Srila Prabhupada Vyasa Puja Sunnyvale

The spiritual master is the representative of Vyasadeva. Therefore, according to the Vedic system, on the appearance day of the spiritual master the disciples conduct the ceremony called Vyasa-puja. Srila Prabhupada was born in 1896 on the day of Nandotsava (the next day of Janmashtami). Sri Krishna Balaram Mandir is celebrating Vyasa Puja on the appearance day of Srila Prabhupada on Sunday, September 6, 2015 from 11:30 am onwards. We invite all of you to join us the celebrations. Following is the program schedule:

11:30 am - Bhajans

12:00 pm - Abhisheka to Srila Prabhupada Deity

12:30 pm - Short discourse on Srila Prabhupada

1:00 pm - Guru Puja & Arati

1:30 pm - Prasadam

Regards,

Sri Krishna Balaram Mandir Executive Committee

India Heritage Foundation,
1235 Reamwood Avenue,
Sunnyvale, CA 94089
United States
www.kbmandir.org | www.facebook.com/kbmandir | www.twitter.com/kbmandir

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Srila Prabhupada...."There may be many great souls—jñānīs, yogīs and bhaktas, or pure devotees, are also called great souls—but they are very rarely found. One can find many great souls amongst yogīs and jñānīs, but a truly great soul, a pure devotee of the Lord, who is fully surrendered to the Lord, is very rarely found." (sa mahātmā sudurlabhaḥ, Bg. 7.19).
Chanting the Song Sung by Lord Siva : SB 4.24.20 :Srila Prabhupada's PURPORT :

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Devotee (2): How important is formal initiation?

Srila Prabhupāda: "Formal initiation means to accept, officially, to abide by the orders of Kṛṣṇa and His representative. That is formal initiation. Officially accept, "Yes, sir, I shall accept. I shall do whatever you say." This is initiation, official acceptance of the job. That's all. "
Lectures : Srimad-Bhagavatam 6.1.15 -- Auckland, February 22, 1973 :

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Srila Prabhupada...."In the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam it is also confirmed by Prahlāda Mahārāj that merely by personal efforts or by the instructions of higher authorities one cannot attain to the stage of devotional service. One must become blessed by the dust of the lotus feet of a pure devotee who is completely freed from the contamination of material desires."

The Nectar of Devotion - 1970 Edition
NoD 1: Characteristics of Pure Devotional Servic

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Srila Prabhupada..." Therefore, the conclusion is that a spiritual master who is one hundred percent Kṛṣṇa conscious is the bona fide spiritual master, for he can solve the problems of life."
Contents of the Gita Summarized : Bg 2.8 : Srila Prabhupada's PURPORT

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Srila Prabhupada....."Ātma-vit means a self-realized soul or bona fide spiritual master. Unless one is self-realized and knows what his relationship with the Supersoul is, he cannot be a bona fide spiritual master."
Srimad-Bhagavatam : SB 3.28.2 : Srila Prabhupada's PURPORT

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Srila Prabhupada...."Everyone has to see Kṛṣṇa according to the verdict of Vedic literatures presented by the self-realized spiritual master. A sincere person is able to see Kṛṣṇa through the transparent via medium of Śrī Gurudeva, the spiritual master. Unless one is enlightened by the knowledge given by the spiritual master, he cannot see things as they are, even though he remains constantly with the spiritual master."
Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu's Visit to Sri Vrndavana : Madhya 18.99 :Srila Prabhupada's PURPORT :

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Srila Prabhupada..."Similarly, any transcendental message, any Vedic literature, unless it is presented by a self-realized devotee, it is poison. You simply misunderstand the whole thing, and you do not get the benefit. Rather, you become a victim of misunderstanding."
Lectures : Bhagavad-gita 4.1-2 -- Columbus, May 9, 1969

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Srila Prabhupada...."If you want to know positively, what is God, then we should take lesson from a self-realized soul who has understood, who has seen. Jñāninas tattva-darśinaḥ [Bg. 4.34]. Just like here it is tattva-niścayam ātmanaḥ. So tattvam, the truth, so one must have seen the truth, realized the truth. Tad-vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum evābhigacchet [MU 1.2.12]. That is Guru."

Srila Prabhupada Lecture : Srimad-Bhagavatam 2.4.1 -- Los Angeles, June 24, 1972 :

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Srila Prabhupada..." So unless one is self-realized, there is practically no use writing about Kṛṣṇa. This transcendental writing does not depend on material education. It depends on the spiritual realization. You'll find, therefore, in the comments of Bhāgavatam by different ācāryas, even there are some discrepancies, they are accepted as asat-patha. It should remain as it is."
Lectures : Srimad-Bhagavatam 7.5.23-24 -- Vrndavana, March 31, 1976 :

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Srila Prabhupada..."If you take Bhagavad-gītā as it is, you become self-realized liberated soul. But the misfortune is that we become more than Kṛṣṇa, and we want to comment Bhagavad-gītā in our own way. That is our misfortune. (applause) That is our misfortune"
Lectures : Srimad-Bhagavatam 5.5.2 -- Hyderabad, April 11, 1975

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Srila Prabhupāda..." Then so śikṣā and dīkṣā-guru... A śikṣā-guru who instructs against the instruction of spiritual, he is not a śikṣā guru. He is a demon. Śikṣā-guru, dīkṣā-guru means... Sometimes a dīkṣā-guru is not present always. Therefore one can take learning, instruction, from an advanced devotee. That is called the śikṣā-guru. Śikṣā-guru does not mean he is speaking something against the teachings of the dīkṣā-guru. He is not a śikṣā-guru. He is a rascal."
Srila Prabhupada'sLecture on Bhagavad-gita 17.1-3 -- Honolulu, July 4, 1974

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Srila Prabhupada...."I wish that each and every {ISKCON} Branch shall keep their independent identity and cooperate keeping the Acarya in the centre. On this principle we can open any number of Branches all over the world. The Ramakrishna mission works on this principle and thus as organization they have done wonderfully."
Srila Prabhupada's Letter to: Kirtanananda -- San Francisco 11 February, 1967

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Srila Prabhupada...." So bhagavān uvāca, this word, means whatever He says, there is no defect or deficiencies. For ordinary person like us there are four defects:{ 1) is sure to commit mistakes, 2) is invariably illusioned, 3) has the tendency to cheat others and 4) is limited by imperfect senses} bhrama pramāda vipralipsā kara-ṇāpāṭava. Vipralipsā, cheating. Vipralipsā, cheating. So in the Supreme Personality of Godhead Kṛṣṇa or self-realized person, servants of Kṛṣṇa, those who have understood Kṛṣṇa, for them there are no deficiencies. They are perfect."
Srila Prabhupada's Lecture with Translator -- Sanand, December 25, 1975

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Reporter: I wondered how many people you think might have been taken in by fake gurus.
Śrīla Prabhupāda: Practically everyone. [Laughter.] There is no question of counting. Everyone.
Reporter: This would mean thousands of people, wouldn’t it?
Śrīla Prabhupāda: Millions. Millions have been cheated, because they want to be cheated. God is omniscient. He can understand your desires. He is within your heart, and if you want to be cheated, God sends you a cheater.

Srila Prabhupada's Book The Science of Self Realization : SSR 2: Choosing a Spiritual Master : What Is a Guru