Glories of Lord Rama at Nashik

Maha Satsang on Parsva Ekadashi

ISKCON Nashik

14-09-2024

“uttishthata jagrata prapya varan nibodhata”(kathopanishad 1.3.14)

All these are the same words, hey humans , wake up and understand, Nibodhata, Nibodhata. You have to understand, you have got this boon. All are boons, getting human body is also a boon, more than this boon is to  make a relation to Srila Prabhupada , acharyas and other devotees of Lord and then disciples of Srila Prabhupada.

We are only disciples of Srila Prabhupada, my-self , Bhakti Charu Maharaja,  Gopal Krishna Maharaja, and  Nava Yogendra Maharaj etc but you are grand disciples,  to be grand disciples has more fortune then to be disciples . There is a long list of boons, to be born in India is also a boon, where Ganga, Jamuna and Godavari  flows, and then born at Panchvati, Nashik Dham is also a boon or not?

Jai Sri Ram

That painting is so real, when I came I saw the picture of Sri Ram and still looking it, Ram is sitting there and not only sitting he looking at me and looking at all of you. This is Ram’s Nashik, Nashik was named after Surpanakha’s nose, Nashik is a very ancient place.

Jevha navte charachar tevha hote pandharpur

You must have heard this, these dhams were Including Panchavati  Nasik is also eternal. The world has creation, existence and destruction. But Nasik ,  Vrindavan dham , Ayodhya dham  , Dwaraka dham, Pandharpur dham,  these are eternal places. We can say that Panchavati is 10 lakh years ancient at least . It means Ram came and stayed here 10 lakh years ago . It is possible that where we are sitting, Ram may have come here also. You must have heard the name of Ramtek, which is also called Ramgiri near Nagpur.  There was an ashram of Agastya Muni, who had said that if you want to live in Dandakaranya, then go forward, he gave the address and said you can stay on the banks of Godavari. Then Shri Ram came and stayed in parnakutir which is surrounded by 5 banyan trees. The reason why it is named Panchvati is because 5 meaning pancha and vati meaning banyan trees. They   are the witness that Shri Ram performed His pastimes.

While telling this I remembered, when I was in Los Angeles, California, there was a festival being celebrated ,bicentennial  or two hundredth anniversary that’s why I asked them what was going on, what festival was it, to which they replied that it was anniversary of Los Angeles City and they said it is a very old city, very old city. So I asked how old is your Los Angeles? To which they said 200 years old. So for them 200 years is too old of a time, where is 10 Lakh years and where 200 years, no comparison. This is an old ancient eternal religious abode of Prabhu Shri Ram. ‘keha bole purabe ravana vadhila‘. This is Ramgiri or Ramtek, Tek means pledge, God took a pledge, a vow to destroy all the demons, by raising his bow and arrow . He took a vow to destroy and kill all the demons on earth. Hence, it is called Ramtek meaning Vow of Ram. Lord Ram is known for His words, His vows, one word, one vow, one wife person.

So that way you all are the servant of this place, servant of Lord, which was pre-decided by Himself. Ayodhya resident, then Chitrakut resident and then Ramtek resident and then become Ramtek resident and then become Panchvati Nasik resident , and then Kishkindha resident, 4 months stayed there so many main main places,  there is half dozen of places where Ram stayed otherwise He was traveling almost places, remained a forest dweller. He lived like a forest dweller. (Jai Sri Ram… Jai Sri Ram …ho gaya kam) done work. ‘keha bole purabe ravan vadhila’

People say that jaya jaya jagannātha sacīra nandan tribhūvana kore jār caraṇa vandan Jai Jagannath Jai Sachira Nandan, Tribhuvana worships His feet.

Jagannath  became Ram, Sometimes came as Ram and sometimes as Shyam. I had heard that for the first time and they  said He becames Sai Baba,….and destroyed everything.

Golokera vaibhav lila prakash karila

Translation :

The pastimes of Goloka Vrindavan were manifested in Gokula by the Lord

In the end of dwapar same Jagannath, one name Jagannath, we can say Jagannath, whose Lord Jagannath.? He performed the pastimes of Gokul or Goloka in the end of Dwapara and became a resident of Gokul. and then move forward from there,  and then ‘sri-radhar bhave ebe‘

And then came Kaliyuga, and first evening of the Kaliyuga, evening means joint, joint of the Dwapara and Kaliyuga, in the end of Dwapara

Kali creates obstacles in the path of devotional service. When Bhagavan Munkunda Krsna,  shyam- tyaktva sva padam gatha, left from this planet and went to His planet.

tad dinat kali ayata

From that day Kaliyuga has come. Sarva sadhana badhaka, and it is an impediment everywhere and particularly in devotional service. It also puts us to sleep in class. But those who only chant the holy names do not get troubled by Kali. satyam satyam na samsayah means that it has been said twice over here that there is no doubt about this.

śri-rādhār bhāve ebe gorā avatār hare kṛṣṇa nām gaura korilā pracār

Jaya Jaya Jagannatha Sacira text 4 by vasudeva ghosh

Translation: It is He who has come. He has come! Oh, from Vraja He has come to Nadiya. Accepting the mood and luster of Sri Radha, He has come from Vraja to Nadiya. He has come! Now Lord Govinda, the cowherd boy, has come as Lord Gauranga. He has come to distribute the Hare Krsna Mahamantra!

Sri Krishna Chaitanya Mahaprabhu appeared in Radha conscious and He became Radha and preached hare kṛṣṇa nām gaura korilā pracār..

“Hare Krsna Hare Krsna Krsna Krsna Hare Hare

Hare Ram Hare Ram Ram Ram Hare Hare”

Some personal reasons for appearance of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu .He wanted to  know Radha,’śrī-rādhāyāḥ praṇaya-mahimā kīdṛśo ‘ How is Radha’s love and glory? It was His query. Question of Lord  He became curious. It was one of the reason of appearance of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. At that time He stayed at Jagannath Puri for 18 years and out of 18 years 12 years He did this only

‘śrī-rādhāyāḥ praṇaya-mahimā kīdṛśo’

“ekātmānāv api bhuvi purā deha-bhedaṁ gatau tau (cc adi 1.5)”

This is what Krishnadas Kaviraj Raj Goswami wrote at the beginning of Chaitanya Charitamrita, how Radha and Krsna are? They are one soul.

“ekatmanav api” Even though we have the same soul “ purā deha-bhedaṁ gatau tau”. They become two from one, and then one becomes Madan Gopal and the other Radha. And then Chaitanya akhyam, this is at the beginning of Dwapar Yuga or Kali Yuga

“caitanyākhyaṁ prakaṭam adhunā tad-dvayaṁ caikyam āptaṁ“

adhuna means now. Popularly known as Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, famous by the name of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, tad-dvayaṁ caikyam āptaṁ, one soul became two souls, one Radha and one Krsna, now what happens at the beginning of Kaliyuga tad-dvayaṁ caikyam, the two become one again,

rādhā-bhāva-dyuti-suvalitaṁnaumi kṛṣṇa-svarūpam

I bow again and again at the feet of such a Lord, he is so great, what is his speciality, “radha-bhava-dyuti” Dyuti meaning aura, meaning radiance, meaning light, one should adopt the mood of Radha and adopt the colour of Radha, what is the colour of Radha? tapta-kanchana-gaurangi, by adopting the same colour, the same body part, He became Gauranga, by staying in Jagannath Puri, Chaitanya Mahaprabhu made His personal reason behind His appearance successful in Jagannath Puri. But before that Chaitanya Mahaprabhu takes sannyas and

“paritrāṇāya sādhūnāṁ vināśāya ca duṣkṛtām dharma-saṁsthāpanārthāya sambhavāmi yuge yuge” (Bhagvad Gita 4.8)

Translation :

To deliver the pious and to annihilate the miscreants, as well as to reestablish the principles of religion, I Myself appear, millennium after millennium.

This is also routine business, what does God do when he appears, “paritrāṇāya sādhūnāṁ vināśāya ca duṣkṛtām dharma-saṁsthāpanārthāya sambhavāmi yuge yuge”

 

So he, Hari Hari, at this time Chaitanya Mahaprabhu does not kill the enemies with any weapon, Parashuram’s axe or bow and arrow like Rama or Sudarshan like Krishna, are you scared? Such Chaitanya Mahaprabhu is a kind of empty-handed, this is how he has taken refuge, and taught the world his conduct. All the great men themselves become devotees. Panchatyaatmakam Krishnam devotee form, which is the first Panchtatva, devotee form, then Swaroopkam then Shakti avatar, and then Shivas, etc Gaur devotees, Chaitanya Mahaprabhu himself becomes a devotee or devotee, devotee and devotee so which devotee has become a devotee, he has become Radha, and in the way, both of them worship each other. One is the God to be served and the other is the God who is a servant, so Chaitanya Mahaprabhu also becomes a servant and also serves Radha, so sometimes Radha becomes a servant or maid and serves Krishna, so in this incarnation, Shri Krishna Chaitanya Mahaprabhu becomes a servant in Radha bhaav and serves Radha, so apart from that, his “dharma-saṁsthāpanārthāya sambhavāmi yuge yuge”

 

“Om Sarve Bhavantu Sukhinah Sarve Santu Niraamayaah | Sarve Bhadraanni Pashyantu

Maa Kashcid-Duhkha-Bhaag-Bhavet |”

Translation

May everyone be happy, may everyone be free from diseases, may everyone’s life be blessed and no one becomes a part of sorrow. Oh God, grant us such a boon!

For this purpose, Sri Krishna Chaitanya Mahaprabhu also takes Sanyas and after Sanyas, he travels for six years which is called Madhya Leela, Adi Leela, Madhya Leela and Antya Leela. For six years, he departs from Jagannath Puri three times and returns three times. So in the first round, beginning with Orissa Jagannath Puri, he travelled to all the states of South India

“sarvatra pracāra hoibe mora nāma”(C.B antya kanda 4.126).

He had also prophesied that my name will be propagated everywhere, it will happen everywhere. He did not stop after saying this pṛthivīte āche yata nagarādi grāma the name of the earth will be propagated in all the cities and villages on earth. He also said this. Chaitanya Mahaprabhu did what he said and demonstrated it. At least within India, when Prabhupada was asked why he did not propagate Harinam outside India, Prabhupada said that if he had propagated it everywhere, then what would we have done. Let this go up to the International Society for Krishna consciousness. So Chaitanya Mahaprabhu then via Karnataka enters Maharashtra, takes darshan of Mahalakshmi in Mahalakshmi temple in Kolhapur or gives darshan of Mahalakshmi. We do go to take darshan of him, but There Mahalakshmi came down from Vaikuntha, she landed in Kolhapur, you must know Bhrigu Muni was going, who is the best among Brahma, Vishnu and Mahesh, who is the most tolerant, most tolerant is the best, so in this test Vishnu or Narayan passed the test, he passed, Jai Narayan, Jai ho.

 

So Bhrigu Muni came, stories, history, everything is there, so whatever Bhrigu Muni did, he came and kicked Bhagvan on His chest when Laxmi was serving his feet. You can imagine mothers, someone came and Laxmi could not tolerate it and she got angry, she did not agree and she left Vaikuntha and came to Kolhapur and did penance, so after that, after Vaikuntha, now the same Vishnu Adi Vishnu or Vaikuntha Nayak Shri Krishna Chaitanya Mahaprabhu ki Jai.

Vaikuntha Nayak also says, so He gave darshan, you understand, He gave darshan or took darshan, he explained and convinced a bit, and whatever happened. Hence, Chaitanya Mahaprabhu moves forward from there, Pandharpur Dham ki Jai and then comes to Pandharpur.

And then Pandharpur, Pandurang Gauranga,

“kar katavari ttevoniya Tulsi haar gala kase pitambar |Aavde nirantar techi roop|

Translation

Standing on a brick, hands placed on waist. A garland of “tulasi” leaves adorns his neck,  yellow silken cloth, wrapped around his waist. I adore this image, unceasingly, constantly meditating on you. All these things are unthinkable, Pandurang Himself becomes Gaurang, and Gaurang is having darshan of Pandurang, he kept doing the same in other places and other dhams too, there is also a description that he bathed in Chandrabhaga in Pandharpur too, from there he went ahead of the main entrance and ran to reach the darshan mandap, he could not manage in Jagannath Puri, he did not reach Jagannath but reached Pandurang and Gaurang embraced Pandurang, embraced him deeply, there was a time when such visitors used to have darshan, now it has been stopped for some two and a half hundred years, why not, then Chaitanya Mahaprabhu must have done kirtan there, Mahaprabhu in the darshan mandap and there He comes to know, Shri Rangpuri, Shri Rangpuri, disciple of Madhavendra Puri, Shri Rangpuri, he was also present in Pandharpur on coming to know about this, Chaitanya Mahaprabhu ran to Shri Rangpuri and on seeing him, Shri Rangpuri did his Sastanga Dandavat Pranam and on seeing the gestures, actions, posture and gait of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, Shri Rangpuri understood that this person must have some connection with the Gaudiya Vaishnava tradition otherwise such bhava is not possible,

tṛṇād apisu-nīcena, nayanaṁ galad-aśru-dhārayāvadanaṁ gadgada-ruddhayā girā

( shikshashtakam verse 6 )

Translation

O my Lord, when will my eyes be decorated with tears of love flowing constantly when I chant Your holy name? When will my voice choke up, and when will the hairs of my body stand on end at the recitation of Your name?

All this was going on, so both of them remained there engaged in Hari Katha for seven days and seven nights, so in this way Chaitanya Mahaprabhu spent a little more time in Pandharpur, one is a place named Kohar in Andhra Pradesh on the bank of Godavari where he met Rai Ramananda, he stayed there for a week and when he reached Srirangam it was the time of Chaturmas, he stayed there also for four months, at other places Chaitanya Mahaprabhu used to go not just overnight but one night, sometimes in the middle of the night and when he came to know that everyone was awake and Mahaprabhu was leaving, then all the residents of Ayodhya were going behind Ram, the poor trees there were thinking that now we are immovable, we cannot even walk, if we also become human beings If we were there then we too would have followed Rama

“Soduni gela Ram, kasa mala Soduni gela Ram”

Without Ram I don’t get peace, I don’t know what to do, Soduni gela Ram, so just as the people of Ayodhya used to follow Rama, they went for one night only, then Ram wisely left from there, when everyone was resting there, Rama proceeded ahead, and the poor people of Ayodhya had to return to Ayodhya again; this used to happen, whenever Chaitanya Mahaprabhu would leave any village then in large numbers of people would start following him then Ram tricked and went forward and the residents of Ayodhya again had to return to Ayodhya. Same used to happen when Chaitanya mahaprabhu would leave any village then many many people would begin following him therefore to avoid that situation, Chaitanya Mahaprabhu would in the middle of the night when everyone was sleeping would get up and go forward, so the purport is that Chaitanya Mahaprabhu spent more time in a very few places, Pandharpur dham ki jai !

So Pandharpur is also one of that places , I think  11 or 14 days, atleast 11 days calculation is there in the Chaitanya Charitamrit. So from there Sri Krishna Chaitanya mahaprabhu went to a confluence of two rivers named ‘Krishnavenna’, it’s in the Satara city.Sri Krishna Chaitanya mahaprabhu went there and there used to be a class by the local people on the literature “Krishnakarnamrita” and Chaitanya mahaprabhu was also listening to it, the name “Krishnakarnamrita” means nectar for the ears so Chaitanya mahaprabhu copied that literature, he found the fifth chapter of Brahma Samhita already near the Kanyakumari in the ‘Adikeshav temple’, he took that also and from Satara he took Krishnakarnamrit and then he reached Nashik too, he was going to share all that books with the vaishnava’s in Jagannath puri so Chaitanya mahaprabhu came here , Nashik dham ki jai !

‘saptatāla-vṛkṣa’ dekhe kānana-bhitara ati vṛddha, ati sthūla, ati uccatara (CC Madhya 9.312)

Translation

Within that forest Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu then visited a place called Saptatāla. The seven palm trees there were very old, very bulky and very high.

So in this area Dandakaranya he saw seven trees , they were too old, stiff, huge, tall,

“saptatāla dekhi’ prabhu āliṅgana kailasaśarīre saptatāla vaikuṇṭhe calila” (CC Madhya 9.313)

Translation

After seeing the seven palm trees, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu embraced them. As a result, they all returned to Vaikuṇṭhaloka, the spiritual world.

 

Chaitanya mahaprabhu one after the other he embraced each and every tree, as soon as he embraced the trees they went to Vaikuntha with their gross body ,not that only the soul, their branch, sub-branch and trunk as they were proceeded to Vaikuntha

“śūnya-sthala dekhi’ lokera haila camatkāra loke kahe, e sannyāsī–rāma-avatāra“ (CC Madhya 9.314)

Translation

After the seven palm trees had departed for Vaikuṇṭha, everyone was astonished to see them gone. The people then began to say, “This sannyāsī called Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu must be an incarnation of Lord Rāmacandra.

There was neither the evidence not the tree or roots, and many people must have seen this scene, the ancestors of you all, when they saw that scene what were they saying ? “loke kahe, e sannyāsī–rāma-avatāra“, this miracle, there were seven trees everyone used to see , maybe they were taking selfies with special trees but they are no more,when everyone saw this miracle they were thinking “this renunciant is shri Ram, Jai shree ram !”he shri ram aahet “, who else can have such power except Ram ?.( What life is, a life without Ram ?) Some people say life without your embrace (mundane song).there is no peace in life without Ram! just by saying ‘Ra’, we are freed from all the sins, and by saying ‘ma’,t he sins do not enter back again. Jai shree Ram!.

“rama rama rameti rame rame manorame”,

“bramha bole chaturmukha krsna krsna hare hare

mahadev panchmukhe ram ram hare hare”,

Lord Shiva says to ‘manoramā’ Parvati, oh Manorame “aham rame” I relish , what you relish ?, “rāme” , “aham rāme rame manorame”, this is how Sanskrit language is, sweet. So

 “prabhu āsi’ kaila pampā-sarovare snāna pañcavaṭī āsi, tāhāṅ karila viśrāma“ (CC Madhya 9.316)

Translation

Eventually Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu arrived at a lake known as Pampā, where He took His bath. He then went to a place called Pañcavaṭī, where He rested.

Shri Krishna Chaitanya Mahaprabhu came to Panchavati also and there he took rest, this is so summarised right ?I mean in Chaitanya Charitamrita it should have been described in detail, but whatever reason anyway it’s very summarised, or say the ocean is filled in a pot.

So Shri Krishna Chaitanya Mahaprabhu embraced those trees and delivered them, this miracle is already written but Krishna Das Kaviraj goswami also did not want to repeat it. Pastimes of every place especially the kirtan pastimes of Chaitanya mahaprabhu, Krishna Das Kaviraj Goswami was very aged, his hands were shivering, he writes on different places why he is describing in summary, he had no time, he was also counting days left for his departure, but because it was the order of Vrindavan’s Radha Madan mohan, and it was the intense desire of the vaishnava’s that he should write so he was writing, something’s are very short what to do. So certainly here also shri Krishna Chaitanya mahaprabhu must have done maha sankirtan. Chaitanya mahaprabhu’s chief pastimes are these kirtan pastimes only. “sundara-bālāśacī-dulālānācataśrī-hari-kīrtanameń“, Hari used to dance in the kirtans,

“mahāprabhoḥ kīrtana-nṛtya-gīta-vāditra-mādyan-manasorasena”

So just as in Vrindavan Krishna is popular for ‘rāsa’ dance, that same Krishna when become’s Shri Krishna Chaitanya mahaprabhu his chief pastime become’s kirtan lila, “kīrtanīyaḥsadāhariḥ”.  He used to never walk, He would always dance. So here also very much kirtan and dance, that time, 500 years before’s Nasik, Panchavati form will be restablished, the population of this place would be less at that time but this used to happen, when people would come to know that Chaitanya mahaprabhu has reached today to Panchavati, Nasik.

Then  thousands and lakhs of people of different areas would gather here, who was the promoter? There was no SMS, E-mail or Instagram, nothing but Sachinandan Chaitanya mahaprabhu would give such inspiration to the living entities that they used to run ( towards him). So this kind of maha sankirtan has happened in Nasik too and then in the middle of all of us Shri Krishna Chaitanya mahaprabhu ,bāhu tule, bāhu tule, raising His hands that beautiful Gauranga, Shri Krishna Chaitanya mahaprabhu was the mine of beauty, and golden form! There was no one in the universe having golden form, is there anyone golden now ? No golden, black – yes , brown -yes, white we may get in Kashmir or in foreign but golden form!, anyway everyone likes gold they are attracted to gold.

” Go ” for “Gauranga”, “go” for “Gauranga”, so Shri Krishna Chaitanya mahaprabhu with everyone of Nasik present there has done kirtan and dance here and while doing kirtan they it seemed like all the people of Nasik were the puppets in the hands of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and he was the puppeteer so he would make them all dance. Haribol! This way he would pick them up and then drop them and Shri Krishna Chaitanya mahaprabhu was a very tall personality and the people of Nasik were not very tall so mahaprabhu would not require any stage everyone could see him, first of all he was tall and then,

“ājānu-lambita-bhujau”

His arms were very long then He would fly high in the sky, and it was enough to do kirtan just once with Chaitanya mahaprabhu, so do not think that He sent to Vaikuntha only seven trees by embracing them, 500 years ago whoever came in contact with Chaitanya mahaprabhu and with him whoever participated in kirtan and dance, by Chaitanya mahaprabhu’s embrace or by his association if trees can go to Vaikuntha then what to speak of humans!.

Devotees: Hari bol !!

There is a possibility that those present here were not  present in that kirtan.If you would be there then. But it is little better late than never. The thing is about better late than never. Again Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu has appeared, he is here and to fulfill the prediction of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, Bhakti Siddhanta Sarasvati Thakur in 1922 told ,Abhay babu to go to foreign and do what ?

. “sarvatra pracara haibe gurangera  nama”

Preach the message of Krsna conscious and establish Bhagavat dharma and to fulfill this instructions Srila Prabhupada goes to foreign and establishes Krsna conscious movement.

!Srila prabhupada ki jai!

His movement is spreading everyone, it has reached Nashik also. Hari! Hari! .From the last 50,60 years a lot has happened which we say as revolution in consciousness. Not only revolution of thoughts but also revolution of expression. This are expressions, lusty sins , expressions of sins, this change in expressions consciousness  is happening in the whole world .So those who have come in contact with Chaitanya mahaprabhu has been benefited from Chaitanya mahaprabhu Kaliyuga’s Ram is Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, Kaliyuga’s Krsna is Chaitanya mahaprabhu. He gave his darsana in six armed form  to Sarvabhum Bhattacharya in Jagannath Puri .Three of them were together Ram, Krsna and Chaitanya. So for us Chaitanya mahaprabhu is the closest Srila Prabhupada ki jai ! Srila Prabhupada has favoured the whole world, we are indebted to him. Yes or No ? Yes.

So someone asked how we can get free from this debt to Prabhupada. We are indebted to you, how can we become free from this debt ? Prabhupada said “not possible”. Firstly he said it is impossible then took a pause then Prabhupada said “you could do one thing” .So devotees asked what is that ? Prabhupada replied. Prabhupada said a very famous statement, “You do as I did.” You do as I did or what I started you take make more forward and expand .By such efforts we can become a bit free. We are indebted to Prabhupada and also his disciples so to become free from this debt,

kṛṣṇa se tomāra, kṛṣṇadīte pāro,tomāra śakati āche.

So you have got Sri Krsna Chaitanya mahaprabhu with you in many forms so to give this Krsna to others, “you all are capable.”

Devotees: Hari bol!!

So finally Sri Chaitanya mahaprabhu said,

“bhārata-bhūmite haila manuṣya janma yāra janma sārthaka kari’ kara para-upakāra”

(CC adi 9.41)

Translation

One who has taken his birth as a human being in the land of India [Bhārata-varṣa] should make his life successful and work for the benefit of all other people.

You have taken birth in Bharat. Is anyone here born in Bharat? Yes? Or born in India? Some person told me that he is not Indian, he is Bharatiya. This way he said that he is not Indian and he is a Bharatiya now. Again the time has come to become Bharatiya. Srila Prabhupada has not only made Indian’s Bharatiya made Americans also Bharatiya

Devotees: Hari bol !!

He made Australians also Bharatiya, made Africans also Bharatiya. So take Krsna conscious forward and forward by everyone being together. The numbers are increasing day by day and it is the need of the hour, it is only needed. What does a jivaneed  ? Tell what does a fish need? Fish needs water like that jiva does not want anything. Give the world to it, the jiva wouldn’t be happy. He won’t be happy !! Won’t be happy !! The jiva needs bhagavan.

Devotees: Hari bol!!

So Hare Krsna Hare krsna krsna krsna Hare Hare

Hare Ram Hare Ram Ram Ram  Hare Hare is also bhagavan .

This Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna is bhagavan Sri Chaitanya mahaprabhu brought this bhagavan with himself and distributed it Radha Madan Gopal ki jaii !! This is bhagavan. Gita, bhagavad are vangmaye murti .  Shastra are themselves bhagavan.

“ ya svayampadmanabhasya, mukha-padma viniharita”

Like this many forms ,dham is also one of the lord’s form . Svaprasadanndilobhai , this you all know Mahaprasadegovinde, today we don’t have to take grain but  prasad is also one of the form of lord, there are many forms of lord. This all has been packed in Iskcon we do its packaging and home delivery we also do, specially Srila prabhupada’s book preaching of Harinam and hosting festivals. Different different festivals are conducted. Thank you that you came and whatever I said think about it and “stop, think and proceed”.

Something else on this ishtagoshti “bodhayantaḥparasparam”,etc can happen. Krsna dhan, krsna dhan, you have got Krishna’s wealth and company ,you are part of the team. We are of the same family, we are one family, “Vasudeva Kutumbakam”. Thank you !

Rama Katha
Venue: Bahrain
Date: April 15, 2016

Janaki Jivan Sita Mohan Rama

This short song talks about Sri Rama as Ayodhyavasi. We have Vrajavasi, Vrindavanvasi, Mayapurvasi. Like that there is also Ayodhavas. Vas means to reside. This residence is Ayodhya. Those who reside there are called Ayodhyavasis and Rama Himself is Ayodhyavasi.

ayodhyavasi rama
rama rama
dasharatha nandana rama

Dasharathanandana and Kaushalyanandana. Kaushalya’s name is not mentioned in this song.

sambhavami yuge yuge

And the purpose is patitanam pavanebhyo. Vaisnavas are also like that.

patita pavana janaki jivan

Sri Rama is a Janaki jivan. Janaki Jivan like Radha Jivan or Vishnu Priya Jivan. Rama is Janki Jivan. Rama is Patitapavan, but who is patita? We are in this material existence so that’s an indication. We must be Patita otherwise why would we be here. Patita means fallen, fallen from Ayodhya or Goloka. There is also Ayodhya up there. Above Vaikuntha is Saket Dhama. Above Saket or Ayodhya is Goloka. So Vrindavan is here, Gokul is here. Goloka is up there. Ayodhya is here and Ayodhya is also up there. So from somewhere up there we have fallen. Then comes Sri Rama then Sri Krishna and then Sri Krishna Caitanya Mahaprabhu.

jivane marane gati ara nahi mora

That is the spirit, I don’t know any other destination but you.
Radha Krishna prana mora or Sita Rama prana mora. Sita has her prannatha, Sri Rama.

patita pavana janaki jivana sita mohan rama

Sita Mohan is like Radha Mohan. Sita Mohan Rama means Sita attracts Rama, Rama becomes mohit. Sita is attractive and attracts the all attractive. She attracts the mind of Rama and Rama cannot survive without Sita.

Site! Site! When Sita was kidnapped by that rascal Ravana Rama just could not forget her. He was looking for Her looking for Her everywhere because He was Sita Mohan Rama and He did not stop and searched till His goal was to reach Lanka.

ayodhyavasi rama rama rama dasharatha nandana rama rama

Today is the day reserved as Rama Navami or the Appearance day of Sri Rama and the celebration is Lord’s Appearance which is going on almost closer to 10 lacs which is a million years. Lord appeared in Treta Yuga and we are here in age of Kali and between one whole age has passed – Dwapara Yuga. Dwapara Yuga, calculations goes on for million years. Dwapara Yuga is 86,4000 years duration. Kali Yuga is 4,32000 years so Dwapara Yuga is twice as long and Treta Yuga is three times and Satya Yuga is 4 times as long. So 8 lacs and 64 thousand years right there a big chunk and then 5000 years of this Kali Yuga and then some more years of Treta Yuga and hence the number close to 2 million years ago on this day Lord Rama appeared.

So the day was navami and the day was also Tuesday. Krsna appeared on Wednesday and Rama appeared on Tuesday at noon time because He is appearing as Suryavanshi. Surya is the king of the day and Chandra is the king of the night hence chandra is called Rajneesh, Rajni-eesh, eesh the master, Rajni is night – the king of the night. King of the night is moon. Dinesh, dina means day and esh is king. Dinesh is Surya. Krishna is Chandravanshi and Rama is Suryavanshi. Krsna has appeared in the kingdom of the moon, the ruler of night. Surya is ruler of day and Sri Rama is appeared as a Suryavanshi. He appeared in midday today but not this time, a few hours ago. We are sitting here with Bhagavatam and Sukadeva Goswami has recited Ramayana or Rama Katha also. Bhagavat Katha is not only Krsna Katha but also Narasimha Katha, Vaman Katha. Like that there is Rama katha in the 9th canto of Bhagavatam. Two chapters 10 and 11 are dedicated to Rama Katha, like a condensed Ramayana. We will just read a few verses from the middle of Bhagavatam 9th canto chapter 10 – the pastimes of Lord Ramacandra speaker is Sukadeva Goswami and the listener is Pariksit Maharaja and many other rushis, Rajasris, Maharsris and Devasris. They have assembled not in Bahrain but on the banks of Ganga. Any sacred river here? Bahrain, does it rain here? I don’t know the meaning of Bahrain, so no rivers here.

sri suka uvacha
khatvangad dirghabahus ca
raghus tasmat prthu-sravah
ajas tato maha-rajas
tasmad dasaratho bhavat (SB 9.10.1)

So he wants to bring Dasarath, Sukadev Swami wants to bring Dasaratha in the picture. He wants to talk about Rama so no Dasarath, no Rama. So Dasarath appeared at the end of the sloka.

dasaratho abhavat

Prior to him many others had appeared in the dynasty Khatvanga, Khatvangad from Kathvanga appears Dirghabahu, from him appears Raghu

raghus tasmat prthu-sravah

From Raghu comes Prthusravah, from Prthu comes Aja and the son of Aja is Dasaratha and son of Dasaratha is Jai Sri Rama. It is not only Sri Rama we will be hearing who else appeared from Dasarath.

tasyapi bhagavan esa
saksad brahmamayo harih
amsamsena caturdhagat
putratvam prarthitah suraih
rama-laksmana-bharata
satrughna iti samjnaya ( SB 9.10.2)

That Brahmamayo Hari is full of Brahma, is Parabrahma. Parabrahma appeared and He is also sakshat Bhagavan. Parabrahma is Bhagawan Hari. Hari is one who steals away our suffering that is also Hari Hari Gaur Hari Sri Rama Hari. He takes away our suffering, our birth, death, old age and disease. He is a thief. He steals all these things and makes us free and makes us Pavana. He makes us pure so that Hari brahmamaya amsamsena, expansion of expansion plenary portion.

chaturdhagat putratvam

That Hari, saksad Hari appeared in four forms as four sons of Dasaratha.

prarthitah suraih

Demigods were begging and appealing, ‘My Lord Dear Lord, this is the time. Please have mercy upon us also. Please appear. So they are praying to the Lord Who has responded to the prayers of the demigods. Demigods are praying for Lord’s advent and they know this is the right time because what had happened was –

yada yada hi dharmasya
glanir bhavati bharata
abhyutthanam adharmasya
tadatmanam srjamy aham

Whenever and wherever there is a decline in religious practice, O descendant of Bharata, and a predominant rise of irreligion—at that time I descend Myself.

Bhagavatam also said earlier end of the 1st canto,

dyutam panam striyah suna
yatradharmas catur-vidhah (SB 1.17.38)

What is adharma? What are adharmic irreligious principles?

So dyutam there is gambling. You must understand there is a decline in religious principles and the dominance of irreligious, people are not drinking caranamrita anymore and drinking sharabamrita or even chaiamrita. You must understand this is irreligious. If there are slaughter houses and India has become biggest exporter of beef. This is irreligion. Even India indulges in irreligious principles. Give us petrol take beef in exchange. This is the predominance of irreligion or prostitution, illicit sex or illegal sex. So these are the four places five thousand year ago, King Pariksit allowed Kali to reside.

Kali was showing his ugly face and was beating the cow and trying to attempt to kill the cow, and King Pariksit had a sword in his hand and he was ready to slaughter the killer of the cow to establish the principles of dharma.

dharma-samsthapanarthaya

On the behalf the Lord the King represents the Lord. This is his job description – to establish Dharma. So the saintly king as he was, he was trying to stop that. Kali begged for forgiveness and was given four places to stay dyutam, panam, stiyah and suna these 4 places. Kali had a hard time finding such places 5000 years ago and now we have hard time finding places where there is no meat eating.

Probably only vegetarian restaurants Govindas in Bahrain may be others, not many are turning up. They going ending up in another restaurant, other places where there is meat eating, Whenever such situations arise then the Lord makes His appearance. So the Demigods have taken note that this is what is happening a million years ago, towards the end of Treta Yuga. They are praying to the Lord to please appear.

Then the Lord responded and Ramayan will describes this in detail. However at the time of putrakameshti yajna when Dasaratha Maharaja was performing a big sacrifice so that the Lord would be very pleased with him and he could have a son. It is a big sacrifice and all the demigods were invited to attend.

yam brahma varunendra-rudra-marutah stunvanti divyaih stavair (SB 12.13.1)

They all are offering their prayers also for the Lord’s advent. In fact the Lord appeared not as Sri Rama but appeared seated on Garuda. Wherever there is a yajna the Lord also appears there to accept the offering. At that time the appeal was made face to face and the Lord had promised that He will appear and perform His pastime for dasa sahastra dasa shatani cha. Ten Thousand -das sahastra and thousand- das shatani cha, cha means and. Ten thousand plus one thousand is 11 thousand years. We read this in Ramayan: “I will appear and I will perform my pastime on earth for 11 thousand years.”

Lord responded positively to the prayers of the demigods and He made His appearance as Rama Laksman Bharat Shatrughna ki jai. So Rama appeared today, What about Laksman? When did appear?

He also appeared today. Bharat also and Shatrughna also. Today is not only Rama Navmi it is also Laksman Navmi, Bharat Navami and Shatrughna Navmi. Three mothers gave birth to four children, simultaneously this was happening in the palace of King Dasaratha. Kausalya gave birth to Sri Rama and Kaikaiye gave birth to Bharat and Sumitra gave birth to Shatrughna and Laksmana.

During that Yajna the fruit of yajna, Kausalya and Kaikaiye received just one piece and Sumitra receives two times so she gave birth to two children. And then Rama is always with Laksman and they became two teams Rama and Laksman and Bharat and Shatrughna. They were close to each other. As little children’s they were placed on four different cradles but soon they would end up with two. Laksman would go and be with Rama and Shatrughna would go and be with Bharat. There is some special affinity, friendship and liking.

tasyanucaritam rajann
rsibhis tattva-darsibhih
srutam hi varnitam bhuri
tvaya sita-pater muhuh (SB 9.10.3)

So tasyanucaritam means Ramasya caritam and also called as Laksmanasya caritam, Shatrughnasya caritam, Bharatsya caritam. Oh! Rajan which king is this? King Parikshit, Sukadev Goswami is addressing Rajan King Parikshit.

tattva-darsibhih srutam hi varnitam

The knower of truth always recites the pastimes of these four brothers headed by Sri Rama. Sages always recite not only pastimes, but also the nama, rupa, guna, lila, dhama. Recitation of or kirtana means also recitation, kirtana means glory singing the glories.

Kirtaniya sada hari

That doesn’t mean only kirtana. Chanting of the name is also nama kirtana. There is also guna kirtana, lila kirtana. There is dhama kirtana of the Lord. The pastime, glories of holy name, glory of His glorious qualities, glorious pastimes, glorious abode and glorious devotees of Sri Rama. This is all being recited by risis, and sages those who know Rama tattva, Krishna tattva or Vishnu tattva.

janma karma ca me divyam
evam yo vetti tattvatah
tyaktva deham punar janma
naiti mam eti so arjuna (BG 4.9)

The Lord’s not only pastime, birth also, janma tattva, nama tattva, guna tattva, lila tattva, dhama tattva. There are so many tattvas, Pancha tattva. Don’t get confused tattva is true science. Sukadev Goswami says, “Tose tatvadarshis, the knowers of truth or those who realized the truth always talk varnitam. As you rajan can srutam,
sita patihe, Sita pati Sri Rama’s Charitam charitra tatvadarshis have been speaking varnitam and tvaya shrutam

Where in the next verse Sukadev Goswami has condensed the whole Ramayana. Some seeds ideas are there in one verse which covers kind of all the pastimes.

avatan nah

I will read end of the prayer first nah means all of us, May that Rama protect us, be pleased with us. You would also like Rama to protect you? Do you have life insurance, body guard and all kind of defence mechanisms? And Sukadev Goswami has already said about that,

deha apatya kalatradisu

They have so much faith in deha, strength of their body, apatya their offsprings, kalatra the wives, relatives, doctors, lawyer. This is the very beginning of Bhagavat recitation so much faith, in this kind of army – my body, my children, my desire, my army, my wife. I have wife but this is all asat. This is my army but his army is asat – fallible and will not help, specially at time of death. In a picture a person in Bombay opened his heart and a photograph of a Limca bottle appeared. It was not Sita Rama. Hanuman tore his chest and showed his complete faith is in Sri Rama only, but this person had a Limca bottle. And another person he was into coca cola. He was about to die and the family surrounded him> he only had a few more moments to go and then children were saying, “Daddy, Daddy please say Bhola at least say bhola.” They were Bhola devotees Shankar Bholenath. “Please say Bhola” The father did not say Bhola he only said coca cola. The last word taking shelter of coca cola thinking of coca cola, full of coca cola.

yam yam vapi smaran bhavam tyajaty ante kalevaRama
tam tam evaiti kaunteya sada tad-bhava-bhavitah

He went to coca cola loka – America. Sukadev Goswami had already said that only the Lord could help.

rama raghav rama raghav rama raghav rakshamam

Caitanya Mahaprabhu always recited that. So this verse is also a prayer for protection. May Sri Rama be pleased with me and once he is pleased, protect me and those who He is pleased with.

gurv-arthe tyakta-rajyo vyacarad anuvanam padma-padbhyam priyayah
pani-sparsaksamabhyam mrjita-patha-rujo yo harindranujabhyam
vairupyac churpanakhyah priya-viraha-rusaropita-bhru-vijrmbha-
trastabdhir baddha-setu? khala-dava-dahanah kosalendro vatan nah

The condensed Ramayan in one verse. Ramayan’s very first is chapter Bala Kanda. You heard Bala Kanda otherwise Ramayan has been recited by Valmiki Muni in seven kandas. As Bhagavatam has skandas and Mahabharat has Parvas, Ramayan has Kandas – 7 kandas. Bala Kanda, Ayodhya Kanda, Aranya kanda, Kishkindha Kanda, Sundarkanda and Yudha kanda and then Rama returns to Ayodhya that is Uttarkanda.

Bhagavatam has 18,000 verses and Ramayana has 24,000 verses compiled by Adi Kavi Valmiki Muni. Wonderful, powerful, beautiful scripture!

gurv-arthe tyakta-rajyo

For the sake of His father Lord Rama gave up the kingdom. He is about to be the crown prince and he gave it all up.

vyacarad anuvanam

He was wondering for 14 years from one forest to another to another including Dandakaranya. Then it says Lord’s Lotus feet were very tender. So how did He wander? A chariot was provided at the beginning but He also adamant. “Let me be a vanavasi not only in name. A vanavasi resides and walks around barefoot so that what Rama’s program.

padma-padbhyam priyayah

Sukadev Goswami says Lord’s Lotus feet where so soft and tender they could not even bear the touch of Sita’s hand. This means that Sita’s hand were too rough because the Lotus Feet were very soft.

patha-rujo yo harindranujabhyam

However during all this travel time and trying times many devotees helped the Lord but two have been mentioned specifically. Harindra was always helpful. Hari is monkey. Hari has another meaning Hari is monkey and Hari also means lion. Hanuman was a monkey under Harindra King. Sukadev Goswami says one personality was Hanuman and Anuja, anu means man to follow and ja means one who take birth. Rama took birth and Laksman also took birth right after, so Ramanuja is Laksman. Ramanujacarya is the incarnation of Laksmana. So he is called Ramanuja. Hanuman and Laksmana they were very helpful – assisting, giving relief to Sri Rama throughout his travel in different forest.

vairupyac churpanakhyah

There was time Shurpanakha on the Bank of Godavari panchvati. She was disfigured. Her nose was chopped out. She had gone to Lanka complaining to Ravana. That rascal Ravana who kidnapped Sita and that made Rama very angry.

rusaropita-bhru-vijrmbha

As he was looking for Sita and finally He met the monkey Army and others. Sugriva, Jambavan were at Rameshwaram waiting for the ocean God to come forward and help out how to cross. It was delaying Rama who became very furious. He built Setu and crossed Indian Ocean to reach Lanka.

khala-dava-dahanah

Then he killed and finally burnt that kalnayak Ravana who was killed. That killer of Ravana is described here as kaushalendraindra. The King of Kaushal the country called Kaushal and that is Sri Rama. Avatanah, may he pleased with us may He protect all of us, with that prayer we stop.

Jai Sri Rama

Today is birthday party or Rama’s appearance day celebrations
Dated: 25 March 2018
Venue: ISKCON Bangalore (Seshadripuram)

Dinesh, Din-isa, the master of the day is Surya, sun. So while the sun’s ruling time is the day, Rama appears. Night time is ruled by moon. Moon is also called as Raka, Raka isa becomes Rakesha, or Rajani also means ratri , night time. Rajanish that is moon, night time ruling, the moon is ruling. So Suryavamsi Rama appears during the day, mid-day. And Sri Krisna appears midnight when Candra is ruling.

Ayodhya dham ki jay! Lord Rama appeared; of course Ayodhya is His dhama, His home. He is Ayodhyavasi Rama. Rama is what? Ayodhyavasi Rama ki Jay! But then again we want to remind you, this is not only Rama has taken birth today, at this time of day, Laxman also, today is appearance day of Laxman and Bharat and Satrughna. So today is Rama navami, today is Laxman navami, today is Bharat navami and Satrughna navami is today.

Dasharatha had no children, no sons, and then today he received four sons. They are all Lord. Laxman is also Lord and Bharat is Lord and Satrughna is Lord. Some time we do not know or we do not think like that. Instead we say Lord Hanuman. One who is not Lord, we make him a Lord. We make Hanuman Lord but we do not think Laxman is Lord. We think Rama is Lord but Bharat is also Lord. He is Lord Bharat, Lord Satrughna.

This is how Sukadeva Gosvami describes, Vasudeva, Sankarsana, Pradyumna and Aniruddha, these are the four Lords, Caturvyuha, the quadruple expansions of the Lord. They all four of them appeared on occasion of navami I should say. That navami’s name has become Rama navami. This navami became famous as Rama navami. As one astami has became known as Krsna astami. One purnima has become known as Gaur purnima, like that. So today is reserved for, today is this Navami, reserved for Sri Rama. And for almost one million years since Lord’s
appearance, this navami is celebrated as Rama navami.

So we have assembled here to celebrate appearance day, birthday. It’s a birthday party and the news is which is also good news, that all over the planet, as International Society for Krsna Consciousness has spread all over the planet. And today the birthday party or Rama’s appearance day celebrations are not India limited any more. It is unlimited. On the way to here through internet we were watching, Rama navami is being celebrated in Bombay and Delhi and London and may be not right now. Some places are still sleeping. Soon they will be getting up and that will be navami for them, and morning mangal arati. It’s not 12 o’clock everywhere, yeah, may be somewhere mid night 12 o’clock. But through out the day there is celebration of Rama’s appearance, all day long. This is mid day. Lord is appearing at mid-day, madhyanha time. Madhyanha time for devotees in Middle East is going to be after one two hours. In Europe it’s going to be after 3, 4 hours, their mid day. In New York it’s going to be after 7, 8 hours.

Los Angelis going to be after 12 hours, in Hawaii may be after 13, 14, 15 hours, like that, and in Japan, 16 hours. And Singapore, like that, you understand right? So it’s not 12 0’clock everywhere on the planet right now. But celebrations are being held and would be held all over the world. Jay Sri Rama! So like this Rama’s glories are spreading everywhere. Rama’s name is spreading everywhere. Rama mandirs are everywhere now. In London there is ISKCON Rama mandir. In Washington there is ISKCON Rama mandir. Like that, so many of them. We Gaudiya vaisnavas or in ISKCON we worship Radha Krsna. Of course we worship Sri Sri Gaura Nitai ki Jay! We worship Jagannath, Baladeva, Subhadra; we worship Sita Rama Laxman Hanuman ki Jay! So these are some of our worshipable deities, worshipable Lords. They all are worshipable. There are so many more of them.

advaitam acyutam anadi ananta rupam

But some forms, some rupas we worship formally, regularly and one of those forms is Sri Rama. Jay Sri Rama!
We sing the same song. We don’t have many songs atleast I don’t have.

ayodhyavasi rama rama rama dasaratha nandan rama rama

Rama is Ayodhyavasi. Not today He became Ayodhyavasi. No no, He is always Ayodhyavasi, Ayodhyavasi Rama. But today He became Dasarath nandan, Dasarath nandan Rama. He appeared as son of Dasarath.
Dasarath nanadan Sri Rama ki Jay!

He also appeared as Kausalya nandan Rama. Kausalya nandan Rama. Kausalya ananda vardhanam, Ramayan says, as He appeared, what did He do? Kausalya ananda vardhanam, increased ananda of Kausalya. He gave so much ananda to Kausalya. Kausalya became happy and what about you? In fact of course He gave ananda to Dasarath and to Kausalya but to give ananda to all of us He appeared.

And right now, right now, is there some ananda? Are you experiencing some ananda? (Hari Bol!) Who gave that ananda to you? Rama! Directly Rama is the cause of ananda. That’s why also He is called Rama. Rama means arama, ananda, joy, Rama means joy. There is some genuine ananda, joy that is because of Rama. dasarath nandan Rama……

bolo rama jay sri rama! bolo rama sita rama
patit pavan janaki jivan sita mohan rama rama.

Patit pavan Rama, what kind of Rama He is? Patit pavan! That is why He appeared today. To become pavan, the purifier, uplifter, the liberator of who? Patitas, the fallen! We are patit and He is pavan.

Patit pavan and He is Janaki jivan,
He is life of Janaki, Sita Maharani ki Jay! Patit
pavan janaki jivan sita mohan rama.
As Krsna is Radha Mohan Krsna, Rama is Sita Mohan Rama.

Rama appeared in Ayodhya today. There is a big celebration; big festival all over Ayodhya, there is jubilation, celebration. They are all chanting and dancing and feasting also. So, how to celebrate Rama navami? Residents of Ayodhya, on this day, one million years ago when Rama appeared, they had set the example, they were chanting and singing.

Hare Krsna Hare Krsna Krsna Krsna Hare Hare
Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare! …… (Kirtan)

kujantam rama rameti aksaram madhuraksaram
aruhya kavita sakha vande valmiki kokilam.

We offer our obeisance’s unto Valmiki muni. We are grateful to him, having presenting Ramayan. That says in this vandana. Vande Valmiki kokilam, Valmiki has become kokila paksi (bird). Kuhu kuhu! It is best of the birds, singing birds, sweet singing. So vande Valmiki kokilam.
Kujantam, this kokila paksi is kujantam, singing. Rama Rama iti, he is singing glorifying Rama Rama. Aksaram madhuraksaram, every aksara, syllable, word, a verse of Ramayan is amrita. Aksaram madhuraksaram. Aruhya kavita sakha, as if Ramayan is compared to a tree and Valmiki is kokila and he is sitting on the branch of this Ramayan. So many branches, so many parts of that Ramayan. Bal kanda, at least we could say the names of those branches or portions or sections of Ramayan.

Bal kanda, Rama janma is part of Bal kanda. Then Ayodhya kanda, more things have happened in Ayodhya. Then Aranya kanda, aranya is what? Forest! Rama in forest, forest dweller Rama. He is no more Ayodhyavasi, He is vanavasi, vanavasi Rama, so that is Aranya kanda. Then Kishkinda kanda. Is Kishkinda in Karnataka?

Yes? Aranya kanda is upto Panchavati. So after kidnapping of Sita happened and left Panchavati and banks of Godavari and search of Sita, He is coming down south this way and He comes to Kishkinda. That is capital and on the top of mountain. Did you ever go to Humpi? Which is supposed to be birthplace of Hanuman is also there.

Shabari’s asram, Shabari maiya ki Jay! What a devoted lady! She was waiting and waiting for Sri Rama and finally Rama had come. Then she greeted Sri Rama and made Him sit down and fed Him berries which she had picked up from around, her little dwelling there. And while feeding, what she was doing? She was not eating as such, she was testing. She was tasting to test. These are two words. Test and taste. In exam you have test and juice you taste. So she was tasting and testing, making sure, those berries are ripe and sweet. And that maha maha prasad kind of, she was feeding Rama.

So that’s part of Kishkinda ksetra. That’s where first meeting of Rama and Hanuman takes place. Hanuman used to stay at the top of the hill, Rishyamuka parvat along with Sugriva and others. And then he was sent ‘go go find out! Some one is coming in our direction.’ Sugriva used to be always scared. So Hanuman had gone and they met, Rama Hanuman milan, bheta at the bank of Pampa sarovar they met. They introduced each other and Hanuman made Rama’s and Laxman’s job easier. Otherwise mountain climbing was involved; top mountain to be climbed. So what did Hanuman do? He said, Lord please have a sit, here and there (patting both shoulders). So two Lords sat on the shoulder of hanuman and he took off and landed on that Rishyamuka parvat.

And then meeting with Sugriva takes place there and of course Rama and Laxman they are looking for Sita. ‘Site, where are you Site!’ they are screaming out loud. They had been doing this from the time they left Panchavati, everywhere, ‘Site Site!’ Possibly She is somewhere in the same forest. Shabari also, ‘you go top of this mountain. You will get more clues of where about of Sita.’ Shabari also made a mention like that. ‘You go there, you will get clue about Sita.’ Of course Rama and Laxman were looking for Sita. ‘Have you seen our Sita, my Sita? Oh Sugriva have you seen?’ ‘Well I can’t say whether I have seen but I saw some viman, aircraft going this way and someone in the aircraft was saying the name Rama Rama Rama Rama.’ So there Rama was also saying ‘Site Site’ and Sita was also saying ‘Rama Rama’. ‘And while that aircraft just passing above here, little bundle, a cloth, something wrapped in it was dropped.’ And then Sugriva said, ‘please take this may be you will and we will find some more clues of where about of Sita or was that Sita in that aircraft.’ So Sugriva handed that potali to Rama and as Rama was anticipating, yes yes most probably that person flying over here and screaming Rama Rama, who else that could be? She must be Sita. And if She is the one who has thrown this little pouch, she said Rama Rama and touched and held that, Rama felt, His body was trembling. And His eyes were full of tears. Well He opened with His hands to check out what was inside, but He was not able to recognize. He was not able to
see because His eyes were full of tears. He called Laxman, ‘Oh Laxman Laxman check this out. See some ornaments here. Could they be Sita’s? This one – it was

bajuband, armlet of Sita. So Rama was showing ornaments one after the other- this one, could this be Sita’s?’

naham janami keyure

These are armlets. No, I can’t say whether they are of Sita’s. I never saw her armlets, arms or armlets. Naham janami kundale, and these are ear rings but I never looked Sita’s ear rings that closely. Ahh but these ones, these are ankle bells. Oh for sure these are Sita’s. Padami vandane, whenever I looked at her feet, offer my obeisances and looked at her feet, I have seen this. For sure these are ankle bells of Sita maharani.’ And then it was conformed, for sure, at least thus far Sita had come or the person who flew in that aircraft that is Sita.

So that is Kishkinda kanda, that is whole kanda, Kishkinda kanda. Then comes Sundar kanda which is full of Hanuman lilas or searching, looking for Sita. Hanuman had gone, others were also looking in different directions and Hanuman found Sita. Hari bol! And finally when they met, Hanuman said, ‘let’s go, back to Rama. How? Climb up my shoulders.’ Sita said, ‘no, nothing doing. I can not touch another man, another person. You go, let’s Rama know where abouts of me. Let Him come, battle with Ravan and as a hero let Him prove His prowess and rescue
me, have me back again. That will be glorious than me running away like this or you take me back.’

So Hanuman, at least he knew now, Sita is alive. She still exists. And he knew where exactly she is residing, existing. And Hanuman came back to Kishkinda.

‘I have good news for you’.
Hanuman had not only good, the best news.
‘I know I know where about of Sita.
I found out, I met her.’ And Rama, His joy had no limit.
He was so happy so happy to know where abouts of Sita.
Sita maharani ki Jay!

And Rama had said, ‘Hanuman, if I was in Ayodhya today, I could have given you big reward, big gift. But, I want to give big gift but I have nothing. I don’t have anything. I am vanavasi. I am empty pocket. I don’t even have pockets. My clothes even do not have pocket. But if you do not mind, if you don’t mind, you may like to accept my embrace.’ Saying so Rama stepped forward and He gave deep embrace to Hanuman. (Hari Bol!)

Wasn’t that the best reward for a devotee, Lord has fully accepted you, the devotee. Lord is embracing and Lord is holding that devotee to His heart. You would like to be accepted by Rama like so? (Hari Bol!) Then you have to give up the tight embrace of Maya. Maya is embracing us. As Rama embrace Hanuman, and he was in tight grip of arms of Sri Rama, like wise the conditioned souls are, or in tight grip of Maya in so many forms.

“balam pasya me mayayah stri-mayya jayino disam” (SB 3.31.38) Lord Kapil deva said to His mother. Balam me pasya mayayah, stri maiyyam, in the form of woman. For a man, woman is Maya and for a woman, man is Maya. I want to say that otherwise, ‘Be fair’. So Sundar- kanda, then comes Yuddha kanda, whole battle took place in Srilanka, which went on for many months. And it was a day of dasami, Rama Vijay Dasami,
Ravan was killed. Hari Bol? Someone got killed and you say Hari bol. (shankha dvani at background, from altar) Victory! When conch shell is blown, victory is declared, proclaimed. That is what conch shell, shankha dvani does, victory to Rama, victory to Sri Krsna, victory to Jagannath. So that was rama vijay dasami. And then Rama returns to Ayodhya and of course there is uttar-kanda, seventh and final is uttar -kanda. From Lanka to Ayodhya and many more things are of course happening on the way. Lord is stopping Kishkinda and at different places and He is not walking back to Ayodhya. From Ayodhya He started walking and walking and southerly direction, all the way Lanka. If He had to walk back, that could have taken few more years. But Lord was looking at the watch. Not just watch, but the whole calendar. And the fourteen year period was going to be expired very soon. And again He had promised Bharat, ‘brother I will be back.’ But Bharat had said, ‘Rama, make sure You come back on time. Preferably before time but not after the expiry of fourteen years time. Well You may come, whenever You come, but if You come late, You will not find me alive. I am going to be keep track of the time.’ This is Bharat’s and Rama Bharat milan had taken place.

So Rama had to go faster back to home, back to Ayodhya. So He preferred taking flight and not Padayatra. Padayatra is 4 Kms only per hour. So Rama has flown. But then He was at Prayag, another stop at Prayag. Bharadwaj muni’s asram. From there Rama send Hanuman, Hanuman you better go. Go fast, go ahead of us. And let Bharat know that I am on the way. Let him know I am coming.’ So Hanuman took another flight. He did not have to sit in another aircraft. His body is aircraft. So Hanuman went ahead of Sri Rama. Letting everyone know, especially Bharat, ‘Rama is on the way’.

And then in Ayodhya, Rama is greeted there. Big reception and that was another great celebration. Which ended up in becoming Dipavali. Ravan was killed, that is Dasahara. Das- ten headed Ravan; hara- his head is taken away or chopped off, Dasahara, Rama Vijay Dasami. And by the time, Rama reached Ayodhya, everyone was happy. The whole city was lit with lamps, one lamp, another lamp and another lamp, Dipa avali, rows of lamps everywhere. Town was lit up. Everyone was well dressed, new dresses. And they came all to greet Rama and Laxman and Sita and there are Sugriva and few others also, Jambavan also accompanied. And then Uttar-kanda.

Uttar- kanda is longest time, period wise, factor wise. Rama was on the planet for dasa sahasra dasa satani ca. So many years, dasa sahasra, ten thousand, dasa satani, that is another thousand. So that is total of eleven thousand years Rama was on the planet. So by the time He came back to Ayodhya after vanavas, not much time has passed. Fourteen years in forest and some years may be 20, 30; anybody knows how old was Rama when He left for forest? 25, 27? Let’s have battle. Anyways its close, if that is correct. So some two dozen or so years before He left for forest. Add fourteen years, so that’s only those many years, all the kandas, all other six kandas or cantos are covered. And the remaining ten thousand nine hundred sixty or something years Rama is going to be ruling Ayodhya. And that is all in Uttar- kanda. But you don’t find much because His ruler ship started. Yeah some beginning years are described and rest is left for your imagination or these are getting repeated.

raghupati raghava raja rama patit pavan sita rama sita rama jay sita rama

Hare Krsna Hare Krsna Krsna Krsna Hare Hare
Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare!