English
20th June 2019
Vrindavan
Hare Krishna my prayers and best wishes to you all from Vrindavan, where I am stationed now and from where I am chanting now. Today the number of participants is 612. Let’s hope the number increases as we begin our japa talk here.
Many devotees appreciating the chanting on this zoom conference. On zoom conference I am getting so many communications of appreciation. And how devotees are being greatly benefited by this japa conference, I am happy to hear.
One devotee said he had been chanting since 25 years and then he has been chanting on this conference, ‘let’s chant together’ for since last 6 months. And he says, there is a vast difference between his previous chanting and the chanting now he has been doing with us with this zoom conference. He says there is a vast difference as his chanting has improved and revolutionized. And I'm happy to know.
I think that is also the experience of many if not most of you, chanting on this conference.
And hence, I would encourage you to continue chanting with us and try to get others, more devotees to join us so that they benefit.
621 are participants now. Hari! Hari!
The number has increased.
I'm in Vrindavan. It’s not easy to be in Vrindavan to enter the spirit of Vrindavan. We have to develop ‘bhava bhakti’ of Vrindavan, I am in Vrindavan. I hope, I am in Vrindavan.
We were remembering Dukhi Krishna, while he was sweeping Seva Kunja, he had found the ankle bell of Radharani. Then we were concluding ‘just see he has entered Vrindavan, he has entered pastimes of Radha Krishna.’ Otherwise, how could he find the ankle bells. Yes! yes! he had entered. We did not find the ankle bells of Radha’s anklets. We did not find but Radharani sent us garland. That is some indication that Radha has taken cognizance or noted that we are here in Vrindavan. So, some indication that we are in Vrindavan or we have somewhat entered Vrindavan.
And you are also able to take darshan and appreciate ‘oh beautiful garland, beautiful garland.’ First things is garland is so beautiful, how beautiful Radharani must be. So beauty of garland reminds us, reminds you of the beauty of Radharani. And as I was smelling. Can you smell? Try to smell the garland. I am smelling on your behalf. That fragrance as Krishna says,
punyo gandha prithivyam ca
(BG 7.9)
The fragrance of the earth and the earth's fragrance enters the flowers. That fragrance is Krishna, that fragrance is Radharani.
Hari! Hari!
This way we also realize Radha Shyamsundar by seeing the beautiful garland and by smelling the beautiful fragrance of that beautiful garland. We are drawn closer to Radha and Krishna.
If someone is depressed and not in good mood if he could smell the fragrance [Maharaj smells the flower] everyone feels that something opens you up and you go higher. And the depression goes away just by smelling the fragrance. So, that fragrance that you smell that is Krishna or Radharani. Radha Krishna inspires you, gives you boost, lifts you up from your sometimes lower nature depressed state. Radha Krishna [as he smells], that fragrance that you smell that is also Radharani. That fragrance is from personality of Radha Krishna. That fragrance is non-different from Radha and Krishna. So we haven’t seen or met Radha and Krishna in front of our eyes but fragrance is there. And Krishna says, that fragrance is Myself. So we should realize ‘Oh this is Radha and Krishna, this fragrance is Radha Krishna, oh I am meeting Radha Krishna.’
So as I was coming to Vrindavan yesterday, I was reminded of Prabhupada’s recommendation that while coming to Vrindavan you should follow the footsteps of Akrura, the way Akrura went to Vrindavan. The kind of manoratha that he was doing he was hoping and praying for darshan of the Lord. The kind of mood that he was having. So, one should try to cultivate that mood, following the footsteps of Akrura. The mood wise, consciousness wise or the eagerness wise or anticipation, while coming to Vrindavan. So, I was trying to do some practice like that as I was coming in the direction of Vrindavan. While coming I was chanting and at the same time thinking and remembering how Akrura was coming to Vrindavan, cultivating that mood following the footsteps of Akrura. I was chanting and I was also trying to get into that mood.
And then finally I reached Vrindavan, there were some greetings. Devotees were there, chanting of Mahamantra and I was welcomed and greeted. As I entered my residence there was surprise, there were Krishna Balarama Govardhana shila darshan waiting for me and that also what happened to Akrura. So finally, when Akrura arrived Vrindavan 5000 years ago whom did he meet?
Krishna and Balarama that was pratyaksha, that was the time Lord’s prakat lila was on. Krishna and Balarama were personally, physically, spiritually, tangibly were there. Akrura his manoratha, all that he was aspiring, dreaming and visualizing on the way all that he was realizing on reaching Nanda bhavan.
Darshan of Krishna and Balarama in shila form. Akrura was taking Krishna and Balarama darshan. I thought, ‘oh I am experiencing something similar’’. Akrura was getting Krishna Balarama darsana and I'm also taking Their Krishna Balarama darshan. Sri Krishna Balarama ki jai!
So,
HARE KRISHNA HARE KRISHNA
KRISHNA KRISHNA HARE HARE
HARE RAMA HARE RAMA
RAMA RAMA HARE HARE
We chant Hare Krishna mantra, each mantra has mantra devata. Each mantra has its mantra devata whichever mantra it is. Worshipable deity is worshiped by some particular mantra. So, Hare Krishna mahamantra has Radha Krishna as devata.
The mantra as we chant, devan deva-yajo yanti
[BG 7.23]
There are devatas [Demigods] mantra as we chant, the devatas are pleased and we end up getting their blessings and we end up going to heaven.
pitran-yanti pitra-vratah
[BG 9.25]
There are mantras to worship the pitras –forefathers we chant that mantra and forefathers are pleased and we end up going to those planets. And there are mantras for bhuta pishacha [ghosts and spirits] like that there are many mantras.
yanti mad-yajino 'pi mam
[BG 9.25]
But those who chant My mantra they come to Me.
Those who chant Hare Krishna mahamantra, Radha Krishna are pleased and then we are blessed by Radha and Krishna.
They are our ishtadevata and one ends up returning or going to that abode where Radha and Krishna reside and that is Vrindavan. That’s Gokul Vrindavan or Golok Vrindavan there is no difference.
So, chanters of Hare Krishna, by chanting Hare Krishna mahamantra they are worshipping Radha and Krishna . And then they go to the abode of Radha and Krishna that is Vrindavan.
That is where I have come, I hope I have reached Vrindavan.
I am welcomed here and I am allowed to enter. I thought of it and I also shared this with assembled devotees. Then we remember Krishna, while we are remembering Krishna, has Lord taken note that such and such person remembering Me? Certainly, if someone is remembering wherever he is remembering, immediately Lord takes note. Oh! such and such person is remembering Me as he is chanting. And his chanting has resulted in as sravanam kirtanam vishnuh smaran. Chanting and hearing attentively and offencelessly results in remembrance of the Lord.
Someone is remembering the Lord, is that person away from the Lord? Has Lord taken note of that person's remembering Him? The answer is certainly. Anyone who is on the level of remembering the Lord, he is busy remembering the Lord, he is with the Lord. That is union, that is yoga.
Through the process of sravanam kirtanam that results in remembrance, which is dhyana that’s also meditation.
That’s also ‘chintan manana’ contemplation, nididhyasana. So, that’s the meeting point. Lord and living entities are meeting as remembrance takes place. Lord has taken note of that chanter or specially of that chanter who is praying to the Lord, who is chanting with the remembrance of the Lord.
We have to chant, that results in remembrance of the Lord. All the sravanam kirtanam that we do or hearing chanting that we do, it always does not result in remembrance of the Lord. We are spaced out, we are thinking of something else, our mind is somewhere else. So, I am talking of hearing and chanting with all your efforts you are making, sure it results in remembering the Lord.
And if you are remembering then Lord has taken note of your chanting and He is pleased with your chanting. He is very much there and you are connected with Him. You are chanting, hearing and remembering, Lord has taken note of that. Lord knows this chanting is done with remembering Me and this chanting is done with not remembering Me. We should make sure that our chanting is with remembrance of the Lord. With dhyana, remembering name, qualities, pastimes of the Lord, abode of the Lord. Lord knows both the chanting and both the chanters and Lord is pleased with one kind of chanter but not with the other. So, we should do right kind of chanting. Sravanam kirtanam vishnuh smaranam is our goal.
Good luck and success in your chanting and remembrance.
Hare Krishna