English
Japa Talk
Date: 31st Oct 2025
Speaker: Guru Maharaj
Theme: Pastimes related to Nandagram
I am seeing that scene that you are not seeing. I am watching the ocean of devotees of Brajamandal Parikrama. For me, this is the highest achievement of my power of vision. I hope you are able to understand my feelings.
Sub-theme: The essence of all instructions
From time to time I come in Parikrama. In one way it is my misfortune that I am not as fortunate as you are. Still, I was thinking that whether I come or not, my mind always roams in Brajamandal. You are walking in this Brajamandal Parikrama which is carefully planned and organized for you. Take full advantage of this, so that when you return to your home and your temple, you experience, 'Oh, where is my heart? In Vrindavan, Radha and Krishna have stolen my heart.' As like devotees wear t-shirts with the writing, 'I lost my heart in Vrindavan.' That Cittachora, mischievous one has stolen my heart.’ Pray for this to the Lord, and then wherever you go, you will remember Brajamandal. And this is the essence of all instructions, 'ultimately we have ..' We are very fortunate that the Lord has brought us to.., where are you now? In Vrindavan! You have reached Vrindavan. This is the goal of life.
Sub-theme: The bhava to enter in Vrindavana
We have to come to Vrindavan the same way as Akrura came to Vrindavan from Mathura. There is an entire chapter about Akrura's departure from Mathura and entry in Vrindavan. I used to think and you also must be thinking that…. Akrura went from Mathura to Vrindavan. Kamsa sent him, saying, 'you go to Vrindavan and bring Krishna and Balaram.' It is written that all day long Akrura was riding his chariot. Did he come to Panchakrosi Vrindavan from Mathura by travelling the whole day? You usually think that Akrura went to Vrindavan means he went to that place where there is Loi Bazar and Panchakrosi Vrindavan, and seven temples. No, no. Akrura went to Nandagram Dham ki Jai! And on the way he was thinking, 'I will meet the Lord. I will meet Krishna and Balaram.' Actually, the devotees of Braja do not consider Krishna Balaram as Lords. Though we sing 'Krsna jinaka nama hai, Gokul jinaka dhama hai, aise Sri bhagavan ko mere barambar pranam hai- He whose name is Krishna, whose abode is Gokul, I repeatedly offer my obeisances.’ Brajawasis do not consider Krishna Balaram as Lords. They only consider Them as their own. My Lala! My son or my friend or my lover! That is how they think. I feel sad when devotees sleep while hearing lecture. Looks like this is the eternal pastime of the devotees. Sit straight like a yogi.
Akrura was thinking on his way, 'today I will meet Krishna Balaram. And when I will reach there', he also knew that 'I will reach Nandagram by evening.' Nandagram, the village of Nanda Maharaj is Vrindavan. Vrndavan Dham k Jai! And how is Gokul? Nanda Gokul, Gokul is also village of Nanda Maharaj. 'When I would reach there, Krishna Balaram would have returned from Their Gocaran Lila, grazing pastime. And seeing me They will be very happy 'Uncle Akrura has come, Uncle Akrura has come.' They will start dancing. He thought like this and it happened just that way. Finally Akrura arrives and spends a night there, meets everyone, Nanda Baba, Yashoda, and Rohini and of course Krishna and Balaram. He gives the message that uncle Kamsa has given an invitation. And then they plan to leave the next morning.
Sub-theme: Reach to the ultimate goal
Soduniya gopina Krishna mathuresi gela. You will not understand this because this is in Marathi. But it is not difficult. This is one abhanga which they sing in Maharashtra. I also keep singing this. So leaving gopis behind, Krishna and Balarama got ready to go, Akrurane ratha sajawila, Akrura decorated the chariot. Krishna rathamadhye baisala, Krishna sat in the chariot. Balaram also sat beside Him. Soduniya gopina Krishna mathuresi gela, and leaving the gopis behind, Krishna left. Some friends, cowherd boys were going to Mathura. Some elderly people including Nanda Baba also were going to participate in the festival in Mathura. Only the gopis could not go. They tried every possible way to stop Krishna Balaram from leaving Vrindavan. But Akrura was getting success. All Gopis came together. Even Radharani from Barasana would have gone there. Barasana Dham ki Jai! Radharani ki Jai, Maharani ki Jai! Barasane wali ki jai jai jai!
When we started Parikrama we came to know that Radha Rani came here to reside with Her parents, but this is not Her birth place. She appeared in Rawalgoan. Rawalgoan Dham ki Jai! Gokul is the neighbour of Rawalgoan. While doing the Parikrama, your last day's stay will be in Rawal. That means by doing this Parikrama ultimately you are going to reach at the lotus feet of Radha Rani.
mahātmānas tu māṁ pārtha
daivīṁ prakṛtim āśritāḥ
bhajanty ananya-manaso
jñātvā bhūtādim avyayam
Translation:
O son of Pṛthā, those who are not deluded, the great souls, are under the protection of the divine nature. They are fully engaged in devotional service because they know Me as the Supreme Personality of Godhead, original and inexhaustible. [BG 9.13]
Prabhupada explains that Mahatma, the great soul is one who takes shelter of the Lord's spiritual potency. Who is the Lord’s spiritual potency? This spiritual potency herself is Alhadini potency. By the name itself we understand that this potency gives pleasure, Prahlad alhada dayine, Lord Narasimha gives pleasure to Prahlad and Radha Rani gives pleasure to Krishna. We also give pleasure to Krishna, but Radharani gives Krishna the highest pleasure.
There are so many things to say and that's why yesterday I was saying
brahma bole catur mukha kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa hare hare
mahādeva pañca mukhe rāma rāma hare hare
Translation:
Brahma by four heads chanting Krishna Krishna Hare Hare. 5 headed Shiva chanting Rama Rama Hare Hare.
Brahma is having four heads; that's why this Barsana Dham is having four peaks, four peaks of that mountain due to Brahma. Brahma says ‘Krishna Krishna Hare Hare’ with his four mouths and Mahadev with his five mouths, Shivji has one form which is named Panchanan, panch means five and Anan means heads. Ravan is known as Dashanan, one with ten heads.
Sub-theme: Shifting of Gokulavasis and Rawalavasis
A few days ago, we celebrated the Damodar Lila festival. On that same day, the residents of Gokul thought, as there was a great disturbance that day, Krishna uprooted two giant trees and darkness had occurred due to the dust. Everybody saw that Krishna is safe. That day there was a big assembly. Do you understand what an assembly is? In Hindi it is called Sabha, where only sabhya, gentlemen can be allowed. In that assembly it was decided that it is very dangerous to stay here. We will have to relocate from here. Damodar lila ki Jai! It was the day of Diwali. Krishna was three years and eight months old. This Damodar lila happened 5247 or 5248 years ago.
All the residence of Gokul left Gokul and went to Vrindavan. Gokul is also a part of Vrindavan and among the 12 forests, dvadash Kanan, one forest is Vrindavan Dham ki Jai. You are in which forest now? Vrindavan! You are going from one forest to another in search of Krishna, just like Gopis were doing. The mood is same; where is Krishna, where is Krishna? Today we may not be able to see Him, but tomorrow we will definitely see Him. Oh, in the morning we can't meet Him, but let's move forward, we will definitely meet Him either by the afternoon or the next morning.’ With this hope, all of you are moving forward.
All Brajawasis came to Gokul from Nandgaon. Have you heard the name Chatikara? I used to narrate Katha about this. In the scriptures it is referred as shaktawart. Brajawasis came riding in shakata, bullock carts. They parked their bullock carts in a circle and started living there. So, there Lord stayed. You can note down or remember it. According to Vishwanath Chakravarti Thakur Krishna stayed in Gokul for 3 years and 8 months. For how many years? 3 years and 8 months. When you hear and repeat it, then you remember it. That is why speakers keep asking questions from time to time, to make sure that heard it and by repeating it you will remember it. This is the way to remember. So at that time, the residents of Rawalgaon, King Vrisabhanu, Kirtida, and their children Radha Rani, Ananga Manjari and Shridama, also left from Rawalgaon. They shifted to Basauti, which comes between Radha kund and our Vrindavan. From there, after 3 years and 8 months, Nanda Baba, and all the residents of Gokul shifted to Nandagram, and the residents of Rawalgaon, who were now in Basauti, shifted to Barsana. This is history. Such incidents occurred during the appearance pastimes of the Lord. You can remember this.
Sub-theme: Message by Uddhava
Akrura was taking Krishna Balaram to Mathura. Gopis tried every possible way to stop Them. They even grabbed the neck of Akrura, 'your name is Akrura, but you are krura, cruel and wicked. You are Akrura only in the name.' There is a place where Krishna and Balarama, leaving Gopis behind moved ahead in Their chariot.
Krishna and Balaram went to Mathura. Many events took place. Kamsa was killed; Krishna and Balaram were sent to Ujjain, Avantipur for education in Gurukul. Who was the Guru there? Sandipani Muni. They learnt in his Gurukul and were excellent students. Then they returned from there. Thus, time passed.
When Krishna was going to Mathura from Vrindavan, He had said, actually He didn't say it directly but sent a message for the Gopis. What was the message? He said 'Ayase'. Say it. Ayase. 'Oh Gopis, I will just now coming back. I am returning soon.' He said so, but as He left, He was gone out of the hands of Gopis. He was not coming back. The poor Gopis and all Brajawasis were missing Krishna. Do you miss Krishna? You do miss your kids, your family and your village. 'Oh 18 days have passed. I have not seen them. I am missing them.' To miss Krishna is a very advanced stage of Bhakti or Bhava.
It is called as vipralambha bhava, the feeling of separation. Brajawasis were missing Krishna and such messages were coming and going from Vrindavan to Mathura and from Mathura to Vrindavan. Then Krishna thought, ‘I cannot go, but I can send someone with a message.’ The message came to known as 'Uddhava's message'. It was the message from Krishna but He gave it to Uddhava to deliver. Lord sends Uddhava to Vrindavan. He sent him to Vrindavan means where did he send Uddhava? To Nandagram. That message was not only for Gopis. It was also for Nanda Baba and Yashoda and it was also for all the friends. It was even for the cows and all the souls, all devotees of the Braja, to whom we call Brajawasis. Mathurawasis are not Brajawasis. They are Mathurawasis. The mood, bhava of Mathurawasis is different from the bhava of Brajawasis.
Uddhava came to Nandagram with that message. Sukadev Goswami elaborately explains that in Srimad Bhagavatam. I am not going to tell you about that now. Uddhava met Nanda Baba, Yashoda Maiya, friends and others, but now he wanted to meet the Gopis. But that meeting was not possible in public. There is a place known as Uddhava kyari, where Uddhava met all the Gopis. Uddhava looks just like Krishna. In the beginning when Brajawasis saw Uddhava coming, they thought 'Hey, Krishna is here. Krishna has come back. Krishna is back.' Because he not only looks like Krishna, but he even wears clothes of Krishna. Uddhava never went to a tailor, 'take my measurements and stitch new clothes for me.' Lord's Mahaprasad, 'hey Uddhava, take and wear it.' Such Uddhava who looks like Krishna and wears clothes of Krishna, met the Gopis in Nandagram. This is a very special place.
Uddhava stayed in Nandagram around seven eight months, so that he could meet everyone and console them. When he had to return to Mathura, I heard this once from Jaya Advait Maharaj. It must have been written in the scriptures. Uddhava said, 'Oh Radhe!' There are different types of sound production, hrasva (short), dirgha (long) and pluta (prolonged). Hrasva means to pronounce briefly. If it is hrasva pronunciation, we cannot hear it. Radheeeeeeeeee.. to call like this is known as pluta. You should remember these words and should develop such bhava within you, while pronouncing these words. And that's why we keep saying Radheeeeeeeeeeeeeee.
Sub-theme: Sampling of Radha’s bhava
Finally Radha also said, 'I also have a message for Krishna.' And She sat with pen and paper. She was even writing something, but tears were also flowing from Her eyes while writing, and because of that, whatever She was writing was getting washed away. Then She was taking another paper and trying to write something, but again everything was getting washed away. In this way She tried many times, but did not succeed. Then Uddhava said, 'I understood what You want to say. You do not need to write Your message.' Do you understand what that message is? The message of pain in separation! Radharani does not want to see Krishna in pain due to Her pain. When there was no meeting with Krishna, Radharani used to think, 'this life is meaningless. I am not able to meet Krishna. Better I give up this life. When I will die, Krishna will surely come to see me.' But then She would think, 'when Krishna will come to know that I have died, He will become very distressed. I will not die.' Jai Sri Radhe. This is a sampling of Radha's bhava.
Sub-theme: Prem-vaicitya
Have you been to Prem sarovar? You must have heard something there. Prem sarovar is having the pastime of love. The water of that Prem sarovar is not any ordinary water. This pond is formed by the union of Radha and Krishna's tears. There are many types of love between Radha and Krishna. One of them is Prema-vaicitya. This is a very special type of love. It involves the pain of separation and then reunion after the separation. When They meet, Radharani thinks, 'We are having a good time. Finally, a good time has come, we are meeting each other, enjoying each other's company. But don't know how long this will last. Again some obstacle will come and then we will be separated.' Anticipation, to become sad anticipating the separation! And not just this, the meeting is ongoing, and going beyond this anticipation to imagine that we are already separated. Radha thinks, 'We had met, but again Krishna has left me.' Krishna is there with Her, but Radha thinks that 'we are not together.' And that's why the pain of separation is there.
Once, when They were at the place where now Prem sarovar is, They were together, diving deep in the ocean of love. Suddenly a humming bee comes and keeps buzzing around Radha Krishna. Then, Madhumangal, who was nearby, he was like a guard or something, on personal duty, so that there shouldn't be any disturbance. He saw the humming bee and thought 'what is he doing? Go away.' He brought a long stick and drove the bee away. And then he himself was going away from where Radha and Krishna were sitting. While going, he said, 'I chased away Madhusudan.' This humming bee is called Madhusudan in Sanskrit. Radharani heard this and jumped to the conclusion that 'I was thinking that My Krishna will go away and this Madhumangal has sent Krishna away from here. Now again I am alone.' Thinking this
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]
Tears began to flow from Her eyes. Krishna is sitting beside Her. When He looked towards Radharani and saw that She is crying, He asked 'Oh Radhe, what happened to You? I am here only.' Radharani is not listening, even though He is shouting 'I am here, I am here. You can touch Me. Don't You feel the touch?' She is thinking, 'Krishna came and met Me but now He is gone.’ And after many efforts when Krishna could not calm Her down, He also joined Radharani. He also began to cry. And then with so many tears of Radha and Krishna, a pond was formed. Prem sarovar ki Jai!
Sub-theme: Prakat lila and Nitya lila
We keep reading, this pastime and that pastime, but all these pastimes are eternal pastimes. There are two types of pastimes, prakat lila, manifested pastimes and nitya lila, eternal pastimes. In prakat lila, 5000 years back Lord appeared in Mathura, went to Gokul that same night, then from Gokul came to Nandagram, and for eleven years Krishna lived in Vrindavan and Balarama lived for twelve years. For 125 years, Lord will perform pastimes on this earth and of which for 11 years He was in Vrindavan. Then for 18 years He will stay in Mathura and remaining years He will stay in Dwarka. From Dwarka He will keep going and coming to other places like Hastinapur and all. All these are manifested pastimes. Then after 125 years His eternal pastimes continue. Manifested pastimes occur from time to time.
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]
Then nitya lila, eternal pastimes means those pastimes which happen every day, every week, every moment. Even right now His pastime is going on. What is the time now? You will say it's the time for breakfast now. So, such pastimes are happening even today, at this moment. Like, from that Premavaicitya love Prem sarovar was formed, such ponds, we sing daily, iti drk svalilabhir ananda kunde, every pastime creates ponds, fills ponds of happiness. For you, the devotees who are doing Brajamandal Parikrama, this whole Brajamandal has become a Mahakunda, a great reservoir, a vast pond of bliss. You have to swim in it, not walk. You have to enjoy this happiness.
Sub-theme: 5 limbs of Bhakti in Brajamandal Parikrama
Rupa Goswami Prabhupada has given 64 limbs of bhakti in Nectar of instructions. In the list of those 64 limbs, at the end he gives 5 items. What are they? Hearing Srimad Bhagavatam, residing in holy places, devotees association, worshipping Deities and sankirtan. And in this parikrama we follow all these 5 items. We do lot of sankirtan. We hear kathas. Prabhupada has instructed to do nityam Bhagavat sevaya. And we are residing in Dham for this month. As Krishna does not leave Vrindavan
Vṛndāvanaṁ parityajya na padam ekaṁ gacchati
Translation:
Kṛṣṇa never goes even a step from Vṛndāvana. [Yamala-tantra, quoted in Laghu-bhāgavatāmṛta 1.5.461]
Krishna does not take a single step out of Vrindavan, similarly devotees of Brajamandal Parikrama do not go step out of Brajamandal. And Deity worship, Sri Sri Nitai Gaursundar ki Jai! Our most beloved and most worshipful Gaur Nitai! They are leading this Brajamandal Parikrama. 500 years ago, Caitainya Mahaprabhu came to Vrindavan and what did He do? Did He stay in MVT guest house? Caitainya Mahaprabhu did parikrama. Gaur Nitai are Krishna Balaram.
Vrajendra-nandana jei, saci-suta hoilo sei,
balarama hoilo nitai
Translation:
Lord Krishna, who is the son of the King of Vraja, became the son of Saci (Lord Caitanya), and Balarama became Nitai. [From hari hari! bifale janama gonainu, by Narottam Das Thakur]
And then Vrajendra-nandana or Nanda-nandan jei, one who was Nandanandana, became Sacisuta, Gauranga. You should understand this. We are going towards Krishna Balaram temple. This same Krishna Balaram appeared in Mayapur and Ekachakra gram. There is no difference. And similarly there is no difference between Vrindavan and Mayapur. So, we keep following the 5 limbs of Bhakti. Ok, Nitai Gaur premanande hari hari bol!
