Guru Poornima

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Japa Talk – 22nd July, 2024l Speaker – HH Lokanath Swami Maharaj Topic – Guru Poornima   To all assembled devotees, on the auspicious occasion of Guru Poornima, I extend my best wishes. From the side of Kṛṣṇa, who is Krishnam Vande Jagat Guru, the original guru; from Brahmaji, the first acharya of our Parampara; and from Srila Vyasadeva, who compiled all the scriptures for our benefit. From the side of the Sad-Goswamis, the acharyas of the Gaudiya Vaishnav Parampara, and from Srila Prabhupada, I extend my heartfelt wishes. May your journey be prosperous—not the journey to your homes in places like Solapur, Nagpur, or Kolhapur, but the journey to Vaikuntha.   tarko ’pratiṣṭhaḥ śrutayo vibhinnā nāsāv ṛṣir yasya mataṁ na bhinnam dharmasya tattvaṁ nihitaṁ guhāyāṁ mahājano yena gataḥ sa panthāḥ   Translation Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu continued, “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 17.186] The path you are on is the one described by the saying "Mahājano yena gataḥ sa panthāḥ"—one must follow the path of the mahājanas. By following the paths laid out by these great souls, we will reach Vaikuntha. This is the ultimate goal of life.   paritrāṇāya sādhūnāṁ vināśāya ca duṣkṛtām dharma-saṁsthāpanārthāya sambhavāmi yuge yuge   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] There are many things that Kṛṣṇa does, but one key aspect is that He re-establishes the principles of religion and imparts them to us. The first word of the Bhagavad Gita is "Dharma," and the last word, found in verse 18.78, is "Mama." Together, they form "Mama Dharma," meaning "my duty" or "my religion." Prabhupada used to say that religion is simply the laws of the Lord.   ekaṁ śāstraṁ devakī-putra-gītam eko devo devakī-putra eva eko mantras tasya nāmāni yāni karmāpy ekaṁ tasya devasya sevā   Translation There need be only one holy scripture-the divine Gita sung by Lord Shri Kṛṣṇa: only one worshipable Lord-Lord Shri Kṛṣṇa: only one mantra-His holy names: and only one duty-devotional service unto that Supreme Worshipable Lord, Shri Kṛṣṇa.[Gītā-māhātmya 7]   Lord has given this in Bhagavad Gita and other scriptures, but it is also said that “Ekam shastram Devaki Putram Gitam”. Only one scripture is sufficient and that is Srimad Bhagavad Gita. Lord also gave Bhagavad-Gita, Srimad-Bhagavatam, Veda, 18 Puranas, Mahabharat, 108 Upanishad, compilation of this is done by Srila Vyas Deva. Whose Vyas Poornima we are celebrating today, Lord becomes Srila Vyas Deva, shaktavesh avatar, and the Lord, who himself is knowledgeable. Lord means knowledgeable. That is why, Lord created all scriptures, Vyas Dev did compilation of all scriptures and gave us all. To know Kṛṣṇa these scriptures are mandatory. If there was no any scripture, we would not know about Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa cannot be seen by seeing; by hearing we can see him. Hearing is believing is said, but hearing is seeing also. Hear about lord is seeing lord. By studying and hearing scriptures    Apuliya hita jo ase jagata, dhanya matapita tayachiya Kuli kanyaputra hoti ji saatvik, tayacha harikh wate deva Geeta Bhagwat kariti shravan, akhand chintan Vithobache Tuka mahne maj ghado tyachi seva, tari mazya daiva paar naahi   Translation Saint Tukaram is praising pious persons in this abhanga. Parents of a person, who knows what is in his best interest, are really blessed (by having given birth to him)! Even God is overjoyed about those persons in whose clan children of pious thoughts are born. Where there is unceasing reading of Bhagawat Geeta, Bhagwat and contemplation of Lord Vitthal; If people in such place are served by me, then I will consider my fortune as unparalleled. [by Saint Tukaram]    We can see Kṛṣṇa by the eyes of scriptures, Shakstra chakshusa. We need glasses made up of scriptures, then only we can see Kṛṣṇa clearly. It is said Sadhu, Shastra, Acharya but Sadhu, Acharya teaches scriptures only. By the help scriptures Sadhu, Acharya gives us darshan of Lord, Scriptures are also called as Shad-darshan. Darshan of Lord is possible by studying, hearing and chanting of scriptures. These scriptures were given to us when the Lord appeared in the form of Srila Vyas Deva and in the same Parampara we Gaudiya Vaishnav our first Acharya is Bramha.     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. [SB 1.1.1]   The Lord revealed transcendental knowledge in the heart of Brahma, the adi-kavi, or the original poet. Brahma then imparted this knowledge to Narada Muni, who in turn shared it with Srila Vyasadeva. This lineage continued through Madhavendra Puri and Sri Kṛṣṇa Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, becoming part of that esteemed sampradaya. This lineage includes the Six Goswamis, Srila Bhakti Vinod Thakur, Gaur Kishor Das Babaji Maharaj, Srila Bhakti Siddhanta Sarasvati Thakur, and Srila Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada. All these revered figures are gurus.   Although gurus may appear as different personalities, the Guru is a principle, a divine potency. This potency manifests through various individuals, embodying the essence of the one Guru. The Guru has existed since the beginning of creation. When Brahma was the only person in the universe, Kṛṣṇa made Brahma the guru, imparting knowledge to him. This guru-parampara has continued ever since, with each guru and acharya explaining the scriptures and imparting divine knowledge to us.   oṁ ajñāna-timirāndhasya jñānāñjana-śalākayā cakṣur unmīlitaṁ yena tasmai śrī-gurave namaḥ   Sub-topic – Service to Spiritual master   On this day, we offer frequent obeisances at the feet of our Diksha Guru and express our deep gratitude. It is also a day to deepen our surrender and take up more services. Today is also the day of Guru-Puja. While puja may be performed for a few minutes, Guru-Puja extends beyond mere worship; it is not limited to it. We can serve the Guru 24 hours a day by faithfully following His instructions.   yasya prasādād bhagavat-prasādo yasyāprasādān na gatiḥ kuto 'pi dhyāyan stuvaḿs tasya yaśas tri-sandhyaḿ vande guroḥ śrī-caraṇāravindam  Translation By the mercy of the spiritual master, one receives the benediction of Krsna. Without the grace of the spiritual master, one cannot make any advancement. Therefore, I should always remember and praise the spiritual master. At least three times a day I should offer my respectful obeisances unto the lotus feet of my spiritual master. [8, Sri Guruvastakam] We should remember our Guru in the morning, noon, and evening, meaning we should continuously follow the instructions of our Spiritual Master. By doing this, we always remain in the association of our Guru. There are two ways to serve the Guru: Vapu-seva and Vani-seva. Vapu-seva involves serving the physical presence of the Guru, such as cooking for Him, washing His clothes, or driving Him. This type of service is limited by the Guru’s physical presence. Vani-seva, on the other hand, involves serving through the Guru’s teachings and instructions, which can be done at any time and in any place. This service continues even after the Guru has departed to Kṛṣṇa's abode. Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakur instructed Srila Prabhupada, "If you ever get money, print books." Srila Prabhupada followed this guidance diligently. Although he initially struggled with finances in India, upon traveling abroad, Kṛṣṇa provided him with ample resources. This led to the establishment of the Bhaktivedanta Book Trust (BBT). Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakur also encouraged Srila Prabhupada to preach in English. Following this, Srila Prabhupada translated the scriptures into English and took them to foreign lands. There, he asked his disciples to translate his books into as many languages as possible. The term "Vyas" means "expander," and Srila Prabhupada embodied this role by expanding the scriptures into English, and from there, into numerous other languages. This is the essence of expansion.   Sub-topic – Book distribution   chakhu-dan dilo jei, janme janme prabhu sei divya-jnan hride prokashito prema-bhakti jaha hoite, avidya vinasha jate vede gay jahara charito 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. [from Guru Vandana]   This knowledge is imparted by the Lord through texts such as the Gita, Upanishads, and Bhagavatam. Srila Prabhupada’s International Society for Kṛṣṇa Consciousness (ISKCON) has published and distributed these scriptures in many languages worldwide. Srila Prabhupada once said, "Book printing and book distribution will be the most pleasing activities to me; this is the dearest service." Through this endeavour, the essence of his mission is fulfilled.   oṁ ajñāna-timirāndhasya jñānāñjana-śalākayā cakṣur unmīlitaṁ yena tasmai śrī-gurave namaḥ    Srila Prabhupada’s books are opening the eyes of millions, bringing the science of God to people everywhere. Srila Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Thakur instructed Srila Prabhupada, “You are intelligent; go preach the science of Kṛṣṇa consciousness in foreign countries. Print books if you ever get the opportunity.” This instruction from his spiritual master was pivotal. Similarly, I have received many instructions from Srila Prabhupada. Some of these are general, such as "Chant Hare Kṛṣṇa and be happy," "Follow the four regulative principles," and "Chant a minimum of 16 rounds," which are common guidelines for all devotees. However, at times, the spiritual master bestows special mercy through unique instructions. I was fortunate to receive such an instruction from Srila Prabhupada: “You do Padayatra with a bullock cart and start a sankirtan party.” Srila Prabhupada observed that while Hari-nama sankirtan was thriving in big cities, the majority of India’s population lived in villages. He was concerned about reaching those in remote areas who were in distress. Thus, he devised the Padayatra strategy to fulfill the prophecy of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu.   pṛthivīte āche yata nagarādi-grāma sarvatra pracāra haibe mora nāma Translation He wanted that everywhere, in every nook and corner of this world -- every city, every town, every village, there should be the chanting of the Hare Kṛṣṇa maha-mantra. [Chaitanya Bagavat]   Sub-topic – Preaching   In fulfilling the purpose of spreading the holy name, Srila Prabhupada instructed me to preach the holy name using a bullock cart. I am striving to follow this instruction and seek your support. I need your help. I need help, I need help. The Lord desires to reach every living being He longs to connect with each jiva. In the form of His holy names, He is calling out, “Take me, take me” with the chanting of  Hare Krishna Hare Krishna  Krishna Krishna Hare Hare  Hare Rama Hare Rama  Rama Rama Hare Hare.   Kṛṣṇa is eager and enthusiastic, persistently working to re-establish His relationship with every jiva. This connection is achieved through devotional service and the process of chanting. This was the instruction given to me. Srila Prabhupad observed that Maharashtra, or indeed all of India, is a land rich in the legacy of saints like Tukaram. However, political leaders, actors, and other figures have tarnished this legacy. Prabhupad emphasized awakening Kṛṣṇa consciousness by spreading it to the masses. This was an instruction I received. To effectively preach Maharashtra, I thought it would be impactful to establish strong projects in Pandharpur, as it is a spiritual center attracting people from every village and town in Maharashtra. Thus, we initiated the "Bhuvaikuntha" project, which is now coming to fruition. In alignment with Prabhupad's instructions, we began the "Bhuvaikuntha" project, and I seek your support in this endeavor. Are you ready to help? We are all part of the same home; ISKCON is our global home. Prabhupad envisioned ISKCON as a place where the entire world could find refuge. You are all part of this family, and I love you all. As your siksha guru and diksha guru, I see myself as a spiritual father to thousands of children, even though a sannyasi traditionally does not have biological children. Just as Lord Vitthal considers all his devotees as his children, so does the Guru, who is also a spiritual father. Srila Prabhupad used to address his disciples as "My dear spiritual sons and daughters." We are one family, and this discussion is a family matter. If Srila Prabhupad wanted this, if Lord Vitthal desires it, and if I wish for it too, then do you also want it? The key is to have a strong will. Intense will.  Where there is will, there is a way. If you have the desire, you will find a way. You will collect the necessary funds with determination. I wish to offer this temple to my spiritual master, just as you should offer it to your spiritual master, and my spiritual master to his spiritual master, and so forth, ultimately offering it to the Lord. In Aravade, we began our preaching activities. Initially, I used to go there to celebrate the Hare Kṛṣṇa festival. When Srila Prabhupad was present, I sent him a report about the festival, mentioning that one person had taken the resolution to chant 16 rounds daily. Prabhupad responded by instructing me to make that person a representative of ISKCON in the village. When I read this, I understood that Prabhupad intended for an ISKCON temple to be established there. Consequently, I established an ISKCON temple in Aravade. We are also building a temple in Nagpur because it was Prabhupad’s desire. All the services I perform are aligned with Prabhupad’s instructions. For the past 50-55 years, I have been following Prabhupad’s directive to chant 16 rounds of the Hare Kṛṣṇa Mahamantra. In Nagpur, around 1971-72, when Prabhupad was with his Western disciples, he used a large map of India and indicated where ISKCON centres should be established. Nagpur, being the geographical centre of India, was one of those key locations. Prabhupad emphasized that ISKCON must be present there. When I later became the Maharashtra Zonal Secretary, I remembered Prabhupad’s desire for a temple in Nagpur, so we began constructing one there as well. Although I don’t mention it often, Srila Prabhupad used to appreciate my kirtans. Tamal Kṛṣṇa Goswami Maharaj, Srila Prabhupad’s secretary, would often say, “Prabhupad, Lokanath Swami is here. Would you like him to do kirtan?” I always perform kirtan with the thought that it pleases Srila Prabhupad, and this thought continually inspires me. Srila Prabhupad wrote to me, instructing me to distribute more books, open more temples, and connect many devotees to ISKCON. Today, Veni Madhav Prabhu from Bengaluru recalled a memory with Srila Prabhupad in his room at Hare Kṛṣṇa Land, Juhu. In those days, ISKCON faced significant opposition and was criticized as being associated with the CIA or as a movement for hippies, with some even claiming that ISKCON’s presence was a threat to national security. Despite these challenges and widespread scepticism, I was among the few who joined. Prabhupad told me, “We need more men like you.” We continue to strive to connect more people to the movement, fulfilling Prabhupad’s desire. When I see you in this number, I remember Prabhupad’s word “more men like you”, those men are you, more men, more men, women also like you. It is needed, since you came, please take resolution that this home, family you will never leave. You will stay connected, and you will expand it. You will do more book distribution, you will do more Hari namm sankirtan, you will do more prasad distribution, you will study Prabhupad books. Prabhupad use to complaints in early days that my disciple’s doesn’t give much time to read my books. Thus, I desire, this complaint should not come from you, you should not only distribute books, distribute books, distribute books but also read my books, read my books, read my books you must do.  We are also establishing the Rupanuga Vidyapith, as HH Sundar Chaitanya Maharaj explained. The purpose of this institution is to deepen the study of Srila Prabhupad's books and other scriptures, enhancing your knowledge and fostering greater love for Kṛṣṇa. premāñjana-cchurita-bhakti-vilocanena santaḥ sadaiva hṛdayeṣu vilokayanti yaṁ śyāmasundaram acintya-guṇa-svarūpaṁ govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajāmi  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.[BS 5.38] kibā vipra, kibā nyāsī, śūdra kene naya yei kṛṣṇa-tattva-vettā, sei ‘guru’ haya Translation “Whether one is a brāhmaṇa, a sannyāsī or a śūdra — regardless of what he is — he can become a spiritual master if he knows the science of Kṛṣṇa.”[Cc. Madhya 8.128]   Sub-topic – Instructions for disciple’s   A person, regardless of being a śūdra, woman, or mallecha, who understands the science of Kṛṣṇa, can become a Guru. On this Guru Poornima, let this be your resolution or an encouragement to increase your efforts to become spiritual masters. While becoming a Diksha Guru might be for some, every one of you can strive to become a Shiksha Guru and expand these teachings. This can be achieved through distributing Srila Prabhupad's books and constructing temples. amara ajnaya guru haya tara ei desha jare dekho tare kaha krsna upadesa yāre dekha, tāre kaha ‘kṛṣṇa’-upadeśa āmāra ājñāya guru hañā tāra’ ei deśa   Translation “Instruct everyone to follow the orders of Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa as they are given in the Bhagavad-gītā and Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. In this way become a spiritual master and try to liberate everyone in this land.”.”[ CC Madhya 7.128] Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, who is the Lord Himself, instructed Nityananda Prabhu, the adi guru (Balaram), and Haridas Thakur, who is Brahma, to visit every house. Their directive was clear: preach the science of Kṛṣṇa consciousness to everyone.   prabhura ājñāy, bhāi, māgi ei bhikṣā bolo `kṛṣṇa,’ bhajo kṛṣṇa, 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.[ Nadiya Godrume Nityananda Mahajana Text 2] This is the work you all must undertake. When Sri Chaitanya Maha Prabhu stayed at the house of a Brahmana in Kurma Kshetra, He instructed the Brahmana, "āmāra ājñāya guru hañā tāra’ ei deśa," meaning, "By My order, become a guru and preach in this country." Although the Brahmana was a householder and not a sannyasi, Mahaprabhu ordered him to spread Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Similarly, regardless of whether you are a lady, gentleman, brahmachari, grihastha, vanaprastha, or sannyasi, you must continue to preach and expand your efforts. This will not only please Srila Prabhupad but also me. Are you ready?  Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare   Keep performing kirtan, chanting, following the four regulative principles, and studying Srila Prabhupad's books. I am summarizing this message: always stay connected to ISKCON and engage in practical services to the best of your ability and desire.Thank you! I wish you the best!

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