31st May 2021
Questions and Answers
Q.1 Whenever I could behave very little as mentioned in the third verse or in the third Shikshataka immediately due to our past conditioning ,pride arises in my mind. How can we keep ourselves safe from such a situation?
Answer :
We hear that we should become humble. Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu has said that ‘ trinadapi sunechen ‘ so it should not happen that we become proud of our humility. If any one says that “ Hey !! You know I am so humble ! I am most humble!! “ Then you have not really become humble. Be careful of this. It shows that you have not achieved genuine humility. Actually humility is a feature of the soul, trinadapi sunichen is the third verse. If you read 26 qualities of the Vaishnava , in those qualities you will find this —- humility. In those qualities one quality is being friendly or dealing with each other as a friend. As we become more and more free from this conditioned situation then the qualities of our soul are visible. We will deal with others as a soul or we will talk and behave with each other as a soul. In Bhagwat Dham everyone is with the qualities that are mentioned in the verse of trinadapi sunichen. And we have become scoundrels and proudy after coming here. We have become a mine of all types of bad qualities. After this As we go on chanting then as per given in the first verse ‘Ceto darpan marjanam ‘ , our consciousness which has become foul or which is covered, the cleansing of this fouled consciousness will begin. Gradually humility will arise and it will be displayed. Then we will naturally become humble. It will become our second nature or our real nature. As a devotee we have to practice this so that we will deal as we are in reality , we are a soul. We will deal as souls. Okay !
Q.2 How can we practically attain this position of trinadapi sunichen ?
Answer :
We are always instructing everyone to become humble. But some people will never follow the verbal instructions (lato ke bhut bato se nahi manate). We always tell them to be humble !! Be humble !! Be humble !!! But if someone does not understand this and is not changing his nature then Lord has one more way to make us humble. They will be punished and aggrieved. Like once America was very proud as a superpower but coronavirus has made them to bow down. Bow down American !! So being proactive is better. And as it is said that prevention is better than cure. If we do not become humble and polite and also amanina manden which means if we do not respect and honour others then we will have to face it’s consequences. We will commit offences to vaishnavas , and do you know the result of these offences ? Punar mushik bhav which means ‘ again become a mouse ‘ !!
Prabhupada used to tell us that once a mouse said that a cat is troubling me. Then the mouse went to a saint and said ‘ make me a cat! ‘. Then it became a cat. Now it was protected from the mouse but the dog was troubling the cat. Then the mouse again went to the saint and said “dog is troubling me so make me dog! ” . The saint made it a dog. Now it was protected from the dog but the tiger was troubling it. Now it demanded to become a tiger. Saint said okay you be a tiger. But when it became a tiger it was not grateful towards the saint , on the other hand it was ungrateful and it tried to make the saint pray. Then with a loud roar it tried to attack the saint but immediately the saint cursed it “ punah mushak bhav , you be a mouse again !!! ” This is what happens. When you do not follow ‘amanina man den ‘which is giving all respect to others and not expecting honour for self. If someone commits offences towards vaishnav or becomes a Guru bhogi or guru tyagi or vaishnav tyagi then the result is ‘ again become what you were ‘. Therefore be careful.
“Jiv jago” and try to be humble and tolerant and give respect and honor to others. Never plan honor for yourself. Otherwise what will happen ?
You will lose the love and interest in holy name.Okay.
Q.3 Do we have to follow “trinadapi sunichen “ for materialistic people also ? Especially with office colleagues and non devotees? Do we have to be humble with them also ? How to deal with this ?
Answer
The golden rule for a vaishnava is ‘asat sanga tyagat te vaishnav achar ‘.
asat-saṅga-tyāga, —
ei vaiṣṇava-ācāra
‘strī-saṅgī’ — eka asādhu,
‘kṛṣṇābhakta’ āra
Translation
A Vaiṣṇava should always avoid the association of ordinary people. Common people are very much materially attached, especially to women. Vaiṣṇavas should also avoid the company of those who are not devotees of Lord Kṛṣṇa. (CC Madhya 22.87)
We should avoid association with the people of this world. It is all required for money. It is different. Try to avoid such people so that you do not have to deal with them. If it is unavoidable then it may happen that they will become upset with you and preaching to the faithless is useless. If they do not have faith and you try to preach them, then do not preach. Be humble and remain with humility always. Previous acharyas and devotees has shown this by their behaviour because they were more tolerant. They used to preach with more tolerance. There are so many examples of such devotees. Eknath Maharaj was staying on the banks of Godavari river. He used to take bath in the river everyday. One day when he went to take bath in the river then few naughty people ate tobacco and spat on Eknath maharaj. But Eknath maharaj did not react to them or he did not beat them with a stick. He went back to Godavari and took a bath. Again those people did the same thing. Then he again went back to river and took a bath. This happened so many times. At the end those people were defeated. They understood their mistake and offence so they came forward and touched the lotus feet of Eknath maharaj and started begging for forgiveness. But Eknath maharaj said that “ thank you !! thank you !! I used to take only one bath everyday but because of you I could take bath so many times in Godavari today. These are a few examples. In this way they used to improve their colleagues or they used to punish them. In this way we should also do our dealings or trinadapi sunichen. We can also become tolerant and we can do amanina manden. You have to see how to apply it. You can take guidance from senior devotees or councillors. You can ask them how to handle this situation ? You may do planning like this and deal with it. ‘One is reaction and the other is response’. Reaction means to take some action on the spot. There is law in physics ‘ every action has an equal reaction ‘. Vaishnav should not do this. They should not react on the spot. Instead of reaction we should respond. Whatever happens with us or someone insults us or cheat us then take some time and think quietly. Stop — think and proceed. First think and take some guidance from sadhu, Shastra or acharya and then decided further action. Otherwise in this world same thing will happen again and again. Action – reaction , action – reaction and world goes on like this. When we eat meat or when we hate somebody so much that we do not want to see him alive and we kill them. Like we kill animals. I will kill you ! And then they eat them. This is a reaction and what is the result of this one day they will kill you. Like this the world continues. It is unending so instead of becoming reactive , become responsive. First understand and think , try to know more about the person who is troubling you and then you decide whether you want to deal with them in future or not or you want to stay away from them. Or you should become neutral or indifferent.
There are many types of dealing. So first understand the person and then try to adjust so that you could still continue your trinadapi sunichen. Once I had mentioned this story of a scorpion and sadhu. Sadhu was trying to save the scorpion but the scorpion was biting the sadhu because it is its nature. Then sadhu has said that if the scorpion is not giving up his nature then why should I leave my nature. Compassion is the base of dharma. I should also be compassionate. Otherwise I will not be a sadhu. Okay next question.
Q. 4 We are suppose to chant constantly as said in the second verse , we should remember the Lord all the time and we should chant all the time. But we are advised not to chant while doing other works or while listening lecture we are advised to stop chanting. How can we relate this two things. ?
Answer :
‘Param vijayate Sri Krishna sankirtan ‘ Chaitanya Mahaprabhu has said this in first Shikshataka and then in the next verse He said ‘kirtaniya Sada Hari’. First we should understand what is sankirtan ? I always try to explain that kirtan does not means only chanting ‘Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare’ or ‘Jai Jai Ram Krishna Hari’. It does not mean chanting of names only. Or kirtan is not only nam kirtan. A few moments ago I said that , each work done by a Krsna conscious person is a kirtan. In ISKCON, the book distribution party is also called the sankirtan party. But what do they do ? They do kirtan also but measurely they do book distribution. But still we say that it is a sankirtan party. Thus the distribution of books is also sankirtan. Srila Bhakti Sidhant Saraswati Thakure has established printing presses in the temple courtyard. These printing presses were called ‘Brihad mridang’.
What do mridang do ? It does kirtan or it supports the kirtan. When we hear kirtan we hear mridang also. It is a part of kirtan. like that !!! The books that are printed in the press are also Brihad mridang because in the books Lord’s glorification is done in the first part , middle part and last part. In the scriptures Lord’s glorification is done. When we distribute these books or when we print these books in the press then printing becomes brihad mridang. Distribution of such books which are loaded with Lord’s glorification is also known as sankirtan. Kirtan means glorification. Kirtan word is made from a word in Sanskrit, – ‘Kirti’ from this may be this word has arised. We have nam kirtan and roop kirtan and gun kirtan and Dham kirtan also. When Juhu temple was under construction at that time, arrangements for Prabhupada were done in temple premises only. Devotees were thinking that Prabhupada would be disturbed by various noises of construction. So we devotees decided to shift Prabhupada. But Prabhupada said that this is music to my ears. We are making a palace for Radha Rasbihari , and the sound of construction of this palace is like music to me. Now look at this !!! Even the construction sound is also a glorification of Radha Rasbihari. The temple is being constructed for Radha Rasbihari so that is also kirtan. Srila Prabhupada was such a mahabhagwat. Do not think that if you are Listening to Bhagwat then you are not doing kirtan. Sukhdev Goswami was doing kirtan so it is a kirtan and the listeners are also doing kirtan. Like this !!
All members and devotees of the four categories , four ashrams are always doing their duties to please the Lord. Brahman , kshatriya , vaishya and even shudra have their prescribed duty to please the Lord. The Lord is at the center of each work. They are doing everything to please the Lord. All these activities are glorification of Lord or kirtan. Not only the pujari is doing kirtan who is offering the Aarti to the Lord but devotees who are cleaning the dishes are also doing kirtan. That is also kirtan. Prabhupada said that , if someone is visiting the ISKCON temple and he said what a clean temple !! If the visitor appreciates the temple construction and cleanliness then this is also called as kirtan. The devotee who has done the cleaning is also doing kirtan. The pujari who has done the shringar of the Lord is not the only one doing kirtan. Now temple will open and everybody will say
“ wow !! What a nice darshan ! Deities are so beautiful “. Such thoughts will come and pujari is the reason behind this so pujari did the kirtan. Pujari became the reason for the glorification of Lord “ Ahh ! What nice deities “ so he is doing kirtan. In the same way the devotee who has cleaned the temple is also doing kirtan. Like this !!
Kirtaniya Sada Hari or param Vijayate Shri Krishna sankirtanam is related to the complete Hare Krishna movement. The Hare Krishna movement is increasing the kirtan by the ways of book distribution or by Prasad distribution. You are doing Prasad distribution during coronavirus pandemic this is also Kirti or kirtan. If someone says that “oh ! Nice Prasad !”then he has done kirtan or glorification of Prasad. He did kirtan by saying this.
Hari Hari !! You could go all the way back where farmers sowed the seeds and then it was transported to market. The mataji did shopping of it , then she cooked 56 bhoga for the Lord or made five delicious bhoga and offered it to the Lord, then someone served it, someone ate it. All these people are doing kirtan. From farmer, transportar, seller, consumer , then those who cooked it then offered it to Lord then distributed the prasad and then the persons who honoured the prasad, this is all kirtan. These all are Kṛṣṇa conscious activities. Same as , the person who eats meat is not only sinner but who are the contributors of this sin ? The person who grazed that animal , then he sold it to someone then someone killed it and then someone packed it nicely then it was sent to the modern mall. In the mall it was displayed very nicely with an attached tag. Then someone shopped it and cooked it and someone ate it. All these from A to Z are sinners. In the same way in Kṛṣṇa consciousness many devotees are connected to the chain of activities and this all is kirtan. Another is kirtan of maya. Television or so many places , commercials are glorification of maya. All electronic media or print media are continuously pressuring us to eat this , do this , do that. This is all sinful. Because they are preaching the sinful activities and they are glorifying it. We all know liquor is not good for us but still they advertise it as fine wine. Anyway !!!
Just try to understand that whenever kirtan is mentioned in scriptures or anywhere then this kirtan is of many types. Kirtan can be done in many ways.
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 7.5.23-24)
All right we will stop here.
Realisation from devotees
1. When we were discussing Shikshataka then we understood that it is the essence of our spiritual life so Chaitanya Mahaprabhu has also narrated it at the end. Same way a nice food is kept for the last , Mahaprabhu has kept the important point in the last and He gave this to us. And we are are very fortunate to have commentary on this by various acharyas and we could study it with Gurumaharaj. Now we can understand it and can follow it in our life.
2. Few devotees said that the sessions on Shikshataka are like torch light; they are helpful in our spiritual life to clear our darkness due to ignorance.
3. One devotee has said that when Gurumaharaj discusses some topic then we should understand that it is a very important topic. Since Gurumaharaj has given talks on Shikshataka for so many days then we should understand this and now it is our responsibility to study it further from Chaitanya Charitamrita.
4. One devotee said that now we understand that we have a long way to go before reaching our spiritual goal.
5. These sessions were eye opening. We could understand where we stand in our spiritual life , after hearing these sessions.
6. By the mercy of Lord and by the initiatives of ISKCON holy name is now spreading world wide. Now we have to become eligible for this.
7. Shikshataka is the essence of the shastras and vedas.
11th February 2021
Questions and Answers
Question 1
Parikshit Maharaja was hearing till the last moment, then when did he explain Brhad Bhāgwatamrta to his mother Uttara?
Gurudev uvaca
In the time between the end of the narration of Śrīmad Bhāgavatam and the time when takshak came, he narrated Brhad Bhāgwatamrta to his mother. The time period was very short. It is inconceivable. He narrated the essence of Śrīmad Bhāgavatam to his mother who arrived there and expressed her discontent as she could not get to hear Śrīmad Bhāgavatam. Time had stopped and the moment was expanded. In that period, he explained to his mother.
You also study Śrīmad Bhāgavatam. It’s homework for you. We all are going to die. It’s not that we are some astrologers and we are telling you. We are born with a death certificate in our hands. We have to prepare for our death. We have to remember Lord at the time of death. That’s victory. Then we will go back home back to Vaikuntha.
Hare Krishna Hare Krishna
Krishna Krishna Hare Hare
Hare Rama Hare Rama
Rama Rama Hare Hare
This mahā-mantra is a key to Vaikuntha. One who connects with this paramparā gets the key or visa to Vaikuntha. ISKCON gives you that visa. ISKCON temples are the embassies of Vaikuntha and Śrīla Prabhupāda is our ambassador. You could also be an ambassador.
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 Gita and Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. In this way become a spiritual master and try to liberate everyone in this land. (CC Madhya 7.128)
Those who instruct the orders of Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa are ambassadors. Our goal is not to go to any mortal place. Our goal is to go back to Godhead.
Nitai Gaura premanande hari haribol!
4th February 2021
Questions and Answers
Question 1
Reading of some books requires permission. Can books written by our acaryas with higher principles of bhakti be read directly without any permission from authority?
Gurudev uvaca
Yes, one must read the books according to one’s own level. Scriptures are written to be studied . This level increases when you read in proper sequence. Don’t directly jump to Rasa Lila. Keeping this in mind, one may read the books. We cannot directly do a PhD. We need to go gradually, starting from ABC. Śrīla Prabhupāda says, Bhagavad-Gīta is primary study, Śrīmad Bhāgavatam is graduation and Caitanya-caritamrta is post graduation. All of Gaudiya Vaisnava’s literature is postgraduate study.
Studying Caitanya-caritāmrta, Caitanya Mangal or Caitanya Bhāgavata is PhD study. There is Nectar of Devotion and Nectar of Instruction also. Caitanya-caritāmrta is the highest. Along with this, chant and do kīrtana to become eligible for reading these higher books. There is a mention of confidential pastimes of the Lord. You may ask your counsellors or senior devotees whether you should read or not. You have siksa and diksa guru also.
30th January 2021
Questions and Answers
Question 1
Is Subhadra Maiya, sister of the Lord also Alhadini Sakti?
Gurudev uvaca
She is the energy of Arjuna. She is one who gives pleasure to Arjuna as his wife and she is Bhadra who gives birth to a son like Abhimanyu. She is definitely not a living entity like us. She is some sakti. Every person is sakti or energy. Someone is the energy of the Lord and someone is the marginal energy.
na tasya kāryaṁ karaṇaṁ ca vidyate
na tat samaś cābhyadhikaś ca dṛśyate
parāsya śaktir vividhaiva śrūyate
svābhāvikī jñāna-bala-kriyā ca
Translation
The Supreme Personality of Godhead does not need to do anything personally, for He has such potencies that anything He wants done will be done perfectly well through the control of material nature (svābhāvikī jñāna-bala-kriyā ca). Similarly, those who are engaged in the service of the Lord are not meant to struggle for existence. [Śvetāśvatara Upaniṣad 6.8]
There are two different energies of the Lord. Lord Krsna is the purusha. Visnutatva is purusha. The rest is the energy of the Lord. Every remaining individual is one energy of the Lord. Subhadra cannot be compared with us. We living entities are marginal energies of the Lord, but Subhadra maiya is special. She is under the superior energy of the Lord. She is Krsna and Balarama’s sister. What is the name of that sakti or energy we can’t say. I don’t have a name for her sakti.
Hare Krishna Hare Krishna
Krishna Krishna Hare Hare
Hare Rama Hare Rama
Rama Rama Hare Hare
Hare Krsna
29th January 2021
Questions and Answers
Question 1
If the jiva is superior and the material energy is inferior, then during calamities, why does the inferior energy dominate the superior energy?
Gurudev uvaca
I have explained already this. The jiva although spiritual in nature is the marginal energy. Being spiritual it is superior to the material energy. The soul is divine, superior or para energy. The material is inferior and the jiva is superior, but in spite of being spiritual or superior, still it is marginal. Sometimes Maya can dominate it when the soul becomes illusional by the arrangements of Maya. The marginal potency, is called the ‘beach’ in English and ‘beechwala’ in Hindi. On one side of the beach is the sea and on the other side land. Sometimes at full moon the entire beach gets covered with water and at other times that same beach becomes a part of the land. That is why it is seen as marginal. This is also how Prabhupada explained it. Unfortunately this is the state of jiva. The marginal energy is in between, although superior. When it acquires false ego, it forgets its own state as a servant of Kṛṣṇa. Then…
‘Krsna bhuliya jiva bhoga vancha kare nikata aste maya taare jhapatiya dhare’.
Translation
The moment soul desires not to serve the Lord maya immediately grabs him and casts him into material existence.
Question 2
Gayatri vs the material or spiritual energy?
Gurudev uvaca
The understanding is that the whole of the Srimad Bhagavatam is a commentary on the Gayatri. Gaya means singing, tri or tra means it protects the chanter. The glories of Gayatri are unlimited. There is a Gayatri of each demigod. There are various types of Gayatris. Whether it is material or spiritual will depend on which demigod you are worshipping by chanting a particular Gayatri. There is a Ganga Gayatri. There are Gayatris of various demigods. There is also Guru-Gayatri, Brahma-Gayatri, Gauranga-Gayatri and Ganesh Gayatri. The extent of Gayatri is very vast. There are different Gayatri mantras for different sampradayas. There are different Gayatris mantras for those who are not in any sampradaya. But the Lord has mentioned, sarva dharman parityajya. Although it is a religion, but it’s an inferior or subordinate religion.
Kirtana and Japa is the essence of all religions, but then there are some subordinate religions also. Some are eeya means one which can be discarded. Other is upadeya which cannot be discarded. In inferior religions also there are many worshipable entities. Devan Deva yajo yanti. One will go to heaven by chanting that Gayatri, means that is not spiritual. By the chanting of Gaur-Gayatri you will go to Goloka, then it’s spiritual. In Pancaratra all these things have been explained.
śruti-smṛti-purāṇādi-
pañcarātra-vidhiṁ vinā
aikāntikī harer bhaktir
utpātāyaiva kalpate
Translation
“Devotional service of the Lord that ignores the authorized Vedic literatures like the Upaniṣads, Purāṇas and Nārada Pañcarātra is simply an unnecessary disturbance in society.” (Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu 1.2.101)
There can be a lot of disturbances. In Pancaratra worship and chanting of Gayatri have been explained elaborately.
22nd January 2021
Questions and Answers
Question 1:
Can the soul think and feel?
Gurudev uvaca
Of course, if Lord Kṛṣṇa can think, then definitely the soul can also think as we are part and parcels of the Lord. ‘Like father like children’, the living entity is a person. He has its own thoughts, activities, desires, form, character, feelings. He is the complete person, full fledged.
Question 2:
Sometimes this topic of lust is misunderstood by grhasthas. How can it be taken in a matured way so that it does not disturb the married life?
Gurudev uvaca
You don’t have to take sannyasa. You are in the grhastha ashram which means to follow the rules of that ashram properly. Sannayasi means no sex, no question about sex. Grhastha means no illicit sex, that means no sex outside marriage. One has to be careful about this. Sex is allowed only in grhastha, but there are certain rules prescribed so one must follow it. For example, liquor is sold at licensed outlets which leads to controlled usage. Sex should be regulated, controlled. One of the devotees has written a book entitled ‘Joy of No Sex’, which is the joy derived from the feeding the soul. As stated by Sri Kṛṣṇa in Bhagavad Gita,
balaṁ balavatāṁ cāhaṁ
kāma-rāga-vivarjitam
dharmāviruddho bhūteṣu
kāmo ’smi bharatarṣabha
Translation
I am the strength of the strong, devoid of passion and desire. I am sex life which is not contrary to religious principles, O lord of the Bhāratas [Arjuna]. (BG 7.11)
In the grhastha ashram sex is approved within certain limits. It is like a license to procreate. The difficulty is that one stays in the grhastha ashram forever. One should also take to vanaprastha. It does not mean that you have to go to the forest, but stay at home and practice detachment. The wife stays with the husband in the vanaprastha ashram, but there is no sex as Krsna says that sex is not Me, Detachment should be practiced. The age of 51 is the time to renounce by taking up vanaprastha – zero sex and fully engaging in the services of the supreme Lord Kṛṣṇa.
21st January 2021
Questions and Answers
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
Question 1
Can Mayavadi attain Lord Kṛṣṇa?
Gurudev uvaca
Mayavadi Kṛṣṇa apradhi. Mayavadis are offenders and so they cannot attain the Lord. They think Brahman is everything, sarvam khalvidam Brahma and we are brahma too aham brahmasi. I am Brahma. That is what they feel which is their illusion. They reach only till Brahman which is also God, but without form or qualities which is incomplete. They can only reach the effulgence of Kṛṣṇa, but cannot attain the beautiful formed Sri Krsna.
Question 2
In ISKCON we say that the living entities are part and parcel of the Lord, how to understand this?
Gurudev uvaca
On the tattva of acintya-bheda-abheda philosophy, the Lord said,
mamaivāṁśo jīva-loke
jīva-bhūtaḥ sanātanaḥ
manaḥ-ṣaṣṭhānīndriyāṇi
prakṛti-sthāni karṣati
Translation
The living entities in this conditioned world are My eternal fragmental parts. Due to conditioned life, they are struggling very hard with the six senses, which include the mind. (BG 15.7)
Just like our hands, legs, feet are all parts of the body, similarly we are part of the complete whole. We exist because of the whole that exists that is Lord Kṛṣṇa. This is Bhakti Yoga otherwise our existence is useless. But because of our desire to live independently we have drifted away from Kṛṣṇa.
8th January 2021
Questions and Answers
Question 1
If we haven’t achieved love until now, is there any hope to get it in the future?
Gurudev uvaca
Honestly, if you have served the Lord and haven’t received any love. That cannot happen. It is not possible. Krsna immediately reciprocates. Lord has said in Bhagavad Gita
ye yathā māṁ prapadyante
tāṁs tathaiva bhajāmy aham
mama vartmānuvartante
manuṣyāḥ pārtha sarvaśaḥ
Translation
As all surrender unto Me, I reward them accordingly. Everyone follows My path in all respects, O son of Pṛthā. (BG 4.11)
Question 2
Service was done quantitatively, but quality wise love was not enough. Is there any hope?
Gurudev uvaca
There is less love, but at least some love is there. Otherwise how could there be service, Japa, tapa, book distribution. It was all done with love.
Question 3
We hear so many spiritual topics, but still there are diversions. What is the solution to stay focused?
Gurudev uvaca
This is the result of weakness of the heart. We are shown the truth, but still cannot see it because we are too attached. We are blinded by lust, anger, envy, greed and so on. Carry on with the process, stick to it and gradually you will see the truth. In the end of 3rd chapter Arjuna asks why unwillingly we also commit sins and in answer to that, the Lord replied that it was because of lust, anger, sins which are committed. Try controlling the senses. The Lord will help you. Be enthusiastic and determined, have patience. Follow some guidelines to change the bad habits, abhyasena tu kaunteya. Practice every day, try. Have faith Avishya rakhshibe Kṛṣṇa – this is the symptom of surrender, have faith that Kṛṣṇa loves you.
Question 4
I read in Srimad Bhagavatam that we should go to Kṛṣṇa for everything, but we also hear that, we shouldn’t ask anything from the Lord, I find this contradictory. How to understand this?
Gurudev uvaca
akāmaḥ sarva-kāmo vā
mokṣa-kāma udāra-dhīḥ
tīvreṇa bhakti-yogena
yajeta puruṣaṁ param
Translation
A person who has broader intelligence, whether he be full of all material desire, without any material desire, or desiring liberation, must by all means worship the supreme whole, the Personality of Godhead. (SB 2.3.10)
Krsna says that four kinds of persons come to Him.
catur-vidha bhajante mam
janah sukrtino ‘rjuna
arto jijnasur artharthi
jnani ca bharatarsabha
Translation
O best among the Bharatas [Arjuna], four kinds of pious men render devotional service unto Me—the distressed, the desirer of wealth, the inquisitive, and he who is searching for knowledge of the Absolute. (BG 7.16)
Similarly there are four persons who do not come to Me.
na māḿ duṣkṛtino mūḍhāḥ
prapadyante narādhamāḥ
māyayāpahṛta-jñānā
āsuraḿ bhāvam āśritāḥ
Translation
Those miscreants who are grossly foolish, who are lowest among mankind, whose knowledge is stolen by illusion, and who partake of the atheistic nature of demons do not surrender unto Me. (BG 7.15)
Dhruva Maharaja was purified of his material desire to achieve the kingdom, by going to Vrindavan and meditating on the four armed Visnu form as ordered by his spiritual master Narada Muni. He did severe austerities and chanted the mantra. By doing this his heart was purified and his devotion attracted the attention of the Lord. The Lord appeared in front of him in the place called Madhuvana near Vrindavan, but Dhruva Maharaja couldn’t see the Lord. He saw the Lord seated within his heart through meditation. The Lord became pleased and by His potency He turned off the form which Dhruva Maharaja was meditating on in order to have his attention on the personal form. He asked him for any benediction as the Lord knew that Dhruva Maharaja wanted a bigger kingdom than his father’s. But Dhruva Maharaja didn’t ask for anything. Rather he said, “swamin krutartosi varam na yache. I am feeling grateful. I was searching for the broken pieces of glasses which has no value but I got You who is the most valuable diamond. You are a precious jewel.”
Hare Kṛṣṇa !
4th January 2021
Questions and Answers
Question 1
What should be our ideal answer if someone asks us, ‘How are you?’
Gopal Radhe Prabhu
Gurudev uvaca
You may tell them about your daily sadhana. You may also answer as per your asaram. If you are a Brahman then you may give information about your sadhana, devotion and studies. If you are a Ksatriya then you may inform them about your people, how the law and order is going on in your place. If you are a Vaisya then you may talk about farming, cows and business. And finally if you are a Sudra then you may inform them how you are serving brahmana and others. If the person who is asking this question is interested in these things then you may answer accordingly. If you have any problems in your sadhana or if it is going well, then you may share that also. Or if you have setbacks you may express it.
Question 2
If someone does black magic on devotees then what we should do ? Shall we call another black magician or should we have faith in Krsna and depend on the Lord only?
Gadadhar Pandit Prabhuji, Solapur
Gurudev uvaca
It is said in scriptures:
harer nāma harer nāma
harer nāmaiva kevalam
kalau nāsty eva nāsty eva
nāsty eva gatir anyathā
Translation
For spiritual progress in this Age of Kali, there is no alternative, there is no alternative, there is no alternative to the holy name, the holy name, the holy name of the Lord.
harer nāma harer nāma
harer nāmaiva kevalam
After all, this is the only solution. At the time of Bhakti Vinod Thakura one black magician was inspiring many people. He had developed many followers. Bhakti Vinod Thakura was a district magistrate so he arrested that person and kept him in prison. Because of this that magician performed some black magic and one of Bhakti Vinod Thakura’s daughters became critically ill. Still Bhakti Vinod Thakura was not ready to spare him. Bhakti Vinod Thakura’s health was affected by this magician, but still he remained under the shelter of Jagannatha and kept faith in the holy name. He did not approach any other black magician to counteract. All his solutions were within the boundaries of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Keep faith in the holy name, Kṛṣṇa and Bhakti.
Hare Krishna Hare Krishna
Krishna Krishna Hare Hare
Hare Rama Hare Rama
Rama Rama Hare Hare
This maha-mantra will remove evil enemies. That is why it is said three times harer nāma harer nāma harer nāmaiva kevalam Eva means surely and kevalam means only.
Hare Krishna Hare Krishna
Krishna Krishna Hare Hare
Hare Rama Hare Rama
Rama Rama Hare Hare
17th December 2020
Questions and Answers
Question One
As Caitanya Mahaprabhu says, ‘I am not a brāhmaṇa, I am not a kṣatriya, I am not a vaiśya or a śūdra. Nor am I a brahmacārī, a householder, a vānaprastha or a sannyāsī.’ But the Lord strictly followed the Brahmacari ashram, how to understand this contradiction?
Gurudev uvaca:
He was a Vaisnava sannyasi. Being a sannayasi is secondary. Lord Krsna was an ideal brahmacari and an ideal grhasta. Similarly Lord Caitanya was an ideal Vaisnava sannayasi. Brahmachari is a title, but being an Vaisnava brahmacari is a liberated state – muktam. He wasn’t only renounced, but also a devotee. He was in the mood of a devotee. Understand the difference between brahmacari and Vaisanava brahmacari. As we know the reality of today’s Brahmanas. There are limits to the qualities of a Brahmana. But when we talk about devotees there are 26 qualities. In a similar way for a sannayasi and a Vaisnava sannayasi, they do have symptoms of a sannayasi, the only difference is the quality of love. The four varnas or ashrams fall within the four Purushtarthas – Dharma, Arths, Kama, Moksha but when we add Vaisnava then it relates to love like premi brahmacari, premi grhastha, premi vanaprastha and premi sannayasi.
Question Two
When we go on book distribution, people object to buying it saying they already have Gita press Gorakhpur Bhagavad Gita. So how to persuade them to accept our Bhagavad Gita?
Gurudev uvaca
Don’t you know the difference between the two Gitas? If you don’t know this much, then you can’t distribute. This is basic knowledge. Could anyone answer this question? Lord Krsna says in Bhagavad Gita,
evaṁ paramparā-prāptam
imaṁ rājarṣayo viduḥ
sa kāleneha mahatā
yogo naṣṭaḥ paran-tapa
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. (BG 4.2)
The acarya of Bhagavad Gita has presented the translation and purports without dilution. There can be hundreds of reasons to choose ISKCON Bhagavad Gita. One of is they interpret the meaning of the Gita according to their thinking (mano dharmo) and it does not come under disciplic authority.
Sampradāya-vihīnā ye mantrās te viphalā matāḥ
Translation:
If you do not accept mantra initiation from the disciplic succession of the sampradāya, then it will be useless.” [Padma Purāṇa]
19th October 2020
Question: Does influence of the three modes on us have connection with our past karma? (Mukund Madhav Dasa)
Answer: Haridas Thakur Das: Yes. Because our current life is the result of past karmas which too were influenced by three modes.We are conditioned because of these three modes.By undeviated service to Krsna we can transcend these-BG 14.26
Question: How can we see our in which modes we are ?And how can we elevate from that modes of nature? (Prahlad Maharaja Dasa)
Answer: Haridas Thakur Das: By studying their effects in BG-verses 14.7-14.13. By proper association and attentive chanting we can overcome these.By rendering undevaited and uninterrupted devotional service to Krishna we can elevate and finally overcome these-BG14.26
Question: As we are controlled by the modes of nature, it creates great difficulty in surrendering to the Lord so how we can surrender when the modes of nature are controlling us. (Arjun Sakha Dasa)
Answer: Haridas Thakur Das: Reading and following scriptures intelligently and carefully. Ones surrender to God manifests through surrender to Guru.
Additionally: Six steps leading to complete surrender are-
anukulyasya sankalpah pratikulyasya varjana
raksisyatiti visvaso goptrtve varanam tatha
atma-niksepa-karpanye sad-vidha saranagatih
“The six divisions of surrender are: accepting those things favorable to devotional service, rejecting unfavorable things, the conviction that Krsna will give protection, accepting the Lord as one’s guardian or master, full self-surrender, and humility.”CC Madhya 22.100
Some more questions:
1. If the Lord is in control of the 3 modes and we are dancing dolls in His hand, so how can the living entity act independent of the Lord? (Mahesh Wagh)
Answer: It is because of living entity’s desire ( misuse of minute free will given to it ) to act and enjoy independent of the Lord that he comes under control of the modes.When the living entity wants to enjoy independent of the Lord, he is not allowed to, but instead bound by Lord’s illusory energy through these three modes and punished perpetually. By practicing devotional service we try to get freed from this bonding.
2. Asakti se kese dur rahe?(Aruna Kumbhar)
Answer: Krishna se Asakti badha ke
3. When activities are like pure goodness but intention are like ignorance how to deal with such a devotee? (Gadadhar Pandit Dasa)
Answer: Devotee means perfect gentle men-Srila Prabhupada.So if I want to deal with someone as devotee, I have to be perfect gentlemen.
Vaisnver Gun grahi, na dekhaye dosh.Kaya mane vakye kare Vaisnav santosh.
4. I have to travel a lot, stay at many places. I am unable to eat prasada all those times. I am disturbed regarding not eating prasada. How to over come this obstacle? (Kansanisudana Dasa)
Answer: Many a devotees have to do so for business and job. One way is to try to find ISKCON centers or devotees in those places and look for prasada. Devotees do cooperate.bIf this is not possible then to ensure to eat food without onion and garlic and offering it mentally.
One could offer tulsi leaves to the Lord or your spiritual master and keep with oneself.This tulsi prasada can be mixed with the non-onion and non-garlic items.Milk and milk products like curd and sweets do not contaminate as much.Fruits are the safest means. One could take fruits one time,other time milk products and some other time grains also. Could add extra rounds of chanting in your minimum daily japa to compensate the loss.
5. Tamogun aur aalasaysy kasy dur rahy (Seema Jadhav)
Answer: By regulating eating and sleeping.BG17.7-17.10 details food in different modes and devotees need to take food prepared in the mode of goodness and offered to the Lord.Also devotees are advised to eat half belly only and early in the evening.Sleeping early will help in getting up early. Tamoguna can be reduced and finished by chanting japa in the early hours regularly among devotees. All devotees face this and struggle to overcome this.
6. What is the role of Yogamaya and Mahamaya? (Dãnghãti Lilã Devi Dãsi)
Answer: Yogmaya engages and protects devotees while Mahamaya punishes demons.
Lord ordered Yogmaya to transfer Lord Balaram from womb of mother Devaki to Rohini and blessed her that you will be worshipped in various forms ( Durga and her forms ) by people willing to attain material benefits. Yogmaya took birth from womb of mother Yashoda but when Kamsa wanted to dash her on a stone she slipped from his hands and took the form of Durga.So it is Lord’s same potency which is Yogmaya and acts to engage and protect pure devotees and punish the demons ( she took form of Durga immediately as Kamsa wanted to kill her).When we want to exploit material nature we become demons and mahamaya punishes us.
7. When we are in home we maintain visudha satva gun but we go outside for preaching ya service how maintain visudha satvagun? (Giriraja Govardhana Dasa)
Answer: We are struggling to reach visudh satva state.Enriching morning program more with devotional activities gives prolonged protection.
8. Satvaguna Rajogun Tamogun What should one do above pure Satvaguna. (Jagannath Ganguly)
Answer: Vaikunta lok or Golok is in pure satva . It is not guna.That is the ultimate state we want to reach.
9. Jo niyam aapne bataye hain hum log un sabhi ko palan karne ka pura pura pryas karte hain lakin humara hridya shuddh nahi ho pa raha hai .hume Bhakti badhne ke aur kya karna chahiye taki hum in teen guno se upar uth saken. (Vidvan Gauranga Dasa)
Answer: Shudh to hum sab ho rahe hein.Apne picchle varson ko yaad karke dekhein.Bhakti ki matra aur teevrata aur badhein.Dhairya, utsah aur viswas ki bhagwaan kripa avasya karenge banye rakhen.Kisi bhi karya ko safal banane ke liye ye teeno avsyak hen.
18th October 2020
Questions
Question 1: If a soul comes to this material and if the parents give only the goodness environment to the child then will it get influenced by other modes because of Maya? Can we again bring him to the mode of goodness? (Paramkaruna Prabhu, Nagpur)
Gurudev Uvaca: Being in the mode of goodness is not our motive. ISKCON has been formed to bring people out of the clutches of Maya beyond the three modes of Nature. When we associate with the devotees we will be free from these three modes.
When you churn the yogurt well in essence the butter separates and starts floating. Similarly, after achieving perfection by practice we will be separated from this Maya, though we will be in this world. When you will do sadhana, Japa and Kirtana you will be not affected by the three modes.
Question 2: How much time does it take for a grhasta to become free from all the modes? Is it possible? (Vamana Prabhu, Nigidi)
Prabhupada said that in this life only you have to attain perfection. You have to become Krsna conscious. Raja Parakshit was also a grhasta and many such grhastas attain perfection. Those who are taking training, will not remain grhasta for a lifetime, they will become vanaprastha. They will take sannyasa. At least that mood will be there. They will be free from lust. In one lifetime, you have to become brahmachari, grhasta, vanaprastha, and sannyasi.
In Kaliyuga people don’t go further than the grhasta ashram. When we do sadhana and become initiated then we should not stick to grhasta ashram, we have to become vanaprastha. It’s not necessary that you have to go the forest. You can be at the home and do all the activities. After taking sannyasa we have to free from lust. All these you have to do in this lifetime. Prabhupada would say that businessmen expect the profit on the same day. He doesn’t wait for the next year. Similarly, we have to attain Krsna prema in this life only. Make a goal to make this life your last life.
Like Khatwanga Muni had just 48 minutes and he did it. We have 1 lifetime. Make your devotion very intense. We have to increase the intensity and frequency. Ahaituki apratihata Intense and continuous devotional services are the solution. If you do so, you should not wait for the last moment, before that itself you will become liberated. We will be ever ready. Whenever we leave the body we will go to back home, back to Godhead. Don’t postpone it. Now and here we have to become Krsna conscious.
1st October 2020
Question 1: Why is Maya so rude? Why doesn’t she show mercy especially to devotees?
Gurudev uvaca: Some are those who don’t understand the instructions of the Lord as the Lord said jīva jāgo jīva jāgo. Maya is the agent of the Lord. Then she has to kick us. dandena shuddhate, Punishment makes a person pure. The more Maya creates problems, the more we remember the Lord.
Question 2: How to overcome lust which we experience in day to day life?
Gurudev uvaca: Lust is an opposite for love. Love means prema. When we develop love for the Lord, we can easily overcome lust.
viṣayā vinivartante
nirāhārasya dehinaḥ
rasa-varjaṁ raso ’py asya
paraṁ dṛṣṭvā nivartate
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. (BG. 2.59)
When we will experience a higher taste of prema, we can overcome the lower taste of lust. We misunderstand love for lust. Love is divine and natural whereas lust is mundane and artificial. We need to acquire love and prohibit lust. Chant the Hare Krsna mahā-mantra, worship Krsna, honour Krsna Prasāda to develop love for Krsna and overcome lust which is our enemy.
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)
Question 3: How can we dovetail our daily activities with Krsna?
Gurudev uvaca: Treat your patients in such a way that they afterwards engage themselves in the service of the Lord. Like if someone is blind, for them eye-camps are there, treat them in such a way that they, after getting well, desire to have darsana of the Lord or study Bhagavad-Gītā or Śrīmad Bhāgavatam with their eyes and not to see television. You can have contract with them, “Are you going to see Krsna after I will give you your eye sight? Only then will I operate, otherwise Tukaram Maharaja says,
Tyahuni andhala baravh me – Better if I remain blind only
In Bhaktivedānta Hospital, Mira road, all the doctors are devotees. Counseling goes on. Those who are admitted patients, for them we take mobile temples to their rooms so that they can have darsan of the Lord. We play music in their bedrooms and tell them how to change their lifestyle, diet, etc. The doctors and nurses encourage the patients to chant and when the patients go back home, doctors maintain the relationship with them and do counseling from time to time. One time I was there in that hospital, the doctors asked me to address the audience. When I inquired about the audience, they said, they are the old patients of this hospital.
Now they have a reunion once a month. The doctors there have made more than 1000 initiated devotees with the medicine of Hare Krsna mahā-mantra, Krsna prasāda and Bhagavad gītā instructions. Now they chant a minimum of 16 rounds and follow the 4 regulative principles. They have become Prabhupādanugas. Hence, as a doctor, you can diagnose the patient’s soul along with their body. This will dovetail your propensity with the service to Krsna. It is possible in every field. This is an instruction of Prabhupāda.
There is an appreciation and recognition celebration of International WHNF on 3 October from 7:30 to 9.30 pm. We are also going to have a festival on 10 October for ISKCON temples within India only, at the same time. We are going to announce the Top 10 temples and Top 10 video makers and give them certificates for their work in WHNF. Spread this news around.
24th August 2020
Questions
1.Gurumaharaj yesterday your holiness mentioned abt sridama who comes as demon sankachuda ..my question is he the same demon who was tulsi devis so called husband ?
(shyamalangi devi dasi)
Tulasi Devi was married to Jalandhara
(GourBhagavana Dasa)
Jalandhar has his name as well Sankachuda
(shyamalangi devi dasi)
2. What should be our constant prayer to Radha Rani
Answer: Kindly divert my attraction from material world to Krsna and thus engage in His service.
(Acharya Srinivas Das)
3. Who were playing musical instruments?
Answer: Gopis
(Radha Vrindavan Chandra das, Thane)
4. Krishna to 8 years ke the…gopiya kitne years ki thi
Answer: Sukadev Goswami used the word ’Kumarika’ that means they would have been in their teens or blow.
(Sunanda gupta, Amravati)
5. It is said without reading the 9 cantos one she not read Canto 10 please advise.
Answer: Yes.That is why Prabhupada wrote Krishna book which is katharupa of 10th Canto.So we can read Krishna book to enjoy Krsna’s pastimes.
One becomes doubtless about the Lord by reading up to 9thcanto.Then one can deeply understand Lord’s pastimes.However, if the curiosity is too much as what is there in the 10th canto then it is all there in Krishna book and still if someone is willing to have a go, nothing is wrong because Prabhupada says Bhagavatam is sweet like ‘misri’ and will taste sweet from all sides.
22nd August 2020
1. If Durga is shadow of Radha, who is Yogamaya?
Chitaranjan Sahoo,bbsr)
Answer: Yogamaya is also expansion of Srimate Radharani in spiritual world as guru Maharaj told.(Anupam Gaura Dasa, BLR)
2. Is there any scripture which mentions the various forms of Radharani. like she is Satyabhama in Dwarka
Answer: Could check in Gargsamhita , Skandha Puraan and books by Rupa Goswami and Sanatan Goswami
(Romma Verma)
3. Satybhama kon thi?
Answer: Daughter of Satrajit who had Syamantak mani.(Sarita Khandve Pune)
4. I wanted to ask lord brahma sings brahma samita ..is that during brahma mohan lila or much before when lord creates himself and gives him knowledge in his heart..does brahmaji sings that time brahma samita?
Answer: Before Brahma vimohan leela
(Shyamalangi devi dasi)
5. Four Ranis described, but other Rani? Asta Rani
Answer: Rukmani, Satyabhama, Jambabati, Kalindi-Viraja of Golok Mitravrinda- princes of avanti, Satya or Nagnajiti- daughter of King Nagnajit of Ayodhya, Bhadra-Princes of Kaikeya kingdom, Lachhmana- princes of Madra desh.
Married 16100- captives after killing Narkasur or Bhaumasur from Prgjyotispur now Aasam
(Girirajgovardhandas,ALIBAG)
6. What is the qualifications to understand the lilas of Radha Krsna?
Answer:To reach at level of suddh naam japa or to become so pure.Krishna reveals Himself and His pasttimes in proportion to our purification and our purification is in proportion to our surrender. Six steps of surrender are-AAnukulasya samkalpa pratikulasya varjanam…..
“One can understand the most mysterious past times of Radha Krishna simply by continuously chanting mahamantra”, says Srila Prabhupad.
(Radhapandharinath das)
7. Durga Devi ka Swaroop kesaka Hai Radha Rani Ka ya Parvati ji ka ?
Ans:Radharani ki Chhay aur Parvati I ka Swaroop.
(Sanjay Nandha, Mumbai)
8.हरे कृष्ण महराज, प्रणाम। खुप विशेष क्लास।रुक्मिणीजी चन्द्रावली जी का विस्तार है या राधाजी का?
Answer: Chandravali ka
(Hemant Karane)
9. Radha Rani ki chaya Durga samzane ki aavshkta hay so pl
Answer: Radharani ki Chhaya ya bhagwan ki Chhyaa shakti -ek hi baat hai.
(Sudevi vandana devidasi Nagpur)
10. Guru Maharaj Radha Kripa kataksh Stotra ka daily karti ho (Manupriya Devi Dasi Nagpur)
11. जैसे वृन्दावन धाम अयोध्या धाम, वैकुंठ हैं क्या इसी प्रकार से द्वारका धाम इन सभी धामो से भिन्न हैं या इन धामो का ही विस्तार भी है क्?
Answer: Dwarka dhaam in dhamo se bhinna hai lekin Krishnalok jo Vaikunth mei sarvoch lok hai usme hi hai.
(Shaktyavesh Avatar Das, AMR)
12. Who is Abhimanyu, Radharani’s husband ?
(Apoorva Natavar Das)
Answer: Abhimanyu played the part of the “so-called husband” of Shrimati Radharani in Lord Krsna’s pastimes. Abhimanyu is not some different personality He was expansion of Sri Krsna’s Shadow.The Acaryas explain how it was Krsna only who married Srimati Radharani in the form of Abhimanyu. When Lord Brahma had stolen the calves and the Gopas and put them in mystic slumber for one full year, that time Lord Krsna not wanting to create any type of anxiety for the Brajavasis personally expanded Himself as each and every calf and each and every Gopa, so identically that no one even considered the possibility that there was any difference. At that time Ayan also was separately present in the forest. So he was also kidnapped. Then Lord Krishna took the forms of all kidnapped friends and lived in every houses {He is God, he can do anything, just remember how he danced with all Gopi is at a same time} till Brahma returned his friend. As Ayan was kidnapped, he had taken the form of Ayan also. Then He married Radha in the form of Ayan. This is the reality behind the marriage of Radha and Ayan. So Abhimanyu who married Radha is Vishnu-tatta and can be thought of as expansion of Krishna.
13.I am confused I read in a Srimad Bhagavatam purport 10.52.18 that
“…Similarly, in the Skanda Purāṇa we find this statement: rukmiṇī dvāravatyāṁ tu rādhā vṛndāvane vane. “Rukmiṇī is in Dvārakā what Rādhā is in the forest of Vṛndāvana…”
Answer: This can be understood from the point of view of importance. What importance Radha had in Vrindavan leela same importance Rukmini had in Dwarka leela. But Satyabhama is expansion of Radharani and Rukmini is expansion of Chandravali.
14. After we complete our chanting, do we meditate in the name of Shri Radha Rani and Krsna or the mantra will play in the mind with the practice?
Answer: Mantra will play in the mind as we continue and persist with chanting.
(Deepakshi)
15. From where the cowherd boys, the cowherd men , women and different living entities in the Dham expanded from ? (From Krishna all expansions come, from Srimati Radharani all gopis come)
Answer: Those in Mathura were demi-gods who took birth in Vrishni Vamsa or Yadu Vamasa as relatives of Vasudev.Those in Vrindvan were eternal associates of Krishna.
(Shyam Gopal Das ISKCON Noida)
16. What about Balaram bhagwan. What’s the link between Srimati Radha Rani and Bhagwan Balaram.
(Nandimukhi DD Noida)
(Bhakta Chaitanya, BBSR)
Answer: One is expansion from left portion and the other from right.Both being first expansion and most confidential servants are adi gurus.
17. What is expansion of Srimati Tulasi devi in Dvaraka lila?
(Luv Kush Das & Smriti DD, Maur)
18. Who is really YAMUNA mata in Golok dhama?
Answer: River Viraja.
20th August 2020
गुरू महाराज क्या निंबार्क संप्रदाय और गौडीय संप्रदाय का गंतव्य एक हि गोलोक वृन्दावन है या उनमें भेद है
Answer:It is same Golok as they also worship Radha Krsna as does Gaudiya Vaisnav.
(Prannath Dasa)
Radharani ka pati ka nama Anaya/Abhimanyu?
Answer: They are same person.Abhimanyu is locally known as Ayan.
(Girirajgovardhandas, Alibag)
Is Shridhama, Radharani’s brother same as Krsna’s friend ?
Answer:Yes
(Shally Seth)
4. Abhimanyu Visnu tattva hai? Kya Abhimanyu bhagawan ka avatar the?
Answer:Ayan Ghosh, known as Abhimanyu was also shepherd like Krishna and his friends. If we analyze the meaning of Ayan it is shepherd. He also used to come in the Vrindavan. But he was not in the group of Krishna.One day Lord Brahma wanted to be confirmed that Krishna is the incarnation of lord Vishnu. He wanted to examine the power of Krishna. So he kidnapped Krishna’s all friends from the forest. At that time Ayan also was separately present in the forest. So he was also kidnapped. Then Lord Krishna took the forms of all kidnapped friends and lived in every houses {He is God, he can do anything, just remember how he danced with all Gopi is at a same time} till Brahma returned his friend. As Ayan was kidnapped, he had taken the form of Ayan also. Then He married Radha in the form of Ayan. This is the reality behind the marriage of Radha and Ayan.
So Abhimanyu who married Radha is Vshnu-tatta and can be though of as expansion of Krishna.
(Ramprasad Dasa, Alibag)
(Vidwan gaurang dasa, Moradabad)
5. I am in Krsna prema. Felt like bhagawan is leaving me. Why it is happening to me. First He has shown lots of kripa.
Answer:In the beginning Krishna reciprocates easily so that a devotee gets attached to Him and then He becomes difficult and
difficult so that the devotee becomes stronger and stronger in sadhna.The same thing happened with Naradji in his previous
life.Some devotees also shared so. So no need to worry.Please carry on with your sadhana.
(Prasanthi Budda)
5. Only our surrender, our humility and the purity of our consciousness will help us at the time of death. Explain how to work on that? It’s a lifelong task!
Answer:All of us are working on that and this is the process what we are following that is, hearing, chanting , following regulative
principles, etc.
(Dãnghãti Lilã Devi Dãsi, Maur )
6. राधा राणी की लीला ऐकला आवडती राधा राणी ची कृपा कशी मिळेल याचा प्रयत्न कसा करावा
Answer: Keep worshipping and chanting sincerely.
(मोनिका उमेश गायकवाड)
7. Does Alhadini shakti also spiritually nourish the devotees ?
Answer:Yes
(Jayabhadra dd AMR)
8. Why did Vrsabhanu come to Barsana?
Answer: Nand maharaja and Vrsabhanu were very close friends and chief of Gopas.Nand maharaja lived in Gokul while Vrasbhanu lived in Rawal, some 2-3 km apart.When nandmaharaaj on the advise of aged and old gops left Gokul, Vrasbhanu also left Rawal to be based Basanti village near Radhakund and then finally in Barsana.
(Jambavan Das Pune)
9. How to please Radharani? How can we please Radha Rani next 7 days?
Answer:By more chanting in prayerful mood to Radharani.We address Her 8 times in one mantra.
(Caityaguru Dasa, Nagpur)
(Munish Sabharwal, Delhi)
10. Anang Manjari is also an expansion of Balaram.. Is it so? Didn’t know about Radaharani.
Answer: Lord Balaram expands in Anang manjari to serve in Madhurya rasa.
(Arabinda Lochan Das, Bbsr)
11. When we enter any devata’s temple or mosque and pray maha-mantra is it mishra bhakti?
Answer:In any demi-God temple,we should chant and pray with Vaisnava pranama mantra: vāñchā-kalpatarubhyaś ca kṛpā-sindhubhya eva ca patitānāṁ pāvanebhyo vaiṣṇavebhyo namo namaḥ
(Shraddha Shakti DD)
12. Bhagvan ke sharir rang megha shyaml varnan kiya hai lekin kuch mandiro me bhagvan ke vigrah sfed kyo hai?
Answer: Megha shyam varna not available elsewhere.So other Deites are also of not this hue. Deities can made from sand, wood, stone, metal like gold or silver or ashtadhatu.
(Raghavendra Das)
13. Radharani ki favorite dish kaun si hai, Arvi ki sabzi to pta hai iske alava kaun si hai. plz bta do
Answer: Additionally Plum chutney.In fruits , she likes Chiku.
(Sunanda Kathuria)
14. What is the relationship between Balram ji and Radharani, as Balaramji is Aadi guru, and Radharani is aahladni shakti but both are represented by Guru. How to understand?
Answer: One is expansion from left portion and the other from right.Both being first expansion and most confidential servants are adigurus.
(Radha Govindji)
18th August 2020
Following are the answers to your questions asked in today’s Japa Talk
यदि कोई मरणासन्न व्यक्ति हो तो वो किस प्रकार माँम अनुस्मर युद्ध च कैसे कर सकता है ?
Answer: In order to be able to do so , we practice and chant daily and engage in devotional activities.Krishna says that He remember His devotees if they are not able to remember at last moment. Let us see following sequence of verses of chapter 8 of BG
BG.8.5-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
8.6-Whatever state of being one remembers when he quits his body, O son of Kuntī, that state he will attain without fail.
BG 8.7-तस्मात्सर्वेषु कालेषु मामनुस्मर युध्य च । मय्यर्पितमनोबुद्धिर्मामेवैष्यस्यसंशय: ॥ ७ ॥
Therefore, Arjuna, you should always think of Me in the form of Kṛṣṇa and at the same time carry out your prescribed duty of fighting. With your activities dedicated to Me and your mind and intelligence fixed on Me, you will attain Me without doubt. Lord has used word tasmat, or therefore, in verse 8.7 which shows the conclusion that in order that one can remember Krishna at the end of his life ( verse 8.5), one should remember Him while continuing his struggle for survival
(Shambhu Nath Choudhary, Gorakhpur)
2. What is the name of Srila Haridas Thakura childhood and how many years did he stay in the house? – not answered
(Girirajgovardhandas, Alibag)
3.How I can increase taste in chanting without association of devotees even though chanting since many years I am finding it very difficult ? Kindly guide.
Answer: By being regular on Japa talk you can take association of devotees.Chanting early morning, becoming strict in observing regulative principles , reducing interaction with mundane people or reducing prajalpa are few points to aware of all the time.You can fix and spare your time for chanting and tell yourself that this is the most important activity of the day.Beforehand make a plan of the day so that mind is assured and does not make plans.Chant with full intelligence, diligence and mind.Take pledge like ,” that I am going to chant these three mantras with attention “and when about to finish three again take pledge for next three and so on and you will see that your are more attentive. By being mindful and determined, that is , very careful and chanting without offence ( read 10 offences pl. ) taste will definitely increase-that is Rupa Goswami’s observation NOI-verse 7.
(Rakesh)
4. I’m fatigued with the household work itself & looking after young children, and since a couple of months due to health reasons also am not able to do early morning japa. Health doesn’t allow. What to do?
Answer:Prabhupad laid the priority in the order- First health , then care of the children, household work then chanting. Your can ensure to feed and eat prasadam only.That is also devotional service.Upbringing children with Krishna consciousness is the biggest responsibility parents have and Prabhupad did not let it to be ignored.That is preaching.You know your routine better and a sincere devotee still can manage time for chanting.if I am sincere for chanting, Krishna will definitely show me the way.
(Premdayini Dasi)
5. While we are making Japa how one can concentrate our minds?
Answer:By determining to chant with attention and concentration and chanting maximum rounds, if possible all sixteen, in one sitting.
(Galaxy M11)
6.मेराएक प्रश्न है कृष्णा बुक में अध्याय 55 प्रद्युम्न का जन्म जो आता है उसमें प्रभुपाद कहते हैं कि श्री कृष्णाके 4 अंश है जोकि श्रीवासुदेव श्रीसंकर्षण श्रीप्रद्युम्न और श्रीअनिरुद्ध हे जो भगवान के साक्षात अंशअवतार हैंलेकिन हम कैसे समझे कि उन्होंने कौन–कौन सी लीला की है तो कृपया आप हमें बताइए । आपकी यहजपाटॉक में आप रोज जो लेक्चर देते हैं उसके कारण हमें प्रचार में बहुत सहायता होती है।
Answer:You can read pastimes of Balram, Pradyumn and Anirudh in Krishna book.
(Venugopal Das, Nagpur)
7. Human beings have 4 defects.Do they become free from those defects once they take to pure devotional service?
Answer:Four defects in Humans are -Bhrama, pramaad, vipralipsa and Karnapatau respectively meaning to commit mistakes,Illusion,cheating propensity and Limited senses.These are manifestation of mode of passion and ignorance and our sense are limited because our spiritual senses are covered by ‘material elements’ or to say by lust.By practice of devotional service these start diminishing and we can see that propensities like cheating are reduced.When a devotee reaches the platform of pure devotional service he becomes free of these defects that is why the literature by acharyas is accepted and that one by mundane scholars is rejected.The great saint and poet Surdas was blind but he could see the Lord’s past times and take his darshan also at altars.He was tested for this by a temple priest.He was free from Karnapatau and so from other defects.
(Shyamalangi devi dasi)
8.How does one chant along with office work together. How did Arjun remember Krsna in the battlefield..some practical guidance.
Answer: Following verse of Srimad-Bhagawatam and Srila Prabhupada’s purport would make a clear understanding if read carefully:
ŚB 1.5.36
कुर्वाणा यत्र कर्माणि भगवच्छिक्षयासकृत् ।
गृणन्ति गुणनामानि कृष्णस्यानुस्मरन्ति च ॥ ३६ ॥
Translation
While performing duties according to the order of Śrī Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, one constantly remembers Him, His names and His qualities.
Purport
An expert devotee of the Lord can mold his life in such a way that while performing all kinds of duties either for this or the next life, he can constantly remember the Lord’s name, fame, qualities, etc. The order of the Lord is distinctly there in the Bhagavad-gītā: one should work only for the Lord in all spheres of life. In every sphere of life the Lord should be situated as the proprietor. According to the Vedic rites, even in the worship of some demigods like Indra, Brahmā, Sarasvatī and Gaṇeśa, the system is that in all circumstances the representation of Viṣṇu must be there asyajñeśvara, or the controlling power of such sacrifices. It is recommended that a particular demigod be worshiped for a particular purpose, but still the presence of Viṣṇu is compulsory in order to make the function proper.
Apart from such Vedic duties, even in our ordinary dealings (for example, in our household affairs or in our business or profession) we must consider that the result of all activities must be given over to the supreme enjoyer, Lord Kṛṣṇa. In the Bhagavad-gītā the Lord has declared Himself to be the supreme enjoyer of everything, the supreme proprietor of every planet and the supreme friend of all beings. No one else but Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa can claim to be the proprietor of everything within His creation. A pure devotee remembers this constantly, and in doing so he repeats the transcendental name, fame and qualities of the Lord, which means that he is constantly in touch with the Lord. The Lord is identical with His name, fame, etc., and therefore to be associated with His name, fame, etc., constantly, means actually to associate with the Lord.
The major portion of our monetary income, not less than fifty percent, must be spent to carry out the order of Lord Kṛṣṇa. Not only should we give the profit of our earning to this cause, but we must also arrange to preach this cult of devotion to others because that is also one of the orders of the Lord. The Lord definitely says that no one is more dear to Him than one who is always engaged in the preaching work of the Lord’s name and fame all over the world. The scientific discoveries of the material world can also be equally engaged in carrying out His order. He wants the message of the Bhagavad-gītā to be preached amongst His devotees. It may not be so done amongst those who have no credit of austerities, charity, education, etc. Therefore, the attempt must go on to convert unwilling men to become His devotees. Lord Caitanya has taught a very simple method in this connection. He has taught the lesson for preaching the transcendental message through singing, dancing and refreshment. As such, fifty percent of our income may be spent for this purpose. In this fallen age of quarrel and dissension, if only the leading and wealthy persons of society agree to spend fifty percent of their income in the service of the Lord, as it is taught by Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, there is absolute certainty of converting this hell of pandemonium to the transcendental abode of the Lord. No one will disagree to partake in a function where good singing, dancing and refreshment are administered. Everyone will attend such a function, and everyone is sure to feel individually the transcendental presence of the Lord. This alone will help the attendants associate with the Lord and thereby purify themselves in spiritual realization. The only condition for successfully executing such spiritual activities is that they must be conducted under the guidance of a pure devotee who is completely free from all mundane desires, fruitive activities and dry speculations about the nature of the Lord. No one has to discover the nature of the Lord. It is already spoken by the Lord Himself in the Bhagavad-gītā especially and in all other Vedic literatures generally. We have simply to accept them in toto and abide by the orders of the Lord. That will guide us to the path of perfection. One can remain in his own position. No one has to change his position, especially in this age of variegated difficulties. The only condition is that one must give up the habit of dry speculation aimed at becoming one with the Lord. And after giving up such lofty puffed-up vanities, one may very submissively receive the orders of the Lord in theBhagavad-gītā or Bhāgavatam from the lips of a bona fide devotee whose qualification is mentioned above. That will make everything successful, without a doubt.
Just as child is dependent on his mother and completely surrendered , a disciple who is completely surrendered to his spiritual master is following Krishna’s instruction fully and can remember Krishna all the time.It is our mundane intelligence that acts as a block in our surrender.
(Dr. Munish Sabharwal)
9. Guru Maharaja you said: “If you think that chanting is the process of practice and the result of attainment of perfection in chanting will be Bhakti, then you are wrong”Isn’t chanting part of sadhana bhakti, practicing so at the end we obtain bhakti?
Answer:There are 64 limbs of devotional service or bhakti given by Rupa Goswami in nectar of devotion and out of these chanting is the topmost limb of devotion.Chanting it self is devotion.Chanting is the means and chanting is the goal.Yes, Chanting is part of sadhana bhakti, but sadhana bhakti is also bhakti.
(Vrndavana Lila)
10. For how many days was Lord Balaram in the womb of Rohini?
Answer:Lord Balarama was for seven months in the womb of mother Devaki when he was transferred to the womb of mother Rohini. So you can understand…
(Madhavi Gopi Dasi)
11. How to balance duty and bhakti? Any practical guidance
Answer:Answer to question no 8 above is very much relevant here.Please do read carefully.
Bhagavad-Gita, Bhagawatam and all Vedic literature lays emphasis on simple living that is not increasing bodily comforts and be satisfied with one’s natural occupation. Thus spare as much time and energy and devote in devotional service. All activities of a completely surrendered disciple become devotional activities-please do read purport given in answer to question no 8.
(Apoorva Natavar Das)
12. I have a question from Srimad Bhagawatam in Canto 3, it is said that when Hiranyaksha was there, things like unine, stool, pus etc rained from sky. I feel that all these things are produced in the body, then how can it rain, like water comes down as rain, but it is one of the five pancatattvas…. but urine etc are by products.
Answer:Demons could do this by mayavi powers.Subahu and Marich were also doing the same in Vishwamitra’s yajnas when Viswamitra took Rama and Laxman to punish them.
Balbal who was son of Ilbal was also creating such nuisance to Saunaka Rishis in Naimisaranya when Lord Balrama was requested to kill the demon and Lord Balrama did so.
(Anandamayi Radha Devi Dasi, MBD)
- What is the difference between bhakti yoga and gnyana yoga?
Answer: Srila Prabhupad elaborates in his purport to verse 10.10 of Bhagwadgeeta that when a person knows the goal of life but is addicted to the fruits of activities, he is acting in karma-yoga.When he knows that the goal is Kṛṣṇa but he takes pleasure in mental speculations to understand Kṛṣṇa, he is acting in jñāna-yoga. And when he knows the goal and seeks Kṛṣṇa completely in Kṛṣṇa consciousness and devotional service, he is acting in bhakti-yoga, or buddhi-yoga, which is the complete yoga. This complete yoga is the highest perfectional stage of life.
(Prasanthi Budda)
25th July 2020
Question One
Yesterday during our discussion, some devotee asked whether Mukunda Dasa and Mukunda Datta are the same?
Answer:
The answer is No, they are not the same. This Mukunda Datta was a companion of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, a classmate of Caitanya Mahaprabhu. He was a famous singer of Mahaprabhu’s mandali. That Mukunda Dasa was a doctor of Shrikhand this Mukunda Datta was a singer of Navadvipa. We sing Gaura Arati regularly and there it is mentioned what all the devotees are doing at the time of Mahaprabhu’s arati. The 4th stanza states: sañjaya-mukunda-bāsu-ghoṣ-ādi gāya, so Mukunda Datta’s name is mentioned in Gaura Arti as well. The arati was taking place on the banks of River Ganga in Navadvipa.
Question Two
Who was Raghunath das Goswami?
Answer
We should all know about Raghunath Dasa Goswami. He is one of our 6 Goswamis and had a special contribution in Mahaprabhu’s pastimes. He was the son of a landlord.
You don’t read books and that’s the reason why you do not know. There are many books like Caitanya-caritamrta, Caitanya Mangal or Caitanya Bhagavata. There are many books about the Goswamis as well. We must read them. In our Vaisnava calendar we have special days of appearance and disappearance of Goswamis and Acaryas. We must try to read about them on these special days. Gaur Ganodesh Dipika, a book by Kavi Karnapur has a lot of information about these devotees. He gives a concise list of the devotees who the devotees in Lord Caitanya’s pastimes were in Krsna lila.
17th June 2020
Question 1: Please explain Citta. I also request you to please explain about Antahakarana, Smriti Patala. What is their location and what is their function? (Shyama Gopal Prabhu, ISKCON Noida)
Gurudev Uvaca: This question seems to be short in words, but the answer to this means reading all the Vedas and Scriptures. Everything will be covered. Even I don’t know the complete and specific answer to this, but whatever I have understood I will explain.
Citta is related to cetana. There are two things. Nature is material or the root cause. We can say that cetana belongs to the jiva. We get to know about the presence of the jiva by his cetana. All the activities performed by the jiva is because of cetana’s presence. Citta is consciousness. It is Bhavana. The same Bhavana or cetana gets contaminated in this world and makes one’s life miserable by engaging in the material world.
mach-chittā mad-gata-prāṇā bodhayantaḥ parasparam
kathayantaśh cha māṁ nityaṁ tuṣhyanti cha ramanti cha
Translation
With their minds fixed on me and their lives surrendered to me, my devotees remain ever contented in me. They derive great satisfaction and bliss in enlightening one another about me, and conversing about my glories. [B.G 10.9]
The Lord asked us to engage our cetana or consciousness in Him rather than involving it in Maya.
ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanaḿ bhava-mahā-dāvāgni-nirvāpaṇaḿ
śreyaḥ-kairava-candrikā-vitaraṇaḿ vidyā-vadhū-jīvanam
ānandāmbudhi-vardhanaḿ prati-padaḿ pūrṇāmṛtāsvādanaḿ
sarvātma-snapanaḿ paraḿ vijayate śrī-kṛṣṇa-sańkīrtanam
Translation
Glory to the sri-krsna-sankirtana, which cleanses the heart of all the dust accumulated for years and extinguishes the fire of conditional life, of repeated birth and death. This 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. [Sri Siksastakam]
Our consciousness gets contaminated with goodness, passion and ignorance. Our cetana’s nature describes whether we are in the mode of goodness, passion or ignorance. Cetana’s thoughts and deeds leads us to these three different modes. Therefore the Lord asks us to fix our minds on Him. (Mach-chitta)
Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu has said ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanaḿ. He has asked us to clean the mirror of our consciousness. Then comes smriti patala.
man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru
mām evaiṣhyasi yuktvaivam ātmānaṁ mat-parāyaṇaḥ
Translation
Always think of Me, be devoted to Me, worship Me, and offer obeisance to Me. Having dedicated your mind and body to Me, you will certainly come to Me. [BG 9.34]
Then comes antahakarana, smriti patala. In Antahakaran there is mind, body and ego (aham). ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanaḿ. The mirror of our consciousness is cleansed. by chanting,
Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna
Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare
Hare Rama, Hare Rama
Rama Rama, Hare Hare
When our consciousness gets cleansed by chanting the Hare Krishna maha-mantra then by remembering the Lord which means remembering His form which includes His name, form, Hari katha, Vaisnava songs etc. then we will get to meet God. He will visit us. Thinking and seeing are connected. What is the location? It’s very subtle. The soul is present in each and every part of our body. You cannot feel it in your hair, but it should be present there also. In an ant’s body the soul will be present all over the body of that ant. If the soul is there in the elephant’s body then the consciousness is filled all over the body of the elephant. The size of the soul doesn’t depends upon the size of the body. The soul can take any form. The size for the soul remains the same.
mahatmanas tu mam partha daivim prakrtim asritah
bhajanty ananya-manaso jnatva bhutadim avyayam
Translation
O son of Prtha, 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]
Antahakarana or cetana is connected with the soul. Mind, cetana, bhavana can be material. Aham or ego is also an element. Lord says our body is made up of 8 elements.
bhūmir-āpo ’nalo vāyuḥ khaṁ mano buddhir eva cha
ahankāra itīyaṁ me bhinnā prakṛitir aṣhṭadhā
Translation
Earth, water, fire, air, space, mind, intellect, and ego—these are eight components of my material energy. [BG 7.4]
There are 8 elements. Some say 5 great elements. When elements gets subtle then from that consciousness is formed.So false ego (aham mamayti), mind, intelligence are all material. They are with the soul which forms consciousness. Where is the soul present? Though it is in the body, but the proper place is in the heart.
sarvasya chāhaṁ hṛidi sanniviṣhṭo
mattaḥ smṛitir jñānam apohanaṁ cha
vedaiśh cha sarvair aham eva vedyo
vedānta-kṛid veda-vid eva chāham
Translation
I am seated in the hearts of all living beings, and from Me come memory, knowledge, as well as forgetfulness. I alone am to be known by all the Vedas, am the author of the Vedānt, and the knower of the meaning of the Vedas. [BG 15.15]
The energy or consciousness of soul spreads all over the body just like the light of a bulb spreads all over the room. This comes in discussion about self discovery. All this is mentioned in Discover Yourself.
dehas tu sarva-saṅghāto
jagat tasthur iti dvidhā
atraiva mṛgyaḥ puruṣo
neti netīty atat tyajan
Translation
There are two kinds of bodies for every individual soul — a gross body made of five gross elements and a subtle body made of three subtle elements. Within these bodies, however, is the spirit soul. One must find the soul by analysis, saying, “This is not it. This is not it.” Thus one must separate spirit from matter. [SB 7.7.23]
We say I’m not this mind, even I’m not this subtle body, I’m not false ego. Then who are you?
‘radha-krishna’ bol bol bolo re sobai
(ei) sikha diya, sab nadiya
phirche nece’ gaura-nitai
Translation
Chant, chant “Radha-Krishna!” Everyone chant! When Lord Caitanya and Lord Nityananda came dancing through Nadia, They gave these teachings: Chant, chant “Radha-Krishna!” Everyone chant!
Then we conclude that we are servants of the Lord.
jivera ‘svarupa’ haya –
krishnera ‘nitya-dasa’ krishnera ‘tatastha sakti’ ‘bhedabheda-prakasa’
Translation
The jiva’s constitutional nature is to be an eternal servant of Sri Krishna. The jiva is the marginal potency of Krishna and a manifestation simultaneously one with and different from the Lord. [CC Madhya-lila, 20.108]
jivera ‘svarupa’ haya –
krishnera ‘nitya-dasa’ krishnera ‘tatastha sakti’ ‘bhedabheda-prakasa’
Translation
“The jiva’s constitutional nature is to be an eternal servant of Sri Krishna. The jiva is the marginal potency of Krishna and a manifestation simultaneously one with and different from the Lord.” [CC Madhya-lila, 20.108]
Shyama Gopal Prabhu, I can say this is the answer.
Question 2: We were in Vaikuntha or Goloka? (Sevya Radha Mataji)
Gurudev Uvaca: She wants to know whether we were in Vaikuntha. Yes, we were in Vaikuntha and we are fallen souls now. She wants to know from where we have fallen down. Were we in Brahma or Maha-Vishnu? Fall of the Jiva. This topic is controversial and inconceivable. Mataji is asking as there are no modes in Vaikuntha or Goloka then how come we have fallen down? This is a big question in front of the world and Vaisnavas. How the jiva fell down? How anger or jealousy arose in the jiva? From so many years this topic is being discussed in ISKCON. ISKCON GBC took a stand based on Srila Prabhupada’s thoughts, conversations and has published a paper on the fall of the jiva. Mataji, you can read this paper. In fact , we all should read this so that we can understand the stand of our acaryas as they also had different opinions on this topic. Jiva Goswami has expressed some different thoughts on this.
The jiva is a fragment of the Lord. Lord is abhigya and Swaraat or swatantra. The jiva also has minute independence and can feel it. The Lord has full control on everyone. The jiva is small and that is why it has little independence. When the jiva desires to have sense gratification then the jiva falls down. Even we have taken benefit of the independence that is why we are here.
Krsna bhuliya jiva bhoga vancha kare nikata aste maya taare jhapatiya dhare’
Translation
The moment soul desires not to serve the Lord maya immediately grabs him and casts him into material existence.
bhoktāraṁ yajña-tapasāṁ sarva-loka-maheśhvaram
suhṛidaṁ sarva-bhūtānāṁ jñātvā māṁ śhāntim ṛichchhati
Translation
Having realized Me as the enjoyer of all sacrifices and austerities, the Supreme Lord of all the worlds and the selfless Friend of all living beings, My devotee attains peace. [BG 5.29]
Sometimes the jiva tries to compete with the Lord, hence he falls down. Devotees have not asked this but let me tell you this. If after going back to Godhead and if again thoughts of sense gratification come, then we will again fall down. Then why to go back? This thought also arises. But the Lord has said that those who go back will not come back. Here it is also mentioned Going Back. So what does this mean? Oh, he is going back to Pandharpur. Earlier he was here, now where can he go? This is a reference to the place where we were earlier.
na tad bhāsayate sūryo na śhaśhāṅko na pāvakaḥ
yad gatvā na nivartante tad dhāma paramaṁ mama
Translation
Neither the sun nor the moon, nor fire can illumine that Supreme Abode of Mine. Having gone There, one does not return to this material world again. [BG 15.6]
God has said that one who returns never goes back.(na nivartante) And whatever the Lord says is true.
Srila Prabhupada would ask this question – If a man has fallen, then will he ask from which floor he has fallen, what time he had fallen, which building it was?If someone falls in a well then his concern should be how can I get out of this well. Some wells are so deep that even the rays of the sun can’t reach there. So one should ask how can we get out this situation. Srila Prabhupada provided the answers for this. These are not the real questions. The real questions are How can we get out of here? What are the ways and procedure? Try to seek Help. If someone is asking for help then one won’t ask how we have fallen over here. Our origin is that we were created by the Lord. As per Darwin’s theory we have evolved from amoeba to monkey. He says that we are descendants of the monkey. No! We can say that we have been created by Brahma. He has created our bodies. Our mother and father gave us the body, but we are not the body. We are souls who are part of the Lord and is saccidanand. We are not born from a monkey or Brahma, nor our parents.
mamaivānśho jīva-loke jīva-bhūtaḥ sanātanaḥ
manaḥ-ṣhaṣhṭhānīndriyāṇi prakṛiti-sthāni karṣhati
Translation
The embodied souls in this material world are My eternal fragmental parts. But bound by material nature, they are struggling with the six senses including the mind. [BG 15.7]
Question 3: If Brahma got enlightened with supreme knowledge in Vrindavan during Brahma Vimohan Lila then why did he forget when he went to meet the Lord in Dvaraka?(Acyuta Cetana Mataji)
Gurudev Uvaca: The main aim of Brahma Vimohan Lila was to transfer a little knowledge to Brahma so that he could have also learnt a few lessons about the Lord and get enlightened. We were explaining to you about visrambha sakhya. Do you remember the two types of Sakhya?
In vishrambha sakhya Lila the Lord was interacting with His friends. They were eating prasada without offering it to Lord as Krsna was present there. They gave it to Krsna. Considering them to be His equal Krisna was eating from others’ plate like snatching sweets from each other. They were eating each others’ remnants. The question arises what kind of God? This was the answer. The Lord was answering the question of Lord Brahma for one year. Lord showed His supremacy for one year. He proved that He is distinguished and special. Brahma understood that this child is not like other children. He is special.
eko bahunam yo vidadhati kaman
nityo nityanam cetanas cetananam
Translation
The Supreme Lord is eternal and the living beings are eternal. The Supreme Lord is cognizant and the living beings are cognizant. The difference is that the Supreme Lord is supplying all the necessities of life for the many other living entities. [Katha Upanisad 2.2.13]
The Lord’s consciousness is different. (eko bahunam yo vidadhati kaman). We are many, but Krsna is one who maintains all the jivas. Krsna showed this over there. In Dvaraka a different question was asked? He was asked which Brahma has come? What type of question is this? He said I am the only Brahma. The Lord didn’t orally answer him. The Lord welcomed many Brahmas from different universes and showed His power. He also enlightened Brahma with higher knowledge in Dvaraka.
Question 4: From Pancatattva to Srila Prabhupada which saktyavesh avatars are there above them?
Gurudev Uvaca: This question doesn’t seem to be specific. All acaryas are there. Pancatattvas are there. ISKCON will be there for the next 10000 years and Srila Prabhupada will always be the founder acarya. ISKCON will work according to his instructions and preachings. Pancatattvas are directors of this movement. They have given this lifestyle, mantra.
Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna
Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare
Hare Rama, Hare Rama
Rama Rama, Hare Hare
Pancatattvas are actually providing us energy.
ajanu-lambita-bhujau kanakavadhatau
sankirtanaika-pitarau kamalayataksau
visvambharau dvija-varau yuga-dharma palau
vande jagat-priyakaro karunavatarau
Translation
I offer my respectful obeisances unto Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu and Sri Nityananda Prabhu, whose arms extend down to Their knees, who have golden yellow complexions, and who in- augurated the congregational chanting of the holy names of the Lord. Their eyes resemble the petals of a lotus flower; They are the maintainers of the living entities, the best of the brahmanas, the protectors of religious principles for this age, the benefactors of the universe, and the most merciful of all incarnations. [Caitanya-Bhagavata 1.1.1]
Now the next Kalki incarnation will be there. During the starting of Kaliyuga Caitanya Mahaprabhu appeared. Now we are waiting for Lord Kalki. The appearance of acaryas starting from Caitanya Mahaprabhu to Srila Prabhupada is also called incarnations of devotees. Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakur was also a manjari like Srila Vishwanath Chakravarti Thakur, Srila Narottam Das Thakur. Lord also takes incarnations in the same way the Lord’s devotees take incarnations. Srila Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Thakur was not a sadhana siddha, he was a Nitya siddha, but he had appeared from Godhead. As Srila Prabhupada appeared and preached, he is said to be saktyavesh avatar.
kali-kālera dharma—kṛṣṇa-nāma-saṅkīrtana
kṛṣṇa-śakti vinā nahe tāra pravartana
Translation
The fundamental religious system in the Age of Kali is the chanting of the holy name of Kṛṣṇa. Unless empowered by Kṛṣṇa, one cannot propagate the saṅkīrtana movement. [CC Antya 7.11]
eko aham dvitīyo nāsti |
na bhūto na bhaviṣyati ||
Translation
There was and never will be anyone like Me
Officially it is not mentioned anywhere nor has Prabhupada ever proclaimed this, but devotees say this. All the other acaryas have also been sent by God and they have been empowered by Him. Let’s stop here.
14th June 2020
Question 1: Lord Sri Ram is Maryada Purushottam. Lord Sri Krishna is Purna Purushottam. Sri Krsna Caitanya Mahaprabhu is Prema Purushottam. Is Prema higher than rasa? Is there any specific comments on Caitanya Mahaprabhu’s place being higher than Krsna?
Gurudev Uvaca:
No, it is not higher. Rasa is prema and prema is rasa. They are just two different names. It can be Madhurya Rasa or Madhurya Prema or Sakhya Rasa or Sakhya Prema or Sakhya bhava or Sakhya bhakti. Prema is rasa.
raso vai sah rasam hy evayam labdhvanandi bhavati
Translation:
“He is that rasa (ananda or bliss). One who drinks that rasa becomes full of bliss.”(Taittiriya Upaniṣad 2.7)
Krsna is rasamoya or premamoya and same with Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Is Caitanya Mahaprabhu higher or greater than Krsna?
sri-krsna-caitanya radha-krsna nahe anya
Sri Krsna Caitanya is Radha Krsna. They are not two. They are one. One is Gaura sundar and another is Shyamsundar. They are both beautiful. One is of Golden complexion and the other is blackish. Both of Them are residents of two different parts of Goloka and spend Their time there. They keep on doing Their pastimes. One is in Vrindavan and the other in Mayapur. Mayapur is also Goloka and Vrindavan is also Goloka. Vrindavan is called Madhurya Dhama and Mayapur is called Audarya Dhama. Some difference is there. Sri Krsna plays Madhurya Lila in Vrindavan. Caitanya Mahaprabhu relishes the same pastimes in the Mayapur part of Goloka.
namo maha-vadanyaya
krishna-prema-pradaya te
krishnaya krishna-chaitanya-
namne gaura-tvishe namah
Translation:
O most munificent incarnation! You are Krsna Himself appearing as Sri Krsna Caitanya Mahaprabhu. You have assumed the golden color of Srimati Radharani, and You are widely distributing pure love of Krsna. We offer our respectful obeisances unto You.
Hence he becomes maha-vadanyaya.
skande avanti-khande sri-vyasoktau –
gita sugita kartavya kim anyaih sastra-vistaraih
ya svayam padma-nabhasya mukha-padmad vinihsrta
Translation:
In the Skanda-purana, Srila Vyasadeva says, “Memorize and sing sweetly this Bhagavad-gita. What need is there to elaborate on other scriptures? She has descended directly from the lotus mouth of Lord Padmanabha.”[Hari-bhakti-vilasa ]
Bhagavad Gita was spoken from the mouth of the Lord. We celebrate Gita Jayanti. Sri Krsna Caitanya Mahaprabhu composed the 8 slokas of Sri Siksastakam.
ceto-darpana-marjanam bhava-maha–davagni-nirvapanam
Lord Krsna contributed the Bhagavad-Gita which has 700 slokas. But Sri Krsna Caitanya Mahaprabhu has only contributed the 8 slokas of Siksastakam. Both of them are Kalpa Avatars. We are talking about bheda-bheda tattva.They are one and different. Spiritually they are different. This doesn’t make Sri Krsna Caitanya Mahaprabhu greater than Krsna. He is different. They are Kalpa avataras, but not Yuga avataras. sambhavami yuge yuge. We can say that both of Them are not an avatar. They are avatari. Krsna appears once in a day of Brahma in Dvapara and next to that Sri Krsna Caitanya Mahaprabhu appears in Kalyuga. It’s not that Krsna is not merciful.
he krsna karuna-sindhu dina-bandho jagat-pate gopesa gopika-kanta radha-kanta namo ‘stu te
What kind of Lord is that who is not merciful? But Sri Krsna Caitanya Mahaprabhu who is Krsna displayed His mercy and showed His mercy to the fallen souls of this Kaliyuga. In Dvapara Yuga, people are not so fallen. In Kaliyuga all become sudra. In Satyayuga brahmans were prominent and in Tretayuga Ksatriyas were prominent. In Dvapara Vaisya were a higher class.
kalau sudra sambhavah
Sudra means fallen. To deliver the fallen people of Kaliyuga Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu appeared. Both of Them have established dharma.
paritrāṇāya sādhūnāṁ vināśhāya cha duṣhkṛitām
dharma-sansthāpanārthāya sambhavāmi yuge yuge
Translation:
To protect the righteous, to annihilate the wicked, and to reestablish the principles of dharma I appear on this earth, age after age. (BG 4.8)
What is dharma? Prabhupada says Dharma means the laws of the Lord. In Bhagavad – Gita there are laws. There are rules and regulations, as well as do’s and don’ts.The first word of Bhagavad-Gita is dharma and the last word is mama. The last word of the 18th chapter, verse 78 is mama. “Mama dharma” means “the dharma which I have given.” Krsna gave dharma and Sri Krsna Caitanya Mahaprabhu established Harinama Sankirtana.
kali-kalera dharma—hari-nama-sankirtana
The dharma of Kaliyuga is harinama sankirtana and Caitanya Mahaprabhu established it. It has been proven from His bhava and thoughts that Caitanya Mahaprabhu is thinking about the deliverance of the people of Kaliyuga. Hence He says…
pṛthivīte āche yata nagarādi grāma
sarvatra pracāra haibe mora nāma
Translation:
“In every town and village, the chanting of My name will be heard.”(CC Madhya Lila 25.264)
By saying this his maha-vadanyata is proved.
namo maha-vadanyaya
krishna-prema-pradaya te
krishnaya krishna-chaitanya-
namne gaura-tvishe namah
In the pranam mantra of Caitanya Mahaprabhu, we address Him as mahavadanyaya. We offer obeisances to Krsna whose name is Krsna Caitanya. You can think about this. I said a few things on this question. I said he is not higher, but different. Just like Srila Prabhupada said that there is no such thing as superior or inferior between man and woman, but they’re different. In the same way, Sri Krsna and Sri Krsna Caitanya Mahaprabhu are not higher and lower, but they are different. This acintya-bheda-bheda tattva is good and it applies in many instances. In the jiva and the Lord also there is bheda-bheda. You can think about this. More discussion could have taken place but you can think about how Sri Krsna Caitanya Mahaprabhu is different. Think more and harder. This is your homework. This question-answer session is happening like a lecture. I heard that Bhakti Caitanya Swami Maharaja was doing a Question & Answer session and in half an hour he answered 20 questions.
Question 2: Can we get information about the 4 sampradayas?
Gurudev Uvaca: One time we have given this information about the 4 sampradayas. You can get more information. Purushottam Swami Maharaja has given a seminar in Vrindavan and has written a book on it. You can get that book. If you write to me then I can forward the soft copy to you.
Question 3: What is the importance of the 4 sampradayas?
Gurudev Uvaca: They are so important.
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]
To free the conditioned jivas from Maya, this world has been created. When the jiva become bahir mukha and tries to enjoy, then he gets the facility so that he can become bhogi. This is one purpose for which the world has been created. Another purpose is to free the jivas by making them devotees, making them sanmukh from vimukh. For that the Lord created scriptures. For teaching scriptures, teachers are needed. The Lord created these 4 sampradayas. The 4 acaryas of these sampradayas become the teachers.
acaryavan purusho veda – The person will become wise and learned when he follows in the footsteps of the acarya. These 4 sampradayas are given by the Lord which is called the school of thought.
sampradaya-vihina ye mantras te nisphala matah
In Padma Purana, it is said that we have to learn within the sampradaya. Without sampradaya, the mantra will be viphala.
evaṁ paramparā-prāptam
imaṁ rājarṣayo viduḥ
sa kāleneha mahatā
yogo naṣṭaḥ parantapa
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.[ BG 4.2]
Sampradaya is very important.This arrangement has been made by the Lord and we need to take full advantage of this. There are four sampradayas. By Caitanya Mahaprabhu’s arrangement, another sampradaya was created as it was an emergency. Gaudiya Parampara ki Jay.
anarpita-carīṁ cirāt karuṇayāvatīrṇaḥ kalau
samarpayitum unnatojjvala-rasāṁ sva-bhakti-śriyam
hariḥ puraṭa-sundara-dyuti-kadamba-sandīpitaḥ
sadā hṛdaya-kandare sphuratu vaḥ śacī-nandanaḥ
There were many previous incarnations of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, but none were so generous, kind and magnanimous as Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, for He distributed the most confidential aspect of devotional service, namely, the conjugal love of Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa. Therefore Śrī Rūpa Gosvāmī Prabhupāda desires that Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu live perpetually in the hearts of all devotees, for thus they can understand and relish the loving affairs of Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī and Kṛṣṇa. [Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī ]
Caitanya Mahaprabhu appeared to give the topmost rasa which was not given earlier within these 4 sampradayas. Caitanya Mahaprabhu wanted to give this Prema Rasa. What kind of Prema? One is mixed with Aiswarya and another is Vishrambha. So to give vishrambha madhurya sakhya, vatsalya this sampradaya was established by Caitanya Mahaprabhu.
Question 4: Please explain in detail about the Grantha Bhagavat?
Gurudev Uvaca: For that we have to do a Bhagavata Katha, but in that also the whole Katha won’t cover it. For this, we need to read Srimad Bhagavatam daily. Then you will become a Gaudiya Vaisnava. Caitanya Mahaprabhu also heard Bhagavatam. You are asking me detailS. Read the books of Bhagavatam. You also want to know about the person Bhagavat and the 12 Mahajans.
There are two types of Bhagavat, one is grantha Bhagavat and another is person Bhagavat. Srila Prabhupada says that Grantha Bhagavat is the Lord Himself and the person Bhagavat is the bhakta, a high-class devotee. The person Bhagavat always thinks about the Lord. He is always Krishna consciousness. The person Bhagavat is one who has understood the essence of Bhagavatam. Srila Prabhupada is also a Bhagavat. There are 12 Maha-bhagvatas.
vayambhur naradah sambhuh
kumarah kapilo manuh
prahlado janako bhismo
balir vaiyasakir vayam
Yamaraja said that the Lord Himself gives dharma.
dharmaṁ tu sākṣād bhagavat-praṇītaṁ
na vai vidur ṛṣayo nāpi devāḥ
na siddha-mukhyā asurā manuṣyāḥ
kuto nu vidyādhara-cāraṇādayaḥ
Translation:
Real religious principles are enacted by the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Although fully situated in the mode of goodness, even the great ṛṣis who occupy the topmost planets cannot ascertain the real religious principles, nor can the demigods or the leaders of Siddhaloka, to say nothing of the asuras, ordinary human beings, Vidyādharas and Cāraṇas.[ SB 6.3.19]
One who understands dharma given in form of Gita and Bhagavatam is Vyakti [Person] Bhagavat. By serving both, we can serve Bhagavatam.
8th June 2020
Question1: Please guide me as my mind is very disturbed sometimes, so it creates a fear of going away from Krsna. What should I do?
Gurudev uvaca:
This question is being asked by one devotee, but this question comes to everybody’s mind. We should not think that this question is not mine so I should not listen to the answer. This answer is for everybody. The question is, sometimes my mind gets disturbed. I was thinking you are so fortunate that only sometimes your mind gets disturbed, not always. And when your mind is disturbed you think, let’s go away from the Lord. So what should you do?
Then a question can be asked, where is the place where you go to and the Lord does not exist there? I want to go away from the Lord. Or I want to go away from chanting. Where is such a place? Where will you go where the Lord is not presesnt? Are you disturbed because you are going away from the Lord?
kṛṣṇa bhuliya jīva bhoga
pāsate māyā tare japatīyā
Caitanya Mahaprabhu says, “Oh jiva as you went away from Me with desire to enjoy and now Maya has attacked you. I was here as Lord Krsna’s form and there also I am but in which form? In the form of Maya. So you can’t go away from Me. [Prema-vivarta]
We pray to that Lord that when my soul leaves the body may I take the name of Govind or chant Hare Krsna. Hare krsna nama leke tab prana tan se nikale. But those who don’t desire this and want to go away from Krsna, Govinda , will the Lord leave them alone? The Lord will go there also. In which form?
mrtyuh sarva-haras caham
udbhavas ca bhavisyatam
kirtih srir vak ca narinam
smrtir medha dhrtih ksama
Translation:
I am all-devouring death, and I am the generator of all things yet to be. Among women I am fame, fortune, speech, memory, intelligence, faithfulness and patience.[BG 10.34]
mrtyuh sarva-haras caham, we can’t go away from the Lord. In manifest or un-manifest form the Lord is present everywhere. Just like the government is everywhere. When we go out on the roads we have to follow traffic rules. In business there are income tax laws and we are being troubled by these laws. We don’t want to follow them. If we break the laws of the land then where will we go? We will be put into jail. The government is there also. Government is in the jail and also outside the jail. Then where will you go? You can’t go away from the government. It is everywhere.
Srila Prabhupada would give an example of a kitten of a cat and a mouse. The baby keeps calling his mother “Meow! Meow!Mummy! Mummy! Help! Help!Where are you?” Then the mummy cat comes and how does she hold her baby? She catches hold of its neck and carries him. The kitten does not know where to go. It is too young. It can’t walk. It’s helpless. The kitten just calls its mother by saying meow, meow. The mother comes and holds its neck with her teeth and takes it away. Then sometimes the same cat sees a mouse and sits at the opening of the hole from where the mouse keeps going in and out. She sits there waiting to catch the mouse. As the mouse comes out, she catches it. The cat is the same. When she holds her kitten by its neck the kitten is very comfortable, “Oh mummy cat, you can hold me as much as you want. You are welcome.” But what will be the condition of the mouse in the mouth of the cat? Between the two, who is peaceful and who is not peaceful? The mouse is disturbed and the kitten is very peaceful. Srila Prabhupada explains further, the Lord holds us directly or we get direct association of the Lord or in the form of Maya. When Maya catches us then we are in distress and if we get the association of the Lord, we will be peaceful.
kṛṣṇa-bhakta—niṣkāma, ataeva ‘śānta’
bhukti-mukti-siddhi-kāmī—
Translation:
The word śānta means completely peaceful. Unless all one’s desires are fulfilled, one cannot be peaceful. Everyone is trying to fulfill his aspirations and desires, be they material or spiritual. Those in the material world are aśānta (without peace) because they have so many desires to fulfill.[CC Madhya 19.149]
We can’t go away from the Lord. Stay near the Lord. If you go away from the Lord, Maya will catch you, which is also a form of the Lord.
jāhāra nikaṭe gele pāpa dūre jāya
Translation:
Where does anyone find such a merciful personality by whose mere audience all sins go far away?
We should give up the thought of going away from Visnu and devotees of Visnu. I was also thinking where is your counsellor? When your mind is disturbed go to your counsellor or senior devotees. Stay in the association of devotees and do guhyam ākhyāti pṛcchati which is the symptom of love. Then you will be free from all the distress and disturbances.
Question 2: On which principle bhava is our Gaudiya parampara is based and do we need to follow the same bhava for developing our relationship with Radha and Krsna?
nāhaṁ vipro na ca nara-patir nāpi vaiśyo na śūdro
nāhaṁ varṇī na ca gṛha-patir no vanastho yatir vā
kintu prodyan-nikhila-paramānanda-
gopī-bhartuḥ pada-kamalayor dāsa-dāsānudāsaḥ
Translation:
I am not a brāhmaṇa, I am not a kṣatriya, I am not a vaiśya or a śūdra. Nor am I a brahmacārī, a householder, a vānaprastha or a sannyāsī. I identify Myself only as the servant of the servant of the servant of the lotus feet of Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa, the maintainer of the gopīs. He is like an ocean of nectar, and He is the cause of universal transcendental bliss. He is always existing with brilliance.’ [Padyāvalī ]
Caitanya Mahaprabhu has said,
ramya kacid-upasana vrajavadhu-vargena ya kalpita
Translation:
The highest and most pleasing type of worship of Krishna is done by the Vraja gopis. [Caitanya-matta-manjusa by Srinath Chakravarti.]
Make the bhava of the Gopis your ideals. Make the Gopis your hero, heroin. Follow them, but do not imitate them. Yesterday I was listening to Prabhupada who was saying, anusaran and anukaran. Follow in the footsteps and no imitation. We should follow in the footsteps of the gopis, but not imitate them.
Hare Krsna Hare Krsna
Krsna Krsna Hare Hare
Hare Rama Hare Rama
Rama Rama Hare Hare
Chanting is a process to establish our relationship with Radha and Krsna. It’s a process to establish a relationship and that’s Sambandha. Then there is Abhidheya so we need to settle. Then Prayojana is prema. At the time of chanting remember Radha and Her lotus feet or offer a special prayer at Her lotus feet.
karuṇāḿ kuru mayi karuṇā-bharite
sanaka-sanātana-varṇita-
Translation:
O You who are filled with compassion! O You whose divine characteristics are described by the great sages Sanaka and Sanatana! O Radha, please be merciful to me!
This is also a prayer, “Oh Radhe, please bestow the bhava to me like that which You have for the Lord, not that much, but at least a little. Oh Radhe please bestow us with the bhava like the Gopis have for the Lord.”
yam yam vapi smaran bhavam
tyajaty ante kalevaram
tam tam evaiti kaunteya
sada tad-bhava-bhavitah
Translation:
Whatever state of being one remembers when he quits his body, that state he will attain without fail.[BG 8.6]
Throughout our life we practice devotional service with the goal of achieving the bhakti bhava like the gopis. Then if we practice this lifelong then at the end of our life we will remember that bhava as we leave this body. According to that bhava we will get either no birth or another birth. Our next birth depends upon our thoughts at the end of our life. The Lord says, yam yam vapi smaran bhavam, whatever state of being one remembers when he quits his body, that state he will attain without fail.
This bhakti bhava, Radha bhava, gopi bhava is a complete and developed bhava which includes all others bhava. Dasya bhava, sakhya bhava, vatsalya bhava and gopibhava is there. In the dialogue of Ramananda Raya and Caitanya Mahaprabhu the topmost quality of conjugal love is explained.
In the air there are the qualities of sound and touch. In fire, there are three qualities — sound, touch and form. In water there are four qualities — sound, touch, form and taste, raso ‘ham apsu kaunteya.
Then in the earth there are all five qualities — sound, touch, form, taste and also smell, puṇyo gandhaḥ pṛithivyāṁ cha. Now, one can see that the quality of the sky is in all — namely in air, fire, water and earth. In earth we can find all the qualities of the material nature. The same can be applied to the rasa known as mādhurya-rasa, or conjugal love. In conjugal love there are the qualities of neutrality, servitorship, fraternity and parental affection, as well as those of conjugal love itself.
Conjugal love is complete and full developed. According to Caitanya Mahaprabhu with this bhava we become Gaudiya Vaisnava. Gopi bhava or conjugal love is the specialty and excellence of Gaudiya Vaisnavism. If we do not have gopi bhava, then we will become like some other sampraydaya.
Question 3: If Madhavites does not accept Radha or gopi and their philosophy is also different from our philosophy, then how we are connected with them?
Gurudev uvaca:
Unity in diversity is there or acintya-bheda-bheda is also there. Some things are the same and some things are different. All the sampradayas are one. We are all united on the basis of Visnu. We all believe in Visnu.
Vasudevam sarvam iti
Somebody’s Visnu is Krnsa, somebody’s Visnu is Lord Rama, somebody’s Visnu is Narasimha. All are Visnu, Visnu is common. Then main thing is that all the sampradayas and we, Gaudiya Vaisnavas all reject Advaitvada.
Caitanya Mahaprabhu says,
“Mayavada bhasya sunile haya sarva nasa.”
Translation:
“One who hears the commentaries of the Mayavadis, will ruin his spiritual life.”
But from where did we get this understanding? It came from Madhavacarya. He shows two fingers, jiva and the Lord. They are not one. Then only is devotional life possible. In all 4 sampradayas and if we call ours the 5th, devotional service is of prime importance.
In Mayavada and Advaitvada there is no devotion, zero devotion. Who do they serve? Aham brahmasmi. If you are Brahman then that is whom you serve.
We get linked up with all these sampradayas by some similar philosophies. We all are one, also we are different in some way. That’s why we all are related.
Question 4: Kindly explain how the name Radhadesh and Damodhardesh came?
Gurudev uvaca:
In Belgium ISKCON has one project, under Radha Gopinath temple. It’s a big 40 acre project. It’s a historical place. When ISKCON purchased it, devotees named it Radhadesa. In Caitanya-caritamrta there is mention of Radhadesh. Nityananda Prabhu appeared in Radhadesh. Part of Bengal where the River Ganga does not flow is called Rāḍhadeśa. Devotees saw Radhadesa. The spelling is the same dha is dhaa and dha is also ddha. They liked the name, “Let’s name our project as Radhadesa.” There was mistake in the pronunciation.
Below one dha there is a dot in diacritics, ḍha and below another dha the dot is not there. They did not see the dot. There was a mistake in pronunciation, but name is nice. Before this event there was no such name to any country in the world. But devotees read it as Radhadesa and named that project Radhadesa. Since then Radhadesa is existing, a big project of ISKCON is there in Belgium.
Not only Damodhardesa but many desas are there Avataridesa, Shyamdesa, Balaramadesa. You know Middle East – Dubai, Sharjah, Abu dhabi. The names of these countries are converted. It’s possible that it is the idea of Jayapataka Maharaja. He is the GBC, Governing Body Commissioner of these countries and he likes to keep names. After discussing with the local devotees, they decided why call Dubai, Dubai?We will call it Damodhardesa as it starts with D. Abhudhabi – Avataridesa, Sharjah – Shyamdesa. Like we give a name to disciples starting with the first letter of their name, so he made these countries also his disciples and named these countries. It’s very good, because in these regions we cannot preach openly. It’s all underground. If we call Dubai Damodhardesa the people there will not understand which country these Hare Krsnas are talking about. They will not think much and our movement and preaching mission will go on and on.
Question 5: There are other mellows higher than santa rasa then why was Sukadev Goswami selected to recite Srimad Bhgavatam when he was practicing Santa rasa and there were many devotees present there in that assembly?
Gurudev uvaca:
Sukadev was Brahmavadi, Brahmavadis can become devotees. Mayavadis do not become devotees.
Mayavada Krsna Aparadhi
Mayavadis are offenders of the Lord. But Brahmavadis are favorable to Krsna. They can become devotee and Sukadev Goswami became a devotee. He was Brahmavadi in the womb. He wanted to stay there. He was peaceful there. But his mother was in distress as a baby of 16 years was still in the womb. When a baby takes birth he is how many kgs? Just 2 or 3 kgs. But Sukadev Goswami was 50 kgs. He is 16 years old so he is 50 kgs. His mother was suffering. Sukadev Goswami was the son of Vyasadev. Srila Vyasadev called Krsna from Dvaraka. In those day Krsna was in Dvaraka. He came and the baby got darsana of Krsna and was attracted to Krsna. Krsna promised the baby that if he came out he will be protected. Then this baby took birth and as he took birth,
putrena tanmaya viraha katar..
This is a prayer of Suta Goswami. He is offering obeisances at the lotus feet of Sukadev Goswami and glorifying him. Such was Sukadev Goswami. He was detached, without desire and devotion was awakened in his heart. When he went to the forest Srila Vyasadev gave him some teachings through his disciples. He directed his disciples to recite the slokas of Bhagavatam. Sukadev Goswami was able to hear the sloks where ever he was and he may come and enquire more. Vyasadev was training Sukadev Goswami though his disciples, like a counsellor. In this way he became eligible and was empowered to recite Srimad Bhagavatam.
There are two types of Bhagavats – Book Bhagavat and Person Bhagavat. So when Sukadev Goswami became a person Bhagavat at that time he recited Bhagavatam, not when he was Brahmavadi.
svayambhūr nāradaḥ śambhuḥ
kumāraḥ kapilo manuḥ
prahlādo janako bhīṣmo
balir vaiyāsakir vayam
Translation:
Lord Brahma, Bhagvan Narada, Lord Śiva, the four Kumāras, Lord Kapila [the son of Devahuti], Svayambhuva Manu, Prahlada Maharaja, Janaka Maharaja, Grandfather Bhisma, Bali Maharaja, Śukadeva Gosvāmī and I myself know the real religious principle. [SB 6.3.20]
Vaiyasakir means son of Vaiyasaki, that is Srila Vyasadev.
In these 12 Mahajanas , Sukadev Goswami’s name is included. So its explained in Ajamila katha that if anybody knows Lord Krsna they are these 12 Mahajans. Sukadev Goswami is highly qualified. He has all the right to recite Srimad Bhagavatam.
7th June 2020
Question 1: Can you explain vishrambha in one word?
Gurudev uvaca:
Vishrambha means intimacy or trust. Trust in the Lord.
Question 2: Please explain how is Santa rasa, one of the primary rasas when it does not have any seva bhava. How to understand?
Gurudev uvaca:
There are 5 primary rasas and 7 secondary rasas. In 5 rasas, there is Santa rasa. In santa rasa there is Bhakti bhava or seva bhava, but it is not displayed. When such a devotee gets the association of devotees who are dedicated and surrendered, then his bhava will evolve and will accept full fledged dasya rasa. We explained the characteristics of a Santa rasa devotee. They are “nishthavan and anasakta” They are more elevated than devotees with secondary rasas. In reality, the Lord is a treasure mine of all mellows. He is complete of all rasas. One of them is Santa rasa. One time when 4 kumaras went to Vaikuntha then they didn’t remain silent. They became active and started to preach.They started doing “yare dekha, tare kaha ‘krsna’-upadesa”. They preached gyana and vairagya. These Santa rasa devotees become elevated devotees.
Question 3: How Ajmila went to the Namabhasa stage? As it takes anartha nivritti to go on that stage.
Gurudev uvaccha:
First, there is nama–aparadh. The person keeps on chanting. Ajamila was also chanting Narayana! Narayana which was mixed with offenses. He had not said Narayana for the first time when the Yamadutas came. Every day he called his sons many times by his name, Narayana. He chanted more than 108 times. He called them to have lunch and other activities by calling their names. In this way, he chanted Narayan. By continuously taking the name of Narayana, anartha nivritti happened and he became free from offenses.
But when Yamadutas came he called Narayan in helplessness. The Lord assumed that He is being called and then immediately he sent the Visnu Duttas and hence He was liberated from death. There are 3 stages – nama aparadh, namabhasa and suddha nama. Then for suddha nama he went to Haridwar to chant the holy names. Then he realized Abhinatva naam namino (Krsna is non different from His name). Then the same Visnu Duttas came and he proceeded to Vaikuntha.
Question 4: We are so fallen then how we can reach Vishrambha Stage?
Gurudev uvacha:
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]
Question 5: We understand or say both Lord Rama and Krsna are the same, but their Dhama are different. Why so?
Well, they are one and different also. Acintya Bheda bhed.
Question 6: Do we have any family relationships in Goloka with other devotees or we just love Krsna?
Gurudev uvaca:
The question can also be asked, “Do devotees over there just love Krsna and not His devotees? Lord said that before loving Me, love the devotees. If you love Me, then love my dog. Srila Prabhupada also used to say this. Lord says” One who says one is My devotee is not My devotee”. But one who claims to be a devotee of My devotee is indeed My devotee. Here also there are so many inter-relationship. Relationships over here are not eternal. If relationships are existing over here then we should understand that relationships will be existing in Goloka too.
Question 7: What are the qualities in Radharani which are not in Krsna?
Gurudev uvaca:
This was one of the internal reasons for the appearance of Caitanya Mahaprabhu. There are 3 reasons mentioned in Caitanya-caritamrita. Rukmini also has said this to Lord Dvarakadhish that there are somethings which I know little, but Radharani knows. Then the Lord said,”Haven’t you read Bhagavatam which mentions Me as abhigya svarat.” When Rukmini said, “You don’t know” then the Lord decided to appear as Radharani. Then He said that He will have a Radha realization. He will know what’s there extra in Radharani or bliss which She relishes because of Krsna.
Question 8: What is the relationship of Madhavacarya with Gaudiya sampradaya?
Gurudev uvaca:
We are not just the Gaudiya Sampradaya, but we are Brahma Madhava Gaudiya Sampradaya. There is acintya bheda bheda. There are many branches which are developed of this Madhava sampradaya. They are different, but one too. Vaishnava sampradaya means worship of Visnu.
4th June 2020
Question 1:
In which mood or bhava should we serve the Lord?
Answer:
Discussion was going on about this and we were explaining the Superexcellence of Gaudīya Vaiśnavism and various bhavas (mood) which are sānta, dāsya, sākhya, vātsalya, mādhurya. Dāsya bhava is the base. Dāsya is common in all the bhavas.
Question 2:
Please explain the meaning of Viśrambha.
Answer:
This viśrambha is acintya, inconceivable. These emotions are not so easy, but subtle due to it’s divinity. This is related to acintya-bheda-abheda tattva. In viśrambha bhava, there is no difference between the Lord and the living entity as we are one and the same. We have an intimate relationship with the Lord. This is about the knowledge of aiśvarya śunyatā of the Lord. The Lord doesn’t display His aiśvarya (opulence,) but He displays mādhurya. He keeps His devotees near Him. He sits on the lap of Mother Yasoda, puts cowherd boys on His back or Radharani shows maan bhava. This relationship with the Lord is called Viśrambha. One is aiśvarya mishrit bhakti and another is viśrambha. The relationship of Arjuna with the Lord is aiśvarya mishrit sākhya while the relationship of the cowherd boys with the Lord is of viśrambha sākhya. In aiśvarya, there is a thought that the Lord is great and we are śudra or tiny. But in viśrambha, there is – tum kon bada log, tumi ami sama!
We will continue with the Superexcellence of Gaudīya Vaiśnavism in the next class. Today is a special day, Dahi chida festival.
500 years ago on today’s tithi at Panihati, near Kolkata on the banks of the Ganga, Nityananda Prabhu arrived. Caitanya Mahāprabhu had sent Him to West Bengal to propagate the holy name of the Lord. Nityananda Prabhu was engrossed in kirtana day and night with His associates. Then, Raghunatha Dasa came. He is yet to become Raghunath Dasa Goswami, one of six goswamis of Vrindavan. He is still a grhasta and a son of a wealthy landlord, Govardhana Dasa. Govardhana Dasa was rich and a donor. Raghunatha’s parents were asking him to stay at home and do bhakti. There was no need to take sannyāsa (renounced order). Thus, they got him married. Raghunatha Dasa didn’t want to be at home. He wanted the association of Caitanya Mahāprabhu by joining His mission to spread the holy name. When he left home, he would be brought back again. He was eager to get the association of Mahāprabhu. Thus he arrived at Panihati with a hope to get Nityananda Prabhu’s mercy.
Nityananda Prabhu was sitting on the banks of the Ganga under a huge tree with His associates. Raghunatha Dasa came over there and offered obeisances from afar. One devotee told Nityananda Prabhu about him and He called Raghunatha Dasa a thief and asked him to come near Him. Raghunatha Dasa kept sitting there with utmost humility. Nityananda Prabhu came and put His lotus feet on the head of Raghunatha Dasa. He wanted to punish him and therefore asked Raghunatha Dasa to feed dahi chida to everyone. This type of punishment was appropriate as he was the son of a big landlord who was not just a millionaire, but a billionaire.
All chida (flat rice) was brought over there from various places. Dahi and Dūd chida were to be prepared by mixing various ingredients in big utensils. Raghunatha Dasa arranged everything for the dahi chida festival. Nityananda Prabhu came there and He was surrounded by His associates in the same way Krsna and Balarama used to be surrounded by their cowherd friends on the banks of the Yamuna in Vrindavan. When the announcement was made for the dahi chida festival, everyone came. Mothers didn’t cook at home. There was no place left to sit. Some were standing on the riverbank, some were standing in the water up to their waist. Everyone was given 2 earthen pots, one of dahi chida and another of dūd chida. This pastime is described in text 44, chapter 6, Antya lila of Caitanya-caritamrita.
1st June 2020
Question 1:
He had heard it from somewhere that if we chant 3 crore names then we will attain the nāmābhāsa stage from the nāmaparādha stage.
Answer:
It may take 30 crore names. It depends on with how much sincerity you are trying. It depends on the intensity of your practice in devotional service.
Question 2:
Please say something about Gaudiya Vaiśnava tilak.
Answer:
By seeing the tilak, one conceives which sampradaya we belong to. If a woman is wearing bindi or kumkum then it is understood that she is sadhavā (married) and she is not vidhavā (widow). Similarly, when we wear tilak then we present that Krsna is our Lord and we are His servants. Gaudiya Vaiśnava tilak is a symbol of the Lord’s feet and the Tulasi beneath it represents the Tulasi leaf on the lotus feet of the Lord. We should wear tilak every time.
Namarupa Prabhu asked,
Question 3:
How has Gaudiya ‘acintya-bedha-abheda’ supremacy over other vaiśnava philosophies?
Answer:
We worship Radha Krishna and they are topmost.
Question 4:
Whether there is any book to which we can refer to go in depth of this concept of ‘acintya-bheda-abheda tattva’?
Answer:
Yes. Govinda Bhashya is the one, which is given by Gaudiya Vedanta Ācārya Baladeva Vidya Bhushan.
31st May 2020
Question 1:Krishnakumar Prabhu has asked that without serving cows we can’t enter Goloka Dham. Is it true? If yes then how can we increase it?
Gurudev : If you have heard this or read it somewhere then this is true. If you want to enter in the Lord’s pastimes as a cowherd boy then you have to practice it over here. The Lord goes for herding cows without shoes and an umbrella. If you are brahmin then sing the glories of cows. There is someone who does Bhagvat katha for 7 days in Vrindavan. If you’re a politician then you can protect cows. You can drink the cow’s milk after offering unto the Lord. Don’t drink wine. Some are preaching that you can make a burger at home by adding beef or cow’s flesh in it. These are followers of Hiranyakasipu.
Question 2: What is Gaudiya? Devotees of Vishnu are called as Vaishnavas.
Gurudev: Krishna’s devotees are called as Krashnas. Devotees of Radha are called Gaudiyas. Gauda is region. The Lord appeared and worshipped Radha. We worship that Krsna who worships Radha. In this way we become Gaudiya Vaishnavas.
Question 3 :Bhakta Sunil is asking what will happen to existing identity if we accept Gaudiya Vaishnavism?
Gurudev: Many things can be said. But in short we can say. There are 2 parts of Goloka. Vrindavan and Navadvipa. If one is more attracted by Madhurya pastimes of the Lord then one will return to Vrindavan. If one is more attracted to Gauranga Mahaprabhu then one will return to Navadvipa or Svetadvipa. Srila Prabhupad would say that we have to join dancing party of Radha Krsna. If you’re interested in both then you can be there at both places. The Lord can make such an arrangement. This confidential arrangement is also there. So that is the Superexcellence of Gaudiya Vaisnavism.
Question 4:
Vallabh Nimai Das: May we hear that Bhamchari class
Ayodhyapati Ram Das_Gurgaon:Is there any way that we can also attend that brahmachari class??If not to everyone, then can it be available to youth devotees?
23rd May 2020
Q3:Why Mahaprabhu use to hear Dhruva and Prahlad Caritra again and again?
Gurudev uvaca: They are special characters. We get enthusiasm and energy by listening to them. Caitanya Mahaprabhu also wants to show us that we should not directly read the rasa lila of the Lord which is in the 10th canto. We have to study, do sravanam and kirtana of the previous cantos. Prahlad caritra is there in the 7th canto and Dhruva caritra is there in the 4th canto. If we read them then we will be purified and we will be ready to study and understand the 10th canto where madhurya and gopinaya pastimes of Radha and Krsna have been explained.
23rd October 2020
Question 1: Is chanting a sadhana or seva?
Gurudev Uvaca: Chanting is dharma and rendering services (seva) to Krsna and it is also the dharma of living entities. Therefore, sadhana is seva itself. Sadhana means chanting or reading books. It’s also seva.
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)
Nine types of bhakti (śravanam, kīrtanam) is also sadhana and seva as well as dharma. Sadhana is seva and seva is dharma.
Question 2 : Do the modes of nature apply to the devotional services performed?
Gurudev Uvaca: Being enthusiastic is a requirement to go outside for sankīrtana. Devotional services to the Lord is of pure goodness. It does not fall under the three modes of nature. Although we must take advantage of early morning hours as it falls under the mode of goodness, but in daytime also, we have to perform our devotional services in pure goodness even though it’s a time of mode of passion. We must not get affected by the mode of passion. Bhakti should be in pure goodness, above all the three the modes of nature. We have to become paramhansa or transcendental. When we perform devotional services in pure goodness, then every time will become favourable.
jīv jāgo, jīv jāgo, gauracānda bole
kota nidrā jāo māyā-piśācīra kole
Translation
Lord Gauranga is calling, “Wake up, sleeping souls! Wake up, sleeping souls! How long will you sleep in the lap of the witch called Maya? (Verse 1, Jiv Jago Jiv Jago, Arunodaya Kirtana Song 2, Bhaktivinoda Thakura)
Someone is sleeping in the mode of goodness, some in the mode of passion or some in the mode of ignorance. We have to wake up above these modes, whether it’s day time or night time or any place.
Question 3: How much Artha (money) should be used for Dharma (religion)?
Gurudev Uvaca: 50% of money should be used for Dharma or religious activities, 25% for day to day maintenance and 25% for future emergency.
Question 4: Whose incarnation was Advaita Ācārya?
Gurudev Uvaca: Advaita Ācārya was the incarnation of Maha Visnu.
Question 5: How can we attain the mode of pure goodness and overcome all the three modes of nature?
Gurudev Uvaca:
daivī hy eṣā guṇa-mayī
mama māyā duratyayā
mām eva ye prapadyante
māyām etāṁ taranti te
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. (BG. 7.14)
Lord said, “Those who surrender unto Me can easily overcome the three modes of material nature.” Śrīla Prabhupāda used to explain. When we go to meet someone and find a dog barking on the door, then we call the owner of the dog to keep him aside so that we can easily enter. Similarly, Maya (illusion) is Krsna’s dog. When we call or surrender unto Krsna, we can overcome Maya. Brahma and Shiva are also Vaiśnavas. Thus, the same rule holds for them. Therefore, we must surrender to the Lord and His holy name.
Hare Krishna Hare Krishna
Krishna Krishna Hare Hare
Hare Rama Hare Rama
Rama Rama Hare Hare
When we chant attentively, then we can overcome the three modes of material nature and go Back to Godhead.
Question 6: There is a presence of the mode of passion and ignorance in women and if her husband is a devotee and in the mode of goodness, then there is a chance for her to go Back to Godhead? What if her husband is not a devotee?
Gurudev Uvaca: Make Krsna your husband. We have an eternal relation with the Lord. We all are the soul and the soul is female. It means we all are women. Therefore, make Krsna your husband. Get attracted to Him and go Back to Godhead. We become free from all material designations like men or women when we perform devotional service.
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. (CC Madhya 19.170)
The soul performs devotional service, not bodies of men or women. There could be more or less presence of the three modes of nature in men or women, but we are eternal souls. Therefore, we must perform devotional service. Keep the husband away. In a marriage, the first person is Krsna and then the wife and husband. Therefore, keep Krsna in the centre and spend grhasta life doing bhakti. Serve your husband as well as the Supreme husband, Śrī Krsna.
Question 7 : Can you explain ‘aśtha kaliya lila’?
Gurudev Uvaca: There are a total of 8 divisions (prahar) in 24 hours. The Lord performs 8 different pastimes in those 8 prahars. Nishanta kāla, Prātah kāla, Purvahna kāla, Madhyan, Aparahna, Sayana kāla, Pradosh kāla, Nisha kāla are the 8 prahar. There are sādhaks who remember the pastimes of the Lord according to the time or kāla. “This time the Lord must be performing Gochāran lila with His cowherd friends or He must be in Bhāndir vana. At Madhyan, Krsna must be with Radha and the gopīs at Radha-kunda playing with swings and in water. In Sayana kāla, Krsna must be heading back home from Gochāran lila. And now He arrives at Nandagram. Mother Yasoda is embracing Krsna. And now they are bathing and then mother Yasoda and Rohini are feeding them.
19th October 2020
Question: Does influence of the three modes on us have connection with our past karma? (Mukund Madhav Dasa)
Answer: Haridas Thakur Das: Yes. Because our current life is the result of past karmas which too were influenced by three modes.We are conditioned because of these three modes.By undeviated service to Krsna we can transcend these-BG 14.26
Question: How can we see our in which modes we are ?And how can we elevate from that modes of nature? (Prahlad Maharaja Dasa)
Answer: Haridas Thakur Das: By studying their effects in BG-verses 14.7-14.13. By proper association and attentive chanting we can overcome these.By rendering undevaited and uninterrupted devotional service to Krishna we can elevate and finally overcome these-BG14.26
Question: As we are controlled by the modes of nature, it creates great difficulty in surrendering to the Lord so how we can surrender when the modes of nature are controlling us. (Arjun Sakha Dasa)
Answer: Haridas Thakur Das: Reading and following scriptures intelligently and carefully. Ones surrender to God manifests through surrender to Guru.
Additionally: Six steps leading to complete surrender are-
anukulyasya sankalpah pratikulyasya varjana
raksisyatiti visvaso goptrtve varanam tatha
atma-niksepa-karpanye sad-vidha saranagatih
“The six divisions of surrender are: accepting those things favorable to devotional service, rejecting unfavorable things, the conviction that Krsna will give protection, accepting the Lord as one’s guardian or master, full self-surrender, and humility.”CC Madhya 22.100
Some more questions:
1. If the Lord is in control of the 3 modes and we are dancing dolls in His hand, so how can the living entity act independent of the Lord? (Mahesh Wagh)
Answer: It is because of living entity’s desire ( misuse of minute free will given to it ) to act and enjoy independent of the Lord that he comes under control of the modes.When the living entity wants to enjoy independent of the Lord, he is not allowed to, but instead bound by Lord’s illusory energy through these three modes and punished perpetually. By practicing devotional service we try to get freed from this bonding.
2. Asakti se kese dur rahe?(Aruna Kumbhar)
Answer: Krishna se Asakti badha ke
3. When activities are like pure goodness but intention are like ignorance how to deal with such a devotee? (Gadadhar Pandit Dasa)
Answer: Devotee means perfect gentle men-Srila Prabhupada.So if I want to deal with someone as devotee, I have to be perfect gentlemen.
Vaisnver Gun grahi, na dekhaye dosh.Kaya mane vakye kare Vaisnav santosh.
4. I have to travel a lot, stay at many places. I am unable to eat prasada all those times. I am disturbed regarding not eating prasada. How to over come this obstacle? (Kansanisudana Dasa)
Answer: Many a devotees have to do so for business and job. One way is to try to find ISKCON centers or devotees in those places and look for prasada. Devotees do cooperate.bIf this is not possible then to ensure to eat food without onion and garlic and offering it mentally.
One could offer tulsi leaves to the Lord or your spiritual master and keep with oneself.This tulsi prasada can be mixed with the non-onion and non-garlic items.Milk and milk products like curd and sweets do not contaminate as much.Fruits are the safest means. One could take fruits one time,other time milk products and some other time grains also. Could add extra rounds of chanting in your minimum daily japa to compensate the loss.
5. Tamogun aur aalasaysy kasy dur rahy (Seema Jadhav)
Answer: By regulating eating and sleeping.BG17.7-17.10 details food in different modes and devotees need to take food prepared in the mode of goodness and offered to the Lord.Also devotees are advised to eat half belly only and early in the evening.Sleeping early will help in getting up early. Tamoguna can be reduced and finished by chanting japa in the early hours regularly among devotees. All devotees face this and struggle to overcome this.
6. What is the role of Yogamaya and Mahamaya? (Dãnghãti Lilã Devi Dãsi)
Answer: Yogmaya engages and protects devotees while Mahamaya punishes demons.
Lord ordered Yogmaya to transfer Lord Balaram from womb of mother Devaki to Rohini and blessed her that you will be worshipped in various forms ( Durga and her forms ) by people willing to attain material benefits. Yogmaya took birth from womb of mother Yashoda but when Kamsa wanted to dash her on a stone she slipped from his hands and took the form of Durga.So it is Lord’s same potency which is Yogmaya and acts to engage and protect pure devotees and punish the demons ( she took form of Durga immediately as Kamsa wanted to kill her).When we want to exploit material nature we become demons and mahamaya punishes us.
7. When we are in home we maintain visudha satva gun but we go outside for preaching ya service how maintain visudha satvagun? (Giriraja Govardhana Dasa)
Answer: We are struggling to reach visudh satva state.Enriching morning program more with devotional activities gives prolonged protection.
8. Satvaguna Rajogun Tamogun What should one do above pure Satvaguna. (Jagannath Ganguly)
Answer: Vaikunta lok or Golok is in pure satva . It is not guna.That is the ultimate state we want to reach.
9. Jo niyam aapne bataye hain hum log un sabhi ko palan karne ka pura pura pryas karte hain lakin humara hridya shuddh nahi ho pa raha hai .hume Bhakti badhne ke aur kya karna chahiye taki hum in teen guno se upar uth saken. (Vidvan Gauranga Dasa)
Answer: Shudh to hum sab ho rahe hein.Apne picchle varson ko yaad karke dekhein.Bhakti ki matra aur teevrata aur badhein.Dhairya, utsah aur viswas ki bhagwaan kripa avasya karenge banye rakhen.Kisi bhi karya ko safal banane ke liye ye teeno avsyak hen.
18th October 2020
Questions
Question 1: If a soul comes to this material and if the parents give only the goodness environment to the child then will it get influenced by other modes because of Maya? Can we again bring him to the mode of goodness? (Paramkaruna Prabhu, Nagpur)
Gurudev Uvaca: Being in the mode of goodness is not our motive. ISKCON has been formed to bring people out of the clutches of Maya beyond the three modes of Nature. When we associate with the devotees we will be free from these three modes.
When you churn the yogurt well in essence the butter separates and starts floating. Similarly, after achieving perfection by practice we will be separated from this Maya, though we will be in this world. When you will do sadhana, Japa and Kirtana you will be not affected by the three modes.
Question 2: How much time does it take for a grhasta to become free from all the modes? Is it possible? (Vamana Prabhu, Nigidi)
Prabhupada said that in this life only you have to attain perfection. You have to become Krsna conscious. Raja Parakshit was also a grhasta and many such grhastas attain perfection. Those who are taking training, will not remain grhasta for a lifetime, they will become vanaprastha. They will take sannyasa. At least that mood will be there. They will be free from lust. In one lifetime, you have to become brahmachari, grhasta, vanaprastha, and sannyasi.
In Kaliyuga people don’t go further than the grhasta ashram. When we do sadhana and become initiated then we should not stick to grhasta ashram, we have to become vanaprastha. It’s not necessary that you have to go the forest. You can be at the home and do all the activities. After taking sannyasa we have to free from lust. All these you have to do in this lifetime. Prabhupada would say that businessmen expect the profit on the same day. He doesn’t wait for the next year. Similarly, we have to attain Krsna prema in this life only. Make a goal to make this life your last life.
Like Khatwanga Muni had just 48 minutes and he did it. We have 1 lifetime. Make your devotion very intense. We have to increase the intensity and frequency. Ahaituki apratihata Intense and continuous devotional services are the solution. If you do so, you should not wait for the last moment, before that itself you will become liberated. We will be ever ready. Whenever we leave the body we will go to back home, back to Godhead. Don’t postpone it. Now and here we have to become Krsna conscious.
1st October 2020
Question 1: Why is Maya so rude? Why doesn’t she show mercy especially to devotees?
Gurudev uvaca: Some are those who don’t understand the instructions of the Lord as the Lord said jīva jāgo jīva jāgo. Maya is the agent of the Lord. Then she has to kick us. dandena shuddhate, Punishment makes a person pure. The more Maya creates problems, the more we remember the Lord.
Question 2: How to overcome lust which we experience in day to day life?
Gurudev uvaca: Lust is an opposite for love. Love means prema. When we develop love for the Lord, we can easily overcome lust.
viṣayā vinivartante
nirāhārasya dehinaḥ
rasa-varjaṁ raso ’py asya
paraṁ dṛṣṭvā nivartate
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. (BG. 2.59)
When we will experience a higher taste of prema, we can overcome the lower taste of lust. We misunderstand love for lust. Love is divine and natural whereas lust is mundane and artificial. We need to acquire love and prohibit lust. Chant the Hare Krsna mahā-mantra, worship Krsna, honour Krsna Prasāda to develop love for Krsna and overcome lust which is our enemy.
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)
Question 3: How can we dovetail our daily activities with Krsna?
Gurudev uvaca: Treat your patients in such a way that they afterwards engage themselves in the service of the Lord. Like if someone is blind, for them eye-camps are there, treat them in such a way that they, after getting well, desire to have darsana of the Lord or study Bhagavad-Gītā or Śrīmad Bhāgavatam with their eyes and not to see television. You can have contract with them, “Are you going to see Krsna after I will give you your eye sight? Only then will I operate, otherwise Tukaram Maharaja says,
Tyahuni andhala baravh me – Better if I remain blind only
In Bhaktivedānta Hospital, Mira road, all the doctors are devotees. Counseling goes on. Those who are admitted patients, for them we take mobile temples to their rooms so that they can have darsan of the Lord. We play music in their bedrooms and tell them how to change their lifestyle, diet, etc. The doctors and nurses encourage the patients to chant and when the patients go back home, doctors maintain the relationship with them and do counseling from time to time. One time I was there in that hospital, the doctors asked me to address the audience. When I inquired about the audience, they said, they are the old patients of this hospital.
Now they have a reunion once a month. The doctors there have made more than 1000 initiated devotees with the medicine of Hare Krsna mahā-mantra, Krsna prasāda and Bhagavad gītā instructions. Now they chant a minimum of 16 rounds and follow the 4 regulative principles. They have become Prabhupādanugas. Hence, as a doctor, you can diagnose the patient’s soul along with their body. This will dovetail your propensity with the service to Krsna. It is possible in every field. This is an instruction of Prabhupāda.
There is an appreciation and recognition celebration of International WHNF on 3 October from 7:30 to 9.30 pm. We are also going to have a festival on 10 October for ISKCON temples within India only, at the same time. We are going to announce the Top 10 temples and Top 10 video makers and give them certificates for their work in WHNF. Spread this news around.
24th August 2020
Questions
1.Gurumaharaj yesterday your holiness mentioned abt sridama who comes as demon sankachuda ..my question is he the same demon who was tulsi devis so called husband ?
(shyamalangi devi dasi)
Tulasi Devi was married to Jalandhara
(GourBhagavana Dasa)
Jalandhar has his name as well Sankachuda
(shyamalangi devi dasi)
2. What should be our constant prayer to Radha Rani
Answer: Kindly divert my attraction from material world to Krsna and thus engage in His service.
(Acharya Srinivas Das)
3. Who were playing musical instruments?
Answer: Gopis
(Radha Vrindavan Chandra das, Thane)
4. Krishna to 8 years ke the…gopiya kitne years ki thi
Answer: Sukadev Goswami used the word ’Kumarika’ that means they would have been in their teens or blow.
(Sunanda gupta, Amravati)
5. It is said without reading the 9 cantos one she not read Canto 10 please advise.
Answer: Yes.That is why Prabhupada wrote Krishna book which is katharupa of 10th Canto.So we can read Krishna book to enjoy Krsna’s pastimes.
One becomes doubtless about the Lord by reading up to 9thcanto.Then one can deeply understand Lord’s pastimes.However, if the curiosity is too much as what is there in the 10th canto then it is all there in Krishna book and still if someone is willing to have a go, nothing is wrong because Prabhupada says Bhagavatam is sweet like ‘misri’ and will taste sweet from all sides.
22nd August 2020
1. If Durga is shadow of Radha, who is Yogamaya?
Chitaranjan Sahoo,bbsr)
Answer: Yogamaya is also expansion of Srimate Radharani in spiritual world as guru Maharaj told.(Anupam Gaura Dasa, BLR)
2. Is there any scripture which mentions the various forms of Radharani. like she is Satyabhama in Dwarka
Answer: Could check in Gargsamhita , Skandha Puraan and books by Rupa Goswami and Sanatan Goswami
(Romma Verma)
3. Satybhama kon thi?
Answer: Daughter of Satrajit who had Syamantak mani.(Sarita Khandve Pune)
4. I wanted to ask lord brahma sings brahma samita ..is that during brahma mohan lila or much before when lord creates himself and gives him knowledge in his heart..does brahmaji sings that time brahma samita?
Answer: Before Brahma vimohan leela
(Shyamalangi devi dasi)
5. Four Ranis described, but other Rani? Asta Rani
Answer: Rukmani, Satyabhama, Jambabati, Kalindi-Viraja of Golok Mitravrinda- princes of avanti, Satya or Nagnajiti- daughter of King Nagnajit of Ayodhya, Bhadra-Princes of Kaikeya kingdom, Lachhmana- princes of Madra desh.
Married 16100- captives after killing Narkasur or Bhaumasur from Prgjyotispur now Aasam
(Girirajgovardhandas,ALIBAG)
6. What is the qualifications to understand the lilas of Radha Krsna?
Answer:To reach at level of suddh naam japa or to become so pure.Krishna reveals Himself and His pasttimes in proportion to our purification and our purification is in proportion to our surrender. Six steps of surrender are-AAnukulasya samkalpa pratikulasya varjanam…..
“One can understand the most mysterious past times of Radha Krishna simply by continuously chanting mahamantra”, says Srila Prabhupad.
(Radhapandharinath das)
7. Durga Devi ka Swaroop kesaka Hai Radha Rani Ka ya Parvati ji ka ?
Ans:Radharani ki Chhay aur Parvati I ka Swaroop.
(Sanjay Nandha, Mumbai)
8.हरे कृष्ण महराज, प्रणाम। खुप विशेष क्लास।रुक्मिणीजी चन्द्रावली जी का विस्तार है या राधाजी का?
Answer: Chandravali ka
(Hemant Karane)
9. Radha Rani ki chaya Durga samzane ki aavshkta hay so pl
Answer: Radharani ki Chhaya ya bhagwan ki Chhyaa shakti -ek hi baat hai.
(Sudevi vandana devidasi Nagpur)
10. Guru Maharaj Radha Kripa kataksh Stotra ka daily karti ho (Manupriya Devi Dasi Nagpur)
11. जैसे वृन्दावन धाम अयोध्या धाम, वैकुंठ हैं क्या इसी प्रकार से द्वारका धाम इन सभी धामो से भिन्न हैं या इन धामो का ही विस्तार भी है क्?
Answer: Dwarka dhaam in dhamo se bhinna hai lekin Krishnalok jo Vaikunth mei sarvoch lok hai usme hi hai.
(Shaktyavesh Avatar Das, AMR)
12. Who is Abhimanyu, Radharani’s husband ?
(Apoorva Natavar Das)
Answer: Abhimanyu played the part of the “so-called husband” of Shrimati Radharani in Lord Krsna’s pastimes. Abhimanyu is not some different personality He was expansion of Sri Krsna’s Shadow.The Acaryas explain how it was Krsna only who married Srimati Radharani in the form of Abhimanyu. When Lord Brahma had stolen the calves and the Gopas and put them in mystic slumber for one full year, that time Lord Krsna not wanting to create any type of anxiety for the Brajavasis personally expanded Himself as each and every calf and each and every Gopa, so identically that no one even considered the possibility that there was any difference. At that time Ayan also was separately present in the forest. So he was also kidnapped. Then Lord Krishna took the forms of all kidnapped friends and lived in every houses {He is God, he can do anything, just remember how he danced with all Gopi is at a same time} till Brahma returned his friend. As Ayan was kidnapped, he had taken the form of Ayan also. Then He married Radha in the form of Ayan. This is the reality behind the marriage of Radha and Ayan. So Abhimanyu who married Radha is Vishnu-tatta and can be thought of as expansion of Krishna.
13.I am confused I read in a Srimad Bhagavatam purport 10.52.18 that
“…Similarly, in the Skanda Purāṇa we find this statement: rukmiṇī dvāravatyāṁ tu rādhā vṛndāvane vane. “Rukmiṇī is in Dvārakā what Rādhā is in the forest of Vṛndāvana…”
Answer: This can be understood from the point of view of importance. What importance Radha had in Vrindavan leela same importance Rukmini had in Dwarka leela. But Satyabhama is expansion of Radharani and Rukmini is expansion of Chandravali.
14. After we complete our chanting, do we meditate in the name of Shri Radha Rani and Krsna or the mantra will play in the mind with the practice?
Answer: Mantra will play in the mind as we continue and persist with chanting.
(Deepakshi)
15. From where the cowherd boys, the cowherd men , women and different living entities in the Dham expanded from ? (From Krishna all expansions come, from Srimati Radharani all gopis come)
Answer: Those in Mathura were demi-gods who took birth in Vrishni Vamsa or Yadu Vamasa as relatives of Vasudev.Those in Vrindvan were eternal associates of Krishna.
(Shyam Gopal Das ISKCON Noida)
16. What about Balaram bhagwan. What’s the link between Srimati Radha Rani and Bhagwan Balaram.
(Nandimukhi DD Noida)
(Bhakta Chaitanya, BBSR)
Answer: One is expansion from left portion and the other from right.Both being first expansion and most confidential servants are adi gurus.
17. What is expansion of Srimati Tulasi devi in Dvaraka lila?
(Luv Kush Das & Smriti DD, Maur)
18. Who is really YAMUNA mata in Golok dhama?
Answer: River Viraja.
20th August 2020
गुरू महाराज क्या निंबार्क संप्रदाय और गौडीय संप्रदाय का गंतव्य एक हि गोलोक वृन्दावन है या उनमें भेद है
Answer:It is same Golok as they also worship Radha Krsna as does Gaudiya Vaisnav.
(Prannath Dasa)
Radharani ka pati ka nama Anaya/Abhimanyu?
Answer: They are same person.Abhimanyu is locally known as Ayan.
(Girirajgovardhandas, Alibag)
Is Shridhama, Radharani’s brother same as Krsna’s friend ?
Answer:Yes
(Shally Seth)
4. Abhimanyu Visnu tattva hai? Kya Abhimanyu bhagawan ka avatar the?
Answer:Ayan Ghosh, known as Abhimanyu was also shepherd like Krishna and his friends. If we analyze the meaning of Ayan it is shepherd. He also used to come in the Vrindavan. But he was not in the group of Krishna.One day Lord Brahma wanted to be confirmed that Krishna is the incarnation of lord Vishnu. He wanted to examine the power of Krishna. So he kidnapped Krishna’s all friends from the forest. At that time Ayan also was separately present in the forest. So he was also kidnapped. Then Lord Krishna took the forms of all kidnapped friends and lived in every houses {He is God, he can do anything, just remember how he danced with all Gopi is at a same time} till Brahma returned his friend. As Ayan was kidnapped, he had taken the form of Ayan also. Then He married Radha in the form of Ayan. This is the reality behind the marriage of Radha and Ayan.
So Abhimanyu who married Radha is Vshnu-tatta and can be though of as expansion of Krishna.
(Ramprasad Dasa, Alibag)
(Vidwan gaurang dasa, Moradabad)
5. I am in Krsna prema. Felt like bhagawan is leaving me. Why it is happening to me. First He has shown lots of kripa.
Answer:In the beginning Krishna reciprocates easily so that a devotee gets attached to Him and then He becomes difficult and
difficult so that the devotee becomes stronger and stronger in sadhna.The same thing happened with Naradji in his previous
life.Some devotees also shared so. So no need to worry.Please carry on with your sadhana.
(Prasanthi Budda)
5. Only our surrender, our humility and the purity of our consciousness will help us at the time of death. Explain how to work on that? It’s a lifelong task!
Answer:All of us are working on that and this is the process what we are following that is, hearing, chanting , following regulative
principles, etc.
(Dãnghãti Lilã Devi Dãsi, Maur )
6. राधा राणी की लीला ऐकला आवडती राधा राणी ची कृपा कशी मिळेल याचा प्रयत्न कसा करावा
Answer: Keep worshipping and chanting sincerely.
(मोनिका उमेश गायकवाड)
7. Does Alhadini shakti also spiritually nourish the devotees ?
Answer:Yes
(Jayabhadra dd AMR)
8. Why did Vrsabhanu come to Barsana?
Answer: Nand maharaja and Vrsabhanu were very close friends and chief of Gopas.Nand maharaja lived in Gokul while Vrasbhanu lived in Rawal, some 2-3 km apart.When nandmaharaaj on the advise of aged and old gops left Gokul, Vrasbhanu also left Rawal to be based Basanti village near Radhakund and then finally in Barsana.
(Jambavan Das Pune)
9. How to please Radharani? How can we please Radha Rani next 7 days?
Answer:By more chanting in prayerful mood to Radharani.We address Her 8 times in one mantra.
(Caityaguru Dasa, Nagpur)
(Munish Sabharwal, Delhi)
10. Anang Manjari is also an expansion of Balaram.. Is it so? Didn’t know about Radaharani.
Answer: Lord Balaram expands in Anang manjari to serve in Madhurya rasa.
(Arabinda Lochan Das, Bbsr)
11. When we enter any devata’s temple or mosque and pray maha-mantra is it mishra bhakti?
Answer:In any demi-God temple,we should chant and pray with Vaisnava pranama mantra: vāñchā-kalpatarubhyaś ca kṛpā-sindhubhya eva ca patitānāṁ pāvanebhyo vaiṣṇavebhyo namo namaḥ
(Shraddha Shakti DD)
12. Bhagvan ke sharir rang megha shyaml varnan kiya hai lekin kuch mandiro me bhagvan ke vigrah sfed kyo hai?
Answer: Megha shyam varna not available elsewhere.So other Deites are also of not this hue. Deities can made from sand, wood, stone, metal like gold or silver or ashtadhatu.
(Raghavendra Das)
13. Radharani ki favorite dish kaun si hai, Arvi ki sabzi to pta hai iske alava kaun si hai. plz bta do
Answer: Additionally Plum chutney.In fruits , she likes Chiku.
(Sunanda Kathuria)
14. What is the relationship between Balram ji and Radharani, as Balaramji is Aadi guru, and Radharani is aahladni shakti but both are represented by Guru. How to understand?
Answer: One is expansion from left portion and the other from right.Both being first expansion and most confidential servants are adigurus.
(Radha Govindji)
18th August 2020
Following are the answers to your questions asked in today’s Japa Talk
यदि कोई मरणासन्न व्यक्ति हो तो वो किस प्रकार माँम अनुस्मर युद्ध च कैसे कर सकता है ?
Answer: In order to be able to do so , we practice and chant daily and engage in devotional activities.Krishna says that He remember His devotees if they are not able to remember at last moment. Let us see following sequence of verses of chapter 8 of BG
BG.8.5-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
8.6-Whatever state of being one remembers when he quits his body, O son of Kuntī, that state he will attain without fail.
BG 8.7-तस्मात्सर्वेषु कालेषु मामनुस्मर युध्य च । मय्यर्पितमनोबुद्धिर्मामेवैष्यस्यसंशय: ॥ ७ ॥
Therefore, Arjuna, you should always think of Me in the form of Kṛṣṇa and at the same time carry out your prescribed duty of fighting. With your activities dedicated to Me and your mind and intelligence fixed on Me, you will attain Me without doubt. Lord has used word tasmat, or therefore, in verse 8.7 which shows the conclusion that in order that one can remember Krishna at the end of his life ( verse 8.5), one should remember Him while continuing his struggle for survival
(Shambhu Nath Choudhary, Gorakhpur)
2. What is the name of Srila Haridas Thakura childhood and how many years did he stay in the house? – not answered
(Girirajgovardhandas, Alibag)
3.How I can increase taste in chanting without association of devotees even though chanting since many years I am finding it very difficult ? Kindly guide.
Answer: By being regular on Japa talk you can take association of devotees.Chanting early morning, becoming strict in observing regulative principles , reducing interaction with mundane people or reducing prajalpa are few points to aware of all the time.You can fix and spare your time for chanting and tell yourself that this is the most important activity of the day.Beforehand make a plan of the day so that mind is assured and does not make plans.Chant with full intelligence, diligence and mind.Take pledge like ,” that I am going to chant these three mantras with attention “and when about to finish three again take pledge for next three and so on and you will see that your are more attentive. By being mindful and determined, that is , very careful and chanting without offence ( read 10 offences pl. ) taste will definitely increase-that is Rupa Goswami’s observation NOI-verse 7.
(Rakesh)
4. I’m fatigued with the household work itself & looking after young children, and since a couple of months due to health reasons also am not able to do early morning japa. Health doesn’t allow. What to do?
Answer:Prabhupad laid the priority in the order- First health , then care of the children, household work then chanting. Your can ensure to feed and eat prasadam only.That is also devotional service.Upbringing children with Krishna consciousness is the biggest responsibility parents have and Prabhupad did not let it to be ignored.That is preaching.You know your routine better and a sincere devotee still can manage time for chanting.if I am sincere for chanting, Krishna will definitely show me the way.
(Premdayini Dasi)
5. While we are making Japa how one can concentrate our minds?
Answer:By determining to chant with attention and concentration and chanting maximum rounds, if possible all sixteen, in one sitting.
(Galaxy M11)
6.मेराएक प्रश्न है कृष्णा बुक में अध्याय 55 प्रद्युम्न का जन्म जो आता है उसमें प्रभुपाद कहते हैं कि श्री कृष्णाके 4 अंश है जोकि श्रीवासुदेव श्रीसंकर्षण श्रीप्रद्युम्न और श्रीअनिरुद्ध हे जो भगवान के साक्षात अंशअवतार हैंलेकिन हम कैसे समझे कि उन्होंने कौन–कौन सी लीला की है तो कृपया आप हमें बताइए । आपकी यहजपाटॉक में आप रोज जो लेक्चर देते हैं उसके कारण हमें प्रचार में बहुत सहायता होती है।
Answer:You can read pastimes of Balram, Pradyumn and Anirudh in Krishna book.
(Venugopal Das, Nagpur)
7. Human beings have 4 defects.Do they become free from those defects once they take to pure devotional service?
Answer:Four defects in Humans are -Bhrama, pramaad, vipralipsa and Karnapatau respectively meaning to commit mistakes,Illusion,cheating propensity and Limited senses.These are manifestation of mode of passion and ignorance and our sense are limited because our spiritual senses are covered by ‘material elements’ or to say by lust.By practice of devotional service these start diminishing and we can see that propensities like cheating are reduced.When a devotee reaches the platform of pure devotional service he becomes free of these defects that is why the literature by acharyas is accepted and that one by mundane scholars is rejected.The great saint and poet Surdas was blind but he could see the Lord’s past times and take his darshan also at altars.He was tested for this by a temple priest.He was free from Karnapatau and so from other defects.
(Shyamalangi devi dasi)
8.How does one chant along with office work together. How did Arjun remember Krsna in the battlefield..some practical guidance.
Answer: Following verse of Srimad-Bhagawatam and Srila Prabhupada’s purport would make a clear understanding if read carefully:
ŚB 1.5.36
कुर्वाणा यत्र कर्माणि भगवच्छिक्षयासकृत् ।
गृणन्ति गुणनामानि कृष्णस्यानुस्मरन्ति च ॥ ३६ ॥
Translation
While performing duties according to the order of Śrī Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, one constantly remembers Him, His names and His qualities.
Purport
An expert devotee of the Lord can mold his life in such a way that while performing all kinds of duties either for this or the next life, he can constantly remember the Lord’s name, fame, qualities, etc. The order of the Lord is distinctly there in the Bhagavad-gītā: one should work only for the Lord in all spheres of life. In every sphere of life the Lord should be situated as the proprietor. According to the Vedic rites, even in the worship of some demigods like Indra, Brahmā, Sarasvatī and Gaṇeśa, the system is that in all circumstances the representation of Viṣṇu must be there asyajñeśvara, or the controlling power of such sacrifices. It is recommended that a particular demigod be worshiped for a particular purpose, but still the presence of Viṣṇu is compulsory in order to make the function proper.
Apart from such Vedic duties, even in our ordinary dealings (for example, in our household affairs or in our business or profession) we must consider that the result of all activities must be given over to the supreme enjoyer, Lord Kṛṣṇa. In the Bhagavad-gītā the Lord has declared Himself to be the supreme enjoyer of everything, the supreme proprietor of every planet and the supreme friend of all beings. No one else but Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa can claim to be the proprietor of everything within His creation. A pure devotee remembers this constantly, and in doing so he repeats the transcendental name, fame and qualities of the Lord, which means that he is constantly in touch with the Lord. The Lord is identical with His name, fame, etc., and therefore to be associated with His name, fame, etc., constantly, means actually to associate with the Lord.
The major portion of our monetary income, not less than fifty percent, must be spent to carry out the order of Lord Kṛṣṇa. Not only should we give the profit of our earning to this cause, but we must also arrange to preach this cult of devotion to others because that is also one of the orders of the Lord. The Lord definitely says that no one is more dear to Him than one who is always engaged in the preaching work of the Lord’s name and fame all over the world. The scientific discoveries of the material world can also be equally engaged in carrying out His order. He wants the message of the Bhagavad-gītā to be preached amongst His devotees. It may not be so done amongst those who have no credit of austerities, charity, education, etc. Therefore, the attempt must go on to convert unwilling men to become His devotees. Lord Caitanya has taught a very simple method in this connection. He has taught the lesson for preaching the transcendental message through singing, dancing and refreshment. As such, fifty percent of our income may be spent for this purpose. In this fallen age of quarrel and dissension, if only the leading and wealthy persons of society agree to spend fifty percent of their income in the service of the Lord, as it is taught by Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, there is absolute certainty of converting this hell of pandemonium to the transcendental abode of the Lord. No one will disagree to partake in a function where good singing, dancing and refreshment are administered. Everyone will attend such a function, and everyone is sure to feel individually the transcendental presence of the Lord. This alone will help the attendants associate with the Lord and thereby purify themselves in spiritual realization. The only condition for successfully executing such spiritual activities is that they must be conducted under the guidance of a pure devotee who is completely free from all mundane desires, fruitive activities and dry speculations about the nature of the Lord. No one has to discover the nature of the Lord. It is already spoken by the Lord Himself in the Bhagavad-gītā especially and in all other Vedic literatures generally. We have simply to accept them in toto and abide by the orders of the Lord. That will guide us to the path of perfection. One can remain in his own position. No one has to change his position, especially in this age of variegated difficulties. The only condition is that one must give up the habit of dry speculation aimed at becoming one with the Lord. And after giving up such lofty puffed-up vanities, one may very submissively receive the orders of the Lord in theBhagavad-gītā or Bhāgavatam from the lips of a bona fide devotee whose qualification is mentioned above. That will make everything successful, without a doubt.
Just as child is dependent on his mother and completely surrendered , a disciple who is completely surrendered to his spiritual master is following Krishna’s instruction fully and can remember Krishna all the time.It is our mundane intelligence that acts as a block in our surrender.
(Dr. Munish Sabharwal)
9. Guru Maharaja you said: “If you think that chanting is the process of practice and the result of attainment of perfection in chanting will be Bhakti, then you are wrong”Isn’t chanting part of sadhana bhakti, practicing so at the end we obtain bhakti?
Answer:There are 64 limbs of devotional service or bhakti given by Rupa Goswami in nectar of devotion and out of these chanting is the topmost limb of devotion.Chanting it self is devotion.Chanting is the means and chanting is the goal.Yes, Chanting is part of sadhana bhakti, but sadhana bhakti is also bhakti.
(Vrndavana Lila)
10. For how many days was Lord Balaram in the womb of Rohini?
Answer:Lord Balarama was for seven months in the womb of mother Devaki when he was transferred to the womb of mother Rohini. So you can understand…
(Madhavi Gopi Dasi)
11. How to balance duty and bhakti? Any practical guidance
Answer:Answer to question no 8 above is very much relevant here.Please do read carefully.
Bhagavad-Gita, Bhagawatam and all Vedic literature lays emphasis on simple living that is not increasing bodily comforts and be satisfied with one’s natural occupation. Thus spare as much time and energy and devote in devotional service. All activities of a completely surrendered disciple become devotional activities-please do read purport given in answer to question no 8.
(Apoorva Natavar Das)
12. I have a question from Srimad Bhagawatam in Canto 3, it is said that when Hiranyaksha was there, things like unine, stool, pus etc rained from sky. I feel that all these things are produced in the body, then how can it rain, like water comes down as rain, but it is one of the five pancatattvas…. but urine etc are by products.
Answer:Demons could do this by mayavi powers.Subahu and Marich were also doing the same in Vishwamitra’s yajnas when Viswamitra took Rama and Laxman to punish them.
Balbal who was son of Ilbal was also creating such nuisance to Saunaka Rishis in Naimisaranya when Lord Balrama was requested to kill the demon and Lord Balrama did so.
(Anandamayi Radha Devi Dasi, MBD)
- What is the difference between bhakti yoga and gnyana yoga?
Answer: Srila Prabhupad elaborates in his purport to verse 10.10 of Bhagwadgeeta that when a person knows the goal of life but is addicted to the fruits of activities, he is acting in karma-yoga.When he knows that the goal is Kṛṣṇa but he takes pleasure in mental speculations to understand Kṛṣṇa, he is acting in jñāna-yoga. And when he knows the goal and seeks Kṛṣṇa completely in Kṛṣṇa consciousness and devotional service, he is acting in bhakti-yoga, or buddhi-yoga, which is the complete yoga. This complete yoga is the highest perfectional stage of life.
(Prasanthi Budda)
25th July 2020
Question One
Yesterday during our discussion, some devotee asked whether Mukunda Dasa and Mukunda Datta are the same?
Answer:
The answer is No, they are not the same. This Mukunda Datta was a companion of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, a classmate of Caitanya Mahaprabhu. He was a famous singer of Mahaprabhu’s mandali. That Mukunda Dasa was a doctor of Shrikhand this Mukunda Datta was a singer of Navadvipa. We sing Gaura Arati regularly and there it is mentioned what all the devotees are doing at the time of Mahaprabhu’s arati. The 4th stanza states: sañjaya-mukunda-bāsu-ghoṣ-ādi gāya, so Mukunda Datta’s name is mentioned in Gaura Arti as well. The arati was taking place on the banks of River Ganga in Navadvipa.
Question Two
Who was Raghunath das Goswami?
Answer
We should all know about Raghunath Dasa Goswami. He is one of our 6 Goswamis and had a special contribution in Mahaprabhu’s pastimes. He was the son of a landlord.
You don’t read books and that’s the reason why you do not know. There are many books like Caitanya-caritamrta, Caitanya Mangal or Caitanya Bhagavata. There are many books about the Goswamis as well. We must read them. In our Vaisnava calendar we have special days of appearance and disappearance of Goswamis and Acaryas. We must try to read about them on these special days. Gaur Ganodesh Dipika, a book by Kavi Karnapur has a lot of information about these devotees. He gives a concise list of the devotees who the devotees in Lord Caitanya’s pastimes were in Krsna lila.
17th June 2020
Question 1: Please explain Citta. I also request you to please explain about Antahakarana, Smriti Patala. What is their location and what is their function? (Shyama Gopal Prabhu, ISKCON Noida)
Gurudev Uvaca: This question seems to be short in words, but the answer to this means reading all the Vedas and Scriptures. Everything will be covered. Even I don’t know the complete and specific answer to this, but whatever I have understood I will explain.
Citta is related to cetana. There are two things. Nature is material or the root cause. We can say that cetana belongs to the jiva. We get to know about the presence of the jiva by his cetana. All the activities performed by the jiva is because of cetana’s presence. Citta is consciousness. It is Bhavana. The same Bhavana or cetana gets contaminated in this world and makes one’s life miserable by engaging in the material world.
mach-chittā mad-gata-prāṇā bodhayantaḥ parasparam
kathayantaśh cha māṁ nityaṁ tuṣhyanti cha ramanti cha
Translation
With their minds fixed on me and their lives surrendered to me, my devotees remain ever contented in me. They derive great satisfaction and bliss in enlightening one another about me, and conversing about my glories. [B.G 10.9]
The Lord asked us to engage our cetana or consciousness in Him rather than involving it in Maya.
ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanaḿ bhava-mahā-dāvāgni-nirvāpaṇaḿ
śreyaḥ-kairava-candrikā-vitaraṇaḿ vidyā-vadhū-jīvanam
ānandāmbudhi-vardhanaḿ prati-padaḿ pūrṇāmṛtāsvādanaḿ
sarvātma-snapanaḿ paraḿ vijayate śrī-kṛṣṇa-sańkīrtanam
Translation
Glory to the sri-krsna-sankirtana, which cleanses the heart of all the dust accumulated for years and extinguishes the fire of conditional life, of repeated birth and death. This 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. [Sri Siksastakam]
Our consciousness gets contaminated with goodness, passion and ignorance. Our cetana’s nature describes whether we are in the mode of goodness, passion or ignorance. Cetana’s thoughts and deeds leads us to these three different modes. Therefore the Lord asks us to fix our minds on Him. (Mach-chitta)
Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu has said ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanaḿ. He has asked us to clean the mirror of our consciousness. Then comes smriti patala.
man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru
mām evaiṣhyasi yuktvaivam ātmānaṁ mat-parāyaṇaḥ
Translation
Always think of Me, be devoted to Me, worship Me, and offer obeisance to Me. Having dedicated your mind and body to Me, you will certainly come to Me. [BG 9.34]
Then comes antahakarana, smriti patala. In Antahakaran there is mind, body and ego (aham). ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanaḿ. The mirror of our consciousness is cleansed. by chanting,
Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna
Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare
Hare Rama, Hare Rama
Rama Rama, Hare Hare
When our consciousness gets cleansed by chanting the Hare Krishna maha-mantra then by remembering the Lord which means remembering His form which includes His name, form, Hari katha, Vaisnava songs etc. then we will get to meet God. He will visit us. Thinking and seeing are connected. What is the location? It’s very subtle. The soul is present in each and every part of our body. You cannot feel it in your hair, but it should be present there also. In an ant’s body the soul will be present all over the body of that ant. If the soul is there in the elephant’s body then the consciousness is filled all over the body of the elephant. The size of the soul doesn’t depends upon the size of the body. The soul can take any form. The size for the soul remains the same.
mahatmanas tu mam partha daivim prakrtim asritah
bhajanty ananya-manaso jnatva bhutadim avyayam
Translation
O son of Prtha, 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]
Antahakarana or cetana is connected with the soul. Mind, cetana, bhavana can be material. Aham or ego is also an element. Lord says our body is made up of 8 elements.
bhūmir-āpo ’nalo vāyuḥ khaṁ mano buddhir eva cha
ahankāra itīyaṁ me bhinnā prakṛitir aṣhṭadhā
Translation
Earth, water, fire, air, space, mind, intellect, and ego—these are eight components of my material energy. [BG 7.4]
There are 8 elements. Some say 5 great elements. When elements gets subtle then from that consciousness is formed.So false ego (aham mamayti), mind, intelligence are all material. They are with the soul which forms consciousness. Where is the soul present? Though it is in the body, but the proper place is in the heart.
sarvasya chāhaṁ hṛidi sanniviṣhṭo
mattaḥ smṛitir jñānam apohanaṁ cha
vedaiśh cha sarvair aham eva vedyo
vedānta-kṛid veda-vid eva chāham
Translation
I am seated in the hearts of all living beings, and from Me come memory, knowledge, as well as forgetfulness. I alone am to be known by all the Vedas, am the author of the Vedānt, and the knower of the meaning of the Vedas. [BG 15.15]
The energy or consciousness of soul spreads all over the body just like the light of a bulb spreads all over the room. This comes in discussion about self discovery. All this is mentioned in Discover Yourself.
dehas tu sarva-saṅghāto
jagat tasthur iti dvidhā
atraiva mṛgyaḥ puruṣo
neti netīty atat tyajan
Translation
There are two kinds of bodies for every individual soul — a gross body made of five gross elements and a subtle body made of three subtle elements. Within these bodies, however, is the spirit soul. One must find the soul by analysis, saying, “This is not it. This is not it.” Thus one must separate spirit from matter. [SB 7.7.23]
We say I’m not this mind, even I’m not this subtle body, I’m not false ego. Then who are you?
‘radha-krishna’ bol bol bolo re sobai
(ei) sikha diya, sab nadiya
phirche nece’ gaura-nitai
Translation
Chant, chant “Radha-Krishna!” Everyone chant! When Lord Caitanya and Lord Nityananda came dancing through Nadia, They gave these teachings: Chant, chant “Radha-Krishna!” Everyone chant!
Then we conclude that we are servants of the Lord.
jivera ‘svarupa’ haya –
krishnera ‘nitya-dasa’ krishnera ‘tatastha sakti’ ‘bhedabheda-prakasa’
Translation
The jiva’s constitutional nature is to be an eternal servant of Sri Krishna. The jiva is the marginal potency of Krishna and a manifestation simultaneously one with and different from the Lord. [CC Madhya-lila, 20.108]
jivera ‘svarupa’ haya –
krishnera ‘nitya-dasa’ krishnera ‘tatastha sakti’ ‘bhedabheda-prakasa’
Translation
“The jiva’s constitutional nature is to be an eternal servant of Sri Krishna. The jiva is the marginal potency of Krishna and a manifestation simultaneously one with and different from the Lord.” [CC Madhya-lila, 20.108]
Shyama Gopal Prabhu, I can say this is the answer.
Question 2: We were in Vaikuntha or Goloka? (Sevya Radha Mataji)
Gurudev Uvaca: She wants to know whether we were in Vaikuntha. Yes, we were in Vaikuntha and we are fallen souls now. She wants to know from where we have fallen down. Were we in Brahma or Maha-Vishnu? Fall of the Jiva. This topic is controversial and inconceivable. Mataji is asking as there are no modes in Vaikuntha or Goloka then how come we have fallen down? This is a big question in front of the world and Vaisnavas. How the jiva fell down? How anger or jealousy arose in the jiva? From so many years this topic is being discussed in ISKCON. ISKCON GBC took a stand based on Srila Prabhupada’s thoughts, conversations and has published a paper on the fall of the jiva. Mataji, you can read this paper. In fact , we all should read this so that we can understand the stand of our acaryas as they also had different opinions on this topic. Jiva Goswami has expressed some different thoughts on this.
The jiva is a fragment of the Lord. Lord is abhigya and Swaraat or swatantra. The jiva also has minute independence and can feel it. The Lord has full control on everyone. The jiva is small and that is why it has little independence. When the jiva desires to have sense gratification then the jiva falls down. Even we have taken benefit of the independence that is why we are here.
Krsna bhuliya jiva bhoga vancha kare nikata aste maya taare jhapatiya dhare’
Translation
The moment soul desires not to serve the Lord maya immediately grabs him and casts him into material existence.
bhoktāraṁ yajña-tapasāṁ sarva-loka-maheśhvaram
suhṛidaṁ sarva-bhūtānāṁ jñātvā māṁ śhāntim ṛichchhati
Translation
Having realized Me as the enjoyer of all sacrifices and austerities, the Supreme Lord of all the worlds and the selfless Friend of all living beings, My devotee attains peace. [BG 5.29]
Sometimes the jiva tries to compete with the Lord, hence he falls down. Devotees have not asked this but let me tell you this. If after going back to Godhead and if again thoughts of sense gratification come, then we will again fall down. Then why to go back? This thought also arises. But the Lord has said that those who go back will not come back. Here it is also mentioned Going Back. So what does this mean? Oh, he is going back to Pandharpur. Earlier he was here, now where can he go? This is a reference to the place where we were earlier.
na tad bhāsayate sūryo na śhaśhāṅko na pāvakaḥ
yad gatvā na nivartante tad dhāma paramaṁ mama
Translation
Neither the sun nor the moon, nor fire can illumine that Supreme Abode of Mine. Having gone There, one does not return to this material world again. [BG 15.6]
God has said that one who returns never goes back.(na nivartante) And whatever the Lord says is true.
Srila Prabhupada would ask this question – If a man has fallen, then will he ask from which floor he has fallen, what time he had fallen, which building it was?If someone falls in a well then his concern should be how can I get out of this well. Some wells are so deep that even the rays of the sun can’t reach there. So one should ask how can we get out this situation. Srila Prabhupada provided the answers for this. These are not the real questions. The real questions are How can we get out of here? What are the ways and procedure? Try to seek Help. If someone is asking for help then one won’t ask how we have fallen over here. Our origin is that we were created by the Lord. As per Darwin’s theory we have evolved from amoeba to monkey. He says that we are descendants of the monkey. No! We can say that we have been created by Brahma. He has created our bodies. Our mother and father gave us the body, but we are not the body. We are souls who are part of the Lord and is saccidanand. We are not born from a monkey or Brahma, nor our parents.
mamaivānśho jīva-loke jīva-bhūtaḥ sanātanaḥ
manaḥ-ṣhaṣhṭhānīndriyāṇi prakṛiti-sthāni karṣhati
Translation
The embodied souls in this material world are My eternal fragmental parts. But bound by material nature, they are struggling with the six senses including the mind. [BG 15.7]
Question 3: If Brahma got enlightened with supreme knowledge in Vrindavan during Brahma Vimohan Lila then why did he forget when he went to meet the Lord in Dvaraka?(Acyuta Cetana Mataji)
Gurudev Uvaca: The main aim of Brahma Vimohan Lila was to transfer a little knowledge to Brahma so that he could have also learnt a few lessons about the Lord and get enlightened. We were explaining to you about visrambha sakhya. Do you remember the two types of Sakhya?
In vishrambha sakhya Lila the Lord was interacting with His friends. They were eating prasada without offering it to Lord as Krsna was present there. They gave it to Krsna. Considering them to be His equal Krisna was eating from others’ plate like snatching sweets from each other. They were eating each others’ remnants. The question arises what kind of God? This was the answer. The Lord was answering the question of Lord Brahma for one year. Lord showed His supremacy for one year. He proved that He is distinguished and special. Brahma understood that this child is not like other children. He is special.
eko bahunam yo vidadhati kaman
nityo nityanam cetanas cetananam
Translation
The Supreme Lord is eternal and the living beings are eternal. The Supreme Lord is cognizant and the living beings are cognizant. The difference is that the Supreme Lord is supplying all the necessities of life for the many other living entities. [Katha Upanisad 2.2.13]
The Lord’s consciousness is different. (eko bahunam yo vidadhati kaman). We are many, but Krsna is one who maintains all the jivas. Krsna showed this over there. In Dvaraka a different question was asked? He was asked which Brahma has come? What type of question is this? He said I am the only Brahma. The Lord didn’t orally answer him. The Lord welcomed many Brahmas from different universes and showed His power. He also enlightened Brahma with higher knowledge in Dvaraka.
Question 4: From Pancatattva to Srila Prabhupada which saktyavesh avatars are there above them?
Gurudev Uvaca: This question doesn’t seem to be specific. All acaryas are there. Pancatattvas are there. ISKCON will be there for the next 10000 years and Srila Prabhupada will always be the founder acarya. ISKCON will work according to his instructions and preachings. Pancatattvas are directors of this movement. They have given this lifestyle, mantra.
Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna
Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare
Hare Rama, Hare Rama
Rama Rama, Hare Hare
Pancatattvas are actually providing us energy.
ajanu-lambita-bhujau kanakavadhatau
sankirtanaika-pitarau kamalayataksau
visvambharau dvija-varau yuga-dharma palau
vande jagat-priyakaro karunavatarau
Translation
I offer my respectful obeisances unto Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu and Sri Nityananda Prabhu, whose arms extend down to Their knees, who have golden yellow complexions, and who in- augurated the congregational chanting of the holy names of the Lord. Their eyes resemble the petals of a lotus flower; They are the maintainers of the living entities, the best of the brahmanas, the protectors of religious principles for this age, the benefactors of the universe, and the most merciful of all incarnations. [Caitanya-Bhagavata 1.1.1]
Now the next Kalki incarnation will be there. During the starting of Kaliyuga Caitanya Mahaprabhu appeared. Now we are waiting for Lord Kalki. The appearance of acaryas starting from Caitanya Mahaprabhu to Srila Prabhupada is also called incarnations of devotees. Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakur was also a manjari like Srila Vishwanath Chakravarti Thakur, Srila Narottam Das Thakur. Lord also takes incarnations in the same way the Lord’s devotees take incarnations. Srila Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Thakur was not a sadhana siddha, he was a Nitya siddha, but he had appeared from Godhead. As Srila Prabhupada appeared and preached, he is said to be saktyavesh avatar.
kali-kālera dharma—kṛṣṇa-nāma-saṅkīrtana
kṛṣṇa-śakti vinā nahe tāra pravartana
Translation
The fundamental religious system in the Age of Kali is the chanting of the holy name of Kṛṣṇa. Unless empowered by Kṛṣṇa, one cannot propagate the saṅkīrtana movement. [CC Antya 7.11]
eko aham dvitīyo nāsti |
na bhūto na bhaviṣyati ||
Translation
There was and never will be anyone like Me
Officially it is not mentioned anywhere nor has Prabhupada ever proclaimed this, but devotees say this. All the other acaryas have also been sent by God and they have been empowered by Him. Let’s stop here.
14th June 2020
Question 1: Lord Sri Ram is Maryada Purushottam. Lord Sri Krishna is Purna Purushottam. Sri Krsna Caitanya Mahaprabhu is Prema Purushottam. Is Prema higher than rasa? Is there any specific comments on Caitanya Mahaprabhu’s place being higher than Krsna?
Gurudev Uvaca:
No, it is not higher. Rasa is prema and prema is rasa. They are just two different names. It can be Madhurya Rasa or Madhurya Prema or Sakhya Rasa or Sakhya Prema or Sakhya bhava or Sakhya bhakti. Prema is rasa.
raso vai sah rasam hy evayam labdhvanandi bhavati
Translation:
“He is that rasa (ananda or bliss). One who drinks that rasa becomes full of bliss.”(Taittiriya Upaniṣad 2.7)
Krsna is rasamoya or premamoya and same with Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Is Caitanya Mahaprabhu higher or greater than Krsna?
sri-krsna-caitanya radha-krsna nahe anya
Sri Krsna Caitanya is Radha Krsna. They are not two. They are one. One is Gaura sundar and another is Shyamsundar. They are both beautiful. One is of Golden complexion and the other is blackish. Both of Them are residents of two different parts of Goloka and spend Their time there. They keep on doing Their pastimes. One is in Vrindavan and the other in Mayapur. Mayapur is also Goloka and Vrindavan is also Goloka. Vrindavan is called Madhurya Dhama and Mayapur is called Audarya Dhama. Some difference is there. Sri Krsna plays Madhurya Lila in Vrindavan. Caitanya Mahaprabhu relishes the same pastimes in the Mayapur part of Goloka.
namo maha-vadanyaya
krishna-prema-pradaya te
krishnaya krishna-chaitanya-
namne gaura-tvishe namah
Translation:
O most munificent incarnation! You are Krsna Himself appearing as Sri Krsna Caitanya Mahaprabhu. You have assumed the golden color of Srimati Radharani, and You are widely distributing pure love of Krsna. We offer our respectful obeisances unto You.
Hence he becomes maha-vadanyaya.
skande avanti-khande sri-vyasoktau –
gita sugita kartavya kim anyaih sastra-vistaraih
ya svayam padma-nabhasya mukha-padmad vinihsrta
Translation:
In the Skanda-purana, Srila Vyasadeva says, “Memorize and sing sweetly this Bhagavad-gita. What need is there to elaborate on other scriptures? She has descended directly from the lotus mouth of Lord Padmanabha.”[Hari-bhakti-vilasa ]
Bhagavad Gita was spoken from the mouth of the Lord. We celebrate Gita Jayanti. Sri Krsna Caitanya Mahaprabhu composed the 8 slokas of Sri Siksastakam.
ceto-darpana-marjanam bhava-maha–davagni-nirvapanam
Lord Krsna contributed the Bhagavad-Gita which has 700 slokas. But Sri Krsna Caitanya Mahaprabhu has only contributed the 8 slokas of Siksastakam. Both of them are Kalpa Avatars. We are talking about bheda-bheda tattva.They are one and different. Spiritually they are different. This doesn’t make Sri Krsna Caitanya Mahaprabhu greater than Krsna. He is different. They are Kalpa avataras, but not Yuga avataras. sambhavami yuge yuge. We can say that both of Them are not an avatar. They are avatari. Krsna appears once in a day of Brahma in Dvapara and next to that Sri Krsna Caitanya Mahaprabhu appears in Kalyuga. It’s not that Krsna is not merciful.
he krsna karuna-sindhu dina-bandho jagat-pate gopesa gopika-kanta radha-kanta namo ‘stu te
What kind of Lord is that who is not merciful? But Sri Krsna Caitanya Mahaprabhu who is Krsna displayed His mercy and showed His mercy to the fallen souls of this Kaliyuga. In Dvapara Yuga, people are not so fallen. In Kaliyuga all become sudra. In Satyayuga brahmans were prominent and in Tretayuga Ksatriyas were prominent. In Dvapara Vaisya were a higher class.
kalau sudra sambhavah
Sudra means fallen. To deliver the fallen people of Kaliyuga Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu appeared. Both of Them have established dharma.
paritrāṇāya sādhūnāṁ vināśhāya cha duṣhkṛitām
dharma-sansthāpanārthāya sambhavāmi yuge yuge
Translation:
To protect the righteous, to annihilate the wicked, and to reestablish the principles of dharma I appear on this earth, age after age. (BG 4.8)
What is dharma? Prabhupada says Dharma means the laws of the Lord. In Bhagavad – Gita there are laws. There are rules and regulations, as well as do’s and don’ts.The first word of Bhagavad-Gita is dharma and the last word is mama. The last word of the 18th chapter, verse 78 is mama. “Mama dharma” means “the dharma which I have given.” Krsna gave dharma and Sri Krsna Caitanya Mahaprabhu established Harinama Sankirtana.
kali-kalera dharma—hari-nama-sankirtana
The dharma of Kaliyuga is harinama sankirtana and Caitanya Mahaprabhu established it. It has been proven from His bhava and thoughts that Caitanya Mahaprabhu is thinking about the deliverance of the people of Kaliyuga. Hence He says…
pṛthivīte āche yata nagarādi grāma
sarvatra pracāra haibe mora nāma
Translation:
“In every town and village, the chanting of My name will be heard.”(CC Madhya Lila 25.264)
By saying this his maha-vadanyata is proved.
namo maha-vadanyaya
krishna-prema-pradaya te
krishnaya krishna-chaitanya-
namne gaura-tvishe namah
In the pranam mantra of Caitanya Mahaprabhu, we address Him as mahavadanyaya. We offer obeisances to Krsna whose name is Krsna Caitanya. You can think about this. I said a few things on this question. I said he is not higher, but different. Just like Srila Prabhupada said that there is no such thing as superior or inferior between man and woman, but they’re different. In the same way, Sri Krsna and Sri Krsna Caitanya Mahaprabhu are not higher and lower, but they are different. This acintya-bheda-bheda tattva is good and it applies in many instances. In the jiva and the Lord also there is bheda-bheda. You can think about this. More discussion could have taken place but you can think about how Sri Krsna Caitanya Mahaprabhu is different. Think more and harder. This is your homework. This question-answer session is happening like a lecture. I heard that Bhakti Caitanya Swami Maharaja was doing a Question & Answer session and in half an hour he answered 20 questions.
Question 2: Can we get information about the 4 sampradayas?
Gurudev Uvaca: One time we have given this information about the 4 sampradayas. You can get more information. Purushottam Swami Maharaja has given a seminar in Vrindavan and has written a book on it. You can get that book. If you write to me then I can forward the soft copy to you.
Question 3: What is the importance of the 4 sampradayas?
Gurudev Uvaca: They are so important.
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]
To free the conditioned jivas from Maya, this world has been created. When the jiva become bahir mukha and tries to enjoy, then he gets the facility so that he can become bhogi. This is one purpose for which the world has been created. Another purpose is to free the jivas by making them devotees, making them sanmukh from vimukh. For that the Lord created scriptures. For teaching scriptures, teachers are needed. The Lord created these 4 sampradayas. The 4 acaryas of these sampradayas become the teachers.
acaryavan purusho veda – The person will become wise and learned when he follows in the footsteps of the acarya. These 4 sampradayas are given by the Lord which is called the school of thought.
sampradaya-vihina ye mantras te nisphala matah
In Padma Purana, it is said that we have to learn within the sampradaya. Without sampradaya, the mantra will be viphala.
evaṁ paramparā-prāptam
imaṁ rājarṣayo viduḥ
sa kāleneha mahatā
yogo naṣṭaḥ parantapa
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.[ BG 4.2]
Sampradaya is very important.This arrangement has been made by the Lord and we need to take full advantage of this. There are four sampradayas. By Caitanya Mahaprabhu’s arrangement, another sampradaya was created as it was an emergency. Gaudiya Parampara ki Jay.
anarpita-carīṁ cirāt karuṇayāvatīrṇaḥ kalau
samarpayitum unnatojjvala-rasāṁ sva-bhakti-śriyam
hariḥ puraṭa-sundara-dyuti-kadamba-sandīpitaḥ
sadā hṛdaya-kandare sphuratu vaḥ śacī-nandanaḥ
There were many previous incarnations of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, but none were so generous, kind and magnanimous as Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, for He distributed the most confidential aspect of devotional service, namely, the conjugal love of Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa. Therefore Śrī Rūpa Gosvāmī Prabhupāda desires that Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu live perpetually in the hearts of all devotees, for thus they can understand and relish the loving affairs of Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī and Kṛṣṇa. [Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī ]
Caitanya Mahaprabhu appeared to give the topmost rasa which was not given earlier within these 4 sampradayas. Caitanya Mahaprabhu wanted to give this Prema Rasa. What kind of Prema? One is mixed with Aiswarya and another is Vishrambha. So to give vishrambha madhurya sakhya, vatsalya this sampradaya was established by Caitanya Mahaprabhu.
Question 4: Please explain in detail about the Grantha Bhagavat?
Gurudev Uvaca: For that we have to do a Bhagavata Katha, but in that also the whole Katha won’t cover it. For this, we need to read Srimad Bhagavatam daily. Then you will become a Gaudiya Vaisnava. Caitanya Mahaprabhu also heard Bhagavatam. You are asking me detailS. Read the books of Bhagavatam. You also want to know about the person Bhagavat and the 12 Mahajans.
There are two types of Bhagavat, one is grantha Bhagavat and another is person Bhagavat. Srila Prabhupada says that Grantha Bhagavat is the Lord Himself and the person Bhagavat is the bhakta, a high-class devotee. The person Bhagavat always thinks about the Lord. He is always Krishna consciousness. The person Bhagavat is one who has understood the essence of Bhagavatam. Srila Prabhupada is also a Bhagavat. There are 12 Maha-bhagvatas.
vayambhur naradah sambhuh
kumarah kapilo manuh
prahlado janako bhismo
balir vaiyasakir vayam
Yamaraja said that the Lord Himself gives dharma.
dharmaṁ tu sākṣād bhagavat-praṇītaṁ
na vai vidur ṛṣayo nāpi devāḥ
na siddha-mukhyā asurā manuṣyāḥ
kuto nu vidyādhara-cāraṇādayaḥ
Translation:
Real religious principles are enacted by the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Although fully situated in the mode of goodness, even the great ṛṣis who occupy the topmost planets cannot ascertain the real religious principles, nor can the demigods or the leaders of Siddhaloka, to say nothing of the asuras, ordinary human beings, Vidyādharas and Cāraṇas.[ SB 6.3.19]
One who understands dharma given in form of Gita and Bhagavatam is Vyakti [Person] Bhagavat. By serving both, we can serve Bhagavatam.
8th June 2020
Question1: Please guide me as my mind is very disturbed sometimes, so it creates a fear of going away from Krsna. What should I do?
Gurudev uvaca:
This question is being asked by one devotee, but this question comes to everybody’s mind. We should not think that this question is not mine so I should not listen to the answer. This answer is for everybody. The question is, sometimes my mind gets disturbed. I was thinking you are so fortunate that only sometimes your mind gets disturbed, not always. And when your mind is disturbed you think, let’s go away from the Lord. So what should you do?
Then a question can be asked, where is the place where you go to and the Lord does not exist there? I want to go away from the Lord. Or I want to go away from chanting. Where is such a place? Where will you go where the Lord is not presesnt? Are you disturbed because you are going away from the Lord?
kṛṣṇa bhuliya jīva bhoga
pāsate māyā tare japatīyā
Caitanya Mahaprabhu says, “Oh jiva as you went away from Me with desire to enjoy and now Maya has attacked you. I was here as Lord Krsna’s form and there also I am but in which form? In the form of Maya. So you can’t go away from Me. [Prema-vivarta]
We pray to that Lord that when my soul leaves the body may I take the name of Govind or chant Hare Krsna. Hare krsna nama leke tab prana tan se nikale. But those who don’t desire this and want to go away from Krsna, Govinda , will the Lord leave them alone? The Lord will go there also. In which form?
mrtyuh sarva-haras caham
udbhavas ca bhavisyatam
kirtih srir vak ca narinam
smrtir medha dhrtih ksama
Translation:
I am all-devouring death, and I am the generator of all things yet to be. Among women I am fame, fortune, speech, memory, intelligence, faithfulness and patience.[BG 10.34]
mrtyuh sarva-haras caham, we can’t go away from the Lord. In manifest or un-manifest form the Lord is present everywhere. Just like the government is everywhere. When we go out on the roads we have to follow traffic rules. In business there are income tax laws and we are being troubled by these laws. We don’t want to follow them. If we break the laws of the land then where will we go? We will be put into jail. The government is there also. Government is in the jail and also outside the jail. Then where will you go? You can’t go away from the government. It is everywhere.
Srila Prabhupada would give an example of a kitten of a cat and a mouse. The baby keeps calling his mother “Meow! Meow!Mummy! Mummy! Help! Help!Where are you?” Then the mummy cat comes and how does she hold her baby? She catches hold of its neck and carries him. The kitten does not know where to go. It is too young. It can’t walk. It’s helpless. The kitten just calls its mother by saying meow, meow. The mother comes and holds its neck with her teeth and takes it away. Then sometimes the same cat sees a mouse and sits at the opening of the hole from where the mouse keeps going in and out. She sits there waiting to catch the mouse. As the mouse comes out, she catches it. The cat is the same. When she holds her kitten by its neck the kitten is very comfortable, “Oh mummy cat, you can hold me as much as you want. You are welcome.” But what will be the condition of the mouse in the mouth of the cat? Between the two, who is peaceful and who is not peaceful? The mouse is disturbed and the kitten is very peaceful. Srila Prabhupada explains further, the Lord holds us directly or we get direct association of the Lord or in the form of Maya. When Maya catches us then we are in distress and if we get the association of the Lord, we will be peaceful.
kṛṣṇa-bhakta—niṣkāma, ataeva ‘śānta’
bhukti-mukti-siddhi-kāmī—
Translation:
The word śānta means completely peaceful. Unless all one’s desires are fulfilled, one cannot be peaceful. Everyone is trying to fulfill his aspirations and desires, be they material or spiritual. Those in the material world are aśānta (without peace) because they have so many desires to fulfill.[CC Madhya 19.149]
We can’t go away from the Lord. Stay near the Lord. If you go away from the Lord, Maya will catch you, which is also a form of the Lord.
jāhāra nikaṭe gele pāpa dūre jāya
Translation:
Where does anyone find such a merciful personality by whose mere audience all sins go far away?
We should give up the thought of going away from Visnu and devotees of Visnu. I was also thinking where is your counsellor? When your mind is disturbed go to your counsellor or senior devotees. Stay in the association of devotees and do guhyam ākhyāti pṛcchati which is the symptom of love. Then you will be free from all the distress and disturbances.
Question 2: On which principle bhava is our Gaudiya parampara is based and do we need to follow the same bhava for developing our relationship with Radha and Krsna?
nāhaṁ vipro na ca nara-patir nāpi vaiśyo na śūdro
nāhaṁ varṇī na ca gṛha-patir no vanastho yatir vā
kintu prodyan-nikhila-paramānanda-
gopī-bhartuḥ pada-kamalayor dāsa-dāsānudāsaḥ
Translation:
I am not a brāhmaṇa, I am not a kṣatriya, I am not a vaiśya or a śūdra. Nor am I a brahmacārī, a householder, a vānaprastha or a sannyāsī. I identify Myself only as the servant of the servant of the servant of the lotus feet of Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa, the maintainer of the gopīs. He is like an ocean of nectar, and He is the cause of universal transcendental bliss. He is always existing with brilliance.’ [Padyāvalī ]
Caitanya Mahaprabhu has said,
ramya kacid-upasana vrajavadhu-vargena ya kalpita
Translation:
The highest and most pleasing type of worship of Krishna is done by the Vraja gopis. [Caitanya-matta-manjusa by Srinath Chakravarti.]
Make the bhava of the Gopis your ideals. Make the Gopis your hero, heroin. Follow them, but do not imitate them. Yesterday I was listening to Prabhupada who was saying, anusaran and anukaran. Follow in the footsteps and no imitation. We should follow in the footsteps of the gopis, but not imitate them.
Hare Krsna Hare Krsna
Krsna Krsna Hare Hare
Hare Rama Hare Rama
Rama Rama Hare Hare
Chanting is a process to establish our relationship with Radha and Krsna. It’s a process to establish a relationship and that’s Sambandha. Then there is Abhidheya so we need to settle. Then Prayojana is prema. At the time of chanting remember Radha and Her lotus feet or offer a special prayer at Her lotus feet.
karuṇāḿ kuru mayi karuṇā-bharite
sanaka-sanātana-varṇita-
Translation:
O You who are filled with compassion! O You whose divine characteristics are described by the great sages Sanaka and Sanatana! O Radha, please be merciful to me!
This is also a prayer, “Oh Radhe, please bestow the bhava to me like that which You have for the Lord, not that much, but at least a little. Oh Radhe please bestow us with the bhava like the Gopis have for the Lord.”
yam yam vapi smaran bhavam
tyajaty ante kalevaram
tam tam evaiti kaunteya
sada tad-bhava-bhavitah
Translation:
Whatever state of being one remembers when he quits his body, that state he will attain without fail.[BG 8.6]
Throughout our life we practice devotional service with the goal of achieving the bhakti bhava like the gopis. Then if we practice this lifelong then at the end of our life we will remember that bhava as we leave this body. According to that bhava we will get either no birth or another birth. Our next birth depends upon our thoughts at the end of our life. The Lord says, yam yam vapi smaran bhavam, whatever state of being one remembers when he quits his body, that state he will attain without fail.
This bhakti bhava, Radha bhava, gopi bhava is a complete and developed bhava which includes all others bhava. Dasya bhava, sakhya bhava, vatsalya bhava and gopibhava is there. In the dialogue of Ramananda Raya and Caitanya Mahaprabhu the topmost quality of conjugal love is explained.
In the air there are the qualities of sound and touch. In fire, there are three qualities — sound, touch and form. In water there are four qualities — sound, touch, form and taste, raso ‘ham apsu kaunteya.
Then in the earth there are all five qualities — sound, touch, form, taste and also smell, puṇyo gandhaḥ pṛithivyāṁ cha. Now, one can see that the quality of the sky is in all — namely in air, fire, water and earth. In earth we can find all the qualities of the material nature. The same can be applied to the rasa known as mādhurya-rasa, or conjugal love. In conjugal love there are the qualities of neutrality, servitorship, fraternity and parental affection, as well as those of conjugal love itself.
Conjugal love is complete and full developed. According to Caitanya Mahaprabhu with this bhava we become Gaudiya Vaisnava. Gopi bhava or conjugal love is the specialty and excellence of Gaudiya Vaisnavism. If we do not have gopi bhava, then we will become like some other sampraydaya.
Question 3: If Madhavites does not accept Radha or gopi and their philosophy is also different from our philosophy, then how we are connected with them?
Gurudev uvaca:
Unity in diversity is there or acintya-bheda-bheda is also there. Some things are the same and some things are different. All the sampradayas are one. We are all united on the basis of Visnu. We all believe in Visnu.
Vasudevam sarvam iti
Somebody’s Visnu is Krnsa, somebody’s Visnu is Lord Rama, somebody’s Visnu is Narasimha. All are Visnu, Visnu is common. Then main thing is that all the sampradayas and we, Gaudiya Vaisnavas all reject Advaitvada.
Caitanya Mahaprabhu says,
“Mayavada bhasya sunile haya sarva nasa.”
Translation:
“One who hears the commentaries of the Mayavadis, will ruin his spiritual life.”
But from where did we get this understanding? It came from Madhavacarya. He shows two fingers, jiva and the Lord. They are not one. Then only is devotional life possible. In all 4 sampradayas and if we call ours the 5th, devotional service is of prime importance.
In Mayavada and Advaitvada there is no devotion, zero devotion. Who do they serve? Aham brahmasmi. If you are Brahman then that is whom you serve.
We get linked up with all these sampradayas by some similar philosophies. We all are one, also we are different in some way. That’s why we all are related.
Question 4: Kindly explain how the name Radhadesh and Damodhardesh came?
Gurudev uvaca:
In Belgium ISKCON has one project, under Radha Gopinath temple. It’s a big 40 acre project. It’s a historical place. When ISKCON purchased it, devotees named it Radhadesa. In Caitanya-caritamrta there is mention of Radhadesh. Nityananda Prabhu appeared in Radhadesh. Part of Bengal where the River Ganga does not flow is called Rāḍhadeśa. Devotees saw Radhadesa. The spelling is the same dha is dhaa and dha is also ddha. They liked the name, “Let’s name our project as Radhadesa.” There was mistake in the pronunciation.
Below one dha there is a dot in diacritics, ḍha and below another dha the dot is not there. They did not see the dot. There was a mistake in pronunciation, but name is nice. Before this event there was no such name to any country in the world. But devotees read it as Radhadesa and named that project Radhadesa. Since then Radhadesa is existing, a big project of ISKCON is there in Belgium.
Not only Damodhardesa but many desas are there Avataridesa, Shyamdesa, Balaramadesa. You know Middle East – Dubai, Sharjah, Abu dhabi. The names of these countries are converted. It’s possible that it is the idea of Jayapataka Maharaja. He is the GBC, Governing Body Commissioner of these countries and he likes to keep names. After discussing with the local devotees, they decided why call Dubai, Dubai?We will call it Damodhardesa as it starts with D. Abhudhabi – Avataridesa, Sharjah – Shyamdesa. Like we give a name to disciples starting with the first letter of their name, so he made these countries also his disciples and named these countries. It’s very good, because in these regions we cannot preach openly. It’s all underground. If we call Dubai Damodhardesa the people there will not understand which country these Hare Krsnas are talking about. They will not think much and our movement and preaching mission will go on and on.
Question 5: There are other mellows higher than santa rasa then why was Sukadev Goswami selected to recite Srimad Bhgavatam when he was practicing Santa rasa and there were many devotees present there in that assembly?
Gurudev uvaca:
Sukadev was Brahmavadi, Brahmavadis can become devotees. Mayavadis do not become devotees.
Mayavada Krsna Aparadhi
Mayavadis are offenders of the Lord. But Brahmavadis are favorable to Krsna. They can become devotee and Sukadev Goswami became a devotee. He was Brahmavadi in the womb. He wanted to stay there. He was peaceful there. But his mother was in distress as a baby of 16 years was still in the womb. When a baby takes birth he is how many kgs? Just 2 or 3 kgs. But Sukadev Goswami was 50 kgs. He is 16 years old so he is 50 kgs. His mother was suffering. Sukadev Goswami was the son of Vyasadev. Srila Vyasadev called Krsna from Dvaraka. In those day Krsna was in Dvaraka. He came and the baby got darsana of Krsna and was attracted to Krsna. Krsna promised the baby that if he came out he will be protected. Then this baby took birth and as he took birth,
putrena tanmaya viraha katar..
This is a prayer of Suta Goswami. He is offering obeisances at the lotus feet of Sukadev Goswami and glorifying him. Such was Sukadev Goswami. He was detached, without desire and devotion was awakened in his heart. When he went to the forest Srila Vyasadev gave him some teachings through his disciples. He directed his disciples to recite the slokas of Bhagavatam. Sukadev Goswami was able to hear the sloks where ever he was and he may come and enquire more. Vyasadev was training Sukadev Goswami though his disciples, like a counsellor. In this way he became eligible and was empowered to recite Srimad Bhagavatam.
There are two types of Bhagavats – Book Bhagavat and Person Bhagavat. So when Sukadev Goswami became a person Bhagavat at that time he recited Bhagavatam, not when he was Brahmavadi.
svayambhūr nāradaḥ śambhuḥ
kumāraḥ kapilo manuḥ
prahlādo janako bhīṣmo
balir vaiyāsakir vayam
Translation:
Lord Brahma, Bhagvan Narada, Lord Śiva, the four Kumāras, Lord Kapila [the son of Devahuti], Svayambhuva Manu, Prahlada Maharaja, Janaka Maharaja, Grandfather Bhisma, Bali Maharaja, Śukadeva Gosvāmī and I myself know the real religious principle. [SB 6.3.20]
Vaiyasakir means son of Vaiyasaki, that is Srila Vyasadev.
In these 12 Mahajanas , Sukadev Goswami’s name is included. So its explained in Ajamila katha that if anybody knows Lord Krsna they are these 12 Mahajans. Sukadev Goswami is highly qualified. He has all the right to recite Srimad Bhagavatam.
7th June 2020
Question 1: Can you explain vishrambha in one word?
Gurudev uvaca:
Vishrambha means intimacy or trust. Trust in the Lord.
Question 2: Please explain how is Santa rasa, one of the primary rasas when it does not have any seva bhava. How to understand?
Gurudev uvaca:
There are 5 primary rasas and 7 secondary rasas. In 5 rasas, there is Santa rasa. In santa rasa there is Bhakti bhava or seva bhava, but it is not displayed. When such a devotee gets the association of devotees who are dedicated and surrendered, then his bhava will evolve and will accept full fledged dasya rasa. We explained the characteristics of a Santa rasa devotee. They are “nishthavan and anasakta” They are more elevated than devotees with secondary rasas. In reality, the Lord is a treasure mine of all mellows. He is complete of all rasas. One of them is Santa rasa. One time when 4 kumaras went to Vaikuntha then they didn’t remain silent. They became active and started to preach.They started doing “yare dekha, tare kaha ‘krsna’-upadesa”. They preached gyana and vairagya. These Santa rasa devotees become elevated devotees.
Question 3: How Ajmila went to the Namabhasa stage? As it takes anartha nivritti to go on that stage.
Gurudev uvaccha:
First, there is nama–aparadh. The person keeps on chanting. Ajamila was also chanting Narayana! Narayana which was mixed with offenses. He had not said Narayana for the first time when the Yamadutas came. Every day he called his sons many times by his name, Narayana. He chanted more than 108 times. He called them to have lunch and other activities by calling their names. In this way, he chanted Narayan. By continuously taking the name of Narayana, anartha nivritti happened and he became free from offenses.
But when Yamadutas came he called Narayan in helplessness. The Lord assumed that He is being called and then immediately he sent the Visnu Duttas and hence He was liberated from death. There are 3 stages – nama aparadh, namabhasa and suddha nama. Then for suddha nama he went to Haridwar to chant the holy names. Then he realized Abhinatva naam namino (Krsna is non different from His name). Then the same Visnu Duttas came and he proceeded to Vaikuntha.
Question 4: We are so fallen then how we can reach Vishrambha Stage?
Gurudev uvacha:
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]
Question 5: We understand or say both Lord Rama and Krsna are the same, but their Dhama are different. Why so?
Well, they are one and different also. Acintya Bheda bhed.
Question 6: Do we have any family relationships in Goloka with other devotees or we just love Krsna?
Gurudev uvaca:
The question can also be asked, “Do devotees over there just love Krsna and not His devotees? Lord said that before loving Me, love the devotees. If you love Me, then love my dog. Srila Prabhupada also used to say this. Lord says” One who says one is My devotee is not My devotee”. But one who claims to be a devotee of My devotee is indeed My devotee. Here also there are so many inter-relationship. Relationships over here are not eternal. If relationships are existing over here then we should understand that relationships will be existing in Goloka too.
Question 7: What are the qualities in Radharani which are not in Krsna?
Gurudev uvaca:
This was one of the internal reasons for the appearance of Caitanya Mahaprabhu. There are 3 reasons mentioned in Caitanya-caritamrita. Rukmini also has said this to Lord Dvarakadhish that there are somethings which I know little, but Radharani knows. Then the Lord said,”Haven’t you read Bhagavatam which mentions Me as abhigya svarat.” When Rukmini said, “You don’t know” then the Lord decided to appear as Radharani. Then He said that He will have a Radha realization. He will know what’s there extra in Radharani or bliss which She relishes because of Krsna.
Question 8: What is the relationship of Madhavacarya with Gaudiya sampradaya?
Gurudev uvaca:
We are not just the Gaudiya Sampradaya, but we are Brahma Madhava Gaudiya Sampradaya. There is acintya bheda bheda. There are many branches which are developed of this Madhava sampradaya. They are different, but one too. Vaishnava sampradaya means worship of Visnu.
4th June 2020
Question 1:
In which mood or bhava should we serve the Lord?
Answer:
Discussion was going on about this and we were explaining the Superexcellence of Gaudīya Vaiśnavism and various bhavas (mood) which are sānta, dāsya, sākhya, vātsalya, mādhurya. Dāsya bhava is the base. Dāsya is common in all the bhavas.
Question 2:
Please explain the meaning of Viśrambha.
Answer:
This viśrambha is acintya, inconceivable. These emotions are not so easy, but subtle due to it’s divinity. This is related to acintya-bheda-abheda tattva. In viśrambha bhava, there is no difference between the Lord and the living entity as we are one and the same. We have an intimate relationship with the Lord. This is about the knowledge of aiśvarya śunyatā of the Lord. The Lord doesn’t display His aiśvarya (opulence,) but He displays mādhurya. He keeps His devotees near Him. He sits on the lap of Mother Yasoda, puts cowherd boys on His back or Radharani shows maan bhava. This relationship with the Lord is called Viśrambha. One is aiśvarya mishrit bhakti and another is viśrambha. The relationship of Arjuna with the Lord is aiśvarya mishrit sākhya while the relationship of the cowherd boys with the Lord is of viśrambha sākhya. In aiśvarya, there is a thought that the Lord is great and we are śudra or tiny. But in viśrambha, there is – tum kon bada log, tumi ami sama!
We will continue with the Superexcellence of Gaudīya Vaiśnavism in the next class. Today is a special day, Dahi chida festival.
500 years ago on today’s tithi at Panihati, near Kolkata on the banks of the Ganga, Nityananda Prabhu arrived. Caitanya Mahāprabhu had sent Him to West Bengal to propagate the holy name of the Lord. Nityananda Prabhu was engrossed in kirtana day and night with His associates. Then, Raghunatha Dasa came. He is yet to become Raghunath Dasa Goswami, one of six goswamis of Vrindavan. He is still a grhasta and a son of a wealthy landlord, Govardhana Dasa. Govardhana Dasa was rich and a donor. Raghunatha’s parents were asking him to stay at home and do bhakti. There was no need to take sannyāsa (renounced order). Thus, they got him married. Raghunatha Dasa didn’t want to be at home. He wanted the association of Caitanya Mahāprabhu by joining His mission to spread the holy name. When he left home, he would be brought back again. He was eager to get the association of Mahāprabhu. Thus he arrived at Panihati with a hope to get Nityananda Prabhu’s mercy.
Nityananda Prabhu was sitting on the banks of the Ganga under a huge tree with His associates. Raghunatha Dasa came over there and offered obeisances from afar. One devotee told Nityananda Prabhu about him and He called Raghunatha Dasa a thief and asked him to come near Him. Raghunatha Dasa kept sitting there with utmost humility. Nityananda Prabhu came and put His lotus feet on the head of Raghunatha Dasa. He wanted to punish him and therefore asked Raghunatha Dasa to feed dahi chida to everyone. This type of punishment was appropriate as he was the son of a big landlord who was not just a millionaire, but a billionaire.
All chida (flat rice) was brought over there from various places. Dahi and Dūd chida were to be prepared by mixing various ingredients in big utensils. Raghunatha Dasa arranged everything for the dahi chida festival. Nityananda Prabhu came there and He was surrounded by His associates in the same way Krsna and Balarama used to be surrounded by their cowherd friends on the banks of the Yamuna in Vrindavan. When the announcement was made for the dahi chida festival, everyone came. Mothers didn’t cook at home. There was no place left to sit. Some were standing on the riverbank, some were standing in the water up to their waist. Everyone was given 2 earthen pots, one of dahi chida and another of dūd chida. This pastime is described in text 44, chapter 6, Antya lila of Caitanya-caritamrita.
1st June 2020
Question 1:
He had heard it from somewhere that if we chant 3 crore names then we will attain the nāmābhāsa stage from the nāmaparādha stage.
Answer:
It may take 30 crore names. It depends on with how much sincerity you are trying. It depends on the intensity of your practice in devotional service.
Question 2:
Please say something about Gaudiya Vaiśnava tilak.
Answer:
By seeing the tilak, one conceives which sampradaya we belong to. If a woman is wearing bindi or kumkum then it is understood that she is sadhavā (married) and she is not vidhavā (widow). Similarly, when we wear tilak then we present that Krsna is our Lord and we are His servants. Gaudiya Vaiśnava tilak is a symbol of the Lord’s feet and the Tulasi beneath it represents the Tulasi leaf on the lotus feet of the Lord. We should wear tilak every time.
Namarupa Prabhu asked,
Question 3:
How has Gaudiya ‘acintya-bedha-abheda’ supremacy over other vaiśnava philosophies?
Answer:
We worship Radha Krishna and they are topmost.
Question 4:
Whether there is any book to which we can refer to go in depth of this concept of ‘acintya-bheda-abheda tattva’?
Answer:
Yes. Govinda Bhashya is the one, which is given by Gaudiya Vedanta Ācārya Baladeva Vidya Bhushan.
31st May 2020
Question 1:Krishnakumar Prabhu has asked that without serving cows we can’t enter Goloka Dham. Is it true? If yes then how can we increase it?
Gurudev : If you have heard this or read it somewhere then this is true. If you want to enter in the Lord’s pastimes as a cowherd boy then you have to practice it over here. The Lord goes for herding cows without shoes and an umbrella. If you are brahmin then sing the glories of cows. There is someone who does Bhagvat katha for 7 days in Vrindavan. If you’re a politician then you can protect cows. You can drink the cow’s milk after offering unto the Lord. Don’t drink wine. Some are preaching that you can make a burger at home by adding beef or cow’s flesh in it. These are followers of Hiranyakasipu.
Question 2: What is Gaudiya? Devotees of Vishnu are called as Vaishnavas.
Gurudev: Krishna’s devotees are called as Krashnas. Devotees of Radha are called Gaudiyas. Gauda is region. The Lord appeared and worshipped Radha. We worship that Krsna who worships Radha. In this way we become Gaudiya Vaishnavas.
Question 3 :Bhakta Sunil is asking what will happen to existing identity if we accept Gaudiya Vaishnavism?
Gurudev: Many things can be said. But in short we can say. There are 2 parts of Goloka. Vrindavan and Navadvipa. If one is more attracted by Madhurya pastimes of the Lord then one will return to Vrindavan. If one is more attracted to Gauranga Mahaprabhu then one will return to Navadvipa or Svetadvipa. Srila Prabhupad would say that we have to join dancing party of Radha Krsna. If you’re interested in both then you can be there at both places. The Lord can make such an arrangement. This confidential arrangement is also there. So that is the Superexcellence of Gaudiya Vaisnavism.
Question 4:
Vallabh Nimai Das: May we hear that Bhamchari class
Ayodhyapati Ram Das_Gurgaon:Is there any way that we can also attend that brahmachari class??If not to everyone, then can it be available to youth devotees?
23rd May 2020
Q3:Why Mahaprabhu use to hear Dhruva and Prahlad Caritra again and again?
Gurudev uvaca: They are special characters. We get enthusiasm and energy by listening to them. Caitanya Mahaprabhu also wants to show us that we should not directly read the rasa lila of the Lord which is in the 10th canto. We have to study, do sravanam and kirtana of the previous cantos. Prahlad caritra is there in the 7th canto and Dhruva caritra is there in the 4th canto. If we read them then we will be purified and we will be ready to study and understand the 10th canto where madhurya and gopinaya pastimes of Radha and Krsna have been explained.