SRAVANAM- KIRTANAM LEADS TO SMARANAM

I welcome you all and thank you for chanting with us. You should endeavour to make participants number more than 500 and by end of May our count of japa-yogi’s on this Japa club should go beyond 600. By end of June , we should be crossing 700. So if we all have a common vision, then we can work towards that goal. In Marathi it is said, “ prayatnanti parameshwar!” ( By endeavouring hard, one can even get supreme Lord.) Ultimately our goal is Parameshwar Sri Krsna. Krsna Kanhaiya Lal ki jay!!

I am here in Surat chanting with devotees from Surat. Yesterday there was a nice and beautiful Utsav. We were celebrating Jayapataka Swami Maharaj’s seventieth Birthday. I have been saying this, ‘from utsav comes utsaha.’ What do we gain from Festivals? Enthusiasm. Even to say word, ‘Utsaha’ you have to have enthusiasm. You are sitting dull , but to say the word utsaha you have to be upright. That is the effect of the word utsaha. We can say, taking part in utsav is part of the preparation of the next morning’s japa. We should engage in only such activities , which will give us enthusiasm, so that when we sit for chanting the next morning, we will chant with enthusiasm. After participating in utsav, that
should give us enthusiasm for chanting the next day.

HARE KRISHNA HARE KRISHNA
KRISHANA KRISHANA HARE HARE
HARE RAMA HARE RAMA
RAMA RAMA HARE HARE

How was this morning’s japa for all of you? Was there any difference? Did anyone have some special feelings or experience?

One of the devotees shared that yesterday’s celebrations made him more enthusiastic, for today’s japa. Prabhuji was sitting straight, alert, taking in a lot of air by breathing deep. When you sit straight, you can take lot of air in then with enthusiasm you can utter the mahamantra. So that was the result of yesterday’s celebrations for this Prabhuji. You have to sit straight like a yogi, so now when you look at someone sitting like this you should identify him as a yogi.

Other devotee shared, that he was able to concentrate better, that was also due to association of devotees.

Someone asked , ‘How to be enthusiastic?’ The answer given was , -you should associate with someone, who is enthusiastic. What will be the fruit of this? You will also become enthusiastic. So you should associate with those, who are Chanting with enthusiasm. Someone shared while chanting that his mind goes away, here and there at times. I answered that it was good. Your mind doesn’t go away all the time , but sometimes. Every
time the mind goes away, don’t let it go. Be enthusiastic. Enthusiastically and intelligently try to bring the mind back. Every time it goes, try to drag the mind back, from wherever it goes. Or you could chant louder, distract your mind, or attract your mind with the mahamantra. Wake up your mind. Ask the mind, “What are you thinking?” The thing is earlier we have never stopped the mind. It has been spoilt. We have encouraged all these

bad habits of the mind as there was no restrictions. But NOW we have to put restrictions. So while doing Japa this tug of war goes on – the mind on one side and Krsna on the other side. Mind wants to become Bahirmukh.

Krsna bhuliya Jiva bhog vancha Kare nikatastha Maya tare zapatiya dhare
(Prem-Vivarta and CC Madhya 20.117)

When we become Bahirmukh, then we desire to enjoy this and that, then immediately Maya grabs you, controls you, compels you. The mind’s business is like this, it keeps running behind Maya. We have to endeavour to please Krsna.

ātmendriya-prīti-vāñchā — tāre bali ‘kāma’
kṛṣṇendriya-prīti-icchā dhare ‘prema’ nāma

The desire to gratify one’s own senses is kāma [lust], but the desire to please the senses of
Lord Kṛṣṇa is prema [love]. (CC Adi 4.165)

I had one thought that this could be my last day in this body. It could be my last chance to chant and remember. I think like that. It is possible. You could leave this body any day. It’s not just my thought. Make it very serious. Try to chant the holy name with concentration, thinking that this is my last chance. Then we will be able to become more serious.

While chanting someone asked, “I remember the deities. Is it allright?” I said, Perfectly all right. Very good.” So while chanting if you remember pastimes of the Lord, then it’s good.
Sravanam, kirtanam leads to smaranam.

HARE KRISHNA HARE KRISHNA
KRISHANA KRISHANA HARE HARE
HARE RAMA HARE RAMA
RAMA RAMA HARE HARE

So when you remember, you should understand the fruit of saying and hearing Hare Krsna is smaranam. If you stop sravan and Kirtan then the smaranam will also stop. Basis of smaranam is sravanam and kirtanam. So we have to remember this outcome. We have to keep chanting and hearing so that we keep remembering also.
We look forward to chant with you another day. Learn to join the conference because this is to reform your japa. Chant Hare Krsna and be happy.

Hare Krishna!