Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura: Writings

The third installment of Prakrta-rasa Sata-dusani.

The second installment of Prakrta-rasa Sata-dusani.

if we are only eager to hear about the rasa-lila for the sake of listening without discretion then we will fall into a state of severe illusion.

To conquer the urge of the tongue and genitals is called dhrti. Those who have become tridandis have conquered their body, mind and words. News found in periodicals is full of mundane talks. It is impossible for tridandis to read such newspapers that report topics of the illusory world (maya-katha). By reading them the consciousness no longer cooperates and becomes an enemy to us. “So-and-so did this, so-and-so did that” – by reading such things, adversity and material desires are created

The following is an excerpt from a lecture given by Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakura at his last manifest Vyasa puja celebration February 6th, 1936. Vyasa puja is the day traditionally set aside to honor the spiritual master.

Obeisance to the most Magnanimous, the Giver of the Love of Krsna, the Own Self of Krsna, the Lord bearing the Name Krsna-Caitanya and possessed of the Form of golden hue! I submit myself to Sri Krsna-Caitanya, that merciful Person of wonderful deeds Who by the nectar of the treasure of His Own Love intoxicated the world, delirious with ignorance, by freeing it from the malady of nescience.

I stand before you as a teller. I am going to tell you now a few words more on the Vedanta and especially its ontological aspect, morphology being a former changeable part of the same. My telling craves a reciprocity of your listening to my sound through your aural reception. Sound is the main substratum of the Vedanta which deals with a subject unapproachable by our present crippled imperfect senses.

The Fountainhead of all eternal and temporal manifestations is confined in Sri Krsna alone. The non-absolute phases are emanations from a particular potency whose analytical distributions are known as gunas or qualities. In the factor of time, they are branched as past, present and future and their material representations have three characteristics viz. evolution, sustenance and dissolution.

This is a reproduction of a conversation with Major Rana N. J. Bahadur at Armadale, Darjeeling on June 14th, 1935. It was originally published in The Harmonist (Vol. XXXI, No.21) on the 27th of June, 1935.

We avail of the opportunity offered by the Anniversary Celebrations of the advent of Thakura Bhaktivinoda to reflect on the right method of obtaining those benefits that have been made accessible to humanity by the grace of this great devotee of Krsna. Thakura Bhaktivinoda has been specifically kind to those unfortunate persons who are engrossed in mental speculation of all kinds.

We have taken upon ourselves the responsibility of welcoming this grave charge. All the audience have accepted ordinary seats, I alone have been provided with a lofty seat. All are being told in effect - "Do have a look at a big animal from the Zoo-gardens. What arrogance! So foolish! So wicked! Have you ever seen such a big brute?