To Mature Means That One Should Carefully Avoid Namaparadha
By performing the practices of devotional service according to the teachings of the Siksastaka, Krishna’s pastimes gradually manifest in the heart of the devotee. In his commentary on the Siksastaka, the Sammodana-bhasya, Srila Bhaktivinode Thakura … Read More
Even Namabhasa Destroys All Sins and Grants Liberation
It is written in Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu: adau sraddha tatah sadhu-sango ‘tha bhajana-kriya tato ‘nartha-nivrttih syat tato nistha rucis tatah athasaktis tato bhavas tatah premabhyudancati sadhakanam ayam premnah pradurbhave bhavet kramah Pious activities such as serving unknowingly or … Read More
Introduction to Bhajana Rahasya by Sri Bhaktivinode Thakura
The word rahasyam in this verse has been explained by the acaryas in several ways. Sridhar Svami states that it means bhakti. Jiva Gosvami argues that rahasyam refers to prema-bhakti. The latter explains that after being … Read More
Bhajana-Rahasya, by Srila Bhaktivinode Thakura (English)
Go buy it Bhajana-Rahasya (English) Table of Contents Table of Contents …………………………………………….5 Preface …………………………………………………………..7 Introduction…………………………………………………..11 1. Prathama-yama Sadhana………………………………19 Bhajana at the end of the night ………………………………..19 2. Dvitiya-yama Sadhana…………………………………41 Bhajana in the morning ………………………………………….41 … Read More
The six obstacles to advancement in Bhakti
The six obstacles to advancement in Bhakti are mentioned in the second verse: atyaharah prayasas ca prajalpo niyamagrahah jana-sangas ca laulyam ca sadbhir bhaktir vinasyati Devotional service is ruined when one gets too entangled in the … Read More
The favorable circumstances for bhakti are described in Srimad-Bhagavatam
The favorable circumstances for bhakti are described in Srimad-Bhagavatam (2.9.36): etavad eva jijnasyam tattva-jijnasunatmanah anvaya-vyatirekabhyam yat syat sarvatra sarvada He who seeks to know the Absolute Truth, the Divine and Supreme Person, must on every occasion, … Read More
Watering the roots of a tree gives energy to the whole tree
tavad bhayam dravina-deha suhrin-nimittam sokah sprha paribhavo vipulas ca lobhah tavan mamety asad-avagraha arti-mulam yavan na te ‘nghrim abhayam pravrnita lokah Oh my Lord, the inhabitants of this world are beset with all sorts of … Read More
Prema-bhajana-Sambhoga (Love of Devotion)
The humility of the devotee is described by Sanatana Gosvami in the next verse, quoted by Srila Rupa Gosvami in Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu. One who has reached the level of rati (bhava) and with steadfast faith … Read More
Ruci-bhajana (The taste for Bhajana)
He who chants the holy names has no other desire than pure devotion to Krishna. This is confirmed in the Siksastaka (4) as follows: na dhanam na janam na sundarim kavitam va jagad-isa kamaye … Read More
The concepts of pure devotional service, concerning raganuga-bhakti,
The concepts of pure devotional service, concerning raganuga-bhakti, have been treated by Vaisnava acarya such as Rupa Gosvami in Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu and Visvanatha Cakravarti in Madhurya Kadambini and Raga-vartma-candrika. Srila Bhaktivinode, following in their footsteps, explains in Bhajana-rahasya, … Read More
Nistha, that is, the steadfast faith of a devotee who has achieved perfection in pure devotion
Nistha, that is, the steadfast faith of a devotee who has achieved perfection in pure devotion, endowed with total dependence on Krishna, is described in the Siksastaka (8) as follows: aslisya va pada-ratam pinastu mam adarsanan … Read More
Dear master, dear lover, when You leave the shepherds’ village to take the cows to pasture
calasi yad vrajac carayan pasun nalina-sundaram natha te padam sila-trnankuraih sidatiti nah kalilatam manah kanta gacchati Dear master, dear lover, when You leave the shepherds’ village to take the cows to pasture, our minds are … Read More
Five of the sixty-four devotional service activities are particularly important
Five of the sixty-four devotional service activities are particularly important: associating with devotees, chanting the holy names, listening to Srimad Bhagavatam, living in Mathura, and worshiping the deity with devotion. Of these five activities, the … Read More
Preface by Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati, from Bhajana Rahasya
Preface by Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Sri Bhajana-rahasya was compiled by Srila Bhaktivinode Thakura. With this book, the great teacher gives us a hint of his own method of bhajana, a guide for his sincere followers. … Read More
Bhajana before noon
3. Trtiya-yama Sadhana Bhajana before noon niamjjato ‘nanta-bhavarnavantas ciraya me kulam ivasi labdhah tvayapi labdham bhagavann idanim anuttamam patram idam dayayah Oh Ananta! Oh Hari! I’ve been drowning in this material ocean since time … Read More
Bhajana during the late evening
7. Saptama-yama Sadhana Bhajana during the late evening On the feeling of vipralambha, purva-raga and pravasa: The attachment produced in both, in the lover and in the beloved, before their meeting by seeing each other, by … Read More
Krishnasakti (Attachment to Krishna)
5. Pancama-yama Sadhana Bhajana in the afternoon Krishnasakti (Attachment to Krishna) We find the description of an eternal servant of Krishna chanting the holy name and how he prays in the Siksastaka (5): ayi … Read More
Nistha-bhajana (Bhajana with firm faith)
Mukunda-mala-stotra (37) says that identification with the material body should be renounced: idam sariram sata-sandhi-jarjaram pataty avasyam parinam-apesalam kim ausadham prcchasi mudha durmate niramayam krishna-rasayanam piba A person should free himself from false identification with … Read More
There are four kinds of material desires
There are four kinds of material desires: aihikesvaisana para- trikesu caisana ‘subha bhuti-vancha mumuksa ca hy asat-trsnas catur-vidhah The desire for material objects, for heavenly comforts, for mystical powers, and the desire for liberation are … Read More