IN SUCH A STATE OF MIND…..

At one point we had 404 participants. 84 years old Mokshada Mataji was the eldest devotee chanting with us. There were many young devotees from VOICE and BACE. So all young and old are joining the conference. They all are chanting with us. That us includes you all , me and why not? That us also includes Gauranga – Caitanya Mahaprabhu. We are chanting with Caitanya Mahaprabhu. We are chanting with Krsna or at least our goal is to chant with the Lord. Chant so that He makes His appearance, we feel His presence. We do Japa yoga and we establish our connection with the Lord so we pray that He gives us his association, as we chant. As He has promised

naham vasami vaikunthe yoginam hridaye na cha
mad-bhakta yatra gayanti tatra tishthami narada

Neither do I reside in Vaikuntha nor in the hearts of the Yogis, but I dwell where My devotees sing My name, Oh Narada !

Wherever My devotees are chanting, I am present there. That becomes My address. You will find Me where My devotees are chanting. So we are chanting and a promise is a promise. I am sure the Lord is keeping His promise. He said you just chant I will be there. We are confident He is keeping his promise and giving us His association. The Lord is more than a gentleman. It is a gentleman’s promise. Of course each one of us has to experience the presence of the Lord and that presence will depend upon the purity of our chanting or surrender unto the holy name, unto the Lord.

ye yatha mam prapadyante
tams tathaiva bhajamy aham
mama vartmanuvartante
manusyah partha sarvasah ( BG. 4.11)

As all surrender unto Me, I reward them accordingly. Everyone follows My path in all respects, O son of Pṛthā.

Lord reciprocates to the degree of our surrender, and to that degree we will get association. Some get less , some get more. It’s up to you how much you are willing to surrender unto the Lord. So let’s keep chanting.

nama asraye kari jatan tumhi tako apan kaje

So let’s keep surrendering to the Lord. Let’s keep surrendering to the holy name of the Lord. That is what we practice every time we chant. We wanted to do that in the mood of surrender and mood of helplessness also. Help! Help! Aayi nandtanuj… that prayer is also there. My dear lord, you are the only refuge. In that prayer we beg to the lotus feet of the Lord to accept us and fix us at his lotus feet. Engage us in service of his lotus feet. In order to give us shelter, or to give us opportunity to surrender unto him Lord appeared 533 years ago. Gauranga appeared. Gaur Purnima is just one day from now. He kindly appeared.

Golokam ca parityajya lokanam trana-karanat kalau gauranga-rupena lila-lavanya-vigrahah.( Markandeya Purana)

This is the verdict of puranas. Lord left His Goloka behind and He appeared in this world to save us, to protect us, to give us relief from distress, from all sorts of miseries. It is said and it’s also true. Prior to His appearance in the evening as Nimai, the Lord appeared during the day yet in another form. That form is the holy name.

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

Caitanya Bhagavata describes that the Lord was kindly bringing many, many persons, conditioned souls on the banks of Ganges, bringing them to Dham. Some sinners were coming. Normally they are not in the mood to come to the dham or come to Ganga. On lunar eclipse the Lord kindly compelled them or kindly drag them. Changed their whole attitude, their consciousness and they were all running. They were all practically running to the bank of the Ganges chanting – Har har Gange and chanting of Hare Krishna mahamantra. Lord was throwing his mercy on all those in the form of holy name. Giving himself to them in the form of the holy name. kali kale krsna rupe nama avatar (CC Adi 17.22) Lord kindly before appearing in the evening at the time of moonrise or Sunset , during the day he appeared in the form of Holy name. Sastra’s describe we should all remember this kali kale naam rupe Krishna avatar. In the age of Kali Lord appears in the form of Holy name. We should all take full advantage of this merciful form of the Lord. This naam- Swarup of the Lord. Nama is Swarup of the Lord. It is said about holy name that. – nama Cintamani’

rasa vigraha nitya shuddha nitya Mukta abhinnatvat nam namino. ( Padma Purana )

So holy name is nama Cintamani. Like dham Cintamani’, nama is also Cintamani. Caitanya rasa vigraha. It is full of Caitanya, full of consciousness, full of Krishna consciousness. Rasa vigraha full of rasa.its nectarean. It’s nittya – eternal. It’s purna – complete, suddha – pure. What else abhinnatvat nama namino. The Lord and His name are non different. Because of establishing a relationship with nama prananti we will become enlivened. There will be life flowing. Rasa vigraha. It’s full of rasa anandabhudhi vardhanam. – full of happiness. In such a state of mind as we have been describing , understanding the naam-tattva, with humility and in prayerful mood, “ in such a state of mind” , actually lot more could be said about This – “ such a state of mind”, but I just mentioned few things . In such a state of mind one can chant holy name of the Lord constantly. If we have such a state of mind then we will be able to chant holy name of the Lord constantly, that is the idea.

Okay, we will stop here. I am still here at Radha-Gopinath temple . We are getting ready for tomorrow’s installation of Ananta Sesa. We are setting the scene. You are all welcomed. Wish you all a happy Gaur Purnima festival. Gauranga!!!
Hare Krishna!

Some devotees are joining now when we are about to finish. We are 407 participants today. Congratulations! Because of your efforts, numbers are on the rise. There were 400 participants which actually means that actual chanters may be 600 or above as many chant in groups.

Some of be you are joining little late. The first batch to join is from Russia and South Africa. They are taking so much trouble to get up early in the morning. Also Mauritian devotees are getting up early. From India they are a little behind. They should be the first ones. Because this is a favourable time. We are beginning the conference somewhere around 5.45 am. We will appreciate it if you could join the conference from the very beginning. Some of you are catching us at the end, but then you miss all fun – the joy of chanting together. So try to be on time. Early to bed early to rise makes a man and woman also healthy, wealthy and wise. So sleep early and get up early and chant .

We had also been mentioning, – Healthy, Wealthy and Wise! How would this help you to become wealthy? How does getting up early in the morning and chanting Hare Krishna make you wealthy? This holy name is wealth. It’s the most valuable gift. It is Krsna himself. So we begin acquiring Krsna early in the morning. We begin our fixed deposits at 5.00 am. Every one begins making money at 10.00 or 11.00 am when they open their shops. They may be making money then, but we make money from 5.00 am. Some devotees start even earlier than that. In our recent GBC meetings, there was talk about japa. Some of the sannyasis, Gurus were saying , ‘I get up at 2.00 am in the morning and chant my rounds before mangal-aarti.’ One leader, Narahari Prabhuji from Hawaii said this. We address these kind of devotees who get up early morning and chant their Hare Krishna as “Dhanya ho!” You have become wealthy, enriched, richer by chanting Hare Krishna. For this purpose acquire this wealth, which is acquiring Krsna. Get up early in the morning and first business is to chant Hare Krishna. Everything else comes later.

I just remembered, once HH Radha Govinda Maharaja was saying, “People generally say , we have no time, we are so busy. We have this to do, that to do. If we become free, if we find time then we will chant Hare Krishna or then we will come to the temple. We will read Bhagavad-Gita when we are free, as we have so much to do.” It should be the other way round. We should think, I have so much to do in my spiritual practices. I need so much time for my chanting, so much time for darsana. I need so much time for sadhu sanga. I have to read Bhagavatam. nityam bhagavata sevaya. ( SB. 1.2.18) I have so much to do, if I have some free time from this, then I will do some other things. If only I find time after doing this spiritual business, then I will think of doing this or that. This was Radha Govinda Maharaja’s point about giving priority to spiritual life and spiritual practices. Take care of our soul. Take care of yourself. That we have to take care of one self. If we have to make atma as mahatma, then what Radha Govinda Maharaja was saying was very true. Give priority to your spiritual practices, nourish your souls. Then you are richer or dhanya.

We have a few days to go before Gaura Purnima. I am here at ISKCON Nagpur. As I told you all yesterday, we are preparing to celebrate Gaura Purnima. There will be lots of chanting and hearing and prasada in the evening. During the day we are going to commence construction of our dream project of Radha Gopinath temple and international Vedic Cultural Centre. We will be installing Lord Ananta Sesa. He will be ready to hold the project on his transcendental hoods. So all the devotees, life members and patrons are getting ready. This year’s Gaur Purnima will be celebrated by commencing construction of Radha Gopinath temple of ISKCON Nagpur. You are all welcome to join. My god brother Haripad Prabhuji will be attending the function. So we will have the association of senior devotees , Prabhupad disciples on Gaura Purnima.

Guru Maharaja showed the Deity of Ananta Sesa to be installed before starting of construction

Take darsana of Ananta Sesa. He will be installed. He will hold the project on His hoods on the day of Gaura Purnima.

We will stop for the day with that announcement. You will get a report of festivities here. We will meet tomorrow. You have to chant more and more attentively as Gaura Purnima is approaching, coming closer and closer.

Hare Krishna!

BECOME A DEVOTEE OF THE DEVOTEES!

Our score for today is 397. Just a shortfall of three or four to cross the mark of 400. We have to double the number in next hundred days.

Chant together. A family that chants together, stays together. By chanting together we develop bonds of love with the Lord and with the devotees of the Lord. Remember we don’t just wish to have loving dealings with the Lord. No! No! That’s not complete. We must also have loving dealings with the devotees. You love the Lord and be friendly with the devotees. prema-maitrī-kṛpopekṣā (SB 11.46) is what the sastras say. We love the Lord. Have friendly relationships with devotees. We express our kindness and compassion to the faithful newcomers. We avoid or stay away from those offending Visnu and Vaisnavas. We keep a distance from those who are anti-Visnu, anti-devotees. As we chant our goal is to revive our dormant Krishna consciousness. To become Krishna conscious also includes becoming devotee conscious. You love the Lord, but do you hate the devotees, ‘Oh! I hate him, I hate her.’ If you are in this state then you lack Krishna consciousness , you are only partially Krishna conscious. If you love the Lord and hate the devotees, that means something is lacking. Not only do you have to be friendly, but you have to serve the devotees as well.

I know we’re very expert in offending the devotees. Very expert! Naturally we offend Vaisnavas. But that is in fact unnatural materially natural ,spiritually unnatural. We have to be friendly with devotees. Gadadhar Pandit has defined the friend as – Friend in need is friend indeed. We are in need of help at the time of japa and otherwise. Those devotees who help fulfil our need we call friends. We need help. Help! Help! Help! Help that we need to become Krishna conscious or attain Krsna, to go back to Krsna. From where are we going to get that assistance? It’s from devotees or through devotees. We have to search assistance that help from devotees of ISKCON. Those devotees who are around you, in your temple, in your house, in devotee society around you only those will help you. Ultimately when we are saying,Help! Krsna help! Krsna will help us. Our Guru will naturally help us. Krsna or Guru is going to help you through some devotee around you. Maybe he is sending a helping hand to you. We are not independent. We are dependent. There is also term called interdependent where we depend upon each other. With this we could talk about cooperation. What kind of operation? Cooperation. Co means two. We accept help, gifts , whatever. All the time that’s not the best policy, we also have to give. Take help, give help. So this again reminds us of

dadāti pratigṛhṇāti
guhyam ākhyāti pṛcchati
bhuṅkte bhojayate caiva
ṣaḍ-vidhaṁ prīti-lakṣaṇam (Nectar of Instruction – verse 4)

Offering gifts in charity, accepting charitable gifts, revealing one’s mind in confidence, inquiring confidentially, accepting prasāda and offering prasāda are the six symptoms of love shared by one devotee and another.

Our acaryas have given this formula to develop loving bonds with other Vaisnavas wherever you are. There are Vaisnavas around you. So how to deal with them? There is give and take. Give gifts , exchange gifts, exchange your hearts. Guhyam – something that is confidential. Share with devotees. They should also share that intern with you. bhuṅkte bhojayate caiva. You share prasada with them and you also honour prasada from them. Today is the big prasada distribution program that ISKCON is conducting at Santipur. Advaita Acharya’s place. Hundreds or we can say thousands of ISKCON devotees are arriving today at Santipur and they will be distributing some forty to fifty thousand prasada plates. Anyone who receives or honours prasada at Santipur , receives love of Godhead. Our religion is also known as the kitchen religion. We cook, offer it to the Lord and then we share it with the devotees. These are priti- laxanam or loving dealings.

Before we stop , I would like to congratulate Muralimohan Prabhuji from Ahmedabad, for conducting one day Padayatra yesterday. They chanted Hare Krishna throughout the long walk. I don’t know where it was, somewhere around Ahmedabad. There was lots of book distribution also. Hundreds of Srila Prabhupada books were distributed. At the end they had some picnic. They honoured prasada and had a good time. They did –

dadāti pratigṛhṇāti
guhyam ākhyāti pṛcchati
bhuṅkte bhojayate caiva

Thank you Muralimohan Prabhu. Others could also take it up and arrange one day Padayatras. Jaybhadhra mataji also arranged one day Padayatra in Amaravati. All young girls of ISKCON IGF took to the roads. We congratulate them also.

I am here in Nagpur. I will be here till Gaur Purnima. I will celebrate Gaur Purnima here. There will be inauguration of ISKCON’s Radha Gopinath temple in Nagpur. Construction will be inaugurated on Gaur Purnima day. It’s an auspicious day. It’s the appearance day of Gauranga Mahaprabhu. If you all can come , you are welcome. Sundarlal Prabhuji is doing four days Gaur-katha in Mauritius. In US they celebrated Gaur Purnima two days back, on the weekend as Gaur Purnima is falling on a week day. Outside India they do like that. So Gaur Purnima season has started. Be prepared. Gauranga! Gauranga! This is the time to be absorbed in Gauranga by hearing Gaur katha. Many temples organise many days of Gaur Katha a few days before Gaur Purnima. Go on listening to Gaur Katha and go on doing Krsna Kirtana and prepare for the grand celebrations of Gaur Purnima which is just in a few days. Develop your love for the Lord and be friendly with devotees. If there are few devotees that you have been offending, if that was your program, you can stop your program of offending devotees. Stop that nonsense! Be friendly with devotees. See how you can serve them and not offend them anymore. amanina manden, if you could do that Gauranga – Sri Krsna Caitanya Mahaprabhu will be so pleased. Krsna has claimed, “If you say ‘I am your devotee’ No!No! You are not my devotee. If you say , ‘ I am devotee of your devotee ‘ then He will say,’ Yes! now you are my devotee.’ So try to understand what is on Krsna’s mind. How you can become a devotee of Krsna. By becoming a devotee of the devotees. Then the Lord will bless you and be very pleased with you. Make that kind of offering to Caitanya Mahaprabhu for Gaur Purnima. Become a devotee of the devotees of the Lord. So we will stop here and will meet again.

Hare Krishna!

‘MADHAV-TITHI’ FESTIVAL OF DEVOTION

Hare Krishna

I am happy that you are chanting with us. 344 participants today for the japa session. Today is Ekadasi again. Lot of times in other countries Ekadasi falls on before or day after, not the same day everywhere. It’s a day for more chanting. In Noida we have 24 hours Kirtana on Ekadasi, chanting whole day and whole night. You could also similarly do in your temples. At many places, Vrndavana, Pandharpur, Latur and various places they chant that way. So those who are able to manage, can do 24 hours kirtana on Ekadasi.

In Maharashtra there are Tukarama bhajans all night. They sing Hare Krishna mahamantra also and chant the mantra Jay Jay Rama Krishna Hari. Saint Tukarama used to chant this mantra. Nowadays they sing Tukarama bhajans all night long. I remember when I was a small boy in my village also such singing of Tukarama bhajans used to go on. There used to be kirtana sometimes at my house. That’s how Ekadasi is celebrated. In Pandharpur pilgrims come.

Ekadasi is the special day, a special festival. The day to take darsana of Vitthal. Out of two Ekadasis, one is in Shukla paksha and other is in Krishna paksha , – Shukla paksha Ekadasi ( bright fortnight) is called Suddha Ekadasi , pilligrims come walking or driving from all over to take darsana of Panduranga.

śuddha-bhakata-caraṇa-reṇu,
bhajana-anukūla
bhakata-sevā, parama-siddhi,
prema-latikāra mūla
mādhava-tithi, bhakti-jananī,
jetane pālana kori
kṛṣṇa-basati, basati boli’,
parama ādare bori ( Bhajan by Sril Bhaktivinod Thakur)

Bhaktivinod Thakur has sung this bhajan – when would I get renu (association) of devotees? Association of devotees is anukul ( favourable) for chanting. He sings – madhav tithi bhakti janani. Ekadasi is called Madhav-tithi. Do you understand ‘tithi’? Ekadasi is called Madhav-tithi .According to Bhaktivinod Thakur it’s bhakti janani. Mother of Devotion. It gives you devotion. It’s a very special day. The Lord empowers the day before and the night. The Lord makes it a very special, empowered day.

Last Ekadasi I was chanting in Mayapur. I was also explaining how Ekadasi is called Upvasa day. What is Upvasa? ‘Up’ means near and ‘vas’ means residence, to stay. It is a day to stay near the Lord. How we stay near the Lord? By chanting

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

Or nityam bhagvat sevaya. Hearing Bhagvatam, reciting Bhagvatam is also there. Sravanam kirtanam. Basically to do sravan , kirtana

srunvanti, gayanti grainanti sadhavaha. (SB. 1.5.11)

That is what sadhus do. What are the activities of a sadhu? Srunvanti gayanti, grinanti. Doing this is the way to stay near Krsna or with Krsna. That is how we observe this upvasa day. By chanting and chanting we want to feel the presence of the Lord. Oh! He is here! He is here! Caitanya Mahaprabhu ki Jay! So as soon as he used to start chanting, I was reading about this in ‘Mahakavya’ of Kavi Karnapura. It is written there that one utterance of the holy name was enough for Caitanya Mahaprabhu to get linked with the Lord and be absorbed in the Lord. Even if he just chanted Hare it was more than enough to get connected with the Lord. He will just chant once and then the next mantra will be difficult to chant and not because he was sleeping. Our chanting stops some times in middle of mantra also, we do not even manage to complete the whole mantra because of sleep. But for Caitanya Mahaprabhu and devotees like him , they chant for a while , or just chant once it would be difficult for them to chant as the voice would get choked up. All emotions would get aroused.

siva-suka-narada preme gada-gada ( Gaur aarti verse 7)

The word is ‘gadgad’. But the way we say , we don’t understand fully what it means. ‘gadgad’ implies , Voice getting choked up for Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Or he would be Chanting at gambira or hearing about Krishna from Ramanand Ray and Swaroop Damodar ,he would remember about Krishna and hear flute playing of Krishna at some distance and in middle of that hearing program he would drop everything and used to run in that direction where he thought his Krishna was playing his flute. He will begin looking for him here and there and everywhere. Outcome or result of Chanting was his feeling of separation from Krishna, that is why that is bhava-bhakti.

yugāyitaṁ nimeṣeṇa cakṣuṣā prāvṛṣāyitam
śūnyāyitaṁ jagat sarvaṁ govinda-viraheṇa me

“O Govinda! Feeling Your separation, I am considering a moment to be like twelve years or more. Tears are flowing from my eyes like torrents of rain, and I am feeling all vacant in the world in Your absence.” (Siksastakam verse 7)

Although world is filled with overbridges and cars, malls , full of this and that, He was feeling vacant, there is nothing. Nothing of that interests me , that’s the idea. Otherwise whole world is filled with forms and sounds and smells. But Caitanya Mahaprabhu used to feel that the whole world is vacant. govinda-viraheṇa me… If there is no Govinda then what good is world around me? I have no interest.

krsna-nama-sudha koriya pan,
jurao bhakativinoda-pran,
nama bina kichu nahiko aro,
caudda-bhuvana-majhe

Drink the pure nectar of the holy name. There is nothing but the name to be had in the fourteen worlds. (Bhaktivinoda Thakura Arunodaya-kirtana Verse 8 from Gltavali)

Bhaktivinoda Thakura said this fourteen planetary systems, nama bina kichu nahiko. Caitanya Mahaprabhu is saying there is nothing here , nothing there, all vacant. Then Bhaktivinoda Thakura said oh! there is only one thing that interests me or is of value. – nama bina kichu nahiko. Apart from the holy name there is nothing worth remembering , or thinking of or talking about. So all these things would happen to Caitanya Mahaprabhu and His associates also went through similar kind of experiences. Now after 500 years it’s our turn, our generations turn to experience. All the previous generations of sadhus and devotees and Caitanya Mahaprabhu has set this example. He has set the goal. In such a state of mind one could chant the holy name constantly, that is also there. First 5 verses of Siksastakam talks about sadhana bhakti. 6th and 7th verses talk about bhava bhakti and the 8th verse talks about Prema-bhakti. Bhakti has three divisions – Sadhana bhakti, Bhava bhakti and Prema bhakti. We are sadhakas. Bhava is our goal . Prema is our goal. But how to reach there? Sadhana means in such a state of mind. What is that state of mind in which we can chant the holy name constantly?

trinadapi sunicena tarorapi sahishnuna amanina manden kirtaniya sada hari (Siksastakam verse 3)

Trinadapi – lower than the straw in the street. We have to practice this. To become lower than a blade of grass. Tarorapi sahishnuna – more tolerant than tree. amanina manaden – Not expecting respect for ourselves, but instead respect others. We should be working at that level. To attain that state of mind, -trinadapi sunicena . If we are not doing that , then our chanting becomes offensive chanting. All vaisnava aparadh taking place then we will be offending others mentally, vocally or physically. So we have to be very, very careful and cautious in our dealings and behaviour especially with Vaisnavas, jivas . Name ruci jive daya vaisnava sevan. While chanting I was thinking we should pray to the holy name, “ My dear Lord, this is my weakness. These are my shortcomings. Please make me stronger in this and that area. I beg at your lotus Feet. Be kind to me.” We were also saying at last Ekadasi that according to Bhaktivinoda Thakur it is also the day to review the past two weeks performance. Review the day and come to some conclusion. I did better in this area but these areas are still weak. This is my weakness. These are good points. You should take help from Vaisnavas and Visnu. Vaisnavas around us or senior devotees, counsellors who chant Hare Krishna and are devotees of Visnu or Krsna. He is ready to help us. We beg at the lotus Feet of holy name – Harinama Prabhu then He may bless you empower you

Hare Krishna!

HH. Bhaktimarga Swami Maharaja

Hare Krishna!
Can you hear me? This is a very special time of the day when we associate with Krsna. It’s communication time with him. That being said, it’s a very important time of the day. We should try to be attentive. It’s very difficult to be attentive, but we try to be attentive. Prabhupada explained what a Vaisnava is. It is somebody who tries. If we give up trying, then we are in big trouble. We will be in trouble for so many lifetimes. Now we have to chant right here. This chanting is a very sacred, very blessed time. Please enjoy these moments. I will try to. I am so happy to have your association. Seeing your faces and trying to make good of this most sacred aspect of our devotional life – namely sravanam kirtanam. I am happy to be in your association. Thank you very much. That’s how we say in French in Canada – Merci beaucoup. Chant with the upper and lower lips and your tongue, throw your heart out there. Thank you for your company. Haribol! Jay! May you shine. Hare Krishna!

Guru Maharaja

Today we had 365 participants. HH Bhaktimarga Swami Maharaja was also a special participant today. We seem to be excited and enlivened to see Maharaja chanting with us. He kindly addressed you all, but he did this earlier. Some of you were not there as he spoke 40 minutes ago. But his message was basic and foundational. He was encouraging all of you to chant with attention. CHANT WITH ATTENTION. He said it’s not easy to chant attentively and it’s a fact. Then he said to keep trying. If you don’t try you will be in trouble. So all that Maharaja briefly spoke was nothing but the truth. Keep trying. Lord Krsna also said that when Arjun said it’s very difficult to control the mind.

cancalam hi manah krsna
pramathi balavad drdham
tasyaham nigraham manye
vayor iva su-duskaram ( BG. 6.34)

For the mind is restless, turbulent, obstinate and very strong, O Krsna, and to subdue it is, it seems to me, more difficult than controlling the wind.

The mind is very difficult to control. It’s very obstinate. Children sometimes are very obstinate, so the mind is like that. vayor iva su-duskaram – It’s more difficult to control the mind than controlling the wind. Krsna was sympathetic not only to Arjuna, but he is sympathetic to all of us. It was not just Arjun’s mind which was difficult to control. Isn’t that everyones mind? Because it is the mind! The mind is the mind. It is common in all of us. It is one of the elements of this world or what this body is made up of. It’s a subtle element. This is a dhatu.

bhūmir āpo ’nalo vāyuḥ
khaṁ mano buddhir eva ca
ahaṅkāra itīyaṁ me
bhinnā prakṛtir aṣṭadhā (BG 7.4)

Earth, water, fire, air, ether, mind, intelligence and false ego – all together these eight constitute My separated material energies.

So it’s one of the prakritis. bhinna is separated from the Lord. All minds are created by the same creator. There is no such thing as an American mind, Indian mind or Noida mind. The mind is the mind. There may be some difference of flavours, culture according to different countries, but basically it’s a mind, which is cancala in nature. So Krsna’s stronger recommendation was:

asamsayam maha-baho
mano durnigraham calam
abhyasena tu kaunteya
vairagyena ca grhyate ( BG. 6.35)

Lord Sri Krsna said: O mighty-armed son of Kunti, it is undoubtedly very difficult to curb the restless mind, but it is possible by suitable practice and by detachment.

That’s what Bhaktimarga Maharaja also said. Krsna said and Maharaja repeated it – keep trying and practicing. Someone asked Prabhupada how to control the mind? He said. ‘Just don’t listen to the mind.’ So don’t listen to the mind , listen to the holy name, hear the holy name. Don’t hear the mind.

yato yato niscalati
manas cancalam asthiram
tatas tato niyamyaitad
atmany eva vasam nayet ( BG. 6.26)

From wherever the mind wanders due to its flickering and unsteady nature, one must certainly withdraw it and bring it back under the control of the Self.

This advice Krsna gave in Bhagavat-Gita. The sixth chapter of Bhagavad-Gita is useful if you wish to be japa yogis or bhakti-yogis. Krsna has shared the knowledge with all of us. In order to control the mind or concentrate the mind on Krsna, the Lord has given the tips. He has also has described the nature of the mind.

uddhared atmanatmanam
natmanam avasadayet
atmaiva hy atmano bandhur
atmaiva ripur atmanaḥ (BG. 6.5)

One must deliver himself with the help of his mind, and not degrade himself. The mind is the friend of the conditioned soul, and his enemy as well.

Mind could be your friend or could be your enemy. The first thing that Krsna said in this statement is uddhared atmanatmanam You have to lift yourself. Uddhared – liberation. atmanatmanam – here two atmas are mentioned. One atma is mind and another atma is intelligence. With the help of the intelligence which is part of the our selves we lift the mind. Intelligence lifts the mind.

indriyani parany ahur
indriyebhyah param manah
manasas tu para buddhir
yo buddheh paratas tu sah (BG. 3.42)

The working senses are superior to dull matter; mind is higher than the senses; intelligence is still higher than the mind; and he [the soul] is even higher than the intelligence.

Intelligence is superior to the mind. So with the help of intelligence we have to lift the mind, liberate our minds. The mind is thinking, feeling and willing. So with intelligence we have to get rid of nonsense thoughts. Some thoughts are nonsensical. With the help of intelligence we have to throw out those mayavi, illusory, temporary thoughts and plans for purification of the senses. When the mind goes to the objects of the senses, Krsna says uddhared atmanatmanam. You have to lift your mind. atmaiva hy atmano bandhur so the mind, atmaiva – atma eva, atmano bandhur’ means the mind is certainly a friend of the soul. The mind could be friend of the soul or the mind could be also ripu – enemy. We have to change, transform the mind. We have to make an enemical mind friendly. Friend in need is friend indeed. We need Krsna. The mind could help us to think of Krsna then that mind is a friend. So wherever mind goes …

yato yato niscalati
manas cancalam asthiram
tatas tato niyamyaitad
atmany eva vasam nayet ( BG. 6.26)

… from there you drag the mind back. atmani eva vasham nayet. Atmani means the self. Fix it on the supreme self. This is a practice.

abhyasena tu kaunteya
vairagyena ca grhyate ( BG. 6.35)

Developing vairagya,disinterest, detachment or becoming udas Not interested. Arouse that disinterest. Understand this or that is not useful to me.

na ca sreyo ‘nupasyami
hatva sva-janam ahave
na kankṣe vijayam krsna
na ca rajyam sukhani ca (BG. 1.31)

Arjuna said that killing his own people will not give him happiness. There is sreyas and preyas. We have to be fixed on sreyas or long term. What is good for me in the long term. What is just a short term or temporary. With the help of intelligence we have to understand what is sreyas and preyas. Accordingly sort this out.

I was saying earlier, don’t listen to Maya , don’t listen to the mind, listen to Krsna. Hear and think of Krsna. So while chanting

HARE KRISHNA HARE KRISHNA
KRISHNA KRISHNA HARE HARE
HARE RAM HARE RAM
RAM RAM HARE HARE

Hear and think of Krsna . Just think of one thing that is KRSNA. Don’t mix. Hear attentively. Chant attentively. Attentive chanting is difficult, but we have to practice, so keep trying. That’s why we have the opportunity of chanting. We have a morning meeting. Chant . Some failure today, but don’t give up. Failure is the stepping stone of success. We learn lessons from how and why we failed today. Rectify. Improve in a proactive manner and learn lessons from failures. Try for attentive successful chanting. Krsna wants us to be successful. His Divine Grace wants us to be successful. Our acaryas want us to be successful. Our spiritual master wants us to be successful. They are behind us, with us.They are our well wishers, friends and philosophers. They are our guides. The Lord’s representatives are like that. We have every hope. So don’t give it up. “Stop not till the goal is reached”. Goloka is our goal. Going back home, residing with Krsna in our home. We take one step and Krsna takes 100 steps, 1000 steps towards us. Everyday we are getting closer, but endeavour has to be there, abhyas has to be there. With that message I will stop here.
We have big day in ISKCON Noida today. I have to give Bhagavatam class. Then Bhaktimarga Maharaja’s drama is there entitled “ Queen’s Secret”. In the evening we have Greater Noida relocation. So we stop now.

Hare Krishna!.

Today’s score is 371. Since my last time in Noida some 100 new participants have joined in last 20 days. I am back in Noida and will be here for a few days. I am sorry. We did our best yesterday to chant with you. I was driving from Mayapur to Kolkata and the internet was unstable so the hosts were changing. Some of you were becoming the host and we had to stop. Devotees are writing, ‘ We missed you Maharaja.’ I also missed you. I am also getting used to chant ing with you all. Yesterday it was just a driver and Anadi Gaur on the back seat. I missed the five to six hundred devotees chanting on this conference. So we missed that powerful association yesterday. Somewhere I was praying. We have this opportunity to chant together , chant with me on this conference. So many are thanking Krishna for this opportunity. I have noticed some chats. Today some 60 devotees have chatted. Most of it is Dandavats.

Prahlad Maharaja Prabhu posted yesterday that it is ‘sone pe suhaga’ or the icing on the cake. That was his appreciation. From Mauritius also there is a report that a dozen devotees have not missed a single day. Shyamalangi Mataji wrote a long report and experience. ‘Since I joined japa conference, I haven’t missed even one day.’ That means she has chanted every single day.’This is a time for japa. Guru Maharaja is chanting. Devotees from around the world are chanting. Knowing this how could I sleep and not chant?’ During the chanting hours she is making sure that she wakes up at 4.00am and chants every single day. She is appreciating the devotees from Russia. This is an odd time for them to chant. They have to get up at 2.30am. Same is the case for devotees from South Africa. American devotees chant in the evening with us. From Australia they chant at noon. For Madhav Sevak, Caitanya Bhagvata Prabhujis it is their office hours. So some of them just hear the japa. Gadhar Pandit Prabhuji from Solapur feels japa sessions are like a Gurukul. Guru sits with his disciples and makes sure that they are doing sadhana. Through medium of this Japa conference I am also doing something similar. Japa conference brings us under one roof or under one big Banyan tree. He is happy about it

brahmacārīśrī-nārada uvāca
brahmacārī guru-kule
vasan dānto guror hitam
ācaran dāsavan nīco
gurau sudṛḍha-sauhṛdaḥ. ( SB. 7.12.1)

gurukule. Brahmacaris are in Guru’s ashram and Guru is engaging them in various services. He feels this is that kind of attempt. 99% progress depends on chanting only. Chanting is that important. Progress of our Krsna consciousness depends solely on performance of our chanting. Sundar Vaman Prabhuji is taking a vow, sankalpa.’ From now on I will finish my japa before 7.00 am.’ That’s a wonderful sankalpa. Encourage others also to chant. Try to chant most of your rounds in the morning.

There are some IGF girls from Amaravatiwho have completed a one day padayatra. They were propagating the holy name around. That kind of chanting is even more pleasing to the Lord. We share chanting with others. Japa or chanting is for be ourselves which is also essential and important. The most important thing is to save yourself. This point was also discussed in SGGS. Saving yourself is most important. As we chant for others, that is even more important. That is when you are exhibiting your kindness.I am also Padayatra Minister. Prabhupada asked me to conduct padayatras. He wrote, “ We should have millions of Bullock carts all over the world.” Prabhupada gave directions. So devotees go out on padayatra. Greater Noida devotees also conduct padayatra from Noida to Vrndavana. This is pleasing to me. Prabhupada gave me this service. What is padayatra’s mission? – It is to bring the holy name to every town and village. It is also a GBC statement – ‘To bring the holy name to more and more towns and villages all over the world’. So when devotees conduct padayatra, they bring the holy name to more towns. Goal of padayatra is ‘To make Caitanya Mahaprabhu’s statement come true.’ Those who are listening to me or chanting with me could also take to the roads sometimes. Conduct one day padayatra. There was a report from Bangalore. They are conducting one day Padayatra on 31st in Bangalore.

Today is also special day. Srila Prabhupada wanted an ISKCON project in Nagpur. It has taken a long, long time, but today we are beginning with digging. Today morning from mangal-aarti time the contractor is mobilising all his machinery onto our property in Nagpur. Soon this morning excavation will begin. The actual construction will begin on Gaur Purnima. I am happy that finally we will be fulfilling Prabhupada’s desire and wish. We invite all devotees and chanters to offer prayers that without any further obstacles or delay we continue. and express your joy about the construction of Radha-Gopinatha temple in Nagpur. Say

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

I will stop here. It will be time for greeting the Deities in a few minutes. Radha-Govindji ki Jai! At Ahobilam some devotee will be conducting Padayatra. Thank you. Who else has plans to do Padayatra? Time to speak out. Noida will also be doing a one day Padayatra. Every temple should conduct Padayatra. Every devotee should attend at least one one day Padayatra. Murali-mohan Prabhu has been conducting one day Padayatras. Tomorrow we will be shifting our BACE in Greater Noida, which is a bigger location. That is also Good morning news. So let me share. HH Bhaktimarga Maharaja will be arriving in the afternoon with a big troop. There will be two drama performances – one tomorrow and another one the day after tomorrow in the evening. So ISKCON Noida is getting ready for Maharaja’s world famous dramas here in Noida temple auditorium. So we stop here.

Hare Krishna!

Try to spread the word about this conference. jive daya….. have some daya for others. Have kindness to others by reaching out to them. Get them to chant with us. That is jive daya. Get other devotees to join this japa-sanga, sadhu-sanga. Chant in the association of devotees.

Today I noticed my elder sister Sita Rani on the conference. She is ten years older. Many of you are new to our conference. We start losing our numbers, as I begin speaking in English. We have already lost ten. But they can always read. Transcription program is going on. The japa talk is transcribed in Hindi, English and Russian. That’s another reason, why you should learn English because your Guru Maharaja is talking in English. So get others. name ruci jive daya vaisnav sevan… Your ruci for the holy name will increase. Lord will give you more ruci if you do this jive daya part and specially Vaisnava sevan . So about ruci, that’s the way to get it. Vaisnava sevan- serve Vaisnavas. Serve devotees. Be kind to others, to newcomers or to everybody.

titikṣavaḥ kāruṇikāḥ
suhṛdaḥ sarva-dehinām
ajāta-śatravaḥ śāntāḥ
sādhavaḥ sādhu-bhūṣaṇāḥ

The symptoms of a sādhu are that he is tolerant, merciful and friendly to all living entities. He has no enemies, he is peaceful, he abides by the scriptures, and all his characteristics are sublime. (SB 3.25.21)

If you are not kind then you are Mrigari – The Hunter. He was not kind at all. Then he stopped that hunting business and took to chanting. Narada Muni was very kind to Mrigari. Narada Muni was doing the jive daya part. He was very kind to Mrigari. He convinced him to chant for the Lord. As he chanted and chanted… well you know the result. One time Mrigari, the hunter became very kind. He was even kind to the ants. His Guru Maharaja was wondering, “Mrigari!(I don’t know his initiated name). Why you didn’t rush when you saw me? He replied, “How could I come? There were ants on the way.” He was avoiding them, putting them on the side. That’s the transformation. The hunter, the killer, most wicked ,unkind person could be transformed to become the most kind and compassionate. I was feeling that is jive daya is Narada Muni’s mercy. Narada Muni gave him the mantra and Mrigari chanted. He was a new person. This is the proof. This has happened so many, many times and that could happen to us also. It is very possible. We should have that kind of faith in the holy name. Not to have faith in holy name is another offense. We should be having faith in the holy name. So that is name ruci jive daya vaisnavs sevan. ( Caitanya Bhagavata. – Mahaprabhu explains to Sanatan Goswami) )

I offered aarti to Radha-Madhav this morning. Do you think that helps in chanting? We were talking about preparation for chanting. That is the part of the preparation. It was helpful. I was praying to Radha-Madhava for Their mercy. I was praying to Radha-Madhava ‘o be with me wherever I have to go to spread the mission in Their service. Wherever I go.’ yato yato yami tato narasimha bahir narasimha hridaye narasimha like that. Narasimha Dev also Radha-Madhava, You be with me wherever I go or whatever I sit. That was the prayer. Then I have to go. This morning I was also with the Hindi speaking devotee group of Navadvip-mandala Parikrama. We have to go to Bhaktivinoda Thakur’s samadhi and Surabhi kunj. That’s where I have to catch up with the party or sing for them.

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

In Navadvip dham each dvip represents one dham. One bhakti , one kind of devotional service. Beginning with sravanam, kirtanam and like that. Nine islands representing nine processes of devotional service. Today I am going to Godrum dvip, which is known for Kirtanam. Sravanam is Simant dvip. Kirtanam is Godrum dvip.

nadiya godrume nityanand mahajan patiyache nama-hata jivera karan. ( Geetavali by Bhaktivinoda Thakur.)

This is the place where Nityanand Prabhu propagated chanting. patiyache nama-hata jivera karan. For jivas like us Nityananda Prabhu started preaching. All over Navadvip including Surabhi kunj and Bhaktivinoda Thakur’s samadhi. You must be knowing that famous song – sraddhavan jan he sraddhavan jan. So it’s a kind of announcement. Bhaktivinoda Thakur is announcing, ‘All you folks, this announcement is for you. Take advantage of this namahat. Namahaats are everywhere. All our ISKCON temples are that Namahat. Our Bhaktivedanta Manor , or ISKCON Thane or ISKCON Ahmedabad are naamhats. What is a Naamhat? It’s a marketplace of the holy name. The world is opening more and more bazaars, super Bazaars. The smallest country in the world – Mauritius has has Hyper Bazaar. The first time I heard of Hyper Bazaar I was surprised. I had heard of super , but not Hyper Bazaars. So why not! Our temples are Hyper Bazaars for the holy name. Marketplace of the holy name. Nityanand Prabhu is a founder of this naamhata. He is the propagator of the holy name. Bhaktivinoda Thakur says , ‘ Oh! This announcement is for faithful people.’ If you hear this announcement and come to the shop , market place or Naamhata, but you don’t have faith or sraddha, then you can’t buy this product. You won’t get this product.’ Holy name will remain wherever it is and you will remain in your own world. There won’t be connection or any exchange.

The price you have to pay for the Holy name is sraddha. The more sraddha you have, the more of the holy name you get. To get more sraddha you will have to chant more and more. That’s the idea and you will get more out of the holy name. The holy name will reveal more unto you. The holy name is the Lord. So if you have only faith then that’s the whole thing that Bhaktivinoda Thakur is explaining.

So Bhaktivinoda Thakur writes in Godrum – Kalpatavi, we are all at different levels. Chanting is at sraddha level, then sadhu – sanga level, then bhajana-kriya level. Then at the level of anartha -nivritti. Then Nistha level. When sraddha becomes fixed, then that sraddha becomes Nistha. And if the chanting is at name – ruci level, that is also topmost. Asakti level, bhava level and prem level. So depending on where you stand or at what level you are on the ladder, how many steps you have gone higher then your buying power becomes greater. You get more out of the holy name. You realize the value of the holy name. You realize more the form, pastimes, qualities and the dham. All these things are one. Then he says , if you have one paisa then you can buy a few things from the shop. But if you have four paisa then you buy more. But if you have a chavanni ie. one fourth of a rupee, or a atthani(half the rupee) In our childhood days we didn’t have the present currency. If you had one full rupee then you could buy everything. Rupee meant lots of money. It was one hundred percent money. He compares these levels according to your evolution, progress you have made and to that degree you are benefitted from the chanting.

sraddhavan jan he sraddhavan jan

But we also have to understand that we can’t be just at the level of sraddha. There are different degrees of sraddha. We have more and more sraddha. Sadhu sanga level you have more sraddha. Then at Bhajana kriya level you are more sraddhavan. And at Anartha-Nivritti level you have more sraddha. Nisthavan means sraddha is so fixed that you won’t take U turn. Then ruci means more sraddha and asakti still more sraddha. With brava there is more sraddha ultimately leading to prema. So sraddhavan jan he sraddhavan jan. We should increase our sraddha more and more. ye yatha mam prapadyante ( BG. 4.11) that principal is also there. To the degree of your surrender to that degree you have faith. More faith means more surrender. And the more we surrender, the more He reveals. Still more faith, still more surrender and the Lord will reveal even more. All the glories of the holy name will be revealed. Glories of Krsna and Radha and Their pastimes and abode will be revealed unto us more and more.

So I am going to that place over there. I wish you also that would have been there. You are just enjoying being in Moscow or Noida and Nagpur. You are not leaving your comfort zone.

Tomorrow I will be travelling to Kolkata in morning hours to catch my flight. We will endeavour time permitting and internet functioning. So let’s see how it works. Otherwise if not tomorrow we will catch up again day after tomorrow.

Hare Krishna!

“ATMAVAT SARVA BHUTESU…..”

Devotees are chanting all over the planet. We have morning time here in India, noon time in Australia, evening time of the day before ours in New Jersey. So the devotees are chanting whether it is morning, noon, evening or night transcending all barriers. That means when there is mangala arati in India and we sing samsar davana, in New York they sing kibo jayo jayo gaurachande . So in some place mangala arati and some place Sandhya-arati. After some time there will be mangala arati in the Middle East. After that it will be in Europe, England, then New York mangala arati, then Hawaii, then Japan, Australia mangala arati then Malaysia, Burma mangala arati. Like that 24 hours a day in some place there is mangala arati and Sandhya-aarti also going on. One time Prabhupada was talking about the ISKCON empire, the world of Hare Krishna as it is spread globally. He said, ‘The sun never sets in the ISKCON empire.’ Wherever there is Sun, there is ISKCON. All the parts – Eastern part , Western part, Middle East, South East , Far East. Wherever there is sun at any given point there is ISKCON, there are devotees chanting or distributing Prabhupada books.

Yesterday the BBT trusties were making a presentation to the GBC’s as they do every year. In that they informed that every second somewhere in the world Srila Prabhupada’s books are being distributed. The British used to make the claim that they had spread their empire far and wide. England is very small, a tiny little country. They had become very powerful by spreading their kingdom. They used to make the claim that, ‘ The sun never sets in the British empire.’ One time Prabhupada had commented , ‘ The sun never sets in the British empire, but the sun never rises in England.’ It is always cloudy. Getting sun there is a very rare occasion. Surya- darsana is difficult.

One of the chanters has remarked that , ‘ I am seeing you and you are seeing me in this conference‘. My thought was that’s not all we want to achieve. We want to see Krsna. In the mundane world, this is where it ends – I see you, you see me , we shake hands and embrace and do this and that, but there is nothing beyond that. But for us chanters, we are seeing each other on this conference, but our aim is to see Krsna. Each other’s presence should act like a catalyst in seeing Krsna ultimately.

premanjana-cchurita-bhakti- vilochanena
santah sadaiva hridayeshu vilokayanti
yam shyama-sundaram achintya-guna-svarupam
govindam adi-purusham tam aham bhajami ( BS. Verse 11)

11) I worship Govinda, the primeval Lord, who is Syamasundara, Krishna Himself with inconceivable innumerable attributes, whom the pure devotees see in their heart of hearts with the eye of devotion tinged with the salve of love.

So vilokayanti – they see hridayeshu – in their hearts . What do they see? yam shyama-sundaram achintya-guna-svarupam. I was thinking of that and was reminded of a statement in Bhagavatam. It comes at the time of the pastime of kidnapping of Rukmini. Sukadev Goswami describes that when Rukmini was going to the Ambika temple just before her marriage with Sisupal, Rukmini’s feet were walking towards the feet of Ambika. Two sets of feet are there. Rukmini is using her feet for walking and she was remembering the Lotus Feet of Krsna. So that is the third set of Feet. She didn’t care about her feet or Ambika’s feet. But was only remembering the Lotus Feet of Krsna. That is the main party. Like a marriage partner. Krsna is the marriage partner. It’s not just an affair between wife and husband. Partnership doesn’t become complete with just wife and husband in Grihasta ashram till Krsna comes there. He is the third or first or the main partner.

So as you chant Hare Krishna your perspective is expected to change. Your viewpoint changes. It becomes positive, truthful. While chanting I was reminding myself that first of all I am in the middle of worship.

yagnai sankirtnaih hi prayai yajantihi hi sumedhasa. (SB. 11.5.32)

So by performing yajantihi -sacrifice, while doing worship , I am worshipping the holy name. Who is worshipping? The soul is worshipping. We are using the body as paraphernalia. We use dhoop or deep, flowers or naivaidya . We use them with our hands, but worshipper is the soul. We are worshipping the Supreme Soul, worshipping the holy name – Krsna. We are worshipping Nama Prabhu. If the soul is not in the body, is worship possible? Body is there. Patram pushpam, phalam toyam, deepam, dhupam , naivedyam everything is there and the body is also there. But if soul is not there, is worship possible? At least you are not there. Maybe someone else will end up doing it, but not you! Because you are no there. So the worshipper is the soul, i.e. our real self. We are worshipping the holy name. Aradhya means the object of our worship. The worshipper is aradhak or aradhika. One who worships is aradhak and one who is being worshipped is aaradhya.

aradhya bhagwan brajesh tanaya …. (Caitanya-matta-manjusa commentary on Srimad-Bhagavatam by Srinath Chakravarti.)

The way we worship is aradhana. So aradhak(we) do aradhana( process) to please aradhya( His deity or Istadev). Aradhana includes mood and feelings , our devotion. That is what also Krsna said –

patraṁ puṣpaṁ phalaṁ toyaṁ
yo me bhaktyā prayacchati
tad ahaṁ bhakty-upahṛtam
aśnāmi prayatātmanaḥ ( BG. 9.26)

If one offers Me with love and devotion a leaf, a flower, a fruit or water, I will accept it.

You are using patram, puspam, phalam as part of your aradhana process, but it has to be accompanied with ‘bhakty’ or devotion. It becomes like an ‘upakaran’ or instrument. So bhaktya is in tritiya vibhakti. Similarly as in the verse – abhyasen tu kaunteya, here abhyasen is also tritiya. Abhyasen , vairagyen. So many words like that became instrument. So not just that we are saying Hare Krishna, but we are using our lips and tongue which must vibrate . While all this is happening the mind has to be into it. So devotional mind will have devotional thoughts. What is the function of mind? Thinking, feeling and willing – all these functions have to be Krishnised . There has to be devotional thinking, devotional feelings and a strong devotional will means a strong will. –

aka mah sarva-kamo va
moksha-kama udara-dhih
trivrena bhakti-yogena
yajeta purusam param (SB 2.3.10)

A person who has broader intelligence, whether he be full of all material desire, without any material desire, or desiring liberation, must by all means worship the supreme whole, the Personality of Godhead.

Trivrena means very intense , bhakti means full of feelings, emotions and devotion. So that’s the aradhana part. We are aradhaks and the holy name – Harinama Prabhu is aradhya. Then we sit down and do aradhana or Upasana or worship. Yajantihi sumedhasa. So we are sitting down for the most important business or activity or aradhana. If you stand up, then you may not be doing it. At the place of chanting, sit down and chant. That means you are a serious chanter. Not that if you started walking means you are not chanting! Not that you should not chant while walking, but your 16 rounds , chant as much as possible sitting down, which is proper asana.

I was thinking as I keep doing all the time that. Panditaha samdarshinaha… Pandit means learned. One is full of ‘panditya’ is Pandit, Vidvatta. Pandit only can do samadarshina. Or Vidya

vinaya sampanne brahmana gavi hastini shuni chaiva shwapake Cha panditaha samdarshinaha. ( BG. 5.18)

He is seeing the soul and not the body – ultimately that’s the goal. In the spiritual sky there are no bodies. The soul is a body, a form. Not that this is body and this is the soul. The soul is from top to bottom a form. So my thought was that Hare Krishna Hare Krishna is Harinama Prabhu. The soul is what is within us. We are dirt, dust. The Bible says, ‘For dust you are and to dust you shall return’(Genesis 3:19). So I was thinking there are so many bodies around me. They are just one pile of dirt, another pile of dirt. Settle them down and what remains is a soul which is eternal and indestructible. na hanyate na hanyamane sharire. ( BG. 2.20) So if that happens, then another inch of floor would rise with dirt. Then only Harinam Prabhu and the soul will remain Haribol! Spirit soul! I mean that is what happens ultimately. Don’t want to think that might happen in this room . We are all not bodies in this room, but wherever that happens there will be dirt here, dirt there. What would remain is a soul. So while chanting also realise and understand others as a soul. I am also soul and others are also soul and in the midst of all of us is Harinama Prabhu. As we chant

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

As we Chant, our perspective, our viewpoint should change. What are we thinking, the way we are evaluating, judging, using the power of discrimination, the power of our sharp Krishna conscious intelligence, which separates the soul from the body. Not just your soul from the body, but separates others’ souls also from their bodies with the sword of knowledge. Not literally, but intellectually we cut or separate the souls from the body. We try to treat others as a soul. We try to treat others as

atmavat sarva bhutesu

All other living entities think like yourself. (Buddha)

matrvat para-dareṣu
para-dravyesu lostravat
atmavat sarva-bhutesu
yah pasyati sa panditah (Canakya-sloka 10)

“One who considers another’s wife as his mother, another’s possessions as a lump of dirt and treats all other living beings as he would himself, is considered to be learned.”

One who sees like this is a Pandit. So what does he see? Among those three, one who sees atmavat sarva bhutesu all other living entities are like me , they are mine, they are Krsna’s. So they are my brothers and sisters, is a Pandit . His vision is that they belong to my Krsna.

So we will stop here.
Hare Krishna!

“WHERE ATTENTION GOES ENERGY FLOWS!”

We had 335 participants today. Thank you for your participation. Some of you are very regular chanters on this conference. So keep up the good work .

Today I have to leave early for adhivasa of Navadvipa-mandala Parikrama. The party has already walked to Yogpitha. Normally I also walk till there, but today I had to attend this conference. I didn’t want to miss chanting with you all, but I have to catch up with the Parikrama party.

In some days we will be completing 100 days of our Japa session. I would like to get your feedback on the performance of the conference – how we could improve the system, whether it is helping you to chant better, with more attention. One devotee who is a very regular chanter on the conference wrote to me a few days ago, ‘Maharaja I have taken sankalpa. I will chant all my 16 rounds before 7.00 am.’ So that is one outcome of this conference. Like that I will like to hear from you. Not just ‘Very good!’ or ‘Helping us,’ but narrate why it is good? How it is helping? Whether you are also making plans to improve your chanting as we keep giving you some tips to chant better. Every day during Japa talk I give you some hints which are also transcribed in English, Hindi and Russian. So you are welcome to read. We will have a website dedicated to Japa talks where you can get English and Hindi transcriptions. Madhavi Gauri Mataji is our website developer for many of our websites. You will be notified when this feature will be added to the existing website. Then you will be able to read all the Japa talk transcriptions there. We will also like to hear your comments and questions. Here some communication occurs, but mostly it is dandavats. If you remain in dandavat mood , that will amount to lots of dandavats during the whole day.

tṛṇād api sunīcena
taror api sahiṣṇunā
amāninā mānadena
kīrtanīyaḥ sadā hariḥ

So like that some communication goes on here, but not very substantial. Also this is a time for chanting, so you don’t have to spend it typing or writing. You can do that after the chanting. That can also be posted. We want to make this conference more interactive. Now it’s only one way traffic. I speak and your mouth is shut as you all are muted.

I also heard one of my god brothers, Narahari Prabhuji from Hawaii is also using the same Zoom conference, not for japa but something else. He was mentioning during our discussion that he does get different participants to speak, raise questions or comments. Then he responds. So that is also a possibility. We have to work out, whether there can be some on the spot dialogue or one of you could also address the participants like I am speaking. We are also looking forward to the website where all the postings will be made available.

Our goal is always “to try to chant with attention”. Someone is walking while I am talking. He is ‘walking the talk’. Vaibhav is doing some exercises. I get to see all sorts of things. Yesterday we heard one statement from Vaiyasaki Prabhu who is a promoter of book distribution and of reading Srila Prabhupada’s books. He is a great reader and leader. The statement was very profound. He said, “ Leader should be reader!” He is a good or ideal leader because he is a reader. In yesterday’s meeting we heard one statement which says – ‘ Where attention goes, energy flows.’ Chanting is a time to be attentive and it is also the time ‘not to be inattentive’. As soon as our attention goes, for example if there is someone at the door, all our attention as well our energy flows in that direction. You look and there is a whole screening, who is that? Why? etc. So the thinking process starts. We end up seeing that person. Some other senses will go in that direction to gather information. Senses are knowledge acquiring senses. They gather information which reach the mind. Intelligence gets involved and does some processing or discrimination, right or wrong etc. Like that our body, senses , mind and intelligence get directed where our attention goes. Wherever attention goes, energy flows. That’s why we have to choose the right surroundings , right association, right asana. Asana is not just where you sit, but the location of your seat, that is also asana. If that asana is in Mayapur dham , then the dham also becomes asana. Who is around you also becomes part of your asana. Running around is not an asana while doing japa meditation . We have to have our asana where prevention is better than cure. Avoid all distraction during chanting. Taking everything into consideration we take our seat or asana. With no or least distractions so that our attention doesn’t go here and there otherwise energy is going to flow. Of course all these topics are not small topics. But just remember this – Wherever attention goes, energy flows. We don’t want our attention to go anywhere else but to Krsna. To be attentive is the crux of the matter. Foundational guideline for the chanters is “Be attentive”.

We want to say in one word how the chanting should be – ATTENTIVE ( Dhyanpoorvak). All this says a lot. Although we say just one word – ATTENTIVE. As soon as there is inattention, energy flows in that direction. So that’s an exercise, abhyas we have to do during chanting.

BEST USE OF A BAD BARGAIN!

English is the international language and ISKCON’s official language so I will speak in English on this conference. You can also read transcriptions in English, Hindi and Russian. I am seeing some new faces today. Today we have my god brother Shrutadev Prabhuji, all the way from San Diego. We thank him for chanting with us. We have a few devotees from Australia and many of you from India. But all of you are originally from Vaikuntha.

As soon as I see someone chanting, guess what happens? I become happy. Or when you see others chanting and praying , trying to connect with Krsna, they have left aside all the businesses and are doing harer nama eva kevalam. That’s the best thing you are supposed to be doing and when someone sees or I see that , I become very happy. What do you think? Krsna also becomes very, very happy. Does Krsna know that you are chanting? I had a thought. I was talking to Arjuna-pran Prabhu from Kolhapur and next on the screen was Lila Madhuri Mataji all the way from Los Angeles. If we could see and talk like this through this medium or whatever medium , then why can’t God see and communicate with all of us. We can have him simultaneously talking together. As I am talking to you all simultaneously, Krsna could also do that. Krsna could do one after another. It is good to remember this and then we can have Krishna conscious thoughts. While I am chanting, Krsna is taking note of my chanting. Krsna knows I am chanting. If we know that, ‘Krsna knows I am chanting’ that is how we become conscious. ‘I know that Krsna knows I am chanting’. How does it sound? That’s Krsna. Through this chanting we speak our heart to Him. Chanting time is considered the best because it’s an appointment with the Lord.

Arjuna-pran has written that these days he has become quite anxious and keeps waiting for that moment around 6.00am when he will be able to chant with Guru Maharaja and so many other devotees.’ I appreciate that kind of eagerness. By joining this conference many times or every day which is the best the result is a kind of ‘laulayam’ . It is said –

mulayam.kṛṣṇa-bhakti-rasa-bhāvitā matiḥ
krīyatāṁ yadi kuto ‘pi labhyate
tatra laulyam api mūlyam ekalaṁ
janma-koṭi-sukṛtair na labhyate ( CCM 8.70)

Being greedy is the price you pay. You are very, very eager to chant and hear. You are very anxious and waiting for that moment. If we are developing that state of mind by attending this conference, I think that is perfection. Some inconveniences or whatever we go through to be part of this, day after day after day, I feel it’s worth it when we hear comments like this. We have to wind up our stay in this material existence. This is not your first birth. So many times we have spread our Network, birth after birth. We don’t even know what kind of births we have undergone. We are gone through everything, all the species and finally…

bahunam janmanam ante
jnanavan mam prapadyate
vasudevah sarvam iti
sa mahatma su-durlabhah ( BG. 7.19)

… we have this human birth. This durlabh manav janam is a very rare human birth. We have to see how we can make best use of a bad bargain. This human form is a bad bargain. It’s not a good deal. It’s still a body – coughing, getting old and sick. That is why King Kulasekhara said,’ I don’t want to wait till I get old, I will become Krishna conscious now! I don’t want to postpone it.’ He does not want to postpone this becoming Krishna conscious business. He says,

kṛṣṇa tvadīya-pada-paṅkaja-pañjarāntam
adyaiva me viśatu mānasa-rāja-haṁsaḥ
prāṇa-prayāṇa-samaye kapha-vāta-pittaiḥ
kaṇṭhāvarodhana-vidhau smaraṇaṁ kutas te (Mukunda-mālā-stotra – Mantra 33)

O Lord Kṛṣṇa, at this moment let the royal swan of my mind enter the tangled stems of the lotus of Your feet. How will it be possible for me to remember You at the time of death, when my throat will be choked up with mucus, bile, and air?

Adya means today and eva means today only. Let my mind enter Your lotus Feet and that doesn’t end. King Kulashekhara further says which Prabhupad also quote many times. He says, ‘My mind is like a rajhansa or swan and Your feet are like a lotus. Let the swan of my mind hang around Your lotus Feet. There is whirl of lotus and petals. Let my swan like mind remain there. viśatu mānasa-rāja-haṁsaḥ and let that happen today. Now
prāṇa-prayāṇa-samaye kapha-vāta-pittaiḥ
kaṇṭhāvarodhana-vidhau smaraṇaṁ kutas te

vāyunotkramatottāraḥ
kapha-saṁruddha-nāḍikaḥ
kāsa-śvāsa-kṛtāyāsaḥ
kaṇṭhe ghura-ghurāyate (SB 3. 30.16)

In that diseased condition, one’s eyes bulge due to the pressure of air from within, and his glands become congested with mucus. He has difficulty breathing, and upon exhaling and inhaling he produces a sound like ghura-ghura, a rattling within the throat.

Kanthe ghura ghurayate – as I get older and older what happens – kantha avarodhan my voice, or throat is going to be choked up. Kanthe ghur ghurayate. There is a description of a sound ghur ghur ghur. Have you heard from old people? So he says I don’t want to wait till I become old.

There was one person and he was some kind of sadhaka or follower and he had made this signboard – ‘I am going to do my sadhana from tomorrow’ He had stuck it on the wall in front his bed. So as soon as he got up, he would read – I am going to take my sadhana seriously from tomorrow. Every day he read – from tomorrow. No need to follow today. This is foolishness. Only ignorant fools postpone this business of becoming Krishna conscious. So keep chanting.

I was also thinking as you go higher and higher up in the sky, then you can see more. As the aircraft takes off first you see the entire airport, then the entire New Delhi. As you go higher and you can even see adjoining cities like Faridabad and Muradabad. As you go still higher you see more villages and towns and rivers and mountains. And even higher you see the entire earth. They even take photographs of the Earth. As you go higher, you could see other planets also. Still higher you can see the entire universe and then entire universes. You go higher and you will see all the universes plus Vaikuntha planets. As you go higher further along with this you will even see Saket-dham. Still higher, then you will see Dwaraka, then Mathura and Vrindavan. From there He sees every thing. He stays in the topmost location.It is like a security post. Sometimes the security posts instead of being on ground are placed high up. So that is Krsna’s arrangement. Krsna is in Goloka. At the same time He has placed himself within our hearts

sarvasya cāhaṁ hṛdi sanniviṣṭo
mattaḥ smṛtir jñānam apohanaṁ ca
vedaiś ca sarvair aham eva vedyo
vedānta-kṛd veda-vid eva cāham(BG. 15.15)

Is it difficult for Him to see or understand or communicate with us, hear us? I thought that being Krishna conscious is if you could relate to what we just said. This is Brahma’s realisation. He saw Visvarupa. He saw Devi dham, Mahesh dham, Hari dham, Giolok dham at a glance. The Lord gave him darsana. Also nowadays thousands of devotees come for darsana before Radha-Madhava. Is Radha-Madhava dealing with them simultaneously? They are all, praying, speaking their hearts, in their prayers. As soon as they come they see the Deity, they bow down. Stand up with a folded hands. They glorify and praise and offer some prayers. whether those feelings and prayers are heard by the Lord, the Deities? Everybody’s feelings are captured and screened. The Lord doesn’t have to do screening one after another. All of them are done instantaneously.

So chanting Japa, Hare Krishna is what the Lord has arranged. It is the medium to communicate with Him, speak to Him. You are saying Hare Krishna but actually you are saying lots of other things along with it, Krishna conscious things. So keep doing it. Practice daily. It’s not seasonal or occasional, it is daily. If we do that, then we get some responses from participants who are becoming more and more eager to chant everyday and I get to hear so much appreciation all over India for this conference and japa talks.

Today is first day of Navadwip mandala Parikrama. Devotees are leaving Mayapur reaching different islands. There are four – five different groups. Today I will go with the International group to Harihar ksetra. GBC meetings will continue in the temple. So we stop here.

Hare Krishna!