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Date: 26th Jan 2024  Speaker: Guru Maharaj Theme: 50th Hare Krsna festival Jay Jay Nanda Yasoda Dulal Girivara Dhari Gopal! Gopal Gopal Gopal Gopal! Are you in bliss? Hari Hari! This program is happening in Radha Gopal temple. Ayodhya Dham ki Jay! A few days before, on 22nd, I was also present there. Modi and Yogi Ji had invited many special guests for the Ramalalla installation ceremony and I was one of those guests. This was also said, and there also it was said, how was the program? Grand, magnificent and transcendental; we can say ‘it never happened in the past and it will never happen in the future’. We can say this and at the same time we can’t. There in Ayodhya two incidences were especially remembered. One was the birth of Lord Rama. That ‘Rama Janmostava’ was celebrated with same excitement, joy, grandeur and divinity, which everyone was feeling now. And the second was when Rama returned again to Ayodhya after His exile, and that festival became Deepavali. Deepavali Mahotsava ki Jay! That was celebration where Lord Rama was welcomed. Jaya Sri Rama and Laksman and Hanuman and others! With same excitement and joy that ‘Welcoming festival’ was celebrated. So these two festivals were celebrated in those days and now this one, on 22nd was the third in that series and that's why I said it never happened in the past and will never happen in the future. I am improving my statement. It is not that earlier there were no festivals in Ayodhya; there were two grand celebrations and now this is the third one. Sub-theme: Rama connection and Sri Krsna Caitnaya Mahaprabhu connection So, I came from Ayodhya to Arawade. There is connection between these two places. Ayodhya is the birthplace of Lord Rama and Arawade is my birthplace. So from the birthplace of Lord Rama I came here to my birthplace. As we are remembering the Lord Rama and comparing Ayodhya Rama and me Raghunath Das, that time I was not called as Dasa, but later on I came to know that I am Dasa. So Lord appeared on Tuesday, ten lakhs years ago. Rama was born on Tuesday and I also born on Tuesday, some 75 years before. And therefore I was given name Raghunath. Sri Krsna Caitanya Mahaprabhu ki Jay! namomahā-vadānyāya kṛṣṇa-prema-pradāya te kṛṣṇāya kṛṣṇa-caitanya- nāmne gaura-tviṣe namaḥ Translation: O most munificent incarnation! You are Kṛṣṇa Himself appearing as Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya Mahāprabhu. You have assumed the golden color of Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī, and You are widely distributing pure love of Kṛṣṇa. We offer our respectful obeisances unto You. [CC Madhya 19.53] So when Caitanya Mahaprabhu was on His South India tour, He also came to Arawade. Sri Krsna Caitanya Mahaprabhu was walking and He was not just walking, but He used to dance. So Caitanya Mahaprabhu passed through this place while dancing and performing kirtan and I was born in such a village. This is Rama connection and Sri Krsna Caitanya Mahaprabhu connection. And you all can also say Kṛṣṇa boro doyāmoy, kori bāre jihwā jay, swa-prasād-anna dilobhāi sei annāmṛtapāo, rādhā-kṛṣṇa-guṇagāo, preme ḍāko caitanya-nitāi Translation: O brothers, Lord Krsna is very merciful. Just to control the tongue, He has given us the remnants of His own food! Now, please eat these nectarean grains while singing the glories of Their Lordships Sri Sri Radha and Krsna, and in love call out "Caitanya! Nitai!” [Verse 2 from song ‘PrasadaSevaya’by Bhakti Vinod Thakur] swa-prasād-anna dilobhāi He has given His own Prasad and that is why Kṛṣṇa boro doyāmoy, so, Lord gives Krsna Prasad and many more things. I am the son of Bhagavan, God because my father's name was Bhagavan. I was given name Raghunath, but the full name was Raghunath Bhagavan Patil and my uncle's name was Raja Ram, Raja Ram Patil. And my grandfather's name was Sawala, it was also Lord’s name. Sawala, black, Lord Vitthal is black, so He is also known as Sawala. So my name was Raghunath Bhagavan Sawala Patil. When we talk about fortune, to take birth in India is also fortune, and then we receive such names. Because of that we get the connection with Krsna and Rama, directly or indirectly or such names keep us reminding this connection. Sub-theme: The specialty of this year So on this day, in this year, we are celebrating the Golden Jubilee of Hare Krsna festival. Anyways we have to explain this but there is no time. We are celebrating this Golden Jubilee of Hare Krishna festival and along with that it is 15th Brahmotsava or anniversary of Radha Gopal temple. 50 years back I became Hare Krsna man and this Hare Krsna festival started in Arawade. Many villagers were calling me, ‘you became mad’. ‘This boy was good, but now he became mad’. So, in 1974 when I came here first time as Hare Krsna devotee, Srila Prabhupad ki Jay, as a disciple of Srila Prabhupada. So from that time this Hare Krsna festival began. And fifteen years ago this temple was opened. Radha Gopal temple anniversary ki Jay! We are also celebrating the 5th anniversary of the zoom temple. This zoom temple is also now 5 years old. And I also said that this year is my 75th birthday. And this year it is 150th appearance day of Srila Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Thakur, the spiritual master of Srila Prabhupada. And this year is also, 375 years before Tukaram Maharaj went back to Godhead. So this year is special year because of many things. Sub-theme: Radha Gopal temple inauguration in 2009 Today we are celebrating 15th anniversary of Radha Gopal temple and I was thinking, but fifteen years back this was not the exact day of temple opening. We celebrate it on 26th January, on the Republic day, but it was Nityananda Trayodasi. When the temple was inaugurated, who was present at that time here? Not many. Where were you? Why you were not here? So that opening festival, Radha Gopal installation and not only Radha Gopal, but Vitthal Rukmini and Sita Rama Lakshman Hanuman and who else, Sri Sri Gaur Nitai ki Jay! All of them were installed during that festival. So the festival was very grand. Recently the grand and divine festival happened at Ayodhya and the grand and divinity of the festival at this place was also not less. It was the same as it was in Ayodhya. The happiness, eagerness and excitement that was in Ayodhya, was here as well. I think as it is said, ‘history repeats’. That one was also a historical event in Ayodhya. Such historical event took place here in Arawade 15 years ago. In Ayodhya, around 8000 guests were invited and here in Arawade also around 8000 guests were present at that time. Many leaders of ISCKON, including Prabhupada disciples, GBC members, Sannyasis, they were around thirty. This was a big number. This number is considered a big number. And the ministers of Government of Maharashtra were also present here. Our R R Patil, he was deputy chief minister and Grama Mantri. He brought some of the ministers with him. Some of them came in the plane; private planes also landed here. In Ayodhya many businessmen, politicians and actors came in private jets and here also one-two planes were landed at that time. And there were many visitors. Population of this village is two-four thousands, but many nearby villagers and devotees from other places also came here and the numbers were doubled. Such festivals ki Jay! Sub-theme: Prabhupada wanted ISCKON in Arawade I used to celebrate this Hare Krsna festival for some years. In 77 also I came here to celebrate Hare Krsna festival and I sent report of this festival to Srila Prabhupada. It was before Gaura Purnima, on Nityananda Trayodasi, in 77. So in 77, I sent the report of Hare Krsna festival to Srila Prabhupada and in that report I mentioned that one person, before he used to chat Ram Naam or Rama mantra and now he is ready to chant daily Hare Krsna Hare Krsna Krsna Krsna Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare! He is ready to chant 16 rounds of this Mahamantra daily.  I wrote this in the report and Prabhupada replied to that report and he noted down, ‘Oh there is one person in your village who is ready to chant.’ So Prabhupada said, make him representative of ISCKON in your village. Then I realised that Prabhupada wants ISKCON in Arawade. From that time I was thinking, there should be ISCKON in Arawade. After that many things took place. Preaching increased. That person who was ready to chant daily and gradually my uncle Rajaram Patil also joined him and together they gathered many villagers and there is one Vitthal temple outside the village. There, daily at night, they used to read one sloka from Prabhupada’s Bhagavad Gita. I think one sloka, and so they read the whole Bhagavad Gita. Like this preaching increased in the village and gradually many villagers were ready to chant Hare Krsna Mantra. I can not tell the whole history, what happened. And then my brother Dharma Avatar Prabhu ki Jay! He donated some land for ISKCON. It is just across that road. And then because of that the movements increased and finally on Nityananda Trayodasi, the temple was inaugurated. It was not lifetime preparation, but many years gone in that and finally in 2009 the temple was opened. Radha Gopal temple inauguration ki Jay! So today is the 15th anniversary. All this is the mercy of the Lord. We must say that it is specially the mercy of Sri Krsna Caitanya Mahaprabhu. At the beginning of Kaliyuga kalau pratham sandhyayam, in the first Sandhya of Kaliyuga, Lord appeared in the form of Sri Krsna Caitanya Mahaprabhu. And He also did the prediction that ‘My name will be preached everywhere.’ pṛthivīte āche yata nagarādi-grāma sarvatra pracāra haibe mora nāma Translation: In every town and village, the chanting of My name will be heard. [CB Antya-khaṇḍa 4.126] And this is the Dharma, religion of Kaliyuga. kali-kälera dharma—krsna-näma-sankirtana krsna-sakti vinä nahe tära pravartana Translation: The fundamental religious system in the Age of Kali is the chanting of the holy name of Krsna. Unless empowered by Krsna, one cannot propagate the sankirtana movement. [CC Antya 7.11] There is no other religion. harer näma harer näma harer nämaiva kevalam kalau nästy eva nästy eva nästy eva gatir anyathä Translation: In this Age of Kali there is no other means, no other means, no other means for self-realization than chanting the holy name, chanting the holy name, chanting the holy name of Lord Hari. [CC Adi 17.21] Sri-rädhär bhäve ebe gorä avatär hare krsna näm gaura korilä pracär Translation: Now He has come again as Lord Gauränga, the fair-skinned incarnation, endowed with the ecstatic mood of Sri Rädhä, and has spread widely the chanting of the holy names 'Hare Krsna.' [From Jaya Jaya Jagannath by Vasudeva Ghosa] So Sri Krsna Caitanya Mahaprabhu appeared in the mood of Radha. Radha Bhava means bhakti bhava, the devotional mood.  And He Himself preached Hari Naam all over India. So, Lord’s prediction gradually came true. In my village also one person was ready to chant Hare Krsna Mahamantra and along with that Lord Caitanya's prediction became true even in Arawade. The temple is inaugurated, or where ever the Hare Krsna Mahamantra reach, in every village and town on this earth; In Ayodhya also new temple is inaugurated. Sub-theme: Temple is opened, but what next? When I was there in Ayodhya, I was thinking that the people present here do not have idea that ISKCON has established Rama Mandir in Delhi, the capital of India and then in England, the capital of London and in Washington DC, the capital of America also Rama Mandir is established and at many other places Rama Mandir and Krsna Mandir and Jagannath Mandir and Gaurang Mahaprabhu ki Jay, everywhere temples are being established. Modi ji was also in Ayodhya. In his speech he was giving some inspirational talks, temple is opened but what next? He was saying, Hindu dharma, and we have to make this Hindu rashtra. I don't remember but he must have said that we need to spread Sanatan Dharma, Bhagavat Dharma everywhere. Get ready for this. He was saying, temple is established, now for the next thousand years we must be very busy. He was giving us a target, but we will say, we or Gaudiya Vaisnavas will say, for next 9500 years we have to be ready, because in the middle of Kaliyuga is the golden period and it started with the appearance of Caitanya Mahaprabhu, who Himself  was suvarna varna hemango, golden complexioned. This golden period started with the appearance of Caitanya Mahaprabhu and in the scriptures also it is mentioned that this period will remain for 10000 years. The prediction of Caitanya Mahaprabhu, pṛthivīte āche yata nagarādi-grāma sarvatra pracāra haibe mora nāma, In every town and village, the chanting of My name will be heard. When the period of 10000 years will be complete, by that time, in every town and village of the earth, there will be Hare Krsna Hare Krsna Krsna Krsna Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare! And then we have to say or must agree that wherever Hare Krsna Mantra reach, wherever this Hare Krsna kirtan is performed, many people gather together and perform kirtan and that is called as sankirtana. Such Sankirtan movement ki Jay! param vijayate sri-krsna-sankirtanam, Let there be all victory for the chanting of the holy name of Lord Krsna. ceto-darpana-märjanam bhava-mahä-dävägni-nirväpanam sreyah-kairava-candrikä-vitaranam vidyä-vadhü-jivanam änandämbudhi-vardhanam prati-padam pürnämrtäsvädanam sarvätma-snapanam param vijayate sri-krsna-sankirtanam Translation: Let there be all victory for the chanting of the holy name of Lord Krsna, which can cleanse the mirror of the heart and stop the miseries of the blazing fire of material existence. That chanting is the waxing moon that spreads the white lotus of good fortune for all living entities. It is the life and soul of all education. The chanting of the holy name of Krsna expands the blissful ocean of transcendental life. It gives a cooling effect to everyone and enables one to taste full nectar at every step. [CC Antya 20.12] Wherever this sankirtan will reach in those towns and villages there will be temples. So, many temples are going to be established. How many? As many villages are there on the earth. May be there will be more than one temple in one village but at least there will be one temple in every village. So this is our or Gaudiya Vaisnava’s target given by Caitanya Mahaprabhu. So this is our vision, this is our goal, this is the vision of Caitanya Mahaprabhu who is Lord Mahavishnu. This is His goal. So like this, Lord will make Himself available for everyone. We need to understand this. What we have to do? Lord will make Himself available, as I said, He will make Himself accessible, available in every village and town. So when the temple is open, as Lord has told us to do, man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru mām evaiṣyasi satyaṁ te pratijāne priyo ’si me Translation: Always think of Me, become My devotee, worship Me and offer your homage unto Me. Thus you will come to Me without fail. I promise you this because you are My very dear friend. [BG 18.65] In Bhagavad Gita Lord asked us to do four things. When Srila Prabhupada gave me sannyasa, on that day he told me do these four things, follow these four regulative principals and what are they? man-manā bhava, always think of Me, mad-bhakto become My devotee, mad-yājī worship Me and māṁ namaskuru offer obeisance to Me. So temple is opened, what next? We have to do this now. This is homework, to remember the Lord. And then in ISKCON temples such education is given to the people. People are educated. There is no other arrangement in our society or country other than ISKCON. This work of education and preaching and realizing the mellows is performed only by ISKCON. And Caitanya Mahaprabhu said, Yāre dekha, tāre kaha ‘kṛṣṇa’-upadeśa Āmāra ājñāya guru hañā tāra’ ei deśa Translation: “Instruct everyone to follow the orders of Lord ŚrīKṛṣṇa as they are given in the Bhagavad-gītā and Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. In this way become a spiritual master and try to liberate everyone in this land.” [CC Madhya 7.128] So who ever have joined to Hare Krsna movement, whoever is the member of this movement, what they have to do? They themselves should practice and then preach. Become Acharya, follow and preach. Achara, vichar and prachar with proper pronunciation. Proper behavior means Achar, with that our thoughts, vichar become of high standard and then along with that we have to do prachar, preaching. kṛṣṇa se tomāra, kṛṣṇa dīte pāro, tomāra śakati āche āmi to' kāńgāla, 'kṛṣṇa' 'kṛṣṇa' boli', dhāi tava pāche pāche Translation: Krsna is yours. You have the power to give Him to me. I am simply your servant running behind you shouting, "Krsna! Krsna!". [Verse 4 from song ‘OheVaisnavaThakura’ by Bhakti Vinod Thakur] All of you who are connected with this Arawade temple, or are connected to this movement, or have received Hare Krsna Hare Krsna Krsna Krsna Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare, this Mahamantra, you are capable, you have the power to give Krsna to others. Whatever you have acquired, received Krsna, give that to others. Share your realisations to others. kṛṣṇa se tomāra, kṛṣṇa dīte pāro, tomāra śakati ācheI All of you have that strength, that Power. So here we have given you Radha Gopal. Take this Radha Gopal and what you have to do next? Take and give. So have realisations of Radha Gopal and share those realisations with others. Radha Gopal ki Jay! Radha Gopal temple anniversary festival ki Jay! Gaur premanande Hari Hari Bol!

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