Search results: “chaitanya charitamrita”

Krishna devotees are sometimes characterized as sentimentalists—at least by those who think that anyone who’d go out dancing and chanting in public couldn’t possibly have a sophisticated philosophy. However, in Teachings of Lord Chaitanya we find that at the heart of Krishna-bhakti is a depth of philosophical and theological understanding far beyond most critics’ power of conception.

Teachings of Lord Chaitanya (subtitled, “A Treatise on Factual Spiritual Life”) was first published in 1968. It is a summary study of the Sri Chaitanya Charitamrita, a multi-volume collection describing the life and teachings of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, who popularized harinama-sankirtana, congregational chanting of God’s names, throughout India during the fifteenth century. His movement bewildered the religious establishment, who considered His followers “emotionalists.” Mahaprabhu reminded them that sankirtana is recommended in the Vedas—the most comprehensive and time-honored spiritual writings on earth—as the primary process of God-realization for the modern era.

Teachings of Lord Chaitanya summarizes Chaitanya Mahaprabhu’s conversations with influential scholars—the logician Sarvabhauma Bhattacharya and the Mayavadi sannyasi Prakashananda Sarasvati—as well as His closest followers, government leaders like Rupa Goswami, Sanatana Goswami, and Ramananda Raya. The subject of their talks is Krishna-bhakti, devotional service to Krishna, the Supreme Person.

In Teachings of Lord Chaitanya readers will find some of the most elaborate and ecstatic revelations of the science of God found in any spiritual tradition. Srila Prabhupada often referred to it as “post-graduate” theological study—with the Bhagavad-gita as the undergraduate text, and the Srimad-Bhagavatam as the graduate-level course material.

Sri Brahma Samhita- Prayers Of Lord Brahma Lord Brahma Saw Krishna Directly And Composed A Prayer Based On His Realizations–A Striking Prayer By One Who Has Seen The Truth. Krishna Revealed His Own Form To Brahma, Along With His Spiritual Planets, His Devotees And Their Relationships With Him. Overwhelmed By This Transcendental Revelation, Brahma Spoke These Words Glorifying Krishna And What He Saw. Brahma’s Awe And Love Permeates The Text And Gives An Overview Of The Workings Of The Cosmic Creation. Follow Brahma’s Vision And Understanding To The Feet Of Krishna And See Him Face-To-Face Yourself.
Sri Brahma-samhita is a collection (samhita) of prayers spoken by Brahma at the beginning of material creation, after the Supreme Person Krishna gave Brahma a divine vision of the spiritual world. Brahma, in his amazement, speaks volumes of divinely inspired praise before beginning his work of creation. Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu acquired the Fifth Chapter of the Brahma-samhita from the Adi-keshava temple in South India. This commentary of Sri Brahma-samhita was written by Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakur—the spiritual master of Srila Prabhupada—who spread Krishna consciousness all over India during the early twentieth century

Srila Prabhupada has the following to say about the Brahma-samhita (from his purport to Sri Chaitanya Charitamrita, Madhya-lila, 239-240):

“The Brahma-samhita is a very important scripture. Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu acquired the Fifth Chapter from the Adi-keshava temple. In that Fifth Chapter, the philosophical conclusion of achintya-bhedabheda-tattva (simultaneous oneness and difference) is presented.

The chapter also presents methods of devotional service, the eighteen-syllable Vedic hymn, discourses on the soul, the Supersoul and fruitive activity, an explanation of Kama-gayatri, kama-bija and the original Maha-Vishnu, and a detailed description of the spiritual world, specifically Goloka Vrindavana.

The Brahma-samhita also explains the demigod Ganesha, Garbhodakashayi Vishnu, the origin of the Gayatri mantra, the form of Govinda and His transcendental position and abode, the living entities, the highest goal, the goddess Durga, the meaning of austerity, the five gross elements, love of Godhead, impersonal Brahman, the initiation of Lord Brahma, and the vision of transcendental love enabling one to see the Lord. The steps of devotional service are also explained.

The mind, yoga-nidra, the goddess of fortune, devotional service in spontaneous ecstasy, incarnations beginning with Lord Ramachandra, Deities, the conditioned soul and its duties, the truth about Lord Vishnu, prayers, Vedic hymns, Lord Siva, the Vedic literature, personalism and impersonalism, good behavior, and many other subjects are also discussed. There is also a description of the sun and the universal form of the Lord. All these subjects are conclusively explained in a nutshell in the Brahma-samhita.”