Sound Bhakti

Even if a person is completely illiterate, the transcendental knowledge of the scriptures is revealed unto him simply because of his engagement in devotional service. That is also stated in the Vedic literature. To anyone who has full faith in the Supreme Personality of Godhead and the spiritual master, all the import of the Vedic literatures is revealed. He does not have to seek separately; the yogī who engages in devotional service is full in knowledge and renunciation. If there is a lack of knowledge and renunciation, it is to be understood that one is not in full devotional service. The conclusion is that one cannot be sure of entrance into the spiritual realm — in either the impersonal brahmajyoti effulgence of the Lord or the Vaikuṇṭha planets within that Brahman effulgence — unless he is surrendered unto the lotus feet of the Supreme Lord. The surrendered souls are called akuto-bhaya. They are doubtless and fearless, and their entrance into the spiritual kingdom is guaranteed. (SB 3.25.43) https://ve

It is clearly confirmed herein that the relationships cannot be destroyed, and therefore the opulences of those relationships are never destroyed. Every living entity has the propensity to love someone. We can see that if someone has no object of love, he generally directs his love to a pet animal like a cat or a dog. Thus the eternal propensity for love in all living entities is always searching for a place to reside. From this verse we can learn that we can love the Supreme Personality of Godhead as our dearmost object — as a friend, as a son, as a preceptor or as a well-wisher — and there will be no cheating and no end to such love. We shall eternally enjoy the relationship with the Supreme Lord in different aspects. A special feature of this verse is the acceptance of the Supreme Lord as the supreme preceptor. Bhagavad-gītā was spoken directly by the Supreme Lord, and Arjuna accepted Kṛṣṇa as guru, or spiritual master. Similarly, we should accept only Kṛṣṇa as the supreme spiritual master. Kṛṣṇa, of cour

To connect with His Grace Vaiśeṣika Dāsa, please visit https://www.fanthespark.com/next-steps/ask-vaisesika-dasa/ ------------------------------------------------------------ Add to your wisdom literature collection: https://www.bbtacademic.com/books/ (USA only) https://thefourquestionsbook.com/ ------------------------------------------------------------ Join us live on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FanTheSpark/ Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/sound-bhakti/id1132423868 For the latest videos, subscribe https://www.youtube.com/@FanTheSpark For the latest in SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/fan-the-spark ------------------------------------------------------------ #vaisesikaprabhu #vaisesikadasa #vaisesikaprabhulectures #spirituality #bhaktiyoga #krishna #spiritualpurposeoflife #krishnaspirituality #spiritualusachannel #whybhaktiisimportant #whyspiritualityisimportant #vaisesika #spiritualconnection #thepowerofspiritualstudy #selfrealization #spirituallectures #spiritualstudy #spirituale

The spiritual master is to be honored as much as the Supreme Lord, because he is the most confidential servitor of the Lord. This is acknowledged in all revealed scriptures and followed by all authorities. Therefore I offer my respectful obeisances unto the lotus feet of such a spiritual master, who is a bona fide representative of Sri Hari [Krsna]. ( Translation, Verse 7) To connect with His Grace Vaiśeṣika Dāsa, please visit https://www.fanthespark.com/next-steps/ask-vaisesika-dasa/ ------------------------------------------------------------ Add to your wisdom literature collection: https://www.bbtacademic.com/books/ (USA only) https://thefourquestionsbook.com/ ------------------------------------------------------------ Join us live on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FanTheSpark/ Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/sound-bhakti/id1132423868 For the latest videos, subscribe https://www.youtube.com/@FanTheSpark For the latest in SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/fan-the-spark ------------

In one of the famous verses of Prahlāda Mahārāja (SB 7.9.28): evaṁ janaṁ nipatitaṁ prabhavāhi-kūpe kāmābhikāmam anu yaḥ prapatan prasaṅgāt kṛtvātmasāt surarṣiṇā bhagavan gṛhītaḥ so ’haṁ kathaṁ nu visṛje tava bhṛtya-sevām he says, and Prabhupāda was very fond of this verse and it fits well with today and the theme of what do we do now, that Prabhupāda is no longer physically here, as we often repeat. 'Evaṁ janaṁ nipatitaṁ', Prahlāda expresses this sense of gratitude that you saved me, my Spiritual Master saved me from what? From a pit full of snakes and he says 'kāmābhikāmam anu yaḥ prapatan prasaṅgāt' .I was just following the normal course of activities which leads, one after another into this unfortunate well, where there's no escape. And then he says 'kṛtvātmasāt surarṣiṇā', but you've purified me, 'kṛtvātmasāt'. He said you caused me to come to a higher standard of life. 'Surarṣiṇā' who did it? The sage Nārda, my Spiritual Master, 'bhagavan gṛhītaḥ'. And then he finishes, 'so ’haṁ kathaṁ nu visṛje ta

"All of you have come to assist me,my Guru Mahārāja has sent you to assist me". And I was a new devotee; I had just come in February and was newly initiated. I was 18. I didn't have a real deep understanding of Kṛṣṇa Consciousness and the relationship of a disciple with the guru. And When I saw how humble Śrīla Prabhupāda was, thanking us and so emotional about it, it really touched my heart. It really made Śrīla Prabhupāda, in a sense, more approachable for me because I could see that Kṛṣṇa Consciousness wasn't dry. I already, in a sense, knew that feasting, you know dancing, sevā, and relationships were part of it, but when I saw that humbleness of Śrīla Prabhupāda, I was really inspired by that. And so, he ended the lecture when he got emotional like that, but the tears... (excerpt from the offering ) https://prabhupadavani.org/transcriptions/731213dbla/ ( Śrīla Prabhupāda's lecture referred to in the offering) To connect with His Grace Vaiśeṣika Dāsa, please visit https://www.fanthespark.com/next-steps

To connect with His Grace Vaiśeṣika Dāsa, please visit https://www.fanthespark.com/next-steps/ask-vaisesika-dasa/ ------------------------------------------------------------ Add to your wisdom literature collection: https://www.bbtacademic.com/books/ (USA only) https://thefourquestionsbook.com/ ------------------------------------------------------------ Join us live on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FanTheSpark/ Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/sound-bhakti/id1132423868 For the latest videos, subscribe https://www.youtube.com/@FanTheSpark For the latest in SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/fan-the-spark ------------------------------------------------------------ #vaisesikaprabhu #vaisesikadasa #vaisesikaprabhulectures #spirituality #bhaktiyoga #krishna #spiritualpurposeoflife #krishnaspirituality #spiritualusachannel #whybhaktiisimportant #whyspiritualityisimportant #vaisesika #spiritualconnection #thepowerofspiritualstudy #selfrealization #spirituallectures #spiritualstudy #spirituale

To understand the personal activities of the Lord, one has to seek the association of devotees, and by such association, when one contemplates and tries to understand the transcendental activities of the Lord, the path to liberation is open, and he is freed. One who has firm faith in the Supreme Personality of Godhead becomes fixed, and his attraction for association with the Lord and the devotees increases. Association with devotees means association with the Lord. The devotee who makes this association develops the consciousness for rendering service to the Lord, and then, being situated in the transcendental position of devotional service, he gradually becomes perfect. (SB 3.25.25) https://vedabase.io/en/library/sb/3/25/advanced-view/ To connect with His Grace Vaiśeṣika Dāsa, please visit https://www.fanthespark.com/next-steps/ask-vaisesika-dasa/ ------------------------------------------------------------ Add to your wisdom literature collection: https://www.bbtacademic.com/books/ (USA only) https://th

Here it is clearly stated that attachment for one thing is the cause of bondage in conditioned life, and the same attachment, when applied to something else, opens the door of liberation. Attachment cannot be killed; it has simply to be transferred. Attachment for material things is called material consciousness, and attachment for Kṛṣṇa or His devotee is called Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Consciousness is therefore the platform of attachment. It is clearly stated here that when we simply purify the consciousness from material consciousness to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, we attain liberation. Despite the statement that one should give up attachment, desirelessness is not possible for a living entity. A living entity, by constitution, has the propensity to be attached to something. We see that if someone has no object of attachment, if he has no children, then he transfers his attachment to cats and dogs. This indicates that the propensity for attachment cannot be stopped; it must be utilized for the best purpose. Our attac

The living entities, in the guises of men and women, are trying to enjoy the material energy; therefore in one sense everyone is puruṣa because puruṣa means “enjoyer” and prakṛti means “enjoyed.” In this material world both the so-called man and so-called woman are imitating the real puruṣa; the Supreme Personality of Godhead is actually the enjoyer in the transcendental sense, whereas all others are prakṛti. The living entities are considered prakṛti. In Bhagavad-gītā, matter is analyzed as aparā, or inferior nature, whereas beyond this inferior nature there is another, superior nature — the living entities. Living entities are also prakṛti, or enjoyed, but under the spell of māyā, the living entities are falsely trying to take the position of enjoyers. That is the cause of saṁsāra-bandha, or conditional life. Devahūti wanted to get out of conditional life and place herself in full surrender. The Lord is śaraṇya, which means “the only worthy personality to whom one can fully surrender,” because He is full of

To hear from Kṛṣṇa is the real pleasure of the senses; therefore He is known as Govinda, for by His words, by His teachings, by His instruction — by everything connected with Him — He enlivens the senses. Whatever He instructs is from the transcendental platform, and His instructions, being absolute, are nondifferent from Him. Hearing from Kṛṣṇa or His expansion or plenary expansion like Kapila is very pleasing to the senses. Bhagavad-gītā can be read or heard many times, but because it gives great pleasure, the more one reads Bhagavad-gītā the more he gets the appetite to read and understand it, and each time he gets new enlightenment. That is the nature of the transcendental message. Similarly, we find that transcendental happiness in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. The more we hear and chant the glories of the Lord, the more we become happy. (SB 3.25.2, Purport ) To connect with His Grace Vaiśeṣika Dāsa, please visit https://www.fanthespark.com/next-steps/ask-vaisesika-dasa/ ---------------------------------------

We can't see ourselves. We can't see Kṛṣṇa either. But, if we—just like with sonar or with sonogram, that word 'son/sony'- through the sound vibration, it resonates with our higher self, with our actual self, with our spiritual self. And not only can we see ourselves, but we can also see Kṛṣṇa through the process of transcendental sound vibration. This is 'anāvṛtti śabdād'; everything becomes revealed through the sound vibration. ( Excerpt from the talk ) To connect with His Grace Vaiśeṣika Dāsa, please visit https://www.fanthespark.com/next-steps/ask-vaisesika-dasa/ ------------------------------------------------------------ Add to your wisdom literature collection: https://www.bbtacademic.com/books/ (USA only) https://thefourquestionsbook.com/ ------------------------------------------------------------ Join us live on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FanTheSpark/ Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/sound-bhakti/id1132423868 For the latest videos, subscribe https://www.youtube.com/@FanThe

Regarding pointing our attention, in the Bhagavad-gītā, Kṛṣṇa talks about how when we contemplate the objects of the senses, we enter into a downward spiral. That is, we become attached to them and then we become bewildered because of it. So, we can also contemplate the holy name as we're chanting. There are many things said about the holy name and also about Kṛṣṇa, and Kṛṣṇa's holy names are non-different. So even if we don't understand exactly who Kṛṣṇa is, who does, Gajendra says, nobody can actually understand who He is. We can contemplate it, and by contemplating the Holy Name, which means to actually consider it, just think about it—what is this name—and try to hear the sound and the mystery of the sound, try to understand it. Then we go in an upward spiral, unlike contemplating the objects of the senses. And ultimately, Prabhupāda says, if there's a sense of love, then the awareness and the concentration on the holy name is steady. Because naturally, when we love somebody, then... (excerpt from t

In this age, hearing is more important than thinking because one’s thinking may be disturbed by mental agitation, but if one concentrates on hearing, he will be forced to associate with the sound vibration of Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa and the sound vibration “Kṛṣṇa” are nondifferent, so if one loudly vibrates Hare Kṛṣṇa, he will be able to think of Kṛṣṇa immediately. This process of chanting is the best process of self-realization in this age; therefore Lord Caitanya preached it so nicely for the benefit of all humanity. (SB 3.24.35, Purport ) https://vedabase.io/en/library/sb/3/24/advanced-view/ To connect with His Grace Vaiśeṣika Dāsa, please visit https://www.fanthespark.com/next-steps/ask-vaisesika-dasa/ ------------------------------------------------------------ Add to your wisdom literature collection: https://www.bbtacademic.com/books/ (USA only) https://thefourquestionsbook.com/ ------------------------------------------------------------ Join us live on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FanTheSpark/ Podcast

Devotional service is such a powerful transcendental method that it surpasses all other methods of transcendental realization. The Lord therefore says that He lives neither in Vaikuṇṭha nor in the heart of a yogī, but He lives where His pure devotees are always chanting and glorifying Him. The Supreme Personality of Godhead is known as bhakta-vatsala. He is never described as jñānī-vatsala or yogī-vatsala. He is always described as bhakta-vatsala because He is more inclined toward His devotees than toward other transcendentalists. In Bhagavad-gītā it is confirmed that only a devotee can understand Him as He is. Bhaktyā mām abhijānāti: “One can understand Me only by devotional service, not otherwise.” That understanding alone is real because although jñānīs, mental speculators, can realize only the effulgence, or the bodily luster, of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and yogīs can realize only the partial representation of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, a bhakta not only realizes Him as He is but also

One should ask questions, but then it should be done in the mood of coming to a conclusion so that one can say, "Yes, sir," and carry out one's duty. Sometimes one has to clarify one's duty. Sometimes, you know, Prabhupāda asked several times from his Guru what it is. And it's also, as I just pointed out, you should be inquisitive, which means that you should ask about any doubts that you have. They should be removed. ( excerpt from the talk ) To connect with His Grace Vaiśeṣika Dāsa, please visit https://www.fanthespark.com/next-steps/ask-vaisesika-dasa/ ------------------------------------------------------------ Add to your wisdom literature collection: https://www.bbtacademic.com/books/ (USA only) https://thefourquestionsbook.com/ ------------------------------------------------------------ Join us live on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FanTheSpark/ Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/sound-bhakti/id1132423868 For the latest videos, subscribe https://www.youtube.com/@FanTheSpark For the

What are the graces of the Lord? It is stated here that the graces of the Lord are abhaya, free from fearfulness. In the material world, if someone accumulates a million dollars, he is always full of fear because he is always thinking, “What if the money is lost?” But the benediction of the Lord, bhagavat-prasāda, is never to be lost. It is simply to be enjoyed. There is no question of loss. One simply gains and enjoys gaining. Bhagavad-gītā also confirms this: when one achieves the grace of the Lord, the result is that sarva-duḥkhāni, all distresses, are destroyed. When situated in the transcendental position, one is freed from the two kinds of material diseases — hankering and lamentation. This is also stated in Bhagavad-gītā. After devotional life begins, we can achieve the full result of love of Godhead. Love of Kṛṣṇa is the highest perfection of bhagavat-prasāda, or divine mercy. This transcendental achievement is so greatly valuable that no material happiness can compare to it. Prabodhānanda Sarasvatī s

..just after Kṛṣṇa left the world for His own abode, then to fill the darkness again, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam then appeared, and it's non-different from Kṛṣṇa. So, when the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam appeared in the world, then we have the life of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu who personifies the Bhāgavatam. We know that Śrīla Prabhupāda, when he was in Vṛndāvana and he was considering how to carry out his mission to spread Krishna Consciousness all over the world, embarked on the translation and commentation on the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam before he would leave Vṛndāvana. There's a picture of Śrīla Prabhupāda holding one of his volumes of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. He's holding it up like this. I have it somewhere in one of our slide decks, but it reminds me of him leading the charge into the battlefield, and that's exactly what he did. He spent the time in Vṛndāvana typing, typing, typing. In Chippiwada, the very pious brahmana who gave Prabhupāda a flat where he could do his work, Prabhupāda had a typewriter, probably typed with two fingers

As for determination, one should follow the example of the sparrow who lost her eggs in the waves of the ocean. A sparrow laid her eggs on the shore of the ocean, but the big ocean carried away the eggs on its waves. The sparrow became very upset and asked the ocean to return her eggs. The ocean did not even consider her appeal. So the sparrow decided to dry up the ocean. She began to pick out the water in her small beak, and everyone laughed at her for her impossible determination. The news of her activity spread, and at last Garuḍa, the gigantic bird carrier of Lord Viṣṇu, heard it. He became compassionate toward his small sister bird, and so he came to see the sparrow. Garuḍa was very pleased by the determination of the small sparrow, and he promised to help. Thus Garuḍa at once asked the ocean to return her eggs lest he himself take up the work of the sparrow. The ocean was frightened at this, and returned the eggs. Thus the sparrow became happy by the grace of Garuḍa. Similarly, the practice of yoga, e

Charmingly, we found in the commentary where Kṛṣṇa meets Indra, but He arranges to meet him in a solitary place. When He meets him in a solitary place, Vishvanath Cakravarti Thakura says that He expresses his heart to Indra, and He says, "I hope I didn't offend you by doing this." This is indicative of the heart of Kṛṣṇa. Although He wants to rectify those who are wayward, He does it in a way that makes them more attracted to Him. This is one of the lessons that Kṛṣṇa gives throughout the Bhāgvatam. Śukadeva says that even if you're flawed, you can still approach Kṛṣṇa because He has this heart where He will accept whatever fragment, whatever scintilla of sincerity you have. Even if you're a notoriously flawed person, He'll accept the scintilla of sincerity that you have, and then He'll augment that. What's more, when one approaches Kṛṣṇa, even if one is flawed, meaning that one may not have the wherewithal to have ananyāś cintayanto māṁ, just unalloyed devotion to Kṛṣṇa, one may approach Kṛṣṇa with... ( exc