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Serving devotees and association of devotees open Hari’s dwara for us

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Venue: Vrindavan

Date: 15/8/13

Hare Krishna you all are welcome to this morning Bhagvatam from Canto 4, chapter 30th text number 2 please repeat

“kim barhaspatyeha paratra vatha kaivalya-natha-priya-parsva-vartinah

asadya devam girisam yadracchaya prapuh param nunam atha pracetasah” (S.B 4.30.2)

TRANSLATION: My dear Barhaspatya, what did the sons of King Barhisat, known as the Pracetas, obtain after meeting Lord Siva, who is very dear to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the bestower of liberation? Certainly they were transferred to the spiritual world, but apart from that, what did they obtain within this material world, either in this life or in other lives?

PURPORT: All types of material happiness are obtained in this life or in the next life, on this planet or on another. The living entity wanders within this material universe in so many species of life and so many planetary systems. The distress and happiness obtained during the span of life are called iha, and the distress and happiness obtained in the next life are called paratra.

Actually, Lord Mahadeva (Siva) is one of the great demigods within this material world. Generally his blessings bestowed on ordinary people mean material happiness. The predominating deity of this material world, Durga, is under the control of Lord Mahadeva, Girisa. Thus Lord Mahadeva can offer anyone any kind of material happiness. Generally people prefer to become devotees of Lord Girisa to obtain material happiness, but the Pracetas met Lord Mahadeva by providential arrangement. Lord Mahadeva instructed them to worship the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and he personally offered a prayer. As stated in the previous verse (rudra-gitena), simply by chanting the prayers offered by Lord Siva to Visnu, the Pracetas were transferred to the spiritual world. Sometimes devotees desire to enjoy material happiness also; therefore, by the arrangement of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the devotee is given a chance to enjoy the material world before his final entrance into the spiritual world. Sometimes a devotee is transferred to a heavenly planet — to Janaloka, Maharloka, Tapoloka, Siddhaloka and so on. However, a pure devotee never aspires for any kind of material happiness. The pure devotee is consequently transferred directly to Vaikun?t?haloka, which is described here as param. In this verse Vidura asks Maitreya, the disciple of Br?haspati, about the different achievements of the Pracetas.

“kim barhaspatyeha paratra vatha kaivalya-natha-priya-parsva-vartinah

asadya devam girisam yadr?cchaya prapuh param nunam atha pracetasah” (Translation repeat)

So this is enquiry as this a dialogue between Vidura and Maitreya it’s a new chapter Vidura has enquired this is only no. 2 verse he had heard the meeting Vidura had heard meeting between Praceta and Shiva and Shiva reciting “Rudra gitena harim siddhim ahu” as they heard just by hearing Rudra geet its like Bhagvat geet or Bhagvat gita they have attained perfection. “prapuh param” param is Supreme Personality of Godhead, “param” is also Supreme Personality of Godhead’s transcendental abode Vrindavan dhama ki …..jai. We try to think beyond Vrindavan there is no difference this Vrindavan that Vrindavan.

One devotee from England coming for Vraja Mandala Parikrama spending so many days on Vraja Mandal Parikrama he shared his realization with us, he said in England while preaching, hearing, thinking he used to think going back to Godhead means going somewhere else. I have to go back to Godhead certainly I am in England now I have to go back somewhere else I have to go, it is going back home going back to Godhead. But as spending so many days in Vraja mandala parikrama going round, not going round and round he was on his first round, he was in the middle of the round but then he said his thoughts changed. He was no more thinking he has to go somewhere else that going back to home back to Godhead is some other location where I have to go, so this idea of going went away, his idea of going somewhere was no more there went because he was thinking I have come back home, I am back home “I am here I am here” this was his realization “I have come back home”.

“samastraye pada palva plavam” attaining lotus feet of the Lord that is also attainment of supreme “param padam mahat padam punya yaso murare” the Lord Murari whose lotus feet are “param padam” supreme destination and having taken shelter of those lotus feet of the Lord, then what happens this whole world compared to big ocean shrinks and becomes ‘vatsa padam” param padam, whole world which is a big ocean what is the word? So Lords lotus feet are “plavam” Lords lotus feet are a boat as you take shelter of Lord’s lotus feet you are immediately into the boat but there is no more ocean or as you sit in the boat the whole ocean has shrunken, has become how much water is there in the ocean just like a hoof print of a calf not even cow, cows hoof print are bigger smaller than that calf’s hoof print and then even boat can’t sit in that water (Maharaj laughs). Means you already you are in the boat but there is no ocean you are already back home.

So that param, these Pracetas have attained that kind of “prapuh param nunam” certainly they have attained. Oh! they are almost back home they are eligible to get there and all this was result of “asadya” going closer having approached “devam” which devam is this girisam “devam girisam yadr?cchaya” and this by the will of the providence the meeting has taken place between Pracetas and Shiva. So they have attained “param” but Maitreya Muni is interested to know what else did they attained were they interested going on a tour of universe and enjoy this part that part. Srila Prabhupada is writing here devotees may go to Janaloka, Maharloka, Tapoloka, Siddhaloka. As those who are not in a big hurry to go back home they take a longer route. As Sukhdev Goswami explains in the 2nd canto in the beginning “satya mukti” instant liberation you are back home instantly or “krama mukti” gradually you want to get there you want to go through this longer route Maharloka, Tapaloka and Siddhaloka and finally through the covering of universe you return like going on padayatra or something and other ways Srila Prabhupada explains either taking elevator quickly get there on the 10th floor or you take stairs so some prefer going by the stairs and taking a good look at the universe enjoying becoming siddha could fly, very beautiful scenes ganga coming right down you could take your plane all around or you could do parikrama of ganga as its flowing down beautiful, wonderful.

So did they do something like that on the way back home that’s why oh! Barhaspaty disciple of Barhaspati, “eha” on this planet or “paratra” on other planets did they go there try to enjoy have good time in other places. kaivalya-natha-priya, “kaivalya-natha-priya-parsva-vartinah asadya” they approached they went closer to who? He is devam girisam and he is also mentioned “kaivalya-natha-priya” they went to Shiva and how is Shiva? He is “kaivalya-natha-priya” he is not “kaivalya-natha” he is priya he is very dear to “kaivalya-natha” kaivalya natha is Lord Krishna Lord Vishnu, “mukti pradata sarve shyam visnur eva na samshaya”. Oh! Devi please listen to this this “devam girisam” sharing his realization that mukti pradata sarve shyam the giver of liberation is Vishnu do you know that do you understand this “eva na samshaya” do not doubt giver of the bestower of liberation is Visnu at other place he has said “aradhanam sarve sam visnor aradhanam param” (Padma purana) aradhananam sarve sam so many objects of worship or meditation ‘aradhananam sarve sam” amongst all of them Visnu aradhayate param” Visnu is supreme. So Shiva he understands and this is the arrangement and certainly Shiva knows this and he is talking like that to his good wife Parvati so “kaivalya natha priya”. Pracetas went approached ‘kaivalya natha priya’ and they were greatly benefited by that association as they heard “rudragiten” Rudra geet the song of Shiva, song of god.

So as I was doing little fast forward in this chapter the question has been raised within this material world either in this life or the other lives? And the answer which would be unfolded gradually daily you have to hear every day “nityam bhagvat sevaya” and then everything would be disclosed step by step but just little glimpse of the future what is about to come and very briefly that Pracetas they spend 10,000 years in that water body so japa yajna and tapsa they did japa “Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare, Hare Ram Hare Ram Ram Ram Hare Hare” some mantra they did tapasya staying under water is certainly tapasya and chanting of Hare Krishna is also tapasya and it is divya tapasya as they did they were purified. So their association “adau shradha sadhu sanga” and then they had done their bhajan, bhajan kriya their japa yajna and they have continued their performance of austerities as per instructions guidance of Shiva and as they were purified bhrama saukhayam tavam anantam , “tapo divyam putra kayen satvam sadmad sudhe bhrama saukhayam tavam anantam”. Lord Rishabdev also in his geet is not called geet but Rishabdev geet is also there addressing his 100 sons he has sung a song in the 5th canto of Bhagvatam there he says as one performs austerities they have to be divya transcendental austerities then there is purification and “bhrama saukhayam tavam anantam”

So the result was there in case of Pracetas, result was they had darshan Lord appeared before them seated on back of Garuda and there is beautiful description of Lord’s form it has to be beautiful Lord is most beautiful and that’s why Bhagvatam is also beautiful “srimad bhagvatam” Bhagvatam is Srimad full of “Sri” full of opulence full of beauty also because “hari sarvatra giyate” “adau ante madhye” Lord is glorified everywhere in the beginning in the middle at the end of Bhagvatam. So the beautiful bhagvatam so there is beautiful description you will hear that beautiful bhagvatam as you keep attending bhagvatam and that beautiful Lord said oh! I am pleased with your performance of austerities and chanting of beautiful mantras. So ask for benediction “varam vr?nidhvam bhadram” (S.B 4.30. 8) you all bhadra- good ones auspicious ones “please ask for benediction” and Lord has spoken more and more but in the beginning He said please ask for benediction, ask for the benediction. And Pracetas also have spoken for long long time but in the middle of their speech responding to this “ask for benediction” and they did ask for benediction “kim vranimahi” oh! What benediction we could ask now we have been benedicted how? “tvadangri-mulam asadya” (S.B4.30.32) we have achieved; now we are approaching your lotus feet oh! Lord we are next to your lotus feet we are next to you and your lotus feet are right there you are standing on your feet. So we have approached “asadya” we approached your lotus feet, so isn’t that, we are with you we have attained you. So what more benediction something beyond you, is there something beyond you, you are all in all, you are everything.

So they have also used this word “asadya” Maitreya muni had mentioned in todays verse “asadya” having approached Pracetas they have approached lotus feet of Shiva or approached shiva and the result of that association or being with Shiva, Shiva is like the Guru, the guide, the counselor, the philosopher, the friend of these Pracetas and so Pracetas had approached Shiva and the benefit the outcome of this is ‘asadya tvadangri” now we are approaching your lotus feet. From Shiva’s lotus feet our spiritual master’s lotus feet have brought us to your lotus feet.

Lord Krishna says surrender unto me and spiritual master says surrender unto Supreme Personality of Godhead, what is the difference? Prabhupada would say, there is no difference. So Lord Shiva presented Bhagvat gita as it is, it’s not called Bhagvat gita its called Rudra geet but essence of Rudra geet is bhagvat geet he has repeated in his own words with full of realization but the essence is the same the conclusion is similar he has trained these, instructed these Pracetas to worship and surrender unto to the Supreme Personality of Godhead. And Pracetas continue first of all what more benediction we could ask for oh! Lord as we have achieved you. But if there is some contamination still remaining within us “bhramana iha karmabhih” (S.B 4.30.33) we must, we are made to wander in this world then oh! My dear Lord please give us benediction, what is the benediction? “tavad bhavat prasanganam sangahsyan no bhave bhave” (S.B 4.30.33) where ever we go which ever planet we go to or even whichever species of life we go into let there be “sangah” association of “bhavat prasanganam” your devotees association is what we aspire for let there be devotee association where ever we go. We don’t care where we go up down round and round here there this body that body but let there be association.

Even Brahma praying like, that even if I have to take birth as what? spider some cockroach let that birth be in Hare Krishna devotees home or hare Krishna devotees kitchen cockroach (laughter) there will some tape there will be some singing some tape is being played there. I will be hearing or some remnants of food I will be able to eat there so I don’t care what good is this, what good is this life or position of Brahma if I am not Krishna conscious devotee of Krishna, devotee of Krishna I don’t mind even being a cockroach let that be in a house of a devotee or in association of devotee.

“satam prasangat mam virya samvido” Lord Kapil dev also talked of “satam prasangat mam virya samvido” where ever my glories are being chanted I like to be there, one should be there “bhavat prasanganam” in association of devotees and infact that is being association of devotees, hearing from devotees. So how far away is the Lord “where there is hearing and chanting is going on” is Lord away from that location? no..no…I am right there Lord says. “naham vasame vaikunthe” you may not find me in Vaikuntha some times “nacha yoginam hrdaye” or not even in the heart of a yogi but for sure you could find me my address, my permanent address note down what is that permanent address? “yad bhakta mad gayanti tatra tistha me” tatra tistha me- I am there where my devotees have assembled, they are together and they are chanting “Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare, Hare Ram Hare Ram Ram Ram Hare Hare” kirtaniya sada hari, kirtan is not limited to just this hare Krishna hare Krishna kirtan, this Bhagvatam “hari sarvatra giyate” Hari is sarvatra everywhere glorified, recitation of Bhagvatam is also what? It’s also kirtan lot of things are kirtan everything in fact could be kirtan.

In Srila Prabhupada’s experience he called that as kirtan, in Bombay at the time of construction of Radha Rasbihari temple construction in full swing and lots of sound khat…khat…and faat faat…polishing of floor, wielding. So devotees were proposing there is so much sound its construction site here it must be botheration for you, could we relocate you elsewhere in some quite corner? Prabhupada said this is music for my ears. The temple is being built for Radha Rasbihari so any sounds related with the construction that is also kirtan, all those sounds were like kirtan for Srila Prabhupad. So Prabhupada did not move he stayed on there in the middle of all those construction sounds. So kirtaniya sada hari, so kirtan, chanting, hearing, recitation of Bhagvatam, devotional service everything is kirtan, cooking, cleaning this is glorification, kirtan is also glorification of the Lord, Lord is being glorified in this way or that way or whatever activity is there, that is also being accompanied by chanting of Hare Krishna, in that case also there is kirtan.

So being with the devotees, where there is a kirtan, glorification, service to the Lord, being with them also involves serving them “mahat seva dwaram ahu vimukte” just doing mahat seva serving the great souls, serving the great devotees of the Lord, being with them serving them that is called “dwarum” wide open gate way that dwara is mukti dwara, that dwara is bhakti dwara as one associates with the devotees and serves devotees then mukti dwara, Haridwar (laughs) Hari’s dwara is open the gate way of liberation is open by association of devotees.

So these Pracetas when they met the Lord oh! What could I do ask for benediction? Give us association of devotees. So this Shiva who certainly also takes association “vaishnava nama yatha sanbhu” he is great vaishnava, greatest of all the vaishnavas bam bam..bhole…. (Laughter) bhola – he also very innocent also Asuthosh – quickly satisfied. Shiva had association of Sanatan Goswami on the banks of Manasi Ganga, Chakleshswara Mahadev resides there so he had good time in association of Sanatan Goswami. But then one fine morning or day Sanatana goswami decided to leave and he was walking away and Shiva approached him, what’s the matter why are you leaving please stay on I want to be with you in your association. And Sanatan Goswami said there are too many mosquitoes here (laughter) oh! I could take care of them Shiva said don’t worry I will take care, Sanatana goswami stayed on and Shiva took care of all the mosquitoes he drew them away with his trishul.

So shiva not always understood as he is or he is quite a mysterious personality so many aspects of his character and his life, his role. But in Vrindavan we know he is such a elevated personality that even he could enter rasa dance and comes to Mansarovar and he comes off course with his trishul and matted hair and snakes around his neck. Oh! Where are you going? I like to enter dance , not like this you haven’t even taken bath. So it was recommended that you need to have gopi like form and gopi like bhava not Shiva like form or bhava, off course he had bhava he dnt have form so he jumps in with his trishul and dam…dam …damru and snakes and scorpions and comes out the gopi form and then he was welcomed. So he could be the part of rasa dance of the Lord, so that is Shiva even gopis worship and pray to shiva and hence he is known as Gopeswar Mahadev. Gopis are worshipping Katyani also so that they could have “patim me kurute namah” let that son of Nanda maharaj be our husband oh! katyani please please and then katyani was pleased with them after 30 days Lord appeared became their husband stole all their clothes.

And then gopis are praying to Shiva so that they could have Krishna’s association they could also enter rasa dance and dance with Krishna such benediction please oh! Shiva known as Gopeshwar. He wants to take darshan of Krishna and goes to Nanda gram and yasoda says no..no….., he is knocking at the door and yasoda is seeing he is again with snakes not taken bath. Oh! If Krishna my little baby sees you he may be scared, he may get sick just by your drashan go away she slammed the door. And Shiva goes but he wanted to have darshan so at some distance he sits in trance praying and meditating, aspiring for darshan of the Lord and he becomes known as “asheswar mahadeva” not far from Nanda gram. And then of course when that drashan was denied after wards Krishna begins crying and crying and not stopping and yasoda was wondering what happened? What is this due to?

So neighboring ladies come and enquire oh! From what time did he start crying? You know that one baba had come and I sent him away he wanted to take darshan. So as soon I sent him away I closed the door form that time, so maybe there is some connection of your child’s crying, maybe he also wants to see that baba and then they went looking around for him, they found him and was brought to Nanda bhavan now you could take darshan, Krishna stops crying. Shiva was happy Krishna was happy in association of each other. Ok so this Shiva also Sadashiva appears as Advaitacharya is Shiva sada shiv expansion of Mahavisnu. Shiva’s dear devotee was kuber and Shiva was once very pleased, I am very pleased with you kuber ji ask for some benediction, again some talk of benediction, he said please give me benediction, say it say it benediction you could give me you become my son “tatah astu”. And this kuber appears as kuber pandit in Bangladesh and Sadashiv appears as Advaitacharya the son of kuber pandit that is Advaitacharya. Then Advaitacharya’s son called Acyutananda he supposed to be kartikeya son of Shiva this is there in Ganodeshdipika by Kavikarnapur this is how one time Shiva and kuber met and benediction and Shiva appeared as advaitacharya and kartikeya appeared as advaitacharya’s son.

And that advaitacharya Srila Prabhupada mentions Shiva is very very kind infact he is always likes to see that everyone attains liberation becomes Krishna conscious. This is what is on the mind of Shiva all the time he Is thinking ways and means to liberate all these creatures even lower creatures so he is called as Bhutanatha or Pasunatha. All the creatures including human beings they are called pasus in this world when they are not Krishna conscious “dharmen hina pasubhir saman” without Krishna consciousness you are pasu . So those who are not Krishna conscious they are pasus and their natha is Shiva, he becomes their natha and he thinks ways and means to liberate them, so he did that, Pracetas attained perfection of their lives…….Haribol.

Any comment question or comment?

Question: Why people aspire to go for higher planetary system it’s not bhakti?

Answer: ya…when they aspire to go there whether they are serious about Krishna consciousness or not whether that offered the benediction of going to higher planets that’s pariksha or the testing and the reason why Sukhdev Goswami proposed that to king Parikshit or mentioned about going to higher planetary system “krama mukti” to see whether king Parikshit was interested in such proposal, he would also like to take that path but he passed that test by showing no interest to take that path he wanted instant and of course had only 7 days to go he had no time to take long route, he preferred to do chanting, hearing and association of Sukhdev Goswami so that there is “ante narayan smritih” at the end. Say bola…say bola………..coca cola. One person he was so much attached to coca cola he was proposed to say name of bola say bola..say bhola but he was so attached to coca cola he said no… get me coca cola so he left this world chanting coca cola so he went to coca cola loka.

Ok any other

Question: Going around the planets is sense gratification?

Answer: Well Kardam Muni he also had darshan of Lord like Pracetas, Lord appears at back of Garuda at Bindusarowar, Kardam muni is performing austerities Lord is pleased he is so much pleased that tears are gliding down the cheeks of the Lord by seeing his devotee or his affection for the Lord, but then Lord arranged his marriage soon comes Manu and Satrupa here is our daughter please marry her and that marriage takes place so you could say there is some enjoyment there not only that they soon board a plane and they took a tour plane as big as a city contains birds the trees the lakes everything is there all facilities.

And going around this planet that planet. So this is opulence of the lord in service of the Lord as they are thinking of the Lord they are serving the Lord they are not poor, poor man’s children, their father He is wealthy so they may use this opulence’s to see the kingdom of the Lord or see the creation of the Lord. Well someone may go see the nature but if he is Krishna conscious he makes a connection of this beautiful nature with the Lord. In the nature “gando pritvyam” the fragrance in the earth that is me. so if someone is nice fragrance, enjoying fragrance but if that reminds him of the Lord. This is my Lord’s fragrance my Lord is so fragrant. That’s Krishna conscious enjoyment.

Or as he drinks water Lord says “raso ham apsu kaunteya” (B.G 7.8) the rasa the taste in water that is me. When one drinks water if it reminds him of the Lord it’s so tasty, this taste is my Lord that tasting water is not mundane any more. as we smell flower what do we do, if someone is very morose very down, as soon as he smells the flower it kind of lefts them., their consciousness is lifted, this is because of the Lord’s fragrance in that flower.

Once one devotee said we go see sunset its part of the tour but if you see the sun which is vibhuti the opulence of the Lord that “prabhasmi sasi suryayoh” that prabha, that effulgence those rays and that sun and moon that is me Lord says. So if you are seeing with that mood that’s me there is no maya, there is no illusion, sense gratification is not there, you are fully Krishna conscious or that darshan is making you Krishna conscious reminding you of Krishna.

In the spiritual sky there is so much opulence, there is so much opulence the residents of Goloka they don’t stay in some kutir or bhajan kutir they stay in palaces and what they eat is so very opulent, first class enriched with this and that but because they are fully Krishna conscious’s we don’t call that , what they eat, what they see, what they smell, what they touch it’s not gratification any more “atamendriya priti krishnaendriya priti” that’s the difference Krishna is out of picture he doesn’t exist and all that exists is for me for me. “jiva bhutam maha bhao yayedam dharyate jagat” (B.G 7.5) Prabhupada translates this dharyate as exploitation living entity is a superior energy of the Lord, one is material energy “prakrtir astadha” made of 8 elements that is apara prakriti after mentioning apara prakrti of 8 different kinds “bhumir apo nalo vayuh kham mano buddhir eva ca ahankara itiyam me bhinna prakrtir astadha” (B.G 7.4) yet there is one another para prakrti “viddhi me param para prakriti “ superior energy that’s is jiva bhuta living entity is superior energy of mine. But in this world as they conditioned they are bound what do they do? dharyeta one energy is there material energy is there and then the conditioned soul tries to exploit try to enjoy that material energy for his own gratification atmendriya priti but if the person is not trying to exploit he is Krishna conscious, in the service of the Lord then it’s his life Krishna conscious life. Krishna in the center, Krishna in the mind, Krishna at every step Krishna Krishna Krishna Krishna Krishna Krishna krishna ….he. So there is no sense gratification, its gratification of Krishna

Ok Nitai Guar Premanande ………..Hari Haribol

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