The glories of the holy names in Kali-yuga. In Satya-yuga (golden age) souls meditated on the Lord (Srimad Bhagavatam), jnana meditation, e.g. Dhruva Maharaja. In Treta-yuga there was fire sacrifice, for example, Lord Ramachandra appeared in that age and performed fire sacrifice. In Kali-yuga it is very difficult to worship Thakuraji, to do fire ceremony and meditation properly. In Kali-yuga, there is a simple process to reach the Lord: chanting the holy names. Srimad Bhagavatam glorifies many...
Alto Paraiso de Goias 2023
10 Jun 2023 midday – Appearance of Sri Vakresvara Pandita (English) – Alto Paraiso, Brazil | Srila BV Vana Maharaja
Vakresvara Pandita has committed an offence against Srivasa Thakura. Srivasa Thakura is Narada Rsi and is very dear to Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. The letter from Yudhishthira Maharaja and the 99 kings in Jarasandha prison, inviting Sri Krishna to visit them simultaneously. Uddhava replied that Yudhisthira’s fire ceremony could be postponed so that Krsna could kill Jarasandha and free the kings from prison, protecting them and creating a deeper bond with them. Uddhava is Lord Krishna’s...
09 Jun 2023 evening – The Essence of Human Life (English) – Alto Paraiso, Brazil | Srila BV Vana Maharaja
Without spiritual practice, life is useless. The meaning of spiritual life is that you should practise, not just talk. Verse: āpani ācāra prabhu jīvera śikhāinu, means you should practise yourself. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu came to give an example of how to practise and teach spiritual life. Do not be lazy when entering into tattva-siddhanta. Verse: siddhānta baliyā citte nā kara alasa ihā haite kṛṣṇe lāge sudṛḍha mānasa (Cc. Ādi 2.117). Differences between kanistha-bhakta (beginner), madhyama...
09 Jun 2023 midday – The Sweet Nectar of Hari-katha (English) – Alto Paraiso, Brazil | Srila BV Vana Maharaja
PART 1 Sruti: oral transmission of knowledge. Story of Gautama Rsi, the hosting of saints in the dry season and the imitation of the cow. The saint needs a place to sit, food and water. Gurudeva tells of the devotee from Spain who had to leave before him and whose flight was cancelled. Gautama Rsi’s curse for saints to lose their memory of the Vedas. The fruit comes from remembering hari-katha. Listen and keep hari-katha in your heart. The story of the king and the three dolls with...
09 Jun 2023 morning – Q & A (English) – Alto Paraiso, Brazil | Srila BV Vana Maharaja
The song: Govardhanastakam by Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura. The potency (shakti) is in japa-mala, so it is possible to chant the holy names without japa-mala, but the potency (shakti) will not manifest. Every guru-varga says that we should chant with japa-mala. Extract from the song: Sri Sri Sad-Gosvamiastakam, by Srila Srinivas Acharya. Every day you must sing a certain number of rounds of japa-mala. Japa-mala is no different from Radha and Krishna. The 108 beads in the japa-mala are for...
08 Jun 2023 evening – Human Life Is Very Rare (English) – Alto Paraiso, Brazil | Srila BV Vana Maharaja
PART 1 God gives us the human form of life after 8,400,000 lower forms. Four undesirable things that are in the heart of the conditioned soul: svarupa-bhrama (incorrect understanding that the material body is the true identity), hrdaya-daurbalya (weakness of heart), asat-trsna (lust for material pleasure) and aparadha (offense). Don’t waste time, this is not your first life. Story of the blind man who was in a stadium and couldn’t find the exit. Sloka:ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanaṁ bhava...
08 Jun 2023 midday – Krsna and the Prema of Vraja (English) – Alto Paraiso de Goias, Brazil | Srila BV Vana Maharaja
Only bhakti gives liberation. Liberation is not gained by jnana. The jnani falls, the bhakta does not fall, with bhakti there is no loss. Radha is the supreme devotee. Krsna feels indebted to Her. Krsna corresponds with the devotee according to the devotee’s surrender. Since the devotion of the gopis is complete, Krsna feels indebted. Krsna is controlled only by the prema of Vraja. The mighty elephant is controlled by the goad. The mighty elephant, Sri Krsna, is controlled only by the...
07 Jun 2023 evening – Krishna’s Human Being Lilas (English) – Alto Paraiso de Goias, Brazil | Srila BV Vana Maharaja
A short list of Krishna’s naravata-lilas: snana-yatra-lila, indrajalika-lilas, sakhya-lilas, vatsalya-lilas, etc.
The story of how Saubari Rishi, by committing an offence, lost the fruit of severe austerities and married 50 daughters of King Mandata.
Perform bhajana and sadhana to Krishna while you are young.
The Lord has no beard; He never grows old.
The story of the woodcutter who lost his axe and his wife.
The power of krishna-katha.