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Homages from ISKCON Centers

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Çré Vyäsa-püjä 2012<br />

empowered by Kåñëa, one cannot propagate the saìkértana movement.) (Caitanya-caritämåta, Antya 7.11)<br />

Because of your selfless activity of so kindly awakening sleeping souls like me, all the scriptures<br />

declare that you are as good as God:<br />

säkñäd-dharitvena samasta-çästrair<br />

uktas tathä bhävyata eva sadbhiù<br />

kintu prabhor yaù priya eva tasya<br />

vande guroù çré-caraëäravindam<br />

“The spiritual master is to be honored as much as the Supreme Lord because he is the most confidential<br />

servitor of the Lord. This is acknowledged in all revealed scriptures and followed by all authorities.<br />

Therefore I offer my respectful obeisances unto the lotus feet of such a spiritual master, who is a bona<br />

fide representative of Çré Hari [Kåñëa].”<br />

You are such a powerful personality, Çréla Prabhupäda! You kindly left your spiritual, transcendental<br />

home, Våndävana, and went to America because if you hadn’t no sädhu would have ever gone there, and<br />

the Westerners would have continued to sleep in a hellish condition for who knows how long.<br />

All the following statements <strong>from</strong> çästra sing your glories, for you provided practical demonstration<br />

of them:<br />

bhaväpavargo bhramato yadä bhavej<br />

janasya tarhy acyuta sat-samägamaù<br />

sat-saìgamo yarhi tadaiva sad-gatau<br />

parävareçe tvayi jäyate ratiù<br />

“O my Lord! O infallible Supreme Person! When a person wandering throughout the universes<br />

becomes eligible for liberation <strong>from</strong> material existence, he gets an opportunity to associate with<br />

devotees. When he associates with devotees, his attraction for You is awakened. You are the<br />

Supreme Personality of Godhead—the highest goal of the topmost devotees and the Lord of the<br />

universe.” (Çrémad-Bhägavatam 10.51.53)<br />

kåñëa yadi kåpä kare kona bhägyaväne<br />

guru-antaryämi-rüpe çikhäya äpane<br />

“Kåñëa is situated in everyone’s heart as the caittya-guru, the spiritual master within. When He<br />

is kind to some fortunate conditioned soul, He personally gives him lessons so he can progress<br />

in devotional service, instructing the person as the Supersoul within and the spiritual master<br />

without.” [Caitanya-caritämåta, Madhya 22.47]<br />

sädhu-saìge kåñëa-bhaktye çraddhä yadi haya<br />

bhakti-phala ‘prema’ haya, saàsära yäya kñaya<br />

“By associating with a devotee, one awakens his faith in devotional service to Kåñëa. Because of<br />

devotional service, one’s dormant love for Kåñëa awakens, and thus one’s material, conditioned<br />

existence comes to an end.” [Caitanya-caritämåta, Madhya 22.49]<br />

mahat-kåpä vinä kona karme ‘bhakti’ naya<br />

kåñëa-bhakti düre rahu, saàsära nahe kñaya<br />

“Unless one is favored by a pure devotee, one cannot attain the platform of devotional service. To<br />

say nothing of kåñëa-bhakti, one cannot even be relieved <strong>from</strong> the bondage of material existence.”<br />

PURPORT Pious activities bring about material opulence, but one cannot acquire devotional service<br />

112<br />

3_<strong>ISKCON</strong> <strong>Centers</strong>_06June2012.indd 112 6/6/12 10:40 AM

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