In2-MeC

Amsterdam, the Netherlands
4 June 2004

A Vaisnava is. . .

krpalu, akrta-droha, satya-sara, sama
nidosa, vadanya, mrdu, suci, akincana
sarvopakaraka, santa, krsnaika-sarana
akama, aniha, sthira, vijita-sad-guna
mita-bhuk, apramatta, manada, amani
gambhira, karuna, maitra, kavi, daksa, mauni

Devotees are always merciful, humble, truthful, equal to all, faultless,
magnanimous, mild and clean. They are without material possessions, and
they perform welfare work for everyone. They are peaceful, surrendered to
Krsna and desireless. They are indifferent to material acquisitions and
are fixed in devotional service. They completely control the six bad
qualities--lust, anger, greed and so forth. They eat only as much as
required, and they are not inebriated. They are respectful, grave,
compassionate and without false prestige. They are friendly, poetic,
expert and silent.

-- CC. Madhya 22. 78-80

The explanation of these items continues from yesterday.

Magnanimous

"The spiritual master accepts the sinful activities of his disciples from the first initiation. I may give initiation very easily, but what can I do? I am prepared to go to hell for the service of Lord Caitanya. "

-- Letter of September 4, 1972

Mild

"You have written to say that I am �hard as the thunderbolt and softer than a rose,' and it is quite right in the line of Krsna consciousness. "

-- Letter of October 13, 1967

Clean

"Brahminical life means to be very, very clean, inside and out: inside by chanting and hearing, and outside by bathing three times daily. . . . "

-- Letter of December 7, 1975

Srila Prabhupada at a preaching program in the early days in San Francisco, being introduced to the public by HG Jayananda Prabhu.

Without material possessions

"I have come to your country by aeroplane not to see your country. I have come for Krsna's business: to see if I can induce you to Krsna consciousness. Otherwise we have no concern with this aeroplane or motorcar or anything. We take advantage. Similarly, when we take advantage of this body for advancing in Krsna consciousness, then it is very nice. "

-- Lecture on Bhagavad-gita, 2. 11

Performs welfare work for everyone

"Just see the example. I am not proud, but because I have got little taste for it, therefore I am preaching all over the world. I don't say I am perfect. I have got little taste of krsna-bhakti. So I have no distinction that �This is Indian, this is American, this is African. ' Everyone, I am giving this harinama. "

-- Morning walk, Bombay, February 19, 1974

Sri Sanatana Gosvami surrenders to the lotus feet of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu for instruction in the transcendental science of bhakti-yoga.

TEXT 148

vaidhi-bhakti-sadhanera kahilun vivarana
raganuga-bhaktira laksana suna, sanatana

SYNONYMS

vaidhi-bhakti--of devotional service according to the regulative principles; sadhanera--of the execution; kahilun--I have made; vivarana--description; raganuga-bhaktira--of spontaneous devotional service; laksana--the symptoms; suna--please hear; sanatana--O Sanatana.

TRANSLATION

"My dear Sanatana, I have now in detail described devotional service according to the regulative principles. Now hear from Me about spontaneous devotional service and its characteristics.

TEXT 149

ragatmika-bhakti----'mukhya' vraja-vasi-jane
tara anugata bhaktira 'raganuga'-name

SYNONYMS

ragatmika-bhakti--spontaneous devotional service; mukhya--preeminent; vraja-vasi-jane--in the inhabitants of Vraja, or Vrndavana; tara--that; anugata--following; bhaktira--of devotional service; raganuga-name--named raganuga or following after spontaneous devotional service.

TRANSLATION

"The original inhabitants of Vrndavana are attached to Krsna spontaneously in devotional service. Nothing can compare to such spontaneous devotional service, which is called ragatmika bhakti. When a devotee follows in the footsteps of the devotees of Vrndavana, his devotional service is called raganuga bhakti.

PURPORT

In his Bhakti-sandarbha, Jiva Gosvami states:

tad evam tat-tad-abhimana-laksana-bhava-visesvena svabhavika-ragasya vaisistye sati
tat-tad-raga-prayukta sravana-kirtana-smarana-pada-sevana-vandanatma-nivedana-praya bhaktis
tesam ragatmika bhaktir ity ucyate. . . . tatas tadiyam ragam rucyanugacchanti sa raganuga.

When a pure devotee follows the footsteps of a devotee in Vrndavana, he develops raganuga bhakti.

TEXT 150

iste svarasiki ragah
paramavistata bhavet
tanmayi ya bhaved bhaktih
satra ragatmikodita

SYNONYMS

iste--unto the desired object of life; svarasiki--appropriate for one's own original aptitude of love; ragah--attachment; parama-avistata--absorption in the service of the Lord; bhavet--is; tat-mayi--consisting of that transcendental attachment; ya--which; bhavet--is; bhaktih--devotional service; sa--that; atra--here; ragatmika-udita--called ragatmika, or spontaneous devotional service.

TRANSLATION

"'When one becomes attached to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, his natural inclination to love is fully absorbed in thoughts of the Lord. That is called transcendental attachment, and devotional service according to that attachment is called ragatmika, or spontaneous devotional service. '

PURPORT

This verse is found in the Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu (1. 2. 272).

TEXT 151

iste 'gadha-trsna'----ragera svarupa-laksana
iste 'avistata'----ei tatastha-laksana

SYNONYMS

iste--in the desired object, the Supreme Personality of Godhead; gadha-trsna--deep attachment; ragera--of spontaneous love; svarupa-laksana--the primary symptom; iste--unto the Supreme; avistata--absorption; ei--this; tatastha-laksana--the marginal symptom.

TRANSLATION

"The primary characteristic of spontaneous love is deep attachment for the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Absorption in Him is a marginal characteristic.

TEXT 152

ragamayi-bhaktira haya 'ragatmika' nama
ta-ha suni' lubdha haya kona bhagyavan

SYNONYMS

raga-mayi--consisting of attachment; bhaktira--of devotional service; haya--is; ragatmika--spontaneous love; nama--the name; taha suni'--hearing this; lubdha--covetous; haya--becomes; kona bhagyavan--some fortunate person.

TRANSLATION

"Thus devotional service which consists of raga [deep attachment] is called ragatmika, spontaneous loving service. If a devotee covets such a position, he is considered to be most fortunate.

TEXT 153

lobhe vraja-vasira bhave kare anugati
sastra-yukti nahi mane----raganugara prakrti

SYNONYMS

lobhe--in such covetousness; vraja-vasira bhave--in the moods of the inhabitants of Vrndavana, Vraja; kare anugati--follows; sastra-yukti--injunctions or reasonings of the sastras; nahi mane--does not abide by; raganugara--of spontaneous love; prakrti--the nature.

TRANSLATION

"If one follows in the footsteps of the inhabitants of Vrndavana out of such transcendental covetousness, he does not care for the injunctions or reasonings of sastra. That is the way of spontaneous love.

PURPORT

Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura says that a devotee is attracted by the service of the inhabitants of Vrndavana-namely the cowherd men, Maharaja Nanda, mother Yasoda, Radharani, the gopis, and the cows and calves. An advanced devotee is attracted by the service rendered by an eternal servitor of the Lord. This attraction is called spontaneous attraction. Technically it is called svarupa-upalabdhi. This stage is not achieved in the beginning. In the beginning one has to render service strictly according to the regulative principles set forth by the revealed scriptures and spiritual master. By continuously rendering service through the process of vaidhi bhakti, one's natural inclination is gradually awakened. That is called spontaneous attraction, or raganuga bhakti.

An advanced devotee situated on the platform of spontaneity is already very expert in sastric instruction, logic and argument. When he comes to the point of eternal love for Krsna, no one can deviate him from that position, neither by argument nor by sastric evidence. An advanced devotee has realized his eternal relationship with the Lord, and consequently he does not accept the logic and arguments of others. Such an advanced devotee has nothing to do with the sahajiyas, who manufacture their own way and commit sins by indulging in illicit sex, intoxication and gambling, if not meat-eating. Sometimes the sahajiyas imitate advanced devotees and live in their own whimsical way, avoiding the principles set down in the revealed scriptures. Unless one follows the six Gosvamis--Sri Rupa, Sanatana, Raghunatha Bhatta, Sri Jiva, Gopala Bhatta and Raghunatha dasa--one cannot be a bona fide spontaneous lover of Krsna. In this connection, Srila Narottama dasa Thakura says: rupa-raghunatha-pade haibe akuti kabe hama bujhaba se yugala piriti. The sahajiyas' understanding of the love affairs between Radha and Krsna is not bona fide because they do not follow the principles laid down by the six Gosvamis. Their illicit connection and their imitation of the dress of Rupa Gosvami as well as their avoidance of the prescribed methods of revealed scriptures will lead them to the lowest regions of hell. These imitative sahajiyas are cheated and unfortunate. They are not equal to advanced devotees (paramahamsas). Debauchees and paramahamsas are not on the same level.

TEXT 154

virajantim abhivyaktam
vraja-vasi-janadisu
ragatmikam anusrta
ya sa raganugocyate

SYNONYMS

virajantim--shining intensely; abhivyaktam--fully expressed; vraja-vasi-jana-adisu--among the eternal inhabitants of Vrndavana; ragatmika--devotional service consisting of spontaneous love; anusrta--following; ya--which; sa--that; raganuga--devotional service following in the wake of spontaneous love; ucyate--is said.

TRANSLATION

"'Devotional service in spontaneous love is vividly expressed and manifested by the inhabitants of Vrndavana. Devotional service that accords with their devotional service is called raganuga bhakti, or devotional service following in the wake of spontaneous loving service. '

PURPORT

This verse is found in the Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu (1. 2. 270).

TEXT 155

tat-tad-bha' vadi-madhurye
srute dhir yad apeksate
natra sastram na yuktim ca
tal lobhotpatti-laksanam

SYNONYMS

tat-tat--respective; bhava-adi-madhurye--the sweetness of the loving moods (namely santa-rasa, dasya-rasa, sakhya-rasa, vatsalya-rasa and madhurya-rasa) of the inhabitants of Vrndavana; srute--when heard; dhih--the intelligence; yat--which; apeksate--depends on; na--not; atra--here; sastram--revealed scriptures; na--not; yuktim--logic and argument; ca--also; tat--that; lobha--of covetousness to follow in the footsteps; utpatti-laksanam--the symptom of awakening.

TRANSLATION

"'When an advanced realized devotee hears about the affairs of the devotees of Vrndavana--in the mellows of santa, dasya, sakhya, vatsalya and madhurya--he becomes inclined in that way, and his intelligence becomes attracted. Indeed, he begins to covet that particular type of devotion. When such covetousness is awakened, one's intelligence no longer depends on the instruction of sastra, revealed scripture, logic or argument. '

PURPORT

This verse is found in the Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu (1. 2. 292).

TEXTS 156-157

bahya, antara,----ihara dui ta' sadhana
'bahye' sadhaka-dehe kare sravana-kirtana

'mane' nija-siddha-deha kariya bhavana
ratri-dine kare vraje krsnera sevana

SYNONYMS

bahya--externally; antara--internally; ihara--of this spontaneous love of Godhead; dui--two; ta'--indeed; sadhana--such processes of execution; bahye--externally; sadhaka-dehe--with the body of an advanced devotee; kare--does; sravana-kirtana--hearing and chanting; mane--the mind; nija--own; siddha-deha--eternal body or self-realized position; kariya bhavana--thinking of; ratri-dine--night and day; kare--executes; vraje--in Vrndavana; krsnera--of Lord Krsna; sevana--service.

TRANSLATION

"There are two processes by which one may execute this raganuga bhakti--external and internal. When self-realized, the advanced devotee externally remains like a neophyte and executes all the sastric injunctions, especially hearing and chanting. However, within his mind, in his original purified self-realized position, he serves Krsna in Vrndavana in his particular way. He serves Krsna twenty-four hours, all day and night.

TEXT 158

seva sadhaka-rupena
siddha-rupena catra hi
tad-bhava-lipsuna karya
vraja-lokanusaratah

SYNONYMS

seva--service; sadhaka-rupena--with the external body as a devotee practicing regulative devotional service; siddha-rupena--with a body suitable for eternal, self-realized service; ca--also; atra--in this connection; hi--certainly; tat--of that; bhava--the mood; lipsuna--desiring to obtain; karya--to be executed; vraja-loka--of the particular servant of Krsna in Vrndavana; anusaratah--by following in the footsteps.

TRANSLATION

"'The advanced devotee who is inclined to spontaneous loving service should follow the activities of a particular associate of Krsna in Vrndavana. He should execute service externally as a regulative devotee as well as internally from his self-realized position. Thus he should perform devotional service both externally and internally. '

PURPORT

This verse is found in the Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu (1. 2. 295).

TEXT 159

nijabhista krsna-prestha pacheta' lagiya
nirantara seva kare antarmana hana

SYNONYMS

nija-abhista--one's own choice; krsna-prestha--the servitor of Krsna; pacheta' lagiya--following; nirantara--twenty-four hours a day; seva--service; kare--executes; antarmana--within the mind; hana--being.

TRANSLATION

"Actually the inhabitants of Vrndavana are very dear to Krsna. If one wants to engage in spontaneous loving service, he must follow the inhabitants of Vrndavana and constantly engage in devotional service within his mind.

TEXT 160

krsnam smaran janam casya
prestham nija-samihitam
tat-tat-katha-ratas casau
kuryad vasam vraje sada

SYNONYMS

krsnam--Lord Krsna; smaran--thinking of; janam--a devotee; ca--and; asya--of His; prestham--very dear; nija-samihitam--chosen by oneself; tat-tat-katha--to those respective topics; ratah--attached; ca--and; asau--that; kuryat--should do; vasam--living; vraje--in Vrndavana; sada--always.

TRANSLATION

"'The devotee should always think of Krsna within himself, and one should choose a very dear devotee who is a servitor of Krsna in Vrndavana. One should constantly engage in topics about that servitor and his loving relationship to Krsna, and one should live in Vrndavana. However, if one is physically unable to go to Vrndavana, he should mentally live there. '

PURPORT

This verse is found in the Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu (1. 2. 294).

TEXT 161

dasa-sakha-pitradi-preyasira gana
raga-marge nija-nija-bhavera ganana

SYNONYMS

dasa--servants; sakha--friends; pitr-adi--parents; preyasira gana--conjugal lovers; raga-marge--on the path of spontaneous loving service; nija-nija--of one's own choice; bhavera--of the ecstasy; ganana--counting.

TRANSLATION

"Krsna has many types of devotees-some are servants, some are friends, some are parents, and some are conjugal lovers. Those who are situated in one of these attitudes of spontaneous love according to their choice are considered to be on the path of spontaneous loving service.

TEXT 162

na karhicin mat-parah santa-rupe
nanksyanti no me 'nimiso ledhi hetih
yesam aham priya atma sutas ca
sakha guruh suhrdo daivam istam

SYNONYMS

na--not; karhicit--at any time; mat-parah--devotees of Me; santa-rupe--O mother, the symbol of peacefulness; nanksyanti--will perish; no--nor; me--My; animisah--time; ledhi--licks up (destroys); hetih--weapon; yesam--of whom; aham--I; priyah--dear; atma--the Supersoul; sutah--the son; ca--and; sakha--friend; guruh--spiritual master; suhrdah--well-wisher; daivam--the Deity; istam--chosen.

TRANSLATION

"'My dear mother, Devahuti! O emblem of peace! My weapon, the disc of time, never vanquishes those for whom I am very dear, for whom I am the Supersoul, the son, friend, spiritual master, well-wisher, worshipable Deity and desired goal. Since the devotees are always attached to Me, they are never vanquished by the agents of time. '

PURPORT

This was spoken by Kapiladeva to His mother Devahuti and is recorded in Srimad-Bhagavatam (3. 25. 38). Kapiladeva instructed His mother in sankhya-yoga, but the importance of bhakti-yoga is mentioned here. Later sanhkya-yoga was imitated by atheists, whose system was founded by a different Kapiladeva, Rsi Kapiladeva.

TEXT 163

pati-putra-suhrd-bhratr-
pitrvan mitravad dharim
ye dhyayanti sadodyuktas
tebhyo 'piha namo namah

SYNONYMS

pati--a husband; putra--a son; suhrt--a friend; bhratr--a brother; pitr--a father; vat--like; mitra--an intimate friend; vat--like; harim--on the Supreme Personality of Godhead; ye--all those who; dhyayanti--meditate; sada--always; udyuktah--full of eagerness; tebhyah--unto them; api--also; iha--here; namah namah--repeated respectful obeisances.

TRANSLATION

"'Let me offer my respectful obeisances again and again to those who always eagerly meditate upon the Supreme Personality of Godhead as a husband, son, friend, brother, father or intimate friend. '

PURPORT

This verse appears in the Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu (1. 2. 308).

TEXT 164

ei mata kare yeba raganuga-bhakti
krsnera carane tanra upajaya 'priti'

SYNONYMS

ei mata--in this way; kare--executes; yeba--anyone who; raganuga-bhakti--spontaneous devotional service to Krsna; krsnera carane--to the lotus feet of Krsna; tanra--his; upajaya--awakens; priti--affection.

TRANSLATION

"If one engages in spontaneous loving service to the Lord, his affection at the lotus feet of Krsna gradually increases.

TEXT 165

prity-ankure 'rati', 'bhava'----haya dui nama
yaha haite vasa hana sri-bhagavan

SYNONYMS

priti-ankure--in the seed of affection; rati--attachment; bhava--emotion; haya--there are; dui nama--two names; yaha haite--from which; vasa--controlled; hana--is; sri-bhagavan--the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

TRANSLATION

"In the seed of affection, there is attachment which goes by two names, rati and bhava. The Supreme Personality of Godhead comes under the control of such attachment.

PURPORT

Sri Madhavendra Puri, the first acarya in the disciplic succession of spontaneous devotion, was the perfect example of devotion under rules and regulation. At the same time his heart, where he felt intense pangs of separation from Lord Krsna, was a temple of raganuga-bhakti. Lord Krsna personally came to visit Sri Madhadevendra Puri when he stayed in Vrajabhumi.

Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura comments on this verse. Externally a devotee performs all the items of devotional service--sravana and kirtana--in nine different ways, and within his mind he always thinks of his eternal relationship with Krsna and follows in the footsteps of the devotees of Vrndavana. If one engages himself in the service of Radha and Krsna in this way, he can transcend the regulative principles enjoined in the sastras and, through his spiritual master, fully engage in rendering spontaneous love to Krsna. In this way, he attains affection at the lotus feet of Krsna. Krsna actually comes under the control of such spontaneous feelings, and ultimately one can attain association with the Lord.

TEXT 166

yaha haite pai krsnera prema-sevana
eita' kahilun 'abhidheya'-vivarana

SYNONYMS

yaha haite--from which; pai--I can get; krsnera--of Lord Krsna; prema-sevana--affectionate service; eita'--this; kahilun--I have done; abhidheya-vivarana--description of the means (devotional service) in detail.

TRANSLATION

"That by which one can attain loving service to the Lord I have described in detail as the execution of devotional service called abhidheya.

TEXT 167

abhidheya, sadhana-bhakti ebe kahilun sanatana
sanksepe kahilun, vistara na yaya varnana

SYNONYMS

abhidheya--the means of obtaining the desired object; sadhana-bhakti--devotional service performed by means of the body and senses; ebe--now; kahilun--I have described; sanatana--My dear Sanatana; sanksepe--in short; kahilun--I have described; vistara--expansion; na yaya--is not possible; varnana--describing.

TRANSLATION

"My dear Sanatana, I have briefly described the process of devotional service in practice, which is the means for obtaining love of Krsna. It cannot be described broadly. "

TEXT 168

abhidheya sadhana-bhakti sune yei jana
acirat paya sei krsna-prema-dhana

SYNONYMS

abhidheya--necessary duty; sadhana-bhakti--devotional service in practice; sune--hears; yei jana--anyone who; acirat--very soon; paya--gets; sei--that person; krsna-prema-dhana--the treasure of love of Krsna.

TRANSLATION

Whoever hears the process of practical devotional service very soon attains shelter at the lotus feet of Krsna in love and affection.

TEXT 169

sri-rupa-raghunatha-pade yara asa
caitanya-caritamrta kahe krsnadasa

SYNONYMS

sri-rupa--Srila Rupa Gosvami; raghunatha--Srila Raghunatha dasa Gosvami; pade--at the lotus feet; yara--whose; asa--expectation; caitanya-caritamrta--the book named Caitanya-caritamrta; kahe--describes; krsnadasa--Srila Krsnadasa Kaviraja Gosvami.

TRANSLATION

Praying at the lotus feet of Sri Rupa and Sri Raghunatha, always desiring their mercy, I, Krsnadasa, narrate Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, following in their footsteps.

Thus end the Bhaktivedanta purports to Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, Madhya-lila, Twenty-second Chapter, describing the execution of devotional service.

And they wonder why terrorists disrupt their sense gratification. . .

If the wicked flourished, and thou suffer, be not discouraged; they are fatted for destruction, thou art dieted for health. -- Thomas Fuller (1608-1661)

From the Internet

USDA: Cattle Brains May Be Turned Into Biofuels

Mon May 17, 5:36 PM ET

By Richard Cowan

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Cattle brains and other remains that may carry the deadly mad cow disease would be turned into biofuels under a plan announced on Monday by the U. S. Department of Agriculture.

Cattle brains, skull, eyes, spinal column, small intestine and other parts suspected of harboring mad cow disease were banned from human consumption in December as a safety precaution, shortly after the discovery of the first case of mad cow disease in the United States.

Some consumer groups have called on the Bush administration to go a step further and ban these "specified risk materials" from swine, poultry and other animal feed made from ground-up cattle remains. All cattle parts already are banned from cattle feed to protect against the spread of mad cow disease.

The U. S. Food and Drug Administration is considering tougher regulations on animal feed since finding the brain-wasting disease in the United States. One month ago, an agency official said FDA was considering banning specified risk materials from poultry and swine feed.

Under the new USDA program, a $50 million loan guarantee program would be set up to help small businesses in rural areas develop ways to turn cattle brains and other high-risk parts into a "bio-based source of energy. "

Bill Hagy, a deputy administrator at USDA's rural development agency, said the purpose of the pilot program was to gauge commercial interest and to solicit ideas for alternate energy uses for the cattle parts.

"There are incinerating facilities out there that possibility could, with some retooling, be able to accommodate the need," Hagy said.

But Hagy said he did not know whether the pilot program was aimed at finding new uses for the risky cattle parts if they are banned from all animal feed.

A spokeswoman for the National Cattlemen's Beef Association said her organization supports the USDA pilot program.

A wider ban on the high-risk cattle parts has been watched closely by the U. S. soybean futures market. With tight soy supplies in the United States, a significant change in animal feed rules could have a big impact on products that could be used as a substitute in animal feeds, such as soybean meal.

Currently, the carcasses of cattle slaughtered at U. S. packing plants are typically sent to a separate rendering plant to be made into food for other animals, cosmetics or other materials. Last year, the United States slaughtered more than 35 million cattle.

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