a Sunday sermon, in the days between Balaram Prabhu's appearance and Sri Krsna's appearance... Concludes with discussion of a few verses of Srila Rupa Gosvami's Dvitiya Kunjavihari-astakam - how lovely is this Person who takes birth in this world of mortality just to call us Home to Himself, by means of His beautiful narrations [anugrahaya bhakatanam...]

Preparing for Janmastami (14 August 2022)

Caturmasya (2023) 6.B - Exalted Divine Mysteries

For 'Naga Panchami'... A discussion on the glories of Sankirtan, Ananta-Baladeva as our absolute Support, and the underground snakes that emerge when the it rains.  That is: the expunging of personal and collective shadow/anartha that is provoked by successfully invoking the descent of Grace.  Also the difference between creating an Institution or a Worship Culture after the Acarya.

Caturmasya (2023) 7.A/B - Naga-puja - Serpents & The Rain

For the disappearance of Srila Rupa Gosvami Prabhupada and Srila Gauridas Pandit, two greatest champions of loving service to the Divine Pair.

Caturmasya (2023) 8.A - Srila Rupa Gosvami & Sri Gauridas Pandit

A talk to help prepare the heart for Radhastami

Caturmasya (2023) 10.A - Practice of the Presence of God/dess

Caturmasya (2023) 11.A - Bhajami Radham

Caturmasya is 2 months of Rainy Season and then 2 months of Autumn Season.  Literal and metaphysical.  Now, having crossed the Equinox, we are entering into Autumn - the time of clear, full lakes.  A process of Nature and Spirit in advancing; a consummation is ripening.  We shift following the lead of larger powers and come now into a time of simple-hearted prayer.  A brief discussion at the end about 5-step method for this; a verse of Vraja-vilas-stava praising the joyful Yamuna

Caturmasya (2023) 12.A - The Clear & Joyful Waters of Prayer

Ajamila katha from sixth canto; Affirmative Prayer and the new life that is open before us

Caturmasya (2023) 14.A - Messengers of Death & God's Mercy

Now Kartika has begun.  It was just Full Moon of Rasa-Purnima and we are still remembering that topmost subject while the Moon remains large in the sky at night.  

This talk is a very simple overview of Rasa-lila and its essential message.

Caturmasya (2023) 16.A - Rasa-lila II

Answering questions about the 'shape' of the guru-parampara and Gaudiya sampradaya.  It is such a diverse cultural organism, where any mood toward Mahaprabhu or manner of worship can define a lineage or branch as long as that fits within the core conceptions - for example, those settled at the Festival of Kheturi under guidance of Jahnava Mata - and also corresponds to Mahaprabhu's own mood.   The Gaura-nagaris are one case demonstrating a doubted status of genuine Gaudiya vaisnavism.  

From there the discussion evolves into a rather elaborate consideration of Divine Eros.  On the point of sexual androgyny - Lord Caitanya's example as externally masculine in form and internally feminine in feeling, does not imply that a female practitioner culturing theo-sexuality / madhurya-bhava must have an internal masculine feeling.  The main point is that the sexual polarity of yin-yang is internalized and consecrated to God, rather than extending outward to pair with another embodied soul.  Androgyny in this sense means the pairing is inward and upward; one is not assuming a certain pole in order to pair with another person.  Their eros is wholly contained within the scope of their internal life with God.

Caturmasya (2023) 17 - Guru-Parampara Tree & "Theosexual" Orientation

Some reflections on the process of overcoming a fear of God that is not congruent with full trust and full Mercy; filtering out an image of God as dictator that does not serve our full surrender.

Here I am referring to a certain kind of warning statement about seva-aparadha such as mentioned in books like the Hari-bhakti-vilasa, but my point is not actually to make a critique of that book.  Rather I am using this example to (begin to) treat a deeper and broader issue of religious fear.

For your reference, this is mentioned in a related purport of C.C. Antya-lila 12.37 by Srila Swami Prabhupad:

One is forbidden to enter the Deity room or offer anything to the Deity while wearing a shirt or coat. In the tantras it is said:

vastreṇāvṛta-dehas tu
yo naraḥ praṇamed dharim
śvitrī bhavati mūḍhātmā
sapta janmāni bhāvini

”Anyone who offers respects and obeisances to the Deity while wearing garments on the upper portion of his body is condemned to be a leper for seven births.”

Beyond the Fear of God

My Gurudev, Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayan Gosvami Maharaj, said the greatest expression of love and affection in the world is the giving and receiving of hari-katha (narrations of the glory of God).  But he would also tell us that  recording it or listening to recordings will cheat us of the real thing.  We cant make a personal relationship with that living, transcendental sound vibration through a mechanical device.  To imbibe the sacred wisdom and devotional sentiments which a sadhu pours out from the inner dimension of his pure heart by speaking katha, it is necessary to sit at his lotus feet.  

Moreover, we will have to sit there having offered our ears and mind and heart and life to that saintly person.  There must be a bridge of affection between us.  Then we can 'overlap' with him and his inner things will transfer to us when we listen like that, with so much faith and trust.  That is the essence of association.  "O Gurudeva, i am actually mad, insane, bewildered and powerless to sort myself out.  I lay my scrambled mind and self before you.  May your words, your pure conceptions and moods mold me and make me like you.  And O Hari-katha Prabhu, i know You are Sri Hari Himself, descending in the form of sound just to deliver me.  Please, i am opening the sanctum of my heart with these open ears and begging You to please come sit on the altar here; conquer me and control me in every way, Prabhu.  I am Yours."  

This is the secret science of proper and progressive hearing.  Bow down, give honor, and try to somehow serve  the Hari-katha Himself, the speaker of the katha, the listeners of katha, the place of katha, and the organizers who made it possible for katha and us to be together.  Without 'meeting' that sadhu and katha by deep honor and affection and submission we will only catch the material sound and the shadow of the meaning.  

How can you make a reciprocal exchange of love and honor with a computerized sound file?  The recorded sadhu cannot bathe you with his compassionate glance, and the recorded sound wave isn't comprised of the same trans-auditory nectar which flows from his lips.  Spiritual realization and mood come by personal association.  From recordings we can only get some knowledge.  

Since i am not a saint, hearing from me directly or recorded is about the same.   No question of spiritual realization or moods, this is nuts and bolts stuff - knowledge.  And knowledge has its positive utility too - so long as it is backed by eagerness to know, love and please God.  If not, then even so-called spiritual knowledge will just make us proud and derail us from the path to real happiness.  I present this information here online in hope that even one honest aspirant for true love will be somehow a little bit supported.  Out of the hundreds of millions of people atrophying in cyber-passivity, maybe some wandering pilgrim who still has a shred of will to advance themself by the necessary honest interior labor will come here and be served by these recordings.  

With so much verbiage, finally i am kind of just always saying the same things:   Repair integrity.  Allow for dark grace. Pray for real.  Make affectionate association with transcendental persons your top priority. One Love.  Sri Radhe.

For my many mistakes and faults and pride, please forgive me.  If anything i say helps, that is to the credit of my holy masters only.  To make a donation, chant
 'Hare Krishna'. 

~Sri Gadadhar-Amavasya~
28 April 2014

Caturmasya (2023) 17 - Guru-Parampara Tree & "Theosexual" Orientation

Tamal Krsna Das

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