9th March 2020

Lord is Ajanma

Gaura Purnima Mahotsava ki jai

Happy New Year will begin from tomorrow.

Today is the happy birthday of Gauranga Mahaprabhu. There is a lot of difference be-tween our birthday and the birthday of the Lord. In fact Mahaprabhu does have a birth-day.

Our birthday means our body is born. When we take birth our body takes birth. Our soul never takes birth. When we ask how old are you? That means how old is your body? That’s related to our body. I am 5 years old. I am 20 years old. I am 50 years and I am a 70 year old man.

It’s said sri krsna caitanya sarira dhari

He does have a body. His soul is His body. There is no difference between His body and His soul. He is ajanma. He does not take birth like we take birth and our body is born. Before taking birth Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu was also there. Caitanya Mahaprabhu ap-pears on this day in His manifest or prakat lila.

There are many forms (svarupa) of Caitanya Mahaprabhu.

His rupa is one of His form or svarupa. He appeared in the evening at moon rise. I was saying in Gaura katha that’s going on that before the Lord’s appearance, during the day He appeared in the form of His name. That’s also one form of the appearance of the Lord. This is a mystery. When the Lord appears as His own form it’s very easy to un-derstand that the Lord has taken birth. But when Lord appears in the form of the maha-mantra,

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

kali kale nama rupe krsna avatar

This is the nama-rupa of the Lord and the other form we can see with our eyes. We can only have a realization of the holy name when we chant the holy name. That time we can meet the Lord. It’s the understanding that from the name comes form. Before the form is the name of the Lord.

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

When we chant the Hare Krishna maha-mantra and hear, listen and meditate (mananam) on the holy name, then we can realize the presence of Sri Krsna Caitanya. I was think-ing we can’t take the Deity of the temple and move all over, we can just have darsana and move ahead. But we can take the Lord’s name with us and walk and lie down. Dur-ing old age it’s very difficult to climb the steps of the temple like we have in Noida and then there is darsana. Who will climb? Nowadays people have knee problems. We can carry the holy name anywhere and it will always be with us wherever we are. As I said, it’s the form of the Lord. The Lord’s Deity form is not only His form, but His holy name is also His form.

jiv jago, jiv jago, gauracanda bole
kota nidra jao maya-pisacira kole

Lord Gauranga is calling, “Wake up, sleeping souls! Wake up, sleeping souls! How long will you sleep in the lap of the witch called Maya?

bhajibo boliya ese samsara-bhitare
bhuliya rohile tumi avidyara bhare

When you were in your mother’s womb and were distressed that time you had prayed to Me, ‘Oh Lord, please help me, please remove me from here. I will worship You I promise.’ So the Lord helped you to come out from the sufferings of the womb. But your mother, father and your friends brain washed you that you forgot your promise.

tomare loite ami hoinu avatara
ami bina bandhu ara ke ache tomara

For you I have taken avatar but you have forgotten so to remind you I am taking birth on Gaura Purnima.
Other than Myself you have no friend in this world. Do you have any friend like Gau-ranga Mahaprabhu? We shake our heads and say yes, but we do not realize this fact. We have made many friends.

dehapatya-kalatradisv
atma-sainyesv asatsv api [SB 2.1.4]

We have so much faith in our body, children and wife. We feel they will help us in need, but Sukadeva Goswami says it’s asatsena. Caitanya Mahaprabhu is saying, “I have tak-en this avatar for you. I have brought harinama medicine for you.” Caitanya Mahaprab-hu has prescribed this medicine for us. “You are not well so take this medicine. Which is that medicine?

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

Even if you understand this much it’s enough to move out of this material world. I have filled this sagar in gagar for you meaning I have filled an ocean in a pot for you.

Today is day of chanting and praying to the Lord. It’s also a fast so you can have the feast of harinama. Our aim to meet the Lord. I wish you all a happy Gaura Purnima.

Gauranga Gauranga.

8th March 2020

The Real Meaning of a Blessing

Hare Krishna.

We are preparing for Gaura Purnima which we are going to celebrate tomorrow. ISKCON Thane is celebrating Gaura Purnima Festival today as it is Sunday. Bhakti Caru Swami Maharaj is in Dubai. Every member of ISKCON is getting ready for Gaura Purnima. Parikrama has also ended and devotees are returning to their places and temples. Few are saying that we have taken our bodies to Greater Noida, but as we are getting to hear Gaura Katha we are feeling that we are in Mayapur. Devotees are saying that they like the Katha. You like Katha means you like Gauranga. Katha and Lila itself represent Gauranga. If you like the holy name then you like Gauranga. Loving is better than liking. May you all love Katha! Some devotees keep on writing in chat. Maharaja, please bless me!

Subalaxmi Mataji from Ahmedabad is asking a blessing on the occasion of her 28th Marriage Anniversary. I was thinking that if we are chanting with you and making you hear Katha of Gauranga Mahaprabhu then isn’t it a blessing. Caitanya Mahaprabhu is also asking for a blessing in Śikṣāṣṭaka.

na dhanaṁ na janaṁ na sundarīṁ
kavitāṁ vā jagad-īśa kāmaye
mama janmani janmanīśvare
bhavatād bhaktir ahaitukī tvayi

“O Almighty Lord, I have no desire to accumulate wealth, nor to enjoy beautiful women. Nor do I want any number of followers. What I want only is the causeless mercy of Your devotional service in my life, birth after birth.” [Cc. Antya 20.29, Śikṣāṣṭaka 4]

Caitanya Mahaprabhu is teaching us that we don’t ask for the blessing of happiness, wealth in-home and comfort. All of these are Bhukti items. He says that I’m ready to take birth again. He just wants to remain the servant of the Lord.This is a blessing. Learn to ask for blessings. We are new in this field of religion and Caitanya Mahaprabhu is teaching us what kind of blessings we should ask for.

anarpita-charim chirat karunayavatirnah kalau
samarpayitum unnatojjvala-rasam sva-bhakti-shriyam
harih purata-sundara-dyuti-kadamba-sandipitaha
sada hridaya-kandare sphuratu vah shacinandanaha

Translation:
“May that Lord, who is known as the son of Srimati Sacidevi, be transcendentally situated in the innermost chambers of your heart. Resplendent with the radiance of molten gold. He has appeared in the age of Kali by His causeless mercy to bestow what no incarnation ever offered before: the most sublime and radiant spiritual knowledge of the mellow taste of His service.” [Cc. Adi, 1.4.]

Krsna Das Kaviraj writes in his mangalacarana at the start of Caitanya-caritamrita that may you get darsana of Sacinandan where the soul lives in a cave of the heart. May all of us get blessed by the Lord!

All this is possible by the prayers of Srila Advaita Acarya. He asked the Lord to appear on earth and the Lord responded. On behalf of all Advaita Acarya called the Lord. His appearance is a grand blessing for the whole creation and He is manifesting His mercy by making this forest-like world an auspicious place.

ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanaḿ bhava-mahā-dāvāgni-nirvāpaṇaḿ

Translation:
Glory to the sri-krsna-sankirtana, which cleanses the heart of all the dust accumulated for years and extinguishes the fire of conditional life, of repeated birth and death. [ Ceto Darpana Marjanam verse 1]

He is extinguishing a forest fire with the holy names. Go for real gold! Gauranga!
I am breaking the news from Amravati. Every dog has its day. Today is woman’s day. There is also father’s day, mother’s day and so on. Today ISKCON Amravati is celebrating Women’s Padayatra. We will get reports from them. Prasanta Mataji from Vrindavan is also about to reach Amravati to celebrate the Padayatra.

Hari Hari

7th March 2020

Goloka is our final destination

Hare Krishna.

gaurangera sangi-gane nitya-siddha kari mane
se yaya vrajendra-suta-pasa
sri-gauda-mandala-bhumi yeba jane chintamani
tara haya vraja-bhume vasa

Translation:
One who considers Sri Gauranga’s associates to be eternally liberated reaches Krsna. One who always thinks about the holy land of Gauda resides in the land of Vraja. [ Song by Narottam Das Thakur, Verse 3]

Those who have this realization that the associates of Caitanya Mahaprabhu are Nitya Siddha and they take inspiration from their lives and teachings, such people will reach Krsna. This is the Sruti phala. Yesterday’s discussion was presented from Gaura Ganodesa Dipika by Kavi Karnapura who is the son of Sivananda Sena. He reveals the identity of Gaur Parsadas (associates of the Lord). There is also talk of associates of the Lord in Christianity.

Just like one is Jesus Christ, the son of the Lord. Unfortunately, people believe him be the Lord. In Hinduism, such gods wander in the streets. Today’s swami is becoming to-morrow’s Narayana. There were such roaming in Pune and other cities. Jesus Christ is recognised as the son of the Lord. He was the true devotee of the Lord. Jesus Christ was just one son of Lord.

But look at Gaudiya Vaisnavism. There are so many sons and daughters of the Lord. It’s not a question of ours and theirs. Jesus Christ is also ours. He is the son of the Lord. We can take inspiration from him. The whole world can take inspiration from the associates of the Lord. In terms of numbers, Christianity has very few Saints from which they can learn the teachings and take inspiration to do Bhakti. But our parampara has so many associates of the Lord. We can understand a lot regarding devotional service from Gaura Parsadas. Even if you say in terms of quality, they are the topmost devo-tees. They can’t be compared to Jesus Christ or others. They were devotees of Caitanya Mahaprabhu’s Raga Marga. They were given Madhurya or Srinagar Rasa by Caitanya Mahaprabhu. In Hinduism, Christianism, Islam or Buddhism, the problem is that they don’t understand that they are nitya -siddha.

kṛṣṇa-bhakta–niṣkāma, ataeva ‘śānta’
bhukti-mukti-siddhi-kāmī–sakali ‘aśānta’

Translation:
Because a devotee of Lord Kṛṣṇa is desireless, he is peaceful. Fruitive workers desire material enjoyment, jñānīs desire liberation, and yogīs desire material opulence; there-fore they are all lusty and cannot be peaceful.[ CC Madhya 19.149]

Three kinds of people are found in this world – bhukti-kami, mukti-kami and siddhi-kami. They are found to be restless. But the devotees of Krsna are always peaceful.

Bhukti-kami worship demigods and keep on doing sacrifices. They are very large in number. Some of them might go to Heaven. Many people would be going to hell be-cause Kama, Krodha , lobha have been said to be the gates to hell. Amongst those who are in the mode of goodness will go to the planets of demigods. I’m telling you that the number of people going to Vaikuntha is very less. When a person dies people write on his photo frame that he is a swarga vasi.

But heaven also is itself a first-class prison. Mukti-kami means Advaita vada. They be-lieve that the Lord doesn’t have any form. They are not only Hindus, but also Muslims and Christians who are Mayavadis. In truth, they want to become Supreme. They want to merge in the Lord. They don’t want to do anything after liberation.

mayavadi-bhasya sunile haya sarva-nasa

Translation:
Anyone who follows the principles of Mayavada philosophy is certainly doomed. Such a fool needs to be reformed by punishment. [CC Madhya 6.169]

They don’t go to Vaikuntha or Goloka. There is no question of nityalila pravishtha. When we become sadhana siddha, nitya siddha then we can enter in eternal pastimes of Lord. This is a very high level thought. There are very few who try this.

manuṣyāṇāṁ sahasreṣu
kaścid yatati siddhaye
yatatām api siddhānāṁ
kaścin māṁ vetti tattvataḥ

Translation:
Out of many thousands among men, one may endeavor for perfection, and of those who have achieved perfection, hardly one knows Me in truth.[ BG 7.3]

We need to understand the Lord as He is. There are many things to know. Bhukti kami are known as dharmic. They also follow dharma. But they don’t have any relationship with Vaikuntha. They don’t even know about Vaikuntha. Heaven is the final destination for such people. Few want to go to heaven and few want to become Supreme or some keep on hanging in between. Such who enter spiritual planets don’t meet the Lord. They don’t do bhakti. They want to merge their existence in the Lord.

bahūnāṁ janmanām ante
jñānavān māṁ prapadyate
vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti
sa mahātmā su-durlabhaḥ

Translation:
After many births and deaths, he who is actually in knowledge surrenders unto Me, knowing Me to be the cause of all causes and all that is. Such a great soul is very rare. [BG 7.19]

He did this and that and after many births, he got to realize that Vasudeva is all in all. Others don’t understand Vasudeva. Vaisnavas understand Vasudeva or Visnu and they take His shelter, worship Him and go to Vaikuntha.

Such sadhakas keep themselves engaged in sadhana. Those who worship Visnu are called Vaisnavas and those who worship Krsna are called Karsnas and worshippers of Radha are called Gaudiya Vaisnavas. The specialty of Gaudiya Vaisnavas is that they worship Radha.

aradhyo bhagavan vrajesa-tanayas tad-dhama vrndavanam
ramya kacid upasana vraja-vadhu-vargena va kalpita
srimad bhagavatam pramanam amalam prema pum-artho mahan
sri-caitanya mahaprabhor matam idam tatradarah na parah

Translation:
The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord Krishna, the son of Nanda Maharaja, is wor-shipped along with His transcendental abode Vrndavana. The most pleasing form of worship for the Lord is that which was performed by the gopis of Vrndavana. Srimad Bhagavatam is the spotless authority on everything and pure love of Godhead is the ul-timate goal of life for all men. These statements, for which we have the highest regard, are the opinion of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. [Caitanya-matta-manjusa by Srila Viswa-natha Cakravarti Thakura]

A Gaudiya Vaisnava doesn’t go to heaven, or merge in brahmajyoti or go to Vaikuntha. They go to Goloka.

Before Gaudiya Vaisnavas, there was first Acarya Madhavendra Puri. That’s why devo-tees go to Santipur in 30-40 buses. Madhavendra Puri went to Santipur and gave initia-tion to Advait Acarya. Today is the disappearance day of Madhavendra puri. Those who go to Santipur and honour prasada there get Krsna Prema. Those who are in Mayapur are surely requested to go to Santipur. Today is his disappearance day and he entered the eternal pastimes of the Lord. If he wouldn’t have been there then there wouldn’t have been Isvara Puri.

Discuss the glories of Madhavendra Puri and pray that we also may become eternal as-sociates of the Lord at the end of this life.

Thank you
Madhavendra Puri ki Jai!

6th March 2020

Time is Krsna

Hare Krishna

We are beginning the japa talk early and ending early.

I don’t know how many of you are listening to Gaura Bhagavat katha from 8 am to 9.30am. In the evening, it takes place between 6 to 9pm.

I am very busy. Telecast is happening on Youtube and Facebook. This japa talk and then morning and evening sessions are keeping me engaged. Preparing a presentation of what to say and then to present it. This way I am engaged 24 hours. I also have my sadhana besides the japa talk. I chant my extra rounds too. Also, communication, correspondence, meeting devotees, answering their questions and giving comment is also there. In this way, by the Lord’s mercy time is going on. Srila Haridas Thakur has said, ‘Either you do anything or not, Time will go on.’ Time and tide waits for none. Time keeps on progressing. Whether you are sleeping or chanting the holy name, time is going on. It’s good that we remain with time. Stay on time and with time. Also, we should make the right use of time as time is also the Lord. The Lord has said, ‘Kalosmi’. Kala means time. If we abuse time, then the Lord will appear as kala or death.

akala mrityu haranam
sarva vyadhi vinashanam
vishnu paadodakam pitva
Shirsha dhaara-yaamyaham

Lord can appear in two forms. As the form of death since He is the superintendent of death. On behalf of the Lord, Yamaraja does the duty or Lord Himself comes. It depends on how we utilise the time. (Charan’amrit Mantra)

vinash kale vipreet buddhi

Translation:
When faced with destruction, our minds often become abnormal.

Srila Prabhupada would say, ‘Stay busy 24 hours a day in devotional service of the Lord.’ We need to plan out our day. We call it time management. Isn’t time valuable? Few people say time is money. They say that if you don’t utilise your time in earning money, then you are wasting your life. For some people time is money. They relate time with money. But those who are Krishna Conscious or want to be Krishna Conscious, they understand time is Krsna. Some think that time is money and Hare Krishna devotees or sadacaris think that time is Krsna and It should be engaged in earning Krsna or the wealth of Krsna. Like when we chant, we earn Krsna.

golokera prema-dhana, hari-nama-sankirtana

Translation
The treasure of divine love in Goloka Vrindavana has descended as the congregational chanting of Lord Hari’s holy names. (Verse 2, Hari Hari Bifale)

We start depositing this treasure early in the morning compared to those money makers, who start earning from 10 or 11 am. Hare Krishna people are very smart. Their earnings begin early in the morning like at 4 o’clock.

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

This way, They start earning immediately. One’s time is money and another’s time is Krsna. Understand this. When we go away from home and develop renunciation, then we get knowledge or wisdom.

Utilise time in the right way. It’s fine to earn money But it can be purusārtha only if it is used for dharma. There are 4 purusārthas:
1. Dharma (righteousness)
2. Artha (prosperity)
3. Kama (pleasure)
4. Moksha (liberation).
If one utilises earned wealth for dharma, it is purusārtha then it’s fine. Then you have not wasted your time. But if someone utilises earned wealth for sense gratification or pleasure, then it is a waste of time.

hari hari! bifale janama gonainu
manushya-janama paiya, radha-krishna na bhajiya,
janiya suniya visha khainu

Translation
O Lord Hari, I have spent my life uselessly. Having obtained a human birth and having not worshiped Radha and Krishna, I have knowingly drunk poison. (Verse 1, Hari Hari Bifale)

If one gets the human form of life and do not become devotees of Radha Krsna and misuse the wealth for shopping and fulfilling lusty desires, then it’s wrong.

Think about this. This is food for thought. Keep chanting and make others chant. Hear Gaura Bhagavat Katha and distribute books.

Earn wealth. We are distributing Caitanya-caritamrta sets these days. Utilise earned wealth to purchase Bhagavad-Gita, Bhagavatam, Caitanya-caritamrta. Rightly use your wealth and go on yatra or a spiritual retreat. Use it to purchase vegetables and offer that to the Lord and honour prasada. If we utilise earned wealth for seeing movies, eating meat, then we are wasting our life, time and money. This is going on everywhere. They are not just wasting some time or a few minutes or a few hours or a few days but their whole lifetime from beginning to finish. Come to the senses.

jiva jago, jiva jago, gauracanda bole
kota nidra jao maya-pisacira kole

Translation
Lord Gauranga is calling, “Wake up, sleeping souls! Wake up, sleeping souls! How long will you sleep in the lap of the witch called maya? (Verse1, Jiva Jago, Jiva Jago)

Gauracandra is calling us as Gaura Purnima is approaching. How long are you going to sit in the lap of a witch named Maya? Wake up! This human form of life is a blessing and it’s very rare. Understand and realize this and use every moment of your life in devotional service of the Lord and also making others devotees which include family members also. Charity begins at home. It can be neighbours, friends, bosses or servants.

yāre dekho tare kaho, ‘krsna’ upadesa

Translation
Instruct Everyone to follow the orders of the Lord Srī Krsna. (CC Madhya-lila 7.128)

āmāra ājñāya guru haña tāra’ ei deśa

Translation
One should become a guru and spread Krishna Consciousness all over the world, simply by preaching the teachings of Bhagavad-gītā. (CC Madhya 7.128)

Ok… I will leave you alone. I have to get ready.

Gaura prema nande hari haribol!

5th March 2020

SADHANA – A TASTY SANDWICH!

Hare Krishna !
Regarding Navadvipa Dhama, today is the last day of Navadvipa-mandala Parikrama. There are 7 different kirtana parties on Parikrama. Today they will return to Mayapur Chandrodaya Temple. Before that, they will gather at Yogapitha and the 10,000 devotees will perform kirtana together in a maha-sankirtana. They will meet and embrace each other.

vancha-kalpatarubhyash cha
kripa-sindhubhya eva cha
patitanam pavanebhyo
vaishnavebhyo namo namaha

They will be offering obeisances. There will be a festival of reunion of Parikrama devotees and also a festival of kirtana mela just like Kumbha-mela.

Navadvipa is famous for kirtana. Caitanya Mahaprabhu always performs kirtana in Navadvipa. kirtaniyah sada harih. Caitanya Mahaprabhu is constantly chanting the holy name of the Lord.

siksharthamekah purushah puranah

To teach and inspire the whole world, Caitanya Mahaprabhu always performs kirtana and He is performing kirtana today also.

adhyapi ha lila kare gaurara, kon kon bhagyawan

Today Caitanya Mahaprabhu is also performing kirtana and dancing. There is a possibility that Caitanya Mahaprabhu’s kirtana party and the Navadvipa-mandala Parikrama party would have combined together. I hope the Parikrama party has experienced that Gauranga Mahaprabhu has come. Parikrama devotees are also giving darsana on the zoom conference.

We could have made this japa talk available to the Parikrama devotees, but couldn’t.

This is the time of kirtana of Caitanya Mahaprabhu as we hear in:

Udilo aruna pūraba-bhāge,
dwija-mani gorā amani jāge,
bhakata-samūha loiyā sāthe,
gelā nagara-brāje

Translation:
When the rising sun appeared in the East, the jewel of the twice-born, Lord Gaurasundara, awakened, and taking His devotees with Him. He went all over the countryside, towns and villages. (Verse 1, Udilo Aruna, Arunodaya kirtana song)

Caitanya Mahaprabhu, who is best among the brahmanas, goes out for kirtana as the sun rises. We need to realise this. Wherever kirtana goes on, the Lord appears there. His party keeps on chanting and His eternal pastimes keeps on going.

Lord has also said:

naham vasami vaikunthe yoginam hridaye na cha
mad-bhakta yatra gayanti tatra tishthami narada

Translation:
Neither do I reside in Vaikuntha nor in the hearts of the Yogis, but I dwell where my devotees sing my name, O Narada.(Conversation between Lord Visnu and Narada Muni)

Wherever Gauranga’s devotees sing His glories, all of you are Gauranga devotees, at all such places, the Lord resides. When we chant then we should understand that the Lord is with us. The goal of chanting is to get the association of the Lord. Yoga means when we, bewildered humans, reestablish our lost connection with the Lord.

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

We will experience intimate association with the Lord when we chant or hear with this mood.

mac-cittā mad-gata-prāna
bodhayantah parasparam
kathayantaś ca mām nityam
tusyanti ca ramanti ca

Translation:
The thoughts of My pure devotees dwell in Me, their lives are fully devoted to My service, and they derive great satisfaction and bliss from always enlightening one another and conversing about me.( BG. 10.9)

This is the identity of a devotee. We might not be like that or durdaivam idrisham ihajani nanuragaha (Verse 2, Siksastakam) we might not be having that attraction for the Lord’s holy name.

The Lord said, “One whose intelligence and life is focussed on Me, and They keep on discussing about Me and enlightening each other, They get satisfied by doing so.”

dadati pratigrhnati
guhyam akhyati prcchati
bhunkte bhojayate caiva
sad-vidham priti-laksanam

Translation:
Offering gifts in charity, accepting charitable gifts, revealing one’s mind in confidence, inquiring confidentially, accepting prasadam and offering prasadam are the six symptoms of love shared by one devotee and another. (Upadesamrta,4)

Such souls get satisfied and become calm.

sa vai pumsām paro dharmo
yato bhaktir adhoksaje
ahaituky apratihatā
yayātmā suprasīdati

Translation:
The supreme occupation (dharma) for all humanity is that by which men can attain to loving devotional service unto the transcendental Lord. Such devotional service must be unmotivated and uninterrupted in order to completely satisfy the self. (SB. 1.2.6)

While practicing devotional service, if one doesn’t have any ulterior motive (mukti, bhukti and siddhi i.e. salvation, dedication and enlightenment) and interruption, then from such devotional service, our soul experiences bliss. Lord is saying this in the 10th chapter of Bhagavad-Gita also. Devotees get absorbed in katha, kirtana, Nabadvipa-mandala Parikrama, morning evening program, services, taking prasadam or yāre dekho tare kaho ‘krsna’ upadeśa. (CC Madhya 7.128)

Some devotee was pointing this out. That morning and evening program is like a sandwich. Just like we have 2 slices of bread and there is butter, tomato, cheese, e.t.c. in between 2 slices of bread. In the same way, there is a morning and evening program, Deity worship and lots of services in between. This combination of the morning and evening sadhana with services in between is just like a tasty sandwich. Devotees relish in this way. Don’t you like this kind of sandwich? This complete sandwich is similar to complete life which is full of bliss.

We will stop now. There are 465 participants. If possible, please see if you can hear Gaura katha in morning 8 am and evening 6 to 9 pm in YouTube and Facebook.

Gaura premanande Hari Haribol!

04 March 2020

Sarvatra prachara haibe mora nama

Today we have participants from 460 places. On one day in how many places chanting will take place? It is because of Caitanya Mahaprabhu.

pṛthivīte āche yata nagarādi grāma
sarvatra pracāra haibe mora nāma

Translation
In every town and village, the chanting of My name will be heard. [Caitanya Bhagvat]

There will come a time when chanting will be taking place in all the places of the world. This is the prediction for this world. This was started 500 years ago. The Golden period started with the appearance of Caitanya Mahaprabhu and it will last for 10000 years.

My name doesn’t mean My name, but it means the names of Caitanya Mahaprabhu. But we chant Hare Krishna. Lord Caitanya said that His name will spread all over the world then how this is possible?

śrī-kṛṣṇa-caitanya, rādhā-kṛṣṇa nahe anya

Translation
Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, being a combination of Kṛṣṇa and Rādhā, is non different from Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa combined. [Caitanya Bhagvat]

He is not only Krsna, but He is Radha also. These are names of Radha and Krsna and Ra-dha’s name is first in that.

Harinama has reached millions of places . This seems to be a little impossible. How is this possible in the Middle East, China where there is Atheism and Communism? The answer to that is that Srila Prabhupada went to a foreign county in 1965 as instructed by his spiritual master. Who would have believed it if in 1964 or ’65 someone have said that in the next 40-50 years this Harinama will reach various towns and villages. In 2020 there will be a Gaura Purnima festival and there will be 10000 devotees on Parikrama. Many devotees will chant on the zoom conference. There will be Ratha-yatra not only in New York, but many other places. All these things are happening. As the zoom conference is going on, devotees are walking on Parikrama and there are 700 Ratha-yatras. So many books are be-ing distributed. All such people will follow four regulative principles and Chinese people will also eat prasada. If only all such news would have been told to you in 1964 before Srila Prabhupada left for overseas, then would you have believed it ?

What if we were told a few years back that in future on mataji from Noida will go to Ma-yapur and participate in Parikrama. Would you have believed it? When we go for preach-ing many youths say that they will join this Krishna Consciousness movement once they get old. But the Lord is attracting youths only and they have a bead bag in their hand. Ratha-yatra will take place in New York and how uncivilised the people of New York were? They were saying that the Lord is impersonal and so on. But now worship of Radha Krsna is taking place over there. Some Parikrama devotees are also attending zoom con-ference and hearing the japa talk.

When Srila Prabhupada reached New York and was preaching over there, then a few peo-ple would gather around him and ask to show the image of Krsna as God. They would en-quire about the girl standing next to Krsna. They did not know about Radha Krsna and Si-ta Rama. They were so degraded that they were eating cow flesh, but after worshipping Radha Krsna, cow eaters have become cow protectors. Cow worshipping is taking place. Instead of drinking cow blood, now they are drinking cow urine.

This all seems to be beyond our imagination. But by the mercy of Caitanya Mahāprabhu all these things are going on. So we have firm faith that in every village and town Harina-ma will spread out as the Lord earlier predicted. Harinama will spread in all towns and vil-lages and people will come from various places to Mayapur.

Nama se Dhama tak

Translation
Name takes us to the Lord’s abode.

We are transported back to Godhead and the Lord in the form of the holy name takes us back. Has it all come true? Yes, because it is the prediction of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu. The impossible is already made possible. Impossible is a word in a fool’s dictionary. Therefore the Lord is making some prediction and He only make everything possible.

We just gave a seminar at Mayapur ILS and the topic was the Bright Future of ISKCON and it was guaranteed. This is possible because it is the Lord’s prediction and it will sure-ly happen. This is the golden period. We need to take benefit of it. We need to jump in the street of Krishna Consciousness or Bhakti.

jyot se jyot jaalatey chalo
prem ki ganga bahatey chalo

Light many lamps with the lamps you have and let this love of Ganga flow everywhere.

Yesterday the heart surgery of Yasomatinandan Prabhu took place. Yesterday we had asked you to chant and pray so by your prayers the Lord has made his operation success-ful.

Today is the first day of Gaura Bhagavat Katha. You can follow on ISCKON Pune.com , Facebook, YouTube. Many devotees are coming to Pune. Jay Panchali Mataji is reporting that her home is filled with guests. Many keep on doing something and don’t leave their homes. They don’t leave their comfort zone. There will be Katha in the morning and even-ing. Japa Zoom sessions will continue to take place. Instead of Japa talk Katha will take place at 8:00 AM. Prepare your consciousness to welcome Caitanya Mahaprabhu in the courtyard of your heart.

Gaur Premanande
Hari Haribol

03rd March 2020

Memories of Mayapur Dhama

Hare Krishna. Today there are 441 participants. We spent a lot of days in Mayapur and during japa time, we were making a local call. We were residing in the same place where the Lord resides. It is the Lord’s abode. That abode where only dhamvasis (residents or pil-grims) can live. Gauranga Mahaprabhu is the resident of Navadvipa Dhama. Not only Gau-ranga Mahaprabhu, but Lord Nityananda, Sri Advaita Acarya, Sri Gadadhara, Srivasa are also there.

panca-tattvatmakam krishnam bhakta-rupa-svarupakam
bhaktavataram bhaktakhyam namami bhakta-saktikam

Translation:
I offer my obeisances unto the Supreme Lord, Krsna, who is non different from His fea-tures as a devotee, devotional incarnation, manifestation, pure devotee, and devotional energy.

Radha Madhava and Ashthasakhis were there. Because Vrndavana and Navadvipa are non different from each other, Gaura Nityananda is also there. Parikrama is still going on in Navadvipa Dhama. This is what I am missing. Some devotees of the zoom conference are present in the Parikrama. We spent a lot of days in the Dhama and we had many expe-riences. We can have these experiences as wealth. We had a local call there. Now we’re in Pune and doing Japa, but the memories of Navadvipa Dhama are affecting me. Like the darsana of Navadvipa Dhama. I stayed near the Lord’s place. I worshiped Sri Sri Radha Madhava with Ashtasakhis, sometimes Sri Pancatattva and sometimes Sri Prahlada Narasimha. There was a lot of kirtana in the Kirtana Mela. All of you must have seen the Kirtana Mela. There was sravanam, kirtanam and smaranam.

Then there was Sravan Utsava and I have memories from there. It is not possible to re-member (smaranam) the Lord without kirtana. First is hearing ( srvanam) then chanting the glories of the Lord (kirtanam) and then remembering the Lord (visnu smaranam). But Kirtana also requires smaranam ( remembering the Lord).

Many rituals were made after Sravan Utasava. The memories are still fresh. Whatever we heard. Hindi Bhagavatam classes were held there. Initially only Bengali classes were held, but then they started English Bhagavatam classes also and then further classes in Russian also. I am telling you all the important things which happened there.

There was ILS( ISKCON LEADERSHIP SANGHA). 1000 -1500 preachers and managers were assembled. Many senior leaders presented their seminars including me. I gave a presentation on “The bright future of ISKCON”. We were preparing for the seminar and then I gave the presentation. Whenever we prepare for the seminar and give presentation, we get refined. This is going on for so many years and this year it was ILS and then Navad-vipa-mandala Parikrama. We did Parikrama also. It was a walking Parikrama. Thirty years ago, we were fortunate to get this Padayatra, walking Parikrama. This was the 30th Anni-versary of Navadvipa-mandala Parikrama. It is still going on. I left it in between.

There was a time when only we used to do Parikrama. But gradually everyone started or-ganising Parikrama. The devotees of Bengal and then Russian devotees also started and called it ” Russian Parikrama”. Hindi people also started their Parikrama 5-6 years ago. This year because it is 30th Anniversary, Parikrama will be completed exclusively for the devotees of South India.

Bengali devotees and devotees from Orissa are doing Parikrama. Different Parikramas are going on together. 3 Parikramas are held only by Hindi people. In total, there are 7 groups of devotees doing Navadvipa-mandala Parikrama together. One group is in Simantadvipa while the other is in Godruma dvipa. Third party in Madhya dvipa, fourth in Kola dvipa, fifth in Ritu dvipa, sixth in Jahnudvipa, seventh in Rudradvipa. It is a beautiful scene. Some can have darsana of this Universal form together. We can have door darsana.

7 parties together in different dvipas are doing Parikrama. It’s very brightening. You are not leaving your homes. But some devotees who left their homes are laughing from Parikrama. Devotees don’t want to leave the comfort zone of their home. More than 10,000 devotees came for Parikrama. But most of the people of this world didn’t come for Parikrama. Not from Solapur also. They’re laughing. They didn’t come that’s why laughing. Everyone should come in Navadvipa-mandala Parikrama or Vraja-mandala Parikrama. For the last 16 years, Parikrama in Jagannatha Puri is also started. Bhakti Purushottama Maharaja declared it’ll be 16th Parikrama in Jagannathaq Puri. This year they’re expecting 16,000 devotees in Jagannatha Puri Parikrama. Try to join the Jagannatha Puri Parikrama which is always held just after Kartik month. In Mayapur darsana of the Lord, aartis, kirtana, kirtana mela, Bhagavad classes, Srvana Utsava, ISKCON ILS and Navadvipa-mandala Parikrama are held. Finally, there’ll be Gaur Purnima on 9 March.

Now we’re in Pune. On the day of Gaur Purnima Gauranga Mahaprabhu will appear. We are preparing to bring the mood that the Lord is going to appear soon. Like Krsna, demi-gods appeared before Gauranga Mahaprabhu was going to appear. They were waiting for Mahaprabhu’s appearance. Demigods were praying to the Lord. In the same way, all IS-KCON temples are preparing for Gauranga Mahaprabhu’s appearance. This year we’re pre-paring for Gaur Purnima in Pune. We’ve organised Gaur Bhagavad classes.

śraddhāvān jan he, śraddhāvān jan he

O faithful people, O faithful people, Please come!

Srila Bhaktivinoda declares

nadiya-godrume nityananda mahajana
patiyache nama-hatta jibera karana
(śraddhāvān jan he, śraddhāvān jan he)

Translation:
In Nadiya Godruma the great soul Lord Nityananda has opened a marketplace to sell the holy name to the conditioned souls.O faithful people please come and take advantage of it.

In the same way, we can also say that in ISKCON Pune Radha Vrndavancandra ISKCON NVCC Pune has organised Gaur Bhagavad Katha which is started already. All the prepara-tions are made to welcome all the people, guests and devotees. Everyone come in large numbers and hear Gaur Bhagavad katha. All of you are welcome. I, the speaker of Bhaga-vad katha, am inviting all of you for this on behalf of this Bhagavad Katha committee. Again, of course if you’re not able to come for Katha then sit into your comfort zone and at least hear Bhagavad katha on Facebook or any other social media. So that you can have darsana and sravan of Bhagavad katha.

Nitya Sakhi Mataji from Greater Noida has organised padayatra or Nama Sankirtana for more than 100 children. This is a part of Caitanya Mahaprabhu’s programme. By doing this service, you made Caitanya Mahaprabhu, all the acrayas happy and I am also very happy to hear this.

I am praying to all of you, to pray that today my god brother Sriman Yasomatinandana Prabhu has open heart surgery. We should pray together for him so that he can have a suc-cessful surgery. He is the zonal secretary of all the Gujarat temples. He is a very dear dis-ciple of Srila Prabhupada and one of my dear godbrothers. We can chant together for him once. This chanting is the only prayers we can do. Please join me, chant out loud, cry and pray.

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

So we’ll meet soon again.

Hare Krishna!

जप चर्चा
02 मार्च 2020
पुणे के रास्ते से
रिकॉडेड टॉक

आज हमारे साथ 487 स्थानों से भक्त जप कर रहे हैं जिनकी संख्या लगभग 1000 है | यह हमारे जप करने का पूर्वाभ्यास होता है कि प्रत्येक सुबह जब हम जप करते हैं तो उसकी तैयारी हमें पिछले दिन करनी होती है क्योंकि पिछले दिन का जो हमारा जीवन रहता है जो भी हम करते हैं उससे हमारा जप काफी प्रभावित रहता है | तो मैं ये बताना चाहता हूँ कि आज सुबह जप करने से पूर्व हमने कैसे तैयारी की है |

कल हम तुकाराम महाराज के देहू गांव गए थे, वहां जाकर हम तुकाराम महाराज से संबंधित विभिन्न स्थानों का भ्रमण किया, दर्शन किया, तुकाराम महाराज के विषय में सुना, तुकाराम महाराज के विषय में, उन स्थानों के विषय में, उन स्थानों में घटित लीलाओं के विषय में अधिक से अधिक सुना | इस प्रकार आज सुबह के जप के लिए ध्यान कल की देहु यात्रा से प्राप्त हुआ |

निश्चित रूप से यह भगवान की व्यवस्था है कि भगवान अपने शुद्ध भक्तों को इस संसार में भेजते हैं और जिस प्रकार से भगवान के शुद्ध भक्त व्यवहार करते है, आचरण करते है, खाते है, सोते है, वह वास्तव में अन्य जीव आत्माओं के अनुकरण करने के लिए एक उदाहरण होता है |

कई बार हमारे मन में शंका आती है कि क्या वैकुंठ है, वह कौन सा स्थान है जहां पर भगवान रहते है | तो कल जब हम देहु में उस स्थान पर गए जहां से तुकाराम महाराज सशरीर बैकुंठ धाम गए थे | तुकाराम महाराज ने 4000 अभंग अपने जीवन काल में लिखें| उसमें से आखरी अभंग उन्होंने तब गाया जब वह साक्षात गरुड़ के ऊपर आरुढ थे, जब बैठ गए थे तब उन्होंने अपना आखिरी अभंग गाया

आम्ही जातो आमच्या गावा, आमच्या राम राम ध्यावा

इसका अर्थ है कि मैं अपने गांव जा रहा हूँ और आप सब को मेरा आखरी राम राम, आप कृपया इसे स्वीकार कीजिये और इस प्रकार से सब के देखते देखते वह बैकुंठ यान में बैठे और वह बैकुंठ यान वहां से जाने लगा तो कुछ गांव वालों ने सोचा इनका गांव तो यही है निश्चित रूप से यह कुछ आकाश में भ्रमण करके कुछ सैर सपाटा करके वापस आ जाएंगे परंतु यह उनका भ्रम था क्योंकि तुकाराम महाराज तो अपने गांव, अपने वास्तविक गांव, अपने वास्तविक घर वापस चले गए थे और वहां गांव वाले घंटों इंतजार करते रहे, कई दिन इंतजार करते रहे, कुछ महीने इंतजार करने में निकल गए लेकिन तुकाराम महाराज वापस नहीं आए तो भगवान इस प्रकार से जो हमारे संदेह होते हैं जैसे कि
बैकुंठ क्या है?

क्या भगवान का क्या कोई धाम है?

इस प्रकार से इन सब प्रश्नों का प्रत्यक्ष प्रमाण अपने शुद्ध भक्तों के माध्यम से देते हैं जैसे हमने देखा कि तुकाराम महाराज सशरीर भगवत धाम गए |
देहु मे तुकाराम महाराज की कोई समाधि नहीं है, हमें उनके किसी समाधि के दर्शन नहीं होते, वे स्वयं अपने शरीर के साथ बैकुंठधाम को चले गए |
कीर्तनीय सदा हरि

संत तुकाराम महाराज हमेशा जप करते रहते थे कीर्तन करते रहते थे |

पांडुरंग पांडुरंग
जय जय राम कृष्ण हरि
जय जय राम कृष्ण हरि

इस प्रकार हमेशा हमेशा वे भगवान के नाम का जप करते रहते थे | वास्तव में उनके लिए जप को रोक पाना बहुत ही कठिन होता था जबकि अधिकांशतः तो हम लोगों के लिए जप करना बहुत कठिन हो जाता है | जब वे जप करते थे कीर्तन करते थे तो घंटों नृत्य करते थे, उच्च स्वर में कीर्तन करते थे और उनका कीर्तन कभी रुकता नहीं था |

गौरांग महाप्रभु चाहते थे कीर्तनीय सदा हरि हमेशा हरि नाम का जप करते रहे |
तो तुकाराम महाराज के जीवन से ये पूर्ण रूप से परिलक्षित था| वे कभी भी नाम का जप छोड़ते नहीं थे |

एक सुबह एक अपराधी तुकाराम महाराज के निवास पर आया | उन्होंने घर के बाहर से आवाज लगाई “तुकोबा तुकोबा कहां हो तुम, तुम कहां गए हो “|
तुकाराम महाराज के घर के अंदर से किसी ने कहा “बैठो, वह कहीं गए हैं, थोड़ी देर में आएंगे”|

वह व्यक्ति वहां पर बैठे थे | उन्होंने कुछ समय पश्चात देखा कि जब तुकाराम महाराज वापस आए तो उनके हाथ में लोटा था और वह शौच आदि क्रियाओं से निर्वित्त होकर आ रहे थे |
जो व्यक्ति थे वो एक वैष्णव अपराधी थे, तुकाराम महाराज के अपराधी थे |

उन्होंने उस लौटे को देख कर के कहा – “क्या तुमने अभी तक स्नान नहीं किया है? क्या तुम नाम का जप कर रहे हो? क्या तुम इतने मूर्ख हो कि तुम्हें यह भी नहीं पता कि बिना स्नान किए बिना शुची हुए नाम का जप नहीं किया जाता है? अन्यथा कोई धार्मिक क्रिया नहीं की जाती है, हमें पहले स्नान करना चाहिए फिर हमें किसी धार्मिक क्रिया या अनुष्ठान करना चाहिए” |

तब तुकाराम महाराज ने कहा कि मेरे लिए नाम को छोड़ना बहुत कठिन हो जाता है और मुझे नहीं पता कि स्नान के पहले मैं अपने भगवान का ध्यान नहीं कर सकता या जप नहीं कर सकता उनके नाम का कीर्तन नहीं कर सकता | यह याद रखना मेरे लिए बहुत ही कठिन हो जाता है बहुत ही मुश्किल हो जाता है |

तुकाराम महाराज ने कहा कि मुझसे जप बंद नहीं होता और यह मेरे बस की बात भी नहीं है | मेरे भीतर से कुछ होता है कि मैं अनायास बिना किसी प्रयास किए जप करता रहता हूँ | वो जो पाखंडी अपराधी था उसने बलपूर्वक तुकाराम महाराज के होठों को अपने हाथों से बंद कर दिया और उसने जोर से तुकाराम महाराज का एक प्रकार से मुंह बंद करने का प्रयास किया पर तब उसने देखा कि तुकाराम महाराज के पूरे शरीर से हरि नाम जप निकल रहा था, उनके एक एक रोम कूप से हरि नाम का उच्चारण हो रहा था और तब उसने देखा कि तुकाराम महाराज वास्तव में सिर्फ मूँह से ही जप नहीं कर रहे थे, उनका पूरा शरीर उनकी आत्मा जप कर रही थी क्योंकि जप तो आत्मा करती है, ना कि यह शरीर | एक प्रकार से तुकाराम महाराज की आत्मा हर समय निरंतर जप करती थी |

जब कल मैंने यह देहु मे सुना, तो मैंने इस बात का स्मरण किया कि किस प्रकार से तुकाराम महाराज बिना किसी प्रयास के बिना कोई बल लगाएं हरिनाम का निरंतर जप करते थे जैसा कि गौरांग महाप्रभु ने कीर्तनीय सदा हरी करने के लिए कहा है तो इसका हम ज्वलंत उदाहरण तुकाराम महाराज के रूप में देख सकते हैं |

तो मैंने यह भी स्मरण किया था कि यह जो कर्मकांडी होते हैं पाखंडी होते हैं, वैष्णवो के अपराधी होते हैं, किस किस प्रकार से अपराध करते हैं |

जब तुकाराम महाराज अत्यंत ख्याति प्राप्त कर रहे थे और सभी जो उनके गांव के निवासी थे, उनसे बहुत प्रेम किया करते थे | जिस प्रकार से हमने देखा कि नामाचार्य श्रील हरिदास ठाकुर के जीवन में भी यही हुआ कि सब लोग उनसे बहुत प्रेम करते थे तो कुछ लोग उनके प्रति बहुत ईर्ष्या रखते थे |

इसी प्रकार तुकाराम महाराज के भी जीवन में हुआ कि कुछ लोग उनसे ईर्ष्या करने लगे थे |
उन लोगों ने एक वैश्या को तुकाराम महाराज को आकर्षित करने के लिए तुकाराम महाराज के पास भेजा और हमने सुना कि तुकाराम महाराज के पास जो वैश्या आई तो जिस प्रकार से तुकाराम महाराज निरंतर कीर्तन कर रहे थे |
जय जय राम कृष्ण हरि
जय जय राम कृष्ण हरि

उनके पास उनका तंबूरा और उनकी चीपड़ी थी, चिपड़ी एक प्रकार से करताल की तरह होती है, तुकाराम महाराज उसे बजा बजाकर अत्यंत भाव के साथ हरि नाम का कीर्तन कर रहे थे और नाच रहे थे तो वह बेचारी वेश्या क्या करती वहां बैठी थी और अपना कार्य कर रही थी नाच रही थी और इस प्रकार से कुछ विभिन्न तरीकों से उनका ध्यान अपनी और आकर्षित करने का प्रयास कर रही थी परंतु तुकाराम महाराज को पूर्ण रूप से ध्यान मग्न थे उनके अंदर तो कोई ऐसा रिक्त स्थान ही नहीं था जहां पर कोई वाह्य वस्तु, कोई बाहरी भाव प्रवेश कर सके तो इस प्रकार से तुकाराम महाराज और उस वेश्या के बीच में कुछ वार्ता भी हुई और उसने तुकाराम महाराज के समक्ष अपने को पूर्ण रूप से समर्पित कर किया, उनके चरणों में गिर गई | तुकाराम महाराज तो अच्युत थे क्योंकि वे भगवान अच्युत के पूर्ण शरणागत थे इसलिए कोई भी संसार की वाह्य शक्ति उनका पतन कर ही नहीं सकती थी जिस प्रकार से नामाचार्य श्रील हरिदास ठाकुर के जीवन में हुआ वैसे ही हमने कल देहु गांव में संत तुकाराम महाराज के विषय में सुना कि किस प्रकार माया ने वेश्या के रूप में उनपर अपना प्रभाव डालने का प्रयास किया |
यह घटना यहां से कुछ ही दूर देहू गांव में घटी थी | तो हम सभी माया को पूर्ण रूप से परास्त कर सकते हैं यदि हम हरि नाम में पूर्ण शरणागति लेते हैं तुम्हारा माया कुछ भी नहीं कर पाएगी जैसा भगवत गीता में कहा है

यत्र योगेश्वर कृष्ण,
यत्र पार्थो धनुर्धर

इस प्रकार से हम विजयी होंगे, हम माया को जीतेंगे | जिस प्रकार से नामाचार्य श्रील हरिदास ठाकुर ने माया को जीता था, माया के युद्ध को जीता था और वह वैश्या जो आई थी वह भी एक प्रकार से माया से जीत गई थी वह भी विजयी हुई थी क्योंकि उसका आगे का जीवन बहुत ही सुंदर हो गया था और उसने हरि नाम को ग्रहण किया |

1st March 2020

The right Consciousness while performing Deity Worship

Today is Sunday and hence there are fewer participants. So many devotees are writing reports. Morning Sankirtana is taking place in Bhubaneswar. In Delhi, there are a few festivals and they are going to watch the Hare Krishna Movie. This is good that Hare Krishna people are going to see the movie. Ramlila Mataji is celebrating a birthday and she is doing Parikrama. She is asking for blessings. Doing Parikrama is in itself a blessing. She came from Solapur to Mayapur for Parikrama. So without blessings, it is not possible. Around 1500 Hindi Speaking devotees are attending the Parikrama. I also got an opportunity to offer Aarti to Radha Madhava and Asthasakhis. Once in a year or sometimes twice, I get this opportunity. When I was offering aarti, I was reminded of days in 1973-1975 when Prabhupada was there in Mayapur. Those days I was Head Pujari of Radha Rasabihari Temple, Juhu. Jananivas Prabhu, Head Pujari of Radha Madhava would offer me the opportunity to serve Radha Madhava behind the curtains. He served Madhava and offered me an opportunity to serve Radharani.

sri-vigraharadhana-nitya-nana
sringara-tan-mandira-marjanadau
yuktasya bhaktams ca niyunjato ’pi
vande guroh sri-caranaravindam

Translation:
The spiritual master is always engaged in the temple worship of Sri Sri Radha and Krsna. He also engages his disciples in such worship. They dress the Deities in beautiful clothes and ornaments, clean Their temple, and perform other similar worship of the Lord. I offer my respectful obeisances unto the lotus feet of such a spiritual master. [ Mangala Aarti Verse 4]

When we worshiped Sri Radha and Krsna and cleaned the temple, Srila Prabhupada would go on morning Parikrama on Bhaktisiddhanta Road. Whenever I served Radharani I remembered that Prabhupada has gone on his morning walk and he is about to return.Those days when Prabhupada returned after the morning walk around 300 devotees welcomed him with kirtana. Then we would get a signal that sringar darsana is about to happen and we have to be ready quickly. That Deity of Radharani Whom I worshiped was stolen by some Muslims thinking She was real gold. Taptakancan Gaurangi.

arcye viṣṇau śilā-dhīr guruṣu nara-matir vaiṣṇave jāti-buddhir
viṣṇor vā vaiṣṇavānāṁ kali-mala-mathane pāda-tīrthe ‘mbu-buddhiḥ
śrī-viṣṇor nāmni mantre sakala-kaluṣa-he śabda-sāmānya-buddhir
viṣṇau sarveśvareśe tad-itara-sama-dhīr yasya vā nārakī saḥ

Translation:
One who thinks the Deity in the temple to be made of wood or stone, who thinks of the spiritual master in the disciplic succession as an ordinary man, who thinks the Vaiṣṇava in the Acyuta-gotra to belong to a certain caste or creed or who thinks of caraṇāmṛta or Ganges water as ordinary water is taken to be a resident of hell. [ Padma Purāṇa]

Having such kind of thoughts of a Deity is hellish. Today morning while doing aarti my assistant was taking photographs , I was thinking that when viewers will see the video and photographs then they will say, “See Maharaja, he is with the Lord”. I was also thinking that I have reached the abode of the Lord. Being on the altar is the same as being with the Lord. Such feelings are needed.

bhaktyā mām abhijānāti
yāvān yaś cāsmi tattvataḥ
tato māṁ tattvato jñātvā
viśate tad-anantaram

Translation:
One can understand the Supreme Personality as He is only by devotional service. And when one is in full consciousness of the Supreme Lord by such devotion, he can enter into the kingdom of God. [ BG 18.55]

We are trying to understand the Lord as it is. Wherever the Deities are, that place is the abode of the Lord. If we are on the altar of Radha Madhava, that place is Goloka. If the Deity is Laksmi Narayana, then the place is Vaikuntha. If it is Sita-Rama, then the place is Ayodhya or Saket Dham. Similarly, if we are on the altar of Rukmani Dvarakadisa, that place is Dvaraka. If we have such feelings then we are also with Them. Worship of Radha Madhava and Ashtasakhis is topmost worship.

dīvyad-vṛndāraṇya-kalpa-drumādhaḥ-
śrīmad-ratnāgāra-siṁhāsana-sthau
śrīmad-rādhā-śrīla-govinda-devau
preṣṭhālībhiḥ sevyamānau smarāmi.

Translation:
In a temple of jewels in Vṛndāvana, underneath a desire tree, Śrī Śrī Rādhā-Govinda, served by Their most confidential associates, sit upon an effulgent throne. I offer my humble obeisances unto Them. [ CC Antya 1.6]

This is meditation. There is Vrindavan. Vrindavan is kalpavriksha. Below that tree in Vrndavana Radha and Govinda are sitting on the jewelled throne and the Gopis are serving Them. I remember that there is such a desire tree. And Asthasakhis are serving Them. If Ashtasakhis are serving then the pujari also reaches there and under the guidance of Lalita and Vishakha, the pujari also starts to serve.

lalita vishakha adi jata sakhi vrinda
agyaya koribo seva charana arvinda

Translation:
With the permission of all the sakhis, headed by Lalita and Visakha, I will serve the lotus feet of Radha and Krsna.[Radha Krsna Praan Mora verse 5 by Narottama Das Thakur]

If one has to serve then one has to take permission of Lalita Vishaka and serve Them under Their guidance. When the time came to offer camara I saw Lalita and I saw she was also holding a camara. I’m also offering a camara and she is also offering a camara, but there is a huge difference between our emotions. I was praying that I may also learn the devotional service the way Radharani, Asthasakhis and Gopis do.

aradhyo bhagavan vrajesa-tanayas tad-dhama vrndavanam
ramya kacid upasana vraja-vadhu-vargena va kalpita
srimad bhagavatam pramanam amalam prema pum-artho mahan
sri-caitanya mahaprabhor matam idam tatradarah na parah

Translation:
The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord Krishna, the son of Nanda Maharaja, is worshipped along with His transcendental abode Vrndavana. The most pleasing form of worship for the Lord is that which was performed by the gopis of Vrndavana. Srimad Bhagavatam is the spotless authority on everything and pure love of Godhead is the ultimate goal of life for all men. These statements, for which we have the highest regard, are the opinion of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. [Caitanya-matta-manjusa by Srila Viswanatha Cakravarti Thakura]

This is the instruction of Lord Caitanya that if you want to worship then follow in footsteps of the Damsels of Vraja. This is the opinion of Caitanya Mahaprabhu. There are many sakhis. But 8 are the topmost Sakhis. In the time of Caitanya Mahaprabhu, many devadasis dance in front of Jagannatha and they try to please Jagannatha while singing Gita Govinda. Ramananda Raya would dress those ladies and prepare them for dance. He had to touch their bodies, but there was no thought of lust while serving them. This is the bhava of Ramananda Raya. People having such consciousness can serve Radha Madhava. We can think like that for Ramananda Raya. It was not bewildering to associate with such ladies as he was the incarnation of Sri Vishakha. It was no problem for Vishakha to prepare devadasis.

nirodho ‘syānuśayanam
ātmanaḥ saha śaktibhiḥ
muktir hitvānyathā rūpaṁ
sva-rūpeṇa vyavasthitiḥ

Translation:
The merging of the living entity, along with his conditional living tendency, with the mystic lying down of the Mahā-Viṣṇu, is called the winding up of the cosmic manifestation. Liberation is the permanent situation of the form of the living entity after he gives up the changeable gross and subtle material bodies. [SB 2.10.6]

The perfection of Deity worship is muktir hitvānyathā rūpaṁ. One has to reestablish oneself in one’s original identity and understanding that we are not this body and get fixed in the mood and bhava of that Svarupa. Then we can exchange our feelings and emotions with the Lord.

In the earlier days people asked, ‘Are you Svastha?’ Is your soul situated in the service of the Lord? People would ask in this way. Sva means the subtle body, the soul. Is your soul engaged in the service of the Lord? Nowadays people ask, ‘Is your health good?’ Sva means soul. We should ask about the soul.

ayi nanda-tanuja kińkaraḿ
patitaḿ māḿ viṣame bhavāmbudhau
kṛpayā tava pāda-pańkaja-
sthita-dhūlī-sadṛśaḿ vicintaya

Translation:
O son of Maharaja Nanda (Krsna), I am Your eternal servitor, yet somehow or other I have fallen into the ocean of birth and death. Please pick me up from this ocean of death and place me as one of the atoms at Your lotus feet.
The soul is kinkara. Body is an instrument. [ Siksastakam Prayers verse 5]

sharira madhyam khalu dharma sadhanam

Translation:
The physical body is the medium for righteous action.[ Mahakavi Kalidasa in his work Kumarasambhavam]

The soul uses the body as an instrument in the service of the Lord. The soul uses its senses in the service of the Master of the senses.

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

Translation:
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]

Deity worship is one of the angas of devotional service. The goal is to situate oneself in one’s own identity.

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

There has to be kirtana while worshiping the Deities then it’s complete. In this way, this is our final Japa session from Mayapur. We are now going to stop our speech. We will leave for Pune tomorrow where there will be Gaura Bhagavad Katha from 4th March to 10th March. The chanting session will keep going on.

Gaur Premanande
Hari Haribol

29 February 2020

Beyond Birth and Death

Hare Krishna.

Dhananjay Krishna from New Jersey was reporting that he is celebrating his birthday today. He is seeking blessings from me and all other devotees who are chanting on this conference. Chant Hare Krishna and be happy. All of us can once chant one maha-mantra.

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

We don’t know how old you are. We ask in English how old you have become? This question itself is filled with ignorance since we are asking regarding the body. Here, you refer to the soul. The body can’t be asked such a question and neither can the body re-ply. The soul neither has birth nor death. We understand that this person is so old and there are some here who are younger than him. In reality, we all are the same age. In 1977 when Srila Prabhupada was ill, one disciple asked Srila Prabhupada that since I’m young and you’re old, I would like to offer my youth to you so that you can remain in this world for the benefit of all. Then Prabhupada replied that we are of equal age. Being old and young, is an illusion itself. Knowledge is that we are the soul. If someone is old and he dies at the age of 60 then when he again takes birth, he is of a small age while his son from the previous birth is 30 years old. In this way, the father from a previous birth has become younger. This understanding is an illusion.

In our culture, our age is measured in some other ways such as in terms of vaya vradha and gyana vradha. Vaya means age. One doesn’t have to endeavour to become old. The only care that you have to take is you shouldn’t die. There is no bravery in that. One should become advanced in knowledge with self-realization. During Caitanya Ma-haprabhu’s time, there was one associate known as Mukunda Dasa who had a son named Raghunandan. Raghunandan was quite advanced in devotional service. He was very advanced in terms of knowledge and realisations. Once Caitanya Mahaprabhu asked Mukunda Dasa who is the father and who is the son? The father replied that my son is my father. He is more advanced in terms of knowledge and realisations. He was thinking of his son as his father. Similarly, Prahlada Maharaja is like the great grandfa-ther of Hiranyakasipu. When he opens his mouth, how awesome he speaks! He had old intelligence.

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

Those who have a birthday, please keep on chanting and get matured in terms of knowledge and be happy. Just like the birth of worldly people, there is not much to take away from it. We take birth in maternity homes. The child just cries as soon as he takes birth. There is no need to contemplate on these.

janma karma ca me divyam
evaṁ yo vetti tattvataḥ
tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma
naiti mām eti so ’rjuna

Translation:
Those who understand the divine nature of my birth and activities, O Arjun, upon leav-ing the body, do not have to take birth again but come to my eternal abode.[BG 4.9]

Our aim is not to take rebirth again, but to attain the Lord. One who knows My birth can come to My abode. Lord is saying this because My birth and activities are divine and one who understands them as they are is self-realised and God-Realised. We should re-member this on the birthday. Lord has asked us to remember His birth and activities.

Gauranga Mahaprabhu’s birth is coming soon. We were seeing the moon as we were re-turning from Parikrama. Today is Pancami. Only 10 days to go. Forget about mine and your birth and hear about and understand the divine birth of Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Cai-tanya Candra appeared on that day. Srila Prabhupada named this temple Mayapur Can-drodaya Mandir. 536 years ago when Gauranga Mahaprabhu appeared, the full moon hid with the excuse of the lunar eclipse as he was thinking the original moon is Caitanya Candra. The moon was thinking that as the light of millions of moons emanates from His face.

bahu-koti chandra jini’ vadana ujjvala
gala-deshe bana-mala kore jhalamala

Translation:
On such an occasion how can I show my faces which is having so many black spots? [Gaura Arati]

He thought to hide himself and he didn’t reveal his face. śacī-garbha-sindhau harīnduḥ. Hari has become the moon. Hari has appeared as the moon who is compared to the moon rising from the ocean. It seems that the moon appears from the ocean which we experience it at Jagannatha Puri. From the ocean of the womb of mother Saci, Cai-tanya Mahaprabhu appeared. This is celebrated grandly in Mayapur. All of you have to prepare for an appearance festival of Caitanya Mahaprabhu. To welcome Him, glorify and worship Him, we have to get ready.

When Saci Mata’s Nimai appeared, all the demigods appeared for the birthday celebra-tions in Santipur. Gandharvas were singing and it was a divine celebration. Now it’s our turn. Prepare yourself mentally and intellectually by chanting which will make us happy forever.

Gaura Purnima Mahotsav ki jay.
Gaur Premanande
Hari Haribol