8th February 2020

Kirtaniya Sada Hari

Yesterday we celebrated Nityanand Trayodasi.

ha ha prabhu nityananda, premananda sukhi
krpabalokana koro, ami baro duhkhi ( By Srila Narottama Dasa Thakura)

Translation:
My dear Lord Nityananda, You are always joyful in spiritual bliss. Since You always appear very happy, I have come to You because I am most unhappy. If You kindly put Your glance over me, I may also become happy.

Lord Nityananda is one who gives bliss. We also pray in this way because such a prayer was written by Srila Narottama Das Thakur. He prays to the Lord that You are always blissful and I’m always miserable. Please let me have Your merciful glance so that I’ll also be happy. Every day when we chant we pray to Pancatattva before every round.

jaya sri-krsna-caitanya
prabhu nityananda
sri-advaita gadadhara
srivasadi-gaura-bhakta-vrinda

Translation:
I offer my respectful obeisances unto Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, Lord Nityananda, Sri Advaita, Gadadhara Pandit, Srivas Thakur, and all the devotees of Lord Caitanya.

We pray to everyone Lord Caitanya, Nityanand Prabhu, Advaita Acarya, Gadadhara Pandit, Srivas Thakur. On the left-hand side of Lord Caitanya, He has Gadadhar who is an incarnation of Radharani.

pancha-tattvatmakam krishnam
bhakta-rupa-svarupakam
bhaktavataram bhaktakhyam
namami bhakta-shaktikam

Translation:
Let me offer my obeisances unto Lord Sri Krsna, who has manifested Himself in five as a devotee, expansion of a devotee, incarnation of a devotee, pure devotee, and devotional energy. (CC Adi lila, 7.6)

The Pancatattva are a five-fold manifestation of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, featured as five tattvas (truths). In Mayapur, we have Pancatattva who are worshipped. We worship Caitanya Mahaprabhu along with four members. Somewhere Lord Caitanya is worshipped along with Lord Nityanand or Lord Gadadhar. Like Srila Bhakti Vinod Thakur would worship Gaura Gadadhar at Svananda-sukhada-kunja (Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura’s House), worshipping of Gaur-Nityananda means worshipping Krsna and Balarama. And worshipping Gaura Gadadhar means worshipping Krsna and Radha. It’s quite complex. Gauranga is Radha Krsna Himself, still He has Radharani on His left appearing as Gadadhar.

sri krsna caitanya radha krsna nahe anya (Caitanya Bhagavata)

Translation:
Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu is none other than the combined form of Sri Sri Radha and Krsna.

Radharani can’t always stay with Krsna in Vrindavan. They are social bonds and they have to hide and meet. Radharani always wants to meet Him. She always wants to stay with Krsna. This desire of Radharani is fulfilled when She appears as Gadadhar in Gaura lila. Her form is like that of a man.

Let’s speak about Nityananda Prabhu. The founder of this Sankirtana movement is Nityananda Prabhu. It’s team effort. It’s like Gaura-Nitai, Rama and Laksman working together. Hare Krishna Movement was started by Gauranga Mahaprabhu and Nityanand Prabhu. In Rama-Lila Rama Laksman stay together. Rama is Vasudev and Laksman is Sankarsana. Caturvyuha ( Vasudev, Annirudha, Sankarsana, Pradyumna) stay together. So Vasudev is Rama and Sankarsana is Laksman. Krsna is Vāsudeva as He is the son of Vasudev. Balaram is Sankarsana.

Krsna Balarama also stayed together as you can read in Sila Prabhupad’s Krsna book or the 10th canto of Srimad-Bhagavatam. When Balarama was not there Krsna got into trouble. When Lord Brahma stole the cowherd boys, Balarama was not there. Also in Damodar-Lila Krsna got bound to the mortar when Balarama was not there. In the same way, Gauranga Mahaprabhu and Nityananda Mahaprabhu stay together. They met each other when Lord Caitanya was 20 years old. At Kuruksetra also Krsna and Balarama were not together. As Lord Balarama went on pilgrimage all across Bharat, Lord Nityananda also went on pilgrimage following in His footsteps. He got to know about the birth of Lord Caitanya in Navadvipa when He was at Radha-kunda in Vrindavan. Then He stopped His yatra and He went to meet Lord Caitanya at Nandan Acarya Bhavan at Navadvipa. Then they always stayed together. When they met each other, the Sankirtana movement started at Srivas Thakur’s courtyard. Srivas Thakur is Narada Muni. All members of Pancatattva joined there. Nityanand Prabhu is a very close associate of Lord Caitanya. He also joined. Advaita Acarya from Santipur also constructed His house ( Advaita Bhavan) in Mayapur and joined. Gadadhar stayed there only. In this way, the Sankirtana movement was started by Pancatattva. Initially the kirtana happened as it happens in Goloka. In Goloka, there is Svetadvipa and Navadvipa. In Goloka, there is Vrindavan and Navadvipa. Both Caitanya Mahaprabhu and Nityananda Prabhu are residents of Goloka.

ānanda-cinmaya-rasa-pratibhāvitābhis
tābhir ya eva nija-rūpatayā kalābhiḥ
goloka eva nivasaty akhilātma-bhūto
govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajāmi

Translation:
“The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Govinda, the one who enlivens the senses of everyone by His personal bodily rays, resides in His transcendental abode, called Goloka. Yet He is present in every nook and corner of His creation by expansion of happy spiritual rays, equal in power to His personal potency of bliss.” He is therefore simultaneously personal and impersonal by His inconceivable potency, or He is the one without a second, displaying complete unity in a diversity of material and spiritual manifestations. He is separate from everything, and still nothing is different from Him.( Brahma-saṁhitā (5.37)

In Vrindavan there is Krsna and in Navadvipa there is Krsna Caitanya. So in Navadvipa over there, there is constant kirtana of Hare Krishna.

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

As a sadhaka we also do kirtana. Perfection comes from sadhana. We keep on doing this sadhana. If we are not feeling to chant it always means there is no perfection of this sadhana.
Kirtaniya sada hari means even if we leave this body, still we will keep on chanting in Goloka. Life is never terminated. The living entity always lives. In the Lord’s abode also there is constant kirtana. We have to practice in such a way that it becomes natural for us.

As the kirtana which was happening in Srivas Angan was prakata lila of Lord Caitanya, there was entry for only pure devotees. Only pure devotees were allowed to enter and chant. Advaita Acarya had a problem with this. He was thinking that he had invited Lord Caitanya Who had mercifully appeared, but he had called Him to reestablish religious principles.

yadā yadā hi dharmasya glānir bhavati bhārata
abhyutthānam adharmasya tadātmānaṁ sṛijāmyaham ( BG 4.7)

Translation:
Whenever there is a decline in righteousness and an increase in unrighteousness, O Arjun, at that time I manifest myself on earth.

Before the appearance of Caitanya Mahaprabhu, Advaita Acarya had appeared, who is an incarnation of Maha-Visnu. When he saw that there is a decline of righteousness, he prayed to the Lord, Who then mercifully appeared. But Mahaprabhu was not doing anything to reestablish dharma. Initially, He always did kirtana with pure devotees which He usually does in Goloka. Then on Advaita Acarya’s request Sankirtana began.

Udilo Aruna Puraba Bhage by Sri Bhaktivinoda Thakura from Gitavali

udilo aruna puraba-bhage,
dwija-mani gora amani jage,
bhakata-samuha loiya sathe,
gela nagara-braje (Verse 1)

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

‘tathai tathai bajalo khol,
ghana ghana tahe jhajera rol,
preme dhala dhala sonara anga,
carane nupura baje ( Verse 2)

Translation:
The mrdangas (khol) resounded “tathai, tathai,” and the jhanjha [large metal karatalas that look like small cymbals] in that kirtana played in time. Lord Gauranga’s golden form slightly trembled in ecstatic love of Godhead, and His footbells jingled.

Sankirtana began and Lord Caitanya started to inspire everyone.

krsna-nama-sudha koriya pan,
jurao bhakativinoda-pran,
nama bina kichu nahiko aro,
caudda-bhuvana-majhe (Verse 8)

Translation:
Drink the pure nectar of the holy name of Krsna. There is nothing but the name to be had in the fourteen worlds. It has filled the soul of Sri Bhaktivinoda Thakura.

In this way, Sankirtana started and reached all of you.

Sri Krsna Caitanya Mahaprabhu ki jay!
Nityananda Prabhu ki jay!
Advaita Acarya ki Jay!
Gadadhar Pandit ki jay!
Srivas Thakur ki jay!
Gaur Bhakta Vrinda ki jay!

5th February 2020

The True Lifetime Achievement Award

Today 550 devotees are chanting with us. Greetings to all of you as you are receiving the mercy of the holy name.

One who is humble is eligible to receive mercy. We have utensils in the kitchen to keep something. In the same way we have to humble ourselves in order to be qualifiedto receive and retain what we have received. Many of you have congratulated me for the life time achievement award. You have noted down what I spoke about yesterday. This award is not my glorification, but they have glorified the Lord, Srila Prabhupada and ancient India. Whatever a devotee becomes, is all because of the mercy of our previous acaryas, Guru and Gauranga.

jogyata-vicare, kichu nahi pai,
tomara karuna—sara
karuna na hoile, kandiya kandiya,
prana na rakhibo ara

Translation
If you examine me, you will find no qualities. Your mercy is all that I am made of. If You are not mercifulunto me, I can only weep, and I will not be able to maintain my life.

We still have to receive the mercy. We haven’t yet achieved the complete mercy. I was thinking that still there is so much to do.

nayanam galad-ashru-dharaya
vadanam gadgada-ruddhaya gira
pulakair nichitam vapuh kada
tava nama-grahane bhavishyati

Translation
O my Lord, when will my eyes be decorated with tears of love flowing constantly when I chant Your holy name? When will my voice choke up, and when will the hairs of my body stand on end at the recitation of Your name?[Siksastakam 6]

Some part has been heard and some not. When will I become qualified to have such a day that when I hear the holy names, tears will glide from my eyes? When will my soul hear Hare Krishna and realise that Hare Krishna is the Lord Himself? When will my soul need Their Lordships?Then there will be tears and choking of the throat. Lord Caitanya prayed in this way. When will be we able to chant in this way? When will I get the result of such a prayer? Something is yet to come.

Today is Bhaumi Ekadashi as well as Varaha Dwadasi. We are fasting today for both. Upavaas- Upa means near and Vaas means association. We are close, closer and closest. We try to be closer to the Lord. We should try to do strong sadhana today. It’s not just fasting from grains or eating little. Yes, one should eat less. Excessive eating always keeps going on.

atyaharah prayasas ca
prajalpo niyamagrahah
jana-sangas ca laulyam ca
sadbhir bhaktir vinasyati

Translation
One’s devotional service is spoiled when he becomes too entangled in the following six activities: (1) eating more than necessary or collecting more funds than required; (2) overendeavoring for mundane things that are very difficult to obtain; (3) talking unnecessarily about mundane subject matters; (4) Practicing the scriptural rules and regulations only for the sake of following them and not for the sake of spiritual advancement, or rejecting the rules and regulations of the scriptures and working independently or whimsically; (5) associating with worldly-minded persons who are not interested in Krsna conscionsness; and (6) being greedy for mundane achievements.[NOI 2]

When we hear Atyahara we just think of eating, but Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakur says that Atyahara is there for all senses. All senses like the eyes – see, nose-smell, ears-hear. In this way sense objects are food for the senses. Touch is food for the skin. The skin tries to eat soft skin or limbs. Men feel the touch of women. The skin wants to gobble up that touch. They want to embrace. You can understand. There are five sense objects. This is also calledfood for thought. Thinking, feeling, willing, accepting and rejecting keeps on going within the mind. The mind likes something, dislikes something. Acceptance and rejection keeps going on within the mind, 24 hours a day even while sleeping also. There is Jagriti, Susupti and for sometime Turya (transcendental). The mind keeps on devouring many thoughts. Some things we like and some things we don’t like.

Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakur has said that not only the tongue, but we have to fast all other senses also. We keep on consuming various sense objects with our senses. This is not favourable for devotional service. On this day we don’t eat grains, but we eat fruit prasada. Apart from this also there are many senses and they should also undergo fasting.

There will be a Bhagavtam class at ISKCON Nagpur. I have to get ready. Many people do not understand the meaning of Upavaas. Real meaning is to spend time in close association with the Lord by controlling the senses and the mind. Instead of engaging the senses in gratifying sense objects we have to make the Lord the object of our senses. Take darsana of the Lord, Study more, hear more with your ears, smell what has been offered to the Lord. Keep your senses engaged. Feed them nicely. Make Krsna the object of your senses. In this way make your life successful and achieve the real glory of our life.

yaṁ yaṁ vāpi smaran bhāvaṁ tyajatyante kalevaram
taṁ tam evaiti kaunteya sadā tad-bhāva-bhāvitaḥ

Translation:
Whatever one remembers upon giving up the body at the time of death, O son of Kunti, one attains that state, being always absorbed in such contemplation. [BG 8.6]

etāvān sāṅkhya-yogābhyāṁ
svadharma-pariniṣṭhayā
janma-lābhaḥ paraḥ puṁsām
ante nārāyaṇa-smṛtiḥ

Translation:
The highest perfection of human life, achieved either by complete knowledge of matter and spirit, by acquirement of mystic powers, or by perfect discharge of one’s occupational duty, is to remember the Personality of Godhead at the end of life. [SB 2.1.6]

sa vai manaḥ kṛṣṇa-padāravindayor
vacāṁsi vaikuṇṭha-guṇānuvarṇane
karau harer mandira-mārjanādiṣu
śrutiṁ cakārācyuta-sat-kathodaye
mukunda-liṅgālaya-darśane dṛśau
tad-bhṛtya-gātra-sparśe ’ṅga-saṅgamam
ghrāṇaṁ ca tat-pāda-saroja-saurabhe
śrīmat-tulasyā rasanāṁ tad-arpite
pādau hareḥ kṣetra-padānusarpaṇe
śiro hṛṣīkeśa-padābhivandane
kāmaṁ ca dāsye na tu kāma-kāmyayā
yathottamaśloka-janāśrayā ratiḥ

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

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 one’s senses are purified simply by being employed in the service of the Lord. [CC Madhya Lila 19.170]

If we are able to remember the Lord at the end of our life then that is the true life time achievement. Achieve that true lifetime achievement.

Hare Krishna

4th February 2020

Holy name: Caitanya rasa vigraha

I interrupted you in your Japa. Please forgive me for that. Now we just chanted. After japa, we have a japa talk.This is going on for 1 year and 1 month. Radio conferences keep going on in the world. I would chant in the morning and devotees of those respective temples would chant along with me. Then the thought of chanting on this zoom conference came and now we have devotees from 503 places chanting with us.

Pune is one of the locations. 10 to 20 countries are also participating in this conference. Devotees who do not get any association or are grihasta devotees, benefit by joining this japa conference. There is a small place called Reunion Island. There are just a handful devotees and they also join this japa conference. In this way many devotees join. Many devotees are from India and hence we do the japa talk in Hindi. English transcription also takes place and it is also transcribed in Russian. Many devotees from temples and BACE join. We have taken this initiative. You can also follow in the same way by chanting with your counselees.

There can be a japa and a japa talk. Walk the talk. Many devotees are benefitting and thanking me for this. So how can I stop? Devotees from Mauritius, Toronto, Moscow are chanting with us. While chanting we are benefitted by the place and the association of devotees. When we chant we are protected because of the association of the devotees. We have to think of devotees before thinking of the world of Maya. When we do japa then we are protected and we are benefitted by Krishna conscious thoughts.This helps our chanting. Devotees take benefit of this facility. Many are nodding their heads. There can be a question answer session also.

Sometimes a dialogue can take place with the help of this chanting facility. We chant for 45 minutes and have a 15 minute japa talk. The chanting of the holy names is dharma. Philosophy has to be there with religion. Japa talk is there for philosophy. Religion without philosophy is sentimentalism. We need to understand the glories of the holy names. Package of japa and japa talk becomes a complete presentation. We don’t have any talk in any particular sequence. I just share my realisations. Sometimes I share those in series.

In ISKCON, senior devotees are welcomed by chanting the Hare Krishna maha-mantra three times. I was also welcomed in this way. When I was hearing this announcement, a thought came in my mind. I thought Krsna will also be there to welcome me. When devotees say we welcome by chanting Hare Krishna I realised that the Lord will also be there to welcome. What is siddhanta?

naham tisthami vaikunthe
yoginam hrdayesu va
tatra tisthami narada
yatra gayanti mad-bhaktah

Translation:
“I am not in Vaikuntha nor in the hearts of the yogis. I remain where My devotees engage in glorifying My activities.”

nāma-cintāmaṇe kṛṣṇa
caitanya-rasa-vigraha
pūrṇa śuddha nitya muktā-
bhinnātman karuṇāmaya

Translation
O Lord whose holy name is a cintamani jewel! All-attractive Lord Krsna! Lord whose form is spiritual nectar! Perfect and pure Lord! Eternal Lord! Liberated Lord! Lord not different from Your holy name! Merciful Lord! [Song Nama Cintamani Krsna 1]

Nama and Nami are non different. I thought that the Lord will also be there.When we relate this with our chanting and chant, then we can think that the Lord is welcoming us and saying ‘Thank you.’ When we chant we all call Radha and Krsna . They appear in front of us and respond also. Chanting means an interview with the Lord. This is a personal dialogue with the Lord. When there is an interview, we shake hands also. Japa means a meeting with the Lord. When we are chanting, I am sure that the Lord could welcome you. This happens when we say Hare Krishna. This is not only shaking hands, but embracing each other. In this way devotees keep on welcoming each other. In the same way we will be welcomed at the entrance of Vaikuntha.

Dhundhukari listened to this katha for 7 days and an airplane came from Vaikuntha for him. He took his seat in that plane. Gokarna, the speaker asked why he was going alone when all had heard the katha. In the same way why is Radheshyam Prabhu going ahead alone? There was an air host only, no air hostesses. There was a difference in the hearing. One heard without committing offences and one heard committing offences. Only one devotee was contemplating on what he heard. This is called manan, smaran. This is not just to be accumulated, but also assimilated and only one person heard in this way. One should contemplate on what one has heard. Gokarna then asked what would happen to these people. They were given a list of offences which they had committed. If they heard attentively without committing offences then they could be taken back to Godhead. There was a list of dos and don’ts (vidhi and nishedh). Next time when all heard the katha in this way, they brought a big jumbo jet, like a 747. Earlier there was just a helicopter. In this way thousands were greeted. Individuals can also be welcomed as well. We were welcomed at the time of japa. In this way we were welcomed and we got the association of the Lord.

Nama is the Lord. From that the form will manifest. That’s why we call Nama Prabhu. It indicates that the Lord is a person. While chanting, that same name can give us darsana. The name is the complete Lord, full of all opulences. There is no difference between Nama and Lord. One must think of the Lord, His form, pastimes and associates while chanting.

dadāti pratigṛhṇāti
guhyam ākhyāti pṛcchati
bhuṅkte bhojayate caiva
ṣaḍ-vidhaṁ prīti-lakṣaṇam

Translation:
Offering gifts in charity, accepting charitable gifts, revealing one’s mind in confidence, inquiring confidentially, accepting prasāda and offering prasāda are the six symptoms of love shared by one devotee and another. [NOI 4]

In this way we can meet the Lord and also discuss confidential matters by revealing our heart. The Lord hears. He may not respond on the spot. But if you call from the core of your heart then surely, He will reciprocate. It might not be immediate, but He will surely respond in His way and by His calculation, He will respond and answer. It might be that devotees answer our questions. Gandhiji said that he referred to Bhagavad-Gita when in difficulty. The Lord is very personal. No one is as personal as the Lord. There is need, interest and concern. NIC.

The Lord is our best friend and He knows our needs, interests and concerns. If He thinks about us then why worry? Then there is,

ananyāś cintayanto māṁ
ye janāḥ paryupāsate
teṣāṁ nityābhiyuktānāṁ
yoga-kṣemaṁ vahāmy aham

Translation:
But those who always worship Me with exclusive devotion, meditating on My transcendental form – to them I carry what they lack, and I preserve what they have. [BG 9.22]

He keeps his promise,

man-manā bhava mad-bhakto
mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru
mām evaiṣyasi satyaṁ te
pratijāne priyo ’si me

Translation:
Always think of Me, become My devotee, worship Me and offer your homage unto Me. Thus you will come to Me without fail. I promise you this because you are My very dear friend. [BG 18.65]

We have to do our part then the rest is taken care of by Krsna. This is His promise. When we call the all – powerful Lord, then He reveals Himself to us.

sarva-dharman parityajya
mam ekam saranam vraja
aham tvam sarva-papebhyo
moksayisyami ma sucah

Translation:
Abandon all varieties of religion and just surrender unto Me. I shall deliver you from all sinful reaction. Do not fear. [BG 18.66]

Gaur Premanande!
Hari Haribol!

2nd February 2020

There is a Ravana in our heart

I’m here in Beed. Yesterday we had Krsna Balarama Ratha-yatra Festival. All participated, chanted and danced with great enthusiasm in the Ratha-yatra. The Deities of Gaur-Nitai were also there on the chariot. It was announced that this will be a Krsna Balarama Ratha-yatra. Krsna Balarama were welcomed and a Shobha yatra happened. When I saw all the people dancing and chanting with devotion, I got the memory of the return of Rama, Laksman, and Sītā to Ayodhya and how the residents of Ayodhya welcomed them back with great enthusiasm. I saw devotees were whirling their upper garments in the air. Similarly, ten lakh years ago the residents of Ayodhya welcomed the procession towards the palace. It has been explained in Ramayana. Nowadays I am reading and hearing Ramayana.

paritranaya sadhunam
vinasaya ca duskrtam
dharma-samsthapanarthaya
sambhavami yuge yuge ( BG 4.8)

Translation:
In order to deliver the pious and to annihilate the miscreants, as well as to reestablish the principles of religion, I advent Myself millennium after millennium.

Ravana and all his associates and demons were killed by Rama, Laksman, Sugriva, Hanuman, and an army of monkeys and bears. When those demons were killed Mandodari, Ravan’s wife (having manda udara which is a symptom of beauty) was also there. When she reached the battlefield, all the women were searching for the bodies of their husbands. Mandodari also started to look for Ravana’s body. Sukadeva Goswami has described this in two chapters in the 9th canto in Srimad-Bhagavatam.

hā hatāḥ sma vayaṁ nātha
loka-rāvaṇa rāvaṇa
kaṁ yāyāc charaṇaṁ laṅkā
tvad-vihīnā parārditā (SB 9.10.26)

Translation:
O my Lord, O Master! You epitomized trouble for others, and therefore you were called Rāvaṇa. But now that you have been defeated, we also are defeated, for without you the state of Laṅkā has been conquered by the enemy. To whom will it go for shelter?

Mandodari is addressing her husband who had left and is not able to hear. She is addressing Ravana as one who made others cry. Sītā was crying day and night and Ravana was the cause of that.

na vai veda mahā-bhāga
bhavān kāma-vaśaṁ gataḥ
tejo ’nubhāvaṁ sītāyā
yena nīto daśām imām (SB 9.10.27)

Translation:
O greatly fortunate one, you came under the influence of lusty desires, and therefore you could not understand the influence of mother Sītā. Now, because of her curse, you have been reduced to this state, having been killed by Lord Rāmacandra.

Whatever you did, was done under the influence of lust and it made you dance. You wanted to enjoy Mother Sītā and this is the reason for your death. How you dealt with Sītā which I could see, is the reason behind your downfall.

kṛtaiṣā vidhavā laṅkā
vayaṁ ca kula-nandana
dehaḥ kṛto ’nnaṁ gṛdhrāṇām
ātmā naraka-hetave (SB 9.10.28)

Translation:
O pleasure of the Rākṣasa dynasty, because of you the state of Laṅkā and also we now have no protector. By your deeds, you have made your body fit to be eaten by vultures and your soul fit to go to hell.

Mandodari is saying that as Ravana is no more, she became a widow along with the whole of Lanka. Now the vultures will eat his body and his soul will go straight to hell. You attained such a destiny as you were under the influence of lust. Ramayana teaches us that those who are under the influence of lust face the same thing. History gets repeated over again and again. Nowadays, the same thing is happening in every city. People are dying and born again and again as they have become victims of lust and greed. He got the name Ravana and such a Ravana is also present in us. Many such Ravanas are there in and around us. We should read the 16th chapter of Bhagavad-Gita .

dvau bhūta-sargau loke ’smin daiva āsura eva cha
daivo vistaraśhaḥ prokta āsuraṁ pārtha me śhṛiṇu (BG 16.6)

Translation:
There are two kinds of beings in this world—those endowed with a divine nature and those possessing a demoniac nature. I have described the divine qualities in detail, O Arjun. Now hear from me about the demoniac nature.

The Lord is saying that there are two types of living entities in this world. Some are divine and some are demoniac. Some are yogi and some are bhogi. We need to study this to know who we are. Then we can understand who we are and what our identity is.

pravṛittiṁ cha nivṛittiṁ cha janā na vidur āsurāḥ
na śhauchaṁ nāpi chāchāro na satyaṁ teṣhu vidyate (BG 16.7)

Translation:
Those possessing a demoniac nature do not comprehend what actions are proper and what are improper. Hence, they possess neither purity, nor good conduct, nor even truthfulness.

He had further said this in the same chapter. Demoniac people don’t know what to do and what not to do, what’s right and what’s wrong.

āśhā-pāśha-śhatair baddhāḥ kāma-krodha-parāyaṇāḥ
īhante kāma-bhogārtham anyāyenārtha-sañchayān ( BG 16.12)

Translation:
Held in bondage by hundreds of desires, and driven by lust and anger, they strive to accumulate wealth by unjust means, all for the gratification of their senses.

The Lord has further said in the 16th chapter that demoniac people are bound by strong ropes of hundreds and thousands of expectations. They are not able to even move a little here and there. He is very expert in lust and greed. If you’re lusty, then you will get angry. The answer is very simple. Anger arises from lust. Then people start earning money by illegal means.

We should study Bhagavad-Gita and from there our learning starts. We should become a student of Bhagavad-Gita. It explains Raja vidya which is the most confidential thing. We should learn this knowledge. Harinama is the life of vidya-vadhu (the wife of knowledge). When we acquire knowledge then we can chant and do sankirtana in this Kaliyuga. Lord Brahma says that he has read all the Vedas and he knows all the Vedas and hence….

ei nām brahma jape catur-mukhe kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa hare hare
ei nām nārada jape vīṇā yantre kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa hare hare
ei nām śiva jape pañca mukhe kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa hare hare

…. Lord Brahma is chanting the maha-mantra with his 4 mouths and Lord Siva with 5 mouths. Lord Siva hears with 10 ears and sees with 15 eyes.

sarvopādhi-vinirmuktaṁ
tat-paratvena nirmalam
hṛṣīkeṇa hṛṣīkeśa-
sevanaṁ bhaktir ucyate ( CC 19.170)

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 one’s senses are purified simply by being employed in the service of the Lord.”

Bhakti means engaging all our senses in the service of the Lord. The Vaisnava traditions start with Brahma and Siva. Sampradyas begin with these two. What does Lord Siva do? He always discusses Bhagavat Katha with his wife Parvati. This is an ideal life for a wife and husband. One should not do idle talks. Siva and Parvati always remain engaged in Bhagavat Katha. We should follow them. Brahma and Siva are knowledgeable and Vedagaya. They do kirtana in this Kaliyuga. As kirtana and Harinama are the wealth in this Kaliyuga, they earn these. And those who are belonging to the demoniac mentality don’t know which is the legal means of earning a livelihood. They don’t know that they are souls and consider themselves to be bodies. How much more foolishness can there be if we just work for our bodies and not for ourselves, our souls? We are souls, part and parcels of the Supreme Lord and if we don’t work for our souls, or the souls of our husbands, wives, daughters, sons, and citizens of the nation, then we are knowingly drinking poison.

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

Translation:
0 Lord Hari, I have spent my life uselessly. Having obtained a human birth and having not worshiped Radha and Krsna, I have knowingly drunk poison.

We are drinking poison and being born again and again. We should drink the nectar of the holy names to stop the cycle of birth and death.

paritranaya sadhunam
vinasaya ca duskrtam
dharma-samsthapanarthaya
sambhavami yuge yuge (BG 4.8)

Translation:
In order to deliver the pious and to annihilate the miscreants, as well as to reestablish the principles of religion, I advent Myself millennium after millennium.

We have died so many times for the same reasons as Ravana – lust and greed. We are getting killed and if we have to save ourselves then we have to drink the nectar and then we can attain the Lord. We follow the 4 regulative principles to get rid of demoniac propensities. We honour Krsna prasada. Intoxication and illicit sex are demonic propensities. Ravana was trying to run after another’s wife and that was the reason for his downfall. Both Lord Rama and Mother Sītā had vowed to have just one wife and one husband. Srila Prabhupada gave the four regulative principles so that the demoniac propensities within us will be vanquished and Krsna Prema will awaken.

nitya-siddha kṛṣṇa-prema ‘sādhya’ kabhu naya
śravaṇādi-śuddha-citte karaye udaya (CC Madhya 22.107)

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

By hearing Srimad-Bhagavatam, Bhagavad-Gita, Caitanya-caritamrta or pastimes of the Lord, then our consciousness will get cleansed and we will work under the influence of love. Krsna’s devotees work under the influence of love. Understand these teachings and keep chanting.

Hare Krishna
Gaur Premanande
Hari Haribol!

1st February 2020

Talks Between the Lord and Rāmānanda Rāya – Krsna’s Golden Mood

One day Rāmānanda Rāya asked Mahaprabhu:

eka saṁśaya mora āchaye hṛdaye
kṛpā kari’ kaha more tāhāra niścaye (CC Madhya 8.267)

Translation:
Rāmānanda Rāya then said that he had but one doubt within his heart, and he petitioned the Lord, “Pease be merciful upon me and just remove my doubt.”

I have one doubt. It’s been troubling me for many days. Clear my doubt.

pahile dekhiluṅ tomāra sannyāsi-svarūpa
ebe tomā dekhi muñi śyāma-gopa-rūpa (CC Madhya 8.268)

Translation:
Rāmānanda Rāya then told Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, “At first I saw You appear like a sannyāsī , but now I am seeing You as Śyāmasundara, the cowherd boy.

So Rāmānanda Rāya says when you came then I saw your form of sannyasi.

ūrya-śata-sama kānti, aruṇa vasana
subalita prakāṇḍa deha, kamala-locana (CC Madhya 8.18)

Translation:
Śrīla Rāmānanda Rāya then saw Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu to be as brilliant as a hundred suns. The Lord was covered by a saffron garment. He was large in body and very strongly built, and His eyes were like lotus petals.

You were covered by saffron garments ( aruna vasana). You had a golden complexion, but now I’m seeing You in a dark complexion. Why has this transformation taken place?

tomāra sammukhe dekhi kāñcana-pañcālikā
tāṅra gaura-kāntye tomāra sarva aṅga ḍhākā (CC Madhya 8.269)

Translation:
“I now see You appearing like a golden doll, and Your entire body appears covered by a golden luster.

Rāmānanda Rāya says, “I’m also seeing that you were appearing golden( Gaursundara form) and I’m now seeing you dark( Śyāmasundara form) and again I’m seeing that dark complexion is being again covered by a golden complexion. The same thing is stated in Caitanya Bhagavata that “antar krsna bahir gaura”. Inside there is Krsna and outside there is Radha. So when I look at You, I see You Two. I’m seeing both Your golden and dark Complexion.

“sri krsna caitanya radha krsna nahe anya” ( Caitanya Bhagavata)

Translation:
Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu is none other than the combined form of Sri Sri Radha and Krsna.

I’m seeing You in two forms. Earlier I was seeing You alone.

āhāte prakaṭa dekhoṅ sa-vaṁśī vadana
nānā bhāve cañcala tāhe kamala-nayana (CC Madhya 8.270)

Translation:
“I see that You are holding a flute to Your mouth, and Your lotus eyes are moving very restlessly due to various ecstasies.

Rāmānanda Rāya says, “You are carrying a flute and it has been covered by the golden complexion of Radha or it might be that You are getting embraced by Radharani or You are embracing Radharani. Sometimes I see Radha, sometimes Krsna or sometimes both.

ei-mata tomā dekhi’ haya camatkāra
akapaṭe kaha, prabhu, kāraṇa ihāra (CC Madhya 8.271)

Translation:
“I actually see You in this way, and this is very wonderful. My Lord, please tell me without duplicity what is causing this.”

I’m getting surprised to see this. So why am I seeing this? Please explain to me.

prabhu kahe,—kṛṣṇe tomāra gāḍha-prema haya
premāra svabhāva ei jāniha niścaya (CC Madhya 8.272)

Translation:
Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu replied, “You have a deep love for Kṛṣṇa, and one who has such deep ecstatic love for the Lord naturally sees things in such a way. Please take this from Me to be certain.

Mahaprabhu answered back, “ I’m here as it is. You are the only cause of such a vision. This is happening due to your love for Radha and Krsna.”

mahā-bhāgavata dekhe sthāvara-jaṅgama
tāhāṅ tāhāṅ haya tāṅra śrī-kṛṣṇa-sphuraṇa (CC Madhya 8.273)

Translation:
“A devotee advanced on the spiritual platform sees everything movable and inert as the Supreme Lord. For him, everything he sees here and there is but a manifestation of Lord Kṛṣṇa.

I came in the form of a sannyasi and now also I am a sannyasi. The difference that you are seeing is because of your vision and love for Krsna. Hence you’re getting (Sphurti) inspiration to see Krsna everywhere.

tāhāṅ tāhāṅ haya tāṅra śrī-kṛṣṇa-sphuraṇa

By saying this now Lord Caitanya spoke the principles in the form of a formula. It is a very important principle.

sthāvara-jaṅgama dekhe, nā dekhe tāra mūrti
sarvatra haya nija iṣṭa-deva-sphūrti (CC Madhya 8.274)

Translation:
“The mahā-bhāgavata, the advanced devotee, certainly sees everything mobile and immobile, but he does not exactly see their forms. Rather, everywhere he immediately sees manifest the form of the Supreme Lord.”

Elevated devotees like Rāmānanda Rāya, whatever they see inanimate, as well as animate, moving or non-moving, they see not the only external form, but by seeing such forms, they are reminded of their worshipable Lord. In one sense, Lord Caitanya said, “You earlier saw My sannyasi form and now you’re seeing My dark complexion ( Śyāmasundara form ), and you also see how that dark complexion is being again covered by a golden complexion. You are seeing both Gaura rupa and Syama rupa. So what’s My fault? You are responsible for all this. The Lord is inspiring you to see in such a way. I’m the same as I was. I’m sannyasi. I’m Gaur Sundar. I’m Gauranga. But instead of Me, you’re seeing Syamsundara and Gaurangi. This is due to your remembrance of your worshipable Lord. In this way, Lord Caitanya inspired Rāmānanda Rāya as He was his Worshipable Lord ( ista-deva).

divya-gyan hride prokashito ( Guru Puja)

In this way, He gave such darsana to Rāmānanda Rāya of Radha and Krsna. Radha and Krsna are one only. In Kali-yuga they become one. Here Rāmānanda Rāya is seeing Them as one. He is Vishakha and this can’t be hidden from her as she sees Radha and Krsna in Goloka. Lalita and Vishakha are having these experiences and this can’t be hidden for them. Radha Krsna come together in Kali Yuga to spread the holy names. Taking the complexion of Radharani, He becomes Lord Caitanya. This is clarified in this conversation on the bank of river Godavari at Kovvur.

At this place, Lord Caitanya gave this darsana of Radha and Krsna. There the Gaudiya Matha is established by Puri Maharaja, a god brother of Srila Prabhupada. There is a diorama showing this display. Srila Prabhupada also went to that place at Kovvur in 1972 before the Mayapur Festival. He was accompanied by his Western Disciples. I also went there as a padayatri and had the fortune of bathing in the Godavari, taking darsana and hearing this pastime. This is also called Vrindavan of the South. The Godavari is called the Ganga of South India. You can also go there.

This conversation took place within one day and Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu gave darsana to Vishakha. This proves that Lord Caitanya is non-different from Radha and Krsna. Inside there is Krsna and outside there is Gaurangi. So it’s Two in One.

krsnaya krsna-caitanya- namne gaura-tvishe namah

I offer my respectful obeisances to Krsna known as Sri Krsna Caitanya Mahaprabhu who has assumed a golden complexion. His dark complexion has been covered by the mood of Radharani. Hence He is called Gauranga. So study and think about this.

Hari Haribol!