4th SEPTEMBER 2019

LOST VILLAGE PART 2

Yesterday Guru Maharaja was discussing village life and was explaining how he was brought up in the village atmosphere and how that village lifestyle with Krsna’s Lila and he was saying how very easy it was for those who were brought up in that atmosphere and lifestyle to line simple and think high.

Today is the continuation ….

Born and brought up in the village we could very easily relate to the activities in Gokul as the pastimes of Yasoda, Krsna, Nandababa and all the villagers – the cows and the bulls and the herding pastimes. While I was a cowherd boy I would go herding the cows everyday. Then I grew up and went to school and high school.

However during the weekends I was free and would herd the cows, bulls , buffaloes and there were some goats also. In Gokul also all of them would go herding the cows and buffaloes. Krsna played with his friends with the cows and buffaloes herding. Even we played and we also carried our lunch packets, very similar to Krsna and His friends. Their mothers would prepare lunch. So did our mothers. During the day we also sat in circles and ate. As Krsna never went herding cows alone, so we also were never alone. So many of our friends used to be out there herding their cows. We were supposed to be a group and we played different games. We played some of the games that Krsna played. We were playing or swimming as Krsna swam. Of course, we did not have Yamuna and Radha-kunda, but we had small ponds. We ate together, sitting in a circle. We did not have Krsna sitting in the centre and we were not so Krishna conscious.

We heard stories of Prahlad and Dhruv Maharaja in our childhood and practised that same lifestyle culture. We grew where the cows were served and worshipped.

That’s why Krsna is known as …

namo brahmanya-devaya go-brahmana-hitaya ca jagad-dhitaya krishnaya govindaya namo namah

… the Lord, the worshipper of brahmins and caretaker of the cows. He served the cows and the Brahmans. So what should we be doing? Remnants of that culture is still found in Bharat desh. 50- 60 years ago there were still some Brahmins and only some were practicing. I think,things have rapidly changed drastically. A residue of that culture is diminishing and is practically nil. This is a sad story. Srila Prabhupad wished to revive and demonstrate that culture and remind the whole world of that culture. Srila Prabhupada started farm communities, of course it was spreading Krishna consciousness in the world as per the wishes of Sri Krsna Caitanya Mahaprabhu. ‘My name will be chanted every town and village.’ Srila Prabhupada had taken the note of will and prediction of Sri Krsna Caitanya Mahaprabhu. It wasn't just Srila Prabhupada. We cannot and should never forget all the Acaryas and the devotees in our Gaudiya Vaisnava Parampara.

They have kept this spirit alive reminding everyone of the prediction and will of Sri Krsna Caitanya Mahaprabhu from Jagannatha das babaji Maharaja, Srila Bhaktivinode Thakur till Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakur and Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada. We should not forget. They have struggled hard to keep the memories and the spirit alive and their endeavours to make Caitanya Mahaprabhu’s prediction come true Then Srila Prabhupada took it up and Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakur then further instructed His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada that he spread this Krishna consciousness to the rest of the world in English. English is a kind of an international language.

We know that as soon as Srila Prabhupada started preaching in English he wrote books in English for his followers who were from all over the world. They had many different mother tongues so he instructed his followers, ‘Translate them in as many languages as possible and print them in as many languages as possible and then distribute books, Distribute books!’ This distribution of his books was done by his followers. In this way, the instructions of Sri Krsna Caitanya Mahaprabhu, the prediction of Sri Krsna Caitanya Mahaprabhu, the glories of Gauranga, Radha Krsna, are spreading all over the world.

I was making a point earlier that Srila Prabhupada in order to revive that ancient eternal spirit of Krishna consciousness or spirit of religion and culture he wanted to have some role model farm communities or village where people could come witness the cultural practices of Krishna consciousness where they stayed in a pattern of ' simple living, high thinking’. Here they are now depending on the land and the cows and whole economic development is based on the land and the cow During his lifetime Srila Prabhupada started several communities in the world. He began with New Vrindavan in Gita Nagari in America. Also here in France, Europe where I am right now stationed. Paris is not far from here and Prabhupada started New Mayapur and New Naimisharanya in South India Hyderabad. Like that there are other farm communities around the world. Prabhupada started his endeavour. He sat on the property land literally under the tree where he stayed and talked to his followers. He shared his vision about these farm communities which are doing their best. Of course there are challenges to unfold the vision of Srila Prabhupada where simple living and high thinking is practiced and attempts are being made to practice the simple living and high thinking.

It's going on. It is just as the residents of Gokul were depending on the land and the cows. Specially this is Vaisya duties and dharma. krishi goraksha vanijya – do the farming Krishi, goraksha – cow protection and Vanijya , if there is some surplus agricultural produce, grains , vegetables, milk products, then share them or do the bartering. ‘I have extra milk. You take this. You have surplus of vegetables, so you give me vegetables.’.That lady had come to sell fruits and Krsna was interested in her fruits . He became 'phalarthi'. and he walked outside Nanda Bhavan. That lady was right in front of Nanda Bhavan with her basket filled with fruits and she was advertising, ‘Take Bananas! Take oranges! Take Guavas! Take this fruit, that fruit.

Phal lelo! Phal lelo ! Krsna heard and He was interested and He had walked outside Nanda Bhavan. Was he carrying some money? No ! He had grains in His hand and He gave the grains and in exchange for the fruit the fruit selling lady gave to Krsna. This is bartering. Other residents of Gokul were also doing the same thing – bartering. There was no currency, no paper notes, no bills. The economy was taken care of. Your needs were taken care of. Life and all that was grown in the fields in the farms and additionally lots of milk products and that is more than sufficient. Your maintenance ultimately is what you need.

annad bhavanti bhutani
parjanyad anna-sambhavah
yajnad bhavati parjanyo
yajnah karma-samudbhavah

TRANSLATION
All living bodies subsist on food grains, which are produced from rain. Rains are produced by performance of yajna [sacrifice], and yajna is born of prescribed duties. (BG 3.14) annad bhavati bhutani. You need food. Grains are also food. From grains to vegetables also food and milk products. Everything is food. So all that you need comes from our mothers. Mother Earth, Mother Cow maintained human beings by all those natural products the body can have. Then annad bhavati bhutani all the bhutas of the living entities are maintained or subsist on food grains. So this is the Lord’s arrangement. Then healthy bodies could chant,

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

This is the yajna and other activities also are yajna, though they are making offerings of those activities

yat karosi yad asnasi
yaj juhosi dadasi yat
yat tapasyasi kaunteya
tat kurusva mad-arpanam

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

If we dedicate all our endeavours all our activities in the service of the Lord that is called yajna. Yajna is not only saying Hare Krishna and some kirtana, but all activities are supposed to be yajnas.

yajna yarthas karma – One is expected to perform all the activities for yajna. Yajna is Lord. The name of the Lord is Yajna or Yajna Purus. Performing all the activities is yajya and yajnad bhavati parjanyo as you are busy performing, the yajna then Yajna Purus, the Supreme Personality of Godhead is also present. The yajna shala is also set and there is the invocation. The Lord is invited and the kalas is installed and different demigods are also invited for it. Different demigods are also present so when the yajna is performed then the demigods also get their share, or they get the remnants. They are pleased and Krsna has said in Bhagavad-gita that the human being will get their necessities also, by performance of yajna and your needs human being needs are supplied by that particular demigod who is in
charge of rains.

yajnad bhavati parjanyo
yajnah karma-samudbhavah

You have to perform yajna and the phal- result is the reciprocation of Supreme Lord and demigod Indra. There are lots of showers. If there are rains, from rains come grains and then annad bhavati bhutani . just see the connection. See the relationship. Human beings perform Yajna and there is shower of rains, then come grains and then once there are grains that's how your needs are fulfilled. ‘Oh Lord!

Give us our daily bread.’ Christians go to church to pray like that. ‘Give grains, give that.’ Food and vegetables come from grains. Our vegetables come from grains and we eat some of those vegetables. Some of the vegetables or grass is eaten by the cows and here you go eat other kind of food. From the cows you get milk and milk products from the cows your maintenance is taken care of. I was sharing some of my personal experiences that I grew up with in my childhood
days.

2nd September 2019

LOST VILLAGES – PART 1

Till now we did 'Let's chant together' now we will do ' let's talk '.Walk the talk . I want to repeat the talk I did with the devotees here in Paris about cow protection and agriculture. There were 30 delegates who had come to the Czech Republic as they had a conference. I addressed them one morning on the topic they gave – 'land and cows'. Taking care of cows, growing trees, ploughing fields, vegetables and organic farming. I was speaking to them about the experience of my childhood days as I grew up in a village. The kind of lifestyle, the values that we practiced. I will say a few of the highlights of the pattern which was prevailing in those days. Now in Indian villages and around the world it is spoilt. It is said, 'Man made the country' but now , 'Man has made the mess' .

Effectively we are messing it up. Villages are spoilt and lost. Bhaktivaibhava Swami Maharaja found out that I have written such a book about village life 50 or 60 years ago and what it is now. God made the Country, Man made the Mess. Krishna made and present modern man, wether in the village or city, in India or outside it is a big mess. So Bhaktivaibhava Maharaja found out when I was in the middle of writing this book. He really got interested in it. He decided to make a documentary film on this book. He took the story from the manuscript of my book. He personally came with his whole crew to Aravade in Maharashtra, India and made a movie and he entitled it "Lost Village".
The main objective of telling this story is to explain what has been lost, or what mess has been made at present and things are spoilt.

Village life would begin with the crowing of cocks. Cuckoo ssss cuckoo ssss these were the sounds I would hear. We used to have such sounds of cocks happily crowing. It is the Lord’s alarm. Lord Krsna also got up to the sound of the crowing of cocks in Dwaraka. Gradually people of the village started to dislike this crowing of the cocks and then they started killing those cocks and eating them. ‘You rascal cocks, you are disturbing our early morning sleep? We will gobble you up’. So getting up early in the morning is also finished. Our mothers would get up early in the morning, to do what? The first business used to be grinding. They used to sing some devotional songs while grinding. Panduranga Vitthal Vitthal Vitthal! Mazya Vitthala Panduranga. There used to be other Krsna songs while grinding. Now modern man has grinding machines. There is now packed atta(flour) which is six months or six years old of which roti or chapati is made and then we eat that. But our mothers used to grind atta every single morning.

By singing songs she was in the mode of goodness. There were good vibrations. Early in the morning my father and elder brother would go to the farm, to plough the land, prepare the land. Mother had to stay back home and churn the butter. We would hear the pleasing sounds of the churning. You can even meditate upon the sound of the churning of the butter. There is every reason to remind you of Yashoda churning butter in the early morning hours. She used to remember Bal Krsna while churning butter, chanting different songs. So we could very easily relate to Yashoda churning butter in the early morning hours as we had experienced such a scene in our village . Nowadays the folks in town and cities, what do they know of churning and preparing fresh butter. After churning, the butter pot used to be hung from the ceiling, as Yashoda used to do and then Krsna stole that butter in His own house. So my mother also saw that and it was kept away from various creatures, cats or rats. After the churning of the butter the cows were milked. Many time my bhabi ( wife of elder brother) went with my mother for milking. She would bring the freshly milked warm milk for us. Sometimes we sat there with mother while milking and drank a glass full of the freshly milked warm milk. So for those born and brought up in the village, we understand and can easily relate to activities in Gokul, the pastimes of Krsna with Yashoda, Nandababa and other villagers . There were cows, bulls and herding pastimes.

At one point I was also a cowherd boy, and went herding our cows, buffaloes and goats. At times I would go every day. Then I went to school and high school and was not able to go for herding. Such is the village lifestyle we have experienced.
Hare Krishna!

1st September 2019

CHANTING and HEARING – PILLARS OF BHAGAVAT DHARMA

Today I was talking while I was chanting. Maybe it is Japa istagosti. We were chanting and you were writing and I was responding. I was inquiring about the Janmastami reports, and this and that. As a result, I ended up chanting mixed with talking. Chatting while chanting is not the right thing to do. Only chant while chanting. Don't talk. This talk is talking about japa and Krsna and talking about Janmastami. Talking about the devotees, talking about hearing and chanting, but is not hearing the holy name. We don't hear anything else. We hear Krsna. nityam bhagavat sevaya. There is a recommendation that we hear bhagavatam regularly.

brahmanda bhramite kona bhagyavan jiva
guru-krsna-prasade paya bhakti-lata-bija

Translation: 
According to their karma, all living entities are wandering throughout the entire universe. Some of them are being elevated to the upper planetary systems, and some are going down into the lower planetary systems. Out of many millions of wandering living entities, one who is very fortunate gets an opportunity to associate with a bona fide spiritual master by the grace of Krsna. By the mercy of both Krsna and the spiritual master, such a person receives the seed of the creeper of devotional service. (CC Madhya Lila 19, 151)

sravana-kirtana-jale karaye sechana

Sri Krsna Caitanya Mahaprabhu has said that Guru gives a seed of devotion and then plants it in the garden of your heart – bhakti lata bija. And you have to look after, sechana , you have to cultivate that seed of that bhakti lata bija, the seed of devotion by sravana kirtana jale. This is not water. It says you should feed the bija with more sravana kirtan jal, which has to sprout, grow and ultimately bring fruit in the form of Krsna Prema. Then you will relish love for the Lord and then we could understand that you started with the seed, bhakti-lata bija,

guru-krsna-prasade paya bhakti-lata-bija

By the grace of the Lord we come in contact with Guru, the spiritual master. He gives us the bhakti-lata bija and with the sowing of the seed, bija we take care of the plant then the tree, bhakti vriksha and the flowers and ultimately take care of the fruits which is the love of the Lord. Krsna prem, Krsna prayojana -Krsna prema prayojana. Bhakti-lata bija, sowing the seed and making a connection developing relationship with Bhagawan through bhakti.

And with your Guru’s assistance you make a connection with the Lord. That connection may be through the name of the Lord and other means. Bija is an introduction. Then some relationship is established, formal jnana then abhideya, devotional service and then when devotional service is raw, sravan kirtana jale that's the sechana Caitanya Mahaprabhu recommends. Take care of the seed ,the plant. Now, do more and more bhakti. Bhakti means sravan kirtana. Jal from sambandh gives abhideya, lots of devotional services. Sravan kirtana centred and then prayojana, ultimate goal is prema pumartho mahan. When we get the fruit of our labour we call that as Sri Krsna Caitanya Mahaprabhu says in
Siksastakam:

ayi nanda-tanuja kinkaram
patitaṁ mam visame bhavambudhau
krpaya tava pada-pankaja-
sthita-dhuli-sadrsam vicintaya

m
"O son of Nanda Maharaja, I am Your eternal servant, yet somehow or other I have fallen into the ocean of birth and death. Please pick me up from this ocean of death and place me as one of the atoms of Your lotus feet." Lord Caitanya teaches us to come in touch with the dust of the Lord's lotus feet, for then there will undoubtedly be all success. (Siksastakam 5) Commenting on that verse Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu Himself made a comment and He said, “My dear Lord, I am Your servant. I will keep serving. I have been serving and serving, I want to serve you. So like the servants who at the end of the day, end of the week or end of the month get a salary, the fruit of their labour. A boss reciprocates with them and gives them the gifts as cash. So Sri Krsna Caitanya Mahaprabhu commented in Siksastaka, “Your servant gives Me vetan(salary). Give the salary to Me in the form of Krsna Prema. As He already said,

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

O Almighty Lord, I have no desire to accumulate wealth, nor to enjoy beautiful women. Nor do I want any number of followers. What I want only is the causeless mercy of Your devotional service in my life, birth after birth. (Siksastaka 4) Don't give me dhanam janam. Don't give me liberation either. I am not interested. In other
words the Lord is also saying

krsna-bhakta — niskama, ataeva ‘santa’
bhukti-mukti-siddhi-kami — sakali ‘asanta’

.
Translation: 
“Because a devotee of Lord Krsna is desireless, he is peaceful. Fruitive workers desire material enjoyment, jnanis desire liberation, and yogis desire material opulence; therefore they are all lusty and cannot be peaceful. (CC Madhya 19.149) I don't have the desire to have sense gratification in return,bhukti mukti, liberation or siddhi, some kind of asta siddhi, some perfections, but Your bhakti and of course service. But give me in return bhakti for what I do for You. Give it to Me in the form of prema, Krsna prem, Your prem, Prem as devotion or emotion, but that feeling or devotion is always translated into action as devotional service. As we say “I love you , I love you ,” but a devotee expresses love by performing more and more loving devotional services. ‘Give me love in return’ can be translated as give me more devotional service.

I did so much for You, so give me love as payment so that I can again serve You more with loving devotional service, loving attitude free from all that kama or dhanam, janam sundarim. This sravan kirtana is a devotional service. And this feeds the seed, seedling, plant or bhakti vriksha. Hearing and chanting, this sravan and kirtana is not only Hare
Krsna Hare Krsna kirtana but it's the sravan kirtana of the Bhagavad-gita or Bhagavatam, Caitanya- caritamrita. There are so many scriptures. So much is there to hear or know about the Lord. We are doing a marathon sravan kirtana and part of the time is Hare Krsna Hare Krsna maha-mantra chanting. Travel kirtana and other times, more time hearing
Bhagavatam. Hear Krsna what He is saying to Arjuna which was meant for us. We have got to find what message Krsna left behind. Just a few days ago we celebrated Sri Krsna Janamastami. Krsna appeared on Sri Krsna Janmastami. Krsna grew up and when He was there on the Battlefield of Kurukshetra, He sang a song, song of Krsna, the Bhagavad-gita. That was for you, for each one of us.

The Lord left behind the message for us, so are we not going to read what He left for us? Hear that message and understand that message. A few days ago I asked someone, “How is your chanting?” “It's a struggle Maharaja, to complete my rounds.” “And what about reading Gita Bhagavat?”

“I have hardly anytime to do so.”

So more or less everybody's response is like that. Not just one person responding, but more or less everybody is struggling with this problem. I am also very busy. It's not that I am just sitting idle. I have a lot of seva that needs to be done. There is always a big list of things to be done . But still I spend a lot of my time chanting the maha-mantra and studying Bhagavad-gita, Bhagvatam, Caitanya-caritamrita etc. Most of the time of my life is to study all these scriptures and chanting of the 'Hare Krsna' maha-mantra. When we do sravan of these scriptures and the maha-mantra then you feel like doing it still more and more. When I study these and if I feel I need to find out the answers of a particular query, then I do more study of it, thus I keep myself completely busy.

In last year's GBC meeting they made one statement based on their observation, that ISKCON devotees and followers are not reading Prabhupada’s books or do very little study of Srila Prabhupada's books. They were very disappointed by this observation that such little reading of Prabhupada's books is being done. Temple devotees do a little better, but still not very satisfactory. What to speak of congregation devotees from homes. So it's a strong recommendation from the GBC that all ISKCON devotees should read Srila Prabhupada's books. They should also read their spiritual masters books. But read they must. The day you have time you should sit down and read. If you don't have time to sit and read, then hear. While eating, drinking, watching, walking , driving, flying you could hear. I observe people sitting next to me in the plane hearing. So why not us? We could also use a lot of time like that for hearing. Many have to start 2 hours prior to their business before the office starts. So that’s 2 hours or many hours that could be used while travelling for hearing and chanting. These days so many devices are available. We could
use them for lectures, katha talks and so forth. Prabhupada said that all books should be made into audio, we could very easily use them while walking or driving. You could be next to the driver. I do this many times. First of all you should realise the importance of hearing and chanting. Then be inclined to do it. Just realizing the importance is not enough. We say only when one begins chanting and hearing then one realises the importance of it.

Arjuna had Krsna with him and when he realized the importance of fighting he acted that way. Arjuna is a Ksatriya. karishye vachanam tava. – ' I will do as You say, my dear Lord. I will do it.’ He didn't want to fight, but he was convinced after hearing Krsna about the importance of fighting. Then on the spot he picked up his bow and arrow and started shooting. So likewise realise the importance of sravanam kirtanam visnu smaranam. This is very foundational devotional service.

sravana-kirtana-jale karaye sechana
nitya-siddha krsna-prema ‘sadhya’ kabhu naya
sravanadi-suddha-citte karaye udaya

Pure love for Krsna is eternally established in the hearts of the living entities. It is not something to be gained from another source. When the heart is purified by hearing and chanting, this love naturally awakens.(CC Madhya 22.107)
The very foundational siddhant of Bhagavat dharma is that by hearing, by sravan, kirtana, smaran , padsevan etc, but emphasis is on sravan and kirtana. By doing that you could be reviving your love for the Lord.

All the living entities have love for the Lord, which unfortunately we have forgotten, and instead we are loving people of this world. Oh I love you! I love you! They have fallen in love with so many things, so many persons, objects, food and this and that. I love my dog. We have become distracted and we are becoming ignorant by ignoring our love for the
Lord. We have to become knowledgeable, and not remain ignorant fools. I am talking to you, practitioners of Krsna consciousness and sure you know Krsna, you are realising Krsna. Some realisation is there, but there is so much more to know, so much more to realise. That is why we have Bhakti sastri and Bhakti Vaibhava courses. Srila Prabhupada designed these courses to give us direction, to encourage us to study. So we should study, hear, chant more and more. Go on marathon and this is not just an occasional marathon.

Sravan and kirtana marathon should be regularly followed, everyday! That is what keeps us connected with the Lord. Hear him or we hear about him, know Him more and more, know yourself more. And you know more about the fact that you are His and He is yours. I had visited one devotee’s home and on the wall there was written " I am yours and you are
mine". So this is a fact. The way we have made so many worldly connections. We come up with excuses – I am not a sannyasi. I have so many responsibilities. This is because you have not understood or you have not heard the Lord, not read about Him. So you do not even know what you are duty is. I am doing my duty. Krsna has said

karmany evadhikaras te
ma phalesu kadacana
ma karma-phala-hetur bhur
ma te sango 'stv akarmani

TRANSLATION

You have a right to perform your prescribed duty, but you are not entitled to the fruits of action. Never consider yourself to be the cause of the results of your activities, and never be attached to not doing your duty. (BG 2.47)
To do your duty is the dharma. Half knowledge is dangerous. We should know this is not even one complete verse. People just follow this – karmany evadhikaras te. But you should know more about this verse. Krsna has said. We 'Hare Krsna' devotees cannot remain Hindus. Our goal is to become Krsna conscious. What makes us Krsna conscious is:

nitya-siddha krsna-prema ‘sadhya’ kabhu naya
sravanadi-suddha-citte karaye udaya

Pure love for Krsna is eternally established in the hearts of the living entities. It is not something to be gained from another source. When the heart is purified by hearing and chanting, this love naturally awakens.(CC Madhya 22.107)

Hare Krsna Hare Krsna
Krsna Krsna Hare Hare
Hare Rama Hare Rama
Rama Rama Hare Hare

This will make us Krsna conscious, which is goal of this life. Becoming Krsna conscious means we are enjoying or relishing Krsna prem, the fruit of our labour. All that we do for Krsna which is basically hearing and chanting , sravan and kirtana about Krsna, Lord Sri Caitanya or Lord Rama is what we should be trying to do in order to become Krsna conscious. Srila Prabhupada named this society the International Society for Krsna Consciousness. International society, global worldwide society, to make people Krsna conscious. Society of Krsna conscious people, and a society to make people Krsna conscious.

I think this food for thought is good enough for a few days. Now I will leave you for your further consideration and contemplations.

Hare Krsna!

(;While driving you could be hearing. Aur if you are sitting next to driver seat, you could be reading. I do that. First of all realise the importance of hearing and chanting and then do it , inclin)

30TH AUGUST

MAYAVADI’S TOOK UP CHANTING!

Hare Krishna!

All are listening to me? There is Yugavatar prabhu?

Anyway this is an odd time for you to chant for devotees from India. Still we have 70 devotees chanting with us from India and also there is one prabhu from London and devotees from Ukraine and Middle East are there. So, this recording will be released later.

Radha Prem prabhu from South Africa Hare Krishna! This time is more convenient for some of you.

Travelling and travelling I have today reached which is this country? – Czech Republic which used to be Czechoslovakia 30 years back. Again, they have divided in two countries Czech Republic and Slovakia. Oh, here also like in Radhadesh we have the big land and farm and cows. This project here which is countryside in Czech Republic. We call it ‘Krishna Dhruv’.

Krishna Dhruv, the courtyard of Krishna or yard of Sri Krishna that’s the name of the project here and Varnashram Prabhu, your God brother and my God disciple his name is Varnashram and he is fine he is endeavouring very hard to establish varnashrama system here. Prabhupada wanted varnashram, to be established. We also hear that Prabhupada one fine day said 50% of the mission is yet to be complete. When asked what is that 50% of your mission? He had explained that he wanted to establish varnashram dharma.

I was glad to know and happy to announce to you all that, I think this is a coincidence that as I have arrived here in ‘Krishna Dhruv’ Farm at Czech Republic. Devotees from I don’t know with 20-30 temples or farms from all over ISKCON Europe, whatever ISKCON farm. ISKCON farm community leaders are in charge of the farming and cow protection, they have arrived here. So, there is a big conference here of all the farmers or devotees from the farm community. Infact, I was told ISKCON also has a ministry for cow protection and agriculture. So, they took this year they go from farm to farm, and this time they have come to this farm in Czech Republic. So, I will also have the opportunity to associate with them or interact with them. Hari Hari!

Gaur Premananda Hari Hari Bol! I have just arrived I will talk more about what are the aspects of the project here during our following sessions, I may talk. But talking of the chanting, I hope you are all continuing your chanting, you all have taken a vow of chanting every day.

As another thing, your varnashram Prabhu offered me a big chair. Bamboo decorative grand chair. If at all I am Maharaj so I should be offered a Maharaj like big chair. I was sitting and chanting. I can think much better, and I was sitting & also chanting, sitting & chanting on chair like this. It was not ‘trinadapi sunichen tarorapi sahishnuna amanina manden kirtaniya sada Hari’.

I am holding humble position exalted elevated position or seat. I came down to chant with you on more modest lower seat to maintain trinadapi sunichen

position for the situation.

Today I was hearing again from Chaitanya charitamrita about Shri Krishna Chaitanya Mahaprabhu.

Chaitanya Mahaprabhu was in Varanasi. Varanasi was is specially Mayavadis of Varanasi. They were critical of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu’s chanting and dancing and they thought this is the display of His emotions and sentimentalities. Why is He doing this, that was a long episode then as Shri Krishna Chaitanya Mahaprabhu had encountered with Prakashanand Saraswati these are all the Mayavadies and the other maya followers were also there. When they also asked, You are a Sanyasi You should be grave and serious person, but why are You laughing and crying, rolling on the ground and all this execution of Your emotions this is not proper on Your part to do. In response to such criticism Shri Krishna Chaitanya Mahaprabhu humbly replied. He didn’t say that He could have said, that He was one time known as Nimai Pandit a big scholar and it was very grave and serious but then as He was initiated by His Guru Maharaj Ishwar Puri and was asked to chant the holy names of the God and from then onwards Chaitanya Mahaprabhu is now talking to Prakashanand Saraswati and his followers, and from then onwards I was a changed person! yes one time I was serious and grave person, sober looking as Nimai Pandit but when I took to chanting of ‘Hare Krishna’, something changed within Me there was a big transformation and that is what you are seeing. You are not happy about this? Shri Krishna Chaitanya Mahaprabhu said, you know I Myself went to My Guru Maharaj and asked him what has happened to me?

kiba mantra dila gosai kiba tare Bal japite japite japite mantra karil pagal,

from the time you have asked Me to do this japa mantra meditation, chanting ‘Hare Krishna’ I am a changed person and I have gone mad I don’t think so but others say I am mad so why has this happened to Me?

He is asking to His Guru Maharaj and He is saying that dialogue between Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and Ishwar Puri. Then whatever dialogue happened between them, that He explains to Prakashanand Saraswati, that japeete japeete what kind of Mantra? So much is the power of this Mantra that this is what is happening to Me. It is beyond My control and then Chaitanya Mahaprabhu is now talking to Prakashanand Saraswati but His talk is based on His dialogue with His Guru maharaj and He said His Guru Maharaj said why are You surprised Nimai?

What is happening to You is all good. Well done! I am very happy with the outcome of Your chanting of Your mantra

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

This is exactly the desired result or the outcome of the chanting. This is what chanting does to the chanter. Shri Krishna Chaitanya Mahaprabhu is having a dialogue with Prakashanand Saraswati & he further explains now whatever happens to Me during chanting, it is not Me, it is beyond My control. The holy name tackles, handles Me and I just act accordingly. I don’t do the crying or laughing or rolling on the ground all this Madness I don’t do this knowingly. I don’t plan on doing this but this happens. This happens automatically, but nothing is automatic, this is caused by the holy name of the Lord and the holy name of the Lord is Krishna so He said this is caused by Krishna.

Krishna is the cause of all that happens to Me as I chant Hare Krishna Hare Krishna. So, then Prakashanand Saraswati the big leader of thousands of his followers, he was pleased with Shri Krishna Chaitanya Mahaprabhu response and then they also took to the chanting. The Mayavadi’s are considered, Mayavadi Krishna apradhi. Mayavadi are known as big apraadhis, big offenders. Why are they apradhis? Why are they offenders? Because they do not believe have faith have no understanding of Krishna’s name, Krishna’s form, Krishna’s qualities, Krishna’s pastimes. Yes yes! God exists, God exists & He is the light, He is the effulgence, He is the Brahmand. But they do not accept Krishna as He is. Fully Poornam complete by His form, pastime, qualities, & the name He has. As they heard Shri Krishna Chaitanya Mahaprabhu explaining this, they were fully convinced. So, they became personalists and surrender unto Shri Krishna Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and they joined Chaitanya Mahaprabhu’s sankirtan. And this way I think Prakashanand Saraswati a big Guru near something 60000 followers so in one instance in one sitting Shri Krishna Chaitanya Mahaprabhu converted them all and Chaitanya Mahaprabhu’s movement was embraced by them and his followers.

Following in priest as the holy name of the lord had reached Varanasi and was accepted by the Varanasi folks and then all over Varanasi there was chanting and dancing and everywhere. There was ‘Hare Krishna’. Prior there was ‘aham bramhasmi, this and that, and these names ‘Om Shanti’ but now it was

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

everywhere.

We will stop here. We need to get ready for the evening program maybe you can confirm it.

Hare Krishna

28TH AUGUST 2019

GLORIES OF RADHADESH

We have 85 participants. I wasn’t expecting this much also as this is late night in India and Mauritius. You have been chanting during day and now chanting at night. smaranen kalaha. There are no hard and fast rules for chanting. I used to chant always but morning is the best time to chant. It is auspicious time. The time factor is made auspicious as you chant and hear.

During Bhagavatam class this morning in Radhadesh, as I mentioned to you that I am here in Belgium. This is called as Radhadesh & here is world famous temple. This is Radha’s country, Radha’s desh. There is big property here also & it is called fort or castle. This building is called as castle. But not like Indian castle. It is a well-built strong castle or building. There was one king here one time & it was army base also for some time. Now it is in possession of ‘Hare Krishna’ devotees for past forty years & there are lots of visitors. Busloads of people come here. It is the historical location & building, so people come to see the building. Of course, we show them around the building and the surroundings. We show them Radha-Gopinath & there is museum hear. There is a lot of culture on display. Many groups come here to perform Bharatanatyam every day. There is big gift shop, and so many items from Chandni Chowk and Loi Bazar are found here in gift shop of Radhadesh.

Here is also nice goshala. Gaurhari from Nagpur takes good care of the cows here. There is also Govinda’s restaurant. I heard a lot of Belgianians come in bus loads and have Prasad over here. ISKCON bullets are available here to kill their demoniac mentality. ISKCON bullets, Gulab Jamuns are available here. They have no experience of what all vegetarian dishes can be cooked. They think ok vegetarian dishes means some raw vegetables and boil potatoes. Ho Gaya aur Kya? But now Krishna devotees are making presentations. Some places they also have cooking classes. In America in college campus they preached to the youth & middle of the preaching there is demonstration of how to cook chapatis. It’s not easy as one thinks. That puffs up. chapati puffs. They are amazed to see how they cook; they are pleased and eat those items. Sometimes in our Rukmini-Dwarkadhish temple which is very opulent temple in America, I was told they cook 1108 preparations. All vegetarian preparations. They are on display & visitors come on Janmashtami & they see 1000 & more, & each one a different preparation. Now lot of people in the west are becoming vegetarians. There may be so many factors why people are becoming vegetarians. However, the fact can’t be denied that ‘Hare Krishna’ devotees & their serving Sunday feast & prasadam on all occasion & there are Govinda’s restaurants & ISKCON vegetarian cookbooks, and cooking classes all these are major factors. ISKCON gets the credit of people turning around and becoming vegetarians. Going for vegetarian meals. Of course, our meals are not vegetarian, they are Krishnaterian.

I found out, here there is also Bhaktivedanta college in Radhadesh. They teach a lot of courses. Some course they have just finished. We have Surabhi teaching here? I asked what do you teach? She said she did not teach anybody but she is a karatal player. She knows how to play kartals. She is a karatal master. She gives classes online. It’s an art to play kartals. Expert karatal players are rare. She is one of your God-sisters, daughter of Madhavi mataji.

They also have Bhakti-shastri course & different courses here in Bhaktivedanta college. They have Kirtan Mellows “Radhadesh- Mellows”. Once a year they have big kirtan mela or ” Radhadesh Mellows”. Here four days devotees from all over Europe, devotees from many European countries and lots of youth come here. Sachinandan maharaj also comes. They are inviting me also. But there kirtan Mellows is in the middle of freezing cold. It may not work out for me. They were kindly inviting me, to attend “Radhadesh Mellows”. So, like that Radhadesh is a very important prestigious project of ISKCON. I am here for a few days, to meet the devotees of this community. Devotees have come from Rotterdam & Holland. Holland is a next-door neighbour. Holland & Belgium they share the borders. Amsterdam, Rotterdam like that. There are many disciples in Holland. I am not going to Holland, so they have come to see me. Like that, we are with the devotees at Radhadesh. There is a Kirtan Mela in one hours’ time.

Radha-Gopinath are the deities here & they are beautiful. Medium size Radha-Gopinath. Every day they are dressed. They are dressed at night & devotees sing. I mean they are put to rest & they sing songs. Chant ‘Hare Krishna’ for putting them to bed. So tonight, I will sing for them & their devotees also.

You should take a rest now. I can see some of you are yawning. I could see, some others are yawning. So, keep chanting. I will stop here, this is enough for one session.

Shubharatri! Good night!

Hare Krishna

26TH AUGUST 2019

MEMORIES OF PRABHUPADAA BY BELOVED GURUMAHARAJ.

Is India the only one in which, what Sri Krishna Chaitanya Mahaprabhu was referring to, that prediction is going to happen. Then on this day Lord Gauranga gave birth to Srila Prabhupada.

Srila Prabhupada ki jai!

Right day after Krishna’s birthday. Krishna appeared & He gave birth to Srila Prabhupada just next day. I think, this can’t be accident or coincidence, but it’s an arrangement of Lord. He was very dear to Sri Krishna Chaitanya or Sri Krishna. That immediately day after His birthday, there is Prabhupada’s birthday. So that day, Srila Prabhupada who was born on this day is also called as Nandotsav. The day Nand maharaj celebrated Krishna Janmashtami. So, giving birth to Srila Prabhupada & making him the senapati bhakta. He became commander in chief of the sankirtan army. As I said senapati bhakta, so senapati is in front of the army or boat so he boarded the ‘Jaldoot’ boat. Doot means messenger. I say he was Krishna doot. Jaldoot, ‘Krishna doot’. Messenger of Sri Krishna or Gauranga riding the boat & this senapati bhakta wanted to shoot. He made New York as his target. The capital of the age of Kali or Kali’s capital – New York. When he arrived, many things happened on the way. I received this garland as arrived today. But when Prabhupada arrived in New York there was no one to receive. He did not know, whether to turn right or left. There was no hotel booking. Not much money in hand. Only five dollars, which are good enough to survive for five minutes in New York. At the age of seventy, he was supposed to be penny less, but I say he was the richest person, because he was carrying the wealth of the holy name.

Hare Krishna Hare Krishna
Krishna Krishna Hare Hare
Hare Ram Hare Ram
Ram Ram Hare Hare

That was the wealth & talking of no friends, but the best friend Sri Krishna was with him, behind him. And this is senapati bhakta means he should have bombs with him, so his books became the time bombs. And he had temples, he had temple commanders & there were bullets also. ISKCON bullets came into being. So lot of things sounding like army, the senapati bhakta, bullets. Then Prabhupada did say that Sri Krishna Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, he took the holy name all over India & left the job of spreading HARE KRISHNA mahamantra to the rest of the world to International society for Krishna consciousness. He became the founder acharya of this International society for Krishna consciousness. He travelled all over making prediction of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu true.

Yadi Gaur na hoite, world would not have received the holy name & yadi Prabhupada na hoite, if Prabhupada would not have appeared on this day, then holy name would not have reached the rest of the world.

We had lots of devotees yesterday. Krishna’s devotees, but I think those who are arriving here to celebrate Prabhupada’s Vyasa Puja mahotsav, they are real devotees. O! I am your devotee Lord. That’s nice! But if we could introduce ourselves, I am a devotee of your devotee O Lord! , O then Lord says you are my real devotee. Yesterday visitors were devotees of Krishna but today’s devotees are devotees of devotee of Krishna. Those who are present & participating in celebration of Prabhupada appearance day are real devotees. They are dearer to Krishna. Srila Prabhupada was once asked by the reporter, swamiji, why have you come to our country England? Prabhupada replied, ‘you also came to our country, India & whatever you & your Viceroys thought was valuable, they were all stealing & bringing to England. Whether it was silk or spices or ‘Kohinoor ka Hira’, the diamond called Kohinoor which has ended up in London museum, you stole it. But while thinking this is valuable or that is valuable, you actually forgot the most valuable items of India. O! What are those? India’s culture. What else? – the teachings of Bhagavad-Gita & Bhagavatam. What else? The holy name of the Lord. Something that your viceroys left behind I have come to give home delivery of the same.

In Kumbh-mela of seventy-seven devotees were talking how British empire had spread all over & where is it now? & then there is a famous statement, Sun never sets in British empire’ & Prabhupada said, ‘But sun never rises in England.’ But now in ISKCON empire sun never sets. Wherever there is Sun, there is Mangal aarti going on, this aarti, that aarti, books & Prasad is being distributed. So now in ISKCON empire Sun never sets. Srila Prabhupada after conquering West America & North America, then later he was based in Bombay. Bombay was Prabhupada office & as officers spend lot of their time in office, similarly Prabhupada also spend a lot of his time in Bombay.

We were Bombay brahmacharis or Brahmacarinis. We used to get opportunity to receive Prabhupada at airport, every now & then, hundreds of times. I have written a book ” Bombay is my office”. There is a whole record of, how many times Prabhupada arrived & departed from Bombay & spent weeks & months together in Bombay. Prabhupada used to arrive from wherever. We used to go to the terminal building & we used to discuss, O! He is coming by British airways, like that. We used try to track, which aeroplane he is in now ? Is it this one or that one. Then Prabhupada used to come out & we used to watch him stepping down the stairs, & walking to the terminal building with a stick in his hand. I used to feel Prabhupada has come back after some victory, this frontier or that frontier, he is Senapati bhakta also. So he has conquered the world, he has conquered this territory, that territory. I used to feel he is walking like a victorious general. Srila Prabhupada ki jai!

So Prabhupada sent after having conquered some of the territories, he got the famous grihastha, Tamal Krishna & Gurudas, Mukund & Shamsundar. They were all married, accompanied by their wives & he took London & England on storm.

Then Prabhupada said, ‘What Gaudiya sanyasis couldn’t do, my householders Grihastha disciples have achieved or conquered. They have succeeded in spreading Krishna consciousness to England or London. He was very proud with first batch arriving there & doing kirtan & this & that.

This property came from George Harrison. George Harrison ki jai! Why George Harrison took to chanting? I think this Prabhupada & his followers were buying properties, big big churches , castles etc. , But property like this , of this magnitude, which came to be known as Bhaktivedanta Manor, expensive property which was seventeen acers had never come. This was the generous donation from George Harrison. All glories to him. Why did he not give him spiritual name? — he already had one. Hari-son, he is Hari’s son. He has already spiritual name. George Harrison he played a big role in spreading the holy name, not only by contributing the property. The place where we are sitting became the spiritual capital of England and George Harrison also paid for printing of Krishna book.

His record album which was sold all over the world. ‘Hare Krishna’ became the hit all over the world. He was a big help.

Before Srila Prabhupada’s team would have arrived in this country or that country, the harinaam had already reached there. People had reached to ‘Hare Krishna’, before the devotees reached Hare Krishna centre or temple. I think we should be remembering George Harrison as his name is eternally associated in spreading of Krishna consciousness. Glories of Srila Prabhupada, includes glories of George Harrison also.

Last Janmashtami festival, Prabhupada celebrated over here. Not only Janmastami but last Vyaspuja when Srila Prabhupada was on the planet was celebrated here in Bhaktivedanta Manor. I am sure, that should be bringing a lot of memories of Prabhupada, in England, in London, & other places. Radha-Londaneshwar ki jai!

These are the first deities installed, here fifty years ago. It was declared, He is the Ishwar, He is the proprietor. Londaneshwar is here. We were waiting. These were Prabhupada’s preaching skills. Moksha Laxmi was also there. Seventy- seven he had come back from Rishikesh. No! no!! no!!! Bring me back to Vrindavan. Once he was back home, he improved a bit & then immediately he wanted to go out & preach. And the plans were being made to bring him to Gita-nagari , America. So on the way to Gita-nagari Prabhupada stopped here in England to celebrate Janmastami , & Vyaspooja. Why I mentioned about Moksha Laxmi, is when Prabhupada was leaving from Vrindavan to airport, sitting in the car, not even able to sit down. Mattress was kept on the back seat & Prabhupada was lying down, but in that condition also, Prabhupada wanted to still go out & preach. That is the spirit of Srila Prabhupada, which we all should be remembering. So anyways, he didn’t go to America, but instead he returned to India. We were there to receive him in Mumbai. This time he arrived & reached airport differently. No more walking, with a stick looking up. But he came in a car. Prabhupada had three ambassador cars. One in Kolkata, one in Mumbai & one in Delhi. Prabhupada’s personal car was given by Haridas & there was a different kind of greetings that time. Prabhupada was wearing big black glasses when he arrived in ‘Hare Krishna’ land. We had made palanquin for Prabhupada to sit. Then he was carried to his apartment on the fifth floor. We were there with Srila Prabhupada. He was on bed. No more morning walks. One time Prabhupada was there for three months in Bombay. That time, every morning there used to be a morning walk. Hundred times he went on morning walks, hundred times he returned from morning walks, hundred times he greeted Radha-Rasbihari, hundred times we offered him guru puja, hundred times we heard Bhagavatam classes in a stretch. Those days had gone & that time Prabhupada was just on the bed we were doing kirtans. In the middle of the Kirtan, I asked Prabhupada, ‘anything we could do? Something we haven’t done, which we can do so that, you could be cured?’ He said, “chant”. I continued chanting more. These are some of the memories. Prabhupada then went to open the temple, Radha-Rasbihari temple, but he couldn’t stay on, so he went to Vrindavan. Vrindavan is my home & Bombay is my office, Mayapur is my place of pilgrimage. So that is where we went or followed him. We drove in our Harinaam travelling vehicles. I was Narad Muni travelling Sankirtan party leader, book distribution party leader. We travelled & arrived there.

Then Prabhupada sent me, or I was sent to Allahabad, ‘Go get his doctor friend, Ghosh.” Tamal Krishna maharaj gave me money & told you fly, rush to get the doctor. That was my first flight to Prayagraj, Allahabad. Upon arriving at his home in Allahabad I found out he was in Darjeeling Assam, at his granddaughters place. I had to come to airport to catch another flight to Assam. On the way I saw big Hanuman. I was thinking of Hanuman, you also were on the mission when Lakshman who is Adi Guru, was not well or he was in the middle of the battle. He was attacked and he was unconscious and he needed some cure so you were sent to himalayas. I also had to go to Himalaya, so I was making that connection. You had gone to bring the medicine and not the doctor but I had to go to Himalaya ( Darjeeling is on the top of Himalaya), I had to go to get the doctor and not the medicine. You were successful in your mission now please bless me to find this doctor. I was praying like that to Hanuman and I was successful. I found the doctor and he was very much willing. let’s go! Prabhupada wants you. He is in Vrindavan. So, he came and did what he had to do. Then and we had gone travelling all over. We were in Badrikashram. We knew that Prabhupada is not well but there was no way to find out the status, so we had to come back to Vrindavan to find out how Prabhupada is doing. Prabhupada was very kind to give us audience, Prabhupada was lying in bed and I was sitting next to him. When he used to talk, we had to be next to him so that we could hear what he is saying, as he was barely audible when he used to speak. He inquired, how was the book distribution? Which books were sold more and which was sold most? Prabhupada always loved listening to Sankirtan reports as this morning also Sankirtan reports were offered to him. The mail would come through, O! open that mail from Los Angeles, there is some books scores. He wanted also know the book scores from us. We told him Prabhupada we have come from Badrikashram. There we showed your Bhagwad Gita to Vyasa Dev. In Badrikashram there is a cave in which Vyasa Dev. resides. It is called ‘vyasa gufa’ We were carrying Prabhupada’s books with us, of course we did not see Vyasdev but for sure Vyasdev must have seen us & Prabhupada’s Bhagvad Gita. When I told Prabhupada, that we showed your Bhagavad-Gita to Vyasdev, then Prabhupada was very happy. It was seen from his face. When we were leaving Prabhupada’s room, my party men had all left, I was the last one. Before leaving, I just wanted to have one more glance at Prabhupada. As I look at him, he signalled me to come back. He wanted to say something. As I went near him he said, I want to meet you & talk to you. What time is good for you? That was shocking for me as in that condition also he asked me what time suits me. Whatever. Is 4 o’clock okay? Yes. The way he was talking was very grave & serious & I was wondering, about what he wanted to talk to me. So, all day I was thinking & thinking & not coming to any conclusion. Finally, at 4 o’clock I was at the door of Srila Prabhupada. The secretary, told go to reception of Krishna Balaram guest house. When I went there all Srila Prabhupada’s servants & secretaries & all big men had gathered around. I realized what he wanted to talk to me, he had already spoken to some of them. Prabhupada wanted to go on pilgrimage he wanted to travel or he wanted to leave this world fighting with maya. He was feeling restless lying in the bed. He wanted to go out, and we couldn’t imagine. Prabhupada wanted to travel in an oxcart. When he saw me he remembered he is the one to whom he had told to travel in oxcart. He had inaugurated our ox cart travelling program. Go from Vrindavan to Mayapur so that walk was inaugurated by Srila Prabhupada. It was very successful. Prabhupada was very much pleased. He had said, we should have millions of carts like this all over the world. When he saw me, he remembered the bullock cart program & he wanted to travel himself in a bullock cart. So those men who were sitting there, in Krishna -Balaram temple reception, they told, Prabhupada wants you to organize bullock cart for him. Then we had gone, Trivikram Swami & Panchdravid & myself. We had gone to Mathura. It was not easy as it was time for Govardhan Pooja and usually they worship bulls, they give rest to the bulls they don’t get work done from the bulls. But we managed as one farmer agreed. Then cart had come in front of Krishna Balram Temple. But then there were more talks and concerns and house was divided. We should just go with Prabhupada’s desire. No! no! how could he go? The bumpy roads. Govardhan was made a trial destination & then he would travel beyond, if this goes ok. But then things transpired differently & bullock cart travelling was dropped. Hari! Hari!!

Then Prabhupada’s travelling idea was not over. Just a day after when this bullock cart travelling idea was dropped, we were sitting around Prabhupada. Prabhupada in the middle on the bed, in a room, full of senior men. Prabhupada said,’let me travel with the buses.’ He was not ready to give up the idea of travelling. Ok, not bullock cart, then buses. And of course those days. This was welcomed. It was considered indication, meaning he is not leaving us behind. He is staying on! He is staying on! From time to time we were saying, don’t leave us. Don’t leave us. Prabhupada used to say to pacify us that Krishna appeared & He also left.

When Bus travelling idea came up, there were some scientific minded people. Bhakti Swarup Damodar maharaj was there. He had some guesrs together, some conference with the scientists. He asked could I go? – yes you could go. Then Giriraj he was not Maharaj, he was a brahmachari. There were always some big people, businessmen, I could make them life members. Could I go? -yes. You could go. There was Bhakti Chaitanya Swami from Punjab, India. He said, I am a good driver Prabhupada, could I go? – yes. Like that so many Devotees were taking turns. Could I go? – yes. Could I go? – yes. And I also, I knew for sure as the whole dialogue had taken place about this bus travelling & advance party. So, there was some experience & Prabhupada wanted me to go. Then I asked in a humorous way, could I go? & Prabhupada said, ‘ you will be our leader’. Then I had to anyway go. So, all were delighted, Prabhupada is staying on with us & he is going to travel with the buses & we were preparing, where to get buses from. Tamal Krishna maharaj, Bhavanand maharaj & Bhakticharu maharaj they had brought big map of India & they were deciding which way to travel or go. As we were making all these preparations on the unfortunate day of 14th of November, the Kaviraj , the doctor who was looking after Prabhupada, he was going all over temple, Gurukul, guest house, here there , giving us the news that Prabhupada is leaving, he is getting ready to leave. We dropped everything & we rushed to Prabhupada’s quarter. What was remaining was to cry. Everyone was singing & everyone was leading. There was not one person leading & others following. We were all singing & crying. We were around his divine grace. Hari! Hari!

Srila Prabhupada Vyasa Puja mahotsav ki Jai!

Nitai Gaur premande Hari Hari Bol!

24TH AUGUST

CELEBRATING LORD’S APPEARANCE.

Krishnay vasudevay devkinandanay ca nandgopkumaray govinday namo namah .

I wish all of you, all those who are listening to me or watching me, I wish all of you a very happy Janmashtami! As this is the happiest day of the kalpa, in fact so very rare is Krishna’s appearance, yes Krishna’s appearance is very rare. Although He has said ‘sambhavami yuge yuge’ in each yuga there is avtar and Krishna appears in some form or the other but Krishna Himself, Bhagwan Himself appears only once in one day of Brahma, of one kalpa which is thousand cycles of chaturyuga and then Krishna makes His own appearance so, others are avatars and Krishna is avtari so that avtari Shri Krishna appears today.

If we do a calculation five thousand three hundred & forty-three years ago on this day and that day was wednesday, when Shri Krishna appeared in Mathura at midnight. He made His appearance and Shri Krishna Janmashtami is the anniversary celebration of the most auspicious appearance of Lord Shri Krishna.

Happy birthday to You Lord Shri Krishna!

By doing so we will never take birth again but we had taken birth, so please do not forget us. We fallen souls we decendent and we are trying to reach You. As You are very very kind, You are appearing so that we do not have to take birth or we don’t have to appear in another species or human form again.

Janma karma ca me divyam evam yo vetti tattvatah tyaktva deham punar janma naiti maneti (BG 4.9)

He explained this to Arjuna. So if you celebrate Lord’s birthday, appearance with understanding of the Lord who He is and how is our relationship with Him, by doing so, by celebrating appearance like that, He has declared a reward and a reward is ‘tyaktva deham punar janma’ no more birth, no more death for those who celebrate Lord Shri Krishna appearance into this material world .

Hare Krishna!

I was thinking fifty or fifty-one years ago while Srila Prabhupada was on the way to America possibly his ‘Jaldoot’ boat was in Atlantic Ocean and then it appeared Janmashtami celebration. Srila Prabhupada had Janmashtami festival right on Jaldoot boat. There the crew, captain had joined and Prabhupada had great celebration of Krishna’s appearance so that was possibly only one celebration outside India or overseas that he was celebrating.

Now fifty years later today I am very proud to say this, share this that today International society for Krishna consciousness will celebrate Lord Krishna’s birthday Krishna Janmashtami mahotsav in 150 countries around the world. Shri Krishna Janmashtami mahotsav ki Jai!! .So let us join the vigilant around the world in making the celebration the very grand birthday party on the planet . Lord Shri Krishna’s appearance day by remembering Him, remember remember remember again by chanting the holy name.

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

To remember Sri Krishna with the help of reading of Krsna book, book written by Srila Prabhupada. It was named after Krishna, Krsna book, is nothing but the summary study of tenth canto of Srimad Bhagavatam and in old days I remember all day there used to be reading, recitation of Krsna book in our Hare Krishna temples. We used to take turn. In Noida today and they also started this morning from Krsna book.

How Nand Maharaj celebrated the first birthday of Shri Krishna, which was not held on Janmashtami but held on the following day and it was held, sponsored, organized by Nand Maharaj. so that festival, of first Krishna Janmashtami festival became known as Nandotsav. A grand festival that took place in Gokul so, following in the footsteps of Nand Maharaj, following the footsteps of great acharyas, and especially following the footsteps of His divine grace A.C Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada, let us celebrate Lord Krishna’s birthday by remembering Him, by chanting, by grand arrangements, by feasting after midnight. Hari Hari! Lord Krishna has kindly appeared in the form of His archa vigraha and He appears in Gokul in the form. Deity form is appearing, or has appeared all over the planet so that in Shri Krishna’s archa vigraha form we could celebrate His birthday in so many varieties of ways.

We held this festival in Grand ways or in fact Janmashtami celebrated by ISKCON devotees is most popular in India. Most popular celebration of Janmashtami is ISKCON Janmashtami . We are here, we are specialized in Krishna, we are for Krishna, we understand Krishna. If anybody understands, Gaundiya vaishnava understand Shri Krishna. The members of the Hare Krishna movement understand Krishna as He is. As knowledge that has been revealed onto us by Lord’s pure devotee. Srila Prabhupada and he even gave us Bhagwad Gita which Bhagwatd Gita , ‘Bhagwat Gita as it is’ , So there also Krishna appeared in the form of Bhagwad Gita on Gita jayanti day and He is also among us, with us . Prabhupada gave us the message of Gita in the purest form. So,we are indebted to his divine grace Srila Prabhupada for giving us Krishna, in the form of His holy name, giving us Krishna in the form of Bhagavatam, in the form of Bhagwad Gita.

So in this way the Lord made His appearance and on Janmashtami He gave, He has lot many gifts for His appearance and those are available to us. So, today is Krishna’s birthday & we should be bringing gifts, making offering , we should do, we must do but at the same time we are also receiving gifts from Krishna on His birthday and of course what will be the better gift then receiving Krishna Himself, take Me. He offers Himself to us to each one of us in so many forms, in the form of holy name, in the form of Bhagwad Gita, in the form of Bhagavatam including also the prasadam form. Prasadam is also non different from Him so there we receive all these gifts, keep receiving all the time today and every day and make our life krishnaised as we receive his gift we will become Krishna conscious krishnaised and ultimately that would be the best of all the gifts that we will be allowed entrance to His kingdom .

Mameti, so Arjuna pritijano priyoasi Mai .

Those who accept Krishna’s love, serve Krishna, remember Krishna all the time and propagate Krishna consciousness for them what Krishna has guaranteed?

mameti that person will come back to Me pritijano I take, allow this is My benediction priyoasi Mai and I take this love I guarantee that you would come back to Me. He said this to Arjuna but it wasn’t just Arjuna who is dear to Lord. All of us, each one of us are very very dear to Lord otherwise why would He bother to come?

To appear in this world of suffering. Because He loves us, Lord loves all of us. So the Lord kindly made His appearance on this day so that one of the day at the end of this life we would go back to Him. Now He is missing us. So, He appeared was looking for us and His merciful glance fell upon us and this is reviving our dormant love for Him and that will result in our returning to Him, where He resides.

So, once again I wish you a very very happy Shri Krishna Janmashtami. So, celebrate Shri Krishna Janmastami and be happy!!

Hare Krishna!

18TH AUGUST

HARINAAM CAN DELIVER WORST OF SINNERS!

We welcome and appreciate your participation in chanting.Hari,Harinaam Prabhu ki! Lord, Lord is Harinaam,Lord becomes Harinaam,Lord is non different from Harinaam. Lord kindly makes himself available in the form of Holyname. Specially to people in this age of Kali.I was hearing someone like Ajamil, & Jagai and Madai uddhaar lila,as it is described in Chaitanya Bhagawat Madhya lila. But Jagai and Madai uddhaar lila that is glories of the Holyname. What could Holyname do to you, to us otherwise the sinners of this world. Jagai-Madai were too sinful,very sinful or leaders of the sinners. So Holyname even freed them of sinful activities or thoughts.They became free from thoughts of sinning. Hari! Hari! Lord has exhibited the power of the Holyname, mercy of the Holyname, through this Jagai-Madai udhar Lila. As we hear and read that pastime,We have also hope. If Jagai-Madai could be then there is every hope for me also.Hari! Hari! So Sri Krishna Chaitanya Mahaprabhu instructed Haridas Thakur,Naam Acharya Haridas Thakur and Nityananda Prabhu. To go everywhere, to go door to door.There are so many instructions, Jare dakho tare kaho krishna upadesh It was given specifically to Haridas Thakur and Nityananda Prabhu And they were going around roaming around as Gurus.

Nityananda Prabhu is Adi Guru he is Balaram. And Naam Acharya Shrila Haridas Thakur is Lord Brahma,Brahma is also acharya. Whom Brahma Madhav Gaudiya Sampradaya Belongs to. Prabhus, Nityananda Prabhu and Naam Acharya Haridas Thakur Prabhu and they started going around Amar agyay Kariya . Chaitanya Mahaprabhu says, pratigarya gaya Amar agyay prachar So Haridas Thakur and Nityananda Prabhu They decided to preach to Jagai and Madai. They were thinking that if Jagai and Madai like sinners or leading sinners,they could become free from sinning business,if they could be liberated then our Mahaprabhu’s name will spread, his glories will spread as Namo Mahavadanyaya. Lord would realize what is this Chaitanya being Mahavadanyaya his being Magnanimous,what is his Magnanimity? Have No limit . When Jagai-Madai like sinners when they received the Magnanimous kindness. That Magnanimity reached Jagai and Madai. Also Haridas Thakur they both are thinking like that. So they made the target Jagai and Madai was their Target. And As we know of ,the way the pastime unfolds. They saw them at the Market place. They were dropped off or the drinks were filling their hands, the bottle or claypots filled wine.As Haridas Thakur, Nityananda Prabhu were appealing them to chant, Please chant,please, but they were not receptive.They Started screaming and calling bad names and they started attacking Haridas Thakur and Nityananda Prabhu. So scary dangerous personalities that made Nityananda Prabhu and Haridas Thakur to get scared and they started running away trying to escape. So Jagai and Madai were Chasing after Nityananda Prabhu and Haridas Thakur.

So they barely managed to save their life. And then they came back and asked that we go Everyday preaching doing this Jare dekho tare kaho krishna upadesh, and you come back and do the reporting to me. So that day Haridas Thakur and Nityananda Prabhu,had nothing glorious and encouraging to report. So after Chaitanya Mahaprabhu heard that. You Go back you continue your preaching and if someone opposies you or even try to hurt you,I will take care of that, I will appear with my Sudarshan Cakra. So, Haridas Thakur and Nityananda Prabhu again went back and again there were those two prabhus Jagai and Madai,they are in the middle of their act of drinking and, yeah they were all intoxicated. So again the attempt was made by Haridas Thakur and Nityananda Prabhu because the Madai he threw Claypot which was filled with wine, throw at Nityananda Prabhu, it hit,the forehead of Lord and he was wounded and bleeding. Chaitanya Mahaprabhu is knower of everything,he came to know what just now happened. Chaitanya Mahaprabhu had come on the scene. And he is invoking chakra! Chakra! Sudarshan chakra! And the chakra appeared. Lord could not stand, could not tolerate offences against the vaishnavas. The Lord was there to kill,crush,cut that attacker into pieces. Nityananda prabhu and he was kind of justifying and preaching to Sri Krishna Chaitanya Mahaprabhu No! No! This is the age of Kali Lord You cannot use, this weapon Sudarshan Cakra, then what weapon to be used? ,The Holy Name is the weapon.

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

This is the weapon other weapons they only kill the body but that is not sufficient killing the body,this demonic mentality has to be killed.Sinful thoughts and desires have to be killed eradicated then only that person can be fully benefitted. So then Sri Krishna Chaitanya Mahaprabhu withdrew that weapon Sudarshan Cakra and here when Chaitanya Mahaprabhu was ready to kill one of those two sinners,that strictly went over Nityananda prabhu with that clay pot that was Madai. So when Madai saw the Holyname was also working acting exhibiting its power. Holyname was being chanted at the same time. The kindness of the Lord,both the Lords specifically Nityananda Prabhu’s kindness or anybody who witnessed what jagai and Madai were witnessing. Especially Madai was witnessing being the attacker. When he saw Nityananda Prabhu bleeding, Chaitanya Mahaprabhu would attack him and he saw how kind was Nityananda Prabhu that
transformed Madai also,Both jagai and Madai fell flat at the lotus feet of Gauranga ,Nityananda ,Naam Acharya Shrila Haridas Thakur, they beg for forgiveness and took a vow that from this day onwards we will also chant

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

And from this day onwards we will stop all the sins they were doing, not only drunkard , no intoxication from this day, they were also meat eaters,fish eaters or all sorts of eating,they were doing from this day we will stop this. They were women hunters,no more illicit sex we will indulge in and they were gamblers, we stop gambling from today. So they agreed to follow these regulative principles and of course chant regularly and we would be serving Vaishnavas. So they said, they took vows and started doing all that they had said,they will do. And there was an evolution in their consciousness and they became the greatest of all vaishnavas. Always Chanting no more sinning and always chanting and always serving Vaishnavas also. They built the ghat,invested all the funds that they had accumulated that. That ghat is known as Jagai-Madai ghat spiritual names Jagadananda and Madhavananda. This is not far from yogpeeth, this is not fully visible for man but right now the location is known. The pilgrims coming to the banks of Ganga were coming,to their ghat,JagaiThe ghat is not far from Yogapith,it’s not fully visible unmanifest by now,but the location is known.

So lots of pilgrims coming,on the banks of Ganga coming to their ghat, Jagai-Madai were receiving them, touching their feets offering obeisances and serving in all possible ways always. All those pilgrims,all those vaishnavas. So dena hina yatha chelo harinaam uthahilo tara sakshi jagai Madai. Dina hina the poor fallen sinful Jagai and Madai or sinful people could be liberated by the holy name, there is the proof, it’s the proof,tara sakshi Jagai-Madai, Jagai and Madai are the witness,are the example of this fact that ,dena hina yatha chilo harinaam,that sinful people could be freed from sinning and sinful mentality just by becoming pure devotees of the Lord just by chanting the holy names of the Lord so there is every hope like Jagai-Madai. it’s possible! you& me can be transformed by chanting the holy names of the Lord so keep chanting.

Hare Krishna.

15th August 2019

CAST OFF THE ASS LIKE MENTALITY

For you this is not Japa time, but you could also be chanting all the time. What did Mahaprabhu say? – namnamkari bahuda nija sarva shaktis tatra arpita niyamita smaranen kalaha. So there is no hard and fast rule about chanting. Here I am talking to you, sitting with several devotees. We are in Alachua. New Ramanreti, Krishna-Balaram temple, America. We did a little Japa with the devotees assembled here and while talking to you all on this conference, some are also around me here. So there is no hard and fast rule with regard to the time, but of course we have been emphasising and reminding all you chanters that the best time for chanting is Brahma muhurta.

The morning of the day is the time in the mode of goodness. Day time is passion. Rajo Guna becomes prominent and night time is supposed to be reserved for ignorance. Like this, the day is divided into three parts and the three modes are dominant in each one of those. So we should attempt with all effort to chant. Get up and the first thing you do is chanting. I know you all are busy people. My advice is that you should consider that the day has only 22 hours for you. You could stay busy for 22 hours in different things and devotional services or family obligations also, which
is part of your Varnasrama responsibilities. To take care of those you have 22 hours, but the other 2 hours they don't exist for doing anything else but chanting of maha-mantra. You could divide your day like that in two parts, two hours for chanting and 22 hours for more chanting and more serving, hearing and taking care of other different obligations. Here in Alachua we celebrated Balaram Purnima yesterday. I think in India , you are celebrating that today.

We spend the day remembering Balarama, chanting and hearing his glories. Also chanting

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

Lots of Hare Krishna and some more chanting also. Balaram also did many things. He is Adiguru, the first spiritual master. When we chant Hare Krishna the next part is Hare Rama. Prabhupada would say that this 'Hare Rama Hare Rama' also refers to Balarama. In India people are interested to know about this Hare Rama that we chant. Whether it is Jay Sri Rama or what? Prabhupada would say , “Yes, and 'Hare Rama Hare Rama' refers to Balarama. Technically we know this Hare Rama is Krsna, but then Krsna is Balarama and Balarama is Krsna. They are non-different.
Balarama is as good as Krsna. He is almost Krsna. Srila Prabhupada said that, and we also said yesterday, He is almost there. He is there. He is Krsna. So chanters of the maha-mantra of course remember Balarama while chanting 'Hare Rama Hare Rama' part. Balarama from the name itself is Bala and Rama. We get strength, spiritual strength from Balarama.

nayam-atma  bala-hinena  labhyo

na  =  not;ayam  =  this; atma  =  Paramatma; bala-hinena  =  by  the  weak  ( in  spirit );
labhyah  =  is  attained (MUNDAKOPANISHAD : CHAPTER-3. SECTION-2. MANTRAM-4)

It says na ayam atma – atma can be realized, but the soul can't be realized, become God realized, Krsna realized , without strength. na bala hinena – you are devoid of Bala – strength. na labhyo – you can't attain self realization, Krsna realization. So we need this Bala,strength to realize the lord.

That strength comes from Balarama. He is also Adiguru. It comes from Balarama and then through our spiritual master it reaches us. So we get spiritual strength from Balarama. Rama means pleasure,joy.

ramati ramayati ca iti ramah

Rama is that personality who is joyful in nature. He enjoys-: ramati ramayati ca, ca means. ' and' He becomes the cause of others’ pleasure.

ha ha prabhu nityananda, premananda sukhi
kripabalokana koro ami boro duhkhi

The famous prayer statement, says, ha ha prabhu nityananda, premananda sukhi. You seem to be sukhi, happy and full of premananda. So whether Nityananda or Balarama is premananda sukhi. is same. Balarama hai Nitai. Balarama has become joyful. But then the song says, look at me, poor me. I am miserable. – boro dukhi. That's not fair. You are sukhi and I am dukhi. So do something for me too Nityananda Prabhuji. We also say this to Balarama by addressing Him as You are premanande sukhi. When we sing this song,our mind says me too! I would like to be Happy. Some Prema for me also. That is what Balarama has ramati ramayati ca. He enjoys Himself and He becomes the cause of others enjoyment. So

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

We chant Hare Krishna mahamantra and in the prayer unto Krishna and Balarama so that we could be happy, and there is no other way to become Happy.

harer namaiva kevalam

Yesterday as we were celebrating Appearance Day of Balarama, we gave initiation to some souls. They heard, Jiva Jago Jiva jago Gauracand bole. We gave him the name Gauracand. Please wake up. Gauranga Mahaprabhu is calling. He has been calling. He is calling all the time. We don't listen, or we listen and not listen. Even if we listen we don’t pay attention really and think of something else. Yesterday we woke up two souls They really heard the wake up call. Gauranga is calling Jiva Jago Jiva jago. They were initiated. One became Gauracand – Sakshi Gopal Prabhu's elder son is not very old. He is only thirteen years old. He broke all the records. He broke or I broke the record by initiating such a young man – only thirteen years old. He has become my youngest disciple and then he was appreciated by devotees assembled here. Temple president , Mukhya mataji was appreciating them. That of course is about whether we also woke up . Other one is twenty-two, took some extra time and she became Rasanandi Radha, from Guyana. She is
not born here. Her parents are from Guyana. She is Dharmaraj Prabhu's daughter. She also took initiation. Initiation means initiated . So the other mataji was appreciating that these two souls have taken this commitment of chanting the prescribed number of rounds. They are exemplary. The whole Gurukul was also here. Friends also from their age groups. They were associating. Hardik Patel who chants regularly on this conference has travelled a long distance driving for eight hours. to catch up with us. Vidya is from Mauritius. She also is here. She didn't drive, but she flew long distance to join us. She was also a witness of yesterday's initiation. Two of them took initiation,
which is an example for others. So think about it and take to the chanting seriously. Quality wise seriously and quantity wise sixteen rounds minimum of all rounds. Not that I chanted four rounds seriously , I have taken it seriously. I have chanted four rounds seriously or eight rounds seriously.

No! No! Minimum sixteen rounds at that time of the day.
Chanting seriously means you are taking care of yourself. You have understood yourself. The spirit soul is being yourself which you had been neglecting for a long, long time. So this Jiva Jago is wake up soul. We don't say wake up body. Time to go to work. Even after telling them , as Bhaktivinoda Thakura has given the wake up call. He says Jiva Jago Jiva jago Gauracand bole. This wake up call is for Gauracanda. If we are serious in taking care of ourselves – self is not the body, but the soul. We feed the soul by chanting Hare Krishna Hare Krishna. We are connecting the soul. Make sure that we feed it properly. Make sure we trying to feed the soul, but are we feeding it properly. The soul is consuming, or swallowing it.

We are chanting, but we are not listening. We are chanting, but our mind is really not into chanting. Mind is off. We are doing our rounds. Round after round, one round done, second round and in between the mind makes so many rounds around the world. We have to do this thing, fixing our mind on chanting Bringing the mind back from the senses and
making sure you are hearing and then thinking and remembering the Lord. Remembering Lord's form, qualities abode and like that. When the mother has to feed the child , some children don’t even open their mouth. He is pretending to open, but the jaws are still tight. We have seen this. Then the mother somehow feeds the child, distracts the child from the task of opening the mouth and somehow with the spoon holding in between the lips tries to make the space. Then she has to make sure that food reaches the mouth. There are many mothers here who will agree. So many babies you have seen. Even if the food is in the mouth the child doesn't swallow it. She still keeps working on the child. The baby
has to swallow it. And when it is in stomach, it also has to be assimilated. Once it is digested then it becomes part of your system and that is what gives you strength, energy. Then you could function in your lively way. So for this process of chanting and hearing, our mind is always a stumbling block. The mind comes in the way like that child's body comes in the way. Child's lips, teeth come in the way. Child's mouth also may come in a way. Child's food in the mouth and he is holding it and it is not going down to the stomach. Likewise Mind is 'anti', Your enemy.

atmaiva hy atmano bandhur
atmaiva ripur atmanah

The Lord has explained this in the sixth chapter of Bhagavad-Gita where he is talking about astanga yoga. It applies to us. Krsna says your mind can act like your enemy, it can also act like your friend, so make your mind friend.

uddhared atmanatmanam
natmanam avasadayet
atmaiva hy atmano bandhur
atmaiva ripur atmanah (BG 6.5)

Lord's advice is uddhared atmanatmanam. Throughout this particular statement the Lord is only saying atma, atma, atma, that each of these atma refers to the soul, refers to intelligence also as atma, refers to the mind also as atma.

atmaiva hy atmano bandhur- atma is friend of atma. Here first atma is atma, spirit soul. atmaiva hy atmano bandhur. This atma – mind could be the friend of the soul, or atmaiva ripur atmanah – the mind which is atma could be the enemy of atma – soul. So one Atma is atma and other atma which Krsna talks about is the mind . Intelligence is also atma. One atma should lift the other atma. So this atma – soul should be lifted. Uddhared – uddhar karo, lift! uddhared atmanatmanam- You lift the soul(atma) with the other atma, that is the mind and intelligence. With the help of the mind
which is governed by divine intelligence, you lift the soul. The soul has to be lifted and the soul has to be liberated. The soul could be lifted by the controlled, purified mind with intelligence. What governs or controls the mind is intelligence. So the three atmas are:

soul -atma
mind – atma
intelligence – atma

Above all, there is Paramatma. Lord says,” I give atma, I give intelligence. dadami buddhi-yogam tam (BG 10.10). I give intelligence. Lord gives intelligence. With the help of that divine intelligence we can control our otherwise uncontrollable mind. Mind is soul.

Mana eva manushyanam karanam bandha mokshayoho

When the mind acts like your enemy then bandhan, bondage, you are conditioned. And when the mind acts as our friend then our soul becomes free from bondage. Mind is the cause of bondage and liberation.

Hare Krishna Hare Krishna
Krishna Krishna Hare Hare
Hare Rama Hare Rama
Rama Rama Hare Hare.

So while we say that to chant successfully is a job of an intelligent person. Buddhiman person could chant attentively, properly, purely and fiercly . So ye buddhu ka kama nahi hai. Ek hota hai buddhu. and the other is buddhiman. That's why Balarama killed the ass demon. Dhenukasur. Otherwise the ass is known to be dull headed and that is why he works so very hard. Although the grass is everywhere and it doesn't require much labor to get the grass, he feels he must work very hard, carry a big load of my boss, government or company for which I am working, to get the grass. This is one mentality of the ass. Working hard mentality. Balarama killed the ass demon. He is Adi-guru. This is the Guru's business on behalf of Balarama, the ass that is hiding within us because of which we have developed ass like mentality has to be killed. The ass works very hard that's one thing, but the ass is also attached to sex life. He always runs after the she ass or the he donkey runs after the she donkey. Our Deenabandhu Prabhu , ISKCON panda from Krishna Balaram temple Vrindavan describes this Dhenukasur past time. He describes it in a very interesting way. How the ass is running after the she ass and she ass may give the he ass a kick on his face, but he ass doesn't go away. He persists and tries again. Another attempt to enjoy and another kick. Kick after kick just to enjoy the sex pleasure. Ass is also known for working hard and sex life. So Krsna could have killed that ass, but he let Balarama kill him to set an example for all the guru's, that you have to also get rid of the ass like mentality.

We were talking of chanting as being the job of buddhiman and not buddhu. As long as we stay or maintain the ass like mentality, then we can't progress. We will be going the wrong way and that leads to bondage. We have to become intelligent. To whom does Lord gives intelligence? He doesn't distribute it like free cookies. He says I give such intelligence :

esam satata-yuktanam
bhajatam priti-purvakam
dadami buddhi-yogam tam
yena mam upayanti te

To those who are constantly devoted and worship Me with love, I give the understanding by
which they can come to Me. (BG 10.10)

Those who are endeavouring to serve the Lord, they want to serve Lord, satata-yuktanam and priti- purvakam. They want to develop love for the Lord. You want to serve, with love and devotion . The Bible says, ' Love thy Lord with all thy strength'. Krsna also said, 'Love thy Lord with all thy strength.' in sadhana bhakti, devotional service, chanting is the primary principal. This is devotional service. Those who are serving the Lord like that, to them the Lord gives intelligence. We did some service and the Lord gave some intelligence. Then he served more. By seeing that service , the Lord gave more intelligence and like that. So part of that service is the chanting service specially in this age of Kali. There is no other way . The goal is – yena mam upayanti te. They will come back to Me. Come back to Godhead where Krsna and Balarama are performing the pastimes eternally. Here we do sadhana bhakti in this world and then when we become perfect, eligible, then we return to the place from where we have come.

14TH AUGUST 2019

HARINAMA – ONLY REMEDY OF BHAVROG.

I am still in New Vrindavan and the network is quite unstable here. Still we are trying so that you can all listen to the Japa-talk and there should not be any difficulties. Lots of devotees and disciples , followers and friends have come to New Vrindavan and there is a festival over here.

I was studying Srila Rupa Goswami's Upadesamrta ( Nectar of Instruction) in my free time. I was studying the seventh sloka of Nectar of Instruction. This sloka got my attention. I thought it to be relevant to the chanting that we do on this conference. It is very instructive for the chanting of the holy name. Prabhupada quoted this particular instruction of Srila Rupa Goswami again and again. Many, many times he told us about this or reminded his followers about this instruction. I just want to share that with you. I will read the Sanskrit part and then try to explain it.

syāt kṛṣṇa-nāma-caritādi-sitāpy avidyā-
pittopatapta-rasanasya na rocikā nu
kintv ādarād anudinaṁ khalu saiva juṣṭā
svādvī kramād bhavati tad-gada-mūla-hantrī

Here Srila Rupa Goswami is instructing that certainly beginning with Krsna's name , then it comes his caritra, His past times etc. It is very juicy. The holy name is very, very sweet. I was trying to say that one who is afflicted with the disease of jaundice , then sweet sugar candy does not taste at all sweet to that person. Candy is sweet, but the eater of the sweet candy who is afflicted with the disease , goes to the doctor. The doctor diagnoses the jaundice and the prescription is to eat sugar candy. He had tried sugar candy and it did not taste very sweet. But the doctor says
sugar candy is the only cure for your jaundice. So here in this sloka, he is instructing that the holy name is the only medicine for the bhavarog, with which we have been contaminated. The sweet holy name doesn't initially taste sweet for the beginner. So one may feel, ‘How could I experience the sweetness of the holy name? Then acarya's and spiritual masters and Rupa Goswami Prabhupada here say – na rocikā nu – you are not tasting the sweetness of the holy name, but that holy name is the cure for the diseased, contaminated condition in which we are.

Chanting is that cure. harer nama eva kevalam. There is no other way. Doctor tells the jaundiced patient , there is no other cure other then this sugar candy. You have to eat sugar candy.

The chanter of the holy name is not interested. He has no ruci. Caitanya Mahaprabhu also says – na anuragaha – He has no attraction for the chanting. But the prescription is you have to chant. You have to keep chanting. Going back to that example of jaundice and prescription of sugar candy. When the jaundiced patient

eats sugar candy, this candy cures the jaundice and as he gets cured more and more, then he begins tasting the original sweetness of sugar candy. When he is fully cured of disease, “Give me more! More sugar candy!” He was not willing to eat sugar candy as it was bitter, but he was told that this is the only cure, so he goes on. Then he gets cured and starts asking for more and more. So likewise Rupa Goswami says ādarād anudinaṁ carefully and anudinaṁ. Over again and again , day after day , round after round he could say dose after dose. Sixteen rounds after sixteen rounds some day or in few days. saiva juṣṭā svādvī kramād bhavati You will begin tasting. You develop ruci, liking , attraction , taste for the holy name.

By this time tad-gada-mūla-hantrī there is a destruction of the disease which is Bhavarog, or Hritrog or Kama-rog, lust. Such diseased conditions of the contaminated consciousness could be cured or purified by mula hantri by chanting
the holy name of the Lord.

You could read instruction number seven from Upadeshamrta. The verse and translation of the purport , then you will have a better and clearer understanding of this instruction. Have you heard everything? It's the seventh verse from the Nectar of Instruction. So keep chanting and one day you will reach that point where you will have so much attraction for the holy name that you don't want to stop. This is guaranteed by our acarya Srila Rupa Goswami.