Swami BB Vishnu: Writings

After wandering in this material world for many lifetimes, by the mercy of guru and Krsna, the seed of devotion is awakened within our heart. The process starts with a little faith (adau sraddha) and this faith leads us to seek answers (pariprasna) and the association of devotees (sadhu-sanga), those who are practitioners of the devotional process. The cultivation of this seed of the creeper of devotion is the substance of our devotional life.

Scientists have made great strides with their speculations, postulations, hypothesis and analysis of the creation or the universe we live in. Yet we see that the latest theories always seem to have some imperfections and exceptions.

So many instructions are there from Srila Prabhupada and amongst those, the paramount instruction is to preach vigorously. To become a pure devotee and to preach vigorously.

Recently an announcement was posted on "Dandavats.com" wherein the representative of ISKCON's Sri Sri Krishna Balaram temple in Vrindavana [Shyamakrishna Das] informed all the devotees around the world that "Srila Prabhupada's Bhajan-kutir is now re-opened."

A vast number of statements and materials presented in the ancient Vedic literatures can be shown to agree with modern scientific findings and they also reveal a highly developed scientific content in these literatures.

In the recent controversies amongst some of the Gaudiya Vaisnavas, those who present isolated and unusual examples of preaching as the rule, rather than as the exception to the proper Gaudiya conception, have simply increased the level of confusion. In particular the subject of the necessity of proper adhikara (qualifications) for hearing higher confidential topics regarding the Lord's lila has been greatly minimized by trying to establish the exception as the rule.

Many devotees are disqualified from understanding finer siddhantic truths by virtue of their impurities, material desires, subtle and gross deviations from the strict line of Sri Rupanuga-varga, and particularly because of their offenses to other Vaisnavas.

The following is an excerpt from a talk given by Sripad Bhaktibhavana Visnu Maharaja on the occasion of Srila Prabhupada's Sannyasa initiation anniversary at Kesavaji Gaudiya Matha in Mathura.

Mathematics has only recently risen to attempt to usurp the throne of Godhead. Ironically, it originally came into use in human society within the context of spiritual pursuit. Spiritually advanced cultures were not ignorant of the principles of mathematics, but they saw no necessity to explore those principles beyond that which was helpful in the advancement of God realization.

Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu instructed Srila Sanatana Gosvami that a most essential element of Sadhana Bhakti is guru-padasraya — one must take shelter at the feet of a qualified guru. Without this shelter one's devotional activities will not lead to pure devotional service.

Our readers are invited to allow for our standpoint as first-generation members of the disciplic succession of A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada. Where we differ from other disciples of Bhaktivedanta Swami that have chosen to remain in iskcon, and of particular relevance to this article is in the claim that our disciplic line prominently includes Sridhara Goswami.

The Sanskrit word arati literally means "before night." Ratri (night) when prefaced with the letter a indicates dusk. The waving of the lamp before the Deity thus implies the dispelling of the night of our material sojourn with the light of devotion through which God is revealed.