Yatra is utsava which brings out utsaha
Venue: Varanasi (Chitrakoot – Ayodhya Annual yatra 2017)
Dated: 18 May 2017

So we all are in Varanasi near the banks of Ganga, there are 84 ghats in Varanasi that’s equal to number of species. This is our last session here in Varanasi. Some of you we say your realizations also today. Tomorrow you will move for Ayodhya dhama.

We will hear about the meeting of Sanatan Goswami and Caintanya Mahaprabhu and the teachings went for two months. And based on that there is a book written, Teachings of Caitanya Mahaprabhu. It’s also song of Lord.
Ya svayam padmanabhasya mukha-padmad vinihsrita

The wonderful song called Bhagavad Gita has been spoken by the lotus mouth of the Lord Padmanabha himself. Like Gita is said by Lord Krsna, these teachings are also said by Lord so it may be called as Caitanya geet. If we had two months we could stay here and we could read it here for two months.

When we die nothing goes back with us, everything stays behind. Here in Varanasi Manikarnika ghat and Harischandra Ghats both are famous where bodies are burned daily, the fire there goes on and on for 365 days continuously. Yesterday in boat we saw the bodies burning that brings out renunciationin us. Bhakti and Jnana also brings out renunciation and that’s permanent (tikau).

Caitanya Mahaprabhu had gone to Ramkeli to met Sanatan Goswami and Rupa Goswami and Anupam that meeting brought renunciation in all the three brothers. Caitanya Mahaprabhu instructed them now wind up and come to Vrndavan; I am going you come and meet me there.
They got ready to go and that was enough for them no need think over it again. Caitanya Mahaprabhu said come to Vrndavan and finish on the spot they were ready no other thought. They were all ministers but they just left everything and went to Vrndavan. As they reached Hajipur they met Srikant who was Sanatan Goswami’s sisters husband. He was also working for the king. He was sent with 3 lakh golden mudras to buy horses for the king. He met Sanatan Goswami in Hajipur. Sanatan Goswami said : no I can’t wait for a second I have to go to Vrndavan. And his attire was also different not like minister; just to hide himself from public. Srikant gave him woolen blanket. Taking that Sanatan Goswami went to Vrndavan. Sanatan Goswami when he reached Varanasi he got the news that Caitanya Mahaprabhu was in Varanasi and how he filled Varanasi with kirtan. He asked people where Caitanya Mahaprabhu stayed and so he went to Chandrashekar’s house. Door was close but Caitanya Mahaprabhu said hye! Chandrashekar get a vaishnav who is sending at the door. No SMS nothing. How did Caitanya Mahaprabhu know that Sanatan Goswami had come? Caitanya Mahaprabhu is Lord himself. Chandrashekar said there is no vaishnav but Caitanya Mahaprabhu said somebody is there get him.

Chandrashekar got Sanatan Goswami inside. Caitanya Mahaprabhu ran towards him to embrace him. Sanatan Goswami said ; no no I am untouchable not clean but Caitanya Mahaprabhu did not listen he hugged him.

Once during mayapur festival many senior devotees had come. We used to chant sitting near Prabhupada. It was cold in Mayapur covering themselves with bed sheets. All had good new bed sheets. And I was a padayatri and my bed sheet was old. I was feeling bad then I went to my room and somebody knocked at my door and gave me new bed sheet. I was very happy and next day as I went for the program I left it on the stage and I was little sad. That time I had one English volume of CC madhyalila 20 chapter. When I got up and took CC to read; the same pastime of Sanatan Goswami and blanket was opened and I read it. Haribol

Caitanya Mahaprabhu now started glorifying the devotees.
aknoh phalam tvadrsa-darsanam hi
tanoh phalam tvadrsa-gatra-sangah
jihva-phalam tvadrsa-kirtanam hi
su-durlabha bhagavata hi loke (CCMadhya Lila 20.61)

“?‘My dear Vaisnava, seeing a person like you is the perfection of one’s eyesight, touching your lotus feet is the perfection of the sense of touch, and glorifying your good qualities is the tongue’s real activity, for in the material world it is very difficult to find a pure devotee of the Lord.’?”
“krsna bada dayamai”

Lord is merciful; he delivered you and removed you from the dirt of the material world. Is it right to say dirt or jail to material world?
Caitanya Mahaprabhu said how were you freed from the imprisonment of the king?? with lot of endeavors Sanatan Goswami got free from their custody.

prabhu kahe, — “tomara dui-bhai prayage milila
rupa, anupama — dunhe vrndavana gela” (CCMadhya Lila 20.66)

So Caitanya Mahaprabhu said your two brothers I met last week and I have sent them to Vrndavan.
Then Sanatan Goswami was introduced to Tapan Mishra and Chandrashekar. Caitanya Mahaprabhu said to Chandrashekar get his hair cleaned and get clothes for him. Chandra shekar got new clothes for him. Sanatan Goswami said no no give me some old clothes. Now he was clean and he went to Caitanya Mahaprabhu but Caitanya Mahaprabhu was looking at the blanket.

Lord said, rest is fine but what about this blanket? Sanatan Goswami understood Lord is not happy with my blanket. So he went to Ghat and he was looking whom should I give the blanket. he gave his blanket to a Bengali yatri .Yatri said oh! are you joking? you want my old blanket? are you serious? Sanatan Goswami said yes yes. So he took the old blanket . Caitanya Mahaprabhu was now very happy to see the torn and old blanket with Sanatan Goswami.

This Madhya lila 20 chapter longest chapter it has 400 sloks. Mostly teachings of Caitanya Mahaprabhu are included in it.
HH Radha govind maharaja and HH Guar Krsna maharaja also talk on Sanatan Sikshaye. This katha and teachings will only go with us nothing else. Keep it safe. Think over it; mediate on it. These Katha you can tell others who did not come for yatra. By hearing katha and doing kirtan we can have darshan of the Lord.

kirtaniya sada Hari, carry on. Many new devotees have committed to chant now onwards and some left tea.
Yatra saphal means getting more attached to the Lord and renunciation for the material world. Yatra is utsava which increases our utsaha. It’s said where there is Uddhav there is utsava and then there is utsaha. Go back with all enthusiasm. Other devotees will not recognize you. They will say oh! He was so complacent but now he is so enthusiastic. What did he have?

Keep preaching; distribute books;
bharata-bhumite haila manusya janma yara
janma sarthaka kari’ kara para-upakara …This is perfection of life
Jai Srila Prabhupad ki jai