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Neha singing a Hare Krishna bhajan for Dallas’ New Year’s 24hr Kirtan.
Dallas, TX
2010-12-31
Bhajan – 24hr Kirtan – Neha – 15/26
Lecture – Vishvambhar das – SB 10.2.9 – Lord Balaram
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Lecture on Srimad Bhagavatam, Canto 10, Chapter 2, Texts 9 titled “Lord Balaram” given by Vishvambhar das.
Dallas, TX
2011-01-25
Bhajan – 24hr Kirtan – Radhika – 14/26
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Radhika singing a Hare Krishna bhajan for Dallas’ New Year’s 24hr Kirtan.
Dallas, TX
2010-12-31
Lecture – Vishvambhar das – SB 10.2.7-8 – Getting to Krishna
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Lecture on Srimad Bhagavatam, Canto 10, Chapter 2, Texts 7-8 titled “Getting to Krishna” given by Vishvambhar das.
Dallas, TX
2011-01-24
Text 7 TRANSLATION
The Lord ordered Yogamaya: O My potency, who are worshipable for the entire world and whose nature is to bestow good fortune upon all living entities, go to Vraja, where there live many cowherd men and their wives. In that very beautiful land, where many cows reside, Rohini, the wife of Vasudeva, is living at the home of Nanda Maharaja. Other wives of Vasudeva are also living there incognito because of fear of Kamsa. Please go there.
PURPORT
Nanda-gokula, the residence of King Nanda, was itself very beautiful, and when Yogamaya was ordered to go there and encourage the devotees with fearlessness, it became even more beautiful and safe. Because Yogamaya had the ability to create such an atmosphere, the Lord ordered her to go to Nanda-gokula.
Text 8 TRANSLATION
Within the womb of Devaki is My partial plenary expansion known as Sankarshana or Sesha. Without difficulty, transfer Him into the womb of Rohini.
PURPORT
The first plenary expansion of Krishna is Baladeva, also known as Sesha. The Sesha incarnation of the Supreme Personality of Godhead supports the entire universe, and the eternal mother of this incarnation is mother Rohini. “Because I am going into the womb of Devaki,” the Lord told Yogamaya, “the Sesha incarnation has already gone there and made suitable arrangements so that I may live there. Now He should enter the womb of Rohini, His eternal mother.”
In this connection, one may ask how the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is always situated transcendentally, could enter the womb of Devaki, which had previously been entered by the six asuras, the shad-garbhas. Does this mean that the Shad-garbhasuras were equal to the transcendental body of the Supreme Personality of Godhead? The following answer is given by Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura.
The entire creation, as well as its individual parts, is an expansion of the energy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Therefore, even though the Lord enters the material world, He does not do so. This is explained by the Lord Himself in Bhagavad-gita (9.4-5):
“By Me, in My unmanifested form, this entire universe is pervaded. All beings are in Me, but I am not in them. And yet everything that is created does not rest in Me. Behold My mystic opulence! Although I am the maintainer of all living entities, and although I am everywhere, My Self is the very source of creation.” Sarvam khalv idam brahma. Everything is an expansion of Brahman, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, yet everything is not the Supreme Godhead, and He is not everywhere. Everything rests upon Him and yet does not rest upon Him. This can be explained only through the acintya-bhedabheda philosophy. Such truths cannot be understood, however, unless one is a pure devotee, for the Lord says in Bhagavad-gita (18.55), bhaktya mam abhijanati yavan yas casmi tattvatah: “One can understand the Supreme Personality as He is only by devotional service.” Even though the Lord cannot be understood by ordinary persons, this principle should be understood from the statement of the sastras.
A pure devotee is always transcendentally situated because of executing nine different processes of bhakti-yoga (sravanam kirtanam vishnoh smaranam pada-sevanam/ arcanam vandanam dasyam sakhyam atma-nivedanam [SB 7.5.23]). Thus situated in devotional service, a devotee, although in the material world, is not in the material world. Yet a devotee always fears, “Because I am associated with the material world, so many contaminations affect me.” Therefore he is always alert in fear, which gradually diminishes his material association.
Symbolically, mother Devaki’s constant fear of Kamsa was purifying her. A pure devotee should always fear material association, and in this way all the asuras of material association will be killed, as the shad-garbhasuras were killed by Kamsa. It is said that from the mind, Marici appears. In other words, Marici is an incarnation of the mind. Marici has six sons: Kama, Krodha, Lobha, Moha, Mada and Matsarya (lust, anger, greed, illusion, madness and envy). The Supreme Personality of Godhead appears in pure devotional service. This is confirmed in the Vedas: bhaktir evainam darsayati. Only bhakti can bring one in contact with the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The Supreme Personality of Godhead appeared from the womb of Devaki, and therefore Devaki symbolically represents bhakti, and Kamsa symbolically represents material fear. When a pure devotee always fears material association, his real position of bhakti is manifested, and he naturally becomes uninterested in material enjoyment. When the six sons of Marici are killed by such fear and one is freed from material contamination, within the womb of bhakti the Supreme Personality of Godhead appears. Thus the seventh pregnancy of Devaki signifies the appearance of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. After the six sons Kama, Krodha, Lobha, Moha, Mada and Matsarya are killed, the Sesha incarnation creates a suitable situation for the appearance of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. In other words, when one awakens his natural Krishna consciousness, Lord Krishna appears. This is the explanation given by Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura.
Bhajan – 24hr Kirtan – Alex – 13/26
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Alex singing a Hare Krishna bhajan for Dallas’ New Year’s 24hr Kirtan.
Dallas, TX
2010-12-31
Lecture – Vishvambhar das – SB 10.2.3-5 – Killing Demons
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Lecture on Srimad Bhagavatam, Canto 10, Chapter 2, Texts 3-5 titled “Killing Demons” given by Vishvambhar das.
Dallas, TX
2011-04-04
TRANSLATION
Persecuted by the demoniac kings, the Yadavas left their own kingdom and entered various others, like those of the Kurus, Pancalas, Kekayas, Salvas, Vidarbhas, Nishadhas, Videhas and Kosalas.
TRANSLATION
Some of their relatives, however, began to follow Kamsa’s principles and act in his service. After Kamsa, the son of Ugrasena, killed the six sons of Devaki, a plenary portion of Krishna entered her womb as her seventh child, arousing her pleasure and her lamentation. That plenary portion is celebrated by great sages as Ananta, who belongs to Krishna’s second quadruple expansion.
PURPORT
Some of the chief devotees, such as Akrura, stayed with Kamsa to satisfy him. This they did for various purposes. They all expected the Supreme Personality of Godhead to appear as the eighth child as soon as Devaki’s other children were killed by Kamsa, and they were eagerly awaiting His appearance. By remaining in Kamsa’s association, they would be able to see the Supreme Personality of Godhead take birth and display His childhood pastimes, and Akrura would later go to Vrindavana to bring Krishna and Balarama to Mathura. The word paryupasate is significant because it indicates that some devotees wanted to stay near Kamsa in order to see all these pastimes of the Lord. The six children killed by Kamsa had formerly been sons of Marici, but because of having been cursed by a brahmana, they were obliged to take birth as grandsons of Hiranyakasipu. Kamsa had taken birth as Kalanemi, and now he was obliged to kill his own sons. This was a mystery. As soon as the sons of Devaki were killed, they would return to their original place. The devotees wanted to see this also. Generally speaking, no one kills his own nephews, but Kamsa was so cruel that he did so without hesitation. Ananta, Sankarshana, belongs to the second catur-vyuha, or quadruple expansion. This is the opinion of experienced commentators.
Bhajan – 24hr Kirtan – Amrta – 12/26
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Amrta singing a Hare Krishna bhajan for Dallas’ New Year’s 24hr Kirtan. Starts slow and builds to a rocking end.
Dallas, TX
2010-12-31
Lecture – Vishvambhar das – SB 10.2.1-2 – Big Demons
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Lecture on Srimad Bhagavatam, Canto 10, Chapter 2, Texts 1-2 titled “Big Demons” given by Vishvambhar das.
Dallas, TX
2011-01-20
TRANSLATION
Sukadeva Gosvami said: Under the protection of Magadharaja, Jarasandha, the powerful Kamsa began persecuting the kings of the Yadu dynasty. In this he had the cooperation of demons like Pralamba, Baka, Canura, Trinavarta, Aghasura, Mushtika, Arishta, Dvivida, Putana, Kesi, Dhenuka, Banasura, Narakasura and many other demoniac kings on the surface of the earth.
PURPORT
This verse supports the following statement given by the Lord in Bhagavad-gita (4.7-8):
“Whenever and wherever there is a decline in religious practice, O descendant of Bharata, and a predominant rise of irreligion — at that time I descend Myself. To deliver the pious and to annihilate the miscreants, as well as to reestablish the principles of religion, I advent Myself millennium after millennium.”
The Lord’s purpose in maintaining this material world is to give everyone a chance to go back home, back to Godhead, but kings and political leaders unfortunately try to hinder the purpose of the Lord, and therefore the Lord appears, either personally or with His plenary portions, to set things right. It is therefore said:
“Krishna appeared in the womb of Devaki after transferring Baladeva to the womb of Rohini by the power of Yogamaya.” Yadubhih sa vyarudhyata. The kings of the Yadu dynasty were all devotees, but there were many powerful demons, such as Salva, who began to persecute them. At that time, Jarasandha, who was Kamsa’s father-in-law, was extremely powerful, and therefore Kamsa took advantage of his protection and the help of the demons in persecuting the kings of the Yadu dynasty. The demons naturally appeared more powerful than the demigods, but ultimately, because of help received from the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the demons were defeated and the demigods triumphant.
Bhajan – 24hr Kirtan – Kapil – 11/26
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Kapil singing a Hare Krishna bhajan for Dallas’ New Year’s 24hr Kirtan.
Dallas, TX
2010-12-31
Lecture – Gadadhar Pandit das – SB 10.1.56-59 – Service Attitude
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Lecture on Srimad Bhagavatam, Canto 10, Chapter 1, Texts 56 through 59 titled “Service Attitude” given by Gadadhar Pandit das. Note: This was shot with a new camera and I didn’t notice it bouncing back and forth for focus between the speaker and the Harinam board. Sorry ’bout that!
Dallas, TX
2011-01-11
10.1.56
Each year thereafter, in due course of time, Devaki, the mother of God and all the demigods, gave birth to a child. Thus she bore eight sons, one after another, and a daughter named Subhadra.
PURPORT
The spiritual master is sometimes glorified as sarva-devamayo guruh (Bhag. 11.7.27). By the grace of the guru, the spiritual master, one can understand the different kinds of devas. The word deva refers to God, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is the original source of all the demigods, who are also called devas. In Bhagavad-gita (10.2) the Lord says, aham adir hi devanam: “I am the source of all the devas.” The Supreme Lord, Vishnu, the Original person, expands in different forms. Tad aikshata bahu syam (Chandogya Upanishad 6.2.3). He alone has expanded into many. Advaitam acyutam anadim ananta-rupam (Brahma-samhita 5.33). There are different grades of forms, known as svamsa and vibhinnamsa. The svamsa expansions, or vishnu-tattva, are the Supreme Personality of Godhead, whereas the vibhinnamsa are jiva-tattva, who are part and parcel of the Lord (mamaivamso jiva-loke jiva-bhutah sanatanah [Bg. 15.7]). If we accept Krishna as the Supreme Personality of Godhead and worship Him, all the parts and expansions of the Lord are automatically worshiped. Sarvarhanam acyutejya (Bhag. 4.31.14). Krishna is known as Acyuta (senayor ubhayor madhye ratham sthapaya me ‘cyuta). By worshiping Acyuta, Krishna, one automatically worships all the demigods. There is no need of separately worshiping either the vishnu-tattva or jiva-tattva. If one concentrates upon Krishna, one worships everyone. Therefore, because mother Devaki gave birth to Krishna, she is described here as sarva-devata.
10.1.57
Vasudeva was very much disturbed by fear of becoming a liar by breaking his promise. Thus with great pain he delivered his first-born son, named Kirtiman, into the hands of Kamsa.
PURPORT
In the Vedic system, as soon as a child is born, especially a male child, the father calls for learned brahmanas, and according to the description of the child’s horoscope, the child is immediately given a name. This ceremony is called nama-karana. There are ten different samskaras, or reformatory methods, adopted in the system of varnasrama-dharma, and the name-giving ceremony is one of them. Although Vasudeva’s first son was to be delivered into the hands of Kamsa, the nama-karana ceremony was performed, and thus the child was named Kirtiman. Such names are given immediately after birth.
10.1.58
What is painful for saintly persons who strictly adhere to the truth? How could there not be independence for pure devotees who know the Supreme Lord as the substance? What deeds are forbidden for persons of the lowest character? And what cannot be given up for the sake of Lord Krishna by those who have fully surrendered at His lotus feet?
PURPORT
Since the eighth son of Devaki was to kill Kamsa, one might ask what the need was for Vasudeva to deliver the first-born child. The answer is that Vasudeva had promised Kamsa that he would deliver all the children born of Devaki. Kamsa, being an asura, did not believe that the eighth child would kill him; he took it for granted that he might be killed by any of the children of Devaki. Vasudeva, therefore, to save Devaki, promised to give Kamsa every child, whether male or female. From another point of view, Vasudeva and Devaki were very pleased when they understood that the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krishna, would come as their eighth son. Vasudeva, a pure devotee of the Lord, was eager to see Krishna appear as his child from the eighth pregnancy of Devaki. Therefore he wanted to deliver all the children quickly so that the eighth turn would come and Krishna would appear. He begot one child every year so that Krishna’s turn to appear would come as soon as possible.
10.1.59
My dear King Parikshit, when Kamsa saw that Vasudeva, being situated in truthfulness, was completely equipoised in giving him the child, he was very happy. Therefore, with a smiling face, he spoke as follows.
PURPORT
The word samatvam is very significant in this verse. Samatvam refers to one who is always equipoised, unaffected by either happiness or distress. Vasudeva was so steadily equipoised that he did not seem in the least agitated when delivering his first-born child into the hands of Kamsa to be killed. In Bhagavad-gita (2.56) it is said, duhkheshv anudvigna-manah sukheshu vigata-sprihah. In the material world, one should not be very eager to be happy, nor should one be very much disturbed by material distress. Lord Krishna advised Arjuna:
matra-sparsas tu kaunteya
sitoshna-sukha-duhkha-dah
agamapayino ‘nityas
tams titikshasva bharata
“O son of Kunti, the nonpermanent appearance of happiness and distress, and their disappearance in due course, are like the appearance and disappearance of winter and summer seasons. They arise from sense perception, O scion of Bharata, and one must learn to tolerate them without being disturbed.” (Bg. 2.14) The self-realized soul is never disturbed by so-called distress or happiness, and this is especially true of an exalted devotee like Vasudeva, who showed this by his practical example. Vasudeva was not at all disturbed when delivering his first child to Kamsa to be killed.