Srila Gurudev speak about Radha Kunda 'mahanta' Ananta Das Babaji

Srila Gurudeva on Ananta dasa Babaji
Submitted by the Harikatha team
[The following is excerpts of a discourse, darsana and letter by Srila Gurudeva, Sri Srimad Bhaktivedanta Narayana Gosvami Maharaja, wherein he discusses Ananta das Babaji. The darsana was slightly edited for reading clarity.]
A Darsana in Vrndavana, India: 1992
[Click here to hear the soundfile: Srila-bv-narayan-maharaja – Srila-bv-narayan-maharaja-on-ananta-dasa-babaji]
Syamarani dasi: He also wants to know what you think of Ananta das Pandita. The one at Radha Kunda.
Srila Gurudeva: Ananta dasa Pandita. I only know that there is an Ananta dasa Babaji. He lives in Radha Kunda and he has published some books. I know only this. What has your Prabhupada spoken about Ananta Dasa?
Syamarani dasi: I don’t know what he said about him. But he rejects saha…
Gurudeva: I know that Ananta dasa Babaji tells that Mayapura is not the real Mayapura. He says that Pracina Navadvipa (Old Navadvipa, Sriman Mahaprabhu’s birthplace) is on the western side of the Ganges; he says that is the real Mayapura. [Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura, with the help of Srila Jagannatha dasa Babaji Maharaja, found and established Mahaprabhu’s birthplace on the eastern bank]. So you can understand what type of person he is. *[see endnote 1, from Navadvipa-dhama Parikrama book]
[Then, after a few words describing Ananta das Babaji’s physical appearance and apparel:] What does he want to know about him?
Syamarani dasi: He wants to know what you think of his lineage and publications. It seems you have answered.
Srila Gurudeva: There are so many things to say about him. I know that his intelligence is misguided. Even though he cannot understand whether Mayapura is here or there, he makes propaganda against Gaudiya Vaisnavas, like Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakura and others. He is hankering for so many disciples and he preaches against Gaudiya Vaisnavism. If any ISKCON member goes to him, he will say, “Oh, come on come on, I will give you babaji vesa.” And if you go, he will give you babaji vesa. [With affectionate sarcasm] Do you want? I will recommend you.
If your Prabhupada were here, he would have fully…what is the word?
Syamarani dasi: Condemned him?
Srila Gurudeva: Condemned him. And then he would have done his sraddha ceremony. Do you know the meaning of Sradha ceremony?
Symarani dasi: The ceremony after death.
Gurudeva: Ah, yes. Your Prabhupada would surely have done this. What more can I say?
Vrndavana, India: October 27, 2007
[The class was originally given in Bengali. To hear the sound file, Srila-bv-narayan-maharaja – 2007027-gopinathbhavan-am-hidieng-damodarast-restored]
Bhakti is of two kinds: bhakti and bhakti-rasa. Unless we have reached suddha-sattva, if rati has not yet come, along with sthayi-bhava (the foundational ecstasy of one’s permanent relationship with Sri Krsna), krsna-priti (love for Krsna), alambana (the coming together of the subject and object of love), udipana (the stimulus for loving the object of love), asta-sattvika-bhava (the eight symptoms of transcendental ecstacy), and vyabhicari-bhava (the thirty-three transitory ecstasies that come and go like the waves of the ocean of love for Krsna), we cannot taste bhakti-rasa.* [see endnote 2]
Nowadays, in so many places, ‘gopi-bhava’ is being given to the people just by their saying, “I am a gopi.” However, Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura explains that only when all our anarthas are removed will we be able to realize, inside our heart, our eternally perfect spiritual body. At that time we will be able to understand who we are. Only after that can we think about asta-kalya-lila (Sri Sri Radha-Krsna’s 24-hour daily pastimes) and gopi-bhava.
These persons are imagining gopi-bhava before all these stages manifest, and therefore they fall down from the right path. In Radha-Kunda, Vrndavana, and other places as well, the Babajis are giving this so-called gopi-bhava to whomsoever comes to them. This so-called gopi-bhava is given to even the most unqualified and foolish persons, who do not know even how to clean themselves after using the toilet.
The most unqualified and ignorant people, even from Gaudiyas, go to Ananta das Babaji Maharaja in Radha-Kunda. They at once take this so-called gopi-bhava and think that everything will be accomplished by this. But they do not know that 99% of all the people at Radha-Kunda have loose character. Therefore, we should be very careful about this matter.
According to the instructions of Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura and our guru-parampara, if we perform proper sadhana, then ruci will come, along with asakti (pure attachment for Krsna), rati (bhava-bhakti), and sthayi-bhava (foundational ecstacy). Only by this process will there be some progress in bhakti. Alambana and udipana will also come, and then sneha and mamata will manifest. By this bona fide process, you will be able to attract Krsna and have His darsana.

Upasana tattva. Gurudev about Deity Worship In Gaudiya Vaishnavism. (+pl...

A ofering for Vyas Puja and Rama navami- 2014

Finally was posted to all the Video of the Biography of the early Life of Guru Maharaj. See the link BELOW. Today Is Vyas Puja. The most important day in the calendar of Gaudiya Vaishnavas. Today also is Rama navami, but for those who wish to advance in spiritual life, they will give preference to Bhaktas who are asray Bhagavan. Bharata, Rama´s brother, is Rama ´s follower, son an everything. The character of Bharat will be aprecisate only by the sincere and complete surrendered soul. How he was loyal to Ram, how he cried when he saw that Guha and even Kausalya was having suspicion on him. How he was ofered the kingdom but set the example of pure and exalted surrendered soul with a divine saintly character and loyality to his elder brother and lord ram. Nowadays we see so many want to take the position of Vyas, to be worshiped etc.. But Bharata was ofered all these things and he cried deeply as without life he told: "Better to me to die". He also rejected His mother by The evil atitude. A real disciple will never take the seat equal to his own Gurudev, he will act like Bharata. Just as Srila Gurudev did when requested by Vaman Goswami to start to give diksa. Just as Gurudev did when Swami Prabhupad told him to seat in his bed before left this world, Gurudev refused and seated in a old chair at his side. Just as Guru maharaj Tirtha Goswami did when devotees told he would be acharya. He told: "No, iam fallen soul my Gurudev is the Acharya forever".And Bharata went to Ram in Chitrakoot. And told Ram to return to His (Ram) Kingdom. And when the painfull decision was made by Ram that "You should go and govern Ayodiya, we should do this to our father and keep his words". he crying told "i will do this because of your order and still it will be you who really will be the king, i will put your sandals paduka in the main palace and i will stay outside and pay my obeisances to your sandals everyday". This event is celebrated even today in north India, as the most important event in all Ramayana. How a person will not cry reading this lila? In fact this event is the most important teaching in the whole Rama Lila. By Bharata atitude, character, loyality, love, surrender and acts a aspiring devotee should learn with Bharata and should pray to Bharata, that something of His devotion enter in our heart. With out devotees, Lord is nothing, like zero .... So Today we pray to His dear Associate in the form of Gurudev Srila B.B.Tirtha Goswami, who is a eternal associate of Radha Govinda in Golok Vrindavan and to Bharata, who is a eternal associate of Sri Ram in Ayodhya Vaikunth, that they give us inspiration, devotion, enthusiasm in doing sadhana and show their mercy on us, fallen souls of this world, that by Their Mercy we can be like them as soon as possible and be happy forever like they are eternally. Jay Srila Guru Maharaj, Jay Sri Bharata and Jay Sri Rama!!!

baladev

http://www.sreecgmath.org/scgmtimes/scgmvideo.php?file=http://www.sreecgmath.org/CMS/scgmvideo/srila_gurudeva_early_life.flv&duration=2014&title=The%20early%20life%20of%20His%20Divine%20Grace,%20published%20on%207%20April,%202014

Srila A.C.Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupad about Islam and Religious faith. Excelent compilation.

Introduction

The following is based on Srila Prabhupadas conversations:

Religion is meant for peace, not war.

Again and again God has sent His messengers to this material world to re-establish religious principles. Different messengers have revealed different scriptures in different languages accord-ing to time, place, circumstances and the intellectual capacity of the people. In this way the Vedas, Avesta, Torah, Bible and Qur'an were made available for the benefit of mankind, to bring them closer to God. Despite the different languages and different ages in which these scriptures were presented, the knowl-edge and guidance is essentially the same. That is:

1. God is one
2. Everyone is a servant of God
3. Everyone has an eternal relationship with God
4. The primary duty of everyone is Service to God
5. The goal of human life is to develop love of God.

As far as the process of each scripture is concerned, some details and rituals differ, but in essence it is all the same. Every messenger of God came to this mortal world to remind us that we should always remember God, serve God and love God. Therefore, religious principles are meant for peace and prosperity, not war. Vaishnavism, Hinduism, Buddhism, Zoroastrianism, Judaism, Chris-tianity and Islam are all meant for uniting people, not dividing them.

"In the vase there is a variety of flowers, and that variety helps us better appreciate the idea of flowers. That is called unity in diversity," said Srila Prabhupada. But because of misunderstanding, misinterpretation and deviation from the revealed scriptures, hundreds and hundreds of sects have already appeared, even within the same religious communities, what to speak of other communities. People quarrel, fight and kill each other under the name of reli-gion. So much degradation. There is no peace and prosperity on this earth. How can we gain the peace and prosperity that everyone is searching for? In this dark age of quarrel and hypocrisy, God has sent us His most merciful servant, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada, to re-establish true religious principles and unite all the religions under the non-sectarian, nonmaterial, transcendental flag of love of God.

As a humble saint, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada never criticised any religion or any bona fide representative of any religion. Some people say Srila Prabhupada was a genius, some say a great religious teacher, some say a friend like no other, but Srila Prabhupada said: "I am simply a servant of a servant of a servant of God." By re-establishing the Absolute Truth as it was, as it is, and as it always should be without adding or subtracting anything from the way it was presented to him, he began an international movement that has already united people of all religions, nations, ages, etc.. Thanks to his compassion and struggle, souls from all walks of life: scientists, businessmen, philosophers, laborers, housewives and students are all marching under the united nations transcendental flag of love of God.

In this work we present Statements by A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada on Islam taken from his books, lectures and conversations. We sincerely hope it will help people develop a proper understanding of interreligious connections, "unity in diversity."

1. Islam is also Vaishnavism

Srila Prabhupada: Islam is also Vaishnavism.
Dr. Patel: Mohammedanism is not Vaishnavism.

Srila Prabhupada: No, no. Chaitanya Mahaprabhu talked with the Pathanas (Muslims). He proved that "Yourreligion is Vaishnavism." (Moraing walk. Bombay, 17/02/74)

Srila Prabhupada: Then Islam is Vaishnava dharma (religion) in a crude form like Christianity.
(Room conversation. Tehran, 14/03/75)