Caitanya Mahaprabhu in Jagannath ratha yatra
0308 2019
Los Angeles
Occasion: Day before ratha yatra

You’ll are so serious. Relax! What is today? Don’t say it’s Saturday! It is the day before

Jagannath ratha yatra. Jagannath ratha yatra mahotsav ki..jai!. Tomorrow is ratha yatra here. In Jagannath Puri, the day before ratha yatra there is darsana of Jagannath. Here we are getting darsana tomorrow. We have been praying and crying

“Jagannath svami nayana-patha-gami bhavatu me”
You are singing and praying: “Oh Jagannath! nayana patha- gami bhavatu me”.

Bhavatu – You become. Patha – path and nayana are eyes. Oh! Lord you become visible on the path of my eyes. I am looking here; this is the path of my eyes. Now this is the path, nayan pathi gami wherever my eyes go, eyesight goes to see, see something, oh Lord you be there, wherever I look.

yato yato yami tato Narsimha

Wherever I go O Lord Narsimha, you be there. That’s the idea. So, we have been praying. So here, we have to wait for another day. Could we manage? Could we survive another day? I am sure the Lord is also anxious to see the devotees. So, the day before ratha yatra in Jagannath Puri the Lord gives darsana. That day also has a name.

That day is also a festival, Netrutsava! Festival for the eyes or feast for the eyes. Netrutsava. The devotees have been fasting for a long time now. For two weeks they have been fasting
and they are very very eager to have darsana again of Jagannath and then Jagannath gives darsana on this day. Then that day becomes from fasting to feasting. Feast for eyes. And devotees see the Lord on that day to their hearts content.

I am remembering one such day. I was in Jagannath Puri for the first time ever. That was in 1977. I had never ever seen Jagannath. You can imagine how anxious I was to see Jagannath and it wasn’t just myself. We had a BBT travelling sankirtana party. Rameshwara Prabhu reminds me of the BBT traveling party. We had gone to Jagannath Puri traveling and distributing Srila Prabhupada’s books. We arrived the day before ratha yatra and we wanted to go in for darsana of Jagannath.

“Jay! Jagannath”. We were shouting as we entered. I was kind of a brand-new sannyasi. We had some brahmacaris with me and we entered simhadwara. Have you heard that term? Lion Gate. There are different gates, four gates. So, this is the eastern gate and we had a few more gates to go through before we could get darsana. As we were trying to enter the next gate, we were stopped by the pandas. They stretched their arms out: “You can’t go!.” I said: “What! We can’t go for darsana?” They had found out that this was an ISKCON team. And those days they didn’t like ISKCON, even these days they don’t like so much. I was the leader there, so I was asking: “Why can’t I go?”

“You are born Christian and these ISKCON people have converted you. Now you have become Hindu. ISKCON converted you. “

I don’t know if they had a dream or something. They found out. The tug of war continued. And we were kind of defeated. They were well-built pandas. We were tiny austere sannyasis and brahmacaris. So finally, they picked us up. Literally, they picked us up and placed us outside simha dwara. So, when we were there, looking around, one prabhu was missing. He was Riksharaj. If you know Riksharaj. He played sitar also. So, he also wanted to join our team. He was born Christian and he wanted darsana. He looked different. He was of a different complexion. Like Shesha Prabhu. So, it was easy for him to sneak in. While we were battling, he took a detour and he entered. Most of the pandas were battling with us therefore there was no one to guard the other temple gates. So, as we were looking around for Riksharaj, there he comes from inside the temple and he says:

“Maharaja, caran tulsi for you!” He managed to even get tulsi. “Pujari gave tulsi for you.” Hari Hari! So, we took darsana of Riksharaj. Because he had taken darsana of Jagannath and
we touched him. We embraced him because he had taken in Jagannath.

Jay! Jagannath! I thought that this was a lila of Jagannath. So that was my first encounter with Jagannath Puri and Jagannath on ratha yatra day. Then we had to wait for another day, like here we have to wait for another day. So, we must have the right mood for ratha yatra day.

I have been asked to read from Caitanya Caritamrita. Today is the climax and what we are asked to read is the pastime on the actual ratha yatra day.

Jaganath ratha yatra mahotsava ki..Jay!
Just to set the scene before we read Caitanya Caritamrita Madhya 14.

So, on ratha yatra day, In Jagannath Puri, Jagannath walks out of His residence, His temple. Their walking out pastime is called Pandu Vijay. Remember, we kind of see the pandas. They tie ropes around the waist of Jagannath. With 10, 20 or 50 of them on one side and they lift Him and place Him forward, lift Him and place Him forward. They do not just lift Him and place Him on the chariot. No, that doesn’t happen. They let the Lord walk. The idea is that Lord is walking. He is walking and climbing and getting on the chariot. It is a very beautiful scene. Then on ratha yatra day in 1977, and many more occasions we were there to witness. There is a big crowd and what do you end up seeing? I was strategically placed at the right location at the right time. A few years ago, when there was navakalevara. Nava – new. Kalevara- body or form. The Lord’s daru brahma. Daru is wood. The wood He is made up of is Brahma, Daru Brahma. He gets a new form, new body every twelve years. So that happened a few years ago and I was in the courtyard. I managed to enter the courtyard. I was there and I think as soon as the Lord was stepping out of the temple, His glance fell upon me and I saw Jagannath. The meeting of eyes. I hope it was a meeting of hearts also. I want to think like that. A nice darsana, Jagannath Swami ki… Jay!! So that’s Pandu Vijay. The Lord walks out of the temple, onto the street and onto the chariot then He takes His seat onto the throne.

Sri Krsna Caitanyaa Mahaprabhu ki…Jay!! He used to be there. Not that He is not there now. During his prakat lila, the Lord attended ratha yatra. Eighteen times Lord Caitanya attended ratha yatra mahotsava and as the Lord would take His seat on the chariot, Sri Krsna Caitanya Mahaprabhu would arrive, offering His full dandavats to Jagannath Swami. Then He would stand in front of the deity and He would offer prayers to Jagannath.

jayati jayati devo devaki-nandano 'sau
jayati jayati ko vrsni-vamSa-pradipah
jayati jayati megha-Syamalah komalango
jayati jayati prthvi-bhara-naSo mukundah

(CC. Madhya 13.78)
This is one of the many prayers the Lord will offer which are listed in Caitanya Caritamrita. So, this is very special. All glories to Jagannath! All glories!

jayati jayati devo – You are Dev. Jagannath Dev. devaki-nandano 'sau – You are none other than Devaki Nandana.
vrsni-vamSa-pradipah – You are Krsna, appeared in Vrsni dynasty. You are deepa, you are lamp.

All glories to You, Jagannath!
jayati jayati – All glories to Jagannath

megha-Syamalah komalango- What kind of Jagannath are you? Megha shyamala. You are Shyamaal, Your complexion is of the monsoon clouds. And to touch You – You are very soft.

prthvi-bhara-naSo mukundah- You destroyed the extra burden of the earth and hence You are Mukundah – Liberator. You liberated Prithvi.

Then different devotees arrived from everywhere to Jagannath Puri. From west Bengal from east Bengal, from Kuling-gram, from Shantipur. Right? All of you have come from somewhere. Next door, next block, from Alachua and so on. So, in Caitanya Mahaprabhu’s days, they would get divided into several kirtana parties. Kirtana mandalis- kirtana parties “And you will be leading in this group, And you Vishvambar, you are leading this group , and you will dance in that group and Vaisheshika prabhu will be the lead dancer in this group and Rameshwar Prabhu you will dance in another group.” The kirtana was out of this world. When these parties were arriving, entering Jagannath Puri, King Prataprudra was reminded. He had climbed up on the rooftop of his palace and Sarvabhaum Bhattacarya was with him and Gopinath Acarya, I think, was also there. All these kirtana parties were new to King Prataprudra.

“Oh, who is that there, with the beard? Oh! Advaitacarya!”
“And that with the blue dhothi, who is that one? Oh, that is Nityananda.”

King Prataprudra said: “You know, I have heard many kirtans, so many times in the past. Same mantra, same mridanga and kartals. This kirtana is different. What is this kirtana?”

And he was told this is prem nama. This kirtana is Prem nama. Its offence-less chanting. It is pure chanting. That is how King Prataprudra was introduced to this kirtana. So kirtans are on. Seven parties are chanting and dancing and Sri Krsna Caitanya Mahaprabhu had seen Prataprudra.

Today what we are supposed to be reading is about Prataprudra. He is the hero of today’s theme or topic. We are just setting the scene. Hari Hari!

So, Sri Krsna Caitanya Mahaprabhu had seen King Prataprudra with a broom in his hand and sweeping the street in front of Jagannath’s cart. And that had amazed Sri Krsna Caitanya Mahaprabhu and He was pleased also, highly pleased and He made up His mind. There is nothing wrong with meeting King Prataprudra.

Caitanya Mahaprabhu did not want to meet at first. It went on for several months or years that Mahaprabhu was not going to meet the King.

“No no no no! King Prataprudra and I have to meet. I have made up my mind. I said no! Forget it. And if you appeal to Me one more time, I will leave the town. I will go away.” So, the Lord had warned all those. Sarvabhaum and others. But today He saw King Prataprudra with broom in hand and He changed His mind towards King Prataprudra, and later on, He would be seeing him, touching him and embracing him. But before that, the topic for us is the meeting which is going to take place in Jagannath Vallabha garden on the way to Gundica temple.

So, before that happens Sri Krsna Caitanya Mahaprabhu started giving darsana to King Prataprudra. Exclusively to King Prataprudra. What was that darsana? When King Prataprudra was looking around, he saw Caitanya Mahaprabhu in all the kirtana mandalis.

Yet, the kirtaniyas in the different parties were thinking:

“He is only with us. We must be very special. He is in our party. He is in our party!” That was not the case. Sri Krsna Caitanya Mahaprabhu was dancing in all the parties. Sri Krsna Caitanya Mahaprabhu bestowed very special mercy upon King Prataprudra and he was able to see Caitanya Mahaprabhu dancing in ALL the parties. Ok then, down the road as kirtana is happening, Caitanya Mahaprabhu is chanting and dancing in front of Jagannath also. Jagannath is Krsna and Caitanya Mahaprabhu is there as Radha Rani. Radha rani in Him, is in action. Krsna is also in Him. They are two in one, right? Krsna takes back seat, and Radha Rani is in the forefront and interfacing with Jagannath as,

radha-bhava-dyuti-suvalitam naumi krsna-svarupam [CC adi 1.5]

The Svarupa of Sri Krsna Caitanya Mahaprabhu is radha-bhava-dyuti-suvalitam radha-bhava- Radhas emotions Dyuti – the complexion like Radha Rani also. So, that Sri Krsna Caitanya Radha Krsna nahi anya. Now He is Radha rani and They are having pastimes during ratha yatra. Hari Hari! And you know ratha yatra festival is a festival of Vraja vasis. Vrndavan vasis. Those that are pulling the chariot, they are residents of Vrndavan, or they are in the mood of Vrajavasis. They are meeting after a very long time.

Vraja vasis had met Dwarkavasis in Kuruksetra and Vrajavasis had gone to meet and see Krsna in Kuruksetra. He had come from Dwarka and they had a plan. “This time as we see Him. We will bring Him back to Vrndavan. We will drag Him back to Vrndavan! He may be seated on the chariot. We will pull the chariot. We will get rid of the horses. You, horses, get out! We will become the horses! We will pull the chariot and bring the Lord back to Vrindavana. “

So Jagannath ratha yatra, this is what is happening. Jagannath Puri temple is like Dwarka or even Kuruksetra and Gundica temple is Vrndavan. All those that is pulling the chariot are
residents of Vrndavan. And they are bringing Krsna back to Vrndavan.

Lord Caitanya is talking, praying. “mora mana Vrndavan. My mind is Vrndavan. Oh Jagannath! Please, make your residence in my mind. You were away from my mind or my heart. I invite you back into your home, my minds home, into my heart.” mora mana Vrndavan.

So Caitanya Mahaprabhu was chanting and dancing and dancing and dancing. It was very special. There is a description of the dance as uddanda nrtya [CC Madhya 13.82]

The Lord will fly high into the sky, and then He will crash, fall. And Nityananda prabhu is keeping watch. Before the crash He must be there to catch or to support. Caitanya Mahaprabhu and Nityananda moving like lightning. Caitanya Mahaprabhu sometimes goes moving round and round. The tears from is eyes, not just drops, but what? Shower! All around will get drenched or wet with the showers of Sri Krsna Caitanyaa Mahaprabhu. So then, time for uphala bhoga. On the way to Gundica, and it is time for the Lords offering. He is a big eater, Jagannath. The pujari doesn’t give a little plate. Tons of food is offered. This we have seen. So, time for uphala bhoga of Lord Jagannath. Sri Krsna Caitanya Mahaprabhu has entered the garden. He is lying down with his eyes closed. You remember? The Lord had made up His mind to do what? To see, give darsana. Meet King Prataprudra.

That’s all that the Lord had to do. Just desire! Then He has His Shakthi’s. Lila shaktis , jnana shaktis, all the shaktis, they get into desire. We also call her yoga maya. So, preparations were made for that meeting to take place. Caitanya Mahaprabhu was lying down and everyone told King Prataprudra. “This is the time. This is the time. Go, go go!”

So, he had taken out his crown and his sword. He put on vaisnava robes and he approached Sri Krsna Caitanya Mahaprabhu.

sarvabhauma-upadeSe chadi’ raja-veSa
ekala vaisnava-veSe karila praveSa

[CC Madhya 14.5]

chadi raja-veSa. He gave up raja vesa – Kings royal dress. With vaisnava vesa he does pravesa. With vaisnava attire, he enters the garden.

saba-bhaktera ajna nila yoda-hata hana
prabhu-pada dhari’ pade sahasa kariya

Maharaja Prataprudra was so humble that with folded hands he first took permission from all the devotees. Then, with great courage, he fell down and touched the lotus feet of the Lord.

[CC Madhya 14.6]

ankhi mudi’ prabhu preme bhumite Sayana
nrpati naipunye kare pada-samvahana

As Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu lay on the raised platform with His eyes closed in ecstatic love and emotion, the King very expertly began to massage His legs.

[CC Madhya 14.7]

rasa-lilara Sloka padi’ karena stavana
“Jayati te ’dhikam” adhyaya karena pa?hana

The King began to recite verses about the rasa-lila from Srimad-Bhagavatam. He recited the chapter beginning with the words “Jayati te ’dhikam.”

[CC Madhya 14.8]

So, this is Gopi gita King Prataprudra starts recitation of Gopi gita This is the gita for the occasion. Corresponding the emotion of Sri Krsna Caitanya Mahaprabhu this is a befitting song or gita. Gopi gita. To nourish, to arouse and nourish His feelings, emotions of Radha bhava, Gopi bhava, the Gopis have expressed their bhava, their emotion, in that gita and through ratha yatra Caitanya Mahaprabhu is in that mood. So, King Prataprudra is reciting that Gopi gita.

Sunite Sunite prabhura santosa apara
‘bala, bala’ bali’ prabhu bale bara bara

[CC Madhya 14.9]

When Sri Krsna Caitanya Mahaprabhu heard these verses, he was pleased beyond limits and he said again and again “Go on reciting, go on reciting".

“tava kathamrtam” Sloka raja ye padila
u?hi’ premaveSe prabhu alingana kaila

As soon as the King recited the verse beginning with the words “tava kathamrtam,” the Lord arose in ecstatic love and embraced him.

[CC Madhya 14.10]

Hari Hari! Are you seeing? Watch the scene. Audio has to become video.

Upon hearing the verses recited by the King, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu said, “You have given Me invaluable gems, but I have nothing to give you in return. Therefore, I am simply embracing you.”

– CC Madhya 14.11

Simply embracing! Not enough? The Lord is feeling grateful for what this reciter of Gopi gita has done. He doesn’t even have a clue, of who this person is. No idea. Mahaprabhu had His eyes closed. And this person had come and started massaging and reciting Gopi gita. And the Lord is satisfied and feeling grateful. Just taking and taking is not a good policy, you also
have to give in return. Then Mahaprabhu is thinking,

“I should also give something in return to this person who is singing.” Then Mahaprabhu started thinking “I am just a bikshuka, ek dandi bikshuka. I have nothing to give in return. I have empty pockets; I don’t even have pockets. The kind of garments I wear, I don’t even have pockets. What could I give?” So, thinking like this, he started getting up with his arms stretched. He said: “You know, I have nothing to give. But if you don’t mind, could you accept my embrace? If you don’t mind. Is it ok?” Saying so, the Lord gave a deep embrace to King Prataprudra. King Prataprudra Ki…Jay!! Is that enough? If the Lord was to embrace you, would you like it? Would you say that’s all? For all that I have done for you, only embrace?

Sri Rama had also offered his embrace to Hanuman when Hanuman had just returned from Lanka with good news of Sita. When Rama heard that news, Rama was so pleased and He wanted to reward Hanuman for what Hanuman had done. Then Rama was thinking “I am just a vanvasi. I am just a forest dweller. If I was in Ayodhya I could have given him a big gift, big reward. Yet, this is not the case. I am in the forest.” So, then the Lord asked: “Could I embrace you?” saying so, the Lord embraced Hanuman. “Well done! Well done Hanuman!” Have u seen that photograph of Rama embracing Hanuman? No! How come? You missed it! Quite a famous photograph, taken with a selfie! [Laughs]

eta bali’ sei Sloka pade bara bara
dui-janara ange kampa, netre jala-dhara

After saying this, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu began to recite the same verse again and again. Both the King and Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu were trembling, and tears were flowing from their eyes.

CC Madhya 14.12

Then they were reciting which verse again and again?
tava kathamrtam tapta-jivanam
kavibhir iditam kalmasapaham
Sravana-mangalam Srimad-atatam
bhuvi grnanti ye bhurida janah

My Lord, the nectar of Your words and the descriptions of Your activities are the life and soul of those who are always aggrieved in this material world. These narrations are transmitted by exalted personalities, and they eradicate all sinful reactions. Whoever hears these narrations attains all good fortune. These narrations are broadcast all over the world and are filled with spiritual power. Those who spread the message of Godhead are certainly the most munificent welfare workers.

[CC Madhya 14.13]

‘bhurida’ ‘bhurida’ bali’ kare alingana
inho nahi jane, — ihon haya kon jana

After reciting this verse, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu immediately embraced the King and cried, “You are the most munificent! You are the most munificent!” At this point Sri Caitanyaa
Mahaprabhu did not know who the King was.

[CC Madhya 14.14]

purva-seva dekhi’ tanre krpa upajila
anusandhana vina krpa-prasada karila

Shri Caitanyaa Mahaprabhu’s mercy was aroused because of the King’s previous service therefore, without even asking who he was, the Lord immediately bestowed his mercy upon him.

[CC Madhya 14.15]

I think we will stop here.
Jagannath swami Ki.. Jay!
Caitanya Caritamrita Ki .. Jay!

Remembrance and knowledge comes from Krsna

Vrndavana [58:11]

Srimad Bhagavad Gita As It Is chapter 15th text 15
sarvasya caha? hrdi sannivisto, mattah smrtir jnanam apohana? ca, vedais ca
sarvair aham eva vedyo, vedanta-krd veda-vid eva caham
Translation and purport by Srila Prabhupada ki jai.

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 Vedanta, and I am the knower of the Vedas

Purport:

The Supreme Lord is situated as Paramatma in everyone's heart, and it is from Him that all activities are initiated. The living entity forgets everything of his past life, but he has to act according to the direction of the Supreme Lord, who is witness to all his work. Therefore he begins his work according to his past deeds. Required knowledge is supplied to him, and remembrance is given to him, and he forgets, also, about his past life. Thus, the Lord is not only all-pervading; He is also localized in every individual heart. He awards the different fruitive results. He is not only worshipable as the impersonal Brahman, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and the localized Paramatma, but as the form of the incarnation of the Vedas as well. The Vedas give the right direction to the people so that they can properly mold their lives and come back to Godhead, back to home. The Vedas offer knowledge of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krsna, and Krsna in His incarnation as Vyasadeva is the compiler of the Vedanta-sutra. The commentation on the Vedanta-sutra by Vyasadeva in the Srimad-Bhagavatam gives the real understanding of Vedanta-sutra. The Supreme Lord is so full that for the deliverance of the conditioned soul He is the supplier and digester of foodstuff, the witness of his activity, the giver of knowledge in the form of Vedas and as the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Sri Krsna, the teacher of the Bhagavad-gita. He is worshipable by the conditioned soul. Thus God is all-good; God is all-merciful.

Antahpravistah sasta jananam. The living entity forgets as soon as he quits his present body, but he begins his work again, initiated by the Supreme Lord.

Although he forgets, the Lord gives him the intelligence to renew his work where he ended his last life. So not only does a living entity enjoy or suffer in this world

according to the dictation from the Supreme Lord situated locally in the heart, but he receives the opportunity to understand Vedas from Him. If one is serious to understand the Vedic knowledge, then Krsna gives the required intelligence. Why does He present the Vedic knowledge for understanding? Because a living entity individually needs to understand Krsna. Vedic literature confirms this: yo 'sau sarvair vedair giyate. In all Vedic literature, beginning from the four Vedas, Vedanta-sutra and the Upanisads and Puranas, the glories of the Supreme Lord are celebrated. By performing Vedic rituals, discussing the Vedic philosophy and worshiping the Lord in devotional service, He is attained. Therefore the purpose of the Vedas is to understand Krsna. The Vedas give us direction to understand Krsna and the process of understanding. The ultimate goal is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Vedanta-sutra confirms this in the following words: tat tu samanvayat. One can attain perfection by understanding Vedic literature, and one can understand his relationship with the Supreme Personality of Godhead by
performing the different processes. Thus one can approach Him and at the end attain the supreme goal, who is no other than the Supreme Personality of Godhead. In this verse, however, the purpose of the Vedas, the understanding of the Vedas and the goal of Vedas are clearly defined.

So He is everything we are nothing. He is everything. He is this He is that.
aham vaisvanaro bhutva
praninam deham asritah
pranapana-samayuktah
pacamy annam catur-vidham [BG 15.14]

That we were reading yesterday, I am the fire of digestion in every living body, and I am the air of life, outgoing and incoming, by which I digest the four kinds of foodstuff. I digest caturvidham, catur-vidha-sri-bhagavat-prasada [ Guru Astakam verse no.4]

That caturvidham, four kinds of annam pacami I digest? Let me digest it. Let me digest. We should be saying let Lord digest it, you know. Not that I digest. I don’t digest. It is Lord who has to digest. We could do some yajna, may be? Well, ya, we could do some yajna. And then what happens? Then there are rains, from the rains comes the grains so again. 'Hari sarvatra giyate' that is mentioned here. Lord is glorified. So we glorify the Lord that is yajna, sankirtana yajna or sometimes svaha, svaha, svaha. There also He says I am the ghee, I'm this, I'm that. And there is yajna, all the ingredients of that yajna, that's me. So you have performed and yo that yajna.

And then there is, annad bhavanti bh?tani, parjanyad anna-sambhavah [BG 3.14]

There is anna and then you eat that but then again, you cannot digest it yourself. You need help to digest food that is in you. And again once it is digested, you just need to get that out there are other arrangements in the body, other demigods are doing different things, controlling different parts of your body, different areas and so He is, He is there throughout.

And in this verse from Him come knowledge, from Him comes remembrance, from Him comes forgetfulness also. And He is the one 'sarvasya caham hrdi sannivisto' and situated. It's translated here as I'm situated in the hearts of all the living entities. So 'sannivisto' 'vis' means to enter, Lord enters and then He is situated there. And 'sannivisto' means nicely samya prakare na 'sannivisto'. Once He gets there He is there, He is there to stay, not that temporarily He is there or He is in and out. That's not the case, sannivisto. He is there, or He situates Himself nicely in the hearts of all the living entities.

Our life is either is full of remembrance or full of forgetfulness. So He has control over all our thoughts, knowledge, remembrance, forgetfulness. I found the definition of remembrance: that aspect of knowledge, which seeks out sensations of objects previously experienced. Remembrance has something to do with the past, and you perform some activity or some aspect of knowledge. And you seek out sensations of the objects or persons previously experienced or this could be the remembrance of this material world. And we are forgotten. And Lord is there to remind us. Srila Prabhupada few times has mentioned in the purport that we give up the bodies so we die and there's another life but then where to continue we don't know.

But Lord makes, the present lives connection with the previous one, where we ended from there we continue, we go to sleep and we get up in the morning and we continue exactly kind of where we had stopped or ended last night. So, death is a kind of long sleep is a different kind of sleep. And you get up and you begin but how do you begin, someone is giving you a dictation, someone is reminding you and you continue. So that's one thing in relationship with this body and material worlds some things you are reminded of that is remembrance and you continue your life here.

But this remembrance is not only in connection with this world and this body but, but as Krishna says, man-mana bhava mad-bhakto mad-yaj? -ma? namaskuru [BG 9.34] Remember Me, remember Me? Do you remember Me? So, also the previous experience we were with Krishna in the past long, long long ago we were with the Lord and then there were dealings, and there were experiences and remembrances, staying up, you are reminded again of those your interactions with the Lord, your dealings, your rasa all that with the Lord. What did the gopis do? Mainly they know two things. One is to remember and other one is remember.

Only remember and remember or we say remember, and they know only one thing remember and not forget, meaning remember, right? Actually they know only one thing they don't know two things. Remembrance and forgetfulness, but forget, not forgetfulness, not forgetting means remember. So only thing they do is remember, they remember all the time. So, 'man mana bhava' so remember Me.

So remembering, remembering Krishna, remember, I don't know how the word remember word from what Latin root or how it is formed may be you know, but just by seeing this word 're' remember, I'm reminded myself. So there's some connection with the past. Remember, remember, this kind of reminding us remember, remember, something with the past, so forget Yeah, there's some space here. So, remembrance and forgetfulness of this material existence, this is just the dvandva day and night and this and that in and out and man and a woman and sukha and dukha. So, likewise another kind of dvandva duality of his existence is remembrance and forgetfulness, remembrance and forgetfulness, remembrance and forgetfulness. But the goal is to go beyond this remembrance and beyond the forgetfulness of this world, what you would like to do remember things of this world? Or you would like to forget things of this world, which would you like to do? Forget? Or remember, forget then what happens you forget, I think this half, the half the battle is won, may be you are forgetting, forgetting things of this world. So you want to go beyond. Well, something like that, I was trying to remembers and forget, go beyond that. And then that is remembrance of Krishna. And that is a perfection of our lives. To remember, Krishna, mattah smrtir jnanam apohanam ca. This verse, from Me comes knowledge, from Me comes remembrance, from Me comes forgetfulness, but we wish that we get remembrance of knowledge about Krishna, remembrance of Krishna and the forgetfulness of this material existence and material. Then there is forgetfulness of God, people have forgotten God so much that some people boldly declare that God does not exist. You come across some people like that? I mean, some of you were like that. It's possible, other day some person said that to me, I was such a fellow. Not only we forget God, but we declare that He does not exist. Isn't that amazing thing.

Lord here says, I'm seated in the heart of the living entity. So between heart and mouth it’s not less than one foot nine inches away. People say God does not exist, but He is, God is just there. God does not exist. God is right there. God does not exist. God does not exist. So those who say God does not exist, this is forgetfulness. Isn’t it? So total forgetfulness of God and they declare that God does not exist. Not good. In the beginning, we said He is cause of all causes. Seems that He is everywhere. He's controlling our every affair, every move that we make, He is there, He is a cause. If that is the case and if someone is making the big statement, that God does not exist, who's making this statement? If we close our eyes and boldly say God says that He does not exist, simple answer infact, who says that God does not exist? Infact this God who says, Okay, go ahead. Go ahead and say, be happy that I do not exist or God does not exist. Hello, hello, hello someone is knocking at the door. Son, a little boy opens the door. Is your daddy here, I would like to see him, a little boy goes in to find his
daddy. But his daddy is not interested to meet that fellow at the door, his friend but he is not interested. And he tells his son, please go tell my friend that I am not here. And innocent and straightforward child runs back to the door. And he says my daddy said: What did he say? He is not here. My daddy said “My daddy said he's not here. He's not there.” Who said? Daddy said. What did he say? He is not here. So, God does not exist, God does not exist who is saying this. God is saying you like to say so. Go ahead. I can also give you some arguments, some mirch masala. Some spicing if you want to do some logic, some argument is all there. He could prove and be convinced that I do not exist. And this is a forgetfulness part, 'mattah smrtir' that is remembrance, 'jnanam' that is knowledge. 'apohanam ca’ that is forgetfulness, from Him comes forgetfulness. It cannot be that God exists.

In one man, regular person he has a vision he has eyes he's seeing the sun and next to him there's a blind man, the blind man declares the sun does not exist, the sun does not exist I say sun does not exist. What is the value? Who says sun does not exist? The blind man says sun does not exist so what is the value of that statement? Person next to him with good eyesight he is seeing the sun right there, someone is remembering someone is seeing.

"santah sadaiva hrdayesu vilokayanti" [BS text 38] Lord says here that I'm- I'm in
the heart of all the living entities 'sarvasya caham hrdi sannivisto' I'm in the heart of all the living entities "suhrda? sarva-bh?tana? [ BG 5.29] as Krishna says in the fifth chapter 'suhrda? sarva-bh?tana?' I am in suhrdam, I'm in the heart I'm a friend well-wisher I'm in the heart of living entity.

"hrd-dese ’rjuna tisthati" [BG 18.61]

'hrd-dese' Arjun, oh Arjun tisthati. I reside in hrd-dese, dese means country, Bharat dese, this dese, German dese, that dese this says is I stay in a country called heart,

hrd-dese "?svarah sarva-bh?tana? hrd-dese ’rjuna tisthati" [BG 18.61]

So, oh Arjun I stay in the heart or the country called heart and hearts of all living entities I stay I reside. So, residing here in Vrndavan and hearing or knowing about Krishna's rasa dance pastimes. During that past time Krishna expands Himself as many gopis those many Krishna’s and probably you are thinking how fortunate are those gopis. Krishna expands Himself and He's with each gopi, one gopi one Krishna, one gopi one Krishna, one gopi one Krishna, one gopi one Krishna. Well, here the story is not much different. One living entity one Krishna, one living entity one Krishna, one living entity one Krishna, one living entity, as many living entities are there. There's many Krishna, are those many expansions of Krishna are in the hearts of all those living entities. How? Then think Krishna is partial partiality, only for gopis, He's expanding, but what about me, you know, me? What about me? So as he expands Himself and His each gopi dances with each living entity, is residing. Every other family member, if you say, my dear wife or husband, you know, in next life. I may, who knows, I may end up becoming this or that hog or dog. You would like to join me? Dear wife or dear husband will say, see you later just now coming. But the Lord He will accompany you there. He'll be there wherever you go. Who is more kind? Who is your friend? Who is closest to you? Krishna, Krishna, Krishna, Krishna is that friend, He never leaves you alone.

He is always with you. Friend in need is friend indeed. He is always with us. So that's kind of half the story here in this verse.
There is other part "vedais ca sarvair aham eva vedyo vedanta-krd veda-vid eva caham" [BG 15.15] aham.

So not only He is there as a supersoul, in hearts of all the living entities, from Him comes knowledge, remembrance, forgetfulness the forgetfulness, there are already a lot of things. But in the top of that is also 'vedais ca sarvair aham eva vedyo.’ That He appears, I was reading, looking at the commentary that said, Lord appears as Badrayan. So Lord appears as Vyasadev and He sets standard of knowledge. All that we need to know is, is there in the Vedas, the vast body of knowledge, 'vedais ca sarvair aham eva vedyo', and in fact, Lord says here you study the Vedas, what for? 'aham vedyo' I am to be known so He appears as Vyasadev, He creates whole body of knowledge Vedas and then Puranas, Vedanta Sutra, of course talks here. Vedanta karoti, so the creator, compiler of the Vedanta, Lord is the doer, compiler of the Vedas and Vedanta. The end of knowledge, the conclusion of the knowledge and conclusion of knowledge is the Lord. The acquired knowledge and the conclusion of that is pointing, fingers are pointed towards the Lord. You study the sastras, Vedas and Puranas and Srila Prabhupada is quoting "yo sau'sarvair vedair giyate" [Gopala- tapani Upanisad confirms]. In all the Vedic literature beginning from four Vedas, Vedanta Sutra and Upanisads and Puranas. The glories of the Supreme Lord are celebrated "Harih sarvatra giyate", adav, madhye, ante [CC Adi 7.131]

'Harih sarvatra giyate', adav in the beginning, madhye in the middle ante at the 'end harih sarvatra giyate'. harih sarvatra everywhere He is glorified "vasudevah sarvam iti" [ BG 7.19]

So when you come to that conclusion, 'vasudevah sarvam' yes, yes. Now I have come to conclusion. 'vasudevah sarvam'. "bah?na? janmanam ante" [BG 7.19]

Right? You spent so many lifetimes, lifetime after lifetime and studying sastras, Vedantas and now you have become jnanavan means you have become full of knowledge. So what is how much you have to know? Krishna says elsewhere Bhagavad Gita with 'Vasudevah sarvam' quote and quote, in English quote and quote, 'Vasudeh sarvam iti' this much. How much you have to know 'Vasudevah sarvam', Vasudevah is all in all. This is Vedanta this is being jnanavan, full of knowledge. This place is full of knowledge. How? What does he know? 'Vasudevah sarvam'. He has found out, he has come to conclusion 'Vasudevah sarvam' that much he knows 'Vasudevah sarvam', Vasudeva is all in all. That's Vedanta. 'vedais ca sarvair aham eva vedyo' I'm to be known by the studies of the Vedas, the Puranas. But if you have only found out Brahma in Varanasi, Caitanya Mahaprabhu went to Varanasi and air, that atmosphere was filled with Brahma Brahma, aham Brahmasi, Brahma, Brahma.

sarva? khalv ida? brahma

Everything is Brahma, ekam eva adhvitheyam only one adhvitheyam, there's no one else. This is the language they are talking everywhere Brahma, Brahma, Brahma, Brahma. And they are proud of their studies of Vedanta ' vedant vakyasu sada ramantah' they say.

' Kaupeenavantah khalu bhágyavantah khalo bhagyavantah' . We are very fortunate, we wear only kaupeen, we are kind of vairagi's. We wear only kaupeen and we are very fortunate. And what do we do?

'vedanta vakyasu sada ramantah'

We are studying Vedanta all the time. 'Vedanta vakyasu sada ramantah' so they are studying Vedanta. But not coming to the right conclusions. They're only going up to Brahma. But what about Paramatma as mentioned here, 'sarvair aham vedyo' or 'sarvasya caham hrdi sannivisto "brahmeti paramatmeti, bhagvan iti sabdyate" [SB 1.2.11].

They only go up to Brahman and they think that they are very fortunate. They study vyakran, grammar, and all that, but they missed the boat. They certainly missed the flight that goes back to home, merge into some kind of Brahman and get lost and suffer more. Although Shankaracharya was there to propagate impersonalism, that task was given to him by the Lord. While he was in Varanasi, the same Varanasi there was very elderly person, old fellow infact, that he was still studying the vyakran and the grammar and he was remembering sutras and he was doing he was so much absorbed in that Shankaracharya, noticed that old fellow and you're still only studying grammar, you should move forward, use this knowledge of vyakran to study Vedanta and find out the ultimate reality.

Anyways, his words he said, 'bhaja govindam, bhaja govindam, bhaja govindam mudha mate' You fool ‘bhaja govindam’ you worship Govinda.

prapte sannihite khalu marane nahi nahi raksati dukrin karane

Part of vyakran-grammar called dukrin karane. So when are you going to worship Govinda? Bhaja Govinda, so they spend their time studying grammar all life or even if they finish that and get to study they only claim that they're studying Vedanta but they don't come to the right conclusion. They're very badly influenced by the advait, the monism that philosophy. But its very fortunate to be, to come in contact with vaisnava and that parampara, evam parampara praptam then 'vedais sarvair aham eva vedyo' then there is Bhakti Vedanta, Bhakti and Vedanta, end of Vedanta is you take to bhakti life or life of devotional
service.

Anyway, I think we should be winding up also. And just one last so many nice wonderful points here in this verse and the purport and you could spend days talking, hearing understanding and not getting up not leaving until we have understood, the close the doors and windows and not leave this room till we really understand. You understand. So many points, one verse is enough to understand Krishna. You don't even have to understand whole Bhagavad Gita one verse. We're good at this and there's one verse and not even the whole verse sarvasya caha? hrdi sannivisto.' Just one fourth of the verse, Lord is situated in the hearts of all living entities. All living entities include me the entity; I'm also one of those entities. I am not an exception, in my heart also, Lord is residing. So to understand, to realize that God resides in my heart. It's good to know right? This is good to know that Lord loves you. God exists and God loves you. Who loves you? God loves you. He should be loving you. Because you are very dear to Him. He loves you. What good is someone around the corner loves you there's one thing and then God loves you which one you would like? Whose love you care for? God loves you, you like that? God loves you He exists in my heart and He loves you and He likes you and He's looking for you and He's wanting you back home and that's why He's sitting in your heart trying to get rid of any obstacles, so that you could clear the path and go forward.

In Sanskrit, in Sruti mantra 'Antah-pravistah sasta jananam' [BG 15.15 Purport]

'antah-pravistah' Lord enters the heart of all the living entities. And then it becomes sasta jananam. Of all the living entities, He becomes sasta, means to control or regulator. So, He enters us and He becomes regulator, 'sasta jananam' of all of us. So, He could allow Him to control you with some other ideas or own ideas and then Lord creates the facility. He alone enables the jivas to enjoy in the material world. So, there's one thing He does or is one of the key purposes of creation to enable the jivas to enjoy the material world, another one is He, He enables jivas to get liberation or to get Him get up to Him. So, He is doing these two functions. So if we could allow Him not interfere but allow Him so that He enables us dictates us, He regulates us in a fashion so that we get to Him, we outreach Him.

Everything is Vedanta, everything is the works of Vyasadeva and something that is not in Vyasadev's compilation it is not to be found anywhere else. It is a statement like that, I forgot the Sanskrit of that says, something that is not found in the Vedas the verse compilation of Srila Vyasadeva if it is not there it is nowhere else. But whatever wherever we find the truth that is already included and works out Srila Vyasadeva plus much more plus something that is not found anywhere else is found in in the compilations of Srila Vyasadeva. So we have all of that, He is within us, within the heart and guiding us and then from outside. All this literature is also created. And then it also sends His representatives

[sakshad-dharitvena samasta-sastrair [ Sri Sri Guru Astakam verse7]

and all that. And they help us to understand those, those Vedas of sastras. In so many ways, God facilitates, Krishna facilitates, facilitates our liberations or our going back home.

Okay, any questions or any comments?

Devotee 1: Knowledge and forgetfulness He's controlling everything, then? What is our role? We don't have to do anything because He's doing everything? We will think about Krishna. That's all. We don't have. Means nothing is there in our hands. It is all in His power. So why should we think about anything, we should only think about Krishna. We can't do anything without His consent. If He allows us to do whatever we want to do then we can do, it is not in our hand we can't use our brain, we can't use our mind.

Maharaja: Good, please do that. You have come to the right conclusion. Do that, just remember Him. Let all the nonsense stop and let the truth prevail. And let that truth guide us in our wanderings. And we will be heading back home, straight back home.

Devotee 2: What is the gap between remembrance and knowledge because there were three aspects you mentioned? Knowledge, remembrance and forgetfulness, and remembrance and forgetfulness was separate from knowledge. If we understand then how do we connect, knowledge with remembering? Maharaja: Remembering knowledge is remembrance and absence of it is forgetfulness. God exists, is a knowledge God exists. It's called astik the person who knows who access that, that God exists, this is a knowledge, the body of knowledge. And then remembrance is that you have experienced or you have interaction from the past with the Lord and you knew the truth or knowledge, you're full of knowledge. Now that is to be revived. And that is a remembrance or reminder, reminder of the knowledge and reminder of the facts. Something exists God exists and remembrance. Remember, remember my friends remember my friend? Who is that friend, did I ever meet Him? How did He look like? We spend a few minutes and reminding and remembering and the knowledge that from the past of my friend, my friend is revived. And you remember something like that? Okay.

Devotee 2: Thank you very much Maharaja for your eloquent discourse. You talked about going to back, that back to Godhead, there is a stage called a prema bhakti where tears come from your eyes and you dance like a madman. And that kind of stage very, very rare to achieve. Is prema bhakti a pre-requisite to going to back to Godhead?

Guru Maharaja: Things kind of happen faster, during the last moments, when you are facing the last moments ‘ante narayana.’ When ‘ante’ is there things are happening faster and there may not be long spans of where that candidate has visible sadhana. He doesn't perform visible sadhana. So there may not be visible, or no time or years or months for him to exhibit or display or even experience the astavikaras or the bhavas trembling of the bodies and perspiration and tears and stand and last moments as person closes his eyes and is leaving. Things move very, very fast. And he's going through a lot of things. Lot of things are cleared and cleansed enabling him of course this is mercy of the Lord and the prayers of the Vaisnavas and spiritual master and all those factors. So prema bhakti it's not a new thing to the soul again. As we're talking of remembrance, remembrance is that aspect of knowledge which seeks out sensations of the objects previously experienced. God loves you and soul loves God also, soul loves Krishna. It's only misdirected. We put our love in wrong place, wrong person and we end up giving our hearts and lives to so many undesirable. So, living entity has love for the Lord and living entity has experienced the prema for the Lord in the past, highest bhava and prema. So, it is that is to be revived.

Seeking out those sensations previously experienced or you may not, we may not have opportunity to see others symptoms of their love for the Lord. It is also kind of private personal affair. And that also could be explained, the devotees could not display but conceal their symptoms and their love for the Lord not make a public display. But they are there not showing or exhibiting that they are there and that Bhagavatam says, I could only paraphrase; I think in that verse there "taravah ki? na j?vanti, bhastrah ki? na svasanty uta" [SB 2.3.18]

Do not the trees live long life and as mentioned that ‘What good is long life?’ just what should I say, just the fully Krishna conscious life briefly practiced, briefly experienced; briefly even momentarily experienced is far better than a long life.

Ajamil was the first was Namabhasa and chanting was not pure then he was transferred to Haridwar and he continued to practice for a little longer and the next time Visnudutas were there first time they did not bring him back home because he was lacking, there was some shortcoming, shortfall. Then he was allowed to practice for a little longer and then he made up then another time there was a landing of the vehicle from the another world and he was given a lift right back to home. So certainly full development of love of God, full development of Krishna Consciousness has to be there that's the prerequisite for,

"ya? ya? vapi smaran bhava? tyajaty ante kalevaram ta? tam evaiti kaunteya sada tad-bhava-bhavitah"[ BG 8.6]

So even for a moment if you experience that love of Godhead and then as said forever you are with it. When you are in that situation and that last moment comes, you don't look for help from outside “where's my family doctor? And where is this and that or my family members mummy,daddy,son” and then he’s lost, then he will stay behind. He's already stuck but he has cut all the bonds and strings attached and is begging “they say you’ll remember when you're in trouble you remember God more than otherwise you remember”; normally you don't ["vipadah santu tah sasvat" SB 1.8.25]

that is why the smart lady Kunti says, “Oh

God please keep sending the trouble, let there be calamities because when they come, I'm going to run to you and when that happens ["apunar bhava- darsanam"SB1.8.25] then I don't have to take the birth again.

So the toughest calamity kind of situation is when death is there so that's when and how Ajamil you know Narayan, Narayan and luckily he said Narayan and he did not say Tinku or Chinku or Pinku or… he said Narayan and Narayan Dutas appeared and but you know he was helpless. He was helpless, helpless. So if it is “Hey Krishna hey Govinda” not that let me help myself and Draupadi is battling with Dushyasan with both the hands and tug of war and then only with one hand let me help myself you know, at least a little bit that also wasn't working out but when there was full 'meri doli tere hath' then Krishna appeared.

So those moments, not look for any external help and face Lord and pray to the Lord and all that, that happens and lot of things are going to happen that time. And he will make a lot of progress. And he will end up going back to Godhead or this will get there close, close to that. Okay may Krishna be with you, you are in Vrndavan.

Krishna Balaram Ki Jai
Srila Prabhupad Ki Jai

Gaur premanande hari hari bol

Real Work of Varnas and Pastime of Dhruva Maharaja

MAURITIUS [18.29]

evam vidho brahmacari
vanaprastho yatir grhi
caran vidita-vijnanah
param brahmadhigacchati (SB 7.12.16)

TRANSLATION: By practicing in this way, whether one be in the brahmacari-asrama, grhastha-asrama, vanaprastha-asrama or sannyasa-asrama, one must always realize the all-pervading presence of the Supreme Lord, for in this way it is possible to understand the Absolute Truth. Purport: This is the beginning of self-realization. One must first understand how Brahman is present everywhere and how He is acting. This education is called brahma-jijnasa and is the real concern of human life. Without such knowledge, one cannot claim to be a human being; rather, he remains in the animal kingdom. As it is said, sa eva go-kharah: without such knowledge, one is no better than a cow or an ass.

So, the common business for everyone regardless of his varna or asrama, situation, the common business is to realise all-pervading presence of the Supreme Lord. The person may be in brahmacari, vanaprastha, sannyasa or g?hastha-asrama, occupation is same for everyone. One decides of course, each varna, each asrama, some prescribed duties are there. The Brahman is worshiping, studying and teaching. Then

Kshatriya, kshata trayate iti kshatriya

Kshat is getting wounded, wound or hurt. So, Kshatriya is that person who protects others or citizens from getting hurt, the citizens are fighting amongst each other for nothing. So he intervenes, he has his forces in place to make sure that there is no ill fighting, unnecessarily there is no killing, not getting wounded, no quarrel. There is also hurt, it hurts right? It hurts more, they say if someone is using knife, he hasn’t killed the person but wounded the person, so that wound gets healed within a week or two, or month or two and it is finished. But if one insults someone, someone’s tongue is very sharp like a razor, not under control, then he hurts someone by talking in insulting way and there is a wound in the mind. If person gets wounded, there is hurt. Like Dhruva Maharaja was hurt. His Step Mother Suruchi had to say something,

“Oh! You wish to be the Prince, it’s too late baba, you have not taken birth in my womb, you can’t have this throne. Forget it.”.

That was a big insult for Dhruva Maharaja. And Prabhupada says specially Kshatriya cannot sense such Insult. So, Dhruva Maharaja being a son of a Kshatriya himself, he took this very seriously. So, the mother was trying to pacify, put some bandage on the wound caused by step mother of Dhruva Maharaja. But she could not see that he is deeply hurt, wounded just by the words. Words are sharper. The other kind of wound gets healed. Wound caused by whatever knife or stick or gun or nails. So that is not exactly the point. The point is talking of duty of Kshatriya and the meaning Ksha-tryia, triya who protects others or citizens from getting hurt, getting wounded. And he maintains law and order. He is the administrator- Kshatriya.

And then Vaishya: krsi-go-raksya-vanijyam [Bg. 18.44]

Krsi- does farming, lot of farms in Mauritius, When Prabhupada was here wherever he goes, to Australia to America, to other continents. He saw so much land is laying vacant, why not use it? Grow some food. But of course, people are not interested. They would rather work in the industry, factory. So

krsi-go-raksya-vanijyam

Such a nice duty, do farming, take care of the cows, a little trading, some extra grains share with others and get something in return. So, these are prescribed duties of different members of different asramas and then there are varnas. These are varnas. We just talked about varnas.

And then asramas:

Brahmacari, what does brahmacari do? He studies, brahmacari’s primary business or occupation is, he is a student under a teacher, He has a teacher and he's learning, studying as Krishna studied at Sandipani Muni’s asrama. Right? That is the understanding.

brahmacari gurukule vasan danto guror hitam [SB 7.12.1]

Brahmacari goes to the asrama of a Guru, he stays there. Dasa-vat- as a menial servant he resided there, N?ca?- very humble way he stays. Krishna stayed very humbly, he was sleeping on the floor, he was begging, going and doing madhukari in the morning. So brahmacari’s do such things. He is studying and guror hitam …….. vasan danto guror hitam For the benefit of Guru, for the service of Guru, for the pleasure of Guru he is functioning.

Srila Prabhupada even adds, he says if Guru forgets he has done so much, begged alms, collected madhukari and other duties. Once Krishna was told by Gurupatni, “Hey go get some wood, firewood. I would cook for all the boys in the asrama there is no firewood”. The there was no gases, they had to use firewood. So, Krishna and Sudama had to go, get the firewood, they had to go to the forest. So, this is all guror hitam. So brahmacari.

Then Grhastha , what is the main thing Grhastha is doing? Dana, charity. He is the only person who is the householder, and who is also money holder. Brahmacari has no money, vanaprastha may carry something but he may also depend on the mercy of the Lord as he travels and sannyasi, no money.

Jaya! Krishna Balarama ki Jaya

So, the only person who is the householder and also the money holder. So, he is doing charity. He is maintaining others. Taking care of his family, family maintenance. But, not just a bodily maintenance, Soul Maintenance. He is also maintaining soul. Otherwise why maintain? What’s the difference?

Prabhupada is pointing that out, animal Kingdom. Without such knowledge, one cannot claim to be human being. If person doesn't belong to any varna, any asrama. Fine, you are ready for Sannyasa, go for grhastha asrama but you don’t even belong to Grhastha asrama. Just by staying in griha, just because you have house, wife and children. That doesn't constitute, that doesn’t become an asrama. You may be grhastha but not necessarily a grhastha asrama. That’s the difference. So, difference that we know, we have heard, he is

grhamedhi, yan maithunadi-grhamedhi-sukham hi tuccham. [SB 7.9.45]

All that he's doing is tuccha? very low. Something that you spit at. grhamedhi-sukham hi

tuccha? So grhamedhi is that person who is addicted to sex life and he is attached. So that is

what Prabhupada is talking, Without the knowledge of such knowledge. At the beginning four varnas and asramas, it begins with self-realization and one must understand how Brahman is present everywhere and how he is acting, and this education is called brahma jijnasa and that is real concern of human life, without such knowledge one cannot claim to be human being.

So, take care of family, Fine but, you have to first know who your family is, who your wife is? Who your child is? Do you know? Most of you know. But I am addressing them, those who don’t know who is your wife? It is difficult to understand how could soul be your wife? But the real person is a soul. If soul leaves the body, then that body is no more your wife. Immediately, “Get out, get her out!!” otherwise it will begin smelling so bad. Right? So as soon as the soul leaves the body, the body is useless, you burn the body. Then you realize, then you cry, “Oh, she was right her, oh no now how I am going to survive. She is gone”. So That’s the soul that is gone.

Krsna’s idea is beneficial to everyone

Mayapur [46:55]

Reading from Bhagavad  Gita , Chapter 2 text number 9. Bhagavad Gita was said in morning and we are hearing in the evening.  We are seeing the Lord, we are seeing the Lord. You have all seen, where is He? So we all like to see Him.  We all like to see Him and it is very important that we hear Him. People like to see Him but not hear Him.  But we should come to the temple, to see the Lord and to hear the Lord.  So we have seen Him, He is standing right before our eyes, please all take darsana. Please look, look, look.

jai shri shri radha madhav asta sakhis vrinda ki… jai

In fact we will see Him more by hearing Him.  The way to see the Lord is not with the eyes but in fact with the ears.  We see more with the ears than with our eyes.  So you all, I mean we also are visitors besides all are ISKCON devotees sitting here.  We have some guests also with us.  So we welcome them all, welcome devotees and guests also.  As we said that Krsna spoke Bhagavad Gita in the morning, not this morning, but 5000 years ago in Kurukshetra.  He spoke Bhagavad Gita during early morning hours. You all agree, understand the meaning that he spoke in the morning, not during lunch or after his dinner? He spoke in the morning;sun was rising in the east.  Army had already arrived and there were two camps; the Pandhava camp and Kaurava camp. And then as is the rule for dharma yudha, at sun rise they commence the battle and it goes all day long and then at sunset, fullstop.

So that particular morning, it was also day ofekadasi, Mokshada, name also there of that ekadasi, Mokshadaekadasi.  So we know who spoke, where He spoke, what time He spoke, what did He speak, everything is very clear.  So here in the  temple every day we read, one verse, one slok, one statement of the Lord.  So in fact, Krsna begins His speech, His dialogue, His conversation with Arjunaa in the second chapter of Bhagavad Gita.

First chapter of Bhagavad Gita is  also Bhagavad Gita, but it is not technically song of Krsna, Arjuna and others have spoken more in the first chapter. Then Sanjay also speaks, makes his comments.Three parties were listening to Bhagavad Gita, at the same time, simultaneously.Arjuna was, of course, it is meant for Arjuna, it’s also meant for you and as Krsna dialogue was happening  inKuruksetra, Sanjay also was able to hear in Hastinapur at the same time.  Doordarsana, Doorvani, television.  So these are the two parties and the third one there was a tree, not far from where Krsna and Arjuna, the dialogue was on, settled in a chariot and very next to , very close to the chariot.  There was a tree, that tree is still there.  You go and see that tree even today, the tree is standing.  Even tree has become immortal by the hearing of Bhagavad Gita and what to speak of us.  So Sanjay is also one of the speakers or communicator of Bhagavad Gita.  So today’s verse is spoken by Sanjay Uvaca.  So please repeat after me.

sanjaya uvaca
evam uktva hrsikesam
gudakesah paran tapah
na yotsya iti govindam
uktva tusnim babhuva ha [BG 2.9]

Sanjayahuvaca – Sanjaya said; evam – thus; uktva – speaking; hrsikesam – unto krsna, the master of the senses; gudakesah – Arjuna, the master of curbing ignorance; Param-tapah – the chastiser of the enimes; nayotsya – I shall not fight; iti – thus; govindam – unto krsna, the giver of pleasure to the senses; uktva – saying; tusnim – silent; babhuva – became; ha – certainly.

Translation

Sanjaya said: Having spoken thus, Arjuna, chastiser of enemies, told Krsna, “Govinda, I shall not fight,” and fell silent.

Purport

Dhrtarastra must have been very glad to understand that Arjuna was not going to fight and was instead leaving the battlefield for the begging profession.  But Sanjaya disappointed him again in relating that Arjuna was competent to kill his enemies [paran-tapah].  Although Arjuna was, for the time being, overwhelmed with false grief due to family affection, he surrendered unto Krsna, the supreme spiritual master, as a disciple.  This indicated that he would soon be free from the false lamentation resulting from family affection and would be enlightened with perfect knowledge of self- realization, or Krsna consciousness, and would then surely fight.  Thus Dhrtarastra’s joy would be frustrated, since Arjuna would be enlightened by Krsna and would fight to the end.

Arjuna said, ‘nayotsya’,  I shall not fight and he is addressing “Govinda” O Govinda, I shall not fight.  He said this much and ‘tusnimbabhuva’ and he became quite or silent, felt silent, that’s  good news for Dhrtarastra that Arjuna is not gone fight.  O! That is wonderful, that is what I was looking for.  Arjuna is not going to fight, my children would be spared or they would become victorious, if Arjuna did not fight. But in this verse, Sanjaya as he is talking to Dhrtarastra, he is describing Arjuna as “parantapah.”He is the chastiser of the enemies and Srila Prabhupada in purport is pointing out, temporarily he has been over whelmed by this affection, family affection, family ties, moha, illusion, but as he would be listening to Krishna, becoming his disciple, and then coming out and then he would be chastising, fighting, killing enemies and becoming victorious.

So Arjuna had come on the scene with determination to fight in the beginning seated in a very special chariot.

svetair hayair yukte mahati syandane sthitau [BG 1.14]

The first chapter says that the white horses were pulling the ‘mahatisyandane’ very special, expensive, nicely carved chariot. ´madhavah pandavas caiva’[BG 1.14]and in that chariot two personalities are sitting Madhava and Pandava and this Pandava is Arjuna.divyau sankhau pradadmatuh[ BG 1.14]and soon both of them, they blew their transcendental conch shells.  Krsna blew His conch shell called Pancajanya  and the name of Arjuna’s conch shell Devadattadhanan-jayah.  Devadatta was the name of the conch shell and the names of other pandava’s conch shells is also mentioned.  So Arjuna was very much eager to fight.  So before beginning of fight, he was desirous to see his enemies, please show me who they are? Who do they think they are, they want to fight with me.  Please bring by chariot forward.

senayor ubayor madhye

ratham sthapaya me cyuta[BG 1.21]

Arjuna says, “senayor ubayor madhye” in between two armies “rathamsthapaya” please get my chariot situated in between two armies.  So immediately, here Parthasarthi, Lord has become the Chariot driver of his devotee. In His left hand He has ropes of the reins of the horses. Lord is having whip in His right hand.  So He already started moving chariot forward.  Soon the chariot was in between two armies, closer to the enemy camp, enemies and Arjuna is seeing who has come, who has assembled, that time as Arjuna is observing the army, enemy camp, enemies.  Krishna says “pasya”see, just see,

pasyaitan samavetan kurun iti [BG 1.25]

All those who have assembled here are none but the Kuru’s , Lord is giving some hint to Arjuna, oh you wanted to see just see, who has come to fight with you or you have to fight  with Kuru’s they are Kuru’s , you are also Kuru’s, same family, wake up Arjuna.

So not only Arjuna is seeing but Lord is also showing, getting his attention, just see, just see, Kuru’s have come to fight with you, same family.  So by seeing and by hearing the whole chemistry inside, within has changed, changes very fast, very quickly.  Now his blood was boiling, take my chariot, he was getting ready, sharpening his arrows, or his wanted to see, but now as he has seen and heard from Krsna also just five words.

pasyaitan samavetan kurun

Just four five words, these are the only words Krsna speaks in first chapter of Bhagavad Gita nothing more nothing less. Then Arjuna begins trembling, his body shaking, sidanti mama gatrani[BG1.28]my body is trembling, mukham ca parisusyati [BG 1.28]my mouth is drying up, gandivam sramsate hastat [BG 1.29]GandivhaDhanush, the bow is slipping right out of my hands. Could you fight if you are shaking, can you fight? No,  you have to be very steady, focused, motionless. So many things are happening in his mind, all body are there and then Arjuna is also thinking, he is expressing himself now.

sreyo nupasyami hatvasva-janam ahave [ BG 1.31]

I don’t see any benefit, no sreyo, no long term benefit, really killing hatva sva-janama havein this horrible battle, killing our own family members, I don’t see any benefit and I am not interested.

na kankse vijayam Krsna nacarajyam sukhani ca [BG 1.31]

Krsna I think he is making himself very clear, I don’t want kingdom, no happiness, I am not interested in this and then Arjuna keeps talking more and more and more.  So many concerns, what about this dharma, what about jati dharma, what about kula dharma, what about this, what about that.So many dharmas, so many concerns, so many issues.

So with each additional idea that he presents, he is deviating more, he is more and more deviation.  This is a way to go but with each idea is turning away from Lord’s idea and soon he would be hundred eighty degrees and this is where is the verse, tusnim babhuva.  I am not going to fight. This fighting, this was Lord’s idea, Lord’s desire, Lord’s plan.

paritranaya sadhunam
vinasaya ca duskrtam
dharma samsthapanarthaya
sambhavami yuge yuge
[BG 4.8]

I appeared, this is the purpose for which I appeared, this is dharma yuddha and this is meant to establish dharma and to protect the devotees like you Pandava’s  and kill the miscreants.  This is the vision of the Lord, the purpose of His advent.  But now Arjuna is not showing any interest in plan or vision or desire of the Lord. Narsimha dev ki Jai.

So earlier also, at the end of first chapter, Arjuna kind of he sits down, making it clear that I am not going to fight.  Sometimes you see the bulls or the he buffalo  pulling the cart  and big load and in summer season and it is hard for him to pull.  Sometimes the farmer is feeding the he buffalo, he is trying to push or pull the bull try to move it forward but when the he buffalo doesn’t want to move and he wants to make it very clear.  What does he do? He sits down and makes it very clear statement.   Okay this is it.  Now you know my dear farmer, I am not going to  move.  So the last statement of the first chapter was very similar also and also spoken by Sanjaya.

evam uktvarjunah sankhye
rathopastha upavisat
visrjya sa-saram capam
soka samvigna manasah
[BG 1.46]

Sanjay said,

Arjuna having this spoken on battle field, cast aside his  bows and arrows and sat down on the chariot,  his mind was over whelmed with grief.  So as Arjuna was talking to the Lord and what about this, what about this dharma, what about this, he was thinking that probably he is going to convince Him, He will be convinced.  So Arjuna was expecting yes, yes, yes, that is fine, what you say is exactly right.  Arjuna, I agree with you, forget this battle, let’s have breakfast, stop this. That is as Arjuna was talking and talking and talking in the first chapter.  It is like Arjuna Gita, not Bhagavad Gita so much ArjunaGeet, song of Arjuna, statement of Arjuna he was thinking oh this didn’t work, say something more now, for sure this statement will be convincing the Lord. So if not this, that one, probably Lord would say okay, okay that is fine, forget this battle and let’s go have the breakfast.  So Arjuna is sitting in the chariot making it very clear that he is not going to fight.  In fact Arjuna begins,

asru purnakuleksanam [BG 2.1]

He is in tears, Arjuna is in tears, could you imagine Arjuna, Arjuna is full of compassion and depressed in mind.  His eyes full of tears and now the second chapter, second verse.  This is where Krsna begins, officially begins talking.  The first thing that the Krsna had to say was, first thing that Krsna wanted to say, probably Arjuna was expecting that the Lord is going to praise my statement,  and appreciate what I have said congratulations, well done, well spokenArjuna, that was not the case. In fact Lord said

kutas tva kasmalam idam [ BG 2.2]

kutastva where from kutas tva kasmalam idam all that you have spoken that idam kasmalam, all this is rubbish, okay where is the dustbin, where is the dustbin, it should be dumped in the dustbin.  So this is Lord’s comment, it is comment on all that Arjuna had to say and Arjuna was thinking now, I am speaking now something very intelligent, very social concerns, this issues, that issues, family, tradition and this must be.  In fact when people read first chapter they hear Arjuna speak or they read what Arjuna has to say, they kind of agree with Arjuna.  Forget all other people probably when you read for first time.  I use to, I remember when I was reading, understanding the first chapter Arjuna statement this makes sense.  That’s right, you are right on Arjuna, yes go on speaking I was kind of what a man.

Arjunaki jai

Lord doesn’t say Arjunaki jai, not thumbs up and then a little more statement then Arjuna again speaks and he becomes silent, quite.  That is today’s verse and then towards the end of Bhagavad Gita, Lord is talking, concluding.  sarva-dharman what parityajya give up this varieties of religion, varieties of religion.  Why, why he is talking of this. sarva-dharmanwhat is connection of this, why Krsna has to say sarva-dharman, Arjuna you, sarva-dharman partityajya [BG 18.66]

Give up all varieties of religion, all thoughts, all this concerns, all this isms, all this why?  Is this in Bhagavad Gita context or in some other connections, right here in the first chapter, all the dharma’s. Some of the dharma’s, Arjuna has mentioned, what about this dharma, what about this, what about this.  Lord said, give it up these thoughts and accept my dharma, accept my dharma, not your dharma.  Give this up , this is all gambling, this is all mental speculation and gambling.  It is not only lottery and this and that as gambling but it is a bigger gambling, speculation.

I think, according to me, Arjuna this is according to me.  Arjuna is talking in the first chapter.  My opinion, Arjuna is talking in the first chapter and Krsna says give it up.

So the first word in the Bhagavad Gita is, what is the first word in Bhagavad Gita, dharma, the first world is dharma and last word is mama,  last word is mama, first word is dharma put it together, that is dharma, mama dharma my dharma, my law, law of the Lord that is dharma, that’s religion. Gita is dharma, so you have other ideas, accept Krsna’s ideas, original idea, for everybody, living entity and the society, the family and the country for the humanity and living entity like that.

Topic : Vrndavan is source of all Dhama.

Place : Vrndavan

Indradyumna Maharaja was talking to almost all of you. Some additional English devotees now have arrived, as others also are listening to him. He narrated Damodara lila to all of you, most of you. That lila brings the listener to Gokul. That pastime took place on deepavali day which is in just few days. I didn’t finish, you continue the pastime. Some other day, then I started that Badri Narayan, Narayan, Narayan. So from Gokul to Badri Narayan, Badrikasram, Vaisnav’s, Gaudiya Vaisnav’s there worship able Lord is aradhyo bhagvan vrajesa tanaya, vrajesa tanaya son of Nanda Maharaja and there worship able abode is tad dhama Vrndavanam where vrajesa tanaya appears, their minds are always fixed, Vaisnav’s, Gaudiaya Vaisnav’s, Brajavasis mind is always fixed on Krishna. They know nothing, no one else but there Radhanath. na parah no one else.

sri chaitanya mahaprabhor matam idam tatradarah na parah (Caitanya-matta-manjusa by Srila

Viswanatha Cakravarti Thakura)

Worship vrajesa tanaya He like to reside in, or visit to or parikarma of Vrndavan and their ideal, the hero’s the devotees, whose examples they follows, those devotees are the Gopis.

vraja-vadhu-vargena va kalpita

That aradhana is the best aradhana, the best mode of worship and which scripture do they study, they study Srimad Bhagavatam,

srimad bhagavatam amalam puranam

Srimad Bhagavatam is amal, it is spotless puran and the goal of their life is prema pumartho mahan, the love of Godhead Prema, Pancham purushartha, they don’t compromise , no dharma, artha, kama, moksha, they spit at it, they only care for prema pumartho mahan. So that is what has been taught to us by Sri Krishna Caitanya Mahaprabhu and then, we are here, we are still here at Badrikasram, knowing all this, we come, we still come to Badrik-asram, every, every follower of the Sanatan dharma, every Hindu aspires to go at least once in his life, he has to go to Badrik-asram. Them his life is, kind of perfect, then he is pacified, satisfied. Otherwise he has some agitation. No, no, I haven’t been to Badrik-asram. Oh! That, what kind of Hindu, santaniya am I, I have to go to Badrik-asram. So was also the desire, an aspiration of Nanda Maharaja and Yashoda. I
am sure, you have been hearing from last couple of days that, it was a wish of Nanda Baba, it was the wish of Yashoda and the elderly gopas and gopi, they wanted to go to Badrik-asram. So as the darling of Yashoda, he came to know that this is the wish of elderly. His elderly parents and other elderly brajavasis, they would like to go on pilgrimage to one on to Badrikasram, then Lord says, yes, yes I will bring you, just follow me. This way, this way, that way, this way and finally this Krishna and Balaram were leading the parikarma, the procession, the shobha yatra, the parikrama party, where did they end up. They end up here

Badrik-asram dhamaa… ki jai.

Badrik-asram dhama ki jai.

And Nanda Yashoda offer their pranams, obeisances to Nara-Narayan rishi and other presents here, Kuber is also here and well that time Uddhav was not here, he once asked later on to come here or if you think of previous kalap then , if similar instruction was given by Sri Krishna to Uddhav, you should go and reside at Badrik-asram. In that case Uddhav also was very much here, they all had been thinking that this, this is Narayan, that had been protecting our son. So many calamities, so many demons and terrorist had been coming and attacking and every time our child was protected by who, who was the protector,

Namo Narayan, Narayanah Namah ! Namah, Namo Namah!

Obeisances again and again, thank you dear Lord for protecting our son, protecting our children, you are so kind, so Lord Krishna didn’t want parents to leave Vrndavan, so are we going to say, he created, He created Badrik-asram as integral part of Braja Mandal. They also wanted to go and take a holy dip in Ganga, you heard about that, yes, you heard, so then the Krishna take them to Haridwar or to Mayapur, so many, Ganga flows all over. So, no, no, no, you don’t have to go, please come. This Ganga is also here, please follow me and Krishna took his parents to ‘Mansi Ganga”. This is another reason, another day I don’t know, Maharaja was explaining why Mansi Ganga, what was the reason of the manifestation of Mansi Ganga. In Bhadravan, one day calf was killed. Oh you are sinner, you are sinner, now you had to take a dip in Ganga. So Krishna didn’t want to go to Haridwar, or to Hrishikesh or to Prayag Raj, or to Kanpur or to other places where you could go and take a holy dip in Ganga. He didn’t want to go, so he created Ganga from his mind, “Mansi Ganga”, then he took bath, so this is one reason, given why or how come Mansi Ganga was created, came into existence and there is another reason is that the parents wanted to take the holy dip, “Ganga snana”, so Krishna says okay, no, no, you don’t have to go. Ganga is here, Jamuna is here, Saraswati is here and then,

gange ca yamune caive
godaavari sarasvati
narmade sindhu kaaveri
jalesmin sannidhim kuru

While taking bath every pious, religious Hindu, well if he knows some mantras, he chants this mantra. Oh rivers, oh Ganga, oh Yamuna, oh Saraswati, Godavari, Narmada, Kaveri, Sindhu, please come, where I am. I wish to take bath, could I have this sacred opportunity of bathing in your holy water. Oh you different rivers. So he invokes, he invites, he remembers and those river appear. “M. So, all the rivers are flowing through Braja, all the holy tirtha’s are in Braja. In Radha Kunda, Shayam Kunda all the holy rivers are there. Krishna and Radha they had proposed to each other, no, no you had to take bath, go take bathe, don’t touch me. Radha Rani says, stay away, go take bath first and then he had to take bath in Ganga, Yamuna, all the rivers, he had to travel all over the universe, all over the planet and then comes back and he take after taking bath. So then as Krishna was, kind of thinking , but the holy rivers and holy kunda’s , not only he had to take bath in holy rivers but all the sacred kunda’s he had to take bath first and then you come. So quite a task, this would take time.

How much time, forever, you take time forever, so many Kaunda’s, so many holy rivers. So holy kaunda’s and Holy Rivers they appear before Krishna. Oh ! We are here, we are here. Oh who are you, I am Ganga, I am Yamuna, I am Saraswati, I am this Kunda, I am that Kunda, all the Kaunda’s were there. They are begging, so Krishna had make a kunda, the Shayam Kunda and now all this rivers were there. Kaunda’s from all over the universe, all over the planet and then Krishna took his bath and then Krishna said, you accused me, this is very false accusation. You know I killed that demon, bull demon, he was harassing all residents of Braja. The ladies were having miscarriages, yes by thinking of this demon or as he would walk, the earth would tremble and everyone was in great fear. Just to help the residents of Braja, I killed the demon. But you accused me for such a false accusation. You have committed a sin by accusing me, so now you should go take bath in all the rivers, all the Kunda’s until that no touching me. no, no, no, no, I say no.

So then Radha Rani was thinking and gopis “Oh! We also were party to the same accusation, Radha Rani was just spokesperson, she was only speaking on behalf of us, we also had the same idea. So then what to do?” Then all the gopis they started bringing water, first of all they started digging their own kunda. They broke their bangles and with their bangles they started digging, round bangle cut into half, so they all have bangles or they are breaking their more bangles and they are trying to dig. So finally kunda was there and this was to be filled with sacred waters so then they got the pots, clay pots from somewhere and all the way to the Mansi Ganga, they are filling the pot and they were handing it to the next Gopi , the next Gopi, next gopi, next gopi, the gopi that was standing on the bank of Radha kunda was pouring that water into the Radha kunda huge big kunda and they are just filling up with pots and pouring. This was taking them forever, taking long time. So then the water in the Shyam kunda, they are very kind, we are seeing you, what you are going through. So could we help you, if you wish, we could help and then finally Radha Rani gave the nod, gave the green signal okay go ahead. And the waters from Shyam kunda, they poured into Radha kunda, Radha kunda was full and Radha Rani jumped in and so did the gopis and the both the parties were now free from the sin committed and they are friends again and they had good time again as usual, so they always find some reason to get angry with and find fault with. So this was one of those reasons.

So all this kunda’s Haribol. Sri Krishna Caitanya, we thought fighting goes on only in Delhi or in London, but where ever you go fighting continues, accompanies you. So Badrik-asram dhamaa is here, all the hamas are part of Vrndavan. Is that okay, that statement, you can accept, you can live with it, can you digest it. All the dhamaas, all the tirtha’s are in Brajs. As all the incarnations are, where are they? All the forms of

ramadi-murtisu kala niemane tisthan [Brahma samita 12]

Where are they, what is their source? Krishna is the source.

aham sarvasya prabhavo
mattah sarvam pravartate
iti matva bhajant mam
budha bhava samanvitah (BG 10.8)

‘iti matva’ accepting this much, thinking so much, how much? That Krishna is source is everything, aham sarvasya prabhavo yes mattah sarvam pravartate, that everything, Krishna is source of all the incarnations. He is source of all the incarnations. Srila Prabhupada has given the title to one of the chapters in Bhagavatam 3 rd Chapter of the first canto is entitled as “Krishna is source of all incarnation.” So if Krishna is source of all incarnations likewise, Vrndavan is source of all the tirtha’s, all the dhamaas. So when you worship Krishna, you have worshipped all incarnations like you go to the root of the tree.

prapayanti bhujo pa shakha, shakha, upshakha, the branches, sub branches, branches they are all satisfied by pouring water at the roots.

yatha mula nesihanane, yatha mula nesihanane

By pouring water on the root of the tree, the trunk, all the branches are satisfied. So Krishna from Krishna branch out so many incarnations, so Krishna is a source, you worship Him. He is aradhyo Bhagavan vrajsa tanayas, you have worshipped all the incarnations. Okay, so keep that aside for a moment. Now let us come to the dhamaa and then when we do parikarma of Vrndavan dhamaa and Vrndavan is source of all the dhamaa, all dhamaas are part of Vrndavan. This is a mother, like also Sanskrit is mother of all languages. Sanskrit language is mother of all the other languages. So this Vrndavan dhamaa, Braja mandal dhamaa is source of all the, all the dhamaas. Including Badrik-asram, Badrik asram is here, In few days will go to Kedarnath, Kedarnath is here, you name dhama and that is very much part of Braja mandal. Sometimes we say two in one, two in one radio and tape recorder two in one, sometimes three in one but in this case all in one. All dhamaas in one dhamaa, you do parikarma of Vrndavan dhamaa and you have done parikarma of all the dhamaas. Not only on this planet but all other planets, if there are any dhamaas you are completed your parikarma, you don’t have to do any more parikarma. Haribol, Haribol.

Is that good news? Haribol. So we say this is ultimate, this is ultimate parikarma, this is ultimate experience that you do parikarma of Braja mandal. One time there was a conference, big conference in Prayag Raj and all the tirtha’s they are invited to attend that conference, they had some issues to deal with so all tirtha’s of this universe, from this planet had come and there they had a big list and they are saying the name, yes Kedarnath here – yes, Badrinath – yes, this nath, this dhamaa, Rameshwar – yes, yes, yes, yes, yes. Vrndavan – Oh! Vrndavan is not here. Is Vrndavan here? They are calling second time. Vrndavan, is Vrndavan here? Is this announcement loud and clear, very loud and very clear but because Vrndavan was not in the audience, in that conference, naturally there was no response. Every other dhamaa was saying Haribol, Hare Krishna and yes sir, yes sir, yes madam, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes. But when Vrndavan, no response. So when they found out that Vrndavan was not attending the conference. All the members become very furious. What does Vrndavan think, we have left also very important businesses and have come for this very important conference here, but Vrndavan is not here.

Very angry, so what to do. So they all resolved that we should all go, we should all personally go to Vrndavan and chastise, teach some lessons to Vrndavan. So that Vrndavan would never ever think of missing future meetings, future conferences. So they all started, all the dhamaas, they started their journey from Prayag Raj. They are person. Dhamaas are also persons. They have different forms, they have different vehicles and they started their journey and they are travelling and travelling and travelling and they had got very close to Vrndavan dhamaa.

Vrndavan dhama ki Jai

The cooling effect, the cooling effect of Vrndavan, the effulgence of Vrndavan, the fragrance of Vrndavan, the opulence of Vrndavan was amazing. They were just amazed, stunned by seeing and as they were getting closer and closer and closer and they were right there at the outskirts of Vrndavan and by seeing the beauty, opulence of Vrndavan, the purity of Vrndavan, the residents of Vrndavan, the devotion of the devotees of Vrndavan and Yamuna of Vrndavan and Govardhan of Vrndavan, the cows of Vrndavan, everything of Vrndavan was so pleasing, so amazing, simply wonderful, this was the first hand experience of each and every one of those tirtha’s. They had come with idea of chastising this Vrndavan dhamaa but there was no question , there was no question of chastisement They all collectively, they all fell flat at the feet of Vrndavan dhamaa and started begging for forgiveness, please forgive, please forgive O dhamaa, please Vrndavan dhamaa, we are sinful in our thought, we thought you are just one of us. We didn’t realised your exalted position, Oh Vrndavan please forgive us. Oh Vrndavan, Oh Vrndavan so they, Vrndavan didn’t have to say nothing, but just being in Vrndavan, near Vrndavan around Vrndavan, all those tirtha’s they
realised, very distinguished position of Vrndavan, the exalted position of Vrndavan.

mattah parataram nanyat
kincid asti dhanan-jaya (BG 7.7)

No one is equal to Krishna, no one is above Krishna likewise. This is also the position of Vrndavan dhama. No dhama is equal to Vrndavan, no dhama is but superior to Vrndavan. This is the top most dhama, complete dhama, complete dhama. All Dhamas, all tirtha’s are here, very much here and if they are out there, they are just extension counters; they are just expansion of this dhama. So we are here at Badrik-asram dhama as Krishna has brought his parents to Badrik-asram and made their life easy, they didn’t have to go to other. Badrik-asram or Krishna’s idea, His devotees, not only Himself but His devotees also, they don’t have to leave Vrndavan. Vrndavan is Puranam. Vrndavan is complete. Its complete, nothing is lacking, nothing is missing. Everything is here in Vrndavan. So Krishna has made that provision He didn’t arrange this not only for His parents but for all of us. So by coming to this Badrik-asram, we also derive the full benefit of Badrik-asram tirtha yatra. By doing this one Braja mandal parikarma, you get benefit of doing all tirtha yatra’s all over the world. So I think you went on the tour yesterday or today, or today this morning. Maharaja must have taken you around Badrik-asram. Everything is here, things may not be very clear, fully visible to our eyes, our senses are imperfect and we make mistakes and like that we are in illusion and cheating propencity is there.

So with all this faults and flaws, we are just reading that bhrama is there, the pramada is there, vipralipsa is there,  aranapatava. So we still try to see something, something. We try to show, someone is trying to show, someone is trying to see and as combination of the two, we end up seeing, we had to be satisfied, but of course intellectually and spiritually we understand that. Oh! Yes whether we see or we don’t see, things are here. All those places are here, all those manifestations are there. Badri-Narayana of course he is very visible, very much clear and that’s most important. This Badrik-asram dhama is known for Narayan who resides here. Narayan stays here and who worships this Narayan and who is worshipper of Narayan here. Narada Muni worships Narayan in Badrik-asram. When we talk of Narayan , Narayan is worship able deity of Bharat Varsha. There are nine Varsha’s. There are sapta divipas and nine varsha’s. This is in Bhagavatam again more difficult to understand this.

So Bharat doesn’t include, now we think that kind of map, Sri Lanka at the bottom, that is Bharat as you have seen the ad Govt. Of India writes “BHARAT”, but then we said no, no, 5000 years ago Bharat was all over the planet but that is also incomplete information or knowledge. Bharat includes so many planets; it is a big huge space and region with. So that, all that Bharats worship able deity is Narayan and in each of these varsha’s there is a worship able deity. In Varsha there is Ram as a worship able deity, Narsimha as a worship able deity where this Narsimha is being worshipped with worshiper, Prahlad Maharaja is worshipper. Where Ram is worshipped, who is the worshipper, Hanuman is worshipper, like that. Nine Varhsa’s, nine objects of worship and nine worshippers. So for Bharat Varsha Narayan is the deity Lord to be worshipped and worshipper is Narada Muni. So this is Narada Muni worships here. Badri Narayan , Badrik-asram is the headquarters of Narada Muni. Each one of you have someone of us have our have our headquarters. What are your headquarters, someone says Delhi, someone says Moscow and someone says Pandharpur.

Someone says this, someone says that and Narada Muni’s headquarters are Badrik-asram and Narada Muni travels far and wide, everywhere all over the Universe, into Lord’s dhama and back, into the universe and back into Badrik-asram. So that why, that is not the only name that he chants. Narada Muni is also part of Vrndavan other day, part of Vrndavan other day. We were talking, must be talking in Hindi, Narada Kunda, very close to Kusum Sarovar. At Narada Kunda, Narada muni is residing there also and he wrote his Narada Bhakti Sutra’s there. Narada Muni is residing here. Uddhav also was staying there on the bank of Kusum Sarovar. Yes, yes, remember Uddhav is staying at the bank of Kusum Sarovar in the form of creepers. So Narada residing there, Narada residing here. Uddhav residing there, at the bank of Kusum Sarovar and he is also residing here. So Narada Muni , he chants.

narad muni bajaye veena

Lord Himself gave this vena to Narada Muni. Lord gave Him vena and using that vena, adjustment, adjustment is going on, tuning, then he plays. His vena is divya, transcendental, sacred vena, very special instrument, he plays and sings glories of Radha Raman and then officially he is , he is worshipper of Narayan and he travels and he gives Narayan to everybody, he gives Narayan to everybody, hence his name is “Narada’’ Narada, da means giver, giver of Narayan is Narada Muni, he travels everywhere, chants the glories of Narayan, Narayan, Narayan, Narayan, Narayan, Narayan Hari Hari.

Hari Hari, that part is also there. No, no we did that Narayan, Narayan Hari, Haribol. So he is chanting and Badrik-asram is also place of Vyasadeva.

om namo bhagavate vasudevaya
where was this prayer compiled, this is how is bhagavatam begins with .
om namo bhagavate vasudevaya
om namo bhagavate vasudevaya
om namo bhagavate vasudevaya

Oh! You are tried, so where all scriptures, all the Vedic text are compiled in Badrik-asram, by Srila Vyasadeva, Purana’s, Mahabharta, Vedant Sutra and Bhagavad Gita is part of Mahabharta and finally Srimad Bhagavatam also was compiled in Badrik asram. So today, did you see ‘Vyas Guffa’. Cave of Vyasadeva, it is there, it has to be there. So, we happen to go, we happen to go to Badrik asram, the other one, this is manifestation, the expansion, extension one. So on top of Himalayan mountain, this also top of, all this, you realise, all this mountains are, which mountains are this. The Himalayan mountains what does Krishna say about Himalayan in Bhagavad Gita.

sthavaranam himalayah [BG 10.25]

of all the immovable, immovable bodies, I am Himalaya mountain. So this Himalayan Mountain is not different from the Lord. Lord is Himalaya, sthavaranam himalayah. So as we are travelling to Badrikasram, we were noticing three things redominantly, as we were looking around, what we are seeing, Himalaya, where ever you see, where ever you look, what is there. Himalayan mountain. Okay now look down, there is river Ganga. Most of the path on the way to Badrik-asram is right on the banks of river Ganga, lots of the path. So as we look down, there is Ganga and what is Ganga? Krishna again says in Bhagavad Gita tenth chapter,

srotasam asmi jahnavi [10.31]

Of all the rivers, flowing waters, He is Jahnavi, He is Ganga. So Ganga is manifestation of Krishna and as you are looking up what was it? Clouds, you don’t see clouds there, clouds are down there, when you go to Badrik-asram, lot of time, you are above the clouds. Okay there are no clouds. ahhh peacocks, go keep going, you come closer to stars, day time moon, sun, what is sun? Krishna’s eyes.

So this three things were very very dominant, look around, Himalayan mountain, that’s the Lord, looking down, that is river flowing Ganga, look up, there is sun. This is a kind of Virat Rupa or something, huge, big and gigantic but as you are climbing up and up and up, another experience. I am sure that it is not only my experience but others also feeling that we are going higher, in our consciousness. Some kind of lifting up the consciousness was there because when you go up there everything is sacred, everything is pure, clean, so many caves of the sages and because you are going to Badrik-asram and you are going, you are going, going, going, you are going away from your back stores, Agra, Bhopal and Mumbai. You are going away, you are going away from material existence, so this very sacred idea of India going towards North. Where did five Pandav’s, when they wanted to retire, where did they go, they went in the Northern direction. They left Hastinapur, they went in northern, there is a Badrik-asram there, Himalayan mountain, caves, sages and bees, you know there is no “hasso and Basso” of cities, so even now, even now as you go you have another experience. I am sure as you are coming here, same thing, let us compare, coming here to Badrik-asram, similar experience you go higher, you are going closer, go higher means you are getting closer.

So Badrik-asram is very special experience. So in 1977 in month of October, I was there in Badrik-asram, I went few more time but first time ever I went to Badrik-asram was in 1977, October and then end of October, what do you think was going on that time, that was month of Kartik and what was Prabhupada doing, where was he, what was happening with him. This end of October 1977, Prabhupada was in Vrndavan, Prabhupada was bed ridden, Prabhupada was very very sick, ill. So and we were, we were travelling party that distributed Srila Prabhupada books and the name of our party was “Narada Muni Travelling Sankirtana Party” so because this was name of our Sankirtana party we thought of visiting Narada Muni’s headquarters. He resides there, so we went to get his blessing and then we visited the cave of Vyasa Dev and as we return to Vrndavan, we were very anxious to, as we had left for Badrik-asram, travelling, we were distributing books, we knew Prabhupada was not well. Prabhupad awas not well and as we were up there, we had this feeling, no, no, we must go back, where to go back. Find out, how is Prabhupad’s health, so we all rush back to Vrndavan and then we had opportunity to see Srila Prabhupada, because if someone was distributing books Prabhupada always anxious to hear the book scores and reports. So he was very anxious so we were allowed to go in and as we sat Prabhupada was lying on his bed and the members of our Narada Muni travelling Sankirtana party, was sat around Prabhupada and as I was giving report of our travelling party. This is very deep spiritual experience for me and I can’t get into the whole experience but ya what I reported to Prabhupada was that, we were in Badrik-asram and we visited Srila Vyasadeva’s cave and we showed Srila Prabhupad’s Bhagavad Gita to Srila Vyasadeva. I was reporting to Prabhupad, I said your Bhagavad Gita we showed it to Srila Vyasadeva, was little humorous we of narrating this or reporting this because I was thinking, we were thinking yes because we visited the cave of Vyasadeva, we were carrying Srila Prabhupad’s Bhagavad Gita, we didn’t see Srila Vyasadeva, but for sure he was seeing us and seeing us carrying Srila Prabhupad’s Bhagavad Gita. So I think we had all the reason to say Prabhupada, Prabhupada we visited Vyasadeva cave and we showed your Bhagavad Gita to Srila Vyasadeva and we were trying to glorify Srila Prabhupada in some ways appreciate Prabhupada in some ways and find some reason to appreciate Prabhupada and I was trying to make this kind of connection, showed your Bhagavad Gita to Srila Vyasadeva and Prabhupada.

In those days Prabhupada little, very little, so he was just, we saw the expression on his face, he was pleased to hear that his Bhagavad Gita was seen by Vyasadeva. We are just watching, reading his face, expressions on his face and by seeing Prabhupada pleased, we were pleased and so that time we also mention several things, it is long get together, Prabhupada was we were last to happen half an hour, forty five minutes, we were sitting, talking to Srila Prabhupada and this was like about
one week before Srila Prabhupad’s departure, about a week before 14 th November and I happen to mention, I happen to mention that we also visited Bhima Brij, Bhima ka pull, Bhima ka pull, so this is a famous spot near Badrik-asram. Five Pandav’s and Draupadi and a dog. This was a party that was heading towards north and on the way up there, up above there, one by one they were leaving there bodies.

First Draupadi, then Nakul, Sahadev, Arjuna and Bhima. So place where Bhima left his body, departed. So we, I happen to mention that yes we also visited that place and one of my God Brother heard this and he didn’t like my reporting, that part of the report. Later on, not in front of Prabhupada but as we walked he rebuked me, he chastised me for this. According to him, it was not necessary to report the departure of Bhima and because Prabhupada was always thinking to departing and he thought maybe I was giving some idea, I was giving Prabhupada that was his thinking, that god brother’s thinking. So then that day, we will talk some other day, some other time. Prabhupada wanted to go on a pilgrimage and he wanted us to organise ox cart for him and the destination was Govardhan and to there on Govardhan Puja day and anyway because I had this experience of bullock cart Prabhupad has asked me to do this Bullock cart Padayatra. We had done it for Prabhupada pleasure from Vrndavan to Mayapur and beyond in 1976, also 1977 beginning. So he, I was involved making arrangement for Prabhupada to go on pilgrimage to start to begin with, we could do it as a trail run, do Govardhan first and if it works out then do more extensive pilgrimage of Braja. But that never worked out why it didn’t work out etc, we may talk some another time we will stop here now.