28/01/24 evening – The Process of Sadhu-sanga (English) – Eugene, USA | Srila BV Vana Maharaja
- God gave us the language to speak harikatha.
- Jata-ruci-sadhaka (practitioner with a taste for spiritual practice) and ajata-ruci-sadhaka (practitioner with no taste for spiritual practice).
- Whoever attains ruci awakens bhava for Sri Krsna.
- To practise spiritual life we need to have sraddha (firm faith) in the Guru and the Sastras.
- Bhakti-lata-bija is the process of approaching Sri Krsna.
- Guru grants bhakti-lata-bija, the desire to serve, Krsna-seva-vasana.
- Conditioned souls have the tendency to serve Maya.
- Verse: brahmāṇḍa bhramite kona bhāgyavān jīvaguru-kṛṣṇa-prasāde pāya bhakti-latā-bīja (CC Madhya-lila 19.151).
- The process of becoming a servant of Srimati Radhika, Radha-dasya.
- Sri Krsna is in our hearts as Paramatma to inspire us.
- Sambhanda-jnana: knowledge about the relationship with Sri Krsna.
- We learn how to serve Sri Krsna, from Srimati Radhika.
- Verse: ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanaṁ bhava-mahādāvāgni (Siksastakam, verse 1).
- Story about the fire sacrifice that Pariksit Maharaja’s son made after his father was bitten by the snake and abandoned the body.
- Mantras are powerful, they contain many powers within them.
- Sravanam and kirtana (listening and chanting) are like the water that nourishes the seed of bhakti and acintya-sakti is the potency.
- The gopal-mantra is the raja-mantra: the king of mantras.
- Without sadhu-sanga, Bhakti Devi will not manifest in our hearts.
- Verse: bhakta-pada-dhūli āra bhakta-pada-jala (CC Antya-lila 16.60).
- Follow the feet of the spiritual master, accept his remnants and his mood.
