(Kadamba Kanana Swami, 20 March 2013, Cape Town, South Africa, Srimad Bhagavatam 8.12.7) Why are the gopis classified as the top most devotees? Because they gave up everything. These gopis, they did not just serve Krsna very faithfully everyday but when Krsna was at Vaṁśīvaṭa and played his flute, he attracted them with his flute. Then [...]
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The restless mind
(Kadamba Kanana Swami, 7 May 2013, Simhachalam, Germany, Srimad Bhagavatam 9.6.41-6) It may be very difficult to focus the mind on Krsna for a long time. After a short time, we become restless: cancalam hi manah krsna (BG 6.34). This restlessness is a big problem that we are facing because whatever we do, after a little while, the restless [...]
Spiritual relationships
(Kadamba Kanana Swami, 19 April 2013, Stockholm, Sweden, Bhagavad-gita 10.9) We see that the Lord expands himself, the Lord worships himself, and the Lord worships his devotees. That is the nature of the spiritual world – everybody is expressing their love through worship and appreciation. Spiritual relationships are not casual. Spiritual relationships are very deep because there’s [...]
Inspiration
(Kadamba Kanana Swami, 15 January 2013, Amsterdam, Netherlands, Srimad Bhagavatam 4.31.2) We have to deepen our conviction because the more we deepen our conviction, the stronger we get. Part of our conviction comes from dedication to guru and faith in guru – when there is no doubt about it that my guru is a resident of [...]
No evil eyes
(Kadamba Kanana Swami, 14 March 2013, Amsterdam, Netherlands, Bhagavad-gita 7.24) It is not possible to have a pure and noble character unless one is a spiritually realized person. It is not possible unless one has an attitude of servitorship towards God. Ultimately, that is where all good qualities come from and that is the only reason [...]
Transcendental trickery
(Kadamba Kanana Swami, 02 May 2013, Radhadesh, Belgium, Venu-gita Talk) This devotee in Bombay complained to Prabhupada that he didn’t like Indians. And Prabhupada said, “Oh, you don’t like Indians?” He said, “No. I don’t like Indians because they’re so tricky. But not you Prabhupada.” Prabhupada said, “Oh, I am very tricky. I tricked you [...]
Pushing beyond the borders
(Kadamba Kanana Swami, 9 April 2013, Pretoria, South Africa, Disciple meeting) Recently, we saw how Indradyumna Maharaja took our Ratha Yatra in Durban and turned the whole thing upside down. Have you noticed it? It was quite amazing that one Swami could do that; he is very powerful – spiritually and also materially. So he did [...]
I don’t like austerities
(Kadamba Kanana Swami, 7 April 2013, Lenasia, South Africa, Caitanya Caritamrta, Adi Lila 17.22) You may have heard the story that was told to us by Bhavananda Prabhu, who was assisting Prabhupada in many ways. He said that one day Prabhupada told him, “You know, when I was in the spiritual world, one day Krsna [...]
Totally attractive!
(Kadamba Kanana Swami, 14 March 2013, Amsterdam, Netherlands, Bhagavad-Gita 7.24) The law of attraction is there and we think that whatever we think about, we will attract it. But actually, it is the opposite; we are the ones who are being attracted all the time. “Oh, the birds! Oh, the sun! Oh, the reflection in [...]
Humility through intelligence
(Kadamba Kanana Swami, 03 May 2013, Radhadesh, Belgium, Free Lecture) Question: Maharaj, you made a comment in reference to Lord Indra, that he should have controlled his pride with intelligence. So I was wondering, is humility a conscious effort or does it ever become natural? Answer: At least for a conditioned soul, it is a conscious [...]
Seeing good in others
(Kadamba Kanana Swami, 3 March 2013, Vrndavan, India, Srimad Bhagavatam 4.27.10) In general, we have to give credit to people. Only senior vaisnavas, who take the responsibility for the spiritual life of others, they have to be judgmental. Srila Prabhupada used to say, “It is my duty to find faults.” But one can find fault as a duty, [...]
Unique individuals
(Kadamba Kanana Swami, 3 March 2013, Vrndavan, India, Srimad Bhagavatam 4.27.10) There are letters where Srila Prabhupada writes, “Krsna has sent me many spiritual masters in the form of my disciples.” Is this artificial? No, Srila Prabhupada was never artificial! Srila Prabhupada was never just saying something to impress people, that was his wonderful quality. [...]
Humility in great vaisnavas
(Kadamba Kanana Swami, 3 March 2013, Vrndavan, India, Srimad Bhagavatam 4.27.10) Srila Prabhupada wuld occasionally speak out in great humility. For example, there is the purport of Srimad Bhagavatam, in the pastime of when Dhruva Maharaja leaves his body. At that point, as Dhruva Maharaja was about to leave his body, he saw a transcendental plane that [...]
Vegetarianism
(Kadamba Kanana Swami, 28 February 2013, Vrndavan, India, Caitanya Caritamrta Seminar 3) Tamal Krishna Maharaja told the story of when he went to China. He said that he was a vegetarian. They asked, “What does that mean?” He said, “I’m very strict. I don’t eat any meat, fish, eggs, onion, garlic and like that.” They a said alright [...]
Don’t keep out the anchor
(Kadamba Kanana Swami, 1 October 2006, Cape Town, South Africa, Initiation lecture) The first and foremost process in our Krsna consciousness is the chanting of the holy name of the Lord. Therefore at the time of initiation, we speak of the ten offences which are listed in the Padma Purana. These must be avoided in [...]
Following in the footsteps
(Kadamba Kanana Swami, 1 October 2006, Cape Town, South Africa, Initiation lecture) When Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu was in Jagannatha Puri, the vaisnavas from Navadwip went to see him and they asked him what one’s essential duty in life was. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu said that the essential duties in one’s life are vaisnava sevanam and nirantar krsna nama-sankirtan. He [...]
Hiding the lower nature
(Kadamba Kanana Swami, 3 March 2013, Vrndavan, India, Srimad Bhagavatam 4.27.10) I saw a cartoon where there were two people sitting next to each other and they are hiding their inner most secrets from each other. Then, above their head you see thought bubbles and in the thought bubbles, there are the same things. They are [...]
Shelter in transcendental knowledge
(Kadamba Kanana Swami, 13 April 2013, Amsterdam, Netherlands, Srimad Bhagavatam 5.1.33) In my family, they appreciate me at the time of a disaster. When something goes totally wrong, then I’m appreciated because I always say these nice things on such occasions. Some deep wise words and things like that, that everyone can appreciate. When they’re having [...]
A heavy issue!
(Kadamba Kanana Swami, 17 January 2012, Radhadesh, Belgium, Srimad Bhagavatam 5.18.9) The movement of Lord Caitanya is accommodating all kinds of people but that is not an excuse to stay how we are. We bring all this negative stuff with us, in our hand luggage… just like how when you fly on Ryanair, you put [...]
Blessings come with instructions
(Kadamba Kanana Swami, 28 February 2013, Vrndavan, India, Caitanya Caritamrta Seminar 3) In our sampradaya, we see siksa connections but these siksa connections existed between maha-bhagavats, between great devotees. Because for a great self-realized devotee, it maybe enough to accept a guru with full dedication and with full devotion through siksa. Not for us though, oh [...]
