English
04 May 2024
How to reach Krsna
Speaker: HH Lokanath Swami Maharaj
Hare Krsna. It's Ekadashi today. All glories to the Ekadashi festival. The word "Ekadash" represents a count of 11. Even our senses are 11 in number. Five working (Karma) senses, five knowledge acquiring senses and one mind.
śamo damas tapaḥ śaucaṁ
kṣāntir ārjavam eva ca
jñānaṁ vijñānam āstikyaṁ
brahma-karma svabhāva-jam (BG 18.42)
Translation: Peacefulness, self-control, austerity, purity, tolerance, honesty, knowledge, wisdom and religiousness – these are the natural qualities by which the brāhmaṇas work.
Here, śamaḥ — peacefulness; damaḥ — self-control;When we restrict our senses in this way then we will be able to attain peace.
Shaanta-Aakaaram Bhujaga-Shayanam Padma-Naabham Suresham
Vishva-Aadhaaram Gagana-Sadrsham Megha-Varnnam Shubha-Anggam
Lakssmii-Kaantam Kamala-Nayanam Yogibhir-Dhyaana-Gamyam
Vande Vissnnum Bhava-Bhaya-Haram Sarva-Lokai[a-E]ka-Naatham (Sri Vishnu Stuti)
Translation: Salutations to Sri Vishnu, Who has a Serene Appearance, Who Rests on a Serpent (Adisesha), Who has a Lotus on His Navel and Who is the Lord of the Devas, Who Sustains the Universe, Who is Boundless and Infinite like the Sky, Whose Colour is like the Cloud (Bluish) and Who has a Beautiful and Auspicious Body, Who is the Husband of Devi Lakshmi, Whose Eyes are like Lotus and Who is Attainable to the Yogis by Meditation, Salutations to That Vishnu Who Removes the Fear of Worldly Existence and Who is the Lord of All the Lokas.
Krsna is also Shanta. Ekadashi is also known for Fasting (Upavas). Upavas means to reside closer to the Lord. Today we will avoid Grains. Also we need to fast from Maya. We will feast for Krsna and fast from Maya. Krsna is like Sun and Maya is compared to the darkness.
kṛṣṇa — sūrya-sama; māyā haya andhakāra
yāhāṅ kṛṣṇa, tāhāṅ nāhi māyāra adhikāra (CC Madhya 22.31)
Translation: Kṛṣṇa is compared to sunshine, and māyā is compared to darkness. Wherever there is sunshine, there cannot be darkness. As soon as one takes to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, the darkness of illusion (the influence of the external energy) will immediately vanish.
nāma cintāmaṇiḥ kṛṣṇaś
caitanya-rasa-vigrahaḥ
pūrṇaḥ śuddho nitya-mukto
’bhinnatvān nāma-nāminoḥ (CC Madhya 17.133)
Translation: The holy name of Kṛṣṇa is transcendentally blissful. It bestows all spiritual benedictions, for it is Kṛṣṇa Himself, the reservoir of all pleasure. Kṛṣṇa’s name is complete, and it is the form of all transcendental mellows. It is not a material name under any condition, and it is no less powerful than Kṛṣṇa Himself. Since Kṛṣṇa’s name is not contaminated by the material qualities, there is no question of its being involved with māyā. Kṛṣṇa’s name is always liberated and spiritual; it is never conditioned by the laws of material nature. This is because the name of Kṛṣṇa and Kṛṣṇa Himself are identical.
Somebody questioned me, Maharaj,how do you manage?You are chanting daily at this zoom conference for the past five years?I replied, It's not just a question of 5 years, I have been following this schedule for the last 50 years.
As soon as you go away from Maya, there is only one more destination, Sri Krsna.There should be continuity, sincerity. In the morning HG Revati Raman Prabhu, the president of ISKCON Trupati approached me with Tirupati Balaji's Prasadam. I said immediately, It's ekadashi today I can't honour grain Prasadam today.
As Ekadashi reminded me to not honour grain prasadam today. Similarly we have accepted this pledge of chanting Hare Krsna Mahamantra for the rest of our life.
harer nāma harer nāma
harer nāmaiva kevalam
kalau nāsty eva nāsty eva
nāsty eva gatir anyathā (CC Madhya 6.242)
Translation: In this age of quarrel and hypocrisy, the only means of deliverance is the chanting of the holy names of the Lord. There is no other way. There is no other way. There is no other way.
So we should practice this pledge with full conviction and determination. We should be very firmly situated in our practices.
utsāhān niścayād dhairyāt
tat-tat-karma-pravartanāt
saṅga-tyāgāt sato vṛtteḥ
ṣaḍbhir bhaktiḥ prasidhyati (NOI 3)
Translation: There are six principles favorable to the execution of pure devotional service: (1) being enthusiastic, (2) endeavoring with confidence, (3) being patient, (4) acting according to regulative principles [such as śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ smaraṇam [SB 7.5.23]—hearing, chanting and remembering Kṛṣṇa], (5) abandoning the association of nondevotees, and (6) following in the footsteps of the previous ācāryas. These six principles undoubtedly assure the complete success of pure devotional service.
Why should we approach Maya?Why should we contemplate Maya?
dhyayato visayan pumsah
sangas tesupajayate
sangat sanjayate kamah
kamat krodho 'bhijayate (BG 2.62)
Translation: While contemplating the objects of the senses, a person develops attachment for them, and from such attachment lust develops, and from lust anger arises.
That Maya which kicks us, why should we go near her?Why should we meditate on the Maya, which makes us get trapped in these clutches of birth and death. And she sends us to suffer in hell. We should instead focus and remember Krsna.
nitya-siddha kṛṣṇa-prema ‘sādhya’ kabhu naya
śravaṇādi-śuddha-citte karaye udaya (CC Madhya 22.107)
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.
By remembering Krsna, our love for Krsna will get awakened and we will become eligible to go back home back to Godhead.
itidrik sva-lilabhir ananda-kunde
sva-ghosham nimajjantam akhyapayantam
tadiyeshita-jneshu bhaktair jitatvam
punah prematas tam satavritti vande (Sri Damodarashtaka 3)
Translation: By such childhood pastimes as this He is drowning the inhabitants of Gokula in pools of ecstasy, and is revealing to those devotees who are absorbed in knowledge of His supreme majesty and opulence that He is only conquered by devotees whose pure love is imbued with intimacy and is free from all conceptions of awe and reverence. With great love I again offer my obeisances to Lord Damodara hundreds and hundreds of times.
One of the names of Krsna is Ananda. Krsna is Bliss. And if we associate with that Ananda, then we will become eligible to enter the eternal pastimes of Krsna. Do you want to become a part of those eternal pastimes of the Lord?It is possible!!!
The result of mediating in Krsna's Holyname, form, qualities and pastimes is that we become eligible to enter his abode. That is our life.
radha-krishna prana mora jugala-kisora
jivane marane gati aro nahi mora (Sakhi-vrinde Vijnapti 1)
Translation: The divine couple, Sri Sri Radha and Krishna, are my life and soul. In life or death I have no other refuge but Them.
We have a choice, whether to choose Maya or Krsna. Take a pick. Whom will you choose?
Specially Sri Krsna Chaitanya Mahaprabhu appeared in this material world out of his causeless mercy.
avatérëe gauracandre vistérëe prema-sägare
ye na majjanti majjanti te mahänartha-sägare (Sri Caitanya Candrämåta 135)
Translation: The Advent of Çré Gauracandra is like a vast ocean of nectarean prema. One who neglects to gather the priceless jewels from that ocean is certainly the poorest of the poor. The golden moon of Gauracandra has now created a great tidal wave in the ocean of prema, and those who do not dive deep into that vast ocean will find themselves floating
instead on that great ocean of futile deeds and useless goals.
It's a team of Guru and Gauranga.
Golokam ca parityajya lokanam trana-karanat
kalau gauranga-rupena lila-lavanya-vigrahah (Markandeya Purana)
Translation: In the Kali-Yuga, I will leave Goloka and, to save the people of the world, I will become the handsome and playful Lord Gauranga.
As Chaitanya Mahaprabhu appeared, similarly even the spiritual master appears in our life.
saḿsāra-dāvānala-līḍha-loka-
trāṇāya kāruṇya-ghanāghanatvam
prāptasya kalyāṇa-guṇārṇavasya
vande guroḥ śrī-caraṇāravindam (Sri Gurvastakam 1)
Translation: The spiritual master is receiving benediction from the ocean of mercy. Just as a cloud pours water on a forest fire to extinguish it, so the spiritual master delivers the materially afflicted world by extinguishing the blazing fire of material existence. I offer my respectful obeisances unto the lotus feet of such a spiritual master, who is an ocean of auspicious qualities.
It happens by the Mercy of Gauranga Mahaprabhu.
brahmāṇḍa bhramite kona bhāgyavān jīva
guru-kṛṣṇa-prasāde pāya bhakti-latā-bīja (CC Madhya 19.151)
Translation: According to their karma, all living entities are wandering throughout the entire universe. Some of them are being elevated to the upper planetary systems, and some are going down into the lower planetary systems. Out of many millions of wandering living entities, one who is very fortunate gets an opportunity to associate with a bona fide spiritual master by the grace of Kṛṣṇa. By the mercy of both Kṛṣṇa and the spiritual master, such a person receives the seed of the creeper of devotional service.
He sends us in the association of the devotees and introduces us with our spiritual master. And then whatever he wants to convey, he conveys through the spiritual master. Though Krsna never leaves us alone, he acts like caring parents. Just like parents never leave us alone, Krsna does not leave us. Krsna is everything for us.
He is our father, mother, caretaker, everything. Even in the lower spices of life he accompanies us. And as a human being also we have him with us.
sarvasya cāhaṁ hṛdi sanniviṣṭo
mattaḥ smṛtir jñānam apohanaṁ ca
vedaiś ca sarvair aham eva vedyo
vedānta-kṛd veda-vid eva cāham (Bg. 15.15)
Translation: I am seated in everyone’s heart, and from Me come remembrance, knowledge and forgetfulness. By all the Vedas, I am to be known. Indeed, I am the compiler of Vedānta, and I am the knower of the Vedas.
Even though Krsna wants to give every possible knowledge toliving entities. But we are so engrossed in the material energy that we are not ready to listen.
dehāpatya-kalatrādiṣv
ātma-sainyeṣv asatsv api
teṣāṁ pramatto nidhanaṁ
paśyann api na paśyati (ŚB 2.1.4)
Translation: Persons devoid of ātma-tattva do not inquire into the problems of life, being too attached to the fallible soldiers like the body, children and wife. Although sufficiently experienced, they still do not see their inevitable destruction.
So in order to give the same knowledge, Krsna sends the Sadhus and spiritual master. They are repeating the same message. This association of devotees is very rare to achieve.
durlabha mānava-janma labhiyā saṁsāre
kṛṣṇa nā bhajinu-duḥkha kahibo kāhāre? (Durlabha Manava Janma 1)
Translation: The human form of life is the rarest opportunity for attaining spiritual perfection. But now I am lamenting, because I've somehow or other been born with such an opportunity, and I wasted it by never worshiping Lord Krsna. Oh, to whom shall I tell the tale of this misery?
And if we are getting this opportunity then we should consider ourselves as very fortunate. It's by Krsna's mercy that we are able to get this association. One of the aims of establishing ISKCON by Srila Prabhupada was to provide the association of devotees to the people of this world.
ajanu-lambita-bhujau kanakavadatau
sankirtanaika-pitarau kamalayataksau
visvambharau dvija-varau yuga-dharma-palau
vande jagat priya-karau karunavatarau (CB Adi 1.1)
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 inaugurated 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.
Srila Prabhupada who was the founding father of our society. His aim was to make the devotee association feasible for the people in general. Even Chaitanya Mahaprabhu had the similar mission.
pṛthivīte āche yata nagarādi grāma
sarvatra pracāra haibe mora nāma (CB Antya 4.126)
Translation: In every town and village, the chanting of My name will be heard.
If Chaitanya Mahaprabhu had remained in Nabadwip for his entire life then we would have never been with devotees. Chaitanya Mahaprabhu took Sanyas and he left Nabadwip. He travelled through South India and preached Krsna consciousness. When people are not ready to come to the temple then devotees themselves go out on road and perform Harinam Sankirtan. Devotees go out for book distribution to different places like Railway station, airport, bus stand etc. So that the people could get devotee association and hear the message of Krsna, which they were unable to hear.
padārthāḥ saṃsthitā bhūmau bījahīnāstuṣā yathā |
viprairbhāgavatīvārttā gehe gehe jane jane (Padma Puran 6.193.73)
In this way, they would hear this message of Godhead from Saint's and spiritual masters and their life will get transformed. They themselves will become devotees and experience this eternal bliss.
There is no choice other than becoming devotees. Chanting the Hare Krsna Mahamantra, Reading Srila Prabhupada's books and distributing them to others.
Taking the pledge of just honouring prasadam for the rest of our lives. Honouring prasadam and distributing prasadam. We need to follow these rules and regulations ourselves and let others do the same.
dadāti pratigṛhṇāti
guhyam ākhyāti pṛcchati
bhuṅkte bhojayate caiva
ṣaḍ-vidhaṁ prīti-lakṣaṇam (NOI 4)
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.
It's not that we are delivered, we don't bother about others. No It's a concern of a devotee to practice Krsna consciousness and give Krsna consciousness to others. We have to be merciful unto others, this is part of Jiva Daya. There are 3 qualities of a devotee - Name Ruci, Jive Daya and Vaishnava Seva.
jive daya name ruci vaishnava sevana
iha chara dharma nahi suna sanatana
Translation: Hear, Sanätana! Kindness to all living beings, taste for the holy name, and service to Vaiñëavas—apart from these there is no other religion.
We shouldn't be criticizing the devotees. Instead we should be serving them. This has to be a lifestyle of a devotee unless we attain the perfection. Stop not unless the aim is achieved. ṣaḍbhir bhaktiḥ prasidhyati (NOI 3)
Don’t stop until the goal is achieved. Don’t take it easy, keep going. Are you listening?Do you agree to follow these practices?If yes then you can raise your hands.
If you have any special achievement to share which you achieved from last Ekadashi to this Ekadashi, If you have any good news to share then you are welcome to share.As ISKCON Thane reported they distributed 500 Bhagavad Gita to the students. HG Swarupanand Prabhu and HG Purnanandi Radha Mataji from Greater Noida organizedone day Vaishnavi Padayatra with a group of 200 Vaishnavi’s. ISKCON Pandharpur construction is going on nicely. Similarly you can share other reports also.
The devotees who have a special report to share in the past fortnight can share by raising hands. ISKCON has reached Pakistan. HG Padmaksi Prema Mataji says they organized Vaishnavi Padayatra at Gondia in Maharashtra and they had a very blissful experience. HG Shimla Mataji reported they organized a Vaishnavi Padayatra under the guidance of HG Jaybhadra Mataji. Mataji distributed 40 Bhagavad Gita.
HG Krsna Kumar Prabhu from ISKCON Aravade shares they had organized a youth festival where HG Vaidanta Chaitanya Prabhu was the chief guest. HG Arjuna Krishna Prabhu shares he is conducting a Bhakti Vriksha program.
Also PDC training program is being conducted. HG Sumit Charan Prabhu from Sri Ekachakra Dham shares, he is being guided very nicely by HG Acharya Prabhu. And he wants to accept initiation from Srila Gurudev.
HG Padmamali Prabhu speaks , in today's Japa talk we heard about the connection between Spiritual Master and Krsna. And annually we just get one occasion to express our gratitude towards our spiritual master.
As we all know Guru Maharaj's 75th Vyaspuja ceremony approaching. And we need to write the Vyaspuja offering for the same. Use vrndavanalila108@gmail.com for English Offerings. You can share your Vyaspuja offerings in any of these 3 languages, Hindi, English and Marathi. Use
shridharmadhavdas.lok@gmail.com for Hindi, Marathi Offerings.
Last year we managed to achieve our desired target. This year's last date for Vyaspuja offering submission is May 15
th. We request you all to please submit the Vyaspuja offering prior to last submission date.
A few days Back HG Anantasesa Prabhu shared that we have 8000 initiated disciples of Guru Maharaj and including the aspiring disciples this number can be counted as 12500 approximately. So on the occasion of 75th Vyaspuja, we are expecting at least 7500 offerings.
It's Saturday today and tomorrow we have Sunday, So utilize your time.Some devotees are leaving the meeting we are requesting you all to please stay for a bit longer this is a very important announcement. Tomorrow's Zoom session is going to be very special, please make sure not to miss it
It's a surprise for you all.
Hare Krsna.
