kirtaniyasadaHari is done by su-medhasah
Venue: Mayapur
Dated: 16 Feb, 2018

We are in Mayapur and we are busy with kirtanmela also. So we have this verse selected from 11th canto, chapter5, verse 32. I am confident that you are familiar with this verse. You have to be. You are Gaudiyavaisnava, you have to know and understand this statement of Bhagavatam. There are only few enough mentions ofCaitanya Mahaprabhu in Bhagavatam and this is one of them.And how does He look likeetc, few things have been introduced in this verse.

Sri Krsna Caitanya Mahaprabhu ki .. Jay!
NavadvipDhamki ..Jay!
Harinam sankirtana ki jay!
SrilaJagannatha Das BabajiMaharajtirobhavatithimahotsavki .. Jay!
SrilaRasikananda prabhu tirobhavatithimahotsavki ..Jay!
SrilaTamal Krishna Gosvamimaharajtirobhavatithimahotsavki.. Jay!
So we have quite a few topics to cover and we have limited time. So please repeat.

krsna -varnamtvisakrsnam
sangopangastra-parsadam
yajnaih sankirtana-prayair
yajanti hi su-medhasah (S.B 11.5.32)

In the age of Kali, intelligent persons perform congregational chanting to worship the incarnation of Godhead who constantly sings the names of Krsna. Although His complexion is not blackish, He is Krsna Himself. He is accompanied by His associates, servants, weapons and confidential companions.

Purport- This same verse is quoted by KrsnadasaKaviraja in Caitanya-caritamrta, Adi-lila, Chapter three, verse 52. His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada has given the following commentary on this verse. “This text is from Srimad-Bhagavatam (11.5.32).Because Prabhupada is writing commentary on Caitanya Caritamrta, so there he writes that, this text is from Srimad-Bhagavatam. Now he is quoting JivaGosvami or his connection and references. SrilaJivaGosvami has explained this verse in his commentary on the Bhagavatam known as the Krama-sandarbha, wherein he says that Lord Krsna also appears with a golden complexion. That golden Lord Krsna is Lord Caitanya, who is worshiped by intelligent men in this age. That is confirmed in Srimad-Bhagavatam by Garga Muni, who said that although the child Krsna was blackish, He also appears in three other colors—red, white and yellow. He exhibited His white and red complexions inSatya and Treta ages respectively. He did not exhibit the remaining color, yellow—gold, until He appeared as Lord Caitanya, who is known as Gaurahari.Gaurahari !! Gauranga!!!

Ok, we will read that much now and will see how it works and say few comments.

So this conversation is going on between king Nimi and nine Yogendras, Nava-Yogendras. So conversation with one after the other one, then the other one. King Nimi is now inquiring from Karabhajan Muni. And the inquiry is text 19th of the same chapter, some dozen verses earlier king Nimi had asked.

kasmin kale sabhagavankimvarnahkidrsonrbhih,
namnavakenavidhinapujyate tadihocyatam (S.B 11.5.19)

So this was the inquiry. Kasmin kale saBhagavan, in which age Lord appeared? Kim varnah, in what complexion?kidrsah, how does He look like? Additional information.Namnava, and the names of those Lords appearing in different ages, please tell me?

Vidhinapujyatetadihiucyatam, please say, ucyatam, and by what process all those different Lords in different incarnations would be worshiped, the mode of worship. And Karabhajan muni has replied how Lord appears in Satyayuga, Tretayuga and then, we will just touch upon that, and how He appears in Dvaparyuga.

dvaparebhagavansyamah pita-vasa nijayudhah (S.B 11.5.27)

In Dvaparyuga Lord will appear BhagavanSyamah, His color would be Syam, and Syama is Radha. Pita-vasa, and He will wear golden robes. Nija-ayudhah, He will be holding Srivatsa and others laksanairupalaksitah, by these symptoms He would become known. So that is distinctly clear. Karabhajan muni is referring to Sri Krsna. So after Dvaparyuga covered, then this verse he is talking.

Krsna-varnamtvisa-akrsnam

What would Lord do, that is also inquired. What will be His activities? So this Lord appearing in the age of Kali, kalauapiyathasrnu, before this verse Karabhajan muni has said, now listen I am going to talk about Lord who appears in age of Kali. Having said that then he says this, krsna-varnam, Lord will appear and He will do krsna-varna,varnaalso refers to description. He will describe Krsna. He will say Krsna KrsnaKrsna, Krsna-varnam. Tvisa-akrsna, tvisa means complexion, what kind of tvisa, complexion? A-krsnam, not blackish, meaning sounds like whitish right? Not blackish, whitish. Golden is closer to white, so conclusion is He is in golden color.

Sangopagastraparsadam, sa-anga, He will appear sa-anga, sa-upanga, sa-astra, sa-parsada. Sa means along with, four items mentioned. And what He will do? Well already told, Krsna-varnam. So yajnaih, He will perform yajna, sacrifice. Which kind of sacrifice? Karabhajan muni doesn’t only say, Oh He will perform yajna. He did not stop just saying yajna but he wants to mention which kind of yajna. There are verities of yajnas, sacrifices. So he mentions, sankirtana-prayair, the yajna, sacrifice known as Sankirtana, He will perform.

Yajanti hi su-medhasah, and inquiry was also- by what way people of those different ages would worship Lords appearing in those different ages. So in the age of Kali, yajanti hi su-medhasah, Lord is to be worshiped by performance of Sankirtana yajna.

Hare Krsna Hare Krsna Krsna Krsna Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare!

I think its clear right? Not much interpretation is required. So su-medhasah, specific mention, the intelligent people would worship the Lord in the age of Kali by performance of Sankirtana yajna. So I could tell all you assembled here are very intelligent. How do I know? Because you are performing Sankirtana yajna or you come all the way to perform Sankirtana here. And of course wherever you were there also and on the way also and here also and kirtaniyasadaHari is done by su-medhasah.

So tvisa-akrsnam is also mentioned.
Namomahavadanyaya Krsna- premapradayate,
Krsnaya Krsna Caitanya namneGauratvisenamah.

RupaGosvami offered this beautiful prayer at the lotus feet of Sri Krsna Caitanya Mahaprabhu in Prayag when they met there. He composed and offered. And he was offering this prayer again and again. Getting up, offering prayer and dandavat and trembling, voice getting choked up as he was reciting this because he was reciting with full realization, who that person is who is standing right before him.

And this small prayer is quiet a prayer. It talks about the Lord, to know Lord means to know His name, know His form or complexion to know His activities and His qualities.

Sri RadhikaMadhavayorpara, madhuryalilagunarupanamnam,
pratiksanaasvadanalolupyasyavandegurausricaranarvindam.

Our gurujan, acaryas, they are always absorbed in doing what? In Radha-Madhava’s name, qualities, pastimes, like that. So this prayer namomahavadanyaya talks about these four aspects of Sri Krsna Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Beginning with namomahavadanyaya, I offer my obeisance’s unto mahavadanyaya, Lord who is most magnanimous, most generous, charitable, never ever Lord has appeared like this. This much magnanimity He had never exhibited. And we know the reason of Krsna’s now being magnanimous more as Krsna Caitanya than Krsna, because He is not just Krsna but He is also Radharani. Sri Krsna Caitanya Radha Krsna nahianya.

So that is qualityof Caitanya Mahprabhu, namomahavadanyaya. Krsna-premapradayate, I offer obeisance’s unto the Lord who is pra-da, the giver of Krsna-prema. This is lila, pastime of Sri Krsna Caitanya Mahaprabhu to propagate, distribute love of Godhead.

So we covered quality, we covered pastime, and then Krsnayanamah. Namah is constant, everywhere, four times you have to say namah, I offer my obeisance’s unto the Lord whose qualities are like this, I offer my obeisance’s unto the Lord whose pastimes are like this and now coming to the name. Krsnayanamah, I offer my obeisance’s unto Krsna, but which Krsna?
Krsnaya Krsna Caitanya namneKrsnayanamah

I offer my obeisance’s unto Krsna whose name is Sri Krsna Caitanya. So this is the name of the Lord.
Remaining is now, the complexion of the Lord. Gauratvisenamah, gaura-tvisa, here tvisa is mentioned,tvisa a-krsna, and in the prayer offered by RupaGosvami says Gaur-tvisenamah. His complexion is Gaur, He is Gaur varna. Syamasundar of Dvapar Yuga has become Gaurasundar of age of Kali.

So that Lord has kindly appeared, that is what Karabhajan muni is talking. In the age of Kali what did He do? He performs sankirtana yajna. He started a few hundred meters down the road, one thousand meters, Srivasaangana. The whole inauguration of sankirtana movement; sankirtanaika-pitarau Caitanya Mahaprabhu and Nityananda prabhu. Two prabhus together are founding fathers of this sankirtan movement, and kirtan started just round the corner, from here.

Initially Lord along with His anga and upanga and astra and parsadas He was doing kirtan indoor. It was a private affair, not accessible for the general public. There was whole screening process. Any impurity, out! You are not allowed. And this went on for long long time. All night long there were kirtans and roaring and amazing dancing of Gauranga Mahaprabhu.

So AdvaitAcarya was happy and not happy. Not happy because he was the one who invited Lord, Lord please please time has come. Dharmasyaglanirbhavati Bharat, when there is decline in religious principles then Lord appears. So Advaitacharya has seen state affairs of the country and the world and now only Lord could fix the situation. Lord could put order to this disordered situation. So with that aim he had invited Lord to come. So Lord had come but He was just continuing His kirtanthe way He used to. He always does in spiritual sky, in Goloka there is Vrndavana and Navadvipa, in Navadvipa there is kirtan eternally going on. So from Navadvipa He comes here and with same associates, parsadas and anga and upangas, and sastras, He was continuing.

So one day Advaitacarya had to make a very humble appeal unto Sri Krsna Caitanya Mahapranbhu. Lord please make this available to the entire world. And then,

udiloarunapurababhage,
dwija-manigoraamanijage,
bhakata-samuhaloiyasathe, gelanagarabraje.
Tathaitathaibajalokhol,
ghanaghanatahejhanjerarol,
premedhaladhalasonaraanga,caranenupurabaje.

Then there was kirtan, all over Navadvipa, in every town, village of Navadvipa. But that was not sufficient. Then Caitanya Mahaprabhu takes sannyasa and He goes all over India spreading the Holy name everywhere. But He left some homework for SrilaPrabhupada to do. Then SrilaPrabhupada, ‘You are very intelligent, –yeah, you are performing sankirtana, must be intelligent. — Please spread this Krsna consciousness in western world’. So Prabhupada goes, bringing the Holy name everywhere. As a result, as we receive the Holy name, then we begin running, coming back to home, back to Godhead. As soon as we receive the Holy name, as soon as we receive, our journey our travel begins.
That is what has happened. From nama to dhama. So we receive the name and we end up in dhama, so that is what has happened. You are welcome. And what you are doing here is what Caitanya Mahaprabhu always does in Navadvipa, Mayapur. He taught that also to the whole world. The process of Krsna realization or attaining Krsna, attaining ultimately His dhama and that process is sankirtana yajna. So you are at the right place at the right time doing the right thing.Chanting during this kirtanmelaki .. Jay!

So much to say, I wish I have five mouths, if not thousand, but what to do? We are always limited.
So after Caitanya Mahaprabhu’s manifested pastimes got over, chapter closed, there was a big flood. MayapurNavadvipa was flooded. Literally kind of ocean water over here and everything stand still. No one was coming going, nothing was happening here for several hundred years. And then things gradually changed. Flood situation was under control.

Then Jagannatha Das Babajimaharaj comes to Navadvipa. Soon Bhakti Vinod Thakur was transferred from JagannathPuri to Krsnanagar, District magistrate. And he gets association, instruction, guidance from Jagannath Das Babaji. Taking siksa from Jagannath Das Babajimaharaj.

Then Gaur Kishor Das Babajimaharaj also from Vrndavanhe migrates here to Navadvipa. He becomes siksa disciple of Srila Bhakti Vinod Thakur. And Srila Bhakti Vinod Thakur asks his son Vimala Prasad to accept discipleship of Gaur Kishor Das Babajimaharaj. So there were times, may be 150 years ago, all these four great acaryas of our sampradaya were physically together at Bhakti Vinod Thakur’s house or where his samadhi is. Like six gosvamis of Vrindavan would gather together in a courtyard of Radha Damodar temple. So like that Jagannath Das Babaji, Gaur Kishor Das Babaji, Bhakti Vinod Thakur and Bhakti SiddhantSarasvati Thakur, he was the junior in these four members and they would sit together, have association and I am sure they also do nana sasravicaranaikanipunau,scrutinizingly studying the sasras, and discussions and debates.

So this is how the discovering the pastime places in Navadvipa and reestablishing the glory of Navadvipa began with four of these, beginning with SrilaJagannath das BabajiMaharaj. No one knew which pastime where, this that? Srila Bhakti Vinod Thakur was breaking his brain and trying to find references, research, wandering everywhere and the gadgets he was referring to. Even the place of Caitanya mahaprabhu’s birth was not sure, because few hundred years ago, flood was everywhere. So you could imagine.

So Srila Bhakti Vinod Thakur, searching and finding out and establishing different pastime places of Gauranga and another pastimes also from previous ages. So amongst those, birth-place he was working hard. So with the help of Jagannath das BabajiMaharaj, he was able to. He was elderly and he had to be carried in the basket. And the team was going here there and Jagannath Das BabajiMaharaj was like a detector, he would detect. Like sometimes the water detectors, before digging the well, the farmers; you know some farmers are experts, they know, they get another person of another village, they are water detectors. They know, they make them walk all over and then ‘dig here, you will find water’, so like that.

So detecting Caitanya Mahaprabhu’s birthplace, so as they arrived, walking and walking to that location, which is now known as Yogapitha; Jagannath Das Babajiwas 130 years old, immediately became ecstatic and started jumping, GauraGauraGauraGauraGaura… JayapatakaMaharaj would tell in more dramatic manner, what all that transpired.
And that is how it was finally concluded, this is birthplace of Caitanya Mahaprabhu and credit goes to Jagannath Das BabajiMaharaj. Hence when we offer our pranam mantra to him, what do we say?

Gauraavirbhavabhumestvamnirdestasajjanapriyah. This holy, sajjan, sat-jan, and he is also sarvabhauma, he is very dear and respected by all vaisnavas and he indicated, pointed out to which place? Gaur avirbhavabhumi, bhumi means location, place, land, Gauraavirbhav, Sri Krsna Caitanya avirbhavbhuminirdesta, he pointed out, ‘It’s here, it’s here’. So that was contributionamongst so many innumerable contributions of SrilaJagannath Das BabajiMaharaj Ki.. Jay! His Samadhi is in Navadvipa town. As you will go on Navadvipamandalparikrama, one day you will also getdarshan of his Samadhi.

Then quickly, Rasikananda, he was disciple of Syamananda. He was Grihastha, from Orissa. Quiet amazing personality! He was powerful influential personality. Many of his disciples were animals. He would initiate animals. Like Caitanya Mahaprabhu in Jarkhanda forest, He made the animals to chant and dance. So some of Rasikananda’s followers, specially one elephant, he went wild, creating havoc, and all the villagers were in trouble. They ran to Rasikananda, ‘please do something’. And Rasikananda approached this elephant and said hey elephant, Hare Krsna Hare Krsna KrsnaKrsna Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama RamaRama Hare Hare! And elephant calmed down bowed down with tears gliding down from eyes and chicks. Rolling in front of Rasikananda.HariHari!! What an empowered man.

SrilaTamal Krsna GosvamiMaharajki… Jay! So we are celebrating 16th disappearance anniversary of Tamal Krsna Gosvamimaharaj. I was there 16 years ago on this day. Anyone of you was there also? Yeah. What a loss. I was shocked. So Tamal Krsna Maharaj was my dear brother, one time my GBC. When I was just a bhakta in Bombay, Tamal Krsna Maharaj was GBC. He was very strict; GBC has to make sure all the standards are maintained. I was brahmacari. One day I was getting late to come to mangal arati so I hurriedly put my doti like sannyasis do. Not a brahmacari style. I had no time. I thought I would just, like gopis would just ran you know with their saris, whole upside down. I hoped that would be accepted, my ecstasy. So I came to temple and was about to bow down. Tamal Krsna maharaj walked closer to me. I offered my obeisances and as I looked up, he was there. ‘Are you brahmacari?’ ‘Yes’ ‘Sannyasi dhoti? No.’ He said, ‘Go!’ I thought I could go after mangal arati and do the. He said ‘No, Now!’ And he stood there till I departed. HariHari!!

He was sole GBC of entire India that time. I think he was the first GBC of India. SrilaPrabhupada gave him sannyasa in Jaipur at Radha Govinda temple. That was the time the queen of Jaipur also donated set of Radha Krsna deities. Prabhupada named them Radha Govinda and send them to New York.

So Tamal Krsna Maharaj had come back to Bombay and in mean time something happened with me and I was getting ready for marriage. It was arranged. Temple president was involved. And my parents were very happy, thinking that I am becoming normal. So they also had come and everything was. But then on the day of ceremony girl’s parents came. And they had parked car some distance away from temple. They said to her we have some jewelry and saris for you. Please come to the car. They brought her to the car. Made her sit down in the car.And they kidnapped her. And I was very much down. Thinking why bad things happen to good person like me. So my GBC took note that I am kind of undergoing some depression. So I am very thankful to Tamal Krsna Gosvamimaharaj for consoling me and lifting me up and he proposed, he said ‘you marry Krsna’. Then idea of my taking sannyasa kind of came out of that. Marry Krsna, take sannaysa. So Tamal Krsna Gosvamimaharajki Jay!

So then after several years in Bombay, he went back to America and kind of book distribution that he managed, SrilaPrabhupada’s book distribution, in ideal way, a revolution. He had 6 buses, 20 vans and 150 brahmacaris with him and some sannyasis also. And he named that party as Radha Damodar party, distributing hundreds and thousands, amazing, winning those marathons. I think must be around that time he had an idea of making an offering to SrilaPrabhupada for SrilaPrabhupada’s pleasure and he was thinking of offering a garland. Not of flowers but garland of jivas, souls. So he with his staunch, strong preaching made 108 devotees. And made some kind of mala and offered them at SrilaPrabhupada’s feet. HariBol!

This land, the very first piece of land for ISKCON in Mayapur was acquired by Tamal Krsna Gosvamimaharaj.Prabhupada had assigned him that task. Srila Prabhupada was in Kolkata. And he sent Tamal Krsna maharaj to Mayapur. And he was very expert and the great determination and what not. By hook or crook he wanted to manage to get. He managed to get a piece of land from a muslim. Prabhupada was in Kolkata, waiting. It was late night and Prabhupada was waiting and waiting. He was very anxious to know what the outcome was. Did he manage to purchase the land? Is the deal complete? He wasn’t coming so Prabhupada was concerned, why he is not here, something went wrong? So Tamal Krsna maharaj returned. Lights were on in Prabhupada’s quarter. Knocking on the door in the middle of the night and as Prabhupada opened the door Tamal Krsna Maharaj handed the papers. ‘Here is land for you, Srila Prabhupada. Mayapurland’HariBol!

Tamal Krsna maharaj was vey much attached to Srila Prabhupada. So much affection for Srila Prabhupada and he always preferred to be around Prabhupada, serving. And he did in a very special way. Sometimes I think that Tamal Krsna maharaj had some kind of access to SrilaPrabhupada’s mind and heart. Knowing what is on Prabhupada’s mind and in his heart. Then he would try to fulfill Prabhupada’s wishes and desires.

Final year he wrote a book, drama of final year. ‘Final lesson’ is the name of that book. He wrote many books. Servant of the servant is a biography of Srila Prabhupada, history of ISKCON. And TKG diaries are world famous, something that TKG knew, no one else knew, because there were just him and Srila Prabhupada lot of the times. So he was making notes, TKG diary. So he had come to Mayapur in 77. And from that time till 14th Nov 77 in Vrindavan, he never left Srila Prabhupada’s company. He was like a shadow of Srila Prabhupada, going following everywhere and offering from here going to Bombay and idea of going to Rishikesh, Tamal Krsna maharaj was involved. And then back to Vrindavan when Prabhupada thought no no I may be leaving this world. So Tamal Krsna maharaj managed and Bhakti CaruMaharaj was also there in Rishikesh. And last year of Srila Prabhupada on the planet, Bhakti Carumaharaj also spent lot of time with Srila Prabhupada and Tamal Krsna maharaj.

And when Prabhupada was getting little better, Prabhupada’s idea of traveling to America to Gita Nagari came up. Prabhupada was on the way to Gita Nagari but then he stopped in London and his health went from bad to worst and he had to rush to Bombay and then to Vrindavan. And all this time Tamal Krsna maharaj was with Srila Prabhupada.

Writing will of Srila Prabhupada, Tamal Krsna maharaj was instrumental getting that written. And on and on, he had the mission, very tough mission, China. There were some difficulties in America I think. Inter relationships with different zones. And then Tamal Krsna maharaj had to surrender his zone in America and then he went to China. And he was surrendered soul, he did go to China to tough hard nuts there he did crack. As I was coming down here so many Chinese devotees. Are there few hundred Chinese devotees here? And of course there are thousands in China. So this was the work, initial planting the seed of Krsna consciousness in China. China was opened and Krsna consciousness making inroads in China, the communist China. This was Tamal Krsna maharaj’s very special mission.

And in 2002, Tamal Krsna Maharaj did something special. He had been doing that for few years. He was conducting kirtans in his apartment. He had large apartment in Conch building which could accommodate over 100 or 150 devotees. And he was inviting them every night and something like what was going on in Srivasaangana, selected group of devotees, Caitanya Mahaprabhu was chanting and dancing; Tamal Krsna maharaj was organizing thosekirtans night after night after night. Very amazingkirtans! I remember him going everyday to Ganga also those days, to see him going to Jamuna and coming back everyday.

So that kirtanmela which is happening now in Mayapur and elsewhere also, I make connection, Tamal Krsna Maharaj started thosespecialkirtans in his quarter. And that was happening many years, year after year and after his departure GBCs continuedthose kirtans, reading of Caitanya Caritamrta and kirtan as a memory or remembering Tamal Krsna maharaj and his programs, his kirtan activities and then gradually graduallykirtanmela started everywhere. Kirtanmelaki Jay! So kirtanmela which are now happening in Mayapur also has connection with Tamal Krsna Maharaj. He did kirtans in Mayapur.

So all day there are ceremonies celebrating disappearance of Tamal Krsna maharaj beginning at 10 o’clock at his Samadhi. You all are invited, welcome to go there, offer your prayers,obeisance’s, chant and hear his glories. Keep remembering this great soul, great brother of mine and many of us.

When Prabhupada departed I felt certainly a big loss and one more time I had a similar feeling when Tamal Krsna maharaj left, I also had the feeling of great loss.

I was told that before he left, that morning when he left, he offered his obeisances to Garuda. But he was not allowed to go outside Brajamandal realm. Before he could cross the Brajamandal border, oh ok not different. Gaur mandal. Then he was checked, you can’t go out. Stay here. So Tamal Krsna maharaj is here in Navadvipa, in Vrindavan. Or he is with Srila Prabhupada. He caught up with Srila Prabhupada that day. He was one of the parsads of Srila Prabhupada.

SrilaTamal Krsna Gosvamimaharajtirobhavtithimahotsavki Jay!
SrilaJagannath Das Babajimaharajtirobhavtithimahotsavki Jay!
SrilaRasikananda prabhu tirobhavtithimahotsavki Jay!
SrilaPrabhupadaki Jay!
Nitai Gaur premanandeHariHariBol!