14TH AUGUST 2019

HARINAMA – ONLY REMEDY OF BHAVROG.

I am still in New Vrindavan and the network is quite unstable here. Still we are trying so that you can all listen to the Japa-talk and there should not be any difficulties. Lots of devotees and disciples , followers and friends have come to New Vrindavan and there is a festival over here.

I was studying Srila Rupa Goswami's Upadesamrta ( Nectar of Instruction) in my free time. I was studying the seventh sloka of Nectar of Instruction. This sloka got my attention. I thought it to be relevant to the chanting that we do on this conference. It is very instructive for the chanting of the holy name. Prabhupada quoted this particular instruction of Srila Rupa Goswami again and again. Many, many times he told us about this or reminded his followers about this instruction. I just want to share that with you. I will read the Sanskrit part and then try to explain it.

syāt kṛṣṇa-nāma-caritādi-sitāpy avidyā-
pittopatapta-rasanasya na rocikā nu
kintv ādarād anudinaṁ khalu saiva juṣṭā
svādvī kramād bhavati tad-gada-mūla-hantrī

Here Srila Rupa Goswami is instructing that certainly beginning with Krsna's name , then it comes his caritra, His past times etc. It is very juicy. The holy name is very, very sweet. I was trying to say that one who is afflicted with the disease of jaundice , then sweet sugar candy does not taste at all sweet to that person. Candy is sweet, but the eater of the sweet candy who is afflicted with the disease , goes to the doctor. The doctor diagnoses the jaundice and the prescription is to eat sugar candy. He had tried sugar candy and it did not taste very sweet. But the doctor says
sugar candy is the only cure for your jaundice. So here in this sloka, he is instructing that the holy name is the only medicine for the bhavarog, with which we have been contaminated. The sweet holy name doesn't initially taste sweet for the beginner. So one may feel, ‘How could I experience the sweetness of the holy name? Then acarya's and spiritual masters and Rupa Goswami Prabhupada here say – na rocikā nu – you are not tasting the sweetness of the holy name, but that holy name is the cure for the diseased, contaminated condition in which we are.

Chanting is that cure. harer nama eva kevalam. There is no other way. Doctor tells the jaundiced patient , there is no other cure other then this sugar candy. You have to eat sugar candy.

The chanter of the holy name is not interested. He has no ruci. Caitanya Mahaprabhu also says – na anuragaha – He has no attraction for the chanting. But the prescription is you have to chant. You have to keep chanting. Going back to that example of jaundice and prescription of sugar candy. When the jaundiced patient

eats sugar candy, this candy cures the jaundice and as he gets cured more and more, then he begins tasting the original sweetness of sugar candy. When he is fully cured of disease, “Give me more! More sugar candy!” He was not willing to eat sugar candy as it was bitter, but he was told that this is the only cure, so he goes on. Then he gets cured and starts asking for more and more. So likewise Rupa Goswami says ādarād anudinaṁ carefully and anudinaṁ. Over again and again , day after day , round after round he could say dose after dose. Sixteen rounds after sixteen rounds some day or in few days. saiva juṣṭā svādvī kramād bhavati You will begin tasting. You develop ruci, liking , attraction , taste for the holy name.

By this time tad-gada-mūla-hantrī there is a destruction of the disease which is Bhavarog, or Hritrog or Kama-rog, lust. Such diseased conditions of the contaminated consciousness could be cured or purified by mula hantri by chanting
the holy name of the Lord.

You could read instruction number seven from Upadeshamrta. The verse and translation of the purport , then you will have a better and clearer understanding of this instruction. Have you heard everything? It's the seventh verse from the Nectar of Instruction. So keep chanting and one day you will reach that point where you will have so much attraction for the holy name that you don't want to stop. This is guaranteed by our acarya Srila Rupa Goswami.

JAPA-TALK 13th AUGUST 2019

ASTAVIKAR MANIFESTS IN OFFENSELESS CHANTING.

This japa session is happening at Param Dham Prabhu and Jamuna mataji’s house, their son Chaitanya and daughter Lavanya are also here. I am in Washington DC, capital town of America. Today there are many things we can discuss. Washington DC is the capital of America and here in the ISKCON temple along with the other deities there is Rama Laksman Sita Hanuman also. Like the way the Lord rules here, in England’s capital London also there is Rama Laksman Sita Hanuman. Even in Delhi, the Indian capital there is Rama Darbar. All these places have been made into His Kingdom by Lord Sri Rama. So the rulers in these cities could rule the way Rama ruled Ayodhya. All these rulers could take some lessons from Sri Rama, follow in the footsteps of Sri Rama while ruling these countries the way Lord Rama ruled the whole world from Ayodhya in an unbiased way. All these places have become Rama’s kingdom.

I want to discuss something that came to my mind just now. All of you are able to hear my chanting but I could not hear you chanting. This is not good. I also wish to hear your chanting. The most important thing is that while we are chanting as Prabhupada would say ,'The tongue must vibrate'. Here where I am staying, in Param Dham Prabhu’s house there is a sign board and it is written , – 'Good vibes only' so ‘the tongue must vibrate' specially during chanting. Vibrate the tongue with the holy name , so that we could hear our own chanting. If that doesn't happen, then we may end up hearing some other sounds of the material world. Or we may just listen to our mind and the
mind is contemplating on something. We may be listening to that. In order to keep all other sounds out of the way we have to mind to chant. Our chanting, our vibes should be wider than other vices, sound vibrations in the air. While chanting japa our tongue should vibrate. If you hear a recording of Srila Prabhupad chanting, it is quite clear and loud.

While I was honouring my lunch prasada. I was hearing Caitanya-caritamrta Adi lila 7th chapter. I was hearing while honouring prasada and I could also say something about hearing while honouring prasada. In good old days in our brahmacari asrama before going to bed we would have a glass of milk. We had the milk in a big bucket in the centre and we all brahmacaris would sit around it. We would fill our glasses with milk and drink. It was not that we only had one glass. Some devotees had more than one glass. Among those devotees there would be one devotee who read from Krishna book. Every one had to shut up. Just drink the milk and listen and we had to hear that while drinking milk. While drinking milk we drank the nectarian pastimes of Lord Krsna from Krishna book. We were trained like that. To hear while eating. You can also practice the same, while having prasada you can hear. Here the benefit is twofold. One we are benefitted by eating prasada , Krsna is entering into you through your mouth, and by hearing, through your ears. So you are being bombarded by Krsna. You may like to do it as it is the best practice.

I want to say something very quickly because the session is supposed to be very short. While I was listening to Caitanya-caritamrta I heard the glories of the holy name from Mahaprabhu Himself, from His lotus lips. That time Caitanya Mahaprabhu was in Varanasi. Varanasi is the seat of the Mayavadis sanyasis who were impersonalists. There was a lot of criticism going on about Caitanya Mahaprabhu. He was criticized for chanting and dancing all over Varanasi and having followers follow Him sentimentally. Being a Sannyasi He should be grave, but He was laughing and dancing and what not. This is not apt for a Sannyasi. On top of all that he does not study Vedanta. But we study the vedanta. vedanta kare na pathan Mayavadi's are very proud of their study of Vedanta. This criticism was heard by a Maharastrian Brahmin. He could not tolerate this gossip which had become the talk of the town. He went to Caitanya Mahaprabhu and said that he could not tolerate this anymore and had to be stopped. He appealed to Mahaprabhu to meet these sannyasis and explain the truth. Caitanya Mahaprabhu was not interested in meeting the sannyasis. He was trying to avoid these impersonalist mayavadis. He did not want to meet them. mayavad bhasya sunile hail sarvanash But finally as the Maharashtrian Brahmin was insisting and pleading and begging finally Mahaprabhu agreed. The Maharashtrian Brahmin became the host for the meeting of all the sannyasis including Sri Krsna Caitanya Mahaprabhu.

Caitanya Mahaprabhu arrived and as he entered the arena he sat where everyone washed their feet. This was noticed by Prakashanda Sarasvati, the leader and spiritual master of all other sannyasis. He had around 7000 disciples. He went to the place where Caitanya Mahaprabhu sat and asked Him, to please get up and sit with him in his place. Mahaprabhu then went and sat with him in his place. After both of them took their respective seats, their discussion started. He accused Caitanya Mahaprabhu of sentimental dancing and chanting and not studying Vedanta in this land of Varanasi. ‘This is not proper. Now you should take lessons from the Vedantist and stop this sentimental chanting. Why are you doing this?’

On hearing this from Prakashanada Sarasvati Sri Krsna Caitanya Mahaprabhu said. ‘ You know why I am doing this? My Guru Maharaja Isvara Puri has asked me to do this. Guru mor murkh Delhi karil shasan . He said, ‘You are a fool, so I am instructing You. You can’t study Vedanta. So follow what I say. You just chant the Hare Krishna Mahamantra and sing the holy names.’

‘I am following what my Guru Maharaja said and he also said:

harer naam harer naam harer naam evakevalam kalau nastyeva nastyeva nastyeva gatir anyatha

Only the holy name, only the holy name , only the holy name is required for all the living entities. And he explained the meaning and importance of this mantra to Prakasananda Sarasvati. There is no other way, there is no other way, there is no other way to realise Krsna in this kaliyuga. Not by knowledge, not by karma, not by yoga can you attain God. In this age of Kali the holy name is the only path.That’s why I took up this chanting . As I started chanting, changes started happening in Me and I was a changed man. It transformed Me. People started calling Me a madman, pagala
baba. Once this happened I again went to my Guru Maharaja and asked him, – ‘kiba mantra dila Goswami kiba tar bal japite japite mantra karil pagal What kind of mantra have you given me Guru Maharaja? There is so much power in this holy name . By chanting I am becoming mad .

The moment I started chanting i became a madman. I started trembling. Sometimes I laugh and sometimes I cry. Sometimes I become stunned and sometimes I roll on the ground. After hearing this my Guru Maharaja said, ‘Wise man! Good boy! This is a good thing. You are intelligent. You are not a bad Man, but a good Man. Others may say that You are a fool, but You are not a fool. You are doing it very well.’ This is what Caitanya Mahaprabhu said to Prakasanada Sarasvati. Good vibes only! ‘He was really pleased and appreciating what had happened to Me as a result of chanting the Hare Krishna mahamantra. And then he also quoted the verse, I think canto 7 chapter 2 text 40

mahāprabhoḥ kīrtana-nṛtya-gīta-
vāditra-madyan-manaso rasena
romāñca-kampāśru-taraṅga-bhājo
vande guroḥ śrī-caraṇāravindam

This is a Gurvastakam verse of Srila Vishwanath Chakravarty Thakura. Viswanatha Chakravarty Thakura is describing the symptoms of one who does kirtana like Mahaprabhu has tears rolling down one’s cheeks and transformations become clearly visible. All those astavikar , eight different manifestations become clearly visible.My Guru Maharaja said that this is perfect. This is natural. This is what happens to one who chants Hare Krishna. Isvara Puri also quoted Srimad-
Bhagavatam canto 7, chapter 2 text 14. Especially and this only happens to one who does attentive chanting without any offence and chants constantly.

All of you can read Caitanya-caritamrta Adi lila chapter seven , where this debate between Caitanya Mahaprabhu and
Prakasananda Sarasvati is being discussed. There is lot more about enlightening dialogue which continued which you should read and study. It will inspire you to chant offencelessly. Lets stop here.

Hare Krishna!

12th August 2019

DEVOTEES ARE REAL DECORATION 

I am chanting with you from New Vrindavan, America. I also have some of the devotees from Canada. They have come from Canada to New Vrindavan. Also there are devotees from Los Angeles like Vrndavana Lila Mataji, Ramchandra Prabhuji from New Jersey, Antaryami Krishna Prabhuji from Boston and all the way from Tirupati, Venkatachalpati Prabhuji and devotees from South India. We have Daksina mataji from New Vrindavan and Rupamati mataji who is an architect and engineer.

There was a good number yesterday and today morning also. They don't want to leave New Vrindavan but stay on here.  Today is Ekadasi here in America, so we decided to chant with you. I am sure this is Dvadasi for you. You just got up, had mangala aarti and started chanting. In New Vrindavan it is Sandhya aarti.

We will chant and talk and then get a little rest. That is the kind of situation for  devotees.  East and West, North and South. Somewhere it's day and at another place night. Somewhere devotees are just getting up and at another
place they are getting ready to sleep. That's why Srila Prabhupada had once said,  'In ISKCON’s empire the sun never sets. It's always shining in whichever part there is in ISKCON’s empire'. He talked about this in 1977
Kumbha-mela. 

The British were very proud that the ‘sun never sets in the British empire' Their colonised empire had spread all over the planet, so they would say that the 'sun never sets in the British empire’. Prabhupada would say, ‘But
the sun never rises in England.’ It is always foggy and cloudy and they never get to see the sun. The sun is not visible in England. But in case of ISKCON, it is everywhere. It never sets in ISKCON empire. 

This is Caitanya Mahaprabhu's empire and Prabhupada’s empire as Prabhupada is the commander in chief of Caitanya Mahaprabhu's sankirtana movement.

An important thing about chanting is that we should always be planning to improve our chanting.  I was in Richmond at Divyanama  Prabhu's home. He showed me the Japa meditation corner. We also installed Haridas Thakur's murti, which he had managed to get from somewhere. Someone donated to him the murti of Namacarya. He wanted me to install the murti in that meditation hall of his house and that is where he was planning to continue his  chanting in presence of Haridas Thakur. I noticed that he didn't have Tulasi in that room. So he was going to add Tulasi also and chant in the presence of Tulasi and Namacarya Haridas Thakur. Of course he had other photographs also of Srila Prabhupada, his Guru Maharaja, Aindra Prabhu, who was an inspiration for many devotees for chanting and singing. It was a nice set up. Very inspirational to chant japa. You could also make sure you have an appropriate place for your chanting.

This morning at Radha Vrindavanchandra temple, in New Vrindaban, the director of the project, one who was making all the announcements read some quotations from Srila Prabhupada’s Namamrta. That was a very good practice. Just before the devotees’ chanting session in the temple, they read a few paragraphs, few quotes from Srila Prabhupada’s Namamrta. You chanters also try to get hold of this book of Sri- Namamrta. It's a compilation from Srila Prabhupada’s books, purports, conversations, morning walks, wherever Prabhupada talked about chanting or even singing. All those quotes have been collected in this book. It is a very good collection, very inspirational. You could also read that, before you begin chanting your japa and then chant. 

 Then again this morning during Bhagavatam class,I gave Caitanya – caritamrita class. Caitanya Mahaprabhu was touring Vrindavan and we mentioned and reminded the audience that towards the end of Mahaprabhu's touring, Caitanya Mahaprabhu spent time at Akrura ghata. One day He went over to Imalitala on the banks of Yamuna and He was chanting. Caitanya Mahaprabhu was doing his nama japa underneath that tamarind tree on the banks of Yamuna. 

We humorously said that Caitanya Mahaprabhu was chanting offenselessly. There is no need to mention this because Caitanya Mahaprabhu only chanted offenselessly. His chanting was never ever

offensive chanting. He would get absorbed in chanting. There would be full concentration on the chanting and as a result of such chanting of 'Hare Krishna Hare Krishna' Caitanya Mahaprabhu became Krishna conscious. 

In this case Radharani was the one who was chanting. Caitanya Mahaprabhu is in the mood of Radhabhav. He has become a devotee. He has become Bhaktarupa or he is in Bhaktarupa. He has become Radharani. As a result of that chanting, that morning Caitanya Mahaprabhu's whole complexion changed. He literally became Krishna conscious. Literally or
spiritually became Krishna conscious. His complexion no more remained Gauranga or Gaursundara, but He became Syamsundara with a bluish complexion He attained Ghaniva syam. 

This is one incident which explains how the chanting of Hare Krishna could transform you. That happened to Caitanya Mahaprabhu. He was no more golden in complexion but He had a Syamsundara bluish complexion. Of course He is the Lord and we can't expect our body to become Syamsundara like His. But different transformations are expected as are explained in the Nectar of Devotion- trembling of body or rolling on the ground, tears rolling down etc. So that day Caitanya Mahaprabhu exhibited the symptom of a change in complexion or symptom of pure chanting, chanting with devotion and emotions, feelings.

After today's morning class, we discussed Caitanya Mahaprabhu's Vrindavan tour. He did Vraja Mandala parikrama of Vrindavan. So after we finished our prasada we went on a tour of new Vrindavan, following in the footsteps of Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Of course we were not in the Vrindavan but we were in New Vrindavan. There are several forests here and we went on a tour with my dear godbrother, good old friend Varasana Swami Maharaja who became the guide. I was also a guide and a large number of disciples, friends followers over a hundred we went on a Parikrama of new Vrindavan.

Our first stop was a Palace of Gold. We took the tour and sat down and we talked and listened to Barasana Swami Maharaja speaking and sharing all realisations and history of the Palace of Gold. We heard that Prabhupada had visited the place once. Even though  the Palace of Gold was  not completed then you  could see the photograph. Both Barasana Maharaja, and I were in the photo there. Although we have less time left, I will share one thing, that Maharaja talked to us about this morning. I forget the year when Prabhupada took a tour of the Palace of Gold which was under construction. Devotees were doing a guided tour and those who were responsible for completing the construction of the palace they told to Prabhupada, ‘Prabhupada, we are going to have a lot of jewels and chandeliers. We are going to decorate this place truly with lots of gold. It will be much more decorated. It is unfinished now'. In response to that Prabhupada said, ‘My disciples, the devotees of this temple would be the jewels. They would be the real decorations.' It means that Prabhupada was more pleased not only with decorating the temple with jewels, but he was
more interested in giving value to the devotees. Devotees are more important and valuable. They are the real decoration. Everybody would agree. Maharaja also said that this is Maha Bhagavat Srila Prabhupada’s mission. This is how Prabhupada was thinking. He wasn't thinking that my residence, my palace would be decorated or studded with gems or jewels, but my real decorations are the devotees. They are the jewels. We should also be thinking that way. If we can't manage to build the temple we should be making the devotees as decorations, the jewels and not just
building the building. Devotees should be highlighted. The number should increase. They should be taken care of then the temple would shine.

One final item that we did in New Vrindavan Parikrama. Our final stop was on the banks of Radha-kund and Syama-kunda. Here in New Vrindavan they managed to get some Radha-kunda water and they mixed it with waters here. So this is non-different from Radha-kunda in Vrindavan. 

There is a temple of Radha-Gopinath which is under construction on the banks of Radha-kunda here in New Vrindavan. There are nice shady trees and also a Vrinda Devi temple on the banks of Radha-kunda. Among the shady  trees we talked and talked about Hari Katha. Maharaja spoke about the glories of Radha-kunda. The whole pastimes of how Radha-kunda and
Syama-kunda came into existence. There was Kundeswar Mahadev also. The dome is not finished yet as they need some more funds. Radha- Gopinath temple can also be seen. 

Keep chanting. Make sure that you chant in your chanting time. It is 9.45 pm here so good night, shubharatri to you all. India's good morning is good night here.
 
Hare Krishna! 
Have a good day!

10th August 2019

Kirtan means glory

kirti means glory. So, glories of maya are chanted day and night in commercial. Maya’s glories are broadcasted. Maya’s kirtan are on all the time. So, Sukadev Goswami says, ‘kirtana eva krsna sya,’ also meaning that the demigods considered their names equal to three worlds, independent on name of the Lord is an offence. So, Sukadev Goswami empahsised the best quality or guna in this age of Kali is kirtan only and kirtan only of Krishna. Bhagavatam chants the glories of Krishna, Bhagavan’s glories are chanted and it becomes Bhagavat, Krishna related. mukta sanga param vrajet – by chanting the holy names, Krishna’s names, mukta sangah, we become free from attachment for infinity.

There’s no sanga.’astanga tyagat ei vaishnav acar’. Vaisnava is seen or vaisnava is known for giving up, denouncing or renouncing the poor association, worldly association, by chanting the holy names of the Lord and we become attached to Krishna, we become attached to the chanting of the holy names of the Lord and the devotees. Devotees are also Lord’s in some form, they are parts and parcels of the Lord and devotees are very dear to the Lord. So, you develop attachment to the devotees. By chanting Hare Krishna, we become mukta person, all that is false, all that is Maya, all that is symbolic; we become free from the concepts and theology and faith.

‘sarva dharman parityaja’ – You give up all varieties of so-called religions.

‘param vrajet ‘, that person transcends and he goes beyond this material existence. It’s not that the Vaikuntha vimaan come and he boards on and goes back to Vaikuntha. He has become jivan mukta. While he is still around, he is not bound anymore. He is jivena mukta. Like the lotus is in the mud but it cannot be muddied by the mud. He is transcendental touched but is not touched, he is not influenced by the things around him. ‘mam ekam sharanam vraj’, all varieties of religion are not very easy to understand. “sarva dharman, mam eka sharanam”, surrender unto Me only. So, chanting of the holy names of the Lord is surrendering unto the Lord.

nama ashraya kari jatan tumi takah apana kaje,

taking shelter of the holy name. While chanting our japa we are taking shelter of the holy name. The more attentive chanting you do is indication you are more surrender unto the holy name. If our chanting is offence less then we are surrendered more unto the holy name of the Lord. So, ‘mam ekam sharanam vraj’ is same as a nama ashraya. The chanting of the holy name is equal to taking shelter to the Lord, or surrendering unto the Lord

Here He says, mam ekam sharanam vraj aham tvam sarva papebhyo. aham, also; tvam, yours; papebhyo, not one, two, but all the sins that you have committed. Meaning, the reactions or the resulted actions of the sinful activities. moksyayisyhmi, Lord will free you from all the sins, sinful activities and from all the reactions and results and sufferings of the sins.

Ultimately, we fully surrender unto the Lord, unto the holy name of the Lord then we become truly free from, papa chi vasana, the thoughts of committing sins, concepts, ideas of committing sins. There’re various ideas for us to boost these inspiration or dictation, these vasanas, these desires, and then we commit the sins, and then there are reactions dictated by the kama vasana; there are inspirations and desires to commit sins, sinful activity dictated by kaam vasana. Then the reactions of sinful activities become the cause and effect. Sinful activities cause sufferings.

So, when Lord is talking here, mam ekam sharanam vraj, I will make you free from the sin. That means you have received full benediction of the Lord, then no more desires to commit sin. You will not commit sin and there will be no reaction to any sinful activity. And ma sucah, do not fear, there is no reason. Do not doubt, go ahead, surrender unto Me. I am here, come here, my dear, do not fear, I’m right here, ma sucah. ma means do not. So, the Lord, originally, who is the creator of all problems are there, He created problems, we can’t blame the Lord because it’s all our fault. We embraced the world of problems and we turned against the Lord with our back to Him and we came to this world with bhoga van cha with vasana, with the desire to enjoy. As soon as there is bhoga van cha, the desire to enjoy, immediately nikita starts. Maya dragged us then Maya started handling us. We made bad use of the independence that we had. We chose this world of problems. So, we cannot blame the Lord, but we could rectify the fault by giving up this mentality to enjoy independently, give the spirit this bhoga mentality. Instead, you could go for yoga, yogi bhava, advised and instructed Arjuna you become a yogi, yogi bhava. So, we could say japa yogi bhava and Maya says bhogi bhava.

Hare Krishna

9th August 2019

Hare Krishna

We have 170 participants.

Hari Hari!

I was chanting my japa during morning hours, here, in Richmond, Dwarka. When I got up, it was very cool. It’s very quiet and peaceful. This place is countryside. We must see the forest sometime. So, this is a good time and good place to chant. Then I thought why chant alone, I remembered. Whenever I chant these days, I remember the other chanters. They send communications. And many of you have joined – there are 175 chanters. My idea was to catch new chanters, new participants and we have some success by communicating and getting them to join the chanting session. But not many as I aspire, desire or expect. I don’t know why. I thought devotees in America would chant on east coast.

Right now, chanting is Ram Chandra prabhu who wrote and he said they have to go to work, now. They should chant and go to work. Either they are going to work or they are or we are too busy to chant.

Hari, Hari. Gaura Premanande, Hari, Hari bol!

Chanting should be the centre of our whole life. Chanting should be at the prime time. Not that prime time for maya and some other time for Krsna. There are 24 hours in a day. So, 2 hours, more or less, we should spare for chanting our japa, meditating, communicating with the Lord, your dialogue for the Lord, your time with the Lord, your appointment with the Lord, for 2 hours. You should consider 22 hours to do other things and only 2 hours for chanting and many more hours for Krishna, to do other spiritual activities – hearing, chanting, reading, studying, honouring prasadam, association of the devotees, preparing for Janmastami festival or distributing Srila Prabhupada’s books;

yāre dekha, tāre kaha kṛṣṇa’-upadeśa.

So, what I am trying to say is 2 hours for Krishna and 22 hours for maya. Out of those 22 hours, lot of hours should be given to Krsna. Our goal is 24 hours for Krishna. Srila Prabhupada has given us that as our goal, our standard to follow. This is the chanting time or the chanting session, this is japa talk, so, I am talking in favour of chanting, that is favourable to chanting. The policy also should be chant while chanting. Do other things while doing other things. While doing other things also we can chant – hata may kama mukha me nama. While cooking also you can chant. While driving also, as Dinanukampa mataji chant or hears us chanting while driving. But the 2 hours of japa time can be exclusive, can be dedicated to chanting, hearing, remembering. So, you may think, even I may say “Oh, I have so many problems so I can’t chant. I have no time to chant as I have to solve those problems.” That is not the way to solve the problems. Solution to all of our problems is Krishna, Krishna consciousness. Bhagavatam is solution. Chanting Hare Krishna is solution to all our problems. So, when you are not taking to this solution, you take to other speculated ways of solving problems which you do something else of Krishna consciousness to solve the problems. I will not chant and I will solve my problem. I will not hear Bhagavatam or I will not study Bhagavad Gita and I will solve my problems. I have no time to celebrate Janmastami because I must solve my problems. We have to be convinced that problems are caused by this deceptive age, the age of Kali. Being in this world is a problem. Turning us against Krishna, our back towards the Lord and face towards maya, that is the problem.

kalir doso nidhi rajan asti ekho mahan gunah – so many defects, in this age of Kali, so many flaws, so many shortcomings. This age of Kali is full of defects, full of bad qualities. But then there is one good quality. In the Bhagavatam, SukadevGoswami says that on behalf of the Lord, he knows what our problem is. The Lord is the creator of the problems and He is also the creator of all the solutions. If anybody knows what the solution is, that is the Lord. So, on behalf of the Lord, the maha bhagawat, Sukadev Goswami – who is, originally, the parrot of Radharani, Suka the parrot – had appeared into this world to chant the glories Radharani and Krishna.

sukha mukhad amritam – he is relishing amritas, sharing amritas of Bhagavatam that were spoken on behalf of the Lord Krishna. If we drink the nectar of Bhagavatam, then no more leaving in ignorance. We become deathless, birthless, diseaseless and ageless. Life becomes free – life minus death, minus birth. And we become amar, we become eternal. Eternally, devoted in service of the Lord.

As we talk of problems, I say the problem is we do not know what the problem is. The real problem is not knowing. We become knowledgeable when we know what the problem is. The whole world is talking of problems but they have not realised Krishna.

janma mrutyu jara vyadhi duhkha-dosanudarsanam , the lord wants to enlighten the whole world. The Lord is wants the whole world to know what the problem is and according to Lord, death, birth, disease, old age are the problems.

The whole world is talking of problem, So many problems, secondary or tertiary problem, world related problems. In Bhagavatam, Sukadev Goswami says kalir dosha nidhi rajan. This age of Kali is a special age for the world as it passes through this period called the Kali yuga. Srila Prabhupada called this a season. So, Kali yuga is one kind of a season. Dwapar yuga is another season and Treta yuga and Satya yuga are another seasons. So, this season Kali has lots of problems related with birth, death, old age and diseases. In Srimad Bhagavatam, Sukadev Goswami says ekho mahan gunah. There is one good quality, the best quality. In Kali Yuga is kirtana eva krsna sya mukta sanga param vrajet. Harer namaiva, eva – nama only. This Sukadev Goswami has said kirtana eva – only by kirtan, only. And then he had not just talked to the readers or audiences or listeners to do kirtan of anybody and everybody, no. He specified, kirtana eva krsna sya, kirtana only of Krishna, otherwise it will not work. Maya’s kirtan is going on through the karmic radio. Kirtan means glories. Kirti is glory. So, glories of maya chanted day and night.

To be continued

8th August 2019

Srila Prabhupada is our senapati bhakta

Hare Krishna

I am in Richmond at Divyanam Prabhu’s residence. He has invited all the congregational ISKCON regional devotees, so it is a busy schedule.

When I arrived here, some devotees were thanking me for coming. My response was, “We thank the Lord, and specially we thank Srila Prabhupada for coming to America. Sri Krsna Caitanya Mahaprabhu had sent Srila Prabhupada to bless America. Here he founded the International Society for Krishna Consciousness. My coming here and meeting the congregation is also Srila Prabhupada’s blessing. He is the cause of our meeting and he is the one we should thank.”

And here we share another meeting. When Prabhupada arrived for the first time from India, there was no one to receive him. I see some of the garlands and the kirtana party, but none of that existed when Prabhupada had arrived. Prabhupada has written in his diaries now known as the Jaladuta Diaries from India to Boston and then, finally to New York. Now, we are giving greetings, garlands and a kirtana and mrdanga party. This is Srila Prabhupada’s Sankirtana sena and he is the commander in chief of the Sankirtana army.

Yesterday, I saw the founded International Society for Krishna Consciousness. Of course, Krsna is always everywhere and in America also before Prabhupada’s arrival, but He was not visible and He was not accessible or approachable. His stories here, His presence, His lilas, in America are all in the Krsna book and Srila Prabhupada made Krsna visible and available all over America and all over the the world.

Now, everywhere we go, we have Krsna bhaktas, Krsna temples, Ratha-yatra festivals, and we are all getting ready for Sri Krsna Janmastami and nagar Sankirtana is taking place all over the planet, Hare Krishna devotees are chanting with drums and kartals, which was only in Mayapur, Navadipa. In Manipur also. It was mostly in Hindi, and only in India. But now, by Srila Prabhupada’s mercy, it is all over the world. Srila Prabhupada is the ambassador of the Holy name.

As the devotees started chanting Hare Krishna on the streets and everywhere, by seeing those Hare Krishna devotees chanting here, there and everywhere, people started calling us, “Oh, these are the Hare Krishna people! Look! These are Hare Krishna people.” These were Srila Prabhupada’s followers. Now, they are Gaura bhakta vrndas, Krsna bhaktas and are known as Hare Krishna people chanting Hare Krishna. Prabhupada’s chanting made everyone happy.

George Harrison was a big Beatles singer, and he took to chanting. He recorded an album and that album was sold all over the planet. It has been experienced that at times even before Prabhupada’s arrival Prabhupada’s followers in some country, in some town had already heard

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

from George Harrison’s album. It became a hit making Hare Krishna chanting popular. As Srila Prabhupada empowered, instructed and guided his Hare Krishna Consciousness movement making it available here and there Krsna is becoming accessible, available to all.

Books by Srila Prabhupada – Gita, Bhagawat, Caitanya-caritamrta , Upanishads and other scriptures are being distributed. Prabhupada had instructed his followers, like Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakur had instructed Srila Prabhupada. He had instructed Abhaya, to propagate Krishna Consciousness in the Western world in English. Srila Prabhupada personally brought Bhagavatam with him. He is personally, bhagawatamah bhagawat, the person bhagawat, and he has also carried his Srimad-Bhagawatam. Then he instructed his followers, “Now, you print my books. Translate it in English, French and you distribute it in as many languages as possible”. Prabhupada had his books translated and printed in English and now we have to expand that. His instruction was, “You print. Translate and print my books, in as many languages as possible.” So, his followers did just that.

For years, BBT, Bhaktivedhanta Book Trust had held a conference, and during the presentation BBT presenters revealed the secret. One blink means that one book by Srila Prabhupada has been distributed somewhere. Another blink, another book. Each blink, a book of Srila Prabhupada is being distributed. At BBT every second Srila Prabhupada’s books were being made available.

The Deities, Krishna, Radha Krishna, Sita Rama, Gaura Nitai, Jagannatha Baladeva Subhadra, Nrsimhadev – having installed Them meant Krsna is here. Right here, right now.

Hare Krishna

5th August 2019

Harer Namaiva Kevalam

I meant to chant and record this for you so that you know we chanted here, for tomorrow morning’s chanting time in India. But then I decided to let the world know that I’m chanting right now, right here in Los Angeles on Sunday the fourth of August. Today is also ratha yatra. As the world wants to chant, many of you have joined.

As a result, I’m seeing new faces. Normally Indian time is not convenient for them to chant. So for these devotees this will be more convenient. I see Gauranga in London chanting, and others are chanting. So, here’s what we will do; Everyday, I chant as per my convenience during my world tour. We will let you know, possibly in advance. If not, when I’m about to begin chanting, we will notify you and if it is convenient for you, you can also chant with us, with me. Devotees could chant some more rounds and then hear the japa talk after they have chanted their rounds. And then again , this recording will be made available at 05:30 or by 6 in the morning. 6 to 7 in the morning is fine.

I think it’s clear what I’m trying to communicate to all of you, the chanters, especially those who would be on this conference and the translator who would do this during my travels in the West. I think it would be best to talk in English for others to benefit. It can also be translated. What I’m speaking is not exactly japa talk so my words of inspiration for you all today is to keep chanting.

There will be lots of Kirtana during Jagannatha Ratha-yatra. The one thing I was thinking that you should take note of is that we do kirtana in the morning, during the day and in the evening. There is a kirtana mela and we do kirtana. In Ratha-yatra we do kirtana. There is Sankirtana. We do kirtana and that must be done, but we also have to chant our 16 rounds and many more rounds. I chant for hours during kirtana or kirtana melas or other kirtanas. I never think, “Oh, I have done my chanting, I have done my duty, I have done my part, I have done singing and chanting of Hare Krishna and that’s it,” That is not the case. Besides the few times that I have mentioned in the past, I have never missed chanting my daily prescribed number of rounds. Of course, I chant more than my prescribed rounds. On top of all the kirtana I have always chanted my rounds. I do kirtana with mrdanga, kartal or harmonium, singing, dancing but I also chant my japa.

harer namaiva kevalam is the principal – chanting of the Lord’s name is the only way and there is no other way, no other way, no other way. Chanting is the only way. This has to be understood and then one may think, “Why do Ratha-yatra? Why do Deity worship? Why do pada sevanam, arcanam, vandanam, dasayam, sakhyam, atmanivedanam? Why do other processes?

Only harer namaiva kevalam.The deeper meaning of this harer namaiva kevalam has been explained by Jiva Goswami. The meaning is that the other processes also have to be followed – arcanam and vandanam,dasayam, sakhyam, atmanivedanam. But all the processes should be accompanied by the chanting of the holy names of the Lord.

Ratha-yatra is arcanam. The Deities are taken on a procession. They circumambulate the temple in many, many places. This happens especially with the small utsava vigraha Deities. Utsava means festival. They are taken on a procession in Tirupati and many other places, in ISKCON also. In Mayapur, every Saturday, there is what they call an elephant procession. Radha Madhava ride on the back of the elephant and They go on the procession. That is arcanam. During Jagannatha Ratha-yatra, the Lord goes on a big tour. He travels a long distance riding on the chariot. That arcanam, that Ratha-yatra is complete when it is accompanied by the chanting of Hare Kṛṣṇa Hare Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa Hare Hare Hare Rāma Hare Rāma Rāma Rāma Hare Hare. So, that is harer namaiva kevalam. Harinama has to be there, especially with Deity worship.

Deity worship with Harinama or singing the glories of the Lord is a ritual, but the Gaudiya Vaisnavas have to understand this harer namaiva kevalam principle. Along with arcanam, Deity worship, Ratha-yatra is part of arcanam. It’s worshipping of Jaganntha by bringing Them on a tour in a town, where He is going from Dwaraka to Vrndavana. Devotees are bringing Him to Vrndavana. That procession is accompanied by the chanting of Hare Kṛṣṇa Hare Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa Hare Hare Hare Rāma Hare Rāma Rāma Rāma Hare Hare. No process that we follow or conduct is complete without chanting of Hare Krishna. Hare Krishna has to be there.

By the chanting of Hare Krishna along with the other devotional services, sravanam kirtanam, sravanam is one bhakti and kirtanam is another bhakti, smaranam is another bhakti. Like that there are 6 more bhaktis or processes of devotional service. Specially, in this age of Kali, we chant while following other processes and then that process becomes complete. In the sense it becomes free from flaw or defect. We may be doing something wrong, something incorrectly. That wrong is done right or is rectified and the rectification takes place as we chant Hare krsna. It is bound to have some flaws and some defects by following other processes. So, there is a statement of the Siddhanta and we want to bring your attention to that Siddhanta, The 8th canto 23rd chapter is the Vamana Dev episode. That had compound by Vaman Dev. He also wrote about circumstances in history where the performances of yajna is happening at the bank of Narmada. So, there these statements were declared.

8th canto 23rd chapter :

sarvam karoti nishchidram nama sankirtanam tava

Oh Lord, when Your names are chanted or the Hare Krishna mantra is chanted and some other mantras glorifying the Lord are also chanted, nama sankirtanam tava so they do sarvam karoti nishchidram . There are some kind of chidra, flaws , defects , loopholes and some shortcomings, following the process. That’s compensated, rectified by chanting the holy name of the Lord, nama sankirtanam tava. That kind of flaws or defects, and possibly there could be many, this is the age of “kalir dosh nidhir rajan” – this age of is full of faults, “dosh nidhir.” So, some of the dosh here is “mantra taha, tantra taha, desh kalah vastuh taha.” Here some items are mentioned. Mantra taha – maybe you are not chanting the right mantra or you are chanting the right mantra but you are chanting it incorrectly or you are not pronouncing it properly. Tantra taha – are the techniques while performing different devotional services or arcana, with so many rules, do’s and don’ts. There is a whole tantra sastra. Techniques which have some flaw or defect in following the process. Desh kalah – may be the place or your location is wrong when you are doing such and such devotional activity. Desh Kalah – maybe the time is wrong. It is not the right muhurta or when we calculated maybe the calculation was wrong, or you did not even calculate and you are dong something. So, dosha kalah vastu kalah .

Vastuh taha – maybe items could be wrong – no pure ghee. They use dalda and a lot of things or ingredients could be faulty. So, vastu taha – all kind of vastu, all items, objects, materials, or samagri that are being used for yajna or Deity worship or this or that could be wrong. So, these are the chidra. karoti nishchidra – these faults, these shortcomings and mantra chanting or following the process or techniques, or the timing is wrong, the place is wrong, the items are faulty or they are contaminated. This is in the age of Kali and this can happen and we still have to achieve the goal.

And this can be the quote. We chant the holy names of the Lord

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

If this is done and as we hear from Sukadev Goswami kalir dosh nidhir rajan asti eka mahan gunah. This age of Kali has all faults, all defects, all loopholes, but there is one good thing, one good and powerful thing and that is the nama sankirtana. kalir dosh nidhir rajan asti eka mahan gunah. By chanting the holy names of the Lord, we get mukti. We become free from the bonds, flaws, attachment and whatever difficulties are there. We overcome or rectify these by chanting the holy names of the Lord. We all definitely bow down to the harer namaiva kevalam. Harinama has to be there – wherever we are and whatever we are doing before undertaking any activity or service. Hanth me kama , mukha me nama- You are doing different things with your hands, with your feet, with your mind, with other articles or with other people, there has to be mukha me nama, chanting has to be there. Then everything is fine and everything would be aligned, adjusted, rectified and we will achieve the desired result or goal. And do everything for the Lord and perform devotional service unto the Supreme Krsna, the Supreme Godhead.

4th August 2019

Brahma Muhurta – the best time to chant

Try to chant your japa during the morning hours. I heard from Shyamlangi Mataji from Dubai, how devotees plan to do their japa during the day or at the end of the day after they have returned home tired from work and then they are trying to do their japa. Don’t do that. That’s very bad policy.

The best time of the day for devotional performances, especially chanting, is the early morning hours when the mode of goodness prevails and the modes of passion and ignorance are subdued. That is the time after the night’s rest that our body and mind has rested and is peaceful and ready to absorb more thoughts, vibrations or talks. This is the time we should be chanting our japa. Make sure you are chanting in the morning.

At least you should chant most of your rounds in the morning. Some remaining rounds are fine. You can try to complete them during the day or in the evening. I was talking of the devotees who do not chant in the morning at all. And they plan to do all their chanting from beginning to finish during the day, in the evening or late in the night. We as Sadhakas, the practitioners of the chanting of the holy name. We have to plan our day, all 24 hours. This time I am going to do this. This time I am going to do that. Especially for chanting, hearing and some reading also, Brahama Muhurta is the most favourable time. You will reap better results while chanting in the morning.

I was just thinking. A sponge absorbs ink or water or some liquid. So if a sponge has already absorbed ink or water and it is saturated, then it won’t absorb any more. If you try to use the same sponge to wipe the ink or water that has fallen, it won’t absorb or suck in the ink or water because it is already full. I was thinking our minds are also like that. All day we are taking in so many thoughts, so many things are absorbed, contemplated upon by the mind and mind is kind of saturated, super saturated, overloaded and under stress. It can’t take in any more. If you try to use such a mind that has overworked the whole day thinking and hearing and observing, then on top of that you try to chant Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna’ then that ‘Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna’ is going to bounce off your mind. Like you throw a ball against the wall and it just bounces back. So we say ‘Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna’ but the mind is already preoccupied with all the thoughts throughout the day. We are keeping our mind busy so there is no room for ‘Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna’. Even if we chant it will just bounce off our ears or our mind. It will not take it in or contemplate on the Hare Krishna Mahamantra. It will not absorb the ‘Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna’ Mahamantra.

So the best time is when the mind is fresh and ready during the early, peaceful morning hours. All our yesterday’s thoughts and wanderings have kind of taken a back seat or settled somewhere and then the mind is ready for more. It is peaceful in the mode of goodness in the morning hours and then when we chant ‘Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare’ the mind would very eagerly take that and hear and think about what it has been hearing.

From Sayani Ekadasi Caturmasya commences. Many of you were in Pandharpur for Vyasa puja on Sayani Ekadasi. That was the beginning of Caturmasya which is also a good time for doing more sadhana, more sravanam kirtanam, of course some tapasya , some fasting from spinach one month, no milk for one month, no yogurt another month and no urad dhal another month. We do not follow so much austerity. Some devotees become more strict with the diet. We could do more sadhana, more chanting, hearing, more studies, more sadhu sanga. There are lots of festivals also during this four-month period.

While Caitanya Mahaprabhu was on the planet He was spending time in Jagganath Puri. Devotees would come from all over Orissa, Bengal, Bangladesh, East Bengal, Santipur, here and there. Many of them would stay on for four months in Jagannatha Puri with Sri Krsna Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Utthana Ekadasi comes during the month of Kartik. Utthana means getting up and Sayan means sleeping. That’s the Lord’s program for all those pilgrims you noticed coming to Pandharpur. They were coming there to receive darsana of the Lord before He goes to sleep and rest for four months. Good idea? We too will follow in the footsteps of the Lord.

While the Lord is relaxing and resting, devotees in the dham like Pandharpur dham, Jagganath Puri dham, Vrindavan dham and also could be at your home, concentrate on the holy names of the Lord. Your home is also a place of pilgrimage. You have made your home into a temple and there devotees practice more hearing and chanting and concentrate on what he is hearing, “I want to hear the holy name. I want to hear’. Many times we chant but we do not hear. Or maybe we are chanting, and others are hearing but we are not hearing. So, it’s a good time to take advantage of this Caturmasya and practice attentive chanting. Practice avoiding the ten offences. You could make a list, “I am going to avoid this, I am going to avoid that. I am not going to eat salt and the benefits are there also. I am going to avoid Vaisnava aparadha. On the contarary I am going to serve Vaisnavas, do Vaisnava seva, sadhu seva, name ruci, jive daya. I am going to increase the attachment and the taste for chanting and do jive daya, exibit some compassion or daya on other fellow human beings or fellow brothers and sisters.

This Caturmasya is the time when each one of you could see what you could do in addition to improve your sadhana, your chanting.

Here in Los Angeles there is a Ratha-yatra tomorrow, big Ratha-yatra festival. Los Angeles is also known as New Dwaraka. Devotees of New Dwaraka are getting ready for grand Jagannatha Ratha-yatra festival here tomorrow at Venice Beach. So, this morning in Caitanya-caritamrta class, I was asked to give class and we were remembering the devotees who 500 years ago were coming to Jagannatha Puri. So I was narrating this morning that now they were arriving.

King Prataparudra was new to this. He did not know who is who. As they were coming in big numbers and in a procession, nagar Kirtana was also taking place. He was very curious to know and understand who they were and what they were doing? King Prataparudra climbed up to the rooftop of his palace and he was accompanied by Sarvabhauma Battacharya and Gopinath Acarya. King Prataparudra wanted to know who that elderly person with the beard was? That’s Advaitacarya, And what about that one with the blue Dhoti? Who was he? Balaram? It was Nityananda Prabhu. And who is that one behind Him? It was Srivas Thakur, And that one? Parmeshwar. Who is that one?Narsimhananda. And so it went on.

King Prataparudra was taking darsana. The one thing that impressed and amazed king Prataparudra was the performance of the Kirtana. He was asking others around him, Sarvabhauma Battacharya and others, “I have heard Kirtana, but not of this kind. Kirtaniyas are chanting the same mantra, playing the same drums and kartals, but this Kirtana that I am hearing today performed by these pilgrims arriving from all over Bengal, is something different. I am really attracted by this Kirtana. This is very appealing to me and this is very powerful. What is the difference between this Kirtana and the other Kirtanas that I had heard? The reply given was that this Kirtana is Prema Kirtana. They are singing with prema, with love for the Lord. This Kirtana is offenceless Kirtana,pure chanting, suddha nama japa.

That is desirable. What is expected. Gaudiya Vaisnava japa or kirtana is prema japa or prema Kirtana, Kirtana with love for the Lord. By chanting and chanting they have developed love for the Lord. One could feel that love and get influenced by this loving Kirtana. Make your goal of chanting like those pilgrims coming from Bengal.

You got the message. It’s enough food for thought for the day, so we will wind up here. It’s not end of the day for me us here.At 7.30 Los Angeles time, in 1 hour and 20 minutes, I will also be chanting in the temple and there is Ratha-yatra tomorrow. Devotees are arriving from all over America. This is the West coast. Devotees are coming from the East coast and from other countries.

Continue chanting. You have more japa to do. Jai Jagannatha.

31st July 2019

BECOME SELF SUFFICIENT.

I welcome & congratulate all the chanters. There is a reminder that next two days there will be no chanting session as you know I will be travelling long distance travel. On one morning I will be travelling from Delhi to New York & then from New York to Los Angeles. Then we will notify you hopefully & certainly about continuing our japa session. But you all keep chanting. Some of you are saying, you will miss me but don’t miss chanting, even though I will not be physically or personally chanting with you. As you are taking inspiration from me to chant, similarly you can take inspiration from others around you. May be your family members are good chanters, attentive chanters, regular chanters, offenseless chanters. Such person could be your family members, neighbours. There are so many many possibilities.

You could take inspiration to chant continuously, devotionally, offenselessly. May be your counsellor & like that, take inspiration from your instructing spiritual masters. There are actually so many of them instructing you, giving ‘siksha’. Giving you guidance. They are your friends, philosophers & guides. Turn to them, Help! Help! Help! You could take help from them, take inspiration from them. Make them your heroes. They can give you spiritual as well as general guidance. This is reminding me of Lord Krishna. He explains to Uddhava such thoughts that there can be so many gurus.

That is a big topic from eleventh canto of Bhagavatam, chapter seven. Few days ago, we did quote Lord Krishna, as He was talking to Uddhava. He said,

“Atmaiva guru atmanaha”

Atma remains or guru is atma. We should become our own guru also. Yourself, you become your own guru, train yourself, become independently thoughtful & learn things from different sources & train yourself. Equip yourself. Keep practicing Krishna consciousness, as self-help. Stand on your own feet & help yourself how to take the help of those around you & become self-sufficient. Something like that otherwise you become responsible, take the responsibility. You become able, or capable to respond to different situations or circumstances. What different things can be done so that you become capable to handle all situations or stay Krishna conscious under all circumstances.

So, we should be able to become responsible like that. Your initiating spiritual master may not be available physically, personally. But you take siksha from where you are stationed. Look around & maybe you learn lessons from different objects, different personalities. To get this message across to Uddhava, Lord Krishna has talked about the past history or life of king Yadu. How Yadu had an encounter with one brahmin. Yadu Maharaj & this Avadhut was Lord Dattatreya. He is having dialogue & Lord is making reference to Uddhava about it. Yadu maharaj is very very exalted personality himself. Yadu vansha or Yadu dynasty is named after him. That is why he is called Yadav. Krishna is called Yadav, because he comes from Yadav dynasty. So that Yadu Maharaj is now wondering looking at this Avadhut brahmana. He is improperly dressed, but he is so happy, so jolly. He is blessed out.

Yadu is wondering, how? I mean I am king, I have so much facilities. This is at my disposal, that is at my disposal, whole treasury, ministers, this & that but as I don’t experience joy or happiness as I could see you are in. What has made you happy like this? Share the secrets with me. Kindly let me know the cause of your happiness. There is no stress & strain that I could observe in your personality, but only happiness, joy. Please tell me what has made you happy. Then this Avadhut, you understand what an Avadhut is. He doesn’t follow the normal norms. He is transcendental. So that was this Avadhut brahmana. Then this Avadhut explained, what has made me happy is because I had many gurus in my life. I take instructions from so many personalities, so many sources. They are source of my inspiration. I follow them.

He has mentioned ” I have 24 gurus” He has given list of 24 gurus. Prithvi (earth) is my guru, vayu (air) is my guru. The Surya (sun) is my Guru. Chandrma (moon) is my guru & list goes on & on. The couple of pigeons – he & she pigeon, I have learnt so much from that couple. Prostitute from Videha – I have learnt so much lesson from that prostitute. Like that he has 24 guru’s instructing him & he has learnt so much from them. They are guiding principles & I am following their guidance. Their Instructions which have made me happy & joyful, in this material life of trials & tribulations. So not that I have undergone initiation ceremony & this guru’s get on the mike come to me & they made me sit down & talk to me or instruct me & they are talking, that is also not the case. They are where they are, but I just consider teachings from their life. This lesson from Prithvi, I take another lesson from Samudra the ocean, another from that couple – he & she pigeon, another lesson from that prostitute. They never came to me. I am learning or understanding. I could learn from this party, that party. This is how I am being trained by these 24 gurus of mine. So, from earth I have learned tolerance. As I watch or look around, I could see how much mother earth is tolerant. So, this lesson of being tolerant I have learnt from mother earth.

Few days ago, we talked about those five different animals or creatures & how one of their senses was not under control, as a result the deer lost life as there was no control over sense of hearing. Another animal the moth, lost life as there was no control over the eyesight. So that is also a lesson that Avadhut Brahmin Dattatreya is talking about that ‘I should control my senses.’ I should have control over my sense of hearing & I should control my senses. That makes me aware, be aware. You don’t control your senses like these animals.

So, I become ‘sachet’- cautious. Prevention is better than cure. I prevent those things from happening, I am learning lessons from those different animals. That’s a kind of lesson. Those become my gurus.

There are two kinds of Instructions, two categories, it is explained here. One is called ‘Eya’ & other is called ‘Upadeya’. ‘Eya’ means don’t do this. Reject this, abondoan this. So, he has learned some things like don’t do this & lessons like that of not doing certain things & ‘Upadeya’ is do like this, don’t do this. Do like earth but don’t do things like deer & loose own life. So ‘eya’ & ‘Upadeya’. I learned some lessons to do this & other lessons of don’t do that. There was a person who was making his tool sharp & he is busy doing that sharpening his tools & he was, focused, concentrated, absorbed in that. Then there went a procession with a lot of noise. After some time another person came & inquired whether he has seen the procession going from there. But he told he was doing his work & he don’t know about that procession. So Dattatreya made him his guru & learned from him how work should be done with complete concentration. That person was totally unaware of the surrounding circumstances so I wanted to chant like he was sharpening his tool.

Try to chant, like he was sharpening his tool.

From each of these 24 gurus he has learned different lessons, he has taken different instructions. He observed lifestyle of pigeon couple. They were leading life of griha-medhi. They got married, they lay eggs & soon there were children & they were so busy, busy taking care of the needs of their children & life was going on like that. Even if they were invited by Hare Krishna devotees for Janmastami & they explained no no we are busy, we can’t come. We are doing our duty. Call us later we can’t come now.

So, this used to be their attitude & then the shikari (hunter) comes & he captures the children & then the parents pigeon they are helpless. They are attracted, they wanted to help out their children so they also entered the net of this hunter & they were caught & all lost their life without giving any time for Krishna consciousness. So, this Avadhut Dattatreya says, okay this party is also my guru. This he pigeon, she pigeon, I made them my gurus.

What do you learn? – I don’t want to be like them. I made them my gurus. As saw their lifestyle, being busy busy, no time for Krishna consciousness. So, I made them my guru. I will not follow their example, I will not do the things they did, so they are also my spiritual masters.

Ok time is passing. Then there was a prostitute of Videha or Janakpur. She was one night waiting for customers. O! He looks very rich person. Surely, he will come & then become my customer. I will enjoy him & he will enjoy me. But that night no one booked her or tried her or came in to enjoy her & she was waiting & waiting. She was going in the house again coming back looking for customers, but nothing was working out, but then she was very very fortunate that night as some thought prevail, what? Why should I keep doing this profession? I will stop this. No more of this prostitution business. Did this make me happy? No! This body is just a bag of stool & urine & this & that. I tried to enjoy that & they also tried to enjoy my body which is also similar bag of pus & urine & stool. I will stop this kind of business & she did stop & she came to this conclusion. She took sankalpa, determination. No more!! of this illicit sex or sex all together & from today onwards I am going to serve my Lord. Lord of my heart Narayan, like Laxmi serves Narayan. I will serve like Rama, Laxmi serves Narayan. I will become servant. I will serve Him. I will not serve the worldly bodies. I will serve the eternal form of Lord. She came to that conclusion, that determination & Avadhut said, okay you are my guru. He has observed this whole incidence of prostitute which she has shared & so he accepted her as his spiritual master & she was added in list of 24 gurus.

So, like that, you could study this, eleventh canto chapter 7th, 8th & 9th describing the various gurus of this Avadhut. You could also make them as your gurus. But list is not limited. You could have your own list of gurus. Five, ten, twenty, fifty or a hundred gurus around you & take lessons, inspiration, instructions from them & stay Krishna conscious as this Avadhut Brahmana became Krishna conscious. He became happy, jolly, transcendental to worldly affairs.

Okay. Hare Krishna!

Devotees just informed me that we have crossed 700 participants today. Feel happy & keep chanting. Get others to chant with you. You could become their gurus. Take inspiration from them. You could take inspiration from them. ‘Bodhayantaha parasparam’ could happen. Mutually keep inspiring each other, as we go on chanting, practising Krishna conscious forever. So, keep chanting.

After two days we will continue our conference.

Hare Krishna!

30th July 2019

Chant to your heart’s

Hare Krishna!

We encourage you all to keep chanting day after day after day, every day. Most of you have taken vow to chant prescribed number of rounds daily. So, you could complete those rounds chanting, especially if you could chant as you had been doing on this conference, that will be beneficial to all those who participate in the conference and it is highly appreciated by me and by all. All the participants are also appreciating chanting in this conference. Even appreciation is not because I am also chanting but everyone else is chanting, big numbers of devotees are chanting. That is also cause for appreciation. So, we need you all to keep chanting.

So, I will be leaving on a big long world tour tomorrow evening. Then what happens to this conference? That is the question. But we have been suggested something that we could form groups. Noida group, Bangalore group and Mauritius group and Bhakti vriksha group or you and your counselees if you have counselor, you all could chant together. So that is also one suggestion.

Gauranga is chanting in Alachua, you could also chant in team. So that is one suggestion.

So that was one idea. The response I received was that may or may not work, or that may or may not be very attractive. So, what I am considering is and of course where ever I am I chant my japa. So that chanting could be recorded; record japa and record japa talk. And I will notify when I am chanting in this country, that country, try to join me then and there. So that is another option which is not may be practical or welcomed idea by many of you. Or this time, morning time recording will be played, if this is okay for all of you. That also is possible. Dinanukampa mataji and Padmamali prabhu were thinking something like that. Maybe they have not spoken with you Hari kirtan but they have talked with Akinchan Bhakta prabhu. And of course, wherever I chant and talk, that talk is going to be in English. So that is to be repeated this time. Then English talk could be translated in Hindi, my talk then pause and Hindi translation and more my talk in English and more Hindi translation. So yes, I think that may be most appealing and most effective way.

So, do you all think that this is quite an option? Many are responding to the chat. It will be live; in fact, you will not notice the difference between the sessions we are doing now and the sessions during my tour. That will be live, nothing dead. It will be live and lively.

There is news from Hungary and they are conducting padayatra, outskirts at Krsna valley. That is very famous project. They have goshala, so they are on the road for padayatra and I was very pleased to see 30 devotees on the road going from village to village, town to town and chanting Hare Krishna on the way.

Caitanya Mahaprabhu did 500 years ago and devotees from Hungary right now they are continuing the program spreading the holy name around.

Param vijayate sri krsna sankirtanam!

In the cart, the chariot, they have Gaura Nitai deities and Srila Prabhupada murti also and they are chanting nonstop from beginning to finish. They are distributing Srila Prabhupada’s books, distributing prasadam and every town, village they are visiting they are planting the trees. I think they have invited some dignitaries, mayor or some others from the town and in their presence, they are planting trees like a memorial tree. And report also said that they are 30 permanent team members of Padayatra but then during the day some more join and number swells up to 50-60 devotees and it is big number for that country. In India you may think ‘50 does not do’. But in the western world like Hungary 50 participants in padayatra on the road are huge number participating and this is very inspirational for us, chanters also.

Padayatra worldwide ki Jai! Harinam sankirtan ki jai!

So, you could see how the prediction of Caitanya Mahaprabhu is coming true. You could see all in front of your eyes. We are witness to see how the prediction is coming true, reaching to more towns, more villages. Prabhupada gave us this padayatra strategy, program, project to spread the holy name all over the world and this is happening, going on. You could also take part in nagar sankirtans in your town. Muralimohan prabhu from Ahmadabad, he has done more than 36 padayatras, one day padayatras and he is inspiring devotees from other cities, towns, from Bangalore, Jamshedpur, Jalgaon, and Solapur. So why not your town, your city, your village, wherever you are from, you could make this Holy name to get the Holy name to people of your region, your fellow brothers, fellow human beings, gift them this Hare Krishna maha mantra. You could also conduct Harinama sankirtana in your town. Or you could have this happening under the banner of one day padayatras, of course longer also. So, make some plans and conduct and participate in one day padayatra all over the India, all over the world.

Gaur premanande Hari Hari bol!

Yesterday I had inspirational experience which I would like to share. This also shows how Krishna consciousness is spreading. Parents are reaching out their children and inspiring them to take to Krsna consciousness. So what happened?

Yesterday I was studying the commentary of Sridhar Swami on Bhagavad Gita. And then soon after, almost in middle of my studies I had to leave and I was visiting Krsna Darsan Prabhu’s home and he had some guests there. And one little girl, Narayani, 4 years old, daughter of one of the guests, she, Narayani said to me, ‘Maharaja I have a surprise gift for you’. And I said, ‘what is it? Give me the gift.’ Then she presented the surprise gift and the gift was she recited the verses of Bhagavad Gita. She went on and on and on. It was quite loud and nice pronunciation; uninterrupted and very spontaneously she was reciting the verses. I remembered; I knew some of those verses. I hadn’t learnt by heart but she had learnt by heart all of the verses. What surprised me was, not only she recited the verses very beautifully but she had recited exact same verses which I had done the study of Sridhar Swami’s commentary. And she stopped where I had stopped my study, exactly same verse. She started chanting ‘dhritarasta uvaca’, it was first verse of first chapter of Bhagavad Gita and she went on and on and she stopped at 21 verse and that’s where she stopped where I had stopped my study of Sridhar Swami’s Bhagavad Gita commentary. So that also was surprise to me. Lord prompted her to recite exact same verses or exactly same number of verses which I had done the study on that day, earlier that day. So, this was very very inspirational.

All glories to Narayani and all glories to the parents, who are training and inspiring the children to recite, memorize verses of Bhagavad Gita and introducing Krishna consciousness to them.

Time is short but I still have another thought, a big thought, but I will make it little, small bites, so we can present that. Yesterday we talked about senses are not being under control and as a result you could even lose your life. And we mentioned those five different animals’ examples and how one of their senses was not under control and as a result how they lost their lives. So, controlling senses is very essential. How to do it is very important. So, sense control is possible ultimately by chanting of the Holy name of the Lord. By tasting the Holy name of the Lord, by developing higher taste which remains higher taste only when we are chanting and chanting and develop liking and love attraction for chanting, then by that time you will have your senses under control. Or to the degree we have developed attraction and attachment and to the degree we taste the holy name to that degree we will have our senses under control.

cetah-prangana-sangini vijayate sarvendriyanam krtim
no jane janito kiyadbhir amrtaih krsneti varna-dvayi (CC Antya 1.99)

This is the statement or declaration of Rupa Gosvami. It’s a long story. There is a verse compiled by Rupa Gosvami which is part of mangalacharan of his maybe Lalit Madhav scripture and it was in the presence of Sri Krsna Caitanya Mahaprabhu and Namacarya Srila Haridas Thakur and Ramananada Rai and like that the associates like those in Jagannath Puri. Sri Krsna Caitanya Mahaprabhu asked to recite this verse which Rupa Goswami has compiled and included as mangalacharan into one of his books and explained what I recited, what just one part, one pada of that shloka.

So in that particular mantra of Rupa Goswami, shloka, verse is amazing and the glories of holy name that he has chanted in that particular verse is unparalleled or outstanding and he has gloried the holy name with heart’s content and even Mahaprabhu Himself was so much pleased as He heard this recitation of a particular mantra which glorified the holy name.

tunde tandavini ratim vitanute tundavali-labdhaye
karna-kroda-kadambini ghatayate karnarbudebhyah sprham (CC Antya 1.99)

When I chant the holy name of the Lord with my mouth, I feel Rupa Gosvami’s thoughts realizations that what good is one mouth. I wish I had tundavini, I had many many thousands of mouths, then may be something I could chant with those thousands mouths, tunde tundavini ratim vitanute, as I chant and with this glorious names, glories are expanding, ever expanding. One mouth is not enough. I wish to have many many mouths to chant Hare Krishna Maha mantra.

Karna kroda kadambini ghatayate and then he says, that name chanted by the mouth when that enters my ears then I feel, karna arbudebhyah spriham, then I develop desire to have karna, ears, air bud that is big number, bigger than koti and I wish I had a millions of ears to hear this sweet Holy name of the Lord. What good is this one set of ears? I wish I had millions of ears to hear the Holy name.

Rupa Goswami continues that when I chant, I wish I had so many mouths to chant and then as I hear I wish I had millions of ears to hear that Holy name. Then he says, and finally that holy name reaches the courtyard of my heart, cetah prangana sangini vijayate.

And when holy name reaches my heart, enters my consciousness, enters in the courtyard of my heart then vijayate, then I become victorious. Victory over what?

He says, Sarva indriyani kratim, all the activities of my senses they all become stuck. Whatever may be wanting to do or they were busy doing it, they stop doing that all sort of nonsense. Uncontrollably they were busy before, but as soon as the Holy name reaches my heart, enter my consciousness, then sarve indriyani kratim vijayate, I become victorious. I conquer over all the senses and I become vijayi, I become victorious, which is also Caitanya Mahaprabhu said, you become victorious, param vijayate sri krsna sankirtanam

W movement or sankirtan chanting that makes you victorious, supreme victory, victory all over senses also could be, senses controlling, mind taking charge of your life, all becomes possible when you are chanting attentively, offenselessly and you are enjoying your heart or chant to your heart’s content.

And he concludes that statement with the fourth line that is na jane janita kiyadbhir amrtaih krsneti varnadvayi, there is so much nectar in Lord’s krsneti varnadvayi, he says, Krsna, there are two varnas, there are only two aksharas, this is so much nectar. This Holy name has so much nectar that I cannot even realize how much nectar is there in this Holy name, in the name Krishna, krsneti varna dvayi.

And I am overwhelmed. I cannot even understand how much nectar there is in the Holy names of the Lord.

Okay, so contemplate on this verse. In Caitanya Caritamrita, madhya lila you could find this verse. You could read and study and understand it, the glories of the Holy name the way Rupa Goswami has recited.

Hare Krishna