The Swing Ceremony
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![The Swing Ceremony](/images/stories/lectures/tn/tn_jhulana_lg.jpg)
In the month of Sravana (the rainy season), the clouds in the sky begin to make a thundering sound, and extremely fine mist-like rain drizzles everywhere. The atmosphere is very beautiful and pleasant after the heat of the summer months, for at that time all the forests of Vrndavana begin to bloom. Many types of flowers on both sides of the Yamuna, such as beli, cameli, jui, and madhavi begin to bloom...
Sri Rupa Goswami Conference on Vaishnavism 2024
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![Sri Rupa Goswami](/images/stories/lectures/tn/tn_Rupa_gosvami.jpg)
It is my honor on behalf of the conference to invite you to attend the Sri Rupa Goswami Conference on Vaishnavism. An international assembly of distinguished scholars will be speaking and we welcome your participation...
Srila Gurudeva’s Beautiful Desires
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![Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayana Gosvami Maharaja](/images/stories/lectures/g/tn/tn_gurdeva_sitting.jpg)
We are fast approaching the holy month of Kartika. We are immeasurably fortunate that our beloved Srila Gurudeva is with us. He will be guiding us forever, and soon he will be guiding us through an inspiring month of parikrama, harikatha, and sadhu-sanga.
The Lotus Feet of the Spiritual Master
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![Sri Narotama das Thakura](/images/stories/lectures/tn/tn_narottama_samadhi.jpg)
If there is no bhakti, or even a part of bhakti, ignorance cannot go. To the degree that bhakti manifests, in the same proportion, ignorance, unwanted desires, and anarthas disappear; otherwise they can never go. It is absurd to think, "First I should purify my heart, and then I will chant and remember Krsna." First the sun should come, and then darkness will go. Without the appearance of the sun, how will the darkness dissipate? Narottama dasa Thakura is praying to his gurudeva, "Please be merciful. Sprinkle a drop of your mercy, and then I will be able to serve Radha-Krsna Conjugal...
Short but Sweet
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![Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayana Gosvami Maharaja](/images/stories/lectures/tn/tn_russia1.jpg)
One day, Sri Krsna and Baladeva Prabhu went out for cow-herding with their friends. Their mothers had sent foodstuffs to Bandiravana, but by mistake the boys went to the border of Mathura and Vrndavana. In that area there were only asoka trees there – no other plants – and nearby there were brahmanas performing a yajna (a sacrifice).
Bhakti is Radhika
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![Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayana Gosvami Maharaja](/images/stories/reports/russia2010/tn/tn_russiaclass.jpg)
Narada told him, "You can only know these topics by bhakti-yoga. Krsna is controlled by bhakti." We defined pure bhakti (uttama-bhakti) yesterday, and that bhakti is supremely situated in Radhika. In fact, bhakti is Radhika.
Heart and Halo
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![Srila Bhakti Raksak Sridhar Gosvami Maharaja](/images/stories/historical/tn/tn_sbrs_maharja.jpg)
We are far from the truth when we cannot see that everything, all waves, are flowing towards the satisfaction of one: Svayam Bhagavān. We are labouring under a deception. We are deceivers who are not just deceiving ourselves but the world also. We are guilty of misunderstanding everything and of carrying that false knowledge to others...
Fulfillment is in Love
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![Srila Bhakti Raksak Sridhar Gosvami Maharaja](/images/stories/historical/tn/tn_srila_bhaktiraksaka.jpg)
Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu took shelter in the plane of jnana-sunya-bhakti. There our guardians will take care of us wholesale. To live under His guardianship is the best position for so many tiny souls. Give the responsibility of your own charge to the highest guardian. That is the most peaceful life, according to jnana-sunya-bhakti – surrender to such extremity, to such extent as forgetfulness of everything in the grace of the Almighty. To live there, in the automatic section of the world is the highest goal for living entities like us...
Lokanatha Mahadeva
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![Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayana Gosvami Maharaja](/images/stories/lectures/tn/tn_lecture20040816_e_sm.jpg)
You are very lucky. If anyone comes here, or even takes a vow, that “I will go to Ksetra-mandala, Nilacala (Jagannatha-ksetra) or Bhubanesvara,” and if he dies before his vow is completed, still he will get the fruit. He will become four-handed. What relationship do you want with Lord Krsna?
Experiencing a Higher Taste
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![Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayana Gosvami Maharaja](/images/stories/lectures/tn/tn_gurudevaforhightertaste1.jpg)
[Question:] Since we spirit souls haven't fallen from Krsna's pastimes in Goloka Vrndavana, why do the scriptures say we ‘revive' our relationship with Krsna, or that we have ‘forgotten' that relationship? Since we have never experienced it, what is the question of ‘reviving' or ‘forgetting' it?
Darshan On Guru Tattva
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![Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayana Gosvami Maharaja](/images/stories/g/1/a/tn/tn_29.jpg)
If one's guru is not qualified, then, taking his permission, the disciple should at once take initiation from a higher rank of guru. This is not an offense. If that guru is not giving permission, he should at once be given up and the disciple should take proper initiation. This is because that guru is not a Vaisnava...
Guru Tattva: Real And Apparent
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![Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayana Gosvami Maharaja](/images/stories/g/1/a/tn/tn_30.jpg)
You should understand who is a real guru. He is the abode of bhakti, and he has all kinds of serving moods towards Radha-Krishna Conjugal or Mahaprabhu. He can give sadhana-bhakti, and he can also give rati - a high class of rati. If he is qualified to even give prema-bhakti in Goloka Vrindavana, and the love and affection of Conjugal Radha-Krishna, can he fall down?
A Response To The Ritvik System
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![Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayana Gosvami Maharaja](/images/stories/lectures/tn/tn_beautiful_gurudeva.jpg)
Without accepting diksa from a bona fide guru, can one develop bhakti or not? Some think that chanting, remembering, reading books, and performing arcana, sravanam and kirtanam is sufficient and there is no need for a mediator. They think that accepting a 'ritvik' person is sufficient for attaining pure bhakti, and there is no need of accepting diksa from any living self-realized guru...
The Holy Name and Anti-Pollution
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![Pancattava](/images/stories/lectures/tn/tn_pancatattva3.jpg)
If you are abusing anyone, criticizing anyone, or quarreling with anyone, these sounds will evaporate in the air and it go throughout the whole universe. If you are speaking any nonsense it will not 'go in vain.' It will go throughout the whole world by air. An example may be given of a big pond....
Is Gurudeva His Institution?
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![Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayana Gosvami Maharaja](/images/stories/lectures/g/tn/tn_gurudeva_jaya.jpg)
Once, someone said to Gurudeva, Srila Bhakti Prajnana Kesava Gosvami Maharaja, "Those who have left the Gaudiya Mission have left Srila Prabhupada's teachings." Gurudeva replied, "We have never left Srila Prabhupada, we will never leave, and in the future we will continue to serve. Let us see what happens in the future....
You May Speak Further
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![Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayana Gosvami Maharaja](/images/stories/lectures/tn/tn_lecture20040810.jpg)
Sri Ramananda Raya then suggested sva-dharma-tyaga, giving up one’s occupational duty. Ultimately, even if one wants to offer the fruits of ones worldly activities to Krsna, since Krsna actually owns everything, what can one actually offer to Him? Everything belongs to Krsna, and therefore one should simply renounce and leave one’s material designation in varnasrama. One should be very careful to avoid anything that is against bhakti...
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