Embody Proper Conception
"Devotees must be always humble, it is necessary for everyone. Learn to be humble, tolerant and to give honour to others from Mahaprabhu and Gurudev. You must apply all these things in your life. These are the main things in one's life."
• Download / listen to the audio (3.1 Mb, 8 min | 20 December 2020)

• REVEALED TRUTH •

(8) THE WAVES OF KAMA AND PREMA
'In English we translate the word prema as “love for Krishna”. Actually there is no word in English for prema. Prema means something like a mixture of love, attraction, attachment, affection, and sincere hankering. When Srila Krishnadas Kaviraj Goswami says trijagat kaila kama-maya he means that the universe is overflooded with both kama, the desire for mundane enjoyment, and prema, the desire to lovingly serve Krishna.'

Practical Choice
"(1) We cannot stop our spiritual practice. Otherwise time will pass and our life will finish while we are waiting for all the problems to go away. (2) Gurudev always thinks in a practical way—the worship of Radha-Krishna is very high, but the worship of Nitai Gaurachandra is simpler."
• Download / listen to the audio (2.8 Mb, 7 min | 20 December 2020)

• REVEALED TRUTH •

(7) THE WAVES OF BIRTH AND DEATH
'The jiva souls are constantly revolving up and down through the different species and planes of life in this universe according to their karma. The jiva souls try in many ways to find satisfaction, but none of their attempts are successful. The jiva soul’s existence and passing enjoyment in this world is comparable to being forced above and below water again and again. The equal and opposite reactions of the jiva souls’ exploitative actions, done even for survival, force them into this condition.'

Keep Yourself Busy With Service
"You may have seen something, but it is not necessary to broadcast these things. This is called gramya-katha and prajalpa. This is not good for any devotee. Actually, devotees are always busy with their service, when will they get time for all this? Do not waste your time on others' faults."
• Download / listen to the audio (2.5 Mb, 6 min | 20 December 2020)

• REVEALED TRUTH •

(6) THE EVOLUTION OF CONSCIOUSNESS
'Jiva souls animate the material energy and exist at different stages of spiritual evolution. One name of the transcendental world is atma-jagat. Through this name we can understand that jiva souls do not come from the material world: they are actually members of the eternal world and have an eternal form. When the jiva souls misuse their freedom, they enter the material nature and suffer in the bondage of karma. When they are re-established in their natural consciousness of eternal service to Krishna, then they transcend Maya’s illusions and feel supramundane joy.'

Preaching Plan and Programme
"I have been attending some programmes before Gurudev's appearance day and I will have more programmes after the festival. I want to make an assembly Sri Dham Pracharani Sobha dedicated to the preaching of the glorification of Sri Nabadwip Dham, guru-varga, as well as the glory and teachings of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. This is my view and my idea."
• Download / listen to the audio (4 Mb, 10 min | 20 December 2020)

• REVEALED TRUTH •

(5) THE EMPORIUM OF ALL RASA
'Srila Jiva Goswami explained that the word Bhagavan means bhajaniya-guna-visista: He who has the most worshippable and attractive qualities. Because Krishna has the most transcendental qualities, more than the demigods and all other forms of the Lord, He is supreme. Krishna’s Name, form, fame, and pastimes are all supreme.'

Photographs of Sri Puri Dham pilgrimage from previous years:

Lord Jagannath: Discovery
"The Lord did not give any direction, so King Indradyumna had to find out himself where the Lord was. All he knew was that the Lord was there and was waiting for him."
• Download / listen to the audio (2.3 Mb, 7 min)

Lord Jagannath: Deity Appearance
"King Indradyumna built the Jagannath temple and thought, 'Where is the Lord?! The Lord said, "I will come," but He is not coming!'"
• Download / listen to the audio (1.3 Mb, 4 min)

Darshan of Lord Jagannath
"By the mercy of Guru and Vaishnavs we completed the Ratha-yatra festival yesterday in a very beautiful and smooth way. Many thought, 'Oh, I will see the chariots tomorrow,' but tell me do we have the eyes to see it?"
• Download / listen to the audio (2.8 Mb, 7 min | Vandana & Bengali class)

Appearance of Lord Jagannath
"Previously, Jagannath, Baladev, Subhadra were one Vishnu-murti, and His name was Nil-Madhav. He was served about a hundred kilometres away from Puri by one savar named Vishvavasu..."
• Download / listen to the audio (5.7 Mb, 15 min | 18 August 2013)

Sri Ratha Yatra Festival
(23 June 2020 | 75 photographs, 5.1 Mb)
On the earnest plea of the servitors of Sri Jagannathdev Temple, the Supreme Court allows to hold Sri Ratha Yatra in Sri Jagannath Puri without public attendance. Unable to make Sri Puri Dham parikrama this year due to the national restriction, our beloved Sri Gurupadpadma Om Vishnupad Jagad-Guru Srila Bhakti Nirmal Acharya Maharaj observes the festival from Kolkata. We are humbly sharing a few glimpses of the festival in Sri Puri Dham.

Puri Sri Chaitanya Saraswat Math: Jagannathdev and His Dham
Chapter 23 from Affectionate Guidance by Srila Bhakti Sundar Govinda Dev-Goswami Maharaj that relates the history of our Puri Temple, Deities and the proper mood when visiting Sri Puri Dham.

What Is Sri Chaitanya Saraswat Math and Its Distinctions
In honour of the anniversary of establishing Sri Chaitanya Saraswat Math, we are presenting an exquisite and profoundly fundamental chapter from the book Guidance, Volume 3, dwelling on the mission and distinctive characteristics of Sri Chaitanya Saraswat Math.

Golden Reflections
Published in 1992 to celebrate the Golden Jubilee of Sri Chaitanya Saraswat Math, the book presents a series of reflections of Srila B.S. Govinda Dev-Goswami Maharaj on how the Math was founded and developed over the course of time, as well as affectionate guidance for the practitioners on how to proceed in their spiritual life.

The All-Auspicious Name of Sri Chaitanya Saraswat Math.
His Divine Grace Om Vishnupad Srila Bhakti Raksak Sridhar Dev-Goswami Maharaj, the founder of Sri Chaitanya Saraswat Math, expounds on the profundity of the Mission's name.

The Math Logo
Om Vishnupad Srila Bhakti Sundar Govinda Dev-Goswami Maharaj explains the meaning of Sri Chaitanya Saraswat Math's logo, manifest and revealed by His Divine Grace. (Excerpted from Golden Reflection.)

History of Sri Chaitanya Saraswat Math (1)
"You all know ISKCON, but some devotees do not actually know about Sri Chaitanya Saraswat Math. When Chaitanya Math had not yet been established, Srila Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Thakur Prabhupad stayed in Kolkata and preached from there..."
• Download / listen to the audio (2.1 Mb, 6 min | 6 January 2019)

History of Sri Chaitanya Saraswat Math (2)
"Gurudev (Om Vishnupad Srila Bhakti Sundar Govinda Dev-Goswami Maharaj) always went to Kolkata for preaching, and at that time he stayed at the house of Srila A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Maharaj Prabhupad at Ultadanga Road. Srila Sridhar Dev-Goswami Maharaj and our Gurudev, Gaurendu Brahmachari, both lived in that house..."
• Download / listen to the audio (1.7 Mb, 5 min | 6 January 2019)

Pastime of Gundicha Marjan
(A chapter from His Divine Grace's Bengali book Sri Puri Dham Mahatmya-mukta-mala)
"The day before going to Vrindavan-Sundarachal, Mahaprabhu and all the devotees would clean the temple of Gundicha (that is non-different from Vrindavan). This is called Gundicha-marjan lila (pastime of cleaning the temple). Prabhupad Srila Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Thakur wrote very beautifully about this pastime...."

Observing Gundicha Marjan
"Tomorrow is Gundicha Marjan, everybody will join it. You should clean the place where you are staying, and also clean your heart through chanting the Hare Krishna maha-mantra. Clean your hearts through sravan and kirtan, through practising."
• Download / listen to the audio (0.8 Mb, 2 min | 21 June 2020)

Buddhi-Suddhi
"You recite mantras for the archan, you chant that the cloth is clean, the chamara is clean, the peacock fan is clean, the pancha-pradip is clean, etc. Everything is clean, but do you ever think, 'Is my mind clean?'"
• Download / listen to the audio (1 Mb, 3 min | 5 February 2020)

Gundicha Marjan: "Let Jagannath Come to My House"
"Another meaning of Gundicha marjan is cleaning the heart, and Mahaprabhu Himself was showing how to do it. At first He swept, then poured water and then with His own cloth, uttariya, He washed the temple. He was showing how thoroughly you must clean your heart..."
• Download / listen to the audio (1.5 Mb, 5 min | 5 April 2013)

Gundicha Marjan: A Seat for Bhakti Devi
"What is the meaning of this Pastime? We have so much dust in our hearts, we must remove this dust. Once we clean the place in our heart, we can invite Bhakti Devi, the Lord, to come there. Unless you clean the place, Bhakti Devi will not come."
• Download / listen to the audio (2.8 Mb, 7 min | Kirtan & Bengali class)

On the Way to Sri Puri Dham (Divine Guidance, chapter 2):
"We are not going sightseeing but we are going to a place of pilgrimage, a holy place. Going there will purify us—body, mind, and soul."

Jagadananda Pandit: Childhood
"In his Prema-vivarta Jagadananda Pandit tells what prema (love) is, and the prema (love) that he himself has cannot be seen anywhere... I will tell his story."
• Download / listen to the audio (1.3 Mb, 4 min | 11 July 2018 | Bengali)

Jagadananda Pandit's Hot-Headed Heart
"When a man has two wives, the second, younger, wife is always more temperamental and domineering. Similarly, Satyabhauma is also always domineering, always controlling, and so was Jagadananda Pandit here..."
• Download / listen to the audio (5.2 Mb, 15 min | 11 July 2018 | Bengali)

At Sri Chatak Parvat and Sri Tota Gopinath Temple
His Divine Grace is speaking at the bhajan-kutir of Srila Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Thakur and Sri Tota Gopinath temple on the first day of Sri Puri Dham parikrama, telling the pastimes of Srila Haridas Thakur's disappearance and Srila Gadadhar Pandit.
• Download / listen to the audio (4.9 Mb, 13 min | 14 July 2015 | Bengali)

At Sri Alarnath
"In Sri Purusottam Dham, at the shore of the ocean and about twenty-four miles to the East of Puri, there is a town called Brahmagiri. Here, Brahma worshipped Lord Vishnu in Satya-yuga. Pleased with his worship, Lord Narayan appeared here..."
• Download / listen to the audio (3.1 Mb, 8 min | 15 July 2015 | Bengali)

Pastimes of Sri Saksi Gopal
"There were once two brahmans, an old and a young one. They both went on pilgrimage to many holy places and met in Vrindavan. The old brahman was very happy with the young brahman and promised in front of the Deity of Gopal to give his daughter to him."
• Download / listen to the audio (1.3 Mb, 4 min | 4 July 2016)

At Ramananda Ray's Garden
"Pradyumna Misra came to Mahaprabhu and asked, 'Prabhu, can You speak some Krishna-katha?' Mahaprabhu replied, 'I do not know so much, but Ramananda Ray knows more than Me...'"
• Download / listen to the audio (0.8 Mb, 3 min | 5 April 2013)

Strong Desire
"If you have this kind of strong desire, mercy will come. It is necessary to have such permanent, unflinching desire for service, for chanting or anything else." What kind of desire is it?
• Download / listen to the audio (1 Mb, 3 min | 1 January 2011)

On the Way to Sri Puri Dham (Divine Guidance, chapter 2):
"We are not going sightseeing but we are going to a place of pilgrimage, a holy place. Going there will purify us—body, mind, and soul."

First Visit to Sri Puri Dham
"This temple was made by the mercy of Gurudev, although it is a very small temple, but it is very nice and sweet. I came to Puri first time through service—without service Gurudev would not have sent me here and I would not come myself."
• Download / listen to the audio (0.7 Mb, 2 min | 6 April 2013)

Parikrama: Mood, Intention, and Prayer
"People spend so much money to do eye exercise on pretext of spiritual benefit, but I never want you to have a loss. I want you to get spiritual benefit. If the Guru cannot direct you to the right path, he cannot be a Guru."
• Download / listen to the audio (2.3 Mb, 6 min | 19 July 2015 | Bengali)

A Welcome Austerity
"We do not want Krishna, we want love for Krishna. Whatever problem, whatever disturbance comes, let it come. The Lord is testing us, 'If I give you much austerity, will you tolerate it? Will you tolerate this austerity and do the parikrama with My devotees?'"
• Download / listen to the audio (4.9 Mb, 15 min | 20 June 2017 | Bengali)

Sambandha, Abhidheya, and Prayojana of Pilgrimage
"Today is a very good day, a very good occasion—an ekadasi day. On this day we have come to Sri Puri Dham. Jagannath, Baladev, Subhadra are here, Nitai Chaitanyadev are here, Gurudev is here and Mahaprabhu manifest here His highest pastimes..."
• Download / listen to the audio (3.5 Mb, 10 min | 20 June 2017 | Bengali)

On the Way to Sri Puri Dham (Divine Guidance, chapter 2):
"We are not going sightseeing but we are going to a place of pilgrimage, a holy place. Going there will purify us—body, mind, and soul."

Mahaprabhu Arrives In Puri
"When Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu took sannyas, He went away with Nityananda Prabhu, Mukunda and others. On the way, Nityananda Prabhu thought, 'Why will Mahaprabhu carry Me?'..."
• Download / listen to the audio (3.3 Mb, 9 min | 21 June 2017 | Bengali)

Mahaprabhu Enters Sri Puri Dham
"Atharnala is the place through which Mahaprabhu first entered Puri after He took sannyas. Engrossed in the thoughts about Lord Jagannath, Mahaprabhu began to run from there. He was actually walking, but walking so fast that the devotees had to run to follow Him."
• Download / listen to the audio (1.5 Mb, 5 min | 5 April 2013)

Mahaprabhu Settles In Puri
"Sarvabhauma Bhattacharya kept a room for Mahaprabhu at Kashi Misra's house, and, after Mahaprabhu had travelled all South India, He came back to Puri and settled in Kashi Misra's house. He always discussed Krishna-katha with Ray Ramananda and Svarup Damodar—who will one speak Krishna-katha with if not with one's dear and near ones?"
• Download / listen to the audio (3.2 Mb, 9 min | 21 June 2017 | Bengali)

Raghav's Bags
"In Mahaprabhu's times, Damayanti, the sister of Raghav Pandit, would make so much food for Mahaprabhu during the whole year, and at the Ratha Yatra time, on the Gundicha marjan day, they would bring bags full of food for Mahaprabhu."
• Download / listen to the audio (0.7 Mb, 2 min | 5 April 2013)

In honour of Srila Sachchidananda Bhaktivinod Thakur:

vande bhaktivinodam sri-gaura-sakti-svarupakam
bhakti-sastrajna-samrajam radha-rasa-sudha-nidhim

"I offer my obeisance unto Srila Bhakti Vinod Thakur, the embodiment of Sri Gaurasundar's potency. He is the king of all knowers of the scriptures of pure devotion and an ocean of the nectar of devotion to Srimati Radharani."

Srimad Bhakti Vinodaviraha Dasakam | শ্রীমদ্ভক্তিবিনোদবিরহদশকম্
"Alas, alas! O Bhakti Vinoda Thakura, O Supreme Guru, for twenty-two years this world has been plunged into misfortune, long grief-stricken in your intolerable separation. You are the divine potency of Sri Gaura, and you graciously made your advent in this earthly plane, being attracted by the living beings' virtuous deeds performed throughout many lifetimes. Where am I, so lowly and fallen, and where are you, the great soul who delivers the universe!"

Srila Bhaktivinod Thakur and the Distinction of the Line He Introduced
A beautiful and extensive chapter from Sri Guidance, Volume 4 (page 245): "Desiring to fulfil the innermost desire of Sri Gaurasundar to bestow His joyous service onto the souls, Srila Bhaktivinod Thakur appeared in this world and performed his pastimes. Appearance of a close associate of Gaura is a blessing for the world. When a king is born, literary experts and poets sing in his praise, but when a great soul appears to spread eternal auspiciousness in this world, nobody cares. This is a deplorable fortune."

Without Srila Bhaktivinod Thakur Our Line Is Nothing
"Today is the disappearance day of Srila Bhaktivinod Thakur—he left us and entered his nitya-lila on this day. He is doing service in his abode now, but he is still bestowing his mercy on all devotees and on us. We cannot even think of our line without Srila Bhaktivinod Thakur. He is the main personality in our line."
• Download / listen to the audio (3.4 Mb, 8 min | 21 June 2020)

Mandakini Dhara
"The main thing is that Srila Bhaktivinod Thakur brought to us the pure current of Mandakini, proper consciousness, and this current is still flowing in this world allowing us to get some taste of the nectar that was distributed by Srila Bhaktivinod Thakur. What he has given us has never been given by anybody in this world."
• Download / listen to the audio (3.9 Mb, 10 min | 21 June 2020)

Srila Bhakti Vinod Thakur
"If Srila Bhakti Vinod Thakur had not come in this world, where, in whose lotus feet would we have found our shelter? He gave us all these things and he gave us Srila Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Thakur. If you think about it, you can understand how much he gave to the jiva souls..."
• Download the audio (3.6 Mb, 11 min | 3 October 2015)

Recognising Guru: What Is Your Obstacle?
"Brother, you see Bhakti Vinod Thakur as your father, but I see him as my spiritual master. That is the difference. What you see is a father (baba), and that is the obstacle (badha) that prevents you from getting Radharani (Radha)."
• Download / listen to the audio (1 Mb, 3 min | 24 February 2013)

The Seventh Goswami [By Srila B.R. Sridhar Dev-Goswami Maharaj]
A summary account of Srila Bhaktivinod Thakur's service, life, and character. Originally published as an introduction to the first edition of Sri Nabadwip Dham Mahatmya published as The Hidden Treasure of the Holy Dhama Nabadwipa.

In honour of Srila Gadadhar Pandit Goswami:

nilambhodhi-tate sada sva-viraha-ksepanvitam bandhavam
srimad-bhagavati katha madiraya sanjivayan bhati yah
srimad-bhagavatam sada sva-nayanasru-payanaih pujayan
gosvami-prabaro gadadhara-vibhur-bhuyat mad-eka-gatih

"On the shore of the broad blue ocean Gadadhar Pandit used to read Srimad Bhagavatam to Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, who was suffering from the great internal pain of separation from Himself (Krishna). Gadadhar Pandit supplied the wine of Krishna-lila to intoxicate his afflicted friend and give Him relief. As he read, tears would fall from his eyes like flower offerings onto the pages of Srimad Bhagavatam. May the pleasure of that brilliant personality, Gadadhar Pandit, the best of the Goswamis, be my only object in writing this book."

Service to Gaura-Gadadhar (By Srila B.R. Sridhar Dev-Goswami Maharaj)
"Is worship of Gaura-Gadadhar a completely madhurya conception? Yes, and more than that. This worship is rather related to separation, or union in separation. Gadadhar Pandit represented Radharani's bhava, but though he is the possessor of that wealth, it was taken up by Mahaprabhu, so he stood empty."

Sri Gadadhar Pandit Goswami
(A chapter from Srila Acharya Maharaj's Bengali book Sri Nabadwip Dham Mahatmya-mukta-mala)
"Sri Gadadhar Pandit stayed with Mahaprabhu from his childhood. His father's name was Madhav Misra, and his mother's name was Ratnavali Devi. They lived in Mayapur near Jagannath Misra's house. Mahaprabhu could never stay without Gadadhar Pandit, and Gadadhar Pandit could not stay without Mahaprabhu even a moment too..."

At Sri Chatak Parvat and Sri Tota Gopinath Temple
His Divine Grace is speaking at the bhajan-kutir of Srila Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Thakur and Sri Tota Gopinath temple on the first day of Sri Puri Dham parikrama, telling the pastimes of Srila Haridas Thakur's disappearance and Srila Gadadhar Pandit.
• Download / listen to the audio (4.9 Mb, 13 min | 14 July 2015 | Bengali)

Sri Gadadhar Pandit's Life in Puri
A special discourse given by His Divine Grace Srila Bhakti Sundar Govinda Dev-Goswami Maharaj for Sri Gaudiya Darshan, 1995, dwelling on "Puri Sri Chaitanya Saraswat Math" and "Jagannathdev and His Dham."

Pandit Sri Gadadhar Goswami [From Sri Nabadwip Dham Mahatmya-Mukta-Mala]
Srila Bhakti Raksak Sridhar Dev-Goswami Maharaj's article on Srila Gadadhar Pandit's paramount sacrifice: "Pandit Goswami's life is a special offering of silent and complete self-sacrifice to his beloved. Only those who can taste unprecedented joy by appreciating the wonder within the ornament of contradiction in seeing the bag of a beggar on Laksmi Devi’s shoulder are fit to appreciate the extraordinary glory of Srimat Pandit Goswami's unprecedented personality..."

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?"

Perfect Time For Preaching
"It is necessary to practise. Always practise Krishna consciousness, always remember the Absolute. Everything has its proper time and it is necessary to do things in good time. In this world, people say that the young age is for enjoyment, but this is completely incorrect. If you do not try to preach and practise from your young age, what will become of you in your old age?"
• Download / listen to the audio (2.3 Mb, 6 min | 20 December 2020)

• REVEALED TRUTH •

(4) THE SUPREME CONTROLLER
'Everyone is always searching for the cause of everything, the central source of all activity. The answer is Krishna: Krishna is the origin of everything, everything transcendental and mundane. But Krishna’s position as the Supreme Controller is more important for us to understand. We will really begin to understand creation, existence, power, and eternity when we understand that Krishna—Reality the Beautiful—is the Supreme Controller. Such understanding gives us consciousness about the divine significance of beauty everywhere, about how, why, and in which way creation is existing and moving under the influence of beauty.'

'You Are My All-In-All'
"Everybody should remember Gurudev's appearance day, always think about it every day. When Gurudev left this world, I thought my head, shoulders, everything was gone, I was like a doll, or a statue, but when I see you all, I get back my life, my heart, etc."
• Download / listen to the audio (1.7 Mb, 4 min | 13 December 2020)

• REVEALED TRUTH •

(3) THE LOTUS FEET OF SRI GURUDEV
'We must always be serious in our practice of spiritual life and serious about the glorification of the lotus feet of Gurudev. We do not actually know properly the position and glory of our Gurudev’s lotus feet, so we must always be careful in glorifying him. We do not want to make any offence to Gurudev when we glorify him because offences to Gurudev are great obstacles in our spiritual life.'

Sober Interaction
"If you follow our guru-varga, then 'sweet relationship' means you sometimes talk with others, but you talk for service. Except for Krishna-katha, everything else is nonsense talks. So, it will be better if you talk with others only about Krishna-katha. Try to avoid other kinds of relationship, it will be good for you, good for everybody also."
• Download / listen to the audio (2.4 Mb, 6 min | 13 December 2020)

• REVEALED TRUTH •

(2) HEART-TO-HEART TRANSMISSION
'All religion presented in scriptures is first revealed in the hearts of rishis, munis, and sadhus. After it appears in their hearts it is transmitted forward from heart to heart, and it later may take the form of books. So what can we say about religion? How much can we understand it? It is a matter of the heart. How can we feel the beauty and understand the glory of religion if our hearts are presently as filthy as a dustbin? Because our hearts are impure we must try to understand religion from a clean-hearted sadhu.'

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 bath in the Ganges, attended kirtans, danced, circumambulated the temple and so on. Then, I asked him whether he would take any anukalpa. He replied, 'Generally, I do not take anything, but if you like, then, of course, I must take 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 Krishna, for the cause of their 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 held responsible by 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 not do that, I should be a separatist, a mayavadi, a renunciationist. I shall render maximum service to Krishna, and I must take without any hesitation whatever is necessary to make myself fit for the service; otherwise, I shall be punishable."

"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)