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

25th January 2020

Arrival of Lord Caitanya in Aravade made me fortunate.

Hare Krishna.

All of you are welcome.

Lord Caitanya was preaching the holy names in South India and one day He reached Aravade. I reached here yesterday and Lord Caitanya gave me birth over here. This became my birthplace. As Lord also came over here, I became fortunate because of him.

brahmāṇḍa bhramite kona bhāgyavān jīva
guru-kṛṣṇa-prasāde pāya bhakti-latā-bīja

Translation:
According to their karma, all living entities are wandering throughout the entire universe. Some of them are being elevated to the upper planetary systems, and some are going down into the lower planetary systems. Out of many millions of wandering living entities, one who is very fortunate gets an opportunity to associate with a bona fide spiritual master by the grace of Kṛṣṇa. By the mercy of both Kṛṣṇa and the spiritual master, such a person receives the seed of the creeper of devotional service. (CC 19.151)

I was studying at the college in Sangli district. Then I thought to be a graduate of Bombay University. So I went to Bombay. There I went to the Hare Krishna festival organized by Srila Prabhupada to see the ‘American and European sadhus’. There I came in contact with Srila Prabhupada. There came a revolution and the right direction in my life just by seeing and hearing Prabhupada. I was veryinspired by the ‘American, European sadhus’ who were doing kirtana. I stayed in Dadar, Mumbai with some people from my village.

I have told you earlier that whenever my roommates went out I would perform kirtana alone in my room closing all the doors and windows. Having seen the Hare Krishna devotees doing kirtana and dancing with all their hearts, with all their strength and energy, with so much devotion and enthusiasm, I also started doing kirtana alone like them and became mad.

There is a long story. Then I came back to my village. Here also I was doing kirtana and chanting. I stayed for about 10 days in Juhu Temple and became a Hare Krishna devotee. Then my brother brought me back to the village. I didn’t stop kirtana. Villagers were saying that how good that boy was and now he has become mad. I was not as mad as Lord Caitanya. All the residents of Mayapur were calling Lord Caitanya mad. There is nothing wrong with them calling me mad. The whole world is crazy.

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

As you all are chanting, you would also have been called mad by your relatives, neighbours, and friends. When I came to my village, my friends were playing as usual. I was chanting. I was not playing with my friends. And this happens. Narada Muni also said that he was not interested in playing.

baalastaavat kreedaa-sakta, tarunas taavatt taruni-sakta:
vruddhastaavat chintaah-sakta, parame brahmani kopi na sakta.

Translation:
The childhood slips away in attachment to playfulness. Youth passes away in attachment to woman. Old age passes away in worrying about many things. Alas, there is hardly anyone who wants to be lost in parabrahman.( Bhaja Govindam Verse 7)

Naturally, children keep on playing. I was not playing like them, I was chanting. I haven’t given up chanting for the last 50 years. My relatives, brothers, sisters were trying to stop my chanting. They were looking for an astrological solution. They were looking for a solution such that I leave Hare Krishna. But I continued my chanting. The Lord didn’t leave me. I didn’t leave Him either. Then, my sister also started chanting and became mad. She also gave up the village and went to Pandharpur. She also didn’t return to the village.

One day I came back to the village with the Hare Krishna devotees from Radha Rasabihari Temple, Juhu to celebrate the Hare Krishna Festival. There is the glory of this festival. I am also the fruit of the festival. Due to the festival, I became a Hare Krishna devotee. If there was no Hare Krishna festival there in Mumbai then I wouldn’t have become a devotee. A Festival becomes the medium to spread the sankirtana movement.

anya-dharmams tiras krtya puras krtya mahotsavan
tada naham harer daso loke tvam na pravartaye

Translation:

Then Narada Muni made a promise. “If I cannot establish bhakti, and only condemn other dharmas, such as varnasramadi-dharma, I promise you, O Devi, I will never be known by the name Haridasa.” (Bhagavata-mahatmyam verse 14)

Narada Muni also said, “I will promote Bhakti.” Then he was asked how he would spread Bhakti. Then he said, “Mohotsavan. I will organise festivals rejecting other things. Mohotsavan puras krtya.I will promote Bhakti Devi.” Srila Prabhupada was also the representative of Narada Muni. Following the tradition of Narada Muni, he also organised the Hare Krishna festival. I also organised the Hare Krishna festival here in Aravade. All the villagers participated in that festival. One day after the festival one person named Shinde met me and immediately he started to chant Hare Krishna maha-mantra. Earlier he used to chant Ram mantra or Jaya Jaya Ram Krishna Hari. But when he attended the Hare Krishna festival, he took a vow that he would chant 16 rounds daily. I sent a report on this festival to Srila Prabhupada. That festival has so many gatherings. Nobody was there in their homes.

All of them came to the ground of one school to hear from me ” the madman”. Many become a madman. The rule works if you come in the association of a madman, you will also become a madman. Similarly, if someone associates with a drunkard. he also becomes a drunkard. And if someone associates with a thief, he learns how to steal. If someone chants Hare Krishna maha-mantra and becomes mad, then by associating with him others also become mad.I wrote a letter to Srila Prabhupada regarding the festival.Food for Life was set up. It was “one kitchen, one family.” We are all one family. The same happens in the Lord’s abode. All friends of the Lord including gwala-bala come together to have a feast like one family. It gives a special experience.

At the time of Asadi also we have a similar feast when thousands of pilgrims go to Gopalpur were they have Gopalkala. Kala means so many dishes. There are so many experiences.Prabhupada was so happy by reading the report. He sent me the reply also. Prabhupada wrote that, ”A person who is ready to chant Hare Krishna maha-mantra make that person representative of ISKCON in your village.” Srila Prabhupada was remembering this place and he was thinking to uplift this village. He was thinking about the bright future of our village. He planned and asked me to have a representative over here. That person became the representative and started preaching.

My uncle and that person who was started chanting, both of them got initiated. One was given the name Bhagavat Dasa and my uncle, whose name was Raja Ram, was initiated as Radha Krishna Dasa. I gave him the name Radha Krishna. Both of them started preaching. Everyday Satsang was happening and they started to read Srila Prabhupad’s Bhagavad Gita As It Is every day. They studied one sloka or some slokas every day. Then they also started Nagar-sankirtana. Then a Hare Krishna centre was established.

11 years before Radha Gopal Temple was established and inaugurated. Temple was opened on Nityananda Trayodasi. Every year we are celebrating Brahmotsava of this temple. For many years we are celebrating on 26 January as it’s also a holiday and people can come. Tomorrow we will be celebrating this festival. I also have come here to celebrate. HH Rama Govind Maharaja and HH Rupa Raghunatha Maharaja have also arrived and many Maharajas of ISKCON will arrive. All of you are welcome for the 11th anniversary (Brahmotsava) of Radha Gopal. They are exquisitely beautiful. You won’t find such beauty anywhere else. They will steal your heart (Chit chor).

They are not alone. We have Nitai Gaursundara, Sita Ram Laxman Hanuman, VitthalaRukmini, Jagannatha Baladev Subhadra are also there. All darsanais in one temple. Also the lotus feet of Lord Caitanya are installed here. There is Gauragaon nearby here. It is 2-3 km from here. This proves that Lord Caitanya passed through this village. He was traveling from Kolhapur to Pandharpur. While traveling he passed through my village and He gave birth to me. Now this is not just a village, but it has become dhama.I’m asking you to come to the dhama. From name to the Lord’s abode. Keep on chanting the holy names which will take you to the Lord’s abode. Never give up chanting the holy names.

If you are chanting it means you already have reached dhama. This is also one understanding. Where else to go? Keep on chanting. Distribute Srila Prabhupada books. Panchali Mataji received a prize as a book distributor in Pune from Gopal Krishna Goswami Maharaja. Altogether ISKCON Pune distributed 3 lakh Bhagavad Gitas. What a single person can do compared to the whole village together? Congratulations to everyone! Take inspiration from them and distribute Srila Prabhupada’s books.

Nitai Gaur Premanande
Hari Haribol!

24th January 2020

Japa-talk is an expression of my love for you!

Keep on chanting. You all are welcome.

All over the world devotees are chanting. There is no one foreign over here. We all belong to the Lord. Today’s Indian citizen goes to Dubai and becomes a foreigner. French citizens also come to India and become Indian. We all are foreigners in one sense as we belong to the spiritual world that is Vaikuntha, Goloka, Vrindavan, Ayodhya, Mayapur, Jagannatha Puri or Pandharpur Dhama. These all are our true worlds and we have to return to our spiritual world and we have to attract Lord’s attention by calling out the holy names.

Someone calls or sends message that we have met with an accident or in the hospital or we are in trouble. Please help. So, we all are in trouble in this temporary world of miseries. There is no guarantee over here. Anything could happen at any moment. That’s why we call the Lord. Draupadi also called out to the Lord when she was in trouble and the Lord appeared over there.

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

Remember the Lord and call out to Him and whenever you call Him, remember Him. Chant remembering His form. kar katevari thevonia… ( Sundara te dhyana – abhang of Tukaram Maharaja) how He has kept His hands on His waist. This way you can call and remember Pandurang Viththala.

bamsi vibhushit kara navneer dabhaat ( Anonymous)

How does He play the flute? How are His hands? He is holding a flute in His hands and His hands have been decorated due to holding the flute. There are 3 different kinds of flute. Bamsi, Murali and Venu.

vanand aravinda dala kataksham

So remember that.

baal charitanicha

Yasoda herself churns curd for her baby Krsna to feed Him butter so that her child will give up stealing butter from other places as she thought the servants could not make it tastier. While churning curd, she is remembering the butter stealing pastimes of the Lord at various gopis’ houses. In this way, she is doing her work remembering the Lord. We need to remember the Lord while chanting His name. We can remember the Lord in many ways such as His name, form, qualities, pastimes, abode, followers… There are so many topics. There is no restriction that you should just remember only this.

namnam akari bahudha nija-sarva-shaktis
tatrarpita niyamitah smarane na kalah
etadrishi tava kripa bhagavan mamapi
durdaivam idrisham ihajani nanuragaha

Translation:
O my Lord, Your holy name alone can render all benediction to living beings, and thus you have hundreds and millions of names, like Krsna and Govinda. There are no hard and fast rules for chanting these names. (Sri Siksastakam verse 2)

There is no restriction for time as well as when to remember and when not to remember the Lord. There is no restriction to just remember a few pastimes such as rasa lila, but we can remember the battlefield of Kurukshetra also. We can remember the instructions of the Lord.

The Lord said:
patram puspam phalam toyam
yo me bhaktya prayacchati
tad aham bhakty-upahrtam
asnami prayatatmanah

Translation:
“If one offers Me with love and devotion a leaf, a flower, a fruit or water, I will accept it.”(BG. 9.26)

Remember and follow the instructions of the Lord. I am seeing that few mothers are cooking in the kitchen for their children who are about to go to school. Remember that you are cooking bhoga for the Lord and the Lord is the enjoyer. Cook vegetables only.

Lord didn’t accept Duryodhana’s feast as there was no love and devotion within it. Then He came to Vidura’s place. He was an exalted soul. He was living in a simple way – simple living and high thinking. He got confused when the Lord came to eat vegetables in His house. Vegetables means leaves (patram) and bananas means fruits (phalam). These all are natural and received from trees. Tulasi leaves are also leaves (patram). Vidurani fed Him banana peels not bananas, but the Lord accepted that as it was fed with Love. The Lord gave His own menu (patram puspam phalam toyam) while He was having a discussion with Arjuna. Like we ask our guests what they would like to have for breakfast or dinner. When we go to a restaurant, what we eat is important, but along with that which emotions they are feeding is more important. It is important to offer food with love and devotion.

Duryodhana was not offering with love. He was not a yogi, but a bhogi. What Vidurani was offering, even though it was simple like vegetables or banana peels, the Lord appreciated that as the best meal He ever had in His life.

Sabari also fed fruits to Lord Rama as she lived in a kutiya (hut). She was a disciple of Sage Matanga. She wanted to die, but she was asked by Sage Matanga to live as Lord Rama will come to her and she can have His darsana. One day Lord Rama came. Laksman was also there. Laksman was not going to eat anything. He fasted for 14 years. Lord Rama also just ate uncooked food like a vanavasi. He didn’t eat cooked food. Sabari had already collected Jujube fruit for Lord Rama as He could come anytime. Then she offered her fruit to Lord Rama. The Lord was very pleased with her offering. He thanked her. The Lord just wants love. He is pleased with our love and devotion and if the Lord is pleased then we are automatically liberated. In this way, Sabari fed Lord Rama and had darsana. Then Sabari was liberated. She collected some wood and entered into the fire and returned to Ayodhya or Saket dhama.

Lord said
man-manā bhava mad-bhakto
mad-yājī mām namaskuru
mām evaisyasi satyam te
pratijāne priyo ‘si me

Translation:
“Always think of Me and become My devotee. Worship Me and offer your homage unto Me.” (BG. 18.65)

This is Kali Yuga. You worship the Lord by performing Hari kirtana.

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

This is aradhana. And we should do deities worship as well.

sri-vigraharadhana-nitya-nana
shringaira-tan-mandira-marjanadau
yuktasya bhaktamsh cha niyunjato pi
vande guroh sri-charanaravindam

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. (Gurvastakam verse 3)

Syama Preshtha Mataji is worshiping Deities. But while worshiping deities, there should be kirtana. Like Gaura arati or we play a recording of kirtana at mangal arati.

harer nāma harer nāma
harer nāmaiva kevalam
kalau nāsty eva nāsty eva
nāsty eva gatir anyathā (CC. Adi-lila 7.76)

There should kirtan with every service or worship. As we play kirtana, our worship becomes free from faults.

Lord said that we should think of Him, become His devotee, worship Him and offer obeisances unto Him. One who doesn’t offer obeisances, how can he be devotee? The Lord is so incredible that as soon as we offer obeisances, He does His magic.

Krishna jinka nama hai, Gokul jinka dhama hai
Aise Sri Bhagwan ko, mere Barambaar pranam hai

We should offer Him our obeisances again and again. And what will happen if you do this? The Lord said, “You will surely return to My abode.” Why am I telling you all this? Because you are very dear to Me. He is not just speaking to Arjuna, but all of us also. Parents love their all children. Krsna loves us.

‘Oh all my dear souls!’ Navayogendra Swami Maharaja addresses devotees in this way. All souls are very dear to the Lord and if we are dear to the Lord then we automatically become dear to our spiritual master and all devotees.

prema ki ganga bahaate chalo
jot se jot milate chalo ( Bhajan by Bharat Vyas)

Love the Lord in this way and spread this Ganga of love and light, the lamp of love with the one you have. Help others to revive their love for Krsna, distribute prasada, Harinama and Srila Prabhupada’s books to them. Don’t just say I love you, but show it. Don’t just do lip service.

I also express my love by speaking this Japa talk and addressing you all. Please accept my love.

Gaura prema nande hari haribol!

23rd January 2020

Ecstatic meeting of Swami and Bhrtya!

We were listening to the conversation between Caitanya Mahaprabhu and Ramanand Rai. But we have not heard or read the first ecstatic meeting between Mahaprabhu and Ramanand Rai. Maybe sometimes in the past we may have heard it, but we have not discussed that on this zoom conference. It was a sweet union or meeting. Caitanya Mahaprabhu had gone to Jiad Narsingh ksetra in Simhachalam. He had moved further along the banks of Godavari River. At Godavari he was reminded of Yamuna. He crossed the river and took bath over there.

godāvarī dekhi’ ha-ila ‘yamunā’-smaraṇa
tīre vana dekhi’ smṛti haila vṛndāvana

Translation:
When He saw the river Godavari, the Lord remembered the river Yamuna, and when He saw the forest on the banks of the river, He remembered Sri Vrndavana-dhama.( CC Madhya 8.11)

When he saw a small forest over there he was reminded of Vrindavan.

sei vane kata-kṣaṇa kari’ nṛtya-gāna
godāvarī pāra hañā tāhāṅ kaila snāna

Translation:
After performing His usual chanting and dancing for some time in this forest, the Lord crossed the river and took His bath on the other bank. ( CC Madhya 8.12)

Mahaprabhu did kirtana over there. When he was reminded of Vrindavan he started dancing in ecstasy.

hena-kāle dolāya caḍi’ rāmānanda rāya
snāna karibāre āilā, bājanā bājāya

Translation:
At that time, accompanied by the sounds of music, Ramanand Rai came there on a palanquin to take his bath.( CC Madhya 8.14)

There was one procession passing by and Ramanand was coming in that. He was sort of a Governor of Andhra Pradesh at that time.

tāṅra saṅge bahu āilā vaidika brāhmaṇa
vidhi-mate kaila teṅho snānādi-tarpaṇa

Translation:
Many brahmanas following the Vedic principles accompanied Ramanand Rai. According to the Vedic rituals, Ramanand Rai took his bath and offered oblations to his forefathers.( CC Madhya 8.15)

Many brahmins were accompanying him and they were chanting various mantras. This way Ramanand Rai took bath according to all the rituals.

prabhu tāṅre dekhi’ jānila — ei rāma-rāya
tāṅhāre milite prabhura mana uṭhi’ dhāya

Translation:
Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu could understand that the person who had come to bathe in the river was Ramanand Rai. The Lord wanted so much to meet him that His mind immediately began running after him. (CC Madhya 8.16)

On seeing that personality , who was the chief among that procession,Caitanya Mahaprabhu thought that this must be Ramanand Rai. Although he had never seen him before , but Sarvabhauma Bhattacharya had told him, “During your travel when you reach Andhra Pradesh please do meet Ramanand Rai.” This thing had a deep impression inCaitanya Mahaprabhu’s mind that one day He has to meet Ramanand Rai. On seeing that personality in the procession he thought this must be Ramanand Rai.

tāṅhāre milite prabhura mana uṭhi’ dhāya

Caitanya Mahaprabhu was so eager to meet him that he just wanted to run and go to him. In HIs mind he was thinking let me go and meet him.

tathāpi dhairya dhari’ prabhu rahilā vasiyā
rāmānanda āilā apūrva sannyāsī dekhiyā

Translation:
Although Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu was running after him mentally, He remained seated patiently. Ramanand Rai, seeing the wonderful sannyasi, then came to see Him. ( CC Madhya 8.17)

But Caitanya Mahaprabhu thought that being a sannyasi to exhibit such eagerness would not be the right thing for him to do. Thinking this way he just remained seated over there.

rāmānanda āilā apūrva sannyāsī dekhiyā

But by then Ramanand had seen Mahaprabhu who was in the attire of sanyasi.

sūrya-śata-sama kānti, aruṇa vasana
subalita prakāṇḍa deha, kamala-locana

Translation:
Srila Ramanand Rai then saw Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu 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. ( CC Madhya 8.18)

Rai Ramanand observed Caitanya Mahaprabhu from a distance. How was he viewing Him? Arun vasan He was wearing saffron clothes as just few months prior he had accepted the renounced order of life and so He was wearing saffron clothes. Aruna Sama- kanti. He was effulgent like the sun.

sūrya-śata-sama kānti, aruṇa vasana
subalita prakāṇḍa deha

He had a big body. He was bigger in size. Usually people from Bengal are of short stature but Sri Krsna Caitanya Mahaprabhu was very huge in size , prakand deha. and kamala-locana- His eyes were like the petals of a lotus.

dekhiyā tāṅhāra mane haila camatkāra
āsiyā karila daṇḍavat namaskāra

Translation:
When Ramanand Rai saw the wonderful sannyasi, he was struck with wonder. He went to Him and immediately offered his respectful obeisances, falling down flat like a rod. ( CC Madhya 8.19)

When Rai Ramanand saw Him from a distance , it was an astonishing sight. chamatkar ko namaskar hota hai. Whenever people see some marvellous things they bow down to that. He offered prostrated obeisances to Caitanya Mahaprabhu.

uṭhi’ prabhu kahe, — ūṭha, kaha ‘kṛṣṇa’ ‘kṛṣṇa’
tāre āliṅgite prabhura hṛdaya satṛṣṇa

Translation:
The Lord stood up and asked Ramanand Rai to arise and chant the holy name of Krsna. Indeed, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu was very eager to embrace him. (CC Madhya 8.20)

Mahaprabhu told him to Remember Krsna. It’s talk of sravanam kirtanam visnohu smaranam. ( SB. 7.5.23-24) He looked at the form of Caitanya Mahaprabhu. prakand deha kamal lochan surya sam kanti. Try to visualise this description in your mind. Remember this form. Ramanand Rai took darsana of such a form of the Lord and he also offered his obeisances unto Him. Sri Krsna Caitanya Mahaprabhu told him, ‘Get up! Get up! Get up!’ and not only this but he was told to chant Krsna! Say Krsna! Krsna Krsna!

Jīva Jago jīva Jago Gaurachand bole … .( Bhajan from Geetavali by BVT)

‘Get up and listen to what I am saying’ and what he was saying? To say Krsna ! Chant Krsna! Krsna Krsna!

We also could do the same things. We also offer obeisances to Caitanya Mahaprabhu in our mind. And Mahaprabhu can tell us also get up. Get up! Say Krsna! Krsna! Krsna! Say Krsna! Say Krsna!

tāre āliṅgite prabhura hṛdaya satṛṣṇa

When Caitanya Mahaprabhu saw Ramanand an intense desire developed in His mind sa-trisna ( strong desire) , what was that? Intense desire to embrace Ramanand Rai.

tathāpi puchila, — tumi rāya rāmānanda?
teṅho kahe, — sei haṅa dāsa śūdra manda

Translation:
Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu then inquired whether he was Ramanand Rai, and he replied, “Yes, I am Your very low servant, and I belong to the sudra community.” (CC Madhya 8.21)

Caitanya Mahaprabhu still first enquired with him whether he was Ramanand Rai. There was eagerness in the mind to impress him, but still He first inquired just to confirm or make sure whether he was Ramanand Rai. teṅho kahe, — sei haṅa dāsa śūdra manda Ramanand explained that he was that. He was a lowly and unintelligent person. That Ramanand Rai who is from the low caste. That Ramanand Rai who is bereft of any intelligence. Just note that, this is the humility.
Amanina manaden ….. and trinadapi sunicen. He didn’t introduce himself in a positive manner, “I am that Ramanand who is the governor of this province.” Such thoughts never arise in the minds of such sincere devotees.

tabe tāre kaila prabhu dṛḍha āliṅgana
premāveśe prabhu-bhṛtya doṅhe acetana

Translation:
Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu then embraced Sri Ramanand Rai very firmly. Indeed, both the master and the servant almost lost consciousness due to ecstatic love.(CC Madhya 8.22)

Caitanya Mahaprabhu embraced Ramanand Rai firmly in his long hands. He not just touched him, but embraced him firmly. premāveśe prabhu-bhṛtya doṅhe acetana When they embraced each other then premāveśe prabhu-bhṛtya, one is Prabhu – master and other is bhrtya.- servant. Prabhu is Mahaprabhu and bhrtya is Rai Ramanand. Our state is also the same. We are also bhrtya.

isvara ekala krsna ar san bhrtya. ( CC Adi 5.142) Krsna is Swami, Jagannatha Swami or Krsna is the Isvara or parameswar and all others are bhrtya. We all are Bhrtya. When Prabhu and Bhrtya embrace each other they became unconscious to the external world. They lose body consciousness. They even forget that they were standing and they lose the balance.

svābhāvika prema doṅhāra udaya karilā
duṅhā āliṅgiyā duṅhe bhūmite paḍilā

Translation:
Their natural love for each other was awakened in them both, and they embraced and fell to the ground. ( CC Madhya 8.23)

While embracing each other they lost bodily consciousness. They even forgot that they wear standing and so they lost balance and then they fell on the ground.

stambha, sveda, aśru, kampa, pulaka, vaivarṇya
duṅhāra mukhete śuni’ gadgada ‘kṛṣṇa’ varṇa

Translation:
When they embraced each other, ecstatic symptoms — paralysis, perspiration, tears, shivering, paleness and standing up of the bodily hairs — appeared. The word “Krsna” came from their mouths falteringly. ( CC Madhya 8.24)

Their whole body started exhibiting such symptoms as they became ‘stambhit’ – like a rod, like a stambh or pillar. Pillar never moves here and there, both of them became that way like the pillar. Then there was trembling , and they fell down on ground and there were tears from their eyes. Their hairs were standing on end. At times they were laughing and then they were crying. Both of them were in such an ecstatic state.

dekhiyā brāhmaṇa-gaṇera haila camatkāra
vaidika brāhmaṇa saba karena vicāra

Translation:
When the stereotyped, ritualistic brahmanas who were following the Vedic principles saw this ecstatic manifestation of love, they were struck with wonder. All these brahmanas began to reflect as follows. ( CC Madhya 8.25)

Rai Ramanand’s brahmans, ministers, servants were all there at some distance on the bank of Godavari. They were viewing this exhibition of intense emotions. When they saw this they were surprised, to see this meeting and such exhibition of ecstatic symptoms.

ei ta’ sannyāsīra teja dekhi brahma-sama
śūdre āliṅgiyā kene karena krandana

Translation:
The brahmanas thought, “We can see that this sannyasi has a lustre like the effulgence of Brahman, but how is it He is crying upon embracing a sudra, a member of the fourth caste in the social order?”

The level of the brahmanas who were accompanying Rai Ramanand was low. It was meeting of bhrtya and Swami. Gauranga and Rai Ramanand were in an ecstatic phase and in comparison to the state of their mind , their superior thinking , the level of the brahmanas was low. They were not able to understand , what was happening, and then they started commenting and criticizing. They just started pointing faults in both of them, and started discussing it. ‘Oh! Look at this sannyasi! Sannyasi should be serious and grave but this sannyasi is crying. And why he is crying?’ Although Rai Ramanand was the Governor but by birth he was sudra. He was the son of the Bhavanand Rai. The brahmins where thinking that Ramanand is sudra and this sannyasi is embracing the sudra? And look how he is crying.

ei mahārāja — mahā-paṇḍita, gambhīra
sannyāsīra sparśe matta ha-ilā asthira

Translation:
They thought, “This Ramanand Rai is the Governor of Madras, a highly learned and grave person, a maha-pandita, but upon touching this sannyasi he has become restless like a madman.”

And our chief Rai Ramanand, although he is very learned , but on touching the sannyasi he has turned so unstable. Why is he crying?

ei-mata vipra-gaṇa bhāve mane mana
vijātīya loka dekhi, prabhu kaila samvaraṇa

Translation:
While the brahmanas were thinking in this way about the activities of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu and Ramanand Rai, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu saw those outsiders and restrained His transcendental emotions. (CC Madhya 8.28)

These Brahmanas are termed vijatiya. sajatiya and vijatiya. Gauranga Mahaprabhu and Rai Ramanand were of one caste or jati. They were filled with the same kind of emotions of devotion, so they were sajatiya. Brahmins were vijatiya. They were of the other type, or of the lower level. There was la big gap between both of their thinking and so they are termed vijatiya. Both of them observed that the other party is not understanding their emotions and they are gossiping among each other, criticising them. They must have heard something or must have guessed their talks.

Then Caitanya Mahaprabhu and Rai Ramanand composed themselves. The site of their meeting was confidential. It was not for the public. Actually this meeting should have happened in seclusion, but circumstances were not like that and so the meeting took place on the bank of Godavari itself. And then everyone witnessed their ecstatic emotions. All the people who were accompanying Ramanand Rai were vijatiya, among which were ritualistic brahmanas, and many other people. Preaching to the faithless is an offence. Preaching should not be done to those who have low faith or no faith. Ecstatic emotions of a higher level should not be executed in front of them. They won’t understand or they will understand it incorrectly and then we will commit offences. Because of this preachers and Spiritual Masters should be very cautious. Preaching to the faithless is an offence. Disclosing confidential things to low minded people or new people is an offence. To protect themselves from committing such an offence Mahaprabhu and Ramanand withdrew their ecstatic symptoms.

Then they had further conversation. We have just discussed the meeting and their glancing at each others. Till now their talk has not begun. Now they will introduce themselves to each other.

Further Krsnadas Kaviraj Goswami has written in Caitanya-caritamrita. We will see further. This chapter is very important. Till now just the meeting is taking place. Then they kept on meeting everyday for 7 more days and kept conversing. This conversation between Caitanya Mahaprabhu and Ramanand is part of Caitanya-caritamrita and is a very famous incident. Many confidential matters were discussed and disclosed in this conversation. Many things and theories and confidential matters of Madhurya lila pastimes were discussed in this. There are many such questions/answers from the discussion between Caitanya Mahaprabhu and Ramanand Rai, which are like Srila Prabhupada’s ‘Perfect questions, Perfect answers.’

22nd January 2020

Saari Bhumi Gopal Ki

Hare Krishna

ISKCON Amravati’s Temple President, Ananta Sesa Prabhu has sent a message about ISKCON Amravati’s Nama Japa Yajna. They are in need of land. So they are going to perform Nama Japa Yajna till they get land for the temple. All of you please give your best wishes. Keep on performing Nama Sankirtana Yajna all ISKCON Amravati devotees. All the land belongs to Gopal. But they are trying to claim it. They try to claim the land as their own and don’t want to give land to construct a temple. Those who don’t give land will get punished. To save oneself from it one should offer the land. We are trying to fight between me and mine, keeping the Lord away.

bhoktaram yajna-tapasam
sarva-loka-mahesvaram
suhrdam sarva-bhutanam
jnatva mam santim rcchati

Translation:
A person in full consciousness of Me, knowing Me to be the ultimate beneficiary of all sacrifices and austerities, the Supreme Lord of all planets and demigods, and the benefactor and well-wisher of all living entities, attains peace from the pangs of material miseries. [BG 5.29]

Those who understand this will become peaceful.

Hadapsar devotees also need land. They should also do Sankirtana Yajna.
Srila Prabhupada called this 29th verse of 5th chapter the Peaceful Formula.
Those who falsely claim that land belongs to them and cannot donate the land for the construction of the temple get punished. If we want to avoid punishment, we have to understand this sloka. The Lord is the enjoyer and hence is offered everything. We should become yogi and Bhagavan is bhogi. If we don’t offer then we become rogi.

“Whatever yajna you perform offer that unto Me.”

Any activity we perform should be offered to the Lord. We should act for Yajna. Every single activity should be Yajna. Yajna means Supreme Lord. Lord is Yajna Purusha.

yajnarthat karmano ‘nyatra
loko ‘yam karma-bandhanah
tad-artham karma kaunteya
mukta-sangah samacara

Translation:
Work done as a sacrifice for Viṣṇu has to be performed; otherwise work causes bondage in this material world. Therefore, O son of Kuntī, perform your prescribed duties for His satisfaction, and in that way you will always remain free from bondage. [BG 3.9]

All activities should be offered unto the Lord.

tad kurum madh arpan – The tongue of the Yajna is the Lord’s tongue. If we don’t act for the pleasure of the Lord then it becomes a cause of bondage. It will become a knot in our heart. Why is the Lord the enjoyer? Because everything belongs to Him.

sarva-loka-mahesvaram [BG 5.29]

Oh fools, you also belong to the Lord. I belong to the Lord. This is the right ego or aham. You start from here – ‘I belong to the Lord’. That’s the end. There shouldn’t be any false ego. I’m servant of Krsna and this is the correct and true ego. As we identify ourselves as servants of the Lord then aham is finished. Then mama also gets finished. If we don’t identify ourselves as belonging to the Lord then something remains apart. Then this false identification leads to aham brahmasmi which Srila Prabhupada calls the last snare of Maya. With manasa deho geho everything finishes. I belong to the Lord. So I’ll perform Yajna and sacrifice everything which I was considering mine. I’ll use it in the service of the Lord. Everything belongs to the Lord and it has to be utilised in the service of the Lord.

In Bengal a house is called Thakur badi. They open an account in the name of the Lord. There is then no question of mamma or me and mine. Such a person is always liberated. For such people an airplane from Vaikuntha will come. We need to be liberated in order to get back to Vaikuntha. Maya has been described in Srimad-Bhagavatam in two words ME and MINE.

Aham mamma ja iti this is Maya.
Aham + mamma + iti

Aham means ‘me’, mamma means ‘mine’, iti means ‘this much’

They say there is no peace. If you all say there is no peace, if you aspire for Bhakti,
mukti, siddhi, then you won’t be peaceful.

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

Because a devotee of Lord Kṛṣṇa is desireless, he is peaceful. Fruitive workers desire material enjoyment, jñānīs desire liberation, and yogīs desire material opulence; therefore they are all lusty and cannot be peaceful.
[Sri Caitanya-Caritamrta-Madhya 19.149]

If we understand these three things:
1.Lord is enjoyer means Bhokta.
2.Why is the Lord the enjoyer? – sarva-loka-mahesvaram. Because everything belongs to Him.
3.Our heart or supersoul. Suhrdam

“Oh all living entities. I’m your best friend”. He is giving us this information. In English we say, “A friend in need is a friend indeed.” One who helps us when in need, is our true friend. Lord isn’t our friend for namesake. He always helps when we are in need. The Biggest problem is birth, death, disease and old-age. This will go on again and again.

punarapi jananam punaripi maranam
punarapi janani jathara sayanam,
iha samsra bahudusare krpaya’ pare
Pahi murare

This is a prayer to Murari made by Sankaracarya even though he preached Mayavada. He is pleading for help. No one can help. Neither scientists, doctors nor actors. Who has the solution? This problem will keep on going. We have established our temporary army of relatives, wife…. Which Sukadev Goswami calls false as it can’t help you to get rid of 4 real problems of ‘birth, death, disease and old age’. The Lord says that only He can help. One who knows these three things will attain peace. Let there be peace. May the minds of people in Amravati experience peace! The industrialists in Amravati also want peace so make them understand how they can get peace by giving up this false claim. It is a start at least. Let there be peace in India, America,Russia and everywhere.

This is the mission of Lord Caitanya and this is the purpose of ISKCON. So instruct everyone about the teachings of Krsna. Contemplate on this. Do you want peace in Damodardesh, Hadapsar? If you want, then preach truth and do Harinama. Essence of all truth is Nama Sankirtana. Give up garbage and grab the essence. Apart from the holy name there’s nothing valuable in this 14 planetary system. Srila Bhakti Vinod Thakur said this

kṛṣṇa-nāma-sudhā koriyā pān,
jurāo bhakativinoda-prāṇ,
nāma binā kichu nāhiko āro,
caudda-bhuvana-mājhe

Translation:
Drink the pure nectar of the holy name of Krsna. There is nothing but the name to be had in the fourteen worlds. (From the Vaisnava Bhajan Udilo Aruna Puraba Bhage, Verse 8 by Bhaktivinoda Thakura)

It has filled the soul of Sri Bhaktivinoda Thakura.

Thank you
Hare Krishna

21st January 2020

Sarvatma Snapanam

Hare Krishna. I. I am very happy and pleased that nearly 495-500 participants are chanting with us from all over the world.Keep chanting.

When I was rewarded this garland of flowers, I was reminded of Lord Caitanya when He visited Simhachal.

sri mahaprabhu simhachal gela

Gela is a Marathi word. Así means mother. Saci Mata is called as Aai which is also used in Marathi.

Lord Caitanya went to Simhachal. Simha means Narasimha and achal means Mountain. So Simhachal is where Lord Narasimha stays on the top of the mountain hill. Lord Caitanya offered His obeisances to Lord Narasimha. When you read, the idea is that we also see when we hear. That scene should be in front of us. We should see Lord Caitanya offering obeisances to Lord Narasimha. Both are the same Lord. The Lord is offering obeisances to Himself. He is also dancing and glorifying.

Jai Narasimha
Jai Jai Narasimha
praladesa jaya padma
mukha padma bhrnga

Praladesa means Prahalad+esa. The Lord of Prahlada means Narasimha. Bhrnga means bee. Only saying Jaya Narasimha is singing glory. Prahaladesh means the Lord of Prahalad. Laksmi has become bhrnga (bee) and She Is wondering around His face. We can also say that the Lord has become bhringa. Laksmi who is also called Padma stays on the chest of the Lord and is also there. The Lord has become a Bee and is drinking the beauty of the lotus face of Laksmi.

Ugram viram mahavishnum jvalantam sarvato mukham narasimham bhishanam bhadram mrtyum mrtyum namamyaham

In this sloka the 9 names of Narasimha are described.

There are 8 Narasimhas in Andhra Pradesh and a 9th in Simhachal. Are you taking darsana of the 9 Narasimhas that I am showing you?

We have published a photograph in our Padayatra Magazine. In that you will find darsana of Narasimha. Lord Caitanya is singing the glories of the Lord in ecstasy. The temple pujari brought the garland of Narasimha and offered it to Lord Caitanya. He also would have offered Tulasi at the feet of the Lord. In this way, the pujari welcomed Lord Caitanya. This is also the garland from Narasimha Kshetra which I have been offered. I was reminded of that when I was offered this garland.

In yesterday’s Japa talk we were discussing the conversation between Ramanand Rai and Mahaprabhu on the banks of the river Godavari.

When we read or hear anything, that scene should be in front of us. We should visualise Lord Caitanya offering obeisances to Lord Narasimha. Have you visited Simhachal? Srila Prabhupada and I had also gone to Simhachal. If you have not visited, then please go because one day we have to leave this world. Do not be attached to your house. When Lord Caitanya took darsana of Godavari, He immediately thought of Yamuna Devi. He was so Krishna Conscious. Any little fragrance or touch or water made Him remember Vrindavan. As soon as He sees a cloud He remembers Syamsundar. How are the clouds? They are dark just like Syam. This kind of remembrance used to take place in the case of Radha and the Gopis. Lord Caitanya is in the mood of Radharani. Whenever He saw any river, He remembers Yamuna. When He saw any forest, He would remember Vrindavan, the forest of Vrinda. If He used to see any hill, He would remember Govardhan. He has fully developed Krishna consciousness.

This is simple living and high thinking. Krsna’s thoughts are only high thinking.

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

When we are doing Kirtana, Lord Caitanya is pleased. Because He Himself chanted the maha-mantra. As soon as Lord Caitanya saw a river, a cloud or a hill then He would directly connect with Krsna. When we chant Hare Krishna we also establish direct contact with Krsna. Lord Caitanya was so Krishna conscious that there was no limit to his ecstasy.

anandam budhi vardhanam

We sing in Damodarastakam

itīdṛk sva-līlābhir ānanda-kuṇḍe

Lord Damodar plays such pastimes and the Vrajavasis and associates of Lord Caitanya are taking a dip in the ocean of ecstasy when they witness the Lord’s pastimes.

Lord Caitanya has sometimes spoken on the chanting of Hare Krishna in His own astakam.

sarvatma-snapanam param vijayate sri-krsna-sankirtanam

When we chant our soul is having abhishek. We also take a dip in the ocean of the nectar of the holy name. There is no limit to the ecstasy. We also have to experience this ecstasy. Our past acaryas have experienced this. We have the means – nama sankirtana by following the rules and regulations of Japa and by learning how to chant.

One devotee of ISKCON has compiled a book, ”Art Of Chanting”. We need to learn this. At the time of initiation, we are given this homework. Chant a minimum 16 rounds of the Hare Krishna maha-mantra daily. Follow the 4 regulative principles. We are reminded of the ten offences. The aim of our life is to get Krsna Prema. We should attain Krsna Prema as soon as possible.

Hare Krishna
Thank you.

20th January 2020

Caitanya Mahaprabhu and Ramananda Rai Conversation Part 2

Today is Ekadasi. Japa should be constant, not seasonal. A few of the devotees chant on this conference on special days such as Ekadasi. Don’t do like this. If you chant daily, at the same place and the same time, then it is beneficial. The Lord will be pleased with us. Our meditation will increase.

We have two breaking news! Hare Krishna devotees also have their news. We should listen to this. News from material world are gram katha and Hare Krisna news are Krsna katha.

Yesterday in Greater Noida Purnanandi Mataji organised a children’s padayatra with 64 kids. They did kirtana as well as distribution of books. It’s good morning news. Please take note of this and you can organise such a special one day padayatra. Jayabhadra mataji had also organised Girl’s padayatra. One day padayatras are also going on which are organised by Murali Mohan prabhu. This way preaching is conducted through padayatra. It is also called nagar sankirtana or Prabhat Pheri in Maharashtra. Prabhat means morning hours and Pheri means to go from place to place while doing kirtana.

rama nama ke heere moti
main bikhraaun gali gali

Harinama is a jewel and we distribute these jewels of Harinama in various streets during Sankirtana. ( anonymous Rama bhajan)

Today is Ekadasi. We have to chant more and with more attention. Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura has recommended introspection of our sadhana on Ekadasi from the last Ekadasi to this one and to make some resolutions to improve our weak points. This is our homework.

ISKCON Amravati in Maharashtra is celebrating the 20th Anniversary of its temple opening this year. They want to renovate the temple and hence they are organising a 20 hour Sankirtana Mahayajna today. They already have started. For this Mahayajna and renovation, all of you please chant Haribol and give your best wishes and blessings and inspire their leaders, devotees and congregation of ISKCON Amravati.

One more news, This year we have the 30th Anniversary of Mayapur, Nabadvipa-mandala Parikrama. This is a special celebration. You all are cordially invited. 30 years ago, we started Nabadvipa Parikrama and the number of participants went on increasing starting from 100. We are expecting 10 thousand participants this year. Please make an announcement regarding Nabadvipa Parikrama in your temple. There will be Kirtana mela in Mayapur and then Parikrama.

Now we will read the remaining conversation between Lord Caitanya and Rāmānanda Rāi. Caitanya Mahaprabhu is asking questions from Rāmānanda Rāi.

‘śreyo-madhye kona śreyah jīvera haya sāra?’
‘krsna-bhakta-sanga vinā śreyah nāhi āra’

Translation:
“Out of all auspicious and beneficial activities, which is best for the living entity?”
Rāmānanda Rāya replied, “The only auspicious activity is association with the devotees of Krsna.” (CC.Madhya 8.251)

Which is the best activity? One is śreyah and another is preyah.

Arjuna said

na ca sreyo ‘nupasyami
hatva sva-janam ahave
na kankse vijayam krsna
na ca rajyam sukhani ca

Translation:
I do not see 5any good (śreyah) can come from killing our own kinsmen in this battle, nor can I, my dear Krsna, desire any subsequent victory, kingdom, or happiness. (BG 1.31)

Arjuna call this śreyah. Preyah means immediate sense gratification. We don’t think of the result of such enjoyment. We don’t think of śreyah or long term benefit. We should not do this. We should think of śreyah. Children like to play. They don’t like to go to school. They are asked to think of the future. The world does not think of the future. They just think of the present. But everything’s not lost with death. We need to think of life after death. Please understand what is śreyah and preyah. We should act now in such a way that we will get the sweet fruits of our current endeavours later in future.

Krsna-prāpti hoy jāhā ha’te (Guru Vandana verse 1) Attaining Krishna is real śreyah. Which is the best activity for the living entities? How can we get śreyah is the question asked now.
There is no other medium to get śreyah other than through the association of devotees of Krsna.

Therefore, It is said that

‘sādhu-sanga’, ‘sādhu-sanga’, sarva-sāstre kaya
lava-mātra sādhu-sange sarva-siddhi haya (CC. Madhya 22.54)

Translation:
Simply by associating with a pure devotee, one becomes wonderfully advanced in Krsna consciousness. (CC. Madhya 22.54)

Siddhi means śreyah. san siddhi hari-poshanam Rāmānanda Rāi replied to get siddhi or śreyah, the association of devotees is mandatory.

‘kānhāra smarana jīva karibe anuksana?’
‘Krsna-nāma-guna-līlā–pradhāna smarana’ (C.C. Madhya 8.252)

Translation :
Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu asked, “What should all living entities constantly remember?”
Rāmānanda Rāi replied, “The chief objects of remembrance are always the Lord’s holy names, qualities and pastimes.”

Anuksana comes after Ksana. Anu means to follow or Anusaran or Ramanuj, Krsnanuj. Anuksana means constantly. Whom to be remembered constantly? Rāmānanda Rāi replied that we should remember Krsna, His name, qualities, pastimes, form, abode, and His devotees. This is Bhagavad, anything which is related to Lord.

sri-radhika-madhavayor apara
madhurya-lila guna-rupa-namnam
prati-kshanasvadana-lolupasya
vande guroh sri-charanaravindam

Translation :
Srila Vishwanath Cakravarti Thakur has said that our ideal acaryas are always eager to chant and hear about the unlimited conjugal pastimes of Sri Sri Radhika and Madhava, and about Their qualities, names, and forms. (Sri Gurvashtakam Text 5)

nana-sastra-vicaranaika-nipunau sad-dharma-samsthapakau
lokanam hita- karinau tri-bhuvane manyau saranyakarau radha-krishna-padaravinda-bhajananandena mattalikau
vande rupa-sanatanau raghu-yugau sri-jiva-gopalakau

Translation :
Six Goswamis are absorbed in the mood of the gopis and experiencing bliss remembering name, form, pastimes, qualities of Radha Krsna. (shad Goswamy Ashtakam verse 2)

It’s been asked to remember Krsna always.

Smartavyam satatam Vishnu vismartvyam na jatu chit

Gopis also had asked to remember Krsna always. Not to forget ever Krsna. We have to practice this.

‘dhyeya-madhye jīvera kartavya kon dhyāna?’
‘rādhā-krsna-padāmbuja-dhyāna–pradhāna’

Translation :
Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu further inquired, “Out of many types of meditation, which is required for all living entities?”
Śrīla Rāmānanda Rāya replied, “The chief duty of every living entity is to meditate upon the lotus feet of Rādhā and Krsna.”(CC. Madhya 8.253)

Dhyeya means one worthy of remembrance. Object of remembrance. What should the living entity meditate on? Srila Prabhupada would ask us to fix our object of meditation before beginning our meditation. If you don’t know on whom you are going to meditate then what is the use of such meditation. This is the question.

Meditation on the lotus feet of Radha Krsna is real meditation.

radha-krsna-padaravinda-bhajanananda
sa vai mana krishna-padaravindayau

King Kulashekhar used to meditate on lotus feet of the Lord. This is speciality of Gaudiya Vaisnavas.

I was hearing Srila Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Thakur. He was saying that those who worship Visnu are Vaisnavas, those who worship Krishna are Karsnas and those who worship Radha are Gaudiyas or Gaudiya Vaisnavas.

Radha and Krsna are always together. We should meditate upon the lotus feet of Radha Krsna.

‘sarva tyaji’ jīvera kartavya kāhān vāsa?’
‘vraja-bhūmi vrndāvana yāhān līlā-rāsa’

Translation :
Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu asked, “Where should the living entity live, abandoning all other places?”
Rāmānanda Rāya replied, “The holy place known as Vrndāvana or Vrajabhūmi, where the Lord performed His rāsa dance.” (CC. Madhya 8.254)

Where should living entity stay giving up everything? Give up everything and run towards Vrindavan. This is our aim. We can go from time to time. If you get frustrated, then go to Vrindavan. When you return, then if you remember Vrindavan wherever you are, say Amravati, Nagpur, Moscow, New York or Pune, then you are in Vrindavan. Srila Prabhupada said once, “I am not in New York. I am in Vrindavan.” So, this is also a way to live in Vrindavan. Srila Prabhupada would say that he was missing his Radha Damodar, Radha Govind of Vrindavan because his heart was not in New York, but in Vrindavan.

So, you can also go to ISKCON temples which are also Vrindavan or else you can turn your home into Vrindavan.

asha pashashater bandhe A living entity should leave everything behind and reach to Vrindavan.

‘śravana-madhye jīvera kon śrestha śravana?”
‘rādhā-krsna-prema-keli karna-rasāyana’

Translation :
Śri Caitanya Mahāprabhu asked, “Out of all topics people listen to, which is best for all living entities?”
Rāmānanda Rāya replied, “Hearing about the loving affairs between Rādhā and Krsna is most pleasing to the ear.” (CC. Madhya 8.255)

What is worth of hearing? Hearing Pastimes of Radha Krsna is worth hearing. Gaudiya Vaisnavas are like this only. They don’t leave Radha Krsna. If you want to live, live in the abode of Radha Krsna. If you want to meditate, meditate upon the lotus feet of Radha Krsna. If you want to hear something, then hear the pastimes of Radha Krsna. First hear, study or chant then automatically you will remember or meditate. śravanam, kirtanam, visnu smaranam or remembering the lotus feet of Radha Krsna. This is the best thing – to meditate upon but for this we have read or hear Srila Prabhupada books, Krishna book, Srimad-Bhagavatam.

‘upāsyera madhye kon upāsya pradhāna?’
‘śrestha upāsya–yugala ‘rādhā-krsna’ nāma’

Translation :
Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu asked, “Among all worshipable objects, which is the chief?”
Rāmānanda Rāya replied, “The chief worshipable object is the holy name of Rādhā and Krsna, the Hare Krsna mantra.”(C.C. Madhya 8.256)

Whom to worship? We sadhakas are upasak then who should be Upāsya?
The greatest worship is the name of Radha Krsna. He hasn’t spoken about the worshipping of Deities although we do this also as a part of navidha bhakti as aradhana. But this was recommended in Dvapara Yuga. Whatever benefit was attained by worshipping deities in Dvapara Yuga can be attained by chanting the holy names of Radha Krsna in age of Kali Yuga. That is why it is said in sastras:

harer nāma harer nāma
harer nāmaiva kevalam
kalau nāsty eva nāsty eva
nāsty eva gatir anyathā

” ‘For spiritual progress in this Age of Kali, there is no alternative, there is no alternative, there is no alternative to the holy name, the holy name, the holy name of the Lord.’ ( CC Adi 7.76)

The best worship amongst yajnas is the chanting of the holy names. You can refer to the 8th chapter of Madhya Lila Caitanya-caritamrta from verse 240 onwards , if you want to read this again or you can give class on it.

Gaura prema nande hari haribol !

19th January 2020

Lessons from the Conversation between Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu and Ramananda Rai

During His South India tour as the Lord was travelling to different regions on banks of Godavari, there He had a meeting with Rai Ramananda at Kovvur in Andhra Pradesh. It’s said that Rai Ramananda is the incarnation of Vishaka and Vishaka has descended and was Governor of Andhra Pradesh. Talks between Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu and Rāmānanda Rāya

It’s a very famous conversation and is found in Caitanya-caritamrita Madhya Lila 8th chapter. The conversation between Mahaprabhu and Ramananda went on for about 1week .They met every day and there would be different discussions. This conversation has been presented in fthe orm of small questions and answers or perfect questions and perfect answers like we have Srila Prabhupada’s book Perfect Questions, Perfect Answers. It’s a very important dialogue. Here the answers were given by Rai Ramananda. Questions were being asked by Lord Caitanya and Lord Caitanya was getting them answered through Rai Ramananda.

Rai Ramananda said “Oh Lord you are speaking or you are making me speak. I’m an instrument in Your hands like a vina and I will make the sound as you play.” So the speaker is Lord Caitanya Himself. We will make you hear this conversation as it’s very useful and it should be learned and followed. We should develop our character through this.

Lord Caitanya inquired to Ramananda Rai:
prabhu kahe, — “kon vidyā vidyā-madhye sāra?” rāya kahe, —
“kṛṣṇa-bhakti vinā vidyā nāhi āra”

Translation:
On one occasion the Lord inquired, “Of all types of education, which is the most important?” Ramananda Rai replied, “No education is important other than the transcendental devotional service of Krsna.” [CC Madhya lila 8.245]

Ramananda Rai replied: Knowledge related to Krsna or devotion is knowledge and it is the essence of all. We should take lessons in bhakti yoga in this life. And that education or knowledge is supreme and the essence of everything.

Knowledge that we learn and teach is not knowledge of bhakti, but it is knowledge of bhukti. That is money making knowledge, not man making. When you earn money then it is just utilized for sense gratification, dharma, artha, kama. When the pocket is full one goes for sense gratification. We should learn bhakti not bhukti?

Lord Caitanya inquired from Ramananda Rai:
‘kīrti-gaṇa-madhye jīvera kon baḍa kīrti?’
‘kṛṣṇa-bhakta baliyā yāṅhāra haya khyāti’

Translation: “
Out of all glorious activities, which is the most glorious?” Ramananda Rai replied: “That person who is reputed to be a devotee of Lord Kṛṣṇa enjoys the utmost fame and glory.” [CC Madhya lila 8.246]

Identifying oneself as servant of Krishna is true glory or kirti. So this is real glory, I am servant of Krsna, I am Krsnas and I do this for Krsna, all this things are glories. jiva krsna das ei visvas.

The glory in this world can be of two types – being famous for good deeds or being famous for bad deeds. Ravan was also very famous, but he was well-known for his bad deeds. Most of the idiots of this world are famous in this manner. We should identity ourselves as servants of the Lord, I am Krsna Dasa. This type of introduction one should give and that’s the real glory. If you become the Lord’s devotee, the Lord will increase and expand your fame all over.

Lord Caitanya inquired to Ramananda Rai:
‘sampattira madhye jīvera kon sampatti gaṇi?’
‘rādhā-kṛṣṇe prema yāṅra, sei baḍa dhanī’

Translation:
Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu asked, “Of the many capitalists who posses great riches, who is the topmost?`
Ramananda Rai replied, “ He who is richest in love for Radha and Krishna is the greatest capitalist.” [CC Madhya lila 8.247]
Which is greatest wealth amongst all wealth which can be called real wealth? Ramananda Rai replied: If you have been bestowed by Radha Krsna prema then you have real wealth. If you don’t have that then you are bankrupt. There is not even one penny in your account. You have just collect material wealth. The person who has Krsna prema that person is really wealthy. We chant Hare Krishna in the morning. We start to earn real wealth early in the morning while others start very late by 10 or 11 am. But Krsna’s devotees are very smart. They start increasing their fixed deposits early in the morning. Krsna prema is real wealth of the soul which pleases the soul. You are truly wealthy as you’re chanting Hare Krishna and earning real wealth.

Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu asked :
‘duḥkha-madhye kona duḥkha haya gurutara?’
‘kṛṣṇa-bhakta-viraha vinā duḥkha nāhi dekhi para’[CC Madhya lila 8.248]

Translation:
“Of all kinds of distress, what is the most painful?”
Ramananda Rai replied: Apart from separation from the devotee of Kṛṣṇa, I know of no unbearable unhappiness.”
If we are bereft of association of devotees then what else couldn’t have been greater cause of despondency? Association of devotees is very important, it gives pleasure. And if we are not getting association of devotees that should be the cause of our unhappiness. We keep meeting many people who cheat us, mislead us. But mahajano yena gatah sa panthah, if we are not getting association of devotees who show us the right path that’s the cause of our sadness. We should always try to get association of devotees.

asat-saṅga-tyāga-ei vaiṣṇava-ācāra [CC Madhya 22.87]

There are two types of association, satsanga and asatsanga. Asatsanga gives pain and satsanga gives pleasure. So it’s said here if we are not getting association of devotees that the cause of our lamentation. Oh why are you sad these days? Oh I am not getting association of devotees.
Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu asked:

mukta-madhye kon jīva mukta kari’ māni?’
‘kṛṣṇa-prema yāṅra, sei mukta-śiromaṇi’ [CC Madhya lila 8.249]

Translation: “Out of all liberated persons, who should be accepted as the greatest?” Ramananda Rai replied: One who has got Krishna prema is greatest amongst liberated personalities. Krsna prema, we call in Gaudiya vaishnav language as pancham purusartha. There are four purusartha-dharma, artha, kama, moksha. The Advaitavadis consider getting merged into Brahman as mukti.

kaivalya narkayate

Liberation of Mayavadis is worse than getting intoo hell. Attainment of Krishna prema is better than mukti. Superior than liberation is devotion for Lord Krsna. As you get Krishna prema then there is nothing left to be achieved. You get Krsna, His abode, His service and you get situated in your own eternal form or svarupa. hitva anyatha rupam sva-rupena avasthiti. This is liberation according to Bhagavatam. It’s not that the Lord does not have form. This ignorance is mayavad. One who escapes from this and achieves Krsna prema is the supreme amongst the devotees

Caitanya Mahaprabhu asked

‘gāna-madhye kona gāna — jīvera nija dharma?’
‘rādhā-kṛṣṇera prema-keli’ — yei gītera marma’

Translation:
“Among many songs, which song is to be considered the actual religion of the living entity?” Ramananda Rai replied: Singing glories of love of Radha Krishna are greatest. [CC Madhya lila 8.250]

rādhā kṛṣṇa-praṇaya-vikṛtir hlādinī śaktir asmāt

Keli means pastime like jala keli, prema keli, rati keli. So conjugal pastimes of Radha Krsna are the highest level of love.

gaurangera madhura-lila, jar karne pravesila, hridoya nirmala bhelo tar

You may say gaurangera madhura lila or Krsnera madhura lila, singing these pastimes is the greatest. Songs of Radha Krsna pastimes are the greatest. Everyone likes to sing, so one should sing this. For that we need to first hear these pastimes and then we need to engage our tongue to sing them or chant,

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

Hare Krishna maha-mantra includes all the pastimes and songs. We need to hear this maha-mantra. Lord Caitanya also used to hear Srimad-Bhagavatam. He also chanted Hare Krishna. He would go to Gadadhar Pandit at Tota Gopinath and hear Srimad-Bhagavatam from him. And in Gambhira the whole night He would spend time with Rai Ramananda. In Kovvur He told Rai Ramanand to join Him to give up his job of being Governor. Rai Ramananda asked Caitanya Mahaprabhu to stay for few more days. “We will have more katha and discussion. What big difference will a few days, I want to have discussions with you throughout your whole life. You renounce all this dirty business and come to Jagannatha Puri. Thus Caitanya Mahaprabhu inspired him and Ramananda Rai renounced everything and came to Jagannatha Puri. By the time Caitanya Mahaprabhu came back from South India tour Ramananda Rai reached Jagannatha Puri after retiring from his job. He spent his remaining life singing the glories of Radha Krsna with Lord Caitanya. He sang from Srimad- Bhagavatam, Gita Govinda, Krsna karnamrita, Candi Dasa. In this way Lord Caitanya has set a standard in front of the whole world – if you want to sing, sing the glories of Radha Krsna and chant

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

We will do the remaining questions tomorrow.
Gaur Premanande Hari Hari bol

18 January 2020

Radharani nourishes devotional service.

All of you are welcome.

In Kaundinyapur a katha is going on by Sarvabhauma Prabhu. You can also join.

rādhā kṛṣṇa-praṇaya-vikṛtir hlādinī śaktir asmād
ekātmānāv api bhuvi purā deha-bhedaṁ gatau tau
caitanyākhyaṁ prakaṭam adhunā tad-dvayaṁ caikyam āptaṁ
rādhā-bhāva-dyuti-suvalitaṁ naumi kṛṣṇa-svarūpam

Translation
Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa is one. Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa is Kṛṣṇa and Kṛṣṇa’s pleasure potency combined. When Kṛṣṇa exhibits His pleasure potency, He appears to be two — Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa. Otherwise, Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa are one. This oneness may be perceived by advanced devotees through the grace of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. This was the case with Rāmānanda Rāya. One may aspire to attain such a position, but one should not try to imitate the mahā-bhāgavata. (CC. Ādi 1.5)

Lord Caitanya is combined form of Radha and Krisna is Lord Caitanya ekatmanapi,bhuvi purā deha-bhedaṁ gatau tau Radha Krsna is one soul for the sake of pastime, They separate and become two. Krsna is energetic and the mighty God, whereas Radha is His energy. Krsna is Radha itself. shakti shaktimatayo abhedha
There is no difference between energy and energetic. That is why both Krsna and Radha both are God.

We have a power house from which we receive electricity. That power gets manifested in the form of heat, light, a cooling effect. Like the heating, cooling and lighting cannot be separated from electricity, in the same way, Radha and Krsna are one. They complement each other. Radha and Krsna cannot be separated from each other. bhuvi purā deha-bhedaṁ gatau tau This has been explained by Krsna Das Kaviraj Goswami at the beginning of Caitanya-caritamrta.

A worshipper of Shakti is called a Shakat.
A worshipper of Ganpati is called a Ganapatya,
A worshipper of Visnu is called a Vaisnava.
A worshipper of Surya is called a Saur.

We are Vaisnavas, but we worship Radha. Radha is the energy. We are also Shakats as we worship Srimati Radharani as the energy of the Lord. Like in Bengal, worshippers of Durga are called Shakats.

There are two energies of the Lord – the external and internal. External energy (Maha Maya) is Durga and Internal energy (Yoga Maya) is Radharani. Durga protects this fort, the material world. Durg means a fort from which it is very difficult to get in and out as it is well protected and Durga or the external energy protects this fort. Worshippers of the external energy are also called Shakats. We, Gaudiya Vaisnavas, worship Radharani who is the internal energy of Lord and also known as Yoga Maya. Visnu or Param Visnu, Sri Krsna also worships Radharani. We are not recognized as Shakats, but can be called that.

Radha Krsna love each other so much and when They sometimes get separated, They miss each other very much. When Krsna enters the kunja first then He waits and searches for Radharani. If He does not find Her over there then He gets upset. It’s not that only the gopis and Radharani look out for Krsna, Krsna also searches and waits for Radharani and the gopis. Krsna becomes restless without the association of Radharani and the gopis. Krsna also chants the names of Radha. When Mother Yasoda asks Krsna to chant the mantra given by Bhaguri Muni then Krsna begins to chant the names of Radha instead.

Radhe Radhe Radhe,
Radhe Radhe Radhe,
Jai Jai Sri Radhe

One day Krsna was playing flute at Imlitala and was calling the names of Radharani through His flute. Krsna’s flute can speak and send messages like we send a sms from a mobile. The flute speaks in five melodies. Sa re ga ma pa … these melodies are sweet, but not meaningful. But when Krsna plays the flute, it’s melody is very sweet and meaningful and sends messages and calls each of the gopis, Radha and cows by their names. Krsna was so absorbed in playing the flute and calling for Radharani that His whole bodily complexion was transformed. As Krsna called Her, Radharani reached over there. When She got there, She found that Krsna was absorbed in meditation and has become golden remembering Radharani. sravanam kirtanam radhayaha smaranam

Krsna was chanting, hearing and remembering Radharani and at that time, He didn’t remain Syamsundara but became Gaurasundara. He gave this darsana 5000 years ago at Imlitala before appearing as Gaurasundara or Lord Caitanya in Kaliyuga.

bhuvi purā deha-bhedaṁ gatau tau
dhule dhule gorā chāńda
hari guna gāi
āsiyā vrndāvane
nace gaura rāy ( anonymous Bengali)

When Sri Krsna Caitanya Mahaprabhu came to Vrndavan, He began to dance in kirtana and performed Vraja-mandala Parikrama. Then He began to stay at Akrura-ghata. He came to Imlitala and started to call the names of Krsna in the mood of Radha.

Krsna!Krsna!Krsna!Krsna!Krsna!Krsna!Krsna!he!
Krsna!Krsna!Krsna!Krsna!Krsna!Krsna!Krsna!he!
Krsna!Krsna!Krsna!Krsna!Krsna!Krsna!raksa!mam!

He was chanting the names of Krsna at the same place where Krsna was chanting the names of Radha and while chanting the names of Krsna, he became completely absorbed in meditation of Krsna, Gaurasundara became Shyamsundar.

In this way Radha Krsna chant remembering each other. They go into samadhi and feel intense separation from each other.

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

Translation
I offer my respectful obeisances unto the Vaishnava devotees of the Lord. They are just like desire trees and can fulfill the desires of everyone, and they are full of compassion for the fallen conditioned souls. ( Vaisnav pranam mantra)

Sri Krsna Caitanya Mahaprabhu has asked all fallen souls like us to chant the holy names of Radha Krsna. bolo krsna bhajo krsna karo krsna siksa

harer nāma harer nāma
harer nāmaiva kevalam
kalau nāsty eva nāsty eva
nāsty eva gatir anyathā

Translation
For spiritual progress in this Age of Kali, there is no alternative, there is no alternative, there is no alternative to the holy name, the holy name, the holy name of the Lord. ( CC Adi 7.76)

Radha chants the names of Krsna while Krsna chants the names of Radha, but we chant the names of both. When we say Hare, we are calling Radharani. When Krsna hears someone chanting the names of His Radharani then He gets pleased and excited. And when we say Krishna, Radharani gets pleased and excited when She hears the names of Krsna.

There are only 2 names in the Hare Krishna maha-mantra – 8 times Hare or Radha, 4 times Krsna and Rama making 8 times Krsna. So, this makes 8 names of Radha and 8 names of Krsna.

When we chant and They hear each other’s name being called then both of them get pleased and bestow happiness on the chanter. This way, it becomes complete. Krsna and Radha, both are sat-cit-ananda. Radha is the internal or hladini sakti of Krsna. Radharani gives bliss to Krsna and for your information, whatever pleasure we get, is also given to us by Radharani.

Krsna is sat-cit-ananda and we are part and parcel of Krsna. So we are also sat-cit-ananda. Sat is Sandhini, Cit is Samvit and Ananda is hladini. These all are potencies of Krsna. These potencies become person and the hladini potency or ananda is Radharani. Radharani gives bliss to Krsna and the jiva (soul). Radharani nourishes our devotional service. Karunamayi Radha! Radha is Vrndavaneswari!

Chant Hare Krishna and be happy and Radharani makes us happy.

17 January 2020

Perform devotional service like Radharani

You are all welcome this morning.

This is Caitanya Mahaprabhu’s teaching. It is said in Sanskrit and there are many

aradhyo bhagavan vrajesa-tanayas tad-dhama vrndavanam
ramya kacid upasana vraja-vadhu-vargenava kalpita

And moving forward:

srimad-bhagavatam pramanam amalam prema pumarthomahan
sri-caitanya-mahaprabhor matamidam tatradaro nah parah

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)

Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu is inspiring us and showing us when we perform our worship, how we should do it. It should be the way in which the gopis performed worship. Make the gopis your ideal heroine. And of all the Gopis, Radha is the topmost. This word aradhana is called such due to Radharani. anayārādhito nūnaṁ

The gopis were searching for Krsna in the forest and just after seeing the Lord’s footprints, they could see some other footprints also. Before this they could not see any footprints and there was no sign whatsoever, but they kept searching and then they saw Krsna’s footprints. It was like a ray of hope as they saw the Lord’s footprints. ‘Krsna’s footprints are here so He must be here nearby. He must have walked this way.’ When gopis see His footprints what happens? He is caught like a thief. When there is robbery in the village people search for the footprints of the thief. Where he came from? Where he went? Till where he went? So the presence of footprints means there is hope that the person is around. First they saw Krsna’s footprints and then following those footprints after some time they again saw some other person’s foot prints.

As they saw this other set of footprints they started talking amongst themselves. They started guessing whose footprints they may be. So another Gopi exclaimed, ‘You silly girl, can’t you understand this? Who else’s footprints can these be? These must be Radhika’s footprints.’

And they spoke in these words,

anayārādhito nūnaṁ
bhagavān harir īśvaraḥ
yan no vihāya govindaḥ
prīto yām anayad rahaḥ [SB 10.30.28]

Translation:
Certainly this particular gopī has perfectly worshiped the all-powerful Personality of Godhead, Govinda, since He was so pleased with Her that He abandoned the rest of us and brought Her to a secluded place.

These footprints are definitely of Aradhita, the one who worships Krsna. Krsna aradhita, the one who worships Krsna.

They did not say ‘Radha’ directly, but they said anayārādhito nūnaṁ, yan no vihāya govindaḥ. Govinda left us when the Rasa dance was just about to take place. They were feeling hopeful that the rasa dance would start, but then He took this particular Gopi, this Aradhita, He took Her away alone somewhere. So where did He take Her? He brought Her here. He left us at that place and He took away that Gopi. Can you see Her footprints here? Govind bhagavān harir īśvaraḥ Hari has taken Her.

They called Him Bhagavan and Isvara as well as Hari. He who takes away our chitta. He took Radha away. He separated us from Himself. We were all with Radha, but that Govinda – Govinda means one who gives pleasure to the sense, to the cows, to the land. So the Gopis said ‘Govind, Isvara, Bhagavan, anayad’ He took Her away. This is the place, He has bought Her here. These footprints are Aradhita’s. They have not said her name directly, they have not said Radha. They said that He has bought the one who worships Him – Aradhita. There is only one place in the Bhagavatam where She is mentioned and Her name Radha is not mentioned directly, but indirectly ‘Aradhita’ the one who worships, that Gopi – Aradhita. These are Her footprints. So Caitanya Mahaprabhu says, ‘We should worship Lord Krsna like the gopis or like Radharani worships Lord Krsna.’

sri caitanya mahaprabhor matam idam tatradaro na parah.

This is the opinion of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Radha’s bhava, the Gopi’s bhava, bhakti bhava is matchless. According to the opinion of Sri Krsna Caitanya Mahaprabhu, He gives inspiration to all the Gaudiya Vaisnavas that one should worship like the Gopis, worship like Srimati Radharani. Caitanya Mahaprabhu did not just tell us, but He Himself worshipped the Lord like this and stayed in Radha bhava. The pastimes He performed in Jagannatha Puri, when He was staying in Gambhira, along with Swarup Damodar and Ramananda Raya, there Sri Krsna Caitanya Mahaprabhu was constantly in Radha bhava -in the mood of Srimati Radharani, Gopi bhava. This was a confidential, personal, private reason for His appearance, He wanted to understand Radharani.

To know Radharani, you have to perform devotional service like Radharani in the mood of Radharani. If we have Gopi bhava, if we worship like the Gopis, only then we will be able to understand devotional service. Sri Krsna Caitanya Mahaprabhu took up Radha bhava.

radha bhava dyuti suvalitam naumi Krsna swarupam

He took up Radha’s mood, Radha’s complexion. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu became Gauranga, the colour of Radharani. tapta-kancana-gaurangi and Radharani is Gaurangi. Sri Krsna Caitanya Mahaprabhu is Gauranga. Gaura is constant – both are of Gauravarna. Radharani is gauravarna and Caitanya Mahaprabhu also became gauravarna.

Hemangi, so just from the outside, bahir gaura He became the colour of Gaura. radha bhava dyuti suvalitam. Radha’s complexion and Her bhava, Her mood from the inside and the outside He was Radharani. He is looking like Radha, He has Her complexion and her bhava, her whole mood is like hers. So Sri Krsna Caitanya Mahaprabhu has taken Radha’s mood. He has taken also the mood of renunciation and He has all the right to tell us, take up Radha bhava, Radha’s mood, the Gopi’s mood. This is the mood of Sad Goswamis of Vrndavan. They used to run towards the forest searching for Krsna. kvasikvasimaha-bhuja. The six Goswamis are saying, he radhe vraja-devike ca lalite he nanda-sunokutah, in the 8th verse of Sadgoswamiastak. ghoṣantāvitisarvatovraja-pure khedairmahā-vihvalau The Goswamis would become impatient, eager and through the whole of Vraja-mandala they would run and search ‘kutah’ where are You? ‘He Radhe, he vraja-devike, he Lailite, he nanda sunokutah!

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

We also have to do this chanting in the same mood – Gopibhava, or the six Goswamis of Vrindavan’s bhava. We read in Sri Caitanya-caritamrta the devotion of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. He became a devotee and showed by His example how one should perform devotional service.

apani achari jagate sikhaye

He taught the world through His own His behaviour, His dealings. Then He went to Jagannatha Puri and performed such devotional service. Why in Jagannatha Puri? Jagannatha who is there in Jagannatha Puri is now sitting in Dvaraka and He is remembering the Gopis and mother Yasoda. The memories of the Gopis and the pastimes with the cowherd boys and Sridhama Sakha is always bewildering Him. He is eager to meet all of them. All these pastimes, ‘Oh when will I play?’ and the Vatsalya bhava with mother Yasoda, ‘When will I experience that again? And my friends! uddhav mohe braja visrat nahi. The Lord cried and cried as He spoke these words to Uddhava in Mathura.

So this Lord who cannot forget Vraja or the Vrajvasis and has this mood in His heart is sitting as Lord Jagannatha in Jagannatha Puri. That is why His eyes are so big.

Sri Krsna Caitanya Mahaprabhu reached Jagannatha Puri. And as Lord Jagannatha has the mood of searching for His devotees ‘Where are My devotees, when will I see My devotees?’ In this same way when Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu is reaching Puri He is thinking ‘When will I see My Lord?’ He is in Radha bhava, Gopi bhava. He is very eager to see the Lord, and to have His darsana and to embrace the Lord. Jagannatha is lamenting as He got separated from His devotees. Caiatanya Mahaprabhu in gopi bhava is thinking, “Krsna left me and went away.”

soduniya gopina krsna mathuresi gela

He left the gopis and went to Mathura. From there He was to come back but then He moved ahead, He went to Dvaraka. When Caitanya Mahaprabhu was in Jagannatha Puri, this was the mood He had. This is a nice combination of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu and Lord Jagannatha. They search for each other, love each other and are in intense separation from each other. This is the mood Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu took up and He has ordered or rather instructed that you all take up that mood up, service in separation, the mood of devotion in separation.

ramya kacid upasana vraja-vadhu-vargena va kalpita

One should chant with this mood. This is the practice, sadhana to have these thoughts, this bhava this mood while chanting. Otherwise remember and meditate on Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu or His mood, the Gopis’ mood. You can meditate on Radharani’s mood and evoke that mood within you and chant,

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

nitya-siddha krsna-prema sadhya kabhu naya
shravandi-shuddha-chitte karaye udaya

Translation:
“Pure love for Krishna 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.” (C.C. Madya 22.107)

As we hear Hare Krishna, the holy name with that sadhana as we move forward with our mood of devotion, our Krsna prema will be revived.

Gaura Premanande Hari Haribol