Jagat

I am realizing more and more that I am not and never really was a scholar, not in the sense that academics are, gathering interesting facts in enormous detail. Nor am I a journalist, nor an activist. Nor a preacher. I only aspire in some lifetime to become a lover of God. I would just like to be like this description of a Vaishnava by my parama guru, Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakur: vaiṣṇava dehete thāke śrī-kṛṣṇera śakti | sei deha sparśe anye haya kṛṣṇa-bhakti ||52|| Krishna’s potencies take up residence in the Vaishnava’s body so that by merely touching him, one develops devotion to Krishna. vaiṣṇava adharāmṛta āra pada jala | vaiṣṇavera pada-rajaḥ tina mahā-bala ||53|| The remnants of the Vaishnava’s food, water that has washed his feet, dust from his lotus feet—these are three powerful spiritual substances. vaiṣṇava-nikaṭe yadi baise kata-kṣaṇa | deha haite haya kṛṣṇa-śakti niḥsaraṇa ||54|| If one should sit near a Vaishnava for a few moments, he will feel the ...

tṛptāv anya-janasya tṛptim ayitā duḥkhe mahā-duḥkitā labdhaiḥ svīya-sukhāli-duḥka-nicayair no harṣa-bādhodayāḥ sveṣṭārādhana-tat-parā iha yathā śrī-vaiṣṇava-śreṇayaḥ kās tā brūhi vicārya candra-vadane tā mad-vayasyā imāḥ Krishna says, “O hey Chandra-vadane Radhe! Just think for a moment, then answer me this: Who are happy on seeing others’ happiness and distressed on seeing their distress? Who are neither elated by personal happiness nor perturbed by their own suffering? And who serve the objects of their love here in Vrindavan with the same steadfast love as the saintly Vaishnavas serving their Lord?” Radhika answers, “Oh! You are surely talking about my dearest sakhis, Lalita, Vishakha and the others!” (13.113) Rasa-tarangini Tika : Vrindavan Chakravarti points out that the reference to devotees indicates that these qualities are present to a greater or lesser degree in all Vaishnavas, from Narada and Prahlada to present-day mahatmas like Sanatan Goswami and other followers of S...