Q. In Srimad Bhagavatam 5.1.29 it is said the duration of Maharaja Priyavrata's ruling was 1,100,000,000 years (11 arbudas) In another place 5.7.8 it is stated, that the enjoyment of Bharat Maharaja was 1000 times 10,000 years (equals to one crore 10,000,000).
How do we understand this in terms with the shorter duration of the subtotal of the 4 yugas?
The Sanskrit dictionary defines arbuda as 10 million, so 11 arbudas would be 110,000,000 years.
Lord Caitanya’s teaching is to become the servant of the servant of the servant of the servant of the gopis who are intimately serving Krishna. “Servant of the servant” the more times removed, the better. So serving the devotees is a corner stone, a fundamental core teaching of Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Why? Because we don’t have the qualification to approach Krishna directly. Moreover, our purpose is to please Krishna, and Krishna is pleased when we approach one who is dear to Him and when we serve those who are dear to Him. By so doing, we are serving Krishna.
Preamble of Question: There are many situations in history when devotees had to take the Deities and run away or run for their lives from the cruelty of muslim or any other rulers of that time.
Mr. Daniel Bailey Information Officer American Reporter 54, Queen's Road, New Delhi.
Dear Mr. Bailey,
I am in due receipt of your letter No. AR-2732 of the 26th ultimo, and I am very glad to note your frankness to admit that you cannot go so far at present to disseminate the basic principles of Indian philosophies.
Indian philosophies mean generally the Sada Darsana or the six different schools of philosophers namely, 1. the Mimamsa, 2. Sankhya, 3. Nyaya, 4. Mayavada, 5. Patanjal and 6. the Vedanta.
Prabhupada once said Krishna consciousness is very simple. God is very great and I am very small, therefore I should serve Him. That is Krishna consciousness. So, how great God is makes it very clear how small I am. It is not like now I am depressed because I am small. But I am the servant of the great. I am very happy being the servant of the great. Happy as anything! Because He is so great and I get a chance to serve Him, even though I am so insignificant. But one aspect of His greatness is that He is very merciful. He accepts service from little tiny beings like me because He is so merciful.
A new Bulk Download feature has been recently introduced on the audio page (http://www.romapadaswami.com/audio) whereby one can quickly download an archive of lectures under any chosen category. The archives would be kept up to date on a daily basis.
Here is a little seedling that has started to grow. It has got a few leaves and it is thinking, “I want some flowers”. It just has to grow some more. Keep watering and providing sunshine. The flowers will come.
How do you fix your mind when there is some disturbance? You fix it where you see there is value. The resolution to how the duality is configuring itself is not resolved by control, manipulation and cleverness. It is resolved by Krishna -- by Krishna making a clear path. How to make this all possible? By whatever arrangement will keep oneself fixed in Krishna consciousness at all times. This is how a devotee needs to be trained above duality, so as not to become elated when there is some good fortune, and disturbed when there is ill fortune.
Adapted from a lecture given by His Holiness Romapada Swami on SB 1.4.6-9, on April 4, 2008 in Penn State.
Sent to you from Tirupati, provided to the GBCs attending a GBC meeting at ISKCON Tirupati by the Temple President Revati Raman Prabhu -
Some pastimes of Lord Balaji and His devotees.
SRI VENKATESWARA KALYANAM:
On the banks of the Ganges, the rishis headed by Kasyapa began to perform a sacrifice. Sage Narada visited them and asked them why they were performing the sacrifice and who would be pleased by it and to whom the yagna phala to be offered. Some of rishis said it is for Lord Vishnu, some said it is for Lord Shiva and some said it is for Lord Brahma, not being able to answer the question, the rishis approached Sage Bhrigu. To reach a solution after a direct ascertainment of reality, Sage Bhrigu first went to Satyaloka, the abode of Lord Brahma.
