Author: HH Bhakti Vikas Swami

We should learn to forget and forgive minor incidents because whenever there are two men in a place, there is always some misunderstanding. From Srila Prabhupada’s letter to Gargamuni  — Los Angeles 11 January, 1968

A brahmacari is good for living a life of celibacy, but a person who can live a life of celibacy in the presence of a beautiful and obliging wife is more than a brahmacari. From Srila Prabhupada’s letter to Hamsaduta — Los Angeles 12 January, 1968

Unless one is situated in uncontaminated goodness, it is very difficult to understand Lord Caitanya as the Supreme Personality of Godhead Himself. Thus in order to understand Lord Caitanya, one has to follow the direct disciples of Lord Caitanya — the Six Gosvamis — and especially the path chalked out by Srila Jiva Gosvami. From […]

The powerful hari-nama is so strong that even one unconsciously or conscious… Sometimes they imitate: “Hare Krsna.” They have no intention to chant the holy name of Krsna, but they imitate or criticize, “Hare Krsna.” That has also effect. From Srila Prabhupada’s lecture on Srimad-Bhagavatam 6.2.5-8 — Calcutta, January 10, 1971

Visnujana: While we are chanting our rounds, or while we are chanting out loud in the kirtana, is it all right to be engaging our mind in thinking? Prabhupada: This is practical way? [laughter] If you are not minding, the chanting will force you to mind upon Him. You see? Krsna sound will by force. […]

Rukmini: Is there a Christ-loka? Prabhupada: Yes. Why not? There are innumerable lokas. Why not Christ-loka?…jagad-anda-koti-kotisv asesa-vasudhadi-vibhuti-bhinnamtad brahma niskalam anantam asesa-bhutamgovindam adi-purusam tam aham bhajami[Bs 5.40] In the effulgence, bodily effulgence of Govinda, just like the sunshine is effulgence of the sun planet, similarly, Govinda’s planet, the original planet, which is called Goloka Vrndavana, that […]

It is very difficult to get out of the clutches of this maya, contamination. Very difficult. Mam eva ye prapadyante: “But one who keeps touch with Me, with full surrender,” mayam etam taranti te, “he’s out of these clutches of maya.” So just like there is antiseptic, what is called, vaccination, to keep yourself from […]

Guru and Krishna are two parallel lines on which the spiritual express runs very smoothly. In the Caitanya Caritamrta it is said Guru Krsna prasade paya bhakti lata bija. By the Grace of Guru one gets Krishna and by the Grace of Krishna one gets a bona fide Guru. Therefore Krishna consciousness means staunch faith […]

A spiritual master is not a fashion, that “Oh, I should have a spiritual master.” People after fashion. No. One must be very much inquisitive to know. What about, inquisitive? Uttamam. Sreya uttamam, what is the highest perfection of life. If one is actually inquisitive to understand about the highest perfectional stage of our life, […]

Love affairs in the material world: they are only shadows or reflections of the real love with Krishna. If you love Krishna in any capacity, you shall never be frustrated because everything in Krishna is perfect, eternal, blissful, and full of knowledge. From Srila Prabhupada’s letter to Kancanbala — Los Angeles 14 January, 1968

You can do all kinds of opposition, but we shall go forward. The caravan will pass. “You may bark.” So take all these things as Krsna’s mercies and engage more enthusiastically. Why should we be defeated? Srila Prabhupada, Conversation on 1976 Book Scores — January 16, 1977, Calcutta

An ordinary man who is very poor and prays to the Lord for benediction in material opulence, and who somehow or other becomes richer in material opulence, immediately forgets his obligation to the Lord. Therefore, the Lord does not offer opulences to His devotee unless the devotee is thoroughly tested. Rather, if a neophyte devotee […]