Hare Krishna.
22nd January, Gurgaon.
Its only recently that I have started reading Srila Prabhupada’s purports a little more carefully than ever before, especially since I started reading Sri Caitanaya Caritamrta. I realised that there are so many gems scattered in each purport. I am sure that I am just scratching the surface as I am a beginner in the spiritual life.
Since past two weeks I have started taking my notes in a Q&A form. This helps me in two ways, first I now read the purports a little more carefully and secondly I get clear answers to so many questions and can store them on my ipad for future reference. Reading Sri Caitanaya Caritamrta has turned out to be a goldmine of knowledge for me, quenching my thirst to know more, and opening so many wonderful doors into Gaur Lila.
I am sharing a few Q&As below, all these answers are from Srila Prabhupada’s translations, unless I mention any of my learning from the same or will share the reference. Let me also acknowledge my complete lack of intelligence, experience, realisations and knowledge of shastra. I haven’t yet read Srimad Bhagavatam completely and only with permission from my Shiksha Guru I have started reading Sri Caitanaya Caritamrta on the side. I also do not recollect 100% of what all I have read till date. I am aware that there are multiple answers to many questions with reference to Srila Prabhupda’s purports in different verses and in different books. In this way I am completely ineligible to write on such topics. But I still hope and pray that this endeavour will please Sri Guru and Srila Prabhupada as I am sharing these Q&As without my own interpretation and I pray at their lotus feet that they bless us so that we can use this knowledge to spread Krishna consciousness all over the world. Here it goes
Q: How can we see Krishna ?
A: “One cannot see the Supreme Lord by making personal efforts. Rather, when the Lord is pleased by the service of a devotee, He reveals Himself.”
Srila Prabhupada writes in the purport of cc m 8.285 “In the Bhagavad-gītā (7.25) Lord Kṛṣṇa states:
nāhaṁ prakāśaḥ sarvasya yoga-māyā-samāvṛtaḥ mūḍho ‘yaṁ nābhijānāti loko mām ajam avyayam
“I am never manifest to the foolish and unintelligent. For them I am covered by My internal potency [yogamāyā], and so they do not know Me, who am unborn and infallible.”
“The Lord always reserves the right of not being exposed to everyone. The devotees, however, are always engaged in the service of the Lord, serving with the tongue by chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra and tasting mahā-prasādam. Gradually the sincere devotee pleases the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and the Supreme Lord reveals Himself. One cannot see the Supreme Lord by making personal efforts. Rather, when the Lord is pleased by the service of a devotee, He reveals Himself.”
Q: What is Vraja river and why is it called Vraja?
A: Causal ocean is called Vraja river.
Srila Prabhupada explain in the purport of cc madhya 19 153 “There is a river, or causal ocean, between the spiritual and material natures, and this river is free from the influence of the three modes of material nature; therefore it is called Virajā. The prefix vi means vigata (“completely eradicated”), and rajas means “the influence of the material world.”
Last Sunday HG Haridas Thakur Prabhuji, Gurgaon, confirmed that MahaVishnu rests in the River Vraja, also called Causal Ocean, which is the border between transcendental and material realms.
Q: What is guru-kṛṣṇa-prasāda?
A: This is part of one of the most famous verses of CC, cc madhya 19.151,
brahmāṇḍa bhramite kona bhāgyavān jīva
guru-kṛṣṇa-prasāde pāya bhakti-latā-bīja
Translation
“According to their karma, all living entities are wandering throughout the entire universe. Some of them are being elevated to the upper planetary systems, and some are going down into the lower planetary systems. Out of many millions of wandering living entities, one who is very fortunate gets an opportunity to associate with a bona fide spiritual master by the grace of Kṛṣṇa. By the mercy of both Kṛṣṇa and the spiritual master, such a person receives the seed of the creeper of devotional service.
Srila Prabhupada explains in its purport that “Kṛṣṇa is situated in everyone’s heart, and if one desires something, Kṛṣṇa fulfills one’s desire. If the living entity by chance or fortune comes in contact with the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement and wishes to associate with that movement, Kṛṣṇa, who is situated in everyone’s heart, gives him the chance to meet a bona fide spiritual master. This is called guru-kṛṣṇa-prasāda. Kṛṣṇa is prepared to bestow His mercy upon all living entities, and as soon as a living entity desires the Lord’s mercy, the Lord immediately gives him an opportunity to meet a bona fide spiritual master. Such a fortunate person is fortified by both Kṛṣṇa and the spiritual master. He is helped from within by Kṛṣṇa and from without by the spiritual master. Both are prepared to help the sincere living being become free from material bondage.”
I will be very grateful to you if you can give me your feedback on this Q&A format. Did it prove helpful to you and should I continue to post them in future. Pl mail your comments to giriraj.bcs@gmail.com or you can leave a comment below.
All glories to Sri Caitanaya Caritamrta.
All glories to Srila Prabhupada.