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Transcendental debt

Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati was expert at engaging money in Krishna's service. It seemed that no matter how much his disciples collected, he could always spent more. Sometimes he had them collect for specific project and then spent the money othewise, after which he again requested funds for the original undertaking. For instance, Bhakti Saranga Prabhu once solicited a donation from the Maharaja of Mayurbhanj for constructing a temple in Puri. The estimated requirement was fifteen thousand rupees, and the maharaja gave eight thousand in advance. Bhakti Saranga Prabhu turned the sum over o his gurudeva, who promptly spent the entire amount for upcoming Theistic Exhibition in Mayapur. By regularly starting projects beyond the immediate means of the mission, Srila Sarasvati Thakura kept it perpetually in debt. On this theme he once expounded:

Preach the kirtana of Supreme Lord, even if in so doing you have to incur debt. To pay off that debt you will have to perform further seva. When your creditors pressure you, you will be compelled to beg more alms. And since the pious householders will not give you alms unless your character and conduct are wholly uncontaminated, you will be forced to preserve a pure lifestyle with great determination and conscientiosness. I won't leave even a paisa for you, so that in the future you will not indulge in laziness or give up your devotional lives full of Hari-kirtana and Hari-seva.

(BVS pg 408-409).

Haiti, why Krishna did it?

Maya sabotages my last video blog

Video is out of sync with audio, just turn off your monitor and listen to audio. That is important part. It won't happen again.

Elections, ha ha ha

Mosquito nets

One night a pujari at Saccinanda Matha forgot to put up the deities' mosquito nets. Normally Srila Sarasvati Thakura never checked to see if this had been done, nor on this occasion had anyone informed him of the oversight, yet the next morning before mangala -arati he asked the pujari if he had forgotten to set the deities' mosquito net. When the pujari admitted his fault Srila Sarasvati Thakura said, "Krishna did not sleep last night. You have erred. You fixed the net for yourself but not for Krishna. Why?" And in the scheduled lecture that morning, he stressed the seriousness of service to the deity form of the Lord.(BSV page 346)

Srila Prabhupada recognized in Sweden

Finally

All rights reserved

He would quote legalism "All rights reserved", explaining that Krishna is the unchallengeable overlord and absolute enjoyer, and that no one can independently claim any rights or privileges without His sanction, for everything depends on His sweet will, and He is not answerable to anyone. And Srila Sarasvati Thakura would refer to Lord Caitanya as "Godhead par excellence". (BSV, page 331)

What Krishna is not

Bhagavan is not our security guard, gardener, servant, accountant, or dealer for our necessities. (BSV pg 328)

Time is money

And he redefined the saying "Time is money", averring that time is more valuable than money - time spent in serving Krishna brings the wages of eternal life, whereas money and attachment to it are causes of further incarceration in the madhouse of the material world. (BSV,page 329)

Secondary effect

I have received you missive dated Padmanabha 5. Due to lack of time I feared writing an extended letter, yet I see how the delay prolongs, so now I write in brief. I was very happy to learn that you have come to understand that everything is auspicious when Krishna's holy name is chanted with perseverance. When material thoughts come while you are chanting the holy name, do not become slack in your chanting. Gradually, as a secondary effect of uttering the name, such useless thoughts will naturally be removed; you do not have to be occupied with that. The result cannot be achieved in the very beginning. With the rise of great pleasure in chanting Krishna's name, the lure of mundane thoughts will diminish. How will materialistic consciousness depart but by eager acceptance of the holy name? If one serves sri-nama with body, mind and words, then sri-nami will reveal His all-auspicious form. (BSV, pg 312).

Time Stretching

Importance of mundane knowledge in service of bhakti

If all the books in the universe were burned to ashes, there would be no loss if only one scripture remained: Srimad-Bhagavatam. If millions of centers of education disappear, there is no loss if teaching and learning Bhagavatam continues. (SBV page 277)

Conflict resolution and emphatic listening training

From my guru I have learned that mundane oratory, poesy, literary analysis, intelligence, learning, and logic are not only unhelpful in glorifying the Lord, but are positive obstacles in doing so. Only a fortunate person, after slashing at the root all faith in worldly abilities and endeavors, is by the mercy of Hari-guru-Vaisnavas empowered with Lord's svarupa-sakti and thereby enabled to broadcast Gaura-vani. Without being thus favored and empowered, oratory expertise simply airs inauspicious topics of worldly sense grafitication and increases material desires and egoism.

Invisible Bhagavatam visitors

At Saccidananda Matha prior to a lecture, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati once asked devotees why they had only halfway spread the large rug for attendees to sit on. When told that only few listeners were expected, he replied, "Brahma-adi deva gane. You cannot see who is coming to hear Bhagavatam. Innumerable gods and goddesses come to attend Gauranga's arati and hear Hari-katha. We must have a place for them to sit, so unfold it fully and make a place for them."

Respecting other's views

"No one can enter into bhakti without understanding the worthlessness of all viewpoints and theories of this world" - Bhakti-Siddhanta Sarasvati, Gv 1.48

Seeing and being seen

Since Srila Sarasvati Thakura was not wearing spectacles, an accompanying disciple suggested that perhaps he was unable to properly see the deities. Srila Sarasvati Thakura smiled and said, "We should not think of Supreme Lord as an objest of our vision. Instead, we should meditate on how we can acquire some qualification to become worthy objects of His vision. We should consider whether He wants to see us and reveal Himself to us.

Urge

Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati inheritet the urge to preach from his father and mentor, Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura. Energized by the Thakura's vision of suddha-bhakti diffusing throughout the globe, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati had an unrelenting drive to deliver suddha-bhakti to all jivas in the universe, and even to those beyond it.

Let's enjoy