English
27th January 2020
Sanghe shakti kalau yuge!
namo maha-vadanyaya, krsna-prema-pradaya te
krishnaya krishna-chaitanya, namne gaura-tvishe namah
Meaning of the mantra:
O most munificent incarnation! You are Krishna Himself appearing as Sri Krsna Caitanya Mahaprabhu. You have assumed the golden colour of Srimati Radharani, and You are widely distributing pure love of Krsna. We offer our respectful obeisances unto You.
Hari Hari!
We have 426 participants from different locations. I am in Iskcon Aravade. All the ISKCON temples from my zone, namahattas and Bhakti vrikshas over there are all chanting together.
Sanghe shakti Kalau yuge….
In Kaliyuga there is lot of power in uniting together. We display the power of devotion when we unite together or chant together. We are sangh. There are many types of such sanghas. People unite together and then they display their power. Or one gains power by uniting together. For doing Japa also these two are important. One is 'Sangh' - the way we are members of an International Society or sangh for Krishna consciousness. In this Krishna consciousness sangh we get 'sang' - that is association. One is 'sanga' and other is 'sangh'. In talking about sangh we are united in big numbers, and by that we get more and more sang or association of other devotees and sadhakas. By that we derive power.
param vijayate sri krsna sankirtanam ( Siksatakam verse 1)
What is meant by sankirtana? When we unite together and do kirtana it is called congregational sankirtana. If we do it alone, then it becomes difficult. We may sleep and there is nobody to wake us up. We all sadhakas who are doing this japa - yajna. We remain protected and our mind stays at one place and doesn't run around. When we chant or perform devotional activities amidst the association of devotees, then the concentration of our mind increases, and the wandering of the mind reduces because otherwise mind just keeps on wandering. This is the business of the mind because unsteadiness is the basic nature of mind.
cañcalaṁ hi manaḥ kṛṣṇa
pramāthi balavad dṛḍham
tasyāhaṁ nigrahaṁ manye
vāyor iva su-duṣkaram
Translation:
The mind is restless, turbulent, obstinate and very strong, O Krsna, and to subdue it, I think, is more difficult than controlling the wind.(BG. 6.34)
In the 6th chapter of Bhagavad-Gita Arjun inquires from the Lord, which actually we should have inquired but we don't know how to and so on behalf of us Arjun has inquired. What did he say? cañcalaṁ hi manaḥ kṛṣṇa….. he is calling out to the Lord although the Lord was in front of him. He is in conversation with Krsna. cañcalaṁ hi manaḥ kṛṣṇa pramāthi balavad dṛḍham pramathi -- balavad dridham , the mind just becomes obstinate whenever it wants to meet someone or go somewhere Then he wants to do it for sure - pramathi - it’s also very powerful - balavad - it is determined to do so many things and then that becomes our character. Our mind, everyone's mind, is an element. The way there is earth, water, fire, air and ether. There are three more and that is mind, intelligence and false ego. These are elements of which some are gross and some are subtle. The mind is the mind, but it differs from person to person in a way that stability of the mind varies person to person. Everyone's mind is powerful in more or less quantity in a negative sense. It just keeps desiring things. It keeps oscillating between various choices and determinations ( sankalp and vikalap)
tasyāhaṁ nigrahaṁ manye - Arjun then said tasya ,to control this mind , samaha damaha… this way the Lord explains in the 18th chapter of Bhagavad-Gita, sense control , mind control , tasyāhaṁ nigrahaṁ manye , it is very difficult. Arjun said it is very difficult. Vayoriva suduskaram. It's possible that if there is a cyclone that possibly I could stop. “O! Air you cannot progress further in this direction”! I can control air or cyclone, but it is very difficult to control mind. Su-duskaram it's a very difficult task to stop the mind. In Marathi they say,’Man jikana jag jikanya evadha sopa nahi’. You can win over the world and become digvijayi meaning you have conquered the four directions, and have become the conqueror of the world. But such a person also could not be said to have won over the mind. To conquer the mind is even more difficult than conquering the world in four directions. Such was the experience about his own mind that Arjun had narrated to Krsna. With this the Lord and Arjun are giving us insight to understand the mind. We cannot trust the mind. It becomes possible to have some control on the mind when we are in the association of the devotees. This is the thing I am trying to explain to you. In association in this International Krishna consciousness society or sangh we get association or sang of sadhu's. Then we our self start becoming sadhu. There could be misunderstanding that we are sadhu and we will just give association, but will not take association. Sadhu also needs association.
Bodhayantaha parasparam……
What do all my devotees or sadhu's do? ( O! You are sleeping? You are sleeping during the day? thambala to sampala aani zopala to hi mela. - one who stops is finished and one who sleeps is also as good as dead. ) If we are in someone’s association they may wake us up. If we are doing it alone then who will wake us up? Who will remind us? If we are in any asaram - Grihastha or Brahmachari, then we get association in the asaram. Other devotees also care fo rus , remember us, whether we are attending mangala aarti or not. There is also roll call and attendance during mangala aarti. Once one devotee had not come for mangala aarti so they went to search for him in the asaram, and find out ,why he didn't come? Those were the cold days of winter. They heard some voice was coming from somewhere, vande guro sri caranaravinda…. Then temple commander was searching and thinking that someone was doing mangala arati there. On searching further he discovered that one of the devotees was doing mangala aarti in his sleeping bag. He didn't come out. Inside only he was singing, samsara-davanala-lidha-loka-… Yes ! Samsara is davanala. Then
Bodhayantaha parasparam……
For such devotees in whom there are some drawbacks or faults, who will remind them? Those who are with them and they are the friends well wishers they will remind them by doing
Bodhayantaha parasparam……
In Grihastha asaram also, people can make others wake up. They can wake their children up or if the wife is not getting up her husband can wake her up.
The Lord also gets up during Brahma muhurt in Dvaraka. He had kept cocks in every palace in Dvararka. You know cocks? They make this sound cucoo cucoo! On hearing this sound of the cocks the Lord used to get up. In those days there were no alarm clocks. It was done with the nature's arrangement. The whole lifestyle was based in tune with nature. Nature is not independent, but of course under the control of the Lord.
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 Kunti, producing all moving and nonmoving beings. Under its rule this manifestation is created and annihilated again and again.( BG. 9.10)
Such was the arrangement of the nature to wake people up. People kept cocks, as they were used to wake them up. They used to be grateful to them. Thank you! Thank you! O cock! You woke me up.
jiv jago, jiv jago, gauracanda bole
kota nidra jao maya-pisacira kole ( Arunodaya kirtana song 2 in Gitavali by BVT)
Gaurachanda is calling , wake up o! souls. Same message on behalf of Krsna is given by cock. Cock makes us wake up. O! Soul wake up!! People use to be grateful to the Cocks. But now a days, people of Kaliyuga think that these cocks are disturbing us. Our early morning sweet sleep is getting disturbed. They have given the name to the early morning sleep as 'sweet sleep'. That sleep is disturbed by cocks, so instead of being grateful to them what they do? They just cut their throats and eat them up. O! Notorious creature!! You are disturbing my sleep? I will eat you up!! This is the type of behaviour with others and with cocks by the people of Kaliyuga. By eating cocks they slip more into mode of ignorance.
Hare Krishna Hare Krishna
Krishna Krishna Hare Hare
Hare Rama Hare Rama
Rama Rama Hare Hare
For this only we have this International Society for Krishna consciousness to give association and to take association.
utsāhān niścayād dhairyāt
tat-tat-karma-pravartanāt
saṅga-tyāgāt sato vṛtteḥ
ṣaḍbhir bhaktiḥ prasidhyati
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 sravanam kirtanam visnoh smaranam – hearing, chanting and remembering Krsna], (5) abandoning the association of nondevotees, and (6) following in the footsteps of the previous acaryas. These six principles undoubtedly assure the complete success of pure devotional service. ( NOI Verse 3)
pra-sidhyati , siddhi of harinama japa
We also need association. What do you think? Don't you need association? Who all think that they need sadhu sang? Rupa Goswami Prabhupad said, saṅga-tyāgāt. Just now we're talking about having sang or association, and now he is saying, saṅga-tyāgāt. Whether we want sanga or we don't want it? It's both. saṅga-tyāgāt. He is saying we have to abandon the association, but which association? Asat sanga tyagat vaisnava aachar. We have to leave one type of association and accept another kind of association. Abandon the asat-sang and accept sat-sang. ṣaḍbhir. Six nectarean things which he had discussed in that he talks about this sang or association.
utsāhān niścayād dhairyāt
tat-tat-karma-pravartanāt
saṅga-tyāgāt sato vṛtteḥ
ṣaḍbhir bhaktiḥ prasidhyati
In other sloka he says,
atyāhāraḥ prayāsaś ca
prajalpo niyamāgrahaḥ
jana-saṅgaś ca laulyaṁ ca
ṣaḍbhir bhaktir vinaśyati
Translation:
One’s devotional service is spoiled when he becomes too entangled in the following six activities: (1) eating more than necessary or collecting more funds than required; (2) over-endeavoring for mundane things that are very difficult to obtain; (3) talking unnecessarily about mundane subject matters; (4) practicing the scriptural rules and regulations only for the sake of following them and not for the sake of spiritual advancement, or rejecting the rules and regulations of the scriptures and working independently or whimsically; (5) associating with worldly-minded persons who are not interested in Krsna consciousness; and (6) being greedy for mundane achievements. ( NOI Verse 2)
If you do these six things ,then you will gain and strengthen your devotion and there are other six things which if you do, will destroy your devotion. One leads to achievement of devotion while the other leads to its destruction. In another list he tells
atyāhāraḥ prayāsaś ca
prajalpo niyamāgrahaḥ
jana-saṅgaś ca ….
This Jana sanga , one of the political parties name is also 'Jana-Sangha'. These people out of which some maybe Karmi or some will be Jnani , everyone will have something different. If we take such association of worldly people then what will happen? ṣaḍbhir bhaktir vinaśyati
One sang leads to blooming up of devotion while another type of sanga will lead to its destruction - progression and destruction. There are two types of association. We all have to understand properly that whatever one is doing currently, whether it is satsang or a asat-sang. For that one needs intelligence. It is called sad -asad vivek which means power of discrimination. Sad-asad buddhi. This association is good sat-sang and that one is asat-sang. Lord is 'sat' and Maya is 'asat'. This is Maya that is Krsna this is Krsna that is Maya, one needs intelligence to keep on discriminating this way. When bodhayantaha parasparam happens among devotees then we gain intelligence. The Lord bestows intelligence in such satsang. If we are buddu (unintelligent) then one will become intelligent. 'Doka aahe ki khoka aahe?’( Marathi) means whether the head is full or it is an empty box, which is weak in itself. Scriptures say about uttam-anga. Anga means body part. Head is termed as uttam-anga. Out of all body parts which is the best part? It is the head.
īśvaraḥ sarva-bhūtānāṁ
hṛd-deśe 'rjuna tiṣṭhati
bhrāmayan sarva-bhūtāni
yantrārūḍhāni māyayā
Translation:
The Supreme Lord is situated in everyone’s heart, O Arjuna, and is directing the wanderings of all living entities, who are seated as on a machine, made of the material energy. ( BG. 18.61)
yantrārūḍhāni māyayā - this body is like a machine and who is sitting in it? Whenever any machine or aeroplane is in action which is the most important part? Driver! If you are going by car or aeroplane if others sleep it is fine, but if the driver sleeps? Finished! Crash! Accident! Similarly if other body parts are a little weak or slack it is fine, but intelligence has to be sharp. If the driver is active and sharp then our journey becomes safe and comfortable. Similarly this life is also a journey 'from womb to tomb'. From womb to finally till the graveyard. If we have good driver meaning sharp intelligence, then this journey will be smooth and in proper order and safe. Even if there are some obstructions that can be dealt with. How can we become intelligent? By sadhu sang. This association gives us intelligence. Lord also bestows intelligence to Arjuna. It is also called Buddhi-yoga even though it is actually Bhakti-Yoga. His mind was also unsteady. Then on the battlefield of Kurukshetra the Lord himself gave association to Arjun.
kārpaṇya-doṣopahata-svabhāvaḥ
pṛcchāmi tvāṁ dharma-sammūḍha-cetāḥ
yac chreyaḥ syān niścitaṁ brūhi tan me
śiṣyas te 'haṁ śādhi māṁ tvāṁ prapannam
Translation:
Now I am confused about my duty and have lost all composure because of miserly weakness. In this condition I am asking You to tell me for certain what is best for me. Now I am Your disciple, and a soul surrendered unto You. Please instruct me. (BG. 2.7)
Arjun accepted to become disciple of Krsna and accepted Him as Guru.
krsnam vande jagat gurum.
The Lord plays the role of an acarya, a spiritual master, guide, friend. He gave guidance to Arjun and made him intelligent. He didn't want to fight, but then this pair achieved success.
Yato dharmaha tato jayaha… (verse quoted in Mahabharata 11 times.)
Wherever there is religion, there will be victory. Wherever there is victory, there is religion. The Lord is establishing the religious principle by explaining Bhagavad - Gita. Arjun became Dharmadyaksa ( knower of the religion) and also protector of the religion. He followed his religion that is Ksatriya Dharma and achieved success. All glories to Krsna and Arjuna! All glories to Bhagavad-Gita. Their conversation is available to us in the form of Bhagavad-Gita in which the Lord became Guru or Sadhu and then bodhayantaha parasparam happened. That conversation is useful for us also or in fact that is for us only who are so fallen.
Keep chanting. It is beneficial to chat in the association of the devotees.
Gaur Premanande!
Hari Haribol!
