Monthly Archives: May 2025

Japa talk
Date: 30th May 2025
Speaker: Guru Maharaj
Theme: Appearance of Dwarkadhish in Pandharpur

Hare Krishna. Radha Pandharinath ki Jai! Vitthal Rukmini ki Jai! Construction of Bhuvaikuntha project is going on. Along with that we are also doing some re-editing and corrections in our book ‘Bhuvaikuntha’ and that is why I am staying here.

Earlier also it was mentioned in this book that Lord Vitthal is a special Vigraha, Deity. Sachidanand Vigraha! There is some bheda and abheda between Him and other Vigrahas. I am giving more emphasis on this topic in my writing.

Sub-theme: Pronology of Lord’s pastimes

When Lord appeared, Lord’s Prakat Lila, manifested pastime, He appeared in Mathura, and then He goes to Gokul and Gokul becomes His abode. ‘Krishna jinaka nam hai, Gokul jinaka dham hai!’ He resides in Gokul for three years and eight months. On ‘Damodar Lila day’ from Gokul He goes to Vrindavan Dham. On the way to Vrindavan from Gokul, first He goes to Chatikara. Have you heard this name before? In scriptures it is called ‘Shaktavart’. There, Krishna lives for the next three years and eight months. From there He moves ahead and stays in Nandagram. According to Visvanath Chakravarti Thakur there also He stays for three years and eight months. Then from there He goes to Mathura. Akrura comes and takes Krishna Balaram to Mathura as per Kamsa’s plans. Then for eighteen years the Lord stays in Mathura. Most of the time He was playing war with Jarasandha. On the eighteenth time He did not show any interest in the war as He has to get married and almost everyone was shifted to Dwarka. Hardly anyone remained in Mathura. For safety the Lord sent them to Dwarka.

Lord departs for Dwarka. ‘Ranchod Ranchod!’ That time Jarasandha had said ‘coward’. He was forgotten for how many times he himself ran away in fear. Seventeen times he narrowly escaped or the Lord left him alive. And now he was saying, ‘coward, Ranchod’. Lord Krishna Balaram ki Jai!

When They arrived in Dwarka They had a grand welcome by Dwarkavasis. “Ranchod Ray ki Jai! Good that You left the battlefield; otherwise You would have stayed there and we would have missed Your association and Your darshan. Good that You left the battlefield and came to Dwarka.”

Then the Lord gets married in Dwarka. It starts with Rukmini. Rukmini was kidnapped from Kaundinyapur. There also we have ISKCON project; we have to build a temple there too. So Lord had 16108 marriages and Lord used to live with each one of those queens.

Sub-theme: Gopi Talav pastime

Once Radharani and Gopis came to Dwarka from Vrindavan to meet Krishna or to play with Him. Lila means play. There is ‘Gopi Talav’ near Dwarka. All of you or Gaudiya Vaisnavas use Gopi Chandan for tilak which comes from this talav, pond, where Krishna played Rasalila with Radha and Gopis. This is a very confidential pastime. When queens of Dwarka were watching this Parakiya bhava pastime, paramour rasa pastime, and the deep love and special reciprocation between Krishna and Radha and Gopis,

rādhā kṛṣṇa-praṇaya-vikṛtir hlādinī śaktir asmād
ekātmānāv api bhuvi purā deha-bhedaṁ gatau tau
caitanyākhyaṁ prakaṭam adhunā tad-dvayaṁ caikyam āptaṁ
rādhā-bhāva-dyuti-suvalitaṁ naumi kṛṣṇa-svarūpam

Translation: The loving affairs of Śrī Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa are transcendental manifestations of the Lord’s internal pleasure-giving potency. Although Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa are one in Their identity, previously They separated Themselves. Now these two transcendental identities have again united, in the form of Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya. I bow down to Him, who has manifested Himself with the sentiment and complexion of Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī although He is Kṛṣṇa Himself. (CC Ādi 1.5)

Pranaya is superior to prema, love. praṇaya-vikṛtir hlādinī śaktir asmād, seeing this pranaya, most of all the queens, Rukmini was upset. She got angry and she even left her home, left Dwarka, left all pleasure giving things and then Pandharpur Dham ki Jai! She left for Dindirvan.

Sub-theme: Lord’s meeting with Bhakta Pundalik

And then Dwarkadhish had to come in search of Rukmini. Lord came and He did convince Rukmini, and along with that He met Bhakta Pundalik. When Pundalik was Muchukunda in his previous birth, at that time Krishna had promised him that He would give him Darshan when he, Muchukunda would take birth again. So when Lord met Pundalik, Pundalik requested Him, ‘You stay here’. And the Lord agreed. What else could He do? He says

śrī-bhagavān uvāca
ahaṁ bhakta-parādhīno
hy asvatantra iva dvija
sādhubhir grasta-hṛdayo
bhaktair bhakta-jana-priyaḥ

Translation: The Supreme Personality of Godhead said to the brāhmaṇa: I am completely under the control of My devotees. Indeed, I am not at all independent. Because My devotees are completely devoid of material desires, I sit only within the cores of their hearts. What to speak of My devotee, even those who are devotees of My devotee are very dear to Me. (ŚB 9.4.63)

So, Lord stays here as well. He spent many years in Dwarka. As Dwarkadhish, for eighty to ninety years Lord was in Dwarka. That is why, what Gujarati people say? ‘Krishna is Gujarati’. But where is He spending most of His time? Ten eleven years in Vrindavan, eighteen years in Mathura, eighty ninety years in Dwarka and in Pandharpur? From that time until now and forever!

Sub-theme: Lord eternally resides in Pandharpur

Lord Vitthal is not installed as a Deity. It is Lord’s prakat lila. Lord has prakat lila and aprakat lila, manifested pastime and unmanifested pastime. Lord appeared in Mathura and then He went to Vrindavan, then Mathura and then Dwarka. From Dwarka He went to many places like Kurukshetra, Indraprastha etc. When He was going to other places, He was returning back to Dwarka, but when He came here, He never returned back. In one sense He did not return and in another sense He returned and kept on performing His pastimes and from there Lord returned back to His abode. But when Lord came here from Dwarka, that form stayed here forever.

Mahaa-Yoga-Piitthe Tatte Bhiimarathyaam
Varam Punnddariikaaya Daatum Muni-[I]indraih |
Samaagatya Tisstthantam-Aananda-Kandam
Parabrahma-Linggam Bhaje Paanndduranggam ||1||

Meaning:

(Salutations to Sri Panduranga) In the Seat of Great Yoga (Maha Yoga Peetha) (i.e. at Pandharpur) by the bank of river Bheemarathi (has come Panduranga),(He has come) to give Boons to Pundarika; (He has come) along with the great Munis, Having arrived He is standing like a Source of Great Bliss (of Parabrahman), I Worship that Panduranga, Who is the veritable Image (Lingam) of Parabrahman. [Pandurangashtakam- composed by Sri Adi Shankaracharya ]

There is a possibility that such vigraha is not present in the whole universe. Panduranga! Panduranga Vitthal Bhagavan ki Jai! Vitthal Rukmini ki Jai! As far as I understand, there is no other place like this, advitiya, one and only. Just like

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 Ādi 17.21)

Vitthal Vitthal hi kevalam! And that same Vitthal, Radha Pandharinath ki Jai! He is giving darshan in the form of Radha Pandharinath. When Radha Pandharinath’s installation took place, Lord Vitthal Rukmini or Radha Krishna were installed in Them. So for us Radha Pandharinath is none other than Vitthal Rukmini. Gaur Premanande Hari Hari bol!

Date: 13 May 2025
Speaker:  HH Lokanath Swami Maharaj
Topic: Art Of Chanting

HH Lokanath Swami Maharaj:

You have to hear yourself while chanting. You don’t need to hear me while doing chanting. There is a difference in kirtan and chanting. You have to chant and hear the Mahamantra. This is Sravanam and kirtanam and then you can remember (smaranam).

We should chant in solitude place or at the place where you are alone with the Lord.

BG 10.25:

maharṣīṇāṁ bhṛgur ahaṁ
girām asmy ekam akṣaram
yajñānāṁ japa-yajño ’smi
sthāvarāṇāṁ himālayaḥ

Translation:

Of the great sages I am Bhṛgu; of vibrations I am the transcendental oṁ. Of sacrifices I am the chanting of the holy names [japa], and of immovable things I am the Himālayas.

What we were doing was the Japa Yoga. Yoga means link. There is a root stem in Sanskrit “Yuj”, that means to connect.

Chaitanya Maharprabhu used to say, “Kirtaniya sada Hari”.

Sri Shikshashtakam, Shloka 3:

trinad api sunicena
taror api sahishnuna
amanina manadena
kirtaniyah sada harihi

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.

There are two types of kirtan. One is with mridanga.

Udilo Aruna Puraba Bhage By Srila bhakti Vinode Thakur:

udilo aruṇa pūraba-bhāge,
dwija-maṇi gorā amani jāge,
bhakata-samūha loiyā sāthe,
gelā nagara-brāje

‘tāthaī tāthaī bājalo khol,
ghana ghana tāhe jhājera rol,
preme ḍhala ḍhala soṇāra ańga,
caraṇe nūpura bāje

Translation:

When the rising sun appeared in the East, the jewel of the twice-born, Lord Gaurasundara, awakened, and, taking His devotees with Him, He went all over the countryside towns and villages. The mrdangas (khol) resounded “tathai, tathai,” and the jhanjha [large metal karatalas that look like small cymbals] in that kirtana played in time. Lord Gauranga’s golden form slightly trembled in ecstatic love of Godhead, and His footbells jingled.

When there used to be the sight of the sun in the morning, even today, we are seeing the sun in this world or should we say we have a vision of Sun. Are you doing this or is the sun watching us?

Prabhupada also used to say that We should act in a way that God comes to see you.

You are doing this Japa Yagya, that was also seen by the Sun. Sun is also the potency of the Lord, the eyes of the Lord.

BG 7.8:

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.

You are very fortunate that you don’t have to go anywhere to chant. Everyday, you chant your japa in the same location and same time. This helps to chant attentively.

A week ago, I was in Vrindavan. I was chanting on the Jahnava Baithak at Radha Kunda on the auspicious day of appearance day of mother Jahnava.

Then we moved forward and reached Nagpur. There we chanted with the devotees of Nagpur. After sitting there we were waiting and then we moved forward, we have to move forward, so we reached Nakpur.

But one morning in Nakpur Then we moved forward, we went to Kondinipur and met Mother Rakmini on the auspicious appearance day of Mother Rukmini, Rukmini Dwadashi. We chanted with the devotees there. Thgen moving forward, we reached Amrawati and chanted there with devotees. Moving Forward, we reached Avantipur. Iskcon temples are equivalent to Dham. There is a very big profit to chant in the temples or Dham.

This chanting is like to call means to talk. When we call in Dham, chanting is a calling.

Saying Hare Krishna is calling or addressing Lord.

Tulsi Aarti:

ei nivedana dhara, sakhira anugata koro
seva-adhikara diye koro nija dasi

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.

If we chant in the association of Tulsi Devi, it will be more benefitted. Srila Haridas Thakur was also did like that.

It is said that we say it, we also hear it, which We say that we pray for it also, there is a state called hearing also and there is a state even bigger than this, Manan.

Manan is done by the mind. The deep remembrance of what we hear and what we say is called manan.

When should do mantra Arth Chintan while Chanting. Everything is in this Mahamantra.

We can remember the Tulsi Maharani’ Aarti while chanting. Tulsi is like a desire tree. Every desire will be fructified.

The vision and the thoughts of Gaudiya vaishnavas are involved in the prayers of Tulsi Maharani. We can do the same prayers while chanting.

mora ei abhilasha, vilasa kunje dio vasa
nayana heribo sada yugala-rupa-rasi

Translation:

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

ei nivedana dhara, sakhira anugata koro
seva-adhikara diye koro nija dasi

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.

This is the aim of Gaudiya vaishnavas.

Caitanya-matta-manjusa commentary on Srimad-Bhagavatam by Srinath Chakravarti:

aradhyo bhagavan vrajesa-tanayas tad-dhama vrndavanam
ramya kacid-upasana vrajavadhu-vargena ya kalpita
srimad-bhagavatam pramanam-amalam prema pumartho mahan
sri caitanya mahaprabhur-matam-idam tatradaro nah parah

It is the conclusive opinion of Lord Chaitanya that the most worshipable form of the Lord is that of Sri Krishna, the son of Nanda Maharaja. Vrindavan-dhäma is the topmost worshipable abode. The highest and most pleasing type of worship of Krishna is done by the Vraja gopis. Srimad-bhagavatam is the spotless authority on everything. And krsna-prema is the fifth and highest goal of life.

We can accept the damsel of Gopis, sakhas, Nand baba, Mother Yashoda according to our Bhava.

This is necessary to meditate on such prayers. Chanting should not be mindless. Mantra can deliver us from suffering. And we are chanting the Mahamantra. We even can’t imagine what can it do!

Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare – Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare

It is recommended that we should recite Sri Shiksha Ashatakam And ten offences towards holy name before chanting. We can meditate on that also for attentive chanting.

Chaitanya Mahaprabhu has explained his feelings in Sri Shiksha Ashtakam. He is Lord himself and appeared as a devotee to teach us.

Seven advantages and glories of chanting Holy Name is explained in the first verse.

Sri Shiksha Ashtakam, Verse 1:

cheto-darpana-marjanam bhava-maha-davagni-nirvapanam
shreyah-kairava-chandrika-vitaranam vidya-vadhu-jivanam
anandambhdhi-vardhanam prati-padam purnamritasvadanam
sarvatma-snapanam param vijayate shri-krishna-sankirtanam

Translation:

Glory to the Shri Krishna sankirtana (congregational chanting of the Lord’s holy names), which cleanses the heart of all the dust accumulated for years and extinguishes the fire of conditional life, of repeated birth and death. That sankirtana movement is the prime benediction for humanity at large because it spreads the rays of the benediction moon. It is the life of all transcendental knowledge. It increases the ocean of transcendental bliss, and it enables us to fully taste the nectar for which we are always anxious.

We should know these glories and deep rooted it in our heart.

Sri Shiksha Ashtakam, Verse 2:

namnam akari bahudha nija-sarva-shaktis
tatrarpita niyamitah smarane na kalaha
etadrishi tava kripa bhagavan mamapi
durdaivam idrisham ihajani nanuragahah

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.

Lord has inherited himself in this holy name. Hare, Radha Rani is the potency of the Krishna.

There are no hard and fast rule for chanting. There are so many advantages of chanting, but this is my unfortune I have no attraction for them.

CC, Adi Lila, 7.81:

kibā mantra dilā, gosāñi, kibā tāra bala
japite japite mantra karila pāgala

Translation:

‘My dear lord, what kind of mantra have you given Me? I have become mad simply by chanting this mahā-mantra!

Chaitanya Mahaprabhu is saying in the Shiksha Ashatak that we have no attraction for Chanting. He has all the attraction but he is saying that on our behalf. Because we don’t accept our reality.

How to achieve that attraction?

Sri Shiksha Ashtakam, Verse 3:

trinad api sunicena
taror api sahishnuna
amanina manadena
kirtaniyah sada harihi

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.

In such a state of mind one can chant the holy name of the Lord constantly.

Today there are clouds in the sky. I was remembering that Gopis reminds Krishna when they see clouds. There are many indications of remember Krishna; Sun, Wind, clouds, water, and so many things.

BG 7.9:

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.

What should be our state of mind?

trinad api sunicena

We should understand and follow the instruction of Sri Shiksha Ashtakam. In the last chapter of Chaitanya Charitamrita, Chaitanya Mahaprabhu gives commentary to Sri Ramanand Ray and Swarupa Damodar on each and every verse.

If we can control our flicker mind, we should read that chapter also.

Humility, tolerance, respect others and don’t have urge to take respect, in such a way we can chant constantly. We should practice that for our whole life. We should start this practice assoon as possible.

Sri Shiksha Ashtakam, Verse 4:

na dhanam na janam na sundarim
kavitam va jagad-isha kamaye
mama janmani janmanishvare
bhavatad bhaktir ahaituki tvayi

Translation:

O almighty Lord, I have no desire to accumulate wealth, nor do I desire beautiful women, nor do I want any number of followers. I only want your causeless devotional service, birth after birth.

We should have desire to serve the lord.

Sri Shiksha Ashtakam, Verse 5:

ayi nanda-tanuja kinkaram
patitam mam vishame bhavambudhau
kripaya tava pada-pankaja-
sthita-dhuli-sadrisham vichintaya

Translation:

O son of Maharaja Nanda [Krishna], I am Your eternal servitor, yet somehow or other I have fallen into the ocean of birth and death. Please pick me up from this ocean of death and place me as one of the atoms at Your lotus feet.

Keep the mind busy to meditate on such verses. Then it will never flicker.

These five verses are for sadhana Bhakti. Next Verses are for Bhava Bhakti.

Sri Shiksha Ashtakam, Verse 6:

nayanam galad-ashru-dharaya
vadanam gadgada-ruddhaya gira
pulakair nichitam vapuh kada
tava nama-grahane bhavishyati

Translation:

O my Lord, when will my eyes be decorated with tears of love flowing constantly when I chant Your holy name? When will my voice choke up, and when will the hairs of my body stand on end at the recitation of Your name?

Udilo Aruna Puraba Bhage By Srila bhakti Vinode Thakur:

kabe ha’be bolo se-dina amar
(amar) aparadha ghuci’, suddha name ruci,
kripa-bale ha’be hridoye sancar

Translation:

When, oh when will that day be mine? When my offenses ceasing, taste for the name increasing, when in
my heart will your mercy shine, when, oh when will that day be mine?

Sri Shiksha Ashtakam, Verse 7:

yugayitam nimeshena
chakshusha pravrishayitam
shunyayitam jagat sarvam
govinda-virahena me

Translation:

O Govinda! Feeling Your separation, I am considering a moment to be like twelve years or more. Tears are flowing from my eyes like torrents of rain, and I am feeling all vacant in the world in Your absence.

Missing Krishna in life. Are we missing Krishna? We miss money, our wife, our children. Are we ever miss Krishna?

When will the day come when we will miss Krishna.

kṛṣṇa-nāma-sudhā koriyā pān,
jurāo bhakativinoda-prāṇ,
nāma binā kichu nāhiko āro,
caudda-bhuvana-mājhe

Translation:

Drink the pure nectar of the holy name of Krsna. There is nothing but the name to be had in the fourteen worlds. It has filled the soul of Sri Bhaktivinoda Thakura.

We should miss Krishna. We should feel grief on the lack of Krishna in our life.

Sri Shiksha Ashtakam, Verse 8:

ashlishya va pada-ratam pinashtu mam
adarshanan marma-hatam karotu va
yatha tatha va vidadhatu lampato
mat-prana-nathas tu sa eva naparaha

Translation:

I know no one but Krishna as my Lord, and He shall remain so even if He handles me roughly by His embrace or makes me broken hearted by not being present before me. He is completely free to do anything and everything, for He is always my worshipful Lord, unconditionally.

This verse is saying by the Radha Rani in the form of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu.

CC, Adi Lila, 1.5:

rādhā kṛṣṇa-praṇaya-vikṛtir hlādinī śaktir asmād
ekātmānāv api bhuvi purā deha-bhedaṁ gatau tau
caitanyākhyaṁ prakaṭam adhunā tad-dvayaṁ caikyam āptaṁ
rādhā-bhāva-dyuti-suvalitaṁ naumi kṛṣṇa-svarūpam

Translation:

The loving affairs of Śrī Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa are transcendental manifestations of the Lord’s internal pleasure-giving potency. Although Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa are one in Their identity, previously They separated Themselves. Now these two transcendental identities have again united, in the form of Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya. I bow down to Him, who has manifested Himself with the sentiment and complexion of Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī although He is Kṛṣṇa Himself.

Radha Rani is saying that you are free to do anything, but you are the only shelter of mine.

Vaishnava Song, Radha krishna prana Mora by Narottama Das Thakur:

radha-krishna prana mora jugala-kisora
jivane marane gati aro nahi mora

Translation:

The divine couple, Sri Sri Radha and Krishna, are my life and soul. In life or death I have no other refuge but Them.

These types of thoughts are compulsory not only necessary.

We are Gaudiya Vaishnavas and Rupa nuga. They have given us everything. Chanting is the primary and central activity. All the progress in krishna consciousness is depend upon how we chant. We should practive to chant and to practice to improve chanting. Take chanting seriously. Don’t take it lightly. This is the mecry of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. What transaction happen at the time of initiation?

Spiritual master gave you Harinam and you take an ought to chant offense less minimum 16 rounds chanting and to serve the lord and spiritual master.

Srila Prabhuapada used to say that the meaning of the chanting is to ask for some service. Now, if you are chating, then some service will be given to you.

Become free and chant.

Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare hare krishna Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare

CC, Madhya Lila, 17.133:

nāma cintāmaṇiḥ kṛṣṇaś
caitanya-rasa-vigrahaḥ
pūrṇaḥ śuddho nitya-mukto
’bhinnatvān nāma-nāminoḥ

Translation:

‘The holy name of Kṛṣṇa is transcendentally blissful. It bestows all spiritual benedictions, for it is Kṛṣṇa Himself, the reservoir of all pleasure. Kṛṣṇa’s name is complete, and it is the form of all transcendental mellows. It is not a material name under any condition, and it is no less powerful than Kṛṣṇa Himself. Since Kṛṣṇa’s name is not contaminated by the material qualities, there is no question of its being involved with māyā. Kṛṣṇa’s name is always liberated and spiritual; it is never conditioned by the laws of material nature. This is because the name of Kṛṣṇa and Kṛṣṇa Himself are identical.’

BG 4.34:

tad viddhi praṇipātena
paripraśnena sevayā
upadekṣyanti te jñānaṁ
jñāninas tattva-darśinaḥ

Translation:

Just try to learn the truth by approaching a spiritual master. Inquire from him submissively and render service unto him. The self-realized souls can impart knowledge unto you because they have seen the truth.

You should not follow blindly. You can ask questions for your doubts.

Hare Krishna!

Japa Talk
Date- 9th May 2025
Speaker- Guru Maharaj
Theme- Appearance Day of Rukmini Maiya

Sub-theme: Lord’s Hladini potency
You are all very loving devotees. You reside in Kaundinyapur. Do not know this is the result of which of our good deeds that we are associated with Kaundinyapur Dham. This is the birth place of Queen Rukmini. Rukmini Maiya ki Jai! She eternally resides here. We should not think that because Lord Dwarkadhish kidnapped Rukmini and took Her with Him, so now Rukmini does not reside in Kaundinyapur and now this Dham is ‘Rukimini-less’. We might think like that, ‘once upon a time Rukmini used to reside here, but now this Dham is devoid of Rukmini’. But this thinking is not correct. Rukmini is Lord’s potency and is equivalent to the Lord. She is not any ordinary woman. She is eternal consort, eternal wife of the Lord. She is Hladini potency, pleasure potency. She is not ordinary soul. We, souls are also Lord’s potency but we are Tatastha Sakti, marginal potency. Rukmini is Lord’s internal potency. The potency becomes a person. Rukmini Maiya ki Jai!

Sub-theme: Eternal pastime of Rukmini Maiya

Tomorrow we will celebrate the appearance day of Rukmini Maiya. The pastime of Rukmini’s birth is also eternal. This is difficult to understand. Rukmini takes birth all the time, just as sun rises all the time. Sun rises in one country after another, then the next, then the next, like that. Similarly, Rukmini Maiya’s birth pastime is eternal. Here on this planet, She took birth around five thousand and two hundred years ago. So, Her appearance pastime is eternal. Even in the present time She is appearing somewhere.

In this material world, we are all trapped in dualities. One duality is day and night, or past and present is a duality, but in the spiritual world, there is no past and future. There is only present. So, Rukmini took birth here and in present She is taking birth somewhere. So as the birth pastime is eternal, Rukmini Haran (kidnapping) pastime is also eternal. Therefore, this Kaundinyapur which is related to these eternal pastimes is also eternal.

Sub-theme: Transcendental appearance

A few days back we celebrated Sita Navami. Day after tomorrow we will celebrate Narasimha Caturdashi. These days are named after the appearance of the Lord’s incarnation or His potencies. Just like tomorrow is Rukmini Dvadasi. Which Purnima? Gaur Purnima. Gaur Purnima ki Jai! Krsna Astami ki Jai! Rukmini Dwadasi ki Jai! So, Rukmini appeared here. This appearance or birth is not like our birth. Krsna’s birth or Radha’s birth or Rukmini’s birth is transcendental.

janma karma ca me divyam
evaṁ yo vetti tattvataḥ
tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma
naiti mām eti 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]

Rukmini’s birth is also transcendental and not material. If it was a material birth then there would be death as well. Rukmini took birth here; so, ‘did She die as well?’ Rukmini neither takes birth nor dies. Rukmini Maiya ki Jai!
I have not read it anywhere, but when She was born, demigods must have appeared in the sky.

sūta uvāca
yaṁ brahmā varuṇendra-rudra-marutaḥ stunvanti divyaiḥ stavair
vedaiḥ sāṅga-pada-kramopaniṣadair gāyanti yaṁ sāma-gāḥ
dhyānāvasthita-tad-gatena manasā paśyanti yaṁ yogino
yasyāntaṁ na viduḥ surāsura-gaṇā devāya tasmai namaḥ

Translation-
Sūta Gosvāmī 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]
Demigods must have sung the glories of Rukmini and must have showered flowers. Heavenly damsels must have danced; many musical instruments must have been played.

Sub-theme: Gopis’ reappearance as Queens of Dwarka

In Rukmini’s pastime we see that Rukmini also got the chance to listen Krishna-katha or pastimes of Dwarkadhish. And after hearing again and again the pastimes of Dwarkadhish, She made up Her mind that ‘if I get married, I will marry only Dwarkadhish’. Sukadeva Goswami says ‘mano dadhe’

tāṁ buddhi-lakṣaṇaudārya-
rūpa-śīla-guṇāśrayām
kṛṣṇaś ca sadṛśīṁ bhāryāṁ
samudvoḍhuṁ mano dadhe

Translation-
Lord Kṛṣṇa knew that Rukmiṇī possessed intelligence, auspicious bodily markings, magnanimity, beauty, proper behavior and all other good qualities. Concluding that she would be an ideal wife for Him, He made up His mind to marry her. [ŚB 10.52.24]
‘Mano dadhe’, Rukmini made up Her mind. She made up Her mind because in Vrindavan at the bank of Yamuna there is one ghat called Chirghat. All the gopis of Vrindavan, including Radharani, Chandravali were worshipping Katyayani Devi and praying

kātyāyani mahā-māye
mahā-yoginy adhīśvari
nanda-gopa-sutaṁ devi
patiṁ me kuru te namaḥ
iti mantraṁ japantyas tāḥ
pūjāṁ cakruḥ kumārikāḥ

Translation-
Each of the young unmarried girls performed her worship while chanting the following mantra. “O goddess Kātyāyanī, O great potency of the Lord, O possessor of great mystic power and mighty controller of all, please make the son of Nanda Mahārāja my husband. I offer my obeisances unto you.” [ŚB 10.22.4]

They prayed ‘O Katyayani Devi, we want the son of Nanda Maharaj, as our husband, patim me kuru te namah; we offer you obeisances again and again, nanda gopa sutam devi patim me kuru te namah.’ They worshiped Katyayani Devi for thirty consecutive days. They used to take bath in Yamuna and worship Katyayani Devi. Katyayani listened their prayers and as a result all the Gopis, including Radharani and Chandravali got Krsna as their husband. Katyayani was pleased and it was certain that Radharani, Chandravali and Gopis will be married with Krsna. There were millions of Gopis and out of them 16108 gopis were selected and it was certain that these 16108 Gopis will become the queens of Krsna. So, they take birth again at different places across Bharat-varsh. Lord’s marriage did not take place in Vrindavan.

jaya jayojjwala-rasa sarva-rasa-sar
parakiya-bhave jaha brajete pracar

Translation-
All glories, all glories to the mellow of conjugal love, which is the most excellent of all rasas and is propagated in Vraja by Sri Krishna in the form of the divine parakiya-bhava [paramour love]. [Sri Vraja-dhama-mahimamrita Text 10, by Krishnadas Kaviraj Goswami]
There is Parakiya bhava, paramour love in Vrindavan and Svakiya bhava is in Dwarka, Lord’s pastimes with His own wives! In Vrindavan His consorts were wives of other men. There Lord was Upapati. In Dwarka He makes 16108 Gopis as His wives. He lives with them in 16108 palaces. So, among these 16108 queens Rukmini was the special queen. Therefore, She is called as ‘Patarani’, the chief queen.

Sub-theme: Chandravali becomes Rukmini

In Vrindavan Chandravali Gopi is a very prominent Gopi. Have you heard her name? She is equivalent to Radharani. There are two wings having two different bhava, moods- Vamangi, the left wing Gopis and the right wing Gopis. Srimati Radharani is Vamangi, left wing Gopi. Chandravali is a very simple and calm Gopi and is right wing Gopi. As her name suggests Chandra-avali, she is very soft. There is difference between hot sunrays and cool moon rays (chandra). Similarly, Chandravali is always cool like moon. But Radharani and the gopis of Her group sometimes have fierce mood. Premna gati ahir iva, ahi means snake. Vamangi Gopis have walk like a serpent, not simple straight forward. So, this Chandravali Gopi appears as Rukmini and Radharani appears as Queen Satyabhama. There is full description of who from Vrindavan Lila appears as who in Dwarka Lila.

Sub-theme: Importance of sravanam

Such Chandravali appears here as Rukmini and She gets chance to listen Lord’s pastimes. Her father King Bhismak was the king of Vidarbha and his capital was Kaundinyapur. In his court many rajarsis and maharsis used to come. First, they would visit Dwarka and then come here and narrate all the pastimes of Dwarkadhish. Narada Muni also used to come. When he used to narrate Dwarkadhish katha, Rukmini also used to listen it.

Every soul loves the Lord. All of you also love the Lord. Every soul has love for the Lord, but it is dormant. It just needs to be awakened and revealed. And how will it happen?

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]

Soul’s love for the Lord awakes just by hearing about His name, form, qualities, pastimes, etc. It is shown in this pastime that Rukmini also listened Lord’s pastimes and with that She developed love for the Lord and She made up Her mind ‘I want Dwarkadhish as my husband ‘. While listening this we should be careful that Rukmini is not an ordinary being and it is not that She had no love for Krsna and when She listened His pastimes, She developed love for Hiim. But from this pastime we must understand that yes this is possible. This pastime shows that you must listen to the pastimes of the Lord, and you will develop the love for Krsna.

Sub-theme: ISCKON Kaundinyapur

This Dham where we are building and establishing this temple ISKCON Kaundinyapur, with that we are establishing Bhagavat Dharma. World do not know where and when Rukmini appeared. It is possible that even the people here may not be aware of this. We need to begin from here. We have to remind the world about this Dham and even when Rukmini appeared. Therefore, we are establishing this temple. There must be lot of katha-kirtan in this Dham, so that whoever will come here, will develop his love for the Lord. They will give up the false love of the world and will start to have the true love for Dwarkadhish.

Rukmini is Hladini sakti, Lord’s internal potency. We living entities are also the potency of the Lord. Potency is feminine. We souls are prakriti and therefore we are feminine. In the material world there is only one purusa and that is govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajāmi [Brahma Samhita]. So as in this Dham Rukmini listened Lord’s pastimes and made up Her mind that ‘if I get married, it will be none other than Lord Dwarkadhish’. Similarly, all of us, the living entities, who are females, for us also by hearing lila-katha, Hare Krsna Hare Krsna Krsna Krsna Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare, we should made up our mind, who is our husband? Krsna! And if we have to marry then it should be with Krsna. Are you ready to take such Sankalpa? So, pray to the Lord that just like He kidnapped Rukmini He may kidnap you also and take you back to His abode. From here Lord took Rukmini to Dwarka and marriage ceremony took place there in Dwarka. In fact, no need to wait. Wherever you are, there also marriage can take place.

Hare Krsna Hare Krsna Krsna Krsna Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare!