Category: Harer nama - Lokanath Swami Maharaj Transcripts

TOVP talks – Harer nama – No other way, No other way, No other way

Date: 11th August, 2020

Braja Vilas Prabhu: From Lokanath Maharajaa’s centers all over in Maharashtra, we collected at least two million dollars from Maharashtra. In 1971, he met the devotees at the first 10-day cross-made on pandal festival organized by Srila Prabhupada himself and his western disciples in 1972 and received the sannyas order from His Divine Grace in December of 1975, at the age of 26 years. I think in 1972 also, Maharaja came to Mayapur, is that right Maharaja?

Lokanath Swami Maharaja : 73 was the first time.

Braja Vilas Prabhu : One of the most important instruction which Maharaja received from Srila Prabhupada was to preach Lord Caitanya’s message by organizing padayatras. Maharaja is very well known all over the world for organizing padayatras, to realize Caitanya Mahaprabhu’s declaration, the holy name of Krsna will be preached in every town and village on this earth, that is also one of the predictions which this temple is going to fulfill.

Lokanath Swami Maharaja has worked on establishing many temples, ISKCON Aravade, ISKCON Nagpur, ISKCON Amravati, ISKCON Noida, ISKCON Pandharpur, ISKCON Solapur to name a few, all these places which I mentioned and even more. He is well known for his inspiring lectures and kirtans and the devotees call him Kirtan Samrat affectionately,. In 2006 the World Holy Name project which is an initiative to increase the events and activities that people can participate to spread the holy name on this planet.

Lokanath Swami Maharaja has established the Bhaktivedanta academy, BASS- Bhaktivedanta Academy for Spiritual Sciences in Noida, to teach the priceless heritage of Vedic culture and wisdom. He is also author of many books, the famous book is, My Prabhupada, In conversation with Srila Prabhupada and also Vrajmandal Darsana and he is one of the initiating gurus in ISKCON. He has initiated disciples all over the world and he is also working on several books projects, aside thiswhat I got, he is the greatest supporter of the Temple of Vedic Planetarium in fact recently one day before he has recorded a video for us, which we are going to discuss at some point in this interview with him.

Braja Vilas Prabhu : Maharaja thank you very much for participating and there are several questions which devotees wanted to ask you through this program already and our first question to you is, when we say this harinama is the only way, only way, one only way or no other way, no other way and no other way, this statement somebody can think it is like a fanaticism. How could you convince people otherwise is there any other way?

Lokanath Swami Maharaja: Lord also said that on number of occasions. One time, he was talking to Shuklam brahmacari, he was from Navadvipap and Caitanya Mahaprabhu, He said these verse,

harer nama harer nama
harer namaiva kevalam
kalau nasty eva nasty eva
nasty eva gatir anyatha

and Caitanya Mahaprabhu, he started explaining this verse. In the beginning He said that,

“kali-kale nama-rupe krsna-avatara
nama haite haya sarva-jagat-nistara” [CC Adi 17.22]

Translation: “In this Age of Kali, the holy name of the Lord, the Hare K???a mah?-mantra, is the incarnation of Lord K???a. Simply by chanting the holy name, one associates with the Lord directly. Anyone who does this is certainly delivered.

The day that Caitanya Mahaprabhu appeared, He appeared in the evening but Lord appeared in another form during the day and that was the Harinama Prabhu appeared during the day and that’s when all those folks coming from all over taking baths and chanting the holy names of the Lord. So Caitanya Mahaprabhu said ‘”kali-kale nama-rupe krsna-avatara.” Krsna appears, tomorrow we are celebrating appearance of Sri Krsna and so that Sri Krsna appeared before Sri Krsna Caitanya Mahaprabhu appeared in the evening, He appeared in the form of the holy name during the day and Caitanya Mahaprabhu was explaining, He said this,

d?r?hya l?gi’ ‘harer n?ma’-ukti tina-v?ra
ja?a loka bujh?ite puna? ‘eva’-k?ra [CC Adi 17.23]

Translation: “This verse repeats the word ‘eva’ [‘certainly’] three times for emphasis, and it also three times repeats ‘harer n?ma’ [‘the holy name of the Lord’], just to make common people understand.

Just to emphasize the glories of the holy name that He has said this tina bar,

hare nama hare nama hare nama hare namaiva and Mahaprabhu said after saying hare nama hare nama hare nama three times, He said, hare namaiva aiva means, certainly it is and then He also has added another word, says kevalam, that is also another one and the only one and then the next line and this is from Brihad Naradiya Puran,

kalau n?sty eva n?sty eva
n?sty eva gatir anyath?

na asti eva, na – not, asti- is, nastyeva- there is not, there is not, there is not, gatir means destination or a process also that you adopt or practices religious practices, gatir anyatha, anya means another. There is no other process, no other way but hare nama hare nama hare nam n?sty eva n?sty eva n?sty eva . So, why is He saying three times n?sty eva , that also has been explained by Mahaprabhu. He said, in this age of Kali first nasty eva means not by karma that’s one, nasty eva not by jnana, karma kanda, jnana kand and not by yoga, one could realize the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

So, He said just three times, n?sty eva n?sty eva n?sty eva gatir anyatha, this is the only way, the only way, the only way and this statement that is hare nama hare nama hare nama kevalam this is in Brihad Naradiya Puran and this is an eternal statement. Whenever there is Kali yuga, you don’t have to worry or wonder, oh now what has to be done, so that mantra is there, that proclamation is there. So whenever there is age of Kali you could close your eyes and chant,

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

You would not go wrong. So, Caitanya Mahaprabhu was also, as He was talking to Prakashananda Saraswati in Varanasi and He was chanting and only chanting and doing nothing else. All those Prakashanand Saraswati and company, he had 60,000 followers, they were criticizing Mahaprabhu, oh what kind of sentimental sannyasi you are, you should be studying Vedanta. So there was a dialogue between Caitanya Mahaprabhu and Prakashanand Saraswati and Caitanya Mahaprabhu said, ‘My guru Maharaja, murkha dekhi, he thought I was just a foolish and karila shashan, he ordered me and what was the order, he asked me to chant Hare Krsna. Again Mahaprabhu said to Prakashanand Saraswati and those who assembled, He repeated this mantra hare nama hare nama hare nama kevalam and then Caitanya Mahaprabhu said, you know I took this instruction of my spiritual master so seriously that I chanted and chanted hare nama kevalam, only harer nama.

So that’s what I was doing and as soon as I was doing chanting and chanting day and night and khaite, suiyte, while sleeping, while eating well then what happened, Mahaprabhu said to Prakashanand Saraswati and assembled followers, he said that, I got transformed, I was transformed.

kib? mantra dil?, gos?ñi, kib? t?ra bala japite japite mantra karila p?gala [CC Adi 7.81]

Translation: My dear lord, what kind of mantra have you given Me? I have become mad simply by chanting this mah?-mantra!

So I became mad, so I when back my spiritual master and asked him, kiba mantra dila gosai kiba tara bala. Wwhat kind a mantra have given it has so much power, so much strength in this mantra that this mantra is just handing Me and I have gone mad. Then His spiritual master said why are you surprised, this is what happens when one take this harer nama harer nama harer nama this instructions seriously.

k???a-n?ma-mah?-mantrera ei ta’ svabh?va
yei jape, t?ra k???e upajaye bh?va [CC Adi 7.83]

Translation: ‘It is the nature of the Hare K???a mah?-mantra that anyone who chants it immediately develops his loving ecstasy for K???a.

Anyone who chants this holy name constantly with conviction that this is the only way, especially in this age of Kali then he develops bhava and love for the Lord. So that is what has happened to you, why are you so surprised? Go on, Go on.

So this is the way, this is not a new thing. Every time in the age of Kali, you go for chanting the holy names of the Lord that is what Shukadev Goswami also said to King Parikshit Maharaja, this is the beginning of the age of Kali, Kali was just about to commence. Sukadeva Goswami said,

kaler do?a-nidhe r?jan: asti hy eko mah?n gu?a?
k?rtan?d eva k???asya: mukta-sa?ga? para? vrajet [SB 12. 3.51]

Translation: My dear King, although Kali-yuga is an ocean of faults, there is still one good quality about this age: Simply by chanting the Hare K???a mah?-mantra, one can become free from material bondage and be promoted to the transcendental kingdom.

Kali-yuga is full of faults and flaws but there is eko mahan gunah, there is one good quality like harer nama harer namaiva kevalam, one quality is in age of kali.

kirtanad eva krsnasya, only Krsna’s name, again that harer namaiva, that aiva only is also coming here in Sukadev Goswami’s statement, kirtanad eva krsnasya mukta-sangah param vrajet. So there is another authority Sukadev Goswami he has strongly recommended Chanting is the only process and if you want to hear more at the beginning age of Kali.

Braja Vilas Prabhu : I don’t want to stop you, one thing I want to tell you is Ambrish Prabhu would be very happy to see the background of Vedic planetarium behind you. I was thinking it was my screen saver then I suddenly realized that it is your screensaver. Maharaja with this I want to put another devotee’s question and of course Ambrish Prabhu is co-hosting with Ambrish Prabhu, he will also ask you a few questions. But I am going to ask you since you have got a background that immediately puts me to a TOVP question to you, that if TOVP is accepted as a good mandir how do you envision that Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu’s eternal service will be spread all over the world from this temple?

Lokanath Swami Maharaja: Sri Krsna Caitanya Mahaprabhu made one prediction that his holy name will spread all over the world but Nityananda Prabhu was yet another personality of Godhead, in fact

sankirtanaika-pitarau kamalayataksau

So founding fathers of the sankirtana movement are two, one is Gauranga and another is Nityananda. So one predicted that chanting of the holy name will reach every town, every village and the other one besides other predictions, Nityananda Prabhu talked about this temple,

adbhut mandir hoibe vikas and from there gauranger seva hoibe prakash

The Gurangas glories will spread all over the world, this is yet another prediction of Nityananda Prabhu. Bhaktivinoda Thakur kept seeing from his balcony towards yogapitha. So he was seeing effulgence, so he was seeing this adbhut mandir that Nityananda Prabhu talked about. Srila Prabhupada said that Mayapur was his place of worship. So Srila Prabhupada wanted to worship, do worship from this TOVP temple. Nityananda Prabhu predicted and the whole thing was revealed onto Srila Prabhupada and envisioning the temple and then he was talking, then giving shape as he was sharing with us. So this is the place of worship of Srila Prabhupada. So I think before any other deities we bring into this temple, I think the TOVP leaders or Ambarish Prabhu and Braja Vilas Prabhu and other Prabhus, I don’t know who else is involved with the decision. They are going to bring Srila Ptabhupad into this temple by next Mayapur. Acarya upasana, upasana of the acarya begins, our acarya who is also going to be doing upasana worship from this temple, he is coming, he is arriving and worship is going to be beginning very soon.

Srila Prabhupada talked of, whenever there were floods in Mayapur, Prabhupada said, Oh! It’s getting flooded here, so from here we will spread the flood of the holy name, devotional services, devotional practices from Mayapur to all over the world. So this is the original of center of flood from here it’s going to spread all over the world. I was thinking as I am into kirtans as this place gets ready. This temple is going to accommodate 10,000 kirtaniyas, there is no temple hall or no other forum like TOVP. 10000 at a time, so this is really a congregational chanting, param vijayate sri krsna sankirtanam, victory to sankirtana moment. So the victory is to be starting or originating from TOVP. So we are really looking forward to the completion of this TOVP at the soonest so that we could worship that Prabhupada talked about, my place of worship, TOVP. Prabhupada is coming and he is going to begin the worship. And last year, the pujari floors were inaugurated and a year before the chakras I could see, were installed. So everything is in progress, so we would like to wait, it is yet to be completed and for that we all have to do our part.

Braja Vilas mentioned that I became responsible or instrumental in raising some funds in my area. So likewise, all over, everywhere, wherever holy name has reached and I also keep saying this, what happens is as anyone and everyone receives the maha-mantra and he begin chanting the hare krsna mahamantra from nama to dham, from name to Mayapur, from name to Navadvipa. So every chanter who receives the holy name, next thing he thinks is one day I will go to Mayapur, my destination is Mayapur. So immediately they all make connection with Mayapur, and they are all going to make connection with TOVP, adbhut, outstanding temple that Nityananda Prabhu had talked about.

Braja Vilas Prabhu : Maharaja you were encouraging so much in this what you have said. One thing which I wanted to ask you is that, you said Prabhupada is going to come to the TOVP and the TOVP Ambrish Prabhu has decided that next year being the 125th year, the appearance year of Srila Prabhupada and he decided that we wanted to welcome Prabhupada and install him in beautiful worshipable pose which you said and you made a video also about that one. So I wanted to ask you, because you were also the minister for the centennial celebrations, so you carried out the whole operations on how to welcome Prabhupada on the centennial celebrations. If you can kindly tell us how it was like organizing centennial celebrations and how devotees, where enthusiastically anticipating to participate in this centennial celebration because this is quasqui centennial celebration now, 125th years.

Lokanath Swami Maharaja: I would say, the highlight of the centennial celebration was the abhishek that we conducted of Srila Prabhupada with of course sahastra tirtha jala, we had collected holy jala from 1000 holy places and exported them to all the temples. Okay, I was centennial minister and I was encouraging and inspiring, it wasn’t just myself it was the whole of the leaders were also doing, inspiring everyone to have a grand celebration and so many events and monuments to be established and this and that. So, this was all going to be costing, money talks everything walks, devotees wanted to have a grand celebration but it was not a cost then so our centennial ministry came up with this scheme of bathing Srila Prabhupada on that occasion and abhishek, maha maha abhishek of Srila Prabhupada. Through this one event which was also a fundraising event, we raised enough funds to cover all the expenses of centennial globally. Now devotees took this abhishek concept so seriously to their heart and they knew this was going to bring in some cash in hand, some fundraising is going to happen. So I think it’s time to repeat the history or copy the success, so that was the 100th birth anniversary and this is the 125th birth anniversary of Srila Prabhupada. So I think the decision of TOVP leaders Ambarish and others, to invite Srila Prabhupada, welcome Srila Prabhupada right into the temple hall or wherever is going to be residing or sitting for all the time to come. We have already thought of making a very extraordinarily beautiful deity of Prabhupada, worshipable pose and then do maha maha abhishek of Srila Prabhupada on this occasion. And I think this is giving all of us a service opportunity that we could all sponsor this abhishek of Prabhupada, there are various kinds as per your capabilities like silver kalash, copper kalash and gold kalash and I think Ambarish will go for platinum kalash. I heard about this and I was very enthused myself. I am encouraging Ambarish and team to go for this and I would appeal to devotees globally as they had cooperated 25 years ago during 1996 during the abhishek time. So many sponsors had stepped forward, so if that happens this time, one more time and for some of you this could be a once in lifetime opportunity to have abhishek of Srila Prabhupada right inside TOVP. We could all understand that because of the pandemic situation things have slowed down, the fundraising a little bit and the construction is also. So we need to give a boost to all the operations of physical construction and the fundraising and I think this is the fantastic proposal that Ambarish Prabhu has come up with, so go for it.

Braja Vilas Prabhu : Thank you, Thank you so very much Maharaja because Ambarish Prabhu wanted to start next year with a grand celebration by inviting Srila Prabhupada because 2020 was almost you know not much we could do and our construction we are just going to start by this month end and we are going to start this construction again. We are all expecting Srila Prabhupada to come so that we can dedicate ourselves more than what we are now. So Ambarish Prabhu is here and any questions? So I can go ahead with some questions with Maharaja, do you have anything to ask?

Ambarish Prabhu : I just wanted to offer my obeisances to Maharaja. I have known Maharaja for many many years. I think we were together with Srila Prabhupada in 1975 when you took sannyasa?

Lokanath Swami Maharaja : Yes

Ambarish Prabhuji : And then in centennial we worked together.

Lokanath Swami Maharaja : In Bombay we were together, on Juhu beach we walked with Srila Prabhupada together.

Ambarish Prabhu : Yeah I have a photograph. I have that wonderful photography. But during the centennial we had the ISKCON, the biggest foundation, one of the pebbles was the TOVP, it wasn’t called the TOVP that time but it was Mayapur project.

Lokanath Swami Maharaja: We were establishing monuments and this was the major monuments we were envisioning.

Ambarish Prabhu : I remember Sridhar Maharaja and myself, we started planning for the fundraising and I traced my involvement with the TOVP back to the centennial 1996. So have always been so supportive and helpful. We came to your temple and raised money and it was wonderful. My question Maharaja is, you know because your main interest is kirtan and I have told this many times before that you are one of my most favorite kirtan leaders, it is beautiful to listen to you but this temple is the Brihad Mridanga and Prabhupada said to me personally that he wanted to bring the whole world to Mayapur, so broadcasting the holy name from this temple. How do you see the activities of kirtan coming from this temple will influence the forces of the Kali yuga, which are getting more and more intense all the time. Seems to me that this year Kali has really revealed and you know things are going be a very rough road from now on. How do you see that this temple from now on will influence the age of Kali?

Lokanath Swami Maharaja : The holy name has and Mahaprabhu has influenced the whole world and Srila Prabhupada has. Sri Krsna Caitanya Mahaprabhu propagated holy name all over India and at one point Srila Prabhupada was in Guntur or in some place in South India, he said he has left the job of spreading the holy name overseas or beyond the boundaries of India, he has left this job upto me, upto Srila Prabhupada . Prabhupada is empowered, he is our Senapati bhakta. What transpired and transformed in 1965 and then during Prabhupada days, who could have imagined that there will be Jagannath ratha ratra on the 5th Venue of Manhattan and who would have imagined of so many things which had happened. So many books have been distributed, chanting has gone all over. Westerners, I take that also as very historical, there were a bunch of followers in 1965-66 and ISKCON was registered and he was calling it the International Society for Krsna Consciousness. And he was talking, you know my temples are everywhere, my followers are everywhere and this and that. He was talking to a gentleman who was sitting next to him on the bench. So nothing was existing but he was talking about International Society for Krsna Consciousness. So then when he had few followers one day he sat down with them and all this vision he shared and said you could assist me, how to spread holy name and Krsna consciousness all over the world and if you are serious then you have to follow four regulative principles and the devotees asked about what are these 4 principles. What are those Swamiji. Prabhupada said,

No meat eating
No intoxication
No illicit sex
No gambling,

Are you ready to follow these principles? Then you could be my genuine followers and could support me, are you ready? And everyone assembled there and raised their hands and I think that this was the turnaround or beginning of the end of the age of Kali. If that could happen then what is Kali, Kali resides in four places right, where there is meat eating, where there is intoxication, where there is illicit sex and where there is gambling. These 4 places were given by Parikshit Maharaja to the age of Kali. Just see the influence of the holy name that the Westerners were for the first time in the history of the world, they were ready to renounce and kick out meat eating, intoxication and this was because they had developed higher taste, because of chanting of the holy name and honouring Krsna prasadam and of course the sadhu sanga that they were getting from Srila Prabhupada. Now we have around 1000 temples and millions of followers. So if someone had asked or informed or said in the early 1963 or 64 that in 2020 there will be devotees coming from over 100 countries from Mayapur and they are going to be doing, jai sacinandan jai sacinandan, as Bhaktivinod Thakur also has predicted. Who could have believed such a thing, people from 100 countries coming to Mayapur and chanting Hare Krsna and forgetting all other things. Srila Prabhupada said, this is the United Nation of the spiritual world. So this much could happen which was at one time beyond our imagination or inconceivable, so much more could happen. You may say, look at this situation now the pandemic covid-19, everything looked bleak and is there a way out? Is this the end of the world or something? No there is nothing of this sort, these things will be out of the way and these tumbling blocks will be overcomed by Caitanya Mahaprabhu and his holy name. So His predictions are no doubt true, if Caitanya Mahaprabhu has predicted that holy name is going to reach every corner, every town, every village then that is bound to happen and if Nityananda Prabhu has also predicted this TOVP temple, adbhut mandir, this also bound to happen. We should have no doubt, so how it’s going to happen is just beyond our imagination, but it’s going happen, which we are convinced.

Braja Vilas Prabhu : Wonderful Maharaja, I’m going to take up a polling question of all the devotees, who are online can vote for it just wait for 15 seconds. So I am going ask the polling question. The question is TOVP will influence change in the world in many different ways. What is the single most way you think TOVP will affect the world? So it is multiple choice question,

1.Chanting the holy name
2.Making more devotees
3. Distributing more books
4. Informing people about Gaudiya Vaisnava philosophy

Everybody voted that it will do everything, making more devotees than anywhere else, distributing more books than anywhere else, and informing people about Gaudiya Vaisnava philosophy, more people knowing about Srila Prabhupada and Vedic cosmology becoming more popular.

So Maharaja a very important question is that in the final days of Srila Prabhupada in Vrndavan he expressed his desire to go out on a parikrama and he called, choose you to lead the party. Please narrate the story, it is a very very interesting story with regard to your personal relationship with Srila Prabhupada during his final pastimes.

Lokanath Swami Maharaja : In those days 1977 October 11, Srila Prabhupada was bed ridden and he was in Vrndavan. So that time we were travelling and our party was called Narada Muni travelling sankirtana party. Travelling and travelling all the way, we had gone to Badrik asram, we were in Himalayan mountains, distributing Srila Prabhupada books. We also knew, I was Vrndavan. I was in Bombay with Srila Prabhupada when he had arrived from London and we were with Srila Prabhupada in Vrndavan for sometime and then we took off and went on distributing books. We knew Prabhupada’s health was not good at all and those days there was no way to get the news, no mobiles, no SMS nothing. So we came down to Vrndavan, we came to meet Srila Prabhupada and to find out Prabhupada’s health’s status and be with Prabhupada. So as we were party men, we were allowed kindly by Srila Prabhupada to enter his quarters. We used to give the whole report of book distribution, Prabhupada used to ask which book is selling the most? I also mentioned to Srila Prabhupada that while we were in Badrikasram, we visited the cave of Vyasadev, Vyas gufha and I said that I showed your Bhagvad gita to Srila Vyasadev. So we had gone with Gita and I thought we didn’t see Vyasadev but Vyasadev must have seen us and the Gita. Prabhupada heard this and he liked it. So towards the end we were leaving and I was the last person to leave Prabhupada’s quarter, I was just taking one last glimpse of Srila Prabhupada. Then Prabhupada signaled and said come, come back. So I went back and sat very close to Srila Prabhupada, we had to sit very close to Srila Prabhupada to even hear and understand what he had to stay. Prabhupada said to me that he wanted to see me and what time could he see me. Srila Prabhupada ki…jai. This is the humility of Srila Prabhupada. Then I said, what is the question, when can I see you, anytime. Prabhupada asked is 4o’clock okay? It was more than okay for me. So then all day I was wondering and thinking what is that, what Prabhupada wants. And when he said he wants to talk to me he sounded very serious and grave.

Finally at 4o’clock I went to Prabhupada’s door, but his servants and secretary Tamal Krsna Maharaja, Bhavananda Maharaja and Bhakti Charu Maharaja, now they had assembled in the Krsna Balarama guest house lobby, the front desk. So I was directed to go there, so when I arrived I found out that what Prabhupada wanted to talk to me about, he had already told his secretaries. They told me that Prabhupada wanted to go on Bullock cart, he wanted to tour Vrndavan and as Govardhan puja is ahead of us he wants to go Govardhan as a first spot. So myself and Panchadravid Swami Maharaja and we went to Mathura to arrange a Bullock cart. It was difficult as those days farmers did not want to work with bulls as it was go puja time, so they wanted to give rest and worship their bulls and cows. So finally we managed.

So Bullock cart had come and it was parked in front of Krsna Balarama temple. And we were greatly ancipating and travelling with Srila Prabhupada. So we had come back and reported to Srila that Bullock cart had arrived. We went to bed expecting that Bullock cart party to hit the road and go to Govardhan but during the night Srila Prabhupada was approached by Bhakti Charu Swami Maharaja and Tamal Krsna Maharaja and Bhavananda Maharaja. It might be Bhakti Charu Swami Maharaja who arranged Krsna Das Babaji Maharaja, one of Prabhupada’s god brothers to come and they wanted to use him to get some message across or get some concern across to Srila Prabhupada, and that concern was for health condition, not fit to travel on Bullock cart. So there were many discussions between Prabhupada and Bhakti Charu Maharaja and others assembled. Krsna Das Babaji Maharaja was like their advocate, so Prabhupada was convinced that this is not the best idea. That time Prabhupada said to Krsna Das Babaji Maharaja, just see how much they love me. That is what had happened and the Bullock cart plan was cancelled.

But I will quickly say that the next day we had again gathered around Srila Prabhupada because the travelling idea Prabhupada did not give up. He said I want to leave the body of this world fighting with Maya, preaching is fighting. So he was feeling restless lying on the bed, so he wanted to go out. Next day, as we gathered around, Prabhupada proposed that let me travel with the buses and everyone welcomed the idea. And those days when we were hearing Prabhupada, okay Prabhupada wants to travel with the bullock carts, fine, Prabhupada wants to travel with buses, wonderful. The thought was that way Prabhupada will stay longer with us, he is not leaving us, he is staying on with us. That was really inspiring, we were becoming jubilant as we were hearing this travel plans. All those who were assembled we were talking and saying to Prabhupada, Giriraj Prabhu, before he was Prabhu those days he said Prabhupada, wherever we travel the buses, whichever town we go to there will be opportunity to make life members, could I come?. Then Prabhupada said yes. Then Bhakti Svarupa Damodhar Maharaja said could I come? Prabhupada said yes. There was a devotee from Punjab, he was a good driver he asked Prabhupada could I come? Then Prabhupada said yes you could come. And then for sure I knew that I had to go, there was a long discussion before this, could I come thing was happening. Then I asked if I could come, Prabhupada? Then he said, it’s difficult to say what he said but he said to me so I have to say it, you will be our leader.

Braja Vilas Prabhu: I had just gone into the story Maharaja. I want to ask one question from the audience. That is, according to experience what religion will become the goal of all religions?

Lokanath Swami Maharaja : Adi-lila, chapter 7, verse 74

nama vinu kali-kale nahi ara dharma
sarva-mantra-sara nama, ei sastra-marma [CC Adilila 7.74]

So this is Mahaprabhu talking, the Lord who had appeared,

dharma sansthapanarthaya sambhavami yuge yuge

The Lord who has appeared to establish dharma for the age of Kali, He is saying nama vinu kali-kale nahi ara dharma.

Ambarish Maharaja: You have been very kind, I know all these great ideas are coming from your fertile brain.

Braja Vilas Prabhu : Without your blessings nothing can happen. So now as Maharaja is blessing us. One last question to you is, Prabhupada so much liked you so much and sometimes he used to call you ‘Our Tukaram” all the devotees have so much love for you….?

Lokanath Swami Maharaja : I don’t know what it is, this is all blessing of guru and Gauranga, blessings of Srila Prabhupada. Whatever a disciple is, it is the mercy of the spiritual master, Srila Prabhupada is making us so. What we are is, tomar karuna sar, this is karuna of karuna avatar. Corona is there but karuna of Gauranga mercy of Gauranga is also there and Srila Prabhupada’s mercy.

Braja Vilas Prabhu: Thank You so much Maharaja for all your support and Ambarish Prabhu always wants that after the temple is opened you kirtana to be the first kirtana. We are waiting when they day will come. I am very grateful to you Maharaja and all our viewers who have participated and from Ambarish Maharaja and the TOVP team a very happy Janmastami.

Thank you for all your support that you are throwing to us.
Ambarish Prabhu: Thank you Maharaja for joining us. I am looking forward to see you in real life.

Lokanath Swami Maharaja: Lets met in Mayapur. When Prabhupada comes we have to be there at his lotus feet. Let’s do abhishek together.

Braja Vilas Prabhu and Ambarish Prabhu: Thank you Maharaja we are waiting for that day.