English
28th April 2019
NAAM CAN TAKE US TO DHAM!
On Sunday many of our chanters they take break. Sunday is supposed to be a holiday. Not for chanting. So numbers drop drastically. We have been making this observation. We are happy with those, who are chanting even on Sundays. But we are not happy, who are not chanting with us on Sundays. We are not that kind of devotees who take break on Sundays or take it easy on Sundays.
We have to chant. Someone may feel, “How long we have to keep chanting?" So the response is, we have to chant forever. Like 'staying high forever', we have to 'chant forever'. So we have to get ready to chant forever. We have to understand, deep meaning, importance of ’forever'.
What is meant by 'forever'? tomorrow, day after tomorrow, next month, next year, next life, next birth, but, there will be no birth. We go back to Krishna! Haribol!
Then we continue chanting there. We continue chanting here & then we will also continue to chant up there. So, that is chanting forever. We have to get prepared with that kind of determination to chant forever.
Uttsahat nischayat dhairyat tat tat karma pravartant,
sanga tyagat sato vritte shadbhir bhaktir prasiddhati. (NOI verse 3)
That is there. So by chanting with 'uttsaha'( enthusiasm), chanting with 'dhairya' determination, with patience, like that six items are there. So, we attain perfection of chanting by following these six items. We will attain perfection of chanting 'Hare Krishna', which is one of those siddhis - to realize Krishna to see Krishna. Have His darshan & ultimately to go back, where Lord eternally resides & we continue to stay with Him.
Where I am stationed right now, is a place not far from, Tukaram Maharaj's birth place Dehu. That personality Tukaram is a glaring example, who attained perfection, mantra-siddhi by ultimately going back to Vaikuntha, back to Godhead. So, during his final days, not that he wanted those days to be his final days. Tukaram maharaj was, outside his hometown. His hometown is on the banks of sacred river Indrayani. Many had assembled there, many may be hundreds, thousands had assembled & they were chanting & singing with him. He was crying & praying. His prayer was please take me back home, wherever You reside eternally. You take me or bring me to place, wherever You are. He was chanting & chanting.
‘Jai Jai Ram Krishna Hari! Jai Jai Ram Krishna Hari!! Panduranga Panduranga!Panduranga!’
So, he was chanting like that. Where I am staying now is not my home. I had so many such homes. Home after home after home. Country after country, planet after planet, universe after universe I had been changing my so my so-called home. This is not my home. My home is where You reside. Or Your home is my home. I am Yours, please take me back home. So this was his prayer. Gokul or Nandgram is my home. As he was praying & crying like this -
premanjanchhurita bhakti vilochanen (Brahma- samhita)
Tears were gliding down his cheeks. He was singing ’anandale man preme pazarati lochan’ (My mind is full of 'anand' but more Anand is emanating & arousing)
anaandabhudhi vardhanam. More Anand is coming out of my eyes as tears of joy.
Ok, so then the Lord had no choice. The prayer was so sincere, intense & ongoing that Lord had to fulfill the desire of His pure devotee -Tukaram. Tivren bhakti yogen. He was revealing his heart unto Lord - Guhyam akhyati … (NOI - verse 4) so Lord had no choice. Then Lord sent an aeroplane from His abode to Dehu, wherever Tukaram was dancing & singing for last several days. He was not stopping & chanting & chanting. So, the aeroplane landed near this sankirtan party. Next thing was Tukaram maharaj climbed on the plane. He took his seat, fasten his belt & the pilot was about to start engine. Last things he said to his family members & all those assembled, with folded hands he told ’aamhi jato amuchya gava,amucha Ram Ram ghyava!’
( I am going back home, please accept my humble obeisances) He also said while returning back home, "You also chant, continue to chant the holy names of the Lord & for sure Lord will take you back home." These were his inspiring words to all the Vaishnava's. Keep chanting.
HARE KRISHNA HARE KRISHNA
KRISHNA KRISHNA HARE HARE
HARE RAMA HARE RAMA
RAMA RAMA HARE HARE
This historical event took place in Dehu, not far from here Vyasa Puja festival this year, we also have planned to go to Dehu dham, birthplace of Tukaram maharaj. We have also planned at the place from where he departed for Vaikunth. Tukaram maharaj's departure to Vaikuntha took place in or two days after Gaura Purnima not same year. It's a Vaishnava-tithi. It is called 'Tukaram-bij'. Must be Dwitiya. So, by chanting the holy names of the Lord, one & ultimate outcome could be, chanter could go & does goback to Godhead.
Someone may raise the doubt , 'What is the proof?' So this is the proof. This is one of the proof. There are many many proofs that Lord had displayed or presented to the world. All assembled did see aeroplane coming, they did see Tukaram boarding the plane, they saw him going & they never ever saw him again & hence there are samadhis of all the saints, but there is no samadhi of Tukaram. How is it possible? He just went with his body, his whole being. This is a history. This is a fact. Thousands have seen it. They have written about it. So this should give us further inspiration to keep chanting 'Hare Krishna'. Our enthusiasm should increase, our determination should increase & will increase.
So, hope & pray that this event keep giving you enthusiasm, determination, patience & dhairya to keep chanting & dancing, keeping your mind on the goal. One goal is ultimately Go! Go! 'Go for Gauranga back to home, back to Godhead.
Hare Krishna!