Classes and Bhajans

Hare Krishna!

Welcome to my collection of Lectures and Bhajans. Please enjoy these!

Most of the entries have three items. There is a full video which you can click on to watch the video and audio. Below that (or to the right) there is another media player that will play a high quality version of just the audio. If you don't have a fast enough network connection to stream the video or audio you can also download the audio directly. That is the last link.

If you would like a DVD or audio CD of these please contact me at rupa@rupa.com. I will sell them for $10/DVD (usually about 2-3hrs of video per DVD) plus shipping.

Bhadra das lead a fired up kirtan on Balaram's appearance day.  Here are a couple of clips from that kirtan.

Dallas, TX
2008-08-16

These bhajans were recorded during the abhisek (bathing) ceremony.  Amala Kirtan das sang first, then Hari das, and finally Gopi Gita dasi. 

Dallas, TX
2008-08-16

Lecture by Bhakti Purusottama Swami on Srimad Bhagavatam, Canto 7, Chapter 13, Texts 11-13.  This lecture continues the theme from the previous lecture about the behavior of the perfect person and how a perfect person sometimes acts in suprising ways.  The second half of the class, Maharaj speaks about the Julan Yatra festival (Radha and Krishna Swinging) that is currently happening all this week.  These are wonderful stories about Radha and Krishna.

TRANSLATION Text 11

As a historical example of this, learned sages recite the story of an ancient discussion between Prahlada Maharaja and a great saintly person who was feeding himself like a python.

PURPORT

The saintly person met by Prahlada Maharaja was undergoing ajagara-vritti, the living conditions of a python, which does not go anywhere but sits in one place for years and eats whatever is automatically available. Prahlada Maharaja, along with his associates, met this great saint and spoke to him as follows.

TRANSLATION Texts 12-13

Prahlada Maharaja, the most dear servitor of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, once went out touring the universe with some of his confidential associates just to study the nature of saintly persons. Thus he arrived at the bank of the Kaveri, where there was a mountain known as Sahya. There he found a great saintly person who was lying on the ground, covered with dirt and dust, but who was deeply spiritually advanced.

Dallas, TX
2008-08-13

Lecture by Bhakti Purusottama Swami on Srimad Bhagavatam, Canto 7, Chapter 13, Text 10.  Maharaj speaks on the sometimes unexplainable activities of the pure devotees using many examples from Lord Chaitanya. 

TRANSLATION

Although a saintly person may not expose himself to the vision of human society, by his behavior his purpose is disclosed. To human society he should present himself like a restless child, and although he is the greatest thoughtful orator, he should present himself like a dumb man.

PURPORT

A great personality very much advanced in Krishna consciousness may not expose himself by the signs of a sannyasi. To cover himself, he may live like a restless child or a dumb person, although he is the greatest orator or poet.

Dallas, TX
2008-08-12

We had the opportunity to perform bhajans at a local Yoga Studio in Arlington.  After a nice introduction by the studio owner and Nityananda Chandra, Hari das led a nice Hare Krishna Bhajan.  Halfway through, the devotees and guests stood up and danced for the rest of his bhajan.  It was wonderful to see everyone dancing.  Then Gopi Gita dasi led another bhajan which included asking everyone to take turns leading one chant of Hare Krishna.  Everyone in the studio participated.  Finally, I concluded with the Nrsimhadev prayers.

This was an absolutely amazing program.  All the guests at the studio stayed to the end and were extremely happy that we were there.  The devotees were in bliss during and after the program.

The whole event was done in the evening with very little light.  So... While the sound came out ok, the video is very dark with times out of focus when the camcorder couldn't focus properly.  I debated posting this video, but I think it is still worth watching.

Dallas, TX
2008-07-26

Just before Tamal Krishna Goswami left, he had given a series of lectures on the Nectar of Instruction.  These were given in Mayapur India with devotees visiting from Taiwan and China.  A devotee is also translating into (I believe) Mandarin.  There are a total of 7 lectures.

TRANSLATION Text 8

The essence of all advice is that one should utilize one's full time -- twenty-four hours a day -- in nicely chanting and remembering the Lord's divine name, transcendental form, qualities and eternal pastimes, thereby gradually engaging one's tongue and mind. In this way one should reside in Vraja [Goloka Vrindavana dhama] and serve Krishna under the guidance of devotees. One should follow in the footsteps of the Lord's beloved devotees, who are deeply attached to His devotional service.

Just before Tamal Krishna Goswami left, he had given a series of lectures on the Nectar of Instruction.  These were given in Mayapur India with devotees visiting from Taiwan and China.  A devotee is also translating into (I believe) Mandarin.  There are a total of 7 lectures.

TRANSLATION Text 6

Being situated in his original Krishna conscious position, a pure devotee does not identify with the body. Such a devotee should not be seen from a materialistic point of view. Indeed, one should overlook a devotee's having a body born in a low family, a body with a bad complexion, a deformed body, or a diseased or infirm body. According to ordinary vision, such imperfections may seem prominent in the body of a pure devotee, but despite such seeming defects, the body of a pure devotee cannot be polluted. It is exactly like the waters of the Ganges, which sometimes during the rainy season are full of bubbles, foam and mud. The Ganges waters do not become polluted. Those who are advanced in spiritual understanding will bathe in the Ganges without considering the condition of the water.

TRANSLATION Text 7

The holy name, character, pastimes and activities of Krishna are all transcendentally sweet like sugar candy. Although the tongue of one afflicted by the jaundice of avidya [ignorance] cannot taste anything sweet, it is wonderful that simply by carefully chanting these sweet names every day, a natural relish awakens within his tongue, and his disease is gradually destroyed at the root.

After Keshava Bharati Dasa Goswami spoke on the Brihad Bhagavatamrita, Hari das sang a slow soulfull Hare Krishna Bhajan. 

Dallas, TX
2008-07-11

Maharaj is just finishing up a audiobook reading of the Brihad Bhagavatamrita, so having him read and discuss this book with us in person was an incredible experience.

Dallas, TX
2008-07-11

Ratna Radhika dasi sang a nice Hare Krishna bhajan at our house before Keshava Bharati Maharaj spoke.  Not so many people had arrived at this point, but you can still feel the energy of the bhajan.  Look for the kids dancing in the back partway through.

Dallas, TX
2008-07-11

I received this clip of a Kirtan at the New York temple during the New York Rathayatra.  Acyuta Gopi dasi and Gaura Vani das lead a wonderfully fantastic kirtan.  Thanks to Sri Rupa for giving me the clip.

New York
2008-06-15

Just before Tamal Krishna Goswami left, he had given a series of lectures on the Nectar of Instruction.  These were given in Mayapur India with devotees visiting from Taiwan and China.  A devotee is also translating into (I believe) Mandarin.  There are a total of 7 lectures.

This lecture is given in the middle of an initiation ceremony.

TRANSLATION Text 5

One should mentally honor the devotee who chants the holy name of Lord Krishna, one should offer humble obeisances to the devotee who has undergone spiritual initiation [diksha] and is engaged in worshiping the Deity, and one should associate with and faithfully serve that Pure devotee who is advanced in undeviated devotional service and whose heart is completely devoid of the propensity to criticize others.

The temple devotees of the Dallas temple went out and performed Harinam in Downtown Dallas.  Here are some clips from that harinam.

Dallas, TX
2008-07-19