Author: HH Bhakti Vikas Swami

When one serves a Vaisnava unknowingly, one still gets the good result, and if one unknowingly insults a Vaisnava, one suffers the bad result. A Vaisnava is especially favored by the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Pleasing him or displeasing him directly affects the pleasure and displeasure of the Supreme Lord. Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura, in […]

You have asked about Gaura Nitai deity worship by the householders in Los Angeles. That is for those who live far away from the temple and cannot attend. Otherwise, such worship is redundant; there is already deity worship going on in the temple and they should attend the aratis, not install their own deities. From […]

Your final question is how can you become a pure devotee, and the answer to this is given in Bhagavad-gita. Krishna instructs Arjuna that the mahatma, the pure devotee, is he who has fully surrendered himself unto the spiritual nature. And how can we tell if one is completely surrendered unto the spiritual nature? He […]

We have to understand that Krsna is the only enjoyer. The consciousness of this is developed in a Krsna conscious temple where the central point of all activities is Krsna. All cooking is carried on for Krsna, not for one’s own purposes. Ultimately we shall eat the prasada (offered food), but when we cook we […]

In the Brhad-vamana Purana, the Lord says, “Although I have many fascinating pastimes, whenever I think of the rasa-lila, which I perform with the gopis, I become eager to have it again.” From The Nectar of Devotion, by Srila Prabhupada

When Krsna left Vrndavana for Mathura, the gopis became most dejected and spent the rest of their lives simply crying in separation from Krsna. This means that in one sense they were never actually separated from Krsna. There is no difference between thinking of Krsna and associating with Him. Rather, vipralambha-seva, thinking of Krsna in […]

Krsna had 16,108 wives in Dvaraka, and each and every one of them was attracted to Krsna just as iron is attracted by a magnet. There is a statement by a devotee: “My dear Lord, You are just like a magnet, and all the damsels of Vraja are just like iron: in whichever direction You […]

To be attracted by the qualities of Krsna means to be attracted by Krsna Himself, because there is no real distinction between Krsna and His qualities. Krsna’s name is also Krsna. Krsna’s fame is also Krsna. Krsna’s entourage is also Krsna. Krsna and everything related with Krsna which gives stimulation to love of Krsna are […]

After taking to devotional service under the regulative principles, a person may come to the platform of spontaneous love of Godhead, following in the footsteps of great devotees like Narada and Sanaka and Sanatana. The Supreme Personality of Godhead then recognizes him to be superior. The devotees who have developed love of Godhead are certainly […]

When the transcendental sound of Krsna’s flute vibrates, the devotee’s anxiety to hear that flute penetrates the covering of the material world and enters the spiritual sky, where the transcendental sound of the flute enters into the ears of the gopis and their followers. The sound of Krsna’s flute always resides within the ears of […]

The gopis‘ minds are always engaged in relishing the sweetness of Krsna’s body. He is the ocean of beauty, and the luster of His body and the beauty of His face and smile are all-attractive to the minds of the gopis. In the Krsna-karnamrta, Krsna’s body, face and smile have been described as sweet, sweeter […]

The dancing movement of Krsna’s earrings, eyes and eyebrows is very attractive to the damsels of Vraja. Activities in devotional service increase the sense of devotional service. What else is there for two eyes to see beyond the face of Krsna? Since one cannot sufficiently see Krsna with only two eyes, one feels incapable and […]