2016-04-29 Srimad Bhagavatam 10.81-01-02 - Essence of Spiritual Life (download mp3) by Shadbhuj Prabhu at ISKCON Chowpatty www.iskcondesiretree.com SB 10.81.1-2śrī-śuka uvācasa itthaṁ dvija-mukhyena saha saṅkathayan hariḥsarva-bhūta-mano-’bhijñaḥ smayamāna uvāca tambrahmaṇyo brāhmaṇaṁ kṛṣṇo bhagavān prahasan priyampremṇā nirīkṣaṇenaiva prekṣan khalu satāṁ gatiḥ Translation:  [Śukadeva Gosvāmī said:] Lord Hari, Kṛṣṇa, perfectly knows the hearts of all living beings, and He is especially devoted to the brāhmaṇas. While the Supreme Lord, the goal of all saintly persons, conversed in this way with the best of the twice-born, He laughed and spoke the following words to that dear friend of His, the brāhmaṇa Sudāmā, all the while smiling and looking upon him with affection. Purport:  According to Śrīla Śrīdhara Svāmī, the words sarva-bhūta-mano-’bhijña indicate that since Lord Kṛṣṇa knows the minds of everyone, He could tell at once that His friend Sudāmā had brought some flat rice for Him and was ashamed to present it. According to Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī’s further explanation of this verse, Lord Kṛṣṇa smiled at this moment, thinking “Yes, I am going to make you show what you brought for Me.” His smile then turned to laughter as He thought, “How long are you going to keep this precious gift hidden in your cloth?” Kṛṣṇa glanced toward the bundle hidden inside His friend’s garment, telling Sudāmā by His loving glance, “The veins showing through your emaciated skin and your ragged clothes astonish everyone present, but these symptoms of poverty will last only until tomorrow morning.” Although Lord Kṛṣṇa is Bhagavān, the supreme, independent Lord, He is always pleased to reciprocate with those who are priya, His cherished servants. As the indulgent patron of the brāhmaṇa class, He especially enjoys favoring brāhmaṇas who are additionally qualified by unconditional devotion to Him.

2016-05-01 Srimad Bhagavatam 10.81.05 - Mood of a Devotee that Attracts Krishna (download mp3) by Jayadvaita Swami at ISKCON Chowpatty www.iskcondesiretree.com SB 10.81.5ity ukto ’pi dviyas tasmai vriditah pataye sriyahprthuka-prasrtim rajan na prayacchad avan-mukhah Translation: [Sukadeva Gosvami continued:] Even after being addressed in this way, O King, the brahmana felt too embarrassed to offer his palmfuls of flat rice to the husband of the goddess of fortune. He simply kept his head bowed in shame. Purport: According to Acarya Visvanatha Cakravarti, the description here of Krsna as “the husband of the goddess of fortune” implies that Sudama questioned himself, “How can the Lord of Sri eat this hard, stale rice?” By bowing his head, the brahmana revealed his meditation: “My dear master, please do not make me ashamed. Even if You request it from me repeatedly, I will not give this to You. I have made up my mind.” But the Lord countered with His own thought: “The intention you had fixed in your mind while coming here must not be frustrated, for you are My devotee.”

2016-04-26 SB 10-80-39-41 - What Distinguishes Genuine Disciple (download mp3) by Jayadvait Swami Maharaj at ISKCON Chowpatty www.iskcondesiretree.com SB 10.80.39etad viditva udite ravau sandipanir guruhanvesamano nah sisyan acaryo ’pasyad aturan Translation:  Our guru, Sandipani, understanding our predicament, set out after sunrise to search for us, his disciples, and found us in distress. SB 10.80.40aho he putraka yuyam asmad-arthe ’ti-duhkhitahatma vai praninam presthas tam anadrtya mat-parah Translation:  [Sandipani said:] O my children, you have suffered so much for my sake! The body is most dear to every living creature, but you are so dedicated to me that you completely disregarded your own comfort. SB 10.80.41etad eva hi sac-chisyaih kartavyam guru-niskrtamyad vai visuddha-bhavena sarvarthatmarpanam gurau Translation:  This indeed is the duty of all true disciples: to repay the debt to their spiritual master by offering him, with pure hearts, their wealth and even their very lives. Purport:  One engages one’s body to realize one’s purposes. The body is also the basis of the material conception of “I,” while one’s fortune is the basis of the conception of “mine.” Thus by offering everything to the spiritual master, one realizes one’s self to be an eternal servant of the Lord. The spiritual master does not exploit the disciple but rather engages him fully in Krsna consciousness for the disciple’s eternal benefit.

2016-04-24 SB 10-80-35-38 - Principles of guru tattva (download mp3) by Shyamanand Prabhu at ISKCON Chowpatty www.iskcondesiretree.com SB 10.80.35-36api naḥ smaryate brahman vṛttaṁ nivasatāṁ gurauguru-dāraiś coditānām indhanānayane kvacitpraviṣṭānāṁ mahāraṇyam apartau su-mahad dvijavāta-varṣam abhūt tīvraṁ niṣṭhurāḥ stanayitnavaḥ Translation: O brāhmaṇa, do you remember what happened to us while we were living with our spiritual master? Once our guru’s wife sent us to fetch firewood, and after we entered the vast forest, O twice-born one, an unseasonal storm arose, with fierce wind and rain and harsh thunder. Purport: Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī explains that this storm arose during winter and was therefore unseasonal. SB 10.80.37sūryaś cāstaṁ gatas tāvat tamasā cāvṛtā diśaḥnimnaṁ kūlaṁ jala-mayaṁ na prājñāyata kiñcana Translation: Then, as the sun set, the forest was covered by darkness in every direction, and with all the flooding we could not distinguish high land from low. SB 10.80.38vayaṁ bhṛśam tatra mahānilāmbubhir nihanyamānā mahur ambu-samplavediśo ’vidanto ’tha parasparaṁ vane gṛhīta-hastāḥ paribabhrimāturāḥ Translation: Constantly besieged by the powerful wind and rain, we lost our way amidst the flooding waters. We simply held each other’s hands and, in great distress, wandered aimlessly about the forest. Purport: Śrīla Śrīdhara Svāmī points out that the verb paribabhrima may be understood to be the prefix pari with either the verb bhṛ or bhram. In the case of bhram, it indicates that Kṛṣṇa and Sudāmā wandered all about, and in the case of bhṛ, which means “to carry,” it indicates that as the two young boys wandered about, they continued to carry the firewood they had secured for their spiritual master.

2016-04-25 Sunday Feast - Dashavtar Series-Varah Avatar (download mp3) by Chaitanya Charan Prabhu at ISKCON Chowpatty www.iskcondesiretree.com

2016-04-22 SB 10-80-30-33 - Glories of Hanumanji (download mp3) by Radheshlal Prabhu at ISKCON Chowpatty www.iskcondesiretree.com SB 10.80.30kecit kurvanti karmani kamair ahata-cetasahtyajantah prakrtir daivir yathaham loka-sangraham Translation:  Having renounced all material propensities, which spring from the Lord’s illusory energy, some people execute worldly duties with their minds undisturbed by mundane desires. They act as I do, to instruct the general populace. SB 10.80.31kaccid gurukule vasam brahman smarasi nau yatahdvijo vijñaya vijñeyam tamasah param asnute Translation:  My dear brahmana, do you remember how we lived together in our spiritual master’s school? When a twice-born student has learned from his guru all that is to be learned, he can enjoy spiritual life, which lies beyond all ignorance. SB 10.80.32sa vai sat-karmanam saksad dvijater iha sambhavahadyo ’nga yatrasraminam yathaham jñana-do guruh Translation:  My dear friend, he who gives a person his physical birth is his first spiritual master, and he who initiates him as a twice-born brahmana and engages him in religious duties is indeed more directly his spiritual master. But the person who bestows transcendental knowledge upon the members of all the spiritual orders of society is one’s ultimate spiritual master. Indeed, he is as good as My own self. SB 10.80.33nanv artha-kovida brahman varnasrama-vatam ihaye maya guruna vaca taranty añjo bhavarnavam Translation:  Certainly, O brahmana, of all the followers of the varnasrama system, those who take advantage of the words I speak in My form as the spiritual master and thus easily cross over the ocean of material existence best understand their own true welfare. Purport:  One’s father is a natural object of reverence, as is a religious leader who initiates one into sacred ceremonies and instructs one in general wisdom. But ultimately the bona fide spiritual master, learned in the transcendental science and thus able to take one across the ocean of birth and death to the spiritual world — such a guru is most deserving of worship and respect, for he is the direct representative of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, as stated here.

2016-04-23 SB 10-80-30-34 - Surrending to spiritual master is the key to achieve Krishna (download mp3) by Krishna Chandra Prabhu at ISKCON Chowpatty www.iskcondesiretree.com SB 10.80.30kecit kurvanti karmani kamair ahata-cetasahtyajantah prakrtir daivir yathaham loka-sangraham Translation:  Having renounced all material propensities, which spring from the Lord’s illusory energy, some people execute worldly duties with their minds undisturbed by mundane desires. They act as I do, to instruct the general populace. SB 10.80.31kaccid gurukule vasam brahman smarasi nau yatahdvijo vijñaya vijñeyam tamasah param asnute Translation:  My dear brahmana, do you remember how we lived together in our spiritual master’s school? When a twice-born student has learned from his guru all that is to be learned, he can enjoy spiritual life, which lies beyond all ignorance. SB 10.80.32sa vai sat-karmanam saksad dvijater iha sambhavahadyo ’nga yatrasraminam yathaham jñana-do guruh Translation:  My dear friend, he who gives a person his physical birth is his first spiritual master, and he who initiates him as a twice-born brahmana and engages him in religious duties is indeed more directly his spiritual master. But the person who bestows transcendental knowledge upon the members of all the spiritual orders of society is one’s ultimate spiritual master. Indeed, he is as good as My own self. SB 10.80.33nanv artha-kovida brahman varnasrama-vatam ihaye maya guruna vaca taranty añjo bhavarnavam Translation:  Certainly, O brahmana, of all the followers of the varnasrama system, those who take advantage of the words I speak in My form as the spiritual master and thus easily cross over the ocean of material existence best understand their own true welfare. Purport:  One’s father is a natural object of reverence, as is a religious leader who initiates one into sacred ceremonies and instructs one in general wisdom. But ultimately the bona fide spiritual master, learned in the transcendental science and thus able to take one across the ocean of birth and death to the spiritual world — such a guru is most deserving of worship and respect, for he is the direct representative of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, as stated here. SB 10.80.34naham ijya-prajatibhyam tapasopasamena vatusyeyam sarva-bhutatma guru-susrusaya yatha Translation:  I, the Soul of all beings, am not as satisfied by ritual worship, brahminical initiation, penances or self-discipline as I am by faithful service rendered to one’s spiritual master. Purport:  The word prajati here indicates either begetting good children or the second birth obtained by ritual initiation into Vedic culture. Although both of these are praiseworthy, Lord Krsna here states that faithful service rendered to a bona fide spiritual master is still higher.

2016-04-20 SB 10-80-18-28 - A Devotee can be in anxiety but not despondent (Download .mp3) by Prem Gauranga Prabhu at ISKCON Chowpatty www.iskcondesiretree.com SB 10.80.18tam vilokyacyuto durat priya-paryankam asthitahsahasotthaya cabhyetya dorbhyam paryagrahin muda Translation: At that time Lord Acyuta was seated on His consort’s bed. Spotting the brahmana at some distance, the Lord immediately stood up, went forward to meet him and with great pleasure embraced him. SB 10.80.19sakhyuh priyasya viprarser anga-sangati-nirvrtahprito vyamuñcad ab-bindun netrabhyam puskareksanah Translation: The lotus-eyed Supreme Lord felt intense ecstasy upon touching the body of His dear friend, the wise brahmana, and thus He shed tears of love. SB 10.80.20-22athopavesya paryanke svayam sakhyuh samarhanamupahrtyavanijyasya padau padavanejanihagrahic chirasa rajan bhagavaḻ loka-pavanahvyalimpad divya-gandhena candanaguru-kunkamaihdhupaih surabhibhir mitram pradipavalibhir mudaarcitvavedya tambulam gam ca svagatam abravit Translation: Lord Krsna seated His friend Sudama upon the bed. Then the Lord, who purifies the whole world, personally offered him various tokens of respect and washed his feet, O King, after which He sprinkled the water on His own head. He anointed him with divinely fragrant sandalwood, aguru and kunkuma pastes and happily worshiped him with aromatic incense and arrays of lamps. After finally offering him betel nut and the gift of a cow, He welcomed him with pleasing words. SB 10.80.23ku-cailam malinam ksamam dvijam dhamani-santatamdevi paryacarat saksac camara-vyajanena vai Translation: By fanning him with her camara, the divine goddess of fortune personally served that poor brahmana, whose clothing was torn and dirty and who was so thin that veins were visible all over his body. SB 10.80.24antah-pura-jano drstva krsnenamala-kirtinavismito ’bhud ati-pritya avadhutam sabhajitam Translation: The people in the royal palace were astonished to see Krsna, the Lord of spotless glory, so lovingly honor this shabbily dressed brahmana. SB 10.80.25-26kim anena krtam punyam avadhutena bhiksunasriya hinena loke ’smin garhitenadhamena cayo ’sau tri-loka-guruna sri-nivasena sambhrtahparyanka-stham sriyam hitva parisvakto ’gra-jo yatha Translation: [The residents of the palace said:] What pious acts has this unkempt, impoverished brahmana performed? People regard him as lowly and contemptible, yet the spiritual master of the three worlds, the abode of Goddess Sri, is serving him reverently. Leaving the goddess of fortune sitting on her bed, the Lord has embraced this brahmana as if he were an older brother. SB 10.80.27kathayam cakratur gathah purva gurukule satohatmanor lalita rajan karau grhya parasparam Translation: [Sukadeva Gosvami continued:] Taking each other’s hands, O King, Krsna and Sudama talked pleasantly about how they once lived together in the school of their guru. SB 10.80.28sri-bhagavan uvacaapi brahman gurukulad bhavata labdha-daksinatsamavrttena dharma-jña bharyodha sadrsi na va Translation: The Supreme Lord said: My dear brahmana, you know well the ways of dharma. After you offered the gift of remuneration to our guru and returned home from his school, did you marry a compatible wife or not? Purport: Among civilized human beings, the question of asrama, or spiritual order, is significant. In other words, every human being must execute prescribed duties as a celibate student, a married man or woman, a retired person or a renunciant. Since Lord Krsna could see that the brahmana was poorly dressed, He inquired if His friend had been properly married and was executing the duties of household life. Since he was not dressed as a renunciant, he would be without a suitable asrama unless he were properly married.

2016-04-19 SB 10-80-14-17 - Vedic standards of Marriage Life (Download mp3) by Jayadvaita Swami Maharaj at ISKCON Chowpatty www.iskcondesiretree.com SB 10.80.14yacitva caturo mustin vipran prthuka-tandulancaila-khandena tan baddhva bhartre pradad upayanamTranslation: Sudama’s wife begged four handfuls of flat rice from neighboring brahmanas, tied up the rice in a torn piece of cloth and gave it to her husband as a present for Lord Krsna.SB 10.80.15sa tan adaya vipragryah prayayau dvarakam kilakrsna-sandarsanam mahyam katham syad iti cintayanTranslation: Taking the flat rice, the saintly brahmana set off for Dvaraka, all the while wondering “How will I be able to have Krsna’s audience?”Purport: Among other things, Sudama assumed that the gatekeepers would stop him.SB 10.80.16-17trini gulmany atiyaya tisrah kaksas ca sa-dvijahvipro ’gamyandhaka-vrsninam grhesv acyuta-dharminamgrham dvy-asta-sahasranam mahisinam harer dvijahvivesaikatamam srimad brahmanandam gato yathaTranslation: The learned brahmana, joined by some local brahmanas, passed three guard stations and went through three gateways, and then he walked by the homes of Lord Krsna’s faithful devotees, the Andhakas and Vrsnis, which ordinarily no one could do. He then entered one of the opulent palaces belonging to Lord Hari’s sixteen thousand queens, and when he did so he felt as if he were attaining the bliss of liberation.Purport: When the saintly brahmana entered the precincts of Lord Krsna’s palaces and then actually entered one of the palaces, he completely forgot everything else, and thus his state of mind is compared to that of one who has just achieved the bliss of spiritual liberation. Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti quotes from the Padma Purana, Uttara-khanda, wherein we learn that the brahmana actually entered the palace of Rukmini: sa tu rukminy-antah-pura-dvari ksanam tusnim sthitah. “He stood for a moment in silence at the doorway of Queen Rukmini’s palace.”

2016-04-16SB 10-80-10-11 - What is the short route for ultimate success (download mp3)by Jayadvaita Swami Maharaj at ISKCON Chowpattywww.iskcondesiretree.com SB 10.80.10tam upaihi maha-bhaga sadhunam ca parayanamdasyati dravinam bhuri sidate te kutumbine Translation:  O fortunate one, please approach Him, the real shelter of all saints. He will certainly give abundant wealth to such a suffering householder as you. SB 10.80.11aste ’dhuna dvaravatyam bhoja-vrsny-andhakesvarahsmaratah pada-kamalam atmanam api yacchatikim nv artha-kaman bhajato naty-abhistan jagad-guruh Translation:  Lord Krsna is now the ruler of the Bhojas, Vrsnis and Andhakas and is staying at Dvaraka. Since He gives even His own self to anyone who simply remembers His lotus feet, what doubt is there that He, the spiritual master of the universe, will bestow upon His sincere worshiper prosperity and material enjoyment, which are not even very desirable? Purport:  The brahmana’s wife here implies that since Lord Krsna is the ruler of the Bhojas, Vrsnis and Andhakas, if these opulent rulers merely acknowledge Sudama as a personal friend of Krsna’s, they could give him everything he required. In this connection Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti comments that since Lord Krsna had at this point put aside His weapons, He no longer traveled outside His own capital of Dvaraka. Thus Srila Prabhupada writes in Krsna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead: “[The brahmana’s wife said: ] ‘I have heard that He never leaves His capital city, Dvaraka. He is living there without outside engagements.’” As mentioned here, material wealth and sense gratification are not very desirable. The reason for this is that in the long run they give no real satisfaction. Still, Sudama’s wife thought, even if Sudama went to Dvaraka and simply remained silent before the Lord, He would certainly give him abundant wealth, as well as shelter at His lotus feet, which was Sudama’s real objective.