Dated: 28th June 2006
Venue: Guayana
“Jaya jaya Radhe, jaya jaya Shyam, Jaya jaya shree Vrindavan dham,
Jaya jaya Radhe, jaya jaya Shyam, Jaya jaya shree Vrindavan dham”
In our minds, we would like to go to Vrindavan today, that is where Shree Krishna, made His appearance. Not exactly in Vrindavan, He appeared in Mathura. And then He comes over to Vrindavan to Gokul. He comes to Gokul. Before we talk of that past time, in Srimad Bhagvatam, as Sukhadev Goswami has described it, would like to just think of that Vrindavan. Make a journey to Vrindavan. Be there, as Lord Krishna appears. All the devatas , all the Demigods had come all the way from their respective aboards. You think Demigods are less busy; you are more busy than those Demigods?? They have much bigger affairs to handle. Each Demigod has a big universal department that they oversee; but as they got the news, got the clue, got the hint, indication that Lord Krishna would be appearing, they dropped everything. They ran, they rushed to Vrindavan.
Mathura Vrindavan ki……..JAI.
Anyway we already have dropped, am sure, something something ; watching television or this body, that body and different affairs. We already have come here, now all that, now we need to do is to in our minds, travel to Vrindavan, think of Vrindavan. Or as you think of Vrindavan, Vrindavan will come to you, Instead of you going to Vrindavan.
“Naham vasami vaikunthe nachayoginaam hridaye
Yatra madbhakta gaayanti tatra tishthami narada”
Lord has made it very clear that if you wish to find me, you go where the devotees have assembled for Bhagvat katha or for sankirtan , where they are chanting His glories, remembering Him, His past times , remembering His form, remembering His aboard , remembering His qualities I am there you could find Me there.
“Yatra madbhakta gaayanti tatra tishthami” Tatra – There I reside.
We did not complete that Bhagvat mahatmya last night but in there is also promise from Shree Krishna. In that Bhagvat katha, on the banks of Ganga in Haridwar, there 4 kumarars where reciting Bhagvatam. Towards the end of that Bhagvat katha, Lord Krishna appeared. Naturally, He was given big throne, big sinhasan to sit on. And as Lord took His seat, all the devotees did big kirtan…for Lord’s pleasure. Prahlad maharaj was there, he was playing kartal. And Udhhav was there, playing hand symbols. And there was Indra , he was playing mridanga. One of the best mridanga players in the world is Indra himself.
And Arjuna is also good singer. (Maharaj sings aa………aa……………..) Arjuna was doing aalap. And Sukhdev Goswami was there, doing all the bhava bhangi , he was expressing all the emotions, feelings; for different mudras, different facial expressions and body language. So like that and Brahma comes ……. And Shivji arrives with Bhavani . So like that, there was everybody there and they had this wonderful kirtan , everyone was participating to their heart content
“Hare Krishna Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna Hare Hare, Hare Ram Hare Ram Ram Ram Hare Hare”…………………..kirtan (everybody raise hands)
“yam brahma varunendra-rudra-marutah stunvanti divyaih stavair
vedaih sanga-pada-kramopanishadair gayanti yam sama-gah
dhyanavasthita-tad-gatena manasa pasyanti yam yogino
yasyantam na viduh surasura-gana devaya tasmai namah” (S.B 12.13.1)
Yam Brahma – Brahma ji was there. Rudra marutah – rudra marus Sunvanti . Each one of them, they are all praising the Lord. “Brahma bole chatur mukhe” Brahma, with all his four heads in four directions he was chanting “Brahma bole chatur mukhe, Krishna Krishna hare hare” What was he chanting? From all his four heads he was chanting Krishna Krishna hare hare
“Pancha muke mahadev” One of the features of Mahadev is panchamukhi Mahadev, 5 headed Shiv and what was he doing with all his 5 heads and 5 mouths also. “Pancha mukhe bole ram ram hare hare”. With all his mouths he was chanting ram ram hare hare. In other words, Brahma and Shivji Mahadev they are also chanting this Mahamantra. “Hare Krishna Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna Hare Hare, Hare Ram Hare Ram Ram Ram Hare Hare”
And so on, everyone assembled there, they all stood up, they all got up They couldn’t resist the temptation of getting up, something within them was just making them stand up and they all started dancing very slowly. Everyone there, all the demigods and of course, you know there assembly, the rushis and munis, Brahmarishis, rajrishis. From everywhere they had come. Ganga had come, Jamuna was there. Ganga has her own form, she assumed her form she rides on a crocodile. Ganga comes, Jamuna was there. Godavari Saraswati………
“Narmade sindhu kaveri jalasvin san nidhim kurum”
All the rivers , different sastras, different scriptures, they had taken different forms, their own form Vedas, Upanishads all the 7 purans were there in that Bhagvat katha mahotstav, Bagvat katha festival and let us not forget very much there was Naradji…….Narayan . And there was bhakti devi, and there was gyan and there was vairagya. That whole katha was for their benefit and they were greatly benefited. At the beginning of katha, they had to be brought in, they needed help. They were picked up from Vrindavan, they were not able to even walk but by the end of the katha they were up and they were dancing like peacocks. Gyan and vairagya , they were dancing……………HARI BOL…..HARI BOL……HARI BOL.
Narada muni dancing of course he always dances and bhakti devi was dancing. The meaning that Bhagvat katha revived their spirits. They all became fully Krishna conscious by hearing Srimad Bhagwat katha. They were free form ignorance, they became knowledgeable, they became detached at the same time, they were full of bhakti, they were full of devotion for the Lord and gyan, bhakti, vairagya they were all dancing.
“Jaya Radhe jaya Krishna jaya Vrindavan Jaya Radhe jaya Krishna jaya Vrindavan
Shree Govind Gopinath Madanmohan Shyam kund Radha kunda Giri Govardhan” (bhajan)
In that Vrindavan, aboard of Radhe and Krishna “Jaya Radhe jaya Krishna jaya Vrindavan” The deities of Madanmohan, Radha Govind, Radha Gopinath these are principal deities there are so many, there are 5000 temples in Vrindavan. How many?? 5000 temples in Vrindavan.
“Shyam kund Radha kund Giri Govardhan………….” In that Vrindavan, there’s a place called Radha kunda…..very dear, Radha kunda is very dear to Krishna as Radha is near to Krishna. It is a very sacred pond; sacred lake where Radha and Krishna meet every day at noon time and next to Radha kunda is Shyam kunda. Kunda– the pond, the lake named after Krishna. Radha kunda Shyam kunda, and not far from there, is Govardhan, the hill that Lord Krishna lifted.
Shyam kund Radha kund Giri Govardhan Kalindi jamuna jaya jaya mahavan…………………….
Yamuna maiya ki……….jai.
Vrindavan is not complete without Yamuna. Kesi ghat bansi vat dvadasa kanan………………. .This Kesi ghat where Krishna killed the Kesi demon, Kesi ghat and there’s a bansi ban where Lord played His flute and like that there are 12 forest of Vrindavan. There’s a Madhuban, Talvan, kumud van, Vrindaban, kaam van, badhravan, bhandirvan, shree ban Lohavan, maha ban. Like this there are 12 forests of Vrindavan.
Jaha sab leela kaila shree nanda nanda Jaha sab leela kaila shree nanda nanda………………………………………
In all these 12 forests of Vrindavan, Krishna performed His past times. In each one different different past times, jaya Radhe jaya Krishna jaya Vrindavan…………………….. “Hare Krishna Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna Hare Hare, Hare Ram Hare Ram Ram Ram Hare Hare”…………………..kirtan.
There was kirtan everyone was taking part; we already mentioned we have everyone. So enthusiastic, they were all dancing, jumping up and down in ecstasy, and Lord was so much pleased with them. That particular kirtan, Lord personally appeared and He was very much there and He was hearing that kirtan directly. Krishna said, “I am very much pleased with all of you assembled devotees. You may ask for a boon…var mango…devotees, the assembled devotees, they were consultation with each other. What, what boon should we ask, what should we ask for?? Lord is personally asking, ask for a boon. What should we ask the Lord? Should we ask for this, ask for that. They were all debating. Finally they came to conclusion and they asked the Lord, my dear Lord, that we humbly appeal to you that whenever there is Bhagvat katha, wherever whenever the devotees get together and conduct this Bhagvat yagya, Bhagvat katha mahotsav. We would like you to be present in all those Bhagvat kathas. Could you kindly make your appearance in those kathas? And Lord’s response was tathastu. So ‘tatha-astu’ – as you desire, I promise, I would be there. So there’s one point, important point, we are also doing katha here. We made the point that ok; we should try to go to Vrindavan in our minds. But then it is easier for Lord to come here than for us to go there. Lord will come if we do not only assemble here for katha but with our devotion, with our enthusiasm, our thoughts going to Krishna, Krishna will come. Srila Prabhupad used to say, if you like to see your prime minister, I don’t know about in your country but prime minister like Mr. Bush or in India the big prime minister big country, very difficult to see him but what if, he would like to see you? Then easy. He could just arrange it.
So likewise, if we wish to see God, who knows how long it will take what it would take to see the Lord, meet the Lord but what if Lord wants to see you? Then He could manage very easily. Srila prabhupad used to say, you act in such a way that in your activities attract the Lord towards you. He would like to come and meet you, see you, thank you. So in this Bhagvat katha if you could please the Lord like that by our action, by our presence Lord is already pleased but if our kaya. Kayen mana vacha. Everything, there’s a body, there’s a speech and there’s a mind. So body we have dedicated in service of Bhagvad katha here. Our body is nowhere else but here sitting in the chair. Then we could also keep our mind fixed in Krishna’s katha, Krishna’s past times, remembrance of Krishna and whenever necessary, whenever possible we could use our tongue, speech not that we have to give lecture but if we could just say jay………….Vrindavan dham ki……..JAY. If we could just use our tongue or as these songs are being sung. If we could repeat after use our tongue again, so like this
“Kaayen mansa vacha Keval indrayi api Yoginah karma kurvanti sangatyatva aatma shudhhaye
In full detachment, the yogis they engaged everything at their disposal in service of the Lord , their bodies, mind, souls, they do this for ‘aatma shudhhaye’ for the self purification, and once we are purified we’ll be happy. Brahma saukhyam tam anantam, Brahma sukh – unlimited happiness is awaiting for those souls who undergo this process of purification, cleansing process, chanting the Hare Krishna maha mantra is that cleansing process in this age of Kali yug. Hare Krishna. HARI HARIBOL…
Become enlightened, become purified, become realized self realized, Krishna realized. Get your realization together, gets transformed not just information, gathering up information. The world is so proud….ohhhh this is the age of IT (Information Technology) to gather information, what good is that information if that doesn’t bring about the transformation of our hearts condition who do not become the men of characters or ladies of characters, good characters well behaved and God conscious that’s important than just information of this material world. So this Bhagvad katha is for transformation, purification, self realization. So that was the left over Bhagvad mahatmya.
Today our topic is ‘SHREE KRISHNA JANMA’
The birth of Lord Krishna. How many years ago did He appear? Who remembers? (Someone replies 5108) no no, that was disappearance….5108 years ago Lord disappeared. And how long was He on the planet? 125 years Lord was on the planet. So, you add this. 5108 + 125 grand total is 5233 years ago Lord Shree Krishna appeared on this planet. This Janmastami that is in month of august would be 5233rd Shree Krishna janmastami that this world would be celebrating. So, Lord Shree Krishna’s birth is Krishna is wonderful and His birth is also wonderful.
“Janma karma ca me divyam evam yo vetti tattvatah
tyaktva deham punar janma naiti mam eti so arjuna” (B.G 4.9)
Lord Krishna in the 4th chapter of Bhagvad gita, He says “My janma, My appearance and karma in My past times are transcendental “janma karma ca me divyam.” It is not like your birth, my birth. No…..Lord’s janma karma ca me divyam- transcendental, Lord Krishna’s appearance is transcendental, out of this world, not ordinary, out of ordinary. If we could understand by hearing Lord Krishna’s appearance and His activities which are called Lila’s – tattvatah.
Tyaktva deham punar janma naiti – then when we give up these bodies which we will have to give up sooner or later. Then Krishna says, “If you have understood Me, My appearance, My past times then as you give up this body, you don’t have to take birth again” Life is tough and then you die someone in New York wrote it on a wall “Life is tough and then you die” and what ? then you born again. Life is tough then you die then born again. Like that, the cycle goes on. Tough life, then you die. I wish everything would end with death. But no, it doesn’t end with the death, it is another beginning and tough life is waiting and then you die. Someone wrote this in big letters in New York on the wall so that everyone could read.
We attend this Bhagvad katha, chant Hare Krishna, take Krishna Prasad, Food offered to Krishna. “Patram pushpam phalam toyam , yo me bhaktya prayacchyati” (B.G 9.26). This is Lord’s recommendation “Patram pushpam phalam toyam , yo me bhaktya prayacchyati”. You offer me fruits, flower or water, milk, juices, food made from grains, breads, sweets, milk sweets plenty of all this, all around. Krishna is providing. Krishna says offer this to me and then you honor the remnants as Prasad. This country would be different country if this country could eat only Krishna Prasad, food offered to Krishna full belly not just in the hand, this will transform we guarantee less murders. I was surprised to read as I was coming here for Bhagvat katha, that just in 3 months 75 murders in our country. 75 people got murdered, they are no more. So much violence, over 500 armed robbers and what there are so many others. Not so encouraging figures and facts. This is result of meat eating, fish eating. Person becomes violent by nature, becomes passionate, he becomes a tiger , he comes roaring where is the blood , he has drank the blood or ate the flesh, he has transformed, he has become a tiger, a lion he wants to act like one , he drinks the blood instead if he eats Krishna Prasad and let them drink Charanamruta . This is the different country, Guayana would be different country. Just chant Hare Krishna and honor Krishna Prasad, listen to this Bhagvat katha you would be the well wisher, friend of all living entities. You would have wanted to hurt anybody not even an ant. Wasn’t that Valmiki he was a robber, killer, a sinner . The name of Shree Ram transformed him. Ram……. Ram…. He chanted names of Ram. He was so simple, as you know, when he was asked to chant the names of Ram by devarshi Narada he was not even able to chant, utter the name of Ram properly. He started from the back, the reverse. What was he chanting? mara mara mara mara…….mara mara ………………ram .ram………….ram……mara became ram .. As he was purified, he was then able to chant.
“Ram ram ram bolo shyam shyam shyam bolo…..jag me sundar hai do naam” (bhajan) . In this world these two beautiful names…….Chahe Krishna kaho ya Raam – You say Raam or Krishna. Ram Ram Ram bolo……………Shyam Shyam Shyam bolo…Bolo Raam……………….bolo Shyam………….
This is the formula, is the process given by Shree Krishna Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. The names of Krishna, chanting the names of Krishna, honoring Krishna Prasad and listening to Krishna’s message in the form of Bhagvat Gita, listening to His past times in the form of Srimad Bhagvatam. This is the need of the hour that leaders of this country, make the plans for chanting the holy name all over this island…..no, it’s not island. Sorry, whatever, country, nation.
“paritranaya sadhunam vinasaya ca duskrtam dharma samsthapanarthaya sambhavami yuge yuge” (B.G 4.8)
As we are talking of the appearance of Krishna, the birth of Krishna. Krishna again makes it clear in Bhagvat Gita, why does He appear or as He appears, what does Krishna do here?
paritranaya sadhunam – to protect His devotees. Lord protects His devotees and how does He deal with the demons.
vinasaya ca duskrtam – He does vinash, anillates and finishes the existence of these demons and by doing so dharma samsthapanarthaya – He establishes the principles of religion, He establishes dharma
sambhavami yuge yuge – with this purpose in mind, Lord Krishna appears.
Probably, you are wondering, aren’t there enough demons around, aren’t the demoniac parties now burdening the earth, 5000 years ago just prior to the advent of Lord Shree Krishna mother earth was feeling burdened was too much , this demon kings and rakshasas . She was crying, mother earth, Bhumi was in tears.
So, 5000 years ago, mother earth, Bhumi was in great distress. Although everybody is her child, her demoniac children she feels they are undesirable elements the demons. And she is burdened. So, she had gone to the Demigods, please help please help! do something and the demons were of big size demons they heard the reports and they said this is not cup of tea for us, we can’t handle. So they all go to Brahma, Brahma also ahe! This is too much and they all together they go to svetadvipa, and report to Vishnu, Shree Krishna. The Lord had promised yes yes you have so many difficult things and you bhumi and you all Demigods put together cannot put fullstop to these disturbances then I must come but you go ahead, you also take birth in Brajmandal, Vrindavan and I’ll be following you, very soon I’ll also appear and Demigods were very thankful to the Lord and mother Bhumi was feeling relieved. She returned, she had gone there in the form of a shape of a cow.
And then the Bhagvatam describes, Sukhdev Goswami describing about the sequence of events, how in Mathura the marriage ceremony of Vasudev and Devaki and Kamsa himself was driving that chariot and newly married couple Vasudev and Devaki, they were just sitting in the chariot driven by kamsa. And the middle of this marriage procession they were playing all kinds of musical instruments and chanting the mantras, the drums and what not. The marriage was being performed in Mathura and Vasudev is son of king Surasane and Devaki is daughter of king Devak. Devak was brother of Ugrasen, Ugrasen and Devak are brothers. So, Devak’s daughter is Devaki and Ugrasen’s son is kamsa. So kamsa and devaki, they were brother and sister. Cousin Brother, not real brother and sister. Their parents, fathers were brothers real brothers.
So he was driving the chariot of his cousin sister devaki and he heard, what did he hear? “You kamsa, you fool……now you are having this great celebration and you are driving your sister’s and brother in law’s chariot but do you know the 8th son of Devaki would be your killer but you really woke up” that shuck him that akashwani. The voice from up above and he immediately grabbed Devaki. He took sword and he was trying to kill somehow somehow Vasudev managed to protect rescue Devaki, he said no problem that’s the 8th child baba, there’s a long way away. Every time Devaki gives birth to child; I’ll bring that child to you. Including the 8th child. Then kamsa was pacified and Vasudev’s all 6 children one after the other were all killed by kamsa , once a year they would give birth to a child and dutifully to keep that promise, Vasudev would bring that child to kamsa and he would kill the baby. It was 7th time, 7th child to be born the child did not take birth in Mathura, in the prison house, ya he also had prison. Vasudev and devaki by this time, by yoga maya’s arrangement, Sukhdev Goswami explains how in Krishna’s own aboard, Lord explained the yoga maya. You yoga maya please go please go, you go to Vrindavan. 2 things you have to do. Well, first you transfer Balarama from Devaki’s womb to Rohini’s womb. Rohini was in Gokul those days under the protection of Nanda maharaj. So this way the 7th child was protected and he took birth as son of Rohini in Gokul and yoga maya was given another task, and then you take birth as daughter of Yashoda so yoga maya, tashatu yoga maya offered obedience’s and parikrama circumambulation to the Lord this is all going on in the spiritual sky, up there in Golok in Vaikunth, Krishna’s aboard and then yoga maya descends and she did her task transferring of Balarama to Rohini’s womb and then she will be taking birth as daughter of Yashoda.
Then it was 8th child’s appearance time, and news had reached the Demigods that Lord Krishna would be soon taking birth in Mathura. All the Demigods they came flying in each one has his own vehicle. Brahma has a hansa, he drives on the back of a swan and Shiv has his, what does Shiv rides upon? Anyone has idea? Nandi….and then who else, Ganesha also had travelled riding on mouse and Yamaraj came riding on the back of a crow.. No, who’s that….Shani has a crow, Yamaraj has a buffalo. You know any other vehicles? Kartikeya has peacock, Durga had come riding on the back of tiger. So like that they all had come and they had assembled in Mathura but they did not land right on the ground they were up there in the sky, it was so crowded you know 33 crore i.e. 330million demigods and each one wanted to be as closest possible to that spot where Krishna was going to take birth in that prison house. So there, there was a big traffic jam, no parking space, and each one was trying to get closer and closer as, as soon as Krishna takes birth, they wanted to have darshan of the Lord, so beautiful…..ohhh!! So beautiful Krishna. Before He exhibits His power, His strength and His intelligence and opulence and His vairagya, His is Bhagwan. To begin with, they’ll be seeing the beauty of Krishna
“su durdarsa m idam rupam drstavan asi yan mama deva apy asya rupasya nityam darsana kanksinah” (B.G 11.52) What is that? Nityam darsana kanksinah
Yes, again Krishna is talking about His own form. When Arjun wanted to see that Krishna’s two handed form in the 11th chapter of Bhagvat Gita . He said, “O! Arjun, you know this form now you are looking at, this is very rare to have darshan of this form.”
deva apy asya rupasya nityam darsana kanksinah – even demigods are very very anxious , always curious to have darsana of this form. Demigods are themselves very beautiful personalities and if they want to see that means He must be more beautiful than them, the demigods. So they had all come with idea of taking darsana of Shree Krishna and of course Kamsa was also very anxious. 8th child, he had killed 6 ones, 6 children. He didn’t realized what happened to the 7th one, miscarriage, he concluded but he’d been thinking all these 8 years what he was thinking? ohh that 8th child…..ohhh !! And he was really scared from the 8th child of devaki and he was thinking and thinking of that 8th child all the time. Anything that he would look at, if it was yellow colour, these bulbs also look like yellow, by seeing bulbs like this he would oye!! pitambar in yellow garments. Wherever he looked yellow. One time he was eating his lunch and there was some sabji that was yellow colour he thought ohhh! He’s coming out of my plate. He was so scared; he had become Krishna conscious in negative way because as soon as I see him, before he kills me I am going to kill him. This was his determination. He was a demon, demons always think like this.
The scientists also, they have this “ohh! God doesn’t exists” just kill Him then we could have all the fun then we don’t have to worry about these teachings of Bhagvat Gita and committing sin we don’t have to feel guilty. Do this and don’t do that. Be vegetarian and Krishnaterian and all these ethics we have to follow what for?? Because Lord exists and this karma and you’ll have to suffer or forget all this, God doesn’t exist. Come to this conclusion and then do any damn nonsense that you feel. Just do it, you heard of just doing it? In your country, they do this, just do it… in some country people go around with t-shirts and in the back of the t-shirt what do you read? just do it. Means they do not even think just do it. You have heard of – simple living and what kind of thinking? Living should be simple, thinking should be high thinking. But now there’s a different mantra. People are doing, their living is very very high and thinking is very very low. High living low thinking or sometimes we say, no thinking, low thinking that means atleast some thinking is there but not even low thinking, NO thinking and that is just do it. Feel good, just do it don’t even think, just do it. This kind of dictation to get from within or from their friends circle or this is the training this is the culture, trend. We are reading rubbish newspapers and what not…. So called hero’s in the cinemas, they are hero’s. Ram is not a hero, the film hero’s, where they display the sex and violence two themes of the cinema, sex and violence. They go together.
“Kamat krodhobhijayate” – the lust is not satisfied. The anger, kamat krodhobhijayate – this is how it has to happen one thing follow the other one. You are so much lusty desire cultivated by watching television, newspaper and the other media and the computers and what not……. There is so much desire to enjoy, to exploit and when that is not fulfilled, kamat krodho – anger, frustration and the person in angry mood he loses the sense of discrimination, cannot think straight. He’s hot headed, to take action, most of the times some destructive things he is doing and lastly…….ohhhh! what did I do!! Oo!… it’s too late. So, the demons like to kill Krishna, kill God, which is never possible. That Jarasandha this is the topic of Bhagvatam , You will see Krishna killing so demons after demons after demon after demon…bakasura and aghasura and you name the asura and there is a big list of asuras “paritranya sadunam vinasaya ca duskritam”. So demons think they could kill Krishna it’s not possible Lord eternally exists.
“nainam chindanti sastrani” (B.G 2.23) – no weapon could cut. Lord is made up of complete atma.
Sachhidananda vigraha – you can’t cut the soul. What to speck of cutting the super soul or supreme soul, there is no weapon that could the soul or supreme soul. Lord cannot be killed. Lord cannot be burnt. There was a forest fire in Vrindavan, Krishna’s friends were in difficulty. They all prayed Krishna….krishna….krishna.
“Krishna Krishna Krishna Krishna Krishna Krishna he
Krishna Krishna Krishna Krishna Krishna Krishna Pahimam
Krishna Krishna Krishna Krishna Krishna Krishna raksha mam” (bhajan)
Pray, lets pray…Ohhhh! fire, O! Krishna, please protect. The forest fire, cow and boys are in the middle, caught in the big forest fire, burning everywhere, could here the crackling noises and smoke everywhere. O! Krishna,
“Krishna keshav Krishna keshav Krishna keshav pahimam
Rama raghav Rama raghav Rama raghav raksha mam
Krishna Krishna Krishna Krishna Krishna pahimam
Krishna Krishna Krishna Krishna Krishna rakshamam”
“hye! Krishna karuna sindhu deena bandhu jagatpate Gopisha Gopika kanta Radha kanta namostute”.
Pahimam raksha mam – protect, please protect. As Krishna, He was hearing this, the appeal from His friends, please protect O! Krishna, Krishna responded to this prayer. He said, “Yes friends, ma bhaishta – do not be afraid, nilayat lochanani – and do another thing; close, everybody close your eyes boys. So all the friends as they closed their eyes, what did Krishna do?? He drank all that fire. Krishna drank the fire. Everything was quiet, no fire. Okay open the eyes. As everyone opened their eyes, looked around and there was no fire and everything was clean and green all around by Krishna’s arrangement. This big big fire which Krishna drank, did that burned His lips? Or His lungs or His body? No, nothing happened. Fire cannot burn the spirit, certainly not the Supreme spirit. Krishna cannot be burned, cannot be killed, He is eternal. Sacchidananda vigraha – only demon thinks the unthinkable, most undesirable. So kamsa had this idea of killing the Lord. So at the middle of night, Lord Shree Krishna, He appeared. Which night was that? That was Krishna Janmastami night, midnight, midnight is 12 O’clock. The moon was rising in the east on astami Krishna paksha nights are darker and darker. So, astami, 8th day, time for moon to rise and Lord Shree Krishna was also rising, appearing. Krishna Chandra was appearing; the Chandra, moon was appearing on eastern horizon. Shree Krishna Chandra was appearing in that prison house. The moon became so delighted Lord Shree Krishna was appearing in the dynasty of chandra, moon dynasty as Shree Ram, He appeared in surya vansh. He appeared in sun dynasty, He appeared during the day, the midday, when the sun was up. Shree Krishna is appearing in the moon dynasty as He had chosen the night and that night when moon is appearing, He’s also appearing. The moon was very very happy. That night, the moon was expected to be half moon. Because it was delighted, it was exceptional, it was full moon.
At midnight, it was full moon appearance. The moon appeared as full moon that night. Rohini nakshatra, one of the wives of moon is Rohini, different from Rohini, mother of Balarama. Two different Rohinis’. Lord choosed the appearing constellation called, nakshatra called Rohini nakshatra. It was month of bhadra; Shravan bhadra ashwin kartik. It is very auspicious month. Lord Krishna was appearing in rainy season. It was not heavy rain, some raining was there which is considered auspicious and then everything all over the planet there was jubilation and celebration and spring season everywhere, although it was not a spring time not vasant ritu time, waters were crystal clear in the lakes, lotuses were blooming, birds were chirping, peacocks were dancing, the cool breeze, fragrant breeze all around. Under the circumstances Lord Shree Krishna made His appearance in the prison house. As He appeared in front of Vasudev and Devaki, the whole room that prison house was lit as if millions of suns had appeared. Krishna’s body – koti surya samaprabha. As if millions of moons had appeared sorry, suns, surya – suns; millions of suns had appeared. This beautiful description of the beauty of Shree Krishna, the baby Krishna and He had clothes on. He was wearing all the clothing, yellow garments and He had all the ornaments. He was born with clothes and ornaments, the garland around his neck and Kaustub mani, now what a beauty to behold of that Shree Krishna, baal Gopal, Shree Krishna.
Vasudev and devaki, they were drinking the beauty of their darling this little son of Vasudev, krishna. They both offered their prayers, then Krishna, He speaks, expresses His appreciation and orders vasudev or requests please get me out of this prison house take me to Gokul. What could Vasudev think? He is very much tied down shackles, iron chains binding his feet and hand, he cannot even move and his baby Krishna says bring me, bring me to Gokul. So, he did not think much, Vasudev within his mind he was just willing to follow these instructions, the guideline of this newly born baby. He was willing and as he made attempt to pick up baby Krishna immediately all the shackles broke into pieces…. Hari Bol…..and there were so many prison doors and so many gate keepers but the arrangement of the yoga maya they all were sleeping ( Maharaj makes snoring sound ) what you thought it is a tiger?. No, they were all snoring, fast asleep; all of them, everywhere, the doors were locked. So how was he going to get out? There were so many door after door after door but no problem, as he picked up Krishna, and he starts walking, doors automatically opened; at the airport when you go, doors automatically open. First time I went to the airport, some 30 years ago, I did know how it works (Maharaj laughs) so I was having lot of luggage. So I was approaching the door on the airport, I was thinking of keeping my baggage and go forward, open the doors and push my cart, I was thinking I have to do this. I parked my baggage on a side and as I went few steps forward and the door s opened and I was like, hey! ghosts here, whats happening here. I was surprised what’s going on and I didn’t even touch the door and the door opened automatically. This automatic idea is not a new idea, it is just stolen idea, 5000 years ago, Krishna had this idea. Krishna arranged the opening of those doors automatically opening door after door after door and as vasudev was out of the prison house, all the way out in the compound there was Anantshesh waiting there. Balaram has a form; the snake that you see above Shree Krishna. See photographs of Shree Krishna and then there’s a snake with so many hoods, sometimes they show a crown of those hoods. These are not snakes from African jungles, some jungle snakes. Don’t think like this, this is Anantashesh, this is extension of Balarama, Balarama becomes a snake and renders different kind of service to Shree Krishna including all those hoods they chant Shree Krishna’s glories. He has sahastra vadan he has thousand hoods, thousand mouths sahastra vadan Shankarshan he is chanting with all those 1000 hoods and from each mouth there’s a different story, different leela, different past time, different katha, different name, different form. His mouth is talking different different topics and is unlimited. There’s no limit to Krishna’s glories even Anantshesh cannot find the end of the glories of the Lord and he doesn’t repeat same past time twice and he had been chanting glories of Shree Krishna.
Since the beginning of the creation, he’s chanting and he’s chanting and chanting and he is singing. So, as vasudev came out of the prison house, Balarama who had already appeared, he comes to serve his brother, Shree Krishna. It was rainy season so umbrella some protection had to be there. So vasudev was walking and shankarshan was going next to him and holding the hoods right above Shree Krishna. And they walked through the Mathura town, the yoga maya, the arrangement, even all the dogs were sleeping. What if the dogs would begin barking? That would have woken up some residents of Mathura and they could have told hey! look look vasudev, he’s running away from the prison house. They could have immediately mobiled kamsa. So, anticipating some difficulties of that sort, yoga maya had made all the dogs sleeping, nothing was moving, path was all clear. Krishna travels to Gokul and as they come to the banks of Jamuna; it was rainy season so river was so flooded. Vasudev decided to just keep walking and walking. He was not afraid, he was just instructed; go to Gokul that’s all.
Gokul is that way, so he was just looking forward, not looking backward, just moving, moving on and as he moved forward and forward and water was knee deep and waist deep and shoulder deep and seems to be that Jamuna was rising and rising. He could here water waves of Jamuna. Jamuna is a devotee of Shree Krishna. Jamuna was very very anxious. This was her opportunity to touch Krishna. She was rising and rising and vasudev was wondering why is this , why waters are just swelling. She was very anxious to touch Krishna and so after touching Shree krishna’s lotus feet, she was satisfied and she also was thinking, oh! in future, I’ll be one of the queens of Dwarkadhish, Shree Krishna. I better render some service, there will be not obstacle on His path. So remembering that future relationship, Jamuna immediately gave the way. Jamuna this side, Jamuna that side, both sides water body wall, water wall and vasudev is walking through the bed, river bed of Jamuna and he reaches Gokul, enters Nanda bhavan, lays his baby Krishna on the way infact he was in 2 minds, sometimes he would run thinking oh! what if kamsa would find, he may run to catch me, he may grab my darling Shree Krishna, no I better run. He would run, hurriedly moved forward but then next moment he thinks oh! no no, but if I run faster go faster like this I would be soon there in Gokul then I have to leave my darling, my baby boy Krishna there and I’ll be deprived of His association, I better slow down and go as slow as possible so that I get more time to be with my son. So he was going in these 2 moods. Vilambita druta vilambita druta vilambita……..sometimes faster, sometimes slower, faster slower faster slower and finally he arrived and he had to leave his baby Krishna in Gokul and Yashoda just now given birth to a daughter and yoga maya as Krishna had ordered. So he comes back to Mathura with a daughter. In this prison this was all arranged by Krishna his yoga maya back in the prison house and back with the shackles and the baby begins crying and kamsa’s men heard the crying of the baby. They all ran to the king, baby has taken birth baby has taken birth and kamsa jumped from his bed and rushed to the prison house and grabbed the little baby. You could only imagine there’s a description of the condition of devaki and vasudev. Please spare this child already you have killed my children please please.
But he was cruel, merciless, he just grabbed the child and he was thinking he hold the child round and round and round and finally as he was about to drop the child on the floor in front of him thinking he would crash, he would smash the child into pieces the child instead flew away “you fool” this baby daughter yoga maya had taken the form of 8 handed form of Durga, “your killer has taken birth elsewhere, your life will not be spared, be prepared to die kamsa”.
And back there in Gokul next day, on navmi, there was a big Nandostava, Nanda Maharaj all the residents of Vrindavan, they came, they got the news, Nanda Maharaj had given birth to a son, a child, big big celebration, big festival.
Nitai Gaur premanande……………………………… HARI HARI BOL.
Krishna jinka naam hai, Gokul jinka dham hai
Aise Shree bhagwan ko mere barambar pranam hai Krishna jinka naam hai, Gokul jinka dham hai
Krishna kanhaiya lal………………… ki jai
Gokul dham ki………………. jai
Nanda Yashodha ki………………. jai
Krishna Balaram ki ………………………………..jai
Nitai Gaur Premanande HARI HARI BOL.

Venue: Guayana, Guayana katha, 2006, June 29. Parikshit Maharaja Ki Jai!! Hastinapur ki Jai!

So as now king Parikshit was ruling of kingdom, one day as he was on a tour, going around checking out, how is everything working? Then he noticed, hey! What’s going on here, at a distance he saw, someone Oh! He looks like a king, look he has a dress and crown, he has sword also, but what is he doing with the sword? There is a cow near him, he is trying to hurt the cow, he is the trying to kill the cow, No! King Parikshit was very furious; he rushed to the spot towards that place. He jumped down on him own chariot, he took his own sword and King Parikshit was ready to slaughter that so called king.

He was not a real one but fake king he only looked like a king, he was only dressed like a king that was the Age of Kali, the kali had appeared disguised as a King only to kill the religion, symbol of religion that’s cow. But then this kali disguised as a king, he begged for pardon, begged for forgiveness. Please! Please! Spare my Lord, spare my life oh! Lord. No king Parikshit was still very angry ready to kill, but he kept appealing “forgiving is considered superior to killing, the act of forgiving somebody”. So King Parikshit decided to forgive ok you may go. But where could I go? wherever  I go, it’s your rule, you are going to follow me, you are  going to be chasing after me, please give me some place,  some corner in your kingdom where I could stay as  I am, the bad character as I am, the age of kali as I am.

Ok you could stay in four places, King Parikshit gave 4 places for this age of Kali to reside in. oh!  What are those 4 places? King Parikshit said “dyutam-panam striyah-suna yatradharmas catur-vidhaha” (S.B 1.17.38)

The 4 places of irreligion, where irreligion is practiced, such 4 places you could reside- what are those places? “dyutam”  Where there is a gambling, places of gambling is one place for you. “panam” please ! Tell me what is the other place? Yes, places where there drinking and smoking and chewing tobacco all the intoxication goes on that is also designated place for you. But you said 4 places, what is the third place? Third place is place where there is illicit sex. Sex outside marriage or even exercise sex in the marriage that is also the place. Places of prostitution, cinemas and these television which is all sex and violence business, you could stay in Hollywood you could stay Bollywood. Ya! these are your places. Ok that’s third and  fourth one is place of meat eating, where  there is slaughter, animal killing, meat eating, fish eating, egg eating that is also location for you to reside. So kali had these 4 places “dyutam” because in this list in Bhagavat “Dyutam” – gambling is mentioned 1st, usually we say the other way round and then finally he was given one more place also, oh! Any other place you could think of? Yes! Yes! I could think of one more place. And King Parikshit said whether is gold, the black marketing unnecessary   accumulation at the cost of others that is also your location.

So these places where given by King Parikshit to the age of Kali 5000 years ago and Kali had kind of hard time finding such places in those days. But gradually, gradually kali has worked very very hard and  has expanded his networking day and night, you  learn lesson from kali, he is very hard working determined to expand his empire and after 5000 years, he had hard time finding places of Meat eating, Gambling, Intoxication , illicit sex and now what has happened? Where are those places , where there is no meat eating? Where is that place- no illicit sex! Where is that place? Where is that country? Where there is no intoxication where is that place where there is no gambling? It’s all over everywhere this way the irreligion has been propagated spread all over the world.

As one eats meat he become merciless, this 4 sinful activities correspond to 4 pillars, 4 supports of the religion, 4 principal and positive principals of religion, correspond with the four sinful activities. The Meat eating has connection with the “Daya” “Daya dharma ka mula hai”. “Ahinsa parmo dharma” the nonviolence is supreme religion, Buddha appeared and he declared this.  So with meat eating all mercy is finished, no more compassion. With intoxication no more tapasya, no more austerities. Daya is the 1st principal, mercy is the 1^st, then tapasya – an austerity is number 2.

With illicit sex no more “suci” no more purity which is 3rd principal of religion and gambling smashes all the truth, no more truth (satya) ‘daya, tapasya, suci-pavitrata and satya’. These are 4 pillars of dharma. These are 4 pillars of dharma, they are being weakened and destroyed by this 4 sinful activities of these age of kali.

And to conclude we could only say what is the solution “harer nama harer nama harer nameva  kevaluam! Kalu nasteva nasteva nasteva  gatir anytha” . Chanting of the holy name, chanting of the holy name, chanting of the holy name, chanting and hearing of the holy katha.  “Sarvanam kirtanam” chanting the glories, spreading the  glories of the Lord all over is the only solution “the only way you could defeat the age of kali, only way you could drive away  this kali from your home, from your life , from your country is  to chant out loud “Hare Krishna Hare krishna, krishna krishna Hare Hare, Hare Ram Hare Ram, Ram Ram Hare Hare” and hold Bhagavat katha preferably  “nityam bhagavat sevaya” and  eat Krsna Prasad and  be in company of devotee of Shri Krsna  and in this  way there will be “param vijayate sri Krsna sankirtanam” there will be victory.

Chaitanya Mahaprabhu sankirtanam army could be victories. So with this aim in mind aim of defeating this age of kali, kali’s forces are to be defeated. This is the purpose of the foundation of International Society for Krishna Consciousness.

Hari Haribol………..Haribol and right behind is Sri Krsna Chaitanya Mahaprabhu.  And you could see the success that Hare Krsna movement is having all over the planet. Srila Prabhupada introduced these 4 principals, how many of you are ready to follow?  Prabhupada asked in New York, after he was only few months in New York in 1965 and he had some followers, they were coming to 26 Second Avenue in Manhatan, Prabhupada had his store front preaching centre.  How many of you are ready to follow 4 regulative principles?  Please raise your hands and so many were ready. American boys and girls were ready to take vows yes from this day no more meat, fish, eggs. From this day onwards no more intoxication, from today no more illicit sex and no more gambling. Americans were taking these vows and following them strictly.  And then Prabhupada moved to another country into another, into another and he came to Venezuela also traveling, travelling 14 times around the world and this elderly saintly gentleman, sadhu jetage parivrajachari he travelled 14 times around the world and during his travel he came close to this country and that was Venezuela . Where ever he went wonderful response he met persons who were willing to follow four regular principles. And it is possible to follow 4 regulative principles with the help of chanting of Hare Krsna those who chant “Hare Krishna Hare krishna, krishna krishna Hare Hare, Hare Ram Hare Ram, Ram Ram Hare Hare” and recite Bhagavat gita and Bhagavatam, maintain the company of devotees of Shri Krsna and take Krsna prasad becomes easy to follow these principles. So for past 40 years now this endeavour is on, there are all ready over 500 ISKCON temples, farms and communities and 100s & 1000s of followers of Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu following these 4 regular principles chanting Hare Krishna and they are happy. So we invite everybody to join this effort for the welfare of humanity at large. There is no other way, there is no other way, there is no other way.

Nitai Guar Premanande ……………Hari Haribol.

Venue: Guayana , Guayana katha, dated: 2006, June 30

Hare Krishna……………… Jai Shri Krishna…………….Jai Shri Radhe………………..Jai Shri Vrindavan.  By causeless mercy of the Lord, we have this good fortune great fortune of coming together every evening, some of us were also getting together during the day time around noon time and then again evening this is Krishna’s kindness to all of us. We would not know, but punya karma what pious deeds we have performed to have this rare gift, rare opportunity to associate with Shri Krishna in the form of His name Krishna appears in form of His name and in Bhagvat He appears also in the form of katha , in the form of His past times. We are able to associate with the Lord through these manifestations of his name, His qualities, and His past times.

“brahmanda bhramete kaun bhagyavan jiva”. The Shastras say that, we had been wondering all over the universe “brahmanda bhramete kaun bhagyavan jiva”. Then Krishna makes some of those jivas, some of those souls very fortunate by bringing them in contact with the devotees and as they come in contact with the devotees naturally those devotees tries to attract those jivas to Krishna.

“guru Krishna prasade pai bhaktilata beja” Krishna prasade pai, then finally we get that beja that seed within us of Krishna of Krishna Consciousness. Krishna enters our heart, our consciousness and if we keep watering that seed then that will sprout, that will grow into seedlings and a plant, and a tree and eventually there will be fruits of Love of Godhead, Krishna prema that we could relish. So these are our beginning days but good beginning its kind of work done. We just have to stay on this path; we have been put on right path by Lord Shri Krishna by giving this opportunity of hearing his katha, directly from Bhagvatam. We would like you to carry this katha with you read this katha which is Krishna himself look after this katha, these pastimes; this is Krishna read and preserve this Katha.

“Krishna se tomara krsna dite paro, tomara sakati ache” The devotees of gaudiya sampradhya, gaudiya parampara, gaudiya line starting from Caitanya Mahaprabhu, we have this mood. O! Devotee O! Vaishnava, you have Krishna and I know you are competent to give that Krishna to me “Krishna se tomara krsna dite paro, tomara sakati ache” that is why I am running after you.

“ami to kangala krsna krsna boli dhai tava pache pache” That is why I am chanting Krishna Krishna running after you begging you to this poor soul you please deliver Krishna, please give Krishna you enrich me also with Krishna.

“ohe! Vaishnaba thakura doyare sagara edase koruna kori” O! Vaisnava, O! Devotee, please have mercy upon this fallen soul, please give Krishna to me have mercy upon me. So This is the mood of devotee, one devotee gives Krishna to other devotee as he talks about Krishna he is giving Krishna as he sings about Krishna, he is giving Krishna, as he is gives prasadam to others, he is giving Krishna, as he brings him to Vrindavan he is giving Krishna, as he is giving Bhagvat –gita, Bhagvatam to read he is giving them Krishna. Krishna in all these forms giving Krishna, giving Ram, giving Parshuram, giving Narsimha , Krishna Tatvas. So Bhagvatam is merciful incarnation of the Lord and we had been serving this Avatar, Vangamai Murti in the form of Bhagvatam by reciting this Bhagvatam, by hearing this Bhagvatam, and by contemplating reflecting upon this Bhagvatam. And this is not an ordinary thing, a rare gift, there is lot more, we are just giving introduction, there is a whole ocean, full of knowledge and nectar, past times, Krishna is Ananta.

“yasantam navidhu sura suraganaha devaya tasmai namah” yasantam navidhu His anta, His end no one knows, He is just unending, Krishna is unending , unlimited ocean, all that doesn’t mean He has no form, He has form. He has ocean full of talks, topics related with Him. So we are just sharing few topics, just sampling, wishing that you develop attraction to hear about Krishna, develop attachment to Krishna read about Krishna our eternal friend. So yesterday we were in middle of that pastime of Brahma Vimohan Lila towards end of yesterday’s session.

So Krishna was in Vrindavan of course He is always in Vrindavan and He was there on the bank of river Yamuna and He was sitting there for lunch surrounded by His cowherd boyfriends and soon some of the boys noticed, where are the cows they were just now here eating green grass. But they are not in the sight anymore.  So different cowherd boys where getting up and trying to locate the cows where are the cows? Where are they?  And they are trying to locate them find them, where are they? They were getting into anxiety and Krishna could see that and some of them were getting ready to stop the lunch and go to find out the cows. But Lord Krishna He said no no my friends please you all sit down, I will go and get them why disturb your lunch you enjoy lunch prasad I will find them and He goes looking for those cows.

He goes looking everywhere in the all different forest and top of mountain, Govardhan hill and the   valley here there, everywhere and they were no where to be found, disappointed as He was Lord Shri Krishna was failure in His mission. He was only returning to the same spot, where his friends were sitting and eating Krishna prasad. But as He returned to that same spot, further surprised. Aye! I didn’t find the cows and now where are my friends. And now He was looking for His friends, He was searching for them everywhere. No clues, no trace He was looking for their footprint this that, any indication He did not find them and after He was thinking what could have possibly happened to my friends? and also to those cows? And He came to conclusion, yes yes that this must be the job of Brahma.

Brahma had stolen my friends the cows also so by this time it was late in afternoon it was time to go back home, every day, every day in the evening, He would return to Vrindavan to Nandagram with hundreds and thousands of cows and His friends, Krishna playing flute good fun all the way on the back home back, back to different villages, His village Krishna’s village His friends accompanying.  But today He was thinking, oh! Today I am just by myself what to do? How could go alone? And what could I say to the thousands of parents of my friends? And what about those cows in cows sheds? May be something could be explained to the families, but what about the cows? If they did not see their calf, what could they think? How could they survive? So what to do? And off course it is not you or me, He is the Supreme Personality He came to conclusion and yes I know I know what to do and immediately He expanded and in matter no time there were as many cow herd boys as many He had that day coming with Him herding the cows. And not only friends He also had the cows same number, exact number and not just the numbers but they were just exact same replica, their forms each calf the way did their mooing each calf does it differently right. Not that each calf was sounding the same no, He became the cows hundreds and thousands, He became friends 100’s and 1000’s of friends each one as they were before.

Their looks everything their clothing, their stick the same length of sticks, same kinds of habits, same kind of likes and dislikes. Ok now everything was set no problem now they leave for homes on the way Krishna is playing His flute as usual and everyone else is playing different, different roles. But who are they today? Who is the each cowherd boy today? Who is He? Any idea, who were those boys? Krishna ya you could close your eyes and say, so all Krishna each cowherd boy was Krishna but playing role of different different cowherd boys and same thing with calf each calf was Krishna. They were all returning to their respective homes and they were, upon arriving in the village the cows are going to the different goshalas, going to their respective mothers and all the cowherd boys they also returned to their respective homes.

Cows are meeting the calves, mothers’ cows are greeting the baby calf and parents are doing greeting their children at their respective homes. But today all those cows in all those goshalas in the Vrindavan they have different feelings they are licking the bodies of their calf as the calf is drinking the milk from udders of the cows. And the mothers in their respective homes were also greeting children, bathing them, dressing new dress, feeding them food, breast milk and all those cows, and all those mothers have a great time today everyone is so blissful they never had experience anything like this before and they do not know why what is happening today.

What is a special event, occasion, what was special was they did not know they were not their own children “that was Krishna” those cows were Krishna. Well what did Brahma do was, He did in fact a favor to all the resident of Vrindavan and to the cows also may be Krishna was disappointed for a while thinking O! This is the job of Brahma that fool, I will teach him a lesson. But all this years all those cows were thinking, O! You know when Krishna is hungry He always drinks His cows, His mother’s milk directly, but you know, could He ever drink our milk like our calf drinks, could Krishna ever do that to us. O! I wish cows think I wish Krishna was my calf O! That would be wonderful could I have Krishna as my calf could He drink the milk directly from my udder from me, you know that day what happened that’s another story.

When mother Yashoda that on diwali day Radha Damodhar past time, Krishna was tied to the mortar as Yashoda was feeding Krishna her breast milk, there is a milk on the stove in the kitchen, he thought well that its end of me, Krishna is just feeling up His belly with His mother’s milk, what about me? He is not going to drink me. The milk in the pot on the stove in the kitchen, thinking O! He is not going to drink me, O! what good is my life I better finish my existence thinking so the milk overflows and jumps in the fire of that stove and because mother Yashoda heard. OH! I forgot I had put milk on the stove and its overflowing. So she dropped Krishna on the floor and she ran to the kitchen to protect that milk to save that milk but the milk was ready to give up its life (laughs). So in Vrindavan even milk is a person and wants to serve Krishna and than what to speak of those cows and their milk which they possess.

So sometimes cows thinking He is drinking His mother’s milk or our milk is first so milk man comes that  is boiled , and sometimes He drinks or sometimes He don’t drink but it is possible sometimes could He directly drink our milk, would we have this opportunity. So cows had been thinking like this, so their desire was fulfilled, today although the cows were not realizing, What was going on there?The same thing was their mothers all the elderly Gopi’s of the Vrindavan. They were thinking oh! Such beautiful, wonderful, sweet, darling this Krishna is! Nanda Nandan Yashodha nandan O! Could I ever have a child like Krishna? But there is no one else is like Krishna, so Krishna had to become their child and today He was the child of all those mothers all over of Vrindavan and He was in their lap and drinking their milk and well the next day. All the cowherd boys they come in the morning to Krishna’s doors knocking at the door. Aye! Let’s go lets go, blowing their buffalos horns, they play buffalo horns the cows had come and then Krishna Balarama they got ready and they went into the forest and they had fun all the day and they returned and again next evening cows have great time, greater time than day before and mothers have greater time with their children and the next day they go into the forest and they return and the third day and the fourth day and the first month and six months past and almost one year has passed. And everyday all this time all the children cowherd boys and their Krishna and all the cows of Krishna and everyday those mothers and those cows are experiencing greater and greater bliss, happiness, joy they are becoming more and more Krishna conscious .

And they had a Bhagvatam, Sukhdev Goswami describe that you know before this particular period these mothers, ladies and their children they always had this thought that oh! This is my son and that one is my neighbor’s son, this is their son, his son, my son, oh! This is Krishna so three identity they were thinking, this is my son this one is somebody else son and this is Krishna but as during this almost 1 year period and as lot of time with passing of every day there was no more distinction, they were not able to make any distinction oh! Here is my son, here is Krishna and here is someone else’s son.

They had a thought that it’s the same person, their son and someone else son and mother Yashoda’s son there is no difference. So they were evolving with this realization its just same person although there were not talking, sharing this but they all were wondering, this thought was diminishing my child, someone’s else child, this is Krishna there was no more distinction. So like this, one year went by and Brahma who had gone taken away Krishna’s friends and cows and hide them in a cave at long distance away in his abode then he return and for him it was just matter of one moment, Brahma quickly went and returned and that was one year on this planet.

So Brahma wanted to come back and see the fun Oh! Let me see He must be by himself may be whole advertisement is going, we lost the boys, we lost cows in the newspaper, in television everywhere. In America if cat is lost they write something and they hang somewhere cat lost and they have photograph of the cat and whole thing goes on, in the newspaper that cat is lost, dog is lost. So Brahma was thinking probably lost and found the whole thing must be going on and they all must be in great stress, Krishnas all job finished He must have closed his shop by now.

This was Brahma was thinking as he was returning towards Vrindavan and as finally he was in Vrindavan, What did he see? Everything was intact as it was before, no change, zero change, nothing had altered as he had stolen all the friends and all the calves and he was surprised to see looking everybody’s there, Krishna is there, look all those boys, friends are there they are playing having great time, look at the cows and they are there grazing and they are heal and hearty no one is in anxiety, no one is bewildered , no one is lost nothing. And then Krishna knew ok! Brahmaji I know you are, I know you are looking and looking at my show here. You have taken a close look at our Lila here and as I have have your attention now please carefully. And the next scene was that each of those cowherd boys and each of the calf; they all become forehanded, forehanded Vishnu’s form, Krishna’s form. Hundreds and thousands each person is forehanded, crowns, Pitambhar, “ Kanti kaustubha mani virajita” and all beautiful features whole thing was just effulgent like a brilliant as billions of suns dazling and Brahma also noticed that whole creation is worshipping, each one of those forms is being worshipped, that was second scene. And as Brahma was further amazed and bewildered, the third scene was there was only Krishna, everyone else disappeared, Krishna withdrew all those forms, there was just only one person Krishna and in his hand there was a Yogurt and rice still wet fresh and He was holding some pickle and other things in his left hands, as per description of Sukhdev Goswami . And He was looking hey! What happened to my cows? Where are the friends? And He is searching, looking for them and Brahma is watching that one also. So at this point, bewildered and surprised and amazed and now realizing the blunter the offence that he committed by interrupting Lord’s past times in a way he interrupted and at the same time nothing was interrupted and he could see each cowherd boy was Lord himself.

That was a second scene each calf was Krishna himself and by now He was by himself there was no-one else just one person looking at this point Brahma descends, he rides on a swan he came down. He fell flat at the feet of the Lord touching his crowns, all the hairs with the crown, touching the feet of the Lord, he was in tears, as if he was washing the lotus feet of the Lord with his own tears and trembling, and shaking begging to the Lord for the great offence that he had committed at the feet of the Lord.  Then he managed to stand before the Lord with folded hands and he offered prayers to glorify the Lord pacify the Lord, wonderful prayers as we have heard the prayers of Kunti, there is another set of prayers in Bhagavatam of Lord Brahma 14^th chapter of the 10th canto of the Bhagavatam, please study this prayers. Then towards the end of prayers Brahma circumambulated the Lord offered obeisance to the Lord and he departed and he quickly managed to this time he did not get another year to go and come back.

So Krishna was now He was in the mood of looking for his friends. So now the cows were found and He was returning to were his friends were taking lunch Prasad and all the boys how were seating in the same place after one year they were now sitting back at the same spot, where they had sat one year ago and as they saw Krishna coming all the boys say oh! You are so fast we haven’t even finished our lunch, you came back quickly, how fast you are how smart you are Krishna? They did not realize all they had transpired. They were not there from one year; they were backed into those position after one year .But they were thinking hey! He has come back we haven’t finished our lunch. So whatever Krishna returned and He joined them, in their lunch Program and it was late afternoon towards evening time so they all returned and when they returned that evening there were all the cowherd boys, they were getting their parents hey…. Daddy sit down, come here, come here, no no I am busy no no come here you know what today what happened? Oh! What happened ok I will sit down and each cowherd boy in each home they were talking, they use to do this all the time it is everyday affair. Whatever experiences they used to have with Krishna all day in the evening that will become talk of the town just like a radio station,  good evening news, communication would reach far and wide, all Krishna’s daily pastimes communicated.

By those correspondents by their 1st hand experience, they would share these wonderful activities and that day they said you know today that serpent that Aghasura we thought he was just a statue or some kind of cave so we entered, and they explained the whole thing. But you know finally Krishna killed that demon and that’s why we were able to come back home alive. You know Krishna is such a powerful, wonderful person friend, they are glorifying, appreciating Krishna like this.

So, Sukhdev Goswami was not going to talk about this pastime this Brahma Vimohan lila, what he had mentioned to King Parikshit was in the past time that took place, when the cowherd boys were of age of 5 years old, that past time was related to all the residents of Vrindavan when the cowherd boys were six years old. He made this mention to king Parikshit and he was kind of was going to go on with the next pastime and the king Parikshit he become very curious O! what did you say for 1 year no one knew about this killing of Aghasura how is it, so what happened? Why did those cowherd boys, normally they would tell that same evening. But why did they wait for 1 year to relate this pastime with their parents and then Sukhdev Goswami deeply thought of this pastime, this confidential past time and then related, narrated that to king Parikshit. So these are some of the highlight of that pastime, please read this, hear this, discuss this further amongst yourselves this past time of Krishna. Isn’t that sweet past time? No, so so, think and then respond, it’s sweet or not sweet? very sweet, someone says very sweet, the sweeter it gets as you here next time it becomes sweeter and sweeter and it’s not only Krishna’s pastimes are sweet there is a song that says lot of things are sweet about the Lord, there are hundreds of things unlimited things or everything infact is sweet. The things in relationship with Krishna are very very sweet so we will sing this it is called madhurashtakam “madhuradhi pater akhilam madhuram”(bhajan)

“madhuradhi pater akhilam madhuram” Everything is sweet madhuradhi pater first of all Shri Krishna is pati , the master, the boss of madhurta, sweetness, everything about Him is sweet, adharam madhuram His lips are sweet, His heart is sweet, His talk is sweet, His walk sweet, His stick is sweet, His flute is sweet , dust of His lotus feet is sweet, His feet are sweet, His friendship is sweet,as He sings that is sweets, as He talks that is sweet, His form is sweet, His tilak is sweet like that goes on and on and on……..  And think this is the complete list but this is just to give an idea of sweetness of Krishna. The part which you should try to sing is, this chorus “madhuradhi pater akhilam madhuram” (by Shri Vallabhacharya) says everybody “madhuradhi pater akhilam madhuram”

HARE KRISHNA…………………………….

Venue: Guayana, Guayana Katha 2006 June 29

“om namo bhagvate vasudevaya”

Yesterday we heard of Vasudev, the words of Vasudev, Sri Krishna is Vasudev “om namo bhagvate vasudevaya”. Our obeisance’s to that Vasudev Sri Krishna. So Krishna was in Gokul

“gokul jinka dhama hai, Krishna jinka naam hai, aise sri bhagavan ko mera barambar pranam hai” Krishna’s name is? What is Krishna’s name? What is god’s name? What is god’s name? God’s name is Krishna, he has a name, “Krishna jinka nam hai, gokul jinka dham hai” he has village also called Gokul “yashoda jinki maiya hai, yashoda, nanda ji bapaiya hai”. Nanada Maharaj is his father and Yashoda is his mother “radha jinki jaya hai, adbhut jinki maya hai”. And Radharani is his pleasure potency, personality that gives pleasure to Krishna, Radha. “loot loot dadhi makhan khayo, gwala bal sanga dhenu charayo”.

“loot loot dadhi makhan khayo” and He is lootera, does the looting, stealing of the butter, He is the butter thief and He is also “gwala bal sanga dhenu charayo” and with His cowherd boyfriends He herds the cows in the forest of Vrindavan. That is but brief introduction to Lord Sri Krishna, His name, His parents, His Radharani and His occupation; He is the thief very amazing (laughs) thing to hear. God He is a thief; if there are thieves in this country they could take inspiration from the Lord. Is Lord really a thief? Or we are the thieves, everything belongs to Him including that butter wherever it is, whether it is churned by his own mother Yashoda or it is churned by some lady nearby another home and another home and another home. Everywhere, wherever it is, it’s all His property it can’t be called stealing, can’t be called, out of affection He is addressed as a Makhan Chor, “loot loot dadhi makhan khayo, gwala bal sanga dhenu charayo”

And His cowherd boys in Vrindavan very amazingly pleasing pastimes of Sri Krishna in Vrindavan, and may be some of them were not so pleasing. Killing of the demons, He killed so many demons “vinasaya ca duskrtam” (B.G 4.8). He was only 6 days old and he had to kill she demon Putna, another wonderful pastime how Krishna killed Putna demoness. He drank the milk from her breast, He drank the poison, she had smeared the poison on her breast. She was one of the agents of Kamsa and she was expert in killing children, she was specialized, so she was dispatched and when she entered Gokul, she looked just like Laxmi, she even had a lotus in her hand, so everyone oh! Hey look look who is here, Laxmi is in town for sure, she is here to see her Narayana. They all cleared the path, they should have arrested her, beaten her up, but they did not do so. She was so expert the way she was dressed, she looked just like Laxmi and they lead her to Nanada Bhavan and she goes all the way to Yashoda where she was feeding Sri Krishna her breast milk. So by seeing this new lady, curious to see her son, Yashoda handed her child please you have him. And now he was on the lap of Putna, the she demon and she tries to feed her breast milk to Sri Krishna but she had applied poison on her breast, just see how tricky the demons are, look at the strategy of this she demon, she wanted to feed poison to Sri Krishna and she thought, as soon as he drinks poison he would be dead. She did not know he is the creator the poison, poison doesn’t influence Sri Krishna. Yesterday we saw that fire did not burn Krishna, He is the creator of the fire, fire can’t burn Him and the poison can’t kill Him. So Lord Sri Krishna, well whatever, He drank the poison and drank, sucked the life out of that she demon’s body. Haribol Haribol…….

Are you happy that she demon is killed? No you have some connection with that demon, family connection, hat you are not happy that she has been killed, yes jai ho…………..jai ho…………….(devotees saying jai ho…….). The Demigods were very pleased and they were showering flowers upon Krishna and chanting his glories and Apasaras were dancing and Gandharvas were singing. When Krishna killed that she was a very popular, in the negative sense she was well known powerful and even demigods were scared of her. So when she was no more, they delighted, the rejoyed, there was celebration. Then more demons He kills when he was 100 days old but 3 months old He kills a demon, 1 year old He kills a demon Trinavrata, Saktasura. So it’s not just stealing butter and eating butter but He has to kill demons from time to time “paritranaya sadhunam, vinasaya ca duskrtam” (B.G 4.8)

So Krishna was gradually He was growing in age He is growing faster than normal child, growth rate and Balarama is also there Balarama is one year older than Sri Krishna, Sri Krishna Balarama.

Venue: Guayana, Guayana Katha 2006 june 29 Srimad Bhagvatam  part-1

HARE KRISHNA (devotees replied slowly Hare Krishna, so
Maharaja saying) what happened? Louder Hare Krishna……… (Devotees saying Hare
Krishna loudly) “Hare Krishna Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna Hare Hare” (all devootees
repeated it) they didn’t have Prasad looks like (laughs) shortage today not eaten
Prasad “Hare Ram Hare Ram Ram Ram Hare Hare” (all repeated with maharaja).  You remember that Dhundakari?  Who remembers Dundkari? Who was Dhundakari?
Did you here Dhundakaris name during this few last few sessions? Yes… someone
on stage someone from triny there Still remembers Dhundakari anyone else in the
audience?  Yes Gokarna’s brother, he Is
brother of Gokarna .

Every day as you heard this Katha of his  brother of Gokarna,  Dhundakari was, he was going higher and
higher  evolving in his consciousness, he
was cutting the bonds which everyone binds everyone of us is bound by the bonds
of  material existence he was cutting
them  & he was becoming liberated, so
what about us? What about are we moving forward, are we going higher? Yes, the
smoke is also going higher.  Thank you because
are numbers are increasing day by day a good sign, we want quantity and also
quality. Quantity is increasing we want quality of consciousness, purity of consciousness
“cheto darpana marjanam” (Siksastakam 1^st
verse)   this is the desired results of hearing this Bhagvatam
‘cheto darpanam marjanam’ – cleansing of the mirrors of consciousness “bhagvati
uttama sloke bhaktir bhavati naishtiki” and
developing Bhakti of Uttama slok Sri Krishna.

Bhakti is all that we care for, we are Bhaktas and if we did
Bhakti then we will achieve Bhagwan. This devotional service Bhakti in the form
of  sravanam, kirtanam that we are doing
here. Hearing Srimad Bhagvatam  is Bhakti,
“ sravanam, kirtanam, vishno smaranam, pada sevanam, archanam, vandanam,dasyam,
sakhyam, atmanivedanam”  there are  nine kinds of Bhakti described, mentioned by
Prahlad Maharaj in seventh canto of Srimad Bhagvatam. Nine kinds of Bhakti Navavidha
(nava – nine, vidha – kinds)  nine kinds
of Bhakti and in this list of nine kinds the first kind of Bhakti is sravan Bhakti
that you are sitting down  hear and you
are hearing, “sravanam” this is the first Bhakti, the beginning of Bhakti,
first thing first, you do not go anywhere,  you don’t make any progress in God
consciousness unless you sit down and you hear about Krishna or hear from
Krishna, from devotees of Sri Krishna this is where everything begins lessons
in Krishna consciousness. This is the great science very indepth, very intricate,
most ancient, most relevant science, also science of god, science of soul, so
why do you think without studying you would understand this science. To study
physics and chemistry or  medicine they
are spending  5 years 10, 20, 30 years
then they have some knowledge of some faculty and this science is even greater
science ‘adyatma vidya vidyanam’ the topmost science-“ raja-vidya raja-guhyam pavitram idam uttamam” (B.G  9.2 )

Uttamam- the best science is the science of Bhakti yoga, science
of soul and science of Supreme Soul certainly we have to take lessons “nityam
bhagvata sevaya”  daily lessons Srimad
Bhagavatam is recommending daily every day we should study Bhagvatam, hear Bhagvatam
from devotees of Krishna. At home also you could study, you see this Bhagvatam
so many volumes are there, written by Srila Vyasadev for our benefits please
make sure you have complete set of Bhagvatam at your home. In America I visited
so many homes and practically every homes I went to Hare Krishna devotees home,
Hare Krishna devotee, Hare Krishna congregational devotees homes they have set
of Bhagvatam Srila Prabhupad’s complete set of Bhagvatam they also have Tulasi
at home and they are worshipping Tulasi they have Altars at home, small temples
at home. So many families they do not eat first , first they serve Krishna,
feed Krishna and then it is their turn to honour Prasad, 100s & 100s of families
in America if not thousands of families local American residents born and
brought up in America this is their life, this is their culture now, this is
their future now. Srimad Bhagvatam, Bhagavad Gita is the guiding principle now,
they are all strictly vegetarian now and do not take intoxication they even
consider tea as mild one mild  intoxication, but yes it is but they don’t
compromise. No illicit connections outside marriage, no illegal connections
with men or women outside marriage, within marriage yes that is authorized
& no gambling,  no mental speculation,
these principles they are following very strictly.

Even in China could you imagine, even China devotees, they
are Chinese devotees, of course devotees  are devotees, devotee’s soul is a devotee, so  some souls are in Chinese bodies, some souls
are in Guianas bodies, Indian bodies, American bodies, black Negro bodies
although souls in different bodies, in different countries, different
continents they are becoming devotees of Sri Krishna, Sri Rama, Sri Krishna
Chaitanya Mahaprabhu ki jai !! And their life’s are transforming they are
becoming civilized, finally becoming civilized. They mention that the highest
thought is Srimad Bhagvatam thought.  If
you want to be a thinker, highest thinker, think in terms of Bhagvatam or
Bhagvad gita, have input from Gita and Bhagvatam you will be, you will be the
best thinker, the topmost thinker of this world.

So by the grace of Sri Krishna Chaitanya Mahaprabhu the
Krishna consciousness movement is also active here in Guayana. Bhaktivedanta
Swami Srila Prabhupada, the Founder – Srila Prabhupada ki jai!! I am kind of
confident or hopeful that you all know or have heard about Srila Prabhupad.  He travelled all the way from India to New
York in 65, 1965. He founded the Hare Krishna movement 40 years ago, this year
is the 40th anniversary in fact in july ISKCON will be 40 years old, 40th
anniversary we will be celebrating and in only  40 years Hare Krishna movement has reached far
& wide in 160 countries.

Hare Krishna movement
is active, Hare Krishna is the fastest growing religion in Former Soviet Union,
so that  Krishna consciousness movement
is also here,  it’s the purest form of
religion & consciousness. Krishna is in the centre we practice so that our
devotion unto the Lord would be revived,  this is what we teach also, this is what Krishna
teaches and He is the teacher “krishnam vande jagat gurum” He is the original
teacher, original Spiritual Master , Spiritual Master of the whole world.  His teachings as one learns and practices, he
develops love for the Lord so that that’s the idea behind this Bhagvat Katha
also, this is not a ritual for us this is devotional service unto Sri Krishna
for us that we perform here in the form of seven days Bhagvat Katha recitation
it is not a ritual, dry.  Its very lively
because we do not do it for “na dhanam
na janam na sundarim kavitamva jagad-ish kamaye, mama janmani janmanishware bhavatad
bhaktir ahaitukitvayi”   (Siksastakam 4^th
verse)

We do this not for  acquiring dhanam- acquiring some wealth or
janam- increasing are number of our followers or name, fame, glory, old story,
old old story, name-fame-glory that’s not the goal. Goal is to serve Krishna
“krsna prem pradayate” that is what Sri Krishna Chaitanya Mahaprabhu has taught
this world & this is, this is all about this Hare Krishna movement is all
about ‘love for Krishna’ Krishna prem.
If you are feeling this Bhagvat yagna Bhagvat Katha in some different,
we are hearing some comments, OH!  nothing like this we had heard before, a new
kind of presentation or well we were hearing some comments, some appreciations
and I tell you that the difference is not that we are, the difference is Krishna
we are adding Krishna to this Bhagvat yagna or Krishna is in the centre of this
Bhagvat Yagna , we want to see everyone coming to this Bhagvat Yagna here
develop love for Krishna or know who they are, who Krishna is, what is their
relationship with Krishna.

5000 years ago also there were some karma kandas, karma
kandi  yagna was going on in one forest
and  Krishna & Balarama  were also not far from there & Krishna’s  friend
you know what happened?  That day
they did not bring their lunch packets from home they were in big hurry to go
to the forest with Sri Krishna but while they were hungry when it was lunch
time they were hungry they all approached Krishna, oh!  We are hungry! We are hungry oh! Krishna! You
are killer of big big demons could you please kill our hunger,  could you do something to have something to
eat and Lord Sri Krishna is the knower of everything, He knows everything  ‘abhigya swarat’ is the knower of everything
& is independent Supreme above everything all else He is above.

“Prakriti param ishwaram prakriti param” He is above, He said
friends some of you go, not far from here they are performing Yagna please go I
am sure and you tell that Krishna & Balarama are in the forest & they are
hungry please give something to eat.  So
the friends of Krishna and Balarama went, the cowherd boys went to Yagna shala
they offered their pranams, “pranam hey bhumi devaha” oh! Brahmanas, please
accept our namaskars , obeisances like that they were very humbly approaching Yagnashala
& these Yagnic Brahmanas but in fact these Brahmanis did not pay much
attention to these kids, these boys they thought they  were busy with big big affair here,  swaha! Oh!  Krishna is not far from here, swaha ! .
Because the whole goal of Yagna is to satisfy Krishna but this Yagnic Brahmins
performing Yagna they had forgotten what the goal is.

As soon as they had
heard from cowherd boys that Krishna is in nearby forest immediately they could
say, hey where is Krishna?  We want to
see him, we want to meet him, could you bring us to Krishna but they did not
care. Krishna is here not only Krishna is here, next thing they said oh! Krishna
is here & He is very hungry, swaha!  Oh!
He wants, could you give some fruit for
him swaha! Oh!  Something something to
eat, hey hey get out swaha! Go away swahaa! They were busy with swaha swaha!  they forgot what this Yagna is all about, what
is this for, Krishna is here He is, the fire is in tongue of the Lord He is
eating but now His invitation, or information that Krishna wants to personally
eat your offerings not indirectly through the fire but He would like put that
food on His tongue & would like to chew the food and He will be so
satisfied if you make offerings, give something Krishna to eat He has sent some
messengers, His friends . so this is the trouble this is the kind of trouble we
miss the point we do not remember what for some ceremony is being conducted
what for sacrifice is being performed for what is the goal of the pooja ? Why
should we go to place of pilgrimage? What should we do? What should be mood of
consciousness? So you are feeling happy with what we are doing here talking
here about Krishna. It’s the contribution of Sri Krishna Caitanya Mahaprabhu He
has taught this pure love of Godhead and that Krishna has a form not formless Krishna.
Oh! He exits but He’s formless no that is not Krishna that is just incomplete Krishna,
partial Krishna but full Krishna has a form, beautiful form & He has
qualities, He has activities, He has relationships, He has place his own abode
also where He stays all this is subject matter of Bhagvatam, so you recite
Bhagvatam recite Bhagvatam  & and
then make God formless then the purpose is defeated

‘Gopala nanda lala, Gopal,
is also subject matter of today’s presentation Krishna Gopal,  Krishna  the care takers of the cows. Krishna who
serves the cows,  he becomes the servant
of the cows, Krishna Govinda Govinda also means He pleases cows, one who
pleases cows,  one who endeavors to please
his cows that person is Govinda.  So
that’s why in our Vedic culture love cows, we  serve cows , we worship cows it’s the Brahmical
culture. So we study Bhagvatam we should be serving cows, loving cows, not
eating cows (sound of cow in the background)  just hear sweet sounding music best music
(sound of cow in the background)   Gomata ki jai! Cows around here.