Heart of Devotional Life
"We can leave this world at any moment, we do not even know if we will stay in this world until tomorrow; but even if we stay only until tomorrow, we can still chant the Holy Name, we can remember our guru-varga, their instruction—that will be good for us."
• Download / listen to the audio (2.2 Mb, 6 min | 26 April 2020)

• SUBJECTIVE EVOLUTION OF CONSCIOUSNESS •

THE CREATION
'Just before the creative movement began, the marginal potency of the Lord was in a state of equilibrium. Everything was in darkness, fully enveloped by ignorance. Science has no capacity for investigating the nature of that stage of existence. We can only say from here that it was completely immersed in deep sleep. At that time, movement began from within the spiritual plane, and light came. Light was seen by the seers...'

SRI KARTIK MONTH: 17 October–15 November

'You think, "You all sing, and I will listen." It will not do. You must sing yourself. If I eat, will your stomach be full? You must chant kirtans yourself. When you chant these kirtans, you will be remembering Nityananda Prabhu. You worry that you do not know the tune, but no tune is necessary. Because we have drums and karatals here now, we are playing them, but when I am alone, do you think I sing it like that? I do not. I recite them. Chanting kirtan is not playing drums and karatals – even if you read them, that is also kirtan. So, always chant kirtan.'

(Srila B.N. Acharya Maharaj)

KIRTANS SUNG DURING KARTIK MONTH
Morning kirtans: TEXT | AUDIO [17 min, 8.2 Mb]: Sri Damodarastakam, Sri Sriman Mahaprabhur Sata-Nama, Sri Krsner Vimsottara Sata-Nama.
Evening kirtans: TEXT | AUDIO [27 min, 12.5 Mb]: Sri Siksastakam.

Damodar Month
"This Kartik month (Damodar month) is Krishna's dearmost month. There is Radha-Damodar temple near our Vrindavan temple and every Kartik we go for parikrama in Vrindavan. This year also we have a great wish to start Vrindavan parikrama in Damodar month."
• Download / listen to the audio (2.4 Mb, 7 min | 25 October 2018)

Month of Service—Life of Service
"Today Kartik-vrata, or niyom-seva, starts. Our temple observes it from purnima to purnima, and some other temples do it from dvadasi to dvadasi. One day I asked Gurudev what niyom-seva meant..."
• Download / listen to the audio (6.4 Mb, 14 min | 13 October 2019)

Damodarastakam
"We sing Damodarastakam about the pastimes of the Lord written by Satyavrata Muni every Kartik month. That is a very important song in our spiritual life."
• Download / listen to the audio (2.3 Mb, 7 min | 25 October 2018)

Attend to Kirtan—Attain Kirtan
"Who can understand these songs? We cannot even understand 'trnad api sunichena...' then can we proceed to the other songs? If we want to chant the Name of Krishna, then we must become like this—trnad api sunichena...—as we sing in this kirtan."
• Download (0.7 Mb, 2 min | 7 November 2012 | Bengali)

Siksastakam
"We are singing the Siksastakam songs every day [in Kartik month]. Mahaprabhu is Radha-Krishna's combined form and Siksastakam is His teaching. It is very nice. We must practise these songs."
• Download / listen to the audio (3.1 Mb, 7 min | 25 October 2018)

In honour of Sri Murari Gupta:

'Murari Gupta was a great devotee of Lord Ramachandra. When Mahaprabhu heard Lord Ramachandra's glories from his mouth, He immediately wrote on his forehead "Rama-dasa" [an eternal servant of Lord Ramachandra].'

'Sri Murari Gupta wrote a book called Sri Chaitanya-charita. He belonged to a vaidya physician family of Srihatta, the paternal home of Lord Chaitanya, and later became a resident of Nabadwip. He was among the elders of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. Lord Chaitanya exhibited His Varaha form in the house of Murari Gupta (described in Sri Chaitanya-bhagavata, 2.3). When Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu exhibited His maha-prakasa form, He appeared before Murari Gupta as Lord Ramachandra.

'When Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and Nityananda Prabhu were sitting together in the house of Srivas Thakur, Murari Gupta first offered his respects to Lord Chaitanya and then to Sri Nityananda Prabhu. Nityananda Prabhu, however, was older than Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, and therefore Lord Chaitanya remarked that Murari Gupta had violated social etiquette, for he should have first shown respect to Nityananda Prabhu and then to Him. In this way, by the grace of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, Murari Gupta was informed about the position of Sri Nityananda Prabhu, and the next day he offered obeisances first to Lord Nityananda and then to Lord Chaitanya. Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu gave chewed pan, or betel nut, to Murari Gupta.

'Once Sivananda Sena offered food to Lord Chaitanya that had been cooked with excessive ghee, and the next day the Lord became sick and went to Murari Gupta for treatment. Lord Chaitanya accepted some water from the waterpot of Murari Gupta, and thus He was cured. The natural remedy for indigestion is to drink a little water, and since Murari Gupta was a physician, he gave the Lord some drinking water and cured Him.

'When Chaitanya Mahaprabhu appeared in the house of Srivas Thakur in His chaturbhuja murti, Murari Gupta became His carrier in the form of Garuda, and in these pastimes of ecstasy the Lord then got up on his back. It was the desire of Murari Gupta to leave his body before the disappearance of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, but the Lord forbade him to do so (described in Sri Chaitanya-bhagavata, 2.20). When Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu one day appeared in ecstasy as the Varaha murti, Murari Gupta offered Him prayers. He was a great devotee of Lord Ramachandra, and his staunch devotion is vividly described in Sri Chaitanya-charitamrita (2.15.137–157):

'Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu embraced Murari Gupta and began to speak about his firm faith in devotional service. This was heard by all the devotees. He said, 'Previously I induced Murari Gupta again and again to be allured by Lord Krishna. I said to him, "My dear Gupta, Lord Sri Krishna, Vrajendra-kumar, is the supreme sweetness. He is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the origin of all incarnations and the source of everything. He is pure transcendental love itself, and He is the reservoir of all pleasure. Krishna is the reservoir of all transcendental qualities. He is like a mine of gems. He is expert at everything, very intelligent and sober, and He is the summit of all transcendental humors. His character is very sweet, and His pastimes are melodious. He is expert in intelligence, and thus He enjoys all His pastimes and mellows."

'I then requested Murari Gupta, "Worship Krishna and take shelter of Him. But for His service, nothing appeals to the mind." In this way, he heard from Me again and again. By My influence, his mind was a little converted. Murari Gupta then replied, "I am Your servant and Your order-carrier. I have no independent existence."

'After this, he went home and spent the whole night thinking how he would have to give up the association of Raghunath (Lord Ramachandra). Thus he was overwhelmed. Murari Gupta then began to pray at the lotus feet of Lord Ramachandra. He prayed that death would come that night because it was not possible for him to give up the service of the lotus feet of Raghunath. Thus Murari Gupta cried the entire night. There was no rest for his mind; therefore he could not sleep but stayed awake the entire night.

'In the morning Murari Gupta came to see Me. Catching hold of My feet and crying, he submitted an appeal. He told Me, "I have sold my head unto the lotus feet of Raghunath. I cannot withdraw my head, for that would give me too much pain. It is not possible for me to give up the service of Raghunath's lotus feet. At the same time, if I do not do so I shall break Your order. What can I do?" In this way Murari Gupta appealed to Me, saying, "You are all-merciful, so kindly grant me this mercy: Let me die before You so that all my doubts will be finished."

'Hearing this, I became very happy. I then raised Murari Gupta and embraced him. I said to him, "All glories to you, Murari Gupta! Your method of worship is very firmly fixed — so much so that even upon My request your mind did not turn. The servitor must have love and affection for the lotus feet of the Lord exactly like this. Even if the Lord wants separation, a devotee cannot abandon the shelter of His lotus feet. Just to test your firm faith in your Lord, I requested you again and again to change your worship from Lord Ramachandra to Krishna." In this way, I congratulated Murari Gupta, saying, "Indeed, you are the incarnation of Hanuman. Consequently you are the eternal servant of Lord Ramachandra. Why should you give up the worship of Lord Ramachandra and His lotus feet?"'

Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu continued, "I accept this Murari Gupta as My life and soul. When I hear of his humility, it perturbs My very life."

(Srila A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Maharaj Prabhupad)

No Quarantine in Practising Life
"It has been one month now since we have been indoors. It is a little boring, but we cannot do anything. This disease can affect our body and make us sick, that is why we must be always careful. We keep social distance, but not mental distance—not heart distance."
• Download / listen to the audio (1.6 Mb, 4 min | 2 April 2020)

• SUBJECTIVE EVOLUTION OF CONSCIOUSNESS •

FOSSILISM, HYPNOTISM & THE COSMOS
'If we only reinstate ourselves in that faith, we will be all right. It is our fault that we are suffering; otherwise there is no difference in vision from the universal standpoint. Isad apetasya, we have turned away from our master. But we should remember that He is our master, He is our well-wisher, He is our guardian. Deviation from that consciousness is misery of an infinite magnitude. Its cause is very subtle and very minute; it is our mentality of separate interest. And as a result, we have been captured by the enemy camp.'

Peculiarity of Lord's Pastimes
"I have read Ramayan, but I am telling you the gist point... There are many incarnations—Narayan, Ramachandra, Vamanadev, Balaram, and others, but Krishna is the full Supreme Personality of Godhead. However, Gaura-lila is even higher..."
• Download / listen to the audio (7.6 Mb, 18 min | 2 April 2020 | Class and Kirtan)

• SUBJECTIVE EVOLUTION OF CONSCIOUSNESS •

PREFACE
'Evolution is generally thought of as something objective. But objective evolution is a misperception of reality. Evolution is actually based on consciousness, which is subjective. Subjective evolution, however, seems to be objective evolution to the ignorant. In ignorance we think of ourselves as subjects, although in reality the Lord is the subject and we are His objects. We think of ourselves as proprietors although we are His property.'

• LOVING SEARCH FOR THE LOST SERVANT •

THE SERVICE OF SRI RADHA [Last chapter]
'Radha-dasyam has been said to be the highest attainment. Why? The quality and quantity of rasa that Radharani can draw from Krishna can never be found anywhere else. So if you are situated just behind Radharani, you’ll be allowed to taste not only the quantity, but the highest quality of rasa.'

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In honour of Srila Raghunath Das Goswami:

Raghunath Das Goswami's Path
"We have no qualification to serve the Vaishnavs. If we do not got mercy from Vaishnavs, we cannot get service from the Vaishnavs. That is why we always make Vaishnavs' disappearance festivals and remember such days."
• Download (3.7 Mb, 9 min | 8 October 2011)

Highest Designation
"We do not want to be a master, we do not want to be a Guru—we want to be a servant of the servant. This is the most important thing in our spiritual life. If we can become a servant of a Vaishnav, that is the highest, that is the best qualification..."
• Download (1.3 Mb, 3 min | 8 October 2011)

Raghunath Das Goswami's Pastimes: Nectar of Devotion
"In Mahaprabhu's time, and even after that, everybody wanted to be a servant. Das Goswami Prabhu, Jiva Goswami Prabhu, and others, were all servants. If you hear about Srila Raghunath Das Goswami's pastimes you will get nectar."
• Download (1.8 Mb, 4 min | 8 October 2011)

Humble and Chaste Service
"Wherever they are living now, we only want them to allow us to serve their associates, associates of our Gurudev, and our Guru. We do not want to enter their party, but we only want their service as a dog..."
• Download (2.4 Mb, 6 min | 8 October 2011)

Wholehearted Engagement
"This day is a day of Vaishnav seva. Srila Raghunath Das Goswami Prabhu taught us what must be the quality of a Vaishnav and what must be the quality of your practising. What Das Goswami Prabhu showed, how he himself practised, is an example for us."
• Download (2.7 Mb, 8 min | 9 October 2011)

Two Oceans of Pastimes
His Divine Grace Om Vishnupad Srila B.N. Acharya Maharaj is speaking about the glories and pastimes of Srila Raghunath Das Goswami and Srila Krishna Das Kaviraj Goswami on their disappearance day.
• Download / listen to the audio (2.8 Mb, 9 min | 5 October 2014)

Srila Raghunath Das Goswami: Breaking Free
"He wanted to take a roundabout zigzag route, avoiding Nityananda Prabhu and going directly to Mahaprabhu, but every time he went to Mahaprabhu, Mahaprabhu rejected him and sent him back to his home...."
• Download / listen to the audio (1.7 Mb, 5 min | 25 October 2015)

Real Mercy, Real Service
Real mercy: "Getting mercy means getting service: if you have service, you have mercy."
Real service: "Practise properly, keep proper association, and always avoid the Nama aparadh, seva aparadh, dham aparadh, Vaishnav aparadh. Chant the Holy Name properly, without deceit, and with proper attention and service mood."
• Download / listen to the audio (1 Mb, 2 min | 30 May 2015)

• Srila Raghunath Das Goswami Sochaka | শ্রীল-রঘুনাথদাস-গোস্বামি-শোচক
"When Raghunath Das heard that Rupa and Sanatan had gone to Vrindavan, he gave up all rights to his estate and the comforts of a life like that of Indra, and went to Mahaprabhu."

In honour of Srila Raghunath Bhatta Goswami:

A Separation Day
"Srila Raghunath Bhatta Goswami was born in Benares. His father's name is Tapan Mishra, he was a very good searcher and devotee of Krishna. Srila Raghunath Bhatta Goswami got an opportunity to serve Mahaprabhu, and Mahaprabhu was very affectionate to Raghunath..."

In honour of Srila Krishna Das Kaviraj Goswami:

Bhukti, Mukti, Bhakti
What is mukti and what is bhakti? His Divine Grace Srila B.N. Acharya Maharaj is reading from Sri Chaitanya-charitamrita, Adi-lila, Chapters 8 and 10, noting the exceptional character of devotion of Srila Krishna Das Kaviraj Goswami and Srila Raghunath Das Goswami.
• Download / listen to the audio (8 Mb, 17 min | 6 November 2010)

Two Oceans of Pastimes
His Divine Grace Om Vishnupad Srila B.N. Acharya Maharaj is speaking about the glories and pastimes of Srila Raghunath Das Goswami and Srila Krishna Das Kaviraj Goswami on their disappearance day.
• Download / listen to the audio (2.8 Mb, 9 min | 5 October 2014)

Prayers to Sri Vaishnav Thakur:

• SONG: Sri Sad-Goswamy-Astakam | শ্রীশ্রীষড়্­গোস্বাম্যষ্টকম্
• Download / listen to the audio (4.5 Mb)

"I offer my respectful obeisances unto the Six Goswamis, namely Sri Rupa Goswami, Sri Sanatan Goswami, Sri Raghunath Bhatta Goswami, Sri Raghunath Das Goswami, Sri Jiva Goswami, and Sri Gopala Bhatta Goswami, who are always engaged in chanting the Holy Name of Krishna and dancing. They are just like the ocean of love of God, and they are popular both with the gentle and with the ruffians, because they are not envious of anyone. Whatever they do, they are all-pleasing to everyone, and they are fully blessed by Lord Chaitanya. Thus they are engaged in missionary activities meant to deliver all the conditioned souls in the material universe."

• SONG: Ei-bara karuna kara | এইবার করুণা কর
"O worshippable Vaisnava, be merciful to me this time. O saviour of the fallen, without you there is no one. In every birth I aspire for the dust of your feet."

• SONG: Ohe Vaisnava Thakur | (ওহে) বৈষ্ণব ঠাকুর
"O worshippable Vaishnav, ocean of grace, be merciful to this servant. Give me the shade of your feet and purify me. I clasp your feet. You can give Krishna, you have that power. Calling, 'Krishna!' 'Krishna!', I run after you."

• SONG: Ki-rupe paiba seva | কিরূপে পাইব সেবা
"I am so wicked, how will I ever get service? I do not have any attachment to Sri Guru and Vaishnavs! Prabhu, you see no fault in others, you are the saviour of the fallen. Please deliver Narottam this time!"

• SONG: Dhana mora nityananda | ধন মোর নিত্যানন্দ
"The feet dust of the Vaishnavs is where I sport and take bath, Vaishnavs' name is the water oblation. My mind is intently fixed upon the remnants of Vaishnavs, and I am elated hearing the name of Vaishnavs."

• SONG: Ye anila prema-dhana | যে আনিল প্রেমধন
"Where has Advaita Acharya gone? Where are my Svarup, Rupa, Sanatan? Where is my Raghunath? Where are the saviours of the fallen souls?"

Rama-Avatar
"Today is a very good day—the appearance day of Lord Ramachandra. There are different kinds of moods—santa, dasya, sakhya, vatsalya, madhura-rasa. Moreover, the Supreme Personality of Godhead and the Lord are also different. You can easily understand it from the difference between Rama-lila and Krishna-lila."
• Download / listen to the audio (3.7 Mb, 9 min | 2 April 2020)

• LOVING SEARCH FOR THE LOST SERVANT •

THE HOLY NAME
'Sometimes chanting the name may result in namabhasa—the shadow of the name. Whether or not it is suddha nama, the genuine name, depends on the mental system of the person chanting the name. It depends on his relation towards Krishna, his intention.'

Be Careful and Wise
"Do not worry—Krishna will arrange everything. It is not necessary to think about anything. None of us knows what His arrangement is, but whatever arrangement it is, I can say that it will be good for devotees. Krishna is always with His devotees."
• Download / listen to the audio (1.1 Mb, 3 min | 28 March 2020)

• LOVING SEARCH FOR THE LOST SERVANT •

KNOWLEDGE-FREE DEVOTION
'To become Krishna conscious, one need not be a wise man, nor a very energetic man, he may not be a master of opulence and power—the only requirement that is demanded from him is that he must have an earnest hunger for the Lord. He must find some sweetness, some taste in His words and His affairs when he hears from a proper source—a genuine saint. That taste will take him gradually further and further into the highest domain.'

In honour of Srila Madhva Acharya:

"Madhva Acharya also stayed here with his disciples for some time as a resident of the Nabadwip Dham. Gauranga-sundar mercifully revealed His most enchanting form to Madhva Acharya in a dream. Smiling, Gaurachandra said to Madhva Acharya, 'Everyone knows that you are My eternal servant. When I appear in Nabadwip, I will follow your lineage. Now, carefully eradicate illusionism and false scriptures from all regions, and establish the glory of the Lord's Deity form. Later, I will develop your pure conception.' Saying this, Gaurachandra disappeared. Madhva Acharya awoke and then fainted. Madhva Acharya then cried, wondering, 'Will I ever see that beautiful golden form again?' Then a divine voice came from the clear sky, 'Serve Me secretly, and you will come to Me.' Madhva Acharya became resolute and defeated the mayavadis in all directions."

Sri Nabadwip Dham Mahatmya, Chapter 15

Foundation of Surrender
"It is a very auspicious day today—the holy appearance day of Sri Madhvacharya, also today is vijaya maha-mahotsav of Lord Ramachandra. It is a very auspicious day, and we are getting some chance to speak some Hari-katha, to practise sravanam, kirtanam."
• Download / listen to the audio (3 Mb, 9 min)

Proper Service Is Chaste Service
"So, there are different ways to satisfy the Lord or satisfy your guru. There is not only one source. Whatever service Gurudev gives me, I must do it attentively, with faith, and without thinking about other things."
• Download / listen to the audio (1.1 Mb, 3 min | 28 March 2020)

• LOVING SEARCH FOR THE LOST SERVANT •

SONHOOD OF GOD
'If we examine ourselves, we will read and cry: “What have I done? What is my necessity? And how am I passing my days? I must repent, cry. I have passed my days uselessly, I am a traitor to my own self, I am committing suicide. My real complaint is against myself and my so-called friends. We have nothing to do here.” So, read and cry; do or die!'

"Try Your Best"
"We must try to rectify ourselves. We are everybody's servants. When you take initiation, you do not become a devotee—you only get admission into a spiritual school, but after that you must practise. You will become perfect through practise."
• Download / listen to the audio (1.1 Mb, 3 min | 28 March 2020)

• LOVING SEARCH FOR THE LOST SERVANT •

BRAHMA’S ILLUSION
'The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Sri Krishna, the ultimate cause of all harmony, is so wonderful that simply by approaching Him, we will be charmed by His ways. He is known as Urukrama, for His strides are wonderful, unthinkable, unknown, and unknowable.'

Advice to Householder Devotees
"The husband will work. The wife will cook, offer the bhog, take the offered prasadam first, and then the husband will take the remnants after her. That is Srila Gaura Kishor Das Babaji Maharaj's advice..."
• Download / listen to the audio (1 Mb, 3 min | 28 March 2020)

• LOVING SEARCH FOR THE LOST SERVANT •

LORD OF THE COWS
'With full faith that Krishna will give us protection, we should try to take shelter under Govardhan Hill and pray: “O Krishna, give me protection from all the difficulties that may come to attack me because of my leaving behind my ordinary obligations.”'