Venue: ISKCON Chowpatty Mumbai.

Dated: 1^st June, 2012

Occasion: Pandava Nirjala Ekadasi

Hare krishna…..(devotees) Hare Krishna, thank you very much Pandava Nirjala Ekadasi ki ………………..jai (On the occasion of Pandava Nirjala Ekadasi 16 hours kirtan was organized in ISKCON Chowpatty Mumbai) when I heard this event is being organized the kirtan is being organized initially I was bit surprised normally we do 64 rounds, 108 rounds this is the first time we are having such event the kirtan on Nirjala Ekadasi. But I am happy I found some quotes from Caitanya Caritamrita in favour of this loud chanting of kirtan.

“japile sri Krishna naam apne se tare uccha sankirtan parupakar kare” this is in Bengali from Caitanya Caritamrita  “japile sri Krishna naam apne se tare” if we chant japa “Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama, Rama Rama Hare Hare” of course we don’t chant louder like that. So what that does is apne se tare the chanter is benefited, the chanter is liberated by the japa, however tare uccha sankirtan parupakar kare but if you chant uccha sankirtan loud chanting which we do when we chant and dance, play instrument then that delivers others also parupakar kare not just selfish your own liberation but liberation of others as one chants loudly.

“ata eva uccha kari kirtan karile sata guna fala haya sarva sastra bale” again uccha hari kirtan those who chant out loud “Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare, (Maharaj saying devotees to be louder) Hare Rama Hare Rama, Rama Rama Hare Hare” sata guna fala haya you get the benefit is 100 times sata guna fala haya sarva sastra bale and all sastras are declaring this boldly that chanting louder the benefit is 100 times Haribol…………….Haribol……………………

“dante trn dhari guara daki se tumar kripa kari eso amar hridaye mandire” and this is a prayer that I chant dante trn dhari holding literally we don’t have straw here holding the straw in between our teeth we are calling out loudly O! Guaranga or O! Holy nama O! Naam Prabhu kripa kari please be kind to us and eso please come here and reside where hridaya mandire – in temple of our hearts. Srila Prabhupada quoted from Mahabharata. When I was away from Dropadi this Krishna is quoting while I was away from Dropadi she cried with words hye! Govinda (devotee follows) hye! Govinda, this call from me has put me in debt and that indebtedness is gradually increasing in my heart this is Krishna speaking these are Krishna’s thoughts and feelings as she chanted Hye! Govinda I am indebted and that is gradually increasing in my heart Srila Prabhupada continues to comment the Mahamantra is also simply an address to the Lord and His energy. So to anyone who is constantly engaged in addressing the Lord and His energy we can imagine how much Supreme Lord is obliged. It’s impossible for the Lord to ever forget such a devotees jai Hari naam prabhu ki …………………..jai.

So being Nirjala Ekadasi not even jala today one devotee was carrying water bottle I was wondering (laughter) I was sitting next to him (laughter) at one point he even opened and I thought next he is going to do gobble up, instead of feeding himself he feed water his mridanga (laughter). I was mistaken I thought I will catch him now. So body gets only air today, no food, no water and the soul only gets the nectar “Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama, Rama Rama Hare Hare”. So as we fast this fasting is called upavasa, upavasa menas fasting but just by fasting you dnt really do the whole sum upasava. We had to understand the deeper meaning of upavasa, upa– means near and vasa– meaning residence today is the day or upavasa is the day to reside heard Lord, in close proximity of the lord you reside and then that could me called upavasa, near, residing staying near to the Lord.

So that can’t accomplished just by fasting, devoid of no grains, no fruits, not even water, that may some means or facilitation so that we could reside near the Lord, but residence near the Lord is only possible by communication, union with the Lord or bringing the Lord closer to you, then you reside there, he has come near, then what is the fear (laughter). So best way to do this upavasa to stay near the Lord is by calling out the Lord and then Lord makes its appearance “yatra mad bhakta gayanti tatra tistami” Lord resides there. But today Lords addressing this one whatever this address this Lord is going to reside for 16 hours Haribol………….Haribol…………….and beyond that as we keep chanting and remembering him remembering him return to our respective temple and homes later tonight.

From Bhagvatam 7th Canto that says “dhanur hitasya pravanam pathanti sarantu jivam param eva laksham”. As we chant the Holy nama of the Lord this is compared to shooting arrows of course there is arrow then there must be bow otherwise the arrow is not going to work and there is bow and arrow then there has to target also. So this Bhagvatam verse says “the mantra is the goal” the living entity jivam is the arrow. So now you have bow and we ourself the soul is the arrow then what is the target “param eva” that Supreme destination “param brahma param dhama paramam bhavan” (B.G 10.12) that Lord, Lords lotus feet, the Lords form is the target and this arrow is not going to hurt the Lord, this arrow is very soft and gentle. So this is like making offering like a flower being offered, ourselves being offered to Lord, living entity being offered “svaha…………………”

Sankirtan yajna is like offering unto the Lord, soul is being offered to the Lord and the mantra which is and of course the body, the mind, the mantra this is part of that bow when everything is properly aliened, those who take bow and arrow they are very careful very attentive and there eye sight and the tip of the arrow and the destination is all in one straight line, of course not spaced out, their hands are not trembling like Arjuna said “I can’t even hold my bow” “govindam sramsate hastat” (B.G 1.29) my mouth is drying up, body is trembling. So everything together and focused we push the soul gets the boost from the body, mind and the mantra is the Lord himself, mantra is the Lord, the means is the Lord and the destination is also the Lord in the form of the Holy Nama.

So we are very happy as this event has been organized by ISKCON Chowpatty, so we have all gathered here I noticed as I was looking around most of you are young folks. So 40s and 50s just handful you are all young devotees. Normally youngsters used to say O! When we become old we will take to this process, we will see then. Now things have changed the Hare Krishna movement is changing, Caitanaya Mahaprabhu is changing everyone is welcomed, the youngsters are the first one to come older folks should be joining us as we keep going with the chanting. So everyone is welcomed specially  young devotees have come and not just Svarop damodhar Prabhu’s kirtan was dedicated to the loving memories of all those lovers of the Holy Nama, lovers of the Lord, those who used to make the dresses of the Lord, I was told. So they are certainly close very dear to the Lord, they were tailors of the Lord, made clothes for the Lord. So that atrocity took place and then they were taken away from amongst us so we pray so that they continue to serve their Lordships where ever Lord brings Lords keeps them engaged in the service so we pray.

Venue: Los Angeles

Thank you everybody for coming to our Sunday festival. This
festival was started by His Divine Grace A.C Bhaktivedanta Srila Prabhupad ki……………………Jai, he is even founder
acharya of Sunday festival. This festival is held worldwide over 500 centers of
International Society for Krishna
Consciousness. The sole purpose, infact of the foundation of this Hare
Krishna movement is to give association to everybody, association of devotees of Krishna and that leads to pure association
with Krishna. There are two kinds of associations called “Sangas”. One is technically known, I
am sure you must have heard of this Satsanga, you heard of Satsanga? (Maharaj
asking question to devotees) what is satsanga? The other is asatsanga. Asat and
sat, sat means real, eternal association that brings us in contact with the
eternal Personality, not only eternal full of knowledge, full of bliss, sac-cid-ananda -vigraha, Sri Krishna.
Association that brings us in contact with sac –cid –ananda Sri Krishna that is
“satsanga”. The other one is
asatsanga “asatsanga tyagat ei vaishnav
achar” Vaishnav is known for he makes sure he doesn’t indulge in asatsanga
he stays away from asatsanga. One who stays away from asatsanga or false, temporary
sanga, association that person is a saintly person, the person is sadhu. “asatsanga tyagat ei vaishnav achar” that
person is Vaishnav. So we have, Prabhupad has given us many many programmes, so
many aspects of Krishna Consciousness to bring us in contact with that “sat” as
this festival of Jagganath Rath Yatra
Mohotsav ki……………….. Jai.

This is a grand
opportunity, big opportunity for Satsanga and like that this Sunday festival is
big satsanga opportunity. Morning program and evening that Prabhupad had
instituted so that we get to hear about Krishna. We are so busy in varieties of
activities and of all those activities this sitting down and hearing, thats not
a serious business right, but we want to talk what we say, let’s sit down and talk,
let’s not take it casually, let’s sit down and talk. We get up and fight we
have to sit down and talk. It was time for fighting and Arjun sat down in the
beginning (laughs) of course Krishna wanted to talk to him so he sat down and
listened. So we are running around and still lot of times not happy, we propose
that you sit down, for a change sit down, chant Hare Krishna, sit down hear
Krishna katha and we  guarantee you that
you will be simply happy. If you don’t I will come next year you could take me
to the court (devotees laughing) but we also guarantee you and the whole world
that devoid of Krishna consciousness all running around is just useless, waste
of time “srama eva hi kevalam”.

Which is described as
a rat race, big rat race everybody is running, even rats are running making their
holes, they run from one hole to another hole, they run so fast and so
seriously as if they have some serious business. All that they are doing is
they are digging some hole (laughs) and then soon what happens, snake comes,
rat has to get out, the snake makes  his
home there. In our case the death comes specially Prabhupad used to say that “the talk which is not  about Krishna is just compared to the (Maharaj
asking to the devotees froking or croaking) croaking of the frog (laugh)
drau……drau…..drau……………..we used to hear in India after rainy season. So when
the frog does the croaking, Prabhupad used to say and this is a fact, he made a
observation that the frog is inviting, inviting
whom? the snake, if he would be quite then he will be safe out of sight,
out of mind of the snake. But he keeps croaking it says I am here, I am here,
please come it’s time for breakfast for you please come. So, and that becomes
the end of that frog, so we also keep talking, not one day in our life goes
without talking, not one hour in our life goes without talking and hearing
whole world is engaged in hearing and talking and enquiries and dialogues, what
if it is not about Krishna, God related then it is just invitation for death to
come, death to come “mrtyuh sarva-haras
caham” (B.G 10.34). Then I come in form of death I come, I was there in
from of Rukmini Dwarakadish but you
didn’t come there was Bhagvat Katha you didn’t come.

So now I have come “mrtyuh sarva-haras caham” I will snatch
everything, live you empty pocket, empty handed and out. So our goal is “ante narayana smrti” remembering the Lord
always that’s the goal. Especially at the time of death so many proposals were
there, when King Pariksit had only 7 more days to go, the conclusion was let
him hear Srimad Bhagvatam from Sukhdev Goswami and that would be most
beneficial leading to “ante narayana smrti” remembering the Lord at the time of
death, at the important moment of our life.

So Krishna consciousness is like, there is art of living
there is also art how to die? Of course in the west I was told they are
learning art of committing suicide. There is a book published in Sweden in some
countries its very popular, art of committing suicide. There are 100 versions
there are so many versions and you can pick up one and go for it. So human form
life is a meaningful “adhruvam apy
arthadam” (S.B 7.6.1) Prahlad Maharaj says “adhruvam” yes yes its temporary, it’s not going to last forever or
for long but it’s meaningful. So we get a meaning to our life like Krishna
climbed up the hoods of Kaliya and left the impressions of His feet there ,
then Kaliya’s life was meaningful you may go now anywhere Krishna said you are
safe . So we want that assurance otherwise no one in this world is capable of
protecting us “abhaya caranaravaibda re” “
bhaja hu re mana, bhaja hu re mana sri nanda nandana  abhaya caranaravinda re” OH! My dear mind
please worship “abhayacaran” they
offer fearlessness to otherwise very fearful entities, human beings but there
is no protection, no security, we are in anxiety , we are fearful. Only
reliable security is protection from the Lord, once we are Krishna connected
then we are safe not otherwise.

So Srila Prabhupad has given us philosophy of Bhagvat this
Bhagvat dharma has given us this beautiful scriptures. So many volumes full of
glories of Sri Krishna, “punya sravan
kirtan” our life becomes auspicious “hridayantastha
hi  abhadrani vidhunoti suhrutsatam” (S.B
1.2.17). So it’s the declaration of Bhagvatam deep within the heart there
is so much dirt, but Srimad Bhagvatam Katha which is not different from the Lord,
enters our heart hridayantastha hi abhadrani,
hridi- in the heart , antastha-inside or even at the core of the heart
or bottom of the heart is abhadra,
there is do many auspicious things. So where ever inauspiciousness is there
within us, in our mind, in our consciousness, our heart vidhunoti-cleansing is done, and once we are clean we are happy, we
are pure and we get connected with the most pure Personality “param brahma param dhama pavitram param
bhavam” (B. G 10.12) Arjuna made that statement “my dear  you are pavitra, param
pavitra”. So as we become pavitra, purified then we will have a link,
communication with Supreme Personality of Godhead. He is certainly ours and we
are His, if we could even say this “once
in our life if we could say once my dear Lord I am yours and you are mine
that’s the end of material existence”. If someone could say that with some
understanding, some sincerity Lord would immediately take charge of that
person, do everything within His power and there is a nothing that is not in His
power. He will go out of his way to protect us and infact it’s only Him who is
capable, competent and always concerned about our protection. If someone is
doing that we should understand that person is doing on behalf of the Supreme
Personality of Godhead our Supreme Father, Supreme mother, friend. “tvameva mata pita bandhu sakha mam
dev-devaha dravinam” everything.

So we had been talking and trying to remember that Lord for
past few days of course in Hare Krishna temple everyday this process and programme
of remembering the Lord. This 7 days recitation of Srimad Bhagvatam we had been
doing this is 4^th day and few more days to go. Unfortunately it
would be over, why unfortunately you could continue on the 8th day also you
could study, do homework read Bhagvatam get into the habit of “nityam bhagvat sevaya” serve Bhagvat
it will do good to you, to everybody. As
we study Bhagavatm we learn to depend on the Lord and that is the real
independence. Depend on the Lord in the God you trust, in God we trust
depend upon him, you will become independent in true sense; you will be
liberated once and for all.

So today we will be having a Govardhan poja festival here
that’s one of the few topics of the day this evening. Govardahan festival we
will read couple of chapters from Bhagavatam dealing with that pastime. It is
one of the most favorite pastime of devotees of Krishna, residents of Vrindavan
and soon you will see Govardhan hill is going to be  right here manifesting  in the midst of us with Govardhan Shila on
the top,  there would be beautiful
darshan of Govardhan hill and we would be offering, we will attempt to worship
Giriraj Govardahan the way the residents of Vrindavan did 5000 yrs ago and also
circumambulation, parikrama of Govardhan, one of the important items as you go
to Vrindavan you do parikrama, circumambulation of Giriraj. So if you stay on
little longer, there will be worship of Giriraj Govardhan and parikrama also of
Govardhana hill.

So if you could stay, stay not because  I am the speaker you should stay, stay its
Krishna, its Bhagvatam it’s our life
otherwise we are lifeless, useless and then few more days we will be
dealing with very confidential subject matter Krishna’s  Rasa dance, dealing with that there are 5
chapters, so that is our tomorrow’s subject matter. We may have some drama,
some dance and so on 6th day we will have Akrura going to Vrindavan, Kamsa  sent him and the way he goes, the way  he is thinking of the Lord on the way to Nandagram
that’s  the way to go to Vrindavan, he
has set wonderful examples . Then he returns to mathur with Krishna and Balarama.
So that is the 6th day’s topic and finally we will conclude with the Krishna
killing Kamsa. So these are all Krishna’s pastime in Vrindavan in final day he
enters Mathura, it’s quite interesting details how he enters Mathura, residents
of Mathura reciprocates with Krishna and Balarama, many things happen then
finally the wrestling killing very exciting.