Summary: Srila Prabhupada gives an interesting glimpse into who he considered a pure devotee, at least in some of his written texts directly from his books, despite the somewhat popular notion of identifying a pure devotee necessarily with being a mahabhagavata-vaisnava.

Reading Assignment a) Caitanya Caritamrta Madhya 15.106, b) Caitanya Caritamrta Adi 7.51, and c) Caitanya Caritamrta Adi 7.52

a) Caitanya Caritamrta Madhya 15.106

prabhu kahe,--"yanra mukhe suni eka-bara

Krsna-nama, sei pujya,--srestha sabakara'''

TRANSLATION Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu replied, "Whoever chants the holy name of Krsna just once is worshipable and is the topmost human being."

Summary: This instruction of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu represents a theme within his overall instructions. Please note it with great care. As the Yuga-avatara, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu came to deliver the Holy Name --- specifically so that the recipient could regain their dormant love for Krishna. As stated in Verse 33, "If one simply follows in the footsteps of Lord Caitanya and the Gosvamis, certainly he will achieve the ultimate goal of life, the lotus feet of Sri Krsna." The formula for achieving this fruit of chanting with true sincerity is to successfully become ornamented with the message of Siksastakam Verse 3. These Caitanya Caritamrta texts instruct us *HOW* Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu wanted us to apply Siksastakam Verse 3 in our lives.

Summary: Forgiveness and tolerance are the themes of the Udupi Yatra that is currently being conducted in India, under the direction of Krishna Smarana das. Below are some scriptural references on that theme. Bowing before his father and greeting his brothers, the warrior-brahmana Parasurama explained every detail of the war and the heroic death of Kartaviryarjuna, the valiant king who the brahmana Parasurama had just killed in battle. However, Parasurama's father, the tolerant Jamadagni, scolded him. "O great hero," he said, "you have unnecessarily killed the king, who is supposed to be the embodiment of all the demigods. Thus you have committed a sin. We brahmanas are worshipable by others only due to our quality of forgiveness.

Summary: Perpetual struggle with duality is the life of a conditioned soul. By training and by purification, we need to become situated beyond envy, beyond seeing according to the features of duality, and beyond the subtle and gross impurities of material life. Our beloved founder-acarya is providing us with all the resources we need to achieve these stages of bhakti. Please consider the passages below very carefully.

Reading Assignment

a) Srimad-Bhagavatam 5.13.11 (Further Talks Between King Rahugana and Jada Bharata)

Summary: Jamadagni, the father of Lord Parasurama, was visited by a powerful king, Kartaviryarjuna. The king became envious of Jamadagni's opulence, specifically in the form of Jamadagni's kamadhenu. The king wanted to have the kamadhenu for himself, so when Jamadagni denied Kartaviryarjuna's request to give him the wish-fulfilling cow, the king forcibly stole the property of the exalted brahmana, along with the calf. Parasurama proceeded to retrieve the kamadhenu, and killed Kartiviryarjuna in the process. Below are the words spoken by Jamadagni at the time of receiving his kamadhenu back from Parasurama.

Summary:

The first quote from our exalted previous acarya Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura offers a wonderful way of seeing all others with respect, despite wrong behaviors they may be exhibiting (which we do NOT respect!). The second quote is a very nice summary of the destruction of Ravana by Lord Ramachandra, followed by the reunion of Sita and Rama, proving Sita's purity, and Lord Rama's return to Ayodhya.

Reading Assignment

a) 12.11.25 Srimad-Bhagavatam, purport

"One whose heart is completely devoid of the propensity to criticize others"

Reading Assignment

a) Vaisnava Ke? by Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakura, Verse Two

Summary: While in Chicago, I began a summary of the Second Canto, starting with Chapter 1. I plan, in the course of 2006, to continue working my way through the Second Canto, chapter by chapter, so that there will be a recorded overview of the entire Canto. The verse below summarizes the message of the first three chapters of this canto in a very concise and brilliant way, e.g. how meditation upon the universal form leads to Supersoul meditation, and in turn to a true 'change of heart', namely the development of love of Godhead. Please read this purport very carefully. It is packed with essential messages!

Summary: By thinking of and praying for the welfare of others, the Lord's mercy acts in such a way that it will change their minds and they will stop thinking of sense gratification!

Summary: Soon we will be celebrating Rama Navami. The glories of Rama Lila are many, particularly highlighting the incredible standards of virtue which Lord Rama exemplified. The passage quoted below focuses upon the virtues revealed by Lord Rama when faced with a horrific reversal of Fate; instead of being crowned Regent (incumbent King), he is banished to the forest for 14 years! Total injustice, total insult, total unfairness...without any cause or provocation.