http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s_f_uZ4Q51Q
Rupa Madhurya das (hey, thats me!) singing a Hare Krishna bhajan for Dallas’ New Year’s 24hr Kirtan.
Dallas, TX
2010-12-31
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ugkgWPltc1o
Lecture on Srimad Bhagavatam, Canto 10, Chapter 1, Texs 54-56 by Mukunda Datta das.
Dallas, TX
2011-01-10
Srimad Bhagavatam 10.1.54
sri-vasudeva uvaca
na hy asyas te bhayam saumya
yad vai sahasarira-vak
putran samarpayishye ‘sya
yatas te bhayam utthitam
TRANSLATION
Vasudeva said: O best of the sober, you have nothing to fear from your sister Devaki because of what you have heard from the unseen omen. The cause of death will be her sons. Therefore I promise that when she gives birth to the sons from whom your fear has arisen, I shall deliver them all unto your hands.
PURPORT
Kamsa feared Devaki’s existence because after her eighth pregnancy she would give birth to a son who would kill him. Vasudeva, therefore, to assure his brother-in-law the utmost safety, promised to bring him all the sons. He would not wait for the eighth son, but from the very beginning would deliver to the hands of Kamsa all the sons to which Devaki would give birth. This was the most liberal proposition offered by Vasudeva to Kamsa.
Srimad Bhagavatam 10.1.55
sri-suka uvaca
svasur vadhan nivavrite
kamsas tad-vakya-sara-vit
vasudevo ‘pi tam pritah
prasasya pravisad griham
TRANSLATION
Srila Sukadeva Gosvami continued: Kamsa agreed to the logical arguments of Vasudeva, and, having full faith in Vasudeva’s words, he refrained from killing his sister. Vasudeva, being pleased with Kamsa, pacified him further and entered his own house.
PURPORT
Although Kamsa was a sinful demon, he believed that Vasudeva would never deviate from his word. The character of a pure devotee like Vasudeva is such that even so great a demon as Kamsa firmly believed in his words and was satisfied. Yasyasti bhaktir bhagavaty akincana sarvair gunais tatra samasate surah (Bhag. 5.18.12). All good attributes are present in a devotee, so much so that even Kamsa believed in Vasudeva’s words without a doubt.
Srimad Bhagavatam 10.1.56
atha kala upavritte
devaki sarva-devata
putran prasushuve cashtau
kanyam caivanuvatsaram
TRANSLATION
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.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bNz5rOJWHhw
Nityananda Chandra das singing a Hare Krishna bhajan for Dallas’ New Year’s 24hr Kirtan. With a special performance by VIshaka.
Dallas, TX
2010-12-31
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2eO5sOxVVyg
Lecture on Srimad Bhagavatam, Canto 1, Chapter 16 titled “How Parikshit Received the Age of Kali”. This lecture is a study of the chapter as a whole as part of our weekly study of the Srimad Bhagavatam.
Follow along at: http://vedabase.net/sb/1/16/
Dallas, TX
2011-01-07
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L-_BglE0bwM
Hari das singing a Hare Krishna bhajan for Dallas’ New Year’s 24hr Kirtan.
Dallas, TX
2010-12-31
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L1K1hyuUS80
Lecture on Srimad Bhagavatam, Canto 10, Chapter 1, Text 23 titled “Entrances and Exits” by Prahladananda Swami.
Dallas, TX
2010-12-16
Srimad Bhagavatam 10.1.23
vasudeva-grihe sakshad
bhagavan purushah parah
janishyate tat-priyartham
sambhavantu sura-striyah
TRANSLATION
The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Sri Krishna, who has full potency, will personally appear as the son of Vasudeva. Therefore all the wives of the demigods should also appear in order to satisfy Him.
PURPORT
In Bhagavad-gita (4.9) the Lord says, tyaktva deham punar janma naiti mam eti: [Bg. 4.9] after giving up the material body, the devotee of the Lord returns home, back to Godhead. This means that the devotee is first transferred to the particular universe where the Lord is at that time staying to exhibit His pastimes. There are innumerable universes, and the Lord is appearing in one of these universes at every moment. Therefore His pastimes are called nitya-lila, eternal pastimes. The Lord’s appearance as a child in the house of Devaki takes place continuously in one universe after another. Therefore, the devotee is first transferred to that particular universe where the pastimes of the Lord are current. As stated in Bhagavad-gita, even if a devotee does not complete the course of devotional service, he enjoys the happiness of the heavenly planets, where the most pious people dwell, and then takes birth in the house of a suci or sriman, a pious brahmana or a wealthy vaisya (sucinam srimatam gehe yoga-bhrashto ‘bhijayate). Thus a pure devotee, even if unable to execute devotional service completely, is transferred to the upper planetary system, where pious people reside. From there, if his devotional service is complete, such a devotee is transferred to the place where the Lord’s pastimes are going on. Herein it is said, sambhavantu sura-striyah. Sura-stri, the women of the heavenly planets, were thus ordered to appear in the Yadu dynasty in Vrindavana to enrich the pastimes of Lord Krishna. These sura-stri, when further trained to live with Krishna, would be transferred to the original Goloka Vrindavana. During Lord Krishna’s pastimes within this world, the sura-stri were to appear in different ways in different families to give pleasure to the Lord, just so that they would be fully trained before going to the eternal Goloka Vrindavana. With the association of Lord Krishna, either at Dvaraka-puri, Mathura-puri or Vrindavana, they would certainly return home, back to Godhead. Among the sura-stri, the women of the heavenly planets, there are many devotees, such as the mother of the Upendra incarnation of Krishna. It was such devoted women who were called for in this connection.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uq9N59TgA0A
Nityananda Prabhu singing a Hare Krishna kirtan during Dallas’ New Year’s 24hr Kirtan.
Dallas, TX
2010-12-31
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=92R36oxjGxM
Prahaladananda Swami speaking at the conclusion of the reading of the Bhagavad Gita during GIta Jayatanti. He speaks on the Meaning of the Gita.
Dallas, TX
2010-12-16
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jp1SLduEPtM
Sunita singing a Hare Krishna bhajan for Dallas’ New Year’s 24hr Kirtan.
Dallas, TX
2010-12-31
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zSlJqMaYr48
Lecture on Bhagavad Gita, Chapter 17, Texts 17-19 titled “The Top Then Brahmas” given by Prahladananda Swami.
Dallas, TX
2010-12-15
Bhagavad-gita As It Is 17.17
sraddhaya paraya taptam
tapas tat tri-vidham naraih
aphalakankshibhir yuktaih
sattvikam paricakshate
TRANSLATION
This threefold austerity, performed with transcendental faith by men not expecting material benefits but engaged only for the sake of the Supreme, is called austerity in goodness.
Bhagavad-gita As It Is 17.18
satkara-mana-pujartham
tapo dambhena caiva yat
kriyate tad iha proktam
rajasam calam adhruvam
TRANSLATION
Penance performed out of pride and for the sake of gaining respect, honor and worship is said to be in the mode of passion. It is neither stable nor permanent.
PURPORT
Sometimes penance and austerity are executed to attract people and receive honor, respect and worship from others. Persons in the mode of passion arrange to be worshiped by subordinates and let them wash their feet and offer riches. Such arrangements artificially made by the performance of penances are considered to be in the mode of passion. The results are temporary; they can be continued for some time, but they are not permanent.
Bhagavad-gita As It Is 17.19
mudha-grahenatmano yat
pidaya kriyate tapah
parasyotsadanartham va
tat tamasam udahritam
TRANSLATION
Penance performed out of foolishness, with self-torture or to destroy or injure others, is said to be in the mode of ignorance.
PURPORT
There are instances of foolish penance undertaken by demons like Hiranyakasipu, who performed austere penances to become immortal and kill the demigods. He prayed to Brahma for such things, but ultimately he was killed by the Supreme Personality of Godhead. To undergo penances for something which is impossible is certainly in the mode of ignorance.
