Encourage everybody to keep chanting and chant with attention. Attentive chanting or meditative chanting, offence less chanting Sravanam, kirtanam leads to smaranam. It helps us in remembering the Lord. We are chanting to remember the Lord’s pastimes. Each day could be an opportunity, a reason to remember different pastimes. If we remember what day it is then that also becomes a reason to remember different pastimes. What we have heard the day before can also help us remember different pastimes.

So today is Rukmini Dvadasi, appearance day of Rukmini Maharani. So naturally while chanting we remember form of Rukmini, pastimes of Rukmini, abode of Rukmini which is related to Dwarkadhish. As we hear and remember the consorts of the Lord we get attached to the Lord. We feel we should get the association of Sri Sri Rukmini Dwarkadhish and Vitthala Rukmini.

dhyayato visayan pumsah
sangas tesupajayate [BG 2.62]

When we contemplate on something we get attached to it. From the life of Rukmini we can understand as She heard about Dwarkadhish She got attached to Him. Sometimes we write, ‘How I came to Krsna Consciousness in Back To Godhead magazine. I also wrote. It is interesting to know how Rukmini became Krsna conscious. First of all we can remember Her birthplace, Rukmini was born in Kundinpur, Vidarbha Central India about 150 kms from Nagpur.

There lived king Bhīsmaka and She is daughter of Bhīsmaka so She was called Bhīsmaka kanya. She was born in Vidarbha so She is also called Vaidarbhi. Her complexion is golden so She is called Rukmini – rukma means gold. As she grew as a child in Kundinpur, there were many opportunities to hear about the Lord from saints visiting King Bhīsmaka. Those parivrajakacaryas had association of Dwarkadhish and they traveled to Kundinpur and shared the pastimes of Dwarkadhish with King Bhīsmaka. Rukmini would sit around and hear.

Sri Suka uvaca, Sukadev Goswami has narrated pastimes of Rukmini in the 10th canto from chapter 52 onwards as to how She was brought up in Kundinpur, how She was kidnapped by Lord Dwarkadhish. An interesting detail about Rukmini is She is Chandravali. Just like Radha becomes Satyabham in Dwarka.

Lailta becomes Jambavati and Vishaka becomes Kalindi. So the gopis become consorts of Dwarkadhish in Dwarka.

sopaśrutya mukundasya
 rūpa-vīrya-guṇa-śriyaḥ
gṛhāgatair gīyamānās
 taṁ mene sadṛśaṁ patim [SB 10.52.23]

Sukadev Goswami is narrating with great joy how Rukmini heard about the Lord who is described here as Mukunda about His Rupa, His pastimes, His qualities. Rukmini heard from those parivrajakacaryaa of Dwarka.

taṁ mene sadṛśaṁ patim

Her determination was that She would only marry Dwarkadhish. ‘I love you, Oh Lord!She had never seen or met Him. Just by hearing about Him She wanted to marry Him only. This could also happen to us. We could also come to such a conclusion that I will accept the Lord only as my husband. ‘My Lord and no one else and I will be chaste about it and I will not go to anyone else. Not to this Demigod or this person or that person nayti nayti mam yeti fixed on the Lord only. This is attentive chanting.

vyavasayatmika buddhir
ekeha kuru-nandana
bahu-sakha hy anantas ca
buddhayo ‘vyavasayinam [BG 2.41]

Fixed get determination only on Krsna and not on many branches, so cut of all those branches that’s called vyavasayatmika buddhi. So she got such buddhi by hearing about the Lord. Elder brother of Rukmini Rukmi was against Rukmini getting married to Krsna because he had proposed Krsna’s number one enemy Sisupala to be Her husband. So Rukmini sat down and wrote a love letter to the Lord. First thing She wrote Sukadev Gowami has narrated that letter in Bhagavatam it contains 7 sloks.

So first thing She mentions is,

rī-rukmiṇy uvāca
śrutvā guṇān bhuvana-sundara śṛṇvatāṁ te
nirviśya karṇa-vivarair harato ’ṅga-tāpam [SB 10. 52.37]

She admits and writes: ‘You are so sundar, You are so beautiful. I heard through ears and those sounds reached my heart and that has given me relief. My temperature has gone done. I was missing You, separation from You, but hearing about You I am pacified and it has made me happy.

You could read rest of the pastimes which run through different chapters. And you could also sometime visit the birth place of Rukmini. That’s also part of my preaching zone. We are happy we are serving Kaundinpur. Its also called as Kaundinyapur in Maharashtra. Today there is a big celebration, big birthday
party. We have 5 acres land and we are confident that it is where the kidnapping of Rukmini occurred and Balarama had also come. Our land is between the palace of Bhīsmaka and Ambikadevi. As you know She would go to pray to Ambikadevi so that She gets Lord Dwarkadhish as Her husband. We also find kadamba trees on our property. Nowhere else you will find kadamba trees in Vidarbha. So how did the kadamba tree grow there. We like to believe that when Dwarkadhish had come to kidnap Rukmini some flowers must have fell from the garland He was wearing. Now more and more trees are growing on our property. Nobody was planting them. Akrura Prabhu is taking care of that land he had showed me many tress growing there. So please come to Kaundinpur. Also we have Rukmini Dwarkadhish temple in Amravati. We are planning to build a big temple in Kaundinpur.

Rukmini Dwarkadhish ki jai
Kaundinpur dhama ki jai

I will chant today, I will chant now

Blessings to all the chanters! Today number has gone up, 572. Congratulations to all, especially to those additional numbers and be steady during chanting. Be with us steadily! And you all have to work also to add numbers. Tell your relatives, dear ones to connect with this conference. The name of this conference is ‘let us chant together’, so more the merrier! Will you be happy? Or only I will become happy if there are more devotees chanting.
I did see a big number of boys chanting together in ISKCON Jalgaon. Looks like they are having their summer camp. Udaipur is also having big number. So when I see that big number chanting together, I become happy. Krishna becomes happy for sure and then we also become happy, so let us chant together in a bigger number and every day, day after day.

We should be in present while chanting.

adyaivameva visato manasaraj hansah, this is the prayer of king Kulashekhar, ‘Oh Lord, let my mind enter or think of Your lotus feet, now!’ so he did not want to postpone his chanting or prayers to the Lord, or thinking of the lotus feet or form of the Lord; not that I will do that later on. Now and here! Some people think I will chant later on, I will chant tomorrow. So there was a person who had made a sign ‘from tomorrow I will chant’. So whenever he would get up in the morning, he would place that sign on the wall and the first thing he could read after getting up was ‘I will chant from tomorrow’. So everyday he would read from tomorrow I will chant, from tomorrow I will chant and that tomorrow has no end and he would never chant in that mood. He thinks, ‘I will chant later on, I will chant in future, I will chant when I will be old.’ Don’t do this. The prayer of Kulashekhar is “I will chant today, I will chant now.”

I am seeing some of you elderly folks are also chanting and I am happy that you are chanting. I was thinking that you should be praying, ‘Oh Lord! Now I don’t have a big future. I don’t know how long I am going to be around. Oh Lord, please bring me, please keep my mind on Your lotus feet now.’ But this is also illusion when youngsters think, ‘No, no, I have lot of time. The old folks, they should take it seriously.’ This is not right thinking either.
One time in a press conference, Prabhupada, to one of the press person, he asked this question, ‘Swamiji, people are supposed to be getting sannyasa at the advanced age, when they are towards 70. That is when they should be taking sannyasa. But you are giving sannyasa to young disciples. They are in their 20’s and 30’s and you are giving them sannyasa. This is not fair. When they will become old, they should be given sannyasa. So Prabhupada asked him, ‘how did you find the old age? Who do you think is old?’ So they said, ‘the person who is about to die is considered old. He could die any day, any month, in one of these years, he is old. So Prabhupada said, ‘is there any guarantee that my young disciples, they would not die one of these days or one of these weeks or months or next year? There is no guarantee. Is there any guarantee?’ They said, ‘yes, Swamiji, there is no guarantee.

They could also die any day in one of these years.’ So Prabhupada said, ‘so they are old, old enough to receive sannyasa.’ I am seeing that you are getting the message. So don’t postpone! We should have faith in present tense. Not in future, I will chant, I will become devotee. Who knows whether we are going to reach that future or we will stop reaching that future.  So old people, either they are in the past or they are in the future mentally and as a result they do not remain in the present. In Bhagavad-Gita in one shloka Lord says, either we are thinking of the past or lamenting for the past or we are hankering for something to achieve in future and in this thought process kind of contemplation, we do not remain in the present.

So chanting is the time to chant in the present. Now I am here, I am chanting, I want to chant. Now is the time, I want to take shelter of the Lord in the form of this Holy name.  Then as we chant and by chanting take shelter of the Holy name, and we are doing, mam ekam sharanam vraja (BG 18.66), then what does Lord do, aham tvam sarva papebhyo mokshayisyami ma sucah. So, whatever wrong doings we perform in the past and then reactions are awaiting us, so Krishna will stop those reactions from transpiring or taking place and as a result we have brighter future, Krishna conscious future, which we are aspiring for.

brahma-bhutah prasannatma
na socati na kanksati
samah sarvesu bhutesu
mad-bhaktim labhate param [BG 18.54]

na socati na kanksati, then we will become prasannatma, our atma will become prasanna,
samah sarvesu bhutesu madbhaktim labhate param

We will attain bhakti and with devotion we will perform all our activities, then no more lamentation of the past and no more mundane aspiration for the future.

So, the essence of Bhagavad Gita, or the final instructions of Bhagavad Gita or advice of Sri Krishna in Bhagavad Gita is to take shelter of Me, mam ekam saranam vraja or sarva dharman parityajya is also there. Not by karma, not by yoga, not by jnana, but only by chanting, that’s why mam ekam saranam vraja. We do this. We follow that instruction, final instruction of Bhagavad Gita, as we chant Hare Krishna. We did sarva dharman parityajya, not karmakanda dharma, jnana dharma, yoga dharma, but harer nama kevalam, mam ekam saranam vraja, we did that as we chant Hare Krishna. And then as a result, we already said, aham tvam sarva papebhyo moksayisyami ma sucah, Lord makes us mukta, liberation, Lord makes us bhakta, we become bhakta as we are chanting His Holy Name and not to worry, not to lament for the sins we had performed, the wrong doings we did.
I was remembering the prayers of queen Kunti also, some of the prayers of queen Kunti, this morning as we were chanting. Specialty of those prayers is she had offered these prayers in personal presence of the Lord. She was face to face with the Lord. They both were in Hastinapur and Lord was sitting on the chariot and this was after Kurukshetra battle and Krishna was now ready to leave for Dwaraka and  Kunti has come forward and as she is seeing Lord sited on the chariot and she was praying. There is no time to share all those prayers, but I will share some.

namah pankaj nabhaya namah pankaj netraya
namah pankaj maline namaste pankajangraye (SB 1.8.22)

You have heard this prayer. So as if why there is no ifs and buts, but in fact, she is seeing the Lord and then she is informing us, broadcasting to all of us as we were not present there.  She is seeing face and eyes of the Lord, Oh! namah pankaj netray, Oh lotus eyed Lord and she is seeing the garland around His neck, namah pankaj maline, Oh Lord You are wearing garland of lotus flowers.

That famous prayer is also there,
krsnaya vasudevaya devaki dandanaya ca
nandagopa kumaraya govindaya namo namah (1.8.21)

This is one of the prayers of queen Kunti. Towards the end she is also saying gangevaugham udanvantih ratim, so my thoughts that my devotion, let it flow towards You like a Ganges’ flow, like Ganges flow constantly day and night without interruption so let me devote myself unto You like that without interruption.

srnvati gayanti grinanty abhiksnasah smaranti nandanti tavehitam janah

She is encouraging, as we are in this chanting conference, srnvanti gayanti, we should do hearing, chanting, remembrance, take get pleasure in doing this. Pasyanti acirena tavakam bhava pravahoparamam padambujam, and she is also giving guarantee, okay, I am seeing Krishna is in front of me, I am seeing His lotus feet, but you could also, you will  also become eligible, qualified to see these lotus feet which I am seeing if you will do srnvanti gayanti grnanty. If you will be chanting, hearing, remembering, you would also see these lotus feet of the Lord. And of course, she is adding bhava pravahoparamam, otherwise we are floating, going down the drain with the flow. This world is sansar sagar (material ocean) or sansar pravah, so this could be stopped, come ashore, come to Lord. Stop this going round and round and up and down, stop bhava pravahoparamam. Lord Vitthal, Panduranga, by placing His lotus hands on His hips, He is also giving indication, hinting at all those who come for His darshan, that water here is not that deep. You have come for My darshan, how deep is the water? Only waist deep! You could see, you have crossed this ocean and stopped the flow of going up and down and round and round. You have come to Me, now you have been saved, rescued, ma sucah, do not fear.

Panduranga! Panduranga!
So keep chanting, chant and be happy!
Hare Krishna

Keep serving the Lord under all circumstances.

Hari Bol to all the chanters! Today we have 554 chanters, not yet reached 600! So work towards the goal. Jai Sitai I just heard the announcement that today is appearance day of Sita Maharani. Jai Sitai! Today is Sita Navami. We pray unto Sita’s lotus feet that She should engage us in the service of Her Lord Sri Rama! Radha is Sita. Radharani expands and becomes Gopi and Radha further expands and becomes queens of Lord Krishna in Dwaraka. Radha further expands and becomes Laxmi. Radha further expands and Sita is Laxmi of Sri Rama. So like that, these are all Radha’s expansions.

So, Krishna also expands and becomes Rama, Radha also expands and She becomes Sita. So we are chanting Sita’s name everyday as we chant Hare Krishna. When we say Hare we say Sita or Sitai. Chanting of Hare Krishna,

namnamakari bahudha nijasarva shaktis (Siksastakam Sholka2)

Chaitanya Mahaprabhu has said that there are so many shaktis, energies and Radha is one name of that shakti and Rukmini is another name of that shakti and Laxmi is yet another name and Sita is yet another name of that shakti. These are big shaktis, otherwise there are so many other shaktis, ultimately, we all living entities are shaktis. So especially Radha and Sita are His energies. They are Him, Krishna only, He has expanded in form of all these shaktis and have their names.

Like that Hare Krishna mantra is called mahamantra, the greatest mantra for or of deliverance. As we chant Hare Krishna, we are chanting or that chanting includes the names of all other incarnations and Alhadini shakti and spiritual potencies or pleasure giving potencies like Sita also. Rama Sita is included in this mantra, that’s why it is mahamantra.

We know as Radha serves Krishna in Vrindavan, Sita serves Rama in Ayodhya. Sita is so much attached to the association of Sri Rama and attached to the service of the lotus feet of Sri Rama. We could also say that She choose navami as a tithi for Her appearance as Rama also appeared on navami. So Rama navami and today is Sita navami. As in case of Sri Krishna also Krishna appeared on ashtami and so did Radha appeared on ashtami. We have Krishna ashtami and Radha ashtami, Rama navami and Sita navami.

Lord Rama accepted Sita as concert by garlanding in that Sita svayamvar. So many ladies those were watching Rama accepting Sita. They were happy, Rama was accepting Sita, but they were also not happy thinking, ‘only Sita? Why not us? When would He accept us also, make us His wife? Could we also be wives of Sri Rama?’ These were the thoughts of those ladies around, during Sita’s svayamvar. Of course that avatar, Sri Rama, He was going to take vow of ‘eka patni’, Rama is known for eka patni, only one wife. So He did not accept other; He read their minds, but He was not going to do that. Lord was setting another example for grihasthas, ‘one life one wife’.

So, Lord very kindly accepted these Avadha naris or Mithilavasi ladies as gopis in Vrindavan in Krishna lila. So there is one category, there are different kinds known by different names, different sets of gopis, one is Mithilavasini gopis from Mithila or Avadhadesh, all those who wanted to be Rama’s wives or accepted Rama as their beloved. Lord fulfilled that desire as He appeared as Sri Krishna in Vrindavan and they were Mithilavasini gopis.

So, as we chant Hare Krishna, this chanting is a prayer; we also pray at the lotus feet of Sita and Rama, They may accept us as servant at Their lotus feet. He has accepted so many, as Bhakti Vinod Thakur says, Lord You have delivered even demons. Why not me? Why are you leaving me behind, Oh! Lord please deliver me, accept me also into that universe, into that abode, into that world.’ So that should be our prayer while chanting our japa. This is one prayer.

And there is also prayer which says, I could say without doubt that without mercy of Radharani one cannot get Sri Krishna. So without mercy of Sita we cannot get Sri Rama. We need Sita’s recommendation. And we can extend that and say that without the mercy of our previous acaryas, without the mercy of guru-parampara, without the mercy of spiritual master, we cannot get or achieve Sri Krishna or Sri Rama. Jai Sitai!

Within few days there is appearance day of Rukmini also coming, on 16th in India, celebration of Rukmini appearance day. So Lord left for the forest. Sita could not stay behind and She followed Sri Rama everywhere. And that forest life, Sita was also forest dweller with Sri Rama and Laxman was also there. So, in that austere condition She kept serving Sri Rama. So this is the topmost example, how Lord should be served, Sita is the topmost devotee of Lord Sri Rama. No matter what She had to face or go through, She maintained Her determination, kept serving Lord under all circumstances. We could also follow that example, that we could also serve even in adverse situation or anti Krishna conscious elements or factors or situation which try to cause disturbance or distraction, we should push through, stick to our service as did Sita.

We know how Ravan was torturing Sita, not himself but through other agents or demonesses, he had appointed them, so that She would give up this Rama. ‘Who is this creature Rama?’, he would say. He would insult Sri Rama, trying to get Sita to accept him, Ravan. And he was trying and trying day in and day out. But there was no way that Sita would change Her mind and would give up Rama for Ravan, give up Lord for Maya, this mayavi Ravan. He was representing Maya and he was going to provide some lust, kama, as he was full of lusty desires. And other side, Rama providing love, prema, full of loving dealings. So Sita was in between, but She was not allured, not for a second. And She stucked to Rama consciousness, praying to Rama, wanting reunion with Rama, keep Ravan out.

So we are also caught in between. Of course Sita is not marginal energy like us. Sita is eternal potency of the Lord; we are marginal energy of the Lord. So certainly we are in between, Krishna at one side and Maya at another side. And Maya is in so many forms, there is Ravan, that time there was one Ravan, but so many Ravans around us now, they eternally exist. Ravan is a mentality, Ravan is representative of Maya. So those Maya’s representatives, Ravans are around us at one side and at other side we have Sri Rama, we have Sri Krishna, and that whole world. And choice is yours, choice is ours, but we know what did Sita chose and that should be our choice or we should pray to Sita that we make the right choice. Neti, neti, not this, not this, this is Maya, this is Ravan, this is lust, this is anartha, Oh this side this is Krishna,, Krishna’s name, Krishna’s qualities, Krishna’s abode, Krishna’s devotees, Krishna’s service, Krishna’s prasad. So we have to say no to Maya or no to Ravan and yes to Rama, yes to Krishna, yes to Krishna’s pastimes, devotees, like that.

So when Hanuman had come to Lanka and met Sita, and towards the end proposed, let us go where there is Rama. How to go? He proposed that he could carry, Sita would sit on his shoulders and he would take off and would drop Her off wherever Sri Rama is. But Sita did not approve that proposal. She said, ‘no, no, I could only touch Sri Rama. You are another person, another man.’ This is Sita’s chastity. ‘No I can’t touch your shoulders. You bring Rama here. Let Him accept me. Let Him show His prowess to gain me, back again.’ So that is what Rama and Hanuman did and finally the battle of Sri Lanka, Ravan was killed and finally there was reunion after long separation, reunion between Rama and Sita. But before Rama would accept Sita, She had to undergo scrutiny, She had to go through the fire and if She is pure, unadulterated, not touched by Ravan, not touched by illusory thoughts of enjoying something else or someone else other than Sri Rama then She would be in tact in the fire, fire would not touch Her, burn Her. So She had put through this test and She passed the test. She came out clean, untouched by the fire and then there was great union between Sita and Sri Rama.

Jai Sitarani Mahotsav ki Jai!

During the day, read Ramayan. You could also read, Shukadeva also done recitation of Ramayan in two chapters of ninth canto of Bhagavatam, I think chapter 10th and 11th. So you could read that summary. Summary of Ramayan is there, pastimes of Sita and Rama are there.

Jai Sitai! Jai Sri Rama! Jai Sri Harinama! Harinama prabhu ki Jai!

Hare Krsna

Blessings to all the chanters! You had been seeking blessings – please bless my family, bless my son. So I am blessing you all. My blessings are there. The whole parampara is blessing you. It’s Sunday so it’s understandable that the number is 508. This is the trend. We go low on Sundays. However whatever talk I give you should not be missed. Some days we have gone up to 580 also and then all the way down to 508. We are fluctuating, but it is good to remember that our target by the end of this month is to cross and be steady with 600. This is responsibility of all of you participants to see how to achieve this goal of 600 by end of this month.

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

The merging of the living entity, along with his conditional living tendency, with the mystic lying down of the Mahā-Viṣṇu is called the winding up of the cosmic manifestation. Liberation is the permanent situation of the form of the living entity after he gives up the changeable gross and subtle material bodies. (SB2.10.6)

Giving up all varieties of bodies and forms ultimately we have to situate ourselves in sva-rupena vyavasthitih. Situate in our own svarupa and that is our self the spirit.

atah sri-krsna-namadi na bhaved grahyam indriyaih
sevonmukhe hi jihvadau svayam eva sphuraty adah.

“No one can understand the transcendental nature of the name, form, quality and pastimes of Sri Krsna through his materially contaminated senses. Only when one becomes spiritually saturated by transcendental service to the Lord are the transcendental name, form, quality and pastimes of the Lord revealed to him.” (Padma Purana)

The full Lord can’t be experienced using our blunt material senses. atah sri-krsna-namadi –rupa, guna, lila adi can’t be realized.

Sevanmukhe jiva – we have begin somewhere. Begin using your tongue to realize the Lord. Of course you could also honor prasada. That’s nice but you could also use your tongue to chant Hare Krsna or other glories of Lord could be chanted with the help of the tongue. As we chant and chant the glories of the holy name or chant the holy names with the tongue in this age of kali, you will be purified.

The Lord will reveal Himself unto you, the chanter. So in our existence there is something called antahkaran. That refers to antah(internal or inside) and karan (upakaran – subtle body, mind, intelligence, false ego). Some cetana, some sort of consciousness or realisation that I am living, that I exist. As there is antahkaran there is also bahyakaran, the external senses. There are five knowledge acquiring senses. These are also upakaran which are external in our gross body. Of course we are not certainly anthakaran. Either as we hear we are not this body does not mean “ I am not this body!” So we are not this gross body consisting of external senses bahyakaran. Neither are we anthakaran. We are not mind, body, intelligence, false go. We are not that either.

As it is said in Bhagavad- Gita [5.8-9]

naiva kiñcit karomīti
yukto manyeta tattva-vit
paśyañ śṛṇvan spṛśañ jighrann
aśnan gacchan svapañ śvasan

pralapan visṛjan gṛhṇann
unmiṣan nimiṣann api
indriyāṇīndriyārtheṣu
vartanta iti dhārayan

While we do different activities with this body, breathing in and out, eating, walking, talking, sleeping. Lord Krsna has given a small list there. Krsna says that the soul does not take part in it. It’s not the soul doing all this – you sleeping,talking. whatever you are doing – the eternal body or the subtle body.

Bhagavatam explains many things the hunger and the thirst is because of the praan in us. This is part of the subtle body. Because of praan one feels hungry or thirsty. It’s not the soul that’s hungry and thirsty. It’s the body that is hungry or thirsty. It’s the praan that experiences hunger and thirst, not the soul.

We of course identify ourselves with this body and we think I am this body. This is illusion. The bigger illusion, more subtle illusion is caused by the subtle body. We identify more with the subtle body than the eternal body.

hitvānyathā rūpaṁ
sva-rūpeṇa vyavasthitiḥ

This is how mukti or liberation is defined. We have given up so many bodies and now we are in this body. But jivan mukta sa ucyate while you are still in this body, while your soul is still on this body jivan mukta you are mukta. Some souls attain such level while residing in this world and residing in this body. They are jivan mukta, they are free. They do not identify with the gross body. As we hear from Jad Bharat while he was talking with King Rahugan. His self realisation is very clear. Our goal while chanting is try to attain this svarupena – situating our self in our real self. Situating our self in our real self is completed when we keep ourselves at the lotus Feet of the Lord. In the good old days people would enquire “Svastha ho?” How are you? They thought differently. Nowadays we think differently. We think of the body and the health of the body. But knowledgeable people in the ancient days when they asked “Svastha ho?’ they asked – tha means situation like there is grhastha, gramastha stationed in the house, the village. Stha are you situated in yourself? In other words how’s yourself. IS it properly situated at the lotus Feet of Lord or in relationship with Lord? How’s your situation? Svastha ho? Are you properly situated in relationship with the Lord. So while chanting the holy names of the Lord while we are chanting our goal is to become svastha healthy, properly situated sva-rupena vyavasthitih.

Situated in our self in our ultimate svarupa. we should situate ourselves in the ultimate relation that we have with the Lord. I was thinking while chanting today that we should be paying attention. We are chanting. I am chanting, but who am I? I am a soul. My soul is chanting and not just my throat or my tongue. In my mind there are some thoughts of chanting. Some of this is gross and some of it is subtle but ultimately spiritual chanting is that the soul is chanting. Not my tongue, body or anthakaran but the core, my soul is chanting.

Why do we say I think you or congratulate you from the bottom of my heart. That’s the place where the soul is. May be antahkaran is at some other place of the heart,but the core of my heart or bottom of my heart that is myself. I am saying this from the soul. You require full attention in order to achieve that goal.

One has to be fully attentive while chanting. Our intelligence in this case, our spiritual intelligence is in action. It is discriminating making sure who is chanting.

Is this body chanting or the throat or am I chanting? NO! I want my soul to chant. Not this! Not this! Yes, this one! This is the soul chanting. I want my soul to chant. I am chanting means my soul is chanting. So in that state of spiritual mind or spiritual intelligence action then the soul will be the chanter who is now chanting with attention, devotion and longing. He will connect with the Lord in form of the holy name. Atma and Parmatma. The Lord in the form of the holy name are connected to bhakti or devotion. That is Japa-yoga. In that state there is no one or nothing in between the soul and the supreme soul in the form of the holy name.

You are fully linked. That is samadhi. This is mantra meditation. That’s the trance which you have transcended all other realm or elements parties. You are beyond this material existence and on spiritual plane with Krsna. I want you to chant more, contemplate on whatever is presented. Keep doing different activities. Share Hare Krsna with others. We can’t be selfish now. Think – I have Krsna and let
me share Him with others.

Hare Krishna!

jaya sri-krishna-chaitanya
prabhu nityananda
sri-adwaita gadadhara
shrivasadi-gaura-bhakta-vrinda

I offer my respectful obeisances unto Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, Lord Nityananda, Sri Advaita, Gadadhara Pandit, Srivasa Thakur, and all the devotees of Lord Chaitanya.

We want to hear the spiritual sounds, the truth because we are surrounded by untruth and falsity. We are surrounded by falsities and we need to reach out at the real sound and select “not this, not this, this one.” This is the truth that I want to hear then we will become free from illusion

satyaṁ paraṁ dhīmahi(SB 1.1.1)

-the supreme ultimate reality of the Lord. This subject matter is presented by one of the Navayogendras, called Hari. He is talking about the different gradations or kinds of devotees or bhagavats. They are described elsewhere in Bhakti Rasamrita Sindhu.

kaniṣṭha-adhikārī, madhyama-adhikārī and uttama-adhikārī. Briefly the symptoms of those three categories of devotees are explained here.

King Nimi asks, please explain me the symptoms of different categories of devotees. What are the qualities of a devotees; how do they act, behave or feel? By understanding the symptoms belonging to each of the levels, we can then understand on which one we are. Am I a kaniṣṭha-adhikārī, 3rd class or a little more evolved – at the madhyama-adhikārī level or Am I a top-notch devotee evolved at the top level? Am I a first-class devotee (uttama-adhikārī)?

Of course, our goal is to become uttama-adhikārī, and he is only eligible as the first class to go back to Krishna and enjoy the past times of Krishna. There is a good chance that many of us are at the lower level of kaniṣṭha-adhikārī, and we need to be honest because honesty is the best policy.

Srila Prabhupada used to say that we should expect at least to come to the level of 2nd class devotee, not to remain at the 3rd level. The goal is to become a first-class devotee of the Lord. I was thinking we will talk of uttama-adhikārī and understand the symptoms of the different levels every day and also to discuss how when somebody is stuck, can become free.

Sarva-bhutesu means all living entities. It is not that God is not situated in the cat’s heart or dog’s heart. A pure devotee sees everyone and everything in relation to the Lord. This is his speciality – everyone is part and parcel of the Lord and then he loves them because they are related to Krishna and he is kind to all of them. He is the pandit who is fully knowledgeable and is a bhagavat. When he looks around, he sees everyone as souls, not just human beings and these belong to the Super soul or Supreme soul. He does not see the bodies, he sees the souls within these bodies. He loves and cares for them just because they are attached to Krishna. And he is kind to all others.

mātṛvat para-dāreṣu para-dravyeṣu loṣṭravat
ātmavat sarva-bhūteṣu yaḥ paśyati sa paṇḍitaḥ
(Chāṇakya-śloka -10)

One who sees that is a real pandit. As its said in Bhagavad Gita,

vidyā-vinaya-sampanne
brāhmaṇe gavi hastini
śuni caiva śvapāke ca
paṇḍitāḥ sama-darśinaḥ
(BG 5.18)

When he looks around, he sees everyone as souls. Not only humans have souls but everyone has souls. They are not the body they are souls and that soul belongs to the Super soul. He does not see the body but the soul in the body. He also loves and cares for them also.

There used to be one Italian Saint Francis, the patron saint of the environment and animals because he loved all creatures and allegedly preached to even the birds. He would address the tree as “sister tree and brother moon, or sister hen.” That was his vision and that was his understanding.

An uttama-adhikārī, is free from the dual nature and is pervasively beyond the bodily concept and he is fixed in the soul – this soul is in a black body, American, Christian, or this Congress party. He transcends these conditionings and relates with the soul directly.

Chaitanya Mahaprabhu acted like an acarya and in the Jharkhand forest, He made all the souls chant and dance. In the Chaitanya charitamrita theamazing pastimes of the Lord in that jungle is described:

“When the Lord passed through the jungle in great ecstasy, pack of tigers, elephants, rhinoceros and boars came, and the Lord passed right through them. Balabhadra Bhattacharya was very much afraid to see them, but by Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu’s influence, all the animals stood to one side. One day a tiger was lying on the path, and Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, walking along the path in ecstatic love, touched the tiger with His feet. The Lord said, ‘Chant the holy name of Krishna!” The tiger immediately got up and began to dance and chant, ‘Krishna! Krishna!’

All the animals and birds in the sky revived their spirits and consciousness. He revised their spirits and they all began acting like souls. The deer and the tiger were next to each other and the Lord saw them embracing each other, even kissing each other! Chaitanya Mahaprabhu started saying that “this is Vrindavan” where there is no envy, fear or competition. In this forest all the souls were absorbed in chanting and dancing and here the power of the holy name was exhibited.

Srila Prabhupada warned us that we should not go into the forest and get the snakes to chant and dance but if we can get people of this age of Kali, with animalistic characteristic to chant then we would have achieved our goal to make people spiritual.

If we could not look at these bodies as western, American, man or women, that kind of discrimination. He spread Krishna Consciousness all over the world whether the people were poor Magolians, rich Americans, even a dog, a child – transcending all the body designation, beyond the body seeing all as souls without designation. He made the whole world chant. The maha bhagavat sees everyone as souls, and part and parcels of Krishna. He exhibits kindness and compassion to everyone with the intention to uplift and, sees everything that exists, as Gods property and the Lord as the enjoyer. Whatever realisations, wealth, laxmi, property, land or building he has is all seen as the Lord’s and therefore engages them in the service of the Lord. He sees everything as belonging to the Lord and offers these things in the service to the Lord. He believes that no man is an actual proprietor and that the proprietor is God.

isavasyam idam sarvam
yat kinca jagatyam jagat
tena tyaktena bhunjitha
ma grdhah kasya svid dhanam

“Everything animate or inanimate that is within the universe is controlled and owned by the Lord. One should therefore accept only those things necessary for himself, which are set aside as his quota, and one should not accept other things, knowing well to whom they belong.” (Iso. 1)

The pure devotee or first-class devotee knows that Krishna claims proprietorship over all forms—including American forms, African forms, cat forms, dog forms, tree forms, etc.—for in actuality He is the proprietor and the Supreme Father.

One who is transcendentally realized is equally disposed to every living entity. Thus, Bhagavad-Gita points out that when one sees everyone equally, as part and parcel of the Supreme Lord, one actually begins his devotional service.

The first-class devotee understands that God is our father and “I am not the only son of the Lord. The Lord has many sons and daughters.” If someone claims it as his property – he is a thief – if you claim that it is yours, then you are a thief. The Mahabhagavad says “ no, no my Lord, you are the proprietor.”

Bhakti Vinod Thakur says “my mind, my body my my…, I offer this to You and engage this at your service. I surrender this to You.”

The subject matter of the uttama-adhikārī is deep and vast. The SrimadBhagavatam describes many such uttama-adhikārī personalities. We should study their lives and try to imbibe their spirit within us, and follow in their footsteps.

svayambhur naradah sambhuh
kumarah kapilo manuh
prahlado janako bhismo
balir vaiyasakir vayam (SB 6.3.20-21)

Lord Brahma, Bhagavan Narada, Lord Shiva, the four Kumaras, Lord Kapila [the son of Devahuti], Svayambhuva Manu, Prahlada Maharaja, Janaka Maharaja, Grandfather Bhisma, Bali Maharaja, Sukadeva Gosvami and I (Yama) myself know the real religious principle. My dear servants, this transcendental religious principle, which is known as bhagavata-dharma, or surrender unto the Supreme Lord and love for Him, is uncontaminated by the material modes of nature. It is very confidential and difficult for ordinary human beings to understand, but if by chance one fortunately understands it, he is immediately liberated, and thus he returns home, back to Godhead.

In our lifetime we experienced and encountered Srila Prabhupada – we had the wonderful opportunity to have him, and you should read and study Srila Prabhupada Lila Amrita and become familiar with the characteristics of Srila Prabhupada. In him, we saw and experienced a Maha bhagavat in action. He would say that we are maha bhagavats in the making and we all have to become maha bhagavats.

Hare Krishna!

Devotional Services: Relieves is from material existence.

As we keep on chanting, we will develop more and more taste, more and more detached from worldly activities worldly affairs worldly wanderings.

bhaktiḥ pareśānubhavo viraktir anyatra ca[SB 11.2.42]

This is a philosophical statement from Bhagavatam, Srila Prabhupada always quoted this. that says bhaktiḥ pareśānubhavo

As we perform devotional service and experience Param Isha-Parmeshwar, and the first symptom or outcome or result or experience of practicing bhakti or in this case practicing of chanting Hare Krishna is ‘virakti anyatraca’ that you develop virag, virakti, vairagya, detachment, detest from all that is worldly. In fact, the same Bhagavatam statement from 11 canto chapter 2 text no 42, says trika eka-kālaḥ, means three things happen simultaneously, instantly as one chants Hare Krishna or performs devotional service. So, what are those three outcomes or experiences as outcome of devotional service? That Bhagvatam says, gives example of someone eating rice or wheat, what happens as we eat.

yathāśnataḥ syustuṣṭiḥ puṣṭiḥ kṣud-apāyo ’nu-ghāsam

[SB 11.2.42]

anughasam [laughs] anu means as we eat one mouthful after another and another, then that gives us tushtih, you feel satisfied, manashyanti you become peaceful, self-satisfaction as you eat mouthful of food. As we performing devotional service, we stay busy performing Bhakti and in this case chanting Hare Krishna, who is satisfied? Soul is satisfied. Soul is satisfied. One becomes atarama, one gets arama [relived] as one chants. Pustih, we get nourished and we enhance our health. We revive and thrive in fact as we eat food that could happen to our body. We thrive, we are nourished, we get supplemented. We will gradually become mahatma, we are atma we will always remain atma but as we perform devotional service, as we chant, as we are nourished, we become mahatma bigger and bigger mahatma and size or health of atma is improved, so you become bigger and better atma.

Third thing is, kṣud-apāyo, that you become free from hunger; you are relived from hunger with every mouthful. You are so much hungry when you start taking meal and you took few morsels of mouthful you become free from some hunger, relieved from hunger. And if you eat more, more relieved and you eat more anughasam, you become free, and ultimately your hunger and thirst is fully quenched.

So, like this, as we serve Krishna more and more that’s the anubhava,

bhaktiḥ pareśānubhavo viraktir anyatra ca

As we perform devotional service, our anubhav, experience, realization is that we are relieved from this material existence. The influence of this material existence doesn’t act or work on us or acts less and less and less. And final point, we are fully relived, and we develop detachment. So, a person has made progress, how much progress he has made, so how do we measure? That measure is done by seeing how much vairagya or virakti he has developed. So, what is a criterion to measure? It’s the degree of detachment from worldly things. So, we should cultivate this vairagya.

vasudeve bhagavati bhakti-yogah prayojitah

janyayaty asu vairagyam jnanam ca yad ahaitukam

[SB 1.2.7]

This is another siddhanta that we understand from Bhagavatam is, as as one performs devotional service, Vasudeve unto Vasudev, Janyayaty- that bhakti will produce janayayaty , asu- quickly bhakti will produce jnanam and vairagyam, knowledge and vairagya- detachment. So, knowledge and detachment would be two products or outcomes of devotional service. As we become detached, we keep going higher speedily or going forward with speed, otherwise the strings attached, the attachments slow us down. The attachments bind us and we may get stuck at whatever level of devotion, devotional level we are. Attachment doesn’t allow us to move forward.

One interesting example given by Srila Prabhupada, if you do not develop detachment or strings attached if we don’t get rid of them, then you would not reach your destination. Example of marriage party that was crossing river Ganga to go to other side of the river for a marriage. So, everyone was sitting in the boat and boatman was rowing the boat all night long. So, by next dawn, he was expecting to reach final destination as he was looking around how far we have come. But he was surprised to see that boat has not yet started the journey. So, everyone was wondering what happened? And of course, the big blunder was he did not even remove the anchor, boats are usually anchored, tied up to a pole or pillar. So, he had not done so as a result the boat remained there at the same place where everyone had boarded the boat night before. So, we have to look around us whether any of such, or how many strings are around us that are binding us. As Krishna says,

asa-pasa-satair baddhah [BG 16.12]

We are bounded with asa- desires, pasa-ropes, so many desires. Each desire is like one rope that is dragging us, pooling us here and there shopping, cinema this and that. Dragged and pooled and pushed, here and there and that is how they keep making rounds in this world. So, talking about boat and the journey. Bhagavatam also says that this human form of life is like a boat, we are sitting in the boat and spiritual master is boatman and instructions of the shastras are favorable wind and we have decided the destination and we will keep making progress and make sure we are in boat and we have captain and we are following and keeping eye on what is anukul [favorable] and what is pratikul [unfavorable] what is favorable or what is unfavorable for all devotional service and how to move forward .

So, these guidelines or instructions hopefully give you inspiration and guide yourself through in the act of chanting also. Because you have to contemplate, meditate and make up your mind, making your intelligence sharper and sharper. Intelligence will keep an eye on chanting or during chanting. And intelligence will make discrimination for you. Intelligence will discriminate and say no don’t do that, do this is right thing to do, what is favorable and what is not favorable, or do this don’t do this. These guidelines, these tips should be used by you.

Wish you all success, success in bhakti and chanting.

Hare Krsna

I am very pleased to see you chanting. I am not hearing you but at least I can see you chanting. You are all my family and i am happy to see all family members chanting. I can’t say it’s my family; its Prabhupad’s family appropriate to say Krishna’s family. Srila Prabhupada used to address his disciple as my spiritual sons and daughters also he used to write in his letters my spiritual sons. So, it’s kind of family spirit my children.

When i see more and more members joining this conference, chanting and as its said ‘seeing is believing’ when I see you chanting, I am happy. I was pleased yesterday something else gave me pleasure yesterday. And that was darshan of so many deities smeared with chandan in chandan yatra. I had darshan of Radha Govind Dev in Noida also another Radha Govind in Beed, Radha Damodar in Solapur and many more deities around the world mostly from India, that was from my preaching zone. And i was amazed to see those deities and that was very satisfying.

You are also welcomed, i think these days next 21 days beginning from yesterday, Akshay Tritiya there will be such darshan available. Thanks to the internet. So, you could also take those darshan. Lord is very kind that He appears in this world for our sake in the form of deities. Our understanding is not,

arcasiladhir gurusu naramati vaisnave jati budhi (Padma Purāṇa)

Oh! The Deity is just a rock and Guru just ordinary person and vaisnavas belong to certain caste this is not our understanding. During this month we have opportunity to serve our family deities, temple deities by taking part in this chandan yatra festival. Mother Yashoda also does this chandan yatra, maybe she does it every single day in Gokul or Goloka. The feelings, emotions of Yashoda were associated with this chandan yatra festival. She wanted Krishna to carry an umbrella so that umbrella would protect Him from sun. This is one favorite pastime that we keep hearing but then Krishna refuses- no umbrella for Me. Krishna says how could I carry umbrella for Myself when My cows have no umbrella or shelter. Krishna is expressing His affection or love for the cows.

Yashoda wants to take care of her Krishna but Krishna wants to take care of His cows. Krishna goes out in the forest without any umbrella. Yashoda could imagine the heat of the sun in the midday, so she wants to smear Krishna’s body with chandan so that it would create a cooling effect which is a property of chandan (sandalwood). So Yashoda doesn’t think that verse from Bhagavad Gita,

“nainam chindanti sastrani nainam dahati pavakah
na cainam kledayanty apo na sosayati marutah” [BG 2.23]

That the hot wind cannot dry up the soul. We also know from another pastime there was a forest fire one day and all Krishna’s friends and cows were caught in the fire they are about to be burnt in the fire. All the friends shouted “help help” they all turned to Krishna. They were crying for help. Then Krishna thought for a while to get an idea what to do? How to help?

nimīlayata mā bhaiṣṭa locanānīty abhāṣata [SB 10.19.11]

He said you all close your eyes and do not fear. And while they all had close their eyes Krishna swallowed the fire. Okay open your eyes and they had opened their eyes and they were surprised and pleased to see there was no fire. So, what Krishna had done when everyone had closed their eyes? Instructed fire “You rascal come in here is your position within My mouth’

Vedas utter this statement, mukhad agnir ajayata

“From the mouth of the Lord fire emanates.” Mouth of the Lord is source of fire. Lord instructed to the fire come in come in the mouth and nothing had happened to the body of Lord. Lips were not burned no rash. That is the form of the Lord not affected by fire, heat, weapon cannot cut. That’s the form of Lord.

Antaranga shakti of the Lord yogmaya keeps Yashoda like personalities kind of ignorant of these facts. What kind of body Lord has and they says no no He is just my son. He is my kid I have to take care of Him. I have to protect Him from sun. So, she smears His body by chandan, so these are feelings, emotions, bhava (vatsalya) of Yashoda. So this chandan yatra is opportunity for all of us to take part in and to review our emotions, devotions, bhava like Yashoda. That becomes Raganuga bhakti, we follow the footsteps of Yashoda the way she serves kind of feelings emotions bhava. Or keeping this example of Yashoda in our mind.

This way we get to serve Krishna directly. By serving the deity form of Lord who is Lord Himself in that form archa-vigraha avtara we are serving Lord directly. And when we serve the Lord we are also serving ourselves as we are serving the Lord. We are serving the Lord to please Him but while attempting to do that serving the Lord we are also served. Our soul is served, our soul is taken care of and our soul is also pleased.

It is also explained by imagining standing in front of mirror if you are decorating your body specially ladies like to spend hours to do makeup of our bodies. Then what happens that person in the mirror is also getting decorated. You are serving decorating your body simultaneously body in the mirror gets served gets decorated gets the makeup. This is one scene now you are in front of deity and you are smearing the Lord with chandan, bathing the Lord, dressing the Lord. So that form is the real form and our body is like body in the mirror you had been seeing. So, when we are serving the lord its reflection, we are kind of reflection that is also getting served.

So, as we serve the Lord we develop all the good qualities, devotional qualities, our personality is developed we begin looking beautiful. As we serve the Lord we develop good qualities and the qualities are described in Bhagavatam as,

titikṣavaḥ kāruṇikāḥ
uhṛdaḥ sarva-dehinām
ajāta-śatravaḥ śāntāḥ
sādhavaḥ sādhu-bhūṣaṇāḥ [SB 3.25.21]

You become tolerant, you become peaceful, you have no more enemies. sādhavaḥ sādhu-bhūṣaṇāḥ. Bhagavatam declares these qualities are abhusana, alankar. It is beauty of that vaisnava, he is beautiful not because of some other ornaments earrings no. He is beautiful due to his qualities; he has become visible due to his qualities and that is his beauty.

So, go on serving the Lord and chant Hare Krishna mahamantra. It is also service, that’s the main service or the first service. And then Krishna will reveal into us more and more.

sarvange harichandanam sulalitam kanthecha muktaavali
gopastri pariveshtito vijayate gopaala chudaamani

So that Gopal Chudamani will reveal into us more and more. In that particular prayer its said how Lords form is looking extraordinary beautiful Harichandanam sulalitam. His body is smeared with sandal wood paste.

kanthecha muktaawali

There is pearl necklace around His neck. So, when devotee takes darshan of Lord with pearls around His neck. He thinks, oh each pearls is like swan, and one swan behind another, behind another, another one and all of them are flying and Lords form is like a cloud and that seems like swans are flying in the sky.

This is meditation so as devotee contemplates the form and beauty of the Lord and he thinks look at the pitambar- the yellow garments of Lord. That yellow color is not ordinary color it reminds him as a lightening in the thunder in rainy season. Because already sky is there, Lord’s form reminds him of a sky and pitambar reminds him of glistening of the lightening in the sky, the bright effulgent lighting like.

When meditators or devotee attention goes toward peacock feather at the top His head or in the crown that peacock feather that reminds him of rainbow. The sky is there some birds are flying across, the lightening pitambar and look there is rainbow at the top. He gets absorbed in thinking like this about the Lord.

So, while chanting Hare Krishna mahamantra is a kind of meditation so we can meditate on the beautiful form of Lord while chanting. So, here are some hints to meditate on the form of the Lord.

Hare Krsna

Akshaya Tritiya

We have special guest speaker today- Nityananda prabhu. I told you yesterday some of the glories of Nityananda prabhu. We asked him which day you would prefer to address our participants. So he preferred Akshaya Tritiya day. So today is very auspicious day to undertake, anyway all days, it is auspicious for new undertakings. Today just briefly want to say, today is Akshaya Tritiya. As mother Ganges descended on this day. Doors of Lord Badrinath, they remain close in winter season, so today they get opened and they are flung open for darsana on Akshaya Tritiya day. Lord Parasurama appeared on this day. Sacred grain barley also appeared on the earth today. Today Draupadi the wife of Pandavas, received the gift of Akshay patra from Vivasavan, Sun God. And then, Srila Vyasadeva started composing Mahabharat today.

So like that, some more items are also there of the great happenings on this day of Akshaya Tritiya. So on this shubha muhurta or maha-muhurt also begin any undertaking.

So you will also want to take advantage of this day, so we will be learning the correct pronunciation of Sanskrit. Sanskrit is a sacred language or mother of all languages, spoken in Vaikuntha. We have to one day speak in that language. So today we want from Nityananda prabhu to learn some techniques, also hear some of the glories, not necessarily in detail of mother of languages Sanskrit, importance of Sanskrit, significance of the correct pronunciation.

So Nityananda prabhu one time was student of Govardhana Bhagavat Vidyapith in Vrindavan. And that was operated by our dear and late Godbrother Gopiparanadhana prabhu. I remember in those days, myself and Nityananda prabhu, few times, we studied commentaries of Bhagavatam together. I was kind of learning from him. I was his student. And mean time he has learned much more. And he has become a quiet well versed in Sanskrit. And hence he has been employed in services of book trust. I think the service of review board, review new publications. His contributions are highly appreciated by BBT trusties. So we are proud of Nityananda prabhu. I am specially taking a keen interest in seeing that ISKCON devotees around the world improve their pronunciation. And he has been or he has agreed to assist me in this endeavor. What we are today doing is, like a charity begins at home, I had requested him to teach few lessons to our students, you all who chant with us everyday. Ok he is all ready. I don’t want to be between you and him. So here he goes.

[Speech by Nityananda Prabhu]

So it’s the good beginning that we started with Hare Krsna Mahamantra. It is Japa conference and you are addressing 580 participants. Some of them are making their comments- that was excellent class- someone says. Simply wonderful someone says. It is very helpful for pronunciation, another devotee says. Some are offering you their obeisances. Some are saying please share this video. Very excellent class. Do it once again. Prabhuji does this online courses teaching pronunciation. Devotees can take advantage of these online courses. I know some of you are his students. And I like more and more of you to take advantage of this talent that Nityananda prabhu has gifted, God gift. Amongst us we have someone who can teach the correct pronunciation. He also gives personal guidance. To contact him- NTD108@gmail.com

Hare Krsna

INSTRUMENTS USED IN CHANTING

I am hoping and expecting that your japa is improving day by day. In order to improve, chanting every day is essential. I think you are doing that, at least those who are participating in this conference, I know for them, that they are chanting everyday with me. But I think ‘How you are chanting’, that is the crux of the matter.

I had some thoughts which I would like to share with you. They are based on one of the statements of Navayogendra’s. They are addressing to king Nimi, wherein he states how to worship the Lord. They say -.

kayena vaca manasendriyair va
buddhyatmana vanusrta-svabhavat
karoti yad yat sakalam parasmai
narayanayeti samarpayet tat (SB 11.2.36)

They say yat yat karoti – whatever we do, that should be offered unto the service of Lord Narayan. That’s the one part of the statement. Then he has mentioned, several items or instruments that we use in service of the Lord. They are kayen manasa buddyatmaneva & like that.

He says we should be using all these instruments in service of the Lord. All these means are used to serve the Lord. This is a small list. Take note of this. Either write it down or take mental note, so that you can go back to it & listen to it again.

These instruments which he mentioned that we should use in service of the Lord are also the means, which also should be used while chanting of ‘Hare Krishna’. So, here is the list. He says Kayen – we use our body. Vacha – we use speech. Manasa – mind, indriye – senses, buddhya – intelligence & last but most important is atmana – soul. They have said it in Tritiya vibhakti according to grammar, as they are instruments, which we use wherever & whenever, they are used in Tritiya vibhakti.

So all these words are used here in Tritiya vibhakti as they are mentioned as instruments. We have to remember list of these instruments, which are at our disposal while chanting. Not only they are at our disposal, but they are utilised & also to make sure that all of them are synchronized or they are in alignment, while chanting ‘Hare Krishna’.

So, Kayen -mind & body – sit properly, not now but while chanting japa. We are japa-yogis. Prabhupada always used to say, ‘ Sit properly.’ It means neck bone, head spine should be straight. That kind of sitting, that posture is favourable for chanting. This posture is favourable for meditation or ‘Dhyan’ or ‘Dhyan-mudra’. Much more could be said for each of these items.

Vacha – Speech, lips and mouth are also is used for chanting. We don’t do mental chanting. We utter chanting. Prabhupada used to remind, we have to use both the lips to utter the holy name of the Lord. Not just whisper like a sparrow. Balen bolo re vadan bhori. Our vaishnav song says, balen you use all your strength, Vadan-bhori – it should be mouthful.

We have to make sure that, intelligence will come into picture. We should hear all sixteen names in the mantra. If we just whisper, we may utter some names & eat up rest of the names. But when we say loudly, using the lips, then all sixteen names are to be uttered clearly.

Manasa – So next mention is of mind. Navayogendra named Hari, is describing this. So this instrument is of prime importance. It has a prime role in activity of chanting. Make it or break it, success or failure, liberation or bondage depends on this item.

So we could only say that, make your mind favourable to the chanting. We should chant & chant. Specially while utilizing this mind while chanting, role of intelligence also comes into picture. This is a next instrument, mentioned in the list by Navayogendra, ‘Buddhya’ . Mind & intelligence has to work together, hand in hand.

Intelligence has a major role or only intelligence has a role, to play on governing the mind, moulding the mind, instructing the mind. Analysing what is on the mind. That is why we have been saying this chanting, is one & only activity or even whole sankirtan movement is a job of a ‘Buddhiman’ (intelligent) & not of a ‘buddhu’ (dumb). It is a job of intelligent person & not of a dull headed person.

When we sharpen the tools, especially when we will sharpen the intelligence, it will keep an eye on the mind. While we are chanting, mind is functioning, dealing, willing, has to be closely observed by intelligence. Mind function is thinking so mind thinks all sorts of things & runs here & there, as per its nature. So, intelligence has to sort it out & retain only those thoughts favourable for chanting & meditating on Krishna. Even we are sitting properly or not properly, “sit properly?” We have been told like that, so we could use our own brain, God has given intelligence & make sure, whether we are sitting properly or not. So this is about ‘kayen’.

What about ‘vacha’? Whether we are uttering all the sixteen names or are we skipping some, are we using the list while chanting, to utter the names properly, all this also we should be able to discriminate, with the help of intelligence. Then make the adjustments & alterations accordingly.

So that was ‘Kayen’ , ‘vacha’ then comes ‘manasa’. We have been told how intelligence has big role to play, governing the wanderings of mind. So, like that we should be preaching to ourselves, if we are intelligent enough, we could preach to ourselves. Not that we wait for someone else to tell, “This is wrong! This is right Prabhu! Don’t do this.” This help is offered, but how long? We cannot go on spoon feeding from external sources. We should become self-sufficient at some point in our march or progress on this path & should preach to ourselves, rectify ourselves.

Then comes the last & most important item, that we use in the chanting service of the Lord is ‘atmana’. Self or spirit soul, our real self ! our being!

We have been told from time to time, original chanter is our soul. The tongue or the lips, body they are not the chanters. ‘japa-karta’ the doer, the chanter is “the soul”. Many times we say, ‘I say this from bottom of my heart.’ we don’t say, I am saying this from ‘bottom of my throat’ or ‘bottom of my tongue’. We don’t say that because ultimately, we say it from ‘ bottom of our heart’ & that’s where the soul is situated. Soul is stationed within the heart. So when we say this, ‘ I say this from bottom of my heart’ it means ‘real me is saying this,soul is speaking.’

Just to summarize or wind up , we could say, from top to bottom all these items have to be activated, motivated or aligned in or during our japa service. Chanting & meditation on the holy names.

I could quickly give one demonstration of how someone was using all these instruments successfully, with the soul during chanting. This is from life of Saint Tukaram.

One early morning, one of the opponents of Tukaram, who disliked Tukaram, he had come to Tukaram’s home. He inquired, ‘Where is Tukaram? I want to meet him.’ He was told, he had gone to the fields. Early morning, he had to take care of body by carrying out excretory functions. So this person was waiting for him to return. When Tukaram returned, while returning he was chanting the holy names of the Lord. “Jay Jay Ram Krishna Hari! Jay Jay Ram Krishna Hari! Panduranga! Panduranga!”.

So this fellow, from enemies camp exclaimed, ” oh! Tukaram you haven’t even taken the bath & you are chanting the holy names of the Lord. You are just returning from toilet & you are Chanting the holy name of the Lord! How offensive it is!” Tukaram said, ” I am sorry. But I can’t help it. I can’t stop chanting, whether it is before bath or after bath. I just keep chanting. It just happens. It is beyond me. If you are able to stop my chanting, you could try. I have tried. But I couldn’t. I have failed. If you want to try, you could try.”

So this person stepped forward, he held Tukaram’s mouth, shut it & held tightly. He was trying to stop other senses. He was trying to close his ears. He was holding his body, so that it doesn’t move. But there was no way, he could stop chanting of Tukaram Maharaja. Tukaram Maharaja was not making any extra special efforts for chanting, it was just arousing from deep within his heart. His mouth was still vibrating. His full body was trembling & participating in that chanting, as if his Kayen – his body was chanting his mind was chanting, his lips were chanting, his intelligence was chanting, his soul of course was chanting.

So those who witnessed, Tukaram’s chanting as this ruffians was trying to stop, they saw, Tukaram chanting, his whole body was chanting. His ‘being’ was chanting, just by stopping or closing the mouth, or lips, chanting could not be stopped, because he was not only chanting with lips or mouth but his whole body, his whole existence was chanting.

So these are our heroes, these are our acharyas. They are our goals. We should follow in their footsteps & pray to their lotus feet. We have Namacharya Haridas Thakur, we have Srila Prabhupada, we have Shad Goswamis of Vrindavan. Of course, ultimately Gauranga is our hero-Vaikuntha-nayak, Goloka-nayak. He also chanted & danced & have set all these paths.

Okay, so all this is your homework. What we heard, has to be practised. Tomorrow is Akshaya-tritiya for doing new undertakings. Tomorrow one European devotee, Nityanand who teaches Sanskrit online will address, because I myself want to see all the ISKCON devotees utter the names properly. I also have written a book. Maybe you have seen, ” Sanskrituccharanam”.

Tomorrow that Nityananda Prabhuji will give you some tips. Ucchar, aachar, vichar follow each other.

Hare Krishna!

5th May 2019

TOPMOST SOCIAL SERVICE!

Today in spite of being Sunday, our scores are good. Thank you for sacrificing your sleep, duties & obligations. You are with us on Sunday and also chanting.

Bhaja Gauranga kaha Gauranga laha Gauranger naam re.

(Song by Srila Krishnadas Kaviraj Goswami. )

I was remembering that song, chant Gauranga’s name, utter Gauranga’s name & keep singing Gauranga’s name. Song also says –

je Jana Gauranga bhaje sai aamar pran re.

All those who are chanters of Gauranga, lovers of Gauranga, they are my life & souls. That means I love Gauranga’s devotees. Not only I love but, I also love to serve, Gauranga’s devotees. Service unto Guru & Gauranga, Vishnu & Gauranga go on simultaneously. In this song, there is an inspiration, how we should serve Guru & Gauranga or Vishnu & Gauranga. That’s one thought.

I am getting messages that at various places, devotees are gathering for Harinam sankirtan. Murali Mohan Prabhuji has reached Chinchwad, & is getting ready for one day padayatra over there. We all are chanting japa, that’s nice. But this chanting is considered for our own benefit. But nagar sankirtan is for benefit of ourselves & for benefit of others.

Srila Prabhupada gave us Krishna, gave ISKCON, gave me this program of padayatras, which is extended as nagar-sankirtan. You go on doing kirtan in one nagar & then next village, next nagar on & on, then that is padayatra. It’s an extended nagar sankirtan.

So, we all chanters followers of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, & Srila Prabhupada & may be myself also, should be following in footsteps of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu who went on padayatra for six years, which is known as ‘Madhya-lila’. All that He was doing was padayatra, doing extended nagar-sankirtan, in so many towns & villages. For us to prove to be true followers of Guru & Gauranga or the founder acharya of ISKCON & Gauranga, we also have to get on to the streets & participate in nagar- sankirtan. If you could do extended Nagar-sankirtan, then nothing like it.

When we go on Padayatra or nagar-sankirtan then that is also expression or exhibition of, ‘you being kind to fellow living beings.’ That way nagar sankirtan, padayatras are for the benefit of the whole world & others. This is how we serve the humanity, serve the nation, serve the colony people where you are residing. Serve your neighbours, by sharing ‘ Hare Krishna’ with them.

I had a desire to serve humanity, from very beginning, the time I had not even joined ISKCON. I didn’t know how & where to begin. Then as I came in contact with Prabhupada in 1974, his formula was ” By serving Krishna you could serve whole world.” So I had been trying to fulfil my desire of serving people, serving country, serving humanity by practicing & propagating Krishna consciousness. I would like you to also assist me, assist ISKCON. Continue kind of my mission, which is everybody’s mission I can say, to serve the public, serve the world.

Srila Prabhupada used to say propagating Krishna consciousness is a topmost welfare program. The topmost service for social reform. I don’t want to get in discussion of what kind of world is around us. It’s a bad & mad world.

I am residing here. Just yesterday kind of event that was taking place around the corner. Some kind of music, loud crazy music. There was bombardment! It was too much. That is this world. Sounds were introducing, okay, this is me! this is this world! Then we are talking of something, out of this world. Things to do, so that we can get out of this world & go to another world.

Srila Prabhupada used to say that, ‘ This world is not for a gentleman. This is for the ruffians’. He also say, ‘We don’t spend much time in a toilet.’ Least amount of time we would like to spend in a toilet & get out of toilet. So like that, world is like a prison, it’s mad, bad we describe it in so many ways, & we want to get out of here. Some of you are coming to the senses by God’s grace or by grace of vaishnav parampara. But we should not be satisfied with the thing, that now we are safe or we have been saved. That’s why, we have to remember others in this world & try to reach out to those souls, those brothers. They are our God-brothers. If they are children of spiritual master, we call them as God-brothers but if they are children of God then what we are God brothers or Bhagwan-bhai.

So go out & do nagar sankirtans, padayatras. Of course, when we go out, we distribute Srila Prabhupada’s books. So we do japa conference, you also should distribute Srila Prabhupada’s books to friends, neighbours may be in vacations or Sundays or in free time. Go in groups & distribute books. Distribute prasad. Specially Grihastha can do that. They are kitchen holders. They have kitchens, matajis are in charge of kitchen. They should cook big quantities of prasad & not just gobble yourself, but share with neighbours & friends. Or call them over to your home.

Make ‘Hare Krishna’ party & chant & dance. Teach them philosophy in Bhakti-Vriksha program. Then Lord is pleased with you, while chanting Japa, that is nice. However, when you share Krishna with others by distributing books, prasadam, bringing them to temples & this & that then also Lord is very much pleased. More & more you get easy with this, sharing Krishna, propagating Krishna consciousness with others, then result of that is, it will be preparation for your japa. Result of that will be, your japa will get better. And as we endeavour to chant better with more attention, & devotion, reducing offenses then as a result, our chanting improves & we get inspired to do devotional service more & more. So when our sadhana improves our seva improves, our sadhana improves, our chanting improves, like that they compliment each other & we make an overall progress in Krishna consciousness.

Okay thank you for your attention. We will talk & hear another day, meanwhile you do homework, when our sadhana improves our seva improves, our sadhana improves, our chanting improves, like that they complement each other & we make a overall progress in Krishna consciousness.

So go out of house. Utilize Sundays.

Hare Krishna!