.
Vedavyas has very mercifully given us the written form of
sruti-mantram: the Veda. He divided the Veda (sruti)
into four parts: Rg, Sama, Yajur, and Atharva. He also composed
the supplementary literatures (smrti) like the Mahabharata, which is
called the fifth Veda. The gist of the Vedas can also be found
in the hundreds of Upanisads he wrote. The great rsis, Vedic
research scholars, have also presented the Vedic knowledge in the
Puranas. Thus, through the great rsis, this transcendental
knowledge is being revealed in this mundane world, and when necessary, from
time to time, an incarnation of the Lord manifests by whose divine mercy we
get a connection with that transcendental knowledge.
"These Vedic literatures mainly try to give us transcendental knowledge, and
for our benefit they have proclaimed, "Srnvantu visve amrtasya putra:
you are all the sons of nectar, transcendental nectar; you are from the
nectarean ocean. Dive deep into that nectar!" We are all parts and parcels of
the Lord, therefore we are spiritual relatives."
(Srila Bhakti Sundar Govinda Dev-Goswami Maharaj,
Original Source)
namo 'stu te vyasa-visala-buddhe
phullaravindayata-patra-netra
yena tvaya bharata-taila-purnah
prajvalito jnana-mayah pradipah
Obeisances unto Srila Vyasadeva—
O Srila Vyasadeva of formidable intelligence, whose eyes resemble the long
petals of the blooming lotus flower, and who ignited the lamp of knowledge,
filled with the oil of the Mahabharata—I offer my obeisances unto
you.
The Greatest Gift of
Sri Vedavyas A wonderful extensive talk by Srila Bhakti Sundar Govinda Dev-Goswami
Maharaj describing the holy appearance of Srimad Bhagavatam:
"Srimad Bhagavatam is the oldest and finest book of Krishna
consciousness. Vedavyas had composed all the scriptures, but he still did not
feel happiness in his heart. He started searching what had happened..."
•
Download / listen to the audio (17.7 Mb, 43 min | 17 June 1992)
In honour of
Sri Guru Purnima:
Sri Bhakti
Siddhanta Vani
A quote of Srila Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Thakur Prabhupad that is much
appreaciated by His Divine Grace Srila Bhakti Nirmal Acharya Maharaj and is
framed and hung in many of the temples: "If someone does not consider it
necessary to faithfully follow their Guru and the Vaishnavs, their endeavour
to serve the Lord is not service to the Lord—it is service to
maya."
Sri
Guru-Tattva: The Captain of Your Boat
"If you serve your Guru properly, if you have devotion to the Guru, then you
will be able to remove the bondage with the modes of material nature, and
through that relationship with your Guru you can get service to the Lord and
finally reach your destination."
•
Download / listen to the audio (8 Mb, 24 min | 22 July 2013 | Mostly
Bengali)
Sri Guru Purnima:
Remembrance Day
"Today is a very good and auspicious day, the day of Sri Guru Purnima. On
this day, we can pray to our Gurudev that he may engage us in service more
and more, so that we could progress in our spiritual life, so that we could
submit ourselves to him as a devotee."
•
Download / listen to the audio (3.4 Mb, 8 min | 5 July 2020)
Sri Guru Purnima
Address
"My body is here, but my heart, my mind, my everything is with you. I am
always thinking about you, I am always thinking about your good, how you can
become better and better, how you can run the mission more and more
successfully. Any service I can help you with, I will always try to do it,
and I will try my best. That is my promise on this Guru Purnima day."
•
Download / listen to the audio (4.4 Mb, 11 min | 5 July 2020)
Will-O'-the-Wisp of
Worldly Wishes
"If you give Maya chance, then Maya will attack you. As soon as you get a
weak spot, Maya will attack you. It does not matter whether you are young or
old. If you try to control your elements, you can control them
from a young age."
•
Download / listen to the audio (4.1 Mb, 10 min | 5 July 2020)
Eternal Priorities
"You cannot follow all the very strict rules that the six goswamis
followed properly in Vrindavan. So, think only about doing your service
properly, about practising properly, about avoiding bad association
properly—give much importance to all this."
•
Download / listen to the audio (2.9 Mb, 7 min | 5 July 2020)
Key to Guru Puja
"Gurudev had explained and taught me that when you make a festival not much
is necessary—a festival means Vaishnav seva, bhakta-seva.
Guru-seva is not engaging your Guru in service—it means serving your
Guru, serving his devotees."
•
Download / listen to the audio (2.6 Mb, 7 min | 9 October 2018 | Bengali)
Sri Guru's
Forgiving Mercy
"Gurudev is always merciful. I can give you an example of how merciful
Gurudev is, I can tell you one story. Disciples always do wrong, but Gurudev
is always merciful..."
•
Download / listen to the audio (2.4 Mb, 7 min | June 2010)
Part 1:
How to See the Guru: Mercy
Clear guidance on how to understand who the Guru is, and how a sincere
disciple should see the Guru: the Guru is not only a mahabhagavata (a great
devotee), he is nondifferent from Krishna Himself.
•
Download / listen to the audio (6.4 Mb, 14 min | 25 September 2014)
Part 2:
How to See the Guru: Chastity
The main quality of a sincere disciple explained by several examples:
one-pointed attention, rejecting the unfavourable, intense attachment to
service and devotees, faith, and careful choice of association.
•
Download / listen to the audio (7 Mb, 15 min | 25 September 2014)
Sri Guru and His
Grace
His Divine Grace Srila B.N. Acharya Maharaj has been recently
repeatedly stressing the importance of reading this holy book,
recalling many examples and guidenlines found therein. Presented here
in English for online reading, and in Bengali and English for
downloading.
Sri
Sanatan-Siksa
The first lecture in the cycle of lectures given by His Divine Grace Srila
B.N. Acharya Maharaj in 2015, dedicated to the teachings of Sri Krishna
Chaitanya Mahaprabhu to Srila Rupa Goswami Prabhu and Srila Sanatan Goswami
Prabhu.
Sri
Rupa-Sanatan Siksa(EPUB file, 0.5 Mb)
"Sri Chaitanya-charitamrita: Sri Rupa-Satana Siksa, read and expounded by His
Divine Grace Om Vishnupad Srila Bhakti Nirmal Acharya Maharaj." An electronic
version of the published previously online matter available now for download,
reading and worshipping on phones, tablets, eBook readers, etc.
•SONG:
Sri Sad-Goswamy-Astakam |
শ্রীশ্রীষড়্গোস্বাম্যষ্টকম্ "I offer my respectful obeisances unto the Six Goswamis, namely Sri
Rupa Goswami, Sri Sanatan Goswami, Sri Raghunath Bhatta Goswami, Sri
Raghunath Das Goswami, Sri Jiva Goswami, and Sri Gopala Bhatta Goswami, who
are always engaged in chanting the Holy Name of Krishna and dancing. They are
just like the ocean of love of God, and they are popular both with the gentle
and with the ruffians, because they are not envious of anyone. Whatever they
do, they are all-pleasing to everyone, and they are fully blessed by Lord
Chaitanya. Thus they are engaged in missionary activities meant to deliver
all the conditioned souls in the material universe."
•SONG:
Ei-bara karuna kara |
এইবার করুণা কর "O worshippable Vaisnava, be merciful to me this time. O saviour of the
fallen, without you there is no one. In every birth I aspire for the dust of
your feet."
•SONG:
Ohe Vaisnava
Thakura |
(ওহে) বৈষ্ণব ঠাকুর "O worshippable Vaishnav, ocean of grace, be merciful to this servant.
Give me the shade of your feet and purify me. I clasp your feet. You can give
Krishna, you have that power. Calling, 'Krishna!' 'Krishna!', I run after
you."
•SONG:
Ki-rupe paiba seva |
কিরূপে পাইব সেবা "I am so wicked, how will I ever get service? I do not have any attachment to Sri Guru and Vaishnavs! Prabhu, you see no fault in others, you are the saviour of the fallen. Please deliver Narottam this time!"
•SONG:
Dhana mora nityananda |
ধন মোর নিত্যানন্দ "The feet dust of the Vaishnavs is where I sport and take bath, Vaishnavs'
name is the water oblation. My mind is intently fixed upon the remnants of
Vaishnavs, and I am elated hearing the name of Vaishnavs."
•SONG:
Ye
anila prema-dhana |
যে আনিল প্রেমধন "Where has Advaita Acharya gone? Where are my Svarup, Rupa, Sanatan? Where
is my Raghunath? Where are the saviours of the fallen souls?"
Tue, 4 July 2023
Rare Birth, Rare
Gift
'What does "bringing benefit to others" mean? Does it mean giving people a kg
of rice or giving 5 kg of flour by ration? People will eat it for a few days,
and it will all come out as stool. After that, they will want more. But there
is something that you can get and all your desires will be gone. This is what
we must want and what we must look for.'
•
Download / listen to the audio (21.6 Mb, 52 min | Bengali | 13 November
2020)
—{ Sri Gurupadpadma's Worldwide Address }—
Nurturing
Gurudev's Mission[Part 8 | 24 April 2021]
"You cannot become a disciple just by taking a mantra from a guru. It is
necessary to have and show your love, affection for your Guru, to take him as
your own. If you care for and think about your Guru and Vaishnavs, then your
Guru and Vaishnavs will care for and think about you..."
Wed, 5 July 2023
Devotional Progress
'Mahaprabhu said that nobody can attain the goal of their life without
practice. First comes sukriti, then faith, then sadhu-sanga.
After that, there is bhajana-kriya, practice. After that, there is
anartha-nivritti.'
•
Download / listen to the audio (21.6 Mb, 52 min | Bengali | 13 November
2020)
—{ Sri Gurupadpadma's Worldwide Address }—
Servitor's Livelihood
"Everything we have actually comes from our Guru. Without Gurudev's mercy we
are nothing, we have no power. We are only instruments. I do not think that I
am a Vaishnav, nor do I want to be a Vaishnav. I want to be a servant of the
servant of Vaishnavs. That has been my desire from the beginning, since the
time I started my temple life in 1992."
•
Download / listen to the audio (3.1 Mb, 8 min | 12 October 2018)
Today in the calendar:
Krishna Dvitiya. Disappearance of Tridandi-swami Srimad Bhakti Hriday Bon
Maharaj (a diksa and sannyas disciple of Srila Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati
Thakur Prabhupad, the first Gaudiya Math preacher in the West).
His Divine Grace Om Vishnupad Srila B.N. Acharya Maharaj: "Even if you do
not know anything about the Vaishnav mentioned in the calendar, you must
still give them 'jay' on this day. We must always remember disappearance and
appearance days of all Vaishnavs. If we can remember such personalities, such
great souls, it will bring a great benefit to our spiritual life."
"We should always check the calendar, and when we see some dates mentioned
there, even if we do not know anything about the Vaishnav or events mentioned
there, we can at least give 'jay' to them—that also brings some good sukriti,
some purification to us. Seeing the calendar and taking devotees' names early
in the morning, from the beginning of the day, is very good for all
devotees."
"Wake up, look into the calendar and give 'jay' to your Guru and
Vaishnavs. Always pay obeisance to your Guru and Vaishnavs when you wake up
in the morning, always give them 'jay'. Always keep faith and show
respect to them. Always see the calendar—whose appearance day it is, whose
disappearance day it is. Even if you cannot make a festival, at least you can
give them 'jay', it will bring you benefit. When you give 'jay'
to your Guru and Vaishnavs, it brings you sukriti. For example, today
is the disappearance day of a Vaishnav—give 'jay' to him, remember
him. We must always remember the words of Vaishnavs. If I remember the words
of Vaishnavs, I get some benefit, some deposit through that."
In honour of Sripad Bhakti Hriday Bon Maharaj:
Srila B.R. Sridhar Dev-Goswami Maharaj remembers:
When I got sannyas, Sripad Bon Maharaj was present there, as well as many
others also. Sripad Bon Maharaj remarked, "Prabhupad has got a high
satisfaction by giving you sannyas. We have never seen so much satisfaction
in him at the occasion of any other sannyasi. He is highly satisfied with
conferring sannyas to you."
....When Sripad Bon Maharaj returned from England, he put so many disturbing
questions to our Guru Maharaj (Srila Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Thakur
Prabhupad), "What do you know about that country? They are so brave, so
gorgeous! Staying here, we cannot have any proper estimation of the
civilisation in London at present. We are all ignorant. If we are to preach
in London or Europe, we will have to be trained in a different way!" That was
his advice to our Guru Maharaj, and Guru Maharaj, being pressed, rather
attacked by his own disciple in such a way, withdrew himself by saying, "This
is not our way of thinking. Our Guru Maharaj, Srila Gaura Kishor Das Babaji
Maharaj, did not even know how to sign his name, but we think that all the
scholarship, wealth, everything is there in a nail of his toe." Guru Maharaj
represented himself in a mild and humble way, but there was also professor
Sanyal present there, and he came out like a tiger at our Bon Maharaj, "Have
you lost all you have got from Guru Maharaj?! You are bold enough to talk in
such a boisterous way? Have you forgotten how to behave with your Divine
Master?" He was furious; Bon Maharaj had to check himself. Anyhow, Prabhupad
said about him, "Bon Maharaj went to preach in my first year in
England and in my second year in England." Prabhupad had gone through
it using Bon Maharaj.
So, when I heard that Sripad Bon Maharaj had returned from Europe and put
forth so many arguments of the Western persons saying that they could not be
answered, I wanted to hear what those questions were that could not be
answered. He reluctantly spoke about the arguments he had had to face there,
and I began to answer them one by one. Then, when Sripad Bon Maharaj could
not say anything more, Srila Swami Maharaj [Srila A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami
Maharaj], who was present at that round table meeting, said, "Here, Europe is
defeated by Asia!"
* * *
...At that time, all the preachers had been taken back from the compass of
the country and were concentrated to work in Kolkata—they used to have to go
door to door collecting bhiksa (alms, donations). Sripad Bon Maharaj's
party, he and one or two brahmacharis, went to some part of Kolkata for
collection. Generally, seeing some gentleman standing by, one of the members
of the party would run up to him and say something like, "We come from
Gaudiya Math, we want to make some collection. Dear sir, you are a devoted
person of this locality, please make some contribution." So, one time, Bon
Maharaj asked some gentleman to give him some addresses of good benevolent
gentlemen whom they could approach to get some money for their purpose. The
gentleman showed Bon Maharaj the way saying, "Just go to that house, you will
find the right person there." Bon Maharaj went there in good faith. When he
knocked on the door, the door was open. A lady came out. Seeing him, she
said, "Oh, you are a sadhu! What do you want from me?" The gentleman who had
directed Bon Maharaj there, was laughing behind him—the lady was a
prostitute. Bon Maharaj was perplexed—it was a lady. Anyhow, he still gave
her the letter of invitation saying, "We have got such and such festival, we
want you to come and we want to ask you for some contribution." I do not know
if the lady had given him anything or not, but all the people around were
laughing. After that, Bon Maharaj came back to Prabhupad and said,
"Prabhupad, I will not go for any collection again." Prabhupad asked him,
"Why? What has happened?" Bon Maharaj related the incident saying that some
rogues had guided him to a prostitute's house. After that, Prabhupad
delivered a lecture: "There are many of you who have left their own property,
but still I send you out for collection. Do you think that I am doing wrong?
I am not. The visayi (materialists) always want to entrap us within their
material life, but we must learn to utilise everything and anything in the
service of Krishna, then only are we saved; otherwise, if we leave, give
everything away, all this visaya (material elements) will be left there and
as soon as it gets any chance, it will come to bite me. So, whatever comes to
us, we should deal with everything in such a way that rather, 'Whatever I
shall come across, it will give me some impression to remember
Krishna—everything should utilise me for a particular service to Krishna.' If
left there, they will be enemies, but they should all be turned into friends.
They will help me, remind me, excite me in the service of Krishna. We must
have this kind of adjustment in this world. So, nothing should be left off.
'Nirbandhah Krsna-sambandhe yuktam vairagyam uchyate: when one is not
attached to anything, but at the same time accepts everything in relation to
Krishna, one is rightly situated above possessiveness.'"
Prayers to Sri Vaishnav Thakur:
•SONG:
Ei-bara karuna kara |
এইবার করুণা কর "O worshippable Vaisnava, be merciful to me this time. O saviour of the
fallen, without you there is no one. In every birth I aspire for the dust of
your feet."
•SONG:
Ohe Vaisnava
Thakura |
(ওহে) বৈষ্ণব ঠাকুর "O worshippable Vaishnav, ocean of grace, be merciful to this servant.
Give me the shade of your feet and purify me. I clasp your feet. You can give
Krishna, you have that power. Calling, 'Krishna!' 'Krishna!', I run after
you."
•SONG:
Ki-rupe paiba seva |
কিরূপে পাইব সেবা "I am so wicked, how will I ever get service? I do not have any attachment
to Sri Guru and Vaishnavs! Prabhu, you see no fault in others, you are the
saviour of the fallen. Please deliver Narottam this time!"
•SONG:
Dhana mora nityananda |
ধন মোর নিত্যানন্দ "The feet dust of the Vaishnavs is where I sport and take bath, Vaishnavs'
name is the water oblation. My mind is intently fixed upon the remnants of
Vaishnavs, and I am elated hearing the name of Vaishnavs."
•SONG:
Ye
anila prema-dhana |
যে আনিল প্রেমধন "Where has Advaita Acharya gone? Where are my Svarup, Rupa, Sanatan? Where
is my Raghunath? Where are the saviours of the fallen souls?"
Thu, 6 July 2023
Step on Clean Path
'Unless you stop doing these four things, you cannot come to this path. You
think, "Whatever. I will see when I die! I will eat nicely now." That means
cats and dogs eat whatever they see, and you also eat in the same way.'
•
Download / listen to the audio (21.6 Mb, 52 min | Bengali | 13 November
2020)
—{ Sri Gurupadpadma's Worldwide Address }—
On Chastity
"Srila Sridhar Dev-Goswami Maharaj had many qualified scholarly pandit
disciples, but he chose Gurudev. You can read many scriptures many times, you
may know many things, but the Guru can understand who can follow his
conception, who has chastity for him."
•
Download / listen to the audio (3.1 Mb, 6 min | 12 October 2018)
Satiating
Hunger for Hari-Katha
'The thing is that you must understand why sadhus come to people's
houses. I do not come to anybody's house to waste their rice. I come hoping
that I can help you in some way, hoping that you can get some help through
me. I know that I am an ordinary man, but I cannot deny what my Guru Maharaj
has given me.'
•
Download / listen to the audio (26.6 Mb, 63 min | Bengali | 17 November
2020)
—{ Sri Gurupadpadma's Worldwide Address }—
Mercy of Guru
"Without the mercy of the Guru, without the instruction of the Guru you
cannot cross, you cannot overcome the illusory environment. We must
understand clearly what is the mercy of the Guru."
•
Download / listen to the audio (1.8 Mb, 5 min | 12 October 2018)
Service Arrangement
'If you have a strong desire, you can hear about the Lord and you can serve
devotees. And there is proof to that. People know that I go for preaching in
a car, so many say, "Maharaj does not go to poor people"s houses. He goes to
rich people"s houses." But what kind of poor house did I go to the other
day?'
•
Download / listen to the audio (26.6 Mb, 63 min | Bengali | 17 November
2020)
—{ Sri Gurupadpadma's Worldwide Address }—
Guided Life
"Without Gurudev's mercy, we can fall down at any time as it
happened to Eklavya who did not follow his Gurudev's instruction because he
wanted to become more expert than his Guru—he was destroyed. It is necessary
to practise under the guidance of Gurudev."
•
Download / listen to the audio (1.5 Mb, 5 min | 13 October 2018)
Today in the calendar:
Krishna Panchami. Disappearance of Srila Gopal Bhatta Goswami
Prabhu.
His Divine Grace Om Vishnupad Srila B.N. Acharya Maharaj: "Even if you do
not know anything about the Vaishnav mentioned in the calendar, you must
still give them 'jay' on this day. We must always remember disappearance and
appearance days of all Vaishnavs. If we can remember such personalities, such
great souls, it will bring a great benefit to our spiritual life."
"We should always check the calendar, and when we see some dates mentioned
there, even if we do not know anything about the Vaishnav or events mentioned
there, we can at least give 'jay' to them—that also brings some good sukriti,
some purification to us. Seeing the calendar and taking devotees' names early
in the morning, from the beginning of the day, is very good for all
devotees."
"Wake up, look into the calendar and give 'jay' to your Guru and
Vaishnavs. Always pay obeisance to your Guru and Vaishnavs when you wake up
in the morning, always give them 'jay'. Always keep faith and show
respect to them. Always see the calendar—whose appearance day it is, whose
disappearance day it is. Even if you cannot make a festival, at least you can
give them 'jay', it will bring you benefit. When you give 'jay'
to your Guru and Vaishnavs, it brings you sukriti. For example, today
is the disappearance day of a Vaishnav—give 'jay' to him, remember
him. We must always remember the words of Vaishnavs. If I remember the words
of Vaishnavs, I get some benefit, some deposit through that."
In honour of Srila Gopal Bhatta
Goswamipad:
Srila Gopal
Bhatta Goswami's Miracle
"You have heard about the Deity of Sri Radha-Raman in Vrindavan. When Gopal
Bhatta Goswami lived in Vrindavan, he every day worshipped twelve pieces of
Govardhan sila..."
•
Download / listen to the audio (1 Mb, 3 min | 7 September 2013 | Bengali)
Strongest
Faith (2) Gopal Bhatta Goswami
"You have eyes in your heart, and if you have such feeling towards the Deity
in your heart and do your service with such faith, then you can easily see
Krishna everywhere, hear Krishna-nama everywhere, nothing else besides
Krishna-nama will enter your ears..."
•
Download / listen to the audio (1.3 Mb, 4 min | 10 March 2015)
Prayers to Sri Vaishnav Thakur:
•SONG:
Ei-bara karuna kara |
এইবার করুণা কর "O worshippable Vaisnava, be merciful to me this time. O saviour of the
fallen, without you there is no one. In every birth I aspire for the dust of
your feet."
•SONG:
Ohe Vaisnava
Thakura |
(ওহে) বৈষ্ণব ঠাকুর "O worshippable Vaishnav, ocean of grace, be merciful to this servant.
Give me the shade of your feet and purify me. I clasp your feet. You can give
Krishna, you have that power. Calling, 'Krishna!' 'Krishna!', I run after
you."
•SONG:
Ki-rupe paiba seva |
কিরূপে পাইব সেবা "I am so wicked, how will I ever get service? I do not have any attachment to Sri Guru and Vaishnavs! Prabhu, you see no fault in others, you are the saviour of the fallen. Please deliver Narottam this time!"
•SONG:
Dhana mora nityananda |
ধন মোর নিত্যানন্দ "The feet dust of the Vaishnavs is where I sport and take bath, Vaishnavs'
name is the water oblation. My mind is intently fixed upon the remnants of
Vaishnavs, and I am elated hearing the name of Vaishnavs."
•SONG:
Ye
anila prema-dhana |
যে আনিল প্রেমধন "Where has Advaita Acharya gone? Where are my Svarup, Rupa, Sanatan? Where
is my Raghunath? Where are the saviours of the fallen souls?"
Sun, 9 July 2023
Humble Service Mood
'Do not show your ego and pride to the Lord. The Lord never stays where there
is ego. Those who have a high birth, knowledge and wealth are very proud of
themselves, but the Lord is more merciful to those who are poor and
needy.'
•
Download / listen to the audio (26.6 Mb, 63 min | Bengali | 17 November
2020)
—{ Sri Gurupadpadma's Worldwide Address }—
Service to
Gurudev's Mission
"Gurudev told his opinion, told to follow his instruction, and if you do not
follow it, then whatever glorification you make it will not give any relief
to Gurudev. If you want to help Gurudev's mission, then you must follow his
instruction."
•
Download / listen to the audio (2 Mb, 5 min | 13 October 2018)
Attaining
Unattainable
'If we chant the transcendental sound vibration properly, sincerely, every
day, why cannot we come to the Lord? We definitely can! Gurudev says that we
can do it, and if Gurudev says something, then it must happen – we must be
able to reach that abode if we can sincerely practise Krishna
consciousness.'
•
Download / listen to the audio (26.6 Mb, 63 min | Bengali | 17 November
2020)
—{ Sri Gurupadpadma's Worldwide Address }—
Choose Your
Association Wisely
"We should be careful with our association—we must always reject bad
association because it can remove us from the spiritual service. We must see
who gives a good instruction, who follows Gurudev's instruction and gives
Gurudev's conception properly."
•
Download / listen to the audio (3.9 Mb, 11 min | 13 October 2018)
Today in the calendar:
Krishna Astami. Disappearance of Srila Lokanath Goswami Prabhu.
His Divine Grace Om Vishnupad Srila B.N. Acharya Maharaj: "Even if you do
not know anything about the Vaishnav mentioned in the calendar, you must
still give them 'jay' on this day. We must always remember disappearance and
appearance days of all Vaishnavs. If we can remember such personalities, such
great souls, it will bring a great benefit to our spiritual life."
"We should always check the calendar, and when we see some dates mentioned
there, even if we do not know anything about the Vaishnav or events mentioned
there, we can at least give 'jay' to them—that also brings some good sukriti,
some purification to us. Seeing the calendar and taking devotees' names early
in the morning, from the beginning of the day, is very good for all
devotees."
"Wake up, look into the calendar and give 'jay' to your Guru and
Vaishnavs. Always pay obeisance to your Guru and Vaishnavs when you wake up
in the morning, always give them 'jay'. Always keep faith and show
respect to them. Always see the calendar—whose appearance day it is, whose
disappearance day it is. Even if you cannot make a festival, at least you can
give them 'jay', it will bring you benefit. When you give 'jay'
to your Guru and Vaishnavs, it brings you sukriti. For example, today
is the disappearance day of a Vaishnav—give 'jay' to him, remember
him. We must always remember the words of Vaishnavs. If I remember the words
of Vaishnavs, I get some benefit, some deposit through that."
In honour of Srila Lokanath
Goswami Prabhu:
In Praise of Srila Narottam Das Thakur
In this chapter of Affectional Guidance, His Divine Grace Om Vishnupad
Srila Bhakti Sundar Govinda Dev-Goswami Maharaj is describing the meeting of
Srila Narottam Das Thakur with his Guru, Srila Lokanath Goswami.
Simple
Service, Earnest Heart
"It is necessary to have the strongest faith. You cannot see everything with
your eyes. We will serve Mahaprabhu, devotees, our Guru, and whether they
accept it or not, that is up to them. Simple things are sufficient for
us."
•
Download / listen to the audio (3.4 Mb, 8 min | 12 July 2020)
Overpowered by
Service
"You may have everything, but if you do not have mercy of your Guru, then you
have nothing. Gurudev gave you all his blessings, and if we can serve him, we
will get supreme benefit. You must always live remembering Gurudev's
words."
•
Download / listen to the audio (4.1 Mb, 12 min | 8 April 2017 |
Bengali)
Prayers to Sri Vaishnav Thakur:
•SONG:
Ei-bara karuna kara |
এইবার করুণা কর "O worshippable Vaisnava, be merciful to me this time. O saviour of the
fallen, without you there is no one. In every birth I aspire for the dust of
your feet."
•SONG:
Ohe Vaisnava
Thakura |
(ওহে) বৈষ্ণব ঠাকুর "O worshippable Vaishnav, ocean of grace, be merciful to this servant.
Give me the shade of your feet and purify me. I clasp your feet. You can give
Krishna, you have that power. Calling, 'Krishna!' 'Krishna!', I run after
you."
•SONG:
Ki-rupe paiba seva |
কিরূপে পাইব সেবা "I am so wicked, how will I ever get service? I do not have any attachment to Sri Guru and Vaishnavs! Prabhu, you see no fault in others, you are the saviour of the fallen. Please deliver Narottam this time!"
•SONG:
Dhana mora nityananda |
ধন মোর নিত্যানন্দ "The feet dust of the Vaishnavs is where I sport and take bath, Vaishnavs'
name is the water oblation. My mind is intently fixed upon the remnants of
Vaishnavs, and I am elated hearing the name of Vaishnavs."
•SONG:
Ye
anila prema-dhana |
যে আনিল প্রেমধন "Where has Advaita Acharya gone? Where are my Svarup, Rupa, Sanatan? Where
is my Raghunath? Where are the saviours of the fallen souls?"
Tue, 11 July 2023
Advent of Govardhan
'When Lord Krishna prepared His advent, He ordered Srimati Radharani, "You
must come too," but Srimati Radharani refused, "I will not come. There is no
Vrindavan, there is no Yamuna, there is no Govardhan – I will not go there!"
Then, Krishna came to this world bringing Yamuna, Vrindavan and all other
paraphernalia to make sure that Radharani would come too.'
•
Download / listen to the audio (26.6 Mb, 63 min | Bengali | 17 November
2020)
—{ Sri Gurupadpadma's Worldwide Address }—
Proper
Adjustment
"We cannot understand properly what is necessary for our spiritual life
because we are always attacked by the illusory environment—we work under
Maya, and Maya always tries to remove us from our service: we always think
about kanak, kamini, pratistha."
•
Download / listen to the audio (2 Mb, 6 min | 14 October 2018)
Worship of Govardhan
'Nanda Maharaj had many cows, and if there was no rain and wind, how will the
grass grow? And if there was no grass, what would the cows eat? So, Nanda
Maharaj would worship Indra, and all the Vraja gopas and gopis followed his
example.'
•
Download / listen to the audio (26.6 Mb, 63 min | Bengali | 17 November
2020)
—{ Sri Gurupadpadma's Worldwide Address }—
Strongest Faith
"There are different kinds of faith—kamala-sraddha, taranga-sraddha, drdha
sraddha, sudrdha sraddha. Depending on what kind of faith you have, that
kind of devotion will come to you. Not everybody has the same faith for the
Lord, for the Guru."
•
Download / listen to the audio (2.4 Mb, 7 min | 14 October 2018)
Govardhan-Dhari Gopal
'Madhavendra Puri walked from Bengal or Odisha all the way to Govardhan. He
came to Govinda Kunda and was sitting on the bank, chanting the Holy Name.
One day, a twelve-year-old boy came to him...'
•
Download / listen to the audio (26.6 Mb, 63 min | Bengali | 17 November
2020)
—{ Sri Gurupadpadma's Worldwide Address }—
Beneficial
Association
"What is association? What is good association? Sadhus always speak
about Krishna-katha, Bhagavat-katha, about spiritual things. Bad association
means you should not listen so much to gossips, do not listen to others
criticising Vaishnavs."
•
Download / listen to the audio (2 Mb, 6 min | 14 October 2018)
Sri Ekadasi Guidance Guidelines on how to observe and honour this holy day: Ekadasi takes an
indispensible part in the life of a sincere practitioner. At Sri Chaitanya
Saraswat Math, Ekadasi and paran are observed with affection and without
fail according to the dates given in the Calendar.
Srila B.R. Sridhar Dev-Goswami Maharaj about fasting on ekadasi and
accepting material facilities:
"One time, a devotee came here from Vrindavan on the day of
ekadasi. He reached in the evening and, after taking a bath in the
Ganges, attended kirtans, danced, circumambulated the temple and so
on. Then, I asked him whether he would take any anukalpa [non-grain
prasadam that is allowed to be taken on ekadasi]. He replied,
'Generally, I do not take anything, but if you like, then, of course, I must
like anukalpa. Your will is greater than my fasting.' That was his
decision.
"My Guru Maharaj (Srila Prabhupad Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakur)
always wanted maximum energy: you should take good food and do good service.
That was his maxim. Krishna is not a liquidated party: take full
prasadam and do full service. Do maximum service, and you should take
whatever is necessary for that. You are to take it for the cause of Krishna,
not for your own cause. You are Krishna's, so if you grow weak, His service
will be hampered, and both you and Krishna will be losers thereby. 'My
soldiers will be well-fed and well-working.' That was our Guru Maharaj's
principle. Napoleon said, 'One full-fed soldier is equal to ten half-fed
soldiers.'
"So, prasad-seva: if it is service, then it must be taken in a
serving mood, of course. But, at the same time, the individual position of a
devotee should be taken into consideration. Sahajiyas do not fast on
ekadasi at all: "Oh, we are in Vrindavan, and there is no fasting in
Vrindavan." But Srila Bhaktivinod Thakur, Srila Prabhupad did not like
that—it is sahajiya (imitation) if you go on feeding your senses in
the name of Krishna-bhakti (devotion to the Lord). For the service to
Krishna, it is necessary to keep up the body and to provide nourishment to
it, so we must take what is necessary for service. We do not like it if by
fasting, a loss of energy is effected. If fasting does not hamper your
service, you may go on fasting—perhaps, your Gurudev wanted
that...
"For service, I must accept what is necessary to make me physically
fit so that I can render more service. So, accepting material things is not
objectionable. It is fruitful, not detrimental. Rather, it produces something
of a pure character, which helps everyone. This is how a disciple receives
and accepts things. At that same time, he may even blame himself, 'I cannot
go on with my worldly life without the help of this or that!' He will blame
himself, but the underlying spirit must be, 'If I do not take it, I shall be
unfit; I will not be able to do my bit of service to the Lord, to my
Gurudev.'
"Moreover, by taking up renunciation, I will be a loser. I will incur
a loss for myself, for the world, and my Guru's service will be hampered. In
this spirit, devotees are to take everything. For the cause of Krsna, for the
cause of his Guru, they will accept anything.
"Suppose there is a very miserly karmachari (manager). Because
he does not want to spend money, he may not attain a particular result; then,
some difficulty comes, and the opportunity is lost. This manager will be
responsible to the proprietor: 'Why did you not spend money? Why are you
afraid of spending money from my store? Because of your miserly habit,
the opportunity has been lost!' 'Why should you not spend My money for My
interest?' So, to render service to Krishna, to my Gurudev, to Vaishnavs, to
the world, to everyone, I must keep up this mundane body, and I am entitled
to take something for that.
"Miserliness is mayavada; it is the renunciation spirit, and it
will mar Krishna's interest. What we need is yukta-vairagya: I shall
take from the store of Krishna to keep myself fit and to do service. It is
Krishna's account, and if I do dot do that, I should be a separationist, a
mayavadi, a renunciationist. I shall render maximum service to
Krishna, and I must take without any hestitation whatever is necessary to
make myself fit for the service; otherwise, I shall be
punishable."
•"Sri Ekadasi"
(Sri Sri Prema Vivarta)
"One day, Gaurahari left the Gundicha Temple and sat in the Jagannath
Vallabha garden. It was pure Ekadasi, and the Lord spent the whole day and
night chanting the Name of Krishna..."
•SONG:
Suddha-bhakata |
শুদ্ধ ভকত-চরণ-রেণু "I carefully observe the holy days related to Madhava, they are the mother
of devotion."
•SONG:
Sri hari-vasare |
শ্রীহরি-বাসরে হরি "On the holy day of Sri Hari, Sriman Mahaprabhu, the life and
soul of the universe, began dancing..."
"You do not need to know the meaning of each ekadasi tithi because if
you know it, you will want to get this result, that result, etc."
(Srila B.N. Acharya Maharaj)
Fri, 14 July 2023
Search and Surrender
'If you send a letter to the Lord, you will not get a reply, but if you send
your letter to your Gurudev, if you speak to your Gurudev, then you can get
some news about the Lord. Therefore, it is necessary to come to a bona fide
guru. When you take shelter at a bona fide guru and get
sadhu-sanga, you must practise Krishna consciousness.'
•
Download / listen to the audio (26.6 Mb, 63 min | Bengali | 17 November
2020)
—{ Sri Gurupadpadma's Worldwide Address }—
Sincerity in
Service
"We must understand what is favourable to devotion and accept it, and we must
reject what is unfavourable to devotion. Sincerity, nistha, means when
you do something, you must do it properly and do it regularly."
•
Download / listen to the audio (3.2 Mb, 9 min | 14 October 2018)
Genuine
Relation with Sri Guru
'If somebody has a relationship with their guru, if somebody has been
able to know and understand their guru, they will never be separated,
or detached, from their guru. But tell me, who is able to know the
guru? Who can understand the guru? You cannot understand your
guru if you do not become a real disciple.'
•
Download / listen to the audio (46.6 Mb, 97 min | Bengali | 10 August
2018)
—{ Sri Gurupadpadma's Worldwide Address }—
Association: Root of
(Mis?)fortune
"First we must understand what is good association, what is bad association.
When somebody is talking to you, what kind of talk are they doing? Is it
actually beneficial to your spiritual life or harmful? Those who are always
covered by the illusory environment cannot understand their Guru, their
Gurudev's mercy."
•
Download / listen to the audio (2.8 Mb, 8 min | 15 October 2018)
INVITATION to
Srila B.R. Sridhar Dev-Goswami Maharaj's
Disappearance Festival
Dear respected Devotees, Friends and Well-Wishers,
We are offering obeisance at your holy lotus feet and humbly extend a letter
of encouragement to observe the disappearance day of the most worshippable
Founder Acharya of Sri Chaitanya Saraswat Math, Om Vishnupad Jagad Guru Srila
Bhakti Raksak Sridhar Dev-Goswami Maharaj, which manifests on 17 July
(Monday) this year and will be observed in every
branch of Sri Chaitanya Saraswat Math throughout the world.
Our beloved Sri Gurupadpadma Om Vishnupad Srila Bhakti Nirmal Acharya Maharaj
has many times instructed on how
to hold special programmes and taught it many times by his own example.
Usually such programmes consist of: kirtans, lecture or reading of
scriptures, arati, pushpanjali (offering of flowers to a photograph), and
prasad-seva (cooking a special offering, offering it at the altar or to a
photograph and distributing it to devotees).
We hope all devotees find an opportunity to observe this holy day for the
satisfaction of Sri Gurupadpadma keeping the divine Guidance on their heads:
"Always sit amidst fire blazing on all four sides. This fire is Hari-katha,
kirtan, service to the Lord, and service to the guru. You must progress in
your practising life keeping the sacrificial fire of your service
ablaze."
Date
17 July 2023 Email address for enquiry
Make the
Festival, with Heart and Soul
"I am telling to everyone who is staying in the temple, to every centre: you
must make a festival for Srila Sridhar Maharaj. If you want to show that you
want to serve Srila Sridhar Maharaj, then make a good festival on this
day."
•
Download / listen to the audio (2.3 Mb, 7 min)
Some preparations and items that are known to be favourite to His Divine
Grace Srila Sridhar Maharaj include: natural orange juice (with just a little
sugar), cholar dahl (split chickpea dal) or kolai dal (urad dal), alu bhaji
(deep-fried potato chips), sukta, muri, puri/luchi with alu bhaja, aloo dum,
samosa, pineapple chutney (anaraser chutney), puspanna, figs (dumur), chaunsa
mango.
Pleasing Gurudev
'What does service mean? Service is not pleasing yourself. Service means
pleasing your gurudev. I do not need to be pleased – I must always
think how my guru can be pleased. Is Gurudev pleased with my service or not?
If Gurudev does not like something but you forcefully do it, it can never
make your guru happy.'
•
Download / listen to the audio (46.6 Mb, 97 min | Bengali | 10 August
2018)
In honour of the forthcoming festival:
"They Cannot Steal Our
Hearts"
"People in this world want money, things, this, and that, they always search
for material things, but we are not like that. They want to enjoy Krishna's
things, but devotees always enjoy their practice. That is the main
thing."
•
Download / listen to the audio (2.2 Mb, 7 min | 1 August 2019)
Brief History
"Soon after Prabhupad Srila Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Thakur's disappearance
in 1937, Srila Sridhar Maharaj also left Chaitanya Math in Mayapur,
empty-handed, wearing only his clothes. Feeling very sad, he went to
Vrindavan and stayed in Pavan Sarovar..."
•
Download / listen to the audio (3.2 Mb, 9 min | 1 August 2019)
Pure Rupanuga-Dhara
"Actually, anyone can manage a temple, but who did Srila Prabhupad make his
acharya (successor) from within his heart? Who could preach the pure
conception? Who was the pure Rupanuga-dhara?"
•
Download / listen to the audio (1.4 Mb, 4 min | 1 August 2019)
At Ultadanga and
Godavari
"When Srila Sridhar Maharaj joined in 1926, Srila Prabhupad was staying at
Ultadanga. Srila Sridhar Maharaj had passed his Bachelor degree and got
admitted to a law college, when one day he got some message that a great
sadhu was giving lectures at Ultadanga."
•
Download / listen to the audio (1.8 Mb, 5 min | 1 August 2019)
Supreme Fortune and
Earnest Prayer
"I am praying to Srila Guru Maharaj and Srila Gurudev, 'Wherever you are, you
can see all the situation. What is your desire? Your desire is not that they
occupy the building, your desire is to preach Sri Rupa-Raghunath katha all
over the world, but how will you fulfil your desire?'"
•
Download / listen to the audio (2.1 Mb, 6 min | 1 August 2019)
Srila Guru Maharaj Remembers "I was born at midnight, Saturday 10th October, 1895. Navami tithiunder
the same sign as Lord Ramchandra. Krishna-paksa [dark moon fortnight]. Sriman
Mahaprabhu was also born on a Saturday. I was the second child. The first was
a daughter, but she died early, so Ram Kavach [a protective mantram and
amulet] was given to my mother for the protection of the next child, that is,
myself. So I was born after my mother took Ram Kavach...."
Mon, 17 July 2023
(Srila B.R. Sridhar Dev-Goswami Maharaj's Tirobav-mahotsav)
Giving
Gurudev Place In Your Heart
'It is necessary to make gurudev happy by knowing who he is, by understanding
him and by serving him. We must serve our gurudev trying to please him. One
time, a husband and a wife came to take initiation from Srila
Prabhupad...'
•
Download / listen to the audio (46.6 Mb, 97 min | Bengali | 10 August
2018)
Today in the calendar:
Amavasya. Festival in honour of the disappearance of Om Visnupad
Paramahamsa Parivrajakacharya-varya Astottara-sata-sri Sri Srimad Bhakti
Raksak Sridhar Dev-Goswami Maharaj.
Make the
Festival, with Heart and Soul
"I am telling to everyone who is staying in the temple, to every centre: you
must make a festival for Srila Sridhar Maharaj. If you want to show that you
want to serve Srila Sridhar Maharaj, then make a good festival on this
day."
•
Download / listen to the audio (2.3 Mb, 7 min | 15 July 2012)
In honour of Om Vishnupad Srila
Bhakti Raksak Sridhar Dev-Goswami Maharaj:
~ Pranam-mantra ~
devam divya-tanum suchhanda-vadanam balarka-chelanchitam
sandrananda-puram sad-eka-varanam vairagya-vidyambudhim
sri-siddhanta-nidhim subhakti-lasitam sarasvatanam varam
vande tam subhadam mad-eka-saranam nyasisvaram sridharam
"I worship Srila Bhakti Raksak Sridhar Dev-Goswami Maharaj, the
bestower of all auspiciousness, my only shelter and the master of all
renunciates. He is my Lord who possesses a transcendental form, whose face
expression is very grave, who is clad in the holy clothes the colour of the
newly risen sun. He is an abode of intense joy; the only genuine master whom
one can accept and surrender to; and an ocean of divine knowledge and
renunciation. He is a repository of holy scriptural teachings and pastimes of
the highest devotion and a dear follower of Srila Saraswati Thakur
Prabhupad."
What Is Sri
Chaitanya Saraswat Math and Its Distinctions "To explain to this world what Sri Chaitanya Saraswat Math is, what its
purpose, preaching matter or distinctions are, is an extremely difficult
task, but it is even more difficult to make those who are engrossed in and
inspired by the commonplace ideas appreciate it even partially..."
শ্রীচৈতন্য সারস্বত মঠ কি ও তাঁর বৈশিষ্ট্য
শ্রীচৈতন্য সারস্বত মঠ কি ও তাঁর উদ্দেশ্য, প্রচার্য্য-বিষয় বা বৈশিষ্ট্যের কথা
জগতে বোঝাইতে হইলে যেরূপ সুদুরূহ ব্যাপার, প্রচলিত ভাব-ধারায় বিভাবিত ও
অনুপ্রাণিত বিশ্বের তাহা আংশিকভাবে উপলব্ধি করাইবার চেষ্টাও ততোধিক গুরুতর
কার্য্য । কিন্তু এই মঠের প্রতিষ্ঠাতা আচার্য্য ওঁ বিষ্ণুপাদ শ্রীল ভক্তিরক্ষক
শ্রীধর দেব গোস্বামী মহারাজ ও তাঁর স্থলাভিষিক্ত সেবাইত আচার্য্য ওঁ বিষ্ণুপাদ
শ্রীল ভক্তিসুন্দর গোবিন্দ দেব গোস্বামী মহারাজ ও তাঁর মনোনীত বর্তমান সভাপতি
আচার্য্য ওঁ বিষ্ণুপাদ শ্রীল ভক্তি নির্ম্মল আচার্য্য মহারাজ শ্রীল
ভক্তিসিদ্ধান্ত সরস্বতী ঠাকুরের পথ অনুসরণ করে শ্রীকৃষ্ণচৈতন্য মহাপ্রভুর শিক্ষা
শুদ্ধভাবে আচার-প্রচারের মাধ্যমে ভারতসহ সারা পৃথিবীতে বদ্ধ জীবকে উদ্ধারের জন্য
অক্লান্ত পরিশ্রম করে চলেছেন ।
Do Not Compromise
with Maya
"So many problems came in their time, and they did not back off—they spoke
the truth; but we are ready to compromise our principles—we compromise what
Mahaprabhu teaches us with other things. Srila Sridhar Maharaj saw a big
dream that Mahaprabhu's proper conception would be preached all over the
world by Sri Chaitanya Saraswat Math, and that is happening now. We must not
surrender to maya."
•
Download / listen to the audio (3.8 Mb, 11 min | 7 June 2019)
Autobiography of Srila
B.R. Sridhar Dev-Goswami Maharaj
Srila Guru Maharaj's extensive recollections of his childhood and youth,
as well as the coming to the lotus feet of his Gurudev and later on
starting Sri Chaitanya Saraswat Math.
Photo Album: (35 photographs, 3.4 Mb)
A collection of selected photographs of His Divine Grace Srila Bhakti Raksak
Sridhar Dev-Goswami Maharaj is now added to the archive of photographs.
Our Literary Heritage
An extensive collection of publications and holy books most mercifully
presented to us by devotees who tirelessly collected, transcribed, and
presented carefully in a book-form the holy transcendental discourses of His
Divine Grace Srila Bhakti Raksak Sridhar Dev-Goswami Maharaj containing
unprecedented and much appreciated and extolled by the entire Vaishnava
universe siddhanta. We invite everyone to come in touch with the
touchstones of these holy books and embrace the supreme nourishment and
fulfilment that any sincere seeker shall find therein.
Exalted,
Esteemed, and Inimitable
"We have no quality or qualification to glorify Srila Bhakti Raksak
Sridhar Dev-Goswami Maharaj. He is a super personality. Srila Sridhar Maharaj
conquered, possessed the heart of Srila Prabhupad Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati
Thakur through his service and devotion."
•
Download / listen to the audio (3.1 Mb, 10 min | 26 July 2014)
Festival of
Solemn Service
"Srila Bhakti Raksak Sridhar Dev-Goswami Maharaj's disappearance festival is
coming soon and all over the world devotees are making some ceremony on this
day. No actual disciple wants to see their Gurudev's disappearance day—it is
about the love and affection, about a good connection between the Guru and
the disciple..."
•
Download / listen to the audio (2.9 Mb, 9 min | 28 July 2011)
Make the
Festival, with Heart and Soul
"I am telling to everyone who is staying in the temple, to every centre: you
must make a festival for Srila Sridhar Maharaj. If you want to show that you
want to serve Srila Sridhar Maharaj, then make a good festival on this
day."
•
Download / listen to the audio (2.3 Mb, 7 min | 15 July 2012)
The Root of Our
Fortune
"Srila Sridhar Dev-Goswami Maharaj came in this world to rescue us, and he
created our Guru—by his grace we have got shelter of our bona fide
Guru. So, we must worship his lotus feet."
•
Download / listen to the audio (7.6 Mb, 22 min | 22 October 2011)
Relation With
Guru: Watch Out
"Srila Gurudev gave much honour and much respect to everybody, both his
godbrothers and his disciples. However, a disciple should also understand—if
Gurudev gives me respect, it does not mean I will now jump and sit on his
head."
•
Download / listen to the audio (2.4 Mb, 6 min | 19 July 2020)
Spoken on the appearance day of Srila B.R. Sridhar Dev-Goswami Maharaj
in 2020:
Our Great Fortune
"Today is a very auspicious day because tomorrow is the appearance day of our
Sri Chaitanya Saraswat Math's Founder Acharya—our Param Gurudev, Om Vishnupad
Srila Bhakti Raksak Sridhar Dev-Goswami Maharaj. I am giving my full humble
obeisance at the lotus feet of my beloved Gurudev, and our Param
Gurudev...."
•
Download / listen to the audio (2.7 Mb, 7 min | 8 November)
Srila Sridhar Maharaj:
Appearance and Early Days
"The name of Srila Sridhar Dev-Goswami Maharaj's father is Upendra Chandra
Bhattacharya. His birthpalce is in Hapaniya. His mother's name was Sri Gauri
Devi. By the will of the Lord, when Srila Sridhar Maharaj appeared, he was
the eldest son. How did his parents get this kind of son? There is some
history behind it."
•
Download / listen to the audio (2.8 Mb, 7 min)
Srila Sridhar Maharaj: Powerful
Preaching
"When Srila Sridhar Maharaj left his house and joined Gaudiya Mission, Srila
Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Thakur was very pleased. Even before taking
sannyas, Srila Sridhar Dev-Goswami Maharaj was a great preacher. He was
always very enthusiastic to preach."
•
Download / listen to the audio (4.3 Mb, 11 min)
Suggested kirtans:
Sri Guru Parampara kirtan Arati kirtan Guru-vandana Pancha-tattva-vandana Vaishnava-vandana Srila Prabhupad's kirtan Nityananda-vandana Mahaprabhu-vandana Radha-Krsna-vandana Viraha-giti Closing
This day in 2013 (Bengali):
• Morning Bengali class of His Divine Grace Srila Bhakti Nirmal Acharya
Maharaj:
(Download,
13.8 Mb, 40 min)
• Morning kirtans:
(Download, 15.9 Mb, 47 min)
• Noon class of His Divine Grace Srila Bhakti Nirmal Acharya Maharaj
(includes a ten-minute archive recording of Srila Bhakti Sundar Govinda
Dev-Goswami Maharaj's Bengali lecture at the end, which was played during the
class to the assembled audience):
(Download, 11.5 Mb, 34 min)
Some preparations and items that are known to be favourite to His Divine
Grace Srila Sridhar Maharaj include: natural orange juice (with just a little
sugar), cholar dahl (split chickpea dal) or kolai dal (urad dal), alu bhaji
(deep-fried potato chips), sukta, muri, puri/luchi with alu bhaja, aloo dum,
samosa, pineapple chutney (anaraser chutney), puspanna, figs (dumur), chaunsa
mango.
Tue, 18 July 2023
Gurudev's
Transcendental Care
'We must be always humble, tolerant and give honour to others. We must be
compassionate, merciful to others. Those who have these qualities can serve
the Lord. I am not telling you to give me place in your house. We must give
place for the Lord in our hearts, but our hearts are full of other
things...'
•
Download / listen to the audio (46.6 Mb, 97 min | Bengali | 10 August
2018)
—{ Sri Gurupadpadma's Worldwide Address }—
Improving
Spiritual Life
"We do not think what is the service to the sadhu, what is the sadhu's
priority. What for have we come to Krishna consciousness? We must first see
to our spiritual life, we must not think about our material interest—we must
follow Gurudev's instruction."
•
Download / listen to the audio (1.3 Mb, 4 min | 15 October 2018)
Live In the World of
Faith
'Just as there is am aural world for those who have ears, a visual world for
those who have eyes; in the same way, there is God for those who have
devotion. We must have faith in this. We must know and understand what we
must see.'
•
Download / listen to the audio (46.6 Mb, 97 min | Bengali | 10 August
2018)
—{ Sri Gurupadpadma's Worldwide Address }—
Rusty and Nasty
"What is service in spiritual life? The main thing is that you must make your
Gurudev happy. If we see how our Guru-varga preach Krishna consciousness,
what they do to make their Gurudev happy, how they serve their Gurudev, then
we can understand what service is."
•
Download / listen to the audio (1.9 Mb, 6 min | 15 October 2018)
Value Your Service
Life
'If you do what is favourable (anukul), you have to give up what is
unfavourable (pratikul). You cannot do both together because
unfavourable things will slowly destroy your devotion. If you come to the
world of devotion but Kali Ma takes even some smallest place within you, you
will not be able to stay there.'
•
Download / listen to the audio (46.6 Mb, 97 min | Bengali | 10 August
2018)
—{ Sri Gurupadpadma's Worldwide Address }—
What Is Service?
"Even if it looks like worship, if it is what our mind tells us to do, it is
not bhajan—service is serving your Guru and Vaishnavs under the
guidance of your Guru and Vaishnavs; without the guidance of the Guru, it is
not service."
•
Download / listen to the audio (1.5 Mb, 5 min | 15 October 2018)
Power of Genuine
Devotion
'We pray to Gurudev, "If I do not get your mercy, I cannot do anything." No
matter how much you may know, no matter how many good qualities you may have,
you will not get anywhere and you will not be able to do anything unless you
have your guru's mercy.'
•
Download / listen to the audio (46.6 Mb, 97 min | Bengali | 10 August
2018)
—{ Sri Gurupadpadma's Worldwide Address }—
Learn Siddhanta
"How much our Guru-varga has been trying to teach proper Krishna
consciousness, to teach proper etiquette! Take Gurudev's instruction, take
his association and you will become a proper devotee."
•
Download / listen to the audio (2.2 Mb, 7 min | 15 October 2018)
Give Wholesale
Attention
'Is it possible to do two things at a time? Is it possible to chant the Holy
Name and say something else at the same time or listen to the lecture at the
same time? But how can we practise all sixty-four devotional practices at the
same time? Srila Prabhupad gave the answer.'
•
Download / listen to the audio (46.6 Mb, 97 min | Bengali | 10 August
2018)
—{ Sri Gurupadpadma's Worldwide Address }—
Lucid Living
"Our life is very short—we can leave our body at any time. What have we got
this body for? We must understand it and utilise this human body for the
service of the Guru. You cannot conquer maya unless you surrender to
your Guru properly."
•
Download / listen to the audio (2 Mb, 6 min | 16 October 2018)
Harmonising Wisely
'Your five fingers are not the same, so five servitors will also not be the
same. It is necessary to manage and serve together with everyone. If somebody
is going down a bad road, you must talk to them, explain it to them, you must
try to keep them in this line. Never reject them.'
•
Download / listen to the audio (46.6 Mb, 97 min | Bengali | 10 August
2018)
—{ Sri Gurupadpadma's Worldwide Address }—
What Is Proper
Surrender?
"Sometimes you cannot understand the mercy of Gurudev, you cannot understand
what Gurudev says—that is because of your ego, because there are so many bad
elements within you, because you are not surrendered fully."
•
Download / listen to the audio (3.6 Mb, 10 min | 16 October 2018)
Seva-Sprha
'I want to practise Krishna consciousness and serve the Lord and Gurudev – in
this way, my life is passing away. If we can do some vaishnav-seva, if
we can practise Krishna consciousness, then it is very good. If you keep
doing service, you will have desire, or longing, for service.'
•
Download / listen to the audio (46.6 Mb, 97 min | Bengali | 10 August
2018)
—{ Sri Gurupadpadma's Worldwide Address }—
Devotional
Relationship
"Days are passing very quickly while we waste time on so many nonsense
things, on sleeping, eating, enjoying. We must learn something from Gurudev.
We must have full surrender, and surrender means not just saying it with your
mouth—you must show what your surrender is."
•
Download / listen to the audio (2.7 Mb, 8 min | 16 October 2018)
My Humble Prayer
to You
'When you always do service, you feel happy – you feel no trouble, no pain.
We are not even conscious of any personal struggles. When you do and do
service, your faults will go away. What are these faults?'
•
Download / listen to the audio (46.6 Mb, 97 min | Bengali | 10 August
2018)
—{ Sri Gurupadpadma's Worldwide Address }—
Depend On Your
Guru
"Krishna has given all His power to our Gurudev, and all you need to do is to
listen properly to his advice, his order. We are not independent. If we do
some service under the guidance of Guru and Vaishnav, then we can realise
everything properly."
•
Download / listen to the audio (2.1 Mb, 6 min | 17 October 2018)
Result of Great
Fortune
'Nobody can practise Krishna consciousness without being a fortunate soul.
There are so many people in this world, but they do not want to understand
these things. They always live amidst their ego and pride...'
•
Download / listen to the audio (26.7 Mb, 64 min | Bengali | 20 November
2020)
—{ Sri Gurupadpadma's Worldwide Address }—
Greatest Gift
"Who can understand the extent of Nityananda Prabhu's help to us? We can
understand easily how merciful Gurudev is, how kind Gurudev is to us. He is
giving us, presenting us such good things. We must only accept it."
•
Download / listen to the audio (2.4 Mb, 7 min | 17 October 2018)
Beyond the
Walls of Your Ego
'When you come to Goloka, you will get love and affection, peace. You cannot
get these things by worshipping Kali. When you worship Kali, you only think
of enjoyment, and when you think of enjoyment, it only leads to fights and
quarrels.'
•
Download / listen to the audio (26.7 Mb, 64 min | Bengali | 20 November
2020)
—{ Sri Gurupadpadma's Worldwide Address }—
Pure
Surrender—Key to Pure Solution
"We should not bargain with the Guru—when Gurudev tells you something, you
should listen properly and show with your action, with your service that you
are a proper servitor of your Guru. You must show your Guru with your
actions, 'I am not independent.'"
•
Download / listen to the audio (3.1 Mb, 9 min | 17 October 2018)
Hanker and Try
'Mother Yasoda wanted to bind Krishna, but every time she tried to do it, the
rope was two fingers too short. These two fingers are desire and mercy.
Desire means trying, making an effort. For Krishna, you must try and try
continuously, without stop. "I am tired", "I do not like to do it" – no!'
•
Download / listen to the audio (26.7 Mb, 64 min | Bengali | 20 November
2020)
—{ Sri Gurupadpadma's Worldwide Address }—
Turning
Homebound
"We use our life to do nonsense thinking that we will go to heaven... This is
not right because we all have come from the same family. We are now separate,
going here and there because of our karma, but we must remember that we must
get to our destination."
•
Download / listen to the audio (1.5 Mb, 4 min | 18 October 2018)
Govardhan's
Arrangement
'In the west of India, somewhere near Karnataka, there is an island called
Salmaladwip. I do not know the modern name, but the name mentioned in our
scriptures is Salmaladwip. Created by the Lord, that island is formed by a
mountain that is higher than even the Himalayas.'
•
Download / listen to the audio (26.7 Mb, 64 min | Bengali | 20 November
2020)
—{ Sri Gurupadpadma's Worldwide Address }—
Price for the
Advantage
"There are so many faults in the age of Kali, but there is also one great
quality in it: Krishna Himself comes in the form of His Name. If we take
shelter of the Holy Name—if we chant properly, without offence—then we can
understand the real truth."
•
Download / listen to the audio (1.1 Mb, 3 min | 18 October 2018)
পুরুষোত্তম-মাস
"এ বৎসর অধি-মাস বা পুরুষোত্তম-মাস সমুপস্থির হইয়া জীবের জাগাকে অধিক
কৃষ্ণসেবানুকূল্যময় করিয়াছেন । পুরুষোত্তম-মাস, ভগবান পুরুষোত্তমের ন্যায়
সর্ব্বগুণাধার এবং অন্যান্য সমস্ত মাসের মুকুটমণি স্বরূপ ।"
Sri Ekadasi Guidance Guidelines on how to observe and honour this holy day: Ekadasi takes an
indispensible part in the life of a sincere practitioner. At Sri Chaitanya
Saraswat Math, Ekadasi and paran are observed with affection and without
fail according to the dates given in the Calendar.
Srila B.R. Sridhar Dev-Goswami Maharaj about fasting on ekadasi and
accepting material facilities:
"One time, a devotee came here from Vrindavan on the day of
ekadasi. He reached in the evening and, after taking a bath in the
Ganges, attended kirtans, danced, circumambulated the temple and so
on. Then, I asked him whether he would take any anukalpa [non-grain
prasadam that is allowed to be taken on ekadasi]. He replied,
'Generally, I do not take anything, but if you like, then, of course, I must
like anukalpa. Your will is greater than my fasting.' That was his
decision.
"My Guru Maharaj (Srila Prabhupad Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakur)
always wanted maximum energy: you should take good food and do good service.
That was his maxim. Krishna is not a liquidated party: take full
prasadam and do full service. Do maximum service, and you should take
whatever is necessary for that. You are to take it for the cause of Krishna,
not for your own cause. You are Krishna's, so if you grow weak, His service
will be hampered, and both you and Krishna will be losers thereby. 'My
soldiers will be well-fed and well-working.' That was our Guru Maharaj's
principle. Napoleon said, 'One full-fed soldier is equal to ten half-fed
soldiers.'
"So, prasad-seva: if it is service, then it must be taken in a
serving mood, of course. But, at the same time, the individual position of a
devotee should be taken into consideration. Sahajiyas do not fast on
ekadasi at all: "Oh, we are in Vrindavan, and there is no fasting in
Vrindavan." But Srila Bhaktivinod Thakur, Srila Prabhupad did not like
that—it is sahajiya (imitation) if you go on feeding your senses in
the name of Krishna-bhakti (devotion to the Lord). For the service to
Krishna, it is necessary to keep up the body and to provide nourishment to
it, so we must take what is necessary for service. We do not like it if by
fasting, a loss of energy is effected. If fasting does not hamper your
service, you may go on fasting—perhaps, your Gurudev wanted
that...
"For service, I must accept what is necessary to make me physically
fit so that I can render more service. So, accepting material things is not
objectionable. It is fruitful, not detrimental. Rather, it produces something
of a pure character, which helps everyone. This is how a disciple receives
and accepts things. At that same time, he may even blame himself, 'I cannot
go on with my worldly life without the help of this or that!' He will blame
himself, but the underlying spirit must be, 'If I do not take it, I shall be
unfit; I will not be able to do my bit of service to the Lord, to my
Gurudev.'
"Moreover, by taking up renunciation, I will be a loser. I will incur
a loss for myself, for the world, and my Guru's service will be hampered. In
this spirit, devotees are to take everything. For the cause of Krsna, for the
cause of his Guru, they will accept anything.
"Suppose there is a very miserly karmachari (manager). Because
he does not want to spend money, he may not attain a particular result; then,
some difficulty comes, and the opportunity is lost. This manager will be
responsible to the proprietor: 'Why did you not spend money? Why are you
afraid of spending money from my store? Because of your miserly habit,
the opportunity has been lost!' 'Why should you not spend My money for My
interest?' So, to render service to Krishna, to my Gurudev, to Vaishnavs, to
the world, to everyone, I must keep up this mundane body, and I am entitled
to take something for that.
"Miserliness is mayavada; it is the renunciation spirit, and it
will mar Krishna's interest. What we need is yukta-vairagya: I shall
take from the store of Krishna to keep myself fit and to do service. It is
Krishna's account, and if I do dot do that, I should be a separationist, a
mayavadi, a renunciationist. I shall render maximum service to
Krishna, and I must take without any hestitation whatever is necessary to
make myself fit for the service; otherwise, I shall be
punishable."
•"Sri Ekadasi"
(Sri Sri Prema Vivarta)
"One day, Gaurahari left the Gundicha Temple and sat in the Jagannath
Vallabha garden. It was pure Ekadasi, and the Lord spent the whole day and
night chanting the Name of Krishna..."
•SONG:
Suddha-bhakata |
শুদ্ধ ভকত-চরণ-রেণু "I carefully observe the holy days related to Madhava, they are the mother
of devotion."
•SONG:
Sri hari-vasare |
শ্রীহরি-বাসরে হরি "On the holy day of Sri Hari, Sriman Mahaprabhu, the life and
soul of the universe, began dancing..."
"You do not need to know the meaning of each ekadasi tithi because if
you know it, you will want to get this result, that result, etc."
(Srila B.N. Acharya Maharaj)
Sun, 30 July 2023
Krishna, Stealer
of Pride
'Waking up, He came out of His room and saw that His mother had prepared so
many nice things. He took one sweetball. Mother Yasoda saw it and scolded
Him, "Hey! Put that down! Do you not know that it is Indra-puja day
today?"'
•
Download / listen to the audio (26.7 Mb, 64 min | Bengali | 20 November
2020)
—{ Sri Gurupadpadma's Worldwide Address }—
Sarveswar and
Nirgun Krishna
"When we are born, our mothers tell me, 'This is your father,' and we believe
it because only the mother knows who the father is. In the same way, we must
believe properly what the scriptures say."
•
Download / listen to the audio (2 Mb, 6 min | 18 October 2018)
Annakut Mahotsav
'Do you know who made an annakut mahotsav in Kali-yuga? Sri
Madhavendra Puripad, who is the root guru of our sampradaya. He
also worshipped Govardhan and Govardhan-dhari Gopal. If you read Sri
Chaitanya-charitamrita, you will find this pastime narrated there very
beautifully.'
•
Download / listen to the audio (26.7 Mb, 64 min | Bengali | 20 November
2020)
—{ Sri Gurupadpadma's Worldwide Address }—
Foundation of
Surrender
"When one surrenders to the Lord, even if they are unable to understand
Krishna consciousness, if they practise sravanam, kirtanam, they too
will get a great benefit through that. Through sravanam and
kirtanam, we can clean our heart and understand what a devotee of
Krishna is."
•
Download / listen to the audio (3 Mb, 9 min | 19 October 2018)
'Giving up all bad association, giving up adherence to social rules of
varnas and asrams, thus ridding yourself of all material
possessions (attachment), take exclusive shelter at the lotus feet of
Krishna.'