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Attitude towards Vaishnavas
Thank you for this opportunity that we have today with you. You are all Bhakti Shastris, Bhakti Shastragya meaning also like you are scientist. One who knows the Shastras – Shastragya . ‘Gya’ means one who knows, Shastragya:-one who knows shastras is scientist; this is yet another vaishnav definition for understanding of who is a scientist.
“yah sastra-vidhim utsrjya vartate kama-karatah
na sa siddhim avapnoti na sukham na param gatim” (Bhagavad Gita 16.23)
Lord Krishna says: One who discards all the shastras and he is busy doing activities but he has given up all the shastras abandoned, that person “na sa sukham avapnoti” that person will never ever be happy, what else? ‘na sukham avapnoti’ (in audience param gatim) ‘param gatim’ and there is one more (in audience) ‘na siddhim’- No perfection, no happiness, no final destination is achieved by those who reject, abandon, discard the shastric injunctions. Now you have become shastragyas you are scientist, I am happy I am able to meet scientist or social scientist here in Mayapur. You are completing now your 3 more days to go and you are done with it. Now is a time to apply the knowledge science that you have been studying, what you are studying Upadesamrta like that Isopanishad, Nectar of Devotion and Bhagavad Gita.
I think one year I taught Isopanishad and of course you were not there and then another year I had taught something else. So I have been asked I am given some homework today and next 2 days.
You need 7 attitudes towards Vaishnavas (Students handbook page 110)
Learning objectives it says at the top,
Discuss appropriate attitudes towards senior devotees in temple who have not completed Bhakti Shastri degree.
You have and they haven’t and you are back to the temple and you are in the midst of those devotees or you are the only one who has done the Bhakti Shastri. You are the one carrying your certificate hanging around your neck (laughter). Some big accomplishment to have a degree in Bhakti Shastri, not a small thing. So then what should be your attitude towards or in the midst of all those other devotees who haven’t done Bhakti Shastri?
With reference to Shri Isopanishad mantra 10 it says:
“anyad evahur vidyaya anyad ahur avidyaya”
One result is derived from the culture of knowledge and that a different result is obtained from cultural nescience that’s ignorance. In the purport Srila Prabhupada writes: In a modern society even a boy thinks himself self sufficient and pays no respect to elderly men. Due to wrong type of education being imparted in our universities boys all over the world are giving their elders headaches. Elders are getting headaches from the boys and girls also its not mentioned here. They give headaches to their elders so you understand what is expected from you. These are mundane universities and modern society and they what they cultivate is ignorance (avidya).
‘anyad ahur avidyaya’ – cultivation of vidya is one and cultivation of avidya is yet another one.
So what you had been cultivating is? Vidya not only vidya but Rajvidya: the king of knowledge.
“raja-vidya raja-guhyam pavitram idam uttamam” (Bg. 9.2)
Uttam-‘tam’ means ignorance, utt – means above, beyond, at the top. Uttam: beyond ignorance that’s uttam. No tinge of ignorance means full of knowledge. In other words, uttam means full of knowledge which is devoid of ‘tam’-devoid of ignorance. So, you had been cultivating not just vidya but raja-vidhya. So, those who cultivate avidya, they give headache, those who cultivate vidya they should be giving what? Some soothing bam, some relief to the elders or other vaishnavas some of them also for sure are going to be senior to you.
So, what should be your attitude?
What you should be thinking now with all this vidya in your head?
What you should be thinking of others?
How it should be dealing with others?
Your relationship with others?
Oh!! You have answer, okay! What kind of help you would render? “SERVICE”, don’t give headache at the head but at the feet (laughter) serve them.
What is the outcome of vidya? Knowledge you cultivate what does that do?
Humility, very good!! Amongst other things what you achieve is the humility. If you want to take note there is a statement in that shastras that says
“vidya dadati vinayam”
Probably you have heard this, Vidya –that’s vidya, dadati -that gives, vinayam- that is humility. Vidya gives humility, it also says
“vidya vinayen shobhate”
Shobha means beauty, one becomes beautiful his beauty is enhanced, as he cultivates vidya and then he is full of humility. That humility is the beauty of the person, he looks beautiful. “vidya vinayen shobhate” you learn vidya -Bhakti Shastri and you study this shastra that shastra you become humble. And that’s the decoration that’s alankar, sadhu bhusan- sadhu abhushan, “sadhavah sadhu bhusanam”.
“titiksavah karunikah suhridah sarva-dehinam
ajata-shatravah shantah sadhavah sadhu-bhusanah” [SB 3.25.21]
Titiksavah, karunikah, ajata-shatravah, shantah sadhavah sadhu-bhusanah- ornaments. So humility is one such ornament. So this is what one should be going back with, returning to your respective temples or homes, towns, countries. What is a reward, award, ‘You Have Become Humble’ -Humility.
Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu said:
“trnad api su-nicena taror iva sahisnuna
amanina mana-dena kirtaniyah sada harih” (Sri Siksastakam-verse3)
Even this is also result of cultivation of knowledge, vidya, titiksavah- becoming tolerant and “trinad api sunicena”- humble, “amanina mana-dena”- you are ready to give all respect to others and how much respect for yourself? Some give and take should be there (laughter). But Chaitanya Mahaprabhu says only give. Normal policy is taking only, normally you like to take everything, take respect, not give anything in return. But Chaitanya Mahaprabhu says don’t expect anything in return- just give- keep giving.
Chaitanya Mahaprabhu has himself given commentary on Sri Siksastakam at the end of Chaitanya Caritaramrita last chapter called Siksastakam. And in association of Ramananda Raya and Svarupa Damodar like Personalities, Chaitanya Mahaprabhu- He says one Siksastakam one verse and he talks just brief few comments. So comments to this “trinad api verse” Chaitanya Mahaprabhu says
“uttama hana vaisnava habe nirabhimana
jive sammana dibe jani’ ‘krsna’-adhisthana.”
That person becomes nirabhimani, abhiman is pride, nir – no, becomes pride less- not puffed up. There is the puffed rice and then there is another kind of rice is chipped rice (laughter). Nirabhiman, “jive sammana dibe” and Chaitanya Mahaprabhu says person gives sammana to other jivas, other entities why? He is giving reason why! Says “jani krsna adhisthana”. Knowing that the other souls they are situated in Krishna or other souls are Krishna’s souls, they are Krishna’s, Krishna’s people, they were just separate, they had nothing to do with God or Krishna then you may punch their noses. But knowing that they are Krishna’s people, Krishna’s devotees, they are situated in Krishna, grounded in Krishna, sitting next to Krishna, knowing this person always respects others, that’s Chaitanya Mahaprabhu’s reason.
So this is part of the knowledge so not only knowing Krishna, but
“vedais ca sarvair aham eva vedyo” (B.G 15.15)
Vidya, Vedyah and Vidavan- three factors, vidya is knowledge, vedyah is object of knowledge and vidavan is one who knows, one who has cultivated the knowledge is vidavan. So by now it is expected that you are all vidavan. Vidavan – Vidya has gone in you, now you possess vidya, vidavan like Bhagavan and this van and that van and Jnanavan . You are full of vidya, so you are vidavan. So Krishna says with vidya one understands me.
“aham eva vedyo”- I am to be known, so knowing Lord is then complete when we also understand energies of the Lord “vividhaiva shruyate”. Vividhaiva- Lord is full of potencies. He is potent with potencies; He is Shaktiman because He has lots of shaktis. And to know His shaktis -His energy is part of knowing Lord. So, living entities is shakti of the Lord ‘tatastha shakti’ of the Lord. And that shakti is very dear to the Lord. We have to know this, not we know only that
“mamaivamso jiva-loke jiva-bhutah sanatanah
manah-sasthanindriyani prakrti-sthani karsati” (BG 15.7)
Knowing verse sitting right in your kantha called kanthasta, where are the verses in kantha- kanthasta- well versed. They are sitting in your kantha ready to go but they need to be brought from kantha to the heart –‘hridayastha’ from kanthasta to hridayastha.
From the heart then ‘hridayangam’ – then assimilation, not just accumulation information accumulation but that information assimilation so that there is a transformation. So why should we respect that living entity we are surrounded by living entities all around? That also we have to find out when as one studies shastras and becomes vidavan by studying vidya -rajavidhya then this is part of the knowledge.
Knowing Lord and knowing Lord’s energies knowing Lord’s souls -anshas. Lord is anshi and living entities are ansha. Anshi is full ‘purnam’ and that purna Lord has anshas- parts and parcels. But they are His parts and parcels and they are very very dear to Him, they are very dear to Him. So, they are to be respected.
“aham eva vedyo” I am to be known, this has to be expanded. I am to be known, that I Krishna includes His shaktis, His energies, especially energy that is to be focused is his living entities, His parts and parcels we should take note of this. They exist and they are not just piece of dirt that you could just kick and push and pull and they are His and they are very dear to Him.
“sadhavo hrdayam mahyam” sadhus are in my heart , I am in their heart, they are in my. So, I think we are going to be making more general presentation of this “attitude towards Vaishnavas”. There are 5 different parties mentioned here.
1. Towards senior devotees in the temple.
2. Discuss appropriate attitude towards vaishanavs outside ISKCON.
3. Viewing Vaishnavas who have fallen down.
They are all living entities, they are in different categories, in different situations, different body, different country, different institutions and very different sampradayas, even different age groups and genders could be different but they are all living entities and attitude towards them.
So fallen ones and again return to practice of devotional service and then with reference to (Bhagavad Gita 9.30) “api cet su-duracaro”.
4. Importance of maintaining proper attitude towards Vaishnavas in regards to future development of ISKCON and their own spiritual life.
So like that there are different angles, perspectives thrown in here. So they are all living entities and they are living and they are Krishna’s entities. Krishna’s parts and parcels that makes them very special so they are to be respected, honoured. And this is expected from person in knowledge, one who has cultivated knowledge.
Krishna is talking of “panditah sama darsinah” (BG 5.18) what is pandit? Pandit is one who is in knowledge. In Vrindavan they call them Pandas, Vrindavan pandas, they are suppose to be Pandits means knowledgeable. Hence they could guide you also, take you on a tour of Vrindavan. They know Vrindavan, they know Krishna. They are dhama gurus.
So, “panditah sama darsinah” So, what is a qualification of that Pandit? that Krishna describes as:
“vidya vinaya- sampanne brahmane” (BG 5.18)
Infact to call someone a pandit or Brahman or vidavan, “ vidhya vinaya sampanne”.
Sampanna means equipped, not only he has vidya but he also has vinaya.
“Vidya vinaya sampanne”
We are troubled with the conditioning, we are conditioned souls, we are trying to get out of that conditioning but conditioned person, as soon as he gets something, gains something, possesses something, immediately that’s the trouble part. Even if it is vidya immediately we become proud of. Even popper is proud of, he has just few pennies but he becomes proud of pennies. From penniless to few pennies he becomes proud. You acquire knowledge, you have some beauty and you have some high percentage and what else, shruti, shreya, aishwarya, janma. These are the causes also that Kunti Maharani is talking, immediately one becomes attached and proud and he wants to displays his janma and his beauty and his education part, Bhakti shastri degree. Yes! This is challenge, how to acquire knowledge and not to feel we have it or infact this knowledge will do its part, if it is cultivated properly knowledge will reward person with humility.
“Vidya vinaya sampanne”
Then brahmane, then he is looking at Brahman, he is looking at cow, is looking at chandal “sva-pake ca” (BG 5.18) dog-eater and he is looking at elephant, he is looking at dog also. He is looking it at all these parties ‘brahmane’ looking at brahman, gavi -at the cow, hasti -the elephant, sva-pake – dog-eater. So what is equal in all these entities? He is looking at all these entities, parties, personalities as soul, it’s tougher to look at the dog and look at soul in him offer your respect to him.
There was a saint in Italy Saint Francis, he would address all the entities as own brothers and sisters. Non human and all other entities, he had genuine respect. He was kind of “panditah sama darsinah”. He is seeing all the creatures, all the entities as parts and parcels and brothers. So God brother they are also our God-brothers and God-sisters in other bodies in cat body and mosquitoes comes to you, must take him as mosquito brother, then rat brother, snake brother.
Some experience they talk because you have hatred towards others or even animals like the serpents they’ll attack you violently, but your attitude towards them is not of hate then they’ll also be very friendly. Children may be playing with them, as soon as you kill your attitude even animals, they change their attitude and they don’t act like, they don’t exhibit their normal animalistic attitude. They’ll change their attitude because your attitude is different, towards them.
So, fallen down vaishnava, now he has returned to the devotional practice what should be the attitude, how should you be dealing with that person, compassion. Any other suggestion? Compassion, to be fallen nothing special to be fallen, its common (laughter). Not to be surprised but the difference is from fallen he is trying to rise; he had gone higher at some levels but then some setbacks. So they are different from the common fallen, something different, something to his credit, he made attempt to rise, go against his so called fallen nature, he lifted himself or
“Brahmanda brahmite kona bhagyavan jiva” (CC Madhya Lila, 19.151)
Must be very fortunate soul came in contact “Guru-krishna- prasade paya” . Maya is very strong, is that part of the knowledge also? Krishna consciousness person knows that maya is very strong. Don’t take it lightly, Srila Prabhupada used to say: “trouble with my disciples is they are not afraid of Maya (laughter). They are not afraid of Maya, one should be, She’s so strong- “mama maya durattaya” because it’s Krishna’s Maya. And Krishna is strong, so Krishna’s Maya also has to be strong. If it is not strong Maya, then it cannot be Krishna’s Maya. So knowing this also, Maya is strong,
“api cet su-duracaro”- So this is Krishna’s stand, even if one commits most abominable action, engaged in devotional service he is to be considered saintly because he is properly situated in his determination.
“ksripram bhavati dharmatma” (BG 9.31)
And Lord addresses him as Dharmatma, that person is Dharmatma, so we cannot call him duratma. Lord is calling him Dharmatma, who are we to take different step. So just understand that, Lord is educating us infact, in this regard how to deal with those fallen.
“kaunteya pratijanihi na me bhaktah pranasyati”
And Lord even is declaring that my devotee never perishes. So Lord is also addressing that person as a devotee “My Devotee”
“svalpam apy asya dharmasya trayate mahato bhayat” (BG 2.40)
‘svalpam api’ – little progress, so now he has nothing to fear, ‘trayate mahato bhayat’ means no more going down to the lower species, you’ll be protected. During Srila Prabhupada’s days, you know some of our God Brothers, God Sisters in those days; we would call them blooping, bloop — when you throw little rock in the lake how does it sound? Bloop !! We throw little rock, we listen: Bloop! So this world is like a big ocean and them someone becoming “punar mushika bhava” becoming mouse again. He blooped, she blooped, so of course we were concerned and we would approach. I was there at least on one occasion and some devotees, oh! That prabhu, that mataji, have you know blooped left.
So Prabhupada, his response was they would they would come back he would be very much concerned, blooped but they will come back in this life or the next, but they’ll come back because
“na me bhaktah pranasyati” (BG 9.31)
Its guarantee that Lord has given and I was just looking at Sridhar Swami commentary on this
“na me bhaktah pranasyati” Bhagavad Gita commentary he says
“Kutarka karksha vadinah na etad manneran”
By hearing what Lord just said,
“api cet su-duracharo” (BG 9.30)
“ksripram bhavati dharmatma” (BG 9.31)
But those who want to argue or those who are faithless they may not accept this. My dear Lord then what you have to say
“iti shanka vyakula cittam arjunam prosayate”
This has not appeared in the dialogue but it is like reading in between lines and then the commentaries they are. So Arjuna, what you just said some people may not accept this. They may argue against this. “vyakula ciittam” Arjuna’s, mind is vyakula and his influence affected by this. He is thinking, oh everyone may not accept this. He is fallen and then still he is accepted to be as Dharmatman. So then Lord says this is not in Bhagavad Gita, but commentary: hey kaunteya! “Oh Arjuna !” This Krishna says
“atah kahaladi maha goshapurvakam vivadha mananam sabham gatva”
You go to such assembly where the all critics and all envious all these people they are not accepting this statement of mine. You go their
“gatva bahum utiksha”- you raise your arm and you aim and nishankam; without any doubt, “pratijanihi pratigyam kurum”, on my behalf take a vow. You boldly declare Krishna says. You go when all such people out there in big number, they have assembled you go and declare. Oh ! okay, I’ll go. What should I say?, Krishna! What should I say? So then Lord says, you say this:
“parmeshwarasha bhaktah”- My Bhakta, my devotee, “su- duracharo api na pranashyati”.
I just said, you repeat. You go there, you raise your hands and then you shut them up. And you say what I said this is the truth. You just say it out Loud! And make it clear and boldly declare that
“su-durachara api na pranashyati
apitu kritartaha eva bhavati”
On the contrary, kritartaha- they attain perfection and they never perish. They survive and they revive, they thrive, you say this on my behalf to this is. So knowing that much we could treat that person accordingly. So is it compassion
But those devotees as they return, they don’t have to go through a new Bhakta training. In few days, few weeks, they are, they could even give a Bhagvatam class. Their previous experiences all are revived, manifested and you could be even friendly with them. Compassion is for; compassion is for whom? Who do we exhibit our compassion towards? Some juniors so, some innocents, they may quickly become senior to you because they were 10 years practising Krishna consciousness, you have practiced only 3 years. When they come back everything is normal, back to normal, back on track, all surviving and reviving and thriving has happened. Then they are way ahead of you also. You are only 3 years but they are 10 years and 3 months of practice in ISKCON.
“isvare tad-adhinesu balisesu dvisatsu ca
prema-maitri-krpopeksa yah karoti sa madhyamah”
Total 4 categories and we deal with them differently.
First part is Isvar himself, the Lord Himself.
Second part is tad-adhinesu: those who are subordinate surrendered unto Him and they are practicing, they are in good standing.
Third party -balisesu, just now coming. “adau sraddha” they are innocent third party.
Fourth part is dvisatsu- they are envious towards santas – the sadhus, means atheists or demoniac. So that’s the fourth category.
So, what do we do with each one of them? The shashtra say: “prema, maitri, kripa, upeksha.” You give your prema, give your love to Ishwar, those are 4 categories and now 4 things you could do. So you have to match – prema, maitri, kripa, upeksha. Prema : Ishwar gets prema, you love the Lord. Tadadhinesu- the devotees they get your maitri, your friendship. And a friend in need is friend indeed. To render your help, assistance
Then Balisesu those are innocent they get kripa, they deserve kripa, your compassion, your kindness, consideration and dvisatsu, those who are anti-devotees, you could maintain safer distance from them. Offer obeisance from a distance or just stay away upeksha. So this is shastra chakshusha also. Now your knowledge of the shastras, so you look at the world around you.
When you look at anything and everything and immediately get your chasma (laughter) get your Shastra chakshu together and do then do the evaluation, then do the calculation and conclusion with the help of the knowledge of the shashtras. Not just your mind ‘sankalpa vikalpa’- acceptance rejection. Just because you feel good then you accept and then you reject, no use of shastras, use of intelligence, sharpening your tools. With the help of the shastras, studying of the shastras. Your tools are sharpened and then use the tools, evaluating not just mind but with the use of intelligence.
“dadami buddhi yogam”
Lord gives intelligence, so these intelligent statements, is wisdom in the form of this Bhakti Sastras that Lord has shared. This is Lord giving us wisdom, giving us intelligence and then you don’t just reject or accept on sense level or mind level but you use your intelligence.
If you are given medicine, lot of time, they are bitter. Your first reaction would be you would like to do what? Spit it! This is at the mind’s level you would be spitting but if you think; use your intelligence then knowing that this is good for your body or your health. So, something’s at the mind’s level you are ready to reject. Wait a minute! Then intelligence comes on the scene and you understand what is this? It might be bitter but is this useful. All that glitters is (audience: not gold) not gold. So you know glittered that doesn’t mean I should go for it, you think.
Again part of “yah pashyati sah panditah”. One who sees, we were just talking about shastra chakshushas (eyes). With the help of shastras “shastra chakshusha” more you use, you hear this shastras, study shastras. One devotee I don’t remember who that one was, but I heard this long time. He said then the knowledge takes the front seat. Knowledge comes in the fore front. All that he had been reading, studying, it is on your mind. If you are not studied of course and you have not read and then you forgot, then ignored and then knowledge takes back seat, maybe in the brain there is some place where they are stored in and you can’t find it, it’s just thrown in the pile. So as one studies and then contemplated and applies that knowledge and that knowledge stays fresh and then his shastra chakshusha is always with the help shastras, authority sadhu shastra archaryas. He is looking at the world, looking at the persons, different parties, and then accordingly takes decision or stand.
There are lot of attitude problem in devotees, so we need to work on this attitude. This is also relationship. Okay let’s use a word “sambandha” – very first thing is sambandha you come in contact, you have some relationship “sambhand” then comes “abhidheya” then comes “prayojan”. The first thing is “sambhand” -the relationship. If the relationship is not right, with a right attitude, right understanding, relationship is not right. Then nothing is going to go right. So this sambhand, this attitude, the relationship with the Lord, with the Lord’s world -this is Lord’s creation.
“isavasyam idam sarvam yat kinca jagatyam jagat
tena tyaktena bhunjitha ma gradhah kasya svid dhanam” (Sri Isopanishad 1)
Immediately you are given a tool, how to deal with this world. First of all, this world belongs to isavasyam. This is Lord’s world and now you are not the only one in the world, there are others, you are not the only son like a Jesus. They say Jesus was only son, I think he is a good son, He is a one good son but we know there are many sons. Unlimited! If God is unlimited He must have unlimited sons. So that God’s property, this world is God’s property. This has to be shared amongst His children.
‘Tena tyaktena bhunjitah’- There is a quota for you. The rest of the property, Hands off! Don’t Touch! It’s meant for other or somehow if it lands in your hands, then you shares that with others, give it in charities. Knowing that it belongs to the Lord and it is meant for other children of God. So this how you know how to deal with this world, how to relate with this world. What to do with this world? Whose world is it? How much do you really need and just keep that much and be happy with it.
“yadrccha-labha-santusto dvandvatito vimatsarah” (BG.4.22)
Lord says: My devotees whatever comes to their way they are satisfied with that much and as a result, they transcend this dvandva –this duality and they remain non-envious. They become free from envy. So philosophically we know we are envious, living entities envious of the Lord and living entities is envious of other living entities. So not only we have to become free from envy, I don’t want to be envious of the Lord, but then we make other living entities as a target and lots of envy towards them, but then Lord is not happy with that. Lord is not happy with that. So “yah pasyati sah pandita”.
So pandit is that person
“matrvat para-daresu para-dravyesu lostravat
atmavat sarva-bhutesu yah pasyati sa pandita”
Again Pandit, person who is vidhavan, knowledgeable, he has done Bhakti Shastri going for Bhakti Vaibhav and this and that. This is expected from him that “atmavatsa sarvabhuteshu” how does he deal with others. Atmavat- the way one deals with himself or herself, sarvabhuteshu- he should deal with others likewise sensitive to their feelings, their needs, their interests and concerns, so lots of sentiments, sensitivities, intricacies knowing these things, so atmavatsa.
So, importance of maintaining proper attitude towards Vaishnavas in regards to future development of ISKCON and their own spiritual life. So for future development of ISKCON also if this is understanding ‘atmavat sarvabhuteshu’. This could take care of lot of things these few words but it’s a lifetime homework infact.
“atmavat sarva bhutesu”- You love others, serve others, the way you would like to be loved and served. Learned person does this.
“para-dravyesu lostravat” – Other’s wealth loshtavat its like kachra or it is dustbin, discarded you don’t touch; it’s others you don’t need security anymore. So 10% of the population in the world is of type, I am security man, I’m secured and security. There, but if you would do this ‘loshtavat praradraveshu’ you don’t need security. Security locking system, this and that and all the way. The cameras and CCTV. But instead you just do this “loshtravat para dravyesu”- other’s wealth, oh!! I won’t touch, it’s not mine.
Because people they are not knowledgeable, they are not pandits. So they want to grab everything. My property others property also my property, my father’s property also my property. And just I will not only work hard I am going to work smart and work on transferring other’s bank balances to my bank balance. We are going to be smart and get higher education, so that those who are less educated I am going to exploit them do pick pocketing in different ways. If I go with scissors, pick pocket I might be arrested, but I’ll use my intelligence. It’s a pick pocketing; I’ll do it in a different ways, in intelligent ways. I’ll become wealthy so that’s ignorance and cultivation of avidya.
On the contrary, “yah pasyati sah pandita”
One who knows this, others wealth I’ll not touch.
matrvat para-daresu – ‘matrivat’- The woman or other’s wives are like my mothers. Easier said than done, but this has to be done there is no way out. So for senses or mind, it may be pleasing but use of intelligence now,
matrvat para-daresu , my attitude is matrvat that is my mother. So towards the future development of ISKCON, I think this principle, this knowledge, this cultivation of knowledge is of immense benefit.
Specially raising ourselves from kanistha adhikari level to madhyam adhikar. Atleast Prabhupada said atleast come to the madhyam adhikar. Our movement will only survive and spread if we did that, if we remain just kanistha adhikaris only loving Radha Madhava the best deity worship in the world. That’s fine but infact we also have to worship devotees, how to worship devotees, serve devotees not just lip service. Serve Lord and serve devotees of the Lord. Serve devotees of Krishna Consciousness movement, serve them and worship them. Prabhupada said cooperate with each other, so that his society is protected after he is gone. So that protection will come from our knowledgeable action. Action equipped with knowledge, Yogasthah in the verse of Sri Krishna :
“yoga-sthah kuru karmani” (BG 2.48)
Prabhupada says that devotee by the way he deals or dealing with others, he does ‘dharma samsthapanarthaya’- he establishes dharma by his dealing by his interactions. Of course standard reactions, standard relationships, standard attitude, standard sambandha with that devotee establishes dharma, establishes Krishna Consciousness, Krishna Consciousness movement, or principles of Krishna Consciousness or established by his, his dealings, his Krishna Conscious dealings full of knowledge as advised in the shastras; Gita and Bhagavat and Bhakti Rasamrita Sindhu, and Isopanishad, Updeshmarita.
One studies and then he is properly situated and that’s yogasthah. He has become yogi; he is situated in Yoga linked with the Lord properly. ‘Yogasthah’ then ‘kuru karmani’ then person is expected to act, a person is expected to deal, relate with the world, relate with other devotees, new devotees or senior devotees or fallen and then come back devotees or other institutions, other vaishnavas. For everything there is a standard.
So we are happy that you have been completing your study of the Bhakti Shashtras. Now there is jnana part and then comes vijnana the application. So I think application this is what, what is being talked now, then you’ll be walking out of door and then you have to deal with others, they haven’t done their Bhakti Shastri, in your temples wherever you come from and then you meet this situation, that situation, this devotee that devotee, someone superior, someone equal, someone junior, someone critical and then what you are suppose to be doing in each one of those situations. Get ready, are you ready? Haribol……..
Srila Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Thakur avirbhava tithi mohotsava ki…… JAIII!!!!!
Nitai Gaur Prema Nande!!
The unseen merciful hand of Lord Krsna
Dated: 19th June 2016
Venue: Nagpur
I was born in Aravade, a small village in the Indian state of Maharashtra that differs little from more than seven hundred thousand others in India. After I graduated from high school, my family sent me to Bombay to study chemistry in college. But my college career was not to be.
For the first time, His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada was touring India with his foreign disciples. They had arrived in Bombay just before I had, and now they were going to have a pandal program (a spiritual festival) at Cross Maidan. The devotees publicized the pandal program very widely, in newspapers and on billboards. In the advertisements, Srila Prabhupada’s disciples were described as American, Canadian, European, African, and Japanese sadhus (saintly devotees). This was unprecedented. Previously, whenever the word sadhu had been applied to someone, it was understood that the person was Indian. There could be no other consideration. But these advertisements were talking about sadhus from all over the world. This was indeed a novelty for everyone and it especially fascinated me.
With the inquisitiveness in mind, I went to the Hare Krsna Festival, which was quite well organized. The Hare Krsna sadhus were the biggest attraction for me. I appreciated their singing, dancing, walking, and talking. In fact, I liked everything about them, and I attended the function practically every evening. I would simply watch and listen. Though I knew English, I wasn’t fluent, and speaking with foreigners was too difficult for me. I purchased a few magazines and a few booklets with the little money I had.
Srila Prabhupada spoke every evening. He discussed many issues relating to Krsna consciousness and made many points. But the point that had the greatest impact on me, and which attracted me to him and his society more than anything else, was the simple point that if you serve Krsna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, you simultaneously serve everyone and everything else. Srila Prabhupada gave the analogy of what happens when one waters a tree. Just by pouring water on the root of a tree, one automatically waters all the leaves, branches, fruits, and flowers on the tree.
Srila Prabhupada had simplified my job. “Here is my chance,” I thought. I had always wanted to serve others, and thus at different stages in my life I had contemplated becoming an engineer or a doctor or a lawyer. Whenever I thought of my future, I would think of how I could serve others. Yet although throughout all these years I had mainly thought of service, I didn’t know where to begin, and I had practically no resources in my possession. But now Srila Prabhupada had cleared my path by showing the easy way of serving the whole creation through the simple medium of serving the Lord, the source of all that be. This idea greatly appealed to me.
As scheduled, the Hare Krsna Festival ended after eleven days, and everything went back to normal. I continued going to college in Bombay. I shared a room with some people from my village, whom my family had asked to keep an eye on me. Once, several years before, I had left my studies and gone to join an ashram in a town nearby my village. I had almost made it to the ashram, but the unseen merciful hand of the Lord brought me back, so that later I could join Srila Prabhupada instead.
After this incident, my family had anticipated my going away somewhere, sometime, and that is why they asked the villagers to watch over me. But how much could they watch me? I had gone to the Hare Krsna function practically every evening, and no one had noticed that. I would keep Hare Krsna magazines and booklets inside my big fat chemistry books and read them for hours. My roommates would marvel at how seriously I was studying chemistry. They couldn’t detect that instead of absorbing myself in analyzing chemical solutions, I was probing into the ultimate solution to the problems of life.
Whenever my roommates went out, I would bolt the door and, with my arms raised, chant Hare Krsna and dance to my full satisfaction. Having seen the devotees chanting and dancing on stage at the festival, I was trying to imitate them. Thus, in hiding, I was following the process of Krsna consciousness: chanting, dancing, and reading over and over again the few pieces of literature I had.
I knew that the Hare Krishna devotees were living somewhere in Bombay, but after the function their small group had merged into the big city, and I was deprived of their association.One year passed. Then, in March 1972, ISKCON organized another festival, this time at Juhu Beach. During the course of the year, the devotees had purchased some land at Juhu, and the function was going to be held right on their premises. Once again, advertisements appeared in the newspapers and in other media, and news of the festival reached me by the causeless mercy of the Lord. I had been waiting for this news, and I was extremely happy to receive it.
Naturally, I attended the programs. I would go long before they began, borrow books, and read them. During the chanting I would join in wholeheartedly. The foreign devotees, in Indian dhotis and kurtis, and the Indian student, in imported trousers and shirt, would dance together. Occasionally, during prasadam time, when I happened to be near the gate, the devotees would invite me to come and take prasadam with them. I was eager to observe their life closely, so I would take advantage of the opportunity and join them. They were all nice devotees. On top of that, they were all foreigners, and I was duly impressed.
A few days after the festival at Juhu ended, I sat down and composed an application for membership in ISKCON (the International Society for Krsna Consciousness). I had decided to join the devotees, and to join any organization. I addressed my application to the president of ISKCON, Bombay. I wrote that I agreed to follow the four regulative principles- no meat-eating, no intoxication, no illicit sex, and no gambling. I also stated that I liked their dazzling dratis, ecstatic kirtanas, and sumptuous prasadam. (I had picked up all these terms from their publicity handouts.) I went to a typing institute and had the application typed out. ISKCON was an international society, so I thought everything had to be formalized and just right.
Then I went to the Hare Krsna ashram at Juhu and asked who the president was. It wasn’t difficult to get to see him. His name was Giriraja dasa. He went through my letter-application, and on the spot he accepted me and embraced me. Not only that, he welcomed me in and immediately introduced me to all the ashram inmates as a new devotee.
I quickly adjusted to my new lifestyle. I had a new home, a new uniform, new associates, a new program- almost everything was new to me. Nonetheless, I immediately embraced all of it and liked it. Although the devotees were mostly foreigners, I felt completely at home. I was determined to make this my life’s commitment.
One week passed quickly. Then my elder brother arrived at the temple with one of my old roommates. Among the things I had left in my room was a handbill with the Hare Krsna address at Juhu on it. That’s how they’d found me. It was no big surprise to them that I’d joined the devotees. They had been expecting something like this for some time, and now all they had feared had come to pass.
My brother wanted me to visit my family, especially for the sake of my mother. If I wouldn’t go she might die, he said. But he assured me my family had no objection to my returning after the visit. I had always respected my brother, and here he was practically begging me to return home, saying that it was a matter of life and death for my affectionate mother and that I could return soon. Finally, I asked permission from Giriraja and left, wearing my new uniform of dhoti and kurta.
After I arrived in my village, people began saying that though I used to be such a nice boy, now something had gone wrong with me. The difference was that I was wearing a dhoti and kurta, chanting Hare Krsna, and avoiding the association of non devotees. The village people considered all these things strange and abnormal.
My father requested me not to wear my new clothes and not to put on tilaka, even though he wore clothes similar to mine and occasionally wore tilaka himself. He was a devotee of Lord Vitthala, a form of Lord Visnu, or Krsna, and devotees of Lord Vittala apply tilaka in a way similar to that of the Hare Krsna devotees. On special occasions my father would put on his tilaka, but he didn’t want me to imitate him, because he was worried about what people would think. (If such is the reaction of Indian parents, I can hardly imagine the reaction of parents of devotees in other lands).
Thus my parents tried everything in their power to dissuade me from returning to the Hare Krsna devotees. They even went to astrologers to learn some way to “cure” me or to find out how long I would continue living this “strange type of life.” They were really concerned.
More than a week passed, yet no plans were made for my return to the devotees, as per the original agreement between my brother and me. My parents kept telling me that some relative or other still had to come see me and that it wouldn’t be proper for me to leave without meeting him. My family planned to enlist the relatives as agents to somehow or other take me out of this sadhu business. My parents tried everything on me, but my mind was fixed on going back to the Hare Krsna devotees.
One day I saw my sister shedding tears. When someone asked her what was wrong, she replied, “Just see how in our house all the other boys are nicely engaged in playing cards, but my brother Raghunatha isn’t sitting with them.” This is the cause of her tears. She was feeling sorry that I wasn’t playing cards with the other boys but was instead busy chanting the holy names of God on my beads.
When my family all realized I wouldn’t give up the life I had embraced, they came up with the proposal that I could continue the life of a sadhu but that I should do it in our village. They promised to build a small temple so I could do my devotional practices there. I rejected this idea, too, however, because I wanted to associate with the devotees. There is no question of leading a spiritual life without proper association, without the association of devotees who are practicing Krsna consciousness full time. I didn’t want to be just another bogus sadhu. India was already over crowded and overburdened with them. I wanted to engage in the service of Krsna in the Hare Krsna movement. Srlia Prabhupada had already cleared my path. He had given me my life’s mission, and I was fully satisfied once and for all with that.
I had sold my heart to Srila Prabhupada and Lord Krsna. So, finally, my family accepted the inevitable. I returned to Bombay after about a month. Since I had stayed in my village quite a long time, I wasn’t sure how Giriraja and the other devotees would react to my return. When they saw me, however, I was surprised to find myself most welcome, just as before and they were surprised to see me back in their midst. Their experience had been that many Indian devotees had come and gone, promising to return soon, but hardly any had actually returned. Thus they were surprised and pleased to see me. By the causeless mercy of my spiritual master, His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, and Lord Sri Krsna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, my return to the devotees became possible.
Although it may appear that my joining ISKCON disrupted my family’s life and caused a disturbance in my small village, these negative effects were only temporary. In the years since I joined ISKCON, I and many other devotees have often visited Aravade and taught the principles of Krsna consciousness, and now my family and my whole village has embraced ISKCON as a genuine religious movement. There are seven fulltime devotees from there. Also, my family and many other families in Aravade regularly chant Hare Krsna on beads. All in all, my whole village loves the Hare Krsna movement, and there is no disruption of any kind.
Haribol.
Spiritual Education Changes One’s Consciousness
Venue: Mayapur
“om namo bhagavate vasudevaya”
All glories to the assembled Russian devotees.
So we welcome you all. Haribol!!
Bhagavatam 7.2.41 So please repeat after us.
na tatra hatma prakrtav api sthitas tasya gunair anyatamo hi badhyate”
(S.B 7.2.41)
na tatra hatma prakrtav api sthitas tasya gunair anyatamo hi badhyate”This is Yama uvaca. Yamaraj is speaking. He is certainly speaking the truth. Yamaraj is maha bhagavata. Lord of time, we do not remember that. We remember him as just superintendent of death. But that superintendent of death is also maha bhagavata, pure devotee, learned devotee. So he is sharing this truth. That we’ll talk in a minute. I think or you already know who is sharing this truth with. So what is saying here, is applicable to all of us. What is being spoken here by Yamaraja is just not for hindus only or India limited people within India. This is for everybody. Infact, ‘bhutani’ for all the living entities. Not only just for the human kind of entities, but all the living entities. But more specifically of course to the entire human race. So ‘bhutani’ is in plural. ‘bhuta’ means living entity and ‘bhutani’ means all the living entities.
pasyan srnvan sprsan jighrann asnan gacchan svapan svasan’ (B.G 5.8)
The three modes of nature and then their predominating deities. As I am moving my hand, the point is, the soul doesn’t. There is someone else. Prakriti is making all these arrangements and movements. Of course the consciousness of the soul is polluted coming in this material existence. And that is where the three modes of material nature act. At the mind level, mind, intelligence, false ego is the subtle part of the body. The mind, intelligence, false ego are matter, material and they remain active. And the mind, intelligence, false ego, they kind of constitute the consciousness of the soul of the living entity. And all the activities, good or bad performed by that person, they further influenced the consciousness or the subtle body is influenced. Be the good or bad, better or worst, depending upon the kind of activities the person is performing. Again these good and bad is material. ‘dvandva’ we are caught in the dual nature, duality of this existence. And there is a big list, among that list, good and bad is among the dual. Or mode of goodness is good and mode of ignorance is bad.
While Hiranyakashipu is talking, he is citing the old history.
History of, once upon a time there lived a king, king of Ushinara. And then there is a battle and his wives also had been accompanied. They were not fighting themselves but they were residing at the battlefield or some place. And when this king was killed in the battle, then all the queens have come on the scene. And they are lamenting like anything, “Oh! you are gone”. They are pounding their chests, “Oh! how could we live without you. You are like this. You are like that. The world is vacant without you.”
Question: Why is it so easy to understand theoretically we are soul in Srimad Bhagavatam classes, then we go outside, it becomes difficult?
Thank you.
PUNE ANNUAL KATHA DAY 2: Lifetime in preparation (amended)
All glories to the assembled devotees.
nama om vishnu-padaya krishna-preshthaya bhu-tale
srimate bhaktivedanta-svamin iti namine
namas te sarasvate deve gaura-vani-pracarine
nirvisesha-sunyavadi-pascatya-desa-tarine
Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna, Krsna Krsna, Hare Hare, Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare.
narayanam namaskritya naram chaiva narottamam devim saraswatim vyasam dato jayam udirayet
Om namo bhagavate vasudevaya
Narottam Das Thakura, a Mahabhagavat Acarya, was an acarya during Caitanya Mahaprabhu’s time. In the following Bengali song he sings the glories of an acarya. Prabhupada is our acarya. Just by reading we may not understand the meaning since these songs are filled with bhava from the spiritual world.
ei-baro karuna koro vaishnava gosai patita-pavana toma bine keho nai
Vaisnava Goswami, please be merciful to me now. There is no one except you who can purify the fallen souls.
jahara nikate gele papa dure jay emona doyala prabhu keba kotha pai
When we go near the acaryas, the sins run away and if we go away from the acarya sins (papa) comes towards us.
gangara parasa hoile pascate pavan darsane pavitra koro—ei tomara gun
After bathing in the waters of the sacred Ganga many times, one becomes purified, but just by the sight of you, the fallen souls are purified. This is your great power.
hari-sthane aparadhe tare hari-nam toma sthane aparadhe nahi paritran
The holy name delivers one who has committed an offense to Lord Hari, but if one commits an offense to you, there is no means of deliverance.
tomara hridaye sada govinda-visram govinda kohena—mora vaishnava paran
Your heart is always the resting place of Lord Govinda, and Lord Govinda says, “The Vaisnavas are in My heart.”
prati-janme kori asa caranera dhuli narottame koro doya apanara boli
I desire the dust of your holy feet in every birth I may take. Please consider Narottama yours, and be kind upon him.
Oh! Acarya be merciful on me and give me divya jnana. Jai Prabhupada Jai Srila Prabhupada
mukam karoti vachalam pangum langhayate girim ,yat-kripa tam aham vande shri-gurum dina-taranam
By the mercy of guru, the dumb turn into eloquent speakers and enables the lame to cross mountains.
I offer my respectful obeisance unto my spiritual master, the deliverer of the fallen souls Lord says respect the acarya like me. Don’t think him as an ordinary person. Acaryas are not God, but they are Godly.
sakshad-dharitvena samasta-shastrair
Vishwanath Thakur says an acrarya is sakshad Hari. All sastra explain acarya as sakshad Hari. They are empowered by the Lord so only they can make the impossible possible.
krsna-sakti vina nahe tara pravartana- Unless one has the mercy of Lord, there can’t be a revolution in consciousness.
yatra yogesvarah krsno yatra partho dhanur-dharah
tatra srir vijayo bhutir dhruva nitir matir mama
Wherever there is Krsna, the master of all mystics, and wherever there is Arjuna, the supreme archer, there will also certainly be opulence, victory, extraordinary power, and morality.
vijayastu pandu-putranam yesham pakshe janardana
We see that how Prabhupada was glorified all over the world.
bhaktanam mana vardhanam Image maker of the devotee is not any PR team, but Lord Himself. He glorifies His devotees and spreads their glories in the three worlds.
Prabhupada Lilamrita has two parts. The first part of the biography covers Prabhupada’s life time preparation. With all the preparation, he established ISKCON in New York. The second part containes the execution. 80% of the time was utilized in planning and 20% in execution.
Every 11 years there is some important event taking place in Prabhupada’s life. Prabhupada met his Guru Maharaja in 1922. Then in 1933 he received initiation. In 1944 he wrote the Back to Godhead magazine. He took sannyasa in 1955 and in 1966 he established ISKCON. In 1977 he went back to Vrndavana, back to Godhead.
Prabhupada was born in Kolkata, hence for us Kolkata is a holy place. He was born on 1 Sept 1986 on the day of Nandotsava. This reinforces the strong relationship between Prabhupada and Krsna. His kundali stated that at the age of 70, he will go to the West and establish 108 temples. The Lord wanted him to do all this.
nimitta-matram bhava savya-sacin
The Lord made him an instrument to preach all over the world. Abhayacaran would get up early in the morning to the sound of Guarmohan Dey blowing the conch shell and ringing the bell. He was sent to learn to play the mrdanga. He was also given small Radha Krsna Deities to worship. When there was a Ratha-yatra Abhayacaran also wanted to have a separate Ratha-yatra. His father got a small ratha and organized a Ratha-yatra. He also wanted the instruments for kirtana. So his father gave him two rupees to get all the instruments for kirtana. He could hardly lift a mrdanga, but he wanted to play it.
At that time India was under British rule and Mahatma Gandhi was active in the independence movement. Prabhupada was greatly influenced by Mahatma Gandhi’s movement. He had started wearing khadi clothes. He had graduated from the Scottish Church College, but refused to accept the degree as it was from a British college. It was with these thoughts that in 1922, at the age of just 22, that his friend Malik babu wanted to take him to a sadhu. Prabhupada had seen many sadhus and did not want to go. Malik Babu assured Abhayacaran that this sadhu was different. So Prabhupada went. When they arrived Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Thakur was having his istagosti. Malik and Abhayacaran offered obeisances. They did not even sit down, but Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Thakur said, “You look intelligent. Why don’t you preach in English in the West.” According to the Lilamrita, Prabhupada’s response was, “Who will listen to your Caitanya teachings? Our country is under British Rule so that’s not possible. First we should fight for freedom for our country.” Many others like Mahatma Gandhi had such thoughts. But Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Thakur said, “We can’t wait. One party may rule over us or others, but that’s all temporary. Our first priority is that we are eternal servants of the Lord. You should first get liberated.” As Prabhupada was returning, he had this thought, “I have found my Guru Maharaja”. He also received the instruction to preach in the West.
So he started the preparation. In 1932 Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Thakur was doing Vraja-mandal Parikrama. At that time Prabhupada was married and settled in Allahabad,. He also had De pharmacy. His pharmacy was very famous. Even Jawaharlal Pandit would to come to his pharmacy to buy medicine. Prabhupada had also reached Vrndavana. He would go to one Gaudiya matha to play mrdanga, do kirtana and support the matha financially. At this time the Parikrama was at Kosi going to Shesasayi. An announcement was made that Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Thakur would give a class for those not going for Parikrama. Prabhupada loved to hear his Guru Maharaja. His name was on the initiation list and Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Thakur saw his name and said, “ Abhayababu? I know him. He likes to hear me.” That was how his Guru knew him – he likes to hear. So in 1933 he received initiation and at the bank of Radha Kunda Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Thakur said. “If you get money, print books.” Prabhupada’s first instruction was to preach in the West and later on he had to print books. In 1944 he published Back to Godhead magazines. He wanted help to publish and distribute books.
Prabhupada wrote many books. He also wrote 8000 letters. There are certainly many amongst us who have not even written 8 letters. He wrote a letter to Dr. Rajendra Prasad. which said, “I have a clue how to go back to Godhead. I will go back home after this life but I don’t want to go alone. I want to take to all my contemporary men and women. I have published Back to head magazines. We are in streets called galis and the politicians say chalo delhi – from gali to Delhi. But Prabhupada said chalo golok. This place is not for gentlemen. He further wrote, “Don’t think of me as a mad man and don’t be surprised when I write about going back to godhead. It’s quite possible to go back home. Every jiva can go back home.”
Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Thakur changed Prabhupada’s mood. In July 1947 Prabhupada wrote a letter to his friend mahatmaji, Mahatma Gandhi. The address on the letter was Bhangi Colony, New Delhi. He wrote: “I am your unknown friend, but you did not care to reply till date. I tell you as a sincere friend that you should immediately retire from your service if you don’t desire to die an inglorious death.” He did not listen to Prabhupada’s letter and died an inglorious death. “If you want to do some welfare for the general public, we will include your policy of independence, but you should leave this rotten politics. At least retire for one month. We will discuss that which will give you enlightenment.”
Prabhupada liked to go to Jhansi and lecture there. Once when Prabhupada came to Allahabad his wife who really liked tea a lot had sold some papers to a gabadi man to buy biscuits. Prabhupada was very angry when he heard that. He said: “You want tea or me? His wife took it humorously and said, “I would prefer tea”. Thereafter when Prabhupada went to Jhansi he never returned home in Allahabad.
One day Prabhupada received a telegram from Prabhakar Mishra which stated that money from the pharmacy had been stolen. His disciple thought Prabhupada would be sad, but Prabhupada smiled and said:
yasyaham anugrhnami harisye tad-dhanam sanaih (SB 10.88.8)
The Personality of Godhead said: If I especially favor someone, I gradually deprive him of his wealth. Then the relatives and friends of such a poverty-stricken man abandon him. In this way he suffers one distress after another.
In Jhansi he established the League of Devotees. There were some problems and some mahila mandal group took over. Prabhupada was already publishing Back to Godhead magazines and then he started writing books and on Viswarupa mahotsava.
Prabhupada took sanyasa from Keshava Bharati Goswami. On that day Prabhupada became Bhaktivedanta Swami. He would stay at Bansidhara temple at Kesi-ghata and then he shifted to Radha Damodar temple. It was here that the six goswamis would come and discuss sastra. nana-sastra-vicaranaika-nipunau The Goswamis are expert in scrutinizingly studying all the revealed scriptures with the aim of establishing eternal religious principles for the benefit of all human beings. Prabhupada was staying at such a temple. Here he had also written some small books.
So here Prabhupada started translating Srimad-Bhagavatam . He would travel in a third class compartment train and go to Delhi for the printing of Bhagavatam. He was now prepared to go to the West, but how would he go? There was a lack of money. All his money was utilized in printing books. Once when Prabhupada was in Kurukshetra, he met Mrs. Sumati Morarjee. She was the owner of Scandia shipping. He put forth his request and she said, “Do you want to die.” But Prabhupada was determined. Somehow she agreed and gave him permission to travel in a cargo ship named the Jaladuta. From his day we see that he went via Nagpur – a Devadutta going to the West in n the Jaladuta. He faced so many health issues. He even had heart attacks on the Jaladuta. Prabhupada called to Krsna for help and Krsna became the boatman and took charge of the boat. The sea became silent. Mr. Pandya, the Captain told Prabhupada,”I have traveled this route so many years, but I have never had such a smooth journey, Swami.” Then the boat reached Boston and it had to wait. Mr. Pandya suggested that he show Prabhupada America. Prabhupada saw that everyone was busy in the rat race.
Prabhupada wrote his thoughts in form of a poem called Markine Bhagavat dharma. nacao nacao prabhu nacao se-mate kasthera puttali jatha nacao se mate
O Lord, I am just like a puppet in Your hands. So if You have brought me here to dance, then make me dance, make me dance, O Lord, make me dance as You like. (text 14)
bhakti nai beda nai name khub daro “bhaktivedanta” nam ebe sarthak kor
I have no devotion, nor do I have any knowledge, but I have strong faith in the holy name of Krishna. I have been designated as Bhaktivedanta, and now, if You like, You can fulfill the real purport of Bhaktivedanta. You have brought me here so give me power O Lord. I don’t have much knowledge but you help make my name Bhaktivedanta as successful.
So Prabhupada reached America and he did not know whether to turn left of right. He just had 40 rupees in his pocket. It seems that he was moneyless and friendless, but he had his friend Krsna with him. As far as money was concerned he had Laxmipati (Krsna) with him. He also had golokere prema dhana harinam sankirtana. How could he be moneyless? He had Bhagavatam with him. He had taken the culture of India, the Bhagavatam, with him. He was acaryavan and dhanavan.
He arrived in 1965 and in 1966 he would establish ISKCON. 11 years thereafter he will go back to Godhead. What he did in these 11 years is mind boggling. He then returned to India and made new history. We will hear that history tomorrow – how the Lord helped him. How he had gone to America with 40 rupees and at end of 11 years, he had 40 000 crores.
Srila Prabhupada ki ……Jai!!
PUNE ANNUAL KATHA DAY 1: Introduction to Srila Prabhupada (amended)
All glories to the assembled devotees.
nama om vishnu-padaya krishna-preshthaya bhu-tale
srimate bhaktivedanta-svamin iti namine
namas te sarasvate deve gaura-vani-pracarine
nirvisesha-sunyavadi-pascatya-desa-tarine
Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare / Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare.
ISKCON Pune organises a katha every year. Many devotees come every year, but this year many foreign devotees have come. This is the proof that our society is international. And this year’s katha will be different and sweeter, pyaari and nyaari.
Nityam bhagvat sevaya. Prabhupada says there are two Bhagavats- grantha bhagvat and vyakti bhagvat.
This year we are celebrating the anniversary of ISKCON’s Golden Jubilee. In 1966, Prabhupada established ISKCON in New York. And it has been a year of celebrations. This katha is purnahuti or “complete offering of oneself” to that celebration.
When we were discussing what the topic of this katha should be, we thought about ISKCON’s Golden Jubilee and thought, “Why don’t we hear about Srila Prabhupada’s caritra. The Lord’s katha is not possible without the katha of Srila Prabhupada. The Lord’s katha is always empty without the katha of his devotees. When we say the pranam mantra:
namas te sarasvate deve gaura-vani-pracarine nirvisesha-sunyavadi-pascatya-desa-tarine
We offer our respectful obeisances unto you. You are sisya (student) of Sarasvati Thakur and you are preaching Guaravani all over the world.
Prabhupada’s father would take him to Radha Govind Dev temple where he spent a lot of time. He was named Abhaya, who then became Abhayababu in Bengal and ultimately AC Bhaktivedanata Swami Srila Prabhupada. AC is not air conditioner, but Abhay Caranaravinda. We addressed him as Prabhupada, one who has taken shelter of Lotus Feet of the Lord.
His father Guarmohan De would invite sadhus to his home. After serving them, he would seek their blessings for Abhaya to become a great devotee of Radharani. Prabhupada was Lord’s krpa patra. This year we will glorify Prabhupada. This katha will fill you with happiness and inspire you so that you consider and accept Prabhupada as your spiritual hero which will lead to all auspiciousness. The Vedas say, acaryavan purusho veda: The one who has a real Master comes to know the truth. It is said that when we become acaryavan, we accept an acarya. So when we accept an acharya in our life then we will understand the Lord.
vedais ca sarvair aham eva vedyo vedanta-krd veda-vid eva caham.
By all the Vedas am I to be known; indeed I am the compiler of Vedanta, and I am the knower of the Vedas.
Knowing the Lord is the goal of life. We will know the secret of the grantha. This is the Lord’s arrangement and not the arrangement of any demigod or politician.
This deity of Prabhupada is new. We will do abhishek, acharya upasana. Lord says you should do upasana (worship) of my devotees. There will be pushpanjali and at the end of the katha we will offer Guru puja. Together with the flowers, we will also offer ourselves at the lotus feet of Prabhupada. We will offer Prabhupada’s favourite kachori. He was also called kachorimukhi. There will be for you as well. And every day we will sing and dance.
bhaja gauranga kaha gauranga laha bhaja gaurangera nama re
jei jan bhaja gauranga bhaje, sei hoy amara prana re.
Worship Lord Gauranga! Chant Gauranga! Speak only about Lord Gauranga! Those who worship and serve Lord Gauranga are indeed my life and soul.
Caitanya Mahaprabhu said, “Preaching of my name will be all over the earth.” What is His name? You will say He is Krsna. My name is Krsna, mora nama radha. I have two names Radha Krsna. sri krsna caitanya radha rrsna nahi anya . That is why we say Hare Krsna. So this is mora naam, Caitanya Mahaprabhu’s name. The 16 names in the Hare Krsna mahamantra, 8 Krsna’s names and 8 Radha’s names – iti sodasakam namnam kali-kalmasa-nasanam. Hare Krsna Hare Krsna Krsna Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare destroy all inauspiciousness of the age of Kali.
When you chant the Lord’s name and you become dear to the Lord. On the screen you can see the lyrics.
Let’s sing,
gaurango boliya du baht tuliya,nachiya nachiya berao re
Means raising two hands in Bengali.
gaurango bhajile gaurango jopile hoy, dukhyero aboshaan re
All miseries will be over once you say Gauranga.
(Abhang of Tukaram Maharaj in marathi glorifying Lord Vitthala)
om namo bhagvate vasudevaya
Before every katha Prabhupada would always sing jaya radha madhava. As his disciples we also sing the same song before a katha. But today, here, before this katha I will not sing. Prabhupada will sing. We want to give you all Prabhupada’s sound vibration, how he would sing with complete love and affection.
On screen Prabhupada will be singing jaya radha madhava. This was followed by daily nityam bhagavata sevaya. Prabhupada would give morning class on the Bhagvatam and evening Bhagavata-Gita class. He was never tired.
vayam tu na vitrpyama uttama-sloka-vikrame, yac-chrnvatam rasa-jnanam svadu svadu pade pade
We never tire of hearing the transcendental pastimes of the Personality of Godhead, who is glorified by hymns and prayers. Those who have developed a taste for transcendental relationships with Him relish hearing of His pastimes at every moment.
Prabhupada met his Guru Maharaja in 1922. and was ordered to preach in west. It was a life long preparation and then one day he went to west. Wherever he went, he gave katha on Bhagavatam and Gita. There are two types of sevas, vyakti and svayam bhagavat seva. We hear about 12 Bhagavats in Bhagvatam.
svayambhur naradah sambhuh kumarah kapilo manuh
prahlado janako bhishmo balir vaiyasakir vayam (SB. 6.3.20)
Svayambhu, Narada, Sambhu, Kapila, Kumara, Manu, Prahlada, Janaka, Bhisma, Bali, Vaiyasaki, and Vayam. Yamraj spoke about 11 Mahabhagavats and then he said.”I am one of them. So all the Mahabhagavats make our dharma. dharma stapan hetu sadhur vyavarah and the Lord also comes.
paritranaya sadhunam vinasaya ca duskrtam
dharma-samsthapanarthaya sambhavami yuge yuge
It is the joint work of the devotees and the Lord. Prabhupada is one of the santa siromani’s of that garland of the Mahabhagavats. Many granthas and Prabhupada Lilamrita is published. I have also written a book on Prabhupada, My Prabhupada. So today we will introduce Prabhupada and his good qualities. We have amongst us Mukunda Dutta Prabhu who was initiated when he was 15 years old. People go crazy after western clothes, but he is in vaishnava poshakh, like the cowherd boy.
DAY 2 – Lifetime in preparation.
DAY 3 – Prabhupada around the world. How he brought about the revolution, how he preached all over the world and after preaching all over, he came to India.
DAY 4 – My Prabhupada, my realizations about Prabhupada. How and what I learned from him. Prabhupada had 5000 disciples; I am just one of them. Anyone of them could say my Prabhupada, Mukunda Dutta would say My Prabhupada, Radhanatha Maharaja could say my Prabhupada. So like that, I could say My Prabhupada.
DAY 5 – Challenges and struggles. Preaching is a war. We have to fight to preach. It was not all a bed of roses. He faced many problems and his life was full of struggles for Krsna.
DAY 6 – How Prabhupada established sankirtana in the world. sankirtana eka pitaro, the father of sankirtana Himself, Lord Caitanya and Nityananda Prabhu are the two Fathers of Sankirtana. yadi guaranga na hoite, like that we can sing yati Prabhupada nahi hoite.
Day 7 – Teachings of Srila Prabhupada, the original teacher is Krsna. krsnam vande jagadgurum. Prabhupada published the teachings of Krsna as it is and there was a revolution in consciousness. People would ask, “Why have you come to the West?” He had gone to revolutionize their consciousness. All those teachings he spread all over and that is what we will hear on the last day.
In 1965 Prabhupada went to the West. He was powerful and defeated all the mayavadis. A devotee since childhood, he organized Ratha-yatra. When he was in Vrndavana he wrote books. Mrs Sumati Murarjee made all arrangement for Prabhupada’s journey to the West. Prabhupada had 12 years. He organised Ratha-yatra in San Francisco. In London Prabhupada is offering arati to Radha Gokulanada. In the night Prabhupada would write books. He wrote 70 volumes. Prabhupada wrote many letters to his disciples. He established many Gurukuls. See his Gurubhakti and Krishna conscious life.
yasyasti bhaktir bhagavaty akiñcana, sarvair gunais tatra samasate surah (SB 5.18.12)
One who has unflinching devotion for the Personality of Godhead has all the good qualities of the demigods.
Atma is part of the Lord. Some degree of the Lord’s qualities are in the soul and these qualities manifest in the devotee. Vaisnavas have 26 qualities. All of those 26 qualities were there in Prabhupada. We have made a presentation displaying those qualities. You can all meditate on the pictures shown on the screen. When we hear and see that quality, then that quality will manifest in us. And that is the goal. There is a phrase in Marathi – thora mahatme hovun gele. We should read caritra of such a Mahajana and then we can also meditate on and develop that quality.
So Prabhupada had all the 26 qualities of Vaisnava which will be displayed on the screen.
(1) He is merciful to everyone. He gave us Krsna and that is the mercy of Prabhupada (2) He does not make anyone his enemy. (3) He is truthful (4) He is equal to everyone. (5) No one can find any fault in him. (6) He is magnanimous. (7) He is mild. (8) He is always clean. Cleanliness in next to Godliness. (9) He is without possessions. (10) He works for everyone’s benefit. (11) He is very peaceful. If you are in association of a peaceful person then you will also become peaceful. santakaram bhujaga-shayanam. Yoga means getting connected to the Lord. Bhakti yogis means you come in the association of the Lord and become shanta. Learn bhakti yoga and become peaceful (12) He is always surrendered to Krsna- krsneka saranam, Prabhupada was always in the shelter of the Lord. prapadyante nya devatah. Some people take shelter of demigods. ekale isvara krsna, ara saba bhrtya Prabhupada always stressed this whenever he wrote Krsna, he wrote Supreme Personality of Godhead because antigod preaching is going everywhere.(13) He has no material desires. (14) He is very meek. (15) He is steady. (16) He has cleanliness of heart and mind and thoughts. People says svachabaharat but what’s the use? Our heart is dirty. So we should start with the heart. Acharyas teach us the definition of cleanliness. cetodarpan marjana (17) He does not eat more than required. (18) He is not influenced by the Lord’s illusory energy. (19) He offers respect to everyone. (20) He does not desire any respect for himself. (21) He is very grave. (22) He is kind to everyone. (23) He is friendly. (24) He is poetic. (25) He is expert. (26) He is silent.
Gaura Katha – Day 1 – PUNE
Who inspired Caitanya Mahaprabhu to stay in Jagannatha Puri?
Day 1 of Gaur katha at NVCC
Gaur bhakta vrinda ki Jai and you are all amongst them. You have all reached here, where the Lord is and His katha and devotees are That is why all glories to you.
Jai Jagganath, ‘jei gaura sei krsna sei jagannatha. There will be a Ratha-yatra a few days after the katha. Let’s hear from Krsnadas Kaviraj Goswami on Gauranga’s katha in Jagannatha Puri.
nilachala nivasaya nityaya paramatmane balabadra subhadrabyam jagannathaya te namah
Lord as Jagannatha was already staying in Jagannatha Puri, but now Gauranga Mahaprabhu will also stay in Jagannatha Puri.
Caitanya Mahaprabhu has just taken sannayas and He was given the name Sri Krsna Caitanya. Sannyasis don’t stay in one place. It is said that a rolling stone gathers no moss. Like that He took sannyasa in Katva and had a long desire to go to Vrndavana. The desire to go to Vrndavana was already there when He received harinam diksha, but He was stopped. After sannyasa He also wanted to go to Vrndavana , but this time Nityananda Prabhu and Advaita Acaraya tricked Him.
prabhate acaryaratna dolaya cadana
bhakta-gana-sange lila sacimata lana (CC Madhya lila 3.137)
In the morning Candrasekhara seated Saci mata in a palanquin and brought her from her house with many devotees.
nadiya-nagarera loka — str-balaka-vrddha
saba loka aila, haila sanghatta samrddha (CC Madhya lila 3.138)
In this way, all the people of the town of Nadia — including all women, boys and old men — came there. Thus the crowd increased.
pratah-krtya kari’ kare nama-sankirtana
sacimata lana aila advaita-bhavana (CC Madhya lila 3.139)
In the morning, after regular duties were completed and the Lord was chanting the Hare Krsna maha-mantra, the people accompanied sacimata to the house of Advaita acarya.
saci-age padila prabhu dandavat hana
kandite lagila saci kole uthaina (CC Madhya lila 3.140)
As soon as mother saci appeared on the scene, Caitanya Mahaprabhu fell before her like a stick. Mother saci began to cry, taking the Lord on her lap. Caitanya Mahaprabhu is 24 years old, but for her He is her son Nimai.
donhara darsane dunhe ha-ila vihvala
kesa na dekhiya saci ha-ila vikala (CC Madhya lila 3.141)
Upon seeing each other, they both became overwhelmed. Seeing the Lord’s head without hair, mother saci became greatly agitated.
anga muche, mukha cumbe, kare niriksana
dekhite na paya, — asru bharila nayana (CC Madhya lila 3.142)
Out of love she began to caress the body of the Lord. Sometimes she kissed His face and tried to observe Him carefully, but because her eyes were filled with tears, she could not see.
Tukaram Maharaja also says, anandale mana preme pazara lochana. The language amy be different but the words of the saints are the same. When your heart is filled with love, then it comes out from the eyes as tears.
kandiya kahena saci, bachare nimani
visvarupa-sama na kariha nithurai (CC Madhya lila 3.143)
Understanding that Lord Caitanya had accepted the renounced order of life, sacimata, crying, said to the Lord, “My darling Nimai, do not be cruel like Visvarupa, Your elder brother.”
sannyasi ha-iya punah na dila darasana
tumi taiche kaile mora ha-ibe marana (CC Madhya lila 3.144)
Mother saci continued, “After accepting the renounced order, Visvarupa never again gave me audience. If You do like Him, that will certainly be the death of me.”
kandiya balena prabhu — suna, mora ai
tomara sarira ei, mora kichu nai
The Lord replied, “My dear mother, please hear. This body belongs to you. I do not possess anything.
tomara palita deha, janma toma haite
koti janme tomara rna na pari sodhite
“This body was raised by you, and it comes from you. I cannot repay this debt even in millions of births.”
jani’ va na jani’ kaila yadyapi sannyasa
tathapi tomare kabhu nahiba udasa
“Knowingly or unknowingly I have accepted this renounced order. Still, I shall never be indifferent to you.
tumi yahan kaha, ami tahani rahiba
tumi yei ajna kara, sei ta kariba (CC Madhya lila 3.148)
“My dear mother, wherever you ask Me to stay I shall stay, and whatever you order I shall execute.”
This is the eternal relationship between them. Whenever the Lord takes birth she comes as His mother. Caitanya Mahaptabhu has taken sanayasa but He will never be indifferent to Saci mata.
Sannyasis cannot stay with family after taking sannyasa. That is what Caitanya Mahaprabhu said, “I have taken sannyasa now. I cannot come home. In Navadvipa the people will laugh at me, but I can’t leave you also.” Hearing this Saci mata came up with a solution. “If you stay in Navadvipa I will be happy, but if people mock you, then I will be very sad. So I have an idea. Why don’t you stay in Jagannatha Puri. Both the issues will be resolved – it is near Navadvipa and devotees can come to meet you. You can also you come bathe in the Ganga. Caitanya Mahaprabhu and the devotees were happy to hear this offer of Saci mata.
eta bali punah punah kare namaskara
tusta hana ai kole kare bara bara (CC Madhya lila 3.149)
Saying this, the Lord offered obeisances to His mother again and again, and mother saci, being pleased, took Him again and again on her lap.
Then Advaita Acarya took mother Saci within the house. The Lord was immediately ready to meet all the devotees. (CC Madhya lila 3.150)
The Lord met all the devotees one after the other, and looking at everyone’s face individually, He embraced them tightly. (CC Madhya lila 3.151)
Although the devotees were unhappy at not seeing the Lord’s hair, they nonetheless derived great happiness from seeing His beauty. (CC Madhya lila 3.152)
srivasa, ramai, vidyanidhi, gadadhara
gangadasa, vakresvara, murari, suklambara
buddhimanta khan, nandana, sridhara, vijaya
vasudeva, damodara, mukunda, sanjaya
kata nama la-iba yata navadvipa-vasi
sabare milila prabhu krpa-drstye hasi’ (CC Madhya lila 3.153- 55)
Srivasa, Ramai, Vidyanidhi, Gadadhara, Gangadasa, Vakresvara, Murari, suklambara, Buddhimanta Khan, Nandana, sridhara, Vijaya, Vasudeva, Damodara, Mukunda, Sanjaya and all the others, however many I can mention — indeed, all the inhabitants of Navadvipa — arrived there, and the Lord met them with smiles and glances of mercy.
Krsnadas Kaviraj says that so many devotees have come here fro darsana that he cannot keep count. They are all saying the Lord’s name – Hari Hari. What’s Caitanya Mahaprabhu’s name? Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna, Krsna Krsna, Hare Hare/ Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare. They were all taking darsana of the Lord. Upon hearing this a desire grows within us for this darsana – darsana dila dena. This bhava of meeting and receiving darsana of the Lord is gunatita bhava which is beyond the three modes of material nature. One who has really woken up, will have these thoughts. It is said jiva jago sleeping souls. Wake up and break that bubble of illusion.
Once upon a time when devotees would go to Pandarpur for darsana of Lord Vitthala. This darsana was realised in embracing Lord Vitthala. In Kaliyuga somebody did some mischief and now we can just touch His lotus feet.
gaurangera madhur lila jare karna praveshila hridaya nirmala hobe tar
One who hears the Lord’s lila, his heart becomes pure. In the Upanisads the example is given of two birds sitting on a tree. One bird – the jiva, or living entity – is enjoying the fruits of that tree, and the other bird – Paramatma – is simply witnessing. So we are sitting in the heart and the katha goes to the heart. There is saying in Marathi ekadun tikade jae vara nadi funkali sonare. While making jewellery, a jeweller blows his pipe. The air goes from this end of the pipe to that end. It does not stay in the pipe. It should not be like that. The katha should land in the heart and stay there.
mana eva manusyanam karanam bandha-moksayoh
bandhaya visayasango muktyai nirvisayam manah
For man, the mind is the cause of bondage and liberation. The mind absorbed in sense objects is the cause of bondage, and mind detached from sense objects is the cause of liberation. Therefore, the mind which is always engaged in Krishna consciousness is the cause of supreme liberation. The mind and senses is one team, the causes of binding and liberation. atmaiva hy atmano bandhur atmaiva ripur atmanah. The mind is the friend of the conditioned soul, and his enemy as well. Thinking, feeling and willing are the works of the mind.
Gauranga Mahaprabhu is the combined form of Radha and Krsna with the golden complexion of Srimati Radhika (antar krsna bahir gaura)
radha-krsna-pranaya-vikrtir hladini-saktir asmad
ekatmanav api bhuvi pura deha-bhedam gatau tau
caitanyakhyam prakatam adhuna tad-dvayam caikyam aptam
radha-bhava-dyuti-suvalitam naumi krsna-svarupam
The love of Radha-Krsna is the divine manifestation of the hladini-sakti. Though originally one, They have become separated eternally. They have again become one as Sri Caitanya. I offer my respects unto that Lord, who is Krsna Himself, with the sentiment and complexion of Radharani. (CC. Adi Lila 1.5)
Caitanya Mahaprabhu says, “Long time back I was one. Then I became two – one Radha and one Krsna, one soul but we are two. Now I am named Caitanya Mahaprabhu and my name – Radha Krsna – will be preached all over.”
yei krsna-tattva-vetta sei guru haya- One who is fully conversant with the science of Krsna, he is eligible to become a guru. (Cc. Madhya Lila. 8.128)
Bhaktivinod Thakur says, je-dina grihe, bhajana dekhi, grihete goloka bhaya
One day while performing devotional practices, I saw my house transformed into Goloka Vrndavana. When I take the caranamrita of the Deity, I see the holy Ganges waters that come from the feet of Lord Visnu, and my bliss knows no bounds. (Suddha Bhakata Carana Renu)
Caitanya Mahaprabhu is also called Vaikunthanayak. Krsnadas Kaviraj Goswami writes that the acaryas house has become Vaikunthapuri, Golok. Do not think it became Vaikuntha. The Lord is instructing the devotees go to your respective houses. brahmacari guru-kule vasan danto guror hitam (SB 7. 12. 1) Brahmacharis don’t go home, your house is the brahmachari asrama.
When devotees dance, their souls dance, but when the people outside dance, their bodies dance. So many devotees have come for darsana of Caitanya Mahaprabhu who is addressing everybody. You all are my param bandhavas. We are all also param bandhava brothers of Caitanya Mahaprabhu. This is sambandhan jnana. Then comes prayojana followed by abhideya jnana. Tukaram Maharaja also said,
ami jato amchya gava amcha rama ram ghyava.
“You all do kirtana and as I got the dhama, you will also get the dhama”
PUNE ANNUAL KATHA DAY 4: My Prabhupada
All glories to the assembled devotees.
nama om vishnu-padaya krishna-preshthaya bhu-tale
srimate bhaktivedanta-svamin iti namine
namas te sarasvate deve gaura-vani-pracarine
nirvisesha-sunyavadi-pascatya-desa-tarine
Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna, Krsna Krsna, Hare Hare/ Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare
The prayers Narottama Das Thakur are one of the most important prayers of Gaudiya parampara. This prayer is a prayer at the lotus feet of Panca Tattva.
sri -krsna-caitanya prabhu doua koro more
toma bina ke doyalu jagat-samsare
patita-pavana-hetu tava avatara
mo sama patita prabhu na paibe ara
I welcome you all again and again to this Bhagavat Katha Mahotsava or Srila Prabhupada Katha Mahotsava. This is the 4th day today of the glorification of Srila Prabhupada. Glorification is a simple word used to describe Srila Prabhupada. He is Mahabhagvat. He is full of good qualities – his birth, his youth, how he met his Guru Maharaja and his life time of preparation and then going to New York. I always say that he was a “Devaduta on the Jaladuta”. When he reached there, he had no idea whether to turn to the right or the left.
This was the second part. How he started preaching from the store front and how the American boys and girls took vows to follow the 4 regulative principles. ISKCON was established. The preaching spread to London. How Albert Ford also became a follower of Prabhupada and was duly initiated as Ambarish Dasa. All this we heard till yesterday and then Srila Prabhupada slowly went to other continents and finally he went all over the world.
The president of India Pranab Mukherjee writes in his glorification of the Golden Jubilee Anniversary that “ISKCON is a great society. There is no society like this. I respect the enthusiasm of the devotees of ISKCON. I heard there are more than 600 temples and 110 Govindas. “ Actually there are more. I was in Mauritius and in in that small island there are 115 Govindas. “There is the midday meals where prasada is distributed to 12 lakh people. The Gita is available in more than 70 languages, including Chinese. ISKCON has spread the knowledge of Lord Krsna all over the world. I wish them all best wishes for their preaching activities. And I wish in the coming years they keep spreading the holy name all over the world.”
We will also hear Prabhupada’s disciples speaking about Srila Prabhupada.
Lots of books are written on Prabhupada. I have written a book “My Prabhupada”. You can read it. So today we will discuss My Prabhupada.
Prabhupada captures us. We are sold out to his mission without any other interest in life. We, his disciples, don’t have any other mission. Prabhupada’s mission is only our goal of life.
guru mukha padma vakya
Prabhupada was not well. He was in Bombay. One devotee would sit near him on the floor and do kirtana. I was also in the kirtana schedule. Prabhupada felt kirtana is the only medicine. He never wanted to be taken to the hospital.
Towards the end of the kirtana on one particular day, I asked, “Srila Prabhupada is there anything we haven’t done yet which could do to cure you. Please tell us.” Prabhupada said: “Just chanting of Hare Krsna.” He paused for a few minutes and then said – are na koriho mane asa.
It can be translated as – don’t desire anything else. The words that are uttered from the lotus mouth of Srila Prabhupada are embedded in our hearts and we do not desire anything other than what he says.
caksu-dana dila yei, janme janme prabhu sei: the guru gives spiritual insight to the disciple.
We are cent percent yours, Prabhupada and he is also cent percent ours. The relationship he has with his disciples is very intimate that every disciple feels he is My Prabhupada.
So everybody can say, HH. Radhanatha Swami Maharaja can say he is My Prabhupada. HH. Jayapataka Swami Maharaja can say he is My Prabhupada, Mukunda Dutta Prabhu can say he is My Prabhupada, but first of all he is My Prabhupada. He was always very busy with so many disciples, but he was concerned about me. He dealt perfectly with the soul.
brahmanda bhramite kona bhagyavan jiva
guru-krsna-prasade paya bhakti-lata-bija
According to their karma, all living entities are wandering throughout the entire universe. Some of them are being elevated to the upper planetary systems, and some are going down into the lower planetary systems. Out of many millions of wandering living entities, one who is very fortunate gets an opportunity to associate with a bona fide spiritual master by the grace of Krsna. By the mercy of both Krsna and the spiritual master, such a person receives the seed of the creeper of devotional service.
So the Lord sends that fortunate Jiva to Guru and then Guru in turn sends him to the Lord. I was studying in Sangli and then I thought, “ Why not go to Bombay for graduation. It was 1971. After successfully preaching in the West Prabhupada was coming back to India. He came with many of his foreign devotees. There was a pandal program on Azad Maidan grounds. I saw the advertisement which said: ‘American sadhus are in town.” That was a surprise for everyone. We have heard about American scientists, but never had we heard of American Sadhus.
So I met Prabhupada there. Then I understood that coming to Bombay was not my decision to study there, but it was the Lord’s arrangement so that I could meet Prabhupada in Bombay.
So I got Guru Krsna Prasada at that Hare Krsna program. Since childhood my desire was to serve. At that time I wanted to serve society and humanity. When I was hearing Prabhupada’s lecture, Prabhupada said one very special thing which I thought was especially for me.
yatha taror mula-nisecanena trpyanti tat-skandha-bhujopasakhah
pranopaharac ca yathendriyanam tathaiva sarvarhanam acyutejya (SB 4.31.14)
By giving water to the root of a tree one satisfies its branches, twigs and leaves, and by supplying food to the stomach one satisfies all the senses of the body. Similarly, by engaging in the transcendental service of the Supreme Lord one automatically satisfies all the demigods and all other living entities.” Therefore, after reading Bhagavad-Gita one should promptly come to the conclusion of Bhagavad-Gita: one should give up all other engagements and adopt the service of the Supreme Lord, Krsna, the Personality of Godhead. If one is convinced of this philosophy of life, that is faith.
If you serve the Lord, then you serve everyone. When I heard this, I got a clue, as I wanted to serve. He was explaining to everyone, but I was convinced. And I decided that I would serve as Prabhupada wants me to serve. And soon I got converted and became Prabhupada’s.
Then again I went to one of the pandal programs in 1972. I joined ISKCON after this program. Then I went to Vrndavana for initiation. There were 15 of us as we went to his room in Radha Damodar temple. That room was full. Have you seen that room?
Then, as we were sitting around, Prabhupada was talking to us and looking at all of us. When he looked at me, he would stop. He was moving his vision like a radar . As he looked at me, he would stop. I was thinking: “Why I am getting his attention.” Then he said: “Stop it!” And I stopped it forever. Full stop. I had a bad habit of shaking my right thigh while concentrating. Now I only do it to demonstrate while I tell this incident in class. Prabhupada named me Lokanath. I thought I will get a name like Radha Raman starting with R, but Prabhupada just removed Raghu and replaced it with Lok and kept the nath part as it is.
Prabhupada came to Bombay many times as he said, “Bombay is my office”. I was a brahmachari at Juhu temple. I was at the right place at right time. And there I got a lot of Prabhupada’s association and service to Radha Rasa Bihari as pujari.
Prabhupada had promised Radha Rasa Bihari: ‘I will build palace for You’ and a promise is a promise. He really liked Radha Rasa Bihari a lot and always carried Their picture with him. I learnt a little Deity worship and did lots of service. His Deity worship standards were very high. Thinking that Lord is there, we are actually worshipping the Lord.
Morning walks meant we could ask questions. One morning I asked: “Should we chant in the mind?” Prabhupada said: “No! The tongue should vibrate. In Kaliyuga it’s not possible to chant in the mind. It is restless. So to attract the mind, we should chant loudly and hear the mantra.”
bharat bhumi te hoila manushya janma jar janam saarthak kari kara para upkaar
Caitanya Mahaprabhu said that those who are born in India should do the welfare work for the whole world. One who has taken birth in India should preach. Prabhupada used to say that to me.
If we can call someone Bharatratna, then it can only be Prabhupada. He is “Bharat Ratna”. He understood the real India and he spread the culture of India all over the world. When people go to the West, they beg for something like a job or money. India was not known as a good country. In 1978 when I went to the West, people would ask where I have come from? And when I replied that I had come from India, the reaction would be “Oh! That poor country of beggars.” But Prabhupada went to give them the ultimate wealth – the holy name and sastras. Once Prabhupada was asked by a reporter why he had come to their country? This could be one answer, “Oh! You had also come to my country.” I don’t know whether Prabhupada answered like this. But he did say, “Your viceroys came to our country and they took all that was the wealth of India like the Kohinoor. It is in the London museum, but they forgot the important wealth. I have come here to do a hand delivery.” What’s that wealth? It’s the culture of India. So the real wealth is that which makes us happy. Harinama can only make our soul happy. The Lord is our wealth. Lord is Laxmipati and has hundreds and thousands of Laxmis serving Him. If we get Krsna then nothing is left to achieve. So Prabhupada distributed this wealth of harinam ke hire moti (the diamonds and pearls of Harinama) all over the world.
In Delhi at the Ram Lila pandal program, I was given the opportunity to introduce Prabhupada. I said that Prabhupada exported Bhagavad-Gita and harinama and imported American and African sadhus. Prabhupada appreciated and liked this introduction.
In the courtyard of the Krishna-Balarama Mandir Prabhupada would sit near the Tamal tree. We sat around him. Prabhupada encouraged each one of us to say something. Locals called the Vrndavana temple angreji mandir and Mayapur temple sahiber mandir. It’s one and the same thing. So I said, “You call it angrej ka mandir. But there is no Deity of an angrezi there in the temple. There is the Deity of Krsna Balaram.” I told them that they see only foreigners here, but if more Indians joined then maybe that name will not be used.
Then once our German travelling bus party’s visa expired. In 1976, at Radha Parthasarthi Mandir Prabhupada ordered me to preach using a bullock cart. I was preaching in the German buses with all the comforts and Prabhupada ordered me : “You preach in bullock cart.”
Initially it was known as the Bullock Cart Sankirtana Party and later it was called the “All India Padayatra”. That name still stands today. Prabhupada knew that I came from a village. So once the Bullock Cart Sankirtana Party reached Aravade – my village.
My family had a dream that I will come back to the village with a fatfati (bullet bike). I returned with a bullock cart and it broke their dream. This was Prabhupada’s krpa (mercy).
Now the padayatris have travelled 250,000 kms and this year is the 40th anniversary of “All India Padayatra”.
‘We can introduce millions of such carts all over the world’. On the 6 March 1977, Srila Prabhupada wrote a letter to Nityanada Dasa, the head of the New Talavan farm community in the US. While talking about self-sufficiency, he brought up the topic of oxen and Padayatra, “And oxen can be used for driving carts and preaching village to village.”
In 1977, Prabhupada was not well. This was just 7 days before Prabhupada left this planet. We had come to Vrndavana from Badrinatha to see Srila Prabhupada. He had asked which book is being distributed the most? He liked book distribution. “Till my books are being distributed, I will never die. As I had come from Badrinatha I said to Prabhupada ‘I showed your Gita to Vyasadev’. We had gone to Vyaasdev’s cave. We could not see Vyasadev but Vyasdev must certainly have seen us and Prabhupada’s books. So Prabhupada was very happy to hear this and he laughed.
Prabhupada also wanted to go for Govardhan Parikrama from the temple in the bullock cart. I was sent to prepare for this Parikrama. The bullock cart was ready and it was parked in front of the Krishna-Balaram temple. It’s a very long story. I am just showering few drops.
Now you will hear from different Srila Prabhupada Disciples sharing their experiences with their own “My Prabhupada.”
Gaura Katha – Day 3 Pune
Mahaprabhu returns to Jagannatha Puri
Tukaram Maharaja was also a follower of Mahaprabhu. As Gaudiya Vaisnava’s we also say that he received diksa from Caitanya Mahaprabhu.
Let’s sing his abhanga
avade he rupa, gojire saguna
pahata lochana sukhavale
ata drustipude ayasachi tu rahe
jo me tuza pahe vedo veda
lacavale mana lagali se godi
tejivan sodi ayase zale
tuka mane aamhi kalije ladiwali
puravavi aali mai bape
jaya sri-krishna-Caitanya prabhu nityananda sri-adwaita gadadhara shrivasadi-gaura-bhakta-vrinda
Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna, Krsna Krsna Hare Hare/ Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare.
I welcome you all Gaurbhakta vrindas. You are also devotees of Srila Prabhupada. We are always devotees of Prabhupada and Gauranga. There is no shifting. In the morning we are bhaktas of Gauranga and in the evening, Prabhupada. We are dasanudas.
Now on the way to Jagannatha Puri Mahaprabhu had gone to Remuna and He also took darsana of “Sakshi Gopal”. Then He reached Jagannatha Puri. His first darsana of Jagannatha Swami was wonderful. It is in such a state of mind that the Gopis take darsana of Krsna. They drink the beauty of Krsna, take that darsana to their heart and close the window. Then there is only Krsna and the Gopi. There they can meet him constantly with no fear of anybody.
Like that premanjana-churita-bhakti-vilocanena santah sadaiva hridayeshu vilokayanti: [Bs. 5.38]
The devotees whose eyes are anointed with the love of God, ointment see God, Krsna, within their hearts twenty-four hours a day.
Gopis are sadhavis. This was also the condition of Caitanya Mahaprabhu. When He took darsana of Jagannatha Swami, He wanted to embrace the Lord. But He could not as He would fall unconscious. Hence His associates prevented Him from going near the Lord. They let Him stand near the Garuda stambha, so that He had its support while taking darsana of the Lord.
Last month I had gone to Jagannatha Puri. My state of mind can never be like Caitanya Mahaprabhu, but a panda there took me near the Garuda stambha.
pashu-pakhi jhure, pashana vidore
shuni yar guna gantha
By Caitanya Mahaprabhu’s touch the stambha melted. His bhava was mahabhava. The Panda showed me Caitanya Mahaprabhu’s finger prints. He made me touch the finger prints. For sometime I had a little romancha, thinking how Caitanya Mahaprabhu took darsana.
>Caitanya Mahaprabhu was also in Pandharpur once. It is a special dhama for Gaudiya Vaisnavas because some incidents took place there which connects Pandharpur to Gaudiya Vaisnavasim.
Visvarupa had come here. Nityananda Prabhu had also visited Pandharpur. Visvarupa was the 9th son of Saci mata and Caitanya Mahaprabhu the 10th. Visvarupa was Balaram in ansarupa. He was not fully Balaram. Like Radha Rani is fully Radha and Gadadhar Pandit was Radha in ansarupa.
Caitanya Mahaprabhu wanted to go on a South Indian yatra, but His associates wanted to know why. He said: “I want to search for my brother, Visvarupa.” That was just an excuse because He knew that his brother had gone back to Godhead. How did He know this? He is sarvagya. He knows everything. His goal was dharma-samsthapanarthaya. He had also appeared to establish dharma. He will go for yatra doing sankirtana and establish sankirtana dharma.
kali kaler dharma nama sankirtana
Caitanya Mahaprabhu was on the South India yatra for 6 years. He met Srirangapuri, a disciple of Madhavendra Puri. This is also one more Gaudiya Vaisnava connection. Srirangapuri must have stayed in Pandharpur. What was the connection between them? Srirangapuri was God uncle of Caitanya Mahaprabhu, God brother of His guru, Isvarpuri. They both gave Krsna Katha for 7 days. At the end of the katha Srirangapuri said : “I had gone to Navadvipa with Madhavendra Puri. When we were there, we received an invitation from Jagannath Misra. He offered us prasada. His wife Saci mata made a dish called mocha-khanda. We got the news that their elder son Visvarupa had gone on a yatra and reached Pandharpur. From there He went back to Godhead. This was not news for Caitanya Mahaprabhu, but He displayed a look of ignorance. When Caitanya Mahaprabhu heard this from Srirangapuri, He realised that they had gone to his house.
Here I want to say that Visvarupa could have selected any place to leave the planet. There are so many places, but He selected Pandharpur. There is a description of this in the Madhya Lila. He would have bathed in the Chandrabhaga River and taken darsana of Lord Panduranga. Normally He would just stay at one place for a day or even half a day and walk away in the middle of the night to avoid the crowd of people intent on following Him in morning. In Srirangam He stayed for four months in Caturmasa.
So now Caitanya Mahaprabhu is in Jagannatha Puri.
Balaram did yatra of the whole Bharatvarsa, He did not want to fight in the battle of Kuruksetra.
brajendra-nandana jei, saci-suta hoilo sei, balarama hoilo nitai
The very same Balaram appeared as Nityananda Prabhu. He went on a yatra that lasted 20 years. He started His yatra when Caitanya Mahaprabhu was 12 years old and came back when Mahaprabhu was 32. Once Nityananda Prabhu met Madhavendra Puri who went from Vrndavana to Shantipur. He gave diksha to Advaita Acarya and then he went to Remuna. He stayed there and served Ksira chor Gopinatha. His samadhi is also there.
Nityananda Prabhu had gone to setubandha with Madhavendra Puri. It is said that Nityananda Prabhu took diksha from Madhavendra Puri, but in Caitanya Bhagavat Vrindavan Das Thakur says Nityananda Prabhu took diksha from Laxmipati Tirtha. Laxmipati Tirtha had come to Pandarpur and at time and he took dikaha from him.
So Nityananda Prabhu’s diksha stali was Pandarpur dhama. This is also another Gaudiya Vaisava connection.
Way back in1986 we were searching for the samadhi of Visvarupa. We saw many samadhis on the bank of the Chandrabhaga. We searched for a long time, but we did not find Visvarupa’s samadhi. Then we came to the realisation that there is no samadhi of Lord Ram or Balaram? So the Lord does not have a Samadhi. We established foot prints of Nityananda Prabhu and Visvarupa in Pandharpur.
ISKCON Aravade is also going to establish foot prints of Caitanya Mahaprabhu. The inauguration will be on 26 January 2017 inauguration. Caitanya Mahaprabhu had gone to my village Aravade. I don’t know whether He stayed there. He had visited Aravade, and the proof is village named Gaurgaon near Aravade.
Pandharpur has strong connections with Gaudiya Vaisnavism. Lord did shravan kirtan lila, snana lila there in Pandharpur.
purve yabe mahaprabhu calila daksine
prataparudra raja tabe bolaila sarvabhaume ( CC Madhya Lila 10.3)
When Mahaprabhu departed for South India, King Prataparudra called Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya to his palace and asked about Mahaprabhu.
sunilana tomara ghare eka mahasaya
gauda ha-ite aila, te?ho maha-krpamaya (CC Madhya Lila 10.5)
The King said to the Bhattacarya, “I have heard that a great personality has come from Bengal and is staying at your home. I have also heard that He is very, very merciful.
tomare bahu krpa kaila, kahe sarva-jana
krpa kari’ karaha more tanhara darsana (CC Madhya Lila 10.6)
“I have also heard that this great personality has shown you great favor. At any rate, this is what I hear from many different people. Now, being merciful upon me, you should do me the favor of arranging an interview.”
bhatta kahe, — ye sunila saba satya haya
tanra darsana tomara ghatana na haya (CC Madhya Lila 10.7)
The Bhattacarya replied, “All that you have heard is true, but as far as an interview is concerned, it is very difficult to arrange.
virakta sannyasi tenho rahena nirjane
svapneha na karena tenho raja-darasane (CC Madhya Lila 10.8)
“Sri Mahaprabhu is in the renounced order and is very much detached from worldly affairs. He stays in solitary places, and even in dreams He does not grant interviews to a king.
tathapi prakare toma karaitama darasana
samprati karila tenho daksina gamana (CC Madhya Lila 10.9)
“Still, I would have tried to arrange your interview, but He has recently left to tour South India.”
raja kahe, — jagannatha chaadi’ kene gela
bhatta kahe, — mahantera ei eka lila (CC Madhya Lila 10.10)
The King asked, “Why has He left Jagannatha Puri?”
tirtha pavitra karite kare tirtha-bhramana
sei chale nistaraye samsarika jana (CC Madhya Lila 10.11)
“Great saints go to holy places of pilgrimage in order to purify them. For that reason Mahaprabhu is visiting many tirthas and delivering many, many conditioned souls.
bhavad-vidha bhagavatas
tirthi-bhutah svayam vibho
tirthi-kurvanti tirthani
svanta?-sthena gada-bhrta (CC Madhya Lila 10.12)
“Saints of your caliber are themselves places of pilgrimage. Because of their purity, they are constant companions of the Lord, and therefore they can purify even the places of pilgrimage.’
tirthi-kurvanti tirthani ( SB 1.13.10)
Devotees are holy places personified. Because they carry the Personality of Godhead within their heart, they turn all the places into places of pilgrimages. And Mahaprabhu is Lord Himself. This was the realization of King Prataprudra.
raja kahe, — tanre tumi yaite kene dile
paya padi’ yatna kari’ kene na rakhile (CC Madhya Lila 10.14)
Upon hearing this, the King replied, “Why did you allow Him to leave? Why didn’t you fall at His lotus feet and keep Him here?”
Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya replied, “Sri Mahaprabhu is the Supreme Personality of Godhead Himself and is completely independent. Being Lord Krsna Himself, He is not dependent on anyone. “Still, I endeavored very hard to keep Him here, but because He is the Supreme Personality of Godhead and completely independent, I was not successful.” The King said, “Bhattacarya, you are the most learned and experienced person I know. Therefore when you address Sri Mahaprabhu as Lord Krsna, I accept this as the truth.
When Sri Mahaprabhu returns, I wish to see Him just once in order to make my eyes perfect.”
bha??acarya kahe, — tenho asibe alpa-kale
rahite tanre eka sthana cahiye virale (CC Madhya Lila 10.19)
Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya a replied, “His Holiness Lord Sri Mahaprabhu will return very soon. I wish to have a nice place ready for Him, a place solitary and peaceful. “Lord’s residence should be very secluded and also near the temple of Jagannatha. Please consider this proposal and give me a nice place for Him.” The King replied, “Kasi Misra’s house is exactly what you require. It is near the temple and is very secluded, calm and quiet.”
When Kasi Misra heard the proposal, he said, “I am very fortunate that Sri Mahaprabhu, the Lord of all prabhus, will stay at my home.”
All the residents of Jagannatha Puri were early waiting for Mahaprabhu and when the eagerness reached its height Mahaprabhu came to Puri
ara dina mahaprabhu bhattacaryera sange
jagannatha darasana kaila maha-range (CC Madhya Lila 10.29)
The next day Sri Mahaprabhu arrived and went with Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya with great enthusiasm, to see the temple of Lord Jagannatha. After seeing Lord Jagannatha, Sri Mahaprabhu left the temple. The Bhattacarya then took Him to the house of Kasi Misra. When Sri Mahaprabhu arrived at his house, Kasi Misra immediately fell down at His lotus feet and surrendered himself and all his possessions. This is how Kasi Misra was fully surrendered to the Lord.
manasa, deho, geho, jo kichu mor
arpilu tuwa pade, nanda-kisor!
Bhaktivinod Thakur says Mind, body, and family, whatever may be mine, I have surrendered at Your lotus feet, O youthful son of Nanda!
Sri Mahaprabhu then showed Kasi Misra His four-armed form. Then, accepting him for His service, the Lord embraced him.
Mahaprabhu was very pleased to see the house of Kasi Misra. Do you know that place? Have you seen it? Yes, the Gambhira. It’s a very serious place. Here Mahaprabhu will stay here now and meet many devotees which we will hear about tomorrow.
Thank You.
Gaura Katha – Day 2 Pune
Caitanya Mahaprabhu glorifies Madhavendra Puri.
anarpita-carim cirat karunayavatirna kale
samarpayitum unnatojjvala-rasam sva-bhakti-sriyam
hari purata-sundara-dyuti-kadamba-sandipita
sada hrdaya-kandare sphuratu va saci-nandanah (CC Adi Lila, 3.4)
May the Supreme Lord who is known as the son of ?r?mat? ?ac?-dev? be transcendentally situated in the innermost core of your heart. Resplendent with the radiance of molten gold, He has descended in the Age of Kali by His causeless mercy to bestow what no incarnation has ever offered before: the most elevated mellow of devotional service, the mellow of conjugal love.
vande sri krsna Caitanya gaudo citro sando tamonudo
ajanu-lambita-bhujau kanakavadhatau
sankirtanaika-pitarau kamalayataksau
visvambharau dvija-varau yuga-dharma palau
vande jagat-priyakaro karunavatarau (Nityananda Caritamrita Mangalacharana )
I offer my respectful obeisances unto Shri Gauranga Mahaprabhu and Shri Nityananda Prabhu, whose long arms extend to Their knees. They have splendid golden complexions, and They inaugurated the congregational chanting of the holy names of the Lord. Their eyes resemble the petals of lotus flowers. They are the maintainers of all the worlds, the best of the brahmanas, the protectors of the religious principles for this age. They bring happiness to the people of the world and are the most merciful of all incarnations.
yasmai datum corayan ksira-bhandam
gopinathah ksira-corabhidho ’bhut
sri-gopalah pradurasid vassal san
yat-premna tam madhavendram nato ’smi (CC Madhya Lila 4.1)
I offer my respectful obeisances unto Madhavendra Puri, who was given a pot of sweet rice stolen by Sri Gopinatha, celebrated thereafter as Ksira-cora. Being pleased by Madhavendra Puri’s love, Sri Gopala, the Deity at Govardhana, appeared to the public vision.
Remembering the Lord becomes easier when the Lord performs His wonderful Lila. Then comes the Lord’s rupa. Is there any Lila in Brahmajyoti? So if Lord does Lila then that means that He has rupa. He also has His associates. He reciprocates with them. Then it becomes easier to remember Him. If there is Lila then there must be Lilastali. We get a place to remember Him by. Remembering the Lord becomes easy as He is full of all mellows. He is rasakhan and remembering Him is our life.
ramya kacid-upasana vrajavadhu-vargena ya kalpita
Caitanya Mahaprabhu says if you want to worship the Lord you should worship Him like the vrajavadhus, the gopis. The process of worshiping that the gopis follow is the highest and most pleasing type of worship of Krsna. Caitanya Mahaprabhu says you should follow them. The gopis did not know much. They just knew how to remember Krsna.
smartavyah satatam visnur vismartavyo na jatucit
O! Visnu, here Visnu means Krsna. Just yesterday we heard of Vaikuntha that meant Goloka. Remembering the Lord was their only work. We should never forget Krsna, which means always remember the Lord, His name and His lila.
Caitanya Mahaprabhu went with some of His associates to Jagannatha Puri. Now he would stay in Jagannatha Puri and going to become Nilachala nivasi. All the devotees agreed to this proposal, except Haridas Thakur. He thought that he was from a low family and would not be allowed to take darsana there. Thinking like this, he was sad. But Caitanya Mahaprabhu told him not to worry, “I will take you to Puri. You may not be allowed to go to take darsana of Jagannatha, but Jagannatha will come to give you darsana.” What Caitanya Mahaprabhu actually meant was that He would go for darsana of Jagannatha and then give that darsana to Haridas Thakur.
So Caitanya Mahaprabhu and His group were singing kirtana and dancing, making their way to Puri. Caitanya Mahaprabhu never walks. He only dances and sings. In this way He reached the celebrated village of Remuna, where there is a Deity of Gopinatha. Then the group went to the Radha Gopinath temple and stayed there. There He narrated the story of Madhavendra Puri, as He had heard it from His spiritual master, Isvara Puri.
yat-premna tam madhavendram nato ’smi
I offer my respectful obeisances unto Madhavendra Puri for whom Sri Gopinatha, stole pot of ksira and since then Gopinath is known as Ksira-cora Gopinath. He is Vrndavana’s Makhanchor and here He became Ksira-cora. Pleased or influenced by the love of Madhavendra Puri, Gopal gave him darsana
atha kena prayukto ‘yam papam carati purusah
anicchann api varsneya balad iva niyojitah (BG 3.36)
Arjuna says, what’s that power that engages us in sinful activities? Does it happen like this? Arjuna is saying on our behalf that means it must be happening. And Krsna answers Arjuna’s question.
kama esa krodha esa rajo-guna-samudbhavah
mahasano maha-papma viddhy enam iha vairinam (BG 3.37)
It is lust only, Arjuna, which is born of contact with the material modes of passion and later transformed into wrath, and which is the all-devouring, sinful enemy of this world. So this is becoming vasibhuta (influenced). There are 6 anarthas (ripu) which trap or influence us.
But here in Caitanya Caritamrita it is all premavas. Pleased by the love of Madhavendra Puri, Gopal gave him darsana. He came to his dream and told him where He was and gave Him darsana. Lord is smarniya. He must always be remembered.
Caitanya Mahaprabhu started singing the glories of Madhavendra Puri. We are trying to sing the glories of Srila Prabhupada in the evening. Lord describes the glories of His devotees. He spoke about all the Lilas that happened at that temple – how Gopal came into Madhavendra Puri’s dream, how He demanded chandan. So when Madhavendra Puri reached Gopinath temple, ksira bhoga was offered to Gopinath. The aroma spread all over and a thought arose in Madavendra Puri’s mind, “I will also make such ksira for my Gopal.” Ksira is made of milk. So after the bhoga was offered, he thought, “ I should get that prasada. Then I will make for my Gopal.” But he did not get any prasada. Chanting the holy name, Madhavendra Puri left the temple. The Lord had kept a pot of ksira for Madhavendra Puri. Nobody knew Madhavendra Puri’s thoughts, but the Lord is in the heart and He knows everything.
vedaham samatitani vartamanani carjuna bhavisyani ca bhutani (BG 7.26)
O Arjuna, as the Supreme Personality of Godhead, I know everything that has happened in the past, all that is happening in the present, and all things that are yet to come.
Lord is sarvagya, so the Lord knew what was going in Madhavendra Puri’s heart. Lord said to the pujari, “Go and give this pot of ksira to Madhavendra Puri.” Caitanya Mahaprabhu is narrating this pastime to His associates. Madhavendra Puri was found and the pot of ksira was given to him. He was overwhelmed with love for the Lord. Madhavendra Puri is adiguru in our parampara. He was the disciple of Srila Laxmipati.
thakura more ksira dila — loka saba suni
dine loka-bhida habe mora pratistha jani (CC Madhya Lila 4.141)
Then after honouring the ksira prasada, he broke the pot and bound the pieces in his cloth, Madhavendra Puri began to think, “The Lord has given me a pot of sweet rice, and tomorrow morning when the people hear of this, there will be great crowds and the news of the chori of ksira will spread. I should avoid it.” He left that temple because he was amanina manadena. Devotees do not accept any respect. Such was Madhavendra Puri’s mood.
cali’ cali’ aila puri sri-nilacala
jagannatha dekhi’ haila premete vihvala (CC Madhya Lila 4.143)
Walking and walking, Madhavendra Puri finally reached Jagannatha Pura, which is also known as Nilacala. There he saw Lord Jagannatha and was overwhelmed with loving ecstasy.
There was the danda bhanga Lila. Caitanya Mahaprabhu was very angry. There is Atharanala. In ecstasy, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu went from A?haranala to Jagannatha temple He entered from simha dwara. After seeing Lord Jagannatha, He became very restless due to love of Godhead.
jagannatha alingite calila dhana
mandire padila preme avista hana (CC Madhya Lila 6.4)
Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu swiftly went to embrace Lord Jagannatha, but when He entered the temple, He was so overwhelmed with love of Godhead that He fainted. Here Krsna has become a devotee and goes for darsana of Jagannatha. In so doing He becomes the best devotee.
Caitanaya Mahaprabhu has reached Jagannatha Puri. He would stay at Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya’s house for two months and gave him sadbhuja darsana. After 2 months Caitanya Mahaprabhu went on his South India yatra.
Gaura Katha Day 5 – Pune NVCC
Caitanya Mahaprabhu denies to meet King Prataparudra
1 January 17
The New Year has started. It is its time to wake up. Actually it is the day to wake up because last year is gone.
jiv jago, jiv jago gauracanda bole
Lord Gauranga is calling, “Wake up, sleeping souls! Wake up, sleeping souls!
If there is canda then there should be surya also.
vande sri-krsna-caitanya- nityanandau sahoditau
gaudodaye puspavantau citrau sandau tamo-nudau (Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, Adi 1.2)
“I offer my respectful obeisances unto Sri Krsna Caitanya and Lord Nityananda, who are like the sun and moon. They have arisen simultaneously on the horizon of Gauda [West Bengal] to dissipate the darkness of ignorance and thus wonderfully bestow benediction upon all.”
kota nidra jao maya-pisacira kole
How long will you sleep in the lap of the witch called Maya?
So who has to wake up? The jiva, the soul, has to wake up. The body automatically wakes up when it is hungry and what does it do after that?
ahara-nidra-bhaya-maithunam
Bhaktivinoda Thakura says jiv jago, wake up! Go for mangal arati, chant the holy name, distribute books, Nityam bhagavata-sevaya then mahaprasade govinde is also there. But if I don’t do this, then that means the soul has not woken up. Body is doing its activity, but the soul is sleeping.
The soul should get up and follow its dharma, jivera’svarupa’ haya-k???era ‘nitya-dasa’.
Many people around the world have still not woken up. So this has to be meditated upon. We should know whether we have woken up or not. Caitanya Mahaprabhu is calling us jiv jago.
bhajibo boliya ese samsara-bhitare bhuliya rohile tumi avidyara bhare
Bhaktivinoda Thakura says, O Jiva! you have forgotten the way of devotional service and are lost in the world of birth and death.
You had said, “I will do bhajan” and then you came to world, Bhaktivinoda Thakura is reminding us. Lord Kapila tells his mother Devahuti. When the jiva in womb is suffering so much, he prays “Oh Lord! Just one time remove me from these sufferings and I will worship you.”
janma-mrtyu-jara-vyadhi- duhkha-dosanudarsanam These are the 4 sufferings of the material world. However we do not understand what suffering there is in birth. If you listen to Lord Kapila, your hairs will stand on end. Bhaktivinoda Thakura writes . You said, “I will worship you, but you have forgotten. You took birth and went to vidyalaya, but you just collected avidya from there. You came out of the womb and got attached to your mother.”
tomare loite ami hoinu avatara
ami bina bandhu ara ke ache tomara
Lord says, I have descended just to save you; other than Myself you have no friend in this world. You had promised, so I have come for you, for every jiva. For each one of us the Lord has appeared.
golokam ca parityajya lokanam trana-karanat
Leaving Golok the Lord appears for us. Caitanya Mahaprabhu says – “ Other than me, is there any other bandhu? Who is called a bandhu? One who helps us in need, is a bandhu. A friend in need is a friend indeed. They are your real friends. We call our friends our ‘so called friends’, because they don’t know our real need. If they don’t know our real need, how can they help us?
So our friends do not know our real needs. When we go to the doctor he does a diagnosis, prescribes the medicine and tells us some do’s and don’ts. Our friends can’t diagnose our diseases An incorrect diagnosis means an incorrect treatment. The result is that there is no cure. Caitanya Mahaprabhu has diagnosed our problem and He also gives us appropriate treatment.
enechi ausadhi maya nasibaro lagi
hari-nama maha-mantra lao tumi magi
“I have brought the medicine that will wipe out the disease of illusion from which you are suffering. Take this maha-mantra- Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna, Krsna Krsna, Hare Hare/Hare Rama, Hare Rama Rama Rama, Hare Hare.”
Caitanya Mahaprabhu says, “ Ask for the Holy name. It is all yours. It is your right.”
bhakativinoda prabhu-carane pariya
sei hari-nama-mantra loilo magiya
Bhaktivinoda Thakura says “O Lord! Please give me the holy name. I am running after the acaryas. Please give me Krsna. “
One who has accepted an acarya is called as acaryavan.
Acaryavan purusho veda
He knows the Vedas and has become knowledgeable. We should go to such persons and ask for Krsna. So the acarya gives us Krsna. Which Krsna is this? Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna, Krsna Krsna, Hare Hare/Hare Rama, Hare Rama Rama Rama, Hare Hare,
We ask the representatives of the Lord to please give us the holy name. Now we try to sing and while singing we meditate. We sing with complete concentration and try to take it to our heart. Hridayangam – not just accumulation, but assimilation.
This is a new year, New year for us starts on Gaur Purnima but we live in this world so we have to follow. As New Year is celebrated here, I wish you all a happy new year. So New Year’s message is ‘jiva jago wake up soul’.
Krishna Das Kaviraj Goswami wrote Caitanya Caritamrita on the banks of Radhakunda. He writes in detail in the Madhya Lila how Caitanya Mahaprabhu took sannyasa. He moved toward Jagannath Puri. He stayed there for 2 months and gave sadbhuja darsana to S?rvabhauma Bhattacarya. Then He went on His South India yatra. He comes back and His accommodation is arranged at Kasi Misra’s house. When He returned to Jagganatha Puri the first thing He did was to take darsana of Lord Jagannatha. Then only did He go to Kasi misra’s house. And Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya introduced Him to all the devotees.
The reciprocations between Ramananda Ray and Caitanya Mahaprabhu surprised everyone there. Caitanya Mahaprabhu asked him, if he had taken darsana of Kamalnayan?
Ramananda said, “My body is ratha and my heart is my sarthi and my ratha brought me here.” Caitanya Mahaprabhu was angry and said,”No, you should go for darsana.” Ramananda Ray went.
ksetre ssi’ raja sarvabhaume bolaila
sarvabhaume namaskari’ tanhare puchila(CC Madhya 11.41)
The King stayed at Cuttack and went to Jagannatha Puri for darsana. The palace of the king is still there in Cuttack. I was also called by the King to his palace. When King Prataparudra returned to Jagannatha Puri, he sent for Sarvabhauma Bha?ttacarya. When the Bhattacarya went to see the King, he offered him respects and made the following inquiries.
mora lagi’ prabhu-pade kaile nivedana?
savabhauma kahe, — kainu aneka yatana (CC Madhya 11.42)
The King asked, “Have you submitted my petition to the Lord?” Sarvabhauma replied, “Yes, with much endeavor I have tried my best.”
tathapi na kare tenha raja-darasana
ksetra chadi’ yabena punah yadi kari nivedana (CC Madhya 11.43)
“Yet despite my great endeavor, the Lord would not agree to see a king. Indeed, He warned me that if He were asked again, He would quit Jagannatha Pur? and go elsewhere.”
suniya rajara mane duhkha upajila
visada kariya kichu kahite lagila (CC Madhya 11.44)
Hearing this, the King became very unhappy and, greatly lamenting, began to speak as follows.
papi nica uddharite tanra avatara
jagai madhai tenha caria uddhara (CC Madhya 11.45)
The King said, “Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu has descended just to deliver all kinds of sinful, lowborn persons. Consequently He has delivered sinners like Jagai and Madhai.
prataparudra chadi’ karibe jagat nistara
ei pratijna kari’ kariyachena avatara? (CC Madhya 11.46)
“Alas, has Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu incarnated to deliver all kinds of sinners with the exception of a king named Maharaja Prataparudra?”
“Has Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu made His advent deciding that He will deliver all others with the exception of me? He bestows His merciful glance upon many lower-class men who are usually not even to be seen.’?” Maharaja Prataparudra continued, “If Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu is determined not to see me, then I am determined to give up my life if I do not see Him.
If we don’t get the krpa (mercy) of the Lord then life is useless.
sunyaitam jagat sarvam govinda-virahena me “O Govinda! Without You, the world is empty.
There are many people who do not worship the Lord. They say, there is no time to worship, but they find time to sleep.
eta suni’ sarvabhauma ha-ila cintita
rajara anuraga dekhi’ ha-ila vismita
Hearing King Prataparudra’s determination, Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya became thoughtful. Indeed, he was very much astonished to see the King’s determination.
Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya was astonished because such determination is not possible for a worldly man attached to material enjoyment. The King certainly had ample opportunity for material enjoyment, but he was thinking that his kingdom and everything else was useless if he could not see Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. This is certainly sufficient cause for astonishment.
He had so much asakti for Caitanya Mahaprabhu, He was very attached to Caitanya Mahaprabhu. So from this we understand his thoughts, his personality and his caritra.
Give a mike to a man when he speaks. You will soon understand what his level and real his real identity is – whether he is wise or a fool. Prabhupada would say – you shut up! Let the Lord speak . So one who talks about Krsna is intelligent.
Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya still has hope.
bhattacarya kahe — deva na kara visada
tomare prabhura avasya ha-ibe prasada (CC Madhya 11.51)
Finally Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya said, “My dear King, do not worry. Because of your firm determination, I am sure that Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu’s mercy will definitely be bestowed upon you.” Due to King Prataparudra’s firm determination, the Bhattacarya predicted that the King would receive Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu’s mercy without fail. Maharaja Prataparudra had firm faith in the Bhattacarya, who declared Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu to be the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
As soon as the Bhattacarya saw the King’s firm determination, he declared, “The Supreme Lord is approached only by pure love. Your love for Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu is very, very deep; therefore without a doubt He will be merciful upon you.
If one decides this, he can make further progress by thinking of Krsna, chanting Krsna’s names and glorifying Him. There is then no doubt that such a fully surrendered devotee will receive the blessings of Lord Krsna. The Lord is controlled by love of a devotee,
aham bhakta-paradhino
This is the specialty of the Lord, the greatness of the Lord. Lord says, “I am completely under the control of My devotees. Indeed, I am not at all independent.”
Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya then suggested, “There is one means by which you can directly see Him. “On the day of the chariot festival, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu will dance before the Deity in great ecstatic love.
“On that Ratha-yara festival day, after dancing before the Lord, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu will enter the Gundica garden. At that time you should go there alone, without your royal dress.
When Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu enters the Gundica garden, you should also go there and read the five chapters of Srimad-Bhagavatam about Lord Krsna’s dancing with the gopis. In this way you can catch hold of the Lord’s lotus feet.
suni’ gajapatira mane sukha upajila
prabhure milite ei mantrana drdha kaila (CC Madhya 11.59)
Maharaja Prataparudra took the Bhattacarya’s advice and firmly decided to follow his instructions. Thus he felt transcendental happiness.
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For a soul there is no old or young, it’s never too late, grab the opportunity. If you try to enjoy here, you will end up suffering. There are two sagars, Prema Sagar and Maha-anartha sagar, and those who are intelligent will always go for Gauranga.
Love is divine. Love is something out of this world. Love is on the level of the soul. One soul loves the other soul and all the souls love the Supreme Soul and the Supreme Soul loves all the souls. That is love, that is loving dealing, loving reciprocation, which we miss a lot here in this material world.
Keep the mind fit. Keep the mind healthy. If the consciousness is contaminated, the consciousness of the soul is not healthy, then the mind is not healthy, then the body is not healthy. So ultimately it depends upon the health of the soul, the consciousness of the soul.
His Holiness is working tirelessly to preach and promote Krishna Consciousness in every town and village. His determination to serve his Spiritual Master is seen in many Spiritual Initiatives he has taken in the last many decades.
firelessly to preach and promote Krishna Consciousness in every town and village. His determination to serve his Spiritual Master is seen in many Spiritual Initiatives he has taken in the last many decades.