Bhaktivedanta

Shikshalaya
Bhaktivaibhäva
Course
“Every temple should be educational center. . . .”

“Brähmaëas means they

are teachers. .. So every
temple should be an
educational center, and
the brähmaëas should be
engaged.
They should be properly
educated and they should
teach others also. In this
way, temple means
education in spiritual life.”
Conversation, August 22, 1976
 Read or Fall
 Caitanya-caritämåta, Madhya-lélä
(25.278):

All of the devotees connected

with this Kåñëa consciousness
movement must read all of the
books that have been translated
(Caitanya-caritämåta, Çrémad-
Bhägavatam, Bhagavad-gétä
and others). Otherwise, after so
me time, they will simply eat,
sleep and fall down from their
position. Thus they will miss the
opportunity to attain an eternal,
blissful life of transcendental
pleasure.
 Free from all Doubt

 "I want you leaders especially to become absorbed in the philosophy of

Bhagavad-gétä, Çrémad-Bhägavatam, and become yourselves completely
convinced and free from all doubt. On this platform you shall be able to
carry on the work satisfactorily, but if there is a lack of knowledge or if
there is forgetfulness, everything will be spoiled in time. So especially you
must encourage the students to read our books throughout the day as
much as possible, and give them all good advice how to understand the
books, and inspire them to study the things from every point of view.
Better to boil the milk very vigorously and make it thick and sweet—that
is the best progress. So let us concentrate on training our devotees very
thoroughly in the knowledge of Kåñëa consciousness from our books,
from tapes, by discussing always, and in so many ways instruct them in
the right propositions.”
(Letter to Haàsadüta, June 22, 1972)
 See Krishna Face to Face
 "Nowadays it seems that many of the older
disciples like yourself are having difficulty.
If you do not set the example for the
younger students and take the
responsibility for instructing them in the
right line, how will things go on? Try to
always study our books and see our
philosophy from different lights of
directions. Become convinced yourself of
this knowledge, and without a doubt all
your difficulties of mind will disappear
forever and you will see Kåñëa face to
face.“

(Letter to Bhägavatänanda, July 8, 1972)

 Steadiness
 "Yes, as a sannyäsé and G.B.C.
your first duty is to read my
books. Otherwise, how will you
preach? In order to remain
steadily fixed in Kåñëa
consciousness there must be a
sound philosophical
understanding. Otherwise it will
become only sentiment.
Whenever you find the time,
please read my books.“

(Letter to Satsvarüpa däsa

Goswami, January 5, 1976)
 Read & Apply
 "Yes, reading my books will
help you. Philosophy must
be there. But if you do not
also apply the philosophy by
participating in all temple
affairs like rising early,
attending maìgala-äraté,
performing devotional
service, then simply
learning the philosophy will
have no effect.“

(Letter to Dayänanda, July

7, 1972)s
 Nothing Outside Srila
Prabhupada Books
 "There is no need by any of my disciples to read any books
besides my books. In fact, such reading may be detrimental to
their advancement in Kåñëa consciousness—except in certain
authorized cases, for example, to read some philosopher like
Plato to make an essay comparing his philosophy with Kåñëa's
philosophy. But otherwise, all such outside reading should be
stopped immediately. It is simply another botheration. If my
students cannot even read my own books thoroughly, why
should they read others? I have given you TLC, what need is
there to read Caitanya-caritämåta translated by someone else?
You are right to stop such reading.“

(Letter to Çré Govinda)

 What is
Çrémad-Bhägavatam?
“‘The meaning of the Vedänta-sütra is present
in Çrémad-Bhägavatam. The full purport of
the Mahäbhärata is also there. The
commentary of the Brahma-gäyatré is also
there and fully expanded with all Vedic
knowledge. Çrémad-Bhägavatam is the
supreme Puräëa, and it was compiled by the
Supreme Personality of Godhead in His
incarnation as Vyäsadeva. There are twelve
cantos, 335 chapters and eighteen
thousand verses.’
PURPORT
This is a quotation from the Garuòa Puräëa.
Madhya 25.144
 sarva-vedetihäsänäà
säraà säraà samuddhåtam
TRANSLATION
“‘The essence of all Vedic literature and all
histories has been collected in Çrémad-
Bhägavatam.’
PURPORT
Çrémad-Bhägavatam was collected by the
incarnation of God, Vyäsadeva, and it was
later taught to his son, Çukadeva Gosvämé.
This is a quotation from Çrémad-
Bhägavatam (1.3.41).
Madhya 25.145
 sarva-vedänta-säraà hi
çrémad-bhägavatam iñyate
tad-rasämåta-tåptasya
nänyatra syäd ratiù kvacit
TRANSLATION
“‘Çrémad-Bhägavatam is accepted as the
essence of all Vedic literature and Vedänta
philosophy. Whoever tastes the
transcendental mellow of Çrémad-
Bhägavatam is never attracted to any other
literature.’
PURPORT
This is a quotation from Çrémad-Bhägavatam
(12.13.15).
Krishna Lila Stava by Sanatana Goswami
Glorification of Çrémad-Bhägavatam

Verse 412 and 413

sarva-ñasträbdhi-péyuña
sarva-vedaika-sat-phala
sarva-siddhänta-ratnäòhya
sarva-lokaika-dåk-prada

sarva-bhägavata-präëa
ñrémad-bhägavata prabho
kali-dhväntoditäditya
ñré-kåñëa-parivartita
O Çrémad-Bhägavatam, O nectar churned form
the ocean of all the Vedic scriptures, O most
prominent transcendental fruit of all the
Vedas, O you who are enriched with the
jewels of all spiritual philosophical
conclusions, O you who grant spiritual vision
to all the people of the world; O life-breath of
the Vaiñëava devotees, O Lord, You are the
sun which has arisen to dispell the darkness
of the Kali yuga. You are actually Lord
Kåñëa Who has returned (among us).
 Verse 414

paramänanda-päönäya
prema-varñy-akñaräya te
sarvandä sarva-sevyäya
ñré-kåñëäya namo `stu me

O Çrémad-Bhägavatam, I offer respectful

obeisances unto You. By reading you one
attains transcendental bliss, for Your
syllables rain pure love of God upon the
reader. You are always to be served by
everyone, for you are an incarnation of Lord
Kåñëa.
 Verse 415

mad-eka-bandho mat-saëgin
mad-guro man-mahä-dhana
man-niñöaraka mad-bhägya
mad-änanda namo `stu te

O Çrémad-Bhägavatam, O my only friend, O my

companion, O my teacher, O my great
wealth, O my deliverer, O my good fortune,
O my bliss, I offer respectful obeisances
unto you.
 Verse 416

asädhu-sädhuta-däyinn
ati-nécocca-täraka
hä na muëca kadäcin mäà
preàëä håt-kaëöhayoù sphura

O Çrémad-Bhägavatam, O giver of
saintliness to the unsaintly, O uplifter of the
very fallen, please do not ever
leave me. Please become manifested upon my
heart and my throat, accompanied by pure
love of Kåñëa.
 idaà bhägavataà näma
puräëaà brahma-sammitam

This Çrémad-Bhägavatam is the

literary incarnation of God…
1.3.40
12 His crown
11 His forehead
10 His smiling face
9 His neck
7-8 His two strong arms
6 His chest
5 His waist
3-4 His thighs
1-2 His two lotus feet
The authorized approach to the
Bhägavatam is to first carefully
read the first nine cantos, which
establish the greatness of the
Supreme Lord, His universal form,
His material and spiritual energies,
His creation of the cosmos, His
incarnations, and so on.
Reading the first two cantos is
like contemplating the lotus feet
of the Lord, and as one gradually
progresses, one looks upon the
Lord's various bodily limbs, until
finally one sees His smiling face
in the Tenth Canto's account of
His pastimes with the gopés.

Närada-bhakti-sütra,
Chapter 2, Defining Bhakti, 23
kåñëe sva-dhämopagate
dharma-jïänädibhiù saha
kalau nañöa-dåçäm eña
puräëärko 'dhunoditaù
This Bhägavata Puräëa is as
brilliant as the sun, and it has
arisen just after the departure
of Lord Kåñëa to His own
abode, accompanied by
religion, knowledge, etc.
Persons who have lost their
vision due to the dense
darkness of ignorance in the
age of Kali shall get light from
this Puräëa.
1.3.43
There is need of a clue as
to how humanity can
become one in peace,
friendship and prosperity
with a common cause.
Çrémad-Bhägavatam will
fill this need, for it is a
cultural presentation for
the respiritualization of the
entire human society.

Çrémad-Bhägavatam
Preface
Whatever knowledge exists
in the world is present in
Çrémad-Bhägavatam. It
includes literature, poetry,
astronomy, philosophy,
religion, and love of
Godhead….
Çrémad-bhägavataà
pramäëam amalam. If one
simply reads Çrémad-
Bhägavatam, he gains the
topmost education, for if
one studies Çrémad-
Bhägavatam he will be
well versed in every
subject matter.

TQK 5: The Vision of Lotuses

If you study Çrémad-
Bhägavatam perfectly, then
all your education is
complete. You don’t require
any other book to read; you
get from Çrémad-
Bhägavatam all material
and spiritual knowledge,
and at the end, Kåñëa. This
is the profit.

Çrémad-Bhägavatam 2.3.22
Los Angeles, June 19, 1972
Studying Çrémad-Bhägavatam…

Bhaktivaibhäva Degree
Çrémad-Bhägavatam Cantos 1-6

Bhaktivedanta Degree
Çrémad-Bhägavatam Cantos 7-12
…this is bhägavata-
dharma, to study Çrémad-
Bhägavatam very carefully.
Every knowledge is there.
Kià vä parair éçvaraù.
There is no need of
reading any other book. ….
 The perfection of life is to
understand God. So by
reading Çrémad-Bhägavatam,
sadyaù, immediately, hådy
avarudhyate éçvaraù: "The
Supreme Personality of
Godhead, by simply reading
Bhägavatam... He is already
there, but immediately He is
realized." That is perfection
of life.
Çrémad-Bhägavatam 3.26.41
Bombay, January 16, 1975