Mayapur is our home
Prabhupada gave us this Mayapur festival
Venue: Mayapur
Dated: February 15
Occasion: Disciples gathering

Together we have something like this at different places, some kind of tradition or like a family reunion. We all from time to time or during festival we come back home, Mayapur is our home. Not house, house is a different. It is home. And wherever else we are now that is like home away from home. So from those homes away from home, when we occasionally come back home here and we get to meet. I get to see you and you also get to see each other, your brothers and sisters. And ofcourse we are part of bigger family, Prabhupadanga family.

So I am happy. You have come home. I have been coming every year to attend this festival. First festival was held in 1972 which I missed. I was in Bombay writing my chemistry exams (laughs). When Srila Prabhupada was here organizing 1st ever ISKCON Festival in 1972. So then I came first time in 1973 and since then I never missed any festival. Haribol

So, I love festivals, we all love festivals. And Prabhupada gave us this Mayapur festival. Initially, there were two, Mayapur and Vrindavan festival. We come to Mayapur and then go to Vrindavan. Now this is Mayapur festival and Vrindavan festival during is Kartik. In month of Kartik for Vrindavan festival more devotees come.

So only one year I remember, during Prabhupada’s days must be 1975. We had come from Bombay, most of us, many of us, too many of us came from Bombay. And when Prabhupada found out that only few has left behind and most of us are here. Prabhupada said what are you doing here who is taking care of the deities and temple and future construction and fund raising? So then, we had to go back. I think we stayed for 1 or 2 days. I was sent to Kolkata to do return train bookings and we all had to back for pleasure of Prabhupada. But I did come for few days so I didn’t miss that year. Today’s talks were padyatra centered, lot of padayatra..padyatra including Yashoda Dulal Prabhu’s padyatra in Gujarat following in the footsteps of Mahatma Gandhi. In 1977 we had come for the Bullock cart Sankirtan Party. We arrived at around noon time and that time there was only one building. I think the long building which is called the chakra building was under construction or it was nearly finished but practically to use there was only one building, Lotus Building. Radha Madhav were on ground floor, Radha Madhav Temple.

So we had parked our Bhaktivedanta Swami Bullock Cart Sankirtan Parties Cart and bulls parked in front of the Radha Madhav Temple. I think it was the noon time, there was Radha Madhav bhog aarti. So we took darshan and we were immediately we went to see Srila Prabhupada. Prabhupada was already in town. He had arrived and Prabhupada used to stay on 2 nd floor of the Lotus Building. You have seen Prabhupada’s quarters on the 2 nd floor? If you haven’t seen, you should go, visit, and take darshan of Prabhupada’s quarters. So we climbed up 1 st story and 2 nd we went up the stairs and as were about to come to the 2 nd floor and turn to Prabhupada’s quarters Hari Sauri prabhu who was a servant. He found that we were very eager to go and see Srila Prabhupada, he says oh!you can’t go, Prabhupada is not available, not free. But luckily, what happened that time, Prabhupada had gone to use rest room, bathroom and Prabhupada came out and as he was about to enter his living room, living quarter he saw us battling with Harishabri prabhu (Laughter). And Srila Prabhupada came to rescue us, let them come. So, Hari Sauri was, our path was clear.

So we enter Prabhupada’s quarters, Prabhupada had taken his seat. We offered our obeisance’s and as we sat Srila Prabhupada, there are so many garlands, big pile of garlands which had been offered to Srila Prabhupada earlier by other devotees, disciples. So he asked I don’t remember either Tamal Krishna Maharaj or Hari Sauri, garland them. So, we were all garlanded. Big big garlands. We were looking at each other with big pride, we were honored we were greeted by His Divine Grace, Srila Prabhupada ki Jai. And we had a talk we gave report. I wasn’t here for most of the time but I was hearing some reports of padyatra, padyatra ministry and some other reports.

So amongst many thinks those were reported to Srila Prabhupada our experience of being on the road with a Bullock Cart Sankirtan Party from Allahabad to Mayapur. Because reporting of our Vrindavan to Allahabad, Prayag was already done, I had met Srila Prabhupada at Kumbha Mela in 1977 Jan, so then onwards, Allahabad onwards. So amongst different queries Srila Prabhupada was making he asked me how was the Journey? And I in humors manner said ‘it was easy journey to Mayapur Planet Srila Prabhupada’. The easy Journey to Mayapur Planet by his book title easy journey to other planets. So I took that other planets and put Mayapur there. Easy Journey to Mayapur Planet. Prabhupada was happy to hear. There were difficulties also overall it was easy journey, coming back home. Then Srila Prabhupada had, first he had instructed us to walk from Vrindavan to Mayapur which we did. And we had no clues where next we would go. So in mayapur, Prabhupada said go to Jagannath Puri now.

So next destination became Jagannath Puri. So that was in 1977 our meeting, Bullock Cart Sankirtan devotees meeting with Srila Prabhupada, Hari Hari! So 44 years lot has happened in Mayapur from scratch, one time there was nothing. Little hut in the beginning and then Lotus building only and then long building, chakra building and gradually, you could see the whole empire that has come into being even skyscrapers. And on top of that is off course TOVP. You should take a tour, Istadev prabhu coordinates this tour. He could personally take you on the tour and show up and down, in and out and he knows all. He is part of TOVP construction project, he has a role to play. He also does fund raising for it, if you have some funds, please take a pledge.

So that Temple, it was prediction of Nityananda Prabhu-hoibe vikas, prakash. Nityananda prabhu, while he was taking Jiva Goswami on the tour of Navadvipa. Nityananda prabhu became the guide and he was giving tour to Jiva Goswami and during that tour, there will be one astounding Temple.

“eka adbhuta mandira ei haibe prakasa
gaurangera nitya-seva haibe vikasa”

Gauranga Mahaprabhu’s seva will manifest here or Gauranga will manifest and whole world will come and serve. Gauranga, Gauranga. How many of you were here for the Chakra Installation? On the top of the temple is a chakra, Russian made and golden brilliant effulgence illuminating the sky. They were installed just a week ago, on the 7 th and there was an astounding festival. So that has happened, chakras already there.

Some devotees just take darshan of chakra and that is considered as good as taking darshan of the deities. Like Namacharya Srila Haridas Thakur was not allowed as he was born in Muslim family, not allowed to enter in Jagannath Mandir. But he did not mind from wherever he stayed. What is that place? Siddha bakul, so from there he would take darshan of chakra at the top of Jagannath, nilchakra. And so he was taking darshan of the chakra and offering his obeisance’s.

So that chakra has already been installed. Giving us confidence that now rest would also happen. Deities would be moved. So for sure 2022 as you come for Mayapur festival, naturally you will come that year all the deities, pancha tattva and Prahlad Narsimha and Ashtsakhi Radha Madhav they will be shifted to the new temple, in a new altar. Even if the construction, all construction not completed, still it has been decided that deities will be moved and their worship would began. It is a huge temple, could accommodate 10,000 devotees at a time. Hari Bol!!!

But I am sure, it’s gone to be a full, house full. I mean I was thinking we should make a target of bringing 50,000 devotees that year. Hari bol! It is my thought. I was thinking, reason also, why 50,000 because 2022 is going to be a 50 th anniversary of Iskcon Mayapur’s 1 st ever festival. 1 st festival in 1972 to 2022, this is 50 years. 50 th anniversary of Bhajan Kutir or Iskcon, Prabhupada entering and there was also that year in 1972 itself, Prabhupada did ground breaking ceremony. Not only ground breaking but he had dug hole and even Anantsesa was installed, Prabhupadaa was so eager and anxious, that land was just acquired few months prior to that year’s festival, 72 festival. So its 50th anniversary and is also a 100 th anniversary of meeting, first ever meeting of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakur and then the Abhay Babu. They met in 1922, so one hundred, after 100 years, this temple is getting opened. So it’s a 100 th anniversary of that first ever meeting of two Prabhupadas. Then Bhaktivedanta swami was not known as Prabhupada but later on we fondly called him and he allowed us to address him as Srila Prabhupada ki jai. So this is mother temple. And all other temples are like a children temple. This is original.

So in this way the prediction of Nityananda Prabhu also will come true as we finally open this temple. Chaitanya Mahaprabhu made one prediction and that prediction was, prithvite ache yata nagaradi grama, sarvatra prachara hoibe mora nama My name will be chanted in every village, in every town. Which town you are from? London. It reached London, Moscow. Any other countries? Ukraine, Mexico, Russia and like this you could see. I mean prediction has come true, it is true. It has happened, It is a history. And again, as I am a padayatri and padyatra talks are going on. The mission of padyatris is to bring the holy name to all the cities, all the towns of this planet. GBC has made this kind of vision, mission statement for padyatris. And padyatris, thus far or by 2016 which was 50 th anniversary of Iskcon, padayatris had walked 2,50,000 km. Two and a half lakhs of kilometers padayatris have walked. And padayatris, they do not just walk, what do they do? They chant and I always say this, padyatris have not only brought the holy name to every town or every village or not all but many many, but they also bring the holy name in between the towns, in between the villages. Not only to the town, and another town but in between the town, in between the villages.

So, Srila Prabhupada’s padyatra is making this prediction come true, more than true. Beyond the villages, in between the villages and towns. So, you could imagine how many many hundreds and thousands. How many villages? Do you have any count? He used to keep track when Jaya Vijay was incharge, he used to keep track of address, name of the village.

So, the holy name has reached. So this one prediction of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, Prabhupada met that come true. So that was Chaitanya’s prediction. And the prediction of Nityananda prabhu is the temple. Temple, astounding temple would be built. So by 2022, yet another prediction and this one of Nityananda prabhu. This prediction also will come true as we opened TOVP which is Mayapur Chandrodaya Mandir by 2022 ki Jai. So, also credit goes to Srila Prabhupada. All glories to Srila Prabhupadaa. This planet has changed so much in last 50 years. That change may not be very obvious for us now but as time goes on, who will notice the difference? The world will notice the difference. What’s this Hare Krishna Movement of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu is doing to this world? It’s a revolution as Prabhupada said Revolution in consciousness. And uniting the entire world or uniting people of this planet.

So the way, the Hare Krishna Movement unites people, the souls or meeting of hearts and minds, no other entity or organization could do or has done thus far. They may be talking of some kind of brotherhood, brotherhood? Yes, brotherhood. Or talks of peace and unity but it’s very superficial, no deeper understanding as Krishna Consciousness makes us understand that we are brothers and sisters. When different persons claim that we are bothers, what does that mean? There’s something in common. What is in common? Father and Mother. Okay father and mother are in common. That makes two persons or three persons brothers, they have common father.

So, hindi-chini bhai bhai. People of China and people of India are brothers. There was this slogan one time hindi-chini bhai bhai, hindi-chini bhai bhai. I was so small and did not know much hindi, I knew marathi. But I could make out, how is it possible. Hindi is a language, chini is sugar. Something that you eat and it is said bhai bhai, they are brothers. Hindi language and sugar that you eat are brothers. This was my from word meanings I was deriving that meaning but hindi, people of Hindustan, people of India are called hindi. We are hindi in Hindustani and chini means Chinese people are called chini.

So later on I understood people of China and people of India are brothers. But still, there is a common father is Mr. Modi, or X something, his name? Is he the father now? So only after understanding, studying Bhagvad-gita as it is, then I understood.

‘aham bija-pradahh pita’

I am father of all the living entities. And only Krishna could make that claim, I am the father of all the living entities.

So Krishna consciousness movement is establishing the brotherhood with full understanding. It is eternal truth. We don’t have to become brothers, we are brothers already. We all are already brothers and sisters, we had forgotten. And then Krishna, Shri Krishna Chaitanya Mahaprabhu ki jai, they are just reminding us, they appear to remind us. So we are a family and our family base is Mayapur, Vrindavan.

So we have forgotten, neglected our family, attempted to break the ties with our family but could never work. And so finally we are coming to senses and we are on the way back home. And this all begins with chanting of
Hare Krsna Hare Krsna Krsna Krsna Hare Hare – Hare Ram Hare Ram Ram Ram Hare Hare And Chaitanya Mahaprabhu said ‘My name will reach every town, every village.’ That would be beginning but that is not an end. People will chant Hare Krishna everywhere and with that the rest is accomplished. So what has happened to the first batch of devotees, the first batch of souls since last 50 years. So this will keep happening for next 10,000 years. This is the program for next 10,000 years, Krishna consciousness movement will go on spreading as we do, yare dekha tare kaha Krsna upadesa amara ajnaya guru hana tara ei desa (CC Madhya 7.128) This is Chaitanya Mahaprabhu’s instruction again. He gave us mahamantra, this prediction; he also said I order you ‘yare dekha tare kaha Krsna –upadesa.’ And then on behalf of Gauranga, Srila Prabhupada or parampara was on the job. For first 500 years there was some introduction in the middle but then some 150 years or so you could say Srila Bhakti Vinod Thakur onwards the movement, it has been picked up and Srila Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Thakur founded Gaudiya matha and started propagation of Krishna consciousness. It was more of kind of Bengal, Orissa limited. Hare Krishna Hare Krishna and khol, kartal and chanting. Srila Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Thakur, he established 60 temples, Maths all over India and 4 outside India, overseas. And then he was inspiring, instructing his followers, his disciples to go to the west and spread Krishna consciousness there. So first time, Abhaya had gone to see

Srila Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Thakur, infact his friend brought him there. Oh! I have seen so many sadhus, he may be just another one. Oh! no no no, he is different. His friend convinced him and then finally Prabhupada had gone, Abhaya babu had gone and very first instruction at meeting ‘you look very intelligent, spread this Krishna Consciousness all over the world.’

You think this instruction of Srila Bhakti Siddhanta was some whimsical or some accidental thing? No. It was inspired by Gauranga. Chaitanya Mahaprabhu is waiting. My prediction has not come true, holy name has to reached every town every village. Who is going to do this? You. And then, so that seed, idea, thought was planted in the heart and Srila Prabhupadaa accepted, Bhakti Siddhanta as his spiritual masters. After the meeting he was returning home and he worked on this a lifelong, life time in preparation then Prabhupada goes to the west, and in 1966 foundation of Hare Krishna Movement with bunch of, they had by now become serious. They were just hippies. But, how many of you are ready to follow four regulative principles? What are they? Prabhupada had not said that in a formal way that one this, two that. No meat eating. What? No meat eating? What else to eat? That’s all that we have been eating, and you say no meat eating, we should starve? So any one is ready? How many of you are ready to follow four regulative principles Prabhupada asked and how many do you think were ready? All those who were present they are ready. Here, anyone is ready? Hari Bol!! So with those handfuls of his followers Prabhupada founded this International Society for Krishna Consciousness.

And then Prabhupada travelled 14 times around the world. Prabhupada had not taken any flight while he was in India, America he went by Cargo Ship. First flight Prabhupada took was from New York to San Francisco. First time he flew in the airplane was in 1966. And there he had commented the sky scrapper buildings look like match box. One match box on top of another one, another matchbox is on top of another one. This is Prabhupada’s thought. He is looking outside through the window and it looks like a matchbox topped on another one.

So you could see the first festival was attended by 50-60 devotees. I have written a book for your information, Festivals, Mayapur festivals, Mayapur Vrindavan festivals, in association of Srila Prabhupada. You have seen the book? Please, get a copy read it, distribute it then you will understand those beginning days, pioneering days of Prabhupada in Mayapur and those festivals. So there were 50-60 devotees in 1972 and how many are there now right here they are more than 100 devotees. So there were entire festival was attended by 50-60 devotees and they were saying so many devotees. How many? How many? So many 50-60. Wow! They were surprised, 50-60 devotees? Wow! Wow!

So from 50-60 devotees in 1972, so by 2022, we should have 50,000. We should make a target of 50,000 devotees.
Haribol stadium would be built which will have capacity of 100,000 part of the master plan. So, this is something good that has happened to this planet, over this planet that this International Society for Krishna Consciousness has been founded, established by Srila Prabhupada on behalf of Gauranga Mahaprabhu to execute the will of Shri Krishna Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. So what happens is the prediction comes true. People chant Hare Krsna everywhere. And then what does Hare Krsna chanting do? cheto darpanam marjanam. All that is bad, whatever that may be bad, all bad is removed, dropped.

And what is left is pure soul with the pure thoughts and high thinking and the quality, in other words the quality of human beings. Hare Krsna Movement works on making quality human beings. Quality people, godly qualities. We don’t work on making people God. And let’s not forget it, you want to become God? God’s post is not vacant so, you would not try to aspire, for it.

You want to be god? Yes, one person was interested. I am sure not many but one said that Prabhupada this person is interested in becoming God. And Prabhupada asked him you want to be God? Yes yes yes, make me God. This person thought finally I met, I wanted to be God and if he is asking me you want to be a God? That means he must be competent to make me God. He must be capable of making me God. So yes, please make me God. Then Prabhupada said you want to be God, yes? What does that mean? That meant you are not God now. You want to be God. Then Prabhupada said one who is not God cannot be God. God is always God. God never becomes God. One day Krishna became God or Ram became God. He wasn’t God and overnight he became. So this way that person’s all aspiration and dream of becoming God was smashed. He had no hope of becoming God. And he did end up becoming good devotee of God and that was Giriraj Swami. When I joined in Bombay, Giriraj Maharaj used to share his early encounters which Srila Prabhupada I used to translate his talks. So, there is no question of becoming God. So, but we could become Godly. Not become God, but become godly, God’s qualities.

So this Hare Krishna Movement is giving rise to birth to Godly people, Krishna conscious people, and Godly people are good people. They are best people on the planet. They are the well-wishers of everybody and they are friends of everybody. So Hare Krishna Movement’s work is a topmost welfare work. And we wish everyone,

om sarve bhavantu sukhinah
sarve santu niramayah
sarve bhadrani pashyantu
maa kashcid dukha bhag-bhavet

May all be contented. May all be free from disabilities. Let everyone experience auspiciousness. Everyone includes everyone. Let everyone be free from all diseases, no disease including no mental disease. Let everyone be free from all diseases. I had gone to hospital opening program. I was kind of guest, chief guest. So that time I offered this prayer, let everyone be from disease (laughter). And the owner of that hospital oh! Maharaj!! What would happen to my hospital? I have opened 50 bed hospital and we would like all the beds to be occupied and you are praying let
everyone be free from disease, no sickness (laughter). So, this Hare Krishna Movement Prabhupada again and again is talking to the audience please understand this movement. Understand this institution Hare Krishna movement, join this movement.

So we are joining and jointly we are making efforts to solve the problems of everybody on the planet. All the big big brains, presidents and prime ministers and this and that; they have no clue, they have no idea. They are themselves blind and they are leading other blind, blind following blind. Well, there is a ray of hope here, on the planet for the entire humanity? This Krishna consciousness is only hope, no other way, no other way,
no other way.

harer nama eva kevalam
Chant Hare Krishna and be happy. Is this making you happy? Are you happy? Hari bol!So thank God, that God is Gauranga. Thank Gauranga that you have come in contact with this Hare Krishna Movement. I thank him for making this prediction. I thank Gauranga to empower Srila Prabhupada to make His prediction come true. And as a result we have come in contact with Hare Krishna Movement. It is the best that has happened to us since long long long time. We had been going round and round and round and up and down. Going round and round up and down, but now we could get out of here. Not get out of Mayapur, get out of this cycle. In fact we had broken all the bonds, we are free from illusion and we are in Mayapur. It is not a small accomplishment. We are in Mayapur. Mayapur dham ki jai. Shri Krishna Chaitanya Mahaprabhu ki jai.

Now you all skip, it is your victory, param vijayate shri krishna sankirtanam. All victory to this sankirtan movement. So get further inspired, get further attached to Gauranga and the holy name and to devotees. That’s very important also. We do not only love God, we also love devotees of God. That is more important. We don’t love and serve devotees of God then Lord say no no, you are not my devotee. I want to see you loving and serving my devotees. If you say I am a devotee of your devotee then Lord says ‘you are my devotee.’ But if you go straight to Him and say I am your devotee, get lost. You are my devotee. No no no, I am sorry. Correcting your statement, no no I am devotee of your devotee my Lord then you are my devotee. And you could see in Jagannath His hands are, you see His hands? What is He trying to do? Pick you of and then embrace you, those who become devotees of His devotees. Becoming devotee of God is easier; becoming devotee of devotee is tougher. Those who love only devotee are kanishtha adhikaris, Srila Prabhupada wanted at least we come to the madhyam adhikari levels, second class. And that meant we serve the Lord, we are friendly with the devotees of the Lord. And we are kind to the new comers, faithful and we maintain some safer distance from those who are enemies of God and God’s devotees. Those who are animical. To serve the devotees of devotees, you have to be more humble. I have no anuraga, no attachment, liking for your holy name. Chaitanya Mahaprabhu said that at the end of verse of the 2nd Siksastakam.

Then He says,
trinad api sunichena
taror api sahishnuna
amanina manadena
kirtaniyah sada harih

Immediately, I had no attachment, no attraction for your chanting. And in 3rd verse Chaitanya Mahaprabhu is providing a reply or a method or a solution, how to develop attachment. So that he could do kirtaniya sada hari, he could chant all the time. So what happen suddenly, now we are chanting all the time. What happened or what is expected to happen is the trinad api sunichena, is humble, trinad api sunichena, humble than straw in a street. Taror api sahishnuna, tolerant than those trees, amanina mana dena, respecting others and not expecting respect for oneself or ourselves. And this happens and we always see in such a state of mind, this always comes to my mind, the end part of the translation. In such a state of mind one could chant the holy name of the Lord constantly. In such a state of mind, so what is that state of mind? Is trinad api sunichena, being humble, tolerant, respectful, respecting others, not expecting respect for oneself. Such a state of mind, this is a state mind we have to
cultivate, we have to develop this mind set. And when that happens, then it could chant, Hare Krsna Hare Krsna Krsna Krsna Hare Hare Hare Ram Hare Ram Ram Ram Hare Hare
.
So, you are welcome again and again. Enjoy your stay by participating in temple programs, kirtan melas, parikrama, Gaur purnima festival. All this in association of devotees and by doing so we will get charged. Our batteries will be charged.