Saturday, March 31, 2018

Pacific Ocean's "Plastic Patch" Much Larger Than Feared ...

https://www.yahoo.com/news/pacific-plastic-dump-far-larger-feared-study-140525448.html?

[PADA: The plastic is melting in the sun and is turning into teeny "molecular pieces" that will be absorbed into the ocean, and then absorbed into the ocean's living creatures. Wow, Kali Yuga is expanding so rapidly -- its not a good sign. Basically, the humans are making the planet un-inhabitable for other beings, which is why humans end up eating humans later in this age. Its happening right in front of us ... never mind all the cows in Vrndavana that are eating plastic products to their peril. ys pd]  

Kirtanananda's "samadhi" in Vrndavana




Kirtanananda Swami "Bhaktipada's" Samadhi-under-construction in Vrindaban, India on the Parikrama Marg in Pani Ghat. Designed and built under the direction of Radha-Vrindaban Candra Swami, aided by ISKCON GBC's gurus and leaders like Radhanath swami. Allegedly, Gopal Krishna swami had to negotiate the property use permits etc. Anyone who walks the Vrindaban Parikram Path will not be able to avoid viewing this mausoleum. 

[PADA: Some ISKCON GBC defenders told me "there is no proof" they are making a samadhi for Kirtanananda? Of course, there is not enough "proof" of almost any other wrong doing for many of these folks. OK the GBC wants little children to worship deviants in samadhis, that is what we said and that is what is going on. ys pd] 

Friday, March 30, 2018

No hell for sinners says Pope Francis

https://www.yahoo.com/news/does-hell-exist-pope-francis-155354139.html

[PADA: Well, one could also take birth in a lot of bad places right here on earth that are very hellish places to be living in -- at the present time. He does not seem to have any explanation why so many living beings take birth is very hellish conditions right now even on earth, never mind there could be worse planets than earth to be born on. And if sinners just vanish, that would seem to give impetus for criminals to act even worse -- since there is no real punishment in the afterlife ... ys pd] 

Should ISKCON / Krishna movement leaders be sued for fraud?


ISKCON's Leadership Misconduct Prevention Office?

http://www.dandavats.com/?p=60625

PADA: How do we prevent acharyas from mis-behaving? Ooops! How did we get the idea that acharyas are often misbehaving? ys pd

Who Created God? (Video)




[PADA: Pretty good answers here? Devotees should have been doing these things too! ys pd]

Testimony from Laksminath (France)

TESTIMONY!!!

Jean-Luc Delvallée (Laksminath das)

I am 'only' 68 but I am banned from New Mayapur France (where I joined in 1977) along with many other elders who dared to speak about the truth related with the suicide of an elder devotee CITRADEVI dd .... ON THE STAKE (nothing left).

She had been harassed up to the point of committing suicide. The 'doctor' of the community made a report to the GBC saying that her act was due to her Parkinson disease. So many devotees left New Maypaura since. They were told to be 'not sincere'....

You may know or heard about Kishori Mathajee (75)? She was Srila Prabhupada's personal cook for years in Vrdnavan (look You tube: Prabhupada's memories by her grace Kishori dd) and she has wonderful (sometimes funny) sweet memories from her close association with her Guru. He told her to teach anything she learned from him to the devotees. 

SHE IS FORBIDDEN TO COME ANY MORE AT NEW MAYAPUR FOR THE LAST 3 YEARS WITH NO TIME LIMIT. She is a very bold lady, very straightforward and she is on top of the black list of GAUDAMANDALA DAS, the NM TP. He said: "Don't listen to what she says about Prabhupada .... she had not so much association with him .... It is only bla bla...." "Don't eat anything she is cooking, it is poison....SHE IS A WITCH".....

So arrogant he told her "I shall consider you as a Prabhupada disciple when you behave as a Prabhupada disciple"....
This guy (Bhagavan disciple) has been away for years after stealing the money from the temple, left his wife and young daughter with a dutch prostitute, dealt drugs and cheated so many people, including devotees (myself also). He even went to the worse anti-cult movement to give informations against ISKCON for money.
He expelled so many devotees with approbation of GBCs: HRDAYCAITANYA & MADHUSEVITA..... I have been trying over the years to bring attention from devotees and GBCs: they just don't care (where is DEVOTEE CARE?). I did my best to take her defense.
The day when I read to her the mail about our ban, she fainted right away! GBCs say that everything is going nicely in New Mayapur ... you can even see a film on ISKCON news showing how nice is the place: lies!... It is not said how many devotees and GUESTS left the place being totally disgusted ... hundreds! Unlimited vaisnava aparadha... Shame! 

Very very rare are the devotees all over France who are preaching who dare to send anyone to this place: "A place where the Lord or His devotee is offended is unholy. One should leave it immediately otherwise he lose his sukrti" (SB)...To my knowledge 7 devotees had dream (some several times) that the Deities left the place. Serious situation.

New Mayapur has been taken over by Kalicellas. "They dress like devotees but they are agents of Kali, you have to observe them, wipp them out"...If you read Mahabharata: who are the expelled? who is expelling? Clear and simple. Of course, I am the offender N°1, fault finder N°1, politician N°1 in France......but I rather feel like a reporter. So sad to see no much reactions, no solidarity (although they speak of cooperation) from French devotees and others. 

Easy to see on Facebook, Youtube and so on the thirst of the public for TRUTH.... Although we know that it is the 'last leg of religion', is ISKCON showing the way? No hope for Bhakti without Truth......LOVE AND TRUST...Haribol.

Tuesday, March 27, 2018

Book Review: Killing for Krishna (from Australia)

Received this letter from a fellow in New Zealand who read my book.

Hello Henry,

I wrote to years ago when I had just graduated from university and was very puffed up thinking I was some kind of scholar! You sent me your manuscript about New Vrindaban that you were working on at the time and I read it and commented and sent it back to you.

Anyway, many years later I came across your new book Killing for Krishna on Amazon and immediately purchased it for my Kindle. Having recently finished it, I just want to thank you immensely for your hard work in writing and publishing this fantastic book. The style of writing and the balanced approach to the subject is so good and perfect for what you are trying to achieve. It makes me sad that so many of those involved are still high up in ISKCON and unable to admit to their roles in the Sulochan murder (Radhanath in particular) and the other unsavoury activities of New Vrindaban. To think that so much of the place was built with drug money and illegal merchandising is completely mind blowing.

I would love to pass the book on to the devotees of Wellington who are totally under the spell of one Devamrita Swami but I know there would be no point as they would refuse to either read it or discount all the information contained therein, as you are obviously a huge “demon.” (Hahahaha.)

All these so-called “renounced” men, flying around the world in business class, with I-pads, apartments around the world, Apple watches, credit cards, property investments and who knows what else are an absolute joke and a complete mockery of what a Sannyasa / Sadhu is meant to be. I can only hope that many read your book before they get sucked into that world.

So once again, thank you so much for writing the book, I really enjoyed it and look forward to the full New Vrindaban history!

Yours sincerely,

RNM, Wellington, New Zealand

[PADA: Yep, people are catching on to their scam. YS PD]

Sri Chaitanya Jayanti (Madhu Pandit dasa)


Sunday, March 25, 2018

Appearance Of Lord Ramachandra (SP Hawaii Lecture)



Hawaii, March 27, 1969

Spoken by His Divine Grace

Srila A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

ramadi murtishu kala-niyamena tishthan

nanavataram akarod bhuvaneshu kintu

krishnah svayam samabhavat paramah puman yo

govindam adi-purusham tam aham bhajami

[Bs. 5.39]

This is a verse from Brahma-samhita in which the incarnation of Lord Ramacandra is described. Ramadi. Not only Rama, but there are many other, innumerable incarnations. They are compared with the waves of a river. As the waves of the river or the waves of the ocean cannot be counted, similarly, how many incarnations are there of the Supreme Lord it is not possible to count. But out of them, the principal names are mentioned in the sastras. Therefore it is said ramadi. Ramadi means Rama and also other, many incarnations. 


And they are existing. Not that one incarnation appeared and it is finished. No. Not like that. Just like Lord Ramacandra appeared on this planet, say millions of years before. He appeared in the Treta-yuga. Treta-yuga means... We have passed only five thousand years of this age, Kali-yuga. Before that, there was Dvapara-yuga. Dvapara-yuga means 800,000 years. And before that, there was Treta-yuga, which continued for twelve hundred thousands of years. That means at least two million years before Lord Ramacandra appeared on this planet. So now Lord Ramacandra appeared in Ayodhya. 

There is a place in Ayodhya, in northern India. There He appeared. As Krishna appeared in Mathura... That is also northern India. And Mathura is about ninety miles down southward from New Delhi. You have heard the name of New Delhi, the capital of India. So Ayodhya is also situated about five hundred miles northeast of New Delhi. So Lord Ramacandra appeared on this day. Today is called Sri Rama Naumi. On the ninth day of the moon Lord Ramacandra appeared. His father was the king of Ayodhya, and he had three wives. So out of... No. He had two wives. So out of two wives he got four sons. Ramacandra is the eldest son. The life and activities of Lord Ramacandra is... [break] ...in a book which is called Ramayana. You have heard the name of Ramayana. Ramayana is also accepted as history. Vedic literatures are histories also.

The Puranas, the Srimad-Bhagavatam, Mahabharata, and Ramayana, they are counted amongst the history. The history of Ramacandra is that His father wanted to retire. Dasaratha, Maharaja Dasaratha. And he decided to enthrone Lord Ramacandra and retire. So everything was settled, but just one day before, his youngest wife turned the whole thing into different way. Sometimes Maharaja Dasaratha was suffering from what is called whitlow, some trouble in the finger? And this queen served him very nicely, and he was pleased. And he said, “My dear Sarmishtha, if you want some benediction from me, I can give you.” And she replied that “I shall ask you for the benediction when I require it. Not now.” So just one day before Lord Ramacandra’s coronation, she approached her husband Maharaja Dasaratha and reminded him, “My dear husband, you promised to give me some benediction, and I told you that I shall ask you when I require it.” Maharaja Dasaratha said,

“Yes, I remember. You want some benediction just now?” She said, “Yes.” “And what is that?” She said that “Ramacandra cannot be seated on the throne. My son should be coronated, Bharata.” He was surprised. It is a big demand. So he said, “All right. That will be done. Your son.” Because formerly, the kings... Not only formerly, even up to date, there are many kshatriya kings in India. They have more than one wife. And they are, naturally, there is rivalry between different wives. So the same thing. Human psychology is the same. Even two million years ago the same mentality was there, and she asked that “My son should be the king, not Ramacandra.” 

Ramacandra happened to be the son of Kausalya, the elder queen.So Maharaja Dasaratha agreed and called for Ramacandra. “My dear boy, your...” She asked also that... She was very diplomatic. She wanted that Ramacandra go to forest for fourteen years. The idea was political, that “The king may agree to install my son just now. Now, after a few days, this Ramacandra may come with His army, and there may be some difficulty to continue the kingdom.” So she wanted that Ramacandra should go to the forest and He should not come back till the end of fourteen years from this day. So Maharaja Dasaratha agreed. Because he was kshatriya. Just see the promise.

A kshatriya never goes back from the promise, never refuses any challenge. If a kshatriya is challenged by somebody, that “I want to fight with you,” oh, he cannot refuse. This is kshatriya spirit. He cannot say that “I am now busy.” Suppose somebody comes to you, that “I want to fight with you.” You may say, “What nonsense fight? I have no time. We are in the temple.” But a kshatriya cannot deny that. 

A kshatriya at once must accept. “Oh, yes. Come on.” And the weapon should be, if he has no sword or weapon, he should be supplied weapon and fight. This is kshatriya spirit. They were highly charitable and chivalrous and keeping promise and with a great tendency for ruling over. They shall rule over. Administrators. Their business is...There are different prescription for different classes of men for their livelihood. The brahmanas, they can pull on their livelihood by six ways. Pathana pathana yajana yajana dana pratigraha. Six. And they must be qualified with twelve high qualities. We have many times discussed. Out of that qualification, truthfulness is the first item for a brahmana. A kshatriya may speak lies. That is allowed, because he has to be diplomat, politician. But a brahmana, oh, he’s not allowed to speak lie.

This is the system, caste system or varnasrama system. Everyone was trained. Because these four classes of men are required in a society. For proper upkeep of society, one class of men must be very intelligent, highly qualified, with all good qualities. They must be trained in that way, ideal character so that people can see and follow them. Therefore brahmanas were taken to so much respect because they’re ideal character, learned, and godly, knows the science, spiritual science. Therefore they’re held in high estimation and topmost of the society. The next, the administrator, administrative class, kshatriyas.

They are trained how to kill. The kshatriyas were allowed to hunt in the forest to learn the art of killing because that was necessity for the kshatriyas. Kshatriya, if he... If the king, if he finds somebody is doing wrong, he can immediately chop off his head if he likes. The king was so powerful. And it is not that if there was some war, it is not that the president or the king shall sit down comfortably at home and ordinary soldiers will go and lay down their life. No. Formerly, the king or the head of the state, he should first of all go there in the fight. You see in the picture, the chief men of the fighting in the Kurukshetra, both sides, they were arrayed, this side, that side, with their chariot.

Not that the head man, the chief man, or the commander is taking shelter back side, protecting himself, and poor soldiers are (chuckles) thrown into the fighting. No. These were kshatriya spirit. And it is necessary that a class of men should be trained up in that way, kshatriya, fighting men. In India, because this training was there since a very long time, so there is no difficulty in recruiting soldiers there.

There is a class of men, they are very much forward in fighting still. They are called... Just like the Gurkhas, the Nepalese. You have heard the name of Nepal. Still a small state, independent state. They are not within India. Between China and India. The whole Nepal population, they are kshatriyas. Oh, they are very good fighters. Similarly, the Sikhs, the Jatas. There are classes. So they’re always forward for fighting. And you’ll be surprised that the British Empire was voluntarily liquidated because they lost India. The Britishers, they understood that because we are now losing India, there is no more possibility to keep our eastern empire. 

Therefore they liquidated. Why? Actually, the whole British Empire were being administered or managed by Indian soldiers, these Sikhs and Gurkhas. They extended their empire. After taking their position with India, they extended British Empire in the Middle East and Far East simply by these Sikhs and Gurkha soldiers. They got supremacy on the Burma and everywhere.So there is necessity of a class of fighting men. You are finding in your country difficulty in recruiting because the recruiting process is wrong. You are recruiting from persons... You are training persons just like sudras, and you want them to fight. 

How they can fight? It is not possible. So as it is stated in the Bhagavad-gita, that catur-varnyam maya srishtam guna karma vibhagasah... [Bg. 4.13]. Lord Krishna said that “The four classes or orders of the society, brahmana, kshatriya, vaisya, sudra, is planned by Me according to work and quality.” So this kshatriya quality men is also required, the brahmana quality of men is also required, the mercantile community, they are also required, and the laborer class, they are also required. Of course, laborer class, they do not require any training. Laborer class means one who cannot do anything, neither become brahmana, nor become kshatriya, nor become vaisya. 

That means the last balance of the population, they are called laborer class, sudra. Sudra means one who has no training. Sudra has no samskara. Samskara means training. Everyone is accepted as sudra by birth. Janmana jayate sudra. Janmana means by birth. By birth, everyone is born a sudra, a fourth-class man. It is to be accepted, and actually so. Just like a child, innocent child, what does he know? He has to be trained. Either you train him as a brahmana or train him as a kshatriya or train him as a vaisya. Or otherwise, he is sudra already, born sudra. Sudra has no training. Everyone, the basic principle, basic foreground, everyone, it is accepted sudra. 

Now, if you train him as a brahmana, then he becomes a brahmana. If you train him as a kshatriya, then he becomes a kshatriya. If you train him as a vaisya... So I think this is, this system is very scientific so that if you want help of a really intelligent man or God realized man, it is ready, the brahmana class. Just like if you require the help of a lawyer, we have got so many lawyers. If you require the help of medical man... Because there are trained men. Similarly, the society requires to train a certain class of men to become brahmanas. Just like we are training the Krishna conscious. The Krishna consciousness is meant for the brahmanas.

They are not meant for fighting because they are not being trained for fighting. They have been trained for becoming brahmanas. Who is brahmana? Brahma janati iti brahmana. The four divisions are described like this. Janmana jayate sudrah, everyone is born sudra. That is accepted. Samskarad bhaved dvijah. Now if you train him, never mind in which family he’s born, you have to train him. Just like boys are sent to school for being trained. So everyone is accepted as sudra, but you now train him. He goes to the guru-griha.

Guru-griha means teacher’s house. Formerly, for being trained, there was no such big scale school and colleges. Every village... Still, fifty years before in India, in every village there was a small school conducted by the brahmana, and the village children would be trained up there. So he was sent for training. And there was no school fee. The boys will go there, and on behalf of the teacher or spiritual master, they will go, brahmacari, door to door, and beg and bring forth alms, rice, dahl, grains, and everything. That was the system. 

There was no school fee. There was no problem how to send a boy to the school. Samskara. Now he’s trained up. The teacher sees the psychology of the boy, in which way he should be trained. Either he should be trained as a vaisya or he should be trained as a kshatriya. So everyone was trained like that, but generally, the son of a kshatriya... Just like Maharaja Ramacandra or Arjuna, from the very beginning they were trained as kshatriya.

Naturally, if somebody is the son of a medical man his father trains him to become a medical man in future. That is the natural tendency. If the boy is different altogether that is another question, but naturally, that is the tendency. So a kshatriya’s son was trained as kshatriya. A brahmana’s son was trained as a brahmana and a vaisya’s son was trained as a vaisya, and sudra had no training. So gradually this became a caste system. Brahmana’s son became brahmana. Because formerly, the training was there. But when it is vitiated, although a person born in the family of a brahmana, he is doing the work of a sudra. So according to Vedic scripture, one is classified according to his work and quality, not by birth. That is the classification of sastra. 

Just like in the Bhagavad-gita the Lord says catur-varnyam maya srishtam guna-karma-vibhagasah [Bg. 4.13]. Guna means quality and karma means work. One must be qualified for the work and he must actually work. Then he is counted classified into that, I mean to say, category. Just like if you are simply trained or educated as a lawyer, and if you are not practicing in the court, nobody comes to you to consult as a lawyer.

Nobody cares for you. You must be practicing also. Similarly, to become a brahmana means first of all, he must know what is Brahman and he must be actually situated in the activities of Brahman. So devotional service are activities of Brahman. Activities in Krishna consciousness means activities in Brahman. Brahme carati iti brahma brahmacari. Carati means acts. Actually, he acts in life, applies the principles of brahmana in his life, he is called brahmacari. So these were the trainings.So just see how the training was, that a kshatriya cannot refuse his promise. 

So Maharaja Dasaratha, he fulfilled the promise of his youngest wife and asked his son, eldest son Ramacandra, “My dear boy, You’ll have to go to forest for fourteen years. That is the desire of Your youngest mother. And I promised that I shall fulfill her promise, uh, request. So please accept.” Ramacandra said, “Yes father, I am ready.” Just see. This is the quality. Out of the six opulences of God, this is one quality.

aisvaryasya samagrasya viryasya yasasah sriyahjnana-vairagyayos caivashannam bhagam itingana(Vishnu Purana 6.5.47)

How one becomes God? God is not manufactured by vote. There are definition who is God. God must be the proprietor of all the riches. Aisvaryasya samagrasya. Samagra means all. Nobody can compete with Him. Here, in this world, material world, I am rich man, and there is another rich man who can compete with me. There is another rich man who can compete with him. But nobody can compete with God in richness. That is one qualification of God. Nobody can say that “I am richer than God.” You can say “I am richer than Ford or Rockefeller” or this or that. You can say. But nobody can say that “I am richer than God.” Therefore in the Bhagavad-gita it is said mattah parataram nanyat asti kincid dhananjaya. Mattah parataram nanyat kincid asti dhananjaya [Bg. 7.7]. Dhananjaya is a name of Arjuna, and Krishna said that, “My dear Arjuna, there is nobody greater than Me.” 

So if anyone claims that he is God, he must prove by practical example that nobody is richer than him. That is the first. But unfortunately, we are accepting so many Gods. A rascal in the street, he also claims that “I am God.” So similarly, the other qualification, nobody can be stronger than God, nobody can be wiser than God, nobody can be more beautiful than God, and nobody can be more renouncer than God. So here Ramacandra, Lord Ramacandra exhibited the quality how He renounced the whole kingdom simply on the order of His father, His obedience to father. He could have argued with His father, “My dear father, you, simply for keeping your promise and actuated by the dictation of a woman, you are doing this. 

Let us stop it. Everyone is expecting that tomorrow My coronation will be there, and they love Me so much.” Because He... Just like Krishna was so much loved, similarly, Lord Ramacandra was the life of the people. They were very much expecting that Ramacandra was going to be enthroned tomorrow. So how they were celebrating, how they were decorating the whole city. Everything. He never argued. He accepted immediately: “Yes, father. I am ready.”

So then one of the brothers, Lakshmana, He also requested Ramacandra, “My dear brother, You also take Me. I am Your constant companion. I must go with You.” So He said, “That’s Your wish. Voluntarily, if You want to come, You can come with Me.” Then Sita, His wife, young wife, She also said, “I’ll go with You.” Ramacandra requested His wife, “Oh, you cannot go with Me. It is very difficult. You are a king’s daughter, and you are brought up in so nice way, and you are so beautiful. You cannot go. You cannot take the trouble of living in the forest.” So she said, “Oh, I am Your wife. Married wife. So I must go even if You go to hell.” This is ideal wife. She could have refused: “Oh, Your father has ordered to go to forest. 

You can go. I shall go to my father’s house or I shall remain here.” No. This is ideal wife. She must be prepared to accept any circumstances of the husband. Not that when the husband is rich the wife is very faithful, and when he has come down to be poor or he’s going to forest the wife gives up his company. No. Wife means better half. She must abide.

Just like, it is said, just like a shadow follows the reality, similarly, the wife is the shadow of the husband. Wherever the husband goes, she must go. Whatever the husband wants, she must carry out. Of course, in this country this interpretation is taken differently, that wife is made a slave. But actually, it is not so. When Sita was kidnapped in the jungle, Ramacandra expected that, that she was beautiful, she was young, and “We shall be in open jungle. It may be some demons may come,” and actually it so happened. So for Sita, Lord Ramacandra massacred the whole family of Ravana. Only for Sita. 

So as the husband, so the wife. The wife was so faithful that she could not remain alone. She must accompany the husband even in the forest. And the husband was so faithful that, “Oh, my wife has been kidnapped.” So He massacred the whole family of Ravana.

So these are ideal history how... Ramacandra, Lord Ramacandra appeared on this world to educate or to place ideal example of a king. How the king should be. Therefore when there is good government... The example is given, Rama-rajya. Rama- rajya. It is the kingdom of Lord Rama. Because everyone was happy, everyone. There are so many instances in the life of Ramacandra. One brahmana... Not brahmana exactly. Somebody came to Ramacandra. Because at that time there was no court like this, that you have to go to a court and apply with stamp fee. 

Then your judgment will be delivered after six years. It is not like that. Anyone who has got some complaint, he should... The king used to sit in the open audience, and the citizens were allowed to approach the king and place their complaints. Because there was no complaint practically. Everyone was happy. Very minor complaint. So somebody came to Ramacandra, and he charged Ramacandra, “My dear king, my son has died. How is that, in the presence of his father, son can die? There must be something wrong in Your government.” Just see. The charge is “Why my son has died before my death? This is unnatural.” So there was nothing unnatural. The king was responsible even for severe cold, severe heat. That we get from history of Srimad-Bhagavatam. That is stated. So the kings were so much responsible. They were always thinking of the happiness of the citizens, and the citizens were also so nice.

One citizen approached Lord Ramacandra and His next assistant, His brother, Lakshmana, informed Him that “He is a brahmana. You were absent on Your tour for, I think for a fortnight or a month, and this brahmana has not eaten even a drop of water during Your absence.” Why? “Because he comes here to see You, darsana.” Just like we come here in the temple to see the Deity. So Lord Ramacandra was present personally. So he used to come. 

After seeing Ramacandra, offering his obeisances, then he would go home and take something, his breakfast. That was his vow. And because he could not see for a fortnight or a month Lord Ramacandra because He was out on political tour, he did not eat even. Just see. The citizens were similar to the king. So at that time, there was a statue of Ramacandra which was being worshiped in the family from Maharaja Ikshvaku. Maharaja Ikshvaku, the son of Manu, happens to be the forefather of the family in which Ramacandra appeared. So he was devotee of Lord Rama, and he was worshiping the statue of Lord Rama. 

So that statue was being worshiped by the family one after another. But when Ramacandra was actually present He kept that statue in the closet of the room, and when this brahmana approached and Ramacandra was informed by Lakshmana that he is so steady and strong in his vow, so Ramacandra ordered that he may be delivered that statue so that in My absence he can offer respect to the statue and do with this. That form, I mean to say, statue, or arca of Ramacandra is still existing in South India. It is being worshiped from that time. So these were the dealings of Ramacandra. Then He, His younger brother Lakshmana and His wife went to the forest, and His wife was kidnapped by the diplomacy of the demon Ravana, and there was fight between Rama and Ravana. 

Ravana was very, materialistically, he was very strong. But the thing is for fighting with Ravana, Ramacandra did not come back to His kingdom and take His army. No. He did not come back because He was ordered to live in the forest. So He organized army with the jungle animals, the monkeys. The monkeys. He fought with Ravana, an organized materialist, with the monkeys. You have seen the picture. And He constructed a bridge between India’s last point to the other side. Ceylon is considered to be the kingdom of Ravana. 

So there was a bridge, and the stones were floating. So there are so many historical incidences in the life of Ramacandra, and we should remember, because if we remember why we are observing today fasting for Ramacandra... There were many kings like Ramacandra. Because the kings were trained in that way. Maharaja Yudhishthira was also as good as Ramacandra, and Maharaja Parikshit was as good. There were many such kings. But we are not concerned because He was a king. He is the King of all kings, paramesvara. Because He is God, therefore we are observing today. Ramadi-murtishu kala-niyamena tishthan [Bs. 5.39]. 

So He is not original form of God. The original form of God is Krishna, and Krishna expands Himself in various other forms. Advaitam acyutam anadim ananta-rupam [Bs. 5.33]. Ananta-rupam means millions and millions. The Manu is also incarnation of Krishna. So in one day of Brahma there are fourteen Manus. So Brahma lives for one hundred years. Just see how many incarnation of Manus are there even for one Brahma, and there are innumerable Brahmas also. So, as stated in the Srimad-Bhagavatam that nobody can count how many incarnations are there, but some of the chief incarnations are mentioned, and Lord Ramacandra is one of them. So Lord Ramacandra, He killed Ravana and He installed his brother.

His brother was devotee, Vibhishana. So He did not go to conquer Ceylon, because He was emperor. He went to punish that culprit Ravana, and He installed his younger brother Vibhishana in that... And He came back with Sita, and again He was installed after fourteen years, and His brother was so faithful that so long His eldest brother was away, Ramacandra requested Him that “Your mother wants that You should be king, and I also wish that in My absence You should be king.” Bharata, He was so faithful brother, He replied, “No. You are king. 

So long You are living, nobody can be king. So I cannot be king.” Then He requested, “At least You administer.” Because after the departure of Lord Ramacandra, Maharaja Dasaratha died out of the shock because Ramacandra was very pet son, eldest son. He was going to be king, and by his order He was sent to the forest. The father could not tolerate the shock. He died.

So Ramacandra’s life, God’s activities, pastimes, if we hear, that means we are associating with Ramacandra. There is no difference between His form, His name, His pastimes, and Himself. He’s absolute. Therefore either you chant the holy name of Rama or you see the statue of Rama or you talk of His pastimes, transcendental pastimes, everything, that means you are associating with the Supreme Personality of Godhead. So we take advantage of these days when the incarnation of God appears or disappears, and we try to associate with Him. By His association we become purified. Our process is purification. Krishna consciousness means simply we are purifying our consciousness. From the birth, as I have explained, everyone is sudra.

Sudra means one who laments. That is called sudra. For a slight loss or slight inconvenience, one who laments, he is called sudra. And brahmana means one who tolerates. A sudra has no toleration. So kalau sudra sambhava. Kalau means... This age is called Kali. So it is the statement of the sastras that in this age the whole population is sudra. And formerly also, by his birth, everyone was considered sudra, but there was training, samskara. 

At the present moment, there is no samskara, there is no training. The training is only for earning livelihood. No other training. How one can earn money and enjoy senses—that is the training at the present moment. But actually, to make successful the human life or the mission of human life, the Vedic culture is very nice. And by spreading Krishna consciousness, by adopting the process of Krishna consciousness, you can revive that cultural life, sublime life. If not wholesale, if there are a few people trained up in this line, and they become ideal examples to the society, immense benefit can be derived from their examples of life. What is time? [break] (kirtana) (end)

(A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada 27th March 1969. The Appearance day of Lord Rama - Ramanavami, Hawaii, USA.)

Srila Prabhupada on "mundane news"



Room Conversation
September 10, 1973,
Stockholm:

Prabhupada: We don't read newspaper. We don't touch it unless there is some news of ours. We don't touch it. What is the use of wasting time? They read so big, big bundle of newspaper. But we don't touch them. Oh, we have got sufficient literature here. Why should we waste our time in the crows' manifestation? 


The same politics, same Nixon, same Dixon, same Hitler. It is called punah punas carvita-carvananam (Srimad-Bhagavatam 7.5.30), chewing the chewed. Things which have already been chewed and thrown away, another person is crying, "Let me see if there's any juice." But you have already chewed. What juice you find there? Punah punas carvita-carvananam (Srimad-Bhagavatam 7.5.30), again and again, same politics, same new leader, same he's a rascal. Just like Nixon advertises in news, "America now requires Nixon." 

So America accepted him and now America doesn't want him. Again another Nixon will come. This is going on, punah punah, again and again, chewing the chewed. The people are not disgusted but we have tasted all these rascals ..... The newspaper is glorification of this mundane world. You have to transfer your consciousness to understand the glorification of the Supreme. This is transcendental literature. So people have got the tendency to read, but they're glorifying this rascal, mundane rascals. 

So that attitude should be transferred to understand the glorification of the Supreme Lord. That will be revolution. That we are presenting.....We are presenting a literature exactly like the newspaper. They are glorifying some Nixon and Dixon. (laughter) We are glorifying Krsna. That is the difference. That is the difference.

Srimad-Bhagavatam 5.12.13, Purport: Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu has strictly prohibited His devotees to talk about worldly matters. Gramya-varta na kahibe: (Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Antya-lila 6.236) one should not indulge in talking unnecessarily about news of the material world. One should not waste time in this way. This is a very important feature in the life of a devotee. A devotee has no other ambition than to serve Krsna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. 

This Krsna consciousness movement was started to engage people twenty-four hours daily in the service of the Lord and in His glorification. The students in this institution engage in the cultivation of Krsna consciousness from five in the morning to ten at night. They actually have no opportunity to waste their time unnecessarily by discussing politics, sociology and current events. These will go their own way. A devotee is concerned only with serving Krsna positively and seriously.

Srila Prabhupada Lecture on Srimad-Bhagavatam 6.1.64-65 -- Vrndavana, September 1, 1975: Don't read newspaper. Don't read any other book," because it is full of gramya-katha, gramyaih. So to avoid it as far as possible. There is no need. What is the news of a gramya-katha newspaper? The same thing repeated. "Here there is flood, where there is train disaster, where there is accident, and political, and one politician is giving speech, another politician is giving speech." These are the gramya things. So we should save ourselves. Gramyair manoramaih. These externally very attractive news, we should avoid it completely. We shall simply talk of Krsna.

Srila Prabhupada Lecture on Srimad-Bhagavatam 6.1.64-65 -- Vrndavana, September 1, 1975: ...political, and one politician is giving speech, another politician is giving speech." These are the gramya things. So we should save ourself. Gramyair manoramaih. These externally very attractive news, we should avoid it completely. We shall simply talk of Krsna.

Srila Prabhupada Lecture on Srimad Bhagavatam 2.3.17 -- Los Angeles, June 12, 1972: Atyaharah prayasah, prajalpa...prajalpa means talking nonsense. This is the nature of the living entity in conditioned state. Just like as soon as the crows, they gather together, caw caw caw caw...(Laughter) The frogs...Any living entity, as soon as they will gather, they will talk all nonsense. Don't do that. We have got great assembly, we have got facility for mixing, but if you take advantage of this assembly and talk all nonsense—what is politics, what is this, what is that… That is called prajalpa.

Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.5.10: Those words which do not describe the glories of the Lord, who alone can sanctify the atmosphere of the whole universe, are considered by saintly persons to be like unto a place of pilgrimage for crows. Since the all-perfect persons are inhabitants of the transcendental abode, they do not derive any pleasure there.

Srimad Bhagavatam 2.3.20, Purport: Therefore the messages of Bhagavad-gita and Srimad-Bhagavatam should be preached all over the world very loudly. That is the duty of a pure devotee who has actually heard about them from the perfect sources. Many want to speak something to others, but because they are not trained to speak on the subject matter of Vedic wisdom they are all speaking nonsense, and people are receiving them with no sense. 

There are hundreds and thousands of sources for distributing mundane news of the world, and people of the world are also receiving it. Similarly, the people of the world should be taught to hear the transcendental topics of the Lord, and the devotee of the Lord must speak loudly so that they can hear. The frogs loudly croak, with the result that they invite the snakes to eat them. The human tongue is especially given for chanting the Vedic hymns and not for croaking like frogs. The word asati used in this verse is also significant. Asati means a woman who has become a prostitute. A prostitute has no reputation for good womanly qualities. Similarly, the tongue, which is given to the human being for chanting the Vedic hymns, will be considered a prostitute when engaged in chanting some mundane nonsense.

Srimad-Bhagavatam 5.12.13, Purport: One should not indulge in talking unnecessarily about news of the material world. One should not waste time in
this way. This is a very important feature in the life of a devotee. A devotee has no other ambition than to serve Krsna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead.



Saturday, March 24, 2018

Animated Ramayana Movie (English audio)


Rathayatra St. Augustine Fl. 2018


Why Am I Looking Into the BBT Editing Process? (Garuda Das)

Why Am I Looking Into the BBT Editing Process?

BY: GARUDA DAS, PhD

Why I'm Doing This

Beginning in the spring of 2017, I was asked to examine and evaluate the quality and validity of the editing of Srila Prabhupada's books, beginning with and especially the editing of Prabhupada's Bhagavad-gītā As It Is. The question can be put simply as follows: Is the BBT's 1983 "Second Edition" of Prabhupāda's Bhagavad-gītā As It Is ("BBT83") a fully acceptable publication of Prabhupāda's original Macmillan published Bhagavad-gītā As It Is ("MAC72") from devotional, ethical, scholarly, and theological viewpoints? The larger question is as follows: What exactly are the criteria for doing any editing of Prabhupāda's books posthumously? And is such editing being executed according to the clear instructions that Prabhupāda gave us?

My recent involvement was not initiated by myself, but arose as a response to the many sincere and concerned devotees who had requested me to apply my academic background, publishing experience and expertise to this matter. Many persons have expressed to me that they felt that I would be best able to understand and evaluate this divisive issue. Despite my heavy load of obligations in my university teaching at two different institutions, scholarly publishing, and lecturing, I have devoted some time to this issue along with the help of very supportive devotional colleagues. My hope is that I could bring forth some genuine conclusion and thoughtful resolution to the minds and hearts of devotees who have agonized over both sides of this issue for more than three decades.

What I'm Finding

After entering into discussions with Dravida Dasaji and Jayadvaita Swamiji ("the editing team"), both persons whom I have known for decades, and both whom I hold in high esteem (I especially feel a close friendship with and affection for the Swami), I am nevertheless compelled to look at this highly contentious issue as professionally and theologically as I can. And, while I consider both of these two BBT editors as well-meaning in their efforts to contribute to the positive presentation of Prabhupāda's books, and, while I acknowledge the many positive contributions that they surely have made, I have felt that their methodologies be carefully reviewed, questioned, and, quite possibly, reconsidered. The Movement has resources and a level of maturity now, like never before, that can be brought forward for such an examination.

My Current Thinking

After numerous discussions with thoughtful and astute devotees, and after considerable engagement with Dravida Dasaji and Jayadvaita Swamiji on this important issue, my current thinking is as follows: the BBT83, while appropriately correcting some of the MAC72's mistakes and omissions, displays editorial revision well beyond the minimal editing that Prabhupāda himself requested, and thereby raises serious, unresolved ethical and theological issues.

As I understand it, the central rationale for the BBT83 rests on the following presumption: When Prabhupāda was producing the Bhagavad-gītā As It Is, he relied on young disciples (such as Jayadvaita Brahmacari!) who were largely incompetent, untrained editors. It was an unavoidable situation, yet it resulted in the flawed MAC72 that was not entirely true to Prabhupāda's words and voice—giving rise to Jayadvaita Swami's slogan, "closer to Prabhupāda" (found on the BBT website "Responsible Publishing"). 

It was this presumption that justified the Swami incorporating Prabhupāda's earlier pre-publication drafts and transcriptions into the BBT83. It is critical to point out that all this material was composed prior to the final edited manuscript that Macmillan accepted for publication as the MAC72. It is this line of thinking that I am calling into question, namely, that these early drafts should serve as source material for allowing the editorial team to produce an edition "closer" to Prabhupāda's wording and voice.

Here Are the Problems

The issue before us is as follows: "How valid is the justification for the BBT83?" Or, put another way, "Is there any necessity for a second edition?" However, before addressing that question, I cannot imagine that there exists any doubt in anyone's mind, even in the minds of the editing team, that Prabhupāda approved what was finally published as the MAC72. Prabhupāda not only joyously accepted the MAC72, but also read from the MAC72 for the five years he remained on earth, utilizing it for at least 250 classes on the Bhagavad Gītā. We also know he was very proud of the numerous academic endorsements he received for the MAC72. Furthermore, there is a clear record that Prabhupāda was most pleased that Macmillan, a prestigious publishing house, had accepted his manuscript for publication.

It bears mentioning here that this manuscript was certainly reviewed by Macmillan's own copy editor. Furthermore, it was this manuscript that Prabhupāda himself considered final, and suitable for large-scale printing. (Having much personal involvement with academic publishing, I can attest that this is the normal publishing process). Finally, who could deny the influence and success of the MAC72 during the years in which the Movement blossomed with its dramatically expanding membership.

We can also all agree that Prabhupāda never gave any instruction to Jayadvaita Swami, nor to anyone else, that he wanted an improved and revised edition. On the contrary, Prabhupāda repeatedly warned devotees about what he called "the changing disease." It is incontrovertible that Prabhupāda rejected the notion of "changing" what he had written. He only approved minimal editing for mistakes and omissions; nothing more. He never requested anyone to go back to earlier drafts and transcriptions for "improving" what he had already personally approved. In my experience in the field of academic writing and publishing, I am certain that if the MAC72 were still a Macmillan publication, the posthumous BBT83 changes would never be accepted, nor even entertained by Macmillan unless it came directly from the author.

Also, dear readers, please allow me to share a personal, and, admittedly, uncomfortable, thought regarding the problematic nature of this presumption on the part of the editorial team. I cannot but see the replacement of the MAC72 with the BBT83 as inescapably calling into question Prabhupāda's awareness and knowledge of how his writings were published. By direct implication, the placing of previously unpublished words "into Prabhupāda's mouth" via BBT83 can be seen as an indictment on Prabhupāda's judgment and an assertion of the BBT's superior judgment over his. It matters not if they were drawn from unfinalized drafts, for in the absence of the author's direct approval, such efforts to get us "closer to Prabhupāda" may well produce the converse result, namely, the BBT83 that is "further away from Prabhupāda." As I understand it, it is precisely this concern that distresses so many devotees.

Perhaps a Solution

We have formed a small group, called "As It Was," a name indicating our intention to unreservedly respect Prabhupāda's MAC72. Our project revisits the MAC72 only to "check" it (herein referred to as the "MAC72✓") for the necessary corrections of grammatical errors and omissions. Since these minimal corrections only "tidy up" the MAC72 that Prabhupāda personally authorized and utilized, we hope to demonstrate how the substantial changes presented in the BBT83 are entirely unnecessary. By preserving Prabhupāda's words as they originally were, without putting any words into Prabhupāda's mouth, it is our hope that the BBT will duly consider the wisdom of this approach.

Facebook: Bhagavad-gita As It Was

======================

Bhagavad-gita As It Was


BY: GARUDA DAS, BHUTATMA DAS, PATRIKANANDA DAS, NRSIMHANANDA DAS

As It Was: Advocating for the Original Bhagavad-gita As It Is

OUR PURPOSE

To call for reconsideration of the presumption that Srīla Prabhupāda's 1972 Macmillan Bhagavad-gītā As It Is required extensive editing and revision to comply with academic and publishing standards.

We aspire to work with all Vaishnavas in a respectful manner, and hope our efforts will reduce the strife that has arisen from this divisive issue. We also pray our efforts are informed and blessed by Śrīla Prabhupāda and our Gaudiya Vaishnava sampradāya.

EXAMPLE

Committed to the principle that posthumously revising an author's work mandates a minimalist editorial approach, Garuda das and Bhutatma das are conducting an analysis of the English translations of the verses from the 1972 Bhagavad-gītā As It Is. This academic exercise will demonstrate the nominal degree of editing that would have been necessary and proper to bring the 1972 Bhagavad-gītā to unimpeachable academic and publishing standards. Such minimal editing stands in contrast to the current edition, which turns to earlier drafts and transcriptions to impose major textual restructuring upon the 1972 edition.

We hold that this re-envisioning, however well-intentioned, reflects editorial judgments that challenge ethical publishing standards, as well as explicit instructions from Śrīla Prabhupāda. Once the analysis is completed, the findings will be submitted to our academic panel for review. The results will then be made public and presented to the BBT trustees/executives. Should they find our results compelling, we anticipate the BBT would appropriately present the revised edition and reinstate Śrīla Prabhupāda's 1972 Macmillan Bhagavad-gītā As It Is as the preeminent edition.


Facebook: Bhagavad-gita As It Was

Friday, March 23, 2018

Muddu Krishna Song (Video)


King declares Tirumala deity to be Lord Venkateshwara (pt. 57)




Acharyas (Episode 57): 

King declares Tirumala deity to be Lord Venkateshwara

The scholars of different sects, Ramanuja and his disciples, the king, Tirumalaraya, and his courtiers assembled very early in the morning at a designated place on the following day. All of them went to the temple along with the temple priests and opened the doors of the sanctum sanctorum. To their surprise the deity was standing with a conch and discus in His hands. The scholars of the other sects accepted their defeat and Tirumalaraya declared that the self-manifested deity in the sanctum sanctorum of the main temple on Tirumala is that of Lord Venkateshwara. Since then people of all sects and religions worship the deity as Lord Venkateshwara. Ramanuja stayed in Tirumala for some days and became very pleased with his disciple Ananth Alwan for raising a beautiful flower garden for the Lord. Ramanuja returned to Sri-Rangam through Kanchipuram and decided to stay there for sometime to serve Lord Ranganatha.

As summer was fast approaching, Ananth Alwan decided to dig a small well for watering the flower gardens that he had lovingly raised for the Lord. Ananth Alwan himself began to dig the well and made his pregnant wife carry the soil that is generated while digging the well as it was believed that one would beget good progeny if the mother performs devotional service when she is pregnant. Initially, Ananth Alwan’s wife was finding it easy to carry the soil. As the digging progressed she had to climb the steps and carry the soil a bit further. Therefore, she was finding it difficult to carry the soil and she nearly fainted due to exhaustion once. Yet, Ananth Alwan asked her to carry the soil the following day. Seeing the tired lady carrying soil on her head, a Brahmachari, who was passing by, offered to help Ananth Alwan in digging the well by carrying the soil. Ananth Alwan said, “If you really want to do some service to the Lord please go and ask the priests. Allow my wife to carry the soil as we want our child to become a good devotee.” However, the Brahmachari was not willing to go. Therefore, Ananth Alwan shouted at him and chased him away.

After sometime, Ananth Alwan noticed that his wife was returning after dumping the soil very fast and was livelier than before. Ananth Alwan asked his wife the source of her new found energy and she said, “The Brahmachari who was asking you to engage him in digging the well is helping me by carrying the soil from the top of the well and dumping it for me.”

Ananth Alwan thought that the Brahmachari was helping his wife with some wrong intentions and hurled the crowbar with which he was digging the well at the Brahmachari to scare him away. The crowbar hit the chin of the Brahmachari and he disappeared from the scene. Ananth Alwan thought that the Brahmachari might have run away due to fear and continued his work.

Blood began to ooze out of the chin of the main deity of Lord Venkateshwara in the sanctum sanctorum. The priests and the devotees who saw the blood were terrified and the news started to spread like wild fire. Some devotee went to the garden and told Ananth Alwan that blood was oozing out of the Lord’s chin. Ananth Alwan rushed to the temple immediately and was shocked to see the Brahmachari’s form in the deity and the blood was oozing from the spot on which the crowbar had hit the Brahmachari. Ananth Alwan fainted immediately after realizing that he had hit the Lord. When he regained his consciousness, Ananth Alwan repeatedly requested the Lord to forgive him and the Lord granted his prayers by accepting the flower garlands offered by him.

The priests of the temple had applied edible camphor on the Lord’s chin to stop the blood from oozing out. As the Lord appeared very attractive with the camphor on His chin, the priests decided to apply it everyday. The crowbar with which Ananth Alwan had hit the Lord is hung within the temple precincts to remind the devotees of the Lord’s pastime with Ananth Alwan.

Thursday, March 22, 2018

Jai Radha Madhava (by Mansa Malhotra) Video


Sri Ramanuja Avirbhava Tithi

Srila Prabhupada cites and glorifies Ramanujacarya.
compiled by Yasoda nandana dasa

The statements of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam are accepted by great ācāryas like Śrīdhara Svāmī, Rāmānujācārya

It is indicated herein that the residents of Maharloka, where the purified living entities or demigods possess a duration of life calculated to be 4,300,000,000 solar years, have airships by which they reach Satyaloka, the topmost planet of the universe. In other words, the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam gives us many clues about other planets far, far away from us which modern planes and spacecraft cannot reach, even by imaginary speeds. 

The statements of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam are accepted by great ācāryas like Śrīdhara Svāmī, Rāmānujācārya and Vallabhācārya. Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu specifically accepts Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam as the spotless Vedic authority, and as such no sane man can ignore the statements of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam when it is spoken by the self-realized soul Śrīla Śukadeva Gosvāmī, who follows in the footsteps of his great father, Śrīla Vyāsadeva, the compiler of all Vedic literatures. 

In the creation of the Lord there are many wonderful things we can see with our own eyes every day and night, but we are unable to reach them equipped by modern materialistic science. We should not, therefore, depend on the fragmentary authority of materialistic science for knowing things beyond the range of scientific purview. For a common man, both modern science and Vedic wisdom are simply to be accepted because none of the statements either of modern science or of Vedic literature can be verified by him. 

The alternative for a common man is to believe either of them or both of them. The Vedic way of understanding, however, is more authentic because it has been accepted by the ācāryas, who are not only faithful and learned men, but are also liberated souls without any of the flaws of conditioned souls. The modern scientists, however, are conditioned souls liable to so many errors and mistakes; therefore the safe side is to accept the authentic version of Vedic literatures, like Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, which is accepted unanimously by the great ācāryas. Link to this page: https://prabhupadabooks.com/sb/2/2/26

Tridaṇḍī sannyāsīs are followers of Vaiṣṇava ācāryas—Rāmānujācārya, Madhvācārya

In this verse the word tīrtha-pādīya indicates devotees of Lord Viṣṇu, or Vaiṣṇavas. As far as brāhmaṇas are concerned, in the previous verse the mode of reception has been already described. Now, in this verse, special stress is being given to the Vaiṣṇavas. Generally, the sannyāsīs, or those in the renounced order of life, take trouble to enlighten the householders. 

There are ekadaṇḍī sannyāsīs and tridaṇḍī sannyāsīs. The ekadaṇḍī sannyāsīs are generally followers of Śaṅkarācārya and are known as Māyāvādī sannyāsīs, whereas the tridaṇḍī sannyāsīs are followers of Vaiṣṇava ācāryas—Rāmānujācārya, Madhvācārya and so on—and they take trouble to enlighten the householders. Ekadaṇḍī sannyāsīs can be situated on the platform of pure Brahman because they are aware that the spirit soul is different from the body, but they are mainly impersonalists. 

The Vaiṣṇavas know that the Absolute Truth is the Supreme Person and that the Brahman effulgence is based on the Supreme Personality of Godhead, as confirmed in the Bhagavad-gītā (14.27): brahmaṇo hi pratiṣṭhāham. The conclusion is that tīrtha-pādīya refers to Vaiṣṇavas. In the Bhāgavatam (1.13.10) there is also another reference: tīrthī-kurvanti tīrthāni. Wherever he goes, a Vaiṣṇava immediately makes that place a tīrtha, a place of pilgrimage. Link to this page: https://prabhupadabooks.com/sb/4/22/11

Ramanuja came from Dravida desa

The specific mention of Draviḍa-deśa refers to the five Draviḍa-deśas in South India. All are very strong in rendering the preliminary devotional processes (śravaṇaṁ kīrtanam). Some great ācāryas, like Rāmānujācārya and Madhvācārya, also came from Draviḍa-deśa and became great preachers. They were all situated on the platform of sakhyam ātma-nivedanam.  Link to this page: https://prabhupadabooks.com/sb/4/28/30

Learned authorities in devotional life consequently advise that one not endeavor to increase the number of temples and maṭhas. Such activities can be undertaken only by devotees experienced in propagating the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. 

All the ācāryas in South India, especially Śrī Rāmānujācārya, constructed many big temples, and in North India all the Gosvāmīs of Vṛndāvana constructed large temples. Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura also constructed large centers, known as Gauḍīya Maṭhas. Therefore, temple construction is not bad, provided proper care is taken for the propagation of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Even if such endeavors are considered greedy, the greed is to satisfy Kṛṣṇa, and therefore these are spiritual activities.ink to this page: https://prabhupadabooks.com/sb/7/15/21

Rāmānujācārya sometimes accepts Baladeva as a śaktyāveśa-avatāra

Rāmānujācārya sometimes accepts Baladeva as a śaktyāveśa-avatāra, but Śrīla Jīva Gosvāmī has explained that Baladeva is an expansion of Kṛṣṇa and that a part of Baladeva is Saṅkarṣaṇa. Although Baladeva is identical with Saṅkarṣaṇa, He is the origin of Saṅkarṣaṇa. Therefore the word svarāṭ has been used to indicate that Baladeva always exists in His own independence. The word svarāṭ also indicates that Baladeva is beyond the material conception of existence. Māyā cannot attract Him, but because He is fully independent, He can appear by His spiritual potency wherever He likes. 

Māyā is fully under the control of Viṣṇu. Because the material potency and yogamāyā mingle in the Lord’s appearance, they are described as ekānaṁśā. Sometimes ekānaṁśā is interpreted to mean “without differentiation.” Saṅkarṣaṇa and Śeṣa-nāga are identical. As stated by Yamunādevī, “O Rāma, O great-armed master of the world, who have extended Yourself throughout the entire universe by one plenary expansion, it is not possible to understand You fully.” Therefore, ekāṁśā refers to Śeṣa-nāga. In other words, Baladeva, merely by His partial expansion, sustains the entire universe. Link to this page: https://prabhupadabooks.com/sb/10/1/69

Yamunacarya as spiritual master of Ramanujacarya

This is a verse from the Stotra-ratna (12) of Yāmunācārya, the spiritual master of Rāmānujācārya. The authentic scriptures describe the transcendental activities, features, form and qualities of Kṛṣṇa, and Kṛṣṇa explains Himself in the Bhagavad-gītā, the most authentic scripture in the world. He is further explained in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, which is considered the explanation of the Vedānta-sūtra. Lord Kṛṣṇa is accepted as the Supreme Personality of Godhead by these authentic scriptures, not simply by vox populi. In the modern age a certain class of fools think that they can vote anyone into the position of God, as they can vote a man into the position of a political executive head. But the transcendental Supreme Personality of Godhead is perfectly described in the authentic scriptures. In the Bhagavad-gītā the Lord says that only fools deride Him, thinking that anyone can speak like Kṛṣṇa. Link to this page: https://prabhupadabooks.com/cc/adi/3/87

Ramanuja explains the catur-vyuha

TRANSLATION

Vāsudeva, Saṅkarṣaṇa, Pradyumna and Aniruddha constitute this second quadruple. They are purely transcendental.

PURPORT

Śrīpāda Śaṅkarācārya has misleadingly explained the quadruple form (catur-vyūha) in his interpretation of the forty-second aphorism of Chapter Two of the second khaṇḍa of the Vedānta-sūtra (utpatty-asambhavāt). In verses 41 through 47 of this chapter of Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Śrīla Kṛṣṇadāsa Kavirāja Gosvāmī answers Śrīpāda Śaṅkarācārya's misleading objections to the personal feature of the Absolute Truth.

The Supreme Personality of Godhead, the Absolute Truth, is not like a material object that can be known by experimental knowledge or sense perception. In the Nārada-pañcarātra this fact has been explained by Nārāyaṇa Himself to Lord Śiva. But Śaṅkarācārya, the incarnation of Śiva, under the order of Nārāyaṇa, his master, had to mislead the monists, who favor ultimate extinction. In the conditioned stage of existence, all living entities have four basic defects, of which one is the cheating propensity. Śaṅkarācārya has carried this cheating propensity to the extreme to mislead the monists.

Actually, the quadruple forms explained in the Vedic literature cannot be understood by the speculation of a conditioned soul. The quadruple forms should therefore be accepted just as They are described. The authority of the Vedas is such that even if one does not understand something by his limited perception, he should accept the Vedic injunction and not create interpretations to suit his imperfect understanding. In his Śārīraka-bhāṣya, however, Śaṅkarācārya has increased the misunderstanding of the monists.

Śaṅkarācārya says (sūtra 43) that devotees think that Pradyumna, who is considered to represent the senses, has sprung from Saṅkarṣaṇa, who is considered to represent the living entities. But we cannot actually experience that a person can produce senses. Devotees also say that from Pradyumna has sprung Aniruddha, who is considered to represent the ego. But Śaṅkarācārya says that unless the devotees can show how ego and the means of knowledge can generate from a person, such an explanation of the Vedānta-sūtra cannot be accepted, for no other philosophers accept the sūtras in that way.
  
In his Laghu-bhāgavatāmṛta (Pūrva 5.165-193), Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī has refuted the charges directed against the devotees by Śrīpāda Śaṅkarācārya regarding their explanation of the quadruple forms Vāsudeva, Saṅkarṣaṇa, Pradyumna and Aniruddha. He says that these four expansions of Nārāyaṇa are present in the spiritual sky, where They are famous as Mahāvastha. Among Them, Vāsudeva is worshiped within the heart by meditation because He is the predominating Deity of the heart, as explained in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (4.3.23).

Saṅkarṣaṇa, the second expansion, is Vāsudeva's personal expansion for pastimes, and since He is the reservoir of all living entities, He is sometimes called jīva. The beauty of Saṅkarṣaṇa is more than that of innumerable full moons radiating light beams. He is worshipable as the principle of ego. He has invested Anantadeva with all the potencies of sustenance. For the dissolution of the creation, He also exhibits Himself as the Supersoul in Rudra, irreligiosity, sarpa (the snake), antaka (death) and the demons.

Pradyumna, the third manifestation, appears from Saṅkarṣaṇa. Those who are especially intelligent worship this Pradyumna expansion of Saṅkarṣaṇa as the principle of the intelligence. The goddess of fortune always chants the glories of Pradyumna in the place known as Ilāvṛta-varṣa, and she always serves Him with great devotion. His complexion appears sometimes golden and sometimes bluish like new monsoon clouds in the sky. He is the origin of the creation of the material world, and He has invested His creative principle in Cupid. It is by His direction only that all men and demigods and other living entities function with energy for regeneration.

Aniruddha, the fourth of the quadruple expansions, is worshiped by great sages and psychologists as the principle of the mind. His complexion is similar to the bluish hue of a blue cloud. He engages in the maintenance of the cosmic manifestation and is the Supersoul of Dharma (the deity of religiosity), the Manus (the progenitors of mankind) and the devatās (demigods). The Mokṣa-dharma Vedic scripture indicates that Pradyumna is the Deity of the total mind, whereas Aniruddha is the Deity of the total ego, but previous statements regarding the quadruple forms are confirmed in the Pañcarātra tantras in all respects.

In the Laghu-bhāgavatāmṛta (Pūrva 5.86-100), there is a lucid explanation of the inconceivable potencies of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Negating Śaṅkarācārya's statements, the Mahā-varāha Purāṇa declares:

"All the varied expansions of the Personality of Godhead are transcendental and eternal, and all of them repeatedly descend to all the different universes of the material creation. Their bodies, composed of eternity, bliss and knowledge, are everlasting; there is no chance of their decaying, for they are not creations of the material world. Their forms are concentrated spiritual existence, always complete with all spiritual qualities and devoid of material contamination."
Confirming these statements, the Nārada-pañcarātra asserts:

"The infallible Personality of Godhead can manifest His body in different ways according to different modes of worship, just as the vaidūrya gem can manifest itself in various colors, such as blue and yellow." Each incarnation is distinct from all the others. This is possible by the Lord's inconceivable potency, by which He can simultaneously represent Himself as one, as various partial forms and as the origin of these partial forms. Nothing is impossible for His inconceivable potencies.

Kṛṣṇa is one without a second, but He manifests Himself in different bodies, as stated by Nārada in the Tenth Canto of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam:

"It is wonderful indeed that one Kṛṣṇa has simultaneously become different Kṛṣṇas in 16,000 palaces to accept 16,000 queens as His wives." (Bhāg. 10.69.2) The Padma Purāṇa also explains:

"The same Personality of Godhead, Puruṣottama, the original person, who is always devoid of material qualities and contamination, can exhibit Himself in various forms and at the same time lie down in one form."

In the Tenth Canto of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam it is said, yajanti tvan-mayās tvāṁ vai bahu-mūrty-eka-mūrtikam: "O my Lord, although You manifest Yourself in varieties of forms, You are one without a second. Therefore pure devotees concentrate upon You and worship only You." (Bhāg. 10.40.7)

There is no such rule as cause and effect outside of the material world. Therefore, the understanding of cause and effect cannot approach the full, transcendental, complete expansions of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The Vedic literature proves this:

oṁ pūrṇam adaḥ pūrṇam idaṁ
pūrṇāt pūrṇam udacyate
pūrṇasya pūrṇam ādāya
pūrṇam evāvaśiṣyate

"The Personality of Godhead is perfect and complete, and because He is completely perfect, all emanations from Him, such as this phenomenal world, are perfectly equipped as complete wholes. Whatever is produced of the complete whole is also complete by itself. Because He is the complete whole, even though so many complete units emanate from Him, He remains the complete balance." (Bṛhad-āraṇyaka Upaniṣad 5.1) It is most apparent that nondevotees violate the rules and regulations of devotional service to equate the whole cosmic manifestation, which is the external feature of Viṣṇu, with the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is the controller of māyā, or with His quadruple expansions. The equalization of māyā and spirit, or māyā and the Lord, is a sign of atheism. The cosmic creation, which manifests life in forms from Brahmā to the ant, is the external feature of the Supreme Lord. It comprises one fourth of the Lord's energy, as confirmed in the Bhagavad-gītā (ekāṁśena sthito jagat). The cosmic manifestation of the illusory energy is material nature, and everything within material nature is made of matter. Therefore, one should not try to compare the expansions of material nature to the catur-vyūha, the quadruple expansions of the Personality of Godhead, but unfortunately the Māyāvādī school unreasonably attempts to do this.

To answer Śaṅkarācārya's commentary on Vedānta-sūtra 2.2.45, the substance of the transcendental qualities and their spiritual nature is described in the Laghu-bhāgavatāmṛta (Pūrva 5.208-214) as follows: "Some say that transcendence must be void of all qualities because qualities are manifested only in matter. According to them, all qualities are like temporary, flickering mirages. But this is not acceptable. Since the Supreme Personality of Godhead is absolute, His qualities are nondifferent from Him. His form, name, qualities and everything else pertaining to Him are as spiritual as He is. Every qualitative expansion of the absolute Personality of Godhead is identical with Him. Since the Absolute Truth, the Personality of Godhead, is the reservoir of all pleasure, all the transcendental qualities that expand from Him are also reservoirs of pleasure. This is confirmed in the scripture known as Brahma-tarka, which states that the Supreme Lord Hari is qualified by Himself, and therefore Viṣṇu and His pure devotees and their transcendental qualities cannot be different from their persons. In the Viṣṇu Purāṇa Lord Viṣṇu is worshiped in the following words: 'Let the Supreme Personality of Godhead be merciful toward us. His existence is never infected by material qualities.' In the same Viṣṇu Purāṇa it is also said that all the qualities attributed to the Supreme Lord, such as knowledge, opulence, beauty, strength and influence, are known to be nondifferent from Him. This is also confirmed in the Padma Purāṇa, which explains that whenever the Supreme Lord is described as having no qualities, this should be understood to indicate that He is devoid of material qualities. In the First Chapter of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (1.16.29) it is said: 'O Dharma, protector of religious principles, all noble and sublime qualities are eternally manifested in the person of Kṛṣṇa, and devotees and transcendentalists who aspire to become faithful also desire to possess such transcendental qualities.' " It is therefore to be understood that Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa, the transcendental form of absolute bliss, is the fountainhead of all pleasurable transcendental qualities and inconceivable potencies. In this connection we may recommend references to Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, Third Canto, Chapter Twenty-Six, verses 21, 25, 27 and 28.

Śrīpāda Rāmānujācārya has also refuted the arguments of Śaṅkara in his own commentary on the Vedānta-sūtra, which is known as the Śrī-bhāṣya: "Śrīpāda Śaṅkarācārya has tried to equate the Pañcarātras with the philosophy of the atheist Kapila, and thus he has tried to prove that the Pañcarātras contradict the Vedic injunctions. The Pañcarātras state that the personality of jīva called Saṅkarṣaṇa has emerged from Vāsudeva, the supreme cause of all causes, that Pradyumna, the mind, has come from Saṅkarṣaṇa, and that Aniruddha, the ego, has come from Pradyumna. But one cannot say that the living entity (jīva) takes birth or is created, for such a statement is against the injunction of the Vedas. As stated in the Kaṭha Upaniṣad (2.18), living entities, as individual spiritual souls, can have neither birth nor death. All Vedic literature declares that the living entities are eternal. Therefore when it is said that Saṅkarṣaṇa is jīva, this indicates that He is the predominating Deity of the living entities. Similarly, Pradyumna is the predominating Deity of the mind, and Aniruddha is the predominating Deity of the ego.

"It has been said that Pradyumna, the mind, was produced from Saṅkarṣaṇa. But if Saṅkarṣaṇa were a living entity, this could not be accepted, because a living entity cannot be the cause of the mind. The Vedic injunctions state that everything-including life, mind and the senses-comes from the Supreme Personality of Godhead. It is impossible for the mind to be produced by a living entity, for the Vedas state that everything comes from the Absolute Truth, the Supreme Lord.

"Saṅkarṣaṇa, Pradyumna and Aniruddha have all the potent features of the absolute Personality of Godhead, according to the revealed scriptures, which contain undeniable facts that no one can refute. Therefore these quadruple forms are never to be considered ordinary living beings. Each of Them is a plenary expansion of the Absolute Godhead, and thus each is identical with the Supreme Lord in knowledge, opulence, energy, influence, prowess and potencies. The evidence of Pañcarātra cannot be neglected. Only untrained persons who have not genuinely studied the Pañcarātras think that the Pañcarātras contradict the śrutis regarding the birth or beginning of the living entity. In this connection, we must accept the verdict of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, which says: 'The absolute Personality of Godhead, who is known as Vāsudeva and who is very affectionate toward His surrendered devotees, expands Himself in quadruple forms who are subordinate to Him and at the same time identical with Him in all respects.' The Pauṣkara-saṁhitā states: 'The scriptures that recommend that brāhmaṇas worship the quadruple forms of the Supreme Personality of Godhead are called āgamas [authorized works of Vedic literature].' 

In all Vaiṣṇava literature it is said that worshiping these quadruple forms is as good as worshiping the Supreme Personality of Godhead Vāsudeva, who in His different expansions, complete in six opulences, can accept offerings from His devotees of the results of their prescribed duties. Worshiping the expansions for pastimes, such as Nṛsiṁha, Rāma, Śeṣa and Kūrma, promotes one to the worship of the Saṅkarṣaṇa quadruple. From that position one is raised to the platform of worshiping Vāsudeva, the Supreme Brahman.

In the Pauṣkara-saṁhitā it is said: 'If one fully worships according to the regulative principles, one can attain the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Vāsudeva.' It is to be accepted that Saṅkarṣaṇa, Pradyumna and Aniruddha are as good as Lord Vāsudeva, for They all have inconceivable power and can accept transcendental forms like Vāsudeva. Saṅkarṣaṇa, Pradyumna and Aniruddha are never born, but They can manifest Themselves in various incarnations before the eyes of pure devotees. This is the conclusion of all Vedic literature. That the Lord can manifest Himself before His devotees by His inconceivable power is not against the teaching of the Pañcarātra. Since Saṅkarṣaṇa, Pradyumna and Aniruddha are actually the predominating Deities of all living entities, the total mind and the total ego, the descriptions of Saṅkarṣaṇa, Pradyumna and Aniruddha as jīva, mind and ego are never contradictory to the statements of the scriptures. These names identify these Deities, just as the terms 'sky' and 'light' sometimes identify the Absolute Brahman.

"The scriptures completely deny the birth or production of the living entity. In the Parama-saṁhitā it is described that material nature, which is used for others' purposes, is factually inert and always subject to transformation. The field of material nature is the arena of the activities of fruitive actors, and since the material field is externally related with the Supreme Personality of Godhead, it is also eternal. In every saṁhitā, the jīva (living entity) has been accepted as eternal, and in the Pañcarātra the birth of the jīva is completely denied. Anything that is produced must also be annihilated. Therefore if we accept the birth of the living entity, we also have to accept his annihilation. But since the Vedic literature says that the living entity is eternal, one should not think the living being to be produced at a certain time. In the beginning of the Parama-saṁhitā it is definitely stated that the face of material nature is constantly changeable. Therefore 'beginning,' 'annihilation' and all such terms are applicable only in the material nature.

"Considering all these points, one should understand that Śaṅkarācārya's statement that Saṅkarṣaṇa is born as a jīva is completely against the Vedic statements. His assertions are completely refuted by the above arguments. In this connection the commentary of Śrīdhara Svāmī on Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (3.1.34) is very helpful."

For a detailed refutation of Śaṅkarācārya's arguments to prove Saṅkarṣaṇa an ordinary living being, one may refer to Śrīmat Sudarśanācārya's commentary on Śrī-bhāṣya, which is known as the Śruta-prakāśikā.

The original quadruple forms Kṛṣṇa, Baladeva, Pradyumna and Aniruddha expand into another quadruple, which is present in the Vaikuṇṭha planets of the spiritual sky. Therefore, the quadruple forms in the spiritual sky are the second manifestation of the original quadruple in Dvārakā. As explained above, Vāsudeva, Saṅkarṣaṇa, Pradyumna and Aniruddha are all changeless, transcendental plenary expansions of the Supreme Lord who have no relation to the material modes. The Saṅkarṣaṇa form in the second quadruple is not only a representation of Balarāma but also the original cause of the Causal Ocean, where Kāraṇodakaśāyī Viṣṇu lies asleep, breathing out the seeds of innumerable universes.

In the spiritual sky there is a spiritual creative energy technically called śuddha-sattva, which is a pure spiritual energy that sustains all the Vaikuṇṭha planets with the full opulences of knowledge, wealth, prowess, etc. All these actions of śuddha-sattva display the potencies of Mahā-saṅkarṣaṇa, who is the ultimate reservoir of all individual living entities who are suffering in the material world. When the cosmic creation is annihilated, the living entities, who are indestructible by nature, rest in the body of Mahā-saṅkarṣaṇa. Saṅkarṣaṇa is therefore sometimes called the total jīva. As spiritual sparks, the living entities have the tendency to be inactive in the association of material energy, just as sparks of a fire have the tendency to be extinguished as soon as they leave the fire. The spiritual nature of the living being can be rekindled, however, in association with the Supreme Being. Because the living being can appear either in matter or in spirit, the jīva is called the marginal potency.

Saṅkarṣaṇa is the origin of Kāraṇa Viṣṇu, who is the original form who creates the universes, and that Saṅkarṣaṇa is but a plenary expansion of Śrī Nityānanda Rāma.

Link to this page: https://prabhupadabooks.com/cc/adi/5/41