Devotees from Bengal meet Caitanya Mahaprabhu

We are at the old Radha Kunjabihari temple. Old is gold.
Lets sing, jaya radha madhava jaya kunjabihari

Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna, Krsna Krsna, Hare Hare/ Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare.

om nano bhagvate vasudevaya

I welcome you all to Radha Kunjabihari! This morning in the auspicious atmosphere of the Radha Kunjabihari courtyard, we all have gathered for Gaur katha. I welcome all you Gaura bhakta vrndas.

I welcome all the youth present today and the older ones. The older ones will move on and the youth will remain to spread the mission. Throughout India the youth are joining ISKCON and taking up the responsibility of preaching. There is no need to fear. The next 50 years are covered.

vrdhavastha cinta magna

We, the old people keep worrying. Now ISKCON’S old people need not worry as the youth are coming forward and they are taking the responsibility under the guidance of Radheshyam Prabhu. Thanks to all the youth, now we can peacefully do our bhajan.

Forty years back this was not the picture; this is also the krpa of Caitanya Mahaprabhu.

“Oh! Swamiji you are giving sannayasa to young people. Sannayasa has to be given in old age.” A reporter posed that challenging question to Prabhupada. Prabhupada replied, “Who is old in your view? One can die any time. Sooner or later, he will die. If he does not die in morning, he may die in the evening. Is there any guarantee that these young people will not die. They can also die at any time.”

In the 20th and 21st centuries people are dying younger and younger. In Africa due to AIDS youngsters are dying at the age of 20 and 30. The average life span of an African is just 32 years. Old person should take sannyasa, but the young can also die at any time, so they should also be given sannayasa. We ask – how old are you and not – how young are you. So you are old enough to take sannayasa. When I asked Prabhupada for sannyasa Prabhupada said, “You are already a sannayasi. You want undergo the formality?” Brahmacharis are nearly sannayasis. So I thank all the intelligent youngsters who are taking up Krishna consciousness.

yajanti hi sumedhasah

Become intelligent. One who does not accept Krishna consciousness is a fool. Prove that you are intelligent by taking up Krishna consciousness.

ye hi samsparsa-ja bhoga duhkha-yonaya eva te
ady-antavantah kaunteya na tesu ramate budhah

An intelligent person does not take part in the sources of misery, which are due to contact with the material senses. O son of Kunti, such pleasures have a beginning and an end, and so the wise man does not delight in them. Material sense pleasures are due to the contact of the material senses, which are all temporary because the body itself is temporary. A liberated soul is not interested in anything which is temporary.

divacarthe hyaa rajan kutum bharne nava

They earn money and spend it shopping. A mall in China was advertising, ‘after you work spend time with us’. It means spend your money with us. Earn money for bhoga and bhoga is the cause of roga.

To buy happiness we spend money, but sadness and sorrows are free. You will get a complete package. Happiness gets converted into dukha in this life or the next. As you sow, so shall you reap. Sukha or happiness comes and goes. One who is Krishna conscious is always happy. You should go near the Lord. If devotees go away, then papa will come near.

A lot has changed since Prabhupada’s time. More and more people are becoming intelligent by taking up Krishna consciousness.

I was the first one amongst the Bombay students who joined in 1972. There were many colleges, but no one was joining. Now the situation is different. Thousands of youngsters are joining ISKCON and the credit goes to HG Radheshyam Prabhu. Radheshyam has revolutionised youth preaching in India. There is an explosion all over. VOICE and BACE are two of the many fancy names. It is not just limited to Pune. It is all India limited. They come here, steal some ideas and put them into practice all over .

Radheshyam is also very generous. He gives his ideas and helps everyone in youth preaching. A Youth festival had taken place in Pune. It was in the courtyard of Bharatiya Vidyapeeth and 20,000 youths had come. That was dedicated to the ISKCON’s 50th Golden Jubilee. This is a ray of hope. If youngsters are joining here, they can join in other places also. This is all the mercy of Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Caitanya Mahaprabhu made Prabhupada instrumental in preaching.

namas te sarasvate deve gaura-vani-pracarine
nirvisesha-sunyavadi-pascatya-desa-tarine

In the pranam mantra only the delivering of the Western countries is written. When the pranam mantra was formulated at that time preaching was taking place in the West. Many people asked why only the West is mentioned in the mantra since preaching is going on all over. So to protect us Prabhupada established ISKCON.

We will now read from Caitanya Caritamrita.

I will welcome others also, I just mentioned Radheshyam, but I also welcome the fans of Radheshyam. Devotees have come from other places. I appreciate that they have come all the way. All of you and each one of you, I welcome you and thank you. We are very happy to have you all here. Become Intelligent.

krsna shakti vina nahe tara pravartana

Without Krsna Shakti no one can preach the message of Gauranga Mahaprabhu. You have to bring about that revolution, transformation because you need Krsna Shakti. Become powerful and get connected to the power house. The light is glowing, but it needs a connection to power house. We are all small bulbs according to our capacity. We should serve. The squirrel also had some capacity and Hanuman also had some capacity. So stay connected

evam parampara-praptam

The power house is Krsna and the parampara. Once mental speculation comes in between there will be a short circuit or even a disconnection. The thoughts of the mind brings about obstacles. The wires of light are bad or good conductors of a current. We should be a good conductor and remain connected to the power house. We have to make our soul powerful. A strong soul is mahatma. Once mano dharma -mental speculation arrives, it is all finished. It’s also gambling dyutam. The cheating starts and then you start cheating others. There is ordinary gambling, but mental speculation is a more serious gambling. Makta (gambling) gutka (eating tobacco) fatka (fighting) zatka(shock as in receiving a punch) is all there, but mental speculation is even more serious because it causes a short circuit.

Jato mat tato path — As there are a number of beliefs, there are a number of ways. This has caused all the problems. Then they proudly say, ‘I am Indian’. We are not proud. So we don’t say that we are Indian.

The devotees from Bengal were coming to see Caitanya Mahaprabha. About two hundred devotees were coming from Bengal. All of them were greatly advanced and specifically devoted to Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu.

All of them have already arrived on the bank of Lake Narendra and are waiting there. The King is asking, “Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya, please show me, one after another, all of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu’s devotees who are coming from Bengal.” Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya requested the King, “Go up on the roof of the palace. Gopinatha Acarya knows every one of the devotees. He will identify them for you.

ami kaho nahi cini, cinite mana haya
gopinathacarya sabare kara’be paricaya (CC Madhya lila 11.72)

“Actually I do not know any of them, although I have a desire to know them. Since Gopinatha Acarya knows them all, he will give you their names.” Gopinath is from Navadvipa. The King was from Cuttack. Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya was from Navadvipa, but he had shifted to Puri. So Gopinath knew everyone. He was called by the king to introduce the devotees. After Sarvabhauma said this, he went up to the top of the palace with the King and Gopinatha Acarya. At this time all the Vaisnava devotees from Bengal drew closer to the palace.

damodara-svarupa, govinda, — dui jana
mala-prasada lasa yaya, yahan vaisnava-gana (CC Madhya lila11.74)

Svarupa Damodara and Govinda, taking the flower garlands and prasadam of Lord Jagannatha, proceeded to where all the Vaisnavas were standing. Svarupa Damodara and Govinda are special associates of Caitanya Mahaprabhu. They are both going toward the devotees. Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu first sent those two persons in advance. The King inquired, “Who are these two? Please let me know their identities.”

bhattacarya kahe, — ei svarupa-damodara
mahaprabhura haya inha dvitiya kalevara (CC Madhya lila 11.76)

Sri Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya replied, “Here is Svarupa Damodara, who is practically the second expansion of the body of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. He is Lalita and Caitanya Mahaprabhu is Radha Krsna. “The second person is Govinda, Lord Caitanya’s personal servant. He was ordered by Isvarapuri to go and serve my disciple, your god brother Caitanya. The Lord has sent garlands and remnants of Lord Jagannatha’s food with these two persons simply to honor the devotees from Bengal.” At the beginning, Svarupa Damodara came forward and garlanded Advaita Acarya. Govinda next came and offered a second garland to Advaita Acarya.

The King inquired, “To whom did Svarupa Damodara and Govinda offer the two garlands? His bodily effulgence is so great that He must be a very great devotee. Please let me know who He is.” Gopinatha Acarya replied, “His name is Advaita Acarya. He is honored even by Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, and He is therefore the topmost devotee.

Here are Srivasa Pandita, Vakresvara Pandita, Vidyanidhi Acarya and Gadadhara Pandita. “Here are Acaryaratna, Purandara Pandita, Gangadasa Pandita and Sankara Pandita. Here are Murari Gupta, Pandita Narayana and Haridasa Thakura, the deliverer of the whole universe.

“Here is Hari Bhatta, and there is Nrsimhananda. Here are Vasudeva Datta and Sivananda Sena. “Here also are Govinda Ghosa, Madhava Ghosa and Vasudeva Ghosa. They are three brothers, and their sankirtana, congregational chanting, pleases the Lord very much. “Here is Raghava Pandita, here is Nandana Acarya, there is Sriman Pandita, and here are Srikanta and Narayana.” Here are Mukunda Dasa, Narahari, Sri Raghunandana, Cirañjiva and Sulocana, all residents of Khanda.

Every devotee is a great person. A book can be written on each one of them.Here just the names are given. Like we have Lilamrita for Prabhupada, we can have a lilamrita on each of these devotees. Radhanatha Maharaja with all his efforts and constant reading, can talk on each associate of Caitanya Prabhupada for hours together. Remembering the associates of the Lord is like remembering the Lord. Glorifying them is like glorifying the Lord.

Are you visualising? Is it transforming from audio to video? To remember you have to hear. Without hearing there will be no remembrance. His Holiness Prahladananda Swami says to remember whatever we hear we should make a picture – like a road with 200 devotees coming. Svarupa Damodara and Govind are coming with a garland in their hands and then they come face to face. An introduction was done. Paint it – three of them on the terrace. Maharaja said if you want to remember anything, you should paint it, then it’s easy to remember.

Our heart has a screen called smritipatal, paint on it as many paintings as you like. Thereafter you can retrieve any of the paintinga at any given time. After sravanam comes mananam, then remembering becomes very easy. There are five types of sampan – smaran and anusmaran (rememberance), dharana (concentration), dhyana and samadhi(mediation). Samadhi means full of thoughts. Have you ever seen the gopis in Samadhi? No! They are always running – radhe braj devakecha lalite. They are always in samadhi of remembering Krsna. Samadhi is full of smaran- remembrance. If you want to keep remembering someone, then you have to hear about them.

Krsnadas Kaviraj Goswami says, “How many names shall I speak to you? All the devotees you see here are associates of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, who is their life and soul.”

The King said, “Upon seeing all these devotees, I am very much astonished, for I have never seen such an effulgence. Caitanya Mahaprabhu gifted to us the wealth of the holy name. I have never before seen such ecstatic love, nor heard the vibration of the holy name of the Lord chanted in such a way, nor seen such dancing during sankirtana.” Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya replied, “This sweet transcendental sound is a special creation of the Lord known as prema-sankirtana, congregational chanting in love of Godhead.

Anyone who worships Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu by congregational chanting should be understood to be very intelligent. One who does not do so, must be considered a victim of this age and bereft of all intelligence. Once we accept ourselves as devotees of the Lord then mayavad is finished. nirvisesha-sunyavadi does not accept the energy of the Lord. Each associate of the Lord is shakti (energy) of the Lord even we are the shakti (energy) of the Lord.

The glories of the Lord’s associates is very special. We should also become devotees of the Lord’s associates. The Lord says that if you are a devotee of my devotee then you are my devotee. If we hear about devotees of the Lord then the Lord accepts us.

The King said, “According to evidence given in the revealed scriptures, it is concluded that Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu is Lord Krsna Himself. Why, then, are learned scholars sometimes indifferent to Him?”

The Bhattacarya replied, “A person who has received but a small fraction of mercy from Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu can understand that He is Lord Krsna. No one else can.”

Bhattacarya was one of them. Initially he also did not consider Caitanya Mahaprabhu as Lord. But by the causeless mercy of Caitanya Mahaprabhu he was transformed. Being a pandit is not a big deal, but without the krpa of the Lord nothing is possible. People were not aware of the glories of Caitanya Mahaprabhu.

Then the King said, “Instead of visiting the temple of Lord Jagannatha, all the devotees are running toward the residence of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu.” Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya replied, “This is spontaneous love. All the devotees are very anxious to meet Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. “First the devotees will meet Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu and then take Him with them to the temple to see Lord Jagannatha.” The King said, “The son of Bhavananda Raya named Vaninatha, along with five or seven other men, went there to obtain the remnants of Lord Jagannatha’s food.

Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya said, “Understanding that all the devotees have come, Lord Caitanya gave the sign, and therefore Vaninatha and the others have brought such great quantities of maha-prasadam.” The King then asked the Bhattacarya, “Why have the devotees not observed the regulations for visiting the pilgrimage place, such as fasting, shaving and so on? Why have they first eaten prasadam?”

Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya said the scriptural injunctions for shaving and fasting are indirect orders of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. However, when there is a direct order from the Lord to take prasada, naturally the devotees take prasada as their first duty.

Caitanya Mahaprabhu gave us Caitanya Caritamrita, Caitnaya Bhagvat, he gave us Gaur Nitai. Padayatra is going every door to door not just village to village. Gives darshan to each house Krishna Balaram becomes Gaur Nitai. They say Lord has raised his hands you also raise your hand. Read Caitanya Caritamrita, distribute books. We can’t imagine life without Caitanya Mahaprabhu.

ISKCON Pune has done many programs as an offering to the Golden Jubilee throughout the year so as a final offering in the series of offerings of the year, the katha is a grand offering – purnahuti.

ISKCON Pune devotees has organised all this under the guidance if HG Radheshyam Prabhu. Lot of books have been distributed – 150 Bhagvatam sets has been distributed. 25,000 plates of prasada has been distributed. There is daily harinamas. There is no stock of Prabhupada Lilamrita and people have registered for many different courses.

Thank you