Venue: Vrindavan, 31/8/2010 Hare Krsna! Guar Haribol! Sri
Krsna Balarama ki jaya!

So glorification of the Krsna, I did not know the topic, I
thought it was birth of Krishna.  Makes
no difference.  Radha Govind Maharaj is
also doing, Radha Govind Maharaj is also glorifying Krishna. And I am sure
devotees all over the world are glorifying Krishna. How many devotees must be
talking about Krishna right now? Any guess? Anantakoti! When Anantsesa was asked to glorify Krishna, Anantsesa!
So he asked how long he has to glorify Krishna. And he was told not, not for
very long no, no, not, how long he glorifies Krishna, how long he would keep
holding the planets on his hoods. He was wondering how long I have to keep
holding. So he was told, you glorify Krishna and as soon as you are finished
glorifying Krishna then you don’t have to hold those planets you could throw
them off. Then Anantsesa said “Oh!
Let me start and I have thousand mouths and each mouth will be talking
different glories of Krishna. Not the thing will be coming out of all the
thousand hoods, he is sahastravadan
and he is talking different topics, with each of his mouths and there is a
large gathering, listening to him near each hood there is a gathering of
devotees (laughs).

And they must be going from one hood to another hood just to
check out what is next door topic. So he started glories of Krishna and he was
chanting and he was chanting and he was chanting and he is still chanting and
not finishing. He is holding the planets and he is also glorifying Sri Krishna,
glories of Krishna are unlimited. We may not be always talking but we always
also think of Krsna or glories of Krishna. “Munijana
manasa hansa, Munijana manasa hansa”
the munis, the sages, their minds are like  lakes and in that lake there is hansa, there
is swan, the topics which they think about Krishna that’s the swan. And in
their lakes of their minds all the glories of Krishna are floating or swimming
like a hansa,  Swan swims in the lakes.
And each one thinks, all those would be talking about Krishna today or giving
Bhagavatam. Each one is going to be talking differently; no two Bhagavatam
classes are going to be similar. They would say Krishna, Krishna, that is similar,
the rest, there will be different glories, different angles. They will be
chanting, “Hare Krsna hare Krsna Krsna
Krsna Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare”.

I was thinking I should stop because the topic is glorifying
Krishna. But then I was thinking, this is glorifying Krishna. This chanting is
glorifying Krishna. So why stop? That’s the topic. Chanting is glorifying
Krishna. So talking about “Sri
Radha-Krsna padaravinda bhajanandena mattalikau” (Sri Sri Sad goswami astaka).
Six Goswamis of Vrindavan. They are“Sri Radha-Krsna padaravinda bhajanmatta”
intoxicated like bees (Maharaj making the sound of bees hmmm…..) going from
flower to flower. They don’t think anything else, where is the nectar, where is
the nectar. So goswamis, Radha-Krsna pada arvinda bhajan. The bhajan or
glorification of the lotus feet of Radha-Krsna, Radha-Krsna bhajan ananda. And
then they are getting lots of ananda, that’s why matta. They are absorbed in
the ananda of glories of Krishna or glories of the lotus feet of Krishna or
lotus face of Krishna, lotus hands Krishna, lotus face of Krishna, the lips of
Krishna, the flute of Krishna, the crown of Krishna. So many topics or the form
of Krsna, pastimes of Krishna, Dhama of Krishna, the devotees of Krishna. We
can talk about one devotee of Krishna, so many devotees to talk about. was told
we should be talking about birth of Krishna. So I was kind of some thoughts
about Krishna Janmotsava ki jay! Are you getting ready? Preparing the biggest
Birthday party. Someone who has nothing to do with the birth is taking birth.
Supposed to be ajanma, Krsna is ajanma,
birthless. But it is not that kind of birth. Ajatasya hi dhuvam mrtyu, one who
take birth he does not or he has to die. Krishna never dies, so never takes
that kind of birth either he just appears, does his pastime. And he appeared
not far from here, just few miles. How fortunate we are, we are sitting in land
of practically birthplace of Krishna. “Jayati
te’dhikam janmana vrajah srayat indira sasvadatrahi” (Gopi geet) so this,
this land is even better than Vaikuntha. This Vrndavan or this Mathura, because
Lord took birth here, after birth in Mathura, how many years ago? (devotees
saying 5000 yrs) Everyone says that He appeared 5000 years ago. That you could
close your eyes, 5000 years. But to be more precise we have to do little
calculation (laughs). First of all Lord disappeared 3102 years prior to Jesus,
B.C. it’s called, before Christ. 3102 years prior to Jesus He disappeared.

So how many years ago Lord Krishna disappeared? Quick! We
don’t have much time. 5112 years ago Lord disappeared. How long was He on the
Planet? 125 years. So we have to add 125 to, very good! 5237 years ago.
Remember this number 5237 years ago Lord Krishna appeared. So this is 5237th
birthday of Krishna that we are celebrating. Haribol!! (Round of applause). And Lord Krishna appeared 8 days
after Balarama. We just celebrated Balarama’s appearance. So, was Balarama 8
days older? One year and 8 days. He was one year and 8 days older. Gargasamhita
has some statements. It is mentioned He was 5 days in the womb. So something
like that but not 8 days for sure. One year has to be added and then some days.
So Lord appeared, made his appearance, this is not new thing for him; He
appears here again and again and again. This is, no one thinks like that but
this is fact. So many times Lord appeared in Vrindavan, in one single day of
Brahma he makes his appearance. So, it was just, so everything is, we know,
like Prabhupada says. He says different things and Srila Prabhupada says, we
even know telephone number of Krishna. We know his name and address and his
relatives, even phone no. of Krishna. So, when He appeared, where he appeared,
what time of the day or night He appeared, night time? We also know what time appeared,
exact spot where He appeared is known. Nothing, no speculations required, no.
We don’t have to imagine anything about the Lord.

So as He appeared, vasudev
aiksata (S.B 10.3.10), that beautiful Lord, Sukadev Goswami says, Vasudev
aiksatam, Vasudev saw and Sukadev
Goswami is showing us Krishna, “Look here is Krishna!” He describes
Krishna and he says, “This kind of Krishna was seen by Vasudev.” Virocamanam Vasudev aiksatah. He is
glorified; Sukadev Goswami is glorifying Krishna, glorification of Krishna. He
is best glorifier of Krishna. And so, Vasudev saw, so through the eyes of the
Vasudev we could see, we could see through the eyes of the sastracaksusa. The
sastra shows us or Sukadev Goswami, he saw and then description is there. And
we could hear or read that description, the way Vasudev was right there, Lord
was right there in front of Vasudev. So it is easy to see. He is right there
and he is being glorified or adbhutam balakam ambuje ksanam caturbhujam (S.B
10.3.9), so that wonderful balakam, child, ambujeksanam, lotus eyed, He has
four hands and pitambaram, He has cloths on, that’s wonderful! Right? He has
cloths on, He has just taken birth and he has cloths on. Devaki went on some
shopping, go to Loi Bazaar quickly to get some pitambar, to get some ornaments,
no He appeared, Mukut He has, He has crowns, sahstrakuntalam, when child is
born, normally no hair. But this boy has sahstrakuntalam, lots of fully grown
hair and other ornaments and that kind of, virocamanam Vasudev aiksatam.
Vasudev has seen and then Vasudev’s Prayers, Devaki is praying, then Lord is
also addressing the parents and towards end what does He say? Please get me out
of here, get out of, bring me to Gokul. So how was Vasudev? He is tied, he
cannot even move, chains around hands and feet and he is asked to “Oh! Bring me
to Gokul”. “What do you mean bring me to Gokul? I cannot even go one step
forward and I have to bring you to Gokul?” But as he has gone ahead, picked up
the child, what happened next? Shackles have been broken into pieces and
Vasudev is free!! Haribol!! So it’s not only Vasudev becomes free as he takes
Krishna, we could also be free. As soon as we have Krishna, we grabbed Him or
we accept Him or we surrender unto Him or we see Him.

“Premanjana-cchurita-bhakti-vilocanena santah
sadaiva hrdayesu vilokayanti, santah”, all the time the santas, the saintly
persons are seeing Lord within their heart. So when one comes to that stage is
completely freed. Are we bound? We may think Oh! Vasudev is bound by the
chains. Are we bound? I am free, running I am, could go wherever I wish to go
to. But “prakrteh kriyamanani gunaih
karmani sarvasah” (B.G 3.27), we are totally bound. Big big ropes of three
gunas are binding, we can’t even move, we could also be free as Vasudev became free.
We could also be free by accepting that Lord one who appeared. He did not
appear just for Vasudev, He appeared for all of us. He took birth; Lord took
birth so that we don’t have to die or Lord took birth to kill our death, to
kill our death Lord took birth. “Janma
karma ca me divyam evam yo vetti tattvatah (B.G 4.9) then what happens tyaktva deham punar janma naiti, mam eti,
he comes to me. So this is the outcome, this is the benefit. Lord appeared,
Lord took birth so that we don’t have to die or we don’t have to take birth
again. So Vasudev has now Krishna and, “Ok, at least I can move but so many
doors and the guards everywhere. How am I gone to?” But he is just, he is just
following, ’Your wish is my command’. So this is Lord’s wish. He is just moving
forward and as this is common knowledge, we all know.

Although there was extra security, additional security was
employed, but they were all snoring to fast asleep and no one was awake so
Vasudev’s path was clear. Now he was coming to the doors which were locked.
They were all falling apart, opening doors. How they were opening?
Automatically, automatically, so automatic system existed that time also, it’s
not a new thing. When first time I went to the airport, I had my trolley with
my luggage and I came to the entrance, said entrance but it was closed and I
have to get in. So I parked my trolley and I went forward to open but it is
just opened! Before even I touch the door it just opened. Now I, What is
happening? Is it ghost! automatically! (Laughs).  I have no experience of these automatic doors.
I was surprised but then I realized, it was not a new thing.

5000 years ago the automatic system existed and we have
imitated, duplicated that original automatic arrangement. And then Lord is out.
Vasudev and Vaasudev, they are both out of the prison. The first person to meet
or greet the Lord was, who? Who greeted? Anantsesa, Balarama had appeared, so
he has come. Anantsesa, expansion or form and he has come to render service
also to the baby Krsna. Its rainy season, it’s raining outside. So the
umbrella, Anantsesa is right over Vasudev, is moving with Vaasudev and
Anantsesa is right behind. It’s not the ordinary snake. Sometimes people don’t
understand. It was rainy season,so lots of snakes around, so this was not one
of these snakes, Snakes loose their homes. They became homeless in rainy season
because all the holes, snake’s holes are filled with water and they have no way
to go. So they keep crawling, so, but this was not one of those snakes. It was
Anantsesa serving, and now Vasudev was going through Mathura town. What was he
going? What time was it? One’o clock. May be around, prayers and all those,
coming out of those doors. So around one’o clock Vasudev is going through
Mathura. And the moon what kind of moon? Is there light? Some moonlight. What
kind of moon? Normally the moon, astami’s moon is half moon. But that night,
have you taken note of this? That night what was the shape of the moon? full
moon, full moon appearing at midnight, this never happens. On full moon night,
moon appears, when sun is setting, moon is rising. Both the things happen,
setting and rising happens at the same time, full moon. But this is a night of
astami. Moon is supposed to be half, rising at midnight. But that night the moon
could not remain half. The moon became full moon because moon has become so
happy. “Oh! In my dynasty, Lord is
appearing in my dynasty”.

So he is jubilant, very happy and he has blooming face, full
face. Purnendu sundar mukha, purna endu,
complete moon, appeared only one time at midnight and that was the appearance
night of the Lord. So there was some light and Vasudev is going through Mathura
streets and lanes and everything is quite. Everyone is fast asleep, including
the dogs. I heard this from Radha Govind Maharaj, he said even dogs were
sleeping. They had to sleep otherwise Vasudev could be in trouble, right? You
could imagine? Vasudev going through the streets and as soon as the dogs, some
movements, someone moving, what do the dogs do? They bark. And if they would
bark seeing Vasudev then what would happen next? Some people would get up and
they would see, “Aye! Vasudev!!”
They would mobile Kamsa then Kamsa coming, so to stay out of that trouble Lord
has arranged. So even dogs were sleeping. And then Vasudev has come to the
banks of Jamuna, Jamuna Maiya ki jay!
So the rainy season, so flood everywhere. Vasudev has to cross  Jamuna. He is kind of unstoppable also, he
has to just go.

The waters are rising, Jamuna is anxious to touch, touch of
Krishna’s lotus feet, so he is moving in, the waters are rising. He is getting
into more trouble. But by this time, the river Jamuna has taken note of this
child here” He is the Lord and I would be marrying him in future. So I better
help him out now. If I don’t cooperate with Him to go across and He will
remember at the time of marriage ceremony and then so the marriage proposal may
be rejected”.  So and the Acaryas also
say that Jamuna was remembering, when Ram had to across the Indian Ocean to go
to Sri Lanka, and the Ocean was little, not very cooperative or not prompt,
Lord was waiting and waiting and he was not coming forward to extend his
cooperation. And then Ram becomes furious and He took bow and arrow and then
lots of agitation in the Ocean, so this Lord, the same Lord, He has come, so He
may also do something like that. Take some action the way Ram. So she gave a
way to Vasudev and Vaasudev to go across Jamuna. And when they were on both
eastern bank of Jamuna.

The Gokul is some distance away, Gokul Dham ki jay! And
Vasudev is, he is going through different moods here. He sometimes, he is
running with the child and sometimes he slows down, he moves very slowly, a
slow motion picture, very slow. And then quickly he changes the gear and he is
running again. Why these two speeds? Because of two moods, two speeds are
there. So he is thinking, I better run and bring child to Gokul otherwise who
knows just in case Kamsa finds  out
that  I am not there, child also is not
there so he may try to catch up with me , so I better run and bring child to
Gokul. While he is running e is also thinking, but soon I will get there and I
have to leave this child and come empty handed or I will be deprived of the
association of the child so I better move as slow as possible so that I have association
of the child for longer time and he slowing down. But then he is thinking, what
if Kansa come? I better run. So he is going through this slow and druta,
drutavilambita gati. Sometimes he is going fast, sometimes he is going slowly.
So finally he has come to Gokul and entered Nanda-Bhavan and entered the
quarter. Yasoda had given birth to a baby daughter and exchanging babies. Then
Yasoda has given birth to another, confidential matter, not just one child, two
children, boy and girl, Krsnanuja. That’s why the baby is described as
Krsnanuja. Krsna-anuja, anuja, anu means follow, ja means taking birth. Someone
else has taken birth and then, the baby daughter is anuja. So two Krsnas
merging and one from Mathura, one from Gokul, Yasodanandan, Devakinandan and
then baby daughter back to Mathura. And then more pastimes, more glories, Sri
Krishna. Janmastami Mahotsav ki jay!

All over the world this festival, I heard last year ISKCON
had Janmastami celebration in 160 countries. Haribol!! So there were times only
India used to have celebration. The year Prabhupada went to America, he was on
the boat. Where did Srila Prabhupada celebrated Janmastami That year, in 1965?
On the ship, on the boat. I was just reading about it. So in India and on the ship,
two places. Then Srila Prabhupada has done glorification of Krishna,
broadcasted Krishna. Propaganda, Prabhupada says, our mission is to propaganda
of Krishna, propagate Krishna, glorify Krishna, advertise Krishna, promote
Krishna, Krishna, Krishna, Krishna, Krishna, the Supreme Personality of
Godhead. Prabhupada is never tired of, he never writes only Krishna, Krishna,
Supreme Personality of Godhead. So much other propaganda the Hindu world
has done, the demigods and this and that, so many Bhagavans, Brahmaneffluence, mayavad
nirvisesa-sunyavadi pascatya tarine. But Prabhupada, he has promoted
Krishna as He is not only Bhagvad-gita as it is but Krsna as He is. He has
presented not only Brahman and Paramatma, but Bhagvan eti sabdyate. Bhagavan,
he has emphasized Bhagavan. All nara, nari, all the ladies and gentlemen,
children they are all happy. And this big celebration,`karati katha, gaati
gaane’. They are talking about Krishna, singing his glories. And Tukarama
Maharaj is,” I am also attracted to that Govind who appeared in Gokul”.

(Followed by Bhajan-
Gokilichya sukha)