Hare Krishna!

jaya sri-krishna-chaitanya
prabhu nityananda
sri-adwaita gadadhara
shrivasadi-gaura-bhakta-vrinda

I offer my respectful obeisances unto Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, Lord Nityananda, Sri Advaita, Gadadhara Pandit, Srivasa Thakur, and all the devotees of Lord Chaitanya.

We want to hear the spiritual sounds, the truth because we are surrounded by untruth and falsity. We are surrounded by falsities and we need to reach out at the real sound and select “not this, not this, this one.” This is the truth that I want to hear then we will become free from illusion

satyaṁ paraṁ dhīmahi(SB 1.1.1)

-the supreme ultimate reality of the Lord. This subject matter is presented by one of the Navayogendras, called Hari. He is talking about the different gradations or kinds of devotees or bhagavats. They are described elsewhere in Bhakti Rasamrita Sindhu.

kaniṣṭha-adhikārī, madhyama-adhikārī and uttama-adhikārī. Briefly the symptoms of those three categories of devotees are explained here.

King Nimi asks, please explain me the symptoms of different categories of devotees. What are the qualities of a devotees; how do they act, behave or feel? By understanding the symptoms belonging to each of the levels, we can then understand on which one we are. Am I a kaniṣṭha-adhikārī, 3rd class or a little more evolved – at the madhyama-adhikārī level or Am I a top-notch devotee evolved at the top level? Am I a first-class devotee (uttama-adhikārī)?

Of course, our goal is to become uttama-adhikārī, and he is only eligible as the first class to go back to Krishna and enjoy the past times of Krishna. There is a good chance that many of us are at the lower level of kaniṣṭha-adhikārī, and we need to be honest because honesty is the best policy.

Srila Prabhupada used to say that we should expect at least to come to the level of 2nd class devotee, not to remain at the 3rd level. The goal is to become a first-class devotee of the Lord. I was thinking we will talk of uttama-adhikārī and understand the symptoms of the different levels every day and also to discuss how when somebody is stuck, can become free.

Sarva-bhutesu means all living entities. It is not that God is not situated in the cat’s heart or dog’s heart. A pure devotee sees everyone and everything in relation to the Lord. This is his speciality – everyone is part and parcel of the Lord and then he loves them because they are related to Krishna and he is kind to all of them. He is the pandit who is fully knowledgeable and is a bhagavat. When he looks around, he sees everyone as souls, not just human beings and these belong to the Super soul or Supreme soul. He does not see the bodies, he sees the souls within these bodies. He loves and cares for them just because they are attached to Krishna. And he is kind to all others.

mātṛvat para-dāreṣu para-dravyeṣu loṣṭravat
ātmavat sarva-bhūteṣu yaḥ paśyati sa paṇḍitaḥ
(Chāṇakya-śloka -10)

One who sees that is a real pandit. As its said in Bhagavad Gita,

vidyā-vinaya-sampanne
brāhmaṇe gavi hastini
śuni caiva śvapāke ca
paṇḍitāḥ sama-darśinaḥ
(BG 5.18)

When he looks around, he sees everyone as souls. Not only humans have souls but everyone has souls. They are not the body they are souls and that soul belongs to the Super soul. He does not see the body but the soul in the body. He also loves and cares for them also.

There used to be one Italian Saint Francis, the patron saint of the environment and animals because he loved all creatures and allegedly preached to even the birds. He would address the tree as “sister tree and brother moon, or sister hen.” That was his vision and that was his understanding.

An uttama-adhikārī, is free from the dual nature and is pervasively beyond the bodily concept and he is fixed in the soul – this soul is in a black body, American, Christian, or this Congress party. He transcends these conditionings and relates with the soul directly.

Chaitanya Mahaprabhu acted like an acarya and in the Jharkhand forest, He made all the souls chant and dance. In the Chaitanya charitamrita theamazing pastimes of the Lord in that jungle is described:

“When the Lord passed through the jungle in great ecstasy, pack of tigers, elephants, rhinoceros and boars came, and the Lord passed right through them. Balabhadra Bhattacharya was very much afraid to see them, but by Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu’s influence, all the animals stood to one side. One day a tiger was lying on the path, and Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, walking along the path in ecstatic love, touched the tiger with His feet. The Lord said, ‘Chant the holy name of Krishna!” The tiger immediately got up and began to dance and chant, ‘Krishna! Krishna!’

All the animals and birds in the sky revived their spirits and consciousness. He revised their spirits and they all began acting like souls. The deer and the tiger were next to each other and the Lord saw them embracing each other, even kissing each other! Chaitanya Mahaprabhu started saying that “this is Vrindavan” where there is no envy, fear or competition. In this forest all the souls were absorbed in chanting and dancing and here the power of the holy name was exhibited.

Srila Prabhupada warned us that we should not go into the forest and get the snakes to chant and dance but if we can get people of this age of Kali, with animalistic characteristic to chant then we would have achieved our goal to make people spiritual.

If we could not look at these bodies as western, American, man or women, that kind of discrimination. He spread Krishna Consciousness all over the world whether the people were poor Magolians, rich Americans, even a dog, a child – transcending all the body designation, beyond the body seeing all as souls without designation. He made the whole world chant. The maha bhagavat sees everyone as souls, and part and parcels of Krishna. He exhibits kindness and compassion to everyone with the intention to uplift and, sees everything that exists, as Gods property and the Lord as the enjoyer. Whatever realisations, wealth, laxmi, property, land or building he has is all seen as the Lord’s and therefore engages them in the service of the Lord. He sees everything as belonging to the Lord and offers these things in the service to the Lord. He believes that no man is an actual proprietor and that the proprietor is God.

isavasyam idam sarvam
yat kinca jagatyam jagat
tena tyaktena bhunjitha
ma grdhah kasya svid dhanam

“Everything animate or inanimate that is within the universe is controlled and owned by the Lord. One should therefore accept only those things necessary for himself, which are set aside as his quota, and one should not accept other things, knowing well to whom they belong.” (Iso. 1)

The pure devotee or first-class devotee knows that Krishna claims proprietorship over all forms—including American forms, African forms, cat forms, dog forms, tree forms, etc.—for in actuality He is the proprietor and the Supreme Father.

One who is transcendentally realized is equally disposed to every living entity. Thus, Bhagavad-Gita points out that when one sees everyone equally, as part and parcel of the Supreme Lord, one actually begins his devotional service.

The first-class devotee understands that God is our father and “I am not the only son of the Lord. The Lord has many sons and daughters.” If someone claims it as his property – he is a thief – if you claim that it is yours, then you are a thief. The Mahabhagavad says “ no, no my Lord, you are the proprietor.”

Bhakti Vinod Thakur says “my mind, my body my my…, I offer this to You and engage this at your service. I surrender this to You.”

The subject matter of the uttama-adhikārī is deep and vast. The SrimadBhagavatam describes many such uttama-adhikārī personalities. We should study their lives and try to imbibe their spirit within us, and follow in their footsteps.

svayambhur naradah sambhuh
kumarah kapilo manuh
prahlado janako bhismo
balir vaiyasakir vayam (SB 6.3.20-21)

Lord Brahma, Bhagavan Narada, Lord Shiva, the four Kumaras, Lord Kapila [the son of Devahuti], Svayambhuva Manu, Prahlada Maharaja, Janaka Maharaja, Grandfather Bhisma, Bali Maharaja, Sukadeva Gosvami and I (Yama) myself know the real religious principle. My dear servants, this transcendental religious principle, which is known as bhagavata-dharma, or surrender unto the Supreme Lord and love for Him, is uncontaminated by the material modes of nature. It is very confidential and difficult for ordinary human beings to understand, but if by chance one fortunately understands it, he is immediately liberated, and thus he returns home, back to Godhead.

In our lifetime we experienced and encountered Srila Prabhupada – we had the wonderful opportunity to have him, and you should read and study Srila Prabhupada Lila Amrita and become familiar with the characteristics of Srila Prabhupada. In him, we saw and experienced a Maha bhagavat in action. He would say that we are maha bhagavats in the making and we all have to become maha bhagavats.

Hare Krishna!

Devotional Services: Relieves is from material existence.

As we keep on chanting, we will develop more and more taste, more and more detached from worldly activities worldly affairs worldly wanderings.

bhaktiḥ pareśānubhavo viraktir anyatra ca[SB 11.2.42]

This is a philosophical statement from Bhagavatam, Srila Prabhupada always quoted this. that says bhaktiḥ pareśānubhavo

As we perform devotional service and experience Param Isha-Parmeshwar, and the first symptom or outcome or result or experience of practicing bhakti or in this case practicing of chanting Hare Krishna is ‘virakti anyatraca’ that you develop virag, virakti, vairagya, detachment, detest from all that is worldly. In fact, the same Bhagavatam statement from 11 canto chapter 2 text no 42, says trika eka-kālaḥ, means three things happen simultaneously, instantly as one chants Hare Krishna or performs devotional service. So, what are those three outcomes or experiences as outcome of devotional service? That Bhagvatam says, gives example of someone eating rice or wheat, what happens as we eat.

yathāśnataḥ syustuṣṭiḥ puṣṭiḥ kṣud-apāyo ’nu-ghāsam

[SB 11.2.42]

anughasam [laughs] anu means as we eat one mouthful after another and another, then that gives us tushtih, you feel satisfied, manashyanti you become peaceful, self-satisfaction as you eat mouthful of food. As we performing devotional service, we stay busy performing Bhakti and in this case chanting Hare Krishna, who is satisfied? Soul is satisfied. Soul is satisfied. One becomes atarama, one gets arama [relived] as one chants. Pustih, we get nourished and we enhance our health. We revive and thrive in fact as we eat food that could happen to our body. We thrive, we are nourished, we get supplemented. We will gradually become mahatma, we are atma we will always remain atma but as we perform devotional service, as we chant, as we are nourished, we become mahatma bigger and bigger mahatma and size or health of atma is improved, so you become bigger and better atma.

Third thing is, kṣud-apāyo, that you become free from hunger; you are relived from hunger with every mouthful. You are so much hungry when you start taking meal and you took few morsels of mouthful you become free from some hunger, relieved from hunger. And if you eat more, more relieved and you eat more anughasam, you become free, and ultimately your hunger and thirst is fully quenched.

So, like this, as we serve Krishna more and more that’s the anubhava,

bhaktiḥ pareśānubhavo viraktir anyatra ca

As we perform devotional service, our anubhav, experience, realization is that we are relieved from this material existence. The influence of this material existence doesn’t act or work on us or acts less and less and less. And final point, we are fully relived, and we develop detachment. So, a person has made progress, how much progress he has made, so how do we measure? That measure is done by seeing how much vairagya or virakti he has developed. So, what is a criterion to measure? It’s the degree of detachment from worldly things. So, we should cultivate this vairagya.

vasudeve bhagavati bhakti-yogah prayojitah

janyayaty asu vairagyam jnanam ca yad ahaitukam

[SB 1.2.7]

This is another siddhanta that we understand from Bhagavatam is, as as one performs devotional service, Vasudeve unto Vasudev, Janyayaty- that bhakti will produce janayayaty , asu- quickly bhakti will produce jnanam and vairagyam, knowledge and vairagya- detachment. So, knowledge and detachment would be two products or outcomes of devotional service. As we become detached, we keep going higher speedily or going forward with speed, otherwise the strings attached, the attachments slow us down. The attachments bind us and we may get stuck at whatever level of devotion, devotional level we are. Attachment doesn’t allow us to move forward.

One interesting example given by Srila Prabhupada, if you do not develop detachment or strings attached if we don’t get rid of them, then you would not reach your destination. Example of marriage party that was crossing river Ganga to go to other side of the river for a marriage. So, everyone was sitting in the boat and boatman was rowing the boat all night long. So, by next dawn, he was expecting to reach final destination as he was looking around how far we have come. But he was surprised to see that boat has not yet started the journey. So, everyone was wondering what happened? And of course, the big blunder was he did not even remove the anchor, boats are usually anchored, tied up to a pole or pillar. So, he had not done so as a result the boat remained there at the same place where everyone had boarded the boat night before. So, we have to look around us whether any of such, or how many strings are around us that are binding us. As Krishna says,

asa-pasa-satair baddhah [BG 16.12]

We are bounded with asa- desires, pasa-ropes, so many desires. Each desire is like one rope that is dragging us, pooling us here and there shopping, cinema this and that. Dragged and pooled and pushed, here and there and that is how they keep making rounds in this world. So, talking about boat and the journey. Bhagavatam also says that this human form of life is like a boat, we are sitting in the boat and spiritual master is boatman and instructions of the shastras are favorable wind and we have decided the destination and we will keep making progress and make sure we are in boat and we have captain and we are following and keeping eye on what is anukul [favorable] and what is pratikul [unfavorable] what is favorable or what is unfavorable for all devotional service and how to move forward .

So, these guidelines or instructions hopefully give you inspiration and guide yourself through in the act of chanting also. Because you have to contemplate, meditate and make up your mind, making your intelligence sharper and sharper. Intelligence will keep an eye on chanting or during chanting. And intelligence will make discrimination for you. Intelligence will discriminate and say no don’t do that, do this is right thing to do, what is favorable and what is not favorable, or do this don’t do this. These guidelines, these tips should be used by you.

Wish you all success, success in bhakti and chanting.

Hare Krsna

I am very pleased to see you chanting. I am not hearing you but at least I can see you chanting. You are all my family and i am happy to see all family members chanting. I can’t say it’s my family; its Prabhupad’s family appropriate to say Krishna’s family. Srila Prabhupada used to address his disciple as my spiritual sons and daughters also he used to write in his letters my spiritual sons. So, it’s kind of family spirit my children.

When i see more and more members joining this conference, chanting and as its said ‘seeing is believing’ when I see you chanting, I am happy. I was pleased yesterday something else gave me pleasure yesterday. And that was darshan of so many deities smeared with chandan in chandan yatra. I had darshan of Radha Govind Dev in Noida also another Radha Govind in Beed, Radha Damodar in Solapur and many more deities around the world mostly from India, that was from my preaching zone. And i was amazed to see those deities and that was very satisfying.

You are also welcomed, i think these days next 21 days beginning from yesterday, Akshay Tritiya there will be such darshan available. Thanks to the internet. So, you could also take those darshan. Lord is very kind that He appears in this world for our sake in the form of deities. Our understanding is not,

arcasiladhir gurusu naramati vaisnave jati budhi (Padma Purāṇa)

Oh! The Deity is just a rock and Guru just ordinary person and vaisnavas belong to certain caste this is not our understanding. During this month we have opportunity to serve our family deities, temple deities by taking part in this chandan yatra festival. Mother Yashoda also does this chandan yatra, maybe she does it every single day in Gokul or Goloka. The feelings, emotions of Yashoda were associated with this chandan yatra festival. She wanted Krishna to carry an umbrella so that umbrella would protect Him from sun. This is one favorite pastime that we keep hearing but then Krishna refuses- no umbrella for Me. Krishna says how could I carry umbrella for Myself when My cows have no umbrella or shelter. Krishna is expressing His affection or love for the cows.

Yashoda wants to take care of her Krishna but Krishna wants to take care of His cows. Krishna goes out in the forest without any umbrella. Yashoda could imagine the heat of the sun in the midday, so she wants to smear Krishna’s body with chandan so that it would create a cooling effect which is a property of chandan (sandalwood). So Yashoda doesn’t think that verse from Bhagavad Gita,

“nainam chindanti sastrani nainam dahati pavakah
na cainam kledayanty apo na sosayati marutah” [BG 2.23]

That the hot wind cannot dry up the soul. We also know from another pastime there was a forest fire one day and all Krishna’s friends and cows were caught in the fire they are about to be burnt in the fire. All the friends shouted “help help” they all turned to Krishna. They were crying for help. Then Krishna thought for a while to get an idea what to do? How to help?

nimīlayata mā bhaiṣṭa locanānīty abhāṣata [SB 10.19.11]

He said you all close your eyes and do not fear. And while they all had close their eyes Krishna swallowed the fire. Okay open your eyes and they had opened their eyes and they were surprised and pleased to see there was no fire. So, what Krishna had done when everyone had closed their eyes? Instructed fire “You rascal come in here is your position within My mouth’

Vedas utter this statement, mukhad agnir ajayata

“From the mouth of the Lord fire emanates.” Mouth of the Lord is source of fire. Lord instructed to the fire come in come in the mouth and nothing had happened to the body of Lord. Lips were not burned no rash. That is the form of the Lord not affected by fire, heat, weapon cannot cut. That’s the form of Lord.

Antaranga shakti of the Lord yogmaya keeps Yashoda like personalities kind of ignorant of these facts. What kind of body Lord has and they says no no He is just my son. He is my kid I have to take care of Him. I have to protect Him from sun. So, she smears His body by chandan, so these are feelings, emotions, bhava (vatsalya) of Yashoda. So this chandan yatra is opportunity for all of us to take part in and to review our emotions, devotions, bhava like Yashoda. That becomes Raganuga bhakti, we follow the footsteps of Yashoda the way she serves kind of feelings emotions bhava. Or keeping this example of Yashoda in our mind.

This way we get to serve Krishna directly. By serving the deity form of Lord who is Lord Himself in that form archa-vigraha avtara we are serving Lord directly. And when we serve the Lord we are also serving ourselves as we are serving the Lord. We are serving the Lord to please Him but while attempting to do that serving the Lord we are also served. Our soul is served, our soul is taken care of and our soul is also pleased.

It is also explained by imagining standing in front of mirror if you are decorating your body specially ladies like to spend hours to do makeup of our bodies. Then what happens that person in the mirror is also getting decorated. You are serving decorating your body simultaneously body in the mirror gets served gets decorated gets the makeup. This is one scene now you are in front of deity and you are smearing the Lord with chandan, bathing the Lord, dressing the Lord. So that form is the real form and our body is like body in the mirror you had been seeing. So, when we are serving the lord its reflection, we are kind of reflection that is also getting served.

So, as we serve the Lord we develop all the good qualities, devotional qualities, our personality is developed we begin looking beautiful. As we serve the Lord we develop good qualities and the qualities are described in Bhagavatam as,

titikṣavaḥ kāruṇikāḥ
uhṛdaḥ sarva-dehinām
ajāta-śatravaḥ śāntāḥ
sādhavaḥ sādhu-bhūṣaṇāḥ [SB 3.25.21]

You become tolerant, you become peaceful, you have no more enemies. sādhavaḥ sādhu-bhūṣaṇāḥ. Bhagavatam declares these qualities are abhusana, alankar. It is beauty of that vaisnava, he is beautiful not because of some other ornaments earrings no. He is beautiful due to his qualities; he has become visible due to his qualities and that is his beauty.

So, go on serving the Lord and chant Hare Krishna mahamantra. It is also service, that’s the main service or the first service. And then Krishna will reveal into us more and more.

sarvange harichandanam sulalitam kanthecha muktaavali
gopastri pariveshtito vijayate gopaala chudaamani

So that Gopal Chudamani will reveal into us more and more. In that particular prayer its said how Lords form is looking extraordinary beautiful Harichandanam sulalitam. His body is smeared with sandal wood paste.

kanthecha muktaawali

There is pearl necklace around His neck. So, when devotee takes darshan of Lord with pearls around His neck. He thinks, oh each pearls is like swan, and one swan behind another, behind another, another one and all of them are flying and Lords form is like a cloud and that seems like swans are flying in the sky.

This is meditation so as devotee contemplates the form and beauty of the Lord and he thinks look at the pitambar- the yellow garments of Lord. That yellow color is not ordinary color it reminds him as a lightening in the thunder in rainy season. Because already sky is there, Lord’s form reminds him of a sky and pitambar reminds him of glistening of the lightening in the sky, the bright effulgent lighting like.

When meditators or devotee attention goes toward peacock feather at the top His head or in the crown that peacock feather that reminds him of rainbow. The sky is there some birds are flying across, the lightening pitambar and look there is rainbow at the top. He gets absorbed in thinking like this about the Lord.

So, while chanting Hare Krishna mahamantra is a kind of meditation so we can meditate on the beautiful form of Lord while chanting. So, here are some hints to meditate on the form of the Lord.

Hare Krsna

Akshaya Tritiya

We have special guest speaker today- Nityananda prabhu. I told you yesterday some of the glories of Nityananda prabhu. We asked him which day you would prefer to address our participants. So he preferred Akshaya Tritiya day. So today is very auspicious day to undertake, anyway all days, it is auspicious for new undertakings. Today just briefly want to say, today is Akshaya Tritiya. As mother Ganges descended on this day. Doors of Lord Badrinath, they remain close in winter season, so today they get opened and they are flung open for darsana on Akshaya Tritiya day. Lord Parasurama appeared on this day. Sacred grain barley also appeared on the earth today. Today Draupadi the wife of Pandavas, received the gift of Akshay patra from Vivasavan, Sun God. And then, Srila Vyasadeva started composing Mahabharat today.

So like that, some more items are also there of the great happenings on this day of Akshaya Tritiya. So on this shubha muhurta or maha-muhurt also begin any undertaking.

So you will also want to take advantage of this day, so we will be learning the correct pronunciation of Sanskrit. Sanskrit is a sacred language or mother of all languages, spoken in Vaikuntha. We have to one day speak in that language. So today we want from Nityananda prabhu to learn some techniques, also hear some of the glories, not necessarily in detail of mother of languages Sanskrit, importance of Sanskrit, significance of the correct pronunciation.

So Nityananda prabhu one time was student of Govardhana Bhagavat Vidyapith in Vrindavan. And that was operated by our dear and late Godbrother Gopiparanadhana prabhu. I remember in those days, myself and Nityananda prabhu, few times, we studied commentaries of Bhagavatam together. I was kind of learning from him. I was his student. And mean time he has learned much more. And he has become a quiet well versed in Sanskrit. And hence he has been employed in services of book trust. I think the service of review board, review new publications. His contributions are highly appreciated by BBT trusties. So we are proud of Nityananda prabhu. I am specially taking a keen interest in seeing that ISKCON devotees around the world improve their pronunciation. And he has been or he has agreed to assist me in this endeavor. What we are today doing is, like a charity begins at home, I had requested him to teach few lessons to our students, you all who chant with us everyday. Ok he is all ready. I don’t want to be between you and him. So here he goes.

[Speech by Nityananda Prabhu]

So it’s the good beginning that we started with Hare Krsna Mahamantra. It is Japa conference and you are addressing 580 participants. Some of them are making their comments- that was excellent class- someone says. Simply wonderful someone says. It is very helpful for pronunciation, another devotee says. Some are offering you their obeisances. Some are saying please share this video. Very excellent class. Do it once again. Prabhuji does this online courses teaching pronunciation. Devotees can take advantage of these online courses. I know some of you are his students. And I like more and more of you to take advantage of this talent that Nityananda prabhu has gifted, God gift. Amongst us we have someone who can teach the correct pronunciation. He also gives personal guidance. To contact him- NTD108@gmail.com

Hare Krsna

INSTRUMENTS USED IN CHANTING

I am hoping and expecting that your japa is improving day by day. In order to improve, chanting every day is essential. I think you are doing that, at least those who are participating in this conference, I know for them, that they are chanting everyday with me. But I think ‘How you are chanting’, that is the crux of the matter.

I had some thoughts which I would like to share with you. They are based on one of the statements of Navayogendra’s. They are addressing to king Nimi, wherein he states how to worship the Lord. They say -.

kayena vaca manasendriyair va
buddhyatmana vanusrta-svabhavat
karoti yad yat sakalam parasmai
narayanayeti samarpayet tat (SB 11.2.36)

They say yat yat karoti – whatever we do, that should be offered unto the service of Lord Narayan. That’s the one part of the statement. Then he has mentioned, several items or instruments that we use in service of the Lord. They are kayen manasa buddyatmaneva & like that.

He says we should be using all these instruments in service of the Lord. All these means are used to serve the Lord. This is a small list. Take note of this. Either write it down or take mental note, so that you can go back to it & listen to it again.

These instruments which he mentioned that we should use in service of the Lord are also the means, which also should be used while chanting of ‘Hare Krishna’. So, here is the list. He says Kayen – we use our body. Vacha – we use speech. Manasa – mind, indriye – senses, buddhya – intelligence & last but most important is atmana – soul. They have said it in Tritiya vibhakti according to grammar, as they are instruments, which we use wherever & whenever, they are used in Tritiya vibhakti.

So all these words are used here in Tritiya vibhakti as they are mentioned as instruments. We have to remember list of these instruments, which are at our disposal while chanting. Not only they are at our disposal, but they are utilised & also to make sure that all of them are synchronized or they are in alignment, while chanting ‘Hare Krishna’.

So, Kayen -mind & body – sit properly, not now but while chanting japa. We are japa-yogis. Prabhupada always used to say, ‘ Sit properly.’ It means neck bone, head spine should be straight. That kind of sitting, that posture is favourable for chanting. This posture is favourable for meditation or ‘Dhyan’ or ‘Dhyan-mudra’. Much more could be said for each of these items.

Vacha – Speech, lips and mouth are also is used for chanting. We don’t do mental chanting. We utter chanting. Prabhupada used to remind, we have to use both the lips to utter the holy name of the Lord. Not just whisper like a sparrow. Balen bolo re vadan bhori. Our vaishnav song says, balen you use all your strength, Vadan-bhori – it should be mouthful.

We have to make sure that, intelligence will come into picture. We should hear all sixteen names in the mantra. If we just whisper, we may utter some names & eat up rest of the names. But when we say loudly, using the lips, then all sixteen names are to be uttered clearly.

Manasa – So next mention is of mind. Navayogendra named Hari, is describing this. So this instrument is of prime importance. It has a prime role in activity of chanting. Make it or break it, success or failure, liberation or bondage depends on this item.

So we could only say that, make your mind favourable to the chanting. We should chant & chant. Specially while utilizing this mind while chanting, role of intelligence also comes into picture. This is a next instrument, mentioned in the list by Navayogendra, ‘Buddhya’ . Mind & intelligence has to work together, hand in hand.

Intelligence has a major role or only intelligence has a role, to play on governing the mind, moulding the mind, instructing the mind. Analysing what is on the mind. That is why we have been saying this chanting, is one & only activity or even whole sankirtan movement is a job of a ‘Buddhiman’ (intelligent) & not of a ‘buddhu’ (dumb). It is a job of intelligent person & not of a dull headed person.

When we sharpen the tools, especially when we will sharpen the intelligence, it will keep an eye on the mind. While we are chanting, mind is functioning, dealing, willing, has to be closely observed by intelligence. Mind function is thinking so mind thinks all sorts of things & runs here & there, as per its nature. So, intelligence has to sort it out & retain only those thoughts favourable for chanting & meditating on Krishna. Even we are sitting properly or not properly, “sit properly?” We have been told like that, so we could use our own brain, God has given intelligence & make sure, whether we are sitting properly or not. So this is about ‘kayen’.

What about ‘vacha’? Whether we are uttering all the sixteen names or are we skipping some, are we using the list while chanting, to utter the names properly, all this also we should be able to discriminate, with the help of intelligence. Then make the adjustments & alterations accordingly.

So that was ‘Kayen’ , ‘vacha’ then comes ‘manasa’. We have been told how intelligence has big role to play, governing the wanderings of mind. So, like that we should be preaching to ourselves, if we are intelligent enough, we could preach to ourselves. Not that we wait for someone else to tell, “This is wrong! This is right Prabhu! Don’t do this.” This help is offered, but how long? We cannot go on spoon feeding from external sources. We should become self-sufficient at some point in our march or progress on this path & should preach to ourselves, rectify ourselves.

Then comes the last & most important item, that we use in the chanting service of the Lord is ‘atmana’. Self or spirit soul, our real self ! our being!

We have been told from time to time, original chanter is our soul. The tongue or the lips, body they are not the chanters. ‘japa-karta’ the doer, the chanter is “the soul”. Many times we say, ‘I say this from bottom of my heart.’ we don’t say, I am saying this from ‘bottom of my throat’ or ‘bottom of my tongue’. We don’t say that because ultimately, we say it from ‘ bottom of our heart’ & that’s where the soul is situated. Soul is stationed within the heart. So when we say this, ‘ I say this from bottom of my heart’ it means ‘real me is saying this,soul is speaking.’

Just to summarize or wind up , we could say, from top to bottom all these items have to be activated, motivated or aligned in or during our japa service. Chanting & meditation on the holy names.

I could quickly give one demonstration of how someone was using all these instruments successfully, with the soul during chanting. This is from life of Saint Tukaram.

One early morning, one of the opponents of Tukaram, who disliked Tukaram, he had come to Tukaram’s home. He inquired, ‘Where is Tukaram? I want to meet him.’ He was told, he had gone to the fields. Early morning, he had to take care of body by carrying out excretory functions. So this person was waiting for him to return. When Tukaram returned, while returning he was chanting the holy names of the Lord. “Jay Jay Ram Krishna Hari! Jay Jay Ram Krishna Hari! Panduranga! Panduranga!”.

So this fellow, from enemies camp exclaimed, ” oh! Tukaram you haven’t even taken the bath & you are chanting the holy names of the Lord. You are just returning from toilet & you are Chanting the holy name of the Lord! How offensive it is!” Tukaram said, ” I am sorry. But I can’t help it. I can’t stop chanting, whether it is before bath or after bath. I just keep chanting. It just happens. It is beyond me. If you are able to stop my chanting, you could try. I have tried. But I couldn’t. I have failed. If you want to try, you could try.”

So this person stepped forward, he held Tukaram’s mouth, shut it & held tightly. He was trying to stop other senses. He was trying to close his ears. He was holding his body, so that it doesn’t move. But there was no way, he could stop chanting of Tukaram Maharaja. Tukaram Maharaja was not making any extra special efforts for chanting, it was just arousing from deep within his heart. His mouth was still vibrating. His full body was trembling & participating in that chanting, as if his Kayen – his body was chanting his mind was chanting, his lips were chanting, his intelligence was chanting, his soul of course was chanting.

So those who witnessed, Tukaram’s chanting as this ruffians was trying to stop, they saw, Tukaram chanting, his whole body was chanting. His ‘being’ was chanting, just by stopping or closing the mouth, or lips, chanting could not be stopped, because he was not only chanting with lips or mouth but his whole body, his whole existence was chanting.

So these are our heroes, these are our acharyas. They are our goals. We should follow in their footsteps & pray to their lotus feet. We have Namacharya Haridas Thakur, we have Srila Prabhupada, we have Shad Goswamis of Vrindavan. Of course, ultimately Gauranga is our hero-Vaikuntha-nayak, Goloka-nayak. He also chanted & danced & have set all these paths.

Okay, so all this is your homework. What we heard, has to be practised. Tomorrow is Akshaya-tritiya for doing new undertakings. Tomorrow one European devotee, Nityanand who teaches Sanskrit online will address, because I myself want to see all the ISKCON devotees utter the names properly. I also have written a book. Maybe you have seen, ” Sanskrituccharanam”.

Tomorrow that Nityananda Prabhuji will give you some tips. Ucchar, aachar, vichar follow each other.

Hare Krishna!

5th May 2019

TOPMOST SOCIAL SERVICE!

Today in spite of being Sunday, our scores are good. Thank you for sacrificing your sleep, duties & obligations. You are with us on Sunday and also chanting.

Bhaja Gauranga kaha Gauranga laha Gauranger naam re.

(Song by Srila Krishnadas Kaviraj Goswami. )

I was remembering that song, chant Gauranga’s name, utter Gauranga’s name & keep singing Gauranga’s name. Song also says –

je Jana Gauranga bhaje sai aamar pran re.

All those who are chanters of Gauranga, lovers of Gauranga, they are my life & souls. That means I love Gauranga’s devotees. Not only I love but, I also love to serve, Gauranga’s devotees. Service unto Guru & Gauranga, Vishnu & Gauranga go on simultaneously. In this song, there is an inspiration, how we should serve Guru & Gauranga or Vishnu & Gauranga. That’s one thought.

I am getting messages that at various places, devotees are gathering for Harinam sankirtan. Murali Mohan Prabhuji has reached Chinchwad, & is getting ready for one day padayatra over there. We all are chanting japa, that’s nice. But this chanting is considered for our own benefit. But nagar sankirtan is for benefit of ourselves & for benefit of others.

Srila Prabhupada gave us Krishna, gave ISKCON, gave me this program of padayatras, which is extended as nagar-sankirtan. You go on doing kirtan in one nagar & then next village, next nagar on & on, then that is padayatra. It’s an extended nagar sankirtan.

So, we all chanters followers of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, & Srila Prabhupada & may be myself also, should be following in footsteps of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu who went on padayatra for six years, which is known as ‘Madhya-lila’. All that He was doing was padayatra, doing extended nagar-sankirtan, in so many towns & villages. For us to prove to be true followers of Guru & Gauranga or the founder acharya of ISKCON & Gauranga, we also have to get on to the streets & participate in nagar- sankirtan. If you could do extended Nagar-sankirtan, then nothing like it.

When we go on Padayatra or nagar-sankirtan then that is also expression or exhibition of, ‘you being kind to fellow living beings.’ That way nagar sankirtan, padayatras are for the benefit of the whole world & others. This is how we serve the humanity, serve the nation, serve the colony people where you are residing. Serve your neighbours, by sharing ‘ Hare Krishna’ with them.

I had a desire to serve humanity, from very beginning, the time I had not even joined ISKCON. I didn’t know how & where to begin. Then as I came in contact with Prabhupada in 1974, his formula was ” By serving Krishna you could serve whole world.” So I had been trying to fulfil my desire of serving people, serving country, serving humanity by practicing & propagating Krishna consciousness. I would like you to also assist me, assist ISKCON. Continue kind of my mission, which is everybody’s mission I can say, to serve the public, serve the world.

Srila Prabhupada used to say propagating Krishna consciousness is a topmost welfare program. The topmost service for social reform. I don’t want to get in discussion of what kind of world is around us. It’s a bad & mad world.

I am residing here. Just yesterday kind of event that was taking place around the corner. Some kind of music, loud crazy music. There was bombardment! It was too much. That is this world. Sounds were introducing, okay, this is me! this is this world! Then we are talking of something, out of this world. Things to do, so that we can get out of this world & go to another world.

Srila Prabhupada used to say that, ‘ This world is not for a gentleman. This is for the ruffians’. He also say, ‘We don’t spend much time in a toilet.’ Least amount of time we would like to spend in a toilet & get out of toilet. So like that, world is like a prison, it’s mad, bad we describe it in so many ways, & we want to get out of here. Some of you are coming to the senses by God’s grace or by grace of vaishnav parampara. But we should not be satisfied with the thing, that now we are safe or we have been saved. That’s why, we have to remember others in this world & try to reach out to those souls, those brothers. They are our God-brothers. If they are children of spiritual master, we call them as God-brothers but if they are children of God then what we are God brothers or Bhagwan-bhai.

So go out & do nagar sankirtans, padayatras. Of course, when we go out, we distribute Srila Prabhupada’s books. So we do japa conference, you also should distribute Srila Prabhupada’s books to friends, neighbours may be in vacations or Sundays or in free time. Go in groups & distribute books. Distribute prasad. Specially Grihastha can do that. They are kitchen holders. They have kitchens, matajis are in charge of kitchen. They should cook big quantities of prasad & not just gobble yourself, but share with neighbours & friends. Or call them over to your home.

Make ‘Hare Krishna’ party & chant & dance. Teach them philosophy in Bhakti-Vriksha program. Then Lord is pleased with you, while chanting Japa, that is nice. However, when you share Krishna with others by distributing books, prasadam, bringing them to temples & this & that then also Lord is very much pleased. More & more you get easy with this, sharing Krishna, propagating Krishna consciousness with others, then result of that is, it will be preparation for your japa. Result of that will be, your japa will get better. And as we endeavour to chant better with more attention, & devotion, reducing offenses then as a result, our chanting improves & we get inspired to do devotional service more & more. So when our sadhana improves our seva improves, our sadhana improves, our chanting improves, like that they compliment each other & we make an overall progress in Krishna consciousness.

Okay thank you for your attention. We will talk & hear another day, meanwhile you do homework, when our sadhana improves our seva improves, our sadhana improves, our chanting improves, like that they complement each other & we make a overall progress in Krishna consciousness.

So go out of house. Utilize Sundays.

Hare Krishna!

Hare Krsna.

Let’s talk! 225 is the score, 526 okay! 527, 528 increasing! It will go on increasing for little longer. However we are not going to reach the target of 600 today, which is the target by end of this month, remember? So you have to work towards that goal, cross 600 by end of this month.

Jai Pandharpur gurukul boys!

Again we have gurukul boys from Pandharpur. Cute little boys, like four Kumaras! They are not four, they are more than four, they are twenty-four, they are chanting. Welcome them!

From Noida there are 40 chanters.

Ganesh from Bangalore reporting 3 more chanters from Bangalore have joined. Like that Navadvip prabhu, I saw him chanting first time. And 13 from Melbourne are chanting, Haribol! Of course they are one participant, we consider. Like 19 from Bangalore, when you are in group that is considered as one participant. We want 600 individuals as 600 groups to chant with us.

As I saw devotees from Melbourne chanting with us today, and they reported to me that they are chanting in Srila Prabhupada’s quarter in Melbourne. How fortunate you are! I am sure you are getting the vibes of presence of Srila Prabhupada in his quarter. As I am talking of Melbourne, I remembered something; I had some thoughts about Melbourne on my chanting in Melbourne, my chanting on the beach of the Melbourne.

Melbourne beach is not far from ISKCON temple.So, once we had gone, a group of devotees to the beach and we were chanting on the beach. And what I am going to talk has a connection with our relationship with one of the ten offenses. What is the tenth offense? Not having complete faith in chanting the holy names of Lord and maintaining material attachment even after hearing so many instructions on this matter, subject matter.

So, as we were on the beach, now sitting and chanting Hare Krsna Hare Krsna, other people were also there. We noticed one lady took note of our sitting there and approached us and she had a leash of a dog in her hand, but no dog. She had lost her dog and she approached us and made very sincere, emotional inquiry, ‘Have you seen my dog? So of course we thought that we are trying to see God by chanting the holy name of Lord and not trying to see her dog.

She also started describing, ‘You know my dog, oh my dog, oh my beautiful dog, cute little white dog,’ and this and that, she went on describing her pet dog. So like that she was remembering, glorifying and missing and inquiring, ‘Have you seen such dog, this kind of dog, looking like this, looking like that, have you seen?’ Guna, rupa, lila, she was kind of mentioning the name of dog, and the qualities of dog and activities of her dog, pastimes of her dog and again ‘this dog, this kind of dog.’ So of course, we only disappointed her because we had not seen the dog. We couldn’t give any clue to her about her dog. So she moved on.

So then we kept on chanting,

Hare Krishna Hare Krishna
Krishna Krishna Hare Hare
Hare Rama Hare Rama
Rama Rama Hare Hare

Then we were trying to remember Krsna again and not her dog. However we were taking note that she continued her journey, or continued her search. Every person she came across she was stopping them and inquiring. I am sure, that same inquiry, ‘Have you seen my dog? Okay you have not seen’, she walked on. Next person, stop, ‘Have you seen my dog?’ ‘No, sorry!’ She walked on! Have you seen my dog?

And so that reminded me that how gopis when they had lost their Krsna somewhere in the forest or they thought He had entered in the forest, and all the gopis were searching and looking for Krsna and they were inquiring, ‘Oh deer have you seen my Krsna? Oh! Tulasi plant, what about you, have you seen my Krsna? But you are so tiny, may be you haven’t seen. But this tree is tall, Oh tall tree, have you seen my Krsna? So, like that gopis were going from one object to another or one person to another and another and inquiring, have you seen my Krsna? Have you seen our Krsna? So that attempt or endeavor of that lady, looking for dog, was just perverted reflection of the mood of the gopis. At the topmost level, the gopis were inquiring have you seen my Krsna. And this lady, she is not the only lady, ‘have you seen my dog, or have you seen my kid, or have you seen this or that on and on. Can you help me find? Help me to get this!’

What is the topmost?

urdhva-mulam adhah shakham [BG 15.1]

What is on the top in the spiritual sky it goes at the bottom most level of the material existence. So instead of God’s search, search of dog! So things are reversed, what is best in spiritual sky is worst in material world. In spiritual world they are seeking association of God. Dog in this world, things are reversed and what you say GOD in reverse fashion DOG and that is a dog. And even kirtana, kirtana, when you reverse that, it becomes nartaki, the dancer. That everyone likes to watch on the television screen, some actress dancing. Hari Hari! And not Nataraj Gauranga dancing! If you want to see Gauranga’s dance and kirtana.

preme dhal dhal sonar anga charane nupur baje

Sri Krsna Caitanya Mahaprabhu used to dance in Navadvipa during early morning hours in the midst of so many devotees with His arms raised and the bells tied around His ankles and they jingle as He dance or as He danced, they jingle.

So devotee aspires to see Gauranga dancing while chanting. This world prefers to see the woman dancing or the actress dancing, full of lust.

kama krodha parayanah[BG 16.12]

They are full of lusty desires, Kama vasana is exhibiting through these actors and actresses dance. So that’s the best thing in this world, the thing they are aspired for to see that kind of nonsensical dance, lusty dance, mundane dance, amongst so many other things worldly people aspire for. May be ultimately seeing the woman, beautiful woman, that’s extreme and that’s the lowest and that’s what this world is aspiring for, vice versa to the spiritual sky. The spiritual world is looking for Krsna’s form and Krsna’s dance.

Srila Prabhupada did say; you are sitting in Prabhupada’s quarters, in Melbourne there. Not exactly there but somewhere Prabhupada did say, goal of our life is to join the dancing party of Radha and Krsna. So for better chanting, attentive chanting, offense less chanting we have to develop detachment and this is preparation of our chanting. As we say, you have to prepare, you have to prepare so this is developing detachment. Everyday abhyasa, developing detachment from the worldly things! Lord appears to teach two things, one is detachment and another is attachment to Lord’s devotional service, bhakti yoga.

Try to understand this word vairagya, to renounce, develop detachment. Vairagya comes from word viraga and vi raga means free from raga. Raga means attachment, so free from attachment. So that is called anuraga. We have to develop viraga, by cultivating anuraga. Anu means to follow, following the footsteps of gopis, our Gaudiya vaisnavas, our previous acaryas, Srila Prabhupada ki jai, and our spiritual masters. So the Bhakti that we practice, also the Gaudiya vaishnavism is called as Raganuga bhakti, raga anuga bhakti, following raga anuga, attachment to the Lord, or those who are attached to the Lord we follow them. Practice bhakti like our heros, our previous acaryas, Namacarya Srila Haridas Thakur and our spiritual masters, like that. So we attain perfection. So detachment, practicing detachment is of prime importance. Lot more could be said but you could think more or read more on this subject matter.

Hare Krsna

YAMARAJ’S INSTRUCTIONS TO YAMADUTAS

Congratulations to all of you chanters as the score has increased. Yesterday I had said, today’s talk will be by Yamaraja. Have you ever met him? Many times, many many times, but you have forgotten. So, today we will hear from Yamaraja. We will listen to his thoughts. Due to time constraints we can’t make it like storytelling, but some of his thoughts we will present.

This talk of Yamaraj comes in the beginning of sixth canto of Bhagavatam, chapter 3. At end of fifth canto there is description of hellish planets. So, Parikshit Maharaj inquired, whether there is any way, so that suffering could be avoided. In response to that inquiry by King Parikshit, Sukadeva Goswami narrates the glory of the holy name & hence he described this story of Ajamila.

Another way he said, “The way you could avoid going to hell is chanting of the holy names.” Harer nama eva kevalam.

(CC Adi 7.76)

Yesterday, we talked about how first time Yamadutas returned empty handed & they couldn’t bring Ajamila. When Yamadutas returned to Yamaraja their first question was:

yamadūtā ūcuḥ
kati santīha śāstāro,
jīva-lokasya vai prabho
trai-vidhyaṁ kurvataḥ
karma,phalābhivyakti-hetavaḥ (SB. 6.3.4)

Their question was ‘How many controllers are there? We thought you were the only one. But today we had some other experience. Someone intervened & stopped us from bringing Ajamila to you.’

Yamaraja explained, no! no ! I am not the supreme controller.’

yama uvāca
paro mad-anyo jagatas tasthuṣaś ca
otaṁ protaṁ paṭavad yatra viśvam
yad-amśato ‘sya sthiti-janma-nāśā
nasy otavad yasya vaśe ca lokaḥ

(SB 6.3.12)

He admitted. Iam not the supreme controller. He is the Supreme Lord. Yamaraja explains & reveals the fact that, Supreme Lord is superior to him. Then there is long talk in great detail about how He controls.

ahaṁ mahendro nirṛtiḥ pracetāḥ
somo ‘gnir īśaḥ pavano viriñciḥ
āditya-viśve vasavo ‘tha sādhyā
marud-gaṇā rudra-gaṇāḥ sasiddhāḥ.
( SB 6.3.14)

All these parties are governed by the Lord. We may be Ishwara, but Lord is Supreme controller – Parameshwar.

īśvaraḥ paramaḥ kṛṣṇaḥ
sac-cid-ānanda-vigrahaḥ
anādir ādir govindaḥ
sarva-kāraṇa-kāraṇam (BS. 5.1)

Like that Brahma also has said that, Parameshwar is Krishna.

dharmaṁ tu sākṣād bhagavat-praṇītaṁ
na vai vidur ṛṣayo nāpi devāḥ
na siddha-mukhyā asurā manuṣyāḥ
kuto nu vidyādhara-cāraṇādayaḥ (SB. 6 3.19)

Yamaraja explained, that dharma is given by the Lord. Dharma means laws of the Lord, which governs the world. This dharma is given by the Lord. Yamaraja says, all of you my dutas should understand, that dharma which you follow, that laws are not given by me. They are given by Param niyamak – Parameshwar.

We follow, we abide by the laws given by the Lord, in the form of codes of dharma. Yamaraja is a kind of giving his ID, or introduction. He says there are twelve persons called ‘Bhagvats’. They are the knowers of that dharma given by the Lord. Swayambhuva, Naradha, Shambhu, Kumaro Kapilo Manu Balir Vaiyasaki vayam.

He gives the list of ‘Dwadash – Bhagvats’ or Mahajans. He explains, I am included in those Mahajans & we know dharma & we practice that dharma. Yamaraja is kind of big judge or supreme Court judge, when it comes to judgement. He is not only strict punisher but he is knowledgeable. He has to make so many decisions, about each living entities’ destination. It’s a big responsibility. But he doesn’t take those decisions, whimsically. He follows, the code of conduct given by the Lord.

śrī-bhagavān uvāca
karmaṇā daiva-netreṇa
jantur dehopapattaye
striyāḥ praviṣṭa udaraṁ
puṁso retaḥ-kaṇāśrayaḥ (SB 3.31.1)

He analyses whether someone has done ‘karma’, or ‘akarma’ means devotional service or vikarma – sinful activities, & taking all that into consideration, he gives the judgement. So, now Yamaraja is giving some special instructions or even warning to Yamadutas, his messengers. Please take note of this, Beware! Yamaraja was giving them job description, or reminding them of do’s & don’ts. You do this! & don’t do this ! Bring such person to me but don’t touch or even look at that person. Then Yamaraj tells

tān ānayadhvam asato vimukhān mukunda-
pādāravinda-makaranda-rasād ajasram
niṣkiñcanaiḥ paramahaṁsa-kulair asaṅgair
juṣṭād gṛhe niraya-vartmani baddha-tṛṣṇān
( S.B.6.3.28)

Bring those people to me who are vimukha, those who are against Lord. Whom you should bring,

mukund padaravind makarandam

Also those who have not developed attraction for the holy name. But others for whom the holy name has become ‘makarand’ or nectar. Those who are relishing the ‘makarand ‘of holy name, those who are offenselessly chanting so they are relishing the nectarine holy name, those who are attentive, don’t bring them. Those who have not developed attraction for holy name or Krishna or Krishna’s dham or devotees , they have not developed love for them, to all those ‘vimukhan, tan anayadhwam’. Bring those. Then he also says

jihvā na vakti bhagavad-guṇa-nāmadheyaṁ
cetaś ca na smarati tac-caraṇāravindam
kṛṣṇāya no namati yac-chira ekadāpi
tān ānayadhvam asato ‘kṛta-viṣṇu-kṛtyān
( S.B. 6.3.29)

Yamaraj says one whose tongue doesn’t utter the holy name, tan anayadhwam….. who else cetaś ca na smarati tac-caraṇāravindam

Those who doesn’t remember Lord’s lotus feet, tan anayadhwam…… Krishnay yo na namati Shir ekadapi…. Those who had never bowed down in front of Krishna – tan anayadhwam…… akrit Vishnukrtyan……. Those who are not performing devotional service unto the Lord, bring them. Then towards the end he says

tasmāt saṅkīrtanaṁ viṣṇor
jagan-maṅgalam aṁhasām
mahatām api kauravya
viddhy aikāntika-niṣkṛtam
(SB. 6.3.31)

Therefore it is advised, conclusion or instructions to us for our knowledge. Yamaraja says ‘tasmat’therefore, ‘sankirtanam vishnum’ – Vishnu’s sankirtan or Krishna’s sankirtan.

‘Jagan-mangalam’ – it is all auspicious for the world. ‘Ambhasam’ those who are sinful, their lives will become auspicious if they go for sankirtan of Vishnu or Krishnasya sankirtanam, Chaitanya’s sankirtanam so ambhasam, those sinful souls in this world there lives will also receive auspiciousness.

Shreyaha kairav chandruka vitaranam
Vidya vadhu jivanam. ( Shikshastakam verse 1)

Sri Krishna Chaitanya Mahaprabhu also has said, that this sankirtan will spread the rays of moon in lives of those sinful folks.

śṛṇvatāṁ gṛṇatāṁ vīryāṇy
uddāmāni harer muhuḥ
yathā sujātayā bhaktyā
śuddhyen nātmā vratādibhiḥ (SB. 6.3.32)

Yamaraj continues by saying we should always hear, chant, glorify the powers of the Lord, pastimes of the Lord, powers of the Lord, beauty of the Lord, names of the Lord.

muhuhu – again & again & again.

So to summarise, you could study this talk by Yamaraja. Now you know where to find. Sixth canto, chapter 3. There is Yamadutas talk. Then Yamaraja has revealed the facts, including the glories of the holy name. This is a homework. By accepting holy name also, one will not have to go through the ‘Yam-yatana’ or

punarapi jananam punarapi maranam punarapi janani jathare shayanam iha sansare khalu dustare krpaya pahi pahi murare.

Pahi pahi murare.
(‘Bhaja Govindam’ prayers by Adi Shankaracharya)
Hey Murari please protect me.

Hare Krishna!

‘VEN NAMABHAS’ CAN SAVE FROM GOING TO HELL!

kaumāra ācaret prājño
dharmān bhāgavatān iha
durlabhaṁ mānuṣaṁ janma
tad apy adhruvam arthadam (SB 7.6.1)

Prahlad Maharaj advised to his friends, ” My dear friends, this is the time, kaumaram, we are all children, (he was also a child) & we should be practicing Bhagavad- Dharma. This is the time we should be chanting ‘Hare Krishna’.”

So, following that advice many of you, I am seeing in this conference also, getting your or other children to practice Krishna consciousness. Get them to chant ‘Hare Krishna’. This is highly appreciated. Keep up this endeavour.

Venugopal prabhu’s son I saw sitting with him & chanting. Panchali Sakhi mataji’s ten year old daughter was also chanting with her & she chants 8 rounds every day. That is what inspired me to talk on this topic today.

We are proud to announce, in Pandharpur we have new Gurukul. Hari bol!

brahmacārī guru-kule
vasan dānto guror hitam
ācaran dāsavan nīco
gurau suḍṛdha-sauhṛdaḥ (SB 7.12.1)

So, from there i saw small children chanting. I received report from ISKCON Nagpur yesterday, that they had a summer camp. Some thirty to forty school children, they had wonderful experience in 5 days of summer camp. Such summer camps are conducted in most of my zone temples. Those temples who have not conducted as yet, please make sure; you conduct it this year.

Yet there is another report related to children. In Amaravati , Jaybhadra mataji organized Padayatra for children. This was first ever Bal- Padayatra for children. I congratulate & thank you & express my great pleasure for all these attempts & endeavours for Krishna consciousness among children. Hari bol! for all of them making these endeavours.

I am remembering the glories of holy name from Bhagavatam. So many glories of holy name are chanted throughout the Bhagavatam, specially the Ajamila episode explains the holy name & glorifies the ‘Harinam Mahatmya’.

Again, in this, child is involved in this episode, Ajamila’s son. Luckily or co-incidentally or accidentally he had named his son’ Narayan’. That made a big difference for him, naming the child that way. Ajamila got liberated ultimately, just by naming his son Narayan. He had been chanting name ‘Narayan! Narayan! come here! , Did you feed Narayan today? Narayan it’s time to go to school.’ Narayan! Narayan! Narayan! Ajamila was chanting few rounds of Narayan, Narayan every day. Narayan come. Narayan sit. Narayan eat. Narayan! Narayan! Narayan! used to go on.

Lord is so kind. Of course, as we know, he was calling, thinking Narayan is my son’s name. Because that is not possible. Whose name could be Narayan? Whose name could be Narayan? & who’s name is Narayan? Only Narayan’s name could be Narayan. His son could be Narayan-das. Narayan remains the name of Narayan. Lord is so kind. Though Ajamila was calling out Narayan, Narayan to his son, still Lord was giving credit to him, for his uttering the name Narayan.

Of course, this kind of credit not only Ajamila receives, but you all, we also receive it. That is why we name our children Krishna – das or Radha- Dasi, Jamuna Dasi or Ganga Das like that. What is the benefit of naming them Chinku , Tinku & Pinku. All sorts of names we get to hear nowadays. All this is nonsense. These are meaningless names. We waste our time & energy uttering those.

For example Navavidha Bhakti mataji’s son’s name is Gauranga. So she keeps calling Gauranga, Gauranga! & by that way she will get Gauranga’s mercy.

So, then when it was time for Ajamila’s departure, he called out the name Narayan! Narayan! He was helpless. He was thinking he was addressing his son Narayan. Narayan come here, look!! Yamadutas are here. help me! So, what happened was Lord took it as – Ajamila was addressing Him or Lord. Calling Him for help & Lord responded by sending Vishnu Dutas for the rescue of Ajamila.

Then we know the rest, how Ajamila was saved by Vishnu Dutas, by chanting the holy name of Narayan. So, we can say Narayan saved him, but if we analyse, on the spot there it was only name of Narayan, which is non-different then Narayan Himself, saved Ajamila. Of course, name Narayan he uttered did not give him full benefits of uttering the name of ‘Narayan’. He had chanted at ‘Namabhas’ stage. It was not pure chanting. Then he went to Haridwar & practiced further, he did Shuddha naam japa & attained the love of Godhead.

Then Vishnu Dutas had come again & brought him back to Lord’s abode.

Tomorrow we will discuss, how Yamadutas had to go empty handed, first time to Yamaloka in front of Yamaraj. They had lots of questions for Yamaraj. They wondered what happened? ‘Such a sinful person, but we couldn’t bring him to your courtyard, O Lord! Yamaraja please reveal the mystery.’ Then Yamraj gave answers to those questions. So we will listen to pravachan of Yamraj tomorrow.

Till then keep chanting.

Haribol!

GAURSUNDAR BECAME SHAMSUNDAR!

By doing japa you all will be alright. This conference is open for all the souls, doesn’t matter who they are, where are they from, whose disciples they are. Whether they are disciples or not disciples, they are all welcome. We love to have their association on this conference. We have many devotees from Mauritius attending the conference. It’s a small country, but there are tons of devotees over there. So, you can get many devotees from there on conference. Likewise, you can get many devotees in your neighbourhood, in your city, in your country who are not chanting. You can get them to chant.

While we are chanting, we receive blessings, as many of you keep seeking blessings on the conference. I was thinking that, if we are chanting, we are blessed. In fact, you are blessed & that is why you are chanting, or you should consider yourself blessed as you are chanting. Also, it is not only my blessings, but blessings of Srila Prabhupada, blessings of previous acharyas.

Namacharya Haridas Thakur is also blessing you, when you are attempting or endeavouring to chant. Then seeing that endeavour, we are all pleased & we feel like blessing. We are blessed. And of course, these are blessings of Sri Krishna Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. He blessed in fact whole planet. He blessed all of us in advance & now we are receiving those blessings. We are receiving that holy name, which He brought from His own abode.

Goloker premadhan
Harinaam sankirtan
(Dainya Bodhika Song 2 Prathana)

So, these are blessings of Gauranga. Gauranga is blessing all of us. We join Gauranga as we chant ‘Hare Krishna’. We become part of that team of Gauranga called Gaur Bhakta-Vrinda – Sri Krishna Chaitanya Prabhu Nityananda Sri Advaita Srivasadi Gaura Bhakta-Vrinda or part of Panchatattva. So, we begin joining that Gaura Bhakta-Vrinda team. And they bless us.

Golokam ca parityajya lokanam trana-karanat
kalau gauranga-rupena lila-lavanya-vigrahah
(Markandeya Purana)

“In the Kali-Yuga, I will leave Goloka and, to save the people of the world, I will become the handsome and playful Lord Gauranga.

“Lord Sri Krishna Chaitanya Mahaprabhu left His abode Goloka behind & He came to us to this world, to give us relief. Relief to the suffering of tortured living entities & how did He do that? He brought Mahamantra with Him. This is a gift of Gauranga. This is ‘anukampa’ of Lord.

teṣām evānukampārtham
aham ajñāna-jaṁ tamaḥ
nāśayāmy ātma-bhāva-stho
jñāna-dīpena bhāsvatā
(BG 10.11)

So, when Lord takes notice of how this material world is treating us & beating us & torturing us, by seeing that Lord’s heart melts & He becomes compassionate. His compassion flows & then in orders to do something. That’s when He appears.

Lord appeared five hundred years ago. He came with the solution; He came with the holy name of the Lord of His own holy name.

vairāgya-vidyā-nija-bhakti-yoga-
śikṣārtham ekaḥ puruṣaḥ purāṇaḥ
śrī-kṛṣṇa-caitanya-śarīra-dhārī
kṛpāmbudhir yas tam ahaṁ prapadye
(CC Madhya 6.254).

I think this was Sarvabhauma Bhattacharya. He said Sri Krishna Chaitanya Mahaprabhu appeared shikshartham – in order to teach the whole world. Lord personally became acharya.

Shikshartham eko purushaha puranaha Purushottam appeared to teach ‘vairagya Vidya nija bhakti yogat’ to teach vairagya vidya that is renunciation & bhakti yoga that is devotional service unto Himself. Lord appeared Sri Krishna Chaitanya ‘sharir-dhari’ . Sri Krishna Chaitanya, He assumed this form. Kripambhudhi – He is full of or He is ocean of mercy.

Tam aham prapadye

Unto such Lord Gauranga I offer my obeisances.

Aapane aachari jagat sikhay Chaitanya Charitamrita also says, by His own example, He was teaching the whole world. Lord personally chanted, He personally danced, personally also sat & did japa. He was sitting with a bead bag & He was chanting. This was astonishing thing, Lord was doing Japa.

When He visited Vrindavan, one time He sat on the banks of Yamuna. They say, He was sitting under a tamarind tree, known as ‘Imalitala’ & He was chanting ‘Hare Krishna’, & He was chanting attentively. His chanting was always attentive. As Sri Krishna Chaitanya Mahaprabhu chanted & chanted with attention & devotion, with prayerful mood, He became Krishna conscious. Sri Krishna Chaitanya Mahaprabhu became Krishna conscious. Then what happened to Him, when He became Krishna conscious , His bodily complexion changed. He was no more Gaursundar but He became Shyamsundar. His complexion which normally used to be like that of Radharani, that became like that of Sri Krishna. So not only that he was sitting properly or sitting right , but all internal, His thinking, feeling, willing , intelligence was keeping an eye on the chanting. He was fully alert, remembering the Lord, meditating on the Lord, Lord’s form or qualities or past-times. So, we have also have to sharpen our intelligence, then such intelligence can control or prevent the mind from wandering. That is why I keep saying , in order to chant we have to watch the wanderings of mind.

Where is my mind now? Is he hearing the name? Or is it getting distracted? Who will keep an eye or watch. That is the function of intelligence. In order to do good job, intelligence has to be sharp intelligence & not a blunt intelligence. So, in order to sharpen the tools, as intelligence is also one of the tools we use during the chanting, we have to watch with intelligence.

Anyway, what I was about to say is , Sri Krishna Chaitanya Mahaprabhu was an exemplary chanter. His chanting was perfect, exemplary, internally , devotionally, attentively & like that. So that was the glaring example.

Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, shikshartham – He not only taught us to ‘do japa’, but also taught us ‘how to do japa’. How to sit, how to meditate & like that He taught so many things to us. Sri Krishna Chaitanya Mahaprabhu while chanting He became Krishna that is what we understand, from that particular lila. Sri Krishna Chaitanya Mahaprabhu chanting, is His ‘lila’.

Lord was always in that mood. He was in topmost evolved consciousness. He never went low, He ‘stayed high forever’. We say in ISKCON also, ‘He stayed high forever’. But that particular day, during that lila , Sri Krishna Chaitanya Mahaprabhu exhibited something very special thing. It was observed, that His complexion changed & it became bluish complexion. So that’s why I said, He became Krishna Conscious. How do we know? Look at His complexion.

Otherwise,

antah krmam bahir gauram
darsitangadi vaibhavam
kalau sankirtanadyaih sma
krma-caitanyam asritah (Introduction to ‘Bhagavad Sandharbh’ by Jiva Goswami.)

Normally in past-times of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, ‘antaha Krishnaha’ that is Krishna inside & bahir Gaura. This is Chaitanya Bhagavad’s explanation, which says ‘Sri Krishna Chaitanya Radha-Krishna nahi anya’.

Radha & Krishna became one. Where is Krishna? Krishna is inside & bahir Gaura that is outside you see Radharani. Radharani’s complexion, Her emotions & Her devotion. They have kind of changed Their positions. Krishna has come out & Radharani had gone deep within. In other words, He is in mood of Radharani, He assumed the emotions of Radharani. If He is the devotee, then Radharani is that devotee. She is serving Krishna, praying to Krishna. So that Radharani has became Krishna conscious, we can say like that. That Radharani is now surrounded by Sri Krishna, because of which ‘Tapta kanchan Gaurangi’ Radha went inside & ‘Ghana eva Sham’ came outside. It became inside out. What was inside came outside, Krishna which was inside manifested outside.

So keep chanting. Today is also Ekadashi. So chant more attentively. I want to make this Japa-talk little shorter to finish it around 7.00am. It is not always practical to have extended Japa-talk.

Hare Krishna!