Prabhupada - The Unique Spiritual Master

Kadamba Kanana Swami

We can appreciate how unique Prabhupada really is in the entire sampradaya, because really, Lord Caitanya appears only once in a day of Brahma, and therefore, after Lord Caitanya who introduces Krsna Consciousness basically in the Indian subcontinent, the mission that remains is to take Krsna Consciousness all over the world. Prabhupada did that. He brought it from east to west and Prabhupada himself stated: "Now this Krsna Consciousness cannot be stopped anymore." Just like a disease, you know, once it has really contaminated, then it's too late. It's too late - it cannot be undone, cannot be stopped anymore.

So Prabhupada did that mission of taking Krsna Consciousness from east to west, which is done only once in an entire day of Lord Brahma, so we can understand that Prabhupada is a special intimate associate of Caitanya Mahaprabhu, particularly chosen for this mission, and we can understand therefore that the way that Prabhupada introduced Krsna Consciousness in the world is particularly the way that Lord Caitanya desired it.

The mood of the disciple- Part 4

Opening up the lotus flower

These rituals of initiation are meant to be a blessing and that is it. We should always look to take advantage of this blessing. They are like seeds that we put in the ground, and from this seed now our bhakti should really grow. Just like at the time of initiation, one receives a lotus flower but the lotus flower is closed and one has to open the leaves. When we go to work, to open up its leaves, to use it for pure devotional service in all kinds of ways- use it to learn the science of devotional service, use it to chant the holy name with quality, use it to make Krsna consciousness our first priority in life, and still do our material duties as nice as possible as we did it before, but our interest has shifted- then we can gradually open this lotus until it leads to deep and mature Krsna consciousness, where we develop deep attachment to Krsna. And gradually our love for Krsna develops. And as it does, shoo! Krsna consciousness becomes the most wonderful thing in the world...!

(Kadamba Kanana Swami, 2006, Stockholm)

Congregational Chanting In Newcastle, Uk 2010 (Vid!)

Hope Against Hope - New lecture

click here:
HOPE AGAINST HOPE 14/02/2010 - CHOWPATTY

The Sunday feast lecture (14/02/2010) can easily be found - it is in date order)

Sankirtana - the deepest internal ecstasy is there.

The purpose of regulative principles is ultimately Krsnaprema. And in that way we understand that Harinam sankirtan is non-different from the meditation on Vrindavan, because it is always bringing people to the pastimes of Vrindavan and being in separation from Vrindavan, and bringing those who are far from Vrindavan, covered by maya, to bring them back.
In this way, sankirtan is really the highest manifestation of that consciousness. So in one sense, there is no distinction that can be made between the internal and the external, because in one sense, within the external sankirtan movement, the internal ecstasy is there - the deepest internal ecstasy is there!

(Kadamba Kanana Swami 2003)

Judgement day

At the end of our life, our own service will be judged. But more important, is the service of our spiritual master, who is requesting Krsna, “Please accept him, he didn’t do well, but accept him anyway.”

This is actually how it works. And thus Srila Prabhupada is praying for all of us and saying, “Please take them all back to Godhead. I know everything, but still... please take them back to Godhead.”

Then what can Krsna do, because Prabhupada has done such service that Krsna has become so indebted, what can He do. So when he (Srila Prabhupada) is asking...all right, let him go.

So mercy is a major factor and thus we must look for that mercy. We must therefore always turn to our spiritual master. Its not that the spiritual master should turn to us, we should turn to him for shelter.

Kadamba Kanana Swami
Bhaktivedanta Manor, 2009

The mood of the disciple- Part 3

To give- The key in the relationship

Sometimes in the beginning stages , people are also trying to see the relationship with the spiritual master as everything. But, they are looking at what they can get from that relationship. And they are looking as to kind of get the maximum attention- to get a letter a day, to get a phone call in between- to get as much as possible and milk and milk and milk- No, it’s not like that! It is not like that! We must give, we must give to our spiritual master. It’s what we give that is the key to the relationship. We must give ourselves wholeheartedly and then whatever comes in return- that we accept. But then we are able to appreciate it, then if we have given ourselves in surrender and in service as much as we can, then we can also have the eyes to see the value of what comes in between. And then we have the eyes, strength, insight and the intelligence to take advantage of the mercy we are getting.

Otherwise if we simply try to take and take and still not satisfied- ‘I’m just not getting enough! I’m not getting enough mercy! I’m not getting enough association! How can I be expected to carry on like this?’ No, not like that. That is the neophyte stage. That should not exist after the vows; that may exist before the vows. After the vows that should not exist anymore. After the vows one has to go to the level of maturity in the relationship and become a servant and give and be grateful for what comes....

(Kadamba Kanana Swami, 2006)

The mood of the disciple- Part 2

Your Ever well-Wisher

One should know the spiritual master...it was Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura who first signed his letters with, “Your Ever Well-Wisher” and coined that English phrase. And it was Srila Prabhupada who made this phrase the very core of the relationship between him and his disciples and therefore we are also taking it at times and say, “Your Ever Well-Wisher” because that is the fact, that is the relationship. Just like a parent with his child, looking down so lovingly at his little boy, full of affection- his ever well-wisher...!

(Kadamba Kanana Swami, 2006, Stockholm)

University talk in Leicester with the Pandava Sena. MUST SEE! ( vids!!!)

EXTRAORDINARY AND HUMOROUS UNIVERSITY TALK WITH LEICESTER PANDAVA SENA (01/2010)
Maharaja discusses a whole range of very interesting and fascinating topics

Do Not Cause Anxiety To Anyone

Kadamba Kanana Swami

It is an offense to cause fear to the devotees. It is mentioned like that.

"One should not be the cause of anxiety to anyone, what to speak of a devotee"

Krishna Consciousness Is Immediate Access

(Kadamba Kanana Swami 2003)

In one sense, the devotee is always in Vrindavan. It is said that Vrindavan is a state of consciousness. Prabhupada mentioned that one cannot just go to Vrindavan by some travel agent or by making some travel arrangements, but one must be there in consciousness. And we find a similar description when Caitanya Mahaprabhu, after taking sannyass, He met Advaita Acarya and Advaita Acarya at one point said to Him, "My Lord, wherever You are, You are in Vrindavan." So wherever the Vaishnava is, he is in Vrindavan. He is in the spiritual world, because he has that intimate relationship with Krsna, in all activities.
If we look at all the other different spiritual paths, the first basic problem is that the Lord is not visible. And the spiritual world is not visible. One cannot perceive it, and therefore it is necessary for some sort of process to bring about a change of consciousness - some purification, whatever may be - before one can actually perceive His trascendental abode, pastimes.

The mood of the disciple- Part 1

Our Everything

...behind the vows is the spiritual master, who plays a big part, because in that relationship we can find love, we can find strength, we can find inspiration...we can find so much, if we invest in it! So we must invest in it and be grateful in whatever we get in return. When one is relating to a spiritual master, one has to invest in the relationship as much as one can and you never know what may come in return. ‘After we’ve slaved...he didn’t even smile at me- not even a smile!’ And one has to be grateful, ‘God, we have to be grateful! One has to be appreciative, ‘God! We’ve slaved for one month and we have to be appreciative? Not a word of thanks! God! You wouldn’t do that to your dog! My God! What kind of person is this!’

We must serve, we must give everything- selflessly. And whatever comes, we must be grateful and whatever doesn’t come, we also accept and wait patiently. And then whatever mercy comes we will accept it- not as something ordinary. Whatever attention, whatever way it comes we never accept it as ordinary. Not easy...

One has to tell the mind, because the mind tends to take it ordinary at times but we have to tell our mind, ‘No! This is not ordinary! This is valuable!’ But if we invest in this relationship then it becomes a great source of strength, then it becomes a great inspiration in our spiritual life. And in fact, we realise that at one point, it’s our only means to Krsna...it’s our everything!

(Kadamba Kanana Swami, 2006, Stockholm)

No Need To Hesitate ....Let's Run!!!

In the whole environment where Krsna appeared, everything became so favourable, everything just so wonderful. So in this way, we need not be foolishly attached to the little bit of pleasure that is here in this material world. The pleasure of the spiritual abode of Krsna is unlimitedly greater! So there is no need to hesitate for a moment! Let's run! Let's run towards the spiritual world, not drag our feet!"

(Kadamba Kanana Swami 2006)

Wonderful Wonderful Wonderful Wonderful!!!

(Kadamba Kanana Swami 2006)

Nanda Maharaj was giving charity, and he opened up his treasury and he allowed everyone to go inside and take whatever they wanted. Now you can imagine if they would do that to us, right?
(Maharaj whistles and imitates a loud call) "Bring the truck! Bring the train! Bring another truck! You said we could take everything we desired!!!"
With a magnifying glass we would pick up the last lost pearl left in the dust in the corner. But somehow or another everyone went in the treasury of Nanda Maharaj, took what he desired and was fully satisfied, and still there was something left for Nanda Maharaj, and everyone was satisfied like this. So we see that the residents there were all wonderful personalities, all wonderful devotees.

Ratha Yatra In Cape Town- Jan 2010 (VID 1)

Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, along with His followers, were performing kirtana. And since that time, kirtana has become inseperable from Ratha Yatra. The kirtana at Ratha Yatra is of equal importance- if not greater- than pulling the chariot of Lord Jagannatha... (HH KKS, Cape Town Ratha Yatra, 24 Jan 2010)

Can't view video? Go here

Glorification Of Prabhupada In Iskcon Leicester (Vid!)

No More Beating Someone Over The Head!

Prabhupada based this movement on love. And that is what we are slowly beginning to discover. This is the phase where we have come in our movement today, that we begin to realise the need for being kind, the need for bending, instead of like beating someone over the head with the club of Krsna Consciousness as we used to do!

(Kadamba Kanana Swami 2006)

Melted By The Love Of Prabhupada!!

If I speak about the love for Krsna that Srila Prabhupada had, and how it extends also to human beings, then I'm thinking especially of the early devotees. In the beginning, Srila Prabhupada was just alone in New York. He was just sometimes wandering alone in the streets, no followers but he carried on. And then he started his Matchless Gifts Store and the first devotees were there.
And if today we meet one of those first devotees for example Brahmananda Prabhu, if we meet him today, then we can see that when the time comes to speak about Prabhupada, he comes to life!

It's like he's otherwise, sort of, half there, not fully, sort of absent, but when it's time to speak about Prabhupada, Brahmananda becomes alive and enlivened and the words just stream out of his mouth and he cannot stop, with just so much eagerness in remembering more and more with deep, deep emotion and there is no doubt that he is every moment of his life, living in these moments with Srila Prabhupada!

These devotees who were so close to Srila Prabhupada - they have been so deeply touched by his love, that they have melted. They have melted! And it's taken over everything! It's taken over their entire life and it's just the source of inspiration in our lives!

(Kadamba Kanana Swami 2006)

From Faith To Taste To Bhava To Prema (VID!)

(Kadamba Kanana Swami, 2010, Soho UK (humorous talk!))

New media to download !

 

I have added more media to the Listen & Download section.

Now you have access to :
DVD-rips and Videos from HH Jayadvaita swami
DVD-rips and Videos from HH Kadamba Kanana Swami


Tips !
- DVD rips are also available as smaller videos. You can find them in JAS_Video and KKS_Video.
The downloading can be slow, so pls be patient. This media is hosted personally at my house and my internet connection is not really fast. I should upgrade it but do not have the funds for it yet.

Developing Attachment to Krishna!

Kadamba Kanana Swami , Stockholm 01/2010

How to become attached to Krishna? It seems so difficult. It seems like something very difficult to achieve. But that is not a fact actually. It is not difficult at all, because it says in Bhagavad Gita (Sanskrit) that if we know that all material worlds and all the spiritual worlds are emanating from Krishna. In other words if you really understand that everything is coming from Krishna then automatically we start finding Krishna very wonderful and the result is that as one knows all these Glories about Krishna he naturally develops love for Krishna.

So love for Krishna that is what we are simply interested in, to develop a little bit more love for Krishna. So the more we know, the more we know about Krishna, the more we will naturally begin to love Krishna. The more we serve Krishna the more we we will naturally become attached to Krishna.

Go and get the nectar

The meaning of spiritual self-sufficiency:

...the spiritual master, he takes us on a spiritual path and he shows us where different puddles of nectar are. He takes us to different sources of nectar, he shows us, "There's a source of nectar...there's a source of nectar." So then we have to be able to go there and get some nectar, that's the point.

Kadamba Kanana Swami, 2005

Radha Madhava! Leicester UK - 2010 (Vid!)

Seed Of Faith , Soho 2010( Vid!)

Kirtan with a Violin at Brunell University London 2010 (VID!)

Ready to bend and change the course for Krishna?

Kadamba Kanana Swami

As a devotee is advancing in Krsna Consciousness and becoming more experienced, as he has been practising prescribed activities that Lord Krsna has revealed in the scriptures for a long time, he becomes more sensitive to the indications from Krsna and it becomes more relevant for him - not that then he takes these indications and this is carved in stone. He takes these indications from Krsna and confirms them.
We can also see how Krishnadas Goswami was taking it like that. He was getting orders from different vaisnavas with requests to write the Caitanya Caritamrita and then looking for an indication from Krsna. Is Krsna really favouring this idea or not? And in this way, we see that devotees, instead of being so fixed about their own plan, are kind of ready to bend and to change their course for the plan of Krsna.

The mercy of Lord Nityananda...

Excerpts from a lecture given by HH Kadamba Kanana Swami on the appearance day of Lord Nityananda (28 Jan 2010) in Cape Town, South Africa

When we are reaching out, reaching out to people who have no knowledge, then we relax the rules and we look at the spontaneous service and in this way we can engage so many people and bring them closer and bring them in. And this is the movement of Nityananda- to bring everyone in. It’s an all-inclusive movement of great kindness. So Nityananda is the emblem of kindness, the emblem of positiveness...

Just like you know, sometimes you see parents- mother’s with their children or something- and they’re completely positive you know! And I’m seeing this little, squeaky monster; it’s ugly like anything, all red and spotty, and half blind- the eyes are puffy- hardly any hair on the head, all wrinkled, I mean...ugly! And then making hellish noises and then possibly the nappy changing rituals and things like that...so from the male perspective, sometimes it’s something not appreciated. But then you see this totally positive, parental mood, just seeing the positive thing in the child...like I just saw this little- it was grown a little and it turned into a little rat!- and this kid is just like hammering on things, (imitates)’ bang, bang, eeh, eeh!’ making horrible noises one after another and I was getting like, ‘shall I (smack him)?’ and then the mother comes and says, “Aw...he loves it so much!” Just this incredible positiveness you know. So positive, so positively disposed towards that child- so positive. That same mood is in Lord Nityananda! So positive, so positively... “Aw look, how nice! He wants to do a little service, how nice!”

So this is the mood of this movement, so it’s therefore a very liberal movement. Nityananda is the main preacher, Nityananda sets the pace, Nityananda, He is the one who is showing what the mood should be of our endeavours and activities- one of just great kindness, great kindness and seeing the good in everyone. Prabhupada said, find the spark and fan it! Find a little spark of bhakti and fan it. So that is the mood of Lord Nityananda...

Below is a slidehow of Nityananda's Appearance day in Cape Town:

Ecstatic Chanting In Iskcon Leicester, Uk Temple 2010 (VID!)

Madhavendra Puri meets Lord Nityananda!

Sri Madhavendra Puri, it is said, was such an ecstatic devotee there was no one else like him. He was actually, it is described in the Caitanya Bhagavad that he was alone in this world because he could not find any other devotee who was as inspired about Krsna as He was! So therefore he kind of kept to himself and was just absorbed in worshiping Krsna! But then there is a description how Madhavendra Puri met Lord Nityananda. There he found a person who had the same intense appreciation for the Supreme Lord, the same intense love of God, and when these 2 personalities met, it's undescribable how they just became totally ecstatic! They rolled on the ground together, they embraced each other, they were totally forgetting the external world. And the disciples of Madhavendra Puri were just amazed to see such symptons of ecstacy because never before had their spiritual master displayed that ecstacy, although all along he had, but it was always internal.

(Kadamba Kanana Swami 2003)

Exclusive Surrender To Krishna!

The pastimes of Krsna are carrying a deep message, and all those messages are there to strengthen our faith, to deepen our surrender. Yes, jump! Jump! Leave everything! Leave all old faiths in material things. We may be attracted to material things - that is one thing - but if we have faith in material things, then we are in trouble. Then we are in real trouble! For example, money, money, money .... if we really believe that money is the honey, then we are in trouble. Then we are in trouble!

So, no faith in material things and full faith in Krsna, seeing that by surrendering to Krsna, everything will become all auspicious, and that Krsna will give us full shelter and that we will find everything that is desirable there. This is the underlying message in the pastimes of Krsna, who shows us how to purify ourselves, who encourages us to simply turn away from the material energy and turn exclusively to Him!

(Kadamba Kanana Swami 2006)

The Direct Experience Of Krishna

Kadamba Kanana Swami :


The purpose of Krsna Consciousness is to have a direct experience of Krsna, stronger and deeper, and that as one becomes more purified, one becomes more eligible.

Lord Empowers The Devotee, Devotee Empowers Others

One aspect of devotional service is the principal of empowerment. As the devotee is advancing in spiritual life, he begins to gradually develop all the good qualities of the demigods. It is said (Sanskrit) and what to speak of the demigods, rather he begins to develop a number of the qualities of Krsna. So it is also described, up to 48 of the 64 qualities of Krsna is attained by the jiva, the living entity. Then we find even another mention in the 'Nectar of Devotion' that nityasiddha devotees of the Lord who descend from the spiritual world can have up to 55 of the 64 qualities of the Lord. So we see that the Lord is empowering His devotees as they are becoming more and more purified, with qualities similar to His.
Everyone who takes to devotional service is becoming empowered in His own personal way - it is said that such a person becomes a touchstone- Whoever he comes in contact with, he can transform. So the Lord empowers His devotee and the devotees can also empower other living beings.

(Kadamba Kanana Vrndavan 2003)

Krsna: Transcendental and Human: The Contradiction!

Krsna can surprise us beyond our expectations, and yet at other times Krsna acts so much within the laws of nature that undoubtedly He is human! And this contradiction where Krsna sometimes is human and sometimes He is supernatural is the ongoing mix of the pastimes of Krsna!
Again and again we are seeing this appearing. So in this way, one can study the opulences of Krsna and try to see how Krsna is displaying His transcendental nature and pastimes and yet how intimate He is in His human dealings!

(Kadamba Kanana Swami 2006)

The most precious jewel...

Latest on Japa Talks..

Kadamba Kanana Swami- 6 February 2010

Krsna's transcendental treasure house is filled with so much amazing wealth. Just like the Bhagavad Gita which gives us eternity in verses such na tv'eva 'ham jatu nasam, never was there a time that I did not exist,nor you,nor all these kings. Or Krsna sets free from entanglement due to foolish actions,He say, yad karosi yad asnasi whatever you do, whatever you eat, whatever sacrifice, whatever austerity you perform, do it all as an offering to me. Krsna's treasure house is filled with unlimited wealth, but the most precious jewel of all is the chanting of the Hare Krsna mahamantra...

Nice, warm and comfy...!

So this is really our opportunity; our opportunity is to finally deal with our false ego, to deal with our material conditioning- not just to sit in it like in a cocoon and say, ‘it’s nice, warm and comfortable,’ like a sleeping bag zipped all over your head, ‘My material attachments and my conditioning and my stubborn nature etc and I will not open the sleeping bag, I’ll just stay in here this life and I won’t come out...’

...So the mercy means that we have to go to work, we have to really try to deal with our material conditioning and say, ‘Out! Out! Out! Finished! No more!’ that’s how it is. And time goes by quick, the lines in our face are going deeper, the nose a little bigger...like that, age is showing some symptoms. So let us do something- at least I’m thinking like that to myself and I’m telling myself that I should do something more serious than I have done before! That is really the conclusion.

(HH KKSwami, 8 Jan 2010, Radhadesh)

Audio recordings from Cape Town- Jan 2010

All recordings from Maharaja's recent visit to Cape Town can be found on Listen & Download in the Latest-2010 folder. Enjoy downloading :-)











[Edit by Uddhava - 6 feb 2010]
The media from 2009 is moved to a new folder called "Latest-2009". Now it is easier to find the new stuff from 2010!. See the folder called Latest-2010.
6 feb 2010 : And now the downloads crashed... I am fixing it
6 feb 2010 : Downloads work again!! 
[Uddhava das]

Kadamba Kanana Swami in Cape Town- Jan 2010!

During Kadamba Kanana Maharaja's brief 6 day visit in Cape Town, South Africa (Jan 23-29), the Cape was really touched with the spark of mercy! Maharaja started off his visit with a bang, by leading kirtan the whole way through the Ratha Yatra procession in Rylands, then every morning, gripping Srimad Bhagavatam classes, followed by evening meditative Caitanya Candramrta classes and ended off so sweety and ecstatically with Lord Nityananda's appearance day. We will try to present in upcoming blog posts, some of the amazing captured audio recordings, pictures and videos of Maharaja's ecstatic stay in Cape Town. Keep viewing the blog, as well as kkswami.com!

Here's a slideshow from Cape Town Ratha Yatra 2010:

Can't view slideshow? Go here

Thank you Krsna...

Kadamba Kanana Swami- 3 February 2010

Thank you for being always there,Krsna! Whenever, wherever I chant Your name, You are immediately personally present! Who in the world is so easily available? Thank You for Your kind mercy upon a fallen soul,like me...

For more nectar go to Japa Talks

Japa Talks...

Latest from Japa Talks

Kadamba Kanana Swami- 31 Jan 2010
Today I am thinking about faithful chanting of sixteen rounds. Not every day is a japa retreat,where we are free to direct all our energy towards the chanting of the holy name. Some days are busy days, when there is no time or when we are tired. I came yesterday on a 24 hour journey from Africa, today my bones want to rest, but I chanted 12 rounds in the morning and saved 4 for during the day,-normally I chant 16 in one stretch in the morning- but today the body also needs something, but I am stlll going to chant my sixteen rounds faithfully.

House Programme In London Jan 2010 (Vid!)

Maharaja lead an ecstatic Kirtan before giving a talk on Bhagavad Gita

Reflection Of The Spiritual World

It is mentioned in Bhagavatam (sanskrit) - which means that Lord Krsna is just like a boy who is playing with His own reflections in water. So just as a boy sitting at a water reservoir is playing with His own reflections, so this is the principle of playing with His own energies and that the material world is like a reflection of the original spiritual world, for we see that the material world resembles the spiritual world.
So therefore it is true that by using material examples out of material nature, we can express certain spiritual principles. Elsewhere in Bhagavatam Prabhupada explains that because the material energy has been created by Krsna, the psychology of Krsna is manifesting in material nature, and therefore, through material nature, we can understand Krsna.

(Kadamba Kanana Swami, CC Seminar 2003)

Reflecting The Qualities Of The Spiritual Master

There is one example where Srila Prabhupada is being glorified by the devotees for his devotional qualifications and Prabhupada said:
'Just like the light of the sun is reflecting in the moon and the moon actually doesn't have any light of its own, I am simply reflecting all the good qualities of my spiritual master and I actually don't have any good ones of my own.'
So, in that way, the devotees are seeing that actually, any good quality is simply the reflection of the good quality of the spiritual master.
(Kadamba Kanana 2003)