Thank you for this opportunity that we have today with you. You are all Bhakti Shastris, Bhakti Shastragya meaning also like you are scientist. One who knows the Shastras – Shastragya . ‘Gya’ means one who knows, Shastragya:-one who knows shastras is scientist; this is yet another vaishnav definition for understanding of who is a scientist.

“yah sastra-vidhim utsrjya vartate kama-karatah
na sa siddhim avapnoti na sukham na param gatim” (Bhagavad Gita 16.23)

Lord Krishna says: One who discards all the shastras and he is busy doing activities but he has given up all the shastras abandoned, that person “na sa sukham avapnoti” that person will never ever be happy, what else? ‘na sukham avapnoti’ (in audience param gatim) ‘param gatim’ and there is one more (in audience) ‘na siddhim’- No perfection, no happiness, no final destination is achieved by those who reject, abandon, discard the shastric injunctions. Now you have become shastragyas you are scientist, I am happy I am able to meet scientist or social scientist here in Mayapur. You are completing now your 3 more days to go and you are done with it. Now is a time to apply the knowledge science that you have been studying, what you are studying Upadesamrta like that Isopanishad, Nectar of Devotion and Bhagavad Gita.

I think one year I taught Isopanishad and of course you were not there and then another year I had taught something else. So I have been asked I am given some homework today and next 2 days.
You need 7 attitudes towards Vaishnavas (Students handbook page 110)
Learning objectives it says at the top,
Discuss appropriate attitudes towards senior devotees in temple who have not completed Bhakti Shastri degree.
You have and they haven’t and you are back to the temple and you are in the midst of those devotees or you are the only one who has done the Bhakti Shastri. You are the one carrying your certificate hanging around your neck (laughter). Some big accomplishment to have a degree in Bhakti Shastri, not a small thing. So then what should be your attitude towards or in the midst of all those other devotees who haven’t done Bhakti Shastri?

With reference to Shri Isopanishad mantra 10 it says:
“anyad evahur vidyaya anyad ahur avidyaya”

One result is derived from the culture of knowledge and that a different result is obtained from cultural nescience that’s ignorance. In the purport Srila Prabhupada writes: In a modern society even a boy thinks himself self sufficient and pays no respect to elderly men. Due to wrong type of education being imparted in our universities boys all over the world are giving their elders headaches. Elders are getting headaches from the boys and girls also its not mentioned here. They give headaches to their elders so you understand what is expected from you. These are mundane universities and modern society and they what they cultivate is ignorance (avidya).
‘anyad ahur avidyaya’ – cultivation of vidya is one and cultivation of avidya is yet another one.
So what you had been cultivating is? Vidya not only vidya but Rajvidya: the king of knowledge.

“raja-vidya raja-guhyam pavitram idam uttamam” (Bg. 9.2)

Uttam-‘tam’ means ignorance, utt – means above, beyond, at the top. Uttam: beyond ignorance that’s uttam. No tinge of ignorance means full of knowledge. In other words, uttam means full of knowledge which is devoid of ‘tam’-devoid of ignorance. So, you had been cultivating not just vidya but raja-vidhya. So, those who cultivate avidya, they give headache, those who cultivate vidya they should be giving what? Some soothing bam, some relief to the elders or other vaishnavas some of them also for sure are going to be senior to you.
So, what should be your attitude?

What you should be thinking now with all this vidya in your head?
What you should be thinking of others?
How it should be dealing with others?
Your relationship with others?

Oh!! You have answer, okay! What kind of help you would render? “SERVICE”, don’t give headache at the head but at the feet (laughter) serve them.
What is the outcome of vidya? Knowledge you cultivate what does that do?
Humility, very good!! Amongst other things what you achieve is the humility. If you want to take note there is a statement in that shastras that says
“vidya dadati vinayam”
Probably you have heard this, Vidya –that’s vidya, dadati -that gives, vinayam- that is humility. Vidya gives humility, it also says

“vidya vinayen shobhate”

Shobha means beauty, one becomes beautiful his beauty is enhanced, as he cultivates vidya and then he is full of humility. That humility is the beauty of the person, he looks beautiful. “vidya vinayen shobhate” you learn vidya -Bhakti Shastri and you study this shastra that shastra you become humble. And that’s the decoration that’s alankar, sadhu bhusan- sadhu abhushan, “sadhavah sadhu bhusanam”.
“titiksavah karunikah suhridah sarva-dehinam
ajata-shatravah shantah sadhavah sadhu-bhusanah” [SB 3.25.21]
Titiksavah, karunikah, ajata-shatravah, shantah sadhavah sadhu-bhusanah- ornaments. So humility is one such ornament. So this is what one should be going back with, returning to your respective temples or homes, towns, countries. What is a reward, award, ‘You Have Become Humble’ -Humility.

Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu said:
“trnad api su-nicena taror iva sahisnuna
amanina mana-dena kirtaniyah sada harih” (Sri Siksastakam-verse3)

Even this is also result of cultivation of knowledge, vidya, titiksavah- becoming tolerant and “trinad api sunicena”- humble, “amanina mana-dena”- you are ready to give all respect to others and how much respect for yourself? Some give and take should be there (laughter). But Chaitanya Mahaprabhu says only give. Normal policy is taking only, normally you like to take everything, take respect, not give anything in return. But Chaitanya Mahaprabhu says don’t expect anything in return- just give- keep giving.
Chaitanya Mahaprabhu has himself given commentary on Sri Siksastakam at the end of Chaitanya Caritaramrita last chapter called Siksastakam. And in association of Ramananda Raya and Svarupa Damodar like Personalities, Chaitanya Mahaprabhu- He says one Siksastakam one verse and he talks just brief few comments. So comments to this “trinad api verse” Chaitanya Mahaprabhu says

“uttama hana vaisnava habe nirabhimana
jive sammana dibe jani’ ‘krsna’-adhisthana.”

That person becomes nirabhimani, abhiman is pride, nir – no, becomes pride less- not puffed up. There is the puffed rice and then there is another kind of rice is chipped rice (laughter). Nirabhiman, “jive sammana dibe” and Chaitanya Mahaprabhu says person gives sammana to other jivas, other entities why? He is giving reason why! Says “jani krsna adhisthana”. Knowing that the other souls they are situated in Krishna or other souls are Krishna’s souls, they are Krishna’s, Krishna’s people, they were just separate, they had nothing to do with God or Krishna then you may punch their noses. But knowing that they are Krishna’s people, Krishna’s devotees, they are situated in Krishna, grounded in Krishna, sitting next to Krishna, knowing this person always respects others, that’s Chaitanya Mahaprabhu’s reason.

So this is part of the knowledge so not only knowing Krishna, but
“vedais ca sarvair aham eva vedyo” (B.G 15.15)

Vidya, Vedyah and Vidavan- three factors, vidya is knowledge, vedyah is object of knowledge and vidavan is one who knows, one who has cultivated the knowledge is vidavan. So by now it is expected that you are all vidavan. Vidavan – Vidya has gone in you, now you possess vidya, vidavan like Bhagavan and this van and that van and Jnanavan . You are full of vidya, so you are vidavan. So Krishna says with vidya one understands me.
“aham eva vedyo”- I am to be known, so knowing Lord is then complete when we also understand energies of the Lord “vividhaiva shruyate”. Vividhaiva- Lord is full of potencies. He is potent with potencies; He is Shaktiman because He has lots of shaktis. And to know His shaktis -His energy is part of knowing Lord. So, living entities is shakti of the Lord ‘tatastha shakti’ of the Lord. And that shakti is very dear to the Lord. We have to know this, not we know only that

“mamaivamso jiva-loke jiva-bhutah sanatanah
manah-sasthanindriyani prakrti-sthani karsati” (BG 15.7)

Knowing verse sitting right in your kantha called kanthasta, where are the verses in kantha- kanthasta- well versed. They are sitting in your kantha ready to go but they need to be brought from kantha to the heart –‘hridayastha’ from kanthasta to hridayastha.

From the heart then ‘hridayangam’ – then assimilation, not just accumulation information accumulation but that information assimilation so that there is a transformation. So why should we respect that living entity we are surrounded by living entities all around? That also we have to find out when as one studies shastras and becomes vidavan by studying vidya -rajavidhya then this is part of the knowledge.

Knowing Lord and knowing Lord’s energies knowing Lord’s souls -anshas. Lord is anshi and living entities are ansha. Anshi is full ‘purnam’ and that purna Lord has anshas- parts and parcels. But they are His parts and parcels and they are very very dear to Him, they are very dear to Him. So, they are to be respected.

“aham eva vedyo” I am to be known, this has to be expanded. I am to be known, that I Krishna includes His shaktis, His energies, especially energy that is to be focused is his living entities, His parts and parcels we should take note of this. They exist and they are not just piece of dirt that you could just kick and push and pull and they are His and they are very dear to Him.

“sadhavo hrdayam mahyam” sadhus are in my heart , I am in their heart, they are in my. So, I think we are going to be making more general presentation of this “attitude towards Vaishnavas”. There are 5 different parties mentioned here.
1. Towards senior devotees in the temple.
2. Discuss appropriate attitude towards vaishanavs outside ISKCON.
3. Viewing Vaishnavas who have fallen down.
They are all living entities, they are in different categories, in different situations, different body, different country, different institutions and very different sampradayas, even different age groups and genders could be different but they are all living entities and attitude towards them.
So fallen ones and again return to practice of devotional service and then with reference to (Bhagavad Gita 9.30) “api cet su-duracaro”.
4. Importance of maintaining proper attitude towards Vaishnavas in regards to future development of ISKCON and their own spiritual life.

So like that there are different angles, perspectives thrown in here. So they are all living entities and they are living and they are Krishna’s entities. Krishna’s parts and parcels that makes them very special so they are to be respected, honoured. And this is expected from person in knowledge, one who has cultivated knowledge.
Krishna is talking of “panditah sama darsinah” (BG 5.18) what is pandit? Pandit is one who is in knowledge. In Vrindavan they call them Pandas, Vrindavan pandas, they are suppose to be Pandits means knowledgeable. Hence they could guide you also, take you on a tour of Vrindavan. They know Vrindavan, they know Krishna. They are dhama gurus.
So, “panditah sama darsinah” So, what is a qualification of that Pandit? that Krishna describes as:
“vidya vinaya- sampanne brahmane” (BG 5.18)

Infact to call someone a pandit or Brahman or vidavan, “ vidhya vinaya sampanne”.
Sampanna means equipped, not only he has vidya but he also has vinaya.
“Vidya vinaya sampanne”

We are troubled with the conditioning, we are conditioned souls, we are trying to get out of that conditioning but conditioned person, as soon as he gets something, gains something, possesses something, immediately that’s the trouble part. Even if it is vidya immediately we become proud of. Even popper is proud of, he has just few pennies but he becomes proud of pennies. From penniless to few pennies he becomes proud. You acquire knowledge, you have some beauty and you have some high percentage and what else, shruti, shreya, aishwarya, janma. These are the causes also that Kunti Maharani is talking, immediately one becomes attached and proud and he wants to displays his janma and his beauty and his education part, Bhakti shastri degree. Yes! This is challenge, how to acquire knowledge and not to feel we have it or infact this knowledge will do its part, if it is cultivated properly knowledge will reward person with humility.

“Vidya vinaya sampanne”

Then brahmane, then he is looking at Brahman, he is looking at cow, is looking at chandal “sva-pake ca” (BG 5.18) dog-eater and he is looking at elephant, he is looking at dog also. He is looking it at all these parties ‘brahmane’ looking at brahman, gavi -at the cow, hasti -the elephant, sva-pake – dog-eater. So what is equal in all these entities? He is looking at all these entities, parties, personalities as soul, it’s tougher to look at the dog and look at soul in him offer your respect to him.

There was a saint in Italy Saint Francis, he would address all the entities as own brothers and sisters. Non human and all other entities, he had genuine respect. He was kind of “panditah sama darsinah”. He is seeing all the creatures, all the entities as parts and parcels and brothers. So God brother they are also our God-brothers and God-sisters in other bodies in cat body and mosquitoes comes to you, must take him as mosquito brother, then rat brother, snake brother.

Some experience they talk because you have hatred towards others or even animals like the serpents they’ll attack you violently, but your attitude towards them is not of hate then they’ll also be very friendly. Children may be playing with them, as soon as you kill your attitude even animals, they change their attitude and they don’t act like, they don’t exhibit their normal animalistic attitude. They’ll change their attitude because your attitude is different, towards them.

So, fallen down vaishnava, now he has returned to the devotional practice what should be the attitude, how should you be dealing with that person, compassion. Any other suggestion? Compassion, to be fallen nothing special to be fallen, its common (laughter). Not to be surprised but the difference is from fallen he is trying to rise; he had gone higher at some levels but then some setbacks. So they are different from the common fallen, something different, something to his credit, he made attempt to rise, go against his so called fallen nature, he lifted himself or

“Brahmanda brahmite kona bhagyavan jiva” (CC Madhya Lila, 19.151)

Must be very fortunate soul came in contact “Guru-krishna- prasade paya” . Maya is very strong, is that part of the knowledge also? Krishna consciousness person knows that maya is very strong. Don’t take it lightly, Srila Prabhupada used to say: “trouble with my disciples is they are not afraid of Maya (laughter). They are not afraid of Maya, one should be, She’s so strong- “mama maya durattaya” because it’s Krishna’s Maya. And Krishna is strong, so Krishna’s Maya also has to be strong. If it is not strong Maya, then it cannot be Krishna’s Maya. So knowing this also, Maya is strong,

“api cet su-duracaro”- So this is Krishna’s stand, even if one commits most abominable action, engaged in devotional service he is to be considered saintly because he is properly situated in his determination.

“ksripram bhavati dharmatma” (BG 9.31)

And Lord addresses him as Dharmatma, that person is Dharmatma, so we cannot call him duratma. Lord is calling him Dharmatma, who are we to take different step. So just understand that, Lord is educating us infact, in this regard how to deal with those fallen.

“kaunteya pratijanihi na me bhaktah pranasyati”

And Lord even is declaring that my devotee never perishes. So Lord is also addressing that person as a devotee “My Devotee”

“svalpam apy asya dharmasya trayate mahato bhayat” (BG 2.40)

‘svalpam api’ – little progress, so now he has nothing to fear, ‘trayate mahato bhayat’ means no more going down to the lower species, you’ll be protected. During Srila Prabhupada’s days, you know some of our God Brothers, God Sisters in those days; we would call them blooping, bloop — when you throw little rock in the lake how does it sound? Bloop !! We throw little rock, we listen: Bloop! So this world is like a big ocean and them someone becoming “punar mushika bhava” becoming mouse again. He blooped, she blooped, so of course we were concerned and we would approach. I was there at least on one occasion and some devotees, oh! That prabhu, that mataji, have you know blooped left.

So Prabhupada, his response was they would they would come back he would be very much concerned, blooped but they will come back in this life or the next, but they’ll come back because
“na me bhaktah pranasyati” (BG 9.31)
Its guarantee that Lord has given and I was just looking at Sridhar Swami commentary on this
“na me bhaktah pranasyati” Bhagavad Gita commentary he says
“Kutarka karksha vadinah na etad manneran”
By hearing what Lord just said,
“api cet su-duracharo” (BG 9.30)
“ksripram bhavati dharmatma” (BG 9.31)
But those who want to argue or those who are faithless they may not accept this. My dear Lord then what you have to say

“iti shanka vyakula cittam arjunam prosayate”

This has not appeared in the dialogue but it is like reading in between lines and then the commentaries they are. So Arjuna, what you just said some people may not accept this. They may argue against this. “vyakula ciittam” Arjuna’s, mind is vyakula and his influence affected by this. He is thinking, oh everyone may not accept this. He is fallen and then still he is accepted to be as Dharmatman. So then Lord says this is not in Bhagavad Gita, but commentary: hey kaunteya! “Oh Arjuna !” This Krishna says

“atah kahaladi maha goshapurvakam vivadha mananam sabham gatva”

You go to such assembly where the all critics and all envious all these people they are not accepting this statement of mine. You go their
“gatva bahum utiksha”- you raise your arm and you aim and nishankam; without any doubt, “pratijanihi pratigyam kurum”, on my behalf take a vow. You boldly declare Krishna says. You go when all such people out there in big number, they have assembled you go and declare. Oh ! okay, I’ll go. What should I say?, Krishna! What should I say? So then Lord says, you say this:

“parmeshwarasha bhaktah”- My Bhakta, my devotee, “su- duracharo api na pranashyati”.

I just said, you repeat. You go there, you raise your hands and then you shut them up. And you say what I said this is the truth. You just say it out Loud! And make it clear and boldly declare that

“su-durachara api na pranashyati
apitu kritartaha eva bhavati”

On the contrary, kritartaha- they attain perfection and they never perish. They survive and they revive, they thrive, you say this on my behalf to this is. So knowing that much we could treat that person accordingly. So is it compassion
But those devotees as they return, they don’t have to go through a new Bhakta training. In few days, few weeks, they are, they could even give a Bhagvatam class. Their previous experiences all are revived, manifested and you could be even friendly with them. Compassion is for; compassion is for whom? Who do we exhibit our compassion towards? Some juniors so, some innocents, they may quickly become senior to you because they were 10 years practising Krishna consciousness, you have practiced only 3 years. When they come back everything is normal, back to normal, back on track, all surviving and reviving and thriving has happened. Then they are way ahead of you also. You are only 3 years but they are 10 years and 3 months of practice in ISKCON.

“isvare tad-adhinesu balisesu dvisatsu ca
prema-maitri-krpopeksa yah karoti sa madhyamah”

Total 4 categories and we deal with them differently.
First part is Isvar himself, the Lord Himself.
Second part is tad-adhinesu: those who are subordinate surrendered unto Him and they are practicing, they are in good standing.
Third party -balisesu, just now coming. “adau sraddha” they are innocent third party.
Fourth part is dvisatsu- they are envious towards santas – the sadhus, means atheists or demoniac. So that’s the fourth category.

So, what do we do with each one of them? The shashtra say: “prema, maitri, kripa, upeksha.” You give your prema, give your love to Ishwar, those are 4 categories and now 4 things you could do. So you have to match – prema, maitri, kripa, upeksha. Prema : Ishwar gets prema, you love the Lord. Tadadhinesu- the devotees they get your maitri, your friendship. And a friend in need is friend indeed. To render your help, assistance
Then Balisesu those are innocent they get kripa, they deserve kripa, your compassion, your kindness, consideration and dvisatsu, those who are anti-devotees, you could maintain safer distance from them. Offer obeisance from a distance or just stay away upeksha. So this is shastra chakshusha also. Now your knowledge of the shastras, so you look at the world around you.

When you look at anything and everything and immediately get your chasma (laughter) get your Shastra chakshu together and do then do the evaluation, then do the calculation and conclusion with the help of the knowledge of the shashtras. Not just your mind ‘sankalpa vikalpa’- acceptance rejection. Just because you feel good then you accept and then you reject, no use of shastras, use of intelligence, sharpening your tools. With the help of the shastras, studying of the shastras. Your tools are sharpened and then use the tools, evaluating not just mind but with the use of intelligence.

“dadami buddhi yogam”

Lord gives intelligence, so these intelligent statements, is wisdom in the form of this Bhakti Sastras that Lord has shared. This is Lord giving us wisdom, giving us intelligence and then you don’t just reject or accept on sense level or mind level but you use your intelligence.
If you are given medicine, lot of time, they are bitter. Your first reaction would be you would like to do what? Spit it! This is at the mind’s level you would be spitting but if you think; use your intelligence then knowing that this is good for your body or your health. So, something’s at the mind’s level you are ready to reject. Wait a minute! Then intelligence comes on the scene and you understand what is this? It might be bitter but is this useful. All that glitters is (audience: not gold) not gold. So you know glittered that doesn’t mean I should go for it, you think.

Again part of “yah pashyati sah panditah”. One who sees, we were just talking about shastra chakshushas (eyes). With the help of shastras “shastra chakshusha” more you use, you hear this shastras, study shastras. One devotee I don’t remember who that one was, but I heard this long time. He said then the knowledge takes the front seat. Knowledge comes in the fore front. All that he had been reading, studying, it is on your mind. If you are not studied of course and you have not read and then you forgot, then ignored and then knowledge takes back seat, maybe in the brain there is some place where they are stored in and you can’t find it, it’s just thrown in the pile. So as one studies and then contemplated and applies that knowledge and that knowledge stays fresh and then his shastra chakshusha is always with the help shastras, authority sadhu shastra archaryas. He is looking at the world, looking at the persons, different parties, and then accordingly takes decision or stand.

There are lot of attitude problem in devotees, so we need to work on this attitude. This is also relationship. Okay let’s use a word “sambandha” – very first thing is sambandha you come in contact, you have some relationship “sambhand” then comes “abhidheya” then comes “prayojan”. The first thing is “sambhand” -the relationship. If the relationship is not right, with a right attitude, right understanding, relationship is not right. Then nothing is going to go right. So this sambhand, this attitude, the relationship with the Lord, with the Lord’s world -this is Lord’s creation.

“isavasyam idam sarvam yat kinca jagatyam jagat
tena tyaktena bhunjitha ma gradhah kasya svid dhanam” (Sri Isopanishad 1)

Immediately you are given a tool, how to deal with this world. First of all, this world belongs to isavasyam. This is Lord’s world and now you are not the only one in the world, there are others, you are not the only son like a Jesus. They say Jesus was only son, I think he is a good son, He is a one good son but we know there are many sons. Unlimited! If God is unlimited He must have unlimited sons. So that God’s property, this world is God’s property. This has to be shared amongst His children.
‘Tena tyaktena bhunjitah’- There is a quota for you. The rest of the property, Hands off! Don’t Touch! It’s meant for other or somehow if it lands in your hands, then you shares that with others, give it in charities. Knowing that it belongs to the Lord and it is meant for other children of God. So this how you know how to deal with this world, how to relate with this world. What to do with this world? Whose world is it? How much do you really need and just keep that much and be happy with it.

“yadrccha-labha-santusto dvandvatito vimatsarah” (BG.4.22)

Lord says: My devotees whatever comes to their way they are satisfied with that much and as a result, they transcend this dvandva –this duality and they remain non-envious. They become free from envy. So philosophically we know we are envious, living entities envious of the Lord and living entities is envious of other living entities. So not only we have to become free from envy, I don’t want to be envious of the Lord, but then we make other living entities as a target and lots of envy towards them, but then Lord is not happy with that. Lord is not happy with that. So “yah pasyati sah pandita”.

So pandit is that person

“matrvat para-daresu para-dravyesu lostravat
atmavat sarva-bhutesu yah pasyati sa pandita”
Again Pandit, person who is vidhavan, knowledgeable, he has done Bhakti Shastri going for Bhakti Vaibhav and this and that. This is expected from him that “atmavatsa sarvabhuteshu” how does he deal with others. Atmavat- the way one deals with himself or herself, sarvabhuteshu- he should deal with others likewise sensitive to their feelings, their needs, their interests and concerns, so lots of sentiments, sensitivities, intricacies knowing these things, so atmavatsa.

So, importance of maintaining proper attitude towards Vaishnavas in regards to future development of ISKCON and their own spiritual life. So for future development of ISKCON also if this is understanding ‘atmavat sarvabhuteshu’. This could take care of lot of things these few words but it’s a lifetime homework infact.
“atmavat sarva bhutesu”- You love others, serve others, the way you would like to be loved and served. Learned person does this.

“para-dravyesu lostravat” – Other’s wealth loshtavat its like kachra or it is dustbin, discarded you don’t touch; it’s others you don’t need security anymore. So 10% of the population in the world is of type, I am security man, I’m secured and security. There, but if you would do this ‘loshtavat praradraveshu’ you don’t need security. Security locking system, this and that and all the way. The cameras and CCTV. But instead you just do this “loshtravat para dravyesu”- other’s wealth, oh!! I won’t touch, it’s not mine.

Because people they are not knowledgeable, they are not pandits. So they want to grab everything. My property others property also my property, my father’s property also my property. And just I will not only work hard I am going to work smart and work on transferring other’s bank balances to my bank balance. We are going to be smart and get higher education, so that those who are less educated I am going to exploit them do pick pocketing in different ways. If I go with scissors, pick pocket I might be arrested, but I’ll use my intelligence. It’s a pick pocketing; I’ll do it in a different ways, in intelligent ways. I’ll become wealthy so that’s ignorance and cultivation of avidya.

On the contrary, “yah pasyati sah pandita”
One who knows this, others wealth I’ll not touch.
matrvat para-daresu – ‘matrivat’- The woman or other’s wives are like my mothers. Easier said than done, but this has to be done there is no way out. So for senses or mind, it may be pleasing but use of intelligence now,
matrvat para-daresu , my attitude is matrvat that is my mother. So towards the future development of ISKCON, I think this principle, this knowledge, this cultivation of knowledge is of immense benefit.

Specially raising ourselves from kanistha adhikari level to madhyam adhikar. Atleast Prabhupada said atleast come to the madhyam adhikar. Our movement will only survive and spread if we did that, if we remain just kanistha adhikaris only loving Radha Madhava the best deity worship in the world. That’s fine but infact we also have to worship devotees, how to worship devotees, serve devotees not just lip service. Serve Lord and serve devotees of the Lord. Serve devotees of Krishna Consciousness movement, serve them and worship them. Prabhupada said cooperate with each other, so that his society is protected after he is gone. So that protection will come from our knowledgeable action. Action equipped with knowledge, Yogasthah in the verse of Sri Krishna :

“yoga-sthah kuru karmani” (BG 2.48)

Prabhupada says that devotee by the way he deals or dealing with others, he does ‘dharma samsthapanarthaya’- he establishes dharma by his dealing by his interactions. Of course standard reactions, standard relationships, standard attitude, standard sambandha with that devotee establishes dharma, establishes Krishna Consciousness, Krishna Consciousness movement, or principles of Krishna Consciousness or established by his, his dealings, his Krishna Conscious dealings full of knowledge as advised in the shastras; Gita and Bhagavat and Bhakti Rasamrita Sindhu, and Isopanishad, Updeshmarita.
One studies and then he is properly situated and that’s yogasthah. He has become yogi; he is situated in Yoga linked with the Lord properly. ‘Yogasthah’ then ‘kuru karmani’ then person is expected to act, a person is expected to deal, relate with the world, relate with other devotees, new devotees or senior devotees or fallen and then come back devotees or other institutions, other vaishnavas. For everything there is a standard.

So we are happy that you have been completing your study of the Bhakti Shashtras. Now there is jnana part and then comes vijnana the application. So I think application this is what, what is being talked now, then you’ll be walking out of door and then you have to deal with others, they haven’t done their Bhakti Shastri, in your temples wherever you come from and then you meet this situation, that situation, this devotee that devotee, someone superior, someone equal, someone junior, someone critical and then what you are suppose to be doing in each one of those situations. Get ready, are you ready? Haribol……..

Srila Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Thakur avirbhava tithi mohotsava ki…… JAIII!!!!!
Nitai Gaur Prema Nande!!

Date: 19 February 2016
Venue: Bangladesh
Srila Prabhupada ki jai!!

We are never tired of talking about Srila Prabhupada……. Haribol!!! It’s more than 40 years, almost 45 years we have been talking about Srila Prabhupada and we will keep talking about him forever.

‘cakshu-dan dilo jei, janme janme prabhu sei’

And that is also the reason Prabhupada gave us the cakshu, gave us the eyes, gave us everything, gave us life, Prabhupada has given us Krsna! Haribol!!!

‘krsna se tomara, krsna dite paro tomara sakati ache’

Krsna is with you and you are competent, capable of giving that Krsna to me.

‘ami to kangala krsna krsna boli dhai tava pache pache’

And that is why I am a pauper, I am running after you hoping, begging that you would give us that Krsna.
We were hearing from His Holiness Krsna Ksetra Maharaj that Prabhupada, he was a giver, what did he give? He gave us Krsna. He gave the whole world Krsna. Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura Maharaj used to say that there is one thing that is lacking in this world. What do you think? Could you imagine what that lack is? What is that lacking?
Srila Prabhupada provided that Krsna, not only to Indians and Hindus but to the whole world.
“Swamiji, why have you come to our country?”, one correspondent newspaper, he asked this question to Srila Prabhupada in America.
Prabhupada said “You also came to our country, now I have come; it’s my turn now to come. But when you came or your Viceroys came, whatever they thought was of valuable, wealth of India, you stole, you looted that. But in fact, the most valuable gift of India, even Viceroys (The British rulers) forget that, they left that behind. So now I have come to do the home delivery of that most valuable thing” (Laughter). Haribol!!

When asked what is that our rulers didn’t recognize the real wealth of India? Then Prabhupada explained, Bhagavad Gita yatha rupa, the culture of our country. The holy name of the Lord, this is the gift, Haribol!!

Whenever Indians went to the West, yesterday Maharaj was talking. We went to take, give this, give us loan, give us job, give us super computers. So as a result, India was known as beggars country. I remember first time I went in ’78. People would asked, ‘Swamiji, where are you from?’. So when I was responding from India, they used to say, ‘Oh! That’s beggar country?!’But Srila Prabhupada didn’t go to take but he went to give, he went to give Krsna.

Another Swami also had gone; Swami Vivekananda also went to the West, to America, to Chicago. “Ladies and gentlemen”, he gave such a speech, they talk about. And as a result of that speech, whatever else he did he influenced the Americans, the Westerners. As a result, one lady surrendered everything and became follower of Vivekananda and she came to India later on and joined him. So after 100 years, when they talk of glories of Vivekananda Swami, they say, ‘ Oh that lady, bhagini Nivedita, big name, she became follower of Vivekananda Swami. So we had one bhagini Nivedita but now we have thousands of bhagini Nivedita right here, Haribol!! And bhaktas also!! (Laughter)

Recently there was a report in a weekly magazine called newsweek and the story about Hare Krsna movement was there. That said, ‘The fastest growing religion in Former Soviet Union is Hare Krsna religion.’ And then the news report had the number, that there are 700,000 followers of Hare Krsna religion in Russia. Haribol!! We don’t know how many but they found out and that’s just Russia and then worldwide.

‘yadi prabhupada na hoito, tabe ki hoito’ like ‘yadi gaura na hoito, tabe ki hoito…’

Jayapataka Maharaj has written a song, if Prabhupada had not appeared, if Prabhupada na hoito, so what would have happened. We cannot even imagine what possibly could have happened to this world, to me!! I don’t know what possibly could have happened. This is because of Srila Prabhupada I got Krsna. Also I got “Hare krsna Hare Krsna Krsna Krsna Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare.” The whole world is getting that Krsna through Srila Prabhupada, founder Acharya of the International Society for Krsna Consciousness.

When I was a young boy, young man studying in college in Mumbai, Hare Krsna Festival was held in Mumbai. And they had advertised that the European sadhus are in town. Americans sadhus are in town. We Indians had never heard of Americans sadhus. We knew sadhus from Varanasi or Haridwar or Pandharpur. But Americans sadhus?! So this was kind of mind boggling (Laughter) Haribol!! So there were thousands of us Indians, were running to the Hare Krsna Festival to find out is it real thing, fake thing or some… What is that? Could Americans be sadhus? American scientists were okay but American sadhus (Laughter).

So Srila Prabhupada, he is also known as an exporter and importer. He exported Krsna consciousness, culture of India to the West. And he imported American sadhus, European Brahmins, Haribol!!
Next year, following year there was another festival in Mumbai but at Hare Krsna Land Juhu. I attended that festival in ’72 March – April. I was very much impressed with Srila Prabhupada and his followers and Krsna also. I wanted to join Hare Krsna movement. Haribol!! My parents wanted me to be an engineer but I ended of becoming sadhu. Then they invited me back to village saying, ‘Pease come. If you don’t return, then mother may not survive, you better come back.’ I had association of Srila Prabhupada, ‘lava matra sadhu sanga sarva siddhi hoi’. We were Bombay brahmacaris and Bombay was Prabhupada’s office. Prabhupada used to spend lot of time in Bombay.

So I had gone to see my mother. The comments that people were making in my village, ‘He used to be such a nice boy. He used to be nice boy (Laughter) he has become pagal, He has become mad.’ Anyway, somehow I returned.
The day I wanted to join, I wrote my appeal, my application, address to the temple president. I did a hand-written application appeal. I thought this is an International Society; a hand-written application may not be accepted or may not be taken seriously. I went to the typing institute and got it typed for 50 paisa. In the application, I had written, ‘ I like your ecstatic kirtan, I like your dazzling aartis. And I like your sumptuous prasadam.’ I also didn’t know what ecstasy was, ecstatic, sumptuous, dazzling was. I just copied from their festival advertisement (Laughter) I copied. “Please come to attend our dazzling aarti, sumptuous Prasad and ecstatic kirtan.” So I just copied that (Laughter) I liked these all.
And then I went to Hare Krsna Land. I wanted to meet the President. The person that I asked, ‘I would like to meet the president, could you please bring me to him?’ I was thinking it was very difficult; probably I need appointment to see the President. But the person that I asked, he said, ‘I am the president.’ Then I was thinking, once I submit my application, then next board of directors meeting, they will put my application on agenda. There will be discussion, but the president read my letter right then and there. Not only that, he started making big big announcements. ‘Hey, we have new bhakta here! We have new bhakta here!’ Haribol!! So all devotees came running to meet new bhakta and I was welcomed. And soon they asked me to come behind the ashram. I didn’t know why they are taking me behind the ashram (Laughter). When I reached there, there was one barber waiting for me (laughter). So like that, I became Hare Krsna bhakta.

And then the American prabhus, they taught me how to wear dhoti. American sadhus were teaching me how to wear dhoti. And that same evening there was one function in a school. Brahmananda’s brother, Gargamuni Swami Maharaj, he brought me also to the programme. So school children, they didn’t know English. And these American sadhus, they only spoke English. So Gargamuni Swami Maharaj handed me mike also. So he was giving a talk and I was translating. So I became preacher the same day. (Laughter)

So like that, I was finally surrendered onto Srila Prabhupada and joined his movement. Then in ’72 kartik time devotees came from different places in Vrndavana for kartik festival. So I also was lucky fellow, bhakta to also go to Vrndavana. Prabhupada stayed at Radha Damodara Temple. So from Mathura station, we went to Radha Damodara Temple. We took darshan of Radha Damodara and immediately we were scouted to enter into Srila Prabhupada quarters. His abode, residence was very very simple, humble, a small room that he was residing in. Although he was the founder Acharya of the International Society for Krsna Consciousness and he had followers like Ambarisa, the Ford and George Harrison. But when Prabhupada returned to Vrndavana, he was residing in Vrndavana like goswamis, very simple, humble.

‘tvaktva turnam asesa-mandala-pati”

We were allowed to enter Prabhupada’s quarter and we were sitting around Prabhupada, in front of him in semi-circle. I was kind of sitting right in front of Srila Prabhupada. So Srila Prabhupada was talking to us. While talking, he was also looking at us. He started from devotee at one end and go around. His camera was moving. But when it was turn of Prabhupada to look at me, he would kind of pause. He would stop; take a close look and then move. Again returning, again stop looking at me and around.

I was wondering why I was getting his attention. Did I not put tilak on? Or my buttons not proper? Something wrong with me? Or something too much right with me? I was not able to figure it out until Prabhupada said, “Stop it!!” Stop what? So those days I had a habit. Whenever I would listen with full attention, attentively I would also move my thighs like this. And I was very violently moving which I was not aware. I didn’t know (Laughter) I was moving it. Prabhupada said, “Stop it!!”. And then I stop, never again. Only today I did this or whenever I talk about this pastime (Laughter).
Srila Prabhupada was and is so dear to us, dear to our hearts.

In Mumbai as I mentioned, Prabhupada used to, his arrivals into India, departures from India would take place from Bombay airport. So we used to go to greet Prabhupada at the airport. And also when he would leave, we would go for the farewell ceremony to say bye to Srila Prabhupada. So we used to make sure in which aircraft Prabhupada is entering. Then we used to go on the top of the building, the gallery from where we could see Prabhupada’s aircraft. When we would have full attention on the movement of the aircraft; now it is leaving the parking area and now it is going to take off. And when it took off, we would keep looking at the aircraft till we could see aircraft no more. Then we would pay our obeisances to the aircraft that we would not see in that direction. And come back to the temple feeling separation from Srila Prabhupada. Srila Prabhupada ki jai!!
Because Srila Prabhupada gave us everything, gave us Krsna, we feel indebted to Srila Prabhupada. We are grateful to Srila Prabhupada. So one time his followers were talking with him and Prabhupada was saying the debt. Disciple is indebted to the spiritual master.

So one of the disciples there inquired, ‘ Is there some way that disciple could become free from this debt Srila Prabhupada?’
Prabhupada said, ‘ Not possible!’
But thinking for a while, then he said, ‘ Yes, one thing could be done.’
‘What is that Srila Prabhupada? What could we do? What could we do?’

Then Srila Prabhupada said, ‘You do as I did. Spreading Krsna consciousness movement and spreading Krsna consciousness all over the world. I have started it, inaugurated this work and now you carry on, push on this Hare Krsna movement. So you could make attempt to become free from the debt.’ And this was also his instruction. Another last instruction Prabhupada gave to his followers, ‘If you love me, I would like to see that love or expression of that love. I would like to see how you protect this institution after I am gone. Or how you cooperate with each other to protect this institution after I am gone.’
So now of course we love Srila Prabhupada.

Dated: 9 May 2016
Venue: Ujjain (Kumbha mela)

Occasion: Gurudev at diksha ceremony

I welcome you all to this initiation ceremony and special welcome to those who are getting initiated and rest of you can say Haribol and express your happiness. I had got message of the kumbha coordinators that more and more devotes should get initiated, so we both me and HH Bhakti Caru Maharaj thought of giving diksha here. The venue is also very special we are at bank of Sipra. This is siksha and diksha bhumi of Krsna and Balaram. But what they will achieve by taking diksha, but….

“yad yad acarati sresthas tat tad evetaro janah” (BG 3.21)

All the rishis of the world are present here today, there is also possibility that Demigod must also have come for nectar here today. On such special day diksha ceremony is taking place. You all are taking a great step today that means you want to be free from this world, you want to go back home. If you want then for you diksha will be there. So this special mercy of Lord on you.

“Bramanada bramite koni bhagyavan jiva, guru Krishna prasad pai bhaktilata bija”

By Lords mercy such fortunate souls get Guru, in gita Arjuna takes shelter of Krishna and says Lord please protect me. With this bhava if a jiva goes to Guru,

“krsna se tomara krsna dite para tomara sakati achhe
ami ta’ kangala ‘krsna krsna’ bali dhai tava pachhe pachhe”

‘ami ta’ kangala’ – I am kangala- I am poor and you have Krishna so I am running after you. You give us Krishna the real wealth Krsna is yours. You can give Krishna. You have that power. Don’t just say we need to realize it.
When the jiva goes with this bhava to Guru, Guru takes us to Lord. Lord says,

“Sarva-dharman parityajya”

Guru also says the same, surrender unto Lord whatever rules and regulations are given by Lord should be followed. Prabhupada presented to the whole world the message of Lord, so it’s called *as it is*
Let the Lord say you don’t say.

“sampradaya-vihina ye mantras te nisphala matah”

We can get Krsna only by getting connecting to bonafide sampradaya, so that’s how the thoughts of Lord will reach us. Today some are getting harinam diksha and some Brahman diksha. We are from Brahma Madhva Gaudiya Sampradaya, so we get initiated with Hare Krsna mantra. So today officially you all are getting Harinam. You have to avoid 10 offences against holy name and follow 4 regulative principles.

After diksha you will become dharmik and you will also contribute in establishment of dharma.
The foundation of dharma are: mercy, truthfulness, austerity and cleanliness.

“daya dharma ka mula hai”

The foundation of dharma should be strong; we need to make these foundations very strong. Prabhupada also told us to follow four regulative principles. ISKCON is now 50 years old, haribol and when ISKCON was just half a year old since that time Prabhupada is telling the disciples to follow four regulative principles.
He told this in America, where people used to eat flesh in breakfast lunch dinner Prabhupad was telling them
“patram puspam phalam toyam” from today now no muttanam chikanam biryanim.

You know Jagai Madhai incident, Haridas Thakur and Nityananda Prabhu told them to take Harinam and but they were not ready. To such Jagai Madhai like people Prabhupada was training and they agreed to follow the four regulative principles.

During Nashik kumbha nectar was flowing in Godavari and there was a tea stall named chai-amrita pijiye, people were busy drinking tea. In Badrinath also there a tea stall and a board “chai ka akhari Dukan”. In Mumbai airport yesterday they offered us tea; I said no, they said atleast take coffee. They thought tea is for poor persons. So tea is also addiction.

So you all will take sankalpa to follow 4 regulative principles and chant 16 rounds. When Lord came He brought harinam for all of us and today you will get this mantra which Lord brought from His dhama.
Haribol

Dated: 29th Sept 2015
Venue: Rajapur (Mayapur)

Occasion: World Holy Name Week

Mayapur dham ki jai!

So this is where all the gang of this sankirtan,

“sankirtanaika-pitarau kamalaya-thaksau visvambharo dvija varau
yuga-dharma phalau vande jagat priya karo karuna avatarau”

Karuna avataro-Guar Nityananda, the founding Supreme fathers of this Hare Krishna movement, Hare Krishna sankirtan movement are Gaur Nityananda and not far from here is Srivan angan and not angam. Many of devotees say angam, angam means body. Angan means courtyard angan not anganam so Srivas angan. SriKrishna Chaitanya Mahaprabhu would chant

“Hare krsna Hare Krsna Krsna Krsna Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare”

All night long kirtan and Caitanya Mahaprabhu He would go mad, roar like a mad man also and chant and dance doing His uddanda kirtan, uddanda nrutya.

“dhule dhule gaurachanda hari guna gai
asiya vrindavane nache gaura rai”

He was dancing like that in Vrindavan 500 hundred year ago, Caitanya Mahaprabhu travelled to Vrindavan and he danced there also so that is ‘dhule dhule’ one kind of dance and he would do uddand nritya, He would jump high in sky and floating, trying to reach out his Lord where are you O! Lord? And he would be seeking for his Lord, he would jump. When Sachi mata had observed that kind of uddanda nritya of her Nimai dancing in Shantipur, he would jump high and fall flat on the ground so that was heart breaking experience for Sachi mata, considering that her Nimai getting hurt as he lands on the ground. She was praying to mother bhumi, mother earth that whenever my darling when he falls down in your lap. Please make sure that he was not hurt, let him experience like he is falling on bed of roses or something soft ground. So this was going on every night, all night long chanting and dancing on and on and on for weeks and for months. Advaitacharya was not very happy that Lord was dancing with “pure” devotees, what about the others? So he was the one, Advaitacharya was the one who had prayed for the merciful descend of the Lord.

“dharmasya glanir bhavati bharata”

“There is so much decline of the religious principles my Lord this is the time you did promise or made that statement whenever there is decline in religious or of the religious principles
“sambhavami yuge yuge” – you would appear”. So advaitacharya had come some 50 years prior to advent of Gauranga as if he had come as a advance party to do all evaluation of the situation and he had come to the conclusion now only Lord can rectify the situation so he prayed and Lord had responded and Gauranga appeared. But then he was chanting and dancing with some selected few and what about the rest of world then Advaitacharya, he falls at the feet of Gauranga and says oh! Lord be merciful

“Patitpavan hetu tav avatar”

The purpose of your avatar is patit pavan, to uplift the fallen souls so please do so these are pure devotees, its fine that you chant and dance with them but what about rest? So then Gauranga Mahaprabhu continued his kirtans all over Mayapur, Navadwip. Bhaktivinod Thakur explains in his famous kirtan.

“udilo aruna puraba bhage dwija mani gora amani jage
Bhakta samuha loiya sathe gela nagara braje”

So early morning the sun rose in the east. (Bell rings in the temple of Rajapur Jaggnath) O! Something is appearing Jagannath is rising appearing here Jai Jagannath Swami ki jai! Jai Jagannath! Jai Jagannath! Jai Jagannath ! Jagganath Baladev Subhadra Ki ..Jai

So gathering all his followers, devotees, Mahaprabhu was dancing all over, throughout Navadwip Mandal.

“tathai tathai bajalo khol”

“dhik tam dhik tam dhig etan kathayati satatam kirtana-stho mrdangah”

Mrdanga uvacha, mrdanga says all the time what does mrdanga says? Dhik- I condemn those folks, kirtan is going on here where I am being played, mridanga is being played and what you are doing over there? You are condemned dhik dhik, I condemn you, I condemn you, ‘etan dhigetan’- all these people are condemned because you are not present in the kirtan, mrdanga speaks like this during Chaitanya Mahaprabhu’s kirtan.

“mukunda madhava yadava hari bolena bolo re vadan bhori”

So they are chanting,
“Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare”

And they are also chanting Mukunda say Mukunda Mukunda Mukunda. “bolena bolo re vadan bhori” using all their strength, love their Lord with all thy strength, with all thy heart, the bible also says “love thy Lord with all thy heart, with all thy strength”. So this song of Bhaktivinod also says “bolena bolo re vadan bhori” So some devotees along with their kirtan they are also doing preaching to those who were witnessing the kirtan running out of their homes to observe the kirtan. So devotees were preaching to them you also chant full hearted, full throated, heart full, throat full.. “balena bolo re vadan bhori”. And what is the next part ?

“preme dhala dhala sonara anga carane nupura baje”– again dhule dhule

That golden complexion Lord, “Preme dhala dhala”- full of prem, ecstatic feeling, emotions. He is dancing with ankle bells tinkling jingling around His ankles. Devotees must be playing mridanga very expertly, they also loving the sound of tinkling and jingling the bells also do come across. Mridanga playing was not drowning the sound of the nupur. The tinkling and jingling of the bells also were audible. Mridanga being played and those kartal and bits of all that there was also sound of jingling bells from ankles of Gauranga!

“kiba mantra dila gosai kiba tara bala japite japite mantra karila pagal”

This is another time as Sri Krishna Chaitnaya Mahaprabhu, he was maddened as he chanted rolling on the ground and this was very common thing shading tears. He would do kirtna in Jagannath Puri Jagannath puri dham ki jai !!! In front of Jagannath’s cart and when He would go round and round all people all devotees are all around Him and making three circles. Nityananda Prabhu was in the first circle around Gauranga and then Srivas and then Kashishwar and others would make the second circle. King Prataparudra and others would make the third circle and he would be in the middle protected from the public or He could have His own space. Gauranga would have His own space for chanting and dancing and not getting distracted, so they would form circles. He is everywhere simultaneously he is everywhere. Not that he is here and then after some time going round and round and that time shading tears. From the Lotus eyes of Gauranga tears would flow drowning not just making people little bit wet. They would drowning in those tears, becoming all soaked in tears of Gauranga.

“Nayanam galad ashru dharya” -dhara- flow. It was coming out, the flow coming out forcefully, so it was not just dropping down but going, spreading all around and it was coming out so forcefully reaching out going for long distance so all around the tears of Gauranga!! So one time He had again approached his Guru Maharaj Ishvarpuri and he was wondering Oh! What kind of mantra “Kiba mantra dila gosai”- what kind of mantra you have given to me? “japite japite mantra karil pagal”- by chanting or while chanting I just go mad, my body begins trembling, rolling on the ground, I become stunt ,this happens that happens, sometimes my complexion changes, Gauranga’s body changes complexion. The Golden body would turn pinkish while He was in Vrindavan golden body turned bluish black!

“Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare”

He was doing His japa, japa yoga underneath of Imali tala, Tamarind tree all from Krishna’s time, there was a tamarind tree 500 years ago and still there is tamarind tree. And after while at bank of Yamuna underneath the tree chanting His japa and while chanting He became so much Krishna conscious that He was no more Gauranga, He was not Gaursundar! But he became Shyamsundar! Body was shyamavarna.

So that also was result of His madness, ecstatic feelings. So He had inquired what kind of mantra? So much power, so much strength has invested in this mantra. This mantra just taken charge of me and makes me dance, make me mad. What kind of mantra have you given oh! Spiritual master?

“hari hari viphale janama gonainu”

And kirtan parties Chaitanya Mahaprabhu’s kirtan party, Chaitanya mahaprabhu already in Jagannath Puri and parties would go from different towns and villages to Jagannath Puri to participate in Rathyatra festival. During one such time, as devotees were arriving in Jagannath Puri and they were performing kirtan or while performing kirtan they are entering Jagannath Puri and King Prataprudra, was enquiring “who is that devotee?” Oh! That is Advaitacharya ,“ who is that one in bluish?” Oh! That is Nityananda and who is that he was enquiring and he said I have heard kirtans before, same mantra same mridanga, kartala also, but this is something different. I have never experienced this kind of kirtan, these prabhu’s are chanting, singing, dancing what is this Kirtan? Then he was told, this is “Prem Kirtan”. So Mahaprabhu and His associates, followers they would perform Prem Kirtan, shuddha Naam.

Every day we chant keep doing this. This Hare Krishna Mahamantra is the Prem, the Love of God or in this name, the form of the Holy name. Sri Krishna Chaitanya Mahaprabhu delivered Krishna Prem to this world. “Krishna Prem Pradayte” He appeared to deliver Krishna prem and what is that prem?

Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare. Keep chanting!!!

So let’s chant, utter not just by the tongue, but by the soul. Let the soul sing this supreme song. We always hear encouragement chant from the heart. Because within the heart there is soul, Let the soul chant, so that kirtan was brought by Gauranga from His own abode and chanted here in Navadwip.

Venue: Pune
Srila Prabhupada ki jay!!

Srila Prabhupada did most of his classes also in English, not many knew in the audience. 50 years ago, he also on the occasion of his sannyas ceremony in Mathura, he also had spoken in English. So this is yet another reason for us to speak in English. He was concerned about his followers. They were from all over the world. So we also speak the international language, english for their benefit. And even if you don’t understand the language that Prabhupada would speak in, those persons are still benefitted. Sometimes in Juhu, he would speak in English, others some children or others and he would make those comments. “They don’t understand my language but still there is a benefit.”

There was another time he was speaking in Vrndavana in Hindi and some of his disciples they thought, ” Oh! We don’t understand this language!” Especially Gurudas, he mentioned. As he was getting ready to get up and walk away, Prabhupada said, “Sit down!” But I don’t understand!” “You will be benefited; still the transcendental vibration has purifying effect regardless”. 50 years quickly passed since Prabhupada sannyas initiation. Persons takes sannyas, he renounces everything then he is free for the benefit of the rest of the world. He gives up his small family and gains bigger family. This world Holy Name Week that has been resolved by GBCs and now being implemented all over. This year is 50th anniversary of Srila Prabhupada sannyas. Every year we celebrate Srila Prabhupada’s arrival in America. In 1965, Srila Prabhupada arrived in America around this time. As he arrived, he had a gift for the rest of the world. He was carrying Bhagavatam and he was carrying the Holy name of the Lord. These were the two matchless gifts that Srila Prabhupada gave to the rest of the world. So this World Holy Name Week started with the day. Earlier we had World Holy Name Day. We started also during Srila Prabhupada Centennial and we were perpetuating that event World Holy Name Day now becomes World Holy Name Week. To remind the whole world the arrival of Srila Prabhupada in America with the gift of the holy name is the connection for you to remember. The gift that Caitanya Mahaprabhu had come down to the earth, he came with the gift. And that gift Caitanya Mahaprabhu shared within India. And he said, Caitanya Mahaprabhu left this job of sharing this gift to the rest of the world to the International Society for Krsna Consciousness whose founder Acharya is Srila Prabhupada ki jay!!

“You want tea or me?” Kind of started from around that dialogue time. Srila Prabhupada had been travelling in North India. He had a business, an agency, he had goods, he had medicines. Then during those travels, he had also gone to Jhansi. Then he had some preaching opportunity there at Gita Mandir. And he liked that field. He kept coming back there to Jhansi. He was going back and forth from Jhansi to Allahabad. He still had a business in Allahabad. But during one such visit as he was visiting Allahabad, Srila Prabhupada then wife ‘Paper!kabadi’ get your newspaper on the scale weigh. Paper on one side and they weigh, five kilos, you get three rupees. So you couldn’t imagine Srila Prabhupada’s wife, she sold big, thick fat Bhagavatam. And she got some tea biscuits. Srila Prabhupada found out ‘Where is my Bhagavatam?!” He realized what blunder had taken place. Prabhupada was furious and he had asked that final question. “You want tea or me?, tell me.” His wife said in a humorous mood, ‘Of course tea.” Okay have it. You will have a tea not me.

And Prabhupada left home and then never return. He broke his family connection. Whatever little connection was there remaining, residue, he got rid of that he headed for Jhansi. So that was in early 50s, could be ’51- ’52. He spent several years in Jhansi. He was thinking of having a global institution, league of devotees. There was advertisement also that appeared on the paper. He invited youths to join from any nationality. “they will be trained into brahmacaris and made into brahmanas and exported all over, lodging boarding free of charge.” And he was placing these adds in the newspapers. Advertising in newspapers, “Brahmacari wanted. Brahmacari wanted.” There was very little or no response in fact of such adds. He was literally by himself. He had conceived his international organization. He had a place in Jhansi. He was talking a bit, planning a bit and he had one disciple, Doctor Prabhakar Mishra. Around that time also Srila Prabhupada was still making trips back and forth.

Once Srila Prabhupada got a telegram. The message was that his workers had ran away with some funds. And disciple read out the message to Srila Prabhupada and looked at Srila Prabhupada’s face thinking that Srila Prabhupada must be now really morose or miserable getting such news. But that wasn’t the case. Srila Prabhupada was smiling and Srila Prabhupada had to say,

‘ yasyaham anugrhnami harisye tad dhanam sanaih ‘ (S.B 10.88.8).

Srila Prabhupada quoted that verse and explained that to his disciple. When Lord is very merciful, He takes away that person’s wealth. So Lord is very very kind to me. And disciple was surprised and pleased also to hear such response from his Gurumaharaj. So his money was being stolen and his family connections were getting weaker and weaker. Then finally he had, ‘tea or me’, then he had left. Now he was in Jhansi. The land that he had where he was thinking of setting his society, league of devotees, from there he would preach all over the world. He lost that land.

There was a Governor called K.M Munshi, his wife Lilawati. She was thinking of setting up Mahila Sanga there in Jhansi with the help of governor, her husband is Governor, she managed to capture that place. Srila Prabhupada lost the claim over that property. That property is still there in Jhansi. Srila Prabhupada left Jhansi for Mathura, Vrndavana. Earlier he had also been going between Jhansi and Mathura. But now he had finally come to Mathura. He had become associate of Gaudiya Math in Mathura. His Godbrother Prajnana Keshav Goswami Maharaj was in charge of the Math there. Srila Prabhupada was a writer. They were publishing patrika and Srila Prabhupada would contribute to that pre editorial. So he was part of the Gaudiya Math by now. These is all part of his life time in preparation. Srila Prabhupada was preparing to go finally, to go to the West.

In 1922, he had received this order. “You preach in English language”. That was also instruction. That must be another reason why Prabhupada would always preach in English language. So Srila Prabhupada was preparing. Ealier, he was also thinking, “In order for me to preach in English language, go the West I need money.’ One of the purposes he kept doing his business. He wanted to make some money. He was also thinking. “My godbrothers, they have different Maths. They are just doing madukari, bheeksha, begging. I will not do that. I will earn money. I’ll utilize those funds to spread Krsna consciousness or go to the West.”
But Krsna had different plan. In one dialogue, Srila Prabhupada said that he was thinking that he needed money to preach, go to the West. And Krsna wanted to prove otherwise. You don’t need money! What do you need money for?! Srila Prabhupada with his conversation with Syamasundar Prabhu, Brahmananda also one time said, that he had so many opportunities to get jobs with this company, that company. But he kept making wrong moves. He kind of blew up those opportunities. He could have made very easily ten thousand per month those days, Prabhupada said. That’s lot of money. But he didn’t go for it, this bad intelligence. Krsna was giving this bad intelligence. Lord was behind that bad intelligence. Krsna was giving those directions. No no, don’t go for this. Don’t get this job. So he was without money. Finally when Srila Prabhupada went to the West, he had no money. He didn’t fly to the West. He went in a cargo boat with free passage. When he arrived, he had only 5 dollars. He could only survive for 5 minutes in New York with 5 dollars. So he had no friends, no money. Under those circumstances Srila Prabhupada was going to launch the International Society for Krsna Consciousness. A zero bank balance and Srila Prabhupada was going to launch the International Society for Krsna Consciousness. Those original 40 rupees he had, we say 5 dollars, its equivalent to 40 rupees. He kept those 40 rupees.

After some years Prabhupada had come to India. He landed in Delhi airport and then he was going to Chippiwada near Lal kila, Red Fort. That is where Srila Prabhupada used to stay before he had gone to America. He used to stay there to get his books printed. So when he arrived at Chippiwada in a taxi, there was no one to receive him. Srila Prabhupada took taxi to his own residence, one Radha Krsna temple there. So when he had to pay taxi bill, Srila Prabhupada used those 40 rupees to pay the taxi bill. So those 40 rupees were sitting all those years with him as balance. He spent those 40 rupees on taxi. Practically he had those 40 rupees but he didn’t use those 40 rupees in America for his International Society for Krsna Consciousness.

So he started from a scratch, from a zero bank balance and he had no friends. Then Krsna proves, yes! This is possible. You don’t need money. So while he was, Prabhupada in Jhansi and now coming to Mathura, he had been getting dreams. Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakur appearing in the dreams and asking him to take sannyas. After the dream Prabhupada gets up and remembering that dream, he would say, ‘How horrible!’ Bhishma, Bhishma, something like that. When Bhishma decided to take sannyas, the demigods exclaimed, “Bhishma! Bhishma!” These were the words of the demigods, oh! How could you do such a thing?! How could you take such a vow of not marrying? You are just a young man, prince and no marriage? How horrible?!” So those demigods were thinking like that. And this is how grandfather Bhishma got the name ‘Bhishma’. How horrible or terrible is this thought of sannyas. So Srila Prabhupada was thinking how horrible. Then after some time again the same dream. ‘How horrible, no no, I can’t do this’, Prabhupada was thinking.

Then Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakur was not giving up. He was after Prabhupada. And again he appeared in the dream and even gave hint, come come come, follow me, follow me. Again he is reminded of taking sannyas. So third time as Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati appeared in the dream and instructed him to take sannyas, Srila Prabhupada took this as, ” My gurumaharaj is reminding me of my mission of going to the West and preaching in English language.” So he made this connection- this sannyas is for preaching. You should be sanyasi for preaching. Then gradually now he was preparing mentally and practically taking some steps so that he could be in sannyas order of life or undergoing the formality of sannyasa. Although he was more than sanyasi himself.

“You must be sacrificing everything for Krsna. That is sannyas”, in one dialogue Srila Prabhupada had said. You sacrifice everything for Krsna. That is sannyas. This is practical definition of sannyas. “sacrifice everything for Krsna that is sannyas” and How does Krsna says that in Bhagavad Gita?

‘anasritah karma-phalam karyam karma karoti yah
sa sannyasi ca yogi ca na niragnir na cakriyah’ (B.G 6.1)

I remember this verse very well. I will tell you in a minute why I remember this verse. Prabhupada was with the reporter and Prabhupada just defined sannyas means sacrificing everything for Krsna. Someone else said, “That means akarma?”
Prabhupada said, “No, that is more than akarma.”

Reporter, “Sannyas is akarma?”
Yes, sannyas is akarma, that is described in Bhagavad Gita, ‘ anasritah karma phalam’. That is also karma, ‘karyam karma karoti yah sa sannyasi’ ‘ when one works with this principle he is a sannyasi. Srila Prabhupada was very proud of his grhastha disciples also. They were in this mood, sacrificing everything for Krsna. Surabhi, later on he became sannyasi, but one time he was grihastha. He was architect from Holland. He was architect of Vrndavana, Mayapur, Mumbai temples. He was sacrificing everything, renounced. And of course he was not the only one. But sometime, I remember him, Prabhupada saying he is a sannyasi. He had a wife and all. But seeing his dedication, his sacrifices, sometimes he said, he is like a sannyasi.

‘kamyanam karmanam nyasam sannyasam’ (B.G 18.2).

This is another definition of sannyas that Lord Krsna talks about in Bhagavad Gita. ‘sannyasam, nyasam’ ‘nyas’ means to renounce, to give up. What do you give up? ‘kamyanam’ You give up kama, ‘kamyanam nyasam sannyasam’. Be sannyas, give up this kama-lust of various kinds. Little philosophy behind sannyas is, that giving up this ‘kamyanam nyasam’, that is sannyas.

So everyone may not undergo sannyas in a formal way. But those who wish to go back to home, back to Godhead, they have to be in the mood of sannyas. Their consciousness has to be at the level of sannyas, otherwise there is no going back to Godhead. You cannot say, I am just a lady, I am just a vanaprastha, I am just a grihastha but I want to go back to Godhead. Fine, you may not take sannyas. It is also fault to take sannyas. In this age of Kali, five things are forbidden. One of those forbidden item is sannyas. It is a good excuse not to take sannyas. It’s forbidden. You know prabhu, it’s forbidden. So one has to become free from this kama. You wish to go back to home; you don’t have to take sannyas. You don’t have to go around, ladies going around with tridand in their hands. You don’t have to do that but there is something that makes you eligible to go back to Godhead. And that is ‘kamyanam karmanam nyasam sannyasam’. Giving up lust, ‘kama esa krodh esa’ (B.G 3.37) and mukti kami, bhukti kami and siddhi kami. These all have to be given up, ‘sakale ashant’. One who is ashant cannot go back to Godhead. Person has to be very shant, very much peaceful then he goes free from kama.

Bhakti defines us, ‘sarvopadhi vinirmuktam’ (Brs 1.1.2) that is one.

‘anyabhilasita-sunyam jnana-karmandy-anavrtam’ (Brs 1.1.11)

You have to transcend this, go for bhakti and perform devotional service. Then it doesn’t matter which ashram you are in, which varna. You perform devotional service, you get rid of all the kama, lust.
So let’s get back to this,

‘anasritah karma-phalam karyam karma karoti yah
sa sannyasi ca yogi ca na niragnir na cakriyah’.

So I remember the day I wanted to be sannyasi. So first time I approach Srila Prabhupada, he asked me to wait for. He didn’t say how much time. Those days there was no sannyas minister and 5 years waiting period. Srila Prabhupada was kind of all in all for us. So we would run to Prabhupada. Or he would recommend, ‘Oh, you take sannyas,you take sannyas.’ He would surprise his disciples, ‘you take sannyas.’

So one time I approached him to take sannyas. I was two and a half year in the movement (Laughter), joined in ’72 and approached Srila Prabhupada in ’74 for sannyas. Prabhupada said, ‘wait’ (Laughter). Then I was waiting. Srila Prabhupada then during one visit of Mumbai, he asked Sridhar, ‘ You take sannyas you go to Vrndavana, I am coming there very soon.’ So when the news reached me, I ran to Prabhupada, ‘Me too, me too!’ What I have done wrong? Me too, me too! Like children, father has given a toy to one son and another son runs, me too, me too (Laughter). So when I approached Srila Prabhupada like that, ‘me too, me too! I want to take sannyas. Give me sannyas’, Prabhupada was at the building at the back which doesn’t exist anymore. So there used to be BBT building on the top floor Srila Prabhupada stayed. That was his quarter. There were just me and Srila Prabhupada.

That time Prabhupada said, ‘Oh, you are already sannyasi!‘ ‘No, no, no! (Laughter). Srila Prabhupada was tricking me. So that time Prabhupada pulled this weapon. ‘anasritah karma-phalam karyam karma karoti yah’. He was preaching to me. He quoted this verse, ‘anasritah akrma-phalam…’. You are giving your karma, everything to krsna, this and that. He was giving the verse and his purport. I was listening very carefully. But it was not convincing. So after going back and forth Srila Prabhupada said, “Oh! You want to undergo formality of sannyas?’ ‘Yes Prabhupada!’ ‘You join Sridhar. You and Sridhar go to Vrndavaana.” Haribol!!
So this talking to reporter, ‘anasritah karma phalam’ the true meaning of sannyas. The meaning is coming directly from Krsna, the spirit, the consciousness of sannyasi. So Srila Prabhupada was certainly more than a sannyasi, was born more than a sannyasi. But then he must be thinking, ‘My gurumaharaj is reminding me of my mission going to the West preaching. So I should be taking sannyas.’ So he was now settling in his mind and heart of undergoing formality of sannyas.
So those days Caitanya Math, you know what Caitanya Math is in Mayapur? Where Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakur has his Samadhi. This was the headquarter of Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakur. The Gaudiya Math later on became Caitanya Math. So Srila Prabhupada was considering taking sannyas from Maharaj incharge. There was a legal dispute over that property and one of Srila Prabhupada’s godbrother, Bhakti Vilas Tirtha Maharaj, he was heading the Caitanya Math those days. Srila Prabhupada approached him. Srila Prabhupada’s gurumaharaj was no more. Of course long back, 1936 Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakur had departed. It’s now late ’50s, some 20 years after Bhaktisiddhanta departure. Srila Prabhupada now taking sannyas. He had to take sannyas from one of his sannyasi godbrother. So he had approached Bhakti Vilas Tirtha Maharaj. But Bhakti vilas Tirtha Maharaj, he said,’ We could consider your case if you join me full time. You join Gaudiya Math, Caitanya Math and we’ll give you all the facility and then we’ll certainly give you sannyas.’ But Srila Prabhupada was not in mood of joining Gaudiya Math in a formal way. He was always kind of outside. He was a grihastha. He was initiated. He was supporting Gaudiya Math but never became integral part. And his godbrothers, there were so many disputes for this property and that property. Srila Prabhupada was not simply impressed. There was so many splintered groups, no united efforts. They were basically maintaining those temples, no preaching spirit. So it was not very appealing to join.

Also another reason for Prabhupada not joining and taking sannyas from Bhakti Vilas Tirtha Maharaj was, Srila Prabhupada wanted to get some of his books printed. He was thinking, ‘If I go to the West, I should carry some books to make my preaching substantial preaching.’ But then again they were willing to take care of his lodging and boarding but they were not in a position to print Srial Prabhupada’s books. They had no funds. So Srila Prabhupada gave up that idea of taking initiation from Caitanya Math. So this was earlier and now Srila Prabhupada was already in Mathura. Sometime had passed and Srila Prabhupada was doing some writing for Keshav, the Gaudiya Math. And dream after dream he was being reminded of sannyas. Srila Prabhupada was seeing the connection of his gurumaharajis first instruction to go to West. Preach in English language. Now he is asking him to take sannyas. ‘Take sannyas and go to the West and preach in the western world.’

So Srila Prabhupada finally made up his mind to sannyas. Now he was going to take sannyas from another of his godbrother, Prajnana Keshav Goswami Maharaj. His Math was in Mathura. Srila Prabhupada had come from Jhansi and he was staying there working for that Math. Also Srila Prabhupada when he came from Jhansi, he came with one deity of Caitanya Mahaprabhu. He had deity of Lord Caitanya with him in Jhansi. So he carried this deity of Caitanya Mahaprabhu to this Keshav Gaudiya Math. And that deity of Caitanya Mahaprabhu was on altar along with Radha Vinodabihari, Radha Krsna deity with Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Srila Prabhupada’s Caitanya Mahaprabhu is still there. We used to go in the past. Now some difficulties are there.

Some 10-15 years ago, we used to go during our Vraj Mandal parikrama to that place, visit the temple where Srila Prabhupada took sannyas on this occasion. That was another reason for us to go during Vraj Mandal parikrama, visit the place of Srila Prabhupada sannyas initiation. Then we used to take darshan of that Caitanya Mahaprabhu. One hand is up like that and other hand down……. ‘ma sucah’.

When I had gone to Bankura in Bengal to get the deities for Padayatra, the murtiwala, I asked him. ‘What is the meaning of one hand up and one hand down like this?’ (gurumaharaj showing). He said, “This meant ‘ma sucah’, do not fear. And other hand, come here, come near, do not to fear. He is pointing to His lotus feet, ‘mam ekam saranam vrajah’ take shelter. Do not fear.” That murtiwala was explaining. So this is the mood of Mahaprabhu. So that Caitanya Mahaprabhu deity in that mood used to be there.

I am sure He is still there. In that temple Srila Prabhupada on this occasion 50 years ago took sannyas from his godbrother. Srila Narayana Maharaj also was present there during that ceremony. It was a very simple ceremony. Mostly the residents of the Math had attended the function. Narayana Maharaj had chanted mantras. Keshav Prajnana Goswami Maharaj had given talk. Then Visnu Pragyan goswami Maharaj, another of his godbrother. Two persons took sannyas. Another godbrother of Srila Prabhupada called Sanatan, he was 90 years old.

How old was Srila Prabhupada by that time? -63 years. Srila Prabhupada was 63 years old. This is 1959 we are talking, month of September 17. It was on 17, September 1959, two godbrothers are taking sannyas from another godbrother. So after lecture of Pragyan Keshav Goswami Maharaj, he asked Srila Prabhupada to also give a lecture. In Lilamrta it is mentioned, Srila Prabhupada would be surprised. Srila Prabhupada did give lecture. I have no account of what he said. He looked around and the audience was Hindi speaking. But he spoke in English on that occasion. So Srila Prabhupada received the name, Bhaktivedanta Swami Maharaj ki jai!!!! Everyone say jai!!! His Holiness Bhaktivedanta Swami Maharaj ki jai!! It was not so many at that time present. Also Sanatan also received his name. I think he became Muni, Muni Maharaj ki jai!! After they received their names, ‘swaha swaha’ happened. They went around the fire with kirtan. And they had the idea of taking group photograph.

The godbrother who had given sannyas is sat in the chair and the two candidates; they stood on either sides of Keshav Maharaj. And they clicked photograph. That photograph, you have seen? That was 50 years ago. That was purnima day, month of Bhadrapada, full moon day. Which also happened to be of Visvarupa taking sannyas some 500 years ago. He was getting this name Sankararanya Swami. And that time, He wasn’t very far from here. Visvarupa was just in Pandharpur. As a sannyasi, Visvarupa was in Pandharpur. That was the last station, last destination and then He had departed from there. So that was ’59 then. That was yet another milestone in Prabhupada’s life, he is taking sannyas. And yet another heading towards preparing for his travel to the West and preaching the mission of Caitanya Mahaprabhu.

As I was going through some material that I was provided this morning by Vamandev, I came across another conversation where Srila Prabhupada is talking about different stages, phases of sannyas. Kutichak, Bahudak, Parivrajakacharya and Paramhansa. So as I read that, I was also reminded of the morning walk conversation that took place in Mayapur which had again connection with me as a sannyasi. This was in ’76. As I had arrived in Mayapur, it was my first morning in Mayapur. Srila Prabhupada had already started his morning walk. And this day he was walking on the roof top of the lotus building. That was the only building those days. You know lotus building in Mayapur?. Prabhupada had his conference on the 2nd floor. GBC take their prasad on that building. Srila Prabhupada was walking on that building making rounds and rounds. Jayapataka Maharaj, his quarters are now there.

So he was walking and I climbed up the stairs. As I came on the roof, I noticed Srila Prabhupada party was coming. Srila Prabhupada in front and so many, 23 tridandis. He and his GBCs were walking, so I offered my obeisance’s. So as I was about to merge in the group, Prabhupada pointed to me, ‘Here comes paramhansa.’ Hariboll! (In the audience). That was not meant to be glory, no compliment. He rebuked me and I was wondering why Prabhupada had to address me that way- ‘Here come paramhansa’. Gradually Prabhupada made that as the topic. As he was walking, I realized.

So Prabhupada, he started talking of kuticaka sannyasi. He takes sannyas and he builds his kutir outside his hometown or home village. And he gets his tiffin from his home (Laughter). He carries on for sometime. Then he kind of, ‘Why should I get tiffin from my home?’ He stops this, then he begins going to many homes. He becomes bahudaka, bahu-many, not one but many. And as he get trained depending upon others or different sources then he thinks, ‘Why should I stick to one village, one kutir?’ Then he starts travelling, even further depending upon Krsna. He becomes parivrajakacharya. And as he makes further progress, further purified and detached, then he comes to the stage of paramhansa. He may not follow other rules and regulations. He is avadhuta, he is paramahansa.
So the reason Prabhupada called me paramhansa that morning was, my sannyasi cloths were not bright saffron cloths. In those days we didn’t have that chemical dyes that last long. After you wash or few months fading away again becoming like a whitish. So just a little tinge of saffron but mostly looking white. But I still didn’t care. The rule is saffron cloth and I was not paying attention. I was transcendental to that rule, the colour of the cloth. And Prabhupada had to get on my case, ‘Ah! Here comes paramhansa!’ He doesn’t follow the rules. Now he is already paramhansa (Laughter). I just gave him sannyas some 6 months ago and within 6 months he is paramhansa (Laughter).

Srila Prabhupada as a sannyasi moved from Mathura to Vrndavana. He was staying in one temples and then finally he had rented this Radha Damodar quarters. Now he had sannyas. He is getting seriously into writing projects. Srila Prabhupada writing, writing, writing. First Canto of Bhagavatam, commentaries, typing also editing himself. Then travelling in the train third class. That class doesn’t even exist now. There used to be first class, second class, third class. On that class Prabhupada would travel to Delhi to get his books printed and taking all the trouble. When the printer was interviewed, he had told the interviewer devotee that, ” Sometimes I would notice that he would come without any food to his printing press. Either he had no time or no money for eating.” It is also a famous fact that he would go to paper place where he would buy paper to print his books. After purchasing paper, he would carry that big bundle of paper to the printing press. The printer would be surprised. He is an author, a sannyasi and he is carrying the bundle of paper on his head. And printer would print books and again no money for paying the printing bills. So printer would give Prabhupada only, ‘ Okay you take 50 books.’ Printer would print 500 or 1000 books. He would give only 50 books.

Then Prabhupada had to go, sell those books, save the money and make more payments. ‘Okay you take another 100 books now.’ The printer would not release all those books. As and when Bhaktivedanta Swami would go around selling books to the libraries here and there and come with more money, he would get his books. So that time he was staying in Chippiwada. There is one Radha Krsna temple there. We were trying to take charge of that temple during centennial but that didn’t work. We had found Srila Prabhupada’s old typewriter, some things from Prabhupada those days. As we would visit Chippiwada, Jama masjid, that’s where Prabhupada was staying.

Like that he was preparing, Life Time Preparation, Sannyas was part of that preparation. Printing his books was part of that preparation. Then he had no money to fly. There was a Gita sammelan in Kurukshetra and Srila Prabhupada had gone to participate in Gita sammelan. Kurukshetra is the place where Gita was spoken. Prabhupada was attending that ceremony. During that ceremony, Sumati Moorarji had taken note of this sadhu, Bhaktivedanta Swami. She had some encounter. So when there was time now to go the West, as he could not fly, Krsna wanted to show, “You don’t need money. I’ll bring you to the West. You will see how I bring you to the West.” Srila Prabhupada had gone to Bombay to meet Sumati Moorarji. She was a big rich lady. She had a shipping corporation, so many ships, cargo ships. So Prabhupada was trying to get a seat. She was discouraging, “Oh no, you are an old man. You want to die?’ He was already 68, 69. But Srila Prabhupada was determined. So finally she had agreed to give a seat on cargo ship, not a passenger boat but a boat that carry goods. From Bombay he had gone to Kolkata via Nagpur. In the famous Jaladuta diary, Prabhupada made that entry. He travelled from Bombay to Kolkata, he writes via Nagpur. So devotees of Nagpur, they think Srila Prabhupada went to America via Nagpur (Laughter). But his destination was America. He was going there to catch the boat. The boat was leaving from Kolkata. So Prabhupada had his trunk. You have seen that diorama in Vrndavana. Srila Prabhupada carrying trunk, his umbrella climbing up the stairs of the Jaladuta boat. He boarded that boat there. Through Bay of Bengal his boat has came to Colombo city. Prabhupada going around Colombo. “It is a very clean city. This reminds me of Pune”, Prabhupada said. You knew that, am not making up. In one conversation, I have that conversation. Prabhupada had visited Pune during his business trip. So, ‘This reminds me, this clean city of Pune- green and hill stations during British times.’ He was reminded of Pune in Colombo. Then he continued his journey. He went to Cochin. That is where his books, the great Bhagavatams were loaded into the boat. Srila Prabhupada had spent one night in Cochin.

Some years ago Padayatra was visiting Cochin so I visited also. During that visit we went to see that very same home where Srila Prabhupada had spent the night. The same lady who was hosting and had cooked for Srila Prabhupada was there. She also showed us upstairs. She said, “Swami held satsang here.” He had only one night and he was taking opportunity to do satsang. The gentleman had gathered some of his friends. So Prabhupada did program the night before he departed.
The following day, his books were in Jaladuta boat and Prabhupada on boat and journey started. It took almost some months. Srila Prabhupada celebrated Janmasthami. Janmasthami, he was on the boat. He had done fasting, then some more cooking for midnight offering. He had gathered all the crew members and others. He had Janmashami celebration on the boat. He would take all these opportunities. What could we say? Vaikuntha man as he was. He was saying about his gurumaharaj, “Utility is the principle. Always thinking of engaging others, in their company glorifying Lord Krsna.” Then in the diary we have whole account, ‘Sea sickness and I had vomiting today. I am getting better today.’ Everyday he would make some entries. ‘I am remembering my Radha Damodara in Vrndavana.’ All his emotions, Prabhupada would write down all his feelings. Then he had heart attacks. Then he was wondering, “Oh!! but what about my mission? I have to fulfill mission of my gurumaharaj.” He is thinking of his gurumaharaj mission of how to preach. Again making entry, ‘Then Lord took charge of my boat.’ He took charge of Jaladuta. As if Krsna became boatman. It’s a huge big boat, then from that time onwards, everything was smooth journey. No turbulences, no knocking of the boat that causes sea sickness. After a few days, the 11th of this month, this year, this day that is Prabhupada arrival in Boston. Then with the captain of the boat, they had taken little tour of Boston.

This was first encounter of Srila Prabhupada with the Westerners, the American specially. And they were moving so fast, back and forth. No one ready to stop. They were so busy and absorbed. “My God, what about my mission? Who is going to listen to me here?” Prabhupada said. His very first thought. So as Prabhupada got back on the boat, and between Boston and New York, Srila Prabhupada wrote that poem, Markine Bhagavat.
He started intense prayers,

‘nachao nachao prabhu nachao se mate
kashthera puttali yatha nachao se mate’

I’m just puppet in Your hands my dear Lord. Please You make me dance as You feel. You make me dance. I’m given the name Bhaktivedanta but now it is up to You. You may prove it I am Bhaktivedanta. I don’t know how. You have to do something my dear Lord. You make me dance. You make me talk. And then he arrived in New York. He gets down from the boat. Not right there, there must be that evening. When he got down, there was no one to receive him. He didn’t know where to go. He writes down. He didn’t know whether to turn left or right. ‘Where should I go now? I don’t know. It’s New York. Where to go?’

So he had no friends, no hotel booking. He had only 40 rupees in his pocket and his luggage, his umbrella were there. Lord was with him. He started preaching with the whole amazing circumstances. Bowery and all these hippies and drunkards. He started practically on footpath of New York. When he was sitting on the bench, he was talking with somebody, ‘Temples are everywhere. Books are being distributed.’ He was seeing. He had that vision. He had that goal. What is separating? Only time is separating. Only matter of some more time and these all would be in place- temples, followers and book distributions.

And he had this Matchless Gift shop. He had a shop, he managed to get this storefront on 26 second Avenue. There are different avenues. Srila Prabhupada managed to get that on rent and then twice a week he was doing his programs there. He was meeting people on the street giving his address. “You meet me there. We have programs there on such and such time.” They were all coming. They said, “Swamiji, Swamiji there is a sign here on this shop. The previous owner, he shifted his shop but he left behind the sign. “What does sign say?” Prabhupada asked. Sign says ‘ A Matchless Gift’. He said, ‘That’s nice, keep that sign. Let’s keep that sign. Because I have the matchless gifts. I have come to your country to give the matchless gifts.’ So that place became known as, still it is very popularly known as ‘Matchless Gift’. So kind of moment started there. As the followers were coming regularly, chanting, dancing and sitting down . Srila Prabhupada was feeding them, he who was cooking, he was washing pots. Others were just guests. When chanting and dancing were over, Srila Prabhupada was teaching them the swami step. Prabhupada taught some steps and they name it ‘swami steps’. Prabhupada had a hat, then the ‘swami hat’. They were naming like that. The swami hat, swami step.

Then one day Prabhupada had this idea of doing public kirtan. So he took his followers to a place called Tomkins Square Park, not far from this 26 avenue. And he held the first public congregational chanting in the Western world. Haribol!! He did kiratn and so many people gathered around. Then Kirtanananda, Acyutananda, there were only few followers with him. After or in the middle of the kirtan, Prabhupada stood up next to the tree and he is giving his talk, explaining this Mahamantra . You remember that photograph? Prabhupada sitting and there is a tree behind. He is addressing some westerners. He is standing up. So that is Tomkins Square park. During Centennial of Srila Prabhupada in1966, we held major kirtan there to commemorate the very first ever kirtan held by Srial Prabhupada in the western world, public place.

To promote World Holy Name Week while Eklavya prabhu was in New York. He went to Tomkins Square park few months ago. He took a cameraman with him and he stood next to the same tree. The tree is still there. And he gave a five minutes talk, presentation with animated body languages and promoting this World Holy Name Week. I’m sure during these days, the New York Radha Govind Temple devotees, they also are planning. We just received a news.
New York, they are planning everyday nagar kirtan in different places. Haribol!! New Jersey is another state. New York is another state adjoining next to each other. So both states New Jersey and New York. New York is also city, New York is also state. Like New Delhi is also state, New Delhi is also city, like that. So devotees will be going to the Tomkins Square Park and holding the big nagar kirtan there during this World Holy Name Week. Holy Name is Srila Prabhupada gift to the whole world. Essence of Krsna Consciousness is chanting the holy name of the Lord. He gave gift of the holyname. This is no less than krsna. He gave the gift of the holyname. What does that mean? He gave Krsna. He gave holyname means he gave Krsna to the Western world, to whole world. So this World holy Name Week culminates in the last day, the 11th , last day is the day of Srila Prabhupada arrival in America.

For some years now we have been doing this celebration by chanting,
“Hare Krsna Hare Krsna Krsna Krsna Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare”

So he took sannyas for the benefit of the whole world. He renounced, sacrificed everything for Krsna and taking sannyas. He went to the West and he delivered the Holy name. He gave Krsna to the whole world. So his followers continue his mission spreading the Holyname. And this World Holy Name Week is providing us, as there is book marathon making special effort. Not that other time books are not distributed, but we make some special effort to distribute some additional books And we get involve as many temple devotees, congregations, youths, man, woman even child is involved with the book distribution.

During centennial again we started ‘Feed the World Day’. We had one World Holy Name Day, Feed the World Day and World Enlightenment Day. We had these three days. Because we thought these are Prabhupada’s gifts. Prabhupada gave books, gave Holy Name and gave prasadam. So during that centennial master plan, had these three days. So the World Enlightenment Day is carrying on. Bhagavad Gita Jayanti Marathon, that is going strong. Feed the World Day, am not sure. It was going on for some years. We are not hearing so much. Mukunda Maharaj was behind that. Now we started with the centennial and we are continuing on this World Holy Name Day. But now day has expanded into week. This time, it is more than a week. In fact, it is nine days.

So we are very happy and proud of ISKCON Pune taking lead in propagating the Holyname of Lord. Ganapati Bapa moriya, I think we had enough of that now. That’s fine but ‘harer namaiva kevalam’. The recommendation is ‘harer namaiva kevalam’. Take note of this ‘harer-hari naam’, ‘harer namaiva kevalam’. People don’t know who is Hari. So they try to equalize other names with Supreme Personality of Godhead’s name, Krsna, Rama names. Or something that could be part of the religion and they think the part is everything. Part is the whole thing. For some people the part is the whole thing. So this is Hari-naam, time for spreading the Holyname for the benefit of everybody.

Things are not getting better, only getting worse day by day, year after year. So many clashes and so many differences, economy is melting down. What is melting down? The glacier, also the snow is melting down and coming down, going into the ocean. And there is a fear of the ocean levels may be rising. People of Mumbai, they don’t wish to undergo jal Samadhi. They will all have to rush to Pune, take shelter of Pune. Those are the days ahead of this world unless something is taken seriously. Whole life style is not revolutionized otherwise their present their life style, it is only a death style. People want to die in a style. That cannot go on. ‘This show cannot go on any longer’, Prabhupada said this. Last public lecture that Prabhupada delivered, then no more public function, that was in ’77 month of April.

In Azad Maidan Prabhupada delivered the talk. The topic was, ‘ The Modern Civilization is Total Failure’. So that was ’77, 32 years ago. People were wondering, ‘What is Swamiji talking about? The modern civilization is total failure?’ They still had some hope. They were thinking, the technology and the sciences are going to deliver some goods, keeping their promises. But Prabhupada, he was convinced with the total failure 32 years ago. Now it is more than obvious. Of course people are so stubborn and not honest. They may not admit this but everything is right there.

Caitanya Caran, spiritual scientist, he will tell you. He has all the statistics, all the numbers. It could be eye openers. So only solution Prabhupada was proposing, the only alternative is Krsna Consciousness. Not just for India but for the Whole world. He never thought of India only. God never thinks of India only or Hindus only or human beings only. Prabhupada’s thinking was high, thinking like God although not God. ‘saksad-dharitvena samasta-sastrair’. Like father like son. God, Krsna is father so he is son. Abhay Carananaravinda Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada was thinking like God, broad thinking looking into the future. He was very much concerned about the welfare of the whole world.

So push forward this Hare Krsna movement, understand this. Prabhupada always appealed, ‘Understand this Hare Krsna movement’. Today is your first day. Ganesh was in the way, He is supposed to be vignaharta. He became some kind of vigna for you propagating the Holyname. But now he is gone, he could be with us. Demigods love chanting the Holynames. They love chanting.

‘yam brahma varunendra-rudra marutah stunvanti divyaih stavair’ (S.B 12.13.1)

When there is arati of Gauranga Mahaprabhu, Brahma comes. ‘arati korena brahma-adi deva-gane’. Then comes Shiva, ‘kiba siva-sukha-narada’, they all come. Only few names have been mentioned. But others also they participate. They know Krsna’s position. When Caitanya Mahaprabhu appeared, all demigods had welcomed the Lord. They were participating; in disguise they were doing kirtan.

Brahma had come again. What did he do? Exclusively he devoted his life for chanting the holynames.
“Hare Krsna Hare Krsna Krsna Krsna Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare”

Is anybody busy like Brahma? He is most busy person. He went on the retreat 100 years and took little break and just chanted and chanted and chanted. So tell busy people the example of brahma. He took some time off.

Okay so we stop here. I have heard of your plans. I had read about it. We also wildly speculating your plans for others to read and hear, get inspired. We are getting communications now all the way from Fiji writing and different part of the world. The Moscow, one mataji last Sunday, she had set up a table. And she was getting devotees to take a vow for japaton-additional chanting. It was big success also.

Someone from New Jersey has submitted list of maybe 100 names. This prabhu, this mataji, two more rounds , everyday ten more rounds. They have already given us a report. These devotees, those many rounds. Grand total, how many additional rounds they chanted in New Jersey every year. There is account like that. We sent appeal to so many Gurus, spiritual masters for them to appeal to their followers and disciples, very good response. They all have sent communications, encouraging inspiring their followers to participate in this World Holy Name Week. This is for chanting. This year seems to be the best ever. So keep it up. Keep sending reports. You don’t have to send only final installment. As it went everyday or every other day, you provide what happen. This helps and we circulate that.
There is also internet kirtan that you should take note. Tomorrow night in Vrndavana there will be kirtan, internet kirtan. Kirtan will be lead in Vrndavana. It is also to be heard and to be followed globally. So from 6 to 7 Aindra Prabhu is going to be leading kirtan. Haribol!! From 7 to 8, they have scheduled me to lead kirtan. Haribol!! 8 to 9 is Indradyumna Maharaj, Haribol!! That much I remember now.

So these are the three kirtans to be broadcasted from Vrndavana. The technology in Pune, it exists. Eklavya is also here.
What is expected is, you hear as these kirtan are being lead. As I lead here, you hear. I’ll be in Vrndavana leading and you would be hearing here and also responding. We had done this last April. This internet kirtan, we tried once before 24 hours. I was in Bangladesh that time. So second time we are attempting this internet kirtan. So look into that, try to tune in. There are also temples doing 24 hours kirtan. I know ISKCON Aravade, Nagpur, Solapur. We were just there just there in that area. 24 hours start either from Mangala arati time till next Mangala arati time or starts at noon or evening till next noon. Taking turns, one day is one of the feature. We have nagar kirtan , public chanting, Japaton and internet. These are the broad guidelines. Within those categories you could have many ideas. In Bengal it is famous as ‘asta prahar’. You make a schedule and 4-5 devotees in a team depending what your strength is. You do one day, one night and continuous 24 hours. And others could participate. You don’t have to be here. You could be in other place also, some other temple. It could be here. It will be nice if it is done here.

Speaker: HH Lokanath Swami
Venue: Mayapur Candrodaya Mandir
Date: 7 March 2016

So that’s the verse, Eleventh Canto, Chapter 5, Text 32. Are you familiar, if you have looked at the board? Yeah! Sounds familiar? Not new! But ever ever new also at the same time! Never be-comes old!
So here we are in land of Gauranga, Gauranga! (Devotees respond: Gauranga!) Sri Krishna Cai-tanya Mahaprabhu ki (Devotees respond: Jaya!) And also we have gathered here amongst other reasons, gathered here for Kirtan Mela ki (Devotees respond: Jaya!) Yes, you have come here for Kirtan Mela! Some of you have just come for the Kirtan Mela.. So I thought of selecting a verse that talks of Caitanya Mahaprabhu as well as of course talks about the kirtana, sankirtana- yajna, that we are engaged in here. So quickly as time is running.

krsna-varnam tvisakrsnam sangopangastra-parsadam
yajnaih sankirtana-prayair yajanti hi su-medhasah ( SB 11.5.32)

Translation and Purport by disciples of His Divine Grace A C Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prab-hupada ki (Devotees respond: Jaya!)
“In the Age of Kali, intelligent persons perform congregational chanting to worship the incarnation of Godhead who constantly sings the names of Krsna. Although His complexion is not blackish, He is Krsna Himself. He is accompanied by His associates, servants, weapons and confidential companions.”

“This same verse is quoted by Krsnadasa Kaviraja in the Caitanya-caritamrita, Adi-lila, Chapter Three, verse 52”. And I was reminded that Laghu Bhagavatamrta of Rupa Goswami, he also quotes this verse in the very beginning of Laghu Bhagavatamrta, Rupa Goswami does, its part of his mangalacarana, same verse.

“His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada has given the following commentary on this verse. “This text is from Srimad-Bhagavatam (11.5.32). Srila Jiva Gosvami has explained this verse in his commentary on the Bhagavatam known as the Krama-sandarbha, wherein he says that Lord Krsna also appears with a golden complexion. That golden Lord Krsna is Lord Caitanya”. Did you hear that, “That golden Lord K???a is Lord Caitanya.” Very nice the way Prabhupada is commenting based on Krama-sandarbha. “who is worshiped by intelligent men in this age. That is confirmed in Srimad-Bhagavatam by Garga Muni, who said that although the child Krsna was blackish, He also appears in three other colours — red, white and yellow”

“ idanim krsnatam gatah” (SB 10.8.13), Garga Muni, idanim krsnataam gatah, now He has be-come Krishna. But previously He was, suklo raktas tatha pita (SB 10.8.13). He has three other colours, sukla-white in Satya Yuga, rakta-red in Treta Yuga and now He has appeared in Dvapara Yuga as Krishna, so what is the remaining age, Kali Yuga, pita. So four colours mentioned and then he had already mentioned three ages. So fourth age is Kali and pita is remaining colour, so that is Sri Krishna Caitanya Mahaprabhu’s colour.

“Who said that although the child Krsna was blackish, He also appears in three other colors — red, white and yellow. He exhibited His white and red complexions in the Satya and Treta ages respectively. He did not exhibit the remaining color, yellow-gold, until He appeared as Lord Cai-tanya, who is known as Gaurahari”
Hari who is Gaura. Either Gauranga whose complexion is Gaura anga, golden complexion or Hari Hari. So Gaurahari! He is Hari, but what kind of Hari He is? (Devotees respond: Gaurahari) Gaurahari! Don’t just say Hari! Hari! Say Gaurahari! “Srila Jiva Gosvami explains that k???a-var?am means Sri Krsna Caitanya”. That is he is getting back to the verse, there is krsna-varnam and that refers to Caitanya. “Krsna-varnam and Krsna Caitanya are equivalent. The name Krsna appears with both Lord Krsna and Lord Caitanya Krsna.”

“namo maha-vadanyaya krsna-prema-pradaya te krsnaya krsna-caitanya-namne” -I offer my obeisance’s unto krsnaya, krsnaya because namah is there, I offer my obeisances unto Krishna, you say that in Sanskrit as krsnaya, which kind of Krishna, krsnaya krsna-caitanya-namne, Krishna whose name is Krsna Caitanya, unto that Krishna I offer my obeisances. krsnaya krsna-caitanya-namne, Krishna whose name is Krsna Caitanya, I offer my obeisances unto Him.
“Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, but He always engages in describing Krsna and thus enjoying transcendental bliss by chanting and remembering His name and form. Lord Krsna Himself”. So that is krsna-varnam, anyway I will go ahead, keep going and then get back.

“Lord Krsna Himself appears as Lord Caitanya to preach the highest gospel. Varnayati means ‘utters’ or ‘describes.’ Lord Caitanya always chants the holy name of K???a and describes it also”. He chants and He describes. And that is why He is called here as krsna-varnam, the very first word of this verse is what, krsna-varnam, krsna-varnam, varna. So Krishna, these are varna’s. Also varnan, from that comes, varhah, description. So krsna-varnam, who always chants and describes, so thats krsna-varnam. And because He is K???a Himself, whoever meets Him will automatically chant the holy name of Krsna and later describe it to others”. That’s preaching.

“He injects one with transcendental Krsna consciousness, which merges the chanter in transcendental bliss”. In all respects, therefore, He appears before everyone as Krsna, either by personality or by sound. He appears as personality or sound. Personality is there in the form of vigraha and sound is,

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

He appeared you could say. And there is no difference. The form and the description, not different. Or form and the sound no difference, form and the sound. Simply by seeing Lord Caitanya one at once remembers Lord Krsna. One may therefore accept Him as visnu-tattva. In other words, Lord Caitanya is Lord Krsna Himself.”Haribol! (Devotees: Haribol!)

So its a long purport but we don’t have long time for the class here. So I will kind of stop there and well go to the verse and make few comments. Some comments have been made and we’ve already read, we heard. But we could make few more connections.
Earlier in this same chapter question was raised by Nimi, King Nimi and Karabhajana Muni, he is talking to Karabhajana Muni. It is a dialogue between King Nimi and Karabhajana Muni. And the question raised was,

sri-rajovaca
“kasmin kale sa bhagavan kim varnah kidrso nrbhih
namna va kena vidhina pujyate tad ihocyatam” (SB 11.5.19)

Please tell me, kasmin kale, or kasmin yuge, in which age, bhagavan kim varnah, Lord appears in which kind of varnah, or complexion, colour. namna, or what name does He become known as in different ages, kena vidhina pujyate and by which process, paddhati, mode of worship He is worshipped in or worshiped by.
So he was interested to know in which age, which Lord, which incarnation, colour, please tell me colour, please tell me the name, please tell me the process He is worshipped. So after Satya, Tre-ta, and Dvapara, he has already given reply to those questions or those ages have been described. Which Lord appears and what colour does He appear and how is He worshipped and what are the names. And now is the turn of the age of Kali and then he talks of this verse.
In the age of Kali, the Lord appears, krsna-varnam tvisakrsnam sangopangastra-parsadam, so this kind of Krishna, Lord appears in the age of Kali, krsna-varnam, krsna varna, He always chants,

Krsna Krsna Krsna Krsna Krsna Krsna Krsna he!

Like that. krsna-varnam, He always chants and always describes Krishna, that’s krsna-varnam, krsna varna tvisa akrsna, tvisa refers to the luster, complexion, ok what kind of complexion, a-krsnam, a means no, krsna means black. He does not appear as a blackish complexion. Opposite of black is what? White, more than white! He appears as golden, which is very close, white plus much more! krsna-varnam tvisakrsnam and that one also, krsnaya krsna-caitanya-namne gaura-tvise namah, same tvisa is, you find tvisa here and that pranama mantra of Sri Krishna Caitanya Mahaprabhu there is also tvisa, tvisa, grammar has done something to that tvisa. So gaura-tvise, I offer my obeisances unto the Lord who is of golden complexion, like that mantra we offer obeis-ances with.

“namo maha-vadanyaya krsna-prema-pradaya te
krsnaya krsna-caitanya- namne gaura-tvise namah”

Four things quickly, four things are mentioned, Krishna’s, Lord’s name is mentioned, what is His name, krsnaya krsna-caitanya, then His form is mentioned, what kind of form, gaura-tvise, form of the Lord, gaura-tvise is a form. So name, form, and quality, what is the quality of, namo maha-vadanyaya, this is the quality of Sri Krishna Caitanya Mahaprabhu, amongst all or many, so many qualities, this is predominating quality of Sri Krishna Caitanya. He is namo maha-vadanyaya, maha, most magnanimous, matchless Lord, no one comes close to Him when we talk of the magnanimity of the Lord. So namo maha-vadanyaya, this is, this is the quality, guna of the Lord and what is remaining, nama, rupa, guna and lila, the pastimes, so what is the pastime of this Lord Gauranga, namo maha-vadanyaya krsna-prema-pradaya te, krsna-prema-prada, krsna-prema-prada, da the giver of Krishna prema, prada, He gives so much, prakrsta rupena, gives so much. So its not only, like narada, just da there but prada, He gives so much, ocean of prema. So that pranama mantra itself has nama, rupa, guna, lila of Gauranga.

So tvisakrsna, tvisa, refers to complexion of the Lord which is a-krsna, not black. sangopanga-stra-parsadam, so there are four items here. The letter sa there, sa means with, equipped with, with that, sa anga, anga, upanga, sangopangastra, astra, sangopangastra-parsada, fourth is parsa-da.

sa anga, sa upanga, sa astra, sa parsada, He appears along with all these items here. So He appears with anga, limbs, they are like a part of Him. So Nityananda, Advaita is anga of the Lord. In the commentaries by acharyas, Jiva Goswami they explain this. Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura also quoting other commentators. Srila Prabhupada briefly does mention, we did not reach that part in the purport.

upanga, Srivasa and many many devotees are upanga’s. So anga, upanga, astra,

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

is a astra, is a weapon, to do what, “paritranaya sadhunam vinasaya ca duskrtam” (Bg 4.8), there are so many duskritina’s, dusta’s the demons. So astra the holy name, so the astra’s are used for killing the demons. But the Lord has appeared as the most magnanimous. So this time His wea-pons are not the usual bow and arrow, the axe like a Parasurama is using, Krishna is Sudarshana. In fact when Nityananda Prabhu was attacked, Caitanya Mahaprabhu had appeared on the scene with Sudarshana! But then He was reminded, No, No, No, Nityananda Prabhu, not in this age, not this weapon.

The weapon is,
Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare
Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare
It is also described that Lord’s beauty is also weapon. The demoniac mentality or demoniac con-sciousness is killed or defeated just by the beauty of Gauranga. He was so beautiful, just by look-ing at Him, the arrows are shot at, at the person who is looking at Mahaprabhu and he is killed in no time. His beauty is the weapon, captivating, capturing and then that person surrenders unto Gauranga.

So there are the astra’s mentioned, there are several astra’s. Prasadam is also astra. And hence comes the ISKCON bullet, ISKCON bullets are gulab jamuns. And you are finished! So Prabhu-pada just fed prasada and so many demons, American demons, demoniac nature was killed. There were hippies, there were demons, they chanted Hare Krishna, ate gulab jamuns and they were happy. The hippies became happies.

So Prabhupada was senapati bhakta, talking of senapati, sena means army, he is chief in com-mander and then he made New York his destination. Go to New York, New York the capital of the age of Kali. And upon arrival there he started showering bombs of the holy name and the time bomb his books were also weapons. They would explode but not destroy but construct beautiful heart or consciousness.

So Bhagavatam is a weapon, Bhagavatam is complete, in there is Krishna’s beauty, Krishna’s form, Krishna, Krishna. So sangopangastra-parsadam, His parsada’s are Gadhadhara is His par-sada, Govinda was His parsada, Ramananda Raya was His parsada, Rupa Sanatana were His par-sada and many others. So all those who were with Him at that time, those who appeared along with Him, they are anga’s limbs or upanga’s secondary limbs, or astra’s the weapons or parsada’s His companions, they are always around.

“yajnaih sankirtana-prayair yajanti hi su-medhasah”

So first two lines is one part in this verse. Lord is described. It is just Lord’s description. What kind of Lord is described? Like this, krsna-varnam tvisakrsnam sangopangastra-parsadam, am, am, you see, for some reason it is ‘am’, ‘am’. So they are one family, they are together. They all describe Lord. And here is already established now. He is Sri Krishna Caitanya, because gaura-tvise a-krsna, He is not black, He is golden.

So then the two more parts are there, yajanti hi su-medhasah, su-medhasah yajanti, su-medasah is su means nice wonderful, medhasah intelligent. The most intelligent persons yajanti, they wor-ship, most intelligent persons, what do they do, they worship. Who do they worship? In this verse, they worship krsna-varnam tvisakrsnam sangopangastra-parsadam, su-medhasah yajanti, intelligent persons worship this Lord, Gauranga.
‘alpa medhasam’, Krishna says in Bhagavad Gita, alpa medhasam, those who are less intelligent devan deva-yajo yanti, they worship demigods, less intelligent Lord said. Less intelligent alpa medhasam, here is su-medhasah. Alpa means no or little, and su-medhasah, so much intelligent, highly intelligent persons, most intelligent persons would go for Gauranga! go for Gauranga! go for Gauranga! go for Gauranga! go for Gauranga!

So yajanti his su-medasah, now they worship this Lord, but how do they worship, what is the mode of worship? what is the process do they adopt? That is the third part. yajnaih sankirtana-prayair su-medhasah yajanti, they worship, how do they worship yajnaih, yajnaih means by per-formance of yajna and doesn’t stop there, not giving any room for speculation, immediately that yajna’s name is mentioned. Which yajna? sankirtana yajna. There is no yajnaih and then full stop. Period! No! yajnaih sankirtana-prayair yajnaih su-medhasah yajanti, the intelligent persons wor-ship this Lord in the age of Kali by chanting

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

So you must be intelligent that you have assembled here to worship the Lord who appears in the age of Kali. Worship how, by chanting krsna-varnam, as Lord did personally in fact, krsna-varnam, Lord personally did this “apani acari jagate sikhaya” by His own example He taught others, He taught the whole world. So He chanted 500 years ago personally. All that chanting started in Mayapur, Navadvipa and He takes sannyasa, He travels all over India chanting and dancing and the way He has shaken up, shaken, shaken up the whole world, or universe and left the vibrations – Hare Krishna! Hare Krishna! So that is what is shaking us up, waking us up, those vibrations are still in the air! Of course He has not stopped chanting, still He is here, Gau-ranga is here! “kona kona bhagyavan dekhi bare pare”, those who are fortunate they could even see today, Gauranga Mahaprabhu performing His pastimes and His pastimes here are kirtana lila.

And same lila Prabhupada expanded that. Mahaprabhu chanted just within the boundaries of In-dia and Prabhupada said, ‘Mahaprabhu left this job of spreading, chanting beyond the boundaries of India up to the International Society for Krishna Consciousness.’ (Devotees: Haribol!) So he became the founder acharya 50 years ago, ISKCON was founded, and then same “sankirtanaih kapitarau” as sankirtana was started by Mahaprabhu here was then inauguration took place and now it has reached far and wide. And what is the indication, how do we know it has reached far and wide? Right here, we see the faces from around the world, we heard day before yesterday devotees from 70 countries are here. (Devotees: Haribol!)

And then I say, I have been saying this, from nama to dhama. Devotees receive nama wherever they are, in their country they receive nama, and that nama the holy name brings them to dhama. (Devotees: Haribol!) So nama to dhama.
So one day will come as predicted by Caitanya Mahaprabhu, this yajnah, sankirtana-yajnah will be performed in every town, every village of this planet. And from every village, from every town devotees will be making plans to come to Mayapur for Kirtan Mela, amongst other festival aspects. And they will be coming from every little town, Timbaktu, there is a Timbaktu, from there also they will come. So this is just the beginning, this is just the beginning, 50 years passed and now another 9000 years to go. You could imagine. This temple which is going to hold 10,000 devotees, the TOVP temple in the front is built to accommodate how many devo-tees,10,000 but for sure as soon as temple is opened it will be filled, it will be packed. (Devotees: Haribol!) Then we have to make plans for bigger temple, or stadium.

Ok Thank you very much!

Date : 19th October 2015
Venue : Govardhan Eco-village, Wada

Forest Govardhan Eco-village and you are going to be making plans or strategies, working out strategies of how to distribute books, of Srila Prabhupada ki….. jai!!

So that got me interested and I dropped in (laughter) I don’t know how I fit in here. We all fit in here, this is a sankirtan moment and book distribution is sankirtan. It’s not only kirtan but it is sankirtan, “samyaprakarena kirtan” wholesome kirtan. And there are all the glories in the books of Srila Prabhupada’s books -Bhagvad-Gita as it is and Bhagvatam as it is. So all are glories of Shri Krishna or glories of the Holy Name.

“nama-sankirtanam yasya sarva-papa pranashanam” (12.13.23)

This is how Bhagavatam ends, “nama-sankirtanam yasya, sarva -papa pranashanam”

So conclusion is, the kirtan and these books of Srila Prabhupada are sankirtan or we could also say Sankirtan that came from lotus mouth of Srila Prabhupada, his realizations. He poured his heart into those dictaphone machines all night long or starting from somewhere in middle of the night as we all slept. Prabhupada would get up and speak his realizations into the Dictaphone machine and then some disciple would transcribe and then some editing and layout and here is a heart of the press, the book. So and then someone opens the book and reads the book what is he hearing? The kirtan performed by Srila Prabhupada. So the books are packed with kirtan, so distribution of those books of Srila Prabhupada is kirtan, is sankirtan. This world is in very bad need of is these books.

“Kaloh Nasht Drasham aisham” okay prior to that Shyam tyaktva swapanam gatha Lord departed for his own planet, taddinat – from that day the kali advented then what happened? Kaloh Nasht Drasham aisham people lost the eye-sight, just during flood-day light and they have eyes but they do not see like, they have become blind, okay then we could also say they have become krodha andha, krodh-andha, krodha is making them andha or lobhandha and kamandha and madandha and what not andha. All these things are making them andha- blind. Then Lord, out of his causeless mercy, adhuna means now or then, when kali advented then “Puran ark udita” Lord appeared in the form of Bhagavatam, brilliant as sun. Lord appeared in the form of Bhagavatam. Idam- means this, idam bhagavatam nama puranam brahma-sammitam. This is called “idam bhagavata? nama” this is called Bhagavatam and this is Brahma samhitam, Srila Prabhupada translates Brahama samhitam as the Supreme Personality of Godhead. This Bhagavatam is Supreme Personality of Godhead.

Just few days ago, I was just looking at the dictionary meaning of samhitam, what is this samhitam? And the dictionary meaning is, is equal to, as good as or it has same value as what? Brahma samhitam, the Brahma, Parabrahma and then, there is Bhagavatam, Bhagavatam is same as Krishna; it has same value as Krishna, same value. It represents Brahma, so Brahma samhitam.

So when we, distribute Gita or Bhagavatam and then Nectar of Devotion, this is all Brahma samhitam and these are glories of the Lord. Certainly they are the glories of the holy name, all over

“adav ante ca madhye ca harih sarvatra giyate”

Hari has been chanted, has been glorified in the beginning of Srila Prabhupada’s books, you could say in the middle end everywhere “harih sarvatra giyate”. So people of this age of kali, I mean we were one time very much in the middle of the age of kali and I am sure from wherever we were Maharashtra, Gujarat or wherever we were born, from there we have come here, today Govardhan Ecovillage. Do you think Srila Prabhupada’s books made the difference or Srila Prabhupada’s books they have brought you all the way to this point, yes-no? How many of you would say so? Everybody, Haribol !!!

Then, now we have become, you have become sadhus “sadhava sadhu-bhushana” these are your ornaments, titiksavah karunikah, the tolerance and compassion. So someone was compassionate and he gave you Krishna, in the form of Srila Prabhupada’s books gave you this knowledge opened your eyes. You were blind, right? And then “caksur unmilitam” someone did the operation, someone gave the book and immediately, as soon as he had the books then he had the glasses sastra-caksusa hey !! Now I could see, I could see! So someone kindly guided you, gave you book then you read or others explained those further explained those books or points.

So I think it is our turn, it’s your turn now, to be kind to our brothers or fellow human beings and give them helping hand, give them knowledge, give them knowledge packed poured into those books in the form of word-meanings and translations and purports. Give those books out and yeah this will be very pleasing to Srila Prabhupada and then

“yasya prasadad bhagavat-prasado”

And Lord also has said that towards the end of Bhagvad Gita, He says, what is that? No one is dear to me as dear as he or she, who shares this samvadam, this conversation between Krishna and Arjuna. This conversation which is very confidential, beneficial and that person becomes very-very dear. Of course.Lord is pleased with them and they are very dear to him. So this knowledge distribution, book distribution is not a business or sometimes it is also said if there is any business authorized, transcendental business that gaudiya vaishnavas do that is book distribution. All Acaryas,

“nana-sastra-vicarannaika-nipunnau sad-dharma-samsthapakau nana-sastra-vicar”

Big pile of scriptures in the middle and Goswamis are sitting around and they are doing nana sastra vichar and they are writing, they are contemplating, they are sharing and then those three Prabhus were the first, travelling sankirtan book distribution party from Vrindavan, the grantha-mandir, eventually these books were piled in a cart and Narottam das Thakur, Shyamananda and Srinivas Acharya, 500 years old, original Sankirtan party, transporting books.
And I think we also, did some, atleast Prabhupada sent us from Vrindavan to Mayapur in 1976. He also asked us to start a bullock-cart sankirtan party. And Srila Prabhupada, he did even inauguration of that Bullock cart Sankirtan Party. And what were we doing, we were distributing, those days we would not have so… many-many books as we have them now or English books they were getting printed but certainly we did not have them in vernacular language. Prabhupada used this word, he wrote me a letter. So travelling and travelling anyways, our party has reached Kanpur, our destination was Mayapur. So there I wrote to Prabhupada that our Party needs, we could use some financial assistance and Prabhupada sent me a reply. And he said, “Outside help is no good” (Guru maharaj laughing). And, he said “you should distribute books in vernacular language and raise your funds and that way manage”.
And Prabhupada enclosed Sankirtan newsletters, says “your god brothers from the west look at the scores, they are distributing books and this is how they are also maintaining our institution, you do the same with the Bullock-cart Sankirtan”.

So that was a big challenge it took quite some time but eventually our padayatra Sankirtan book distribution party also not only they, So, okay on the way, there were bullock-carts, it’s not a carts, it’s a chariot, it’s a ratha pulled by the bulls and there is a kirtan in the front, it’s amplification and the deities are in the chariot. Prabhupada is seating on the front and there is a driver and I was just there last week in the Trupati ratha, I also drove.

And as people hear kirtan even bulls unless we do kirtan the bulls are not very enthusiastic to pull the cart (laughter). And as the kirtan is heard by all people, passersby or those who are in the field or wherever they are, immediately that gets the attention and then they look and something is moving on the road and they, they come running, they come running and ones they are there, there is darshan, there is a charanamrita and we distribute books. I just did that, few days ago and then we made all those who had bought the books and there were lot of people, so many on my right side, so many on my left side and we took a photograph and they were very happy, carrying books.

Then also the bullock cart sankirtan party in 1976, we had a much simpler set up but even then as we entered the village, we would have a group of brahmacharis, they would perform kirtan in the front of the cart and other few this side, few other side going from house to house and would cover the whole village. Kirtan is on and of course we would also do bhiksham dehi, bhiksham dehi…we would have been also begging for alms or whatever they could give atta or potatoes or yeah chilli for you and collecting grains and vegetables and distributing books also along with the kirtan party.

Later on in 77, the BBT travelling sankirtan party, Gopal Krishna Maharaj, while my bullock cart sankirtan party was on the road, then I also was asked to while overseeing the bullock cart sankirtan party I would also be travelling for the BBT vehicle sankirtan party distribute books and from time to time see how the bullock cart is running or walking as this was, Prabhupada had approved that. Prabhupada had approved, I do the bullock cart sankirtan and then Gopal Krishna Maharaj’s intervention he also wanted me to do the BBT travelling sankirtan party so when we had a van and we had installed the speakers on the top of the van and sound system and we would go to towns and villages. We would start from one end of the town, we would put on Prabhupada’s kirtans out loud and brahmachari’s with the book bags, door to door, shop to shop and kirtan then I would get on the mike and also make announcement encouraging “the book distributors are coming and we are from here and please they have gift for you, book for you, Gita for you, go for it and this and that”.

And those were the days, Bhagvad Gita “daha rupeya madhe Bhagvat Gita” (Marathi). Same Bhagvad Gita, we have distributed in 10 rupees. Aamogh-lila you remember Amogh-lila? Once, he travelled from I think Pune or Mumbai to Pandarpur, Akshaynanda swami also and he was distributing books. “ghyah-bagha daha rupai fakta daha rupai fakt daha rupai” (Marathi). So we would announce, I would announce and distributors would distribute books, again the kirtan on. So that was nice mostly that was a formula that we would apply wherever we went.

Put on the kirtan and along with a vehicle kirtan parties the book distributors would move and they would give all the encouragement. Hye!! look, look our vehicle is here, our party or we are here and as devotees heard they are inspired, they were getting, all the strength from the sound vibration of “Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare” .

And so big support for those books distributors, they are not by themselves and you know, there is no one around me just me and only me, it’s me to face the maya, all the forces by yourself. This is also not advisable, Prabhupada always sent us in pairs even for life membership program in Mumbai that we would be doing and we always went in pairs. That gives you strength, so having a party, what to speak of having a bigger party and then, what to speak of having a kirtan on loudspeaker and when all the books are sold out you come back and fill up your bags again and then go out and as it’s to be a transcendental fun, and then move to the next town to the next town and to the next town.

And so last time that our party had travelled to and by that time we had a name for our party called Narada muni travelling sankirtan party. We started with BBT but then we gave a name because we were travelling so extensively like Narada muni would move, swiftly. So it was month of November 77. That reminds you of something? Yeah, so we were on the road and we had gone to Himalayan Mountains and Badrikashram for long time we had no news of Srila Prabhupada’s health and those days no mobiles or no SMS and ohh what not? Even telephone forget it even calling from Delhi to Vrindavan, not so easy but we were at Himalayas .

So we finally decided to return to, to climb down and return to Vrindavan . And as soon as we arrived in that Krishna-Balarama temple we went straight to Srila Prabhupada’s quarter and we requested secretary that we are allowed to have darshan of Srila Prabhupada and Srila Prabhupada kindly allowed. And our whole Narada Muni travelling Sankirtan Party, brahmacharis mostly, we were all brahmacharis, I was only sanyasi, I had taken sanyasa.
So Prabhupada on the bed, lying for months he was in the bed only. Only occasionally they would make him sit for some feeding, some drinking or just for a change, otherwise mostly lying down. So as we sat around Srila Prabhupada in that such a state and as he knew that we have just returned from a traveling sankirtan, those days traveling sankirtan means book distribution, Book distribution party is here.

And immediately Prabhupada opens a dialogue. And this is just may be 5-6 days prior to Prabhupada’s departure on 14th of November he departed and we are talking about 5-6 days prior. So immediately Prabhupada is enquiring, ohh!! which book is selling the most? And which books are we carrying selling? The whole dialogue, this is how books were on in his heart or on his mind and books….books….that’s why distribute books, distribute books, distribute books . And I will never die so far the books are being distributed that makes me, gives me life or I feel young. And otherwise also, secretary always used to tell us, there is a pile of mail that Prabhupada would receive and the first mail that he would be interested about reports of the book distribution. Those mails are first reported to Srila Prabhupada.

So with us also I personally experienced that how dear it was to his heart this book distribution. I had also humorously mentioned to Srila Prabhupada same time that while we were at Badrikashram “Srila Prabhupada, we showed your Bhagvad Gita to Srila Vyasadeva” I said. Because while at Badrikashram, we had visited the cave of Srila Vyasadeva’s cave. There is a Ganesha Gufa not far away from there. So because we were carrying Srila Prabhupada’s Bhagvad- Gita, so I thought, he resides there. We did not see him but for sure he saw us and sure he also saw Prabhupada’s Bhagvad- Gita. So I threw that humorous statement. We showed your Bhagvad-Gita to Srila Vyasadeva, Prabhupada. Prabhupada was happy to hear. So, the very first conversation of we talk more, but it began with the book distribution and which books, and which books is selling the most and these enquiries.

So, it’s important that you, you the second generation, and also third generation, I see some more new bodies, some older and some older sons and some have departed also. That we know how our founder Acarya His divine grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabupada , what value what importance he gave to this book distribution activity and of course, he was instructed to do so, not whimsically, he had this idea of. If you ever get money what you do with that money? Print books. So this was Swami Bhaktishiddhant Saraswati Thakura’s instruction.
And finally there was money and then there were books and he did not want them to be just printed and stored and take a photograph, looks nice, good stock. Fill in the stores, print out and pack the godowns and the other part is emptying the godowns, distributing books. So, yeah also, of course read books, read books of Srila Prabhupada more you read, you will realize the mahima, the mahatmya, the greatness of those books and you could be more convinced. This book is the most valuable thing in the world I want to give this to others share this gift. And this is kari kar para upakar giving others, giving Srila Prabhupada’s books to as many people as possible; there is the demand all over. There is a big demand everywhere.

I was just in China two months ago and we had opportunity to distribute Prabhupada’s Chinese Bhagvat Gita as it is (everybody clapped and said Haribol) and we ended up with distributing 1200 Bhagvad Gitas in 10 days (Haribol). And that was nice and that also was kirtan and book distribution or program was mostly kirtan little talk. Mostly kirtan and then those who were coming for kirtan party and they had to pay entrance fees which included the cost of the book. They were giving books free but that was part of the entrance fees. So we were doing kirtan, chanting and distributing books at the same time.

Srila Prabhupada ki… Jai!!
Srila Prabhupada transcendental book distribution ki…… jai!!
Nitai Gaur Premanande Hari Haribol!!

Venue: Nagpur
Dated: 17 Jan 2015

Srimad Bhagvatam Canto 3, chapter 26 and text number 29 and 30.

“taijasat tu vikurvanad buddhi-tattvam abhut sati
dravya-sphurana-vijnanam indriyanam anugrahah” (S.B 3.26.29)

taijasat — from the false ego in passion; tu — then; vikurvanat — undergoing transformation; buddhi — intelligence; tattvam — principle; abhut — took birth; sati — O virtuous lady; dravya — objects; sphurana — coming into view; vijnanam — ascertaining; indriyanam — to the senses; anugrahah — giving assistance.

Translation and purport by Srila Prabhupada ki ………jai!

Ya! this chapter is entitled Fundamental Principles of Material Nature (SB 3.26) so these are Fundamental Principles, intelligence is one of them that’s being described here.

Translation: By transformation of the false ego in passion, intelligence takes birth, O virtuous lady, that’s the address oh! Sati. The functions of intelligence are to help in ascertaining the nature of objects when they come into view, and to help the senses.

Purport: Intelligence is the discriminating power to understand an object, and it helps the senses make choices. Therefore intelligence is supposed to be the master of the senses. The perfection of intelligence is attained when one becomes fixed in the activities of Krishna consciousness. By the proper use of intelligence one’s consciousness is expanded, and the ultimate expansion of consciousness is Krsna consciousness. Maharaj says it’s the end of this purport but I think we will take one more verse just to expand this thought further or for more elaboration.

“samsayo atha viparyaso niscayah smrtir eva ca
svapa ity ucyate buddher laksanam vrttitah prthak” (S.B 3.26.30)

Translation: Doubt, misapprehension, correct apprehension, memory and sleep, as determined by their different functions, are said to be the distinct characteristics of intelligence.

Purport: Doubt is one of the important functions of intelligence and raising questions is sign of intelligence, blind acceptance of something does not give evidence of intelligence. If you accept things blindly, you could be less intelligent that’s why you are accepting things blindly. So apply your intelligence to understand, ask questions you may have some doubts also the points under discussion, so you probe deeper into the matter with the help of intelligence.
Maharaj says anyways I started talking already not finished the purport what I was just trying to say is in Vedanta Sutra also there is approach like this or commentaries of Vedanta sutra. There is vishaya and there is samsaya. Vishay is object or subject, next thing is samsaya or doubt this is purva paksha. Vishaya, samsaya, subject, doubt the is purva paksha, the opinions, prior thoughts, preliminary thoughts they are addressed and then Siddhanta is established, there is one more, five point approach, five steps, before a matter is settled or the matter is settled or subject matter is settled or understood . So vishaya, samsaya, subject and the doubt, purva paksha, siddhanta.
“pariprasnena sevaya” (B.G 4.34) Krishna has also advised
“tad viddhi pranipatena pariprasnena sevaya”
You approach spiritual master, spiritual authority and do what? Pariprasnena – you ask questions because you also have some doubts, doubts must be clarified otherwise doubts could act as your enemies, doubts could be your enemies and then Krishna does say- “samsayatma vinasyati” (B.G 4.40) One who remains full of doubt forever, to have doubt is good thing even sign of intelligence but to maintain those doubts not to address those doubts with the help of intelligence, then you are doomed.
Krishna says “samsayatma vinasyati” atma or person who maintain samsaya, maintaining doubts then he will be finished “samsayatma vinasyati”. So raising questions expressing doubts is a sign of intelligence. The blind acceptance of something does not give sign of intelligence doesn’t prove that you are or that person is intelligent because he is not raising questions so that his doubts could also be addressed, one becomes free from doubts. That’s why Arjuna also addressed Krishna as O! Madhusudhana, O! Killer of Madhu demon so in the comments given by Acharayas there, why he is addressing Krishna as Madhusudhan, you are killer of madhu demon now you become killer of my doubt, kill my doubt O! Madhusudhana. Sudan is killer, Madhusudhana.

Purport (remaining): Therefore the word samsaya is very important; in order to cultivate intelligence, one should be doubtful in the beginning. But then he is also faithful in beginning “pariprasnena sevaya” there is service attitude or he has faith in the person he has approached, he has faith in him. So doubting in the beginning with a faith also, he has faith. He is not doubtful and faithless, no. Doubt is welcome but being faithless is dangerous, you would not go anywhere or you would not become free from doubt if you doubt the person you have approached, so first have faith in the person that you have approached and then ask questions so that you could become free from doubts.

Doubt could be a big stumbling block anartha, anartha nirvitti. But doubting is not very favourable when information is received from the proper source. Prabhupada has already stated that in the purport. In Bhagvat Gita, Lord says that doubting the words of authority is the cause of destruction “samsayatma vinasyati”.
As described in Patanjali yoga system “pramana-viparyaya-vikalpa-nidra-smrtyah”. By intelligence only one can understand things as they are. Very profound statement sounds just a statement but quite a statement. By intelligence only one can understand things as they are or one could understand things as they are or you could or one could understand Bhagvat Gita as it is. May be that person was not very intelligent that’s why there is dialogue between Moses in bible, Moses and the Lord. So when the Moses approached the Lord, Lord was not in the front but he considered that the Lord was there he wanted to know about the Lord. Moses is a person a historical person, he existed one time long time ago he said, “O! Lord please reveal unto me” or something like that and then Lord just said, “I am what I am” you wanted to know who I am “I am what I am, okay!” (Laughter). He said everything and he did not said nothing at the same time “I am what I am”, it’s true, right? I am what I am. He was not fully surrendered so he didn’t reveal what He is.
“param brahma param dhama pavitram paramam bhavan” (B.G 10.12)

Lord reveals things unto Arjuna very confidential things, most confidential things. “aham sarvasya prabhavo mattah sarvam pravartate” (BG 10.8) and like that he goes on and on Lord has said so much or everything in nutshell so then to understand things the subject as it is, this is the function of intelligence, by intelligence only one can understand things as they are. So with intelligence only one could understand Bhagvat gita as it is “AS IT IS” as it was, as it is, as it would be, will be, would be understood only by intelligent person or with the help of intelligence.

Somehow Srila Prabhupada had walked into the assemble of where Bhakti Siddhant Saraswati Thakur was seated on a aasan and he was addressing a group of his followers or disciples and there comes Abhay Babu and Narendra Malik. So Abhay Babu bowed down, he was offering his obeisance’s and he had not even sat, settled properly, in the middle of this obeisance’s and then sitting or settling Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati O! you, you are intelligent , you seem to be an intelligent person, you should propagate this Krishna consciousness in the English language in the western world or all over the world.

So Prabhupada was identified and described as intelligent person, you are intelligent. So that intelligent Abhay Babu understood Bhagvat Gita AS IT IS, because understanding things as they are or as it is, is a function of intelligence. And then one takes to Krishna consciousness, it is a sign of intelligence, if you takes to Krishna consciousness that is a sign that you are intelligent person otherwise less intelligent “Krsna jei bhaje sei bada catur” one who worships Krishna is catur, he is intelligent hosiyar.

And my mother was not happy (Laughter) when I took to Krishna consciousness, when I was little boy and she would bring me to the temple in the village and she used to ask me to fold your hands, fold your hands and please pray, please pray and O! What should I pray and she used to say “O! God O! Lord give me ‘intelligence’ (laughter)” please pray to the Lord for intelligence. So it may not be instantly but eventually when Lord heard my prayer (laughter) and gave me intelligence as a result I took to Krishna consciousness and mother was not happy (Laughter).

What kind of intelligence God has given you? She was not expecting that kind of intelligence. So there is a difference between intelligence and intelligence and there are lot of intelligent people also, around the world. So they posses intelligence of a kind, a kind of intelligence, it’s a kind of intelligence, but they are not intelligent because they do not take to Krishna consciousness, because they are also not understanding things ‘as they are’. The power of discrimination is a function of intelligence, power to discriminate this from that, good from bad. So materially intelligent people they also discriminate, who does not discriminate? Even a cat has intelligence and does exhibit the power of discrimination.
The cat exactly knows when to steal or drink the milk, there is a pot of milk right there the cat sits around, as if not interested in the milk (laughter) sometimes closing eyes like a yogi not interested while the owner of the milk is around the cat shows, “no! I am not interested your milk is safe don’t worry” as soon as, the lady walks away , she walks out, immediately the cat goes for the milk and drinks it all, this is the power of discrimination. Cat exactly knows what to do, when to drink when not to drink so this is also intelligence, the power of discrimination. So the intelligent people so called intelligent people of this world they discriminate, in the dry stool and wet stool, both are stools, dry and wet, take a pick, you have a choice, dry and wet fresh to go, steaming (Laughter).

So Caitanya Caritamrita says “yei bhalo yei manda yei sab brahm” those who stay in Mayapur then bhalo bhalo this is good bhalo, not good dull so this kind of discrimination mundane material discrimination bhalo-manda yai sab brahm, this all illusion, both illusion. So under the spell of illusion materially intelligent people discriminate good from bad but then both infact bad thing or take a pick between hell and heaven they would prefer to going to heaven but what is that, not very intelligent decision “ksine punye martya-lokam visanti “ (B.G 9.21) at one points all the pious credit would be exhausted and you are back to square one you come back again, not very intelligent thing to do. So this whole religion, religious mantra and this whole worshipable objects and all that to go to heaven big chunk of the dharma, dharmic principles, the process just to go to heaven.

But not very intelligent thing, to do, to go to the heaven because the heaven is bhalo –good and the hell is bad this kind of discrimination because they both are bad that’s why Krishna says “sarva-dharman parityajya” (B.G 10.66) Dharma that makes heaven as your destination that’s not very intelligent thing to do, that’s why abandon reject it. “mam ekam saranam vraja” surrender unto me.

“Kamais tais tair hrita jnanah prapadyante anya-devatah” (B.G 7.20) Krishna also says those who surrender unto others, other demigod “Kamais tais tair hrita jnanah” their intelligence is stolen by ‘kama’- the lust, as a result they surrender unto others Demigods. ‘alpa-medhasam’ – less intelligent, Lord says – those who worship Demigods and they want to go to heaven they are alpa medhasam, medha- means intelligent and alpa- means less so less intelligent. They are less intelligent they go for Demigod worship and they want to go to heaven and this is all karmakanda. This is dharma part of Vedas but karmakanda section- pious activities or yagya performances so this is less intelligent thing they are not intelligent karmakanda party is not intelligent party, less intelligent.

Ofcourse materially intelligent people atheists or scientists they are even lower grade then comes karmakanda party they also less intelligent then the materialistic and then spiritualists. But karmakanda “karmakanda jnana kanda keval visayer bhanda” karmakanda jnanakanda is visayer bhanda- it is a pot of poison not very intelligent thing to do to drink a pot of poison.

“manushya-janama paiya, radha-krishna na bhajiya, janiya suniya visha khainu”. Our Acharyas say you have attained this rare human form of life, “manushya-janama paiya, radha-krishna na bhajiya” but you are not worshiping Radha and Krishna. So than what are you doing “janiya suniya visha khainu” you are only drinking poison or even poisonous vapours you are inhaling the smoke, he may be thinking by smoking I live life king size, live life king size, got that part? Living life of what size? King size life, you live, you live how? By smoking particular brand of they are advertising like this. I keep saying this from time to time. I read that advertisement that says live life king size you smoke our cigarette and then when we drove further I read one more sign that says cancer hospital this way (Laughter).

So just now we are living our life king size and next thing is cancer hospital this way or you are in I.C.U intense care unit – what a lifestyle. So not very intelligent thing to do, so not very intelligent person would go for that glamor or that dazzle or that advertisement is cheating but very intelligent people they know, how to get you? How to brainwash you? How to sell there product? They know your weaknesses, they are very intelligent people, these advertisement industry. They know your weakness and then they advertise things, they tell you just they have truth and you are cheated because you are not very intelligent and don’t understand things as they are you don’t get the full picture. You only think of action but reaction part you don’t think of.
The shake hand is good; beginning is good but then comes the slap (Laughter). To buy product you pay some price, suffering that comes that’s free, free suffering is free its part of the package (Laughter).

“ye hi samsparsa-ja bhoga duhkha-yonaya eva te
ady-antavantah kaunteya na tesu ramate budhah” (B.G 5.22 ).

Budhah- budhiman, ‘na tesu ramate budhah’ Intelligent person ‘na tesu ramate’ he doesn’t indulge in those acts. ‘ ady-antavantah’ there is a beginning but soon there is an end very miserable, terrible horrible way there is an end. You initiated you began a project any sense gratificatory project but soon it will be suffering misery. ‘ ye hi samsparsa-ja bhoga’ bhoga is there is some enjoyment is there, senses coming in contact of sense object ‘ye hi samsparsa-ja’ ja – means giving birth. Senses coming in contact with the sense objects something takes birth that’s bhoga enjoyment takes birth but then He says ‘duhkha-yonaya eva te ‘ that very source that gave you enjoyment will give you misery next moment or next day or one of these days will be misery suffering ‘duhkha-yonaya eva te’.

So complete picture the coin as both sides, so like that the world is full of ‘dvandva’ dvandvatmak the world is dvandvatmak- full of this dual nature, hell and heaven, you get both happiness and distress, you get both, what else? (answer) day and night both, birth and death you get both, honor-dishonour you get both, winter and then soon it will be summer giving some relief you get bored. So like that there could be hundreds and thousands of items that could be put in this list, this dvandva list -dual nature. So it’s not a very intelligent adi and anta- beginning and ending, beginning and ending also, you began enjoying what is to be expected? this enjoyment is going to end but you begin enjoying and you keep enjoying and keep enjoying and keep enjoying all the time only enjoying this only possible, when we are beyond this happiness-distress, day-night and like that hell-heaven, victory-defeat, loss-gain, KRISHNA CONSCIOUSNESS is beyond. Krishna is beyond Krishna consciousness is beyond its an eternal happiness, constant happiness, happiness forever, no beginning no end it is beyond this, that is why Krishna says “dvandvatito vimatsarah” (B.G 4.22) advised to Arjun ‘dvandvatit’, Arjun go beyond keep going go higher go beyond go beyond ‘dvandvatit’ go beyond this happiness-distress, beginning-ending, hell-heaven like that man-women, local and-westerner.

So we were talking about karmakanda this jnanakanda materialistic people are certainly less intelligent but even so called religious people they take to religion but they take to karmakanda demigod worship and they go all the way upto heaven which is close to Vaikuntha, Vaikunth is closer from heaven but then they fall down again. So this is not very intelligent thing to do those practices, those religious practices, karmakanda but then this jnanakanda is also advaitvad. So the Lord has addressed them or described them also as less intelligent. “avyakta vyakti mapanam manyate mam abuddhaya” the impersonalists mayavadis advaitvadis the practitioners of jnanakanda so much into jnana, but their jnana is in fact ajnana, their knowledge is ignorance, they yet do not have the complete picture. So they manyate they think they consider, Krishna says they only consider, what all they consider that “avyakta vyakti mapanam” – the God is infact ‘avyakta’- unmanifest. He is all-pervading, He is bright effulgence brahmajyoti, He is Brahma avyakta, but then they think from this avyakta brahma effulgence, sometimes they had this photographs also, the pictures we get to see. They says ‘om…….’ this is in the background somewhere ‘om……..’ this person who is now playing flute what is his origin ‘om…….’ some impersonal avyakta unmanifest, he is playing flute. “manyate mam abuddhaya” the less intelligent, again talking about less intelligent, think that way ultimately ‘I am what I am’ (Laughter) alright I am all pervading Brahman and then occasionally I take a form.

“avajananti mam mudha manusim tanum asritam” ( B.G 9.11)
Krishna says they are fools rascals they think this way that I take form and that form is not an eternal form but that form is temporary that form is there now but soon it will merge back again into its original existence. So it is jnanakanda and that is also described as “mama abuddhaya” less intelligent people think like this. So the materialist’s pure unalloyed materialists they are certainly less intelligent the karmakanda practitioners are less intelligent they want to go to heaven and even impersonalists are less intelligent.

Intelligent party is “jnanavan mam prapadyate” (B.G 7.19) the person who is truly in knowledge, knowledgeable ‘mam prapadyate” they surrender unto me they come to me and so that’s a vaishnav, the devotee of Krishna. So one should be using intelligence to understand things as they are or to understand Bhagvat gita as it is, understand Krishna the Personality of Godhead as He is. There is Brahma, there is Paramatma and there is also Bhagvan. And Bhagvan the Personality of Godhead with all opulence’s He is source of Paramatma, He is the source of Brahmajyoti, Brahma effulgence. So understanding these things is sign of intelligence.

So we will complete the purport: By intelligence only one can understand whether or not he is the body, the study to determine whether ones identity is spiritual or material begins in doubt. Question about ‘AM I THIS BODY?’ this is a question, a doubt ‘am I this body’. When one is able to analyse his actual position the false identification of the body is detected. So when you have the power of discrimination because you have a proper intelligence, fully evolved intelligence with that you are analysing and you understand this is body and this is spirit.

With the help of intelligence you could understand, discrimination between body and the soul this is ‘viparyasa’ this is a Sanskrit term when false identification is detected then real identification can be understood, right? That’s what we call ‘naiti naiti ..not this not this not this not this’ oh! This one, this is analytical study it’s called Sankhya yoga. This is matter, this is matter, matter, this is sprit, this is demigod, this is demigod, this is demigod, this is Supreme Personality of Godhead. Real understanding is described here as niscayah, today’s verse talks of niscayah or proved experimental knowledge is niscayah. You have come to conclusion niscayah. This experimental knowledge can be achieved when one has understood the false knowledge. So false knowledge and real knowledge, Isopanishad also says you should be well verse with avidya and vidya. You should know maya in order to know Krishna also, this is maya, this is maya, this is maya and this is Krishna.

So when we understand Krishna we also understand maya or when we understand maya, then we go for Krishna. So this is complete knowledge, knowledge of vidya, knowledge of knowledge and knowledge of ignorance, you know what ignorance is and then you are knowledgeable person. You know what ignorance is, what knowledge is. This experimental knowledge can be achieved when one has understood the false knowledge. By experimental or proved knowledge, one can understand that he is not the body but spirit soul.

Smrti means “memory,” and svapa means “sleep.” these are the words or terms from this verse svapa and smrti are there, sleep is also necessary to keep intelligence in working order. That’s why Krishna says one who sleeps too much or too little cannot be yogi. Yogis are intelligent you have to be intelligent or sleep has a role to play to keep your intelligence sharp when you have not slept properly or enough then your brain doesn’t function you go crazy infact, you do not sleep, night after night, after night, night you don’t sleep, you cannot function and materially. So as sadhakas practitioners of Krishna consciousness they have to get a proper sleep but too much sleep is cultivating ignorance sleeping means ignorance, you are ignoring God, you are ignoring Krishna. He exists but you are just ignoring, there are so many ways by which you just ignore him. Sometimes people say he just ignored me you know, ignored me, we were in the same party…he just ignored me, just ignores me, he doesn’t pay any attention to me, he doesn’t approached me, didn’t say hello to me, didn’t shake hand with me, he just ignored. You understand the meaning of ignorance.. As if I don’t exist, he just ignored me.

So those who are ignorant basically what they are ignoring, they are ignoring the Lord, they are ignorant of the Lord, they are ignorant of the existence of the Lord. From that ignorance one becomes ignorant. So sleep is what? Its state of ignorance, you are ignoring the Lord. Six Goswamis of Vindavana, they would hardly sleep ignoring the Lord, sleep is ignorance of Lord, how could I just ignore him, want to be conscious of Lord, I want to be Krishna conscious, conscious of the Lord, if I would just sleep I will be ignoring him. So they would just keep staying awake “kaupina-kanthasritau” (Sri Sri Sad-goswami-astaka) wearing just most minimum clothes kaupina loin cloth, kantha – some tattered quilt it’s translated as tattered, some kaupina loin cloth, bodily maintenance is over, don’t have to go for shopping those shirts made in England tailored and matching, so much thought is gone into this business. Dead body and the decoration of the dead body.

So so much human resources are invested in this business and solidifying the existence of this body. O! I am this body, I am this body, I am this body and the decoration of the body take photograph, take photograph (laughter). Okay my family members, family photo, it’s my family. So the six Goswamis of Vrindavan, infact they were the big personalities they were ministers in Hussein Saha’s kingdom but as they came in contact with Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, they had very little association at Ramkeli. One time Chaitanya Mahaprabhu went out of his way infact to give association to Rupa and Sanatana and Vallabha also they were three brothers and Jiva goswami was small child that time.

This Rupa and Sanatana, they were big ministers and they just spent just little time “sadhu-sanga, sadhu-sanga—sarva-sastre kaya / lava-matra sadhu-sange sarva-siddhi haya”. Lord has gone there as Sadhu as a devotee and little association and sidhi and there is perfection. “lava-matra sadhu-sange sarva-siddhi haya” these great souls Rupa and Sanatana “tyaktva turnam asesa-mandala-pati-srenim sada tuccha-vat” quickly-‘tyaktva’ they rejected, abandon, kicked, speedily-‘turnam’, ‘asesa-mandala-pati’ their wealth, they were aristocratic they had palace and tons of gold coins those were not papers bills (Laughter) not much value, real gold coins big piles. “tyaktva turnam asesa-mandala-pati-srenim sada tuccha-vat” ‘thuu…’ they spit at all that and joined Krishna consciousness instantaneously, joined Chaitanya Mahaprabhu’s mission.

And then they were “bhutva dina-ganesakau karunaya” and then they were protecting, they became protectors ‘bhutva dina-gana’ dina-gana- poor people, poor in consciousness, there is poverty of consciousness, they are lacking consciousness, the whole world is poor, poor are poor and rich are also very poor. So those who were dina, dina-gana, they became masters or protectors of these fallen people, poor in consciousness, Karunaya out of their kindness or their mercy, they were being merciful to all the people. But for their livelihood “kaupina-kanthasritau” they were big-big ministers prime ministers but gave up everything and “kaupina-kanthasritau” and what about their thoughts or consciousness, they had Gopibhava their consciousness is like gopi. “gopi-bhava-rasamrtabdhi-lahari-kallola-magnau muhur” the nectar how much? Abdhi- ocean, full of nectar of Gopibhava, gopi like consciousness, gopi like thoughts, ocean full of thoughts broad-minded, big-hearted and ‘magnau’ – they became absorbed in these thoughts ‘muhur’ – all the times.

“vande rupa-sanatanau raghu-yugau sri-jiva-gopalakau” we offer our obeisance’s unto these six Goswamis of Vrindavana ,Rupa Goswami, Sanatana Goswami, Gopal Bhatta Goswami, Raghunath das, Raghunath Bhatta and Jiva Goswami. So this consciousness of thoughts of devotees of the Lord and then there is no bodily concept, sleeping is wasting of time why should I sleep. They had to be forced please please take some rest and for us please get up! (Laughter) 12 hours its 9:30, please get up you much be hungry atleast to eat, get up and eat again and sleep again (Laughter).

As if a Kumbhakarna program he used to get up one when he was hungry he used to get up and when his belly is full, he is sleeping again. Two programs eating and sleeping. And they would eat to sleep, eat and sleep. Some people eat to live and some people just live to eat. Things are also there some people just eat so that they could just survive, to keep the body and soul together, they would eat. Some sleep, sleep is also necessary, to keep your intelligence sharp. We cannot imitate six goswamis practically they were not bodies; they were acting like souls, like all the souls in the spiritual sky. And infact they were those kinds of spiritual souls, manjaris and gopis they were. If there is no sleep the brain cannot work nicely. In Bhagvat Gita it is specially mentioned that the person who regulates eating, sleeping and other necessities of the body in the proper proportion becomes very successful in yoga practices, yoga process. These are the some of the aspects of the analytical study of intelligence as described in both the Patanjali yoga system and the Sankhya yoga system of Kapildev in Srimad Bhagvatam. Any question?

Question: If mind is defeating intelligence what to do?
Answer: Practice makes man perfect women also (laughter) if mind is defeating intelligence that means we are not practiced enough. Failure is pillar of success, so you can review this situation, may be you were defeated but not as badly as before you almost won but last moment you were fall flat. So like that every time Krishna says ‘abhyasena tu kaunteya vairagyena ca grihyate’ (B.G 6.35) vairagya –cultivate detachment and practice try to get rid of this, get rid of this never give up don’t give it up. Pray to the Lord for strength, my mother also used to pray. So you are intelligent but not sharp so you can sharpen the tool, take some time to sharpen the tool. Then Lord also “dadami buddhi-yogam tam yena mam upayanti te” (B.G 10.10) He says I give the understanding by which they can come to Me.

Venue: Mauritius
“evam vidho brahmacari vanaprastho yatir grhi
caran vidita-vijnanah param brahmadhigacchati” (S.B 7.12.16)

Translation and purport by Srila Prabhupada, Srila Prabhupada ki……..jai

Translation:
By practicing in this way, whether one be in the brahmacari-asrama, grhastha-asrama, vanaprastha-asrama or sannyasa-asrama, one must always realize the all-pervading presence of the Supreme Lord, for in this way it is possible to understand the Absolute Truth.

Purport:

This is the beginning of self-realization. One must first understand how Brahman is present everywhere and how He is acting. This education is called brahma-jijnasa and is the real concern of human life. Without such knowledge, one cannot claim to be a human being; rather, he remains in the animal kingdom. As it is said, sa eva go-kharah: without such knowledge, one is no better than a cow or an ass.
The person may be in brahmacari-asrama, grhastha-asrama, vanaprastha-asrama or sannyasa-asrama, each varna – each ashram there are some different prescribed duties. For Brahmanas studying- teaching, then kshatriya “kshatat trayate iti kshatriya” ‘kshat’ is getting wounded or hurt, so kshatriya is a person who protects others or citizen from getting hurt. The citizens are fighting amongst each other for nothing, so he intervenes he has his force in place to make sure that there is no fighting, unnecessary there is no killing, no quarrel. It’s said if someone is using knife, he has killed the person, wounded the person so that the wound gets healed it gets cured finished.

But someone’s tongue very sharp like a razor not able to control then he hurts someone by talking in insulting way, then there is a wound in the mind. Person gets wounded gets hurt, like Dhruva Maharaj was hurt. His step mother Suruchi had to say something ‘oh! You wish to be the prince it’s too late baba, you have not taken birth in my womb forget the throne’. So that was a big insult for Dhruva Maharaj and Prabhupada says specially kshatriyas they can’t tolerate such insults.
So Dhruva Maharaj being son of kshatriya he took this very seriously, the mother was trying to pacify put some little bandage on his wound caused by step mother of Dhruva Maharaj. She could not see as he was deeply hurt, wounded just by the words, words are sharper. The other kind of wound gets healed wound caused by knife or gun this is not the point, the point is duty of kshatriya and being kshatriya he protects others and citizens from getting hurt getting wounded. He maintains law and order these are the prescribed duties of kshatriya.

And then next is Vaisya “Krishi goraksha vanijyam” krishi – he does farming, (Maharaj says) lot of farms in Mauritius. Srila Prabhupada where he would goes to Australia, to America he saw so much land just lying vacant, why not use it to grow some food but ofcourse people are not interested they rather work in industry in factory.
So “Krishi goraksha vanijyam” such a nice duty, do farming, take care of cows, a little trade some extra grains share with others get something in return. So these prescribed duties of different members of different varnas and then there are ashrams. Brahmacari what does brahmacari do? He studies; brahmacaris primary business is he is a student under a teacher he is learning he is studying. Lord Krishna also studied at Sandipani Muni’s ashram.
“brahmacari guru-kule vasan danto guror hitam” (S.B 7.12.1) brahmacari goes to ashram of a Guru, he stays there ‘dasavat’ – like a menial servant he resides there, ‘nico’- in a very humble way he stays, Krishna stayed very humbly He was sitting on the floor, He was going to do madhukari in morning. So Brahmacari has to do such thing he is studying and ‘vasan danto guror hitam’- for the benefit of Guru, for service of Guru, for pleasure of Guru he is functioning.

Srila Prabhupada even adds, once Krishna was told by Guru’s patni ‘hye! Go get some wood fire wood, I have to cook for the boys in the ashram there is no fire wood’. So Krishna and Sudama had to go to get fire wood they had to go to the forest. So this is all ‘guror hitam’ so that’s the duty of brahmacari.

Then grhasta mainly grhastas are doing ‘dana’ – charity he is householder, he is also money holder. Brahmacari has no money, vanaprashta may carry some thing and he may also depend on the mercy of the Lord as he travels. He is taking care of his family, dependents but not just bodily maintenance soul maintenance he is also maintaining soul. What is the difference? Prabhupada is pointing that out – animal kingdom, ‘without such knowledge, one cannot claim to be a human being; rather, he remains in the animal kingdom’. If person does not belong to any varna or any ashram, why you are not ready for sannyasa? Go for grahasta ashram. You don’t belong to grhasta ashram by staying in griha just because you have house, wife, children that does not become a ashram. You may be grhasta but not in grhasta ashram there is a difference. The difference that we know we have heard the grhamedhi ‘yan maithunadi- grhamedhi-sukham hi tuccham’ all that you are enjoying is tuccha- it is very low, something that you spit at thuu… ‘grhamedhi sukham hi tuccham’ so grhamedhi is that person who is addicted to sex life.

So Prabhupada is talking without such knowledge…, this is the beginning of self-realization. One must first understand how Brahman is present everywhere and how He is acting. This education is called brahma-jijnasa and is the real concern of human life. Without such knowledge, one cannot claim to be a human being.

So take care of family fine but you have to first know who your family is? Who your wife is? Who your child is? Do you know? (Maharaj is asking) who is your wife? It’s difficult to understand how soul could be your wife. The real person is the soul if the soul leaves the body then that body is no more your wife, immediately ‘hye ! Get her out’ cause the body starts smelling so bad, right? So as soon as soul leaves the body it’s useless you burn the body then you realize then you cry ‘oh! My wife she has gone she has gone’ that’s the soul that has gone.

Krishna Balaram ki…………..jai .

Venue: ISKCON Noida
Dated: 3rd Jan 2015

“Om namo bhagvate vasudevaya”

There’s always something to keep us busy, so I am happy to have you here this evening, we are here at Govinda dham. You are very important persons because you are God’s people, God’s devotees, God’s parts and parcels and God’s servants. God is great so you being servant of great God is a very big position. You know I work for Birla’s, just because I work for Birla’s are big so, I am somebody in Birla so I am also very big, very important. Like that people just because you work for Birla’s or Ambani’s whatever other firms are there or companies. If that makes those people big then if you are God’s servant you work for God, at least you have come here, you are God’s people whether you are serving now or not, would like you to serve God because you are His servants.

Anyway regardless even if you have not taken up serious service unto God of course He has name, what is His name? Krishna, yes one big name, principle name otherwise He has thousands of names Vishnu, Sahastranaam so many big names. So being people or devotees, servants, associates of God, that is very very big position, infact there could be no better bigger position than being servant of God or servant of even some of His devotees, some of the devotees of Lord are friends of God, God’s friend, He’s my friend, Modi he was my friend we were working in hotel together or selling chaai together something like this people like remembering 20 30 40 years ago.

As soon as someone becomes big then people small people try to identify, he’s my friend and I know him. We went to the school, room-mates they like to make their connections, thus having connection with big people that makes you big. Devotees you could also be friend of ‘suhrdam sarva-bhutanam’ (Bg. 5.29) they are best friends suhrdam. We are different souls, we have different relationships with the Lord.

Basically we say we are servants of Lord but some servants are friends, God’s friend. Some servants or souls are even parents of God. Lord gives them that position or that post and He becomes the child or son of God. We don’t know as of yet who we are whether we are servants or friends or parents of God but certainly we are God’s, we belong to God. Yes? Is that ok with you? You accept this? Whether you accept or not, this is a fact, you are property of God, you belong to God. So that makes you VIP’s, you are all VIP’s very important or VVIP’s.

So we are happy once again very important souls, so many souls have assembled here, we feel happy to meet other souls and more the souls better it is, so many souls coming together. So when we come to the temple we come and we are souls everywhere even in the factories or industries or government office you are souls but no one remembers you as souls no one treats you as souls, you are treated as bodies, this is my ID, this is how I look like and all thoughts are mundane thoughts and mundane material jobs and like that. So but here as you come, we see you as souls each one of you is one individual soul spark.

So when one soul meets another soul on the soul platform spiritual platform they become happy. Are you happy? someone in the back. So we still have that presentation? anyway we will go through this and then we will talk little more. I am not quite familiar with but it is going to appear on the screen but I liked the topic its ‘Mera Bharat Mahan‘ at the back of lorries they write “Mera Bharat Mahan” my India is great, India is great, Incredible India.

So, is India great? How is it great? Why is it great? What do you mean by great and like that we will, that’s the approach. So there’s something to look at, something to give you, something colorful give your eyes and mind busy or focused then something to hear also. What I have to do? I am very new to this technology. I am using this just to open a topic, some other prabhu has prepared this kind of search for Bharat. So one time India was this size the presenter of this slide he thinks India was but infact one time the whole planet was Bharat-varsha not just what you see. At present it has been further reduced smaller shrunk so many countries are part of this map, geographical map are not part of Bharat India. But going into the past distant past, Hastinapur was capital of Bharat, “Maha…….Bharat” is greater India. Hastinapur used to be the capital of Bharat-varsha and this is some 5000 years ago and there was that Mahabharat big battle and that was world war because the kings from all over the planet were part of that war.

So, that’s Mahabharat means history of great India 5000 years and this is very, Bharat is a land for millions trillions of years, this is a different calculation that world is not aware of. We’ll not talk about that now, so Bharat thinks like that these are, the one understanding the time factor Bharat is way ahead of the rest of the world. You are taught the Darwin’s theory of evolution, so according to them its a different approach which is a incomplete and concocted and we say mental speculation and lot of imagination but what we understand from the history from Mahabharat scripture or many other scriptures, Ramayan is also history, it is a historical fact depends, ek tha raja aur ek thi…raja tha Ram aur rani Sita rani kahani history are narrated like that.

So Ram was on the planet about a million years ago not million but little less, million is 10 lakhs, 10 lakhs makes it million years. Because Ram was on the planet during Treta yuga we are now in kaliyug and kaliyug lasts for 4 lakhs and 32,000 years is a duration of kaliyug and twice as long duration is dwapar and three times is treta and four times is satya yug and then these four yugas put together makes one Mahayugaa and one such 1000 yuga cycles makes one day of Brahma only one day, not even day and night just the day and then night is also that long. You multiply that by 7 that makes one week of Brahma, multiply that by 4 that makes one month of Brahma and multiply that by 12 that is one year and he lives 100 years and this 100 years life span of Brahma is but just one breath of Lord Krishna Mahavishnu, He’s called Mahavishnu, one breath.

So this is a different calculation, we are talking about rest of the world, the Modern world is not aware so we talk Bharat these are the thoughts or idealogies or philosophies lifestyle. Everything is big and grand and old but old is gold. So, going by these calculations I was in Los Angeles in California, Los Angeles some years ago and they were celebrating bicentennial, 200th anniversary of California or I think Los Angeles may be city Los Angeles was founded 200 years ago, they were having big celebration and I had met one of those enthusiastic celebrator or one who was celebrating and then he was saying, “I know, I know, our Los Angeles is very old”. But he was saying Los Angeles is very old, he was thinking by stretching it oo….old, that would make it older. So I asked how old is it? Its 200 years old. So for them 200 years was very old and here we talk of Sri Ram was on the planet 10 lakh saal pehle Ayodhya town, that’s Los Angeles city and this is Ayodhya city. A million year but a million is also nothing just a drop in the ocean when you talk of the whole life span infact Time is eternal, kaal is eternal.

So, when you consider all this, when you know lot of things, then this amoeba business has now placed in with the facts presented by Mahabharat or Bhagvat Gita or other scriptures, the sages and sages they never tell lies, rushis, munis mahatmas they never do any cheating gambling, its called gambling, mental speculation, I think according to me…this is gambling, so they speak the truth and nothing but the truth. So Bharat, search for bharat, so they have shown previous one; this shows kab kab bata Bharat someone has done some studies and all these different countries one time according to this presenter he thinks Bharat is only this much big but we already said its much bigger picture. “Who is great me or Mahatma Gandhi?”, Prabhupada is saying this. Mera Bharat Mahan, Prabhupada is in London, why have you come here? So one time as topic has come here why have we come, so Prabhupada was talking to the reporters news media press, they ask this question why have you come here to our country, Prabhupada’s response was, it’s not here, but what I had gathered what his reponce was, “You came to our country.” You came, now I have come but then Prabhupada also said that you came and whatever was valuable you thought or your leaders, viceroys were thinking this is valuable that is valuable you are all stealing and bringing that over to England but in that attempt your leaders, those who were ruling India that time they forgot the most valuable items of the real wealth of the country they left behind. And when Prabhupada was asked, “Oh! what is that the most valuable that you are talking about our viceroys did not take note of that, they left behind”, Prabhupada then said, “the culture, culture sanskriti of Bharat”, that is the wealth of Bharat or teachings of the vedas or puranas, Bhagvat Gita this is the wealth of this country, most ancient thought are there in the vedic scriptures and in the past as it is Indian youth they migrate they go overseas for overseas education, they also take loan and by hook or crook they want to go to Australia, to America for overseas education. I am foreign return, I have a degree from here there to get a better job or whatever.

So these are the modern trends, Indians are going overseas for so-called higher education but there was a time the whole world came to India to study and that was certainly higher education, spiritual education, studying vedic texts in universities like Takshashila, Nalanda these are some big big names and many other. So, students scholars they would come and then they would go back, yes I am Bharat return, India return, look at my degree. Even Jesus Christ was, He was in India He had come to learn, that’s what biography of Jesus proves.

So Prabhupada was pointing out the knowledge, this is the intellectual property, these days they call intellectual property. Usually we think the buildings and this and bank balance this is property but there’s something called intellectual property. So, the intellect or intelligence or intelligent desings, intelligent ideas or thoughts, deeper thoughts, eternal truth all this was the wealth, so Prabhupada says this is the wealth of our country and certainly we are talking just the plain truth, its straight forward, the Holy Name Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare, this is the wealth of golokera prama dhan Harinam Sankirtan is a golokera prema dhan spiritual wealth, real wealth that could make the soul happy. Why do you need wealth for? To become happy you need wealth, you make money to become happy but then the Holy Name in fact could make you happy.

So money could make your body happy, money could make your senses happy, money could make…like that wearing this kind of cloth, mera joota hai japan ka meri patloon englisthan ki, around the world in dollars, you don’t know this song? So anything important in the decoration of the body or this is for the body to make some pleasure some entertainment. So people acquire wealth, make money to satisfy the body and the mind and the senses and in this attempt the real You real YOU is ignored, forgotten which is the soul that we have been talking about in the very beginning. You are the soul when you come to the temple we see you as souls you as atma, Lord is parmatma He is Bhagwan and we are the souls.

So all this, run around, make money and then not taking care of yourself, parents say friends say take care, take care of yourself, take care but unless you know the self, your real self how are you going to take care of yourself? So we do not spend our wealth unfortunately in taking care of our real self. Something deep within is what we are, deep within, we are not floating at surface, we are within this body deep that is the soul. So I was telling Prabhupada’s point, this is the wealth Hare Krishna Hare Krishna is also wealth amongst all other valuable gifts of India. This makes you happy, your soul is made happy by chanting the Holy Names of the Lord. Prabhupada made his claim when he went to America, he was teaching, propagating, spreading the Holy Name and so many Americans they had started chanting Hare Krishna, they were not happy before, in America they were not happy and don’t think just being American you could be happy.
No, this is not true.

So, they were frustrated and they were looking for some alternatives, all the wealth their pleasures were at the disposals but still not happy. But then Prabhupada gave them this mantra, Hare Krishna Mantra and they started chanting, even some of those frustrated young boys and girls of America they became happy, so Prabhupada used to say they were hippies and they became happies. They were hippies and now they are happies. So Prabhupada demonstrated all that wealth of America, land of opportunity. So everything was at their disposal even name and all that was there still not happy. What is wrong? The ignorance you do not know who you are and don’t know how to take care, why have you come here is the topic, so Prabhupada was saying I have come because your leaders they did not realise what is real wealth of the India Bharat and they left it behind so I have come, you are asking me why I have come, I have come to do the home delivery of that wealth and to do so, to deliver the gifts of Bharat, the wealth of Bharat, he traveled all over the world and what he started began some 50 years ago ISKCON was founded in 1966, so in one year Iskcon will be celebrating golden jubilee celebration of ISKCON (Haribol!) 2016 next year please be with us, lets celebrate this together 50th anniversary of Iskcon. So for past 50 years, what Prabhupada started sharing and delivering this, the gifts of Bharat, ancient India prachin Bharat. Present day Bharat is not much of Bharat, lot of things are same as west and be Indian- buy Indian, where are Indian we don’t see so much of Indian clothing here. So, west this was there understanding, misunderstanding I would say, their wrong perception thinking India as a poor country.

When first time I traveled to America was in 78, first time I traveled to America. So, and then, so those days when they would ask where have you come from?, a common question, so we would say I have come from India, Oh! that India that beggar’s country, poor country. So this was the impression. It was also because that whenever our leaders or Indians went, they went to get something, take something, beg for something. So that also gave wrong impression, they must be poor people, they are always coming with a begging bowl.

Srila Prabhupada was one he was convinced that India is the richest nation, Bharat is the richest, enriched in culture and knowledged in so many ways. So India could contribute that wealth, share with rest of the world. So this is what he did, he shared the most valuable gifts of India with rest of the world, he exported ways to call him, he was a exporter and importer also. Exported the most valuable export quality goods or items, like Bhagvat Gita is export quality and Hare Krishna is certain export quality, the lifestyle and culture is export, he exported there and then he imported American sadhus, European Brahmin, he traveled back to India with American, European, Australian Brahmins with sikhas and kanthi malas and Brahmin threads and tridands and chanting of Hare Krishna Hare Krishna.

So, Bharat is not some tract of land with man-made geographical boundaries which is decided and divided by some demoniac sense gratifiers in order to satisfy their personal desires or name fame profit adoration or politics. Bharat is a principle, devotee who has prepared this, Bharat is a principle, it is a way of life, it is a philosophy and its living application, it is a land of dharma, land of God, land of devotion and like that. So, Bharat, just by name Bharat, ‘bha’ refers to the light surya gives light so surya is also called bhaskar, ‘kar’ means to do, he does the light, he gives the light so he is called bhaskar.

So, Bharat is that land where people are absorbed in; Bharat break it into bha and rat, bha means light rat means absorbed, people of this land are absorbed in light, torch light of knowledge, they are not in darkness. Tamaso ma, vedas say “tamaso ma jyotir gamaya” get out of this ignorance, go to the light, come to the light, so those who come to the light then they become delighted in the light, then they become, then they are Bharat vasis.

So, it is not just because you have taken birth in Bharat doesn’t make you Bharatiya in true sense. Talking of Bharat is a principle, its a way of life, philosophy and all that. One may be living within the geographical boundary of Bharat may not be an Indian but one may be living outside the geographical boundary of India but may be a real Bharat-vasi if he is strictly practicing, so here’s one real Bharat-vasi amongst us who was not born in Bharat (Haribol) Srila Prabhupada’s direct disciple (Haribol) Prabhupada initiated and then imported him to India, he is not born Indian but by his life style and philosophy and principles which he follows, the values he cares and foreign practices he is genuine Bharat-vasi, Bharatiya than so many so-called Indians, they are called, they are so-called but they are not really Bharat-vasis they are called, so-called, they are so-called. Mera Bharat Mahan, Gopal Krishna but he eats beef, his name is Gopal Krishna but he eats beef so what kind of Bharatiya he is. In Ahmedabad, once I met, we had gone to some business man to make him a life member so we went, he said I am a Brahmin we were happy to hear he was a Brahmin but then he said I eat beef, he did not say he eats, he said I relish beef. You know what beef is? You don’t have to know, somehow it has become popular. He said I relish and I take great pleasure in eating, he was so shameless.

On one hand, I am a Brahmin, I relish beef. So, would you call him Bharatiya? Is that Bharatiya? Like that, some people I am chaturvedi, chaturvedi means I am student of four vedas. So, in the past their family they were students of the four vedas, adhyayan adhyapan learning and teaching but now they are only so-called chaturvedis, only so-called because what to speak of studying and knowing four vedas, probably they don’t know even know the names of four vedas. Please say what are the four vedas? (Rig veda, sam veda, atharva veda, yajur veda) Ok good, so you are chaturvedis (laughter). So names only, chaturvedis, trivedis and dwivedis, dwi means two, two vedis three vedis, infact now they are nirvedis (laughter) no vedas.

So this is unfortunate situation in our country today. Just because I am born Hindu, I am a Hindu, same also with Christianity, because I am born in Christian family, I think I am Christian, born in Muslim family Muslim but they do not practice that’s the trouble. We say no difficulty, you ok? If you are Christian, practice Christianity, the Bible will immediately tell you the ten commandments, ten principles, thou shall not kill, thou shall not kill. Prabhupada always said talking to Christians, what kind of Christian are you? You don’t follow, someone was Christian he joined the Krishna Conscious movement then he came to India and he was asked by some Indian or some Hindu, Oh! why have you, why did you get converted and have become Hindu, that devotee said, no, no, I am a better Christian now, I am a better Christian, I was born Christian not practicing but as I have joined Krishna Consciousness Movement, I am better Christian. This is the fact, following all the principles, thou shall not kill, love thy Lord with all thy heart, with all thy strength is another Biblic statement, love thy neighbor as thy self and so many principles we had heard and read before but not practiced now I am practicing I am better Christian. So, what kind of Indian so called Brahmin relishing beef and then whole India now has become major exporter of beef also, big boat loads of beef or meat is exported everyday to the middle east and so many other countries of India by slaughtering animals unfortunately cows also.

So, where is the spirit of Bharat? Values, the principles? Some years ago in the Parliament there was a Indian Parliament this issue of animal killing and slaughtering was being discussed and there was some reporting that the Indian slaughter houses, machinery to cut the throats of animals, the blades they are not sharp, they are blunt, as a result it takes longer time to cut the throats of animals, so what to do was being discussed, what to do. So what they could have passed resolution ok no more killing, no more slaughter of animals in India, they could have passed resolution animals are suffering while they are slaughtered, instead the whole Parliament discussed and they concluded that we should modernize our slaughter houses, modernize we should import from Ireland some countries they are leading Chicago, children in the school were taught; sansar ka sabse bada katal khana kaha hai? Chicago, we had to do the matching, the names of cities and what are they known for, sansar ka sabse sundar shehar- Paris and like that sabse bada katal khana- Chicago and this and that.

So Chicago was biggest slaughtering at least this was 50 years ago when we were in school. So the members of the Parliament, lets import from this country that country, lets modernize our slaughter houses so that when animals are slaughtered, will pain less, animals will not suffer. In favor of this proposal, majority of them voted in favour of this proposal, that’s not Bharat. How kind were the leaders of this nation? The members of the Parliament were very kind to import some modern machinery so that while killing animals would suffer less so that’s very kind of them, they were very kind. So where is the Mahan Bharat? Searching for that Bharat, that spirit, Bharat, this is not tamaso ma jyotir gamaya, this is going back remain absorbed in darkness, stay ignorant.

So, ok who cares name may be this or that but so called Bharatiya his name is gopal krishna but eats beef, so there are some ‘mahatmanas tu mam partha’ (Bg 9.13) what makes great Indian great soul means mahatma because taking shelter of “daivim prakrtim bhajanty ananya-manaso” with unflinching faith he is worshipping and knows also “bhutadim avyayam” the Lord is source of all the, what is mahan? to take shelter of mahan Lord is mahan, I think we started there. So to be connected, be associated, be part of that mahan be servant of that mahan, friend of that mahan. So India is also mahan, Bharat mahan, Mahabharat, beacause of God centered, Krishna centred India. God centred, God’s thoughts, high thinking, simple living and high thinking and there’s more but I think we should stop somewhere here.

Mera Bharat mahan is a big topic, we are just taking some angles or some limited approach because time is limited and life is short, also miles to go before we sleep the woods are lovely dark and deep one western poet had to say, we have so much to do long way to go. So, mera Bharat mahan, Lord appears, Krishna Ram so many incarnations here in this part of the world, hum us desh ke vasi hai jaha Ganga behti hai Jamuna bhi behti hai and all the vedic texts the sages rishis, munis they did their experiments within their hearts and they have come to so many conclusions, they were scientists rishi munis were scientists.

So we should understand the Bharat, India and their talking to improve the Indian tourism and the visa on arrival, we already manage to go 22,000 visas they granted the westerners and they want, prime minister also talking that the westerners should be exposed to Indian culture and India’s ancient places like Varanasi, Mathura, there are 100’s and 1000’s of places here, they take way back into history, thousands of years they think 200 year old Los Angeles is very old, then they could visit so many places, hundreds and thousands of years old.

So, the attempt is being made so that westerners could also realize the value, the wealth of this great nation and this wealth its not Indians’ wealth, this is God’s, this is God in fact Krishna. Because of Him, Bharat mahan, when you take God consciousness Krishna consciousness out of India, so nothing that makes it, the rest is the waste. Even in India, India becomes like a waste, wastage, wasting life, wasting human form of life, the gratification, industrial civilization. So much science here Bhagvat Gita is a science and the great sages, munis they were scientists. There is also so much astronomy, astrology and all this are there part of vedic education and Lord Krishna went to school, Sandipani munis, he was learning, so many herbs ans sciences, that’s the science, science of self realization, that’s original science, science of soul, science of self. Ok I think we will stop here and if you have any thoughts, discussion points we could…

Question – Its shown on television about astrology, is astrology a science should we trust it?
Answer – I don’t know what exactly they show on the television, I never watch so I don’t but astrology is a scientific, even the sun eclipse the moon eclipse that is also part of the predictions, astrological calculations and there’s also bhavishya puran talks of the future of the world. The astrology science it exists but whether the present day astrologers are competent to understand the whole science and whether their predictions could be true or not true that could be a question. There’s nothing wrong with astrology science as such but the astrologers may not be qualified, competent or realised, so their predictions may or may not come true but there’s nothing that doesn’t make this astrology as science nothing wrong with that. Next year in December there will be winter and very cold this is my prediction, this is also part of the astrology because somethings are, there are cycles and they are repeated like that once in year or once in every age ‘harer nama harer nama harer namaiva kevalam kalau nasty eva nasty eva nasty eva gatir anyatha’ (CC Adi 7.76).

So this is everytime there is a age of kali, chanting is the way. Sukhdev Goswami, he was much more than astrologer, personality like Narada Muni, they know past and because they know past, they could also know the future, future depends on the past. So Sukhdev Goswami said ‘kaler dosa-nidhe rajann’ (SB 12.3.51) ok Parikshit, now the age of kali is about to begin ‘kirtanad eva krsnasya mukta-sangah param vrajet’ just by chanting Krishna’s name, one could become free from the bondage. Because he knows age of kali, the symptoms of agle of kali everytime the age of kali, same symptoms making things complicated and everytime this age of kali’s solution is chanting Hare Krishna. So Sukhdev Goswami becomes astrologer because he knows these are the symptoms of, before it was predicted, at the beginning of age of kali, he predicted, everything that was predicted has come true. He also spoke about Lord Buddha, appearance of Lord Budhha was talked about 5000 years ago when Sukhdev Goswami spoke he talked about the appearance of Budhha. So after he talked some 5000 years ago and Budhha appeared. So there’s a whole universal time table or schedule this happens this time, that happens this time. So, knowing history and the past, he could also say future.

So this is one aspect of astrology also and then basically as you sow so shall you reap, that is always the law of karma, so by knowing you did this, you did that, you did this in the past, you eat too much, there could be diarrhoea or indigestion, action and reaction, cause and effect. So they are related, cause and effect, this cause then this would be the outcome effect of this. So by knowing your past and action reaction, by knowing action, you could talk of reactions. Shastras also say “mamsa” means mam and sa there are two parties myself and yourself, if you kill me today, I’ll kill you tomorrow, this is the law of karma.

So, one lady with her daughter were sitting while I was flying from Moscow to Delhi and mataji elderly, so when it was time for dinner during the flight, airhost was going around and he asked swamiji, swamiji, what will you have? fish or chicken? you have a choice fish or chicken. Atleast in India, they would ask swamiji veg or non-veg but there was no choice, fish or chicken. So, ofcourse we don’t take any food cooked outside. So I was just sitting chanting and those the lady and the daughter, one had a fish other one enjoyed chicken, I was sitting and chanting swamiji was sitting. So when they enjoyed the meal and their belly was full with fish and chicken, the elderly lady wanted to take advantage and she extended her hand, swamiji bhavishya jante ho? (laughter) So, I was not very happy with them because shamelessly they ate fish and chicken just next to me sitting there and so I did not respond, I kept chanting but I was then thinking if she asks me again, I wanted to keep my answer ready and so that did not happen but my answer was you ate fish so in future you’ll become fish (laughter), the daughter had chicken, she would become chicken in next life.

So, I am not a big astrologer but this is if you eat me today, I’ll eat you tomorrow, by that law of karma cause an effect. Also, the future could be predicted but if you are chanting Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare and also clapping and if you approach some astrologer, he would not be able to do the calculation, they are going to go wrong because what was otherwise going to be your future, that is not going to be your future anymore because what happened? because you chanted Hare Krishna. All those future reactions and births that is natural, this action that reaction, in this life or the next but its not going to leave you alone.

As you sow so shall you reap, again the Bible says. Jaise bovoge waise paoge, so all the astrologies are kind of based on this principle. So now in the past, you could talk of the future but we the Krishna Conscious person, he changes his future Krishna says, ‘mam ekam saranam vraja’ (Bg 18.66) You take shelter of me and then He says, ‘aham tvam sarva papebhyo moksayisyami’, I will make you free from all the reactions which are waiting in the corner, tomorrow is the turn of some actions in the past will have its turn, its the reaction and then something that you did in the distant past day after tomorrow is that reaction and next week is that reaction, next year is that reaction, so all that future reactions which are in a waiting list action reaction this all Krishna says I’ll take care “aham tvam sarva papebhyo moksayisyami” I’ll take care I’ll neutralise and get rid of all those reactions and then only it is possible then prediction of such devotee its again astrology, ‘punar janma na vidyate’ (Bg. 8.16) he doesn’t take birth again and then he goes to Krishna, Krishna lok, goes back to home, back to Godhead. So there’s no reason for him, ok I think this is some kind of answer to your question. Should we stop here?