Srimad Bhagavatam 09.10.50
Ram Rajya
Iskcon Noida
30-01-2024

Hare Krishna. Thank you for saying Hare Krishna and also for your coming here. There is that hope that NIDC, temple presidents and managers may be present here. I see some are here, and some are on their way and I am thinking that they will be here and you all will be here, and you will have to stay. Thinking like this I have come back from Ayodhya.

(Shouts of Haribol)! I have come from the installation ceremony of Ram lala ki jai! This is why I have chosen the fiftieth verse from the tenth chapter of canto nine, so let’s see what happens. Most definitely there will be mention of lord Rama and his reign over the world. The leaders of our Iskcon are also kings in one way.

They are warriors in their form as managers and they have to manage their zones and their own temples and this verse I have chosen for them as it will give them inspiration in their duties and so lets see what happens. There is a concept if time as there always is and lord Rama is called the lord of controlled mannerisms, Maryada Purushottam, and time also has its limits, and needs to be managed.

Keeping this in mind, we will start the recitation of the eternal Srimad Bhagavatam. Do you have the verse? Anyway,

agrahid asanam bhratra
pranipatya prasaditah
prajah sva dharma nirata
varnasrama gunanvitah
jugopa pitrvad ramo
menire pitaram ca tam
(Srimad Bhagavatam 09.10.50)

Translation
Being pleased by the full surrender and submission of Lord Bharata, Lord Ramacandra then accepted the throne of the state. He cared for the citizens exactly like a father, and the citizens, being fully engaged in their occupational duties of varna and asrama, accepted Him as their father.

People love Ram rajya, the state run by lord Ram, do they or not? Prabhupada says so but I just wanted to confirm. and even today politicians sometimes form a party called Rama-rajya, but unfortunately they have no obedience to Lord Rama. They want the kingdom of God but without God. This is because people are thinking, ‘I am God, I am the enjoyer.’ Such an aspiration, however, is never to be fulfilled. Good government can exist when the relationship between the citizens (cut).

Hari Hari. Should I speak or not speak about Ram Rajya, the kingdom of lord Rama? Rama and his citizens are called his people and what was the relationship between the people and lord Rama? As soon as you say his people, we can understand what the relationship is. Lord Rama would look after them and see to their every need. This being said, the lord would do this in the same way in which a father looks after his sons and own family members.

Actually they are because lord Rama is Aham bija pradah pita, he is the supreme lord and father of all living entities.

sarva yonisu kaunteya
murtayah sambhavanti yah
tasam brahma mahad yonir
aham bija pradah pita
(Bhagavad gita 14.4)

Translation
It should be understood that all species of life, O son of Kunti, are made possible by birth in this material nature, and that I am the seed-giving father.

Lord Krishna said this in Bhagavad gita but who is Krishna? He is the same Rama. In Treta Yuga Rama and Lakshman became Krishna and Balaram in Dwapara Yuga. And in Kali Yuga they are the same Gaura Nitai ki jai! We must understand these principles and knowledge of the supreme lord which most people do not understand. Lord Rama is certainly the supreme lord and alongside this he has become a King and a warrior.

Amongst all other warriors and Kings he is leading in an exemplary way for not only the Kings of his time but for the future warriors. Their ideal is Jai Sri Rama! How must one look after his citizens? A King should understand them to be his own people, part of his family. This intimate relationship is full of love also and so Hari Hari.

Prabhupada has written here and we have also read that people like the idea and arrangement of Rama Rajya. Lord Rama looked after and ruled his kingdom for around one million years and so when people think of their country and it’s leaders, what do they say? If there should be a King, he should be like Lord Rama. And if there should be a country, it should be like Rama’s kingdom.

So I would say that even in Iskcon what sort of management should there be? Like Lord Rama. You can say Rama Rajya, or Krishna Rajya or Chaitanya Rajya. The King of Kali Yuga or the form of lord Rama or Krishna came as lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu in Kali Yuga. This current time span belongs to whkm? Sri Krishna Chaitanya Mahaprabhu ki jai!

In this dark age we will not only be able to have Rama Rajya, the kingdom of God but also there will be much more in this Chaitanya Rajya. Hari Hari. In Rama Rajya there is some questioning of what occurred and during the period of lord Rama there were many Yagna’s taking place and therefore dharma samsthapanarthaya -Rama descended,

paritranaya sadhunam vinashaya cha dushkritam
dharma samsthapanarthaya sambhavami yuge yuge
(Bhagavad gita 4.8)

Translation
To protect the righteous, to annihilate the wicked, and to reestablish the principles of dharma I appear on this earth, age after age.

The Lord descends to protect righteousness and this Lord Rama and Lakshman have performed this work. Who had come to get them? Vishvamitra had come saying, ‘give me Rama and Lakshman.’ Their father answered, ‘what are you saying? You want to take my Rama and Lakshman?!’

Rama and Lakshman were both the same age because they were both born on the same day. So it isn’t just Rama Navami, it is also Lakshman Navami and Bharata Navami and also Shatrughna Navami. We do not understand this because we do not realise that Lakshman is also the supreme lord, as is Bharata and Shatrughna. They are Vishnu Tattva and this is known only to the Gaudiya Vaishnava’s.

Some others know also and they should know this. Because of Srila Prabhupada we are also in knowledge of this principle. ‘So Dasharatha was shocked and he spoke. ‘My boys are only un shodhasa varshia.’ What does this mean, how old are they? Shodasha means sixteen and un means one. So they were one less than sixteen and so Dasharatha said ‘my sons are only fifteen years old.’

So this is not the time for Katha and so Rama and Lakshman established Yagnas and protected the principle of performing Yagna. The king of Kali will have to protect the yagna of that age and this is also a Yagna. Krishna has said yajnanam japa yagno ’smi

maharshinam bhrigur aham giram asmyekam aksharam
yajnanam japa yajno ’smi sthavaranam himalaya?
(Bhagavad gita 10.25)

Translation
I am Bhrigu amongst the great seers and the transcendental Om amongst sounds. Amongst chants know Me to be the repetition of the Holy Name; amongst immovable things I am the Himalayas.

Krishna says in the 10th chapter of the Bhagavad Gita. What is Japa? It is the best of Yagnas and Krishna says that of all Yagnas, I am the Yagna, the sacrifice of chanting Japa. There are many types of sacrifices and so Krishna says, ‘out of all these, I am the sacrifice of chanting Japa.’

‘yajnanam japa yajno ’smi,’ the lord says. And of all sacrifices, the sacrifice of chanting Japa and that too, the chanting of

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

This is the best of all Japa. This is also Yagna and it is called Sankirtan Yagna. So the Kings of Kali Yuga including the Kings of Iskcon who are called the Governing Body commissioners are the Parampara, the managing successors, the GBC’s, the zonal secretaries and regional secateurs and the temple presidents and managers, they are all part of the disciplic succession. Evam Parampara-praptam.

evam parampara praptam imam rajarshayo vidhu
sa kaleneha mahata yogo nashtah parantapa
(Bhagavad Gita 4.2)

Translation
This supreme science was thus received through the chain of disciplic succession, and the saintly kings understood it in that way. But in course of time the succession was broken, and therefore the science as it is appears to be lost.

All these Kings come in the succession and they are all administrators and of all these administrators, Sri Rama established religious principles that were relevant in his time, in that yuga.

krte yad dhyayato visnum
tretayam yajato makhaih
dvapare paricaryayam
kalau tad dhari kirtanat
(Srimad Bhagavatam 12.3.52)

Translation

Whatever result was obtained in Satya yuga by meditating on Visnu, in Treta yuga by performing sacrifices, and in Dv?para-yuga by serving the Lord’s lotus feet can be obtained in Kali yuga simply by chanting the Hare Krsna maha mantra

As there are four Yugas, ages of time, accordingly the paths of religion are laid out in terms of the time and circumstance of that particular Yuga. There are different practices for each age and therefore Lord Rama established the religious practice of the Yuga he had appeared in and he protected those practices also by making sure everyone was living in accordance to the religious rituals of that age.

The Kings in Kali Yuga, just like there are kings in Iskcon, who are administrators, they need to establish the religious principles of this age. What is that? The Sankirtan dharma, the chanting of the holy names. Kali kalera dharma krsna nama sankirtana

kali kalera dharma krsna nama sankirtana
krsna sakti vina nahe tara pravartana
(Chaitanya Charitamrita Antya 7.11)

Translation
The fundamental religious system in the Age of Kali is the chanting of the holy name of Krsna. Unless empowered by Krsna, one cannot propagate the sankirtana movement

Hari Hari. There is a purport to this verse but if I read the whole purport now then time will run out and that is why. This verse in question has been discussed and Lord Rama accepted the throne when he saw Bharata’s complete surrender unto him. Hari Hari. Here we see that Bharata was reigning the Kingdom in place of Lord Rama very well.

The astonishing thing is that he was not even eager or wanting to do this. He was not at all interested in having the seat, which seat? The seat which would give him power. Of course Bharata is Rama’s Bharata and therefore he was not power hungry. They had an argument, lord Rama and Bharata, ‘no I dont want to be King, you be the King, no,no you be the king.’

There is so much devotion and love is shown here between Rama and Bharata and this should be studied by us. We must learn from this encounter. Bharata becomes the citizen of Lord Rama and of course he is Rama’s younger brother anyway and he can also be counted as a citizen. Lord Rama love for Bharata and also Bharata’s love for Rama, sad vidham priti lak?a?am.

dadati pratigrhnati
guhyam akhyati prcchati
bhunkte bhojayate caiva
sad vidham priti laksanam
(Nectar of instruction 4)

Translation
Offering gifts in charity, accepting charitable gifts, revealing one’s mind in confidence, inquiring confidentially, accepting prasada and offering prasada are the six symptoms of love shared by one devotee and another

Srila Rupa Goswami Prabhupada has written about what sort of relationship there must be between Vaishnava’s. That is the relationship of love and attachment. One must establish this relationship of love and affection by following these six principles of giving gifts and receiving them and so on. Those who are the leaders in Iskcon, the administrators and temple presidents, they should also have this relationship with the temple congregation members.

Just like Rama had with Bharata and with everyone actually, the lord loved all his citizens like he did Bharata. ‘No you come back and you look after all the affairs of the kingdom.’ As Bharata spike like this, at the end Rama gave his slippers to Bharata. Bharata took the lord’s slippers considering them to be non different to Rama himself.

He installed these slippers and he was thinking ‘lord Rama is ruling through these slippers and Rama is the one sitting on the throne.’ In this way our administrators and temple managers should have the same feelings and understanding that Bharata had. They should feel Dasosmi, Dasosmi or Das anu Das, they are the servants and the servants of the servants of Srila Prabhupada.

our position actually gets higher this way. The more people we put above us the more higher our position gets. When you become a servant of the servant you have a high position. So when you are a servant of the servant if the servant then what happens? That is a even bigger position and so what must you do if you want a bigger position? You must become the servant of the servant of the servant of the servant of the servant.

This is amanina manadena. The congregation on the temple and the devotees should respect their authorities and what else should happen? What do the authorities need to do? They also need to act in a certain way towards the devotes and the congregation members. What is that? Amanina manadena, this is the instruction of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu.

Bharata had said, ‘Prabhu Prabhu, oh my lord Rama, you will now say you will mit come back until the fourteen years are over, and although I am not happy I will agree to what you say. But you will have to come back before the time is over or at least on time. If you are even a moment late then you may as well not come because you will mot find me alive.

After the fourteen years were over, Rama left very swiftly. The lord had walked to Lanka but if he was to walk back then many more months would pass. Do you know why he went back on the flying chariot? The Lord was remembering his promise to Bharata, ‘i’ll be back on time or actually before time.’ That is why the Lord was hurrying on the flying chariot to reach back to Ayodhya.

At that time, the respect and welcome there was in place for lord Rama, Jai Sri Rama! That is the exact same welcome that happened just now on the 22nd January when lord Rama came back to Ayodhya! Mahatma Gandhi especially had this dream and he used to think that when Bharat, India would become independent, India, Bharat will establish Rama Rajya.

But seventy five years had passed and some years ago there was a movie that came to the cinemas and the name of the movie was Ravan Rajya. I know ow you would not have seen this movie, or maybe you did. Along with opening of Rama temple and the installation of Rama Lala in Ayodhya, you can say he is the King also, Modi Raja.

There is Rama Raja, and then there is Modi Raja and this King promised something he went on to fulfil. Along with the opening with the temple, the mood and exemplary acts of Rama Rajya have also been put there. Haribol! ‘Good days will come now.’ Do you remember those promises?

Maybe you don’t understand, but this is what Sir Modi used to say, he would assure us that good days will come. But good days can only come when there is the kingdom of lord Rama. Srila Prabhupada ki jai! When I was in Ayodhya in between all the ceremonies of the opening of Ram lala temple, I was seeing that all the leaders who were present there, including many saints, they were all dancing and singing the glories of Modi Raja, Kimg Modi.

They weee also speaking about the bright future of Bharat, India and about how they would make India the Viswaguru, the global teacher of the whole world. So all these talks were going on, and I was listening to all this, and at the same time, I was also thinking, ‘fifty years before this, Srila Prabhupada was the one who had started this Rama Rajya or Chaitanya Rajya.

According to the order of his spiritual master, Prabhupada had started building temples. Okay, because Ayodhya is the place of Lord Rama, they have built a temple there, but Srila Prabhupada had built a temple of lord Rama many years ago in Delhi. And England is such a big name, that England that ruled over so many places and countries, the British Raja.

In London, Srila Prabhupada installed lord Rama at Bhaktivedanta Manor, a huge property given to Prabhupada by George Harrison. We all know about the influence of America upon the world, and in that America, in Washington DC, Srila Prabhupada bought lord Rama there. (Shouts of Haribol)!

This is not all, and Modi was speaking something about the next thousand years to come and he was speaking about the great things he wants to achieve. You can call this his devotion to lord Rama, or you could call it, nationalism, a Hindu nationalist. So this is his vision for the next one thousand years, and he was speaking about great things he wants to do.

But Srila Prabhupada had a plan for the next ten years and that vision was Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu’s vision actually.

Prthivite ache yata nagaradi grama
sarvatra pracara haibe mora nama
(Chaitanya Bhagavat Antya 4.126)

Translation
In every town and village throughout the world, said Lord Caitanya, the chanting of My holy name will be heard.

And wherever the chanting of the holy names will reach, in that place people will join together to perform kirtan. There will be some Nama hatta, where people can come to chant and there will be Bhakti Vriksha’s, small temples where there will be structured sanga’s. Then one day what will happen?

Will, there not then be opening of a Temple in these places? Of course they will! Wherever the holy name reaches, people come together and then a temple is opened. So these ten thousand years, to come are called the golden period. This has been prophesied by the Sastra’s and Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu himself.

So whatever has been said, or prophesied will certainly come true. At that time, in ten thousand years, how many temples will there be? How many? There must be a limited number. So as many towns and villages there are in each country, that many temples there will be, and there will be congregation in all of the places.

I think we should clap now upon hearing this, and that is if you want to. So Srila Prabhupada has become Viswaguru, the guru of the whole world and books are the basis, Srila Prabhupada’s books are being distributed throughout the whole world. People come across the Hare Krishna Mahamantra and then they join Harinama and take Prashad.

It could be that someone came across one of Srila Prabhupada’s books, or they came to a festival like Rathayatra and in this way he becomes a devotee, or he is becoming a devotee. We already have millions all over the world, devotees of Rama, devotees of Krishna or lord Chaitanya, and in this way they are becoming Gaudiya Vaishnava’s.

Srila Prabhupada introduced the four regulative principles based upon the teachings of the Bhagavatam. ‘No meat eating, no intoxication, no illicit sex and no gambling.’ These are the principles of Iskcon and it’s beauty. People have become ready to follow these principles, and this is true even for people in China. Patran puspam phalam toyam, no
mutton-am chicken-am or biryani.

Patran puspam phalam toyam
yo me bhaktya prayacchati
tad aham bhakty upahrtam
asnami prayatatmanah
(Bhagavad Gita 9.26)

Translation
If one offers Me with love and devotion a leaf, a flower, a fruit or water, I will accept it.

Radha Govinda deva ki jai. And in this way

Om Sarve Bhavantu Sukhinah
Sarve Santu Niraamayaah
Sarve Bhadraanni Pashyantu
Maa Kashcid Duhkha Bhaag Bhavet
Om Shaantih Shaantih Shaantih
(Upanishads)

Translation:
Om, May All be Happy,
May All be Free from Illness.
May All See what is Auspicious,
May no one Suffer.
Om Peace, Peace, Peace

Rama was always making sure that everyone was happy and the same for Srila Prabhupada and all his followers. What is are goal? Sarve sukhina bhavantu, eveeyone should be happy. That is why Chaitanya Mahaprabhu’s movement is not limited to Hindus or India and that is why Srila Prabhupada named this movement the international Society of Krishna consciousness.

These are such important words, and thats why Prabhupada did not say international temples, no he said an international society. This means that as many people there are this earth and wherever they may be, for them this international society has been created. This has been down so that these people can become Krishna conscious, Rama conscious, or Chaitanya, conscious.

This society is also called Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam (the whole world is one family). What happened recently in India in the G20 summit? It was a G20 convention and what else could happen better than what Srila Prabhupada has done and what Iskcon is doing? In Iskcon the whole world is one family.

One world, one family. Therefore they say that you must walk the talk, that means that some people are talking big but Seila Prabhupada didn’t just talk, but he did what he proposed. In Mayapur festival which takes place, there are devotees from around the whole world from fifty, sixty or seventy countries. From how many countries do devotees gather?

Devotees come from more than seventy countries and when we all come together, we all stay like one family. It’s like one kitchen, one family. There is one kitchen only and some people are still just thinking to propose these things or they are just talking about it and they cannot do anything more than this. Apart from imagining these things, they cannot do anything more.

Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu ki jai! That Rama becomes even more merciful, and how could he be Rama if he was not merciful? So Rama was always merciful and Krishna Krishna

he krishna karuna-sindho dina-bandho jagat-pate
gopesa gopika-kanta radha-kanta namo ’stu te
(Sri Krishna Pranam)

O my dear Krishna, ocean of mercy, You are the friend of the distressed and the source of creation. You are the master of the cow herd men and the lover of the gopis, especially Radharani. I offer my respectful obeisances unto You.

So Rama and Krishna are very merciful but even more merciful than them is Sri Krishna Chaitanya Mahaprabhu ki jai! The people of this age were more fallen and so the lord had to descend as more magnanimous than other incarnations of the lord. Rama cannot do this because when he comes as Rama or as Krishna, the lord has to play a befitting role according to time and circumstance.

The role of lord Chaitanya is the most magnanimous because he comes to liberate the most fallen souls. I’ll just say this one last item and then i will stop. Mostly all people know lord Rama and they know Krishna also but although Chaitanya Mahaprabhu is that same Rama and he is the same Krishna, still people do not know him.

I was feeling that way, especially in recent times where the Ayodhya temple is opening and everyone is chanting ‘Rama Rama.’ Rama is known and called everywhere is Ayodhya and in Bharat but amongst all this lord Chaitanya is missing. He is the missing link and so it is our job to bring back that which is missing, which is lacking, we must bring Chaitanya Mahaprabhu as we are feeling his absence.

This is the job of Iskcon devotees, the administrators, managers and the governing body. It is the work of all of us and that is why Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu has said

yare dekha, tare kaha ‘krsna’-upadesa
amara ajnaya guru hana tara’ ei desa
(Chaitanya Charitamrita Madhya 7.128)

Translation
Instruct everyone to follow the orders of Lord Sri Krsna as they are given in the Bhagavad gita and Srimad Bh?gavatam. In this way become a spiritual master and try to liberate everyone in this land

So continue giving this message of lord Krishna to the whole world and become Guru’s in this way. If you cannot become Viswaguru then at least become the Guru’s of your household members. Become the Guru of your neighbourhood or your town and townspeople.

Try and make bigger this sphere of influence. In this way all the Iskcon devotees around the world should spread Chaitanya Mahaprabhu’s mossion. We must tell everyone who is Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and so on, so on. We must especially introduce the chanting of

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

As you do this, you can remember Srila Prabhupada and understand that you are indebted to him. Are we indebted to him or not? Who here understands that we are indebted to Srila Prabhupada? (Shouts of jai)! Srila Prabhupada was having a casual conversation once with some of his disciples. His disciples were telling Srila Prabhupada, ‘Prabhupada, we are indebted to you.’

Prabhupada said, ‘yes, that is ture. You are indebted.’ So the disciple asked, ‘is there anything we could do to become free from this debt?’ So Prabhupada answered ‘there is nothing you could do.’ Then Prabhupada paused and then he said, ‘yes yes, you could do one thing.’ They asked. ‘What is that Srila Prabhupada?’ He answered’ You do as i did.’

He was saying that whatever he had established, they should continue that and also expand his teachings to further places. ‘By doing that, you can get free from this debt to some extent.’ Who here wants to try and do this? (Shouts of haribol)!

Padayatra goes on
29th October 2018
ISKCON meeting
Noida

Shri Krishna Chaitanya Mahaprabhu six years he travelled and that was padayatra.

1508: Caitanya Mahaprabhu left on his 6 years padayatra to establish the yuga dharma, the chanting of the holy names.
Why acharya’s where walking and traveling and why did Chaitanya Mahaprabhu travelled? This was to spread the glories of the Lord and especially did Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and our Gaudiya Vaishnava have traveled to bring the holy name to more towns and more villages. Chaitanya Mahaprabhu was the inaugurator of this program and Srila Prabhupada took it up.

1952: Srila Prabhupada (still Abhay) organized the League of Devotees in Jhansi. Srila Prabhupada himself in 1952 while he was in Jhansi. He went on padayatra. Just short not long one but he did padayatra himself of 30 kilometers from Jhansi to Chirgoan.

In 1974, this was shared with me by Tribhuvanath Prabhu. Tribhuvanath Prabhu and Bhagavat Prabhu, Prabhupada wanted to see them as going up near Bombay, they were excited, what assignment Prabhupad is going to give us. Finally when Prabhupada said (You go on padayatra) You do padayatra, but then that did not materialize but Prabhupad was thinking and approaching his disciples, followers to take up this Padayatra program.

End of 1974 (Bombay) :

For the first time Prabhupada introduced the idea of bullock cart sankirtana party to Bhagavat Das and Tribhuvanath Das. He surprised his disciples with his new idea and even promised he would accompany them but the idea was not pursued.

Beginning of 1976, entrance gate of Mayapur:

Srila Prabhupada received the half dozen devotees who had walked 3 months on the 1500 km bullock Padayatra from Hyderabad to Mayapur.
“Naturally the sankirtan men travelling with the bullock carts are blissful. It is Lord Caitanya’s engagement. Lord Caitanya personally travelled all over India for six years. His program was simply kirtan and prasada distribution. Lord Caitanya never spoke philosophy in public… So continue this program. It is very pleasing to Lord Caitanya.

December 1975: Letter to Mahamsa Swami, then in charge of Hyderabad Farm

Then in 1976, padayatra finally happened from Hyderabad to Mayapur (1500 kms) and Prabhupad was there to greet them, I understand. Then Prabhupad wrote a letter to Mahamsa Swami, who was then incharge of the Hyderabad farm.

We heard this from Yasomatinadan Prabhu.
During His visit of Gujarat in 1975

Srila Prabhupada asked Yasomatinandana Prabhu to arrange a bullock cart to travel village to village. He said he would travel with the Padayatris.
In 1975 Prabhupada said to Yasomatinandana Prabhu please arrange bullock cart to travel village to village and he would travel with padayatris. There was a gentlemen called Punjabi Parmananda and he had written to Prabhupada of taking of this Padayatra Program and Prabhupada responded to the communication of Punjabi Parmananda saying.

Letter to Punjabi Premananda
May 16th, 1976

“Concerning your offering of doing Padayatra travelling village to village, if young Indian men join me, I am immediately ready for this travelling touring from village to village, town to town. However my foreign disciples have the language defect, they can’t speak the village language, otherwise I would have started this programme long ago. If some young men like you would join me then along with some foreign disciples, I can immediately take up this programme. If you are very eager, please get hold of at least half a dozen young men like you then with another half dozen foreign disciples, I can immediately take up this programme and tour village to village and town to town.
It will be very, very effective, I know that.”

This is Srila Prabhupad and I am sharing this so that we would know what was in the mind of Prabhupada. There were so many things on his mind book distribution this that but certainly this was one of the items that was very much in his mind and dear to his heart.

I know that because I have interacted with Srila Prabhupada and had many talks, correspondence and I know how much he appreciated the padayatra program. I am just transferring these thoughts of Prabhupada. I would be no more but you will be here for much longer, so I just wanted to make sure that you fully understand Prabhupada, his thoughts for padayatra and why padayatra should be brought to more towns and more villages.

What do we distribute in ISKCON. We distribute book of Prabhupada, with sweet prasadam , Krishna prasadam , and what else do? We distribute harinam, and I think these are three big items and new festivals this that and when it comes to distribute share the holy name is in top of the list and Prabhupada wanted to make sure the holy name spreads far and wide not to be limited only to towns.

So Prabhupada is representing Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and wanting to make Chaitanya’s prediction come true this was Prabhupada’s strategy this padayatra travel program.

August 1976 in Delhi on Radhashtami:

Srila Prabhupada: “You don’t need to travel on the bus in India. Instead you can get one bullock cart and go preach village to village all over India. It will be a great success.”

(Speaking to Lokanath Swami who had been travelling and preaching on two German Mercedes buses with the Nitai-Gaura World Sankirtana Party.
In 1976, this is where in Delhi I personally received this instruction of the padayatra on Radhastami day. When ISKCON was in Lajpat Nagar only once on Gandhi Road you know the address all the way back 1976 Prabhupada was attending Radhasathmi festival (Radha Parthasarthi temple) and Radhasatmi Prabhupad said, you don’t need to travel on the bus in India. Instead, you can get one bullock cart and go preach village to village all over India. It will be a great success.

We were traveling in German buses of Hansaduta Maharaja GBC also that time with the western buses and we were traveling all overnight in north India and we had good time. We were enjoying the German buses you know they are very special opening and closing doors you push the button and lot of people would just gather around, it was a Mercedes bus. People would gather around just to see how the door opens door closes and we were having good time but then Prabhupada said get down from the bus. Here is the bullock cart.

Travelling in bullock cart is a big sacrifice but we were happy. Then we started the first walk was from Vrindavan to Mayapur. Prabhupad said you go to Mayapur and on the way, we passed to Kanpur. I wrote to Srila Prabhupad need some financial help for padayatra we need money we need men and I wrote to Srila Prabhupada.

This was the response.
“Do not depend on outside help. Also, for financial support depend on Krishna…. Also, book distribution. We are maintaining our huge establishment by selling books. That is wanted. In foreign countries they are distributing huge quantities of books. Money is needed, that you have to collect. You can’t expect money from outside.”
(Srila Prabhupada’s letter to Lokanath Swami)
December 1976, Kanpur .

So, we took up book distribution very seriously on padayatra and I would like to report scores of 9th 2015 -2016 and 2017 we distributed in 2015, 96 thousand books of Srila Prabhupada on padayatra and in 2016, 97 thousand and in 2017 over 100,000 thousand books were distributed and that made padayatra more self-sufficient.

We have padayatra president here Acharya Prabhu for last ten years he had been managing padayatra right here and they are saving funds by distributing books and they took a pledge of 5 lakh for TVO VP and they are sponsoring other projects certain temples from book distribution on padayatras.

So, besides chanting the holy name bringing into every town every village Prabhupad abooks are going to all remote area corners of India and they have gone around India six time the 6th time (6th round) as we do temple parikrama they are doing Bharat varsha parikrama.

Padayatra INDIA Book Scores

Books By Categories 2015 2016 2017
S1 – Small (Soft copy)
Raj Vidya, Teachings of Prahalad Maharaja, Beyond
Birth & Death, Laws of Nature, BTG 73,221 68,966 35,592
S2 – Medium (Soft copy) Second Chance 904 698 200
S3 – Big (Soft copy)
Science of Self Realization 1,487 1,171 7,193
H4 – Maha Big (Hard copy, 500+ pages)
BG, SB, Krishna Book, Prabhupada Lilamrita, Ramayana 20,790 26,982 63,124

Grand Total 96,402 Books 97,727 Books 106,109 Books

Prabhupada wrote to me in 1976, I’m also happy to hear your very nice activities. I wish I could have joined you.”
“I’m also happy to hear your very nice activities. I wish I could have joined you. I like your program very much. If you continue this program you will be benefited, people will be benefited, and everyone will be happy.”
Letter to Lokanath Swami, 1976

What more Prabhupada would say to us to inspire us keep doing this program. Then 1977 as we had a very successful bullock sankirtan party going in India. This was Prabhupada wrote to Nityananda our God brother in America New Talavan farm community.
March 16th 1977
(Letter to Nityananda Dasa,
New Talavan Farm Community, US)

“And oxen can be used for driving carts and preaching village to village. What is the question of killing them? Here in India our Lokanatha Maharaja has successfully organized such a program and it is a great success. He has travelled all over India and everywhere they distribute books, prasadam and perform kirtana, village to village. Each night they stop at a different village. We can introduce many millions of such carts all over the world.”

And then you wrote here in India our Lokanath Maharaja has successfully organized such a program and it is a great success. He has travelled all over India and everywhere they distribute books, prasadam and perform kirtan, village to village. Each night they stop at a different village. And then you can read that highlighted statement or hear and Prabhupad wrote. “We can introduce many millions of such carts all over the world.” This is Prabhupada’s big thinking Prabhupada never thought small so this is big thinking we had only one cart’s round which we thought was very successful then he’s is talking of millions of hearts but this was not to be organized only by Lokanath Swami from this it is very clear Prabhupada wanted his followers, his managers to take up this project of padayatra, spreading the holy, name around.

PADYATRA WORLDWIDE MINISTRY,
GBC MANDATE,
1991
“TO BRING THE CONGREGATIONAL CHANTING OF THE HOLYNAME TO EVERY
VILLAGE OF THE WORLD THROUGH ORGANIZED PADAYATRA FESTIVALS.”

In 1991, GBC formed a Padayatra worldwide ministry and this is the mandate of GBC mandate for padayatra worldwide to bring the congregational chanting of the holy name to every town and village of the world through organized for the padayatra festivals. So, to execute the will of Srila Prabhupada’s, GBC took that action and gave that Mandate Padayatra, we are on the road. You could do the calculation that is how many 34, All India Padayatra is on the road for as 34 years and every day they go to new village, to new village, to the new village, new village and a thousand. I was looking at Acharya prabhu is keeping record. He took over some 9 or 10 years ago and he was showing me the record started in Pandharpur in the 10 kilometers down the road this village and he has all record of all last 10 years, 10 years, Padayatra visits and their phone numbers and some contact. They are becoming devotees as goes back. He is our 5th president in 34 year we are 4 before as we have gone around nonstop and then 1996, we organize 100 birth anniversary of Srila Prabhupada. Everyone was thinking well he is his disciples how to glorify, where to offer Srila Prabhupad 100th birth anniversary. So padayatra ministry also were thinking Pancharatna for who was with us being plans or as a part of Centennial. So, we took the pledge of organizing Padayatra in 100 countries and he is a list of all those countries because we have in fact 105 countries, we covered with padayatra.
ALL INDIA PADAYATRA 1984-2018

And I think today Padayatra has worked 250,000 kilometers and Padayatris do not take one step forward without chanting a very Krishna, Krishna at every step they are chanting. So, you could imagine how many towns and villages holy name has reached. And sometimes I say, and this is true that padayatra not only brings holy name to every town and every village, but in between the villages and in between the towns we chant. We not only in the town, in the village, but in between, from one town to another one. One village to another. Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu’s prediction. This is coming true, in 77. Probably.

You know, Prabhupada wanting to go on bullock cart but his health was bad for months, he wasn’t able to get up and sit on his own. Get me Bullock cart. So, this is Prabhupada and inconceivable Prabhupada. Then we have Brajamandal Parikrama, Navdeep Mandal Parikrama and Sri Kshetra Parikrama Puri Parikrama is very much there. Then Bhakti Purushottam Maharaj took over.
I only go for inauguration cutting the ribbon and is going on for 10 years. More than 12 years Sri Kshetra Parikrama, Pandharpur Parikrama and this Parikrama and Punjab Many Parikrama is also going on. We have a padayatra manual how to organize from beginning all the details that you made available websites.
www.padayatra.com
This is a web site padayatra.

• Padayatra Andhra Pradesh/Telangana on the road since the end of 2012, led by Vishnuswami Dasa.
• 20-Day bullock cart Padayatra by ISKCON Bhubaneswar at the end of Kartika (Orissa). 2018 will be its 26th anniversary.
• 18-Day bullock cart Dindi yatra from Dehu to Pune to Pandharpur (Maharashtra).
• Dindi bullock cart Padayatra from Aravade to Pandharpur (Maharashtra).
• Dindi yatra from Solapur to Pandharpur (Maharashtra). 2018 will be its 20th anniversary.
• One-Day Padayatras around Ahmedabad (Gujarat), Vallabhavidya nagar, Surat & Bangalore.
• 22-day long Padayatra by Yasodadulal Dasa from Ahmedabad to Dandi (Gujarat).
• 2-Day pilgrimage at the end of 2016 by Yasodadulal Dasa accompanied by a group of 150 local devotees (Assam).
• 15-Day bullock cart Padayatra from Noida to Vrindavan (UP) in October 2016.

One grihastha devotee disciple of Bhakti Vikas Maharaja, he had been doing padayatra in Telangana and Andra also since 2012 and he has only party of not more than half dozen just 4 or 5 devotees so many villages, so many books. Just one gentleman one grihastha leaves his family wife behind and he goes. Lot of the time, most of the time is on the road.

Bhuvaneswar from Gaura Govind Maharaja’s days, then after, his glorious departure, ISKCON Bhuvaneswar is organizing padayatra every year
In India, Pune to Pandharpur this is ISKCON Pune takes part in organizing the padayatra every year, 18 days, 50 temple devotees join, they’ll have good time, padayatra is nice retreat, retreat everyone like padayatra and there’s a whole list

And upcoming padayatras which is ISKCON Kanpur is on the list, and ISKCON Baroda and Tirupati’s being ready to have padayatra all over Andhra Pradesh and many temples organize padayatra every year there’s one day padayatra concept is cropping up in Ahmadabad and Gujarat, 3 day padayatra, 1 week padayatra or ISKCON Noida devotees go from here to Vrindavan , so please take this up, as I said in the beginning it already resolve that you are and they resolve for you are the doers, temple president you have to take this action to organize padayatra in your area.

You see Prabhupada’s will or legacy that he left behind in the form of padayatra and we have to shift forward
You are Ready!! once more once more show up hand, all those who wish to be a part of initiative.
Jai Srila Prabhupada ki jai

om ajnana-timirandhasya
jnananjana-salakaya
caksur unmilitam yena
tasmai sri-gurave namah

and those are obeisances unto Srila Prabhupad and my obeisances to all the assembled devotees in this world

vancha-kalpa-tarubhyas ca
krpa-sindhubhya eva ca
patitanam pavanebhyo
vaisnavebhyo namo namah

I was first didn’t want to have association of Srila Prabhupad and in Kartik on 1972, as well as unfortunate month of Kartik in 1977 and very first instruction Prabhupad gave to me in my life as I came to Vrindavan, that had a connection with Goverdhan, You and Panch Dravid are going to Agra and collect some grains, gud and ghee and Suji, Prabhupad wanted to organise a big Annakut. Goverdhan Puja Mahaotsav ki Jai…………

So that was first service instruction and the very last instruction also bring me to Goverdhan in a bullock cart. Hari Hari. I am sure that it is everybody’s experience that on disappearance day Prabhupad appears more. Yes is that? This is the day to become Prabhupad conscious, well not only this day, but in fact every day should be the day to become more and more Prabhupad conscious. I mean knowing Prabhupad and what were his expectations from us also to know that , to know lot of things as we become Prabhupad conscious. We realise Prabhupad and then will also act on his behalf or as he said, You do as I did. He did not ordered to, You do as I did, and in order to do as I did, we will have to become more and more Prabhupad conscious and this applies to every single one of us, not just Prabhupad disciples but now we have grand disciples and Prabhupad has a great grand disciples and followers around, around the world. I have to serve his institution, protect his institution, he was so much concerned about among many other things, this was the one of his major concerns, how this movement will go on, after, he moves on and as he did today entering Krishna Balaram past times, Nitya lila pravistha, Srila Prabhupad ki Jai……..

So during one of those last days of Prabhupad in Vrindavan, he was with Giriraj, not swami or Maharaj that time, he was just Baramachari, anyway, I was expecting him to be here but Is he here? so Prabhupad asked how will this movement go on after I am gone?, and the response of Giriraj Prabhu was Prabhupad we will chant Hare Krishna, we will follow four regulative principles and like that on and on, he was saying these items. Prabhupad I was sure, he was pleased to some extent but not fully happy with the response and, so Prabhupad paused and he said, “organisation and intelligence”, Go mata ki Jai…
So this is what we have to do, we have to organise intelligently, so that Prabhupad’s movement could go on and on and on, I would take just one more minute. I just want to remind myself and all the assembled devotees, Prabhupad’s so very famous statement almost like a will, his will, “Your love for me will be seen by how you co-operate with each other.” So that this movement is protected after I am gone.

So, I think this is the day to remind all of us, of this spirit of co-operation that Prabhupad expected, and I would just add, not that we have to only love Prabhupad, we also have to love and trust devotees around us or devotees all around then only of course we will co-operate with each other and that could be pleasing Srila Prabhupad. The movement will be protected and the movement will go on and on. I just wanted to see that we take such a vow today, as an offering. I would like you to reach out your next neighbour, hold his hand, mataji’s could hold other mataji’s hand’s, do that and we want to express our, where are the hands, where are the hands, I want to see hands, we want to show Prabhupad out hands, we are together, we are gone co-operate, we are ready, we are taking this vow, as an offering unto you Srila Prabhupad.
Srila Prabhupad ki Jai…
Nitai Gaur Premanande
Thank you.

Kirtaniya Sada Hari
Padayatra Forever

Some devoteescome on Sunday. What about other, devotees? You should come visit theLord and devotees. Come – go, come – go, and then once come and never go.Do this kind of preparation. AttainLord and return back to Godhead from where we all actually belong, that planet is Vaikuntha planet or Golok planet. Do you all belong to Krisna?
You belong to Ram, onlyLord is yours and mine.

tvama eva mata
tvam eva pita
tvam eva bandhu

Tvam eva, Tvam Eva, we say tvameva, it is formed from two words evameans only you, you only are the mother, you only are father, you only are brother, you only are friend, tvam eva dravinam that is knowledge and wealth. Our spiritual life begins with the sambandha (relation) in this way, we should re- establish our relationship with theLord. Who we are?Who isLord? And what relation we have with theLord? These are the basic things we should learn and understand in this human life.

“athato brahma jijnasa”
‘Translation: “Now is the time to inquire about the Absolute Truth.”

Atha means now and now means whenyou have become human. Atha means for this reason you become inquisitive about spirit.Lord Krishna says in Gita
“pari prashnena sevaya,

Ask questions, who am I? Ke ami, kema amay, jare tapa trya.

What is mine? ask questions and you will get answers, every question has an answer. No one can ask any question which is not asked before. We cannot ask any new question. Before us, many had asked that question and now we are asking. Whenever the question was raised, answer was available there because answer is truth and truth is eternal. Satya meva jaite, truth always win.

sarvam eta dhritam mane yanmam vadasi keshav

Arjun also says in Bhagavat Gita said that whateverLord you speak, you speak only truth. The Vedas are also the Vani (speech) of theLord and all is truth. So, it is expected from us that we should be curious, not just curious but curious with relation to Brahma, Parabhrama or soul. But what we ask questions are about price in the market. All these question and answers are going on day and night in court or vegetable market or in school and colleges, but many of the questions are not spiritual and related to Brahma. (Kirtan Hare Krishna …) Hare Krishna mahamantra do you all liked it?
Devotees: Hari Bol!!!

Lokanath Swami Maharaja : It is not any manorajan (entertainment) programme, it is atmarajan, atmarajan means for the peace and satisfactionof the soul or for the nourishment of the soul so that we can becomemahatma than just atma everyoneand also woman because, here we are talking about the soul so there is no question or difference of female and male. In this way, you all in your home, or wherever you are, do kirtan, this is told by Sri Krishna Chaitanya Mahaprabhu himself and to tell this he went from village to village, town to town, there is a possibility that from Jagannath Puri to Jharkhanda, now it has become a state, before it was a forest so he went from there to Mathura-Vrindavan. Does Kanpur come in between?
Devotees: Yesss!!

Lokanath Swami Maharaja : I wanted to sayLord must have come here also, there is a possibility, also it is said that Chaitanya Mahaprabhu here somewhere took a bath on the banks of Ganges, in this area and then moved ahead. Krsna who is merciful, if he was not merciful what kind of Krishna? If not, ours then at least listen to the words of Krishna and Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. Caitanya Mahaprabhu said?

“bolo Krishna bhajo Krishna karo Krishna Shiksha”

Like this he said two-three more things, he himself would also do this,as well as said to Haridas Thakur and NityanandaPrabhu who were the leading preachers. Who was Haridas thakur? Brahma himself, Brahma-Vishnu-Mahesh from which the Brahma he became Brahma Haridas thakur or his name became Haridas thakur.

And Balaram hoilo Nitai, Krishna Balaram ki jai, Dauji ka bhaiya Krishna Kanhaiya”

That Dauji 500 years ago appeared as NityanandaPrabhu”Balaram hoilo nitai”.There were many teams who used to preach on behalf of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, so one of that teams ,’leading team’ was of Haridas thakur and Nityananda prabhu so Chaitanya mahaprabhu said,

suno suno Nityananda, suno Haridasa,
sarvatra amara ajna koroha prakasa,
prati ghare ghare giya koro ei bhiksa,
bolo Krishna, bhaja Krishna, koro Krishna siksa

“O hear Me, hear Me Nityananda! Hear Me Haridasa! Simply disseminate My order everywhere. Go from house to house and beg [the residents as follows]: ‘Speak about Krsna, worship Krsna and teach [others] about Krsna.’”

[Caitanya-bhagavata Madhya-Lila 13.8-9]

Go to each house and preach my order and that is “bolo Krishna (say Krishna) bhajo KKrishna (chant Krishna) karo Krishna Shiksha(teach others about Krishna)” so this is Chaitanya mahaprabhu’s instruction,not mine, who am I to instruct you ,I am also like you,I am just one of you.
500 years ago when Chaitanya mahaprabhu appeared “sambhavami yuge yuge”and what he does dharma samsthapanarthya establishes principles of religion, and Kaliyuga’s dharma is Harinam Sankirtan

“kali kaler dharma harinaam sankirtana ara nahi dharma”,
It is said in the scripture’s there is no other dharma in this age of Kali other than Hari nam sankirtan.
“Iti sodasakam namnam kali-kalmasa-nasanam
Natah parataropayah sarva-vedesu drsyate”

Brahma said this to Narada Muni, we should accept that kali yuga dharma is Harinam sankirtana. Do you all agree?
Devotees: Yesss!!!Hari Bol

Lokanath Swami Maharaja : Otherwise, I will have to give you references from different shastra. If you understand then I would not say all that. So you all become religious, Kaliyuga’s dharma is harinama sankirtan to become dharmic we will have to accept the dharma of kali yuga then only we will become dharmic. If we do Harinam sankirtan, Brahma ji said to Naradmuni- Brahamaji is father, Guru, he is not only engineer or constructor of material world. He is acharya. Like our acharya is SrilaPrabhupad. We are called as Gaudiya Vaishnav and our first acharya is Brahmaji.four different types of Vaishnav tradition. Out of that one disciplic succession, whose first acharya is who says

“Om Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare, Hare Ram Hare Ram Ram Ram Hare Hare”

“iti sodasakam namnam kali-kalmasa-nasanam
natah parataropayah sarva-vedesu drsyate”

Iti means this, sodaskam namnam- 16 name, Kali-kalmasa-nasanam- is to counteract the evil effects of Kaliyuga. Natah parataropayah- and there is no better way, sarva-vedesu drsyate-no other method has been mentioned in all the Vedas.

Harer nama harer nama harer namaiva kevlam

I am the knower of all the Vedas, I was the only person who heard Veda fromLord lotus-mouth (Mukharavind), and I am the authority to say,
na atah paratarah upayah paratarah means better, so there is no better way “na” means no, “sarva vedeshu” in all the Vedas no other way is mentioned Harer Namaiva kevalam.

So, in this discipline succession of Narada muni, even theLord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu also appeared and in the line of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu recently In the 20th century Bhakti Vedanta Swami SrilaPrabhupada ki jai. Prabhupada appeared and took the responsibility of spreading the spiritual principles given by his spiritual master. “Yato yato Yami Tato Prabhupada” wherever we go there is Prabhupada. Prabhupada’s spiritual master instructed Prabhupada about a 100 years ago to spread awareness about Bhagvat Dharam or Chaitanya Bhagvat dharma in the Western countries. This instruction was given 100 years ago so In ISKCON we are celebrating the 100th anniversary in 2022 accordingly in 1922 this instruction was given by Srila Bhakti Siddhant Saraswati Thakur to Bhakti Vedant a Swami Srila Prabhupada. Srila Prabhupada followed his spiritual master’s instruction and founded the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON).

So we can say that Srila Prabhupada was the protector of Gaudiya Vaishnav sampradaya, that was his responsibility then to spread the instructions of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu as well as his desire. So as we discussed already Dharma Samstha panarthay Sambhavami Yuge Yuge. One of the reason of the incarnation ofLord is to preach the dharma, and Kaliyuga’s dharma is Harinam Sankirtan, so spreading harinam sankiratn was the responsibility of Bhakti Vedant Swami Srila Prabhupada, he made many plans so that Harinam could be propagated and spread all over the world, Chaitanya Mahaprabhu had predicted that,

“prithvi te ache jat nagar adi Gram
sarvatra prachar hai be moranaam”

He said in Bengali becauseLord had appeared in Bengal/Mayapur which is nondifferent from Vrindavan, It is Vrindavan only because Shri Krishna Chaitanya Mahaprabhu is Krishna himself, not only he is Krishna but he is Radha also,

“Sri Krishna Chaitanya Radha Krishna Nahi Anya”

Such is the introduction is of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. And he predicted that my name will be preached in the whole world, in every town and every village. This prediction was made true by Bhakti Vedant Swami Srila prabhupada, So to spread the holy name he made many plans, under which Srila Prabhupada started this padayatra which is also known as the walking festival or bullock cart sankirtan and what to say, he instructed me “You preach the holy name by bullock cart padayatra” There are other means or mediums of Harinam propagation, out of that one can say that padayatra is a special or main medium to reach harinam in cities and villages. I don’t know what you’ll are looking at. I got this instruction on the day of Radhastami in New Delhi in Radha Parthsarthi temple Prabhupada told me to handle this, then we went to Vrindavan from Delhi and we prepared everything so that we can go from padayatra or bullock cart.

This is about 1976 on 10th or 12th of September, Prabhupada himself inaugurated this program behind the Krishna Balaram temple where here is Prabhupada quarter, we were only 10 to 12 padayatris (members of bullock cart sankirtan party) so Prabhupada spent a whole hour talking to us, and many things he explained about how to spread this even he told us that when we enter into any village, park your cart next to the well. So, we came to know this later, although I was a villager, I came to know that rural people come to places where water is available, so you can meet them there. Prabhupada explained many things like this to us. He told us to keep two blankets because the winter days were just about to start and Prabhupada also said that your bullock cart should also have rubber tiers.

And when you go into the village, you have to keep the people in villages only, nowadays rural people are running towards the cities. We were in Kanpur, they helped us a lot, our padayatra was going on in Kanpur, Nagar Sankirtan, book distribution. At that time, we did not have financial assistance for our padayatra, we did not have a bank account and our bank balance was zero, so I wrote a letter to Prabhupada from Kanpur, send us some money and some manpower, so then Prabhupada replied, no no don’t depend on outside help, become self-sufficient, do book distribution. By the way Prabhupada sent a sankirtan newsletter with that letter and said that our institute is maintained with the collection from the book sells. We maintain our institution by distributing books worldwide, so you will also have to do the same thing and we were also thinking to open a center in Kanpur for fund raising, there are many rich people, many businesses men’s in Kanpur.

So Prabhupada came to know about our idea, how to raise funds, then he again wrote a letter to me he gave an address Mr. G. Panth, Ashok Nagar, Kanpur, Prabhupada said yesterday itself this gentleman from Kanpur had come to see me in Vrindavan, Mr. Panth and he is a great devotee, he can help you, so contact him. So like this we were contacting and conversing with Srila Prabhupada about raising funds in Kanpur to support padayatra sankirtan party and then I even sent the bullock cart sankirtan party ahead and I alone stayed back for some time for fund raising or to open a center but then I also joined the party and then we reached Allahabad, Prayag Raj, at the time of Kumbh mela in 1977, there was a camp (pandal) of ISKCON and Prabhupada himself came there even though his health was not good and our bullock cart sankirtan party had also reached there.

As I met UP (Uttar Pradesh) padayatris today, the devotees of UP padayatra were narrating their reports to me about how good the preaching is going on and the books are being distributed very well, this person sponsored the cart for us, we have a motor cycle we use it, etc. they were telling. So just as they were reporting me about UP padayatra, I also shared with Prabhupada whatever experience we had from Vrindavan to Prayag raj and Prabhupad was listening interestingly and was asking questions also and as I went answering, there was only Prabhupada and me in that tent and as he kept on listening the bullock cart sankirtan party’s report so “the face is index of mind” so looking at the happiness on his face I understood that Prabhupad was very happy, and that happiness which I saw personally, the mood on Prabhupada’s face, it was joyful and happy and it still inspires me to do padayatra and to take the sankirtan forward. The annual Prabhupada Vyasa puja book is made every year so at least once a year I give my report with a hope and I am confident that Prabhupada would be certainly pleased with it.

Recently in the last week I have sent my offering for the Vyasa puja offering book of this year. So, one day Srila Prabhupada was returning from his morning walk in the Kumbh Mela and we had parked our bullock cart’s in the park, Prabhupada came straight to the bulls I was also with him I remember one thing that on one side of our bullock cart we wrote our party’s name Bhakti Vedanta Swami bullock cart sankirtan party, This name was written in a semi-circle so Prabhupada started reading from one point and he read it in circular manner as it is written. we had named the sankirtan party ” Bhakti Vedanta Swami bullock cart sankirtan party” ki jai. Then we went ahead to Varanasi, Prabhupada’s order was to go from Vrindavan to Mayapur. So, when we would go, people used to ask us where is this party going? Then we would say we are going to Mayapur. Some people would say you’ll are Swami ‘s and you are going to Mayapur? you are going into Maya? so at that time people were totally blank about Mayapur slowly now because of Prabhupada everyone is coming to know about Gauranga Mahaprabhu and his birth, at that time almost no-one knew about Mayapur. So, when we were in Varanasi, it was February, and we want to reach Mayapu in March because Gaura Purnima festival is celebrated in March.

Srila Prabhupada used to organize Mayapur festival there, his disciples and followers from all over the world used to come together and Gaur Purnima means same as Krishna Janmashtami festival.Lord Krishna appeared on Ashtami and Sri Krishna Chaitanya Mahaprabhu appeared on Gaura Purnima or Falgun Purnima. Gauranga! Nityananda! Just like in Vrindavan (we say) “Dauji ka bhaiya, Krishna Kanhaiya, in Mayapur (we say) “Gauranga, Nityananda” because that same Krishna, Balarama appear in the form of Gauranga and Nityananda in Navadvip. So, we had to reach till Gaura Purnima and only one month was left and we were in Varanasi so we were thinking how to reach on time, so we came up with a plan, please don’t share it with anyone okay? We hired a truck, we were cheated a little, we were supposed to go by bullock cart and padayatra from Vrindavan to Mayapur but we wanted to reach till Gaura Purnima so we hired a lorry (truck) and our bullock cart, our bulls, our all padayatris, their all personal belongings, our books, our Gaura Nitai deities that time the head pujari of Vrindavana he was a household devotee so he gave us his personal Gaura Nitai so all of these we loaded into the lorry.

This was a kind of black business, we wanted to travel at night so that no-one could know, we crossed the entire Bihar and unloaded at the Bihar-Bengal border, and from there we left for Mayapur. The Padayatra was very much welcomed in Bengal specially. Because from a vision Bengalis were fortunate becauseLord Gauranga mahaprabhu appeared in Bengal, Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Kirtan has been famous in Bengal since long. Harinam Kirtan is performed for Ashta prahar (24 hours) day and night. We were very welcomed wherever we went. We went to Navadweep city, we had to cross Ganges to go to the other side is Mayapur, Chandrodaya temple. So then again, we loaded bullock cart, bulls, padyatris, into a boat.

When we were crossing the river, one of our bulls went into the Ganges. The boat was going ahead and the bull was going backward. We were praying toLord. Narsimha, please help, protect. We were pulling the bull; with great difficulty and prayers we reached Mayapur. Aarti of Radha Madhav was being performed in the afternoon. We took darshans, the bullock cart was parked in front of the temple. We went up to meet Prabhupad. Prabhupad had met us in Vrindavan, in between in Prayag raj and now when we reached Mayapur, Prabhupad was there. Prabhupad lived on the 2nd floor. Prabhupad’s servant Hari Sauri Prabhu, we were about to climb the 2nd floor, then he came forward and said You can’t go, Prabhupad is busy you can’t meet. So luckily Prabhupad came out of the bathroom it was not attached and was about to go to his roomhe saw something was happening here, a riot. Prabhupad said let them come then we reached Prabhupad’s room, lotus building, 2nd floor. We sat down after paying obeisances. So that day, when Prabhupad came for darshan, his disciples had garlanded him with many colorful, aromatic, lotus and many other flower garlands. It was all lying there in Prabhupad’s room. Prabhupad said “Tamal Krishna, Hari Sauri, offer them garlands. So, within a few moments we wore big-big garlands.

Prabhupad welcomed us this way and did the hospitality. Then again reporting happened like it happened in Prayag raj. Now we narrated the entire journey from Prayag raj to Mayapur. Prabhupad asked how was the journey? I told Prabhupad “it was easy journey to Mayapur planet”. There is a book by Prabhupad called “Easy journey to other planets”. The journey was smooth, I said. After that festival Prabhupad said now you go to Jagannath Puri. Earlier we were told to go from Vrindavan to Mayapur, now he said go to Jagannath Puri. We also went. Now this is 1977, this is Prabhupad’s last year among us or in this world. Prabhupad was in Vrindavan in November, a week before his departure to Golak. I and my party, Prabhupad had asked us to organize a bullock cart party as well as a book distribution party.

The name of that party was “Narad muni travelling sankirtan party”. When we reached Mayapur, Prabhupad had kindly given darshan’s to us. In those days it was difficult for Prabhupad to even sit, he used to lie down. We went and sat next to Prabhupad and again Prabhupadasked for the report of book distribution. At that time,we had come from Badrikashram, while distributing books we went to Badrika ashram, we knew Prabhupada’s health was not good but, in those days, we had no mobiles, e-mails, SMS to contact se we ourselves came from Badrikashram to Vrindavan.Prabhupad was asking which book was more distributed. We said that we had gone to Badrikashram and we showed your Bhagwat Geeta to Srila Vyasadev ji in Vyasa cave. Prabhupad was very happy to hear this. We thought that Vyasa dev must be staying in that Vyasa cave, we didn’t see him but he must have definitely seen us and the Geeta. At the end of the meeting, I and other devotees of the sankirtan party were also leaving the room, I was the last person to leave the room so I turned to see before I leave, Prabhupad signaled me with fingers to come so I went into the room and sat. So Prabhupad asked me ” I would like to see you, what time could I see you?.

I said anytime Prabhupada, there’s no question, anytime you wish to see me. Prabhupad said”4 O’clock is, okay? I was thinking whole day that the way Prabhupad had said I want to see you, I was seeing that something was serious, he had something in his mind. So, when we returned at four O’ clock, whatever he wanted to say at 4 o’clock, Prabhupad had already told it to his servant’s and secretary during the day. The thing was that Prabhupad wanted to travel in Vraj Mandal especially as a trial to Govardhan by bullock cart.

You all easily said Haribol, we also had said Haribol, but many said cautions! Because Prabhupada was bed for 4 to 6 months his situation was very delicate. So Krishna-Balaram temples senior devotees were discussing at the reception hall and I also was there, so they sent me to Mathura to organise a bullock cart and I also organised a cart, it was also parked in front of the temple and next morning we had to go to Govardhan but then at night yes/no, agree/disagree, all of that happened and then finally Srila Prabhupada dropped the idea to go by bullock cart, so bullock cart idea was not going to happen. So, the next day, Prabhupada was not going to travel by bullock cart, but the travelling idea was not dropped, “okay I can’t go bullock cart in this condition”. So, we, disciples were sitting around Prabhu Pada’s bed so Prabhupada again gave the proposal, I want the travel with (by) buses, at this time no one had taken objection and Prabhupada wished to travel so everyone was happy too as Prabhupada will be with us, he will not return back to godhead, he would be with us. We all welcomed. So, like that, so this traveling by bullock cart did not happen so I was thinking, because I was the owner of bullock cart or Prabhupada gave me the responsibility, I thought this is the will, last desire of Prabhupada to travel by bullock cart but that couldn’t be fulfilled. By the way, Prabhupada’s idea was that as a trial first, we will have padayatra in Vrindavan and then slowly extend the preaching everywhere. Prabhupada would say “fighting with maya, I will reach back to godhead by fighting with maya”, preaching is fighting, “fighting with maya I want to leave the world”. Then in 1984, we were making plans about how can we celebrate Chaitanya Mahaprabhu’s 500th birth anniversary, Chaitanya mahaprabhu appeared in 1486 so in the year 1986, 500 years were going to be completed.

So, we planned and with that planning the wish of Prabhupada that was not yet fulfilled that will be fulfilled, so we decided that we will organise padayatra from Dwarka to Mayapur, first yatra was from Vrindavan to Mayapur and this yatra was from Dwarka to Mayapur via Kanyakumari. we started that Padayatra on the day of Radhashtami, the day Srila Prabhupada instructed me to take charge of bullock cart team. So, after 18 months we reached at Mayapur from Dwarka completing the journey of 8000 miles. At that time, it was a big setup like a circus, with elephants, camels’ cart and so many bullock cart’s also we had. These bulls in UP padayatra, this idea we had in the year 1984, then we Purchased bulls from Gujrat Whenever we have new padayatra being started we take bulls from Gujarat.

We got success in this padayatra so we taught how can we stop. We were supposed to stop at Mayapur but we did not stop, so then we thought from where we have started the journey we will stop there only, we will complete a round. So, we came to Jagannath Puri from Dwarka, and from that we thought we would go to Badrika ashram from Mayapur, then back to Dwarka and we had gone to Rameshwaram also, and we completed journey of 4 Dham, so we completed one round. We thought we had completed one round so we will go for one more round than 3rd round and 4th round and, in this way, padayatra had completed 6 rounds of entire India and we call that as “mother of padayatra”, and its children’s are UP padayatra, Andhra Pradesh Padayatra, Utkala Banga padayatra, Gujarat padayatra, Maharashtra padayatra. Padayatra is going on in a half dozen states. Single padayatra was held and Prabhupada was very impressed by the bullock cart sankirtan so he wrote a letter to his disciple in America named Nityanand prabhu. The letter said,” we should have millions of such cart all over the world”, such cart’s means the carts which we were using in India, Prabhupada said we should have lakhs of such padayatra’s all over the world. We took inspiration from this and when Prabhupada’s 100th birth anniversary was going to be celebrated in 1996. Century means hundred years were being complete for the birth of Prabhupada. Until then padayatra ministry was also established, there are many ministries in ISKCON out of which padayatra ministry is one.

So ISKCON Padayatra ministry had organized padayatra’s in 100 countries to celebrate the festival of Srila Prabhupada’s 100th birth anniversary. Either you didn’t listen or you are not so surprised,’ OH, it’s just 100 countries, How many countries?100 Countries i said. Actually it’s more than 100, in 111 countries for 5 years padayatra happened, and those ISKCON Padayatris have travelled 3,00,000 kilometres till now, three hundred thousand kilometres, every day in a new village, new town. Once we started Europe padayatra in Glasgow in England. From Glasgow to Moscow, 5 years of travelling, everyday not only walking but at the same time even chanting “Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare Hare Ram Hare Ram Ram Ram Hare Hare”. By doing this, from many European countries we went from Glasgow to Moscow. Then we had American padayatra,like that we did padayatra in the west coast.I myself travelled from San Francisco to San Diego and then on the east coast, then Australia, Africa, and everywhere in innumerable villages and cities Prabhupada hypothesized this padayatra.Srila Prabhupada Ki jai. So with this, the future prediction of Chaitanya mahaprabhu that,

” Prithvi the achhe, Nagaradi gram,
sarvatra prachar hoibe mor naam”

is being made true by this Srila Prabhupada’s padayatra, around the world. OK. Thank you for your time and interest. Now your padyatra, ISKCON Kanpur’s own padayatra is held from many years, are the padayatris here?stand up, Ritudvip prabhu is our leader and behind are many padayatris. From 3 years, during COVID pandamic we stopped for some time otherwise nonstop in many villages and cities of UP, just imagine, everyday padayatra goes from many villages, village 1, village 2, village 3 then in 4th village we stop at night, and next day 1, 2 villages then next, in this way and this padayatra does not preach only in villages or only in towns, in the middle of villages or in the middle of the towns also preaching happens. Thank you. Congratulate the padayatris and we are also thankful to ISKCON Kanpur’s management, for giving the support and energy, and you all also can join sometime, on weekends or vacations, whole family can go with them for yatra. Can they come?. You’re welcome, youth’s can go, ofcourse temple brahmachari’s are always welcomed, and household devotees also on vacation. Ok, thank you. Hare Krishna!

Talk By Srila Guru Maharaj to International Devotees.

So, I am happy again to see you all and have not all of you, sorry, I am not hearing all of you. Read or write your offerings or maybe you already have written. I will read out if you wish you could write also which I will read and then we could also share that on the conference, Dinukampa mata ji could do that. Keep Practicing and propagating Krishna Consciousness. Hari Hari. Krishna has or Gauranga has made us fortunate by bringing us to the devotees connecting us with the Parampara. This is certainly, I mean many of you are saying, Oh! Maharaj is merciful., Maharaj is merciful., Maharaj is merciful, but it is all Krishna’s mercy. Krishna is very kind and his mercy is what we display or wish. We share with you all, with others, so in turn you also become merciful, so others souls connect them with this Parampara, connect them with Krishna. Hari Hari. It is also expectation from Chaitanya Mahaprabhu which Srila Prabhupad spread out of Chaitanya Charitamrit and Srila Prabhupad used to repeat this. I heard this so many times Prabhupad saying this and that is bharat bhumite manusya haila janma yara janma sarthaka kare karo upakara

“ If you are born in Bharat Varsha and if you wish to make your life perfect then do Parupakara, So what is parupakara? Parupakara is share Krishna with others. That’s the only thing other are looking for, in fact they may not know even. When George Harrison had to say that we are looking for Krishna, he said, “ I may not looking for but in fact all souls are looking for Krishna. So, if you wish to make them happy give them Krishna. So you have received Krishna or I had received Krishna from Prabhupad and now I am sharing that Krishna with you and in turn you have to share that same Krishna with others. Hari Hari.

Well, the statement says, “Bharat bhumite haila manusya janma yara,” those who are born in Bharat Varsha, you may say oh! I am not born in Bharat Varsha and so I don’t have obligation. So I don’t have to do Parupkar. I don’t have to propagate or share Krishna Consciousness but the fact is those who are practicing Krishna Consciousness which you all, that makes you Bharatiya means resident of Bharat Varsha and those who have come in contact with Srila Prabhupad’s Hare Krishna movement, you are more Bharatiya’s Bhartiya. Then most of the Indian’s are in India, you may be wherevaer you are, in America, here there, Africa, Australia, Asia, practicing Krishna Consciousness, you are bharatiya, you are practicing the ancient Culture of India, forget India, the India is worse than west. Oh! I think if I say this you will understand what, I mean one gentleman as he was addressing the gathering to introduce himself. He said, “I am not Indian, Main Bharatiya hoon.”I am not Indian, please not I am not Indian. I have nothing to do with India, mein bharatiya hoon. I am Bharatiya. So, in that sense I think I could say more but I think you are getting that. So, wherever there are Krishna Conscious temples, ISKCON temples, centres, preaching centres or even homes. Bharat has extended there. So, you are all Bharatiya’s, you are all and if you are nodding yes, I am here, then do this kind of Proupkar and there is also instructions of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu again, however, Krishna is Sri Krishna Chaitanya. Our God is Sri Krishna Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. Krishna becomes Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. Krishna was from Dwapar Yug and in Kaliyug, he appears as Sri Krishna Chaitanya and when Krishna becomes more, more Kind, more Merciful, more magnanimous than that Krishna, more magnanimous Krishna is Sri Krishna Chaitanya Mahaprabhu.

Sri Krishna Chaitanya Mahaprabhu ki Jai…………

So, take this Krishna consciousness seriously, Chant Hare Krishna daily and attentively, follow all the four regulative principles strictly. Read Srila Prabhupad’s books thoroughly and propagate and share Krishna consciousness enthusiastically and make your lives perfect. We are very close, we are very close to Krishna’s lotus feet. We are almost there. I will just stay there no if’s and but’s and no U-turns and no becoming Punar Mushika Bhava, Punar Mushika Bhava, become mouse again if you know what that is. Hari Hari. So lead a simple life or simple living, high thinking, not simply living, some people are just simply living, simply living and that is animal. Animals are also simply living, so you have taken initiation, so it becomes our responsibility to keep guiding you, keep inspiring you, so that you stay on this path, way back to home, back to Krishna. We are all foreigners. All right whatever you are, you are a foreigner and sharing reunion island, you are a foreigner there, or in USA, you are a foreigner. You may say I am a local, I am local, I belong to…, look at my passport, I am US citizen, I am Australian yeah or do not forget or get reminders that we are away from home, we are away from our homeland, we are away from our motherland, fatherland. We have forgotten who is our original father and mother and that is Krishna and wherever he resides, our father mother resides that is our country. Thus we belong to that nation, that country, that land, that home. So wake up or if you have waken up stay awake and stay on the path and never forget the goal of life, the final destination and that’s why we had association. So, yeah “Bodhyantah Parasparam”, Krishna says when devotees get together and that is what we are doing right now, right here, “Bodhyantah Parasparam”, we remind each other, we keep inspiring each other, we remind ourselves of what, what the reality including or beginning with who we are and, who Krishna is, who are the others, others members of our family or who are our neighbours, who are the friends, who are the colleagues.

So we are in big illusion thinking that they are the bodies, Hari Hari, So they are all spirit souls, parts and Parcels of Krishna. So help them out, so wherever you are, get together or got the temples for the association whatever good enough my heart, I will go wherever association to God is available and he had inspired to get fired up, yeah read books of Srila Prabhupad, distribute Books, yea so much, so much ignorance, in this world. Sky is the limit of that ignorance, unlimited ignorance. Hari Hari.

Chaitanya Mahaprabhu has a plan, has a strategy and Srila Prabhupad the Senapati Bhakt, Srila Prabhupad the Commander in Chief of the Sankirtan army by doing the foundation of this International Society for Krishna Consciousness, Srila Prabhupad is executing the will of the Lord, execution of the will of the Lord. Gauranga Mahaprabhu’s will is being executed. So, let us all play our roles in that execution which is basically propagation of Krishna Consciousness. So, go on and Stay High forever and thank you for all the love and trust that you are expressing through your words and express that, let that love and trust also be expressed through your actions, actions speak louder right. So, walk the talk, walk the talk all that your are taking practice that we are family, we are together, may be always not physically together but, we are, this is almost like physically , almost like a virtual togetherness, almost real. And yeah, you know we do this morning Japa Session, so as much as possible try to join us at least for some time or at least some days if not every day. So this kind of communication, association is available every day, Oh that is something we have been doing when I started that, so that we could be together that forum would provide facility to associate, not only you get my association but you also get association on thousands of devotees from all over India and also from several countries around the world. So try to take advantage of us for convenience to you all, You are free to write to us, we are, send us an email or if you really have to talk you could email sometimes also try to speak to us on the phone. We have written several books as Prabhupad used to say if you want to know me, read my books. So, we could also say something similar but if your want to know me more, or even associate and we benefitted that way, you could read books. Hari Hari.

You are welcome to come to Vrindavan Dham, Mayapur Dham or sometimes Pandharpur Dham also you could come and connect with us or catch up with us here in India. In one of the dham’s, on Parikarma or whatever possible. So stay connected and let us be stay united as united we stand and you know the rest. We don’t want to fall on the rise, go higher. Okay I am tired but it is for none, You know it is same Shubhratri or least for those devotees in India, Shubhratri or good night with Krishna conscious dreams and see you tomorrow morning on Zoom Session.

Hare Krishna
Nitai Gaur Premanande Hari Haribol

15.11.2023

You have all reached Dham. That’s why you all welcomed me. You are all residential here and I am just a visitor.

CC Madhya 19.53
namo maha-vadanyaya
krsna-prema-pradaya te
krsnaya krsna-caitanya-
n?mne gaura-tvise namah

Translation
“O most munificent incarnation! You are Krsna Himself appearing as Sri Krsna Caitanya Mahaprabhu. You have assumed the golden color of Srimati Radharani, and You are widely distributing pure love of Krsna. We offer our respectful obeisances unto You.

Krsna has brought us here.

Unnat ujawal rasa

The best of all rasas is madhurya rasa. Caitanya mahaprabhu had appeared to relish the madhurya rasa and also spread it.

Srila Prabhupada ki jai!

He established ISKCON to preach and spread the unnat ujwal rasa in nagar adi Gram.
I can see you all have come here from all over the world.

That’s all by the mercy of Guru and Gauranga.

Gauranga and Guru is Srila Prabhupada and by their mercy we are here.
I called you all local residents and I am a visitor but we all are actually visitors. We are Sadhaka.

We are coming and going.

And our aim is that one day we come and never go back.

na tad bhasayate suryo
na sasanko na pavakah
yad gatva na nivartante
tad dhama paramam mama (BG 15.6)

Translation
That supreme abode of Mine is not illumined by the sun or moon, nor by fire or electricity. Those who reach it never return to this material world.

Parikrama is sadhana and we become siddha by sadhana.

mora ei abhilasa, vilasa kunje dio vasa
nayana heribo sada yugala-rupa-rasi (Tulasi Kirtan 3)

Translation: My desire is that you will also grant me a residence in the pleasure groves of Sri Vrndavana-dhama. Thus, within my vision I will always behold the beautiful pastimes of Radha and Krsna.

With this desire or becoming a beggar we are pleading for Vilas kunje diyo vasa.
Prem sarovar is also Vilas kunje.

namo namah tulasi krsna-preyasi namo namah
radha-krsna-seva pabo ei abilasi (Tulasi Kirtan 1)

Translation: O Tulasi, beloved of Krsna, I bow before you again and again. My desire is to obtain the service of Sri Sri Radha-Krsna.

We all pray to Tulsi Maharani that you are very dear to Krsna. As Radha is dear to Krsna almost like that Tulsi Maharani is dear to Krsna.
Krsna plays lila and tulsi does all arrangements for the pastimes.

Vrindaya Radhaya Bhaktanaam Vanam Tatr Vrindavan”
Translation: Vrindavan means the forest of the devotees of Shri Radharani.

Vrinda devi does set the scene of all the pastimes of Krsna and Radharani like Jhulan yatra and Jala krida. She is an event manager or temple commander.

Krsna also married Vrinda devi. We offer obeisances and prayers to such Vrinda devi by understanding her position and also engage others in services.

If you want to serve, go to tulsi Maharani. She will engage you.

ei nivedana dharo, sakhir anugata koro
seva-adhikara diye koro nija dasi (Tulasi Aarti 4)

Translation : I beg you to make me a follower of the cowherd damsels of Vraja. Please give me the privilege of devotional service and make me your own maidservant.

May we be qualified to serve the Lord. May we be anugata of the gopis.

nirodho ‘syanusayanam
atmanah saha saktibhih
muktir hitvanyatha rupam
sva-rupena vyavasthitih (SB 2.10.6)

Translation:
The merging of the living entity, along with his conditional living tendency, with the mystic lying down of the Maha-Visnu 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.

Madhura rasa, Sakhya rasa and Vatsalya rasa. These 3 rasas are prominent in Vrindavan. Forget Sakhya and Dasya bhava.

So we are going towards Nandagaon.

Gokul and Rawal are also nearby. Rawal is the birth place of Radharani and Krsna was born in Mathura, but immediately was transferred to Gokul.

If we think or say that Nandagram is 8 km then it is an aparadha. Whatever we see is not always true.

In Rasa lila how many gopis are there?? Arabudha ..crores of gopis. If so many gopis are there then how much far the Rasa lila place will be, it’s beyond kms.

There were 9 lakh cows at Nanda Maharaj’s home, so how much place is required its beyond kms.

We think Vraja is 84 Kosa but that’s not true. Pastimes have happened here and are still happening here in Dham.

Acaryas have seen and realised the pastimes and they have entered in Bhagavatam, Caitanya Charitamrita, and Gaudiya satras.

Krsna was in Vrindavan for only 11 years but the pastimes are still happening here. So there is an ocean of pastimes.

When this pastime appears from the mouth of Acarya we can take a dip in it.

avat?rne gaura-candre vistirne prema-sagare
suprakasita-ratnaughe yo dino dina eva sah

“The advent of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu is just like an expanding ocean of nectar. One who does not collect the valuable jewels within this ocean is certainly the poorest of the poor.”

Caitanya Mahaprabhu appeared and made a Prema Sagar. And at the bank of such Prem Sagar, we are sitting. We have to take dip in such Kunda

itidrik sva-lilabhir ananda-kunde
sva-ghosham nimajjantam akhyapayantam
tadiyeshita-jneshu bhaktair jitatvam
punah prematas tam satavritti vande (Damodarashtakam 3)

Translation: By such childhood pastimes as this He is drowning the inhabitants of Gokula in pools of ecstasy, and is revealing to those devotees who are absorbed in knowledge of His supreme majesty and opulence that He is only conquered by devotees whose pure love is imbued with intimacy and is free from all conceptions of awe and reverence. With great love I again offer my obeisances to Lord Damodara hundreds and hundreds of times.

Won’t you all like to take a dip?? Haribol.

So atleast desire to take a dip.

Today is also the birthday of Brajabhumi prabhu.

In kunda there, Krsna and Gopis do Jal krida. One time this Kunda was not there. After a long long time Radha and Krsna met here.

They meet like they have never met each other. So the joy of meeting is always new.

In material life if we meet someone many times we may not feel like meeting him again. But that’s not seen in the spiritual world. It’s always new. Meeting is there but there is also fear of losing each other when Radha and Krsna meet.

Yoga and become Viyoga. Yoga means meeting And Viyoga means separation.

This is Vrindavan and its filled with Kalpa Vriksha and Radha Krsna were sitting on a Ratna throne. So as they were meeting, there came a bumble bee and was making noise. Maharaja made a noise and said I am a nakli bumble bee.

Madhu mangal saw the bumble bee and thought it was bringing an obstacle in the meeting of Radha and Krsna. Madhu mangal is a funny friend of Krsna. So he came with a stick and drew the bumble bee away.

Madhumangal said Oh, I fled away the bumble bees. As Radharani heard this she thought he has drawn away her Madhusudan and the fire of separation started burning her. As Radha Raman Maharaj was saying Prem Vaichitya.

And the love becomes more and more solidified and that prem is Vaichitya. And in this Krsna was sitting right there but Radharani feels that Krsna has left her. With that thought Radharani start crying. And tears are flowing from her eyes and all her clothes have become wet.

As Krsna saw Radharani crying, he said hey why are you crying. What happened I am right here. But Radharani is all absorbed in her Bhava tastha also called Vipralambha Bhava. That also becomes Samadhi.

In spite of all his attempts Krsna can’t counsel her. He feels compassionate for her. He is surprised what is happening to her.

And seeing her cry, he also starts crying. They cried for a long time and because of all the tears from both their eyes, the Kunda was filled and it become Prem Sarovar.
Tears of Radha are Radha herself and the tears of Krsna are Krsna himself.

gita su-gita kartavya, kim anyaih shastra-vistaraih
ya svayam padmanabhasya, mukha-padmad vinihsrita (Bhagvat Gita Mahatmya 4)

Translation: Because Bhagavad-gita is spoken by the Supreme Personality of Godhead, one need not read any other Vedic literature. One need only attentively and regularly hear and read Bhagavad-gita. In the present age, people are so absorbed in mundane activities that it is not possible for them to read all the Vedic literatures. But this is not necessary. This one book, Bhagavad-gita, will suffice, because it is the essence of all Vedic literatures and especially because it is spoken by the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

Gita is the lord himself.

The words which come from Radha and Krsna’s mouth are Krsna and Radha only. They are Sachidananda.

Like that this water is also Sachidanand.
This Kunda reminds us of that pastime which occurred here. This Dhama is filled with wonderful pastimes.
Next we will go to Sanket Dham. Where Radha and Krsna would meet.

When Krsna was a small child that time Vatsalya rasa was predominant. Then on Diwali day, Krsna and his family shifted to Chattikara. That place was filled with Sakhya rasa. Rawal gaon vasis go to Basanti.

Krsna reaches Nandagram and Radharani to Barsana and then begins Madhurya lila.
At Sanket, Krsna and Radha decide by gestures where to meet.

Madhyan lila takes place at Radhakunda. And other lilas take place in forests. There are not only 12 forests but there are forests in forests.

So where to meet is decided at Sanket by gestures.

On the way to Nandagaon is Uddhav kyari. Here Gopis meet Uddhava. There Gopis sang their Bramar geet.
And when Akrur had come to take Krsna and Balaram, Gopis tried to stop. Gopis shouted as Akrur, who named you Akrur you are very Krur. You are taking away our life, our Prannath. Akrur took away Krsna and Balaram and Gopis just stood there crying and crying and fell down.

Caitanya Mahaprabhu had come to Nandagram and asked, Is there any darsana on the top of the hill. The hill in Nandagaon is Shiva. Hill in Barsana is Brahma.

Govardhan is Krsna or Vishnu. So Brahma, Vishnu and Mahesh are staying in Vraja.

There is pavan sarovar, Krsna Balaram temple in Nandagaon, Krsna stays here and Radharani stays at Barsana.
Krsna has walked in this place where we are. This is all causeless mercy of Caitanya Mahaprabhu and Srila Prabhupada.

It’s mercy that we are here in Dham in Kartik Masa and doing Parikrama.

Thank u to the team of Parikrama –
Radharaman Maharaja, Bhadra prabhu, Istadev prabhu, Brajabhumi prabhu.

By their efforts Parikrama is going on smoothly. We should thank them also.

14.11.2023

Om namo Bhagavate Girirajai!

Krsna was only 7 years old. At that age he gave some instructions to his father.

SB 10.24.25
tasmad gavam brahmananam
adres carabhyatam makhah
ya indra-yaga-sambharas
tair ayam sadhyatam makhah

Translation:
Therefore may a sacrifice for the pleasure of the cows, the brahmanas and Govardhana Hill begin! With all the paraphernalia collected for worshiping Indra, let this sacrifice be performed instead.

All elderly folks have assembled and they are preparing for some Yajna and worship like every year.
Krsna asked to his father, What’s going on Baba??

They said we are preparing for Indra puja.

kamais tais tair hrta-jnanah
prapadyante ’nya-devatah
tam tam niyamam asthaya
prakrtya niyatah svaya (BG 7.20)

Translation
Those whose intelligence has been stolen by material desires surrender unto demigods and follow the particular rules and regulations of worship according to their own natures.

Lord is always Lord at any age.
Nanda baba once told Krsna to bring his shoes. But Krsna could not lift them, he used his both hands to lift them and kept on his head as they were very happy.
This happened at the age of 3.5 years and now he is 7 years old and he is going to lift Govardhan. I mean to tell Lord is always lord at any age.

SB 10.24.30
etan mama matam tata
kriyatam yadi rocate
ayam go-brahmanadrinam
mahyam ca dayito makhah

Translation:
This is My idea, O father, and you may carry it out if it appeals to you. Such a sacrifice will be very dear to the cows, the brahmanas and Govardhana Hill, and also to Me.

Like Krsna has said to Arjuna in the Gita,

iti te jnanam akhyatam
guhyad guhya-taram maya
vimrsyaitad asesena
yathecchasi tatha kuru (Bg. 18.63)

Translation
Thus I have explained to you knowledge which is still more confidential. Deliberate on this fully, and then do what you wish to do.

Then Arjuna said,

arjuna uvaca
nasto mohah smrtir labdha
tvat-prasadan mayacyuta
sthito ’smi gata-sandehah
karisye vacanam tava (BG 18.73)

Translation
Arjuna said: My dear Krsna, O infallible one, my illusion is now gone. I have regained my memory by Your mercy. I am now firm and free from doubt and am prepared to act according to Your instructions.

You all don’t have to do other preparations you can use the same material. So they reached Anyor village for Govardhan Puja. Brajvasis had done Indra puja for so many years. But he never appeared.

So Brajavasis were happy as Govardhan was present there personally to accept their puja.

sri-bhagavan uvaca
kalo ’smi loka-ksaya-krt pravrddho
lokan samahartum iha pravrttah
rte ’pi tvam na bhavisyanti sarve
ye ’vasthitah praty-anikesu yodhah (Bg. 11.32)

Translation
The Supreme Personality of Godhead said: Time I am, the great destroyer of the worlds, and I have come here to destroy all people. With the exception of you [the Pandavas], all the soldiers here on both sides will be slain.

Krsna and Balaram both were present there and they were worshiping themselves.

Today’s festival is called as Annakuta.

Anna is food and Kuta is mountain like Citrakuta, Kuta is mountain.

So today Brajavasis had made a big mountain of Anna. There was khira and soup.

Giriraj was honoring the bhoga with his own hands. There is a possibility, he must have become sahastra bahu.

On the spot they are milking the cows and making Khira. Because Giriraj was asking anayor-anayor. Is there anything more.
The Lord does not have a microphone. He does not need it.

His vani was spreading all over. The Lord was asking for more. Bring me more. If lord is Annata so there is no end to his demands.

There is a possibility that lord was offered everything but not Tulsi patra. So one devotee offered Tulsi to lord.

Lord said, Oh I’m satisfied now thank you.

sv-alankrta bhuktavantah
sv-anuliptah su-vasasah
pradaksinam ca kuruta
go-vipranala-parvatan (SB 10.24.29)

Translation: After everyone has eaten to his satisfaction, you should all dress and decorate yourselves handsomely, smear your bodies with sandalwood paste and then circumambulate the cows, the brahmanas, the sacrificial fires and Govardhana Hill.

It’s said that after honoring bhoga some particles were fixed in his teeth. So he was giving big bamboos to clean his teeth.

So many tooth-picks can be made by those Bamboos..like this is our lord Krsna.
So after the festival, all did Govardhan circumambulation pradakshina. Right now lakhs of people are doing Govardhan Parikrama. We will do Parikrama here.

Krsna and Balaram did Parikrama. All Brajvasis did Parikrama. Old folks did Parikrama in a bullock cart. Some people do abhishek of Govardhan while doing Parikrama.

Caitanya mahaprabhu ki jai!

Caitanya Mahaprabhu also did Vraja Mandal Parikrama and also Govardhan Parikrama.
The shape of Govardhan is like a peacock. Radhakunda and Shyamkund are his eyes.

We start from Radhakunda, there is neck of peacock.

As Caitanya Mahaprabhu moved ahead from Kusum Sarovar, he had darshana of Govardhan he ran towards and embraced Govardhan and all Ashta Vikar developed. In this way Caitanya Mahaprabhu is doing Aradhana of Govardhan.

hantayam adrir abala hari-dasa-varyo
yad rama-krsna-carana-sparasa-pramodah
manam tanoti saha-go-ganayos tayor yat
paniya-suyavasa-kandara-kandamulaih (SB 10.21.18)

Translation
Of all the devotees, this Govardhana Hill is the best! O my friends, this hill supplies Krsna and Balar?ma, along with Their calves, cows and cowherd friends, with all kinds of necessities — water for drinking, very soft grass, caves, fruits, flowers and vegetables. In this way the hill offers respects to the Lord. Being touched by the lotus feet of Krsna and Balar?ma, Govardhana Hill appears very jubilant.

Gopis says Giriraj is harisasya varya. Giriraj is lord.

As Krsna Balaram walk on it, Giriraj feels joy and happiness. Caitanya Mahaprabhu as he was doing Parikrama he developed Ashtavikar.
Some people do Dandavati Parikrama. Caitanya Mahaprabhu is rolling in the dust and again get up and again roll in dust. So he must have done Dandavati Parikrama.

And he was also doing abhishek with what, you know?? Did he bring any water from anywhere??

He did with his tears.
In kirtana also he, Mahaprabhu would develop Ashta Vikar.

mahapraboh kirtana-nritya-gita-
vaditra-madyan-manaso rasena
romancha-kampashru-taranga-bhajo
vande guroh sri-charanaravindam

Translation: Chanting the holy name, dancing in ecstasy, singing, and playing musical instruments, the spiritual master is always gladdened by the sankirtana movement of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Because he is relishing the mellows of pure devotion within his mind, sometimes his hair stands on end, he feels quivering in his body, and tears flow from his eyes like waves. I offer my respectful obeisances unto the lotus feet of such a spiritual master.

In kirtan he would bath all the assembled devotees with his tears.

So like that Caitanya Mahaprabhu was doing abhishek of Giriraj.
Instructions of Gita are also for all of us.
We will do Go-puja.

namo brahmanya-devaya
go-brahmana-hitaya ca
jagad-dhitaya krsnaya
govind?ya namo namah

Translation: “My Lord, You are the well-wisher of the cows and the br?hma?as, and You are the well-wisher of the entire human society and world.” (Visnu Purana 1.19.65)

Also Brahman puja we will do and distribute the anakuta prasad. That will be Vaishnava seva.
Also you all can ask for forgiveness from the devotees you offended knowingly or unknowingly.

vancha-kalpatarubhyash cha
kripa-sindhubhya eva cha
patitanam pavanebhyo
vaishnavebhyo namo namaha

Translation: I offer my respectful obeisances unto the Vaishnava devotees of the Lord. They are just like desire trees and can fulfill the desires of everyone, and they are full of compassion for the fallen conditioned souls.

So the same opportunity we have of doing Govardhan puja as the Brajavasis. And like that one day we will become Brajavasis and then one day enter nitya lila of Lord.

Nitai Gaura Premanande hari hari Bol!

On 18 dec Suvarna and Neelam Mataji are getting the blessing of Gurudev and they are getting initiated.
Plz pray for them.

8 November 2023

You are far away from the world here at Badrinath. Badrinath dhama ki Jaya!

The five Pandavas had left everything and moved towards Badrinath dhama It’s a beautiful and silent place. Every sanatani wants to go to Badrinath once in his life on Char-dhama Yatra. And above all the dhamas is Vrndavana Dhama. Vrndavana dhama ki Jaya!

It’s beyond all the Tirtha Sthalis. Krsna is the source of all incarnations. Like that the source of all the dhamas is Vrndavana Dhama.

All avatars are in the avatari.

advaitam acyutam anadim ananta-rupam
adyam purana-purusam nava-yauvanam ca
vedesu durlabham adurlabham atma-bhaktau
govindam adi-purusam tam aham bhajami

Translation:

I worship Govinda, the primeval Lord, who is inaccessible to the Vedas, but obtainable by pure unalloyed devotion of the soul, who is without a second, who is not subject to decay, is without a beginning, whose form is endless, who is the beginning, and the eternal purusa; yet He is a person possessing the beauty of blooming youth. (Sri brahma-samhita 5.33)

We can realise here that all the dhamas are in Vrndavana Dhama. That’s why it’s called Adi-badri.

The source of Badrinath in the North is this Adi-badri. The Badrinath in the Himalayas is an extension of this Adi-badri. Nanda baba and Yasoda Maiya and other Vrajavasis had a desire to go on Badrinath yatra. There is a possibility that they were thinking of going North. This is my thinking. So Nanda baba said to Krsna, Balarama and others, “Let’s go to Badrinath.”

Krsna brought them here and pointed towards the mountains and said, “See the Himalayas.” I also said to my god brother, Gurudev Prabhu to see the Himalayas. Mostly people do not know that these mountains are the Himalayas. Even I did not know.

Sri Krsna finished the pastimes here and wanted to return to His dhama.

krsne sva-dhamopagate
dharma-jnanadibhih saha
kalau nasta-drsam esa
puranarko ‘dhunoditah

Translation:

This Bhagavata Purana is as brilliant as the sun, and it has arisen just after the departure of Lord Krsna to His own abode, accompanied by religion, knowledge, etc. Persons who have lost their vision due to the dense darkness of ignorance in the age of Kali shall get light from this Purana. (SB 1.3.43)

When Uddhava got the news and he said, “I will also go back with you.” But Krsna said, “No, you go to Badrinath. Uddhava followed the order and came to Badrinath. Did you have darshan of Uddhava?

Uddhava is also at Uddhava Baithak at Gulma Lata. In this universe, there are 9 Varsas and 7 Islands.

Bharat Varsha is one of them and every Varsha has their preacher. In Bharat Varsha, Narada Muni is the leading preacher. Vyasa Dev is also there. Ganesh Gufa is also there, but you can’t see it. You listen and see and believe. In Badrikasram there is a cave in which Vyasadev was dictating and Ganesh who was writing like a stenographer. I had gone to Badrinath in 1977 in November. It was very cold. Devotees woke up, but continued sleeping in their sleeping bags. And then we got up and performed kirtana and were warmed up.

There we have Tapta Kunda with boiling water. Here we also have a Tapta Kunda, but there is cold water. In the boiling water in Tapta Kunda people even cook their rice. Who can make such arrangements? Only Lord Krsna can. So it’s very cold there from Diwali to Akshay Tritiya and it’s closed. But the pujari keeps all bhoga there for the closed period. When the gate is opened on Akshaya Tritiya, all the Bhoga is used up. It’s said Narada Muni and demigods worship the Lord in that closed period. The military is there. They say that they hear the sound of the conch shell and bells during that closed period.

Narada Muni keeps travelling all over. Narada Muni once said to the Lord, “Oh Lord, people ask me what the Lord is doing now? So I have to always tell them that the Lord is lying down and Laxmiji is massaging His feet. But that’s not very inspiring. People will say that if the Lord is resting we should also rest.”

The Lord thought, “I will renounce every thing and do tapasya.” Thinking this He came to Badrinath, but it was occupied by Shivji and Parvati Maiya.

The Lord took the form of a Baby and was crying for help. Seeing this Parvati Maiya was filled with compassion, but Shivji said, “No. Don’t go. It may be some Maya.”

But Parvati Maiya could not stop herself and took the Baby and kept Him in her house. Shivji and Parvati went to Gauri Kunda. When they came back and knocked on the door, there was no response from the inside. Shivji understood it was the Lord and He has encroached on their place. Then they moved to Kedarnath.

The Lord stayed here and did tapasya as Nara Narayan.

rsabha uvaca
nayam deho deha-bhajam nrloke
kastan kaman arhate vid-bhujam ye
tapo divyam putraka yena sattvam
suddhyed yasmad brahma-saukhyam tv anantam

Translation:

Lord Rsabhadeva told His sons: My dear boys, of all the living entities who have accepted material bodies in this world, one who has been awarded this human form should not work hard day and night simply for sense gratification, which is available even for dogs and hogs that eat stool. One should engage in penance and austerity to attain the divine position of devotional service. By such activity, one’s heart is purified, and when one attains this position, he attains eternal, blissful life, which is transcendental to material happiness and which continues forever. (SB 5.5.1)

When Brahma appeared, he also heard two words ta… pa and he also did tapasya. The Lord did Tapasya here. Laxmiji comes here and stays in the form of Badri trees. She is serving here as the Badri trees. Badri means Laxmi. Nath is Lord. So it’s Sri Sri Badrinarayan. Sri Sri Laxmi Narayan ki jaya!

From Badrinath yatra in 1977 we returned to Vrndavana. Our party’s name was Narada Muni Sankirtan Travelling Party. Prabhupada had asked us which book was distributed most. He liked book distribution very much.

He has filled his Bhava in his books so he says, “If you want to know me, read my books. I will never die till my books are there.”

We told Prabhupada that we showed his Bhagavad Gita to Vyasadev. Prabhupada was happy to hear this. I also said one more thing to Prabhupada which one of Prabhupada’s disciples did not like.

There is a Bhima Pul in Badrikasrama. And now only Bhima and Yudhishthir were remaining. Once Bhima had an encounter with Hanuman. Hanuman was sitting on the way and his tail was in the way so Bhima thought he is an ordinary monkey. Hanuman said, “Please leave my tail. I am old.” Bhima could not even move his tail an inch. Then Hanuman showed his original form. Bhima and Hanuman both are Vayu Putra.

Hanuman said to Bhima, “If you need me, you can call me.” Hanuman was on the flag of Arjuna’s chariot in the Kurukshetra war. From Bhima Pul in Badrikasrama Bhima had gone to the Lord’s abode. I told this to Prabhupada, but my god brother did not like it. He felt I am reminding Prabhupada of going back to the Lord’s abode.

Badri Narayan darshan is a very special Abhishek. There are very few temples where we can have darsana of the Abhishek of the Lord – Pandharpur, Badrinath, Kshir chora Gopinath. We can see Their Abhishek.

All of have reached Badrikasrama. You are fortunate. Is the Yatra going on wonderfully?

Madhuvan is Tapo Stali of Dhruva Maharaja and here the Lord did tapasya. Caitanya Mahaprabhu also came here. Also at Tapta Kunda, water has washed His lotus feet. The birds are also sleeping now. This is very normal. The sun is up means the light is on. Night is for sleeping and the night light is the moon.

Vrindadevi is like a temple commander. She makes all arrangements for The Lord’s pastime.

Kakati is a monkey who wakes up Radha and Krsna as they are resting after Rasa lila and tells them to go home before all at home wake up. There is a place named Sanket where Krsna and Radha make gestures and give their message to each other as to where they will meet. Yasoda Maiya puts Krsna to sleep and leaves, but Krsna gets up and goes to the forest for Rasa lila. Krsna plays His flute and only the Gopis can hear the flute and they leave home and go to the forest for Rasa dance. Then is it is jaya radha madhava kunja bihari. They also have snacks and they dance together and then they rest.

I wanted to tell you that we should go to bed early, but we do night duty and we are busy. So tomorrow via Kedarnath, you will be going to Kamyavan. There are many places of darsana in Kamyavan. Many Kundas and temples like, Sri Lanka and Ashok vatika. There are many monkeys. Ram setu made by monkeys, is there. Gopis said to Krsna, “You just keep talking.” So the Lord showed the Gopis how He made Ram Setu. Krsna became Rama and the monkeys came and the construction of Ram Setu began.

5 November 2023

Today is a very special day. I was thinking, it’s Radha-kunda’s appearance day and as I reached here, you reminded me of a very fortunate day when I was initiated by Srila Prabhupada. It was also Kartik. I was also in Vrindavan at that time. The video of the initiation which has recorded the event very nicely, is also there. I was watching the video. I was sitting there at the time of initiation and Srila Prabhupada handed me my mala and asked me what are the 4 regulative principles. And told me to chant 16 rounds daily. My material name whatever it was, started from the letter – R. So I was thinking my new name would be Radha Raman or something like that, but Prabhupada gave me the name Lokanath and I was reminded of Lokanath Goswami.

Prabhupada gave me harinama and that’s everything.

bahunam janmanam ante jnanavan mam prapadyate
vasudevah sarvam iti sa mahatma su-durlabhah

Translation:

After many births of spiritual practice, one who is endowed with knowledge surrenders unto Me, knowing Me to be all that is. Such a great soul is indeed very rare. (BG 7.19)

Radha Krsna are all in all.

radha-krishna prana mora jugala-kisora
jivane marane gati aro nahi mora

Translation:

The divine couple, Sri Sri Radha and Krishna, are my life and soul. In life or death I have no other refuge but them.

I am serving harinama for the last 51 years. Krsna’s name has caught me and it’s not leaving me. Today 51 years ago I officially received Harinama.

We all stayed with Prabhupada for the whole of Kartik masa. At that time Prabhupada stayed in a small room in Radha Damodara temple. The rent of the room was 5 Rupees. I had seen Prabhupada for the first time in 1971. I was attracted to his simplicity and I was reminded of the Shadh Goswamis. I could experience his renunciation and humility.

Prabhupada had recently bought the land where we now have the Krishna Balarama temple. That land was donated by Mr. Saraf to Prabhupada and in March, the ground breaking ceremony was done. Srila Prabhupada would daily send us to the construction site and we would go from Radha Damodara temple to the construction site performing kirtana.

The Tamala tree was in the courtyard and at that time that tree was my height. In Damodara masa we would spend our time in Radha Damodara temple and every evening we attended English classes by Prabhupada on the Nectar of Devotion.

It was the first time we had darshan of the Saligram Sila given by the Lord to Sanatana Goswami. He would offer 2000 obeisances to the devotees. We don’t even pay one. So the Lord gave him a Saligram Sila and do Parikrama. We had not even heard name of Radha-kunda. I did not know it was the appearance day of Radha-kunda. If we don’t die, we become old gradually. But as age increases there should be jnana vardhana also.

The first instruction Prabhupada gave me was related to Govardhan and the last instruction was also related to Govardhan. Prabhupada sent me and Dravida Prabhu to Agra to bring groceries for Annakuta. That’s the first instruction related to Govardhan. In 1977 Prabhupada said to me, “Take me to Govardhan by bullock cart.” Both instructions are related to Govardhan.

Jiva Goswami had said to Srinivasa Acarya to go to West Bengal. In the same way, Prabhupada told me to go to Mayapur doing Padayatra.

We also started Vraja-mandala Parikrama. As I received initiation on Bahulastami, Srila Prabhupada made by connection to Vraja Dhama. One holy dip in Radha-kunda and your life is successful. So in this way, Srila Prabhupada gave perfection to my life. Srila Prabhupada ki jaya!

Trillions of Gopis had come here and meanwhile came Aristasur in the form of an ox and created lot of turbulence. He was so huge that as he was running, the earth was trembling. Krsna was saying, ’Do not fear, Oh Dear I am here.’

As the demon came face to face with Krsna, Krsna was fearless and seeing this the demon was very angry. Krsna caught his horns and whirled it round and round and threw him away. Same time, same place, same tithi, 5000 years back. Krsna meets Radharani and Krsna says, “What did I do wrong?” Radharani replied, “ Oh, You killed an ox. You have committed a big sin. Don’t touch Me. First take bath in all the holy rivers.”

So Krsna made a kunda with his heel and He also used His flute and called all the holy rivers. He took a dip in that Kunda – Shyama-kunda. Now Krsna says, “Radha, you don’t talk to Me because You have committed a sin. You take a bath in all the holy rivers.”

At one place, Aristasur had hit the land and there was a ditch and all the Gopis dug around it and in one hour made Radha-kunda. But it was empty so Krsna said, “Take water from my Kunda.”

Radharani said, “No, that water is impure because You have taken bath in it.”

Gopis brought water from Manasi Ganga, but it was not practical and the Kunda wouldn’t fill completely with that. Krsna again said, “Take the water” and Radharani agreed. And the Kunda was filled with water.

Then Krsna said, “ Radhe, Your Kunda is dear to Me as You are dear to Me. And your Kunda will be more famous than my Kunda.” So you see that’s happening. People hardly talk of Shyama-kunda.

Radha-kunda’s water is not just water. It’s love of Radha and Krsna. And our way to achieve Krsna Prem is made easy by Radha-kunda. When Krsna develops compassion for His devotees His heart melts and begins flowing and that is Ganga maiya. Radha Krsna’s krpa and daya had made our Krsna realisation very easy.

yasyatma-buddhih kunape tri-dhatuke
sva-dhih kalatradisu bhauma ijya-dhih
yat-tirtha-buddhih salile na karhicij
janesv abhijnesu sa eva go-kharah

Translation:

One who identifies his self as the inert body composed of mucus, bile and air, who assumes his wife and family are permanently his own, who thinks an earthen image or the land of his birth is worshipable, or who sees a place of pilgrimage as merely the water there, but who never identifies himself with, feels kinship with, worships or even visits those who are wise in spiritual truth — such a person is no better than a cow or an ass. (SB 10.84.13)

Krsna was saying this to all the rsis and munis. If we do not hear from the realised souls what is the use of being in the dhama.

At Prayag, we have sangam of Ganga and Yamuna. People ask where Saraswati is? Saraswati flows from the mouth of the sadhus, that makes the Sangam of Ganga, Yamuna and Saraswati. Take a bath and also hear from the sadhus and go back to Godhead. Caitanya Mahaprabhu would also say, when He was with the devotees, as if He is taking us up and up. Go ahead and progress in devotional life. Complete one mala of 12 forests. Radha Raman Maharaja is at number one and has completed 36 malas. Bhadra Prabhu has completed many malas and Varaha Rupa Mataji has completed 33 malas.

It’s 84 Kosa Parikrama, so one who completes Vraja Mandal Parikrama never returns to 84 species of life.

HH Lokanath Swami Gurudev’s katha at Bahulavan

2 November 2023

Today is the Tirobhava of Narottam Dasa Thakura. He also went on Vraja-mandala Parikrama and this means that we are following in his footsteps. We are carrying our bodies to the places where Narottam Dasa Thakura went. But what about the bhava he was carrying in his heart. We can just hear about it.

We are sadhakas trying to become sadhana siddhas, but Narottam Dasa Thakura was a Nitya Siddha. He wrote Bhakti Prem Chandrika bhajan songs and Prarthana song book. If we read those we can get some idea about his mood. When he sang, Krsna would appear.

He arranged the first celebration of Gaura Purnima festival at his village in Bangladesh that is Kheturi.

Once Caitanya Mahaprabhu called out to Narottam. He announced his birth. Caitanya Mahaprabhu kept his prema for him in the Padmavati River and she asked, “How will I recognise him?”

Mahaprabhu said, “ As he enters your waters there will be a flood.”

Janava mata was also there during the Gaura Purnima festival. She also stayed at Radha-kunda. Her baithak is there at the bank of Radha-kunda. At the festival, Narottam Dasa Thakura was singing. The Lord says, “Wherever My devotees do kirtan, I stay there.”

jaya Sri-krsna-caitanya prabhu-nityananda sri-advaita gadadhara srivasadi-gaura-bhakta-vrnda

We are all also part of the Gaura Bhakta Vrinda. So as kirtan was going on Panca-attva appeared.

His disappearance is very amazing. As his associates were doing his Abhishek in the Padmavati River, he melted into the milk that was being used for his Abhisek and left this world. With that milk his disciples made a Dudh(milk) Samadhi. One samadhi is in Bangladesh and the other Pushpa Samadhi is at Radha Gokulananda temple.

Gaura Kishor Dasa Babaji Maharaja said that if you sing the bhajans from his two bhajan books, your life will be perfect.

The holy place known as Mathura is spiritually superior to Vaikuntha because the Lord appeared there. Superior to Mathura is the transcendental forest of Vrndavana because of Krsna’s rasa lila pastimes. And superior to the forest of Vrndavana is Govardhana Hill, for it was raised by Krsna. And, above all, Radha-kunda stands supreme, for it is flooded with nectarean prema of Krsna. (NOI 9)

You have all walked quite a lot. That is tapo divyam, divya tapasya. It is guaranteed that it brings purification and bliss. Dhruva Maharaja did tapasya and in six months he attracted the Lord. Bhakti is Krsna Akarshani.

Nanda Baba and his family shifted from Gokul to Vrindavan on the evening of Diwali day after the two trees were broken by Krsna. They crossed Yamuna by making a bullock cart bridge and they came to Chattikara. Gokul Vasis stay here. Basanti Gram is nearby. Vrsabhanu and his family shifted from Raval to Barsana.

Krsna and his family stayed at Chattikara Gram. We are fortunate to be able to stay here. We should not leave Vrindavan. Prabodhananda Maharaja said, “I will not leave Vrindavan.”

Gokul Vasis stayed here for three years and eight months. Chattikara is known as Shakatavarta in sastra. From here they go to Nandagram and at Bhadravan Vatsasur was killed by Krsna. Bakasur was killed in Khadirvana.