20th June 2019

Vrindavan

Hare Krishna my prayers and best wishes to you all from Vrindavan, where I am stationed now and from where I am chanting now. Today the number of participants is 612. Let’s hope the number increases as we begin our japa talk here.

Many devotees appreciating the chanting on this zoom conference. On zoom conference I am getting so many communications of appreciation. And how devotees are being greatly benefited by this japa conference, I am happy to hear.

One devotee said he had been chanting since 25 years and then he has been chanting on this conference, ‘let’s chant together’ for since last 6 months. And he says, there is a vast difference between his previous chanting and the chanting now he has been doing with us with this zoom conference. He says there is a vast difference as his chanting has improved and revolutionized. And I’m happy to know.

I think that is also the experience of many if not most of you, chanting on this conference.

And hence, I would encourage you to continue chanting with us and try to get others, more devotees to join us so that they benefit.

621 are participants now. Hari! Hari!

The number has increased.

I’m in Vrindavan. It’s not easy to be in Vrindavan to enter the spirit of Vrindavan. We have to develop ‘bhava bhakti’ of Vrindavan, I am in Vrindavan. I hope, I am in Vrindavan.

We were remembering Dukhi Krishna, while he was sweeping Seva Kunja, he had found the ankle bell of Radharani. Then we were concluding ‘just see he has entered Vrindavan, he has entered pastimes of Radha Krishna.’ Otherwise, how could he find the ankle bells. Yes! yes! he had entered. We did not find the ankle bells of Radha’s anklets. We did not find but Radharani sent us garland. That is some indication that Radha has taken cognizance or noted that we are here in Vrindavan. So, some indication that we are in Vrindavan or we have somewhat entered Vrindavan.

And you are also able to take darshan and appreciate ‘oh beautiful garland, beautiful garland.’ First things is garland is so beautiful, how beautiful Radharani must be. So beauty of garland reminds us, reminds you of the beauty of Radharani. And as I was smelling. Can you smell? Try to smell the garland. I am smelling on your behalf. That fragrance as Krishna says,

punyo gandha prithivyam ca

(BG 7.9)

The fragrance of the earth and the earth’s fragrance enters the flowers. That fragrance is Krishna, that fragrance is Radharani.

Hari! Hari!

This way we also realize Radha Shyamsundar by seeing the beautiful garland and by smelling the beautiful fragrance of that beautiful garland. We are drawn closer to Radha and Krishna.

If someone is depressed and not in good mood if he could smell the fragrance [Maharaj smells the flower] everyone feels that something opens you up and you go higher. And the depression goes away just by smelling the fragrance. So, that fragrance that you smell that is Krishna or Radharani. Radha Krishna inspires you, gives you boost, lifts you up from your sometimes lower nature depressed state. Radha Krishna [as he smells], that fragrance that you smell that is also Radharani. That fragrance is from personality of Radha Krishna. That fragrance is non-different from Radha and Krishna. So we haven’t seen or met Radha and Krishna in front of our eyes but fragrance is there. And Krishna says, that fragrance is Myself. So we should realize ‘Oh this is Radha and Krishna, this fragrance is Radha Krishna, oh I am meeting Radha Krishna.’

So as I was coming to Vrindavan yesterday, I was reminded of Prabhupada’s recommendation that while coming to Vrindavan you should follow the footsteps of Akrura, the way Akrura went to Vrindavan. The kind of manoratha that he was doing he was hoping and praying for darshan of the Lord. The kind of mood that he was having. So, one should try to cultivate that mood, following the footsteps of Akrura. The mood wise, consciousness wise or the eagerness wise or anticipation, while coming to Vrindavan. So, I was trying to do some practice like that as I was coming in the direction of Vrindavan. While coming I was chanting and at the same time thinking and remembering how Akrura was coming to Vrindavan, cultivating that mood following the footsteps of Akrura. I was chanting and I was also trying to get into that mood.

And then finally I reached Vrindavan, there were some greetings. Devotees were there, chanting of Mahamantra and I was welcomed and greeted. As I entered my residence there was surprise, there were Krishna Balarama Govardhana shila darshan waiting for me and that also what happened to Akrura. So finally, when Akrura arrived Vrindavan 5000 years ago whom did he meet?

Krishna and Balarama that was pratyaksha, that was the time Lord’s prakat lila was on. Krishna and Balarama were personally, physically, spiritually, tangibly were there. Akrura his manoratha, all that he was aspiring, dreaming and visualizing on the way all that he was realizing on reaching Nanda bhavan.

Darshan of Krishna and Balarama in shila form. Akrura was taking Krishna and Balarama darshan. I thought, ‘oh I am experiencing something similar’’. Akrura was getting Krishna Balarama darsana and I’m also taking Their Krishna Balarama darshan. Sri Krishna Balarama ki jai!

So,

HARE KRISHNA HARE KRISHNA
KRISHNA KRISHNA HARE HARE
HARE RAMA HARE RAMA
RAMA RAMA HARE HARE

We chant Hare Krishna mantra, each mantra has mantra devata. Each mantra has its mantra devata whichever mantra it is. Worshipable deity is worshiped by some particular mantra. So, Hare Krishna mahamantra has Radha Krishna as devata.

The mantra as we chant, devan deva-yajo yanti

[BG 7.23]

There are devatas [Demigods] mantra as we chant, the devatas are pleased and we end up getting their blessings and we end up going to heaven.

pitran-yanti pitra-vratah

[BG 9.25]

There are mantras to worship the pitras –forefathers we chant that mantra and forefathers are pleased and we end up going to those planets. And there are mantras for bhuta pishacha [ghosts and spirits] like that there are many mantras.

yanti mad-yajino ‘pi mam

[BG 9.25]

But those who chant My mantra they come to Me.

Those who chant Hare Krishna mahamantra, Radha Krishna are pleased and then we are blessed by Radha and Krishna.

They are our ishtadevata and one ends up returning or going to that abode where Radha and Krishna reside and that is Vrindavan. That’s Gokul Vrindavan or Golok Vrindavan there is no difference.

So, chanters of Hare Krishna, by chanting Hare Krishna mahamantra they are worshipping Radha and Krishna . And then they go to the abode of Radha and Krishna that is Vrindavan.

That is where I have come, I hope I have reached Vrindavan.

I am welcomed here and I am allowed to enter. I thought of it and I also shared this with assembled devotees. Then we remember Krishna, while we are remembering Krishna, has Lord taken note that such and such person remembering Me? Certainly, if someone is remembering wherever he is remembering, immediately Lord takes note. Oh! such and such person is remembering Me as he is chanting. And his chanting has resulted in as sravanam kirtanam vishnuh smaran. Chanting and hearing attentively and offencelessly results in remembrance of the Lord.

Someone is remembering the Lord, is that person away from the Lord? Has Lord taken note of that person’s remembering Him? The answer is certainly. Anyone who is on the level of remembering the Lord, he is busy remembering the Lord, he is with the Lord. That is union, that is yoga.

Through the process of sravanam kirtanam that results in remembrance, which is dhyana that’s also meditation.

That’s also ‘chintan manana’ contemplation, nididhyasana. So, that’s the meeting point. Lord and living entities are meeting as remembrance takes place. Lord has taken note of that chanter or specially of that chanter who is praying to the Lord, who is chanting with the remembrance of the Lord.

We have to chant, that results in remembrance of the Lord. All the sravanam kirtanam that we do or hearing chanting that we do, it always does not result in remembrance of the Lord. We are spaced out, we are thinking of something else, our mind is somewhere else. So, I am talking of hearing and chanting with all your efforts you are making, sure it results in remembering the Lord.

And if you are remembering then Lord has taken note of your chanting and He is pleased with your chanting. He is very much there and you are connected with Him. You are chanting, hearing and remembering, Lord has taken note of that. Lord knows this chanting is done with remembering Me and this chanting is done with not remembering Me. We should make sure that our chanting is with remembrance of the Lord. With dhyana, remembering name, qualities, pastimes of the Lord, abode of the Lord. Lord knows both the chanting and both the chanters and Lord is pleased with one kind of chanter but not with the other. So, we should do right kind of chanting. Sravanam kirtanam vishnuh smaranam is our goal.

Good luck and success in your chanting and remembrance.

Hare Krishna

19th June 2019

So, number of participants 604, it is Wednesday. It’s Lord’s day because Krishna appeared on Wednesday. In Pandharpur, every Wednesday is very special day, it is appearance day of Sri Krishna.

Lord continues to be unwell, Jagannath Swami. Are you all looking after the deities of Jagannath, taking special care of Him?

In Noida here devotees are taking good care, bedrest and special diet, no visitors and that is also happening in Jagannath Puri right now.

Getting sick is a pastime of Lord Jagannath and that gives us opportunity to think of Jagannath. When someone is not well you kind of think of him, you would like to know how is he? How is he feeling etc. Your mind goes to that person. So, for us also Lord is not well not just somebody is not well but here our Lord, Lord of our heart is not well. Certainly, we must be thinking of Lord. And thinking of what I can do so that Lord becomes well very soon.

500 years ago, when they used to hear news of Jagannath not being well, devotees from all over Bengal would leave their respective towns and move towards Jagannath Puri to see Lord Jagannath. I think they knew that darshan are closed and there is no possibility of having darshan of Jagannath during that period of illness. But they also would know that before Jagannath ratha yatra day, there is Netra utsava. Darshan opens one day before ratha yatra in Jagannath Puri and that day is called Netra utsava din. Netra Utsava- festival for your eyes. Finally, you could see the Lord getting better or He is almost well now.

So, devotees would come to Jagannath Puri to take part in ratha yatra of Jagannath. Number of devotees would be led by Sivananda Sena, they are all heading towards Jagannath Puri and now they are about to enter Jagannath Puri town. They are very very anxious as they could see Jagannath and at the same time they are even more anxious to see Sri Krishna Chaitanya Mahaprabhu who is also in Jagannath Puri. Now party is about to enter Jagannath Puri town, devotees lead by Sivananda Sena.

Sri Krishna Chaitanya Mahaprabhu comes to know that devotees are about to enter, then He used to send Govinda and Svarupa Damodhar to greet all these devotees. Mahaprabhu would send “Ok take these garlands, take this chandan-sandal wood paste, offer them these garlands and smear their foreheads with chandan paste and offer them obeisances, greet them welcome them in Jagannath Puri.”

Sri Krishna Chaitanya Mahaprabhu is taking interest in welcoming receiving His devotees and He used to send small team of receptionists to see the team coming from Bengal. So, now they have been greeted by Govinda and Svarupa Damodhar and now the party has entered.

Jagannath Puri dhama ki jai! Devotees are dancing in ecstasy and nice kirtan and they are proceeding. The party has arrived in front of the palace of king Prataprudra, the king of Jagannath Puri and as he hears the sound of kirtan and the excitement and exciting scene in front of his palace, the kirtan procession passing by in front of his palace. King Prataprudra has climbed up to the rooftop of his palace; there is Gopinath Acarya and Sarvabhauma Bhattacharya accompanying King Prataprudra. From rooftop of his palace he is looking down. He sees many devotees, he does not know them but Gopinath Acarya and Sarvabhaum Bhattacharya know the devotees coming from Bengal. King Prataprudra is interested to know who is that one with the beard and wearing white clothes, looks very elderly? Oh! he is Advaitacarya, that is the reply of Sarvabhauma Bhattaharya. And who is that one with bluish garments next to Advaitacarya? Oh! That is Nityananda Prabhu. Who is that person all the way back? Oh! He is this one, like that who is in the front? Who is next to him? King is very curious to know who is this one. Who is that one? He wants to be acquainted with all those personalities those who have come from Bengal and they are all associates of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. The kirtan which was happening in front of his palace, the King was amazed! I have heard kirtan before and this kirtan party has similar kind of mridanga and kartals and they are chanting same mantra.

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

I have not heard this kind of kirtan, it is really out of this world. It’s very enchanting, it’s getting my attention, it is arousing and stirring up my emotions deep within. What is this kirtan? What kind of kirtan they are performing?

The response from Sarvabhauma Bhattacharya was, ‘My dear king this is called prem kirtan, name of this kirtan is prem kirtan that’s the difference. Others may be doing kirtan but it may be kama kirtana or kama mishra kirtana or yoga mishra kirtan or isvarya mishra kirtan. But this is pure nama kirtan they are performing, prem kirtan they are performing.’

King Prataprudra was satisfied to take darshan of all those devotees and to understand that the kind of kirtan they are performing is prem kirtana. But then the king was curious to know or he was wondering, why is everyone going to Kasi Mishra bhavan? Where Sri Krishna Chaitanya Mahaprabhu is residing these days? These pilgrims have just now come to Jagannath Puri and the first place they should be going is Jagannath temple and that’s what they should have done, taken darsana of Jagannath first before doing anything else or before taking any other darshan. But that’s not happening they are all going to Kasi Mishra’s place. This is not right etiquette instead of taking darshan of Jagannath they are going to Sri Krishna Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. So this was also question of King Prataprudra to Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya. I can see people carrying loads of Jagannath prasad and all running to Sri Krishna Chaitanya Mahaprabhu’s residence as if they are going to have festival, darshan, prasad, kirtan why is that? This is because King Prataprudra had no understanding or realization of,

Jei Gaura sei Krishna sei Jagannath

One who is Gauranga Mahaprabhu, He is Krishna and He is also Jagannath. Krishna, Jagannath and Gauranga are one and the same person. King Prataprudra did not have this realization during those days, hence out of ignorance he was enquiring like this and wondering why everyone is going to Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and not to Jagannath temple.

Then there was ratha yatra day and Chaitanya Mahaprabhu saw King Prataprudra dressed like a king with sword and crown. Chaitanya Mahaprabhu was amazed and pleased that such a king he had a broom in his hand and he was sweeping the street in front of Jagannath’s cart on the ratha yatra day. When Chaitanya Mahaprabhu saw this, He realized this person deserves to know My identity, who I am. I should give him darshan. This thought aroused in mind of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. Darshan which was concealed before was revealed by seeing his ‘trinad api sunichena ‘ his humility.

I am going to tell one more pastime, another time king Prataprudra was taking darshan of Lord Jagannath inside the temple on the altar. As king Prataprudra looked at Jagannath Swami deity, there was no Jagannath, there was someone else there. And that someone else was Sri Krishna Chaitanya Mahaprabhu standing.

ajanu-lambita-bhujau kanakavadhatau
sankirtanaika-pitarau kamalayataksau
visvambharau dvija-varau yuga-dharma palau
vande jagat-priyakaro karunavatarau
(Chaitanya Bhagwat)

That Karunavatar was standing in the altar in place of Jagannath. When he saw Chaitanya Mahaprabhu in place of Jagannath, he was wondering is this true what I am seeing? There were pujaris, he asked one of the pujari. Oh! pujari Baba look at Jagannath, what are you seeing? Iam seeing Jagannath. So while everyone was seeing Jagannath, to King Prataprudra Jagannath was giving darshan as Chaitanya Mahaprabhu proving the same fact,

Jei Gaura sei Krishna sei Jagannath

Jagannath is non- different from Chaitanya Mahaprabhu

Jai jai Jagannath, Sacinandan

All glories to Jagannath who is Sacinandan, Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. This is how Chaitanya Mahaprabhu blessed King Prataprudra by revealing His true identity to him. May that Lord Chaitanya be with us.

Hare Krsna

18th June 2019

I am in Noida today at Radha Govind Dev temple, many devotees are chanting with me. Yesterday, I was very fortunate to have darshan of Jagannath Baladev Subhadra during snana yatra of Jagannath at Jagannath Puri. I was watching through doordarshan. They were giving commentary of Jagannath in Oriya language, something I could understand.

One thing that they were emphasizing was, today is ‘janam divas’ of Jagannath. Today is the appearance day of Jagannath, Haribol!

Yesterday was ‘janam divas’ of Jagannath. On snana yatra day Krishna becomes Jagannath. He transforms as Jagannath on snana yatra day. During commentary they were emphazing, today is ‘janam divas’, appearance day of Jagannath, so its confirmed, Krishna appeared as Jagannath, Jai Jagannath!.

I had the opportunity to witness darshan of Jagannath, so that was preparation, as we always say, preparation for next morning chanting. It helps me. I had darshan,I was remembering some of those things during my japa this morning.

I offered mangal arti and became pujari of Radha Govinddev, Gaura Nitai and Jagannath here in this temple. Jagannath here was not giving darshan, the curtains were closed because they were taking rest. As doctor’s prescription ‘bed rest for Jagannath’ for next week or so. I was surprised, we did not disturb Jagannath while worshipping Radha Govind dev and Gaura Nitai.

So, for next two weeks from snana yatra to ratha yatra you could remember this pastime of Jagannath being not well. Lord is getting recuperated. We serve special diet to Lord Jagannath also lot of juices. He is only with Laxmi and selected servants and care taker.

As you know in Jagannath Puri all the temples gates are closed and there is no darshan. Don’t go to Jagannath Puri now, you will not be allowed to enter temple, there is no darshan. So we need to meditate on Jagannath who is not well. We should also be concerned oh! Lord is not well. Oh! What could we do, how could we recover Him. These should be our thoughts towards the Lord, so its meditation. You know or you have heard these pastimes.

The subject came to my mind the devotee are bathing Jagannath and this is month of jyeshta. There is cool breeze, this morning. So, while Lord was being bathed there was cool breeze coming through the window of His shower bathroom and He is affected with that and He gets sick. Then His pastimes of becoming sick begins, that is His pastime.

When we get sick it’s not pastime but when Lord gets sick that is His pastime. We get to remember that pastime meditate on that pastime of not being well.

Jai Jagannath! I am sure many of you have Jagannath on your altar. You are looking after Jagannath, taking special care of diet and no public darshan of Jagannath. So like that you have to take all those precautions while taking care of Jagannath.

Then today we have done announcement this morning, today is disappearance day of Shyamananda Prabhu or Shyamananda Pandit. Shyamananda Pandit ki jai!

He is also ‘Pratah Smarana’ worth remembering in morning. Again I was thinking to talk about Shyamananda Pandit to you. Again during my japa I was chanting I was recalling and remembering Shyamananda Prabhu and some of his life and teachings. While chanting I was doing this, it’s perfectly alright to remember devotees during chanting. They are fully Krishna consciousness, their activity were in relationship with the Lord. So when we remember such devotees we are remembering Krishna. So it is fine perfectly alright. We could remember such devotees, their life and teachings during chanting of Hare Krishna.

Some 500 years ago his mother had given birth to many children some sons, some daughters. But they did not survive they died and this happened repeatedly many many times. So, his parents were very unhappy, suffering. So they were Dukhi. Now another child was born, Shyamananda so they named him Dukhi. Your name is Dukhi, when anyone wants to call he said ‘Dukhi is born’. That was his first name. Infact, Dukhi made his parents sukhi as he survived and he turned out to be a brilliant boy. And he became very learned studying Sanskrit and shastras. Specially, he was fond of hearing Gaura Nityananda pastime. He used to hear with great pleasure and he used to share pastimes of Gaura Nityananda to everyone around him.

Then,as he was becoming more and more serious student and making progress in Krishna consciousness, then he had aspiration of initiation from some bonafide spiritual master. So his parents encouraged him. Very rare I wish all of you had parents like Dukhi Prabhu’s [laughter]. So they encouraged him . He was told to go from Orissa to Bengal to Ambika Kalan and find his spiritual master there.

So Hridaya Chaitanya was residing at Ambika Kalan and he took initiation from Hridaya Chaitanya. He was disciple of Gauri Das Pandit who was Subal sakha in Krishna’s pastimes. You could understand what kind of acaryas, associates were there on the earth at the time of Sri Krishna Chaitanya Mahaprabhu.

So Gauri Das Pandit, his disciple Hridaya Caitanya and now his disciple Shyamananda Pandit. When he received initiation his spiritual master named him Krishna das. People started calling him Dukhi Krishna das. Not only Krishna das but Dukhi Krishna das. So, later after spending some time in Ambika Kalan, he was instructed to go to Vrindavan.

Vrindavan dhama ki jai!

and take instructions from Jiva Goswami in Vrindavan .

So Jiva Goswami was kind of Gaudiya Sampadaya rakshak, caretaker, protector. Chaitanya Mahaprabhu had left and Shad Goswami were also getting old. And one by one all of them were leaving the planet. Jiva Goswami was head of Gaudiya Sampradaya. Everyone was then directed to Jiva Goswami for taking instructions. Dukhi Krishna das had become student of Jiva Goswami.

Srinivas also had come from Bengal side and Narrotam was also there. Amongst others these three special students were studying under Jiva Goswami. Shyamananda,, Srinivas and Narottam. So at one point, Jiva Goswami gave a very unique assignment to Dukhi Krishna to sweep Seva Kunja .

Seva Kunja is part of Vrindavan where there is Radha Damodar temple. Not far from there all that area is Seva Kunja, where it is said and confirmed that Radha and Krishna perform Their pastime including rasa dance. Jiva Goswami told him ‘you go every morning and sweep Seva Kunja’.

Svacha Vrindavan campaign, you become sweeper. So he was doing it religiously.

So one morning Dukhi Krishna das was doing his sweeping service in Seva Kunja. He was surprised to find an ankle bell which was dazzling and shining. He picked it up and he realized it would possibly be from Radharani’s anklet. He wanted to return to the owner to Radharani. May be he went to Lailta or Vishaka ‘Oh! I found some ankle bells I think it’s from Radharani’s anklet please take and give it to Her.

When that happened , he had honestly, he did not hide it or steal it. So they were pleased getting the ankle bells back. Then as a reward, made a permanent sign of ankle bell tilak by Radharani on the forehead of Shyamananada. Now as he received special benediction he began to be known as Shyamananda Pandit.

There is whole parampara which originates from Shyamananda with very special tilak even to this day. You go to Vrindavan you will find the followers of Shyamananda Pandit, Shyamanada sampradaya with special tilak on their forehead.

Nitya lilapravista ,Shyamananda Pandit entered pastimes of Radha and Krishna. So finding that ankle bell was part of nityalila. Shyamananda was not supposed to be part of nitya lila, he was part of another lila. But still he was part of nitya lila because of his devotion. Finding the ankle bell was the proof that he was part of that lila. Finding ankle bell or coming in contact with ankle bell then going to Lalita and Vishaka this is all part of antaranga lila, nitya lila. He had entered the pastime.

Nitya lila pravista Shyamananda Prabhu ki jai!

Then as we were talking, 500 years, back time was passing yet another personality departed. Krishna das Kaviraj Goswami disappeared and then Jiva Goswami made samdhi of Krishna das Kaviraj Goswmai in Radha Damodhar temple. And followed by that departure called isthagosti of all the Gaudiya vaisnava acaryas, followers. Big istagosti was held at Radha Damodhar. What to do? Let us make some strategy of spreading Krishna consciousness. So during that time these three personalities were given title. Narottam das became Thakur.

So first generation was Shad Goswamis. After six Goswamis, Jiva Goswami was incharge. Then there were Acarya traya, there were three acaryas of Gaudiya Vaisnava sampradaya. They were Shyamananda Prabhu , Srinivas acarya and Narottam Das Thakur.

So they were empowered like this then they were given special instructions by Jiva Goswami. To print Gaudiya Vaisnava shastra. Then these three Acarya- traya were send to Bengal. There journey began from Radha Damodar temple. They were heading towards Bengal to distribute literatures in East India, Orissa and Bengal. As they were very close to Bengal, a tragedy took place, all the Goswamis shastras were stolen by dacoits which was arrangement of the king. Srinivas Acarya said ‘I will take care , I will handle this situation.’ Shyamnanda ended up in Orissa back in his home state. Narottam goes to East Bengal Kheturi gram and both of them did lot of preaching, propagation, establishing temples, making devotes and establishing Gaudiya Vaisnava Sampradaya. Let us take inspiration from these acaryas and keep practicing and propagating Krishna consciousness and specially chanting.

HARE KRISHNA HARE KRISHNA
KRISHNA KRISHNA HARE HARE
HARE RAMA HARE RAMA
RAMA RAMA HARE HARE

Shyamananda Pandit tirobhava mahotsava ki jai!

Srila Prabhupada ki Jai!

17th June 2019

Snana Yatra

We are in Noida. Yesterday we celebrated snana yatra here. Official snana yatra festival is today in Jagannath Puri, Jagannath Puri dhama ki jai.

They must be getting ready for maha maha bathing abhsihek- snana yatra of Jagannath Baladev Subhadra today.

Today, as I said snana yatra as I said earlier, leading later in two weeks time there will be ratha yatra festivals. Series of yatras and festivities and today is beginning of those festivities in Jagannath Puri, snana yatra of Lord Jagannath.

Why snana yatra done on this day in Jagannath?

Reason being today is the day when Krishna manifested as Jagannath. We expect you to know the pastime which took place in Kurukshetra. When Dwarkavasis and Vrindavanvasis had assembled and Rohini was narrating to the Dwarkavasis about the state of affairs of devotees of Vrindavan specially how they had been missing Krishna. This she has been narrating to residents of Dwarka.

Rohini, of course, the mother of Balarama was sharing the realizations, the experiences on this day to Dwarkavasis in Kurukshetra. As she was about to begin her narration, she did not want Krishna Balarama to hear this narration. She appointed Subhadra at the door, and was told not to allow Krishna and Balarama. Rohini was thinking that Krishna and Balarama They will not be able to handle or tolerate. They could be disturbed hearing the transcendental suffering of Vrajavasis. This would be too much for Them to hear this. So Rohini never wanted that Krishna Balarama to hear these pastimes.

So Rohini’s was addressing and Subhadra was at the door Krishna and Balarama for sure came at the door. Subhadra did try to stop Them but They overpowered her. They said ‘ok We will not go inside but We could stand at the door.’

And Krishna Balarama and Subhadra heard about the residents of Vrindavan. Now all the three are hearing the pastime as Rohini had predicted They could not handle that was too much for Them to digest. There was agitation in Their hearts. Externally, They were getting transformed there was change in Their whole personality and form. Krishna becoming Jagannath with Balarama and Subhadra.

So, this form They assumed as They heard Rohini speak about devotees in Vrnidavan. And that transformation as I said earlier happened today.

Krishna assuming form of Jagannath, we could say it’s lila of Krishna appearing as Jagannath took place today. Hence, snana yatra takes place today. So, this was just one pastime one episode that was briefly narrated to you and that happened today and lasted for a while then They assumed Their normal regular forms.

The form that Krishna Balarama and Subhadra had assumed as They were hearing Rohini that became immortalized as it’s said every lila of Lord is eternal. This was one lila that took place on this day. Lord Krishna is worshipped in Jagannath Puri as Jagannath.

And by the arrangement of Srila Prabhupada and Hare Krishna movement, Jagannath Swami is remembered and worshipped all over the world. We all are devotees of Jagannath, worshippers of Jagannath because Caitanya Mahaprabhu worshiped Jagannath, Baladev, Subhadra or He preferred to perform His last pastimes in Jagannath Puri.

So, when we of course, whole world takes darsana and then Gaudiya vaisanavas take darsana. Caitanya Mahaprabhu takes darsana. What do we see when we take darsana of Jagannath? What is that darsana reminding us of?

The whole world does not understand but Jagannath gives the darsana or true darsana to Gaudiya vaisanavas, as we take darsana or try to understand Jagannath through the vision of Sri Krishna Caitanya Mahaprabhu.

To understand Jagannath or as we take darsana what reminders He is giving to us?

He loves His devotees so much. The other day we were talking, Lord was saying to Duravasi Muni,

sādhavo hṛdayaṁ mahyaṁsādhūnāṁ
hṛdayaṁ tv aham
mad-anyat te na jānanti
nāhaṁ tebhyo manāg api
[SB 9.4.68]

The pure devotee is always within the core of My heart, and I am always in the heart of the pure devotee. These are feelings of the Lord. And these feelings are exhibited, manifested in the form of Jagannath. This is what is in our minds as we take darsana of Lord, who is He is thinking of?

So, we say I love the Lord, you all love the Lord but as we take darsana, Lord is showing us or expressing us communicating that I love My devotees. This is two way traffic, this love this exchange. It’s not that living entity only loves Krishna but Lord doesn’t love us. No!Lord is showing I love My devotees. He says I love My devotees. So this is the darsana we are getting on Jagannath Puri.

So, when we take darsana of Jagannath His feets they have entered the truck. His main body but half of the hands are still out from elbows. So, when we take darsana, why is He is extending His hands forward. Some realizations of the acaryas, Lord is trying to pick the child, embrace the child, kiss the child. Lord is extending His hands to love us, accept us and embrace us.

Those Gaudiya vaisnavas who chant, chanting this Hare Krishna maha mantra this revives our love for Krishna resulting in understanding Jagannath, understanding the form of Jagannath, understanding heart of Jagannath, understanding what is on the mind of Jagannath thus having two way communication or reciprocation with Jagannath. This is the result of chanting and hearing about Jagannath.

prema pumartho mahan

Attaining love of Godhead is goal of human form of life that is achieved by chanting Hare Krishna, worshipping Jagannath, serving Jagannath, performing snana yatar of Jagannath and performing ratha yatra of Jagannath. Thus, by chanting and worshipping Jagannath we achieve love of Godhead.

So you may be taking part in snana yatra wherever you may be. Some devotees must have reached Jagannath Puri or at your homes if you have Jagannath deities take part in snana yatra. Hear the pastime, perform snana yatra.

Today we have 627 devotees are chanting with us. Congratulations and best wishes on snana yatra. Every snana yatra, ratha yatra is incomplete without chanting of Hare Krsna mantra. Chanting accompanies all other activities.

Jagannath snana yatra mahotsava ki jai!

16th June 2019

Today’s participants are 527 cannot be very proud with this number. You did lot of chanting on Nirjala Ekadasi and now it’s declined. You thought ‘we did it, we did it, we chanted 108 rounds, we chanted 64 rounds we are fine.’ Some of you are from hero to zero, so far this conference is concerned. Those who are chanting like Yugadharma is chanting from Kaundanyapur, those who are chanting are still heroes and those who are not chanting they are kind of zeros, proving to be zeros. Don’t do this.

So what should we talk about today? Yesterday, we were remembering dahi chida festival of Panihati. Not far from Panihati there lived a very special associate of Sri Krishna Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, called Narasimhananda brahmachari. Sivananda Sena also lived there. Of course, all the associates of Sri Krishna Chaitanya Mahaprabhu were liberated souls. Sri Krishna Chaitanya Mahaprabhu is performing pastimes with all these unlimited number of devotees. It’s like spiritual world has descended on earth in Navadvipa or where ever these different disciples were residing. When we hear these lilas or pastimes of Gauranga we get glimpse of spiritual world and some experience also.

And the way, Lord deals with His devotees and reciprocates with them or exhibits different pastime is also meant to teach us lessons or to reveal Lord’s intimate relationships with His devotees.

I was trying to philosophise or setting the scene. What I want to share was that Narasimhananda brahmachari, he said to Sivananda Sena ‘you know I am going to get Sri Krishna Chaitanya Mahaprabhu to our town. He will be here in three days time.’ When Sivananda Sena heard this, he said ‘If Lord is going to here in our town, I want to cook for Him, I want to feed Him.

Infact, Narsimhananda through his meditation on the Lord, he was inviting Lord to his town. He was telling, “Oh! now Lord is this far, He is now in Panihati today by tomorrow He will there in our town.” Like that there was no prior communication with the Lord with any other means, no correspondence or no telephonic, no sms and Lord had agreed to come to this town. Nothing of that sort had happened. But Narsimhananda knows and he is appealing to Lord, he is dragging the Lord to his town. And these two prabhus Narsimhananda and Sivananda Sena are preparing for the reception of Sri Krishna Chaitanya Mahaprabhu.

And finally, as Narsimhananda brahmacari has scheduled or predicted, there He was. They saw Chaitanya Mahaprabhu coming in the direction of their town. He was coming closer and closer and He was right there. They both fell flat as His lotus feet. He was received and He was brought to Narsimhananda brahmacari’s house. And there was time for madhukari, bhiksha-lunch of Sri Krishna Chaitanya Mahaprabhu.

There madhukari meant lunch, Chaitanya Mahaprabhu was not going door to door. He was going to eat His lunch at Narsimhananda brahmacari’s residence. So Sivananda Sena had cooked big feast for Gauranga Mahaprabhu. He had prepared three plates because on the altar of Narsimhananda brahmacari there were three deities. There were Lord Narsimha, Lord Jagganath and Sri Krishna Chaitanya Mahaprabhu was also personally present today.

So, for the three Lords Sivananda Sena had prepared three plates.

So when finally Lord was made to sit and honor lunch prasad what happened was Lord Gauranga ate all that prasad. He ate His own plate and He also ate Lord Narsimha’s plate and Lord Jagganath’s plate. Narsimhananda brahmacari was surprised. Oh! Lord! how would other two Lords eat? You ate Their food also. He was kind of complaining or expressing displeasure.

Narsimhananda brahmacari said ‘I understand you are non-different from Lord Jagannath, so you ate His plate understandable, but why did You eat Lord Narsimha’s plate of prasad also?

Narsimhananda brahmacari was a great devotee of Lord Narsimha. He used to have dialogue with Lord Narsimha and reciprocate with Him.

Seeing this Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu had changed Narsimhananda brahmacari’s name. His official name was Pradumnya brahmacari. Seeing devotion of Pradumnya brahmacari and his realization for Lord Narsimha, Chaitanya Mahaprabhu was the one who changed his name from Pradumya brahmacari to Narsimhananda brahmacari. Chaitanya Mahaprabhu always addressed him Narsimhananda brahmacari. So, Narsimhananda brahmacari was not happy that Chaitanya Mahaprabhu had eaten Lord Narsimha’s prasad or bhoga.

Krsnadas Kaviraj Goswami writer of Chaitanya Craitamrita makes comment that Narsimhananda brahmacari was not sure about Narsimha tattva or Bhagavat tattva. He was considering ok, Lord Chaitanya and Lord Jagannath are same. Jei gaura sei Krsna sei Jagannath

That’s fine but Lord Narsimha He is different. He is not same as Lord Jagannath or Lord Gauranga. So, Narsimhananda brahmacari had this doubt. So Krsnadas Kaviraj Goswami has explained that is why, that’s the reason Sri Krishna Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, He not only ate the plate of Lord Jagannath but also Lord Narsimha to clear that I am not only non-different from Jagannath but also non different Lord Narsimha. To clear his doubt a lesson is taught to us also.

This is my comment Lokanath Swami’s comment that this ignorance exhibited by Narsimhananda brahmacari is for our sake, may be Lord has put some kind of illusion into the head or heart or thoughts of Narsimananda brahmacari. Through him, Lord is making him instrument or middle person, Lord is clearing this doubt not necessarily Narsimhananda brahmacari’s doubt but our doubt, my doubt or your doubt whole world’sdoubt has been cleared. The question has been answered by Sri Krishna Chaitanya Mahaprabhu by displaying this particular pastime.

There is another significant pastime in connection with Narsimhananda brahmacari. After Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, visited Narsimhananda brahmacari’s home and honored prasad and spent some time. He travelled on. He has come from Jagannath Puri and He wants to visit devotees of Navadvipa so He leaves for Navadvipa goes to Kuliyagram from there He had gone to Ramkeli.

He had met Rupa and Sanatana. Chaitanya Mahaprabhu wanted to go from Kuliya to Vrindavan that time Kuliya was in Navadvipa. So He wanted to go from Navadvipa to Vrndavan. Narsimhananda brahmacari again he had this realization that Sri Krishna Chaitanya Mahaprabhu is going to be traveling from Kuliya present day Navadvipa was called Kuliya. From Kuliyagram He is going to travel to Vrindavan, he knew this so he immediately started constructing road for Chaitanya Mahaprabhu mentally including he was spreading flower petals without stem.

Chaitanya Caritamrita states, so that when Chaitanya Mahaprabhu would walk on it, He would not get hurt. He was building that road ahead of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu’s travel or journey to Vrindavan. While he was in the middle of constructing the road as he had started construction 10 miles, 20 miles but at a point he came to the conclusion that he came upto Kanai Natashala then he was not able to construct further. He had built road from Kuliya gram to Kanai Natshala, which is considered kind of Bengal – Bihar border he was not able to construct further. Then he meditated and he realized that Lord is not going to go to Vrindavan this time.

So, what is going to happen is that when the news spreads that Chaitanya Mahaprabhu is going Vrndavan then thousands and thousands of Navadvipavasis are going to be join Him. And Lord is not going to be happy with the big crowd travelling with Him, so He is going to drop this plans to go to Vrindavan.

So, instead of going to Vrindavan He will just return to Jagannath Puri. So Narsimhananda brahmacari had realized this in advance, no one knew what is going to happen whether Lord is going to Vrindavan or not going to Vrindavan. But Narsimhananda knew he told everybody “You will see, Lord is not going to go to Vrindavan, He will only go to Kanai Natshala. And from there He will go to Jagannath Puri, you will see.”

Infact that is what happened Mahaprabhu did not go to Vrndavan He went back to Jagannath Puri.

Ok I stop here. Will leave for airport I am going to Noida Delhi.

Hare Krishna

15th June 2019

Panihati Chidha Dahi Utsava

Today is Panihati Dahi Chida Festival. Some of you are a bit sleepy or tired but as soon as there is Prasadam, ‘Maha-prasade govinde’ and everyone wakes up. This is a wakeup call. They want to talk about Prasad, Dahi Chida Mahotsva.

Everyone is focused now on prasad, eager. Now this could be prasad for your ears, shravan utsava. Not necessarily jivah utsava but Shravan utsava.

Okay, so Dahi Chida you understand Dahi Chida? Yogurt and chipped rice, flat rice they call it, chivda, we call poha in Marathi. So Dahi and Chida mixed and there was a festival- Dahi Chida. There was also Dudha Chida, there were two kinds of Chidas. Some rice was mixed in yogurt and some flat rice was mixed in the milk and all the participants there were given two clay pots. One with Dahi Chida, one with Dudha Chida but the festival is known as Dahi Chida and they do not normally say Dudha Chida but there was also Dudha Chida during that festival.

So, this festival took place at Panihati which is on the banks of Ganga and not far from Kolkata, so that you know where is Panihati.

Today is a Panihati Dahi Chida festival and thousands gather there. There is also ISKCON at Panihati now. Now there’s ISKCON Panihati, just now started and devotees from Kolkata as well as from Mayapur, they go to Panihati Festival and hold a big Dahi Chida festival. Big Dahi Chida distribution today, to thousands.

I’m sure all our ISKCON temples around the world are going to celebrate Panhati Festival and you are all welcome to join in Panhati Festival in your temples, your respective temples. You could also hold this festival at home, invite family and friends, neighbours and enjoy Panihati Dahi Chida Festival.

And this one time when Nityananda Prabhu was asked by Gauranga Mahaprabhu. He asked that in Jagannath Puri, “You please go to Bengal and You preach. What are You doing here? Go to Bengal”

yare dekha, tare kaha krsna- upadesa
amara ajnaya guru hana tara ei desa

(Cc. Madhya 7.128)

You know then Nityananda Prabhu took some special devotees, His associates called Dvadash Gopalas and left for Jagannath Puri for Panihati.

So chanting and dancing on the way Nityananda Prabhu’s sankirtana party arrived at Panihati and the next two months they had amazing, nonstop, ecstatic chanting and dancing festivals. So, on this day Nityananda Prabhu was sitting underneath a big banyan tree and many of His associates and devotees were sitting around Him and in front of Him was Raghunatha Das also in the crowd, but in the back.

Raghunatha Das, he was attempting to leave the family, get out of the family and go to Gauranga. Go to Jagannath Puri but all his attempts of going to Jagannath Puri had failed because his father was keeping a constant watch and stopping Raghunatha from going to Jagannath Puri. So, that Raghunatha Das Goswami had now come today to Nityananda Prabhu to Panihati to get His blessings so that he could succeed in leaving family and join Sri Krishna Chaitanya Mahaprabhu in Jagannath Puri.

So when Nityananda Prabhu noticed that in the crowd at the back Raghunatha Das was sitting, Nityananda Prabhu started “Hey you thief! What are you doing in the back there? Come forward!”

And then Raghunatha Das came forward. He bowed down before Nityananda Prabhu. Still at the lotus feet of Nityananda Prabhu while Raghunatha Das Goswami was still on the ground doing sastang dandvat pranam unto Nityananda Prabhu, Nityananda placed His lotus foot (He must have kept one foot) on the head of Raghunatha Das and blessed Him. “May your desires be fulfilled.”

Of course, Nityananda Prabhu also wanted to punish Raghunatha Das. Punishment for what? Because he was kind of hiding in the back. He had not stepped forward. He was a backbencher. Nityananda Prabhu thought he must be punished for hiding in the back. So what was the punishment.

Nityananda Prabhu said that “You should feed all the devotees assembled here with Dahi Chida and that is the punishment and of course they are going to be more and more people coming and as many would gather, as many would get the smell of Dahi Chida, wherever they are going, to be attracted and come to this spot. All of them must be fed with Dahi Chida.”

This was order of Nityananda Prabhu or a punishment to Raghunatha Das. So Raghunatha Das, you know, he arranged or organized a big Dahi Chida festival. He was very wealthy person, son of a landlord, so there was no dearth of wealth. So, he managed to have big quantity of chipped rice and all the yogurt available around there, he purchased and he started feeding devotees Dahi Chida and also Dudha Chida.

Soon the first quantity or whatever he prepared of Dahi Chida/Dudha Chida exhausted then he managed to get/buy more, more Dahi and Chida. More and more merchants were coming and setting up their shops and Raghunatha Das was purchasing and that was being made into Dahi Chida/Dudha Chida and was being distributed and more merchants were coming to sell. And more people were coming, more and more people were coming to honour prasad.

Merchants after they had sold their Dahi and Chida, they got lot of money for it, from Raghunatha and they were enjoying free food for life. Prasad was free. Raghunatha Das was purchasing Dahi Chida. He had to pay for Dahi Chida, shopping. But those shopkeepers were enjoying Dahi Chida, free Dahi Chida. There were lots of people enjoying Dahi Chida festival.

Yeah, so there’s a description, very wonderful pastime you could read in the Chaitanya Caritamrta. There were devotees honouring prasadam on the banks of Ganga, there were devotees everywhere. When there wasn’t enough space to stand and eat on the banks of Ganga, then the eaters who were honouring prasadam, they were entering into the waters of Ganga and the water was knee-deep and waist deep and they were chest deep. They were in the water and they were holding their cups in their hand and they were trying to eat. So there were people everywhere, on the bank of the river, in the river, big Mahotsav Dahi Chida Festival.

Everyone was experiencing that they were in Vrindavan on the bank of Yamuna and there’s Balarama here.

Nityananda Prabhu is Balarama and all those, who are eating prasad were like cowherd boys and Nityananda Prabhu here, Balaram in the middle and everyone is sitting or standing around and honouring prasadam. It was like being in Vrindavan and enjoying Krishna prasad in association of Krishna and Balaram there.

And in seeing this scene, thousands eating, honouring prasadam, they were happy. They were delighted. Nityananda Nitya, He is full of ananda. He is ecstatic and He is dancing and then you know what happened, when Nityananda Prabhu dances, Chaitanya Mahaprabhu makes His appearance. Wherever Nityananda Prabhu dances, immediately Chaitanya Mahaprabhu joins and that is what happened in Panihati. Gauranga appeared and both of Them were there now.

So Nityananda Prabhu welcomed Gauranga and Nityananda Prabhu is showing Chaitanya Mahaprabhu around. “Look so many people! See how they’re relishing, enjoying Dahi Chida festival.”

And then Nityananda Prabhu was taking few grains of Dahi Chida from devotee’s clay pots or from their plates. Some are sitting and some are standing and Nityananda Prabhu is throwing it in the mouth of Gauranga.

All those who are honouring prasadam, those Dahi Chida eaters, they were seeing only Nityananada Prabhu, they weren’t seeing Gauranga-Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. So, they were seeing Nityananda Prabhu picking up few morsels of Dahi Chida and throwing it into the mouth of Gauranga, so they were seeing the hand of Nityananda Prabhu then they were seeing some grains being thrown but then they were seeing that those grains were not falling on the ground. There was someone gobbling up. Someone was eating them. Someone was taking them. They were all surprised. “What is going on?”

They were seeing only Nityananda Prabhu and He was feeding someone but they were not seeing who that person to whom Nityananda Prabhu was feeding. Devotees were surprised, amazed. The food offered or prasad offered to that unseen person, that was not falling anywhere but just disappearing.

So like this, the amazing festival of Dahi Chida on this occasion today, we had a feast just now as we heard this pastime and this is food for your soul.

Nice prasad right? You like this prasad, prasad in the form of this lila, this katha is prasad. So did you all enjoy this prasad? I hope so!

So please keep contemplating on this lila and the taste of this prasad and during the day you could please hear this pastime again and again. And why not? You should for sure host Dahi Chida festival at your home or go to ISKCON temple and join Dahi Chida Mahotsav on this occasion.

Some countries are celebrating today, some will celebrate tomorrow, but at the end of the day there will be celebration of this Dahi Chida globally. That’s how we take part and enjoy.

Chant

And also hear this Dahi Chida mahotsav katha or pastime then you’ll relish prasadam. Then you should have more. By chanting and by hearing, it will taste very sweet. And when you taste very sweet Dahi Chida then you’ll also begin relishing the holy name more and more.

So then both become sweeter. You chant

HARE KRISHNA HARE KRISHNA
KRISHNA KRISHNA HARE HARE
HARE RAMA HARE RAMA
RAMA RAMA HARE HARE

And then prasadam becomes sweeter and you relish sweeter prasad and then the holy name sounds more sweet. They compliment each other and hence, their beauty and sweetness.

Farewell. Nice day, sweet day.

HARE KRISHNA

14th June 2019

Dvadasi, the day after Nirjala Ekadasi

Lots of reports are still coming through, but I do not think we can take note of these reports now. We are talking. Some devotees did not only chant their japa, they read Bhagavad Gita and studied Bhagavatam. All reports are amazing and very pleasing. Some matajis are hearing this report and they’re clapping their hands, expressing their joy and congratulating all the chanters.

Noida had a very special celebration yesterday because they managed to gather more than a 100 devotees and they were all chanting together. I’m sure most of them chanted their 64 rounds and that’s a very unique gathering and celebration which others can also plan in the future.

Other ISKCON centres and temples in our zone should organize and get the congregation and initiated devotees together. It is easier to chant and complete your sankalpa. It is now too late for this year, but for next year you can make such a plan.

Someone reported that it is also very special that there is no internet all day. No Facebook all day.
Someone reported fasting from Maya and we said, “Actually, is very special report.”

12th June 2019

Glories of Ganges, Gangamata Gosvamini and Baladeva Vidyabhushan

Today is a very auspicious day. Today is Ganga puja. It’s appearance day of Ganga, Ganga Maiya ki jai!

Today is also appearance day of Gangamata Gosvamini ki jai! And today is also disappearance of Baladeva Vidyabhushan. He departed in Vrindavan. There is Samadhi of Baladeva Vidyabhushan in Vrindavan. So these are the three most auspicious occasions, they coincide with this day. So we remember these personalities.

Ganga Maiya ki.Jai!

We could also say, Gangayai namah! Don’t say Gangaya namah, its wrong. So we say Gangayai like Radhayai, Sitayai. That is different from Ramaya, Sivaya, this is Sanskrit pronunciation, grammar which is also associated with the name of Ganges. While offering our obeisances we are going to say Gangayai namah! So remember Ganges and offer your obeisances. Ramaya is okay, Sivaya is okay, but we can’t say Radhaya. Radhayai, Sitayai, Gangayai, like that, this is how it works.

So just don’t commit offenses by pronouncing this pranam mantra wrongly. If you are residing at the bank of Ganges you should go, take holy dip in Ganges today or at least try to manage to get Ganga jal (water) and drink few drops of Ganga jal today, on her appearance day or at least we should remember and we are trying to remember her by talking, remembering about Ganga Maiya.

Glories of Ganges are unlimited and glorious. Jai Ganges!

This is how you address, when you are addressing Ganges you should say Jai Ganga! or Hey Ganga! Thus, you offer obeisances and say Gangayai namah!

pada nakha nira janita jana pavana keshavadrta vamanrupa jai jagadish hare

Jayadeva Gosvami also has glorified Lord Vaman and Ganges in his Dashavatar sotra. Water of Ganges emanate or originate from the lotus feet of the Lord or toenails of the Lord and that water that has washed the lotus feet of the Lord that is Ganges. Ganga is also out of this world, not part of this world. It is also considered perspiration from the body of MahaVishnu and that is Karanodak Jal and some of that jal (water) has entered this universe when Vaman deva becomes Trivikrama.

As He takes second step,His lotus feet touch the covering of the universe and that thick covering of universe was punctured, there was a hole made by Lord’s lotus feet, touch and the water. Karanodak jal started dripping in and that’s how Ganges appeared in the universe. Thus Ganges was then flowing in the svarga, in heaven only. Then king Bhagirath, he made lot of efforts. So many stumbling blocks were there in his attempt in bringing Ganges from heaven to the earth. And because he became responsible for bringing Ganges on earth from heaven, Ganges has another name called Bhagirathi, the person who made all attempts to bring Ganges here on the earth. And by his efforts only today Ganges reached, touched this earthly planet and that place is Gomukha which is on the top of the Himalayan Mountains.

So, today is also called as Ganga puja day, as Ganges was welcomed on this Bhumi planet. She was welcomed and worshiped on this day, Ganga puja day. And then Bhagirath was to bring Ganges to West Bengal, where his forefathers 60,000 of them, sons of king Sagara and their ashes were lying and waiting to be liberated or immersed in Ganges all the way to Ganga sagar, so he had to bring that Ganga from Gomukha to Ganga sagar and Bhagirath did that.

And then Ganges is flowing through Bengal, Ganges is flowing through Navadvip dhama and Ganges is integral part of Navadvip Dhama and Sri Krishna Chaitanya Mahaprabhu performed His lilas at the banks of Ganges. Sri Krishna Chaitanya Mahaprabhu treated and worshiped Ganges as mother Ganges or He had two mothers, mother Saci and mother Ganges. Ganga Maiya ki jai!

Gangamata Gosvamini, you could see her name is also Gangamata and she appeared on Ganga puja day. On the day Ganges appeared on the earth, that day another great personality appeared and her name was Saci initially and later on she was given name Gangamata Gosvamini. This is great personality, Gangamata Gosvamini is considered Acharya, and she is one of our Gaudiya Vaisnava Acharya. There are not so many ladies or women Acharyas in our parampara. One is Nityananda Prabhu’s wife, Jahanva mata and then Gangamata Gosvamini and they were Acharyas and they were initiating disciples.

Gangamata Gosvamini was kind of born devotee and her life was type of renunciation from the childhood, although she was born as a daughter of a king. She was a princess and she had no interest in the kingdom, specially she had no interest in getting married to some mortal, she wanted to marry Krishna only. And her parents wanted her to marry, but she had no interest. So they were appealing to her and hoping that she would get married but she did not. As a result, her parents left the bodies and she continued as a princess or in charge for a while, which also later on she renounced that. And she moved to Jagannath Puri. After spending little time in Jagannath Puri she moved to Vrindavan and she came in contact with Haridas Pandit, exalted devotee of Vrindavan and she was being trained under tutorship of Haridas Pandit in Vrindavan. She was wearing simple clothes, although she was princess and she had certainly lots of wealth at her disposal but she did not wanted some expensive banarasi saris though she could have done so, but she was happy with simple clothing and no ornaments, no golden bangles and jewelry. Very simple renounced life she was leading and Haridas Pandit wanted her to do madhukari, go door to door and beg for alms. Again although she was princess, she was going around, begging for alms. And by seeing all this, these kind of activities, this kind of sadhana, life style of renunciation & devotion Haridas Pandit was pleased and finally she was initiated by Haridas Pandit in Gaudiya parampara. Then after some time in Vrindavan she was asked to go to Jagannath Puri and propagate Chaitanya Mahaprabhu’s cult or Gaudiya Vaisanavism. So, she came to Jagannath Puri and she started residing in Sarvabhauma Bhattacharya’s home. You know where Chaitanya Mhaprabhu also had stayed for some time, same house of Sarvabhauma Bhattacharya now Gangamata Gosvamini was residing in Jagannath Puri.

When we were in Jagannath Puri, during yatra last year, all our devotees were brought to Sarvabhauma Bhattacharya’s home and the pastimes or activities of Gangamata Gosvamini also recited or reminded to all the pilgrims that time. When Gangamata Gosvamini was residing at Sarvabhauma Bhattacharya’s residence, the king of Puri, he donated property, just across from where she was residing, that property or place was sacred, well known place, known as Sveta Ganga, there Ganges is present in Puri, donated that land to Gangamata Gosvamini. So one time there was special occasion to go to Ganges and take Ganga snana and every one was going from everywhere including Jagannath Puri pilgrims were going to take bath in Ganga.

Gangamata Gosvamini could not go although she wished to go, she wanted to go , but as she was instructed by Haridas Pandit never ever leave Jagannath Puri, so she could not go to Ganga river and take bath that one day. And then what happened was that day or towards the end of that day late in the night river Ganges appeared in Jagannath Puri and Gangamata Gosvamini was immersing in Ganges water, she was floating and the water of Ganges was rising and rising and there were waves in the water and as a result eventually Gangamata Gosvamini ended up swimming and floating, she ended up in Jagannath Puri temple in the middle of the night. And pujaris were wondering, now they were hearing some sound, Jai Gangamaiya ki Jai, Har Har Gange!

They were hearing so many sounds coming from inside Jagannath temple, so they opened and were surprised to see Gangamata Gosvamini there with Jagannath, Baladeva, Subhadra in the Garbhagriha. And they thought, what are you doing here? Do you want to steal some ornaments of Jagannath, that’s why you came in the middle of the night?

So all those pujaris were accusing her and all those false allegations that she was a thief and causing those entire disturbance and this is time for Lord Jagannath to sleep. What are you doing here? And then she was arrested and imprisoned. Pujaris complained to the king and king ended up in putting her behind the bars. Then Jagannath appeared in the dream of king of Puri. He said, ‘no, no, she is not a thief. She is My pure devotee. And I am the one who made all these arrangements, even bringing Ganges in Jagannath Puri, so that she could take bath in Ganges on this auspicious occasion. And I am the one who brought her in front of Me. You are offenders, you all pujaris and the king, you should release her immediately. And accept her as your spiritual authority. She is Acharya of Gaudiya Vaishnava sampradaya.’

So, Lord Jagannath warned the king and all the pujaris like that. And of course she was released and she stayed on and on in Jagannath Puri. And in the dream also, that ‘you accept her as your spiritual master’ and then Gangamata Gosvamini started giving initiations. Residents of Jagannath Puri and pujaris were getting initiated by her. And like that this is the wonderful life and teachings of Gangamata Gosvamini. She was one of the rare souls, great souls, mahatmas and this is her appearance day today.

Baladeva Vidyabhushan is known as Gaudiya Vedanta Acharya. Gaudiya, Vedanta Acharya and Baladeva Vidyabhushan. What a name! Wonderful name and title of Baladeva Vidyabhushan! Vidya was his bhusan, vidya was his decoration, vidya was his alankar and vidya was beautifying him.

AchintyaBhedabheda tattva of Gaudiya Vaishnava was presented by Baladeva Vidyabhusan and he was born in Remuna Orissa, where Khirachora Gopinath is worshiped in that area his birth took place.

Today is his disappearance day. Then he moved from Orissa to Vrindavan. In Jaipur, Radha Govind was not being worshiped properly as per Gaudiya Vaisnava siddhanta. Even the king was disturbed. There were Ramanandis, followers of Sri sampradaya, Ramanuja sampradaya, they were in charge of worship and they were not allowing Gaudiya vaisnavas to worship Radha Govind. They had separated Radha from Govind. They were thinking, no no, Radha cannot be worshiped with Krishna, with Govind, because they didn’t understand Radha tattva. Gaudiya understand Radha and Krishna. They thought, Gaudiya vaisnavas cannot worship Radha Govind. You are not authorized. Your sampradaya has not written commentary on Vedanta. Where is your bhasya, commentary on Vedanta sutra? If you don’t have commentary on Vedanta sutra then you are not authorized. You cannot be accepted as authorized parampara. So the king of Jaipur also was not happy with the disturbance caused by Ramanandi, the followers of Sri sampradaya. Then he sent message to Vrindavan and Baladeva Vidyabhushan then contacted Vishvanath Chakravarti Thakur. He was Gaudiya Vaishnav protector, but he was too old to go to Jaipur. So he sent Baladeva Vidyabhushan to Jaipur and Baladeva Vidyabhushan had shastrarth dialogue, debate with Ramanandis and he defeated them all by proving the supremacy of Gaudiya Vaishnavism and their siddhanta.

Then Govind did the prompting, the dictation and Baladeva Vidyabhushan was taking notes. This was the commentary on Vedanta sutra. The commentary on Vedanta sutra was revealed unto Baladeva Vidyabhushan by Govinda, Govind Deva.

So when that commentary was ready and this was the first ever commentary of Vedanta sutra of Gaudiya sampradaya, so Baladeva Vidyabhushan named this commentary as ‘Govinda Bhashya’. This bhashya, commentary of Vedanta sutra, who is author of this? Govinda! Govinda! Govinda Himself has written this commentary, so he gave the credit to Govinda and commentary became as Govinda Bhashya.

So, once Gaudiya vaisnavas had their own commentary on Vedanta sutra and then they were accepted as authorized, authentic. Then Gaudiya vaisnavas were allowed to worship, take charge of worship of Radha Govinda and they also brought Radha which was by now placed elsewhere and now Radha and Govinda were being worshiped on the same altar in Jaipur and the Gaudiya vaisnavas were worshipping Radha Govinda.

So this is the glory of Baladeva Vidyabhushan. Baladeva Vidyabhushan ki jai!

He settled the situation and also made our parampara authentic. This is respectable and superior, in fact the super most siddhanta called Achintya Bhedabheda tattva, this is the great contribution of Baladeva Vidyabhushan. We are eternally indebted to Baladeva Vidyabhushan for this commentary and this authenticity.

Hare Krishna!

11 June 2019

Austerity: to advance in Krishna consciousness

When we undergo austerities like we do on Nirjala Ekadashi, that means we are minimizing our bodily needs or demands of our mind, body, demands of the family, so many demands, we minimize them. Live simple life with few facilities, bare minimum, most minimum and think high, remember Krishna, chant Hare Krishna, simple living high thinking, that’s the life of tapasya- life of austerity of devotees of Sri Krishna.

We should not be doing one day but we should be doing every day. This austerity, this tapasya is purifying and that’s how we make advancement in Krishna consciousness.

This land of Bharat varsha is land of tapasya, ‘tapobhumi’, rest of the world is ‘bhogabhumi’. There is svarga, heaven or hell, there is some kind of bhoga, enjoyment or suffering. Suffering is also bhoga, there is reaction for sinful activity. But here in Bharat varsha, this is tapobhumi, land of austerity and purification. So, by hearing this the devotees from Ukraine or Russia or from America or Mauritius, they think, oh this does not apply to us. We are not Bharatvasis. We are not Indians, so this is not meant for us. This is wrong thinking. Don’t think like that. By studying Krishna consciousness in different countries or wherever Krishna consciousness has reached and practiced, those lands are Bharat varsha. That is Bharat varsha and those who are practicing Krishna consciousness they are in true sense Bharatvasis, residents of Bharat.

Bharat, Mahabharat!

So you are part of Bharat varsha. You are Bharatiyas by the action.

So performing austerities is one and all for us wherever we are. This chanting of Hare Krishna is big tapasya we are doing, and not to think of anything else. And for this to get up early and begin chanting, this is tapasya. And to sit down and chant Hare Krishna is a big tapasya, not running around, walking and going here and there, no, sit in one place. Or sit down and only hear holy name and not to hear other topics, this is tapasya of the body as well as tapasya of the mind. We need our mind very austere in order to chant.

Tapasya for the body, tapasya for the mind, tapasya for the tongue.

Lord Sri Krishna has described tapasya of three kinds, three different levels, bodily, mentally, vocally, ‘kayena manasa vacha’. This world has seen amazing tapasvis, austere practitioners of Krishna consciousness; this was very common like in Treta yuga, Satya yuga, they used to do meditation, sitting in one place, like Valmiki. He was instructed, Okay stop this killing or looting people. Just sit down and chant Rama Rama Rama! Then he practiced like that, followed the instructions of his guru maharaja, Narada Muni by sitting in one place and chanting for long time. He sat down and he was not moving here and there, and of course there was,

sita atapa bata barisana e dina jamini jagi re
[Bhajau re mana by Govinda Dasa]

He kept sitting through winter season and rainy season and all kinds of seasons. And all the attacks, wind was blowing and showers of rain and he just tolerated, just kept chanting in all odd situations. And he was not defending, eating stopped. Sleeping, I don’t know how they manage sleeping. They use to sit down and meditate for years, long time. There is no eating, only air and only Hari nama, only Rama nama he was drinking and no question of mating and no defense. They used to be in the middle of the forest. The tigers and snakes and jackals are all around, but they are not scared. They are not defending, instead depending on the Lord and not defending and just in their business, activity of chanting the Holy name of Lord and remembering the Lord and they have forgotten whereabouts.

vyavasayatmika buddhih ekeha kurunandana [BG 2.41]

Their buddhi, their determination, great determination, fixed determination, it is called vyavasayatmika buddhih ekeha and just fix on the Lord, Lord’s Holy name or Lord’s pastimes, they are fully focused. Of course, the tigers would not eat them up but the ants are coming and crawling all over the body and eating and as a result there was an ant hill around the body of Valmiki Muni. So they are tolerating all the biting of worms and germs and ants and they were fix on the Lord, totally oblivious to the surrounding and what is happening to their body, inconvenience to the body, they are tolerating, they are beyond the body. They are just absorbed in Krishna, in Sri Rama. And doing some pranayam, deep breathe, slowly breathing in, slowly breathing out, long deep breathes also extends one’s life; he lives long one who takes long deep breathe. And this is done in mode of goodness and in passion you will run and fast breathing and that minimizes your life span. So take deep breathe and chant,

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

That deep breathing, pranayam also helps to concentrate. So this yogi, Valmiki Muni is doing this, taking air in, besides the Holy name only the air, surviving on air.

Of course, you know this also that we cannot imitate those yogis of Satya yuga or Dwapar yuga, or we cannot imitate Valmiki Muni, same thing with Dhruva Maharaj.

So yogi, either they sit in padmasan or they stand on one foot, that is also one asana. Stand on one foot means you are not going to move around, because so many demands are arousing in you, oh I want this, I want that, so many desires, so many pushing’s, ashapash and then for that the body has to be sent ‘go there, go shopping, go travel, make money, all these things’ for this run around has to be done.

So the yogis used to minimize all this pushings.

vacho vegam manasa krodha vegam jivha vegam udaropastha vegam [NOI Verse 1]

There are six pushings mentioned in Upadeshamrita, the mind is pushing and anger is pushing and making you run around and belly is pushing and genitals are pushing, all these pushings and then passion is there and then running around, busy with the ugra karma and no time for Hare Krishna Hare Krishna.

So we cannot imitate those yogis from the past, meditaters from the past, but whatever austerities we could manage, whatever type of simple living that can be practiced that we must do. So, we cannot imitate those yogis from past, from Satya yuga, Treta yuga, but at the same time we should not imitate the present day materialists, the way they are busy, in their simple thinking and high living. High livings, but thinking simple or no thinking, just do it!

So we should not imitate or become the followers of the present day materialists or scientists or all those folks.

The materialists are trying to, high living life style, death style, live in a style and die in a style, so we don’t take inspiration from those materialists and their leaders. Some people from west, also coming to senses and they are changing their lifestyle.

Last time I was in America and there was one group of people, they said, ‘Swamiji we follow the formula called KISS formula’. I said, ‘I am a Swami. I have nothing to do with this Kiss. What is this Kiss?’ They said, ‘No, No, not that kind of kiss.’ Then I said, ‘what is this Kiss formula you are following?’ And they said, ‘Keep It Simple Stupid formula! Kiss, so this formula we are following. Simple living high thinking!’ So India is trying to lead smart life and smart cities, they are also saying, ‘don’t work hard, work smart’, like that. But if there are anyone smart, that are the devotees, devotees are smart.

Jeyi Krishna bhaje seyi bada chatur

One who worships Krishna, he is chatur (smart), everyone else is fool number one or number two or number ten or they are all not smart. Devotees are smart.

Okay! so be wise, be smart and chant Hare Krishna and be devotees of the Lord.

Hari Hari! Gauranga!

Chant with focus and concentration

Hare Krishna!

Today we have 586 participants, 17 from Nashik road, we must spread the word around. We must get more devotees from Nashik and Nashik road. Noida has 45 participants, Mauritius has 45 participants, and numbers have dropped. I don’t see so many on the screen. Numbers are dropping. In Mauritius there were several hundred devotees, so please pass the message, and take advantage of this opportunity. I am happy to see all of you here doing japa.

“Jyot se jyot jagate chalo. Prem ki ganga bahate chalo.”

You could ask others to join, you are fired up you could touch other prabhus and lit them up, wake them up. That’s all meaning of “jyot se jyot jagate chalo, prem ki ganga bahate chalo.” Let the Ganga of prem flow and let everyone take advantage of this. Let everyone be part of it. Let everyone drown and absorbed in drinking the nectar of the holy name.

So, I think today must be Sunday, number is smaller under 600. Today less participants, so it is understood that it’s Sunday.

”jiva jago ,jiva jago gaurachandra bole”

Gauranga is calling jiva jago, body is awake now awaken the soul. We wake up and we just never sleep. The body needs sleep, because we work hard for Krishna (laughs), body is resting, maybe for 6 hours. Prabhupada also says about 6 hours sleep. Elderly people sleep for 6 hours but the soul is not sleeping. When we have rested, the body wakes up, the soul is ready to go again to serve Krsna. He is ready to attend mangal arati, chant our rounds and the soul is now awake, it is nourished.

Once we wake up we are searching, maybe something in the past, someone wakes you up, shakes you up, or you come into contact with a devotee or spiritual master.

om ajyana timirandhasya jnananjana salakaya
caksur unmilitam yena tasmai sri guruve namah

Spiritual master is waking you up giving you ‘jnananjan’, some knowledge. Uttishta Jagrata, the vedic statement also says. Once you are spiritually woken up, you should stay awake, become Krishna conscious, chanting and doing other devotional practices.

I see many of you sleeping while chanting, chanting half mantra and then sleeping for 30 seconds or sometimes longer. And then you wake up and start chanting again. So, you have not really woken up? You are not chanting in full consciousness. Yesterday we made reference to the archer, how the whole activity of chanting is compared to the shooting or an archer. How he holds his bow, how he is focused. He poises his body, his mind, and soul to focus on his target. So, we need to practice our chanting and be focused, chanter is the jiva and is the archer and the arrow is the body, mind and intelligence. Target is the Lord’s abode, Lord’s lotus feet. The atma, the archer, the soul reaches back to Godhead. This is a wonderful illustration, chanter follows the example of the archer, just copy him, look at him how he is focused and his concentration.

Yesterday after the japa talk we continued the discussion here with the devotees chanting with me in Nagpur, talking about the archer. The archer he is holding the arrow in his hand, fixes it to the bow and then pulls the string from the back with all his strength, he must be focused and conscious to perform this action, he cannot be distracted from the target. Then he shoots. So, one archer can be totally focused.

And another archer he does archery with no concentration, he does everything mechanically, no focus. He may just carry the bow and arrow not doing anything. Some of us can be compared to this archer, we perform the act of chanting only for the sake of doing it, chanters just hold the japa mala, moving back and forth, relaxed mood, watching television, engaging in gossip, reading the newspaper while chanting, this is not what Bhagavatam is teaching. Our acaryas have not taught us like this. It is not like the ideal archer.

We get instructions from the scriptures and sastras like viddhi – you do this and nishedha- don’t do that. When King Parikshit in the very beginning as soon as he met Shukadeva Goswami he enquired.

yac chrotavyam atho japyaṁ
yat kartavyaṁ nṛbhiḥ prabho
smartavyaṁ bhajanīyaṁ vā
brūhi yad vā viparyayam [SB 1.19.38]

He wants to know, what we should worship? And what we should not worship? What should we chant? And what we should not chant? What should we do? And what we should not do? Tell me, what is right and what is wrong.

Be like the ideal archer in action that is how you should be, this is the “do part”; what we are talking about here today is the don’t part. Unfortunately, we do not have much time now, just started the topic, what not to do. How to chant, things not to do while chanting and chanting should not be done in this way.

Few years ago, the devotees did a drama in the Krishna Balarama hall in Vrindavan, they depicted one character, one mataji on her style of chanting, and they demonstrated this on stage. This mataji she could never sit and chant. She was all over the place chanting, and whilst chanting she was very busy doing other stuff. While chanting if the phone rang, she would drop the chanting and answer the call. She had this big bead bag, in the bead bag her keys would be there, the phone and all little accessories. The bead bag was like a little office, everything will go in there, letters, telephone bills etc. She would be really busy and very distracted whilst chanting. She would chant, snik snik hare hare.

So, this group chanting is helpful, we get you all to sit down on the asana and chant. So, if you join this conference there is no chance of chanting casually like the lady in the drama.

Devotees are also writing to share their experience, realizations and benefits of this group chanting. So, we should take advantage of this conference. There is this devotee from America Hardik Patel, he used to be chanting like that moving from here to there. I got him to sit down and focus. Once you sit down to chant, you have more control better vibes. More focused. Many of you are writing about the benefits of this group chanting, no time to read all now, but I will read it.

The lady we talked about is like a gossip manager, can open a dialogue in the middle of chanting, just like that I could see some devotees from Nashik having a chat. That mataji from the drama, using her chanting bag as an office, used to mechanically chant, not focused. So, one day while chanting she looked in her bag for her japa mala, there was no beads there, she lost her beads. You can just imagine the style of chanting, her mind, and intelligence just chanting with no concentration- she did not realize the beads were no longer there. No focus, she was lost.

Between yesterday and today we tried to demonstrate the right way of chanting like the archer, not like the lady who lost her beads. The do’s and the don’ts. Chant with focus and concentration.

Hare Krishna.