Biography of His Grace Kripanidhi prabhu. Born in Georgetown Guyana, His Grace Kripanidhi Prabhu was initiated by Srila Prabhupad in 1972, at the age of 21, in Portland, Oregon, USA. On the direct order of Srila Prabhupad, he traveled and distributed books as a brahmacari for the next 11 years. In November 1977, he was briefly sent to Vrindavan, where he was present during the final pastimes of Srila Prabhupad. He was privileged to dig the samadhi by hand for Srila Prabhupad on the night of November 14th with another brahmacari. He returned to India in 1983 and served as President of the New Delhi Temple for 6 years. During this time, he opened one of the first bhakti yoga clubs at IIT - the Indian Institute of Technology with a special focus on synthesis of science and religion. He also lectured and organized programs with ISKCON's Bhaktivedanta Institute. He returned to Canada in 1989 where he continued distributing books and preaching as his main service for the next 30 years. Now he resides in Sridham Mayapur with his family, where he serves Sri Sri Panchatattva on Their altar, manages & distributes Srila Prabhupada’s books at the International Book booth, participates in Harinams, & preaches Krishna Consciousness & Science to students, professors, pilgrims & guests.
Curated by: Kripanidhi das ACBSP – Lectures & Kirtans (640 videos)
Srimad Bhagavatam 1.9.26 puruṣa-sva-bhāva-vihitān yathā-varṇaṁ yathāśramam vairāgya-rāgopādhibhyām āmnātobhaya-lakṣaṇān Synonyms puruṣa — the human being; sva-bhāva — by his own acquired qualities; vihitān — prescribed; yathā — according to; varṇam — classification of castes; yathā — according to; āśramam — orders of life; vairāgya — detachment; rāga — attachment; upādhibhyām — out of such designations; āmnāta — systematically; ubhaya — both; lakṣaṇān — symptoms. Translation At Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira’s inquiry, Bhīṣmadeva first defined all the classifications of castes and orders of life in terms of the individual’s qualifications. Then he systematically, in twofold divisions, described counteraction by detachment and interaction by attachment. Purport The conception of four castes and four orders of life, as planned by the Lord Himself (Bg. 4.13), is to accelerate transcendental qualities of the individual person so that he may gradually realize his spiritual identity and thus act accordingly to get free from material bondage, or conditional life. In almost all the Purāṇas the subject matter is described in the same spirit, and so also in the Mahābhārata it is more elaborately described by Bhīṣmadeva in the Śānti-parva, beginning from the Sixtieth Chapter. The varṇāśrama-dharma is prescribed for the civilized human being just to train him to successfully terminate human life. Self-realization is distinguished from the life of the lower animals engaged in eating, sleeping, fearing and mating. Bhīṣmadeva advised for all human beings nine qualifications: (1) not to become angry, (2) not to lie, (3) to equally distribute wealth, (4) to forgive, (5) to beget children only by one’s legitimate wife, (6) to be pure in mind and hygienic in body, (7) not to be inimical toward anyone, (8) to be simple, and (9) to support servants or subordinates. One cannot be called a civilized person without acquiring the above-mentioned preliminary qualities. Besides these, the brāhmaṇas (the intelligent men), the administrative men, the mercantile community and the laborer class must acquire special qualities in terms of occupational duties mentioned in all the Vedic scriptures. For the intelligent men, controlling the senses is the most essential qualification. It is the basis of morality. Sex indulgence even with a legitimate wife must also be controlled, and thereby family control will automatically follow. An intelligent man abuses his great qualifications if he does not follow the Vedic way of life. This means he must seriously make a study of the Vedic literatures, especially of the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam and the Bhagavad-gītā. For learning Vedic knowledge, one must approach a person who is cent-percent engaged in devotional service. He must not do things which are forbidden in the śāstras. A person cannot be a teacher if he drinks or smokes. In the modern system of education the teacher’s academic qualification is taken into consideration without evaluation of his moral life. Therefore, the result of education is misuse of high intelligence in so many ways. The kṣatriya, the member of the administrative class, is especially advised to give charity and not to accept charity in any circumstances. Modern administrators raise subscriptions for some political functions, but never give charity to the citizens in any state function. It is just the reverse in the injunctions of the śāstras. The administrative class must be well versed in the śāstras, but must not take to the profession of teachers. The administrators should never pretend to become nonviolent and thereby go to hell. When Arjuna wanted to become a nonviolent coward on the Battlefield of Kurukṣetra, he was severely chastised by Lord Kṛṣṇa. The Lord degraded Arjuna at that time to the status of an uncivilized man for his avowed acceptance of the cult of nonviolence. The administrative class must be personally trained in military education. Cowards should not be elevated to the presidential throne by dint of numerical votes only. The monarchs were all chivalrous personalities, and therefore monarchy should be maintained provided the monarch is regularly trained in the occupational duties of a king. In fighting, the king or the president should never return home without being hurt by the enemy. The so-called king of today never visits the warfield. He is very much expert in artificially encouraging the fighting strength in the hope of false national prestige. As soon as the administrative class is turned into a gang of mercantile and laborer men, the whole machinery of government becomes polluted.