English
Date: 14 February 2024
Speaker: HH Lokanath Swami Maharaj
Topic: Basant Panchami
HH Lokanath Swami Maharaj:
Hare Krishna!
You all are welcome. Today is Basant Panchami. I am in Pandharpur Dham. Today aftersomany time,I have heard the chirping of the birds on a tree, in which Koel are also there. It was a wonderful incident.
BG 9.10:
mayādhyakṣeṇa prakṛtiḥ
sūyate sa-carācaram
hetunānena kaunteya
jagad viparivartate
Translation:
This material nature, which is one of My energies, is working under My direction, O son of Kuntī, producing all moving and nonmoving beings. Under its rule this manifestation is created and annihilated again and again.
Why those birds are here today only? Because they are inspired by Krishna. They are announcing that Spring season is starting from today onwards. I was amused and surprised on hearing the chirping.
Today is Basant Panchami. Spring season is starting from today. Krishna told about different seasons in Bhagavat Gita. One season is of two months. From today onwards, Spring is starting.
BG 10.35:
bṛhat-sāma tathā sāmnāṁ
gāyatrī chandasām aham
māsānāṁ mārga-śīrṣo ’ham
ṛtūnāṁ kusumākaraḥ
Translation:
Of the hymns in the Sāma Veda I am the Bṛhat-sāma, and of poetry I am the Gāyatrī. Of months I am Mārgaśīrṣa [November-December], and of seasons I am flower-bearing spring. Krishna saysI am the spring season in all seasons. Winter season has passed and the upcoming season is summer.
Vaishnav Song, Bhajahu Re Mann, By Govind Das:
śīta ātapa bāta bariṣaṇa
e dina jāminī jāgi re
biphale sevinu kṛpaṇa durajana
capala sukha-laba lāgi' re
Translation:
It is the desire and great longing of Govinda Dasa to engage himself in the nine processes of bhakti, namely hearing the glories of Lord Hari and chanting those glories, constantly remembering Him and offering prayers to Him, serving the Lord's lotus feet, serving the Supreme Lord as a servant, worshiping Him with flowers and incense and so forth, serving Him as a friend, and completely offering the Lord one's very self.
In Mayapur, in all dvipa, there is Hritu Dvipa. All seasons are residing here together in this Dvipa. This was the time when Mahaprabhu was just going to appear. All the seasons were debating, which season Mahaprabhu would appear. So, Sri Krsna Chaitanya mahaprabhu appeared in this spring festival period. Sri Krishna Chaitanya mahaprabhu appeared on the full moon of the Falguna Month.
Today the entire India celebrates Vasant Panchami in their own way and culture. Vasant Panchami is celebrated in Pandharpur also. Today marks the day of marriage of Sri Sri Rukmini DwarkaDheesh. This festival is celebrated with a great joy and happiness in Vrindavan, Jaggannath Puri, Orisa, Mayapur, Bengal and so many places. This is celebrated differently in different parts of the country. The deities are decorated with green or yellow garments which is the significance of leaves of the trees. People are also wearing yellow garment in Vraja. Our first Vraja mandal parikrama started on this day. We would see yellow mustard plant flowers everywhere.
Today is the appearance day of Srimati Vishnupriya. She appeared about 500 years ago. Just by hearing their transcendental name, one can purified. Their glories are innumerable! In this zoom temple we have been discussing about the appearance and disappearance days of
Acharayas.
Today’s is also the disappearance of Srila Vishvanath Chakravarthy Thakur. His disappearance was in Vrindavan. He was the guard and protector of Gaudiya Parampara. It is also the appearance day of Srila Pundarik VidyaNidhi who was king Vrishabhanu in Krsna Leela. Mahaprabhu also greets him as father. Chaitanya Mahaprabhu is Radha Rani and Pundarika Vidyanidhi is Vrishabhanu.
Today is the appearance day of Srila Raghunandan Thakur who was the son of Mukunda. He once offers bhoga to Krsna who accepted the entire plate. He has so much love and devotion for Lord.
Today is also the appearance day of Srila Raghunath das Goswami. Mahaprabhu instructed Srila Swarup Damodar to take care of him. He lived in Jagannath puri and then in Vrindavan. He is main Goswami in six Goswamis. Today is also Saraswati Puja.
ŚB 1.2.4:
nārāyaṇaṁ namaskṛtya
naraṁ caiva narottamam
devīṁ sarasvatīṁ vyāsaṁ
tato jayam udīrayet
Translation:
Before reciting this Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, which is the very means of conquest, one should offer respectful obeisances unto the Personality of Godhead, Nārāyaṇa, unto Nara-nārāyaṇa Ṛṣi, the supermost human being, unto mother Sarasvatī, the goddess of learning, and unto Śrīla Vyāsadeva, the author. She is mentioned in various scriptures. She is the power of Krishna and the power becomes the personality.
Śvetāśvatara Upaniṣad 6.8:
parāsya śaktir vividhaiva śrūyate
svābhāvikī jñāna-bala-kriyā ca
Translation:
The Supreme Lord has nothing to do. Nothing is equal to Him or greater than Him. He acts in different phases by manifesting His parts and parcels, which are all simultaneously differently situated by His unlimited, variegated potencies. Each potency acts quite naturally in sequences, providing Him full knowledge, power and pastimes. She is the special personality. She resides in the tongue of Krsna and Krsna narrates the
scriptures. Goddess Sarasvati also worshipped at the time of Vidya Aarambha Samskar.
So, this is not just one day festival, but it is celebrated throughout the season. Holi starts from today and continues until Falgun Purnima. Today is the first day of Holi. Holi is a festival of Sri Sri Radha and Krsna. Nanda Maharaj announces a vacation in Vrindavan to children. Yay! No cow herding! Only play! So, this is vacation times for Krsna Balaram and the cowherd boys of Vraja. Vasant song is sung. Flowers bloom on trees. The birds are inspired to sing! The wind blows gently with a slight chill. It carries the aroma of flowers all around. The air blows over many ponds, so, it becomes little chilled. This atmosphere is conducive to Krsna’s past times. Krsna is dressed in a particular attire.
ŚB 10.21.5:
barhāpīḍaṁ naṭa-vara-vapuḥ karṇayoḥ karṇikāraṁ
bibhrad vāsaḥ kanaka-kapiśaṁ vaijayantīṁ ca mālām
randhrān veṇor adhara-sudhayāpūrayan gopa-vṛndair
vṛndāraṇyaṁ sva-pada-ramaṇaṁ prāviśad gīta-kīrtiḥ
Translation:
Wearing a peacock-feather ornament upon His head, blue karṇikāra flowers on His ears, a yellow garment as brilliant as gold, and the Vaijayantī garland, Lord Kṛṣṇa exhibited His transcendental form as the greatest of dancers as He entered the forest of Vṛndāvana, beautifying it with the marks of His footprints. He filled the holes of His flute with the nectar of His lips, and the cowherd boys sang His glories.
So, Krsna keeps one flower in both ears. Alternately changing it from one ear to the other. He does this to attract Radha Rani and Gopis. Krsna’s yellow garments are not ordinary. They emanate the dazzle of the lightening. Krsna is decorated with five types and colours of flower garland which extends up to the knees of Krsna. He holds the flute in His hand and calls out to the Gopis and to tell them the place of their meetings. There’s a different tune for calling out to cows, Gopis and so on. His friends also dress up nicely.
Kavi Karnapuri’s Ananda Vrindavan Champu explains this spring festival very nicely. A special rasa pastime starts on Sharad Purnima in Kartik month. But the Vasant rasa pastime is more special. Paurnamasi announces that Today is Magh Purnima and there will be the great festival. She tells the Gopis to must pray to Vasant Madan who is himself Madan Mohan. Paurnamasi is Yoga Maya. She makes all arrangements for the Lord’s pastimes.
Vrinda devi is glorious. Vrindavan is the forest of Vrinda Devi. She is the event manager of Krsna’s Pastimes. She instructs the Gopis to reach near Ashoka tree and worship Vasant Mohan. There, Matangini and kinnari will sing the songs of spring festival. So now Radha Rani enters the forests of Vrindavan with her Gopis. Kavi Karnapur tells Radha Rani usually goes to Nanda Gaon for cooking for Krsna.
Krsna and His cowherd boys also enter the forest of Vraja. They are singing and playing the various instruments. They hear the nice songs coming from some distance. They think is this the echo of our songs or what! So, Madhu Mangal goes to find out who is singing this song. He finds out that Matangi was singing. Many instruments are playing. He went to Krsna and told the same. He gets offended when Krsna praises the other party’s song of Radha Rani. So, he goes again and this activity keeps going on. Madhu Mangal tries to oppose them. Madhu Mangal also goes to pluck flowers. But he is caught by Radha Rani and Gopis. So, he shouts Krsna! Krsna! Help! help! This is an opportunity for Krsna to meet Radha Rani and behold. There is a war that breaks out between Radha and Krsna. They throw balls of flowers on each other. Then, they throw colours and coloured waters too. There is a cloud of colours in the sky. Radha Rani and Gopis fall unconscious. So, Madhu Mangal announces that their party has won. Radha Rani and Gopis gets up and attacked Krsna and cowherd Boys and they won. So, this is transcendental competition. But eventually both parties get together and feast with Chhappana Bhoga arranged by Vrinda Devi. Then they take rest.
NOI, Verse 4:
dadāti pratigṛhṇāti
guhyam ākhyāti pṛcchati
bhuṅkte bhojayate caiva
ṣaḍ-vidhaṁ prīti-lakṣaṇam
Translation:
Offering gifts in charity, accepting charitable gifts, revealing one’s mind in confidence, inquiring confidentially, accepting prasāda and offering prasāda are the six symptoms of love shared by one devotee and another.
This is Magh Purnima Night. Crores of Gopis participate in this Rasa Leela pastime. Radha Rani reaches with Her core group to play with colours. But when Rasa Leela past time begins, all cowherd boys leave. There is a circle of Ashta Sakhi, then 108, and then 1008 sakhi’s circle and so on. There is the reciprocation of Rasa or pleasure.
CC, Madhya Lila, 19.230:
itīdṛk-sva-līlābhir ānanda-kuṇḍe
sva-ghoṣaṁ nimajjantam ākhyāpayantam
tadīyeśita-jñeṣu bhaktair jitatvaṁ
punaḥ prematas taṁ śatāvṛtti vande
Translation:
‘Again let me offer my respectful obeisances unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead. O my Lord, I offer my obeisances hundreds and thousands of times with all affection because by Your personal pastimes You plunge the gopīs into an ocean of nectar. Appreciating Your
opulence, devotees generally declare that You are always subjugated by their feelings.’
There are only Radha, Krsna and Gopis. So, the parents are not present at this time. This is the topmost of all pastimes of Krsna. Srila Shuka Dev Goswami also mentions in the Rasa Panch adhyaay, whoever hear or recite these pastimes faithfully, they attain pure devotion.
ŚB 10.33.39:
vikrīḍitaṁ vraja-vadhūbhir idaṁ ca viṣṇoḥ
śraddhānvito ’nuśṛṇuyād atha varṇayed yaḥ
bhaktiṁ parāṁ bhagavati pratilabhya kāmaṁ
hṛd-rogam āśv apahinoty acireṇa dhīraḥ
Translation:
Anyone who faithfully hears or describes the Lord’s playful affairs with the young gopīs of Vṛndāvana will attain the Lord’s pure devotional service. Thus, he will quickly become sober and conquer lust, the disease of the heart.
CC, Adi Lila, 1.5:
rādhā kṛṣṇa-praṇaya-vikṛtir hlādinī śaktir asmād
ekātmānāv api bhuvi purā deha-bhedaṁ gatau tau
caitanyākhyaṁ prakaṭam adhunā tad-dvayaṁ caikyam āptaṁ
rādhā-bhāva-dyuti-suvalitaṁ naumi kṛṣṇa-svarūpam
Translation:
The loving affairs of Śrī Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa are transcendental manifestations of the Lord’s internal pleasure-giving potency. Although Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa are one in Their identity, previously They separated Themselves. Now these two transcendental identities have again united, in the form of Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya. I bow down to Him, who has manifested Himself with the sentiment and complexion of Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī although He is Kṛṣṇa Himself.
By hearing these pastimes, we will be freed from lust. So, this is Krsna’s special mercy on us. Srila Jayadev Goswami in Geet Govind has explained about Vasant Rasa Lila and not the Sharad Purnima Rasa Leela. In Jagannath puri, in these days, Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu in Gambhira is secured by security guards. Nevertheless, He escapes into the gardens hearing the sounds of flute of krsna in the emotion of Radha Rani. He smells and amused that this is the fragrance of Krsna’s body parts. He was searing Krsna here and there. Sometimes he fells down on the earth in separation. Cc Antya 19th chapter describes this spring festival. It takes place in the foothills of Govardhan. He wants to be only in the association of Radha Rani. So, he disappears and He is looking for Radha Rani. Soon the Gopis reach there and Krsna wishes to hide Himself.
He pretends that He is not looking for Radha Rani. He covers Himself with a veil and assumes the form handed form. The Gopis say Namo Narayanah! When they enquire about Krsna, the four handed form turns into His two-handed form. Thus, Krsna resumes His past times with
the Gopis and Radha Rani in the Nivriti Nikunja of Radha Rani.
So, for the next two months these past times will take place. The spring festival is a platform for all these transcendental pastimes. Holi also has started from today. Thus, Sri Krsna Chaitanya, who is non-different from Radha and Krsna, also appears.
The festival of Holi is also started from today. In Barsana, Holi is celebrated by beating with wooden rod.
Then, at the day of Falgun Purnima, Sri Krishna Chaitanya Mahaprabhu appears.
CC Ādi 3.81:
antaḥ kṛṣṇaṁ bahir gauraṁ
darśitāṅgādi-vaibhavam
kalau saṅkīrtanādyaiḥ sma
kṛṣṇa-caitanyam āśritāḥ
Translation:
“I take shelter of Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya Mahāprabhu, who is outwardly of a fair complexion but is inwardly Kṛṣṇa Himself. In this Age of Kali He displays His expansions [His aṅgas and upāṅgas] by performing congregational chanting of the holy name of the Lord.
Krishna, who Plays the pastimes with Gopis and Radha Rani, is now become Sri Krishna Chaitanya Mahaprabhu.
Sundar Lala Sachi Dulaala! Mahaprabhu, thus, begins His transcendental kirtan and we must also enter this eternal pastime. This is the ultimate goal of life.
Vaishnav Song, Udilo Aruna Puraba Bhage, Verse 1:
udilo aruna puraba-bhage,
dwija-mani gora amani jage,
bhakata-samuha loiya sathe,
gela nagara-braje
Translation:
When the rising sun appeared in the East, the jewel of the twice-born, Lord Gaurasundara, awakened, and, taking His devotees with Him, He went all over the countryside towns and villages We also become eligible to join the dancing party of Radha and Krsna. By this, we can enter in
the Vrindavan Dham and in the pastimes of Radha and Krsna.
Hare Krishna!
