1st July 2019

Listening to Harikatha will help us in chanting

One thing that we talked yesterday was that we should listen to Harikatha and that will help in chanting Harinama. If we have heard Harikatha, Harikatha means lot of things, Hari’s katha. Hari is unlimited and so many things we get to hear about our Hari. Then as we chant Hare Krishna Hare Krishna we are reminded of all that we have heard about Hari, Krishna. We have heard about Radha Krishna we have heard about Sita and Rama, we have heard about Gauranga, there is no limit how many things we could hear about Krsna or Hari.

So that becomes the topic as we chant Hare Krishna Hare Krishna we are reminded of what we have heard about. In words of Saint Tukaram,

gita bhagavat kariti shravan, akhanda chintan vithoba che’

Very famous statement of Sant Tukaram says, if you hear or study or discuss Bhagavad gita or Srimad Bhagavatam then you will begin doing chintan you will be reminded of Vitthala, Panduranga, Sri Krishna. So that is what we wish to do, while chanting Hare Krishna is time for chintan, meditation so as we say Hare Krishna Hare Krishna, then immediately we are reminded of what we have heard read from Bhagwad Gita, from Bhagavatam. Of course there are other scriptures Caitanya Caritamrita, Ramayana, Mahabharata. And then we are saying as we chant Hare Krishna then that chintan continues or the chintan of the topic, contemplation is there and that faciliates your chanting, perfection of chanting, we chant Hare Krishna we are reminded of what we have heard.

What we have already read and heard during chanting Hare Krishna that triggers Hare Krishna. We have what we have read heard and we further contemplate on subject matters and then that chanting is also called manan. You contemplate and you assimilate, you digest and you become Krishna conscious as you chant Hare Krishna.

Yesterday we talked on Muchukunda and I was thinking more about that episode. How Kalyavan he was some sort of big demon and he wanted to fight, battle with someone very powerful and defeat him forcibly and then he was thinking now I will have big name “Oh! Kalyawan, he killed or defeated such and such powerful person.” So he wanted to know from Narada muni who is such powerful most powerful person that you know that I could fight with and then Narada muni gave the address of Lord Sri Krishna. Ok this is ID of that that person. He gave a photograph and gave all description how He looks like and where he could find Him and what time he should go to find Him and meet Him.

So he came to Mathura, this Kalyavan and there is a description and spread over many many verses. Kalyavan has come and Krishna is just outside Mathura by Himself and He is walking and Kalyavan is seeing Krishna. So what did he see? He saw Lord from toe nails to His shikha, His crown and there is beautiful description of the beauty of Krishna as Kalyavan able to visualize.

tam vilokya viniskrantam ujjihanam ivodupam darsaniyatamam syamam pita kauseya vasasam [SB 10.51.1]

Sukadev Goswami describes, tam that tam is Krishnam he saw Krishna,

Darsaniyatamam, he saw Krishna and what kind Krishna was? darsaniyatamam. Worth seeing, the best amongst the person to see darsaniya tama. He begins, Sukadev Goswami begins the description of Sri Krishna saying, darsaniyatamam. Darsaniya means, dekhaneyogya, worth seeing. Krishna is described as darsaniya tamam, the best, the topmost among all those who are worth seeing worth looking at.

Syamam, he must have seen first syamam, He has beautiful complexion resembling monsoon clouds monsoon is here in India in Mumbai. Look at the clouds and that color of the complexion of the clouds resembles to Krishna’s complexion. So Sukadev Goswami is describing Kalyavan saw Krishna and what kind of Krishna he was Syama, Syamsundar. He was Ghanshyam,

Ghan iva syama, beautiful like, beauty of the monsoon cloud. Of course, Srila Prabhupada always describes monsoon cloud like. The description of Krishna, Krishna that Kalyavan saw and there is detailed description of Lord’s form and the beauty.

pita kauseya vasasam

He is wearing yellow garments pitambar. He has ‘Srivatsa’ on his chest, ‘Srivatsa’. He has ‘kaustubha’ hanging from his neck. And He has long arms and lotus like eyes.

srimat su-kapolam suci-smitam

Lord has a broad forehead, mukharavindam – He has beautiful lotus like face. ‘nava–kanjaruneksanam’ and His eyes are beautiful and with the reddish complexion and His face is smiling face- ‘suci-smitam’ smitahasya.

There are more descriptions of Krishna’s form are listed here. So as we hear, read and then we chant, we could go back to what we had heard, we are talking about the beauty of Krishna and meditate, chanting of Hare Krishna is meditation, mantra meditation.

And when we talk of meditation, we talk meditating upon the Lord and what about the Lord? The form of Lord we meditate upon, beauty of the Lord amongst other things that we could meditate upon. Then as we keep hearing Sukadev Goswami he describes that Krishna took note of Kalyavan’s presence and he realized what his intention was, that he wanted to fight with Him. Lord did not show any interest in facing him or battling with him or fighting with him. He thought this is third class low class and that is what he was.

So Lord started running and Kalyavan started running right behind thinking, oh I am going to catch Him may be this minute or next few steps if I go forward I will be able to catch Krishna, who is afraid of me doesn’t want to figth with me. But Krishna was maintaining the safer distance and like that they were both running Kalyavan running right after Krishna. You could meditate upon this scene. That could be nice scene you could think about. There are millions and billions and trillions of scenes that you could think about. Right now we are talking about this scene one of the unlimited scenes.

Then Lord knows everything and He has a plan what to do next with this Kalyavan, He wants to kill him. He doesn’t want to kill Himself, He wants Kalyavan killed by someone else. So Lord has long walkathon walking and running. He has entered one cave Lord knows Muchukunda is resting in that cave. So Lord entered right behind comes kalyavan. Anyway, there is no time for detail. That is where Kalyavan was burnt to ashes by Muchukunda. Muchukunda’s sleep was disturbed by this person. Muchukunda had the benediction from the demigods that anyone whoever disturbed your sleep you could burn him to the ashes, kill him. So Kalyavan he met his death by the hands of Muchukunda. By the time, Lord was hiding in the cave and He was watching scene of cremation of Kalyavan as fire was created by Muchukunda to burn Kalyavan. Lord is there, we have to remember, Lord is there, so its Krishna conscious meditation, Lord is watching. Lord is hiding and watching. Kalyavan was no more.

Haribol! Good news.

Demigods were showering flowers. They were doing lots of things to express their happiness as this demon was killed in the cave by Muchukunda devotee of Lord.

Not only devi devata, Gods and Goddesses also became happy. Those who listen to this pastime as you are listening to this pastime. Yes, are you? Then you also become happy, when you get to know the new demon is killed Haribol!

Good thing, spread the news and you are expressing your joy. So that is Krishna conscious joy also.

Yes, Hardik Patel are you joyful? Demon is killed. Jai! And if you do not become happy by hearing this news, then we suspect that may be you have some connection with Kalyavan. You are sad (laughs) by hearing, oh my Kalyavan my friend, dear one he is killed, I will take revenge, I will kill that Krishna who killed Kalyavan. So this if there are such thoughts then we know we have relationship with Kalyavan.

So like this as we chant Hare Krishna, we are free to remember this pastimes and you are in business, you are chanting and your mantra meditation is on . And then we know once Kalyavan was killed then Muchukunda and Sri Krishna, they met and they had a dialogue. They were introducing each other who are you? How are you? Krishna enquires and Muchukunda also enquires. Then Krishna has spoken to great extent, how He appeared as Brahma had prayed on behalf of demigods and I appeared and like killed this demon and recently I killed Kansa and just now right in front of your eyes I did not kill but I made you kill this Kalyavan.

So like that Krishna is narrating His life story, different events sharing with Muchukunda. And they give some hints to you about this episode or pastime and then as you hear you should be becoming more curious to know more about this pastime. Then you will read Bhagavatam. Open 10th canto of Bhagavatam chapter 51 and read more. We were just talking or jumping from one point to another leaving so many details leaving them aside. So read them and this reading is, studying, is preparation for your chanting. As we always have been talking that ‘prepare to chant’ something you have to do before you chant. So you read, study more, in depth study and then chant Hare Krishna Hare Krishna and you remember and meditate on what you have read, heard about Krishna, while you are chanting Hare Krishna Hare Krishna.

So like that Harikatha compliments chanting and chanting compliments Harikatha and of course they are one and the same. Sravanam, kirtanam and smaranam is there by hearing and chanting. Whether you are hearing Bhagavatam or you are hearing Hare Krishna Hare Krishna chanting, that both will result in remembering and meditating upon Lord. So keep chanting.

See you later in Pandharpur very soon. Pandharpur Dham ki jai! When you come to Pandharpur come prepared by chanting, hearing, doing more Harikatha Hari kirtana or Harijapa.

Gaura Premanande Hari Haribol!

30th June 2019

Hari Katha and Hari Nama go hand in hand

Srila Prabhupada always said, chant Hare Krsna and be happy. The very name Krsna the two syllables Krs-meaning the Lord attracts us closer to Him and na- means He gives ananda, happiness to us.

ya karsati sa krsna

He attracts us closer and closer and gives us joy. He is source of happiness. As we chant more and more, we go more closer to Krsna and we get more and more pleasure of association of Krsna. So keep chanting and keep getting closer and closer to Krsna and distant yourself more and more from worldly things and establish spiritual relations with others around you. Relationship with Krsna is developed and you are getting closer and closer to Krsna. You are a jiva, your vision of looking at others changes. You began to see others and even your family members as spirit souls. Try to develop spiritual relations with others as spirit souls. Then over time, as we grow, we get closer to Krsna. We get closer to souls around us, be friendly with them. Try to bring them closer to Krsna.

Lord Krsna gave darshan to Muchukunda Maharaja in the cave. Muchukunda Maharaja asked, “Who are you?”. Lord Krsna responded, “I am Vasudev and I stay in nearby town Mathura or Vrindavan and I have so many names. Lord introduced Himself to Muchukunda Maharaja. Lord is unlimited. He has so many names, so many pastimes, so many abodes, this Vaikuntha, that Vaikuntha, Golok. Like that Lord is unlimited with so many names and so many pastimes and so many qualities and so many abodes. Krsna is Supreme Personality of Godhead. He is a person, He has His own abode. This is a Gaudiya Vaisnava siddhanta or understanding. Impersonalist do not believe in form they do we believe in the form. His form exists and it is eternal. Today morning I heard Allah ho akbar was going nearby. They go to the mosque and there is no form there is just a wall. They try to pay obeisances but they do not believe in the form. We believe in the form as Lord has eternal form, eternal names. .

So there is lots of propagation, preaching and talks against the Lord. The very existence of Lord is challenged. Lord has no form, He has no name, no abode, no pastimes that’s impersonalism. Then there is voidism and like that there are so many isms. They are kind of against what we do. We chant and we worship Krsna in the temple,

sri-vigraharadhana-nitya-nanashringara- tan-mandira
(Sri Gurvashtakam)

We go to Jagannath Puri, we go to Vrindavan, we go to Pandharpur. These are abodes of the Lord, they are eternal. But there is so much propagation against the name of Krsna, form of Krsna, abode of Krsna unfortunately. Such propaganda goes on and we are influenced by such propaganda. For many births we were hearing such philosophy or isms or philosophy. As a result we have become faithless. We have little faith in form, little faith in abode then we end up offending the holy dhama. There are 10 offences against the holy dhama. In order to defeat our faithlessness we have to hear.

nityaṁ bhāgavata-sevayā
bhagavaty uttama-śloke
bhaktir bhavati naiṣṭhikī
[SB 1.2.18]

We have to keep regularly hearing Bhavagatam, Bhagavad Gita, Chaitanya Charitamrita. We should read Srila Prabhupada’s books for proper understanding, proper knowledge. We could get out of this faithlessness. We could increase faith more and more in the holy name, more faith in the form of the Lord, more faith in the abode of the Lord and more faith in devotees. So we have to keep chanting hare Krsna hare Krsna.

And at other times we have to do nityam bhagavata sevaya. It is strongly recommended in Bhagavatam itself and by Srila Prabhupada. Prabhupada stressed Harinama and Hari katha go hand in hand.

gita bhagavat karati sravan akhanda chintan vithobache

When Krsna Chaitanya Mahaprabhu arrived first time in Jagannath Puri and he was staying at Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya’s residence. He was a staunch impersonalist. He was leader of mayavadis. He was rajaguru also. He was strongly recommending Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, “You are young sannyasi, and not learned you should read Vedanta” Chaitanya Mahaprabhu said, “ok but who will teach Me?” Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya said, “I will teach You” and Chaitanya Mahaprabhu agreed. For seven days in Jagannath Puri there was Vedantasutra katha, Vedantasutra saptaha. Sri Krsna Chaitanya Mahaprabhu was very humbly sitting at the feet of Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya and listening to Vedantasutra katha or interpretations from Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya.

Towards the end of 7 days Sarvabhauma Bhattacaya said, “Are You understanding what I am talking about? You are only listening silently You are not saying anything You are not commenting anything, please comment something after hearing Vedantasutra commentary from myself.” Chaitanya Mahaprabhu said, “When you were reciting Vedantasutra, I was understanding Vedantasutra. There is knowledge and the light of knowledge that we derive from Vedantasutra was brilliant. I was grasping Vedantasutra, I was understanding Vedantasutra in its original form. But when you were making commentary, that was like you were creating illusion. You were blocking the rays of knowledge coming from Vedantasutra. You are covering knowledge in other words you were covering the face of the Lord. You were covering the pastimes of the Lord with false interpretation that you were delivering unto me.

mayavadi-bhasya sunile haya sarva-nasa

Chaitanya Mahaprabhu was talking to Sanatana Goswami. He cautioned, don’t listen to these Mayavadis. Everything will be destroyed; your devotion for the Lord will be destroyed. Because they try to destroy the form of Lord, destroyer of the name of the Lord.

mayavadi krsna aparadhi

Mayavadis are Krishna aparadhi. Mayavadis are offenders against Krsna, at the lotus feet of Krsna. So don’t listen to their interpretations.

Srimad Bhagavatam is natural commentary on Vedantasutra. The same author of Vedanta sutra is Srila Vyasa Dev. Vedantasutra means they are codified or very condensed hence they can be difficult to understand. Hence Srila Vyasadev compiler of Vedantasutra, he wrote a commentary, and that commentary is Bhagavatam. That’s we should be hearing, studying, reading to understand Vedantasutra. So mayavadis they are aparadhis. They are against the name and form of Krsna.

Most of the discussion that goes in India is mayavada interpretation of Hinduism like karmakanda and jnanakannd. Karmakanda is rituals and jnanakanda is for impersonalist, they have becomes followers of Shankaracharya. They preach impersonalism and that is what is practiced all over India. These arya samjis they have become against the form of the Lord. So be aware.

Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and Sarvabhauma Bhattacharya had further dialogue. One should study that dialogue in depth and get convinced how personalism is real and the topmost. We get lots of tips and hints, ideas of how to defeat this impersonalism that is hiding within us to defeat ourselves also. Then once there is personal private victory then we could become victorious by presenting the same personalist philosophy. And establish Krsna consciousness, establish name of the Lord, pastimes of Krsna, to establish dharma.

From Chaitanya Charitamrita Madhya lila the beginning chapter- Liberation of Bhattacarya. This is the first task or lila of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu as He arrived Jagannath Puri, He defeated Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya. Defeated impersonalism and Bhattacarya became topmost personalist to such an extent that there is slok in Bhagavatam in 10th canto 14th chapter Stuti of Brahma, say mukti pade. But Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya had become such a great personalist that he said, no it should be bhakti pade and not mukti pade. He was proving now he had become staunch follower of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and a staunch personalist.

Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu had dialogues with Sanatan Goswami, there also He was giving tips, how to defeat Mayavadi. Specailly when He was talking to Sanatana Goswami in Varanasi , Chaitanya Mahaprabhu said Lord Krsna’s form is Nara-vapu. He has a form and that form is like a Nara. He is not Nirakar but he Narakar. That is what Chaitanya Mahaprabhu was talking to Sanatana Goswami.

Keep reading, studying Bhagawad Gita, Bhagavamt and Chaitanya Charitamrita, Srila Prabhupada books and chant Hare Krsna. Chaitanya Mahaprabhu Himself regularly heard and discussed Bhagavatam with Svarupa Damodar whole night long. Also commentary on Sikshastakam or Jaidev Goswami’s Govind Bhasya and Krsna Karnamrita of Bilvamangal Thakur like that other scriptures, glorified pastimes, form, abode of the Lord and same time He was well known for sankirtana, chanting, dancing, propagating holy name and relishing the holy name also. Hari Katha and Hari Nama go hand in hand. Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu who is siksastakam, He appeared to set example for all of us. So Lord’s own example is for all of us to practice.

Hare Krsna

29th June 2019

Ekadasi is review day for devotees

More than 1000 devotees form different places are chanting. We have people chanting from Canada, Australia, Russia etc. Seems like whole world is chanting with us, which is very inspirational. We can say confidently that Chaitanya Mahaprabhu’s prediction has come true, the holy name has reached so many towns and villages, all over the world.

As I said today is a very special day, today is Yogini ekadasi.

Every ekadasi has a name and there is a pastime related to it. So today is Yogini ekadasi, last one was Nirjala ekadasi and next one would be Sayani Ekadasi like that very ekadasi has its own mahatmya and significance.

Bhakti janani, this ekadasi is described as mother of devotion or the giver of the devotion. Also called

madhava-tithi, bhakti-janani, prema-latikara mula

Bhakti Vinoda Thakur has sung the glories of ekadasi like this. Ekadasi is mother of devotion and gives a bhakti lata or mula, source the seed of bhakti. So vaisnavas celebrate this ekadasi always and everywhere. Especially here in Pandharpur, ekadasi is celebrated. So, like that every ekadasi is a festival or utsava. It is a special occasion. It is not only for devotees of Vithhal, Panduranga, but for everyone. Not only devotees fast on ekadasi but they do a lot of chanting and hearing all day and all night.

I remember when I was just young boy, we use to have bhajan kirtana all night long, every ekadasi and till this date this goes on. Lot of singing chanting, reading, recitation of scriptures is done on this day, satsanga etc goes on this special day.

Sri Krishna Caitanya Mahaprabhu also encouraged His mother to follow the ekadasi fasting and celebrations. I forgot every saturday we have devotees from Australia chant with us, at Prabhupada Quarters in Melbourne Australia. We also have been reminding you about what Srila Bhakti Vinoda Thakur has recommended on what to do on ekadasi. That is to review the performance of your sadhana bhakti, review from past two weeks, how did I perform? How was my chanting? How was my reading? How, were my other devotional services? So, this is time to review and make resolutions, in this area I am going to improve, this area I am going to do better. So ekadasi is that day and Bhakti Vinod Thakur wanted us to review our performance.

Avalokan and Simhavalokan, Simha means lion, the way lion reviews his performance, lion the king of the forest is going somewhere, he has some target some vision, he stops from time to time and looks around and see how far I have come and where I am right now and where I have to go. So Simha, the lion king of the forest is known for that whereas monkeys and jackals and other creatures don’t do such a thing, they go round and round up and down and here and there, they just keep wandering and jumping but the king of the forest the lion is known for his sinhavalokan. He reviews his performance so likewise we should also be following in the footsteps of the king of the forest.

So, I had been receiving communication and I know some of you are doing some sort of sinhavalokan and making decisions to improve your chanting and devotional service, which I appreciate very much. One chanter said or wrote to me, while chanting in past he use to have his mobile phone next to him and phone rang he rushed quickly to attend to that calls but now he has made up his mind not to do so anymore, not to answer the phone or may be lock it away somewhere during chanting and just concentrate on calling Krishna, this chanting of Hare Krishna is also calling Krishna, and not to interrupt this call by receiving some other calls on your mobile. So, this kind of review and decision is much appreciated.

I was in Vrindavan and I know some of you have joined Bhakti Sastri course with VIHE in Vrindavan, you should study sastra and you are taking this study of Srila Prabhupada’s books seriously. You have to improve your study of sastra, so this is also a very welcoming step. Of course, everyone may not be able to go to Vrindavan or Mayapur and do Bhakti Sastri but you could always study wherever you are, hearing and chanting has to be increased.

Two weeks from today, we will begin the Caturmasya so you can take some resolution or sankalpa to do some extra study of sastra during Caturmasya. One devotee mataji Lalita Madhava form Mayapur, she wrote to me that during chanting she use to mix her chanting with sleeping but now that is not happening more as she has taken a resolution of not sleeping while chanting. Or be attentive while chanting, so many of you or some of you can take some resolution if that applies to you, if you are too sleepy during your japa time.

Yet another devotee, Keshav prabhu’s son. He has sometime in the morning for spiritual sadhana, so he was utilising that time for deity worship or puja in his shop or his home but he has no time for chanting and he was chanting at night after closing his shop. So 9 pm he was beginning his chanting, we advised him and he has taken resolution to chant in the morning. We also told him that you don’t have to spend so much time in deity worship, this is not Dvapara yuga this is Kali yuga. In Dvapara yuga was the time for worshiping,

kalau tad dhari-kīrtanāt

In Kali yuga you have to chant Hare Krishna. So, we asked him to minimise or cut worshipping deity worship time into half and chant for the rest of the half time in the morning itself and not leave all the chanting to be done in the evening. So, some improvements like that or settling the priorities.

So, like that I am just sharing some examples of reviews and improvement that devotees are undertaking to improve their sadhana, their services and chanting. So, each one of you on the day like this ekadasi review or have istagosthi with family and devotees at temple can have istagosthi and look over your activities in past few weeks. Identify your strengths and weaknesses and make changes accordingly for betterment of your Krishna consciousness.

So, review the past and improve in the future as it is already mentioned two weeks from today it will be Sayani ekadasi and Lord Vitthal gave me birth on this day or Ekadasi so there is a festival celebration planned at Pandharpur and I am looking forward to see many of you there. Those who have not made up their mind can consider and see if they can manage to join us of Sayani ekadasi festival and also inauguration of Srila Prabhupada ghat.

Ok so see you there. We will stop here and hopefully see you all soon in person.

Gaura Premanande hari haribol.

Lord is waiting in Pandharpur, the special feature the mood of Lord of Pandharpur Lord Panduranga Vitthal is He is waiting there to see the devotees, this is meeting with His devotees, that is all of us He is eagerly waiting for us with hands on His hips.

“kara kata vari theuniya”

He is eagerly awaiting arrival of His devotees. I just wanted to let you know that Pandharpur is such a place where Lord is waiting to take darsana of His devotees. So, we are inviting you to such a place, don’t keep the Lord waiting and let us full fill His wish to see His devotees.

See you there

Hare Krishna!

27th June 2019

Avoid ten offenses against the holy name

Radha Kunjabihari ki jai!
smartavyah satatam visnur vismartavyo na jatucit
sarve vidhi-nisedhah syur etayor eva kinkarah
[Bhakti Rasamrit Sindhu 1.2.8]

This statement, which is about gopis, gopis always remember Krishna, they never ever forget Krishna. There are two things. One is to always remember Sri Krishna, that is one item and another is never forget Krishna, vidhi and nishedha.

vidhi nisedhah syur etayor eva kinkarah

Vidhi and nisedhah are servants of the siddhanta- ‘martavyah satatam visnur vismartavyo na jatucit’- always remember Krishna and never forget Krishna.

As we chant,

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

That is sravanam and kirtanam, we also say Hare Krishna. We say so that we could hear or we say so that others could also hear. During chanting japa and during kirtan, during dindi we do kirtan, so as we chant, then we also hear and then we remember the Lord. We chant, so that we could remember the Lord or as we chant and we remember the Lord.

So, in case of chanting there is vidhi and nishedha. There are do’s and dont’s. The process and prohibition. So,what is that process and what is that prohibition? What is do and what is don’t? What is vidhi and what is nishedha?

Vidhi is chant,

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

This is the process, vidhi. Harer namaiva kevalam, there is no other way no other way, this is the only process. Then what is nishedha? In case of chanting of Hare Krishna mahamantra what is nishedha? What is prohibition? And there are ten offenses against the holy name of the Lord. You are not supposed to do. Do chanting, but don’t do these other things. So chanting lot of people do. We have to understand vidhi and nishedha both. In case of chanting, chant Hare Krishna, that is vidhi and then avoid 10 offenses against the holy names, this is nishedha, this is prohibition.

That is why in Hare Krishna temple only, in the whole world, there is reminder of ten offenses of the holy name. These ten offenses are mentioned in Padma purana. These are eternal principles. So, from the beginning of creation they have existed and learned chanter, they have always taken note of these prohibitions, ten offenses and then had also tried to avoid these ten offenses.

They chant Hare Krishna and they try to avoid ten offenses. This is the specialty of Hare Krishna movement or this is the specialty of Gaudiya Vaisnavism that we follow the process completely. We pay attention to the process, we pay attention to the prohibitions also.

So, like that we are trained by the founder Acarya A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada ki Jai!

Chanting lot of people do, but they do not pay attention to this other part. This is very important.

Today is the beginning of our dindi procession. From Pune it has already started.

So those ten offenses, I am reminding to those who are going on the dindi today. Many of you are doing this. So, we should be practicing, make sure that you are avoiding these ten offenses and you could kindly remind others also.

yare dekho tare kaho Krishna upadesha
(CC Madhya-lila 07.128)

We are on the preaching mission also, different kinds of pilgrims. We are on preaching mission, so you should remind these ten offenses and encourage everyone to avoid these offenses. Follow chanting and avoid offenses. To all those you ask to chant Hare Krishna, you could also tell them to avoid ten offenses. The ten offenses, we could see how we could apply, preach, remind these prohibitions, ten offenses. Then only you can derive full benefit of chanting.

So, the first offense is to avoid committing offense at the feet of the vaisnavas. They also had dedicated their lives in the propagation of the holy name of the Lord. Each one of us, may be some are dedicating their lives, some dedicating part of their lives. Some are fully and some are partially, but everyone is dedicating. So do not offend vaisnavas, sadhus, do not offend anybody in fact; that we have learned from the Mrigari the hunter. He did not want to hurt even an ant. So that’s the standard, not that I will not offend vaisnavas but I will offend others. That’s also not fair.

name ruchi, jiver daya, vaisnava sevan

Serve vaishnavas, that is positive here, do not offend vaisnavas, we even don’t have to say this, we could only serve vaisnavas, then not offending is taken care of.

Second offense is to consider the names of God, so many of them are there 33 crore to be equal to or independent to the name of the Lord Krishna, Rama, Vitthal. To explain this to those who are in America, Europe, in western countries is not difficult. This offense, they even don’t know the demigods and how many they are and how to offend, but here in India this is difficult. While trying to avoid this offense, we may end up doing offense at the feet of demigods also. So, we have to be very careful, while trying to avoid second offense we may end up committing offenses.

Third offense is gurur avagya, disobeying spiritual master. The offenders at the feet of spiritual master, so many ways that one could offend spiritual master. One may think that, ‘I better not accept anyone as my spiritual master, it is better than accepting spiritual master and disobeying. I don’t want to disobey. My policy is not to accept spiritual master.’ Is that right thing to do? Sastras say tasmat gurum prapadyeta, you must accept the spiritual master. If you become guru sevi then everything else is taken care of, otherwise some practitioners, some followers may be, they are guru bhogi, guru tyagi, guru drohi. And the best thing only or only thing is become guru sevi. This is not time to elaborate or comment on this point. There is way out, you will not listen, you will sleep and snore during the time spiritual master is giving instructions, you could fall asleep. Then you can say I have not heard instructions so I am not disobeying.

The 4th offenses is , blaspheming the vedic literatures. So best thing is to read Srila Prabhupada’s books and distribute Srila Prabhupada’s books. Sruti sasra nindanam, then there will not be blaspheming. To give interpretation is mayavad bhasya.

The 5th one, harinam vikalpanam. To consider glories of the holy name exaggeration. Just like nama abhasa kind of chanting, you could attain moksa. Gopal Chakravarti in Satyagram, Bengal, ‘no, I don’t accept this.’ And by not accepting, he offended Namacarya Srila Haridas Thakur and he also committed fifth offense. As a result, he got into big trouble. He had leprosy and his nose melted. He lost his nose. In comparison with getting bhakti, getting devotional service unto the Lord and to become competent, eligible to go back to Krishnaloka, Goloka, this attaining moksa is nothing.

Next one misinterpretation of the holy name. There are so many ways people do interpretation to the Holy name. Someone was chanting Coca Cola and someone soham soham hare hare. I was in Vrindavan few days ago and they were chanting Hare soham hare soham soham soham hare hare. So mayavadis also chant. They also chant, but what are they chanting, Hare is Radha and at place of Krishna, sah aham, sah, that one, that Krishna is myself. That is me. Or aham brahmasmi, same thing. So Hare and myself, Hare myself, myself myself Hare Hare. Anyways, this is mayavada. So mayavadis also, everyone has their interpretation of chanting of the Holy name, which is misleading. So, there are so many ways to misinterpret, to mislead and this is offense. Gaudiya Vaishnavas have also given interpretation; Jiva Gosvami has given interpretation on the holy name of the Lord.

Gopal guru Gosvami and other acaryas 500 years ago also have given their interpretations. That is right, correct interpretation. So we should be studying there interpretations. So interpretation is okay, but wrong interpretation is misleading interpretation.

7th is on the strength of holy name of the Lord one commit sins. Whole world is taking advantage of power of holy name, strength of the holy name. I am going now on dindi and finally on Dashami, day before Ekadashi, I am going to take bath in Chandrabhaga. Chandrabhaga maiya ki Jai!

I will become free from all the sins. I can commit some sins. This is all arranged, all part of the strategy. When I will reach Pandharpur, I am going to take holy deep, and then I am free, free from all the sins committed on the way during dindi. So that is okay, either river is powerful or holy name is powerful. So, take advantage of the power of the Holy name, power of the river Chandrabhaga, Ganges or power of what, power of association, power of sadhusang; we also understand that way, not just Holy name. This will not work, trying to be smart, trying to take advantage of the power of this process of Krishna consciousness which is of course,

Krishna sakti bina nahi tara pravartana

8th offense is to consider karma kanda section and those activities to be equal to as a process of chanting or devotional service. This is one and same thing. This is again interpretation or misunderstanding. So, this is also not right. So punya karma is punya karma and bhakti karma is bhakti karma. Going to heaven is not the goal. Going to God, Krishna, why should we go to heaven, because we can’t meet Krishna or Rama or Pandurang is not there. Why should I go anywhere any place if I am not going to find or meet the Lord of my heart? I am going to Pandharpur because I am going to meet my Lord there. So I will not go to Ahamadnagar. I will go to Pandharpur.

yato yato yami tato narasimho, yato yato yami tato

wherever I go I want to meet my Lord Narasimha, my Sri Krishna, Panduranga, Panduranga, Panduranga!

So, we don’t perform this karmakanda business section or the vidhi vidhan and they will not give the same result as performance of sankirtan, chanting of Hare Krishna gives, which is attainment of Vaikuntha, Goloka.

You are all right, I am all right. Prabhupada said, no, you are wrong. I am all right. You are representing Maya, letting Maya to speak, then how that could be right? I am letting Krishna to speak to me. So I am right.

So, the 9th offense is to preach the faithless. There is like sowing the seed in the field that has not been cultivated by the farmer and it has also not rained. So, that land is not ready, is not favorable if you sow some seeds, they will not grow, could turn into popcorn.

And 10th offense is not to have faith in chanting the Holy name of the Lord and maintaining attachment after hearing so many instructions on this subject matter. So not to have faith in chanting, you will not derive benefit from chanting if you have no faith in chanting. So we have to hear the glories of the Holy name more and more and more. We should read and study the Ajamila episode of Bhagavatam to increase our faith in the Holy name of the Lord. Do something. Sri Krishna Chaitanya Mahaprabhu has done so many many things, so that people’s faith will increase.

So avoid all these offenses against the Holy name of the Lord.

Hare Krishna Hare Krishna
Krishna Krishna Hare Hare

Hare Rama Hare Rama
Rama Rama Hare Hare!

vancha kalpa tarubhyasccha kripasindhubhya evacha
patitanam pavanebhyo vaishnavebhyo namo namah!

Hare Krsna

26th June 2019

ADDICTED TO THE HOLY NAME

Hare Krishna!

Some of you are unstoppable you don’t want to stop chanting, you are going on and on. Sorry for the interruption! Hari Hari! We wish you become addicted to the chanting and that you would not like to stop chanting. Like drug addicts or the drunkard, they cannot stop. Some devotee said ‘My mother she has given up lot of things but she is unable to give up tea.’ So when we have developed similar kind of attraction, addiction, affection, attachment, sambandha, relationship with the holy name we would not like to stop it or interrupt it.

One time someone asked Srila Prabhupada how to become addicted to the holy names of the Lord. They were talking of the addiction, so how to become addicted?

Pratiksana svadhana lolupasya!

Have to become lolupasya or addicted to chanting the holy name. So Srila Prabhupada asked a kind of counter question, how does one become addicted? He doesn’t become addicted or develop addiction overnight! He drinks a little bit sometime in the beginning, then he drinks it again and then he likes it and he drink more and he drinks more often, and he drinks more frequently and he also drinks in the company of others or he gets in touch with those who are drunkards and as soon as he joins them the drinking begins.

So, in this way one becomes a drunkard or whether that’s tea or wine or whatever kind of addiction or smoking, so many bad habits or addictions. So Srila Prabhupada was making this point by drinking and drinking from time to time more often. By smoking and smoking one eventually becomes addicted so similarly by chanting and chanting and chanting and chanting everyday day after day, day after day, you are expected to become addicted to chanting the holy names of the Lord. How to become addicted to chanting is to keep chanting everyday, whenever or everywhere.

Same rule, same law the way you become addicted, well not you! others, those who have become addicted to drinking, or smoking or whatever. So in the same way, one can become addicted to the chanting of the holy name of the Lord, doing more frequently then you’ll become addicted.

We just opened a museum in Noida and one of the scenes or diorama is Hanuman opening his chest and when you look inside, you see Sita Ram inside the heart of Hanuman. So what happened? Why did he break open his chest and show someone Sita Ram in his heart is an interesting episode?

One time there was one jeweller, like we have Keshav Prabhu who is a jeweller who deals with not only gold and some silver but diamonds also. One beautiful diamond pearl necklace which was offered to Sri Ram by the jeweller which was offered to Hanuman by Sri Ram. When Hanuman had this necklace, he did not get ready for selfie photograph but what he started doing was biting each diamond pearl on the necklace and he was kind of chew one and the next one spoiling that beautiful necklace. So, the jeweller who had donated this was not very happy. He asked why did I give this necklace? I made a mistake by giving this necklace.

He started asking hanuman the question, why are you doing this? Spoiling, breaking this pearl necklace? I am making sure whether Sri Ram is in these pearls, in this necklace. If He is there then I have interest in these pearls otherwise I don’t care for the pearls so I am just testing these diamonds or pearls.

So the jeweller he asked, “Hanuman now you are trying to check each pearl each diamond whether Sri Ram is there then only you will wear this otherwise you will reject this or throw it away or crush this into pieces? If this is your philosophy you have this giant size body, Is Ram in your body, inside your body? Prove it?”

So when Hanuman was challenged like that of course by this time he had thrown away and rejected this pearl garland and then he opened his chest. When the jeweller looked inside, Hey! Sita Ram Laxman ki jai! When the jeweller, looked inside he began offering obeisances to Sita Ram and Laxman in the heart of Hanuman. He was convinced and realized yes! yes! there is Lord in the heart of Hanuman.

Hanuman realised the Lord is with me, within my heart and that he is in the heart of Lord Ram. The Lord is in everybody’s heart but we hear that is jnana, knowledge part. But everyone does not have the realisation that the Lord is in our heart. That is the speciality of Hanuman. He realised that Ram was with him and that he was with Ram.

Hari Hari!

So, I was thinking that we are also given the garland of tulsi beads. But don’t call it garland call it mala, japa mala, mala for, garland for chanting and you should also be checking out extra chanting that we are doing.

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

It’s Krishna in here, the mantra that I was chanting is Krishna Radha. Lots of things also, other things also. In this name that I’m chanting is a form of Krishna included. His form, His qualities of the Lord in this holy name and the pastimes. My chanting leading me to the pastimes of the Lord and I’m also going to see and realise the greatness of the devotees of the Lord and this chanting, within this maha mantra is the abode of the Lord or will this name bring me to the Lord from Nama se Dhama -from the name to the abode of the Lord. So, while chanting, like Hanuman, you’re checking out whether my Ram is here. Is my Sita Ram inside this? So likewise, we should be, while chanting Hare Krishna we should be steady trying to understand and realise is my Krishna here? Is my Radha Krishna here?

So that pearls, diamonds, Ram wasn’t in there. Mundane object made up of matter. Hanuman was not finding Ram in that pearl necklace but certainly the necklace we’re given, the mala we’re given at the time of initiation, we’re given mala for chanting and we’re chanting on each bead. We should be taking out and for sure this name,

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

Not that Krishna is inside this mantra but, this mantra is Krishna. The mantra is the form, the mantra is the pastime, the mantra is the qualities, the mantra is equal to the abode of Krishna. This is Svarup of the Lord.

We’ve to realise this.

“nama cintamani krsna caitanya rasa vigraha purna shudo nityamukta abhindnata naamina”( Padmapurana)

So that’s the glories of the holy name. That is the identity of the holy name. That is- nama cintamani. Cintamani, it’s not ordinary. This is nama cintamani caitanya, this is full of caitanya. The pearls were mundane, the garland hanuman had was mundane but the holy name is full of juice, full of nectar. It is purna. It is complete, it is nitya, it is eternal, it is shudda- meaning it is pure and mukta is all liberated. The holy name is like that. The holy name is purna, nitya, shudda and mukta. The final part of the statement is abhindanat namino. Nama and nami, name and Krishna, person and abinha is not different. The nama is Nami, Nami is Nam! The Hare Krishna nama is Krishna. So we’ve to accept the Lord and Lord’s name by rejecting whatever is jada or mundane we reject as Hanuman was rejecting and we accept what is Chetana, full of chetana full of consciousness that we accept.

Jada we reject, chetana we accept.

In other words, maya we reject and Krishna we embrace. That is Sri Krishna Chaitanya Mahaprabhu said.

na dhanam na janam sundarim kavitam va jagad isa kamaye mama janmani janmanisvre bhavatad bhaktir ahaituki tvayi (siksastakam sholka 4)

He is rejecting mundane wealth or wealth for My own sense gratification. I will not earn the wealth which will be used for gratification that My mind, or the senses of My body. This kind of dhanam I do not want. Na janam, the followers, associates, colleagues, na dhanam na janam na sundarim or the beautiful women! I’m not interested to enjoy or exploit women and kavitam, name, fame and glory same old story!

So Chaitanya Mahaprabhu says I’m not interested in all of these things. I reject this. This way one develops vairagya detachment from worldly things.

mama janmani janmani isvare,
name fame glory same old story

O I’m not interested in mukti that is what Sri Krishna Chaitanya Mahaprabhu is talking about this in this Siksastakam. na dhanam na janam na sundarim, this is mukti mundane gratification and neither am I interested in mukti-; mama janmani janmani. I do not mind taking birth after birth You don’t have to give me liberation either, what I’m interested in is bhaktir ahaituki tvayin

no bhukti no mukti I want bhakti i want devotional service of Your Lotus feet O’ Lord.

So that is what we ask for as we chant the holy name of the Lord, we are begging for bhakti, begging for devotional service. Of course, we are begging for the Lord, we want the Lord! And that Lord is attained by bhakt, the chanter, by chanting. That the bhakti, the devotional service that’s how we attain the Lord Bhagavan.

So, we should have faith in holy name. Not having faith in the holy name of the Lord is one of the offenses. So, we should have faith that by chanting the holy name of the Lord one will attain Krishna. Or in this chanting this is full of Krishna, this name is Krishna mai or Radha Krishna mai is full of Radha and Krishna mai. That faith we must have. With that kind of faith, we should chant the holy name and with attention and a bit of detachment or attention will have potential in the spirit of detachment.

So keep chanting in fact first comes asakti in the holy name and the result of that is the when you have asakti in the Lord’s holy name then you can develop asakti in whatever is worldly it’s not that you become detached first and then you become attached to Krishna, it is the other way around. Only when you’re attached to Krishna or when we’re performing bhakti, I should say vairagya and attachment is developed.

So this is homework for you all. We are getting ready for Dindi festival in Maharashtra which is famous in Pandharpur. 5000 pilgrims will be here and they’ll be leaving for Pandharpur and the Dindi is reaching Pune today and they’ll proceed towards Pandharpur tomorrow morning. We’re doing the inauguration of the Dindi. We’re participating in this big grand harinam procession. This is the biggest grand walk of dancing and chanting in procession. We’re preparing for the inauguration function tomorrow and we’ll be talking about the Dindi padayatra , that Hare Krishna devotees also take part and go to Pandharpur for the big festival. You’re welcome to join the procession.

Hare Krishna!

25th June 2019

Raghunath Das Gosvami & his renunciation

I am here in Pune today. We were talking yesterday about Raghunath Das Gosvami, Namacarya Haridas Thakur and offenses against holy name. So that was topic yesterday and everyday we have a new topic, but today I wish to remember Raghunath Das Gosvami and talk more about Raghunath Das Gosvami. He is our acarya. So, remembering our acaryas like six Gosvamis is very auspicious. So, Raghunath Das Gosvami, he had a darshan of Lord Sri Krishna Caitanya Mahaprabhu in Shantipur, when Sri Krishna Caitanya Mahaprabhu had come there after sanyaas. So that’s another thing. So there, Sri Krishna Caitanya Mahaprabhu advised Raghunath – he was not Gosvami that time. He was just Raghunath. Caitanya Mahaprabhu said “You go return to family and lead a family life and Krishna will make arrangement for you to relieve and you could be able to break all the bonds and join Me at some stage.”

So by now he was married and his father was trying to bind him to the worldly life or keep him at home. So, he thought the wealth is there, he was trying to bind him with the wealth and then another bond is okay here you go. We will bind you further. He was married to young beautiful girl. So, his father was doing his best to keep Raghunath Das Gosvami at home.

He was attempting to break the bonds, go away from the family, go to join with Sri Krishna Caitanya Mahaprabhu in Jagannath Puri. But he was not becoming successful. He thought I don’t have blessings of my guru and that is Nityananda Prabhu. Nityananda Prabhu is the spiritual master of the whole world. So, then he had gone to meet Nityananda Prabhu. That meeting took place at Panihati at the banks of Ganges. I think I am going too slow. I need to go fast to cover kind of entire life of Raghunath Gosvami. I will not contemplate or dwell on each episode but I will just make a mention and proceed.

So here at Panihati,he was blessed by Nityananda Prabhu and then he returned to Saptagrama, his home town and then finally after many many attempts, he succeeded breaking all the bonds and reach Jagannath Puri and be in association of Sri Krishna Caitanya Mahaprabhu and His associates. So, while he was in Jagannath Puri, Caitanya Mahaprabhu asked Svarupa Damodar to take care or look after, advice Raghunath Das. So Svarupa Damodar Gosvami became kind of counselor and Raghunath Das was counselee and this was nice team and Raghunath Das became known as ‘Svarupera Raghu’, he was Raghu of Svarupa Damodar.

So then as you know he was in his previous ashram, at home he was a big landlord and all opulences was at his disposal and all the dishes were cooked for him, but now here at Jagannath Puri he started begging alms. He would stand at the entrance of the Simha dvara with the begging bowl and whatever alms would be offered he would just survive with those alms. He also at one point, he was thinking, this is not good that I am begging here and some people offer me something, some alms, something to eat or give paisa and I think ‘oh this is a nice person. Thank you!’ and so many others give me nothing and I think, ‘oh these are not good people. They have not given me some little bit.’ So, he was thinking, ‘I am thinking these are good people, these are bad people and I am doing this kind of discrimination and I am caught in the dvandva, dual nature, dvidha and this is not proper on my part to think of good and bad.
ei bhāla, ei manda,’— ei saba bhrama (CC Antya 4.176)

This is good, this is bad, this is good person, this is bad person. I should give it up. So, he gave up this begging activity.

So, he started to go behind the temple. He used to stand in front, so he decided to go behind the temple. This where they used to throw extra prasad and the leftovers and which was eaten up by dogs or cows or crows. So, Raghunath Das Gosvami was collecting that prasad. Sometimes it’s rotten, it was mixed with mud. He used to take that and wash it, little cleaning and then he used to eat that prasad. He used to enjoy that prasad, relish that prasad.

Sri Krishna Caitanya Mahaprabhu noticed, ‘Oh! How come he is not begging at the entrance. Where is he? Where does he go and what does he do at the back of the temple?’ So, Sri Krishna Caitanya Mahaprabhu had found out that Raghunath Das Gosvami was collecting some remnants, rotten prasad cleaning and eating. So Caitanya Mahaprabhu one time, He watched Raghunath Das Gosvami and he even went forward, closer to him and He started begging ‘Me too. Me too! Give some of that Prasad to Me. Why are you eating by yourself? Greedy! Share it with Me.’ And then Raghunath Das Gosvami was thinking, ‘no, no! This kind of prasad for you my Lord? No, no! You should not eat this.’ So, Raghunath Das Gosvami got up and he was running away, escape kind. So that Lord does not eat that kind of rotten or old or smelly or mixed with mud kind of food, Prasad. But Raghunath Das Gosvami was not successful. Caitanya Mahaprabhu caught him from behind and took some morsels from ‘Jagannather bhat jagat pasare hat’ and Caitanya Mahaprabhu started enjoying that Jagannath mahaprasad. Of course, this is greatness of, mahatmya of Jagannath prasad also as we hear this pastime.

So, Raghunath Das had an opportunity to associate with Sri Krishna Caitanya Mahaprabhu and His associates for many many years in Jagannath Puri. So, one thing that Raghunath Das Gosvami did and not many did this what Raghunath Das Gosvami did and that was he was keeping a diary. He was writing journal kind of, when he used to be with Caitanya Mahaprabhu or witnessing different pastimes of Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Raghunath Das Gosvami used to be himself part of those pastimes. So, at the end of the day or middle of the day he used to write it down what he had seen, what he had experienced. So, he was keeping notes, diary of Sri Krishna Caitanya Mahaprabhu’s different activities, different pastimes, different lilas.

So unfortunately and eventually Sri Krishna Caitanya Mahaprabhu wind up His pastimes in Jagannath Puri by entering into the vigraha of Tota Gopinath and everyone there was devastated as Caitanya Mahaprabhu’s darshaa was no more available. So, at that point Raghunath Das Gosvami, he left Jagannath Puri. He went to Vrindavan and was planning to give up his life as he thought, ‘what good is this life without Sri Krishna Caitanya Mahaprabhu?’ So Narottam Das Thakur has also expressed his sentiments, ‘ye anilo prema dhan’, that song. So, like that Narottam Das Thakur was also thinking that ‘how could I survive now in His absence? Look this devotee has left, that devotee has left, that devotee, of course Gauranga eka kale, Caitanya Mahaprabhu also has left. So, I could only break my head against the rock that I don’t have association of this and that and all those vaisnavas who have departed. Or I should enter the fire and finish my existence. Narottam Das Thakur sings that song, has expressed his emotions. So, Raghunath Das Gosvami also was feeling like that, that Narottam Das Thakur’s feelings.

As also we know, Namacarya Sri Haridas Thakur when he found out or realized that Sri Krishna Caitanya Mahaprabhu is preparing to depart, preparing to wind up His pastimes, then he also said, ‘no, no Lord, I want to go first because I will not be able to manage, tolerate my existence that You have gone first and I am behind. I won’t be able to handle those kinds of circumstances that you have departed and I have stayed behind. So please arrange that I go first while You are still with me or in front of my eyes.’ And of course, Sri Krishna Caitanya Mahaprabhu kindly granted that benediction to Namacarya Sri Haridas Thakur and one day Sri Krishna Caitanya Mahaprabhu came with big number of devotees, performing kirtan at Siddha Bakul. At one-point Namacarya Sri Haridas Thakur, he held the lotus feet of Sri Krishna Caitanya Mahaprabhu and Namacarya Haridas Thakur’s eyes were drinking the beauty of lotus like face of Gauranga and he uttered ‘Sri Krishna Caitanya!’ and this was last thing he uttered and with that he departed. This way Lord fulfilled the wish, desire of Namacarya Sri Haridas Thakur.

Raghunath Das Gosvami had arrived in Vrindavan and he used to be contemplating on giving up his, ending up his life and he was thinking, ‘how and where I could give up my life. He was thinking I should climb up Govardhan hill and from top of the hill I will jump in the valley. And this is how I will end up my life.’ Rupa, Raghunath, other Gosvamis, other devotees of Gauranga those who were residing in Vrindavan- there was one team in Jagannath Puri, but there was another team in Vrindavan. So, some of them found out, Rupa Gosvami we could say found out what Raghunath Das Gosvami was contemplating on. So, they sat with him and told him, ‘no, no you can’t do this. This is not your body. This body is property of Mahaprabhu. And you should continue to live in this body and use this body in service of Gauranga.’ So, they were talking to him and dispreading him and they finally succeeded and Raghunath Das Gosvami- now he has become Raghunath Das Gosvami here- he stayed on here in Vrindavan for another 40 years or so.

So, residents of Vrindavan, especially residents of Radhakunda or the senior associates, followers of Gauranga Mahaprabhu were greatly benefited by association of Raghunath Das Gosvami, because Raghunath Das Gosvami had witnessed all the pastimes of Gauranga in Jagannath Puri and he also had taken the notes. So now regularly on the banks of Radhakunda, Shyamakunda, Raghunath Das Gosvami was sharing all the pastimes of Sri Krishna Caitanya Mahaprabhu in Jagannath Puri with residents of Vrindavan and Radhakunda residents who were deprived of all those pastimes. They had no idea what different pastimes Lord had performed. Now Raghunath Das Gosvami was sharing all those pastimes day after day after day.

Amongst the listeners in the audience there was one very special person, so many were very special, but one was very very special and that was Krishnadas Kaviraj Gosvami Maharaj. Krishnadas Kaviraj in fact he became a neighbor, staying next door to Raghunath Das Gosvami and he was listening and he was the one, Krishnadas Kaviraj Gosvami, he compiled Caitanya Caritamrita. He had never ever met or seen Caitanya Mahaprabhu, but vaisnavas had asked him, Krishnadas Kaviraj Gosvami, to compile Caitanya Caritamrita. So, he was able to do so with the help of Raghunath Das Gosvami as he was listening to the pastimes of Gauranga Mahaprabhu in Jagannath Puri and Raghunath Das Gosvami was also sharing his notes, his diary with Krishnadas Kaviraj Gosvami. With the help of these talks of Raghunath Das Gosvami and his Caitanya diary, Krishnadas Kaviraj Gosvami was able to compile, especially the antya lila part of Caitanya Caritamrita.

So, Raghunath Das Gosvami amongst the other Gosvamis, he was known for his renunciation, his vairagya. So now here in Vrindavan at the banks of Radhakunda where he was residing, he hardly ate anything. He used to just take one cupful of buttermilk. That is what all that he was eating and of course hardly he was sleeping, one two hours and hardly eating. So, all the Gosvamis especially Raghunath Das Gosvami is known for his renunciation, vairagya vidya nija bhakti yoga.

Time is up. Then Raghunath Das Gosvami attained Samadhi in Vrindavan at the banks of the Radhakunda. Right at the banks of Radhakunda in fact there is Samadhi of Raghunath Das Gosvami. We could also think that way that acharyas are also accessible, they reside in there samadhis, so whenever next time you go to Radhakunda, don’t miss the Samadhi mandir darsana and offer your prayers to Raghunath Das Gosvami on the banks of Radhakunda.

May Raghunath Das Gosvami bless you, but blessing is ‘Krishner mati astu’. Caitanya Mahaprabhu used to bless like that. All the acaryas used to bless like that. I am also blessing like that. That’s nice blessing. ‘Krishner mati astu’, let your mati reside in Sri Krishna and may you all become fully Krishna conscious. Gauranga! Raghunath Das Gosvami ki jai!

Hare Krsna!

24th June 2019

Life of Raghunatha Dasa Goswami and effect of Vaisnava Apradha

Hari Hari!

So, I was in Vrindavan and I was also remembering Raghunatha Dasa Goswami and Namacarya Srila Haridas Thakur and I was also remembering some of the nama-aparadha, offences. So, this will be the theme and we will talk about these personalities and basically about nama-aparadha. One or more than one of the nama-aparadha.

There lived a Majumdar family of two brothers Govardhana Majumdar and Hiranya Majumdar in Bengal in a town called Saptagrama. Raghunatha dasa Goswami was the son of Govardhana Majumdar who was a zamindar and he was a very wealthy person. But he was also a very charitable person and the recipients of his mercy in the form of wealth were practically all the brahmins who were receiving dakshina, financial assistance from Govardhana Majumdar. Raghunatha Dasa Goswami was the son of such a wealthy landlord. All the wealth of his father, of course was his wealth which he eventually had renounced and had run to Jagannath Puri to join Caitanya Mahaprabhu.

‘Tyaktva turnam asesa-mandala-pati’ (Sri Sri Shad Goswami ashtakam)

All the six Goswamis, especially Raghunatha Dasa Goswami, were ashesh mandalpati, owners and possessors of mandala, so much land and so much wealth which they renounced. So that is how we understand this son of Govardhana Majumdar. But he was not attracted to the wealth of his father. He was attracted by Gauranga and attracted by the Holy name of the Lord more than the wealth. Or he had no attraction for the wealth or the wife.

So how did he develop this kind of vairagya, detachment from all worldly wealth and how did he also develop attraction for the Holy name of the Lord? Or he was going for Gauranga, why was he attracted to Gauranga and Gaura nama?

Especially during his childhood days, Raghunatha Dasa Goswami had association of Namacarya Srila Haridasa Thakur. There is a place called Benapol, where he had encountered that prostitute for three nights and he had become victorious in converting the prostitute into his followers. So, he left that place Benapol and travelled to another part of Bengal. Benapol is now in Bangladesh but that time it was part of Bengal, before that there was only one Bengal, no east Bengal and west Bengal.

So, from Benapol, he travelled to Saptagrama, where the father of Raghunatha Dasa Goswami was residing. Govardhana Majumdar was hosting him and had made all the arrangements for Namacarya Srila Haridas Thakur to stay in his town in a secluded place where Namacarya Haridasa Thakur was doing his

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

Not just one time but three hundred thousand times in a day.

So, Govardhana Majumdar, father of Raghunatha Dasa Goswami was a very pious and religious person. He also had a priest called Balaram Acharya who was also taking care of Namacarya Srila Haridasa Thakur. Raghunatha Dasa Goswami would also go and associate with Namacarya Srila Haridasa Thakur while the Namacarya was chanting. You can imagine next to Namacarya Srila Haridasa, Raghunatha dasa Goswami is sitting and chanting, and what kind of powerful association of those pure vibrations he was acquiring! So Raghunatha Dasa Goswami was greatly benefitted by the association of Namacarya Srila Haridasa Thakur; in those days.

“Namacarya Srila Haridasa Thakur ki, Jai!”

So, Govardhana Majumdar would organize satsangs. So, one day, there was a satsang and through Balaram Acharya, he invited Namacarya Srila Haridas Thakur to also come and attend the satsang festival. So, he had kindly come. Normally he would just prefer chanting and chanting and chanting. But today, he had come to also speak if there is an opportunity for him to do so during the satsang.

There was a big gathering and many pandits, learned personalities were in the gathering and the discussion began and they were talking about ‘Harinam Mahatmya’, the greatness of the Holy name of the Lord. This was the topic of discussion. So, one of the pandits said, “By chanting the Holy name of the Lord Papakshaya hoya.” You become free from the reactions of all the sins you have gathered. Another pundit said, “No, no, Moksha hoya.” You can attain liberation by this chanting of the Holy name of the Lord. Then Srila Haridasa Thakur said, “No, no, not just papakshaya, moksha hoya, these are not the real benefits. Ultimate benefit of chanting is premodaya.” You attain prema, love of Godhead, that is the principal and ultimate benefit. Becoming free from the reactions of the sins and attaining liberation is benefit of secondary nature.

So, like that there was a discussion and sort of debate was on, about the glories of the Holy name. They were not able to come to a conclusion. Namacarya Srila Haridasa Thakur was asked to throw some more light, explain how Premodaya is the topmost benefit of chanting of the Holy name of the Lord. He started talking, glorifying the Holy name and how there are different phases. We don’t know the details of the talk, we know something but we could say, he must have explained offensive chanting; the three phases of chanting; the three kinds of chanting.

The first is offensive chanting. Second, as one chants and chants, then there is a clearing stage which is also called Namabhasa stage. Third, the final topmost stage; phase of chanting is Shuddha nama japa, the pure chanting. And there are different benefits of chanting at various different levels or grades or phases. Amongst all of those, Shuddha nama japa is the topmost and that kind of chanting gives rise to premodaya. Love of Godhead is aroused or attained by offenceless and attentive chanting.

So, he was comparing offensive chanting to the night time and it is dark all around. The nights are very scary, jungle animals are around, snakes are crawling trying to find someone to psshhh. Dacoits are there, thieves are there going all around. When there is dark, they take advantage of this and cause all the trouble during the night time. But during dawn before sunrise; the sun has not risen but the rays are there, they are appearing, and darkness is getting cleared and somethings are visible now. Then, it is safe to go around; there is no fear of dacoits. They wind up their stealing business because as soon as there is light, they will get caught. They stop, so that is a good time. You have become free from fear. You have attained moksha from all the troubles of the night during dawn; this is compared to namabhasa.

Namabhasa is, moksha, you are becoming free from the reactions of the sins. So, that clearing stage, where no more troubles, no more reactions caused by sinful activities and you have attained moksha, you are relieved, you are liberated from the troubles of the night time caused by sinful acts. So that is namabhasa stage. Just by namabhasa chanting, nama-bhasa, like Surya Abhasa, Abhasa here means sun has not risen, but you could feel the presence of the sun, some experience the sun before sunrise. That is called abhasa.

Like the chanting of Ajamila, he said “Narayana, Narayana.” That chanting was of the Namabhasa stage. And that resulted in him becoming mukta, moksha. The Yamadutas had to go emptyhanded. So that way, he was freed, and that was the outcome of chanting at namabhasa or clearing stage.

So, in the audience there was one smart brahmin, vaisnava aparadhi. He could not tolerate this kind of glory. He could not digest, just at namabhasa stage, you could attain moksha? Just by chanting, just some clearance is there and at namabhasa stage, you are in the middle of chanting stage, you have not reached the topmost level. Even at namabhasa level, as he had heard from Haridas Thakur one could attain moksha, he said, “No, no, how could this be possible? I can’t stand this; I can’t accept this.” He said according to his understanding that “Caitanya Caritamrita has described, it takes ‘koti koti janma’ for a Jnani, a learned person to attain moksha. You have to be learned, knowledgeable, read this shastra, that shastra, vedanta study, and then you attain this ‘moksha’. But you are saying just by chanting

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

one quickly attains this moksha. No, I don’t accept your stand.” He was making those offensive statements, offending, counteracting or trying to counteract Haridas Thakur’s stand or statement; he was doing apamaan, insult of Namacarya Srila Haridas Thakur. He was committing vaisnava aparadh by opposing Namacarya Srila Haridas Thakur.

Namacarya Srila Haridas Thakur said, “This is not just my statement but throughout the shastra, this has been proven that by chanting at Namabhasa stage, one could attain moksha, liberation.” But this gentleman named Gopal Chakravarti, the smart brahmin said, “No, no, you have to prove. I do not accept this. I challenge your statement Haridas Thakur, and if you can’t prove your statement that by chanting of

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

one could attain moksha, liberation, then we will cut your nose”. So it was very offensive statement. The other learned, devotee type persons were trying to shut up Gopal Chakravarti, “You shut up, you are offending namacarya Srila Haridas Thakur with whatever you said that his nose should be cut off. You are offensive”. They were not happy with what Gopal Chakravarti had said and gradually the satsang was concluded and everyone went to their respective homes. But in a few days, Gopal Chakravarti developed leprosy with flies all over, pus, blood and smell. And his nose melted, he lost his nose and he was suffering.

Krsnadasa Kaviraja Goswami said,

bhakta-svabhāva, — ajña-doṣa kṣamā kare
kṛṣṇa-svabhāva, — bhakta-nindā sahite nā pāre(CC Antya lila – 3.213)

The nature of devotee and the nature of Lord is described. The nature of a devotee is that he doesn’t take other’s, ignorant person’s offences seriously. But Lord takes it very seriously and He takes action. The devotee doesn’t take action, one who has been offended doesn’t take action, he tolerates and ignores. But, the Lord takes action, so that is what lord did; causing the leprosy and Gopal Chakravarti losing his nose.

So, in this case there were two kinds of offences committed by Gopal Chakravarti. One is vaisnava aparadh. He committed vaisnava aparadh towards the great vaisnava Namacarya Srila Haridas Thakur and the other aparadh is Harinam nikalpanam, to consider the glories of the Holy name as exaggeration. Gopal Chakravarti was saying, “You are exaggerating the glories. No, no, how come just by chanting you could attain moksha”? Namacharya Haridas Thakur was saying, “This is nothing, getting moksha is nothing, you could get much more than moksha”. Gopal Chakravarti said “No, this is too much, just by chanting you can’t get moksha”. So, this is exaggeration, this is Harinam nikalpanam. So that offence he was doing, he was considering the glories of the Holy name to be exaggeration. Of the ten offences against the Holy name, Vaisnava aparadh is the first, worst one, and Harinam nikalpanam is the fifth one. He committed these two offences and as a result, you know what the outcome was. Better be aware and not commit these kinds of offences. Otherwise you know what happened. You know what Lord did to Gopal Chakravarti, that could very much be the treatment the offender could get, does get. So better be careful. Avoid offences.

Make all endeavor to chant purely, offenselessly and systematically and try to come to the level of shuddha naam japa which is moksha and much more Krsna prema which is the love of Godhead, the goal of human form of life.

Gauranga.

Hare Krishna!

23rd June 2019

Marriages in ISKCON are united nation of the spiritual world

I attended marriage of Harikirtan’s daughter last night, and you may be wondering, “Oh! sannyasi and attending marriage!” But this was a different kind of marriage and I want to share some experiences of attending this marriage.

Last night – marriage of Gaurangi and Tamal Govind. But I had seen Srila Prabhupada performing marriages. I did share this last night also, that in 1971, there was a big pandal, Hare Krishna festival in Mumbai and Srila Prabhupada performed marriage on a stage, right before thousands of visitors and guests, and I also was a college student those days. I also was in the audience, witnessing Prabhupada performing this marriage ceremony. So, I was following the footsteps of Srila Prabhupada. So, that time Prabhupada had declared that marriage is, “This is united nation of the spiritual world” because the husband, the groom was from Sweden, the bride was from all the way from Australia and they were getting married in Mumbai. So, Prabhupada said, “this is united nation of the spiritual world.”

So, last night also, the groom was all the way from South India and the bride was from North India, Noida. So, it was something similar and wonderful thing and they were getting united, getting married in Vrindavan dhama and that was a very special feature of that marriage, last night, which I did like. And I had attended some other marriages in the past but the marriage ceremony last night was something different and welcome kind of standard were being set. There was basically lots of kirtan, talk, I spoke, some other devotees also, Sacinandana Prabhu spoke, Prasanta Mataji, Vamshidhara Prabhu, temple President of Noida temple spoke. So, there was kirtan, there was talk and then more kirtan and then prasad. That’s all. So, the whole thing was a satsanga, was a festival, was a Hare Krishna festival we could call. Like that, I had witnessed, seen in Mumbai in the 1971.

So, something similar was happening last night on the stage and it was all happening here, in Vrindavan. Hari Hari!

So, Harikirtana Prabhu has set a new standard, if you all or anyone has to, or is wishing to perform marriage in future, either your own marriage or marriage of your daughter and son or relative can perform marriage like the one that took place here, in Vrindavan. Of course, I am not asking or insisting that each one of you get married. There are some brahmacaris also from Greater Noida, Rasraja Gaura and Vaikuntha Nayak is listening to me and there are some other brahmacaris. So, don’t get encouraged or inspired to get married. But Prabhupada did say that all brahmacaris, all boys should stay single and all the girls should get married. This, Prabhupada said this, one time. The girls referring to the brahmacarinis in his ashram, in his institution and boys referring to the single brahmacaris. So, boys should stay single and girls all should get married. Anyway, how would that work, I am not going to talk more about this. You may be wondering, ” Oh! All the boys stay single and all the girls have to get married, so, who are they going to marry?” You worry about that, I don’t have any comments about that one. Hari Hari!

So, I also felt that now there is a big gathering and lot of them were ISKCON devotees, ISKCON followers attending that marriage. There is a thought that when you are, when you join Hare Krishna or Hare Krishna Movement, you leave some people behind. That I have also left my brothers, sisters behind and friends behind. But Prabhupada say, and it’s true and we could all experience that we left few brothers and sisters behind but as we come to Krishna consciousness movement, we end up getting so many, ten times as many, hundreds times as many brothers and sisters. So, there is no loss in joining Hare Krishna Movement, coming to Hare Krishna Movement, there is no loss but there is a gain.

I was experiencing this last night that Hari Kirtan had joined Hare Krishna Movement and so has the bride groom, Tamal Govind, he also has joined. There are lot many bigger families that had attended the ceremony last night. And so, there is no loss.

You gain and end up getting a better quality of brothers, better quality of sisters, better quality of friends, better quality of neighbours, spiritual quality. So, and then you could also have a spiritual social life, varnasrama dharma life, which includes grihastha asrama, marriage, marriage ceremony attended by so many more devotees. I observed and said last night that many marriages take place in hotels and wherever they take place, and the attendees – those who attend the marriage – for them there is veg or nonveg, not only patram pushpam kind of food but there is a muttonam, chickenam and this and that and all sorts of drinks and fine wines and those who consume that non-veg or that drinks, I was calling them, these are rakshasas because they do this abhaksha bhakshan.

So, what kind of blessings they are going to give to the couple getting married if they are, this is their tendencies, their kind of food and drinks are this sort, mundane, non-veg and they are expected to bless the couple. What kind of blessing, what would they bless, what would they offer, what well wishes would they have if they are like that, their mentality is like that, their lifestyle is like that, their diet is like that or their drinks are like that, their association like that? Hari, Hari!

On the contrary, last night, I blessed the couple and others were coming on the stage and were blessing and at one point, I asked everyone to raise their hands, which they did. And I said, “You all repeat Hare Krishna mahamantra after me and say out loud this Hare Krishna mahamantra and this is going to be your prayer; the chanting of Hare Krishna is going to be your blessings, and you are going to offer blessings to the new couple; the Hare Krishna mahamantra chanting is your blessings”, which they did. They all chanted after me, and they all chanted and we were offering our blessings. So, then, I was thinking last night, how did we bless them? Okay, we chanted Hare Krishna. What does that mean? What did we do? So, we offered Krishna. Our blessings here is Krishna, you take Krishna, we are offering you Krishna, accept this Krishna in the form of the holy name. So, that is how the new couple were blessed. They were given Krishna and that’s the best blessings, matchless blessings. So, that the blessings were same as the blessings Sri Krishna Chaitanya Mahaprabhu had given to Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya and others in Jagannath Puri, He had, while blessing them, Chaitanya Mahaprabhu said, “krsne matih astu, krsne matih astu,” that your matih, your intelligence be fixed in or on Krishna. In other words, may you always think of Krishna, may you always remember Krishna. So, that was krsne matih astu. Could you all say, ‘krsne matih astu’? So, this is the best blessings. Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakur also, if someone asked for a blessing, he also would say ‘krsne matih astu’. So, whenever you have a reason to or an opportunity to bless others, you could say krsne matih astu. Of course, we may or may not every time say krsne maih astu, but we kind of translate this into action or we demonstrate this blessing krsne matih astu, this kind of blessing by asking others to chant

Hare Kṛṣṇa Hare Kṛṣṇa
Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa Hare Hare
Hare Rāma Hare Rāma
Rāma Rāma Hare Hare

You are not only saying but thinking krsne matih astu but you are practically translating or offering blessings by giving them holy name. And if, they hear the holy name and think, their thoughts would be Krishna conscious thoughts or there would be Krishna on their intelligence or in their mind and their heart, krsne matih astu. They’ll become Krishna conscious by, they’ll ask others to chant Hare Krishna to others. So, that is what we are doing, krsne matih astu, this is the kind of blessings we are offering, giving Krishna in the form of the holy name.

So, Sri Krishna Chaitanya Mahaprabhu has asked all his followers to do yare dekha tare kaha krsna upadesa. He instructed them, by instructing He blessed them, by either Krishna upadesha or Hare Krishna upadesha, talked to them about Krishna or repeat Krishna’s instructions and, especially, repeat and share and give Hare Krishna Mahamantra to others.

So, take this opportunity where every now and then and whenever and wherever you have this opportunity to benedict people around, including your family members, neighbours, friends, colleagues. You give Krishna to them in the form of the Holy name, you could give them Krishna in the form of Srila Prabhupada books, you could give Krishna to them in the form of Krishna prashad, you could give Krishna in the form of festivals – you invite them to Jagannath ratha yatra festival or you could give them Krishna by showing them Krishna – come to Hare Krishna temple and take darshan of Jagannath or Radha Shyamsundar or Krishna Balarama or Gaura Nitai.

So, you are giving Krishna to them, you are blessing them with Krishna in these various manifestations, forms, features and aspects of Krishna, Krishna consciousness and doing this is the topmost welfare activity. Not only samaaj seva or serving the society but you could serve your family, family members – the obligations to serve them. This is how you serve them by giving Krishna to your family members, wife giving Krishna to husband or husband giving Krishna to wife or parents giving Krishna to their children or also giving Krishna to their neighbours and like this, to the society, to the country, to the whole world and this is then best thing you could do.

If, of course, you do not give Krishna then you going to give maya. Instead of giving nectar, you are going to feed them poison. So, do not do this anymore, I know you have stop doing this. So, just give Krishna, give nectar so that people would be happy. Okay. So, otherwise, “quote,” people are, they are not sanmukh they are vimukh, they are turned against the Lord or turned their backs towards the Lord and are facing maya. So, you, us, the followers of Sri Krishna Chaitanya Mahaprabhu or followers of Srila Prabhupada, would like to see how you could turn people around from vimukh – facing away from the Lord, to the position of sanmukh – facing the Lord, and that is done by yare dekha tare kaha krsna upadesa, giving Krishna to them in different forms. They turn around, 180 degrees and now they face Krishna, they keep going towards Krishna, they’ll think of Krishna. They will become Krishna Conscious and happy.

Okay. So, take this opportunity. Today is Sunday, you could also do this homework and of course, do it every day, Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, all the days.

Okay, so I’ll have to stop here. We are proceeding to Noida; to start from Greater Noida. Then to Noida, where we are opening Krishna Expo – we are calling it. We’ve added a dimension to our Noida projects – a museum, is a diorama museum and is one of the opening of the diorama project this afternoon. So, we’ll be leaving Vrindavan, unfortunately or fortunately, leaving Vrindavan to proceed for Delhi, Noida.

My Radha Govind dev is waiting there, my services are expected there.

Hari, Hari!

22nd June 2019

Garlands remind us of pastimes of Radha and Krsna

Hare Krsna everybody!

Happy to see Padmavati from Holland who has been regularly chanting with us. Holland is about three and half hours behind us, she managed to get up early. I am really happy to see Padmavati chanting with us. Hari Hari!

Today is the birthday of Harimurari prabhu . He is a very regular chanter on this conference. He does not chant alone. He is joined by his good wife Padmaradha and their two children Ankit and Prerna. Harimurari is a very responsible grihasta, to have his entire family chanting so early in the morning, every single day. To such a chanter we wish him a very happy birthday.

So, I have been thinking of talking about something but when I received this beautiful garland, I changed the topic to talk about garlands and flowers, and the relationship between Radha and Krsna in Vrindavan. There is a prayer of Rupa Goswami that I at times recite during mangala caran.

kada draksyami nandasya balakam nipa malakam
palakam sarva sattvanam lasat tilaka bhalakam

When will I see Nanda’s son? He is the protector of the devotees. He is garlanded with kadamba flowers, I would prefer to see Krsna garlanded with Kadamba flowers and His forehead is decorated with glistening tilaka.

Why kadamba flowers? If you have a close look at these flowers, they are very beautiful and have a golden complexion, a golden hue. Krsna loves the garland of kadamba because the colour of this flower reminds Him of His beloved Radharani. He holds the garland close to His chest thinking that it is Radharani. He holds it close to His heart.

Also as you know, Krsna is known as “pitambar”. He wears the clothes of a golden complexion because it is the complexion of Radharani, and He feels closer to Radha as He wears clothes that have a golden hue. Radharani likes to be reminded of Krsna and She wears sari of the same complexion as Krsna, which is bluish. Her sari is bluish –so She is known as Nilambari because of Her “nila”, the bluish colour. And Krsna is known as Pitambar.

The flowers and garlands play a significant role in Radha Krsna’s pastimes. Generally, the gopis go to Kusum Sarovar (kusum meaning flower), and make varieties of garlands including vyjayanthi mala. They go to Radhakund around noon time (one of the pastimes), both Radharani and the gopis. There pastimes of Radha Krsna take place there. They offer garlands to Radha Krsna.

Kusuma-sarovara is located on the holy Govardhan hill between Govardhan and Radha Kunda in the district of Uttar Pradesh. It is on the right of the parikrama path, about one-and-a-half miles south-west of Radha-Kunda.

Here one would find a forest of flowers (kusuma) and a full of varieties of trees, creepers and flowers like bell, cameli, juhi, yuthi, mallika and campaka. Radharani would come here on the pretext of picking flowers with her sakhis, but Her real intent was to meet Krsna, with whom She would have love-quarrels and sarcastic exchanges full of rasa.

One morning, Radharani and Her sakhis came to the bank of some sarovara to pick beli, cameli, juhi, kanera, campaka and other flowers that bloomed here. Krsna was sitting on a tree branch and by doing so the branch swung very low. Radharani saw a tree with a branch full of flowers. Knowing that she was coming to Kusuma-sarovara to pick flowers, Krsna had playfully climbed that very tree. Using all His weight, He pushed the branch down and remained hidden in the foliage so that Sri Radhika could not see Him. Radhika pulled down that branch with one hand, and was absorbed in picking its flowers with the other hand when suddenly Krsna jumped onto another branch. The branch sprung up, lifting Radharani up. She cried out for help. Sri Krsna leapt out from the tree and caught the hanging Radharani in His arms. The sakhis began clapping and laughing loudly, but Radharani released Herself from Sri Krsna’s embrace and scolded Him.

They had a good time as Krsna performed this act. He was laughing and enjoying the scene. Jai Radhe jai Krsna!

Rupa Goswami, who is a Rupa Manjari knows a lot about Krsna. He explains how Krsna wears garlands. He sees Krsna all the time. He says that sometimes Krsna would wear it like how I am wearing it- straight down. That is one way in which His garland is worn.

vaijayantim ca malam

Vaijayanti mala is made up of five different flowers. It is so long that it reaches His knees.

The second way is, when He puts the garland on one of His shoulder so that He can easily play His flute. The third way in which he wears His garland is on His head like a crown or as part of a decoration. These are the three ways and you can visualise Krsna wearing the garland in three different ways while chanting. There could a lot more to talk about the flowers and garland of Krsna but unfortunately we don’t have a lot of time. The temple is scheduled for gurupuja and kirtana and I will be giving a Srimad Bhagavatam class.

Just to wind up this topic a couple of things are still lingering in my mind. It is recommended, its part of commentary of Siksastakam the third verse.

trinad api sunicena taror api sahishnuna
amanina manadena kirtaniyah sada harihi

It is said that one should wear a garland made up of this verse, put that around your neck and the chest that is where the heart is. Very close to your heart meaning, you should remember this verse while chanting and at other times.

One should chant the holy name of the Lord in a humble state of mind, thinking oneself lower than the straw in the street; one should be more tolerant than a tree, devoid of all sense of false prestige, and ready to offer all respect to others. In such a state of mind one can chant the holy name of the Lord constantly.

Something that you wear around your neck is considered very, very dear to you because it is close to your heart. Wear this garland feeling lower than a straw on the street and more tolerant than a tree and offering respectful obeisances to all vaisnavas – we should chant with such a state of mind.

There was another garland that I was reminded of once when Srila Prabhupada was visiting America. At that time Tamal Krsna Maharaj was managing the Damodar sankirtan travelling party. He was thinking of offering a garland to Srila Prabhupada. On that particular visit, Srila Prabhupada was to join Tamal Krsna Maharaj who was known for making newer and newer devotees through the sankirtana process. He planned to make a garland of 108 devotees – his target for this garland was to enrol 108 brand new devotees. When Srila Prabhupada joined the travelling party, Tamal Krsna Maharaj offered the 108 souls at Srila Prabhupada’s feet as we offer flowers. He offered a garland of 108 souls. That was the best ever garland Srila Prabhupada had ever received, and Srila Prabhupada was most pleased with the garland. Gauranga!

See you on another day or at the temple.

Hari Hari!

21st June 2019

Tomorrow Gaurangi mataji’s marriage ceremony is there in Vrindavan. I am also attending the marriage you can also join if you are in Vrindavan.

So, today’s participants are 618, we have still not reached our target. We have to reach 700. Real host is Hari kirtan. Bless the couple with your prayers from where ever you are. Shower your blessings in advance a big Gauranga for Gaurangi.

Today is yoga day. Somebody reminded me, so I will talk about real yoga and then proceed further. Yoga day, it’s nice. I would be happier if it would be bhakti yoga day.

ISKCON Vrindavan devotees are participating in yoga day program conducted by in Krishna Balaram temple. You could also participate, its good. It is Prime minister’s initiative. United Nation has announced it as yoga day. Demonstrate yoga today, so this is also glory of Bharat Varsha.

There is some remote connection with the yoga, bhakti yoga. Bhakti yoga or another name is also ‘Ashtanga yoga’. It has 8 parts resulting in mediation on the Lord, that goes on the name of yoga, two parts ‘asana’ and ‘pranayam’. So, instead of yoga for remembering the Lord or yoga for God, now days yoga is targeted toward body. Complete care of body and mind ‘ashtanga yoga’. We could practice yoga asana. I also do yoga. ISKCON health minister also practices yoga it keeps your body fit. If this yoga helps that’s also good. You do yoga or this yoga is part of bhakti yoga. Its ansh and not anshi, it’s just part of bhakti yoga.

The time is running out. Gauranga!

I am here in Vrindavan . It is known for lot of things. You know the glories Radha Krishna -pastime rasa dance.

Jagannath is not well, soon there will be ratha yatra. Chaitanya Mahaprabhu used to dance and the same Lord dances here in rasa dance. So there was a time that Chaitanya Mahaprabhu would divide whole kirtan party in seven different parties and Chaitanya Mahaprabhu would dance in each kirtan party. So like that, in Vrindavan Krishna dances with each gopi, He expands and as many gopis many Krishna the same Krishna expands and dance in each kirtan party in Jagannath Puri. Then each gopi would think Krishna is dancing only with me. I am His favorite gopi. Like that each kirtan party would think, Chaitanya Mahaprabhu is dancing only with us, we are very special. That was not the case. He was dancing in each kirtan party and Krishna was dancing with each gopi.

So rasa lila in Vrindavan, sankirtana in Mayapur, dancing kirtan festival same mood or quality devotion,s emotion is taking place on sankirtana performance “Hare. . name nache. .’

Everyone is dancing in Jagannath Puri.

‘So sei Gaura sei’ that is also understanding. Compare, the dancer of rasa lila is dancing in sankirtana jei Gaura sei Krishna, Krishna is dancing in Vrindavan.

5000 years back and same Krishna is dancing in sankirtana “Sri Krishna Chaitanya Radha Krishna nahi anya”. We should realize Chaitanya Mahaprabhu is same Krishna, that Sri Krishna Chaitanya Mahaprabhu gives sankirtana to whole world. So, we are blessed. Sankirtana has reached us ‘sankirtana andolan’. I have to take your leave it’s time for Krishna Balaram darshan and then there will be Bhagavatam class in Hindi.

Hare Krishna