Topic: Param Vijayate Sri Krishna Sankirtanam
Date:  30^th April 2024
Speaker: HG Ananta Sesha Prabhuji

om ajnana-timirandhasya jnananjana-salakaya
cakshur unmilitam yena tasmai sri-gurave namah

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

(jaya) sri-krishna-caitanya prabhu nityananda
sri-advaita gadadhara srivasadi-gaura-bhakta-vrinda

Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare/
Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare

Today Japa Talk will be given by HG Anant Shesh Prabhuji. I would request everyone to turn ON their videos.

Hare Krishna. My humble obeisances unto the lotus feet of Guru Maharaj and all Vaishnavas.

In Caitanya Caritamrta, Mahaprabhu in the last part of the first verse of Caitanya Shikshashtakam, we are discussing that. In that, Caitanya Mahaprabhu has explained seven perfections which can be achieved from Naam Sankirtan. Mahaprabhu says “param vijayate Sri Krsna Sankirtanam”, we will try to understand that through the commentaries presented by acaryas.Yesterday we heard in conclusion, primary was: which religious process can help us to develop taste for Lord, only through devotional service and not by any other process like speculative knowledge, meditation etc. Only through pure devotional service can we develop taste for the Lord. How can we achieve pure devotional service?It is only possible by lobhmayi shraddha(insatiable faith). How can we get lobhamayi shraddha(insatiable faith)? It is possible to have strong faith only in the association of Vaishnavas and in the shelter of a spiritual master when you hear scripture. So it is not possible without hearing and therefore, Bhaktivinoda Thakur says that only with the association of devotees one can chant purely. We also do our chanting regularly and sometimes we go out for harinaam sankirtan.We regularly chant the verses of shikshashtakam. In Shikshashtakam, we hear about all the 7 perfections one can have by chanting the holy names of the Lord and we give lectures on that. All seven of these perfections are individual topics in themselves to speak upon. Many deep commentaries are presented only on ‘ceto darpan marjanam,’ which we are not discussing right now.Mainly, we will discuss ‘param vijayate sri krsna sankirtanam.’ Basically, which sankirtan are they talking about? Because we are also doing sankirtan. But we are not able to experience even one of these seven perfections. So, till now, we haven’t understood the meaning, what to speak of experiencing. That means we are not doing ‘Sri Krsna sankirtanam.’ Or maybe that ‘Sri Krsna sankirtanam’ which is victorious.So, what is the meaning of ‘param’, ‘vijayate’, ‘sri krsna sankirtanam’? We will discuss all these words. Sankirtan means, in the shelter of the spiritual master, you have sufficiently heard all the scriptures. Then kirtan. The word ‘Param’ also has a deep meaning.

1. In the kirtan of Sri Krsna, 4 stages

1. Ceto darpan marjanam
2. Sreya kairava
3. Anandam buddhi vardhanam
4. Param vijayate Sri Krsna

Why “Param”word has been used? Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakur says,

2. This sankirtan will bring real auspiciousness. How can we understand that? We know 9 stages of devotional service given by Srila Rupa Goswami begins from shraddha to Prema.

CC Madhya 23.14-15 
ādau śraddhā tataḥ sādhu- saṅgo
’tha bhajana-kriyā tato
’nartha-nivṛttiḥ syāt tato
niṣṭhā rucis tataḥ

Translation:

In this, first you develop  adau shraddha (faith) then you get association of devotees then you hear scriptures from those devotees. SO in the shelter of devotees, when you understand the scriptures which glorifies Lord Krsna then it is called Faith. With this faith, he associates with the Lord. What is the first part of association with devotees?

Adau guru padashraya – First of all, one has to take shelter of the lotus feet of the spiritual master. When one goes to the spiritual master with faith and hears from him then real chanting of the glories of the Lord begins. That is why, Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakur writes,”sadhusanga bhajan kriya”. First you have to take training and initiation that how to do chanting. Then real chanting begins. So here, “Param” is mentioned. Which sankirtan is really “param”. Param is topmost.

You’ll see in the world that there are many professional singers or chanters, and professional speakers on other demigods, but somehow they’re chanting the Lord’s name also. The holy name is freely available to all. Especially in India, many easily say, ‘Jai Sri Rama.’ The flag of Sanatan Dharma is flown by many in India. But not everyone can see the results of chanting which are mentioned here. Then which sankirtan are they talking about?

That sankirtan in which one takes shelter of the spiritual master with faith and properly learns the process of chanting. In this way, when one starts sankirtan, that is the topmost – ‘PARAM’.

The word ‘Pratibimba’ is also explained. One word is ‘bhakti’ (devotional service), the other is ‘bhakti abhaas’ (impression of devotional service), and the third is ‘pratibimba bhakti abhaas’ (shadow of the impression of devotional service).

We are not discussing this. We are discussing when one, with faith, takes shelter of the spiritual master, receives training from him, and after hearing the holy name from the spiritual master, then when one chants, that is the topmost chanting (param sankirtanam).

Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakur explains in Harinaam Chintamani the word ‘pratibimba’. Just like there is the sun, when there is sunshine, sometimes clouds come in between. When clouds come in between, then you can’t see the complete effect of sunshine. It has reduced the effect of sunshine, not that there is no sunshine. Sunshine is present but the effect is reduced. This is called bhakti aabhas. When there are clouds of offenses or ignorance in our life, then we can’t experience fully the effect of the holy name.

Now pratibimba, clouds are there and you can’t experience the effect of sunshine fully, but now you see the shadow of the sun. This is the perverted reflection of the sun. Then I would ask you, one is the sun which is giving sunshine but covered with clouds, but the other is the reflection sun. Will it ever give any sunshine? Reflection of the sun cannot give any facility which the sun can give. This means, there are many people who chant the holy name but their intentions are polluted by impersonalism. Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakur explains ‘impersonalism’. Some people consider Krsna’s form as maya (illusion), they are impersonalist. Some people consider his holy name also impersonal. Krishna and his name are non-different. Those who don’t have faith in this, they think that the holy name is just the resource to achieve a goal. They don’t think that the holy name is Krsna himself.

You’ll see this a lot in Vrindavan. Many saints say that the holy name is great this or that, then we will get love of God, then absorption in the pastimes of Lord Krsna, and then what happens? Then we are not two. Then we become One on the absolute platform. Somewhere you’ll get the smell of impersonalism in their talks. This is pratibimba, reflection of devotional service. They haven’t taken proper training under the spiritual master or in the Vaishnava sampradaya. Their chanting will not show us these seven perfections which Mahaprabhu has mentioned. In India, you’ll see almost every Hindu chants. In Maharashtra, they chant, ‘hare Rama Hare Rama Rama rama Hare Hare, Hare Krsna Hare Krsna Krsna Krsna Hare Hare.’ This is the mantra they chant. But this is a shadow. They haven’t taken guidance and they don’t know that the name and Lord are non-different. This is what we discussed.

In Mahaprabhu’s teachings, they have explained the glory of sankirtan. They are discussing the pure chanting which is inside Bhajan kriya. In this, Mahaprabhu, to teach a soul about sambandh (relation with Lord), abhideya (process and resources to know Lord), and proyojana (love of godhead), himself came as a practicing devotee. This sankirtan is Lord Krsna’s form. Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakur says,

Which sankirtan is glorious? Glorious has many meanings. Sri Krsna Caitanya Candra which is always worshipped by pure devotees. Not just Caitanya Mahaprabhu but also His associates. The Sankirtan which is inaugurated by Sriman Mahaprabhu. The chanting which is inaugurated by Sri Krsna Caitanya Mahaprabhu and His devotees is glorious. This can provide the Topmost rasa (mellow) – madhurya rasa. The Topmost sankirtan is taking shelter of Sriman Caitanya Mahaprabhu.

Just Lika Maharaj Prataprudra said,

CC Madhya 11.96

aiche prema, aiche nṛtya, aiche hari-dhvani
kāhāṅ nāhi dekhi, aiche kāhāṅ nāhi śuni

Translation:

“I have never before seen such ecstatic love, nor heard the vibration of the holy name of the Lord chanted in such a way, nor seen such dancing during saṅkīrtana.”

This is the experience of people outside also. They say, ‘Kirtan of ISKCON devotees is very different from others. They call us for kirtan.’ Prabhupada writes, ‘Those who take shelter of Mahaprabhu, live by the teachings of Mahaprabhu, and follow all the rules and regulations, those devotees when chant, that chanting is different. It is not described in scriptures what Mahaprabhu showed to everyone. Who is that who has taken shelter of Mahaprabhu fully? That devotee is Srila Prabhupada.

One who has taken shelter of Srila Prabhupada in this age of Kali that Sankirtan is the topmost. Srila Bhaktisiddhant Sarsvati says,

Bhakti Sandarbha: 269

bahubhir militvā kīrtanaṁ saṅkīrtanam ity ucyate
tat tu camatkāra-viśeṣa-poṣāt pūrvato’py adhikam iti jñeyam

Translation:

“Kīrtana [performed] by many [who have] gathered together is called saṅkīrtana. This [i.e., saṅkīrtana] is to be known as superior even to the former [i.e., kīrtana] because of [its] fostering a special type of wondrousness.”

Bahubhir means not crowded, but within the association of devotees when we do sankirtan that is the Superior and topmost.

Now we will discuss “Vijayate”.

This material world is a place of maya devi. In this world, only Sri Krsna sankirtan is victorious. They are not talking about victory that we got in India-Pakistan match. In this commentary, we understand the meaning of vijayate. Last part of this commentary has “Sri Krsna is parabrahman, Krishna is absolute truth.Krsna has three potencies- internal, external and marginal. JIva tattva is marginal.” Everything is explained in this by Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakur. Lord is sat-cit-ananda(eternal,full of knowledge and bliss) and soul has the same nature. Lord is transcendental. Jiva is also transcendental. Jiva forgot about his relationship with Lord.

jīv) kṛṣṇa-dās, e biśwās,
korle to’ ār duḥkho nāi

Translation:

If you just understand that the spirit soul is the eternal servant of Krsna, you will never have any more sorrows.

When we forget this knowledge of this tattva(fact) then jiva turns himself away from Krsna.Which knowledge? That I(soul) exist for the pleasure of Lord, for the service of Lord.This is our eternal nature. Then the soul wants to have sense gratification.

Just like because of shadow, the sun light is covered. Similarly, sould also has covering of maya. The eternal nature of soul gets covered.Then the soul is bounded in a very unnatural state. So our present state is not natural. We were participating in the pastime of the Lord in His eternal abode. The soul wanted to forget that and came in this material world.

6. The nature of the marginal potency is that it can get influenced by inferior energy.

7. The soul turns away from God and forgot his relationship with Lord. Then the soul is captured by Maya. Then the soul is trapped in the cycle of birth and death from time immemorial. So how can we get victorious? Rishabdeva says in Srima Bhagavatam,

SB 5.5.5

parābhavas tāvad abodha-jāto
yāvan na jijñāsata ātma-tattvam
yāvat kriyās tāvad idaṁ mano vai
karmātmakaṁ yena śarīra-bandhaḥ

Translation:

As long as one does not inquire about the spiritual values of life, one is defeated and subjected to miseries arising from ignorance. Be it sinful or pious, karma has its resultant actions. If a person is engaged in any kind of karma, his mind is called karmātmaka, colored with fruitive activity. As long as the mind is impure, consciousness is unclear, and as long as one is absorbed in fruitive activity, he has to accept a material body.

Those who fail to inquire about the self and do not experience it, lose touch with their own essence. True victory lies in seeking and understanding the self. When we engage with the superior energy of the Lord, we can transcend the influence of illusion (maya). Under maya’s influence, the soul is trapped in the cycle of repeated births and deaths in the material world. After enduring countless struggles given by maya, the soul eventually comprehends the inherent misery of the material realm. It is then that one approaches a spiritual master.

When the soul reaches a point of sufficient frustration, it realizes that only the guidance of holy men (sadhus) can offer salvation. Thus, the journey begins by attentively listening to the spiritual master and studying the scriptures, treating each word of the spiritual master with utmost seriousness.

The desire to achieve Krishna arises when one begins to attentively hear the spiritual master. This leads to the development of the desire to attain Krishna, making one deserving of devotional service.

It is evident that when one chants while seeking refuge in devotees, they hear about the essence of Bhagavad and the glories of the Lord.

In today’s era, there’s a widespread desire to become a kirtaniya, almost like a fashionable trend. People observe figures like Aindra Prabhu and Madhav Prabhu engaging in beautiful kirtan, and they aspire to emulate them by donning a harinaam shawl, getting a tattoo, and engaging in kirtan themselves. However, Aindra Prabhu emphasized that true kirtan isn’t merely about mimicry. Authentic kirtan involves chanting attentively, seeking the shelter of a spiritual master, and adhering to rules and regulations. Mere imitation cannot suffice.

Aindra Prabhu once stated that those who wish to partake in the 24-hour kirtan must rigorously attend the morning program. His dedication to sadhana (spiritual practice) and his diligent study of Srila Prabhupada’s books rendered his kirtan incredibly powerful. Merely copying his tunes or adopting his sitting posture cannot make one a true kirtaniya.

When you have fully understood  the magnificence of the holy name under the guidance of your spiritual master, your kirtan emerges victorious over Maya. Our kirtan alone may not suffice to deliver us, let alone others. When Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakur chanted, it liberated even the Brahma rakshasas, and Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakur freed ghosts through his chanting. It all begins with attentive listening to the spiritual master. This process suppresses the influence of Maya and awakens our innate spiritual nature. This, indeed, is the process of victory. In simple words,

thākura vaiṣṇava pada, avanīra sampada,
śuno bhāi hoiyā eka mana
āśraya loiyā bhaje, tāre kṛṣṇa nāhi tyaje,
āra saba more akāraṇa-1- By Narottama Das Thakur

Translation:

O brother, please hear my words with rapt attention.  The lotus feet of the Vaisnavas are the most valuable treasure of this world.  These Vaisnavas continually take shelter of Lord Krsna and worship Him.  They never abandon their Lord.  They are liberated.  They are free from the cycle of birth and death.

Those who chant the holy name of Sri Krishna within the shelter of devotees also engage in devotional service under their guidance. When someone chants the holy name of Sri Krishna, there may be doubt whether they will attain Krishna. However, if one seeks shelter under those devotees who themselves have taken refuge in Krishna and are engaged in devotional service, then it is guaranteed that one will attain Krishna.

When HG Aindra Prabhu passed away, he delivered a lecture on the same day. It is recounted that on his appearance day, he emphasized, ‘Taking shelter of the holy name of Krishna is indeed taking shelter of the Lord Himself.'”

(Śvetāśvatara Upaniṣad 6.23)
yasya deve parā bhaktir
yathā deve tathā gurau
tasyaite kathitā hy arthāḥ
prakāśante mahātmanaḥ

Translation:

“Unto those great souls who have implicit faith in both the Lord and the spiritual master, all the imports of Vedic knowledge are automatically revealed.”

When you place your faith, devotion, and determination in Krishna, you experience devotion and determination in Him. Similarly, when you invest all that faith, devotion, and determination in your spiritual master, the essence of all scriptures is unveiled to you. Just as you have devotion to the holy name, if you transfer that same devotion to your spiritual master, who bestowed upon you the holy name, then the holy name, form, qualities, and pastimes of the Lord are all revealed.

It is very important that we take shelter of a spiritual master and then chant the holy name. Shelter means 3 shelters. First shelter is Srila Prabhupada, taking shelter of his words, teachings and mood. Second shelter is spiritual master, his mood should be your life.

ŚB 2.2.37

pibanti ye bhagavata ātmanaḥ
satāṁ kathāmṛtaṁ śravaṇa-puṭeṣu
sambhṛtam punanti te viṣaya-vidūṣitāśayaṁ

Translation:

Those who drink through aural reception, fully filled with the nectarean message of Lord Kṛṣṇa, the beloved of the devotees, purify the polluted aim of life known as material enjoyment and thus go back to Godhead, to the lotus feet of Him [the Personality of Godhead].

When you do sufficient hearing then the result is you chant His glories,name and fame. SImilarly,  you take complete shelter of Srila Prabhupada and spiritual master. What Spiritual master wants, you also want the same. There should be no difference with in the mood of spiritual master and disciple. SPiritual master wants to see all his disciples. How many disciples our spiritual master has? 8,000-9,000 disciples. These are the words of our spiritual master. It is full of spiritual potency.

ध्यान मूलं गुरु मूर्ति पूजा मूलं गुरु पदम्।

मंत्र मूलं गुरु वाक्यं मोक्ष मूलं गुरु कृपा॥१॥

अर्थ:

1: ध्यान का मूलगुरु का रूप है ,2 : पूजा कामूल गुरु के चरण हैं, 3: मंत्रका मूल गुरु का शब्द है, 4 : मुक्ति का मूल गुरु की कृपा है

If you catch the mood and words of spiritual master then Holy name will be revealed to you. If you dont, then there is no effect of mantra. Many disciples like HG Acarya Prabhu, he joins Japa Talk. Our Guru Maharaj wants to join Japa Talk even when he is travelling. He is concerned for disciples. When we reached there, we wanted to take bath, unpack bags. Maharaj stopped everything and he wants to do Japa first. Maharaj reached Dehradun and there he joined Japa Talk. SPiritual master leaving aside everything is giving priority to Japa session. And disciples are thinking,”we can join tomorrow. No big deal if i dont join today.”

One disciple shared his experience of chanting with spiritual master. Our Guru Maharaj wants us to chant with him. We should strictly follow the instructions of Guru Maharaj. HH Bhakti Vikas Maharaj gave lecture on the appearance day Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saravati Thakur. He said what is the meaning of celebrating appearance day. We call that Acarya to present in our life. This is a big statement. Are you really ready to live with Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakur for one day?

What were the standards of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakur. What was the level of devotion? Can you stay with him one day?

We chant “Jai Gurudeva” on his vyasa puja. Because it is coming once in year. But if he comes everyday that becomes a disturbance for a disciple. He wants freedom and privacy. FOrget Krishna. You are not ready to serve spiritual master. How will you attain Krishna? Guru Maharaj wants to give us association. But we are not ready. Because there is no faith. He has 8-9,000 disciples. Where are they? Why are they not joining on zoom? Because there are many leaders who dont have faith? A real guru is who gives shelter of Prabhupada. And a real shiksha guru is who gives shelter of diksha guru and Prabhupada. There are many shiksha guru who has starte their own Japa session. They dont chant with Guru maharaj. Or they think that zoom japa session is for neophytes. Maharaj sometimes say.” why I am not able to see leaders and brahmacharis?”

There are Gurus like HH Radhanath Swami Maharaj, his disciples have so strong faith in him. When he comes, all disciples run after him.When he speaks one word,their disciples so attentive. They say, he comes once every 6 months so that much we cann digest. But our Guru maharaj is coming everyday. We can’t take that much. Shiksha gurus are not via medium. Rather ther’re blocking the way. Every initiated devotee, leader, President has to be there in zoom japa session. You’re chanting in Giri Goverdhan 64 rounds. What is the use? Guru Maharaj wants us to join zoom japa session. There should be separate ID’s for every batch of initiation.

We should strictly join zoom japa session. We should chant with Guru. This type of conviction can give us topmost chanting. This is param vijayate. We can’t achieve any spiritual emotions or mellows, it happens by the mercy of spiritual master.Holy name, form, qualities and pastimes will be revealed to you when you listen to your spiritual master attentively.

HG Padmamali Pr- Prabhupada says in his prayer that I have entitled as Bhaktivdeanta but please you fulfill the purport. SImilarly, our guru Maharaj is Lokanath Swami. But he is really the shelter of the whole world. He has fulfilled the purport of his name. I felt that Prabhuji is speaking uncompromisingly out of love for Guru Maharaj.

bhāgavata paro diya bhāgavata sthāne:

“Just try to understand Bhāgavata from the person bhāgavata.”

We should hear Bhagavad from a Bhagavad. Prabhupada says we should not hear from professionals but from realised souls. That gives us conviction. So when prabhuji was speaking, it was not just a presentation but he was speaking his realizations, experiences and conviction. You should hear this japa talk once more. You can hear it on our Youtube channel.

Srila Prabhupada ki Jai!

Srila Gurudeva ki Jai!

Japa Talk by H.G Anantsesha Prabhu
Date: 29-04-2024

Hare Krishna.

Main Theme: “Param Vijeyati Sri Krishna Sankirtinam”.

Sub-Theme: Advent of Shiksashtakam

In today’s Zoom Japa Talk, Under the guidance of Gurumaharaj Ji, we have a special class by Shriman Anant Shesh Prabhu Ji for today’s Japa discourse. Hare Krishna Gurumaharaj Ji said, “I am in ISKCON Vrindavan.”

Prayers by H.G Anantsesha Prabhu

I was asked to prepare for a 3-day lecture series. I was wondering which topic I should choose. Then I remembered,about a year ago, we had heard a series of lectures on Shri Shikshashtakam and ten offenses from Guru Maharaj. I thought of talk on those topics.

I would like to continue speaking based on that series with the topic as “Param Vijayate Sri krishnaSankirtanam”. We will hear some more instructions from Shri Krishna Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. Earlier we had discussed in 8 sessions for 8 verses. But currently we will be discussion on this topic on the verse “Param Vijeyati Sri Krishna Sankirtinam”.

In Chaitanya Caritramrita in Antya Lila in the last chapter we see, Shri Krishnadasa Kaviraja Goswami writes that when Chaitanya Mahaprabhu was residing in Nilachal residing in Gambira. Mahaprabhu was completely absorbed in the mood of Srimati Radharani. In the mood of complete absorption in the mood for Srimati Radharani Chaitanya Mahaprabhu says.

ei-matamahāprabhuvaisenīlācale
rajanī-divasekṛṣṇa-virahevihvale

Translation

While Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu thus resided at JagannāthaPurī [Nīlācala], He was continuously overwhelmed, night and day, by separation from Kṛṣṇa. [CC Antya 20.3]

Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu was overwhelmed, night and day, by separation from Kṛṣṇa. During that period two associates, namely SvarūpaDāmodaraGosvāmī and RāmānandaRāya observed this.

svarūpa, rāmānanda, — eiduijana-sane
rātri-dine rasa-gīta-ślokaāsvādane

Translation

Day and night He tasted transcendental blissful songs and verses with two associates, namely SvarūpaDāmodaraGosvāmī and RāmānandaRāya..[CC Antya 20.4]

Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, along with his associates Swarupa Damodar and Ramananda Raya, enjoyed (day and night) various moods of devotional service. Who are the friends Lalita and Vishakha in Krishna’s pastimes?

nānā-bhāvauṭheprabhuraharṣa, śoka, roṣa
dainyodvega-ārtiutkaṇṭhā, santoṣa

Translation

He relished the symptoms of various transcendental emotions, such as jubilation, lamentation, anger, humility, anxiety, grief, eagerness and satisfaction. [CC Antya 20.5]

Sometimes He relished the symptoms of various transcendental emotions, such as jubilation, lamentation, anger, humility, anxiety, grief, eagerness and satisfaction. And they discussed, various transcendental emotions of Chaitanya Mahaprabhuand from those discussions or emotions words are getting woven and henceShikshashtakam was born.

sei seibhāvenija-ślokapaḍiyā
ślokeraarthaāsvādaye dui-bandhulañā

Translation

He would recite His own verses, expressing their meanings and emotions, and thus enjoy tasting them with these two friends. [CC Antya 20.6]

Swarupa Damodar and Ramananda Raya, witnessed various moods of devotional service. Who are the friends Lalita and Vishakha in Krishna’s pastimes?

kona dine konabhāveśloka-paṭhana
sei ślokaāsvāditerātri-jāgaraṇa

Translation

Sometimes the Lord would be absorbed in a particular emotion and would stay awake all night reciting related verses and relishing their taste. [CC Antya 20.7]

Lord would be absorbed in a particular emotion and would stay awake all night reciting related verses and relishing their taste. This mahabhava of Srimati Radharani became Sri Skiashashtkam. We hear this shloka

prabhura ‘śikṣāṣṭaka’-ślokayeipaḍe,
śunekṛṣṇeprema-bhakti tārabāḍe dine-dine                                                

Translation

If anyone recites or hears these eight verses of instruction by Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, his ecstatic love and devotion for Kṛṣṇa increase day by day. [CC Antya 20.65]

Sri KrishnadasKaviraja Goswami gives the summary and importance of reading these eight verses of instruction by  Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu.

Whoever recites or hears these eight verses of ‘Shikshashtakam’ by Lord Chaitanya, their love and devotion for Krishna increases day by day.We read this verse daily. Chaitanya Mahaprabhu speaks about the following emotions in this verse.

Sub-Theme: Glories of Shiksashtakam

Now we will recite the Shloka and then discuss it further

ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanaṁ bhava-mahā-dāvāgni-nirvāpaṇaṁ
śreyaḥ-kairava-candrikā-vitaraṇaṁvidyā-vadhū-jīvanam
ānandāmbudhi-vardhanaṁprati-padaṁpūrṇāmṛtāsvādanaṁ
sarvātma-snapanaṁparaṁvijayateśrī-kṛṣṇa-saṅkīrtanam

Translation

“ ‘Let there be all victory for the chanting of the holy name of Lord Kṛṣṇa, which can cleanse the mirror of the heart and stop the miseries of the blazing fire of material existence. That chanting is the waxing moon that spreads the white lotus of good fortune for all living entities. It is the life and soul of all education. The chanting of the holy name of Kṛṣṇa expands the blissful ocean of transcendental life. It gives a cooling effect to everyone and enables one to taste full nectar at every step.’. [CC Antya 20.12]

We recite this shloka every day. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu used to recite these verses every day. He is expressing these emotions

kona dine konabhāveśloka-paṭhana
sei ślokaāsvāditerātri-jāgaraṇa

Translation

Sometimes the Lord would be absorbed in a particular emotion and would stay awake all night reciting related verses and relishing their taste. [CC Antya 20.7]

In great jubilation, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu said,

harṣe prabhu kahena, —
“śunasvarūpa-rāma-rāyanāma-saṅkīrtana —
kalauparamaupāya

Translation

In great jubilation, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu said, “My dear SvarūpaDāmodara and RāmānandaRāya, know from Me that chanting the holy names is the most feasible means of salvation in this Age of Kali. [CC Antya 20.8]

Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu tells Ramananda Raya, in this Kali Yuga, the most effective means is the chanting of the holy names of the Lordand whoever chants the holy names of the Lord will surely attain the lotus feet of the Lord. Now Let us hear explanation given by Sri Krishnadas Kavi Raja.

saṅkīrtana-yajñekalaukṛṣṇa-ārādhana
sei ta’ sumedhāpāyakṛṣṇeracaraṇa

Translation

“In this Age of Kali, the process of worshiping Kṛṣṇa is to perform sacrifice by chanting the holy name of the Lord. One who does so is certainly very intelligent, and he attains shelter at the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa. [CC Antya 20.9]

Performing Sankirtana includes all different sacrifices one is performing devotional service for Sri Krishna. The name Sankirtana destroys all miseries from our heart, it destroys the propensity to commit sins, it cleanses the consciousness and helps us practice devotional services unto the Lotus feet of Sri Krishna.

saṅkīrtana-pravartakaśrī-kṛṣṇa-caitanya
saṅkīrtana-yajñetāṅrebhaje, sei dhanya

Translation

Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya is the initiator of saṅkīrtana [congregational chanting of the holy name of the Lord]. One who worships Him through saṅkīrtana is fortunate indeed..[CC Adi3.77]

Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya is the initiator of saṅkīrtana [congregational chanting of the holy name of the Lord]. One who worships Him through saṅkīrtana is fortunate indeed.

sei ta’ sumedhā, ārakubuddhisaṁsāra
sarva-yajñahaitekṛṣṇa-nāma-yajñasāra

Translation

Such a person is truly intelligent, whereas others, who have but a poor fund of knowledge, must endure the cycle of repeated birth and death. Of all sacrificial performances, the chanting of the Lord’s holy name is the most sublime.[CC Adi 3.78]

Krishna Raj Kaviraj says such a person is truly intelligent, whereas others, who have but a poor fund of knowledge, must endure the cycle of repeated birth and death

Performing Sankirtana includes all different sacrifices. Such a person is truly intelligent, whereas others, who have but a poor fund of knowledge. Sri Krishna Chaitanya Mahaprabhu says in connection to the 1^st verse of Sri Shikashtakam

nāma-saṅkīrtanahaitesarvānartha-nāśasarva-śubhodaya, kṛṣṇa-premeraullāsa

Translation

“Simply by chanting the holy name of Lord Kṛṣṇa, one can be freed from all undesirable habits. This is the means of awakening all good fortune and initiating the flow of waves of love for Kṛṣṇa. [CC Antya 20.11]

The first three lines from the first verse of Srishistatkam explains that one can be freed from all undesirable habits. This is the means of awakening all good fortune and initiating the flow of waves of love for Kṛṣṇa.

The name Sankirtana destroys all miseries from our heart, it destroys the propensity to commit sins, it cleanses the consciousness and helps us practice devotional services with love.

Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu summaries these three points in this verse.

1. Free from Undesirable habits
2. Awakens good fortune and at the end
3. Initiating flow of waves of love for krsna

saṅkīrtanahaitepāpa-saṁsāra-nāśana
citta-śuddhi, sarva-bhakti-sādhana-udgama

Translation

“By performing congregational chanting of the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, one can destroy the sinful condition of material existence, purify the unclean heart and awaken all varieties of devotional service.[CC Antya 20.13]

The name Sankirtana destroys all sins and miseries from our heart, it destroys the propensity to commit sins, it cleanses the consciousness and helps us practice devotional services. It gives rise to all resources for devotional service.

kṛṣṇa-premodgama, premāmṛta-āsvādana
kṛṣṇa-prāpti, sevāmṛta-samudremajjana

 Translation

“The result of chanting is that one awakens his love for Kṛṣṇa and tastes transcendental bliss. Ultimately, one attains the association of Kṛṣṇa and engages in His devotional service, as if immersing himself in a great ocean of love.” [CC Antya 20.14]

The result of chanting is that one awakens his love for Kṛṣṇa and tastes transcendental bliss. Ultimately, one attains the association of Kṛṣṇa and engages in His devotional service, as if immersing himself in a great ocean of love. I thinking about this that whatever process we follow is of very high standard and is of top most importance.

It increases faith for us for Chanting, It gives birth to love for Krishna. Once I was at a Japa retreat with the highly revered Bhurijana Prabhu who is a Senior Disciple of Srila Prabhupada. He was speaking about the glory of the Hare Krishna mantra.  He was guiding us during the chanting and then my attention was disturbed. The highly revered Bhurijana Prabhu noticed this and then he said.Is there is nothing more important in this entire universe than chanting the holy names. Can we even feel how important it is to chant the holy names. You are most fortunate person to do this in this world. Why we are not able to find bliss in chanting because we have not understood the importance and essence of chanting and taking shelter under  “NAM” with full faith. We have not understood the importance of Sankirtan as we see

Shivaji what said to Uma about Sri Ram

Uma Ram SubhauJehin Jana
Teni hi bajan taj bhavna ana
Yah shabdjasuur ava raghuoati Charan bahagti soi pava

 Translation 

“Hey Uma! One who understands Lord Rama’s nature forsakes all other pursuits. The heart that receives this dialogue becomes devoted to Lord Raghunath’s feet.” [Tulsidas’ Ramacharitamanas, Sundarkand]

If a person realises even a tinch, he cannot stop chanting the holy name for even for a second. “Uma Ram SubhauJehin Jana” .

Srila Bhakti Vinod Thakur while explaining this verse says, “Supreme victory to the Sankirtana of Shri Krishna”, as per Verse 1 of Shisashtakam. We know one gets seven Siddhis “Nam Siddhi”. We see Sri Chaitanya Maha Prabhu has used this statement “ ParamVijayaiteSri Krishna Sankirtanam”

Shrila Bhakti Vinod Thakura speaks while explaining this verse, ” Param Vijayaite Sri Krishna Sankirtanam” in SanmodhanaBhasayam also called as Vivtuttias explained in Srimad Bhagavatam

bhagavān brahma kārtsnyenatriranvīkṣya
manīṣayā tad adhyavasyatkūṭa-sthoratirātmanyatobhavet

Translation

The great personality Brahmā, with great attention and concentration of the mind, studied the Vedas three times, and after scrutinizingly examining them, he ascertained that attraction for the Supreme Personality of Godhead Śrī Kṛṣṇa is the highest perfection of religion..[ŚB 2.2.34]

Lord Brahma contemplated his reading of all the Vedas for three times and then he said the following concluding words, the essence of all the Vedic Scriptures is to develop attachment for the supreme personality of Godhead. This is highest dharma for human to develop attachment for the supreme personality of Godhead.

Whatever service we render to the Lord, we can attain it’s perfection by checking whether it has helped us to develop attachment, attraction or Lord for Krishna or not .

We can develop this attachment for the Lord only by executing devotional service and there is no other means. Which sort of Devotional service (Bhakti) helps us to develop this Love?

We receive devotional service when we hear the scriptures like Shrimad Bhagavatam in the association of loving devotees of the Lord

And then the faith in which we develop that faith only can bless us with pure devotional service. As explained in Srimad Bhagavatam

dharmaḥsvanuṣṭhitaḥpuṁsāṁ
viṣvaksena-kathāsuyaḥnotpādayed
yadiratiṁśramaeva hi kevalam

Translation

The occupational activities a man performs according to his own position are only so much useless labor if they do not provoke attraction for the message of the Personality of Godhead. [ŚB 1.2.8]

The occupational activities a man performs according to his own position are only so much useless labour if they do not provoke attraction for the message of the Personality of Godhead. What is the measurement for the same, how much attraction one gets to hear the pastimes and activities of Lord Srikrishna. This is what Brahama ji explained in Srimad Bhagavatam.

How to get Rati

“Iti Siddhanta VakyanamKevalam Bhakti Siddhant naaneyana

Karma Gyananima 

All these siddhi’s are love or Rati for srikrishna, one has to get attraction for Lord Sri Krsna. This rati or love for Lord Krsna cannot be achieved by (Karma) fruitive work or (Gyan) Knowledge. The only process is Bhakti.

Sri Bhakti Vinod Thakur while explaining the verse Sri Krsna Sankirtanam, that this Bhakti can be achieved through the love or rati.

“Shastra avadharanmayi Bhagavan leelamadhuri log mayinashud bhakti labyanna”Dharma is prem and then one needs to elevate to transcendental level i.evisdhu Bhakti. Vishud bhakti is achieved through the love for Shastras. i.eSrimadBhagavatam, when heared in association of the devotees and develop strong faith towards shastra and attraction to hear pastimes of lord.

Attraction for hearing pastime of Lord and hearing from pure devotees of Lord which will help in increasing the Pure bhakti

And then the faith we develop, that faith can bless us with pure devotional service… The highly revered Sacinandana Swami Maharaj says it’s difficult to think about the Lord while chanting the holy nameand if you want to think about the Lord, you need to regularly read Srimad Bhagavatamwhile chanting the holy name. Until one reads, Srimad Bhagavatam they cannot remember the Lord.

satāṁprasaṅgān mama vīrya-saṁvido
bhavantihṛt-karṇa-rasāyanāḥkathāḥ
taj-joṣaṇādāśvapavarga-vartmani
śraddhābhaktirratiranukramiṣyati

Translation

In the association of pure devotees, discussion of the pastimes and activities of the Supreme Personality of Godhead is very pleasing and satisfying to the ear and the heart. By cultivating such knowledge one gradually becomes advanced on the path of liberation, and thereafter he is freed, and his attraction becomes fixed. Then real devotion and devotional service begin.[SB 3.25.25]

To develop faith and transcendental love, one needs to hear from the devotees of the Lord his pastimes and glories. Especially one needs to sit near the lotus feet of the spiritual master and hear from them with a humble attitude.

pibanti ye bhagavata ātmanaḥ
satāṁkathāmṛtaṁśravaṇa-puṭeṣu
sambhṛtampunantiteviṣaya-vidūṣitāśayaṁ

Translation

Those who drink through aural reception, fully filled with the nectarean message of Lord Kṛṣṇa, the beloved of the devotees, purify the polluted aim of life known as material enjoyment and thus go back to Godhead, to the lotus feet of Him [the Personality of Godhead]. [SB 2.2.37]

Until one drinks the nectar of Srimad Bhagavatam from the vessel of their ears, their satisfaction is not complete. How much hearing is sufficient? Once the vessel is filled, the liquid overflows. Similarly, when a person hears well, especially from the spiritual master, they naturally start speaking filled with the glories of the Lord then that glory starts flowing in the form of the holy name of the Lord.

Thus, by listening attentively, the spiritual practitioner becomes capable of speaking about the glories of the Lord. The intimate and confidential association with the Lord acts as a remedy for the disease of this material world. As per nine step of devotional service hearing and chanting are the most important. And it helps one to advance to the different stages of the devotional service like Shradha, Nishtha and Ruchi. It helps the person move forward in various stages of devotional service such as faith, steadiness, and taste. When one takes shelter of the spiritual master and listens humbly, then they can truly perform the name Sankirtana.

Srila Bhakti Vinod Thakur has written a song

kṛṣṇa-nāmadharekotobal
viṣaya-vāsanānale,  moracittasadājwale,
ravi-tapta maru-bhūmi-sam
karna-randhra-pathadiyā,  hṛdimājhepraveśiyā,
variṣoyasudhāanupam

Translation

How much power does the name of Krsna possess? My heart constantly burns in the fire of worldly desires, like a desert scorched by the sun. The holy name, entering within my heart through the holes of my ears, showers unparalleled nectar upon my soul. [By Bhakti Vinod Thakur – Text 1, Sarangati]

The holy name, entering within my heart through the holes of my ears, showers unparalleled nectar upon my soul. Especially listen through your ears, as Srila Prabhupada also says we should hear it from lips of Guru and then one becomes eligible for chanting.

Bhakti Vinod Thakur explains futher as Bagawan Kapil dev in 3^rd Canto says.

satāṁprasaṅgān mama vīrya-saṁvido
bhavantihṛt-karṇa-rasāyanāḥkathāḥ
taj-joṣaṇādāśvapavarga-vartmani
śraddhābhaktirratiranukramiṣyati

Translation

In the association of pure devotees, discussion of the pastimes and activities of the Supreme Personality of Godhead is very pleasing and satisfying to the ear and the heart. By cultivating such knowledge one gradually becomes advanced on the path of liberation, and thereafter he is freed, and his attraction becomes fixed. Then real devotion and devotional service begin.[SB 3.25.25]

One who has full faith in Kṛṣṇa (śraddhā) and surrenders unto Him is eligible for being raised to the level of prema, which Lord Caitanya taught as the highest perfectional stage of human life.

Vaidhi Bhakti or Raganuga Bhakti develops from attentive hearing and then gradually transforms into pure devotional service. But if one does not hear regularly, it will slowly fade away. Therefore, Sankirtana is the first step in the teachings of Shri Krishna Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. We are fortunate to chant the name in the presence of Srila Gurudeva and hear Shriharinama from him. This is the greatest fortune. When Gurumaharaj sees us chanting the name. They feel great joy. If we do not chant in presence of Satsang and pure devotees it impacts our chanting.

As the highly revered Bhakti Prem Swami Maharaj said, it is the greatest misfortune that some devotees still turn off their videos. It is like Gurumaharaj has come to our house to meet us and we close our doorsand what’s worse is that sometimes devotees do not even turn on the audio. They say, when we chant the name, the audio is disturbing us

Tomorrow we will read further details. How full benefit is obtained from Sankirtana done in the presence of Gurudeva I stop here now.

27 April 2024
Contemplating the objects of the senses
Speaker: HH Lokanath Swami Maharaj

Hare Krsna. We should not do any task for the sake of doing. We must understand the purpose of doing it. Why to do? Where to do? How to do it? There are always some do’s and don’t’s. I will speak something related to Harer namaiva kevalam (CC Madhya 6.242).

The scriptures instruct us to chant the holy name and then next is how should we chant? Attentively.  We should keep asking questions like an inquisitive child.

athato brahma jijnasa (Vedanta-sutra 1.1.1)

Translation: Now one should inquire about Brahman – The absolute truth, the transcendental, spiritual nature.

These questions arise out of the desire to know the Lord. meditate on the Lord. What are the characteristics of the Lord? Can we meditate on something void or impersonal? So when we say chant attentively, we should have a clear understanding of whom we have to focus our mind on. What is the object of attention (Meditation)?

Everyone in this material world continues to contemplate on the objects of this material world. Each sense organ present in our body has an object of sense gratification to meditate on.

dhyāyato viṣayān puṁsaḥ
saṅgas teṣūpajāyate
saṅgāt sañjāyate kāmaḥ
kāmāt krodho ’bhijāyate (Bg. 2.62)

Translation: While contemplating the objects of the senses, a person develops attachment for them, and from such attachment lust develops, and from lust anger arises.

We are supposed to engage our mind in attentively thinking about the Supreme Lord. But instead, while contemplating the objects of the senses, a person develops attachment for them. First we meditate on the sense objects, then we try to attain it.

asau mayā hataḥ śatrur
haniṣye cāparān api
īśvaro ’ham ahaṁ bhogī
siddho ’haṁ balavān sukhī (BG 16.14)

Translation: The demoniac person thinks: “So much wealth do I have today, and I will gain more according to my schemes. So much is mine now, and it will increase in the future, more and more. He is my enemy, and I have killed him, and my other enemies will also be killed. I am the lord of everything. I am the enjoyer. I am perfect, powerful and happy. I am the richest man, surrounded by aristocratic relatives. There is none so powerful and happy as I am. I shall perform sacrifices, I shall give some charity, and thus I shall rejoice.” In this way, such persons are deluded by ignorance.

Once its attained then the next is to enjoy it. And with that enjoyment, this soul gets more entrapped.

krodhād bhavati sammohaḥ
sammohāt smṛti-vibhramaḥ
smṛti-bhraṁśād buddhi-nāśo
buddhi-nāśāt praṇaśyati (Bg. 2.63)

Translation: From anger, complete delusion arises, and from delusion bewilderment of memory. When memory is bewildered, intelligence is lost, and when intelligence is lost one falls down again into the material pool.

This conditioned soul tries to fetch bliss out of these sensory objects but this Jiva is spiritual in nature. He cant be satisfied with anything gross. Thus the result is anger and frustration. And gradually this Jiva is dragged to destruction. There are three doorways to hellish planets thus he will be dragged to hell. Where was the mistake? dhyāyato viṣayān puṁsaḥ (Bg. 2.62).

Contemplating the objects of the senses, this we should chant, and chant attentively. We should contemplate on the Lord – His name , qualities, form and pastimes. They are non different from Krsna. If we contemplate on material objects, then you will get attached to them. But if you mediate on Krsna then you will develop attachment to Krsna. You will experience the bliss derived from chanting his holy name, his form, qualities and pastimes. Gradually we will develop love for Krsna.

nitya-siddha kṛṣṇa-prema ‘sādhya’ kabhu naya
śravaṇādi-śuddha-citte karaye udaya (CC Madhya 22.107)

Translation: Pure love for Kṛṣṇa is eternally established in the hearts of the living entities. It is not something to be gained from another source. When the heart is purified by hearing and chanting, this love naturally awakens.

Listening to the description of the Lord, thus we will develop love for the Lord. When we are attached to material objects we develop lust and thus we become Lusty. And when we develop attachment for Krsna, then we will become loving devotees of the Lord. Ordinarily, the result is anger and frustration out of material enjoyment. A devotee might also become angry if a person, offends a Vaishnava. But this anger is Divine not material.

For example Hanuman Ji when he went to Lanka, he ended up burning the entire Lanka out of anger. There our intelligence will get destroyed but here in this case, Krsna will award us with intelligence. Material energy of the Lord is responsible for destroying our intelligence. While on the other hand, when we serve Krsna, he is pleased and he blesses us with intelligence for how that a devotee can serve him better.

teṣāṁ satata-yuktānāṁ
bhajatāṁ prīti-pūrvakam
dadāmi buddhi-yogaṁ taṁ
yena mām upayānti te (Bg. 10.10)

Translation: To those who are constantly devoted to serving Me with love, I give the understanding by which they can come to Me.

These are the two pathways. One takes us to hell and another takes us to the realm of Goloka Vrindavan. We should execute every service with Love and devotion attentively. One who performs devotional service with love and devotion without interruption, then such a person can attain me. Krsna has described a person when contemplating on the sensory objects, when can he be reaching. And if he focuses on me, what can be his destination. When might he had committed mistakes in the past. We need to learn from our mistakes and improve.

Hare Krsna.

Date- 26^th April, 2024
1^st Speaker- Guru Maharaj
Theme- We are superior energy of the Lord.

Hare Krsna! In the seventh chapter of Bhagavad Gita, verse four and five, Lord Krsna mentions two types of nature, one is Apara and another is Para.

bhümir äpo ‘nalo väyuh
kham mano buddhir eva ca
ahankära itiyam me
bhinnä prakrtir astadhä

Translation–

Earth, water, fire, air, ether, mind, intelligence and false ego—all together these eight constitute My separated material energies. [BG 7.4]

Our gross body is made of these separated material energies- earth, water, fire, air, ether, itiyam me bhinnä prakrtir. I want to tell this in brief as it is not a Japa Talk, or not a complete lecture. It is just a food for thought. So the body is made of Apara Prakrti. It is inferior nature. Gross body is made of Pancha-mahabhuta. So these five elements, and then our subtle body is made with mind, intelligence and false ego. These eight elements consist in Apara prakrti. And the knowledge of Apara Prakrti, inferior nature is called as Avidya or Apara vidya. Then in the next verse Lord says-

apareyam itas tv anyäm
prakrtim viddhi me paräm
jiva-bhütäm mahä-bäho
yayedam dhäryate jagat

Translation-

Besides these, O mighty-armed Arjuna, there is another, superior energy of Mine, which comprises the living entities who are exploiting the resources of this material, inferior nature. [BG 7.5]

Lord is saying, prakrtim viddhi me paräm, understand this Para prakrti. jiva-bhütäm mahä-bäho, this jiva, spirit soul is Para prakrti, superior energy. Soul is superior and body is inferior. So we are souls, superior energy of the Lord and our body is made with inferior energy, Apara Prakrti. So both are Lord’s energies and among these two, that soul, jiva-bhütäm mahä-bäho, yayedam dhäryate jagat, we are that soul. We are not this body. Body is Lord’s inferior energy. It is also Lord’s energy, but it is not me. Like this we keep saying, aham and mama, me and mine. Aham is soul and mama is body. In the conditioned state we consider our ego, ahankar as aham, but what is the real knowledge? I am the soul and aham dasosmi.

ayi nanda-tanuja kinkaram
patitam mäm visame bhavämbudhau
krpayä tava päda-pankaja-
sthita-dhüli-sadrsam vicintaya

Translation-

‘O My Lord, O Krsna, son of Mahäräja Nanda, I am Your eternal servant, but because of My own fruitive acts I have fallen into this horrible ocean of nescience. Now please be causelessly merciful to Me. Consider Me a particle of dust at Your lotus feet.’ [Cc. Antya 20.32]

So, who is fallen? The soul is fallen. We are souls and we fall down, we accept the false ego and then

prakrteh kriyamänäni
gunaih karmäni sarvasah
ahankära-vimüdhätmä
kartäham iti manyate

Translation-

The spirit soul bewildered by the influence of false ego thinks himself the doer of activities that are in actuality carried out by the three modes of material nature. [BG 3.27]

kartäham iti manyate, we consider ourselves as the doer. Vimüdhätmä- the bewildered soul! Anyways, this is just food for thought. You contemplate on this, Bhagavad Gita, seventh chapter, text number is four and five. Prabhupada used to tell this again and again, so that we can have self-realization, ‘who am I?’ I am not this body. Body is Lord’s Apara Prakrti. I am soul and I am Lord’s Para Prakrti. Like this there are two types of knowledge, Apara vidya and Para vidya. Knowledge of soul is Para vidya and the knowledge of body or the material world is Apara vidya, inferior knowledge. Okay, keep chanting.

2^nd Speaker- Shyamananda Swami Maharaj

Theme- Instructions given by the Lord in Bhagavad Gita

Hare Krsna! I offer my humble obeisances to all of you. I hope that all of you are fine. It is possible that you are not fit and fine by your body, but by your mind you must be fit and fine. This is the goal of human birth.

Sub-theme- Bhagavad Gita is the foundation of Srimad Bhagavatam

So we all know that among all Dhama, Sri Vrndavana Dhama is superior and to understand this Vrndavana Dhama one must have the blessings of a Vaisnava. Without understanding Dhamavasis, we can not understand the Dhama; and when we will not understand Vrndavana,, then how can we understand the transcendental pastimes of the Lord? The ultimate goal of our life is to do sravan and kirtan of Lord’s pastimes which He performed with His intimate devotees in Vrndavana, in Mathura and in Dwaraka. Lord’s pastimes are elaborately mentioned in Srimad Bhagavatam. Srimad Bhagavatam is superior, transcendental scripture. It is the literary incarnation of the Lord, Vangmaya Murti. So, to understand the transcendental topics of Srimad Bhagavatam, first we need to understand Bhagavad Gita, the instructions given by the Lord to Arjuna. Bhagavad Gita is the foundation of Srimad Bhagavatam. The twelve floors of the mansion of Bhagavatam are standing on Bhagavad Gita. On the 10^th floor, the 10^th canto, there are 90 chapters which are like 90 kunja, forests. And among these kunjas, the five chapters of Rasa pastime, they are the special cells of these kunjas. Here Lord Sri Krsna is performing His eternal pastimes with His eternal consort, Radharani. Srimati Radharani is eternally in the service of the Lord Sri Krsna; similarly Sri Krsna also eternally serves Srimati Radharani. Unless we properly understand the instructions of Bhagavad Gita, we can not understand Srimad Bhagavat, especially the confidential pastimes of tenth canto.

Sub-theme- Five divisions of Bhagavad Gita verses

The verses of Bhagavad Gita are divided in five levels. In one section, the general instruction is given by the Lord, like

yuktähära-vihärasya
yukta-cestasya karmasu
yukta-svapnävabodhasya
yogo bhavati duhkha-hä

Translation-

He who is regulated in his habits of eating, sleeping, recreation and work can mitigate all material pains by practicing the yoga system. [BG 6.17]

This is general instruction. We must always have regulated habits of eating, sleeping and recreation. Bhakti-yoga does not require too much vairagya as well as sense gratification. Therefore in this first level, Lord is saying that devotee must maintain regulated habits. He should not eat too much and at the same time he should not eat too little, as a result giving up all services. What are you doing? We are fasting. Then who will do the services? Better eat and do services. So, this is the first step of devotional service, to be regulated.

Then He gave another instruction which is superior to this previous one. This is knowledge at the stage of Brahman and it is known as guhya jnana, confidential knowledge. There Lord says-

brahma-bhütah prasannätmä
na socati na känksati
samah sarvesu bhütesu
mad-bhaktim labhate paräm

Translation-

One who is thus transcendentally situated at once realizes the Supreme Brahman and becomes fully joyful. He never laments or desires to have anything. He is equally disposed toward every living entity. In that state he attains pure devotional service unto Me. [BG 18.54]

Devotional service begins from here. Brahmabhuta stage, means beyond the three modes of material nature. As Guru Maharaj was telling just few minutes before, aham and mama, me and mine are on the material platform. Unless we rise above this bodily platform, we can not understand the transcendental pastimes of the Lord, then what to say of entering in them. Therefore Lord gave this confidential instruction, which is at the stage of Brahman. When one reaches at this platform, na socati, he does not think about the world, what is going on in the world and what about the family and all. Right now we have so much tension. Always something-something going on! When Sukadeva took birth from the womb of his mother, after twelve years, immediately after birth he left for the forest. Father is calling loudly, wait dear son, don’t go. But Sukadeva Goswami does not know who is son and who is father. This father-son relation is from this material world, temporary.

So, Lord gave this confidential instruction, which is known as instruction of Brahman stage.  Then Lord gave third level instruction which is known as Paramatma level’s instruction. This is more confidential knowledge. Lord says-

uttamah purusas tv anyah
paramätmety udährtah
yo loka-trayam ävisya
bibharty avyaya isvarah

Translation–

Besides these two, there is the greatest living personality, the Supreme Soul, the imperishable Lord Himself, who has entered the three worlds and is maintaining them. [BG 15.17]

Paramatma enters in the three worlds and bibharty, maintains them. So this is instruction at Paramatma level and it is more confidential knowledge. So, the instruction at the level of Brahman is instruction for jnanis. Instruction of Paramatma level is for yogis. Therefore Lord says-

tapasvibhyo ‘dhiko yogi
jnänibhyo ‘pi mato ‘dhikah
karmibhyas cädhiko yogi
tasmäd yogi bhavärjuna

Translation-

A yogi is greater than the ascetic, greater than the empiricist and greater than the fruitive worker. Therefore, O Arjuna, in all circumstances, be a yogi. [BG 6.46]

A yogi is greater than the ascetic, because jnani is on the Brahman level, but the yogi is on the Paramatma level, one step higher. So, here Lord gave more confidential instruction and there is more confidential instruction than this and that is-

yoginäm api sarvesäm
mad-gatenäntar-ätmanä
sraddhävän bhajate yo mäm
sa me yuktatamo matah

Translation-

And of all yogis, the one with great faith who always abides in Me, thinks of Me within himself, and renders transcendental loving service to Me—he is the most intimately united with Me in yoga and is the highest of all. That is My opinion. [BG 6.47]

This is the most confidential knowledge, Bhakti yoga. From here Bhakti yoga begins. In the ninth chapter Lord says-

idam tu te guhyatamam
pravaksyämy anasüyave
jnänam vijnäna-sahitam
yaj jnätvä moksyase ‘subhät

Translation-

My dear Arjuna, because you are never envious of Me, I shall impart to you this most confidential knowledge and realization, knowing which you shall be relieved of the miseries of material existence. [BG 9.1]

yaj jnätvä moksyase ‘subhät, one who knows this, get relieved from the miseries of material existence. So the Lord has given topmost instruction. The above instruction can take one to Vaikuntha, because it is having aisvarya bhakti, but Vrandavana dhama is for Madhurya bhakti. Therefore

sarva-guhyatamam bhüyah
srnu me paramam vacah
isto ‘si me drdham iti
tato vaksyämi te hitam

Translation-

Because you are My very dear friend, I am speaking to you My supreme instruction, the most confidential knowledge of all. Hear this from Me, for it is for your benefit. [BG 18.64]

tato vaksyämi te hitam, it is for your benefit. This sarva-guhyatamam, supreme instruction was hidden. Lord had not given it from long time. Therefore Lord felt sad. Then the Lord came in the form of Caitanya Mahaprabhu. He thought, I will give the instruction but who will understand it? Therefore I Myself will perform bhakti, and then will teach the people, then only they will understand it. Hence-

anarpita-carim cirät karunayävatirnah kalau
samarpayitum unnatojjvala-rasäh sva-bhakti-sriyam
harih purata-sundara-dyuti-kadamba-sandipitah
sadä hrdaya-kandare sphuratu vah saci-nandanah

Translation–

May the Supreme Lord who is known as the son of Srimati Saci-devi be transcendentally situated in the innermost chambers of your heart. Resplendent with the radiance of molten gold, He has appeared in the Age of Kali by His causeless mercy to bestow what no incarnation has ever offered before: the most sublime and radiant mellow of devotional service, the mellow of conjugal love. [CC Adi 1.4]

Lord took two things from Radharani; one was Her mood. What is the mood, bhava of Radharani? Her mood is not of boss.

Munindra-vrinda-vandite! Tri-loka-shoka-harini
Prasanna-vaktra-pankaje! Nikunja-bhu-vilasini!
Vrajendra-bhanu-nandini! Vrajendra-sunu-sangate!
Kada karishyasiha mam kripa-kataksha-bhajanam?

Translation-

Oh You who are adored by all the best sages! Oh You who takes away all the miseries of the three material worlds! Oh You whose face joyfully blooms just like a lotus flower! Oh You who delights in playing love-sports throughout the secret forest bower-houses! Oh most charming daughter of Vrishabhanu, the best of kings! Oh closest heart-felt companion of the son of the King of Vraja! When, oh when will You make me the object of Your side-long glance of causeless mercy? [Radha Kripa Kataksha -1]

All demigods and Rsi-munis hanker for the mercy of Radharani. She is the queen of Vraja, yet Her mood is of a servant, and this is the topmost mood. This mood attracts the Lord. That’s why Lord Himself accepted that mood.

sauryam tejo dhrtir däksyam
yuddhe cäpy apaläyanam
dänam isvara-bhävas ca
ksätram karma svabhäva-jam

Translation-

Heroism, power, determination, resourcefulness, courage in battle, generosity and leadership are the natural qualities of work for the ksatriyas. [BG 18.43]

Lord is having isvara-bhävas, mood of leadership. How many people get pleased with the leaders? If the leader will not do someone’s any small work, that person will become unhappy with the leader. But the servants please everyone, even the leaders, management.  Therefore Radharani’s mood is of a devotee. We should understand that, as big the position is, that much more should be the service mood. But in this world opposite things happen, people’s positions keep raising but their services keeps decreasing and they think themselves ‘Lord’. With position humility should increase. We can see the example of our prime minister, Modiji, for how many hours he sleeps? Only three-four hours. He works for the country for twenty hours a day.

So the most supreme, confidential instruction of Bhagavad Gita, which the Vrajavasis have accepted is-

man-manä bhava mad-bhakto
mad-yäji mäm namaskuru
mäm evaisyasi satyam te
pratijäne priyo ‘si me

Translation-

Always think of Me, become My devotee, worship Me and offer your homage unto Me. Thus you will come to Me without fail. I promise you this because you are My very dear friend. [BG 18.65]

satyam te, Lord is Absolute Truth. He never speaks lie, yet He is saying I am speaking the truth. This is very astonishing thing.

atya-vratam satya-param tri-satyam
satyasya yonim nihitam ca satye
satyasya satyam rta-satya-netram
satyätmakam tväm saranam prapannäh

Translation-

The demigods prayed: O Lord, You never deviate from Your vow, which is always perfect because whatever You decide is perfectly correct and cannot be stopped by anyone. Being present in the three phases of cosmic manifestation-creation, maintenance and annihilation—You are the Supreme Truth. Indeed, unless one is completely truthful, one cannot achieve Your favor, which therefore cannot be achieved by hypocrites. You are the active principle, the real truth, in all the ingredients of creation, and therefore you are known as antaryämi, the inner force. You are equal to everyone, and Your instructions apply for everyone, for all time. You are the beginning of all truth. Therefore, offering our obeisances, we surrender unto You. Kindly give us protection. [SB 10.2.26]

satyätmakam tväm saranam prapannäh, everything pertaining to the Lord is truth. His body is truth, His knowledge is truth, and His pleasure is truth. Sun can not observe darkness, yet if the sun says, ‘I promise you I will not give you darkness.’  This is strange, because where there is sun there is no question of darkness. Similarly here Lord is saying, I am telling you the truth because you are My very dear friend.

Lord wants us back to home. He is not happy seeing us here suffering in this world. He comes as Rama and Shyama. What is the need to come in this world, in this miserable world? Even demigods do not want to come on Bhuloka. When they do come, they do not even touch the earth. But Lord comes time to time. For a mother, her child is dear, even though he is dirty or has passed urine or latrine. She never rejects him. She picks him up lovingly, bathes him, dresses him and then gives him in the lap of his father. Similarly we are children of the Lord. He worries about us. His eternal consort Radharani also worries about us a lot. That is why Lord comes in Radha-bhava.

Then Lord says-

sarva-dharmän parityajya
mäm ekam saranam vraja
aham tväm sarva-päpebhyo
moksayisyämi mä sucah

Translation-

Abandon all varieties of religion and just surrender unto Me. I shall deliver you from all sinful reactions. Do not fear. [BG 18.66]

Abandon all varieties of religion, but how to do it? Who will explain this? Therefore Lord said man-manä bhava mad-bhakto, this is the most important verse of Bhagavad Gita. ‘Become My devotee; give that mind, which you have engaged in the material things, give it to Me, engage it in Me. Rest I will see; you do not worry!’ Many times Lord is saying this in Bhagavad Gita. Mind is superior in all senses. Lord also says-

vedänäm säma-vedo ‘smi
devänäm asmi väsavah
indriyänm manas cäsmi
bhütänäm asmi cetanä

Translation-

Of the Vedas I am the Säma Veda; of the demigods I am Indra, the king of heaven; of the senses I am the mind; and in living beings I am the living force [consciousness]. [BG 10.22]

Sub-them- What is the correct way to listen lectures?

So, this is clear that we should engage our mind in the Lord, but how to do that? Is there anyone to show the method? Rupa Goswami gave eight stages of Bhakti in Bhakti Rasamrta Sindhu. In that ruchi comes after anartha nivrtti. Till there are anarthas in us, mind will not get engaged in the Lord. It is not so easy. Therefore we must need to reach to this anartha nivrtti stage. From this stage our mind starts engaging in the Lord, as we develop taste, ruchi.

ädau sraddhä tatah sädhu-
sango ‘tha bhajana-kriyä
tato ‘nartha-nivrttih syät
tato nisthä rucis tatah
athäsaktis tato bhävas
tatah premäbhyudancati
sädhakänäm ayam premnah
prädurbhäve bhavet kramah

Translation-

In the beginning there must be faith. Then one becomes interested in associating with pure devotees. Thereafter one is initiated by the spiritual master and executes the regulative principles under his orders. Thus one is freed from all unwanted habits and becomes firmly fixed in devotional service. Thereafter, one develops taste and attachment. This is the way of sädhana-bhakti, the execution of devotional service according to the regulative principles. Gradually emotions intensify, and finally there is an awakening of love. This is the gradual development of love of Godhead for the devotee interested in Krsna consciousness. [CC Madhya 23.14-15]

Adau sraddha tatah sadhu-sanga, when we do devotee association, we have to contemplate on their teachings, not only sravan, that we are doing from many years. Is there any progress? Have we checked that? Narada Muni says, adrdham krtam jnanam, there is determination in the knowledge. We listen the class, that is good, but if it is not accepted with determination then that knowledge will not stay with us. Note the important points, then read it and remember it what have I learned.

When Gokarna Maharaj was narrating Bhagavat to Dhundhakari, at that time there were many listeners. All of them listened the narration, but only one plane came. Gokarna was surprised, why there is plane only for one person? Everyone was listening the narration. He asked the Visnudutas, ‘why only one plane?’ They said, everyone was hearing, but some were sleeping and some were neglecting. Some devotees sit in the back, take support of the wall and sleep peacefully. And some devotees keep talking with each other during the class. Others were doing just formality, just time-pass. Plane is for them who have done the endeavors, given their life, did austerities, and applied spiritual master’s words in the life. Plane is for them only. For others there are many vehicles in the material world, but no plane from spiritual world.

So from the stage of Ruchi, mind starts engaging in the Lord. Then comes asakti, where mind is now 50% engaged in the Lord, but yet 50% is in the material things. Then comes bhava, where mind is 75 % in the Lord and 25 % in the material things. Then comes the stage of prema, where mind is completely engaged in the Lord. So, the process is to listen from the seniors, from the spiritual masters with determination and full faith. Contemplate on the instructions and apply them in the life. Those who have followed the process, are successful. Those who have not, they are going from one birth to another. So, how to engage mind? This is the process- ädau sraddhä, sädhu- sanga, bhajana-kriyä, anartha-nivrttih, ruci, asakti, bhava and Prema. These are the stages of Bhakti.

And Caitanya Mahaprabhu has said-

ceto-darpana-märjanam bhava-mahä-dävägni-nirväpanam
sreyah-kairava-candrikä-vitaranam vidyä-vadhü-jivanam
änandämbudhi-vardhanam prati-padam pürnämrtäsvädanam
sarvätma-snapanam param vijayate sri-krsna-sankirtanam

Translation-

Let there be all victory for the chanting of the holy name of Lord Krsna, which can cleanse the mirror of the heart and stop the miseries of the blazing fire of material existence. That chanting is the waxing moon that spreads the white lotus of good fortune for all living entities. It is the life and soul of all education. The chanting of the holy name of Krsna expands the blissful ocean of transcendental life. It gives a cooling effect to everyone and enables one to taste full nectar at every step. [CC Antya 20.12]

Sub-theme- Essence of all scriptures and all methods

Essence of all methods and all scriptures is the Holy name of the Lord. Therefore when Sukadeva Goswami narrated 18000 verses of Bhagavatam, he gave the essence of all those verses.

näma-sankirtanam yasya
sarva-päpa pranäsanam
pranämo duhkha-samanas
tam namämi harim param

Translation-

I offer my respectful obeisances unto the Supreme Lord, Hari, the congregational chanting of whose holy names destroys all sinful reactions, and the offering of obeisances unto whom relieves all material suffering. [SB 12.13.23]

Do not take tension of the sinful activities which are already done, just take proper medicine. Disease is already there because of your negligence, now don’t just sit while crying. Go to good doctor and take proper treatment. Now no more willfulness! Approach the proper doctor.

Sub-theme- Example of ‘man-mana bhava stage’

I will give one example of man-mana bhava. One thing is to engage our mind in the Lord, and another is we make our mind so soft and beautiful, that Lord will get attracted and pull our mind. So, the example is Gopis who engaged their mind in the Lord and even Lord attracted their minds. When Lord was in Vrndavan, He performed many pastimes, then He was going to Mathura with uncle Akrura, and that time Vrajavasis, especially gopis came to Him and said, ‘You are leaving? Okay You can go, but we will lie down in front of the chariot. You ride the chariot upon our bodies. We were alive just for You. When You are not there, then what we will do with this body?’ Then the Lord promised them, ‘I will come back. Do not become morose. When I will see that you are morose, I will be very unhappy.’ So, the Lord left, killed Kamsa, then Jarasandha kept attacking again and again. He attacked seventeen times. Lord thought, lets leave this place. So Lord went to Dwaraka. People fight for the land. Even for small land people give up their life. Lord thought, we will leave this place; you take over. Sometimes father sees that his children are fighting for the land or house. He says, all of you take this whole land, I will stay somewhere on rent. Do not fight. Similarly Lord went to stay in between the ocean. Yet after that one after another thing was going on; family expanded, and all. He had promised, I will return soon, but many years passed by. During these years, what was the condition of vrajavasis and the gopis? Gopis were holding their life in their bodies just to see Krsna. There bodies were burning. When they would lie on flower bed, within minute the flowers would dry completely. So much fire of separation! They do not want anything other than Krsna. He is their life and soul.

Lord was also not peaceful. He used to cry in night while remembering gopis. Therefore one day he asked Uddhava, ‘you to go to Vrndavan and meet my parents. They are feeling deep separation from Me; console them.’ So Uddhava said, okay Prabhu I will do that. Is there anything more to do?’ Lord thought, I have to tell him now. He said, ‘I have My Gopis there. They have left everything and everyone for Me. They left their children, their husband, their family for Me. So, you console them too. Tell them that I will definitely come.’  This is the ultimate stage of Bhakti. Man-mana bhava, Vrajavasis’s mind is so much attached to the Lord, that Lord Himself is very much worried about them. In the family, when the son is obedient and follows parents’ instructions, then parents also think more about him. When the disciples are obedient, the spiritual master also takes more care of them.

So this stage is man-mana bhava. Another thing in which Lord Himself gets attracted, then is our mind pure and beautiful? Our mind is so dirty, bad smell is coming, then how will the Lord get attracted? So, we need to clean our mind, ceto darpana, in the association of the devotees and by serving the devotees. Especially by serving the devotees, Lord becomes very pleased and mind also gets clean very quickly. So when the Lord sees that his mind is cleaned and smelling nicely because of Bhakti, then the Lord attracts the mind. Sometimes mind is beautiful, but many other things are also there. When Sukadeva Goswami heard about the beauty of the Lord, he thought, it is not the case that beautiful person is having all good qualities.’ Many people are very beautiful, but their nature is so bad, that it gets difficult to sit with them just for some time. Therefore nature is very important. So, when our mind is pure and beautiful, the Lord steals it.

Sub-theme- How Lord stole the mind of a Gopi

One example, how Lord steals the mind- Lord was in Vrndavan. As usual He was going for Gocaran pastime along with His friends. When He was going for Gocharan, everyone from Vrndavan, even the birds and animals came to take His darsan. All Vrajavasis left their jobs to see Krsna. Lord also pleased everyone by His activities, by looking at them and by smiling at them. Vrajavasis used to follow Him for long distance. Lord used to say again and again, ‘now you go back.’ Nanda and Yashoda used to follow Him. They used to tell Him again and again, ‘Lala, don’t go far. Return early.’ Lord used to say, ‘Maiya, Baba, I will come soon. You go back.’

One new bride came in Gokula. She had heard about Krsna. Today she felt, ‘let me also see, who is this Krsna?’ Mother in law, sister in law, everyone was leaving to see Krsna; so she also got ready to go. But they told her, ‘you do not come. That snake is very dangerous. Once he bites someone, his poison can not be removed for the entire life. And your heart is very soft. If he will bite you, poison will not be removed for many life times. Therefore you stay at home.’ But she had strong desire to see Krsna. When mother in law and sister in law left, they locked the door from outside. Inside she is trying the way to see Krsna. She saw that there is a small hole in the door. She kept looking from that hole. Chaha basi maname yadi darsa tumhare nihara; she had strong desire to see the Lord. There were queues at both sides of the road. She was desperately trying to have a look of the Lord. Lord was looking at everyone, but His mind was at that gopi, ‘how can I give her darsan?’ So, Lord twisted the tail of one calf. That calf ran and stood exactly in front of the door of that gopi’s house, as if he was a trained calf. Then Lord went behind this calf. The main intention was to given darsan to this gopi. Gopi looked at the Lord and Lord looked at her. That’s it. Her heart was stolen by the Lord through the door of her eyes. She became stunned at one place, holding that form in her mind. Lord left, all Brajavasis left, yet she was stunned at one place. Her mother in law and sister in law came inside. They saw her and shook her. Her body was there but heart was gone with Krsna. ‘See, I told you not to see Him. He has bitten you now.’ After some shaking and all, gopi came back to external consciousness. Mother in law scolded her, ‘I told you not to see Him. Now this poison will not go. Okay, come now. Churn the yogurt.’ She prepared the things for churning. Took churning rod and pot, sat down and started the churning. But there was no yogurt in the pot. Mother in law saw this. Daughter in law is churning in empty pot with closed eyes. She called her, but of no use. That gopi forgot the time and all. We keep checking time again and again, but there time was just passing by and she was absorbed in her meditation. Mother in law shook her, ‘what are you doing?’ She said, ‘I am churning the yogurt.’ ‘Oh really? Where is the yogurt?’ Now she saw that there is no yogurt and don’t know from how long she was churning. Mother in law became angry. She said, ‘you go and bring water.’ She kept three pots on her head and placed her child on her hip and said, ‘go bring water’. She went to bring water. On the well she was supposed to tie the rope on the pot, but she tied the rope around the neck of the child. Other gopis on the well saw this. ‘See, looks like she has gone mad.’ Another gopi said, ‘no, she is not mad. Ghost had haunted her.’ Third gopi said, ‘that is not ghost; that is son of Nanda Maharaj.’ She asked her, ‘what are you doing? Do you want to kill the child?’

So, this is the example of man-mana bhava. When one engages his mind in such a way, then Lord says, mäm evaisyasi satyam te pratijäne priyo ‘si me, I promise you, you will come back to My abode in this lifetime.

Okay, Hare Krsna!

Hare Krsna,
Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada. All glories to Guru Maharaja.
Below is the English transcription of Guru Maharaja’s talk in Hindi during the japa
Session, 25th April 2024.

Dhira Chaitanya and his wife are chanting together. Patita Pavan is also chanting. Why are only some husbands chanting. Are they chanting separately? Krsna Lila mataji, God sees everything.

Firstly, He sees us chanting. He is Sakshi. The Lord is happy to see His devotees

chanting. Then Guru becomes pleased and Vaisnavas are also pleased. Someone  from Solapur, Mauritius, Nagpur should take up the responsibility to check who is not chanting. Syamalangi can find out who all are not chanting in the Middle East Like that you can all find out.

All of you who are chanting on this forum get the credit. Krsna takes note of your efforts. We don’t only want to be bhajananandi, but gostianandi. So when we do bhajan by ourselves it’s bhajananandi and when we ask others to do and make an effort it’s gostianandi. Krsna is very pleased with those devotees who asks others to do. Some selfishness is there is bhajanand. In gostianandi there is parmaar/paropkar.

Caitanya Mahaprabhu says:

bhārata-bhūmite haila manuṣya janma yāra
janma sārthaka kari’ kara para-upakāra

Translation:

“One who has taken his birth as a human being in the land of India [Bhārata-varṣa] should make his life successful and work for the benefit of all other people.” (CC Adi 9.41)

Chant and make others chant. Read Scriptures and make others read. Honour

prasada and serve prasada to others. Go to temple for darshan and take 10 to 15 with you for darshan. Go on yatras. Come to Vrndavana, Pandharpur and Mayapur Bring your friends. Vasudeva kutumbakam. We have a big family. The whole

world is a family. “We 2 and our 2”  – finished. No! Prabhupada has given us ISKCON where the entire world can live. We are ISKCONvasis like Mayapur-, Ayodhya-, Vrndavanavasis. I never said ISKCONvasi before.You can also use this term. Make the entire world ISKCONvasis.

We can become  a Zoom temple vasi. Para dukha dukhi. Seeing others dukhi we become dukhi. Vaisnavas know the suffering of others and want to do something about it. Why did Prabhupada go to the West at the age of 70? Para dukha dukhi. He did not just worry about his own suffering.  Rather a Vaisnava thinks of the suffering of others too.They have the solution as well. Do you know ?

ami bina bandhu ara ke ache tomara

Caitanya Mahaprabhu is our Bandhu and so assist others to also establish their

relation with Caitanya Mahaprabhu.

tomare loite ami hoinu avatara

Got the medicine to give you all. You are diseased, so have got Harinama. It’s

the medicine for Krishna consciousness  – Gita, Bhagavad. Prasada is the medicine. Only I should not be worried why only so few are chanting or why so few are there on this zoom session from Surat or Nagpur. Take the responsibility Anand Prada Mataji and others. Shorten the burden or shoulder the burden. Take the burden. Don’t leave the burden on my shoulder. Shouldering the burden or burdening the shoulder. We can give relief. Help! Help!

Devotees from Mongolia are chanting? Do you know where Mongolia is?It is above China. From there one elderly mataji is chanting. I was saying Krsna is Sakshi. Krsna says so, so I am repeating. Where I am sitting in Vrndavana Dhama from here I am getting darshan of Surya Narayan. He is looking at me. So the thought came to mind how the Lord is a witness/Sakshi. He is looking at me and that mataji from Mongolia and He is seeing all. If Suryadev is watching it means the Lord is watching. Sakshi suryo Krsna says in Gita. The sun and moon are the eyes of the Lord. During the day the sun sees and at night the moon. Krsna becomes Sakshi.

You will find this Sakshi list in Ajamila katha. The sun and moon are mentioned who together see all. Surya who is the Lord’s eyes sees and shows. Have you thought about this? If there is no light then how can the eyes see.You might be proud of your eyes, but if there is no Suryadev light on any place or person, then we cannot see. No one can. We are TOTALLY dependent on Krsna from every angle.

prakṛiteḥ kriyamāṇāni guṇaiḥ karmāṇi sarvaśhaḥ
ahankāra-vimūḍhātmā kartāham iti manyate

Translation:

All activities are carried out by the three modes of material nature. But in ignorance, the soul, deluded by false identification with the body, thinks of itself as the doer. (BG 3.27)

A foolish soul thinks I do, I see. You are nothing without God

yadi hyahaṁ na varteyaṁ jātu karmaṇyatandritaḥ
mama vartmānuvartante manuṣhyāḥ pārtha sarvaśhaḥ

Translation:

For if I did not carefully perform the prescribed duties, O Parth, all men would follow My path in all respects. (BG 3.23)

As Krsna shows, we see. We are not independent, but fully dependent.

It’s amazing. Surya Bhagwan is there who spreads light in the entire Brahmanda. Just like a tube light or light bulb brings light to room. That also only comes from Sun. From agni we get light. Surya has Agni. We cannot analyze the shakti of the Lord so we need to bow down. Offer namaskar to Surya.

aise sri Bhagwan ko barambar pranam he.

Everyday offer obeisances to the Sun God. He takes care of our health.

kṛṣṇa — sūrya-sama; māyā haya andhakāra
yāhāṅ kṛṣṇa, tāhāṅ nāhi māyāra adhikāra

Translation:

“Kṛṣṇa is compared to sunshine, and māyā is compared to darkness. Wherever there is sunshine, there cannot be darkness. As soon as one takes to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, the darkness of illusion (the influence of the external energy) will immediately vanish.( CC Madhya lila 22.31)

So when Sun is there, Krsna is there. Maya is very far away. God’s name is KRSNA.  Stay with Harinama. Take association of Harinama Prabhu. Take shelter and remember Harinama. Take Harinama and give Harinama. There is anything to give except Harinama. Krsna is tomaar.

Whatever realisations you have of Krsna, share it with others. Keep chanting. I am becoming an obstacle in your japa.

Hare Krsna Hare Krsna Krsna Krsna Hare Hare – Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare

Your fallen servant

Shyamalangi d.d

Date: 24 April 2024 
Speaker: HG Uddhav Prabhu Ji
Topic: Glories of Hanuman
HG Uddhav Prabhu Ji:

HareKrishna!
Lord has many incarnations. From them, lord Ram isone of the foremost.

Śrī brahma-saṁhitā 5.39:

rāmādi-mūrtiṣukalā-niyamenatiṣṭhan
nānāvatāramakarodbhuvaneṣukintu
kṛṣṇaḥsvayaṁsamabhavatparamaḥpumānyo
govindamādi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁbhajāmi

Translation:

I worship Govinda, the primeval Lord, who manifested Himself personally as Kṛṣṇa and the different avatāras in the world in the forms of Rāma, Nṛsiṁha, Vāmana, etc., as His subjective portions.

He comes along with his associates.

Saranagati by Bhaktivinode Thakur:

sri-krsna-caitanya prabhu jibe doyakori
swa-parsadaswiyadhamasahaabatori

Translation:

Out of compassion for the fallen souls, Sri Krisna Caitanya came to this world with His personal associates and divine abode to teache saranagati, surrender to the almighty Godhead, and to freely distribute ecstatic love of God, which is ordinarily very difficult to obtain. This saranagati is the very life of the true devotee

Many demigods appear to serve the lord in different forms.So, Hanuman, who serves as a servant, is the son of Vayu Deva, the wind God, and also the 11th incarnation of Rudra, Lord Shiva.
We should get his mercy as he is the Acharya of service and Bhakti. We are all trying to get service and devotional service following Rupa Goswami.

Cc. Madhya 19.170:

sarvopādhi-vinirmuktaṁ
tat-paratvenanirmalam
hṛṣīkeṇahṛṣīkeśa-
sevanaṁbhaktirucyate

Translation:

‘Bhakti, or devotional service, means engaging all our senses in the service of the Lord, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the master of all the senses. When the spirit soul renders service unto the Supreme, there are two side effects. One is freed from all material designations, and one’s senses are purified simply by being employed in the service of the Lord.’

We often hear from Guru Maharaj that we always see Sita, Ram, and Laxman facing the public, but Hanuman is always facing the lord.Sitting in a ready-to-go position, so, for instance, he can get up and do service.Srila Prabhupada Said Hanuman is our Guru.

Hanuman Chalisa, Chopai-37: 
Jai JaiJai Hanuman Gosain
Kripa karahugurudev ki nai

Translation:

Oh Lord Hanumanji! Glory to you, glory to you, glory to you.   Please bless me like a merciful Shri Guruji.

He is teaching us how we can be immersed in the Lord’s service.There are 9 limb of devotion and each one has an Acharya.

SB 7.5.23:

śrī-prahrādauvāca
śravaṇaṁkīrtanaṁviṣṇoḥ
smaraṇaṁpāda-sevanam
arcanaṁvandanaṁdāsyaṁ
sakhyamātma-nivedanam

itipuṁsārpitāviṣṇau
bhaktiścennava-lakṣaṇā
kriyetabhagavatyaddhā
tan manye ’dhītamuttamam

Translation:

Prahlāda Mahārāja said: Hearing and chanting about the transcendental holy name, form, qualities, paraphernalia and pastimes of Lord Viṣṇu, remembering them, serving the lotus feet of the Lord, offering the Lord respectful worship with sixteen types of paraphernalia, offering prayers to the Lord, becoming His servant, considering the Lord one’s best friend, and surrendering everything unto Him (in other words, serving Him with the body, mind and words) — these nine processes are accepted as pure devotional service. One who has dedicated his life to the service of Kṛṣṇa through these nine methods should be understood to be the most learned person, for he has acquired complete knowledge.

Hearing is the first process.

CC Madhya 22.107:

nitya-siddha kṛṣṇa-prema ‘sādhya’ kabhunaya
śravaṇādi-śuddha-cittekarayeudaya

Translation:

Pure love for Kṛṣṇa is eternally established in the hearts of the living entities. It is not something to be gained from another source. When the heart is purified by hearing and chanting, this love naturally awakens.

Sravan or hearing Acharya – Parikshit Maharaj,

Kirtan Acharya – Sukdeva Goswami,

Smaranam- PrahladMaharaj,

Archanam – Prithu Maharaj,

Vandanam – Akrur ji,

Dasyam – Hanuman,

Sakhyam – Arjun, Balarama,

PaadSevanam – Laxmi Ji,

Atma Nivedanam – Bali Maharaj

No one is a greater servant than Hanuman.There are five mellows in devotion. Of all the twelve mellows, the root is Dasyaor servitude.We see Mother Sita or Radha Rani, be in parental or conjugal all have the intent of service.So, Dasya is prominant.
Prominent. So, from Hanuman, we should learn how to service.Serve in all way mind, Body and soul.

We celebrated Hanuman Jayanti in Hadapsar. His birth pastime is also wonderful.

In Valmiki ramayan it is mentioned that hanuman Jambavant and other monkeys had reached the south bank and there they metSampati, brother of Jatayu, the vulture. Who had burnt all his feathers in a challenge to race to the sun.So, he said he can see Ravan taking a lady there and that lady is crying, sitting in a corner of a garden. So, to confirm some had to cross the ocean and go to the island.So, nobody was able to go and come back. But Hanuman was quiet.Jambavan then reminded himof his divine birth and power.

Hanuman was the son of Kesari, king of monkeys and Anjani. Anjani was a damsel in heaven, Kunjikastalawho was very fickle and used to distracteveryone.So, Durvasa Rsi cursed that you are jumping around like a monkey, so, may you become a monkey.She immediately asked for forgiveness. So, Durvasa was pleased and so he said you can take any form and lord Shiva will appear as your son.So, she was born into the family of King Viraj and was later married to Kesari. She did penance for 7000 years to please lord Shiva and solord shiva appeared as his son

In Prabhas Kshetra,many Rsis were doing sacrifice. A big elephant was troubling them seeing this. Kesari, the monkey came and tackled the monkey and finished the trouble.So, he was blessed by the Rsi Bhardwaj. Rsi asked to take a boon from him. He asked, “May I have a son who can take any form? and be as valorous and strong as lord shiva.So, this was the background of Hanuman’s birth.

Another damsel, Swarchala, was cursed by Brahma and she was made a vulture.She was told that when Dasharath would be given the special sweet rice for his queens to conceive a child.So, when you steal the portion from Kaikeyi and give to Anjani, this will be Hanuman. and you will be delivered from this curse.

The proof is in Hanuman Chalisa where Lord Rama says you are dear to me as Bharat.

Hanuman chalisa:

Raghupati Kinhi bahut badai. Tum mam priye Bharat-hi sam bhai

Translation:

Oh Pawansut!   Shri Ramchandraji praised you a lot and said that you are a brother like my Bharat.

Once Anjani was worshiping lord Sun. She felt that the wind was touching her. She became very angry and asked who was coming before me.So, wind got appeared and said please donot curse me.I’m here to complete the wish of lord Shiva and give you a son that will be serve lord Rama in His Pastimes.

Hanuman chalisa:

Shankar suvan Kesari Nandan
Tej Pratap Maha Jag Vandan

Translation:

O Kesari Nandan, the incarnation of Shankar, your bravery and great fame is worshiped worldwide.

How the part of lord Shiva come with Kesari?

When in the churning of the ocean,Lord Shiva took the poison and held it in his throat, so he went away from there.There, Krishna took the Mohini form and gave Amrita to all the demigods. Later, heard about the Mohini form which lord Shiva missed.So, Shiva asked to see the form.Lord said it’s not appropriate for saintly people to see. Shiva said that what form of your is not appropriate for the devotees?So, on pursuing the lord showed him the form of Mohini. And Shiva became mad in love and even in front of his wife, he started chasing Mohini.His divine sperms that spread around took the form of gold minesand some Rsis held it in their pots and this was later given to Anjani.That’s why Hanuman Ji is also called as 11th Rudra.

Hanuman was born at around sunset and when he saw the sun, he thought of the sun as a big red fruit.So, he jumps to eat the sun.Seeing this Indra struck him with his thunderbolt.Hanuman fell down and had a swelling in his chin or hanu.So, he got the name Hanuman.Seeing this, the wind god stopped flowing and the entire world was perturbed.But all the demigods headed by Brahma consoled Vayu and gave various boons and powersto Hanuman the little boy.

Later, the Rsis on being tormented by little Hanuman cursed that he shall forget his powers.As he is very naughty. A mother’s nature surely transfers to his child.

But, on reminding he will get his powers back at the appropriate time.So, when he was reminded by Jambavant, he got all his powers back. Fulfilled the task of Lord Rama.He makes it possible to meet lord Rama with Mother Sita.

Like this, there are various pastimes.A pastime is that he shows lord Rama and Mother Sita by tearing his chest.

I’ll tell you one special pastime.When Rama became king.Once, the king of Kashi came there. Narada Muni once told him that you should offer respect to all but not to Vishwamitra. Vishwamitra was angry and he complained to Lord Rama that I got no respect.

Rama became angry that is an offense against His spiritual master. He said I’ll kill him and he will not see the sunrise tomorrow. So, he took three special arrows for this.

When King ofKashi came to know, he begged Narada to save him, as he had put him in this trouble.Narada starts laughing and said I have arranged everything.Nothing will happen to you.Come with me and don’t say anything but cry and ask for forgiveness and help and protection. So,Narada Muni took him to Mother Anjani.Where the king started crying.Anjana hearing this said,“I’ll protect. stop crying.”But on hearing lord Rama had vowed to kill him, how can i save him?So, she called her son Hanuman.

When Lord sleeps Hunaman used to come to serve his mother.Seeing Mother distressed he asked her what is it.Mother said to make a promise you will complete my task.I have given the promise to King Kashi to save him from lord Rama. On hearing the task. Hanuman asked what to do.I saw the lord take three arrows aside for his death.How can I save him?

Mother said you are intelligent, so think of something and keep your promise.Hanuman then said the name is greater than the lord himself.Many have been delivered just by name.Tulsidas said that even Rama cannot explain the power of his own name.

Sri Rama Charit Manas:

Apatuajamilugajuganikau. They became free from the power of the name of Hari.
Kahaun Kahan Lagi Naam Badai. Ramu nasakahin naam gun gai

Translation:

The despicable Ajamil, Gaja and Ganika (prostitute) also became free from the influence of the name of Shri Hari. How much can I praise the name, even Ram cannot sing the praises of the name.

Hanuman assured the king of Kashi that he would surely save him. Now he should take some rest.

So,the next day lord Rama put his arrow and shot it.Hanuman made the king take a bath in River Sarayu and told him to chant this mantra with devotion:

Raja RamaRamaRama… Raja Rama RamaRama… Raja Rama RamaRama… Raja Rama RamaRama

He started chanting in the river.The arrow saw the king engrossed in chanting,and circumambulating,and thearrow went back to Lord Rama.Lord Rama and Vishvamitra were surprised.

He sent another arrow. So, Hanuman gave the next mantra:

Sita Rama RamaRama… Sita Rama RamaRama… Sita Rama RamaRama… Sita Rama RamaRama

With Sita, the mantra became more powerful.Now the third arrow was sentand the thirdmantra was given,which saved him again:

Sita Rama Hanuman…. Sita Rama Hanuman… Sita Rama Hanuman… Sita Rama Hanuman….

Narada Muni came to Lord Rama and told that the name of the Lord protects.

Vaishnav Song, Udiloarunapuraba-bhage, by Bhakti Vinod Thakur:

jivana anitya janahasar,
tahe nana-vidhavipada-bhar,
namasrayakori’ jatanetumi,
thakahaapanakaje

Translation:

This temporary life is full of various miseries. Take shelter of the holy name as your only business.

Narad Muni further said,” If Arrow will kill the king of Kashi, then the glories of the Holy Name will fade, and if your arrows will not complete its task then your glory will fade away. This is a great dilemma.”

But Lord Ramasaid that how can I please guru?It will be alright if will get defamed, but my Guru should be pleased at any cost.

So,Narada Muni asked the king to go to Vishwamitraand offer obeisances. Vishwamitra forgave himimmediately.

The saintly people’s anger is only until one surrenders (Pranaamant). The evil people’s anger stays till death(Praanant).

Vishwamitra asked lord Rama to leave him as he had come to his shelter.

Narad Muni was asked why he created such troubling situations.Narada Muni said that he was trying to show the Holy Name is the greatest. Even lord Rama can not kill the person who is chanting His name.

Hare Krishna!

Topic: Balrama Rasa Purnima
Date:  23^thApril 2024
Speaker: HH Lokanath Swami Maharaj
HH Lokanath Swami Guru Maharaj:

Gauranga!

Krishna Balrama ki Jai!

om namobhagavatevasudevayanamah

How many Vasudeva are there? You think that only onevasudev is there. But Balrama is also Vasudev because he is also Vasudev’s son. Vasudev should haveideally  8 children but he had 2 sons left and that’s why they are called Vasudev. So, Krishna and Balarama both are Vasudev.

There are many tithis today. Today is ShyamanandPandit’s appearance day, Baldev Rasa Purnima and Chaitra Purnima. Today Balram plays rasa dance. And of course, it happens in Vrindavan but not in Vaikunth, Mathura, Dwarka, Ayodhya. It happens only in Vrindavan. So again it is a matter of ignorance, we think that only Krishna plays Rasa dance but Balram also plays it.

Śrī brahma-saṁhitā 5.33

advaitamacyutamanādimananta-rūpam
ādyaṁpurāṇa-puruṣaṁnava-yauvanaṁ ca
vedeṣudurlabhamadurlabhamātma-bhaktau
govindamādi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁbhajāmi

Translation

I worship Govinda, the primeval Lord, who is inaccessible to the Vedas, but obtainable by pure unalloyed devotion of the soul, who is without a second, who is not subject to decay, is without a beginning, whose form is endless, who is the beginning, and the eternal puruṣa; yet He is a person possessing the beauty of blooming youth.

kesavadhrita-sukara-rupajayajagadisa hare(Text 3)
(Sri Dasavatara-stotraby Jayadeva Gosvami)

Translation

0 Kesava! O Lord of the universe! O Lord Hari, who have assumed the form of a boar!

Krishna hasmany forms-Rama, Narhari etc.

kesavadhrita-haladhara-rupajayajagadisa hare (Text 8)

Translation

0 Kesava! O Lord of the universe! O Lord Hari, who have assumed the form of the wielder of
the plow!

In these forms,only  Balaram is a form who plays rasa dance with gopisand is competent to do so. And other forms have one Laxmi or Alahadnishakti.

Śrī brahma-saṁhitā 5.29

cintāmaṇi-prakara-sadmasukalpa-vṛkṣa-
lakṣāvṛteṣusurabhīrabhipālayantam
lakṣmī-sahasra-śata-sambhrama-sevyamānaṁ
govindamādi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁbhajāmi

Translation

I worship Govinda, the primeval Lord, the first progenitor who is tending the cows, yielding all desire, in abodes built with spiritual gems, surrounded by millions of purpose trees, always served with great reverence and affection by hundreds of thousands of lakṣmīs or gopīs.

But Govinda adipurush has lakhs of Laxmis, similarly Balrama also has many crores of gopis who are ready to serve Balram and plays rasa lila with him. So today is the day- Chaitra Purnima. Since this is Vasant season so it isalso  called asVasant Rasa as well. We are aware of Sharad Purnima where Krsna’s rasa is known. Balrama appeared on Purnima and Krsna appeared on Astami. Balram plays rasa lila today in Vrindavan today on Chaitra Purnima. This description of rasa lila is vividly done in five chapters- Rasa panchadhayay Krsna

SB 10.65- Sukadeva Goswami describes Balaram’s Vrindavan visit and mentions about his rasa dance.

Uddhaumohibrajbisaratnahi- by Surdas

So Krsna says to Uddhav in Mathura  that I cannot forget Vrindavan and the Vrajvasis .I cannot go to Vrindavan but you can go and take my message to them. Please pacify the gopis. Krsna and Balrama have now left Mathura, as they depart from Vrindavan:

SoduniyaGopinna Krishna Mathuresi Gela

You all listen to this. The demons came here. I have to cut it short to narrate Balrama’s Rasa pastimes.When Akura came, he took them to Mathura. So when he was departing from Vraja, so Krishna and Balarama said that they will come soon but  spenteighteen  years in Mathura and then went to Dwaraka and they spent so many years there and in Vrajaeveryday theVrajavasis waited for them. When will they return.So letters were exchanged between them and postman used to bring letters for Vraj vasis. They also wrote their hearts out in letters and everytime when they used to hear the messages from Krishna, they used to be very eager to listen to it. SoKrishna and Balrama have many responsibilities and Krishna had 16108 marriages and each had 10 sons. Dwarikadeesh is now the king and in Vrindavan he used to take care of the cows but now he is looking after the residents of Dwaraka as well. Now he is very busy, both of them and Dwarakavasis don’t let them go. When they go, then they will never came back. So Krsna sends Balarama from Dwaraka to Vrindavan and Dwarakavasis are ok with that. They believed that he will come back because Krsna is here. He cannot stay without Krishna.

ŚB 10.65.1

śrī-śukauvāca
balabhadraḥ kuru-śreṣṭha
bhagavānrathamāsthitaḥ
suhṛd-didṛkṣurutkaṇṭhaḥ
prayayaunanda-gokulam

Translation

Śukadeva Gosvāmī said: O best of the Kurus, once Lord Balarāma, eager to visit His well-wishing friends, mounted His chariot and traveled to Nanda Gokula.

Suka goswami tells Parskshit Maharaj that Balrama who is God is sitting on his chariot and going to Vrindavan to meet their well wishers and he is very excited to go. Vrajvasis were also excited to him. Vrindavan dham ki jai. So, he reaches Vrindavan. Hari Hari. Now what should we fallen souls can think of both of their excitement to meet each other after fifty-sixty years.

We know that Rama, Laxman and Sita came back after 14 years of exile,  they reached Ayodhya so at that time both of the parties were excited to meet and when they came down the Pushpak Viman andall  mothers , Bharat and Shatughan  they welcomed them and it was like a grand meetup. Vraj vasis had more VirahaBhaav than them. Their love for Krishna and Balrama cannot be compared with Ayodhya vasis or Vaikunth vasis but as per spiritual point of view they have minute differences. This happedned in Vrindavan. Balramatouches the feet of elderly people in Vraja and meets his friends and hugs them and those who are younger, so they touch Balrama’s feet. So this is Vaishanava etiquette. He meets everyone. So think that they met after so many years and then they ask how are you? So we just say a few lines and ask about relatives, neighbours, wife and children and ask about the business. Balrama asks about everyone and they also ask Balrama. This is possible that Balrama might haveexpanded  and they had one to one conversations with them just like a lightening reaches from one point to another. So this is shastric knowledge. So they said

ŚB 10.65.9

gopyohasantyaḥpapracchū
rāma-sandarśanādṛtāḥ
kaccidāstesukhaṁkṛṣṇaḥ
pura-strī-jana-vallabhaḥ

Translation

[ŚukadevaGosvāmī continued:] Honored to have the personal audience of Lord Balarāma, the young gopīs smiled and asked Him, “Is Kṛṣṇa, the darling of the city women, living happily?

ŚB 10.65.10

kaccitsmarativābandhūn
pitaraṁmātaraṁ ca saḥ
apyasaumātaraṁdraṣṭuṁ
sakṛdapyāgamiṣyati
apivāsmarate ’smākam
anusevāṁmahā-bhujaḥ

Translation

“Does He remember His family members, especially His father and mother? Do you think He will ever come back even once to see His mother? And does mighty-armed Kṛṣṇa remember the service we always did for Him?

Balarama now Krsna is surrounded with wives and children does he remember us?

Does he remember his friends, father, mother andgopis? So Balrama brings his message from Krishna and than shares it with each and every friend, gopi, cows, father and mother and he misses all. So this message is for everyone and Balrama pacifies everyone. So this meeting continued for two months.

ŚB 10.65.17

dvaumāsautatracāvātsīn
madhuṁmādhavaṁeva ca
rāmaḥkṣapāsubhagavān
gopīnāṁratimāvahan

Translation

Lord Balarāma, the Personality of Godhead, resided there for the two months of Madhu and Mādhava, and during the nights He gave His cowherd girlfriends conjugal pleasure.

Sofor these two months – Madhu and Madhav or Chaitra and Vaishak Lord Balarama stayed in Vrindavan. And then it is written that every night he used to play Rasa with gopis and today was a mega event. Wehave to understand this that Balrama has his own gopis he cannot play rasa with Krsna’s gopis. He does not play rasa with Srimati Radharani and Balarama has his own gopis and he has Madhurya bhaavand shringar rasa relations with some of the Vrindavan devotees. So today they performed Rasalilatoday on Purnima.

ŚB 10.65.18

pūrṇa-candra-kalā-mṛṣṭe
kaumudī-gandha-vāyunā
yamunopavanereme
sevitestrī-gaṇairvṛtaḥ

Translation

In the company of numerous women, Lord Balarāma enjoyed in a garden by the Yamunā River. This garden was bathed in the rays of the full moon and caressed by breezes bearing the fragrance of night-blooming lotuses.

So mild and cool breezesare flowingand at the banks of Yamuna and he is surrounded by thousand of Gopis about to play rasa dance with them. This happened in Rama Ghat in Vrindavan.

Sri VrajaDhamaMahimamrta  byKrsnadasaKaviraja Goswami

Jai Ram-ghat, Jaya Rohini-nandan।
Jai Jai Vrindavan, Basi-jat-jan॥ (7)

Translation

All glories to Rama-ghata, where Lord Balarama performed His rasa dance. All glories to Lord Balarama, the son of Rohini. All glories, all glories to all of the residents of Vrindavana.

When we go to Vraj Mandal Parikrama for example in Khelan Van, so Vrindavan is famous for ghats- Keshi ghat, Vishram ghat. So Ram ghat is famous and Ram’s darshan is also there and when you see him holding a cup of Varuni and when we reach Rama ghat we see a lot of beehives are on the trees and this is a rare sight to see .He likes Varuni and it makes us remember this. Children show the snake dance there and Balarama’s one form is Anant sesha, which is one of the forms of Balarama and Krishna lies on Balaram. So, children earn some money from that.

ŚB 10.65.19

varuṇa-preṣitādevī
vāruṇīvṛkṣa-koṭarāt
patantī tad vanaṁsarvaṁ
sva-gandhenādhyavāsayat

Translation

Sent by the demigod Varuṇa, the divine vāruṇī liquor flowed from a tree hollow and made the entire forest even more fragrant with its sweet aroma.

Varun deva send Varuni and he made it available for him and when Balarama drinks it,

ŚB 10.65.23

upagīyamāna-carito
vanitābhirhalāyudha
vaneṣuvyacaratkṣīvo
mada-vihvala-locanaḥ

Translation

As His deeds were sung, Lord Halāyudha wandered as if inebriated among the various forests with His girlfriends. His eyes rolled from the effects of the liquor.

Balaramais intoxicated and his eyes are like a drunken man and he performs his rasa dance. The environment is nice, moon is there, and as it begins many demigods come to see this event. As he wanted to start the Rasa dance, so Balaram sees that why is Yamuna not coming here and it should be here. So he thought Yamuna should come near this area so that rasa dance should be done near the bank of Yamuna but Yamuna was doing some delays similarly like the ocean was also delaying at the time of Rama when he wanted to cross the ocean.So just as Rama was angered then Balaram was also angry:

ŚB 10.65.26

pāpetvaṁmāmavajñāya
yan nāyāsimayāhutā
neṣyetvāṁlāṅgalāgreṇa
śatadhākāma-cāriṇīm

Translation

[Lord Balarāma said:] O sinful one disrespecting Me, you do not come when I call you but rather move only by your own whim. There fore with the tip of My plow I shall bring you here in a hundred streams!

So you are not coming according to my desire, now I will show you and he picks up his plough and brings her near him. Before this only Yamuna appears and she said that:

ŚB 10.65.28

rāmarāmamahā-bāho
najānetavavikramam
yasyaikāṁśenavidhṛtā
jagatījagataḥ pate

Translation

[Goddess Yamunā said:] Rāma, Rāma, O mighty-armed one! I know nothing of Your prowess. With a single portion of Yourself  You hold up the earth, O Lord of the universe.

ŚB 10.65.29

paraṁbhāvaṁbhagavato
bhagavanmāmajānatīm
moktumarhasiviśvātman
prapannāṁ bhakta-vatsala

Translation

My Lord, please release me. O soul of the universe, I didn’t understand Your position as the Supreme Godhead, but now I have surrendered unto You, and You are always kind to Your devotees.

I forgot your strength, valour and I am your devotee and I am under your shelter. Please forgive me.So, this is a noteworthy point, Prabhupada disciples have written this, the place where Rama ghat is there, where he got angry and wanted to bring Yamuna. So there the river bed of Yamuna is very broad. It happened in the same place where he performed his pastimes. Yamuna comes to Balarama and whatever description  of Rasa dance is there on Krsna Purnima , a similar description is given here as well, because Balaram is the first expansion of Krsna and then he further expands and Srila Prabhupada writes that he is 98% Krsna. Only colour difference is there- one is black- Ghanshyam other is white- Balrama. Soin  the rasa dance, Jhulan yatra is performed along with water sports.

ŚB 10.65.30

tatovyamuñcadyamunāṁ
yācitobhagavānbalaḥ
vijagāhajalaṁstrībhiḥ
kareṇubhirivebha-rāṭ

Translation

[Śukadeva Gosvāmī continued:] The reupon Lord Balarāma released the Yamunā and, like the king of the elephants with his entourage of she-elephants, entered the river’s water with His female companions.

Balram enters Yamuna with the gopis and just like elephant plays with his female counterparts similarly he plays with them.

ŚB 10.65.31

kāmaṁvihṛtyasalilād
uttīrṇāyāsītāmbare
bhūṣaṇānimahārhāṇi
dadaukāntiḥśubhāṁsrajam

Translation

The Lord played in the water to His full satisfaction, and when He came out Goddess Kānti presented Him with blue garments, precious ornaments and a brilliant necklace.

So Kanti devi after snan gives Balrama a lot of clothes and ornaments. Balram wears blue always and he is called Nilambarand Krishna is called Pitambar. He wears a lot of garlands.

ŚB 10.65.32

vasitvāvāsasīnīle
mālāṁāmucyakāñcanīm
reyesv-alaṅkṛtolipto
māhendraivavāraṇaḥ

Translation

Lord Balarāma dressed Himself in the blue garments and put on the gold necklace. Anointed with fragrances and beautifully adorned, He appeared as resplendent as Indra’s royal elephant.

ŚB 10.65.34

evaṁsarvāniśāyātā
ekevaramatovraje
rāmasyākṣipta-cittasya
mādhuryairvraja-yoṣitām

Translation

Thus for Lord Balarāma all the nights passed like a single night as He enjoyed in Vraja, His mind enchanted by the exquisite charm and beauty of Vraja’s young ladies.

So it is like Sharad Purnima, we think that this rasayatra continued for one night and this night so expanded so much that a lot of nights was combined in one and it kept on going. It continued till one night of Brahma. So these are Achintya things. Balarama has conjugal relationships with his gopis

So in this way he celebrates this long Purnima with his gopis and he plays with them.

Nitai Gaur Premanande. Hari Haribol. Jai Balaram. Jai Chaitra Rasa Purnima in Vrindavan.

Sri Tulasi-Aarti

mora eiabhilāṣa, vilāsakuñjediovāsa
nayanaheribosadāyugala-rūpa-rāśi (Text 3)

Translation

My desire is that you will also grant me a residence in the pleasure groves of Sri Vrndavana-dhama. Thus, within my vision I will always behold the beautiful pastimes of Radha and Krsna.

Tulasi is both Krishna and Balaram’s Preyasi and she should give us residence in this vilaskunj. Nikunjas are in Vrindavan only and not in the vyomspiritual sky.

Śrī brahma-saṁhitā 5.43

goloka-nāmninija-dhāmni tale ca tasya
devi maheśa-hari-dhāmasuteṣuteṣu
teteprabhāva-nicayāvihitāś ca yena
govindamādi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁbhajāmi

Translation

Lowest of all is located Devī-dhāma [mundane world], next above it is Maheśa-dhāma [abode of Maheśa]; above Maheśa-dhāma is placed Hari-dhāma [abode of Hari] and above them all is located Kṛṣṇa’s own realm named Goloka. I adore the primeval Lord Govinda, who has allotted their respective authorities to the rulers of those graded realms.

Golok has Mathura, Dwaraka.

vrndavanamparityajyapadamekamnagacchati-
(Yamal tantra quoted in Laghu Bhagavatam 1.5.461)

So this Vrindavan is never left by them and this rasa dance of Krishna and Balaram is performed there only.

Gauranga Bolite Habe Pulaka Sarira by Narottama Dasa Thakura

viṣayachāriyākabeśuddha ha ‘be mana
kabehāmaherabośrī-bṛndābana (Text 3)

TRANSLATION

When the mind is completely purified, being freed from material anxieties and desires, then I shall be able to understand Vrndavana and the conjugal love of Radha and Krsna, and then my spiritual life will be successful.

So we should think about this Vrindavan. We should think about this and meditate on this.

Papachivasananakodaudola
Tyahuniandhalabarachmi-

(by Saint Tukaram)

We should leave bad desires and we should pray that -make me blind if I see with this bad activities with my  eyesight.

Narottama das  thakur says when we will be free from this? For loving devotees, Krishna Balarama and  Vrindavan is there and only they can enter Vrindavan and not Kamis who stay in this material world. So when we are filled with this Kama vasna and then we take repeated birth in Jaipur etc. So this will be our condition. This is accessible for loving devotees only. This pastime is only available for them. When we leave these sex desires and material allurements, then we will be able to enter the pastimes of Radha and Krishna.

CC Antya 20.12

ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanaṁ bhava-mahā-dāvāgni-nirvāpaṇaṁ
śreyaḥ-kairava-candrikā-vitaraṇaṁvidyā-vadhū-jīvanam
ānandāmbudhi-vardhanaṁprati-padaṁpūrṇāmṛtāsvādanaṁ
sarvātma-snapanaṁparaṁvijayateśrī-kṛṣṇa-saṅkīrtanam

Translation

“ ‘Let there be all victory for the chanting of the holy name of Lord Kṛṣṇa, which can cleanse the mirror of the heart and stop the miseries of the blazing fire of material existence. That chanting is the waxing moon that spreads the white lotus of good fortune for all living entities. It is the life and soul of all education. The chanting of the holy name of Kṛṣṇa expands the blissful ocean of transcendental life. It gives a cooling effect to everyone and enables one to taste full nectar at every step.’

When we dochetodarpan, then we will be able to see these pastimes- Drishti gochar. Then we will understand this.

Sri Tulasi-Aarti
einivedanadhara, sakhīraanugata koro
sevā-adhikāradiye koro nījadāsī (Text 4)

TRANSLATION

I beg you to make me a follower of the cowherd damsels of Vraja. Please give me the privilege of devotional service and make me your own maidservant.

We have to accept Anugatya, become a follower of follower.

Śikṣāṣṭakam

tṛṇādapisunīcenatarorapisahiṣṇunāamānināmānadenakīrtanīyaḥsadāhariḥ (Text 3)

One should always sing the names of Hari while considering oneself to be lower than grass, more tolerant than a tree, not desiring any honour for oneself and being respectful to others.

We have to follow this sadhna and then only we will be sadhana siddha and  will understand these things.

Preaching to the faithless is the ninth offence so it should not be told to faithless people. They will not understand. Balarama is lusty like Krishna they will think that and they will do offenses in their lotus feet. Ātmavatmanyatejagat. “Everyone thinks others like himself.”This Rasa lila is very confidential we have to be ready for this.

Bg. 4.11

ye yathāmāṁprapadyante
tāṁstathaivabhajāmyaham
mama vartmānuvartante
manuṣyāḥpārthasarvaśaḥ

Translation

As all surrender unto Me, I reward them accordingly. Everyone follows My path in all respects, O son of Pṛthā.

The more we surrender the more we will understand the tattva. Hari Hari.So I have to stop.

So read these pastimes of Rasa dance with Krishna in chapters- 10.29,30,31,32,33. Balrama rasa Purnima is in 10.65 in SrimadBhagavatam and you know that it is also available in Krishna book which is a summary study of the same. The 10th canto has 90 chapters and that’s why this Krishna Book has 90 chapters. So read these pastimes in different books.

21 April 2024 
How to control the mind
Speaker: HG Harikirtan prabhu

It’s a great opportunity to serve all of you. Today’s topic is Mind. Still mind troubles us. So when we chant and join zoom daily with Guru Maharaj, who is our trainer and he teaches us the do’s and dont’s of chanting and in that way control our mind.

Srila Prabhupada says the best way to control our mind is to engage it in Krsna consciousness. It’s our great fortune because we are practicing Bhakti yoga. Srila Prabhupada calls it devotional service, by this we can always remember the Lord.

mana eva manushyanam
karanam bandha-mokshayoh
bandhaya visayasango
muktyai nirvisayam manah (Amrita-bindu Upanishad 2)

Translation: For man, mind is the cause of bondage and mind is the cause of liberation. Mind absorbed in sense objects is the cause of bondage, and mind detached from the sense objects is the cause of liberation.

uddhared ātmanātmānaṁ
nātmānam avasādayet
ātmaiva hy ātmano bandhur
ātmaiva ripur ātmanaḥ (BG 6.5)

Translation: One must deliver himself with the help of his mind, and not degrade himself. The mind is the friend of the conditioned soul, and his enemy as well.

As much as we did sense gratification, we got entangled more and more.

ye hi saṁsparśa-jā bhogā
duḥkha-yonaya eva te
ādy-antavantaḥ kaunteya
na teṣu ramate budhaḥ (BG 5.22)

Translation: An intelligent person does not take part in the sources of misery, which are due to contact with the material senses. O son of Kuntī, such pleasures have a beginning and an end, and so the wise man does not delight in them.

It’s very important to understand that we are struggling with this mind. If we do sort analysis of our opponent then we can win over our opponent.

And our biggest opponent is the mind. You all are devotees when alarm rings we snooze it then after some time, it rings again we snooze it, if I do it 3 times then the mind gets the idea. It is throwing googly to us and we are clean bolt. Then if this mind keeps throwing us googly then can we hit 6s and 4s on it.

So we need to hit back the mind on its first shot. So it will not trouble us again. One devotee in temple used to chant daily, I asked him the reason he said that I can chant nicely in the morning without getting affected by the googlies of the mind so I can hit 6s on the first googly of mind.

You must have heard about Avanti brahman, he was very miser. His wife and children left him, the people troubled him a lot then he became self realized.

dvija uvāca
nāyaṁ jano me sukha-duḥkha-hetur
na devatātmā graha-karma-kālāḥ
manaḥ paraṁ kāraṇam āmananti
saṁsāra-cakraṁ parivartayed yat (SB 11.23.42)

Translation: The brāhmaṇa said: These people are not the cause of my happiness and distress. Neither are the demigods, my own body, the planets, my past work, or time. Rather, it is the mind alone that causes happiness and distress and perpetuates the rotation of material life.

We keep thinking that the people are the reason of our sadness, but our mind is the only culprit.

yaṁ yaṁ vāpi smaran bhāvaṁ
tyajaty ante kalevaram
taṁ tam evaiti kaunteya
sadā tad-bhāva-bhāvitaḥ (BG 8.6)

Translation: Whatever state of being one remembers when he quits his body, O son of Kuntī, that state he will attain without fail.

That’s the reason we are celebrating our birthdays again and again. Birthdays are the indication that we failed in the exam.

mano guṇān vai sṛjate balīyas
tataś ca karmāṇi vilakṣaṇāni
śuklāni kṛṣṇāny atha lohitāni
tebhyaḥ sa-varṇāḥ sṛtayo bhavanti (SB 11.23.43)

Translation: The powerful mind actuates the functions of the material modes, from which evolve the different kinds of material activities in the modes of goodness, ignorance and passion. From the activities in each of these modes develop the corresponding statuses of life.

Mind can create hell into heaven or heaven into hell.

uddhared ātmanātmānaṁ 
nātmānam avasādayet
ātmaiva hy ātmano bandhur
ātmaiva ripur ātmanaḥ (BG 6.5)

Translation: One must deliver himself with the help of his mind, and not degrade himself. The mind is the friend of the conditioned soul, and his enemy as well.

Once a man was sitting with his friends and his wife came and started shouting at him, but he was calm. Then the wife thought he was not affected so she brought a bucket of water and threw at him. The husband was still calm, so he made hell into heaven and another example of a girl who could not get good marks in the exam so she committed suicide.

So mind can be our best friend or enemy. If we control our mind then we come very close to the Lord.

mayy eva mana ādhatsva
mayi buddhiṁ niveśaya
nivasiṣyasi mayy eva
ata ūrdhvaṁ na saṁśayaḥ (BG 12.8)

Translation: Just fix your mind upon Me, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and engage all your intelligence in Me. Thus you will live in Me always, without a doubt.

Our devotee in Mumbai, Anandavrindavan prabhu invested and he took the shelter of Bhakti Rasamrita Maharaja and he could deal with the matter. So any issue in life like marriage of children or any health problem he took the shelter of a higher authority and definitely he could take the right decision. He is counting on the will of senior vaishnavas.

So in our life, we face many problems like I took care of my two daughters alone. My wife had left this world and then one day they will also leave us. Then who will stay with me. We start crying and fell disturbed so this opponent our mind is trying to trouble us. So I sat in room and started dialogue with the mind, this needs strong convection with our spiritual master, this mind is taking our test.

The mind is playing tag of war with us. Immediately I started thinking oh my Gurudev is with me, I have to serve him. My daughters were given to me and I’m just a care taker so they have to fly now.

And by Gurudev’s mercy in 15 minutes, I could come out of the situation. We need to win over our mind and again we can be stable. We also face problems during the exams of children. The children become negative.

Once my daughter had final exam and she started crying in the night and was saying, I cannot give tomorrows exam, I can’t study. Then I consoled her and gave her water. I asked her, did you face such situation in life. She said, yes papa during my intermediate exams and that time also I gave the exam and passed. So this mind is playing with you. Win over it, believe me you will come out of the exam hall smiling. This ten minutes of positive counselling changed the situation.

Mind says you are useless just leave this body. Life is useless. Such situations come in life but we have to overcome such situations by the mercy of spiritual master and our sadhana. We cant find the solutions.

Once sector 18 project was going on and I was coming from Jammu in flight. I could see the big buildings. This is the matter of altitude but attitude comes. Sometimes because of envy and jealousy we give the chance to our mind to take over us. We should understand that this is our mind and control it.

Hare Krsna.

JapaTalk :19 April, 2024
Speaker: H. H. Lokanath Swami Maharaj

Theme:Vyas Puja Celebration of H. H. Jayapataka Swami Maharaj

Sub Theme: Introduction

Jai Sri Ram!

All glories to H. H. Jaipataka Swami Maharaj!!
Hari Hari!!

All glories to Ram Navami Mahotsava!!

We recently celebrated Ram Navami. Lord Rama’s Katha was going on, in this forum, or in this zoom temple – I was not getting an opportunity to speak. I had thought – I would – speak about PrabhuRamchandra to you today. Today I am giving – a Japa Talk on ekadashi. Today – is the Vyas Puja – Mahotsava of H. H. Jayapataka Swami Maharaj. Maharaj is personally arriving at ISKCON Noida and his Vyas Puja will be celebrated during the day. I was thinking, it is very difficult – but I should glorify Lord Rama a bit. Then we will – briefly glorify H. H. Jayapataka Swami Maharaj. I would like to do it. I was thinking – we can celebrate the Vyas Puja – of H. H. Jayapataka Swami Maharaj on our Zoom temple. I will tell in brief about him and some devotees from amongst you can express or offer your tribute – in a few words.

Will you like to do it?

Okay, many devotees have raised their hands and have expressed their desire. I do not know – how many of you will speak. We all have a desire but time constraits are also there.

Theme: Glorification of Lord Rama

Lord Sri Krsna is Lila Purushottam and Lord Rama is MaryadaPurushottam and Sri Krsna Chaitanya Mahaprabhu is PremaPurushottam. Hari Hari!!

Ram appeared on –Ram Navmi. Lord Krsna appeared on the Ashtami day.

All glories to Ashtami Mahotsava!!

Lord Rama appeared earlier. Lord Rama was born in the generation of Surya Vansam. The Sun rules, during the day. Day time is also known as Dinesh. Dinesh is also – one of the names of Lord Sri Rama.

Lord Rama appears during the day time (specifically during the noon).

Lord Sri Krsna was born in a great family of Chandravamsa. The moon rules during the night time. Night time is also known as Rajaneesh.

During the minight, when the moon is ruling – Lord Sri Krsna descends.

Hare Krsna!!

Lord Sri Rama – is Lord Sri Krsna. But Lord Sri Rama becomes MaryadaPurushottama. Okay and Lord Sri Krsna becomes Lila Purushottama. Lord Krsna, Lord Rama and Lord Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu are same. This was shown by Lord Sri Krsna Chaitanya Mahaprabhu.

Theme: Six armed form

When Chaitanya Mahaprabhu – showed his Shad bhuja form (3 in 1 form) to Sarvabhauma Bhattacharya. (It included Prabhu Sri Ram, Sri Krsna and Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu). It is right to mention it as Ramachandra, Krsnachandra and Chaitanyachandra. All these 3 moons in 1 form.

Hari Hari!

Theme:Maha Prakash Lila

Once, Sri Krsna Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, gave a special darshan to everybody. This is known as the Mahaprakash Lila. The devotees who were present at that time, Lord ChaitanyMahaprabhu manifested different forms – as per their relationship with the Lord.

In that one of the –manifested form was of Jai Sri Rama. Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu manifested the beautiful form of Lord Sri Ramachandra to Murari Gupta. Murari Gupta was an associate of the Lord. He was born in Mayapur. They belonged to the same time and were of similar age. Here Sri Krsna Chaitanya Mahaprabhu manifested Himself as Lord Ramachandra for Murari Gupta. Murari – Gupta was Hanuman in Ram lila. Hanuman appeared – in the pastime of Lord Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and he became Murari Gupta.

Hari Hari!! Hari Hari!!

What should I tell and not tell.

Hare Krsna!

Okay. I will speak.

Theme: Lord’s activities

paritrāṇāyasādhūnāṁvināśāya ca duṣkṛtām
dharma-saṁsthāpanārthāyasambhavāmiyugeyuge

Translation:

To deliver the pious and to annihilate the miscreants, as well as to reestablish the principles of religion, I Myself appear, millennium after millennium. [BG 4.8]

Lord Rama appeared in the tretayuga. In the Dvaparyuga – Lord Sri Krsna appeared. Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu appeared in Kali-yuga.

Lord Rama – annihilated Ravana and Kumbhakarna. They were the gatekeepers of Vaikuntha – named Jaya and Vijaya who became Ravana and Kumbhakarna.

Lord Ramachandra – did not liberate them. Lord Ramachandra annihilated Ravana and Kumbhakarana but they did not return back to Vaikuntha. Since they – were cursed to be born thrice as demons.

When Lord Krsna appeared, Jaya and Vijaya – who were Ravana and Kumbhakarna in the Lord Ramachandra’s lila became – Dantavakra and Shishupala. They both were annihilated by Lord SriKrsna.

All glories to Lord Sri Krsna!!

Lord was dwarkadhesh at that time. During this lila, Jaya Vijaya had taken birth for the third time and they should have returned to Vaikuntha. They got the news that Lord is about to appear as – Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and he would be the most merciful in this form. Lord Chaitanya was more merciful than Lord Ramachandra and Lord Krsna. Jaya Vijaya instead of returning to Vaikuntha desired to participate in the pastimes of Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu.

They appeared as Jagai and Madhai. Sri Krsna Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and NityanandaPrabhu were like Lord Ramachandra and Laxman. They became Lord Krsna and Balarama in Dvaparyuga and during Kali-yuga they appeared as Lord Gauranga and Nityananda. They worked as a team. They reformed Jagai and Madai.

Later, Jay and Vijay– attained their eternal forms and went back to Vaikuntha.

Gaur Premanande Hari HariBol!! Hari Hari!!

RaamaRaamaRaame[a-I]tiRameRaameManorame |
Sahasra-Naama Tat-TulyamRaama-NaamaVara-[A]anane ||

Translation:

Lord Śiva addressed his wife, Durgā:] ‘O Varānanā, I chant the holy name of Rāma, Rāma, Rāma and thus enjoy this beautiful sound. This holy name of Rāmacandra is equal to one thousand holy names of Lord Viṣṇu. [CC Madhya 9.32]

brahma bole caturmukhakṛṣṇakṛṣṇa hare hare
mahādevapañcamukherāmarāma hare hare

Translation:

Brahma by four heads chanting Krishna Krishna hare hare. 5 headed Shiv chanting ram ram hare hare.

Brahmaji, Shivji and the other 33 crore demigods are devotees of Lord Rama, Lord Kṛṣṇa and Lord Gauranga. All 3 of them appeared in various yugas together with the demigods in the sky and atmosphere.

sūtauvāca

yaṁbrahmāvaruṇendra-rudra-marutaḥstunvantidivyaiḥstavair
vedaiḥsāṅga-pada-kramopaniṣadairgāyantiyaṁsāma-gāḥ
dhyānāvasthita-tad-gatenamanasāpaśyantiyaṁyogino
yasyāntaṁnaviduḥsurāsura-gaṇādevāyatasmainamaḥ

Translation:

SūtaGosvāmī said: Unto that personality whom Brahmā, Varuṇa, Indra, Rudra and the Maruts praise by chanting transcendental hymns and reciting the Vedas with all their corollaries, pada-kramas and Upaniṣads, to whom the chanters of the Sāma Veda always sing, whom the perfected yogīs see within their minds after fixing themselves in trance and absorbing themselves within Him, and whose limit can never be found by any demigod or demon — unto that Supreme Personality of Godhead I offer my humble obeisances. [ŚB 12.13.1]

Theme: Glorifying H. H. Japaypataka Swami Maharaj

The glories of H. H. Jayapataka Swami are infinite and I cannot glorify him adequately with my single mouth. I cannot glorify him within the limited time. Please help me. In sometime, some devotees can glorify Maharaji.

Please raise your hands.

I am grateful to SrilaPrabhupada for giving me a god brother like JayapatakaMaharaj. Hari Hari!! He is one of the favorite disciples of SrilaPrabhupada. He is dear to me as well.

Of course, we are a part of the same ISKCON family. He was given the name Jayapataka which means a flag of victory. SrilaPrabhupada gave him sanyasa initiation at the age of 20. He was a lover of Lord Kṛṣṇa’s holy names since the beginning. He was fond of performing kirtans very loudly. He was born in Canada. He joined ISKCON there. He would chant Hari Naam loudly within the temple and outside. Due to this, the neighbors would complain. Well who is this causing disturbance?

SrilaPrabhupada thought about it and told him – “I will send you to such a place where you can call the holy names loudly and noone will complain against you. SrilaPrabhupada sent – H. H. Jayapataka Swami Maharaj to Mayapur and further told him that “I am giving you Mayapurdham, please develop it.”

The headquarters of ISKCON is at Mayapur. H. H. Jayapataka Swami Maharaj made Mayapur his own headquarters and he is busy since the past 50 years. He is connecting the entire world to Krṣṇa Conscious. He has contributed to the development of Mayapur and TOVP at Mayapur and has taken up many other responsibilities.

Hari! Due to some ill luck he faced many health issues. In the year 2008 – his health deteriorated. You all must be aware of it. But H. H. JayapatakaMaharaj is unstoppable. When we get some fever or headache or stomach ache we take sick leave or go on a vacation. Giving such excuses, we leave or stop our regular seva. Surely, H. H. Jayapataka Swami is only one – in ISKCON globally. In such health conditions, he does his seva and follows the instructions of SrilaPrabhupada – he did not withdraw or fall back.

Hari Hari!! He likes devotees and his god brothers. He loves them a lot. He loves each of you and also his own disciples. Today is the Vyas Puja of H. H. Jayapataka Swami Maharaj. I do not know, whether you are aware of it, since the last 20 days, Maharaji was hospitalised. 15 days in the ICU and since the last 5 days, he has been shifted to a special ward. Not in ICU. In such a condition also, he is going out of his way. He had a desire to be at Mayapur today – in the association of his followers and friends – to celebrate his birthday / Vyas Puja. Since, the doctor’s advised him not to travel. He desired to celebrate his Vyas Puja today at Mayapurwith his disciples, godbrothers and godsisters. This is a symbol or symptom of his love towards them. As it was not possible, since the doctors did not give him permission, he is still going out of the hospital to ISKCON NCR temple, he selected Sri SriRadhaGovideva ISKCON Noida to celebrate the Vyas Puja today. This is his causeless mercy and grace.

Any body from you can say a few words. We have 10 more minutes more. We can accommodate 2 or 3 devotees. OK who is going first.

Shyamalangi are you there. Those who are acquainted and influenced by Maharaji can share a few words now.

1. G. ShyamalangiMtji – My best wishes to Maharaji on his Vyas Puja. He has come to Dubai many times. I have got his personal association many times and have served him. In 2006, I had visited Mayapur with a friend of mine who is a close disciple of Maharaji to attend his Vyas Puja. Maharaji told me “I am your spiritual uncle”. I told him “Yes Maharaji you are my spiritual uncle.” He had come to my house when we were staying at Sharjah. He had come directly from the airport. We served him lime juice at that time. He blessed both our kids, they were very small at that time. I have done cooking seva for him many times. As gurumaharaj mentioned, he travels a lot and loves everybody. Thank you Gurumaharaj. All glories to JayapatakaMaharaj.

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Devotee – I got the opportunity to get his blessing Gurumaharaj at the home of H. G RadhaVallabhi. He had come for – Bal UtsavaMela. A small girl was doing kirtan and Maharaji was on his wheel chair. He was dancing – and later the video got viral.

Shyampriyasi please go ahead. Please unmute yourself.

ShyampriyasiMtji – I met Maharaji at ISKCON Hyderabad two years ago. I wanted to take his darshan since a long time, but it was not possible for me due to some reasons. That day, I got a chance to take his darshan, he was facing some health issues that day. He is so merciful that he came out to give darshan and blessings to the assembled devotees at 8pm. This was my – first personal darshan of Maharaji. Second time, I was fortunate to get his darshan at Vrindavan. When Maharaji was at Prabhupada House and I was also present there. I got to see Maharajivery closely. Maharaji inspires me a lot. My learning from him is that we should not leave Bhakti in any situation. Maharaji is facing so many challenges in his day today life. I am inspired by him to do bhakti. When we face adversities in life we should keep Maharaji in our mind- as an example and not give any excuses in the performance of our devotional service. He is my inspiration.

1. G. RadhaVallabhiMtji – I would like to congratulate H. H. Jayapataka Swami Maharaj on the ocassion of his Vyas Puja. I wish him good health so that he continues his devotional service soon. Gurumaharaj, when we were celebrating your 50^th Vyas Puja, which was attended by many of your god brother and god sisters. There was a feeling in my mind, that H. H. JayapatakaMaharaj is not present. When we were taking breakfast the next day – a mataji told us that H. H. JayapatakaMaharaj is in Vrindavan. We desired to see him. Next day, being ekadashi we visited Vrindavan I saw a car approaching the temple, I thought it was you, so I went running towards it to offer my obessainces. In the car it was JayapatakaSwami Maharaj. Devotees took him from the car, directly into the temple. To bless us and give us darshan he turned behind. This was a good experience. We got your darshanalongwith the darshan of your god brothers and god sisters and H. H. JayapatakaSwami Maharaj also. Though JayapatakaSwami Maharaj is not keeping good health but he has not reduced his daily seva. If you turn on – Mayapur TV they will tell you – Maharaji has done so much of book distribution and other seva.

Devotee – When I had visited – Mumbai just 2 months back, Jayapataka Swami Maharaj had come there for the installation of the lotus feet of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. I observed that Maharaji had waited for such a long time inspite of not keeping good health. After 9.00pm, when the temple was closed – there was a class by Maharaji for foreign devotees. When I heard about it, I thought Maharaji is expanding himself so much. We are so fit but still we cannot do seva. Maharaji is having so many bodily ailments but still he is engaged in a lots of seva. Like Gurumaharaj mentioned just now, Maharajshree is unstoppable. When we face bodily challenges, Maharajshree is an inspiration for us.

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Devotee – I met Jayapataka Swami Maharaj in 2017 at Delhi ISKCON temple for the first time. There was a kirtan going on to welcomeMaharajshree. On hearing our kirtan, Maharajshree – tried a lot to dance after getting down from the car. Seeing him, we could understand even though we were young we could not dance like him. I got to serve Maharajshree by making him wear his shoes.

Devotee – Gurumaharaj, two months back in the month of February, we visited ISKCON Juhu. We got darshan of Maharajshree for the first time. We were going towards the temple hall and Maharajshree was boarding the lift. He lifted his hands and blessed us. I felt nice, as he blessed us with the tooth brush of Jagannathji on our head. I felt blissful.

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Devotee – We have recently shifted to Mayapurdham. I donot know much about Jayapataka Swami Maharaj. After shifting to Sridham Mayapur we – came to know a lot in the association of devotees. Maharajshree is so glorious. Inspite of his poor health, whenever he is in Mayapurdham– he gives a class on Chaitanya Charitamrita in the evening on his roof terrace, everyday without fail. Sometimes, he is not well, still he gives a lecture of 1 hour and after class he requests the devotees to ask questions. His servants type the message as “please donot ask any questions”– and it gets displayed on the screen infront of us. Maharajshree is very tired, please let him take rest and Maharajshree would request his servants “please do not write anything. Let them speak. Let them ask questions”. It is our good fortune that we get Maharajshree’sassociation and darshan. I want to add one more pastime of Maharaji. Once a very senior devotee was telling us that once Maharaji had come to take the darshan of PanchaTattva and Narsimha deva. He was taking darshan while sitting on his wheel chair.

Devotee- I got an opportunity when H. H. Jayapataka Swami Maharaj came to Bangalore. After he fell sick it was very difficult for him to bath. So they requested me for a bathroom stool. Usually you get it in a standard size. But for his personality it was difficult to get for his size. I took his secretary to the shopping mall, fortunately, we got two sets of bathroom stool. Maharaji and his secretary were so happy – the secretary told that this is the perfect size we will take it. They took the stool with them. This is how I got an opportunity to serve Maharaji.

Devotee- I am a disciple of H. H. Jayapataka Swami Maharaj. Due to his blessings, I got initiated from him in the year 2022 at Patna. I got to see him, you and many of his god brothers. Due to his blessings I got initiated. I was aspiring to be initiated – from him since the last 2 years. I got his blessings, I feel myself to be the most fortunate. We wanted to go to Vrindavan, to take his darshan since he was not keeping good health we could not get his darshan. After getting initiation I did not an opportunity to attend his Vyas Puja. Maharaji, due to your causeless mercy, we got an opportunity to serve by glorifying our beloved Gurumaharaj on his Vyas Puja. Maharaji if you allow, I would like to speak a few words for my Gurumaharaj. Thanks Maharaji.

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All glories to RadhaGovindadevji.

Shringardarshan is going to open now. Please hear the live – Vyas Puja of H. H. Jayapataka Swami Maharaj.

18 April 2024
Speaker: HG Parthasarthi Prabhu
Theme: Teachings from Ramayana

Hare Krishna!

Today we will discuss 25 teachings from the life of  Śrī Rāma. We will be having the very first Bhāgavatam class today in new Rohini Temple by the mercy of Guru and Gaurānga. Let’s pray to Śrī Rāma to appear inside our hearts in the form of His holy name.

śrīrāma chandra charaṇau manasā smarāmi
śrīrāma chandra charaṇau vachasā gṛhṇāmi ।
śrīrāma chandra charaṇau śirasā namāmi
śrīrāma chandra charaṇau śaraṇaṃ prapadyē ॥

Translation

The two feet of Rama, I remember them in my mind, I praise them by my speech, I bow to them by my head I take resort in them (Text 29, Rama Raksha Stotra)

lōkābhirāmaṃ raṇaraṅgadhīraṃ
rājīvanētraṃ raghuvaṃśanātham ।
kāruṇyarūpaṃ karuṇākaraṃ taṃ
śrīrāmachandraṃ śaraṇyaṃ prapadyē ॥

Translation

I take refuge in that Rama who is quite pleasing to the sight, the master of the stage of war, lotus-eyed, lord of the Raghu race and compassion- personified. (Text 32, Rama Raksha Stotra)

rāmāya rāmabhadrāya rāmachandrāya vēdhasē ।
raghunāthāya nāthāya sītāyāḥ patayē namaḥ ॥

 Translation

I salute that Rama who is benevolent and cool as moon, and who is the lord of Sita and the master guardian of all. (Text 27, Rama Raksha Stotra)

We should always remember the Lord. When we chant in the association of devotees, the Lord manifests before us.

Theme: The meaning of Rāma

Śrīla Prabhupāda explains, there are 4 Rāma in the Hare Krsna mahāmantra.

Hare Krsna Hare Krsna Krsna Krsna Hare Hare – Hare Rāma Hare Rāma Rāma Rāma Hare Hare

Rāma who are Balrāma, Parashurāma or Śrī Rāma.

Śrī Jayadeva Goswāmī also explains in Gita Govinda,

kshatriya-rudhira-maye jagad-apagata-papam
snapayasi payasi samita-bhava-tapam
kesava dhrita-bhrigupati-rupa jaya jagadisa hare

Translation

0 Kesava! O Lord of the universe! O Lord Hari, who have assumed the form of Bhrigupati [Parasurama]! All glories to You! At Kurukshetra You bathe the earth in the rivers of blood from the bodies of the demoniac kshatriyas that You have slain. The sins of the world are washed away by You, and because of You people are relieved from the blazing fire of material existence. (Text 6, Sri Dasavtar Stotra)

vitarasi dikshu rane dik-pati-kamaniyam
dasa-mukha-mauli-balim ramaniyam
kesava dhrita-rama-sarira jaya jagadisa hare

Translation

0 Kesava! O Lord of the universe! O Lord Hari, who have assumed the form of Ramacandra! All glories to You! In the battle of Lanka You destroy the ten-headed demon Ravana and distribute his heads as a delightful offering to the presiding deities of the ten directions, headed by Indra. This action was long desired by all of them, who were much harassed by this monster. (Text 7, Sri Dasavtar Stotra)

vahasi vapushi visade vasanam jaladabham
hala-hati-bhiti-milita-yamunabham
kesava dhrita-haladhara-rupa jaya jagadisa hare

Translation

0 Kesava! O Lord of the universe! O Lord Hari, who have assumed the form of Balarama, the wielder of the plow! All glories to You! On Your brilliant white body You wear garments the color of a fresh blue rain cloud. These garments are colored like the beautiful

dark hue of the River Yamuna, who feels great fear due to the striking of Your plowshare. (Text 8, Sri Dasavtar Stotra)

The Lord comes in the form of Rāma, Balarāma, Nityānanda Rāma, Parashurāma, etc to bestow mercy upon all of us. Prabhupāda explains, in Hare Krsna mahāmantra, Hare means Radharani, Krsna means the all attractive Śrī Krsna and Rāma means the source of bliss. When we chant the holy name, we pray Them all to engage us in Their service. This is how we pray and call the Lord.

Caitanya Caritāmrta explains the meaning of the name Rāma.

ramante yogino ’nante
satyānande cid-ātmani
iti rāma-padenāsau
paraṁ brahmābhidhīyate

Translation

‘The Supreme Absolute Truth is called Rāma because the transcendentalists take pleasure in the unlimited true pleasure of spiritual existence.’ (CC Madhya 9.29)

The yogīs always try to take pleasure from the name of the Lord since eternity. They try to understand the meaning of the name Rāma. But we can easily understand the meaning of Rāma by the mercy of a spiritual master, vaiśnavas, Śrīmad Bhāgavatam and Bhagavad Gītā. Rāma means the source of eternal transcendental bliss. When we chant, we call Rāma to engage us in His service so we can get the transcendental bliss from Him who is the source of bliss.

Rāma where R is responsiblity and renunciation, we have renounce something, be it house or other things to take responsibility; A is authorised and authentic, means the name of Rāma is true. People have to accept this fact. The Lord Himself comes to establish this authority; M is margadarshan (guidance). He comes to guide us through His pastimes, words, mercy and His devotees; A is austerity or adversity, we have to do some penances and austerities to get Lord’s mercy.

Shaanta-Aakaaram Bhujaga-Shayanam Padma-Naabham Sura-Iisham
Vishva-Aadhaaram Gagana-Sadrsham Megha-Varnna Shubha-Anggam|
Lakssmii-Kaantam Kamala-Nayanam Yogibhir-Dhyaana-Gamyam
Vande Vissnnum Bhava-Bhaya-Haram Sarva-Loka-Eka-Naatham ||

Translation

(Salutations to Sri Vishnu) Who has a Serene Appearance, Who Rests on a Serpent (Adisesha), Who has Lotus on His Navel and Who is the Lord of the Devas, Who Sustains the Universe, Who is Boundless and Infinite like the Sky, Whose Colour is like the Cloud (Bluish) and Who has a Beautiful and Auspicious Body, Who is the Husband of Devi Lakshmi, Whose Eyes are like Lotus and Who is Attainable to the Yogis by Meditation, Salutations to That Vishnu Who Removes the Fear of Worldly Existence and Who is the Lord of All the Lokas. (Vishnu Stuti, Shuklambara Dharam)

We can sustain our body, our house or our locality at large but the supreme Lord sustains the universe. Such a Lord is Śrī Rāma. Yesterday was Rāma Navamī, Lakshman Navamī, Bharat Navamī and Shatrughan Navamī. Like the whole Ayodhya vāsīs were happy on their appearance, similarly we should also be happy and say, “Jai Śrī Rāma! Jai Śrī Rāma!” Everything about Him is mentioned in scriptures. We have to have faith on it. Once a sannyāsi vaiśnava said, “Dashratha (Śrī Rāma’s father), whose chariot goes to Dasha means ten directions. Those ten directions are filled with bliss and Kaushalya (Śrī Rāma’s mother), those ten directions are also filled with kushalta means proficience. This both gives birth to total bliss Śrī Rāma. And Ayodhya where they live, is a place which no one can ever defeat.

Theme: 25 teachings from Ramayana

Now Let’s try and understand the 25 teachings from Rāmayana.

1. Artha Pravritti is necessary along with Anartha Nivritti, removal of unwanted things, when we aim to progress in spiritual life. If we chant the holy name Rāma, then the evil things won’t effect us. The power we get from chanting safeguard us from those things. Prabhupāda says, we should take Maya or material energy seriously along with Krsna. We need to understand Maya and its effects in order to stay away from it. Even Kaikeyi got effected with bad association of Manthra. Therefore we should always be cognizant of what’s good or what not. We can be aware or cognizant by doing nityam bhāgavata sevayā e., by regular serving the vaiśnavās and hearing Bhāgavatam.

naṣṭa-prāyeṣv abhadreṣu
nityaṁ bhāgavata-sevayā
bhagavaty uttama-śloke
bhaktir bhavati naiṣṭhikī

Translation

By regular attendance in classes on the Bhāgavatam and by rendering of service to the pure devotee, all that is troublesome to the heart is almost completely destroyed, and loving service unto the Personality of Godhead, who is praised with transcendental songs, is established as an irrevocable fact. (ŚB 1.2.18)

We should chant everyday in order to defeat Maya. We should only hear the holy name and pastimes of the Lord instead of material gossip to keep the obstacles and  evil things away from us.

2. Attachment towards devotional service, not towards title. This way evil things always stay away from us. Śrī Rāma was always dedicated towards serving. When Dasharatha asked Him to go to exile, He said that He would have gone if only a servant had asked Him to. This was His attitude towards serving. He was about to get state consecration or coronation but He was never attached to the title. As soon as He got the orders from His father, He accepted and went to the forest. That is why He was an ideal son, husband and a father. Hence, we should be attached towards serving the Lord, spiritual master and vaiśnavas in order to progress in spiritual life and remove unwanted things or anartha nivritti. This will cleanse our heart which is the aim of life. Then we will be able to understand the Lord and His pastimes.
3. The sages once called Śrī Rāma to kill the demons who were creating obstacles in their devotional services. Hence, our heart gets purified only by chanting the name of Śrī Rāma and our mode of ignorance gets vanished.
4. We should accept all types of difficulties. If our motive is Krsna conscious, then our desires will be less and we won’t be shocked by what comes next. Like Śrī Rāma had never thought of going to exile but He was always ready to face any austerity or challenge. Similarly, we also need to face the challenges in life. We should make the challenges into chances, adversities into opportunities.

ugram viram maha-vishnum
jvalantam sarvato mukham
nrisimham bhishanam bhadram
mrityur mrityum namamy aham

Translation

May my head be protected by the moon colored one, who is the greatest among humans. My obeisances unto the ferocious and powerful, the great Visnu, the fiery one, who’s faces are on all sides, the fearful one, Nrsimha, who causes the death of even death personified, (or who can overcome death). (Ugram Viram Mahavishnum, Narsimha Kavaca Bica Mantra)

Devotees overcome even death and reach the

abode of the Lord. So we should turn the challenges into chances then we make gradual progress. We are able to perform activities due to the force of gravity. If gravity would not be there, we were unable to do anything and just would have been flying. So we must face challenges, austerities and difficulties in order to progress.

5. Rāma means ārāma, who gives us comfort and who makes us understand things. But we want Rāma, not ārāma. If we want comfort, then we won’t get Rāma.

6. We should be alert and vigilant in order to make progress in spiritual life just like the policemen are always alert. Maya attacks every moment so we should be alert every moment. That’s why it’s necessary for us to be alert and vigilant in order to understand the Lord and His pastimes. The one who sleeps, loses. Therefore, we must engage ourselves in devotional services

right from the early morning. Lord Rama was always alert. Laxmana never slept for 14 years as he was always ready for the Lord’s service.

7. Correct one’s own mistake. If any one points out that we need to correct this or that in ourselves, then we should do that. We should always correct ourselves in order to get us saved from the material entanglement. This is possible through devotee association. Just like when a doctor gives an injection to a child, he thinks that the doctors and parents are his enemy but no, they are curing him. Parents also scold children to reform them. That’s why we should take the criticism from a devotee in a positive way and correct our mistakes which is the base for our spiritual development.

8. One pointed goal should be to please the Lord.

Like Bharat Maharaj, younger brother of Śrī Rāma, who always wanted to serve Lord Rāma. He kept the lotus footwear of Lord Rāma on the throne of Ayodhya and served His footwear. This human life is for pleasing the Lord, spiritual master and vaiśnavās, not for proving or gaining fame. The Lord bestows mercy on them who try to please the Lord by performing devotional services.

9. Lord Rāma is the master and we are His servants.

bhoktāraṁ yajña-tapasāṁ
sarva-loka-maheśvaram
suhṛdaṁ sarva-bhūtānāṁ
jñātvā māṁ śāntim ṛcchati

Translation

A person in full consciousness of Me, knowing Me to be the ultimate beneficiary of all sacrifices and austerities, the Supreme Lord of all planets and demigods, and the benefactor and well-wisher of all living entities, attains peace from the pangs of material miseries. (BG 5.29)

We should know that we are servants of the Lord to be eternally happy. Bharata maharaj considered  the footwear of Lord Rāma as the king and himself as His servant. We cannot attain devotion by tricks or strength. We need to perform devotional services for that by accepting us as the servants of the Lord.

10. Bhakti cannot be achieved through cheating propensities. Only showing off does not help. One has to work hard. Like Shurpanakha who disguised herself as a beautiful lady was attacked by Laxmana. So one has to be careful of pretence otherwise we will be trapped. We have to overcome this cheating by hearing and reading the scriptures. As Bhakti cannot be achieved through cheating or strength but it can be achieved through the mercy of the Lord. So when Surpanakha came to cheat, Lakshman slashed her nose as He is adi guru. Similarly, the spiritual master also cuts off the nose of pride as they are the representative of Lakshman, Balarāma or Nityānanda Prabhu.

11. A spiritual master is the representative of Lakshman or Nityānanda Prabhu.

12. Maya makes a trap for us but one has to slash this trap with the sword of knowledge because we must be attracted towards the all attractive Krsna or Rāma, not towards Maya. If one doesn’t keep patience then one will become a patient. We should not only hear but also adhere to such hearing in order to save us from getting trapped.

13. Maya knows our shortcomings. So she will always try to trap us. Sita maiya, Lakshman all were tested. But they weren’t trapped because they had knowledge that we should not be attracted to the material world. Similarly, we should also be knowledgeable so Maya can’t trap us.

14. Always stand for truth. Like Jatayu sacrificed his life for truthfulness. He cut his wings m, sacrificed his life to serve Lord Rāma. He might get failed materially but he won in the eyes of the Lord.

Lord Rāma performed the last rites of Jatayu in gratitude, not even His own father Dashratha because Jatayu sacrificed his life to serve the Lord. So truth is always victorious. And Rāma is the only truth.

15. Patience. We should be patient to get the mercy of the Lord.

16. We should be honest. We should not do any pretence or show off as the Lord resides in our hearts so He knows everything.

17. Overcoming obstacles in the path of devotional service. Like Hanuman overcome many obstacles in the service of Śrī Rāma. We should take the shelter of Śrīmati Radharani who is the energy of Krsna to overcome any obstacle. There could be so many impediments on our path of Bhakti but we should pray and remember Radharani that time.

18. Pride always destroys. Ravana was told by Vibhishana, Mandodari but he did not listen to them. It can create a problem for us if we try to make fools understand about the Lord.

19. Everyone should chant the holy name of the Lord. Chanting the holy names of Lord Rāma made the stones Float. Even the squirrel got the Lord’s mercy. So always chant the holy name of the Lord.

20. Pride or attachment can result in loss of mind. Ravana did not leave his pride on the death of his brothers or his own son. Therefore we should be pride free in order to get mercy of the Lord.

21. Hearing about the lord is important to develop love for Krsna. Vibhishan heard about the Lord and developed love for the Lord Rāma. The more we hear about the Lord, the more it cleanses our heart, ceto-darpana-mārjanam.

22. Leaving family, possessions for pleasing the Lord. Like Vibhishana, gopis, Bharat, Bali Maharaj, etc., have left their families for the Lord which is transcendental in the spiritual plane.

bhaktiḥ pareśānubhavo viraktir
anyatra caiṣa trika eka-kālaḥ
prapadyamānasya yathāśnataḥ syus
tuṣṭiḥ puṣṭiḥ kṣud-apāyo ’nu-ghāsam

Translation

Devotion, direct experience of the Supreme Lord, and detachment from other things — these three occur simultaneously for one who has taken shelter of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, in the same way that pleasure, nourishment and relief from hunger come simultaneously and increasingly, with each bite, for a person engaged in eating. (ŚB 11.2.42)

 The more we get attached to the Lord, the more we become detached from the material world.

23. We should take advice from the senior devotees in case of any trouble on the path of devotional service. Like Lord Rāma took advice of Vibhishana to kill Ravana.

24. Kill the demons within by hearing the holy names. There are six enemies of mind i.e., lust, anger, greed, ego, attachment and jealousy. We can only destroy these enemies by the mercy of the vaiśnavas and by hearing from them about the Lord.

25. Light the lamp of knowledge in the heart. Then it’s all bliss everywhere.

So it’s important to contemplate on Lord Rāma’s teachings and chant nicely.

Hare Krsna Hare Krsna Krsna Krsna Hare Hare – Hare Rāma Hare Rāma Rāma Rāma Hare Hare

Hare Krishna!

Date: 17 April 2024
Speaker: HH Bhakti Ashraya Vaishnava Swami Maharaj
Topic: Teachings of Ramayana

HH Bhakti Ashraya Vaishnava Swami Maharaj

Hare Krishna!

Jai Sri Ram!

Congratulations to all of you on the occasion of Ram Navami.

I was asked to give a talk on the lesson from Ramayana. Ramayana is full of lessons. Lord Rama Himself is an ideal son, an ideal brother, an ideal husband, an ideal disciple, an ideal leader, an ideal king and an ideal father.

In the Baal Kand, it is referred that how lord Rama is dedicated for Dashratha and other Ayodhyavasis. This is also a lesson for us.

Further, He accepted all the suffering for his Guru when he was a student of Guru Vishvamitra. He shows how to serve spiritual master.

Further, He shows the quality of ideal husband and an ideal father.

When King Dashratha announced the coronation of Lord Rama. He accepted that not for the designation, but to serve the demos.At the same night, mother Kaikayi take a boon to send Rama for exile. Lord Rama accepted the word of His father and at oncewent for exile. From this we can take a lesson that we should not serve to get a designation, we must work to serve others.

Lord Rama accepted all the rules of exile; like, walk barefooted, eat the fruits of the trees, sleep on the floor etc. He never made any adjustments in the rules.

When Bharat went to meet Lord Rama. There is a lot of lesson we can take from the behaviour of Bharat. This shows a true relationship of love and forgiveness. He killed many demons in the forest. These demons are the anarthas in our lives. These are the obstacles in the path of devotion. To kill these anarthas, we must austerity.

Then Mother Sita was abducted. This incidence tells us how one can get trapped in Maya. There is no golden deer in reality. Marichi had disguised as a deer. Mother Sita wants to give us a lesson. If we will indulge in Maya, we will trap like that.

Ravan kidnapped Mother Sita by disguise his personality. If one will deceit in devotion, then he must will be duped. One can not get the spiritual power by deceit.

Lord Rama meets hanuman, when he was in search of Mother Sita. We should go to the Lord with open heart. We should not wear makeup I our heart.

And then, Lord Rama met with Sugriva, who is a dear friend of Lord Rama. He kills Bali.

Then comes Shabari, who depicts enthusiasm, determination and patience in serving lord Rama.

Nectar of Instruction, Verse 3:

utsāhānniścayāddhairyāt
tat-tat-karma-pravartanāt
saṅga-tyāgātsatovṛtteḥ
ṣaḍbhirbhaktiḥprasidhyati

Translation:

There are six principles favorable to the execution of pure devotional service: (1) being enthusiastic, (2) endeavoring with confidence, (3) being patient, (4) acting according to regulative principles [such as śravaṇaṁkīrtanaṁviṣṇoḥsmaraṇam – hearing, chanting and remembering Kṛṣṇa], (5) abandoning the association of nondevotees, and (6) following in the footsteps of the previous ācāryas. These six principles undoubtedly assure the complete success of pure devotional service.

She waited every day and night to take darshan of Lord Rama. She cleans her house, decorate it with flowers and make garlands for Lord Rama. So, like this there are many teachings of Ramayana.

Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu came as His own devotee to teach us devotion. He teaches us surrender.

Vaishnava Song, Sri-krsna-caitanya prabhu jive dayakari’, By Bhakti Vinod Thakur:

atyantadurlabhapremakoribāre dāna
śikhāyaśaraṇāgatibhakateraprāna

Translatrion:

Out of compassion for the fallen souls, Sri Krisna Caitanya came to this world with His personal associates and divine abode to teach saranagati (the goal of surrender), surrender to the almighty Godhead, and to freely distribute ecstatic love of God, which is ordinarily very difficult to obtain. This saranagati is the very life of the true devotee.

We must surrender to revive our devotion. Vibhishan always thought about the good of all.He thought that if one must go somewhere that should be the lotus feet of Lord Rama. He taught us how to take shelter. When Lord Rama reaches near sea with his army to bring back Mother Sita. Vibhishan advised Ravana to take shelter of Lord Rama, as Vibhishan is one of the consultants in the assembly.

Once Indrajeet insulted Vibhishana. Vibhishana scolded Indrajeet that you don’t know about lord Rama. Ravana become angry on Vibhishana and kicked him out. Vibhishana leave everything and taught us that we should that is favourable to our devotion. He was sure that he will go and take shelter of lord Rama.

In some scriptures it states that he once approached Shiva, he at once advised him to take shelter of Lord Rama. As lord Rama is merciful enough to give shelter to Ravana also!He went in his airplane and took darshan of lord Rama with his devoted allies Sugriva and hanuman. Sugriva at once came to know that the demons had come to meet Rama.Vihishana directly says that I am the brother of Ravana and wants to take shelter of lord Rama.Sugriva informed lord Rama. Lord Rama asked Sugriva to take advice of other Vanaras. All main vanaras came and met and they told lord Rama that they should not be allowed to meet Rama as they are from the enemy side. They should be killed as once. Jaambavant, Angad and others also shared their opinions. So, there is a learning that whenever we stucked in such a difficult situation, we must take advise of our friends.So, all were against them meeting lord Rama. Hanuman ji was also supportive of them. Jaambavant was most experienced vanara. He knew that Vibhishana was a righteous person. Although he was from the demon’s side, but he was not a demon himself. He was the minister of Ravana. Nevertheless, he was righteous. He had not come as a spy. He had come to lord Rama’s door and was introducing himself. In this way all allies gave their opinion on Vibhishana meeting lord Rama. Everyone gives their advice on the basis of their experience. So,Hanuman was the only one who spoke positive about Vibhishan and no one else, not even Laxmana. Dharma shastra says that even an enemy comes to take shelter with folded hands, then he should be accepted. For example, once a female pigeon was caught by a hunter. Male pigeon asked the hunter to leave the female pigeon and, in the return, he can eat his half of the body.That pigeon then completely surrendered and was saved. Now lord Rama has heard everyone’s opinions.He says that he is agreed that Vibhishana is Ravana’s brother, but he was nevertheless from the enemy side. Sugriva repeatedly denied lord Rama form meeting Vibhishana. He became quite as he felt bad that in spite of his advising lord Rama, he was adamant on meeting Vibhishana. He was thinking that Why lord Rama is doing that? Why he is giving shelter to an enemy? He can kill lord Rama!

Lord Rama knew what was going on in Sugriva’s mind.Lord Rama said that do you think this demon can harm me in any way?

Valmiki Ramayan Yuddha kanda, 6.18.22:

suduShTovaaapiaduShTovaakimeSharajaniicaraH
suukShmamapiahitamkartum mama ashaktaHkatha.ncana

Translation:

What does it matter whether that demon is very bad or not bad? He is incapable of doing even a little harm to me.

Valmiki Ramayan Yuddha kanda, 6.18.23:

pishaacaandaanavaanyakShaanpR^ithivyaamcaivaraakShasaan 
anguliagreNataanhanyaamicchanharigaNaiishvara

Translation:

“O, Sugreeva, Lord of monkey-troops! If I wish, I can kill those devilish beings, demons, supernatural beings and ogres living on earth with just a tip of my finger”

This is the first time when lord Rama showed His magnanimity. He told Sugriva that just by the tip of His finger, He could annihilate all the demons and ghosts of the earth!Just by pressing the delete button!So then why so much planning with vanaras-Sugriva thought.

So, Lord Rama was reading the mind of Sugriva. So, Lord Rama does this to deliver everyone. If one serves Lord Rama, he will deliver them. So, do not delay and serve Lord Rama. Vibhishana was still in the sky. When he approached Lord Rama, and He welcomed Vibhishana.

Be it Vibhishana or Ravana himself, Lord Rama will always protect him. Sugriva understood Lord Rama’s teachings. So, Sugriva went to fetch Vibhishana to bring him to Lord Rama and lord Rama was very eager to meet Vibhishana.

Valmiki Ramayan Yuddha kanda, 6.18.33:

sakṛdevaprapannāyatavaasmiiti ca yācate ||
abhayamsarvabhūtebhyodadāmietadvratam mama |

Translation:

“He who seeks refuge in me just once, telling me that �I am yours’, I shall give him assurance of safety against all types of beings. This is my solemn pledge”

Valmiki Ramayan Yuddha kanda, 6.18.34:

ānayaenamhariśreṣṭhadattamasyaabhayammayā ||
vibhīṣaṇovāsugrīvayadivārāvaṇaḥsvayam |

Translation:

“O, Sugreeva, the chief of monkeys! Let him either be Vibhishana or even Ravana himself; I have given an assurance of safety to him. Bring him here.”

Lord Rama said all brothers are not like Bharata, son should be like Me and an ideal friend should be like Sugriva.

Lord Rama could give his decision at once. But he never did so till Sugriva agreed.

He could have gone Himself but he delegated this duty to the senior most ally. Vibhishan soon lands on the ground and paid obeisances to lord Rama.

Valmiki Ramayan, Yuddha Kanda, 6.19.5:

parityaktāmayālaṃkāmitrāṇi ca dhanāni ca ||
bhavadgatam hi me rājyam ca jīvitam ca sukhāni ca |

Translation:

“Abandoning Lanka, friends and possessions, I place my kingdom, life and happiness at your disposal.”

He introduced himself as Ravana’s brother. He was insulted by Ravan. So, he had come with his wealth and friends to surrender to Lord Rama.

Valmiki Ramayan, Yuddha Kanda, 6.19.6-7:

tasyatadvacanamśrutvārāmovacanamabravīt ||
vacasāsāntvayitvainamlocanābhyāmpibanniva |
ākhyāhi mama tatvenarākṣasānāmbalābalam ||

Translation:

Hearing those words of Vibhishana, Rama in a soothing tone and with a refreshing look in his eyes, spoke these words: “Tell me really the strengths and weaknesses of the demons.”

Hearing this Lord Rama was so overwhelmed with love for Vibhishana. Vibhishan now tells lord Rama about all his friends and allies and defeats of Ravana. Lord Rama assures Vibhishana that He will soon kill Ravana and make him the king of lanka. Unless He kills Ravana, Rama will be return to Ayodhya. Ravana could not be saved from me.

Valmiki Ramayan, Yuddha Kanda, 6.19.21:

ahatvārāvaṇamsamkhyesaputrajanabāndhavam |
ayodhyāmnapravekṣyāmitribhistairbhratṛbhiḥśapeḥ ||

Translation:

“I will not enter Ayodhya without killing Ravana together with his sons, companions and relatives in battle. I take oath on my three brothers.”

Hearing this Vibhishan again paid obeisances to lord Rama. He assures Rama that he will be with lord Rama until the end of the war. So,Ramayan depicts the mood of surrender of a devotee towards the Lord.

When Hanuman went in search of Mother Sita, after returning he told that in Lanka, there was a mother Tulasi, diety of Lord Rama in the palace of Vibhishana and Mangala aarti. Hanuman was surprised to see all this happening in a demon’s kingdom. So,this was Vibhishana’s palace. He also saw lord Rama names on the walls. Then, he saw Vibhishana praying to lord Rama.

Once Ravan saw this written on his walls. He drew his sword to kill Vibhishan. But Vibhishana cleverly said that RAMA was an abbreviation of Ra- Ravan and ma –Mandodari. This way Vibhishan was saved due to his presence of mind.

We sometimes hide ourselves anarthas. Our enemy is lust. So, one must identify this enemy. We must not hide them. Treat them like our enemy openly.

BG 3.39:

āvṛtaṁjñānametena
jñāninonitya-vairiṇā
kāma-rūpeṇakaunteya
duṣpūreṇānalena ca

Translation:

Thus, the wise living entity’s pure consciousness becomes covered by his eternal enemy in the form of lust, which is never satisfied and which burns like fire.

Vibhishana now took complete shelter of lord Rama and was ready to serve lord Rama. In this way, one’s enemy lust can be killed.

 BG 7.14:

daivīhyeṣāguṇa-mayī
mama māyāduratyayā
māmeva ye prapadyante
māyāmetāṁtarantite

Translation:

This divine energy of Mine, consisting of the three modes of material nature, is difficult to overcome. But those who have surrendered unto Me can easily cross beyond it.

Rama is more anxious to meet us. Even before Vibhishana’s landing, lord Rama was ready to welcome him.

Valmiki Ramayan Yuddha kanda, 6.18.33:

sakṛdevaprapannāyatavaasmiiti ca yācate ||
abhayamsarvabhūtebhyodadāmietadvratam mama |

Translation:

“He who seeks refuge in me just once, telling me that �I am yours’, I shall give him assurance of safety against all types of beings. This is my solemn pledge”

There will not be any fear then. Some can say that Ravan is still the king of Lanka, the seat is not vacant yet. Nevertheless, lord Rama promised Vibhishana to become the king. This is the peer uttering the holy name of Rama even once. This is the mercy of lord Rama. He always keeps Him words. A devotee has to just surrender Him.

Jai Sri Ram!

Topic: Ram Katha Day 2
Date:16^th April 2024
Speaker: HH Anant Krishna Maharaj
HG Padmamali Prabhu:

We have HH Ananta Krishna Goswami Maharaj with us to deliver today’s Japa Talk. He is a great devotee of Lord. We welcome you all to this second session in this series of lectures on Sri Rama Navami. Maharaj is a very senior disciple of HH Radha Govind Goswami Maharaj. And he is very famous for his Rama Katha in ISKCON. Maharaj is connected to ISKCON Juhu. We have around 2-2.5 K devotees hearing this session today.

HH Anant Krishna Maharaj:

nama om vishnu-padayakrishna-preshthayabhutale
srimatebhaktivedanta-swaminitinamine
namastesaraswatedevegaura-vani-pracharine
nirvisheshashunyavadipashchatyadeshatarine

jayasri-krishna-chaitanya
prabhu nityananda
sri-adwaitagadadhara
shrivasadi-gaura-bhakta-vrinda

Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare
Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare

First of all, I want to pay my obesiancesunto Maharaj’s lotus feet and take his blessings. He gave a nice feedback for my Sannyasa initiation and he always gives me enthusiasm.HH Gaur Krishna Maharaj asked me to take blessings of Maharaj before taking Sannayasa. In Mira Road temple, I met Maharaj and asked for his mercy and he gave his personal association to me. In Juhu temple, he introduced me to HH Prahaladanand Swami Maharaj and  furthertold Maharaj that I am aSannyasa candidate. I feel ashamed to speak in front of Maharaj but since this is a service to him, I will try to say something about Rama ji. It is just like showing a lamp in front of the sun. I will speak in my broken language.

Lord Rama appeared with his brothers in Ghatawangdynasty.Ghatawang’s son was Drigavayu, Drigvayu son’s was Raghu, Raghu’s son was Ajah, Ajah’s son was Dashrath Maharaj and Dashrath’s son was Sri Rama appeared with his four brothers who are part and parcels of Lord Vishnu which is calledas  ChaturVyuh. He has presented his ideals in all his relations- as son and father, husbandand wife etc. He teaches the world through his actions.

ŚB 6.16.18-19

oṁnamastubhyaṁbhagavate
vāsudevāyadhīmahi
pradyumnāyāniruddhāya
namaḥsaṅkarṣaṇāya ca

namovijñāna-mātrāya
paramānanda-mūrtaye
ātmārāmāyaśāntāya
nivṛtta-dvaita-dṛṣṭaye

Translation

[Nārada gave Citraketu the following mantra.] O Lord, O Supreme Personality of Godhead, who are addressed by the oṁkāra [praṇava], I offer my respectful obeisances unto You. O Lord Vāsudeva, I meditate upon You. O Lord Pradyumna, Lord Aniruddha and Lord Saṅkarṣaṇa, I offer You my respectful obeisances. O reservoir of spiritual potency, O supreme bliss, I offer my respectful obeisances unto You, who are self-sufficient and most peaceful. O ultimate truth, one without a second, You are realized as Brahman, Paramātmā and Bhagavān and are therefore the reservoir of all knowledge. I offer my respectful obeisances unto You.

He has presented his ideals in all his relations- as son and father, husband and wife, teacher and student, King and  peopleetc. He teaches the world through his actions.

What is Ekashloki Ramayana? – Whole of Ramayana is said in just one shloka.

Answer: Whole of Ramayana is being explained in just one (Eka) shloka as given below:

adau Rama tapovananigamanam, Hathwamrugamkanchanam |
Vaidehi haranam, jatayumaranam, Sugreeva sambhashanam ||
vaalinigrahanam, samudrataranam, Lankapureedahanam |
Paschat Ravana Kumbhakarna hananam, EthatithiRamayanam ||

Translation

Sri Rama went to forest. He chased the deer. Sita was kidnapped, Jatayu was killed. There were discussions with Sugriva. Bali was killed. The ocean was crossed. Lanka was burnt and later Ravana and Kumbha karna were also killed. This is the story of Ramayanam.

When Lord was going to Chitrakoot via Prayagraj,and asked Khevat to take him to Chitrakoot. Khevat was a nice devotee of Lord. Khevat says that your lotus feet’s dust is very rare and my boat will be collapsed and my business will be collapsed. He should let him wash his feet. Because dust of his Lotus feet is so powerful.That even a stone turned into a very beautiful lady

What if something happened to my boat this is the only means of existence for me

Thus let me wash your feet first

Shloka

You can kill me but I want to wash your feet. How is this devotee. Rama said all three of you argued and now he is also doing that. So what can I do.

Shloka

Kausalya was not happy when Sita wanted to go to forest. She asked how will she survive in the jungle

Shloka

How will she face all the animals, monkeys. She never kept her feet on ground till now. Sita said tha where Sri Rama will stay there I will stay. So even Laxman didn’t listen. So he is also making this hatha. If you don’t want to wash you feet then you can go to a ghat where you can cross Ganga where you can cross my going across the river. So Rama ji said show me. So Kevat said that this is daytime if I show that path then who will travel from boat. Then Rama ji said what can I do? So kevat said I will show you that path in the evening and if you go in the daylight then customers will go away. But Rama said it is very difficult and sita is with me. He said I will show that path in evening only. So sita is very soft how will she cross? So he said if you are so admandant to go then why don’t you let me wash your feet.

Shloka

From whose feet ganga originates, whose feet have all the dhams and worlds. He agrees and says plz wash my feet. Then Kevat enthusiastically fills water from ganga in wooden vessel- khat ka vessel he brought. So this will examine that the lotus dust is actually very magically. Si Kevat kisses his lotus feet. So demigods are seeing at the bhagya pf this kevat. While washing his lotus feet and then he puts it on the ground and it get dirty again and then he again washes. He says that keep one feet in the wooden pot and one in my lap. Then Rama said I will fall. Kevat said Lord plz keep your hand on my head.  Then he does the same. Watching this demigods recite the glories of his fortune. Then he takes the charanmrita. Nishad also use to serve Lord and saw that they used to sleep on ground and said wring words to Kaikeyi. He said that are you a kasiyi and the Laxman consoles him and says that whatever Lord wants this what destiny is we hv to accept it. Gaur Krishna Mahraj says that you have put mercy onme and when you embraced me I am glorified. Earlier people used to take bath whenever they saw my shadow also. So this is fortune. So he goes with them in Kevat. He says Kevat that it has a lot of holes to see where can we take this boat. So I am seeing the path how can we cross the path. Lord Rama says plz go faster I have to go far  and then finally he makes him reach the destination and Rama ji stands on sand with sita ji and laxman ji. And Rama said that we have to give something to him. I don’t have anything to him. I f someone gives Tulasi to Lord, he gives everything to him. Sita mata understood him.

Sholoka

So just like rupagoswami understood CM. So similarly she gave her ring to Lord and he is very merciful, he wanted to give something.

Shloka

No one is as merciful as Rama. Kevat did a lot for Lord Rama. Rama said that I am giving you my most valuable thing, I and you hv same class. You don’t give anything when I go at your ghat, plz let me across. Rama ji smiled  and asked him to keep this. Kevat says that when you come back you will again give me a chance to serve again. Even the hotels say the same thing. He says that you have increased my fortune. Whatever you give me I will then accept your gift. Now don’t give me anything. He is very intelligent and Ram ji understands that. Everything works under his guidance. Under your guidance only I could row this boat.

Shloka

Shloka

Everything is provided by you. Everything is yours. Ramji insisted to take that ting said you also have a family, so you should accept. He doesn’t accept. We perform our duties in material world just to attain Perfection by having connection with the Supreme personality of Godhead He sits in samadhi after Lord went for 14 years. He left everything and sat in samadhi. And gives everything in the service of Lord. When he returned back, he could a opportunity to serve again. And when this Kevat had attained that position then he felt no need to execute his duties any further.

I repeatedly thank HH Lokanatha swami Maharaj and HH Gaur Kishore das maharaj for this  opportunity to serve

Let’s thank maharaj by chanting

We shall stop here and meet tmrw.

15 April 2024
Speaker: HH Vrindavan Chandra Swami Maharaj
Theme: Get benefitted by Dhāma
Hare Krsna!!

Upcoming is the occasion of Rāma Navamī. Today we are very fortunate to have with us HH Vrindavan Chandra Swami Maharaj who is also known as the Vrajavasī of ISKCON. We shall hear Śrī Rāma Kathā from him.

Theme: Purposes of incarnation of the Lord

It’s a bliss for me to get an opportunity to speak about Śrī Rāma Chandra for the upcoming Rāma Navamī festival. Śrī Rāma Chandra appeared in Ayodhya Dhāma. There are several purposes of the Lord’s appearance on this planet and each and every reason is very amazing.

soi jasagāibhagata bhava tarahīn
kripāsindhūjanahitatanudharahīn
rāmajanmakehetuaneka
param vicitra ek teekā

Translation

By singing that praise again and again, the devotees get immersed in the ocean of existence. Lord Kripasagar assumes the body for the benefit of the devotees.

There are innumerous reasons for Lord Ram’s incarnation, each of which is more strange than the other. (Text 1, Tulasi Ramayana)

Hanuman Ji says,

martyāvatāras tv ihamartya-śikṣaṇaṁ
rakṣo-vadhāyaivanakevalaṁvibhoḥ
kuto ’nyathāsyādramataḥsvaātmanaḥ
sītā-kṛtānivyasanānīśvarasya

 Translation

It was ordained that Rāvaṇa, chief of the Rākṣasas, could not be killed by anyone but a man, and for this reason Lord Rāmacandra, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, appeared in the form of a human being. Lord Rāmacandra’s mission, however, was not only to kill Rāvaṇa but also to teach mortal beings that material happiness centered around sex life or centered around one’s wife is the cause of many miseries. He is the self-sufficient Supreme Personality of Godhead, and nothing is lamentable for Him. Therefore why else could He be subjected to tribulations by the kidnapping of mother Sītā? (ŚB 5.19.5)

The most well known purpose of Śrī Rāma’s appearance was the annihilation of Rāvana. The Lord didn’t need to descend specially to kill him as He had many other options. But Rāvana had a great boon from Brahma Ji that no one could defeat him, but humans and monkeys. That’s why the Lord appeared as a human. Rāvana was the devotee of Shiv Ji. And he was such a great devotee that he would offer his own head to him where the other devotees just offer some stone apples (bel patra).

The Lord not only appeared to kill Rāvana but He also appeared to teach lessons to mankind. He taught the world many lessons by His behaviour.

Theme: Ayodhya’s trueness

Lord Rāma appeared in Ayodhya. Ayodhya is a very pious city.

“tāmasatyanāmadrdhato” as mentioned in Valmiki Ramayan.Ayodhya’s name is very true. Its real situation is the same as the meaning of the name. Nowadays people keep unsuitable names, like a person’s name is Padmalochan but he can not see anything.

Janameraandhanamapadmalocana- “when a man’s son was blind since birth, the father, out of staunch affection for the child, named him Padmalocana”- Srila Prabhupada (Bengali saying)

His eyes are compared to a lotus. This means the situation is not as per the meaning of the name. This is not a true name. But the name of Ayodhya is totally appropriate. Let’s understand the meaning of the name Ayodhya. Like khadyasamagri, where khadyameans worth eating; Pathya pustak, where pathyameans worth teaching, kardyameans worth doing; in the similar way yodhyain Ayodhya means worth fighting with. Ayodhya means where there is no battle, not worth fighting with. This name is true to its meaning.

Theme: Description of Ayodhya Dhāma

durgagambhīraparikhāmadurgāmanyaihdurrāsadāma
vājivāranasampūrnāma
gobhirūśtraihkharaihstathā

Translation

That Ayodhya is an impassable one for trespassers, or for other invaders, owing to her impassable and profound moats, and she is abounding with horses, camels, likewise with cows and donkeys. (1.5.13, Balakanda, Valmiki Ramayana)

Parighameans the outer circle of a city. It is described that the outer circle of Ayodhya is so profound that it is not possible to enter there. To safeguard the city, people would dig a hole and set it on fire. Like to stop monkeys in Vrindāvana, people would set electric wires on their houses.

kavātatoranavatīmsuvibhaktāntarāpanāma
sarvayantrāyudhavatīmusītāma
sarvaśilpibhih

Translation

That city is surrounded with gateways and archways; the front yards of buildings are well laid; it lodges all kinds of machinery, weaponry and craftsmen, and king Dasharatha dwells in such a city. (1.5.10, Balakanda, Valmiki Ramayana)

There are boundaries all around the city Ayodhya and the main gate is very substantial and strong to break. Ayodhya is very well ready for any kind of attack.

sutamāgaghasambadhāmaśrīmatitulaprabhāma
ucchāttaladhvajavatīm
śataghnīśatasamkulama

Translation

With matchless splendour, it abounded in eulogists and genealogists. It contained stately edifices decorated with flags and hundreds of sataghnis (missiles).(1.5.11, Balakanda, Valmiki Ramayana)

It has many powerful weapons like missiles which can kill thousands of people at once.

yodhānāmagnikalpānām
peślānāmamarshinām
sampūrnākrtvidhyānām
guhākesarināmiva

Translation

It abounded with warriors, like a cave with lions. They were almost like flaming fire, the most determined among experts and accomplished in learning (the science of arms). (1.6.21, Balakanda, Valmiki Ramayana)

The soldiers there are very well fit, trained and are not very jovial. They cannot tolerate insults from anyone. The soldiers of Ayodhya are compared to lions who live in a cave in the mountain. No one can dare to enter a cave. Similarly, their soldiers are so muscular and strong that no one can fight them.

Theme: An exile to Śrī Rāma and His condition

Ayodhya is the abode of the Lord. And the Lord respects and loves Ayodhya a lot. A situation came when Śrī Rāma had to leave Ayodhya. One morning, Dashrath ji called Śrī Rāma in Rajdarbar. Dashrath ji was lying on the ground. When asked by Śrī Rāma of his father’s situation, Kaikeyi said that he had promised to give her 2 boons. She asked him to give Śrī Rāma an exile. Śrī Rāma took His father’s words seriously and when he was leaving Ayodhya, many people accompanied him till Tamasā river. They all rested there at night. Śrī Rāma thought of leaving before sunrise. As He was going far from Ayodhya, He was forgetting love towards it. He was giving instructions to Lakshman to not think about Ayodhya’s people. But at the same time, He was unable to control Himself. As He crossed many rivers towards forest, when the border came of Ushal, He stopped His chariot and stood facing towards Ayodhya and said,

āpracchetvāmpurīshreshthe
kakutsthaparipālite
daivatāni ca yānitvām
pālayantivasanti ca

Translation

O Ayodhya, the best of cities ruled by those born in the Kakutstha race I take leave of you and of all those gods inhabiting and guarding you. (2.50.2, Ayodhyakanda, Valmiki Ramayana)

Śrī Rāma said to Ayodhya, “O Ayodhya, I am asking you for a leave. I am asking the demigods and the people of Ayodhya for a leave.”

Nivrittavanavāsastvāmanrno
jagatīpateh
punardrkshyāmimātrā ca pitrā ca
sahasangagatah

Translation

On completion of exile and my filial obligations to king Dasaratha, lord of the world, discharged, I shall, reunited with my parents, see you again. (2.50.3, Ayodhyakanda, Valmiki Ramayana)

 He was promising that whenever His exile would get over, He would come as soon as possible to meet them all.

tatorudhiratāmrāksho
bhujamudyamyadakshinam
ashrupūrnamukho
dīnoabravījjānapadamjanam

Translation

He looked miserable, his copperred eyes filled with tears. He raised his right hand

and said to the villagers who had come to see him: (2.50.4, Ayodhyakanda, Valmiki Ramayana)

He was looking very helpless and tears were falling down from His eyes.

“ayodhyasochishyantinasanshaya”

 Theme: Ayodhya, a mother

He was concerned about Ayodhya that it would mourn without Him. He was concerned about His mother that she might get blind in sobbing. But He was confident that His brother Bharat would look after His parents after He had gone. He was concerned for the people of Ayodhya. Still he went towards the forest to get His father’s promise fulfilled.

When the Lord was returning from Sri Lanka on a plane, He was on His way to Ayodhya. As soon as the City came to sight, He offered obeisances to Ayodhya and also asked Sita Ji to offer obeisances.

eshasādraśyatesīte
rājadhānīpiturmama
ayodhyāmkuruvaidehipranāmampunarāgatā

Translation

Sita! My father’s capital Ayodhya is seen. We have come here. Offer your salutations.” (6.126.55, Yuddhakanda, Valmiki Ramayana)

He gave so much importance to Ayodhya as His mother. It is seen that the devotees accept Dhāma as their mother. It is said in Vrindavan Mahimamrta,

grihāndhakūpepatitahkadā
māmuddhratyamūdamkrpyāsvayaiva
kāmādikālāhiganairnigīrnam
mātevavrindātavineśyaseangakam

Translation

I have fallen into a blind well like Grihasta, tied with a black snake like lust desires, O Vrindatavi, when will you liberate me and put me on your lap like a mother. (88, Sri Vrindavan Mahimamrta)

He is saying to Ayodhya, “O mother, I have fallen in a blind well (without water) where pythons have taken shelter. I have no knowledge. Desire like python have swallowed Me. It has become a very dangerous situation. One needs support to come out of that well.” He is comparing that well to Grihasth ashram that He has fallen in a grihasth ashram and he is not able to take wise decisions. That lusty desires has tied Him. He is asking when she will take Him out of this situation and put Him on her lap. When someone is dependent on someone, their relationship becomes stronger. Like when a child is totally dependent on his mother, his mother takes full care of him. Similarly, one who takes shelter of Dhāma, Dhāma takes care of such a person.

Uddhav ji is describing the situation of Kaliyuga Jiva.

daṣṭaṁjanaṁsampatitaṁ bile ’smin
kālāhinākṣudra-sukhoru-tarṣam
samuddharainaṁkṛpayāpavargyair
vacobhirāsiñcamahānubhāva

Translation

O almighty Lord, please be merciful and uplift this hopeless living entity who has fallen into the dark hole of material existence, where the snake of time has bitten him. In spite of such abominable conditions, this poor living entity has tremendous desire to relish the most insignificant material happiness. Please save me, my Lord, by pouring down the nectar of Your instructions, which awaken one to spiritual freedom. (ŚB 11.19.10)

This well is the material world and black snake is the time. When a snake bites someone, he feels very hot and becomes very thirsty. Similarly, when this snake of time bites us, we become more thirsty for material enjoyment. Uddhav ji is praying to the Lord to deliver the fallen souls. Tongue plays a very important role and thus it should always be engaged in Harināma. By doing so we can control other urges for engaging into sinful activities.

“jaramayasarthyathaausadham sat”

Like proper medication can cure a person suffering from high fever. Or water can satisfy a person’s thirst. So devotees believe and respect Dhāma a lot. Lord Rāma had been an exemplary character that how one should behave towards Dhāma. He treats Ayodhya as His mother and so the Vrindāvanavasīs. They feel safe around the arms of Dhāma like a child feels safe in his mothers lap.

Question: How can one develop niśthā(firm faith) towards the Lord and His holname while fighting with our six enemies of the mind?

Ans: We should take shelter of a Dhāma. Dhāma will take away our six enemies of mind from us. Now everyone will ask if they should leave the city and get situated in Dhāma. This is best but if it’s not possible then ŚrīlaRūpaGoswāmī explains nine ways to take shelter of Dhāma. One can perform any of the nine ways to get benefitted.

sruta- smrta –kirtita -ca
vanchita- preksita -gata
sprsta- sritasevita -ca
mathur -abhista -da -nrnam

Translation

“[Due to the unlimited power of Vrndavana], anyone can fulfil their cherished desires [for Krishna’s eternal service] simply by:

1) Hearing about Vrndavana (sruta)

2) Remembering Vrndavana (smrta)

3) Glorifying Vrndavana (kirtita)

4) Desiring Vrndavana (vanchita)

5) Seeing Vrndavana (preksita)

6) Visiting Vrndavana (gata)

7) Touching Vrndavana (sprsta)

8) Living in Vrndavana (asrita)

9) Serving Vrndavana (sevita).”

Hare Krishna!

.

13 April 2024
Srila Ramanujacharya Appearance Day
Speaker: HH Lokanath Swami Maharaj

om ajnana-timirandhasya jnananjana-salakaya
cakshur unmilitam yena tasmai sri-gurave namah (Sri Guru Pranama)

Translation: I offer my respectful obeisances unto my spiritual master, who has opened my eyes, which were blinded by the darkness of ignorance, with the torchlight of knowledge

nama om vishnu-padaya krishna-preshthaya bhu-tale
srimate bhaktivedanta-svamin iti namine (Srila Prabhupada Pranati)

Translation: I offer my respectful obeisances unto His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, who is very dear to Lord Krishna, having taken shelter at His lotus feet

namas te sarasvate deve gaura-vani-pracarine 
nirvisesha-sunyavadi-pascatya-desa-tarine

Translation: Our respectful obeisances are unto you, O spiritual master, servant of Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Goswami. You are kindly preaching the message of Lord Chaitanyadeva and delivering the Western countries, which are filled with impersonalism and voidism.

panca-tattvatmakam krishnam bhakta-rupa-svarupakam
bhaktavataram bhaktakhyam namami bhakta-saktikam (Sri Panca-tattva Pranama)

Translation: I offer my obeisances unto the Supreme Lord, Kirishna, who is nondifferent from His features as a devotee, devotional incarnation, manifestation, pure devotee, and devotional energy.

All Glories to the appearance day of Srila Ramanujacharya! Around 1007 years back, Srila Ramanujacharya appeared at Pedembedur in Chennai (Madras). He was a very glorious spiritual master. Very few spiritual masters have the same calibre as him.

There are four main Acharyas belonging to four different bonafide Vaishnava Sampradayas. He was the first one to appear, followed was Nimbarkacharya. Why was his appearance glorious?

The younger brother of Lord Sri Rama is Rama-anuja. He was partial incarnation of Lord Lakshmana himself. Lakshmana is Balarama or Nityananda prabhu. Lakshmana represents the spiritual master.

He played a very significant role as an acharya or the spiritual master. Even Lord Buddha had appeared. I don’t have much details to research on this but I can share the details which we have.

paritrāṇāya sādhūnāṁ
vināśhāya cha duṣhkṛitām
dharma-sansthāpanārthāya
sambhavāmi yuge yuge (BG 4.8)

Translation: To protect the righteous, to annihilate the wicked, and to reestablish the principles of dharma I appear on this earth, age after age.

Lakshmana had to appear in this world to establish the religious principles.

yadā yadā hi dharmasya
glānir bhavati bhārata
abhyutthānam adharmasya
tadātmānaṁ sṛjāmy aham (BG 4.7)

Translation: Whenever and wherever there is a decline in religious practice, O descendant of Bharata, and a predominant rise of irreligion—at that time I descend Myself.”

This task falls under the responsibility of the Lord and his devotees also.

sarva-dharmān parityajya
mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja
ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo
mokṣayiṣyāmi mā śucaḥ (BG 18.66)

Translation: Abandon all varieties of religion and just surrender unto Me. I shall deliver you from all sinful reactions. Do not fear.

1000 years back we were facing the same decline in the religious principles. People were busy following the Karma Kanda and they were brutally performing animal sacrifices. Then the Lord had to appear as Buddha Dev and he preached the principles of Ahimsa, Non violence.

ahimsā paramo dharmah sarvaprāmabhrth smrtah
tasmāt prānabhrtah sarvān na himsyād brāhmanah
kva cit (Mahabharata Adi Parva)

Translation: Verily the highest virtue of man is sparing the life of others. Therefore a Brahmana should never take the life of any creature.

He said, forget the scriptures if they are inspiring you to kill these animals and the people followed. But leading life without Vedas is not vain. A person who is not following the Vedas is an atheist. Thus Buddhists and Jainism all fall in the same category. They preached the philosophy of voidism. Then Lord Shiva appeared as Shankaracharya and he preached impersonalism.

Ahaṁ Brahmāsmi

(Brihadaranyaka Upanishad 1.4.10 of the Yajur Veda)

Translation: “I am Brahman”, or “I am Divine”.

The Lord is omnipresent and formless. Also the goal of our life is to merge into this formless divine form. Aham Brahma Asmi! That Brahma has no form, quality or pastimes. When there is no form then what will he do in the places like Vrindavan, Ayodhya or any other Holy Dham. And to consider this body as ourselves is an illusion and we will get freed from this illusion, when we will get out of this body.

namaste saraswati deve
gaura-vani-pracharine
nirvishesha-shunyavadi
pashchatya-desha-tarine (Srila Prabhupada Pranati)

Translation: Our respectful obeisances are unto you, O spiritual master, servant of Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Goswami. You are kindly preaching the message of Lord Caitanya and delivering the Western countries, which are filled with impersonalism and voidism.

The Lord has no special quality such as voidism and impersonalism. Before the appearance of Ramanujacharya, these two philosophies were dominating the society.

There were twelve Alwars. There is a place called Alarnath, near Jagannath Puri where these Alwars used to worship Lord Krsna. It’s then that Srila Ramanujacharya appeared. A person is accepted as an Acharya only when they could write a commentary on Vedanta Sutra.

Madhvacharya, Nimbarkacharya, Vishnu Swami and Ramanujacharya all of them had written a commentary on Vedanta Sutra. And then fifth Sampradaya arose – the Gaudiya Vaishnava Sampradaya and Srila Baladev Vidyabhushan wrote the commentary on Vedanta Sutra from our Sampradaya.

The commentary which was written by Srila Ramanujacharya, that was named as Sri Bhasya.

Because the main worshipable deity of their Sampradaya is Goddess Lakshmi. The Lord and everyone else is one. The Lord is Lord and I can make you the Lord. But Srila Prabhupada said, The Lord is Lord and you can never become Lord.

ekale īśvara kṛṣṇa, āra saba bhṛtya
yāre yaiche nācāya, se taiche kare nṛtya (CC Ādi 5.142)

Translation: Lord Kṛṣṇa alone is the supreme controller, and all others are His servants. They dance as He makes them do so.

Ramanujacharya was the first Acharya to declare that we are two separate units, the Supreme Lord and the soul – the eternal servant.

Buddha said, zero. Shankaracharya said one and then Ramanujacharya said two. Madhvacharya placed special emphasis on these three – The Supreme Lord, Jiva and third is the devotional service. So the proper process of devotional service was given by Srila Ramanujacharya first.

At the age of 12, Srila Ramanujacharya got married. And after the death of his parents he shifted to Kanchipuran. He had five main spiritual masters. He was accepting teachings from a person named Yadav Prakash but as soon as he got to know that he was preaching impersonalism then he gave up on him. Yadav Prakash was very displeased with him and he wanted to kill Ramanujacharya but the Lord saved him.

And at the later stage, he himself accepted Ramanujacharya as his spiritual master. Ramanujacharya accepted Yamunacharya as his initiating spiritual master.

One day he received this news that his spiritual master has left this world. Thus he went to Sri Rangam and had the last darshans of his spiritual master. He was very morose, experiencing the pain of separation from his spiritual master

pāṣāṇe kuṭibo māthā anale paśibo
gaurāńga guṇera nidhi kothā gele pābo (Je Anilo Prem Dhana 4)

Translation: I will smash my head against the rock and enter into the fire. Where will I find Lord Gauranga, the reservoir of all wonderful qualities?

je anilo prema-dhana koruna pracur
heno prabhu kotha gela acarya-thakur (Je Anilo Prem Dhana 1)

Translation: He who brought the treasure of divine love and who was filled with compassion and mercy—where has such a personality as Srinivasa Acarya gone?

He observed that his spiritual master’s three fingers were in an folded position. He understood that these three fingers represented his spiritual masters three unfulfilled desires. He knew what those desires were and he spoke them out as his own responsibilities. He said,

1. I will refute the Mayavada Philosophy.
2. I’ll write a commentary on Vedanta Sutra
3. I’ll name one of my disciples as Parasara Muni

And thus with each announcement, Yamunacharya’s each finger continued to unfold. And he could understand the heart of his spiritual master.

cakṣu-dān dilo jei, janme janme prabhu sei, 
divya jñān hṛde prokāśito
prema-bhakti jāhā hoite, avidyā vināśa jāte,
vede gāy jāhāra carito (Sri Guru Carana Padma 3)

Translation: He opens my darkened eyes and fills my heart with transcendental knowledge. He is my Lord birth after birth. From him ecstatic prema emanates; by him ignorance is destroyed. The Vedic scriptures sing of his character.

When he was given the secret mantra at the time of his initiation, he heard the glories of that secret mantra. That secret mantra has the potency to deliver the fallen souls from the clutches of this material world. But if this Mantra is shared with any unqualified person then, the person who shares it would go to hell.

As soon as Srila Ramanujacharya heard this, he went onto the roof of the temple and made an announcement. He told all the villagers to chant this mantra. It’s the same mood as that of Srila Bhakti Vinoda Thakura Prabhupada who spoke about establishing a market place of the holy name and calling out to all the faithful people.

nadiya-godrume nityananda mahajana
patiyache nama-hatta jibera karana (Nadiya Godrume 1)

Translation: In Nadiya’s Godruma the great soul Lord Nityananda has opened a marketplace to sell the holy name to the conditioned souls.

And thus he shared the mantra with all the people around, without bothering least about himself. Then he continued to stay in Sri Rangam worshiping Lakshmi Narayana. Also he travelled to different places of pilgrimage.

About 200 years prior to the appearance of Ramanujacharya, Shankaracharya appeared. Ramanujacharya had 700 Sanyasi Disciples and 12000 Brahmacharis. And thousands of Grashtha disciples and all of them were helping him to preach the glories of the Lord throughout.

Prthivite ache yata nagaradi-grama
sarvatra pracara haibe mora nama (CB Antya-khanda 4.126)

Translation: In every town and village throughout the world,” said Lord Caitanya, – the chanting of My holy name will be heard.

He was the leading spiritual master, 1000 years back.

evam parampara-praptam 
imam rajarsayo viduh
sa kaleneha mahata
yogo nastah parantapa (BG 4.2)

Translation: This supreme science was thus received through the chain of disciplic succession, and the saintly kings understood it in that way. But in course of time the succession was broken, and therefore the science as it is appears to be lost.

So one should receive the spiritual knowledge from a bonafide Sampradaya only.

sampradaya-vihina ye mantras te nisphala matah 
atah kalau bhavisyanti catvarah sampradayinah
sri-brahma-rudra-sanakah vaisnavah ksiti-pavanah
catvaras te kalau bhavya hy utkale purusottamat (Padma Puran)

Translation: Any mantra that does not come in disciplic succession is considered to be fruitless. Therefore, four divine individuals will appear in the age of Kali to found disciplic schools. The founders of these four Vaisnava sampradayas are Laksmi or Sri, Brahma, Rudra and Sanaka Rishi, and the acaryas of the Kali Age who follow their lines will appear in the holy city of Purusottama in Orissa.

Otherwise the acquired knowledge wont be fruitful. Prior to the appearance of Lord Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, all these different acharyas from the four bonafide Sampradaya appeared.

bahūnāṁ janmanām ante
jñānavān māṁ prapadyate
vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti
sa mahātmā su-durlabhaḥ (BG 7.19)

Translation: After many births of spiritual practice, one who is endowed with knowledge surrenders unto Me, knowing Me to be all that is. Such a great soul is indeed very rare.

A spiritual master means a Vaishnava, worshiper of Lord Vishnu only. We need to go back to Goloka Vrindavan Dham. But these impersonalists have only the aim of merging into the existence of the Lord. And the worshippers of demigods and even the worshippers of ghosts will go back to their worshipable deities.

yanti deva-vrata devan
pitrn yanti pitr-vratah
bhutani yanti bhutejya
yanti mad-yajino ‘pi mam (BG 9.25)

Translation: Those who worship the demigods will take birth among the demigods; those who worship ghosts and spirits will take birth among such beings; those who worship ancestors go to the ancestors; and those who worship Me will live with Me.

The person who is not worshiping Lord Vishnu, he can’t be the spiritual master. Chaitanya Mahaprabhu accepts two qualities from each bonafide Sampradaya. From Sri Sampradaya, Chaitanya Mahaprabhu accepted the principle of unalloyed devotional service.

advaitam acyutam anādim ananta-rūpam
ādyaṁ purāṇa-puruṣaṁ nava-yauvanaṁ ca
vedeṣu durlabham adurlabham ātma-bhaktau
govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajāmi (BS 5.33)

Translation: I worship Govinda, the primeval Lord, who is inaccessible to the Vedas, but obtainable by pure unalloyed devotion of the soul, who is without a second, who is not subject to decay, is without a beginning, whose form is endless, who is the beginning, and the eternal puruṣa; yet He is a person possessing the beauty of blooming youth.

Unalloyed devotional service of the different incarnations of Lord Vishnu/Vasudev/Krsna.

kāmais tais tair hṛta-jñānāḥ
prapadyante ’nya-devatāḥ
taṁ taṁ niyamam āsthāya
prakṛtyā niyatāḥ svayā (Bg. 7.20)

Translation: Those whose intelligence has been stolen by material desires surrender unto demigods and follow the particular rules and regulations of worship according to their own natures.

No offences unto the Vaishnavas and serving them nicely (Vaishnava Seva). We were welcomed very nicely on our visits to Sri Rangam. Sri Rangam is the only place where Chaitanya Mahaprabhu stayed for four months on his visit to South India. Thus even he could experience that hospitality when he stayed at the place of Sri Ventak Bhatta, everyday he would go to have Darshans of Lord Ranganath,  then he would perform Sankirtan and make the people dance.

Venkat Bhatta’s younger brother became the follower of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and after initiation he got the name as Prabhodananda Thakura. And also Venkat Bhatta’s son, became Chaitanya Mahaprabhu’s disciple and both of them shifted to Vrindavan in later part of their lives. The son became Gopal Bhatta Goswami. Srila Prabhodananda Thakura writes, I was cheated, I was cheated. I was given no clue of this ocean of nectar.

vancito smi vancito smi 
vancito smi na samsayah
visvam gaura-rase magnam
sparso’pi mama nabhavat (Caitanya-candramrta 46)

Translation: I have been deprived, I have been deprived, surely I have been deprived! The whole world became immersed in love for Sri Gaura, but alas! my destiny is such that not a drop of that love has touched me.

And he gave the conclusion that, this nectar of Radha Krsna’s divine love and conjugal pastimes is the topmost. We can understand the significance of Sri Ramanujacharya’s appearance in establishing and preaching of Vaishnavas Dharma. He was in Sri Rangam in his last days.

Though he left the planet, but his body (Vapu) is still present in Sri Rangam in the sitting position. He was not given a samadhi under the ground. Many times I have taken his darshans, there is a separate temple built for him.

All Glories to the appearance day of Srila Ramanujacharya!

All glories to Srila Prabhupada!

Date- 12^thApril 2024 
Speaker – Ananga Mohan Prabhu
Theme- Great dynasty of Lord Ramacandra

DakshineLakshmano, YasyeVame Cha Janakathmaja, PurathoMaruthirYasya Tham Vande Raghunandanam.

Translation:

I salute that Rama who is surrounded by Laxmana on the right, Sita on the left and Hanuman in the front.

First of all, I want to thank Guru Maharaj and his dear disciples. Please accept my humble obeisances. From few days Prabhu is asking me to come here and take blessings from all of you. So, Rama Navami is on 17th April. Lord Rama will appear. So, to prepare for that and to get ready to welcome the Lord in our hearts, we are going to discuss today. So, first of all when we talk about the Lord, we know that Lord Krishna is the source of all incarnations.

etecāṁśa-kalāḥpuṁsaḥ
kṛṣṇastubhagavānsvayam
indrāri-vyākulaṁlokaṁ
mṛḍayantiyugeyuge

Translation:

All of the above-mentioned incarnations are either plenary portions or portions of the plenary portions of the Lord, but Lord ŚrīKṛṣṇa is the original Personality of Godhead. All of them appear on planets whenever there is a disturbance created by the atheists. The Lord incarnates to protect the theists. [SB.1.3.28]

And Lord says in Bhagavad Gita

paritrāṇāyasādhūnāṁvināśāya ca duṣkṛtām
dharma-saṁsthāpanārthāyasambhavāmiyugeyuge

Translation:

To deliver the pious and to annihilate the miscreants, as well as to reestablish the principles of religion, I Myself appear, millennium after millennium. [BG 4.8]

According to Jayadeva Goswami’s song and according to Sastras there are many incarnations of the Lord, like purusavatar, gunavatar, lilavatar, saktyavesa avatar, manvantar avatar, and yugavatar. So, in the song of Jayadeva Goswami in the list of incarnations like Matsya, Kurma, Varaha, Narasimha, Vamana, Parasurama, Krsna, Buddha and Kalki and in this list comes Lord Rama.Krishna is Lila Avatar and Lord Rama is Maryada Purushottam Avatar and Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu is AudharyaPurushottamAvatar.

Sub-theme: Brief information of Ramayana

In Valmiki Ramayan, there is special mention about Lord Sri Rama. The meaning of Ramayana is Rama Ayana, means Rama’s path, the path on which Sri Rama walked is known as Ramayana, just as Uttrayana and Daksinayana are of Sun god. So,Rama yuktaayana is Ramayana. Ramayana is compiled by Valmiki Muni. In other sasras also like Vayu Purana, Garuda Purana, Padma Purana, and Visnu Purana in this sasaras also there is description of Lord Rama and about His pastimes and His dynasty. In the Valmiki Ramayan there are 24,000 verses. It is written in Karun rasa and it is having 500 chapters. And it is sapta-gandha Ramayana; it is written in seven parts. Therefore, whenever we hear about Sri Rama, we feel that Lord Rama should come in our home and in our heart, and we should respect Lord Sri Rama. So, if we want to know about Lord Rama, about His appearance, there is clear mention in Valmiki Ramayan that Rama will appear in Surya dynasty. We know that when Lord Rama appeared in Surya, sun dynasty, Sun God was present above Ayodhya for many months. There was no night, because in his dynasty the Lord appeared.

ShantakaramBhujagashayanamPadmanabham Suresham
VishvadharamGaganasadrishamMeghavarnamShubhangam।
Lakshmikantam KamalanayanamYogibhirdhyanagamyam
Vande VishnumBhavabhayaharamSarvalokaikanatham॥

Translation:

I bow to Lord Vishnu the preserver and the protector of the universe, who is peaceful, who reclines on the great serpent bed, from whose navel springs the Lotus of the creative power, who is the Supreme Being, who supports the entire universe, who is all-pervading as the sky, who is dark like the clouds and has a beautiful form. The Lord of Lakshmi, the lotus-eyed One, whom the Yogis are able to perceive through meditation, salutations to Lord Vishnu who removes the fear of worldly existence and who is the Lord of all worlds. [Vishnu Shantakaram Mantra]

When Lord appeared in Sun dynasty, it is said that Sun God was so happy, that for three months he was present above Ayodhya.

So today we are going to discuss about the ancestors of Lord Rama which is mentioned in Ramayana. Sometimes we feel that we love Lord Ramchandra and Sita, and He should reside in our hearts. So, if we want Lord Rama to reside in our heart then our heart should be that much pure. When our heart, our mind and especially our consciousness will be fully surrendered-

savaimanaḥkṛṣṇa-padāravindayor
vacāṁsivaikuṇṭha-guṇānuvarṇane
karauharer mandira-mārjanādiṣu
śrutiṁcakārācyuta-sat-kathodaye
mukunda-liṅgālaya-darśanedṛśau
tad-bhṛtya-gātra-sparśe ’ṅga-saṅgamam
ghrāṇaṁ ca tat-pāda-saroja-saurabhe
śrīmat-tulasyārasanāṁ tad-arpite
pādauhareḥkṣetra-padānusarpaṇe
śirohṛṣīkeśa-padābhivandane
kāmaṁ ca dāsyenatukāma-kāmyayā
yathottamaśloka-janāśrayāratiḥ

Translation:

MahārājaAmbarīṣa always engaged his mind in meditating upon the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa, his words in describing the glories of the Lord, his hands in cleansing the Lord’s temple, and his ears in hearing the words spoken by Kṛṣṇa or about Kṛṣṇa. He engaged his eyes in seeing the Deity of Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa’s temples and Kṛṣṇa’s places like Mathurā and Vṛndāvana, he engaged his sense of touch in touching the bodies of the Lord’s devotees, he engaged his sense of smell in smelling the fragrance of tulasī offered to the Lord, and he engaged his tongue in tasting the Lord’s prasāda. He engaged his legs in walking to the holy places and temples of the Lord, his head in bowing down before the Lord, and all his desires in serving the Lord, twenty-four hours a day. Indeed, MahārājaAmbarīṣa never desired anything for his own sense gratification. He engaged all his senses in devotional service, in various engagements related to the Lord. This is the way to increase attachment for the Lord and be completely free from all material desires. [ŚB 9.4.18-20]

When we will completely surrender at the lotus feet of Sri Ramchandra, will hear about the Lord, will use our tongue only to speak Rama Katha, then only the Lord will reside in our hearts. Bhakti Vinod Thakur also sings –

mama mana mandirerahaniśi-din
kṛṣṇamurāriśrīkṛṣṇamurāri

Translation:

Please abide in the temple of my heart both day and night, O Krsna Murari, O Sri Krsna Murari! [Verse 1 from Song ‘Mama Man Mandire’ by BhaktivinodaThakura]

If we want to bring Sri Rama in the temple of our heart, if we want to welcome Lord Rama in our heart then we must please Him.

Sub-theme: Satyavadi, truthful King Harishchandra

Therefore, today I thought to speak about two special personalities who came in the dynasty of Lord Sri Rama. This dynasty is very special. In this dynasty acaryas, special kings and Rsis appeared. Lord had to come in this dynasty because Lord loves this dynasty. Many kings appeared in this dynasty. They were preparing that Lord Himself should appear in their dynasty. So, one of these special kings was King Harishchandra. Srila Prabhupada also tells about King Harishchandra during his commentaries and room conversations. Those who are from India and those who are vaishnavas know about King Harishchandra, satyavadi Harishchandra. If anyone of you have ever went to Varanasi then you must have visited Harivashchandra Ghat.Out of 80 ghats there is one Harishchandra Ghat.

So, all of us like to hear about acharyas or special personalities. Are you all ready to hear about Harishchandra? Even if some of you are not ready to hear, then also I will speak. So, I will tell in brief.This story is very big and beautiful. You know that Ramachandra had taken vow of Eka patnivrata, to have only one wife. King Harishchandra also had taken same vow. He got married with Taramati, a great vaishnavi. And from her he had one son whose name was Rohit. So, one day Harishchandra went to forest. There he saw that some mad elephants are attacking women. Those ladies became very bewildered and Harishchandra saved them. Those ladies were manasaputri, daughters of Vishvamitra, who appeared from the mind of Vishvamitra. Once Visvamitra came to visit King Harishchandra and said that ‘my daughters have accepted you as their husband. You are a king.You should accept them.’ Harishchandra said,‘I have taken vow of having only one wife. I cannot do this. Please give me any other service. I will definitely do it.’

So Vishvamitra Muni became very angry. We know that he becomes angry very quickly. Once Vishvamitra Muni went to heaven. Everyone was in the assembly. King Harishchandra had never spoken lie, no matter what is the situation. And that was his power. You know that in Kaliyuga, bull who is the personification of Dharma is standing only on one leg. And that leg is ‘truth’. One must speak only truth. So, in that assembly everyone was talking about King Harishchandra. Vishvamitra Muni had anger for King Harishchandra, he was not happy with Harishchandra as something had taken place earlier, so Vishvamitra Muni said,‘I will test him, how much truth he speaks? How much strength is there in his words?’

So, one day he came to Ayodhya. Harishchandra was the king of Ayodhya at that time. Vishvamitra Muni came in the assembly of King Harishchandra and he said,‘I will accept your welcoming.’ So, as he was Rsi, a brahman, Harishchandra welcomed him very nicely. He said ‘you ask anything, we want to serve you.’ raghukularitisadachaliaaye,pranjaaye paravachannajaaye, in the dynasty of King Raghu, the sun dynasty, all kings were very fixed on their words. For that they used to be ready even to give their life.

So, to test him,Vishvamitra said, ‘will you give promise that whatever I will ask you will give?’ King Harishchandra said, ‘yes definitely, we will give you whatever you ask for. This is the rule of our dynasty that whatever promise we have given, we will definitely fulfillthat. For that even if we have to give our life, we do that.’ Vishvamitra Muni said,‘whatever opulence you have, your wealth, your cattle, your kingdom, everything, you give it to me.’ King Harishchandra said, ‘okay, I am giving everything to you in charity.’ So Vishwamitra said, ‘Okay, then everything is mine now.’ ‘Yes, everything is yours.’ Now Vishwamitra said, ‘I am a brahmin, and I have accepted your charity. Now give me daksina.’ King said, ‘now I don’t have anything. How can I give you dakshina?’ Charity is not complete until you give daksina. This is the rule mentioned in scriptures. So, how much was this dakshina that is mentioned differently in different puranas. Therefore, I am taking the essence of that. He said, ‘you give me thousand golden coins. And you go away from this area, because now it is not yours. It is mine. I will rule over it.’ So Rsi started to rule over it and King Harishchandra left with his wife Taramati and Rohit, who was only 7 years old. And Vishvamitra Muni said, ‘within three months you have to give these thousand gold coins to me.’

King Harishchandra had nothing but only his wife and child with him and he left. This is very big pastime, but to make it short, then they came to Varanasi. Time was passing by. Vishwamitra Muni sent his servant to collect those gold coins from Harishchandra. In between this, Vishvamitra Muni took many exams of Harishchandra and by the blessings of the Lord, Harishchandra passed all those exams. He was surrendered at the lotus feet of Lord Vishnu and he was pure hearted. So, when the servant arrived, only two days were remaining from the three months’ time period. Taramati knew everything that her husband has tolerated all pains to fulfill his promise. So, she said that, ‘you sell me’. Now if we will talk about this in Kaliyuga, then we may think this cannot happen. King Harishchandra said, ‘how can I sell you?’ So Taramati said, ‘no, you must keep your words.’

So, there was fun fair. Some says, it was market. So Harishchandra went on the stage with his wife and child. It was very painful situation. By going on the stage he announced,‘is there anyone who want to purchase my wife? She can become your servant.’ People became angry on him and started to blaspheme him, ‘what kind of person is this? He is selling his wife?’ That time one brahman came there. ‘I want to purchase your wife. What is the rate?’ So,Harishchandra asked, ‘how much you can give?’ He said, ‘I will give 250 gold coins.’ Harishchandra said, ‘No. I want 500 gold coins. Because I had promised somewhere and need to give that money there.’ Then brahman said, ‘no, this is not possible.’ Yet Harishchandra had to sell his wife. So he sold her and requested, ‘please don’t ask her to clean used pots and used clothes as she is a queen. She can help in all other works.’

When Taramati was leaving, Rohit, who was a small child, also started to go with mother. Everyone knows that small kids need mother. So, the brahman said, ‘okay, I will take this child also and I will give you 500 gold coins.’ Then after this Harishchandra himself stood and asked, ‘is there anyone who wants to purchase me?’ So, one Chandala, who burns dead bodies, came. This was Varanasi, Kasi. His clothes were torn, but he had money. So, he purchased Harishchandra with 500 gold coins. So Harishchandra sent 1000 gold coins to Visvamitra through his servant. Many things happened in between this.

Then one day, a snake bites Rohit. So,while carrying his dead body Taramati comes in crematorium. So, there Harishchandra was working. His beard was grown. His clothes were torn. While holding on stick, he used to collect cloth, one gold coin, rice and fruit from those who would come to burn dead body. Without this he was not letting them to do last rites. So, Taramati came with her son. Harishchandra said, ‘my master has told that if anyone will not give this, then I cannot burn the body ‘ So like this he faced very tragic situations, but never gave up.

So Taramati went to collect cloth, gold coin, rice and fruit. At that time, in Varanasi, many children were dying. So, everyone thought that this lady is pisachini and she is killing all children. So King’s soldiers caught her. At late night, where is she going. She must be the one who is killing the children. So, they took her to Harishchandra and said she is having death sentence. And who will give this punishment, the helper is chandal will do this.

So as per the order of his master, Harishchandra was going to cut Taramati’s head with sword, but at that moment the brahman who had purchased Taramati, came there with his wife. Chandal also came with his wife. Chandal and his wife were Shankar and Parvati. And brahman and his wife were Narayana and Lakshmi. All demigods and Sapta-Rsis and even Visvamitra Muni came there and they were raising their hands and saying, ‘satyavati Raja Harishchandra ki Jay.’ So all of them are very pleased. Chanakya Pandit says

Chalam vittamchalam chittam chalejIvitayauvane |
ChalachalamidamsarvamkIrtiyasyasajIvati ||

Translation:

The mind, the wealth, youth and life of people, all these are extremely perishable, but surely only the fame and glory achieved by a person is steady and unchangeable. [Quote by Chanakya pandit]

If fame, glory is still there, then one can survive in any condition. Just as Prabhupada, his spiritual master Bhakti Siddhant Saraswati Thakur, our spiritual master, they are glorious. So, Satyavadi, truth-speaker like Harishchandra.

Sub-theme: Kings from Sun dynasty brought Ganga on earth

We know that later also in the dynasty of Ramachandra, everyone was very firm in keeping their words. So Harishchandra and all the kings who came in the dynasty of Ramachandra gave their life for the welfare of humanity. One more such personality was king Sagar. Sagar had 60 thousand sons. One day King Sagar was doing ashwamedha yajna. 99 ashwamedha yajna were done and this was the hundredth yagya. Indra stole the horse of this ashwamedh yajna and kept it in the asrama of Kapil Muni. When all the sons of king Sagar went to search the horse, they came to the ashram of Kapil Muni and they thought that this Muni has kidnapped the horse. They attacked on Kapil Muni. But just by the sight of Kapil Muni all of them turned into ashes.

Then Anshuman, the grandson of King Sagar came to Kapil Muni and asked, ‘how they will be liberated?’ Kapil Muni said,‘from Vaikuntha Alaknanda, Ganga flows. By the pure water of Ganga these ashes will be washed out and they will be liberated.’ Anshuman gave his life to bring Ganga on earth for the liberation of his father and uncles and for the whole humanity. His son Janamejay and his grandson Dilip all of them gave their life. Then Bhagirath, the son of Dilip did very severe austerities and brought Ganga on earth. So, this whole dynasty of the Lord gave up everything for the service of the Lord and for humanity. So, if we also want the Lord to appear in our heart and if we want to please the Lord; we should also understand that we cannot be like them, the Mahajanas

tarko ’pratiṣṭhaḥśrutayovibhinnā
nāsāvṛṣiryasyamataṁnabhinnam
dharmasyatattvaṁnihitaṁguhāyāṁ
mahājanoyenagataḥsapanthāḥ

Translation:

‘Dry arguments are inconclusive. A great personality whose opinion does not differ from others is not considered a great sage. Simply by studying the Vedas, which are variegated, one cannot come to the right path by which religious principles are understood. The solid truth of religious principles is hidden in the heart of an unadulterated, self-realized person. Consequently, as the śāstras confirm, one should accept whatever progressive path the mahājanas advocate.’ [CC Madhya 25.57]

We can follow their footsteps, but we cannot imitate them. If we will keep ourselves pure by chanting the Lord’s names and specifically only that Sri Ramachandra appears in the form of Gaura Chandra.

Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu went to South India in the area of Kishkindha. In Treta Yuga Lord Ramachandra shoot arrow at seven Tala trees. So, in Gauranga Avatar He hugged those trees. And as soon as Mahaprabhu hugged these Tala trees, these trees went back to Godhead.

Chaitanya Mahaprabhu’s follower, Murari Gupta, who himself was Hanuman. If you will go to Mayapur Navadweep, then in between Chaitanya matha and our Mayapur temple, there is very beautiful residence of Murari Gupta. There we can see Sita Rama Lakshman Hanuman in the alter. Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and Nityananda Prabhu Themselves are Shri Rama and Lakshman. Mahaprabhutells about five best things to perform in Bhakti. There are total 64 things to do, if anyone will do only these five things, then he will immediately receive love of Godhead.

sādhu-saṅga, nāma-kīrtana, bhāgavata-śravaṇa
mathurā-vāsa, śrī-mūrtiraśraddhāyasevana

Translation

“One should associate with devotees, chant the holy name of the Lord, hear Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, reside at Mathurā and worship the Deity with faith and veneration.

[CC Madhya 22.128]

sakala-sādhana-śreṣṭhaeipañcaaṅga
kṛṣṇa-premajanmāyaeipāṅceraalpasaṅga

Translation

“These five limbs of devotional service are the best of all. Even a slight performance of these five awakens love for Kṛṣṇa. [CC Madhya 22.129]

If we will do these five things daily or even one of these five things, very seriously, then immediately we will achieve Krishna Prema. Therefore, Lord Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and Nityananda Prabhu, who Themselves are Rama and Laxmana, how They will enter in our heart if our heart is not pure?

Sub-theme: Understand the mercythat we are receiving daily

We have lots of mercy of the Lord and that’s why daily in the morning so many devotees gather together on zoom. Lord says-

bahūnāṁjanmanām ante
jñānavānmāṁprapadyate
vāsudevaḥsarvamiti
samahātmāsu-durlabhaḥ

Translation:

After many births and deaths, he who is actually in knowledge surrenders unto Me, knowing Me to be the cause of all causes and all that is. Such a great soul is very rare. [BG 7.19]

All of us will find the Lord in our life. Or if we are taking shelter of Ramayana, Bhagavad Gita, Srimad Bhagavatam, Caitanya Charitamrita, Caitanya Mangala; and all of you are so fortunate that your spiritual master who is the representative of the Lord

jīveranistāralāgi’ sūtrakailavyāsa
māyāvādi-bhāṣyaśunilehayasarva-nāśa

Translation

“ŚrīlaVyāsadeva presented the Vedānta philosophy for the deliverance of conditioned souls, but if one hears the commentary of Śaṅkarācārya, everything is spoiled. [CC Madhya 6.169]

So, as per Caitanya Charitamrita, spiritual master is mercy personification of the Lord Krishna. He himself comes to bless us. And I am stunned to see the love of Lokanath Swami Maharaj for all of you, for us, that daily morning he chants with us. In any condition he encourages us, how we can achieve Krishna? Like, Ravana used to think always, what he is not having. It is mentioned in Ramayana that if one is having gratitude and service mood, that person will be very happy in any situation. Sometimes we do not understand the mercy we are getting. In Bengali it is said, ‘When we have teeth then we do not take care is them. And when we do not have teeth then we fix false teeth and then we have to take care of those false teeth.’ So, we are getting so much mercy and blessings. In Ramayana Lord Rama tellskritagyata, gratitude; He tells this through Laxman gratitude. What do we have? We have received spiritual master, sadguru, we have received Krishna. We have received Srila Prabhupad. We have received fortune of honoring Prasad and having Darshan. What else is there? The darshan of Lords beautiful form Dham Yatra, morning program, Katha Kirtan, so many festivals, kirtan, bhajan, what else do we need? If it is given in the scriptures that by achieving Krishna we will get everything, –

tvamevamata cha pita tvameva
tvamevabandhushchasakhatvameva.
Tvameva vidya dravinamtvameva
tvamevasarvam mama-dev-deva.

Translation

You are our mother. You alone are our father. You are our kinsman. You alone are our friend. You alone are īśvara. You are conversant with the Vedas. You are always meditated upon by persons of great magnanimity.

If Krishna is everything and we are achieving Krishna, then why we need to run anywhere else? Sometimes we do not understand this. When by the mercy of the Lord and spiritual master we understand,‘how much blessings we are getting’, then we should do self-analysis. It is also given in the Ramayana that when Dasharath Maharaj thought that I should make Ramchandra the king, he announced this in Ayodhya. So loudly everyone chanted ‘Jaya, Jaya’; Dashrath Maharaj became happy from inside, but outwardly he said ‘looks like I don’t have served you nicely. So loudly you are saying Jaya-dhvani and Raja Rama ki Jay.’ This comes in Ayodhya kanda in Adi khanda. So,he wanted to listen whether people are understanding my son or not. So, it is mentioned in Ramayana that each one of the Praja started to glorify the qualities of Lord Rama. When they started to glorify Lord Rama, they said many things like, He is dhira, santa, narasardula;narasardula means He is lion among the men. He walks like an elephant. Sastragya, sushila, ksamashila, dhairyashila everything is there in Lord Rama. One of those qualities is Lord do atma-samiksa, self-analysis. If anyone did a little service to Him, He becomes very grateful for him. As Lord says in Bhagavad Gita

nehābhikrama-nāśo ’stipratyavāyonavidyate
sv-alpamapyasyadharmasyatrāyatemahatobhayāt

Translation

In this endeavor there is no loss or diminution, and a little advancement on this path can protect one from the most dangerous type of fear.  [BG 2.40]

‘Even if someone does a little thing, I become indebted to him.’ Similarly, if we want that Lord should reside in our heart, then we should also become like Sagar, Bharat, Dilip, Anshuman, Bhagirath and Harishchandra. Don’t know maybe some of you are like them, but that will be very special. We can follow the footsteps of the great kings. We can follow the rules given by Srila Prabhupad and our Guru Maharaj. We can keep ekadashi fasting, can chant minimum sixteen rounds daily, can take shelter of Shrimad Bhagavatam. We should maintain love for our god brothers and God sisters and all vaisnavas. We should maintain love for all living beings. And if we will do self-analysis once in a day, then we can understand how much mercy we are receiving. Yudhishthir Maharaj asks Lord Krishna, ‘who is most unfortunate person?’ Lord Krishna says, mam aradhyaduhkhartatkutumbaasaktahmanasahsatsangorahitomrtyur ..seva paricyuta,thse four kinds of people are very unhappy. Mamaradhyaduhkhartat, one who does not worship me, kutumbaasaktah, one who is attached to the bi-products of his body, satsangorahito, one who does not go for satsang, ..seva paricyuta, one who is not having spiritual master or mentor; but those who are vaishnavas, and vaishnavas are their family, who have taken shelter a spiritual master, he is very fortunate. Krishna is in our life. Devotees are in our life. We are having mentor and we do go in satsanga. True or not?Say loudly Hari Bol. So, if we have received all this, then we are very fortunate. Therefore, we do not need to see here and there.We just need to satisfy Lord Krishna in any situation. Prabhupada has given opportunities for this through ISKCON. We must say that, our spiritual master and all his god brothers and god sisters, they always want us to achieve Krishna.

jogyatā-vicāre, kichunāhipāi,
tomārakaruṇā-sāra
karuṇānāhoile, kāndiyākāndiyā,
prāṇanārākhiboāra

Translation

If you examine me, you will find no qualities. Your mercy is all that I am made of. If you are not merciful unto me, I can only weep, and I will not be able to maintain my life. [Verse 4 from Song ‘Gurudeva Krpa Bindu Diya’ by BhaktivinodaThakura]

We do not have any qualification. We have mercy of Hari, Guru and Vaisnava. Through them we have reached at the lotus feet of the Lord and have received the fortune to love the Supreme Lord. We have to progress further so that we can love the Lord. One who will be successful in this attempt can help many people because Krishna is residing in his heart.

brahmāṇḍatāriteśaktidhare jane jane
e vedapurāṇeguṇagāyajevāśune

Translation

I have heard their glorification in the Vedas and Puranas, which proclaim that each one of His devotees has the sakti to deliver an entire universe. [Verse 7 from Song ‘Vrndavana Vasi Jata Vaisnavera Gana’ by Devakinandana Dasa Thakura]

Every person can liberate the whole brahmanda. Therefore, I offer my most humble obeisances at the lotus feet of Loknath Swami Maharaj. I pray to Guru Maharaj that as he keeps smiling in every situation and keeps blessing us, he should always keep loving us. By his blessings one day we will understand how much mercy we are receiving from Lord Ramachandra, Lord Krishna and Lord Gauranga. Wishing all of you happy Rama Navami;I request all of you to please keep me also in your prayers on this Rama Navami occasion. Offer my humble obeisances to all vaishnavas.

vancha-kalpatarubhyash ca kripa-sindhubhyaeva ca patitanampavanebhyovaishnavebhyonamonamah!

Sri Siyavara Ramachandra ki Jay! Gaura premanande Hari Haribol!

Date – 11^thApril 2024
Speaker- Vedant Chaitanya Prabhu
Theme- Teachings from the Prayers of Queen Kunti

Hare Krishna! Today we will discuss about one verse from the Queen Kunti’s prayers. When Lord Krishna wanted to go back to Dwarka after Mahabharat war, Queen Kunti offered very nice prayers. With devotion she requested Lord Krishna not to go. Lord was on the chariot, was ready to leave. That time Queen Kunti started her prayers. And these prayers are so beautiful that the Lord who was going to leave, came down from the chariot. And then for many months He stayed with the Pandavas and Kunti and then left for Dwarka. So, we will discuss these beautiful prayers which even stopped Lord Krishna from going. We will discuss one verse from these prayers.

tvayi me ’nanya-viṣayā
matirmadhu-pate ’sakṛt
ratimudvahatādaddhā
gaṅgevaughamudanvati

Translation

O Lord of Madhu, as the Ganges forever flows to the sea without hindrance, let my attraction be constantly drawn unto You without being diverted to anyone else. [SB.1.8.42]

In this, Queen Kunti is praying tvayi me, in You, ananyavisaya, matirmadhu-pate ’sakṛt, in You, Oh Lord Madhupate, my mati should be fixed. Ananya visaya, without any hindrance my intelligence should be fixed on You. Just as river Ganga flows towards Ocean without any hindrance, similarly I also want that the thoughts of my mind should flow only towards You. ratimudvahatādaddhā, my ratim, attraction should always flow towards You. Like this Queen Kunti is praying.

In this, we can see two things; one is, it is said ananyata, and second is how the devotee’s attraction and devotion should flow towards the Lord without any hindrance. So, we will talk about ananyata and continuation, ’sakṛt, how our attraction should flow towards the Lord without any hindrance.

Sub-theme: ananyata, unalloyed devotion

First of all,SrilaPrabhupad gives emphasis on ananyata in the purport. Ananyata, an-anyatha, our mind should not go towards other subjects and should go only towards Lord Sri Krishna. Because when our mind goes here and there, then our intelligence gets distracted.

vyavasāyātmikābuddhir
ekeha kuru-nandana
bahu-śākhāhyanantāś ca
buddhayo ’vyavasāyinām

Translation

Those who are on this path are resolute in purpose, and their aim is one. O beloved child of the Kurus, the intelligence of those who are irresolute is many-branched. [BG.2.41]

In this verse it is said that when there is resolute intelligence then the person’s full focus remains only at Lord Sri Krishna, but when the person is not having resolute intelligence, then his intelligence gets divided and his concentration gets divided.And when our concentration is divided then it cannot fix on Lord Krishna. While chanting or doing other devotional activities we get many other thoughts, because our intelligence is divided. Here Queen Kunti wants to tell that, ‘Lord, my intelligence is also divided like that, but I want that my intelligence should be fixed on you completely. My rati, attraction should be only at You. Only this is my prayer.’ Like this a devotee should pray to the Lord, because without the help of the Lord it is very difficult to fix our mind completely at the Lord. Because there are so many distractions, so many aviation that person’s intelligence gets distracted.

Sub-theme: Develop Krsna centred relations

SrilaPrabhupada gives one beautiful thing in the purport, he writes very practical thing, ‘when we are living in the family, then it is natural to have affection for the family members.’ It is natural to have vatsalya bhava. And Prabhupad writes here that it is very natural to have such relations with the family members. We cannot negate it, because it is the sign of life. If person is alive then it is kind obvious to have affection for someone. It is very natural and cannot be negated. But where is the problem? This affection many times divides our thoughts. Our intelligence gets divided. But here Prabhupad says that we cannot even negate it. So, when we cannot negate it and when it is affecting our intelligence, then how can we do devotion? One side Prabhupad is saying that we cannot negate it and other side he is saying that it divides our intelligence. Many kinds of thoughts about many persons are coming in my mind, then how can I do bhakti? What is the solution? Problem comes when we love someone individually, seeing that person as an individual.

Second Nama apradha is to consider Lord Shiva or Brahma’s name equal to or greater than the name of Lord Krishna. So here two things are given. It is offence to consider them separate than the Lord, and also to consider them equal to the Lord.They are completely dependent on the Lord. Whatever power they exhibit is coming from the Lord only. All potencies belong to the Lord only and with the help of that potency they could do their activities. Otherwise they themselves do not have any potency. They get power from the Lord. When we approach Demigods with this understanding, then it is not considered as an offence, because it is not separate intelligence. Similarly, when we deal with our family members, if we will consider them separate from the Lord, independent, and if we will try to have connection with them independently, then this will be wrong and because of that there will be lots of distractions in our mind. And this will be a big problem in our bhakti. But if we will think those relations, just as we consider demigods not independent from the Lord, then with that understanding when we will have connections with them, relation with them, then this will be Krishna centred relations. Krishna centred relations will never be any hindrance, rather, they will be encouragement in our devotion. Same way when we will have such connections with family members, then those will be Krishna centred relations and they will not become the cause of our distractions. How can we make Krishna centred relations? When we will not consider them independent from Krishna and we will not make independent relations with them, but will make those relations through Krishna then those will be Krishna centred relations. Because of Lord Krishna only we have relation with them.

When one girl gets married with a boy, although that girl is not having any relation with the family members of that boy, but as soon as that girl gets married with that boy then because of him, she gets connected with all family members of that boy. Although she is not having direct connection with them, all that connection is through the husband. As that person is father or mother of the husband, the girl is having relation with him or her. Similarly, if that person is brother or sister of the husband then the girl is having relation with them. So, all these relations are through the husband; centre is husband. Similarly, when we develop relation with Sri Krsna and we keep relation with others keeping Krsna as centre, considering them as the parts and parcels is Sri Krsna, then it is Krsnacentred relation. Then we can see everyone with equal vision as everyone is part and parcel of Sri Krishna. Therefore, when with this understanding we keep relation with the people, as they are parts and parcels of Sri Krishna and therefore they are dear to Him, that’s why they are dear to me. Because he is dear to the Lord, that’s why he is dear to me. When with this understanding we have relation, then that will be Krishna centred relation. Such relations will never bound us in this material world. Because every time we will keep in mind to have Krishna in the centre. Same thing here SrilaPrabhupad is saying. He is talking about such Krishna centred relations. Relationship should be dependent on Krishna and not independent. If we can develop such understanding and such relations then we will have fixed connection with Krishna and those relations will never become hindrance in bhakti.Because you will give preference only to the words of Lord Sri Krishna.

We can see from the example of Arjuna. In the beginning, he was seeing his relation with Bhisma, Drona etc. independently and that’s why he was not able to follow the orders of the Lord. He was not following the rules of Bhakti because he was seeing himself in the material relations with them. Therefore, even after telling by the Lord, he was not having capability to follow those order. He was having material affection, material love, which was independent or separate from the Lord. But at the end of Bhagavad Gita we can see that Arjuna was able to follow the order of the Lord, because he brought the Lord in the centre. Hence his relations did not become hindrance for him. He was able to follow his Dharma, duty, as he kept Krishna in the centre of everything. Such ananyata one should have.

Sub-theme: Continuation in Bhakti because of simplicity

And second is, ratimudvahatādaddhā, and matirmadhu-pate ’sakṛt,my intelligence, my attraction should continue to flow towards You, just as Ganga flows continuously towards Ocean. River Ganga don’t know from how long, from how many yugas is flowing towards the ocean continuously. Her goal is Ocean. Though she originates from Himalayas, through many mountains and many valleys, she is continuously flowing towards ocean and will keep on flowing. Just like that oh Lord Sri Krishna, I want my intelligence, my attraction should flow towards You; that means my thoughts should only flow towards You. So here comes one question. What is there in Ganga which makes her flow continuously towards ocean? Which is that special quality? Although big-big mountains come in the way of Ganga, yet she finds the way around the mountain to move ahead and she doesn’t stop.

Sometimes huge rocks come in her way and she just flows over those rocks. Sometimes tree comes in the way and sometimes valley comes in the way, yet in the valley she finds her way. Like this, whatever comes in her way, she continuous to flow towards ocean. How she can find her way even though so many obstacles come in between? What is the reason? The reason is, her saralata, liquidity. If she is not having liquidity, then there won’t be the flow. Because of her liquidity she can find her way to flow towards ocean. Similarly, if we want our attractionshould flowtowards the Lord, then we have to develop saralta, simplicity in us. So, one who is fixed like this, he finds his way to perform bhakti, no matters how many obstacles come in his way. He never says that so big obstacle has come in my life, so I cannot perform bhakti. Bhakti cannot stop in any case, just like Ganga cannot stop flowing. One who is having simplicity will never give any excuse that such and such problem is there in my life and that’s why I couldn’t do bhakti. I am compromising Bhakti because of this problem. As this problem will end, I will start doing Bhakti again. Such kind of thoughts never come in his mind. Whatever happens, he keeps on performing bhakti, because he is having simplicity. Sometimes one has to go by side and sometimes through the problem and even sometimes crossing over the problem. So anyhow he has to achieve the goal, the ocean. And for us the ocean is lotus feet of Lord Sri Krishna.Lord is ocean of mercy and that’s why His lotus feet are our ultimate destination.

Sub-theme: Our mind is the only obstacle in the performance of Bhakti

So, in the performance of bhakti, simplicity makes things easier. The more one is simple, the more he will progress in bhakti. In the 4^thcanto, in Dhruva Maharaja’s incident, SrilaPrabhupad says in the purport that, Bhakti is very simple yet difficult. One who is simple, for him Bhakti is very simple, very easy, but one who is complicated, for him Bhakti is complicated. In this world no-one and nothing is having capability to stop Bhakti. There is no difference between Bhakti and the Lord.Is there any energy in this world which can stop the Lord? Just as there is no energy which can stop the Lord, similarly there is no such situation which can stop us from performing Bhakti, devotional service for the Lord. No matter how strong is Maya, yet she is not having potential to stop us from performing Bhakti. Just because we areholding Maya, we are stopping from performing Bhakti. There is no other reason. We do not want to perform and that’s why we are stopping. So, if there is anything which is obstacle in our Bhakti, then that is our mind. Other than our mind there is no other obstacle in Bhakti. Therefore, we should not give any excuse of the situations. We should not say that because of this condition, I am not able to perform Bhakti. We should say, if my Bhakti is getting compromised, then that is just because of my mind. I am not able to control my mind. There is no other reason. Ofcourse, no one is having that strength, mind is not having strength, but the thing is, Lord never force anyone. He never forces anyone like, ‘do My bhakti’. Just think over it, doesn’t Lord want us to perform bhakti? Lord wants us to perform bhakti. And from His side He is always ready to help us if we want to perform Bhakti. He can turn over the whole world if we want to perform bhakti. But the problem is we do not want to perform bhakti. Then SrilaPrabhupad says in Krsna book, ‘the only reason we do not go back to Godhead is, we do not desire to go back.’ Though we say daily that love of Godhead is the ultimate goal of our life, but the fact is, we do not desire so. We say like this and preach so, but the problem is we do not desire for it.

It is same like that story of Kailash. When time comes, when someone says Lord is calling you, we say, ‘first let my son get the job. Just now he has finished his studies.Narad Muni will come and ask him, ‘dear son do you want to go now?’ ‘Yes, one day I have to go, but just now my son got a job. Let him first settle in the job and get married. Then I will come. My goal is to come there only. I will definitely come there. Just it is matter of two-three years. Within two-three years he will get married then I will come.’ Then after two three years he will say, ‘just now my son had a child. My son goes to office, his wife also goes to office and there is no one to look after the baby. So, I have to stay at least till the baby grows. After five-six years when he will start going to school, then I will come.’ So, like that, so many excuses. Say clearly that I do not have desire to go. Excuse means there is no desire.

Sub-theme: How to remove the rust from our mind?

The person should own the responsibility. Unless and until the person accepts that it is my mistake, it is the mistake of my mind, until the person does not accept this, he cannot progress in bhakti. That’s why honesty is the best policy. Accept it. When you will accept it, then you can do something, you can pray to the Lord that, ‘Oh Lord, my ratim, attraction towards You is not developing. Please have mercy upon me, so that my attraction towards You should increase.’ This is also one of the prayers while doing chanting. Hey Krishna mat chittamakarsaya, my mind should get attracted towards You. Like this we should pray, so that our mind will get attracted towards the Lord. Though Lord is all attractive, but such rust is there on the mind that it should get attracted towards the Lord, but it is not happening.Therefore, we should pray to the Lord to remove this rust. We should pray to the devotees, ‘please remove this rust which is on my mind, so that I can get attracted towards the Lord.’ Therefore, we should chant not only the name of the Lord, but also the names of the devotees, like chanting the names of great acaryas.

It is said in Manahsiksa that while walking on this material platform, there are six kinds of thieves standing on the way, like lust, anger, greed, illusion, pride and envy. These six kinds of thieves can attack you anytime when you are walking on the material platform. And can snatch from you all of your wealth, peace and everything. This can happen anytime. So how can we save ourselves from such thieves? For that, Raghunath Das Goswami says, at such situations who will protect us, guide us? The pure devotees of the Lord! Just as, when there is thief, we shout, ‘help help’, similarly when these six thieves attack us, we should chant the names of pure devotees, like SrilaPrabhupada, Bhakti Siddhant Saraswati Maharaj, Vishvanath Chakravarty Thakur, BaladevVidyabhusan, Rupa Goswami, Sanatana Goswami, etc. We should call out devotees’ names. Raghunath Goswami has given this solution. When we will call them, all thieves will run away hiding their tails. Then there won’t be lust, anger, greed, etc. Because these thieves are afraid of pure devotees like Rupa Goswami, Sanatan Goswami, etc. But first we have to call these devotees. They will come only when we will call them. Therefore, we can chant the names of Acharya when we cannot chat Holy names properly.

sei dui prabhurakaricaraṇavandana
yāṅhā ha-itevighna-nāśaabhīṣṭa-pūraṇa

Translation-

Let us therefore worship the holy feet of these two Lords. Thus one can be rid of all difficulties on the path of self-realization. [CC Adi 1.103]

Pray to the six Goswamis, all those distractions coming in the path of my chanting the holy name, in my attraction towards the Lord should be destroyed by your mercy. You please come and stand here. We should request like this to the acaryas. Ramanujacarya says, chanting the names of the devotees is more powerful than chanting the name of the Lord. It gives instant result. Therefore,Bhakti SiddhantaSaraswati Maharaj used to glorify the holy name in between his chanting. Hare Krishna Hare Krishna KrishnaKrishna Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama RamaRama Hare Hare. While chanting like this, in between sometimes he used to recite

harernāmaharernāma
harernāmaivakevalam
kalaunāstyevanāstyeva
nāstyevagatiranyathā

 Translation

In this age of quarrel and hypocrisy, the only means of deliverance is the chanting of the holy names of the Lord. There is no other way. There is no other way. There is no other way. [ CC Madhya 6.242]

So, Bhakti Siddhant Saraswati Thakur used to glorify the holy name while chanting, similarly we can chant the names of pure devotees while chanting. We can chant the names of acaryas, like Ramanujacarya, Madhvacarya, CaitanyaMahaprabhu. We do chant the mantra of CaitanyaMahaprabhu. Acaryas have energy, potency, by which they can encourage us, protect us from distractions while chanting.

I will stop here and take questions.

Sub-theme: Questions and answers

Ananta SesaPrabhu – Hare Krishna Prabhuji, very inspiring lecture. I want to say something. As I hear and talk on Queen Kunti prayers, I give another angle view. Queen Kunti talks about continuous chanting of the holy name, by giving example of continuous flowing of Ganga. Another angle which I have heard is, for the continuous flow one should mould himself in the situation. You are talking about simplicity. So is there any reference to give example of this simplicity?

Answer- This is moulding only. If the person is simple then only he can mould himself. If the person is very stubborn, then he can never mould himself. Only simple person can mould himself. I told whatever I understood.

BrajavilasiniMataji – Hare Krishna Prabhuji, dandavatpranam. Today I have to guide someone, as my Shiksha Guru has asked me. That devotee Mataji is giving many excuses. So today’s lecture was very inspiring for me, but I am not able to understand simplicity. What simplicity we should have so that we can overcome the obstacles coming on the way. Many times, seniors create obstacles. So how can we handle situation, overcome the situation by simplicity, because it needs intelligence to deal with seniors, so that they should not get hurt. I feel that we need intelligence more. How simplicity can work here?

Answer- See Mataji, Bhakti SiddhantaSaraswati Thakur said that simplicity is the quality of Vaishnava. By NatureVaisnava is simple. As he breaks one by one all the knots which were there in the heart, he becomes more and more simple.And as he is becoming simple, that means he is becoming Vaisnava. To become simple means person will not think complicatedly. Once one devotee was telling me, ‘Prabhuji, I became so much complicated that if someone is laughing, I start thinking that he is laughing at me.’ So even though someone is laughing normally, person will have ten different thoughts about his laughing. So much complicated we have become, that if the person is laughing, what is wrong in the laughing, but we think ten different reasons for his laughing. So if the person is simple then if it is anything other than bhakti, he will not take it seriously. He will let it go. But at the same place if it is related to bhakti, then he will take it very seriously. We do not have the principal of ‘let go’, so we make the things complicated and not simple. If someone says something, then we keep that grudge for years after years in our mind, and we always have envy for that person. So this is not the sign of simple person. Simple person will let it go and will move ahead, because that is creating obstacle in his bhakti. Only by staying with the person who have simplicity, one can understand what is the simplicity, and only such person who have simplicity, can have continuous attraction for the Lord. Otherwise ten types of thoughts will keep occupying our mind.

BrajavilaciniMataji:-Prabhuji, sometimes our family members come at home and when I do morning worship and all, like blowing conch and ringing bell, so even though they are elders, at this age they say, ‘we do not do show off our Bhakti like you are doing.’ Therefore, till they were here I stopped doing all this, as they are elder and respectful for me. So will this be considered as simplicity? When they left, I started it again. But during that time, I prayed to the Lord, ‘You are the one who is doing everything. You are making me listen all this, because you do not want this. Therefore, I am stopping this until they are here. Till that time,You have to tolerate me.’ So is this okay?

Answer- It depends on the intensity of the situation. If we will take example of Arjuna, if Arjuna is thinking that to please Dronacharya and Bhisma, I should not throw arrow at them, then there will not be war. But Arjuna thought, I have to please Lord Sri Krishna and therefore I have to fight. So we have to be ready for everything for the pleasure of Krishna.

PadmamaliPrabhu – Hare Krishna Prabhuji, just to add to the query of BrajavilasiniMataji, Mataji if you will see the example of Haridas Thakur, when he was told not to enter in Jagannath temple, he argued or accepted it?

Mataji- Accepted it.

PadmamaliPrabhu – So, sometimes we have to accept the situation. If someone is getting disturbed because of our Bhakti, then it is not Bhakti. Because Bhakti is pleasing to Krishna and everybody.We have to be very accommodative and compromising. And as you was asking about simplicity, so I just want to comment to Vedanta Chaitanya Prabhu, that if we want to deal with someone, then for that we will need simplicity more than intelligence. I will just give one small example, small child is simple or intelligent.

Mataji- simple!

Prabhuji- yes. If simplicity is there then things become simple. If we will try to deal with lots of intelligence, of course it is required, but more than intelligence we need simplicity.

Mataji- Prabhuji, I just used intelligence if I should do or not in the situation..

Prabhuji- yes that is simplicity.

Mitravrnda Rani Mataji- Prabhu ji I have two kids. As you said we should just do bhakti of Lord Krishna, then I have this responsibility of my kids, so how can I manage, balance bhakti while doing my responsibility?

Answer- see, Prabhupada never said to stop it. Prabhupada said, in the family it is natural to have affection for the family members, to have motherly love for the kids. He says, it is the symptom of life to have affection for others. So to have affection, love is not wrong, but if it is independent of Lord Krishna then it is wrong. Krishna should be in the centre. If there is no paternal affection, then why the father is motivated to do the job? He will say, you do whatever you want and I will do whatever I want. Mother also, why she will do cooking and everything, if she is not having love for the kids? If there is no love then the whole family will be broken. But Prabhupad is saying, there should be love, but it should be Krishna centred.

Amit Prabhuji – Prabhuji you was telling about liquidity and simplicity, and PadmamaliPrabhualso talked about simplicity.In material world while dealing with the people with that kind of simplicity and dignity and all, but when we talk about the spiritual world and spiritual growth and all, in that how can we define simplicity and what is that? This is the first question. And my second question is how we should deal with pure devotees? And what is the easy way to get connected with pure devotees through prayers?

Answer – so, the first question is, what is simplicity in spiritual world. Simplicity in Krishna consciousness is to simply to accept that spiritual master is not normal person and to accept his instructions as life and soul. This is simplicity in the spiritual world. To ignore spiritual master’s instructions or to change his words is complexity. Second question was how do we pray to the Acaryasin a simple way. The simple way is only this, as our Acaryas themselves have showed how to deal with vaisnavas.How to pray to the Vaishnava Acharyas, with the bhajan. So we should learn the Vaisnavabhajanas and prayers with devotion. Like, in the bhajan gurudevakrpabindudiya, and oheVaisnava Thakur, very beautiful emotions, feelings are given, how we have to approach and pray to the VaisnavaAcaryas. Similarly in hariharayenamahkrishnayadavayanamah, aIso it is given how to approach the vaisnavas. So, like this various bhajanas, ayi bara karuna karo, all of these bhajanas are the best examples how we should approach the previous Acharya in proper mood.

Ananta SesaPrabhuji – Hare Krishna it is request to Vedanta Chaitanya Prabhu to take one session only on this one topic ‘simplicity’ and how to practically apply it, and demonstrate it. Prabhuji is personified simplicity. You can give in more details. We have heard importance of simplicity, but we want to know more, what are the symptoms and how we can understand that this person is simple and how to develop that in us. Thank you very much. As there was question of one Mataji, so there is difference between affection and attachment. There should be affection but not attachment, which will make us compromise our Krishna consciousness. King Bharat got attached with deer and forgot his spiritual duties. So attachment takes us from the platform of affection, love to the platform of bondage. Thank you

Date: 10 April 2024
Speaker:  HH Lokanath Swami Maharaj
Topic: Question-Answer Session
HH Lokanath Swami Maharaj:

Somedays ago, when I have delivered the Japa Talk. Have you remembered that topic?

The topic was Shabdayonitavah.

Word is the source of everything. Word creates the whole universe. Krishna gave some words to Brahma.

SB 1.1.1:

oṁnamobhagavatevāsudevāya
janmādyasyayato ’nvayāditarataścārtheṣvabhijñaḥsvarāṭ
tene brahma hṛdāyaādi-kavayemuhyantiyatsūrayaḥ
tejo-vāri-mṛdāṁyathāvinimayo yatra tri-sargo ’mṛṣā
dhāmnāsvenasadānirasta-kuhakaṁsatyaṁparaṁdhīmahi

Translation:

O my Lord, ŚrīKṛṣṇa, son of Vasudeva, O all-pervading Personality of Godhead, I offer my respectful obeisances unto You. I meditate upon Lord ŚrīKṛṣṇa because He is the Absolute Truth and the primeval cause of all causes of the creation, sustenance and destruction of the manifested universes. He is directly and indirectly conscious of all manifestations, and He is independent because there is no other cause beyond Him. It is He only who first imparted the Vedic knowledge unto the heart of Brahmājī, the original living being. By Him even the great sages and demigods are placed into illusion, as one is bewildered by the illusory representations of water seen in fire, or land seen on water. Only because of Him do the material universes, temporarily manifested by the reactions of the three modes of nature, appear factual, although they are unreal. I therefore meditate upon Him, Lord ŚrīKṛṣṇa, who is eternally existent in the transcendental abode, which is forever free from the illusory representations of the material world. I meditate upon Him, for He is the Absolute Truth.

With the help of those words, Brahma creates this world. And we, living beings also create our little worlds in it; this is my place, this is my city, this is my home etc. We all create such a world and covered by it. This is the reason of our material bondage. We also gave an example of silkworm. Silkworm creates the thread with its own body. The world created on the basis of lust, desires and mental speculation of the beings. As the silkworm trapped in his own thread and died in it. Human beings also trapped in the material bondage in the same way. I have told you about this in that japa talk earlier.

Word is the main cause of the creation. Words are of two types. We have to become free from all the bondages. Hence, we have to listen those words which can take us to that world.

Vedant Sutra 4.4.22:

anāvṛttiḥśabdāt, anāvṛttiḥśabdāt

Translation:

(There is) no return (for these released souls); on account of scriptural declaration (to that effect).

These words are from SrimadBhagvatam, Bhagavad Gita and other scriptures. The main conclusion of these words is:

Hare Krishna Hare Krishna KrishnaKrishna Hare Hare – Hare Rama Hare Rama RamaRama Hare Hare

SB 1.2 18:

naṣṭa-prāyeṣvabhadreṣu
nityaṁbhāgavata-sevayā
bhagavatyuttama-śloke
bhaktirbhavatinaiṣṭhikī

Translation:

By regular attendance in classes on the Bhāgavatam and by rendering of service to the pure devotee, all that is troublesome to the heart is almost completely destroyed, and loving service unto the Personality of Godhead, who is praised with transcendental songs, is established as an irrevocable fact.

CCAdi 17.31:

tṛṇādapisu-nīcena
tarorivasahiṣṇunā
amānināmāna-dena
kīrtanīyaḥsadāhariḥ

Translation:

“One who thinks himself lower than the grass, who is more tolerant than a tree, and who does not expect personal honor yet is always prepared to give all respect to others can very easily always chant the holy name of the Lord.”

The words of Mahamantra are AnavritihShabdah. These words can stop the repetition of birth and death.

Bhaja Govindam – Adi Shankaracharya:

punarapijananaMpunarapimaraNaM
punarapijananiijaThareshayanam.h .
ihasaMsaarebahudustaare
kRipayaa.apaarepaahimuraare

Translation:

Born again, death again, birth again to stay in the mother’s womb ! It is indeed hard to cross this boundless ocean of samsara. Oh Murari ! Redeem me through Thy mercy.

These words will give introduction of ourselves and Krishna. These words will introduce us to the etarnal world which is adobe of Krishna Himself. These words will instruct us to go back to that adobe. By following these words, we will go back to Goloka Dham.

AamhiJaatoAamchyaaGaawaa, Saint Tukaram:

AamhiJaatoAamchyaaGaawaa।
Aamchaa Raam RaamGhyaavaa

We have discussed on this topic and we have promised you that you can ask your questions and give your comments. Are you ready?

Question-Answer

Kamsa Nishudan Das: I also want to go back, Back to Godhead. That’s why I am joining this Japa talk every day.

Sadhya Bhakti Devi Dasi: We have created our own worlds and we get trapped in it. How we can detach from these bondages?

HH Lokanath Swami Maharaj:

We will detach by hearing these AnavritihShabdah. This is the only way. By transcendental words, we may deliver from this material world. Hearing Hare Krishna Mahamantra, Srimad Bhagavatam and Bhagavad Gita is devotion.

SB 1.2.7:

vāsudevebhagavati
bhakti-yogaḥprayojitaḥ
janayatyāśuvairāgyaṁ
jñānaṁ ca yad ahaitukam

Translation:

By rendering devotional service unto the Personality of Godhead, ŚrīKṛṣṇa, one immediately acquires causeless knowledge and detachment from the world.

By hearing process, we will attain knowledge and detachment. Knowledge will further give us self-realisation.

SB 7.5.23:

śrī-prahrādauvāca
śravaṇaṁkīrtanaṁviṣṇoḥ
smaraṇaṁpāda-sevanam
arcanaṁvandanaṁdāsyaṁ
sakhyamātma-nivedanam

Translation:

Prahlāda Mahārāja said: Hearing and chanting about the transcendental holy name, form, qualities, paraphernalia and pastimes of Lord Viṣṇu, remembering them, serving the lotus feet of the Lord, offering the Lord respectful worship with sixteen types of paraphernalia, offering prayers to the Lord, becoming His servant, considering the Lord one’s best friend, and surrendering everything unto Him (in other words, serving Him with the body, mind and words) — these nine processes are accepted as pure devotional service. One who has dedicated his life to the service of Kṛṣṇa through these nine methods should be understood to be the most learned person, for he has acquired complete knowledge.

Ananya Bhakti Devi Dasi:  How we can destroy our subtle body, so that we don’t have to take another birth?

HH Lokanath Swami Maharaj: Good question! We have two types of bondages: One by the Gross body and another one is subtle body. Gross body is made of five elements which will be destroy at the time of death. But subtle body will stay with us. Until it stays with us, we have to take another birth. Some times people commit suicide out of frustration. But another body will entangled him. Subtle body will leave by chanting Hare Krishna Mahamantra. Our heart will clear out (Ceto Darpan Marjanam).

Cc. Antya 20.12:

ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanaṁ bhava-mahā-dāvāgni-nirvāpaṇaṁ
śreyaḥ-kairava-candrikā-vitaraṇaṁvidyā-vadhū-jīvanam
ānandāmbudhi-vardhanaṁprati-padaṁpūrṇāmṛtāsvādanaṁ
sarvātma-snapanaṁparaṁvijayateśrī-kṛṣṇa-saṅkīrtanam

Translation:

‘Let there be all victory for the chanting of the holy name of Lord Kṛṣṇa, which can cleanse the mirror of the heart and stop the miseries of the blazing fire of material existence. That chanting is the waxing moon that spreads the white lotus of good fortune for all living entities. It is the life and soul of all education. The chanting of the holy name of Kṛṣṇa expands the blissful ocean of transcendental life. It gives a cooling effect to everyone and enables one to taste full nectar at every step.’

Your consciousness will be cleaned. All of our old sacraments will be washed out and new sacraments will be made.

Mind has three works to do: Thinking, feeling and willing. By hearing Hare Krishna mahamantra, SrimadBhagvatam and Srimad Bhagavad Gita, our consciousness will be cleaned.

Bhagavad-gītā 4.37:

yathaidhāṁsisamiddho ’gnir
bhasma-sātkurute ’rjuna
jñānāgniḥsarva-karmāṇi
bhasma-sātkurutetathā

Translation:

As a blazing fire turns firewood to ashes, O Arjuna, so does the fire of knowledge burn to ashes all reactions to material activities.

Mind has accumulated our sacraments from so many births. These sacraments will now develop as lust in this birth. Hearing process will destroy our all sacraments, which is placed in our heart as the seed of desires. This seed will be burnt out by devotion. Krishna will give us intelligence.

BG 10.10:

teṣāṁsatata-yuktānāṁ
bhajatāṁprīti-pūrvakam
dadāmi buddhi-yogaṁtaṁ
yenamāmupayāntite

Translation:

To those who are constantly devoted to serving Me with love, I give the understanding by which they can come to Me.

Those who are practicing sadhana bhakti, Krishna will provide intelligence to them. Our parents, schools and other people can give us only materialist knowledge. Krishna will give us intelligence and guidance and that intelligence can be used to go back, backtoGodhead. Our subtle body will be delivered by doing Sadhna. Then we will understand us as Dasoasmi. Prabhupada told us that there are two types of ego: False ego and real ego. Real ego is, we are the servant of krishna.

Thus, our mind, intelligence and ego will be changed and purified. It will get spiritualised.

BG 8.6:

yaṁyaṁvāpismaranbhāvaṁ
tyajaty ante kalevaram
taṁ tam evaitikaunteya
sadā tad-bhāva-bhāvitaḥ

Translation:

Whatever state of being one remembers when he quits his body, O son of Kuntī, that state he will attain without fail.

When it is the time to leave this body, we will remember Krishna, because we will be free from our subtle body. Those AnavritihShabdah will be freed us 96+from the cycle of birth and death. Our all further coming lives will be cancelled and wedon’t have to took birth again.

Question: We took birth with bondages. I got initiated by the grace of Krishna and spiritual master. I am practicing to be freed from materialistic bondages. How can I experience that I am getting freed or not?

HH Lokanath Swami Maharaj: It can be measured by how much we are detached from the material world. Prabhupada used to give the example of marriage party. Everyone sat on the boat to reach the destination till next morning. The sailor was sailing the boat whole night. But they don’t reach to the destination, Because, the sailor had not pulled the anchor out. The materialistic bondages will be cut off by the guidance of Spiritual master. Jagai and Madhai were also delivered. Mrigari Was also delivered, when he follows the instruction of Narad Muni that take the beads and do chanting with your wife. Once, Narad Muni visited with Pravat muni to see Mrigari. When they reached there, Mrigari wants to go straight to his spiritual master. Narad Muni was expecting the same. But Mrigari came in a zigzag pattern. Narad Muni asked the reason, then Mrigari asked for forgiveness for the same. He said there are so many ants on the way. If I will come straight, many ants can be died by placing my feet on them. I could not do that. Narad Muni said,” Well done!” and he was pleased with Mrigari. Once Mrigari was very cruel that he took pleasure by killing the animals and birds. Now, he is completely changed, as he follows the instruction of his spiritual master and hear the AnavritihShabdah. He became detached. This example must give us strength to keep practicing.

We are not only told to do devotion only, but the process of devotion is also told. At the time of initiation, we are not told to do sixteen rounds of chanting only, but also to follow the four regulative principal and to avoid the ten offences against Holy name.

We must keep these things in our mind and keep practicing. We should have faith and knowledge that Krishna will protect us.

Bhakt Jayesh (Ujjain): Hare Krishna Guru Maharaj. We have listened the Japa Talk of ours on AanavritihShabdah and we were reading the Srimad Bhagavatam 1.7.7, I was touched by the commentary of  Srila Vishvanath Chakrabarty Thakur.

ŚB 1.7.7:

yasyāṁvaiśrūyamāṇāyāṁ
kṛṣṇeparama-pūruṣe
bhaktirutpadyatepuṁsaḥ
śoka-moha-bhayāpahā

Translation:

Simply by giving aural reception to this Vedic literature, the feeling for loving devotional service to Lord Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, sprouts up at once to extinguish the fire of lamentation, illusion and fearfulness.

Srila Vishvanath Chakraborty Thakur said that this verse shows that srimad Bhagavatam provides love for Krishna.Then what to say about people engaging them in the process of hearing. ‘Bhakti’ here means Prema.

It was very delightful to read this.

HH Lokanath Swami: When we will experience real love, only then we can be freed from lust. Devotion makes us earn the Love.

Cc Madhya 22.107:

nitya-siddha kṛṣṇa-prema ‘sādhya’ kabhunaya
śravaṇādi-śuddha-cittekarayeudaya

Translation:

Pure love for Kṛṣṇa is eternally established in the hearts of the living entities. It is not something to be gained from another source. When the heart is purified by hearing and chanting, this love naturally awakens.

Our Consciousness andheart will be purified by hearing. Krishna Prema and the relation with Krishna arises. Only then, we can pick off the lust. And we are doing this every day. It is not possible to free from lust, if we don’t have Love. For example, there is a watch or a toy in the hand of a child. He can play or can break it. He will not leave that toy until he got more attractive thing that he has.

SB 2.1.4:

dehāpatya-kalatrādiṣv
ātma-sainyeṣvasatsvapi
teṣāṁpramattonidhanaṁ
paśyannapinapaśyati

Translation:

Persons devoid of ātma-tattva do not inquire into the problems of life, being too attached to the fallible soldiers like the body, children and wife. Although sufficiently experienced, they still do not see their inevitable destruction.

We are so much attached with the material world that we can’t see even showing it. Goloka Dham will be revealed when we will be freed from lust. We will go forward to that Goloka Dham and we will have our back towards this material world. We will be on track again.

BG 2.59:

viṣayāvinivartante
nirāhārasyadehinaḥ
rasa-varjaṁraso ’pyasya
paraṁdṛṣṭvānivartate

Translation:

Though the embodied soul may be restricted from sense enjoyment, the taste for sense objects remains. But, ceasing such engagements by experiencing a higher taste, he is fixed in consciousness.

When we will have the higher taste, we can easily give upthe lower taste. The higher taste is chanting and Krishna Katha. Our gaol is not only to become detached from this material world. Our Main goal is to awaken the Love for krishna. Our goal is not only to get the Dharma, Artha, kaam and Moksha. Our ultimate goal is getting the love of Krishna. premāpumarthomahān. Pumartho. We want some achievement in this life. Caitanya Mahāprabhu said, “Achieve love of Godhead. That is the best [indistinct].” Premāpumarthomahān. So this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is for that purpose, how we can develop our love for Kṛṣṇa.

This is the addition benefit given by our acharyas. We not only have to be free, but to become a devotee.

Love for Krishna is within us, we don’t need to purchaseit from super market. These exposure words will help us to revive that love. The words of Mayavadis can be freed from the materialistic bondage only. We can’t get the Love of Krishna by hearing those words.

These exposure words must come from an authentic spiritual master. This world is full of psudo Guru and those Gurus have their own words. These words can get you the swarga loka maximum. There are no loving exchanges.

Krishna says,” Oodhu Mohin Braj Bisrat Nahin”. I can’t forget the Vraja. There is the dealing of love exchange. Here in this world, there are business dealing. There are two types of words. There are some words which inspire us to do lusty things and there are some words, which inspire us to get Love.

We create the world on the basis of the words, we are inspired with.

Gita Mahatmay, Verse 4:

gītāsu-gītākartavyā
kimanyaiḥśāstra-vistaraiḥ
yāsvayaṁpadmanābhasya
mukha-padmādviniḥsṛtā

Translation:

Because Bhagavad-gītā is spoken by the Supreme Personality of Godhead, one need not read any other Vedic literature. One need only attentively and regularly hear and read Bhagavad-gītā. In the present age, people are so absorbed in mundane activities that it is not possible for them to read all the Vedic literatures. But this is not necessary. This one book, Bhagavad-gītā, will suffice, because it is the essence of all Vedic literatures and especially because it is spoken by the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

These are the words of Krishna. These words will lead us to the eternal destination.

A devotee asks question from the side of many devotees. As, Arjuna asks question from the side of all of us.

Question: Yesterday we listened in the class that Krishna resides within our heart. How can we understand that?

HH Lokanath Swami Maharaj: You should have faith on that as Krishna himself is telling this in Bhagavad Gita.

BG 15.15:

sarvasyacāhaṁhṛdisanniviṣṭo
mattaḥsmṛtirjñānamapohanaṁ ca
vedaiś ca sarvairahamevavedyo
vedānta-kṛdveda-vid evacāham

Translation:

I am seated in everyone’s heart, and from Me come remembrance, knowledge and forgetfulness. By all the Vedas, I am to be known. Indeed, I am the compiler of Vedānta, and I am the knower of the Vedas.

If Krishna has said this, so, we must trust him.

BG 4.40:

ajñaścāśraddadhānaś ca
saṁśayātmāvinaśyati
nāyaṁloko ’stinaparo
nasukhaṁsaṁśayātmanaḥ

Translation:

But ignorant and faithless persons who doubt the revealed scriptures do not attain God consciousness; they fall down. For the doubting soul there is happiness neither in this world nor in the next.

Those, who don’t trust Krishna will be destroyed.

Why Krishna will not reside us? He worried about us. He is our father and mother. The lord is always with us just like the parents are always keeping an eye of the little helpless child. They never leave them alone. So, the lord is concerned about us and so he never leaves us. So, even if we become pig in the next life.Our current wife and kids many not follow us to a pig’s life. But Krishna will be there in those spices also. Does the lord is trying to take soul back home to him? So, he is always awaiting, when will the soul turn to me? Krishna sends spiritual master to them. He resides in the heart and guides from within.But we don’t hear those sounds.Even on seeing we don’t see.

SB 2.1.4:

dehāpatya-kalatrādiṣv
ātma-sainyeṣvasatsvapi
teṣāṁpramattonidhanaṁ
paśyannapinapaśyati

Translation:

Persons devoid of ātma-tattva do not inquire into the problems of life, being too attached to the fallible soldiers like the body, children and wife. Although sufficiently experienced, they still do not see their inevitable destruction.

So, Krishna then comes as spiritual master.

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya 19.151:

brahmāṇḍabhramitekonabhāgyavānjīva
guru-kṛṣṇa-prasādepāya bhakti-latā-bīja

Translation:

“The fallen, conditioned living entity, trapped by the external energy, loiters in the material world, but if by good fortune he meets a bona fide representative of the Lord, and if he takes advantage of such a guru, he receives the seed of devotional service.” (
Guru and Gauranga are a team. Krishna sends spiritual master and he tells the same things that Krishna from within was saying. Then we hear and ask questionsand spiritual master answers and delivers us. This is teamwork of Guru and Gauranga. If one wants to hear that there is no God. So, we can do sin.Then, God gives this idea too. We will get the reaction for our actions.Vinashkaleviparita Buddhi. When we are transferred from one body to another, we don’t know anything that what we have to do, if Krishna will not with us. Krishna guides us from within.

BG 15.15:

sarvasyacāhaṁhṛdisanniviṣṭo
mattaḥsmṛtirjñānamapohanaṁ ca
vedaiś ca sarvairahamevavedyo
vedānta-kṛdveda-vid evacāham

Translation:

I am seated in everyone’s heart, and from Me come remembrance, knowledge and forgetfulness. By all the Vedas, I am to be known. Indeed, I am the compiler of Vedānta, and I am the knower of the Vedas.

Krishna says I am the source of remembrance and forgetfulness. If Krishna is everywhere then why can’t He be in the heart, in deities.

Question:If spiritual world is eternal happiness and why we have to come in this material world which is full of miseries?

HH Lokanath Swami Maharaj: We should ask how can get out from this materialistic world. This is not important to ask when and why I have fallen. The intelligent question is how we can arise from this material world. We should concentrate on how we can go back, back to Godhead, how we can become devotee. If we will focus on tis, then there will be no worries.

Hare Krishna!

Topic: Importance of  Gudi Padwa
Date:  09^th April 2024
Speaker: HG Krsna Bhakta Prabhu
HG Padmamali Prabhu says:

Today’s Japa talk will be given by HG Krsna Bhakta Prabhu on a special day today. He is personal secretary of Guru Maharaj and President of ISKCON Solapur. So let’s hear the session from him:

HG Krsna Bhakta Prabhu says:

Hare Krsna!

om ajnana-timirandhasyajnananjana-salakaya
cakshurunmilitamyenatasmaisri-guravenamah

nama om vishnu-padayakrishna-preshthayabhu-tale
srimatebhaktivedanta-svaminitinamine

namastesarasvatedevegaura-vani-pracarine
nirvisesha-sunyavadi-pascatya-desa-tarine

(jaya) sri-krishna-caitanya prabhu nityananda
sri-advaitagadadharasrivasadi-gaura-bhakta-vrinda

Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare/
Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare

Welcome all to today’s japa talk. I will pay my obeisance at the lotus feet of Guru Maharaj. As HG Padmamali Prabhu told that today is a special day and specially in South India today is Chaitra Month’s Shukla Paksha which is celebrated as Ugadi and in Maharashtra it is celebrated as Gudi Padwa. So today’s day is celebrated as a new day. So in Vaishnava community who are Gaudiya Vaishnavas and who are Rupanugas, for them new year is celebrated on Gaura Purnima. So Chaitanya Mahaprabhu was born in Gaurabhadh. As per Hindu calender, new year starts today. All the Marathi months will start from this day, in which Chaitra, Vaishakh, Jeshtha, Ashadh, Sravan, Ashwin,Kartik, Marghasish, Paush, Falgun month in which Chaitanya Mahaprabhu had appeared.So Falgun has ended and Chaitra maas has started. So this three and a half minute Muharata is discussed everytime. It is auspicious to buy jewellery, start new things from today like Grihapravesh, taking a new car, etc can be performed in this time frame.Although we can take Lord’s name at any time, place, circumstance, panchang etc. but for this material world, this time frame of three and an half minutes-one is Dussehra’s muhurat, then Akshay Tritiya and Gudi Padwa and third is Diwali Muhurat which is also called as Diwali ka Padwa, on this the remaining half muhurat is left. So Gudi Padwa comes in that time frame. So demonic people, start their new year on 31^st December drinking, dancing  naked, but in our Vedic culture, the new year starts in Brahma Muhurat. So new year starts with the first rays of sun while performing Krsna conscious activities like- Worshipping, chanting, worshipping Sun God. It is said that in this material world we can see the Vigraha of Lord but we can have darshans in three modes- One is in the form when he is in Goloka with his friends and cows:

goloka-nāmninija-dhāmni tale ca tasya
devi maheśa-hari-dhāmasuteṣuteṣu
teteprabhāva-nicayāvihitāś ca yena
govindamādi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁbhajāmi(BS 5.43)

Translation

Lowest of all is located Devī-dhāma [mundane world], next above it is Maheśa-dhāma [abode of Maheśa]; above Maheśa-dhāma is placed Hari-dhāma [abode of Hari] and above them all is located Kṛṣṇa’s own realm named Goloka. I adore the primeval Lord Govinda, who has allotted their respective authorities to the rulers of those graded realms.

We cannot have his darshans in this form while staying in this material world. The other mode is as Paramatma in which we can still see him. So yogis and munis get this darshan after so much of Tapasya because our Tapasya is not is of at that level. So the third is that he appears in the form of a deity in which he can see him. This deity is not like Krsna, it is Krsna himself. Srila Prabhupada used to say this. Out of Krsna’s different energies:

natasyakāryaṁkaraṇaṁ ca vidyate
na tat-samaścābhyadhikaś ca dṛśyate
parāsyaśaktirvividhaivaśrūyate
svābhāvikījñāna-bala-kriyā ca(Śvetāśvatara Upaniṣad 6.8)

Translation

“The Supreme Lord has nothing to do, and no one is found to be equal to or greater than Him, for everything is done naturally and systematically by His multifarious energies.”

Lord has so many energies that he does not need to do anything.So amongst different energies, one energy is that we can have darshans of Narayana in the form of Sun God. So our New Year starts from the first rays of Sun. So today, there are a lot of important things which happened. On Akshya Tritiya, Ganga appeared, Parshuram appeared, and Akshya Patra was given to Draupadi. So a lot of tithis are their on Akshaya Tritiya.

So today also there are a lot of tithis in shastras. So Brahmaji created the material nature today. So on Ugadi, it was the first day of material world. So today only the yugas change like Satyayuga, Treta yuga, Dwapar yuga, Kaliyuga but it will change after many many lakhs of years on this day. So from this day, Satyayuga starts. Brahma ji started this material creation and it is the first day of his creation which is the starting of Satyayuga and that is why it is celebrated as New Year and is known by the name Chaitra Shukla PakshPratipada. So in Andhra Pradesh they make Pachandi which is drink which has all the tastes- sweetand  bitter at the same time. So we get our names after sometime. Our breath begins at our birth itself which is counted. As much as we breath, our lives are getting ended. So it is said that when someone dies, we say that he took his last breath, that all his breaths has been utilised. So our countdown starts from our birth itself, not after keeping our names, our studies, our marriage,

Bg. 2.27

jātasya hi dhruvomṛtyur
dhruvaṁjanmamṛtasya ca
tasmādaparihārye ’rthe
natvaṁśocitumarhasi

Translation

One who has taken his birth is sure to die, and after death one is sure to take birth again. Therefore, in the unavoidable discharge of your duty, you should not lament.

Our death countdown starts on the day of our birth. So similarly this is the countdown for this material creation. All things which happen in our lives is not always sweet. So some things are bitter as well which we call as sufferings or pain and we consider sweet things as pleasure. So generally people like sweet things and not bitter things. No one wants pain and sufferings.So this Pachandi, tells us about different tastes of life. So very few people know about this. An intelligent person is not bewildered by such things.

Bg. 2.14

mātrā-sparśāstukaunteya
śītoṣṇa-sukha-duḥkha-dāḥ
āgamāpāyino ’nityās
tāṁstitikṣasvabhārata

Translation

O son of Kuntī, the nonpermanent appearance of happiness and distress, and their disappearance in due course, are like the appearance and disappearance of winter and summer seasons. They arise from sense perception, O scion of Bharata, and one must learn to tolerate them without being disturbed.

So our pleasures in life will come and go. But an intelligent person is undisturbed. So today most powerful and blessed rays of sun come to the Earth and that’s why the on Gudi Padwa a kalash is put on a wooden stick upside down to absorb those rays of Sun.So when Brahmaji created this universe, it started with Satyayuga.

Today Lord Narayan took the form of a fish.

Sri Dasavatara-stotrafrom Gita-govinda- by Jayadeva Gosvami
pralaya-payodhi-jaledhritavanasivedam
vihita-vahitra-caritramakhedam
kesavadhrita-mina-sarirajayajagadisa hare(Text 1)

Translation

0 Kesava! O Lord of the universe! O Lord Hari, who have assumed the form of a fish! All glories to You!You easily acted as a boat in the form of a giant fish just to give protection to the Vedas, which hadbecome immersed in the turbulent sea of devastation.

So Satyavrata Muni writes when Vedas where on the verge of extinction, then to save these Vedas he appeared in the form of a fish today in Chaitra month. Once a upon a time, a demon named Shankhachurnaand he was so notorious that he stole all the Vedas and hide himself inside the ocean. So when sages and Muni couldn’t do anything, they prayed to Lord Vishnu, so they went to Sheer sagar where Lord was in a sleeping posture, and he was in Yoganidra, that is deep sleep. Even when he is sleeps then also all the work is done, but when we sleep, we can’t do any work. We become so unclean and become like a dead person. But Lords Yoganidra is not like that, can you imagine if Sun takes a leave?So demigods prayed to Lord Vishnu and tried to wake him up with Purushsupta prayer and asked him to take a new incarnation and kill this demon.Sothe whale is the largest fish in the ocean which can eat other fishes as well. So we cannot compare a whale to Lord’s form which was so beautiful. So when he was about to kill Shankhachurna, we began to pray to him, that the death which is given to me today or the punishment which is given to me, is because I stole the Vedas. Please give me the punishment which you want to give me Lord but I want to give you a conchshell, which is my symbol and you should always hold it in your left hand and he asked for one more benediction that whenever abhishekam will be performed, so conchshell should always be used.So these were the two vardans he asked for. No worship can start without conchshell.So Lord Narayana accepted his vardans and from that day he started carrying conchshell in his left hand.

Bg. 1.15

pāñcajanyaṁhṛṣīkeśo
devadattaṁdhanañ-jayaḥ
pauṇḍraṁdadhmaumahā-śaṅkhaṁ
bhīma-karmāvṛkodaraḥ

Translation

Lord Kṛṣṇa blew His conchshell, called Pāñcajanya; Arjuna blew his, the Devadatta; and Bhīma, the voracious eater and performer of herculean tasks, blew his terrific conchshell, called Pauṇḍra.

So Pancajanyaconchshell was given by Shankachurna to Lord. So usually bones are considered as impure and even when we pass stool, we have to take bath again, according to Vedic scriptures, we become pure by touching cow-dung, but this conchshell is used in alter. So this is the instructions of the Vedas. Shastra’s evidence is the best form of evidence better than pratyaksha, anumanpraman. Shadhpraman is the best form of evidence. So today is Matsya Jayanti also. In Treta yuga Rama ji appeared he killed Ravana on the day of Dusshera and when he came back to Ayodhya, they welcomed him back with a lot of diyas which we call as Diwali.So in a different kalpa, Lord Rama returned to Ayodhya after killing Ravana. The residents of Ayodhya welcomed him back with a Vijay pataka.So his Vanvas ended today. So they raised Gudi in their homes to welcome him.

In Valmiki Ramayana it is said:

Ramayan- 6-128-42

tatohyabhyuchchhrayanpaurAHpatAkAstegRihegRihe ||
aikShvAkAdhyuShitanramyamAsasAdapiturgRiham |

Translation

 Then, the citizens hoisted flags on every house. Rama reached the beautiful palace, paternal occupied by Ikshvaku kings.

So today when Lord was in South India in Kishkindha, we liberated Vali, the same person who took his wife and kingdom from him. So he became an attatai, one who causes trouble to others.So that person is allowed to get punished. So Vali performed Brahma dev’s Tapasya. So he asked Brahma that whoever comes to fight with me, half of his energy will come to me. So it was not that he was week he had the strength of seventy five lakhs of elephants.So it was not that Sugriva didn’t try but whenever he went before him, half of his energy went into him. So that’s why Lord Rama killed him from behind because of his activities. So Lord Rama was called Adharmi due to this pastime by some unintelligent people, they call him to be paksha-pati. So today Sugriva celebrated this by hoisting Vijay Pataka. All the demonic energies of Vali was killed today by Lord Rama. Vali’s son Angad also become a devotee and participated in the war against Ravana.

Today only in Adi-Parv of Mahabharata, the KingUparichta was given a wooden stick by Lord Indra as form of appreciation.So he placed it on the ground and put nice cloths and garlands over it which is called as Gudi and that’s the significance of it. The Kalesh placed on top of it is the symbol of victory,

Bg. 18.78

yatra yogeśvaraḥkṛṣṇo
yatra pārthodhanur-dharaḥ
tatraśrīrvijayobhūtir
dhruvānītirmatir mama

Translation

Wherever there is Kṛṣṇa, the master of all mystics, and wherever there is Arjuna, the supreme archer, there will also certainly be opulence, victory, extraordinary power, and morality. That is my opinion.

It is a symbol of good health which is represented by neem leaves and the flower garland represents auspiciousness and the stick represents samarthya, the embroided cloth represents wealth.So coconut is used to worship this stick which is a symbol of prosperity and turmeric and Kumkum is the symbol of luck.

Also in Mahabharata it is mentioned that Krsna told Vrajvasis, to stop the annual yatra of Indra and stop his worship and rather begin the worship of Goverdhana. So in different scriptures, different names and ways of worship are mentioned for the same pastime. In Konkan, everyday new forms of Krsna, Balrama, Rama and different kings are taken and this festival is celebrated for 10-15 days. This is also known as Singotutsav and Rang Panchami is also celebrated tomorrow. From today onwards, Navaratri starts which is called as Chaitra Navami and abhishek of Goddess Parvati was done today after marriage. So from today only after one month when a lady goes to her home after marriage, so on Akshaya Tritiya Haldi Kumkum starts. So it is associated with the marriage of Parvathi. Nine days from today, Lord Rama appears in Chaitra Navami.That’s why a nine day katha is organized during this month so that it ends on Rama Navami. We have 7 days Srimad Bhagavad kath and 9 days Ramayana katha. Today only Shali-vahanShasti starts which means Shalivan king and Shak king had a fight and Shalivan king didn’t have any army so he prepared six thousand mud statues by his tapsya sprinkled holy water on them, all these becomes his soldiers. He won over the Shak king when this war ended a new year started.So all these festivals are dependent on the movement of Sun and Moon.So in Vedic maths, every calculation is mentioned.So the first ever test-tube baby happened in Mahabharata in the form of Kaurvas.So when a ball of flesh came out of Gandhari, and till that time Kuntis son were already born so she kicked her own womb and this came out. So she was asked to keep them all in a hundred ghee pots and then hunderedKaurvas were born out of each pots.So the first baby to come out was Duryodhana. From today Vedic Panchang starts which used by astrologers.So NASA Scientists spend so much of money to know about solar and lunar eclipse but our sages used to predict everything based on vedicpanchang calendar which is worshipped with Saraswati mata. If we are lazy in the beginning of the year, then the year will go like that only.

Tukaram maharaj writes in one of his Abhangas- that I am sent by Govind and given these instruments to perform kirtan. So came in this material world seeing the condition of fallen souls and he is from Vaikuntha. These people are drowning in maya. In the 16^th century Visnudas was a saint who wrote Abhangaon Rama’s arrival in Ayodhya. He described that the happiness which is there in Ayodhya, which is looking like a utsav. To welcome him pearl like rice is prepared, not like this plastic rice or cabbage, so Kaushalya-nandana was come after defeating Ravana and he has returned  to Ayodhya. Today’s day is like a golden day for Ayodhya vasis. So the golden stick in the hands of Lord Rama,and the chamar also has golden stick.So this chamar is used to remove the bees and insects which might be there on the garlands of Lord which is taken from the tail of a cow found in Himalayas which is very expensive. So Vishnudas says that everyone welcomes Lord Rama.So we should eat 3 neem leaves today early in the morning and ajwain, salt and black pepper, neem chutney we should have which comes in Pachadi for prevention from summers, helps preventing skin disease, stomach problems. Neem leaves are kept in grains to prevent them from insects. We should have bath with neem leaves. So that is a very special day Matsaya’s appearance, first day of this material creation, Ugadi, Gudi Pardwa.  So for devotees here on Gudi Padwa, rathayatra used to happen. But now because of the new order from Puri temple, we cannot perform Rathayatras  on that day but at that time of 9 day festival in Puri. So today from 5pm there will be a shobha yatra so everyone is invited in the Rama Sita Laxman Hanuman yatra.

Hare Krishna!

Date – 8^thApril 2014
Speaker – Dharmaraj Prabhu
Theme –Transcendental lamentation of the Lord and His pure devotees

Hare Krishna. I offer my humble obeisances at the lotus feet of Guru Maharaj and all vaishnavas.

So, last Sunday we were discussing about lamentation. We saw that Valmiki Muni saw,Kraunch bird was harmed by the hunter. Valmiki Muni became very angry and sad, and while lamenting one sloka came out of his mouth. Then Brahma told him that I only made this sloka come out of your mouth. In future, Ramayana will be compiled by you. Ramayana will manifest in your heart. So, we saw how from shoka, lamentation, sloka was compiled. And today also on the basis of Ramayana, we are going to see how even Lord laments.

We all know that Guru Maharaj keeps on telling again and again, ‘Sri Rama is Supreme Lord, but Laxman is also Supreme Lord, Bharat and Shatrughna are also Supreme Lords.’ When Lord performs pastimes, in a particular incarnation, He performs one or more particular pastimes. So, in Ramayana more pastimes are performed by Sri Rama and Laxman. There are pastimes of Bharat and Shatrughna also, but their pastimes are lesscompared to Rama and Laxman’s pastimes. They had only that much pastime in that incarnation.

Sub-theme:- Lamentation of Lord Sri Rama

So, when Lord Sri Rama left for the forest with Mother Sita and Lakshman, they reached Chitrakuta, and you know events that took place before that. Till now Bharat was unaware of all incidents, because he was at his maternal uncle’s home. Only when he returned from there, he came to know the whole thing. Sri Rama is not here. His wife Sita and Lakshman are also not here. And even father has left his body. Seeing all this, it seems as if a mountain had fallen on him. He was so grief stricken and so angry with his mother, Kaikayi, that he chastised her. And then he said,‘I will not stay here’, and he left Ayodhya. He reached at Chitrakuta.

At first Laxman saw from distance that someone was coming to attack on them. He said, ‘Looks like Bharat is coming to attack.’ Lord Rama said, ‘no, no. I know he is not coming to attack, but he is coming to meet us.’When Bharat saw Sri Rama from distance, tears started falling from his eyes. He had never seen Sri Rama in such a state. Sri Rama was having matted hair and valkal (bark cloth). He said, ‘oh brother Sri Rama, I can see that in forest you are facing painful situations. Seeing this I am feeling deep pain in my heart.’ He started to lament. ‘Actually, all this happened because of me.’ And when he was coming near lamenting like this, he felled down unconscious at the feet of Sri Rama. Lord Rama immediately picked him up and hugged him. He placed him on His lap.

Then Lord Rama met all three mothers and touched their feet. Till now He was not aware that His father Dasarath Maharaj is no more. Bharat was telling again and again to Sri Rama that ‘You are the rightful heir. Only You should become the King because only Sri Rama is the King. How Bharat can be King. In Your presence, how can I become a King? This is Your right. You please come.’

And then Sri Rama said, ‘no, no. I have ordersfrom the father. I came to forest to obey his orders. How can I violate his orders? This is not right.’ Bharat said, ‘when eldest prince is there, how can anyone else become king? You must have to come to Ayodhya and after offering water,jalaarpan to father You have to sit on the throne.’ Only when Sri Rama heard this, He understood what had happened. Bharat didn’t say that father has passed away. When he said that ‘You need to offer water to father’, Lord Sri Rama understood. He could not imagine that father is no more. He heard this in such a situation that He could not even go there. He was lamenting and felt down unconscious. Sita and Lakshman came and sprinkled water on Him. He came back to external consciousness and said, ‘father is not there? Father passed away? Now I will never come back. I came here to follow his orders and I would have come to see him, but now he is no more, so I will never come. I will not return backuntil I complete his orders.’

Sub-theme: – Why Lord laments?

People say, ‘you call him Lord, then why is he lamenting so much?’ This we need to understand. When Lord Sri Krsna came to know that Salva has killed His father Vasudeva, then Sri Krsna also almost felled unconscious.Lord Sri Krsna was not able to accept, ‘Oh, my father will not be with me. I cannot have his darsananymore. I cannot serve him; cannot have his association.’ So, it looks similar tothe lamentation of a conditioned soul on someone’s death.And also, at one side Lord says to Arjuna, ‘Arjuna why are you lamenting? To lament for a living or dead is not suitable for a Pandit, scholar.’ And here Lord Himself is lamenting. What is this? Lord’s lamentation is not an ordinary thing.

I remember, many years back, may be around 20 years ago, we went to Jagannath Puri with Guru Maharaj in yatra. Many devotees were there. We went in the Jagannath temple. Guru Maharaj and we few devotees were with him. Others were here and there for darshan. So, we had darsan and then we were sitting outside. One devotee asked, ‘Guru Maharaj, Lord does not get old. Advaita Acharya is Lord, Mahavisnu. Then how he is having white beard? How is he old?’ Guru Maharaj said, ‘See, Lord is complete. Lord wants to show to someone who may say, ‘You do not get old, that means there is something lacking in You. We can get old but You cannot. That means You are lacking in this.’ To show them, Lord said,‘I can even become old.’ This is not difficult for Him.’

There is nothing lacking in Lord and His lamentation is also one opulence out of His Supreme and inconceivableopulences. By lamenting, Lord shows that no one can lament like Me. His lamentation when mother Sita was kidnapped, and when his father passed away, as we are listening now, such lamentation is not possible by an ordinary person. Someone says, ‘when Lord laments, devotees also drown in the ocean of lamentation’, but we need to understand that when we hear about Lord’s lamentation, our own lamentation is destroyed. It is not so for others;like, by hearing sorrows of their life, you will become happy,this cannot happen. But when Lord laments, by hearing it, we become free of our lamentation.

Ravana had kept Mother Sita in Ashoka Vatika. Ashoka means where no one can have Shoka, lamentation. But even after living in Ashoka Vatika, Mother Sita was in shoka, lamentation. She was remembering Lord Sri Rama every moment. When Hanuman came to see Her on behalf of Sri Rama, he was glorifying Sri Rama while sitting on the branch of a tall tree. After hearing these glories Mother Sita became free from lamentation. Then She realized, yes this is Ashoka Vatika, because even while lamenting She was remembering Lord.

Sub-theme: -Lord’s army is not ordinary army

Then Sri Rama, and His brothers, Laxman, Bharat and Shatrughna went at the bank of Mandakini river. Sumanta was also with them. They went to offer water to their father. And then returned back to their hut on the top of Chitrakuta. So,these four brothers were holding hands of each other and were lamenting very loudly for their father. Their sound reached everywhere in the mountains and all the soldiers who came with Bharatheard it and they became very sad. They understood that this is not an ordinary grief. These four brothers are lamenting for their father. And this army also ran towards that sound. They reached there and offered their obeisances to the Lord. This army is also not an ordinary army. This is Lord’s army. They offered obeisances to the Lord and Lord also saw that even the leaders of the army have arrived there. He also offered His respect to them as per their status. We can understand that hearing Lord’s lamentation we feel pain, but this pain is actually a pleasure, because there is no material lamentation in Lord’s heart. There is no material desire or material sorrow in the Lord. Like,‘now I do not have this’, ‘this thing has been taken away from me’. There is nothing like this is His life.

Sub-theme: -Bharat requesting Lord Rama again and again to return to Ayodhya

Jabali Muni was seeing that, Bharat is requesting Sri Rama again and again, ‘Prabhu, please come back. How can there be Ayodhya without Rama? This is not possible. So,You please come.’ He was requesting again and again. But Sri Rama was saying, ‘no, no. I cannot go.’ So, there was Jabali Muni, a great personality. He said, ‘You should not lament so much for Your father.’ Lord Sri Rama did not like it, He said, ‘what are you talking?’ Then Vasistha Muni came and said, ‘no, no. Jabali Muni is talking like this, as he is trying to bring You back to Ayodhya by any means.’ But Sri Rama said, ‘no, I will never come back.’

Bharat was trying to find different ways, so that Sri Rama will go back to Ayodhya. So,Bharat said, ‘if You are not coming, then I will also not go. I will sit here in front of Your hut.’ And he said to Sumanta, ‘you spread some grass in front of the hut and I will close my eyes with a cloth and will sit here without drinking water and eating anything, until Sri Rama gives up His obstinacy and returns to Ayodhya.’ Sumanta was not going to do this without the order of Sri Rama. So, Sri Rama said, ‘brother why are you doing this? Why are youadamant? Why are you opposing me and not allowing me to follow father’s orders?’ Bharat said, ‘okay, I will not give away water and food, but I will stay in forest and You go to Ayodhya. You go there and I will stay here.’

And then everyone saw that in the sky many demigods and Rsis appeared. They started to praise the discussion between these two brothers. ‘Ahaha, brothers should be like this only. There is no desire of enjoyment in them. People pull legs of others to become King, but here, one brother is saying something and other one is refusing. They are fighting not to become King.’ Rsis knew that Ravana must be killed. So, the Rsis said, ‘Bharata! Sri Rama is your elder brother. You must listen him. You go back to Ayodhya and Sri Rama will stay here in forest.’ Hearing this Bharat thought, ‘now I have to go. I do not have any choice.’ So, he started to leave. Lord Sri Rama had wooden shoes, with design made with gold. Bharat placed them in front of Sri Rama and said, ‘You wear them.’ Sri Rama placed His feet on them. Then Bharat took the shoes and placed them on his head and said, ‘I will place them on the throne. They will represent You on the throne. And I will not go to Ayodhya. I will remain in the outskirts of Ayodhya. And until You come back, I will live the same way as You are living, by eating roots and wearing valkal. And after fourteen years if You will not come back, the day when fourteen years will complete, on that day, if You will not come back then You will never again see this face of Bharat. I will enter in fire.’ So, Sri Rama said, ‘okay, I will definitely come. When fourteen years will complete, you will see Me there.’

Then placing Sri Rama’s shoes on the head, Bharat set out riding on the chariot. When he returned, he saw that Ayodhya is baffled. Where there is no Rama, how can there be arama, pleasure? They cannot live without Rama. Guru Maharaj says, ‘jina to kyajina Rama kebina’, how to live if there is no Rama. People say, ‘we do not have time for bhakti.’ ‘Jindangi jab takrahegifursatnahogikam se, kuchsamayaisanikalo prem karalo Sri Rama bhagavan se‘, till the last moment of the life, you will not have free time from your works, so take out some time to love Sri Rama. If you will not love Sri Rama, then time is passing by. No one works for 24 hours.

Sub-theme: -Vibhisan’s meeting with Sri Rama

Vibhisan came to meet Sri Rama. Sri Rama said, ‘welcome Lankesa, the king of Lanka.’ Others were saying, ‘he is not Lankesa. Ravana is Lankesa.’ Lord said, ‘I know that Ravana is Lankesa, but he is Lankesa only for few more days. After that Vibhisan will be the king.’ Others said, ‘When one king kills another king, he himself becomes king of the defeated king’s territory. But after killing Ravana You are going to make Vibhisan the king. Suppose if Ravana will come to take your shelter, then what You will give him?’ Sri Rama said, ‘I will give my Ayodhya to him.’ ‘Okay, then where you will live?’ ‘I will stay in the hearts of My devotees. My devotees always remember My lotus feet, therefore I will stay there.’

By this we can understand that Lord’s lamentation is transcendental and not ordinary. Like Lord says in Bhagavad Gita

namāṁkarmāṇilimpanti
na me karma-phalespṛhā
itimāṁyo ’bhijānāti
karmabhirnasabadhyate

Translation-

There is no work that affects Me; nor do I aspire for the fruits of action. One who understands this truth about Me also does not become entangled in the fruitive reactions of work. [Bg. 4.14]

Lord also says

janma karma ca me divyam
evaṁyovettitattvataḥ
tyaktvādehaṁpunarjanma
naitimāmeti so ’rjuna

Translation-

One who knows the transcendental nature of My appearance and activities does not, upon leaving the body, take his birth again in this material world, but attains My eternal abode, O Arjuna. [Bg. 4.9]

‘Those who understand that my birth and activities are transcendental, do not take birth again in this material world because they come back to My abode.’ When Lord laments for a pure devotee, His lamentation, shoka is actually ashoka.

Sub-theme: -Lamentation of Madhavendra Puri

When Madhavenra Puri was lamenting, Oh Lord, I could not have Your darshan.

ayidīna-dayārdranātha he
mathurā-nāthakadāvalokyase
hṛdayaṁtvad-aloka-kātaraṁ
dayitabhrāmyatikiṁkaromyaham

Translation-

“O My Lord! O most merciful master! O master of Mathurā! When shall I see You again? Because of My not seeing You, My agitated heart has become unsteady. O most beloved one, what shall I do now?” [CC Madhya 4.197]

He was talking in the mood of Radharani, ‘Oh Mathuranath, You left for Mathura, but You do not know what is our condition. Don’t know when will we meet again.’ See, everyone cannot understand the mood of a pure devotee. Ramachandra Puri was sannyasi, but he was saying, ‘why are you lamenting?’ Actually, Madhavendra Puri was having pleasure in this lamentation. But his disciple said, ‘Guruji, you are stuck in the personal form of the Lord. You should have meditated on impersonal Lord.’ Madhavendra Puri said, ‘get out of here. If I will leave my body while seeing your face, then I will get durgati, miseries and not sadgati, salvation.’ And then Isvara Puri started to serve his spiritual master, Madhavenra Puri. He understood the mind of Madhavenra Puri, that how his lamentation is? He is actually getting pleasure in this lamentation. Then he used to narrate Lord’s pastimes to Madhavenra Puri. Madhavenra Puri understood that Isvara Puri is my real disciple. He is understanding my lamentation. He said, ‘you are pleasing me. I bless you that Lord Sri Krsna Himself will become your disciple.’ So

vaiṣṇaverakriyā-mudrāvijñenābujhāya

Translation-

No one can understand the mind and activities of a Vaiṣṇava. [Caitanya-bhāgavata]

Just as it is not easy to understand Lord’s pastimes, similarly it is not easy to understand devotees’ activities. In fact, it is more difficult. Like, Sad-gosvamis, they never said that we saw Krsna. They always used to lament, ‘Oh Krsna, where are you?’ They used to call everywhere-

he rādhevraja-devike ca lalite he nanda-sūnokutaḥ
śrī-govardhana-pādapa-tale kālindī-vane kutaḥ
ghoṣantāvitisarvatovraja-pure khedairmahā-vihvalau
vanderūpa-sanātanauraghu-yugauśrī-jīva-gopālakau

Translation-

I offer my respectful obeisances unto the six Gosvāmīs, namely ŚrīRūpaGosvāmī, ŚrīSanātanaGosvāmī, ŚrīRaghunātha Bhaṭṭa Gosvāmī, ŚrīRaghunāthadāsaGosvāmī, ŚrīJīvaGosvāmī, and ŚrīGopāla Bhaṭṭa Gosvāmī, who were chanting very loudly everywhere in Vṛndāvana, shouting, “Queen of Vṛndāvana, Rādhārāṇī! O Lalita! O son of Nanda Mahārāja! Where are you all now? Are you just on the hill of Govardhana, or are you under the trees on the bank of the Yamunā? Where are you?” These were their moods in executing Kṛṣṇa consciousness.[ŚrīŚrīṢaḍ-gosvāmy-aṣṭaka 8]

It was not that they never had darsan of the Lord. They used to have darshan of the Lord all the time, because they had such an ointment in their eyes, the ointment of Krsna prema-

premāñjana-cchurita-bhakti-vilocanena
santaḥsadaivahṛdayeṣuvilokayanti
yaṁśyāmasundaramacintya-guṇa-svarūpaṁ
govindamādi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁbhajāmi

Translation-

I worship Govinda, the primeval Lord, who is Śyāmasundara, Kṛṣṇa Himself with inconceivable innumerable attributes, whom the pure devotees see in their heart of hearts with the eye of devotion tinged with the salve of love. [Brahma Samhita. 5.38]

They used to have darshan of Krsna all the time, yet they never expressed that ‘now we had Krsna’s darsan. That’s it.’ No, not that’s it. Devotee never thinks that I have achieved bhakti, devotion. He always thinks that I have so much to do to get pure devotion.

Sub-theme: -Namacharya Haridas Thakur’s lamentation

When Mahaprabhu said to Namacharya Haridas Thakur, ‘you have done lot of Harinama chanting. Now you do not have to chant.’ Haridas Thakur said, ‘how You are saying like this Mahaprabhu? I am very fallen. I am from lower birth. I have not yet chanted pure name.’ He was Namacharya, how much more pure Name he should have chanted? Yet he was saying like this. The lamentation of Lord’s devotees is always transcendental. There is not a tinge of materialism. There lamentation is nothing but love for Lord.

From few days we are hearing, this lamentation is not material.This is transcendental lamentation. Their love for Lord is at such a high level that lamentation also becomes part of love for Lord. When we lament, we lament because of material things. Immediately we reach at mode of ignorance. But Lord does not get affected by mode of goodness, passion or ignorance. Therefore, Lord is Sachidananda, sat-chit-anandamaya. And Lord always remains in pure goodness. When we hear or narrates about such Lord and such pure devotees, then Lord says

māṁ ca yo ’vyabhicāreṇa
bhakti-yogenasevate
saguṇānsamatītyaitān
brahma-bhūyāyakalpate

Translation-

One who engages in full devotional service, unfailing in all circumstances, at once transcends the modes of material nature and thus comes to the level of Brahman. [Bg. 14.26]

That means, when one is situated above the three modes, then it is said that brahma-bhūyāyakalpate, he has reached at brahman stage. He has achieved pure devotion.

Thank you very much.

Question and answer-

Question by Lalita Prabhu- Hare Krishna Prabhuji,dandavat pranam. As it is told that Rama, Laxman, Bharat and Shatrughna are Supreme Lords. Can you please tell more about this? How they are Lords?

Answer- Thank you very much for the question. Lord Himself said that I will appear with my amsas. So, the bhagavatta, divinity present in Sri Rama is equally present in Laxman, Bharat and Shatrughna, but They have not manifested it. Like, Sri Rama is Lord and Sri Krsna is also Lord, but there is difference, as Sri Krsna is Purna Purushottam, but when that same Lord comes as Sri Rama, He covers that Purna Purushottam quality and becomes Maryada Purushottam. It can be explained as, when there is a multi-stared movie, many actors are there; so, in that more importance is given to main actor and others get less roles. Similarly, Bharat and Shatrughna are Lords, but Their Bhagavatta is not completely manifested in Ramayana. That was the desire of the Lord. Just imagine, when all four had manifested Their Bhagavatta then it would be difficult to understand who is Supreme Lord. Lord Krsna came with Lord Balarama; yet we say, Sri Krsna is Purna Purushottam. Balarama is not less; He is also Supreme Lord. Prabhupada says, there is no difference between Krsna and Balarama; only difference is of their complexion. One is fare and one is black. Yet we see that in Krsna Lila Lord Krishna’s Bhagavatta is expressed more than Lord Balarama’s. Balarama also did rasalila, but it is not mentioned much in sastras.

06 April 2024 
Glories of Harinaam Sankirtan
Speaker: HG Anantasesa prabhu

Hare Krsna. Today is Dwadashi and it is the disappearance day of Srila Govinda Ghosh, one of the associates of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. Also, it is the 71st appearance day of HG Aindra prabhu.

Govinda Ghosh and his brothers Vasudeva and Madhava are the eternal associates of Lord Chaitanya and Lord Nityananda Prabhu.

kaldvati rasollasa gunatunga vraje sthitah
sri-visakha-krtam gitam gayanti smadya ta matah
govinda-madhavananda-vasudeva yatha-kramam

(Gaura-ganoddesa-dipika 188)

Translation: Govinda, Madhava and Vasudeva were gopis in Vraja, namely Kalavati, Rasollasa and Gunatunga, who used to sing the songs composed by Vishakha.

Kalavati, Rasavati and Gunatunga were three Gopis who used to assist Sri Vishakha Sakhi in Krsna lila. The same three gopis have appeared as these three brothers in Chaitanya lila. They lived in Agradwipa.

Kalavati Gopi – Govind, Rasollasa Gopi – Madhav and Gunatunga Gopi – Vasudeva.

We can read about their Kirtans in Chaitanya Charitamrita. Even Nityananda Prabhu would dance uncontrollably when Govinda Ghosh would lead kirtans. It would give immense pleasure to Sri Nityananda Prabhu. When Chaitanya Mahaprabhu was residing in Jagannath Puri after accepting sanyas initiation, they were wonderful singers especially very dear to Swarup Damodar and Nityanand prabhu.

Govinda das who was a personal secretary of Mahaprabhu was different. He used to be the leading Kirtanya in the fourth troop out of seven which Chaitanya Mahaprabhu would organize during the Jagannath Rath Yatra.

Srila Govinda Ghosh Thakura is known for his most sweet kirtans at the annual Ratha-Yatra festival celebrated by Lord Chaitanya at Jagannatha Puri. Govinda Ghosh participated in Mahaprabhu’s lilas in Shrivasa Angan, in the Nagara-Sankirtan to the Kazi’s house, and in the house of Raghava Pandit. During the Ratha yatra festival, he was the lead singer in the fourth kirtan group, accompanied by his two brothers, Junior Hari Das, Vishnu Das and Raghava Pandit. Vakreshvara Pandit joined this group as the principal dancer.

govinda, madhava, vasudeva—tina bhai 
yan-sabara kirtane nace caitanya-nitai (CC. 1.10.115)

Translation: The three brothers Govinda, Madhava and Vasudeva were the eighty-second, eighty-third and eighty-fourth branches of the tree. Lord Chaitanya and Nityananda used to dance in their kirtana performances.

prabhura ajñaya nityananda gaude calila
tanra sange tina-jana prabhu-ajñaya aila (CC. 1.10.117)

Translation: By the order of Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, three Devotees accompanied Lord Nityananda Prabhu when He returned to Bengal to preach.

ramadasa, madhava, ara vasudeva ghosa
prabhu-sange rahe govinda paiya santosa (CC. 1.10.118)

Translation: These three were Ramadasa, Madhava Ghosha and Vasudeva Ghosha. Govinda Ghosha, however, remained with Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu at Jagannatha Puri and thus felt great satisfaction.

His wife and son passed away very early. Now, since he had no children, Govinda worried about who would perform his funeral rites. Then Shri Gopinatha, Govinda Ghosh’s Deity, appeared in a dream promising that he himself would do everything.

Still today, the Gopinatha Deity arranges for the Tirobhava Mahotsava (the disappearance day festival) of His pure devotee, Govinda Ghosh.

pranera mukunda he

ki aji shunilu acambite?

kahite parana jaya mukhe nahi bahiraya

shri gauranga chariibe navadvipa

ihato na jani mo rasakale milinun gora

avanata mathe ache basi

nijhare nayana jhare buka bahi dhara parie

malina haiyache mukha shashi (Songs Written by Govinda Ghosh)

Translation: Oh Mukunda! My life! What did I suddenly hear today? If I say it I will die… the words do not want to come out of my mouth. Gauranga is really going to leave Navadwip.We didn’t know this, but we saw Gora this morning; He was sitting with His head bowed in thought. Streams of tears flowed from His eyes and washed over His chest, and His moon-like face had lost its luster.

Even till this day, Sri Sri Gopinath performs his funeral rites (Pinda Dan) every year. In the picture shared on screen we could see this happening.

Also it’s the appearance day of Srila Aindra Prabhu. Srila Prabhupada is the empowered Acarya from Goloka and Aindra Prabhu is said to be specially empowered by Srila Prabhupada. Those devotees who are about 20-25 years old in the society now must be knowing Aindra prabhu.

I remember when I went to Vrindavan for the first time in 1999. One of the senior disciples of HH Jayapataka Swami Maharaj told me, if you want to advance in Krsna consciousness then you need to practice tranad api sunichena. And if you want to realize this verse and Vrindavan then you should take part in Kirtans lead by HG Aindra Prabhu everyday for at least 3-4 hours.

And It was my realizations that those Kirtans were completely out of this world. HG Aindra prabhu was born in Washington DC. His father was a musician and his mother was an artist. He was an expert musician since childhood and started playing several musical instruments since a very young age.

He came across  Srila Prabhupada’s book, Beyond birth and death. His marriage life wasn’t a very successful one and soon he dedicated his life to Srila Prabhupada’s mission. He would participate in travelling sankirtan parties. He had a flat bed car on which he would perform sankirtan along with his band.

Srila Prabhupada had a desire to set up 24 hour sankirtan party in Vrindavan. He had said, the most important activity of this age, and of ISKCON is, Sankirtan. Building temples, establishing deities and distribution of books is good, that is also a part of Sankirtan, but main is Harinaam Sankirtan.

Srila Krsna Das Kaviraj Goswami explains, there would be festivals at Advaita acharya prabhu’s house and the schedule for those festivals would be Krsna Katha, feast and kirtans. Chaitanya Mahaprabhu also participated happily in Sankirtan.

ānandita haila ācārya, śacī, bhakta, saba
prati-dina kare ācārya mahā-mahotsava (CC Madhya 3.200)

Translation: Lord Caitanya’s decision was received very happily by Advaita Ācārya, mother Śacī and all the devotees. Advaita Ācārya celebrated every day with a great festival.

dine kṛṣṇa-kathā-rasa bhakta-gaṇa-saṅge 
rātre mahā-mahotsava saṅkīrtana-raṅge(CC Madhya 3.201)

Translation: During the day the devotees discussed subject matters concerning Kṛṣṇa, and at night there was a great festival of congregational chanting at the house of Advaita Ācārya.

ānandita hañā śacī karena randhana
sukhe bhojana kare prabhu lañā bhakta-gaṇa(CC Madhya 3.202)

Translation: Mother Śacī cooked with great pleasure, and Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, along with the devotees, accepted the prasādam with great pleasure.

ācāryera śraddhā-bhakti-gṛha-sampada-dhane
sakala saphala haila prabhura ārādhane(CC Madhya 3.203)

Translation: In this way all the opulences of Advaita Ācārya — His faith, devotion, home, riches and everything else — were successfully utilized in the worship of Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu.

āra dina prabhu kahe saba bhakta-gaṇe 
nija-nija-gṛhe sabe karaha gamane(CC Madhya 3.206)

Translation: The next day, Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu requested all the devotees to return to their respective homes.

ghare giyā kara sabe kṛṣṇa-saṅkīrtana
punarapi āmā-saṅge ha-ibe milana(CC Madhya 3.207)

Translation: Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu also asked them to execute the congregational chanting of the holy name of the Lord at their homes, and He assured them that they would be able to meet Him again.

Then Chaitanya Mahaprabhu instructed the assembled Grashthas, go home and perform Harinaam Sankirtan, and those who will do so, will get my association. Advaita Acarya established the standards of an ideal Grihastha Vaishnava.

Chaitanya Mahaprabhu asked all the devotees to at least have Sankirtan for 3 hours everyday. Most important is engagement in Harinam Sankirtan. In Initial days, ISKCON became famous as Hare Krsna movement. This is because mostly all the devotees were seen only singing on the streets. Even Aindra Prabhu quoted this verse when I was there listening to him. Almost for 24 years continuously Aindra Prabhu dedicated his life to Harinam Sankirtan.

sarva-dharmān parityajya 
mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja
ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo
mokṣayiṣyāmi mā śucaḥ (BG 18.66)

Translation: Abandon all varieties of religion and just surrender unto Me. I shall deliver you from all sinful reactions. Do not fear.

His life was an example of dedication to the holy name and the holy abode of Krsna, Sri Vrindavan Dham – Naam Nishitha and Dhaam Nishtha. He established Akhanda Harinaam Sankirtan in 1986 and since then he engaged in that till he breathed his last in 2010. Even today Kirtan is the biggest attraction in ISKCON Vrindavan for all the visitors. There were not many devotees having this dedication towards this service.

Only one devotee used to help him, his name was Sri Nitai Das. Aindra Prabhu used to even chant for 8 hours continuously. He had no Mridanga player or Kartal Players. He would play his harmonium, and wear ankle bells using them as Kartal.

satataṁ kīrtayanto māṁ
yatantaś ca dṛḍha-vratāḥ
namasyantaś ca māṁ bhaktyā
nitya-yuktā upāsate (BG 9.14)

Translation: Always chanting My glories, endeavoring with great determination, bowing down before Me, these great souls perpetually worship Me with devotion.

He would not even like to go to Loi bazar to speak, it was as if going out of Sri Vrindavan Dham. He was very happy when he received his Indian citizenship.

He never got his Visa made. He had 2000 shaligram Shilas which he would serve everyday and chant a minimum of 64 rounds everyday. The devotees would hardly find him sleeping ever. He would read a lot of books by Srila Prabhupada and various other Acaryas. He would deliver a very long Shrimad Bhagavatam class.

Many ISKCON devotees lost their interest in visiting Sri Vrindavan Dham when Sripad Aindra Prabhu left this planet. He was innocent like a child, he would be pleased very quickly. But also, he would get angry whenever there were some small mistakes in kirtans. Aindra Prabhu’s kirtans were major attractions in ISKCON Vrindavan.

After he left his body, he empowered his energy to several of his followers to continue these kirtans such as HG Madhav prabhu, HG Akinchan Krsna prabhu, HG Kirtan premi Prabhu and some others. He insisted that every devotee must make Harinam Sankirtan as an important part of his life.

Once HG Akinchana Bhakta Prabhu asked me, that whose disciple are you and in response when I replied, HH Lokanath Swami Maharaj, he said Maharaj is one of the pure devotees still present on this planet. HG Aindra Prabhu would appreciate Guru Maharaj a lot and glorify him.

I remember when HG Aindra prabhu and Guru Maharaj used to perform kirtans together. HG Aindra prabhu is one of the important unsung heroes of our mission.

Hare Krsna.

Japa Talk : 5 April, 2024
Speaker: H. H. Lokanath Swami Maharaj
Theme: Liberation through Sound

Sub Theme: Introduction

There are some devotees who chant with us in the zoom temple only on Ekadashi. Please raise your hands. Keep raising your hands if you chant with us only on Ekadashi. We have 1650 locations on the zoom call today, 200-300 locations are more. Please raise your hands.

Be honest and raise your hands.

I was expecting some more hands to be raised. Thank you and congratulations to all of you for doing japa with us on Ekadashi. We welcome you everyday to chant with us. It would be – so nice, if you could chant with us daily. It will be beneficial for you. Hari Hari!

This is not the time for announcement. You can visit ISKCON temple – on ekadashi attend mangal arti. Perform japa and attend morning sadhana. Hear Japa talk, Srimad Bhagavatam classes and partake prasadam with the devotees. In the Noida temple the congregational devotees reach there. Please invite the initiated devotees to attend the morning program. It will lead to

dadāti pratigṛhṇāti
guhyam ākhyāti pṛcchati
bhuṅkte bhojayate caiva
ṣaḍ-vidhaṁ prīti-lakṣaṇam

 Translation:

Offering gifts in charity, accepting charitable gifts, revealing one’s mind in confidence, inquiring confidentially, accepting prasāda and offering prasāda are the six symptoms of love shared by one devotee and another.[NOI Verse No.4]

Symptoms of love. We just donot have to love only the Supreme Personality of Godhead. We love God this is incomplete love. Not complete. Our love is complete when we love the devotees.

Hari Hari! Please show your love. Visit temples and satsangs. Bhakti Vriksha groups can also come together at your respective centres.

Keep chanting, we will have our japa talk in a few minutes from now.

Hari Hari!!I welcome you for today’s japa talk. Kindly pause – your japa for some time. Please pause your one type of shravanam and we will commence our other type of shravanam shortly.

tṛṇād api su-nīcena
taror iva sahiṣṇunā
amāninā māna-dena
kīrtanīyaḥ sadā hariḥ 

Translation:

One who thinks himself lower than the grass, who is more tolerant than a tree, and who does not expect personal honor yet is always prepared to give all respect to others can very easily always chant the holy name of the Lord. [CC Adi 17.31]

And the other shravanam is

naṣṭa-prāyeṣv abhadreṣu
nityaṁ bhāgavata-sevayā
bhagavaty uttama-śloke
bhaktir bhavati naiṣṭhikī

Translation:

By regular attendance in classes on the Bhāgavatam and by rendering of service to the pure devotee, all that is troublesome to the heart is almost completely destroyed, and loving service unto the Personality of Godhead, who is praised with transcendental songs, is established as an irrevocable fact. [SB 1.2.18]

Today is ekadashi and you have assembled here in large numbers. Apart from our regular listeners we have additional listeners today. I welcome all of you with your soul.

Anyway, I will not tell this. It is not proper for me to tell that I welcome your souls. You are souls. There is no soul of the soul. It is only soul. Soul has parmatma or Bhagwan.

Hari Hari! The soul is in this body. The soul is encaged in this body.

Theme: Confidential Knowledge

īśvaraḥ sarva-bhūtānāṁ
hṛd-deśe ‘rjuna tiṣṭhati
bhrāmayan sarva-bhūtāni
yantrārūḍhāni māyayā

Translation:

The Supreme Lord is situated in everyone’s heart, O Arjuna, and is directing the wanderings of all living entities, who are seated as on a machine, made of the material energy.[BG 18.61]

There is no meaning in welcoming the body. The body should not come to known that we are welcoming him. The body is lifeless. We should not let our hands, feet, nails or nose know that someone is welcoming it.

Actually, we need to welcome the soul. We learn from the Bhagavad Gitathat we are not bodies but souls. The soul is currently in the conditioned state. Hari Hari!

māyā-mugdha jīvera nāhi svataḥ kṛṣṇa-jñāna
jīvere kṛpāya kailā kṛṣṇa veda-purāṇa

Translation:

The conditioned soul cannot revive his Kṛṣṇa consciousness by his own effort. But out of causeless mercy, Lord Kṛṣṇa compiled the Vedic literature and its supplements, the Purāṇas. [CC Madhya 20.122]

We want to be liberated. But we are conditioned. We want to be free from maya. Attain Lord Kṛṣṇa or attain service at the Supreme Lord’s lotus feet.

How can we liberate ourselves? We should think about it. You must have thought about it earlier. We have also discussed about it. We will throw some light on it. How can we liberate ourselves. Who has tied us? Who is binding us? Then we will be able to get the solution for becoming free.

There is a Shastra known as Vedanta Shastra. The essence of the Vedas is Upanishadas and the essence of the Upanishads is Vedanta.

The Vedas end in bhakti or the lotus feet of the Supreme Lord. This is known as Vedanta Sutra or Brahma Sutra. There are various names for this Shastra. Srimad Bhagavatam is the commentary on the Vedanta Sutra. The explanation or purport to the Vedanta Sutra is Srimad Bhagavatam.This Vedanta Sutra has 400 to 500 Sutras. I can – remember 2 Sutras – right now, regarding this context –we are conditioned, but want to be liberated.

1. Shabda Yonitva – Finished. Sutras are like this. They are in the code language. It doesnot contain the entire Mahabharat. The sutras are expressions in a few words. Shabda Yonitva is one such sutra.
2. How can we liberate ourselves from this conditioned state? Anavritti Shabdat. Ana means No, Avritti means repetation. This is the first edition or the second edition of this book. To have no further repetition.

punarapi jananaṃ punarapi maraṇaṃ,
punarapi jananī jaṭhare śayanam |
iha saṃsāre bahu dustāre,
kṛpayā’pāre pāhi murāre ‖

Translation:

Born again, death again, birth again to stay in the mother’s womb! It is indeed hard to cross this boundless ocean of samsara. Oh Murari! Redeem me through Thy mercy.[Verse 21 from Bhaja Govindam by Adi Shankaracharya]

How is this repetation stopped? By words.

In one of the sutras it is mentioned as Shabda Yonitva. Our thoughts or our relationships –arise due to words. Due to words our world or our thought process starts and also leads to our bondages. Words are starting point for our bondages. Sound vibrations. To get free from maya or this words is possible due to Anavritti sabda. From these two sutras we understand the reason for our bondage is the sound vibration and the reason for our liberation is also sound vibration. Liberation through sound. How will we become free? Though sound. Due to various sounds we are in this material bondage. Due to sounds we are caught up in this material world. Liberation through sound.

There are 2 types of sounds

1. Prakritik sound or Shabda or collection of material words. They create bondage or bind us with the help of mayadevi

2. Anavriti Shabha liberates us. They make us devotees. These words are transcendental not ordinary. They are divine and spiritual in nature.

rāja-vidyā rāja-guhyaṁ
pavitram idam uttamam
pratyakṣāvagamaṁ dharmyaṁ
su-sukhaṁ kartum avyayam

Translation:

This knowledge is the king of education, the most secret of all secrets. It is the purest knowledge, and because it gives direct perception of the self by realization, it is the perfection of religion. It is everlasting, and it is joyfully performed.[BG 9.2]

The sound is pure. Due to mayavi, prakritik and material sounds – we are entangled in bondage and transcendental, divine and super natural sounds – are pure sound vibrations and they free us. Later, we become devotees on hearing such vibrations.

Shastras or Bhagavad Gita – starts with sound.

In the Bible, it is mentioned that in the beginning there was a word. Hari Hari!

Sound leads to the creation of everything. Sound leads to touch. Earlier, there is sound in the ether (sky). Ether or sky has only sound. Then it expands to touch – which we can experience. To understand the sound vibrations, various – senses are present within us. We have 5 senses. Sound leads to touch, touch leads to form, form leads to taste and taste leads to smell. The universe is made up of 5 elements.

Sound leads to ether. Ether to touch. Touch to air. How do you understand : whether the breeze is cool or hot? It is due to touch sensation. From air – we get form. We get to see the form in fire. We cannot see air. We can know air by touch only. We come to know the existence of ether due to its sound vibrations. Due to touch sensation – we can feel the presence of the air. In the fire there is a form. From fire we get taste which is felt in water.

raso ’ham apsu kaunteya
prabhāsmi śaśi-sūryayoḥ
praṇavaḥ sarva-vedeṣu
śabdaḥ khe pauruṣaṁ nṛṣu

Translation:

O son of Kuntī, I am the taste of water, the light of the sun and the moon, the syllable oṁ in the Vedic mantras; I am the sound in ether and ability in man.[BG 7.8]

This is told by the Lord Himself in the Bhagavad Gita. Apsu means water. Lord tells that I am the taste of water. How will you identify water? We can identify water due to its taste.

Ether, air, fire, water leads to the creation of earth. How will we get the knowledge about the earth, it is due to smell or fragrance.

puṇyo gandhaḥ pṛthivyāṁ ca
tejaś cāsmi vibhāvasau
jīvanaṁ sarva-bhūteṣu
tapaś cāsmi tapasviṣu

Translation:

I am the original fragrance of the earth, and I am the heat in fire. I am the life of all that lives, and I am the penances of all ascetics.[BG 7.9]

Lord says in the Bhagavad Gitathat I am the fragrance of the earth. In this way, the universal creation takes place.

Creation of the universe is a pastime of the Supreme Lord.

Theme: Brahma’s birth and his search for the Absolute Truth

Before the creation of the Universe, Lord impregnated the lotus flower leading to the birth to self-born Brahmaji. He was born, but he didnot know who he was and what was his duty. To give him knowledge or to provide him the job description – Lord tells him ta-pa (instructs him to perform penance). Due to these two sound vibration, it motivated Brahmaji. These two words or sound vibrations or Shabda Yonitva. He did austerities and became purified and experienced bliss. He experienced bliss and he was fortunate to get the darshan of the Supreme Lord.

oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya
janmādy asya yato ’nvayād itarataś cārtheṣv abhijñaḥ svarāṭ
tene brahma hṛdā ya ādi-kavaye muhyanti yat sūrayaḥ
tejo-vāri-mṛdāṁ yathā vinimayo yatra tri-sargo ’mṛṣā
dhāmnā svena sadā nirasta-kuhakaṁ satyaṁ paraṁ dhīmahi

Translation:

O my Lord, Śrī Kṛṣṇa, son of Vasudeva, O all-pervading Personality of Godhead, I offer my respectful obeisances unto You. I meditate upon Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa because He is the Absolute Truth and the primeval cause of all causes of the creation, sustenance and destruction of the manifested universes. He is directly and indirectly conscious of all manifestations, and He is independent because there is no other cause beyond Him. It is He only who first imparted the Vedic knowledge unto the heart of Brahmājī, the original living being. By Him even the great sages and demigods are placed into illusion, as one is bewildered by the illusory representations of water seen in fire, or land seen on water. Only because of Him do the material universes, temporarily manifested by the reactions of the three modes of nature, appear factual, although they are unreal. I therefore meditate upon Him, Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa, who is eternally existent in the transcendental abode, which is forever free from the illusory representations of the material world. I meditate upon Him, for He is the Absolute Truth.[ŚB 1.1.1]

The first person created by the Supreme Lord in this universe is Brahma. He was alone. There was nobody. Only the Supreme Lord and Brahma were present. Lord imparted all the sound vibrations in the heart of Brahmaji.

cakṣu-dān dilo jei, janme janme prabhu sei, divya jñān hṛde prokāśito
prema-bhakti jāhā hoite, avidyā vināśa jāte, vede gāy jāhāra carito

Translation:

He opens my darkened eyes and fills my heart with transcendental knowledge. He is my Lord birth after birth. From him ecstatic prema emanates; by him ignorance is destroyed. The Vedic scriptures sing of his character.[Verse 3 from Guru Vandana by  Narottama Dasa Thakura]

Theme: Lord Brahma creates the fourteen worlds

The spiritual master for Brahmaji is Supreme Lord Himself. The transcendental knowledge – is made up of sound vibrations. Such sound vibrations were received by Brahmaji. Brahmaji repeated these sound vibrations or sentences and hence created the fourteen worlds.

First the six types of primary creations were created and later 4 types of secondary creations were created. The primary creator is the Supreme Lord. Lord gives the credit to Brahmaji for secondary creation.

Theme: Lord tells – Brahmaji you become my instrument

tasmāt tvam uttiṣṭha yaśo labhasva
jitvā śatrūn bhuṅkṣva rājyaṁ samṛddham
mayaivaite nihatāḥ pūrvam eva
nimitta-mātraṁ bhava savya-sācin

Translation:

Therefore get up. Prepare to fight and win glory. Conquer your enemies and enjoy a flourishing kingdom. They are already put to death by My arrangement, and you, O Savyasācī, can be but an instrument in the fight.[BG 11.33]

Become successful and earn fame. Lord gave all the sound vibrations to Brahma. Due to the utterance of these sound – vibrations – our universe is created. Brahmaji doesnot use his hands or feet for creation. What is happening here? Shabda yonitva. We have 8.4 millions species of life. Various types of bodies are created due to the sound vibrations. The origin of the Universe – is shabda yonitva.

Brahmaji – uttered various words and all the details became manifested. From the sound came touch and from touch appeared form and from the form appeared taste and from the taste appeared the smell. With this from ether came, air, from air came fire, and from fire came water. From water the earth appeared. Yes, this happens instantanously. It happens one after another, but doesnot take time. This activity happens fast hence we donot understand it. Brahmaji utters the mantra or sound vibrations given to him by the Supreme Lord and magic happens and the creation takes place.

Brahmaji creates – 8.4 millions species of life through the medium of sound vibration or mantras.

We also – are the creators. Brahma has created this creation – in it all the jivas make their individual creations. Hari Bol!! Devotees are sleeping here and there.

Each jiva – creates his own universe. We are speaking about human beings as we are human beings. These topics are for us. Only human beings can understand these topics. Other species of life cannot understand it.

We have created our own universes. I am from this country, from this village. These are my parents. This is my wealth. This is my business. This is my post or position. I am able to influence so many people. We have created our own universe within Brahmaji’s universe. This universe binds us. We are caught in the middle of our own universe. We might be thinking,

Sub-Theme:Material Consciousness

prakṛteḥ kriyamāṇāni
guṇaiḥ karmāṇi sarvaśaḥ
ahaṅkāra-vimūḍhātmā
kartāham iti manyate

Translation:

The spirit soul bewildered by the influence of false ego thinks himself the doer of activities that are in actuality carried out by the three modes of material nature.[BG 3.27]

But we are not doing anything, we are actually under the influence of the 3 modes of material nature. It is making us perform various activities. Due to our false ego we have created our small – individual universes. Not only false ego, it is our mind, intelligence and false ego.

Our subtle body helps in creation of new bodies. It is the cause. When we get a new body, our desires in the present bodys lead to the creation of new bodies. We create our – new universes slowly. We are entangled in the center of our universe. Time is flying, what should I explain to you. This topic – liberation through sound is not just for a few minutes. It is a topic – for discussion for a few more days.

So anyways, let us see till where we can reach. There are examples in the shastras of silk worm. Silk worms take out some kind of juices from his own body. A weave is netted by the silk worm. Slowly, when the creation of the silk worm is completed it dies. There is no question of its coming out. Like this – we too create our own universes and we are creating prison houses or a locked room for our own self. In which we cannot breathe. This attitude of “Me and Mine” ends when we die.

This creation which we have created – takes our life.

mṛtyuḥ sarva-haraś cāham
udbhavaś ca bhaviṣyatām
kīrtiḥ śrīr vāk ca nārīṇāṁ
smṛtir medhā dhṛtiḥ kṣamā

Translation:

I am all-devouring death, and I am the generating principle of all that is yet to be. Among women I am fame, fortune, fine speech, memory, intelligence, steadfastness and patience.[BG 10.34]

 Whatever we have collected or told this is “Mine” – is taken away by Mayadevi. She kicks us and tells us – “Get out of here”. We have created our universes within our body and outside. Everything ends for us.

Shabhda Yonitva :- The creation of this universe takes place due to the sound vibrations. In this universe, we create our own universe – this is also due to the sound vibrations.

Hari Hari!

There are various types of sound vibrations. Till we die, we are influenced by various samskaras. We die with those samskaras, feelings thoughts or desires.

Sub-Theme: Remembrance at the time of Death

yaṁ yaṁ vāpi smaran bhāvaṁ
tyajaty ante kalevaram
taṁ tam evaiti kaunteya
sadā tad-bhāva-bhāvitaḥ

Translation:

Whatever state of being one remembers when he quits his body, O son of Kuntī, that state he will attain without fail. [BG 8.6]
What type of feelings or thoughts or desires or samskaras – are there – within us – during our entire span of life. According to this we will get our next body.

Our next body – will be based on our current desires, feelings and thoughts at the time of death. This will – be beginning for our next life. In the next life – the same feelings, thoughts will influence us. Our thoughts are stored in our mind. This is there is our subtle body.

Srila Prabhupada tells – mind means thinking, feeling and willing. This is the duty or functions of the mind. Due to thinking we can experience feelings. Later leads to desires.

We start in the next life from where we had stopped in our last life. Our last life’s feelings are awakened again in the present life.

So basically, on the basis of our karma and desires we create new universes for ourselves. This cycle goes on. I will tell you in brief today. Will elaborate it some other day in the future.

We remove a thorn using a thorn. A set of sounds – has pricked us. We are bound by it. Sound vibrations have bound us. Due to sound vibrations we can be liberated. The essence of sound liberations is Hari Naam.

hare krsna hare krsna krsna krsna hare hare
hare rama hare rama rama rama hare hare
iti sodasakam namnam kali-kalmasa-nasanam
natah parataropayah sarva-vedesu drsyate

Translation:

The sixteen names of the Hare Krsna mahamantra: hare krsna hare krsna krsna krsna hare hare, hare rama hare rama rama rama hare hare destroy all the inauspiciousness of the age of Kali. This is the conclusion of all the Vedas. (Kali-santarana Upanisad from Krsna Yajur Veda)

The inauspicious or bad or evil thoughts or actions etc. are destroyed.

kaler doṣa-nidhe rājann
asti hy eko mahān guṇaḥ
kīrtanād eva kṛṣṇasya
mukta-saṅgaḥ paraṁ vrajet

Translation:

My dear King, although Kali-yuga is an ocean of faults, there is still one good quality about this age: Simply by chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra, one can become free from material bondage and be promoted to the transcendental kingdom. [ŚB 12.3.51]

We were talking about material bondage earlier, now this verse mentions about liberation or getting free from material bondages. The inauspiciousness or bad thoughts or words of Kali-yuga are destroyed, this is mentioned by Srimad Bhagavatam.There are many faults or vices in Kali-yuga. One of the good or great quality about Kali-yuga is that we can be liberated. We can be free from the material bondages. Hari Hari!

These words are glorifying – Hari Naam, Bhagavad Gita and Srimad Bhagavatam as they all are divine transcendental sound vibrations. We do shravanam and kirtanam of the Lord’s names, form and pastimes. We glorify the pure devotees also. On hearing these transcendental sounds – it will defeat the materialistic sounds present within us.

Sub-Theme: Most confidential knowledge

With this,

sarva-dharmān parityajya
mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja
ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo
mokṣayiṣyāmi mā śucaḥ

Translation:

Abandon all varieties of religion and just surrender unto Me. I shall deliver you from all sinful reactions. Do not fear. [BG. 18.66]

Lord is telling us about liberation – at the end of Bhagavad Gita. If you are distressed in this material world or this material world is troubling you. Brothers, friends and matajis don’t get cheated as it isdue to the effect of mayadevi or sound vibrations it begins and continues.

If you want to get free- you need to hear a different kind of sound vibration. That sound is

Hare Krsna Hare Krsna Krsna Hrsna Hare Hare – Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare

jivana anitya janaha sar,
tahe nana-vidha vipada-bhar,
namasraya kori’ jatane tumi,
thakaha apana kaje

Translation:

This temporary life is full of various miseries. Take shelter of the holy name as your only business. [Udilo Arun Purab Bhage: Verse No 6]

Whe we take the shelter of the holy names and understand that

krsna-nama-sudha koriya pan,
jurao bhakativinoda-pran,
nama bina kichu nahiko aro,
caudda-bhuvana-majhe

Translation:

Drink the pure nectar of the holy name. There is nothing but the name to be had in the fourteen worlds. Ithas filled the soul of Sri Bhaktivinoda Thakura. [Udilo Arun Purab Bhage: Verse No 8]

The most important thing in the fourteen world’s is the holy name.

harer nāma harer nāma
harer nāmaiva kevalam
kalau nāsty eva nāsty eva
nāsty eva gatir anyathā

Translation:

In this Age of Kali there is no other means, no other means, no other means for self-realization than chanting the holy name, chanting the holy name, chanting the holy name of Lord Hari. [CC Adi 17.21]

We have to take shelter of the holy name. We have to take shelter of the words of the Shastra/Bhagavad Gita/Srimad Bhagavatam.It is like surrendering ourselves to the Supreme Lord. We can take the shelter of the deity form of the Lord – it is the path to liberation or devotional service. Please take shelter of the devotees. They will motivate you to take the shelter of the Supreme Lord.

Taking shelter of the Guru, devotees or sadhus or taking shelter of the Supreme Lord is one and the same thing. You will quickly attain the lotus feet of the Supreme Lord or they will motivate you to reach your goal.

Be careful! Use your power of discrimination or intelligence. It is both material word as well as transcendental word. This is on the basis of two kinds of words. Spiritual words or vibrations or words as per shastras or Lord’s names or Maha Mantra are most beneficial for us. Our samskaras gives rise to one type of desire in our mind. Each one has some type of desires to fulfill those desires we live and endeavor very rigorously in our lives.

In brief – one type is

ātmendriya-prīti-vāñchā — tāre bali ‘kāma’
kṛṣṇendriya-prīti-icchā dhare ‘prema’ nāma

Translation:

The desire to gratify one’s own senses is kāma [lust], but the desire to please the senses of Lord Kṛṣṇa is prema [love]. [CC Adi 4.165]

 One is to satisfy one’s own senses or mind with various types of entertainment. Second type of desire – is to serve or please the Lord. Satisfation of the Supreme Lord’s senses.

sarvopādhi-vinirmuktaṁ
tat-paratvena nirmalam
hṛṣīkeṇa hṛṣīkeśa-
sevanaṁ bhaktir ucyate

Translation:

Bhakti, or devotional service, means engaging all our senses in the service of the Lord, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the master of all the senses. When the spirit soul renders service unto the Supreme, there are two side effects. One is freed from all material designations, and one’s senses are purified simply by being employed in the service of the Lord.’

When we engage our senses in the service of the Lord. This is called bhakti. When the desire is to satisfy our own senses it is lust. In this world there are 2 things one is lust and the other is love. This world is full of lusty people. When we desire to – satisfy the Supreme Lord it leads to attainment of Lord’s Prema.

When we increase our devotional service, perform more chanting and shravanam.

śrī-prahrāda uvāca
śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ
smaraṇaṁ pāda-sevanam
arcanaṁ vandanaṁ dāsyaṁ
sakhyam ātma-nivedanam

iti puṁsārpitā viṣṇau
bhaktiś cen nava-lakṣaṇā
kriyeta bhagavaty addhā
tan manye ’dhītam uttamam

Translation:

Prahlāda Mahārāja said: Hearing and chanting about the transcendental holy name, form, qualities, paraphernalia and pastimes of Lord Viṣṇu, remembering them, serving the lotus feet of the Lord, offering the Lord respectful worship with sixteen types of paraphernalia, offering prayers to the Lord, becoming His servant, considering the Lord one’s best friend, and surrendering everything unto Him (in other words, serving Him with the body, mind and words) — these nine processes are accepted as pure devotional service. One who has dedicated his life to the service of Kṛṣṇa through these nine methods should be understood to be the most learned person, for he has acquired complete knowledge. [SB 7.5.23/4]

Due to this our dormant love for the Supreme Lord will awaken.

nitya-siddha kṛṣṇa-prema ‘sādhya’ kabhu naya
śravaṇādi-śuddha-citte karaye udaya

Translation:

Pure love for Kṛṣṇa is eternally established in the hearts of the living entities. It is not something to be gained from another source. When the heart is purified by hearing and chanting, this love naturally awakens. [CC Madhya 22.107]

We hear the sound vibrations through our ears. We should hear such sound vibrations or mantras which arouse the love within us for the Supreme Lord. Hence, there are two sets of sounds – prakritik and aprakritik. One will bind us and the other will free us or we will attain Bhakti.

Hari Hari! Okay. Any questions or comments. Anyways there is no time. This is the problem for me during Japa Talk.

Parmatma prabhu is suggesting we will take your comments in the next session. Is that okay. I think so. We donot have any other option.

Gaur Premanande Hari Hari Bol!!

Japa talk by HG Sachidananda  prabhu
Date: 4-4-2024
HG Sachidanada prabhu speaks – prayers
Main Theme: Steps to improve the Chanting 
Sub Theme: Ego blocks ones chanting

Today we shall speak on Nawadwipamahatmya 18th chapter. Srila jiva Goswami did Nawadwipa parikrama with Nityananda Prabhu. After completing parikrama , he asked Nityananda Prabhu that Nawadwipa is audaryadhama and offences are not counted here.

I see that many people chant the holy names but do not have the signs of pure love. Why is it so?

So, Nityananda Prabhu replied that even if they are chanting but have not yet establish heart to heart relationship, he stays here in the material world only.

He never enters the holy dhama. It remains on the superficial level only. That person is an egoistic person and thinks very high of himself as a devotee but actually lacks humility.

He thinks he is the mind, intelligence and controller – this is aham, ego. Mameti- means he thinks that he is doing everything.

puṁsaḥstriyāmithunī-bhāvametaṁ
tayormithohṛdaya-granthimāhuḥ
atogṛha-kṣetra-sutāpta-vittair
janasyamoho ’yam ahaṁmameti

Translation

The attraction between male and female is the basic principle of material existence. On the basis of this misconception, which ties together the hearts of the male and female, one becomes attracted to his body, home, property, children, relatives and wealth. In this way one increases life’s illusions and thinks in terms of “I and mine.” [SB 5.5.8]

But when one is in Krsna consciousness then this doership mentality does not come. He simply thinks of himself as a servant of Krsna and sucha a person is situated in real ego.

Sub Theme: Be humble like grass and associate with Devotees

But a person who thinks himself the doer of everything is a dharma dwiji – A pretender. If such a person also can do Bhakti in the association of devotees. He has to renounce his false ego. Then his thought process will become Trinad apisunicena

tṛṇādapisunīcena
tarorapisahiṣṇunā
amānināmānadena
kīrtanīyaḥsadāhariḥ

Translation

One should chant the holy name of the Lord in a humble state of mind, thinking oneself lower than the straw in the street; one should be more tolerant than a tree, devoid of all sense of false prestige and should be ready to offer all respect to others. In such a state of mind one can chant the holy name of the Lord constantly. [Shikshashtakam 3]

He will feelsthat he has no devotion at all. He will be more tolerant than a tree. Amani na- not expecting respect for  anything but always giving respect to others

Then one can actually pray

ceto-darpana-marjanam bhava-maha–davagni-nirvapanam
shreyah-kairava-chandrika-vitaranam vidya-vadhu-jivanam
anandambudhi-vardhanamprati-padampurnamritaswadanam
sarvatma-snapanam param vijayatesri-krishna-sankirtanam

Translation

One should chant the holy name of the Lord in a humble state of mind, thinking oneself lower than the straw in the street; one should be more tolerant than a tree, devoid of all sense of false prestige and should be ready to offer all respect to others. In such a state of mind one can chant the holy name of the Lord constantly. [Shikshashtakam 1]

namnamakaribahudhanija-sarva-shaktis
tatrarpitaniyamitahsmaranenakalah
etadrishitavakripabhagavanmamapi
durdaivamidrishamihajaninanuragaha

Translation

O my Lord, Your holy name alone can render all benediction to living beings, and thus You have hundreds and millions of names like Krishna and Govinda. In these transcendental names You have invested all Your transcendental energies. There are not even hard and fast rules for chanting these names. O my Lord, out of kindness You enable us to easily approach You by Your holy names, but I am so unfortunate that I have no attraction for them. [Shikshashtakam 2]

Srila Krsna Das Kaviraj Goswami also says that one must completely follow this shloka

1 st shloka of shikshastaakam is for faith

2 nd is to chant with devotee association

3 rd is for madhyamadhikari – sadhna process

One is situated in mode of goodness here. 75% vices have been modified. From here one has to strive to become a pure devotee. One can have a working relationship with Mahaprabhu but heart to heart relationship does not happen

A lot of time is wasted. One commits offences when one is full of false ego. One points out only at others mistakes. So one has to let go off false ego for humility to come. With doeship and controllership mentality one cannot progress. One cannot control one’s own mind  also

So for This  one must do devotee association. So that’s why Nityananda Prabhu says that in audarya dharma one has reached and is chanting also, but cultivating humility is a must.

Then one can progress in Bhakti. The 8 shlokas of shikshashtakam are important. The third shloka has to be practiced nicely.

tṛṇādapisunīcena
tarorapisahiṣṇunā
amānināmānadena
kīrtanīyaḥsadāhariḥ

Translation

One should chant the holy name of the Lord in a humble state of mind, thinking oneself lower than the straw in the street; one should be more tolerant than a tree, devoid of all sense of false prestige and should be ready to offer all respect to others. In such a state of mind one can chant the holy name of the Lord constantly. [Shikshashtakam 3]

So one must chant properly. Then one can be situated in pure devotional service. Awareness, acceptance and change – these are the 3 stages of aquiring knowledge. So one must contemplate – where one is situated. Are we doing mere show off. Srila Prabhupad  would also say – a little bit of pure things is better than doing volumes of impure things.

Never think of oneself as a big devotee. Simple living and high  thinking. One must feel that others are better than me. Then one can respect others

Everyday we recite the shikshashtakam in the morning. This false ego comes with bodilyconsciousness. Why?

It’s not so  easy to get rid of this. Unless one has material desires one will remain in bodily conscious. Our prime minister also did diving in Dwarka fanning with mora phanka, and visited ancient Dwarka

So when one removes one’s material diving suit then one can become a devotee. In HH Bhakti vigyan swami maharaj lecture once it was mentioned that the way we see the material world is for self-enjoyment. So one never progresses. So from this 3rd shloka our real Bhakti starts. If not then one is not situated pure devotional service.

Our dear Gurudev has this quality – Maharaj always respects others. Then one can actually take darshan of the holy dhama. And one will take many many lifetimes to achieve Krsna Prema

So one has  to develop a relationship with Mahaprabhu

Hare Krishna

Questions & Answers

Q- even if one is acting to chant , benefit is there – as said in scriptures but then again it is mentioned that chanting with offences is not right

Ans: Ajamil was given a second chance. So he got purified in Haridwar and started pure life. So one must keep chanting and purify oneself. That will slash our offences

Q- it’s difficult to practically apply trinadapisunicena

Ans: One has to take shiksha properly, From your counsellor

Q- how do we know which mode of material nature we are placed in ?

Ans: Read 14 chapter of Baghvad Gita and  11^th chapter of SrimadBaghvatam or ask your councellor

Q- how does one know his progress in Bhakti

Ans: Chanting and reading more  and more helps

Q- how can one maintain this mood of trinadapi

A- you may message your counsellor and accountability partner. Make a system to write down

Q- trinadapisunicena – many senior devotees also suffer from cancer , etcWhy so

Ans: They are not in bodily consciousness. God makes them as example

Krsna sometimes gives us these examples through senior devotees how one should remain tolerant in adverse situations

dehino ’sminyathādehe
kaumāraṁyauvanaṁjarā
tathādehāntara-prāptir
dhīrastatranamuhyati

Translation

As the embodied soul continuously passes, in this body, from boyhood to youth to old age, the soul similarly passes into another body at death. A sober person is not bewildered by such a change. [BG 2.13]

Q- After hearing so it’s h also one cannot control anger at times

Ans: Practice patience, Read more, With spiritual knowledge one must try to control intelligence

Then one can control mind. Then practically it will be applied by the  mercy of Krsna

Topic: Appearance Day of Srinivasa Thakur
Date:  02^nd April 2024
Speaker: HH Lokanath Swami Maharaj

HH Lokanath Swami Maharaj says:

om ajnana-timirandhasyajnananjana-salakaya
cakshurunmilitamyenatasmaisri-guravenamah

sri-caitanya-mano-’bhishtamsthapitamyenabhu-tale
svayamrupahkadamahyamdadatisva-padantikam

sri-krishna-caitanya prabhu nityananda
sri-advaitagadadharasrivasadi-gaura-bhakta-vrinda

Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna, Krsna Krsna, Hare Hare – Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare

I welcome all you chanters in today’s japa talk. You were welcomed before also. I am welcoming you again. Firstly you were welcomed for japa and now you are welcomed for the japa talk. We do two things: japa and japa talk which is heard by all of you. So today is an auspicious tithi which is the appearance of Srivasa Thakur. He was called by the name of Srivasa Thakur or Pandit. Although you all are aware of him and we should know about all the Gaudiyavaishanava. We should know him as he is a part of the Panchatattva. So he is Narada Muni himself and I was about to say that Narada Muni becomes Srinivas, so Narada Muni appears as Srivasa Thakur. So appears as both at the same time. So Sri Krsna Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and all the panchatattva’s mission is:

Bg. 4.8

paritrāṇāyasādhūnāṁ
vināśāya ca duṣkṛtām
dharma-saṁsthāpanārthāya
sambhavāmiyugeyuge

Translation

To deliver the pious and to annihilate the miscreants, as well as to reestablish the principles of religion, I Myself appear, millennium after millennium.

They all are great personalities and the dharma which they are establishing is of Harinaam Sankirtan. He is Narada Muni who is the establisher of dharma himself and he is the establisher of Harinaam: Narayana! Narayana! and he travels all around the three worlds.

Narada Muni Bajay Vina by Bhaktivinod Thakur

nāradamuni, bājāyvīṇā
‘rādhikā-ramaṇa’-nāme
nāmaamani, uditahaya,
bhakata-gītā-sāme( HeText 1)

Translation

When the great soul Narada Muni plays his vina, the holy name, Radhika-raman, descends and immediately appears amidst the kirtan of the Lord’s devotees.

He preaches around the whole universe and travels here and there and known as Parivrajakacharya and mostly he preached everywhere similarly Srila Prabhupada is known as Jet-age Parivrajakacharya and he travelled around the world but Narada Muni’s travel is inter-planetary, not only restricted to  inter-continent or inter-national travel. He travels from one planet to the another all the time and he goes to Vaikuntha as well. So this is Narada Muni. He is one of the Dwadash-Maha Bhagavat. This Narada Muni comes whenever Lord appears- at the time of appearance of Lord Rama, Krsna and in Chaitanya Mahaprabhu’slila as Srivasa Thakur.  He is Narada Muni himself who is the guru of Valmiki Muni and he is a Shakatavesh avatar and he is the guru of the creator of all scriptures. He is Prahad Maharaj and Dhruva Maharaj’s guru, who are big devotees in this entire universe. Lord has given him power of attorney. He is shaksad Hari.

Sri Guruashtakam by Srila Vishwanatha Chakravarti Thakur

saksad-dharitvenasamasta-sastrair
uktastathabhavyataevasadbhih
kintuprabhor yah priyaevatasya
vandegurohsri-charanaravindam [Text 7]

Translation

I offer my obeisance unto the lotus feet of Sri Guru, who is said by all the scriptures to be the Lord Himself, and considered to be so by the sadhus, yet is the Lord’s beloved devotee

In Srimad Bhagavatam, in the beginning a list is there of different avatars and in that 22 names are there and he is included in that list. We should remember him today. Srinivas Thakur can be remembered only when we understand Narada Muni. His appearance was in Bangladesh. And a lot of associates of Lord have also appeared there. At the time of appearance of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu they came to Navadwip or Mayapur and Srivasa Thakur had four brothers – Sri Rama, Sri Pati, Sri Nidhi, and Srivasa. They all used to do kirtan. They had joint family. The place where they lived, that was known as Srivasa Angan. That was also called as Srivasa Thakur Badi. He is the neighbour of Saci mata and Jagannath Mishra and they have good friendship between them. He stayed near the Yogapitha, where Mahaprabhu has appeared. Srivasa Thakur is the friend of Jagannath Mishra and his wife Malini is also friends with Saci mata. So, in this way Srivasa Thakur and Malini have parental love towards Nimai. They have Vatsalya Rasa just like in the residents of Vrindavan. In Mayapur, Gauranga and have sakhyaprema with people of same age and with elderly people, they have Vatsalya Rasa and Sakshya Rasa is in the form of kirtan. And in Vrindavan gopis and sakhi’s do Rasa lila and Chaitanya Mahaprabhu takes pleasure of that Rasa lila (Madhurya Rasa) in the form of Sankirtan. In Mayapur the same mercy is taken as in Vrindavan and it is preached as well. Vrindavan Dham is Aasvadandham. And CM ,Srivasa Thakur included they all show mercy and they distribute and preach Sankirtan and in Mayapur Dham is Audarya dham. They all become compassionate to others. Sankirtan movement’s preaching and distribution is done by Srivasa Thakur who has a big role in it. Yogapitha is the birthplace of Chaitnaya Mahaprabhu and SrivasaAngan is the karma bhumi of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. It become the headquarters of Sankirtan- Srivasa Badi. Sri Krishna Chaitanya Mahaprabhu began Sankirtan with Srivas Thakur’s Angan. He performed kirtan all day. So at this place, a lot of kirtan took place. One day Kirtan was happening at his place when his son died and women started crying, then Srivasa Thakur said that they should stop this crying as it will be a hindrance in the kirtan of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. He instructed them to stay quiet till the kirtan ends. He had no worry for his son and he was only concerned about the kirtan. So he didn’t say start crying and stop the kirtan.

Gaura Aarati by BhaktivinodThakura

(kiba) jayajayagorācāńderāratikośobhā
jāhnavī-taṭa-vane jaga-mana-lobhā
jaga-jana-mana-lobhā

TRANSLATION

All glories, all glories to the beautiful arati ceremony of Lord Caitanya. This Gaura-arati is taking place in a grove on the banks of the Jahnavi (Ganges) and is attracting the minds of all living entities in the universe.

This aarati used to happen in Srivasa Angan. This aarati used to perform in the Srivasa Angan. And who else took part? Brahma, Shiva performed it it happened in that place. This kirtan was preached. Karma kandis used to say that open kirtan is not God and these Hindu karma kandis went to Chand Kazi and asked them to stop the kirtan and torcher the people who are singing this kirtan. So some of the people of Chand Kazi and they broke thier mridangas and break their bones. Khola bhang- khola means broken bhang means mridanga that means mridangas were broken here. When Chaitanya Mahaprabhu heard this news then he gave the instruction that everyone should  come in big numbers and reached Srivasa Angan and he thus started this Non-cooperation movement.

So Srila Prabhupada also faced this in Bombay and was told that- this Hare Krishna kirtan is nuisance and the  Police commissioner was asked to stop the kirtan. So what Srila Prabhupada did was that he asked everyone to do kirtan and called everyone as it was the time of Vrindavan festival was there and he said we have to do kirtan everywhere in Juhu. So they said that they can’t stop the kirtan and it should be everywhere, so this protest started from Srivas anagan, Chaitanya Mahaprabhu said that this kirtan cannot stop.

Sri Krsna Chaitanaya Mahaprabhu did Maha Prakash lila. People said you are Supreme personality of Godhead and showed his Godliness and Chaitanya Mahaprabhu is Krsna himself and for twenty one hourshourshe  continuedthis and at that time Sri Krsna Chaitnaya Mahaprabhuhid his godliness for a long time but now he showed his real form. And all the people felt that he is Krsna himself. This is special lila and Srivasa and Malini had parental bond with Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and Malini would act like a nurse and used to serve like Saci mata. Amongst seven types of mothers nurse is also a mother. She was nurse in Vrindavan and she appeared in the same way in Mayapur. In future when Nityanand Prabhu was travelling and he came to know Sri Krsna Chaitanya Mahaprabhu had appeared in Nabadwip and he came running to him from Radhukund. And it is  said at the residence of Srivas Thakur’s Angan, he stayed there.

So Malini used to feed her own milk to Nityanand Prabhu. She used to take him in her laps and feed him milk. He was thirty two years old and Malini was the nurse of Krsna and Balarama as well who is Gauranga and Nityananda Prabhu only. And in SrivasaAngan, they organised Nityanand Prabhu’s Vyasapuja at their residence. In future Chaitanya Mahaprabhu took sannayas and he was staying in Jagannath Puri so Nabadwipmayapur’s devotees and associates used to go and meetChaitanya Mahaprabhu. Srivas Thakur was always there in these yatra leading them and he used to go meet him. I said in the beginning that he is Narada Muni himself. Whenever kirtan happens , then he used to participate in the kirtan and he used to walk shoulder to shoulder with Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. He preached with Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and was present with him everywhere and preached everywhere.During Puri rathyatra, they formed formed small circles and on the outer circle King Prataprudra was present so that he doesn’t fall while dancing. It was made so that no one disturbs Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. Chaitanya Mahaprabhu did Udand kirtan whose darshan Srivasa Thakur used to take with much determination. So once Chandan Acharya saw that  KingPrataprudra could not have darshan of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu so he pushed Srivasa Thakur who was blocking the view.So Srivas Thakur slapped him in response to that and Pratap Rudra’s associates also went to slap him. But then King Prataprudrastopped them and said that I wish I was that lucky that I could have been slapped by Srivasa Thakur. So, this was the personality of Srivasa Thakur. So I say a little but a lot is there in his character, qualities, touch, opulence. Hari Hari

Chaitanya Mahaprabhu lived in Jagannath Puri and he asked him to preach in Bengal and said:

Nadiya Godrume Nityananda Mahajana by Bhaktivinod Thakur

prabhuraājñāy, bhāi, māgieibhikṣā
bolo `kṛṣṇa,’ bhajokṛṣṇa, koro kṛṣṇa-śikṣā

Translation

O people of faith! O people of faith! By the order of Lord Gauranga, O brothers, I beg these three requests of you: Chant “Krsna!”, worship Krsna, and teach others about Krsna.

He makes his headquarter as Srivasa Angan and Nityanand Prabhu also made it his headquarters as well. So in future when Jiva Goswami when he left his place- Rama keli, he goes straight to his place who was a young man at that time. So, Nityanand Prabhu did Parikrama with him. They both lived there. So Nityananda Prabhu becomes the guide and he did Navadwip mandal parikrama with Jiva Goswami.So it was difficult for Srivas Thakur to stay there as he used to remember Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. So all Mayapur vasi had vairagya in their minds. So this Badi was left by him and he went to Chaitanya Mahaprabhu’s Guru, Ishwara puri’s village. For him to stay in Mayapur was difficult. Appearance day of Srivasa Thakur ki Jai! Panchatattva ki Jai.

Hari hari!

We say it is Guru and Gauranga’s team and he preached every where and established harinaam Sankirtan. He played an important role in doing the same.

Speaker- Krishnabhakta Prabhu 
Date:01-04-2024

Today we will discuss from Srimad Bhagwatam canto 4 chapter 23  and verse number 17. The title of the chapter is “ Pruthu Maharaj’s journey to Bahgwat dham. “

indriyeṣu manas tāni
tan-mātreṣu yathodbhavam
bhūtādināmūny utkṛṣya
mahaty ātmani sandadhe

Translation

He amalgamated the mind with the senses and the senses with the sense objects, according to their respective positions, and he also amalgamated the material ego with the total material energy, mahat-tattva.[ ŚB 4.23.17]

Reading From purport :

When the mind is completely washed of all material contamination, the pure consciousness acts. The sound vibration from the spiritual sky can automatically cleanse all material contaminations, as confirmed by Caitanya Mahāprabhu: ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanam. We need only take the advice of Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu and chant the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra to cleanse the mind of all material contamination, and this may be considered the summary of this difficult verse. As soon as the whole material contamination is washed away by this process of chanting, all desires and reactions to material activities become immediately vanquished, and real life, peaceful existence, begins. In this Age of Kali it is very difficult to adopt the yogic process mentioned in this verse. Unless one is very expert in such yoga, the best course is to adopt the ways and means of Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu, śrī-kṛṣṇa-saṅkīrtanam. Thus one can gloriously become freed from all material contamination by the simple process of chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare. Just as life in this material world has its beginning in material sound, similarly a spiritual life has its beginning in this spiritual sound vibration.

Theme : Chanting of holy names is the easiest way for going to Bhagwat dham.

Here we understand that Srila Prabhupada is trying to explain to us that the beginning of spiritual life starts with words or spiritual vibrations.

As we see in this materialistic world the so called devotees are honare doing various karma kand , gyan kand , ashtanga yog and ashtanga siddhi to attain salvation and attain God. But the easiest way of this kaliyug is to chant Hare Krishna mahamantra. Because we are not exalted yogis who can attain the Lord by yog.  In satyug 60,000 years were required to complete the yog process. As we hear that Hiranyakashyapu or other munis did austerity for many thousands of years. Because in satyug generally everyone’s life was 1,00,000 years. From this 1,00,000 years they used 60,000 thousand years to perform austerity or yog processes to get some sidhi. Now we say that we have a life expectancy of 100 years but no one can guarantee this. We do not know if we have 80 or 50 years of life. At 25 or 40 age we are getting signs of death. Form this half of our life is spent sleeping.

Baalastaavat kreedaa-sakta, tarunas taavatt taruni-sakta:
Vruddhastaavat chintaah-sakta, Parame Brahmani kopi na sakta.-

Translation

As a child one is absorbed in play. Youth is lost by attachment to women, As an old man one is lost in worrying thoughts. But there is hardly anyone who wants to be absorbed in supreme brahman lord. [ from Bhaja Govindam]

Our childhood is spent in playing and youth is spent in uth women and then in old age one is worrying about what I have achieved in my life ? Life is spent like this so where is the time for Bhakti ? And after doing lots of austerity one achieves sidhi like anima, Lagima, Ishita , sidhi , prapti, varshita all these ashatang yog like walking on water or making oneself lighter than cotton or gaining a lot of weight. What will we get after doing all this ? We may attract everyone towards us. People will start respecting us and other this. But we can not attain the Lord with this. Once a person did austerity for thousands of years and he achieved the sidhi to walk in the water. He spent a major part of his life learning this. But an intelligent boy standing there gave two rupees to the boatman  and he crossed the Ganga river in two minutes. So he asked what is the need for such austerity? Why should we waste our time ?

Chanakya pandit has said

Ayushah kshana ekopi sarvaratnairna labhyate
Nayate tad vruthaa yena pramadah sumahanaho

Translation

A moment of time that has lapsed cannot be brought back even with all jewels. Why then do people keep on wasting their time?

Chanakya pandit

If we waste a moment in our life then we can not get it back even by spending millions of rupees. And therefore Chaitanya Mahaprabhu has made  spirituality simple by the chanting of Hare Krishna mantra. In this method you do not have to perform difficult austerity. You don’t need to sit in a fire around you during summer or standing in cold water during winters.

namnam akari bahudha nija-sarva-saktis
tatrarpita niyamitah smarane na kalah
etadrsi tava krpa bhagavan mamapi
durdaivam idrsam ihajani nanuragah 

Translation

“My Lord, O Supreme Personality of Godhead, in Your holy name there is all good fortune for the living entity, and therefore You have many names, such as Krsna and Govinda, by which You expand Yourself. You have invested all Your potencies in those names, and there are no hard and fast rules for remembering them. CC Antya 20.16]

Theme : reason why do not any affection for chanting the holy names

The Lord has instilled His various energies in His holy names. And there are no rules to chant such names of the Lord. Hence Chaitanya Mahaprabhu has made this process very simple by chanting Hare Krishna mahamantra. But we are so unfortunate that even though it is the simplest method still we do not have the orientation to chant the holy names. The biggest reason for this is we are getting it free. Whenever we get something free of cost then we do not  value it. Hence we keep some fee in the temple for any seminars or lectures , why ? So that people will think that this is something important. As he has spent his money for that seminar. It is said that where money goes there the mind goes. Here in this materialistic world we are getting this free of cost but in Golok this mantra is most precious thing.

golokera prema-dhana, hari-nāma-saṅkīrtana,
rati nā janmilo kene tāy
saṁsāra-biṣānale, dibā-niśi hiyā jwale,
jurāite nā koinu upāy

Translation

The treasure of divine love in Goloka Vṛndāvana has descended as the congregational chanting of Lord Hari’s holy names. Why did my attraction for that chanting never come about? Day and night my heart burns in the fire of the poison of worldliness, and I have not accepted the means for relieving it. [from Hari Hari bifale]

It has no value in this materialistic world , why ? Because the people in the materialistic world  are trying to satisfy lust or sense gratification.  And this has no value in Golok or in the spiritual world.

Yamunaachraya has said that whenever I  had  a desire to enjoy with any woman then I spit on that lady. Maharaj told us that whenever Prabhupada explained this verse he literally used to spit.

yadavadhi mama cetāḥ kṛṣṇa-padāravindayor
nava-nava-dhaman rantum āsīt
tad-avadhi bata nārī-saṅgame smaryamāṇe
bhavati mukha-vikāraḥ suṣṭhu niṣṭhīvanaṁ ca

Translation

“Since I have begun my Kṛṣṇa consciousness, the more I advance I become very much detestful for sex life. As soon as I think of sex life, I spit on it.”

Theme : Power of chanting

So when we develop desire for Krsna and His names , this is the most valuable thing in the spiritual world. But the materialistic world is a replica of the spiritual world so the thing which is valuable in the spiritual world is free here. Therefore the process of self realisation, yoga or meditation on the selfless form of the Lord does not take us to the Lord. People always waste their time in the complex procedure of yoga etc. They think that they will attain the Lord by yoga. But by doing yoga they will become healthy only. And as you become healthy you spend more time in sense gratification. They are doing Patanjali yog and other yoga practices like Dhyan, dharana and many other things. People think that yug means only one thing that is making our body healthy. But the supreme yoga is to establish connection with the Lord. And as one gets connected with the Lord through Yoga it is called bhakti yoga. Many people think that by doing a few exercises they will establish contact with the Lord. Suppose  we are on the railway station and many trains are standing on the platforms. On a big junction many trains alight at a time, like Hawara is a big junction or Mumbai so if we take any train then we will not reach Delhi. For Delhi we have to take a specific Delhi train. All the trains look the same and the compartments look the same, seats  are the same and numbers are also the same. We sit in any train and think that we will reach Vrindavan now. Will we reach Vrindavan? No we will never reach. So in the same way if we are not on the correct path then we will not reach our destination at all. Therefore Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and our acharyas were aware of the situation of the conditioned souls in the kaliyug

prāyeṇālpāyuṣaḥ sabhya
kalāv asmin yuge janāḥ
mandāḥ sumanda-matayo
manda-bhāgyā hy upadrutāḥ

Translation

O learned one, in this iron Age of Kali men almost always have but short lives. They are quarrelsome, lazy, misguided, unlucky and, above all, always disturbed. [SB 1.1.10]

This is described in the beginning of Srimad Bhagwat prāyeṇālpāyuṣaḥ sabhya – the life span will be reduced. Forget 1,00,00 years , 1000 years, even forget 100 years. We can not guarantee 100 years. The people of kaliyug are non gentleman and always disturbed. They do not understand anything. They are non intelligent. They are always ready to trouble others. For such people Krsna has appeared as Chaitanya Mahaprabhu in kaliyug. In satyug meditation was prescribed , in treta yagna was prescribed. In Dwapar huge temples were built and deities were worshipped there. In Kaliyug one has to chant holy names. It is so powerful that it destroys your sins of infinite previous lives. Therefore chanting  is the powerful tool for  self realisation. To chant Hare Krishna mahamantra is the only remedy to escape from the cycle of birth and death. Sometimes people ask since you are chanting will you not die ? We are not going to be immortal by chanting. But chanting the holy names of the Lord certainly destroys the fear of death. And the time of death he leaves body while remembering the Lord.

anta-kāle ca mām eva
smaran muktvā kalevaram
yaḥ prayāti sa mad-bhāvaṁ
yāti nāsty atra saṁśayaḥ

Translation

And whoever, at the end of his life, quits his body remembering Me alone at once attains My nature. Of this there is no doubt. [Bg. 8.5]

That soul is not required to birth again. This is the benefit of chanting hare Krsna mahamantra. As we lovingly chant Hare Krishna mahamantra finally we acquire love for the Lord. The power of offence less chanting can free conditioned souls from the miseries if this materialistic world. One person is capable of taking all the conditioned souls to the Lord’s abode from this materialistic world. Vasudev kodi was an associate of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. He had severe skin disease. His body had developed worms in his wounds. But even if the worms used to fall from his body he immediately picked them up and kept them on his body. Because he believed that his body was the source of food for the worms. Looking at his devotion Chaitanya Mahaprabhu tried to embrace him but he said my body was dirty and chiatanya Mahaprabhu should not touch him. But Chaitanya Mahaprabhu embraced him and then the skin of his entire body was cured immediately and he got a new young body. He prayed to Chaitanya Mahaprabhu that please give me miseries of all the conditioned  souls and take all the living entities to the Golok Dham. This was not impossible for the Lord because He is the master of millions of universes. In this way a pure devotee has power to take all the conditioned souls to the golak dham by chanting pure holy names. As we know H.H. Bhaktitirth maharaj has also prayed the same. Once he came to Barsana Vrindavan and he prayed to Radharani to give him all the problems of ISKCON devotees and take the devoteees to Golok Dham. And it is believed that Lord accepted his prayers because he had cancer in his body after this prayer and dut to this his leg was cut. Hence we should carefully pray to the Lord. We should pray to the Lord which is our necessity and not what is our desire.

Theme : hurdles in chanting

The main hurdle in chanting is the offences done towards devotees , Dham , holy name and lust , , materialistic desires , anger and greed and laziness. Most important is laziness. Srila Bhakti Vinod Thakure has said

kabe ha’be bolo se-dina āmār
(āmār) aparādha ghuci’, śuddha nāme ruci,
kṛpā-bale ha’be hṛdoye sañcār

Translation

When, O when, will that day be mine? When will you give me your blessings, erase all my offences and give my heart a taste [ruci] for chanting the Holy Name in purity? [text 1, Kabe Ha’be Bolo]

With this prayer he is inspiring everybody. And he is saying that when will all my expenses vanish and I will develop love for pure chanting.

tṛṇādhika hīna, kabe nije māni’,
sahiṣṇutā-guṇa hṛdoyete āni’
sakale mānada, āpani amānī,
ho’ye āswādibo nāma-rasa-sār

Translation

When will I taste the essence of the Holy Name, feeling myself to be lower than the grass, my heart filled with tolerance? When will I give respect to all others and be free from desire for respect from them? [text 2, Kabe Ha’be Bolo]

When I become humble like the  the blade of the grass. We do not have humbleness and patience. We should respect all and we should not expect respect from others. Then only we can truly enjoy the holy name.

dhana jana āra, kobitā-sundarī,
bolibo nā cāhi deho-sukha-karī
janme-janme dāo, ohe gaurahari!
ahaitukī bhakti caraṇe tomār

Translation

When will I cry out that I have no longer any desire for wealth and followers, poetry and beautiful women, all of which are meant just for bodily pleasure? O Gaura Hari! Give me causeless devotional service [bhakti] to your lotus feet, birth after birth. [text 3, Kabe Ha’be Bolo]

(kabe) korite śrī-kṛṣṇa-nāma uccāraṇa,
pulakita deho gadgada bacana
baibarṇya-bepathu ha’be sańghaṭana,
nirantara netre ba’be aśru-dhār

Translation

When will my body be covered with goose bumps and my voice broken with emotion as I pronounce Krishna’s name? When will my body change color and my eyes flow with endless tears as I chant? [text 4, Kabe Ha’be Bolo]

These verses are Bengali translation of verses of Shikshatakam following verses.

na dhanaṁ na janaṁ na sundarīṁ
kavitāṁ vā jagad-īśa kāmaye
mama janmani janmanīśvare
bhavatād bhaktir ahaitukī tvayi

Translation

“ ‘O Lord of the universe, I do not desire material wealth, materialistic followers, a beautiful wife or fruitive activities described in flowery language. All I want, life after life, is unmotivated devotional service to You.’[CC Antya 20.29]

nayanaṁ galad-aśru-dhārayā
vadanaṁ gadgada-ruddhayā girā
pulakair nicitaṁ vapuḥ kadā
tava nāma-grahaṇe bhaviṣyati

Translation

“ ‘My dear Lord, when will My eyes be beautified by filling with tears that constantly glide down as I chant Your holy name? When will My voice falter and all the hairs on My body stand erect in transcendental happiness as I chant Your holy name?’ [CC Antya 20.36]

These bhajan is written by Bhakti Vinod Thakure. Prabhupada used to call him the seventh Goswami. And then Prabhupada’s disciples said you are the eighth Goswami then Prabhupada said you are the ninth Goswami. Prabhupada has simplified the procedure of devotion for us. In spiritual life we should not become unhappy in adverse situations. In adverse situations we start blaming each other and we think that why has this happened to me ? Why do bad things happen with good people? I did so many good things other than why this has happened to me. ? But such events happen for our spiritual progress. We should not cry in adverse situations.

Theme : Important thing for chanting

Most important thing is to take shelter of a authentic spiritual master. Spiritual master gives services to disciples as per their capabilities and inclination.

śrī-vigrahārādhana-nitya-nānā-
śṛńgāra-tan-mandira-mārjanādau
yuktasya bhaktāḿś ca niyuñjato ‘pi
vande guroḥ śrī-caraṇāravindam

Translation

Only attention engaged in the service of the Lord, especially in dressing and decorating the temple, accompanied by musical kīrtana and spiritual instructions from scriptures, can save the common man from the hellish attractions

Then  the spiritual master gives blessings for spiritual progress. And he will not bless us for a good girlfriend or a job. We should not go to a spiritual master for materialistic desires. Therefore we need an authentic spiritual master.

In this materialistic world we got this holy name which is a simplest procedure to go to Golok Dham. Still we abandon chanting. All the things that give us pleasure in this materialistic world finally they give us sorrow. Lord has said in Bhagwat Gita

nama sankirtana aadha pai sope jalatila pape janmantarichi-

Translation

Reciting the Holy name of God is the simplest method. Following this method causes the burning of all the sins done in this as well as many previous births [ by Santa Tukaram ]

ye hi saṁsparśa-jā bhogā
duḥkha-yonaya eva te
ādy-antavantaḥ kaunteya
na teṣu ramate budhaḥ

Translation

An intelligent person does not take part in the sources of misery, which are due to contact with the material senses. O son of Kuntī, such pleasures have a beginning and an end, and so the wise man does not delight in them. [BG 5.22]

The biggest attraction in this materialistic world is the pleasure of touch. But it finally gives us sorrow. Therefore intelligent people do not enjoy such things. We are not saying that we should abandon this materialistic world. We are supposed to remain in this world and do all our activities around Krsna. As we will not survive without food, we will die. So we should offer the food first to Krsna before eating. We do like to hear materialistic music and dance but we should listen to kirtan. Then we will be saved from the maya of materialistic world. We should do service of Krsna through whatever we are earning. We should donate for temple building , for vaishnavas and for bhoga. Then it is spiritual life. Arjun asked to the Lord

arjuna uvāca
atha kena prayukto ’yaṁ
pāpaṁ carati pūruṣaḥ
anicchann api vārṣṇeya
balād iva niyojitaḥ

Translation

Arjuna said: O descendant of Vṛṣṇi, by what is one impelled to sinful acts, even unwillingly, as if engaged by force? [BG 3.36]

 Lord  replied

śrī-bhagavān uvāca kāma eṣa krodha
eṣa rajo-guṇa-samudbhavaḥ mahāśano
mahā-pāpmā viddhy enam iha vairiṇam

Translation

The Supreme Personality of Godhead said: It is lust only, Arjuna, which is born of contact with the material mode of passion and later transformed into wrath, and which is the all-devouring sinful enemy of this world. [BG 3.37]

When we try to overcome the mode of passion then we become free from lust , anger and desires. And then we do not commit sins. Then all his miseries are destroyed. Because the spiritual master is an authentic representative of Lord Krsna. Spiritual master is a merciful personification of the Lord. Therefore the spiritual master  situates us in the lotus feet of the Lord. Therefore we should sincerely make efforts to progress in spiritual life. We do not have to do difficult austerities. Whatever service we are doing we should do it with sincerity then we can please Krsna and guru. We should not be deceitful. We should not cheat anyone. We think that we are cheating others but actually we are cheating ourself. We should lie about o anyone. Because then we have to lie again and again to hide our lie. People speak very confidently these days , it is due to kaliyug. No one has fear for doing sins. Therefore authentic behaviour is most important for spiritual progress. One should sincerely progress and transparently behave in spitleithalith. We come here for spiritual progress so we should not  try to cheat others. Therefore we should accept the path given by Chaitanya Mahaprabhu to chant

Hare Krishna Hare Krishna

Krishna Krishna Hare Hare

Hare Ram Hare Ram

Ram Ram Hare Hare.