Author: HH Bhakti Vikas Swami

Krsna says in Bhagavad-gita (13.9) that the real sufferings of the material world are four-janma-mrtyu jara-vyadhi (birth, death, old age and disease). In the history of the world, no one has been successful in conquering these miseries imposed by material nature. Prakrteh kriyamanani gunaih karmani sarvasah [Bg. 3.27]. Nature (prakrti) is so strong that no […]

Because we are rascals, fools, we do not know what we should want. Na te viduh svartha-gatim hi visnum [SB 7.5.31]. He does not know that his actual want is Krsna. Just like a small child crying, and we are trying to pacify him, giving this, giving that. But he’s crying, crying, because his actual […]

Avatara does not mean a big beard or big hair. We do not like to see such ugly avatara. We kick on their face, this avatara. This is not avatara. Avatara must be mentioned in the sastra. Sanatana Gosvami inquired from Caitanya Mahaprabhu, “How we shall know one avatara?” So Caitanya Mahaprabhu said, “Why? It […]

Bhakti depends not on education or scholarship but on faith and the Lord’s mercy. This is called vyavasayatmika buddhih. I may be quite incomplete. It doesn’t matter. But if I try to follow the words of my Guru Maharaja, then I become complete. This is the secret. Yasya deve para bhaktir yatha deve tatha gurau. […]

This is their culture — hippies and murderer in the name of religion. This is their culture. And abortion. Because there is no such culture, therefore the result is the abortion and killing and bombing, making the whole atmosphere abominable. This is your culture. Fighting between Protestant and Catholics, and bombing… People are terrified. They […]

Gopi-kanta: Srila Prabhupada, what is the exact benefit if a person just takes a Srimad-Bhagavatam on the street and gives some donation to help out the printing costs or whatever? Prabhupada: That is already explained. They will read. They will see the picture of Krsna. Immediate profit is, they will ask, “What is this picture?” […]

Pancadravida: What if the person cannot chant sixteen rounds a day. He says, “I can’t…” Prabhupada: Then he is not even a human being. He is a rascal, that’s all. He is not a human being. What to consider of talking about…? Don’t talk about him if he cannot chant sixteen rounds. He is not […]

Please always follow the four regulative principles and chant minimum sixteen rounds per day. Study my books very carefully and prepare yourself fully for going back to home, back to Godhead. (From a letter by Srila Prabhupada to Arjuna — Dallas 20 May, 1973)

Once on a morning walk in Melbourne, a devotee who was following close behind, eager to hear everything that Srila Prabhupada said, made the blunder of accidentally stepping on his guru’s heel. Srila Prabhupada stopped, turned around, looked admonishingly at disciple, then turned back and continued walking. Shortly thereafter, that disciple made the same mistake. […]

Ranacora Dasa, knowing that Srila Prabhupada had given specific instructions to other disciples regarding their service, once asked, “Srila Prabhupada, do you have a special instruction for me?” Srila Prabhupada replied, “Somehow or other preach, that’s all.” (Ranacora Prabhu; Srila Prabhupada Remembrances, 71)

Srila Prabhupada was like a loving affectionate father, who gave love millions of times greater than parents or friends or children or anyone else in this world -incomparable love and affection. And it was by that love and affection that I felt from Prabhupada that basically centered me in Krsna consciousness for my whole life. […]

A sannyasi cannot be luxurious. A vanaprastha cannot be luxurious. Luxury is allowed only to the householder because they are earning their own money. Others are dependent. So one cannot be luxurious at the expense of others. That is not allowed. Srila Prabhupada; Lecture, 23 Oct 1968