STAY AWAY FROM VAISHNAV APARADHS!

Today I am going to share one thing explained by HH. Bhakti Purushottam Maharajaa. It is about avoiding Vaisnava aparadha or offending Vaisnavas.

aparadh sunya haiya laho krsna nama ( Verse 3 – Nadiya godrume Nityanand Mahajan) Japa has to be done without offences and specially without offences towards Vaisnavas. I have been talking from time to time, how we should be doing preparation of this chanting.

Tomorrow’s chanting preparation is done the day before or many days before. Avoiding offences towards Vaisnavas is among one of those. Offending Vaisnavas or other living entities or even common folks, why not?
So this pastime Maharajaa has narrated is about Rupa Goswami . Once he was chanting, but he was not feeling any ecstasy. No emotions or spiritual feelings were arising. It was dry chanting. He was wondering, “ Why it is so? Why I am not feeling any ecstasy? What could be the reason?” He was inquiring about this from someone. He was told that there is a possibility that he may have done some offence towards some Vaisnava.

Rupa Goswami was trying to recall. Thinking and thinking, he was not able to come to any conclusion. He
couldn’t recall offending anyone. He exclaimed No! No! No ! I have not offended anybody.

I don’t remember offending anyone.

So then there was a suggestion, that may be someone has been offended unknowingly or you have offended someone and forgotten about it. In this case, what you should do? You should invite Vaisnavas of this region and feed them Krsna prasada. Then that Vaisnava will forgive you for the offence you might have done. Then he was also told that you will invite everybody, but the one you possibly might have offended, will not turn up. He will not accept your invitation. Then you will come to know, “I might have offended this Prabhu or
that person and that’s why he has not come, for the prasada feast arranged by me. So then Rupa Goswami invited everyone. This must be at Radha Kunda or somewhere. All Vaisnavas came, except one lame person. Then the conclusion was that he must have offended him, that’s why he has not come.

Then Rupa Goswami went to him and inquired from him, “ Did I offend you?”. Then this person said, “ Yes! Yes! You did offend. You are an offender. This person explained that one day around noon, you were sitting on the banks of Radha-Kunda and I was passing by. The way I was walking as I am lame, looking at me, you laughed. You made fun of me. How could you do this? I am hurt. How can I forget this and tolerant this? You are an offender.

Then Rupa Goswami tried to recall, and said , “ No! No! I saw you limping or struggling to walk or maybe falling, getting up. That was not the reason why I laughed. That was not directed to you. The reason I laughed, was not because of your walking. He then inquired, as to why they were laughing if that was not the reason? Then Rupa Goswami explained, ‘I was doing lila smaran of Radha kunja Bihari.’ He explained one day Radha along with the Gopis , were picking up flowers at noon on the bank of Kusum Sarovar. But Krsna wanted to make fun of Radharani. So before the arrival of the Gopis and Radharani, Krsna reached there. And what did he do? He climbed up the branch of one tree. By his weight he lowered one branch. Then he was expecting Radharani to choose this branch to pick up the flowers.

Krsna knew that she would also hold on to the branch to reach out to that branch to pick up flowers. So that branch was lowered due to weight of Krsna. So as Krsna had planned , his strategy worked out. Radharani had come underneath that particular tree and she did catch hold of the branch. This was the time , he moved to the trunk of the tree. So immediately branch went up higher and Radharani was still hanging there, shouting for help. Help! Help! and then Krsna was laughing seeing this fun. Then Rupa Goswami explained, that’s when I laughed also. That’s why I was laughing that day. Not because of you , O! Lame Prabhu. I
wasn’t even looking at you.

Sthavar janjam Dekhi na dekhi tar murti, sarvatra hoy Istadever sphurty. (CC madhya 8.274)

That is Rupa Goswami’s status. Even if he sees this thing, that thing, that tree ,anything car, etc. They don’t see any objects, they are absorbed in Istadever sphurty. Istadev Radha-Krsna ki jay! So all this was explained by Rupa Goswami. This is what happens to Vaisnavas of caliber of Rupa Goswami. They remain absorbed in remembrance of their Istadev and are not seeing anything around. This clarification cleared the misunderstanding. There was no offence actually. It was simply a misunderstanding. So we have to also be very careful while dealing with Vaisnavas. We have to make all efforts to avoid offences. Or sometimes we haven’t offended, but it was perceived that way. But we should go out and possibly do all efforts to clarify the misunderstanding. Then that way there is a possibility of someone thinking that you have offended, will be cleared. Be careful, be cautious in dealing with Vaisnavas, and we say dealing with all the living entities. Prabhupada said, we don’t wish to hurt even an ant. Like that of Mrigari, the hunter. His Guru Maharaja had come. He had seen his Guru Maharaja had landed some distance away from where Mrigari was standing.

But he did not rush to touch the feet of his Guru Maharaja or to bow down. Instead of bowing down, he was clearing the ground. Going zig-zag. Then Narada Muni inquired what had happened? You should have run to me , as soon as you saw me. But his response was how I could have run? There were so many ants on the way , so I was trying to clear the path. I was not wanting to hurt them or kill them. Of course he developed this state of mind, by chanting Hare Krsna. So by chanting , the same person who was Mrigari, enemy of all the animals of the forest (He would half kill them. They would scream and he would happily enjoy and see what happened ! He doesn’t even want to hurt an ant. He had chanted Hare Krsna and then he developed:

titikshvaha karunika surudam sarva dehinaha ajat shatravaha shantaha sadhavaha sadhu bhushanaha. (S.B.3.25.21)

As one makes advancement in Krsna consciousness by chanting , one becomes more sensitive. Even a small or subtle offence is taken as big because now he is pure and advanced, he is also more sensitive, more kind and considerate. Then he becomes more cautious and caring also avoiding offences. That is what we observe from life of a mrigari. This is a big thing Bhakti Purushottam Maharaja said. When devotees are sitting around me
, Japa-talk becomes longer.

I will just conclude with Bhakti Purushottam Maharaja’s statement. One time he was travelling with Jayapataka Swami Maharaja. Whole world is getting ready for Maharaja’s 70 the birthday party in 2 to 3 days. He said , Maharaja used to carry a stick. Once that stick fell on Bhakti Purushottam Maharaja and immediately Jayapataka Maharaja started saying, “ I am sorry! I am sorry! Did I hurt you?” Bhakti Purushottam Maharaja was telling that it was not a big thing that his stick fell on me, but Jayapataka Maharaja took it as he has hurt Maharaja, I have hurt my disciple. Begging for forgiveness, saying, “ I am sorry! I am
sorry!!”

I have to get ready to move to next destination. I am here in Vallabh Vidyanagar since few days and I will be leaving for Rajkot where there is big temple opening coming up tomorrow. So it’s possible that we can meet again tomorrow and hopefully chant with you again.

YAJNA FOR AGE OF KALI.

Our family is Family of Krishna, Family of Gauranga! Jai Sri Ram!! Family of Sri Ram.

And we say “family that chants together, stays together.” Chanting of ‘Hare Krishna’ is a prayer. Mentally we are all one. We have one vision; we have one goal.

Eko dev devaki putra Eva. (Geeta Mahatmya from Padma Purana)

For all of us Devaki-putra is our Aaradhya Dev. All of us have one Dev.

Ekam sastram Devaki-putram gitam. For all of us there at One scripture i.e. “Srimad Bhagvad-Gita As It Is” one scripture for all. Mantra ekam tasya namani yani. For all of us there is one mantra. This mantra is full of Lord’s Names.

HARE KRISHNA HARE KRISHNA
KRISHNA KRISHNA HARE HARE
HARE RAMA HARE RAMA
RAMA RAMA HARE HARE

For the whole world, one mantra. That is ‘Hare Krishna Mahamantra’.

Karma api ekam tasya devasya Seva. ( Gita Mahatmya verse 6). For all of us one activity. What is that activity??

Tasya devasya Seva. Tasya devaki putrasya Seva.

Service unto the lotus feet of Devaki or Son of Nand Baba & Yashoda. So, like that. Family that prays together, stays together.

Yadnyarthat karma Anya lokayam karmabandhanha (BG 3.9)

Krishna said in Bhagvad-Gita, yadnyarthat karma. We should be performing activity, or whatever we do, should be for Yajna. Yadnyarthat karma. All activities should be dedicated to Yajna. Swaha! Yadnyarthat… anyartha – otherwise. Lokoyam karma bandhanha. Perform every activity as an offering to the Lord. If it is not done that way, then that activity will become cause of our binding. To get more into Maya. We go further away from the Lord. Yadnyarthat karmano – all activities for karma. Lord is also called Yajna or Yajna-purush. One of the name of the Lord is ‘Yajna’. Same Lord said in Bhagavad Gita, in 10th chapter, yajnyanam japa yajnosmi (BG 10.25) – of all the sacrifices -japa yajnaha asmi. Aham japa yajnaha asmi. Lord said , ‘japa yajna, that is Myself.’ Of all the Yajnas, Japa Yajna is most important. He said, ‘That Japa-yajna is Me’. So during Chanting sessions, we become Japa-yogis. Who are we? What is our ID? We are Japa-yogis. Lord says, this Japa is Me & I am the Japa.

Jai Sri Ram. At the time of Ram Chandra, krte dyayate Vishnum tretayam yajato makhai (SB 12.3.52 ). In Treta Yuga, way to realize the Lord, the process in Treta yuga is Yajna. Tretayam means in Treta Yuga. Getayam means in Bhagvad Gita, like that. So Tretayam yajato makhai. In Treta Yuga you will realize the Lord by process of Yajna. Lord Sri Ram appeared to establish that kind of Dharma. Dharma Sansthapanarthay (BG 4.8) that is why, when he was just a young boy , sage Viswamitra had come. No no! Please come! Please come! Dasharath I need your sons, Ram & Laxman. What for?? They are just children of unshodasha varshiya (15 years) & you want to take them to the forest? Sage said, they would protect the fire sacrifice. They would establish & protect the fire sacrifice.

So Lord had appeared as Sri Ram for Dharma sansthapanarthay – to protect Dharma of that age. Dharma of age of Treta yuga is Swaha! Swaha!! There used to be the Agnihotra & Agni kunda, Ahuti & offerings & like that.

Tretayam yajato makhai so to protect the dharma of that yuga, Ram & Laxman both went with Viswamitra.

So those kind of yajnas were very very expensive. In Hastinapur Rajasuya yajna was going to take place. Yudhisthir maharaj sent his brothers in four different directions, to gather lot of wealth. Arjuna was successful in collecting lot of Dhan (wealth), so his name became Dhananjay- the conqueror of wealth, Gatherer of wealth. So not only wealth, but you need lot of preparations. Big field etc. Yajna of those days used to be a big or mega event. Sometimes 108 kundas were required. There used to be lot of Invitations & guests would come in large number to participate in that Yajna. Qualified Brahmins are required to carry out such Yajna. You need accommodation for guests, you need to feed them properly. So it used to be a big endeavour. This is not possible in this age of Kali. Specially not possible by non qualified Brahamins.

Kalau shudra sambhavaha- Kali is full of Shudras. Treta yuga was full of Brahmans. Satya yuga had lots of Brahmanas. Treta Yuga had little lesser in numbers. Much more lesser number of Brahmins were there in Dwapar Yuga & the least number of Brahmanas you will find in Kali Yuga. People perform yajnas even in the age of Kali. But they don’t get the results.

I remember, thirty years ago, I was in Ahmedabad & at Sabarmati river, there 1008 Kundiya yajna was to be performed. I was in ‘Narad Muni Sankirtan party’ travelling & preaching & distributing books. Then we saw big big pandal & lot of loud speakers etc. So we had gone to visit the yagyashala.

I will explain my experience briefly. It was winter time, as we were moving around yagyashala there, we found one purohit (brahmana), he was making offering of ghee with one hand – Swaha! Swaha!! But in the other hand we saw there was a ‘bidi’(cigarette). He didn’t lit it with matchbox or something. Fire was right there. So he lit his bidi in the fire of Yajna. Those were winter days, fire of Yajna was giving him warmth from outside but he wanted to have some heat, internally also. He was making two kinds of offerings, one into the fire & other into the mouth for self. Atmendriya Priti vanchha tar bale kam (CC Adi 4.165). For own sense satisfaction he was making offering of smoke of bidi.

So this is a state of affairs of Yajnas. There is also difficulty to find all the pure ingredients, pure ghee etc. Nowadays, we find only Dalda. Not only Dalda but in that also animal fat is added. So it is not possible to perform those kinds of Yajnas. So taking in consideration all such situations of Kali yuga, about what is possible in this age & what is not possible, Lord has given us another kind of Yajna. Name of that Yajna is Japa-yajna.

[Haribol! Don’t sleep! We are not supposed to sleep in the Yajna. If you sleep during Japa-yajna, then Yajna is finished. Then you will not get the Yajna-phal, i.e. benefit of the Yajna. So we should not sleep during this Yajna. Soega wo khoega! (One who sleeps will be looser, won’t get benefit of Yajna)]

So yajna of Kali Yuga is much simpler & cheaper version, it’s free. Easiest Yajna is Japa-yajna. If we wish wish to begin the Japa-yajna, take your mala which lot of time is hanging around your neck, wherever you are, sit down as doing japa in standing state is not the good thing to do, you can stand & dance in Kirtan & begin Chanting ‘Hare Krishna’. Such a simple thing.

In three seconds , you can begin this Yajna.

HARE KRISHNA HARE KRISHNA
KRISHNA KRISHNA HARE HARE
HARE RAMA HARE RAMA
RAMA RAMA HARE HARE

So we had been giving guidance regarding this through japa & during Japa-talk. That is for guiding how to improve Japa, how it can be done attentively. So every day we talk something about Japa. To conclude we can say one thing, it’s from Bhagavatam, the talk of Yajna, specially Chanting or offering Mantras, it could be said in essence (listen properly) Chanting & hearing of ‘Hare Krishna’ Mahamantra that we do acts like a bow. Living entity or the chanter becomes arrow. Mahamantra which is Lord Himself acts like a bow & the chanter takes part as an arrow. Radha Giridhari’s lotus feet becomes the target of this arrow. When we shoot, there is always a target, right? Goal is to throw that arrow & make sure that arrow lands at the lotus feet of the Lord. Or next to the Lord, being in association of the Lord, & doing his service.

Contemplate on this. Remember what we are doing while Chanting & what is its Goal.

Okay. We will meet again another day. Gaur Premanande Hari Hari bol!!

RAMNAAM MAKES EVEN STONES FLOAT!

Uma kahun main anubhav apna, sat Hari bhajnu jagat sabh sapna

(Ramcharitmanas by Goswami Tulasidas)

I have heard this before. This is what Lord Shiva tells to Parvati. It’s a nice couple – Shiva & Parvati. As Sita & Ram are also wonderful, the divine couple. Shiva & Parvati are also ideal couple. Many of you are grihastha couples. Couple means two. They stay together. Shiv-Parvati is also exemplary couple. ‘Jai Sri Ram! Ho Gaya Kaam’.

Ram & Sita are also special couple. Shiva & Parvati they are always busy doing Harikatha or Ram-katha or Gaur-katha. Shiva has come to Naimisharanya in Nabadwip to listen to Gaur-katha. He also chants Krishna’s glories & names. He also chants glories of Gauranga & chants Gaura! Gaura!! Gaura!!!

Panchmukhi mahadev bole ‘Ram Ram Hare Hare’. Chaturmukha’ Brahma bole ‘Krishna Krishna Hare Hare’

So Brahma chants, Shiva chants. So he said one time to Parvati – ‘Uma kahu Mai anubhava apna’ ‘O! Uma’ you know who is Uma – Parvati. ‘I would like to share my experience, realization with you’. Shiva said , “Ram naam Bina jagat sab sapana.” Without name of Lord Ram world is like a dream & not a reality. Ram naam Bina without name of Ram or without Lord Ram rest is all illusion or dream. JainSri Ram.!! Ram is a reality & so is His name is also reality. Ram naam Satya hai’! Ram naam Satya hai’

When someone dies, then others remind each other about this while going for final rites. That time they remember Ram. If you just say the word Ram in reverse order, then what do you say? Mara Mara… i.e. Mar ja! That is ‘die’. This is what happens, without Ram we are dying.

Ram Navmi is around the corner. Not that only when Ram Navmi is around the corner, we should be remembering Ram. We should be always remembering Ram.

Best of all the servants, epitome of Dasya-bhakti. You know there are nine processes of Devotional service. One of them is ‘Dasyam’. There are examples of each process. Sukadev Goswami for recitation, Parikshit for hearing & Prahlad for smaranam, Prithu Maharaj for archanam & Laxmi for padsevanam. If we want to know, who is the best pad- sevak , then remember Laxmi. Atma Nivedanam is by Bali maharaj. So when we talk of Dasyam then devotees associated with Dasya Bhakti, among them topmost is Hanuman. Jai Hanuman!! Hanuman is also busy Chanting. Sometimes he takes Harinam chadar. He is absorbed in Ramnaam. ‘Tallinn’ in Ram.

Hanuman used to be fully absorbed. Becoming full of Ram, Chanting

Ram Ram Ram , Sita Ram Ram Ram.
Ram Ram Ram , Sita Ram Ram Ram.

Not that Hanuman chanted Ram Naam in past, once upon a time. But is he doing now? Yes now also , he is Chanting always. Ram is eternal & His devotees like Hanuman is also eternal.

There is one ‘Varsha’. There are nine varshas. Saptadwipas & nine varshas. Like that. So there is one varsha, called Kim-purush varsha. Like one is Bharat-varsha. In that Varsha which is a place or location, not just small location, it’s huge. Principal deity is still there. Sri Ram & main worshipper is Hanuman. There is another varsha where Narasimha dev is the principal Lord & Prahlad maharaj is a worshipper. For Bharat varsha Narayan is the ‘aaradhya’ & Narad Muni is the main worshipper. Narayan Narayan!!

So in Badrikashram it resonates – Narayan Narayan Narayan! Badri Narayan Narayan Narayan.

So Hanuman is Chanting still. So you could take inspiration from Hanuman. He is ideal devotee. Best of all devotees, all servants, we could also take inspiration from Lord Shiva. He is also Chanting. So you could take inspiration from him also. When Hanuman had to cross the Indian ocean & was searching place for landing, he was wandering where to land. Then suddenly from one part of Lanka he was hearing Ram Kirtan. Is that real?? Hanuman decided that was the favourable location. So he landed in a courtyard of Vibhishana’s palace. Vibhishana was a great devotee of Ram. Always Chanting names & glories of Sri Ram. He said that Vibhishan had written names of Lord Ram, all over his palace. So that was indication also, that what is in his mind. It manifests, where you reside or your surroundings is the reflection of your mind, or your thoughts. He was Ram- bhakta, so he had written names of Ram everywhere.

They say – mann Mei Ram, tann Mei Ram…. Or Hridaye Narasimha bahir Narasimha (Narasimha is inside heart). Not just that, yato yato Yami, Yatha yataha Yami – I go, here & there everywhere, O Lord Narasimha, You please appear, give me darshan or let me experience Your presence everywhere.

One time Ravan visited palace of Vibhishan. They were three brothers – Ravan,Vibhishan & Kumbhakarna & he saw name of Ram. He became furious, what is this!!! My enemy’s name is everywhere. But Vibhishan tactfully explained, no! no! no !! My dear brother this is not Ram’s name. This is your name.

How is that? He explained ‘Ra’ represents Ravan & ‘ma’ represents Mandodari your alahadini Shakti. .

Sri Sri Ravan- Mandodari. Vibhishan thus avoided the confrontation. Jai Sri Ram!

Then it was a time for crossing the Indian ocean for Ram & the army. Hanuman & company were building the bridge. Construction companies name was ‘Hanuman & company’. So whenever they were throwing big big rocks & mountains, Nal & Neel’s duty was to write name of Ram on it. In order to make them float on water, they had to be written name of Ram , stamped with name of Ram. There was amazing thing happening. There was name of Ram attached or carved on the bodies of those rocks, mountains & trees. All those objects were floating. What was the cause?

Ram’s name was the cause of that floating. Otherwise everything should be drowning in the water, as per law of gravitation everywhere. But there anti law of gravitation was happening. What was that factor. Ram Naam was the factor.

Jai Sri Ram!! Jai Sri Ram naam!!! So those objects, inert & lifeless objects were floating, could float & did float. We are much better. We have life. Those objects were lifeless. They were floating because of the association of name of Ram. Then certainly we could also float & go across, not drown in the ocean of material existence. Go across, go back to Ayodhya dham ki jai. Go back to Goloka or Vaikuntha, just by Chanting names of Ram & Krishna.

HARE KRISHNA HARE KRISHNA
KRISHNA KRISHNA HARE HARE
HARE RAMA HARE RAMA
RAMA RAMA HARE HARE

Valmiki also attained liberation. How? Narad Muni instructed him to chant. What we hear, that he was so sinful robber named Ratnakar, that he was not able to chant name Ram. Instead he was Chanting Ma-ra Ma-ra Ma-ra…..Ra-ma Ra-ma Rama!

So keep Chanting, then our offenses will reduce & our Chanting will be pure Chanting. So like that, Valmiki was not able to Chant properly. But he kept Chanting. He kept Chanting. Chanting purified him & then he was on the right track Chanting the name of Ram.

There is offensive japa, then there is stage of ‘naamabhas’, where offenses are reduced & then there is shuddha naam japa.

Ram naam Ram naam Ram naam Eva hi kevalam. Kalau nastyeva nastyeva nastyeva gatiranyatha.

There is mantra like this in Ramayan Mahatmya.

So if someone may think this Hare Ram Hare Krishna is also Ram, so there is no problem.

Someone asked Prabhupada, is this Ram’s name in the mantra? Yes. Krishna includes Ram. Ram is Raman. Radha-Raman, Radha-Raman Raman Ram Radha Radha. So Ram includes Raman. So if you want to think this Chanting of Hare Ram Hare Ram is also Ram, it is alright. Because Ram & Krishna are non different.

So keep Chanting.

Hare Krishna!!

10th April 2019

PROVE YOUR INTELLIGENCE!

From many countries people are chanting with us. Some of you are regular chanters but also many of them are not chanting on the conference.

When we chant ‘Hare Krishna’ , you know what we are doing. We are worshipping Krishna. Serving Krishna. As we chant ‘Hare Krishna’, we have to know, how Lord makes His appearance. Then we have to experience as Lord appears. His appearance is for spiritual enhancement, very very subtle. In order to feel Lord’s presence, experience His presence, we have to be very very attentive & focused to identify the Lord & connect with the Lord as He appears before us, around us. He appears as Harinaam-prabhu.

kali kale nama rupe krsna avatara
nama haite haya sarva jagat nistara ( CC adi. 17.022)

To experience this incarnation of Lord, what can be done? We can attempt to chant attentively. We have been talking, ‘dhyan’ is our goal. Meditation & remembrance of the Lord is our goal. Goal of Chanting – goal of life. That meditation, that full focus & then perception of the Lord, that He is before us, around us, is not going to be possible instantly like an instant coffee. That’s why we have to do study of Chanting , so keep Chanting .

asaṁśayaṁ mahā-bāho
mano durnigrahaṁ calam
abhyāsena tu kaunteya
vairāgyeṇa ca gṛhyate
(BG. 6.35)

So, Lord makes Himself available through the name, we call that as Yoga. Yoga means linking. Linking with the Lord, that is soul & the super soul is called yoga. We try to re-establish the lost relationship with the Lord through Japa-yoga. We are Japa-yogis. Japa-yogis are also Bhakti- Yogis.

iti ṣoḍaśakaṁ nāmnāṁ
kali-kalmaṣa-nāśanaṁ nātaḥ
parataropāyaḥ
sarva-vedeṣu dṛśyate
( Kali Santarana Upanishad verse 6)

This is what Narad Muni said to Brahma. What Narad Muni said was this

shodashakam namnam

sixteen names

HARE KRISHNA HARE KRISHNA
KRISHNA KRISHNA HARE HARE
HARE RAMA HARE RAMA
RAMA RAMA HARE HARE

This is to realize the presence of Lord Hari.

Natah upayaha sarva vedeshu drishyate.

Narad Muni said other then this there is no other way, no other way like

harer nāma harer nāma harer nāma eva kevalam
kalau nāsty eva nāsty eva nāsty eva gatir anyathā ( CC adi 7.26)

These sixteen names will destroy all the bad qualities of the Kali yuga. All the kalmasha of the Kali will be destroyed by these sixteen names. There is no other way. There is no other way. So this is Kali Santarana Upanishad Vani. Dialogue between Narad Muni & Brahma. This is a veda-vani i.e. statement of the Vedas.

It is also said ‘ shabda parabrahma’ . Shabda is parabrahma. These sixteen names is parabrahma.

Arjuna also said,

paraṁ brahma paraṁ dhāma
pavitraṁ paramaṁ bhavan
puruṣaṁ śāśvataṁ divyam
ādi-devam ajaṁ vibhum
(B.G. 10.12)

Arjuna said O Lord! Who is standing before me , as Parthasarathi! You are parabrahma. Elsewhere it is said – shabda parabrahma. That parabrahma becomes shabda. That parabrahma takes the form of the sound. It becomes naam. Then our job becomes difficult. Seeing the Lord in a deity form, although we don’t understand, but appears little easy. Understand this ‘shabda’ is ‘parabrahma’, then it is bit easier. This shabda ‘Hare Krishna’ is parabrahma. Then shastras also say,

Bhagvan shabda gocharaha
Indriyaani hayaan aahuh vishayaams teshu gocharaan
Aatmendriya-mano-yuktam bhoktetyaahur maneeshinah (Katha Upanishad)

You could understand Bhagvan through the shabda, through the sound. You could perceive Him. ‘Go’ means senses. Spiritual knowledge acquiring senses. Go-chararaan. We have heard, otherwise Lord is ‘a-gocharaan’, why? As it is difficult to understand Him with our senses.

Ataha Sri Krishana namadi na bhavet grayham indriye
(CC madhya 17.136)

Our senses are blunt, impure. With those senses it is not possible, to understand Sri Krishna naam, roop, gun , lila dham (name, form, qualities, past times, dham). Then

sevonmukhe hi jivadau swayameva sphuratyda
(CC madhya 17.136)

You could serve the Lord, beginning with the shabda & then ‘shabda- gocharaha’. Then you realize the Lord. You use your tongue for serving the Lord & then you say

HARE KRISHNA HARE KRISHNA
KRISHNA KRISHNA HARE HARE
HARE RAMA HARE RAMA
RAMA RAMA HARE HARE

If you chant attentively then that sound will reach our hearts. Then it cleanses the consciousness & our love for the Lord will be revived. That is Yoga. This all is supposed to be happening. Union of Atma & Parmatma. They stay adjacent to each other, but soul is not aware of it. Soul is right there in the heart next to the Lord. But soul is not aware of presence of the Lord. Lord of course, knows but the soul doesn’t know who this person is. He is the Super soul! Supreme soul!

Bahirmukh Krsna bhuliya
Jiva bhog vancha Kare nikatastha
Maya tare zapatiya dhare (Prem-Vivarta and CC Madhya 20.117)

Soul just want to go out, trying to reach out, going to the mall, here- there. Trying to gather object of senses. grab them , touch them. smell them, see them , hear them, taste them. This becoming ‘bahirmukha’ which we had been doing for long long time, life after life after life. Going ‘bahirmukah’. This has to be stopped.

By Chanting ‘Hare Krishna’ we become ‘ antarmukh’. So we should stop this nonsense! Foolish ignorant act. Looking outside, trying to get objects of senses. Whatever we are looking for outside, that is all there in purest form within us & in the Lord. Lord is the source of all shabda & everything. So by chanting & hearing, our ‘bahirmukahta’ or going out, will gradually go down & eventually stop. That is also ‘ Kali kalmasha nashanam’, whatever bad things of age of Kali, will be destroyed by the holy name.

kaler doṣa-nidhe rājan
asti hy eko mahān guṇaḥ
kīrtanād eva kṛṣṇasya
mukta-saṅgaḥ paraṁ vrajet (S.B. 12.3.51)

Sukadev Goswami told age of Kali is full of all flaws & defects, but kirtanad Eva Krishnasya Mukta sangaha param vrajet. Sukadev Goswami said this, only by Chanting Krishna’s names. Kirtanad eve Krishnasya muktasanga param vrajet. ‘Mukta sangaha’ you will become Mukta, you will become free from bad association of this age of Kali. All the doshas will leave.

So we were talking about ‘shabda- gocharaha’. Bhagwan shabda- go-charaha . We could understand, realize, reconnect with the Lord by su-shabda. By way of sound vibration. So this ‘Shabda’ is Bhagwan.

Hari! Hari!!

Vedant Sutra also says, ‘anavritti shabdat’. There is one sutra like this ‘Anavritti shabdat’. It means no Anavrutti, means repetition. ‘Shabdat’ means with the help of the sound. With the help of the sound you could stop the repetition. Repetition of what? Birth & death. This could be stopped. Repetition of birth & death is stopped with the help of shabda.

Those Shabdas are these set of sixteen names. These are very powerful. Ultimately He is Lord Himself. He is Radha & Krishna. So ‘Krishna suryasum Maya hai aandhakar jaha Krishna tahar nahi Mayer adhikar’

As we chant ‘Hare Krishna’, then Krishna is making His appearance. He is like a sun & then the path is lit. Then the darkness caused by ignorance, caused by Maya will flee or run away. Light & darkness cannot stay together. As soon as you light a candle, immediately darkness is dispelled. When there is Chanting, there is Krishna, that’s how we become free from ignorance.

‘Vidya vadhu jivanam
(shiksastkam sholka1)

is also there. You become knowledgeable.

If you have done Chanting means nothing more remains to be done. Complete activity has been done. Chanting is a complete activity. As it is said ‘Harer naam Eva kevalam’. We are not doing any other thing. We are doing only Chanting. But in fact this ‘only Chanting’ is everything, we have done everything. It’s complete activity.

‘Kayen vacha manasendriyeva buddhyatmana’ (S.B. 11.2.36)

So Kayen, manasa, vacha, buddhi & soul also . So atma means nice body, Atma is mind , Atma is soul. As we Chant ‘Hare Krishna’ we are using our body, speech & mind – which has to be there. Use of intelligence is very essential & then involvement of soul has to be there. Then you do the offering.

‘Narayanay samarpayet’

Chanting of ‘Hare Krishna’ is a japa-yajna or sankirtana- yajna. It’s an offering. Swaha! Swaha! swaha! This Japa yajna is offering. Soul is offering himself. He will be able to speak with Lord. Soul takes shelter at the lotus feet of the Lord.

Sri Krishna sharanam mam! Sri Krishna sharanam mam. Some people chant like this. So those emotions are there.

Iam surrendering unto the Lord.

Iam offering to the Lord.

O! Lord make me eligible to serve you.

So ‘yajne sankrtane hi prayai yajantihi hi sumedhasa’

(SB 11.5.32).

Intelligent people will do japa-yajna. So you prove it that you are intelligent. How will you prove you are intelligent? By Chanting . If you are not Chanting ‘Hare Krishna’, you are not intelligent. You have no intelligence. Maya has stolen your intelligence. Mayaya aprhuta jnana . Maya steals your knowledge. Bewilders you. So keep Chanting & Make your life successful & be Happy for ever.

Hare Krishna!

8th April 2019

DO NOT STOP TILL THE GOAL IS REACHED!!

We had been doing this Japa session for three to four months. All the devotees from Latur can also join the conference and chant with the devotees all around the world. You need to have a smart phone. Some of you are trying hard to get other people to join the conference. Our target is to make seven hundred participants till Sayana Ekadasi.

I was thinking for chanting Hare Krishna we all have to make an effort, to take some trouble. That trouble could be getting you out of the bed. Effort is necessary. Chanting should be with attention and with effort, extra special effort is needed to chant with attention. Even the Bible says ‘ love thy Lord with all thy heart, with all thy strength.’ Unless we make efforts, nothing could be achieved.

Na hi suptasya sinhasya mukhe pravishyantihi mrigaha.’ ( Sanskrit Subhashita) There is a saying that the Lion is a very powerful animal, king of the forest. But just because he is the king no animal will enter his mouth. Oh! I am hungry , so the lion cannot expect that other animals will enter his mouth. He has to get up , run and chase other animals and then with great efforts he catches the deer or hare. So without effort even a lion can’t get his food. He has to make an effort. Without effort we can achieve nothing.

I was thinking when Yasoda wanted to catch and tie Krsna to the mortar she had to make a lot of efforts to catch Krishna

HARE KRISHNA HARE KRISHNA
KRISHNA KRISHNA HARE HARE
HARE RAMA HARE RAMA
RAMA RAMA HARE HARE

When we are chanting our goal is also to catch Krsna, to see Krsna, to touch Krsna. Yasoda was trying to catch Krsna. While chanting we are also trying to catch Krsna – from dhyana, dharana up to samadhi. So in the state of samadhi we want Krsna to sit on the throne of our heart. By chanting Hare Krishna with Krsna we want to retain Krsna, gain Krsna, catch Krsna, imprison Krsna within our hearts. When Yasoda was trying to catch and tie Krsna, it wasn’t an easy task for her. So much effort, try again and again and again. She was running after Krsna and Krsna was running, Yasoda was running. She was elderly and healthy and Krsna was just a small , swift boy. But Yasoda didn’t give up the efforts. She continued her efforts to run after Krsna to catch Krsna. They say, she started catching for Krsna, in the morning , which passed by and noon passed and then beyond noon( in Sanskrit it is called as Purvanna, madhyanha, aparannha) Yasoda was still running after Krsna to catch him. Many, many hours, she was running after Krsna, but she didn’t give up. She was trying and trying and trying. So while chanting Hare Krishna our goal is to attentively chant Hare Krishna controlling our mind. Controlling the mind is not an easy task, as it is very flickering and can’t be caught easily. But we should not give up. It’s difficult to control the mind. Arjuna also said, ‘No ! No! I can’t do this.’

cañcalaṁ hi manaḥ kṛṣṇa
pramāthi balavad dṛḍham
tasyāhaṁ nigrahaṁ manye
vāyor iva su-duṣkaram

The mind is restless, turbulent, obstinate and very strong, O Kṛṣṇa, and to subdue it, I think, is
more difficult than controlling the wind. (B.G. 6.34) In 6th chapter Arjuna has said it’s a difficult task , but you have to do it, make an effort.

śrī-bhagavān uvāca
asaṁśayaṁ mahā-bāho
mano durnigrahaṁ calam
abhyāsena tu kaunteya
vairāgyeṇa ca gṛhyate

Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa said: O mighty-armed son of Kuntī, it is undoubtedly very difficult to curb the restless mind, but it is possible by suitable practice and by detachment.( B.G. 6.35) Practice , endeavor everyday. Yasoda kept making efforts of trying to catch Krsna. What Krsna sees is that we are trying harder and harder and harder to see Him, to meet Him, to catch Him, to love Him, to serve Him. Lord sees our efforts. Even if we are not successful our efforts, are not fruitful, still we don’t give it up. Krsna will take note how hard this person is working, to realize Me, to see Me , to catch Me. Krsna will be pleased with our efforts. Krsna was watching Yasoda. He was pleased with her efforts and then swa bandhane …… Then Lord said okay! Okay! You are not going to give up, leave the effort until you realise Me, see Me, so okay, you can catch Me. Like that finally Yasoda could catch Krishna. She pulled his ear and tied him with the rope. In Marathi there is a saying. – “ prayatnanti parameshwar”. ( By endeavouring hard , you can achieve God.) If you make prayatna (effort) then ultimately you will get Krsna. So don’t give up your effort. Keep
chanting

HARE KRISHNA HARE KRISHNA
KRISHNA KRISHNA HARE HARE
HARE RAMA HARE RAMA
RAMA RAMA HARE HARE.

In the Bhagavatam it is mentioned that Yasoda caught Krsna but while tying Krsna to the mortar, the rope that she was using, was two fingers short. But again Yasoda was not giving up her effort. She was bringing longer and longer ropes and then Lord was pleased with that effort also of trying to bring more and more ropes. Finally only when the Lord was pleased with Yasoda’s efforts was she was able to tie Krsna. Then rope was no longer two fingers short.

These two fingers represent the following – one is our effort and other one is Krsna’s kindness.
When there is a combination of these two things, our efforts and Krsna’s kindness, our goal is reached. We have realized Krsna and we see Krsna. Ultimately we will go back to Krsna. So the point we are trying to make is – keep up the effort and never give up, especially during chanting. Try to remember Krsna, hear Krsna, remember his pastimes, form. We should never stop – “ Do not stop till the goal is reached.”

This morning hundreds of you are there all over India and all over the world chanting, but today we also had a large number of devotees from Latur attending. So the Lord has seen you attending mangal-aarti and seen you chanting. He must be pleased seeing this. So everyday you could make Krsna happy by making this effort to chant Hare Krishna attentively, offenselessly and lovingly.

When the Lord sees all these efforts, His heart will melt , as He is very merciful to His devotees. Today we have Ratha-yatra Festival in Latur. Lord is so kind, Normally we say, ‘Meri Dori tere haath,’ ( My ropes are in your hands Oh Lord) but today ‘ Unaki Dori aapane haath.’ ( Ropes of His cart are in our hands. ) Lord is merciful, and today you also become merciful, by pulling the rope of His cart. Lord says, “Fine, take me wherever you want.” Those people who don’t come for His darsana, you will take the Lord to them. Show such mercy.

Jive daya name ruci vaisnava seva ( Gopala Champu by Jiva Goswami)

So serve Vaisnavas. Those who are lost in the world of Maya, show your mercy to them. By doing this also you will get, name ruci – Your taste in the holy name will increase. By whatever efforts we do to chant daily by that we meet the Lord every day, not 100% , lesser in intensity, but we do meet. Ceto darpan marjanam also happens. Whatever we have chanted attentively, offenselessly, we get the fruit of it everyday, and we do move few steps closer towards Lord. Ceto darpana marjanam will happen. Yesterday evening I was saying that by having a Ratha-Yatra here , we will purify Latur. We will not only clean, because cleaning happens just superficially, but purification is much deeper. It is cleansing the minds. Purifying the minds, the hearts and consciousness by which people will be benefited. Their souls will be happy, and your soul will also be happy. This program of Swachha Bharat does the cleaning and decoration of the cage. But Hare Krishna devotees serve the parrot within that cage. So which seva is greater? Of the cage? Or of the parrot? There should be little of serving the cage , but most of it should be serving the parrot. What the parrot likes ‘Peruchi fod laagate god’ ( a parrot likes guava) but no one is feeding the parrot.

Nobody is giving the parrot any attention.

na te viduhu swarth gatim hi visnu ( SB. 7.5.31)

Our real ‘swarth’ is in achieving the Lord or Paramatma and also in understanding, ‘I am soul’. Then we have to think, how to care for the soul, but no one talks about it. So whatever is in shortage in Latur, the Hare Krishna devotees will supply that. That is the objective behind Ratha- yatra, to satisfy the souls of the people. Only having a mall culture and five star hotels is not sufficient. Then from five star hotels they are transferred to five star hospital. They will also die in style. All this is planning for dying only. Nothing is for soul. Everything ls for the body. “ Aapali mate konala? Hyana tyana “( Who will you vote for? ) All this is going on. But does anyone remember the Lord? Residents of Latur are souls. So whatever promises politicians give, we will do this or that , but there is zero goal for the soul. People are also mad. They are not aware what they really need.

HARE KRISHNA HARE KRISHNA
KRISHNA KRISHNA HARE HARE
HARE RAMA HARE RAMA
RAMA RAMA HARE HARE

The Soul needs the Lord and we have had enough of Maya. Our politicians are giving only Maya. Krsna se tomar, Krsna dite par tomar shakati aache. ( Vaishnav Bhajan) But we devotees of Hare Krishna movement pray to acaryas, ‘You have Krsna. Krsna is yours, Can you give that to me.’ and for that only – aami to kangal krsna krsna boli dhai tava paache paache. ( Vaishnav Bhajan) We are running behind you with this hope that you will give Krsna to us. Happiness of all souls lies in this. Husband will be happy by getting Krsna, and wife will also become happy and children will also become happy forever, when they get Krsna. Your neighbours , relatives also will be happy when they get Krsna. All the souls in this world can become happy only when they get Krsna. This Hare Krishna mahamantra is Krsna.

HARE KRISHNA HARE KRISHNA
KRISHNA KRISHNA HARE HARE
HARE RAMA HARE RAMA
RAMA RAMA HARE HARE

So give Krsna and take Krsna. When we do Nagar sankirtana or we do kirtana. We give Krsna and take Krsna. Serve society serve country, serve people in your locality. Serve your friends, relatives. Help! Help! Help! By giving them Krsna. Whatever you will give them except Krsna, all that is poison. Maush Janam paiya Radha Krsna na bhajiya janiya Sunita Vish khainu. (Ista-deve Vijnapti by Srila Narottam Das Thakura) You have got human birth, but you have not served Radha Krsna then that means one is drinking poison. So Maya is poison or Maya is darkness

kṛṣṇa—sūrya-sama; māyā haya andhakāra
yāhāṅ kṛṣṇa, tāhāṅ nāhi māyāra adhikāra

Kṛṣṇa is compared to sunshine, and māyā is compared to darkness. Wherever there is sunshine,

there cannot be darkness. As soon as one takes to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, the darkness of illusion
(the influence of the external energy) will immediately vanish. ( CC Madhya-lila 22.31)

We are all dependent be on Krsna. Light is also Krsna or it is Krsna’s light.

Nitai Gaura premanande Hari Hari Bol.

All right we will stop here. Today we had little longer session, as so many devotees are sitting with
me over here. Tomorrow I will be travelling, so we will not have a Japa session tomorrow morning.
So we will meet day after tomorrow.
Hare Krishna!

REAL WEALTH!

I have made an observation that on Sundays number of participants goes down. Why is that? Of course in the Western world they never get up early, but on Sundays specially they sleep to their heart’s content. But we are from the culture of Hare Krishna devotees. So ‘Sunday ho ya Monday’ (whichever day it may be). It should not make a difference. See how all the participants can join our session on Sundays also. I am giving this message to encourage chanting on Sunday mornings also. I hope they will get this message. Those who are listening, tell your friends if they are not there, help them. ‘A friend in need is a friend indeed’. Be a true friend,by getting them to chant on Sundays also. Send ‘Jiva jago’ message to them on Sundays also.

There are different traditions. Christians go to church on Sundays and Muslims have their Friday.
But for us it is everyday. For us it is not serving or praying occasionally. We serve or pray everyday,
constantly. kirtaniya sada hari . So keep chanting.

Yesterday we began our new year and we asked you to take a sankalpa (vow) of chanting everyday, or increasing the number of rounds everyday. People take vows at the beginning of the year. Chaitra – Vaishakh is another set of months. I was thinking people in general take different vows or initiatives or ‘sankalpas’ or goals. They begin new businesses. The idea is to make more money. On New Year’s Day they undertake some activities which helps them to make more money, or they buy gold to become more wealthy. But we have to understand that the chanting of Hare Krishna is the real wealth. There should be greater determination to acquire more wealth. I have been saying this from time to time. People begin making money at 10.00 am , but we begin making money at 5.00 am, way ahead of everyone else. Hare Krishnas are smart people. As soon as they get up, they begin earning . This is our business, chanting of Hare Krishna. We start acquiring money, begin depositing our earned money, early in the morning. Caitanya Mahaprabhu said Caitanya Caritamrta, krsna yei bhaje sei bada catura So become smart. If you want to become happy , you need wealth. But what will really make us happy is spiritual wealth, and not the mundane wealth. Hare Krishna maha mantra is the real wealth.

Once Srila Prabhupada was asked by a reporter in London, why he had come there?’ Srila Prabhupada responded, saying, ‘You also had come, your Viceroys had come to our country. Whatever they thought was wealth of India they looted from India. They stole our property. Whatever they thought was valuable , they were taking it to their country, including the Kohinoor diamond. Then he explained, but your Viceroys couldn’t recognize the actual wealth of India. The reporter inquired what is that wealth that our Voiceroys had not looted? Then Srila Prabhupada explained that the real wealth of our country is our culture, our ancient knowledge in the form of the Vedas and the Puranas, Bhagavad-Gita, Srimad Bhagavatam, Vedanta sutras . This is the real wealth. Srila Prabhupada must have added in that list holy name of the Lord. This Hare Krishna is
the most valuable. Basically, our Krsna is most valuable. Lord is most valuable.

aisvaryasya samagrasya (Viṣṇu Purāṇa 6.5.47)

Name and fame of the Lord, knowledge given by the Lord, and basically the Lord is the most valuable thing of our country. But they didn’t understand or recognize the real wealth and they have left that behind. So I have come to do a home delivery of that wealth – gifting to your nation the real wealth of our country. Another time Prabhupada had been hearing how Indians have been going overseas to other countries begging, give me this , give me that , give us super computers etc. Prabhupada said I have not come here, like other Indians who have not understood their country. I have come here to give. Because we have been going to the West, overseas every time.

Anybody – be it the politicians, students or anybody, and everybody, they are going there to bring something from the West. Because we had been begging and begging every time , India had no good image in the West. When around forty years back , I started my travels to the West people would ask, ‘ Swamiji from where have you come?’ On responding ‘From India’ they would respond, Oh! That India, the beggars country! That’s where you have come from!

Prabhupada has done something different that no other Indian has done before. He established the INTERNATIONAL SOCIETY FOR KRISHNA CONSCIOUSNESS! “Society for what?” KRISHNA CONSCIOUSNESS’. This includes India’s culture, our scriptures, Deity worship, prasada distribution, lots of things and most importantly this includes relating to Krsna. He established a Krishna conscious society which is the most valuable gift to the world, because in that form he gave Lord Krsna to the world.

We had wonderful a wonderful Jagannatha Ratha-yatra Festival in Solapur yesterday which was a successful beginning the first day of the year. My thought was that such Ratha-yatras are held all over the world in some 700 cities. Then I was thinking Srila Prabhupada has introduced Jagannatha to the whole world. By introducing Jagannatha Ratha-yatra, Prabhupada is giving Jagannatha everywhere, in New York, in Durban, South Africa, Melbourne in Australia or Moscow In Russia. Hare Krishna movement is giving Jagannatha to the whole world. This should make us proud of being associated with such an institution, International Society for Krishna Consciousness. Then we can say with pride that we are Gaudiya Vaishnava or we are members of
Krishna consciousness society. We may not say ‘Garv se kaho hum Hindu hai!’. ( Say with pride ,
that we are Hindus.)

So take to this Krishna consciousness seriously,and see how you can spread this around. Get more and more people to chant Hare Krishna. You had been doing, propagating the holy name. There are many sevas, but this is also an important seva.

jare dakho tare kaho krsna upadesa ( CC Madhya Lila 7.128)

Inspire others to chant Hare Krishna and take part in Jagannatha Ratha-yatra. So we will stop now.
Hare Krishna!

6th April 2019

LORD HAS GIVEN ONE ADDITIONAL YEAR TO YOU!

Hare Krishna!!
I am in Solapur. Japa talk is a serious subject, but the sound system is faulty, which is destroying the mood. Today many devotees are sending me good wishes for new year. Specially in Maharashtra this festival is celebrated in a grand way. ISKCON Solapur is celebrating it with a grand Jagannatha Ratha-yatra. This is their eleventh Jagannatha Ratha-yatra celebration.

I was thinking that on this day all over India and specially in Maharashtra, people take a lot of vows
(sankalpas). They make shubh arambh (auspicious beginning) of so many things. Bhogis also make sankalpas. We will do this and that. Or maybe they will think of beginning to chant. We devotees also should take a sankalpa for the new year, not like karmis. From today many start a new business or new work. They enjoy different bhogs and become bhogis and then they become rogi. They are not aware that bhog leads to rog ( disease). The Lord says, ‘yogi bhava’ ( Don’t sleep – zo pala tor sam pala {one who sleeps during a lecture is finished} ) This world does anti- Krsna propagation. Lord says, yogi bhava and the world says bhogi bhava. Unfortunately we are in the kingdom of Maya. Here everyone talks about the bhoga.

HARE KRISHNA HARE KRISHNA
KRISHNA KRISHNA HARE HARE
HARE RAMA HARE RAMA
RAMA RAMA HARE HARE

But intelligent devotees take a sankalpa of becoming yogi. World is mad, less intelligent and so much more.

prāyeṇālpāyuṣaḥ sabhya
kalāv asmin yuge janāḥ
mandāḥ sumanda-matayo
manda-bhāgyā hy upadrutāḥ.

O learned one, in this iron Age of Kali men almost always have but short lives. They are quarrelsome, lazy, misguided, unlucky and, above all, always disturbed. (SB. 1.1.10) It is a mad , mad, mad world. Devotees of the Hare Krishna movement take vows of becoming yogis. ‘Achhe din aayenge!’ ( soon there will be better days) by becoming Bhogi, achhe din kabhi nahi aayenge!’ ( If you become ‘bhogi’ then good days can never come) Good days will come and go. Ayaram – Gayaram! (They will come and go) So be Japa Yogis. Take a sankalpa to become Japa Yogis. By this yoga we should re-establish our lost relationship with the Lord. It should be
established by chanting Japa. We should take that vow of chanting. ‘fir achhe din aayenge!’.( Then
definitely there will be good days) Lord has guaranteed, Prabhupada has also guaranteed that chant Hare Krishna and be happy. This is not a false promise given by people in this material world, but you should realize, this is the promise given by supreme Lord.

ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanaḿ bhava-mahā-dāvāgni-nirvāpaṇaḿ
śreyaḥ-kairava-candrikā-vitaraṇaḿ vidyā-vadhū-jīvanam
ānandāmbudhi-vardhanaḿ prati-padaḿ pūrṇāmṛtāsvādanaḿ
sarvātma-snapanaḿ paraḿ vijayate śrī-kṛṣṇa-sańkīrtanam ( Siksastakam Verse 1 )

ānandāmbudhi-vardhanaḿ Caitanya Mahaprabhu has said , Chant Hare Krishna and then what will happen? – ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanaḿ – your consciousness gets cleansed. There is cleansing of the consciousness. bhava-mahā-dāvāgni-nirvāpaṇaḿ. We are burning in the fire of materialexistence. We will be saved from that fire by Chanting. Like that -vidyā-vadhū-jīvanam. We will also gain intelligence by chanting. ānandāmbudhi-vardhanaḿ. Our happiness will increase at every step. prati-padaḿ pūrṇāmṛtāsvādanaḿ we will experience happiness at every step. sarvātma- snapanaḿ . What else will happen? There will be shower. We will be swimming in the nectar of the holy name. Haribol!! Caitanya Mahaprabhu said this in Siksastakam which we recite every
morning. Maybe we are not experiencing that now but that’s the goal. We will experience that state
of mind and existence , that we are empowered with the nectar.

ānandāmbudhi-vardhanaḿ prati-padaḿ pūrṇāmṛtāsvādanaḿ

Our soul will take bath in the ocean of Harinama. Then paraḿ vijayate śrī-kṛṣṇa-sańkīrtanam. Lord has guaranteed that if we join this then you will be successful.

Success is guaranteed! What is that victory? paraḿ vijayate śrī-kṛṣṇa-sańkīrtanam. We die and take birth again. It’s a defeat. Punarapi jananam punarapi maranam punarapi janani jathare sayanam( Verse 21 of ‘Bhaja Govindam’ by Adi Sankaracarya) If this goes on you are dying again and again. Birth – death again and again and again , then you are defeated.( You are sleeping, that is also defeat. Sleeping means , you have been defeated by Maya again and again.) So what is the victory?

janma karma ca me divyam
evam yo vetti tattvatah
tyaktva deham punar janma
naiti mam eti so ‘rjuna

One who knows the transcendental nature of My appearance and activities does not, upon leaving the body, take his birth again in this material world, but attains My eternal abode, O Arjuna. (BG 4.9) After leaving this body, you will not take birth again. The chanter will come to the abode where I reside, to Goloka. This is the victory. The poor fellow has died and has been burnt. Others are saying -’ Ram Nama Satya hai’. So Ram nama or Krsna nama is the reality or the truth. They are accepting the truth. Chanting always
HARE RAMA HARE RAMA RAMA RAMA HARE HARE! Ram Nama, Krsna nama, Hare Krishna nama ‘sat’ or satya hai and by doing japa of this nama we will also become ‘sat’. We will become eternal. We are souls and will remain in that form.

So get your things worked out. Of course on this conference we are doing that, by inspiring everyone to not just chant, but chant attentively. Chanting daily, offenselessly with love. This Japa talk is meant for that, to inform you about it. Otherwise years come and go , but no progress is made. What’s the use of this life if we don’t make any progress in chanting? If we have not reduced our aparadhas as yet, then the Lord has kindly given us one more year , in this body , in this world.

We should take advantage of this additional year. Happy New year! Then we will become happy. So there are 440 participants on this conference, which will increase gradually. We have to make 700 till Vyasa Puja.

So you could join us on this auspicious occasion of Caitra Pratipada. Make a sankalpa that we will chant on this conference. By that Japa will improve , which is the experience of many. Many have responded by saying Haribol! If you don’t know how to chant on this conference, you learn from those who know how to join and get started.

Hare Krishna.

5th April 2019

HARINAMA IS THE ONLY OPTION!

Hare Krishna!
Today Pandharpur devotees are chanting with us on the conference. Ganesh from Bangalore has encouraged four devotees to join the conference. Rama Lila Mataji from Solapur also keeps making efforts to encourage other devotees to join. We have a limit of 500 participants who are able to join the conference. So now Dinanukampa mataji who coordinates the conference has upgraded it and now we can have up to 1000 participants. That’s the maximum limit for Zoom. You know our target. By July, till 70th Vyasa Puja we would like to see 700 participants. So you have to encourage others to join. Be kind to your neighbours. ‘Love thy neighbour as thyself.’ It is said in the Bible. Remember your neighbours. Remember your friends, remember your relatives,
remember your Bhakti-vriksha members. Be kind to them and get them to join this japa sanga or Japa talk conference.

I am happy with all you chanters. You are doing the right and the best thing. Chant Hare Krishna’ mahamantra! That is what Lord wants us to do. It is the Lord that we wish to realize, the Lord of our hearts. We wish to see Him. “ I want to see You!” , George Harrison said that. “ O! Lord , I want to see You! I want to be with You!” I am not saying, George Harrison had said this. That Lord wants us to chant Hare Krishna. You couldn’t go wrong by chanting Hare Krishna. This is the Lord’s will . This is what the Lord did Himself few years ago.

mahāprabhoḥ kīrtana-nṛtya-gīta-
vāditra-mādyan-manaso rasena
romāñca -kampāśru-tarańga-bhājo
vande guroḥ śrī-caraṇāravindam (Gurvastakam Verse 2)

‘Chanting the holy name, dancing in ecstasy, singing, and playing musical instruments, the spiritual master is always gladdened by the sankirtana movement of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Because he is relishing the mellows of pure devotion within his mind, sometimes his hair stands on end, he feels quivering in his body, and tears flow from his eyes like waves. I offer my respectful obeisances unto the lotus feet of such a spiritual master.’

Of course we were with Mahaprabhu somewhere, in some bodies, who knows in what consciousness. At least now we have come to our senses. We have this human form of life. We have come in contact with this Gaudiya Vaisnava parampara. We have received the holy name, so keep chanting. Chant Hare Krishna and be happy. Goswamis had this bhava. I want to go with You. I want to be with You. It’s quite a serious song sung from the heart of George Harrison. I like that song.

So keep Chanting. Prabhupada also has said, ‘Chant and be happy!’. There is no other way! No other way! No other way! There is emphasis. Emphatically sastras are saying ‘vacana’( words) of the Lord, Krsna compiled all the sastras.

māyā-mugdha jīvera nāhi svataḥ kṛṣṇa-jñāna
jīvere kṛpāya kailā kṛṣṇa veda-purāṇa

“The conditioned soul cannot revive his Kṛṣṇa consciousness by his own effort. But out of causeless mercy, Lord Kṛṣṇa compiled the Vedic literature and its supplements, the Purāṇas ( CC Madhya 20.122)

We are bound up, conditioned and in big trouble, fully illusioned. Lord by being kind has given scriptures to his children. jīvere kṛpāya kailā Then Lord wrote the sastras, ved, Purana. All veda puranas are also saying that ,Harinama is the only option. So keep chanting. Chant correctly, properly, attentively, offenselessly, devotionally, purely.

I have to go to Solapur. There is Jagannath Ratha-yatra tomorrow. You are also invited. If you can’t
come, you can be present mentally.
Hare Krishna!!

4th April 2019

VARIOUS INSTRUMENTS USED IN CHANTING!

Hare Krishna!!
How was your Chanting ? I am asking all the participants taking part in this conference, ‘Is your chanting getting better? Improving? Are you remembering the Lord while chanting? If you are remembering the Lord while chanting then your chanting is successful. Yesterday we mentioned, to make your chanting attentive & effective , you have to sharpen your tools. Do you remember , yesterday we discussed , about those two fellows who were taking all day to cut a small piece of wood. But as soon as they sharpened their saw , it was by just half an hour job. So what happened? We mentioned intelligence as one of the important and principal tools. Krsna says in Bhagavat-Gita

kāyena manasā buddhyā
kevalair indriyair api
yoginaḥ karma kurvanti
saṅgaṁ tyaktvātma-śuddhaye

The yogīs, abandoning attachment, act with body, mind, intelligence and even with the senses, only for the purpose of purification.( BG. 5.11)

Yogis also work and become very active. They are not Mayavadis to become action less. So how do they work? Krsna said – kāyena. We are japa yogis. We also use the body. kāyena manasā -We use the mind. buddhyā – we use intelligence. indriyair api – we also use our indriyas or sense organs. yoginaḥ karma kurvanti . Yogis work using all these instruments. We are japa yogis and this is a zoom Japa conference. We keep you busy while chanting. We do japayoga in this session. Chanting Hare Krishna is not the job of the less intelligent. Only intelligent persons could chant ‘Hare Krishna’ attentively, properly. So during chanting we use the body. We have been reminding you from time to time, “ Sit properly”, which Prabhupada has also said. There should be proper usage of the body. Take a deep breath and chant as many mantras as you can three, four or five. We are using the lungs at that time, which is a part of the body. The tongue must vibrate, which is again part of the body. Lips also should be used, Prabhupada has mentioned. So like that we use body. Like this we could briefly mention about the use of body during Japa. There could be many things said further on this ,but we will make it short due to time constraints.

sa vai manaḥ kṛṣṇa-padāravindayor
vacāṁsi vaikuṇṭha-guṇānuvarṇane
karau harer mandira-mārjanādiṣu
śrutiṁ cakārācyuta-sat-kathodaye

mukunda-liṅgālaya-darśane dṛśau
tad-bhṛtya-gātra-sparśe ’ṅga-saṅgamam
ghrāṇaṁ ca tat-pāda-saroja-saurabhe
śrīmat-tulasyā rasanāṁ tad-arpite

pādau hareḥ kṣetra-padānusarpaṇe
śiro hṛṣīkeśa-padābhivandane
kāmaṁ ca dāsye na tu kāma-kāmyayā
yathottamaśloka-janāśrayā ratiḥ

Mahārāja Ambarīṣa always engaged his mind in meditating upon the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa, his words in describing the glories of the Lord, his hands in cleansing the Lord’s temple, and his ears in hearing the words spoken by Kṛṣṇa or about Kṛṣṇa. He engaged his eyes in seeing the Deity of Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa’s temples and Kṛṣṇa’s places like Mathurā and Vṛndāvana, he engaged his sense of touch in touching the bodies of the Lord’s devotees, he engaged his sense of smell in smelling the fragrance of tulasī offered to the Lord, and he engaged his tongue in tasting the Lord’s prasāda. He engaged his legs in walking to the holy places and temples of the Lord, his head in bowing down before the Lord, and all his desires in serving the Lord, twenty-four hours a day. Indeed, Mahārāja Ambarīṣa never desired anything for his own sense gratification. He engaged all his senses in devotional service, in various engagements related to the Lord. This is the way to increase attachment for the Lord and be completely free from all material desires. (SB 9.4.18-20)

This was the practice. King Kulasekhara was engaging his mind in thinking, remembering the Lotus Feet of the Lord. But of course you don’t have to limit to the feet only, gradually beginning with Lotus Feet, you could remember the beautiful form of the Lord and you don’t have to limit it just to just the form of the Lord . You could do nama-smaran. You could do Rupa-smaran of His fragrant lotus Feet or Lila smaran, dham smaran, or smaran of devotees of the Lord. so like that, There is so much scope for remembering. We always say,

pratah smaraniya krsna krpa It means those that which should be remembered first thing in the morning so our day will be filled with inspiration and positive energy. We could remember the devotees of the Lord, associates of the Lord. This is all is to be done with the mind. So kayena manasa buddhyir. We use intelligence by chanting Hare Krishna. Less intelligent person can’t chant. You have to have intelligence. You have to make your intelligence sharper and sharper.

Otherwise what kind of mind is there?

cañcalaṁ hi manaḥ kṛṣṇa
pramāthi balavad dṛḍham
tasyāhaṁ nigrahaṁ manye
vāyor iva su-duṣkaram

The mind is restless, turbulent, obstinate and very strong, O Kṛṣṇa, and to subdue it, I think, is more difficult than controlling the wind.( BG. 6.34)

The mind is unsteady, flickering. Everyone’s mind is unsteady. It has been made like that. While chanting we are doing rounds of your japa mala and the mind also goes round and round the world. To control the mind, to make it steady , focus on what you require. Intelligence. With sharp intelligence only you could make your mind focused on hearing and remembering.

utsāhān niścayād dhairyāt
tat-tat-karma-pravartanāt
saṅga-tyāgāt sato vṛtteḥ
ṣaḍbhir bhaktiḥ prasidhyati

There are six principles favorable to the execution of pure devotional service: (1) being enthusiastic, (2) endeavoring with confidence, (3) being patient, (4) acting according to regulative principles [such as śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ smaraṇam – hearing, chanting and remembering Kṛṣṇa], (5) abandoning the association of nondevotees, and (6) following in the footsteps of the previous ācāryas. These six principles undoubtedly assure the complete success of pure devotional service.( NOI Verse 3)

The determination is attained by the intelligence. You are intelligent, then only you could be determined. Otherwise ‘ Aaya Rama Gaya Rama’. Mind is flickering. Body follows the mind. So all our wandering should be watched by the intelligence. Function of intelligence could be the power of discrimination. Intelligently we have to decide whatever we are doing, coming and going ,whether it is wrong? Intelligently we have to decide thinking this.What is right or wrong? We have to take the right decision throughout the day also. Only intelligence can help us to make the right decisions and conclusions. Only the Lord can help us. He says dadami buddhiyogam tam . He gives intelligence and with the help of intelligence we can remain stable.

sarvopādhi-vinirmuktaṁ
tat-paratvena nirmalam
hṛṣīkeṇa hṛṣīkeśa-
sevanaṁ bhaktir ucyate

‘Bhakti, or devotional service, means engaging all our senses in the service of the Lord, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the master of all the senses. When the spirit soul renders service unto the Supreme, there are two side effects. One is freed from all material designations, and, simply by being employed in the service of the Lord, one’s senses are purified.'( CC. Madhya 19.170)

We use our senses in service of the holy name ,then we have served the Lord & senses will also be satisfied & you could also attain Prema.

HARE KRISHNA HARE KRISHNA
KRISHNA HARE HARE
HARE RAM HARE RAM
RAM RAM HARE RAM.

ātmendriya-prīti-vāñchā — tāre bali ‘kāma’
kṛṣṇendriya-prīti-icchā dhare ‘prema’ nāma

The desire to gratify one’s own senses is kāma [lust], but the desire to please the senses of Lord Kṛṣṇa is prema [love].( CC Adi 4.165)

Senses used for our own gratification , that is kaam. & Senses used for the pleasure of Krishna, then outcome of that is Prema. So during Japa if we engage our karmendriyas & jnanendriyas i.e. knowledge acquiring senses then outcome is achievement of ‘Krishna Prema’.

nitya-siddha kṛṣṇa-prema ‘sādhya’ kabhu naya
śravaṇādi-śuddha-citte karaye udaya

“Pure love for Kṛṣṇa is eternally established in the hearts of the living entities. It is not something to be gained from another source. When the heart is purified by hearing and chanting, this love naturally awakens.( CC Madhya 22.107)

Prema, dormant love for Lord is revived and could be attained by hearing.

So briefly we have explained how to use body mind, intelligence – different instruments to make your chanting better.

Nitai gaura premanande Hari Hari Bol!! See you all tomorrow.
Hare Krishna!!

3rd April 2019

SHARPEN YOUR TOOLS!

We had been having meeting here to plan out the Festival. Inauguration of Prabhupada ghat, Padayatraand 70 Vyasa Puja. We are also starting a new gurukul in Pandharpur. The point is 70 of this and 700 hundred of that and 7000 of that, like that talk is going on.

So I was thinking till Vyasa Puja time we should have 700 participants on the conference. 7000 Bhagavada-Gitas will be distributed and 70000 plates of prasada will be distributed. That’s the target. We should also aim for 700 participants. Because more participants means more association. We have sadhu sanga by chanting together. I am still here in Pandharpur. I said yesterday that dhama works as better asana for the chanter. Remembrance of the Lord becomes natural and easier. While chanting Hare Krishnawe have to end up remembering Krsna. You could remember name, form, pastimes, dhama and even devotees of Krsna because Krsna lila can’t take place without the participation of devotees. They are a big part of Krsna lila. They are part of Krsna consciousness. Specially you could remember , Namacarya Haridas Thakura and devotees like him. Then certainly we will end up remembering Krsna. Remembrance of the beautiful form of the Lord.

Sundar te dhyaan ubhe witewari
Kar kataawari thhewoniya

Tulasi haar gala, kaanse pitaanbar
Awade nirntar techi rup

Makarakundale talapati shrawani
Knthhi kaustubhamani wiraajit

Tuka mhane maajhe hechi sarw sukh
Paahin shrimukh awadine( Bhajan by Tukaram Maharaja)

Form of the Lord here in Pandharpur standing on the brick.

Tuka mhane maajhe hechi sarw sukh
Paahin shrimukh awadine

TRANSLATION:

Beautiful. He is the object of my meditation standing on a brick, hands placed on waist

A garland of Tulasi leaves adorns His neck. Yellow silken cloth wrapped around His waist. I adore this image unceasingly.

Crocodile shaped earrings shine brilliantly by His ears. A precious stone called Kaustubha regally adorns the necklace.

Tuka says this is my only happiness I will visualize His lotus face with all affection or fondness

Tukaram Maharaja says this is my favourite activity. I love to see the Lord, remember the Lord. See His Lotus Face, see His Hands kept on the waist and would also relish watching His Lotus Feet. Paahin shrimukh awadine. With great pleasure, and affection, I would like to relish the beauty of the Lotus face of the Lord.

The other part of the talk was that everybody talks about sharpening the tools. If you want to get the job done efficiently then you have to sharpen the tool. To give an example in seminars they talk of this . Two persons are sitting on either side of the log or piece of wood. They have a saw, and they are holding it on either side of the log and trying to cut the log. But the saw is very blunt, not sharp. They may spend the whole day cutting that log. People are advising stop doing this,why are you taking so long to cut one log?Do something so that you could do the job faster. But they are not doing that. So finally wisdom prevailed and they accepted the advice, to sharpened their saw. Then they started cutting and then very fast in no time they could cut another piece of wood. Something which had taken whole day now they manage it in no time. So what had happened? They sharpened their tool. So while chanting Hare Krishna we should also sharpen our tool , for better results or more efficient chanting. What do we want to achieve by chanting? So if you want to get that Krsnaprema faster, then we have to sharpen the tool. We use many tools, out of that intelligence is one of the tools. I don’t know whether you are using it, but we have to use our intelligence while chanting Hare Krishna. We have to develop, sharpen that tool. I am not going to talk about other tools as time doesn’t permit us. We will focus on intelligence as tool which has big role to play, during our chanting. Our tool must be sharpened if we wish to get the results of chanting, faster, not after many, many lifetimes. Who knows even after that whether we will get it or not. If we don’t sharpen our tools while chanting.

Bhagavatam also says

kṛṣṇa-varṇaṁ tviṣākṛṣṇaṁ
sāṅgopāṅgāstra-pārṣadam
yajñaiḥ saṅkīrtana-prāyair
yajanti hi su-medhasaḥ

“In the Age of Kali, intelligent persons perform congregational chanting to worship the incarnation of Godhead who constantly sings the name of Kṛṣṇa. Although His complexion is not blackish, He is Kṛṣṇa Himself. He is accompanied by His associates, servants, weapons and confidential companions.”(CC Ādi 3.52)

Intelligent people will take up chanting. There also it is said that sumedhasa which means sharp intelligence. With the help of this sharp intelligence then we could focus the mind, attentively on chanting. Krsna says

vyavasāyātmikā buddhir
ekeha kuru-nandana
bahu-śākhā hy anantāś ca
buddhayo ’vyavasāyinām

Those who are on this path are resolute in purpose, and their aim is one. O beloved child of the Kurus, the intelligence of those who are irresolute is many-branched.( BG. 2.41)

Krishna said vyavasāyātmikā buddhir which means sharpen intelligence. Then ekeha kuru-nandana. Then the intelligent person will focus on one thing, that is Krsna. Focus on hearing

HARE KRISHNA HARE KRISHNA
KRISHNA KRISHNA HARE HARE
HARE RAMA HARE RAMA
RAMA RAMA HARE HARE

Mind is another tool. We should control this tool favourably. You control your uncontrolled mind with the help of intelligence only. Think more on this. I am just giving you certain hints. Study about these matters or topics. This is just food for thought. How to help intelligence. Someone said that by reading books one could be ntelligent. There could be a whole seminar on what is intelligence, what is it’s functions etc. Intelligence is one of the element. Mind is yet anotherand like that there could be another. In solitude we can concentrate better.

bhūmir āpo ’nalo vāyuḥ
khaṁ mano buddhir eva ca
ahaṅkāra itīyaṁ me
bhinnā prakṛtir aṣṭadhā

Earth, water, fire, air, ether, mind, intelligence and false ego – all together these eight constitute My separated material energies.( BG. 7.4)

Lord mentioned eight types of Prakritis . Buddhi is one of the element of that, with which our subtle body is made.

Before we stop today, we will like to extend our invitation to all of you. It was my desire that each one of you should get a personal invitation. We have Ekalavya Prabhu here , who is the part of a team and reception committee. He will extend the invitation to all of you.

Ekalavya Prabhu:

Hare Krishna!

I would like to offer my obeisance to Guru Maharaja and all of you. I would like to extend the invitation to this wonderful Asadhi Ekadasi Festival from July 9 to July 15. This Festival will feature is opening of Prabhupada ghat. This is the beautiful ghat on the banks of ChandrabhagaRiver. The other day when we all and GuruMaharaja arrived on the ghat,and I saw Guru Maharaja with around 50 devotees reviewing the construction of the ghat. One thought came to my mind is ‘This ghat is really big. In Pandharpur there is nothing as big as this. This ghat is called ‘Srila Prabhupada ghat’. So through this Guru Maharaja is spreading the glories of Prabhupada throughout Maharashtra. I was discussing the ghat with temple president Prahalad Prabhuji. I told him ‘ Prahalad this ghat is big!! He said, “It’s not big. It’s huge, gigantic”. This ghat is ‘na bhuto na bhavishyati’. Never before have I seen a ghat like this and may be will never see one like this. So on occasion of 70th Vyasa Puja we will have a grand opening of this with VIPs and devotees. We are expecting around 7000 devotees. There are many more aspects of this, but I feel life is short, and time is going onso we should conclude. So we offer our invitation to all of you. Please come and join us and give us opportunity to serve you and benefit by your association here in Pandharpur.

The most important thing is we will all get association of Guru Maharaja. Thank you very much.

Vyasa Puja maha mahotsav ki Jai! Srila Prabhupada ki Jai!

Hare Krishna!!