Giriraj Swami, Janmashtami Abhishek, September 3, Houston
“In a class at Bhaktivedanta Manor, Srila Prabhupada proclaimed from the vyasasana that ‘You can fall down, but I cannot fall down.’ After the class he was praying intently before the Deities, and a disciple asked him what he was praying. Prabhupada replied, ‘I am praying that I may never fall down.’ The disciple said, ‘But Srila Prabhupada, you just said that you can never fall down.’ And Prabhupada replied, ‘Yes, because I am always praying that I will never fall down, therefore I will never fall down.’ He also said that whenever he entered a rich person’s home he would pray that he would not be attracted by the material opulence of the householder’s life. One could say that the underlying psychology behind that prayer is fear that one will be affected by the material nature. So, that kind of fear and prayer is essential. Srila Prabhupada that his one complaint about his disciples is that they were not enough afraid of Maya. So, as stated in this verse (Srimad-Bhagavatam 10.2.8), Devaki was purified by her fear of material association.’
Janmashtami Kirtan (Right click to download)
Janmashtami Talk (Right click to download)