1. Succinct definition of religion

    Real religion means "God is there; I am there. God is great; I am subordinate. I must abide by the laws of God." This is religion... Real religion means to revive our consciousness -- we say "Krsna consciousness," or God consciousness -- by which we agree to abide by the laws of God... First-class religion: "which teaches us how to surrender to God and love Him."
  2. Lila-smaranam

    In this way, as he makes advance in spiritual life, then simply by hearing about Krsna's pastimes, immediately he will be filled up in ecstasy and he will cry. These are the symptoms. Krsna is killing so many demons, Krsna is dancing with gopis, Krsna is playing with His cowherd boys, Krsna is going there, this is lila smaranam. The Krsna book reading means remembering all these activities of Krsna. Simply go on reading Krsna book, repeat it, you...
  3. Try it and see

    I assure you that if you follow the regulative principles of chanting 16 rounds, observing strictly the prohibitive injunctions, keep association with pure devotees, plus taking care of the Deities in the Temple, surely all your problems will be solved without any difficulty. Please try it for at least one month and see the result.
  4. Krsna becomes very glad

    That is the personal relationship with the devotee and God. The devotee, he does not know anything beyond God, and God also does not know anything beyond His devotee. So sweet relation. God is always after me, as we have discussed many times, that He is sitting in the same tree, in this heart. I am sitting, and my friend, God, is also sitting, Supersoul, eternally. Wherever I am taking my transmigration, when I leave this body and enter...
  5. Vrndavana life, the difference between material and spiritual

    This is the difference, bhakti and karma. Karma means to fulfill my desires, and bhakti means to fulfill Krsna's desires. That is the difference. Now you make your choice, whether you want to make your desires fulfilled or if you want to make Krsna's desire fulfilled. If you make your decision to make Krsna's desire fulfilled, then your life is successful. That is our Krsna conscious life. "Krsna wants it; I must do it. I will not do anything...
  6. Laughing Ecstasy

    Once an old mendicant approached the door of mother Yasoda's house, and Krsna told Yasoda, "My dear mother, I don't wish to go near this skinny villain. If I go there, he might put Me within his begging bag and take Me away from you!" In this way, the wonderful child, Krsna, began to look at His mother, while the mendicant, who was standing in the door, tried to hide his smiling face, although he could not do so....
  7. How everyone (including women) can become gurus

    People are giving me credit that I have done miracles, but my miracle is that I carried the message of Caitanya Mahaprabhu: yare dekha tare kaha 'krsna'-upadesa [Cc. Madhya 7.128]. So this is the secrecy. So any one of you, you can become guru. It is not that I am an extraordinary man, an extraordinary god coming from some mysterious place. It is not that -- it is very simple thing. Caitanya Mahaprabhu says that yare dekha tare kaha...
  8. Damodara month

    Similarly, there is a statement in Padma Purana describing the ritualistic function during the month of Karttika (October-November). During this month, in Vrndavana it is the regulative principle to pray daily to Lord Krsna in His Damodara form. The Damodara form refers to Krsna in His childhood when He was tied up with rope by His mother, Yasoda. Dama means "ropes," and udara means "the abdomen." So Mother Yasoda, being very disturbed by naughty Krsna, bound Him round the...
  9. Win all day on book distribution

    Svavasa Dasa: During a darsana with Srila Prabhupada in the Atlanta temple we asked, "How can we increase our devotion and our desire to distribute more books?" We were sitting there eagerly awaiting some special formula to expand our book distribution. Srila Prabhupada sat there and didn't even look at us. He was looking above us, and we kept waiting. Finally he said, "If you want to increase book distribution, if you really want, I have only one recommendation."...
  10. Educational advice

    I do not think it is necessary for you to return to your university for taking further education. Your education is to be found in our books, the material education is finished. If you want to teach in universities and colleges, they must accept us on our high degree of Vedic learning, not on our so-called credentials. They must accept our system of scholarly learning from the spiritual master. So do not bother yourself anymore with this idea but go...
  11. Spiritual pride is good

    Why I shall be proud? What I have got? "I am humble servant of Krsna. Let me discharge my duties." But if one is proud after becoming a pure servant of Krsna, that is very good. That dambhah, that pride, is very glorious. "I am a servant of Krsna." That is very nice.
  12. Preachers relieve God’s pain

    ...the members of the Krsna consciousness Society. What is their endeavor? Their only endeavor is how this Krsna consciousness should be spread all over the world. Why they're endeavoring? Because Krsna wants it. Krsna wants it. God wants it. Why God wants it? Because we are all sons of God. We have gone to dog. Instead of going to God, we have gone to dog. Therefore God is very anxious to reclaim us. He comes therefore in person, Krsna....