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| Sri Damodarastakam as explained by Visnujana Swami / Verse Eight Posted: 26 Oct 2011 05:23 AM PDT  O Lord, the entire universe was created by Lord Brahma, who was born from Your abdomen, which was bound with a rope by Mother Yasoda. To this rope I offer my humble obeisances. namas te 'stu dāmne sphurad-dīpti-dhāmne namaḥ–obeisances; te–to You; astu–may there be; dāmne–unto the rope around Your waist; sphurat–splendrous; dīpti-dhāmne–unto the effulgent abode; tvadīya-udarāya–unto Your belly; atha–thus; viśvasya–of the entire universe; dhāmne–unto the shelter; namaḥ–obeisances; rādhikāyai–unto Rādhikā; tvadīya priyāyai–unto Your Beloved; namaḥ– obeisances; ananta-līlāya–unto Your limitless sportive pastimes; devāya– unto Your transcendental nature; tubhyam–unto You. 8) O Lord, the entire universe was created by Lord Brahma, who was born from Your abdomen, which was bound with a rope by Mother Yasoda. To this rope I offer my humble obeisances. I offer my obeisances to Your most beloved Srimati Radharani, and to Your unlimited pastimes. At the conclusion of the prayer, obeisances are offered (namas te) to the Lord’s unique binding, His bodily limbs, His associates, and to the Lord Himself, in order to arouse the mood of bhakti. Even the rope that binds His belly (damne) receives worship. That rope is the abode of, or source of, effulgence (sphurad dipti-dhamne), and the poet here suggests that the rope is also the source of the all-pervading brahman effulgence. Then, obeisances are offered to the Lord’s belly, which is bound by this wondrous rope (tvadiyodarayatha). What is that belly like? It is the abode or support of all the infinite universes in the creation (visvasya), including all the moving and non-moving living entities dwelling therein. A gigantic lotus flower that sustains the fourteen worlds sprouts from that belly and is the abode of Lord Brahma.
Child Krishna displayed His universal form to Mother Yasoda when he opened His mouth to show that he wasn’t eating dirt; so this is another indication. Therefore, when Mother Yasoda bound His belly with rope, she bound the entire universe. Actually, Krishna allowed her to bring the entire creation under her control, although it is not possible to bind the omnipotent Lord. Therefore Vaishnava acharyas accept this pastime as the most sublime expression of vatsalya-rasa just as the rasa-lila pastime is the supreme expression of madhurya-rasa. By Krishna’s acceptance to be bound, we can understand that this pastime is inconceivable to mundane logic and reason. This is the mood here. Obeisances are also offered to His beloved Srimati Radharani, namo radhikayai. By Sri Radha’s mercy, one is able to fully attain Sri Krishna. Being foremost amongst the gopis, obeisances are offered unto Her specifically. It is further implied that obeisances are being offered to all the gopis, headed by Sri Radha. The word, radhika, refers to the one who is perfectly engaged in Sri Krishna’s devotional service. Therefore Satyavrata Muni says, “I offer obeisances unto Your beloved (tvadiya priyayai). She is Your eternally beloved, nitya-priya, regardless of rendering devotional service to You.” The word tvadiya further elucidates that Sri Radha is dear not only to Krishna but to all Krishna’s devotees. The understanding is that Sri Krishna is also the nitya-priya of Sri Radha. Thus, the super-excellence of Radharani’s love is proclaimed. The poet avows, “Whoever is beloved by You is worshipable for the entire universe!” The conclusion of the prayer alludes to the supreme transcendental pastime, rasa-lila, as well as all other unlimited pastimes of the Lord. Since these topics are highly confidential, they are not mentioned directly. There is only a hint of other unlimited pastimes, ananta-lilaya. In addition, ananta-lilaya indicates that obeisances are offered to all the pastimes within the divine realm of Gokula Vrindavan. By the word devaya, the divine transcendental Lord Sri Krishna is indicated. The inference is that by Sri Damodara’s inconceivable divine qualities all the pastimes of the Lord are also transcendental. Therefore, namo ‘nanta-lilaya devaya tubhyam, “I prostrate myself unto You who are engaged in unlimited transcendental pastimes.” This is the mood expressed by Satyavrata Muni. Pasted from http://kksongs.org/authors/purports/namamisvaram_visnujana.html         |
| Srila Prabhubada; “Your ever well-wisher” Posted: 26 Oct 2011 05:07 AM PDT  "Your ever well wisher" Former Hare Krishna leader Kirtanananda Swami dies at 74 Kirtananda Swami, former American Hare Krishna leader, died Monday in a hospital near Mumbai, India. According to his brother, Gerald Ham, he died of kidney failure at age 74. Kirtananda Swami has performed much service and has helped expand the mission of Srila Prabhupada, therefore his memory should be preserved for all the good he has done. In a letter written to Janardana in 1968, Srila Prabhupada has this to say about Kirtananda Swami and to all those he has accepted as disciples… Regarding Kirtanananda’s letter, I may inform you that I always think of him and pray to Krishna for his good sense. That is my duty. Anyone who comes to me for my help or wants advance in Krishna Consciousness, and whom I initiate and accept as my disciple, I must pray for him and his welfare always. So Kirtanananda personally served me, especially during my illness, which I always remember. But because somehow or other he has misunderstood our activities that does not mean that I am no longer his well wisher. I write at the end of my letters to my disciples, “Your ever well-wisher”, and as such, I cannot become otherwise than being ever well-wisher of my disciples, even though he may leave me. So I was praying to Krishna that He may save Kirtanananda from his misunderstanding and if ever he chanted Hare Krishna at least once in sincere heart, I am sure Krishna would not allow him to go out of his influence. Therefore, I believe that he can never forget the Form of Krishna, neither he can deny His Personality. It is good news that he is trying to establish a new Vrindaban, which I suggested through Hayagriva Brahmacari, and if he is successful, in his attempt, certainly it will be considered a great benediction upon him by Lord Krishna. When I offered him Sannyas, I expected such great achievements through him and if Krishna desires, he will come out successful in his great attempt. Yes, I expressed my desire to go there through Hayagriva Brahmacari, and if I am invited, to go there, by Kirtanananda Swami, it will be my great pleasure to see the place and enjoy his company. For entire letter
Letter to: Janardana New York My Dear Janardana, Regarding the action of Bon Maharaja: We shall discuss the matter when we meet. For the present, you may know that this gentleman is very much materially ambitious. He wants to utilize Krishna Consciousness for his material name and fame. Sometimes he greatly offended our Guru Maharaja, and it so happened that at the last stage, practically Guru Maharaja rejected him. And the result, we can find that instead of becoming a great preacher of Krishna Consciousness, this gentleman has become artificially a head of a mundane institution. To become a very important man in the mundane estimation is not success in Krishna Consciousness. He was first deputed by my Guru Maharaja, along with our late God Brother, Bhakti Pradip Tirtha Maharaja, to open a missionary center in London, and they stayed there for 3 years, but didn’t make any appreciable advance. Except that spent enormous money of my Guru Maharaja, and later on they were called back to India. So that is a great history; it is not possible to say everything in this letter, but for the present, be satisfied with these words, and later we shall talk more and more. On the whole, you may know that he is not a liberated person, and therefore, he cannot initiate any person to Krishna Consciousness. It requires special spiritual benediction from higher authorities. The statements of Thakura Bhaktivinode are as good as scriptures because he is liberated person. Generally the spiritual master comes from the group of such eternal associates of the Lord; but anyone who follows the principles of such ever liberated persons is as good as one in the above mentioned group. The gurus from nature’s study are accepted as such on the principle that an elevated person in Krishna Consciousness does not accept anyone as disciple, but he accepts everyone as expansion of his guru. That is very high position, called Maha-bhagavata. Just like Radharani, sometimes thinks a subordinate of hers as her teacher, to understand devotion of Krishna. A person who is liberated acharya and guru cannot commit any mistake, but there are persons who are less qualified or not liberated, but still can act as guru and acharya by strictly following the disciplic succession. It is the injunction of the sastras that anyone who sees the Deity in the Temple as made of wood or stone, or considers the acaryas and gurus as ordinary common men, and discriminates Vaisnavas or devotees as belonging to a certain group or caste, are called hellish. Your question about Bon Maharaja in relation with his disciple is very intelligent and intricate, and we shall discuss at long when we meet. Regarding Kirtanananda’s letter, I may inform you that I always think of him and pray to Krishna for his good sense. That is my duty. Anyone who comes to me for my help or wants advance in Krishna Consciousness, and whom I initiate and accept as my disciple, I must pray for him and his welfare always. So Kirtanananda personally served me, especially during my illness, which I always remember. But because somehow or other he has misunderstood our activities that does not mean that I am no longer his well wisher. I write at the end of my letters to my disciples, “Your ever well-wisher”, and as such, I cannot become otherwise than being ever well-wisher of my disciples, even though he may leave me. So I was praying to Krishna that He may save Kirtanananda from his misunderstanding and if ever he chanted Hare Krishna at least once in sincere heart, I am sure Krishna would not allow him to go out of his influence. Therefore, I believe that he can never forget the Form of Krishna, neither he can deny His Personality. It is good news that he is trying to establish a new Vrindaban, which I suggested through Hayagriva Brahmacari, and if he is successful, in his attempt, certainly it will be considered a great benediction upon him by Lord Krishna. When I offered him Sannyas, I expected such great achievements through him and if Krishna desires, he will come out successful in his great attempt. Yes, I expressed my desire to go there through Hayagriva Brahmacari, and if I am invited, to go there, by Kirtanananda Swami, it will be my great pleasure to see the place and enjoy his company. On the first of May I am proceeding to Boston. Last night we had a very nice meeting at Temple University at Philadelphia, and there were nice kirtanas and speeches, and questions and answers from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. They paid us $150.00 for transportation charges and my lecture fees, and on the 30th of April we are going to hold similar meeting in Long Island, at the State University of New York, at Stoney Brook. They also have promised to pay us $200.00. Similar meetings were held in different parts of San Francisco and Los Angeles, when I was there. So there is great possibility of spreading our Krishna Conscious movement, and if we work conjointly, with serious sincerity, we are sure to come out successful in this great adventure. Your ever well wisher,         |
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