As we chant, realize Krishna, the Lord as a person

Sri Krishna Chaitanya Mahaprabhu in Jagannath Puri, He was meeting devotees from Kulia, Kulingram. So one year devotees asked,” how are followers to be recognized? What is their identification? What is the expectation?“

So in that year, Sri Krishna Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, Sri Krishna Chaitanya Mahaprabhu ki Jai! He was personally talking to devotees and others; we also should talk and have dialogues. We should have the same mood and imagine and visualize the Lord’s physical presence in Jagannath Puri. Of course, there is nothing physical in the Lord’s form, because He is fully spiritual, and presents a fully spiritual form as He speaks to the assembled devotees.

The impersonalist mayavadis, wish to merge with Brahmajyoti, Brahaman, and are unable to understand the chanting of Hare Krishna. How could one relate or address to Brahaman?

Towards the end of Bhagvad Gita, Lord is asking His devotees to do four things.

man mana bhava mad bhakto
mad-yaji mam namaskuru
[BG 18.65]

Remember Me, become My devotee, worship Me and offer your obeisances unto Me.

So, if you are an impersonalist, how will it be possible to follow the Lord’s instructions? What would they remember about Brahman, because there is nothing much to remember, just light, and nothing more. The Lord wants us to remember Him, but if you are nirakar, nirguna, impersonalist follower of Shankaracarya, what are you going to remember in Brahmajyoti?

When we chant Hare Krishna we can remember so much. There are thousand names by which you can remember Krishna while chanting, and you can think of the meaning of these names of the Lord. Krishna says ‘mad bhakto’, become My devotee. So, how can you become a devotee of brahmajyoti?

In India, there are many impersonalists, like our Muslim brothers. There are also those other religions that subscribe to impersonalism. Unfortunately, you cannot remember and become a devotee of brahmajyoti light.

If you are chanting Hare Krishna you have to be personalist, you have to understand Krishna’s personality, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. He is a person, like you and me, as noted by Srila Prabhupada.

namaste saraswati deve gauravan pracarine nirvisesa sunyavadi pastatya desatarine (Srila Prabhupada Pranati)

In chanting these words, we offer our most humble obeisances to the lotus feet of Srila Prabhupada who saved us, saved the eastern and western world from this Shunyavad and Nirvisheshvad among so many Vads or isms, theories and philosophies. The predominant is Nirvisesvad, impersonalism, this Brahmajyoti business and Shunyavadi or Buddhadev of Voidism.

We have been saved by Gauranga, Gauravani Pracharine. Gauranga Mahaprabhu’s message, His presence, His lilas, His preaching which Srila Prabhupada presented on behalf of Gauranga. This is what we are now presenting on behalf of Srila Prabhupada, so we are being saved from this onslaught of impersonalism and voidism.

‘Man mana bhava mad bhakto mad yaji’

Worship Me, how can you worship Brahmajyoti? Can you offer a garland to brahmajyoti? Can you offer Chandan to the Brahmajyoti? Where could you smear chandan on the Brahmajyoti? Forget all of this because the Lord says worship Him. Those who understand the Lord as brahmeti paramatmeti bhagavan iti sabdyate.

[SB 1.2.11] sees the Lord as having three features and one of them is Bramhajyoti, but that’s not all, the Lord is more. He is also Paramatma, He is also Bhagavan. So the chanters of the Lord’s Holy name have to understand the Bhagavan or revive their bhagavata as we chant. We have to realize Krishna, the Lord as a person, with His pastimes, His abode, and His associates.

To become an impersonalist means it’s the end of Bhakti, because there is no devotion, nor is there a flow of feeling of emotions unto the Lord. There is no Bhakti, there is no Bhakta, and there is no Bhagavan because as per this philosophy, there just exists just a light -merge into Brahman! This is the last snare of maya, Prabhupada writes, this BrahmaJyoti.

He refers to it as Nirakar which is big maya. “I am that light, Aham Brahmasmi” you forget becoming somebody’s devotee, you want to be the Lord. Not that you are becoming devotee or servant of the Lord, but the idea that “I am Lord”.

man mana bhava mad bhakto
mad-yaji mam namaskuru

The remaining item is namaskuru, we write and we say, “Koti Koti Dandavats” to you or to the Lord. There is no question of offering any dandavats or even one dandavat to the light, He is not a person, just a light. Offering obeisances is not possible, unfortunately they maintain that “I am that Lord”, so to whom is he going to offer obeisances ? Unto whom are you going to offer obeisances, “I am Him” this is big maya. We can say that this Mayavadi philosophy is a big illusion. Sadly, this is going on, being propagated and is continuing to spread.

Chaitanya Mahaprabhu said,
mayavadi-bhasya sunile haya sarva-nasa

If you listen to Mayavad theory or philosophy, everything will be finished, your devotion will be finished, and your bhakti will be finished.

Finally the Lord says in this beautiful statement of Bhagavad-Gita, ‘mām evaiṣyasi satyaṁ te’, meaning that if you remember Me, become My devotee, worship Me, offer obeisances unto Me, then you will certainly, surely, come to Me, come back to home, where I eternally reside, that’s where you will end up if you do these four things.

If you are an impersonalist, those who are, a lot of them out there are, there is no question of them going anywhere. There is no Vaikuntha for them, there is no Goloka for them, there is no going anywhere, even if they believe they are, this activity of going for them is maya. Form is maya, everything is maya only – the light. For them nothing else exists only Brahman, this jyoti, there is no question of going back to Godhead. The Lord wants us to go back to Him, ‘mām evaiṣyas’ meaning, “Come, where I am residing eternally.” So this mayavadi philosophy is all anti- Krishna statement and is anti-Bhagavad Gita.

Lord Chaitanya had been meeting devotees from Kulingram in West Bengal. When asked about how devotees were recognised, He said “One who chants the holy name all the time, Kirtanya sada hari all the time, that is Hare Krishna devotee, that is my devotee.”

The following year the devotees from everywhere met in Kulingram once again with Lord Chaitanya. The devotees raised the same question, “How do you recognize your devotees, Gaur bhaktas, my dear Lord.”

Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu said, “As soon as you look at a Hare Krishna devotee, see what he is doing? He will remind you of Krishna, his this act and that act will remind you of Krishna, he will be a big reminder of Krishna, that’s my devotee, that’s a Gaur bhakta.”

Yet again the same question was raised the following year. The Lord said that “as soon as he begins to chants Hare Krishna, all the symptoms of ecstasy manifests, as he chants Hare Krishna you will see tears roll down his cheeks, his body will be trembling and you can read all the symptoms of ecstasy in him, that is my devotee.”

The Lord spoke about devotees from one level to another and another beginning with one who is at least chanting all the time. Then his life is full of devotion, and then he reminds others of Krishna that is another higher level. Then highest, he is fully absorbed remembering the Lord and exhibits all the symptoms of ecstasy in his personality.

Hare Krishna

Siksastakam: Importance of singing and chanting the holy names of Lord

Chaitanya Mahaprabhu has given us Siksastakam. This needs to be read carefully and studied. We should concentrate on each verse and meditate on these while chanting. For chanters, this is an appropriate way start to japa. Chaitanya Mahaprabhu Himself would meditate on the mood of these verses before japa. Many temples recite Siksastakam before chanting to create the right mood and right focus for our mind.

The Siksastakam which is a Gaudiya vaisnava prayer of eight verses was composed in Sanskrit by Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. These eight verses are concise but profound.

krishna nama-sankirtana
1. Cleanses our chitta which is compared to a mirror.
2. Extinguishes this great forest-fire of material existence.
3. Like lotus of excellence spreads cooling moonlight.
4. Gives knowledge of life which is compared to a spouse who helps us flourish.
5. Increases our bliss-intellect.
6. At each step gives taste of complete amrita (nectar).
7. Is all atma-attractive / attracts atma fully.
8. Victorious is Sri Krishna’s sankirtana.

Within his Siksastakam, Chaitanya Mahaprabhu stresses the importance of singing (bhajan) and chanting (japa) the names of God. Nama ruci can be achieved if you want to increase your taste for chanting then chant with accomplished and other faithful people. By serving the vaishnavas, nama ruci will grow. If you want to chant with more attention and offenselessly, chant with the attraction for the holy names, with feeling, then serve the vaisnavas.

Do some vaishnava seva with all those that you will associate today by sharing kirtana, Srila Prabhupada’s books with them or darsana of the Deity. By doing this, Krsna will be pleased with all these endeavours and when you chant after doing all this, your taste for chanting will increase, (nama ruci will increase).

All those who are chanting with us can tell your friends and family to join. We need steady chanters. It’s not just for my disciples, it’s not sectarian anyone can join. Chanting is a meditation. And we have example of Akrura while he was on the way to Vrindavan expecting meeting. On the way, he was doing his manorath. He was contemplating on how he would meet the Lord at the end of the day, end of his travel. He was meditating. So,it is not that we do not meditate, every person in the world meditates. Every person in the world is always constantly meditating, contemplating, aspiring to meet this person, that person. And once I meet him, we will die together and we live together and people will have this kind of fun that kind of experience. Whole world is meditating contemplating.

We Hare Krishna devotees, Hare Krishna chanters they just have to change the meditation topic or object of meditation has to be changed. They don’t have to stop meditation. Again, the topic of meditation is Krishna that we have to include during chanting. As we chant,

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

We begin meditation or we could aspire for meeting or reunion with the Lord. As we chant Hare Krishna and then we could and we do say that we meditate upon name of Krishna, fame of Krishna, qualities of Krishna, pastimes of Krishna and abode, the dhama of the Lord, this is topic of our meditation.

I mean Krishna is object, these are the topic of details, these names, form, qualities, pastimes. So Akrura, while riding on the chariot on the way to Vrindavan was considering himself fortunate that he had such a rare opportunity now to meet Krishna. So, that is also meditation that is also appreciation in relationship with Krishna. So we could also be thinking like that ‘how fortunate I am able to chant Hare Krishna instead of singing or chanting some worldly songs. I am very fortunate for spiritual superiors and spiritual master. Krishna has arranged that through or from my spiritual master from other way and I am in such a fortunate position or situation’. Thar also could be there, as we chant Hare Krishna.

Also at some point prior to his journey, he had arranged his travels so that he could meet Krishna returning from the forest, cow herding pastimes. He had made this plan, strategic planning to meet Krishna at appropriate time and circumstances so we could also make such a plan or such a lifestyle reorganize, reshuffle things and try to meet Krishna early morning. I will perform arati to the Lord, and I will dance and chant in association of devotees so that kind of planning and organization this is also the part of meditation or preparation for meditation on Krishna.

This way Srila Sukadeva Goswami has described Akrura’s manorath or his meditation or his contemplation. “When I see Krishna I will stop this chariot. I will jump down as soon as I see Krishna and Balarama”, he is thinking like that. I will touch Their feet, he is thinking like that and I will eventually look at Their kind and beautiful lotus faces. He is thinking like that I will touch Them or They may embrace me also he is thinking like that and they will address me uncle so he is on the way, he is thinking this is his meditation and gradually he is going to the whole body and touching and more things to happen. He is contemplating, fully absorbed like that. And then he is also thinking that Krishna will hold one of my hands and Balarama will hold the other hand and they will both bring me inside Their home and on the way they will keep saying and greeting me and kissing me ‘uncle’. They will be very jubilant as They receive me. He is contemplating like that. So he will also address them oh! Krishna Oh !Balarama Oh! Krishna Oh! Balarama, so as we say Hare Krishna Hare Krishna so he will also say he will also address them, but at the same time he is saying Krishna Balarama Krishna Balarama Hare Krishna Hare Krishna, while saying Hare Krishna the name he is also seeing Their form. He is also experiencing Their magnanimous, Their kindness, Their quality or the whole pastime or They may be just returning from milking the cows or They are on the way to milk the cows, so he is also thinking of that pastime of the Lord, meeting Nanda Maharaj or Krishna Balarama or parents of Krishna Balarama and of course the whole thing is happening in the context of dhama Nandgram so he is also thinking.

The name is being uttered and qualities of Krishna are being experienced and beautiful form is being visualized and the pastimes are visible and the associates of course, without associates, pastimes is not possible so everything is happening the name, the form, the qualities, the pastimes and abode of all these features and aspects of Sri Krishna revealed as he is meditating.

So sometimes devotees wonder no I am only going to chant Hare Krishna, nothing else only focus on hearing and I am not going to think of anythjng else. Yes, this is misunderstanding how could you chant and not think of or contemplate upon form and how could you only chant without thinking. How could you keep the pastimes away or separate the qualities of Krishna and associates of Krishna so this what non-difference ‘abhinatvat nama namino’,

Name and the person name, we chant and the person that Krishna’s form is non-different from His qualities non different from His pastimes and His pastimes are non-different from His dhama. His associates are not some extra additional entities they are part of Him they are parcels of Him. We cannot get rid of them when we think of Krishna, I mean think of Krishna then associates are also there you are chanting and of course chanting is bringing into the form, the qualities, the whole contemplation. That is expected to happen as we chant.

So, of course this we call as mantra siddhi, the perfection in chanting of the holy name of the Lord.

So, when our chanting is perfect & pure with full attention then all these revelations are going to take place. So, this is perfection of chanting Hare Krishna, this is mantra siddhi, Krishna has revealed ,the holy name has revealed Himself. So then addressing Hare Krishna and these are My pastimes and these are My qualities and these are my associates, look and this is my Dhama. So, this is of course ultimate perfection that we talked, this is holy name as one chants and he will utter Krishna, the form, the qualities and pastimes.

So this is of course, perfection stage we are talking about perfection of chanting mantra siddhi. So those sadhakas who have not become sadhana siddha so we are only sadhakas so this is sadhana stage. Everyone does meditate, every single person in the world, the dog, even animal they are all meditating they are all doing dhyana

’dhyayate vishayan punsa sangasteshupjayate’

So they are meditating on the objects of senses. The tiger, king of forest, he is thinking of some animal as object of his senses, he is looking for some food. Like that every single entity does meditation- contemplating. Is planning to achieve that object of their so-called meditation. So in perfection, I mean in sadhana stage as we are, so we should try to get free from that kind of meditation that we have mentioned. Practicing that mundane meditation, so we have to say not this and instead ok this one, you can think of Krishna.

Krishna’s form not mundane form, Krishna’s pastimes, not activities of the politicians or worldly people, Shimla or Dehradun or kind of abroad that kind of destination no he would like Vrindavan.

yato yato nischalati manaha chanchalam asthiram
(BG 6.26)

Wherever mind goes or mind has been going so we have to drag our mind back, replace substitute mundane thoughts are to be substituted by Krishna, Krishna as object, Krishna’s form like that.

And then we have to do our manorath or planning or meditation. As we are following on the footsteps of he did. He is one of the example, as Prabhupada said, “Akrura is our hero those who wish to go to Vrindavan and see Krishna, do the way Akrura did it.”

So we could read the pastimes of Akrura’s manorath or journey to Vrindavan. How at every step he is thinking like this way, that way how will I meet and once I meet, I will do this or Krishna will do that to me so we are given this example to follow his footsteps.

This is homework for rest of our life, this is something we want to achieve in and be perfect. And attain perfection in this homework overnight, you have to practice it or do this homework day in and day out with enthusiasm and determination.

So, this will keep you busy for long time or till last breath of my life or your life so this is homework, something to contemplate upon and then implement and practice it.

Stop our talk here.

Hare Krishna!!

By chanting more and more one day Krsna will reciprocate with you

Today’s number of participants are 508. Ok we think, kind of internet facility or speed is the factor that influences the number of participants. There may be other factors also, someone may be caught by maya or some may be sleeping. You should sometime record your chanting and you could hear and review performance of your own chanting. I heard my own chanting some days ago from one of these recordings and I was surprised I wasn’t chanting all the 16 names I was missing some. I am normally proud that I chant all the 16 names.

Iti shodashakam namnam

I think the reason why I was not chanting all the 16 names of mantra I get may be distracted as I go through this conference, sometimes there are social medias, lots of obeisances, “Oh, Maharaj bless me, today is my birthday and someone is paralyzed, Maharaja, please pray this and that lot of things.” And that I think these factors get my attention and I am not chanting all the 16 names. So, let’s not just make this japa conference a social media and type of chit chat. This conference is a serious communication. Ok that will help in concentrating and hearing all 16 names. Hari Hari !

You could send your comments on Loksanga or websites. We have dedicated website for chanting also.

Chanting brings us closer to Lord and as we chant, we get lot of realisations from chanting, during chanting or after chanting. The benediction is either on the spot or ‘pratyaksh or paroksha’ may be another time we realize or we will see the fruits of chanting.

Few days ago, I was in Pandharpur devotees have been going to take darsana of Vitthal and they were coming back. I have this garland before devotees offered another garland it to me. They returned from darsana and offered me another tulasi garland from the neck of Lord Vitthal coming in my direction. And this has been happening for several days as I am chanting here, I am getting benediction of Lord Vitthal. The devotees are given flower garlands, tulasi garlands nice fragrance. This is charnamrita from the mahabhishek of Lord Vitthal, I could have distributed to you if you were next to me. But you could only see and be happy.

Then just other day in our temple Radha Pandharinath, I was offering obeisances to the deities and stood in front of them and pujari reached the lotus feet of the deities and collected some flowers and offered them to me. Initially I was thinking he was offering me just ‘patram pushpam’ he is not offering me nothing much substantial. But as I accepted these flowers and I smelled fragrance of those flowers; I was reminded Lord’s statement.

Fragrance of the flower that is fragrance of the earth, that is offered to Lord. Lord says that fragrance is Myself so I had a strong deep realization of experience and thinking that “oh this is, don’t think this is just flowers coming to you but this is a Lord’s fragrance. It is Lord”. Lord is not different from the fragrance. But Lord is a source of that fragrance of all the fragrances, this is Lord, the fragrance is Lord. This pujari has given me Lord not just flower.

And then during the day I was reading or studying Bhagavatam and then I was reading the chapter which is entitled as ‘Description of Krishna kingdom of God Vaikuntha’ then there is a description of four Kumaras visiting Vaikuntha and finally four Kumaras encountered. They are taking darsana they are in a close proximity to the Lord, that description I was reading. It is described there those time they were arriving and entering Vaikuntha lok from one gate to another. There were seven gates they had go through. They were ‘brahmavadis’, they were more fixed on ‘brahmajyoti’ aspect of the Lord that was their realization. God is brahman. As they were moving through or moving on, they were smelling flowers, fragrance of the flowers of all these kind of substances offered to the Lord. And eventually as they reach Lord’s close proximity then they literally started smelling lotus feet of the Lord and thus they were inhaling the fragrance of the lotus feet, the chandan offered to the Lord. And as we have chandan yatra going right now, chandan is offered to the of lotus feet of the Lord. And of course, the substances also get fragrance from Lord’s lotus feet. So, they were literally smelling the lotus feet of the Lord and as a result their whole realization changed. They were kind of brahmavadis first, impersonalists, neutral bhaktas but their whole devotion aroused, revived or revolution in the consciousness and they were now realizing Lord as a Supreme Personality of Godhead.

The realization changed just by smelling the fragrance of the lotus feet of the Lord. The fragrance of the Lord, it’s non-different from the Lord.

So then further realization I had, I was also smelling the fragrance of the flowers I felt the Lord as I was smelling the fragrance of the flowers. It was further confirmed as I was reading from the 3rd canto of Bhagvatam – Four Kumaras they were transformed and evolved just by smelling the flowers at the lotus feet of Lord at Vaikuntha.

Then I turned to Caitanya Caritamrita and now Sri Krsna Caitanya Mahaprabhu now is in Jagannath Puri. He is going through His final pastimes. He is in Radha bhava, emotions of Radha, He is missing Krsna. Where is Krishna? Where is Krishna? And Sri Krishna Caitanya Mahaprabhu one day enters one garden in Jagannath Puri and He went through very special experiences. Sri Krishna Caitanya Mahaprabhu as He was looking for Krishna in fact He was smelling the fragrance and He thought that fragrance is coming from Him. He had darsana of Sri Krishna in that garden. Lord runs in the direction of that form and He is trying to grab embrace of that form which He had visualized. Suddenly there was no form so this was also fragrance connection. Sri Krishna Caitanya Mahaprabhu smelled fragrance and He had a darsana of Lord that gandha that fragrance is non-different from the Lord.

When that particular pastime when Sri Krishna Caitanya Mahaprabhu had a darsana and He lost darsana, the wind was blowing slowly ‘manda’ not ‘tivra’ that wind was carrying the fragrance same fragrance which He had smelled before. In whichever direction He got the smell ‘Oh! My Lord is now in this direction see the fragrance is coming from that direction.’ Wherever the fragrance came, He would run in that side thinking ‘Oh My Lord is in that side see that fragrance is coming from side.’ He is here, He was trying to embrace the Lord so as He was smelling the fragrance whichever direction, he was getting receiving that fragrance. Running in that direction and he was going round and round intoxicated by smelling the sweet deep fragrance. And He was rolling on the ground, He was jumping in the air and lots of emotions. He was going through these emotions. This fragrance from the body of the Lord was making Him move to the source of that fragrance.

These are some thoughts related with the fragrance, I was getting as I was getting these garlands, flowers from lotus feet, garland from the lotus feet of Lord Vitthal.

I thought this was the fruit of my chanting, Lord was reciprocating like this, these are the realizations out of my chanting and hearing and calling out, ‘Hare Krishna Hare Krishna’ these are my experiences.

May you all also experience and realize Krishna more and more; may Krishna reveal Himself to you more and more. As you chant with attention more and more.

Stop here, carry on your chanting and remembering the Lord.

Hare Krishna

Hare Krishna!

We have 561 participants so far. Today is Wednesday and that is Krishna’s day as Krishna appeared on Wednesday. In Pandharpur every Wednesday is Krishna’s day, Vitthal’s day. So it’s very special day. And I said that ‘today is Wednesday and that is Krishna’s day, Vitthal’s day, one devotee who had gone for darsana of Lord Panduranga early morning, ran to me and offered this garland. This garland is of Lord Vitthal. I am feeling blessed, Lord Vitthal has blessed me. Krishna is blessing to all of you also as you are chanting not only on Wednesday but everyday. Hare Krishna Hare Krishna, we are calling to Krishna; Oh Krishna! You are great. Oh Krishna! You are beautiful. When we chant, Lord hears, He knows that we are chanting. But how we are chanting? Whether we are clearly chanting, clearly calling out His name or we are just carrying on our chanting without seriousness, addressing Him lightly. Krishna also knows if we are chanting with bhava or not, what are our thoughts? He can read our minds.

The shepherd takes care of sheep, so many of them, the goats, sheeps. Shepherd may sometime scream wolf! wolf! So he is just making a fun. There is no wolf around, but he is just making a fun and joking and crying wolf! wolf! Villagers come with sticks, ‘where is wolf?’ So if you will keep doing this ‘wolf, wolf no one will help you out, when help is actually needed. So one day wolf came and he started crying wolf! Help me. But as people had already heard him saying like this many times before, so no one took it seriously and did not come for help. When the help was really needed, wolf had actually come; no one came forward to help.

We also have to call Krsna with bhava, bhakti. Krsna, where are you? Krsna please come. Lord can be purchased with Laulyam. That is eagerness, strong desire to have darsana of the Lord.

‘Laulyam eka mulyam’, is also said in sastras.

Then we say Lord doesn’t come. Why is Lord not coming? Because you are not calling Him as Draupadi, Draupadi had called Him. It is not His fault. He is ready to come. So when we will call Him like Draupadi, then there will be no other alternative for the Lord. He has to give darsana,

Aham bhakta paradhina (SB 9.4.63)

He says: “I am the servant of my servant. We don’t call Him like Draupadi, so He is not coming. Lord wants to come but nobody is calling Him.

Why Lord is not eating? Because you are not offering berries or fruit or food like Shabari had offered. Why is He not dancing? because you are not making Him dance like gopis. Gopis make Him dance. Gopi bhava! Why is Lord not coming? because our address is not like Draupadi. So follow the footsteps of Draupadi and so many others, six Gosvamis of Vrindavan, namacarya Srila Haridas Thakur.

If we sing glories of Lord, Lord comes.

yatra mad bhakta gayanti tatra tisthami narada

There is no alternative for the Lord. There is no one for Lord other than His devotees. And there is no one for devotees other than Lord. Lord does come, there is proof. Yes, there are so many proofs. And what is the proof? Many devotees have called Him. Suradas called and Lord appeared there. Tukaram Maharaja also called on Bhandara hill which is near Dehu, there he called Lord,

‘Pandurang, Pandurang, Pandurang, Jai Jai Rama Krishna Hari! Jai Jai Rama Krishna Hari!’

May be we have not called like Tukaram Maharaja called. That time even there were no instruments. We use so many kinds of instruments. When we do kirtana there is microphone and so many other facilities. When Saint Tukaram used to do kirtana, he used to pick two stones and use them as kartal.

So many examples, millions of devotees had called out for Lord many times and Lord gave them darsana every time. It is not that we are the first one who are calling Lord and desiring darsana, association of the Lord. As soon as right chemistry is there, right kind of address, right mood, intense mood and all that is there, then for sure, Lord keeps His promise.

yatra mam bhakta gayanti tatra tisthami narada (BS 5.37)

So Lord does come and He will keep coming, but there is some short fall on our part. How to chant with that mission, intention or mission, right mood, following footsteps.

premanjancchurit bhakti vilocanena
santah sadaivi hrdayesu vilokayanti (BS 5.38)

Lord comes face to face. There is no problem from Lords side but problem is on our side. Lord understands what is the condition of our minds, what is going in our minds.

ye tatha mam prapadyante tams tathaiva bhajami aham(BG 4.11)

We cannot say that Lord is not giving darsana. So let’s keep chanting with devotion, feelings, you may say that I don’t have love and bhava then how could I call Lord with love and devotion when it’s not there. So the answer is, chanting of Hare Krishna is the means and the goal. It is sadhya as well as sadhana. Soul has love for Lord, keep chanting ,

Hare Krishna Hare Krishna
Krishna Krishna Hare Hare,
Hare Rama Hare Rama
Rama Rama Hare Hare

Gradually day by day, day after day more love will arouse, manifest. Chant more and revive more love, revive and survive.

Hare Krishna

Number of participants 596 so far! So, we are almost there. May be another five ten steady chanters! We have ten more days to go to achieve our target of 600 steady chanters of this conference till the end of this month. Encourage others and keep chanting!

Keep chanting the holy names of the Lord regularly constantly and you will be with Him, right then and there, and here. The Holy name is the Lord.
So, I am here in Pandharpur. Pandharpur is known for chanting also. Or it is said here locally and in shastras that this holy abode Pandharpur is known as Nada brahma. Nada is vibration of the names of the Lord, the sura, tal or nada, the note they indicate the name of the Lord. Of course, we know Anna Para brahma, the food that is offered to the Lord also becomes brahma, becomes Lord’s prasad is same as Lord. In Jagannath Puri, Lord is known as Anna brahma. So, at different holy places Lord is known by different features, His Personalities or His manifestations.

In Srirangam He is known for His sleeping pastimes, Bhuktam madhuram, in Jagannath Puri He is relishing lot of food and suktam madhuram, and likewise Lord is known as Nada brahma here in Pandharpur. That is always chanting the Holy names of the Lord here or Lord’s bhajan and kirtan is constantly chanted here in Pandharpur dham.

So, every Ekadashi or one of the two ekadashis, I think Sukla paksh, fortnight, devotees of Panduranga Vitthala come from long distances, many of them come walking and they just don’t walk, come singing and chanting, come towards Lord. And Srila Prabhupada compared these chanting parties coming to Pandharpur from different destinations, in large numbers of course they come, he compared these parties with Gaudiya Vaisnava sankirtan parties. As we Gaudiya vaisnavas use mridanga and karatals, which are the main instruments for them also which they play. And they always dance in kirtana like Chaitanya Mahaprabhu did and all the Gaudiya vaisnavas, as soon as they chant, they are dancers. So Srila Prabhupada appreciates the mood of the singers and chanters and dancers, they called Warkaris, on pilgrimage to Pandharpur while performing sankirtan. Now the devotees and associates of this dhama, they all sing the glories of the Lord, Vitthala Panduranga, who is Krishna and they compile so many abhangas and hundreds and thousands of them, which are sung regularly in every town, every village of Maharashtra.

And of course, 500 years ago Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu visited Pandharpur and He spent here quiet some time. Chaitanya Charitamrta describes, for 11 days Mahaprabhu stayed in Pandharpur. So, Lord has said He stayed here. Lord doesn’t stay in some guest house. He was busy and mostly He was busy with two things. He was chanting and dancing on the streets of Pandharpur and also chanting right in front of Panduranga Vitthala in darsana mandal. He was chanting and dancing with great ecstasy that is one thing. Hari Hari! He spent another seven days in association of Srirangapuri, disciple of Madhavendra Puri and they spent time in nityam bhagavat sevaya and that was also kirtan sravanam kirtanam hari katha, so this was second thing, one was kirtan and other was also kirtan, the glories of the Lord, they were sharing and hearing in Pandharpur.

We have ISKCON here, ISKCON Pandharpur and we have Radha Pandharinath and we consider this dhama non different from Vrindavan. We have Radha Pandharinath here. Others consider this Pandharpur as Bhuvaikuntha of the earth or they consider Pandharpur as daskhin Dwaraka or extension of Dwaraka. But we consider it as Vrindavan dhama.

I have written a book, of course we are calling it Bhuvaikuntha and there is lot of glories of Pandharpur dhama, mahatmya, glories of Pandharpur dhama. In that book we are making this point or explain this point by giving evidence, how this Pandharpur is not just Vaikuntha, it is Goloka Vrindavan.

So, this book was written in Marathi around 10 years ago and this book is in big demand. We have published this book I think in seven editions, seven times, some more than 40000 copies have been distributed, mostly in Marathi and Hindi also. And now I have the next festival here in July, the Prabhupada ghat opening and also my birthday is coming up. By that time, we wish to make this book available in English language first time, so you could all, the devotees from around the world would also hear and understand the glories of Pandharpur dhama.

Of course, on the altar besides Vitthala Rukmini, I am talking about Pandharpur dhama deities, of course we have ISKCON, we have Radha and Pandharinath, but the Vitthala altar also has Rukmini and Radharani is also there. So that’s very clear indication that this dhama is not just Vaikuntha or Dwaraka but this is Goloka Vrindavan. And part of Pandharpur dhama is another dhama that is Gopalpur, there is Pandharpur and Gopalpur. And Gopalpur is exclusively, that is Vrindavan, Krishna’s cow herding pastimes took place there. And there are footprints of cows and calves, Krishna’s flute and all that symbols, markings reminders of Krishna’s Vrindavan pastimes. Some days, four five days of Ashadhi ekadashi festival, all the pilgrims they go to Gopalapur and they have festival called Gopalkala meaning, the cowherd boys or the pilgrims are in mood of cowherd boys, they sit around in circles and they honor Prasad called Gopalkala and they re-inact the pastimes of Krishna enjoying His meals or food, lunch on the bank of Yamuna. Near there is also the hill which is considered as the Govardhan hill of the Vrindavan and at the foothill of this Govardhan hill, Yamuna flows and enters into the Chandrabhaga river, there is the confluence of Yamuna and Chandrabhaga. So, these all manifestations, features of Pandharpur dhama exists, we also had explained in the Pandharpur book.

So, keep chanting, the dhama reminds also the glories of the Holy name and all saints associated with the dhama. One of those saints is Tukaram, who is known for his bhajans and kirtans and chanting and this also considered, it is said that Tukaram was initiated by Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and Tukaram has spread glories of chanting Holy names of the Lord as well as the holy glories compiled and recited by him.

Okay, so you are welcome to Pandharpur for the festival in July month. Here devotees are doing arrangements for receiving you and giving you prasadam and specially chanting and dancing and some hearing program has been planned here. So, you all are welcome to Pandharpur dhama opening. Join us and see yourself or hear and understand the glories of the dhama here and glories of the holy name here.
Okay keep chanting!
Hare Krishna!

596 today, we have almost reached our goal today. Keep chanting the holy name of the Lord regularly constantly and you will be with the Lord. Right here we will be with the Lord. The holy name is the Lord. Nada brahma- I am in Pandharpur dhama and it’s known for chanting. According to sastra and locally Pandharpur is called as Nada brahma.

Nada is vibration of the names of the Lord, nada – sura –tala indicate the name of Lord. Of course, we know Anna Para brahma, food that is offered to the Lord also becomes same as the Lord. Lord in Jagannath Puri is called as Anna brahma . At different holy places Lord is known by different features or aspects of His Personalities. Lord in Sri Rangam is known for its sleeping pastime, Suptam pastime.

bhuktam madhuram suptam madhuram

Bhuktam pastimes in Jagannath Puri. Likewise, Lord is known for Nada brahma in Pandharpur. Pandharpur is famous for Lord’s holy name. Lord’s bhajan and kirtan is constantly chanted here. Every ekadasi or one of the two Ekadasi sukla paksha fortnightly Pandharpur Vitthala devotees come walking towards Pandharpur. They don’t just walk they sing and walk towards the Lord.

Srila Prabhupada compares the sankirtana parties coming to Pandharpur in large numbers to Gaudiya vaisnava sankirtana party. As Gaudiya vaisnavas use mridanga and kartala, these are the main instruments of sankirtana parties also. They are always dancing in kirtan as Caitanya Mahaprabhu did. As soon as there is chanting there is dancing also.

Srila Prabhupada appreciates the mood of the singers the dancers. They are called as warkaris. Devotees sing the glories of Pandharpur while performing sankirtana on the way. Acaryas who have come to Pandharpur have written abhangas which are sang regularly in kirtan in every town and every village of Maharashtra .

Of course 500 years ago Caitanya Mahaprabhu visited Pandharpur and Caitanya Caritamrita states He stayed here for 11 days. Lord does not just stay in any guest house but Lord was busy with two things chanting and dancing on the streets of Pandharpur. Also chanting and dancing right in front of Lord Pandhuranga, dancing in darsana mandap with ecstasy in front of Lord Pandharpur, this was one thing. He stayed another 7 days in association of Srirangapuri disciple of Madhavendra Puri they spent time in nityam bhagavata sevaya. So these were two things, He was busy with Harinama kirtan and Bhagavatam kirtanam.

So we have ISKCON here in Pandharpur we have Radha Pandhrinatha. We consider this dhama non different from Vrindavan. Others consider it as Bhu Vaikuntha or south Dwarka. But we consider it non different from Vrindavan. I have written a book of course we call it Bhuvaikuntha in its mahatmya, I have written that it’s Vrindavan. There are many evidences that it’s nondifferent from Vrindavan. This book was original in Marathi, some 10 years ago. This book is in great demand. It’s printed 7 times, 40000 copies have been distributed. By next festival here in July that’s my birthday we will have this book in English. So devotees around the world could understand the glories of Pandharpur dhama.

In the ISKCON temple we have Radha Pandharinath and on the altar in the Vittala temple we have Rukmini and Radha Rani also. That’s a very clear indication that this dhama is not just Vaikuntha or Dwarka it’s Vrindavan. Part of Pandharpur dhama there is Gopalpur, Krsna’s cow herding pastimes took place there. The foot prints of cows, calves, Krsna’s flute like that all these symbols reminds us of Vrindavan.

4 -5 days after ashadi ekadasi devotees go to Gopalpur and they have festival there called as Gopalkala meaning all cowherd boys sit in circle and have Bhajan. So, devotees in mood of cowherd boys also sit in circle remembering the Go-charan pastime and enjoy prasadam there called as Gopalkala.

There is also is a mountain nearby that’s Govardhana. At the foot hill of this Govardhana hill, Yamuna also flows here and joins Chandrabhaga, there is confluence of Yamuna and Chandrabhaga.

I have described all this in my book. So, keep chanting. Pandharpur dhama also reminds of the glories of the holy name and saints here in Pandharpur. One such devotee was Tukaram Maharaja he was known for his abhangas, bhajans, kirtan. It is considered that Tukaram was initiated by Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu and he has spread the glories of the Lord by his chanting. He has written the glories of the Lord in his abhangas and were also sung by him.

Hare Krsna

jai narsingha sri narsingh
jai jai sri narsingha
ugram viram maha-vishnum
jvalantam sarvato mukham
nrisimham bhishanam bhadram
mrityur mrityum namamy aham
Prahalad Narsingha Dev ki Jai

Harikirtana nice name, Hari’s kirtana- Harikirtana. Today’s participants 580 still there is obstacle on our path in reaching the target. Target of 600 steady chanters by end of this month. May Lord Narsingha remove that obstacle.

Lord Narsingh Dev ki jai!

We need 20 more steady chanters. Please Lord, I am praying on your behalf to Lord Narsingha Dev. Once we have 650 chanters few days ago on day of Ekadasi that means some of you are not steadily chanting on this conference being unsteady that is also anartha. I pray that Lord Narsingha remove that obstacle from your life.

You want more vapu association then vani association. You would all like me to visit your temples, visit your country. I am trying to minimize my travel. And hence we have this means of communication like we are doing this japa through this conference. May be you demand of me personally coming to you to your home, to your temple, to your countries, to continents. May Lord settle you with this. More important is vani association, vani seva.

Vapu seva verses vani seva, so may you all be settled with vani seva concept. Not be attached to vapu seva, vani seva is more important.

We are all chanters of the holy name. Of course we have received this instruction of chanting from our spiritual master but originally this instruction came from Prahalad Maharaj, a great devotee of Lord Narsingha Dev. He got this instruction from Narada Muni when he was in womb of his mother.

śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ
smaraṇaṁ pāda-sevanam
arcanaṁ vandanaṁ dāsyaṁ
sakhyam ātma-nivedanam

(SB 7.5.23)

These are the nine ways to serve the Lord. His demonic father had sent him to so called gurukul -school where teachers were also demons Shanda and Amarka.

One time when Prahalad Maharaj had come for vacation, he had come back to palace of Hiranyakasipur. Then Hiranyakasipur had enquired “My dear little boy, what did you learn, could you tell me the essence of what you had learnt. Prahalad Maharaj said “Sravanam kirtanam visnoh smaranam..” these are the nine ways to serve my Lord, serve Krsna.

Especially in this age of kali this is the process to serve and love the Lord. Beginning with sravanam, kirtanam, smaranam this is the process which we have to learn from Prahalad Maharaj, which he learned from Narada Muni. Narada Muni learned from Brahma and which he learned from Lord Himself. So in that parampara we are taught this process of chanting and hearing that we do during this conference also

As one takes to process of chanting hearing sravanam kirtanam then there are obstacles stumbling blocks. Something that comes to do vinash of our bhakti. Some factors some personalities and we want protection. We want someone to remove these obstacles.

Lord Narsingha is known for bhakti vighna vinashak. Narsingha Dev bhagvan ki jai! Bhakti vighna vinashak Narsingha dev ki jai!

Lord Narsingha Dev removes obstacles anarthas. We want Narsingha Dev we want Him to intervene and help us out so that we could carry on our chanting and hearing.

kesava dhrita-narahari-rupa jaya jagadisa hare [Sri Dasavatara-stotra]

Narsingha Dev is Krsna Keshav dhrita, Keshav became Narsingha. Krsna assumes the form of Narsingha and then He does His lila to remove obstacles. He becomes Bhakti vighna vinashak for the practitioners, the chanters of holy name. As we chant Radha’s name obstacles are there, stumbling block are there. Then Krsna for us also becomes Narsingha and removes those obstacles.

He removes all obstacles from our path of bhakti. So Prahalad Maharaj’s own father was obstacle on the path of his devotional service. In our case also it could be our parents our neighbors, somebody, some man, some women they become kind of personification of kama, krodha, lobha, mad, moha, matsarya, personification of all these demoniac qualities. Or that demon could also be hiding within us. Our mentality could be like that of a demon.

We are also stumbling block on our path of our devotional service. So that was demonstrated by Lord by appearing as Narsingha. That Lord got rid of this Hiranyakasipur. He was lust personified, kama and spirit of enjoyment. They are inside and outside. We would like to pray to Narsingha Dev that there are so many obstacles, please remove these obstacles.

Jai Narsingha Dev.

As there is lion king of the forest, he maintains peace in the forest as all the other animals are scared of him and they don’t create any disturbances. Like that, this material world is also like a dangerous forest filled with animals which keep on attacking us.

So, Lord Narsingha Dev like a bodyguard will always give us protection form anarthas –kama, krodha, lobha, moha, mad, matsarya and other people who create disturbances in our chanting and hearing.

yato yato yami tato nrisimhah
bahir nrisimho hridaye nrisimho
nrisimham adim saranam prapadye

This prayer we pray, Oh! Lord be with me, wherever I go, be around and protect me so that I can carry on my devotional activities without any obstacles. This demon Hiranyakasipur

wanted to be immortal. Like that demons personified around us want to survive, thrive and be around us troubling us forever. That was also wish of Hiranyakasipur but Lord kindly and so smartly and intelligently He handled Hiranyakasipur took care of him, smashed him. Like that there are anarthas around us day after day and day in and day out or forever. But Lord Narsingha Dev took care of Prahalad Maharaj like that He takes care of demons around us. Lord is very tricky also.

Today is appearance day of Narsingha Dev but we want Lord to always be in our life and give us power to fight with the obstacles. We should always thank Lord Narsingha as He protects us from all obstacles. We should welcome the Lord, we thank Lord for whatever He is doing for us. Be part of our life, enter our life. He should keep appearing in our life every day.

Today is Narsingha chaturdasi you should all celebrate it where ever you are. It was first started in Los Angeles by Srila Prabhupada.

Narsingha Dev ki jai!

Prahalad Maharaj ki jai!

Hare Krsna

Today’s participants are 575 by now, we have assigned Padmamali Prabhu to keep track of the participants. And at the end of the month the scores will be announced. I am expecting and praying that you are improving the quality of your chanting after joining this conference in association of devotees and I am witness, I am also present. So some devotees are replying ‘Yes Guru Maharaj definitely’ So, sometimes you also write that your japa is improving in my association. You should also tell if you are facing any problem in chanting. Some devotees in Ukraine must be getting up very early so your sleep may not be completed. You can write your realizations or questions, appreciations we can’t do that fully or whole heartedly here so we have our official website. We will try to respond to your questions.

So japa talk is to inspire you for quality chanting and attentive chanting. We give some tips, guidelines, some inspirational statements for improving your chanting. So talking of the mood during chanting also I would like to share the mood of Akrura while he was on the way to Vrindavan to meet Sri Krsna. Srila Prabhupada strongly recommends us to cultivate that kind of mood for those who are going to Vrindavan. So you might be thinking I only go once to Vrindavan during kartik time or Govardhan puja time or Mayapur Vrindavan festival. But that’s not true while chanting we are on our journey or we are on our way to Vrindavan. We aspire to meet Krsna, see Krsna, meet Krsna, associate with Krsna, be a apart of His pastimes. So we are thinking of meeting Krsna, where we will find Krsna? In Vrindavan, we will find Krsna in Vrindavan, He does not put a step out of Vrindavan. Our goal is to meet Him, feel Him so that’s the journey; we are on the way to Vrindavan while we are chanting.

vrindavanam parityajya padam ekam na gacchati
So your goal while chanting is to meet Krsna. So,
ratham asthayaprayayau nanda-gokulam[SB 10.38.1]

Bhagavatam is describing journey of Akrura to Vrindavan or of Vrindavan. His journey is described as prayayau, Sukdeva Goswami does not say yayau means to go but he says prayayau, prakrista rupena yayau. Making his journey wholesome and what made his journey wholesome? The way he was thinking and contemplating and aspiring to meet to Krsna. All those thoughts made that journey a wholesome journey or prayayau journey.

In fact there were kind of two journeys his body was moving forward in the chariot and his soul, his thoughts were seated on the chariot of his mind this journey is called manoratha. Mind does thinking feeling willing so that mind is also seated on a chariot and is travelling moving forward in the direction of Vrindavan. So there are two journeys simultaneously happening of body and mind. Both the journeys are happening seating in the chariot, seating in the chariot of mind. He is thinking its great fortune of mine that I am able to go Vrindavan. What did I do? Is that due to the austerities i did I am able to go to Vrindavan today and will be able to see Krsna.

But as he thinks I have not performed any austerities, I have not done any charities, I have not performed any yajnas still He is allowing me to go to Vrindavan and see Him today. It must be just causeless mercy of Lord that I am able to go to Vrindavan. He was thinking this aspiration or desire of wanting to take His darsana or meet Krsna he had always maintained in his heart for long time. May be because of that I am able to go.

Kamsa, as the kind of person he was, he had been harassing so many Yadavas. So all the devotees and Kings of Mathura as result they had gone to this country that country. They had deserted but in midst of that Akrura tolerated all the inconvenience or harassment of Kamsa and he stayed on in Mathura the only reason being Mathura is next to Vrindavan, sometime I will be able to have darsana of my Lord. So he had maintained this desire that I will meet Krsna and see Krsna. So he never left Mathura, while others had done so. On the way to Vrindavan he was thankful to Kamsa because he is the one who was sending Akrura to Vrindavan; of course he had different reason why he is sending Akrura. But Akrura’s own purpose of meeting Krsna was also getting fulfilled. So he was thanking Kamsa.

Akrura is also thinking he is thinking and thinking that I hope and pray that Krsna will not misunderstand me that I have been sent, dispatched by Kansa. But then Akrura thinking, no no Krsna is in everybody’s heart, He knows what is on my mind. I preferred this path, Kamsa has his reasons but I have different reason, for different reason I am going to Vrindavan.

Krsna will not misunderstand; He will certainly understand my feelings of going to Vrindavan. Kamsa has his own purpose and I have my own purpose and for sure Krsna will definitely take recognition of this and He will not misunderstand me.

Akrura, his mind is fixed on Krsna or on meeting Krsna, darsana of Sri Krsna. He has whole strategy. As I arrive in Nandagokul, first person I want to see in Gokul is Krsna and Balarama. I don’t want to see anybody. First person he wants to see is Krsna. That is why he doesn’t want to arrive in the middle of the day while Krsna is in the forest. He wants to arrive in Nandagokul around the time of Krsna’s returning from forest, like sandhyakal or godhuli bela that’s the time he wants to arrive,just little after Krsna’s arrival from forest. So he is making all this strategic planning. So as soon he reaches there, Krsna is there and he would see Him.

Akrura is also thinking, so this is his mood and contemplating. He is thinking, oh Krsna is known as Uttamsloka He is glorified by uttamslokas. Beautiful, wonderful slokas He is glorified. I won’t be able to do that so I am not qualified or eligible to meet Him. I won’t be able to see him because I won’t be able to praise Him with best of the shloka, best of the statements or verses.

One name of Krsna is Uttamsloka, He is also called Uttamsloka but then he remembers He is also known as Achyuta, meaning infallible. Krsna never falls in maya or never falls down. Living entities could fall down. But Krsna never falls down or maya never takes over Krsna, He always remains on top of maya, Achyuta.

So when Akrura is thinking that Krsna is addressed as Achyuta he is thinking Lord is very kind and He never falls. Being kind is His nature and under all circumstances He is very kind Achyuta. In that sense he is thinking. Look Putana had come to Him and only thought of coming to Him, she wanted to make Krsna her child. She wanted to feed Him, what she wanted to feed is another thing, the poison. Just a thought of feeding Krsna but Krsna took it in different sense. He exhibited all kindness to her.

kam va dayalum saranam vrajema [SB 3.2.23]
Uddhava was taking like that to Vidura.

And then Krsna made another mother other then Yasodha, mother Putana in the spritual sky. Look at the kindness of the Lord. This is the nature of My lord, He is achyuta. Then he thought there is a hope for me. I can’t do Uttamsloka but He is Achyuta. I am sure He will be kind to me as I am going to meet Him, He will certainly give me darsana.

It’s not that I want to see Him or living entity wants to meet Krsna but Krsna also wants to see, meet living entity, His children, His part and parcel. So we take one step and Krsna takes 1000 steps towards us. While he was traveling to Vrindavan he is thinking of beauty of Krsna. His pitambar,

purnendra sundar mukhat arvind netrat

He is bringing all those beautiful features in his mind and he is contemplating on beauty of Krsna.

drakṣyāmi nūnaṁ su-kapola-nāsikaṁ [SB 10.38.9]

Certainly I will see my Lord, who is sukapola nasikam He has broad forehead and raised nose.

smitāvalokāruṇa-kañja-locanam

His smiling face and beautiful blooming eyes I will see, draksyami nunam. So he is contemplating on the beautiful features of the Lord.

So like that there is lot more about the mood and mission of Akrura. His mission of meeting Krsna. He is very thoughtful, he is thinking of Krsna, he is very anxious to meet Krsna. Prabhupada says one should have mood like Akrura while as one is on the way to Vrindavan. And we are moving towards Vrindavan while chanting. So the mood or bhava or dhyana or meditation is of prime importance on the way back to Vrindavan, on the way back to meet Krsna. OK time for darsana.

Hare Krishna

Encourage everybody to keep chanting and chant with attention. Attentive chanting or meditative chanting, offence less chanting Sravanam, kirtanam leads to smaranam. It helps us in remembering the Lord. We are chanting to remember the Lord’s pastimes. Each day could be an opportunity, a reason to remember different pastimes. If we remember what day it is then that also becomes a reason to remember different pastimes. What we have heard the day before can also help us remember different pastimes.

So today is Rukmini Dvadasi, appearance day of Rukmini Maharani. So naturally while chanting we remember form of Rukmini, pastimes of Rukmini, abode of Rukmini which is related to Dwarkadhish. As we hear and remember the consorts of the Lord we get attached to the Lord. We feel we should get the association of Sri Sri Rukmini Dwarkadhish and Vitthala Rukmini.

dhyayato visayan pumsah
sangas tesupajayate [BG 2.62]

When we contemplate on something we get attached to it. From the life of Rukmini we can understand as She heard about Dwarkadhish She got attached to Him. Sometimes we write, ‘How I came to Krsna Consciousness in Back To Godhead magazine. I also wrote. It is interesting to know how Rukmini became Krsna conscious. First of all we can remember Her birthplace, Rukmini was born in Kundinpur, Vidarbha Central India about 150 kms from Nagpur.

There lived king Bhīsmaka and She is daughter of Bhīsmaka so She was called Bhīsmaka kanya. She was born in Vidarbha so She is also called Vaidarbhi. Her complexion is golden so She is called Rukmini – rukma means gold. As she grew as a child in Kundinpur, there were many opportunities to hear about the Lord from saints visiting King Bhīsmaka. Those parivrajakacaryas had association of Dwarkadhish and they traveled to Kundinpur and shared the pastimes of Dwarkadhish with King Bhīsmaka. Rukmini would sit around and hear.

Sri Suka uvaca, Sukadev Goswami has narrated pastimes of Rukmini in the 10th canto from chapter 52 onwards as to how She was brought up in Kundinpur, how She was kidnapped by Lord Dwarkadhish. An interesting detail about Rukmini is She is Chandravali. Just like Radha becomes Satyabham in Dwarka.

Lailta becomes Jambavati and Vishaka becomes Kalindi. So the gopis become consorts of Dwarkadhish in Dwarka.

sopaśrutya mukundasya
 rūpa-vīrya-guṇa-śriyaḥ
gṛhāgatair gīyamānās
 taṁ mene sadṛśaṁ patim [SB 10.52.23]

Sukadev Goswami is narrating with great joy how Rukmini heard about the Lord who is described here as Mukunda about His Rupa, His pastimes, His qualities. Rukmini heard from those parivrajakacaryaa of Dwarka.

taṁ mene sadṛśaṁ patim

Her determination was that She would only marry Dwarkadhish. ‘I love you, Oh Lord!She had never seen or met Him. Just by hearing about Him She wanted to marry Him only. This could also happen to us. We could also come to such a conclusion that I will accept the Lord only as my husband. ‘My Lord and no one else and I will be chaste about it and I will not go to anyone else. Not to this Demigod or this person or that person nayti nayti mam yeti fixed on the Lord only. This is attentive chanting.

vyavasayatmika buddhir
ekeha kuru-nandana
bahu-sakha hy anantas ca
buddhayo ‘vyavasayinam [BG 2.41]

Fixed get determination only on Krsna and not on many branches, so cut of all those branches that’s called vyavasayatmika buddhi. So she got such buddhi by hearing about the Lord. Elder brother of Rukmini Rukmi was against Rukmini getting married to Krsna because he had proposed Krsna’s number one enemy Sisupala to be Her husband. So Rukmini sat down and wrote a love letter to the Lord. First thing She wrote Sukadev Gowami has narrated that letter in Bhagavatam it contains 7 sloks.

So first thing She mentions is,

rī-rukmiṇy uvāca
śrutvā guṇān bhuvana-sundara śṛṇvatāṁ te
nirviśya karṇa-vivarair harato ’ṅga-tāpam [SB 10. 52.37]

She admits and writes: ‘You are so sundar, You are so beautiful. I heard through ears and those sounds reached my heart and that has given me relief. My temperature has gone done. I was missing You, separation from You, but hearing about You I am pacified and it has made me happy.

You could read rest of the pastimes which run through different chapters. And you could also sometime visit the birth place of Rukmini. That’s also part of my preaching zone. We are happy we are serving Kaundinpur. Its also called as Kaundinyapur in Maharashtra. Today there is a big celebration, big birthday
party. We have 5 acres land and we are confident that it is where the kidnapping of Rukmini occurred and Balarama had also come. Our land is between the palace of Bhīsmaka and Ambikadevi. As you know She would go to pray to Ambikadevi so that She gets Lord Dwarkadhish as Her husband. We also find kadamba trees on our property. Nowhere else you will find kadamba trees in Vidarbha. So how did the kadamba tree grow there. We like to believe that when Dwarkadhish had come to kidnap Rukmini some flowers must have fell from the garland He was wearing. Now more and more trees are growing on our property. Nobody was planting them. Akrura Prabhu is taking care of that land he had showed me many tress growing there. So please come to Kaundinpur. Also we have Rukmini Dwarkadhish temple in Amravati. We are planning to build a big temple in Kaundinpur.

Rukmini Dwarkadhish ki jai
Kaundinpur dhama ki jai