16th January 2020

Kill them with love

Hare Krishna

Some of you are writing,

vancha-kalpatarubhyash ca
kripa-sindhubhya eva ca
patitanam pavanebhyo
Vaisnavaebhyo namo namaha ( Vaisnava pranam mantra)

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

So go on offering your obeisances to Vaisnavaas. This is also a prayer at the feet of Vaisnavas. vancha-kalpatarubhyash ca

Vancha – you are the desire tree who fulfils all the desires. Whatever one desires from the desire tree he gets it. Vaissnavas are like those trees. Even the trees in the abode of the Lord are desire trees and if the trees are desire trees then what to speak of Vaisnavas over there. They also fulfil our desires so you pray at the feet of Vaisnavas.

patitanam pavanebhyo
Vaisnavaebhyo namo namaha

My obeisances to those who purify the fallen souls. So keep on offering obeisances. Gaudiya Vaisnavaas are special Vaisnavaas.

Yesterday and the day before yesterday here in Juhu the 42nd anniversary of Sri Sri Radha Rasbihari Temple was celebrated. Yesterday there was a huge rush of people aspiring to take darsana of the Lord. There was also abhishek of the Deities. A flag hoisting was also done with the help of a crane. I was also fortunate to participate in the flag hoisting on the top of Sri Sri Radha Rasbihari Temple. We kept singing Garud-dwaja. I had heard of this.

uttisthottistha! govinda!
uttistha garudadhvaja!
uttistha kamalakanta!
trailokyam mangalam kuru

Please wake up! Oh Sri Krsna who delights the cows and the mother earth! One who has Garuda on His Flag! One who is loved by Mother Kamala who is going to bring both of us together! Make the three worlds prosperous! ( Venkatesh Suprabhatam)

He! Radha Rasabihari, He! Panduranga! He! RadhaSyamasundar, He! Balaji please wake up. He! Garud-dwaja. One of the names of the Lord is Garuda dwaja, because on His flag there is a picture of Garuda. It is not only picture. It is Garud himself.

Yesterday in the evening there was satsang. Prabhupada disciples and devotees from the managing committee were present in big numbers. Devakinandan Prabhu, Narasimhanand Prabhu, Jagat Purusha Prabhu who taught me how to worship Radha Rasabihari were all on stage. While addressing the gathering over there I said that the presence of such great devotees has made the gathering roof- full. The way we say houseful, I said roof-full as the program was on the top roof. A huge number of people had gathered which Narasimhanand Prabhu also noted and expressed his happiness about it. He narrated the memories saying, ‘This temple is like a palace in which the Lord will definitely reside. There is a big hall made of marble , and all opulence is there. But if there are no devotees and it is all empty or visitor’s who come for darsana, then what is the beauty or usefulness of such a temple?’ Then it will not be a temple, but it will be like a crematorium. No one stays in a crematorium.’

I was also thinking that so many people have gathered and how many of these are followers and how many have gathered for darsana. How many of these are guests and how many consider themselves hosts. This temple belongs to us and lets us contribute in some way to manage the whole show. We follow what has been taught here. We are not only aya rama gaya rama. People go to many big temples like Birla mandir. They haven’t developed any relationship with the temple or don’t have any affection in the heart for the deities over there. They don’t listen to the words of great souls of Hari-katha over there. They are just visitors like guests. But we have to convert them from visitors to followers of Prabhupada. If they become followers they will be benefited. When such a society consolidates then the whole society will be greatly benefited. sanghe shakti kalau yuge so there will be exhibition of special power, power of devotion. People will witness so many people, those who have not remained people, but have become devotees. They will meet each other and then they will serve joining hands together. But before joining hands there will be joining of hearts. Together they will serve the Lord. Together they will do Sankirtana.

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

Caitanya Mahaprabhu taught the whole world this Hari kirtana and now we are learning. We have also become students. Caitanya Mahaprabhu gave this Sankirtana and also said,

śreyaḥ-kairava-candrikā-vitaraṇaḿ vidyā-vadhū-jīvanam
ānandāmbudhi-vardhanaḿ prati-padaḿ pūrṇāmṛtāsvādanaḿ
sarvātma-snapanaḿ paraḿ vijayate śrī-kṛṣṇa-sańkīrtanam

Translation:
Cleansing the mirror of the heart, mind, and consciousness (citta), extinguishing the great forest fire of material existence, spreading the moonshine of the lotus of good fortune, the life of the spouse of all knowledge, increasing the ocean of bliss, giving a taste of full nectar (amrita) at each step, bathing all souls, let there be all victory for the congregational hearing and chanting of the holy names of Lord Kṛṣṇa. ( Siksatakam verse 1)

All those who are on the conference and also those who are sitting here with me and at other places also became fortunate, as they have come in contact with Sri Krsna Caitanya Mahaprabhu’s Sankirtana movement. They do kirtana together, they do sankirtana. And then the world witnesses the power of devotion and gets attracted to it. All the worldly people then have to think and proceed as they cannot ignore. When such power of devotion is exhibited then many other souls are impressed. They are forced to think before they proceed with their business as usual. sanghe shakti kalau yuge. This will cause the number of devotees to rise. We are all termed Vaisnavas. We are Vaisnavas. This is not some designation like any material designations, I am Indian, I am a man, I am dark, I am fair etc. So

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

‘Bhakti, or devotional service, means engaging all our senses in the service of the Lord, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the master of all the senses. When the spirit soul renders service unto the Supreme, there are two effects. One is freed from all material designations, and one’s senses are purified simply by being employed in the service of the Lord.’ (CC Madhya 19.170)

We will have to cast off designations of this material world. But one designation we cannot get rid of is Vaisnava. We are Vaisnavas. We are trying to become Vaisnavas and then will go back to Godhead. There also we will remain Vaisnavas. The abode of the Lord is full of Vaisnavas. All the citizens over there are Vaisnavas. No one is foreign there. Everyone is local, who are in their own country in the village or abode of the Lord.

vaiṣṇava jana to tene kahiye
je pīḍa parāyī jāṇe re,
para duḥkhe upakāra kare to ye
mana abhimāna na āṇe re

Call those people Vaisnava who
Feel the pain of others,
Help those who are in misery,
But never let self-conceit enter their mind ( Vaisnava bhajan by Narsingh Mehata)

Those whom we keep calling Vaisnava is the transcendental designation. What is their introduction.

pīḍa parāyī jāṇe re,
Je ka ranjale ganjale tyasi mhane jo apule

In other words this means one who becomes unhappy when he sees others in a problem. There was such an exalted Maha Bhagwat Vaisnava who went to America. Why did he go to America? Because he was in grief seeing others’ problems. ( Para dukhe dukhi) How would the upliftment in the consciousness of the world have been possible if Prabhupada had not gone to America? The number of Vaisnavas are increasing on the earth, and burden on the earth is reducing.

The earth was experiencing the load and was crying in grief and so had gone to the Lord. Then Lord appeared and then he again appeared as Caitanya Mahaprabhu. What He did and not only did but still is doing,

paritrāṇāya sādhūnāṁ
vināśāya ca duṣkṛtām
dharma-saṁsthāpanārthāya
sambhavāmi yuge yuge

Translation:
To deliver the pious and to annihilate the miscreants, as well as to reestablish the principles of religion, I Myself appear, millennium after millennium. ( BG 4.8)

Whatever moment Caitanya Mahaprabhu started is still going on, at this moment also.

In 1965 Prabhupada was only one and now they have become many, many more. Caitanya Mahaprabhu is destroying our wickedness. In other incarnations he used an axe or bow and arrow. He threw arrows with the help of the bow. Jay Sri Rama, ho gaya kam! Or there is a Sudarshan with which Sisupal was killed. But what has Caitanya Mahaprabhu done?

sangopangastra parsadam …

All the devotees have become His weapons. In their association what happens? In English they say ‘ killing with words’. You are loving so much that you are killing me. Sri Krsna Caitanya Mahaprabhu and Vaisnavas love us so much that the wickedness within us like Hiranyakasipu is killed with that love. It kills our wickedness and our offences. This love destroys all the offences within us. So in this way harinama

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

Early in the morning what do we do after getting up? There is wickedness within us. if you are thinking that there is no wickedness, then it’s an illusion. We have to understand that there is a Ravan hiding within us, a demon hiding within us, which is against Krsna.

daivasur eva ca …

Lord explained that there are two types of people in the world – one is with all the good qualities and others are demons. In the morning immediately after getting up what we try to do? We try to kill this demon. Caitanya Mahaprabhu said,

ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanam

There is a blur of demonic tendencies in our consciousness, which stains the mirror with different demonic tendencies. The eed of sin is in the inactive state in the mind. When it becomes active, it can create a nuisance. So we try to destroy it before it becomes active. This can trouble us in the future as we will have to face the consequences of committing sins. We try to kill the seed the desires of sin.

Caitanya Mahaprabhu said,

ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanam bhava-mahā-dāvāgni-nirvāpaṇaḿ

Listen carefully to what Caitanya Mahaprabhu is saying, bhava-mahā-dāvāgni
Bhava means this material world and davagni , the fire which is here , which is also there in our mind in our home in our consciousness, then bhava-mahā-dāvāgni-nirvāpaṇaḿ

Then when we sprinkle

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

As is said sravan kirtana jale ‘sinchan’ in Marathi means to spray. So we spray with the maha-mantra. Whenever there is a fire at any place the fire brigade is called. They sprinkle water and try to extinguish the fire. Similarly there is a fire is in our consciousness, in our hearts, senses. There is fire in the senses, as neither the senses nor the mind is in peace, then this nama sankirtana extinguishes the fire and brings peace.

When we acquire the maha-mantra from Gurujans. It is said,

saḿsāra-dāvānala-līḍha-loka-
trāṇāya kāruṇya-ghanāghanatvam
prāptasya kalyāṇa-guṇārṇavasya
vande guroḥ śrī-caraṇāravindam

Translation:
The spiritual master is receiving benediction from the ocean of mercy. Just as a cloud pours water on a forest fire to extinguish it, so the spiritual master delivers the materially afflicted world by extinguishing the blazing fire of material existence. I offer my respectful obeisances unto the lotus feet of such a spiritual master, who is an ocean of auspicious qualities. ( Gurvastakam, Verse 1)

Dava means fire, anal means wind. Whenever there is the mercy of the spiritual master and Vaisnavas, they extinguish this fire. We remain in gratitude for them and chant the mantra early in the morning. Those who gave this mercy to us, this Krisna consciousness to us those who did

yare dekha, tare kaha ‘krsna’-upadesa

krsna se tomarkrsna dite par tomar sakti ache

You can give Krsna to us. Those who gave this name of Krsna to us those who give prasada to us, give festivals, we should be in gratitude for them. So we say

vande guro sri caranaravinda… ( Gurvastakam)

We have to increase the numbers. We have to expand this Krishna consciousness.
sanghe sakti kalau yuge ………

Or is said ,

jyoti se jyot jagate chalo prem ki ganga bahate chalo…

In this world there is no love but in turn there is a brook of dirty water. There are lusty desires under the name of love. So all such Brooks of muddy water are cleaned. Lot has been talked about Swachh Bharat mission. But ISKCON campaign is swachh mann, clean minds. ceto darpana marjanam

By this all the wicked, dirty thoughts should be cleaned out and then there will be a clean consciousness. Such a campaign has been started by ISKCON. Srila Prabhupad is the founder acarya of this movement.
This becomes our duty that we have to make this Ganga of love that is the Hare Krishna maha-mantra flow everywhere, by which there will be all auspiciousness to us, as well as the whole world.

Hare Krishna!
We will meet again.

Japa Talk- 15/01/2020

Topic- Man vs Money Making Teaching

Hare Krishna. Now be attentive. All of you are welcome and congratulations.Today Gangul Prabhu from Bhiwandi has his birthday. So, we can all loudly chant Hare Krishna for him. Hare Krishna devotees always say, “Chant Hare Krishna and be happy” while material people wish Happy Birthday.

sa vai puṁsāṁ paro dharmo
yato bhaktir adhokṣaje
ahaituky apratihatā
yayātmā suprasīdati

Translation
The supreme occupation [dharma] for all humanity is that by which men can attain to loving devotional service unto the transcendent Lord. Such devotional service must be unmotivated and uninterrupted to completely satisfy the self. [SB 1.2.6]

Do something by which the soul will be blissful . We try to keep our senses and mind happy. We try to pray to get such happiness. But we forget ourselves. If we forget ourselves then how will we or our souls experience bliss. Our devotional service should be free from material contamination and it should be without unmotivated and uninterrupted.

teṣāṁ satata-yuktānāṁ
bhajatāṁ prīti-pūrvakam
dadāmi buddhi-yogaṁ taṁ
yena mām upayānti te

Translation
To those who are constantly devoted to serving Me with love, I give the understanding by which they can come to Me. [BG 10.10]

Devotional service should be free from lust. There is bhukti and bhakti. Both have huge differences. Bhakti should be constant and with love. Chanting Hare Krishna is also bhakti.

śrī-prahrāda uvāca
śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ
smaraṇaṁ pāda-sevanam
arcanaṁ vandanaṁ dāsyaṁ
sakhyam ātma-nivedanam

Translation

Prahlāda Mahārāja said: Hearing and chanting about the transcendental holy name, form, qualities, paraphernalia and pastimes of Lord Viṣṇu, remembering them, serving the lotus feet of the Lord, offering the Lord respectful worship with sixteen types of paraphernalia, offering prayers to the Lord, becoming His servant, considering the Lord one’s best friend, and surrendering everything unto Him (in other words, serving Him with the body, mind and words) — these nine processes are accepted as pure devotional service. [SB 7.5.23]

sravanam kirtanam – Bhakti starts with hearing. Hiranyakasipu asked Prahlada Maharaja what he had learnt in Gurukul because He was sent to Gurukul to become a leader amongst the demons. Prahlada Maharaj replied that he had learnt the 9 types of devotional service. Chanting Hare Krishna, hearing it and then remembering it.

Prahlada Maharaja didn’t learn this from Sanda and Amarka. They would teach in the same way as it is being taught in today’s schools just to earn money. Today teaching is based on money-making-teaching not man-making-teaching. There is no stress on cultivating character, only money making. What is the purpose of vidya to make money? To earn some livelihood? To get a job in factory? The goal of vidya has become money making. Money is means. But what’s the goal? Kama or lust. Then you require roti, clothes, home.

Luckily Prahlada Maharaja by good fortune was already post graduate as he came out of the womb of his mother. At that time, Narada Muni protected his mother in his own asarama as the demigods wanted to kill him. He predicted that Mrs Hiranyakasipu will give birth to a saintly, great soul. He gave a crash course or training that he was self realised by birth. He was God realised from birth. He was Maha-bhagavat . He was not asurya-varya . He learnt everything from Narada Muni.

Srimad-Bhagavatam is supremely authorised which explains devotional service. Chanting Hare Krishna is the devotional service and dharma. Chanting of Hare Krishna maha-mantra is bhakti. śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ smaraṇaṁ Whatever else other than this is bhukti or sense gratification.

In Bhagavad-Gita yogi bhava Arjuna and us are asked to become yogi. We have given this yugala mantra. Yugala means couple or pair – son of Nanda Maharaja and daughter of King Vrisabhanu. In Vrndavana, they are called Yugala Sarkar, Kisor-Kisori, Nanda-Nandini, Nandlala(Krsna)-Vrisbhanu dulari (Radha).

As we chant we become Japa yogis. The whole world says to become a bhogi or sense enjoyer, but they don’t know that if we become bhogi then it leads to rogi (diseased). It also leads to mental distress.

Lord Caitanya established this movement and Srila Prabhupada propagated this throughout the world and came back to India. Then in 1971, he came to Mumbai. There was news of “American sadhus in Mumbai.” I was moved by it. I was being taught by teachers like Sanda and Amarka. Then I went to see those American Sadhus and got convinced. I also saw Srila Prabhupada. Then I learnt the Raja Vidya or most confidential knowledge from Srila Prabhupada and began chanting.

In 1972 Srila Prabhupada purchased Hare Krishna land. Earlier it was known as Nairwadi. Then after a lot of struggle he established a palace for Radha Rasabihari. Then in 1977 he didn’t stay at the time of the opening 42 years ago as he already had gone back to Goloka. Today we are celebrating 42nd anniversary of Radha Rasabihari Temple.

There will be Guru Puja, then class by Srila Prabhupada. I have also been asked to give a class. There are so many programs in the evening and delicious prasada for all. So, if you are hungry, comets the inauguration and get the mercy of the Lord.

Thank You.
Hare Krishna

12 January 2020

What about the welfare of others?

Chanting is sadhana bhakti and the perfection of sadhana bhakti is bhava bhakti. Next is prema bhakti. We are sadhakas and we want to achieve bhava bhakti and Krsna prema is our prayojana. Sadhana is also called abhidheya in the words of sastras. We should know and understand our relationship with the Lord. You all are related to the Lord, in fact you are the Lord’s. You are a servant or a friend of the Lord.

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

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

Slowly with sadhana bhakti one realizes this is my relation to this Lord. When I return to the Lord’s abode I will enter in this seva or this will be my service there. This will be my dress code there. These are different relations with the Lord. We all are servants of the Lord. Sakhya bhava, being a friend of the Lord is also a relation. Lord’s friends are His servants, also His parents and gopis are servants. And among those servants some play the role of His parents, friend and gopis.

jivera svarupa haya — krsnera nitya-dasa

So we all are servants of the Lord, so this sambandha jnana. After sambandha is abhidheya – serving the Lord or accepting the sadhana of devotional service.

jiva krsna dasa ei visvasa karle ta ara dukha nai – performing sadhana bhakti,
yat karosi yad asnasi
yaj juhosi dadasi yat
yat tapasyasi kaunteya
tat kurusva mad-arpanam

Translation:
O son of Kunti, all that you do, all that you eat, all that you offer and give away, as well as all austerities that you may perform, should be done as an offering unto Me. (BG 9.27)

Doing all this means abhidheya or sravanam hearing is special sadhana. There are two types of sadhana bhakti. Vaidhi and Raganuga sadhana bahakti. We Gaudiya Vaisnavas perform sadhana bhakti following some rules and regulations. Also there is Raganuga sadhana bhakti. Sakya bhava ( Lalita, Visaka or His friends like Subala)and Vatsalya bhava( Nandababa and Yasoda). Trying to develop bhava like them. Vaidhi bhakti followers achieve Vaikuntha and of Raganuga devotees achieve Golok dhama. Yesterday at Chowpatty temple I said every mantra has its mantra devata and by chanting those mantra we please that particular Devata. And the mantra upasak achieves that particular abode.

yānti deva-vratā devān
pitṝn yānti pitṛ-vratāḥ
bhūtāni yānti bhūtejyā
yānti mad-yājino ’pi mām

Translation
Those who worship the demigods will take birth among the demigods; those who worship the ancestors go to the ancestors; those who worship ghosts and spirits will take birth among such beings; and those who worship Me will live with Me. (BG 9.25)

mad-yājino ’pi mām – demigods may be devata of some mantra.Krsna says to Arjuna those who worship Me and are upasaka of My mantra come to My dhama. Krsna is Supreme.

ramadi-murtisu kala-niyamena tisthan
nanavataram akarod bhuvanesu kintu
krsnah svayam samabhavat paramah puman yo
govindam adi-purusam tam aham bhajami

Krsna becomes Rama or Krsna takes Rama avatar or Krsna becomes Nrsimha. Krsna has His own abode like Saket, Ayodhya dhama in Vaikuntha where all the avatars of Lord reside. Krsna has said,

yada yada hi dharmasya
glanir bhavati bharata
abhyutthanam adharmasya
tadatmanam srjamy aham [BG 4.7]
paritranaya sadhunam
vinasaya ca duskrtam
dharma-samsthapanarthaya
sambhavami yuge yuge [ BG 4.8]

Lord appears in different forms, so those forms are Krsna also and they are not Krsna also, one and different simultaneously.

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

Those who worship this mantra are all Gaudiya Vaisnava and Hare Krsna upasakas .chant Hare Krsna maha-mantra. Every mantra has its devata. So Devatas of this mantra are Radha Krsna. In this whole mantra there are only two names Radha and Krsna. Rama in maha-mantra is also Krsna. If someone feels this Rama is Sri Rama or Balarama that also is not wrong.

ramati ramayati ca, maya saha ramasva

We also plead to Lord Krsna please play pastimes with me. We have that right. Devata of this mantra is Radha Krsna. And Their abode is Vrndavan dhama.

The goal of those who chant this mantra is Goloka dhama. This all is vaidhi sadhana, our sadhana. There are 64 items of devotional service stated in the Nectar of Devotion by Rupa Goswami. And there are five maha sadhanas which are,

1. Bhagavat sravan
2. Sadhu sanga
3. Nama sankirtana
4. Dhama vasa
5. Vigraha ardhana

These are the 5 main items of devotional service. By accepting these sadhanas we also follow Raganuga sadhana. By Bhagavat sravan, nama sankirtana and sadhu sanga we hear about the acarya those who follow Raganuga sadhana. When we make them our heroes then we get their association. We all Gaudiya Vaisnavas are called Rupanuga – Rupa Anuga. Rupa Goswami was Rupa Manjari and the bhava of Rupa manjari has manifested in the life of Rupa Goswami. He has explained Raganuga bhakti in the books he has written.

One is sadhana bhakti and other is prayojana bhakti. Sri Krsna Caitanya Mahaprabhu has given us Siksastaka

ceto darpan marjanam

In the first 5 slokas there is description of sadhana bhakti and in

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

In the 6th and 7th slok there is description of bjava bhakti.

ashlishya va pada-ratam pinashtu mam
adarshanan marma-hatam karotu va
yatha tatha va vidadhatu lampato
mat-prana-nathas tu sa eva naparah

Here prema bhakti is explained. So our goal is reaching prema bhakti.

Sambandha – Abhidheya – Prayojana

Prema is also called as pancam purusartha, as said by Caitanya Mahaprabhu.

sri-caitanya mahaprabhor matam idam tatradarah na parah

The words of Caitanya Mahaprabhu is final. prema pum-artho mahan. So prema is prayojana and also prayojana is loving devotional service. You also read the sastras and books of Srila Prabhupada – Bhakti Rasamrita Sindhu, Nectar of Instruction. Main sadhana is chanting.

The nine items of devotional service from sraddha to prema are also explained in Nectar of Instruction. There are only 11 slokas, but all 9 levels of devotional service are explained by Rupa Goswami.

Do not just chant, but also read books and preach. I said in Bhagavatam class that Advaitacarya was happy that Caitanya Mahaprabhu has appeared on his call, but He was performing kirtana amongst His associates. So he was sad that what will happen with others those who are ignorant. So he said, “Oh Lord, You are chanting in Srinivas angan but what about others.”

One day he reminded Caitanya Mahaprabhu that dharmasya glani has happened, now religion should be established. ‘I understood that so I called and You came but You are chanting amongst pure devotees only. Establish dharma.’ He listened to Advaitacarya and jiv jago, jiv jago, gauracanda bole and then started public chanting and dancing. If you are chanting I am busy but you are not preaching then He is not happy or Srila Prabhupada is not happy, Advaitacarya is also not happy with you. You are chanting but it’s selfish behaviour. What about parmartha – the welfare of others?

bolo krishna bhajo krishna koro krishna-sikha
yare dekha, tare kaha ‘krsna’-upadesa

Understand this. You chant and also make others chant, distribute books, do public sankirtana, honor prasada and distribute prasada. Chant in the japa conference and encourage others to join the conference.

Hare Krsna

13th January 2020

“JUST CHANT HARE KRISHNA!”

Hare Krishna!

No more chatting now as the transcription is going on. Most of the devotees during chatting are offering only their obeisances so my blessings to all those offering obeisances. And my blessings to all those chanting with us even though they write their obeisances or not. Yesterday during morning Bhagavatam class at Chowpatty temple my god brother Shyamsundar Prabhu released a book.

Chasing Rhinos with the Swamiby Syamsundara Dasa

You all also can purchase this.

At the time of book release he narrated about the pandal program in 1971 which was organised by Syamsundara Prabhu himself. When he was talking about that pandal program in 1971 at Cross Maidan he also mentioned His Holiness Radhanath Swami’s name and my name also. Because we both had gone there for the first time. We were not knowing each other at that time. He was from Chicago, America and I was from the village Aravade. We both were in audience. He shared memories about how we both came in contact with Srila Prabhupada and then became devotees. So we are grateful to him for organising the Cross Maidan pandal program. If he had not have arranged that we would not have come in contact with Srila Prabhupada and would not have become devotees. So we thank him and are grateful for his organisation and leadership in that program.

I was also thinking about how I came in contact with Srila Prabhupada and how I remained in contact with him. He also accepted me as his disciple and gave me the Hare Krishna maha-mantra. Whatever interactions I had with Srila Prabhupada regarding chanting, I was thinking of talking all that in this Japa talk. There are certain things which are termed as ‘take aways’. It’s difficult to say all the memories so I will have to narrate it briefly .

I picked up a few small books of Srila Prabhupada and a bead bag and then I also started doing kirtana when I was alone in my room and whenever my roommates used to be away. I was staying in Dadar , Mumbai along with some boys from my village. I had come here for my studies. Whatever I saw and learnt I used to try to follow those Hare Krishna devotees secretly. There was an advertisement that American sadhus are here. I had seen them dancing on the stage and I had also tried to dance with them at that time. When I came back, I closed the doors and windows of my room and I was dancing. So from that Hare Krishna festival I learnt this chanting, dancing and hearing and studying Srila Prabhupada’s books and started implementing those things immediately. In 1972 Srila Prabhupada initiated me in Vrindavan and said, ‘Chant 16 rounds daily’. I accepted the vows of doing that. When I received sannyasa initiation in 1975 that time he told me that as a sannyasi we should be chanting more and more rounds and not just 16 rounds. The way all Shad Goswamis used to keep on chanting. So that time Prabhupada inspired us to chant more and more as sannyasis. From time to time Srila Prabhupada would ask me, ‘Are you chanting?’ I always chanted, but still Prabhupada use to remind me, ‘Are you chanting?’ So for the pleasure of Srila Prabhupada I was chanting as well as doing kirtanas. I was doing kirtana for the pleasure of Guru and Gauranga. Srila Prabhupada was my Guru and for the pleasure of Gauranga and Sri Sri Radha and Krsna I was doing kirtanas.

I was fortunate to do kirtanas many times in presence of Srila Prabhupada. Many times I did kirtanas in Srila Prabhupada’s Guru puja in Mumbai, Vrindavan and Mayapur. 1976 on the day of Radhastami when I was doing Kirtana in Delhi , along with the many Kirtana leaders of ISKCON, I was singing Gaur Nityananda bol Haribol Haribol! We used to do kirtana singing this line many times. We had learnt this in Mayapur from Gaudiya math devotees. We would sing Haribol Haribol! So on that day of Radhastami I was singing the Hare Krishna maha-mantra along with this Haribol Haribol. And Prabhupada interrupted in between saying stop it! Stop it! Then I learnt and understood and reduced this Haribol Haribol to a large extent. Since then other ISKCON leaders also reduced this Haribol Haribolkirtana.

Back to Bombay. I was a brahmachari then. Srila Prabhupada was present in Mumbai. As far as I could remember I think it was the disappearance day of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakur. At noon Prabhupada did his offering to his Guru Maharaja’s lotus feet. At the time of Puspanjali, Prabhupada told me to lead the manglacaran. I was standing at Srila Prabhupada’s side. So I started singing. I was singing and then others were following me. Then it was time of kirtana. On a disappearance day kirtana usually Gurvastakam is sung.

samsara-davanala-lidha-loka-
tranaya karunya-ghanaghanatwam
praptasya kalyana-gunarnavasya
vande guroh sri-charanaravindam

So that day I was leading the Gurvastakam and while singing I reached up to the line

sri-radhika-madhavayor apara-
madhurya-lila-guna-rupa-namnam

Srila Prabhupada was sitting next to me and he was also singing after me. That day kirtana was going brilliant and everybody was dancing. Then Srila Prabhupada indicated to give the microphone to him. I then kept the stand and microphone in front of Prabhupada. After that line Prabhupada started to lead and he completed the Gurvastakam. I had sung half and then he completed it and did Kirtan also. So on that day we both led the kirtana.

I will narrate one incident during one of the morning walks in Mumbai which is also mentioned in my book ‘In Conversation with Srila Prabhupada’. Once during a morning walk on Juhu beach we asked him about why 16 rounds? What is its significance? Then he was explaining, sankhya purvak nama gan. There should be a fixed number of rounds. Srila Haridas Thakur used to chant 3 lakh names daily. When I asked , ‘Why 16 rounds?’ then Srila Prabhupada explained, ‘Chant 16000 rounds. Who is stopping you?’ You can chant more and more.

Once when Srila Prabhupada was not well. Before that in 1976 in Vrindavan Srila Prabhupada inaugurated our Bullock Cart SankirtanaParty. When we Padayatris had gone in his room. Srila Prabhupada gave a guiding speech to all of us. At the end he said, ‘ yare dekha, tare kaha Hare krsna’-upadesa.’. Normally in Caitanya Caritamrita we read yare dekha, tare kaha ‘krsna’-upadesa. But for padayatris he altered that order of Mahaprabhu and said ,’ yare dekha, tare kaha Hare krsna’-upadesa.’ so I understood , the objective of telling me to go on Bullock Cart Sankirtana is to spread the glories of Hare Krishna aha mantra. he wanted this Bullock Cart Sankirtana party to preach and succeed in spreading Hare Krishna maha-mantra. When this Sankirtana party was successfully moving about in India Prabhupada was very pleased with that. He wrote to one of his disciples, Nityananda Prabhu who was head of the farm community in America named new Talavan. ‘We could have millions of such carts all over the world’. Such cart means our cart which was successfully preaching in India. He said we could have millions like this. So what was the objective of doing this Bullock Cart Sankirtana? yare dekha, tare kaha hare’krsna’-upadesa. Then I understood and that became my mission during Padayatra or even otherwise also, to preach and spread the glories of Hare Krishna maha-mantra which Srila Prabhupada wanted. So basically I was told to do this and then many other things also. So till date I am attempting to do that. Objective of this zoom conference ‘Lets chant together’ is also the same, to inspire you all. To increase your faith in Harinama, so that samsiddhir hari tosanam (SB1.2.13) or as Sri Rupa Goswami said

utsāhān niścayād dhairyāt
tat-tat-karma-pravartanāt
saṅga-tyāgāt sato vṛtteḥ
ṣaḍbhir bhaktiḥ prasidhyati

There are six principles favorable to the execution of pure devotional service: (1) being enthusiastic, (2) endeavoring with confidence, (3) being patient, (4) acting according to regulative principles [such as śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ smaraṇam [SB 7.5.23]—hearing, chanting and remembering Kṛṣṇa], (5) abandoning the association of nondevotees, and (6) following in the footsteps of the previous ācāryas. These six principles undoubtedly assure the complete success of pure devotional service. (NOI 3)

May you all achieve complete perfection in this.

In 1977 Srila Prabhupada had set out on a preaching mission. He had reached London, but his health deteriorated and he wanted to return to Vrindavan. He used to say Vrindavan is my home. So first he returned to Mumbai and I was also there. Our Padayatra Party was in Orissa. Prabhupada also gave me many other services. BBT travelling book distribution Sankirtana party which we had named Narada Muni SankirtanaParty which was also supervised by me. When Prabhupada came to Mumbai then I also came to Mumbai. As his health was not good there were no morning walks. Juhu beach morning walks stopped. Prabhupada was not even attending morning programs. He used to be in his room. Practically he was bedridden and used to take bed rest only. Prabhupada wanted we should do kirtana for his pleasure. He used to listen to kirtana while lying in bed. We also used to read some books like Caitanyacaritamrta for him. I also got the opportunity to do this many times. Only one devotee used to sit on the floor besides him and in a very soft tone played kartals and kirtana was done for him. I was fortunate to get the opportunity to do kirtana for him on many occasions in this way. Once we asked Srila Prabhupada, that we are doing all possible measures of medicines etc. to improve his health but is there anything else which we had still not done? Or any major remedy we hadn’t tried yet? ‘Please tell us so that we can arrange for it, so that your health improves fast.’ Then Prabhupada said, “Just chant Hare Krishna!” That is enough. There is nothing remaining to be tried. Do kirtana.’

One more occasion I was doing life membership preaching all over Mumbai travelling in local trains and returning in the evening. That day it was my turn to do kirtana for Srila Prabhupada. I was tired. So I was dozing many times while doing kirtana. In between I used to sleep then again get up and do kirtana and then was dozing again. Prabhupada noted that and he told me ‘Go take rest.’ He didn’t chastise me, but felt merciful towards me and he told me to take rest.

On still one other occasion,one of my godbrother’s who is a very good singer was doing kirtana for Prabhupada. But I guess he was not relishing that. So Prabhupada told his servant, ” Go find Lokanath!’ Then Prabhupada’s servant came searching for me and gave me the message that Srila Prabhupada wants you to chant for him. Then I went and did kirtana. I realise that time that Srila Prabhupada used to like my kirtanas. So last night in Chowpatty Temple Kirtana Mela when I did kirtana, one of the devotees after finishing the kirtana met me and expressed himself, ‘Thank you Maharaja for chanting for us’. So from that I was reminded that I also used to chant for Srila Prabhupada. Srila Prabhupada also used to be happy with my chanting. I used to do kirtana for him and he would appreciate that. Like this there are so many memories about kirtana and interactions and conversations with Srila Prabhupada. But now I will conclude with this.

We will meet again.

14th January 2020

Mesmerising Bombay Juhu Temple inauguration

Time for Japa Talk .Time and tide waits for no one. Time is passing. I’m here at Radha Rasabihari Temple. Before last night I was remembering pastimes of Radha Krsna written by Srila Prabhodananda Saraswati. I woke up with memories of Radha Rasabihari.

Today 42 years ago on day of Makara Sankranti, there was temple opening ceremony of Radha Rasabihari Temple. So, those memories were coming of the temple opening. Srila Prabhupada was not present in that opening ceremony . He wanted to attend the temple opening. He wanted to open temple on Dussera of 1977. But his health was not good and construction was going on. On Vyasapuja of 1977 he was in Bombay. His health was not improving. Srila Prabhupada returned to his home, Vrindavan from his Bombay office. In September 1977 he proceeded to Vrindavan with me and several devotees. Many couldn’t accompany him as they were engaged in temple construction.

Then the auspicious day of 14 November came, when Srila Prabhupada entered into the eternal pastimes of the Lord.

Then temple opening took place on 14 January of Makara Sankranti. Before 42 years ago when the temple was opened he had entered into the eternal pastimes of the Lord and others were left behind. At the time of the temple opening, we missed Srila Prabhupada so much. He was conspicuous by his absence. We remember someone because of his presence or someone because of his absence.He had given all of us Radha Rasabihari.

They were first deities which I saw for the first time on Cross Maidan in 1971. In 1972 They were taken to Juhu Land. One year, They spent time in Akash Ganga, 7th floor,sea facing. At Juhu, they stayed in kutir. When I joined we used to stay in same kutir where Lord used to stay. We used to share premises with Radha Rasabihari. Arrangements were not comfortable for Them. Rats were running around and also rains and storms were there. Srila Prabhupada promised Sri Sri Radha Rasabihari,”Sir I will build a palace for you.”

After 4-5 years with great difficulties , the temple was constructed there. One time there was an attempt to break the temple. I was also there. It was the talk of the town that Radha Rasabihari Temple was partially demolished. If Balasaheb Thakre wouldn’t have intervened then the temple wouldn’t have been saved. Srila Prabhupada’s himself designed the construction of the temple. He shared his design to his Holland disciple Surabhi. He was also collecting funds from various countries via book distribution. Local people from Mumbai also were contributing. Devotees from all over the world were contributing.Then finally the palace was built but when it was the time of opening of the temple Srila Prabhupada was not there. We all felt how much it would have been great, if Srila Prabhupada would have been there at that time. It was the Lord’s desire. Chief Minister Vasant Dada Patil and other dignitaries were present at that occasion.So when I woke up, all these thoughts were coming to my mind. Also, what I read yesterday was also coming to my mind. So, all sravan kirtana smaranam was happening as I was chanting.

Srila Prabhupada gave me gayatri diksa in 1972, as pujaris were required at that time. I was made Head Pujari at that time. When I went for my Gayatri mantra Srila Prabhupada asked me how many people come to take darsana. I replied that many were coming. He asked how many? I told Prabhupada that about 50-60. Srila Prabhupada was pleased to hear that so many visitors are coming for darsana. And today 50-60 people were entering every minute. The number of people were increasing. Radha Rasabihari Temple is most famous in Mumbai and it became Dhama.

Today there will be prasada distribution of 1,11,000 plates. I inaugurated that. I broke some coconut and gave a little talk also. I congratulate the leaders and team of Food for life. We will celebrate this inauguration festival today and tomorrow. You all are invited. But Noida, Solapur, Mauritius,Ahmedabad, etc will not be able to come.

Today 450 people are chanting in conference. All are welcome. I feel gratitude towards you all. Thank You.
Hare Krishna.

10th January 2020

Chanting the maha-mantra is an authentic process

Please forgive me as I have stopped your chanting. You were chanting, and some are still chanting. You were listening to the Lord,you were getting association of the Lord, you were having a meeting with the Lord, When we chant we are in an interview with the Lord, in audience or meeting with the Lord. All this was going on and I stopped you in between so please forgive me for that.

Chanting is the process of getting association of the Lord, achieving the Lord and of having his association. Chanting of

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

In many ways chanting is compared to a phone call to the Lord. It’s benefits, and usefulness is all narrated and explained in various ways. When we utter the Harinama , shabda yonitvat or sastra yonitvat. Today before chanting I was reading Tattva sandarbh. Srila Jiva Goswami explains there with reference of one part from Vedanta Sutra. One of the principal from that is Sastra yonitvat. Other place it is said shabda yonitvat. Basic understanding of Sastra yonitvat or shabda yonitvat can be explained in a way. Yoni means source, the place of origin, the place to achieve Lord is ‘word’. Shabda yonitvat. Sastras are full of all different types of words and sentences. ‘Ved-vakya’ or ‘Ved-vani’ is also said Sastra- yoni. On hearing the words from scriptures we can achieve the Lord.

Lord can be achieved with the help of words. By help of scriptures and words from those scriptures Lord is achievable. If one wants to prove this highest evidence ( praman) is Sruti-praman. There are different types of pramanas. There is Sastra-praman, Sruti-praman, Pratyaksha-praman. One may ask what is the evidence for whatever you are saying? How can you prove? What is the proof? Then it’s said that sastras explain which can be taken as Sastra-praman or Sruti-praman. How you will prove whether God really exists? They say Sastra-yoni. So scriptural words can prove the existence of the Lord. Evidence means these words and scriptures will explain to us how the Lord is in actuality. Ved-vani will explain us this thing.

sarvasya caham hrdi sannivisto
mattah smrtir jnanam apohanam ca
vedais ca sarvair aham eva vedyo
vedanta-krd veda-vid eva caham( BG 15.15)

Translation:
I am seated in everyone’s heart, and from Me come remembrance, knowledge and forgetfulness. By all the Vedas am I to be known; indeed I am the compiler of Veda

Vadameans with the help of the Vedas. With the help of the instrument called Vedas. Vedais can sarvair aham eva vedyo. I am to be known by studying all the Vedas. Vedas are the scriptures. The scriptures from which things can be understood. To know the Lord is called Vedas and the Lord is called ‘Vedya’. Someone is very learned. Why is he called learned? Because he has studied the Vedas. Those who know and study Vedas are called as Vidvan. ( Knowledgeable). What does one come to know from the knowledge of the Vedas? – ‘Vedya’. Ahameva vedyo. Are you understanding this? – Ved, Vidvan and Vedya. There are sastra like Veda, Purana and Srutis. If one knows it, reads it, studies it then one is called as Jnana-van or Vidvan. One who has acquired knowledge is called as Jnana-van. What he has understood? He has learnt about the Lord.

So this
Hare Krishna Hare Krishna
Krishna Krishna Hare Hare
Hare Rama Hare Rama
Rama Rama Hare Hare

These words or this mantra ( vachan) , this is the conclusion of all the scriptures. You may read all the different mantras in the Vedas or are you may study all the Shrutis or read only one mantra and that is Hare Krishna mahamantra, it’s a same thing.

Brahma explained this to Narada, in one of the conversations which is explained in Kali-santaran Upanishad. Naradji asked Brahmaji who is his spiritual master as well as his father , that now new yuga has started and so what is the method of achieving the Lord in this Yuga? Which mantra or method is useful? Then Brahmaji explained that one can chant Harinama. Then Narada inquired that there are innumerable names of Hari. Is there any specific name which can be chanted specially in Kaliyuga? Then Brahmaji explained that there is one special mantra, the Hare Krishna maha-mantra, and further explained, iti sodasakam namnam kali-kalmasa-nasanam. So these 16 names or 16 words are there.

Hare is one name then Krsna is another name. Then Hare is third name and Krsna is fourth name. Krsna Krsna is fifth and sixth name and then Hare Hare is 7th and 8th like that there are 8 more. So this mantra is of 16 names and 32 letters. Kali-santaran Upanishad is saying this which Sruti praman. Whatever you are saying, what is the proof? So this Kali santarana Upanishad is Sruti sastra or Sruti praman. One is Sruti sastra and another is Smriti sastra out of which Sruti sastra is considered supreme.

There are four Vedas and then Mahabharata is History and is considered as pancham Veda. So

iti sodasakam namnam kali kalmasa nasanam
natah parataropayah sarva vedesu drusyate

Translation
“In this way, the collection of sixteen names is the only destroyer ofsins in Kali-yuga. No other remedy can be found in any part of theVedic literature.” (Kalisantarana Upanishad, Text 6)

oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya
janmādy asya yato ’nvayād itarataś cārtheṣv abhijñaḥ svarāṭ
tene brahma hṛdā ya ādi-kavaye muhyanti yat sūrayaḥ
tejo-vāri-mṛdāṁ yathā vinimayo yatra tri-sargo ’mṛṣā
dhāmnā svena sadā nirasta-kuhakaṁ satyaṁ paraṁ dhīmahi

Who are you? What right do you have to say whatever you are saying? But Brahma can say that he has the right or authority to explain that because, he has learnt and understood it directly from the Supreme Lord. It comes in our tradition ( parampara) . Who is the main Guru of our parampara? Brahma, Madhava and then there are many more who appeared in this tradition. Brahma is telling Narada in this conversation which is explained in Kalisantarana Upanishad. Then there is shabda-yonitvat, Sastra- yonitvat with the help of scriptures and with the help of words we can know about the Lord. Kali-santaran Upanishad explains this. Sadhu , scriptures and Guru are explaining this. This is Kaliyuga and if you want to know the Lord and not only know but to achieve the Lord, and if you want to return to Godhead then the way out is this shabda-yonitvat sastra-yonitvat. They tell about these words,

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

Whenever names are being chanted then karna randhrenwith the medium of our ears the Lord enters.
cetah-prangana-sangini vijayate sarvendriyanam krtim no jane janito kiyadbhir amrtaih krsneti varna-dvayi (CC Antya 1.99) Rupa Goswami explained this, ‘When I chant the maha-mantra with my tongue , my tongue becomes happy and I feel with one tongue how much I can chant! If I had ‘arbudh’ tongues it would been so nice. Arbudh is a very big number. Then there is Arbudh, Kharva , Shankha, Mahashankh etc. Crore is a very small number and there are many countings further beyond that. Then with my one tongue how much can I chant? Tunde tundavali… tund in Sanskrit means tond in Marathi. Tundavali labdhaye. Aavali means rows. Tundavali labdhaye. It would be so nice if I had rows of mouths. Lord Siva says that he has five mouths, so is called Panchanan. With all the five mouths he chants the names of Lord Hari. Ananta sesa has thousands of mouths, and he chants with all those mouths. So in this way when the names of Hari are uttered then ghatayate… how much can be heard with only two ears? Then he explains karna arbhudhen spriha. I wish I had millions of ears. If the Lord gifts me with millions of years then I can hear the names of Hari with so many ears and then it will easily reach my heart. In this way when Lord will enter my heart I will start dancing. Because we the soul stays in heart, then soul will embrace the super soul. They will shake hands. Then there will be ecstasy of happiness and all the bodily awareness will be lost. When we are saying Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna that means Radha Krishna Radha Krishna. We are meeting with the Lord. Rupa Goswami says vijayate sarva indriyanihi krite.We will conquer over all the organs. We are victorious over all our organs. Whatever business they keep on doing will come to a halt. If only the mind which keeps the organs busygets engaged in chanting the names of the Lord, then the meeting with the Lord will be deep in the heart( antakaran). The mind and the subtle body is also there. Mind, intelligence and false ego is finished. Our real ego, aham, is the soul. Ahankar is just false ego. Aham mameti is on the physical level. If some disorder occurs at the level of mind then aham comes up but actual aham is soul. Soul is busy and engrossed in Radha-Krsna bhajan. But when Soul is busy in taking darsana of Radha Krsna and in chanting and hearing their name and glories in Their presence then sarva indriyani krite … then all the sense organs will be frozen or immobilised.

Rupa Goswami further explains this varna-dvayi. There are two varnas or syllables. ‘Krs’ is one ‘na’ is another. There is so much happiness in these two syllables. Krsneti dvayi gives so much happiness. These two syllables are full of the Lord. So shabda-yonitvat, sastra yonitvat. Hare Krishna Hare Krishna. These words become the origin, or yoni or strot. As these words itself are the Lord. Abhinatvat nama namino. Nama itself is the Lord. This is beyond understanding( Acintya) . Whether He originates from Harinama or Harinama itself is the Lord. Shabda-yonitvat.

Yoni doesn’t give birth to the child. The infant is in the womb. When the child takes birth it appears that he has taken birth from the yoni. The way if someone enters from the door, we observe that he has come out from the door, but that doesn’t mean the door gave birth to that person. So this harinama becomes yoni. Shabda is one thing and Harinama is another thing. But here the words are yoni. That is why it is said,

nama cintamanih krishnas
caitanya-rasa-vigrahah
purnah suddho nitya-mukto
‘bhinnatvan nama-naminoh

The holy name of Krishna is transcendentally blissful. It bestows all spiritual benedictions, for it is Krishna Himself, the reservoir of all pleasure. Krishna’s name is complete, and it is the form of all transcendental mellows. It is not a material name under any condition, and it is no less powerful than Krishna Himself. Since Krishna’s name is not contaminated by the material qualities, there is no question of its being involved with maya. Krishna’s name is always liberated and spiritual; it is never conditioned by the laws of material nature. This is because the name of Krishna and Krishna Himself are identical. (Padma Purana)

Nam and nami are one. Yoni and nam`, these words haven’t given birth. These words are not medium, but the word itself is the Lord. Nama is the Lord. Brahma who is the authority, who advisedNarada. He was told to go and spread it all over….
iti sodasakam namnam kali kalmasa nasanamAll the short falls of Kali will be nullified by this maha-mantra. Whatever defects, shortfalls, problems are there that will be taken care of. These faults will be removed. He not only explained this teachings but Brahma himself appeared. When Caitanya Mahaprabhu appeared on the earth that time even Brahma also appeared. The way he had explained it to Narada similarly he demonstrated that. In English we say ‘walk the talk’.

The way you talked now shows us your behaviour. ‘Walk the talk’. So Brahma appeared and busy Brahma took out time from his busy schedule. He is very busy as he is has created the universe. It is his service. He thought he had done enough work. He was not happy doing only that. Then he took a beadbag , and chanting beads and started chanting 3 lakh names everyday. He is and he was acarya of our parampara. Then he became acarya of the name – Namacarya Srila Haridas Thakur. This is to convince us that this chanting is not just someone’s idea , O! All of you chant! Chant! Chant! Sadhu scriptures and acharya are the solid proofs . Brahma’s teachings , Narada’s teachings is evidence. Vyasadev, and scriptures written by Him are evidence. But Vedas are not written by Vyasadev.

Vedas are apaurusheya. Vedas are eternal. Even when there is complete annihilation of the universe, at the time of pralaya the Vedas are protected. Lord appears as matsya incarnation. All the Vedas are then kept in a boat and then when again universes are created then those same scriptures, Puranas, Mahabharata and Bhagavatam is presented again. Otherwise the world will not know how to live. It is called a manual. When we buy any machine or any tool we get a manual with it to understand how to assemble it , how to unpack it and how to maintain it. Without reading you won’t understand how to handle that machine. So this Vedic knowledge and scriptures are called manuals.

Brahma created the universe first and then there is sarga and visarga. There are two types. So creation of the universes is first and starts by the Lord himself and then Brahma takes birth and he is appointed after being given knowledge of Vedas.

tene brahma hṛdā ya ādi-kavaye muhyanti yat sūrayaḥ

then with the use of that knowledge, after getting the manual Brahma takes his work further. So chanting of the Hare Krishna maha-mantra is an authentic process.Scriptures are the evidence, Lord is evidence(praman). Acaryas are evidence. Sadhu, scriptures acarya are evidence. We should all chant the Hare Krishna maha-mantra in Kaliyuga to attain the Lord.

Hare Krishna!

8th January 2020

Bhagavad-Gita Marathon

When we chant, the Lord is pleased. But, he is not pleased with everyone. His pleasure depends on how we chant.

He is pleased with a very few devotees. It depends on our bháva, bhakti without offences and the quality of our Japa. Might be Lord is displeased with us even if we are chanting. There might be several reasons which might displease Him like how we behave throughout the day. We beg for service during chanting but if we don’t render service to Him then He gets displeased.

With how much love Tukarama Maharaja chanted? Right now I am in Pandharpur, and yesterday evening we had class on Srimad- Bhagavatam where we were remembering Tukarama Maharaja. He was chanting in Dehu with other devotees.

akamah sarva-kamo va
moksa-kama udara-dhih
tivrena bhakti-yogena
yajeta purusam param

Translation
A person who has broader intelligence, whether he be full of all material desire, without any material desire, or desiring liberation, must by all means worship the supreme whole, the Personality of Godhead.[SB 2.3.10]
While he was chanting, he was desiring to go back to Godhead. He was very intense in his devotional service. He was very adamant to go home and was saying I’m missing you, bring me back to home. So, with this intense devotion, he was having conversation with the Lord.
When we chant, we directly connect to the Lord via a phone call.

guhyam akhyati prcchati bhunkte bhojayate caiva sad-vidham priti- laksanam [NOI 4]

So this system is there to open up our heart to the Lord during chanting. We have appointment with Lord. Japa is an appointment with the Lord. We make an appointment as soon as we get up. He is ready to receive our call all the time( 24 hours a day, 7 days a week). He is ready on all the days as doctors are ready in the hospital. When we read Bhagavad-Gita, then the Lord is pleased. When we distribute Bhagavad-Gita and ask others to chant then Lord is more pleased with the one who distributes this knowledge and also encourages others to read it.

Those who have become the cause of delivering the Bhagavad-Gita pleases the Lord. If we chant and also inspire others to chant by telling the glories of holy name then He is much more pleased.

Just now Gita Marathon took place. Did you distribute Bhagavad-Gita? How many books did you distribute? Radhika from Noida did 32. Others please write. Please type gradually. You can also read scores. Lord is very pleased with all of you. Lots of Bhagavad-Gitas have been distributed. You were not reporting. So whatever has been written has been noted, Not only by me but by all participants.

yare dekha, tare kaha krsna’-upadesa

There are benefits of hearing japa. You beg for service. Lord gives you intelligence.
As you distributed books, then we are pleased – Srila Prabhupada, acaryas and myself. This is perfection of chanting. So many people will read Bhagavad-Gita if not now, then in future. News from Bhagavad-Gita will always remain fresh and never become old. I think most of you had opportunity to announce scores.

Congratulations all of you!

Thank you very much.
May Srila Prabhupada bless you all!
All Glories to Guru Gauranga!
All glories to Bhagavad-Gita Marathon!

7 January 2020

Beg for the Holy Name

Today we have 455 devotees chanting with us. The number is gradually increasing and this is very pleasing. Please stop chatting because in this Japa talk the English transcription is being done now. Just listen and don’t type anything.

Today’s news from Noida temple is that Paramsundar Prabhu and Sita Thakurani Mataji conducted UNNATI Seminar for children and parents. 150 people participated in this pro-gram. This is a good morning news. This doesn’t come in the daily newspaper.

kaler dosa-nidhe rajann
asti hy eko mahan gunah
kirtanad eva krsnasya
mukta-sangah param vrajet

Translation:
My dear King, although Kali-yuga is an ocean of faults, there is still one good quality about this age: Simply by chanting the Hare Krsna maha-mantra, one can become free from material bondage and be promoted to the transcendental kingdom. [SB 12.3.51]

This is the present fault of Kali. They do not present any news from the spiritual world. Newspaper presents only bad things. This is Kali’s tactic. Kali was only 28 years old when Sukadev Goswami spoke Srimad-Bhagavatam.

krsna stu dhama gate tad dinatha kali

As soon as Krsna left for His abode Kali appeared. tad dinatha Kali appeared. Then what does Kali do? He just disturbs sadhana. Sarva sadhana badhak. that’s why due to disturb-ance, most of the people leave devotional practice. But this is the mercy of Lord Caitanya that He appeared 500 years ago and brought the holy name with him.
golokera prema-dhana, hari-nama-sankirtana

rati na janmilo kene tay (Hari Hari bifale)

A few said that He brought the holy name and we are also chanting. But we are not devel-oping any taste. Why are we not getting any taste? This one should introspect and ask. Do singha avalokan. It can be done on Ekadasi as recommended by Srila Bhakti Vinod Thakur. krsna bada doyamaya. Krsna is very merciful that He brought the holy names to us. By chanting the holy names Lord Caitanya came to Pandharpur 500 years ago.

rama nama ke heere moti ,mein bikhrau gali gali

In all streets of Pandharpur He scattered jewels and pearls of the holy name. But I think at that time there was no city in Pandharpur. Lord Caitanya as Srila Bhakti Vinod Thakur sings in his song jiva jago. He is reminding us about Lord Caitanya. Every word and letter is important. He said that Lord Caitanya has told jivas to wake up. Uthishtha Uthishtha jagrata This is Veda Vachan. Vedas ask us to get up. One who is sleeping is being asked to wake up. Are you sleeping? How much longer will you continue to sleep and why? Lord Caitanya asked this. Do you have any answer? Where are you sleeping then? Mayar pisacira kole. In the lap of the witch called Maya. So he is reminding all about the appear-ance of Lord Caitanya. Bhaktivinod reminds us that bhajibo boliya ese. Bhuliya rohila tu-mi . I will certainly chant Your name, worship You and I have forgotten this. He further writes that, “You had said if you or the jiva gets awakened, then you had promised to chant the glories of Lord. In the 3rd Canto Kapila Muni describes:

punarapi jananam punarapi maranam,
punarapi janani jatare sayanam
iha samsaare khalu dusthare,
krupayaa pare pahi murare (Bhaja Govinda Verse 21)

It has been described how much suffering the living entity goes through while in the womb of the mother. He prays to the Lord in the womb to release him from this suffering from within the womb and in return he will chant the Lord’s glories. So Lord Caitanya is speak-ing to the jiva, “You had promised Me that you would chant My glories while in womb. But as you have come out you are not keeping your promise.” Srila Bhakti Vinod Thakur has also written one more song of how parents and family members make the child forget about his promise by showering him with lots of love and affection. So Lord Caitanya is conversing with the jivas. Jivas means me, not us. This is a personal conversation.

Tumare loite ami, hoinu avatar .

I have appeared for you only. Who else other than Me is Your well wisher? I had spoken this already in BG 5.29

bhoktaram yajña-tapasam sarva-loka-maheshvaram
suhridam sarva-bhutanam jñatva mam shantim richchhati

Translation:
Having realized Me as the enjoyer of all sacrifices and austerities, the Supreme Lord of all the worlds and the selfless Friend of all living beings, My devotee attains peace.

Who else is your friend in this world? ami bina bandhu are ache tomara. A friend in need is friend indeed. Is there anyone who can save you from death, old age? A friend will ad-mit you into a five star hospital, but he can’t cure your disease. Only the Lord can free you from birth, death, disease and old age. Not any friend, relative nor demigod, only Lord Visnu can liberate you as Lord Siva also confirms. visnu pradata sarvesham visnu na sanshaya. Lord only can help you in old age and death. So are you hearing? My attention is on devotees sitting in front of me. But all of you are also there on the conference. Eneci ausadhi maya nasibaro lagi.

I have brought this medicine of the holy name to destroy the illusion of maya. I’m your friend. Do not do only lip service, do something practical. I know all of you are bhava rogi and suffering from heart disease. So take this medicine. When Srila Bhakti Vinod Thakur came to know about Lord Caitanya’s call, then he is re-membering the Lord.He is remembering that the Lord is a genuine and not a superficial friend. To help you I’ve brought the medicine of the chanting of the holy names.

So Bhakti Vinod Thakur woke up after contemplating in this way. Then what did he say? He fell at the feet of Lord Caitanya carane pariya and he is begging to get that medicine of the holy name. The last line of the song is of Bhakti Vinod Thakur. All previous lines are from Lord Caitanya. You have Krsna and you can give Him to me. Hence I’m chasing be-hind you.

ami to’ kangala, ‘krishna’ ‘krishna’ boli’
dhai tava pache pache

I am indeed wretched and simply run after you crying Krsna Krsna. please give me Your holy name. So we should beg in this way. It’s not fine that Lord Caitanya has brought the holy name. We should demand it and take initiation. In this way Lord Caitanya appeared. So it’s never too late. We just got to know now. So we can ask for it now. We can also be benefitted in the same way as our predecessors were benefitted. So we should beg in this way.

Thank you.

Ohe! Vaishnava Thakura
(from Saranagati)

(4)
krishna se tomara, krishna dite paro,
tomara sakati ache
ami to’ kangala, ‘krishna’ ‘krishna’ boli’,
dhai tava pache pache

Translation:

1) 0 venerable Vaisnava, O ocean of mercy, be merciful unto your servant. Give me the shade of your lotus feet and purify me. I hold on to your lotus feet.

2) Teach me to control my six passions; rectify my six faults, bestow upon me the six qual-ities, and offer unto me the six kinds of holy association.

3) I do not find the strength to carry on alone the sankirtana of the holy name of Hari. Please bless me by giving me just one drop of faith with which to obtain the great treasure of the holy name of Krsna.

4) Krsna is yours; you have the power to give Him to me. I am simply running behind you shouting, “Krsna! Krsna!”

6 January 2020

REMEMBER ‘ALL OF KRSNA’ WHILE CHANTING!

I am in Pandharpur. This talk is not only for those who are in this conferencebut alsofor the temple devotees. Pilgrims who have arrived over here are also asked to chant astray do in Mayapur. In this way the message of Krsna, yare dekha, tare kaha ‘krsna’-upadesa, is being instructed to everyone.

om ajñāna-timirāndhasya jñānāñjana-śalākayā
caksur unmīlitam yena tasmai śrī-gurave namah

When we chant, it is also called as nama-smaran, remembering the holy name. Remembering Krsna means nama-smaran. Somebody was mentioning in the japa reform post the 64 qualities of the holy name as mentioned in Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu. As Prabhupada said, “When we chant, we have to remember ‘All of Krsna’ such as the pastimes of Krsna, His qualities, forms and abode. This is a straight forward thing. We should understand this non difference

nama chintamani caitanya rasa vigraha nitya suddha mukta abhinatvam, abhinatvam nama namino

There is no difference in nama and nami. They are the same. One whose name is being addressed is called nami, one who has his dham, is called dhami. One who has lust is called kami or lusty.

Krsna says

man-mana bhava mad-bhakto
mad-yaji mam namaskuru
mam evaisyasi yuktvaivam
atmanam mat-parayanah ( BG 9.34)

Translation
Engage your mind always in thinking of Me, offer obeisances and worship Me. Being completely absorbed in Me, surely you will come to Me.

‘Remember me! Remember My name is also remembering Me. Remember My form.

Sundara the dhyana ubhe vitevari ( abhang of Tukarama Maharaja)

Translation
Beautiful enchanting form of the Lord is standing on the brick.

The form is Me. Remember My pastimes and abode. It’s the same as Me. The Lord’s name is His form.

I am writing a book in Hindi entitledSri Krsna Swarupa Cintana. Cintana means contemplation. This book has 5 chapters.

mac-citta mad-gata-prana

Every chapter is Sri Krsna swarupa. First chapter is about nama-cintana, next chapter is rupa or swarupa cintan. Name is also a form or swarupa. When we say form it means the Lord looks like this. We see photos or make a video. The Lord’s form is not His only form but His name is also His form.

Caitanya-caritamrta describes:

Kali-kāle nāma rūpe krsna-avatāra( CC Adi. 17.022)

In the age of kali, Krsna incarnates in the form of the holy name. Name is also form. Name is non-different from the Lord.

man-manā bhava mad-bhakto

Lord asks us to remember his name, form, pastimes, qualities and abode. They all are swarupa of the Lord. It’s all Krsna’s kindness. He is very kind that these all are also His swarupa.

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

When we chant the maha- mantra, we do sravanam kirtanam visnu smaranam. ( SB. 7.5.23, 24) We remember Krsna, Rama, Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Krsna is Rama or Narasimha. When we chant then there are many things worth remembering.Just hear. Don’t remember Krsna. Don’t contemplate on His form, qualities, pastimes… This is voidism or impersonalism. Lord is very sweet. What about his sweetness then? Srila Prabhupada has clearly told Sivananda Prabhu. When we chant Hare Krishna, we have to remember ‘All of Krsna’, everything related to him.

vama-bahu-kruta-vama-kapolo
śrī-gopya ūcuḥ
vāma-bāhu-kṛta-vāma-kapolo
valgita-bhrur adharārpita-veṇum
komalāṅgulibhir āśrita-mārgaṁ
gopya īrayati yatra mukundaḥ ( SB. 10.35.2/ Yugal geet)

Translation
The gopis said: When Mukunda vibrates the flute which He has placed to His lips, blocking its holes with His tender fingers, He rests His left cheek on His left arm and makes His eyebrows dance.

The Gopis also remember Krsna. There are many songs in Srimad-Bhagavatam such as Yugala-geet, Bhramara geet, Venu geet, Gopigeet, etc in the 10th canto. gopya īrayati yatra mukundaḥ. Gopis also remember Mukunda and sing His glories. Yugala means two gopis are singing together. They are remembering the Lord and glorifying His qualities. They always see Krsna and be with him. Gopis know how is Krsna. Have you seen Krsna? I haven’t seen Him but I have heard from those who have seen Krsna. How does He look?

The Gopis are one party who always see Krsna and want to be with Him. A few Gopis and Manjaries appeared over here 500 years ago. Rupa Manjari appearing as Rupa Goswami. He wrote a few books such as Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu (The Nectar of Devotion),Ujwala Nilamani. Madhurya lilas has been described in The Nectar of Devotion but he was not satisfied with this book so he wrote another book namely Ujwala Nilamani which is exclusively dedicated for conjugal dealings of Radha and Krsna. He had so much information and wrote so many books. Other Goswamis also wrote regarding name, form, qualities, pastimes, abode and associates of Krsna.

When we read or hear all these things then chips of our brain will be filled with this knowledge and then we will remember the Lord. When we hear or study, it means we are doing sravanam and when we speak with the devotees,

mac-cittā mad-gata-prāṇā
bodhayantaḥ parasparam
kathayantaś ca māṁ nityaṁ
tuṣyanti ca ramanti ca ( BG. 10.9)

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

We enlighten each other. Srila Prabhupada asked us to chant in the morning session and then we see the Lord whose name we chanted and remembered. Then we worshipacarya.

acharyavan purusho veda.

Translation
One who follows the acaryas knows things as they are.”(Chandogya Upanishad, 6.14.2)
This line is very important.

tad viddhi pranipātena
paripraśnena sevayā
upadeksyanti te jñānam
jñāninas tattva-darśinah.

Translation:
Just try to learn the truth by approaching a spiritual master. Inquire from him submissively and render service unto him. The self-realized souls can impart knowledge unto you because they have seen the truth.( BG 4.34)

Those who are following the acarya will get knowledge. We worship our Gurus, perform Guru Puja. This is included as a part of sadhana. Then there is Srimad-Bhagavatam class. Nityam bhagavat sevaya. So, there is one part of chanting and another part of hearing Srimad-Bhagavatam. These both are complementary with each other. When we chant attentively then we will realise Srimad-Bhagavatam and we will act with irrevocable faith. Knowledge will turn into realization. When we chant then we will realize while hearing Srimad-Bhagavatam.When we hear Srimad-Bhagavatam, our japa will improve. So, study sastras such as Bhagavad-gita, Srimad-Bhagavatam. It will help when we chant Hare Krishna. Remembering Krsna is a part of japa. How japa should be done? We could describe it in one word – attentively or meditatively.

man-manā bhava mad-bhakto

Remember the Lord. Hear Srimad-Bhagavatam. There are 10 topics of Srimad-Bhagavatam. The ultimate topic is asraya and that is Sri Krsna. All other 9 topics are there to help to remember the Supreme. satyam param dhimahi( SB1.1.1) When we hear Srimad-Bhagavatam, we will remember the Lord and then we will take shelter of Lord.
sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekam śaranam vraja ( BG18.66)

As we hear, we can take shelter of the Lord. As you hearSrimad-Bhagavatam you will have a nice time while chanting. This is a preparation for chanting which includes the study of scriptures. We don’t just chant. harer nāmaiva kevalam. It has been said to just chant, but Jiva Goswami says that whatever you do has to be accompanied by chanting of Hare Krishna. All other angas of bhakti namely śravanam, kirtanam, visnu smaranam, pāda-sevanam, arcanam, vandanam, dāsyam, sakhyam, ātma-nivedanam have to be accompanied by the chanting of Hare Krishna. Work with the hands and chant with the mouth. nishidram karoti. When all our activities and duties are accompanied by chanting of Hare Krishna then all the loopholes or flaws will be rectified by it. So the Gopis always remember the Lord as I was discussing in Yugala geet.

gopya irayati yatra mukundah

They have all sights stored in their mind.

vama-bahu-kruta-vama-kapolo

They have seen His cheeks, His tilted body or bends.

valgita-bhrur adhararpita-venum
komalangulibhir ashrita-margam

He is moving His eyebrows up and down as if they are dancing. He holds His flute on His lower lip and with His soft fingers, He opens and covers a few holes of His flute.
His hands are dancing. His eyebrows are dancing. His neck is leaned. this is the beginning of the song. If we have read all these things during Srimad-Bhagavatam class that how Krsna clothes Himself, plays the flute then we will have darsana of His form, pastimes, qualities…

Krana is not only a butter thief but also a heart thief. He is a leading man in thieves. These are all His qualities. There is an astakam giving the list of different kinds of His stealing. We should remember the Lord’s form, his qualities, pastimes… When we were talking about all these things a few days ago, I thought of these points. We should remember the Lord’s form. When Sivananda Prabhu asked Srila Prabhupada if it an offense to remember the pastimes of the Lord during chanting Prabhupada said, “It is required.” We must remember ‘All of Krsna’ including His name, form, qualities and pastimes.

One Mataji has said that there are many signs on the soles of Krsna’s feet. How many are there? Eleven and Eight. 19?

So, we are getting into details. Jiva Goswami and many acaryas have enlightened us regarding the various marks on the feet and hands of Krsna, Radha, Lord Caitanya and Nityananda. We can also remember these signs. We should remember the lotus feet of Krsna and surrender unto His lotus feet. If we remember Him then we will surrender unto Him. All various signs are very active and merciful and they reciprocate with those who bow down at Krsna’s lotus feet. There is a sign of the sudarshan chakra which protects one who bows down at His lotus feet.

There is a sign of an umbrella. One who remembers this gets honour. In South India Padayatra, we saw that when they greet someone they take a kumbha, umbrella. So, this is a way to show respect. In few temples, an umbrella is held over Srila Prabhupada. It’s written that one who remembers the lotus feet of the Lord, for him every sign will nurture one’s devotion. Signs are also the Lord. This non different business is important, but difficult to understand. So, when we chant, there are many topics worthy of remembering. Our chanting should not be null and void. There should be something to remember then we can say we chanted with attention.

Chant Hare Krishna and be happy.

5 January 2020

Bhakti should be constantly practised with love

Today there is participation from 400 places. We welcome all of you. It is Sunday to-day. It’s said in the Bible that the Lord created for 6 days and on the 7th day He rested. So now people also rest on Sunday. Sunday is vacation day, rest day. But we Hare Krsnas don’t take rest. Hare Krsnas are never on vacation.

Sunday ho ya Monday, we chant every day

tvayi me ‘nanya-visaya
matir madhu-pate ‘sakrt
ratim udvahatad addha
gangevaugham udanvati

Translation:
O Lord of Madhu, as the Ganges forever flows to the sea without hindrance, let my attraction be constantly drawn unto You without being diverted to anyone else. [SB 1.8. 42]

So we should also pray that our bhakti should be like this. Lord Krsna has also said in Bhagavad-gita, satatam kirtayanto mam.

satatam kirtayanto mam
yatantas ca drdha-vratah
namasyantas ca mam bhaktya
nitya-yukta upasate

Translation:
Always chanting My glories, endeavoring with great determination, bowing down before Me, these great souls perpetually worship Me with devotion.{BG 9.14}

Sri Krsna Caitanya said, “kirtaniya sada hari”

Kirtana of Hari always! We are also servants. What type of servants? Nityadasa! We are always a servant, not just a morning or afternoon servant. This is our only dharma. Dharma means that which can’t be separated from us, our nature. Srila Bhakti VinodT-hakur has named it Jaiva dharma – dharma of the jiva. What is the dharma of a servant? Serving his master. We should always be following our dharma, then kirtaniya sada hari is possible.

tesam satata-yuktanam
bhajatanm priti-purvakam
dadami buddhi-yogam tam
yena mam upayanti te

Translation:
To those who are constantly devoted to serving Me with love, I give the understanding by which they can come to Me.[BG 10.10]

satata yuktanam – One should constantly be devoted and worship the Lord with love. So satata yuktanam bhakti should be constant and with love. That’s the symptom of love

dhyayan stuvams tasya yashas trisandhyam [Sri Sri Gurvastakam, verse 8]

At least three times a day I should offer my respectful obeisances unto the lotus feet of my spiritual master- trisandhya.
That’s said in Srimad-Bhagvatam.

sa vai pumsam paro dharmo yato bhaktir adhoksaje [SB 1.2.06]

Pumsam means jivatma, the supreme occupation [dharma] for all humanity is that by which men can attain to loving devotional service unto the transcendent Lord. This is grantha Bhagavat and name of our dharma is Bhagavat dharma and actually that’s the right name. And how should our bhakti be ? ahaituki apratihata. Devotional service must be unmotivated and uninterrupted. There should not be any material desires. De-votional service should be pure.

Caitanya Mahaprabhu has said

na dhanam na janam na sundarim
kavitam va jagad-isa kamaye
mama janmani janmanisvare
bhavatad bhaktir ahaituki tvayi

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

If you don’t want bhukti, take some mukti. But Caitanya Mahaprabhu said, ‘No I am ready to take birth, but I want your causeless devotional service.’ So bhakti should be akanda.

yayatma suprasidati

If you do all this your atma your soul will be happy.

brahma-bhutah prasannatma
na socati na kanksati [BG 18.54]

One who is thus transcendentally situated, never laments nor desires to have anything; he is equally disposed to every living entity. He lives and does his devotional service. He is not affected by what happened in the past. We say Hare Krishna mantra, but we are not meditating on the Lord. We are worried about our future, and we lament about our past. So we should do bhakti in the present. We should chant with all attention, then there will be happiness all over.

anandi ananda gade jikate tikade sagadikade

Do you like this line? It’s very nice. Once a disciple asked Prabhupada a question relat-ed to chanting. His name was Sivananda Dasa. Prabhupada answered his question, Yes-terday when I was studying, I read it. It was 40 years back and I thought I should share with you all. It is a very common question. After 40 years also the question is the same and keeps coming. It’s a common question and keeps coming around. Prabhupada has already answered it, but still it has not reached everyone in ISKCON.

Prabhupada writes:

Regarding your first question, is it offensive if thoughts of Krsna’s pastime come in your mind during chanting? Many devotees think that while chanting remembering the Lord’s pastime is offensive. So some devotees say, “Oh just chant or just hear. Do not even think.” Let’s first read Prabhupad’s answer and then discuss.

“I think you should know it’s not offensive In fact it’s required. One must try to point when he simply hears Krsna immediately all of Krsna.” What ever is related to Krsna he should remember all His form, all of His qualities, all His rupa should all come to the chanters thought. So to always be immersed in thoughts of Krsna this is our process. When we are full of Krsna then where there can be any chance of Maya being in us.

Jaha krsna taha nahi mayar adhikar

Krsna is all in our hearts there is empty place in our hearts so how can maya enter in our heart. Then where can there be chance for maya being in us. So it’s our duty to re-member Lords pastime always. One who can’t remember the pastime of Krsna let him always hear hare krsna. Then hearing chanting one will become fully Krsna conscious.

We sing in Gurvastakam,
sri-radhika-madhavayor apara-
madhurya-lila-guna-rupa-namnam
prati-kshanaswadana-lolupasya
vande guroh sri-charanaravindam

prati-kshana –every moment one should remember the Lord. What just chanting mean? Only chanting? But if one is just chanting that’s incomplete chanting. If there is kirtana then there is sravanam also. Do we just leave the mantras in the air? No, we hear them. Some say just hear and chant, that’s also incomplete. If one hears and chants then the next stage is remembering. Prabhupada said, ’All of Krsna.” Simply hear Krsna and im-mediately ‘All of Krsna’. The pastimes are all in his thoughts, in his heart.

Smrutipatal is like a screen inside us, as we chant and hear immediately there is smara-nam on our smrutiptal.

santah sadaiva hridayesu vilokayanti
yam shyama-sundaram achintya-guna-svarupam
govindam adi-purusham tam aham bhajami [Brahma-samhita 5.38]
So sravan, kirtana and smaran

When we chant smaranam is there and then we hear Srimad-Bhagavatam and read oth-er sastra like Caitanya-caritamrta. One who has chanted and then he reads sastra then immediately everything will sit in his mind and heart. Whatever I read and try to re-member is only the result of sravanam and kirtanam. That’s like a reward for us – what-ever we read after chanting goes deeper. Our faith becomes more determined and strong. Without sravanam and kirtanam reading is not that powerful.

gita bhagavat karti sravan akanda kirtana vithobha che

If one reads Gita-Bhagavat he remembers Lord Viththala, Tukarama Maharaja says. It’s like a circle. Lord reveals to those who do hearing and chanting.

Aksharakruti as I was reading yesterday. Nama has a form, ha re krs na these are letters, akshara. In the maha-mantra there are 32 letters and 16 names. Words are formed from letters. Raghunath Goswami has written in a song, Aksharakruti. From letters the Lord manifests as a Deity form. So from aksharakruti we get aksharamurti. By hearing and chanting you remember the Lord. And whatever you remember after chanting becomes your property. Now your knowledge is becoming science-practical realisations. Now you will read sastra with nistha. Once you were reading with faith, now you have to read with nistha. And then you do bhakti with nistha. We have to become nisthavan then.

nasta-prayesv abhadresu nityam bhagavata-sevaya

By regular reading of Bhagavatam and by rendering service to the pure devotee, all that is troublesome to the heart is almost completely destroyed. And now your faith is ma-ture. So whatever we read after chanting and hearing the Lord reveals Himself to us.

Once while Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakur was giving a class disciple got up and went for darsana. When he came back Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakur asked, “How was your eye exercise?I was sitting here to give you eyes to see the Lord and you went away.”
We can’t have darsana of the Lord by our own effort and strength.

nayam atma pravacanena labhyo na medhaya, na bahuna srutena [The Mundaka Upanishad]

Only when there will be mercy of Guru and Gauranga then it’s possible. So it’s a cycle.
We chant, we hear and then we understand the Lord more and Lord gets situated in our heart.