Author: HH Bhakti Vikas Swami

People say that inactivity, silence, that is perfection. But no. In bhakti cultivation, there is no such thing silence. Always active. The same example can be given that Arjuna… Arjuna became devotee not by silence, but by being active. Activity, spontaneous activity: “I have to do this. My Lord will be pleased. So I have […]

Prabhupada: The whole material world is going on on the basis of these two qualities, passion and ignorance. What are the symptoms of passion? Kama-lobhadayas ca ye [SB 1.2.19]: too much attraction for sense gratification. This is called passion. And lobha: greediness, not satisfied. Now we are coming from a cottage, very nice cottage, self-sufficient; […]

Paramahamsa: Srila Prabhupada, how can one remain humble? How can one remain humble in executing his devotional service? Prabhupada: Yes. If he thinks himself that “I am non-entity, helpless,” then he can remain. If he thinks, “I can do something. I have got so much intelligence,” then he cannot become humble. Just like… [aside:] Don’t […]

Little service to God is taken as great service. Krsna is so kind. So we should try always to give the best service, best energy, and you become liberated. Actually we cannot give any service to Krsna. He is unlimited. What is the value of our service? But He takes it seriously: “Oh, he is […]

Today, 15th March, 1968, now it is 7:35, gone, as soon as it is 7:36, you cannot bring back that 1968, 15th March, evening, 7:35, again. Even if you pay millions of dollars, “Please come back again,” no, finished. So Canakya Pandita says that “Time is so valuable that if you pay millions of golden […]

“If you love me, love my dog.” I have seen people do that. One man is going with his dog. His friends meet, and if the friends pats the dog, the man becomes pleased. Is it not? Devotee: Yes. Prabhupada: Yes. So… Just like if you have got your child on your lap, if some […]

He sat down on the vyasasana and there was lot of noise and stuff going on. And I saw Srila Prabhupada was kind of looking into what is going on. And he said, “women in the back (in the microphone).” As soon as he said that, it was very very quiet. You can hear a […]

In 1975 in the summer when Srila Prabhupada came, there was a small house program at one of the Indian congregational member’s home. During that time, my father was sitting right next to Srila Prabhupada. And at the end of the talk, Srila Prabhupada asked my father, “why do you think that they don’t come […]

What Krsna says, that is not at all difficult. Even a child can perform. What Krsna said? Man-mana bhava mad-bhakto mad-yaji mam namaskuru [Bg. 18.65]. Very simple thing. Krsna says, “Always think of Me.” What is the difficulty? Even a child can think of Krsna. If he goes to the temple and if he understands […]

Prabhupada: People are in darkness. To keep them like dogs, hogs, camels, and take vote from them and become a leader… Nobody protested that we call all the men dogs, hogs, camels. Nobody came forward, that “You are using very strong words.” It’s a fact. Gopala Krsna: They agree. Hrdayananda: They were applauding your lecture […]

Lady: What is the most important thing in life? Prabhupada: To understand yourself. If you misidentify yourself that you are this body, then you are finished. Our most important… Athato brahma jijnasa. The question should be, “What I am? Am I this body or something else?” That is most important thing. That is the beginning […]

The process of devotional service is a very happy one (su-sukham). Why? Devotional service consists of sravanam kirtanam visnoh,  so one can simply hear the chanting of the glories of the Lord or can attend philosophical lectures on transcendental knowledge given by authorized acaryas. Simply by sitting, one can learn; then one can eat the […]