Haridasa Babaji Maharaja: Writings

For the śuddha-bhakta, liberation itself is an obstacle if it obscures service. The devotee prays, “I do not care for heaven or liberation, O Lord; let me always serve You.” Such devotion transcends even the desire for freedom, because it springs from love alone.

It is sometimes pointed out that Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī is not mentioned by name in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. This is true—Her glories are veiled there, just as the sweetness of sugar is hidden within the sugarcane. Yet the Gauḍīya ācāryas have unmistakably revealed Her presence.

This emphasis on youthful renunciation finds clear precedent in the life and mission of Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura, who instituted the tridaṇḍi-sannyāsa order not as a retirement plan, but as a dynamic vehicle for preaching to facilitate widespread distribution of our Gauranga's Saṅkīrtan.

The theory of evolution is, by definition, just a theory—yet it is treated as an unquestionable fact, the bedrock of modern biology, and the grand narrative of life’s origins across academia, mainstream science, and secular media. For many in these circles, evolution acts as a kind of modern gospel—not because it has been proven in all its claims, but because it aligns with a materialistic worldview that aims to explain life without invoking divine intelligence or purpose.

Only by recognizing the eternal, unchanging self within—and turning toward the Supreme—can one find peace as the body fades. True intelligence lies in detaching from the illusion and anchoring oneself in what is real, lasting, and divine. And yet, despite the clarity of this truth, so many remain bound to the illusion—grasping for permanence in what was never meant to last.

Knowing that the Lord naturally guards His surrendered devotee, Prahlāda saw no need to petition for safety. True devotion rests on complete faith: the genuine devotee understands that Kṛṣṇa’s protection is already assured by surrender, not by repeated requests born of fear.

The scripture reflects the heart of the pure devotee, and the heart of the pure devotee reveals the essence of the scripture. Together, they are the twin pramāṇas of the Bhāgavat Paramparā, the dual authority of śāstra and realized śikṣā through which transcendental truth is transmitted.

Self-love, described as ‘affection toward oneself’ or ‘the consideration of one’s own happiness first before the happiness of others,’ has historically been a double-edged sword. Proponents of self-love deem loving oneself a fundamental human need, while downplaying and dismissing the more historically traditional understanding.

True wealth lies not in material possessions but in spiritual love and devotion to Krishna. By engaging in bhakti-yoga, we transcend fleeting desires and cultivate an eternal relationship with the Supreme Lord, recognizing that service to Him is the ultimate purpose and the source of lasting happiness and fulfillment.

Shortly after taking sannyasa in 1959, His Divine Grace Srila A.C. Bhaktivedanta Svami Prabhupada took residence at the most important temple in Vrndavana, the Sri Sri Radha-Damodara Mandira at Seva Kunja. Sri Nirmal Candra Gosvami, the present Sevaite-acarya of Radha-Damodara Mandira, who was a young man at the time, remembers when Srila Prabhupada first came to reside at Sri Sri Radha-Damodara Mandira.

There is a great misunderstanding in the secular and religious world and especially within the Abrahamic traditions, (Judaism, Islam and Christianity) on the question of Deity worship. The English word 'idol' is usually used when describing any worship that concentrates on likenesses of demons, gods, goddesses, Visnu or Krsna. The term 'idol' has a very bad connotation in the west and conjures up images of pagans, heathens and other wild uncultured persons ...