26th January 2020

Our real identity is to be a servant of the Lord.

Hare Krishna.

All of you are welcome.

Here we are celebrating the 11th anniversary of Aravade temple opening. It would have been great if you would have been in Aravade. As Srila Prabhupada reached New York, he was the only one chanting Hare Krishna. He was not getting any other facility of preaching. He used to do kirtana on the footpath swithout a microphone.

He left India and went to another country and was preaching Krishna consciousness on the instruction of his Guru Maharaja. Prabhupada was struggling alone. But in one sense he was not alone. Where there are devotees of the Lord, the Lord is also present.

atra yogesvarah krsno
yatra partho dhanur-dharah
tatra srir vijayo bhutir
dhruva nitir matir mama

Translation:
Wherever there is Krsna, the master of all mystics, and wherever there is Arjuna, the supreme archer, there will also certainly be opulence, victory, extraordinary power, and morality. That is my opinion. (Bhagavad Gita 18.78)

Wherever there is Arjuna, Lord is also there. The Lord didn’t say this, but Sanjay did. Where there are devotees like Arjuna there the Lord is also present along with 4 other things. Bhagavad Gita ended with this 700th verse.

Srila Prabhupada was doing kirtana and chanting alone on the footpaths in New York. But when he was singing alone, was there anyone else chanting with him? No one was with him. People were walking nearby. They did not know who this old person is, which country he belonged to, with a new hairstyle of no hair on his head and wearing a dhoti kurta. They were seeing everything for the first time in their life. Seeing his dhoti they were reminded of a bed sheet. By seeing his tilak, they were thinking why he was painting that on his head. Everything was surprising for them. When Srila Prabhupada did kirtana, the tune of Hare Krishna was different for them. They didn’t have any clue, what this Hare Krishna is? While doing kirtana he would stop in between and show a picture of Radha Govind and Radha Damodara. He would say that this is Krsna and He is God. Then they would ask what’s this lady (Radharani ) doing nearby Him? This is the difference between people born in India and other countries. In India even a small child knows about Krsna and Radha. If Narayana is there Laxmi will also be there. But In western countries, people didn’t know about this. You can imagine how Srila Prabhupada was preaching amongst such people who had no knowledge of Bhagavata Dharma or Sanatana Dharma. He was preaching and doing kirtana among such people. Those people were not familiar with Krsna, but they were stopping to see what’s going on. They were attracted by the kirtana. Someone was stopping them. They didn’t understand who it was, but Krsna was stopping them. In one sense those boys and girls were unaware of Bhagavata Dharma. Even if the body might belong to any country, be it a boy or girl, without the presence of the soul, the body can’t exist. All the souls are familiar with the Lord. They know the Lord. All these souls belong to the lord.

mamaivānśho jīva-loke jīva-bhūtaḥ sanātanaḥ
manaḥ-ṣhaṣhṭhānīndriyāṇi prakṛiti-sthāni karṣhati

Translation:
The embodied souls in this material world are my eternal fragmental parts. But bound by material nature, they are struggling with the six senses including the mind. (Bhagavad Gita 15.7)

This is said by Bhagavan. He is knowledgeable. He knows everything. He is omniscient. He said, “All the souls of this world are My parts and parcels.” By the way, every living entity knows the Lord, but has forgotten. At one time we knew Him, but something happened and we developed a desire for sense gratification. The living entity is bahirmukha (attracted by the external feature) and wants to do bhoga-vancha (wants to enjoy life without Krsna, without God). When such kind of mentality develops, the Maya which stays close to us covers jiva and makes him forget the Lord. Lord is sac-cid-ananada vigraha. His form is of eternity, knowledge and bliss. Jiva is a fragment of the Lord so whichever qualities are there in the Lord also exist in a living entity. Just like the qualities which gold possesses while present in a gold mine, the same qualities are also present in a gold ring. Similarly, the Lord has many qualities and we also have the same qualities of sac-cid-ananada in us being His parts and parcels. People don’t want to die. Do you want to die? I ask this question everywhere, not only in India, but also in America and Australia. But no one is ready to die. All have the same symptoms. We are all pearls of the same necklace. Nobody wants misery in their life. Everyone seeks happiness.

Sukha sampati ghara aave,
Kashta mitte tan kaa
Om Jai Jagadisha hare.

The whole world is praying that they should not get any miseries. No one asks for sorrow. Everyone wants to be happy. We are by nature eternal. We have nothing to do with death. We are eternal soul and at any point, we don’t die.

nainam chindanti sastrani
nainam dahati pavakah
na cainam kledayanty apo
na sosayati marutah

Translation:
The soul can never be cut into pieces by any weapon, nor can he be burned by fire, nor moistened by water, nor withered by the wind. (Bhagavad Gita 2.23)

No water or flood can wet him. The soul is never annihilated. We souls have forgotten who we are because it is attracted by the external feature and studies Geography and Cosmology. He goes overseas for his studies. He tries to know all the world, but doesn’t know who he is?

We all are servants of the Lord. But nowadays people are becoming a servant of a dog. No one says, ‘I am a servant of the Lord’, but this is our only real identity. If we self-realize this, then we will be happy.

Srila Prabhupada wanted to start the Krishna Consciousness Movement from India, but he didn’t get much response. He was left alone. He wanted some colleagues. When he met grihasthas, he would ask them to give their sons to help him. But no one was ready. One time one family was repeatedly asking for a blessing for their son when they were in the train with Srila Prabhupada. They were repeatedly requesting. Srila Prabhupada finally told them to give his son to him so that he can engage him in the Lord’s service. So when that person heard this he went into another coach.

Then he went to New York from where we have Ekalavya Prabhu who was also born in the same year when Srila Prabhupada reached New York. We also have Sundarlala Prabhu who also was born on the same day when Srila Prabhupada reached New York ie on 17 September 1965 who is now going to take sannyasa.

Prabhupada was doing kirtana, which is Krsna Himself. Through this kirtana a relationship was built up with some living entities. They were hearing the kirtana. Then slowly Prabhupada rented one shop. When he met people on the footpath or park, he welcomed them into that shop. His books are like time bombs. Bombs of this world result in devastation. But Hare Krishna bombs lead to development. He took the Hare Krishna maha-mantra, Bhagavad Gita as bombs. Many were giving up their life of illusion and souls were reborn. When Srila Prabhupada was giving Bhagavatam or Krsna prasada, such gifts were matchless. When we give Bhagavad Gita, we give the Lord Himself. So Bhagavad Gita and prasada are the Supreme Lord Himself.

When Prabhupada took that shop on rent, a signboard was hanging on its forefront. On it was written ” Matchless Gift”. After some days people suggested to Srila Prabhupada to remove that signboard. Srila Prabhupada refused, saying, “We are distributing matchless gifts.” And that gift was:

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

In the same way here at Radha Gopal Temple at Aravade we are celebrating the 11th Anniversary (Brahmotsava). Matchless Gift at 26th Avenue, becomes the first centre of ISKCON. Slowly, many temples were established. This temple was inaugurated 11 years ago. A temple is also called a namahatta. Nowadays there are so many malls and shops where so many materials are being sold. Over here a namahatta was opened where the Hare Krishna maha-mantra is being distributed.

nadīyā-godrume nityānanda mahājana
patiyāche nām-haṭṭa jīvera kāraṇa

Translation:
In the land of Nadiya, on the island of Godruma, the magnanimous Lord Nityananda has opened up the Marketplace of the Holy Name, meant for the deliverance of all fallen souls.( Bhaktivinoda Thakura)

(śraddhāvān jan he, śraddhāvān jan he)
prabhura ājñāy, bhāi, māgi ei bhikṣā
bolo `kṛṣṇa,’ bhajo kṛṣṇa, koro kṛṣṇa-śikṣā

Translation:

O people of faith! O people of faith! By the order of Lord Gauranga, O brothers, I beg these three requests of you: Chant “Krsna!” worship Krsna, and teach others about Krsna. ( Bhaktivinoda Thakura)

For all the faithful living entities, this namahatta has opened. Srila Prabhupada was alone in 1965 chanting Hare Krishna. In the same year I was alone over here. One turned into many. Now the temple is full. The specialty of ISKCON is that the younger generation also come to temples. Not only old people who are free and alone. Our Lord is young and is attracting all the youth. I was also young and joined the temple in 1971. I was studying in Mumbai at Dadar Kirti College. People would ask me, “Is this time to chant Hare Krishna? Are you mad?” I was alone at that time. But now see how many thousands of youths are chanting. In 2004 we had the All India Youth Convention in Pune under the leadership of Radheshyam Prabhu sand myself. 5000 youths attended that Convention. In 1971 I was alone. When the 50th anniversary of ISKCON was celebrated in Pune in 2016, 15000 local students were gathered. Some days before at Indira Gandhi stadium which is the biggest stadium in Delhi, 15000 students were gathered. The Lord wants everybody – young and old. Youths are also welcome on this 11th anniversary.

I am not only talking to the people in Aravade, but to all the people from 400 different places across the world. Every day we chant on the conference. You all are welcome.

Gaur Premanande!
Hari Haribol