Category:Srimad-Bhagavatam, Canto 10 Chapter 13 Purports - The Stealing of the Boys and Calves by Brahma
Pages in category "Srimad-Bhagavatam, Canto 10 Chapter 13 Purports - The Stealing of the Boys and Calves by Brahma"
The following 361 pages are in this category, out of 361 total.
A
- A man is known by his company. If one has the chance to live in the good association of devotees, one is able to cultivate knowledge, and naturally one's character or nature will change for one's eternal benefit
- A man-made satellite may orbit the earth in an hour and twenty-five minutes and thus complete one full day, although a day ordinarily takes twenty-four hours for those living on earth
- A person who considers demigods like Brahma and Siva to be on an equal level with Narayana must certainly be considered an offender
- A player knows everything, but still he plays on the stage in such a way that others do not understand him
- According to the association of different natures, one receives a particular type of body
- According to the Vedas, ekam bahu syam: the Personality of Godhead can become many, many millions upon millions of calves and cowherd boys, as He did to bewilder Brahma more and more
- According to the Vedic version, ekam bahu syam: He (Lord Krsna) can expand Himself into many thousands and millions but still remain one
- Acintya refers to that which we cannot contemplate but have to accept. Srila Jiva Gosvami has said that unless we accept acintya in the Supreme, we cannot accommodate the conception of God. This must be understood
- After Brahma stole the original cowherd boys and calves, Krsna expanded Himself to become the boys and calves again. Therefore, because the boys were actually Krsna's expansions, the cowherd men were especially attracted to them
- After I go to the cave and see that the boys and calves are still there, does Krsna go take them away and put them here so that I come here and see them, and does Krsna then take them from here and put them there
- After inquiring from Krsna, Lord Balarama understood that Krsna Himself had become many. That the Lord can do this is stated in the Brahma-samhita (BS 5.38). Advaitam acyutam anadim ananta-rupam: although He is one, He can expand Himself in so many forms
- After one moment of Brahma's calculation, Brahma came back to see the fun caused by his stealing the boys and calves. But he was also afraid that he was playing with fire
- After repeating obeisances for a long time, Brahma stood up & smeared his hands over his eyes. Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura comments that the word locane (in SB 10.13.64) indicates that with his two hands he wiped the two eyes on each of his four faces
- All living entities are serving Krsna in different ways, but when they are Krsna conscious, their service is fully manifest
- All the activities of Krsna described in Srimad-Bhagavatam, beginning even with the pastimes concerning Putana, are transcendental
- All the affairs of the entire world and the entire cosmic manifestation are working under His (Krsna's) direction, through His different energies. Still, when there is a need to take care of His friends, He does this personally
- All the dealings between the calves and their respective mothers taking care of them were enacted by Krsna Himself
- All the devotees here (in Durban, South Africa) are very active in the service of Lord Krsna, and the results are obvious to see: happiness, good health, peace of mind, and the development of all good qualities. This is the nature of Vrndavana
- All the forms of that Supreme Person are eternal. (Maha-varaha Purana) The Supreme Person has a form, with hands and legs and other personal features, but His hands and legs are not material
- All the Visnu forms had four arms, with conchshell and other articles, but these characteristics are also possessed by those who have attained sarupya-mukti in Vaikuntha and who consequently have forms exactly like the form of the Lord
- Although all the elderly gopis knew that Krsna was the son of mother Yasoda, they still desired, If Krsna had become my son, I would also have taken care of Him like mother Yasoda. This was their inner ambition
- Although appearing like calves, cows and cowherd boys, these were all Visnu. Actually they were visnu-tattva, not jiva-tattva
- Although Brahma has one head in each direction, he voluntarily brought all his heads to the ground & touched Krsna's feet with the tips of his four helmets. Although his intelligence works in every direction, he surrendered everything before boy Krsna
- Although Brahma was already entangled in bewilderment, he wanted to show his power to the cowherd boys; but after he took away the boys and their calves and returned to his abode, Krsna created further astonishment for Brahma
- Although Krsna cannot be seen through the Upanisads, in some places it is said that Krsna can in fact be known in this way
- Although Krsna did not manifest anything wonderful, Brahma could understand that the same wonderful person was present like an ordinary child, although He was the master of the whole creation
- Although Krsna is visva-vit, the knower of everything happening in the entire cosmic manifestation, as an innocent child He showed ignorance of Brahma's actions, although He could immediately understand that these were the doings of Brahma
- Although spirit and matter ultimately come from the same one source, they cannot be made one. For example, there are many things that come from our bodies, but although they come from the same source, they cannot be made one
- Although the supreme source is one, the emanations from this source should be separately regarded as inferior and superior. The difference between the Mayavada and Vaisnava philosophies is that the Vaisnava philosophy recognizes this fact
- Anyone born through the material energy must be subject to the four material deficiencies: bhrama (the tendency to commit mistakes), pramada (the tendency to be illusioned), vipralipsa (the tendency to cheat) and karanapatava (imperfect senses)
- Anyone materially born is subject to bewilderment. This pastime is therefore called brahma-vimohana-lila, the pastime of bewildering Brahma
- As a flower in the bud gradually fructifies and yields its desired aroma and beauty, so when a living entity comes to the platform of Krsna consciousness, the beauty of his real form comes into full blossom
- As explained by Bhaktivinoda Thakura, mayara vase, yaccha bhese, khaccha habudubu bhai: My dear brothers, why are you being washed away by the waves of maya
- As for kama and karma - desires and activities - if one engages in devotional service, one develops a different nature than if one engages in activities of sense gratification, and of course the result is also different
- As for samskara, or reformation, this is possible by good association, for by good association one develops good habits, and habit becomes second nature
- As indicated in Bhagavad-gita (BG 3.27) by the words prakrteh kriyamanani, according to the laws of nature one is controlled by the demigods
- As soon as bhakti is present, everything is purified (sarvopadhi-vinirmuktam (CC Madhya 19.170)). Therefore Brahma's crying was a form of bhakty-anubhava, a transformation of transcendental ecstatic love
- As soon as one understands Krsna (janma karma ca me divyam evam yo vetti tattvatah (BG 4.9)), one is liberated from material bondage (tyaktva deham punar janma naiti mam eti so 'rjuna)
- As stated in Bhagavad-gita, Krsna's expansion is situated in everyone's heart as the Supersoul. Similarly, instead of expanding Himself as the Supersoul, He expanded Himself as a portion of calves and cowherd boys for one continuous year
- As yogamaya gradually acted, Balarama in particular was able to understand what was happening, and therefore He inquired from Krsna
- At first the cowherd men, who were on top of the hill, were angry, but because of Krsna the boys were extremely attractive, and therefore the cowherd men immediately came down from the hill with special affection
- At night we sleep, and all our activities stop, but as soon as we arise, our memory immediately returns, and we think, Oh, where am I? What do I have to do? This is called suptotthita-nyaya
- Aupanisadam purusam: He (Krsna) is known by the Upanisads. This means that when one is purified by Vedic knowledge, one is then allowed to enter into devotional understanding
B
- Balarama concluded that the mystical change must have been caused by Krsna, whom Balarama considered His worshipable Personality of Godhead. He thought, It was arranged by Krsna, and even I could not check its mystic power
- Balarama said to Krsna, You Yourself are playing as the calves & cows & boys. What is the mystery of this situation? Where have those other calves & cows & boys gone? And why are You expanding Yourself as the cows, calves & boys? Will You kindly tell Me
- Balarama understood that all these boys and calves were only expansions of Krsna
- Balarama understood that this was not maya but Krsna's opulence. Krsna has all opulences, and this was but another opulence of Krsna
- Balarama was astonished to see all the residents of Vrndavana so affectionate toward their own children, exactly as they had been for Krsna. Similarly, the cows had grown affectionate toward their calves - as much as toward Krsna
- Balarama was surprised to see the acts of yogamaya. Therefore He inquired from Krsna, What is happening here? What is this mystery?
- Balarama was surprised. This extraordinary show of affection, He thought, was something mystical, performed either by the demigods or some wonderful man. Otherwise, how could this wonderful change take place?
- Be one even Narayana or Lord Siva, everyone is subordinate to Krsna (siva-virinci-nutam). Even Baladeva is subordinate to Krsna. This is a fact
- Because Krsna had expanded Himself as everything and because the whole life of everyone in Vrndavana was meant for Krsna, the men increased in their affection for their sons
- Bhagavatam is the essence of all Vedic literature (nigama-kalpa-taror galitam phalam (SB 1.1.3)). It was written by Vyasadeva (maha-muni-krte) when he was self-realized
- Bhaktas know that the form of Krsna, or Brahman, is not at all material. Rather, Brahman has a transcendental form, and when one is absorbed in it, being fully developed in bhakti, one can understand Him
- Bhakti, devotional service, is the engagement of those who have performed highly developed pious activities
- Bhavambudhih, the material ocean of fear, becomes very easy to cross by the mercy of the supreme controller
- Brahma adopted the aroha-pantha. He wanted to understand Krsna's mystic power by his own limited, conceivable power, and therefore he himself was mystified
- Brahma became entangled in Krsna's maya. After all, Brahma was born materially. As mentioned here (in SB 10.13.15), ambhojanma janih: he was born of ambhoja, a lotus flower
- Brahma became insignificant in the presence of Krsna's mystic power. Krsna's maya was not diminished in value, but Brahma's maya was condemned
- Brahma cannot be compared to God - Krsna, or Narayana. It is forbidden to compare Narayana even to demigods like Brahma and Siva, what to speak of others
- Brahma could not figure out how there could be two sets of calves and cowherd boys exactly alike. Although thinking and thinking, he could not understand at all
- Brahma could not grasp what was happening. Which boys were real, and which were not real? Brahma was unable to come to any definite conclusion. He pondered the matter for a long while
- Brahma could show some extraordinary opulence to the mayarbhakah (boys manifested by Krsna's maya); but he could not show any extraordinary potency to Krsna's associates. That he would see in the very near future
- Brahma did not see Krsna as catur-bhuja, the opulent Narayana; rather, he simply saw an innocent boy. Nonetheless, he could understand that although Krsna was not demonstrating His power, He was the same Supreme person
- Brahma fell down, touching his foreheads to the lotus feet of Krsna, and his crying in ecstasy is to be regarded as an abhiseka bathing ceremony of Krsna's lotus feet
- Brahma had considered himself absolute, thinking himself the only powerful deity, but now his pride was subdued, and he again became merely one of the demigods - an important demigod, of course, but a demigod nonetheless
- Brahma himself addressed Krsna, narayanas tvam na hi sarva-dehinam: You are also Narayana. Indeed, You are the original Narayana - SB 10.14.14
- Brahma is most intelligent. But even Brahma, the lord of Sarasvati, was bewildered about Krsna. Although he tried, he could not understand Lord Krsna
- Brahma prayed, govindam adi-purusam tam aham bhajami: You are the original person, the cause of everything. I bow down to You. This was his realization. Tam aham bhajami. This is what is wanted
- Brahma realized that all the different forms of cows, boys and calves transformed into Visnu forms were not transformed by mysticism of the type that a yogi or demigod can display by specific powers invested in him
- Brahma saw Krsna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, appearing as a cowherd boy in Vrndavana, not demonstrating His opulence but standing just like an innocent boy with some food in His hand, loitering with His cowherd boyfriends, calves and cows
- Brahma saw that all of them, down to the smallest creatures, had assumed different forms and were accordingly engaged in the service of Lord Visnu
- Brahma thought, Maybe I took those calves and cowherd boys away but now they have been taken from that cave. Is this what has happened? Has Krsna brought them back here?
- Brahma wanted to bewilder Krsna, who bewilders the entire universe
- Brahma wanted to take away Krsna's associates, but instead he took away some other boys and calves. Ravana wanted to take away Sita, but instead he took away a maya Sita. Similarly, Brahma took away mayarbhakah: boys manifested by Krsna's maya
- Brahma was completely mystified. He could not understand what he was seeing, and then he was not even able to see. Lord Krsna, understanding Brahma's position, then removed that yogamaya covering
- Brahma was contemplating his own power and the immense, unlimited power of Krsna, but before he could come to a conclusion, he saw this immediate transformation
- Brahma was defeated by his own attempt. In a similar position are the scientists and philosophers who want to overcome the mystic power of Krsna
- Brahma was falling down in ecstasy. Because of the presence of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who exactly resembled a human child, Brahma was naturally astonished
- Brahma was mystified about Krsna's opulence (nija-mahimani) because this opulence was atarkya, or inconceivable
- Brahma was puzzled. The original boys and calves are still sleeping as I have kept them, he thought, but another set is here playing with Krsna. How has this happened
- Brahma was stunned because of transcendental bliss (muhyanti yat surayah). In his astonishment, all his senses were stunned, and he was unable to say or do anything
- Brahma was surprised that his mystic power had been neglected. Without touching the original cows and cowherd boys, Krsna had created another assembly of calves and boys, who were all expansions of visnu-tattva. Thus Brahma's mystic power was superseded
- Brahma was surprised. The original cowherd boys and cows, he thought, are still where I put them last year. So who is it that is now keeping company with Krsna exactly as before? Where have they come from
- Brahma's mystic power became worthless in the presence of Krsna, for greater mystic power condemns inferior mystic power
- Brahma, being very joyful, began to shed tears, and he washed the lotus feet of Krsna with his tears. Repeatedly he fell & rose as he recalled the wonderful activities of the Lord
- Brahma, with his maya, wanted to test whether Krsna was actually present
- Brahman is sometimes described as asthulam ananv ahrasvam adirgham, that which is not large and not small, not short and not long. (Brhad-aranyaka Upanisad 5.8.8) Neti neti: It is not this, it is not that. But what is it
- By engagement in the service of Vasudeva, one very quickly renounces material life
- By hearing and discussing Srimad-Bhagavatam, the rajo-guna and tamo-guna are subdued, so that only sattva-guna remains. Then rajo-guna and tamo-guna cannot do us any harm
E
- Each is an individual potency (samvit, sandhini and ahladini potencies). The ahladini potency is Radharani
- Each of the items mentioned in the first half of this verse (SB 10.13.53) is a cause for material entanglement. Kala, or the time factor, agitates the modes of material nature, and svabhava is the result of association with these modes
- Envy develops because of sense gratification, but in Vrndavana there is no sense gratification, for the only aim is Krsna's satisfaction
- Even Balarama did not know that all the calves and cowherd boys were expansions of Krsna or that He Himself was also an expansion of Krsna. This was disclosed to Balarama just five or six days before the completion of the year
- Even in this material world, in the forest the animals live together, and when they go to drink water they do not attack anyone
- Even in this material world, the animals in Vrndavana are not envious of the sadhus who live there
- Even though advanced devotees hear continually about the Lord for years, they still feel that these topics are coming to them as newer and fresher. Therefore such devotees cannot give up hearing of the pastimes of Lord Krsna
- Every individual is different. There are even differences between twin brothers. Yet when Krsna expanded Himself as the boys and calves, each boy and each calf appeared in its own original feature
- Everyone should take shelter of the Supreme Person, who is the source of fearlessness, and thus be secure
- Everyone wants to take pleasure in his own knowledge, thinking, I know something. But in the presence of Krsna this conception cannot stand, for one cannot bring Krsna within the limitations of prakrti. One must submit. There is no alternative
- Everyone was increasing in affection for Krsna. When the cowherd men coming down from the hill saw their own sons, who were no one else than Krsna, their affection increased
- Everyone, from Brahma down to the small insect, must take lessons from Krsna
- Everything is spiritual because everything is an expansion of Krsna; that is, everything is an expansion either of Krsna Himself or of His potency. Because the potency is nondifferent from the potent, the potency and the potent are one
- Everything was Krsna. The calves, the cowherd boys and their maintainer Himself were all Krsna. In other words, Krsna expanded Himself in varieties of calves and cowherd boys and continued His pastimes uninterrupted for one year
F
- Fear arises because of lack of Krsna consciousness; otherwise there cannot be any fear
- Fire and heat cannot be separated, for where there is fire there is heat and where there is heat there is fire. Nonetheless, although we cannot touch fire, heat we can tolerate. Therefore, although they are one, they are different
- First of all there are laws, and then there is police power, and beyond that is military power. Therefore, what is the use of trying to overcome the power of the government? Similarly, what is the use of trying to challenge Krsna
- For one who has taken shelter of the lotus feet of Krsna, this material world of fear becomes hardly dangerous at all
- For one year Lord Brahma kept the calves and boys lying down in a cave by his mystic power. Therefore when Brahma saw Lord Krsna still playing with all the cows and calves, he began trying to reason about what was happening. What is this
- For the paramahamsa, Krsna is everything, but for the materialist, women and money are everything
- From the Bhagavatam we understand that the entire universe is full of living entities everywhere. Thus it is the folly of the scientists that although they do not know anything, they mislead people by presenting themselves as scientists, philosophers
- From the very day on which Brahma stole the calves and boys, yogamaya acted in such a way that the residents of Vrndavana, including even Lord Balarama, could not understand how yogamaya was working and causing such uncommon things to happen
H
- He (Brahma) could understand that although the original calves and boys were still in the cave where he had put them, Krsna had expanded Himself and so the present demonstration of calves and boys consisted of expansions of Krsna
- He (Krsna) remains as opulent as ever, without any change (advaitam). This is explained by different Vaisnava acaryas through philosophies such as visuddhadvaita, visistadvaita and dvaitadvaita. Therefore one must learn about Krsna from the acaryas
- He who appeared before Brahma as a human child was in fact the Absolute Truth (Krsna), Para-brahman - brahmeti paramatmeti bhagavan iti sabdyate - SB 1.2.11
- Here (in SB 10.13.14) we see that He (Krsna) took personal care to find the calves of His friends. This was Krsna's causeless mercy
- How can there be two sets of calves and boys at the same time? Have the boys and calves here been created by Krsna, or has Krsna created the ones lying asleep? Or are both merely creations of Krsna? Brahma thought about the subject in many different ways
I
- If by accumulating pious activities (krta-punya-punjah) one is raised to the platform of pure devotional service, Krsna is always visible in the core of one's heart. One who has attained such perfection is all-beautiful in transcendental bliss
- If one associates with bhaktas, then one's svabhava, or nature, will change. Our Krsna consciousness movement is meant to give people good association so that this change may take place
- If one fails to take advantage of this opportunity (of this human form of life), one's human life is wasted. We are therefore trying to save human society from degradation and actually elevate people to the higher nature
- If we do not come to the stage of sattva-guna in this human life, then, as Narottama dasa Thakura sings, hari hari viphale janama gonainu - there is no profit in gaining this human form of life
- In a machine all the parts may be iron, but the machine includes varied activities. Although the whole machine is iron, one part works in one way, and other parts work in other ways
- In an article about the temple of the Hare Krsna movement in Durban, South Africa, the Durban Post reported, All the devotees here are very active in the service of Lord Krsna, and the results are obvious to see: happiness
- In Bhagavad-gita, Krsna explains the soul by giving negative definitions. Na jayate mriyate va: It is not born, nor does it die. You can hardly understand more than this. But what is it? It is eternal
- In describing a pencil, one may say, It is not this; it is not that, but this does not tell us what it is. This is called definition by negation. In Bhagavad-gita, Krsna also explains the soul by giving negative definitions
- In Krsna-Balarama Temple in Vrndavana, there is a tamala tree that covers an entire corner of the courtyard. Before there was a temple the tree was lying neglected, but now it has developed very luxuriantly. This is a sign of bhuri-punya
- In the beginning he was proud of being Brahma, the lord of the universe, but now he understood, "Here is the Lord of the universe. I am simply an insignificant agent. Govindam adi-purusam tam aham bhajami"
- In the beginning of creation there was only the Supreme Personality, Narayana, and there was no existence of Brahma or Siva. Therefore, one who at the end of his life remembers Narayana attains the perfection of life - ante narayana-smrtih - SB 2.1.6
- In the beginning the boys, the calves and Krsna Himself had been covered by yogamaya, which later displayed the second set of calves and boys, who were Krsna's expansions, and which then displayed so many four-armed forms
- In the beginning the boys, the calves and Krsna Himself had been covered by yogamaya. Now, seeing Brahma's bewilderment, Lord Krsna caused the disappearance of that yogamaya
- In the beginning the cowherd men were angry that the cows were being attracted by the calves, but when the men came down from the hill, they themselves were attracted by their sons, and therefore the men embraced them
- In the beginning the soul is difficult to understand, and therefore Krsna has given negative definitions: The soul can never be cut into pieces by any weapon, nor can it be burned by fire, nor moistened by water, nor withered by the wind
- In the human life, if we prepare ourselves by beginning the activity of our spiritual life, we return to our real life and attain perfection. Otherwise, according to karma, svabhava, prakrti and so on, our varieties of life and activity continue
- In the material world one may collect funds all over the world in order to distribute food freely, yet those to whom the food is given may not even feel appreciative. The value of Krsna consciousness, however, will gradually be very much appreciated
- In the material world, affection is contaminated by rajo-guna and tamo-guna, but in the suddha-sattva the affection that maintains the devotees is transcendental
- In the material world, desire is a product of rajo-guna and tamo-guna, but desire in the spiritual world gives rise to a variety of everlasting transcendental service. Thus the word svakarthanam (in SB 10.13.50) refers to eagerness to serve Krsna
- In the material world, everyone thinks, I am the best man in this world. I know everything
- In the presence of Krsna's friendship, a devotee cannot have any fear. Krsna is the supreme controller, the controller of even death, which is supposed to be the ultimate fear in this material world
- In the Svetasvatara Upanisad (3.8), the Supreme is described as aditya-varnam tamasah parastat, He whose self-manifest form is luminous like the sun and transcendental to the darkness of ignorance
- In this verse (SB 10.13.50) the word rajah means not "passion" but "affection." In the material world, rajo-guna is passion, but in the spiritual world it is affection
- In this verse (SB 10.13.52) the word mahimabhih means aisvarya, or opulence. The Supreme Personality of Godhead can do whatever He likes. That is His aisvarya. No one can command Him, but He can command everyone
- In this verse (SB 10.13.57) the word aja refers to yogamaya
- In this verse (SB 10.13.57), Brahma is referred to as iresa. Ira means Sarasvati, the goddess of learning, and Iresa is her husband, Lord Brahma
- In Vrndavana everyone is happy. The calf is happy, the cat is happy, the dog is happy, the man is happy - everyone. Everyone wants to serve Krsna in a different capacity, and thus there is no envy
- In Vrndavana there is a place where there was no temple, but a devotee desired, Let there be a temple and seva, devotional service. Therefore, what was once an empty corner has now become a place of pilgrimage. Such are the desires of a devotee
- Innumerable living entities are engaged in different types of worship of the Supreme, according to their abilities and karma, but everyone is engaged (jivera 'svarupa' haya-krsnera 'nitya-dasa' (CC Madhya 20.108)); there is no one who is not serving
- Instead of defeating Krsna, Brahma himself was defeated, for he could not understand what Krsna was doing. Since Brahma, the chief person within this universe, was so bewildered, what is to be said of so-called scientists and philosophers
- It does not matter that he (Brahma) was born of a lotus and not of any man, animal or material father. A lotus is also material
- It is (the soul) unborn, eternal, ever-existing, undying and primeval. It is not slain when the body is slain
- It is mentioned that Brahma washed the feet of Krsna with his tears, and here (in SB 10.13.62) the word sujalaih indicates that his tears were purified
- It is not that one should simply say, "dandavat." Rather, one must fall down
- It was five or six days earlier (before one year) that Baladeva had inquired from Krsna about the extraordinary affection of the cows and cowherd men
K
- Kala, or the time factor, has many assistants, such as svabhava, samskara, kama, karma and guna. Svabhava, or one's own nature, is formed according to the association of the material qualities
- Kama (desires), krodha (anger) and bhaya (fear) are always present in the material world, but in the spiritual, or transcendental, world one can use them for Krsna
- Krsna assured His friends, "Don't be afraid. I am going personally to search for your calves." This was Krsna's causeless mercy
- Krsna briefly explained the whole situation: how the calves and boys were stolen by Brahma and how He was concealing the incident by expanding Himself so that people would not know that the original cows, calves and boys were missing
- Krsna can expand Himself in more forms than one can imagine, yet He does not fall down from His original form as Krsna; therefore He is called Acyuta. This is the Supreme Personality of Godhead
- Krsna cannot be defeated by any kind of mystic power. If one gets even a little power of scientific knowledge, one tries to defy God, but actually no one is able to bewilder Krsna
- Krsna could immediately understand that Brahma had taken away both the calves and the boys, but as an innocent child He searched here and there so that Brahma could not understand Krsna's maya. This was all a dramatic performance
- Krsna expanded Himself as the boys and calves with the same individual way of acting, the same tendencies, the same color, the same dress, and so on, for Krsna manifested Himself with all these differences. This was Krsna's opulence
- Krsna explained in Bhagavad-gita (7.4-5): Earth, water, fire, air, ether, mind, intelligence and false ego - all together these eight comprise My separated material energies
- Krsna explained in Bhagavad-gita (7.4-5): O mighty-armed Arjuna, there is a superior energy of Mine, which consists of all living entities who are struggling with material nature and are sustaining the universe
- Krsna had many, many friends, of whom Sridama, Sudama and Subala were prominent. Thus Krsna Himself became Sridama, Sudama and Subala and entered their respective houses with their respective calves
- Krsna has a transcendental potency called hladini sakti. He does not enjoy anything that is a product of the material energy. Brahma, therefore, would see Lord Krsna expand His energy
- Krsna is always complete, and although He can create millions of universes, all of them full in all opulences, He remains as opulent as ever, without any change (advaitam)
- Krsna joked, Why have you (the bumblebee) come to disturb My brahmana friend Madhumangala? You want to kill a brahmana. This is not good. All the boys would laugh and enjoy, speaking such joking words while eating
- Krsna personally demonstrates that everyone has the right to live. This is Vrndavana life. Why should I live and you die? No. That is material life
- Krsna proved that He is everything, that He can become everything, but that still He is personally different from everything
- Krsna says, It is (the soul) not burned by fire. Therefore, one has to imagine what it is that is not burned by fire. This is a negative definition
- Krsna usually stayed in the forest and pasturing ground, taking care of the calves and cows with His associates the cowherd boys
- Krsna was his (Brahma's) master, and he had played mischief for fun by taking away Krsna's calves and boys. He was really anxious, so he did not stay away very long; he came back after a moment of his calculation
- Krsna was ordering His friends to do this and that, and He was controlling the calves & going into the forest to search for them when they went astray, allured by new grass, but these calves & boys were He Himself. This was Krsna's inconceivable potency
- Krsna was playing like a dramatic actor. Because Brahma had some false prestige, thinking that he had some power, Krsna showed him his real position. A similar incident occurred when Brahma went to see Krsna in Dvaraka
- Krsna's energy - His maya-sakti, or svarupa-sakti - is one, but it is manifested in varieties. The difference between Vaisnavas and Mayavadis is that Mayavadis say that this maya is one, whereas Vaisnavas recognize its varieties
- Krsna's power is variegated, and thus the same sakti, or potency, works in variegated ways
- Krsna, param brahma, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is adyam, the beginning of everything; He is adi-purusam, the ever-youthful original person
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- Let others study the Vedas, smrti and Mahabharata, fearing material existence, but I (Brahma) shall worship Nanda Maharaja, in whose courtyard is crawling the Supreme Brahman - Padyavali 126
- Let people have the chance to live with bhaktas. Then their habits will change. In the human form of life one has this chance
- Lord Balarama said, I thought that these boys and calves were a display of the power of great sages like Narada, but now I see that all these boys and calves are You (Krsna)
- Lord Balarama said, My dear Krsna, in the beginning I thought that all these cows, calves and cowherd boys were either great sages and saintly persons or demigods, but at the present it appears that they are actually Your expansions. They are all You
- Lord Brahma bowed down like a stick, and because Lord Brahma's complexion is golden, he appeared to be like a golden stick lying down before Lord Krsna
- Lord Brahma had gone away for only a moment of his time, but when he returned, a year of human time had passed. On different planets, the calculation of time is different
- Lord Brahma hastily got down from his swan carrier and let his body fall to the earth. Usually, the demigods never touch the ground, but Lord Brahma, voluntarily giving up his prestige as a demigod, bowed down on the ground before Krsna
- Lord Brahma saw that Krsna, in His form as a cowherd boy, was Parabrahman, the root cause of everything, but was now appearing as a human child, loitering in Vrndavana with a morsel of food in His hand
- Lord Brahma saw that the calves and boys he had taken were still in the same mystic maya into which he had put them. Thus he concluded that the calves and cowherd boys now playing with Krsna were different from the ones in the cave
- Lord Brahma was able to see how Krsna maintains the entire universe in different ways. It is because Krsna manifests everything that everything is visible
- Lord Visnu, Brahma thus realized, is the reservoir of all truth, knowledge and bliss. He is the combination of these three transcendental features, and He is the object of worship for the followers of the Upanisads
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- Materialistic scientists think that although this planet earth is full of opulence, all others are vacant. Because they simply speculate, this is their scientific conclusion
- Materially born persons cannot fully understand Krsna. Even the demigods cannot understand Him
- Mere sastra jnana, or knowledge in the Vedas, does not help anyone understand the Personality of Godhead. Only one who is favored or shown mercy by the Lord can understand Him
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- Nanda Maharaja is so great that the Parabrahman is crawling in his yard, and therefore I (Brahma) shall worship him - Padyavali 126
- Narayana is catur-bahu, but the Supreme Person resembles a human being. This is also confirmed in the Bible, where it is said that man was made in the image of God
- Narottama dasa Thakura sings, hari hari viphale janama gonainu, indicating that unless one worships Radha-Krsna, one's human form of life is wasted
- No one but Visnu has any independence. If we develop consciousness of this fact, then we are in actual Krsna consciousness. We should always remember that Krsna is the only supreme master and that everyone else is His servant
- No one can compare to Narayana, or Krsna. Krsna is Narayana, and Narayana is also Krsna, for Krsna is the original Narayana
- Now that the original group had been taken away by Brahma, Krsna Himself assumed the forms of every member of the group, without anyone's knowledge, even the knowledge of Baladeva, and continued the usual program
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- On a dark night, the darkness produced by snow has no meaning. The glowworm appears very important at night, but in the daytime its glow has no value; whatever little value it has is lost
- On my (Prabhupada's) passage to America, how insignificant the ship was, like a matchbox in the midst of the ocean. Krsna's intelligence resembles the ocean, for one cannot imagine how vast it is
- On the day when Lord Brahma had first come, Baladeva could not go with Krsna & the cowherd boys, for it was His birthday, & His mother had kept Him back for the proper ceremonial bath, called santika-snana. Therefore Lord Baladeva was not taken by Brahma
- One description given of Brahman is satyam brahma, ananda-rupam: Brahman is the Absolute Truth and complete ananda, or bliss
- One may sometimes think that the monkeys in Vrndavana are envious, because they cause mischief and steal food, but in Vrndavana we find that the monkeys are allowed to take butter, which Krsna Himself distributes
- One may think that the maya taken away by Lord Krsna was mahamaya, but Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura comments that it was yogamaya, the potency by which Krsna is sometimes manifest and sometimes not manifest
- One must accept the parampara system. And the best parampara is that which extends from Krsna (evam parampara-praptam (BG 4.2)). What Krsna says, we should accept (imam rajarsayo viduh). This is called the avaroha-pantha
- One receives a form according to the way one worships the Lord. In the material world, the body one receives is guided by the demigods. This is sometimes referred to as the influence of the stars
- One should be brought to sattva-guna by the establishment of varnasrama-dharma & should develop the brahminical qualifications of being very neat & clean, rising early in the morning & seeing mangala-aratrika. In this way, one should stay in sattva-guna
- One should come to the spiritual platform, and then one's activities will be permanent. Krta-punya-punjah: (SB 10.12.11) this stage is attained after one accumulates the results of pious activities for many, many lives
- One should not try to exhibit one's insignificant opulence before a greater power
- One should understand that no one is independent, for everything is part and parcel of Krsna and is acting and moving by the supreme desire of Krsna. This understanding, this consciousness, is Krsna consciousness
- One thinks, Why should I read Bhagavad-gita? I know everything. I have my own interpretation. Brahma, however, was able to understand that the Supreme Personality is Krsna. Isvarah paramah krsnah (BS 5.1). Another of Krsna's names is paramesvara
- One wheel runs this way, another wheel runs that way, functioning naturally in such a way that the work of the machine goes on. Consequently we give different names to the different parts of the machine, saying, This is a wheel, This is a screw and so on
- One who considers demigods like Brahma and Siva to be on an equal level with Narayana must certainly be considered an offender
- One who does not know how the machine is working may say that it is all iron; nonetheless, in spite of its being iron, the machine has different elements, all working differently to accomplish the purpose for which the machine was made
- One who follows the path of the acaryas knows things as they are. Such a person can know Krsna as He is, at least to some extent
- One who has reached the point of surrendering to the instructions of Krsna (mam eva ye prapadyante) is liberated, free from krsna-maya
- One year later, Brahma returned & because he returned on exactly the same day, Baladeva was again kept at home for His birthday. Therefore, although this verse (SB 10.13.40) mentions that Brahma saw Krsna & all the cowherd boys, Baladeva is not mentioned
- One's higher or lower nature - is formed by association with the different qualities, namely sattva-guna, rajo-guna and tamo-guna
- Only Krsna is the supreme master, and all others are His servants. As Krsna desires, everyone dances according to His tune
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- Pariksit Maharaja is addressed as bhagavatottama, the best of devotees, because unless one is very much elevated in devotional service, one cannot feel ecstasy from hearing more and more and appreciate the topics as ever fresher and newer
- People generally do not appreciate someone unless he shows something wonderful
- Previously, the mothers of Sridama, Sudama, Subala and Krsna's other friends did not have the same affection for one another's sons, but now the gopis treated all the boys as their own
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- Sanatana Gosvami comments that because the desires of devotees whose attention is fixed on Krsna have already been fulfilled, the Lord's sidelong glances create variegated desires in relation to Krsna and devotional service
- Seeing the Lord before him, Brahma began to offer prayers with great humility, respect and attention
- Similarly, Balarama, Sudama and other friends would taste one another's food and laugh. In this way, the friends very jubilantly began to eat their respective preparations brought from home
- Sometimes one friend would say, "Krsna, see how my food is relishable," and Krsna would take some and laugh. Similarly, Balarama, Sudama and other friends would taste one another's food and laugh
- Spirit and matter cannot be made one, for actually they are superior and inferior energies, yet the Mayavadis, or Advaita-vadis, try to make them one. This is wrong
- Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu's philosophy is called acintya-bhedabheda - simultaneous oneness and difference
- Sukadeva Gosvami wanted to explain this increment of affection in terms of Krsna's bewilderment of Brahma, the gopis, the cows and everyone else
- Suppose we die. "Die" means that we become inert for some time and then again begin our activities. This takes place life after life, according to our karma, or activities, and svabhava, or nature by association
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- Tamo-guna and rajo-guna increase lust and greed, which implicate a living entity in such a way that he must exist in this material world in many, many forms. That is very dangerous
- That which is acintya cannot be ascertained by argument. People generally argue, but our process is not to argue but to accept the Vedic knowledge as it is
- The ahladini-sakti is manifested as Radharani, but Krsna and Radharani are the same, although one is potent and the other is potency
- The best course is to surrender to Krsna. Don't try to measure Krsna
- The cows had younger calves who had started sucking milk from their mothers, and some of the cows had newly given birth, but now, because of love, the cows enthusiastically showed their affection for the older calves, which had left off milking
- The cows, calves & boys transformed into visnu-murtis, or Visnu forms, were not displays of visnu-maya, or Visnu energy, but were Visnu Himself
- The description of Vrndavana forest as given herewith (in SB 10.13.5) was spoken by Krsna five thousand years ago, and the same condition prevailed during the time of the Vaisnava acaryas three or four hundred years ago
- The desire of the paramahamsas is to act always for Krsna. Krodham bhakta-dvesi jane. They use anger against the nondevotees and transform bhaya, or fear, into fear of being deviated from Krsna consciousness
- The distinction between one's own son and another's son is not unnatural. Many elderly women have motherly affection for the sons of others. They observe distinctions, however, between those other sons and their own
- The elderly gopis could not distinguish between their own sons and Krsna, for since their own sons had been taken by Brahma, Krsna had expanded as their sons
- The followers of the Upanisads cannot understand the varieties manifested by Brahman. This proves that Brahman and Paramatma can actually be understood only through devotion
- The forms of Visnu, the Supreme Brahman, were one, but They were manifested differently
- The four-headed Brahma of this universe saw innumerable other Brahmas coming to see Krsna and offer their respects. Some of them had ten heads, some had twenty, some had a hundred and some had a million heads
- The inhabitants of the higher planets were astonished at how the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who eats only when yajna is offered, was now eating like an ordinary child with His friends in the forest
- The inhabitants of Vrndavana think, Whatever is given by Krsna, let us divide it as prasada and eat. This mentality cannot appear all of a sudden, but it will gradually develop with Krsna consciousness; by sadhana, one can come to this platform
- The Krsna consciousness movement wants to stop koti-janma, repeated birth and death. In one birth, one should rectify everything and come to permanent life. This is Krsna consciousness
- The life of a paramahamsa devotee is used entirely for Krsna, just as the life of a person attached to the material world is used simply for women and money
- The Lord is full in six opulences. The yoga-siddhis, the perfections of yoga, such as the ability to become smaller than the smallest (anima-siddhi) or bigger than the biggest (mahima-siddhi), are present in Lord Visnu
- The Lord's knowledge is unlimited, and therefore one cannot touch where it ends, just as one cannot measure the ocean. What is the extent of our intelligence in comparison to the vast expanse of water in the ocean
- The maha-bhagavata, the topmost devotee, sees everyone as being engaged in the service of Krsna; only himself does he see as not engaged
- The mahat-tattva is divided into different subtle categories, but originally it is called the mahat-tattva
- The manifestation of the Visnu forms of the boys, cows and calves was not like the heat, but rather like the fire - they were all actually Visnu. Factually, the qualification of Visnu is full truth, full knowledge & full bliss
- The materialist wants to understand everything by the aroha-pantha - by argument and reason - but transcendental matters cannot be understood in this way. Rather, one must follow the avaroha-pantha, the process of descending knowledge
- The Mayavadis cannot understand this transcendental form (of Krsna), for they think that it is material
- The Mayavadis, say, cid-acit-samanvayah: spirit and matter are one. This is a wrong conception. Spirit (cit) is different from matter (acit)
- The members of the KC movement, being engaged in vasudeva-bhakti, very quickly come to the stage of being nice Vaisnavas, so much so that people are surprised that mlecchas and yavanas are able to come to this stage. This is possible by vasudeva-bhakti
- The more we read Srimad-Bhagavatam, the more its knowledge becomes clear. Each and every verse is transcendental
- The more we try to defeat the arrangement of Krsna, the more we become implicated in Krsna's maya
- The mothers were actually more anxious to feed the older calves, although the new calves were present, because the older calves were expansions of Krsna. These surprising events were taking place by the manipulation of yogamaya
- The nature of persons who have taken to spiritual life and KC, understanding Krsna to be the life and soul of everyone, is that they cannot give up krsna-katha, or topics about Krsna. Such paramahamsas always see Krsna within the core of the heart
- The opportunity for this purification is the special feature of human life; in other lives, this is not possible. Such purification can be achieved very easily by radha-krsna-bhajana, devotional service rendered to Radha and Krsna
- The phrase atan-nirasana refers to the discarding of that which is irrelevant. (Atat means "that which is not a fact")
- The potency which covers the actual reality and displays something unreal is mahamaya, but the potency by which the Absolute Truth is sometimes manifest and sometimes not is yogamaya
- The power of Krsna is just like a government that cannot be overcome
- The present Krsna consciousness movement is an attempt to keep Krsna in the center, for if this is done all activities will automatically become beautiful and blissful
- The respective qualifications of Visnu and visnu-maya are just like those of fire and heat. In heat there is the qualification of fire, namely warmth; & yet heat is not fire
- The sadhus keep cows and supply milk to the tigers, saying, Come here and take a little milk. Thus envy and malice are unknown in Vrndavana. That is the difference between Vrndavana and the ordinary world
- The same pleasure potency was expanded by Krsna when He Himself became all the calves and boys and enjoyed transcendental bliss in Vrajabhumi. This was done by the yogamaya potency and was inconceivable to persons under the potency of mahamaya
- The same sounds and atmosphere still prevail in the area where our Krsna-Balarama temple is situated. Everyone who visits this temple is pleased to hear the chirping of the birds as described here - in SB 10.13.5
- The samvit, sandhini and ahladini potencies - Krsna's potency for existence, His potency for knowledge and His potency for pleasure - are distinct from yogamaya
- The seriously inquisitive student or sage, well equipped with knowledge and detachment, realizes that Absolute Truth by rendering devotional service in terms of what he has heard from the Vedanta-sruti - SB 1.2.12
- The Srivatsa mark is described by the Vaisnava-tosani as being a curl of fine yellow hair on the upper portion of the right side of Lord Visnu's chest
- The sun is reflected in many waterpots, but the reflections of the sun in many pots are not actually the sun
- The Supreme is blissful, with no tinge of unhappiness. Although He is the oldest, He never ages, and although one, He is experienced in different forms
- The Supreme Lord is narakrti; that is, He resembles a human being. It is not that He is four-armed
- The Supreme Lord is not obtained by expert explanations, by vast intelligence, or even by much hearing. He is obtained only by one whom He Himself chooses. To such a person, He manifests His own form
- The transcendental forms of the Lord are beyond the reach of the impersonalists, who can only understand, through the studies of the Upanisads, that the Absolute Truth is not matter and that the Absolute Truth is not materially restricted
- The twenty-four elements mentioned (in SB 10.13.52) are the five working senses, the five senses for obtaining knowledge, the five gross material elements, the five sense objects, the mind (manas), the false ego, the mahat-tattva, and material nature
- The Vedas (Svetasvatara Upanisad 6.8) assert that the Supreme Personality of Godhead has nothing to do personally (na tasya karyam karanam ca vidyate) because He is doing everything through His energies and potencies
- The whole universe is under Krsna's mystic power (mama maya duratyaya (BG 7.14)), but Brahma wanted to mystify Him. The result was that Brahma himself was mystified, just as one who wants to kill another may himself be killed
- The word advayam, meaning - one without a second, is also significant. Because Brahma was overcast by Krsna's maya, he was thinking himself the Supreme
- The word agadha-bodham, meaning full of unlimited knowledge, is significant in this verse.- SB 10.13.61
- The word aja means maya, or mystic power. Everything mysterious is in full existence in Visnu
- The word bhuri-punyavad-arpitaih is significant in this verse (SB 10.13.49). These forms of Visnu were worshiped by those who had performed pious activities (sukrtibhih) for many births and who were constantly engaged in devotional service
- The word nathah, which refers to Lord Brahma, is plural because there are innumerable universes and innumerable Brahmas. Brahma is but a tiny force. This was exhibited in Dvaraka when Krsna called for Brahma
- The word santah is used to refer to persons who have developed love for Krsna
- The word sara-bhrtam means paramahamsas. The hamsa, or swan, accepts milk from a mixture of milk and water and rejects the water
- The word sruta-grhitaya refers to Vedanta knowledge, not sentimentality. Sruta-grhita is sound knowledge
- The word svakarthanam refers to great desires. As mentioned in this verse (SB 10.13.50), the glance of Lord Visnu creates the desires of the devotees. A pure devotee, however, has no desires
- The word vana means forest. We are afraid of the forest and do not wish to go there, but in Vrndavana the forest animals are as good as demigods, for they have no envy
- Their (the elderly gopis) extra affection for their sons, who were now Krsna Himself, was due to bewilderment resembling that of Brahma
- There are two kinds of living entities-the moving and the nonmoving. Trees, for example, stand in one place, whereas ants move
- There are two mayas working under the direction of Krsna - mahamaya, the energy of the material world, and yogamaya, the energy of the spiritual world
- There is no actual heat and light from the sun in the pot, although it appears as the sun. But each and every one of the forms Krsna assumed was fully Visnu
- There is unity in variety. For example, in one tree, there are varieties of leaves, fruits and flowers. Varieties of energy are required for performing the varieties of activity within the creation
- These calves were grown up, but still the mothers wanted to feed them. Therefore Balarama was a little surprised, and He wanted to inquire from Krsna about the reason for their behavior
- These cowherd boys were but expansions of Krsna's personal self (ananda-cinmaya-rasa-pratibhavitabhih (BS 5.37)). Later Krsna would show Brahma how He expands Himself into everything as His personal pleasure, ananda-cinmaya-rasa
- These Visnu forms appearing before Lord Brahma possessed the mark of Srivatsa and the Kaustubha gem, which are special characteristics possessed only by the Supreme Lord. This proves that all these boys & calves were in fact directly expansions of Visnu
- They (he calves and cowherd boys) had the same features, the same mentality and the same intentions, but they were all Krsna
- They (the elderly gopis) enhanced their special love for Krsna by embracing Him and feeding Him, and Krsna tasted their breast milk to be just like a nectarean beverage
- They (the scientists and philosophers) challenge Krsna, saying, What is God? We can do this, and we can do that. But the more they challenge Krsna in this way, the more they are implicated in suffering
- They (the Visnu forms) glanced upon Their devotees, embracing them and protecting them by smiling. Their smiles resembled the mode of goodness, protecting all the desires of the devotees, and the glancing of Their eyes resembled the mode of passion
- This bewilderment, this maya, was caused by the supreme controller, prabhavatah - the all-potent Supreme person, Krsna - and we shall see the result
- This increase of affection was not maya; rather, because Krsna had expanded Himself as everything and because the whole life of everyone in Vrndavana was meant for Krsna, the cows, because of affection for Krsna, had more affection for the older calves
- This is Krsna, who is understood by acintya-bhedabheda-tattva philosophy
- This mark (the Srivatsa mark) is not for ordinary devotees. It is a special mark of Visnu or Krsna
- This material world, in which there is fear and danger at every step (padam padam yad vipadam), is not meant for those who have taken shelter at Krsna's lotus feet. Such persons are delivered from this fearful world
- This maya might be some raksasi-maya, He (Balarama) thought, but how can raksasi-maya have any influence upon Me? This is not possible. Therefore it must be the maya of Krsna
- This pastime is called brahma-vimohana, the bewilderment of Brahma. Brahma was already bewildered by Krsna's activities as an innocent child, and now he would be further bewildered
- This path of acceptance is called avaroha-pantha The word avaroha is related to the word avatara, which means that which descends
- This submission (to Krsna) marks the difference between Krsna-ites and Mayavadis
- This time, the cows immediately forgot their position as soon as they saw the calves below Govardhana Hill, and they ran with great force, their tails erect and their front and hind legs joined, until they reached their calves
- This was their (the elderly gopis) inner ambition. Now, in order to please them, Krsna personally took the role of their sons and fulfilled their desire
- Those Visnu forms blessed the devotees with Their clear glances and smiles, which resembled the increasingly full light of the moon - sreyah-kairava-candrika-vitaranam
- Those who are engaged in self-realization, appreciating the Brahman effulgence of the Lord, and those engaged in devotional service, accepting the Supreme Personality of Godhead as master, are now playing with the Lord in friendship as cowherd boys
- Those who are under the clutches of maya, thinking the Lord an ordinary person, cannot understand that certain exalted personalities - after accumulating volumes of pious activities - are now playing with the Lord in friendship as cowherd boys
- To a pure devotee, Krsna is always visible, as stated in the Brahma samhita (santah sadaiva hrdayesu vilokayanti) and as indicated by Krsna Himself in Bhagavad-gita - 13.14 sarvatah pani-padam tat sarvato 'ksi-siro-mukham
- To embrace one's son and smell his head are symptoms of affection
- Transcendental forms of the Supreme Personality of Godhead in His person are so great that the impersonal followers of the Upanisads cannot reach the platform of knowledge to understand them
- Trees and vegetables are essential, and they give happiness all year round, in all seasons. That is the arrangement in Vrndavana. It is not that in one season the trees are pleasing and in another season not pleasing
- Trees and vegetables provide the real means of livelihood recommended for everyone. Sarva-kama-dugha mahi (SB 1.10.4). Trees and vegetables, not industry, provide the real means of life
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- Unless one is very advanced in Krsna consciousness, one cannot stick to hearing the pastimes of the Lord constantly
- Up to this time (one year), even Balarama was captivated by the bewilderment that covered Brahma
- Upon seeing this wonderful exhibition (of innumerable other Brahmas), the four-headed Brahma became nervous and began to think of himself as no more than a mosquito in the midst of many elephants. Therefore, what can Brahma do to bewilder Krsna
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- Varnasrama-dharma is essential, for it can bring people to sattva-guna
- Vedesu durlabham: one cannot reach Krsna merely by Vedic knowledge. Adurlabham atma-bhaktau: but when one becomes a devotee, then one can realize Him. Brahma, therefore, became a devotee
- Visnu Himself is included within Krsna. All the opulences of Visnu are already present in Krsna, and consequently for Krsna to demonstrate so many Visnu forms was actually not very astonishing
- Visnu pervades the entire material world, whereas Brahma merely occupies one subordinate post
- Vividha means - varieties. There is unity in variety. Thus yogamaya and mahamaya are among the varied individual parts of the same one potency, and all of these individual potencies work in their own varied ways
- Vrndavana forest is always filled with the chirping and cooing of birds like cuckoos, ducks and cranes, and it is also full of peacocks
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- We actually do not die. At death, we are merely kept inert for some time, just as during sleep
- We are horrified to hear the name of vana, the forest, but in Vrndavana there is no such horror. Everyone there is happy by pleasing Krsna
- We have to elevate ourselves from a lower position to a higher position, and the topmost position is that of direct service in Vrndavana. But everyone is engaged in service. Denial of the service of the Lord is maya
- We say that the words of sastra should be taken as they are, without change, since they are beyond our arguments
- We should always seek good association, the association of devotees. Then our life will be successful
- We should discuss Srimad-Bhagavatam daily as much as possible, and then everything will be clarified
- We should give up all our tiny efforts to defy the arrangement of Krsna. Instead, whatever arrangements He proposes, we should accept. This is always better, for this will make us happy
- We should gradually come to the sattva-guna, so that we may avoid the two lower gunas (rajo-guna and tamo-guna). This can be done if we regularly discuss Srimad-Bhagavatam and hear about Krsna's activities
- We should not equate the demigods with Narayana, for even Sankaracarya has forbidden this
- We should not try to overcome Krsna. Rather, instead of endeavoring to surpass Him, we should surrender to Him - sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja - BG 18.66
- What is day for the materialistic person is night for the spiritualist
- What is very sweet for the materialist - namely women and money - is regarded as poison by the spiritualist
- What was but a moment for Brahma was one year on earth. Krsna continued to expand Himself in so many forms for one year, but by the arrangement of yogamaya no one could understand this but Balarama
- When a living entity comes to the platform of Krsna consciousness, the beauty of his real form comes into full blossom. That is the ultimate beauty and the ultimate fulfillment of desire
- When Aghasura was being killed by Krsna, who was accompanied by His associates, Brahma was astonished, but when he saw that Krsna was very much enjoying His pastimes of lunch, he was even more astonished & wanted to test whether Krsna was actually there
- When Brahma came to see Krsna at Dvaraka, the doorman, at Lord Krsna's request, asked, Which Brahma are you? Later, when Brahma inquired from Krsna whether this meant that there was more than one Brahma, Krsna smiled and at once called for many Brahmas
- When Brahma returned, Brahma saw all the calves and cowherd boys playing with Krsna as expansions of Krsna, but he did not see Baladeva. As in the previous year, Lord Baladeva did not go to the woods on the day Lord Brahma appeared there
- When Brahma returned, he saw that all the boys, calves and cows were playing with Krsna in the same way as when he had come upon them; by Krsna's display of yogamaya, the same pastimes were going on without any change
- When Brahma, the chief person within the universe, tried to bewilder Krsna, he himself was bewildered and astonished. This is the position of the conditioned soul. Brahma wanted to mystify Krsna, but he himself was mystified
- When Krsna says, This is superior, and this is inferior, we accept what He says. It is not that we argue, Why is this superior and that inferior? If one argues, for him the knowledge is lost
- When Krsna was eating with His cowherd boyfriends, a certain bumblebee came there to take part in the eating
- When Krsna's doorman informed Lord Krsna that Lord Brahma had arrived, Krsna responded, "Which Brahma? Ask him which Brahma." The doorman relayed this question, and Brahma was astonished. "Is there another Brahma besides me?
- When one falls down before a superior just like a stick, one's offering of obeisances is called dandavat. Danda means "stick," and vat means "like"
- When one wants to supersede a superior power, one's own inferior power becomes ludicrous. Just as a glowworm in the daytime and snow at night have no value, Brahma's mystic power became worthless in the presence of Krsna
- When the doorman informed Lord Krsna, It is four-headed Brahma, Lord Krsna said, Oh, four-headed. Call others. Show him. This is Krsna's position. For Krsna the four-headed Brahma is insignificant, to say nothing of four-headed scientists
- Whether a gosvami or a tiger or other ferocious animal, everyone's business is the same - to please Krsna. Even the tigers are also devotees. This is the specific qualification of Vrndavana
- While bewildering Brahma, He (Krsna) enjoyed the special transcendental pleasure created by yogamaya between all the other mothers and Himself
- While Brahma was contemplating, all the calves and cowherd boys immediately transformed into visnu-murtis, having bluish complexions and wearing yellow garments
- With a faltering voice he (Brahma) offered prayers, understanding that here was the Supreme Person
- With one's limited senses, one cannot argue about that which is inconceivable. Therefore the inconceivable is called acintya, that which is beyond cintya, our thoughts and arguments
- Without KC, happiness is impossible; one may struggle, but one cannot have happiness. We are therefore trying to give human society the opportunity for a life of happiness, good health, peace of mind and all good qualities through God consciousness