Topic: Parampara

Śrīla Prabhupāda has written that, “Satisfaction of the self realized spiritual master is the secret of success in spiritual life.” In essence, this refers to service that is known to be what the spiritual master desires, wherever and whenever it is performed.

Contrary to the beliefs and speculations of some narrow-minded and unrealized persons, these statements are true to the smallest detail.

We present another recent letter from a Vaisnavi who has also written to an ISCON guru about the inspiration that she has felt reading the words of Srila Sridhara Maharaja.

Let us always remember our Divine Master, His Divine Grace, as an eternal servant and resident of the eternal pastimes of Sri Sri Radha-Govinda.

The following is a lecture given by Srila Sridhara Maharaja on Srila Sarasvati Thakura’s appearance day on 24th February 1981

The following is a lecture by Srila Narasingha Maharaja on the disappearance day of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura.

Sripada Narasingha Maharaja once mentioned that everything that Srila Sridhara Deva Gosvami Maharaja spoke was like a sutra. There was so much essential substance in each word.

Some scholars of Gaudiya Vaisnavism claim that the associate of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, Prabodhananda Sarasvati and the Mayavadi sannyasi Prakasananda Sarasvati are one and the same person. From the historical and sastrika perspective it is clear that Prabodhananda was never a Mayavadi sannyasi.

I have heard it said that there are some gaps in the list of names in the Gaudiya parampara and that some of the names given there are actually fictitious names of personalities that never really existed. Do you think this could be true?

There is a famous temple (Radha Vallabha Mandira) in Vrndavana where the Deities of Radha Vallabha are worshipped and which is visited by many western devotees when they come to Vraja. What is the background of this temple and does it have any link with the Gaudiya sampradaya and it's philosophy?

Sri Guru may be compared to the Pole Star because with the help of the guru we can derive great benefit from the Vedic knowledge. But without the help of the guru we will be bewildered in our attempt to understand the Vedic knowledge.

Srila Bhaktivinode Thakura has written that there were thirteen apa-sampradayas that developed after the time of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. One of these apa-sampradayas is called ativadi, which means too great. Can you please explain how those who are ‘too great’ have become an apa-sampradaya?